Laef Story

Jehovah Evritaem Givim Reward Long Olketa Loyal Wan Bilong Hem

STORY BILONG VERNON DUNCOMBE

Mi finis kaikai and, olsem evritaem, laetem cigarette. Then mi askem waef bilong mi Aileen: “Hao nao meeting tunaet?”

HEM kwaet firstaem then hem sei: “Olketa readim wanfala leta wea talem olketa niu assignment, and olketa readim nem bilong iu. Iu nao servant for lukaotem saond system. Last sentence long leta hem sei: ‘Sapos eniwan long olketa brata hia wea kasem niu assignment savve iusim tobacco, olketa mas raet go long Society for sei olketa no savve acceptim datfala assignment.’”a Mi ansa olsem, “Well-l-l! So hem nao wanem leta hia talem.”

Mi baetem teeth bilong mi and smasem datfala cigarette insaed wanfala ashtray wea stap saed long mi. “Mi no savve why nao olketa chusim mi for disfala assignment. Bat no enitaem bifor mi rejectim wanfala, and mi no ting for duim olsem.” Mi disaed strong for no smoke moa. Datfala disison affectim laef bilong mi long bigfala wei olsem wanfala Christian and man for plei music. Letem mi storyim samfala samting wea happen wea lead go long disison bilong mi.

Olketa First Year Bilong Famili Laef

Mi born long Toronto, Canada, long September 21, 1914, mi nao first son bilong parents bilong mi, Vernon and Lila, wea tufala loving and savve waka hard, and lukaftarem famili wea garem fofala boy and tufala girl. Narawan bihaen long mi hem Yorke, then Orlando, Douglas, Aileen, and Coral. Taem mi naen year nomoa, Mami givim mi wanfala violin and hem arrange for mi lanem leson long Harris Skul bilong Music. Living hem no isi, bat Mami and Dadi lukaotem wei for peim transport and skul fee bilong mi. Bihaen, mi skulim music long Royal Conservatory bilong Music long Toronto, and taem mi 12 year, mi joinim wanfala show long Massey Hall for olketa man from full taon wea plei music, wanfala nambawan music stadium long taon. Mi nao win and kasem present, wanfala naes violin wea stap insaed wanfala box wea olketa wakem from skin bilong alligator.

Gogo, mi lane tu for pleim piano and bass violin. Planti taem mi witim samfala moa plei music for samfala smol party long Friday and Saturday evening and long olketa student dance. Long wanfala dance olsem nao hem firstaem for mi meetim Aileen. Long last year bilong mi long secondary skul, mi joinim samfala orchestra band long taon. Bihaen mi finis skul mi kasem invitation for joinim Ferde Mowry Orchestra, and hem waka wea mi kasem gudfala pei long hem go kasem 1943.

Start for Savve Long Jehovah

Dadi and Mami firstaem herem Bible truth no longtaem bifor World War I, taem Dadi hem waka long wanfala big stoa long taon bilong Toronto. Long ples for kaikai, hem savve lisin taem nara tufala wakman story, wea tufala hia olketa Bible Student (nem bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long datfala taem), and then hem savve storyim samting hem herem long Mami taem hem kasem haos long evening. Bihaen samfala year, long 1927, olketa Bible Student garem wanfala big convention long Toronto long wanfala big stadium long Canadian National Exhibition Grounds. Haos bilong mifala, wea stap long west saed bilong datfala ples, provaedem accommodation for 25 pipol from Ohio, U.S.A.

Bihaen datwan, wanfala Bible Student, Ada Bletsoe start for visitim Mami olowe, and givim hem olketa niu pablikeson. Wanday hem sei: “Mrs Duncombe, mi givim iu olketa pablikeson for lelebet longtaem nao. Waswe, enitaem iu readim?” Nomata Mami garem sixfala pikinini for lukaftarem, hem disaed for start readim olketa magasin start long datfala taem, and hem nating stop. Bat, mi no interest tumas long olketa pablikeson hia. Mi trae for finisim skul, and mi barava busy long music.

Long June 1935, Aileen and mi marit long wanfala Anglican church. From mi lusim finis United Church taem mi 13 year, mi no interest long religion; so mi saenem marit pepa olsem wanfala Jehovah’s Witness nomata mi no wanfala Witness yet.

