Wɔwoo me afe 1927 wɔ kurow kakraba bi a ɔbɛn Chicago a ɔwɔ Illinois wɔ United States. Me maame nye me papa woo mba beenum—Jetha, Don, emi, Karl, na Joy. Hɛn nyinara sii hɛn bo dɛ yebefi hɛn kra nyina mu asom Jehovah. Jetha kɔr Gilead wɔ afe 1943; nna ɔka adzesuakuw a otsia ebien no ho. Afe 1944 na wɔtoo nsa frɛɛ Don kɔr Brooklyn Bethel a ɔwɔ New York no, Karl kɔr hɔ 1947, na Joy so kɔr hɔ 1951. Gyinae a mo nuanom no sisii no nye dza m’awofo yɛe no hyɛɛ me nkuran ma meyɛɛ pii wɔ Jehovah no som mu.

Nna m’awofo dɔ Nyankopɔn na nna wɔkenkan Bible no paa, ntsi wɔdze suban a ɔtse dɛm wuraa menye mo nuanom no hɛn mu. Me papa kedzii sogya wɔ Europe aber a nna Wiadze Ko I no rokɔ do no. Naaso ɔsanee bae no, nna n’enyi nngye ho bio dɛ ɔbɔkɔ asɔr. Aber a me papa bodur fie asomdwee mu no, me maame n’enyi gyee paa, na mekaa dɛ ɔkaa kyerɛɛ no dɛ: “Karl, sɛ ebodu dze a, ɔno bɛsen ma yɛnkɔ asɔr ɛ na ekɔr bi akyɛr.” Nna me papa kaa kyerɛɛ no dɛ: “Mobɔkɔ ekegya wo, naaso murunnwura hɔ.” Me maame bisaa no dɛ: “Dɛn ntsi a?” Paapa kaa dɛ: “Aber a yɛkɔr ɔko no, asɔfo a hɔn nyina wɔ ɔsom kor mu naaso ɔsor ɔfa a hɔn mu biara gyina no hyiraa hɔn asogyafo nye hɔn akodze do dɛ wɔnye hɔnho nkɔko! Ehwɛ a, nna Nyankopɔn wɔ hɔn beenu no nyina afa anaa?”

Aber a me maame kɔr asɔr no, yɛwɔ fie ara na Jehovah Adasefo beenu bi bae. Wɔdze mbuukuu ebien bi a wɔdze sua Bible a wɔato dzin Light maa me papa. Nna dɛm mbuukuu yi kyerɛkyerɛ Nyikyerɛ nwoma no mu. Me papa n’enyi gyee mbuukuu no ho, ntsi ɔgyee. Aber a me maame hun mbuukuu no ara pɛ na ɔhyɛɛ ase dɛ ɔrekenkan. Na iyi na da kor bi, ohun nsato bi wɔ dawurbɔ krataa bi mu. Nna wɔroto nsa afrɛ hɔn a hɔn enyi gye Bible no ho dɛ wɔmbra ma wɔmfa Light mbuukuu no nsua Bible no. Me maame yɛɛ n’adwen dɛ ɔbɔkɔ bi. Okodur hɔ no, maame aberwa bi na obobuee abow no. Nna me maame kitsa buukuu no kor, ntsi ɔdze kyerɛɛ maame no na obisaa no dɛ, “Ha na worusua iyi anaa?” Maame no kaa dɛ, “Nyew, mo dɔfo, bra mu.” Dapɛn a odzi hɔ no, me maame nye hɛn nyina kɔree, na ofitsi dɛm aber no, dapɛn biara nna yɛkɔ.

Da kor bi, onua a nna ɔrohwɛ adzesua no do no frɛɛ me dɛ menkenkan Ndwom 144:15. Hɔ ka dɛ hɔn a wɔsom Jehovah no enyi gye. M’enyi bɛgyee dɛm asɛm no nye kyerɛwnsɛm afofor ebien bi so ho. Kor nye 1 Timothy 1:11 a hɔ ka dɛ Jehovah yɛ ‘enyigye  Nyankopɔn’ no. Nna kor so nye Ephesusfo 5:1 a hɔ so tu hɛn fo dɛ ‘yensuasua Nyankopɔn’ no. Ntsi mubohun dɛ biribiara a mubotum ayɛ dze ama mo Bɔfo no, ɔsɛ dɛ medze enyigye yɛ, na meda no ase dɛ ɔdze hokwan a ɔtse dɛm ama me. Dɛm nokwasɛm etsitsir ebien yi na medze abɔ me bra dze ebesi ndɛ.

