Mmofra a Yɛtetee Wɔn Wɔ Africa Bere a na Yɛrehyia Nsɛnnennen

SƐNEA CARMEN MCLUCKIE KA KYERƐE

Na afe no yɛ 1941. Na na Wiase Ko II rekɔ so. Na meyɛ ɔbaatan a madi mfe 23 a mifi Australia, nanso saa bere yi de na wɔde me ne me ba a wanya asram anum no agu afiase wɔ Gwelo, wɔ Rhodesia (mprempren wɔfrɛ hɔ Gweru, Zimbabwe) Anaafo fam. Na me kunu nso da afiase wɔ Salisbury (mprempren wɔfrɛ hɔ Harare). Me mmanoma baanu a na wonnya nnii mfe aduonu na na wɔrehwɛ yɛn mma baanu—na obiako adi mfe abien na na ɔfoforo no nso adi mfe abiɛsa—a wɔaka no. Ma menka sɛnea ɛyɛe a mekɔɔ saa tebea no mu.

NA ME ne me Maame ne me Papa na ɛte Port Kembla a ɛwɔ Sydney anaafo fam bɛyɛ kilomita 50 wɔ Australia. Wɔ 1924 mu no, Clare Honisett kɔsraa Maame na ɔmaa n’ani begyee Bible nkyerɛkyerɛ ho denam Awurade Mpaebɔ a ɔne no susuw ho na obisaa no nea ɛkyerɛ no so. Clare kyerɛkyerɛɛ sɛnea wɔtew Onyankopɔn din ho mu, na afei ɔkaa sɛnea Ahenni no bɛyɛ Onyankopɔn apɛde wɔ asase so ho asɛm. (Mateo 6:9, 10) Maame ho dwiriw no. Ɛwom sɛ Paapa ani annye ho de, nanso Maame fii ase hwehwɛɛ Bible mu nokwasɛm a ɛte sɛɛ mu denneennen.

Ankyɛ koraa na yetu kɔtraa Sydney borɔn bi so. Na me ne Maame fi nea yɛte no twa kilomita abiɛsa kɔ Bible Asuafo no, sɛnea na wɔfrɛ Yehowa Adansefo saa bere no, nhyiam. Ɛwom sɛ Paapa ammɛyɛ Ɔdansefo de, nanso ɔmaa kwan ma yɛyɛɛ Bible adesua wɔ yɛn fie. Paapa nuanom baanu—Max ne Oscar Seidel—ne Max abusuafo binom ne me nuabarima kumaa Terry ne me nuabea kumaa Mylda bɛyɛɛ Adansefo.

Wɔ 1930 mu no, Ɔwɛn Aban Asafo no tɔɔ hyɛmma bi a ne tenten yɛ mita 16 a akyiri yi wɔbɛfrɛɛ no Lightbearer no. Wɔde hyɛmma yi sii yɛn asase a na ɛwɔ Asubɔnten Georges ho no so mfe abien. Ɛhɔ na na wosiesie hyɛmma no na ama Yehowa Adansefo atumi atra mu akɔka asɛm no wɔ Indonesia supɔw ahorow no so. Ɛtɔ mmere bi a, na me ne me nuabea Coral kosiesie hyɛmma no mu, na na yɛsrɛ kanea a wɔde kyerɛ hyɛmma no kwan de koyi mpataa.

Kwan a Mitu Kɔɔ Afrika ne M’aware

Ahokyere baa Australia wɔ 1930 mfe no mu, na me ne me Maame tuu kwan kɔɔ South Africa kɔhwɛe sɛ ebia ɛhɔ asetra no bɛyɛ ama yɛn abusua no a. Yɛgyee krataa a yɛde bɛda yɛn ho adi fii Yehowa Adansefo baa dwumadibea a ɛwɔ Australia no hɔ kɔmaa George Phillips a saa bere no na ɔhwɛ Afrika anaafo fam asɛnka dwumadi so no. George behyiaa yɛn wɔ Cape Town hyɛn gyinabea hɔ. Ɔde Ɔwɛn Aban Asafo no nhoma a wɔfrɛ no Riches kitae sɛnea yebetumi ahu no. Da no ara a na ɛyɛ June 6, 1936 no, ɔde yɛn kyerɛɛ anuanom baanum a na wɔyɛ baa boayikuw no mufo a na Robert A. McLuckie ka ho.a Me ne McLuckie—a na yɛn nyinaa frɛ no Bertie—waree afe no ara mu.

