Afɔ mi 1927 yɛ maŋ bibioo ko ni bɛŋkɛ Chicago, yɛ Illinois, yɛ U.S.A. Mipapa kɛ mimami fɔ wɔyi enumɔ—Jetha, Don, mi, Karl, kɛ Joy. Wɔ fɛɛ wɔtswa wɔfai shi akɛ wɔkɛ wɔtsui fɛɛ baasɔmɔ Yehowa. Minyɛmi yoo Jetha tee Gilead klas ni ji enyɔ nɔ lɛ yɛ 1943. Yɛ 1944 lɛ, Don yasɔmɔ yɛ Betel yɛ Brooklyn, yɛ New York. Karl hu yasɔmɔ yɛ jɛmɛ yɛ 1947, ni Joy yasɔmɔ yɛ jɛmɛ yɛ 1951. Nɔkwɛmɔnɔ kpakpa ni amɛ kɛ mifɔlɔi fee lɛ wo mi hewalɛ ni matsu babaoo yɛ Yehowa sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli.

Mipapa kɛ mimami kaneɔ Biblia lɛ waa. Amɛsumɔɔ Nyɔŋmɔ, ni amɛye amɛbua wɔ koni wɔ hu wɔsumɔ Nyɔŋmɔ. No mli lɛ, mipapa lɛ, asraafonyo ni yɛ Yuropa be ni awuɔ Jeŋ Ta I lɛ, ni nibii ni ena lɛ hã Nyɔŋmɔjamɔ je ehiɛ. Mimami da Nyɔŋmɔ shi waa be ni mipapa ba shĩa shweshweeshwe lɛ, ni ekɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Karl, ba wɔtee sɔlemɔ tamɔ wɔfeɔ tsutsu lɛ.” Mipapa kɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Mikɛ bo baaya jɛmɛ, shi miboteŋ mli.” Mimami bi lɛ akɛ, “Mɛni hewɔ?” Ekɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Be ni mitee ta lɛ, osɔfo ni sɔle ehã asraafoi ni yɔɔ afã nɛɛ kɛ osɔfo ni sɔle ehã asraafoi ni yɔɔ afã kroko lɛ fɛɛ jɛ jamɔ kome mli. Ani Nyɔŋmɔ yɛ afãi enyɔ lɛ fɛɛ sɛɛ?”

Be ko be ni mimami etee sɔlemɔ lɛ, Yehowa Odasefoi enyɔ ba wɔshĩa lɛ. Amɛhã mipapa woji enyɔ ni akɛkaseɔ Biblia lɛ, ni atsɛɔ lɛ Light lɛ. Woji lɛ wieɔ Kpojiemɔ wolo lɛ he. Mipapa ná woji lɛ ahe miishɛɛ ni ehé. Be ni mimami na woji lɛ nɔŋŋ lɛ, ebɔi kanemɔ. Kɛkɛ ni gbi ko lɛ, ena yɛ adafitswaa wolo ko mli akɛ aafɔ̃ mɛi fɛɛ ni miisumɔ ni amɛkase Biblia lɛ nine koni amɛba ni atsɔ Light wolo lɛ nɔ aye abua amɛ ni amɛkase Biblia lɛ. Ekpɛ eyiŋ akɛ ebaaya. Be ni eyashɛ lɛ, yoo onukpa ko ni bagbele shinaa lɛ. No mli lɛ, mimami hiɛ Light wolo lɛ ekome, ni ebi yoo lɛ akɛ, “Ani nyɛmiikase wolo nɛɛ yɛ biɛ?” Yoo lɛ kɛɛ lɛ akɛ, “Hɛɛ, ofainɛ ba mli.” Enɔ otsi lɛ, mimami kɛ wɔ fɛɛ tee, ni kɛjɛ no nɔ kɛyaa lɛ, wɔyaa otsi fɛɛ otsi ni wɔfolɔɔɔ mli.

