AFƆ mi March 1930, yɛ akrowa ko ni yɔɔ Malawi ni atsɛɔ lɛ Namkumba lɛ mli. Be ni afɔ mi lɛ, no mli lɛ miwekumɛi ji Yehowa jálɔi anɔkwafoi momo. Yɛ afi 1942 lɛ, mijɔɔ miwala nɔ mihã Yehowa, ni abaptisi mi yɛ faai fɛfɛji ni yɔɔ wɔmaŋ lɛ mli lɛ ateŋ ekome mli. Yɛ afii 70 ni eho lɛ amli lɛ, mibɔ mɔdɛŋ akɛ mafee nɔ ni Paulo wo Timoteo hewalɛ akɛ efee lɛ pɛpɛɛpɛ. Ekɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Shiɛmɔ wiemɔ lɛ; ohe atswa shi kɛtsu be fɛɛ be, bei ni hi jio, jaramɔ bei jio.”—2 Timoteo 4:2.

Yɛ afi 1948 lɛ, Nathan H. Knorr kɛ Milton G. Henschel basara nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ Malawi lɛ. Amɛsaramɔ lɛ wo mi hewalɛ ní mikɛ mibe fɛɛ asɔmɔ Yehowa. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, mina nyɛmi yoo fɛfɛo ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Lidasi. Lidasi yɛ shwelɛ akɛ ekɛ ebe fɛɛ baasɔmɔ Yehowa, taakɛ bɔ ni mi hu mishweɔ lɛ. Wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli yɛ afi 1950, ni be ni shɛɔ afi 1953 lɛ, mikɛ lɛ efɔ bii enyɔ. Eyɛ mli akɛ wɔyɛ weku sɔ̃i babaoo moŋ, shi wɔkpɛ wɔyiŋ akɛ mabɔi gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ. No sɛɛ afii enyɔ lɛ, ahã mibɔi sɔɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔ krɛdɛɛ.

No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, miná hegbɛ akɛ mayasara asafoi lɛ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ. Lidasi ye ebua mi waa, ni no hewɔ lɛ, minyɛ mitsu wɔweku lɛ hiamɔ nii fɛɛ ahe nii, ni yɛ nakai beiaŋ nɔŋŋ lɛ mitsu be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ. * (Kwɛmɔ shishigbɛ niŋmaa lɛ.) Kɛ̃lɛ, wɔ yi enyɔ lɛ fɛɛ wɔmiisumɔ ni wɔkɛ wɔbe fɛɛ asɔmɔ Yehowa. No hewɔ lɛ, wɔto wɔnibii ahe gbɛjianɔ jogbaŋŋ, ni akɛni wɔbii lɛ hu fee amɛhe gbekɛbii kpakpai hewɔ lɛ, yɛ afi 1960 lɛ, Lidasi nyɛ eje be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ shishi.

Yɛ afi 1962 lɛ, wɔtee Kpokpaa Wulu nɔ Kpee ko ni afee ni yitso ji, “Sɔɔlɔi ni Yɔɔ Ekãa” lɛ. Enɔ afi lɛ, Nyɛminuu Henschel ba Malawi kɛhã kpee krɛdɛɛ ko ni afee yɛ he ko ni bɛŋkɛ maŋ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Blantyre lɛ. Mɛi fe 10,000 ba nakai kpee lɛ. Kɛ́ misusu kpeei krɛdɛi nɛɛ ahe lɛ, minaa akɛ, amɛsaa wɔ fɛɛ kɛhã shihilɛi ni jaraa ni wɔkɛkpe lɛ, ni amɛwaje wɔ koni wɔnyɛ wɔkpee naa.

Yɛ afi 1964 lɛ, awa Odasefoi ni yɔɔ Malawi lɛ ayi, ejaakɛ amɛkɛ amɛhe wooo maŋkwramɔŋ  saji amli. Akpãtã Maŋtsɛyeli Asai fe 100 kɛ nyɛmimɛi ashĩai fe 1,000 ahiɛ. Mi kɛ Lidasi tee nɔ wɔtsu kpokpaa nɔkwɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ kɛyashi afi 1967, be ni nɔyeli lɛ gu nitsumɔ lɛ. Nɔyeli lɛ he nitsumɔhe nine lɛ yɛ wɔdɛŋ, amɛshwie maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi lɛ, ni awo mi, Lidasi, kɛ Odasefoi krokomɛi babaoo tsuŋ. Be ni ajie wɔ kɛjɛ tsuŋwoo lɛ mli lɛ, wɔkɛ hiɛshikamɔ tee nɔ wɔtsu kpokpaa nɔkwɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ.

