Sarah was a very smart and Intelligent girl. For a 15 year old she was smarter than all her mates. Sarah was a girl from my class, she was sweet, loving and kind to all. Everyone loved her so much! But she lived with her aunt and uncle in-law!
She was my best friend then so we shared everything with each other. She told me that her father passed away that's why she's living with her aunt. It was difficult for her mom to take care of all the six children she had so her aunt offered to help by training Sarah.
Her aunt, she says, is a nice person but she doesn't treat her exactly the same as she treats her own children. I asked her, How is that?
She said, her kids always gets monthly allowance but she doesn't, rather she is reminded that she should start contributing for food in the house.
Also Sarah does all the work at home while her kids (who are in the same age group with Sarah) always sit back to watch TV shows. Though sometimes the kids help in a little way as she acknowledges but it is very rare!
Sarah is the one who has to run errands both in and out of the house.
Something I didn't appreciate from Sarah's life with her aunt is that before school everyday Sarah has to first hawk some snacks before she comes to school and she's always arriving late and getting punished by the teachers!
This continued even after we finished school together and started learning a trade at the same place. Sarah would always arrive late and leave earlier than everyone because she has to go do chores at home.
This time she would not only sell snacks in the morning, but after work and all the stress she'd still go and supply handkerchiefs to customers.
I had advised Sarah to have a bank account and save money, at first she was scared that her aunt would find out and punish her. I reminded her that she's already an adult, no need to be scared, she needs the savings.
Eventually her aunt found out about the account and she had already saved a lot of money there, well she did nothing, she still allowed Sarah to handle the account and keep saving, but she also got access to the account, she knew the pin to withdraw funds.
When we were done with learning our trades, Sarah was very good at what she was doing, her aunt offered to give her a workshop to start her own business. But Sarah told me she doesn't want to accept it, she said her aunt's intentions are not good, she only wants Sarah to work for her!
So she told me that she wants to go back to her mom, she's ready to go back since she can now assist her mom with what she knows and have saved! But the problem was how to tell her aunt about it. I advised her to be sure that's what she wants and then be bold and tell her aunt about it. It will also be good that she is mild and respectful while talking to her aunt to avoid problems.
She agreed and kindly told her aunt that she'd no longer be staying at her house. Her aunt accused her of having a bad intention. She said she only wants to run away from work and that she's very lazy! Also that she feels she has made so much money under her that's why she now wants to go!
"If you must go then I'll have to take away all your savings and you start building from scratch"
"All this while you were eating my food, drinking my water, living under my roof and all of a sudden you want to leave just like that?"
The above statements were made by her aunt, and she forcefully took Sarah's savings and sent her home empty-handed.
But good enough Sarah was a brave girl, she eventually reached home, her mom was happy to see her but sad that her own sister could do all these.
Well Sarah felt very happy and free at last as she was finally out of her aunt's house, she was forever grateful to God for his help!
Her aunt thought she sent her away empty handed but no Sarah had a whole wealth of knowledge and skills to grow very fast. Besides she had another account where she also saved some money, though not as much as the first one her aunt took.
She used the money in that account to buy equipments she needed to grow her trade. She was very successful in dressmaking and other skills she had .
Her success reached the ears of everyone including her aunt, so she sought to make peace with Sarah.
Sarah had a big heart ❤️ so she forgave her aunt for everything, she acknowledged God's hand in her life and that God was fulfilling his purpose for her.
Sarah kept on progressing in wisdom and maturity. Her mom was super proud of her as she was very active in helping her younger siblings. She taught them different skills and they were all growing on their own as well.
Sarah's story inspired me so much, she is such a wonderful soul and God blessed her so greatly. She didn't view her aunt as an enemy rather she recognized the foundation her aunt built for her, she helped her to be strong and be able to filter the good from the bad!
