I will divorce my wife if she goes to America

Dear Pastor,

I am one of your fans. I have been reading your column for a long time and I find it encouraging and entertaining. I have been married for almost 20 years.

I have five children, but only one with my wife. I picked and picked until I picked the wrong woman. Some of the other women I had would have made me a better wife, looking back now.

I have not done very badly in life. I have two homes. My wife is a practical nurse, so sometimes she is not at home. The last man she was taking care of died, so she is looking around again for another person to nurse. My wife has become miserable these days. She wants to go abroad to do her nursing. I am not in favour of her going, but she is determined to go. I told her that if she goes, I will divorce her because at my age, I need a woman to be around me. My wife does not appear to be concerned about me. We are not suffering. She wants to follow her friends who have gone to America and are working there.

I know one of her friends who went away. In three months, she got involved with a guy from Mexico and moved in with him. I am not saying that my wife would do that, but when a woman loves money, anything is likely to happen. I don't intend to leave Jamaica. My mother is still alive and I want to be close to her and to take care of her, because she did everything to help my siblings and I. When I told my wife that I didn't want to leave my mother, she said other relatives will take care of her. I don't see life like that. It is my wife who told me what her friend did and who she is with now in America.

Pastor, I am serious; if my wife leaves, I will divorce her. I would like to hear your opinion.

D.L.

Dear D.L.,

I hope your wife will not carry out her threats. America is seeking nurses and teachers from the Caribbean. They are better paid than in Jamaica.

I hope your wife knows that she would be destroying her marriage if she is determined to leave you and go to America. Perhaps both of you should seek the help of a counsellor. Other jobs may come forth so that your wife can go back to work.

Try your best not to think about leaving your wife. Try and see how both of you can work together and live in peace.

Pastor