Through the Eyes of an Elder: How a daughter’s suggestion led to a 25-year adventure

As our conversation continued that evening, I mentioned that FEMALE circumcision, as well, was a terrible experience for women in various countries around the world. She said, “Mom, there is a group that invites people to sponsor girls in Uganda who choose not to be circumcised."

We traveled to Uganda in December 1999 to meet the girl whom we had decided to sponsor. Girls were to be circumcised in odd years only, so we didn’t want to waste any time meeting the girl and her parents to assure them that their daughter would be safe. My husband Will and I were 58 at that time.

We visited with the girl, Rispa, her parents, and her school, all aware of the decision that had been made to support Rispa. We also noticed that Rispa was a very close friend with a classmate who was lame due to polio. One of the teachers saw us talking with Rispa and her friend, Betty. She approached us and said, “Can you take one more?” Without hesitation, we said YES.

Over a period of years, I kept in touch with the girls by traveling to Uganda to teach in their school, visit with their parents and teachers. I also taught both English and French in their high school, which was quite an experience.

ANOTHER call from the same daughter: “Mom do you have any idea of how many women are suffering from fistula?” We were now 68. I might have had a vague idea of the condition but not about what I, personally, could do.

Will, an MD, began an investigation that led us to a hospital in Uganda where doctors from Europe and the United States were doing fistula surgery under the leadership of Doctor Sister Maura Lynch, a Medical Missionary of Mary.

No surprise that I was on in no time to travel again to Uganda to meet this interesting Irish Nun. Our only real credentials were the two whom we had kept from circumcision and were now adult women. So we enlisted them in our journey to Masaka.

When we arrived in Masaka, we were introduced to Sister Maura. She greeted us with great enthusiasm though curious about our plan to support women who suffered from fistula. We explained that the women must be in such fear of surgery and purposed that we travel to Uganda with big Contigo boxes full of yarn and needles to teach the women to knit before and after their surgery. Herself a knitter, Maura thought it was rather curious, but not unusual, and was in favor of our giving it a try.

A year later, we arrived with 12 women, mostly over the age of 50, and 17 Contigo boxes. We landed in Entebbe, Uganda, at midnight. The very next morning we were greeted by a very large group of women waiting for surgery but anxious to see what our women had in store for them.

The success of that trip in 2011 laid the path for many trips to Kitovu hospital with the same agenda to knit, dance, laugh, and sing.

Now, after a three-year absence and into my 80th year on this planet, a long-awaited return trip was made in January 2023. We were warmly greeted at the hospital, still accompanied by many Contigo boxes full of yarn, needles, and hand-knitted blankets for the patients.

At our farewell dinner, I was surprised by a birthday cake, lovingly inscribed, “Happy Birthday Jajja 80+ years!” That was joy enough to make me decide to keep up with my Strong Women class, do a lot of walking, and head back to Uganda for a birthday cake with an even HIGHER number on it.

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A great believer in keeping active, Linda, who turns 82 this month, will be returning to Uganda this winter. What keeps her returning is the joy of seeing the smiling faces of women who have received life changing surgeries supported by caring people in Hood River.