Asafo a ɔbɛn hɛn no, nna ɔwɔ Chicago na nna yetwa kwan kilomita 32 (akwansin 20) ana yeedu hɔ. Naaso, nna yɛkɔ, na musuaa ndzɛmba pii fii Bible no mu. Mekaa dɛ da kor bi, obi a nna ɔrohwɛ adzesua no do no frɛɛ Jetha dɛ ɔmma mbuae. Ɔrekasa no, nna mereka no wɔ me tsirmu dɛ: ‘Iyidze minyim o. Nkyɛ ɔsɛ dɛ mema me nsa do na meka.’ Ntsi mehyɛɛ ase suaa mbuae a nna mepɛ dɛ mema no wɔ fie. Nna menye mo nuanom no nyina robɔ hɛnho mbɔdzen wɔ Jehovah no som mu na yɛtwee bɛɛn Jehovah. Afe 1941 mu na wonumaa me.

Mekaa afe 1942 ehyiadzi a wɔyɛe wɔ Cleveland a ɔwɔ Ohio no paa. Mbea ahorow bɔbor 50 wɔ United States na wɔfrɛɛ wɔ tɛlefon do tsiee dwumadzi no bi. Enuanom siesiee beebi a ɔbɛn bea a nna wɔbɛyɛ ehyiadzi no, na wɔbobɔɔ tɛnt a enuanom botum ada mu. Wɔfrɛɛ hɔ “trailer city” na hɔ na menye m’ebusuafo kɛdae. Nna Wiadze Ko II no taa mu dzendzenndzen, na tan ara na nna wɔretan Jehovah Adasefo so enyi. Nna odu ewimbir a, wɔma enuanom binom dze hɔn kaar besisi camp no enyim na wɔdze kaar no ekyir kyerɛ camp no do. Afei, wogya nyimpa nkorkor wɔ kaar no nyina mu, na wɔsosɔ kaar no n’enyim nkandzea no sisi do. Nna wɔayɛ hɔn adwen dɛ sɛ obi yɛ dɛ ɔrobɔto ahyɛ enuanom no do a, enuanom a wɔtsetse kaar no mu no bɔsɔ hɔn kandzea no hyerɛɛn dze ahye basabasayɛfo no enyiwa mu na wɔaabɔ hɔn kaar no n’abɛn. Sɛ ɔba no dɛm a, enuanom afofor bɛtse na woeetum akɔ hɔ akɔboa hɔn. Modween ho dzinn na mekaa dɛ, ‘Jehovah n’asomfo esiesie hɔn ho ama biribiara!’ Iyi kaa m’akoma too me yamu na medaa yie, na enyigyesɛm so nye dɛ biribi bɔn biara ennsi.

Mfe pii ekyir aber a nna morodwendwen dɛm ehyiadzi no ho no, mubohun dɛ dɛm aber no, me maame annyɛ biribi ketseketse bi mpo a ɔkyerɛ dɛ nna n’akoma etu anaa osuro. Ɔdze noho nyina too Jehovah na n’ahyehyɛdze no do. Me maame yɛɛ adze paa na mo werɛ rimmfir dza ɔyɛe no da.

