by Francis Quamina Farrier

Whether you are Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian or Non-Believer, the story of the Nativity should certainly impress you with the role of Joseph, the husband of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. This intriguing story is repeated thousands of times all around the World, every Christmas Day. It is certainly ahead of all the stories about St. Nicholas aka Santa Claus and Father Christmas, the jolly old man with a full white beard, and a bulging tummy.

He supposedly comes down the chimney at Christmas, with lots of goodies for the nice children…even in countries such as Guyana, in which houses do not have chimneys. Well, except bakeries such as that one at the north eastern corner of Robb and Alexander Streets, in Bourda, Georgetown. Let’s not focus on all those chimneys at sugar factories, since more and more of those sugar factories are closing down; Wales on the West Bank of Demerara, will be closed down Forever, in just a matter of days.

The story of Santa Claus is well-known in most countries all around the world…which is also the story of Father Christmas. And in this feature, I’ll be projecting the stories, in photographs, about the many Good Fathers here in Guyana. Not the naughty, but the nice fathers. I will also say something about the story of the birth of Jesus, since that is the principal reason for the Season. All else are sub-plots of this wonderful dramatic, romantic, adventure story, about the birth of a very important baby, and how a great Father, Joseph, played a very significant role in that drama.

In the story of the Birth of the Christ Child, we are told from the out-set, how politics was part of his parents journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where He was born. However, just

before that birth, we are told of a serious situation of inner conflict, in the relationship between Joseph and Mary. It was very dramatic. Here were two young people engaged to be married, and the Groom finds out that his young, sweet wife-to-be, is PREGNANT! That hit Joseph like a ton of bricks dumped from a canter truck unto a mini car, smashing it beyond recognition.

Let us continue to focus in on the unfolding drama. Which young man, who has never touched his delicate fiance in a special intimate way, finds out that she is pregnant, will still want to go ahead with the wedding? However, as that drama unfolds, we are told that Joseph, while in a sleep, is informed by a Heavenly messenger, that Mary’s pregnancy is spiritual and not physical. In other words, as some of our youths would say, “Look Joseph, doan tek worries man. “Mary alright. “She is a good girl”. So Joseph goes right ahead with the wedding, and marries the pregnant Mary. How brave and heroic! A “Man of Purpose”.

Now for the politics. (How could mankind exist without Politics in our lives?). Both pregnant Mary and her faithful Husband Joseph, are made to take the arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, to be registered for the census that year, which was ordered by the Powerful Politicians. They were probably concerned about the next General Elections. Joseph got a donkey, and lovingly lifted Mary onto the back of the animal. This was the first time that Jesus, still safe in his mother’s womb, but well on his way to be born, would be on a donkey. And as related in the popular Jamaican song of years ago, the Savour of the World did, “Ride De Donkey”.

Let’s now focus on Joseph. A “Man of Purpose”, ever-loving and ever-faithful to his wife and their as-yet-unborn child. Mary is seated on the donkey with Joseph walking at its side, and guiding the animal along the smoothest portions of that rough, unpaved road. They arrive in Bethlehem where they are unable to find available lodging; a bit like our own Jubilee Year, when so many over-seas-based Guyanese returned for the Fiftieth Jubilee Independence Celebrations in May.

As the story of the birth of Jesus further unfolds, we are told that the young couple, had to resort to a Manger to have her baby delivered. Through all of these ordeals, Joseph remained faithful. Faithful like so many Husbands and Fathers in Guyana, in this the twenty first Century. Almost in the very same way in which St. Joseph was an unrecognized husband and father hero, over two thousand years ago. In that very same way, there are so many unsung hero Husbands and Fathers in Guyana.

While there indeed, are just too many dead-beat fathers, not only in Guyana, but in many countries around the world, in the Guyana Society, for some strange reason, the Good Fathers seem to be invisible, by so many Religious Leaders and Social Workers. They seem to speak only about the bad fathers, totally ignoring the Good Fathers. They hardly ever give recognition and words of encouragement to those “Men of Purpose” like St Joseph, the Foster Father of Jesus. It is very tough out in the working world, and many Fathers are faced with some grave challenges – low salaries, unhealthy working environments, hostile bosses, hostile coworkers – but they are “Men of Purpose” to their Families and keep on keeping on, doing the right things day in and day out for their Families.

During this Jubilee Year, I have taken over one hundred candid photographs of Guyanese fathers, as they were doing what they choose to be doing, as good fathers. Accompanying this feature, are images of some of those Good Fathers, who like St. Joseph, do everything positive, which they can do, for their wives and children. As Guyana’s Jubilee Year draws to a close, I can say that I have seen many, many Good Fathers in our Beloved Motherland, Beautiful Guyana. And as we Celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ Child, let us also celebrate with St. Joseph and all the good fathers in Guyana, another Happy Christmas. We could also sing along with our own Guyanese entertainers, The Four Lords, the popular Christmas song, “Happy Holiday”, and enjoy the melodious voice of the Lead Singer, late Billy Moore, a father, who passed away during this Jubilee Year.