Mitufala laek for garem pikinini bihaen and laek for kamap gudfala dadi and mami. So, mitufala start for readim Niu Testament tugeta. Bat, nomata mitufala traem best, samfala samting stopem. Mitufala traem moa narataem bat sem samting hem happen. Then long Christmas long 1935, mitufala kasem wanfala present wea hem wanfala buk wea garem title The Harp of God. Waef bilong mi sei: “Oh, diswan hem difren kaen Christmas present wea mami bilong iu sendem kam.” Nomata olsem, bihaen mi go waka, hem start for readim, and hem laekem wanem hem readim. For lelebet taem, mi nating savve. Plan bilong mitufala for garem pikinini hem nating go ahed. Baby girl bilong mitufala, wea born long February 1, 1937, hem dae. Mitufala sorre fogud!

Long datfala taem, famili bilong mi strong for duim preaching waka, and mi herem hao Dadi nomoa only Kingdom pablisa insaed famili wea no offerim yet wanfala subscription for disfala magasin Consolation (distaem Wekap!). Diswan nao goal bilong field ministry for datfala month. Nomata mi no readim yet eni buk bilong Society, mi feel sorre long hem and sei: “OK, Dadi, iu mekem wanfala for mi; and bae iu semsem witim olketa narawan.” Then summer taem hem kam, and datfala orchestra band hem lusim taon for go plei long wanfala hotel. Mi kasem datfala Consolation magasin long post. Then Autumn season hem kam, and orchestra band muv go bak long Toronto. Olketa magasin kam olowe long niu address bilong mifala, bat mi nating openem eniwan.

Long wanfala Christmas holiday, mi lukluk long datfala hip magasin and sei hao sapos mi nao peim olketa, mi shud readim samfala for lukim wanem kaen story nao stap insaed. Mi seke long first wan wea mi openem. Hem story abaotem politik and raverave fasin long datfala taem. Mi start for storyim samting wea mi readim long olketa narawan long music band bilong mi. Bat, olketa kwestinim samting mi talem, so mi go ahed readim for defendim miseleva. Nomata mi nating savve, mi start finis for witness abaotem Jehovah. And start long datfala taem, mi nating stop for readim olketa nambawan Bible buk bilong “faithful and wise slave.”—Matthew 24:45.

Nomata mi busy long waka insaed long week, mi start for attendim olketa meeting long Sunday witim Aileen. Wan Sunday long 1938 taem mitufala kam for meeting, tufala olo sista welkamim mifala, and wanfala hem sei: “Young Brata, waswe, iu showim finis iu saed witim Jehovah? Iu savve, Armageddon hem klosap tumas!” Mi savve Jehovah nomoa hem tru God, and mi biliv diswan nao organization bilong hem. Mi laek for joinim, so long October 15, 1938, mi baptaes. Six month bihaen, Aileen hem baptaes. Mi hapi for talem hao evriwan insaed famili bilong mi kamap dedicate long Jehovah.

Mi barava hapi taem mi hipap witim pipol bilong God! Kwiktaem nomoa mi no feel olsem stranger. Taem mi no savve attend, mi laek tumas for savve wanem nao happen long meeting. Datfala evening wea mi storyim long start bilong article hem important taem long laef bilong mi for servem Jehovah.

Wanfala Taem Bilong Bigfala Change for Mifala

Nara big samting happen for mifala long May 1, 1943. Mifala attendim firstfala big convention for mifala long September 1942, hem nao New World Theocratic Assembly long Cleveland, Ohio. Long there, nomata wanfala nogud war hem go ahed, wea luk olsem bae hard for finis, mifala herem Brata Knorr, president bilong Watch Tower Society long datfala taem, strong for givim disfala pablik tok, “Peace—Waswe, Hem Savve Stap for Olowe?” Mifala tingim yet hao hem showim, from Revelation chapter 17, taem bilong peace bae kamap bihaen war and bigfala preaching waka bae go ahed.

Samting wea barava affectim mifala hem wanfala first tok bilong Brata Knorr, “Jephthah and Promis Bilong Hem.” Wanfala invitation go aot for moa pioneer! Aileen and mi lukluk long each other and talem semtaem (witim planti narawan): “Iumi nao ya!” Kwiktaem nomoa mifala start for mekem plan for duim waka wea moa important.

Gavman tambuim waka bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Canada start long July 4, 1940. Taem mifala start pioneer long May 1, 1943, gavman still tambuim wei for witness abaotem Jehovah and for offerim olketa buk bilong Society long field service. Mifala serve olsem olketa Christian, and karem nomoa olketa King James Bible bilong mifala. Tu-thri day bihaen mifala kasem first pioneer assignment long Parry Sound, Ontario, Stewart Mann, branch office sendem kam wanfala pioneer wea savve tumas, for waka witim mifala long field ministry. Datwan hem wanfala loving samting! Brata Mann garem gudfala fasin and hem man for smile. Mifala lane from hem and garem gudfala taem. Mifala garem samfala Bible study long taem wea Society muvim mifala moa go long taon bilong Hamilton. No longtaem bihaen, nomata mi winim finis age for joinim army, olketa chusim mi. From mi les for joinim army, olketa arrestim mi long December 31, 1943. Bihaen long kot case, olketa sei for mi stap long spesol service camp, wea mi stap go kasem August 1945.

