by Rose Davis

Susan Curo is a compassionate woman with deep feelings and love for humanity. Her spiritual path has been an exciting adventure. Her childhood was embraced by Catholicism, which did not provide all of the spiritual nourishment that she required. As a tribal person the historical memory of the cultural devastation that the church had on her people has not been erased.

As an adult she felt an inexplicable void in her inner being. Susan is an enrolled tribal member of the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians. On her Father’s side came the Luiseno blood, her grandmother was a Wailaki from Round Valley Northern California. Her grandparents on her mother’s side were Choctaw and Irish.

Susan explains her introduction to Christianity “At age 19 I started working at The National Cash Register and met a tall blond girl named Rhonda Sippel. Rhonda shared her Christian faith with me. Religion had never made sense to me but the idea of being “BORN AGAIN” made a lot of sense and at age 20 I became a Christian. In 2003 I taught Sunday school at the Barona Baptist church and knew that God had called me to ministry.” Susan later met Christina Dillane who told her about Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) “a children’s ministry” and in 2007 she graduated from CEF’s Children’s Ministry Institute in Warrenton, Missouri. In 2008 she went back to Missouri to attend CEF’s Missionary Staffing Program. Once she was home and had been teaching her children’s Good News Clubs, she realized that God didn’t call her to only teach children but it was going to be a much bigger ministry. She said she believes that the first settlers that abused the tribes “in the name of the Lord” were not Christians at all. Susan felt that she wanted to share what she learned through outreaches to the local tribes that show the true love of Christ, hence Tribes 4 Christ was born.

The first Christian concert and barbeque took place in Aug 2008. On Oct 2, 2008 ( Susan Curo’s birthday) Tribes 4 Christ became incorporated as a nonprofit. At the end of the year the first adult bible study took place on the La Jolla reservation and later the Barona Indian reservation adult Bible study took place.

The creation of the fist Tribes 4 Christ Board was celebrated with a fellowship event barbeque at the La Jolla River in 2009. Susan demonstrated her rugged individualism by snaring a deer for the barbeque herself with her own rifle. The first Little Girls Prayer and Tea on an Indian reservation also took place in 2009.

Since that time a series of evens and functions have taken place including the first Christian fellowship basket class. In 2010 The PaumaValley Community Church built a sixteen foot screen which launched a Tribes 4 Christ dinner and movie night under the stars. Featuring Louie Giglio’s Indescribable. The first Christian baptism in over 40 years on a reservation occurred on the La Jolla Reservation.

Susan’s faith and determination has been the source of community building on the reservation. She explains “The Tribes 4 Christ Food Bank was started in 2011 and we are continuing with this ministry along with our clothes drive for families that are struggling. Anyone of any nationality is invited to shop for free at our food bank/clothes drive.We started in March of 2011 with emergency deliveries to tribal members’ homes. We began with three volunteers and now we are up to 26 volunteers. It is inspiring to see our young folks helping the elders.

“Like many of the non-gaming reservations our community does not enjoy the financial benefit enjoyed by those with casinos. We depend on networking and the goodwill of those who share out vision.” Susan recalls her inspirational relationship with Max Mazetti, who was continually working to improve tribal conditions.

Tribes 4 Christ has a partnership with the North County Food Bank of San Marcos and with the La Jolla Tribal Council’s approval they are able to have their monthly food bank day at our La Jolla tribal gym. She explains, “We have assisted the Rincon Indian Health services in providing food vouchers to their clients that are also struggling. We have served over 1500 tribal and non-tribal clients by the grace of God and the generosity of our financial food bank supporters,” They include the Barona Band of Indians, the San Pasqual tribe, the Rincon Band, and of course her own tribe the La Jolla Band.”

The local supporting churches include, Emmanuel Faith Community church, EFCC Men on a Mission, Pauma Valley Community Church, Agape Chinese Christian Alliance Church, Integrity Ministries of Boise Idaho, The Light of the Valley Lutheran Church of Valley Center, Vista Life Way Baptist, Rancho Baptist from Temecula, GC2 church of San Diego and the Simple Church of Florida along with many individual supporters.

Many plans are in the works. The Rincon Indian Pre school will be moving to a new location and Tribes 4 Christ will be helping with the transition as well as collecting school supplies food and kitchenware. If you would like to help by donating supplies or for more information contact,This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The first Easter Sunrise Service will be happening soon and all of the local tribal and non- tribal churches, food bank clients and surrounding communities are invited. Susan Curo and Tribes 4 Christ are truly on a mission.

Come celebrate
Easter Sunrise Service with Us!
March 31, 2013 • 6:00 AM
Please remember to bring
a folding chair.
La Jolla Tribal Gym
22000 Hwy. 76, Pauma Valley, CA 92061
Sermon by Paster Tom Linley
Refreshments will be served.