DANI mipapa baashi shĩa lɛ po lɛ, miyɛ he miishɛɛ akɛ makase Biblia lɛ. No mli lɛ, abahã mimami asafo lɛ woji lɛ ekomɛi, ni minya amɛhe waa, titri lɛ mfonirii ni yɔɔ amɛmli lɛ. Mipapa sumɔɔɔ ni mimami gbaa mi nibii ni ekaseɔ lɛ. Shi akɛni miitao male Biblia lɛ mli saji babaoo hewɔ lɛ, mibibii mimami saji. No hewɔ lɛ, kɛ́ mipapa bɛ shĩa lɛ, ekɛ mi kaseɔ nii. Enɛ hã mi hu mikpɛ miyiŋ akɛ masumɔ ni majɔɔ mihe nɔ mahã Yehowa. Yɛ afi 1943, be ni miye afii nyɔŋma lɛ, abaptisi mi yɛ Blackpool yɛ England.

Kɛjɛ nakai be lɛ nɔ kɛyaa lɛ, mikɛ mimami bɔi shiɛmɔ yaa. Yɛ no beiaŋ lɛ, wɔkɛ gramafon ni yaa shiɛmɔ. Gramafon lɛ dara, ni ekome tsiimɔ baashɛ kilogram 4 kɛ fã. Feemɔ mihe mfoniri ni mi bibioo nɛɛ mihiɛ gramafon lɛ eko kɛmiiya shiɛmɔ!

Dani maye afii 14 po lɛ, miishwe ni matsɔ gbɛgbalɔ. Shi mimami kɛɛ mi akɛ mikɛ nyɛmimɛi lɛ asɔɔlɔ lɛ (loo kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ) agba he sane dã. Kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ wo mi ŋaa ni mikase ninenaa nitsumɔ ko, koni manyɛ  makwɛ mihe be ni mitsuɔ gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, mifee nakai. Afii enyɔ sɛɛ lɛ, mikɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ kroko gba shwelɛ ni miyɔɔ akɛ matsu gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ he sane. Ekɛɛ mi akɛ, “Obaanyɛ otsu!”

No hewɔ lɛ, yɛ April 1949 lɛ, wɔhɔ̃ɔ wɔtsũ mli nibii lɛ ekomɛi ni wɔkɛ nɔ ni eshwɛ lɛ kekee mɛi, kɛkɛ ni wɔfã kɛyahi Middleton, yɛ Manchester masɛi. Jɛmɛ wɔbɔi gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ yɛ. Nyɔji ejwɛ sɛɛ lɛ, mihala nyɛmi nuu ko mifata mihe koni mikɛ lɛ asɔmɔ. Nitsumɔhe nine lɛ wo wɔ hewalɛ ni wɔfã kɛya Irlam koni wɔkɛ asafo hee ko ni atse yɛ jɛmɛ lɛ ayasɔmɔ. Mimami hu kɛ nyɛmi yoo ko yasɔmɔ yɛ asafo kroko mli.

Eyɛ mli akɛ no mli lɛ miye afii 17 pɛ moŋ, shi mi kɛ nyɛmi nuu ni fata mihe lɛ ni kwɛ asafoŋ kpeei lɛ anɔ, ejaakɛ nyɛmimɛi hii ni sa ni yɔɔ nakai asafo lɛ mli lɛ ayi faaa. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, ahã mitee Buxton Asafo lɛ mli, ejaakɛ shiɛlɔi ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ ayi faaa kwraa, ni yelikɛbuamɔ he miihia amɛ. Sɔɔmɔ ni miyasɔmɔ yɛ asafoi nɛɛ amli lɛ saa mi kɛhã nitsumɔi krokomɛi ni ahã mi sɛɛ mli lɛ.

Yɛ afi 1951 lɛ, miŋmala woji anɔ nii koni ahã maya Buu-Mɔɔ Gilead Biblia Skul lɛ eko. Shi yɛ December 1952 lɛ, maŋ lɛ tsɛ mi ni mibatsu asraafoi anitsumɔ lɛ. Shi mihã amɛle akɛ, minyɛŋ matsu, ejaakɛ mikɛ mibe fɛɛ shiɛɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, akɛ mi tee saneyelihe. Mihã onukpai ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ le akɛ mikɛ mibe fɛɛ shiɛɔ, shi  fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, amɛbu mi fɔ, ni amɛhã awo mi tsuŋ nyɔji ekpaa. Be ni miyɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ, aŋma mi wolo akɛ manyɛ maba Gilead Skul lɛ klas ni ji 22 nɔ lɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, yɛ July 1953 lɛ, mikɛ meele ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Georgic lɛ fã gbɛ kɛtee New York.