Bertie nanabarima William McLuckie fi Paisley, Scotland baa Afrika wɔ 1817 mu. Wɔ n’akwantu ahorow a edi kan mu no, William hyiaa Robert Moffat, ɔbarima a osuaa ɔkwan a wɔfa so kyerɛw Tswanafo kasa na ɔkyerɛɛ Bible no ase kɔɔ mu no.b Saa bere no, na William ne ne yɔnko Robert Schoon nkutoo ne abrɔfo a na Mzilikazi, ɔkofo a wagye din wɔ Zulu hene Shaka asraafo mu no wɔ wɔn mu ahotoso. Ne saa nti, William ne Robert nkutoo ne abrɔfo a na Mzilikazi ma wɔn kwan ma wɔkɔ ne fie, faako a Pretoria kurow no wɔ mprempren wɔ South Africa no. Akyiri yi, Mzilikazi bɛyɛɛ ɔmanyɛni na ɔkaa mmusua pii boom yɛɛ no Afrika ahenni biako wɔ afeha 19 mfinimfini mu hɔ.

Bere a mihuu Bertie no, na ɔyɛ ɔbarima kunafo a na ɔwɔ ɔbabea Lyall a wadi mfe 12 ne ɔbabarima Donovan a wadi mfe 11. Bertie dii kan suaa Bible mu nokware no wɔ 1927 mu, bere a ne yere Edna wui asram kakraa bi akyi no. Wɔ mfe akron a edi hɔ mu no, ɔkaa Onyankopɔn Ahenni no ho asɛm wɔ Mauritius ne Madagascar nsupɔw no so ne Nyasaland (mprempren wɔfrɛ hɔ Malawi), Portuguese East Africa (mprempren wɔfrɛ hɔ Mozambique), ne South Africa.

Me ne Bertie waree asram kakraa bi akyi no, yɛne Lyall ne Donovan tu kɔɔ Johannesburg, faako a na Bertie betumi anya adwuma ayɛ ntɛm. Mede bere kakra yɛɛ ɔkwampaefo, sɛnea na wɔfrɛ Yehowa Adansefo bere nyinaa asomfo no. Na afei minyinsɛn Peter.

Yetu Kɔɔ Southern Rhodesia

Akyiri yi, Bertie nuabarima Jack frɛɛ yɛn sɛ yɛne no mmɛyɛ sika kɔkɔɔ ho adwuma wɔ Filabusi wɔ Southern Rhodesia. Me ne Bertie ne Peter a na wadi afe no kɔe, na me maame nso hwɛɛ Lyall ne Donovan wɔ saa bere tiaa no mu. Bere a yeduu Asubɔnten Mzingwani ho no na ayiri, enti na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛtra adaka bi a wɔtwe fa nnade ahama a wɔde asa nsu no so mu. Saa bere no na menyem Pauline asram asia na na ɛsɛ sɛ mede Peter bɔ me bo denneennen twa nsu no! Na misuro, ɛnkanka bere a yeduu mfinimfini a anka ahama no reyɛ aka nsu no. Afei nso na ɛyɛ ɔdasum na na nsu retɔ! Bere a yetwaa nsu no wiei no, na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛnantew bɛyɛ sɛ kilomita abien kɔ yɛn busuani bi fie.

Akyiri yi yɛkɔhwehwɛɛ dɔtedan bi a na yetua ho ka traa mu. Nkogua kakraa bi na na yɛwɔ—a na ebi yɛ nnaka a wɔnan sika wom na wɔde ayɛ. Na Pauline taa yare ntehyeewa na na yentumi ntotɔ nnuru a ohia no. Na midi awerɛhow kɛse, nanso anigyesɛm ne sɛ, bere biara a yare no bɛka ne ho no, na Pauline nya ahoɔden.

