M’ani Sɔ Kristofo Apɛgyade A Ɛsom Bo no

SƐNEA GWEN GOOCH KA KYERƐE

Na meto dwom bi a ekura saa nsɛm yi, ‘Yehowa Ɔkɛseɛ a ɔte ahengua so’ wɔ sukuu. Na metaa dwen sɛ, ‘Hena ne saa Yehowa yi?’

NA ME nananom suro Onyankopɔn. Wɔde wɔn ho bɔɔ Bible Asuafo no, sɛnea na wɔfrɛ Yehowa Adansefo saa bere no, wɔ afeha yi mfiase mu hɔ. Na me papa nim aguadi yiye, nanso wamfa Kristofo apɛgyade a wɔde maa no no amma ne mma baasa no.

Ɛyɛ bere a Paapa de nhomawa a wɔato din His Works ne Who Is God? maa me ne me nuanom Douglas ne Anne nkutoo na mihui sɛ nokware Nyankopɔn no din ne Yehowa. (Dwom 83:18) M’ani gyei! Nanso dɛn na na asan akanyan anigye a Paapa wɔ no?

Wɔ 1938 mu, bere a Paapa hui sɛ amanaman no rebɛko no, ohui sɛ ebegye nea ɛsen nnipa mmɔdenbɔ na wiase haw ahorow no atumi afi hɔ. Yɛn nanabea maa no nhoma Enemies a Yehowa Adansefo na wotintimii. Bere a ɔkenkanee no, ohui sɛ adesamma tamfo ankasa ne Satan Ɔbonsam na Onyankopɔn Ahenni nkutoo na ebetumi de wiase asomdwoe aba.a—Daniel 2:44; 2 Korintofo 4:4.

Bere a ɔko no rebɛn no, yɛn abusua no fii ase kɔɔ nhyiam wɔ Yehowa Adansefo Ahenni Asa a ɛwɔ Wood Green, North London no so. Wɔ June 1939 mu no, yɛkɔɔ Alexandra Palace a ɛbɛn hɔ no kotiee baguam ɔkasa a wɔato din, “Nniso ne Asomdwoe,” a Joseph F. Rutherford, Ɔwɛn Aban Asafo no titrani a na ɔwɔ hɔ saa bere no mae no. Wɔde ɔkasa a Rutherford mae wɔ New York City Madison Square Garden no faa radio so kɔɔ London ne nkurow akɛse foforo so. Na yetumi te ɔkasa no yiye araa ma bere a basabasayɛfo kuw bi a wɔwɔ New York maa ɛhɔ yɛɛ bagyabagya no, mehwɛɛ yɛn nhyiam asa so hɔ hyiae sɛ mehu sɛ ebia ɛhɔ na bagyabagya no asi anaa!

Paapa Mmɔdenbɔ Wɔ Bible mu Nokware Ho

Paapa kae sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ yɛn abusua no nyinaa bom yɛ Bible adesua Memeneda biara. Na yɛde yɛn adesua no gyina Bible asɛm a ɛwɔ Ɔwɛn-Aban adesua a yebesusuw ho da a edi hɔ mu no so. Sɛ mɛka tumi a saa adesua ahorow yi nyae no ho asɛm a, ɛde besi nnɛ no meda so ara kae kyerɛwtohɔ a ɛfa Yosua ne kurow Ai nkahyem ho a wɔkaa ho asɛm wɔ May 1, 1939 Engiresi Ɔwɛn-Aban mu no pefee. M’ani gyee saa kyerɛwtohɔ no ho araa ma mehwɛɛ ho nsɛm nyinaa wɔ m’ankasa me Bible mu. Nhwehwɛmu a ɛte saa maa me ho dwiriw me—na ɛda so ara yɛ saa.

Nea na yɛresua no a yɛkaa ho asɛm kyerɛɛ afoforo no maa Bible nkyerɛkyerɛ no duu me koma mu. Da koro bi Paapa de gramofon a Bible mu ɔkasa wɔ so, nhomawa a wɔde yɛ Bible adesua, ne aberewa bi address maa me. Na afei ɔka kyerɛɛ me sɛ menkɔ ne nkyɛn.

