Tenɔnɔ Ðe Kplamatsedonuwo Nu to Taɖodzinuwo Ðoɖo Me

AƑE aɖe si te ɖe New York ƒe LaGuardia Yameʋudzeƒe ŋu ye nye William (Bill) Meiners kple srɔ̃a, Rose, ƒe aƒeme. Le aƒe sia me la, Rose, si nye nyɔnu amedzroxɔla kɔdɔmeɖeameŋu si le eƒe ƒe 70-awo me, tsɔa dzidzɔ xɔa eƒe amedzrowo. Le xɔa me la, anyinɔƒexɔ lédzinamea ɖe alesi gbegbe wòdia nyui na amee fia. Seƒoƒo dzeani siwo woɖo ɖe ɖoɖo nyui nu le ʋɔtrua nu kple nutata siwo le amadede vovovo me le glia ŋu ɖe vivisese kple dzidzɔ ƒe seselelãme ɖe agbenɔnɔ ŋu fia.

Xɔ si tsiã ɖe anyinɔƒexɔa ŋu si me kɔ nyuie lae nye afisi wotsɔ Bill, si xɔ ƒe 77, mlɔ aba dzi le, eye eƒe dzime nɔ beli si ŋu wote ŋu trɔa asi le alesi wodii la dzi. Ne ekpɔ eƒe amedzrowo la, dzidzɔ dzena le mo nɛ eye wòkoa alɔgbɔnu. Edzronɛ be yeatso, ana asi amea ahawɔ atuu nɛ, gake mate ŋui o. Bill tu tso eƒe kɔ vaseɖe afɔ gbɔ, negbe eƒe miasi koe wòte ŋu zãna.

Esi wònye lãmesẽkuxiwo dze fuɖeɖe na Bill tso esime wòxɔ ƒe 26 ta la, wobiae be wòagblɔ nusi kpe ɖe eŋu wònɔ te ɖe dɔlélewo nu ƒe blaatɔ̃ kple edzivɔ sɔŋ. Bill kple Rose tsɔ nukomo kpɔ wo nɔewo ŋkume. Rose gblɔ be, “Míenya ame aɖeke si le dɔ lém o!” eye eƒe nukoko xɔ xɔa me. Dzidzɔ dze le Bill ƒe ŋkuwo dzi; eko nu ɖe veme helɔ̃ ta tsɔ lɔ̃ ɖe nyaa dzi. Eƒo nu ɖe veme gblɔ be: “Ame aɖeke mele dɔ lém le afisia o.” Rose kple Bill gblɔ fefenya geɖe, ale wɔ nukoko xɔ xɔa me. Edze ƒã be, lɔlɔ̃ si nɔ Bill kple Rose me na wo nɔewo le esime wodo go le keke September 1945 me la nu kpɔtɔ sẽ. Wogabia Bill ake be: “Gake le anukware me la, kplamatsedonu kawo mee nèto? Eye nukae kpe ɖe ŋuwò nènɔ te ɖe enu si wɔe be dzi dzɔa wò le agbe me kokoko?” Le nya aɖewo me ɖeɖe nɛ tufafatɔe vɔ megbe la, Bill lɔ̃ be yeagblɔ eƒe ŋutinya. Nya siwo gbɔna nye dze vovovo siwo Nyɔ! ɖo kple Bill kple srɔ̃a la ƒe ɖewo.

Kplamatsedonuwo Dze Egɔme

Le October 1949 me—si nye ƒe etɔ̃ le woa kple Rose ƒe srɔ̃ɖeɖe vɔ megbe eye wònye ɣleti etɔ̃ le wo vinyɔnu, Vicki, dzidzi megbe—la, wona Bill nya be kansa to ɖe eƒe gbeɖiɖikawo dometɔ ɖeka ŋu, eye wokoe heɖee ɖa. Le  ɣleti ʋɛ aɖewo megbe la, Bill ƒe ɖɔkta gblɔ dzigbãnya bubu nɛ—be kansa la gblẽ nu le eƒe gbeɖiɖigoe bliboa katã ŋu. “Wogblɔ nam be ne womewɔ dɔ nam—si nye gbeɖiɖigoe bliboa katã ɖeɖe ɖa—o la, ke ƒe eve koe maganɔ agbe.”

