A New Roof for an 1872 Church: Missouri Baptist Volunteers Repair Two Western Jamaica Churches After Melissa

• Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief sent two teams to Jamaica in 2026
• Elderslie Baptist Church, built in 1872, lost its preschool roof
• Volunteers fitted a new metal roof after Florida teams rebuilt the steel beams
• Townhead Baptist Church also had its roof replaced

Months after Hurricane Melissa struck on October 28, 2025, volunteers from the United States were helping put roofs back on Jamaican churches. Missouri Baptists reported in March 2026 that their disaster relief teams had repaired two Baptist churches in western Jamaica.

One was Elderslie Baptist Church, built in 1872. Its preschool roof had been destroyed, leaving twisted steel beams and an exposed structure, and the preschool was closed for four months before repairs began. After volunteers from Florida rebuilt the steel beams, the Missouri team installed a new metal roof.

The second was Townhead Baptist Church, about 40 miles southwest of Montego Bay, where the team replaced the roof and carried out other repairs. The first team was led by Richard Brummitt. The second, led by Steve Russell, was cut to six people by weather-related travel problems and could only work from Tuesday to Friday. Volunteers including Rebecca and Ben Kramer and Diane and Don Combs also taught Bible lessons to the preschool children.

“The people we met were so appreciative of our help and literally excited to get back in church,” Russell said.

Partnerships like this have long helped Jamaican church property survive storms, particularly in rural areas where congregations cannot pay for a new roof alone. They also show that church buildings are often more than sanctuaries. At Elderslie, the church site also houses a preschool, so the lost roof kept the preschool closed for four months. For diaspora Jamaicans, overseas church networks and returnees who want their giving to go where it counts, restoring these multi-purpose buildings is one of the fastest ways to get whole communities back on their feet. Clear records of what each building is used for, and what it would cost to replace, also help when donors, insurers or relief teams arrive.

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