Linda Sue Park's novel, "A Long to Water, " begins in Southern Sudan in 2008. Story protagonist, Nya, like many girls in the Sudan, has the important job of walking to the pond each day (8 hours) to get water from a pond so that her family has water for survival. Nya takes this long walk to water two times a day, carrying a large container on her head to hold the precious liquid. When Nya arrives at the pond, she drinks the muddy water before filling her container. The book states, "Nya took the hollowed gourd that was tied to the handle of the plastic container. She untied it, scooped up the brown muddy water, and drank. For Nya and her family, survival without water is impossible." As a result of drinking the muddy water, Nya and her family's lives are often at risk. Nya's little sister Akeer becomes seriously ill from cramps, stomach ache and diarrhea because of the muddy water. Drinking unclean water can cause diseases like cholera and guinea worm. Nya's family takes the long walk to a clinic so Akeer can see a doctor. When Akeer is treated at the clinic, the nurse tells Nya's mom that the family must boil their water and count to 200 before drinking it. Nya knows her mother cannot follow the nurse's directions because "If her mother tried to boil such a small amount, the pot would be dry long before they could count to 200.  For five months of the year, Nya and her family had to move to a camp near the lake because the pond water would dry up. At the camp, Nya had the same job. She would dig a hole in the damp clay of the lakebed and get water. The water was more mud than water and it would take hours for Nya to get enough water for the family. Survival for Nya and her family meant leaving the lake area after five months to return to the village near the pond when the rains came. Nya liked one thing about the camp, ""Even though she had to dig in the clay and wait for water, she did not have to make the two long trips to the p