07.08.10
Hauling Scrap in Haiti
Just in case you were curious how it was done – here is a picture of scrap being hauled in Haiti.
06.18.10
Post Earthquake Haiti Trip June 2010
Hot, busy and in need of supplies is the best way to describe everyone’s thoughts as we entered the Port-au-Prince airport for our post earthquake trip. Twelve of us left the Detroit Airport in the early morning hours of June 5th, 2010. The mission was to take needed supplies to our supported orphanages, continue the construction efforts and of course, work with each of the kids as much as possible.
The Port-au-Prince airport had sustained extensive damage in the earthquake, which provided us the opportunity to be bused with the other 150 passengers to a warehouse located near the runway. We first completed all of the immigration requirements and then set out for the ever demanding job of finding all of the 24 big black bags of supplies for the kids. So many individuals and groups such as Fair Salvage employee’s , various church groups and especially individuals contributed to the overwhelming demand for clothing, shoes and personal items such as toothpaste and antibiotic ointments.
All 24 bags made the trip with only a few casualties with a couple cartons of oatmeal to an opened syrup container. With all of the bags accounted for, we located our contact person that was waiting to take us to our first location in Grand Goave. This orphanage experienced extensive damage to both the children’s housing to the school buildings located nearby. All of the children and mission staff were excited to see us with all of the so badly needed supplies. Tents were our first home away from home and the main stable was beans and rice fixed differently every meal.
Sunday morning worship service was an experience that will always stay in my heart as a precious memory. Singing, preaching as well as the passionate testimonies clearly came from the heart. We recognized the tune to many of the songs and participated in so many of the activities of the morning. From the vary youngest in their mothers arms to the very old that needed help in standing, all were raising their hands and singing with all of their might, to praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
That afternoon we traveled several hours across paved, gravel and roads that followed the mountainous terrain to reach Jacmel, our second orphanage. Jacmel is located on the southern boundaries of Haiti and even though farther in miles away from the epi center of the earthquake, extensive damage could be seen in almost every direction.
The next 5 days brought lots of heat, 100 degrees plus, high humidity, yet a wonderful atmosphere as each of the group members was excited to begin work with the kids and many construction areas that needed our help. Digging in the rocky red clay with picks, shovels and sledge hammers to working on the septic fields to three of the houses to scrapping, and painting another. It amazes me the amount of paint that one can manage to put on themselves instead of the wall. Doors needed staining and gates needed painting helped round out the challenges for each of the days.
We managed to experience the crashing waves of the Caribbean ocean to the slightly quieter or subdued nature of the cove. Haitian food or better described as Creole flavoring was so good with so many different taste that the meals provided by the Haitians was one of many highlights of the trip.
Today our tans and burn marks from the intense sun is quickly fading, yet the memories and mental pictures that are stored will always be there.
01.15.10
Earthquake in Haiti!
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We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of benevolent compassion we have been receiving from friends of the Hands and Feet Project regarding the current devastation as a result of the recent earthquake. Many of you are asking how you can help, even expressing the desire to pack your bags and head down to Haiti to start relief efforts today. Because of the poor infrastructure of Haiti even before this catastrophe, it has been difficult to even get information on what the specific needs are at this time. In addition, the logistics of transporting workers and supplies to the affected areas are extremely complex. Roads have been damaged, and the Jacmel airport is currently closed. However, we are unyielding in our efforts to gather information and will be coordinating a relief and support effort as swiftly as possible. We need your help now more than ever. 
I’ll write a more detailed note for whoever is interested, while we still have some electricity in our batteries to run the internet. 
08.28.08
Hurricane Gustav Hits Haiti
Please pray for Haiti. Hurricane Gustav pounded the southern coast of Haiti Monday and Tuesday, and heavy rains continue today. Thank God all of our children and staff are safe. However we have had major damage to our property (see photos above) even worse than when Noel hit last November. Two of our children’s houses on the lower floor have 3-4 feet of water in them. Many of our perimeter walls have been destroyed. Larry, one of our new US staff, cannot get his truck out because it is covered in boulders. We are so thankful that Larry and Michelle are there caring for our kids. Please pray for them as they try to figure out how to begin the overwhelming cleanup process. Please also pray for our neighbors as most of them have lost quite a bit. One of our neighbors’ tin roof flew off forcing the family to stay with another neighbor. We know God is in control but we definitely need your prayers and support during this crazy time. The internet is down in Haiti right now, so we will post updates on our website as soon as we have them.
On another note, T-Bone’s parents are in Nicaragua right now for a short trip to help get things set up for the children’s village. We are still in the legal process of getting approved to house orphans by the government, and are optimistic that it will be ready soon.
We have also been involved with another organization in Haiti who has done amazing work caring for 32 orphans that were in really poor health before they got involved. We will keep you posted on that as well, but ask you to pray for them and us as we seek to partner to help these children.
