When you walk into The Gathering on a Sunday morning, you’re met with warmth that goes far beyond friendly greetings and hugs at the door. There’s a sense of home—a spirit of unity and family that makes newcomers feel like they’ve been part of the church for years. At the heart of that spirit are Pastors Hector and Miriama, a couple whose journey into ministry is anything but traditional—and all the more powerful because of it.
Their story spans nations, cultures, and spiritual traditions. Miriama was raised in Samoa, where her parents were pastors of the local Assembly of God church. She grew up immersed in church life—singing, dancing, serving, and steeped in a vibrant spiritual community. Hector, by contrast, was a devoted Catholic, born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico, who had never set foot in a Protestant service.
They weren’t yet married when Miriama invited Hector to attend a church service led by her parents. Though the sermon was in Samoan—a language Hector didn’t understand—something powerful happened. “I started shaking, and tears just came,” he remembered. “I didn’t know what was happening to me, but something was pulling me forward.” That day, he accepted Christ as his Savior—marking the beginning of a spiritual transformation that would unfold over the next several years.
Hector and Miriama married in Samoa before moving back to Puerto Rico. Once there, they entered a difficult spiritual season. Hector stopped attending church altogether for about two years. Miriama, though unable to find a church in English or Samoan, longed to worship again and they eventually started to attend a local Catholic church. “I didn’t understand the Spanish,” she recalled, “but I was just happy to be in church again.”
Later, they were invited to a Spanish-speaking Assembly of God church. Though Miriama still didn’t understand the language, she felt a sense of familiarity in the format—it reminded her of the church she’d grown up in. For Hector, now hearing the Word in his native Spanish, the experience began to change him. “At first, I felt torn,” he admitted. “We started going to both churches—three Sundays Catholic, one Assembly of God. Then two and two. Then one Catholic, three Assembly of God… until we stopped going to the Catholic church completely.”
It wasn’t an easy break. “There were things I heard in the Catholic church that didn’t line up with what I was reading in the Bible,” Hector explained. “But it was hard to believe that so many people could be wrong. I was trying to convince myself I was in the right place, even when something inside me said otherwise.” The Holy Spirit had begun convicting him—long before he fully understood what that meant.
Then a friend named Rosa invited them to an English-speaking church called The Gathering. Though they were tired from attending another service earlier that day, something nudged them to go. “The moment I walked in, I felt like I was home,” Miriama said. “Everything was in English. I could understand. I could grow.”
Even then, neither of them imagined stepping into pastoral ministry. In fact, Miriama had specifically asked God not to call her. “When I was 15, a prophet came to our church and said I’d be a pastor. I told God, ‘No way. I’ve seen what pastors go through. I don’t want that life.’” She even prayed to marry someone who wasn’t a Christian—so he would never become a pastor either. “I thought I’d outsmarted God,” she laughed. “But you can’t outrun His calling.”
As the church grew and transitioned through several leadership changes, Hector and Miriama faithfully served behind the scenes—translating, leading worship, encouraging others. It was a challenging season marked by change and uncertainty. People came and went. Leaders shifted. Yet Miriama stayed grounded. “I wasn’t here for the people—I was here for the Lord,” she said.
Eventually, leadership asked if they would consider stepping up to pastor. Hector, who had already been serving in a co-pastor role, was hesitant. “I was scared to death,” he said. “I watched the pastors preach and thought, ‘I can’t do what they do.’” But Miriama—after years of saying no—responded with an unexpected and immediate “Yes!”
That moment changed everything.
Hector enrolled in a three-year Bible course and completed his chaplain certification. “Every Monday night from 6 to 9 p.m.—for three years—I was there. I never missed a class,” he said. “The Word came alive for me in a whole new way.” Saturdays were for the chaplaincy course, he never missed one of those classes either. He feels so much better equipped to deal with the kinds of situations that happen in people’s lives. He can better serve them during difficult times, as well as teach the Word.
Miriama, who once believed she couldn’t sing, became the worship leader. “I told God, ‘I’ll be obedient, but don’t put me in front.’ But then everyone else left, and I was the only one left standing.” She embraced the role, not just as a leader, but as a mentor—raising up other singers and encouraging them to develop their gifts. She also poured herself into the youth and women’s ministries, creating space for others to flourish.
And when she preaches? Something special happens.
“I don’t even prepare notes,” she said. “God just puts the word in my heart. I open my mouth, and it flows.” Hector agrees: “She has a fire in her. When she preaches, the Spirit moves.”
Together, Pastors Hector and Miriama have helped transform The Gathering into what many now call “the church of love.” Their leadership is rooted in humility, authenticity, and a deep desire to see people grow. “This is our family,” Miriama said. “People come in, and they feel that love. That’s what we want—unity, fellowship, and spiritual growth.”
As the church continues to grow and prepare for new opportunities—including outreach to new families moving into the area—they are focused on discipleship, connection, and Spirit-led community. Leadership trainings have launched. Foundational materials are being translated. “We know a wave is coming,” Hector said. “God is preparing us.”
They didn’t plan on being pastors. They didn’t feel qualified. But as they now know—God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.