Want an adventure on wheels? MDS needs drivers

As John Nice drove volunteers to and from the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) job sites in Elk, Washington, he safely navigated snow, ice, and freezing temperatures—and he enjoyed it all.

After retiring as a semi-truck driver in 2022, he has been able to spend even more time driving for MDS, often driving groups from Amish communities who are eager to serve.

He’s had many adventures along the way.

“Two years ago, I was going from Maple, Kentucky, to Rolling Fork, Mississippi—and it was the coldest week of the year,” he said. MDS had closed its base camp in Maple that day.

“We had two vehicles. We had put all the luggage and sleeping bags in one of the vehicles, which left,” recalled Nice.

As he started off, towing a trailer, he found the brake lights were faulty. He and a few other volunteers returned to the former base to try to repair the lights. But it grew so late that they decided to remain there for the night. “All the bedding was gone, so we put mattresses on the floor,” said Nice. “I used my coat for a blanket. I kind of slept—but we got up in the middle of the night with no water. The pipes had frozen!”

All was well in the end: Nice and the other volunteers made it to Rolling Fork late in the afternoon the next day.

Part of the joy of being a driver is that no day is the same as the one before. “I not only drive, I also volunteer to put the word out to other people that MDS needs drivers. I enjoy driving. People show their appreciation,” said Nice.