By: Ellie Eggerman

My husband, Chris, had gone to Tanzania seven times since 2012 prior to this most recent trip. As I got to know Chris while we were dating, it was clear that Tanzania and its people mean a lot to him and that these trips are an important part of his faith journey. After talking about the trips and a lot of questions from me, we decided shortly after getting married that I would go with him and the mission team to Tanzania in May of 2026.

It is difficult to sum up in one short article all of the lessons learned on a trip like this, but a few things really stood out to me from the perspective of a new wife joining her husband on his eighth trip. I was really impacted by the relationships and friendship between not only my husband and the Tanzanian pastors, evangelists and church members, but with other team members who have gone on multiple trips as well. It is so impactful to see the friendships that are built over the years of faithful ministry and keeping in touch between trips. Even though this was my first trip, I got to see a glimpse of how rewarding it is to see God working in the lives of friends and the church even across the world, especially when you see changes over time. Some good examples of this I can think of are seeing the medical clinic and school improvements at Mwadui, seeing the construction of a new church at the village of Mihama in just a few days, and watching a young Tanzanian pastor use the evangecube to share the gospel in his native Sukuma language.

This trip to Tanzania has touched my heart and been such a blessing, not only for Chris and me as individuals but also for our marriage. I was so touched every time one of our Tanzanian friends would call me “shimeji,” the Swahili word for sister-in-law because they love Chris like a brother. I am thankful for how they and our U.S. team welcomed me into the family, and that I was able to see God work through evangelism and the other work of the church and missionaries that occurs year-round.