“Gbɛ Lɛ Nɛ! Nyɛnyiɛa Nɔ”

Emilia Pederson Wala Shihilɛ He Sane

Ruth E. Pappas Ji Mɔ Ni Gba

AFƆ́ minyɛ, Emilia Pederson yɛ afi 1878. Eyɛ mli akɛ etsɔɔ nii yɛ skul moŋ, shi ekã etsui nɔ akɛ eye ebua mɛi ni amɛtsi amɛbɛŋkɛ Nyɔŋmɔ. Adeka agbo ko ni mã wɔshĩa lɛ yɛ maŋ bibioo ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Jasper yɛ Minnesota yɛ U.S.A. lɛ yeɔ minyɛ Awo shwelɛ nɛɛ he odase. Eyahe adeka nɛɛ koni ekɛ enibii awo mli kɛfã gbɛ kɛya China, he ni etaoɔ akɛ eyasɔmɔ yɛ akɛ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa jajelɔ lɛ. Shi beni emami gbo lɛ, ebalɛ akɛ efo gbɛjianɔ ni eto lɛ mli bɔni afee ni enyɛ ehi shĩa ni ekwɛ enyɛmimɛi bibii lɛ. Ekɛ Theodore Holien bote gbalashihilɛ mli yɛ afi 1907. Afɔ́ mi yɛ December 2, 1925—ni mi ji amɛbii kpawo lɛ ateŋ nakutsoŋ bi.

Nyɛ Awo tao akɛ enu saji komɛi ashishi kɛjɛ Biblia lɛ mli. Saji lɛ ateŋ ekome kɔɔ hɛl, ní atsɔɔ akɛ eji heko ni apiŋɔ mɛi fɔji yɛ kɛyaa naanɔ lɛ he. Ebi Luther Sɔlemɔ lɛ mli onukpa ko ní etsɔɔ lɛ Biblia mli ŋmalɛ ni fiɔ tsɔɔmɔ nɛɛ sɛɛ. Shi nɔ ni ekɛɛ Awo lɛ tsɔɔ akɛ, esa akɛ atsɔɔ mɛi akɛ hɛl ji he ko ni akɛ la piŋɔ mɛi yɛ, ekɔɔɔ he eko nɔ ni Biblia lɛ kɛɛ.

Ebale Anɔkwale Lɛ

Yɛ afi 1900 lɛ sɛɛ nɔŋŋ lɛ, Awo nyɛmi yoo fioo ni atsɛɔ lɛ Emma lɛ tee Northfield yɛ Minnesota koni eyakase lalafoo. Eyahi etsɔɔlɔ ni atsɛɔ lɛ Milius Christianson lɛ shĩa, ni tsɔɔlɔ nɛɛ ŋa ji Biblia Kaselɔ taakɛ atsɛɔ Yehowa Odasefoi yɛ nakai beaŋ lɛ. Emma ha ele akɛ eyɛ nyɛmi yoo ko ní sumɔɔ Biblia kanemɔ waa. Etsɛɛɛ tsɔ ni Owula ŋa Christianson ŋma Awo wolo kɛha lɛ saji ni enuuu shishi lɛ ahetoo kɛjɛ Biblia lɛ mli.

Gbi ko lɛ Biblia Kaselɔ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Lora Oathout lɛ fo oketeke kɛjɛ Sioux Falls yɛ South Dakota ni ebashiɛ yɛ Jasper. Awo kase Biblia kasemɔ woji ni Lora ha lɛ lɛ, ni yɛ afi 1915 lɛ, lɛ hu ebɔi Biblia mli anɔkwalei lɛ shiɛmɔ kɛ mɛi krokomɛi hamɔ, ni eja woji ni Lora shi eha lɛ lɛ.

Yɛ afi 1916 lɛ, Awo nu akɛ Charles Taze Russell baaba kpee ko ni abaafee yɛ Sioux City yɛ Iowa lɛ. Kpee lɛ yaa kã etsui nɔ. No mli lɛ, Awo yɛ bii enumɔ, ni Marvin ni ji amɛteŋ gbekɛ kwraa lɛ eye nyɔji enumɔ pɛ. Shi fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, ekɛ ebii lɛ fɛɛ yafo oketeke kɛfã gbɛ aaafee kilomitai 160 kɛtee kpee lɛ yɛ Sioux City. Ebo wiemɔ ni Nyɛminuu Russell ha lɛ toi, ekwɛ “Photo-Drama of Creation” sini lɛ, ni abaptisi lɛ. Beni ejɛ kpee lɛ kɛba lɛ, ebaŋma kpee lɛ he sane ni akala yɛ Jasper Journal adafitswaa wolo lɛ mli.

