Category

Struggle

Terence Lester
In 501c3, Be the Church, Blankets & Socks, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Corporate Sponsorships, Diversity, Education, Empowering Youth, Family, Fighting for the Hopeless, Global, Gospel, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Passion, Plant Love, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Serve, Serving, Sole Beauti, Struggle, The Local Church

First Mobile Makeover Commplete – Night 17

Last night made night 17, and I am actually starting to feel inspired. Why? One reason is because we were able to mobilize, a barber, a tailor, and a few generous people to complete our first #mobilemakeovers (before we have gotten the bus up and going)!

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Who did we make over? We made over Robert and his younger brother, Willie. Below is a before and after picture that will give you a glimpse of what we’d like to do all next year once we get the bus up and going.

Additionally, we recorded the barber to capture his words about volunteering his time.

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We hope to launch our project with the bus soon to start the process of making people over from all walks of life, and hopefully connect them to agencies and programs that will help them take steps toward total life-change.

Terence

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, College Park, Community, Community Service, Diversity, DRIVES, Education, Empowering Youth, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Plant Love, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Serve, Serving, Sole Beauti, Struggle, The Local Church, Vision, Volunteerism

The Halfway Point – 15 Nights Straight

This morning, I opened the tent and it was wet again. It’s always hard when it rains because it makes the journey feel that much more intense.

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For the last 15 days, I have been living on top of a bus in College Park, GA to raise awareness about people in need that we are hoping to make over with our #mobilemakeovers bus! I am aiming to go a full 30 DAYS.

Honestly, I can’t believe I have survived this long because of the weather, and the intensity of this journey.

I know it is only by God’s strength that I have not given up. God has been carrying me the distance, and given me more compassion about the cause.

Additionally, my wife has pushed me by caring for our children, and stepping up in a few places that I have had to pulled back from during this journey. She has been encouraging me the entire journey! In fact, she has sent me scriptures, and quotes to keep me uplifted.

There are so many lessons I’ve learned on top of this bus about trusting God completely, the importance of simplicity, blocking out the absence or negativity of people, persevering through rough times, and the importance of maintaining pure integrity and character.

Well, I am at the halfway point, and I am still believing that God will use this bus and our project to do something fascinating in the lives of those we seek to serve. I can’t wait to see what’s to come of this!

Terence

Terence Lester
In 50 Day Count Down, Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Corporate Sponsorships, Engagements, Fighting for the Hopeless, Gospel, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Passion, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, Sole Beauti, Struggle, Thanksgiving, The Local Church, Vision, Volunteerism

Nights 13-14 – First Mobile Makeover

So far, we have raised about $8,000 toward our goal ($50,000), and still have a ways to go. But, we are passionate about doing our first makeover before we actually get the bus up and going! Why? Because we have a strong passion to model our vision of what we’d like to see happen all next year. Like my mentor always used to say, “start with what you have…”

Currently, my good friend Robert is staying the rest of the time with me and has not owned a suit in a number of years, and sometimes getting a haircut is a challenge.

This morning, Robert came up to relieve me (on the bus where I plan to stay 30 nights straight) so I could go and officiate a wedding of an old high school friend/sister… When I put on my suit, Robert brought it to my attention that it had been years since he owed a suit. Therefore, I saw it as an opportunity to tell his story and literally do our first #mobilemakesovers.

 

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So far, we have had someone pledge to get him a suit, but he still needs shoes, a dress shirt, and a tie. We also have had a barber step up and pledge to give the first free haircut.

Help us complete our first makeover before we get up and going!

Terence

 

Terence Lester
In Anniversary, Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Diversity, DRIVES, Fighting for the Hopeless, Gospel, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movies, Plant Love, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, , Sole Beauti, Story, Struggle, The Local Church, Transform, Vision, Volunteerism

Nights 11-12 – Channel 2

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

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Diversity, Empowering Youth, Fighting for the Hopeless, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Organization Update, Passion, Plant Love, Poverty, Raising Awareness, Serve, Serving, , Sociology, Sole Beauti, Struggle, Transform, Uncategorized, Violence, Vision, Volunteerism

Night Ten – 11 Alive Spot!

Below is the story that 11 Alive told about the #mobilemakeovers campaign during day eight. Click the image if you’d like to see the clip.

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LBW Team

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, College Park, Community, Community Service, DRIVES, Education, Family Values, Fighting for the Hopeless, Give Miles Away, Giving Tuesday, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Movies, Partnerships, Passion, Plant Love, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, Sociology, Struggle, The Local Church, Transform, Uniforms of Hope, Volunteerism

Night nine – What keeps you going?

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

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, College Park, Community, Community Service, DRIVES, Empowering Youth, Family Values, Fighting for the Hopeless, Give Miles Away, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Leadership, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Partnerships, Party for a Cause, Passion, Plant Love, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, , Sole Beauti, Struggle, The Local Church, Vision, Volunteerism

Seven nights – Hardship & one week

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

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community Service, Corporate Sponsorships, Empowering Youth, Engagements, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, Leadership, Leadership Development, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Needs, Partnerships, Passion, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, Sociology, Struggle, Transform, Violence, Volunteerism

Night 4 – How do you survive?

Many people have asked, “How do you survive up there living on top of the bus?” Well, below is a video explaining how…Terence

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Community Service, Corporate Sponsorships, DRIVES, Family Values, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, LBW Home, Leadership Development, Life Change, Life-dares, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Partnerships, Passion, Plant Love, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, Sole Beauti, Struggle, Uncategorized, Vision, Volunteerism

Night 3 – Support from Angels

Yesterday was rough, but I made it through night number three… I made 50+ hours on top of the bus… I am living on to of a bus in a very confined space in a tent away from my family, and normal comforts of life. No TV, regular bathroom, walking area, refrigerator where I can creep around the house to get my favorite snacks, no recliner of comfortable sofa… You’re starting to get the picture.

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In fact, someone asked me “what has been the hardest thing you have had to deal with while going through this journey?” My answer is simple… Being alone, and not having all that I think I need.

But, I am also learning some very important truths. One being that you don’t need a lot to find joy, peace, and happiness. All you need is God’s strength, and valuable relationships around you.

Over the last two and a half days, over 20 people have called, stopped by, and reached out to me to let me know that I was not alone and they were praying for me. That brings me joy! One of the top people has been my wife. She has brought my kids by, and have sent me words to uplift me during this time. In essence, it has been the relationships I have around me that have given me the strength to continue. This reminds me of one of my favorite passages in the scriptures written by Solomon about friendship. It reads (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NIV),

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

I know some people may still wonder to themselves  “this still doesn’t make any sense at all.” However, I am still standing on my convictions that it does.

If we are able to raise the funds for the Mobile Makeover Bus, we would be able to makeover homeless individuals, provide support for families in need, and launch a program that teaches people skills next year in 2015. I’m asking you that you get on the bus with me, and help me take a stand for people who are in need of hope, diginity, and support.

If it was not for my support, I’d give up this journey. So I can only imagine what people feel who have none at all, or feel like they have no sense of self worth. We care for those people… Help us support them so they too can take a stand in life and feel valued. Below is a clip from yesterday highlighting why I am doing this… If you would like to help us raise the 50K it’s going to take to convert the bus…click [HERE] Terence

 

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community Service, Education, Empowering Youth, Family Values, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Leadership Development, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Passion, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, , Story, Struggle, Transform, Uncategorized, Vision, Volunteerism

Night 1 – Doing it for the people!

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.

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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