Blankets & Socks – Page 2 – LoveBeyondWalls

Days 85-87 – Awesome BBQ!

This past weekend, #lovebeyondwalls partnered with several people to pull off a BBQ in College View Hill Apartments on Saturday. We had over 30 volunteers, served over 250 people food, resourced 20 people with groceries, and led over 30 youth to faith.

A young man that worked with us named Demetrious Nimmons had each of those young people sign the basketball after declaring their faith in the Lord. Below is a collage of a few pictures from this past weekend. Also, this BBQ day made DAY 85 in on the #closetstrike journey!

Terence

Day 62 Repairing the Shoe!

Today is DAY 62 of #closetstrike! Had to fix my shoes with some tape… Determined to go the full 90 days and raise these closets for kids in Title 1 schools… Check out the story [HERE]

Terence

Plant Love Campaign

We are approaching a historic month for #lovebeyondwalls! Why? Because in the month of April we will occupy our first office/slash storage space. Below is a picture if you have seen it yet:

Of course it is not a gigantic building, but it will be something we call a headquarters & home.

It will be a “launchpad” for the work we would like to continue doing in our city (ATL), country, and world.

It will be a place where we can get planted and grow as an organization. We ask that you do four specific things to help us get planted into our new office/storage space in the month of April (whole month).

1) Pray – I ask that you pray that God allows us to get planted, and immediately continue to reach people who do not have any hope.

2) Give – I ask that you look at our simple “wish list” and contribute in of the items on it that we need. This is ALL from scratch, so we will need your help. But, if we have to spend the first month on the floor with laptops working, we are cool with that too. LOL. Simply click [HERE] to visit our “wish list” page.

3) Volunteer – We will post the days that we will start working on the building to clean it, and make minor repairs to it. We ask that you volunteer to help get our building together. We will need help getting organized, painting, etc. Why? As we get planted, we can help more people.

4) Share our story – If you know someone who could help us move forward, share our story. You never know who “you know” that we can help, or could help us.

Thank you for reading this blog. Pray for #lovebeyondwalls as we aim to “PLANT LOVE” in the city of Atlanta! Below is the graphic for the new campaign #plantlove

Terence

Terence Lester In 50 Day Count Down, Blankets & Socks, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, DRIVES, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, Life-dares, Movement of Doers, Raising Awareness, Serve, , Vision

The Countdown Begins (DAY 15 HOMELESS FOR A NIGHT)

On February 28th, I am going to sleep in a tent in Douglasville overnight at Crossroads Church (in the parking lot) before we start the #30milewalk at 3AM or 4AM in the morning!

The reason why I am doing this is so we can get a huge headstart on the journey before us. It is going to take us at least 12+ hours to complete the 30 miles, and I want to make sure we have enough time to make it to Paschal’s restaurant between 3pm-6pm.

If you’d like to start out walking with us, I am inviting you to do so by meeting us at the church, joining us on the route on Bankhead HWY, or walking the last mile with us on Northside Dr. Lastly, I am sleeping in a tent because we are aiming to get the full experience of walking in the shoes of homeless people who have to struggle to survive (through walking and living outside)!

Below is the artwork if you are interested…

nightofhomelessness

Terence

Terence Lester In 50 Day Count Down, Blankets & Socks, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, DRIVES, Education, Engagements, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, Life-dares, Movement of Doers, Raising Awareness, Serve,

The Countdown Begins (DAYS 28-26 STORIES ARE AMAZING)

I really can’t believe I only have 26 more days until I walk 30+ miles on behalf of ALL who are homeless in this country! This is totally something I have never done before in my life, but I feel like I should. I may be as focused as ever at this point! Why? Because I truly have a heart for those without a voice!

2014-02-02 17.43.53

Here’s why:

This past saturday, we mobilized 40+ volunteers to hit the streets with us to engage those who are homeless in ATL! I truly encourage those who serve with us not to give ONLY a hand-out, but connect with them as people and HEAR their stories.

I encourage people to build relationships in hopes to create trust between the served and those that serve. NOT TO SAVE, BUT TO RESTORE DIGNITY! Well, something special happened this past Saturday…

A young lady (Flowers) who has been serving with us connected with a gentlemen, heard his story, talked to him for hours, and wrote down tons of free resources for him to use to get himself together (and off the streets).