Gbi ko yɛ October 1972 lɛ, kuu ko ni feɔ basabasa ni atsɛɔ amɛ Malawi Oblahii kɛ Oblayei Akuu (Malawi Youth League) lɛ mli bii komɛi kpaŋ akɛ amɛmiiba wɔshĩa lɛ ni amɛbagbe mi. Shi amɛteŋ mɔ kome jo foi kɛtsɔ hiɛ ni ebakɛɛ mi akɛ miyatee, ejaakɛ nɔ ni amɛmiiba amɛbafee nɛ. Mikɛɛ miŋa kɛ mibii lɛ ni amɛyatee yɛ akwadu tsei komɛi ni bɛŋkɛ wɔshĩa lɛ ateŋ. Kɛkɛ ni mi hu miyatee yɛ maŋo tso agbo ko nɔ. Mihɔ tso lɛ nɔ ni kuu lɛ mli bii lɛ ba amɛbakpãtã wɔshĩa lɛ kɛ nibii fɛɛ ni wɔyɔɔ lɛ ahiɛ.

Be ni yiwaa lɛ mli bawa lɛ, Odasefoi akpei abɔ jo foi kɛshi Malawi. Wɔyahi Mozambique, yɛ nsara ko ni afee kɛhã mɛi ni ejo foi kɛjɛ Malawi lɛ mli. Wɔhi jɛmɛ kɛyashi June 1974. Nakai afi lɛ mli lɛ, afɔ̃ mi kɛ Lidasi nine ni wɔyasɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔi krɛdɛi yɛ maŋ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Dómue ni yɔɔ Mozambique lɛ nɔ. Wɔsɔmɔ yɛ jɛmɛ kɛyashi afi 1975 be ni ashwie wɔ kɛjɛ Mozambique lɛ. Eyɛ mli akɛ aawa Odasefoi ayi lolo yɛ Malawi moŋ, shi wɔku wɔsɛɛ kɛtee jɛmɛ.

Be ni wɔku wɔsɛɛ lɛ, ahã miyasara asafoi ni yɔɔ Lilongwe, ni ji Malawi maŋtiase lɛ. Yɛ yiwai kɛ naagbai ni nyɛmimɛi lɛ kɛkpe lɛ fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, asafoi ni yɔɔ kpokpai ni wɔsɔmɔ lɛ amli lɛ tee nɔ amɛshwere, ni aná asafoi krokomɛi afata he.

Gbi ko lɛ, wɔmiifã gbɛ ni wɔyashɛ akrowa ko. Be ni wɔyashɛ jɛmɛ lɛ, wɔna akɛ mɛi komɛi ebua amɛhe naa ni amɛmiisusu maŋkwramɔŋ saji ahe. Amɛteŋ mɛi komɛi na akɛ wɔji Odasefoi, ni amɛhã wɔyata kuu ko ni atsɛɔ amɛ Malawi Oblahii kɛ Oblayei ni Yɔɔ Ekãa (Malawi Young Pioneers) lɛ ateŋ. Wɔkpa Yehowa fai ni eye ebua wɔ ni etsɔɔ wɔ nɔ ni esa akɛ wɔfee. Be ni agbe kpee lɛ naa lɛ, mɛi lɛ bɔi wɔ yii. Trukaa ni yoo onukpa ko jo foi kɛba ni eebolɔ akɛ: “Nyɛfainɛ nyɛshia amɛ! Nuu nɛɛ, minyɛmi nuu bi ni. Nyɛhãa etsaa egbɛfãa lɛ nɔ!” Mɔ ni kwɛɔ kpee lɛ nɔ lɛ kɛɛ mɛi ni yiɔ wɔ lɛ akɛ: “Nyɛshia amɛ!” Wɔleee nɔ hewɔ ni yoo lɛ fee nɔ ni efee lɛ, ejaakɛ jeee wɔwekunyo ji lɛ. Wɔheɔ wɔyeɔ akɛ Yehowa tsɔ enɔ ehã wɔsɔlemɔi lɛ ahetoo.

