Minutes to Memories

Most people that know me know that Habitat for Humanity is an important part of my life.

It all began when I received Jimmy Carter’s book, Living Faith, as a Christmas present in 1996. After reading the chapter on “justice” that highlighted President Carter’s involvement with Habitat for Humanity, I was struck by the need for that very thing in my Arkansas hometown (Paragould), partly for addressing poverty housing, but probably even more to break down an awful lot of walls that I had come to notice. Socioeconomic walls for one. Religious walls for another.

I was 25 years old at the time, with about that much sense, so I mentioned to my friend Trent (who was around 27, going on 8,000 in terms of sense) my thought that our hometown could really use a Habitat for Humanity affiliate. He shocked me by saying that he had thought the very same thing. So I, idealistic to the core, just went ahead and started one.

I moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in early 1999, but I had been infected with “habititis” already. I piddled around with the affiliate in Harrison County (starting their homeowner’s association) since there was no affiliate in Ocean Springs, but something told me that history just might repeat itself someday. And it did.

In early 2001, the mayor of Ocean Springs mentioned that some people would like a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in our town, but no one knew how to get one started. Well, that was the one thing I did know how to do, so I set out to do it again.

This experience was quite different from the first. One, I’m a tiny bit smarter than the first time around, and I made a few less mistakes. For another, God has assembled a pretty amazing set of folks here along with opening doors we could have never imagined. But finally, there was Hurricane Katrina. And that has changed everything.

We have received more significant attention as well as massive confusion than you would believe. Our need for simple, decent places to live in our county has exploded, along with the interest in meeting that need. It is absolutely nuts. Add to all this that last May marked the end of my time on the board (along with the two remaining founding board members) due to term limits, so I’m not completely up on what’s happening anymore.

But I’m still infected with Habitat for Humanity. And I’m still on the Family Support Committee that I formerly chaired. And we had a very good meeting tonight.

In the picture above, you’ll see three very impressive people who, along with me, form the Family Support Committee for Habitat for Humanity of Jackson County: Cynthia on the left, who succeeded me as chair; Michael in the middle, who serves as maintenance supervisor; Diann, on the right, the homeowner education coordinator; and me, behind the camera, who collects “sweat equity” reports.

Thinking after the meeting, and then looking at the picture, I realize that at least one of my initial dreams came true thanks to Habitat for Humanity just in this little committee. Four people that did not know each other beforehand: two men & two women, two from the eastern end of the county & two from the western end, only one Coast native, only one “connected” to the important folks in our area, three ethnic groups represented, and finally, a Catholic, a Baptist, a non-denominational sort of person, and a member of a Church of Christ.

One thing brought us together tonight: a belief that Jesus calls us to love everyone and serve people in need.

That’s why I love Habitat for Humanity so much.