December 28, 2006

Who do you call for this?

I have been quietly and consistently adding up the donations for MSF, and watching the number for Knitters Without Borders grow, fantasizing about the moment that the total might reach the goal. When Susanna and I met some time ago and she urged me to aim high, to try doubling the number and....well. To put it in the gentlest possible terms, I thought she was an extraordinarily optimistic human. (This is code in our family for "a few elves short of an effective workshop"...if you catch my meaning.) I explained that the last time we did this there had been a very visible emergency (the tsunami) that had galvanized people into giving...to all causes. I thought that without that sort of worldwide enthusiasm, that 120 000 was a lot to ask of knitters.

I was wrong. I underestimated knitters. (Me. Of all people.)

I asked you knitters to give on December 15th, at 9:28 am. I started entering the amounts in the emails as they came. I fell behind really, really quickly. Today I was entering emails from the 19th - trying to catch up....and lo....I looked at the total and....
On December 19th at 11:04 it was done.

That means that it took 73 hours and 36 minutes for knitters around the world to say "$120 000? I can do that. Actually, screw $120 000. We're going to blow right past that." I have hundreds of emails left to sort and Dudes. You doubled it. This means three things are true.

1. There is nothing....Nothing that knitters will not do in the name of decency and good behaviour, and that's because we know how to share. (Ever had another knitter just hand you a ball of yarn because you needed it? Ever seen what happens if a knitter runs out of yarn mid-sleeve or says they have never tried wool? I should have known this.)

2. This is a very, very big team. There is no way to guess what that number will be when you are done with it. A quarter million? Half million? You are legends. Who do I call to report this sort of thing? Surely there is a list of good human effort I can put you on.

3. The muggles should not vex us, for we are mighty, we are organized and we now how to make big change...one small stitch at a time.

I'm honoured to have even the vaguest possible association with each and every one of you.

Peace.

Posted by Stephanie at December 28, 2006 1:28 PM