The wind blew at over 300 km/h - actually beyond the scale that defines the fifth and highest hurricane category.

Praised be God! I managed to send a message and photos thanks to my neighbor, who has Starlink. The city is badly damaged. I no longer have a church - it completely collapsed. Our parish school is also damaged. Many people, especially in poorer neighborhoods, have lost their homes. The roads are blocked, and gas stations are closed

– this is the message we received from Father Piotr after more than 24 hours of silence and uncertainty.

The missionary wants to help the children first. Those who lost their homes lost everything. The children now have no uniforms, no school supplies, and no books.

I also want to organize food aid at the parish, because hungry people have already come to me asking for support.

“Thank you all for your prayers. The wind was terrible. Many people say this is the first time they have ever experienced such a hurricane. The city is cut off - there’s no way to reach other towns. We lost our church, and our school was seriously damaged. There is no electricity. The hospital is struggling. Fortunately, my house survived. Many people lost their homes. Today, I spent the whole day checking on people to see if they were safe and sound. People are beginning to ask for clothes, medicine, and food. Please, pray for us. What gives me hope is that people are organizing themselves, repairing houses, and cleaning the streets.”

Hurricane Melissa was one of the strongest in Jamaica’s history - a Category 5 cyclone with winds reaching 300 kilometers per hour. For hours, it destroyed everything in its path. The wind tore off roofs, snapped trees like matchsticks, brought down power lines, and storm surges flooded entire towns. Heavy rains, which lasted continuously for many hours, caused mudslides and flooding. The hurricane did the most damage in the southwestern part of the island - a region often called the “breadbasket of Jamaica.” This is where Savanna-la-Mar is located, where our missionary friend serves.

Bank account numbers for money transfers are:

For $: PL 52 1600 1462 1847 3641 5000 0009; SWIFT: PPAB PLPK
For €: PL 41 1600 1462 1847 3641 5000 0013; SWIFT: PPAB PLPK
For others: IBAN: PL 79 1600 1462 1847 3641 5000 0008; SWIFT: PPAB PLPK