Ministry News and Events

May Prayer Meeting

May 12 | 10:00 a.m. CT

Zoom

Tune in for the next World Missions Prayer Team meeting as Connie Bye of St. Luke's, Cypress Mill, presents a special missions reflection about the Mision de Jesucristo ministry that has worked to serve the poorest of the poor in Piedras Negras, Mexico for several years. Their projects include housing a Battered Women & Children's Shelter, providing a Food Pantry and conducting a Sewing & Construction ministry.

During the online Morning Prayer service, prayer team members will also pray for the needs of World Missions partners around the world.

For a Zoom link and an agenda, contact Catherine Markette.

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Costa Rica Missions Trip

June 30 - July 6

St. Catherine of Sienna Church in the Diocese of Texas is inviting missioners from our diocese to attend their annual mission trip to San Jose, Costa Rica this summer. The trip will include a VBS and a construction project in the sacristy of Todos Los Santos Church. Contact Catherine Markette for more information.

Missions Trip Prayer List

Please keep all missioners in your prayers as they travel the globe this spring and summer to spread the love of Jesus. Prayer Trip List.

Missions Café: Manos de Dios Honduras Ministry

June 19 | 12:00 p.m. CT | Zoom

Join Patricia Perea and Daniel Jaime for Honduras Manos de Dios: Celebrating 25 Years of Transforming Lives: Blessings & Lessons. The pair will discuss the many facets of the amazing Manos de Dios Ministry as they celebrate their 25th Anniversary. Contact Catherine Markette to register.

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Mother's Day Offering

Help change the life of a student in Honduras

In honor of Mother’s Day, the Rt. Rev. Dr. David G. Read, D.D., Bishop of West Texas, and World Missions have designated Manos de Dios as the recipient of the Mother's Day offering. This life changing ministry in Honduras provides scholarships for low-income middle school, high school and college students living in Danlí and neighboring villages. The Manos scholarship program also provides students with access to various extracurricular activities including a Book Club, as well as ESL, STEM and computer literacy programs. Thanks to contributions from generous donors, the Manos Ministry has transformed the lives of countless students, their families and the communities they serve for 25 years.

Manos de Dios Scholarship Ministry costs include:

Backpack - $25
School Shoes - $35
School Uniform - $45
Two Week Food Essentials Basket - $100
Co-sponsor one student in grades 7-12 for one year - $150
Sponsor one student in grades 7-12 for one year - $300
Co-sponsor one college student for one year - $500
Sponsor one college student for one year - $2,500

To make a donation for the Mother’s Day offering in honor of someone special, visit dwtx.org/give, select World Missions and click on the Mother’s Day sub-fund or send a check with Mother’s Day on the memo line to:

The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

PO Box 6885

San Antonio, Texas 78209

The World Missions Department will send a Mother’s Day postcard on behalf of donors, who are asked to either mail or email a recipients’ mailing address to Catherine Markette at catherine.markette@dwtx.org. For more information about the Manos de Dios Ministry, visit manoshonduras.com. To see a list of individual Mother’s Day tributes, click here.

For additional information about the Mother’s Day collection, contact Catherine Markette.

Ugandan Student Scholarships

Thank you to the Diocese of West Texas for answering Bishop Read's call to help send 57 children to school in the Nebbi Diocese in Uganda. We are thankful and blessed to have received so many gifts. Donations are still being accepted and can be made by clicking here to pay online, or by sending a check, writing Ugandan Scholarships on the memo line, to:

The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

ATTN: World Missions

PO Box 6885

San Antonio, Texas 78209

Contact Catherine Markette with questions or for more information. Click here to hear Bishop Read's invitation from Council 2025 in February.

Eyeglass Collection

Thank you for the many eyeglass donations that have been dropped off at the diocesan office for the upcoming Love Honduras Vet & Vision mission trip later this month. The Love Honduras ministry is also still in need of monetary donations for children's eye exams for its upcoming ministry trip.

Donations can be made by visiting the DWTX Giving page, selecting World Missions and then the Love Honduras sub-fund. Checks can also be mailed, noting Love Honduras on the memo line, to Grace Church, 6275 Camp Bullis Road, San Antonio, TX 78257 or to DWTX World Missions, PO Box 6885, San Antonio, TX 78209. For more information about the mission, visit hondurasvetmission.org.

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Chain of Love Domino Drop

The 20^th Annual Chain of Love Domino Drop and fundraiser for St. Benoit Church & School in Mombin-Crochu, Haiti was held at St. George Church & School in San Antonio on May 5. More than 29,000 dominos were toppled during the event, which raised $29,599, including $14,804 from the student-run Le Marche Market Day. All Chain of Love proceeds will be sent to their sister church and school, St. Benoit, to help complete a solar energy/electricity project, to install a Starlink Satellite for internet service and will help add a 9th grade year by building three classrooms.

This year’s event honored Chain of Love founder Jennifer Wickham, longtime Chair Jessica Morris, as well as James and Karin Housman. Donations for the fundraiser are still being accepted. Click here to donate. Visit the St. George School Facebook page to watch the event. For more information, contact Elle Bishop.

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Ministry Update

Guatemala Construction Mission

The following was submitted to us by Dr. Lorena Rojas and the mission team from St. John's, McAllen, that travels to Guatemala each year on construction, dental and medical trips.

Early on a Sunday morning, sleepy-eyed Episcopalian servants left their respective homes in McAllen and League City to meet, merge into one team, and leave together from Houston. A few hours later, we landed in Guatemala City and loaded a bus for a scenic drive to Chichicastenango. Our work was to complete the construction of a cinder block house for a local woman named Marta and her three children, and, of course, to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

At daybreak, we loaded up and headed higher into the mountains near a town named Santa Cruz to meet our hosts, Sally and Erv, and get to work! A roof was completed the first day, the outside painted by the second day and doors and windows were framed and hung on the third. Finishing touches to the electrical, plumbing and decor were completed on the fourth and final day. On our final day, we also had a home blessing and feast prepared by Marta and her friends and family. The team was confounded by the phenomenal hospitality at every level. The team collaborated with the family to whom the house belonged every step of the way. It was a great blessing to work together with the family in their own home.

The fellowship shared between all involved was robust and life changing. Powerful worship, singing, and praying together made our mission trip feel like a retreat. The people and geography of this part of Guatemala are, in a word, beautiful. Our time with the land and people was a powerful reminder of God’s omnipresence. Our mission team did not “bring Jesus” to anybody. Instead, we had a shared experience of the love of Christ and were reminded that the Kingdom of God is ALWAYS at hand.

For additional information, contact Dr. Lorena Rojas or Jorge Rojas.

Team Leader Dr. Lorena Rojas painting a wall during their recent construction trip in Guatemala.

Team Leader Jorge Rojas hard at work rebuilding a cinder block home for a widow and her children.

The finished product.

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