One year after Hurricane Melissa, Canada is not just remembering Jamaica. It is praying for her, out loud, province by province.
This Saturday, October 24, the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council (GJDC) Canada hosts Canada Prays for Jamaica, a national virtual prayer relay running 3:00 to 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time, livestreamed on YouTube. Faith leaders, community organizations, Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica from coast to coast will gather online in prayer, thanksgiving and solidarity as Jamaica approaches the first anniversary of Melissa on October 28.
Who Is Taking Part
Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, will deliver a special address.
Also participating:
- The Honourable Alando Terrelonge, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
- Her Excellency Marsha Coore Lobban, High Commissioner of Jamaica to Canada
- Mr. Kurt Davis, Consul General of Jamaica to Toronto
Danae Peart, GJDC Sector Lead, will serve as Master of Ceremonies. Dr. Richard Daly, GJDC Faith Sector Lead, will bring greetings, with musical presentations by Pastor Winston Hurlock, Mrs. Ladine McKenzie Dowe and Mr. Dale Brown.
How The Prayer Relay Works
At the heart of the afternoon is a 55 minute uninterrupted prayer relay connecting faith leaders across Canada’s provinces and the North, beginning in British Columbia and moving across the country.
The prayers will focus on families, healthcare, leadership, the economy, peace, and Jamaica’s continued recovery and restoration.
Why This, Why Now
Melissa made landfall in western Jamaica on October 28, 2025, as a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest on record to strike the island. A year on, rebuilding is still underway in the west: homes, schools, hospitals and churches are being restored piece by piece.
For the diaspora, prayer was never separate from the practical work. The same communities that prayed also raised money, packed barrels, checked on elders and kept asking who was still waiting. It is the same instinct behind community fundraisers like Ms. Letna’s Healing Hope brunch, a decade of Scarborough showing up for breast cancer care in Jamaica and Canada. And it runs through the everyday ways Canada stays tied to home, from the Christmas barrel to sending money home for family still rebuilding. Saturday is that same spirit, organized nationally.
Leo Campbell, GJDC Elected Member for Canada and Coordinating Chair of Canada Prays for Jamaica, said: “Faith communities have long been a source of strength for Jamaicans at home and abroad. It is heartwarming to see leaders across Canada answering the call to unite in prayer for our beloved Jamaica. This initiative is about more than one afternoon. It is about strengthening relationships, building lasting partnerships, and supporting Jamaica’s continued development.”
Lisa Rutty, GJDC Elected Member for Canada, added: “Though we may be separated by distance, we stand as one people, lifting our beloved island in hope, thanksgiving, and prayer for a stronger, more prosperous future.”
How To Join Canada Prays for Jamaica
- What: Canada Prays for Jamaica, a national virtual prayer relay
- When: Saturday, October 24, 2026, 3:00 to 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time
- Where: Live on YouTube at youtube.com/@GJDCCanada
- Who should join: Churches, faith communities, diaspora associations, families and friends of Jamaica are all invited
- Share it: Organizers are asking supporters to share the livestream with their congregations, group chats and communities before Saturday afternoon
Set the reminder now. Saturday, 3 p.m. Eastern, Canada prays for Jamaica.
Sources: Global Jamaica Diaspora Council Canada press release, “Canada Prays for Jamaica: National Prayer Relay Unites Faith Leaders Across Canada,” issued October 23, 2026, with event details confirmed in the release: October 24, 2026, 3:00 to 4:45 p.m. ET, YouTube livestream at youtube.com/@GJDCCanada, special address by Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith. All images supplied by the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council Canada with the press release. Hurricane Melissa landfall date: October 28, 2025.
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