Local Pages
What Really Matters in Disasters
On July 1, 2024, Carriacou and surrounding areas of the Caribbean were hit by a Category 4 hurricane, slashing through the islands and causing widespread destruction. The hurricane caused severe damage to infrastructure, services, and livelihoods in Grenada, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The tropical storm transformed into a major hurricane in less than 48 hours, with little time to prepare. Almost every structure on Carriacou and Petite Martinique in Grenada, Union Island, Canauan, and Mayreau in St. Vincent and the Grenadines sustained debilitating damage, leaving thousands homeless and destroying 90 percent of the homes and buildings.
On July 6, 2024, a brave group of nine missionaries from Grenada, led by Elder Seth Whitehead, a senior missionary, arrived on the scene. Working along with the people from the communities, they distributed food, provided manpower to clean the debris, and tried to comfort those in need of consoling. They committed to returning at a later date to help with a variety of projects. Returning on August 19, the group continued to help by setting up 600 tents from ShelterBox, a nonprofit organization that helps people recover after a disaster. They also continued to show love and support to those who had lost so much.
Many of the missionaries found this to be a life-changing experience. Below are some thoughts the missionaries shared:
Elder Tyler Hatch felt it was important to get people back to where their homes were by setting up tents and giving them some comfort with a gospel message. He reminisced, “It was cool to see a smile on their faces because now they had a place for their family. I hope they felt genuine love and also they knew some people really cared about them.”
Elder Sebastian Fuller said, “We were hot, tired, and thirsty, but I realized that if I looked outward at the needs of others who had no shelter, I was able to look beyond myself and why I was there. We set up a tent for a woman without a home. Her home was lying on the ground in splinters. I felt a great love for the people we were helping. … The Church has no presence in Carriacou, so this was a great first step in introducing them to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.”
While in Carriacou, Elder Nathan Wilkinson saw some people living under other people’s homes in dirt dugouts. “We saw so many people turn down food because they didn’t think it was adequate. I learned that a positive attitude, counting your blessings, and being grateful for what you have is very helpful, especially in difficult times.”
Elder Corbin Carpenter expressed, “The best thing I could have done was to show the people that I was there to serve just as Jesus would have done.”
For Elder Dallin Burneson, there was a dual purpose in going to Carriacou. He explained, “Yes, the tents were important, but I wanted to show these people that God cared about them. I wasn’t just sending a package from a thousand miles away; I was there helping them, showing them that I love them. I remember a mother and her daughter, and the mother was clearly exhausted. The daughter, however, was so excited. She kept saying, ‘I want to see inside.’ I opened the door to the tent, and she said, ‘Wow!’”
Unfortunately, these circumstances are not an unusual occurrence in the Caribbean. The months of June through November are notable times for devastating storms. The Church of Jesus of Christ of Latter-Day Saints continues to work with local government and other nonprofit organizations every year to help prepare the communities in the Caribbean Area for the season of tropical storms, hurricanes, and other emergencies. Being prepared with extra food, water, and other items will help relieve the people and their communities in times of need.
It is essential to prepare beforehand as much as circumstances allow. Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, taught, “The Lord does not expect us to do more than we can do, but He does expect us to do what we can do, when we can do it.”
Elder Burneson continues, “It’s a humbling experience seeing the disaster left by a hurricane. When a disaster such as this happens, it is readily apparent that people need help. However, in our own individual lives, we walk past people each day who are going through their own hurricanes. Everyone is fighting their own battles; some don’t think they will make it.
“It is our responsibility to find these people and serve them. This could mean a call, a hug, an apology—anything! It’s important to have shelter, food, and water, but the most amazing thing we can have is the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).