Laef Story

Safa Tumas From Olketa Test Wea Olsem Bigfala Fire

STORY BILONG PERICLES YANNOURIS

Mi barava feel cold fogud from cell bilong mi wea smel old and dirty hem feel tuwet. Taem mi sidaon and kava witim wanfala thin blanket, mi tingim feis bilong young waef bilong mi, hao hem luk olsem hem nating lovem mi taem tufala day go nomoa olketa militant pullim mi aot from haos bilong mi, and leavim hem witim tufala baby bilong mitufala wea sik. Bihaen, waef bilong mi, wea no garem sem biliv olsem mi, sendem mi wanfala pasol and wanfala short leta wea sei: “Mi sendem tufala cake hia for iu and mi hope iu bae kamap sik olsem tufala pikinini bilong iu.” Waswe, bae mi laef for go bak and lukim famili bilong mi?

DATWAN hem wanfala long olketa samting wea happen insaed hard faet bilong mi for Christian faith wea go ahed for longtaem, wea insaed tu hem wei for famili againstim mi, community rejectim mi, olketa kot case, and strong persecution. Bat hao and why nao wanfala kwaet man olsem mi wea fraet long God, gogo stap insaed nogud ples olsem? Plis letem mi storyim for iu.

Wanfala Poor Boy wea Garem Haefala Goal

Taem mi born long 1909 long vilij bilong Stavromeno, long Crete, kantri hem kasem hard taem from war, wei for poor, and hangre. Bihaen, mi witim fofala brata and sista bilong mi klosap nomoa kasem datfala Spanish flu. Mi remember hao parents bilong mifala keepim mifala insaed haos for planti week mekem mifala no kasem flu.

Dadi, wea hem wanfala poor farmer, hem man wea strong for religion bat hem willing for lisin long olketa niu idea. From hem bin stap long France and Madagascar, hem lukim hao olketa idea abaotem religion hem change. Nomata olsem, famili bilong mifala go ahed for loyal long Greek Orthodox Church, mifala attendim Mass evri Sunday and welkamim bishop long area bilong mifala for kam stap witim mifala taem hem visit each year. Mi wanfala choirboy, and goal bilong mi hem for kamap wanfala priest.

Long 1929, mi joinim police force. Long taem wea dadi bilong mi dae, mi waka long Thessalonica, long north part bilong Greece. From mi luk aotem comfort and spiritual savve, mi askem transfer for go long police force long Mount Athos, wanfala community bilong olketa monk wea olketa Orthodox Christian tinghae long hem olsem datfala “holy maunten.”a Mi waka long there for fofala year and mi lukluk gud long community laef bilong olketa monk. Winim wei for diswan mekem mi kam klosap long God, mi barava feel nogud from dirty fasin and corruption bilong olketa monk. Mi feel nogud tumas taem wanfala cleric wea mi bin respectim hem, trae hard long mi saed long sex. Nomata mi lukim olketa samting olsem wea mekem mi feel nogud, mi still barava laek for servem God and for kamap priest. Wantaem mi werem wanfala kaleko bilong priest and olketa tek foto long mi for mi keepim olsem memory. Gogo, mi go bak long Crete.

“Hem Wanfala Devil!”

Long 1942, mi maritim wanfala naesfala girl, Frosini, wea famili bilong hem pipol respectim. Marit laef strongim go moa feeling bilong mi for kamap wanfala priest, from olketa in-law bilong mi olketa pipol wea strong for religion.b Mi disaed for go long Athens for study long wanfala Bible skul. Klosap long end bilong 1943, mi go long Iráklion harbor, long Crete, for go nao, bat from ship hem go finis mi no go long Athens. Maet hem olsem from, bifor datwan happen, mi faendem narafala wei for kasem spiritual strong. Wanem nao happen?

For planti year Emmanuel Lionoudakis, young man wea strong for duim preaching witim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness, hem bin go ahed for teachim olketa truth from Bible wea givim spiritual laet evriwea long Crete.c Samfala pipol laekem kliafala wei wea olketa Witness minim Word bilong God and olketa lusim religion bilong olketa. Wanfala grup bilong olketa Witness stap long taon bilong Sitía. Diswan mekem bishop bilong datfala ples, wea—from hem stap kam long United States—savve finis hao preaching waka bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness hem muvim pipol. Hem disaed strong for mas finisim evribit diskaen wei for “againstim church” wea kamap long area bilong hem. From hem muvim olketa police, olketa evritaem kasholem olketa Witness and putim olketa long prison and forcem olketa for go front long kot and iusim olketa laea story for accusim olketa.

