MIBATSƆ Brooklyn Betel weku lɛ mli nyo yɛ September 7, 1950. No mli lɛ, nyɛmimɛi hii kɛ yei 355 ni jɛ maji srɔtoi anɔ, ni amɛye kɛjɛ afii 19 kɛyashi afii 80 ji mɛi ni yɔɔ jɛi. Amɛteŋ mɛi babaoo ji Kristofoi ni afɔ amɛ mu.

Minyɛ ji mɔ ni kɛ mi kase “miishɛɛ Nyɔŋmɔ” lɛ he nii. (1 Tim. 1:11, NW) Ebɔi Yehowa sɔɔmɔ be ni miji gbekɛ. Abaptisi mi yɛ July 1, 1939 yɛ zone assembly (nɔ ni amrɔ nɛɛ wɔtsɛɔ lɛ kpokpaa nɔ kpee lɛ) ko ni afee yɛ Columbus yɛ Nebraska yɛ U.S.A. lɛ, be ni miye afii nyɔŋma. Wɔyi aaafee oha ni tee nakai kpee lɛ, ni wɔyɛ tsũ ko ni ahai mli kɛmiibo maŋshiɛmɔ ni yitso ji “Fascism or Freedom” (Fascist Nɔyeli loo Heyeli) ni Joseph Rutherford hã ni arikɔdi lɛ toi. Be ni ashɛ maŋshiɛmɔ lɛ teŋ gbɛ lɛ, mɛi komɛi ni feɔ basabasa babua amɛhe naa yɛ he ni wɔkpe yɛ lɛ agbó lɛ naa. Amɛbote tsũ lɛ mli ekãa naa, amɛgbɛ kpee lɛ, ni amɛshwie wɔ kɛshi maŋ lɛ mli. Wɔyabua wɔhe naa yɛ nyɛmi ko shĩa, yɛ he ko ni kɛ maŋ lɛŋ jɛkɛɛɛ tsɔ kɛbo nifeemɔ lɛ fã ni eshwɛ lɛ toi. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, mihiɛ kpaaa gbi ni abaptisi mi lɛ nɔ kɔkɔɔkɔ!

Minyɛ bɔ mɔdɛŋ fɛɛ ni eeenyɛ kɛtsɔse mi yɛ anɔkwale lɛ mli. Eyɛ mli akɛ, mitsɛ ji gbɔmɔ kpakpa kɛ tsɛ kpakpa fɛɛ moŋ, shi enyaaa jamɔ he tsɔ, ni egbaaa ehe naa yɛ mimumɔŋ hiamɔ nii ahe hu. Minyɛ kɛ nyɛmimɛi krokomɛi ni yɔɔ Omaha Asafo lɛ mli lɛ wo mi hewalɛ waa.

Be ni eshwɛ fioo ni magbe sɛkɛndre skul naa lɛ, ehe bahia ni makpɛ miyiŋ yɛ nɔ ni mafee yɛ shihilɛ mli lɛ he. Bei pii kɛ́ wɔhã gbɛ lɛ, mi kɛ mitipɛŋfoi krokomɛi lɛ kɛ wɔhe woɔ gbɛhamɔ gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ (ni amrɔ nɛɛ atsɛɔ lɛ gbɛgbalɔi awamɔ nitsumɔ) lɛ mli.

Akɛ nyɛmimɛi hii oshijafoi enyɔ komɛi ni egbe Gilead Skul lɛ klas ni ji kpawo lɛ naa ni atsɛɔ amɛ John Chimiklis kɛ Ted Jaracz lɛ ba he ni wɔyɔɔ lɛ akɛ nɔkwɛlɔi gbɛfalɔi. Be ni miná mile akɛ amɛyeko afii 25 lɛ, minaa kpɛ mihe. No mli lɛ miye afii 18, ni eshwɛ fioo ni magbe sɛkɛndre skul naa. Kɛbashi ŋmɛnɛ lɛ, mikaiɔ be ni Nyɛminuu Chimiklis bi mi nɔ ni mafee yɛ shihilɛ mli lɛ he sane lɛ. Be ni mihã ele lɛ, ewo mi  hewalɛ akɛ: “Hɛɛ, kɛ ohe awo be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli. Oleee he ni wɔsɛɛ lɛ ekɛ bo baaya.” Nakai ŋaawoo lɛ, kɛ nyɛmimɛi hii nɛɛ anɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ ná minɔ hewalɛ waa. No hewɔ lɛ, be ni migbe skul naa lɛ, mije gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ shishi yɛ afi 1948.

