Actively searching for God's call

As I write this from the back of an unlicensed shuttle hurtling from Klaipėda to Riga at 1:30 a.m., I find myself becoming reacquainted with a sense of adventure that sometimes gets lost in the daily grind.

That's not to say the daily work we find ourselves doing at LCC isn't also a "worthwhile adventure" -- on the contrary -- but the ebb and flow of university life can become a bit predictable -- somewhat like the sea's tide.

However, for the next 10 days, I will be on the road. Destination: Spain.

As you may recall, we had the good fortune of visiting a thriving Anabaptist community in Burgos, Spain, last fall. Alisha and I met many incredible people, had some meaningful conversations, and began developing a sense that this could be where God has been preparing us to serve while at LCC.

This trip, I will be spending some good time with congregations in Barcelona and Vigo before attending a church leaders' retreat in Madrid. From what we were told last trip, Burgos is doing well but other communities are aching for more support. Perhaps we can learn if our giftings match the needs of these communities "on the fringes."

Prayer would be appreciated at this time. I've been asked to preach at the church in Barcelona this Sunday, which is both exciting and a little scary. This will also be the longest I've been away from Alisha in quite a while -- especially now that she is soooo pregnant. In her words, "I'll be a house when you get back!"

I plan on posting about the trip again after I return but, until then, keep making the world a better place.

Leaving LCC

A few of the Spiritual Life student leaders bond during a recent retreat at our flat. Students and their respective countries are, from left, Kamilė (Lithuania), Lukas (Germany), Xhorxhina (Albania) and Katya L. (Russia).

We're making it official -- this is our last semester working at LCC International University.

*insert cries of sadness and gnashing of teeth or cheers of joy and jubilation, depending on how you feel about this*

We've spoken these words out loud to a handful of people now -- mostly family and supervisors -- and they sound strange each time we've said them. But, with each time, the weight that hangs on them comes into focus more and more.

Although we are in year four of a two-year commitment, this is a decision that has always felt much more connected to a sense of God's call than personal choice. As such, this is a decision we've wrestled with each year we've been here. 

• By the end of our second year, it was clear our work at LCC wasn't finished.
• Last year, we knew our efforts were already changing LCC's DNA (in positive ways) and that it would be possible to transition out. However, we've also learned that, in missions, it's always best to be running towards something -- God's plan -- and there wasn't even a remote destination in sight. With staff/faculty members constantly changing at LCC, we've also come to appreciate the gift of good, thoughtful transitions and saw this year as one where we could offer that.
• This year -- as we shared a couple blog posts ago -- it's been hard to know exactly what to write about. The systems we have helped develop are starting to run themselves. This community graciously stretched when we first came and now it has a different shape. At the risk of sounding boastful, we have changed some of LCC's DNA, which is both humbling and encouraging. When we consider whether we are to return or not, the sense we get is, "It's OK to move on."

Again, LCC was never meant to be the place where we would stay until we're too old and senile to work. We came wanting to participate in God's mission as well as develop our calling as God's agents of change.

"What's next?"

The first thing people have asked us is, "What's next?"

Our immediate plans are to have our baby here in Lithuania, spend some time with our relatives, and reconnect with our Phoenix family. But the big picture is still blurry -- these plans are still in God's hands.

"Wait, what?"

While it's clear our time in Lithuania is drawing to a close, we're still looking towards God for guidance for our long-term plan.

Julija and Alisha take a much-needed break after a long week.

Through our time in Lithuania, we've felt affirmed that these past four years haven't been merely an experience intended for just a season of our lives. Rather, this has been a time of preparation for something bigger. 

Perhaps it's appropriate our time serving at a university will end after four years. As the students have been transformed, so have we. Whatever we were before we came to Lithuania, now we are mission workers.

We've been working with our mission agency, Mennonite Mission Network, this past year and there are some exciting ideas we're looking into. I'll even be traveling a bit this semester to visit some communities that have expressed interest in our help (Alisha is too pregnant for that at this point).

For now, we ask for your prayers and support as we continue to seek God's greatest desires for our next actions.

Finishing Well

All of this said, don't think we've checked out of our work here at LCC. God continues to move in this community and we are privileged to be able to be part of that movement. 

Baby Announcement: It's a...

For those who have been patiently awaiting the news on whether or not we are expecting a little boy or a little girl, the wait is over. Before we do the big reveal, however, we'd like to express a few feelings pink vs. blue (not to be confused with Red vs. Blue) onslaught we're anticipating. 

Where are the cars? The soccer balls? The dinosaurs?!

