Dear Pastor,

I read your column regularly and now that I have a problem of my own, I am asking for your fatherly advice.

My boyfriend of three years came to Jamaica to visit me for three weeks. He brought some stuff with him to sell, which we spoke about, and I got some orders for him from people interested in buying.

Disobeyed him

He told me not give his things out unless I collected his money first. I disobeyed him. Those persons were my friends. I gave them the items in return for the money in two days. Days passed and I didn't get any money from them. He was very angry with me.

It was time for him to leave and still there was no money. I didn't want him to get angry anymore so I lied to him and told him that I got the money and he felt better. When I saw him, later that evening, everything was fine until he asked me for the money.

Hell broke loose

I told him I used it to pay my rent. All hell broke loose. He brought me home instantly. This was the night before he left and his flight was early the next morning. He was so upset, he didn't even say goodbye to me. I am now six weeks pregnant and I still haven't heard from him. Calls to him have proven to be futile.

What should I do, pastor?

T.R., St Andrew, Jamaica

Dear T.R.,

If you know this young man's address, write to him and beg him pardon. You got into trouble with the items he brought for you to sell because you are not a good business-woman. However, put that aside, you shouldn't have lied to him. And you used one lie to cover another.

I am really sorry for what you did. I only hope and pray that you will be able to reach him. You are pregnant, so you need him.

Pastor