Videos

Last few kisses while saying goodbye to Daddy at the airport.

Who is taking care of Daddy??

 

Kids' message to Daddy in Uganda.                 

 

Genesis thinks about her Daddy all the time...even in the middle of her soccer games. (fyi: this was not planned or staged)

      

Post game Tunnel Time. Justy helps himself

to the celebrating (watch the right side of screen) lol

Genesis excels as a goalie...this was just one of

of 3 balls she stopped that game.

Creative picnic with sidewalk chalk in the front 

yard...high comedy.  See script below:

Mom: What are your guys doin?

Genesis: Eating tacos and corn.

Mom: Ohh, yummy.

Genesis: Can I have your card? 

Justy: Yup.

Genesis: What does it say?

Justy: A....C

Genesis: A C? 

Justy: Yup.

Genesis: That doesn't make any sense.  If you freak out

blah blah blah like that, it makes sense.

Justy: Sense!

Genesis: This is what sense means.  Justy eat your taco!

Gregg's Global Ministry Summer '08

...at the airport saying "Safe Journey" to Daddy...  

On April 28th Gregg will be leaving the country for 5 weeks, and a busy 5 weeks it is!  He will first be traveling to Uganda for 10 days while ministering with Pastor Tom and our Bombo Town family. From Uganda, he flies by himself to Northern India for 12 days to meet up with our Immersion teams ministering there.  From India, he flies with Robert and Paul (the guys in his band) to the Philippines and will meet up with our Immersion teams, and his parents who are all ministering there. Their band Unnamed Servant will do a 10 day ministry tour with live concerts and speaking.  After their time in the Philippines, they will return home for a short but super busy 12 days to welcome our summer interns, whom Gregg is taking on mission to Guatemala and the Philippines (again) thereafter. God is good and sending laborers! Hallelujiah! As you can see there is lots of traveling, lots of ministry, and lots to PRAY FOR! Please pray for Gregg and our teams' strength, perseverance, and for God to use them in NU and powerful ways!

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Text Updates from G while he is away can be viewed in the Firefox internet browser at www.godinternational.org

This is a pic of Gregg during a quick convo we had on line during his layover in Malaysia on his way to the Philippine Islands from India. I love and miss him, and his international facial hair!!

June 17, 2008 - Gregg is now in Guatemala leading our 30 summer interns, who he will remain with for the next 4 weeks.  In Guatemala we work with a wholly committed and very humble couple named, Al and Gail Anderson, who have given many of their adult years to the serving and empowering of the Guatemalan people.  There are so many needs amongst the poor of Guatemala, so please pray for Gregg and the interns' time there, as well as our Latin America Immersion Team who will be staying there for 5 weeks of immersed ministry.

Cuddling with Daddy while he was home for 2 days before leaving again.

**Special prayer request** - Gregg began having symptoms of Typhoid Fever just before leaving for Guatemala and by the time he got there it was full blown with his temp reaching a scary 104.5.  He was treated with a strong antibiotic that seemed to help him through it, and according to a doc he saw there yesterday "it has run its course".  However, while the Typhoid seems to be gone it caused Gregg to have an intestinal infection and left his immune system susceptible to a painful virus known as Dengue Fever (also called "breakbone fever").  This has caused Gregg to be feeling very ill and weak, and yet he is still pushing through and depending on God for strength and healing, while still teaching and climbing mountains (literally).  He will return home with the interns early Saturday morning and then will leave again for the Philippines 2 days later.  Please pray that his body recovers from these taxing diseases quickly so that he can continue the work of the Lord, without hindrance.  THANK YOU!!!

6-26-08 Health UPdate:  Gregg is feeling MUCH better now.  He is in the Philippines with the summer interns and is feeling more recovered every day.  Thank you for your prayers, and please for the love of his health keep em' comin!!!! :)

 

Mom & Dad Garner reunite with son Marlon in the Philippines, after 33 years!!  Gregg has met his brother for the first time...God is faithful!!!

"The Anthem" New Album Release

 

Gregg's band, Unnamed Servant, has just completed their third album (literally hours before they left on international mission).  The name of the album is "Anthem" - referring to the poor and oppressed of the world whose lives of injustice have become our anthem.  This album is powerful and beautifully communicates the message God has put in Gregg's heart about the powerful and powerless.  It is inspiring and challenging.  The cds will be shipped to our house mid May, so I'll let you know when they are available.  You won't want to miss it!

  

Below are recent updates from the band's Philippines ministry tour (God is using them!):

    * We rocked the SM mall so hard Rob broke his bass. People were crowdin 2 watch on 3 floors. Sold tons of cds. People were excited about US:) a day ago

    * Last day in Cebu. SM show today 11-1pm. Biggest mall in Cebu! Leavin4 Olongapo after show...well right after we hit the food court ;-) almost 2 days ago

    * Just finished show7.Quick rock set then a great worship time w/ believers in LapuLapu. Many were encouraged. SM show 2morrow.On2 Olangapo! 2 days ago

    * Just finished number 5 show of 12 at CordovaAmpitheatre in Cebu.Another rocker4the people.Wild dancin n too much fun! 300+people:) 4 days ago

    * 1st 2gigs in Philippines were the bomb.Playin in Dulag 2night.Response in Tacloban is so positive2the music.Radio is playin HowMuchItCost. 6 days 

T-Doula's Latest Birth Stories...

