Drinking Water From Anything Anywhere

In America, when I see people carrying bottles of water or containers, I usually consider them "health or fitness freaks" because there is water everywhere.  Even water from a fountain by the Monon Trail by ISD are used by anybody without any second thought.

Here, everyone hoard water.  We, the volunteers, have started to purify our own water, but we tend to refill our bottles from clean water containers that Peace Corps sometimes offer.  Anyway, I thought you would enjoy seeing how we purify our water...

First of all, we can take water from pretty much anything from anywhere.  Rivers, wells, tap water (if available), lake, etc.  Sometimes you will find the water murky, yellow, or whatever color from who knows what trinkles in.  Below is a photo of water I got from our family's well.  The photo did not show murkiness and other little stuff that floats around.

Then using a packet of PUR (Purifier of Water).  It is about 1.5 inches wide and 2.5 inches high.  Very small packet.  We were taught to cut the top away from our faces especially our eyes so the powder dust that comes out wont get to them.  It will irritate your eyes badly that you may need medical help.

Then we stir the powder in the water slowly for 5 minutes.  The powder changes color into brownish, and I can see it starting to clump and catch all those floating whatever, and drag them down to the bottom.

After 5 minutes of stirring, we let it sit for 5 minutes alone.  Everything starts to settle down to the bottom.  The water looks crystal clear.  

Using a 10 liter water jug, funnel, and a cotton hanky (folded once making two layers), then I pour the bucket through the hanky.  It stops all the brownish gunk from getting through.

Viola.  You got a crystal clear water.  I fill empty 1.5 liter bottles from the jug and I have my supply of water.  However, when you drink it, and you will be reminded of home swimming in a pool. It tastes like that.  Chlorine or bleach or something.  But so far it has not bothered me.  It seem to have bothered one or two volunteers.

I guess I have been "baptized" as a Kenyan since I made my first Ugali.  This is made of finely-ground maize (corn) with water in a pot under fire.  Stirring it constantly until it becomes thick.  Ugali is everywhere and eaten very often, from the rich to the poor.

Our neighbor was breaking ground for a crop.  It was fun to watch them do the work -- team work actually -- with one "running" the cows (he goes to the left, right, hopping over the equipment, whipping them, pulling them), another handling the steel plow, and followed by one or two ladies planting seeds in the broken ground.  All that labor without machinery.  Oh did I mention that for maize, they break off kernels off the corn cobs by hand, which takes a long time and very tough hands.

Anna and Britini enjoying a huge cake that looked very American -- only to find that its really dry (stale-like).  I guess its how Kenyans make their cakes.  I only had one taste.  I'm sticking to my diet (I just moved to the next hole in my belt already, by the way, and be sure not to tell the Kenyans that as it goes against their culture -- where gaining reflects happiness and good health).