Well, when we went out there again… this same guy walked up to her, and shared with the entire group all the steps he had taken. He was clean shaven, showed the group many of the things he had collected, was looking for work, and mentioned he was checking himself into a facility this week (WED). Even better, he prayed with us at the close…

People who served (young and old) got a chance to see what God can do through relational power!

This story is powerful because he remembered not the ~~handouts,~~ but Flowers taking time to hear his story.

We are checking up with him this week for encouragement and to make sure he follows through. With stories like these, I can’t help but to see this 30 mile walk through, continue to build #lovebeyondwalls, and continue to love on those that are forgotten… Continue to pray for my strength as I prepare mentally to take this huge step of faith.

Below is a picture of our new friend Tony! Pray for him, and his new steps toward freedom!

Terence

Terence Lester In 50 Day Count Down, Blankets & Socks, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, DRIVES, Great Commission, Homelessness, Interview, Journey, Life-dares, Movement of Doers, Raising Awareness, Serve, , Uncategorized

The Countdown Begins (29 DAYS LEFT – Four Reasons to Walk)

Yesterday, I received a few emails from people asking me, “Why are you walking so far for homelessness?” or “Can I walk with you?” Well, you’ll find my answer in the four points and picture below:

1) I am walking because I believe the voiceless often times go unheard — There are many people who have hit rock bottom, and have had a hard time recovering from that low place. You’ll never hear their stories, or see them on the news. Nonetheless, their stories MATTER (no matter where they are, or what happened). Therefore, #lovebeyondwalls would like to sacrifice our time and energy to do something that will uplift them.

Maybe you can relate with being voiceless… I know many of us who were trapped in cars the other day for hours and hours can relate.

2) I am walking because of my homeless friends under the I-20 75/85 bridge — There are many that I have befriended under that bridge. In fact, they call me every other day, and I truly care about them. Of course I don’t have tons of resources to pull them off the streets (yet), but I listen to them, know their stories, shed tears with them, model Christ to them, and consider them people that God loves dearly. And, if God loves them, I am going to love them too… Hopefully, my walking will inspire someone to come along side #lovebeyondwalls, and help restore “some” that want to be restored.

3) I am walking to teach people what I’ve learned — While homeless around Christmas time, I learned five lessons from walking in the shoes of the homeless. And, I would like to share those lessons. One of the lessons has to do with walking. When you are homeless, there is non-stop physical movement… especially during the winter months! Without the ability to walk, you could stay somehwere and literally die (if you don’t have that ability or support).

Do all people who are homeless have to walk? No. However, many people who stay on the streets do…

4) I am walking because of the picture below — Below is a picture of one of my homeless friends that uses socks for shoes. Have you ever walked miles in socks? I haven’t either. Therefore, not only am I walking to raise awareness, restore dignity, and mobilize people — I am walking to help some people get simple things like shoes to survive and live.

Short answer, YES people will join in at various points to walk… That information will come in later blogs…

Until then, continue to pray our strength as we prepare to make this journey…

Terence

Terence Lester In 50 Day Count Down, Blankets & Socks, Campaigns, Collaboration, Diversity, Education, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, Life-dares, Movement of Doers, Raising Awareness, Serve,

The Countdown Begins (30 DAYS LEFT – SECOND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN)

Do you want to know why I am losing almost 30lbs? Here goes…

Did you know that people who are in transition (homeless) have to walk to survive? In fact, if they live in a major city like Atlanta, walking is a must.

“You have to walk to shower…Walk to eat… Walk to use the restroom… Walk to get food… Walk to find clothing… Walk to find employment… Walk to the bus stop (or train station)… Walk to get medical help… Starting to get the picture yet?”

Walking is a means of survival, life, and wellbeing to someone who doesn’t have a home or the necessities of life. These are hard shoes to wear! Why? Because it takes a toll on your body, your hope, and your energy level….

WATCH THIS VIDEO

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Could you imagine walking 50-70 per week just to survive and make it (hoping to transition off the streets)? Could you imagine walking 365 days out the year? Could you imagine being tired from survival and having very little energy to do anything else?

Well, #lovebeyondwalls is going to do something about it…While living on the streets for three days, I found out that many of my homeless friends walk tons of miles per week to survive (watch the video). Walking is equivalent to water and food to a homeless person.

On March 1st, 2014, I am going to attempt to do something I have never done in my life to teach people what I have learned about the survival of people in transition (homeless).

