SEREMBAN: Indonesian domestic helper Sofia, who has spent 11 years working in Malaysia, forgets how to return home.

Her employer of 11 years, former deputy minister of education Datuk Hon Choon Kim and his wife, are worried she might not find her way home.

Sofia has not returned to her home in Indonesia after arriving in Malaysia 11 years ago, until Hon’s family decided not to renew her contract so that she could return home to reunite with her aged parents.

Hon told Sin Chew Daily that Sofia, 35, used to keep in touch with her aunt over the phone.

However, the aunt’s phone could no longer be reached after several years, and Sofia has since lost touch with her parents.

“Sofia has also lost touch with the maid agency sending her here,” said Hon.

To make sure Sofia could reach her home safely, Hon initially thought of seeking help from the Indonesian embassy or travel agency, as he could no longer contact the maid agency.

He later changed his mind and decided to send her home personally.

“She is treated as one of our family members after all these years.

“If my daughter were to fly to a foreign country to work, I would worry about her and hope someone could take care of her too,” he said.

Other than remembering her hometown as Waingapu, Sofia could not remember other details.

Hon ended up going online to search for the place and found a tiny island to the northeast of Java called Sumba where Waingapu is located.

Hon, his wife, Sofia and a friend took a flight to Bali and spent a night there before taking another flight to the town.

After landing at Waingapu airport, Sofia could vaguely remember the airport where she was before.

However, after 11 years, the airport has become different today.

Through a local driver, they left the airport to a village about an hour’s drive from the airport.

Luck was on their side, as Sofia bumped into her uncle when they reached the village.

She was later taken to her parent’s home.

Both her parents were shocked to see her and they hugged each other in tears.

The one-room village home could not accommodate all of them for the night.

They had to return to the town to stay in a hotel, including Sofia.

For few days, Hon helped Sofia open a bank account, bought her a mobile phone, did some shopping and settled some errands before leaving Indonesia six days later.

The mission of escorting the domestic helper home for good was completed after Hon received a call from Sofia that she received the salaries in her bank account.