Jamaica, with its winding rivers, cascading waterfalls, palm-lined beaches and mountainous terrain, is one of the most popular vacation destinations for tourists, according to Caribbean Resort Guide. What many visitors don’t see is the utter poverty of the people who live within the interior of the mountainous and jungle regions of the island, beyond the beautiful beaches and resorts.

Months after Hurricane Melissa hit on Oct. 28, 2025, a large segment of the already impoverished population are still suffering from its destruction. Melissa was a Category 5 Hurricane that spewed 185 mph winds and torrential rains over Jamaica. Many families in the middle of Jamaica are living without running water, electricity or roofs over their heads. While the internet lists international, local, faith-based and government organizations that provided relief, there is still much-needed relief and rebuilding to be done. One of the organizations that helped greatly was Samaritan’s Purse, which provided a mobile hospital, tarps for roofs and many other supplies; however, much more help is needed, said Kim Smith, a member of the mission team from Lincoln County.

“It will take so much outside help. No one has anything there,” said Smith, co-owner of KB Ag Supply with her husband, Ben.

Recently, a small local group of locals stepped up to help with some repairs and to instill hope to some of the poorest people in Maldon and Springfield, Jamaica. Simply Truth Ministries, Lincoln Baptist Church, William Carey Baptist Association, Pleasant Hill Baptist and others provided funds to send missionaries on this trip.

Darrell Haney, Fayetteville’s William Carey Baptist Association’s disaster relief director and a liaison with Samaritan’s Purse, asked Ben and Kim Smith if they could help put together a disaster relief mission team for central Jamaica. The couple had previously worked with Haney on missions, but he didn’t realize at the time that they would become part of the group going to Jamaica. Their mission for the week was to repair a roof on a church, lower the ceiling of a school/learning center and possibly build a roof on a church. One of the drawbacks to people getting roofs on their homes is there is a shortage of tin, said Smith.

Those who volunteered to go on the mission included Jerry Pendergrass, Jamie Speck, Darrell Haney, William Grammer, Luis Saucedo Sr. and the Smiths.

“I didn’t know if I was equipped to do construction … I’ve never roofed before,” said Smith “Jamie had the same fears about roofing,” said Smith, noting that Speck told her, “God doesn’t call the equipped – He equips the called.” The men on the team had experience in construction, along with disciplining and teaching about Jesus, according to Smith.

When they landed in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Saturday, Feb. 21, there faced a few challenges. A suitcase was missing; their driver had been hospitalized and wasn’t available to drive them; and they had to rent a van at a much higher price. Two of the team members volunteered to drive the two hours to their church destination in Maldon. Driving is on the left side of the road there, Smith said. Many of the washedout roads were narrow and along steep ravines. “There are pot holes big enough for a tractor trailer to go in,” Smith said. “It’s like a rainforest and mountains — not the place for a vacation,” she said. Maldon is a tiny community with very few resources, said Smith. The hurricane destroyed everything, she said. “The destruction here is crazy,” Smith wrote on her Facebook page the day they arrived. Power lines were down for miles, trees stripped of their vegetation, structures destroyed and roads washed away to nothing.

They stayed in the parsonage of the Maldon Baptist Church and were surprised because they had power. There, they had one electrical outlet for power and only a trickle of cold water so they could at least take ice-cold showers. Luckily, they had obtained bottled water to drink before driving to Maldon. In the parsonage they slept on air mattresses with mosquito nets around them, but it didn’t keep all the critters out. “We had bugs crawling on us,” said Ben Smith. Food was crazy expensive, Kim Smith said. They didn’t drink coffee because it was $40 a bag, 10 slices of bacon cost $33, she said. So they ate local food prepared by the locals. “It’s humbling,” said Kim Smith. “When we go camping we’re doing better than they are,” she said. “They’re still happy people even in their tragedy — they’re always helping others.

