Destination: Indiana       

A world where everyone has a decent place to live

 

My faith demands I do whatever I can,
wherever I am, whenever I can,
for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference”
– Former President Jimmy Carter




 

Theology of the Hammer

We may disagree on all sorts of other things, but we can agree on the idea of building homes with God’s people in need, and in doing so using biblical economics: no profit and no interest. - Millard Fuller

 

As a regular Habitat volunteer, I've made it my mission to dispell some of the myths of Habitat.  Here are just a few:

We give our houses away to the homeless - FALSE

Habitat homeowners are hardworking families who purchase their homes from Habitat through interest-free loans.   That mortgage money goes back to build more houses; Habitat does not profit.  Volunteer labor keeps the home affordable.  Additionally, families must put in hundreds of hours of "sweat equity" (working on their home and others) before they can move into their home.

You have to be Christian  - FALSE

Habitat homeowners are chosen without regard to race, religion or ethnic group, in keeping with Habitat’s abiding belief that God’s love extends to everyone. Habitat also welcomes volunteers from all faiths, or no faith, who actively embrace Habitat’s goal of eliminating poverty housing from the world (ie, the Theology of the Hammer).

Jimmy Carter started Habitat  - FALSE

Habitat for Humanity was founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976.  From that small start in Americus, Georgia, there are now Habitat affiliates in all 50 states and over 70 countries.  Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter are two of the more prominent volunteers and have led a one-week build somewhere in the world for the past 34 years; typically alternating yearly between the U.S. and international sites.