The Pharmacist With A Little Problem

Today I went to Malony, this time as the pharmacist. I usually do registration, but we were a little short staffed so I handled the pharmacy. I loved it. It's my new favorite job on the outreach. I learned how to say the basics in Dinka to tell the patients how to take their medication: take one in the morning, take two at night, pour the medicine up to this line, etc. They of course looked at me strange and laughed. Gabriel, one of our translators who was doing registration, asked a few of them how to take their medication to make sure they understood me and they did!

Every time we are there, a group of people hang out and watch us under the tree. I think it's a place they usually hang out. Even if they aren't sick, they will stay all day and watch us. They laughed when I spoke Dinka and repeated what I said out loud. It was really funny.

Unfortunately, I had a slight problem. Due to the heat, the material of my shorts and the plastic chair I was sitting on, each time I stood up, the back of my pants were wet. I was horrified the first time I noticed it. It looked like I had an accident. If I continued to stand, it would dry in a few minutes, but each time I sat down, the sweat would soak them again. It provided a good laugh to our staff and the bystanders. I was really embarrassed when Dennis (our clinical officer) and I were called to talk to the chief. We needed to talk to him about finding a permanent staff member for that area, but he was in meetings all day. He was actually presiding over court matters. However, he said if we came over, he would take a break and talk to us. So, Dennis and I, wet pants and all, walked over to the chief and a group of about thirty older men. I kept thinking, how can I walk there and back without them seeing the back of my pants. Then I decided to just embrace my wet pants and not care about it. At least they will have a funny story about the kawaja (white person) who came and kept wetting her pants!