Mi mada an faada lef Estuoniya wen Worl Waar 2 did a gwaan an go a Jormani, an a de-so mi baan. Dem taim de, dem did a get tingz redi fi go liv a Kyanada. Wen wi did de a Kyanada, wi did liv nier Atawa an wi did puor bad. Dem taim de, wi did liv iina wan likl foul kub. Iivn duo tingz did bad, kaaz wi did av nof chikin roun wi wi kuda nyam eg fi brekfas.

Wan die som Jeuova Witnis riid Revilieshan 21:3, 4 tu mi mada. Wa shi did ier did riili toch ar aat an shi did staat fi baal. Mi mada an faada did staat fi stodi di Baibl an tuu tuuz dem get baptaiz.

Iivn duo mi mada an faada kudn taak Ingglish so gud, dem did wel waahn fi sorv Jeuova. Aal wen im did wok uol nait iina wan fakchri we dem did melt di metal we niem nikl iina Sodberi Antaario, mi faada wuda stil kya mi an mi likl sista Sylvia go a sorvis evri Satde. An evri wiik di uol a wi wuda du Di Wachtowa tugeda. Mi mada an faada riili elp mi fi lov Gad. An kaaz a dat, mi gi mi laif tu Jeuova an get baptaiz iina 1956 wen mi a ten. Wen mi luk pan di wie ou dem lov Jeuova wid aal a dem aat, dat elp mi fi gwaan tan op chrang.

Afta mi lef ai skuul mi neehn did a kip mi main pan tingz we av fi du wid Jeuova. An mi did tingk se ef mi go paiyanier mi wuda neva get di chaans fi go flai aal uova di worl an si difrant difrant konchri. So mi did get wan wok fi plie myuuzik pan wan riediyo stieshan an mi did lov it bad. Bot kaaz mi did aalwiez a wok iina di iivnin dem, nof a di taim mi neehn de a di miitn dem an mi did staat kip kompni wid som piipl we neehn lov Gad at aal. Bot afta a taim, mi kanchens did staat fi bada mi an mi did afi chienj op tingz.

Mi did muuv go a wan plies niem Oshawa iina Antaariyo. An a de so mi miit wan breda niem Ray Norman, im sista we niem Lesli an som ada paiyanier. Dem did riili chriit mi gud. An wen mi si ou dem did api, it mek mi staat tingk bout wa mi did a du wid mi laif. Dem tel mi se it wuda gud ef mi did staat fi paiyanier tu, an a dat mi did du iina Septemba 1966. Mi did api bad an laif did swiit, bot som big tingz we mi neva ekspek fi apm wuda suun apm.

Wen mi did a go a ai skuul, mi did sain op fi go a Betel we de iina Toranto Kyanada. Likl afta dat wen  mi did staat paiyanier, dem aks mi fi kom a Betel fi fuor ier. Bot mi did riili laik aaf Lesli an mi did a fret se ef mi did go a Betel mi wudn get fi si ar agen. Bot mi spen uol iip a taim a prie tu Jeuova bout it an mi mek op mi main fi go a Betel, bot it did riili aad fi tel Lesli ba-bai.

Wen mi did de a Betel, mi did wok iina di plies we dem wash kluoz an ting an den afta dat mi did a wan sekiteri. Dem taim de, Lesli did a wan speshal paiyanier iina wa plies we niem Gyatinaa iina Kwibek. Nof taim mi did wanda bout wa a gwaan wid ar an ef mi did du di rait ting. Den, wan a di naisis ting apm we mi neva ekspek fi apm. Dem did aks Lesli breda we niem Ray fi kom wok a Betel tu. An ges wa? Mi an im en op iina di sed ruum. An kaaz a dat, mi an Lesli ton bak fren agen. Di tuu a wi marid pan Febiweri 27, 1971. A da die de di fuor ier we mi did fi wok a Betel did don.

Afta dat, dem sen mi an Lesli fi go elp out wan kanggrigieshan we taak French we de iina Kwibek. Kopl ier afta dat, mi did wel shak wen dem aks mi fi ton sorkit uovasiya. Mi a did jos 28 ier uol, an mi neehn tingk mi kuda manij da wok de. Bot wen mi tingk bout wa Jerimaiya 1:7, 8 se, dat elp fi push mi fi go dwi’it. Bot Lesli did de iina kopl kyaar aksident an shi kudn sliip gud a nait taim, so mi did a wanda ef wi kuda tek aan di sorkit wok. Bot shi se, “Ef Jeuova a aks wi fi du sitn, wi no fi chrai an dwi’it?” So wi tek aan di wok an a 17 ier wi spen a dwi’it.