If you are interested in helping with specific gifts for Hurricane relief, Nicaragua or the other Haiti project, please just designate that with your gift. Thanks for caring for these children.
08.26.08
Haiti Trip August 2008-Day Two Through Day Eight
Second day we flew from Miami to Haiti and every flight went well. That has to be my first! On our flight they had no Visa cards for immigration so we had to fill them out once we hit the ground. This always makes things faster – not really. It was good to be back in Haiti and yes it was warm. We got are bags and went right through customs with ease. I was thinking this was too easy. Then out of the airport and only a couple hundred spectators wanting to help or watch us. Pastor Drex (who over sees the orphanage) was there with Frantz (our cab driver we use) just like I’d hope he would be. From there we went and got four pizzas and some pop and had a late lunch. Most with me on this trip had never driven through the mountains and they found out it was just a little different than some had expected. The smells and the sights as I like to call it! Then when we got to the mountains the zig and zaging for an hour and a half, OH WHAT FUN! It would be more fun on a bike! Some found out that there stomach didn’t care much for it. Once we got there the kids had to come and check for Steve and find out who he brought with him this time. Most everything we took made it in only a couple things broke and made a mess. We ate and got things put away for the day and checked things out.
Third day was church day and swimming with the older kids at the ocean. I always look forward to the time at the ocean. Some of the kids like to be tossed in the water and others want nothing to do with it.
Fourth day we went to work moving some rocks for a septic pit wall. Others went to painting and doing other jobs around the orphanage. We spent most of the day doing projects like this. We also went to the beach for about an hour to cool down after the day. Did I tell you Haiti is rather warm! As normal we had supper and time to down load from the day. As you set out on the porch it doesn’t take long for the little ones to spot you and you have about twenty kids all over you. I sure do enjoy watching kids laugh and having fun with the group. When I think of some of these little ones and from what they looked like when they first came it does a persons heart good.
Fifth day some stayed and painted and did chores around the orphanage. Three of us with Pastor Drex went and spent the morning checking on some other orphans. It is really sad to see how some of these kids in Haiti are treated. These 32 kids are in better place than they were two weeks earlier. The three of us are trying to see if there is some way we need to be involved. These are not the kids at Hands and Feet Project, our kids are taken care of well. It was an interesting morning and early afternoon. We just finished the day playing with kids and some of us worked on digging the pit. Have I told you it’s warm in Haiti in the afternoon!
Day six was another special day for the group. We met some Compassion kids that some of the youth sponsor and that my family sponsors also. There were 10 kids in all. Some of the kids brought a parent and it was a special day. Compassion is an organization that helps kids throughout the 3rd world receives an education and at least a meal a day. We take so much for granted here in this country. School is something that wouldn’t happen for these kids otherwise and if you could see these schools. They basic block building and tin roof. Did I tell you how hot it would be in one of those schools!
Day seven, we went back to painting the depot and apartment which is a two story building. We put screens in the windows which took most of the day to do. Always a little time to relax here and there but not much this day, but we always time for the kids! You have to find time to stop and a get something to drink, did I tell you it’s hot in Haiti!
Day eight we moved some of the staff from the top floor apartment and moved them to another second floor apartment. Then we moved another staff from down stars room to the upstairs apartment. Yes and it was Hot! We spent our last afternoon and night with the kids as much as possible. I always hate the last night I just don’t like saying goodbye. The oldest girl there and I have built a little relationship and she has learned to speak English. I told her that I would be leaving tomorrow and she jumped into my arms and gave me a big hug. That face always makes me want to go back and see her again. I love them all; anyone who knows me knows that babies aren’t my favorite age. It’s always more fun with two year olds. Yes I’m nuts! But that’s when they become the challenge and enjoy every age after that. But the girls and ladies know that was always the first place they seemed to head. If you could look at the twins from the first time I saw them until now, what a miracle! That night we also found out that tropical storm Fay was on a track for Haiti. See now I’ve always joked about wanting to go through a hurricane. Really it’s not a joke I would like to experience it once. Now everyone else didn’t feel exactly the same as I do. I told them they were wimps and to suck it up. Anyways the storm from my perspective wasn’t bad, the rivers rose and the rain did come down. We got up on Saturday and left about 6:30am and headed to Port Au Prince (the capital of Haiti) and after getting almost all the way we found out they were cancelling the flights. So we still drove to the airport and found out our flight was delayed. After hanging out in the airport for two hours they said our flight wouldn’t leave until 2pm. We thought well we still can fly to Miami and still catch are flight to Detroit, remember we are in Haiti yet. We got out of Haiti 7:30pm Miami time so guess what we got out but no flight home that night! We got tickets for the next day and three airports later and two and half hours of driving we were home. Of course 4 bags were not with us once we landed and collected our luggage. But we got the last one on Thursday.
