I KAI kaa jeha komɛ nɛ be ɔ, kɔɔhiɔ mi pee nganii mɔtu ko ngɛ Brookings, ngɛ South Dakota, U.S.A. E ha nɛ i na kaa e be kɛe nɛ fĩɛ maa ye wawɛɛ. Se eko ɔ, e maa pee mo nyakpɛ kaa jamɛ a ligbi ɔ, i kɛ nihi bɔɔ ko daa si ngɛ tso tsu ko mi, nɛ wa he ngɛ kpokpoe. Wa daa si ngɛ nyu nɔ́ ngua ko nɛ a kɛ haa lohwehi nyu ɔ he! Nyu nɛ ngɛ mi ɔ mi jɔ wawɛɛ. Ha nɛ ma de mo ye he sane bɔɔ, konɛ o le nɔ́ he je nɛ wa daa si ngɛ nyu ɔ he ɔ.
YE WEKU Ɔ
A fɔ mi March 7, 1936. A fɔ wɔ ni eywiɛ, nɛ imi ji nakutso. Wa hi si ngɛ ngmɔ nyafii ko nɔ ngɛ South Dakota beleku je. Ye weku ɔ bua jɔ ngmɔ peemi he, se pi lɔ ɔ ji nɔ́ nɛ he hia mɛ wawɛɛ ngɛ si himi mi. Ye fɔli ɔmɛ ha nɛ a baptisi mɛ kaa Yehowa Odasefohi ngɛ jeha 1934 ɔ mi. A jɔɔ a he nɔ ha wa hiɔwe Tsɛ Yehowa, enɛ ɔ he ɔ, Mawu suɔmi nya ní peemi ji nɔ́ titli ngɛ a si himi mi. A tsɛɛ ye papaa ke Clarence, nɛ e sɔmɔ kaa asafo ɔ sɔmɔlɔ (amlɔ nɛ ɔ biɛ nɛ a kɛ tsɛɛ mɛ ji nikɔtɔmahi a kuu ɔ sanehi a he blɔ nya tolɔ), nɛ pee se ɔ, ye tsɛ wayo nɛ a tsɛɛ lɛ ke Alfred hu sɔmɔ kaa asafo ɔ sɔmɔlɔ. Mɛ tsuo a sɔmɔ ngɛ asafo nyafii ko mi ngɛ Conde, ngɛ South Dakota.
Wa weku ɔ yaa asafo mi kpehi daa, nɛ wa ya fiɛɛɔ hwɔɔ se he hɛ nɔ́ kami nɛ ngɛ bua jɔmi nɛ ngɛ Baiblo ɔ mi ɔ kɛ haa nihi ngɛ wehi a mi daa. Nɔ hyɛmi nɔ́ kpakpa nɛ ye fɔli ɔmɛ pee ɔ ye bua i kɛ ye nyɛmimɛ ɔmɛ wawɛɛ. I kɛ ye awenyɛ Dorothy tsuo ba pee Matsɛ Yemi ɔ fiɛɛli. Jamɛ a be ɔ, i ye jeha ekpa pɛ. Ngɛ jeha 1943 ɔ mi ɔ, i ngma ye biɛ ngɛ Teokrase Sɔmɔmi Sukuu ɔ mi. Jamɛ a be ɔ, a je sukuu nɛ ɔ sisi kɛ we.
Waa kɛ kpokpa nɔ kpehi kɛ kpɔ mi kpehi a yami fiɛ we kulaa. I kaiɔ kpokpa nɔ kpe ko nɛ wa pee ngɛ jeha 1949 ɔ mi ngɛ Sioux Falls, ngɛ South Dakota. Nyɛminyumu Grant Suiter nɛ ba tu munyu nɛ e yi ji "It Is Later Than You Think!" (E Su Haa Pe Bɔ Nɛ O Susu ɔ!) E ma nɔ mi kaa e sa nɛ nihi nɛ a jɔɔ a he nɔ kaa Kristofohi ɔ nɛ a ngɔ a be tsuo kɛ fiɛɛ sane kpakpa nɛ kɔɔ Mawu Matsɛ Yemi ɔ nɛ a to sisi ɔ he. Lɔ ɔ wo mi he wami nɛ i jɔɔ ye he nɔ ha Yehowa. I ha nɛ a baptisi mi ngɛ kpɔ mi kpe nɛ nyɛɛ se nɛ a pee ngɛ Brookings ɔ sisi ngɛ November 12, 1949. Enɛ ɔ he je nɛ wa daa si ngɛ nyu nɛ mi jɔ nɛ i tu he munyu ɔ he ɔ nɛ. Wɔ ni eywiɛ nɛ wa ngɛ mlɛe konɛ a baptisi wɔ ngɛ nyu nɔ́ agbo nɛ a kɛ dade pee ɔ mi.
