Mandeville, Jamaica
Tuesday, October 28, 2025, will long be remembered by all Jamaicans, but more so the people in the western part of the Island, who felt the brunt of Hurricane Mellisa, which made landfall as a category 5 hurricane packing winds up to 185 mph.
Amidst the challenges that exist in the aftermath is the problem of communication, as the main telecom providers are down in many parts of western Jamaica, and internet access is nonexistent in many areas. A solution that has enabled meaningful communication in these areas is Starlink, a satellite internet service constellation developed by SpaceX, providing high-speed internet access to remote and underserved areas worldwide.
Mr. Wayne Clarke, IT Manager of the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, positions a Starlink on a roof in Black River. :: Photo credit: Contributed
President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s western region, Pastor Glen O. Samuels, is grateful for Starlink, as it is currently the means by which people express themselves.
“In the face of this colossal disaster, that is left in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, a part of the frustration amidst the difficulty of sending basic food supplies, collecting data so we can better look at how we can meet the needs of the thousands of hundreds plus thousands, Starlink has been a blessing, said an empathetic Samuels. “A star to guide the hurting and allowing us even to talk to them. Part of our response is to listen, to allow them to speak, to talk through their hurt, to talk through their frustration, especially for senior persons who have spent their entire working life putting their lives together, now in their retirement years, are forced to contemplate this dismal picture of how they begin again.”
To this end, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, through the kind support of Moses International, an Adventist missionary group in Belize, and Aerobride, a relief agency in the USA, has provided the public with 10 Starlinks, which has been providing free access to communication in the following areas: Lucea, Hanover; Sav-la-Mar, Westmoreland; Black River and Junction in St. Elizabeth; St. Ann, Trelawny, and the West Jamaica Conference headquarters in Montego Bay. These (Startlinks) will be moving across various areas throughout each day.
“We are very grateful for the contribution, which has provided us with the opportunity for people to connect with their loved ones and relatives,” said Pastor Jonathon Myrie, Communication Director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in western Jamaica. “Individuals can access it within a 50-foot radius because we have added long-range extenders to widen the radius of access.”
Two women utilizing the Starlink in Lucea :: Photo credit: Contributed
“We appreciate the efforts of Jeff Sutton, who is based in both Belize and Atlanta, not only for the procurement of the Starlinks, but also for delivering the equipment by his own private aircraft,” exclaims Pastor Balvin Braham, Vice President of the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (IAD). “He (Jeff) plans to deliver additional equipment, including a generator, a power saw, and supplies of water and food from the Cayman Islands and Belize.”
Braham further stated that Adventist World Aviation has provided a small aircraft to transport relief supplies and equipment. These include five chain saws, three solar-powered generators, and two gas-powered generators donated by the IAD and Aerobridge.
“Numerous other resources have been sent, and they (Aerobridge) have sourced numerous aircraft that are taking in relief supplies more than once per week, including medical supplies they sent to aid the Ministry of Health,” Braham added.
President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica, Pastor Everett Brown, is grateful for the assistance, as it not only helps connect community members but also supports the leadership of the church’s regional leaders.
“We are grateful for the generous donation of the Starlink equipment, generators, and other items from Moses International, the IAD, and Aerobridge. This equipment will go a long way in helping us communicate with our Conference leaders, church members, and people in various communities whose communication infrastructure was affected by the hurricane,” brown expressed.