Week 52: DEDICATION AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS CEREMONY: INSTALLATION OF 5 SEPTIC TANKS

Very close to the LDS chapel and our apartment is one of the least developed areas where some of the poorest families live in the city of Solo. The Surakarta Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints public affairs committee is involved in many projects to uplift and serve the local community in which we live.  A recently held ceremony that Elder Miller and I particpated in was we celebrated 5 septic tanks installed in this area paid for by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints local Stake. 

 I am not sure of exactly how many families live in the area but there are a lot. We walked around the streets and there were many children playing and many women hanging out their laundry,  and family generations gathered together. The families in the area were very happy with the improvements completed and becoming a reality. Today, there is only one toilet in the entire community, and the sewage runs into an open sewer.  These five tanks completed in the past 6 weeks are some of the first installed septic tanks in all of Solo which will allow additional improvements of community toilets and showers.  Septic tanks bring increased sanitation and improved living conditions.

We were privileged to be invited to attend the ceremony with many community leaders.  There was a rice food ceremony where a traditional food plate with traditional ingredients are served. One dignitary after another serves one another and it symbolizes unity in a community.  There are many symbolic Javanese traditions.  Elder Miller and I were both offered to hold a beautiful clay pot at one point in the celebration and directed to pour water over one set of septic tank covers.  The pot holding the water was covered in delicate fragrant flowers in a beautiful detailed pattern laced around the pot that held the water.  Five of us took turns and poured water over the tops of one of the septic tanks…at the conclusion the woman who is very influential smashed the pot over the lids and people cheered. There were newspaper reporters and it was a gala celebration.  The Relief Society served box bakery and meal boxes to approximately 70 people.  The breadth of our involvement and experiences as a senior couple missionary in the Indonesia Jakarta  mission is amazing