Laef Story

Luk Aotem Firstaem Kingdom—Wanfala Sef and Hapi Laef

STORY BILONG JETHA SUNAL

Bihaen mifala kaikai long morning mifala herem disfala announcement long radio: “Law hem no luksavve long Olketa Jehovah’s Witness, and waka bilong olketa tambu.”

DISWAN happen long 1950, taem mifala fofala singol woman wea age bilong mifala winim 20 year serve olsem olketa missionary bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Dominican Republic. Mifala stap long there for winim wan year finis.

Long bifor mi no ting for kamap wanfala missionary. Hem tru, mi go long church taem mi pikinini. Bat, dadi bilong mi hem stop for go long church long taem bilong World War I. Taem mi kasem confirmation long Episcopal Church long 1933, bishop hem readim nomoa wanfala verse from Bible, and then hem start for story abaotem politik. Mami feel nogud tumas long diswan so hem no go bak moa long church.

Living Bilong Mifala Change

Parents bilong mi, William Karl and Mary Adams, garem faevfala pikinini. Nem bilong olketa boy hem Don, Joel, and Karl. Sista bilong mi, Joy, nao last born, and mi nao first born. Mi samting olsem 13 year taem wanday, bihaen skul, mi lukim Mami readim wanfala buklet wea Olketa Jehovah’s Witness pablisim. Title bilong hem The Kingdom, the Hope of the World. “Diswan nao truth,” hem sei long mi.

Mami talem mifala evriwan abaotem olketa samting wea hem go ahed for lanem from Bible. Thru long toktok and example, hem strongim long mifala hao disfala kaonsel bilong Jesus hem important: “Luk aotem firstaem kingdom and raeteous fasin bilong hem.”—Matthew 6:33.

Samfala taem mi no really laek for lisin. Wantaem mi sei, “Mami, stop for preach long mi sapos nomoa mi bae les nao for draem olketa pleit for iu.” Bat long gudfala wei hem go ahed for story long mifala. Hem evritaem tekem mifala olketa pikinini witim hem taem hem go long olketa meeting long haos bilong Clara Ryan, wea no stap farawe from haos bilong mifala long Elmhurst, Illinois, U.S.A.

Clara savve teachim man tu for pleim piano. Evri year, taem olketa student bilong hem mekem wanfala show, hem iusim datfala chance for story abaotem Kingdom bilong God and hope bilong resurrection. From mi lane for pleim violin taem mi seven year, mi interest long music so mi lisin long samting Clara talem.

Gogo mifala olketa pikinini start for attendim olketa kongregeson meeting witim Mami long west saed bilong Chicago. Hem farawe lelebet for travel long bas and long streetcar, bat diswan hem part long training wea mifala kasem for luk aotem firstaem Kingdom. Long 1938, thrifala year bihaen Mami hem baptaes, mi go witim hem long wanfala convention bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Chicago. Diswan hem wanfala long 50-fala taon wea olketa joinim tugeta thru long radiotelephone for datfala convention. Samting wea mi herem long there hem barava affectim heart bilong mi.

Bat, love bilong mi for music tu hem pullim heart bilong mi. Mi pas from hae skul long 1938, and Dadi hem arrange for mi go skul long American Conservatory of Music long Chicago. So for tufala year mi skulim music, mi plei insaed tufala orchestra, and mi tingting for mekem diswan laef waka bilong mi.

Man wea teachim mi saed long violin, Herbert Butler, hem lusim Europe for kam stap long United States. So mi givim hem datfala buklet Refugees,a from mi tingse bae hem laek readim. Hem readim, and bihaen leson bilong mi long week bihaen, hem sei: “Jetha, iu plei gud tumas, and sapos iu go ahed skul bae iu fit for kasem waka long wanfala radio orchestra or iu savve teachim music.” Taem hem tok olsem hem holem datfala buklet wea mi givim long hem, then hem sei moa: “Bat mi ting heart bilong iu really laekem disfala message. Hao sapos iu mekem diswan kamap laef waka bilong iu?”

