A letter from Susie Frerichs in Frijolillo, San Martin Chalchicuahutla, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
YANCUIC CAMANALI
September 2010
Presbytery Gathers to Celebrate and Face Challenges Together
The National Presbytery of the Huastecas gathered for its 53rd Ordinary meeting August 17-20 at the Getsemaní Presbyterian Church in the community of Huitzitzilingo, Orizatlan, Hidalgo. The meeting balanced time of worship and reflection on the Word of God and the business of the church. Hearing the reports of the smaller congregations and missions overseen by the six established churches of the presbytery, we were overcome with gratitude for the dedication of the lay pastors who serve these congregations with very little economic remuneration. The lay pastors receive anywhere between $172.00 and $646.00 (U.S. amounts stated) per year for their part time pastoral service to the church. In fact, the highest paid pastor in our presbytery receives about $1600.00 a year for his service. Needless to say, the pastors support their families by their work in the fields, carpentry projects and the like, giving up opportunities to work in the city for weeks or months as their neighbors do in order to minister to the spiritual needs of their communities. Join us in giving thanks for their commitment to Christ and His Church.
We also were encouraged by reports given by the pastor of the Getsemani church who highlighted the progress of the evangelistic and church planting efforts in four communities: Cojolapa, Xicotla, Tianguis Picula and Talapis. For security reasons I will not offer a lot of details (in newly evangelized areas, new believers are generally harrassed and some threatened by community and religous leaders), but though activities have been suspended in one community due to waining interest because of the onslaught of harrassment, we were encouraged by the progress in three others in which evangelists and lay ministers from the Getsemani Church are finding many who are hungry for the word of God and willing to suffer a bit of harrasment in order to get it. Nevertheless, as with any congregations, life is difficult. Satan has had a strong hold on many lives for years, and he is not quick to cede victory to the Lord. Please note the prayer requests at the end of this newsletter and partner with us in prayer for New Life in Christ for those who have been bound for too long.
IBH graduate Juan Bautista with Bible Institute faculty.
The Presbytery also celebrated the graduation of Bible Institute student, Juan Bautista Hernandez, a governing and teaching elder of La Santísima Trinidad Presbyterian Church of El Frijolillo.
In the midst of these celebrations, the presbytery also had to to deal with some very difficult personnel issues for which we ask for your support in prayer.
Presbyterian Women Eldect New Leadership
Former secretary, missionary Raquel Bonilla hands over the book of minutes and other things to the new secretary, Sister Celia Vergara.
Representatives of the PW Circles throughout the Presbytery met July 30-31 at the Getsemani Church in Huitzitzilingo. Business included the election of a new leadership team for 2010-2012 and the development of a work plan for this convention year. Highlights include an evangelistic visit to the community of Emramaditas later in September and a pastors’ wives retreat planned for next May, but the plan also calls for almost monthy “institutes” at which all the circles gather for teaching on special topics of concern to the women of the Huasteca. Pray that the Lord will encourage the women of the region to be all He has created them to be in Christ.
Divino Salvador Santuary Rededicated
Santuary rededication in La Laguna.
On Monday, July 5, presbytery leadership, members of the Jesus el Buen Pastor Church of Chancuetlan and community leaders of La Laguna joined the Divino Salvador Congregation for a rededication ceremony after completion of a remodeling program which began with a new roof being poured just about two years ago with the support of Northeast Georgia Presbytery (Unitied States) and Noreste Presbytery (Mexico) and numerous donors in both countries. We were challenged to faithfulness via the Word preached by the Rev. Martin Hernandez Antonio, inspired by the praise of the Rontalla of Octlamecayo and well fed with pork mole after worship.
Queen Esther Rules in Octlamecayo
Mary Flores de Castaños, Coahuila, leads the children of Octlamecayo in praise songs before VBS begins.
July 18-24, a mission team from El Buen Pastor Presbyterian Church of Castaños, Coahuila, Mexico, and Covenant Presbyterian Church of San Antonio, Texas, visited the Divino Redentor Church of Octlamecayo, partnering with the local congregation to provide a unique VBS experience for kids based on the book of Esther. Over 50 children learned that they too have been created, saved and called by God for “such a time as this.” Watch the news out of Octlamecayo in coming years to see what God does through these now “little Esthers.”
This month in the Huas’
- A mission team from Westlake Hills PC of Austin, Texas, will join the Santísima Trinidad Church of El Frijolillo September 5-9 to complete construction of three classrooms.
- IBH Classes will begin again September 7. I will be teaching Intro to the Bible and Church History.
- We will be celebrating Mexico’s Bicentennial of Independence and its Centenniel Anniverary of the Revolution September 15-16. Join us!
- I will visit the PW of the congregation in El Barco Sept. 16-20 for continue leadership and organizational training.
Days of Celebrations
Congregations throughout the Huastecas are in the midst of three important celebrations in the life of the Mexican Presbyterian Church: Day of the Bible, Clergy Appreciation Day and the Day of the “Adult in Plenitud.”
This past Sunday in El Frijolillo we celebrated the Day of the Bible with a special participation by the Nahuatl choir of the Presbyterian Women I have the honor of directing and a Bible Facts Contest in which 14 youth and adults participated.
This coming Sunday morning I will preach at the Getsemani Presbyterian Church in Huitzitzlilingo for their Clergy Appreciation Celebration and Sunday evening I will lead a choir of adults 60+ as they give thanks to God’s faithfulness with four popular praise songs in Nahuatl.
For this missionary without choir direction training and minimal fluency in Nahuatl, these opportunities really help my language aquisition (particularly leading the older adults who do not speak Spanish) but also are demonstrations of our dependency on God’s grace for ministry. Surely we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).
You can partner with us in ministry in the Huastecas with your financial gifts:
To support Susie’s salary and benefits as a PC(USA) mission co-worker, you may send checks to the PC(USA) at P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh PA 15264-3700. Please note that the gift is for #E074044. Or you can give online. (On her Mission Connections pages there is always a link under “Give” in the left column —Ed.)
You can support projects and programs in the Huastecas by sending a check to Presbyterian Border Ministry at 319 Camden Street, San Antonio TX 78215 designated for the “Huastecas.”
You can partner with us in prayer for:
- The health of the Revs. Gaudencio Morales (TB and Diabetes) and Martin Hernandez Antonio (Bell’s Palsy).
- The Monte de los Olivos Congregation of Soledad as they deal with the opening of a bar across the street from the church which not only interferes with worship but is also violates city ordinances.
- The people of Cojolapa, Xicotla, Tianguis Picula and Talapis and the evangelists and disciplers who are sharing the Word of God with them.
- The Lord’s guidance of the presbytery leadership as it navegates two difficult personnel problems.
- The Lord’s protection over his people as the war against the drug cartels spreads and intensifies.
Susie
The 2010 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 275
