PNG Reflections

Hey Everyone!

My last PNG post is finally up! Sorry it took so long. Thanks for everything you've done to help make this an amazing experience. I'm continuing to grow from it. If you ever want to know more about PNG or PBT, please let me know!

Love & Blessings,
Court

PNG Updates

I finally got my stories and photos to upload so check out the PNG page! Thanks - Court

CONTACT!

I have internet for the next week or so! Which means I'll be posting stories and (maybe) some photos as I go through my journal of my time here so far and pick out the good ones. SO be sure to check back soon as there will be lots going up on the Papua New Guinea page. Thank you so much for your prayers, I can't wait to share how God's been moving here.

Court

Calling all Girls!!!!!

I am so so so happy to report some great news going on in Puerto Peñasco! The girls' bible study is meeting twice a week and is growing! Last night, we ran out of chairs and had to sit on buckets! God is so good. He is bringing girls of all different ages and places in their spiritual walk together to talk and study and have a great time doing it!

Now we're going to take it a step further. On July 16th, myself and a few other ladies will be putting on a 24 hour retreat for young girls ages 12-16. So far, we have been given access to a great big beach house to hold the event, we've created a schedule for the event, and we already have some of the needed volunteers on board. At this retreat, the girls are going to learn what it means to have Christ in their lives and to continue living a Godly life from here on out. They will hear speakers, attend classes, discuss in small groups, participate in activities, and worship together in a way that many of them have never been able to. If nothing else, by the end of those 24 hours, these girls will have heard about a God who loves them and wants their lives more than anything else in the world. I am so excited for this event and things are just coming together left and right. For crying out loud WE HAVE A HUGE BEACH HOUSE! In order to pull this off, I am going to need help from all of you back home. We are planning this event for 30 girls and it's going to cost about $35 a piece to cover food, activities, materials, and transportation. We want to put this event on for the girls free of charge to them. That being said, I know many of you have already donated and are invested in my stay in Mexico, so please don't feel obligated to donate again. But, to my family, friends, and readers who have not yet financially contributed to this cause and feel moved to do so, please use the Donate button on the home page of this blog. I will be able then to pull that money out from Mexico and put it directly toward the retreat. Again, if you would like to sponsor a girl to come to the retreat, the cost is $35. Any amount that you feel lead to give would be more than appreciated. I am confident that July 16-17 is going to be life changing for girls here in Rocky Point. Please pray that the planning would continue to go smoothly and that God would be our guide through the duration of this adventure. Thank you again for all of your support!

Safe & Sound

Hello Everyone!

Just a quick note to let you all know my team and I arrived safely in PNG last night. I'll hopefully post a better update soon, but wanted you all to know at least that much. Flights were long, and a bit crazy between planes, but God's in control and we're here safe and sound and that's what matters. It's beautiful here and I can't wait to share photos! Thanks for all of the prayers for safe travels - they paid off!

Lisa - I'm so proud of you! I hope to be able to use this fairly frequently, but probably won't be able to use twitter, though it's a great idea for you. I love you and I'm praying for you!

Blessings

Court

Twitter Update

So The Red Van is officially present in Papua New Guinea AND Mexico. Only God can put one thing in two places at the same time! As many of you who have been following Court on the PNG page already know, we're not sure how much internet access she is going to have so posts may be few and far between. As far as Mexico goes, I'm keeping extremely busy and the internet tends to be a little flaky here as well. I'm updating the blog as often as I can, but if you're interested in keeping up with the day to day activities going on in Mexico, you can check out the updates on Twitter. You don't have to have a twitter account in order to check up on us. Just go to www.twitter.com and search theredvan68. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to talk to Court for a week and I won't be able to talk to her for a while, but I wouldn't be surprised if she uses the twitter account for quick updates when she doesn't have time to write in the blog.

Dear mom, this is another way you can make sure I'm still alive and kicking if you haven't seen any activity on the blog :) I love you!

PFOver

Pre-Field Orientation is over! Read more about it under the Papua New Guinea tab!

