Birthday Party

Chris Vickory, Kenny Hopkins, Jeff Haines, and myself went to the Glens Falls skatepark to skate at a birthday party, with kids about 10 years old. His parents rented out the skatepark for two hours, and invited us to come and skate for them/with them. In my opinion this has to be the best birthday party for any 10 year old kid. We did a little demo for them, not having to do anything to challenging to impress them, they just love watching. I almost killed a few kids, I had to jump over a little girl rolling towards me on a skateboard, and one time I knocked over a guy on a bike, but everyone was fine, and the parents thought it was funny.

My Parents

Center front is my parents. Yes, my dad is the one with the pony tails and my mom is to his left. So if you have been wondering why I am so crazy sometimes, this is where I get it from.

Love you Mom and Dad

Snow Camp Week #3

This is Snow Camp Week #3, I am working in the kitchen my schedule looks like this: Friday Diner 4:15-7:00; Saturday Breakfast 7:15am-11am; and Sunday Breakfast 7:15am-9:30am. Yes I only work 3 shifts, it is a very easy weekend for me. Lets start out by saying the good news, is that there was 19 people put their faith in Christ Jesus over the weekend.

This week we have about 400 campers which makes things a little more crazy. Most of the meals I worked went well, for breakfast saturday we ran out of pancakes, trying to cook as fast as people were eating wasn't easy, then on top of it all our drink lines froze (soda machines and juice machines), so we had to use those 10 gallon sports jugs to serve Orange Juice, Water, and Apple Juice. However the attitude in the kitchen was really good, what could have been a very stressful time, felt very relaxed and well controlled.

Student Workers (stc) came up for a weekend of snow camp from working with them all summer on the ranch. I was supervisor over some of them in the dish pit. I enjoy being able to see them again, and look forward to seeing them this coming summer, as I most likely will be working on the Ranch again.
Left to Right: John, ???, Adam Davenport, ???, Dale Nolan, Joe, Josh, and Joe's brother

This was Kurtis' first weekend counseling, he got the privilege of counseling with my good friend Kyle Paradise, guaranteed a good time!

Tommy Sewal (and friends) runs a snowboard demo for the Camp on Saturday nights during the cardboard sled races.

Martin Fobes and Friends: "Oakland Vert Session"

Oakland Vert Session from Martin Fobes on Vimeo.

“Have we run out of Words”

“Have we run out of Words”

How many words can be written

Before concepts have no more poetry

How many paintings can be portrayed

Before colors look all the same

How many photos can be captured

Before all creativity is photographed

How many singers to sing

Before all the music is sung

How many scientists to study

Before all of science is gone

How many mistakes to make

Before we’ve perfected our wrongs

How many lives to take

Before all breathe is longed

How many days to live

Before all we need to do is done

R.A. Meeting

Every week at 8pm we have a R.A. meeting with all the R.A.s. we go over mostly a little lesson about issues or something that could possibly apply to us as disciplers and if not then down the road it is stuff we will eventually encounter. The Hungry Dorm R.A.s have been dressing up for this weekly event. Normally our dress consist of hats, and sun glasses or, putting on a tie and getting all dressed up. I prefer not to get dressed up when I am not required to, so I stepped into this R.A. dress up stuff, and made sure we got to feel really comfortable...as if we where sitting on a beach...

Crazy Taxi

As I went about the day, all my friends seemed to be working, I really didn't feel like doing any school work at the time. So I wondered around aimlessly with no intent. I got a book for my Mail Box Girlfriend. A group of us are sending strange objects to the girls who have a mailbox that is right after ours, my mail box number is 1139 hers is 1140. It didn't take long to do that. Then I grabbed a sled and went down this tiny hill once, but it was pretty lame. I decided to get my bike, from the snowman, and try to ride my bike down the icy hill, but that was still way to easy.

As I approached a little red wagon Kyle Paradise showed up. He pushed me down the curvy road to the dinning hall, however I didn't make it far before falling and scrapping my ankle, ripping a whole in my sock. After that we put the wagon on some sleds to try to ride it down that hill. It worked!

So we enjoyed some time doing that, when a girl was walking by carrying her laundry. I told the girl to let me carry it, and for her to sit in the wagon for kyle to pull her to the laundry room. So then we just hunted down any girl we could find carrying anything heavy, and eventually she didn't even have to be carrying anything to get a free ride while listening to soothing instrumental music from my ipod. But not all girls appreciated the offer, and rudely walked away while carrying their heavy bags with no help...

"Self-Nation"

“Self-Nation”

In spite of my King

I stand alone

I took the throne to lead my own

In the pride of my hands

I’ve raised a progression of digression

My nation is weak

We fight to fall

Our dependence is independent

Have you seen the earthquakes thrive?

I look to my people

To my emotions, and feelings

My council

We have decided to continue to fight to die

Survival doesn’t feed our pride

Rage war with me friend

Man against man

Face to mirror

The wounds of my enemies leave me scars

The smiles we wear are seen in terror

Where has our peace gone?