Mi barava tingting strong long samting wea hem talem. Winim wei for go ahed skul, mi acceptim invitation from Mami for go long convention bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Detroit, Michigan, long July 1940. Mifala stap insaed olketa tent long ples wea olketa markem for mifala camp long hem. From mi tekem violin bilong mi, mi plei insaed long orchestra bilong convention. Long ples wea mifala camp long hem, mi meetim planti pioneer (olketa wea preach full-taem). Olketa evriwan luk hapi tumas. Mi disaed for baptaes and ask for duim pioneer service. Mi prea long Jehovah for helpem mi go ahed insaed full-taem ministry for full laef bilong mi.

Mi start for pioneer long homtaon bilong mi. Bihaen, mi serve long Chicago. Long 1943, mi muv go long Kentucky. Long hot season, just bifor distrik convention, mi kasem wanfala invitation for attendim mek-2 class bilong Gilead Skul, wea bae mi kasem training for duim missionary waka. Class bae start long September 1943.

Long taem bilong datfala convention, mi stap witim wanfala Witness wea givim for mi eni kaleko wea mi laekem from olketa kaleko bilong dota bilong hem. Dota bilong hem go joinim army and hem talem mami bilong hem for givim go evriting bilong hem long eniwan. For mi, evri samting hia hem fulfillim promis bilong Jesus: “So, go ahed for luk aotem firstaem kingdom and raeteous fasin bilong hem, and iufala bae kasem olketa narafala samting hia.” (Matthew 6:33) Faevfala month wea mi stap long Gilead hem go pas kwiktaem fogud, and taem mifala graduate long January 31, 1944, mi barava luk forward for duim missionary service.

Olketa tu Chusim Full-Taem Service

Mami joinim pioneer service long 1942. Long datfala taem, thrifala brata and sista bilong mi still go long skul. Planti taem Mami meetim olketa bihaen skul finis and tekem olketa long field ministry. Hem teachim olketa tu for share insaed wei for waka long haos. Planti taem hemseleva sleep leit long naet from hem mas ironim kaleko and duim olketa nara waka long haos mekem hem savve join insaed ministry long next day.

Long January 1943, taem mi pioneer long Kentucky, brata bilong mi Don hem tu start for pioneer. Dadi feel sorre long diswan, from hem laekem evri pikinini for go long college, olsem hem and Mami duim. Bihaen hem pioneer for klosap tufala year, Don kasem invitation for go ahed long full-taem service long world headquarters bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Brooklyn, New York.

Joel start for pioneer long June 1943 taem hem still stap witim Dadi and Mami. Long datfala taem hem trae hard bat hem fail for muvim Dadi for attendim wanfala convention. Bat, bihaen Joel trae hard for startim wanfala Bible study long datfala territory bat hem no kasem eniwan, Dadi agree for hem study witim hem long datfala buk “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” Hem isi for hem ansarem olketa kwestin, bat hem askem Joel for mas pruvim from Bible evri samting insaed datfala buk. Datwan hem helpem Joel for mekem olketa truth bilong Bible stap insaed heart bilong hem.

Joel tingse datfala Selective Service Board wea letem Don for no joinim army from hem wanfala minister bae letem hem for no joinim tu. Bat taem olketa lukim hao Joel luk young tumas, olketa no laek for sei hem wanfala minister and so olketa talem hem for mas joinim army. From hem no willing, olketa luk aotem hem for arrestim hem. Bihaen FBI faendem hem, olketa putim hem long Cook County prison for thrifala day.

Dadi iusim haos bilong mifala olsem security for peim selen for aotem hem from prison. Bihaen datfala taem, hem duim sem samting for olketa nara young witness wea kasem sem problem. Wei wea problem hia no followim justice hem mekem dadi bilong mi barava kros, and hem go witim Joel long Washington, D.C., for faendaot sapos olketa savve tekem disfala case go long hae kot. Gogo, olketa luksavve long Joel olsem wanfala minister, and olketa finisim datfala kot case. Dadi bilong mi raet long mi long missionary assignment bilong mi, “Luk olsem Jehovah nao fit for kasem praise from hem nao mekem mifala win!” Long end bilong August 1946, Joel tu kasem invitation for serve long headquarters long Brooklyn.