Wogblɔ nusi anye dɔwɔwɔname sia me tsonu na Bill kple Rose. Gbeɖiɖigoe nye lãmenu si tsiã kple aɖe ƒe gɔmedzeƒe hedidi vaseɖe vehloka si me ya tona nu. Gbeɖiɖika eve le gbeɖiɖigoea me. Ne ya tso dzitodzitoa me va to gbeɖiɖikaawo me la, woʋuʋuna eye gbeɖiɖi dona. Ne woɖe gbeɖiɖigoea ɖa la, wotsɔa vehloka si me ya tona ta me tsiãna ɖe mɔ aɖe si woɖena to kɔa ŋgɔ na ame koŋ la nu. Le dɔa wɔwɔ na ame vɔ megbe la, dɔnɔa gbɔna toa mɔ si le eƒe kɔa ŋu me—gake eƒe gbe tsina.

Bill gblɔ be: “Esi mese numeɖeɖe sia la, dzi kum. Vinyɔnu sue le mía si, dɔwɔɖui nyui aɖe nɔ asinye, míenɔ mɔ kpɔm na nu gãwo le míaƒe agbe me, eye fifia nusianu si menɔ mɔ kpɔm na la dome gblẽ keŋkeŋ.” Gake esi gbeɖiɖigoe bliboa ɖeɖeɖa ate ŋu axɔ Bill ɖe agbe ta la, elɔ̃ be woawɔ dɔa na ye. Bill gblɔ be: “Le dɔa wɔwɔ nam vɔ megbe la, nyemegate ŋu mia nu toa veme o. Nyemete ŋu gblɔ nya ɖeka hɔ̃ hã o. Mezu mumu.” Esi Rose va srã Bill kpɔ la, agbalẽ dzi koe wòŋlɔa nyawo ɖo tsɔ ɖoa dze kplii. Enye blanuiléɣi ale gbegbe. Be woanɔ te ɖe kplamatsedonu sia nu la, woɖo taɖodzinu yeyewo na wo ɖokui.

Numaƒomaƒo Kple Dɔwɔɖuimanɔamesi

Menye nu koe Bill megate ŋu ƒona le gbeɖiɖigoe bliboa ɖeɖe nɛ megbe o, ke dɔwɔɖui hã megava nɔ esi o. Mɔ̃e wòzãna tsɔ wɔa dɔe tsã, gake fifia esi wònye mɔ si le eƒe kɔ ŋu mee wògbɔna tona ta la, ʋuʋudedi kple dzudzɔ ate ŋu agblẽ nu le eƒe dzitodzito ŋu. Ehiã be wòadi dɔ bubu. Togbɔ be megaƒoa nu o hã la, ede eɖokui suku aɖe si wosrɔ̃a gaƒoɖokuiwɔwɔ le. Bill gblɔ be: “Ede sɔsɔ ge kple nye dɔ xoxoa. Menya alesi woafɔ mɔ̃ ƒe akpa vovovowo akpee, eye mɔ̃ ƒe akpa vovovowo fɔfɔkpe kee gaƒoɖokuiwo wɔwɔ hã nye. Negbe ɖeko eƒe akpa vovovoawo ƒe kpekpeme mede tsãtɔ siwo te ŋu dena kilogram 22 nu o!” Le gaƒoɖokuiwɔwɔ ƒe sukua nuwuwu vɔ megbe teti ko la, ekpɔ dɔ va nye gaƒoɖokuiwɔla. Eɖo taɖodzinu ɖeka gbɔ.

Gake Bill dze nuƒoƒo ɖe veme sɔsrɔ̃ suku hã dede gɔme. Le nuƒoƒo ɖe veme gome la, menye gbeɖiɖikawoe naa gbe ɖina o ke boŋ vehloa, si me nuɖuɖu tona yia dɔgboa me, ƒe ʋuʋu ye naa gbe ɖina. Gbã la, wosrɔ̃a alesi woalɔ ya to nu me azi edzi wòage ɖe vehloa me. Emegbe amea ƒãna be ya la nado vivivi. Ne ya la le dodom la, enaa vehloa me ʋuʋuna. Esia naa vemegbeɖiɖi aɖe dona, si ŋu ame ate ŋu atrɔ asi le kple eƒe nu kpakple nuyiwo wòanye nuƒo.

