Bad fathers hurt children

Towards the end of last month, The National’s Weekender magazine published a report of a young woman working as a prostitute in Port Moresby.
She said she was doing it out of love for her family to help her younger siblings complete their education and have a better future, and help her mother recover from her injury.
She was only 17.
Then on March 1, there was an article about a young lad who also stepped out of his comfort zone and did the unthinkable because of love for his family.
The boy put his life on the line to put food on the table and in the process was shot by police.
His father couldn’t do it so the young man died at 16 when he assumed the burden of an adult.
What forced these two young people to do what they did and put themselves in positions from where it was difficult to come back?
If you happen to read this letter, and you are a father or soon to be one, think about these two young people when you see the faces of your family.
I believe that it was the absence of a father figure at home that forced the hands of this young woman and man.
Unfortunately for the lass, her father died in an accident, but as for the lad, it was his father’s deliberate act of negligence that led to his tragic end.
How can you possibly be starving when the head of the family has a formal job that pays well?
Papua New Guinea is a country that allows polygamy, with many men quite happy to be married to multiple women, yet in doing so they forget that more wives mean more children and those children need to be taken care of.
If men can’t provide for more than one wife and many children, then I suggest they stick to their first love and stay with one woman.
Being the head of the family comes with great responsibilities and challenges for men or fathers.
Be careful to not do things that will put you under the ground too soon.
Think of your children and be wise with decisions.
I am sure you do not want to miss the part where you hold your daughter’s hand and walk her down the aisle, nor miss out seeing your son holding the highest position in the country.

Concerned JOFA
SNK