Court

Faithful Provider

I have some pretty fantasitic news.... God has provided ALL of my funds for my internship to PNG!!! Thank you all so much for donating and praying, God has been accomplishing his work and you have been amazingly faithful vessels for him to do so. I am so blessed! Check the PNG tab for a more detailed update!

Such Gratitude,
Court

TONIGHT Without A Bed!!!!

It's finally here!!! Night Without A Bed kicks off at 7 o'clock tonight! We can't wait to see all of you who can make it out to Tuttle Cove tonight! There will be signs out there to help direct you, just in case you're not sure where it is. It's going to be a blast! Be praying for God to open doors in awareness and support throughout the community and that this would be a wonderful blessing not only to the Red Van but to the families in Puerto Penasco, One Mission, and all those in attendance tonight. Can't wait to share more with you all!

See you at 7!
the "passengers"

HELLO TWITTER!

It's true...
theredvan is on twitter now! Search theredva68 and become a follower!

NIGHT WITHOUT A BED!

Hello Red Van followers! Thanks to my dad's outstanding efforts, I am a mere $750 short of my goal to raise money for mattresses for ten families living in the slums of Puerto Penasco. I am so thankful for all of you who have already donated to this cause that I am so passionate about.

If you haven't had a chance to participate in this cause yet, I have great news... YOUR OPPORTUNITY IS COMING UP!

Mark your calendars for "Night without a Bed!" It starts at 7 PM on Friday April 30th and will end at 8 AM Saturday May 1st. It will take place at Tuttle Cove camp ground at Tuttle Lake. The idea is to come out, bring whatever size donation that you think is feasible, and spend the night without the comfort of a bed or tent. We will get a tiny taste of what it's like to live without the comfort of a bed, and in turn, all donations will go toward beds for people who have never had one.

Why should you participate? (If not simply out of the goodness of your heart)
There will be...
-Food
-Campfire
-Volleyball
-Horseshoes
-Washers
-Croquet
-Boardgames
-Breakfast provided by Panera Bread
-Prizes (movie passes, gift cards, etc.)

I would love it if you could all come and stay all night and get the full experience. That being said, if you cannot stay all night, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come out and see what it's all about, if only for an hour or two.

IMPORTANT!
-Absolutely NO alcohol is aloud on the campgrounds. Tuttle Creek has been generous enough to let us bend some rules already, and I have PROMISED them that we will abide by this rule. I am very sure there will be a ranger out to check on us because they are pretty concerned about this many college students staying over night in one place. Lets show them that our focus is on the cause and not on ourselves.

-BYOBlanket. (See above for HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO LEAVE YOUR ALCOHOL AT HOME)

-The gate closes to our camp ground at 10 PM. Try to be there before that. If you have to come later, there is parking outside the gate and someone can come pick you up from inside the grounds. The gate out will be open all night in case anyone has to leave at anytime.

-Bring friends! I have extended invitations and sent fliers through MCC, Christian Challenge, Ictus, my classes, my office, friends from out of town, professors, families of my friends, my family, and now anyone who keeps track of the Red Van. This is not exclusive by any means and there will be people of all ages and from all walks of life there.

-Donations: If I can get 75 people to donate $10 per person, I will reach my goal. Any size donation is very very appreciated. I understand that money is tight, I would rather have you attend the event and bring the pennies you find in your couch cushions than not come at all. Everything for the event has been donated, so 100% of your money will go towards the mattresses.

-If you have any further questions, email me at redvan.gomobile@gmail.com or shoot me a message over facebook. I'll see you in 2 weeks!

Thanks!
Lisa

Mark Your Calendars

Pennies for Papua Luau Night! Coming Soon! With the help of fellow Red Van Passengers and friends I'm planning a fundraising event! And it's going to be Bangin'! So mark your Callendars for Friday May 7th, 2010! And spread the word!!!! Please. There's more info under the Papua New Guinea Tab at the top of this page! It's gonna be great, you definitely don't want to miss it! I'll have more details up soon.

