Wɔwoo me December 22, 1929 wɔ Noville. Ɔyɛ ekuraase kakraba bi a ɔbɛn Bastogne a ɔwɔ Belgium nkoko do no. Mekaa dɛ aber a meyɛ abofra a nna menye m’awofo wɔ ekuraase hɔ no, nna m’enyi gye paa. Nna da biara menye mo nua kakraba Raymond kyikyi nantwi n’enumfonsu. Nna hɛn nsa na yɛdze yɛ. Nna obiara n’asɛm hia ne nyɛnko wɔ ekuraase hɔ, ntsi nna hɛn nyina bɔ mu yɛ edwuma dze boaboa hɛnho.

Nna me papa ne dzin dze Emile na me maame so ne dzin dze Alice. Nna wɔyɛ Catholicfo a wɔmmfa hɔn som nndzi agor koraa. Kwesida biara nna wɔkɔ Mass. Naaso bɛyɛ 1939 mu no, akwampaafo bi fi England baa hɛn ekuraase hɔ. Wɔmaa me papa Consolation magazine (sesei wɔfrɛ no Nyan!) no bi, na wɔyɛɛ nhyehyɛɛ a nna ɔbɛma ne nsa ataa aka bi. Me papa rekenkan magazine no ara na ohun dɛ nsɛm a ɔwɔ mu no yɛ nokwar. Na iyi maa ɔhyɛɛ ase kenkaan Bible no so. Aber a ogyaa Mass kɔ no, hɔn a nna yɛnye hɔn tse kamakama wɔ ekuraase hɔ no hyɛɛ ase taan n’enyi dzendzenndzen. Wɔdze guu me papa do dɛ mma onngyaa Catholic asɔr no. Nna iyi taa kɛfa ekyingyegye ba.

Nna ɔyɛ me yaw paa dɛ wɔreyɛ me papa dɛm. Dɛm asɛm yi na ɔmaa mifii m’akoma mu bɔɔ mpaa a mekaa ho asɛm dze hyɛɛ m’asɛm yi ase no. Aber a ɔsoɛrtsia no ano brɛɛ adze kakra no, m’enyi gyee paa. Mubohun dɛ Jehovah yɛ ‘mpaabɔ Tsiefo’ ampa.

Nazi aban a nna odzi Germany do no too hyɛɛ Belgium do wɔ May 10, 1940, na iyi maa nyimpa pii fii ɔman no mu. Hɛn ebusua no guanee kɔr France n’anaafo afamu. Aber a yɛnam kwan do rokɔ no, nna ɔwɔ mu ara yɛkɔto dɛ Germany nsordaafo na France nsordaafo roko ma adagyer biara nnyi mu. Nna ɔyɛ hu paa.

 Aber a yɛsanee kɔr hɛn ekuraase hɔ no, yehun dɛ woewia hɛn ndzɛmba no mu pii. Yɛannkɔto nyimpa biara wɔ hɔ, hɛn bɔdɔm Bobbie nkotsee na yɛkɔtoo no. Iyi maa mibisaa moho dɛ: ‘Ebɛnadze ntsi na akodzi na amandzehu ebu do dɛm?’

Dɛm aber no mu no, nna Onua Emile Schrantz a taa bɛsera hɛn, na iyi hyɛɛ hɛn nkuran paa. Nna ɔyɛ asafo mu panyin na ɔsan so yɛ ɔkwampaafo. Ɔdze Bible no kyerɛkyerɛɛ me ma muhun siantsir a yehu amandze. Afei so, nsɛmbisa a ɔfa abrabɔ ho a nna ɔkyer m’adwen no, ɔmaa minyaa ho mbuae. Iyi maa menye Jehovah nyaa ebusuabɔ a no mu yɛ dzen na mebɛgyee too mu dɛ ɔyɛ Nyankopɔn a ɔdɔ hɛn ampa.

Ansaana ɔko no reba n’ewiei mpo no, nna hɛn ebusua no taa nye enuanom bɔ. August 1943 mu no, Onua José-Nicolas Minet baa hɛn ekuraase hɔ bɛmaa ɔkasa bi. Aber a ogu do rema ɔkasa no, obisaa dɛ: “Woana na ɔpɛ dɛ wonuma no?” Emi na me papa nyina maa hɛn nsa do. Wonumaa hɛn wɔ esutsen kakraba bi a nna ɔbɛn hɛn ekuraase hɔ no mu.

