Country Demographics:

• Population:  13.3 million
• Religions:  Catholic 80%, Evangelical 12%, Others 8% 
• Income Per Capita:  $1,018.06 year/ $2.83 day
• Government Type:  Republic
  Chief of State:  President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since January 2003)
  Note: The president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legal Profession:

• Estimated number of lawyers in Ecuador is 30,000
• Estimated number of believers involved in the legal profession is 300
• The name of the local Christian group is The Hammurabi Christian Legal Foundation (HCLF), although steps have been taken for renaming it Ecuador’s Christian Lawyers Foundation.  The group began functioning in 2002 and has since developed a network of more than five attorneys under the leadership of Mr. Xavier Vélez.

Major Activities of Christian Lawyers:

Christian lawyers of Ecuador are involved in the following activities:

• Legal issues pertaining to human rights and ethics
• Organizing national conferences for lawyers on the topics “The Practice of Criminal Due Process of Law” and “Justice and the Defenseless Just: What to Do”
• Arranging workshops for judges and judicial staff on the topic “Strengthening the Administration of Justice in Our Country”
• Holding national meetings and circulating weekly prayer calendars

Convocation Goals:

• Advocates International’s Global Convocation will prepare HCLF lawyers for better serving Christ in Ecuador.  Sharing experiences with other participating Christian lawyers will help perfect the legal foundation’s agenda and practice.  

Prayer Items:

• God’s leadership in finding an individual who can serve as full time executive secretary in HCLF’s office
• God’s grace in providing the organization with computer technology, particularly internet access

Contact Information:

• Xavier Vélez xvelezv@hotmail.com