Wanfala long olketa Witness hia trae for explainim truth bilong Bible long mi, bat hem tingse mi no interest. So hem sendem nara minister wea garem moa savve for story long mi. Luk olsem from toktok bilong mi hem raf hem mekem disfala mek-tu Witness for tok olsem taem hem go bak long smol grup bilong olketa: “Hem hard tumas for Pericles for kamap wanfala Witness. Hem wanfala devil!”

Firstaem for Kasem Persecution

Mi hapi tumas from God no ting olsem long mi. Long February 1945 brata bilong mi Demosthenes, wea barava biliv Olketa Jehovah’s Witness teachim truth, hem givim mi wanfala buklet Comfort All That Mourn.d Story insaed hem barava muvim mi. Mitufala kwiktaem stop for attendim Orthodox Church, and go joinim smol grup long Sitía, and witness long olketa narawan insaed famili bilong mitufala abaotem biliv wea mitufala just kasem. Evriwan long olketa acceptim truth from Bible. From mi disaed for lusim false religion, waef bilong mi and famili bilong hem rejectim mi and againstim mi. For lelebet taem father-in-law bilong mi hem no laek for tok long mi. Long haos, wei for no agree kamap olowe and evritaem no eni hapi feeling hem stap. Nomata olsem, long May 21, 1945, Brother Minos Kokkinakise baptaesim mi witim Demosthenes.

So mi barava kasem goal bilong mi for serve olsem wanfala really minister bilong God! Mi still tingim firstfala day wea mi duim haos-tu-haos ministry. Mi karem 35 buklet insaed basket bilong mi and go seleva long bas long wanfala vilij. Firstaem mi fraet lelebet taem mi start for go from haos tu haos. Bat taem mi go ahed for duim moa and moa haos, mi start for no feel fraet. Taem wanfala priest wea kros tumas hem kam, mi stand strong and no lisin taem hem ask strong for mi go witim hem long police station. Mi talem hem hao bae mi go bak only bihaen mi visitim finis full vilij, and hem nao samting wea mi duim. From mi hapi tumas, mi no weitim bas bat wakabaot 15 kilometer go bak long haos bilong mi.

Deal Witim Olketa Raf Criminal

Long September 1945 mi kasem samfala moa responsibility long niufala kongregeson bilong mifala long Sitía. Gogo war kamap long Greece. Olketa sekson wea faet barava heitim each other. Datfala bishop lukim diswan olsem chance bilong hem, so hem askem wanfala grup bilong olketa militant for aotem olketa Witness thru long eni wei wea olketa ting hem gud. (John 16:2) Taem datfala militant grup hem kakam for vilij bilong mifala long bas, wanfala woman long datfala bas herem datfala plan wea olketa sei “hem kam from God” and hem kam warnim mifala. Mifala go haed and wanfala relative bilong mifala hem duim samting for helpem mifala. So mifala no dae long datfala taem.

Diswan hem start nomoa bilong wei for safa wea bae kamap. Wei for hitim and spoelem mifala hem samting mifala kasem evriwea. Olketa wea againstim mifala trae for forcem mifala for go bak long church, for baptaesim olketa pikinini bilong mifala and for mekem saen bilong cross. Wantaem, olketa killim brata bilong mi gogo olketa tingse hem dae nao. Mi feel sorre tumas taem mi lukim olketa brekem kaleko and hitim tufala sista bilong mi. Long datfala taem, church hem force for baptaesim eitfala pikinini bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness.

Long 1949, mami bilong mi hem dae. Datfala priest aftarem mifala moa, hem sei mifala no followim stretfala wei saed long law for kasem permit for funeral. Olketa tekem mi long kot bat olketa faendem hao mi no guilty. Diswan hem wanfala nambawan witness, from nem bilong Jehovah hem kamap long start bilong datfala case. Only samting moa wea olketa enemy bilong mifala savve duim for “mekem mifala kasem bak gud tingting” hem nao for arrestim mifala and for sendem mifala go olsem prisoner. Olketa duim diswan long April 1949.

Insaed Long Bigfala Fire

Mifala thrifala brata nao olketa arrestim. Waef bilong mi nating kam lukim mi long police station. First ples mifala go hem long wanfala prison long Iráklion. Olsem mi storyim finis long start, mi barava lonely and feel wikdaon. Young waef bilong mi wea no garem sem biliv hem stap long hom witim tufala smol pikinini. Mi prea strong long Jehovah for help. Mi rememberim toktok bilong God wea stap long Hebrews 13:5: “Mi bae nating lusim iu and bae nating forgetim iu.” Mi luksavve hao hem wise for mi mas putim full trust bilong mi long Jehovah.—Proverbs 3:5.