Lɔ ɔ se ɔ, oti nɛ i kɛ ma ye hɛ mi ji blɔ gbami ní tsumi ɔ. I je blɔ gbami ní tsumi ɔ sisi ngɛ January 1, 1952, be mi nɛ i ye jeha 15. Baiblo ɔ de ke: "Nɔ nɛ kɛ ní leli nyɛɛɔ ɔ, e leɔ ní," nɛ ní leli fuu ngɛ ye weku ɔ mi nɛ a fĩ yi mi kpɔ nɛ i mwɔ kaa ma pee blɔ gbalɔ ɔ se. (Abɛ 13:20) Ye tsɛko nɛ a tsɛɛ lɛ ke Julius nɛ e ye jeha 60 ji nɔ nɛ i kɛ lɛ pɔɔ fiɛɛmi yami. E ngɛ mi kaa e wa pe mi kulaa mohu lɛɛ, se wa bua jɔɔ ke wa pee kake kɛ ya fiɛɛmi. E ngɛ níhi a si kpami fuu, nɛ i kase níhi fuu kɛ je e ngɔ. E kɛ we nɛ ye awenyɛ Dorothy hu ba pee blɔ gbalɔ.
KPƆ MI NƆ HYƐLI YE BUA MI
Benɛ i ji niheyo ɔ, ye papaa ha nɛ kpɔ mi nɔ hyɛli fuu kɛ a yihi ba toɔ wa we ɔ mi. Kpɔ mi nɔ hyɛlɔ nɛ ji Jesse Cantwell kɛ e yo Lynn ye bua mi wawɛɛ. A wo mi he wami wawɛɛ, nɛ lɔ ɔ hu piɛɛ he nɛ i mwɔ ye yi mi kpɔ kaa ma sɔmɔ kaa blɔ gbalɔ ɔ nɛ. A susuɔ ye he wawɛɛ, nɛ enɛ ɔ ye bua mi nɛ i ngɔ Mawu jami mi otihi kɛ ma ye hɛ mi. Ke a ngɛ asafohi nɛ a kɛ he nɛ wa ngɛ ɔ kɛ we ɔ sɔmɔe ɔ, a haa nɛ i ba piɛɔ a he kɛ yaa fiɛɛmi. Enɛ ɔ woɔ mi he wami, nɛ ye bua jɔɔ wawɛɛ!
Pee se ɔ, kpɔ mi nɔ hyɛlɔ nɛ ji Bud Miller kɛ e yo Joan hu ba sɔmɔ wɔ. Jamɛ a be ɔ, i ye jeha 18, nɛ kuu ko nɛ hlaa nihi nɛ a sɔmɔɔ kaa ta buli ɔ ngɛ ye nɔ nyɛe konɛ ma sɔmɔ kaa ta bulɔ. Kuu nɛ ɔ ngɛ hlae nɛ ma tsu ní tsumi ko nɛ i le kaa e teɔ si kɛ woɔ Yesu fami nɛ e fã e se nyɛɛli kaa a kɛ a he ko wo ma kudɔmi sanehi a mi ɔ. Se i suɔ kaa ma fiɛɛ Matsɛ Yemi ɔ he sane kpakpa a. (Yoh. 15:19) I kpa kuu ɔ nɛ a ye ye sane ɔ pɛɛ kaa a bu mi kaa sane kpakpa fiɛɛlɔ.