Gbi ko be ni wɔtee asafoŋ kpee lɛ, mɔ ni kwɛɔ nikasemɔ lɛ nɔ lɛ hã mikane Lala 144:15 lɛ, he ni kɛɛ mɛi ni jáa Yehowa lɛ yɛ miishɛɛ lɛ. Miná nakai ŋmalɛ lɛ kɛ ŋmalɛi enyɔ krokomɛi hu ahe miishɛɛ waa. Ŋmalɛi enyɔ nɛɛ ateŋ ekome ji 1 Timoteo 1:11 lɛ, ni kɛɔ akɛ Yehowa lɛ, “miishɛɛ Nyɔŋmɔ” ni lɛ, ni ekroko lɛ ji Efesobii 5:1 lɛ, ni kɛɔ akɛ wɔfee wɔhe  “mɛi ni kaseɔ Nyɔŋmɔ” lɛ. Ŋmalɛi nɛɛ hã mina akɛ, esa akɛ mimii ashɛ mihe akɛ miisɔmɔ mibɔlɔ lɛ, ni mada lɛ shi akɛ ehã mi hegbɛ ni tamɔ nakai. Ni mimia mihiɛ akɛ mafee nibii enyɔ nɛɛ miwala beiaŋ fɛɛ.

Asafo ni bɛŋkɛ wɔ lɛ yɛ Chicago, ni ekɛ wɔ teŋ jekɛmɔ ji kilomitai 32. Fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, wɔyaa asafoŋ kpeei, ni enɛ hã mibale Biblia lɛ mli. Gbi ko be ni wɔtee asafoŋ kpee lɛ, mɔ ni kwɛɔ nɔ lɛ tsɛ Jetha, ni ehã sane hetoo. Be ni Jetha hã sane lɛ hetoo lɛ, miwie yɛ miyitsoŋ akɛ: ‘Aah, mile hetoo lɛ. Mile kulɛ miwó minine nɔ.’ Kɛjɛ nakai gbi lɛ nɔ kɛyaa lɛ, gbi fɛɛ gbi ni abaaya asafoŋ kpee lɛ, misaa mihe koni kɛ́ mitee lɛ manyɛ mahã sane hetoo. Nɔ ni fe fɛɛ lɛ, wekukpaa ni yɔɔ mi kɛ Yehowa teŋ lɛ mli bawa waa, tamɔ bɔ ni eji yɛ minyɛmimɛi lɛ agbɛfaŋ lɛ. Abaptisi mi 1941.

Kpee wulu ko ni mikaiɔ waa ji nɔ ni afee yɛ 1942 yɛ Cleveland, yɛ Ohio lɛ. Atsɔ tɛlifoŋ nɔ abo kpee nɛɛ toi yɛ hei srɔtoi 50 kɛ sɛɛ yɛ United States. Wɔweku lɛ, kɛ nyɛmimɛi krokomɛi wɔ mama tsũi amli yɛ he ko ni bɛŋkɛ he ni afeɔ kpee lɛ yɛ lɛ. No mli lɛ, aawu Jeŋ Ta II lɛ, ni aate shi aawo Yehowa Odasefoi waa. Be ni je na lɛ, mina nyɛmimɛi komɛi ni amɛmiipaaki amɛtsɔji lɛ bɔ ni tsɔji lɛ asɛɛ baakwɛ he ni wɔwɔɔ lɛ ni amɛhiɛ akwɛ agbó lɛ naa. No mli lɛ, amɛ fɛɛ amɛba gbeekpamɔ akɛ amɛbaahala mɔ kome yɛ tsɔne fɛɛ tsɔne mli koni ebu nyɔɔŋ muu lɛ fɛɛ. Kɛ́ nyɛmimɛi ni buɔ lɛ na akɛ mɛi komɛi miiba ni amɛbatutua wɔ lɛ, amɛbaasu amɛtsɔji lɛ akanei lɛ kɛkpɛ mɛi lɛ ahiɛ ni amɛnyɛ horn lɛ (ni ji tsɔne lɛ bɛlɛ lɛ) nɔ. No baahã mɛi krokomɛi lɛ aba ni amɛbaye amɛbua. Be ni mina enɛ lɛ, mikɛɛ mihe akɛ, ‘Kwɛɛ, Yehowa webii lɛ saa amɛhe jogbaŋŋ kɛhã shihilɛ fɛɛ shihilɛ!’ Enɛ hã mitsui nyɔ mimli ni miwɔ jogbaŋŋ; shi nɔ ko fɔŋ ko po baaa.

Afii komɛi asɛɛ be ni miijwɛŋ nɔ ni tee nɔ yɛ kpee nɛɛ shishi lɛ he lɛ, miyɔse akɛ mimami tsui efãaa ni esheee gbeyei hu. Ekɛ ehiɛ fɔ̃ Yehowa kɛ esafo lɛ nɔ kwraa. Mihiɛ kpaŋ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ kpakpa ni efee nɛɛ nɔ kɔkɔɔkɔ.