Over all it was a great trip and traveled with a good group. Much work got done and if you get a chance ask some of them how the trip was. I’m taking a few of the people here back with me in Jan. So there will be more in the months to come. Did I tell you it was hot in Haiti! Ha ha!
Thank you again for support of Fair Salvage which in turn allows our support of the orphanage in Haiti! Steve Fair.
08.06.08
Haiti Trip August 2008 – Getting Ready to Go!
Here it is . . . only two days before we leave again for Haiti! As I sit here thinking of all the reasons NOT to go I find myself returning to the 36 reasons TO go – the kids! I think of the kids at our orphanage there as if they were my very own. I would protect them the same and miss them when they are not with me just as I do my own children. It has been a journey and sometimes I wonder how I even got to this place. Don’t you find life is a journey and are not sure of what’s coming next? I thank God for helping me on this journey!
None of these trips nor the support I’m able to share would be possible if not for you, my customers. And my employee’s who are more like family to me than simply employees. I’m also thankful for all the companies that work with Fair Salvage. Thank you all very much. Tim’s son T.J. (Tim is part of my Non-ferrous department family) is going for the first time. Joe, Duane’s son (Duane is my General Manager and Joe is part of my Non-ferrous family) will be returning with Tanya, Rick’s daughter (Rick is my Logistics Manager). When you are visting Fair Salvage please feel free to ask any of these people how the trips affect them.
At the top of this posting are some pictures of the group packing food and other supplies to take with us to Haiti. Getting food in Haiti is nothing like going to the store in the United States. I was hoping to be able to send daily updates to post here while in Haiti this time but the satellite link that the orphanage uses for Internet access is down. So it may be a couple weeks before I’m able to share information for Todd to post here.
Again, I cannot thank all of you enough for your support and for taking time to read the posts on our blog. Please take a moment to visit the Hands and Feet Project Web Site to learn more. www.handsandfeetproject.org
In Christ,
Steve Fair.
02.12.08
Haiti Trip Day Seven- Thursday, January 24, 2008
Our final day in Haiti. We had to be packed and ready to head back through the mountains to Port Au Prince by 7am in order to make in there for our flight by 1pm. Saying good-bye wasn’t too easy. Sure, half of me was excited to get back home to my family but the other half wanted to stay in Haiti and help where I could. I had grown a bond with some of the children – Mavinsky, Mercy D, Tamara, Barbara, Ti-Paul, Kevins, Roosvelt, Maudeline, Georgina and for me especially Clair. Clair is four years old and is the only child in the orphanage who had to wear glasses at this point. She would sit in my lap in the evenings and she had so much life and joy in here eyes and smile. She would talk to me for hours on end in Creole so I didn’t understand a word she was saying but she didn’t seem to care. She just wanted to be loved and I was blessed to be able to share some love with her. This time on the drive through the mountains back to the airport we took the pickup truck the orphanage owns with Pastor Drex driving. I rode in the open back of the truck and stood up most of the way so I could take lots of good pictures. I ended up with over 750 good pictures from this trip! When our flight arrived in Miami I decided to change out of my shorts and flip flops into jeans and tennis shoes for the cold return to Detroit at 11pm. It was then that I realized I had left my tennis shoes on the porch of the orphanage so all I had to wear home in the SUB ZERO weather were my flip flops! Yeah, it was a little on the chilly side on the ride home! We returned to Clare about 2:30am on Friday, January 25th. Thank you so much Steve Fair for allowing me to join you on this trip. I could never express to you how much the people I met during this trip touched my heart – not only those in Haiti but those that traveled with. May God continue to bless you and your generosity. Thank you. I cannot wait for future opportunities!!!
Haiti Trip Day Six- Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Steve began our day with a devotion from the book of Proverbs. Then he shared observations he had about each of us to think about through out our day and then at the end of the day we’d review our thoughts together. Must admit, he was right on target with what he had to say about each of us! Rick completed the kitchen cabinet project with Drex. Steve, Jim and I spent the day using a pick, shovels and wheel barrows to move small stone and gravel from out behind the orphanage up to the cafeteria foundation to top off all the dirt that we had moved over the past two days. We worked from about 7:30am to 3:00pm today. After work Jim, Rick and I went to a different beach area known as The Cove to cool off. This beach was very different from the other that we had enjoyed the past two days. There were cliffs and lots of cool rock formations to enjoy. There was a stone stairway on the other side of the cove. I was able to navigate the rock formations around the beach and was able to get over to where these steps were, hoping to be able to climb them and explore what they went too. But when I finally got there, climbed half way up to discover there was a large gate to keep people like me out! Drex and Jo had given the three of us a ride down to the cove but when we were finished swimming we walked back to the orphanage so we could enjoy the scenery even more. After dinner we were able to enjoy more fun time with all the kids! They always get so excited when you allow them to sit in your lap or if you pick them up or hold thier hand – and the best is to just get down on the ground with them and they all attack you! Some smiling faces surrounded by so much poverty. This entire trip I could not stop thinking about how good we all have it back in America. Even our poorest don’t know how bad it can actually be. The five of us ended our day spending time relaxing on the porch sharing insights about the trip and discussing future trip plans.
