Jia Haixia and Jia Wenqi: Two Hands, Two Eyes, 14 years, 13.000 Trees

Two residents of the Chinese village for the last 14 years have planted more than 13,000 trees near a small river next to their village. They took this case to protect the village from the annual spring floods of the river and improve the environmental situation in this area, which was recognized as one of the TOP3 polluted in China.

What is surprising that Jia Haixia and Jia Wenqi both are disabled. Haixia is totally blind since 2000, and Wenqi lost both hands in childhood, but this doesn't prevent them to work without a break and to recreate nature near their home, their job is to grow as many trees as they can.

Every day at 7 am, they are on the road from the village to the side of their grove, on the road that they had trodden together for 14 years. Blind Haixia always holds Wenqi’s empty sleeve jacket, even though he knows every stone on this path, so he feels calm.

When they reach the river, Wenqi takes Haixia to the other side on his back. They have no money to buy new seedlings in the store, so Haixia and Wenqi cut off and germinated cuttings by their hands. Over the years they have learned to work harmoniously and effectively.

Good and healthy cuttings grow high, so Haixia climbs on the Wenqi’s back and touch finds and cuts cuttings that are suitable for planting. Wenqi learned to dig pits for it, using feet instead of hands and shoulder for emphasis, he also carries water for irrigation. Haixia is responsible for planting the cuttings. Thanks to such a coordinated work the friends have achieved the amazing results.

They are not relatives, but to emphasize their friendship, which is stronger than brotherly love, they took the general surname. They are almost the same age, Haixia older than Wenqi just on one year, these two remarkable men became friends in childhood, than life threw their ways, but in the end they once again became inseparable, to do a great work.

Haixia was born blind in one eye, congenital cataracts. As an adult, he married, had a son, Haixia worked at the quarry near the village, it was hard work, but brought enough money which could feed an entire family. But in 2000, during an accident a chip of stone hit him in the healthy eye, and he completely lost his sight. His son was 4 years old, and the wife could not work because of a serious illness.

Haixia was desperate, it was very difficult learning to live without sight, neither of which work could not be and speeches, he always got refused, disability pension was not enough even for rice. The villagers tried to help his family as best they could, but Haixia became more and more discouraged, he didn't know how to help himself and his family, until Wenqi had proposed one idea.

Wenqi lost both arms when he was only 3 years old, he grabbed an exposed wire under tension, the arms had to be amputated. He admits he doesn't remember what it's like to live with hands, therefore, doesn't consider himself handicapped, he copes with all the tasks with his legs. Since childhood, he didn't hesitate to play with the other kids, they accepted him with a joy.

Officials in the village took him under custody, sent him studying in school, when Wenqi finished studying, he got a job in the local forestry, where he learned the basics of botany and agriculture. Then the forestry had closed, and for a long time Wenqi was acted with the troupe of the disabled, he had a room with calligraphy, which he painted by legs. Even now he loves to write and makes a lot of diy, he gets photos from a tour in his house, and remembers that time with a smile.

14 years ago they decided that they can cultivate trees on 8 acres of bare land around the stream near their village. Initially it was regarded by friends, as a commercial enterprise, because the Chinese government pays for the greening of environmentally distressed areas. The villagers collected money on the first cuttings for planting, but no one except Wenqi and Haixia didn't believe that something will work. In fact the entire coast along the Creek was barren, the soil was depleted and nothing were growing there, only stones, all treated to the idea cynically. In the first year, most seedlings actually died, but friends didn't give up.

Wenqi has began to study botany and in the following year, things got better. Over the past 14 years Wenqi and Haixia planted approximately 13,000 trees, 3,000 of which has died. A barren wasteland turned into a beautiful grove with a stream in the middle, many small animals and birds have found a home here.

Wenqi and Haixia get some subsidies from the state, this money is enough for a tolerable life, in 5-10 years when the trees grow up, they will be able to capitalize on this. Haixia sure that his son and grandchildren will be provided.But money have became not as important as the trees for them. They believe they are doing a very important job, they have ceased to be a burden in society and work hard. They know that today, many trees are not so tall and green, but it will be decades and their children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy the results of their work, walking in a beautiful forest full of animals and birds.

There is a chance that Haixia will be able to cure his eyes, modern medicine can do it. He almost get his turn for a free corneal transplant. But Haixia sure that even being sighted, he will continue to plant trees and he really wants to finally see the results of his work. After their story was shown on TV, they received wide support from the public: many people sent to them seedlings, tools and money, there was even a rumor that they have got a good pension for the rest of their lives. I want to believe that it's true, because these people deserve any reward for their magical work and amazing willpower.

I write not about famous people, but about people, with unusual life paths, who didn't try to change history, but left their own an unrepeatable footmark in our time. @natord

sources: 1, 2, 3, and many others articles for full story, all images from google search.