Benɛ Nyɛminyumu Miller de ke e kɛ mi maa ya konɛ ma ya na kuu nɛ hlaa nihi nɛ a sɔmɔɔ kaa ta buli ɔ, ye bua jɔ wawɛɛ. Nyɛminyumu Miller ji nɔ ko nɛ ngɛ kã, nɛ e yi nɔ hɛ mi gbeye. E le Ngmami ɔ mi saminya hulɔ. Enɛ ɔ ha nɛ i ná kã wawɛɛ! Benɛ i kɛ Nyɛminyumu Miller ya a, a bu wɔ tue, nɛ ngɛ jeha 1954 ɔ mi ɔ, a kplɛɛ ye nɔ kaa sane kpakpa fiɛɛlɔ. Lɔ ɔ bli blɔ kɛ ha mi nɛ i nyɛ nɛ i su teokrase oti kpa ko hu he.
Lɔ ɔ se ɔ, e kɛ we nɛ a fɔ mi nine kaa ma ba sɔmɔ ngɛ Betel. Jamɛ a be ɔ mi ɔ, biɛ nɛ a kɛ tsɛɛ Betel nɛ ɔ ji Watchtower Farm (Watchtower Ngmɔ), nɛ e ngɛ Staten Island ngɛ New York. E ji he blɔ nɛ i ná kaa ma sɔmɔ ngɛ lejɛ ɔ maa pee jeha etɛ. Enɛ ɔ ha nɛ i ná níhi a si kpamihi nɛ a ngɛ bua jɔmi wawɛɛ, ejakaa i kɛ ní leli fuu tsu ní.
SƆMƆMI NGƐ BETHEL
Hleedio tesia nɛ ji WBBR ɔ hu ngɛ he nɛ i ya sɔmɔ ngɛ ɔ, ngɛ Staten Island ɔ. Yehowa Odasefohi ji nihi nɛ a kɛ hleedio tesia nɛ ɔ tsu ní kɛ je jeha 1924 ɔ mi kɛ ya si jeha 1957 ɔ mi. A haa nɛ nihi nɛ a sɔmɔɔ ngɛ Betel ɔ a kpɛti nihi 15 aloo 20 pɛ ya tsuɔ ní ngɛ ngmɔ ɔ mi. Wa kpɛti nihi fuu ji nihewi kɛ yihewi, nɛ wa be níhi a si kpami tsɔ hulɔ. Se Nyɛminyumu ko nɛ a tsɛɛ lɛ ke Eldon Woodworth nɛ e piɛɛ nihi nɛ a pɔ mɛ nu ɔ a he ɔ piɛɛ wa he. E ha nɛ wa na heii kaa e ji ní lelɔ niinɛ. E ngɛ kaa wa tsɛ, nɛ e susuɔ wa he. Be komɛ ɔ, ke mluku nɛ wa yi ɔ ha nɛ haomi ko ba waa kɛ wa nyɛmimɛ wa kpɛti ɔ, nɔ́ nɛ Nyɛminyumu Woodworth pɔɔ demi ji, "Ke o hyɛ nihi nɛ Nyɔmtsɛ ɔ ngɛ, kɛ nɔ́ nɛ e kɛ mɛ tsu ɔ, e ngɛ nyakpɛ wawɛɛ."
Jehanɛ hu ɔ, wa ná he blɔ nɛ waa kɛ Nyɛminyumu Frederick W. Franz hu tsu ní, nɛ e ye bua wɔ wawɛɛ. E le ní wawɛɛ, nɛ e le Ngmami ɔ mi saminya. E ná wa ti nɔ fɛɛ nɔ he deka. Nɔ nɛ hooɔ ní ha wɔ ji Harry Peterson. E he waa ha wɔ kaa wa maa ngɔ e biɛ nitsɛ nɛ ji Papargyropoulos ɔ kɛ tsɛ lɛ, enɛ ɔ he ɔ, wa pɔɔ lɛ tsɛmi ke Peterson. Lɛ hu e piɛɛ nihi nɛ a pɔ mɛ nu ɔ a he, nɛ e bua jɔ fiɛɛmi ní tsumi ɔ he wawɛɛ. Nyɛminyumu Peterson tsu ní tsumi nɛ a kɛ wo e dɛ ngɛ Betel ɔ he ní saminya, se loloolo ɔ, e kɛ fiɛɛmi ní tsumi ɔ fiɛ we. Daa nyɔhiɔ ɔ, e haa wa womi tɛtlɛɛ ɔmɛ lafahi abɔ. E le Ngmami ɔ mi saminya hulɔ, enɛ ɔ he ɔ, e nyɛ nɛ e ha sanehi nɛ wa bi lɛ ɔ fuu a heto.