December 1944 mu no, Germany nsordaafo no kɔtoo hyɛɛ aman a nna wɔwɔ Europe n’atɔe afamu no so do. Iyi nye ɔko kɛse a otwa tun a wɔkoe. Nna yɛtse bɛn beebi a wɔroko no, ntsi nna ɔsɛ dɛ yekosuma wɔ dan bi a ɔwɔ hɛn fie no ase bɛyɛ bosoom kor. Da kor bi, mupuei dɛ merekɛma hɛn mbowa no edziban. Dza muhunii ara nye dɛ topaa bi abɔtɔ dan a mbowa no hɔn edziban gu mu no do ma nkyɛnse a ɔbɔ do no etu. America sogyanyi bi a nna ɔhyɛ dan a mbowa no wɔ mu no tseaa mu dɛ: “Da famu!” Hɔ ara na medze mbirika kɛdaa ne nkyɛn wɔ famu hɔ, na oyii ne kyɛw no hyɛɛ me tsir dze bɔɔ mo ho ban.

Nna kurow bi a wɔfrɛ no Liège wɔ hɛn ekuraase no n’etsifi afamu. Nna ofi hɛn ekuraase hɔ rokɔ hɔ no yɛ bɛyɛ kilomita 90 (akwansin 56). Ɔko no ekyir no, nna yɛtaa nye enuanom a wɔwɔ hɔ no dzi nkitaho. Ber rokɔ do no, yetumii tseew adzesua kuw kakraba bi wɔ Bastogne. Mekɛyɛɛ edwuma wɔ beebi a wɔhwɛ tow ho nsɛm do na minyaa hokwan kɔr mbranyimfo skuul. Ekyir yi, minyaa aban edwuma bi yɛe. Afe 1951 mu no, yɛyɛɛ ɔmansin ehyiadzi bi wɔ Bastogne. Nkorɔfo bɛyɛ ɔha na wɔbaa bi. Akyerɛbaa kwampaafo bi a nna wɔfrɛ no Elly Reuter so baa bi. Nna ɔbɔ noho mbɔdzen paa. Ɔdze baesekel twaa kilomita 50 (akwansin 31) kwan baa ehyiadzi no. Wɔannkyɛr  koraa na yɛtwee maa hɛnho na yɛyɛɛ nhyehyɛɛ dɛ yɛbɔwar. Dɛm aber no ara so, nna wɔato nsa afrɛ Elly dɛ ɔnkɔ Gilead Skuul wɔ United States. Ntsi ɔkyerɛɛw krataa kɛmaa wiadze nyina edwumayɛbea tsir no, na ɔkyerɛɛ siantsir a nna orunntum nnkɔ skuul no dɛm aber no. Onua Knorr a nna dɛm aber no odzi Jehovah n’ahyehyɛdze no enyim no so kyerɛɛw no, na ɔkaa kyerɛɛ no dɛ, bi a daakye bi ɔnye no kun botum akɔ Gilead Skuul no bi. February 1953 na yɛwaree.

Dɛm afe no ara mu no, menye Elly kɔr New World Society Ehyiadzi a wɔyɛe wɔ Yankee Stadium a ɔwɔ New York no bi. Mihyiaa onua bi wɔ ehyiadzi no ase na ɔmaa me edwuma kamakama bi. Ɔkaa kyerɛɛ me dɛ muntu mbɛtsena United States. Aber a menye Elly bɔɔ asɛm yi ho mpaa no, yesii gyinae dɛ merennyɛ edwuma no, mbom yɛbɛsan akɔ Belgium na yaakɔboa kuw kakraba bi a ɔwɔ Bastogne. Nna adawurbɔfo bɛyɛ du na wɔwɔ dɛm kuw no mu. Afe a odzi hɔ no, yɛwoo hɛn babanyin Serge. Iyi maa hɛn enyi gyee paa, naaso awerɛhosɛm nye dɛ, abosoom esuon pɛ ekyir no, Serge yaree na owui. Nna awerɛhow ahyɛ hɛn do, ntsi yɛkaa ho asɛm kyerɛɛ Jehovah, na owusoɛr ho enyidado no so kyekyee hɛn werɛ na ɔhyɛɛ hɛn dzen.

