New York Trip: Day 1

I arrived in Schenectady (skin-neck-tad-e) New York to meet up with Fasm. I got picked up by a guy named Tim who is 6'4" plays basketball, raps and DJ's. He took me to the downtown core where there were a bunch of kids playing basketball at a youth centre. Fasm was apparently flown from California to New York to come teach the youth Graffiti skills at blazefest. It as a christian outreach through youth for christ which teaches the four elements of hip hop (MCing, Break Dancing, DJing and Graffiti) and shows the youth some christian artists who use the four elements in a positive way. Blazefest: 'cause everybody on the block needs Jesus. When I got there the forecast said rain and there was an outdoor event that night so the teachers lead the youth in a prayer to hold off the rain. Then Fasm taught a lesson about graffiti. I talked with annother writer who came from Ohio to help recently named Zion.

We packed up our stuff and did some clean up when Ray (Rayski) the leader of the told us we had to leave quick cuz Tim was in the park setting up for tonight and he got a knive pulled on him. We all ran to the cars and drove to the park. Apparently Tim had his cell phone out and a kid swiped it. And wouldn't give it back and then tried to take off on his bike then Ed (the sound guy) grabbed his back tire and the kid pulled out a knife and tried to slice at Tim and Ed. All the while through Tim is praying asking God for guidance for what to do in this situation. And suddenly he gets this idea and says to the kid "listen man, I really need my phone cuz there are numbers in it that I need. I'll give you $20 bucks if you give it back. But all I don't have any money on me, can I write you a check?" The kid agrees and gives Tim his name to write the check out to. Rayski and the rest of us show up at this point and Ray calls the cops. Tim gives them the name and the cops get the check and bring the kid back. Tim talks to the Kid in the back of the cruiser and decides to let him off the hook by not pressing charges.

That night we had two MC's perform Big City and Shine all Brightly. They both had some good things to say to the crowd while Zion and I turned out a nice piece "choosing christ is that game point" (character by fasm). After Big City and Shine talked with Fasm and I about being an artist and in ministry they had alot of applicable experiences having to do with pride, temptation, division, that I found put some things together for my graffiti ministry. While the event was wrapping up Tim was talking to one of the youth and I had a feeling that something really significant was happening. That night he prayed and asked God for a relationship with him for the first time. Everyone was really psyched after and we all prayed for him and Fasm started to tear up durring the prayer. After the night was finished Fasm talked to me about alot of the history of Gospel Graffiti and some of it's philosophy which was really cool.