Awo fata mɛi aaafee 18,000 ni tee kpee ni afee yɛ Cedar Point, Ohio yɛ afi 1922 lɛ ahe. Kɛjɛ nakai kpee lɛ sɛɛ lɛ, efɔ̃ɔɔ Nyɔŋmɔ Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ shiɛmɔ. Enɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ wo wɔ hewalɛ koni wɔbo ŋaawoo akɛ: “Gbɛ lɛ nɛ! nyɛnyiɛa nɔ!” lɛ toi.—Yes. 30:21.

 Sɔɔmɔ Nitsumɔ lɛ Wo Yibii

Yɛ afi 1920 afii lɛ shishijee gbɛ lɛ, mifɔlɔi lɛ shi Jasper. Mipapa nitsumɔ lɛ shwere waa, ni eyɛ weku agbo hu ni eekwɛ. Ekaseee Biblia lɛ tsɔ tamɔ Awo, shi efi shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ sɛɛ kɛ etsui fɛɛ, ni eŋmɛɔ gbɛ ni sɔɔlɔi gbɛfalɔi batoɔ wɔshĩa lɛ. Bei pii lɛ, kɛ́ sɔɔlɔi gbɛfalɔi lɛ ha wiemɔ yɛ wɔshĩa lɛ, mɛi aaafee 100 loo nɔ̃ baboɔ toi—amɛtaraa asa lɛ nɔ, niyelihe lɛ, kɛ sɛɛtsu lɛ mli.

Beni miye aaafee afii kpawo lɛ, minyɛkwɛ̃ Lettie tswa wɔ tɛlifoŋ ni ekɛɛ Ed Larson kɛ eŋa, ni ji ekutsoŋbii lɛ, miisumɔ ni amɛkase Biblia lɛ. Amɛkpɛlɛ Biblia mli anɔkwalei lɛ anɔ amrɔ nɔŋŋ, ni sɛɛ mli lɛ amɛ hu amɛfɔ̃ nine amɛtsɛ yoofɔyoo ko ni yɔɔ bii kpaanyɔ ni atsɛɔ lɛ Martha Van Daalen lɛ koni ebafata he kɛkase nii lɛ. Martha hu kɛ eweku lɛ fɛɛ batsɔmɔ Biblia Kaselɔi. *

Aaafee nakai beaŋ nɔŋŋ lɛ, oblanyo fioo ko ní atsɛɔ lɛ Gordon Kammerud, ní yɔɔ he ko ni kɛ wɔshĩa jekɛɛɛ tsɔ lɛ kɛ Ataa babɔ̃i nitsumɔ. Mɛi ebɔ Gordon kɔkɔ akɛ: “Kwɛmɔ ohe nɔ jogbaŋŋ yɛ onuŋtsɔ biyei lɛ ahe. Anako amɛjamɔ lɛ eko pɛŋ.” Shi fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, Gordon bɔi Biblia lɛ kasemɔ,ni etsɛɛɛ ni eyiŋ tsɔ akɛ ena anɔkwale lɛ. Abaptisi lɛ nyɔji etɛ sɛɛ. Efɔlɔi hu batsɔmɔ héyelilɔi, ni wɔweku lɛ kɛ amɛweku lɛ kɛ Van Daalens weku lɛ fɛɛ batsɔmɔ nanemɛi ni bɛŋkɛ kpaakpa.

Kpeei Srɔtoi Waje Wɔ

Akɛni kpee ni afee yɛ Cedar Point lɛ wo Awo hewalɛ waa hewɔ lɛ, esumɔɔɔ kwraa akɛ efo kpee ko mli. No hewɔ lɛ, gbɛ kakadaŋŋ ni wɔfãa kɛyaa kpeei nɛɛ ji nifeemɔi ni tee nɔ yɛ migbekɛbiiashi, ni mihiɛ kpako nɔ. Kpee ni afee yɛ Columbus yɛ Ohio yɛ afi 1931 lɛ sa kadimɔ waa, ejaakɛ no mli ni wɔŋɔ gbɛi Yehowa Odasefoi lɛ. (Yes. 43:10-12) Mikaiɔ kpee ni afee yɛ Washington, D.C., yɛ afi 1935 lɛ hu jogbaŋŋ, ejaakɛ nakai kpee lɛ shishi ni aha wiemɔ ni ha ayɔse “asafo babaoo” ni awie amɛhe yɛ Kpojiemɔ wolo lɛ mli lɛ. (Kpoj. 7:9) Minyɛmimɛi yei Lilian kɛ Eunice fata mɛi ni fa fe 800 ni abaptisi amɛ yɛ nakai kpee lɛ shishi lɛ ahe.

