Jamaica Gleaner

Catastrophic hits - Pastor loses house, church in Hope River

By Leonardo Blair, Staff Reporter

Angry waters from the Hope River swollen by torrential rains from Hurricane Ivan bit away huge chunks of its banking taking with it at least two concrete houses,
a car and a small church in lower Tavern, St. Andrew between Friday night and Saturday morning.

A bridge linking Tavern to the troubled Kintyre community was also washed out by the rushing river which pummeled any and everything in its path.

While Jamaicans in some sections of the island were busy celebrating a relatively eventless pounding from the hurricane on Friday night when it made
landfall, others like Melford Arnold, pastor of the small 'Revival our Mission' Church, and his family are now homeless and churchless.

The river took his house, his church, his car and his neighbour's house and up to Saturday morning, he and his immediate neighbour were still sheltering
with good samaritans in the neighbourhood.

"I didn't save anything. I lost everything," said the Bishop who is also a diabetic. "Even my medicine is gone, right now I need some help from anyone who
can assist," he said while his two nephews and female companion looked on.

The pastor's ordeal began at about 7 p.m. on Friday when they noticed the waters heading for their house. It was his neighbour, Mrs. Desrene McQueen, who
offered accommodation in her nearby dwelling.

Soon after on Saturday morning however, the river headed for McQueen's house forcing everyone to evacuate yet again.

Residents in the community watched in awe as the river swept away the concrete structures like idle rafts.

"Gilbert was never this bad, when Gilbert come it send more breeze but this is bad," said Emmanuel Dixon, 50, who has lived in the community for over 20
years.

In the meantime at least one business owner was left in grief in the Liguanea area of St. Andrew after looters broke into her store and reportedly
left a candle inside which caused a fire. Members of the Jamaica Fire Brigade were still trying to quell the blaze in the wee hours of the morning.

Several light poles were downed along with several huge trees which prevent access to some areas in the city.