In early August, four young men arrived at the Maidan Border Defense Company outpost of the Xinjiang Military Region and planted their own "tree of hope" with the officers and soldiers of the company. The young men all come from nearby Maidan Village, and in a few days, they will be leaving the mountains and starting their university life. It has been my dream for many years to get into college and plant this meaningful 'Tree of Hope' with my uncle in the People's Liberation Army Bahatiyar Maimaiti'anha, who was admitted to Xi'an University of Posts and Telecommunications, happily said, "Thank you to the officers and soldiers of the company for their careful care, which allowed me to step out of the mountains and see the world outside like many brothers and sisters in the village." Ganisha (first from the left) planted 176 "Hope Trees" next to the outpost. This ceremony has been held since the first college student in the village Company instructor Ma Gengyun told me that in 1962, the predecessor unit of their company, carrying an iron pot and leading three camels, crossed the vast desert and took root here. From then on, successive officers and soldiers stood guard and helped villagers learn cultural knowledge, forming a deep bond of friendship. In 1976, the first college student emerged from Maidan Village. His name is Tu Erdi Bayi Wumaier, and he was admitted to the Kezhou Agricultural School in Xinjiang. To express his gratitude to the officers and soldiers of the company, he planted a poplar tree next to the company outpost and named it "Hope Tree". Time flies, and what used to be a "hope tree" has now become a "hope forest". They not only planted poplar trees, but also spruce and cypress trees... Ma Gengyun continued, with the strong assistance of party committees at all levels of the military and civilian areas and the unremitting efforts of the officers and soldiers of the company, Maidan Elementary School has developed from a simple mobile teaching point to a modern school with complete facilities. The 136th 'Tree of Hope' was planted by Guli Zaina Hapal. 18 years ago, due to family difficulties, Guli Zaina Hapal faced dropping out of school, and the soldiers of the company extended a helping hand to her. From school supplies to extracurricular tutoring, the meticulous care of the company's officers and soldiers has greatly inspired and moved her. In the end, she was admitted to the School of Medicine at Jilin University, and after graduating with a bachelor's degree, she was also admitted to the graduate program at West China Medical College of Sichuan University. Spread love and contribute to society When it comes to the future, Gulizhuna Hapal's eyes are full of determination: "No matter where I go, I will never forget the kindness of the border defense officers and soldiers. I want to use the knowledge I have learned to give back to my hometown and let more children walk out of the mountains." "Thank you to the officers and soldiers of the Maidan border defense company! It was they who gave my child the opportunity to change his destiny." Tursuka Turdahong excitedly held her son Ganisha's admission letter and said, "I hope he can defend the motherland and guard the border like the People's Liberation Army of the company after graduation." Tursuka Turdahong's family has been grazing for generations. In the past, he stubbornly believed that "going to school was not very useful," and even once moved. The idea of letting my son, who has not yet graduated from elementary school, go home and herd sheep. After learning about this situation, Peng Guoqi, the off campus counselor and then political instructor of the company at Maidan Elementary School, visited his home. After patient and meticulous ideological work, Tursuka Turdahong finally understood the truth that knowledge changes destiny. Subsequently, the company selected college student soldiers to serve as extracurricular counselors for Ganisha. Despite the ups and downs of time, Jia Nisha not only got into her desired junior high and high school, but also got into Xinjiang University. On that day, Ganisha also planted the 176th "Tree of Hope" next to the outpost. Plant a 'Tree of Hope' without changing your original intention. Under the influence of the officers and soldiers of the company, more and more young people from Maidan Village are actively participating in the border defense cause. Since 2012, 56 college students have chosen to return to their hometowns after graduation and 13 college students have enlisted. They all said, "Without the officers and soldiers of the Maidan Border Defense Company, we wouldn't be where we are today. We want to become the vanguard of national unity and border defense like them." After planting the trees, four college students led by Ma Gengyun walked up to the watchtower. The sunset sets in the west, and under the afterglow of the sunset, everyone talks freely about their aspirations for the future, occasionally accompanied by hearty laughter. (New Society)