Laef Story
Jehovah Barava Blessim Pipol wea Followim Olketa Wei Bilong Hem
STORY BILONG ROMUALD STAWSKI
Taem mek-tu world war start long September 1939, north part bilong Poland nao ples wea faet hem big tumas. Long datfala taem mi naen year, and mi interest for go lukluk long ples wea olketa army faet long hem. Olketa samting wea mi lukim hem barava nogud tumas—olketa dead body lei olobaot long graon, and smoke wea mekem man no savve brith gud hem fulap long air. Nomata long datfala taem mi tingim nomoa hao for ranawe go bak long haos, olketa kwestin hia kamap long mind bilong mi: “Why nao God letem olketa barava nogud samting olsem for happen? Hu nao hem saed witim?”
TAEM war gogo for finis, raf gavman bilong Germany forcem olketa young boy for waka for olketa. Olketa hangem eniwan wea no willing long wanfala tree or bridge and putim saen, “no loyal long gavman” long chest bilong hem. Taon wea mifala stap, Gdynia, hem stap midol long tufala army wea againstim each other. Taem mifala savve go tekem wata aotsaed long taon, olketa bullet and bomb flae olobaot pasim mifala, and smol brata bilong mi, Henryk, hem dae from datwan. From ples hem barava no sef, mami tekem mifala fofala pikinini for haed insaed rum andanit long graon. Long there brata bilong mi Eugeniusz, wea tu year nomoa hem dae from sik, diphtheria.
Olketa kwestin hia kamap moa long mind bilong mi: “Wea nao God? Why nao hem letem evri kaen wei for safa olsem for gohed?” Nomata mi strong tumas long Catholic and mi go olowe long church, mi nating faendem eni ansa.
Mi Acceptim Truth Long Bible
Mi kasem ansa for olketa kwestin bilong mi from wanfala sekson wea mi no tingim bae mi kasem ansa from olketa. War hem finis long 1945, and long start bilong 1947, wanfala Jehovah’s Witness visit kam long haos bilong mifala long Gdynia. Mami bilong mi story witim datfala Witness, and mi herem samfala part long datfala story. From story hia mek sense, mifala acceptim invitation for go long wanfala Christian meeting. Nomata mi no minim gud truth long Bible yet, bihaen wanfala month nomoa mi joinim wanfala sekson bilong olketa Witness, and preach long pipol abaotem wanfala world wea moabeta wea free from war and olketa barava nogud samting wea man duim. Diswan mekem mi hapi tumas.
Long September 1947, mi baptaes long wanfala circuit assembly long Sopot. Long May 1948, mi startim regular pioneer service, wea mi spendem staka taem for talemaot message from Bible long pipol. Olketa bigman bilong religion barava againstim waka bilong mifala and encouragem olketa narawan for spoelem mifala. Wantaem, wanfala raf sekson attakim mifala, sutim mifala long ston, and whipim mifala nogud. Long narafala taem, olketa nun and olketa bigman bilong religion encouragem wanfala sekson for attakim mifala. Mifala ranawe go long wanfala police station, bat datfala raf sekson raonem datfala building and sei bae olketa killim mifala. Gogo, samfala police moa kam, and olketa gardim mifala taem olketa tekem mifala go aot.
Long datfala taem, no eni kongregeson stap long area wea mifala preach. Samfala naet mifala savve stap long bush go kasem morning. Mifala hapi hao nomata mifala go thru long olketa nogud samting olsem, mifala savve gohed for preach. Distaem, olketa strongfala kongregeson nao stap long datfala area.
Serve Long Bethel and Police Arrestim Mi
Long 1949, mi kasem invitation for waka long Bethel Hom long Łódź. Hem nambawan privilege for waka long kaen ples olsem! Sorre samting nao, mi nating stap longtaem long there. Long June 1950, wanfala month bifor gavman tambuim waka bilong mifala, police arrestim mi witim samfala nara brata long Bethel. Olketa putim mi long prison, and mi mas feisim raf wei for kwestinim mi.
