Nicaragua Update August 29

Hola!
Well it has been a few weeks since I last wrote and
I apologize. I have been super busy..which is a good
thing. I have a full schedule now..if interested
browse below, and then I will go into telling some of
my funny stories.

Monday: Teach English Classes in Limon 12-3
Art for younger children at the church 3-5

Tuesday: art classes from 5-8

Wednesday: Surf day with a few yonger nica girls
Project Las Salinas (new "keep nica clean"

mural"
Help sing and lead worship at church.

Thursday: Art classes at the local school library in
Las Salinas

Friday: Art classes for Gringo kids and English for
the local nica workers around Popoyo (hasen't started but were trying
to make this class happen)

Saturday: Surf lessons for the girls from 9-1pm
nada...rest..rest..surf...surf..paint..Lo
que
ser

Sunday: church, fellowship with friends, surf, rest

Ok..so that is a little bit of an update on my weekly
whereabouts. I have already gone through so many art
supplies..that it is scary to say...I am definetly
going to need more by the new Year...The important
thing is that everyday...every week...I see a positive
change. The kids are encredible, learning different
techniques and their bubbly faces radiant. Berry, has been helping
me a local woman here and she is amazing with the kids...I
appreciate her so much.
So, I had a nice good week of visitors from the
Outer Banks, NC, Noah Snyder, Jesse Hines, Billy
Diggs, Brent Mccoy, Chris Mcdonald, and Ryan Gamma
came down on a lil' surf trip and fellowship time. It
was such a blessing to be with friends from back home
and not to mention the joy those guys bring to this
area...blessing them with their presence and such
friendly faces around town, the kids and people love
them. They see the difference in their faces ..the
love of God that shows through...it's important to me
to see they recognize this. We had some fun times for
sure, watching everyone play with Brent Mccoys huge
mammoth of a beard, and seeing them buy dirty
flourecent colored fishnet tank tops and wear them
around town...was quite the site...Billy's daughters
and wife was able to send so much girls clothing and
swim suits that I was able to hook up over 20
girls...they were so stoked on the aaron chang
swimsuits and LEI (5 years past) jeans....some girls
looked as if they were going to cry...not to mention
all the hats, leashes, surfboards, clothes, and other
things the boys left....it really was a blessing..so
Thanks Outer Banks...miss you guys a lot, next time
bring the girls..ha ha
So, heres for some funny stories..yunno me..I'm
always getting into something. Well, right around now
in Nica we start getting some long rain periods....so
it was on one of these 3 hour down pour days that I
decided after the rain quieted to head out with my
bikini, a little tank dress cover up, and these big
rubber boots (yunno rain boots). I rode to meet up
with Rosa, Ingrid,and Anna some of my girls in Limon,
which is about 6 miles away...all along the way..I got
a lot of stares and comments about my boots..the girls
stared like.."What is she wearing" the boys thought it
was funny, and said comments like "me gusta su
botas"... when I finally trudged thru some of the bad
rodes, I made it to Limon and Rosa laughed so hard and
looked at my boots....No chicas uso botas! " No girls
wear boots". She thought it was funny, I thought it
was convenient and hey I think their cute..ha.. So off
we went to the beach, heading on the road to Santana.
Well, with Ingrid, Rosa, and Anna all on bikes, boards
in hand....we head down the path of doom... I mean
there is like four gullies 2-3 foot deep of mud/water.
We get around the two and by this time have a group of
guys behind us hooting...yunno..being guys. We reach
the last big puddle and as we are trying to get
through it my tires hit a thick part and my bike
stands firm as my body went forward and then was
thrown to the side...I landed flat on my back in two
feet of pig infested, thick, muddy water. Let me paint
the picture a lil' better..I lay flat on my back with
my cute botas straight up in the air, and head
drenched in the mess...I started laughing so hard and
looked up to see all the girls dying with laughter...I
just lay their for a few seconds peered up to see the
boys running to help...I was mortified. I stood up and
heard a lil' old voice saying "venga..which means
come" I looked up and in the field beside me was a
