Gave my baby to the wrong man

Dear Pastor,

I am having a problem that I want to solve. I have been with a man for two years.

When he met me I didn't know I was pregnant. After we had sex, I realised that I was pregnant, but he knew that the child couldn't be his and I knew that it couldn't be his because of the timeline.

He told me that I shouldn't tell anybody that the child was not his and I should not contact the guy who got me pregnant. He said that he would take over; because I loved him, I agreed.

The other guy heard that I was pregnant and got a hold of me. I told him that he shouldn't put his mind on my pregnancy because he was not the father.

He asked me who was the father and I told him that was not his business. He cursed me and called me a whore, and I told him some very harsh words.

Now, Pastor, I had the baby and I registered the baby in my boyfriend's name, not in the real father's name.

I broke up with the man whose name I registered the child in. I contacted the real father and I told him the truth, and I told him that the child is his 'pickney'.

He told me that he knew that I was lying all along. I asked him if we had to do a DNA test. He said no, and that it was a waste of money because he knew from the start that he was the father. Any even the blind could have seen that the child looked like him.

He has been giving me money because he said he does not want his child to suffer. But, he said that for me to continue getting money from him, I would have to change over the child's name to his.

I would like to put the child's father on the birth certificate, so please tell me what to do.

N.P.

Dear N.P.,

I know I can tell you to go and see a lawyer on this matter, but you are a poor woman, so don't bother with that. Go to the Registrar General's Department and they will advise you.

I do not believe that you will have many problems in correcting this matter because the guy whose name you registered this child is not going to put up a fight, so to speak. He wants his name off the document too.

When you met and were young lovers, he agreed for his name to go on the certificate, but now that both of you can't stand each other, he would be glad to cooperate with you to make the change.

This change will cost you some money. But even the father of your child might assist you if he is now convinced that you are making an effort to correct the situation.

I wish you well.

Pastor