NYƐMIMƐ YIHI NƐ A NGƐ NILE YE BUA MI
A ngɔɔ ní nɛ a kpaa ngɛ ngmɔ ɔ nɔ ɔ kɛ woɔ tɔhi a mi. Daa jeha a, a ngɔɔ tso yiblii kɛ ba nɛ a kɛ hooɔ ní kɛ woɔ tɔhi maa pee 45,000 mi kɛ ya haa Betel weku ɔ. I kɛ nyɛmiyo ko nɛ le ní wawɛɛ nɛ a tsɛɛ lɛ ke Etta Huth tsu ní. Lɛ ji nɔ nɛ e tsɔɔ bɔ nɛ a pee niye ní ɔ ha loko a kɛ woɔ tɔhi a mi. Ke be su nɛ a kɛ niye ní maa wo tɔhi a mi ɔ, nyɛmimɛ jeɔ he slɔɔtohi ba yeɔ bua, nɛ Etta toɔ ní tsumi ɔ he blɔ nya. E ngɛ mi kaa Etta le ní tsumi nɛ ɔ wawɛɛ mohu lɛɛ, se e baa e he si kɛ haa nyɛmimɛ nyumuhi nɛ a ngɛ ngmɔ ɔ nɔ hyɛe ɔ. Akɛnɛ e baa e he si kɛ haa teokrase blɔ tsɔɔmi he je ɔ, i naa lɛ kaa e ji nɔ ko nɛ e peeɔ nɔ hyɛmi nɔ́ kpakpa.
Angela Romano ji yihewi nɛ ba yeɔ bua konɛ a kɛ niye ní nɛ wo tɔhi a mi ɔ a kpɛti nɔ kake. Etta ye bua lɛ benɛ e ba pɛtɛ anɔkuale ɔ he ɔ. Enɛ ɔ he ɔ, i kɛ Angela nɛ lɛ hu e ji ní lelɔ ɔ kpe benɛ i ngɛ sɔmɔe ngɛ Betel ɔ, nɛ i kɛ lɛ hi si maa pee jeha 58 ji nɛ ɔ. I kɛ Angie sɛ gba si himi mi ngɛ April 1958 ɔ mi, nɛ waa kɛ bua jɔmi tsu sɔmɔmi ní tsumi slɔɔtohi. Ngɛ jehahi tsuo nɛ waa kɛ hi si ɔ mi ɔ, wa gba a ngɔ saminya, ejakaa Angie yeɔ Yehowa anɔkuale wawɛɛ. Ma nyɛ ma ngɔ ye hɛ kɛ fɔ e nɔ ngɛ ka fɛɛ ka nɛ waa kɛ maa kpe ɔ mi.
MA SE SANE KPAKPA FIƐƐMI KƐ KPƆ MI NƆ HYƐMI NÍ TSUMI Ɔ
Benɛ a jua WBBR hleedio tesia nɛ ngɛ Staten Island ɔ ngɛ jeha 1957 ɔ mi ɔ, i ya tsu ní ngɛ Brooklyn Betel ɔ be bɔɔ ko. Pee se ɔ, i kɛ Angie sɛ gba si himi mi, enɛ ɔ he ɔ, i je Betel, nɛ waa kɛ jeha etɛ nɛ nyɛɛ se ɔ sɔmɔ kaa blɔ gbali ngɛ Staten Island. I kɛ be bɔɔ tsu ní ha nihi nɛ a he WBBR hleedio tesia a. Pee se ɔ, a tsɛ hleedio tesia nɛ ɔ ke WPOW.
