Habitat for Humanity International

At the Beginning

            The Bible and Clarence Jordan provided the primary inspiration for Millard and Linda Fuller to create Habitat for Humanity.  They met Clarence in 1965.  Clarence was the principal founder and leader of the Christian community of Koinonia Farm near Americus, Georgia.  He introduced the Fullers to the clear imperative in the Gospels to act out our faith.  Clarence often exclaimed that people would worship the hind legs off of Jesus but they wouldn’t obey him.  He said that much of modern-day religious practice was irrelevant, concerned with mere ritual and the reading and telling of ancient Bible stories, with little or no application in today’s world.  Clarence Jordan died in 1959 and the Fullers went on to found Habitat for Humanity in 1976.

By end of the Year 2000

            By the end of year 2000, there were no more shacks in Americus and Sumter County, Georgia!  Over 500 new homes accompanied those that have seen major repairs so that all Sumter County residents met the new century in a decent home.  Habitat for Humanity affiliates tithe 10% of their undesignated funds to provide materials that go into 3^rd world Habitat homes.  Sumter County’s tithe goes to northern Honduras.  This means that many northern Hondurans also greeted the 21^st century in simple decent homes.

 By the end of the year 2001

              Since 1976 the Habitat for Humanity movement has spread to more than 80 countries.  There are more than 1500 affiliates in the US alone.  Habitat built over 120,000 homes worldwide.  

   By mid 2009

              Habitat has built over 300,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1.5 million people in 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.

See Habitat for Humanity International's Web Site: http://www.habitat.org/  

Return to top of page   or   Main Menu