Last night (On Christmas Day), Chanel 2 stopped by, and helped us tell our story a little more about staying on top of the bus for 30 nights straight. You can check out the story below!
LBW Team
Below is a quick clip put together by sG3 Media asking me what will keep me going for the 30 nights on top of bus?
Terence
Last night was extremely hard (however I have made 8 nights of the 30 nights I am aiming for), but God sent me someone to help. In fact, last year on today I met my friend Robert while sleeping under a bridge in the heart of downtown Atlanta. He was homeless, and we formed a friendship. Today, he is living with someone, and is hoping to join a program that will provide housing.
Earlier this week I spoke with him and he decided come up here and stay on the bus to help me go the distance. This means a lot to me because last year we were under a bridge, and this year he is helping me raise awareness about this bus project.
I am grateful for him and our friendship! He has helped to understand why it is so important for people to have dignity. Below is a picture of my friend on top of the bus.
Terence
If I could be honest, I have experienced many hardships in the first week of living on top of the bus for 30 days! Below are the top seven hardships:
1) It has rained two nights out of the seven nights. Both nights I got very little sleep.
2) I have received hate mail, and shots taken at me for sleeping on top of the bus.
3) I have spent tons of hours in solitude (which can be a great thing as well)
4) I am sleeping in a very confined space, and it gets tiring being in a cramped up space.
5) It has been very emotional at times knowing that we have a strong desire to serve those who are less fortunate.
6) It has been very cold. Although I am in a warm space, it ca be very difficult when I want to get some fresh air, and the cool air pushes me back into the tent.
7) I still have a long way to go. In fact, I have 23 more nights to live on top of the bus.
Although these hardships are real, I know that God is with me, in me, and leading #lovebeyondwalls to do more good for people who are often times forgotten about.
Terence
I got through nigh six in which it rained all night… It is always tough when it rains because it’s hard to sleep through it. However, early this AM many volunteers gathered to go out and serve the people our organization reaches, and is aiming to with our #mobilemakeovers bus. I only have 24 ore nights!
Below is a cool picture of the circle.
Terence
This morning I feel passionate. I have completed five days of the 30 days I’ll be on top of the bus. Why? Because yesterday over fifteen people stopped by at random to check on me and keep me encouraged to continue going the distance. It’s always good to get company when you are in solitude.
It started with a cup of coffee… The community down the street heard that I was living on top of bus, and a lady from the community brings a cup of coffee during the morning around 6AM.
What was so inspiring was that she was walking to work on foot. Her words were thank you for what you guys are doing for people in need… First time I shed a tear up here…
Then later that day a random 12 year old (riding a bike) from the community stops by and starts a conversation with me. He asked what the bus was because the graffiti caught his imagination. “I”m living up here…” I said. Then with a snarky look on his face, he asks why.
So, I explained and then noticed that he wasn’t wearing and socks… It was around 39 degrees outside. We talked more and I found out that his family had been experiencing homelessness as well. He said that his aunt was, and that his family was in trouble too. I was blown away because he was extremely vivd in his explination of his experiences. I think he said, “We won’t have a Christmas tree because the rent man says we have to get out…” He reminded me of why I am living on this bus…
Although the two stories are different, both are connected. Both the lady and the young man are from the community, and both expressed in some sense a deep need for makeovers to happen (personally and in the community)! I hope they both come back by… I hope at some point we will be able to help them both… Until then, the cup of coffee below and the boy on the bike is what God used to get me through night number five.
I ask that you keep me in your prayers as I have 25 more nights to go.
Terence
Yesterday was unreal.
Around 10pm a small group of us arrived back at the office where the bus is parked… I talked to my wife and kids, we prayed, and I climbed up to start living on top of the bus for the next thirty nights straight. My friend Dave built a pretty secure platform on top of the bus for my safety. It includes a porta potty, a small heater, and a little power so I can blog about my experiences.
However, I know people are probably wondering “what in the world does living on top of a bus prove. Better yet, why in the world would you do it in the middle of winter. It makes no sense.”
Well, to me this means everything. This past year, our organization encountered thousand of people through service. We served tons of apartment complexes, and served a couple thousand homeless individuals in the heart of the city, and I noticed something very unique among all those we served. People have lost hope, a sense of self-worth, and even dignity. It is hard looking into the eyes of people and knowing that the only self-worth they have is their existence (meaning they feel they only feel worth because they are alive). In fact, I can remember encountering a lady in the apartment complex where we serve that said, “I feel like I am forgotten about… and I’m all alone…” This same lady said that she hadn’t eaten in a week because she was a senior citizen and had few resources.
No matter how you slice it, communities and people who live in poverty deserve to have a sense of self-worth, dignity, and even receive help that could possibly help them rebuild the pieces to their lives. We’ve seen recently in the news a underlining call for all people to start working in communities to restore the broken pieces that leave stains, and scars that never go away.
One of the ways #lovebeyondwalls would like to start helping the community is by reaching out to communities and homeless individuals by providing makeovers with our bus. These makeovers would be more than physical touchups, they would be like a launchpad for people to taking steps toward permanent change.
Still… This doesn’t answer why sleep on a bus…. does it…
Well, I am staying on this bus because we are serious about transforming the bus, and sharing compassion with many people who have no hope! We desire to go mobile to serve people in the city of Atlanta. It’s just that simple. I believe in what we are taking a stand for… And I believe that we will be able to band together with other organizations to help people.
Terence
