World Ark Magazine - January/February 2009 - (Page 10)

asked & answered Building Hope Millard fuller hammers home the importance of Service Humanitarian Millard Fuller abandoned a thriving business and the fortune it brought him decades ago to devote his life to service. He founded Habitat for Humanity in 1976, but lost his job as president there in 2005 in a falling out with the Habitat board. Instead of retiring, the 73-year-old continues his work with The Fuller Center for Housing, an organization he founded to help build and renovate houses for those who can’t afford to do so themselves. Interview by Austin Gelder, World Ark Associate Editor World Ark: You stress that the Fuller Center is not a charity. Can you explain? Fuller: our work with habitat for humanity was not charity, either. i was privileged to lead habitat for humanity for 28 years, and we’ve continued my life’s work with the same philosophy at the fuller Center. what the poor need is not charity, it’s capital. They don’t need caseworkers, they need co-workers. we give people an opportunity. That’s the only thing that’s given away. They’ve got to put in sweat equity and make the payments so that money can be used to help somebody else. The bible teaches that it is blessed to receive but more blessed to give. we want to give recipients the opportunity to help others as others have been helping them. This whole concept of not giving things away, just giving people opportunity, is designed to preserve the dignity of the recipient. i don’t think anybody likes to be thought of as a charity case. all human beings need to have a sense of dignity. You and your wife have worked side by side for decades, and other members of your family are involved in your work as well. What’s the secret to making giving a family affair? Since our children were little, we have always emphasized the importance of giving to the church through not only money but giving of yourself, your talents and abilities. That’s become part of their character and way of thinking. our family doesn’t see a person in need as a problem. we see them as an opportunity. The Fuller Center is a Christian organization, but you’ve worked with people of many faiths. Has that ever presented a challenge? There are always people who will criticize you for being Christian, who say you should be everything to everybody and you shouldn’t be any one particular thing. i remember one time when i was in india dedicating houses. one lady, in a hostile way, said, “Mr. fuller, what is this about habitat for humanity being a Christian organization? don’t you know you’re in a hindu country with Muslims? we feel offended that you come in with your Christian program.” i said to her, “have you ever heard of Mother Teresa?” everyone in india knows of her, and does anybody doubt that she’s a Christian? She made it very plain that she did what she did because she was a Christian, but she ministered to everybody. her love is universal. The love of jesus is universal. he says to love everybody and love without limits. www.h ei f er .o r g 10 j a n uar y / feb ruar y 2 0 0 9 | world ark http://www.heifer.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of World Ark Magazine - January/February 2009

World Ark Magazine - January/February 2009 Contents Letters For the Record The Good Life Asked and Answered Microfinance: A Lot for a Little Business is Buzzing in Honduras The World Grows Smaller Mixed Media Heifer Spirit Heifer Bulletin Calendar First Person

World Ark Magazine - January/February 2009

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