One Night in Dabieshan Mountain

It's the midnight. Occasionally, peaceful villages and dotted farm houses revealed themselves in the moonlight from the starry sky. In a jeep cautiously crawling on the rough path in Dabieshan Mountain , the project staff was having a discussion on their work in the last two days, all tired but excited.

Our group arrived at Beishan Village the morning before. According to the project plan, this time project families were to be appointed and training on the 12 Corner Stones would be given to the appointed families.

Choosing project families was the first and most essential step of the complement of the project. After talking with the village committee, the group learned that a list of project families had been made. Every time there was a new project coming, the committee would have a meeting and decide which families were to be in the project.

There were 8 subordinating groups in Beipo Village . The persons in charge of each group picked out project families according to the committee's decision, which normally equally assigned the quota of candidates to each group. The name list would be post out to show fairness but how many of the villager could actually see the list since they wouldn't go to the committee office unless they had to? Even if they saw the list and had opinion about it—rumors and gossips always existed, would anybody really stand up and object it since it was already a “decision”?

Could families picked out in this way be possibly called “truly in need” vulnerable groups, which the project intended to care for? This was not only the project group's concern and everybody began to think quietly and discuss. At last, based on Heifer's criterions for project families and particular local situations, the project group and the village committee agreed that the project families should be chosen by villagers themselves as long as they were aware of the principles of the project and the criterions for project families. After all, every family had the right to have their own judgment.

With participation of the village committee and some families, a graph of the distribution of Beipo Village 's resources was made, which told the geographic and resources conditions of each of the 8 groups. Holding the belief in helping the most in need and concentrating strengths, the project group chose several farmer groups as where the first candidates to be found. Other groups had comparatively less poor families which also scattered. These families could be the back up options for the Gift Passing. Considering the large coverage of the village, the project group was divided into several small groups heading for different areas for initiating and promoting the project. Then families who were willing to join the project would be asked to the village committee for final screening.

After dinner, the families with willingness to participate all came to the home of the head of the committee. As the set procedure, the group presented a further introduction of the spirit of Heifer and more details on.

When the vote tickets were being counted, the villagers all stood aside and the staff was extremely careful about what they were doing. The result came out, based on the requirements of the project and through people's choices. Everybody felt relieved seeing the first project families being decided. No complaints, no gossip. Even those who weren't in the list appeared to be at ease—what could be said since it's the decision of all? And there is still chance to get the passed gifts!

The second day was for the training on the Corner Stones. All the project families came and a few that had not been chosen as project families. It's more like a discussion rather than a training course. The group used a simple metaphor to illustrate the relationship between the project and the Corner Stones. “It resembles the relationship between a house and its foundation. If the foundation is solid, the house is solid. If the Corner Stones are understood and applied to the project, the project prospers.” Thus, “Corner Stones” appeared to be less confusing a phrase.

What followed was all the villagers' time. We had no intention to impart any brand new ideas. Our aim was to learn how normal farmers perceive the Corner Stones and combining their understanding of local characteristics and their perception of the Corner Stones, what they would expect us to do during the complement of the project. In the following group discussion, the participants were asked to be as frank as possible. At last, each of the 6 groups was to give two suggestions which would be shared by all groups. There was a coordinator who was responsible for putting all the suggestions together and at the same time told his own opinions.

At first many people felt shy but there were always some active figures. Because of the encouragement from the project group, the air was heated. Every one, shy or not, men or women, had his or her voice heard. Surprisingly, they understood the Corner Stones so well. It was touching to hear their voices and their novel interpretation of the Corner Stones, some of which we had never thought of before. Perhaps, this was the integration of the values of the project and local culture—the 12 Corner Stones, never a new idea to people but a trigger of the voice that had existed in their hearts for long.

The activity ended with the “Gift Passing” game. Now the relationship between the villagers and us had turned warm and close from the constraint at first. The villagers asked the project group to give a performance and it was our turn to feel “shy”. But there was no way that we could say no. We had to do those old songs for the millionth time. The villagers rewarded us with joyful and pure Yuexi Highs. The tunes echoing in the sky over Dabieshan Mountain, a special singing contest thus began…

Evening wind brought us the fragrance of earth and flowers, and also the feeling of peacefulness that had never been felt before. We closed their eyes, but still saw the villagers' innocent smiles.