ragups;311045Our maid, who is fairly recent (she's been with us for about 4 months now), has a daughter with a medical condition.
When she first told us about it, my wife took her and her daughter to our general physician. After some consultation, he advised that she continue to see the specialist at the GH she'd planned to see. After spending close to a month at a GH in June without any success, she was told her daughter needed a scan.
We figured that this would represent an unreasonable burden on her finances (she'd already lost her job at two of the homes she'd worked at during the time she was away in June). So, we asked her how much the scan would cost. Her immediate response: I don't know how much it will cost but I'd like to pay it all back through deductions in my salary. We were floored.
Ultimately, we agreed that she could pay back half the cost of the scan through salary deductions. And that only after she'd doubled the amount of the salary deduction that we'd proposed. All this from someone who has two small kids and is separated from her husband. Such dignity in the face of a very tough situation. We hope her kids study well (we are happy to pay for it) and that their education will serve as as a foundation for a more prosperous economic future for all of them.
Best,
Ragu
Perhaps, that's why it still rains.
நெல்லுக்கு இறைத்த நீர் வாய்க்கால் வழியோடி
புல்லுக்கும் ஆங்கே பொசியுமாம் - தொல்லுலகில்
நல்லார் ஒருவர் உளரேல் அவர் பொருட்டு
எல்லார்க்கும் பெய்யும் மழை - ஔவையார்
Water streams irrigating paddy
Weeds therein lush - since days of yore
Nobler among us be for and
Shower downpours for all
- Auvaiyar-Sangam era Poetess