Wɔde Me ne Bertie Koguu Afiase

Ɔsram biara na yetwa kwan kilomita 80 kɔ Bulawayo kɔtɔn sika kɔkɔɔ ma ɛhɔ sikakorabea no. Na yɛkɔ Gwanda, kurow ketewa bi a na ɛbɛn Filabusi, kɔtɔ aduan san ka asɛmpa no nso. Wɔ 1940 mu, Wiase Ko II akyi afe biako no, wɔbaraa yɛn asɛnka adwuma no wɔ Southern Rhodesia.

Ankyɛ biara na wɔkyeree me, bere a na mereka asɛm no wɔ Gwanda no. Saa bere no, na menyem Estrella, me ba a ɔto so abiɛsa no. Bere a na wɔredi m’asɛm no, wɔkyeree Bertie sɛ ɔreka asɛmpa no, na wɔde no kɔtoo afiase wɔ Salisbury a ɛne faako a na yɛte no bɛyɛ kilomita 300.

Tebea a yɛkɔɔ mu saa bere no ni: Na Peter mene ase ayɛ kuru ma wɔde no akɔto ayaresabea wɔ Bulawayo, na na yennye nni sɛ obenya nkwa. Saa bere no ara mu na na mawo Estrella, na yɛn adamfo bi bɛfaa me fii ayaresabea hɔ kɔɔ afiase a Bertie da no maa no hwɛɛ ne babea foforo no. Akyiri yi a wɔampene so amma mamfa asɛm no ankɔdan obiara no, Indiani sotɔɔ wura bi a ɔwɔ sika kɛse huu me mmɔbɔ tuaa sika de dii me agyinam. Akyiri yi, polisifo mpanyimfo baasa baa beae a yetu sika no bɛfaa me kɔtoo afiase. Wɔkae sɛ mempaw hokwan abien yi mu biako. Sɛ mede me ba a wadi asram anum no bɛka me ho akɔ afiase anaasɛ megyaw no ama yɛn mma a wɔadu mpanyin afe so no, Lyall ne Donovan. Mede no kɔe.

Adwuma a wɔma meyɛe ne sɛ mepam ntaade a atetew na mesiesiee fie. Afei nso, wɔmaa me ɔbea bi a na ɔbɛboa ma yɛahwɛ Estrella. Na wɔfrɛ no Matossi, ababaawa bi a na wɔde no abɛto afiase afebɔɔ esiane sɛ na wakum ne kunu nti. Matossi sui bere a wogyaee me no efisɛ na onnya kwan nnyigye Estrella bio. Ɔbea a ɔhwɛ afiase hɔ no de me kɔɔ ne fie awia ma yekodidii na afei ɔde me faa keteke ma mekɔsraa Bertie wɔ Salisbury afiase.

Bere a na me ne Bertie wɔ afiase no, Lyall ne Donovan na na wɔhwɛ yɛn mma nkumaa Peter ne Pauline. Ɛwom sɛ na Donovan adi mfe 16 pɛ de, nanso ɔkɔɔ so hwɛɛ yɛn sika kɔkɔɔ adwuma no so. Bere a woyii Bertie fii afiase no, yesii gyinae sɛ yɛbɛkɔ Bulawayo esiane sɛ na sika ho adwuma no nkɔ so yiye nti. Wɔfaa Bertie wɔ keteke adwuma bi mu, na meyɛɛ m’adwuma sɛ ɔdepamfo de boaa sika a na yenya no.

Esiane sɛ na wobu Bertie adwuma a ɛne sɛ omiamia nnade mu no sɛ nea ehia nti, wɔamfa no anka asraafo no ho. Wɔ ɔko mfe no mu no, na Adansefo a wɔyɛ abrɔfo no mu pii a wɔwɔ Bulawayo no yɛ nhyiam wɔ yɛn dan ketewa biako no mu, na na anuanom abibifo kakraa bi nso hyiam wɔ kurow no fa baabi. Nanso ɛnnɛ, Yehowa Adansefo asafo horow a wɔyɛ abibifo ne abrɔfo a wɔaka abom no bɛboro 46 na ɛwɔ Bulawayo!

