Yɛ 1940 sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, Yehowa Odasefoi kɛ mifɔlɔi bɔi Biblia lɛ kasemɔ. Nikasemɔ lɛ nyɛɛɛ adamɔ shi, shi be fɛɛ be lɛ, mimami nine shɛɔ Buu-Mɔɔ lɛ kɛ Awake! lɛ eko nɔ. Yɛ 1950 lɛ, afee majimaji ateŋ kpee ko yɛ New York City, ni miweku lɛ tee eko.

No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, nyɛmi nuu ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Lawrence Jeffries lɛ baa wɔshĩa lɛ ni ekɛ wɔ bagbaa Biblia lɛ mli sane. Ebɔ mɔdɛŋ akɛ ebaaye ebua mi koni male anɔkwale lɛ. Be ni ekɛ mi bɔi sane gbaa lɛ, minuuu nɔ hewɔ ni Yehowa Odasefoi kɛ amɛhe wooo pɔlitis kɛ asraafoi anitsumɔ lɛ mli lɛ shishi kwraa. Mikɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Kɛ́ mɔ fɛɛ mɔ ni yɔɔ Amerika lɛ kɛɛ eyaŋ ta lɛ, henyɛlɔi baaba amɛbashɔ̃ wɔmaŋ lɛ yɛ wɔdɛŋ.” Nyɛminuu Jeffries to etsui shi ni ekɛ mi susu nii ahe. Ebi mi akɛ: “Te osusuɔ tɛŋŋ? Kɛ́ mɔ fɛɛ mɔ ni yɔɔ Amerika lɛ miijá Yehowa ni henyɛlɔi batutua wɔ lɛ, ani Yehowa ebuŋ wɔhe?” Bɔ ni ekɛ mi susu sane nɛɛ kɛ ekrokomɛi ahe lɛ hã mina akɛ, susumɔ ni mihiɛ lɛ ejaaa, ni no hã miná he miishɛɛ waa akɛ makase Biblia lɛ koni male anɔkwale lɛ.

Mikɛ ŋmɛlɛtswai pii kane Buu-Mɔɔ kɛ Awake! memeji komɛi ni mimami yɔɔ yɛ wɔnitoohe lɛ. Fiofio lɛ, mibana akɛ nɔ ni mikaseɔ lɛ ji anɔkwale lɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, mikpɛlɛ ni Nyɛminuu Jeffries kɛ mi akase Biblia lɛ. Agbɛnɛ hu, mibɔi asafoŋ kpeei yaa daa. Anɔkwale lɛ ta mitsuiŋ waa, ni no tsirɛ mi ni mibatsɔ shiɛlɔ. Mibayɔse akɛ “Yehowa gbi wulu lɛ ebɛŋkɛ,” ni no hewɔ lɛ, mitsake otii ni mikɛmamɔ mihiɛ lɛ. (Zef. 1:14) Mikpɛ miyiŋ akɛ, nɔ najiaŋ ni maya yunivɛsiti lɛ, mikɛ mibe baaye abua mɛi ni amɛbale anɔkwale lɛ.

Migbe SHS naa June 13, 1956, ni no sɛɛ gbii etɛ lɛ, abaptisi mi yɛ kpokpaa nɔ kpee ko ni afee lɛ shishi. No mli lɛ, mileee kwraa akɛ yiŋ ni mikpɛ akɛ  mikɛ mibe baakase Yehowa he nii ni matsɔɔ mɛi ehe nii lɛ, baahã maná jɔɔmɔi pii.

Mibaptisimɔ lɛ sɛɛ nyɔji ekpaa lɛ, mibatsɔ daa gbɛgbalɔ. Sane ko ni yitso ji, “Ani Obaanyɛ Oyasɔmɔ Yɛ He Ni Hiamɔ Lɛ Da Yɛ?” (Can You Serve Where the Need Is Great?) lɛ je kpo yɛ December 1956 Blɔfo Wɔ Maŋtsɛyeli Sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli. Mina akɛ, manyɛ mayasɔmɔ yɛ he ko ni tamɔ nɛkɛ, ejaakɛ mi diɛŋtsɛ lɛ, no mli lɛ miitao mayasɔmɔ yɛ he ko ni shiɛlɔi ayi faaa yɛ.​—Mat. 24:14.