Wɔweku lɛ tee kpeei ni afee yɛ Columbus yɛ Ohio yɛ afi 1937 lɛ, nɔ ni afee yɛ Seattle yɛ Washington yɛ afi 1938 lɛ, kɛ nɔ ni afee yɛ New York City yɛ afi 1939 lɛ. Van Daalen weku lɛ kɛ Kammerud weku lɛ, kɛ mɛi krokomɛi fata wɔ he kɛtee, ni wɔtoɔ hei srɔtoi beni wɔfãa gbɛ lɛ. Eunice kɛ Leo Van Daalen bote gbalashihilɛ mli yɛ afi 1940, ni amɛsɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔi. Lilian kɛ Gordon Kammerud bote gbalashihilɛ mli yɛ nakai afi lɛ nɔŋŋ mli, ni amɛ hu amɛbatsɔmɔ gbɛgbalɔi.

Kpee ni afee yɛ afi 1941 yɛ St. Louis yɛ Missouri lɛ sa kadimɔ waa. Aha gbekɛbii ni yɔɔ kpee lɛ shishi lɛ wolo ni atsɛɔ lɛ Children lɛ. Nakai kpee lɛ ná minɔ hewalɛ waa. Etsɛɛɛ  kwraa ni mikɛ minyɛmi nuu Marvin kɛ eŋa Joyce batsɔmɔ gbɛgbalɔi yɛ September 1, 1941. No mli lɛ miye afii 15.

Akɛni okwaa ayeɔ yɛ he ni wɔyɔɔ lɛ hewɔ lɛ, ewaa waa akɛ nyɛmimɛi lɛ fɛɛ baaya kpeei wuji nɛɛ, ejaakɛ bei pii lɛ nikpamɔ be lɛ kɛ kpee lɛ yafeɔ pɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, kɛ wɔjɛ kpee lɛ wɔba lɛ, wɔbuaa wɔhe naa yɛ wɔshĩa lɛ sɛɛ ni wɔtiɔ kpee lɛ shishi wiemɔi lɛ amli koni mɛi ni nyɛɛɛ kpee lɛ aya lɛ aná he sɛɛ. Henaabuamɔi nɛɛ yɛ miishɛɛ waa.

Mitee Gilead ni Miyasɔmɔ yɛ Maŋsɛɛ

Aje Gilead Skul lɛ shishi yɛ February 1943 koni akɛtsɔse gbɛgbalɔi ni amɛyasɔmɔ akɛ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa jajelɔi. Van Daalen weku lɛ mli bii ekpaa fata klɛŋklɛŋ klas lɛ he—nyɛmimɛi hii Emil, Arthur, Homer, kɛ Leo; amɛtsɛkwɛ̃ bi Donald; kɛ Leo ŋa, ni ji minyɛmi yoo Eunice. Wɔkɛ amɛye shɛɛ kɛ miishɛɛ, tsɛbelɛ edɔ wɔ hu ejaakɛ wɔleee be ni wɔbaana amɛ ekoŋŋ. Beni amɛgbe Gilead Skul lɛ naa lɛ, aha amɛyi ekpaa lɛ fɛɛ amɛyasɔmɔ yɛ Puerto Rico, ni no mli lɛ Odasefoi enyɔoo ko pɛ yɔɔ jɛi.

