Have you ever wondered what your retirement adventure would look like? Maybe you thought you'd travel, or maybe you thought you'd volunteer some. Both are exactly what this retired couple from Maryland do in their retirement. They volunteer for NOMADS.
NOMADS stands for Nomads on a Mission Active in Divine Service and is a ministry of the United Methodist Church. When Rodney and Tammy Ripley retired, they knew that volunteering was going to be part of their retirement journey. As we learn in this episode to be a NOMAD all you need is an RV (or some sort of camper) and a servant's heart. As part of the NOMADS organization, Tammy and Rodney travel for a three week mission trip in the United States with others to perform a service several times a year.
When we caught up with Rodney and Tammy they were right in the middle of a mission trip in Argyle, New York, where they were just finishing laying a new floor in the church's parsonage and starting to begin projects at the Argyle Methodist Church.
We learn that you do not have to belong to the Methodist Church to be in the NOMADS. These volunteers do new construction and remodeling projects at church sites and colleges, camps and disaster sites. Couples and singles sign up for the mission and travel in their own RV for the duration of the trip.
Tammy and Rodney tell us what is needed for this type of volunteering and lead us through the process of becoming a NOMADS volunteer. We learn that they have been involved by being volunteers and also as TEAM LEADERS. Team leaders set up the project and have additional responsibilities. We could tell how volunteering has changed their lives and enriched their retirement.
We hope you enjoy meeting the Ripley's as much as we did. Maybe this type of retirement activity is just up your alley and you'd like to become a NOMADS volunteer!