Be ni eshwɛ fioo ni wɔbaaya kpee lɛ, mimami batsɔ daa gbɛgbalɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, be ni wɔtee kpee lɛ, ebo wiemɔi ni ahã ni kɔɔ be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ he lɛ toi jogbaŋŋ. Be ni agbe kpee lɛ naa ni wɔmiiku wɔsɛɛ kɛmiiba shĩa lɛ, ekɛɛ wɔ akɛ, “Miisumɔ ni maya nɔ matsu gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ, shi minyɛŋ mafee nakai ni yɛ nakai beiaŋ nɔŋŋ lɛ matsu shĩa nitsumɔ lɛ fɛɛ.” Ni ebi wɔ kɛ́ wɔbaaye wɔbua lɛ, ni wɔ fɛɛ wɔkpɛlɛ nɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, ehã wɔteŋ mɔ fɛɛ mɔ tsũ kome loo enyɔ koni daa leebi lɛ, wɔsaa mli. Kɛ́ wɔtee skul lɛ, eyakwɛɔ tsũi lɛ amli akɛ wɔsaa jɛmɛ jogbaŋŋ lo, kɛkɛ lɛ, no sɛɛ lɛ, etee shiɛmɔ. Mimami bɛ dekã kwraa, shi fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, ekwɛ wɔ jogbaŋŋ. Kɛ́ wɔba shĩa shwane ni wɔmiiba wɔbaye nii lɛ, wɔbanaa lɛ, ni be ni abaakpa skul ni wɔbaaba shĩa hu lɛ, eyɛ shĩa. Bei komɛi kɛ́ wɔkpa skul lɛ, wɔkɛ lɛ yaa shiɛmɔ, ni enɛ ye ebua wɔ ni wɔna bɔ ni gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ yɔɔ.

Be ni miná afii 16 lɛ, mibatsɔ daa gbɛgbalɔ. Eyɛ mli akɛ no mli lɛ, mipapa ebatsɔko Odasefonyo moŋ, shi kɛ́ efee lɛ, ebiɔ mi bɔ ni gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ yaa lɛ. Gbɛkɛ ko lɛ, mikɛɛ lɛ akɛ miimia mihiɛ ni maná mɔ ko ni mikɛ lɛ akase Biblia lɛ, shi  mináko mɔ ko lolo. Shi nɔŋŋ kɛkɛ ni mibi lɛ akɛ, “Aloo obaasumɔ ni mikɛ bo akase nii?” Ejwɛŋ he fioo ni ekɛɛ mi akɛ, ebaasumɔ ni mikɛ lɛ akase. No hewɔ lɛ, klɛŋklɛŋ mɔ ni mikɛkase Biblia lɛ ji mipapa, ni eŋɔɔ minaa waa!

Wolo ni mikɛ lɛ kase ji, “The Truth Shall Make You Free” (Anɔkwale Lɛ Baahã Nyɛye Nyɛhe). Be ko sɛɛ lɛ, miyɔse akɛ mipapa miiye eebua mi koni male bɔ ni akaseɔ nii jogbaŋŋ kɛ bɔ ni atsɔɔ nii jogbaŋŋ hu. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, gbɛkɛ ko be ni wɔkaseɔ nii ni wɔkane kuku lɛ eko mli lɛ, ebi mi akɛ: “Mina nɔ ni wolo lɛ tsɔɔ lɛ. Shi te ofeɔ tɛŋŋ onaa akɛ nɔ ni wolo lɛ kɛɔ lɛ ja lɛ?” Mikpaaa sanebimɔ nɛɛ gbɛ, no hewɔ lɛ mikɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Mileee hetoo lɛ bianɛ, shi miheɔ miyeɔ akɛ be kroko ni wɔbaakase nii lɛ, maná hetoo lɛ mahã bo.” Ni nakai mifee. Mina ŋmalɛi ni fiɔ nɔ ni no mli lɛ mikɛ lɛ susuɔ he lɛ sɛɛ. Kɛjɛ enɛ sɛɛ kɛyaa lɛ, daa kɛ́ mikɛ lɛ yaakase nii lɛ, mitaoɔ nii amli kɛsaa mihe jogbaŋŋ kɛhã nikasemɔ lɛ. Enɛ hã mibale Biblia lɛ mli jogbaŋŋ, ni eye ebua mipapa hu waa. Ekɛ nɔ ni ekase lɛ tsu nii, ni yɛ 1952 lɛ, abaptisi lɛ.

