“King was very formative to my faith and career, and I’m extremely grateful for that,” said Scott Fuller ’86. “The paths we were taking early in life at King and the fruit it was bearing prepared both of us to take on the mission we now share at Murphy-Harpst.”
More than four decades have passed since Scott Fuller ‘86 and Scott Merritt ’85 first crossed paths at King, a meeting that would have long-ranging benefits for children in need throughout the Southeast.
The year was 1984, and Fuller had just transferred to King when he met Merritt, who was one year older and serving as student body president.
“We hit it off, and I had not been assigned a roommate yet, so Scott just told me, ‘We can room together,” Fuller said. “I was stunned, but looking back, God’s hand was all over that.”
The two had little idea of the impact that they would have on each other’s lives – including Fuller’s future marriage.
“One day I told Scott, ‘Today, I saw the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen in my life,’” Fuller said. “I didn’t know her or have her name, but of course, he knew everyone and was quickly on the case. Turns out, her name was Renee.”
Fuller recalled that he was so smitten with Renee Rogers ’87 that he auditioned for a theater production just to be near her.
“I thought I would be managing the curtains and props, but Professor Penny Mattice called me in the next day and told me I had the lead,” he said. “I tried to convince her she had made a huge mistake, but she very persuasively explained to me how I would be in practices and performances for the next couple months.”
He and Renee would marry, and before heading off for their post-graduate degrees, Fuller and Merritt worked together in King’s admissions office during the 1986-87 school year.
Fuller then went to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, achieving his master’s degree in divinity, and following seminary, went into pastoral ministry and church planting in western North Carolina. Merritt, meanwhile, attended the University of Georgia for a master’s in psychology and became a licensed professional counselor, campus administrator for the Devereux Georgia Treatment Network, and then the Executive Director for KidsPeace.
Over the years Fuller and Merritt found a common interest in serving at-risk children and families. During a sabbatical, Fuller began volunteering for Murphy-Harpst Children’s Center, an independent, not-for-profit organization in Cedartown, Georgia. Established by Sarah Murphy and Ethel Harpst, two Christian women who desired to provide a safe, loving environment to hurting and disadvantaged children, the 100-year-old organization is committed to meeting the needs of abused and neglected young people through residential treatment, placements in specialized foster care, and community-based programs.
When Merritt discovered Fuller was at Murphy-Harpst, he contacted their then-CEO with the intention of playing a prank on his longtime friend. However, the CEO shared that he was retiring, and persuaded Merritt to secretly apply for his position. After much thought and prayer, Merritt decided to apply – and soon became the new president & CEO. Fuller found out about the appointment the day Merritt visited campus to meet with his new employees, and since then, the two have worked together to preserve the institution’s century-long legacy and also create new, innovative therapeutic programs.
“I remember going down to Augusta with Scott and talking with pastors and child welfare leaders about a real crisis they were experiencing with a foster home shortage in the community,” said Fuller, who currently serves as vice president of Advancement. “Kids were being housed in hotel rooms – there was nowhere else for them to go. Many children were continually being shuffled around, exacerbating the formidable mental health challenges they already faced. On the drive home, we began talking through every aspect of the challenge, and it became clear we were going to have to go outside the box to find a solution. One idea led to another, and that was the night we planted the seeds for our Evolve program.”
Evolve, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Georgia, features four foster youths living in one home, anchored by two rotating teams of foster parents, with round-the-clock therapeutic services available. Since launching its first home in Atlanta two years ago and building four more homes in Augusta, Murphy-Harpst’s team reports that 82% of youths who completed the program reported decreased destructive or self-harming behaviors, with nearly 90% increasing life skills and behavior management capacity.
The organization has also helped children heal and rehabilitate through its equine therapy program. Children who have suffered a variety of traumas and abuse are paired with one of 11 horses on site, with therapy sessions involving activities such as grooming, feeding, riding, and groundwork exercises.
“I cannot think of anything more important than the safety and future of children. That is always the North Star that keeps us on mission,” said Merritt. “In Matthew 18, when Jesus takes a child to his side and warns those around not to despise these little ones, his ministry for the most vulnerable and his call to us is as clear as can be! Lives are being impacted for the better every day at Murphy-Harpst, and it’s not just the children who are being changed. So many of our volunteers have shared about the blessing and life-changing experiences they’ve had by making an investment in our children.”
Murphy-Harpst has offered hope and healing to thousands of children over the past century, and many more will require the organization’s assistance in the future. It’s a significant challenge, but Fuller and Merritt are passionate about their role in helping these children and making a real difference in their lives.
“The greater the challenge, the higher the calling. Any mission worth fighting for is going to have obstacles that often feel insurmountable,” said Merritt. “There is always the challenge of working with children who have been wounded and have put up walls that can inhibit healing. We’re also working on the challenges of shifting public policy and the ever-changing formulas for securing vital funding. More kids are entering the system but there are less dollars flowing in. So that has certainly been problematic. But you know you’re doing what God has called you to do when you get a sense of joy and fulfillment by watching Him come through time and again to make it all work.”
“King was very formative to my faith and career, and I’m extremely grateful for that,” added Fuller. “The paths we were taking early in life at King and the fruit it was bearing prepared both of us to take on the mission we now share at Murphy-Harpst.”