As communities across the island grapple with the lingering effects of Hurricane Melissa—including continued power outages and the absence of internet—one youth counsellor is urging parents to recognise a hidden opportunity in the darkness.
Pastor Luke Smith, speaking during a special “Overcoming Personal Crisis” Zoom forum hosted by the Association of Christian Communications and Media (ACCM), said many young people are now struggling more than ever.
“Yesterday, when I went by where some of our kids live, they were saying, ‘Pastor Luuke, mi bored… mi just inna di house,’” he shared. “Many don’t have electricity, so no devices. They’re just home alone with their thoughts.”
For a generation raised on screens, constant stimulation, and the quick validation of social media, the sudden silence has become a crisis of its own.
ACCM president Jenni Campbell noted that many households had grown dependent on tablets, phones, and social media as a modern-day pacifier.
“Parents used it as a soother,” she said. “Give the child the tablet so you can get things done. But with no electricity, that quick fix is gone. A lot of parents don’t know what to do now.”
She highlighted a comment from panellist Audrey Cole-Crossdale, who warned that many young people today build their identity from “validation of others and material possessions”, and when they can’t measure up, they slip into isolation, withdrawal, and in the worst cases, suicidal ideation.
Responding to Campbell’s statement, Kari Heron, gospel minister and professional coach, said the current situation reminds her of Hurricane Gilbert—when, as an eight-year-old, she found joy in the simplicity of community bonding.
“Every evening, all the children in the community gathered to play ring games,” she recalled. “We sat in a big circle. We told stories. We listened to the elders remember Hurricane Charlie and all the other old-time tales. Jamaica has always been a storytelling nation. But we’ve allowed devices to come in and tell our stories for us,” she pointed out.
Heron encouraged parents to use this forced digital detox as a moment to reclaim traditions.
“It’s time to talk to our children again,” she said. “Engage them. Give them things to do. Let them experience boredom—it’s good for them. It teaches problem-solving. Let them plant something… fix something. Remind them that the internet is not real life. This is real life.”
Pastor Smith, in agreement, noted that in some St James communities, he has seen children running, playing ball and enjoying the outdoors—something rarely seen when screens are available.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to help our kids unlearn some things,” he said. “We can now teach them anew.”
Family Life Ministries counsellor, Dr Calvin Isaacs, echoed this sentiment, reminding Jamaicans that there is just no substitute for the human element. Whether children or adults, as long as they are together, he said a way will be found through the difficulties.
“We laugh, we have ring games, we make fun. It is when we are isolated and separated that we are torn apart. And the cell phone is just the cell phone; a lot of the social media is used by maybe parents and other persons to kind of keep the child busy. But it’s just another way of isolating the child,” he highlighted, adding that although it has its uses, it is no substitute for the human element.
“We are made for community; we thrive, we function, and we overcome in community. We will be torn apart; we’ll be destroyed individually and in isolation,” he stressed.
Heron encouraged families to incorporate children in the rebuilding process—turning the aftermath into hands-on learning.
“During COVID, when my son was bored, we started a little garden,” she said. “It became a whole project—moving stones, planting seeds, learning patience. The same can happen now. If you’re fixing a roof, teach them what the nail is for. Give them small responsibilities. Keep them busy with things that build them.”
As power lines remain down and internet connections unstable, the ACCM panel agreed that this uncomfortable moment may be exactly what Jamaican families need: a return to conversation, creativity, chores, community—and most of all, connection.
In the words of Pastor Luke Smith, “This crisis presents an opportunity… a chance to reculture our children.”