Mishi shĩa be ni miye afii 17. Yɛ nakai be lɛ mli nɔŋŋ lɛ, Jetha a batsɔ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔ, ni Don hu tee Betel. Mina akɛ, amɛ fɛɛ amɛyɛ amɛsɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ he miishɛɛ waa, ni enɛ wo mi hewalɛ waa diɛŋtsɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, miŋma Betel sɔɔmɔ gbɛbimɔ wolo nɔ nii, ni miŋma Gilead Skul gbɛbimɔ wolo hu nɔ nii, ni mishi sane lɛ miwo Yehowa dɛŋ. Nɔ ni ba ji, yɛ 1946 lɛ, atsɛ mi Betel.

Kɛjɛ be ni miba Betel nɛɛ, ahã mitsu nitsumɔi srɔtoisrɔtoi, ni enɛ ehã mikase nibii babaoo. Mihi Betel afii 75, ni nibii ni mikase lɛ eko ji, bɔ ni ahaa wolo sɛɛ kɛ bɔ ni abuɔ akɔntaa. Agbɛnɛ hu, mikase bɔ ni ahéɔ nibii ahãa Betel kɛ bɔ ni akɛ nibii ni he hiaa lɛ majeɔ maji krokomɛi. Nɔ ni fe fɛɛ lɛ, miná gbɛjianɔi ni ato yɛ Betel ni yeɔ ebuaa wɔ koni wɔle Biblia lɛ mli jogbaŋŋ lɛ ahe sɛɛ waa. Gbɛjianɔtoi nɛɛ ekomɛi ji, leebi jamɔ lɛ kɛ wiemɔi ni ahãa kɛwoɔ Betel weku lɛ hewalɛ lɛ.

Mikase nii hu kɛjɛ minyɛmi nuu fioo, Karl dɛŋ. Eba Betel yɛ 1947. Ekaseɔ Biblia lɛ waa, ni ele bɔ ni atsɔɔ nii jogbaŋŋ hu. Gbi ko be ni miyahã maŋshiɛmɔ lɛ, mibi lɛ ni eye ebua mi. Mikɛɛ Karl akɛ, mifee niiamlitaomɔ babaoo yɛ sane lɛ he, shi minaaa emli nɔ ni mikɛbaatsu nii. Karl bi mi sane kome ni no hã mina nɔ ni esa akɛ mafee. Ebi mi akɛ, “Joel, mɛni ji osane lɛ yitso?” Oya nɔŋŋ ni mina nɔ ni esa akɛ mafee; esa akɛ mahala saji ni baawa mi ni magbala misaneyitso lɛ mli, ni mashi ekrokomɛi lɛ. Mihiɛ kpaaa nɔ ni etsɔɔ mi nɛɛ nɔ kɔkɔɔkɔ.

 Nɔ kome ni hãa wɔnáa miishɛɛ waa yɛ Betel ji, kɛ́ wɔkɛ wɔhe wo shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli waa. Kɛ́ wɔtsu shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ kɛ ekãa lɛ, wɔnáa niiashikpamɔi ni woɔ mɔ hewalɛ. Niiashikpamɔ kome ko ni mikaiɔ waa ji, nɔ ni ba be ni wɔtee shiɛmɔ gbɛkɛ ko yɛ Bronx, yɛ New York City lɛ. Mikɛ nyɛmi nuu ko yasara yoo ko ni wɔhã lɛ Buu-Mɔɔ kɛ Awake! lɛ eko pɛŋ. Be ni wɔtee lɛ, wɔkɛɛ lɛ akɛ, “Gbɛkɛ nɛɛ, wɔmiiye wɔmiibua mɛi ni amɛkase nibii ni baanyɛ aye abua amɛ kɛjɛ Biblia lɛ mli.” Yoo lɛ kɛɛ wɔ akɛ, “Kɛ́ Biblia lɛ nyɛkɛ mi baakase lɛ, no lɛ nyɛbaa mli.” Wɔkane ŋmalɛi srɔtoi ni kɔɔ Nyɔŋmɔ Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ kɛ jeŋ hee ni baaba lɛ he wɔhã lɛ ni wɔkɛ lɛ susu he. Wɔna akɛ yoo lɛ ná he miishɛɛ waa, ejaakɛ enɔ otsi be ni wɔtee ni wɔyasara lɛ lɛ, efɔ̃ enanemɛi komɛi nine ni amɛ hu amɛbafata nikasemɔ lɛ he. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, ekɛ ewu lɛ fɛɛ ba anɔkwale lɛ mli.

