Post trip

Hey yall!

    Tyler Sam and I made it home safely. We got back on sunday at noon from zimbabwe. We just want to thank everyone for the prayers and the support. We couldn't have done it without you guys. I had no idea how I was going to come up with 4500 dollars to go to Africa, but the LORD provided. The trip was so amazing and it changed our lives.

    Hopefully the 3 of us will be able to go back to Africa next year, or the year after. There is so much ministry to be done in Rugare and ministering to the mapastoris, the huge cult in Africa. LORD willing we will be able to go back and continue the ministry we started. Pray that we will listen the God's calling in our lives and that we would live it out through humility, gentleness and patience. Thanks everyone so so much!!!

Love you guys,

Sam, Elijah and Tyler.

Hey guys, it's Sam. I am at HOH with Tyler and Elijah and we are chillin, illin for top villain. Elijah and I are having a great time in Rugare and are loving the kids there. Unfortunately, Elijah has been having some major splooshes and has used the majority of our toilet paper... everyday. Other than that we are having a fantastic time and the Lord is using us. We can tell all y'all stories when we get back. At the girls house there was a tree stump that the people had worked on and failed 4 different times to dig up and take out. They told us it was impossible so we picked up the axe and shovel and it was out the next day. I don't know if that's perseverance like the saints or just our American arrogance but either way we got the stump out. If we hadn't gotten the stump out the chicken run that they planned on building would not have happened so now that it's out there is a massive chicken run. It looks fantastic! Anywhoo... We miss you all and can't wait to see you and share all our stories. God is good. Let him teach you things.

Peace

Sam, Tyler, Elijah

Elijah, Joel, Shakina and Sam rockin some deep Vs

Here's some pictures from Rugare where I am staying!

-Tyler

Hey! Its Tyler again!

Things in Rugare calmed down a little bit this week. All the kids finished up school and started their break on Wednesday, so Haley, Linda, and I are no longer teaching at the bridging school. There was a little more time to just hang out with kids because of that. Not to say we haven’t been working though! One Highlight from this week is that we got to take 5 girls from the bridging school to a community called Embari to get uniforms for school because they have been sponsored and will get to start school next term! They are all very excited to start going to school!

Another one is that plans for a sustainable chicken project that will provide funding for some kids to go to school are nearing completion. Materials to build the first chicken run were bought mid-week! On Friday I went with Pastor Henry to pick up the ground cover for the chicken run too. We expect to actually build  the chicken run some time this next week.

Unfortunately, Linda and Haley had their last day in Rugare on Friday. Their church, Solid Rock, sent another team of around 20 people on a 2 week mission trip to another part of Harare, and Linda and Haley were asked to join that team. On a more exciting note, Sam and Elijah should be joining me tonight to work with me in Rugare for the next 2 weeks! There is a ton we would like to get done before wrapping up and heading home, so it should be a busy 2 weeks.

Anyway, those are just a couple of this past weeks happenings. Its been over a month since I have gotten here, but little kids still run to the street shouting “Marungu! Marungu!” (White man! White man!), when they see me walking around. Haha! I miss yall and I look forward to sharing all of the stories and pictures with everyone! Thanks for reading and keep us in your prayers!

-Tyler

          This is Elijah, Sam and Tyler (respectively) at Antelope Park. We were swaggin it up
          on the way back from Vic Falls. And yes, Tyler does have super powers. Thank you.

Whatsup everybody!! It's Elijah here.

The time here has been awesome. I miss you all greatly and hope to see you all soon. God has been working here greatly. I have been with Sam Talbert at Pastor Peter's house in Marlborough, a community in Zimbabwe. There are 14 others staying at our 5 bedroom house. So far, we haven't been too busy. In the mornings we wake up and have a couple hours to: read our Bibles, pray, meditate, journal and do 100 pushups. Then in the afternoons we have been hanging out with the orphans at the orphanage down the street. We have been able to speak at various house-churches and share our testimonies to encourage the people here. There is a great need for love and the gospel and we try to be ready at any time when God wants to use us. There has been a lot of waiting and questioning what exactly our purpose is here, but we have had time to learn from an elder, Ronald. He has a lot of wisdom and Sam and I have learned about our faith, the Bible and minsitry from him. Thanks for all the prayers and support. Keep it up! We need it every day to be humble, gentle and patient in hearing God's word for our calling and purpose, Eph 4:1-2. Like Tyler said, we don't have much time for being on the internet, so hopefully i will write more soon. Sorry for taking so long to post. Bye!!

-Elijah

Hey all! This is Tyler here! Sorry I have not been updating this like I said I would. Due to a whole variety of circumstances with regards to internet access this has truly been the first real opportunity for me to update anything.

