Couple volunteers across country after selling home and buying RV

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Shawna and Tony Hayes say they’ve always loved volunteering, but it wasn’t until they became empty nesters that a bigger idea emerged.

“It was a God thing, because again we’ve always kind of done this on a small scale. When we were sitting down one day and realized our youngest son was leaving, it was almost immediate, we turned to each other and what we said was, “We can volunteer full time now!” says Shawna Hayes.

Over the course of six months, the couple sold their home and vehicles, bought an RV, and started “Marriage On A Mission” — with a goal of spreading faith, love, service, and fun.

“Life isn’t about stuff, and we realized all we were doing was living in a big ole’ house with a bunch of stuff. Stuff we didn’t need. When Jesus sat out to the disciples he told them ‘Don’t take nothing.’ So we sold everything, so we didn’t have anything, but what we purchased to travel in, and that’s it, that’s how we’re living our life,” says Tony Hayes.

The couple travel to a new city across the U.S. each month — volunteering at least 100 hours a month at organizations like Meals On Wheels, FoodShare South Carolina, and Harvest Hope.

The couple says they believe in order to get a blessing, they have to be a blessing.

“It doesn’t have to be big and grand and devote your whole life to it like us, but everybody can do a little bit. If it’s 30 minutes of time once a month that’s valuable to somebody. Somebody needs you. And so I think people make volunteerism this big scary thing and it doesn’t have to be. All we want to do is encourage people to look around and find out how you can give a little bit to impact the world,” Shawna Hayes says.

Next, the couple will travel to Jackson, Mississippi before heading to Alaska.

To follow the couple’s journey, follow them on Instagram and Facebook @tonyandshawna.