'Hello, neighbor! Give me a hug!' --Donna Johnson, Habitat homeowner in Jacksonville, Fla.

Words that Heal: Breaking Through Barriers

Some Habitat supporters have encountered resistance to Habitat's building efforts ranging from unkind letters to outright physical intervention on a work site. However, the truth of the proverb "A gentle answer turns away wrath" is clear in tense situations. The homeowners, volunteers and supporters in the next few pages have found that a little love goes a long way.

Millard Fuller in LaGrange, Ga., USA

We can agree
" ...as Christians we will agree on the use of a hammer as an instrument to manifest God's love. We may disagree on all sorts of other things ... but we can agree on the imperative of the gospel to serve others in the name of the Lord. We can agree on the idea of building houses with God's people in need."
-Millard Fuller, founder and president, Habitat for Humanity International

We break down barriers
"A lot of (the Not-In-My-Back-Yard attitude) has to do with people feeling like islands unto themselves. The whole basis of Habitat is that nobody is. It makes people look beyond the fence of their own homes. Our famous thing is that we break down barriers."
-Lisa Hartley, executive director, Bergen County (N.J.) Habitat for Humanity

	'...when I saw the whole picture, I was aashamed that I would take such a negative view.' --Stuart Wilson (background) at the 2002 JCWP in South Africa.

We were concerned
"I got involved [with the Jimmy Carter Work Project] for all the wrong reasons. It was out of insecurity and fear in our neighborhood. ... We were concerned about the devaluation of our houses. But when I saw the whole picture, I was ashamed that I would take such a negative view. Eventually, when I saw Habitat happening, I had to make a statement. I brought biryani (a popular Indian dish) to the site and asked the local gas station to donate bread. We gave it to the [Habitat] homeowners, saying: 'This is a small gesture of welcome,' because we felt that what they were going to be achieving made them heroes.... The thing is, if we can get each person to embrace their neighbor, isn't that what we're supposed to do as lovers of God?"
-Stuart Wilson, a South African from the gated community adjacent to Ethembeni, site of the 2002 Jimmy Carter Work Project

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Who We Are
Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit Christian housing ministry that works both to eliminate poverty housing around the world and to make adequate housing a matter of conscience and action.

What We Do
Local Habitat for Humanity affiliates build and renovate houses in partnership with people in need, and then sell the houses to the homeowner partners. Homeowners are selected by local affiliates based on their need for housing, ability to repay a no-profit, no-interest mortgage and willingness to partner with Habitat by investing "sweat-equity" hours into the construction of their houses and others'. Mortgage payments contribute to a Fund for Humanity, which provides the money to build more houses. Because of Habitat's no-profit, no-interest loans, and because the houses are principally built with volunteer labor, mortgage payments are affordable for low-income partners.

Where We Work
The organization started in the United States in 1976, but today its work reaches around the world. Currently, more than 2,300 affiliates are at work in all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Territory of Guam, and 91 other countries.

HFHI Affiliate Countries
Antigua and Barbuda | Argentina | Armenia | Australia | Bangladesh | Belize | Bermuda | Bolivia | Botswana | Brazil | Bulgaria | Burundi | Cambodia | Cameroon | Canada | Cayman Islands | Central African Republic | Chile | China | Colombia | Costa Rica | Democratic Republic of Congo | Dominican Republic | East Timor | Ecuador | Egypt | El Salvador | Ethiopia | Fiji | Germany | Ghana | Great Britain | Guatemala | Guyana | Haiti | Honduras | Hungary | India | Indonesia | Ivory Coast | Jamaica | Japan | Jordan | Kenya | Kyrgyzstan | Lebanon | Lesotho | Liberia | Madagascar | Malawi | Malaysia | Mexico | Mongolia | Mozambique | Nepal | Netherlands | New Zealand | Nicaragua | Nigeria | Northern Ireland | Panama | Pakistan | Papua New Guinea | Paraguay | Peru | Philippines | Poland | Portugal | Republic of Ireland | Republic of Korea | Romania | Russia | Rwanda | Samoa | Senegal | Singapore | Slovenia | Solomon Islands | South Africa | Sri Lanka | Suriname | Tajikistan | Tanzania | Thailand | Trinidad and Tobago | Uganda | United States, Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico | Vanuatu | Venezuela | Vietnam | Zambia | Zimbabwe

You Can Help
Volunteers fill key roles in Habitat for Humanity's work, both on the construction site and in other positions such as family selection and support, fund raising and advocacy. For more information about becoming involved with Habitat for Humanity, please contact us at 121 Habitat St., Americus, GA 31709.