Anyway, I have been living in a community called Rugare within the capital city of Harare. It has been an awesome experience! I live in a boys orphanage with 3 boys at the ages of 6, 9, 12. I have gotten to act as a sort of father figure to them and just love on them. They became a part of the orphan home about 6 months ago and have been growing more used to the idea of a family that actually loves and cares for them. Some background on the boys: the 6 year old, Tadiwa, is an orphan who's parents both died of AIDS. He doesn't have it though. Duncan, the 9 year old, was taken from a home where he was heavily abused by his father. It has been awesome seeing how he has just gained confidence and assuredness of the home being a safe place for him, and a place where he is loved. Takura, the third boy is the oldest. Both his parents died of HIV and he has it as well. When he was taken into the orphanage he was very sick, but he is doing very well now that he has medication and such. School is a challenge for him though because he lost most of his hearing to the disease. He is such a joyful boy though! I can smile at him and put a hand on his shoulder and he will just light up!

I have also been teaching students in a bridging school, which is a school intended for kids who need to be caught up to the level they should be at or who just can't afford to go to school right now. It costs around $250 a year to send a kid to school during grades 1-7, but that is a significant and expensive cost here. Immediately after the school, there is a feeding project that feeds about 150 kids a day in the community of Rugare. Its incredible to see how much the pastor I'm working with, Pastor Henry, loves children. There are two orphanages housing a total of about 18 kids that are just like a part of his family. In his 3 bedroom home, he also has another 15 kids that he is housing and caring for. Its incredible!

There is sooo much more I could type, but I am running short on time to do this so I need to wrap it up. I'll just finish with a short story of one way God has worked while I have been here!
There was a day when I was talking to a boy near my home, the orphanage, and I found out that he likes doing flips. Well, I love doing flips too! So we went into the street in front of my home and began doing flips and playing soccer. After a few minutes, there was a crowd of close to 30 kids playing soccer and other games with us out in the street. We were all just having fun and having a great time. As we were finishing up our games though, I got to sit down with all of them crowded around me and just share the gospel with them and share about how Jesus loves them. I got to tell them how we all have been through very difficult situations, and we have all done things that we know were not right. Then I told them about how God came to Earth as a man, Jesus, lived a perfect life, then died on a cross to take God's wrath for our sin. He then rose from the dead three days later showing that he had accomplished the work he came to do.
Romans 10:9 says, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

God has been working in incredible ways here and its great to see! I can't wait to come home and share with all of you about it!

-Tyler

Hello everyone, this is Tyler Rodericks!

Hey friends and family! We have all just finished the orientation and preparation for our ministry here in zim! We had to go around town and tell some people the gospel as part of our orientation. It was pretty cool. One girl on our team began talking to another girl named lisa cause she liked how her hair was done, but out of that we had a chance to share about Christ with her! We have also been to a number of different orphanages and have met a lot of the kids we will be working with while here. All the people and kids here are so friendly. Anyway, we are moving into the different houses and orphanages we will be living in tomorrow! I'll be in an orphanage with 4 other boys, and Sam and Elijah will be living with a pastor and spending time in the orphanage his church supports!
-tyler

Hip Hip Hooray!

Tyler and Sam have made it safely in zim! They will update you all when they get the chance. My family, the Burlesons, Sammy and T-Rod all went hiking today at Domba Shava. And we all saw an amazing African sunset and the beautiful stars together.
Praise Jesus -Elijah

Safe in Zim

Hello friends and family. I made it here safe thanks to all your prayers! I dont know if you already know, but I am staying with my sister Amanda and Ryan. I have been hanging out with my nieces, Mercy and Hope, and my family, they are so cute! Hope has a lot of energy and Mercy is always content and happy, she is adorable. Amanda and Ryan have been teaching us phrases in Shona and telling us about the culture. I have been learning a lot about the people here and experiencing life in a different culture like: tonight we were making dinner with no power, water, or gas. But it's been so much fun and awesome to be together with my family. Happy Fathers Day!

Boarding the plane

Jeremiah and I arrived safely in Germany. We just finished playing ultimate together outside and got some dinner. It is 8pm here and we'll be leaving in an hour on to Joannesburg and then Harare. A lady sneezed in German at the airport and I said "gezuntite". She replied dankesein. Jeremiah tried talking in English to the locals doing a movie shoot and they didn't even respond. #stayclassySanDiego!  

Love, Elijah

   Hello friends and family! It is Saturday 26th, less than a week now until I head off to Harare, Zimbabwe with some of my family. Friday night Jeremiah, my parents, Priscilla, and myself will be flying to Africa. The first few weeks there will be spent with my sister's family: Ryan, Amanda, Hope and Mercy Burleson. After spending three weeks with the Burlesons, my family will head home and the mission, STEP, will commence.

   Tyler Rodericks, Sam Talbert, and a few unconfirmed accomplices will be flying out of the U.S. June 21st  to meet up with me and Pastor Glen and begin our mission until mid-August.

   I will hopefully have internet access at Amanda's home and to post weekly(ish) blog updates. Thanks all for the prayer and money support. Please pray that we will have safe travels and be able to get our luggage and visas on arrival. I couldn't do it without you all. You can try out the mobile Blogger app on your iPhones and if you have any questions, shoot me an email at elijahauer@gmail.com.
#praisejesus

Love, Elijah

PS  Sammy and Tyler may also be throwing a couple posts on this blog too!!