Be ni wɔyashɛ lɛ, minyɛ mitee Jeŋ Hee Asafo Kpee ni afee yɛ afi 1953 lɛ. Be ni agbe kpee lɛ naa lɛ, mikɛ oketeke fã gbɛ kɛtee South Lansing, yɛ New York, ejaakɛ jɛmɛ skul lɛ yɔɔ. Akɛni ajie mi kɛjɛ tsuŋwoo mli etsɛko hewɔ lɛ, shika ni mihiɛ lɛ faaa. Be ni mikɛ oketeke lɛ yashɛ lɛ, mikwɔ tsɔne kɛtsa gbɛfãa lɛ nɔ. Eyɛ mli akɛ tsɔne lɛ nyɔmɔ lɛ shɛɛɛ nɔ ko moŋ, shi mihiɛɛɛ shika ni mikɛbaawo. No hewɔ lɛ, mifa eko yɛ mɔ ko ni mikɛta tsɔne lɛ mli lɛ dɛŋ ni mikɛwo.

Gilead Skul lɛ ye ebua mi koni mihe asa yɛ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli, ni ‘matsɔ mihe nɔ fɛɛ nɔ mahã mɛi srɔtoi fɛɛ.’ (1 Kor. 9:22) Ahã mi, Paul Bruun, kɛ Raymond Leach le akɛ wɔbaayasɔmɔ yɛ Philippines. Shi eye nyɔji abɔ dani wɔná visa ni wɔkɛbaaya jɛmɛ. Be ni wɔnine shɛ visa lɛ nɔ lɛ, wɔkɛ meele fã gbɛ kɛtee Rotterdam. Kɛkɛ ni wɔtsɔ Mediterranean Ŋshɔ lɛ hiɛ kɛbayi Suez Faa lɛ mli kɛyaje Indian Ŋshɔ lɛ mli, kɛtee Malaysia kɛ Hong Kong. Wɔbashɛ Manila yɛ November 19, 1954. Wɔye gbii 47 sɔŋŋ yɛ ŋshɔ hiɛ!

Ehe bahia ni wɔkase Tagalog, ni ji wiemɔ titri ni awieɔ yɛ Philippines lɛ, ni wɔle bɔ ni maŋbii lɛ hiɔ shi amɛhãa. Shishijee mli lɛ, ahã wɔyi etɛ lɛ fɛɛ wɔkɛ asafo ko ni yɔɔ Quezon City lɛ yasɔmɔ. Mɛi ni yɔɔ nakai maŋ lɛ mli lɛ ateŋ mɛi babaoo wieɔ Blɔfo. No hewɔ lɛ, nyɔji ekpaa kɛ sɛɛ fɛɛ ni wɔnuuu Tagalog ekpakpa ko. Shi tsakemɔ ko ni ba lɛ ye ebua wɔ ni wɔkase wiemɔ lɛ.

Gbi ko yɛ May 1955, be ni mi kɛ Nyɛminuu Leach kpa shiɛmɔ ni wɔbashɛ shĩa lɛ, wɔbana woji komɛi yɛ wɔtsũ lɛ mli. Yɛ wolo lɛ mli lɛ, ahã wɔle akɛ ahala wɔ ni wɔsɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔi. No mli lɛ, miye afii 22 pɛ, shi nitsumɔ nɛɛ hã miná hegbɛi babaoo ni ‘mikɛbaatsɔ mihe nɔ fɛɛ nɔ mahã mɛi srɔtoi fɛɛ.’

Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, mihã mi-klɛŋklɛŋ maŋshiɛmɔ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ yɛ shwapo ko hiɛ yɛ akrowa ko mli. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, miná mile akɛ nakai kwraa afeɔ yɛ Philippines; ahãa maŋshiɛmɔi yɛ agbo naa. No hewɔ lɛ, yɛ asafoi srɔtoi ni miyasara yɛ kpokpaa lɛ nɔ lɛ amli lɛ, mihã maŋshiɛmɔi yɛ agbai ashishi, jaji anɔ, maŋ asai ahiɛ, shwɛmɔhei, shisharamɔhei, kɛ gbɛjegbɛi ahe. Be ko be ni misɔmɔɔ yɛ maŋ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ San Pablo City lɛ, nugbɔ nɛ waa, ni no hewɔ lɛ, ehiii mi wiemɔ lɛ hãmɔ yɛ jara lɛ nɔ. Mibi nyɛmimɛi hii ni kwɛɔ asafo ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ nɔ lɛ kɛji manyɛ mahã yɛ Maŋtsɛyeli Asa lɛ nɔ, ni amɛkpɛlɛ nɔ. Be ni mihã wiemɔ lɛ migbe naa lɛ, nyɛmimɛi lɛ bi mi kɛji amɛbaanyɛ amɛbu he akɔntaa akɛ maŋshiɛmɔ, akɛni ahãaa yɛ agbo naa lɛ hewɔ!

