Wanem Nao Mi Savve Givim Long Jehovah?
Story bilong Ruth Danner
Mami bilong mi savve mekfani nomoa and sei hao 1933 hem year wea staka nogud samting happen. Hitler hem start for rul, pope hem sei datfala year hem Holy Year, and hem year wea mi born.
DADI and mami bilong mi kam from Yutz, wanfala taon long Lorraine, wanfala ples long France wea klosap tumas long Germany. Mami bilong mi hem Catholic, and long 1921 hem maritim dadi bilong mi, wanfala Protestant. Big sista bilong mi Helen, hem born long 1922. Dadi and Mami tekem hem long wanfala Catholic Church for hem baptaes taem hem baby.
Long wanfala day long 1925, Dadi hem kasem disfala buk The Harp of God long German languis. Bihaen hem readim datfala buk, hem sei hem lanem truth nao. Hem raet go long olketa wea wakem datfala buk, and olketa talem hem wea nao hem savve faendem olketa Bibelforscher, wea hem nao nem bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Germany long datfala taem. Stretawe Dadi go preach nao long pipol abaotem samting wea hem lanem. Mami nating hapi long wanem hem duim. Hem savve singaot olsem long German languis: “Eni samting wea iu laek duim, iu duim nomoa, bat no study witim olketa Bibelforscher!” Bat Dadi disaedem finis wanem hem laek duim. Long 1927 hem baptaes and kamap wanfala Bibelforscher.
From Dadi duim olsem, mami bilong mami bilong mi hem talem Mami for lusim Dadi. Long wanfala day, taem grani go long Mass long church, priest warnim olketa long church for olketa “nating followim datfala false profet Danner.” Taem grani kam bak long haos, hem torowem wanfala pot flaoa long Dadi from antap long haos bilong mifala. Pot hia hevi fogud and hem foldaon antap long shoulder bilong hem. Hem just missim hed bilong hem. Diswan mekem Mami tingting olsem: ‘Sapos wanfala religion mekem pipol for laek killim dae narawan, datwan hem nogud.’ Mami start for readim olketa buk bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness. No longtaem bihaen, hem sei samting wea hem lanem nao hem truth, and hem baptaes long 1929.
Dadi and mami bilong mi waka hard for lanem mi and sista bilong mi abaotem Jehovah. Olketa readim olketa Bible story long mitufala and then askem mitufala why nao olketa long Bible duim samting wea olketa duim. Long datfala taem, Dadi les for waka long evening or long naet, nomata datwan minim hem bae no kasem staka selen for famili nao. Hem laek iusim datfala taem for go long olketa meeting, go preaching, and for study witim olketa pikinini bilong hem.
Barava Nogud Taem Start for Happen
Dadi and mami bilong mi evritaem askem olketa traveling overseer and Bethelite from Switzerland and France for kam stap witim mifala. Olketa story long mifala abaotem olketa hard taem wea olketa brata and sista long Germany kasem wea olketa stap tu-thri kilometer nomoa from haos bilong mifala. Nazi gavman long Germany putim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness insaed olketa raf prison and tekem pikinini bilong olketa.
Mami and Dadi redyim mitufala Helen for olketa nogud samting wea bae happen. Olketa helpem mifala for baeheartim olketa scripture wea bae helpem mifala. Olketa savve sei long mitufala: “Sapos iu no savve wanem for duim, tingim Proverbs 3:5, 6. Sapos iu kasem olketa hard taem long skul, tingim 1 Corinthians 10:13. Sapos eniwan tekem iu from mifala, tingim Proverbs 18:10.” Mi baeheartim Psalm 23 and Psalm 91 and mi trustim hao Jehovah bae evritaem protectim mi.
Long 1940, Nazi Germany tekovarem Alsace-Lorraine, and datfala gavman talem for evri bigman mas kamap member bilong Nazi organization. Dadi barava les, and secret police warnim hem hao olketa bae arrestim hem. From Mami les for sewim olketa uniform for army, secret police warnim hem hao olketa bae arrestim hem tu.
Mi kasem staka hard taem long skul. Firstfala samting wea class bilong mi mas duim evriday, olketa mas prea for Hitler, talem datfala toktok “Heil Hitler,” and apim raet hand taem olketa singim anthem bilong kantri. Mami and Dadi no talem mi for no talem datfala toktok “Heil Hitler,” bat olketa helpem mi for garem gudfala tingting. So miseleva nao disaed for no talem datfala toktok “Heil Hitler.” Olketa teacher slapem mi and talem hao olketa bae aotem mi from skul. Wantaem, taem mi seven year nomoa, mi mas standap front long 12-fala teacher long skul. Olketa trae for forcem mi for talem datfala toktok “Heil Hitler.” Bat mi nating duim nomoa. Jehovah helpem mi for gohed faithful.
Wanfala teacher hem trae for trikim mi. Hem savve talem mi hao mi wanfala gud student, hem laekem mi tumas, and hem bae sorre sapos olketa aotem mi from skul. Hem savve tok olsem long mi: “Iu no need for barava apim hand bilong iu, just apim lelebet nomoa. And iu no need for sei, ‘Heil Hitler!’ Just muvim mouth bilong iu olsem iu toktok for mekem hem luk olsem iu talem datwan.”
