Posted on Sister Zeph’s Journal
By Sister Zeph
Date: November 21, 2013
By Zephaniah
I typically keep my volunteer work separate from my responsibilities at the office, as it’s a personal endeavor that I prefer to focus on independently. However, there’s a colleague of mine with whom I’ve shared the same workspace for the past six years. When I initially joined the organization, his behavior towards me was far from welcoming. It was evident to me that he lacked decency, and being a female, I chose not to engage with him. My response to his inappropriate conduct was to distance myself. In return, he began spreading rumors about me.
Despite working in a telecommunications company that offered free landline connections to its employees, I refrained from obtaining one. My reason was simple: I didn’t want to give him the opportunity to call me at home without a valid reason. He had a history of dialing the numbers of female staff members and engaging them in unwarranted conversations because, as an employee, he had access to these contact details provided by the organization.
One day, a friend of mine revealed that he had called her and made disparaging remarks about me. Despite six years passing, he had yet to muster the courage to address me directly. Whenever he attempted to do so, I firmly reminded him of the boundaries he needed to respect.
Last month, a female friend mentioned that he continued to speak ill of me. I chose to remain silent, fully aware that he was still engaged in his campaign against me, unable to confront me directly.
Today, something remarkable occurred at the office. My colleagues wanted to celebrate and asked me to treat them. My salary had been increased two months earlier. However, I declined the request, explaining that my students lacked proper seating arrangements, particularly crucial during the winter season. I asked them to consider whether purchasing warm blankets for the students was not a more important use of those funds. In response to their inquiries, I showed them photos of a hundred girls who were studying in an open-air environment. Some were learning the art of stitching, others were honing their hairdressing skills, and a few were engaged in language courses.
He was present during this conversation, maintaining his silence. However, later on, he spoke to another colleague, expressing remorse for not having realized the importance of making a positive impact on our world. After about an hour, he approached me and said, “Sister, you are doing an incredible job, and I hold you in the highest regard. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever need assistance.”