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APPENDIX
#5 — “We
Learn to do Acts of Love!” “I see life as both a
gift and a responsibility. My responsibility is to use what God has given
me to help His people in need,"is how Millard Fuller, the founder and
president of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) understands his
stewardship responsibility. Since Habitat's founding, his leadership has
helped forge Habitat into a worldwide Christian housing organization. As a
demonstration of God's love, Habitat volunteers have built homes together
with more than 125,000 families in need in more than 3,000 U.S. cities and
82 other countries. HFHI has grown to be one of the top 20 house builders
in the U.S. -- and the largest among nonprofits. More than 625,000 people
now have safe, decent, affordable shelter due to Habitat's work around the
world. Fuller founded Habitat
with his wife Linda in 1976. He travels and speaks worldwide, and has
received international recognition for his work in advocating decent,
affordable housing for all. HFHI is cited as an important leader in the
battle against poverty housing in the U.S. and abroad. President Bill
Clinton says Habitat is "...the most successful continuous community
service project in the history of the United States. It has revolutionized
the lives of thousands... Millard Fuller has done as much to make the
dream of home ownership a reality in our country and throughout the world
as any living person." Jack Kemp, former
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and current HFHI board member,
agrees, adding "When I'm asked about housing success stories from our
inner cities, the first group that comes to mind is Habitat for
Humanity." A
Life Changed by God From humble beginnings
in Alabama, Millard Fuller rose to become a young, self-made millionaire.
A graduate of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama and the University of
Alabama Law School at Tuscaloosa, he and a college friend began a
marketing firm while still in school. Fuller's business expertise and
entrepreneurial drive made him a millionaire at age 29. But as the
business prospered, his health, integrity and marriage suffered. These crises prompted
Fuller to re-evaluate his values and direction. His
"soul-searching" led to reconciliation with his wife and to a
renewal of his Christian commitment. The Fullers then took a
drastic step: they decided to sell all of their possessions, give the
money to the poor, and begin searching for a new focus for their lives.
This search led them to Koinonia Farm, a Christian community located near
Americus, Ga., where people were looking for practical ways to apply
Christ's teachings. The
Seed is Planted Each homeowner family
was expected to invest their own labor into the building of their home and
the homes of other families. This reduced the cost of the house, increased
the pride of ownership and fostered the development of positive
relationships. Money for building was placed into a revolving fund. Money
from the fund was then used to build houses, and house payments were in
turn made back into the fund, enabling the building of even more homes.
Testing
the Model In 1973, Fuller moved
to Africa with his wife and four children to test the model outside the
United States. The housing project, which they began in Zaire, was a
success and became a working reality in that developing nation. Fuller became convinced
that this model could be expanded and applied all over the world. Upon his
return home in 1976, he met with a group of close associates who were
involved in the work. They decided to create a new, independent
organization: Habitat for Humanity International. Since then, the Fullers
have devoted their energies to the expansion of Habitat throughout the
world. Applying
Jesus' Economics Habitat's economic
philosophy is based upon what Fuller calls the "economics of
Jesus." The no-profit, no-interest components of the program come
from a passage in the Bible (Exodus 22:25) that says someone lending money
to the poor should not act as a creditor and charge interest. "I see life as
both a gift and a responsibility," Fuller says. "My
responsibility is to use what God has given me to help His people in
need." Former U.S. President
Jimmy Carter, an avid carpenter and longtime Habitat supporter, believes
that Fuller is using his gifts and acting in faith. "Millard Fuller
is an inspiration to all of us who have joined him as volunteers,"
Carter says. "And his faith and perseverance have made continual
progress possible." Public
Recognition Fuller received the Medal
of Freedom from President Clinton in September 1996, and was named the
1995 Builder of the Year by Professional
Builder magazine. He and his wife were awarded the 1994 Harry S.
Truman Public Service Award, and he also has received the Martin Luther
King, Jr. Humanitarian Award from both the State of Georgia and the King
Center. He continues to receive many honorary doctorates and achievement
awards for his outstanding leadership and contributions toward meeting the
goal of eliminating poverty housing worldwide. |