Bill ko alɔgbɔnu gblɔ be: “Tsã la, ne meɖu nu wòsɔ gbɔ akpa koe meƒãna, gake fifia ele nam be masrɔ̃ alesi woaƒã tre ɖe enu. Gbã la, medzea agbagba gblɔa nya ɖeka le ɣeyiɣi ɖeka me, le kpɔɖeŋu me, ne medi be magblɔ be aleke nèfɔ̃e la, nusi mewɔna enye: ‘[Melɔa ya mina, heƒãna tsɔ gblɔa] Aleke [Megalɔnɛ mina, gaƒãna tsɔ gblɔa] nèfɔ̃e?’ Menɔ bɔbɔe o. Emegbe nye nufiala gblɔ nam be manɔ agumetakuha geɖe nom elabena enu ƒe sesẽ ana mate ŋu aƒã. Eyata ɣesiaɣi si Rose kplɔ Vicki do goe yi tsa ɖi ge la, menonɛ edziedzi heƒãna zi geɖe. Medo vevie le esɔsrɔ̃ me ŋutɔ!”

Togbɔ be amesiwo katã wowɔ dɔ na ɖe woƒe  gbeɖiɖigoe bliboa ɖa dometɔ 60 le alafa me mete ŋu srɔ̃ nuƒoƒo ɖe veme o hã la, Bill ya wɔ ŋgɔyiyi. Vicki, si yina ƒe eve xɔ ge ɣemaɣi, do ŋusẽe le manyamanya me. Bill ɖe nu me be: “Vicki ƒoa nu nam emegbe wònɔa nye mo kpɔm, helalana be maɖo nyaa ŋu. Gake nyemete ŋu kea nu gblɔa nya ɖeka hã tsɔ ɖoa eŋui o. Eyina nua ƒoƒo dzi, gake gbeɖegbeɖea koe. Dzi kuna Vicki, eye wòtrɔna ɖe srɔ̃nye ŋu, gblɔna be: ‘Na Papa naƒo nu nam!’ Eƒe nyawo wɔ dɔ ɖe dzinye eye wòna meɖoe kplikpaa be magaƒo nu ake.” Enye dzidzɔ na Vicki, Rose, kple ame bubuwo be Bill kpɔ dzidzedze. Egaɖo taɖodzinu bubu gbɔ.

Afɔku Bubu Gadzɔ

Kaka ƒe 1951 nawu enu la, Bill kple Rose gadze ŋgɔ kuxi sesẽ bubu. Esi ɖɔktaawo vɔ̃ be kansa la agate ŋu ava ɖe fu nɛ ta la, woɖo aɖaŋu na Bill be wòana woazã keklẽŋusẽ atsɔ ayɔ dɔ nɛ. Bill lɔ̃. Esi atikea wɔwɔ wu enu la, edi vevie be yeaganɔ agbe alesi dze. Gake menya kura be afɔku bubu le mɔ dzi na ye o!

Ƒe ɖeka lɔƒo va yi. Eye gbeɖeka Bill ƒe asibidewo ku titrii. Emegbe megate ŋu liana atrakpui o. Esia megbe ʋɛ la, edze anyi esi wònɔ zɔzɔm eye megate ŋu tso ɖe eƒe afɔwo dzi o. Dodokpɔwo ɖee fia be keklẽŋusẽ si wozã tsɔ yɔ dɔ Bill (si ŋudɔwɔwɔ mede ŋgɔ tututu ɣemaɣi abe alesi wòle egbea ene o) ye gblẽ nu le eƒe dzimeƒu ŋu. Wona wònya be eƒe nɔnɔmea ava gblẽ ɖe edzi. Ðɔkta aɖe gblɔ nɛ gɔ̃ hã be “agbenɔnɔ megale eŋu o.” Bill kple Rose ƒe dzi gbã ale gbegbe.

Gake esi Bill di be yeatrɔ asi le kuxi sia ŋu ta la, eyi kɔ aɖe dzi ɣleti ade hena atikewɔwɔ. Togbɔ be atikewɔwɔa mete ŋu na eƒe nɔnɔmea ɖɔ ɖo o hã la, kɔa dzi nɔnɔ trɔ eƒe agbenɔnɔ—tɔtrɔ si na wòva dze si Yehowa mlɔeba. Aleke ema dzɔe?