Enɔ afi lɛ, Lilian kɛ Gordon kɛ agbɛnɛ hu Marvin kɛ Joyce tee Gilead klas ni ji etɛ lɛ. Awo amɛ hu gbɛ kɛtee Puerto Rico. Kɛkɛ ni yɛ September 1944 lɛ, mi hu mitee Gilead Skul lɛ klas ni ji ejwɛ lɛ beni miye afii 18. Beni migbe Skul lɛ naa yɛ February 1945 lɛ, aha miyafata minyɛmimɛi lɛ ahe yɛ Puerto Rico. Miyaje shihilɛ hee kwraa mli agbɛnɛ! Eyɛ mli akɛ Spain wiemɔ lɛ kasemɔ bɛ mlɛo moŋ, shi oona kɛ onaaa nɛɛ wɔteaŋ mɛi komɛi kɛ mɛi ni fa fe 20 miikase Biblia lɛ. Yehowa jɔɔ nitsumɔ lɛ nɔ. Ŋmɛnɛ lɛ ayɛ Odasefoi aaafee 25,000 yɛ Puerto Rico!

Osharai Shara Wɔweku Lɛ

Leo kɛ Eunice fɔ amɛbi nuu Mark yɛ afi 1950 lɛ, ni amɛtee nɔ amɛhi Puerto Rico. Yɛ afi 1952 lɛ amɛkpɛ amɛyiŋ akɛ amɛbaayajɔɔ amɛhe fioo yɛ shĩa koni amɛkɛsara wekumɛi. Amɛyata kɔɔyɔŋ lɛlɛ mli kɛfã gbɛ lɛ yɛ April 11. Kɔɔyɔŋ lɛlɛ lɛ fã etsɛɛɛ nɔŋŋ ni eyabote ŋshɔ lɛ mli. Leo kɛ Eunice fɛɛ gboi. Ana amɛbi Mark ni eye afii enyɔ lɛ tɔɔ nu lɛ hiɛ. Mɛi ni yɔɔ kɔɔyɔŋ lɛlɛ lɛ mli lɛ ateŋ mɔ kome wó lɛ ewo rɔba lɛlɛ bibioo ko mli, ni emu kɔɔyɔɔ ewo emli, ni ekɛbaa eyi. *

Afii enumɔ sɛɛ yɛ March 7, 1957 lɛ, Awo kɛ Ataa tá lɔle mli kɛmiiya Maŋtsɛyeli Asa lɛ nɔ ni amɛlɔle lɛ tai lɛ he jɔ. Beni amɛmã gbɛ lɛ toi amɛmiitsake tai lɛ, tsɔne ko ni miiho lɛ tswa Ataa ni egbo yɛ enajiaŋ. Mɛi aaafee 600 babo wiemɔ ni aha yɛ eyara lɛ nɔ lɛ toi, ni atsɔ no nɔ akɛye mɛi ni yɔɔ akutso lɛ mli ní amɛyɔɔ bulɛ amɛha Ataa lɛ odase.

Aha Mi Nitsumɔ Hee

Minine shɛ wolo nɔ akɛ mayasɔmɔ yɛ Argentina etsɛɛɛ ni Ataa gbo lɛ. Yɛ August 1957 lɛ, miyashɛ Mendoza ni eji maŋ ni yɔɔ gɔŋkpɔi anɔ lɛ. Gɔŋkpɔi nɛɛ yɛ Andes Gɔji ni eŋmɛ saa lɛ amasɛi. Yɛ afi 1958 lɛ, awo George Pappas ni egbe Gilead Skul lɛ klas ni ji 30 lɛ naa lɛ gbɛ koni ebasɔmɔ yɛ Argentina. Mi kɛ George batsɔmɔ nanemɛi, ni wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli yɛ April 1960. Awo gbo yɛ afi 1961 beni eye afii 83. Ekɛ anɔkwayeli ja Nyɔŋmɔ, ni eye ebua mɛi babaoo diɛŋtsɛ koni amɛ hu amɛfee nakai nɔŋŋ.

 Mi kɛ George kɛ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa jajelɔi krokomɛi fee ekome kɛsɔmɔ afii nyɔŋma, ni wɔkɛ amɛ hi maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa jajelɔi ashĩai srɔtoi amli. No sɛɛ lɛ, wɔkɛ afii kpawo tsu kpokpaa nɔkwɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ. Wɔku wɔsɛɛ kɛtee United States yɛ afi 1975 koni wɔyaye wɔbua wɔweku mli bii ni bɛ hewalɛ lɛ. Yɛ afi 1980 lɛ, aha miwu yasɔmɔ Spain wiemɔ asafoi lɛ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ. No mli lɛ, ayɛ Spain wiemɔ asafoi aaafee 600 yɛ United States. Wɔkɛ afii 26 sɔmɔ asafoi nɛɛ ateŋ babaoo, ni amrɔ nɛɛ aná Spain wiemɔ asafoi ni fe 3,000 yɛ United States.