October 1961 mu no, minyaa edwuma bi a ɔnngye me ber nyina a nna ɔbɛma metum ayɛ akwampaa edwuma no bi. Da a minyaa edwuma no ara na onua bi a ɔhwɛ Belgium Bethel do no frɛɛ me wɔ fon do. Obisaa me dɛ, sɛ wɔka dɛ membɛyɛ ɔmansin somfo a (sesei wɔfrɛ no ɔmansin do hwɛfo), mebɛyɛ anaa? Asɛm a mekaa kyerɛɛ no nye dɛ, ɔbɛyɛ a nkyɛ ɔmma yɛnkɔsom dɛ akwampaafo ansaana yɛabɛhyɛ ɔmansin edwuma no ase. Otsiee m’adzeserɛ no. Ntsi yɛbɛyɛɛ akwampaafo, na abosoom awɔtwe ekyir no, yɛhyɛɛ ɔmansin edwuma no ase wɔ September 1962 mu.

Yɛyɛɛ ɔmansin edwuma no mfe ebien ekyir no, wɔtoo nsa frɛɛ hɛn dɛ yɛmbɛyɛ edwuma wɔ Belgium Bethel a ɔwɔ Brussels no. October 1964 na yɛhyɛɛ edwuma ase wɔ hɔ. Dɛm dwumadzi fofor yi maa yenyaa nhyira pii. Afe 1965 mu no, Onua Knorr baa Bethel hɔ. Ɔkɔree no, wɔannkyɛr biara na woyii me dɛ nkorbata somfo. Ɔyɛɛ me nwanwa paa osiandɛ nna monnhwɛ biribi a ɔtse dɛm kwan koraa. Ekyir yi, wɔtoo nsa frɛɛ emi na Elly dɛ yɛnkɔ Gilead Skuul adzesuakuw a otsia 41 no bi. Asɛm a Onua Knorr kae mfe 13 a etwa mu no na wɔaba mu yi! Yewiee skuul no, yɛsanee kɛyɛɛ edwuma wɔ Belgium Bethel.

Nyimdzee a minyae wɔ mbranyimfo skuul no, meenya hokwan dze aboa enuanom a wɔwɔ Europe nye aman afofor do ma woenya fahodzi dze asom Jehovah. (Phil. 1:7) Iyi ntsi aman bɔbor 55 a nna wɔabra hɛn som edwuma no wɔ do anaa wɔdze nsa ato hɛn dwumadzi ahorow bi do no, minyaa hokwan nye aban mpanyimfo a wɔwɔ hɔ no bi hyiae. Sɛ mihyia aban mpanyimfo no a, nna mennka nnkyerɛ hɔn dɛ meyɛ mbranyimfo mbom nna meka kyerɛ hɔn dɛ meyɛ “Nyame nyimpa.” Nna mobɔ Jehovah mpaa hwehwɛ no hɔ akwankyerɛ aber nyina, osiandɛ  nna minyim dɛ, ‘ɔhen anaa ɔtsɛmbuafo n’akoma wɔ Jehovah ne nsamu dɛ esutsen, na ɔdan no fa mbrɛ ɔpɛ biara.’—Mbɛ. 21:1.

Mber bi, menye Europe Mbrahyɛ Baguanyi bi bɔɔ nkɔmbɔ, na mese mo werɛ rimmfir da. Nna mepɛ dɛ menye no kasa, naaso nna mayɛ ara me nsa nnka no. Ekyir yi, ɔgyee too mu dɛ ɔnye me behyia. Aber a yehyiae no, ɔkaa dɛ: “Merema wo minitsi enum pɛ, meremmfa minitsi kor mpo nnka ho.” Hɔ ara pɛ na misii me tsir adze na mobɔɔ mpaa. Dza meyɛe no maa Mbrahyɛ Baguanyi no n’akoma tui. Ntsi obisaa me dɛ mereyɛ ebɛnadze. Nna memaa me tsir do na mekaa kyerɛɛ no dɛ: “Nna mereda Nyankopɔn ase osiandɛ eyɛ no somfo.” Nna obisaa me dɛ: “Epɛ dɛ ekyerɛ dɛn?” Ntsi medze asɛm a ɔwɔ Romefo 13:4 kyerɛɛ no. Osiandɛ ɔyɛ Protestantnyi ntsi, nna ɔgye Bible no dzi. Ntsi ɔyɛɛ dzinn tsiee asɛm a mekenkanee no. Ebɛnadze na ofii mu bae? Ɔmaa me kwan ma menye no kasaa minitsi eduasa na hɛn nkɔmbɔ no so kɔr yie paa. Ɔkaa kyerɛɛ me mpo dɛ n’enyi gye edwuma a Jehovah Adasefo yɛ no ho.

Mfe pii a abɛsen kɔ no, Jehovah n’asomfo ho nsɛm a woekopuei Europe asɛndzibea ahorow no dze, pii kwa. Bi fa ɔfa biara ekyir a yenngyina, ɔwofo kor a ɔsɛ dɛ mbofra no tsena ne nkyɛn aber a awargyaa aba, tow tua, nye pii a ɔkeka ho ho. Ɔyɛ me dɛw paa dɛ medze m’enyiwa ehu mbrɛ Jehovah esi aboa hɛn ma yeedzi konyim wɔ nsɛm ahorow no mu bi mu. Jehovah Adasefo ho nsɛm a woekopue European Court of Human Rights no, no mu bɔbor 140 na yeedzi mu konyim!

Menye Onua Philip Brumley a ɔwɔ wiadze nyina edwumayɛbea tsir no nye Onua Valter Farneti a ofi Italy no bɔɔ mu yɛɛ edwuma wɔ 1990 mfe no mu. Nna Cuba aban no dze ne nsa ato hɛn dwumadzi ahorow bi do. Ntsi nna yɛpɛ dɛ yɛboa enuanom no mbrɛ ɔbɛyɛ a wobotum enya fahodzi dze asom Jehovah. Mekyerɛɛw krataa kɔr ɔfese a ɔwɔ Belgium a wɔhwɛ Cuba man ho nsɛm do no, na mihyiaa aban no n’ananmusinyi bi a nna ɔrohwɛ edzi hɛn asɛm no ho dwuma no. Dza ɔmaa aban no dze ne nsa too hɛn dwumadzi ahorow bi do wɔ Cuba no, ahyɛse no dze, menye hɔn kaa ho asɛm no, wɔanntse hɛn ase papa.

Yɛbɔɔ Jehovah mpaa hwehwɛɛ no hɔ akwankyerɛ, na ɔno ekyir no, yɛserɛɛ aban mpanyimfo no dɛ wɔmma hɛn kwan ma yɛmfa Bible 5,000 nkɔ Cuba. Enyigyesɛm nye dɛ, wɔpeen do. Ntsi yetumii dze Bible no kɔr ɔman no mu na wɔkyekyɛɛ maa enuanom no. Iyi maa yehun dɛ Jehovah rihyira hɛn mbɔdzembɔ no do. Ɔno ekyir no, yɛsanee serɛɛ dɛ wɔmma hɛn kwan ma yɛmfa Bible 27,500 nkɔ Cuba bio. Iyi so, aban no  gyee too mu. M’enyi gyee paa dɛ mutumii boae ma enuanom a wɔwɔ Cuba no nsa kaa Bible no bi.

Makɔ Cuba mpɛn pii mbrɛ ɔbɛyɛ a yɛbɔboa ma aban no agye hɛn som ato mu wɔ hɔ. Iyi maa mefaa aban mpanyimfo pii nyɛnko.

Afe 1994 mu no, Rwandafo twaa hɔnho nye hɔnho koe, na wokunkum Tutsifo pii. Owiee ase no, nyimpa bɔbor 1,000,000 na wowuwui. Awerɛhosɛm nye dɛ, wokunkum hɛn nuanom binom so. Wɔannkyɛr na woyii enuanom binom dɛ wɔmboaboa ndzɛmba ano mfa nkɛma enuanom a wɔwɔ Rwanda no.

