Our Generation of Service in Ecuador – Emotional Pro
December 21st, 2006
12/21/2006 Thursday 9am to 10am Pacific Time
Ayuda Directa USA (a 501(c)3 not for profit organization dedicated to sustainable development in the fields of education and medicine in rural Ecaudor) is the brainchild of two Reed College (Portland, OR) alumni (Noah Rindos and Ethan Nowak) who saw a need and moved to fill it. The “need” is that for basic education, community development, and medical care, for the indigenous and impoverished people living in villages situated along the coast and those high in the Andes mountains of Ecuador. Following their lead, students from Reed College, George Washington University, and Oxford have been returning each summer since 2000 to build latrines, dig irrigation lines, construct schools and assist with basic medical care. Listen as they tell their inspiring story of service and learning.
Segment 1: The Joy of Finding a Need and Filling It!
Noah and Ethan share how meeting in a Spanish I class at Reed College in Oregon led to the formation of a nonprofit corporation whose aim is sustainable development in the fields of education and medicine in rural Ecuador. Ayuda Directa USA has been bringing students and medical personnel from Europe, Ecuador and the US together to build latrines and schools, deliver babies and work together with community leaders.
Segment 2: “Otherizing” vs “Establishing an Environment of Love”
There is “serving,” and there is working together in a larger global community for the good of the participants. Robin talks about how working in Ayuda Directa USA in Ecuador is rewarding to participants because of the love exchanged among everyone involved. There is much left to be done, and so much that Noah, Ethan and Robin have learned through their participation, which they describe through moving stories.
Segment 3: How Does Service Make Us Different?
Brush up on your Spanish! Try new things that you never thought you could do! Get an idea of an “overview” that shows you who you are in this world! Every year with Ayuda Directa, something new is required, new adventures await and the love and enthusiasm draw Noah, Ethan and Robin back to Ecuador. Listen to Ethan’s story of the incredible electrical generator created by a man in Ecuador who lives two days beyond most civilization and how that inspired Ethan to believe in our human ability to create what we need through our intention and ingenuity!