Mibisae sɛ: “Dɛn na merekɔka, na dɛn na menyɛ?”

Paapa maa mmuae sɛ: “Ne nyinaa wom.” “Bɔ apaawa no kɛkɛ, na kenkan nsɛmmisa no, ma ofiewura no nkenkan mmuae no, na afei kenkan kyerɛw nsɛm no.”

Meyɛɛ nea ɔka kyerɛɛ me no, na menam saayɛ so suaa sɛnea wɔyɛ Bible adesua. Kyerɛwnsɛm a mede dii dwuma wɔ me som adwuma mu saa no maa metee ase yiye.

Nsɛnnennen Wɔ Ɔko Mfe no Mu

Wiase ko II pae gui 1939 mu, na afe a edi hɔ no wɔbɔɔ me asu de yɛɛ me ho a mihyiraa sɛ mɛsom Yehowa no ho sɛnkyerɛnne. Na madi mfe 13 pɛ. Misii gyinae saa bere no sɛ mɛyɛ ɔkwampaefo, sɛnea wɔfrɛ bere nyinaa asomfo no. Migyaee sukuu wɔ 1941 mu, na wɔ nhyiam a wɔyɛe wɔ Leicester ase no, mekɔkaa Douglas ho wɔ bere nyinaa som adwuma no mu.

Afe a edi hɔ no, wɔde Paapa kɔtoo afiase esiane ahonim mu a ofi poo ɔko nti. Yɛn mmofra no boaa yɛn maame ma ɔhwɛɛ yɛn fie no so wɔ ɔko bere a na emu yɛ den no mu. Afei, bere a wogyaee Paapa ara pɛ na wɔfrɛɛ Douglas sɛ onkosua sraadi. Ɛhɔnom atesɛm krataa bi asɛmti kae sɛ, “Nea Enti a Ɔba Paw Afiasenna Te sɛ N’agya.” Adansedi a ɛfata fii mu bae efisɛ yenyaa hokwan de kyerɛkyerɛɛ nea enti a nokware Kristofo nkunkum wɔn yɔnko nnipa no mu.—Yohane 13:35; 1 Yohane 3:10-12.

Wɔ saa ɔko mfe no mu no, na Adansefo pii a wɔyɛ bere nyinaa asomfo taa bɛsra yɛn wɔ yɛn fie, na wɔn nsɛm a ɛma denhyɛ a egyina Bible so no nyaa me so nkɛntɛnso kɛse. Na anuanom Kristofo anokwafo yi mu bi ne John Barr ne Albert Schroeder, a mprempren wɔyɛ Yehowa Adansefo Sodikuw no mufo no. Na m’awofo pɛ ahɔhoyɛ ankasa, na wɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ yɛnyɛ saa ara.—Hebrifo 13:2.

Misiesie Me Ho sɛ Mɛma Mmuae

Bere a mifii akwampae adwuma ase no, ankyɛ koraa na mihyiaa Hilda wɔ afie afie asɛnka mu. Ɔde abufuw kae sɛ: “Me kunu rekɔko ama nnipa te sɛ mo! Dɛn nti na monyɛ biribi wɔ ɔko no ho?”

Mekae sɛ: “Dɛn na wunim wɔ nea mereyɛ no ho? Wunim nea enti a maba wo nkyɛn no?”

Ɔmaa mmuae sɛ: “Ɛnde, eye sɛ wobɛba mu abɛka akyerɛ me.”

Mitumi kyerɛkyerɛɛ mu sɛ yɛrema nkurɔfo a wɔrehu amane esiane nneɛma bɔne a mpɛn pii wɔyɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn din mu nti no—anya nokware anidaso. Hilda fi anisɔ mu tiei, na ɔbɛyɛɛ obi a odi kan a me ne no yɛɛ Bible adesua daa. Mprempren ɔde bɛboro mfe 55 ayɛ Ɔdansefo a ɔyɛ nnam.

