Don't You Have A Heart?

Our family just can't do it. We can't find it in ourselves to hire a maid here in Hong Kong. The more we are around it the more we see it as a modern day form of slavery. Let me warn you {if you are not opposed to the mistreatment of other human beings} that before you continue reading this post, you might not want to continue so that your feelings are not hurt. This is a cause I feel very strongly about, and find it hard when so many people do not have an issue with the mistreatment of their maids.

My husband and I are vehemently opposed to the mistreatment of animals. So much so, that we became vegans for awhile so as to not support the mass production and mistreatment of animals for humans to consume. {We are no longer vegan, but we are more aware of what goes into our mouths and we try to be more intentional about the food choices we make.} I stopped going to zoos that I knew were not taking care of their animals {back in Myrtle Beach I did not allow my daughter to attend her class field trip to the sad zoo in the city}. I don't go to horse races or dog races. 

And since I feel so strongly about the well being of animals, how much more so the well being of human beings? I've touched on it before and I will reiterate the fact that maids in Hong Kong get paid $500.00 USD a month and work over 12 hour days for six days out of the week. 

I was at a ladies night with some of my husband's coworkers, and as we were sitting around drinking wine and talking, the topic of their maids came up. I admire one family in particular's relationship with their maid. They seem to have a good relationship between employer and employee. A fellow coworker who is a local to Hong Kong made the comment to the effect that the maids should be grateful for having a job here or that they as the boss employing them are doing the maids a huge favor.  I exchanged a look with another friend of mine and bit my tongue. I was boiling inside, but knew it wasn't the time to say something because it would not have come out loving. 

Recently there was a court case here in Hong Kong involving a maid by her Chinese employer. The Chinese employer ended up with six years of jail time. Not that much time to pay. Abuse goes on for maids on a daily basis.

For all of you who do employ a maid here in Hong Kong, please see them as a human being. They are not your servant who needs to be at your beck and call. Please take into consideration the amount of hours you ask her to work for you in the day. Remember she gets tired and hungry too.  Respect her the way you want to be respected.