Some residents in the Ngadirojo Village area, District of Ampel, Boyolali Regency, whom I met on Tuesday afternoon (04/10/11), were so excited when asked about the changes in their everyday lives after a year of construction of water projects funded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in their village.

"This is such a tremendous help for us. We are for sure, particularly our children, much healthier than before. In the 90's, clean water was like gold. We had to buy it. Often I had to walk 2.5 kilometers, twice a day in order to obtain 3-4 jerry cans of water at the top of this village. During the dry season, we could fight all day to obtain clean water for the needs of our family" said a housewife, Parsih (47).

"The source of water was far from fit for human consumption. Besides for consumption, the water was used for washing and defecating for all people here. At that time, people only took a bath once a day. Reservoir was often very dirty and became the habitat of mosquito " said Margono (42), the village chief of Ngadirojo, who also told about the endemic incidence of dengue fever that hit the region in 2008.

Chronic drought that people experience for generations brings wisdom to the citizens. They become wise in the use of clean water. Through the arrangement of Clean Water Agency in the form of cooperatives, metering system is applied to the residents. This arrangement allows the neighboring villages in the Tengaran area, Semarang Regency, to come to enjoy it as well. According Margono, a few months ago a brick industry was established in the village that also utilizes the supply of clean water for production processes.

"There are two people here who pioneered the cultivation of catfish by using household waste water. But the majority use it to water vegetables in their backyard" he added.

Village Chief of Ngadirojo, Haryoko (39) when met at his office stated: "In every working meeting at the regency government office I always talk about the role of the Church of Jesus Christ in this humanitarian work. Thanks to its services a few months ago, the village area is declared as ODF (Open Defecation Free) in the presence of RI's Minister of Finance. We are also promised of HID (Incentive Grant Village) of Rp 200 million to support the sanitation sustainability and public health here. Really ... It's like a blessing from heaven!" He said firmly.