Mossy Cottage Knits

Cute baby sweater. Brr to naked heads in unheated Mongolian prisons. (Are you worried that some might not contribute for fear that their knits will go to prisoners instead of cutesie little kids?)
Can't wait to see TMK's rovings turned to yarn. Fun stuff!

No, I'm not worried about who will or won't contribute for whatever reason. It's never been a secret that F.I.R.E. helps anyone in Mongolia who needs the help. Until we came along, they always had a dearth of children's clothing so they asked us to focus on that, but the truth is, they will find a home for whatever we make and send.

I just read Cuzzin Tom's entry, then took a quick swing through google to read up on the issue of the Mongolian prison system. Torture, political prisoners, and complete lack of human rights were common in the prison system - until their most recent change of government. (i.e. the good one, which the people elected.)

It looks as if the news is only slowly leaking out to the provinces, and of course, they simply don't have the infrastructure to support major changes. According to a report from the State Department, the government is slowly retraining the prison officials and guards, and making significant changes for the better. For example, they have set up a tuberculosis hospital, and "The number of inmates who died of the disease continued to decline significantly from previous years."

I continue to be amazed with the improvements that Mongolia has made in the last few years. It really seems like they are trying their best to do right by their people, with what few resources they have. (I have the feeling that a lot of those men are in prison for literally stealing bread.)

In a country as desperate as Mongolia, where resources are limited, I imagine that improving the life of prisoners is a low priority, budget-wise. But obviously they are trying to improve the prisons as best they can.

Adult male prisoners may not be as winsome as eight year old street urchins, but they still deserve respect and warm clothes. No human being deserves to spend a Mongolian winter in an unheated cinderblock cell, shod only in flip-flops. A few of the items that I sent last year were knit in a men's size, and I would be really happy to know that they were keeping a prisoner warm.

Also, that guy in the daisy hat has a hilarious grin on his face!

Erika -- What a remarkably astute comment. In fact, it was just the prison with the tubercular hospital we visited. I forgot to mention in my post that we met with their doctor, and F.I.R.E. will also be offering them some medical supplies.

I couldn't explore much, but my sense was that the prison was tough, but not oppressive. But I didn't get to go to the maximum-security building.

I honestly don't know the ratio of what the State provides them and what their families must provide. My only clue was that men were singled out for us as ones who had no one on the outside to care for them, and thus were most in need. We were grateful for this info, and loaded 'em up.

Mongolians are not complainers; I often see them laughing in the face of hardship. But you all made these guys' winter a little easier. Meredith told me that she has gotten criticized in the past for distributing at prisons. Prisons are for punishment, after all. To which I say, in my most monkly way, eff them. These are human beings, and showing them compassion is a measure of the humanity we share with them.

I'm going to wangle my way back. I really, really want to learn more, and help them more in some way. A Mongol lama friend of mine has pioneered a prison lifeskills program in another province. Think I'll visit him first for ideas.

Anyway, thank you all. It's really my privilege to show you how your charitable work has directly touched lives in a remote, chilly and wonderful land.

Hey, This year, I will definitely send my "experiment" hats ....you know, the ones where I was forced (forced, I tells ya....) to do math to figure out the gauge, and thus ended up with THE WORLD'S LARGEST HATS THAT STILL COULD POSSIBLY BE WORN BY MEN WITH BIG HEADS"
Pat in Virginia

Cuzzin Tom's poting reached deeply. What a man he is. Meredith, I committed to 5 items, and have completed 2 scarves and a hat. I have a question for you though. In my kindergarten last year, we fulled adult sized wool sweaters (from thrift stores) and decorated them for the children in the class for an extra winter layer to be left at school. They actually are very sweet and I'd be happy to do 5 for the project, if it is something you would like. I could send you photos. They are woolen and quite warm! Marianne

Reading your cousin Tom's last post touch & pained me on a number of levels. I too suffer from depression and finally getting medicated last year made an enormous difference in my life - getting out of bed was no longer such a struggle. I admire his bravery in discussing his depression, something I still find difficult to do.

I have already completed my 5 promised items, but seeing those photos of the prisoners simply made me pull out more wool and get knitting. I recognize the criticism that "prison is supposed to be uncomfortable" but don't truly understand it. Being a prison does not strip a human being of certain fundamental things - including the need for humane treatment. More hats & scarves will be added to my donations box for them.

I was wondering what pattern you used for the preemie baby sweater? I was looking for a pattern that would be fast and simple to complete and your sweater is so cute!
I am getting ready to start knitting for some Peace Corp voluteers who work with babies in Nicaragua. I understand some of the babies are premature and the mothers are very young and have nothing. Thanks.

Ryan, those pictures on cuzzins'blog have just got me motivated to knit!! While I was reading all that I could think of the phrase "there but for the grace of God goes I". It just reminded me how amazingly fortunate we are to live in a part of the world where we have freedom to speak our mind and not be persecuted and tortured for our beliefs.
I am so thankful that through your work we are able to make a difference in the men's lives.

Pat in Virginia and I must use the same formula -- I made one of those hats that wouldn't even fit my head and my head is huge.. so I didn't send it thinking I would felt it a bit to make it smaller - but now I am wishing I sent it there must have been someone there who had a big head - it sure would have covered their head and probably their ears too.

Thank goodness! I thought I was the only one who "misgauged" a hat, this baby's turning out pretty big. Okay, maybe not Jolly Green Giant big, but woof! it might come close! I wondered what I was going to do with it, I was thinking that maybe I could make it into a neck warmer or something, but now I know where it needs to go. Tom, you will have lots of hats for next year!

Not to start a comment war or anything, but I wonder (in a purely academic way that is the luxury of those of us in the first world) if what we consider to be ungodly inhuman situations are really that, for the people who live there? I mean, they live in that cold even when they weren't in prison, so it makes me wonder if the inmates feel it as acutely as, say, my pampered self would. Here in AZ, there are tent prisons in the desert in the summer, and while some have complained, I think the guys who live there are more used to it. I'm not suggesting that the Mongol prisoners are comfy and shouldn't receive clothing or proper treatment, I just wonder, is all. I will make some adult sizes too.

i suppose my thinking is this; those tent prisons in arizona still have food and shelter, and everything necessary to survive (sorry, gang, no AC is not going to kill you). however, these guys in mongolia don't have waht they need to survive, ie, warm clothing. while they may be more adapted to cold, i don't know anybody who can hack bare feet in 15 degree temps for long (including me, the diehard birkie girl).

i made a hat that was oversized for me with my hiar in a bun, and i sent it anyway. i hope one of those guys got it (it was a little fluffy, but tan, and WAAAAAAAAARM)

i'm going to assume that the lack of postage on friday was due to preparations for saturday? i've started a nother hat, this time, in handspun. it will be warm, that's for sure!

I'm down for five items for Dulaan. Just returned from a knit in at Becca's and I'm jazzed about it. Especially since I have four items already knit. A fifth (or sixth, seventh....) should be easy.

Maybe if we all comment on this last post, Ryan will remember that we need our dose of mossiness and she will come post for us again.
(Actually, lack of AC kills people here every year, both in buildings and out in the desert. But you're right about the cold feet on pavement thing. BRRRRRRRRR. Too bad wool can't solve heat problems too!)
RYAN WHERE ARE YOU?

Have faith in the baby sweater - I just knit something similar to that, and it turned out *so* cute!