How charity knitting changed MY life

Previously I blogged about charity knitting and how it can improve your skills. I neglected to mention in that post about how charity knitting can change more than just your knitting ability.

I've mentioned Knit-a-square and their work with orphans and other vulnerable children in Africa who face the dual perils of HIV and poverty many times before. About 18 months ago I posted this on the KAS forum, which really captured my gratitude at the time.

Thank you KAS - from the bottom of my heart
I started writing this comment in the 'Anyone feel like a chat?' thread, but then I thought it needed a thread of it's own.

I've been very busy the past month or two, and I've had a HUGE week this week, I've worked about 65 hours at work, and I'm still nowhere near being on top of things. I've been staying up til 2am, or getting up at 4am to get work done. There is something strange about replying to emails in your pajamas!

It's Friday night and I'm trying to stay up until at least 8:30 pm (!) before I go to bed. I've got nothing on tomorrow morning (wooo hoo - sleep in!), and then we're off to see our nephew's school musical in the afternoon (and give my niece her requested slip over!) School work Saturday night, and then a lazy Sunday morning at home is in order I think! I'll have to go into work Sunday afternoon to get ready for the week, and I'm sure by Sunday night the cleaning and the laundry will be screaming for attention!

Hopefully after next week things will calm down a bit (hopefully!) KAS has been a real blessing to me in the past little while. As I've said before, the monotony of plain knitting is really important to help me unwind. Seeing one of my squares in the lates ezine was a really big boost - encouragement for me to go on making the effort of organising kids, squares and postage! I really enjoy checking in the forum, too. Kind responses and cheerful comments really mean a lot to me. If I need a boost during the day I will try to squeeze in a few minutes to see if someone has replied or left a comment on a photo - it warms my heart to see that.

So thank you KAS, for all you give to me.
Thank you for the sense of community across the oceans.
Thank you for providing me with opportunity to learn new knitting skills, which I can use for me, for my friends and family, and for many who I will never meet. .
Thank you for the kind words, the messages of encouragment and the thoughtful touches.
Thank you for the support I get for knowing that across the miles we are linked, stitch by stitch.
Thank you for reminding me that I can make a difference, and thank you for the photos which prove it. 

Thank you for providing me with such a wonderful platform to build a culture of service amongst my students. Students can DO SOMETHING - make squares. Others can fundraise, donate wool and sell ice cream. Others can count squares, wrap in brown paper and cover in entire rolls of packing tape. Others still drop off squares from their grandmas, and share in the excitement of seeing them in photos. Having the opportunity to develop the culture of service in my school through KAS is invaluable to me.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to help the children face the double perils of AIDS and extreme poverty.
Thank you for helping me to help them.
Thank you for showing me the photos that are proof that my work does count, that my work does make a difference.
Thank you for helping me show these beautiful, precious children that yes, someone does care.

Thank you KAS, and everyone who is a part of it, for helping me to change the world.
And thank you KAS, for changing me.

To donate knitting or funds to KAS, click here