The divorce courts are filled with petitioners who were not able to make the fairy tale last, but what happened to feeling the love?

Marriage mentors Mildred and Allan Hunt, of "Heart-to-Heart" Couples' Mentoring Ministries, have been doing their very best to keep couples and families together.

However, knowing that they cannot reach everyone, they are bringing a different seminar, which is set to reach a wider audience on Saturday.

This time, the seminar, featuring Dr. Les and Leslie Parrott, will focus on creating more marriage mentors on the Island.

The Marriage Mentoring Training Event will take place at the Willowbank Conference Centre, by simulcast.

The reason that the Hunt's continue to strive for better marriages is that they feel it is their duty.

"We feel it is our burden and we have a passion," explained Mr. Hunt.

"There are principles within God's word that govern relationships and the sanctity of marriage.

"The real issue is when marriages fall apart, people think that it is just themselves, but there are children involved that are affected by it and these are just some of the issues.

"So what we are trying to do is stem the tide by having marriage mentoring training programme – so that you can have some skills that can help others."

After the course, the marriage mentors can be certified, added Mrs. Hunt.

"For $150, they will also get a meal, and $400 worth of materials that they can take back to their establishments and help others," she said.

"It doesn't mean that they have to do anything extra, because we encounter couples on a daily basis. However, they will be better equipped, because many people feel helpless to help people.

"So this is what this marriage mentoring training is going to do.

"The Parrott's feel that it is a way of waking the sleeping giant in churches that lie dormant, in that they feel that they cannot do anything, but they can."

Another issue surrounding divorce or marital problems is employment.

Mr. Hunt said: "It affects their productivity on the job, they are not focused, because of the other issues that is going on in their lives, and so it affects on the job performance - so it has a knock on affect.

"And people don't realise this, they just say, 'I am going to get out of this.' But the issues and the stress that are related to this - they don't know.

"Sometimes they say, 'I'm free.' But are they really free?"

Often couples take their emotional baggage onto their next relationship, without ever dealing with it, he said.

"They then put those suitcases in the closet and they never open them up, so there are unresolved issues and unresolved anger," said Mr. Hunt.

"It is never addressed and then one of them presses a button and they walk into the closet and out comes these bags. Then they ask, 'What caused all of this?'

"At Heart-to-Heart this is why we try to do what we do - it is not for the money - it costs us money. It is about the passion!

"The Parrotts are very knowledgeable. He is a clinical psychologist, she's a family life therapist, and they are very passionate about what they do.

"Their books have been translated in 12 different languages.

"And they realise, like we realise, that they cannot do it all, so they are trying to empower couples to help people in their sphere."

Tickets, $150 per couple, can be purchased over the phone: 293-2903, in person from "Al-Mil" Enterprises or via email: almil@northrock.bm. Time 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For special room rates, telephone 293-2903 or please visit www.willowbank.bm.