Desi and Rachel Lugo met in Bible school (CLC), were married in 2003, and have three children. Both are ordained ministers with the UPCI and before missions, they served in many different capacities at churches in California, Missouri, Delaware, and Louisiana. Immediately after their wedding, they started as Sunday school teachers and progressed to youth pastors, young adults, and then assistant pastors. In 2015, Desi completed his Master’s in Theological Studies at UGST. While in St. Louis they served as guest care, new converts, and discipleship leaders at the Sanctuary. In 2017 they moved to Newark, Delaware, and joined the pastoral team of Jacob’s Well where both served as full-time pastors until they transitioned to Global Missions.
In April 2021, they moved to the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu first as AIMers, and then as Associate Missionaries. During their two years in Vanuatu, both spent most of their time teaching at the GATS Bible school, writing exams and supplemental curriculum, and helping with the school administration. They also preached at local churches across the main island, taught various ministry training seminars, and helped implement a new discipleship program across all the churches on the main island. At the end of their two years of service, the regional director asked the Lugos to change fields to New Zealand to help with the Bible school and plant churches on the south island.
Their target city is Dunedin, a university town and the second largest urban area on the South Island. Currently, there are only two churches on the South Island of one million plus people, and the Lugo’s are excited about planting a new church in this strategic city, a return to pastoring, and continued involvement in Bible school training the next generation of church leaders.