NATCHEZ — It’s interesting how two keys can change lives.

In this case, the keys went to a house at 824 Martin Luther King Jr. St. in Natchez, and were given to the McGee family by Duncan McFarlane, secretary for the Natchez-Adams County Branch of Habitat for Humanity.

The house’s formal dedication ceremony was Sunday. It was the 19th house the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity completed.

“We’re proud today to sell this house to the McGee family,” McFarlane announced during the dedication.

Today, the family will sign the mortgage papers and move in.

It’s a moment the family’s been waiting for. The McGee family consists of Arnette McGee, Dewey McGee, and their sons Juan McGee, 17, Javonte McGee, 16, Anthony McGee, 15, and Damion McGee, 14.

“It’s truly a blessing to have something to call your own,” Arnette McGee said.

As part of the Habitat for Humanity agreement, every adult in the family was required to put 250 hours into the construction of the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house alongside volunteers.

That means the family moved into their house after working on it for 10 months.

“There’s a lot of memory in everything,” McGee said.

Nance Hixon, pastor at Grace United Methodist Church, was one of the volunteers who, along with members from his church, helped build the house.

Hixon said he feels it’s the kind of project Jesus would want people to do.

“I’m just really stoked that we were a part of it even in just a small way,” Hixon said.

For Arnette and Dewey McGee, the house also symbolizes a move back home, as they grew up in the area. Arnette McGee has several childhood friends and relatives who live on the street.

Now she and her husband can raise their children where they grew up.

“It’s a blessing,” McGee said. “It’s totally different than the element we were in before.”

McGee said she wanted to get her four children out of the projects. Because of her experience, McGee wants to volunteer on the next house when it starts construction in October.

Any donations for Habitat for Humanity can be sent to P.O. Box 100, Natchez MS. 39121. For more information about the organization, call 601-445-8639.