MONROVIA – Liberians are facing increasing economic hardships with many families unable to send their children to school or find a decent meal a day. The Bishop of the Apostolic Pentecostal Church International has said that the problem is partly contributed by the crisis in many families in the country. Bishop Kortu K. Brown said that “irresponsible Liberian fathers help increase economic hardships in the country”
According to the New Water in the Desert Assembly press release yesterday, the Pentecostal cleric spoke on Sunday, June 4, 2023, at a special intercessory and thanksgiving service held at New Water in the Desert Assembly in Brewerville, Montserrado County, to climax 7 days of fast and prayer for evangelism and community outreach executed by the church to seek Divine intervention in Liberia. The service also thanked God for another birth anniversary of the cleric and the church Sunday school Children Cook that was held on Sunday, May 28, 2023, for about 200 children of the church.
Bishop Brown who is also pastor of New Water in the Desert Assembly asserted that many Liberian fathers are careless who are only interested in giving birth to children but lack the conscience to support their children through life. “Many families are suffering because of the challenge of the children being left with their mothers by unscrupulous and irresponsible fathers who care nothing about the children they gave birth to until maybe the day of graduation from high school or when they are full grown. Then their fathers will show up to beat their chests and claim their children”, he said
The tough-talking clergyman holds the view that “about half of the economic hardship challenges many Liberian children face will be undercut if their fathers were to turn to them instead of leaving the children with their mothers or some other family members to care for them without any financial input from their fathers”, adding, he doesn’t understand why Liberian fathers like to run away from the responsibilities of supporting their own children”.
Bishop Brown narrated how a young lady who is a high school graduate told him on Saturday, June 3, 2023, during a food distribution program on the campus of New Water in the Desert Assembly that she didn’t know her father until recently when the mother showed her the father. “What was he doing since the birth of that girl to where she’s now? he quipped, adding “That’s the fate of many Liberian children. They don’t know their fathers; they haven’t seen their fathers since they were born. And many of such fathers don’t even stay far away from them”
Stop running from responsibilities
Given the gravity of the issue under discussion, Bishop Brown called on Liberian fathers to stop running from their responsibilities. “When you are pregnant a woman, take responsibility. When the woman delivers, support your child. Be a responsible father. Stop sending children to the streets to fend for themselves making them hopeless and helpless”, he said, adding “Children are in the graveyard, market stalls, and even at homes with single mothers suffering. Many find it difficult to go to school because of the lack of support”
Something must be done
The former president of the Liberia Council of Churches reiterated his call for some action by the State to compel fathers to care for their children. “Today we have so-called “Zogos” children. Many of those children are abandoned children. Some without support and some are single-mom children who just walked away from home, [some] hopeless and influenced by bad friends. Now we have a big social crisis on our hands with no end in sight. We must use the law to rein irresponsible fathers who neglect their children and suffer single mothers to bring up those children only showing up when the expenses are gone”, he concluded.
