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3 ways the Church is blessing lives in Ecuador

From wheelchair donations to helping another faith build a new worship space, the Church is serving neighbors around Guayaquil, Quevedo and Manta

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently received recognition in Ecuador for its humanitarian donations, service and work in three different areas of the country.

The Church helped neighbors of another faith in Quevedo, donated wheelchairs in Guayaquil and received an award in Manta for service to the community.

Cleanup efforts lead to creation of new chapel in Quevedo

Young adults and missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did such a good job cleaning up an abandoned lot in Quevedo that the land later became the home of a new Catholic chapel. 

In early October, Church members who live in the Mi Pais area of Quevedo volunteered to clear all the debris from the lot and beautify the space, reported the Church’s Ecuador Newsroom. The lot had been abandoned for a while, and deteriorated with the passage of time. 

Church members and missionaries in the Guayaquil Ecuador North Mission help the Catholic church build a new building in Quevedo, Ecuador, in October 2022. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Missionaries and young people from the congregation joined in the work. The results were so noticeable, that members of the Catholic faith community decided they could use the space to hold their meetings.

Residents of the community joined forces to raise funds and buy construction elements to help the Catholic church build a new building. The same missionary and member volunteers from  the Church returned to the lot to help construct the Catholic chapel “that would unite more people from the nearby population,” said Ecuador Newsroom. 

Church donates wheelchairs and mobility aids in Guayaquil

The Church donated 301 wheelchairs and 818 mobility or technical aids — such as walkers and canes — to Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil, which translates to the Board of Charities of Guayaquil.  

The donations will support patients with physical difficulties, such as Doménica Chiriboga, whose father, Jairo Chiriboga, said, “The help they give us for Doménica’s mobility is not only a help for her, but for the whole family.”  

Representatives from the Church donate wheelchairs, crutches and other mobility aids to Junta de Beneficencia in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Nov. 9, 2022. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The donation was delivered on Nov. 9  reported Ecuador Newsroom. Daniel F. Quiroz Giler, second counselor in the Guayaquil Ecuador Kennedy Stake presidency, said it was an honor to work together with the charitable organization. 

“We are sure that these tools will reach who needs them the most, and thus they will be able to improve the quality of life. This donation is made by the humanitarian program of the Church, with the aim that people with fewer resources have the help of these teams.”

Eduardo Romero Carbo, representative of Junta de Beneficencia, expressed his gratitude to the Church. “We hope to remain united with you, and continue to count on more donations to continue blessing more people.”

Church recognized for humanitarian work and service in Manta 

Missionaries in the Ecuador Guayaquil North Mission attend an awards ceremony where the Church was recognized for its work and participation in the community in Manta, Ecuador, on Oct. 25, 2022. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Leaders of the Manta Canton — a subdivision or area in the Manabí Province — recognized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for its work and participation in the community.

On Oct. 25, Manta Ecuador Stake President Pedro J. Morales accepted a recognition medal from city councilor Marciana Valdivieso, reported Ecuador Newsroom

The event took place in the Plaza del Mar, with hundreds of people in the audience, including a group of missionaries from the Ecuador Guayaquil North Mission assigned to the stake.

Organizations such as the Meritorious Fire Department of Manta, who were also recognized, extended congratulations to the Church, since they have also worked together to receive instruction on preventive measures in the event of catastrophes.

President Pedro Jose Morales, president of the Manta Ecuador Stake, center, and his wife, Rosita Morales, center, stand with President Cristopher Rivera, first counselor in the Manta Ecuador Stake, and his wife Xiomara Rivera, and members of the Meritorious Fire Department of Manta, on Oct. 25, 2022, in Manta, Ecuador, after a ceremony recognizing organizations that serve their community. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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