Bihaen mi talem Mami abaotem samting wea teacher bilong mi duim, hem story long mi moa abaotem thrifala young Hebrew bifor wea standap front long idol wea king bilong Babylon wakem. Mami askem mi: “Wanem nao king laekem olketa for duim?” Mi sei: “Hem laekem olketa for baodaon.” Then Mami sei long mi: “Sapos olketa bendaon for taengem shoe bilong olketa long semtaem nomoa wea king laekem olketa for baodaon long datfala idol, waswe, datwan hem stret samting for olketa duim? Iuseleva mas disaed. Iu duim nomoa wanem iu tingim hem stret.” Mi disaed for duim sem samting olsem Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Mi disaed for worshipim Jehovah nomoa.—Dan. 3:1, 13-18.
Olketa teacher aotem mi from skul staka taem. Staka taem olketa talem tu hao olketa bae tekem mi from mami and dadi bilong mi. Mi barava wari, bat Mami and Dadi gohed for strongim mi. Taem mi lusim hom for go skul, Mami prea witim mi and askem Jehovah for protectim mi. Mi savve Jehovah bae strongim mi for gohed faithful. (2 Cor. 4:7) Dadi talem mi tu hao sapos mi kasem staka hevi tumas long skul, mi mas no fraet for kam bak long haos. Hem sei long mi: “Mitufala lovem iu. Iu gele bilong mitufala for olowe. Iu mas no fraet. Duim samting wea iu savve hem stret long tingting bilong Jehovah.” Samting wea Dadi talem barava strongim mi for laek gohed faithful.—Job 27:5.
Staka taem secret police kam long haos bilong mifala for lukaotem olketa buk bilong iumi and for kwestinim mami and dadi bilong mi. Plande taem olketa tekem mami bilong mi and kwestinim hem for staka hour. Olketa savve tekem dadi and sista bilong mi from ples wea olketa waka for kwestinim olketa tu. Staka taem mi no savve sapos mi bae lukim Mami taem mi kam bak from skul or nomoa nao. Samfala taem neiba bilong mifala talem mi: “Olketa tekem mami bilong iu.” Taem mi herem datwan, mi go insaed long haos and haed. Long taem olsem, mi savve tingim: ‘Waswe, olketa duim nogud samting long Mami? Waswe, bae mi lukim hem moa?’
Olketa Raosem Mifala
Long January 28, 1943, secret police wekapem mifala long thri thirti long morning. Olketa sei sapos mifala evriwan kamap member bilong Nazi organization, olketa bae no raosem mifala from kantri bilong mifala. Olketa givim mifala thrifala hour for redyim mifala seleva. Bat Mami redyim olketa basket bilong mifala wanwan finis. Hem putim samfala kaleko nomoa witim Bible long basket bilong mifala. So long thrifala hour hia, mifala iusim datfala taem for prea tugeta and strongim narawan. Dadi talem mifala moa hao ‘no eni samting savve spoelem wei wea God lovem mifala.’—Rom. 8:35-39.
Secret police kam bak long taem wea olketa talem. Mi bae nating forgetim wanem Sista Anglade duim. Hem standap baebae long mifala and hem krae taem hem lukim mifala go. Secret police draevem mifala go long train station long Metz. Mifala insaed train for thrifala day, gogo mifala kasem Kochlowice, wanfala raf prison wea Auschwitz raf prison long Poland nao lukaftarem. Tufala month bihaen, olketa mekem mifala go stap long Gliwice, wanfala haos bilong olketa nun bifor wea kamap wanfala prison. Olketa Nazi talem mifala sapos mifala saenem wanfala pepa wea sei mifala no followim religion bilong mifala nao, olketa bae letem mifala go free nomoa and givim bak olketa samting wea mifala ownim. Dadi and Mami les, so olketa soldia talem mifala: “Iufala bae nating kasem bak hom bilong iufala.”
Long June, olketa tekem mifala go long Swietochlowice. Long there nao hed bilong mi feel soa olowe, and nomata distaem tu hed bilong mi savve soa. Gogo mi garem olketa boela long olketa finger bilong mi, and doctor mas aotem staka fingernail bilong mi. Bat taem hem duim datwan, hem nating iusim eni medicine for mekem mi no feelim pain. Bat wanfala gud samting, olketa gard iusim mi nao for go baem olketa samting for olketa, so plande taem nao mi go long wanfala bakery. Wanfala woman long there nao givim kaikai long mi.
Taem mifala stap long olketa prison, evritaem famili bilong mi stap seleva long wanfala cell and no witim olketa nara prisoner. Bat long October 1943, olketa tekem mifala go long wanfala prison long Ząbkowice. Mifala sleep long wanfala smol rum klosap long ruf bilong haos. Mifala witim 60-fala nara man, woman, and pikinini nao sleep long datfala rum. Olketa Nazi soldia givim kaikai long mifala wea barava smel fogud and nating fitim nao for eniwan kaikaim.
