More Christmas And the Maid

I learned from a friend who has been in India awhile that sarees are the thing to give maids at Christmas. We found a beautiful cotton with gold thread trim in a nice store on our neighborhood shopping street. The maid's daughter was coming by to greet us too and I wanted to have something for this little girl also. In lots of stores I had only seen very flimsy toys so we traveled across town to a store where you could find American toys, usually last years model. I found an Island Princess doll that sings and a fairytale story book. Checking out of the store I noticed lots of boxes of chocolate. On a whim I bought one.

The maid was to come at 8:30 in the morning with her daughter. They got there at seven at night. Very Indian. We had a great time talking and playing a board game. The doorbell rang and it was her husband. I was so happy to see that she had a husband to help protect her. He is a driver for a family. (If you have this driving job you can be on call for fourteen hours sitting and waiting to drive if the family needs you.)

We gathered by the tree to open gifts. It was good to have the chocolates so the father also had a gift. When we were finished the maid and her family were so happy. They told us that this was the first time they had had a Christmas with gifts. Their daughter is eight years old. You are never aware of the burdens of others until you reach out.