Last week, my older sister came over to do laundry and there was no detergent left. She called mom who told her where she could find another bottle, but upon opening it, sister found it was filled with water. Though she hated to do so, she opened Kena's purse and sure enough, there was a little bottle filled with detergent.
Mom wanted to talk to Kena about it and preferred to do it in person, but not alone. Since I don't work until later today, she had Kena over this morning and sat her down. Mom asked if she believed in God and prayed before starting the conversation. She told Kena about the missing items and how if she needed anything she could ask and the family would happily give it to her. Mom told her how well she cleaned and counseled her to never take anything from future families she works for. Kena denied stealing anything, but mom dismissed her nonetheless.
I walked Kena out, locking the gate after her. When I came back inside, mom had tears in her eyes because she knows Kena has it worse off than us, but she just couldn't keep someone who was dishonest. I told her I admired the way she handled the conversation and it was obvious she cared.
Theft may be commonplace in this culture, but it's encouraging to be reminded that stereotypes never hold true for every individual and there are people who fear God and desire to live lives of integrity. I'm fortunate enough to have been invited to live with a family with those kinds of values.
