TE FEE tɛŋŋ ni miyaje shihilɛ ni wa nɛɛ mli? Hã magba bo. Afɔ mi yɛ July 29, 1929, yɛ akrowa ko ni yɔɔ Bulacan kpokpaa lɛ nɔ yɛ maŋ ni atsɛɔ lɛ Philippines lɛ mli, ni jɛmɛ nɔŋŋ mida yɛ. Ohiafoi ji wɔ, ni nibii fioo komɛi pɛ wɔyɔɔ. Be ni miji oblanyo fioo lɛ, Japan asraafoi lɛ tutua Philippines maŋ lɛ ni abɔi tawuu. Shi akɛni wɔkrowa lɛ etse ehe banee hewɔ lɛ, ta lɛ esaaa wɔhe tɛ̃ɛ. No mli lɛ, wɔbɛ redio, loo TV, ni wɔnáaa adafitswaa woji hu wɔkane, no hewɔ lɛ, mɛi anaa wɔnu ta lɛ he saji yɛ.

Mifɔlɔi fɔ bii kpaanyɔ, ni miji mɔ ni ji enyɔ nɔ. Be ni miye afii kpaanyɔ lɛ, minii kɛ minaa hã mibahi amɛŋɔɔ. Eyɛ mli akɛ Katolikbii ji wɔ moŋ, shi minii kɛ mɛi ni jeee Katolikbii gbaa Nyɔŋmɔjamɔ he sane, ni kɛ́ enanemɛi hã lɛ woji ni jamɔi krokomɛi fee lɛ, eheɔ. Mikaiɔ akɛ ekɛ Biblia lɛ kɛ asafo lɛ woji komɛi ni kpaa amale jamɔ he mama ni atsɔɔ shishi kɛtee Tagalog mli lɛ tsɔɔ mi. Minya Biblia lɛ kanemɔ he waa, titri lɛ Sanekpakpai ejwɛ lɛ. Enɛ hã mishwe waa akɛ manyiɛ Yesu nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ sɛɛ.​—Yoh. 10:27.

Japan asraafoi lɛ shi Philippines yɛ afi 1945. Be nɛɛ mli nɔŋŋ ni mifɔlɔi kɛɛ mi akɛ miku misɛɛ kɛba shĩa. Minii kɛɛ mi akɛ miya. No hewɔ lɛ, mitee.

No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ yɛ December 1945 lɛ, Yehowa Odasefoi komɛi jɛ Angat amɛbashiɛ yɛ wɔkrowa lɛ. Nyɛmi ko ni hiɛ efã ba wɔshĩa lɛ ni egbala nɔ ni Biblia lɛ kɛɔ yɛ “naagbee gbii lɛ” ahe lɛ mli etsɔɔ wɔ. (2 Tim. 3:1-5) Efɔ̃ wɔ nine ni wɔba Biblia mli nikasemɔ ko ni abaafee yɛ akrowa ko ni bɛŋkɛ wɔ lɛ shishi. Mifɔlɔi eyaaa, shi mi lɛ mitee. Mɛi aaafee 20 ba, ni amɛteŋ mɛi komɛi bi saji yɛ Biblia lɛ he.

Akɛni minuuu sane ni agbaa lɛ shishi jogbaŋŋ hewɔ lɛ, mikpɛ miyiŋ akɛ mashi. Shi nakai beiaŋ nɔŋŋ ni abɔi Maŋtsɛyeli lala ko lamɔ. Lala lɛ ŋɔɔ minaa waa, no hewɔ lɛ, mináaa maya dɔŋŋ. Be ni alá agbe naa ni asɔle lɛ, afɔ̃ mɛi fɛɛ ni ba nikasemɔ lɛ nine akɛ amɛba kpee ko ni abaafee yɛ Angat enɔ Hɔgbaa lɛ.

Afee kpee nɛɛ yɛ Cruz weku lɛ shĩa lɛ mli, ni mi kɛ mɛi krokomɛi nyiɛ aaafee kilomitai kpaanyɔ  (mailii enumɔ) dani wɔshɛ jɛmɛ. Mɛi aaafee 50 ba kpee lɛ, ni gbekɛbii bibii ni yɔɔ mli lɛ po nyɛ amɛhã Biblia mli sanebimɔi ni mli wala ahetoo. Minaa kpɛ mihe waa. Mitee kpee lɛ shii abɔ, kɛkɛ ni gbi ko lɛ, nyɛmi nuu nuumo gbɛgbalɔ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Damian Santos lɛ fɔ̃ mi nine ni mibaye jenamɔ lɛ yɛ eshĩa lɛ. Nakai gbɛkɛ lɛ, wɔgba Biblia lɛ mli sane ŋmɛlɛtswai babaoo.

