Blessing in Disguise?

Since I discovered that I lost my "S" ring last week, we found out so much more.

When we mentioned my lost ring to my current helpers, they decided to tell us the WHOLE story. Things began to fall into place for them and for us, and as a result, we have decided to take some action that will protect the family.

Here's what they told us:

Ex maid has been calling very often to ask if "Mam" has asked about any lost things? (Why would she be asking them that question if she is not guilty).

Current help told us that ex maid mentioned that she was the one responsible for my 3 tyre punctures. (Remember my post entitled Jinxed in Nov 2007?). She wanted us out of the house for longer periods of time, so she could get up to her nonsense!

MIL confessed that she has lost more jewels - a diamond ring, a diamond pendant, etc.

Current help said that she was showing off to them the amount of money she had in her bank account - some $13000!! And all those jewels she has been wearing - she looks like a christmas tree. How on earth did she get so much money? Even if she never spent a single cent while working for us, there was no way she could amass so much money.

They also mentioned that ex maid said that if we had not signed the form for her to ICA (when she was applying to marry a Singaporean) she would have burned our house down! (How vicious can someone get?)

They have also mentioned that she keeps telling them that working in our household was no good, too much work, and that they should go work in Taiwan where more money was paid. But ex maid has been telling MIL that she wants to come back to work for us, once she got married. If it is that Bad, why does she want to come back here? So she can steal more?

We have noticed cases of "sabotage" like childrens new clothes gone missing - (which current help suspects she stole), pots corroded due to some substance put on it (looks like some clorox substance and it has been intentionally put), never used side doors that has suddenly become unlocked. Even told current helpers that when things are lost Mam will only grumble for a few days, and than that will be the end of it. (Is she instigating them to steal, coz it means tolerating a few days of grumbling and they will be better off?)

Current help also mentioned that she took picture of the inside of the house when we were out. Also, she mentioned to current help that if she wants to do "Kong tow" (put a spell/ cast a voodoo) on anyone of us, it was very easy, our photo albums are easily assesible!! Now we even suspect that she could have been involved in the house break-in (my post entitled: crime in the area in July 2007).

What have we done to deserve this? We had treated her and her sister so well. When her sister wanted to come here to work, we went thru all the trouble to make the necessary arrangements, and applied everything personally so that she did not have to pay any agents fee. We were inconvenienced, but we thought that if we could help them, why not? After working for less than a year, both sisters wanted to go home on home leave, and we allowed it. Even paying for their air tickets home. (In most cotnracts for domestic helpers, if you do not finish a two year contract, dont even think of going home!)

They were helpers who ate everything that we ate (pork excepted), even the expensive delicacies. MIL did most of the cooking, even cooked for them to eat. They did not have to look after any of my kids. They did not even have to wash milk bottles or boil water for making milk, all which I did myself. When the kids messed up, we did not even call them to clean or pack up after them, we cleaned up after the kids ourselves. We even clean up the dining table after each meal, they only have to wash the dishes. Many times, they even have their dinner before we do!!

They only did cleaning, washing and ironing (then again, even the better clothes, I hand washed myself or it went to the dry cleaners!!). Who has ever heard of Indonesian helpers who got 2 off days a month? Well, the ex maid had that priviledge! (And the current ones too!)

Now that we have realised how vicious she can get, we have decided to take some precautions. We have changed our padlocks. If she calls, we will tell her not to come anymore - the problem is she always drops by unannounced, at a time when MIL and I are not home - that's part of the problem. She knows our schedule so well, she knows when we are home and when we are out!! Even the current helpers are worried, and asked what can be done to prevent her from coming. They are so afraid they will be framed for her evil doings.

But, I think the loss of my ring may have been a blessing in disguise, coz now we know the real her. We have always trusted her, but unfortunately it looks like we have been betrayed BIG TIME. We are now able to take the necessary action to prevent it from happening again. We are more alert to things that could and may happen. We are more cautious. It has also made us more suspicious, which may not be a good thing. In fact, I hope it has not made me lose the trust in our current helpers, coz what have they done to deserve it?

Short of moving house (which is out of the question) I am not sure what else we can do!!