Oh, helpers...

I can't help it. We've been here almost two years, and I still haven't gotten used to the interesting phenomenon of domestic helpers in Hong Kong. 
Yesterday on the train, I couldn't help but notice a baby being carried in a wrap by a helper, while the mom played peek-a-boo. I don't know the circumstances or anything, but I just thought it interesting- I probably would prefer to have my baby in my own arms/carrier/wrap, but that's just me. Also, my babies might not have willingly gone in another carrier with another person with me standing right beside them, but that just goes to show the close relationship between the helper and the baby. 
A few other helper sightings that I have found curious:
- A mom shopping in Ikea with three young triplets and three helpers- one for each!
- An old man hobbling around a track with his walker, while a helper lounges in what must be his wheelchair, texting on her phone.
- Someone at church with their eyes closed and arms raised in worship while their helper stands beside them holding their baby.
- Okay, I didn't see this one myself, but my friend just had a baby, and said that in the nursing room of the hospital she saw a helper holding a breast pump to a new mom's chest and was manually expressing the milk for her employer. (!)

It's just such a common occurrence here in HK, and we're not immune to it either. Tomorrow night we are going on the first date night we've had since Rita was here, and we've asked a helper (well, I prefer to think of her as a friend who happens to be a helper) to watch the girls. She's employed full time, but likes to earn extra cash when she can. She's a very inspiring person and really is too skilled to be a babysitter or a helper. She told me this week that she's collecting books to one day bring back to the Philippines and start a library, since there is so little employment and people turn to drugs and alcohol for entertainment. She's waiting on God's timing, and I hope one day she can bring her dreams to life.

I was visiting with another helper who lives on our floor and seems to be on the same schedule of bringing kids to the school bus in the mornings because we seem to often be on the same elevator heading home. She confided that she is sacrificing now because her dream is to one day move to Canada. I hope that she too can realize her dream and that she won't freeze in Canada!