No beiaŋ lɛ, kɛ́ mɛi kase Biblia mli tsɔɔmɔi ni esa akɛ Kristofoi fɛɛ ale lɛ nɔŋŋ lɛ, anyɛɔ abaptisiɔ amɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, be ni mibɔi kpeei lɛ yaa lɛ, eyeee be ko kwraa ni nyɛmimɛi lɛ bi mi kɛ mɛi krokomɛi akɛ, “Ani nyɛmiisumɔ ni abaptisi nyɛ lo?” Mihã hetoo akɛ, “Hɛɛ, miisumɔ.” Mikpɛ miyiŋ akɛ ‘masɔmɔ Nuŋtsɔ lɛ, ni ji Kristo lɛ akɛ enyɔŋ.’ (Kol. 3:24) Yɛ February 15, 1946 lɛ, akɛ wɔ tee faa ko ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ niiaŋ lɛ naa, ni abaptisi wɔyi enyɔ yɛ faa lɛ mli.

Miyɔse akɛ, esa akɛ Kristofoi fɛɛ ni abaptisi amɛ lɛ ashiɛ daa, tamɔ bɔ ni Yesu fee lɛ. Shi mipapa sumɔɔɔ ni mifeɔ nakai, ejaakɛ esusuɔ akɛ midako, ni baptisimɔ ni abaptisi mi lɛ kɛkɛ efeee mi shiɛlɔ. Migbala mli mitsɔɔ lɛ akɛ Nyɔŋmɔ miisumɔ ni wɔshiɛ Nyɔŋmɔ Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he sane kpakpa lɛ. (Mat. 24:14) Mihã ele hu akɛ, miwo Nyɔŋmɔ shi, ni esa akɛ maye mishiwoo lɛ nɔ. Enɛ ji nɔ ni wo mipapa mli la ni ewie wiemɔi ni mitsĩ tã yɛ sane nɛɛ shishijee lɛ. Etswa efai shi akɛ, ebaahã makpa shiɛmɔ. No ji klɛŋklɛŋ be ni ehe bahia ni mikɛ nibii ashã afɔle koni manyɛ masɔmɔ Yehowa.

Cruz weku lɛ hã mibahi amɛŋɔɔ yɛ Angat. Amɛwo mi kɛ amɛbiyoo fioo ni atsɛɔ lɛ Nora lɛ hewalɛ ni wɔkɛ wɔhe awo gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli. Wɔyi enyɔ lɛ fɛɛ je gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ shishi yɛ November 1, 1947. Nora tsu gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ yɛ maŋ kroko nɔ, shi mi lɛ, mitsu yɛ Angat.

Be ni mitsu gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ afii enyɔ lɛ, nyɛmi nuu ko ni sɔmɔɔ yɛ nitsumɔhe nine lɛ, ni atsɛɔ lɛ Earl Stewart lɛ bahã wiemɔ yɛ henaabuamɔhe ni yɔɔ Angat lɛ. Mɛi 500 kɛ sɛɛ babo ewiemɔ lɛ toi. Ehã wiemɔ lɛ yɛ Blɔfo mli, ni no sɛɛ lɛ, miwie ewiemɔ lɛ mli otii lɛ ahe yɛ Tagalog mli. Eyɛ mli akɛ mitee skul afii kpawo pɛ moŋ, shi wɔtsɔɔlɔi lɛ fɔɔ Blɔfo wiemɔ, ni no hã minyɛ mitsɔɔ ewiemɔ lɛ kɛ wiemɔi krokomɛi ni ahã yɛ Blɔfo mli lɛ ashishi. Nɔ kroko ni ye ebua mi ji akɛ, yɛ nakai beiaŋ lɛ, Biblia kasemɔ woji fioo komɛi pɛ wɔyɔɔ yɛ Tagalog mli, ni no hewɔ lɛ, asafo lɛ woji pii yɛ ni mikase yɛ Blɔfo mli.

Gbi ni Nyɛminuu Stewart bahã wiemɔ lɛ, ehã wɔsafo lɛ le akɛ, maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi lɛ baashi kɛya afi 1950 Teokrase Shweremɔ Kpee ni abaafee yɛ New York, yɛ U.S.A. lɛ, ni no hewɔ lɛ, nitsumɔhe nine lɛ miisumɔ ni gbɛgbalɔi enyɔ loo nɔ abaye abua yɛ Betel. Mifata nyɛmimɛi ni afɔ̃ amɛnine lɛ ahe. Angat ebatsɔ mishĩa, shi shi kome ekoŋŋ lɛ, ehe bahia ni mikɛ no hu ashã afɔle koni miyaye mibua yɛ Betel.