From dadi bilong mi waka long wanfala ship wea savve gogo long New York evritaem, olketa wea kwestinim mi trae for forcem mi for sei hem waka olsem spae for United States. Olketa deal witim mi long barava raf wei. And tu, fofala police gohed for trae forcem mi for talem information againstim Brata Wilhelm Scheider, wea hem nao lukaftarem waka bilong mifala long Poland long datfala taem. Olketa iusim olketa big stik for whipim andanit long leg bilong mi. Taem mi leidaon long floor and leg bilong mi gohed blood, mi feel olsem mi no wei nao, so mi singaot olsem, “Jehovah, helpem mi!” Olketa seke and stop for whipim mi. Insaed tu-thri minute nomoa olketa sleep nao. Mi hapi olketa stop for duim datwan and kasem bak strong bilong mi. Diswan mekem mi sure hao Jehovah savve duim samting for olketa servant wea dedicate long hem taem olketa singaot long hem. Datwan strongim faith bilong mi and teachim mi for trustim God evribit.
Long lastfala report wea kamaot from taem wea olketa kwestinim mi, olketa talem samfala information wea no tru wea olketa sei mi nao givim. Taem mi trae for talem hao datwan no tru, wanfala police sei long mi, “Bae iu explainim long kot!” Wanfala kaenfala man wea mifala stap tugeta long cell talem mi for no wari, from wanfala lawyer bilong army bae need for chekim sapos samting wea report talem hem tru, and datwan bae givim mi chance for pruvim hao samting wea report talem hem no tru. Gogo, hem nao samting wea happen.
Circuit Waka and Go Long Prison Moa
Mi aot from prison long January 1951. Wanfala month bihaen datwan, mi start for serve olsem wanfala traveling overseer. Nomata gavman tambuim waka bilong mifala, mi waka witim olketa nara Witness for strongim olketa kongregeson and helpem olketa pablisa wea go stap long olketa didifren ples from samting wea olketa police duim. Mifala encouragem olketa brata for gohed long ministry. Long olketa year bihaen, olketa brata hia strong for sapotim olketa traveling overseer and duim waka long wei wea haed for printim and givimaot olketa Bible literature.
Wanfala day long April 1951, olketa police wea lukluk long evri samting wea mi duim, arrestim mi bihaen wanfala Christian meeting. From mi no ansarem olketa kwestin wea olketa askem mi, olketa tekem mi go long wanfala prison long Bydgoszcz and start for kwestinim mi long datfala sem naet. Olketa orderim mi for standap saed long wall for sixfala day and sixfala naet, and olketa no givim mi kaikai or drink and mi mas brithim nomoa smoke bilong tobacco wea olketa police smokem. Olketa whipim mi long wanfala stik and bonem mi long cigarette bilong olketa. Taem mi haf dead, olketa kapsaetem wata long mi and start for kwestinim mi moa. Mi barava askem Jehovah for helpem mi stand strong, and hem sapotim mi.
Gudfala samting kamap taem mi stap long prison long Bydgoszcz. Long there mi fit for sharem truth long Bible witim pipol wea hard for olketa nara brata kam preach long olketa. And tru tumas, staka chance stap for witness. From ples hem nogud tumas, and plande taem man no garem hope, olketa barava redi for lisin and acceptim from heart datfala gud nius.
Tufala Important Change
No longtaem bihaen mi kamaot from prison long 1952, mi meetim Nela, wanfala strongfala pioneer sista. Hem pioneer long south saed long Poland. Bihaen datwan hem waka nao insaed wanfala ples wea mifala kolem “bakery,” wea hem secret ples for printim olketa literature. Datfala waka hem hard and needim man for careful evritaem and willing for sakrifaesim seleva. Mitufala marit long 1954, and mifala gohed long full-taem service go kasem taem dota bilong mitufala, Lidia, hem born. Then, for mekem mi savve gohed long traveling waka, mi and Nela disaed for hem finis from full-taem service, go bak long hom, and lukaftarem dota bilong mitufala.
