Habitat Founder Building More Than Just Houses
by Allie Martin
January 22, 2004
(AgapePress) - The founder of Habitat for Humanity says he doesn't plan to ease up on his calling to end poverty housing in the world. Millard Fuller says his main goal is not to build houses, but to build human character.Fuller was a self-made millionaire by the time he was 29. Then a personal crisis prompted him and his wife, Linda, to sell their possessions, give the money to the poor, and dedicate themselves to a life of service. In 1976, they founded Habitat for Humanity International. Since then, more than 800,000 people worldwide have helped to construct and move into Habitat houses.
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Millard Fuller |
Fuller explains that the ministry does not provide handouts -- and that the only thing Habitat gives away is "an opportunity.""The homeowners have to help build their houses; it's called 'sweat equity.' They [also] have to help build houses for other people," he says. "And then when the houses are finished, they move in and they have to make a monthly payment -- but it's at no profit and no interest. And that's because the Bible teaches if you lend money to the poor, don't charge [them] interest."
To achieve his two-pronged goal -- ending poverty housing and, in the process, building human character -- Fuller believes it is important to get as many people involved as possible. "If you're going to end poverty housing in the world, which is what we think God has called us to do, you can't leave anybody out," he says.
Toward that end, Habitat has begun a variety of building programs to meet peoples' housing and character needs. One of those is the "Women Build" program.
"We have ... hundreds of houses all over this country and around the world [that were built] entirely by women," Fuller says. "We've [also] launched a program called 'RV Caravaners,' where we get retirement-age people who have their own recreational vehicles, and they travel around the country building Habitat houses. We've even launched a very aggressive prison ministry where we have prisoners building component parts of Habitat houses."
Habitat for Humanity International has built houses in more than 3,000 communities in 92 nations. Fuller is in Davos, Switzerland, through Sunday where he is a panel participant during the World Economic Forum.