“No one has anything there,” said Kim Smith. Some people (those with a roof) who have enough resources, Kim said, are fortunate enough to have water delivered and have a gravity-fed water tank on top of their house. Others catch rain water to use for drinking, cooking and for washing. Still others walk down the road carrying a jug and draw water from a well wherever they find one in the area. Despite the devastation, Ben Smith said, “People are still praising God and helping each other.”

On Sunday they drove back to Montego Bay for a once a year Jamaican Baptist Union Church service and to pick up supplies.

On Monday, the team put a roof on a house that belonged to a man named Bonga. His priority was to help others before he would repair his own house. “It was in bad shape. He was not living there,” said Kim Smith. “While he was gone to work on a church, we were asked to replace his roof. The floor had rotted out in some sections and they replaced it. Later that day as Bonga was walking down the road toward his house, he saw the new tin shining and he cried, said Kim Smith. “He and his mother were in tears for the blessings God had given them,” Smith posted on her Facebook during the trip.

The second day the team worked at a preschool next to the church and put in a drop ceiling. “In Jamaica, churches build schools but the government runs them,” Smith said. During that time, the missionaries asked if they could share devotions with the students. She said the principal agreed and stated, “We’re a Christian nation.”

From Wednesday through Friday the team worked in Springfield at the Springfield Baptist Church, 20 miles from Maldon. The hurricane had reduced the church mostly to rubble. Prior to the hurricane the locals initially sheltered in the church, later moving to the fellowship hall. When the hurricane force struck the church, it was destroyed. At the same time, the roof was also blown off the fellowship hall. “In November, they were still worshipping,” said Smith. They were undaunted by the rubble and climbed over it to worship together, she said.

A man named Mac-Guyver spent the next four months working to get water and electricity to the church. He could not get help replacing a roof over the fellowship hall because the locals called it a suicide mission, Smith said. Next to the church was a deep ravine. If MacGuyver or our team had slipped off the roof they would have fallen 1,000-feet, she said. Under the guidance of MacGuyver, the team helped to finish replacing the new roof on that small section of the church. “He was beyond grateful for our help because no one else would (help him)),” Smith said.

On Saturday, Feb. 28, they returned to the U.S. “We were physically exhausted, but spiritually on fire,” Smith said. Ben Smith pointed to Matthew 14:13-21, where Jesus tells the disciples to feed the crowd of 5,000. “The disciples didn’t know how they would do it, but God provided,” said Kim Smith. “These are our brothers and sisters,” Ben Smith said.

“Our goal, along with Darrel Haney, is to do some fundraisers for Maldon Church,” said Smith. She said it will take $30,000 to $35,000 to revamp the (Maldon) church and about $100,000 to rebuild the Springfield Church. “They’re not asking for anything,” she said. “They’re not expecting anything but prayers. It’s in their faith that God will provide.”

Ben Smith said they will ask all local churches if they can present to their congregation about helping with the mission to help these churches. “I hope at the end of the day He (God) says, well done, good and faithful servant,” he said.

“We have an avenue where we’re raising money,” That avenue is `Simply Truth Ministries in Fayetteville. To make a donation, make a check out to Simply Truth Ministries and mail it to KB Ag Supply, 1811 Wilson Parkway, Fayetteville, TN 37334. You can also call them at 931-297-2697 or email at info@kbagsuppply. com.

The Smiths help fund their mission trips with proceeds from flowers and bouquets they sell inside their business. In the past they have gone on missions to Guatemala, Ecuador and Panama. “It is $4,000 to $5,000 for Ben and me to go on mission … God has provided,” she said. Flowers are available primarily from May through November, although they have bouquets around Valentine’s Day. “Our roses come from our connection in Ecuador,” said Kim Smith.

In addition to flowers, other products the Smiths now carry inside the business include her handmade soaps and lotions, candle waxes, air fresheners, and other household products. Other products include Rowe Casa supplements and natural products, shampoos, detergents, stuffed warmer animals for babies and other products.

KB Ag Supply’s primary business is distributing Beck’s Seed, installing custom irrigation systems, pivot system design, installation, maintenance and repairs, pump station fabrication, custom grain storage containers and other grain services and a host of other services.