Thanks for the continued support and prayers!

Blessings,
Court

Marathon Results

HE'S STILL ALIVE! After five hours, one minute, and a few seconds, dad finished the marathon with both legs attached. A few of us had a great time meeting him every few miles with fruit and encouragement. He says he had to run through some pain in his knee, but overall, it wasn't too bad. When the rest of us expected him to be out of commission for a while, he proved us wrong. His knee is a little sore, but he's been functioning just like normal ever since the end of the race. Here are some progressive pictures of Saturday's race.

Thank you so much, first of all, to my dad, who ran 26.2 miles so that families in Mexico could have mattresses. Thank you to all of you who came out to support him at the start, finish, and along the route in between. Thank you to all who donated and contributed to the almost $1,300 that was raised. My Aunt Jeanne was responsible for the awesome t-shirts that helped us keep track of them, and Mom and Zach stayed by my side all day as we tracked dad from start to finish. Thank you all for your help!

Lisa

Marathon Day!

Thank you so much for all of your support with dad's marathon! I saw the pledge sheet for the first time when I arrived home last night and I am overwhelmed by how quick the donations rolled in. It's bright and early on marathon day and my dad looks...nervous. Say a prayer for him! I'm so proud! Pictures will be up this evening.

Thanks!
Lisa

Marathon Fund Raiser

Mexico is only 2 months away for me which means two things...

1.) I'm getting PUMPED for the summer.
2.) I need your help!

I need to raise $1,000 dollars to go toward airfare, gas, and meals to get me through the 2 months I will be in Mexico.

I know from previous experience in raising money for mission trips that my family and friends are absolutely fantastic about supporting me. This being said, I have a higher goal in mind.

If you remember Betty from my journal entries, you know that mattresses are few and far between in the barrios of Mexico. Betty was married and had 2 children, one with cerebral palsy, and no one in her family had ever had a mattress. Every once in a while, as in Betty's case, donations will be received for mattresses. When One Mission shows up at a home with a bed, you would think they had showed up with a Million Dollar Check.

In Rocky Point, a mattress and box spring set can be purchased for about $200. With yor help, I would like to deliver mattresses to ten families in the barrios of Rocky Point, Mexico.

In total I need to raise $3,000 dollars in order to cover my own expenses and to purchase 10 mattresses.

I am VERY PROUD to announce that my dad is already helping to make a dent in this $3,000. He has been training to run in a marathon that will take place on April 10. He has recently decided that his marathon would be a great avenue to raise money for this cause. By making a donation or pledge towards my dad's marathon, you will be supporting me. All proceeds will go directly toward the mattress fund.

In order to make a pledge or donation, you can send a check payable to Olathe Christian Church. If you are in Olathe, you can give the check directly to my parents or you can send it to

Olathe Christian Church
1115 S Ridgeview Rd
Olathe, KS 66062

Make sure to include in the envelope a note that specifies your donation to be for the One Mission Marathon Fundraiser. Please DO NOT specify the donation on the check itself.

You can also make a donation via credit card or paypal by hitting the "Donate" button under Mexico in the side bar.

I am so thankful for my dad taking the initiative to be the first to jump on board. I will be cheering him on from the sidelines of the marathon and I am 100,000% positive that he will finish with flying colors. Thank you for all of your support! Check back after April 10th for a full report on the marathon.

Thanks Dad!

Email Listserv

I have an exciting new opportunity for all of you who follow The Red Van! I know daily checking a blog takes time and many of you may forget, especially after several days of no new posts. But do not fear! The answer is here! If you would like to sign up for The Red Van listserv, please send an email to....

redvan.gomobile@gmail.com

In your email, simply request to be added to the list. Each time I update the site, I will send out an email letting you know there is something new (and hopefully worth reading) on the blog. This is the only purpose this particular listserv will have. I will not send lengthy emails, ask you for money, or give you in depth information about specific trips, after all, that is what the blog is for.

