Dear Pastor,

I am 18 and work as a stripper. I could not get any job so a friend told me about a club that was looking for dancers. I couldn't dance because I grew up in church and did not attend dances and parties. But when I came to Kingston and staying with friends, they taught me how to dance. Two of the girls and I who were living at the same place went to seek the job. Two of us got through because we are slim. The third girl didn't get through because the boss said that she is too fat and she should take off some weight and some back.

This is not the type of job I wanted to have when I left country and I would love to go to college. My friends say I have become a good dancer and I strip because I make more money.

One day I went to work and a guy who went to school with me came to the club. His girlfriend was with him. Although I was dancing under dim light, he recognised me and called out my name. He also went back to the country and told my friends that I am a stripper and a prostitute. I am not a prostitute. Whenever I finish dancing, I go home. Men offer me money for sex, but I have a boyfriend and he is always waiting for me outside regardless how late.

My boyfriend is not working. And right now he is planning that when he gets a job, we will live together. I am not a bad girl and I don't hope to do this work all my life. But I prefer to dance than do nothing, so please do not condemn me.

G.

Dear G.,

I believe you are an honest girl and you are working for an honest bread. And I will never condemn you. However, I would wish to encourage you to save your money and try also to go back to school. Because if you are qualified to attend college, you might be able to get a student loan to attend university.

You know you are not a prostitute because you are not selling sex for money. You have a boyfriend and both of you love each other. I hope he will not abuse you in any way. The young man who went back to rural Jamaica where you are from and tried to scandalise your name should mind his own business. Don't allow that to prevent you from working for honest bread. In the meantime, try and get yourself another job.

Pastor