Water, water everywhere.....

.....and nary a drop to drink. Does anyone recall the "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner"? Each week when I "make" water this phrase comes to mind. The town in which I live has plenty of water, however, none of it is safe for us to drink. Our medical officer, Burdett, loves to inform us about all of the wonderful things that we can acquire through the water - typhoid, cholera, giardia, schistosomiasis, etc. Trust me, I'm doing everything in my power to ensure that the water I consume is clean! Unfortunately, Ethiopians aren't' immune to these diseases either. We learned this week that contaminated water is one of the leading causes of childhood mortality in Ethiopia.

How do I purify water?? We have been given packets of PUR, which is an additive that disinfects as well as binds to the large particles. My routine consists of filling a 20-liter container from my family's well, adding PUR, stirring vigorously for 5 minutes, and letting it then sit for 20 minutes. When I return, there is a brown sludge in the bottom of the container, which I strain out using a cheesecloth type material. It then must sit for another 20 minutes before it is safe to consume. Fortunately, the water tastes fine despite the chemical process it must first undergo. Generally, one 20-liter container will last me 4-5 days. This water serves as my drinking water, teeth-brushing water, and food preparation water. For showering and hand washing the local water is fine to use.

So...each time you turn on the tap and take a drink consider how blessed you really are!