Knitting for Nepal

Or, in my case, crocheting. A couple of days ago I blogged about being moved to tears when reading about the conditions for Ugandan slum children. Unfortunately, my tears alone are not good for anything. The story I read left me thinking. What am I doing for those who are so much less privilegded than I am? What can I do? There are many great ways to help, give money to charities, fundraisers, volunteering, donating clothes, support a child, but then I found out about this project- which spoke right to my heart. Ugandan children are not the only children suffering. Nepali children are not necessarily much better off. They live in a country with a cold climate, and many mothers have little or nothing to help keep their newborns warm.

The project started this way, back in 2005: A Norwegian Sunday School class was supporting a hospital in Nepal where a Norwegian doctor and his wife worked. They asked the Sunday school teacher if the children could knit a square each, to make a blanket for the hospital. This inspired other people, and the following year 7 homemade blankets were sent to the hospital. The project has gained momentum, and so far this year alone, 131 homemade wool blankets have been sent to the hospital in Nepal. The blankets are usually given out to poor mothers who are in dire need of more warm clothing for their newborn babies. You can knit or crochet an entire blanket or you can knit as many squares as you feel like and then it will be joined with other squares to make a blanket by one of the ladies behind the project. They have a blog where they post updates about the project and they also share photos and stories about some of the blankets that are handed out.

This project appeals to me on so many levels: Firstly, I am a new mother myself and it breaks my heart to think of wee little babies being cold or sick, or not properly cared for. Secondly, I am a lover of wool blankets. My babes have blankets in abundance, and I think it's about time I make one for someone who sorely needs one. (I hate to admit it, but I'm a selfish knitter, mostly everything I make is for my own kids.)

So my heart is both sad and happy as I read the posts in that blog. Sad that mothers have to bring their babies into this world in less than fortunate circumstances, but happy because we can do a little something to help, to make things a little bit better. In a country where the nights can be bitterly cold, the houses and heating poor compared to our standards, maybe a good woollen blanket can make a drastic difference for one little soul?

"For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. (...) Truly, I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me. " Matthew 25, 35

Details:

Pattern: Basically this is just a giant granny square. Super quick way to make a blanket, no joining! (Heklet som en stor bestemorrute, kjempeenkelt og raskt!)

Needle: 5 mm

Yarn: Smart, Trysilgarn, Rubin. Whatever DK weight woollen stash I have lying around, hence the unusually bright colours! My friend who has lived and worked in Nepal tells me they are fond of bright colours and that especially the orange and turquois colours in this blanket are super hot...

Click here and here to see the projects of the bloggers that inspired me to join this project.

What do you think is a good way to help, what appeals especially to you?

Klikk her for å lese mer om et fantastisk prosjekt - et norsk misjonærpar som jobber på et sykehus i Nepal deler ut babytepper strikket i Norge til fattige nybakte mødre som ikke har noe utstyr til babyen sin. (Ei 18 år gammel jente som fødte tvillinger hadde ikke annet tøy til babyene sine enn sitt eget og svigerinnas underskjørt, da kan du jo bare tenke deg hvor glad hun ble for å få et teppe, lue og bleier.) Du kan være med å hjelpe ved å strikke eller hekle - enten en rute eller to eller tre -eller et helt teppe! Spre ryktet, få med syforeninga!

Er det forresten noen som vil at jeg skal skrive mer på norsk?