My boyfriend always gambles away his money

Dear Pastor,

I am a regular reader of your section in THE STAR newspaper. I was travelling in a plane and the passenger before me was reading the publication.

I observed that she was tickled when reading your column, so I asked her to allow me to read the paper when she was finished. She handed it to me with the warning - "Don't take it away, please give it back to me." So I did. That is how I became a fan of yours. I am Jamaican but I studied in America. My parents are now living in America, along with two of my siblings and I. My parents have worked very hard. My mother has adjusted well, but my father says that he does not want to retire in America.

I have an American boyfriend. I lost my Jamaican boyfriend. He is not interested in living in America, so we broke up. My current boyfriend loves Jamaican food and he talks about Jamaican women and how he is looking forward to marrying me. My mother likes him, but my father says I should watch him first because he is not a hard worker. Sometimes I don't know what to do. His parents are divorced. This man never has money. He likes to gamble and he eats a lot. Whenever he visits me, he comes with empty hands. He has never taken me shopping, and my father said good men take their girlfriends shopping occasionally. I have bought him clothes and nice shoes, but he is always talking about what he would do for me when he wins the jackpot.

Recently, I met another guy and I am beginning to love him. He has a good job and his father is a pastor. He is one of the musicians in his church. I really like him, but our relationship is still new. He drives a nice car. My father told me that I should dump the gambler for this new guy. I am still having a relationship with the one who likes to gamble.

I want help in deciding what to do. So that is the reason I am writing to you. Do you believe that I should follow my father's advice and walk away from the guy who has never given me anything since I met him?

G.

Dear G.,

I would suggest that you take your father's advice. Gambling is a disease and this man will not be in a position to offer you much if he continues to do it.

A gambler is always losing money, but he is always hoping to win big. I have seen that all the time. Again I say, take your father's advice and walk away from this man.

Pastor