The road to education aid has risks too

Today two female teachers from a Kunming art institution were with me, and the three of us travelled together. We drove a car for a six-hour journey before arriving at a small town on the way to the mountain village. We were going to Hong Potou village, 5 km away from the town, to deliver the remainder of the funds needed for construction and to accept the work that has been done after inspection. 

There is a very big open-air coal mine here, and at the same time, it is also a prison. The weather at the coal mine is extremely hot with a terrible natural environment, but this is also part of the road that we had to pass through. The car had already reached the end of the road, and we finished preparations to climb the mountain. At that moment we saw a tractor for moving sand approaching; it was coming to fetch us. Seeing the tractor, we felt excited but hesitant. Although we were spared the hardship of the three-hour climb, but was the tractor able to traverse the road that was only accessible by bullock cart? We boarded the tractor worriedly.

Once we were on board, the tractor climbed up the mountain relentlessly, like an animal that had just been fed. When it reached downslope it went downhill crazily. We were so nervous that our eyes were staring straight at the road, with both hands firmly gripping the tractor's railing. We did not dare to relax even a little bit. Half an hour later we reached our destination.

Hearing the noise from the tractor, the village dog barked without stopping. We started work immediately after we got off. The villagers came to our side to help us chase the dog away. The two aid workers who came with me were busy taking photographs, when suddenly one of them cried aloud: ""Aiya! I've been bitten by a dog!"" We rushed to help her lift up the trouser leg, and everyone was stunned. We only saw the fresh blood flowing steadily; a big chunk of flesh was bitten from the calf. We immediately called the number of the local epidemic prevention station to ask for instructions.

At the same time, the wound was taken care of. The village sent the tractor again to send us down the mountain. Three hours later we reached the hospital, and got a rabies vaccination. The doctor warned us: we must be careful when we go to the village in the future. Even though there is the rabies vaccine, but the maximum incubation period for rabies is over 10 years. As soon as the disease is contracted, there is no cure. Therefore, filled with concern, I hope that my fellow aid workers and those friends who are walking along the road to education aid will take extra care of themselves! The road to education aid has risks too.