Give me War! I Cry!

We lie in desolation

Our minds equipped with self-nation

We have won before, but now we fall

The enemy has strengthened?

No!, the allies have weakened!

We went to war to fight our war

The war that wasn’t ours

Our King, Thy God’s

I come back to battle for you

Equip me

Take my slaughter into your hands

Revive me from this man

My enemy, that is me

No longer to serve myself

I’m enslaved to you my King!

Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall"

I wrote this poem basically because lots of times I go throughout my life, relying on myself instead of God. I look to myself to solve my problems to give myself strength and endure through things or even looking to others and skateboarding to help me feel better, before I ever consider going to God and His Word. As I am growing I more and more turn to the scriptures to see what God's Word has to say, and how it can comfort me.

"Envisioned Beauty"

“Envisioned Beauty”

My mind conceived beauty

Filled within my head

The sight of all the colors

Sowed just by a thread

The perfect day I see

All indwelled in me

The sound and smell of beauty’s nature

Exactly placed in need

My fingers touch the warmth of color

Turns a mood I feed

Can you see this, feel and smell?

Is it visioned?

I’ll dip my pen to write the story

I swipe my brush to drip its glory

I’ll take a photograph for you to remember

This Perfect day before me

This Poem I wrote about a week ago, but I lost it, and I didn't find it, I just tried to rewrite it. As it seems to me it didn't turn out as good as the first version...

Snow Camp Week #2

Sorry no pictures, I didn't want to carry my camera around to hinder my ministry, seeing I didn't know what to expect, but next time, I realize that it shouldn't be a problem.

Week #2 of Snow Camp has just ended about 1 hour ago. I was a Unit Leader this weekend. Basically I make sure my counselors are doing their job, and that any problems they have are taken care of, or if they need anything to try to provide it for them. Thankfully but sadly my job was pretty easy, so much so I was almost bored, trying to find something to do, as my counselors got sick of me asking them and even bagging them to let me help them in anyway, but I suppose that is a good thing. If it was easy then their must be a lot of problems for me to deal with.

Friday Night, I believe 4 kids, that my counselors counseled, put their faith in Christ. Out of the entire camp 33 kids put their faith in Christ. One of the campers, in my counseling unit, hardly even knew who Noah was. Steve Fiasse (counselor) got to talk to him and share with him creation with other stories, and answered a lot of great questions for him. He asked Steve if he could believe science at all anymore basically, so he had a great opportunity to share with him about those things.

Probably the funniest thing I did all week was play rumble ball with my counselors and campers. We played for about 2 hours. Something about just thrashing people for no apparent reason, is a lot of fun to me. Then my R.A. from last year joined on the other team, I made sure I got some revenge for a few d-points from last year...

As the day went on a had a few issues to deal with, which challenges me a lot because I like to see everyone happy, and I hate it when I can't make both sides happy. Confrontation....however after getting to talk to some people everything was fine and I got to know some guys a lot better through the problems.

The past 2 weeks we have had 200 campers, but the rest of snow camp season we will be having 400 campers every week.

Please continue to be praying for me as I go through the school year, and pray for wisdom in the leadership positions I have.

"In Choices Future"

“In choices Future”

The Fog has clouded me to uncertainty

As my sight grows broader

Everything begins to blur

All that forms shape draws near with resistance

The fear in mystery of the dark shadows to come

What pain and blessing will be done?

Oh! Captain where should we lunge?

Your voice is soft in the seas plunge!

In lights apparel I see no sun

My Captain, Dear Captain

Guide our soul’s sail

To that worthy of the One

I don't’ want to confuse you too much, so I am going to explain this poem. As this year goes on I am getting more worried about my future, and what I will do with my life, who I will become, etc. I have many ideas of things I would love to do, but some of the steps seem impossible, or almost like a dream, as if it could never happen or am not sure if it is a wise decision or what God would want of me. And as I worry about things I just need to trust God, because He has always taken care of me before, and he always will.

Psalm 143:8 “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

Coin Wars

The epic battle of coin slamming fierceness has come. As the war wages on the teams gear up for the fearsest battle yet.

The two top teams from around the world of WOLBI have come to finish what was started a few weeks earlier. Emotions have rised, smiles have frowned, and hands are beginning to sting as they are slammed against the table with all their might to hide the coin and its ching(sound). The Warriors are geared up and ready for the bloodest, deadliest, most intense game of coin slamming you have ever seen!

How the Game works: Defensive Team passes a one coin hand to hand under the table, so that the other team doesn't know who is holding the coin.

Then they put their elbows on the table with their hands in a fist formation. Slamming their hands onto the table trying to hide the noise of the coin.

The offensive team eliminates the Defensive teams hands to leave the last hand on the table with the coin under it.

