Join Global Heroes and Jeff Fuchs on a transformative journey into Colombia’s Amazon rainforest. Discover a sustainable eco-tourism destination and witness life-changing community work. Embrace life’s simple pleasures, surrounded by one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. It’s a beautiful world; let’s explore it together.
Global Heroes introduces the premiere of “It’s a Beautiful World” on Saturday, April 1st at 11 a.m. on Cottage Life TV
By Raye Mocioiu
Award-winning Canadian explorer and author Jeff Fuchs was made for adventure.
Growing up, Fuchs spent his time between Canada and Switzerland, where he developed a love of mountains and climbing. As a child, his father inspired him to be inquisitive, always searching for the stories and histories behind everything that crossed his path. His grandmother echoed that sentiment, encouraging his adventurous nature and teaching him that getting lost did not have to be bad—it could also be a way to learn.
Known for his extensive travels to remote and isolated regions of the world, Fuchs’ love for people is what drives his adventurous spirit, honouring those who share their wisdom and experiences with him. In all of his expeditions, Fuchs holds that the art of listening is an essential skill; the great stories of life are found through simple conversations. Wherever his travels take him, he keeps a simple mandate in mind: always giving more than he takes and never taking more than he needs.
Read more at globalheroes.com
A Journey to the Heart of Colombia
When you’ve seen as much of the world as Fuchs has, you tend to notice patterns, positive and negative, that hold true both in bustling cities and remote pockets of the globe. A natural nomad, Fuchs credits his skepticism both to his grandmother and to a learned wariness from two decades of travelling through mountainous terrain.
Fuchs spent 10 years living in the Chinese province of Yunnan, studying the origins of tea on a mission to become the first westerner to trek the entire Yunnan–Tibet Ancient Tea Horse Road, an ancient six-thousand-kilometre trade route. On this journey, Fuchs discovered that his best tool was his willingness to adapt to new settings, environments, and cultures, all requiring openmindedness, intention, and a thirst for knowledge.
Keeping his age-old mantra in mind, Fuchs is now taking on a new adventure: a journey into the Amazon as the host of Global Heroes: It’s a Beautiful World.
It’s a Beautiful World delves into solution stories, like Medical Ministry International’s (MMI) work, which brings healthcare services to developing nations, increasing access to quality care. MMI allows isolated communities to fight against extreme poverty, creating lasting change through compassionate, holistic care. Bringing healthcare to these regions enables them to continue living simply and remotely, the way they have for generations.
Leanne Ferris, Executive Director of MMI, and Juan Alan Muñoz, International Partners Director, come from family legacies of advocacy and faith, which they honour and uphold through their work with MMI. Fuchs shared that their dedication and passion shone through on every step of the journey.
“Leanne is wise to the fact that in order for good things to happen, it is often necessary to fade a bit into the background to encourage others,” Fuchs explained. “Not one to ever step in and take credit, she consistently pointed the light upon those on the ground. Juan Alan has a kind energy, a sense of humour, and the ability to unleash it when least expected.”
Fuchs approached with cynicism but found that time after time, the on-the-ground work he witnessed emphasized the idea that “regardless of motive, a good deed is a good deed.”
The work of MMI is about bringing care and love to areas that need it most, to care enough to come when others cannot. Fuchs witnessed the impact of their work firsthand in the small, remote village of Puerto Alegre, where he watched Juan Alan’s son Pepe save the life of a mother whose recent birth left her health in a precarious state. Her children watched anxiously, knowing that without MMI, they would be facing the loss of their mother—a tragedy that would impact not just their family but the community as a whole.
Fuchs was struck by the simplicity and sincerity of their actions and how much of an impact they had on the communities they cared for.
“MMI made an impression because they didn’t make anything about themselves,” he said. “They showed up, listened to what was needed, provided treatment, and gave context to what they were doing. They brought ‘doers’ who were relentlessly committed.”
