2026 CLC Mission Helper Trip to East Africa

After going for a morning jog, we spent the rest of the day buying toothbrushes and toothpaste for the kids at the church, watched their choral performances, taught our lessons for the first time this trip, and shared a lunch meal with the congregation Elijah sumey

Some extra photos of the park.

Yesterday was a gift from beginning to end. We were up early, packed, had breakfast, and headed to Ngorongoro Crater. The Lord gave us one of those days where you simply stand back in amazement at His creation. We saw lions up close, elephants, hippos, rhinos, buffalo, wildebeest, zebras, flamingos, baboons, warthogs, hyenas feeding, and countless other birds. One of the biggest surprises came during lunch when an eagle swooped in and grabbed Paula’s chicken right from the picnic table in front of her. None of us expected that, and it is a story we will probably be telling for a long time. Driving through Ngorongoro is an experience of its own. Looking across the crater and seeing so many animals living together leaves you in awe of the Creator. We did not expect to see so many animals close to the road. At one point, an elephant was feeding only about twenty feet from us. Seeing the rhinos was another unexpected gift. Having Elisha as our guide made the day even better. He knows t...

Wait wait I have a photo to go with! Abby Gerbitz 715-379-5514 On Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 7:20 PM Abigail Gerbitz < gerbitz.abigail@gmail.com > wrote: CLC's mission helper Kenya team has made it to Kenya! We landed in Nairobi and spent most of today driving up to Kisii to prepare to teach tomorrow. The drive was beautiful, the landscape is lush, and the people are very kind! We are so excited to begin our work tomorrow, (although we've already found some witnessing opportunities along our way). Thank you for all your prayers and support! Abby Gerbitz

CLC's mission helper Kenya team has made it to Kenya! We landed in Nairobi and spent most of today driving up to Kisii to prepare to teach tomorrow. The drive was beautiful, the landscape is lush, and the people are very kind! We are so excited to begin our work tomorrow, (although we've already found some witnessing opportunities along our way). Thank you for all your prayers and support! Abby Gerbitz

“Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus shed His blood for me”… Thank you to anyone reading, I think one could ponder or overthink for a while when thinking about how to start a blog post, let alone the fact that it’s open to the public. I chose this Bible verse as my intro since it had already been mentioned amongst the Zambia group and for the connections I’ve made with the verse in relation to this awesome blessing we are living here. Before the trip started, many times would the thought cross my mind of “With all the sins I struggle with, who am I to feel like I even have the ability to do this?”. The thoughts of self-doubt, worthiness, and fear of not living up to whatever expectation made its way into my frontal lobe, they all became very prominent the closer I got to leaving for Zambia. And while I think there is many Bible verses that flesh out this thought, I have always be fond of how hymn 342, Chief of Sinners Though I be (TLH), corresponds with the topic. I like it bec...

Thursday was one of those days that is hard to fully capture in words. We started the morning at Monasteri Mtakatifu Katarina (St. Catherine's) near Karatu, had breakfast, and then headed out for the day. We knew we were going into a more remote area, but I do not think I fully understood how remote until we were on the road. The drive took about three and a half hours. The last hour and a half was not really a road. We were in a four-wheel drive Land Rover, and even then we almost got stuck crossing a dry riverbed. That gives you a little picture of what it takes to reach some of these places. When we arrived, we were told that the people there walk about an hour one way just to get water. There is no electricity, no power, and very little infrastructure. They have some small solar items, but otherwise it is very simple. The village also has very little formal education. Many of the people cannot read, which makes the need for faithful oral teaching, trained leaders, and contin...

Thought I would include a few more pictures.

Here is Thursday, post a day late.   Wednesday was the first day where the trip really shifted from settling in to the mission work itself. We left Tengeru in the morning, drove about four hours to Karatu, and then went another twenty minutes or so out of town to Pastor Bayo’s congregation. I was there two years ago, so it was good to see the group again. There is something encouraging about returning to a place and seeing familiar faces, while also seeing how the Lord continues to care for His people over time. On the drive out to the congregation, we got a flat tire. Thankfully, the group handled it like an Indy pit crew. Within about ten minutes, we were back on the road. It was one of those small travel moments that could have become a much bigger delay, and we were thankful it did not. The drive itself was also a good part of the day. We had time with Elisha, who is driving us for these few days. It was encouraging to hear how his family, wor...

Without saying a word, people in Tanzania consistently offer help. From a young age, children will offer to carry anything you have in your hands.  We saw this helpful spirit over and over again as we started our presentations to children yesterday.  - On our way to the church near Mbulumbulu, the Land Rover we were in had a flat tire. Even though we were in a rural area, several young men came to offer help (and to observe). - When we arrived at the church (a bit later than expected), many children helped to move our materials into the church.  - We displayed several banners throughout our lessons, and immediately had volunteers to hold them.  - We also had an excellent young drummer who stepped up to add the beat to our worship songs.  All of these instances demonstrated an enthusiasm to serve others, which is a God-pleasing way to follow the example of Jesus’ life. We pray that we served the children in return by ...

Teams Kenya and Zambia met at Terminal 5 Chicago O’Hare airport on Wednesday afternoon. As I write this our first flight is about to land in Paris where we will catch a connecting flight to Nairobi, Kenya and from there we will go our separate ways.  God is blessing our travel thus far and we trust that He will bring us safely to the mission fields which He has prepared for us. Please pray for continued safe travel, some little sleep, and minimal jet lag! 2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored. 

Tuesday was a quieter day, but a good one. After a full first day of settling in on Monday, Tuesday gave us a little more space to rest, prepare, and see more of the work here in Tengeru. I was thankful for that. These first couple days have not been rushed, and I think that has been a blessing. In the morning, I went with Bruce to the seminary and got to see some of the latest updates there. I took a number of pictures, and it was good to see the progress being made. Mission work is not only the public teaching moments. It is also the steady work behind the scenes: training pastors, preparing leaders, maintaining places for learning, and building relationships over time. We also stopped at Jeremiah’s house for coffee. He showed us his new fireplace, and I had the chance to see Mama Elisha again. The fireplace made me smile a bit, because it has been unseasonably cold here, with temperatures in the high 50s. Coming from Minnesota, it is funny to hear that described as cold, but afte...