Bere a ɔko no baa awiei no, minyaa akwampae dwumadi foforo wɔ Dorchester, kurow a ɛwɔ England kesee fam atɔe. Na eyi ne bere a edi kan a mifii fie kɔtraa baabi. Na yɛn asafo ketewa no hyiam wɔ adidibea bi, ɔdan a wɔfrɛ no “The Old Tea House” a wosii wɔ afeha a ɛtɔ so 16 mu no mu. Na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛhyehyɛ apon ne nkongua no ma yɛn nhyiam biara. Na ɛne Ahenni Asa a minim no nsɛ koraa. Nanso, na honhom mu aduan ne Kristofo fekuw a ɔdɔ wom no ara bi wɔ hɔ.

Saa bere yi na m’awofo atu kɔ Tunbridge Wells, a ɛwɔ London kesee fam no. Mesan kɔɔ fie na ama matumi ne Paapa ne Anne atumi abom ayɛ akwampae adwuma no. Ankyɛ koraa na Adansefo a wɔwɔ yɛn asafo mu no dodow fi 12 kɔɔ 70, enti wɔka kyerɛɛ yɛn abusua no sɛ yentu nkɔ Brighton wɔ kesee fam mpoano, baabi a Ahenni adawurubɔfo ho hia kɛse no. Nnipa pii ne yɛn abusua no mufo a wɔyɛ akwampaefo no boom de nnamyɛ yɛɛ asɛnka adwuma no, na Yehowa hyiraa yɛn adwuma no kɛse. Ankyɛ na asafo biako no bɛyɛɛ abiɛsa!

Nsa a Wɔto Frɛɛ Me Mpofirim

Wɔ 1950 ahohuru bere mu no, na yɛn abusua no ka nhyiamfo 850 a wofi Britania kɔɔ Teokrase Nkɔso Amanaman Ntam Nhyiam wɔ New York City Yankee Stadium no ho. Wɔde akwammisa krataa menaa akwampaefo pii a wofi amannɔne kɔɔ nhyiam no sɛ wɔnkɔ Ɔwɛn Aban Gilead Bible Sukuu a na ɛwɔ South Lansing, New York no bi. Na me ne Douglas ne Anne ka wɔn ho! Mekae sɛ bere a na mede m’akwammisa krataa a mahyehyɛ awie no reto amenade adaka no mu no, mekae wɔ me tirim sɛ: ‘Afei de mawie! Dɛn na m’asetra bɛyɛ?’ Nanso na me tirimbɔ ne sɛ: “Mini! soma me!” (Yesaia 6:8) M’ani gyei bere a wɔka kyerɛɛ me sɛ mentwɛn wɔ nhyiam no akyi na me ne Douglas ne Anne nyinaa nkɔ Gilead adesua kuw a ɛto so 16 no bi no. Na yɛn nyinaa nim yiye sɛ wobetumi de yɛn akɔ wiase no fã baabiara sɛ asɛmpatrɛwfo.

Bere a yɛkɔɔ nhyiam no boom sɛ abusua wiei no, bere soe sɛ yɛn awofo nkutoo—san kɔ England. Yɛn baasa ne wɔn dii nkra bere a na wɔde hyɛn a wɔfrɛ no Mauritania rekɔ fie no. Ntetewmu a ɛkanyan nkate bɛn ara ni!

Asɛmpatrɛw Dwumadi Horow

Na Gilead adesuakuw a ɛto so 16 no mu adesuafo no yɛ 120 a wofi wiase afanan nyinaa a ebinom a wohuu amane wɔ Nazi nneduaban mu nso ka ho. Esiane sɛ wɔkyerɛɛ yɛn adesuakuw no Spania kasa nti, yɛhwɛɛ kwan sɛ wɔde yɛn bɛkɔ Amerika Kesee fam ɔman bi a wɔka Spania kasa mu. Fa w’ani bu sɛnea ɛyɛɛ yɛn nwonwa da a yewiee sukuu no sɛ yehui sɛ wɔama Douglas dwumadi wɔ Japan, na me ne Anne rekɔ Syria. Enti na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛn mmeawa no sua Arabic kasa, na yɛkɔɔ so yɛɛ saa bere a wɔsesaa yɛn dwumadi de yɛn kɔɔ Lebanon mpo no. Bere a na yɛretwɛn yɛn tumi krataa a ɛbɛma yɛakɔ hɔ no, yesuaa Arabic kasa mprenu dapɛn biara fii George Shakashiri, Ɔwɛn Aban Asafo no dwumayɛni a ɔhyehyɛ nkyerɛwde a wɔde tintim Arabic kasa mu Ɔwɛn-Aban no hɔ.

