Rebuilding in Ecuador
Ecuador, located on the coast of South America, straddles the equator. It is the largest banana producer and exporter in the world, and it holds the largest fishing city in the world, Manta. Ecuador was devastated by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake on April 16, 2016. It’s a country with much potential to rise out of the ashes, but currently needs our ongoing assistance for their continued rebuilding efforts. In 2020, we look forward to expanding our work with the poor in collaboration with the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales.
Explore the tabs below to learn more about our mission in Ecuador.
The Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales
MSFS are working to help the people in any way possible
Here are some of the projects you can support today:
Community is getting some much needed aid
Thanks to your bountiful support, the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales have been faithfully serving the community of Limones, Ecuador. In one year, the missionaries have shared Christ’s light by Building new chapel buildings, providing food for the elderly, uplifting children through cultural programs, leading formation retreats, planting trees around the community and, performing the Sacraments.
Support for MSFS Seminarians
In 2019, the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS) sent a community of missionary priests to address the spiritual and material needs of the people at Valdez Limones. They’ve developed a practical, wide-reaching plan to help our brothers and sisters in Christ living in crushing poverty.
Rooftop Water Tanks for Clean Drinking Water
MSFS priests hope to raise enough funds to supply three rooftop water tanks and purifiers for the community. Currently, the only water reservoir system is an old cistern, which provides no filtration or purification.
Development Center
This building has no running water, furniture, tables, or chairs–but it’s where the MSFS priests hold the programs they run for the people of Valdez Limones. Once the building is renovated and repaired, they’ll be able to serve more of the area’s desperately poor through faith formation classes, skill- and job-training classes, and more programs for disaffected youth.
Mission Outreach by Boat
The only way to reach these remote island villages is by boat. In order to bring the hope of the Gospel to everyone living in the Valdez Limones communities, the MSFS had to purchase 3 motorized boats. But gas and maintenance are increasingly expensive. You can help make the name and love of Jesus known by giving to the MSFS “boat fund” today!
Children like little Alex, 6, will be directly impacted by this work. Alex was abandoned by his parents as a baby. He lives with his grandmother, who can barely provide for him.
Yela, 11, has a similar story. She lives with her grandmother, after being abandoned by her parents when she was just 5. Her grandmother is a widow, has no work, and cares for two other grandkids in addition to Yela!
To get to school, Yela has to travel by boat. She does well in school and has big dreams–when she grows up she wants to be a psychologist!
Boating to Share the Faith
2023
Thanks to your bountiful support, the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales have boats to travel and serve even more communities!
In the past year, they have collectively built new chapel buildings, provided food for the elderly, uplifted children through cultural programs, lead formation retreats, planted trees around the community, and performed the Sacraments. We look forward to seeing how these boats help them serve others through their Faith.
A Year of Flourishing Faith!
2022 – 2023
This past year, 790 children and 300 adults have been baptized, and 400 children have celebrated their first Holy Communion! The missionaries shared that they are proud to see the community live out the saying “Bloom where you are Planted.”
It has been an inspiration and joy to see the Limones community flourish in Faith because of our support of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales. Thank you for your support!
Support for MSFS Seminarians
June 2022
Your bountiful generosity has given Seminarians in Ecuador a chance to pursue their Divine Calling! The Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales are grateful for the support of Catholic World Mission and you as they train these men to build the Kingdom of God throughout the world. Your contribution to these Seminarians gives them an extraordinary opportunity they otherwise might not be able to have given their circumstances. We thank our Seminarians who are devoted to praying for our organization and lifting communities around the world out of spiritual poverty!
Clean Water Flows in Limones
October 2022
Thanks to your generosity, we collaborated with MSFS to begin the building of the second water treatment unit at St.Peter and Paul Parish! Located on the Limones Islands in Esmeraldas, Ecuador, this water treatment building and unit will provide clean drinking water for about 4,000 people from six neighboring islands including Santa Rosa, Canchimarelo, Tola, Tambillo, Progresso, and Barca. St. Peterand Paul Parish are grateful for your contributions towards making clean drinking water accessible in their community!
Whether you want to save children from a life of poverty, or you’re passionate about helping every person have access to clean water, your gift right now will make a huge impact all over the world!
Click the green “Give Now” button on this page to donate.
March 2022
We are continuing in the joyous work with the MSFS at the San Pedro and San Pablo Parish, Limones, Esmeraldas and Rio Verde communities, where 20,000 faithful members from 67 Mission Stations around the island will now be celebrating at their new Chapel, “Mother of Sorrows.” Recently thirteen individuals celebrated their first Holy Communion.
