I arrived late night with my friends at the campsite. It was approximately near to 10pm. Pitch dark, we held our touch and found a cozy spot to set up the tent. The rest of the group was getting ready for the campers performance. I was excited. Even though it wasn’t my first time experience, camping in the wild. Introduction Weekend with my group of friends from Raleigh International Kuala Lumpur.

The next morning, the staffs woke up at 3am. All eagerly with tasks at hand. I joined the regime and played my part facilitating what was required of me. I came back to the camp site, sweaty and dirty. The sun was shinning bright, birds were chirping. However, I saw Mother Nature’s tear in the pile below, near the campsite.

“Are you going to do anything about this?” I asked with a stern face to my fellow camp mate. He gulped with hesitation. “errmmm…not really” he responded. My heart sank. I was disappointed. My facial expression gradually changed and it was noticeable. His facial expression were in distressed, and he smiled at me with his innocent dark brown eyes, startlingly eager to affirm his perspective as I continued “Why not, well I am going to do something about this”. He added, “Even if we clean this up, people will still dump rubbish here. It’s their nature.” I reacted angrily but no doubt deep inside I agreed. “I don’t care what people think or do, I will do something about this. This is not right, just not right. Will you help me? ” I questioned commandingly. He nodded.

I found myself a big orange plastic bag and started to brace myself bravely into the “long drop”. For those unfamiliar with the phrase, a “long drop” is a hole used for campers to pee and dump their feces. Basically, its a shit hole. I amazed myself with my own act but I was determined.

Soon, I realized that it wasn’t really hygienic for me to pick up empty plastic bottles using my bare hands. So, I used a small plastic bag to wrap my hands with as protection. My act caught attention. I wasn’t doing this alone. Imagine me, picking and running back and forth the campsite trying to get help. The rest of the campers were very busy. I caught hold of two strong, young male campers. I solemnly pleaded for their mercy hands. My battering eyelashes, they couldn’t refuse and I wasn’t prepared to take “No” for an answer. Standing in disbelief, the earlier camp mate was taking photos of me. I didn’t have time to pose. Soon, I had 3 pairs of strong hands helping me. My 3 knights in shining armor. Well, in this case in point, my 3 knights in shining black garbage bags.

Soon, my tall, charming camp mate woke up. He emerged out from the tent. I greeted him from afar, “Good Morning! Care to join us?” I smiled ecstatically. For some strange reasons, with the lack of sleep, actually with no sleep from the previous night, I was full of energy and was enjoying myself doing this. It was fun, cleaning waste ! Hardly with any breakfast, the tall hunk walked next to me, somehow inspired with my act. He must have wanted to share a piece of my joy, derived from sheer pleasure, full filled, pursuing something I stand strongly for. Without a question, he blinked with his round eyes and cute dimples, smiled back in return and offered his hands to me. With thee hand, you shall pick garbage. I giggled.


Unfortunately, nature has it course. Our acts were put on hold. The dumpster emitted a foul smell, so bad that all the helpers ran away. We could no longer pick any more. We could no longer save the world, save the greens. I wasn’t satisfied. I saw a log and stare blankly at the hole. “We shall dig and bury” I said. 6 pairs of eyes, tired looked back at me. I stood still, very still waiting for a response. I didn’t even dare to blink. Their undying courageous act beckons me to gain confidence to speak again. “After burying, we would move that log and place it on top of it.” I continued. They stare at me, speechless. Then, walked away. Not to ignore my call. They just needed a rest. Bouncing, leaping out of the bushes, I walked to the laying log. Pushed it with my short, little legs. It hardly move an inch. I placed my hands against it and prayed silently. If this is right with what I’m doing, so help me God. I pushed it with my naked hands, the log moved abit and I scrapped my fingers. It bleed. A little blood won’t kill me, I thought to myself.


While I was busy pushing the log, trying with all my might. My prince charming came with a spade. The 4 hunks dug, hard and deep. They managed to cover the hole. We succeeded. I was jumping for joy ! We then placed the log on top of the burial ground. “This will do it” I heard a voice in my heart. Then, holding his camera with his sweaty face, my camp mate uttered, “The ground will fertilize itself and hopefully bushes will grow tall and no one will ever see this “long drop” again.” I was nodding in content.

The next day I came home, thinking of the incident. Thinking of our society today. How ungrateful act of some ignorant people to litter like that in the woods. Again, I was disturbed. Looking for insight and some cheer, I found a call in the bloggers forum. My little act will it make a difference? Surely not much. I was dishearten. Blog Action Day. Global awareness. That was it, we need to shout louder. I was in doubt, but I wrote the post anyway.

Two days later, I went for a movie with an old friend. Evan Almighty. “One Random Act of Kindness at a Time”, that was my message received from the Almighty. My doubts were cleared.

I want to take this opportunity to deeply send my gratitude, my appreciation to the 4 handsome, witty, courageous young men, who answered my call. Why you did it, I may not know. But you did it anyway, without complain. I solemnly thank you.