Planti taem Karl hem pioneer taem skul holiday and taem hem finis skul long 1947 hem start for regular pioneer. From Dadi hem sik Karl mas helpem hem for luk aftarem bisnis bilong hem for lelebet taem bifor hem go long nara pioneer assignment. Long end bilong 1947, Karl tu hem go serve witim Don and Joel olsem wanfala Bethel famili member long Brooklyn headquarters.

Taem Joy finisim hae skul, hem start for pioneer. Then long 1951, hem go joinim olketa brata bilong hem for waka long Bethel. Hem waka long haoskeeping and tu long Subscription Department. Long 1955 hem maritim Roger Morgan, wanfala member bilong Bethel famili tu. Sevenfala year bihaen, tufala chus for garem pikinini so tufala lusim Bethel. Gogo, tufala garem tufala pikinini wea go ahed for servem Jehovah.

Taem evri pikinini olketa insaed full-taem service, Mami hem go ahed encouragem Dadi, so gogo Dadi tu hem dedicatem laef bilong hem for Jehovah and hem baptaes long 1952. For 15 year, go kasem taem hem dae, hem faendem planti wei for sharem Kingdom truth witim olketa narawan, nomata sik bilong hem mekem diswan hard.

Bikos long sik bilong Dadi, Mami mas stop pioneer for lelebet taem then bihaen hem go ahed moa for pioneer go kasem taem hem dae. Hem no enitaem garem wanfala car; and hem no raedem bicycle. Hem shortfala woman nomoa and hem wakabaot go long evri ples, planti taem hem wakabaot farawe for conductim olketa Bible study bilong hem.

Insaed Missionary Assignment

Bihaen mifala graduate from Gilead Skul, samfala long mifala pioneer long wanfala kongregeson long north saed bilong New York City for wan year, go kasem taem mifala kasem olketa pepa wea mifala needim for travel. Gogo, long 1945 mifala go long assignment long Cuba, wea mifala isisi getius long kaen living long there. Planti pipol interest long preaching bilong mifala, and gogo mifala evriwan garem planti Bible study. Mifala serve long there for samting olsem fofala year. Then mifala kasem assignment long Dominican Republic. Wantaem mi meetim wanfala woman wea barava wantem mi for go lukim wanfala woman bilong France wea nem bilong hem Suzanne Enfroy. Hem laekem samwan for helpem hem minim Bible.

Suzanne hem wanfala Jew, and taem Hitler tekova long France, hasband bilong hem sendem hem and tufala pikinini bilong tufala go long nara kantri. Suzanne kwiktaem start for sharem evri samting hem lanem witim olketa narawan. Firstaem hem story long datfala woman wea askem mi for visitim Suzanne, then hem story long Blanche, wanfala fren bilong hem wea kam from France. Tufala muv ahed gud gogo tufala baptaes.

Suzanne askem mi: “Wanem nao mi savve duim for helpem olketa pikinini bilong mi?” Son bilong hem skulim medicine, and dota bilong hem skulim ballet, hem hope for dance long Radio City Music Hall long New York. Suzanne hem sendem subscription bilong Wastaoa and Wekap! long olketa. From datwan, son bilong Suzanne, waef bilong hem, and tufala twin sista bilong waef bilong hem, olketa evriwan kamap olketa Witness. Louis, hasband bilong Suzanne, hem wari from waef bilong hem interest long Olketa Jehovah’s Witness bikos gavman bilong Dominican Republic hem tambuim waka bilong mifala. Bat bihaen full famili muv go long United States, gogo, hem tu kamap wanfala Witness.

Olketa Tambuim bat Mifala Still Go Ahed Serve

No longtaem bihaen mifala kasem assignment for go long there long 1949, olketa tambuim waka bilong olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Dominican Republic. Nomata olsem mifala disaed strong for obeyim God olsem Ruler and no olketa man. (Acts 5:29) Mifala go ahed for luk aotem Kingdom bilong God firstaem long wei for talemaot gud nius olsem Jesus talem olketa disaepol bilong hem for duim. (Matthew 24:14) Bat mifala lane hao for “careful olsem snek bat no garem blame olsem kurukuru” taem mifala duim preaching waka. (Matthew 10:16) Olsem example, violin bilong mi hem barava help long diswan. Mi savve karem witim mi evritaem mi go long olketa Bible study. Olketa student bilong mi no kamap for savve pleim violin, bat samfala famili kamap olketa servant bilong Jehovah!

