MANY Jamaican mothers will awake today to flowers, hugs, and the comfort of family celebrations marking Mother’s Day. But, for the women displaced by Hurricane Melissa, who were recently relocated to a teachers’ cottage in Shrewsbury, Westmoreland, after spending six months sheltering at Petersfield High School, each day has been a test of endurance.

Yet, amid the uncertainty, exhaustion, and the ache of watching their children grow up in cramped temporary spaces, these mothers have remained resolute, leaning on their faith and the support of one another as they nurture their children, struggle to chart a path towards stability, and cling stubbornly to hope that next Mother’s Day will find them back inside their homes where they can once again live with dignity.

On April 24, when the Jamaica Observer visited, 41 Jamaicans, comprising 16 families — including children — were housed at the Petersfield High School shelter, having been displaced by Category 5 Melissa last October.