More than 30,000 tabs torn from the tops of aluminum cans were lined up in the cultural hall of a congregation in the Oklahoma City neighborhood of Norman, Oklahoma. Each represents a larger effort to bring hope to women on the other side of the world.
Members of several stakes of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area gathered at the Norman Oklahoma Stake Center for service opportunities in support of the Sewing Hope Foundation of Uganda. This service project was led by Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, a Catholic nun, teacher, and mentor from Uganda. She works with the Sewing Hope Foundation, founded by Oklahoma attorney Reggie Whitten, which aims to teach and uplift women affected by war and its lasting social effects.
Through this foundation, Sister Rosemary helps women rebuild their lives by teaching them practical skills. One of the most influential tools she uses is a simple sewing machine. Women not only learn how to sew and create clothes, but also how to piece together their lives.
“I have witnessed young women come to me shamed, hopeless, and downcast because they knew there was nothing else that could be done for them, with the idea of mending their wounds and stitching together hope,” Sister Rosemary said.
Many women create clothing and accessories using pop tabs, which turn discarded materials into meaningful pieces. Each bag or garment requires hundreds of pop tabs and can take up to two weeks to complete. Sister Rosemary collects the finished products in Uganda and brings them to the United States to sell, providing income and stability for the women who make them.
On March 8, the Norman Oklahoma Stake was able to contribute to that effort with a large service event. After Sister Rosemary gave a short message, participants were ushered into the cultural hall and began removing the tabs from the lids of the donated cans.
A local beverage factory in Oklahoma City donated brand new can lid sleeves for this project. Volunteers untab thousands of lids in just one hour.
After the service project, Sister Rosemary spoke with the youth, missionaries, and other members, offering advice and encouragement.
“Sister Rosemary told us to be strong and courageous,” says Addison Neighbors, currently serving in the London England Mission. “She also said that instead of being afraid, you should just go and do it. We all felt that spirit as she spoke.”
Beckett Bailey, another future missionary called to the Hawaii Honolulu Mission, shared similar impressions.
“Sister Rosemary said that wherever we are on our mission, we should remember that God has already been there before us,” Bailey said. “She added that we need to put on the face of God. The way she spoke to us felt like a blessing from her.”
When asked how individuals can serve in a simple and meaningful way, Sister Rosemary encouraged others to look outside of themselves.
“You have to step out of your own comfort zone and think about other people and how you can change them,” she said. “There are so many people who need love. There are so many people who need care. There are so many people who need hope. There are so many people who want to see the face of God in you. See the face of God in them and begin to know them.”
The tabs collected that night will be shipped far beyond Oklahoma and eventually become part of items made by women in Uganda. Katie Bailey, Just Serve Oklahoma regional director and church member, said the project highlighted how simple acts of service can have a lasting impact around the world.
