The Habitat World staff (from left: Rebekah Daniel, Shawn Reeves, Milana McLead and Pam Chapman) spent an afternoon making blocks for Habitat for Humanity's Global Village & Discovery Center.

Telling Stories, Building Dreams

"For those who influence public opinion, Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many voices: Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may do their part in making the heart of the people wise, its mind sound, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord."
-The Book of Common Prayer

Habitat for Humanity's story can be told only through the people. Two decades ago, a precursor to the magazine you hold in your hands began telling those stories.

"Wars, famines and revolutions will continue in our world. ... [But Habitat World] will headline news of another war being fought, the war against indifference, the war against despair."

With these words in March 1984, then-editor Gene Crumley set the direction of the publication for the decades ahead. Exposing poverty and fighting a "war of indifference," Habitat World was created to share the news of the organization and to report on the issues of poverty.

Over the years, a handful of editors have guided the course of this publication, including me for nine years. Though my career in magazine publishing is older than the 20 years Habitat World has achieved, only since these years as this publication's editor have I seen the work of my hands and heart make a difference in people's lives.

I have seen and heard firsthand that Habitat's work--and mine in telling its stories--makes a difference. That Mambo Mkhize, a Habitat homeowner from Durban, South Africa, would tell me a year after building his house with his own hands that "it is a blessing," is good enough for me. There are thousands of these stories, if not tens of thousands of them.

The work we do in the pages of Habitat World is built upon such tales. And so it is that writing the "words that many read" is an assignment not entered into lightly. I am grateful to be joined in the storytelling by the gifted and inspired team of Shawn Reeves, Rebekah Daniel and Pam Chapman, among others. Our prayer is that God's hand and spirit are in the words we write, and his grace on the hearts and souls of those who read.

For 20 years, Habitat World has documented Habitat for Humanity's war on poverty housing through the stories of people fighting its daily trials. There is still much to be done, many stories to be told. That Habitat World will continue to tell them, you can be sure.

Thanks for reading ... and for building.

--Milana McLead