World Ark Magazine - January/February 2009 - (Page 11)

As you expand into other countries, are you facing any new or unexpected challenges? There are always challenges and opportunities. Currently, we’re in negotiations with north korea about beginning work there. They don’t have private property, so in that country we’re talking about security of tenure, which means that when you build a house, the family will be secure in living there, and no one can tell them to get out. it’s a new system for us, but we’re not wedded to having a particular kind of document filed in something called a courthouse. we’ve always seen our work as a peacemaking operation, so we’re very excited about the prospect of working in north korea. abe lincoln once said the best way to get rid of your enemies is to make them your friends. Is there any particular family that stands out as your favorite from all your years at Habitat for Humanity and the Fuller Center? There are so many wonderful families, but let me tell you about one because this is a very special situation. i speak at a lot of commencements, and in 2003 i was invited to speak at the university of Portland. when i accepted, the president wrote me that there’s going to be a very special graduate. his name is judah Slavkovsy, and he’s special for many reasons. his family moved into the first habitat house in Sisters, ore., and he grew up there and went on to graduate from college with highest honors. i was, of course, eager to meet this outstanding student. judah’s mother and father and two sisters came in to meet me and thank me before the ceremony, to tell me what the house had meant to them, but i didn’t meet judah because he was getting ready with his classmates. we marched in and had the program, and i made my speech. The students started coming up to get their diplomas, and i’m waiting for judah. when it was his turn, he came across the stage and shook the president’s hand, but instead of going to sit down, he stood right in front of me, took my hand and said, “Thank you for the house.” Then he turned and took his seat. after graduation, judah went overseas as a missionary in Palestine and east africa, then he came back and was accepted to harvard Medical School. he’ll graduate next year. i’ve visited him several times and visited his home in oregon. on my last visit to Cambridge, judah and i went to hancock Church, which is across from where the revolution started. i preached and introduced judah to the congregation. he told them he will soon be a medical doctor, and that his ambition is to have a positive impact on world health and to help the poor. Your departure from Habitat was contentious and received a lot of publicity. How did you handle that? Linda and Millard Fuller work side by side to build homes for families who need them. Recipients invest sweat equity and payments so that others can be helped as well. w w w. h e i f e r . o rg People often ask me, “how do you feel about the board of habitat for humanity international stealing the organization you built from the ground up?” i say they didn’t steal it because i never owned it; it was god’s work. all things work together for good for those who love the lord. Sometimes things happen and it looks at the moment like it’s bad, but we can turn it into something good. The fuller Center is growing faster than habitat ever did, and i have a sense of freedom with it. habitat was becoming more bureaucratic and more oriented toward rules. i feel much freer now. That said, habitat is still doing a lot of good, building a lot of houses. People ask me, “why would you go into competition with habitat?” we would be in competition if there were a shortage of need, but there’s no shortage of need. i see habitat for humanity as an ally. i say we will be in competition when we’ve gotten down to the last family. n For more information, visit www.fullercenter.org. januar y/f e bruar y 2009 | wor ld a r k Photo courtesy the Fuller center For housing. 11 http://www.fullercenter.org 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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