Hwɛ anigye kɛse a na ɛyɛ sɛ yɛrebɛkɔ asase a wɔka ho asɛm wɔ Bible mu a yɛasua ho ade wɔ adesua ase no so! Yɛne Keith ne Joyce Chew, Edna Stackhouse, Olive Turner, Doreen Warburton, ne Doris Wood na ɛkɔɔ hɔ. Asɛmpatrɛw abusua a wɔwɔ anigye bɛn ara na na yɛyɛ sɛɛ yi! Ɔdansefo bi a ofi hɔ bɛboaa yɛn bio wɔ kasa no ho. Wɔ yɛn da biara adesua bere mu no, na yesua asɛm tiawa a yɛbɛka, na ɛno akyi no, yɛde kodi dwuma wɔ asɛnka adwuma no mu.

Yɛde mfe kakra a edi kan no traa Tripoli, baabi a na wɔahyehyɛ asafo wɔ hɔ no. Me ne Joyce, Edna, Olive, Doreen, Doris, ne Anne boaa hɔnom Adansefo yerenom ne wɔn mmabea ma wonyaa asafo nhyiam ne baguam ɔsom adwuma no nso mu kyɛfa. Ɛde besi saa bere no, na esiane ɛhɔ amammerɛ akyi a na yɛn nuanom Kristofo mmarima ne mmea di nti, na wɔntra mmom wɔ nhyiam ase, na na Kristofo anuawanom ntaa nyɛ afie afie asɛnka adwuma no. Na yehia wɔn ma wɔaboa yɛn wɔ kasa no mu bere a yɛreyɛ baguam asɛnka no, na yɛhyɛɛ wɔn nkuran sɛ wɔn ankasa mfa wɔn ho nhyem.

Akyiri yi wɔmaa me ne Anne kɔboaa Adansefo kuw ketewa bi a ɛwɔ tete kurow Sidon mu no. Ankyɛ koraa na wɔkae sɛ yɛnsan mmra kuropɔn Beirut mu. Na wɔagu Bible mu nokware aba no wɔ beae a wɔka Armenia kasa no, enti yesuaa saa kasa no na yɛde aboa wɔn.

Dwumadi a Wɔsakraa No

Na mahyia Wilfred Gooch dedaw ansa na merefi England. Na ɔyɛ onua mmɔdenbɔfo a ɔwɔ tema a na wasom wɔ London Betel. Na Wilf yɛ Gilead adesuakuw a ɛto so 15 a wowiee wɔn adesua wɔ nhyiam a wɔyɛe wɔ Yankee Stadium wɔ 1950 mu no muni. Na ne dwumadi sɛ ɔsɛmpatrɛwfo no ne Ɔwɛn Aban Asafo no baa dwumadibea a ɛwɔ Nigeria no, na na yenya nkitahodi wɔ bere bi mu. Yɛn baanu nyinaa kɔɔ “Ahenni a Edi Nkonim” ɔmantam nhyiam a wɔyɛe wɔ London wɔ 1955 mu no, na ɛno akyi bere tiaa bi no yɛyɛɛ aware nhyehyɛe. Afe a edi hɔ no, yɛwaree wɔ Ghana, na mekɔkaa Wilf ho wɔ n’asɛmpatrɛw dwumadi no mu wɔ Lagos, Nigeria.

Bere a migyaw Anne wɔ Lebanon akyi no, ɔwaree onua Kristoni bi a ɔwɔ suban pa a osuaa Bible mu nokware no wɔ Jerusalem. M’awofo antumi amma yɛn ayeforo no bi, efisɛ me ne Douglas ne Anne waree wɔ wiase afa foforo. Nanso, na wɔwɔ akomatɔyam bere a na wonim sɛ yɛn nyinaa resom yɛn Nyankopɔn Yehowa wɔ anigye mu no.

