The Tribeca Film Festival had two films that dealt with domestic workers. One, Untouchable which was a documentary about a Nanny that sexually abused a child (which I did not see) and Mr. Church a true story of a personal chef and his relationship with his principal (which I did see). While, one shows a negative side of a household employee, the other shows a side that is far less talked about.

So often we see articles that show a dark side of domestic workers, from a Nanny sleeping with the husband to the housekeeper stealing expensive jewelry, to a butler writing a tell-all book. What we don’t see is the untold stories of domestic workers that are heroes, not by risking their life to save a child from a kidnapper, speeding vehicle, or even a burning home (that is without a doubt a hero), but that unsung hero that silently brings peace and happiness to a family by simply having a beautiful spirit.

In Mr. Church, a personal chef is hired by his former employer (who is deceased) to take care of his former mistress and her daughter by being their cook until she dies from cancer for about six months. Fortunately, for both parties it lasts much longer. In the beginning, the little girl was rather mean, but Mr. Church never lets it get to him, he knows that she is what she is…..a child. He continues to do his job with all the love he has. Soon, he becomes more than their “cook”, he opens their eyes with the gift of reading books, opens their ears with the beautiful sound of jazz, and opens their hearts to peace and happiness. Something they didn’t know they needed. Something he didn’t know he needed. With the mother, he becomes her doctor with the love he put in her food, with reading books to her aloud when she was ill, and dancing with her in her last days. With the daughter, he becomes the one person she can count on after her mother’s death. This continued even when the daughter grows up and has her own child and moves in with him as he helps raise her daughter. It continues until she ends up taking care of him in his last dying days and then writing her novel entitled “Mr. Church”.

The employer treated him with all the respect one could and he in return gave of himself. Staying late as needed, giving a little extra in all he did, and by simply creating a home filled with respect and love. It was more than the great food, or the music he played, or the books he lent them to read. It was both parties loving each other for what each brought to the table. For Mr. Church, it was the family he never had and for them it was the attention they never received.

Day to day, there are families that get all of this. They get the extra attention with the way their bed is turned down at night before they sleep, the child gets the extra attention the nanny shows when they draw a picture of their pet dog, the dad who worked all day gets the love that was put into the presentation of the beautiful meal the chef prepared for his dinner, the working mother gets the smooth ride and peace the chauffeur gives her on the trip home, etc. It all creates peace. When you are touched by peace, you are filled with happiness.

Silently, these are heroes. When we make reference calls and the former employer says “they gave our family so much peace”, we know we have a WINNER. So with every horrible story that hits the stands, there is an unsung hero that continues to give peace and happiness. Recognize your hero! Be a hero! It is never too late.

Always with Love,

Justine Hall