Dear Pastor,

Greetings to you and your staff. I am a regular reader of your column and also a listener to your radio programme at nights. Pastor, please, I need your prayer and advice.

I am a 28-year-old Christian young lady with three children. My problem is that my children's father doesn't help me at all. After I got pregnant with his second child, he hasn't given me anything for almost eight years. He hasn't given me a book or a pencil for them.

I took him to court in 2008 and the judge ordered him to pay $3,000 per week. From then, I haven't seen or heard from him.

Pastor, my children are doing well in school. From infant school, my daughter has been getting straight 'A' and my son 'B.' Their problem is that they are unable to go to school as often as they should because I cannot find the money to send them. I have to find $600 per day for their lunch and everything else is me. It is affecting their grades in school. Sometimes I cannot find food for them to eat.

I do a little higglering and selling phone cards but it is still difficult to manage. I have also tried getting them on the PATH programme but they turn me down more than six times.

Every time I look at my children I cry and feel like killing myself because I cannot give them what they need. I have tried to get a good job but I cannot.

Please pray for me.

Desperate Mother, St Elizabeth

Dear Desperate Mother,

Whenever you are able to ascertain the whereabouts of your children's father, don't make any fuss with him, just take him back to court and explain to the judge what has transpired since he was ordered to give you a certain amount of money for child support. Then ask the judge to order him to pay the money through the court.

Concerning the PATH programme and the needs of your children, I do not understand why they have refused to give you help. Perhaps they feel that your situation is not desperate. However, you should speak to the principal of the school where your children are attending, and ask him/her to assist you in getting help for the children.

Pastor