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Dear Pastor,

I am a 39-year-old divorcee. I got married 10 years ago and I thought that it would have been forever.

I have one child from my marriage. I have a first degree and when I wanted to go on to do postgrad work, my fiance at the time discouraged me. I regret listening to him. My father, who is a developer, gave us an apartment. He told me that it was a gift to us, but he did not transfer it in our names. My father is a wise man, and as I look back now, I am glad that the apartment is still in his name. It is a two-bedroom apartment with two bathrooms, living and dining. It is in a beautiful area.

After I got married, my husband became so wild. He was doing very well financially and the girls rushed him; he started to ignore me. He started to come home late in the evenings. I spoke to him about his conduct, but he did not stop. He got involved with my best friend and got her pregnant. She had a boyfriend and she tried to throw the baby on him. But her boyfriend was smart and he was in the security forces. During the time of conception, he was on special assignment, so he knew that that child couldn't be his. My friend eventually admitted that the child was for my husband. So I chased my husband out of the house.

One day I called a locksmith and changed the locks, so my husband could not get in. He threatened that he would break down the door, but my father and two of my brothers came to the apartment and waited for me to come home. My father and brothers told him to take his belongings and leave. I begged my father not to get himself into trouble. He asked them for enough time to pack, but I had already packed his clothes because that's all he had in the house; everything else was owned by my father.

I am a free woman today. I am not interested in any man, but I have got many proposals. Now I am planning to go back to university and to do my master's degree. I am hoping to go into my own business. To all the young ladies, I will say, don't allow any man to discourage you from going to school just because they promise you a wedding band. Get your education. Thank you, Pastor, for reading this letter.

- A.G.

Dear A.G.,

Thank you for writing. It is unfortunate that you allowed your former husband to discourage you from continuing your education.

Both of you could have got married and you could have continued to study, but you didn't. Your former husband and you were living in an apartment that was owned by your parents. Perhaps your ex-husband had life too good, so he became a fool. He had the opportunity to do well as a young man, but he allowed his sexual desires to get the better of him.

I hope you would return to school and continue your education and eventually make a good contribution to society. I wish you well.

- Pastor