Elly was grateful that she had not been terminated and described her employers as "quite nice!" I guess that everything, to her, is relative and not being sacked was cause for gratitude. It is disgraceful treatment of another human being.
With the exception of the two cases reported in the newspapers and the short one which opened this section, all of these cases come from the experience of one person (not a lawyer or mission worker) and his helper who tries to help her friends and compatriots.
It is no use being asked, as we are from time to time by the authorities, for more details; names and addresses. These stories (with very few exceptions) are told in confidence quite often by concerned relatives and friends who will not reveal the true identities in any case.
They implore us not to go to the police or to any other authority because they don't want to lose their jobs.
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If anyone feels that these stories are fabricated then they have never listened to tearful, snatched and often fragmented telephone calls from one of these ladies.
Many of them have to call back several times because employers may be listening in on extension telephones or may punish the callers if they are away too long, speaking from call-boxes.
What do you do when you receive a telephone call during a Number 8 Typhoon Signal from a young Filipina who is locked in a shop in Stanley - terrified by the thunder and lightning and the possibility of fire?
You calm her and ask for the address, you'll call the police and come and get her. You've made her feel a little better and she starts thinking of the consequences so she won't tell you where she is, because she's now more afraid of being sent home than of anything else!
You tell her to call back at any time and you keep an eye out for any sign of fire. You wonder if you are doing the right thing. But can you go to the police and expect them
She won't to knock on every shop door to try and find her? answer them anyway.
She eventually realised that her life was more important than the job and is back in Manila - trying to get another one from there.
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Appendix B
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