‘Father God gave me a second chance’

WESTERN BUREAU:

When Hurricane Melissa destroyed their home in Watercrest district in Ferris, Westmoreland, last October, Damion Farquarson and his family had no choice but to seek refuge in an out-of-use slaughterhouse.

But thanks to the Westmoreland-based Foster Triplets Ministries, which is led by sisters Malaika, Mahari and Mikaili Foster, they are now back into a comfortable house, which has given them the foundation needed to rebuild their lives.

At the recent handover ceremony, Farquarson became emotional as he recounted how he risked his life to protect his children from the powerful winds and flying debris on the terrifying night.

He expressed gratitude to the Foster family for assisting him and his family.

“It’s a happy moment, man. Tears of joy. Tears of gratitude,” Farquarson said. “Father God gave me and my family a second chance, you know. So, it’s really a blessing.”

Farquarson recalled initially deciding to remain at home as the hurricane approached, believing he had done enough to secure the structure to withstand the storm.

However, after a neighbour urged him to leave the single-room board house to shelter elsewhere, he packed some of his belongings and moved with his family to Red Gate, also in Westmoreland, where his sister-in-law resided.

It was there, he said, that the full force of the Category 5 hurricane became apparent.

He described being forced to brace a door against the powerful winds as his children sheltered inside an unfinished bathroom.

“The breeze was strong; it come in like a bulldozer,” he said.

According to Farquarson, he used a piece of plywood to seal the bathroom door and instructed his spouse Theresa Dillion and the children not to come out, while he remained outside trying to secure the front door, which the wind had ripped off its hinges.

“I braced that door until the breeze eased up,” he said. “I know, Father God was there with me. Father God was there with me.”

Following the storm, Farquarson and his family had nowhere to return to. They eventually found shelter in a concrete structure previously used as a slaughterhouse.

After getting permission to temporarily remain there, Farquarson wasted no time cleaning it and making it as comfortable as possible for his family.

Bigger concerns

There they stayed until they were presented with a new home after their plight came to the attention of Foster Triplets Ministries, which decided to help them rebuild.

Mahari said the ministry initially responded to Hurricane Melissa by providing food and clothing but they soon realised that many survivors had bigger concerns.

“We soon recognised that one of the greatest needs was shelter,” she said, noting that they soon learned of Farquarson and his family.

“During that difficult period, a precious baby girl was also born into that family and when we heard their story and we understood the conditions that they were living in, we had to step forward,” she said.

The project was funded through contributions from churches, donors, and supporters in Jamaica and overseas. The ministry’s first benefit concert, held in December at the Maranatha Seventh-day Adventist Church in Atlanta, raised funds for the house, while the University Church in Florida also contributed.

Foster said the ministry covered about 35 per cent of the project’s total expenses.

She also highlighted Farquarson’s own contribution to rebuilding his life, noting that he sold goats to purchase two windows and a door for the house.

“He did not just wait for others to do everything for him,” she said. “He used the materials and resources that were already available to him, and he worked alongside those who came to assist.”

Meanwhile, Westmoreland Custos Reverend Hartley Perrin described the project as a show of humanity at its best and thanked Foster Triplets Ministries for its generosity.

“Today, hope has been restored, and Mr Farquarson, along with his family, now have somewhere where they can call home, and where they can rest and relax in comfort,” Perrin said.

Farquharson repeatedly expressed his gratitude.

“I’m really, really happy that I have a home now to come back to,” he said.

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com