Ever since Josh and I confirmed our third pregnancy, it's been hard to not drift into the baby section of the local shops. The racks and shelves are filled with so many cute onsies, booties, and baby bric-a-brac that is clearly FOR BOYS ONLY or FOR GIRLS ONLY.

Today was a milestone doctor's visit where we were to learn things such as the baby's due date and gender. First off, it's indescribable to explain how it feels making it this far into a pregnancy after our first two losses. We've fully let our minds embrace our future as parents and it is exciting.

That said, the excitement to learn the gender has been partnered with a sense of mild dread: "What if we are gifted with exclusively pink or blue for baby Garber #1?"

Living in Lithuania has exposed us to a strict gender divide you can find in many post-soviet countries. Boys are boys and girls are girls and that's that. Boys have trucks and girls have dolls. Boys wear blue and girls wear pink. 

It seems that there is no in-between and requesting "gender neutral" colors is out of the question. 

Don't get us wrong -- we are extremely appreciative of any gifts and support we have received so far and may continue to receive. But at this point, all we want is a healthy "Roni" with ten fingers, ten toes and a cute little nose -- it doesn't matter which gender box they check on their future FASFA forms.

This is not just liberal ideology, either -- this is who we are. Despite his glorious beard, Josh is not the stereotypical male. He likes creating art, cooking, rejects violence, and doesn't eat meat. And I'm certainly not the picture of femininity! I love watching sports and getting rowdy, a good action movie, and know my away around under the hood of a car.

This short comic about the most recent trend in LEGOs sums things up pretty well.

To be clear, we do not intend to raise our future little one to be gender neutral. However, we want to emphasize the importance of developing character and an independent voice and teach that your value does not come from if you are the best football player or if your doll has the best accessories. 

We're taking some advice from a wise friend and make the following request: If you choose to help out, we would like gifts with gender-neutral colors so that we can use them on future Garbers, regardless of gender.

We're thrifty Mennonite missionaries and this is what we need the most -- not a barrage of princess castles or Tonka Trucks. Kids don't care, regardless of their biological gender and neither do we.

On to Business

Let us proclaim that today's visit was a great one. The baby is coming in at 556 grams (about 1.22 pounds) at 22 weeks and 5 days, placing our estimated due date on May 17, 2016!

The heartbeat is strong and, unlike it's Mama, this wee one is sneaky. This is the second ultrasound where baby "Roni" is using the placenta for a blanket -- making it difficult to see certain...areas. :) 

If you've enjoyed the 2005 animated film "Robots," you may recall this memorable scene (see

image on the right). After the "assembly process" was complete, the robot parents found one extra part in the box...after a swift swing of the hammer, their baby was complete.

In the same spirit, we're excited to announce that baby Garber is a BOY (no hammer required).

Thank you to everyone that has held Josh and me in your prayers as we have struggled with starting a family. We are by no means at the finish line yet, but everything is healthy to this point -- with a little extra anatomy.

To quote our OBGYN, "If it's not a boy, I'll be surprised." 

Our next check-up in February will include blood tests to check for the potential of gestational diabetes and other routine things. 

To continue the spirit of thriftiness, don't be surprised if you get a call like this one sometime mid-May...

'Tis the season of mixed emotions

If you haven't heard our big news yet, check out the following video:

So . . . . . this pause isn't the only thing that's pregnant. You should probably watch this video NOW.
Posted by Joshua Slabaugh Garber on Sunday, November 15, 2015

Helping Julija with her church camp in August. You can see a post from last year's camp here, although this time Alisha was able to join. Julija is the student who adopted us.

If you know anything about our story, you know that our process of trying to grow our family has been one filled with pain, disappointment, and fear. In fact, almost exactly one year ago we were not celebrating -- we were in deep mourning as Alisha and I tried to cope with our second miscarriage.

But this season is much different. Advent has taken on new meaning and the place where Mary's song comes from is filled with new life as we hear those words with fresh ears. If Christmas is about birth, then Advent is about pregnancy.

And holy cow is Alisha pregnant! (For those of you who are interested, we've established Alisha is the "sassy" kind of pregnant lady)

Josh and several of the Ukranian students at the first day of classes parade. Josh secretly hopes he can be as cool as they are.

We know our blog has been somewhat silent and we apologize. In many ways, it's hard to know what to say. Our fourth year at LCC has not been filled with new experiences and new revelations, but we have stayed busy. In many instances, it feels as though we could just re-link to a past blog post and it's content would be just as relevant today as it was when first posted.

