A Father’s Love

Fathers. Some of us have them, some of us don’t. Some of us have good ones and some of us don’t.

In a country such as Namibia, many men neglect their children and to find a man who loves his children unconditionally is a much more rare sight than it should be. However, in a world where many grown men run away from their responsibilities, other men grow in them. Timo Neisho is one such man.

Two years ago, Neisho’s life changed when he first met his daughter, Joyce. A 29-year-old web developer and IT specialist at the University of Namibia, since the the birth of Joyce, his life has never been the same. “A lot of things changed. I even quit drinking. I don’t go out any more. I don’t compromise anything I do for my daughter,” Neisho said.

“She is my everything. She is my princess. I always go the extra mile her. You should meet her, she’s fun.”

Neisho wrote a heartfelt letter to Joyce on her second birthday. He sent this letter to The Weekender and it touched us so much that in the spirit of celebrating great Namibians, we had to share…

Dear Joyce,

Today you are two, and while part of me feels like you have been two for a long time because of how well you speak and how much you love life – part of me is feeling a bit mournful. You are my baby, you see, my pretty little girl, only you aren’t so little any more.

You have grown so tall, have learnt so many skills and talk like a three-year-old! I mean, you can’t really have a full conversation yet you can already speak four languages. Kwanyama as in “Daddy, wa handuka ano?” when I act angry sometimes when we are fighting over my Notebook keyboard; Mbalantu “Daddy, katale etsilu oo”, when going out with Dad and you cleverly know it’s cold outside; “I dont know” when trying to say I don’t want; and “Mommy vat”.

You love to make new friends and are always asking to go play with neighbours. You have a big personality and an even bigger attitude. You are the peculiariest two-year-old I know!

I admire how you so love playground songs and nursery rhymes. From ‘John John Yes Papa’, through ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’, ‘Humpty Dumpty’, ‘Five Little Monkeys’, ‘Baa, Baa, Black Sheep’, ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ to ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’, and most of all ‘Heppi Be Dei tu yu’, which can’t be sung without asking ‘Oshicake uli peni ano?’.

You challenge me on an hourly basis, never taking no for an answer. While it drives me crazy and makes our daily life that much more difficult, it also reassures me that you can handle whatever comes your way. That you won’t be pushed into things you don’t want. As once said, The day you we born… I have learnt until you have… Counted little fingers… Counted little toes… Held a little hand… Kissed a little nose… Soothed a little tummy… Read to little ears… Powdered a little booty… Wiped away little tears… You haven’t known love.

Your Mommy and I love you more than you could ever imagine. I hope you have an amazing second birthday and a third year full of joy, discovery and endless possibility.

So, whether you turn two or 22, all you need to remember is that you’re Daddy’s little girl, and he loves you. Happy birthday.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.