Christmas in Nicaragua...Kid's Donations a SUCCESS!!

Being the first time I stayed in Nicaragua
for Christmas I wanted to do something for the locals so had an Idea to
sponsor kids with the help of my art funds in the USA and friends from
home..we were able to donate to over 200 kids..the evening was amazing
and hope we can start a yearly cylce of doing this for the kids.


We had some nice people help chip in to match Nicaragua Art Mission on supporting Christmas donations for the kids who were unable to have gifts for Christmas...We maxed out over 200 kids..and many adults came too! We had chicken, rice, plantains, cool aid, two pinatas, and over 200 gifts..it was so amazing!

Also below is a facebook link to pictures of our local "Nica Kids Christmas"
Facebook link to Photos of Kids:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=131492&id=602167498&l=0e3d57500d


I am wanting to finally post for some of my good friends and family the link to our wedding here in Nicaragua. Enjoy the photos, Daniel
and Kate Pullen did an amazing job and blessed us immensely! Roberto
got his visa on the 23rd and we are heading back to the states (Outer Banks)... in a month to work and save for our future together. Thanks for all your prayers for the visa! What an amazing Christmas present.

Thanks so much to you all.. We love you here from Nicaragua.


For the Wedding Photos:
To do so: they need this info:

Go to the link below: or go to our website:
www.danielpullenphotography.com
click on the "events" page
click on "view your event"
click on the Moraga Gray event
Password is: amor
Click on register and register your account with a user name and password
Click on "view pictures"

No one has to buy anything, but if anyone wants to, that is available.

New Home amazing Fiance and Christmas Toy Drive

Hola de Nicaragua!

The smell of smoke and heat mixed with fruit and chicken welcomed me outside of the Managua airport along with a very happy fiance who embraced me with a huge hug. Oct. 24, 2009, a day of Joy. After being separated from Nicaragua, the one I love, the kids, my life here....I was overcome with happiness to be back in this land.
All is well here in Las Salinas, Nicaragua. The school house "Brazos de Amor" is now cleaned and reopened for Sunday school, art classses, and hopefully start our English classes in December. All the kids are beyond excited about starting classes and the invite I gave for them all to join our Nicaraguan wedding in ...wow...almost 2 weeks, Nov. 28th. If you were not aware from the previous email updates, I have for the past 7 months been planning to marry my best friend, now fiance and love of my life Roberto Moraga...I could write more but if you would like to see updates on our wedding you can feel free to check out www.nicawedding.blogspot.com . Thanks for everyone's prayers for Roberto's visa to come to the USA we are still hoping for him to come this winter! (have our legal USA wedding) :)
With Thanksgiving around the corner, my wedding, and then comes Christmas, I wanted to write to you before it was to late about some future plans. Roberto and I are wanting to sponsor children this Christmas here and start a Toy Drive to bless some kids who might not have the opportunity to recieve this year. We talked about having the church open the doors to serve "gallo pinto" which is a rice and beans dish along with a drink and have the children show up to recieve a designated gift. Roberto and I are willing to sponsor 65 kids with Nicaragua Art Missions funds through the sales of my Red Dawn Designs art prints. After talking to some of the local moms we configured the price per gift would be from $3 to $5 per kid. If anyone would like to sponsor a kid, please let me know. I am able to recieve paypal through www.nicaraguaartmissions.blogspot.com or through the email reddawndesigns@yahoo.com. You can also mail my USA residence and my left hand woman, Debi, can handle stateside funds. I am also getting the local Nicaraguans, and Americans who live here and can afford to do this to participate as well. Please email me the specific details if you would like to sponsor a gift for a child as shown below.

1. A. Male B. Female
2. 1 (1 month - 2 years)
2 (3 years- 6 years)
3 (7 years-10 years)
4 (11 years- 14 years)

so for example if you would like a girl who is 5 years old to sponsor email me, (B,2).

Dawn G. Gray
833 Cedar Dr.
Kill Devil Hills NC 27948

www.nicaraguaartmissions.blogspot.com

I'll update soon....Thanks so much! Happy Christmas to you all!

Back from Nicaragua May 30, 2009

Hey everyone!
This trip to Nicaragua was a good one. In six weeks, a lot has happened. We were able to complete the first two weeks with US Gringo's Daniel Pullen (professional artist) and Ryan Ziegler (high school student) working among the local area of Las Salinas and venturing into the orphanage of Managua and also La Chureca. With lots of memories and rewarding moments teaching and taking the joy of Art to these children I felt that the first two weeks flew past us. I did stay an extra month with my Nicaragua friends and the good ol' family at Popoyo Surf Lodge www.surfnicaragua.com. With the start of a new English class in the making with new teachers Mike Moremen and Kim Yemma, they will be able to put to use the supplies I am leaving this season with Nicaragua Art Missions. We also had outstanding numbers of kids that started coming back to Sunday school once we opened up the doors to the "Brazos de Amor" house. Since I left last September I have had a few locals help teach the kids on Sundays and the art classes were canceled. Thankfully now we have some people offering to facilitate and use the gifts Nicaragua Art Missions has left to reach the kids while I am stateside this summer saving up finances to return.
On a personal note, I am very happy to say that I am engaged. It happened on May 4, 2009, I said yes to a man who won my heart with his ability to Love, Care, Calm, Encourage,and carry the beauty of meekness while serving the Lord and others. I have been friends with local Nicaraguan, Roberto Moraga, for three years. We dated last year and I needed some time to grow and learn, so we agreed we would keep the friendship alive and close until we felt God lead to other ventures. Coming back to Popoyo this spring I had no idea I would leave engaged and planning a November Nicaraguan wedding, but I did..I am. I am not surprised that the one place I love, the people I love, the culture I love, would call me into becoming even closer to it's origin...a spouse of a native. Roberto loves God with all his heart and is quite the opposite of me, he's quiet, patient, not very artistic, and quiet dark compared to me. We share many things in common such as our faith in Jesus, our love for people and kids, surfing, being adventurous, and living on faith not by sight. This will be a very interesting road for us I am sure. Like many typical Nicaraguans, Roberto is not wealthy, actually his family of 7 siblings (I LOVE HIS FAMILY SO SO MUCH) all live together in a small house with a dirt floor. On the other hand, they are happy, healthy, and love each other, and that's what matters the most. I know God will lead us into some new territories and I really think that the work I will be doing in Nica will be strengthened once I am married to man who will become a partner to my work there. I will keep you posted on the wedding and other news. Below is a photo of us together and a few of him.
I also will share the picture of my last horse accident in Nicaragua on April 20, 2009. My horse and I were heading out when I made him gallop up a hill not seeing a cable wire I am lucky to only have gotten knocked out with a blow to my arm and stitches to my nose...I could of gotten my head lacerated is what the locals said. I am very thankful..and if you saw my face now, you can not even tell I had an accident. Here are the pictures...and please know I am thankful for your prayers and support.

I will be raising money through my art sales for the next trip planned in September and will be hoping to start building onto the Mama Ruth Jewelery and Art Store to create a small coffee/smoothie place and rancho where we have in mind to start many community ideas with the local women and kids. For information on my art please visit www.dawngrayart.blogspot.com




Below is also a video of FUEL TV's On Surfari Nicaragua
which aired us in Nicaragua last summer and shows just what Kind of work Nicaragua Art Missions is doing. (note, fastforward the first 50 sec's due the commercial spacing on the rough draft copy)
ON SURFARI NICARAGUA