Why I Love My Dad: Papa Walelo Featured

Written by  DToday Editors Tuesday, 10 June 2014 15:30
We asked our readers to tell us "Why I Love My Dad" in celebration of Father's Day. We are inspired by all of the entries, and are excited to announce the following winners:

Grand prize: Titus Walelo, Hartford, Connecticut (published below)
Second place: Mike Hidalgo, New York
Third place: Hannah DeSouza, London; Sarah Kodinsky, Atlanta; Nadine Templer, Dubai; Kimberlee Dobrowski, Los Angeles; Roxanne Armes, Atlanta; Shelby Jackson, Fort Collins, Colorado

Thank you to everyone who submitted articles! All winning entries will be published over the next few days.

titus walelo and parentsWhat can I say about my father, Papa Walelo?

I love my father because he is a strong man. My father is the firstborn of 12 siblings. He is a father figure to many, especially his own seven biological children (five boys and two girls). The older I become, my father and I get closer because I understand him a lot better than I did when I was younger. My father took us out of our country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and brought us to the United States because he wanted a better life and future for us. My father saw the turmoil and unrest in the Congo and decided that in order to protect his family, we needed to get out of there and go to a safer place. 

My father was a leader in the capital of Congo, Kinshasa. He was a very successful business man working for a prosperous company. But all his success and wealth did not equate to the safety and future successes of his children.

My father is my hero because he was willing to give up all that he had and knew in order to ensure that his family would be safe and have a possibility to have a bright future. My father now works in a less prosperous industry, but he is okay with it because his children are living the dreams that he envisioned for them. My father experienced great financial loss in order for us to be in the United States. As a younger boy, I did not appreciate all his sacrifices and patience. Similar to my heavenly father, God, as a younger man, I did not truly appreciate His sacrifice. However, as I got older and studied the Bible, I gained a better understanding of His sacrifice and what it meant for my life.

titus walelo and dadMy father's sacrifice of leaving his successful life behind in order to give his children an opportunity for a bright future is one of the reasons why I am a disciple of Jesus today! If my father hadn't made the decision that we would move somewhere else, I do not know if I would be the man I am today. I love my father because he is strong, caring, and sacrificial. He is a mentor to many people. My father has influenced me and I am very proud to be his son.

Titus is a member of the Greater Hartford Church of Christ.

Read 7885 times Last modified on Friday, 13 June 2014 15:28