She had been working for his family for over a year as a maid, including a few days a week at his stall in the coffeeshop. She longed to see her son again but she knew she had to save enough money for that day. Lately the boss had been hitting her for small mistakes, punching her face, kicking her legs, abdomen for dropping a plate, spilling water, not cleaning the floor well. She began to fear for her life, depression and anxiety setting in, but there was no one to talk to as he never let her out. One day whilst holding the man’s baby son, she slipped and the child fell down and bruised himself. She was found a few weeks later by accident in the toilet of the house, barely alive, with a broken spine, a gaping deep wound in her leg, bruises all over her body. A badly dented spear, the weapon used. She only managed to live a few days and relate her story to the authorities.

Lately in the newspapers we are reading more and more cases of maids beaten, dying in mysterious circumstances, then left to be disposed off by other parties, a maid found in toilet with broken spine, gaping wound like the above case. Sometimes they are treated as objects and not as human beings by bosses who are unable to control their anger, emotions and in many cases when they are caught and punished it brings a breakdown, fragmentation and separation in the Family as Fathers and Mothers are sent to jail. When Cain killed Abel, the LORD said “ Listen — your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! — no longer will it yield abundant crops for you, no matter how hard you work!” Gen 4 : 10 – 12, the land is defiled because of (blood spilling) murder of innocent people. God’s eye, heart is always with the oppressed, the poor, the alien (foreigners), widows and we see this in Zech 7 : 10 “ Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners and poor people. Israel’s disobedience caused them to be scattered. We need to pray for Malaysia, that the land is not defiled by oppression and killing of innocent people.

Prayer points

• We need to pray as we run around our neighbourhoods for fathers and mothers to treat their maids with compassion, respect , dignity , mercy even when they make mistakes. To pray against the spirit of anger, lust, unforgiveness in these homes resulting in mistreatment of maids.
• Pray for healing of the land as a result of defilement, killing of innocent people (foreign labourers, maids, illegal immigrants, workers), thru the blood of Jesus.
• Pray for Christian families to fear the Lord and continue to treat their maids well as a witness to non Christian families.
• Pray for Christians to be people whom these maids can turn to for help.
• Pray for relevant government departments, all the maid agencies in Malaysia , against abuses in the system, that they be responsible, law abiding and look out for the welfare of maids and check on their well being and not be focused on profit only.

Weng Hong

Note: Weng Hong is currently leading the prayer team in RunNat2010, connecting and gathering Intercessors from various churches and denominations to come together as one in prayer to God for our nation.