Mifã miyahi Edgefield, yɛ South Carolina. No mli lɛ, asafo ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ, shiɛlɔi ejwɛ pɛ yɔɔ mli, ni miyafata amɛhe ni wɔyi bafee enumɔ. Wɔfeɔ asafoŋ kpeei yɛ nyɛmi nuu ko asa nɔ. Daa nyɔɔŋ nɔ lɛ, mikɛ ŋmɛlɛtswai 100 shiɛɔ. Agbɛnɛ hu, mikwɛɔ shiɛmɔ nɔ, ni mitsuɔ nifeemɔi srɔtoi ahe nii yɛ asafoŋ kpeei ashishi. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, mibɛ dekã kwraa. Nɔ ko ni mibana ji akɛ, nibii nɛɛ ni mifeɔ daa lɛ hã ikase nibii pii yɛ Yehowa he.

No mli lɛ, yoo ko ni mikɛkaseɔ nii lɛ yɛ he ko ni afeɔ yara yɛ yɛ Johnston, ni ji maŋ ko ni kɛ he ni wɔyɔɔ lɛ jekɛɛɛ tsɔ lɛ. Ehã mi nitsumɔ ko ni heŋ mibe pii ni baahã maná nɔ ko kɛkwɛ mihe, ni ehã wɔ tsũ bibioo ko ni wɔbaanyɛ wɔkpe yɛ jɛmɛ kɛhã asafoŋ kpeei.

Nyɛminuu Jolly Jeffries, ni ji nyɛmi nuu lɛ ni kɛ mi kase nii lɛ binuu fã kɛjɛ Brooklyn, yɛ New York, ni ebafata mihe ni wɔ fɛɛ wɔtsu gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ. Nyɛmi nuu ko ma wɔ tsɔne bibioo ko ni awɔɔ mli, ni no mli wɔhi.

Yɛ Amerika wuoyigbɛ lɛ, no mli lɛ awooo nitsulɔi nyɔmɔ jogbaŋŋ. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, kɛ́ wɔtsu nii gbi muu fɛɛ lɛ, awoɔ wɔ nyɔmɔ dɔlai enyɔ loo etɛ pɛ. Be ko lɛ, mikɛ mishika fioo ni eshwɛ yɛ mihe lɛ hé niyenii yɛ shwapo ko naa. Be ni mije kpo yɛ shwapo lɛ mli lɛ, nuu ko ba miŋɔɔ ni ebi mi akɛ: “Ani ootao nitsumɔ? Mawo bo nyɔmɔ dɔla kome ŋmɛlɛtswaa fɛɛ ŋmɛlɛtswaa.” Nuu lɛ hã mitsu nii gbii etɛ kɛsaa he ko ni aama tsũ ko yɛ. Mina faŋŋ akɛ, Yehowa miiye eebua mi koni maya nɔ mahi Edgefield. Shi yɛ 1958 lɛ, mitee majimaji ateŋ kpee ni afee yɛ New York City lɛ eko.

Kpee lɛ gbi ni ji enyɔ lɛ nɔ lɛ, nɔ ko ba ni mihiɛ kpaŋ nɔ kɔkɔɔkɔ. Mikɛ Ruby Wadlington, ni no mli lɛ eesɔmɔ akɛ daa gbɛgbalɔ yɛ Gallatin, yɛ Tennessee lɛ kpe. Akɛni wɔ fɛɛ wɔmiitao wɔsɔmɔ akɛ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi hewɔ lɛ, wɔtee kpee ni afee ahã mɛi ni miitao amɛya Gilead lɛ eko. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, wɔbɔi wɔhe lɛta ŋmaa, kɛkɛ ni afɔ̃ mi nine ni mibahã wiemɔ yɛ Gallatin. Be ni mitee lɛ, miŋɔ hegbɛ lɛ ni mikɛbi Ruby kɛji ebaasumɔ ni ekɛ mi ahi shi. Mifã kɛtee asafo ni Ruby yɔɔ mli lɛ mli, ni yɛ 1959 lɛ, wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli.

