Blessings in disguise

I walked into the office where I have worked as a Librarian on contract for over four years. I have looked forward to the Organization confirming me as a permanent staff so that I can enjoy health, housing, pension and other benefits, “did they confirm you as permanent staff? was the questions I kept hearing as I went into the office, it came as a surprise because I did not know the list was released. I hurriedly and confidently went to the Human Resources Department to check my name, alas! My name was not on the list! What happened? Why was my name not on the list, I asked? I know that in all the years working, I gave my best. “Sorry Ma, the gentleman in Human Resources office said “it was not based on hard work, it was based on who you know in high authority”! Tears swelled in my eyes as I collected my disengagement letter. I had no one to turn to, I had no job, and I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do next with my life!

Overnight I became a stay at home mother even though I did not planned for it, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. I began to engage myself in online research and personal development courses, through my quest for knowledge the idea of volunteering/working for a Non-profit Organization came to me.

I started working with a rehabilitation center for sexually and domestically abused girls, girls who society has given up on, girls whose parents forced them to marry older men so the men can support their family financially, girls who were forced into prostitution due to poverty, girls who have been traumatized in many ways you can never imagine, that when you hear their stories the pain in your heart will be like a hot arrow pierced through you!

As I open up my heart to just listen to them, encourage, mentor and teach them life skills, I realized that I had joy waking up to go see the girls in the shelter. All they needed was someone to hear them, someone to just make them smile and give them words of hope, I was glad I was able to bring smiles to their faces. Recently one of the girls said to me” thank you for giving me something to hope for” I noticed I began to heal and smile, I noticed I wanted to do more for the girls, I noticed there is more to life than sitting behind a desk doing a day job!

I look back and smile, I do not have a regular job as Librarian, but I am in position to make someone smile and encourage someone to hold on…and have hope, that goes a long way for me, I look back and see that my disengagement was indeed a blessing in disguise.

How to Get Involved

support abused girls going through rehabilitation.