Alternative Spring Break Service in Macas, Ecuador at the Fundecoipa Foundation ~ Shuar Station MUSAP

Ecuador Group Shot taken at The Shuar Jungle
(left to right back): Jason Beckendorf, Geoff Miles, Mike Ariale, Jill Coffey, Dawn Savage, Julia Childers, Forrest Graham, Evan McGrew, Rosie McArthur
(left to right front): Shuar coordinator German Vargas, Erica Calys, Stephanie LeBlanc, and Amy Betcher

JMU students Amy Betcher, Erica Calys, Jill Coffey, Forrest Graham, Stephanie LeBlanc, Dawn Savage, Mike Ariale, Jason Beckendorf, and Evan McGrew joined Geoff Miles and Julia Childers, the student co-leaders who put this service adventure together. I was fortunate to be along as the Learning Partner, facilitating communications, playing mom, and taking lots of pictures. Our mission was to serve the people of the indigenous MUSAP community during spring break.

We arrived to, and spent the first night in, Quito. I have a niece living there who put us up, thus avoiding hotel costs. In the morning she accompanied all of us to the terminal to get the bus to get to Puyo. It was “Carnaval” time (corresponds to Mardi Gras) the weekend of our arrival, so we had to be cautious of water balloons being tossed. We took a six hour bus trip to Puyo, where people from the foundation were waiting to guide us to the Shuar Station MUSAP. That night we stayed in their big lodge along the main road Via Puyo Macas.

The next morning, we took a strenuous hike some three miles into the rainforest along a narrow challenging trail to the area where we spent the rest our time working in the jungle. Our home was a small Shuar house which is built with materials from the jungle. Throughout the week, our students woke up early every morning to work. We helped clear some jungle floor for a recreational field, and another nearby space for a garden, in which we planted crops, mostly yuccas, potatoes, and plantains. We brought supplies to the community, which we distributed: clothing, school supplies, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and medical supplies.

The people of the Shuar Station Musap were very welcoming, warm, helpful, appreciative, and easy to talk to. While not laboring, we enjoyed playing soccer and playing with the children. The students got some Spanish and Shuar lessons, (The indigenous people speak their own dialect, as well as Spanish). We were given lessons in Shuar dancing and some food preparation. We had many breathtaking views while exploring the forest, and we were taken on a raft ride across the Pastaza River to a waterfall. We learned about many dangerous insects, and larvae that we saw them eating alive! We ate mostly typical foods such as palm hearts, plantains, yucca, potatoes, tuna, eggs, sweet herb tea, and fruits from the jungle (like guava). We all learned a lot while in the jungle of Ecuador!

At the end of the week, we hiked back out to the lodge near the road for our final night with the Shuar. Friday, we returned to Quito via bus, hooked up with my niece, and took a brief jaunt in the city. We visited the Artisan Market and had a meal in a nearby restaurant. There's more to Ecuador than the jungle! After carpeting my niece’s floor with our bags and bodies on our final night in Ecuador, we were up bright and early and off to the airport for our bittersweet departure.

I have been astounded by the energy, commitment, enthusiasm, motivation, and bonding that has taken place over the week. This trip was an once-in-a-lifetime experience that was shared with some of the best and brightest students at James Madison University. Reflecting at the end of our trip, the incredibly eye opening experience helped to put our lives in perspective. We realized firsthand that our way of life is not ubiquitous throughout the globe, and that no matter how you may describe others' circumstances, we all find comfort and happiness in the way of life we were raised to know. We were quick to recognize that it is much more profound learning firsthand than hearing about it and only imagining.

The trip was really incredible!

~Rosie McArthur, ASB Learning Partner

Here we come Ecuador!

This year spring break is in the east of Ecuador the rainforest jungle known as El Oriente. http://www.fundecoipa.com/ with the Shuar Station "MUSAP"

Musap, in the Shuar language means (magical plant that brings your love) continue the change to defend mother nature.

In 1996 the leader, Ernesto Vargas, his wife Marcia Tanchimia and their 12 children decided to transform the land of 275 hectors into a Station in order to be dedicated to the conservation and protect the rich history of their ancestors and to offer their children a healthy environment, enjoy what nature has given them as their shuar customs and live in harmony with the jungle.

We will be working in the jungle and we will sleep in a small Shuar house (Ayamtae) which is built with materials from the jungle, it is next to the Pastaza River.