Yɛ July 1950 lɛ, mi kɛ mifɔlɔi tee majimaji ateŋ kpee ni afee yɛ Yankee Stadium yɛ New York City lɛ eko. Be ni wɔtee lɛ, mitee kpee ni afeɔ ahãa mɛi ni miisumɔ ni amɛyasɔmɔ yɛ Betel lɛ eko. Miŋma wolo kɛtee Betel akɛ miisumɔ ni masɔmɔ yɛ jɛi.

Eyɛ mli akɛ mitsɛ etsĩii minaa akɛ mikatsu gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ ni eshwieee mi yɛ shĩa moŋ, shi ebi ni miwo nii ni miyeɔ yɛ shĩa kɛ tsũ ni miwɔɔ mli lɛ he nyɔmɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, gbi ko yɛ August shishijee gbɛ, be ni miiya miyatao nitsumɔ lɛ, miyagbele adeka ni akɛ wɔmajemɔ woji woɔ mli lɛ naa klɛŋklɛŋ. Kɛkɛ ni mina wolo ko ni aŋma mi kɛjɛ Brooklyn. Nyɛminuu Nathan H. Knorr, ni ji mɔ ni waonaa gbɛ́i yɔɔ wolo lɛ shishi lɛ eŋma akɛ: “Minine eshɛ wolo ni oŋma kɛhã Betel sɔɔmɔ lɛ nɔ. Miheɔ miyeɔ akɛ okpɛlɛɔ nɔ akɛ obaahi Betel kɛyashi Nuŋtsɔ lɛ baabaŋɔ bo kɛya. No hewɔ lɛ, masumɔ ni oba Betel yɛ 124 Columbia Heights yɛ Brooklyn yɛ New York, yɛ September 7, 1950.”

Be ni mitsɛ jɛ nitsumɔ eba nakai gbi lɛ, mihã ele akɛ miná nitsumɔ. Ewie akɛ, “Mo, nɛgbɛ oná nitsumɔ lɛ yɛ?” Mito he mihã lɛ akɛ, “Brooklyn Betel, ni abaawo mi nyɔmɔ dɔlai 10 daa nyɔɔŋ.” Ehiɛ fee lɛ yaa fioo, shi ekɛɛ kɛ́ no misumɔɔ matsu lɛ, no lɛ, mikɛ minyɛmɔ fɛɛ atsu mɔ. No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, abaptisi lɛ yɛ kpee ni afee yɛ Yankee Stadium, yɛ afi 1953 lɛ shishi!

Miishɛɛ sane ji akɛ, yɛ be ni afɔ̃ mi nine akɛ miba Betel lɛ nɔŋŋ mli lɛ, afɔ̃ minaanyo ni mikɛtsuɔ gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ ni atsɛɔ lɛ Alfred Nussrallah lɛ hu nine, no hewɔ lɛ, wɔfee ekome kɛtee. Sɛɛ mli lɛ ebote gbalashihilɛ mli, ni ahã ekɛ eŋa ni atsɛɔ lɛ Joan lɛ tee Gilead, no sɛɛ lɛ, amɛyasɔmɔ akɛ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi yɛ Lebanon, ni amɛba United States ekoŋŋ akɛ nɔkwɛlɔi gbɛfalɔi.

Be ni mitee Betel lɛ, klɛŋklɛŋ lɛ, miyatsu nii yɛ he ni awoɔ woji asɛɛ yɛ lɛ (Bindery). Klɛŋklɛŋ wolo ni mitsu he nii ji, What Has Religion Done for Mankind? (Mɛni Jamɔ Efee Ehã Adesai?) Be ni mitsu nii yɛ he ni awoɔ woji asɛɛ yɛ lɛ aaafee nyɔji kpaanyɔ lɛ, ajie mi kɛtee Service Department, ni miyatsu nii yɛ Nyɛminuu Thomas J. Sullivan shishi. Ekɛ nitsumɔ ŋɔɔ waa, ni miná nilee kɛ sɛɛyoomɔ ni ená yɛ afii babaoo ni ekɛ Yehowa gbɛjianɔtoo lɛ etsu nii lɛ mli lɛ he sɛɛ waa.

