How a good, loving and guiding father can impact a generation.

Being a great father is like shaving. No matter how good you shaved today, you have to do it again tomorrow-Reed Markham

“Fatherhood to me is all about time and not money. It basically loving your children in their ugly time as well as their beautiful time”, said my friend

Anyone who knows my friend can clearly see how much my friend loves his two daughters by simply watching his family together.

The Oxford Dictionary defines a father as a man who a man who provides care and protection to their family and loved ones. This may be by providing the basic needs in life such as shelter, food, clothing and education. 

A father with his children

 Growing up, a father meant the guy who pays your school fees, picks you up from school, does the ‘manly’ work around the house and mostly fixes the broken things. Currently my definition of a father or rather fatherhood has changed a lot over the past few years.

I didn’t see much of my father when I was young since he was always busy with work. However the rare moments we spent together were really special.  I still have the childhood memories of us making a model house from scrap cardboard which was part of my art project. Today, I would do anything to get that house back but more important to spend time with him like that again. Now that I am an adult I don’t think we will spend time with each other the same way.

“The most important thing a father can give to his children is time”, my friend commented. “I love spending time with my kids and having dad dates with my girls”, he added with a twinkle in his eyes.

 Statistics from around the world have proven that life without fathers can also be defined as disastrous. 

Children with involved fathers are

· confident,

·  better able to deal with frustration,

· better able to gain independence and their own identity,

·  more likely to mature into compassionate adults,

·  more likely to have a high self esteem,

· more sociable,

· more secure as infants,

· less likely to show signs of depression,

· less likely to commit suicide,

·  more empathetic,

· Boys have been shown to be less aggressive and adolescent girls are less likely to engage in sex?

No wonder the world is in such a terrible state!

Part of my job here in Afri-Lift is to work with different young people from Nairobi.  It is heart wrenching once you get to listen to the stories from the boys and girls in the different ministries we have here. Some have had to run away from their homes, others ventured off into the streets to search for something better while others have lost hope.

A father brings a positive benefit to their children that no one else can. Fathers have a direct impact on the well being of the children. They create an emotional security that ensures that the children have better social connections with their peers. The children with involved caring fathers have better educational outcomes.

Does that mean that our fathers are perfect? The answer is no. Do they make mistakes? Yes. However, there is hope. We all have a perfect father in heaven who loves us more than we can imagine. His love for his children has been proven on the cross.

It’s comforting to know that even when our earthly fathers fail us, our heavenly father’s love surpasses it all.

I want to congratulate all the men out there who are working diligently to be good fathers whether they are stepfathers, or biological fathers or just spiritual fathers.

For all those in the U.K, USA and here in Kenya we wish you a happy father’s day this month and we thank you for all that you do.