 Yɛ afi 1981 lɛ, wɔkɛ Malawi Oblahii kɛ Oblayei ni Yɔɔ Ekãa kuu lɛ mli bii kpe ekoŋŋ. Amɛhe okɔɔkpei ni wɔkɛfãa gbɛ lɛ, nibii ni wɔhiɛ, wɔwoji, kɛ woji krokomɛi ni he hiaa waa ni nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ kpokpaa lɛ mli lɛ ahe saji yɔɔ mli lɛ yɛ wɔdɛŋ. Shi wɔnyɛ wɔjo foi ni wɔyaba abo yɛ asafoŋ onukpa ko shĩa. Kɛ̃lɛ, wɔtsui enyɔɔɔ wɔmli kwraa yɛ woji ni he hiaa waa ni eyaje kuu nɛɛ mli bii lɛ adɛŋ lɛ ahewɔ. Be ni kuu lɛ mli bii lɛ kwɛ woji lɛ amli lɛ, amɛna woji ni nyɛmimɛi ni jɛ Malawi hei srɔtoi eŋmala mi. Enɛ hã amɛtsui fã waa, ejaakɛ amɛyasusu akɛ amralo ko ni yɔɔ gbɛnaa waa ji mi. Oya nɔŋŋ ni amɛkɛ woji lɛ fɛɛ hã asafoŋ onukpai lɛ.

Be kroko be ni wɔta lɛlɛ mli kɛmiifo faa ko lɛ, lɛlɛtsɛ lɛ bi ni mɔ fɛɛ mɔ atsɔɔ lɛ ekaadi ni tsɔɔ akɛ efiɔ maŋkwramɔŋ kuu ni yeɔ nɔ lɛ sɛɛ. Asomoaŋ, maŋkwramɔŋ kuu ni yeɔ nɔ lɛ mli onukpai lɛ ateŋ mɔ kome ji lɛ. Shi be ni eshwɛ fioo ni ebaashɛ wɔnɔ lɛ, ena julɔ ko ni polisifoi lɛ miitao lɛ. Enɛ hã lɛlɛ lɛ mli fee hoo, ni lɛlɛtsɛ lɛ kpa kaadii lɛ ashibimɔ. Shi kome ekoŋŋ lɛ, wɔna akɛ Yehowa eye ebua wɔ.

Yɛ February 1984 lɛ, miyi gbɛ akɛ miiya Lilongwe koni mikɛ asafoi ni miyasɔmɔ lɛ ahe woji ahã ni akɛmaje nitsumɔhe nine ni yɔɔ Zambia lɛ. Shi polisifonyo ko wa mi yɛ gbɛteŋ, ni egbɛlɛ mibaagi lɛ mli. Ena wɔwoji lɛ ekomɛi yɛ baagi lɛ mli, no hewɔ lɛ ekɛ mi tee polisteshɛŋ lɛ ni ebɔi mi yii. No sɛɛ lɛ, efimɔ mi ni ewo mi tsuŋ. No mli lɛ awo julɔi komɛi tsuŋ yɛ nakai tsũ lɛ nɔŋŋ mli.

Enɔ jetsɛremɔ lɛ, polisifoi anukpa lɛ kɛ mi tee tsũ kroko mli, ni ekɛɛ mi akɛ eetao ni mikɛ minine awo wolo ko shishi. Nɔ ni aŋma yɛ wolo lɛ nɔ nɛ: “Mi, Trophim R. Nsomba, miitao ni aŋmɛɛ mihe, no hewɔ lɛ jeee Yehowa Odasefonyo ji mi dɔŋŋ.” Nɔ najiaŋ ni mikɛ minine aaawo wolo lɛ shishi lɛ, mikɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Jeee fi ni abaafi mi lɛ kɛkɛ mifee klalo mito, shi moŋ kɛhã gbele hu. Mikã he miji Yehowa Odasefonyo.” Enɛ wo polisifoi anukpa lɛ mli la, ni ekɛ enine tswa okpɔlɔ lɛ nɔ waa ni egbɛɛ. Enɛ hã polisifonyo ni yɔɔ tsũ ni tsa enɔ lɛ mli lɛ jo foi kɛba ni ebakwɛ nɔ ni eba. Onukpa lɛ kɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Nuu nɛɛ sumɔɔɔ ni ekɛ enine woɔ wolo shishi kɛtsɔɔ akɛ ekpa shiɛmɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, hã ekɛ enine awo wolo ni tsɔɔ akɛ ekã he eji Yehowa Odasefonyo lɛ shishi, koni wɔkɛ lɛ aya Lilongwe ni ayafimɔ lɛ.” Ni ayaa abaa nɛɛ fɛɛ lɛ, miŋa leee nɔ ni eba minɔ. Gbii ejwɛ sɛɛ dani nyɛmimɛi komɛi nyɛ amɛgba lɛ nɔ ni eba.

