I recently visited northern Uganda for the 3rd time...but this was the first rainy season. The flooding was impressive and one day, one of our vehicles became mired in a huge hole in the red dirt. Our driver was forced to go around on firmer ground but when reentering the road, our left rear wheel sank deep into the rich mud…the four wheel drive could not get us out. Immediately, the drivers removed their shoes and button-up shirts, rolled the cuffs of their slacks and into the mud they plunged. I waited for the rest of the group to act but, as a DIY kinda chick, I did not wait long before I tied my dress up between my legs, put on my banana-leaf hat and, borrowing a big hoe from a local, started to dig out the liquid mud from around the buried wheel. As a "mono", as a woman, and as a doctor, my behavior was outlandish…but it had the desired effect. The clinical officer followed my lead and 3 of the women, still in their lovely dresses but barefoot, helped push. Both vehicles were freed within 2 hours. Later, as I washed my muddy legs in a basin at the remote clinic site, Alex the driver shook his head and said “Ba’bra, we do not know any muzungu like you”.
Unknown "doctor octopus" Uncertain
- 17 years, 1 day ago
