"Ke o li peemi nɛ o je kɛ ho fiɛɛmi ya a, lɛɛ koo kpale o se kɛ ba we nɛ ɔ mi hu. Ke o li peemi nɛ o kpale kɛ ba a, ma ku o nane ɔmɛ ngɛ o sisi." Bɔ nɛ ye papaa wo ye he gbeye ha he je ɔ, i pee ye juɛmi kaa ma je we ɔ mi. Enɛ ɔ ji kekleekle be nɛ i si ní komɛ nɛ i nyɛɛ Nyɔmtsɛ ɔ se. Jamɛ a be ɔ mi ɔ, i ye jeha 16 pɛ.
KƐ SI fɔfɔɛ nɛ ɔ plɛ kɛ ba kɛɛ? Ha nɛ ma tsɔɔ nya. A fɔ mi ngɛ July 29, 1929 ɔ nɔ, nɛ i wa ngɛ kɔpe ko ngɛ Bulacan, ngɛ Philippines. Si himi ngɛ lejɛ ɔ ngɛ kpokploo ejakaa sika be. Benɛ i ji niheyo ɔ, ta ko fɛ ngɛ lejɛ ɔ. Japan ta buli ɔmɛ tua Philippines bi ɔmɛ. Se wa kɔpe ɔ tsɔ e he ngɛ ma a he, lɔ ɔ he ɔ, ta a sɛ wa he tsɔ. Wa be hleedio, tiivi kɛ adafi fiami womihi, enɛ ɔ he ɔ, nihi nɛ a ba deɔ wɔ nɔ́ nɛ ngɛ nɔ yae ngɛ ta a mi.
A fɔ wɔ kpaanyɔ, nɛ imi ji enyɔne. Benɛ i ye jeha kpaanyɔ ɔ, ye nɛnɛ kɛ ye maa ngɔ mi kɛ ya hi a ngɔ. E ngɛ mi kaa Katoliki bi ji wɔ mohu lɛɛ, se ye nɛnɛ suɔ kaa e maa le jami kpahi a he ní, enɛ ɔ he ɔ, e ngɔɔ Mawu jami he womihi nɛ e huɛmɛ kɛ haa lɛ ɔ. I kai kaa e ngɔ Baiblo ko, kɛ womi komɛ nɛ a pee ngɛ Tagalog * gbi ɔ mi nɛ e kpaa lakpa tsɔɔmihi a he bo ɔ kɛ tsɔɔ mi. Ye bua jɔ Baiblo ɔ kanemi he wawɛɛ, titli ɔ, Sane Kpakpa eywiɛ ɔmɛ. Jã nɛ i pee ɔ ha nɛ i ba ná suɔmi ɔ kaa ma kase Yesu.—Yoh. 10:27.
BƆ NƐ I PLƐ KƐ NYƐƐ NYƆMTSƐ Ɔ SE HA
Japan bi ɔmɛ je ma a mi ngɛ jeha 1945 ɔ mi. Jamɛ a be ɔ, ye fɔli ɔmɛ de mi ke ma kpale kɛ ba we mi. Ye nɛnɛ wo mi he wami kaa ma ya. Lɔ ɔ he ɔ, i ho.
Be bɔ ɔ ko se ngɛ December 1945 ɔ mi ɔ, Yehowa Odasefo komɛ nɛ a je Angat ma a mi ɔ ba fiɛɛ ngɛ wa kɔpe ɔ mi. Nyumu nɔkɔtɔma ko nɛ e ji Odasefo no ba wa we ɔ mi nɛ e ba tsɔɔ wɔ nɔ́ nɛ Baiblo ɔ de ngɛ "nyagbe ligbi ɔmɛ" a he. (2 Tim. 3:1-5) E fɔ wɔ nine kɛ ya Baiblo mi ní kasemi ko nɛ a maa pee ngɛ kɔpe ko nɛ ngɛ wa kasa nya a sisi. Ye fɔli ɔmɛ yɛ, se imi lɛɛ i ya. Nihi maa pee 20 nɛ a ba lejɛ ɔ, nɛ a kpɛti ni komɛ bi sanehi.
Akɛnɛ i nui níhi nɛ a ngɛ dee ɔ sisi he je ɔ, i pee ye juɛmi kaa ma je. Se jamɛ a be ɔ mi nɛ a bɔni Matsɛ Yemi la ko lami. La a ta ye tsui he wawɛɛ, enɛ ɔ he ɔ, i hi si. Benɛ a la nɛ a sɔle ta a, a de nihi nɛ a ngɛ lejɛ ɔ tsuo kaa a maa kpale kpe Hɔgba ngɛ Angat.
Wa kpɛti nihi fuu nyɛɛ maa pee si tomi enuɔ kɛ ya kpe ɔ ngɛ Nyɛminyumu Cruz we ɔ mi. Nihi 50 nɛ a ba jamɛ a kpe ɔ. E pee mi nyakpɛ kaa jokuɛwi nɛ a ba a po ha Baiblo mi sanehi nɛ a mi kuɔ ɔ heto. Benɛ i kɛ mɛ ya asafo mi kpe saii ɔ, Nyɛminyumu ko nɛ e ji daa blɔ gbalɔ nɛ e wa ngɛ jeha mi nɛ a tsɛɛ lɛ ke Damian Santos nɛ jinɛ e hɛɛ blɔ nya ngua ngɛ ma a mi ɔ fɔ mi nine kaa ma ba hwɔ e ngɔ ligbi kake. Jamɛ a nyɔ ɔ mi ɔ, wa sɛɛ Baiblo ɔ he ní hluu.
Jamɛ a be ɔ mi ɔ, wa kpɛti nihi fuu kplɛɛ Baiblo ɔ mi sisije anɔkuale ɔmɛ a nɔ mlamlaamla. Benɛ waa kɛ be bɔɔ ya asafo mi kpehi ɔ, nyɛmimɛ ɔmɛ bi i kɛ ni kpa komɛ nɛ a piɛɛ ye he ɔ ke, "Anɛ nyɛ suɔ kaa a baptisi nyɛ lo?" I ha heto ke, "Ee, i suɔ." I le kaa e sa nɛ ma sɔmɔ 'Nyɔmtsɛ ɔ nɛ ji Kristo.' (Kol. 3:24) Wa ya pa ko nɛ e kɛ he nɛ wa ngɛ ɔ kɛ we ɔ he, nɛ a ya baptisi wɔ ni enyɔ ngɛ February 15, 1946.
Wa ba yɔse kaa akɛnɛ a baptisi wɔ kaa Kristofohi he je ɔ, e biɔ nɛ waa fiɛɛ daa kaa bɔ nɛ Yesu pee ɔ. Ye papaa bua jɔɛ he kaa i yaa fiɛɛmi, nɛ e de ke, "O wɛ nɛ o maa ya fiɛɛmi. Pohu nyu ɔ mi nɛ a kɛ mo wo ɔ pee we mo fiɛɛlɔ." Lɔ ɔ, i tsɔɔ lɛ nya kaa e ji Mawu suɔmi nya ní kaa wa maa fiɛɛ sane kpakpa nɛ kɔɔ Mawu Matsɛ Yemi ɔ he ɔ. (Mat. 24:14) Nɛ i de lɛ hu ke, "E sa nɛ ma ye si nɛ i wo Mawu ɔ nɔ." Enɛ ɔ he nɛ ye papa a wo ye he gbeye kaa bɔ nɛ i de kɛ sɛ hlami ɔ nɛ. Ngɛ anɔkuale mi ɔ, e to kaa e maa tsi mi blɔ nɛ ma ko fiɛɛ. Enɛ ɔ ji kekleekle si fɔfɔɛ nɛ ha nɛ i ngmɛɛ níhi a he nɛ i mwɔ ye yi mi kpɔ kaa ma di mumi mi níhi a se.
Nyɛminyumu Cruz weku ɔ de mi ke ma nyɛ ma ba hi a ngɔ ngɛ Angat. Jehanɛ hu ɔ, a wo mi he wami kaa i kɛ a biyo Nora nɛ sɔmɔ kaa daa blɔ gbali. I kɛ lɛ tsuo wa je blɔ gbami ní tsumi ɔ sisi ngɛ November 1, 1947 ɔ. Nora ya sɔmɔ ngɛ ma kpa nɔ, se imi lɛɛ i ya nɔ nɛ i tsu fiɛɛmi ní tsumi ɔ ngɛ Angat.
HE BLƆ KPA NƐ I NÁ KAA MA NGƆ NÍHI KƐ SÃ AFƆLE
Benɛ i tsu blɔ gbami ní tsumi ɔ jeha etɛ ɔ, Nyɛminyumu ko nɛ a tsɛɛ lɛ ke Earl Stewart nɛ e tsuɔ ní ngɛ asafo ɔ ní tsumi kɔni ɔ tu munyu ko kɛ tsɔɔ nihi nɛ a hiɛ pe 500 ngɛ Angat ma a mi. E tu munyu ɔ ngɛ Blɛfo gbi mi, nɛ pee se ɔ, i tsɔɔ sisi kpiti kɛ ya Tagalog gbi ɔ mi. I ya sukuu jeha kpaago pɛ, se Blɛfo gbi a kɛ tsɔɔ wɔ ní. Nɔ́ kpa ko hu nɛ ye bua mi nɛ i nu Blɛfo gbi ɔ ji kaa Baiblo kasemi womihi bɔɔ pɛ nɛ a pee ngɛ Tagalog gbi ɔ mi. Enɛ ɔ he ɔ, behi fuu ɔ, i kaseɔ ní ngɛ Blɛfo gbi mi. Enɛ ɔ he je nɛ i nyɛ nɛ i tsɔɔ Nyɛminyumu ɔ munyu ɔ sisi ɔ nɛ, nɛ pee se hu ɔ, i tsɔɔ munyu kpahi hu a sisi.
Ligbi ɔ nɛ i tsɔɔ munyu ɔ sisi ha Nyɛminyumu Stewart ɔ, e de asafo mi nikɔtɔma amɛ ke asafo ɔ ní tsumi kɔni ɔ hia blɔ gbalɔ kake loo enyɔ nɛ a ba sɔmɔ ngɛ Betel. E tsɔɔ kaa ke ma se sane kpakpa fiɛɛli ɔmɛ je kɛ ho jeha 1950 Theocracy's Increase Assembly ɔ ya ngɛ New York, U.S.A ɔ, nimli nɛ ɔmɛ maa ye bua kɛ tsu ní tsumi komɛ ngɛ Betel. I piɛɛ nyɛmimɛ nɛ a fɔ mɛ nine ɔ he. Si kake ekohu ɔ, i ngmɛɛ ye sihi he nɛ ye bua jɔ he ɔ he, nɛ jehanɛ lɛɛ i ya ye bua ngɛ Betel.
Ngɛ June 19, 1950 ɔ, i ya su Betel, nɛ i je ní tsumi sisi. Jamɛ a be ɔ, Betel ní tsuli ɔmɛ tsuɔ ní ngɛ tsu nguanguahi enyɔ nɛ a se kɛ wawɛɛ ɔ mi. Zugba a klemi maa pee kpa enyɔ kɛ fã, nɛ tso nguahi bɔle lejɛ ɔ kɛ kpe. Nyɛmimɛ nyumuhi maa pee 12 nɛ a ngɛ sɔmɔe ngɛ lejɛ ɔ. I teɔ si mɔtu mla, nɛ i ya yeɔ bua ngɛ kpata a mi. Kɛkɛ maa pee ngmlɛ nɛɛ ɔ, i ya toɔ níhi a nɔ ngɛ níhi a he fɔmi he ɔ. Piani hu i ya yeɔ bua bɔɔ ngɛ kpata a mi, kɛkɛ i ya to níhi a nɔ hu bɔɔ. Benɛ ma se sane kpakpa fiɛɛli ɔmɛ je mahi a kpɛti kpe ɔ kɛ ba po ɔ, i ya nɔ nɛ i sɔmɔ ngɛ Betel. I ngɔɔ womi tɛtlɛɛhi kɛ woɔ daka mi nɛ a kɛ maneɔ asafohi, kɛ nihi nɛ a sɛ womi. Jehanɛ hu, i sɔmɔ kaa nibwɔhi a kpeelɔ. Ní tsumi fɛɛ ní tsumi nɛ a ma ha mi ɔ, i tsuɔ.
I JE PHILIPPINES NƐ I HO GILEAD SUKUU Ɔ YA
Ngɛ jeha 1952 ɔ mi ɔ, a fɔ i kɛ nyɛmimɛ ekpa nɛ a ngɛ Philippines ɔ nine kaa waa ba Gilead Sukuu nɛ to nɔ 20 ɔ eko. Ye bua jɔ wawɛɛ. Wa ba na níhi fuu ngɛ United States, nɛ wa nya kpɛ wa he. Ngɛ anɔkuale mi ɔ, ní nɛ ɔmɛ je kpa kulaa ngɛ níhi nɛ wa naa ngɛ wa kɔpe ɔ mi ɔ he.
Kaa nɔ hyɛmi nɔ́ ɔ, e biɔ nɛ waa kɛ klama ehehi nɛ tsu ní ngɛ we mi, nɛ waa kase bɔ nɛ a kɛ tsesi komɛ hooɔ ní ha. Jehanɛ hu ɔ, kɔɔhiɔ ɔ mi ngɛ ekpa kulaa! Ligbi ko mɔtu nɛ ma je kpo ɔ, i na kaa je ɔ mi tsuo hiɛ futaa, nɛ e ngɛ fɛu. Jamɛ a ligbi ɔ ji kekleekle be nɛ i na snoo. Fiɛ ye mi wawɛɛ nitsɛ, pi plasee!
Se kɛ̃ ɔ, tsakemi nɛ ɔmɛ gba we ye nya, ejakaa ye bua jɔ níhi nɛ wa kase ngɛ Gilead sukuu ɔ he wawɛɛ. Wa tsɔɔli ɔmɛ gu blɔ slɔɔtohi a nɔ kɛ tsɔɔ wɔ ní saminya. A tsɔɔ wɔ bɔ nɛ a hlaa níhi a mi ha, kɛ bɔ nɛ a kaseɔ ní nɛ e nuɔ tso ha. Ngɛ anɔkuale mi ɔ, ní nɛ wa ya kase ngɛ Gilead ɔ ye bua mi nɛ i ya ye hɛ mi ngɛ Mawu jami mi.
Benɛ i gbe sukuu ɔ nya a, a ha nɛ i kɛ be bɔɔ ya sɔmɔ kaa blɔ gbalɔ klɛdɛɛ ngɛ Bronx ngɛ New York City. Enɛ ɔ he ɔ, ngɛ July 1953 ɔ mi ɔ, i nyɛ nɛ i ya New World Society Assembly nɛ a pee ngɛ ma a mi ɔ eko. Benɛ a gbe kpe ɔ nya a, a ha mi ní tsumi ko ngɛ Philippines.
I JE SI HIMI KPAKPA NƐ NGƐ MA NGUA A MI Ɔ HE
Nikɔtɔma amɛ nɛ a ngɛ asafo ɔ ní tsumi kɔni ɔ de mi ke: "Amlɔ nɛ ɔ, o ma ya sɔmɔ kaa kpɔ mi nɔ hyɛlɔ." Enɛ ɔ ma ha ma ná he blɔ kpa kɛ kase Nyɔmtsɛ ɔ. Nyɔmtsɛ ɔ hia blɔ kɛ ya kɔpehi kɛ mahi a mi nɛ e ya ye bua nihi. (1 Pet. 2:21) Ní tsumi nɛ a ha mi kaa kpɔ mi nɔ hyɛlɔ ɔ biɔ nɛ ma sɔmɔ ngɛ Luzon ma a kpɛti je, nɛ ji zugba kpɔ nɛ kle pe kulaa ngɛ Philippines ɔ mi. Kpokpahi nɛ ngɛ lejɛ ɔ ekomɛ ji Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, kɛ Zambales. Loko ma nyɛ ma ya ma komɛ nɛ a ngɛ lejɛ ɔmɛ a mi ɔ, ja i kuɔ Sierra Madre yoku ɔmɛ. Lɔle be lejɛ ɔ, enɛ ɔ he ɔ, be komɛ ɔ, i kpaa atikuleta dlɛɛva amɛ pɛɛ kaa a ha nɛ ma hi tso kpɔ ɔmɛ nɛ a fĩ ngɛ a lɔle ɔ se ɔ nɔ. Behi fuu ngɛ nɛ a woɔ mi, se he jɔmi be mi.