Snow Camp Week #1

This last week was the first week of snow camp this year. I worked lunch friday, lunch and diner saturday, and lunch on sunday. I was the food prep guy. The weekend went by so fast, I hardly even knew it was snow camp. I had a very nice light load of work. I would actually be bored when I got off work because all my friends had work to do. So I would go work with them, or go play "rumble ball", probably the best activity for snow camp.
Rules: Get ball through other teams goal post, any way possible.
I have to hold myself back though, because the game makes me really aggressive and I really want to just start punching the person with the ball, but I resist and tackle them instead. Overall snow camp went well, when meal we didn't make enough food, and had a delay. Then at the end of the meal all that was left was sauce for noodles and broccoli. So we went out for pizza because sauce on broccoli didn't sound very good to me.

15 teens received Christ over the weekend. It was a smaller weekend with only 200 campers, but praise God for the changed lives.

Please be praying for me as I will be a Unit Leader this coming snow camp weekend, and my ministry in the lives of campers and counselors.

(Sorry there is no photos, it has been taking to long to get them uploaded and I wanted to post this before this weekend)

Check Out...Richie Jackson

More Snowmen?

Yes I know I have made a bunch of snowmen already, but the conditions were perfect to make some more.

Plus Gaby had never made a snowman before, and I wanted to make sure she was taught how to make a snowman right!

The day started out with just Gaby and I making the snowmen. We hoped more people would come so we could make bigger ones, and our wishes were granted. Jeff Haines, Cracken, and The Kid came out to help.

I figured he would get more use out of my bike then I would this winter. I know the snowmen don't have faces...we are in college and don't really have carrots or food laying around.

Senile Seniors

Earl (68) and Gilbert (65) went on vacation to visit the Word of Life Bible Institute.

Well they where there they very so much enjoyed their stay.

They got to join in crafts to make cards for missionaries.

While all the guest welcomed them and what seemed like a nice stay at first didn't always stay that way.

Because not everyone was nice to them, as they got brutally beaten for their old age and even made fun of, for their lack of memory.

GiGi was nice enough to show them around the campus, but in no time she got impatient with the old men, because of their weak legs carried them slowly.

In her inpatientness she drug the old men around causing them much injury.

Gilbert and Earl enjoyed talking to each other about old memories, but not all the memories were good ones.

"The Barn" Teaser

If you look down at about 3 older post is some photos of the barn from many different angles, enjoy the vid.


Barn Teaser 2010 from Martin Fobes on Vimeo.

Special Spy Ops

Today the S.S.O. (Special Spy Ops) took their forces to the Wolbi campus to look for suspicious activity. They spied on many suspects and hid in very strategic locations, using advanced technology to see from distances while duplicated every image they see into a photograph, communicating across compass with state of the art communication devices.

As we searched through the campus we had 3 missions only...

Objective 1: "Winter Love"
In this mission we where sent out to find all the couples to take photos of there faces as they walk closely with their arms linked. This is not a popular mission with couples on campus as the couples will snarl at you hoping you will go away. They fear that their secret relationships will be revealed.

Objective 2: "GPS"
Chris Lopez has requested our assistance to find the missing person. We are to find Jeff Louis and give him the secret note enclosed in my left pocket. Then proceed to find Sharen Wendy, and report her location)

Objective 3: "Hidden Cow"

Don't be seen...well actually be seen by lots of people and make them feel awkward with the photographs, and make them wonder if their lives are endangered.

We are equipped with 2 walkie talkies, a compass, 1 Christmas tree and 1 camera.

Active Camouflage: Flannel, beanies, and dark blue bandanas.

Reward: Having a good time!

"A Message of Death"

“A Message of Death”

At my grave

There lays a stone

Written my name

My body known

Those who show

At past remember

Can only read that who renders

Have they heard?

Or did they stumble

Has this body a thing to say

Are there stories of this grave?

Is it like the other names?

Do they wish they knew his day?

How many people showed for you?

Will his time inspire few?

This world remembers you...?

What’s forgotten?

In this book graves time chew

This stone reads a man who knew

The need for Christ, outside the pew

He stands alone beside the others

Amongst the brothers in this day

There stone reads nothing worth to say

Using lies to hide the shame

What my grave wills to breath?

It has to be…

This mans stone

His stories known

Time Machine: G & S Trucks

G&S skateboard Trucks was based in Chicago. It's a super old truck company. 
I don't think they still make trucks anymore, unless they changed their name.






Willy Santos riding for G&S Trucks

The Barn

Martin Fobes has one of the sickest homemade skate parks in his pole barn and one of the sickest skaters in J-Town, and MI. I got to skate The Barn once, hopefully he will let me out there for another session since he just recently got it completely finished.  Everything is smooth, nothing is too big, you can fit a lot of sick lines together in here and is a lot of fun just watching sick skaters skate and hanging out. (There should be a teaser for "The Barn" coming out soon, I'll post it when it's online.) Here are some photos of The Barn: