Day 16 of a 40-Day Fast, a Clarendon Church Burned to the Ground. Its New Stove Was Still in the Box

• A 2am fire destroyed the Power and Authority of Jesus Ministry Church in Denbigh, Clarendon
• About $2 million in equipment and appliances was lost
• A brand-new stove, not yet unpacked, was among the losses
• The pastor appealed for help to rebuild and replace musical equipment

The Power and Authority of Jesus Ministry Church in Denbigh, Clarendon was 16 days into a 40-day period of prayer and fasting when a fire destroyed its building shortly after 2am, the Gleaner reported in March 2020.

The whole building was lost. The church estimated that about $2 million worth of equipment and appliances went with it, including a new stove the congregation had not yet taken out of its packaging. For a small congregation, that kind of loss can undo years of saving and giving in a single night.

Pastor Orville Powell said the fire had also hurt the church’s work in the wider community. “We have been carrying out a feeding programme every Tuesday at the May Pen Health Centre, and this has set us back,” he said. He did not blame anyone publicly, telling the Gleaner that he was leaving whoever was responsible “in God’s hands”.

His immediate concern was getting a roof back over the congregation. “We will need back our musical equipment and assistance to erect the structure once more,” Powell said. Until then, he planned to keep the ministry going online, preaching on Facebook Live and keeping members connected through WhatsApp groups.

The Gleaner report did not mention whether the building or its contents were insured, and it gave no estimate for rebuilding the structure itself. The $2 million figure covered only equipment and appliances, which suggests the full cost of starting again was higher.

Across rural Jamaica, many congregations build slowly, piece by piece, with members’ offerings. They often have no insurance and no reserve fund, and the building usually carries the church’s feeding programme, youth work and community meetings as well as Sunday worship. A fire like the one in Denbigh shows how exposed that model is. For church boards, the lesson is to keep an up-to-date inventory, look for insurance cover where it can be obtained, and store equipment safely. For diaspora members who support churches back home, a small, steady contribution towards insurance or fire safety can protect more than an emergency appeal after everything has burned.

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