Asafohi nɛ i ya slaa mɛ ɔ klee we, nɛ a tsɔ asafo ɔmɛ kɛ we hulɔ. Enɛ ɔ he ɔ, benɛ i ye bua nyɛmimɛ ɔmɛ nɛ a to asafo mi kpehi kɛ fiɛɛmi yami kpehi a he blɔ nya saminya a, a bua jɔ wawɛɛ.
Pee se ɔ, a ha nɛ i ya sɔmɔ kaa kpɔ mi nɔ hyɛlɔ ngɛ Bicol kpokpa a nɔ tsuo. Fiɛɛmi kuuhi nɛ a tsɔ a he lɛ ngɛ Bicol kpokpa a nɔ. Nɛ blɔ gbali klɛdɛɛhi nɛ a ngɛ lejɛ ɔ bɔ mɔde kaa a ma ya tsu ní ngɛ zugba kpɔhi nɛ a kɛ wui asafo ko dɛ ɔ mi. Ngɛ we ko nɛ i ya hi mi ɔ mi ɔ, a tsua muɔ ngɛ he ko kɛ ha niase yami, nɛ a ngɔ tso enyɔ kɛ pue nɔ ngɛ kpɛti. Ligbi ko benɛ i yaa niase nɛ i kɛ ye nane ma tso ɔ nɔ ɔ, tso ɔmɛ nɔ muɔ ɔ mi, nɛ imi hu i nɔ muɔ ɔ mi. I gbo dengme loko i fɔ ye he nɛ i dla ye he kɛ ha ní yemi jamɛ a mɔtu ɔ!
Benɛ i ya sɔmɔ ngɛ lejɛ ɔ loko i bɔni Nora nɛ e je blɔ gbami ní tsumi ɔ sisi ngɛ Bulacan ɔ he susumi. Jamɛ a be ɔ mi ɔ, e ngɛ sɔmɔe kaa blɔ gbalɔ klɛdɛɛ ngɛ Dumaguete City, nɛ i ya slaa lɛ. Lɔ ɔ se ɔ, wa nyɛɛ bɔɔ konɛ waa le wa he, nɛ ngɛ jeha 1956 mi ɔ, wa sɛ gba si himi mi. Benɛ wa sɛ gba si himi mi se otsi pɛ ɔ, wa ya slaa asafo ko ngɛ Rapu Rapu zugba kpɔ ɔ nɔ. Yokuhi ngɛ lejɛ ɔ, nɛ wa nyɛɛɔ wawɛɛ, se wa bua jɔ kaa wa ná he blɔ kɛ sɔmɔ nyɛmimɛ ngɛ zugba kpɔhi nɛ a tsɔ a he nɛ ɔmɛ a mi!
I YA SƆMƆ NGƐ BETEL EKOHU
Benɛ wa tsu kpɔmi nɔ hyɛmi ní tsumi ɔ maa pee jeha eywiɛ ɔ, a fɔ wɔ nine kaa wa ya sɔmɔ ngɛ asafo ɔ ní tsumi kɔni ɔ. Enɛ ɔ he ɔ, January 1960 mi ji be nɛ wa bɔni sɔmɔmi ngɛ Betel. Benɛ i kɛ nyɛmimɛ nɛ a nyɛɛ hɛ mi ɔ tsu ní ɔ, i kase níhi fuu kɛ je a ngɔ. Nɛ Nora hu tsu ní tsumi slɔɔtohi ngɛ Betel.
Benɛ i ngɛ sɔmɔe ngɛ Betel ɔ, lɔ ɔ ye bua mi nɛ i na bɔ nɛ asafo ɔ ngɛ hɛ mi yae mlamlaamla ngɛ Philippines. Benɛ i ji niheyo nɛ i sɛ we gba si himi mi nɛ i ba tsu ní ngɛ Betel ɔ, fiɛɛli nɛ a ngɛ ma a mi tsuo a yibɔ maa pee 10,000. Amlɔ nɛ ɔ, fiɛɛli nɛ a hiɛ pe 200,000 nɛ a ngɛ Philippines, nɛ a kpɛti nihi lafahi abɔ ngɛ ní tsue ngɛ Betel kɛ ngɛ fiɛɛmi ní tsumi nɛ e he hia a se fĩe.