I kɛ Angie wa fia wa pɛɛ si kaa wa maa pee wa si himi kpokploo, konɛ wa nyɛ nɛ wa sɔmɔ ngɛ he tsuaa he nɛ wa he maa hia ngɛ. Enɛ ɔ he ɔ, ngɛ jeha 1961 ɔ mi ɔ, a ha nɛ wa ya sɔmɔ kaa blɔ gbali klɛdɛɛ ngɛ Falls City ngɛ Nebraska. Se benɛ wa ya su lejɛ ɔ, e kɛ we nɛ a fɔ wɔ nine kaa waa ya Matsɛ Yemi Sɔmɔmi Sukuu nɛ a maa pee ngɛ South Lansing, ngɛ New York ɔ eko. Jamɛ a be ɔ, a kɛ nyɔhiɔ kake nɛ yaa sukuu nɛ ɔ. Wa bua jɔ sukuu ɔ he, nɛ wa ngɛ blɔ hyɛe kaa a ma ha nɛ waa kpale ya sɔmɔ ngɛ Nebraska. Enɛ ɔ he ɔ, benɛ a de wɔ ke wa ya sɔmɔ kaa ma se sane kpakpa fiɛɛli ngɛ Cambodia a, e pee wɔ nyakpɛ! Ma nɛ ɔ ngɛ fɛu saminya, nɛ e ngɛ Asia woyi je, ngɛ puje he. Benɛ wa ya lejɛ ɔ, níhi nɛ wa na, níhi nɛ wa nu, kɛ níhi a he via nɛ wa nu ɔ je kpá kulaa ngɛ níhi nɛ wa le ɔmɛ a he. Wa suɔ kaa wa ma bɔni sane kpakpa a fiɛɛmi ngɛ lejɛ ɔ amlɔ nɔuu.
Se ma kudɔmi sane ha nɛ níhi tsake ngɛ lejɛ ɔ, enɛ ɔ he ɔ, e he ba hia nɛ waa hia kɛ ho Vietnam Woyi je ya. Aywilɛho sane ji kaa jeha enyɔ se ɔ, i ba nu hiɔ ko nɛ nya wa, lɔ ɔ he ɔ, a wo wɔ he wami kaa waa kpale kɛ ho wa ma a mi ya. E he be loko i kpale ná nɔmlɔ tso mi he wami, nɛ benɛ i ná he wami pɛ ɔ, i je be tsuo sɔmɔmi ní tsumi ɔ sisi ekohu.
Ngɛ March 1965 ɔ mi ɔ, wa ná he blɔ kaa wa ma ya sɔmɔ asafohi. I kɛ ye yo Angie ngɔ jeha 33 kɛ sɔmɔ ngɛ kpɔ mi nɔ hyɛmi kɛ kpokpa nɔ hyɛmi ní tsumi ɔ mi, nɛ i ye bua nɛ a to kpehi a he blɔ nya. Ye bua jɔɔ wa kpokpa nɔ kpe ɔmɛ a he wawɛɛ, enɛ ɔ he ɔ, ke i ye bua kɛ to kpe nɛ ɔmɛ a he blɔ nya a, ye bua jɔɔ wawɛɛ. Waa kɛ jeha komɛ sɔmɔ asafohi nɛ a ngɛ New York City ɔ, nɛ wa ye bua kɛ to kpokpa nɔ kpehi fuu a he blɔ nya ngɛ Yankee Fiɛmi He ɔ.
WA KPALE YA SƆMƆ NGƐ BETEL, NƐ I TSƆƆ NÍ NGƐ TEOKRASE SUKUUHI A MI
Kaa bɔ nɛ e ji ngɛ nihi fuu nɛ a kɛ a he wo be tsuo sɔmɔmi ní tsumi ɔ mi ɔ a blɔ fami ɔ, a ha i kɛ Angie ní tsumi ehehi. Ekomɛ ngɛ bua jɔmi wawɛɛ, nɛ ekomɛ hu be gbɔjɔɔ. Kaa nɔ hyɛmi nɔ́ ɔ, ngɛ jeha 1995 ɔ mi ɔ, a ha nɛ i ya tsɔɔ ní ngɛ Sɔmɔli A Tsɔsemi Sukuu ɔ mi. Jeha etɛ se ɔ, a fɔ wɔ nine kaa wa ba sɔmɔ ngɛ Betel. Ye bua jɔ wawɛɛ kaa ngɛ jeha 40 se ɔ i kpale ba sɔmɔ ngɛ he nɛ i je be tsuo sɔmɔmi ní tsumi klɛdɛɛ ɔ sisi ngɛ ɔ. I kɛ be bɔɔ sɔmɔ ngɛ Ní Tsumi He Nɛ Hyɛɛ Sɔmɔmi Ní Tsumi ɔ Nɔ ɔ, nɛ i tsɔɔ ní ngɛ teokrase sukuu slɔɔtohi a mi hulɔ. Ngɛ jeha 2007 ɔ mi ɔ, Blɔ Tsɔɔmi Ajla Toli ɔmɛ to Ní Tsumi He Nɛ Toɔ Teokrase Sukuuhi A He Blɔ Nya a sisi konɛ e to sukuuhi nɛ a peeɔ ngɛ Betel ɔ a he blɔ nya. I ná he blɔ nɛ i kɛ jeha bɔɔ ko sɔmɔ kaa ní tsumi he nɛ ɔ nɔ hyɛlɔ.