Aber a yedur ɔman no n’ahenkurow Kigali mu no, yehun dɛ beebi a wɔkyerɛ nsɛm ase nye beebi a wɔdze nwoma gu no, itur mbobaa asɛɛ dan no ho. Yɛtsee dɛ wɔdze afona ekunkum enuanom beberee. Nna ɔyɛ awerɛhow mpo. Naaso yɛtsee so dɛ enuanom no daa no edzi dɛ wɔdodɔ hɔnho paa. Dɛ mfatoho no, yehyiaa onua bi a ɔyɛ Tutsinyi a okosumaa amona mu ndafua 28 wɔ Adasefo bi a wɔyɛ Hutufo no hɔn fie. Yɛyɛɛ nhyiamu bi wɔ Kigali, na yɛkyekyee enuanom bɔbor 900 a wɔbae no hɔn werɛ na yɛhyɛɛ hɔn nkuran so.

Nna enuanom beberee eguan efi Rwanda akɔ etukɔfo atsenae a ɔbɛn Goma a ɔwɔ Zaire (sesei wɔfrɛ no Democratic Republic of the Congo) no. Ntsi aber a yefii Rwanda no, yɛkɔr Zaire hɔ dɛ yɛrokɔhwehwɛ hɔn. Naaso yeennhu hɔn, ntsi yɛbɔɔ Jehovah mpaa dɛ ɔmboa hɛn ma yenhu hɛn nuanom no. Afei, dza yehunii ara nye dɛ obi ribehyia hɛn. Ntsi yebisaa no dɛ egyangyan biara onyim Jehovah Dasefo bi anaa. Nna ɔkaa dɛ, “Nyew, mara mpo meyɛ bi. M’enyi bɛgye dɛ menye hom bɔkɔ enuanom a wɔroboa hɛn no hɔ.” Aber a yɛnye enuanom a wɔdze mboa rema no bɔɔ nkɔmbɔ wiei no, yehyiaa enuanom bɛyɛ 1,600 a wɔwɔ etukɔfo atsenae hɔ, na yɛhyɛɛ hɔn nkuran na yɛkyekyee hɔn werɛ. Yɛkenkaan Akwankyerɛ Kuw no ne krataa bi so kyerɛɛ hɔn. Nsɛm a Akwankyerɛ Kuw no kae no bi nye yi: “Da biara yɛbɔ mpaa ma hom. Yenyim dɛ Jehovah rinnyi hom baako nnhyɛ hom nsa da.” Aber a enuanom no tsee dɛm nsɛm yi no, ɔkaa hɔn akoma paa. Asɛm a Akwankyerɛ Kuw no so kae no, ɔyɛ nokwar turododo. Ndɛ, enuanom bɔbor 30,000 na wɔwɔ Rwanda!

Afe 2011 mu no, mo dɔfo Elly wui. Owui no, nna yɛawar bɛyɛ mfe 58. Mekaa awerɛhow a nna wɔahyɛ mo do no ho asɛm kyerɛɛ Jehovah na ɔkyekyee mo werɛ. Afei so, Ahendzi no ho asɛmpa a mekaa kyerɛɛ afofor no kyekyee mo werɛ.

Sesei medzi bɔbor mfe 90, naaso dapɛn biara mokɔ asɛnka. Afei so, ɔyɛ me dɛw paa dɛ moroboa Mbra Dwumadzibea a ɔwɔ Belgium Bethel ha no. Bio so, ɔyɛ me enyigye dɛ mutum ka mo suahu kyerɛ afofor na mehyɛ mberantsɛ na mbabaa a wɔwɔ Bethel ha no nkuran.

Ber a odzi kan a mobɔɔ Jehovah mpaa no, bɛyɛ mfe 84 etwa mu. Ofitsi dɛm aber no na Jehovah abɛyɛ me nyɛnko. Seseiara mpo dze, ɔyɛ me nyɛnko berɛbo. Ɔyɛ me dɛw paa dɛ m’asetsena nyina mu no, Jehovah etsie me mpaabɔ.—Ndw. 66:19. b