KUAM Personal Journeys: Hecita's Helping Hands, Part 2

From: KUAM-TV, Guam - Jun 24, 2004

by Fredalynn Mortera Hecita, KUAM News
Thursday, June 24, 2004

Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, my husband Robin and I wanted everyone we knew and loved to accept the most precious gift offered to anyone that was willing to believe. We started to reach out and share God's word in different ways.

In the Bible we shared John 3:16: "For god so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."' it was that gift that led us to a life dedicated to serving God.

Family Baptist Church trained, taught, guided, supported and most of all loved us as we grew spiritually . Mike Castro was there when we first got started in the ministry. "And then through the years they've been very active in church ministries helping like teaching Sunday School and doing the music for the longest time Fredalynn was our church pianist," said Leo Dejesa. And besides that she was also my daughter's piano teacher. And I was very thankful for that because there was a time I had to leave island and Fredalynn just took it upon herself to teach Mishay and I appreciate that very much," he said.

Leo and Robin were both deacons when God blessed us with children. Zachary was born four years after our marriage and about four years later Jeremiah came into the picture. "They really have a heart for ministry. I think it changed just a little bit like me was when the boys came along, family really puts a change in the ministry, even though the boys came they still kept at it. I remember they wanted to be missionaries and there's a little change there but they're still in the ministry. I praise the Lord that they're still doing it," he said.

My sons are not hindrances rather compliment what we're already doing. Both boys play piano and sing at church, share God's word and help out whenever they can. Frank Guerrero recalls after the kids were born for many years our ministry centered on children, music and the neighborhood such as Bible clubs in our home that would average close to 65 kids a day. "He's also did a lot of work for the community were he goes and outreach with the youth and just been a blessing. It's hard to keep up with him. He's a tough one," he said.

Then our ministry took a new direction. We were asked to lead the deaf group. "In the growth he's been involved with the Deaf Ministry that was one of the highlights on the church. He was really involved with the deaf. Picking them up and he signs the lesson. He's a good leader," he said.

There are several other ministries God has allowed us to serve. But the most challenging of all is the deaf ministry. FBC supported our work and it was five years ago Pastor Paul Harbaugh and the deacons authorized Robin to lead the deaf. "I believe it was in 1999 that we as a church licensed Robin to be a Pastor for the Deaf to give him some official status and the Deaf flourished under them," he said.

Learning to communicate and meet the needs of the deaf, both spiritually and mentally presented many challenges. More or less we had to surround ourselves in a deaf environment to develop the skills and sensitivity to truly be there for them. "I looked at Robin and Fredalynn as an excellent team working with the Deaf. Fredalynn has the ability to draw and illustrate in pictures, which the deaf need quite a bit in their ministry," he said.

Through the years many people have asked us why we work with the deaf. We don't have any deaf in our family or grew up with deaf friends. We do know that god has given us a skill and provides us the strength to be servants for him. "Many times lots of work in the ministry is not doing work in the church to get paid. No it's done to glorify God and meet people's personal needs on a spiritual level as much as possible and I saw Fredalynn and Robin doing it from the heart and that the important thing," he said.

Just like learning anything new it takes work. Nothing came easy for us. We practiced went to school, studied god's word. But there's so much we still have to learn. But through trials it only made us stronger and encouraged to trust more in the Lord than in ourselves.

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