Tree Planting

This week, I went to Hawera with nine of my friends for manuka tree planting job. We expected the job to be fun and the money offered is pretty good.

Ten of us live in a bunk house and where we live, there is no reception. It is in the mountain and to get phone reception, we have to go out of the house. Internet in the main mansion is very slow, so we pretty much cut out from the outside world.

On Monday, we went to our work place which is 45 minutes van drive from where we live. The road is very rocky and windy. I got car sick. And due to lack of sleep in the first night, I got migrain and so sick in the car. I feel sorry for others because of me.

The work itself is hard. We have to plan trees on the mountain. Some areas are quite steep. We climb the mountain with a box of manuka trees (about 104 trees) tight into our waist. And we bring spade with us. It was tough. I fell several times, hands get cut by spiny plants, sore legs, waist, arms, etc. It was tough and definitely not girls type of job.

Yet, here we are. Four girls stood till the end of the job. I am proud to be in team with you girls. You guys are amazing. I had such an awesome hard time with you. I can never go through this without you all. Thanks for the two boys too, our driver and our supporter and also part of the team.

Each morning was a struggle to wake up and convince myself to do the work againi with sore bodies. But I did it. Each minute is a struggle to climb the mountain, plant the trees, and carrying such heavy boxes. But I did it.

I never regret doing this. The scenery when we are on top is amazing. The road, the mountain, the sun, the moon, the mist, the rain, the sheep, the plants, the soil, the poo, the bushes, and our sounds...they are amazing.

To look to your faces in the morning, from distance in the mountain, and tiredness and dirtyness after work...they are precious moment for me. All the supports, all the FOOD, all the songs, all the jokes and all the laughter that we share, they are too precious for me to trade with anything.

I learn that people like you are blessings in my life and I thank God for you.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10