lil' old man who was holding back his laughter the
best he could...holding the maichete he was using to
clear his land in one hand with the other he motioned
me over to the well to clean up...I got up and could
hear the laughter behind..me...I was laughing so hard
at this point...I thought I would choke. I realized
then..then and there..that I was a child again..I
seriously felt like a lil' kid, biking, mud, horses,
friends, painting, all my child hood desires. God
really is blessing me here. one other quick story.
Ok, so that night I stayed in the town of Limon, I
wanted to sleep over a locals house and hang out all
night..Nica ways..Outdoor toilet, shower, different
food...etc. So, I was asked over to dinner by a local
friend, Gustavo and Anna's house for dinner. I
promised myself to eat everything no matter what...but
sometimes..I guess I break my promises..ha. I sat down
and she poured out my favorite rise and tostinos on
the table with a fresh slice of avacado..I was
stoked..then..then .then came two lumpy looking pieces
of meat substance...she nodded and I swallowed hard.
(You see, I only eat fish and sometimes chicken), We
started eating and I finished everything but the
meat..then I decided I would go for it..just a lil'
bite...oh...dang...I shouldn't of..I did and then
gracefully put my fork down and tried to figure out
how to eat it so I did not offend her....since the
table was outside infront of their house...I had this
amazing idea. I looked up and peered into thier eyes "
Hey guys, What is that?" as I pointed to the direction
above their heads..they all stared and I slipped one
of the meat things under the table to my new pal and
four legged friend Chow...and that is what he did...
Chowed. ha.. So, I left the other piece and acted as
though I was too full..plan worked...but I did feel
like poop for doing it. I then was told that the house
I was supposed to be staying at that night probably
was not safe b/c the boyfriend of the mom came in
drunk at time s and beat the women and maybe the
girls...I was devastated and realized..how imperfect
our world is. I live with the kids...in Joy..in Peace,
and try not to involve the hardships that they already
face on a day to day basis...I realized then..that I
too was forgetting how dangerous third world could be,
that's why I am always grateful for the angels that
watch out over me. So, I stayed over Anna's house and
her and her mother shared a bed, while they pulled out
a cot like hammock for me and rubbed the mom rubbed my
hair until I was nearly asleep as we talked back and
forth like three silly school girls, about guys, the
future, and funny things I do here...I feel
asleep...and here is where the funny part comes.
Ok..so I am thinking around 1 am I am startled to find
something moving at the foot of my bed...I reached
down forgetting where I was and thinking it was my own
bed and my kitten, Sammy. I felt some hard body and
bald/furry something. I was so frightened. I lay there
still not to move...an inch..b/c I honestly thought it
was a giant rat...the room has no lights and no way
for me to see...and I pray..under my breath...please
don't bite me. For two hours I am guessing, I lay
there motionless...until finally I feel the thing
leave the bed. I was so exhausted I fell back asleep,
only to around 430 am have a rooster literally walk
into the house and start his stupid dang alarm
clock...ok...I was up...up...and I climbed out of the
bed and dizzily went out front to grab some
coffee..which..I wasn't surprised to see everyone in
the family up except the daughter. Nica's get up
around 430 5am usually..well probably b/c it's light
and there are a million stupid rooster running around.
So, I drank some coffee read the bible with the
family, and headed out for my 7 mile walk home..I
thought I was going to pass out when I got home from
lack of sleep..but..some friends where itching to take
me surfing..so I headed out surfed lance' left, and
well..I don't think I have caught up with sleep
yet..ha...I will..Maybe today.

I updated 62 photo slideshow on
www.nicaraguaartmissions.blogspot.com of the Outer
reef huge waves breaking, the classes, my new horse
"ezekiel de fuego" and the surf girls. Enjoy.

Here is address for Donations of art and financial
support:

Dawn Gray
55 Nicole Drive
Martinsville VA
24112

also please check out www.internationalartmissions.com


love in christ
Dios te Bendiga

Dawn aka:rojita, amanacer,alba, loco rojo, gringa