Taem mi kamaot, semtaem Aileen and mi kasem wanfala pioneer assignment for go long Cornwall, Ontario. No longtaem bihaen, mifala go long Quebec for duim wanfala spesol police kot assignment from Legal Department bilong Society. Diswan hem long taem bilong Duplessis wea Olketa Jehovah’s Witness kasem barava nogud persecution. Planti day evri week, mi stap long fofala difren kot for helpem olketa brata bilong iumi. Datfala taem hem barava spesol and strongim faith.

Bihaen long convention long Cleveland long 1946, mi and waef bilong mi kasem assignment for duim circuit and distrik waka long olketa coast area. Olketa samting happen kwiktaem tumas. Long 1948 mifala kasem invitation for joinim mek-11 class bilong Watchtower Bible Skul bilong Gilead. Brata Albert Schroeder and Maxwell Friend nao tufala long olketa teacher bilong mifala, and class bilong mifala garem 108 student wea insaed diswan hem 40 anointed wan. From planti wea servem Jehovah for longtaem stap witim mifala, hem wanfala nambawan experience wea mifala kasem planti gud samting!

Wanday Brata Knorr from Brooklyn kam visitim mifala. Insaed long tok bilong hem, hem kolem 25 volunteer for lanem Japanese languis. Namba wea volunteer hem 108! President nao mas chus. Mi ting Jehovah nao leadim hem taem hem chus bikos gud samting nao kamaot. Planti long 25 hia wea hem chusim and kasem privilege for startim waka long Japan still stap long assignment bilong olketa—olketa olo finis, tru nao, bat stap long there yet. Samfala, olsem Lloyd and Melba Barry, kasem nara assignment. Lloyd hem wanfala member bilong Governing Body go kasem taem hem dae last year. Mifala hapi witim evriwan hia long reward wea olketa kasem from Jehovah.

Then day bilong graduation hem kam, and mifala kasem assignment for go long Jamaica. Bat, bikos samfala kot case no finis yet long Quebec, olketa talem mifala for go bak long Canada.

Planti Moa Music!

Nomata mi lusim music mekem mi duim pioneer service, luk olsem music nating lusim mi. Wan year bihaen, president bilong Society, Nathan Knorr, and secretary bilong hem, Milton Henschel, kam long Maple Leaf Gardens long Toronto. Pablik tok bilong Brata Knorr wea garem title “Hem Moa Leit Winim Wanem Iu Tingim!” mekem evriwan seke. For firstaem, olketa invaetem mi for leadim orchestra long convention. Mifala redyim dance music for samfala singsing wea planti savve long hem insaed Kingdom Service Song Book (1944). Luk olsem olketa brata laekem. Taem program hem finis long Saturday aftanun, mifala practicem program for Sunday. Mi lukim Brata Henschel wakabaot kam from narasaed bilong stadium and mi stopem orchestra mekem mi go meetim hem. Hem ask olsem, “Haomas man for plei music nao stap long orchestra bilong iu?” “Taem evriwan stap, hem samting olsem 35,” mi ansa. “Well, disfala namba bae dabol long New York next year,” hem sei.

Bat, bifor datfala taem kam, olketa askem mi for go long Brooklyn. From samting kamap, firstaem Aileen no savve kam witim mi. Niufala 124 Columbia Heights building no finis yet, so olketa givim mi wanfala bed long firstfala building bilong Bethel hom, long wanfala smol rum witim tufala anointed brata—wanfala olo Brata Payne and Karl Klein, wea hem firstaem for mi meetim tufala. Waswe, datfala rum hem smol? Yes. Nomata olsem, mifala evriwan fren gud tugeta. Tufala olo brata hia barava patient. Mi just trae for no stopem gogo bilong tufala! Datwan hem gudfala leson wea showim wanem spirit bilong God savve duim. Mi kasem olketa blessing olsem taem mi meetim and waka witim Brata Klein! Evritaem hem kaen and helpem mi. Mitufala waka gud tugeta and stap olsem klos fren for winim 50 year.

