Of Saints and other things

Millard Fuller died this past week and was buried at Koinonia Farm in Americus, Ga. Fuller was the founder of Habitat for Humanity. Habitat builds houses for people who have limited resources. They do this by allowing the prospective owners a chance to do "hands on" investment in their homes thereby reducing the cost. Utilizing volunteers as the builders, Habitat is able to build stable homes for people who never dreamed of owning a home.

Millard Fuller in Zaire (1974)

Fuller, a native of Alabama, graduated from Auburn University and with a friend founded a marketing company. He was so successful that by the time he was 29 he was a millionaire. Becoming a millionaire was exciting but costly. His wife Linda had asked him for a divorce and Fuller's health was not good. These crises caused Fuller to reevaluate his life. He and Linda both renewed their commitment to Christ and began to live in a radically different way. They sold everything, gave all their money to the poor and moved to Koinonia Farm in Americus, Ga. At Koinonia they met with Clarence Jordan and others and decided to start a ministry in housing. Their effort was to provide, at no profit, homes which were financed by no interest loans. In 1974 they moved with their 4 children to Zaire to test this concept in a housing development there. Habitat for Humanity was built from these early efforts. Over 300,000 homes have been built since its beginning.

We don't think in terms of "saints" much anymore. A saint is someone through whom we see God's hand at work. I am voting sainthood for Millard Fuller. He allowed God to take him out of the swift current of worldly values and placed him in the wild and wide stream of God's love. So St. Millard, thank you for giving us a vision of greater things.

Today I got an e-mail from my niece Bretta and she has started her own blog. She makes me very jealous as she shows off her wool yarns died with Kool Aid! Check her out at http://www.brettaogburn.blogspot.com/. I am so proud of her. She gives me such joy and inspiration.