Grace Lutheran Church member, Fred Feiertag, recently took a Homes for Haiti team to Haiti (his 4th team in the last 9 months!). Some pictures of the team working can be seen on the March 16th blog post.
The team of 3 men spent a week doing essential preparatory work for the next 24 houses to be built. These homes are larger than what has been built up to this point, (they are 16’ X 20’) and new “jigs” or “fixtures” had to be built so subsequent homes could be quickly and efficiently assembled. God knew that each man was key. It was definitely a God appointed team. Each one was an engineer – real problem solvers. The week was full of challenges, struggles and collective scratching of heads in frustration, but in the end, they got every fixture finished and even started one of the homes before they left.
While Fred was there, he was able to post updates on Facebook. [Times have changed, haven’t they?! Cell phones, laptops, and internet in Haiti….simply amazing!] We thought you’d enjoy reading how the week went from his perspective.
Saturday, the day before departure: Packed. At least all the stuff that I didn't forget to pack. Exciting discoveries await our arrival. Port Au Prince are you ready?
Sunday: In Miami airport. The clock says 6:24AM. Doesn't feel like it.
Sunday a.m.: Waiting for the mechanic. . .Airplane is full but an air conditioner unit doesn't want to go to Haiti. We are patient.
Sunday a.m.: On the ground in Port au Prince. Loong delay in MIA. Sunny in the 80's. Battery done.
Sunday p.m.: We have arrived at the guest house near Les Cayes in southern Haiti. It is about 9:30 PM and we have been traveling since around noon on Saturday. Despite many improvements getting here can still be a challenge. I'm sitting outdoors typing under a velvet black star strewn sky. The sounds of barking dogs and critics dominate. All is well except I can't get may phone to work. Tomorrow the real job starts.
Monday a.m.: Good Morning from Haiti. We slept like stones and are slowly starting to stir. It is a spectacular morning. The roosters and cows say so!
Monday a.m.: We are still stunned by the sights we saw yesterday in Port Au Prince. The fresh devastation in Japan makes it all the more stark. The vast tent encampments are now over a year old and only small and very haphazard are gone. We have come to Haiti to help change that. Our challenges are right here, right now
Monday evening: We had a good first day. Almost finished a new roof panel fixture that will build roof panels for the small and large house. It includes the porch roof into the panel. It is built to allow the large panel to be broken into two more manageable sub panels. It took a bunch of design and effort, but it looks like it will work
Tuesday evening: Tuesday and it must be time for more fixtures. Team 4 is still alive and working. We were successful in making the first panels for the larger house. The work moved to making a fixture for the end wall. Very complicated, by sunset we were about 75% done, and 100% tired and dirty.
Wednesday evening: Wednesday has come and gone. More progress to report. The new fixtures are done. All the panels for a new larger house have been made. The Haitian workers have made panels in the new fixtures and know how to do more. Many details yet to do, but the big test is tomorrow. Will they fit together on the foundation as a new house? Stay tuned.
Thursday evening: Team 4 report. It has been a very challenging day. One injury that took time to deal with and a string of technical details to keep us jumping. But in the end it was a big YES.
Thursday evening: Team 4 continued. Yes we could carry the parts to the work site and set up the walls. Yes the two part roof could be raised and rejoined. Yes, the bigger house can be built. The Haitian crew did much of the work and we helped deal with new things. By the end of the day the house was nearly finished.
Thursday evening: Team 4 some more. Was it easy? NO! Should we have come? YES!
RMI missionary, Gary McLaughlin, had this to say on his Facebook: Good day as we put up most of one new home 16' X 20'. Should finish it in the morning after I take the three amigos from Grace and the Roses to the Cance airport for their return trip to the US. The team did a great job making the fixtures and putting the house up today with our Haitian staff. THANKS Fred, Fred and Brian. Please come back again.
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