However, outside our LCC routines, there's a lot we've wanted to comment on but we've not been able to find the words. I'll do my best here to recap with hopes of revisiting some of these ideas second semester:

• Alisha's pregnancy is something we learned right at the start of this school year, so we've had growing anticipation all semester that we had to keep to ourselves out of fear of the devastation of another loss.
• In the midst of our joy and the anticipation of new life, we've found ourselves in mourning -- late October, we learned that a very close friend and the lead pastor at our church in Phoenix died in a motorcycle accident. I tried to write about that in a blog post but there are no words that can express our sadness. We're still recovering from that along with the Trinity Mennonite Church community.
• The refugee situation here in Europe -- what is there to say? We've tried to do our part in bringing the conversation to LCC's campus but there's not a lot of certainty on how incoming refugees will impact us and the rest of Lithuania.
• We were fortunate to travel a few times this year (click the links to see photos). First to Malta for our 10th wedding anniversary, second to Spain to visit some exciting Anabaptist communities, and finally to Telšiai in Lithuania to play music at the SIELOS festival with the LCC Chapel Band and our group, Sparrows.
• What is our plan for next year? December is usually when LCC wants to know if we intend to return next school year or not. As we are in the fourth year of what was initially a two-year commitment, this has become a process involving great reflection and discernment. We are certainly in the midst of seeking God's will for us.

As you can see from this post, our thoughts are everywhere and anywhere. Our hope is to elaborate better on some of these ideas next semester but, for now, we seek to stay present in this Advent season.

Also, we will be learning our due date and whether we will have a boy or girl after New Years, so check back regularly! We are resolving to keeping this blog updated on a much more regular basis from here on.

If you are reading this, we thank you for your support, encouragement and prayers!

"Cruisin' down the street in my '64..." This is why Josh doesn't get to choose where to park the school van anymore.

Assume the Worst

Mop and bucket: taking care of business since 1837.

This morning there was a knock on the door to our flat and, upon opening it, a woman I've never seen before began berating me for vomiting outside her doorway. Indeed, I looked down (our entryway is, essentially, the same as hers) and there was vomit and bile all through our hallway.

I can say with all honesty it was not my vom. In fact, a friend told us he found a man sleeping in the stairwell -- passed out -- as he left our place late last night and I'm fairly sure that guy was the one who was responsible.

I tried explaining this to the woman but she said, "No, I think it was you or one of your friends who did this to my door."

I reiterated it was not us, that I would be happy to clean it regardless, and that it was very rude for her to make such an accusation.

The whole thing got me thinking: We're really good at assuming the worst in those around us, aren't we? It may be difficult to notice when you are doing it to someone else but you certainly notice when it happens to you.

For instance, LGBT rights are very much in both the national spotlight as well as in that of Mennonite Church USA. And Facebook, being what it is, is ripe with opinions on the issue (usually) expressed in the least constructive ways possible.

Regardless of where you land on the issue, what assumptions are you making about those you disagree with?

From a Christian perspective, I can say I know people on all sides of the issue who care very much about what the Bible says are genuinely seeking to hear God's voice. But rather than love and even pray for those we are at odds with, we quickly cut them down. Those against are all "uneducated, hateful Conservatives" and those for are all "world-pleasing, heretical Liberals."

These assumptions are not constructive and they certainly do not capture the command to love our neighbors.

Instead or writing others off, ask yourself, "Who are the people in my life I naturally assume the worst about?" Get to know those people better. Put a name with the face. Try to understand the circumstances that made them who they are -- maybe you wouldn't be much different if you were in their shoes.

After all, we're all broken children of God in a gritty world trying to figure out what it means to be human. Let's assume at least that much about each other.

We are YOUR ambassadors

Alisha works on a mural at Jeremy and Siwan's house -- perhaps one of Alisha's favorite fundraising activities!

Camping, music, and food with John (and Julie) near Sedona, AZ. It was their second time camping ever!

Time has flown by for us.

The last several weeks have been filled with meals, miles and miles of driving, fantastic conversations, and live music -- all things we encounter in Lithuania but find in surplus in the Valley of the Sun.

Josh going for a post-dinner stroll with roommate Sam.

The longer we serve abroad, the more we realize the degree to which we've been shaped and formed by this place. And the importance of staying connected grows all the more evident. Life, understandably, moves forward whether you are present or not. When we left for Lithuania three years ago, we weren't running away from our lives here -- we were running toward something new as ambassadors of all who have played a role in forming our lives.

So when we see changes -- good and bad -- we recognize almost a parallel life that we gave up when we moved abroad. As Alisha often describes it, "Whole children happen while we are away. Relationships start and, unexpectedly, end. People we expect to see when we come back are gone and there are new people we've never seen before."