Be ni miye afii 23 lɛ, awó mi asafo sɔɔlɔ (nɔ ni ŋmɛnɛ lɛ wɔtsɛɔ lɛ akɛ onukpai akuu lɛ saji ahe gbɛjianɔtolɔ lɛ) yɛ Gallatin. Wɔsafo lɛ ji klɛŋklɛŋ asafo ni Nyɛminuu Charles Thompson sɔmɔ be ni ebɔi sɔɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ. Nyɛminuu Thompson yɛ  niiashikpamɔ waa. Shi fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, ebi mi misusumɔ yɛ nɔ ni he hiaa nyɛmimɛi lɛ he kɛ bɔ ni kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔi krokomɛi etsu saji ni tamɔ nakai lɛ ahe nii amɛhã. Nɔ ni mikase yɛ enɛ mli ji, ehi akɛ mabi saji koni male nɔ fɛɛ nɔ ni kɔɔ sane ko he dani matsu he nii.

Yɛ May 1964 lɛ, miná hegbɛ mitee Maŋtsɛyeli Sɔɔmɔ Skul ni afee yɛ South Lansing yɛ New York lɛ eko. Skul lɛ he nyɔɔŋ kome. Nyɛmimɛi ni tsɔɔ nii yɛ skul lɛ hã miná he miishɛɛ waa akɛ makase Yehowa he nii babaoo ni mafee nibii ni baahã mi kɛ lɛ teŋ wekukpaa lɛ mli awa.

Yɛ January 1965 lɛ, ahã mi kɛ Ruby bɔi sɔɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ kɛ eŋa. Kpokpaa ni ahã wɔ lɛ da waa; ejeɔ shishi yɛ Knoxville, yɛ Tennessee, ni egbeɔ naa yɛ he ko ni bɛŋkɛ Richmond, yɛ Virginia. Asafoi ni wɔsɔmɔ lɛ ekomɛi yɛ North Carolina, Kentucky, kɛ West Virginia. Ahã misɔmɔ asafoi ni mɛidiji sɔŋŋ yɔɔ mli lɛ pɛ, ejaakɛ nakai beiaŋ lɛ, yɛ U.S. wuoyigbɛ lɛ, aŋmɛɛɛ gbɛ ni mɛidiji kɛ blɔfomɛi akpe yɛ he kome. Nyɛmimɛi ni wɔyasɔmɔ lɛ ateŋ mɛi pii bɛ nɔ ko tsɔ, no hewɔ lɛ, wɔye wɔbua amɛ. Nyɛmi nuu ko ni kɛ afii pii esɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ tsɔɔ mi nɔ ko ni he hiaa waa. Ekɛɛ mi akɛ: “Kɛ́ otee asafoi lɛ amli lɛ, kaaye nyɛmimɛi lɛ anɔ nuŋtsɔmɛi asane. Moŋ lɛ, hã amɛna bo tamɔ amɛnyɛmi. Ja amɛna bo nakai dani obaanyɛ oye obua amɛ.”

Be ko be ni wɔsɔmɔɔ asafo bibioo ko lɛ, Ruby kɛ oblayoo ko ni hiɛ bi ni eye afi kome lɛ bɔi nikasemɔ. Be ni wɔshiɔ lɛ, wɔnáaa mɔ ko ni kɛ lɛ baatsa nikasemɔ lɛ nɔ, no hewɔ lɛ, Ruby kɛ lɛ tsa nikasemɔ lɛ nɔ kɛtsɔ lɛtaŋmaa nɔ. Be ni wɔyasara nakai asafo lɛ ekoŋŋ lɛ, yoo lɛ ba asafoŋ kpeei ni wɔfee lɛ fɛɛ. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, akɛ gbɛgbalɔi krɛdɛi enyɔ tee nakai asafo lɛ mli ni amɛkɛ yoo lɛ tsa nikasemɔ lɛ nɔ. Yoo lɛ tee ehiɛ, ni etsɛɛɛ kwraa ni abaptisi lɛ. Aaafee afii 30 sɛɛ yɛ 1995 lɛ, oblayoo ko jie eyi shi etsɔɔ Ruby yɛ Patterson Betel. Asomoaŋ, yoo lɛ ni Ruby kɛ lɛ kase nii lɛ biyoo lɛ ni! Ekɛ ewu eba Gilead Skul lɛ klas ni ji 100 lɛ.

