| Susanne Frerichs
a/c Presbiterio de las Huastecas
Calle Aquiles Serdan #111, Col. San Rafael
Tamazunchale, SLP
Mexico CP 79960
Email: Susie Frerichs
Susie Frerichs has been under appointment as a mission worker
with the PC(USA) since 1994. After serving for 12 years as U.S.
coordinator for Proyecto Amistad on the U.S.-Mexico border, in
December 2006 Susie took up a new assignment in the mountains
of central-east Mexico, working with the rural, Náhuatl-speaking Presbytery of the Huastecas of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico (INPM) among whom she serves as an itinerant preacher and teacher.
In her ministry, she assists the presbytery’s 13 churches in whatever way she is asked. She coordinates mission partnerships between the presbytery and congregations in the United States and other parts of Mexico, supports the ministry of women’s and youth groups, and teaches courses at the presbytery's Bible institute.
Susie understands her call is to live in Christ among our brothers and sisters of the Huastecas and encourage them toward an ever-deepening walk with Jesus Christ.
She lives in Frijolillo, a community of 230 people in the foothills of the eastern Sierra Madre, where she spends her days washing clothes by the river, helping friends in the fields (who grow coffee, oranges, and corn), playing with children, providing transportation services (there are few vehicles in the community and town is a 2-3 hour walk away), visiting church members and friends, and preparing sermons and classes.
Besides her ministry in Frijolillo, Susie often leaves to participate in ministry with other congregations within the bounds of the presbytery for days or a week at a time, teaching Sunday school, preaching, or helping with vacation Bible school. She is learning to speak Náhuatl, the principal language of the region.
She first felt called to Mexico while she was in high school.
After learning about the Presbyterian Border Ministry (PBM) at
the Presbyterian Youth Triennium in 1989, she began to look for
ways to participate in its ministry. She served as a summer volunteer
at Frontera de Cristo and Proyecto Amistad (two of the seven sites
of PBM) and began full-time service at Proyecto Amistad in 1994,
when she came under appointment as a PC(USA) mission volunteer.
From 1994-1996, Susie was Proyecto
Amistad’s mission team coordinator. In 1996 she came under
appointment as a mission co-workers and became the U.S. coordinator
for Proyecto Amistad. In that capacity, she was the chief administrator
for the organization (a Texas-based 501c3 charitable organization
governed by a binational Presbyterian board of directors) handling
all office, fundraising, and ministry coordination activity in
addition to continuing her work as facilitator of mission partnerships
between U.S. and Mexican Presbyterian congregations. |