Along my journey, I am going to invite people at various points to join in with the walk on later blogs… Also, I will release the specific journey that I will take, and how you can meet me at the end of the journey (and what we are doing in March)…

I am going to wear the shoes of the my homeless friends again by walking thirty miles straight in one day (four miles over a marathon). Why? Because many of my homeless friends in Atlanta and across this country have to walk to survive! It’s a little less than the distance that some homeless people have to walk per week. BUT, It’s going to take me 10-12+ hours to do it…I am also doing this to teach the world the top five lessons I learned while homeless. This will be a way #lovebeyondwalls can show the world how much a person without a home has to go through to live and survive. Why? Because many homeless people walk marathons every week (without notice). #lovebeyondwalls has created the second homelessness ribbon! It is a ribbon for the voiceless. We have created this ribbon to give those who are overlooked, and deemed rejects of society a voice. Therefore, we are calling it “VOICE FOR HOMELESSNESS…”

Our organization feels that this is one way people can correlate walking with “walking to survive…” (literally)

I’m walking in the shoes of the homeless again, and hope to help many restore their lives from the streets… Pray my strength!

Terence

Terence Lester In 50 Day Count Down, Blankets & Socks, Blogging Journey, Collaboration, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, Life-dares, Movement of Doers, Raising Awareness, , Uncategorized, Vision

The Countdown Begins (DAY 34 FOR THE VOICELESS)

Below is a picture of me and my brother (Rahkeem)… These reason why I post this picture is because I truly believe in this young man. Currently, he lives under the bridge with his mother, and is only 19 years old. I make it my goal to spend time with him once or twice a week.

Why? Because I am building a relationship with him, and hope to grow #lovebeyondwalls enough to remove him from the streets. Yesterday, he read a poem/rap to me that he wrote for us… It went something like this, “Been struggle since I was thirteen seeing homelessness for me…”

He is only a kid, and still has so much future ahead of him! However, he is voiceless! ~~This must end…~~ I am going to sacrifice my life a little this year to make sure that people like Rahkeem and others get help, or at least be heard.

There are three ways we are planning on helping this young man, and his wife. I ask that you keep us in your prayers as we make preparations to do so in months to come. I consider this young man not only a friend, but a younger brother that needs a “hand up” not a “hand out…”

Terence

Terence Lester In 50 Day Count Down, Blankets & Socks, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, DRIVES, Homelessness, Journey, Life-dares, Movement of Doers, Raising Awareness, Serve,

The Countdown Begins (DAY 37 Volunteer w/ #lovebeyondwalls)

We are approaching February, and have two service opportunities coming up before #lovebeyondwalls’ second awareness campaign. If you’d like to volunteer with us, details are on the flyer below:

Terence

Terence Lester In 50 Day Count Down, Blankets & Socks, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, DRIVES, Homelessness, Raising Awareness, Serve, , Uncategorized

The Countdown Begins (DAYS 42&41 MUST STAY CLEAN)

Have you ever gone 3 full days or even a week without a shower or bath?

What about this… Have you ever stood in a line of 100+ to take a shower, and got discouraged by the time it got down to only 20 in front of you (because it took hours for you to go)?

Well, many of our homeless brothers and sisters experience this week in and week out. In fact, when I lived on the streets for three days, I found out that personal hygiene was hard to maintain if you are a homeless person (especially if you live on the streets). Why? Because there isn’t easy access to everyday products like toothpaste, soap, rags, lotion, q-tips, etc… (products that are some times at arms length for us)

I remember day 2 when I went homeless… I decided that I wanted to take a shower… I wasn’t able to because a gentlemen fell out in the shower, hurt himself (causing blood to be on the floors), and they shut the shower down for a few hours (by that time, I was discouraged). It took hours for the shelter to clean it up and by that time, I was on day two without a shower… It was hard because I wanted to shower or at least keep clean, but wasn’t able to.

Point blank, it is hard. It is hard to maintain cleanliness when there are only “few” showers around the city for thousands of homeless people. Therefore, if you wanted to know why #lovebeyondwalls is collecting hygiene products, this is why… With walking in the shoes, and hearing the heart of many of my homeless friends… We have decided to provide hygiene “LOVEKITS”

In the month of February, #lovebeyondwalls is collecting “LOVEKITS” filled with hygiene items that will aid our homeless friends with items to survive on the streets. To participate, contact us [HERE], or simply drop-off items at one of our three locations on the flyer below.

Terence

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