Nusi Gbɔ Kplamatsedonuawo Tso Gɔmesese Do Ŋusẽe

Le ɣleti ade mawo me la, Bill kple lãmetututɔ 19 bubu nɔ xɔ ɖeka me le Yudatɔwo ƒe kɔdzi aɖe—eye wo katã nye Yuda-orthodoks tɔwo. Ŋutsu siawo dzroa Biblia me ɣetrɔ ɖesiaɖe. Bill si nye Baptist-sɔlemedela nɔa to ɖom dzro ko. Gake kaka wòadzo le kɔa dzi la, ese nu geɖe si na wòƒo nya ta be ame ɖeka koe Mawu Ŋusẽkatãtɔ nye eye be Mawuɖekaetɔ̃ nufiafia tsi tre ɖe Biblia ŋu. Esia wɔe be Bill megadea eƒe sɔleme o. Ke hã ese le eɖokui me be yehiã gbɔgbɔmemɔfiafia be yeatsɔ anɔ te ɖe agbemekplamatsedonuwo nu. Bill gblɔ be: “Meyi edzi nɔ kpekpeɖeŋu biam Mawu, eye wòɖo nye gbedodoɖawo ŋu nam.”

Gbeɖeka Memleɖa aɖe le ƒe 1953 me la, Roy Douglas, si nye amegãɖeɖi aɖe si nye eƒe aƒelika tsã se nɔnɔme si me Bill le, eye wòva srãe kpɔ. Roy, amesi nye Yehowa Ðasefo, bia tso Bill si be wòana yeasrɔ̃ Biblia kplii, eye Bill lɔ̃. Nusiwo Bill xlẽ le Biblia me kple le agbalẽ si nye “Let God Be True” * me ʋu ŋku nɛ. Egblɔ nusi wòsrɔ̃ na Rose, eye eya hã te nua sɔsrɔ̃. Rose ɖo ŋku edzi be: “Wogblɔ na mí le sɔleme be dɔléle nye tohehe si tsoa Mawu gbɔ, gake míaƒe Biblia sɔsrɔ̃ ɖee fia be menye nyateƒe o. Míaƒe dzi dze eme ale gbegbe.” Bill gblɔ kpee be: “Nusi he xaxawo vɛ, siwo me nye  dɔlélea hã le, la sɔsrɔ̃ tso Biblia me, kple nyanya be etsɔme si nyo wu gbɔna kpe ɖe mía ŋu be míegatsi dzi akpa le nye nɔnɔmea ŋu o.” Le ƒe 1954 me la, Bill kple Rose ɖo taɖodzinu bubu gbɔ. Wo ame evea siaa xɔ nyɔnyrɔ zu Yehowa Ðasefowo.

Tɔtrɔ Geɖe Wɔwɔ

Fifia Bill ƒe lãmetutudɔa va gblẽ nu le eŋu ale gbegbe be magate ŋu awɔ eƒe dɔ o. Be woakpɔ woƒe gbesiagbebolo la, Bill kple Rose ɖɔ li woƒe dɔwo: Bill va le Vicki gbɔ le aƒeme, eye Rose te dɔwɔwɔ le gaƒoɖokuiwɔƒea—si nye dɔ si wòwɔ ƒe 35 sɔŋ!

Bill gblɔ be: “Mía vinyɔnuvia dzi kpɔkpɔ na mekpɔ dzidzɔ geɖe. Vicki ɖevi sue la hã kpɔ dzidzɔ. Egblɔna na amesiame si wòdo goe dadatɔe be: ‘Nyee kpɔa Papa dzi!’ Emegbe esi wòte suku dede la, mekpena ɖe eŋu le eƒe sukudɔdasiwo wɔwɔ me, eye míefena enuenu. Gawu la, mɔnukpɔkpɔ nyui su asinye mefia nui tso Biblia me.”

Kristotɔwo ƒe kpekpewo dede le Fiaɖuƒe Akpata me nye dzidzɔtsoƒe bubu na Bill kple eƒe ƒomea. Ebia be wòanɔ bu tɔm gaƒoƒo ɖeka hafi ade Fiaɖuƒe Akpataa me, gake kpekpe aɖeke metoa eŋu o. Emegbe esi wova ʋu yi dua ƒe akpa bubu la, Bill kple Rose ƒle ʋu sue aɖe, eye Rose kua ƒomea yia akpataa me. Togbɔ be ɣeyiɣi ʋɛ aɖe koe Bill ate ŋu aƒo nu hã la, eŋlɔ ŋkɔ ɖe Teokrasi Subɔsubɔ Sukua me. Bill ɖe nu me be: “Meŋlɔa nye nuƒoa, eye nɔviŋutsu bubu ƒoa nua. Ne eƒo nuƒoa vɔ la, sukudzikpɔlaa ɖoa aɖaŋu nam le nya siwo meŋlɔ la ŋu.”

