While I was driving home from work the other evening, I thoroughly enjoyed the sunset over my city. In fact, it made me long to be on the beach with my lovely wife, staring off into the horizon. This longing was rudely interrupted with a completely different view. This picture completely saddened me.
It reminded me again that while many of us are so caught up in our own lives, there are those who are desperately crying out for help. Sadly, there wasn’t much I could do about that situation other than alerting the authorities. The issue goes beyond poverty though, in fact it made me think about my life, my family and my neighbours.
I’m determined to be a good father to my children and will move heaven and earth for them. What about there little friends though? Maybe I should just continue making my way to the sunset on the horizon. The African in me won’t allow that though. I can never be father in the true sense of the word, to all these other little ones I see running around my house and street I live in. I may never be able to change their home and family circumstances but I can surely impact their lives by embracing and treating my neighbourhood kids as my own.
To my African brothers, maybe it’s time we go back to these values, where your child is my child and my child is your child. Maybe you and I should extend our fatherhood to a generation that has no idea of what that means. I remain focused on introducing my kids to a life of sandy beaches with sunsets on the horizon and being a good dad to them, but wish to share that with those children around me who are silently crying out for the love of a father.