I was staying in a friend’s house in a different state from mine when she got a new house-help of about 15 years. I came in on the same day and saw the girl crying because she don already chop beating. I shouted, pleaded etc, my friend’s response was “I won’t touch her again”.
The next day, I was in the bathroom when I heard the girl scream. I rushed out thinking she poured hot water on herself and my friend turned to me and said,” I only slapped her”.
I told her I was leaving her house immediately. Went in to pack my things and came out to get water to drink, overheard her telling the girl that it was her fault that I was leaving and how she will deal with her if I go. I went in and unpacked, stayed home all day to forestall any more abuse and we had a good time with alcohol added to the mix.
When she slept off, I woke the girl and asked if she knew her way home, she answered in the affirmative. I gave her all the cash I had on me and my phone number. She left before either of us woke up and I fessed up to my role.
I did the same to a neighbour’s house-help, I did not ask what she did, all I knew was that I was always hearing her crying from my house and I was done. My security man arranged a meeting and all I did was ask if she knew her way home. She left the same day.
The neighbour who is supposedly born again, came to my house a few days later to preach salvation to sinner Uju as she normally does. I asked after the girl, she said she just got up one day and left. I now told her the role I played and why and asked her which of us she thinks will make Heaven. To her credit, she was remorseful.
Making a video without action is not enough. You either go out there and give her a dose of her medicine, take the child from them or report them to the authorities. I don’t do what I do because I am a good person, if I had a different mother, my siblings and I could have ended up being house-helps after my Dad’s death and I’m always conscious of that.
Circumstances change and life can happen. So it could be your own child being beaten like a thief if fate decides to be cruel.
Be good to people you think are not on your level, they are your greatest allies.
Please all the praises and thank yous I have been getting is embarrassing. I am seriously flawed and far from a saint. Who knows if I gave the neighbour’s help money to leave because her crying was giving me migraines. Just pay it forward.
