The beginning of Hogar de Cristo in Ecuador dates from 1970, when Father Josse Van Der Rest, SJ., who is the founder of SELAVIP (Latin American and Asian Housing Service) and the successor of the actual Saint F. Alberto Hurtado, SJ in Hogar de Cristo from Chile, he visited Guayaquil in order to confirm that it was the third city with the biggest housing problems around the world. From this visit conceptualized the idea of extending the work of Hogar d Cristo to Ecuador, which was possible thanks to the great generous heart of Father Francisco García Jiménez, SJ who is well known as “Tío Paco”.

The Archbishop, Mons. Bernandino Echeverría Ruíz, first president of Hogar de Cristo Corporation, which is an archdiocesan organization leaded by Jesuits, lent the backyard of the Seminary in order to start the work to benefit the HOMELESS in the Guayaquil slums.

The first houses were stored in the Seminary back yard and from there they were sold in $4,000 sucres payable in long term small payments. The first hard work year was 1972, when there were 110 houses built; nowadays Hogar de Cristo has a production capacity of 50 houses per day.

After 5 years, Hogar de Cristo was able to acquire a property of 1000 square meters located in the Guayas River’s bank to build the headquarters of the organization.

In 1981, when “Tío Paco” was 70 years old, he received the great news that a companion for this mission was coming. His new companion was Brother Roberto Costa, the actual Social Director of Hogar de Cristo, who came from the Province of Aragon, Spain, to joint the organization.

The organization kept growing and benefiting more poor people from several areas of Guayaquil, especially from the North Perimetral Area. Besides, it was necessary to open new branches in many cities from the costal region of Ecuador, such us: Libertad, Quevedo, Babahoyo, Yaguachi, Daule, Machala and Esmeraldas. Offering more than only new a home, but creating for them a whole plan of Integral Development of Families and Communities.

Related Links
www.hogardecristo.cl
www.sin-techo.org/