A Letter from the WATER Interns

"Together we are a genius,” a saying from women of The Grail oft repeated by Mary E. Hunt, has been verified by us time and again in the WATER office.

You are part of this collaborative genius too, so we want to share our experiences at WATER with you and to ask you to give a gift to help WATER train more interns—like Cathy Jaskey who is arriving in August for her year here!

As we began our internships, we were welcomed into WATER with neatly arranged desks. Now at summer’s end, we are gathered around one big table—tea, chocolate, papers, and collaboration. This migration towards relationship, towards collaborative genius, is a WATER tradition that we will take with us on our journeys. At WATER, our feminist education comes not only from the books we read and the papers we edit, but also from our connections to you and the Alliance.

A fieldtrip to the Supreme Courthouse on DOMA decision day, visiting with the folks of social justice nonprofits, spending time with friends of WATER—these we will not soon forget. We have learned that the office work will always be there (and by all means good work it is!), but that it does not trump having tea with a friend of WATER. Relationships are the lasting work.

WATER is a vibrant and growing place to intern. We have been encouraged, empowered, and educated. Like the many interns before us, we have gained practical knowledge about nonprofit daily work. We have learned with and from wise women and men, and we have seen what feminist ministry looks like. Our feminist theological knowledge has quadrupled.

As the four of us scatter to different states to continue our studies in university settings, we promise to carry WATER in our suitcases. So, we thank you for being a part of this Alliance. 

Thank you for making this genius opportunity possible for us and for future interns.

With boldness and confidence we ask you to make a brilliant gift now to WATER’s internship program so future interns can join this Alliance where “Together we are a genius.”

With you in WATER,

Molly Bolton                              Rebekah Renfro
Elizabeth Lancaster                       Wendy Mallette