December 2021
Thanks to your selfless giving, we were able to help the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS) give the people of Limones a wonderful Christmas gift! They rang in the holidays by distributing food and Christmas treats to the destitute and widows. This strongly parallels the early Apostles in the New Testament serving the poor and the widows. It shows that the Lord’s work is still being done time after time!
November 2021
Father Melky, MSFS shares some of the joyous moments that have occurred in the past couple of months as he faithfully serves in Limones, Ecuador. During his duration in Ecuador, he has worked on launching the Child Empowerment Project with Fr. John Kennedy. This project will tend to the needs of children residing in Esmeraldas including providing them with a daily meal, tuition fees, school supplies, uniforms for sports teams, and counseling sessions. Their goal for the program is to provide intangible needs for the children including a safe, secure, and loving environment where they can learn, grow, and flourish all in the name of God.
Water Filtration System
April 2021
Thanks to your generous contribution, Fr. John Kennedy has completed the first of three water filtration systems in Limones, Ecuador! The community now has access to clean drinking water which will help eliminate the illnesses from drinking unpurified water.
Water Filtration System
December 2020
Because of you CWM’s partner, Fr. John Kennedy, has begun the water project work in Limones, Ecuador. They are prepping the room where the water filtration system will be placed.
7.8 Magnitude Earthquake
Earthquake Leaves Over 650 Dead and More Helpless
On April 16, 2016, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Ecuador devastating the coast region of the country, and aftershock was felt as far as the capital, Quito, 110 miles away. Homes were destroyed, and over 650 people were killed. The local police and firefighters worked relentlessly to find survivors. The earthquake put Ecuador in a state of emergency. Over 13,000 police and militia were deployed for recovery operations to serve their hurt, hungry, and now homeless, brothers and sisters. This crisis is unlike any they have seen since 1979! Your response is extremely urgent! With our immediate response they can have a thriving community again this year and we can prevent waiting years for reconstruction. This earthquake has displaced tens of thousands of families and injured over 16,000 in a single minute.
It is our duty as Christians to help our brothers and sisters in need. The people of Ecuador are still recovering from this natural disaster and need ongoing assistance to rebuild their homes, schools, and businesses, and to replace items that were lost or damaged by the quake. Your generosity is needed to help these efforts.
45 Families Saved
May 1, 2016
Thanks to your immediate response 45 families – a total of 212 people – have been given psychological relief in addition to the disaster relief efforts around Ecuador.
Round the clock care in Canoa provides the individuals and families with psychological first-aid. Every other day Mass is celebrated for all at this refugee camp. Starting at eight in the morning psychological assistance sessions are offered to the suffering and continue on throughout the rest of the day.
During these sessions the volunteer psychologists are able to reveal heart-wrenching issues like abuse, anxiety, survivor’s guilt, denial, and the fear of more loss. It is an extremely emotional situation, not only for the refugees in the camp, but for the volunteers who are taking an emotional toll trying to help these victims of the earthquake as well.
These are not the only people needing care. More support is needed so they can extend their mission outside of Canoa. There are already 30 people on the waiting list to get into the camp for psychological care.
Not only are the psychological volunteers providing emotional relief; they are helping people rebuild their homes. They are truly doing the work of God! With your support not only will you be helping alleviate the trauma of the April 16, 2016 earthquake, but you will help these families and the little children rebuild their lives.
Immediate Response
April 30, 2016
Fr. Francisco Armengol, LC has sent out a call for help for the people he serves in Ecuador. Together with Regnum Christi members Fr. Francisco has asked for financial support in serving the people of Manta and the destroyed coastal cities. Since the earthquake hit on April 16, 2016 he has traveled from village to village delivering mattresses, food, water, mosquito spray, and medicine to the devastated coastal region in Ecuador. Fr. Francisco is on the ground with members of Regnum Christi assessing needs, and restlessly serving the people who have had their lives destroyed in a single minute. Many people lost their entire families during the earthquake. Fr. Francisco is helping to counsel them, and bring the hope and helping hands of Christ. He not only brings the necessary relief for their physical needs, but also their spiritual needs.
Your immediate response to this mission will help the people of Ecuador heal.
Will you be a light of the world in Ecuador today?
David Reinberg, RC pictured in orange hat, delivers supplies in Veneda and other Regnum Christi members deliver supplies in Pedernales and Portoviejo
Already the recipients of your generosity send their thanks! Still so much is needed in Ecuador! Words cannot begin to describe the gratitude people have for your generosity. Grocery stores in Quito are selling out of supplies because so many people are turning around and sending them to the costal region affected by the earthquake on April 16, 2016.
Watch this video to hear the thanks from locals in the state of Manabi.