Since I was a kid we always have a helper or a student-worker at home who does the laundry, washes the dishes, cleans our house & all household chores a house helper is being expected to do. My mother is really an effective trainer so once a newbie enters our premises, in a week or so the maiden or the boy will at most learn how to do things inside the house in able not to annoy his/her boss (my Mom). Sometimes a bit longer depending on how the house helper would easily catch and digest what my Mom had taught them.
I came to think it was easy to have another mouth to feed at home and paying the person for doing the house chores which I neglect somehow because of my work. My first house helper only stayed with us for a matter of 2-3 days. On her second day I spotted her crying so badly inside our once-rented room telling me she needs to get home because her hostile husband would bring her son back to Luzon if she'll not return to Bukidnon within that day. The second one still was from my province, a native somewhere. Had stayed with us for 1-2 months. I had voluntarily let her slip away, knowing she got some of my stuff from my closet, some kilos of rice from my big pail storage, some coffee and powdered juice sachets (the 3-in-1 coffee mix! She has a taste!) and some things I didn't bother to audit. The third one, which is now presently with us at home came from my parent's house, worked in there for almost 2 years, transferred to another place to have another employer and environment, went back again to my parents for another few months, stopped to rest from serving homes and is now with us for a year and 3 months and counting.
Since she is a native from the mountains, me and my husband need to constantly teach, remind and instruct her on the proper ways how things must be done at home. At times, I choose not to speak anymore cause I don't want to say words that might hurt her ego whenever she commits tresses I dislike her doing at home or whenever she omits instructions given to her. Well, I too have disregarded duties at work and with my sidelines. I just have to understand and bear in mind that not all people are perfect to get a job well done. Maybe too, my house helper wasn't able to finish her 5th grade due to unstable finances. I remember the day when she was brought by her father to my parents saying, "Bahalag walay sweldo pastor, ma'am basta lang makakaon ako anak" (It doesn't matter if she'll receive salary or not as long as she can eat three times a day.) How hard! Their family was one of the tribal people in Talakag, Bukidnon who were ministered by loving missionaries from Australia several years ago. The father was one of the trained workers of my father and some pastors from the District to work in their small community as exhorter and lay workers in behalf of course of our Heavenly Father. And just last June 2010, me and my husband decided to let our house helper enroll in Sunday classes conducted by the Philippine government to which she gladly responded to. Since the program is for free, I just bought her school materials she'll need, paid her ID card and uniform fees and with her monthly salary at home, I believe she's using it to buy herself stuff which she deserves after all her hard works. I pray my household will be a blessing to her and to all of those who ask our help and assistance like what my parents and my husband's parents did and are still doing with people who are in dire need in terms of finances (as long as we can) and emotional dealings and the main course - in prayers and spiritual company.
My husband and I have our own employers we work for. In our dictionary: employers are bosses, employees are the workers and the servants. Employer to employee relationship and vice versa works if and only there is good communication, harmony, understanding and rules being followed and traits that will strongly support the line. Same as with me and my house helper. I seldom trust people with my belongings, with confidential issues and with my family. So I see to it, whoever I entrust my precious things and precious ones to, he/she must be worth it.
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