Kpokpaa ni ji enyɔ ni ahã wɔyasɔmɔ lɛ yɛ Florida. Wɔna akɛ, agbɛnɛ lɛ, esa akɛ wɔná tsɔne. No hewɔ lɛ, wɔná tsɔne ko ni jara waaa wɔhé. Be ni wɔhé tsɔne lɛ, klɛŋklɛŋ otsi lɛ mli nɔŋŋ lɛ, nɔ ko fite yɛ injin lɛ he. Shi no mli lɛ, wɔbɛ shika ni wɔkɛbaasaa. No hewɔ lɛ, mitswa nyɛmi ko ni mibi lɛ kɛji ebaanyɛ eye ebua wɔ. Ehã mɛi ni ekɛtsuɔ nii lɛ ateŋ mɔ ko basaa tsɔne lɛ ehã wɔ ni eheee wɔ shika. Nɔ pɛ ni ewie ji, “Wɔsaa nyɛtsɔne lɛ, nyɛbaanyɛ nyɛkɛya.” Eke wɔ shika po efata he. Nɔ ni efee nɛɛ hã wɔna akɛ, Yehowa kwɛɔ etsuji be fɛɛ be. Ehã wɔkai akɛ, esa akɛ wɔfee mɛi ejurɔ.

Be fɛɛ be ni wɔbaayasara asafo ko lɛ, wɔhiɔ nyɛmimɛi lɛ ashĩai amli. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, wɔbaná nanemɛi kpakpai pii. Be ko lɛ, mishi asafo ko ni miisɔmɔ lɛ he amaniɛbɔɔ ni miitsu he nii ni migbeko naa lɛ yɛ mitaipraita lɛ nɔ. Be ni miku misɛɛ miba nakai gbɛkɛ lɛ, miná mile akɛ nyɛmimɛi lɛ ni miyato amɛŋɔɔ lɛ abinuu ni eye afii etɛ lɛ enyɛmɔ taipriata lɛ nɔ, ni no hewɔ lɛ, esa akɛ matswa amaniɛbɔɔ lɛ fɛɛ ekoŋŋ. Mikɛ sane nɛɛ ye ehe fɛo afii pii. Mikɛɔ lɛ akɛ, be ni mishi amaniɛbɔɔ lɛ, eyagbe naa ehã mi.

Yɛ 1971 lɛ, minine shɛ lɛta nɔ akɛ miyasɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa wulu nɔkwɛlɔ yɛ New York City. Efee wɔ naakpɛɛ waa. Be ni wɔshi kɛtee New York City lɛ, no mli lɛ miye afii 34 pɛ. Mi ji klɛŋklɛŋ mɔdiŋ kpokpaa wulu nɔkwɛlɔ ni sɔmɔ nyɛmimɛi nɛɛ, ni amɛhere mi hiɛmɛɛ waa.

