Last night made 16 nights on top of the bus! Literally, we’ve been living on top for 16 days/nights straight, and plan on going a full 30 nights to complete the journey.
Below is a quick video from the halfway point updating and highlighting what’s been happening.
Terence
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.
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
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
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
I have made it through night number two… I cannot believe it. If fact, last night a few people brought me some Christmas lights and food.
But, I woke up around 4AM because the rain was beating against the tent that I am living in on top of the bus. Even as I write this there are raindrops making loud music in the background to my words. If I could be candid, I feel vulnerable, weak, inspired, expectant, and a number of other emotions. If you haven’t seen the bus set up, this is what it looks like when I’m on top of the bus…
However, I am determined to take a stand for people who do not have a voice. I have gotten told several times to stop because this makes no sense… Well, it does for me and #lovebeyondwalls.
This morning, I am thinking of the multiple families we encountered this year where children are living in single parent households and are sometimes unkeemped because the parent(s) can’t afford a hair cut for their child(ren). I am doing it for the kids that have very few clothes and have to go to school and endure the shame and ridicule that keeps them from their lesson. I am doing it for the person who is temporarily homeless and has no way of keeping themselves groomed. I am doing it for the mother who is about to interview but needs a hairstyle and clothes to make her look presentable.
Whether you realize it or not, there are people who need their confidence built, esteem built, and have the proper support system needed to receive the dignity they deserve. It is like my friend from the community Darren said yesterday… “Sometimes having a makeover helps people not feel stereotyped, judged, and outcasted.”
Therefore, I will keep going the next twenty-eight nights on top of this bus to raise awareness about people/communities that need to be made over. It is our vision to see this bus transformed so we can serve the people I mentioned above. Not only are we passionate about this, we are hoping you will get behind us and support #mobilemakeovers too.
Terence
We are only one day away from committing 700 hours to take a stand to live on top on the bus (30 nights in a row) to raise awareness, and resources that will empower us to serve more people in the city of Atlanta.
LBW Team
This year has been really emotional for a number of reasons! Firstly, I think our country has been awakened to the fact that people matter. No matter what color of skin, all people matter and should NOT be treated unfairly, unjustly, or dehumanized.
We’ve seen the homeless epidemic rise, people battle and struggle with job loss, multiple youth lose their lives to police brutality, and poverty continue to place its firm grip tightly around those that are plagued by it.
Second and last, we’ve heard the underlining clarion call for people to unite band together, and take responsibility in their communities. If we have learned nothing else from the events that have taken place this year, we have learned that more people are needed to take a stand for something. Whether it be poverty, violence, employment, etc… more people are needed to stand up and become a bridge for those who are in need.
Right now, #lovebeyondwalls is on a mission to reach communities, those faced with poverty and (young and old) people who want to overcome and make their lives over. Our hearts have not only been broken for the recent killings that have happened in the news, but toward community, youth, and the family structure.
A few months ago, a church gave us a bus to transform into a makeover bus to reach communities and people. It has been a dream of our organization not only to reach people, but to use it as a platform to launch a program to teach people skills needed to function in life. We’d pass along this skills to help people take steps toward having a full life makeover!
In fact, we are so serious about launching this vehicle, we are going to attempt something that’s extremely hard in an effort to bring awareness to the growing need to help families, youth, and those who are homeless in the city. Additionally, we want to mobilize people to get involved in helping us create real solutions. We are going to take a stand to launch something to help make the lives of people over!
Below is a quick clip of what…
It’s Giving Tuesday, and we hope LBW is in your plan for giving this Holiday Season.
There are two quick-and-easy ways to support LBW. Firstly, you can simply visit our site, and make a contribution [HERE]. Every gift powers us to serve more people, and spread hope and love!
Secondly, you can give toward our “MOBILE MAKEOVERS BUS” campaign [HERE]. We are aiming to retrofit a bus to reach those who are under resourced in Atlanta.
If you experienced any of our service projects or stories this year, or if you believe in our efforts to reach those who are in need, please make a tax-deductible year-end donation.
LBW Team
On Nov 1, myself and several people from our team launched a silent campaign to raise awareness about people who are in transition or are plagued with poverty and have a difficult time keeping themselves groomed. This campaign consists on men not shaving their beards or cutting their hair. For women, it means going natural and not cutting their hair. We have 55 more days to go!
Why do this? Because we are about to launch our next biggest campaign to serve men, women, and children in a mobile way! Check out the video below to see why haircuts are so important…Terence
About a month ago, we met a guy named Leonard digging through trashcans! We walked up to him, stopped him, and engaged into about a 45 minute conversation with him. During our conversation, we asked Leonard a very important question, “If you had one wish, what would you do with it….” Leonard paused, thought, and then said these words… “I WISH I COULD BE MADE OVER!”
He shared with us that he hadn’t showered in over two months, and he was too far from a shelter to walk to one. In fact, he was on the outskirts of Atlanta, and the nearest shelter was over 15 miles away.
I (Terence ) distinctly remember leaving there think to myself, “There has got to be a way to make people over….” Paul writes “that God has the power to make people a new creation through the good news (2 Corinthians 5:17)”
Well, to start the process of our next awareness campaign! I (and a few others) are going to go until next year without cutting our hair (starting Nov 1)…. This month also happens to be MOVEMBER (A month dedicated toward raising awareness about men health issues)
Why? I am glad you asked. Well, you’ll find out what we will attempt to do to help people like Leonard around the city of Atlanta! Pray that God continues to resource us to take #lovebeyondwalls
Watch the video below to see the bus…. Terence