Mifala herem hao olketa bae sendem mifala go long Makrónisos, wanfala island wea no eniting savve grow long hem wea stap opposite long Attica, Greece. Nomata man herem nomoa datfala nem, Makrónisos, hem fit for mekem man fraet bikos long datfala prison camp olketa iusim wei for mekem man safa and iusim slave labor. Taem mifala travel for kasem prison, mifala stop long Piraeus. Nomata mifala werem handcuff, mifala kasem encouragement taem olketa brata kam long boat and holem mifala long arm bilong olketa and strongim mifala.—Acts 28:14, 15.

Laef long Makrónisos hem olsem wanfala nogud dream wea mekem man fraet tumas. Olketa soldia deal witim olketa prisoner long nogud wei start long morning go kasem naet. Planti prisoner wea no Witness gogo kamap mentol, samfala narawan dae, and staka long olketa kamap disable. Long naet, mifala savve herem singaot and krae bilong olketa prisoner wea olketa mekem olketa for safa. Thinfala blanket bilong mi nating protectim mi from cold long naet.

Gogo, olketa long camp start for savve gud long Olketa Jehovah’s Witness bikos olketa savve kolem datfala nem taem olketa roll-kol evri morning. Diswan mekem mifala kasem planti chance for witness. Mi kasem tu privilege for baptaesim wanfala man wea olketa putim long prison from olketa samting saed long politik wea muv ahed and dedicatem laef bilong hem long Jehovah.

Taem mi stap long prison, mi raet olowe long waef bilong mi wea mi lovem bat mi no kasem eni ansa from hem. Diswan hem no stopem mi for go ahed for raet long hem witim kaenfala feeling, for givim hem comfort, for promisim hem hao disfala nogud samting wea happen hem for lelebet taem nomoa and hao mitufala bae hapi tugeta moa.

Insaed datfala taem, namba bilong mifala Witness long prison hem kamap moa big from planti moa brata kam. From mi waka long office, mi start for savve long colonel wea lukaftarem datfala camp. From hem respectim olketa Witness, mi trae hard for mekem miseleva no fraet for askem hem sapos mifala savve kasem samfala Bible literature from office bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Athens. Hem sei: “Datwan hem tambu, bat waswe sapos olketa pipol bilong iufala long Athens sendem kam insaed basket bilong iufala and raetem nem bilong mi long hem?” Mi barava sapraes tumas! Tu-thri day bihaen taem mifala aotem kago from wanfala boat wea arrive kam, wanfala policeman salute long colonel and talem hem: “Sir, basket bilong iu hem arrive nao.” Colonel sei: “Wanem kaen basket?” From mi standap klosap mi herem datfala toktok, so mi tok smol go long hem: “Maet hem bilong mifala, wea olketa sendem kam long nem bilong iu, olsem iu talem.” Datwan hem wanfala wei wea Jehovah mek sure mifala kasem spiritual kaikai.

Wanfala Blessing wea Mi No Expectim—Then Safa Moa

Long end bilong 1950, olketa releasem mi. Mi go bak hom—body hem wik, luk sik, barava thin, and mi no savve hao nao famili bae ting long mi. Mi barava hapi for lukim waef bilong mi witim olketa pikinini moa! And winim datwan, mi sapraes from Frosini hem no againstim mi nao. Olketa leta wea mi sendem long hem from prison hem muvim hem. Wei wea mi stand strong and no givap hem affectim feeling bilong Frosini. No longtaem bihaen, mitufala story longtaem tugeta for stretem gud evri samting. Hem acceptim wanfala Bible study and grow for garem faith long Jehovah and olketa promis bilong hem. Long 1952 hem wanfala hapi day long laef bilong mi taem mi baptaesim waef bilong mi olsem servant bilong Jehovah wea dedicate!

Long 1955 mifala start for givimaot long evri priest wanfala copy bilong datfala buklet Christendom or Christianity—Which One Is “the Light of the World”? Olketa arrestim mi and samfala nara Witness and tekem mifala long kot. From planti kot case tumas kamap againstim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness, kot mas markem wanfala spesol taem for herem evri case. Long datfala day, full legal sekson bilong datfala province hem stap, and kotrum hem fulap witim olketa priest. From bishop seksek lelebet hem wakabaot go ap and daon midolwan olketa chair. Wanfala long olketa priest tekem mi long kot from mi preach. Judge askem hem: “Waswe, faith bilong iu wik tumas dastawe sapos iu readim nomata wanfala brochure iu bae joinim olketa?” Diswan mekem priest hia no savve ansa. Olketa letem mi go free, bat samfala brata mas go long prison for sixfala month.

