WASHINGTON — Sen. Jim Inhofe is scheduled to visit five African countries this week, including ones he’s been to numerous times in the past 10 years.

Inhofe, R-Tulsa, was in Afghanistan earlier this week and is scheduled to go to Ghana, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Djibouti and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Inhofe has been to Africa at least 20 times in the past 10 years.

He has described his trips to Africa as "a Jesus thing,” in which he meets with African leaders in a spiritual context, although he told The Oklahoman he also pursues humanitarian and national security causes on his taxpayer-funded visits. He last went to Africa in December. That trip also included a stop in Ethiopia.

Inhofe spokesman Matt Dempsey said Inhofe "is once again focused on his work as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.”