Be ni mikɛ aaafee afii etɛ etsu nii yɛ Service Department lɛ, gbi ko lɛ Nyɛminuu Max Larson, ni ji mɔ ni kwɛɔ woji akalamɔhe lɛ nɔ lɛ bakɛɛ mi akɛ, Nyɛminuu Knorr miitao mi. Mishwie miyiŋ akɛ aleenɔ mifee nɔ ko ni esaaa lo. Shi be ni mina nɔ hewɔ ni etaoɔ mi lɛ, mimu fuaa. No mli lɛ, Nyɛminuu Knorr miitao ele kɛji mikpɛ miyiŋ akɛ etsɛŋ ni mashi Betel lo. Eetao mɔ ko ni baawa lɛ yɛ e-ɔfis lɛ be kukuoo ko, ni eekwɛ kɛji manyɛ maye mabua lɛ. Mihã ele akɛ mitoko miyiŋ akɛ mashi Betel. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, miná hegbɛ mikɛ lɛ tsu nii afii 20 sɔŋŋ.

Daa nɛɛ mikɛɔ akɛ, minyɛŋ mawo tsɔsemɔ ni miná kɛjɛ Nyɛminuu Sullivan kɛ Nyɛminuu Knorr kɛ nyɛmimɛi krokomɛi ni yɔɔ Betel tamɔ Milton Henschel, Klaus Jensen, Max Larson, Hugo Riemer kɛ Grant Suiter adɛŋ lɛ he nyɔmɔ. *

Nyɛmimɛi ni mikɛtsu nii lɛ toɔ nii ni amɛtsuɔ  amɛhãa asafo lɛ he gbɛjianɔ jogbaŋŋ diɛŋtsɛ. Nyɛminuu Knorr ji mɔ ko ni tsuɔ nii waa, ni eesumɔ ni Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he nitsumɔ lɛ aya hiɛ kɛyashɛ shɔŋŋ. Mɛi ni tsuɔ nii yɛ e-ɔfis lɛ na akɛ, ekɛ sanegbaa waaa. Kɛ́ wɔkɛ lɛ kpãaa gbee yɛ sane ko he po lɛ, wɔnyɛɔ wɔwieɔ nɔ ni yɔɔ wɔtsuiŋ ní emli fuuu.

Be ko lɛ, Nyɛminuu Knorr kɛ mi wie koni mikabu nitsumɔ ko akɛ nitsumɔ bibioo. Ehã mi nɔkwɛmɔnɔ ko akɛ, be ni eji woji akalamɔhe lɛ nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ, bei pii lɛ, Nyɛminuu Rutherford tswaa lɛ ni ekɛɔ lɛ akɛ: “Nyɛminuu Knorr, kɛ́ ojɛ woji akalamɔhe lɛ ni ooba obaye nii lɛ, baahã mi gɔmpu. Kɛbashwie mikpɔlɔ lɛ nɔ.” Nyɛminuu Knorr wie akɛ, nɔ klɛŋklɛŋ ni efeɔ ji, eyaa eyakɔlɔɔ gɔmpu lɛ kɛwoɔ ekotoku lɛ mli. Kɛkɛ lɛ kɛ́ eshɛ shwane lɛ, ekɛyashwie Nyɛminuu Rutherford ɔfis lɛ. Nɔ ni etsu lɛ ji nɔ ko bibioo moŋ, shi eye ebua Nyɛminuu Rutherford waa. Kɛkɛ ni Nyɛminuu Knorr kɛɛ mi akɛ: “Miisumɔ ni ajɔɔ pɛnsil naa ahã mi daa. No hewɔ lɛ ofainɛ, daa leebi lɛ kɛ eko abashwie jɛi ohã mi.” Mijɔɔ pɛnsil naa afii babaoo mihã lɛ.

Bei pii lɛ, Nyɛminuu Knorr wieɔ akɛ, kɛ́ akɛ nitsumɔ ko wo odɛŋ lɛ, ehe miihia ni obo nɔ ni ataoɔ otsu lɛ toi jogbaŋŋ. Be ko lɛ, etsɔɔ mi bɔ ni mitsu sane ko he nii mihã lɛ mli fitsofitso, shi miyabooo lɛ toi jogbaŋŋ. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, miwo lɛ hiɛgbele waa. Sane lɛ hao mi waa, no hewɔ lɛ miŋma wolo kuku ko kɛhã lɛ, ni mikɛɛ lɛ akɛ, mishwa mihe yɛ nɔ ni mifee lɛ he waa, ni miina akɛ ebaahi akɛ ejie mi kɛjɛ e-ɔfis lɛ kɛya he kroko. Sɛɛ mli yɛ nakai gbi lɛ leebi lɛ nɔŋŋ mli lɛ, Nyɛminuu Knorr ba mikpɔlɔ lɛ he ebakɛɛ mi akɛ: “Robert, minine eshɛ owolo lɛ nɔ. Nɔ ni ofee lɛ esaaa. Mikɛ bo ewie, ni miyɛ nɔmimaa akɛ wɔsɛɛ lɛ, ofeŋ nakai dɔŋŋ. Agbɛnɛ hã wɔtsa nitsumɔ lɛ nɔ.” Miná bɔ ni ejɛ mlihilɛ mli ekɛ mi wie lɛ he miishɛɛ waa.

