Below is another update about the #closetstrike journey! If you’d like to help, click [HERE] to read the story!
Terence
Yesterday, we got word that our first corporate sponsor [Northwestern Benefit] will serve with @lovebeyondwalls on August 12th to promote literacy, education, and love at Sheltering Arms (in the Camp Creek area). In fact, we made the entire day about corporate professionals serving, and not about our organization!
We felt it is not only important to serve children and families, but to leave our core values of collaboration and sacrifice imprinted on both Sheltering Arms & Northwestern Benefit!
This day will be a day of fun for the children, education for the parents, and a day of assistance for the staff that we all will serve. The best thing about this event is that we will raise over 200 children’s books to give-away to every child to help them develop in their educational curriculum.
If you’d like to volunteer or serve, email volunteer@lovebeyondwalls.org or view the flyer below.
LBW Team
Below is a quick story of what inspired us to start the #closetstrike journey!
To donate, click [HERE]
Terence
Today, I made 60 DAYS in one outfit… That’s two months or 1,440 hours. I only have 30 days left in one outfit to raise uniforms for kids in four schools who will struggle in their closets. #lovebeyondwalls has vowed to adopt four schools [READ HERE TO FIND OUT SCHOOLS] to resource over 200 students who may need a help in their closets this coming school year.
It has been a long sixty days in this one outfit, but I’m not stopping until @lovebeyondwalls resources every single child…
As you can see, my shoes are busted and my uniform has collected tons of stains… This has been both embarrassing and rewarding! Why? Because I’m following what Christ would do… I’ll release my first video tonight explaining why I started this journey…
Terence
This past weekend, 60+ people stopped by our facility for #lovebeyondwalls Meet, Greet, & Serve day! It was awesome! In fact, tons of the people who stopped by went out and served with us in the College Park community to serve those in need. It was our second (Dream Center type) Adopt-a-Block to outreach to the community.
We were able to provide food & water to many people who live in low income apartment complexes! It was both heartfelt and inspiring to see both volunteers and residents stand in a circle together in prayer!
In fact, one lady (resident) broke down in tears because she said, “If you guys wouldn’t have shown up, I wouldn’t have had food for the next two weeks….” This lady thanked God with everything right in the parking lot. We all left those apartments thanking God for the ability to serve, but also meditating on two passages from the scriptures that speak to what we experienced…
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world (James 1:27, NRSV)”
“Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? (Matthew 6:26-30, NRSV)
Terence
Today is literally the 59th DAY of me wearing one outfit! I can’t believe I’ve been able to go so long (as I miss my other clothes). That’s 1,416 hours… The hardest challenge about wearing the same outfit has been the embarrassment. People have literally seen me in this outfit everywhere…
Oh, and I have gotten some mean mugs, and cold stares. But, I have learned how to ignore them. I can only imagine how children feel who have to endure this treatment from their peers. Especially when they had no say in the poverty that they are faced with… You don’t believe me about the embarrassment, well here is a picture of my shoes that are starting to become busted…
So far, we have not met our goal, but I am confident that we will meet it. Starting tomorrow, I will release videos to share this story more to raise the last 170 uniforms needed to jumpstart the closets in four under resourced schools we are partnering with to build uniform closets.
If you would like to donate, I ask that you read the #closetstrike story [HERE]
Terence
Last night, the entire #lovebeyondwalls team was honored for doing the work of God in the community! It was not only a humbling experience it was encouraging at the same time! We all walked away not puffed up, but encouraged to continue following God and sharing God’s love with all people! Below is a picture of the aware that we won!
The LBW Team
Today makes 54 DAYS in one outfit.
So far, we’ve gotten one and a half schools covered with uniforms, and still have 175 uniforms to go… I literally only have 36 more DAYS to go wearing one outfit, and will start putting out videos when I hit DAY 30 for thirty days straight.
Honestly, I don’t know what I was thinking giving away every single thing I owned to walk in the shoes of those children who go to school wearing one outfit multiple days. BUT I know it is what I was called to do… I wanted to do what I know God would do if God was roaming the earth. I wanted to bring attention to a sensitive issue that plagues the spirit and confidence of children I have encountered in Title 1 schools.
It’s been a rough journey wearing the same thing every single day, BUT I am super hopeful that God will and can and WILL meet many needs that we will serve in the schools our organization has adopted.
#lovebeyondwalls needs your help raising the last 175 uniforms. If you want to know how to get involved, read the uniform collection story [HERE]
Terence
This past weekend, I made 50+ DAYS in one outfit (hoping to build closets in Title 1 Schools)… Also, @lovebeyondwalls got a chance to participate in an event hosted by @goodiehack. Goodie Hack is an event that brings together both cause driven organizations and techies to develop apps that may solve challenges the organization may have.
This event took place at the Opportunity Hub in downtown ATL (heart of the city). Companies like Google, Awesome Foundation and Be The Match were present and sponsors. Not only did @lovebeyondwalls place for its pitch and #lovearmy app idea, it was an awesome time working with total strangers who believed in our mission and what we stand for in this world (the love of God). Below are a couple of pics. Enjoy and follow the movement!
Terence
