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Social Justice

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Diversity, Empowering Youth, Fighting for the Hopeless, Gospel, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Mission, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Passion, Plant Love, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, , Sole Beauti, Transform, Uncategorized, Volunteerism

Night 2 – I refuse to stop!

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.

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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…

 

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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

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

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Campaigns, Community, Community Service, Diversity, Family, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love In The Trenches, Movement of Doers, Needs, Partnerships, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, , Story, Vision, Volunteerism

Vinings Church Collects Toys!

This past weekend, one of our church partners began collecting toys for our upcoming “Party for A Cause” one year anniversary! We are using this party as a way to give love away to over 300 children in need in the community where we serve (for Christmas).

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LBW Team

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, College Park, Community, Community Service, Diversity, DRIVES, Engagements, Family, Family Values, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Partnerships, Passion, Plant Love, Poverty, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, , Sociology, Vision, Volunteerism

Sponsor a Makeover!

You can sponsor a makeover today by clicking the image below!

Mobilemakeover

LBW Team

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, College Park, Community Service, Diversity, DRIVES, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Partnerships, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Serve, , Sole Beauti, The Local Church, Transform, Vision, Volunteerism

Help Us Change Lives – Mobile Makeovers!

This past Saturday, we launched one of our most heartfelt campaigns called “Mobile Makeovers” on indiegogo! Simply put, we are aiming to raise funds to retrofit a 30 passenger bus and turn it into a mobile barbershop, closet, and shower to serve homeless individuals in the city of Atlanta, and under resourced communities.

Mobile Makeovers – Mobile Barbershop, Closet, & Shower from Love Beyond Walls on Vimeo.

In fact, the top five reasons we need your help getting this project off the ground is simple:

1) It will help us reach people who have no hope, and do not have a voice.

2) It will help us to restore dignity back to those who have been dehumanized or marginalized by poverty.

3) It will help us bring agencies, churches, and individuals together to do good in the city and love on people.

4) It will help us see total life change in the lives of those we serve that are ready to make that step!

5) It will help us educate more people about poverty, homelessness, and social ills that plague communities.

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Above are real reasons why we feel we should take this bus and do something amazing with it to impact real people experiencing real problems. There are four ways you can get involved:

1) You can pray–pray that God blesses us to complete this project.

2) You can share–share the story of this project.

3) You can give-give toward our 50K goal by clicking the image.

4) You can serve–volunteer to serve to help us retrofit the bus.

Overall, we would just like to give our small token back to society in a major way.

Terence

 

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community Service, Diversity, DRIVES, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Plant Love, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, , Struggle, Vision, Volunteerism

Barbershop. Closet. Shower!

In a few days, we are going to attempt the biggest project we’ve ever took on! We are going to serve the less fortunate by raising funds to convert the bus we were donated into a mobile barbershop, closet, and shower to serve the homeless and low income communities! We ask that you pray that God leads us in this process… Last year, we were sleeping under bridges, this year we want to rescue people from bridges to see life-change!

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LBW Team

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Corporate Sponsorships, Diversity, DRIVES, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Partnerships, Plant Love, Raising Awareness, Resources, , Sole Beauti, Vision, Volunteerism

Historical weekend – DAYS 7-10

This past weekend, we partnered with Points of Light to mobilize 5 interns to help us take the seats out of the bus we were donated. They arrived, heard our vision, and instantly connected with the vision we are attempting to implement. Below are a few pictures, and clips from their service. We are going to launch our campaign to attempt to raise funds to finish our campaign… (this weekend also marks 10 days of no haircuts/beard shaving)

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Terence

 

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blankets & Socks, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, DRIVES, Engagements, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Partnerships, Plant Love, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, , Sole Beauti, Struggle, The Local Church, Transform, Vision, Volunteerism

Nov 1 – Starts the campaign

Starting tomorrow Nov 1, myself (Terence) and a few from our team will start another journey to help those in need. I’m literally going until 2015 without cutting my hair or beard. Can’t wait to reveal why soon…#mobilemakeovers #lovebeyondwalls

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LBW Team

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Current Events, Fighting for the Hopeless, Give Miles Away, Gospel, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Organization Update, Partnerships, Raising Awareness, Resources, , Sole Beauti, Transform, Uncategorized, Videography, Vision, VLOG, Volunteerism

No more haircuts!

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

 

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Gospel, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Mission, Missions, Needs, Partnerships, Plant Love, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, , The Local Church, Transform, Vision, Volunteerism

Serving is GOOD!

This past weekend, 50 volunteers roamed the streets of Atlanta to reach those who are homeless and in transition! We served, shared the love of God, and touched hundreds of people in need. Below are a few pictures from our time serving below!

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