Polisifoi ni yɔɔ Lilongwe lɛ kɛ mi ye jogbaŋŋ. Polisifoi anukpa ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ kɛɛ mi akɛ: “Hemɔ omɔ nɛɛ ni oye, ejaakɛ awo bo tsuŋ yɛ  Nyɔŋmɔ Wiemɔ lɛ hewɔ. Mɛi ni eshwɛ yɛ biɛ lɛ, julɔi ji amɛ.” No sɛɛ lɛ, ekɛ mi tee Kachere Tsuŋwoohe lɛ, ni mihi jɛmɛ nyɔji enumɔ.

Onukpa ni kwɛɔ nakai tsuŋwoohe lɛ nɔ lɛ mii shɛ ehe waa akɛ akɛ mi eba jɛmɛ, ejaakɛ no mli lɛ eetao ni mibaye “osɔfo” yɛ jɛmɛ. Ehã mɔ ni yeɔ osɔfo yɛ jɛmɛ dani miba lɛ kpa osɔfo lɛ yeli. Ekɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Misumɔɔɔ ni otsɔɔ mɛi Nyɔŋmɔ Wiemɔ lɛ yɛ biɛ dɔŋŋ, ejaakɛ oyaju sɔlemɔ shika ni no hewɔ awo bo tsuŋ lɛ!” Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, ahã mitsɔɔ gboklɛfoi lɛ Biblia lɛ daa otsi yɛ kpeei ni afeɔ kɛhã amɛ lɛ shishi.

Sɛɛ mli lɛ, shihilɛ lɛ batsake kwraa. Onukpai ni yɔɔ tsuŋwoohe lɛ bi mi saji koni matsɔɔ amɛ Odasefoi abɔ ni yɔɔ Malawi. Hetoo ni mihã amɛ lɛ eyaŋɔɔɔ amɛnaa, no hewɔ lɛ amɛyi mi aahu kɛyashi nɔ nyɔ minɔ. No sɛɛ be kroko lɛ, amɛbi mi he ni asafo lɛ yitso lɛ yɔɔ. Mihã hetoo akɛ, “Sane ni nyɛbi mi lɛ waaa kwraa, no hewɔ lɛ matsɔɔ nyɛ he ni eyɔɔ.” Mikɛɛ amɛ akɛ, atsɔɔ he ni asafo lɛ yitso lɛ yɔɔ lɛ yɛ Biblia lɛ mli. Amɛnaa kpɛ amɛhe ni amɛbi akɛ, “Biblia lɛ mli nɛgbɛ?”

Mihã amɛ hetoo akɛ, “Eyɛ Yesaia 43:12.” Amɛgbele ŋmalɛ lɛ, ni amɛkane lɛ jogbaŋŋ: “Nyɛji midasefoi, Yehowa kɛɛ, ni mi, miji Mawu.” Amɛkane lɛ shii etɛ, ni amɛbi mi akɛ: “Mɛni hewɔ okɛɛɛ akɛ Yehowa Odasefoi lɛ anitsumɔhe yitso lɛ yɛ Amerika, shi moŋ okɛɛ eyɛ ŋmalɛ nɛɛ mli lɛ?” Mikɛɛ amɛ akɛ: “Yehowa Odasefoi ni yɔɔ Amerika lɛ hu kpɛlɛɔ nɔ akɛ wɔnitsumɔhe yitso lɛ ji nɔ ni awie he yɛ ŋmalɛ nɛɛ mli lɛ.” Akɛni mihãaa amɛ hetoo ni amɛtaoɔ lɛ hewɔ lɛ, akɛ mi tee Dzaleka Tsuŋwoohe lɛ ni yɔɔ Lilongwe kooyi lɛ.

Be ni miyashɛ Dzaleka Tsuŋwoohe lɛ yɛ July 1984 lɛ, no mli lɛ Odasefoi 81 yɛ jɛmɛ momo. Wɔ mɛi ni awo wɔ tsuŋ yɛ tsuŋwoohe nɛɛ ayi fa aahu akɛ, ehe bahia ni mɛi 300 akamɔ shikpɔŋ bɔ ni onaŋ gbɛ kɛnyiɛ amɛteŋ. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, Odasefoi fɛɛ ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ nyɛ amɛkpe yɛ kui bibii amli daa gbi, koni amɛsusu ŋmalɛ kome he, ni enɛ wo wɔ hewalɛ waa diɛŋtsɛ.