Hamea me tɔ vovovowo hã kpe ɖe Bill ŋu wòkpɔa gome le gbeƒãɖeɖedɔa me ɣesiaɣi. Eye mewɔ nuku na amesiwo kpɔa alesi gbegbe wòkua kutrii, esime woɖo Bill subɔsubɔdɔwɔla le hamea me o. Emegbe esi magate ŋu azɔ eƒe afɔwo dzi o eye lãmetutudɔa gagblẽ nu le eŋu geɖe wu la, eva tsi teƒe ɖeka eye mlɔeba wòva tsi dɔbadzi. Ðe wòate ŋu akpe akɔ kple kplamatsedonu sia?

Tsãdɔwɔna Dodzidzɔname

Bill gblɔ be: “Esi menɔa aƒeme ŋkeke blibo ta la, medi dzidzɔdonamenuwɔna aɖe. Meɖea foto tsã hafi lãmetutudɔa va dze dzinye. Eyata mebui be mate nɔnɔmetatawo tata kpɔ, togbɔ be nyemeta naneke kpɔ le nye agbe me o hã. Azɔ hã nuɖusi ye mezãna, gake nye ɖusibɔ bliboa kple nye miasibide eve tu. Ke hã la, Rose ƒle nutatasrɔ̃gbalẽ geɖe vɛ nam. Mesrɔ̃ wo eye medze nutata gɔme kple nye miasi. Míede nye nutata gbogbo aɖewo dzo me, gake mlɔeba la meva nɔ bibim ɖe etata me.”

Nutata dzeani siwo wotsɔ amadede si woblu kple tsi wɔe siwo nye atsyɔ̃ɖonuwo le Bill kple Rose ƒe aƒe me fifia ɖee fia be Bill kpɔ dzidzedze wu alesi wòbui. Bill gblɔ kpee be: “Anɔ abe ƒe atɔ̃ enye si va yi la, nye miasi va te ƒoƒo sesĩe ale gbegbe be meva dzudzɔ nutata, gake modzakaɖedɔ sia na dzidzemem ƒe geɖe.”

Taɖodzinu si Kpɔtɔ

Bill ɖe nu me be: “Ƒe 50 enye si va yi tso esime nye lãmesẽkuxiwo dze egɔme. Biblia-xexlẽ gakpɔtɔ nye akɔfanu nam, vevietɔ ne mexlẽ Psalmowo kple Hiob ƒe agbalẽa. Eye Gbetakpɔxɔ Habɔbɔa ƒe agbalẽwo xexlẽ dzɔa dzi nam. Azɔ hã ne míaƒe hamea me tɔwo kple dzikpɔla mɔzɔlawo va srãm kpɔ hegblɔ nuteƒekpɔkpɔ tuameɖowo la, edea dzi ƒo nam ale gbegbe. Gakpe ɖe eŋu la, telefonmɔ̃ si wotsiã tso Fiaɖuƒe Akpataa me va aƒenye me na mesea kpekpeawo me nyawo, eye wonaam takpekpewɔna siwo wolé ɖe videokasɛtwo dzi gɔ̃ hã.

“Meda akpe ŋutɔ be woyram kple srɔ̃nyɔnu lɔ̃ame. Le ƒe siwo katã va yi me la, enye nye zɔhɛ si nɔ ŋunye kplikplikpli. Eye mía vinyɔnu, amesi le Yehowa subɔm hekpe ɖe eya ŋutɔ ƒe ƒome ŋu, hã nye dzidzɔkpɔkpɔtsoƒe nam. Meda akpe na Yehowa koŋ be ekpe ɖe ŋunye melé ɖe eŋu kplikplikpli. Egbea esi nye ŋutilã kple nye gbe le gbɔdzɔgbɔdzɔm ɖe edzi la, mebua apostolo Paulo ƒe nya siawo ŋu zi geɖe be: “Ðeɖi metea mía ŋu o; ke ne míaƒe gotame gblẽna hã la, míaƒe ememe la zua yeye gbesiagbe.” (Korintotɔwo II, 4:16) Ẽ, be manɔ ŋudzɔ le gbɔgbɔ me le nye agbemeŋkekewo katã me—ye kpɔtɔ nye nye taɖodzinu.”

[Etenuŋɔŋlɔ]

[Nya si ɖe dzesi si le axa 12]

“Le dɔa wɔwɔ nam vɔ megbe la, nyemegate ŋu mia nu toa veme o. Nyemete ŋu gblɔ nya ɖeka hɔ̃ hã o. Mezu mumu”

[Nɔnɔmetata si le axa 13]

Bill kple Rose egbea