By Morgan Mizell

NATCHEZ — Five couples from across the country spent their April at the Natchez Children’s Home Services Facility assisting with various tasks through the missionary service ministry, Roving Volunteers in Christ’s Service (R.V.I.C.S.).

Natchez Children’s Services Director, Nancy Hungerford, said the group has been coming to the facility for nearly twenty years.

“We do not get a team every year, but they are sent to us on a fairly regular basis,” Hungerford said. “When it is time for project places to be selected, I am probably the first one to get my request in to them.”

The ministry, based in Smithville, Texas, is made up of retired Christians who live exclusively, or primarily, in Recreational Vehicles. They perform maintenance and service projects for non-profit fundamental Christian colleges, schools, camps, conference centers and children’s homes. There is no cost for the labor; however, there are a few things the host must provide for the volunteers.

The home office makes the teams and many times the teams will meet for the first time at the project site. Every year a list of projects in various states is formulated and members send in their first, second and third choices. No more than six couples are assigned to every project site. The group in Natchez this month assisted NCHS with facility updating, gardening, grounds keeping tasks, and record organizing.

Team leader Al Allison said each site makes up a list of the projects most needed at their facility and the group organizes and begins to take care of each one.

“We will work on the most important tasks first,” Allison said. “The host provides the necessary tools and equipment and we provide the labor.”

The teams start each day with prayer and they have time allotted daily for Bible study and fellowship. The men typically work a 6-hour day and the women work about 3 hours a day. There are some variations on the work hours; however, each group has social time built into their schedule and they also have time specified for tours and sightseeing in the area they are working.

All members of this team have different stories about how they came to be a part of R.V.I.C.S., but all agree they are glad they agreed to participate in the program.

“There is no age requirement for the group, but they do ask those that sign up to commit to at least three projects per year,” Allison said. “I think we have all seen some couples at different sites who are well up in years and still going strong. Basically, you work until you can’t or until the Lord tells you it is time to stop.”

“The various skill-sets the R.V.I.C.S. groups bring to us each year is amazing,” Hungerford said. “We have had carpenters, electricians, pipe-fitters and plumbers here who were able to help us tremendously.”

The group, working in such close proximity for extended hours daily, becomes more of a family by the end of the project time.

“We come to these project sites not knowing anything about any of the other couples,” Allison said. “We end up leaving knowing quite a bit about one another and being more like close friends, even family.”

The groups travel from site to site, with some time off during the Christmas holidays. While they all say they could spend a little more time with families, they enjoy the work they do and the ability to spread God’s word wherever they go.

“We work, play and pray together as R.V.I.C.S.,” Linda Wyeth said. “We work as hard at play as we play at work. We make our work fun.”

The group said their time at NCHS is always special as they are shown great Southern hospitality by all the staff at the facility and fed well, which is not something the host is required to do.

Those interested in finding out more about the R.V.I.C.S. program can go to the website www.rvics.com or call the office at (800) 727-8914.