Amɛnyiɛ “Gbɛ lɛ” Nɔ

Awo ná miishɛɛ waa akɛ oblahii kɛ oblayei ni yɔɔ eweku lɛ mli lɛ kɛ amɛhe wo be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli. Ákɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, minyɛmi yoo nukpa Ester bi yoo ni atsɛɔ lɛ Carol lɛ batsɔ gbɛgbalɔ yɛ afi 1953. Carol kɛ Dennis Trumbore bote gbalashihilɛ mli, ni amɛtee nɔ amɛhi be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli. Ester bi yoo kroko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Lois lɛ hu kɛ Wendell Jensen bote gbalashihilɛ mli. Amɛtee Gilead Skul lɛ klas ni ji 41 lɛ, ni amɛkɛ afii 15 sɔmɔ akɛ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa jajelɔi yɛ Nigeria. Leo nyɛmi yoo Ruth La Londe kɛ ewu ni atsɛɔ lɛ Curtiss lɛ ŋɔ Mark, mɔ ni efɔlɔi kɛ kɔɔyɔɔŋ lɛlɛ lɛ yaná oshara lɛ amɛfee amɛbi. Mark kɛ eŋa ni atsɛɔ lɛ Lavonne lɛ kɛ afii pii sɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔi, ni amɛtsɔse amɛbii ejwɛ lɛ ni amɛnyiɛ “Gbɛ lɛ” nɔ.—Yes. 30:21.

Minyɛ musuŋbi pɛ ni eshwɛ ji Orlen, ni eye aaafee afii 95. Ekã he eesɔmɔ Yehowa. Mi kɛ George yɛ be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli lolo.

Nɔ ni Awo Shi yɛ Esɛɛ

Okpɔlɔ ko ni Awo shwɛɛɛ he kwraa lɛ yɛ midɛŋ amrɔ nɛɛ. Ataa kɛke lɛ yɛ amɛkpeemɔ gbi lɛ nɔ. Ewolo ko ni eŋmalaa nibii ewoɔ mli lɛ yɛ okpɔlɔ lɛ he drɔwai lɛ ateŋ ekome mli, ni woji ni eŋmala, kɛ saji ni eha akala awo adafitswaa woji amli kɛye Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he odase lɛ yɛ nakai wolo lɛ mli. Eŋmala ekomɛi yɛ afi 1900 afii lɛ shishijee gbɛ tɔŋŋ. Woji ni Awo bii ni sɔmɔ akɛ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa jajelɔi lɛ ŋmala kɛmaje lɛ lɛ hu yɛ drɔwa lɛ mli. Mikaneɔ woji nɛɛ shii abɔ! Ni woji ni eŋmala kɛmaje wɔ lɛ woɔ mɔ hewalɛ waa, ni amɛmli eyi obɔ kɛ saji ni tswaa mɔ kɛmaa shi. Awo nyɛɛɛ abatsɔ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa jajelɔ taakɛ eshwe lɛ. Shi maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa jajemɔ nitsumɔ lɛ he miishɛɛ ní ená lɛ tsirɛ yinɔbii ni ba yɛ esɛɛ lɛ atsuii. Miyɛ hiɛnɔkamɔ akɛ yɛ shikpɔŋ lɛ nɔ paradeiso lɛ mli lɛ, mi kɛ Ataa kɛ Awo kɛ weku lɛ fɛɛ baakpe ekoŋŋ!—Kpoj. 21:3, 4.

[Shishigbɛ niŋmai]

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 17]

Emilia Pederson

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 18]

1916: Awo, Ataa (hiɛ Marvin); shishigbɛ, kɛjɛ abɛku kɛmiiya ejurɔgbɛ: Orlen, Ester, Lilian, Mildred

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 19]

Leo kɛ Eunice, no sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ ni amɛgboi

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 20]

Afi 1950: Kɛjɛ abɛku kɛmiiya ejurɔgbɛ, yiteŋgbɛ: Ester, Mildred, Lilian, Eunice, Ruth; shishigbɛ: Orlen, Awo, Ataa, kɛ Marvin

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 20]

George kɛ Ruth Pappas ni amɛmiitsu kpokpaa nɔkwɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ yɛ afi 2001