Yɛ October 1984 lɛ, akɛ Odasefoi fɛɛ ni yɔɔ nakai tsuŋwoohe lɛ tee saneyeli he, ni ahã wɔle akɛ abaawo wɔ tsuŋ afii enyɔ. Shi kome ekoŋŋ lɛ, akɛ wɔ futu mɛi ni jeee Odasefoi. Shi onukpa ni kwɛɔ tsuŋwoohe lɛ nɔ lɛ kɛɛ mɛi fɛɛ ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ akɛ: “Yehowa Odasefoi shɛreee zigareti. No hewɔ lɛ, nyɛ, bulɔi, nyɛkagbaa amɛnaa akɛ amɛhã nyɛ zigareti, ni asaŋ nyɛkatsua amɛ akɛ amɛyatao la kɛba ni nyɛkɛshɛre zigareti. Nyɔŋmɔ webii ji amɛ! Nyɛhãa Yehowa Odasefoi lɛ niyenii shii enyɔ yɛ gbi lɛ mli, ejaakɛ jeee efɔŋ ko ni amɛyafee lɛ hewɔ amɛyɔɔ biɛ, shi moŋ amɛhemɔkɛyelii ni damɔ Biblia lɛ nɔ lɛ hewɔ.”

 Wɔjeŋba kpakpa lɛ hã akɛ wɔ ye jogbaŋŋ yɛ nibii krokomɛi hu amli. Eyɛ mli akɛ kɛ́ jeŋ na loo nugbɔ miinɛ lɛ, bulɔi lɛ hãaa gboklɛfoi aje kpo moŋ, shi amɛŋmɛɔ wɔ gbɛ ni wɔjeɔ kpo, ejaakɛ amɛheɔ wɔ amɛyeɔ, ni amɛle akɛ wɔjoŋ foi. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, be ko lɛ wɔmiitsu nii yɛ agbo lɛ naa ni hela mɔ bulɔ ni kwɛɔ wɔnɔ lɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, wɔwo lɛ ni wɔkɛ lɛ ku sɛɛ kɛtee tsuŋwoohe lɛ. Akɛni wɔtee nɔ wɔba wɔjeŋ jogbaŋŋ hewɔ lɛ, mɛi ni kwɛɔ wɔnɔ lɛ jie Yehowa gbɛ́i lɛ yi.—1 Petro 2:12. * (Kwɛmɔ shishigbɛ niŋmaa lɛ.)

Yɛ May 11, 1985 lɛ, ajie mi kɛjɛ Dzaleka Tsuŋwoohe lɛ, ni mikɛ miweku lɛ yahi shi ekoŋŋ. Miná miishɛɛ waa! Wɔdaa Yehowa shi akɛ eye ebua wɔ ni wɔnyɛ wɔye lɛ anɔkwa yɛ nakai be ni jaraa lɛ mli. Wɔnuɔ he taakɛ bɔfo Paulo nu he lɛ. Eŋma akɛ: “Wɔsumɔɔɔ ni wɔkɛ amanehulu ni wɔkɛkpe . . . lɛ atee nyɛ. . . . Wɔhiɛ kãaa wɔwala nɔ tete. Anɔkwa, wɔnu he akɛ gbele fɔbuu kã wɔnɔ. Enɛ ba lɛ nakai koni wɔkaŋɔ wɔhiɛ wɔfɔ̃ wɔ diɛŋtsɛ wɔhe nɔ, shi moŋ wɔŋɔfɔ̃ Nyɔŋmɔ ni teɔ gbohii ashi lɛ nɔ. Ejie wɔ kɛjɛ nɔ ko wulu tamɔ gbele mli.”—2 Korintobii 1:8-10.

Bei komɛi lɛ, wɔnu he tamɔ nɔ ni wɔnyɛŋ shihilɛ lɛ naa wɔdamɔ dɔŋŋ. Shi be fɛɛ be lɛ, wɔbiɔ Yehowa ni ehã wɔ ekãa, nilee, kɛ heshibaa koni wɔnyɛ wɔya nɔ wɔwo egbɛ́i kpele lɛ hiɛ nyam.

Yehowa ejɔɔ wɔ yɛ sɔɔmɔ ni wɔsɔmɔɔ lɛ yɛ “bei ni hi” kɛ “jaramɔ bei” amli fɛɛ lɛ hewɔ. Ŋmɛnɛ lɛ, eŋɔɔ wɔnaa waa akɛ ama nitsumɔhe nine hee fɛfɛo ko yɛ Lilongwe, ni amamɔ Maŋtsɛyeli Asai 1,000 kɛ sɛɛ yɛ Malawi! Kɛ́ mi kɛ Lidasi fɛɛ susu jɔɔmɔi babaoo nɛɛ ahe lɛ, efeɔ wɔ tamɔ nɔ ni wɔmiila! *—Kwɛmɔ shishigbɛ niŋmaa lɛ.