| By Enid Joaquin in LindenIn a world where far too many fathers unashamedly neglect their offspring, sometimes to the point of leaving all the economic burden of raising their children to wives and ‘children-mothers’, there are still, thankfully, quite a few fathers who are completely dedicated to taking care of their children.These are fathers, who unlike some of their counterparts, manfully and conscientiously work at maintaining their children, some even doing two and three jobs to afford them the necessities of life.On this Father’s Day, I highlight three such fathers, and in so doing proudly yet sadly reminisce on my own father, who, through his love and devotion to his family, taught me more about love and commitment than any book devoted to the subject could do…Kevin BarronKevin Barron, a resident of Amelia’s Ward in Linden,China Jerseys Cheap, was born at the Linden Hospital Complex, thirty-five years ago, but migrated to the USA, one year later.Kevin would spend another thirty-two years of his life in that country, where, apart from obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, also became the proud father of four, 17-year-old Gabriele; Ashley, 15; Tasha, 13; and Yvette now 12. Although this astute businessman has so far only fathered four, to many children in Linden Kevin is like a second father.With five years experience in the fashion business arena, and eventually bringing his business to Guyana, where according to him, there was a void for classic clothing, this savvy fashion guru “adopted” hundreds of less fortunate children within the community by helping to outfit them for the new school term, every year.This is what the compassionate father had to say about his annual “giveaways”. “I saw the need for some form of assistance, especially for vulnerable children in the community, and decided to do something to assist them to return to school for the new school year. So every August I host a huge giveaway, where for only $1, these children are afforded the opportunity of acquiring articles that would help to equip them for the new school term.Of course I could not have done this alone, so I approached various enterprises here, most of which supported the venture wholeheartedly.Apart from his annual giveaways, Kevin has also donated a few computers to the Linden Branch of the National Library,NBA Authentic Jerseys, in another of his tangible efforts at promoting education in his hometown.Kevin candidly disclosed that all that he is today,Cheap Jerseys From China, he owes to his mother, who, as a single parent of eight, worked hard to support them; and as such was the most motivating force in his life. “I actually got the inspiration from her to get into the fashion industry, as she was also into that business,” Kevin mused during a recent interview.And to show his unconditional love for her, this loving son has recently built a brand new house for his mom at Amelia’s Ward.With reference to his benevolence to the community, Kevin said as a loving and caring father it was always his desire to give back to the place of his birth.And what better way to give than by helping to equip hundreds of less fortunate children in this mining town.Brian ClaxtonBrian Claxton, a 48-year-old father of four, is a resident of Richmond Hill, Linden.Presently senior Radiographer at the Linden Hospital Complex, Claxton is also Pastor of the West Watooka Wesleyan Church, cattle farmer, and taxi service provider.While these are enough commitments to tire most people, this is not the case with Brian Claxton.He always manages to carry out his tasks with a smile and an air of serenity.Sometime recently, while enjoying Mr. Claxton’s taxi service, I could not help but ask the man how he does it all.He replied, “In a country with a high cost of living such as ours, we cannot afford to be tied to one job, if we want to live a comfortable life; and I can tell you that most Guyanese who would not dream of doing another job to supplement their regular income here in Guyana, would do so in another country without a thought. For me, I prefer to do whatever it takes to make my family comfortable right here.”And that is exactly what he does. Claxton has over the years developed the skill of multi tasking, to ensure the comfort of his family.Brian Claxton came to the mining town from his home village, Wakenaam, after applying for, and succeeding in landing a job, at the Mackenzie Hospital in 1985.Prior to that, he worked as a teacher for two and a half months but gave up that vocation to work in the hospital lab.Claxton considers his job at the hospital his life’s work, and loves it, but nonetheless has been a successful cattle farmer for the past sixteen years.This exceptional man, who said he never grew up with his parents, but was taken care of by his grandmother, pointed out that his father’s absence from his life in his formative years made him determined to always be there for his own children, to provide for them, as best he could, and to be the best father he possibly could.And according to wife Joan Claxton,NFL Jerseys From China, her husband Brian is “a good father, a good provider and a loving man”.“My husband will go out of his way to make his children comfortable, for even though he works the taxi late at nights, and at the hospital lab, during the day he still finds the time to transport the children to and from school,” the proud wife assured.Presently also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mackenzie High School, Brian Claxton said he loves to serve people, and that when he dies, he wants these words etched on his tombstone, “Brian Claxton, a man who loved people”Jocelyn MorianA resident of Kwakwani, 44-year-old Jocelyn Morian says that presently his greatest regret is not being close to his children, who all attend school in Linden, and consequently, has made that Town, their home away from home.The proud father of three whose ages range from 16 to 25 affirmed, “Children are often the replicas of their fathers in more than their physical attributes; some of them emulate even the most insignificant idiosyncrasies; so as fathers we have to be careful of the sort of image we project to our impressionable offspring”.And as if to confirm his conviction, Morian confided that like his father, he is a workaholic.But unlike his father, who struggled to make ends meet, the younger Morian has empowered himself through education to make a better life for his children.“I firmly believe that education is the key to break the shackles of poverty. My father was a poor man, and he struggled to provide for us; and so I was determined to break the cycle of poverty in my family”,Marlon Humphrey Jersey, Morian said.A fitter mechanist who is presently employed with Rusal,http://www.airmaxfantasy.us.com/574-New-Balance/, as a supervisor, this father, who also runs a popular grocery in the Kwakwani community, said he regrets not being able to be with his children more regularly because of his work schedule. He noted that he would have loved to be able to help them more with their home work and other school assignments.Prepared to make any sacrifice for his children’s education, Morian said that even though having his children more than fifty miles away from home is not the ideal thing for him, their education takes precedence over anything else.“Presently my whole focus is ensuring my children receive the best education,” Morian pointed out.Asked about one of the more memorable experiences as a father, Morian said one event that stands out in his mind is when while on a boating trip in the Berbice River, his then eight year old son asked to ‘drive’ the boat. “I told him if he could start the engine, he was free to do so. You know he cranked that engine a couple of times until it started. I allowed him to “drive” the boat, because he showed the determination.”Presently an NDC Councilor in his community, Morian is also very much involved in other activities.He believes that some fathers’ lackadaisical attitude towards their children’s education is partly responsible for many boys underachieving at school, and is greatly responsible for the youth’s gravitation towards crime, and the declining moral standards generally.His advice is for fathers to communicate more with their children, especially their sons.Morian’s wife, Myrna, as well as his children unanimously agreed that he is a good father and great provider, but could certainly let up on the discipline. According to Myrna, “I could not wish for a better father for my children; he does his best to make them happy, but then sometimes he could be just a little bit too hard on them”. |
