Browsing by Author "Yusuf, Philemon Tagwai"

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    Challenges confronting infertile couples in Africa : a pastoral care approach
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-11) Yusuf, Philemon Tagwai; Thesnaar, C. H.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the light of scriptural understanding, children are a gift from God. Although some may choose not to have children (mostly in the Western world), others desire children more than any other thing, especially in African cultures. This desire is due to cultural emphasis on child bearing, which results from diverse reasons. One of these reasons is the agrarian nature of most African societies, as children can serve as a workforce without the need for labourers to be hired and paid. Another reason is the economic security that parents derive from having children because of the prevalence of poverty, stemming from corruption, among other social vices, in most African countries. Because of the cultural emphasis on child bearing, infertile couples are regarded as unproductive members of society. In view of the high premium placed on child bearing in Africa, as highlighted above, and in view of the way in which infertile couples are treated, besides other challenges that they face in their daily living, it can be said that children are the focus of marriage in African cultures. This is underscored by the definition of adulthood in such cultures: the ability to bear children. The attainment of adulthood can therefore be barred by infertility, culturally speaking, and a man or a woman can be derogatively referred to as a boy or a girl. This leads to people being denied their full personal and human dignity. This thesis argues that, among other challenges confronting infertile couples in Africa, they are also confronted with a set of quadruple challenges in their everyday lives, namely Cultural, Social, Psychological and Medical/Economical challenges. In view of these challenges, pastoral caregivers can help such individuals with sound biblical support and guidance on how to weather these challenges that are with a stable faith in God rather than in people or even in themselves.