White Man’s Burden??

I am trying to schedule a home visit. In one of the studies the Fred Hutch is doing here a doctor goes out into the vastness of Kampala and visits patients at home to collect data and check in, I assume, I don’t have a ton of information about what these visits are comprised of – hence my desire to tag along. I know the purpose of going to the homes, to make it easier to conduct the study and to take some responsibility off of the patient, that part makes sense to me.
One of the doctors was heading out last week and planned on asking a couple of participants if they would mind my tagging along. The need for consent is obvious, these are medical visits, to a home, a personal intrusion on a sensitive matter. I was told that my skin color may be a little unsettling or a potential cause for discomfort. This never really occurred to me but I am staying in a well to do neighborhood in Kampala where, although I am in the vast minority, it is not uncommon to see other whites around at the restaurants or in the street. However, the places where these participants live are a different area of town, almost a different world. So far, of the three asked, all have politely declined.
It’s a weird dichotomy, aren’t I the one supposed to be scared? Aren’t I the one on the opposite side of the globe? Aren’t I the white man, traveling alone in Africa? It struck me as odd that I would be a reason for discomfort when I am completely at home here. The people are friendly and helpful and vibrant and exciting and inviting and take every opportunity to engage me in conversation. I couldn’t be more comfortable. It’s an odd thing to think about that I might be scary to some people here, something I didn’t put much stock in but can now clearly see the reality of.
I’m not at all upset, I’m more in awe. From what I have gathered the participants were worried about what the neighbors would think, that they might jump to the conclusion that I was there to give them money, making them targets, I assume.
It will happen, I know it will, this is just an unexpected bump in the road is all.