Datfala sem year, mifala mas mekem nara important disison. Olketa askem mi for serve olsem distrik overseer long lelebet big area bilong Poland. Mifala prea abaotem datwan. Mi savve hem important for strongim olketa brata wea stap long ples wea waka hem tambu. Police arrestim staka brata, so bigfala need stap for givim spiritual encouragement. From Nela sapotim mi, mi acceptim datfala assignment. Jehovah helpem mi for serve olsem distrik overseer for 38 year.
Lukaftarem “Olketa Bakery”
Long datfala taem, distrik overseer nao lukaftarem “olketa bakery” wea stap long olketa kwaet and secret ples. Olketa police barava followim mifala, and trae for faendem and stopem printing waka bilong mifala. Samfala taem olketa stopem mifala, bat no enitaem mifala short long spiritual kaikai wea mifala needim. Hem klia tumas hao Jehovah barava lukaftarem mifala.
For duim disfala waka for print wea hard and danger tumas, man mas loyal, careful, and obey. Taem olketa garem olketa fasin hia hem mekem “bakery” hem sef. Hem hard tu for faendem gudfala ples for duim disfala printing waka. Samfala ples hem fitim, bat olketa brata no barava careful. Long samfala nara ples, olketa brata barava careful bat ples no fitim. Olketa brata barava willing for sakrifaesim plande samting. Mi barava tinghae long evri brata and sista wea mi garem privilege for waka witim olketa.
Defendim Gud Nius
Long olketa hardfala year hia, evritaem olketa accusim mifala for sei mifala brekem law and againstim gavman, and tekem mifala long kot. Datwan hem hard samting for mifala, from mifala no garem olketa lawyer for defendim mifala. Samfala lawyer feel sorre long mifala, bat staka fraet for mekem olketa bigman feel nogud. Nomata olsem, Jehovah luksavve long need bilong mifala and hem mek sure mifala kasem datwan.
From olketa killim nogud Alojzy Prostak, wanfala traveling overseer from Kraków taem olketa kwestinim hem, gogo olketa mas tekem hem go stap long hospital bilong prison. Wei wea hem stand strong nomata olketa barava spoelem hem mekem olketa nara prisoner respectim and laekem hem. Wanfala long olketa hem wanfala lawyer wea nem bilong hem, Witold Lis-Olszewski. Hem barava tinghae long wei wea Brata Prostak hem no fraet. Datfala lawyer story witim Brata Prostak samfala taem and promisim hem olsem: “Taem mi aot from prison and olketa letem mi for waka moa, bae mi willing for defendim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness.” Hem duim samting wea hem talem.
Mr. Olszewski garem wanfala team bilong olketa lawyer, wea barava keepim promis for helpem mifala. Long taem wea persecution hem big tumas, olketa savve defendim 30-fala kot case bilong olketa brata insaed wanfala month—wanfala kot case each day! From Mr. Olszewski needim evri information for olketa kot case hia, mi kasem assignment for helpem hem. Mi waka witim hem for sevenfala year long olketa year bilong 1960 and 1970.
Mi lanem staka samting saed long law. Staka taem mi stap and lukluk long olketa kot case, mi herem toktok bilong olketa lawyer for sapotim and againstim samting, wei wea olketa defendim olketa brata, and samting wea olketa brata talem long kot tu. Evri samting hia barava helpem olketa brata, especially olketa wea mas givim witness long kot, for savve wanem for talem and wanem taem for stap kwaet.