Aside from being added to the list, feel free to email redvan.gomobile@gmail.com about anything. Right now, Courtney and I are the only two active Red Van travelers, so we are the only two who can check the email. If you prefer to use email instead of the message board or comment options on the blog, just specify who the email is addressed to in the subject box and send it our way!

Just to specify, do not feel obligated to join the listserv for updates. You can use the email whether you are on the list or not. Courtney and I would love to answer your questions, receive your encouragement, or simply hear that you are praying for us.

Thanks Again!
Lis

THANKS KYLE! BUT....

Thank you for fixing my tagboard! You're the best. But now it says something about Martini Glasses. Will you fix that please?

ATTENTION KYLE!

Dearest Kyle,
My blog is broken. The tag-board is showing an error. Please fix it.
Love,
Lisa

Check it Out!!!!

Ok so we have made a few updates to the site...
We now have places for you to comment on our posts! So please please please please please use this as a way to ask us questions, give us encouragement, tell us your favorite joke, whatever you want! You can also use the chat box on the sidebar to do the same thing, which ever you find easiest.

Also, we officially have a Red Van store! The whole site is up and running but because of some technical difficulties and time crunches on school work and midterms and such, we don't actually have any products up yet. The good news is, we have the site and we have the products, so after Court and I get back from spring break you should be able to start shopping! So keep your eyes peeled for the link to our store over the next couple weeks.

In case you are itching to donate (especially to the Papua New Guinea project) before we get the store running at full force, you may notice the "Donate" buttons on the sidebar. We have already raised $60 because of this new feature and we are very thankful for those donations!

As of tomorrow I will be in Mexico so be sure and check the Mexico tab every so often!

Thanks!
Lis

So Blessed

Hello All,

I want to send out a great big THANK YOU to all of the wonderful people at The Well! I was shown so much support and love and excitement to see God's work done! Thank you so much!!!

A huge THANK YOU also goes out to all of the people who have supported me through my support letters! Your help is so appreciated!

Check out the more detailed update on the Papua New Guinea page!

Until they all hear,
Court

In Case You are Confused....

This main page will be used for general updates and information, in order to see more details on specific trips, click on the above tabs labeled by location, (e.g. Papua New Guinea, Mexico, etc.)

Fund Raising Papua New Guinea

Ok so one of our riders is seriously starting to fund raise for her summer internship with Pioneer Bible Translators to to Papua New Guinea. In the next few days I will have her profile up, a description of the internship, and her plan for raising the money she needs. Right now, I can tell you, she needs $5,500 in total by May 15, 2010. She's already started making some bracelets that will be sold on a linked blog starting next week. If you're interested in purchasing a bracelet, not only will you have a one of a kind piece of jewelry made by Courtney (or a helper), but you will also have a reminder to be praying for her while she is gone. Not to mention, you'll be helping her cause! Check back in the next few days for more details and be ready to jewelry shop!!!!

The Red Van

Welcome to The Red Van!

This site has been created to follow the passengers of The Red Van to all corners of the globe, raise awareness for the causes in those corners, and allow opportunity for oncoming passengers to join in the efforts.

In a nutshell, the passengers of The Red Van are a community of people with hearts for other people who are ready to mobilize the church.

The Van will be racking up the miles in no time. Costa Rica, Papua New Guinea, and Mexico are at the front of our atlas, as we have passengers preparing for travel in each of these countries.

We are dedicated to...

1.) act justly
2.) love mercy
3.) walk humbly with our God.
(Micah 6:8)

As this site develops, you will be able to...

(a) Keep track of our passengers and their humanitarian work around the globe
(b) Encourage our passengers with posts of your own on the blog
(c) Become aware of the needs of our passengers and be provided with opportunities to meet those needs
(d) Participate in traveling with The Red Van yourself

Though there is no physical "Red Van" we are excited about the opportunities that an online community will provide for the passengers who are giving time, money, and talent to meet the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs of people world wide.

The Red Van picks up hitchhikers of all ages and walks of life and invites them to go mobile with us. This is a chance to stop watching life pass by and start participating! See you on the road!