Should I help my father with his child

Dear Pastor,

I am 22. I work in a hotel. I have been working from I was 15 because my mother left my brother and I to work on an a small island.

My father didn't care about us. As soon as my mother left, he started to sleep out at another woman's house. My mother heard about it. She asked me. I told her I did not know where he sleeps but he is never home.

My mother came home suddenly, went to where my father was staying and caused a big fuss. He said the woman and him were not in anything but, at the time, the woman was pregnant and it was for my father.

My father threatened to beat me. He said I had told my mother what he was doing, but he could not touch me while my mother was here.

He slept at the house while my mother was here but they didn't sleep together. He said the woman was not pregnant for him. My father never treated me the same way after that incident. My mother did not send money to him anymore to look after us. She sent it to my aunt. My father was vexed about that. He wrote my mother, confessed that he got the woman pregnant and was sorry. My mother left him and made arrangements for us to stay with our aunt. My father wants us to accept the child as our brother. He looks just like my father. My mother said we should not have anything to do with him. The child's mother and my father are not together again. My father became ill and cannot work to take care of her anymore. Sometimes when my mother used to send money, we used to give the little boy out of it. I am now working. My father is asking me to help him pay for the little boy to go to school. My mother is against that, but I think I should help.

R.T

Dear R.T.,

Whatever you can do for your little brother, do so. He is not responsible for whatever transpired between your father and his mother. I am glad you got yourself a job. I hope you go back to school. You are young and have many years ahead so try to get the best education you can. Don't be satisfied with working at the hotel.

Your father made a mistake. What happened between your mother and him is unfortunate, but long-distance relationships often cause strain on couples.

Your brother is your brother, regardless of how he got here, so try to help whenever you can and wherever you can.

I hope you have not lost respect for your father. If you can help him, do so. Take good care of yourself. I hope your mother does not allow the feeling of hate to take over her life. It will eat her away. That is not good. Please let me hear from you again.

Pastor