MONTEGO BAY, ST. JAMES
Approximately 1,000 people benefited from free medical, dental and eye-care services during a five-day health outreach staged by the Bethesda Medical Mission in partnership with the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists from August 10-14, 2026.
The 41-member team of healthcare professionals and volunteers based in New York, provided services across three locations in St. James, including eye examinations, prescription and reading glasses from the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Mt. Carey, dental care at the Cambridge Health Centre and free cataract surgeries at the Cornwall Regional Hospital. The team also offered services in gynecology, psychiatry, pediatrics and rheumatology, along with an on-site prayer ministry.
The group arrived in Jamaica with a significant supply of medical resources, including medication and approximately 2,000 pairs of prescription and reading glasses. Dr. Roy Kellerman, Co-Founder and Co-Director of Bethesda Medical Mission, said the organization was originally established in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and has since conducted six missions there. Following Hurricane Melissa, the group began exploring opportunities to assist communities in Jamaica.
“We heard about the hurricane, and we’ve been trying to get here for several months to help with challenges since the hurricane,” Kellerman said.
According to Kellerman, the team encountered a significant demand for eye-care services, particularly among individuals requiring cataract treatment.
“There’s a tremendous need for eye care, and there’s quite a backlog for cataract surgery,” he said. “We’re hoping that in the future we can bring the surgeon back to perform even more cataract surgeries.”
Dr. Kellerman expressed that the team views providing these services as an expression of their Christian mission to serve others.
“It’s a pleasure for us to be here to serve this community,” he said. “We feel it’s part of our mission to be God’s hands and feet in this part of the world.”
Coordinator of the Optical Ministry arm of Bethesda Medical Mission, Gustave Lescouflair, said many of the individuals seen by the team required reading glasses or correction for distance vision.
“People simply need to see. That’s the importance of this trip,” Lescouflair said. “We find that as you get older, reading and seeing tend to be a challenge. Eye care and vision correction are extremely important.”
For Mt. Carey resident Stacy Ann Fenaroli, the outreach brought needed eye care within easy reach. After experiencing difficulty reading, along with eye pain and watery eyes, Fenaroli visited the clinic after learning about it from a friend. “A lot of us cannot afford to pay for the service, and it was brought to my backdoor, so I took advantage,” she said.
After receiving an eye examination and a pair of glasses, Fenaroli described the initiative as a welcome service to the community. “It was a good thing for the community. I really appreciate the team, and I’d encourage others to come,” she said. “I’m very happy with my glasses.”
The five-day outreach resulted from relationships developed between the West Jamaica Conference and church organizations overseas following Hurricane Melissa. Pastor Vincent Rose, President of the West Jamaica Conference, said the partnership was among several relationships formed after churches and organizations from North America and the Caribbean reached out to assist western Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.
The mission trip was initiated by Dr. Michael Harvey, a pastor serving in the Northeastern Conference, who helped establish the connection with Bethesda Medical Mission. The West Jamaica Conference subsequently worked with the group to facilitate permits and other arrangements necessary for the team to operate in Jamaica.
He recalled that the devastation created physical, emotional and psychological needs among residents. “I remember being in the field handing out food and people were saying they needed someone to talk to or else they’d go mad,” he said.The President shared that responding to these needs represents an important expression of the Church’s mission.
“Serving the community is ministry, and we make no apology for our approach in catering to Adventists and non-Adventists in the community. There are many who are still suffering, and whatever we can do, we should do and we welcome new partners in this issue of reaching people and meeting human needs.”
Executive Secretary of West Jamaica Conference, Pastor Vencot Dyer, acknowledged the collaboration of key local partners whose support helped make the five-day medical mission possible.
“I express appreciation to the Western Regional Health Authority for their support of the initiative and for facilitating access to the healthcare facilities used
during the programme.”
The Conference’s partnerships have since supported several areas of recovery. More than 300 homes have been repaired, some completely rebuilt, well over 2000 care packages and over JMD 15 million spent on the recovery effort. The Conference plans to continue forging partnerships with local and international organizations with the aim of introducing similar initiatives across western Jamaica and reaching more communities with practical support.