I hope this letter reaches you in good health as how it leaves my fingertips. I am a young man who is also a Christian. I have been having problems in my household from I was a child. My father and mother separated when I was nine. I have lived with my mother since that time. I have not received much of any financial assistance from my father.

My mother fell in love with another man about two years after she broke up with my father. That was a big disaster for me. My mother started to treat me badly because her boyfriend said that he would not assist another man's child financially and let the biological father go free.

satisfactory average

When I started high school, I used to do well academically because I wanted to go to teachers' college. My average was satisfactory to my teachers and friends, but never to my mother and her boyfriend. When I reached third form and my step-father saw that I had ambition and my average was going up, he came to my school and told my schoolmates and teachers lies on me. He tarnished my name. I was depressed and became fearful of attending school. Because of that, my average went down from over 80 to under 50 per cent.

Fees not paid

When I realised I was not functioning well, I started to go to the parish library to read text books. I didn't have any text books for myself because, in those days, I couldn't get the school's textbooks unless my school fees were paid. Mine was not. By going to the library daily, without lunch, my average went up to 60 per cent.

When I reached fourth form, I became a prefect and that hurt my stepfather to his heart. He went to the school and told them I didn't deserve to be a student leader so they should not have made me prefect. They didn't do it at that time but they did when I was in fifth form.

I was recommended to do eight CXCs but my mother did not pay for any so I left school without any subjects. I went and asked my irresponsible father for financial assistance to do some subjects privately but he said, "All that I can give you is a bag of filth". I walked away with tears in my eyes. I went on the National Youth Service Program and I saved every dime that I earned. I used it to pay for some CXCs, and now I have three subjects and three others pending. I am sure I will pass those that are pending.

I applied for teachers' college and I have been accepted. I am writing you this letter with my acceptance letter and voucher on the table. I don't know how I am going to attend college because I don't have any help. The deadline for the fee to be paid is August 8, 2011.

Please, I am asking if there is anyone who is willing to help me. I am sure I will do well because to be a teacher has always been my career goal.

D.D., St Thomas

Dear D.D.,

God is going to help you. I am sure of that. You are a determined and ambitious young man. And I am glad to hear that a teachers' college has accepted you as a student.

On your behalf, I would like to appeal to readers of this column to assist you. You will hear from me as soon as I have good news for you.

Pastor