To be an effective ambassador, however, you can't just be connected to those who sent you in the past -- you must also be connected to those who presently send you.

Standing against injustice with Jesse.

All this is to say that we cherish those of you we have (and have not) been able to visit this summer. This time we have in the U.S. fundraising is an incredible gift and it fuels us for the work we have ahead of us next year.

We've done our best to connect with as many individuals and families while in the Valley as we could, but we recognize logistics make it impossible for us to see everyone. Bellow is a video we made to give a glimpse of what we, your ambassadors, have been able to do thanks to you all.

(The clips of the orphans were intentionally blurred for their protection)

There are too many people to thank individually who help us out while we're stateside. To be embraced and supported by friends, loved ones, and even total strangers is overwhelming and humbling.

Hello, Arizona!

We're in the Valley of the Sun for the next several weeks and that means The Garber Dining Room Tour continues. Basically, you invite us for lunch or dinner and we can catch up. We're excited to share about different ways we've been able to serve this past year, answer your questions, and also hear what's new in your life.

Plus, if you're nice, we might even make you a legit Lithuanian meal!

We'll be around until June 25 just so we can spend some time with you. We made a Google calendar below so you can see which days are available and which are already occupied. You can check as we'll be updating it throughout the summer.

Contact us via phone (765-606-5955) or e-mail (fishwithdrums@gmail.com, alishagarber@gmail.com) and let us know when you are free to kick it.

As of today, we do not have a vehicle, so our ability to come to you is limited. If you know of anyone who can loan us a vehicle, please let us know!

It would be fair to say we are also viewing this as an opportunity to raise funds, but please do not feel like that is a requirement. For planning reasons, please give us a few dates that would work for you.

Check back regularly as we will be posting about our other fundraising events as soon as we are able to confirm the dates.

Love,
Josh & Alisha

We could really use a vehicle -- we're running out of lawns!

Coming full circle

I write this as I sit in a train car with 20 LCC students, rumbling towards Vilnius. Graduation was yesterday and now our sights are set upon our next objective -- the Vilnius English Camp mission trip.

It's my first time going but, if you look back, this blog actually began when Alisha and I first traveled to the Czech Republic for an English Camp mission trip. Except this time I'm responsible and I think I have a better sense of what I'm getting into.

We'll know for sure in a week.

I had posted a new update a bit ago detailing all that we've been doing this past semester, but Blogger lost it before Google cached it. The two things from that post you should know is a) Alisha and I will be returning to LCC for next school year and b) we'll both be in the U.S. for a bit to reconnect and fundraise.

Alisha arrives in Indiana Wednesday, May 6, and I will arrive Sunday, May 10. After some family time, we'll head to Arizona May 18-June 25.

Needless to say, we want to see as many people as we can. We need it.

Please pray for safe travels. --J

There's so much to be thankful for.

School is back in session. The students have returned from their holiday travels. The campus of LCC International University is buzzing. Our calendars are filling up already with events, celebrations, meetings and other tasks. As I sit in my office, working on budget updates, discipline reports, and other important emails my mind can't help but drift off to the fabulous holiday we had away from the LCC campus. 

Josh and I had the tremendous privilege of having friends from the United States visit us from December 24 through December 30. Natalie and Bryan flew in on Christmas Eve and we set out to tour as much of Lithuania and Latvia as humanly possible in seven short days.

Although the journey was long (by kilometer), it was not tiresome. It's too bad that we couldn't travel like my friends The Muppets - by map. That would have made things much faster... Check out our journey!

Insert Mennonite inside joke here.

This tour took Josh and I from Klaipeda to Vilnius, from Vilnius to Riga Latvia, from Riga to Klaipeda, from Klaipeda back to Vilnius, from Vilnius to Moletai, from Moletai to Kaunus and from Kaunus back home to Klaipeda. That's 1,606 KM for those who keep track of such things. Praise God that the travel blessings flowed freely through our trip. It was not without it's hiccups, or shady bus situations, but we always felt warm and safe, but also a little bit like human ping pong balls (excuse me, Table Tennis balls - just in case Evan Oswald reads this). 

We bundled up and toured churches, took photos, stayed in fun hostels, ate a LOT (mostly cheese and dried meats), sampled local beers, pet dogs (using my Lithuanian language skills), and had an all around superb time. Here are some photos from our adventures!

Natalie delivered Christmas goodies - she knew just what I wanted!

On Christmas, we climbed the Vilnius "Pilis" and enjoyed a snowy day of sightseeing.