Me maame bɛyɛɛ ɔkwampaafo no, wɔannkyɛr koraa na yɛkɔr dɛm ehyiadzi no. Dɛm ntsi yɛkɔree no, ɔweɔɔn n’aso tsiee ɔkasa ahorow a nna ɔfa ber nyina som edwuma no ho yie paa. Na yɛnam kwan do rokɔ fie no, ɔkaa dɛ: “Me yamu a nkyɛ mobɔkɔ do ara ayɛ akwampaa edwuma yi, naaso murunntum nnyɛ ɔno na ber kor no ara so mennyɛ fie hɔ ndwuma no nyina. Ɔrennyɛ yie.” Afei obisaa hɛn dɛ yɛpɛ dɛ yɛboa no anaa. Yɛkaa dɛ, nyew yɛbɔboa no, dɛm ntsi ɔmaa hɛn mu biara dan kor anaa ebien bi a nna yebesiesie mu anapa biara ansaana yeedzidzi. Sɛ yɛkɔ skuul a, nna ɔhwɛ hu dɛ biribiara da n’ananmu wɔ fie hɔ na hɔ so atsew, na sɛ owie a, nna ɔakɔ asɛnka. Nna me maame nnyi adagyer koraa, naaso nna onya ber ma hɛn. Aber biara a yɛbɔpon skuul ebodu fie no, nna me maame wɔ hɔ, na oesiesie hɛn ewiaber edziban so rotweɔn hɛn. Ɔtɔ da a, sɛ yɛpon skuul na yɛba fie a, nna yɛnye no bɔ mu kɔ asɛnka, na iyi maa yɛtsee akwampaa edwuma no ase paa.

Midzii mfe 16 no, mebɛyɛɛ ɔkwampaafo. Ɔwɔ mu dɛ nna me papa mmbɛyɛɛ Ɔdasefo dze, naaso nna n’enyi gye ɔsom edwuma a mereyɛ no ho. Ewimbir bi, mekaa kyerɛɛ no dɛ, makɔ asɛnka dɛmara naaso minnyaa obiara a n’enyi gye ho dɛ obosua Bible no. Meyɛɛ dzinn kakra, na mibisaa no dɛ: “Epɛ dɛ menye  wo sua adze anaa?” Ɔdween asɛm yi ho kakra, na ɔkaa kyerɛɛ me dɛ: “Biribiara nnyi hɔ a mubotum dze eyi moho ano.” Ntsi me papa gyee too mu, na ɔno nye obi a odzi kan a ɔbɛyɛɛ me Bible suanyi. Nna iyi yɛ hokwan kɛse ma me paa!

Menye me papa suaa buukuu a wɔato dzin “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” Yesuaa adze kɔr enyim kakra no, mubohun dɛ nna me papa roboa me paa ma meehu mbrɛ mibesi esua Bible no yie na meetum so dze akyerɛkyerɛ nkorɔfo. Mekaa dɛ da kor ewimbir bi a yerusua adze no, mekenkaan nkyekyɛmu bi wiee ara na ɔkaa dɛ: “Matse dza buukuu no reka no. Naaso isi dɛn hu dɛ dza buukuu no reka no yɛ nokwar?” Nna asɛm bi a ɔtse dɛm mmbaa m’adwen mu da, ntsi mekaa kyerɛɛ no dɛ: “Murunntum nnkyerɛkyerɛ mu nnkyerɛ wo seseiara, naaso ɔntɔ ara dɛ yɛbɛsan esua adze bio no dze, nna menya w’asɛmbisa no ho mbuae.” Na minyaa mbuae no so. Minyaa kyerɛwnsɛm ahorow bi a nna ɔfoa dza yɛreka ho asɛm no do. Ofitsi dɛm aber no rokɔ no, nna midzi kan sua adze a menye no bosua no yie, na meyɛ nhwehwɛmu kɔ ekyir. Dza nna meyɛ yi boaa menye me papa nyina ma yenyaa nkɔenyim ntsɛntsɛm. Ɔdze dza nna orusua no bɔɔ ne bra, na wonumaa no wɔ afe 1952 mu.

Midzii mfe 17 no, mifii fie. Jetha bɛyɛɛ asɛmpatserɛwnyi, a na Don so kɛyɛɛ edwuma wɔ Bethel. Nna hɔn beenu no nyina enyi gye edwuma a wɔreyɛ no ho paa, na iyi hyɛɛ me nkuran kɛse. Ntsi nna mara so mepɛ dɛ meyɛ pii wɔ Jehovah no som mu. Ntsi mehyehyɛɛ Bethel fɔɔm na Gilead Skuul fɔɔm no nyina bi, na migyaa biribiara hyɛɛ Jehovah ne nsa. Afe 1946 mu no, wɔfrɛɛ me dɛ monkɔsom wɔ Bethel.

