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“For me as well. Thing is, because we work in a church, our burden is heavier, you know? It doesn’t mean we lie about our lives. I get tired. I get upset. Sometimes my spirit is willing but my body is weak. I think as an example to others, we have to be authentic in our walk with the Lord. Be honest about our own mistakes and errors. Be willing to grow in the Lord. Let God make us more spiritually mature.”
“I have a long way to go.”
“Same here. I told you about my detour to Florida and back. I could have left town and gone to Lakeside—as wonderful as that place is—and missed God’s perfect will for my life, which includes a job that matches my skillset and a boyfriend who loves me. I’d miss out on God’s best if I go off on my own. Allthat to say that as a Christian, I’m not afraid to say, ‘I messed up.’ And I’m not afraid to learn.”
“Thank you for that. I feel like I have to be on top of things at the Midtown Village, and it’s a lot of pressure.”
Maggie recalled training Erika for over a month back in November and December. Hadn’t that been enough?
“I’m a phone call away, and you can come see me in my office. Just let Lindsay know, and she’ll pencil you into a spot on my calendar. We can also have lunch and you can text me. If I’m not in a meeting, I will reply to your messages.”
“Thank you so much, Maggie.”
“I’ve been busy the last three months getting organized in my new job, but things are settling down a bit, so come see me. How about we have lunch every Friday at church and we can talk about our week?”
“I’d like that,” Erika said.
Maggie reversed the van so that the back cargo door faced the loading dock. The boxes they were transporting were probably not too heavy but they would fill the van. So the closer she could get to the loading dock, the better.
She had done this so many times that it was easy for her. She put the van in park and turned off the ignition.
Erika blinked and her lips quivered. Tears flowed from her eyes.
“Hey.” Maggie was stunned. Erika had looked so cheerful just now that it was hard to see something else bubbling underneath. Was it the pressure of work?
Erika had brought her own tissue in her purse. She wiped her eyes. “I lied.”
“We can talk.”
“Don’t we have to go inside and get those boxes for the kitchen?”
“They can wait. Talk to me. I’m listening.”
“I lied. I’m not having fun. I’m having a terrible time.” Erika sniffled. “My manager is also new here, and she is still adjusting to the environment. Since we’re both new, it’s like we’re both having to learn together. She wants to look good in front of Mrs. Kim and Hiroki and the vendors and everyone else, but I’m having to cover for her every single day.”
Maggie nodded.
Wait. Hiroki?
Since when had Hiroki Yamada and Erika started on a first-name basis?
“I shouldn’t say anything bad about my boss, but…” Erika drew a deep breath. “I felt like quitting because I can’t… I mean she called me at ten o’clock at night, asking for a report that she forgot to tell me about, and she told me I should have been independent enough to get it done before she asked. That’s not reasonable.”
No. It isn’t.
Maggie didn’t want to say it aloud because she didn’t know Erika well enough to know whether she would then blurt out to Bina Marley that the Women’s Event Coordinator had called the director “unreasonable.” Maggie had worked long enough in this big church to be aware about interdepartmental politics.
At the same time, she wanted to minister to Erika.
Lord, show me what I need to say to her.
“I stayed up all night, did my best with the time I had, and came up with a report that I thought she wanted. The next day, it turned out to be the wrong report, and she blamed me for it in front of everyone, including RYUCP.”
“By RYUCP, you mean Hiroki.”
Erika nodded. “And his assistant, Alden.”
Maggie didn’t want to comment on Bina’s modus operandi after work hours. In a non-profit ministry that depended oncharitable donations, how could Erika ask for overtime pay if she ended up working all night on a last-minute report?
