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Terence Lester
In 50 Day Count Down, Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Corporate Sponsorships, Engagements, Fighting for the Hopeless, Gospel, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Passion, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, Sole Beauti, Struggle, Thanksgiving, The Local Church, Vision, Volunteerism

Nights 13-14 – First Mobile Makeover

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.

 

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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

 

Terence Lester
In Anniversary, Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Diversity, DRIVES, Fighting for the Hopeless, Gospel, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movies, Plant Love, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, , Sole Beauti, Story, Struggle, The Local Church, Transform, Vision, Volunteerism

Nights 11-12 – Channel 2

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

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, College Park, Community, Community Service, DRIVES, Education, Family Values, Fighting for the Hopeless, Give Miles Away, Giving Tuesday, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Movies, Partnerships, Passion, Plant Love, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, Sociology, Struggle, The Local Church, Transform, Uniforms of Hope, Volunteerism

Night nine – What keeps you going?

Below is a quick clip put together by sG3 Media asking me what will keep me going for the 30 nights on top of bus?

 Terence

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, College Park, Community, Community Service, DRIVES, Empowering Youth, Family Values, Fighting for the Hopeless, Give Miles Away, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Leadership, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Love In The Trenches, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Partnerships, Party for a Cause, Passion, Plant Love, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, , Sole Beauti, Struggle, The Local Church, Vision, Volunteerism

Seven nights – Hardship & one week

If I could be honest, I have experienced many hardships in the first week of living on top of the bus for 30 days! Below are the top seven hardships:

1) It has rained two nights out of the seven nights. Both nights I got very little sleep.

2) I have received hate mail, and shots taken at me for sleeping on top of the bus.

3) I have spent tons of hours in solitude (which can be a great thing as well)

4) I am sleeping in a very confined space, and it gets tiring being in a cramped up space.

5) It has been very emotional at times knowing that we have a strong desire to serve those who are less fortunate.

6) It has been very cold. Although I am in a warm space, it ca be very difficult when I want to get some fresh air, and the cool air pushes me back into the tent.

7) I still have a long way to go. In fact, I have 23 more nights to live on top of the bus.

Although these hardships are real, I know that God is with me, in me, and leading #lovebeyondwalls to do more good for people who are often times forgotten about.

Terence

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community Service, Diversity, Empowering Youth, Family, Family Values, Fighting for the Hopeless, Give Miles Away, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, LBW Begins, Leadership Development, Life Change, Love Beyond Walls Story, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Partnerships, Passion, Plant Love, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, , Sole Beauti, The Local Church, Vision, Volunteerism

Night 5 – Coffee & a kid with no socks!

This morning I feel passionate. I have completed five days of the 30 days I’ll be on top of the bus. Why? Because yesterday over fifteen people stopped by at random to check on me and keep me encouraged to continue going the distance. It’s always good to get company when you are in solitude.

It started with a cup of coffee… The community down the street heard that I was living on top of bus, and a lady from the community brings a cup of coffee during the morning around 6AM.

What was so inspiring was that she was walking to work on foot. Her words were thank you for what you guys are doing for people in need… First time I shed a tear up here…

Then later that day a random 12 year old (riding a bike) from the community stops by and starts a conversation with me. He asked what the bus was because the graffiti caught his imagination. “I”m living up here…” I said. Then with a snarky look on his face, he asks why.

So, I explained and then noticed that he wasn’t wearing and socks… It was around 39 degrees outside. We talked more and I found out that his family had been experiencing homelessness as well. He said that his aunt was, and that his family was in trouble too. I was blown away because he was extremely vivd in his explination of his experiences. I think he said, “We won’t have a Christmas tree because the rent man says we have to get out…” He reminded me of why I am living on this bus…

Although the two stories are different, both are connected. Both the lady and the young man are from the community, and both expressed in some sense a deep need for makeovers to happen (personally and in the community)! I hope they both come back by… I hope at some point we will be able to help them both… Until then, the cup of coffee below and the boy on the bike is what God used to get me through night number five.

I ask that you keep me in your prayers as I have 25 more nights to go.

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Terence

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, Documentaries, DRIVES, Education, Empowering Youth, Family, Family Values, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Partnerships, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, Sole Beauti, Struggle, The Local Church, Videography, Vision, Volunteerism

Top Four Challenges of Living on Bus – Mobile Makeovers!

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…

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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

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Blogging Journey, Campaigns, Collaboration, Community Service, DRIVES, Empowering Youth, Engagements, Fighting for the Hopeless, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Love Beyond Walls Story, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Partnerships, Passion, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Serve, Serving, Sociology, The Local Church, Uncategorized, Vision, Volunteerism

Why Get on the Bus? – Mobile Makeovers!

About a month ago now, I had a conversation with my family. Specifically, my wife. She looked at me and asked me a very important question. She asked, “What are you going to do to take a stand for what you believe in?” I responded. “What do you mean?”

It short she was making a bold implication, “If you believe that God wants you to make over lives with this bus, then be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish that.” Thus we both agreed that I could live on top of the bus 30 nights in a row to bring awareness to several issues, and do whatever it took to help those we are seeking to help (Staying on top of the bus from Dec 14-Jan 14).

Therefore, yesterday I decided to publish the story and let the world know what I am attempting to do so #lovebeyondwalls can restore dignity back to more people through our makeover bus… I have gotten pretty negative responses, but I have also gotten some positive responses.  However, what matters most is that I take a stand for our cause, and what God has placed on my heart to do. 30 nights is a long time, but with support I can do it…

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My heart is filled with so much compassion for youth who live in single parent households (especially after the tragic events that have occurred recently), and families who struggle day to day in communities that are broken and often times lifeless. I know the makeover bus is not the full answer, but we could use it to start the process of helping/serving those we can touch and help, and mobilizing more compassionate people.

In fact, I overcame a number of odds myself and had a life makeover… I was once a high school dropout, juvenile delinquent, ex-gang member, grew up in a single parent household, was very misguided, and troubled in my teenage years and a portion of my early twenties. However, I beat the odds by God’s grace… (If you’d like to read some of my story, I wrote a book in my younger years called “U-TURN.” It’s the story of how my life was made over and how I turned my life around).

Therefore, this bus means more to me than lights and cameras or bells and whistles… It represents the power of life-change. It symbolizes that lives can change when people take interest in other people by helping them take a stand for their lives. It represents that hope is still near, and that dignity can restore brokenness. I don’t have a perfect story, but God used people to get me to where I am today.  Someone helped me so we (#lovebeyondwalls) want to help others.

Honestly, I am asking people to do four specific things… 1) Pray, 2) Share the story, 3) Give so we can reach our goal, and 4) Serve by coming out to help us when we start the process.

I truly solicit your prayers as I attempt to take a stand for homeless people, youth, and broken communities that need more that words… They need makeovers. Pray that God helps us change this bus so we can possibly change lives.

Terence

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, Campaigns, Community, Community Service, Gospel, Great Commission, LBW Home, Life Change, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Movies, Needs, Partnerships, Passion, Poverty, Raising Awareness, Serve, Serving, The Local Church, Vision, Volunteerism

No Cuts for Love – DAY 6!

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

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

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