Be ni mikɛ afii kpaanyɔ esɔmɔ yɛ Betel lɛ sɛɛ lɛ, oti ko oti ko emaaa mihiɛ fe akɛ matsa Betel sɔɔmɔ lɛ nɔ. Shi enɛ tsake. Be ni afeɔ majimaji ateŋ kpee yɛ Yankee Stadium kɛ Polo Grounds yɛ afi 1958 lɛ, mina nyɛmi yoo ko ni mile ni atsɛɔ lɛ Lorraine Brookes. Mina mile lɛ yɛ afi 1955, be ni etsuɔ gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ yɛ Montreal yɛ Canada lɛ. Minya bɔ ni eyɔɔ be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ lɛ he miishɛɛ kɛ shwelɛ ni eyɔɔ akɛ ebaaya he fɛɛ he ni Yehowa asafo lɛ baatsu lɛ lɛ he waa. Yɛ afi 1955 mli tɔ̃ɔ lɛ, oti ni ma Lorraine hiɛ ji, ni eya Gilead Skul lɛ eko. Yɛ afi 1956 be ni eye afii 22 lɛ, afɔ̃ lɛ nine kɛtee Gilead Skul lɛ klas ni ji 27 lɛ. Be ni egbe skul lɛ naa lɛ, ahã eyasɔmɔ akɛ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔ yɛ Brazil. Mi kɛ Lorraine bɔi bɔɔ ekoŋŋ yɛ afi 1958, ni ekpɛlɛ nɔ akɛ ekɛ mi baahi shi. Wɔto akɛ wɔbaabote gbalashihilɛ mli afi ni nyiɛ sɛɛ lɛ nɔŋŋ, koni kɛ́ eeehi lɛ, wɔ fɛɛ wɔyasɔmɔ akɛ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi.

Be ni mihã Nyɛminuu Knorr le akɛ miitao mabote gbalashihilɛ mli lɛ, ewo mi ŋaa akɛ, wɔmɛ afii etɛ dani wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli, koni ahã wɔsɔmɔ yɛ Brooklyn Betel. Nakai beaŋ lɛ, kɛ́ mɔ  ko yɛ Betel ni eetao ebote gbalashihilɛ mli lɛ, dani abaahã eya nɔ esɔmɔ yɛ Betel lɛ, ja amɛteŋ mɔ kome kɛ afii nyɔŋma loo nɔ ni fe nakai esɔmɔ yɛ Betel, ni kɛ́ hooo kwraa lɛ, mɔ kroko lɛ hu kɛ afii etɛ esɔmɔ yɛ Betel. Enɛ hã Lorraine yasɔmɔ yɛ Brazil Betel afii enyɔ, ni ebasɔmɔ yɛ Brooklyn Betel afi, dani wɔhi shi.

Kɛjɛ be ni wɔkpɛ mli akɛ wɔbaabote gbalashihilɛ mli lɛ sɛɛ lɛ, gbɛ pɛ ni wɔnyɛ wɔtsɔ nɔ wɔgba sane be ni Lorraine yɔɔ Brazil Betel lɛ ji, kɛtsɔ woloŋmaa nɔ. Nakai beaŋ lɛ, kɛ́ ootao okɛ mɔ ko awie yɛ tɛlifoŋ nɔ lɛ, obaafite shika waa, ni abɛ e-mail hu! Eŋɔɔ wɔnaa waa akɛ be ni wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli yɛ September 16, 1961 lɛ, Nyɛminuu Knorr ji mɔ ni hã wɔyookpeemɔ lɛ he wiemɔ lɛ. Afii fioo ni wɔkɛmɛ lɛ fee tamɔ be kakadaŋŋ ko kɛhã wɔ. Shi amrɔ nɛɛ, kɛ́ wɔkwɛ miishɛɛ ni wɔná yɛ nɔ ni fe afii 50 ni wɔkɛhi shi nɛɛ mli lɛ, wɔnaa akɛ ehi waa akɛ wɔmɛ!

