In the wake of the devastation left by Hurricane Melissa, the spirit of resilience in Jamaica is being bolstered by a powerful alliance of faith, memory, and international generosity. At the recent Thanksgiving service for the late Dr. Lunette Wright, founder of the Savanna-la-Mar High School, the atmosphere shifted from solemn remembrance to tangible hope as a major donation was unveiled to help the institution rebuild.
The event served as a touching intersection of past and future. Addressing the congregation, Pastor Glen Samuels, President of the West Jamaica Conference, invoked the literary wisdom of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to describe the enduring impact of the school’s founder.
“When in 1838, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned these words, 'Lives of great persons do remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, in departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time,' He must have been writing about Dr. Lunette Wright,” Pr. Samuels remarked.
The "footprints" left by Dr. Wright have paved the way for a partnership between the West Jamaica Conference and the Ambassador Church of Seventh-day Adventists in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Through this "church of choice" connection, an international donor was identified to provide critical aid to Savanna-la-Mar High School during its most vulnerable hour.
Right to Left :Dr. Valtricts Binns, Senior Pastor of the Ambassador Church, Pr. Glen Samuels, President, West Jamaica Conference, Pr. Stephen Drummond, Education Director, West Jamaica Conference, Francis Blythe, Principal, Savanna-la-Mar High School :: Photo credit: Contributed
Dr. Valtricts Binns, Senior Pastor of the Ambassador Church and a native of Lionel Town, Clarendon, returned to his home soil with more than just words of comfort. Following the destruction of Hurricane Melissa, Dr. Binns challenged his Florida congregation to raise $100,000 USD to support recovery efforts in Jamaica. A portion of these funds, combined with a private donor's contribution focused on education, resulted in a direct gift to the school.
“The reason for me being here is to share the heavy load of rebuilding after hurricane Melissa,” Dr. Binns stated. “We all share the burden, we all share the load, and whatever small part we can do as a congregation to lighten the burden that was created by this unexpected disaster, we’ll do our part.”
The $25,000 USD (JA $4 million) check presented during the service is only the beginning. Dr. Binns emphasized that the commitment to Jamaica’s recovery is an "ongoing effort" aimed at ensuring children have a safe, stable environment to continue their education.
“It is a well that probably won’t dry anytime soon,” Dr. Binns promised, noting that the support will extend beyond school walls to the families most impacted by the storm.
As Savanna-la-Mar High School begins its journey of reconstruction, it does so with the reminder that while hurricanes may shift the sands of time, the foundations laid by visionary leaders and a supportive global community remain unshakable.