CLEAN WATER

Providing clean water is one of the major humanitarian areas of focus of the church worldwide. One billion people lack reliable access to safe water. 2.6 billion people do not have access to sanitation facilities. 72% of the people in southeast Asis. One of the greatest public health crisis in the world. Thousands die every year from water borne diseases. The church to date has helped 890,000 people in 36 countries.


 There have been many water and sanitation projects throughout Indonesia. We had the opportunity recently to go out and inspect some of the past projects. How are they doing? What challenges are they facing? What can we do differently with the villagers to make them more effective in the future?

 The water committee. Consisting of local people from the village that will ensure that once the water project is completed, it is maintained, serviced, cleaned and kept functioning. They are also responsible for making sure all the labor is done by the village people who will benefit from the clean water. The church will provide some materials, and some expertise. The village people are responsible for all the labor of digging the wells, hauling the pipes, and in this case hauling the necessary concrete mix up the mountain to build a small reservoir for where the water will be captured. Without them and their commitment to support, there is no project.

 

We have about a 3 mile hike towards that mountain in the center to inspect how this current water project is functioning.

 

 A pumpkin growing in the middle of the tree along the trail. Pretty interesting

 Passed this fellow coming down the mountain on our way up. We started with about 15 people in our party from the water committee plus our driver and interpreter, gradually one by one they turned around and went back to the village. It wasn't that difficult....not as steep as climbing to the rock in Cub River!

                                                                   Great views!!!
Can you imagine what the foliage is like when you have 80% humidity with 80-90 degrees year round. The views were spectacular!!! But we were ever mindful of snakes. Atleast the missionaries were!

 Inspecting where the water was being captured. A few members of the water committee made it to the top and inspected a broken pipe. They will be responsible to fix it.

It was exciting to view this water project, but it was also exciting to get out in to the mountains. (Reminded us of Cub River....but a lot greener!) 

Says constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Once the water is captured it flows down the valley in pipes and is captured is these concrete basins where it goes through a number of filtering systems and then is piped into the villagers homes.

 

A villagers home

 

Some of the homes and kids that received the water. We visited with the family below about what a difference it has made since they received the water. The mother (who didn't want her picture taken) said she would have to walk up the mountain to get clean water. Now it was in their homes. The mountain in the background is Mt Merapi. The most active volcano in the world. It goes off they say, about every 4 years. It has been 3 years since the last time??? 

 

 

 The more the villagers do on the water project the more they take ownership on it, take care of it and take pride in it.

Inspecting another water project. Just before we took this picture there was a lady bathing here. She was pretty surprised when we came through the forest, about 15 people in our party. We asked if we could take her picture (after she was dressed of course) but she was to embarrassed.

 Sister Lucherini making her way through the forest (hutan) on the way to find the source for where the water is being captured. Just a few days before we had watched a national geographic show on snakes in Indonesia. They have all sorts of them, including cobra's!

 

Everyday we are reminded of the wonderful blessings of convenience and comfort that we enjoy and witness first hand how that is very much different for most of the world.  We are grateful for the blessings to be here in this part of the world. To meet these people, talk with and love them. They have the same hopes for there families as we do. Good health, security and happiness. There is much for us to learn from them.