::UPDATE::

Me in Oudtshoorn

Me doing a ministry skit

Giving her testimony

Passing out Booklets to the children

Just me...

with the children

Me in Mossel Bay

View from my window of Mossel Bay

Hello all!!

Thank you so much for checking on my blog to see what has been happening with me and my journey in South Africa…. So far things have been going really well! There have been a lot of fun times and stretching times tooJ

This last Friday (9/12) we left the game farm and headed out on our journey to Mossel Bay. We drove for about eight hours and then stopped in a city called “Bloemfentein”. We stayed at a family’s home (what a great family!) and woke up early the next day to drive another eight hours. On our way we saw some pretty amazing things; baboons (Ryan almost hit one), a HUGE tortoise and AMAZING mountains. Words cannot even describe how amazingly beautiful the mountains (that we drove through) were… They were breathtaking. God gave us a little miracle. Our car was on E for quite some time, and there was absolutely no gas station around. He provided though and got us through… Like He always doesJ! We made it to Oudtshoorn, which is where we attended our first church service, and went to our first schools… It was really amazing. Our team has been bonding really well, and we are looking forward to continuing on to Mossel bay. We will be leaving this town and heading to “Mossel Bay” on Thursday (it’s only about forty five minutes away).

Well, we have made it to Mossel Bay!! It is truly an amazingly beautiful place! We drove through what looked like Switzerland because of the green mountains and huge hills! It was funny because while we were driving what looked like a regular “redwood” type forest in California was full of monkeys on the side of the road!! It was something I have never seen before! It was really amazing and the drive was quite an adventure!

When we arrived at the home where we will be staying in Mossel Bay – well, I was in shock. It is one of the most breathtaking places I have EVER been to in my life. I encourage everyone to look up the city of Mossel Bay online so you can see what I am talking about. We all feel like we are vacationing. It’s really amazing! We are staying in a really large house, and when I say large its large! The coolest part is, we are literally on the beach. I am sleeping in a room with my friend Charlee and we are on the second floor and we have a patio (the only one out of the 4 or 5 rooms). When we wake up, we overlook the beach. The coolest thing is that there are whales here!! It is unbelievable. I thought Vernon (the guy we are staying with) was joking when he told us a bout it, but we have seen about 5 or 6. They are about 100 feet away from shore, which is ridiculously close. Don’t worry, I will get plenty of pictures!

The trip is going by really fast (so far J). I can’t believe this last Wednesday was three weeks. We are almost in our fourth! Time for me is flying by, but I hear from our leaders that the second month can be the hardest, so keep me in your prayers! God has really been working out some things in my life. It has been difficult, and trying, and trust me, I know I am not even close to where I know I will be, but it is a process. I’m continually dying to myself, and truly trying to relinquish everything to God, which as most of you know isn’t easy… All I can say, is this is such a growing experience, and I am hoping and believing that through this journey, God will reveal himself to me in such a different way… I am anxious to see what he does to me, in me and through me. Some days are harder than others, but in all honesty, South Africa is amazing in so many different ways. Culturally it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.

We will be in Mossel Bay until October 2nd, then we will be heading off to Richards Bay (and it’s another long drive and from what I hear not the nicest place we will be going to, so keep us in your prayers). I am looking forward to being in Mossel Bay for the next week or so because it is seriously one of the most amazing places I have ever been!

Thus far everything has been smooth sailing. Some minor set backs, but nothing major. All has been great!! I will continue to write when I can and post this on Saturday (hopefully)… Keep me in your prayers and I will continue to keep you in mine!! Talk to you soon! Miss you all and can’t wait to talk to you again soon!

Dominique

Oh my goodness - this is Gina - Dominique called today and I was able to conference Jon in! It was so exciting to hear her voice on the phone. She sounded great!!! We haven't actually spoken with her since August 31 so this was a real treat - she said to tell everyone she really appreciates your prayers (she can really sense them) and support! She misses EVERYONE very much but is having a wonderful time. They leave the game farm tomorrow morning early and head out in ministry. Bless each one of you for your love and concern for her. God is doing a great work in and through her.

Hello family and friends!! I am so sorry it has taken about a week to update my blog but we have been really busy and Internet access is about once a week or so… So far the trip has been AMAZING! South Africa is truly a breathtaking place..

We are staying at a game lodge called “Shikwaru”… if you look it up online you might be able to see what t looks like, but I cant guarantee it. We have been here for about a week now, and needless to say; there have been some pretty wild things going on. We have taken two game drives, and on those drives we have seen; Giraffes (about 6), wildebeests, impalas, kudu’s, zebras, warthogs, beautiful birds, baboons, and little white monkeys. It was incredible… I hope the pictures I sent my mom will make it onto the blog…

Since we have been here, we have been training. A lot of our time has been spent on teachings about God and who He really is to us individually, as a team, and as a world. We have yet to go to schools, or actually minister yet. The plan from the beginning was to stay at the lodge and train in dramas, evangelism, and learn more about each other and build team unity. We have also been learning about the culture of South Africa. It has been fun, and until about two or three days ago, we were sailing through. I then realized that we weren’t going to be staying at this lodge for three months, and ministry is soon up ahead!! Excitement and nervousness (and many more emotions) all fled into me… I can say that God is really going to stretch and grow me and He truly already has been! I have been learning so many things. God is FAITHFUL, His mercy is what gets me through a day, He wants 100% of me (nothing less), He wants me to see myself as HE sees me, He wants to truly break me and make me new… I believe that this trip holds a lot of situations that will cause me to be tested and tried, and in that, I will grow stronger in my faith and in GOD…

A few fun things about our trip…
*We have had to eat HUGE dead worms (I did not do this… shock)
*We had to put dry impala poop in our mouths and spit it as far as we could… (I did this instead of the worms…)
*We had to take more impala poop (I know, twisted huh!) and throw it at other team members who had a cone on their head and try and knock t off…
*I got to eat French fries and potato skins when we went to town. “Mokoponi” (the towns name).
*Ryan Moore (my leader), Matt Woody and Ben Woody are all here… All from BETHEL!!! *The farm (game farm we are staying at) has four dogs that I feel God has blessed me with and one looks just like Gianna… His name is “Brownie”…
*We have had AMAZING food!! Becky Young has been cooking for us three meals a day and they are all INCREDIBLE!!
*It is truly beautiful here… The game farm is unbelievable…

Grandma: we will have to come back to stay here. SOON!

I truly miss everyone at home... Thank you guys so much for your prayers and support and encouragement. It really means a lot to me to know that I have family and friends like you backing me up 100% at home… I am truly blessed to have ALL OF YOU!! I am having a great time… I was sick one day and slept until about 2pm, but was fine after rest.

I am getting anxious to get out and do ministry and I cant believe I have been gone for two weeks already!! Time has really flown by and I am hoping (God Please!!) that it continues to do so!!

Thank you all so much for all you have done and keep me in your prayers!! I can’t wait to email you again soon and let you know more of what is going on and how God is moving in my life and the people of South Africa…By the way, the next place we are supposed to go (keep in mind, this might change) is called Mossel (pronounced muscle) Bay. I may have butchered that spelling, but oh well. So you can search and see where that is and see where I am going. I know we will be moving a lot, and I will try to keep you updated in all I am doing!!

Love you all!!

Dom
Domi Lugo

GAMING RESERVE

Hey Everyone..

we got an email from Dom saying that she is having a BLAST. She is loving all the people she has met so far and looking forward to the ones she will be meeting over the next few months.

She is currently at a Gaming Reserve http://www.shikwarugamelodge.co.za/Home.asp check it out!!! She will be heading out on Friday and off to the next adventure.