Yɛ afi 1964 lɛ, ahã mibɔi sɔɔmɔ akɛ nɔkwɛlɔ ni saraa nitsumɔhe niji, ni mitee maji srɔtoi anɔ. Nakai beaŋ lɛ, aŋmɛɛɛ gbɛ ni ŋamɛi afata amɛwumɛi ahe kɛya. Shi yɛ afi 1977 lɛ, atsake nakai gbɛtsɔɔmɔ lɛ, ni agbɛnɛ ahã ŋamɛi fata amɛwumɛi ahe kɛyasɔmɔ. Nakai afi lɛ nɔ lɛ, mi kɛ Lorraine fata Grant Suiter kɛ eŋa Edith Suiter he kɛyasara nitsumɔhe niji ni yɔɔ Germany, Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, kɛ Israel lɛ. Fɛɛ mli lɛ, mifã gbɛ kɛtee maji 70 nɔ.

Yɛ afi 1980, be ni wɔyaasara nitsumɔhe nine ni yɔɔ Brazil lɛ, wɔtee Belém, ni ji maŋtiase ko ni yɔɔ equator lɛ nɔ lɛ. Lorraine yasɔmɔ yɛ jɛi be ni eji maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔ lɛ. Wɔyasara nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ Manaus lɛ hu. Yɛ Brazil lɛ, yei shɔɔ mɛi akpaii ahe ni hii hu taa mɛi adɛŋ, shi be ni ahãa wiemɔ ko yɛ stediɔm lɛ, wɔna mɛi komɛi ni amɛbua amɛhe naa yɛ he kome ní amɛfeee nakai. Mɛni hewɔ?

Amɛji wɔnyɛmimɛi Odasefoi ni jɛ he ko ni kpitiyelɔi yɔɔ, yɛ Amazon koo lɛ mli. Akɛni amɛsumɔɔɔ ni hela lɛ tsɛŋeɔ mɔ ko hewɔ lɛ, amɛfeee nɔ ko ni baahã amɛhe asa mɛi krokomɛi ahe. Shi wɔná amɛhe miishɛɛ waa, ni wɔhiɛ kpaŋ miishɛɛ ni wɔna akɛ amɛyɔɔ lɛ nɔ kɔkɔɔkɔ! Enɛ woɔ Yesaia wiemɔi ni nyiɛ sɛɛ nɛɛ obɔ. Egba akɛ: “Mitsuji lɛ aaalá kɛ tsuijurɔ.”—Yes. 65:14.

Bei pii lɛ, mi kɛ Lorraine shwieɔ wɔyiŋ yɛ afii 60 kɛ sɛɛ ni wɔteŋ mɔ fɛɛ mɔ kɛsɔmɔ Yehowa lɛ he. Eŋɔɔ wɔnaa waa akɛ wɔŋmɛ gbɛ ni Yehowa etsɔɔ wɔ gbɛ yɛ egbɛjianɔtoo lɛ mli, ni ejɔɔ wɔ. Eyɛ mli akɛ minyɛɛɛ mafã gbɛ kɛya je lɛŋ hei srɔtoi taakɛ mifeɔ be ko ni eho lɛ moŋ, shi minyɛɔ mitsuɔ nɔ fɛɛ nɔ ni sa akɛ matsu akɛ mɔ ko ni yeɔ ebuaa Gbɛtsɔɔmɔ Kuu lɛ, kɛtsɔ Nɔkwɛlɔi Ajinafoi Akuu lɛ kɛ Sɔɔmɔ Nitsumɔ Ajinafoi Akuu lɛ ni mikɛtsuɔ nii lɛ nɔ. Mihiɛ sɔɔ hegbɛ ni miná akɛ mafi nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ jeŋ fɛɛ lɛ asɛɛ yɛ gbɛ fioo nɛɛ nɔ lɛ. Yesaia wie akɛ: “Naa mi, tsũ mi!” (Yes. 6:8) No hewɔ lɛ, kɛ́ wɔna bɔ ni oblahii kɛ oblayei babaoo jieɔ su kpakpa ni Yesaia jie lɛ kpo lɛ kpo, ni amɛkɛ amɛhe woɔ be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli lɛ, ehãa wɔnaa kpɛɔ wɔhe waa. Yɛ gbɛ ko nɔ lɛ, mɛi nɛɛ fɛɛ miiwo wiemɔ ni kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ kɛ mi wie be ko ni eho akɛ: “Kɛ ohe awo be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli. Oleee he ni wɔsɛɛ lɛ ekɛ bo baaya” lɛ obɔ.