Dear Pastor,
I am a 28-year-old and I am the mother of four children. One of my children is six years old. He cannot walk or talk and he is blind. I used to operate a little business and I met some folks who used to spend a lot of money at my business place. I did not see them for a couple of months, but eventually I did. They asked me if I would like to get a work in England and I told them yes.
They bought my ticket and gave me a bag of clothes. They told me that I would have to pay them back what they had spent and give them 20 per cent interest. I agreed to do so. I was on my way to England to better myself. At least that is what I thought; however, I was arrested and charged for carrying drugs. Now I am in prison. And I do not think that I would be able to trust anybody again.
Please publish this letter so that what happened to me would not happen to any other person. Can you imagine the man who gave me the drugs called himself a British citizen? Was I naive?
Lost and Lonely,
Dear Lost and Lonely,
I regret hearing that you are in prison. I am not in a position to judge what happened. You have not said whether or not you consented to carry the drugs. You said someone gave you the bag. Are you saying that they stuffed illegal drugs in the bag without your knowledge? Anyway, whatever might have happened, I must say that you are paying a heavy price for breaking the law.
May others who would be tempted to deal in illegal drugs learn from your mistake. It is better to earn a living honestly even if the pay is small. You have my prayers. I trust that while you are in prison your children will not suffer.
Pastor
Help me find out about my husband
Dear Pastor,
I got married in 1972. My husband went on farm work in 1978 and ran away. He wrote me two letters and I have never heard from him again. We have four children together. He left us in a rented house. I had life very hard. He was born in Westmoreland. His father is as poor as a church mice. he has never written his father or sent anything for him.
My present problem is that I heard that my husband died about a month ago. I need his death certificate so that I can be certain that I am free. He had a son and I heard that he died last November. I also heard that he was rich and that he used to work with the F.B.I.
I have a daughter living in the United States of America and she told me that a lady told her that she knew my husband and that he is dead. I cannot hear anything from daughter. Every time I call her, I am told that she is at work. She does not write and I do not have a telephone at home.
Please see what you can do for me. I love you for the help you have given to people.
L., Manchester
Dear L.,
Your daughter who is living in the United States of America should be able to get the information about your husband. If he is indeed dead she would be told how to get a copy of his death certificate. The person who told her about him should give her more information. I know you are at a disadvantage not having a telephone so you cannot communicate with your daughter easily or frequently. However, your daughter should show more interest in your welfare and write you as often as possible.
May I suggest that you ask your daughter to seek the help of a lawyer. It would not be difficult to ascertain whether this man is dead or alive. I cannot find that out for you. Let your daughter do that.
Pastor Do you have a problem?