Ofitsi aber a mebaa Bethel dze besi ndɛ, menya hokwan ayɛ ndwuma ahorow pii, na iyi aboa me ma metum esua ndzɛmba afofor pii so. Sɛ mebɛka a, medze mfe 75 na medze ayɛ edwuma wɔ Bethel ha. Wɔkyerɛɛ me mbrɛ wosi yɛ mbuukuu na musuaa sikasɛm so ho adze. Afei so, musuaa mbrɛ yebesi akra ndzɛmba a wobehia wɔ Bethel nye mbrɛ yebesi dze ndzɛmba amona po do hɛn ma wɔdze akɔ mbea ahorow. Dza m’enyi gye ho paa nye daa asɛm a wɔyɛ no ha no, nye Bible mu ɔkasa na dwumadzi ahorow a wɔfa do dze kyerɛkyerɛ hɛn no.

Mo nua kakraba Karl so, musuaa ndzɛmba pii fii no hɔ. Afe 1947 na ɔkɔr Bethel. Nna ɔwe Bible papa, na otum kyerɛkyerɛ mu yie so. Mber bi, wɔmaa me ɔkasa bi dɛ memma, na mokɔr no hɔ dɛ ɔmboa me. Mekaa kyerɛɛ Karl dɛ mayɛ nhwehwɛmu no nyina ewie na nsɛm a minyae no dɔɔ so, ntsi wɔama munnhu dza mennka ho asɛm. Ɔdze asɛmbisa kor pɛ boaa me ma muhun dza nna ɔsɛ dɛ meyɛ. Obisaa me dɛ: “Joel, wo kasa no n’asɛntsir nye dɛn?” Hɔ ara na muhun dza ɔpɛ dɛ ɔkyerɛ—nna ɔsɛ dɛ mefa nsɛm a ɔfa m’asɛntsir no ho nkotsee na medze nsɛm nkaa no gu beebi. Mo werɛ emmfir dza ɔdze kyerɛɛ me yi da.

 Sɛ yɛpɛ dɛ hɛn enyi gye aber a yɛrosom wɔ Bethel a, ɔno ɔsɛ dɛ yɛdze hɛnho hyɛ asɛnka edwuma no mu paa, na sɛ yɛyɛ dɛm so a, yebenya suahu ahorow a ɔbɛma hɛn enyi agye. Ɔwo ma menka no mu kor nkyerɛ wo. Mekaa dɛ da kor ewimbir bi, menye onua bi kɛseraa maame bi wɔ Bronx a ɔwɔ New York no. Nna yeedzi kan ama no Ɔweɔn-Aban na Nyan! magazine no bi. Yekodur n’abowano no, nna ɔsɛ dɛ yɛma ohu hɛn nyimpa ban, ntsi yɛkaa dɛ: “Ewimbir yi dze, yɛroboa nkorɔfo a hɔn enyi gye ho dɛ wobosua ndzɛmba pa pii efi Bible no mu no.” Maame no kaa dɛ: “Sɛ Bible mu asɛm na wɔreka dze a, ɔno hom mbra mu.” Yɛkenkaan kyerɛwnsɛm ahorow pii a ɔfa Nyankopɔn n’Ahendzi nye wiadze fofor a ɔreba no ho, na yɛbɔɔ ho nkɔmbɔ. N’enyi gyee dza yesuae no ho araa ma dapɛn a odzi hɔ no mpo, ɔfrɛfrɛɛ n’ebusuafo binom ma wɔbɛkaa adzesua no ho. Ekyir yi, maame no nye n’ebusua bɔsoom Jehovah.

Meyɛɛ dɛ mepɛ dɛ mowar no, odzii bɛyɛ mfe 10 ansaana na mirihyia akyerɛbaa bi a nna mubotum awar no. Ebɛnadze na ɔboaa me ma minyaa ɔyer pa? Mobɔɔ Jehovah mpaa, na mibisaa moho dɛ, ‘Sɛ mowar a, ebɛnadze na mepɛ dɛ menye me yer nyina bɔ mu yɛ?’