The holiday meal was followed by an evening of pub games at "Spunka," recommended by our Klaipedian friend Kipras.

Once we arrived in Klaipeda, Josh facilitated a "Concert for Friends" at Herkas Kantas - our favorite local pub. Friends Kel and Inga also performed.

"Let it snow, let it snow let it snow!" sings Josh!

After dropping Natalie and Bryan back off in Vilnius on December 30, we went to Moletai to ring in the New Year with our friend and student, Julija, and her family.This was a party to remember as we joined with Julija's Moletai church to celebrate the New Year with worship songs, bible quizzes, 2 meter long sparklers, home-made cepelinai (here's the process if you are brave enough) and a pet bunch of awesome cows on the dairy farm. A baby cow named Schumacher even licked me. The hospitality we experience in Moletai was unbelievable-- I think I am still full from all the delicious meals and tea. It was great.

A quick tour of Moletai before leaving for Klaipeda.

When our journey finally ended, and we were back in Klaipeda, we were greeted by several letters, Christmas cards, and two special packages. It is always a great pleasure to receive mail here in Lithuania. I am particularly touched by all the people that take time out of their busy lives "back home" to think of us while we serve abroad. I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting mail, so it's always a special surprise to see what arrives -- especially during the holiday season.  

Cards and letters from loved ones afar.

On the same day we got two packages! One from our Trinity Family and a package from my sister Alison and her husband Zach!

A beautiful letter, lovely scarf and other goodies from Alison.

Josh loves his Christmas Present!

That's right, more Cheez-Its from both Trinity and Ali. No, I can NEVER have too many of these.

We might be able to hang this stocking with care from the TOP of the chimney.

Thank you for all your thoughtful notes and kind words.

After all these grand travels, amazing visitors, lovely letters and surprise packages, it's easy to see that we have a lot to be grateful for. Entering into our next season at LCC, we now feel replenished, refreshed and rejuvenated to tackle the challenges ahead. Thank you for sending love and prayers from afar!

#ItsTooWonderful

This year's Christmas band, led by Josh, dressed in traditional clothes from countries represented at LCC to symbolize the world coming together to celebrate Christ's birth.

Alisha wrote and directed the Christmas program, featuring the cutest Mary and Joseph ever! It also spawned locally trending hashtags #babyking and also #ItsTooWonderful.

Our Fall Semester at LCC International University has come to a close. The students have finished their classes, the finals are complete and we are adjusting to the slower pace. 

In the past weeks, Josh and I have been quite engaged with holiday parties, Christmas Programs, final chapels, Angel Tree Project, Student Leader appreciation parties, data tracking, invoice input, employee reviews and semester end evaluations, not to mention the budget conversion to Euro that will hit on January 1! 

Check out this video about the 2014 LCC Christmas Program and Fair made by LCC Student Mykola Kutola from Rivne, Ukraine:

 

Sometimes we smile even though it's hard. Our blessings are great and team Garber feels your prayers.

In all of this busyness, it's been difficult to focus on the recent tragedy that hit us last month. Too many appointments, meetings, reports, emails and action-items to reflect on the loss we endured in November. (If you're not sure what I'm talking about, check out this blog post.)

For those of you who were wondering, our visit to Dr. Odetta on December 8 was a reassuring one.  Although it didn't provide any answers, it did open doors to more information. I've been referred out to a hematologist and geneticist. These appointments will happen some time in the new year.

I finally had a few moments to myself this morning and had time to think about the loss of our second child, and found peace in knowing that although I am not "great with child," Mary was. Even though we are not expecting a baby of our own, we can wait patiently for the birth of Jesus to be celebrated on December 25. 

I must remember that Jesus doesn't come wrapped in twinkling lights and satin bows; He comes straight into our pitchest black. And our God, He knows the comings and goings of our darkest days and roughest personal battles, and this is exactly where He meets us.

I need the grace and peace of Jesus in this season of my life, more than ever.Isaiah 40:31 says: "...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Alisha and Natalie wearing awesome hats approximately 751 years ago.

I'm happy that Christmas is coming... and so are our friends Natalie Mast and Bryan Howard from Phoenix! 

Natalie and Bryan will be our first visitors in Lithuania and they arrive tomorrow (Christmas Eve). We'll pick them up in the Vilnius Airport and show them around Lithuania and Latvia, sharing the Christmas season, until they depart on December 30. We are so excited. This is truly something to celebrate. #ItsTooWonderful

I wish for you and your families to have a peaceful and loving holiday season as you celebrate the birth of the #babyking. May you be blessed in the coming 2015.