Yɛ hei fɛɛ ni miyasɔmɔ yɛ lɛ, miwɔ nyɛmimɛi ashĩai amli. Shĩai lɛ amli bɛ haŋtsii, shi jɛmɛ yɛ falefale. Tsũi lɛ pii yɛ ni akɛ tso ekala shikpɔŋ lɛ fɛɛ, ni bei pii lɛ, mikãa sai anɔ yɛ shikpɔŋ. Amɛhejuuhei lɛ yɛ agbo naa he ni mɔ fɛɛ mɔ baanyɛ ana bo. No hewɔ lɛ, mikwɛ bɔ ni mafee maju mihe ni mɔ ko enaaa miyayaiaŋ. Mitaa bɔs mli kɛfãa gbɛ, ni kɛ́ miifã gbɛ kɛmiijɛ ŋshɔkpɔ kome nɔ kɛmiiya ekroko nɔ lɛ, mitaa lɛlɛ mli. Kɛjɛ be ni mibɔi sɔɔmɔ nɛɛ lɛ, miheko tsɔne.

Mijeee gbɛ mitaaa shi akɛ miikase Tagalog. Kɛ́ mitee asafoŋ kpeei, loo mikɛ nyɛmimɛi lɛ tee shiɛmɔ lɛ, miboɔ amɛ toi, ni no nɔ mitsɔ mikase wiemɔ lɛ. Nyɛmimɛi lɛ ná he miishɛɛ akɛ amɛbaaye amɛbua mi ni makase wiemɔ lɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, amɛná tsui amɛhã mi, ni amɛhiɛ gbooo akɛ amɛbaatsɔɔ mi hei ni esa akɛ maya mihiɛ yɛ. Mihiɛ sɔ amɛ waa!

 Sɛɛ mli lɛ, atuu sɔ̃i krokomɛi awo midɛŋ, ni enɛ hã mifee tsakemɔi krokomɛi yɛ mishihilɛ mli. Yɛ afi 1956 be ni Nyɛminuu Nathan Knorr ba Philippines lɛ, afee kpee wulu ko, ni ahã mikɛ adafitswaa nitsumɔhei lɛ shara yɛ asafo lɛ najiaŋ. Mitsuko nitsumɔ nɛɛ eko pɛŋ, shi nyɛmimɛi lɛ jɛ amɛsuɔmɔ mli amɛye amɛbua mi ni minyɛ mitsu. Eyeee afi ni Nyɛminuu Frederick Franz hu jɛ asafo lɛ yitso lɛ ebasara wɔ. Be ni eba lɛ, asaa afee kpee wulu kroko, ni mi ji mɔ ni ahala koni ekwɛ kpee lɛ nɔ. Be ni Nyɛminuu Franz baahã maŋshiɛmɔ lɛ, ewo barong Tagalog, ni ji atade ko ni afɔɔ woo yɛ Philippines lɛ. Nyɛmimɛi lɛ ná miishɛɛ waa akɛ esaa ehe tamɔ amɛ. Nɔ ni mikase yɛ enɛ mli ji akɛ, esa akɛ maná he miishɛɛ akɛ mikɛ mihe baawo mɛi krokomɛi ashihilɛ mli.

Be ni mibɔi sɔɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa wulu nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ, ehe bahia ni maya nɔ mafee tsakemɔi yɛ mishihilɛ mli. No beiaŋ lɛ, wɔjieɔ vidio ni ji, The Happiness of the New World Society lɛ wɔhãa nyɛmimɛi lɛ, ni bei pii lɛ agbo naa wɔjieɔ yɛ. Bei komɛi lɛ, kooloi bibii gbaa wɔnaa. Kane ko yɛ tsɔne ni wɔkɛjieɔ vidio lɛ mli, ni no ji nɔ ni gbalaa amɛ. Kɛ́ wɔjie vidio lɛ wɔgbe naa ni wɔba kooloi lɛ jiemɔ yɛ tsɔne lɛ mli lɛ, wɔnáaa lɛ mlɛo kwraa! Anɔkwa, etɔ wɔ waa kɛ vidio lɛ he gbɛjianɔtoo, shi bɔ ni eye ebua mɛi koni amɛbale bɔ ni ato Yehowa asafo lɛ he gbɛjianɔ ahã yɛ jeŋ fɛɛ lɛ hã wɔtsui nyɔ wɔmli waa.

