A friend of mine, Karen Warkentien, from Northern Virginia, knew that her 50th birthday was coming up a few days ago and wanted to do something special to celebrate the event. Mostly on birthdays, we usually receive things- greetings, well wishes, presents, cars, etc. but what Karen (who also goes by nickname "Toolie") did was give something.
     What she did was decide that she would sponsor and build a house for a complete stranger . She raised $50,000 and asked her friends to meet her in Americus, Georgia to help her build it in a week. Naturally, I couldn't resist the invitation to help. Unfortunately, I have used up four of my three weeks vacation time this year already, so I had to squeeze in just the first day of the build and the weekend before.
      I drove the four hours from Tuscaloosa last Friday. Got to Americus a little before 5pm, so I stopped by the Fuller Center (who is coordinating the build) and said hello to David Snell and re-met Brett, who is the young man running the construction. I say re-met because someone told me that we had met in Peru at the Millard Fuller Legacy Build about two years ago, but I couldn't remember who Brett was. Then dropped by the site to see where I would be helping with the prebuild activities on Saturday. Also met Mike Posey, also a F.O.T. (friend of Toolie). Mike was Toolies first house leader years back.
     For those not familiar with the Fuller Center for Housing, it is the organization that was started by Millard and Linda Fuller (co-founders of Habitat for Humanity) after they were asked to leave the organization they founded thirty some years before . Millard was 72 at the time (2004) and some of his friends were counseling him on his nest move- they told him that he had gotten over 5 million people out of inadequate housing and moved them into a simple, decent home that they could call their own, and that maybe he should retire. Millard's response was that God had called him to the ministry and that he would keep going. He then started Fuller Center for Housing and they started popping up around the country and world. A reporter asked Millard if he was now in competition with HFH and his response was, "Not until we get to the last family that is in need, then we will be in competition. Until that time, there's plenty of work for everyone"
       The timing for this weekend was pretty good too, speaking of Millard Fuller. The city of Americus had agreed to change the name of Spring Street in Americus to the Millard Fuller Blvd. and the weekend had two clebrations one Saturday at 5pm as a potluck picnic and Sunday from 145 to 500pm with a gathering and march, reminiciaent of the early civil rights marches, down the new street, which happens to intersect with Martin Luther King, Jr . Blvd. At the gathering after the march, heard lots of Millard stories from his family, son and daughter Chris and Georgia, of course his wife Linda, the Mayor of Americus and early volunteers to Habitat. One story from one fellow who was the first construction director before there even was a Habitat told a great one. They were building one of the firs homes at Koinonia under the kind of model for partnership housing. Back in the early 70's, a home built with volunteer labor cost about $5 or 6,000 . One foundation was under way and this man was concerned that they would have enough funds to finish the house he had started. Millard told them they had about 5,000 and the man felt comforted that they would have enough. Instead, Millard asked him how much a foundation cost to put in. About a thousand. He told this man to start five more houses and that they were going to "precipitate an emergency and then ask for help". Stepping out on faith. It's what drove the Habitat Board of Directors crazy about Millard . Not exactly the most solid business plan. Other descriptions of Millard that I heard were a mix of jet fuel and honey and also that he was like a speedboat that went blowing through with the ideas and vision and then everyone else was left to deal with the wake left behing.
      Also attended Marantha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga. and enjoyed former president Jimmy Carters lesson. It is a small church in a small town that Mr. Carter has been a member of since he left office in 1980 and has been teaching there ever since. The local congregation is only about twenty in number, but they get big groups usually from out of town. There was one member of the congregation, Miss Jan, a former 4th grade schoolteacher that prepped the crowd with the dos and donts of attending the service and she ran quite a tight ship and was pretty entertaining as well. She said we did a good job. Carter would ask where everyone was from and we were to call out loudly so that his 89 year old ears could hear us well, but we were not to repeat states, once they were called out the first time. He and wife of 67 years, Rossyln were also gracious enough to take a picture with everyone who wanted one. They also came and spoke at the dedication later in the day at the street naming event. His grandson is currently running to be Governor of Georgia.
     Back to the Build. Worked Saturday morning with Ryan Payton (new friend who also came over from Tuscaloosa), Mike Cosey, Brett and Damian Battle (soon to be new homeowner).   We juggled around the panels that would make up the exterior walls of the house and cut the sheathing for the two gabel ends and made the ladders for the overhang on both gables.
      Sunday night enjoyed a dinner put on by the Fuller Center at the Lighthouse Restaurant that had opened up just for us and put on great spread.
      Monday morning got up at 500, breakfast at 3 Squares, and started at 600. Had about 30-40 people helping. About 12 out of towners, many of those with vast construction experience and leading volunteers. I felt a little bad for Brett who is quite young and not that experienced to be inudated with 20 people telling him the twenty right ways to run his job and anyway, eventually come up with the same result. Swallow that ego, folks.
      Stayed until the trusses were up, left around 400. Stopped by for dinner with a friend on the way back to T-Town, and got home bout 900. Great weekend. Happy Birthday Toolie. Keep those pictures coming on FB. I want to see a finished house by Friday!
       Ciao, Peace, Out.   Peter   Love ya'll.