Kaa mi did so bizi wid di sorkit wok, mi neehn aalwiez av taim fi spen wid Lesli. Bot mi did afi lorn sitn els. Orli wan Monde maanin, mi ier di duorbel ring. Wen mi go de fi si a uu, mi neehn si nobadi. Bot mi si wan baaskit we did av wan tieblklaat iina it, som fruut, chiiz, bred, wan bakl a wain, som jringkin glaas, an wan piis a piepa did iina it we se, “Kyari yu waif go outa duor go nyam som fuud an enjai unuself.” Di die did wel nais an di son did a shain, bot mi tel Lesli se mi did afi saat out mi taak dem so mi kudn go. Iivn duo shi did aarait wid it, mi nuo se shi did kain-a sad. Bot wen mi sidong a mi deks mi kanchens staat fi bada mi. Mi did tingk bout wa Ifiijan 5:25, 28 se, an mi si se Jeuova waahn mi fi tingk bout ou mi waif fiil bout tingz. So mi prie an den mi tel Lesli se: “Kom mek wi go,” an shi did api bad. Wi jraiv go saida wan riva an pred out di tieblklaat, an dat die de a wan a di naisis die dem we wi eva spen tugeda. An yu waahn nuo se mi stil get fi du mi taak dem.

A uol iip a difrant difrant plies wi did get fi go wen wi did a du di sorkit wok. Wi go difrant difrant plies iina British Kolombiya aal di wie tu wan plies we dem kaal Nyuufounlan. An wi did api bad. So mi did a get fi chravl aal uova di plies laik ou mi did waahn fi du fram wen mi did likl. Mi did tingk se it wuda gud fi go a Giliyad, bot mi neehn riili waahn fi go ton mishineri iina no faar konchri. Mi did tingk se di wan dem we du dem kain-a wok de a som speshal piipl an mi neva fiil laik mi kuda dwi’it at aal. An  wan neda ting a dat, mi did tingk se dem wuda sen mi go a som plies iina Afrika we av aal kain-a siknis ar waar a gwaan. Mi did api wich paat mi de.

Iina 1992, di Jeuova Witnis dem kuda staat priich iina som a di konchri dem we yuus tu de iina di Suoviyet Yuuniyan. So di breda dem did aks wi ef wi kuda go a Estuoniya go du mishineri wok. Wi did shak, bot wi prie bout it an jos laik wa wi did du aredi, wi aks wiself se, ‘Ef Jeuova a aks wi fi du sitn, wi no fi chrai fi dwi’it?’ So wi tel di breda dem yes, an mi tel miself se, ‘Wel, mi glad se wi naa go a Afrika.’

So az wi kech de wi staat fi lorn di Estuoniyan langwij. Afta wi de de kopl mont, dem sen wi fi go du sorkit wok. A bout 46 difrant difrant kanggrigieshan an gruup wi did afi go vizit we de iina di chrii konchri dem we mek op di plies we dem kaal di Baltiks an iina Kaliningrad, Rosha tu. So wi did afi lorn likl a di Latviyan, Lituwieniyan, an Roshan langwij tu. It did aad bad, bot wa wi du did toch di breda an sista dem aat an dem riili elp wi. Iina 1999, dem did uopm wan branch afis iina Estuoniya an dem aks mi an chrii ada breda we neim Toomas Edur, Lembit Reile, an Tommi Kauko fi wok pan di Branch Komitii.

Wi did get fi nuo nof a di breda an sista dem we di govament did sen we go a Saibiiriya. An iivn duo dem did mek dem sofa bad iina prizn an dem did de faar fram dem fambili, di breda an sista dem neehn get beks ar av op nobadi iina dem aat niida. Dem did api fi gwaan du di priichin wok an dis did mek wi si se no mata ou aad tingz mait-a bi, wi kyan stil api wen wi a eng aan an tan op chrang.

A uol iip a ier wi did a wok fa an wi neehn riili tek no taim fi res, an Lesli did staat fiil taiyad bad. Bot dem taim de, wi neehn nuo se a kaa shi did av wan siknis we niem faibromaiyalja. Wi did staat fi tingk se it wuda gud fi wi go baka Kyanada. An a bout dem taim de dem did aks wi fi kom get muor chrienin a Patisn iina Nyuu Yaak. Mi neehn tingk wi kuda did go. Bot wi tek som taim an prie bout it, den wi mek op wi main fi go. An wi si se Jeuova bles wa wi did du. An wen wi did go a da skuul de, Lesli did get di elp we shi did niid fram di dakta dem. An a so wi kuda did go bak go du wi wok laik ou wi yuus tu dwi’it.

Iina 2008, wen wi did de a Estuoniya, wan a di iivnin dem mi get wan kaal fram di worl ed afis a aks mi ef wi kuda go a Kanggo fi elp out. Mi did shak bad, wos kaaz dem did di niid mi fi ansa dem di neks die. Mi neehn tel Lesli notn bout wa did a gwaan kaa mi nuo se shi wudn sliip da nait de. Bot yu waahn nuo se a mi neehn sliip at aal, kaa mi did a prie bout di ting dem we mi did a fret bout wen it kom aan tu Afrika.