Bihaen olketa mekem datfala tambu, mifala fofala girl— Mary Aniol, Sophia Soviak, Edith Morgan, and mi—muv from missionary hom long San Francisco de Macorís go long missionary hom wea stap long branch long Santo Domingo, wea hem nao kapitol. Bat each month, mi savve go bak for teachim music long ples mifala kasem first assignment long hem. From diswan mi fit for karem olketa spiritual kaikai for olketa Christian brata insaed long violin case bilong mi and tu for tekem kam bak olketa report abaotem witnessing waka long there.

Taem olketa putim olketa brata from San Francisco de Macorís insaed prison long Santiago from olketa followim Christian wei for no teksaed, olketa askem mi for tekem go selen and sapos fitim, olketa Bible, and tu for tekem kam bak eni nius for famili bilong olketa. Taem olketa gard long prison long Santiago lukim violin case bilong mi wea mi karem, olketa ask, “Diswan for what?” Mi ansa: “For mi pleim music for olketa.”

Wanfala long olketa song wea mi pleim for olketa, hem song wea wanfala Witness raetem taem hem stap insaed wanfala Nazi concentration camp. Datfala song hem namba 11 long songbuk bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness. Mi pleim for olketa mekem olketa brata long prison savve lane for singim.

Mi herem hao olketa muvim planti Witness go long wanfala farm bilong Trujillo, bigman bilong gavman. Olketa sei hem klosap nomoa long road wea bas followim. So long samting olsem midolday, mi go daon from bas and ask for samwan showim mi hao for kasem datfala farm. Man wea ownim wanfala smol store point go long nara saed bilong olketa maunten and hem sei sapos mi leavim violin bilong mi for mek sure mi bae kam bak, bae hem givim horse and wanfala boy for leadim mi go.

Bihaen olketa hill, mifala mas katkros long wanfala river, mitufala sidaon long baksaed bilong horse taem hem swim akros. Long there mifala lukim olketa parrot, wea garem green and blue feather wea shaen long sun. Hem barava luk naes tumas! Mi prea: “Thankiu, Jehovah, for mekem olketa luk naes tumas.” Gogo, long foa klok long aftanun, mifala arrive long farm. Soldia wea lukaftarem datfala ples letem mi for story long olketa brata, and hem letem mi givim olketa samfala samting wea mi tekem kam, nomata wanfala smolfala Bible tu.

Taem mifala gogo bak, mi go ahed for prea, from hem dark nao. Taem mifala arrive bak long store mifala full tuwet from rain. From lastfala bas hem go finis, mi askem man wea ownim store for stopem wanfala trak for mi go long hem. Waswe, bae hem sef for go witim tufala man hia long trak? Wanfala askem mi: “Waswe, iu savve long Sophie? Hem study witim sista bilong mi.” Mi disaed hao diswan hem mas ansa bilong Jehovah for prea bilong mi! Olketa tekem mi olowe go bak long Santo Domingo.

Long 1953, mi wanfala long olketa wea kam from Dominican Republic for attendim international convention bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Yankee Stadium long New York. Full famili bilong mi stap long there, dadi bilong mi tu. Bihaen wanfala report abaotem hao nao preaching waka hem muv ahed long Dominican Republic, mi and missionary partner bilong mi, Mary Aniol, garem smol part long program for duim demonstration long hao mifala duim preaching waka taem gavman tambuim.

Spesol Hapi From Traveling Waka

Long datfala hot season mi meetim Rudolph Sunal, wea year bihaen hem kamap hasband bilong mi. Famili bilong hem kamap Witness no longtaem bihaen World War I long Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Bihaen hem go long prison from Christian wei for no teksaed long World War II, hem go duim Bethel service long Brooklyn, New York. No longtaem bihaen mitufala marit, olketa invaetem hem for kamap traveling overseer for visitim olketa kongregeson. For 18 year, mi gogo witim hem long circuit waka.

