Mennonite Weekly Review

Millard Fuller, the founder of Habitat for Humanity, was well known in the Mennonite community. Fuller died Feb. 3, and a memorial service was held March 14 at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Sprinkled throughout the audience of 2,000 mourners was a representation of Mennonites, some of whom were former Habitat for Humanity volunteers and board members.

The message was given by Tony Campolo. Also addressing the assembly was former President Jimmy Carter, who said Fuller was “one of the most extraordinary people I have ever known.”

A millionaire before he was 30, Fuller had a radical conversion and gave it all away. With his wife, Linda, he moved to the Koinonia community near Americus, Ga., where he came under the radical Bible teachings of Clarence Jordan. Together they pioneered a housing ministry for their poor sharecropping neighbors.

After a term of missionary service to Zaire under the Christian Church, Fuller returned to Americus, where he led the charge that resulted in the founding of Habitat for Humanity International in 1976. The ambitious goal was to providing a million people with a decent house. The plan was predicated on the Old Testament injunction against charging interest to the poor, and required homeowners to substitute 500 hours of “sweat equity” for a down payment.

When Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter returned to Plains, Ga., in 1980, Fuller enlisted them in the Habitat effort. The idea spread, and by the time Fuller separated from Habitat in 2005 the goal of providing a million people with housing had been realized.

Eastern Mennonite Missions seconded a voluntary service unit to Habitat for some years. Bluffton University conferred on Fuller the doctor of humanity letter in 1995. He spoke at Mennonite youth conferences and Mennonite Economic Development Associates conventions. Describing himself as “barely Baptist,” Fuller sometimes thought he was meant to be a Mennonite.

Upon reaching age 65 he had some disagreements with the Habitat board, including some unfounded accusations, which resulted in a separation. This led him to found the Fuller Center for Housing, also headquartered in Americus. It grew into a multimillion-dollar organization building houses with and for the poor worldwide.

Fuller received more than 50 honorary doctorates and other awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Yet he was best known for the lives he touched through his Christian commitment to provide the poor with a decent house.