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Vision

Terence Lester
In MAP16, MAP18, , Vision

Why I’m Marching – MAP18

It’s official. The countdown begins. Today, Terence will make 21 days walking on behalf of the poor in our country. On March 3rd, he set out on a 386 mile journey on foot to the Lorraine Motel to bring attention to poverty and honor MLK’s life.

He started from the Center for Civil & Human Rights in Atlanta, GA and has walked all the way to Mississippi. It’s his hope to arrive at the Lorraine by April 4th (MLK50th).

People have asked him what’s the one thing he wants people to hear from this sacrifice. It’s simple. We have over a 100 million people in our country living near or below the poverty line. Therefore, “Poor People Matter.”

Why I’m Marching – MAP18 from Love Beyond Walls on Vimeo.

LBW Team

Terence Lester
In MAP18, Poverty, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Vision

Hate won’t stop me!

I’ve been up since 3AM thinking about today’s walk. Today makes 8 days since I left the Center for Civil & Human Rights and started walking to the Lorraine Motel.

Yesterday, I crossed the state line.

Although a huge accomplishment, it has come with both blessing and challenges as I walk through small towns.

For instance, yesterday I was walking with my friends and had three experiences that made my flesh crawl and eyes water.

The first experience was when a young guy threatened to hit my friend and I.

Harvey and I were walking on the side of the road with a good shoulder between us and the actual road. We thought we were safe because we were not in the road.

We were feeling good, and then I saw a car coming at us. Yes. A car intentionally coming at us.

The driver was not texting and driving, and he was not distracted. I know this because he looked me dead in my eyes as he pointed the moving vehicle towards us.

As he got closer, at the last minute he swerved the car and flipped us the finger and sped off.

What would make this guy do that? Racism? Hate? I don’t know but it made me feel unwanted as I walked through a city where people were looking at us strange and dealing with tons of poverty.

As soon as we got past that incident, we encountered another incident.

I’ll never forget 10 minutes later two guys in a red pick up truck (with a confederate flag on the bumper) pulled up beside Harvey and I and stared us down and pulled off fast and yelled out the window, “Be safe out here.”

After the second incident, I then noticed I wasn’t wanted in the city.

But, I continued to walk. Why? Because although I was being treated wrong I still saw their poverty. I saw that many of people that were being mean towards us also were in poverty.

I had a moment where I wanted to play it safe and say it isn’t worth it, but then I thought…

“I’m walking for people that may be poor but hate the color of my skin.”

It was at that moment that God gave me the courage to continue walking towards the AL state line.

Jesus’ words yet again challenged me to love in spite of the hatred.

He says,

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”

—Matthew 5:44 NKJV

Although I wanted to get angry, love wouldn’t allow me to do it.

I thought about King’s non-violent approach to solving issues. Although King’s words were radical at moments he also expressed genuine love to all.

In fact, he understood that love is the strongest force when he said in his book Strength to Love, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

After having all those glorious thoughts I was given yet another experience to test my heart to see if I meant it.

Almost three miles from the state border, another pick up truck pulled up beside us, and rolled down the window and stared us down.

We thought they were going to ask us if we needed a ride, but they didn’t.

They backed their truck up (screeching the tires) and sat there looking at us roaring their engine. Ali (a spot car driver) was close and we hopped into the car until they left.

Afterwards, we got out and continued to walk.

Each encounter felt like hate, racism, and anger.

Thinking about the depths of what I felt made me refrain from sharing on social media until I gathered my thoughts.

This morning, as I write this some people will not like it but others will understand what experiences like those do to an African American in this country.

I don’t like racism. It’s sin and shouldn’t exist. But, it does exist and we have to work to eradicate it altogether. We must do it together and not blame each other!

Although I’d love to get angry and stop the march because of those experiences my passion won’t allow me to do that.

Not only am I marching for the poor, I’m also marching for the poverty stricken that may not like the color of my skin.

Why? Because that’s what God has called me to do—love regardless.

Terence

Terence Lester
In MAP18, Vision

We Can’t Continue To Pass By

There’s a famous parable told by Jesus in scripture about the “Good Samaritan.”

