LOCAL
Former common pleas court judge makes seventh trip to Africa
Mark CaudillMansfield News Journal
July 1, 2026, 5:12 a.m. ET
Paul Christ, 89, thought he had one big trip left in him
The Mansfield resident and retired Richland County common pleas court judge had made about 50 overseas trips with his wife, Barbara, who passed away in 2022. The couple was married for 61 years
They visited more than 100 countries and all seven continents. Their last trip was a Caribbean cruise in 2020, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic
Since then, Christ’s only trips were to graduation ceremonies for his grandchildren
When he saw a post about a safari to Uganda and Rwanda in east-central Africa, Christ knew he had to go. He walks 1.5 miles a day and thought he would be able to handle treks through the jungle
Christ and three other tourists visited the African countries May 17-31. He saw all kinds of animals, including giraffes, lions, crocodiles, rhinos and leopards
Christ’s personal favorites were the mountain gorillas
Mountain gorillas are a critically endangered subspecies of the eastern gorilla, with an estimated 1,063 individuals remaining in the wild
They are incredibly distinct great apes known for their genetic similarity to humans, unique physical traits and complex social lives
“They were big,” Christ said. “We were very close to them, within a few feet.”
Tourists talked in a whisper and wore masks around the gorillas. There were 14 families in the jungle location
On the first day of the safari, Christ and his group went to a rhino sanctuary. He got his picture taken, well away from the rhinos
Christ also recalled visiting Lake Victoria, the second-largest freshwater lake in the world, next to our own Lake Superior
When they weren’t on safari, the tourists stayed in lodges
The treks proved tougher than Christ thought. He said he fell a couple of times because of the vines and roots
A guide had to chop away the vegetation with a machete at times. The other three tourists had one porter each. Christ had two
On a safari, a porter is a local community member hired to carry heavy gear, provide physical support during challenging hikes (such as gorilla or chimpanzee treks) and help safeguard belongings
“It was a hard trip,” Christ said. The altitude sometimes made breathing difficult
Christ proved popular with the guides and porters
“Everybody called me ‘Papa,”’ he said with a smile
A game warden told him he was the oldest person to complete his group’s safari in Uganda
Africa is one of Christ’s favorite places to visit
“As far as animals, Kenya and Tanzania have a lot of them,” he said, noting he went on balloon rides in both countries
Still, he won’t forget Uganda and Rwanda and possibly the last major trip of his life
“It ranks right up close to the top,” Christ said
Reach Mark Caudill at 419-521-7219 or