Adwuma Wɔ Nigeria

Wɔ baa dwumadibea a na ɛwɔ Lagos no, dwumadi a wɔde hyɛɛ me nsa ne sɛ mesiesie yɛn baa dwumadibea a emufo si baawɔtwe no dan mu na manoa wɔn aduan asi wɔn ntade. Na ɛda adi sɛ ɛnyɛ okunu nko na manya, na mmom abusua foforo nso!

Me ne Wilf suaa Bible mu asɛntiaa a wɔka kyerɛ wɔ Yoruba kasa mu, na yenyaa yɛn mmɔdenbɔ no so akatua. Mprempren sukuuni kumaa bi a yehyiaa no no wɔ ɔbabarima ne ɔbabea a wɔresom wɔ Nigeria Betel abusua kɛse a emufo bɛyɛ sɛ 400 no mu.

Wɔtoo nsa frɛɛ Wilf wɔ 1963 mu sɛ ɔnkɔ asram du sukuu titiriw bi wɔ Brooklyn, New York. Bere a owiei no, wɔsan maa no dwumadi wɔ England a na ɔnhwɛ kwan. Mekaa Nigeria na wɔmaa me nnafua 14 pɛ sɛ memfa nhyia Wilf wɔ London. Na minhu nea menyɛ efisɛ na Nigeria dwumadi yɛ anigye paa. Bere a mede mfe 14 asom wɔ amannɔne no, na egye bere ansa na yɛatumi ayɛ asetram nsakrae wɔ England. Nanso, yɛn ani gyei sɛ yɛabɛn yɛn awofo a wɔn mfe akɔ anim no bio na yebetumi ahwɛ wɔn.

Yɛn Anidaso Hyɛ Yɛn Den

Efi 1980 no, minyaa hokwan ne Wilf tutuu akwan kɔɔ aman pii so bere a na ɔresom sɛ dantaban sohwɛfo no. Na mehwɛ Nigeria a yɛbɛsan akɔ hɔ no kwan titiriw. Akyiri yi yɛkɔɔ Scandinavia, West Indies, ne Middle East nso—Lebanon ka ho. Na ɛyɛ anigyesɛm soronko sɛ mede anigye kae nea abɛsen kɔ no bere a mihu wɔn a na minim wɔn sɛ mmofra a na wɔresom sɛ Kristofo mpanyimfo no.

Awerɛhosɛm ne sɛ, me kunu a medɔ no no wui 1992 fefɛw bere mu. Na wadi mfe 69 pɛ. Na ɛyɛ awerɛhosɛm kɛse, efisɛ ɛbaa mpofirim. Sɛ obi a ɔde bɛboro mfe 35 aware no, na egye bere na matumi ayɛ nsakrae. Nanso manya mmoa ne ɔdɔ pii afi me Kristofo abusua a wɔwɔ wiase nyinaa no nkyɛn. Manya osuahu a ɛyɛ anigye pii a metumi asusuw ho.

M’awofo baanu nyinaa yɛɛ nhwɛso pa wɔ Kristofo mudi mu kura mu. Maame wui 1981 na Paapa wui 1986. Douglas ne Anne gu so de nokwaredi resom Yehowa. Douglas ne ne yere Kam asan aba London, na wɔakɔ so atra hɔ wɔ Paapa hwɛ no akyi. Anne ne n’abusua wɔ United States. Yɛn nyinaa ani sɔ anidaso ne apɛgyade a Onyankopɔn de ama no kɛse. Yɛkɔ so ‘nya boasetɔ,’ na yɛhwɛ bere a ateasefo ne wɔn adɔfo a wɔanyan wɔn no bɛbom asom sɛ Yehowa asase so abusua no mufo daa no kwan.—Kwadwom 3:24.

[Ase hɔ asɛm]

[Kratafa 23 mfonini ahorow]

Efi atifi benkum so kɔ nifa so:

Gwen a wadi mfe 13 a ɔreyɛ Bible adesua ho ɔyɛkyerɛ wɔ Ahenni Asa a ɛwɔ Enfield no so

Asɛmpatrɛwfo abusua wɔ Tripoli, Lebanon, wɔ 1951 mu

Gwen ne ne kunu Wilf a wawu no