Taem wanfala kot case gohed, evritaem Mr. Olszewski savve kam stap long haos bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness. Diswan no from hem no garem selen for stap long hotel, bat olsem hem talem wantaem, “Bifor long kot case, mi laek for kasem strong from tingting and gudfala wei bilong iufala.” From help bilong hem, mifala winim staka kot case. Hem defendim mi samfala taem, and no acceptim eni selen from mi. Long narafala taem, hem no kasem pei for 30-fala kot case. Why nao olsem? Hem sei: “Mi laek for givim lelebet sapot long waka bilong iufala.” Bat sapos mifala mas peim waka wea hem duim, datwan bae kostim staka selen. Gavman savve long waka wea team bilong Mr. Olszewski duim, bat datwan no stopem hem for helpem mifala.
Long taem bilong olketa kot case hia, olketa brata givim barava gudfala witness. Plande kam for herem olketa kot case and for strongim olketa brata wea olketa kotem olketa. Long taem wea olketa kot case staka tumas, mi kaontem kasem 30,000 brata and sista nao wea kam for givim sapot long kot insaed wan year. Datwan hem bigfala sekson bilong olketa Witness!
Niu Assignment
Gogo olketa aotem datfala tambu long 1989. Olketa brata start for buildim wanfala niu branch office and thrifala year bihaen olketa finisim and dedicatem datwan. Mi kasem invitation for waka witim Hospital Information Services long there, and mi hapi tumas for duim datfala assignment. Mi and tufala brata duim datfala waka for sapotim olketa brata long olketa problem wea kamap saed long blood, and for helpem olketa for defendim biliv bilong olketa saed long Christian conscience bilong olketa.—Acts 15:29.
Mi and waef bilong mi barava tinghae long disfala privilege for servem Jehovah long pablik ministry. Nela sapotim and encouragem mi evritaem. Mi barava olowe tinghae long wei wea Nela no savve komplen taem mi busy long olketa theocratic assignment, or taem olketa putim mi long prison. Winim wei for barava wari and wikdaon long olketa hard taem wea mifala kasem, hem comfortim nao olketa narawan.
Olsem example, long 1974, police arrestim mi and olketa nara traveling overseer. Samfala brata laek for talem waef bilong mi bat olketa no laek for mekem hem seke. Taem olketa lukim hem, olketa sei, “Sista Nela, iu herem finis wanfala nogud nius?” Taem hem herem datfala toktok hem no muv, and no talem eni samting from hem fraet and tingse mi dae nao. Taem olketa talem hem samting wea happen, hem sei: “Hem laef nomoa! Hem no fastaem for olketa putim hem long prison.” Bihaen, olketa brata talem mi hao wei wea hem tingim gud saed hem barava muvim olketa.
Nomata mifala kasem samfala barava nogud samting bifor, Jehovah hem evritaem blessim mifala from mifala followim olketa wei bilong hem. Mifala barava hapi hao dota bilong mifala, Lidia, and hasband bilong hem, Alfred DeRusha, tufala barava showimaot gudfala example olsem Christian hasband and waef. Mifala hapi tu from tufala son bilong tufala, Christopher and Jonathan, kamap olketa servant bilong God wea dedicate. For plande year, really brata bilong mi, Ryszard, and sista bilong mi, Urszula, gohed faithful olsem olketa Christian.
No enitaem Jehovah lusim mifala, and mifala laek for gohed servem hem witim full heart. Mifala experiencem hao olketa toktok bilong Psalm 37:34 barava tru, wea sei: “Hope long Jehovah and keepim wei bilong hem, and hem bae givim earth long iu olsem blessing.” Witim full heart mitufala luk forward for datfala taem.
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Long wanfala assembly aotsaed long haos bilong wanfala brata long Kraków, 1964
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Mi witim waef bilong mi Nela, and dota Lidia, 1968
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Mifala witim wanfala Witness boy bifor hem kasem heart operation wea no iusim blood
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Mi and Doctor Wites, main doctor for duim heart operation for olketa pikinini and no iusim blood, long wanfala hospital long Katowice
[Piksa long page 20]
Mi and Nela, 2002