LAKE JUNALUSKA (North Carolina) - Millard Fuller (right), founder and President of Habitat for Humanity International, has been selected as the recipient of the World Methodist Peace Award for 2004.


The award is presented by the World Methodist Council to individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to peace, reconciliation and justice. Courage, creativity and consistency are values that are considered when presenting the award.


In a press statement, the Rev George H. Freeman, General Secretary of the World Methodist Council, said that the award would be jointly presented to Mr Fuller and Habitat for Humanity International at a ceremony on Dec 8, 2004 at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church on the campus of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Habitat for Humanity began 27 years ago when Mr Fuller, a successful lawyer in Americus, Georgia, and his wife Linda left their millionaire lifestyle and re-dedicated their lives to serving God. They were greatly impacted by the simple lifestyle embraced by Clarence Jordan and Koinonia Farms.

Selling all their possessions, they gave their money to the poor and began searching for a new focus for their lives. They moved to Koinonia Farms in 1968 and began work on a new project, Koinonia Partnership Housing. In 1973 they moved to Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and took the principles of partnership housing to Africa. The success of that experience led to the Founding of Habitat for Humanity International.

Today Habitat for Humanity operates in 100 countries around the world. - United Methodist News Service.