Mokɔr 1953 ehyiadzi a wɔyɛe wɔ Yankee Stadium no bi, na mihyiaa akyerɛbaa bi a wɔfrɛ no Mary Aniol. Ɔnye me sista Jetha kɔr Gilead adzesuakuw a otsia ebien no bi, na nna wɔyɛ asɛmpatserɛwfo wɔ fakor. Mary dze enyigye kaa n’asɛmpatserɛw edwuma a nna ɔreyɛ no wɔ Caribbean no nye nkorɔfo dodow so a ɔnye hɔn esua Bible no ofitsi aber a ɔkɔr hɔ no ho asɛm kyerɛɛ me. Ofi dɛm da no, yɛkɔr do bɔɔ nkɔmbɔ na yebohun dɛ saana hɛn beenu nyina adze kor no ara na yɛpɛ dɛ yɛyɛ wɔ Jehovah no som mu. Ɔdɔ a yɛwɔ ma hɛnho no mu bɛyɛɛ dzen, na yɛwaree April 1955. Ndzɛmba pii na Mary yɛe maa me a ɔmaa muhun dɛ ampa, ɔyɛ akyɛdze a ofi Jehovah hɔ na mubotum esua pii efi no hɔ. Nna ɔdze enyigye suo dwumadzi biara a wɔdze bɛhyɛ ne nsa no mu. Nna ɔyer noho yɛ edwuma, ɔdwen nyimpa ho, na aber biara nna ɔdze Jehovah na n’Ahendzi no dzi kan wɔ n’asetsena mu. (Matt. 6:33) Yɛdze mfe ebiasa yɛɛ ɔmansin edwuma no, na wɔ afe 1958 no, wɔtoo nsa frɛɛ hɛn dɛ yɛnkɔsom wɔ Bethel.

Musuaa ndzɛmba pii fii Mary hɔ. Dɛ mfatoho no, yɛwaree no ara na yesii gyinae dɛ yɛbɔbɔ mu akenkan Bible no da biara, na sɛ yɛkenkan bɛyɛ nyiyimu 15 biara wie a, yɛbɔbɔ ho nkɔmbɔ kakra. Sɛ hɛn mu kor kenkan ɔfa bi wie a, nna yɛma obiara ka kyerɛwsɛm no ho asɛm kakra na yɛka mbrɛ yebesi dze dza yeesua no abɔ hɛn bra. Ndzɛmba a Mary suae aber a ɔkɔr Gilead nye aber a nna ɔyɛ asɛmpatserɛwnyi no, nna ɔtaa ka bi kyerɛ me. Nkɔmbɔ a nna ɔtsetse dɛm no buee m’adwen mu, ɔboaa me ma mutuu mpon wɔ ɔkasa ahorow a nna mema no mu, na ɔkyerɛɛ me mbrɛ mibesi ahyɛ nkyerɛbaa nkuran.—Mbɛ. 25:11.

Afe 2013 na mo dɔfo Mary wui. Morohwɛ no kwan dzendzenndzen wɔ wiadze fofor no mu! Naaso seseiara dze, meesi mo bo dɛ mobɔkɔ do ara esua adze, na meefi m’akoma nyina mu dze moho ato Jehovah do. (Mbɛ. 3:​5, 6) Sɛ modwendwen ndzɛmba a Jehovah n’asomfo bɛyɛ wɔ wiadze fofor no mu no ho a, ɔkyekye mo werɛ na ɔma m’enyi gye. Megye dzi paa dɛ hɛn Kyerɛkyerɛfo Kunyin no bɛkyerɛkyerɛ hɛn ndzɛmba afofor pii, na dɛmara so na yebohu ndzɛmba afofor pii afa no ho! Nokwasɛm nye dɛ, ndzɛmba a ɔdze akyerɛkyerɛ me dze ebesi dɛm aber yi, nye dza ɔdze adom me no nyina, murunntum nnda no ase wɔ ho nnwie da.