Abused by a 'slave driver'

Dear Pastor,

I got a job in Mandeville and after working for three months, I asked the manager when I can get a day off. He told me I would have to work for four months before I can get a day off. After I worked for four months, I asked him again and he said I have to work for six months. I reminded him that he told me it was four months I had to work before getting a day off.

Most times I am very tired when I get home, so I decided to take one day and rest. The following day I went back to work and I greeted everybody. The manager told me that business does not run like that, so I should get out of his place. I told him thanks very much, and I asked him for my two weeks pay. He said get out of my place before you and I have something. I left his place.

Right now I am having back pains and I do not have any money to go to the doctor.

P.R. Manchester

Dear P.R.,

I suggest that you contact the Ministry of Labour. I believe that this man owes you money. He should have treated you much better. The Ministry of Labour will deal with this matter for you. Do not be discouraged. Seek another job.

Pastor

Sleeping with HIV positive married man

Dear Pastor,

I am having a problem and I need your advice. I am along with a married man for the past two years and he has another girlfriend. He is HIV positive. He sleeps with me sometimes. He supports me financially but the only problem I am having is that he lives with his wife and children.

Whenever he comes to visit me and wants to have sex with me, I give him the condom to use before he enters me. He does not want to use it. He is always telling me that he is not married. He lies too much. Whenever I ask him about his wife, he gets angry and he says he does not have any wife.

Whenever he comes to visit me, he stays until 4:00 a.m. before he leaves. One of my friends told me that I should leave him. I want to tell him to go. I am worried.

Please tell me what to do.

A.S., Manchester

Dear A.S.,

It seems to me that you are reluctant in ending the relationship with this man because he supports you financially. You are not scared because he is HIV positive. You are only concerned because he is living with his wife and children. You do not want him to leave you. You would prefer to have him leave his wife and come to you.

If you did not want this man to visit you and to sleep with you he would not do it. You are well prepared for him when he comes. You are armed with condoms and he has money in his pocket. More than anything else in the world you need money.

Make up your mind. He is not prepared to give you his money without you going to bed with him. He may lie about his marital status but you know better. If you did not want him, he would have gotten the message. And you would not have to be worried over his unwillingness to use the condom.

Pastor

She will not marry you

Dear Pastor,

I am a 24-year-old man. I am still living at home with my parents. I am in love with a young lady who attends a different church. We call each other on the telephone every day, but we do not go out often because of religious differences. She is a Jehovah's Witness. She loves me world without end, but her religion is the problem.

Her elders consider Christians from other churches as unbelievers. She is trying to encourage me to study with them but I am not interested. I have invited her to my church many times but she cannot come because of her religious beliefs.

Whenever we are going out, we have to go with others so that it does not appear that she is alone with me. Everybody in my family who knows her likes her, but I would never become a Jehovah's Witness.

At present, I am considering dating another girl. The only problem is that she is only eighteen years old and still going to school. I am also working with her father, and he suspects that I like his daughter. I prefer the girl who is a Jehovah's Witness. Please give me your fatherly advice.

A.S., New Jersey

Dear A.S.,

I suggest that you consider having this Jehovah's Witness young lady as a social friend. Forget the thought of making her your wife. If she is loyal to her religion, she will not marry you. I know many Jehovah's Witnesses who have married outside of their faith, but at the time of their wedding they were not Jehovah's Witnesses in good standing.

Jehovah's Witnesses consider anybody who is not of their faith to be unbelievers. They are entitled to their beliefs. I suppose they mean that if a person does not subscribe to the doctrines of the organisation that is called Jehovah's Witnesses, that person is an unbeliever.

If that is what they mean, they are fully entitled to hold that view, but that does not make it right. It is erroneous to teach that if a person is not of a certain faith or belief he does not know God, is not a follower of Christ and is ultimately lost.

Concerning your intention to date your boss' daughter, I'm happy you are mindful of the fact that she is still attending school. I am not sure how her father would react. I would therefore caution you to be careful. If this girl is interested in you she can tell her father that you are interested in her. You would know if he approves if he does not fire you or give you a stern warning to keep away from his daughter.

Pastor

Have you seen them?

Dear Pastor,

Accept these few lines from a Cuban lady. I am trying my best to explain my problem in English and to find my relatives in Jamaica. My parents are from Black River, St. Elizabeth. They went to Cuba while they were young and never returned to Jamaica.

My mother's name was Hazel Inez Lea Nation, otherwise called Birdy. She had other children. One of her children's name was Domingo Lea. His pet name was Pepe. I am told that he is a pilot. I do not know my sister's name, but she and my brother were born in the Province of Cuba. And they were taken by my grandparents to Jamaica many years ago. My grandparents names were Mary Nation and Henry Lea.

If you receive any information, please advise me.

F.E., Ontario, Canada

Dear F.E.,

I wish you well in your search for your Jamaican relatives. I can assure you that if anyone contacts me and has information relevant to your request, I will inform you.

Pastor

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