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
It hit me this AM around 5… It is only four days left until I attempt to do this!
Yesterday, when I picked my daughter up from school she hands me a card that touched my heart… For the last month, my wife and I have been preparing her (and my son) with the information I have been sharing about living on top of the bus for 30 nights.
I told her that she’d see me everyday but that I would be living on a bus trying to awareness/funds so we can help people with #lovebeyondwalls. At first she was uncomfortable because she said, “It was dangerous and she don’t know how I would take a shower” (LOL). But, yesterday it clicked for her. She has been serving with her mom and I since she was a 1 year old. We have modeled our lives in showing her how to be a giving person.
So yesterday she walked up to me, and says, “Dad, I will always be your best friend, and will help you…I’m going to be there…” In fact, she has encouraged me more to start and finish. Check out out card with my beard all grown out…
This touched something deep within me, but it also caused me to start to think about the top four challenges I’ll face while up there. Here they are:
1) I’ll be staying up there at night in freezing weather. Although, I’ll have a power supply it will still be very difficult because the wind chills will get rough.
2) I will not be able to be with my family. Living on the bus will have me away from my family for a large number of days. I will see them, but it will be very difficult.
3) I will not have tons of social interaction. There are some days where we are going to ask people to come out, but I will be on top of the bus tons of hours and not around anyone. I am going to post my number so random people can call me and check on me.
4) It will be a battle mentally. Because I’ll spend close 700 hours on this bus it will be very difficult for me. I will have a lot of free time, and plan on writing, reading, and posting videos giving people updates.
I ask that you keep me in your prayers as I attempt to do this to glorify God, and hopefully mobilize people to help us get this bus up and going to serve/reach more people in Atlanta.
Terence
Below is a brief video introducing the next campaign, and why #lovebneyondwalls is attempting to do this!
LBW Team
Have you every wanted to see something happen so bad that you would be willing to do whatever it took to see it through, and make sure it happened.
Well, that’s the exact space I’m in right now. Around Sept, we were donated a bus, and dreamed of launching a mobile bus that would provide full makeovers (barbershop, closet, and showers) to this who were in need in the city of Atlanta. And, honestly it has been a really slow process.
I didn’t think we’d transform the bus over night, but each day that passes, I am becoming more and more compassionate about making over communities by building relationships, and launching a program that will give people skills who are in need. Especially after seeing the tragic events that have taken place with people killing homeless people in the city of Atlanta, the horrible police brutality cases, and encountering more families with youth in desperate need.
In fact, we are so passionate about this, I am about to stay on the bus a total of 30 nights until we can raise the funds to change this bus so we can reach people. This is by far the craziest thing I have ever attempted to do, but I am this fired up to see our organization play a major part in stopping violence, providing dignity to those in need, and serving more people as time progresses.
I am literally six days away from staying on top of a bus for 30 days to raise awareness about the need to see lives change. Below is a picture of the bus we have spray painted and put a ramp on top of where I’ll be staying.
Terence
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
Next month, we will celebrate our one year anniversary! It has been an amazing journey with many blessings, challenges, and rewards. We are partnering with Midtown Bridge Church to have our “Christmas Party for a Cause” in Atlantic Station. This will be a time of celebration, but also a time of collecting toys/items for over 300 kids that could use hope through a gift of love! Below is the flyer! You can click the image to RSVP for free (with bringing a wrapped toy).
LBW Team
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!
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
LBW Team
This past Saturday, we showed our film at Ga Tech! Now, we have placed it on Vimeo for 7 days to give people a chance to view it who did not see it… In fact, you can view “Love In The Trenches” below. LBW Team
Love In The Trenches (The Love Beyond Walls Story) from Love Beyond Walls on Vimeo.
Last week, we released Brittany’s story, and got amazing responses! This week people started giving to this single mother with eight children. In fact, a generous couple gives away their furniture to help us start the process of furnishing her new townhome!
She was once homeless, and now is in need of a little help….You can help too! She still needs baby bunk beds, kitchen items, winter clothes for her kids, etc…
Read her story [HERE]
This past Saturday, #lovebeyondwalls teamed up with Vinings Church, and several volunteers to take love to those who are homeless in ATL. While out serving, the Love Beyond Walls team encountered a man who had been given very harmful drugs and had lost his memory. In fact, he wasn’t homeless but had been robbed and was living as a homeless person…. He was only trying to connect with his friends.
Long story short, he was visiting Atlanta for the games that were in town, and was able to reconnect with his friends from our time serving. Not only was this amazing, we encountered several homeless friends with amazing stories.
LBW Team
