Fathers for Life receives much mail, most of it via hundreds of e-mail messages each day but a substantial portion of it by snail mail.

Yesterday we picked up our mail from the local post office and found this letter.

Dec. 9, 2007

Dear Sir,

I have a request of infinite importance.

I am a Christian-Catholic, Caucasian, physically disabled male who has grown up fatherless.

I seek one or more reliable, trustworthy Christian, Caucasian male volunteers of any age willing to help and assist me as a surrogate/substitute father(s), brothers, mentors, caregivers on a long-term, continual or life-long basis — for friendship, companionship, comradery, counsel, advice, information, feedback, views, wisdom, insight, nurturing, male-bonding, non-sexual love/intimacy, father-son shared events, shared interests, sports, movies, music, travel, outdoors interests, etc.

It has been a dream of mine to have the Christian father I never had always there for me, and since this is the Christmas season perhaps one or more could volunteer and find it in their hearts to help me in my necessity?!

It would be a great gift. Fathers, brothers, family are great gifts. Please assist me in getting this properly accomplished.

Please contact me promptly or as soon as possible to respond to notify me of prospective or actual Christian males willing to help me in fulfillment of, pursuant to my request.

Thank you, Merry Christmas, Good Wishes,

(name and address not shown here)
Sacramento, California

Let us know if you are interested in helping the young man out. We will forward offers from practical locations, but some concerns must be addressed.

We are not a referral service and very limited in our ability to verify the veracity of the request. Unfortunately, the verification of the request must be made, not only of the request itself but also of any responses. The logistics for that are virtually impossible to achieve and manage from Central Alberta, Canada.

Is there anyone who feels qualified to take on the task of organizing this? (It is possible that more requests like this will follow.)

Walter and Ruth