Ɔsom Adwuma a Yɛyɛe Wɔ Ɔko no Akyi

Bere a ɔko no baa awiei no, Bertie de too keteke adwumayɛfo no anim sɛ wonyi no nkɔ Umtali a (mprempren wɔfrɛ hɔ Mutare), kurow fɛfɛ a ɛne Mozambique bɔ hye no. Na yɛpɛ sɛ yɛkɔsom wɔ beae a Ahenni asɛmpakafo no ho hia kɛse, na na Umtali ne beae a ɛfata sɛ yɛkɔ esiane sɛ na Ɔdansefo biara nni hɔ nti. Wɔ bere tia bi a yɛde traa hɔ mu no, Holtshauzen abusua a na ne mmabarima baanum ka ho no bɛyɛɛ Adansefo. Mprempren, asafo ahorow 13 na ɛwɔ kurow no mu!

Wɔ 1947 mu no, yɛn abusua no susuw ho sɛ Bertie nsan mmɛyɛ ɔkwampaefo. Lyall, a na wakɔsom sɛ ɔkwampaefo wɔ South Africa aba no penee adwene yi so. Saa bere no, na Donovan reyɛ akwampae adwuma wɔ South Africa. Bere a Cape Town baa dwumadibea no tee sɛ Bertie pɛ sɛ ɔbɛyɛ ɔkwampaefo bio no, wɔhyɛɛ no nkuran sɛ ommue nhomatɔnbea wɔ Bulawayo mmom. Enti ogyaee keteke adwuma no na yetu kɔɔ hɔ. Ankyɛ koraa na Eric Cooke, George ne Ruby Bradley, Phyllis Kite, ne Myrtle Taylor, a wɔyɛ asɛmpatrɛwfo a wodii kan baa Southern Rhodesia no beduu Bulawayo.

Wɔ 1948 mu no, Nathan H. Knorr, Ɔwɛn Aban Asafo no titrani a ɔto so abiɛsa, ne ne kyerɛwfo Milton G. Henschel bɛsraa Bulawayo na wɔyɛɛ nhyehyɛe ma yɛde nhomatɔnbea no yɛɛ baa dwumadibea a na Onua Cooke hwɛ so. Yɛwoo yɛn babea Lindsay wɔ afe a edi hɔ no mu. Woyii baa dwumadibea no kɔɔ Southern Rhodesia kuropɔn Salisbury mu wɔ 1950 mu, na yɛn nso yetu kɔɔ hɔ. Yɛtɔɔ ɔdan kɛse bi wɔ hɔ na yɛtraa mu mfe pii. Na akwampaefo ne ahɔho ba yɛn fie hɔ daa, ma enti wɔbɛfrɛɛ hɔ sɛ McLuckie Ahɔhodan!

Wɔ 1953 mu no, me ne Bertie kɔɔ amanaman ntam ɔmantam nhyiam a Yehowa Adansefo yɛe wɔ Yankee Stadium a ɛwɔ New York City no bi. Nhyiam a ɛda nsow bɛn ara ni! Wɔ mfe anum akyi no, yɛne Lyall, Estrella, Lindsay, ne Jeremy a na wadi afe ne asram anan no kɔɔ amanaman ntam nhyiam kɛse a wɔyɛe wɔ 1958 mu wɔ Yankee Stadium ne Polo Grounds a ɛbɛn hɔ no. Nnipa a wɔsen biara mpem ahanu aduonum na wobetiee baguam kasa a wɔmaa no da a etwa to no!

Yɛn Asɛnka Dwumadi Foforo

Wɔ mfe 14 mu no, na Bertie fi fie kɔyɛ adwuma wɔ baa dwumadibea a ɛwɔ Salisbury no, nanso yesii gyinae sɛ yɛbɛkɔ akɔsom wɔ beae a mmoa ho hia kɛse wɔ Seychelles. Yɛtɔn yɛn dan ne emu nneɛma bi na yɛboaboaa nkae no ano guu yɛn Opel kar mu. Yɛne Lindsay a na wadi mfe 12 ne Jeremy a na wadi mfe 5 no twaa mfutukwan bi a na ɛso atutu kilomita 3,000 kɔɔ Northern Rhodesia (mprempren wɔfrɛ hɔ Zambia), Tanganyika (mprempren ɛwɔ Tanzania), ne Kenya, na awiei koraa no yekoduu Mombasa kurow a hyɛn gyina hɔ no mu.

