Dear Pastor,

I am a 15-year-old girl from Jamaica and I am having a problem. I have a boyfriend and we have been together since September 4, 2006. The problem is I used to be a bad little girl. I used to be very feisty and I loved sex. But since I have met him, I have changed a lot. I started doing my schoolwork and he is into my schoolwork a lot. We had sex two times since we started dating. I have met everyone in his family and spoken to his brother abroad. He says he loves me and he shows it. I know I don't know a lot about the world, but I'm learning as I grow.

You are a man and men always say that they will give the last to someone whom they really love and he always gives me his last. Sometimes I wish I could go into his head and find out if he really loves me. I know you think I'm too young, but because of him my head is on my body.

R.S., St. Catherine, Jamaica

Dear R.S.,

You are sexually active but, under the law, you cannot consent to having sex. Therefore, your boyfriend can get himself into trouble. He should not be having sex with you. It is good that he is encouraging you to do your schoolwork, but he should not be having sex with you.

I know you mean well and you are trying to be a good girl. However, you need guidance. May I suggest that you talk to a female guidance counsellor or a senior female teacher who would be able to counsel you. If you trust your mother and believe that she would not curse you, you may talk to her about some of the problems you face. If you attend church, you may consider talking to the pastor's wife or an older woman of the church. They would understand what you are going through. They were once your age and had to face similar problems.

Pastor