Mibɔi nitsumɔ yɛ Betel yɛ June 19, 1950. He ni akɛfee Betel lɛ ji shĩa agbo ko ni etsɛ waa, ni tsei wuji yɛ ehewɔ fɛɛ. Shikpɔŋ ni ama tsũ lɛ yɛ nɔ lɛ dalɛ feɔ eka enyɔ kɛ fã (loo hɛkta kome). No mli lɛ, nyɛmimɛi hii oshijafoi aaafee 12 ni tsuɔ nii yɛ jɛmɛ. Leebi mra lɛ, miyeɔ mibuaa yɛ kpata lɛ shi. Kɛkɛ lɛ, kɛjɛ aaafee ŋmɛlɛ nɛɛhu kɛyaa lɛ, miyatoɔ atadei anɔ yɛ he ni afɔɔ nii ahe yɛ lɛ. Nitsumɔi nɛɛ nɔŋŋ mitsuɔ shwane. Be ni maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi lɛ jɛ majimaji ateŋ kpee lɛ amɛba po lɛ, mitee nɔ misɔmɔ yɛ Betel. Mikɛ magazin wo wolo kotokui amli koni akɛmaje, mitsu woji ni ashɛ ahe nii, ni mihere gbɔi hu; mitsu nɔ fɛɛ nɔ ni akɛhã mi akɛ mitsu lɛ.

Yɛ afi 1952 lɛ, afɔ̃ mi kɛ nyɛmimɛi ekpaa krokomɛi ni jɛ Philippines lɛ nine koni wɔba Gilead Skul lɛ, ni wɔklas lɛ ji klas ni ji 20 nɔ. Mimii shɛ mihe waa diɛŋtsɛ. Be ni wɔtee United States lɛ, wɔna nibii pii ni wɔnako dã, ni wɔkɛ shihilɛi ni yɔɔ srɔto kwraa yɛ nɔ ni wɔle lɛ ahe lɛ kpe. Esoro jɛmɛ shihilɛ kwraa yɛ wɔkrowa bibioo lɛ mli shihilɛ lɛ he.

Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, ehe bahia ni wɔkase bɔ ni akɛ nibii komɛi tsuɔ nii ahãa, ejaakɛ wɔkɛ nibii nɛɛ tsuko nii dã. Agbɛnɛ hu, fɛi yeɔ yɛ jɛmɛ waa, shi jeee nakai eji yɛ he ni wɔjɛ lɛ. Gbi ko leebi be ni mite shi lɛ, mina akɛ nɔ fɛɛ nɔ eyɛ futaa. No ji klɛŋklɛŋ be ni mina snoo. Efee mi fɛo pam, shi etsɛɛɛ nɔŋŋ ni fɛi bɔi mi yeli waa!

Miná tsɔsemɔ ni akɛhã wɔ yɛ Gilead lɛ he miishɛɛ aahu akɛ, tsakemɔi ni mifee lɛ gbaaa minaa kwraa.  Wɔtsɔɔlɔi lɛ tsɔɔ wɔ nii jogbaŋŋ ni amɛtsɔɔ wɔ bɔ ni akaseɔ nii kɛ bɔ ni ataoɔ nii amli. Tsɔsemɔ ni miná yɛ Gilead lɛ hã wekukpaa ni yɔɔ mi kɛ Yehowa teŋ lɛ mli bawa.

Be ni migbe Gilead Skul lɛ naa lɛ, ahã mikɛ be kukuoo sɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔ krɛdɛɛ yɛ Bronx, yɛ New York City. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, minyɛ mitee Jeŋ Hee Asafo Kpee ni afee yɛ Bronx yɛ July 1953 lɛ. Be ni agbe kpee lɛ naa lɛ, ahã miku misɛɛ kɛtee Philippines koni miyasɔmɔ yɛ jɛmɛ.

Nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ nitsumɔhe nine lɛ kɛɛ mi akɛ, “Agbɛnɛ, obaayatsu kpokpaa nɔkwɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ.” Enɛ hã miná hegbɛ kroko ni mikɛbaakase Yesu, ejaakɛ lɛ hu efã gbɛ kɛtee maji kɛ akrowai ni yɔɔ shɔŋŋshɔŋŋ ni eyaye ebua Yehowa webii lɛ. (1 Pet. 2:21) Kpokpaa ni misɔmɔ lɛ yɛ Luzon, ni ji Philippines ŋshɔkpɔi lɛ ateŋ nɔ ni da fe fɛɛ lɛ. Kpokpaa ni misɔmɔ lɛ da waa. Philippines kpokpai ni ji Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, kɛ Zambales lɛ fɛɛ yɛ mli. Mitsɔɔ Sierra Madre Gɔji ni nɔ yɔɔ dokoidokoi lɛ anɔ dani minyɛɔ miyaa maji komɛi ni esa akɛ mayasara lɛ anɔ. Tsɔji holeee mɛi kɛyaaa hei nɛɛ, no hewɔ lɛ, mibiɔ mɛi ni hiɛ tsɔji wuji ni holeɔ tsei lɛ koni amɛhã mata tsei lɛ anɔ. Bei pii lɛ, amɛŋmɛɔ mi gbɛ ni mifeɔ nakai, shi tsei lɛ anɔ tamɔ kɛ gbɛfãa wa waa.

Asafoi ni yɔɔ mikpokpaa lɛ nɔ lɛ ateŋ babaoo yɛ ni atse etsɛko ni shiɛlɔi ni yɔɔ amɛmli lɛ ayi faaa. No hewɔ lɛ, kɛ́ miye mibua nyɛmimɛi lɛ koni amɛto kpeei kɛ shiɛmɔyaa he gbɛjianɔ jogbaŋŋ lɛ, amɛhiɛ sɔɔ waa.

Sɛɛ mli lɛ, ahã miyasɔmɔ kpokpaa kroko. Bicol kpokpaa muu lɛ fɛɛ ni feɔ kpokpaa nɛɛ. Kui ni yɔɔ hei ni etse amɛhe banee titri ni yɔɔ kpokpaa nɛɛ mli. Gbɛgbalɔi krɛdɛi kɛ kui nɛɛ miisɔmɔ ni amɛmiishiɛ yɛ hei ni Odasefoi eyashiɛko yɛ. Yɛ shĩa ko ni miyato lɛ mli lɛ, he ni ayaa niiasɛɛ yɛ lɛ ji bu ko ni atsa ni akɛ tsei enyɔ eŋmɛ nɔ. Be ko be ni mikɛ minaji mamɔ tsei lɛ anɔ lɛ, amɛgbee bu lɛ mli ni mi hu migbee mli. Ehe mi be saŋŋ dani minyɛ miju mihe ni mihe tse jogbaŋŋ. No sɛɛ dani miye mileebi niyenii.

Be ni misɔmɔɔ yɛ nakai kpokpaa lɛ nɔ lɛ, mibɔi Nora he susumɔ. Ekɛ mi fɛɛ je gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ shishi yɛ be kome too lɛ nɔŋŋ mli. No mli lɛ, eesɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔ krɛdɛɛ yɛ Dumaguete City, ni miyasara lɛ. No sɛɛ lɛ, wɔŋmaa wɔhe lɛta, ni yɛ afi 1956 lɛ, wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli. Klɛŋklɛŋ otsi yɛ wɔgbalashihilɛ mlibotemɔ lɛ sɛɛ lɛ, wɔyasɔmɔ asafo ko yɛ Rapu Rapu Ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ nɔ. Be ni wɔsɔmɔɔ yɛ jɛmɛ lɛ, wɔkwɔlɔ gɔji, ni wɔnyiɛ waa, shi wɔná miishɛɛ akɛ wɔfee ekome ni wɔmiiye wɔmiibua nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ hei ni etse amɛhe banee lɛ.

Be ni wɔkɛ aaafee afii ejwɛ esɔmɔ yɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli lɛ, afɔ̃ wɔ nine ni wɔbasɔmɔ yɛ Betel. Wɔbɔi nitsumɔ yɛ jɛmɛ yɛ January 1960. Mikɛ afii babaoo esɔmɔ yɛ Betel, ni no ehã mikɛ nyɛmimɛi ni hiɛ sɔ̃i ni tsii yɛ Yehowa asafo lɛ mli lɛ efee ekome kɛsɔmɔ, ni mikase nii babaoo kɛjɛ amɛŋɔɔ. Nora hu etsu nitsumɔi srɔtoi pii yɛ Betel.