Na Mombasa yɛ beae a ɛhɔ yɛ hyew ankasa, nanso na ɛwowɔ mpoano a ɛyɛ fɛ. Yegyaa yɛn kar no wɔ Ɔdansefo bi fie na yɛtraa hyɛmma bi mu twaa nnansa kwan kɔɔ Seychelles. Bere a yeduu hɔ no, Norman Gardner, a na Ɔdansefo bi aka Bible mu mfiase nokware no akyerɛ no wɔ Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika no, behyiaa yɛn. Ɔyɛɛ dan bi a wosi maa polisifo a na wɔbɔ Greek Ortodɔks Sɔfopanyin Makarios a na wɔatwa no asu afi Cyprus wɔ 1956 mu no ho ban wom wɔ Sans Souci Pass ho nhyehyɛe maa yɛn ma yetuaa ho ka.

Esiane sɛ na yɛn dan no atew ne ho dodo nti, wɔ ɔsram biako akyi no, yetu kɔɔ beae a ɛbɛn Beau Vallon mpoano. Na yɛto nsa frɛ nkurɔfo ma wobetie Bertie kasa ahorow a na ɔma wɔ yɛn abrannaa so no. Yɛne Bindschedler abusua no fii Bible adesua ase, na asram kakraa bi akyi no, Bertie bɔɔ wɔne ɔbea bi a wɔafa no ayɛ wɔn ba ne Norman Gardner ne ne yere nyinaa asu. Na yɛne Norman de ne hyɛmma tu kwan kɔ Cerf Island ma Bertie kɔma Bible mu kasa wɔ dan a wɔde ahyɛmma sisi mu no mu nso.

Yedii asram anan wɔ Seychelles no, polisifo panyin no ka kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ yennyae asɛmpa no ka, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛpam yɛn afi hɔ. Na yenni sika kɛse, na na mesan nyem. Yɛyɛɛ yɛn adwene sɛ yɛbɛkɔ so aka asɛmpa no. Na yenim sɛ ɛyɛ dɛn ara a ɛnkyɛ biara yebefi hɔ. Bere a hyɛmma foforo fi India bae wɔ bɛyɛ ɔsram akyi no, wɔde yɛn traa mu fii hɔ kɔe.

Amanehunu a Yebetoom

Yeduu Mombasa no, yɛkɔfaa yɛn kar no na yɛde yɛn ani kyerɛɛ mpoano kwan a ɛda anaafo fam no so. Bere a yeduu Tanga no, yɛn kar no engine sɛee. Na yɛn sika aka kakraa bi, nanso yɛn busuani bi ne Ɔdansefo biako boaa yɛn. Bere a na yɛwɔ Mombasa no, onua bi ka kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ sɛ yɛbɛkɔ akɔka asɛm no wɔ Somalia a, ɔbɛboa yɛn. Nanso na mente apɔw, enti yɛpɛe ankasa sɛ yɛbɛsan akɔ Southern Rhodesia.

Yɛkɔfaa Tanganyika kɔɔ Nyasaland na yɛde yɛn ani kyerɛɛ atɔe fam kɔɔ Lake Nyasa a mprempren wɔfrɛ no Lake Malawi no ho. Me yare no mu yɛɛ den araa ma meka kyerɛɛ Bertie sɛ onsi me ma minwu wɔ kwan so! Na yɛabɛn Lilongwe kurow no mu, enti ɔde me kɔɔ hɔ ayaresabea. Paane bi a wɔwɔɔ me no maa minyaa ahotɔ kakra. Esiane sɛ na mintumi ntra kar no mu mma yɛnkɔ nti, Bertie ne mmofra no toaa so kɔɔ Blantyre a ɛwɔ bɛyɛ kilomita 400 no. Wɔ nna kakra bi akyi no, yɛn busuani bi boaa me ma metraa wimhyɛn mu kɔkaa wɔn ho. Metraa wimhyɛn mu fi Blantyre kɔɔ Salisbury, na Bertie ne mmofra no traa kar mu baa fie.

