Ecuador - History and Demographics

Until the Spanish conquest in the early 1500’s, Ecuador was part of the northern Inca Empire. Today, it is slightly smaller than the state of Nevada. The climate is tropical along the coast, but becomes cooler as you move inland to the higher elevations of the inter-Andean highlands and then tropical again as reach the flat to rolling Amazonian jungle lowlands. In Ecuador there are frequent earthquakes, as well as landslides, volcanic activity, floods, and periodic droughts.

April 2016 Earthquake

On April 16, 2016, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the northern coast of Ecuador and was followed by large after shocks. Hundreds of people lost their lives as a result, but we were very grateful when we received word from one of our coordinators in Manta. Manta is one of the cities along the coast of Ecuador that was close to the earthquake epicenter and had the highest number of casualties from the earthquake. So, it was very touching to hear how the Lord was watching over the families there. Here is the email we received from Manta:

18 April 2016

Montecrisiti power has been restored, so we can communicate that we are well. We were protected. There is no other way to say it. The Lord watches over us and the Spirit guided us to prepare some days ago. Although some of our brothers and sisters suffered much, they are now staying in the chapel. The greatest consolation for us was to be able to arrive at the stake center with multigrain products to alleviate a little of the need of our brothers and sisters. We had stored the product in previous months like [we had been directed] to do. [My wife and I] had almost 24 cans of multigrain cereals saved. What a joy it was for me and Grace to arrive on Sunday and say to the Stake President that the Bountiful Children's Foundation had provision for the children of the church, more than 500 cans of multigrain cereals to alleviate the hunger of our children. They are being used according to necessity, and in a moment of such need the Foundation was the first to help. On behalf of everyone of us, we thank those who have donated and that we can use this in this time of pain to literally alleviate the hunger of our children that lost everything. For us, it is more material loss than that of our brothers. Many were protected.

Thank you for your prayers and concern.

Alfonso and Grace (Ecuador Manta Coordinator)

Bountiful Children in Ecuador

Ecuador was one of the original countries where the Bountiful Children's Foundation established nutrition programs. In 2008 and 2009, volunteers from the Foundation traveled to Ecuador to screen children and set up programs. The volunteers went to Manta, Santo Domingo, and other areas in pursuit of child malnutrition. Approximately 2000 children were screened during this time with 35% of those screened being malnourished.