Be ni misɔmɔɔ akɛ kpokpaa wulu nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ, daa otsi naagbee lɛ, mináa hegbɛ mitsɔɔ mɛi Yehowa he nii yɛ kpokpaa nɔ kpeei ashishi, ni enɛ hã miná miishɛɛ waa. Kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔi ni misɔmɔ lɛ ateŋ mɛi pii kɛ afii babaoo esɔmɔ fe mi. Amɛteŋ mɔ kome po ji mɔ ni hã mibaptisimɔ wiemɔ lɛ. Amɛteŋ mɔ kroko hu ji, Nyɛminuu Theodore Jaracz, mɔ ni sɛɛ mli lɛ ebatsɔ Gbɛtsɔɔmɔ Kuu lɛ mli nyo lɛ. Agbɛnɛ hu, nyɛmimɛi babaoo ni kɛ afii pii esɔmɔ Yehowa ni miitsu nii yɛ Brooklyn Betel yɛ kpokpai srɔtoi ni misɔmɔ lɛ amli. Kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔi nɛɛ kɛ nyɛmimɛi ni miisɔmɔ yɛ Betel lɛ hã minitsumɔ lɛ fee mlɛo, ni mihiɛ sɔ enɛ waa. Mina faŋŋ akɛ, amɛsumɔɔ nyɛmimɛi lɛ, ni amɛji nɔkwɛlɔi kpakpai. Amɛkɛ Nyɔŋmɔ Wiemɔ lɛ tsuɔ nii be fɛɛ be, ni amɛkɛ asafo lɛ gbɛtsɔɔmɔi hu tsuɔ nii. Nyɛmimɛi nɛɛ baa amɛhe shi, ni enɛ hã efee mlɛo kɛhã mi akɛ masɔmɔ akɛ amɛ-kpokpaa wulu nɔkwɛlɔ.

Yɛ 1974 lɛ, Gbɛtsɔɔmɔ Kuu lɛ hã kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔi krokomɛi hu bɔi sɔɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa wulu nɔkwɛlɔi. No hewɔ lɛ, ahã mibɔi sɔɔmɔ ekoŋŋ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ, ni he ni ahã miyasɔmɔ yɛ ji, South Carolina. Miishɛɛ sane ji akɛ, be ni shɛɔ nakai beiaŋ lɛ, abɛ asafo ko loo kpokpaa ko ni mɛidiji sɔŋŋ loo blɔfomɛi sɔŋŋ yɔɔ mli. Nyɛmimɛi lɛ nyɛ amɛfee ekome agbɛnɛ, ni no hã amɛná miishɛɛ waa.

Yɛ 1976 naagbeegbɛ lɛ, ahã miyasɔmɔ kpokpaa ko ni yɔɔ Atlanta kɛ Columbus teŋ yɛ Georgia. Be ni misɔmɔɔ nakai kpokpaa lɛ, nɔ ko ba ni mihiɛ kpaŋ nɔ kɔkɔɔkɔ. Mɛi fɔji komɛi yaje la amɛwo nyɛmimɛi komɛi ni ji mɛidiji lɛ ashĩa mli. Gbekɛbii enumɔ ni yɔɔ shĩa lɛ mli lɛ gboi, ni mi mihã amɛyara lɛ shishi wiemɔ lɛ. Amɛmami pila waa, ni ayatsĩ enaa yɛ helatsamɔhe lɛ. Nyɛmimɛi babaoo ni ji mɛidiji kɛ blɔfomɛi ba helatsamɔhe lɛ ni amɛbashɛje fɔlɔi nɛɛ amii. Mina akɛ, nyɛmimɛi nɛɛ yɛ suɔmɔ waa. Kɛ́ wɔjie suɔmɔ ni tamɔ nɛkɛ kpo wɔtsɔɔ wɔnyɛmimɛi lɛ, ebaaye ebua amɛ ni amɛfi shi yɛ shihilɛi ni mli wawai ni amɛkɛkpeɔ lɛ amli.

Yɛ 1977 lɛ, ahã wɔba Brooklyn Betel koni wɔkɛ nyɔji fioo abaye abua kɛ nitsumɔ ko ni atsuɔ yɛ jɛmɛ lɛ. Be ni eshwɛ fioo ni abaagbe nitsumɔ lɛ naa lɛ, Gbɛtsɔɔmɔ Kuu lɛ mli bii enyɔ kɛ mi kɛ Ruby kpe ni amɛbi wɔ kɛji wɔbaasumɔ ni wɔsɔmɔ yɛ Betel kwraa. Wɔhã amɛle akɛ, wɔbaasumɔ.