Ehe mi afii 10 dani mina yoo ni manyɛ mikɛ lɛ ahi shi. Mɛni ye ebua mi ni miná ŋa kpakpa? Mibi mihe akɛ, ‘Kɛ́ mibote gbalashihilɛ mli lɛ, mɛni masumɔ ni mikɛ yoo ni mikɛbote gbalashihilɛ mli lɛ fɛɛ afee?’ ni misɔle mihã Yehowa yɛ sane nɛɛ he.

Be ni agbe 1953 kpee ni afee yɛ Yankee Stadium lɛ naa lɛ, mina nyɛmi yoo ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Mary Aniol. Ekɛ Jetha fɛɛ gbe Gilead klas ni ji enyɔ nɔ lɛ naa, ni ekɛ lɛ fɛɛ miisɔmɔ akɛ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi yɛ he kome. Mary kɛ miishɛɛ gba mi bɔ ni emaŋsɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ yaa lɛ yɛ Caribbean lɛ kɛ mɛi ni ekɛkase nii yɛ afii ni eho lɛ amli lɛ he sane. Be ni wɔbale wɔhe jogbaŋŋ lɛ, wɔna akɛ wɔ fɛɛ wɔmiisumɔ ni wɔtsu be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ. Wɔbasumɔ wɔhe waa, ni yɛ April 1955 lɛ, wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli. Mary fee nɔkwɛmɔnɔ kpakpa. Anɔkwa, efee nibii pii ni hã mina akɛ, Yehowa diɛŋtsɛ ni kɛ lɛ dro mi. Ekɛ miishɛɛ tsu nitsumɔ fɛɛ nitsumɔ ni akɛwo edɛŋ lɛ. Ehiɛ wa kɛ nitsumɔ, esumɔɔ gbɔmɔ, ni ekɛ Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ ye klɛŋklɛŋ gbɛhe yɛ eshihilɛ mli. (Mat. 6:33) Ahã wɔyasɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ kɛ eŋa afii etɛ, ni yɛ 1958 lɛ, ahã wɔyi enyɔ lɛ fɛɛ wɔba Betel.

Mikase nibii pii kɛjɛ Mary dɛŋ. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, be ni wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli nɔŋŋ lɛ, wɔkpɛ wɔyiŋ akɛ wɔbaafee ekome kɛkane Biblia lɛ. Daa gbi lɛ, wɔkaneɔ aaafee kukuji 15, ni bɔ ni wɔfeɔ lɛ nɛ: Kɛ́ wɔteŋ mɔ kome kane fioo ko lɛ, wɔsusuɔ he ni wɔkwɛɔ bɔ ni wɔbaafee wɔkɛtsu nii yɛ wɔshihilɛ mli, kɛkɛ lɛ, wɔtsa nɔ. Bei pii lɛ, Mary gbaa mi nibii ni ekase yɛ Gilead kɛ emaŋsɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli lɛ. Enɛ ye ebua mi ni mina bɔ ni mafee maya mihiɛ yɛ bɔ ni mihãa maŋshiɛmɔ mihãa lɛ mli, ni agbɛnɛ hu, eye ebua mi ni mina bɔ ni mafee mawo nyɛmimɛi yei hewalɛ.—Abɛi 25:11.

Misuɔlɔ Mary gbo yɛ 2013. Miishwe waa ni mana lɛ ekoŋŋ yɛ jeŋ hee lɛ mli! Shi kɛyashi nakai be lɛ baashɛ lɛ, mitswa mifai shi akɛ maya nɔ makase Yehowa he nii, ni mikɛ mihiɛ afɔ̃ enɔ kɛ mitsui muu fɛɛ. (Abɛi 3:​5, 6) Kɛ́ misusu nibii ni Yehowa webii baafee yɛ jeŋ hee lɛ mli lɛ ahe lɛ, ehãa mitsui nyɔɔ mimli ni mináa miishɛɛ. Nibii nɛɛ ateŋ eko ji, wɔbaakase nibii hei kɛjɛ wɔ-Tsɔɔlɔ Kpele lɛ ŋɔɔ, ni wɔbaale ehe nibii pii! Miida Yehowa shi waa akɛ, etsɔɔ mi nii, ni eye ebua mi kɛbashi bianɛ.