Hwɛ sɛnea yɛn nyinaa ani gyei sɛ yekoduu Salisbury wɔ yɛn babea Pauline ne ne kunu fie! Yɛwoo yɛn kaakyire Andrew wɔ 1963 mu. Onyaa aharawa mu yare bi a na ɛyɛ hu na na yennye nni sɛ obenya nkwa, nanso anigyesɛm ne sɛ onyaa nkwa. Akyiri yi, yetu kɔɔ South Africa na awiei no yɛkɔɔ fie wɔ Pietermaritzburg.

Yɛn Abusua no Mufo Nyinaa Wɔ Anigye

Bertie wui wɔ asomdwoe mu wɔ 1995 mu a na wadi mfe 94, na efi saa bere no me nkutoo na matra yɛn fie a ɛwɔ ha no mu. Nanso menyɛ ankonam! Lyall ne Pauline ne wɔn mmusua wɔ South Africa ha resom Yehowa, na wɔn mmusua no mufo bi tete Pietermaritzburg ha. Lindsay ne n’abusua wɔ California, U.S.A., resom sɛ Adansefo a wɔyɛ nnam. Yɛn mma nkumaa baanu, Jeremy ne Andrew, tu kɔɔ Australia, na wɔn nyinaa awareware a wɔwɔ anigye na wɔresom sɛ mpanyimfo wɔ wɔn asafo ahorow mu.

Yɛn mma baawɔtwe no nyinaa asom pɛn sɛ akwampaefo, na wɔn mu baasia asom pɛn wɔ Ɔwɛn Aban Asafo no baa dwumadibea ahorow. Donovan wiee Ɔwɛn Aban Gilead Bible Sukuu adesuakuw a ɛto so 16 wɔ February 1951 mu, na ɔsomee sɛ ɔhwɛfo kwantufo wɔ United States ansa na ɔreba South Africa baa dwumadibea. Mprempren ɔresom sɛ Kristoni panyin wɔ Klerksdorp a efi Pietermaritzburg rekɔ hɔ yɛ kilomita 700 no. Estrella ne ne kunu Jack Jones resom wɔ Yehowa Adansefo wiase nyinaa adwumayɛbea ti wɔ Brooklyn, New York.

Me ba panyin Peter de mfe bi somee sɛ bere nyinaa somfo wɔ akwampae adwuma no mu ne Ɔwɛn Aban Asafo no baa dwumadibea a ɛwɔ Rhodesia no. Nanso, mfe kakra a abɛsen kɔ no, me werɛ howee bere a ofii Kristofo asafo no mu no.

Sɛ misusuw mfe a abɛsen kɔ no ho a, mitumi hu sɛ mewɔ anigye ankasa sɛ me ne me maame baa Africa bere a na meyɛ ababaa no. Ɛwom sɛ ɛnyɛ bere nyinaa na asetra yɛ mmerɛw de, nanso ɛyɛ hokwan a manya sɛ meboaa me kunu ma yɛtetee abusua a emufo atumi aka Onyankopɔn Ahenni no ho asɛm wɔ Afrika anaafo fam no.—Mateo 24:14.

[Ase hɔ nsɛm]

[Asase mfonini wɔ kratafa 14, 15]

(Wopɛ nsɛm a wɔahyehyɛ awie no a, hwɛ nhoma no mu)

SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town

Pietermaritzburg

Klerksdorp

Johannesburg

Pretoria

ZIMBABWE

Gwanda

Bulawayo

Filabusi

Gweru

Mutare

Harare

ZAMBIA

MOZAMBIQUE

MALAWI

Blantyre

Lilongwe

TANZANIA

Dar es Salaam

Tanga

KENYA

Mombasa

SEYCHELLES

SOMALIA

[Kratafa 12 mfonini]

Yɛne Peter, Pauline, ne Estrella, ansa na wɔde me ne Estrella rekɔ afiase

[Kratafa 13 mfonini]

Lyall ne Donovan a wɔwɔ yɛn dɔtedan a ɛbɛn Filabusi no anim

[Kratafa 15 mfonini]

Me ne Bertie, Lyall, Pauline, Peter, Donovan, wɔ 1940 mu

[Kratafa 16 mfonini ahorow]

Carmen ne ne mma baanan no (efi benkum kɔ nifa): Donovan, bere a na ɔwɔ Gilead wɔ 1951 mu no, ne Jeremy, Lindsay, Estrella, ne Andrew nnɛ