Benɛ Betel ní tsumi ɔ ngɛ hɛ mi yae ɔ, tsuhi nɛ ngɛ lejɛ ɔ sui nyɛmimɛ ɔmɛ hu. Enɛ ɔ he ɔ, Blɔ Tsɔɔmi Ajla Toli ɔmɛ de wɔ kaa wa hla zugba nɛ a kɛ ma ní tsumi he nɛ kle. I kɛ Nyɛminyumu nɛ hyɛɛ womi fiami nɔ ɔ sɛ ma a mi, nɛ wa ya wehi fuu a mi, nɛ wa ya bi si kaa alini nɔ ko ngɛ zugba nɛ e maa suɔ kaa e maa jua kɛ ha wɔ lo. Wa nɛ eko. Wetsɛ ko de wɔ ke: "Chinese bi lɛɛ wa jua we nɔ́, se wa heɔ nɔ́."
Se ligbi ko nɛ wa hɛ be wa he nɔ ɔ, nɔ ko de wɔ ke e ngɛ zugba ko nɛ e suɔ kaa e maa jua, ejakaa e ngɛ hiae kɛ yaa United States. Enɛ ɔ ha nɛ ní komɛ nɛ wa hyɛ we blɔ ya nɔ. Nɔ kpa hu nɛ e ngɛ kpɔ ɔ mi ɔ tsɔɔ kaa e suɔ nɛ e jua e zugba ko, nɛ e wo nihi nɛ a ngɛ lejɛ ɔ hu he wami kaa mɛ hu a jua a zugba amɛ kɛ ha wɔ. Nyumu ɔ nɛ e de wɔ ke 'Chinese bi lɛɛ a jua we nɔ́' ɔ po jua e zugba kɛ ha wɔ. Ngɛ be kpiti ko mi ɔ, zugba nɛ asafo ɔ ní tsumi kɔni ɔ ná a kle pe nɔ́ nɛ a ngɛ momo ɔ si etɛ. I he ye kaa Yehowa Mawu nɛ e pee nɔ́ nɛ ɔ.
Ngɛ jeha 1950 ɔ mi ɔ, imi ji nɔ nɛ wɛ kulaa ngɛ Betel weku ɔ mi. Se amlɔ nɛ ɔ, i kɛ ye yo ɔ ji nihi nɛ wa wa pe nɔ fɛɛ nɔ. I pia we ye he kɔkɔɔkɔ kaa i nyɛɛ Nyɔmtsɛ ɔ se, nɛ i ha nɛ e tsɔɔ mi blɔ kɛ ya he fɛɛ he nɛ e suɔ. E ji anɔkuale kaa ye fɔli fiee mi mohu lɛɛ, se Yehowa ha nɛ i ná weku agbo, nɛ i kɛ mɛ hɛɛ hemi kɛ yemi kake. E ngɛ mi kaa wa ní tsumi ma nyɛ ma tsake be fɛɛ be mohu lɛɛ, se ye yi mi pee we mi enyɔɔnyɔ kaa Yehowa ma ha wɔ nɔ́ fɛɛ nɔ́ nɛ wa hia. I kɛ Nora wa bua jɔ Yehowa mi mi jɔmi ɔ he wawɛɛ, nɛ wa woɔ ni kpahi he wami kaa a ka Yehowa nɛ a hyɛ.—Mal. 3:10.
Be ko ɔ, Yesu tsɛ tó helɔ ko nɛ a tsɛɛ lɛ ke Mateo loo Levi ɔ. Yesu de lɛ ke: "Ba pee ye se nyɛɛlɔ." Kɛ Mateo pee e ní ha kɛɛ? 'E si nɔ́ fɛɛ nɔ́, nɛ e te si, nɛ e bɔni Yesu se nyɛɛmi.' (Luka 5:27, 28) Imi hu i pee ní komɛ kaa jã, nɛ i wo ni kpahi hu he wami kaa a pee jã konɛ a ná jɔɔmihi babauu.
^ kk. 6 Yehowa Odasefohi nɛ a pee womi ɔ, se a kpa jamɛ a womi ɔ peemi.