Long circuit bilong mifala, mifala go long Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, and samfala nara ples tu. Planti taem mifala stap witim olketa Christian brata long haos bilong olketa. Mifala kasem spesol hapi from wei for savve gud long olketa and for servem Jehovah tugeta. Evritaem olketa showim trufala love and wei for welkamim mifala. Bihaen Joel maritim Mary Aniol, missionary partner bilong mi bifor, for thrifala year tufala duim traveling waka for visitim olketa kongregeson long Pennsylvania and Michigan. Bihaen, long 1958, olketa invaetem moa Joel for kamap member bilong Bethel famili, bat distaem Mary witim hem tu.

Karl hem stap long Bethel samting olsem seven year then olketa assignim hem for duim circuit waka for samfala month mekem hem garem moa savve. Bihaen hem kamap wanfala teacher long Gilead Skul. Long 1963 hem maritim Bobbie, wea faithful for serve long Bethel go kasem taem hem dae long October 2002.

Insaed planti year wea hem waka long Bethel, Don hem samfala taem go long olketa nara kantri olsem zone overseer for servem olketa nara branch office and olketa missionary. Samfala assignment bilong hem long Orient, Africa, Europe, and long samfala ples bilong America. Dolores, loyal waef bilong Don, planti taem go witim hem.

Living Bilong Mifala Hem Change

Bihaen hem sik for longfala taem, dadi bilong mi hem dae, bat bifor hem dae hem talem mi hem hapi tumas from mifala chus for servem Jehovah God. Hem sei hao mifala kasem moa blessing winim sapos mifala kasem education long college wea hem laekem mifala kasem long firstaem. Bihaen mi helpem Mami for muv go stap klosap long sista bilong mi, Joy, mi witim hasband bilong mi acceptim olketa pioneer assignment long New England mekem mitufala savve stap klosap long mami bilong hem wea needim help. Bihaen mami bilong hem dae, mami bilong mi kam stap witim mitufala for 13 year. Then, long January 18, 1987, hem finisim assignment bilong hem long earth taem hem kasem 93 year.

Planti taem, taem olketa fren bilong mifala praisem hem for wei wea hem bringimap faevfala pikinini for garem love and for servem Jehovah, Mami savve ansa long hambol wei: “Hem from mi garem gudfala ‘graon’ for plant long hem.” (Matthew 13:23) Hem wanfala nambawan blessing for garem parents wea fraet long God and wea showimaot gudfala example long wei for garem strong and hambol fasin!

Kingdom Hem Still Firstaem

Mitufala go ahed for putim Kingdom bilong God firstaem long laef bilong mitufala and for trae hard for followim kaonsel bilong Jesus for sharem olketa samting witim olketa narawan. (Luke 6:38; 14:12-14) From diswan, Jehovah provaedem need bilong mitufala long bigfala wei. Laef bilong mitufala hem laef wea sef and hapi.

Mi and Rudy still lovem music. Hem naes samting, taem olketa wea lovem music kam long haos bilong mitufala and mifala savve pleim music tugeta. Bat music hem no laef waka bilong mi. Hem extra samting long laef for mekem man hapi. Distaem mi and hasband bilong mi hapi for lukim olketa frut wea kamaot from pioneer ministry bilong mitufala, hem nao pipol wea mitufala helpem insaed olketa year wea go pas.

Nomata distaem mifala garem problem saed long health, mi fit for sei laef bilong mitufala hem barava hapi and sef insaed winim 60 year wea mitufala insaed full-taem ministry. Evri morning taem mi wekap, mi thankiu long Jehovah from hem ansarem prea wea mi talem taem mi startim full-taem ministry longtaem go finis, and mi savve ting olsem: ‘O.K, hao nao bae mi luk aotem Kingdom firstaem tuday?’

[Footnote]

[Piksa long page 24]

Famili bilong mi long 1948 (left go kasem raet): Joy, Don, Mami, Joel, Karl, mi, and Dadi

[Piksa long page 25]

Mami showimaot example for strong long ministry

[Piksa long page 26]

Karl, Don, Joel, Joy, and mi distaem, winim 50 year bihaen

[Piksa long page 27]

Left go kasem raet: Mi, Mary Aniol, Sophia Soviak, and Edith Morgan taem mifala missionary long Dominican Republic

[Piksa long page 28]

Mi witim Mary (left) long Yankee Stadium, 1953

[Piksa long page 29]

Mi witim hasband bilong mi taem hem duim circuit waka