Priest says Ecuadorean migration helps family wages, not stability

Published: 2007-04-24

QUITO, Ecuador (CNS) -- Yolanda Heredia chooses her words cautiously when she speaks of her husband who left Ecuador four years ago to find work in Italy. "I respect his decision," she said, "and I'm careful not to tarnish his image in the eyes of my children." While he sends money for the children's needs, she holds little hope that the family will ever have a normal life together again, although her daughter still asks when her father will return. Too often, when one spouse emigrates, "things can't work for the couple," Heredia said. In this Andean nation of 12 million people, Heredia's story is far from unusual. Estimates of the number of Ecuadoreans who have immigrated to the United States, Spain, Italy and other countries range up to 2.5 million. "Initially every migrant dreams of returning, but after three years only 30 percent come back," said Father Giorgio Peroni, executive secretary of the Social Ministry Office of the Ecuadorean bishops' conference.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .