Urban 15 presenting the grand finale of “Cochineala”, a Festival of Art and Nature in Honor of World Water Day. the theme of this year’s festival was bioluminescence.
World Water Day Recap
TWM held its third annual World Water Day celebration Saturday, March 23 in collaboration with Celebration Circle, San Antonio River Foundation (SARF), and the City of San Antonio. The nighttime festival was held at Confluence Park, located at the junction of San Antonio River and San Pedro Creek. SARF estimated attendance of 1,000 people!
The free family art and nature festival was designed to entertain and educate San Antonians about the importance of caring for natural resources in keeping with the international theme of Water for Peace and the event’s focus on bioluminescence.
Prior to the event, TWM posted inspirational stories on social media on the ways water is tied to peace and security such as the fact that more children die from lack of water in conflict zones than from violence.
Participants learned about the global water, sanitation and hygiene crises through a treasure hunt in which they had to answer questions by visiting all the festival booths. Each booth had a fact about water included in its signage. People who completed the water test received prizes. The water quiz turned out to be very popular!
The booths had a variety of activities showcasing bioluminescence and nocturnal creatures including rock painting, doing “black-out” poetry, black light sidewalk art, and places to view moths, bats, and other animals of the night. There was free prickly pear agua fresca, food trucks, and live music during the event, which closed with a dance performance by Urban 15.
Alamo Ranch Rotary
In early March, Sa Huynh, President of Alamo Ranch Rotary Club, reached out to Texas Water Mission with a request that we speak about our work. The Club was focusing on water security for the month of March. Sa also volunteered at the World Water Day event.
Top photo: Rotary club members at the Alamo Ranch Club meeting on March 21 which focused on World Water Day; Bottom photo: President Sa Huynh presenting gifts and plaque to Linda from Texas Water Mission
HONDURAS
Community members of La Jagua, a mountainous village of 175 people preparing to sell fried plantains with crema and queso fresco to help raise money for a well they requested last April from Texas Water Mission.
It is with sadness I report we have not drilled a new water well since May 2023 due to insufficient funds. I hear regularly from Water Committee leaders from the 11 Honduran communities that submitted well requests in the last couple years. Maria Cristina from La Jagua recently sent videos of mothers and children sourcing water from a small spring on the side of a hill, and carrying it (on heads and in their arms) as they walked the steep slopes back home.
On a bright note, we were awarded a $10,000 grant from the World Missions Department at DWTX towards purchase of a replacement truck for well maintenance in Honduras. I have submitted proposals to Alamo Heights Rotary Club and St. Mark’s Episcopal in San Antonio for the remainder of the funds needed.
We have also submitted a grant to the Mays Family Foundation in collaboration with the Water Resource Lab at Texas A&M San Antonio that will allow students to build Atmospheric Water Harvesting (AWH) Systems with locally sourced materials in Honduras (at Zamorano University), and install them in nearby villages to test them out. We expect to hear back on all of these requests in May.
NAVAJOLAND
Mother Paula Henson (right) with community member showing Navajo weaving created at St. John’s the Baptizer church and community center.
Texas Water Mission works in the Utah portion of the Navajo Nation, in collaboration with the Episcopal Church in Navajoland (ECN). Most recently we have been working with Mother Paula Henson, Navajo priest at St. John’s the Baptizer in Montezuma Creek.
In October 2023, TWM submitted a grant request to DigDeep for St. John’s church and community center to improve its water access. The three components of the request were: 1) install switch for the pump on the solar powered cistern installed by TWM in 2020, to allow it to change from solar to grid power on cloudy days and at night, insuring a 24/7 water supply; 2) install new water heater to replace the one corroded by contaminated well water years ago; and 3) construct shed to store the water tank used to deliver potable water to the cistern. DigDeep’s Water is Life Fund covered the plumbing and cistern upgrades and TWM provided funding for the shed.
Photos top to bottom: 1) new electrical panel allowing cistern pump to be powered by electric grid when solar power not available; 2) new water heater installed at St. John the Baptizer to enable hot water throughout church and community center; and 3) shed for storing 250 gallon water tank used to supply the buried cistern.
wine & water 2024
Interior of Coates Chapel, SW School of Art, decorated for an event.
This year Texas Water Mission invites you to a new and very special Wine & Water Dinner, to be held in the Coates Chapel at the Southwest School of Art (now a campus of the University of Texas in San Antonio) on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. Our caterer will be renowned chef Elizabeth Johnson, owner of Pharm Table in Southtown San Antonio. Please contact us for sponsorship opportunities.
Exterior of Coates chapel, constructed by the Ursuline order between 1867 and 1880.
Accomplished local chef Elizabeth Johnson was born in Honduras, studied culinary arts in Mexico City, and wrote the curriculum on Central American cuisine for the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio.
Elizabeth’s Wine & Water dinner will feature locally sourced ingredients used by indigenous peoples, echoing the flavors and traditional foods of Honduras and the Navajo Nation.
executive director search
At the end of June, I will step down from my role as Executive Director of Texas Water Mission. I remain committed to the mission and essential work of the organization, and will continue to be involved. Currently, I am working with the Discernment and Hiring Committee to find the right person to take the helm. This person will be bi-lingual in English and Spanish, an excellent communicator, comfortable with change, a creative thinker, adept at fundraising, and a team leader. Our team consists of an active board of directors, some student workers, and a cadre of dedicated volunteers. Training and mentoring will be offered for this dynamic position. You can find a job description and important information about applying for the job HERE.
You too can get splattered with drilling mud if you join the team at Texas Water Mission!