What two weeks covered in ‘Devil Ants’ taught me…
For a few years now I have wanted to volunteer picking mangos. Unfortunately, our living situation and deaths in the family have prevented it being possible.
This year, finally, I left my second eldest son in charge of the business, ready to deal with any issues with the unfinished house and took my eldest son up to Kununarra.
We were ready for the long, hard, hot days and early starts…
As a family, we had made not made the decision lightly. The house still not finished, regular water and power issues, many half finished jobs, finances very tight, homeschool & group commitments, a house to run, chooks & orchard etc – it would have been very easy to justify not going.
However we felt it was a God thing, so agreed and made preparations.
The money raised would be going to Ruma Abedona – a cancer hospice started by a man who cared for his wife who died of cancer. While grieving, people shunned him say it was due to him being a Christian, however God challenged him to start ministering to others. Showing the families how to care, and loving these sick people has transformed lives.
There was also some training for the people staying at home – everyone would have to step up to ensure the business, parcel delivery and house could keep running smoothly.
For me, as someone who avoids driving a vehicle due to an injured lower back, a plane trip is daunting. For weeks, I tried to strengthen my back in preparation – if it gave out while away it would be a tragedy. It would also need to be ok when I got back to be able to do the many needed jobs that are already long behind schedule.
Then, the week of leaving, we started to get up earlier and earlier to be ready for the 4am starts.
In 16 years of marriage, I have only ever been apart from the family for a couple of days due to (due to hospital visits), so it would be a big change – and opportunity for growth for all.
Waiting on the tarmac next to the plane was pretty warm (42º), but bearable. We met the team and went back to the place where we were staying to unpack and prepare the following day. And of course climbed a Boab!
The first day was easy – preparing the place where we would be packing the mangos into boxes and moving / fixing machinery in preparation.
The next day was the first of the picking – from the ground with picking sticks. These are basically secateurs with a thick gripping jaws at the end of various length poles. The jaws grip the stalk of the mango and hold it after it has been cut so you can safely lower each fruit into the crate on the ground. Any fruit up to around 3m off the ground can be retrieved this way.
The first day picking, we only worked from 5am until around 4pm then went for a swim in Diversion Dam. As nice as this was, cooling down and jumping off the tree, the next day two of the younger volunteer girls, my son and myself decided to use a couple of spare hours to pick extra mangoes instead of swim.
We had 2.5 hours free – my son worked in the cherry picker, while the other 3 of us picked from the ground. Amazingly, we managed to picked 24 crates (25kg each). This equates to around 1100 mangoes (over 30 boxes) extra to raise money for those in need instead of us simply having fun!
Look at those faces – Oh what a feeling!
After this, we started to ramp up and work at the highest level we could. Each person settled into different roles and their own pace. It was amazing to see each persons gifting at play, from those who cooked with passion, to those who prayed, to those who counted (very specifically) and projected levels, those who encouraged – the attitudes and character of those helping was incredible. It really drove home the way that a similar foundation (Jesus) overcomes different personalities, ideas, backgrounds and situations for His good.
This was even seen in one of the team members (Ray), who was starting to rapidly digress with the symptoms of what waster discovered to be Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. As he lost his faculties, his love of Jesus and his wife (Chez) were even more clear. There were times when he wandered off and a pastor appeared out of nowhere to help find him. Another time, he collapsed in a ditch at the side of the road – but someone driving past just happened to see him as he fell. That could have been disastrous. Despite his failing body, he desired to be there and help. And Chez, dealing with so much, was still able to not only help her husband, cook for the team and assimilate with her new reality of being a carer – she was displaying the love and peace of God throughout.
Even on the plane trip home, when the airline had stated he couldn’t travel, some people that Chez approached ‘just happened’ to be neighbours of people we knew and were capable and more than willing to help, meaning he could fly.
Recently, at the palliative care hospital, despite not being able to feed himself or talk, Ray’s eyes still lit up at the name of Jesus. Ray’s funeral reflected this same, joyful reality – that even in the midst of a true valley or physical death – Jesus’ victory is solid!
Shameless plug – the 2L Thermo EcoTanka as well as some of the best sunscreen we have ever tested – two products we are proud to sell. (www.safewaterbottles.com.au). In this climate we found ourselves drinking 6 – 8L of water a day – with little need for the toilet as you just sweat it all out. Crazy! Water that stayed cool all day in this climate was soooo good!
After a few days, I started to use one of the cherry pickers, joining my son who had a few days head start. These machines are not the smoothest ride – a bit crude, though they enable you to get to Mangos around 7m – 8m high.
One of the team trying out the picker for the first time:
As the minutes turn into hours, you start to count crates and aim for specific numbers by the end of each shift. This is mainly dictated by the density of the fruit on the trees – a heavy laden tree can give 3 – 6 crates (each holding 20kg of fruit).
Once your cockpit looks like this – it’s time to reload!
Of course a little competitiveness was evident at times – all in good fun and of benefit to the total output. My personal best was 45 crates in a day – my son cracked 50!
After 3 hours of work, the 8am break was great!
A few more shifts and the day of picking was over.
Then, when time (or energy!) allowed, we helped pack boxes, load the trailer or move crates. Any thirds or fourths were taken back to be sold very cheap for a little extra for the place we were staying at.
As well as Mangos, over the next two weeks, there were many other opportunities to serve or bless.
For instance, we were able to help with some small mechanical repairs to some vehicles. Or should I say, quite a few.
It actually became a bit of a joke that every vehicle we borrowed developed (or had) an issue that needed fixing. A hole in a radiator, window falling out, failing water pump, the list was long (and bizarre)!
At one point, we found ourselves driving a car at 40kph with the heater on flat out on a 40º+ day just to get back to base. But still an enjoyable and productive day.
There was also some tidy up after a storm that went through – a tree fallen on the house. As the chainsaw wouldn’t run, I decided to use an axe on what was the most humid day we were there. Not the wisest move – talk about dripping wet!
The property we were staying on (Reach Beyond, formerly HCJB) was being run to spread the Good News via radio to places like India.
Currently run by the Sutherlands, an amazing family dedicated to serving Jesus. The time, effort and money spent to spread the Gospel into foreign lands was eye opening. The electricity bill alone was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars!
The building and running of this facility has involved many, many people over the years. Much dedication and physical hard work. Each member of this amazing family had roles that required sacrifice and much effort. A real encouragement to see and challenge to take home.
This same selfless attitude was evident by all in the team – after long, hard, hot days – everyone wiling to help with anything that came up. A few of the younger members even willing to give up time for a Bible study to prepare to go to the Speedway and talk to people about Jesus. That in itself was worthy of another article – but to summarise it was a fantastic time where people heard the Gospel and were faced with the fact others cared for their eternal salvation.
It is amazing what a small team of 8 people was able to achieve over two weeks…some stats:
~20 tons of Mangos were picked!!(That’s around 80,000 mangos!)
~1.5 tons got left on the ground due to damage from bats or birds
~1.5 tons of mangos were sold as thirds / fourths
~1680 boxes of premium mangos were packed and sold
~67,200 mangos!
~a decent amount of profit to help those in need.
And of course
~ 17 billion Devil Ants!! (Read more about the Devil Ants here)
Conclusion: God can use a number of small sacrifices for a large, eternal gain.
Lord, may we be willing to show Your love to those you put in our path. May we actively pursue the path you want us to walk to seek out those who are lost. Give us the desire and strength to show love not just in physical ways but in praying for them, supporting them and sharing the only truth that saves with them.