Ligbi etɛ nɛ ɔ, a pee tsakemihi fuu ngɛ teokrase tsɔsemi sukuu ɔmɛ a mi. A je Asafo Mi Nikɔtɔmahi A Sukuu ɔ sisi ngɛ jeha 2008 ɔ mi. Ngɛ jeha enyɔ nɛ nyɛɛ se ɔ mi ɔ, a tsɔse nikɔtɔmahi nɛ a he hiɛ pe 12,000 ngɛ Patterson kɛ Brooklyn Betel ɔ. Loloolo ɔ, a ngɛ sukuu nɛ ɔ pee ngɛ he slɔɔtohi, nɛ a tsɔse nihi fuu konɛ a tsɔɔ ní ngɛ sukuu nɛ ɔmɛ a mi. Ngɛ jeha 2010 mi ɔ, a tsake biɛ nɛ a kɛ tsɛɛ Sɔmɔli A Tsɔsemi Sukuu ɔ, nɛ a tsɛɛ lɛ ke Baiblo Sukuu Kɛ Ha Nyumuhi Nɛ A Sɛ We Gba Si Himi Mi, nɛ a pee sukuu ehe ko nɛ a tsɛɛ lɛ ke Baiblo Sukuu Kɛ Ha Nihi Nɛ A Sɛ Gba Si Himi Mi.
Ngɛ September 2015 ɔ mi ɔ, a bla sukuu enyɔ nɛ ɔmɛ ngɔ pee kake, nɛ a tsɛɛ lɛ ke Sukuu Kɛ Ha Matsɛ Yemi Sane Kpakpa Fiɛɛli. Nyɛmimɛ nyumuhi kɛ yihi nɛ a sɛ gba si himi mi, kɛ nihi nɛ a sɛ we gba si himi mi tsuo ma nyɛ maa ya sukuu nɛ ɔ eko. Benɛ nihi fuu nɛ a ngɛ je kɛ wɛ ɔ nu kaa a maa pee sukuu nɛ ɔ eko ngɛ asafo ɔ ní tsumi kɔnihi fuu ɔ, a bua jɔ wawɛɛ. E ji bua jɔmi kaa nihi fuu ma ná he blɔ kɛ ya sukuu nɛ ɔ eko. Ye bua jɔ kaa i ná he blɔ nɛ i kɛ nihi fuu nɛ a ngɔ a he kɛ ha konɛ a ná tsɔsemi nɛ ɔ he se ɔ kpe.
Ke i kai bɔ nɛ ye si himi ngɛ ha loko a baptisi mi ngɛ nyu nɔ́ ngua a mi kɛ ba si mwɔnɛ ɔ, i naa Yehowa si daa kaa e ha nɛ i ná he blɔ nɛ i kɛ ní leli bɔ, nɛ a ye bua mi. Tsa pi mɛ tsuo ji ye juami bi, nɛ e slo he nɛ a tsɔse nɔ tsuaa nɔ ngɛ. Se a ní peepee kɛ bɔ nɛ a baa a je mi ha a tsɔɔ kaa a suɔ Yehowa wawɛɛ. Ní leli fuu ngɛ Yehowa asafo ɔ mi nɛ waa kɛ mɛ ma nyɛ maa bɔ. I pee jã nɛ i ná he se.