Hurricane Melissa’s aftermath in Jamaica leaves local mission trip in doubt

• A planned November mission trip by Northpoint Christian School is in doubt after Hurricane Melissa caused catastrophic damage in Jamaica.
• The team’s primary travel hub, Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay, remains closed indefinitely due to severe flooding and structural damage.
• Partner organization IsleGo Missions confirms the team’s service area in St. Ann’s Parish avoided the worst of the storm but is without power and has “big needs.”

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — A Southaven school’s long-standing mission trip to Jamaica, planned for mid-November, is in question following the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa.

Northpoint Christian School, which has sent student and adult teams to the island since 2019, is in a “wait-and-see” mode as their partners in Jamaica grapple with widespread power outages, supply needs, and crippled infrastructure.

A mission team was scheduled to travel from Nov. 15-22, but organizers say the plan is now entirely contingent on the island’s recovery. The primary hurdle is the indefinite closure of Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay, which sustained severe flooding and roof damage. While Kingston’s airport has begun reopening, Montego Bay remains closed, as of Thursday afternoon, and there is no current timeline for the resumption of commercial flights.

Communication with partners on the ground remains a major obstacle. The school works with IsleGo Missions, a nonprofit organization that coordinates their trips.

IsleGo Missions managed to post a brief update Wednesday via social media, confirming the area in St. Ann’s Parish avoided the destructive eyewall of the Category 5 storm. While this was a relief to the team, the update reported that the community still faces “big needs,” including significant property damage and a total loss of power and cell service.

While St. Ann’s was spared the worst, Hurricane Melissa made landfall Tuesday in Jamaica’s southwestern parishes of St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland, which officials have described as “ground zero.” As of Thursday, more than 130 major roads across the island remained blocked by landslides and debris, hampering relief efforts.

Northpoint Christian School has sent mission teams to work with IsleGo Missions since 2019. The program began with one trip annually but expanded in the fall of 2022 to include both a fall and a spring trip.

Organizers are hopeful for more news after the weekend as recovery crews work to clear roads and assess airport damage. 

Photos credit to IsleGo Missions on Facebook