If you are unfamiliar, it’s a parable where Jesus is trying to teach people with status, religiosity, and power how to love those that are down and out.

If you have read this before check it out in 10:25–37.

Jesus tells this story of a man that lost every single thing and was left on the side of the road to die because he was beaten and robbed.

There were two opportunities for him to receive help, but the two persons that could have helped passed right by and did nothing.

However, the story takes an interesting twist.

There is this least likely person that appears on the scene and sees the man battling for his life! This Samaritan  makes his way over to the man and chooses to close the social and geographical distance between himself and the man’s poverty.

He doesn’t stop there! He cares for the man until he is restored back to full health.

The man that should have died life changes because a person refused to pass by and do nothing.

The message is clear in this story–we should stop walking by problems when we have the power to do something about the problems right before us.

We’ve got to deal with both the climate that produced the conditions that had the man on the side of the road, and we ourselves must also take time to lift up the people that life has broken down (by choosing to get closer to the issues).

Yesterday, I met a man sleeping on a bus stop bench. Tears fell down my face because as I gazed behind the man, there was an abandoned building right behind him.

Literally, the answer to his poverty and homelessness was gated and boarded up.

Although I am well aware of how some Real Estate properties have private owners, I still dream of conscious courageous capitalist(s) placing people on their agenda and even considering how they can invest in people and communities rather than waiting until communities are gentrified to make a profit.

As I walk to Memphis, TN to commemorate MLK’s last stance for MAP18, I’m reminded that we must stop walking by!

We must not be like the religious leaders in the parable I mentioned above that walks by without stopping to address the issues that plague us all.

This morning before I start DAY 3, I’m thinking about the words found in one of my favorite songs by Kindred The Family Soul. The song is called, “ALL MY PEOPLE.”

The hook says,

“I want all my people around me
Everybody living good
Everybody eatin good
Everybody chillin
I want all my people around me
Everybody eatin good
Everybody living good
I want for my brother what I want for myself.”

I believe what they are communicating in this song is what I feel in my heart at this very moment.

I want to see every single human have access to the resources that will make life a little more peaceful and stable for them.

I would like to see people who don’t have anything have the same quality of life that I have, and many others have.

But, in order for this to happen we must stop walking by!

Terence

Terence Lester
In Gather Atlanta, Gospel, Great Commission, Homelessness, Mission, Missions, Vision

Gather Atlanta – Feburary 2018

Here’s a recap from our recent “Gather Atlanta” in the heart of the city!

We are leading “A Movement of Doers” from all walks to love those who are vulnerable and living on the margins of society.

One of the great things about our “Gather Atlanta” serve days is that people come from everywhere under the umbrella of love to build relationships with those experiencing homelessness and poverty and to take #lovebeyondwalls

 

Gather Atlanta – February 2018 from Love Beyond Walls on Vimeo.

LBW Team

Terence Lester
In Collaboration, Life-dares, MAP18, March Against Poverty, Mission, Missions, MLK Day, Poverty, Raising Awareness, Reconciliation, Vision

10 DAYS AWAY – MAP18 Reflections

I’ve been up since 3AM reading words that chronicle the last few months of Martin Luther King’s Jr. life —
 
Before he was assassinated, he started to campaign about people in this country that were experiencing extreme poverty.
 
His agenda was to ensure that those on the margins of society were not forgotten.
 
King believed poverty was a Civil Rights issue, and so do I.
 
Every single day, I feel that same burning passion to ensure that this nation remembers the voiceless and invisible of our society.
 
In 10 Days, I’ll set out on another journey.
I’m literally walking from The Center For Civil & Human Rights to the Lorraine Motel (386 miles) to honor the 50th year of King’s passing, and to bring attention to an issue that he stood against—poverty.
 
I’m grateful for the historical partners we’ve had to endorse the #MAP18 campaign!
 
In the words of King,
 
“If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s a new definition of greatness.”
 
Learn more at marchagainstpoverty.com
 
Terence
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