Mi kasem privilege for help saed long music long convention long Yankee Stadium long 1950, 1953, 1955, and 1958, and tu for lukaftarem orchestra witim Al Kavelin long 1963 convention wea kamap long Rose Bowl long Pasadena, California. Long convention wea kamap long 1953 long Yankee Stadium, wanfala music program hem kamap long Sunday bifor pablik tok. Erich Frost introducem Edith Shemionik (bihaen Weigand), wanfala soprano, wea singim disfala song “Go Forward, Iufala Witness!” followim orchestra music bilong mifala. Then mifala hapi fogud taem mifala herem, for firstaem, soft and naesfala voice bilong olketa brata and sista bilong iumi from Africa. Missionary Harry Arnott tekem kam wanfala naes kaset wea olketa recordim from Northern Rhodesia (distaem Zambia) for mifala herem and enjoyim. Datfala saond kasem full stadium.

Recordim 1966 Songbuk

Waswe, iu tingim yet datfala pink songbuk, “Singing and Accompanying Yourselves With Music in Your Hearts”? Taem olketa klosap wakem finis disfala songbuk, Brata Knorr hem sei: “Mifala bae duim samfala recording. Mi laekem iu for organizem wanfala smol orchestra, tu-thri violin nomoa and tufala flute. Mi no laekem eniwan for ‘blowim horn bilong hem’!” Mifala ting for iusim Kingdom Hall long Bethel olsem studio, bat mifala warim samfala samting. Wanem nao bae happen sapos saond bangam wall, tile floor, and olketa metal chair and mekem echo? Hu nao savve helpem mifala for stretem olketa problem hia saed long saond? Samwan hem sei: “Tommy Mitchell! Hem waka long ABC Network Studios.” Mifala story witim Brata Mitchell, wea hapi tumas for help.

Long firstfala Saturday morning for recording, taem olketa introducem olketa man for plei music, wanfala brata karem kam wanfala trombone case. Mi rememberim warning bilong Brata Knorr: “Mi no laekem eniwan for ‘blowim horn bilong hem’!” So, wanem nao bae mi duim? Mi lukluk taem disfala brata aotem trombone from case, putim slide bilong hem, and start for practice. Datfala brata hem Tom Mitchell, and tu-thri first music wea hem pleim here naes tumas. Hem mekem trombone here olsem violin! Mi tingting, ‘disfala brata mas stap!’ Brata Knorr hem agree.

Long datfala orchestra, mifala garem olketa man for plei music wea savve tumas and wea olketa loving brata and sista tu. No eniwan hem bighed! Recording hem bigfala waka, bat no eniwan komplen. Taem disfala waka hem finis, samfala krae; and strongfala feeling for fren stap yet midolwan long evriwan wea tekpart. Mifala evriwan hapi tumas long datfala privilege, and from help bilong Jehovah, mifala finisim datfala waka.

Samfala Moa Privilege wea Givim Reward

Bihaen planti year, mi go ahed for hapi long full-taem ministry. Twenti-eit year nao mi insaed long circuit and distrik waka—mi hapi tumas long olketa year hia. Bihaen, for faevfala year mi keepim Norval Assembly Hall long Ontario. From circuit assembly kamap evri weekend witim distrik convention long samfala nara languis, Aileen and mi busy. Long 1979/80, samfala architect and engineer iusim samfala part bilong Assembly Hall taem olketa planim niu branch bilong Society long Halton Hills. Bihaen long assignment for keepim Assembly Hall, mifala kasem narawan for share moa long saed bilong music long Brooklyn, from 1982 kasem 1984.

Waef bilong mi wea mi lovem tumas hem dae long June 17, 1994, sevenfala day nomoa bihaen mek-59 year bilong marit bilong mitufala. Mitufala iusim finis 51 year tugeta insaed long pioneer service.

Taem mi tingim bak planti experience long laef, mi rememberim wei wea Bible hem wanfala spesol samting wea gaedem mi. Samtaem, mi iusim Bible wea Aileen savve iusim and mi hapi tumas taem mi lukim samting wea kasem heart bilong hem—olketa full verse, samfala toktok, and samfala word wea hem markem insaed. Olsem Aileen, mi tu garem samfala scripture wea garem spesol mining long mi. Wanfala nao hem Psalm 137, wea talem disfala naes prea long Jehovah: “Letem mi no fit for pleim harp moa sapos mi forgetim iu, Jerusalem! Letem mi no fit for singsing moa sapos mi no rememberim iu, sapos mi no tingim iu olsem main hapi bilong mi!” (Psalm 137:5, 6, Today’s English Version) Nomata mi laekem music tumas, main hapi bilong mi hem kam from wei for servem Jehovah long loyal wei, wea givim mi reward bilong laef wea nambawan and mekem mi satisfae.

[Footnote]

[Piksa long page 28]

Witim Aileen long 1947

[Piksa long page 30]

Long wanfala first recording