Nomata mifala kasem staka nogud samting, mifala no givap. Mifala readim finis insaed The Watchtower magasin abaotem bigfala preaching waka wea mifala mas duim bihaen war hem finis. So mifala savve finis why nao mifala kasem olketa nogud samting and hao datwan hem bae klosap finis.
Gogo mifala herem nius hao olketa kantri wea faetem Germany start for winim olketa Nazi. Long start bilong 1945, olketa Nazi soldia disaedem hao mifala mas lusim prison wea mifala stap long hem. Long February 19, olketa forcem mifala for march 240 kilometer. Bihaen fofala week, mifala kasem datfala taon Steinfels, long Germany. Olketa gard forcem mifala olketa prisoner for go insaed long wanfala mine. Staka prisoner tingse olketa gard bae killim mifala dae. Bat long datfala day, olketa army bilong olketa nara kantri kam nao. Olketa Nazi soldia ranawe and mifala free nao.
Mi Duim Nao Samting wea Mi Planim
Long May 5, 1945, tu and haf year bihaen mifala lusim hom bilong mifala, mifala kasem bak Yutz. Bat mifala barava luk dirty narawe and garem staka louse. Start long February yet, mifala nating changem kaleko bilong mifala. So mifala disaed for bonem nao olketa kaleko hia. Mi savve tingim yet samting wea mami bilong mi talem mifala long datfala day: “Iufala mas tingim disfala day hem barava nambawan day long laef bilong iufala. Iumi no garem eni samting. Nomata kaleko wea iumi werem hem no bilong iumi tu. Bat iumi fofala kam bak long hom and iumi gohed faithful long God. Iumi nating lusim hem.”
Mi rest firstaem long Switzerland for thrifala month, then mi go bak skul. Mi savve olketa teacher bae no trae aotem mi from skul nao. Mifala free for hipap witim olketa brata and sista and mifala savve preach tu. Long August 28, 1947, taem mi 13 year nomoa, mi baptaes nao for showimaot promis wea mi talem finis long Jehovah samfala year bifor. Dadi bilong mi nao baptaesim mi long Moselle River. Mi laek pioneer stretawe bihaen mi baptaes, bat Dadi talem mi for skulim wanfala waka firstaem. So mi lane for sewim kaleko. Long 1951, taem mi 17 year, mi kamap wanfala pioneer long Thionville, wanfala taon klosap long hom bilong mi.
Long datfala year, mi go long wanfala assembly long Paris and mi raetem application pepa for duim missionary waka. Nomata mi no kasem age yet for duim datfala waka, Brata Nathan Knorr talem hem bae keepim datfala pepa. Long June 1952, mi kasem invitation for mi go long mek-21 class bilong Watchtower Bible Skul bilong Gilead long South Lansing, New York, long America.
Gilead and Laef Bilong Mi Bihaen
Mi lanem staka samting! Bifor mi go long Gilead, mi savve fraet for story front long staka pipol long languis bilong mi. Bat taem mi go long Gilead, mi mas story long English nao. Nomata olsem, olketa teacher long Gilead Skul barava helpem mi. Wanfala brata givim disfala nem Kingdom Smile long mi bikos hem lukim mi savve smile taem mi fraet for story.
Graduation bilong mifala hem long July 19, 1953, long Yankee Stadium long New York. Mi kasem assignment for go long Paris witim sista Ida Candusso. Nomata hem no isi for preach long olketa rich pipol long Paris, mi study witim staka hambol pipol long there. Ida hem marit and long 1956 hem go long Africa, bat mi stap yet long Paris.
Long 1960, mi maritim wanfala brata wea waka long Bethel, and mitufala spesol pioneer long Chaumont and long Vichy. Faevfala year bihaen, mi kasem TB and mi no savve pioneer nao. Mi barava feel nogud long datwan bikos start long taem wea mi smol yet, mi laek pioneer and gohed duim datwan olowe. Gogo hasband bilong mi lusim mi and tekem nara woman. Olketa brata and sista barava helpem mi long datfala nogud taem, and Jehovah gohed helpem mi tu.—Ps. 68:19.
Distaem mi stap long Louviers, Normandy, wanfala taon klosap long France bethel. Nomata mi sik distaem, mi hapi bikos mi lukim hao Jehovah helpem mi. Gudfala samting wea mi lanem from Mami and Dadi barava helpem mi for garem gudfala tingting. Tufala lanem mi abaotem Jehovah and hao hem Man wea mi savve lovem, story witim, and wea herem olketa prea bilong mi. Tru tumas, “wanem nao mi savve givim long Jehovah for evri gudfala samting wea hem givim long mi?”—Ps. 116:12.
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Mi holem gas mask taem mi 6 year
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Mi witim olketa missionary and pioneer long Luxembourg taem mi 16 year. Mifala duim spesol preaching waka
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Mi witim Dadi and Mami long convention long 1953
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“Mi hapi bikos mi lukim hao Jehovah helpem mi”