I work with a very wonderful organization and as my job demands, one of my very crucial academic meetings is always held outside Nigeria.
I am also married with a 1yr 11 month old son and pregnant (few weeks gone).... My husband works and lives in a town that is 4hours away from Lagos where I work.
The need for a house help arose when morning sickness started. So I told a lot of people in the office that I needed a girl. Luckily one of the staff told me she could help me send down her half sister who is 15years old and her mum can no longer carter for because they are poor. She said she's also with the girl's elder sister.
I spoke with the girl's mum, she was so excited and prayed for me and all she requested was for her girl to go to school. I promised her that the girl would go to school. The girl was brought to me on 19th October.
So I went in search of a school and I was lucky she was admited into a Lagos State Government School that is close by. The principal said that it was late actually but she doesn't want the girl to be idle at home, so she could resume immediately but her academic session would be from January. I paid all d fees and got her two sets of uniform. She started school early this month.
My son has also started school, so she drops him in school and picks him up when she's back too.
Fast
forward to this time, d official assignment that would take me away
from the country was close. I couldn't risk leaving her in Lagos with my
super active toddler for almost two weeks that I would be away. I had
to take them to my husband.
Early
on Thursday, 19th, I received a call that my girl had left home with
her belongings and she left a note that she was angry with me that I did
not let her go to school and that if not that she loved my son ehn..... My husband's job is a shift- based job and he was on night duty to be back home by 8am the morning she left.
A
neighbour called my husband who was at work that the girl took my son
to them very early in d morning that we sent her on an errand and that
they should borrow her N500. They took my son from her and told her to
wait for my husband to return. They said they did not know when she
left.
The
girl scattered the whole house took all the pieces of meat in d pot,
the juice packs at home. I Knew she wouldn't get money, my husband isn't
as careless.
My husband spoke with her mum that didn't sound surprised and all she said was that she would scold her when the girl comes home. Yes, d girl is home now.
I was devastated and destabilized for two days. I never ever maltreated this girl. My conscience is as clear as a gallon of distilled water.
Well, my son is now with my mum.
My mum also spoke with her mum that the girl said neighbors were calling her omo-odo (house girl). She left the 6th day she got there. We stay in a compound of 5 flats where everyone minds his business. So who called her a house-girl.
I think the mistake we made was that we got her a phone and even loaded the phone. My husband said he noticed she was always calling someone and he once heard her telling the receiver the address of where she was.
I really wish to visit her mum when I return and I hope to see her and ask her questions.
I really appreciate my family for staying with me throughout this period and I'm glad I'm not hypertensive maybe I'd have lost this pregnancy. And I thank God most that she didn't hurt my son because I never hurt her.
Well, it's all good. Life goes on.
I am not trying to discourage people from getting house helps....
0 comments:
Post a Comment