To Maid or Not to Maid

My colleagues asked me who did my laundry. My reply of doing it myself was quite astounding to them. They suggested I hire out someone to do it. I was somewhat unsettled by their suggestion for two reasons. One, I had never hired someone to do any of my household chores. That simply wasn’t done in my family, both (I think) on principle and affordability. Two, I had begun to see that washing clothes by hand was a Kenyan experience. To ‘cut-out’ on washing my own clothes would be too American of me.

Yet is this really the case? Most Kenyans working in my position earn enough money to employ others for their household chores. And there are other ways to have solidarity with the poor without washing ones own clothes by hand. After some reflection, I think my original obstinacy had more to do with defending my own pride rather than any principle.

Perhaps it’s not a big deal one way or the other. Yet I do want to be conscientious in my choice. And the praying continues…