Haiti Trip Day Five- Tuesday, January 22, 2008
We were all up by 5:15am today. Today Steve, Jim, Bill and I all worked on moving dirt for the foundation of the cafeteria and Rick continued to work with Drex on the kitchen in the new appartment for the children. Mid day we took a break and went to Jacmel with Drex to get some lumber, varnish, water and some new shovels. While there we took a quick stroll through the market. It was very crowded with lots of goods available but the area that made the most impression was the meat market. There was beef, pork and sheep all cut up just lying on concrete slabs and tables out in the hot sun all day long – just smothered in flies! And every thing was available including intestines and brains from the animals. Pictures would not do this justice – you’d have to smell it to believe it! Bill thought the meat market was very interesting – if you are ever in our Chase location ask Bill about the meat market in Haiti! We returned to the orphanage and worked until about 3:30pm again. Then Fatina came! Fatina is a local merchant who offers artwork, jewelry and other items created by local artists. She comes to the orphanage when there is a group there and sets up a display to sell items. The artwork is simply beautiful and all the hand crafted jewelry and other items were great. She said she had a very good sales day when we were all done shopping! I went with Michelle to the clinic. We took three of the kids to get some vaccinations. Mercy D, Tamara and Sabrina all needed some updated shots. They all were very brave and didn’t cry or anything! For lunch today we had Creole food: rice and beans, veggie salad, fried bread fruit, and this deep fried bread that was similar to a Hush Puppy you get a Long John Silvers. After dinner that night, Michelle asked me if I wanted to go “Snipe Hunting”. She explained that snipes are small birds that are attracted to the sound of a rustling plastic bag and they hang out in this big tree in front of the orphanage. Well being in Haiti I thought this could be a possibility so . . . there I went with plastic bag in hand out to the tree to catch me a snipe! Guess what . . . no such thing! Michelle had managed to complete fool me . . . I’m usually not that gullable, oh well! After the snipe hunting Jim, Rick and I decided to take a walk down the main street of Cyvadier, it was about 9pm so it was really dark. I had brought some of those flashlights that you shake to charge so we were each carrying one of them. On the way back to the orphanage the neighbor boy – Jonesy – and his friend Weeklo hit us up for a flashlight. We decided to give them each one which made them unbelievably happy! They ran off in excitement. About 10 minutes later we heard a lot of noise coming up behind us – it was a crowd of 20 or more kids being lead by Jonesy and Weeklo all hoping to get a flashlight! The three of us literally ran up the drive to the orphanage and managed to get inside the gate before the crowd got to us! We ended the evening by playing more Farkle. Then Jim and I went tarantula hunting and found some this time!
Haiti Trip Day Four- Monday, January 21, 2008
All of us were up by 6:30 for breakfast. After breakfast we all went to work! Steve, Jim and Bill worked on moving dirt and filling in for the foundation on the cafeteria addition to the orphanage. I hauled wheel barrow load of stone from out back of the orphanage up to where Steve, Jim and Bill were working to also be used in the foundation. Rick worked with Drex on building a kitchen cabinet and sink combo in one of the childrens rooms. Due to not being use to working in such heat we had to take several water breaks throughout the day so we didn’t dehydrate. We worked until 3:30 in the afternoon, then went back to the beach to cool off and wash all the crud out of our clothes before going to dinner. I was so tired after the day of work and then swimming that I left my socks and t-shirt on the beach when we left and didn’t even realize it until we returned back to the orphanage! Oh well, I’m sure someone will get good use out of them! On the drive back to the beach we stopped by a small bar so Jim could pick up some Coke. Yes, they have American pop in Haiti but it is bottled there and sweetened with sugar cane so it does taste a lot sweeter. A boy that lives next to the orphanage – Jonesy – had joined us on our trip to the beach. When we stopped to pick up Jim’s Coke he was giving us a hard time because we only knew how to speak English and no Creole, French or Spanish – which he knew but only knew a little English. When we returned to the orphanage we were able to spend several hours just hanging out and playing with the kids. They are all so incredible. To come from so little and be so happy, it is simply amazing to experience their simple joy. Michelle did devotions and shared a video presentation she had shown at her home church in Indiana the last time she had gone home. After devotions Michelle and I went tarantula hunting . . . but didn’t find any.