Mina bɔ ni Yehowa sɔɔmɔ lɛ eshwere waa yɛ Philippines, ni enɛ ji jɔɔmɔ. Be ni miba Betel klɛŋklɛŋ kwraa akɛ oblanyo oshijafo lɛ, no mli lɛ shiɛlɔi aaafee 10,000 ni yɔɔ Philippines fɛɛ. Amrɔ nɛɛ, shiɛlɔi fe 200,000 ni yɔɔ Philippines, ni amɛteŋ mɛi ohai abɔ miisɔmɔ yɛ Betel kɛmiiye amɛmiibua shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ.

Be ni be shwieɔ mli lɛ, ehe bahia ni agbele Betel shĩa lɛ mli. No hewɔ lɛ, Gbɛtsɔɔmɔ Kuu lɛ kɛɛ wɔ akɛ wɔtao shikpɔŋ koni ama Betel shĩa ni da yɛ nɔ. Mi kɛ nyɛmi nuu ni kwɛɔ woji akalamɔ nɔ lɛ tee shĩai ni yɔɔ Betel niiaŋ lɛ amli koni wɔyabi mɛi kɛji amɛbaasumɔ ni amɛhɔ̃ɔ amɛshikpɔji lɛ. Chinabii fa yɛ jɛmɛ waa, ni amɛteŋ mɔ ko mɔ ko sumɔɔɔ ni ehɔ̃ɔ eshikpɔŋ lɛ. Amɛteŋ mɔ ko po kɛɛ wɔ akɛ: “Wɔ Chinabii lɛ, wɔhɔ̃ɔɔ nibii; moŋ lɛ, wɔheɔ nibii.”

Shi gbi ko lɛ, nɔ ko ni wɔkpaaa gbɛ ba. Shikpɔŋtsɛmɛi lɛ ateŋ mɔ ko miifã kɛmiiya United States, no hewɔ lɛ, ebi wɔ kɛji wɔbaasumɔ ni wɔhe eshikpɔŋ lɛ. Kɛkɛ ni shikpɔŋtsɛ kroko hu kpɛ eyiŋ akɛ ebaahɔ̃ɔ eshikpɔŋ lɛ, ni ekɛɛ shikpɔŋtsɛmɛi krokomɛi ni bɛŋkɛ lɛ lɛ akɛ amɛ hu amɛhɔ̃ɔ amɛnɔ lɛ. Wɔnyɛ wɔhe mɔ ni kɛɛ “Wɔ Chinabii lɛ, wɔhɔ̃ɔɔ nibii” lɛ po shikpɔŋ lɛ wɔfata he. Yɛ be kukuoo mli lɛ, nitsumɔhe nine lɛ shikpɔŋ lɛ dalɛ lɛ ku ebɔ he toi etɛ kɛ sɛɛ. Enɛ hã wɔnaa kpɛ wɔhe waa, ni miheɔ miyeɔ akɛ Yehowa Nyɔŋmɔ ni hã eba lɛ nakai.

Yɛ afi 1950 lɛ, no mli lɛ miji mɔ ni edako kwraa yɛ Betel weku lɛ mli. Amrɔ nɛɛ, mi kɛ miŋa ji mɛi ni edara fe fɛɛ yɛ weku lɛ mli. Mishwako mihe akɛ minyiɛ Yesu sɛɛ ekɔɔɔ he eko he ni efãa mi ni miya. Eyɛ mli akɛ mifɔlɔi shwie mi kɛje shĩa moŋ, shi Yehowa ehã mibatsɔ ewebii lɛ aweku agbo lɛ mli nyo. Miheɔ miyeɔ waa akɛ, Yehowa hãa wɔ wɔhiamɔ nii fɛɛ, ekɔɔɔ he eko nitsumɔ ni ekɛbaawo wɔdɛŋ. Mi kɛ Nora fɛɛ daa Yehowa shi waa akɛ eduroɔ wɔ nibii kpakpai, ni wɔmiiwo mɛi krokomɛi fɛɛ hewalɛ ni amɛ hu amɛka Yehowa amɛkwɛ.​—Mal. 3:10.

Be ko lɛ, Yesu fɔ̃ toohelɔ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Mateo Levi lɛ nine akɛ: “Baatsɔ misɛɛnyiɛlɔ.” Te Mateo here ninefɔɔ nɛɛ nɔ tɛŋŋ? Ŋmalɛ lɛ kɛɛ: “Eshi nɔ fɛɛ nɔ yɛ esɛɛ, ni ete shi ebɔi esɛɛnyiɛmɔ.” (Luka 5:27, 28) Mi hu mishi nibii komɛi yɛ misɛɛ ni miinyiɛ Yesu sɛɛ. Miiwo mɛi krokomɛi hewalɛ ni amɛ hu amɛfee nakai koni amɛná jɔɔmɔi babaoo.