‘It was God’s wrath’

Jamaica Gleaner | 2025-12-07 | Original Article

WESTERN BUREAU:

 

With more than 1,600 churches representing over 100 denominations, Jamaica is widely believed – though largely on anecdotal grounds – to hold a Guinness World Record for the highest concentration of churches globally, with an estimated 2.75 churches per square mile. Although many sources reference the Guinness Book of World Records, locating a specific entry or page in an official edition has proven difficult, suggesting the claim may stem from an older or unofficially maintained record. However, in the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s passage in October, that distinction may now be at risk.

 

Historically, the church in Jamaica has been regarded as sacred – a place where obedience to God is non-negotiable. So for many residents of Duanvale in Trelawny, including devout Christians, the wanton destruction of churches by the Category 5 storm is seen as a sign that God is displeased with the church.

 

“It is like Melissa was carrying revenge for the church itself,” said Clifford Palmer, a self-styled historian in the rural community. “I believe it was God sending a message to the church. A lot of the church people are corrupt, ignorant, and full of malice and grudges.”

 

Of the six churches damaged in Duanvale, the two most iconic – the 125-year-old Trittonville Baptist Church and the 145-year-old Frazerville Methodist Church – were completely destroyed, wiping out landmarks that had stood for generations.

 

According to Meris Palmer, administrator at the Frazerville Methodist Church, she and other members broke down in tears when they saw what Hurricane Melissa had done to their beloved structure, which now stood roofless with only three of its four walls remaining.

 

Palmer, whose family has deep historical roots in the church, said she was overwhelmed with emotion when she saw the ruin — roof gone, walls crumbling, and all the contents buried under a mountain of stones.

 

“I was christened in there. This is the church of my parents and grandparents, on both sides. A lot of people in this community are part of that church. Families upon families have been worshipping there over many years,” said a reflective Palmer.

 

Frazerville Methodist is metres away from the past home of former Guinness Records-certified world’s oldest person, Violet Moss-Brown, who died in 2017 at 117 years and 189 days.

 

A pillar of the church because of her unwavering dedication, Palmer told The Sunday Gleaner that nothing could have prepared her for what she encountered after hearing the news of the damage.

 

“The church has been battered. [The building] has been battered, and the members have been battered,” she said, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her face. “It is sad, it is sad, and we cried. When we were going down there, I said to two sisters, who were walking with me, that when we go down there, we have to get somebody to take out the pulpit, the lectern, the chairs, and the communion table.

 

“They had gone there before and they saw what happened, so I was talking and they were not answering,” continued Palmer. “When I got on the compound and looked through the window, everything was down, everything was covered, and it hurts, it hurts, and we all cried. I think God has a hand in everything because it could be that we were in there having service, having a funeral or any other function, and it could have collapsed on us … . It collapsed at a time when no lives were taken, so we must give God thanks for life.”

 

When asked about suggestions that the hurricane was a sign of God’s displeasure with the church, Palmer thoughtfully acknowledged the possibility.

 

“As church people, although we are sad and we are traumatised, this could be a sign that we must turn our lives around … . It’s possible it is a sign from God because, if you notice, all the churches have been hit, not just Methodist. All denominations,” she said.

 

“It could be a sign that our lives were spared to see, and it could be a sign for us to return to true repentance and true love … . It is a lesson for all of us to learn, worship God with true love and faith. This storm should be a lesson, a revival, a repentance ground for all church people,” Palmer said.

 

A schoolteacher from the community, who requested anonymity, shared a similar belief. She sees Melissa as a clear warning from God, arguing that the church has lost its way by focusing more on money than the Word.

 

“I thought our people were going to change after COVID, but instead of changing, they have become worse. This is a sign from God that the Church needs to do better,” she said. “Most times you go to church, the pastors are not preaching about God. All they talk about is money, sowing seeds, and all of those things.

 

“I know that God doesn’t need money. He needs our hearts. I just hope that the Church and the people will change and start doing the right things because the next time, it might be something worse than Melissa, possibly an earthquake,” she added.

 

Despite these concerns about the Church losing its way, the residents of Duanvale are determined not to abandon their faith.

 

Charlene Williams-Fletcher, a teacher who attends the Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus, said that although her church lost a large section of its roof, worship has never stopped.

 

“We have not missed a single day of worship since the hurricane. We remain rooted in our faith, trusting that God will cover us as we continue worshipping while making plans to restore the roof of the church,” she said. “We are a God-fearing and God-trusting people, so we are leaving everything in God’s hands.”

 

While Williams-Fletcher’s congregation continues to gather, members of the Frazerville Methodist Church have not held a service since Melissa.

 

“We have not had a service since Melissa; we have a church hall that was newly built and that is where we are going to worship, but we have no light and no water, so it is inconvenient to worship right now,” said Palmer.

 

They also face a serious dilemma concerning the future of their historic building. National church leaders want to preserve the remaining structure as part of their heritage, but engineers insist that the remnants must be demolished and replaced.

 

“The church is destroyed. We have three walls standing, but you cannot put new wine in an old bottle, so, we have to take down that and rebuild,” said Palmer. “If you look at what is there now, it was built 145 years ago, and it was just marl and stones. It has done its days.”

 

adrian.frater@gleanerjm.com

 

View the discussion thread.