Every volunteer day begins with three major components: paperwork, orientation, and prayer. This morning was no different than any other. People gathered in line early Monday morning to sign in and complete the necessary forms. Then, Chris, an AmeriCorps member serving our affiliate for a 10 month stint, led the group in an orientation complete with habitat history and safety training. However, Chris’ orientation was filled with a bit more meaning and significance than most days. For this day was Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Chris shared a story about a group of people who had a dream similar to Dr. King’s.
In 1942, Clarence Jordan, along with his wife and another couple, founded Koinonia Farm, an interracial community rooted in biblical principles. Their dream was to experience a place where blacks and whites could live in partnership with each other, turn from the present materialistic culture, and be good stewards of the earth. The community faced both success and failures, persecution and support. (At one time Clarence Jordan received a letter of support from Dr. King himself.)
Years later, Koinonia Farm welcomed a new family. After almost facing divorce, Millard and Linda Fuller gave away their millions in wealth and moved their family to the farm. The intersection of these two couples, the Fullers and Jordans, birthed even a bigger dream. During this time they developed a housing model based on the idea of partnership, which later became known as Habitat for Humanity International.
If there is any word that we can see threaded throughout Habitat’s history it is “unity.” Koinonia Farm and Habitat were established on the idea of uniting race, religion, and social status in order to build partnerships and serve their community. This idea is expressed in Millard Fuller’s famous concept, “the theology of the hammer.” Millard says, “This theology is about bringing a wide diversity of people, churches, and other organizations together to build houses and establish viable and dynamic communities. It is acknowledging that differences of opinion exist on numerous subjects—political, philosophical, and theological—but that we can find common ground in using a hammer as an instrument to manifest God’s love.”
The story that Chris shared Monday morning set the tone for the rest of the day. Instead of enjoying the respite of a holiday, a diverse group gathered in the Center Point area to build a home for a very deserving family. This occurs every MLK weekend and we call it the Unity Build.
We are still in need of volunteers to complete the Unity Build home. Go to our website to sign up!
“There’s no better way to celebrate Dr. King than to do something on behalf of others,” President Obama.
