Cumberlite - 2017 Summer

During GCA’s 2017 spring break,
forty-five students and fourteen adults
had the experience of a lifetime on a
mission trip to work with a Maasai school
and community near the Maasai Mara in
Kenya.
Students were given a variety of
service opportunities. They built part of
the housing for future teachers at a new
high school. Many led out in Vacation
Bible School programs and worked with
800 elementary school children. Those
interested in medical careers assisted
doctors and nurses, that came as part
of our group, to run a traveling mobile
clinic. Students were able to assist the
medical staff in taking blood pressure
measurements, blood sugar levels, and
asking questions about the patients'
conditions. Some of our group even had
the privilege to witness and assist in the
delivery of three babies at the local clinic.
Our two days of safari in the mara
were filled with animal sightings. All in
one day we were fortunate to be able to
see what the locals refer to as “the big
five”: black rhinos, lions, elephants, cape
buffalo, and leopards. Even when just at
our camp, or when working at the school,
we frequently saw giraffe, zebras, and
baboons.
Africa Mission Services, a private
non-governmental organization, hosted
our group and organized the projects
during our stay. Their accommodations
and hospitality were unusually nice,
especially for a mission trip, and made the
experience even more memorable.
Aubri Dancek, a GCA senior on the
trip, said “Africa was a truly life-changing
experience. The local people that I met
were strangers at first, but they felt like
family by the time we had to leave. I
would definitely go back in a heartbeat.”
GCA would like to return to work
with Africa Mission Services in Kenya at
the end of May 2018. If you are interested
in joining GCA, or have some questions
about the upcoming trip, please contact
Serge Gariepy at sgariepy@gcasda.org.
A• TRIP • O F • A • L I FE TI M E
by Serge Gariepy
4 CUMBERLITE SUMMER 2017