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FAMILY LIFE MOTIVATIONAL

THE MINISTRY OF HELP


“Aunty, am just pitying
you O! I would have travelled since”. Amaka, my maid of 10 months said for the
third time that evening. Aunty, do you know that my kindred have all travelled
for Christmas since the10th of December? I decided to stay till 21st
for your sake and the children… She kept chattering as she packed the bath
items I had used to bath Temi that evening. I was irritated and could not ignore
the “pitying” chatter, so I cut her words short – “Amaka, before you came to my house I had a life, after you leave I will
still have a life, you are not pitying me by staying to do your job”
. With
that said, I walked away with Temi, my 12 months old baby. 

Amaka came to work
with me when Temi was two months old. My mother had a few more days to spend
with me having stayed two full months to take care of her first grand son and I.
I had expected her to stay for three months but my father was wearing me out
with his constant calls – “please send
back the wife I loaned you”
, he would always say after every call. My
mother on the other hand would not stop telling me how she missed the taste of
water from the earthen pot (I still can’t explain how the water in that pot
gets cold and taste so refreshing), the fresh breeze of palm front and the feel
of sand under her feet (where we live has interlocking stones). I once joked
the I will take her to the beach, that way she could have a good feel of sand
under and even over her feet!
The many tales of woes
I heard nanny and maids come with made me procrastinate on getting one till
mummy’s days were almost over. I even contemplated resigning from my job, but
the fact that the pay contributed to the comfort and the little luxury our
young family enjoyed gave me cold feet. Besides, my mummy would not hear of it,
she repeatedly told me that she raised the four of us with the help of nannies
while working. So if she could do it, so could I! In all honestly, I was ready
to sacrifice my job for Temi!
Babies! They just know
how to steal one’s heart.
After praying ceaselessly
and asking the Almighty who sees and knows all heart for a godly maid, I
finally got Amaka – a clean, smart and hard working girl. Despite my initial
inhibitions, Amaka treated Temi with love, before long the two became attached.
I was happy and contented. I was at peace at work, knowing that Temi was in
safe hands.
As December
approached, Amaka told me of her plans to travel and I initially said no as I had
no one to stay at home with Temi. But my chatter box (Amaka) would not take no
for an answer. She finally travelled to the village on the 23rd of
December, promising to return on the 4th of January, but she never
did. She kept telling us of a prophet that gave her series of prayer and
fasting to carry out and that she would return when the prayers were completed. (What
an excuse!)  
While waiting for her
return, my husband and I took some days off work one after the other to watch over
our son, after which we registered him in
crèche near our home as Amaka never
returned and we did not have the time to recruit another help and carry due
diligence of someone being at home the first one week to observe and direct the
maid’s routine. We have adjusted to our new schedule and moved on, just like I
told
Amaka.
We all need help (maid
or nanny) to assist take care and cater for the innumerable needs of our children,
especially for parents that work outside the home. Raising and caring for a
child is a great task, caring for children is an even more enormous task. We
all need some “godly help” in one way or the other.
For those of us who
have more than a child, the crèche may not be an option or a solution (like it
did for me). In whatever way we get the tasks of caring for our children done,
with or without a “help”, I say kudos! For those that resigned to face this
great task, I salute you courage and duff my hat. For those that had to submit
to hussy’s desire of being a “full time/home maker”, I say you are blessed to be
24/7 role model, mentor and guide to your children. Well done!. For those that
have wonderful mothers that can assist while we find a balance between work and
home, you are blessed! For the lots (like me) that have to rely on paid helps,
God will guide and provide godly helps. I do believe that God gives godly helps
(nanny or maid), after all it was a maid that saved the disgraceful life of
Naman – the Syrian army General in the Bible. 
Sister in da hood! Don’t
loose hope!

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4 Comments

  • Reply
    Trendy Mother
    March 23, 2013 at 8:25 pm

    Anonymous 06:37, you are not fare from the truth.

  • Reply
    Trendy Mother
    March 23, 2013 at 8:24 pm

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    January 25, 2013 at 2:37 pm

    Lately I have come to understand that the business of paid house helps is that of the “highest bidder takes it”. The moment a paid house help under you leaves you with flimsy excuses like she wants to go and see one yellow thing in her village, just understand that the agent that brought her is putting her under pressure because he/she had seen a higher bidder.

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    January 21, 2013 at 4:48 am

    Hey,nice writee up.

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