 

June 17, 2008 - On June 5th I had my wildest adventure in birthing yet!  Two women I planned to assist in birth were due 3 days apart.  Well come June 5th, BOTH women decided to be in full blown labor and have their babies, both of which were boys!  Both of their labors were long and intermittent to start, lasting with 2 days of contractions before hard labor really took off. One mom had her baby at 9:30 in the morning and later that night at 10:10 the second mom gave birth.  Thank God I was not alone!!!  My dear friend, and midwife in training, Heather was with me for both births and we made a great team!  We seriously felt like we were on some kind of reality show the entire day because that's how wild it was.  When one woman's labor would taper off, the other's would take off strong so we were literally driving back and forth from mom to mom and sleeping at one mom's house one night and the other mom's house the next.  It was hilarious!  Both births were absolutely amazing and NU on many levels.  One mom nearly gave birth in the backseat of the car on the way (stuck in traffic) to the hospital.  I was literally keeping my hand against her perineum to keep that baby in there, and telling her to try not to push!  We made it to the hospital but barely.  The medical staff realized she was pushing in the wheelchair so they rushed her to the nearest open bed they had, which was the Operating Room!!!!  They barely had enough time to get her onto the sterile, skinny OR table before she pushed twice and safely gave birth to her son.  The second mom gave birth while squatting on the floor using her husband for support.  She helped lift her baby up to her own chest.  It was beautiful and we all experienced God's presence so near - ALL DAY LONG :)  

April 20, 2008 - Well as of this last week, I attended two births in 3 days.  The first birth I attended (a girl 7 pounds 12 ounces) was 10 hours long and the second (a boy 8 pounds two ounces) was 28 hours long, both with no complications and perfect, healthy babies & mamas!  I love what i do!  

photos by:
T. Garner

The Chronicles of Justy & Genes ('Jen-ness')

   

Genesis is an ever so talented and busy 5 year old little girl.  She will start Kindergarten this August!!  She is currently taking dance class once a week, as well as playing on a soccer team twice a week.  Her dance class is a combination of Tap/Ballet/Tumbling so she is sure to never be bored. Since January, her class has been rehearsing for a big recital performance for the end of June. They will be performing two nights on a professional stage at an arts center, so we are praying for no performance anxiety for little Genes!  I think I'll have enough anxiety for the both us from my seat in the audience.  She is very excited about it all and shows us her routines several times a day :)  Since Daddy will be out of the country during the recital, I will be sure to get it all on video for him.

She seems to be excelling in soccer these days as well.  She has learned the importance of hustling to the ball and not being afraid of body contact from the other kids.  She actually daintily pushed a couple of them in her last game to try and get to the ball. That'a girl!  She almost scored a few times, and had her sideline fans (mom, dad, Rob, Heather, Luci, Josie, and Sara-Scara) cheering louder than every family there!  Her favorite part about soccer is playing with her childhood friend Sydney and enjoying the team snacks, of course!

More than her extracurricular involvement, Genesis demonstrates a love and passion for people and the LORD.  She often remembers her experiences in Africa and the Philippines and has become a sensitive human being to the plight of the poor.  Just this last Easter, Auntie Heather Olson took her to a city wide easter egg hunt with thousands of kids, eggs, and candy.  She had a total blast, and told me all about it when she got home, showing me the 50 plastic, candy-filled eggs she had collected (lovely).  I later noticed her organizing her eggs and placing them into boxes which she was decorating and writing her name and hearts on.  I asked what she was doing and she told me she didn't want to eat her candy but give all of her eggs and candy to the kids who live at the dumpsite in Cebu, Philippines (where we visited last summer).  She said it with such joy and sincerity that I nearly lost it right there. In this midst of a paganistic-gluttonist event, she had it more in her heart to give away what she would really love to enjoy herself.  She HAS SEEN and knows that the dumpsite children have no colorful eggs to find, no candy to gloat over, because they find what little food they eat from the trash.  Gregg and I see more every day our daughter gaining a global perspective on life and love.  She knows our family is not limited to us 4 Garners, but to the world at large, and that we are all responsible for each other.  She inspired me that day, and reminded me to pray and remember our precious children at the dumpsite.  We sent her eggs/candy with the Immersion team to the Philippines.

    

Justice is quite the growing boy these days.  At his last doctor appointment we were told by his Pediatrician that he was going to be "tall" as an adult.  Wow, that was a shocker. Gregg was really excited about it and will live vicariously through his soon-to-be taller than him son  ;) Justy's new thrills are jumping off of things (anything) with both feet, and landing it.  I probably have 3 to 4 myocardial infarctions a day. NO joke. He loves going to his sister's soccer games and demands to play with his own soccer ball on any open or occupied field nearby.  This kid LOVES the ball.  He loves the drums or anything resembling drums and just loves music period.  You will rarely find him not talking and if he's not talking, he's usually singing.  He can sing over 50 songs from memory.  Incredible.  He is also in a slowww process of being potty trained.  I wasn't expecting to start this early with him since Genesis wasn't trained for 2 more months at his age, but he initiated it so I went with it.  He's on his way!

Below are some pictures from a recent family photo shoot...

Squatting Philippino Style :)