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Volunteerism

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, Community, Community Service, Diversity, Education, Empowering Youth, Family, Homelessness, Journey, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Life-dares, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Partnerships, Passion, Purpose, Raising Awareness, Resources, Sole Beauti, Struggle, Transform, Vision, Volunteerism

Get on the bus – Mobile Makeovers!

Below is a brief video introducing the next campaign, and why #lovebneyondwalls is attempting to do this!

LBW Team

Terence Lester
In 501c3, 90 Days, Be the Church, Campaigns, Collaboration, College Park, Community, Community Service, Diversity, DRIVES, Empowering Youth, Great Commission, Homelessness, Journey, LBW Begins, Life Change, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Partnerships, Plant Love, Poverty, Project5K, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, Sole Beauti, Struggle, Techie News, Uncategorized, Violence, Volunteerism

We put Graffiti on the Bus – Take the bus!

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.

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Terence

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Campaigns, DRIVES, Family Values, Fighting for the Hopeless, Gospel, Great Commission, Homelessness, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Life Change, Love Beyond Walls Story, Mission, Missions, Mobile Makeovers, Movement of Doers, Needs, Organization Update, Plant Love, Poverty, Raising Awareness, Resources, Serve, Serving, Sole Beauti, Vision, Volunteerism

Standing Up for Something!

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…

 

Terence Lester
In Be the Church, Campaigns, CarryATL, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, DRIVES, Family, Great Commission, LBW Home, Love In The Trenches, Needs, Party for a Cause, Plant Love, Poverty, Serve, Serving, Uncategorized, Vision, Volunteerism

9 DAYS AWAY – Christmas Party!

In 9 days we will do our first Christmas Party as an organization! We are looking to adopt over 300 kids for Christmas! Our goal is to meet families in their loin of need by giving love away! Click the image below to learn more details!

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LBW Team

Terence Lester
In Campaigns, Collaboration, Community, Community Service, DRIVES, Giving Tuesday, Global, Gospel, LBW Begins, LBW Home, Mission, Missions, Organization Update, Raising Awareness, Serve, Serving, Story, Struggle, Vision, Volunteerism

Giving Tuesday!

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.

givingtuesday

LBW Team

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

 

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