Church Blog

Peter and Sherly Giglio: Our Uganda Experience

Drew Garfield shared in church this past Sunday about the 2010 Uganda Mission Trip and invited everyone to pray about being a part of next year’s trip. To apply, see the forms at the end of this article. To view photos from the 2010 trip, check this earlier blog post.

The following is Peter and Sherly Giglio’s description of their experience on the 2010 trip.

We go by many names: empty nesters, middle-aged, retired, senior saints, old people, speeders … Whatever term you choose to describe us—and many members of Covenant Life Church fit the bill—we are as eager as the next person to be part of how God is using our church to support the work of sister churches overseas and bring the gospel to the nations.

Sherly and I had wondered for some time why the youth and singles ministries both ran mission trips, but no opportunities seemed to be there for older folks.  So we responded with excitement when we learned that the 2010 Uganda trip would be open to all adult members of the church!

Even though a trip to Uganda was outside of our comfort zone, we decided to go.  We felt called to step outside of what was familiar. Then we started thinking about all the things that would be uncomfortable. The food. Travel. The beds. The climate. Restroom facilities. No Starbucks or Bonefish Grill. 

But we also thought about the hope and joy that the gospel brings to the lost.  We thought about how we were lost in our trespasses and sins, and someone brought the gospel to us.  We thought about the joy it would bring us to go to another country and represent our Lord to people who have never heard of him.  We thought about the impact we could have just by serving people for the gospel’s sake, with simple acts like helping widows repair their homes and sharing testimonies of God’s saving grace in our lives.  We thought about the awesome opportunity we would have to preach the gospel of our Lord and declare his saving power to hungry hearts. 

Another thing that compelled us to go was the opportunity to meet and labor with men such as Pastor Moses. Moses—who already shepherds a thriving church—and yet he is not satisfied with that, but labors to plant additional churches in surrounding villages.  I asked Moses why he was working so hard to plant these additional churches.  His answer was that he simply has a burden to preach the gospel to those who haven’t heard it.  What a privilege it was to work with this man, learn from him, and be provoked by his example! 

I asked Moses another question.  “Everyone on this team paid their way to come here.  Couldn’t you do a lot more with that money if we just sent it to you?”  He answered, “Because you took the time and trouble to come here, whatever you say will have a tremendous impact on my people that will last for years and years.” Over the following week we experienced the truth of this statement.  Everywhere we went people gathered around us.  They watched and listened as we spoke.  It was a tremendous honor to share the gospel with these wonderful people! 

A personal highlight for me (Peter) was to preach at one of the small village churches that Moses had started a year earlier. I shared that we are all responsible for putting Jesus on the cross but how that very cross was the means for us being free from the punishment of sin.

After the service the pastor introduced me to his nephew, Kevin, who was not a believer. Kevin listened but did not respond to an appeal for salvation given by the pastor after the preaching. As we talked after the service, the pastor asked me if there was anything more I could say to Kevin. I told him I couldn’t say anything more than what I preached. I asked Kevin to consider the message further, and told him I hoped to see him walking with Christ if and when I returned next year.

The following day we had a baptismal service for all who had recently received Christ. What a joy it was for me to see Kevin in line to get baptized and publicly declare his faith in Jesus!

I (Sherly) was affected by meeting the ladies of the villages. As we would arrive in a village to start our work projects, the children would gather around to watch, and I wondered to myself, “where are the women?” I would see one or two walking around, and then they would retreat back behind the house. I felt like I wanted to meet them, to enter their world, even if only for the short time we were there. I decided to explore. I made my way around the side of the house, peeked around to the rear, and was pleased to discover the ladies working away at preparing the afternoon meal.

This was their kitchen, and they welcomed me in. We sat like visiting neighbors as I watched them peel plantains, cut meat, and prepare a broth that they graciously offered me. I hesitantly took a sip, praying to myself that the Lord would keep me from getting sick. Their plantains were similar to ones that my mother taught me to peel, so I asked them if I could peel one. This was a major source of entertainment for them as they all gathered around me to watch the way I peeled it. They would turn to one another in amusement, say a few things in their native language, and turn back at me and smile.

This simple act of peeling a banana opened the door for me to enter their world. They gathered around me and tried their best to communicate in English. They watched me, asked questions, and just listened to everything I said. It was a special moment that I will cherish forever. Practically speaking, these ladies live in another world from mine, but we met on common ground, in their kitchen, peeling bananas, recognizing that we really were the same in many ways. It was a powerful demonstration to them that the love of God breaks down all barriers.

As we said our goodbyes, they gathered for pictures, hugged, smiled and waved. I said to myself, “I can’t wait to see these ladies again!

We thank God for giving us this opportunity, and we look forward to going again!

To apply to participate in the next Uganda Missions Trip (January, 2011), please download the forms below:

Application
Medical Release Form
Care Group Leader Recommendation Form