Yɛ hei komɛi lɛ, Katolik osɔfoi lɛ bɔ mɔdɛŋ amɛkɔne maŋ onukpai lɛ ayiŋ koni amɛkahã  wɔ hegbɛ ni wɔfee kpeei. Bei komɛi hu lɛ, kɛ́ he ni ahãa maŋshiɛmɔ lɛ yɛ lɛ bɛŋkɛ amɛsɔlemɔtsui lɛ eko lɛ, amɛtswaa sɔlemɔ ŋmɛlɛ lɛ waa koni mɛi akanu nɔ ni awieɔ lɛ. Fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, mɛi tee nɔ amɛkase Biblia lɛ, ni ŋmɛnɛ lɛ, amɛteŋ mɛi babaoo ebatsɔmɔ Yehowa tsuji.

Yɛ afi 1959 lɛ, afɔ̃ mi nine koni mibasɔmɔ yɛ nitsumɔhe nine lɛ. Miná niiashikpamɔi babaoo yɛ jɛmɛ, ni ehã mikase nii waa. Be fioo ko sɛɛ lɛ, ahã mibɔi nitsumɔhe niji ni yɔɔ maji krokomɛi anɔ lɛ saramɔ. Saramɔi nɛɛ eko nɔ minyiɛ ni mikɛ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔ ko ni sɔmɔɔ yɛ Thailand, ni atsɛɔ lɛ Janet Dumond lɛ yakpe. Wɔŋmala wɔhe woji, ni sɛɛ mli lɛ, wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli. Wɔkɛ miishɛɛ esɔmɔ Yehowa akɛ wu kɛ ŋa afii 51.

Miná hegbɛ misara Yehowa webii yɛ maji 33 sɔŋŋ nɔ. Midaa Yehowa shi waa akɛ, nitsumɔi kɛ sɔ̃i ni atu awo midɛŋ yɛ shishijee mli lɛ ye ebua mi ni mikase bɔ ni akɛ mɛi srɔtoi hiɔ shi ahãa! Saramɔi nɛɛ hã mina faŋŋ akɛ, Yehowa sumɔɔ gbɔmɛi srɔtoi fɛɛ lɛɛlɛŋ.​—Bɔf. 10:34, 35.

Wɔkɛ nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ Philippines lɛ efee ekome kɛsɔmɔ Yehowa kɛ miishɛɛ afii babaoo! Be ni miba biɛ lɛ, no mli lɛ shiɛlɔi ni yɔɔ biɛ lɛ ayifalɛ ji mɛi 20,000. Shi amrɔ nɛɛ ayɛ shiɛlɔi 200,000 sɔŋŋ! Mi kɛ Janet kã he wɔmiisɔmɔ yɛ Philippines nitsumɔhe nine lɛ yɛ Quezon City. Eyɛ mli akɛ mikɛ nɔ ni fe afii 60 esɔmɔ yɛ biɛ moŋ, shi loloolo lɛ, ehe miihia ni mafee klalo akɛ mafee tsakemɔi yɛ mishihilɛ mli koni manyɛ matsu nɔ fɛɛ nɔ ni Yehowa biɔ ni matsu lɛ. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, nyɛsɛɛ nɛɛ lɛ, afee tsakemɔi yɛ bɔ ni atoɔ nibii ahe gbɛjianɔ ahãa yɛ asafo lɛ mli, ni enɛ hewɔ lɛ wɔ hu wɔfee tsakemɔi yɛ wɔshihilɛ mli.

Wɔbɔ mɔdɛŋ akɛ wɔkɛ gbɛtsɔɔmɔi fɛɛ ni Yehowa kɛhãa wɔ lɛ baatsu nii, ni enɛ ehã wɔtsui enyɔ wɔmli waa. Kɛfata he lɛ, wɔbɔ mɔdɛŋ wɔfee tsakemɔi yɛ wɔshihilɛ mli koni wɔnyɛ wɔsɔmɔ wɔnyɛmimɛi lɛ jogbaŋŋ. Wɔtswa wɔfai shi akɛ, kɛyashi Yehowa baakɛɛ ehi lɛ, wɔbaaya nɔ ‘wɔtsɔmɔ wɔhe nɔ fɛɛ nɔ wɔhã mɛi srɔtoi fɛɛ.’