Insaed olketa year bihaen dat taem, olketa arrestim mifala planti taem, and olketa kot case kamap staka fogud. Wei for deal witim olketa kot case hia mekem olketa lawyer bilong mifala busy olowe. Olketa tekem mi long kot 17 taem. Nomata olketa againstim mifala, mifala evritaem go ahed long preaching waka bilong mifala. Mifala hapi nomoa for acceptim olketa challenge hia, and olketa test wea olsem fire hem mekem faith bilong mifala kamap moa strong.—James 1:2, 3.

Olketa Niu Privilege and Challenge

Long 1957 mifala muv go long Athens. Gogo olketa appointim mi for serve insaed wanfala niu kongregeson. Full saport bilong waef bilong mi mekem mifala fit for keepim laef bilong mifala simpol and olketa important samting long laef bilong mifala nao hem olketa spiritual samting. From diswan mifala fit for iusim planti taem for preaching waka. Insaed olketa year wea go pas, mifala muv go long planti difren kongregeson wea need hem stap.

Long 1963 son bilong mi hem kasem 21 year and hem bae mas report for go joinim army. Bikos long wei wea olketa no teksaed, pipol killim, tok spoelem and mekem shame evri Witness wea no go. Datwan kasem son bilong mi tu. So mi givim hem blanket bilong mi wea mi keepim from taem mi stap long Makrónisos, for encouragem hem for followim example bilong olketa narawan wea bin keepim faithful fasin. Olketa brata mas go front long kot bilong army and planti taem olketa sendem olketa go long prison for tufala go kasem fofala year. Bihaen olketa kamaot from prison, bae gogo olketa kolem olketa bak moa and putim olketa bak insaed prison. From mi wanfala minister, mi fit for visitim olketa prison and so mi kasem chance samfala taem for lukim son bilong mi and olketa nara faithful Witness tu. Son bilong mi hem stap insaed prison for winim sixfala year.

Jehovah Hem Strongim Mifala

Bihaen freedom saed long religion hem kamap long Greece, mi kasem privilege for serve olsem wanfala temporary spesol pioneer long island bilong Rhodes. Then long 1986 need hem kamap long Sitía, Crete, ples wea mi startim Christian ministry bilong mi. Mi hapi for acceptim datfala assignment for serve tugeta moa witim olketa brata wea mi stap witim taem mi young.

Long famili bilong mi wea mi nao moa olo winim evriwan, mi hapi for lukim samting olsem 70 relative bilong mi olketa loyal for servem Jehovah. And disfala namba hem go ahed for grow. Samfala long olketa serve olsem elder, ministerial servant, pioneer, Bethelite, and traveling overseer. For winim 58 year, olketa test wea olsem fire testim faith bilong mi. Distaem mi 93 year, and taem mi ting bak, mi nating sorre from mi servem God. Hem givim mi strong for followim loving invitation bilong hem: “Son bilong mi, givim heart bilong iu for mi, and letem eye bilong iu hapi long olketa wei bilong mi.”—Proverbs 23:26.

[Olketa Footnote]

[Box long page 27]

Makrónisos​—Island Bilong Fraet

For tenfala year, from 1947 go kasem 1957, Makrónisos, datfala drae island wea no eniting savve grow long hem, hem ples wea winim 100,000 prisoner stap long hem. Midolwan long olketa hia hem planti faithful Witness wea olketa sendem go long there from Christian fasin bilong olketa for no teksaed. Planti taem olketa bigman bilong Greek Orthodox nao bihaenem disfala wei for sendem olketa go long there from olketa sei olketa Witness olketa Communist.

Greek encyclopedia Papyros Larousse Britannica sei olsem abaotem kaen wei wea olketa iusim for “stretem” man long Makrónisos: “Olketa iusim raf wei for mekem man safa, . . . dirty ples for stap insaed, wea nation wea garem savve hard for acceptim, and wei wea olketa gard deal witim olketa prisoner long barava nogud wei. . . hem samting wea bringim bigfala shame long history bilong Greece.”

Olketa talem samfala Witness hao sapos olketa no rejectim biliv bilong olketa, bae olketa nating savve free. Nomata olsem, faithful fasin bilong olketa Witness no brekdaon. And tu, gogo samfala prisoner wea go long prison from samting saed long politik olketa kasem truth bilong Bible bikos long olketa Witness wea stap long there.

[Piksa long page 27]

Minos Kokkinakis, (mek-thri wan long raet) and mi (mek-foa long left) long prison island bilong Makrónisos

[Piksa long page 29]

Waka witim nara Witness long Sitía, Crete, ples wea mi serve taem mi young