CAVE, WESTMORELAND — What began as an urgent plea for help has culminated in a story of compassion and renewal. On August 5, 2026, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Cave in Westmoreland officially handed over a fully renovated home to two church members facing severe physical and living challenges.
The project targeted the dire living conditions of 72-year-old Brother Kennel George Cornwall, who has been an amputee since 2004, and his 37-year-old cousin, Devellie Lonely, who lives with visual impairment and retains only about 15 percent of his sight. Prior to the intervention, the men lived beneath a small, dilapidated wooden structure filled with debris, lacking a proper kitchen, furniture, or indoor bathroom.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Elder Damion Williams, who serves as the Personal Ministries and Men’s Ministries Leader at the church, was instrumental in sounding the alarm for assistance.
“They were in a very poor situation that I believe no human should be living in,” shared Elder Williams during the initial appeal for intervention. “Brother Cornwall is mentally and spiritually strong, but he is not able to move on his own. They are grateful for any help they can get to take them out of this situation.”
The dilapidated Westmoreland dwelling shared by brother Kennel George Cornwall and his cousin Devellie Lonely prior to intervention by the Cave Church. :: Photo credit: Contributed
Mobilizing the Community Services Department, deacons, deaconesses, and local church members cleared the site of accumulated scrap metal and waste before launching a complete structural overhaul. Volunteers poured concrete around the foundation to reinforce the wooden support pillars, laid a solid concrete floor, built a fully functioning indoor bathroom, and outfitted the residence with brand-new beds and essential household items.
“The house was totally devastated—basically like a garbage bin with old iron and structural decay,” noted Elder Williams following the completion of the project. “We simply wanted to see our brethren live with dignity.”
The project was realized through key partnerships, with liaison support provided by Pastor Levi Johnson, former Jamaica Union Executive Secretary. Pastor Johnson connected local leaders with retired Pastor Michael Bernard and his wife, Sister Bernard, from Altamonte Springs, Florida, who generously provided total funding for the renovation project.
The newly renovated home in Cave, Westmoreland, decorated for the official handing-over ceremony following extensive concrete reinforcement, structural repairs, and layout upgrades by the Cave SDA Church and key donors. :: Photo credit: Contributed
Pastor Donald Hill, Pastor for the Whitehouse District of Churches, emphasized the impact of the initiative:
“Our community has felt the love of the church through actual deeds, not just words. Alongside our Hurricane Melissa relief efforts impacting the district—delivering thousands of care packages and building several houses with help from all the conferences within the Jamaica Union Conference and private donors who provided housing materials—this project represents a bright, lasting start. Unlike temporary food aid or basic repairs, this home was fully restored specifically for our brothers. We are immensely grateful to Pastor and Sister Bernard, Pastor and Sister Johnson, Elder Williams, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Cave family.”