Mother, son turn Flagaman home into sanctuary for persons fleeing Melissa

WESTERN BUREAU:

In the hilly terrain of Flagaman, St Elizabeth, where the wind hums through sprawling melon fields and resilience grows as abundantly as the crops, melon vendor Rosemarie Bent has once again turned her home into a sanctuary as the island braces for the impact of Hurricane Melissa.

Given the magnitude of the hurricane, which was expected to impact the island as a Category 5 system, Bent has chosen compassion over comfort, opening her doors to neighbours who have nowhere else to go.

“I take them in,” she said with a calm yet resolute voice. “These people have nowhere to go in the hurricane. Some live in low-lying areas, and some of their houses just can’t withstand the wind. I have enough space, and my house is decked, so I open it up.”

This is not the first time Bent has extended such generosity. When Hurricane Beryl ravaged southern St Elizabeth last year, her home served as a refuge for several families fleeing rising waters and collapsing structures. Now, as another monstrous storm bears down, her house once again stands as a beacon of safety and hope.

Four different families, who have come from within Flagaman and adjoining communities, each with their own stories of struggle and endurance, have found security under Bent’s roof. For them, it is more than shelter; it is salvation.

“I was born with a good heart,” Bent told The Gleaner, reflecting on the hardship that shaped her empathy.

“When I was a child, my parents never paid me much attention. I had to be all over, kotching here and there, so I know what it feels like not to have anywhere to go. I promised myself that when I grew up, I would have a place where I could take in people who have nowhere to call home.”

Bent’s home now echoes with the sounds of laughter, worry, and gratitude, an orchestra of humanity bound together by crisis; and despite her modest livelihood as a melon vendor, her generosity knows no bounds. She earns her living supplying melons to persons who sell to hotels and in the local markets. Yet, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, her focus has shifted entirely to caring for others.

“I spent about $200,000 preparing food for everyone. I make sure everybody who comes here has food, water, and a place to rest. We have to look out for each other,” she said.

In a parish where many residents depend on farming and informal trade, Bent’s act of selflessness stands out as a symbol of solidarity. Her house, nestled high above the plains, represents more than physical protection; it embodies the enduring spirit of community that defines rural Jamaica.

And that spirit, it seems, runs in the family. Her son, Dashielle Blake, a young melon farmer, has followed closely in her footsteps of compassion. As Hurricane Melissa threatened to tear through Flagaman, Blake gave up his apartment so that vulnerable neighbours could have a safe place to stay.

“Mi have to give the community who live in zinc shelter my house,” Blake told The Gleaner. “Right now, a Mitchie Bar mi a shelter, because the community shelter is not convenient.”

Blake said he spent Sunday night in Red Bank, having offered his apartment to those whose houses could not endure the storm.

“Down by Pedro Plains [Primary School], the roof flew off the last time. They fix back part of it, but they don’t fix back the whole of it. Junction and Pedro Plains shelter are closed,” he said.

As the winds of Hurricane Melissa whip through St Elizabeth, the Bent family has become a living testament to humanity at its best, offering safety, compassion, and hope when the world outside seems most unforgiving.

In a moment when the strength of structures are tested, it is the strength of their hearts that truly shelters Flagaman.

“This lady is the mother of the community, and we are so grateful to her for providing for me and my children at this time,” said a woman, who asked not to be identified. She along with her three school-age children have come from Pedro Plains to ride out the storm at Bent’s home.

editorial@gleanerjm.com