Members and missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came together in early June to serve and minister to flood victims in Ecuador.
More than 14,000 people were affected when heavy rainfall caused several rivers to overflow, resulting in large-scale flooding in populated areas of Esmeraldas, a province in Ecuador, on June 4.
Latter-day Saints from local stakes, including the Esmeraldas Ecuador and Santo Domingo Ecuador stakes, as well as missionaries from the Ecuador Quito North Mission, traveled and assembled with urgency and empathy to provide humanitarian aid and assistance to those affected, according to an article on the Church’s Ecuador Newsroom.
The missionaries arrived wearing yellow Helping Hands vests and equipped with shovels, picks and gloves to help clean homes.
Latter-day Saint meetinghouses served as donation centers where Relief Society sisters received, sorted and assembled kits with groceries, food, clothing and shoes. The donations were then distributed to affected families.
Several Church members expressed gratitude for the experience to care for those in need and serve as the Savior Jesus Christ would, the article said.
