The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble;
He knows those who take refuge in Him.
Nahum 1:7
Dear friends, family, and prayer partners,
I am writing today with a heart full of praise and gratitude — God protected us through the recent hurricane, and we are safe! THANK YOU FOR PRAYING WITH US AND FOR US!
KEEPING IT LIGHT
It may be too soon for hurricane jokes, but sometimes laughter helps carry us through. After the hurricane, we were pushing water out of the auditorium. I said, “Hey, Nadianna, make sure you close the door.” She gave me a funny face….“Oh ya, there is no door!” (We lost it during the hurricane.) Even in moments like this, God gives us peace and humor.
Auditorium (roof gone, flooded, glass everywhere)
DURING THE HURRICANE
While the damage around us is extensive, we’re thanking God for His mercy. No one was hurt and most of our personal rooms are okay. Some teammates experienced minor flooding, but their roofs stayed intact.
My Deaf Jamaican teammates remained calm and steady, modeling what it looks like to truly trust the Lord in every circumstance. We even played a board game in the basement during the worst of the storm. Including the two hours where water was filling up the laundry room and we were taking shifts sweeping the water in the dust pan because we forgot the towels. (Let me just say this was only one of the lessons I learned in my first Hurricane experience-bring towels)
CURRENT SITUATION
We’re currently without power and have limited running water. This could continue for weeks or even a month. Many roofs, dorms, the cafeteria, and ministry spaces (including our rec room, auditorium, and team office) were damaged or destroyed. Clean-up and repairs will take time, but we’re confident that the same God who protected us will also provide for restoration!
These are just a few pictures…
Dorms (two more dorms similar to this were also damaged)
Bye to the coconut trees 👋😢
GOD IS GOOD
Seeing these pictures make me want to emphasize that YOUR prayers were answered. The main destruction on our campus was not where anyone was staying. Also, interestingly enough, the prayer room is completely unharmed!! That is the God we serve! Through it all, our team remains united — gathering together, enjoying fallen coconuts, keeping humor alive, and celebrating every small victory. Even in loss, there is so much to be thankful for. We appreciate your continued prayers & support!!!
YEAR-END GIVING
If you would like to know how you can support us during this time there are a few opportunities! First, the DTS that I am leading is just around the corner. (YES, talk about crazy, we are still planning on it.) With this being said, please consider giving to our ministry to help Jamaican students join the DTS, replace materials damaged in the hurricane, and for our Deaf ministry’s yearly needs. You can check out our DTS student stories by clicking HERE or go to deafworldforjesus.org. (Please put DTS/ Ellie in the comments. That way I can allocate the funds where the need is!)
Support the DTS Students/ YWAM Deaf World Jamaica Ministry
Secondly, if you or anyone you know is looking to support the rebuilding projects from the impact of Hurricane Melissa, please consider giving to our campus or sharing with others!
Support the Hurricane Relief Fund
If you are looking to make a year-end gift to me personally, you can do so by giving here.