Mikɛ afii 24 sɔmɔ yɛ Service Department lɛ. Bei pii lɛ, saji ni nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ Service Department lɛ tsuɔ he nii lɛ wa ni ebiɔ ni asusu nii ahe jogbaŋŋ dani atsu he nii. Gbɛtsɔɔmɔ Kuu lɛ damɔɔ Biblia mli shishitoo mlai anɔ amɛkɛ gbɛtsɔɔmɔi hãa, ni gbɛtsɔɔmɔi nɛɛ yeɔ ebuaa mɛi ni tsuɔ nii yɛ Service Department lɛ ni amɛtsuɔ saji ni akɛbaa jɛmɛ lɛ ahe nii. Agbɛnɛ hu, gbɛtsɔɔmɔi nɛɛ nɔŋŋ anɔ adamɔɔ atsɔseɔ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔi, asafoŋ onukpai, kɛ gbɛgbalɔi. Tsɔsemɔ nɛɛ eye ebua mɛi pii ni amɛtee amɛhiɛ yɛ Yehowa sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli, ni amɛhiɛyaa lɛ ehã Yehowa asafo lɛ eshwere.

Kɛjɛ 1995 kɛyashi 2018 lɛ, ahã misɔmɔ akɛ nitsumɔhe yitso najiaŋdamɔlɔ, ni miná hegbɛ miyasara nitsumɔhe niji srɔtoi. Kɛ́ miyasara nitsumɔhe nine ko lɛ, mikɛ Nitsumɔhe Nine Ajinafoi Akuu lɛ, Betelbii, kɛ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi lɛ kpeɔ ni miwoɔ amɛ hewalɛ. Kɛ́ amɛkɛ naagbai komɛi miikpe lɛ, miyeɔ mibuaa amɛ ni amɛtsuɔ he nii. Nyɛmimɛi lɛ hu gbaa wɔ niiashikpamɔi, ni enɛ woɔ wɔ hewalɛ waa. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, yɛ afi 2000 lɛ, wɔyasara nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ Rwanda lɛ. Wɔmusuŋ tsɔ wɔ waa yɛ nyɛmimɛi lɛ kɛ Betelbii lɛ ahe be ni amɛgba wɔ nɔ ni mli ni amɛtsɔ be ni awuɔ ta yɛ jɛmɛ yɛ 1994 lɛ. Amɛteŋ mɛi pii asuɔlɔi gboi. Shi yɛ nɔ ni amɛtsɔ mli lɛ fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, amɛhemɔkɛyeli mli gbɔjɔɔɔ, amɛhiɛnɔkamɔ etãaa, ni amɛtee nɔ amɛsɔmɔ Yehowa kɛ miishɛɛ.

Bianɛ lɛ, mi kɛ Ruby fɛɛ eye fe afii 80, ni mikɛ afii 20 esɔmɔ akɛ United States Nitsumɔhe Nine Ajinafoi Akuu lɛ mli nyo. Miyaaa yunivɛsiti, shi nibii ni Yehowa kɛ esafo lɛ etsɔɔ mi lɛ, skul ko skul ko bɛ ni baanyɛ atsɔɔ mi. Nibii ni mikase lɛ eye ebua mi ni minyɛ mitsɔɔ mɛi nii kɛjɛ Biblia lɛ mli koni amɛná naanɔ wala. (2 Kor. 3:5; 2 Tim. 2:2) Mina bɔ ni Biblia lɛ eye ebua mɛi ni amɛtsake amɛshihilɛ, kɛ bɔ ni ewa mɛi ni amɛbatsɔmɔ Nyɔŋmɔ nanemɛi. (Yak. 4:8) Be fɛɛ be ni mi kɛ Ruby baaná hegbɛ lɛ, wɔwoɔ mɛi hewalɛ ni amɛkase Yehowa he nii ni amɛtsɔɔ mɛi nii kɛjɛ Biblia lɛ mli, ejaakɛ no ji hegbɛ ni fe fɛɛ ni Yehowa tsulɔ baanyɛ aná!