Di neks die wen mi tel Lesli bout it, wi tel wiself se: “Ef Jeuova aks wi fi go Afrika, ou wi nuo se wi kyaahn go dwi’it an api wen wi a dwi’it tu ef wi no chrai?” So afta wi did de a Estuoniya fi 16 ier, wi go a Kinchaasa, Kanggo. Di branch afis did de a wan  plies we did griin, priti an kaam. Wan a di fos ting we Lesli did put op iina wi ruum a wan kyaad we shi did av fram wi did a lef Kyanada. A dem wod ya did rait pan it, “Gwaan gruo wich paat dem plaant yu.” Afta wi miit di breda dem, staat fi du som Baibl stodi, an get fi si ou it nais fi du mishineri wok, wi did api bad. Afta a taim, wi did staat fi go roun go vizit di difrant branch dem, an a bout 13 difrant difrant konchri wi did go iina Afrika. Dat did mek wi si se iivn duo aal kain-a difrant difrant piipl did de de, dem did nais bad. So mi neehn fried laik ou mi did fried wan taim, an wi tangk Jeuova se im did sen wi fi go elp out iina Afrika.

Wen wi did de a Kanggo, wi nyam som fuud we wi neva tingk se wi kuda eva nyam​—aal insek wi nyam. Bot wen wi si se wi breda an sista dem lov dem sitn ya, wi neehn fried fi chrai it an wi glad se wi did dwi’it.

Wi did get fi go a di iis paat a di konchri fi go elp wi breda an sista dem fi get di tingz we dem niid an fi gwaan tan op chrang, kaa som piipl did a fait dem aaf wich paat dem did liv an did a du tingz fi ort di uman an pikni dem. Nof a dem breda an sista de did puor bad. Bot wen wi si ou dem did nuo fi shuor se ded piipl a-go kom bak alaiv, an ou dem lov Jeuova an a stik tu im aaganaizieshan no mata wa, it did toch wi aat. It did mek wi staat tingk bout ou wi kuda chos iina Gad muor an tan op chrang laik dem. Som a dem breda an sista de did luuz uol iip a tingz, laik dem ous an di sitn dem we dem did plaant. An dat did mek mi si se it no tek notn fi wi luuz di sitn dem we wi av. Bot a di sitn dem we kip wi kluos tu Jeuova riili wot nof. Iivn duo dem did a go chuu aal a dem sitn de, dem breda ya neva spen dem taim a grombl grombl. Di wie ou dem did luk pan tingz did elp wi fi si se wi fi gwaan tan op chrang iivn duo wi av wi prablem dem an wi no so aati agen.

Afta dat, sitn we wi neehn ekspek fi apm, apm. Dem aks wi fi go elp out a di branch afis iina Ang Kang. Wi neva eva tingk se wi wuda liv a Iezha. Bot wen wi tingk bout ou Jeuova elp wi wid aal a di ada wok dem we im aks wi fi du, wi mek op wi main fi go. Iina 2013, wi tel wi gud fren dem a Afrika ba-bai. It  did mek wi sad bad wen wi did afi lef dem an da nais plies de, an wi did a wanda wa wuda apm nou.

Ang Kang a wan big siti wid uol iip a piipl, so it did riili difrant fram we wi did de iina Afrika. An wan neda ting a dat it did aad fi lorn di langwij we dem kaal Kyantoniiz. Bot di breda an sista dem did riili mek wi fiil gud fi de de an wi did lov di fuud bad. A uol iip a wok di branch afis did a du iina Ang Kang, bot bildin an dem ting de did get dier bad. So di breda dem pan di Govanin Badi did mek op dem main fi sel nof a di afis dem we dem did av de. Likl afta dat, iina 2015, dem sen wi go a Sout Koriya, an a de-so wi de a wok rait ya nou. It did aad fi wi lorn wan aneda langwij, bot it mek wi fiil gud fi nuo se iivn duo wi no nuo di langwij gud, di breda an sista dem si ou aad wi a wok fi lorn it, an dem mek wi fiil gud bout wa wi a du.

It no aalwiez iizi fi ton fren wid piipl, bot wi get fi si se wen wi taak tu dem fos an chrai fi shier wa wi av wid dem, it elp wi fi get fi nuo piipl kwik. An wi si se iivn duo wi an wi breda dem mait-a luk difrant, wi av uol iip a tingz we wi kyan taak bout an get fi nuo wi wan aneda beta. An Jeuova did mek wi iina wan wie we wi kyan riili lov uol iip a piipl wid aal a wi aat.​—2 Kor. 6:11.

Wan neda ting we wi lorn a dat wi afi luk pan piipl di wie ou Jeuova luk pan dem. An wi did afi luk an si wa a gwaan iina wi laif we mek wi si klier klier se Jeuova lov wi an im a mek wi nuo wa fi du. Som a di taim dem wen wi did fiil sad ar fiil laik se di breda an sista dem no riili laik wi, wi wuda riid som a di kyaad an leta dem we wi get fram uol iip a wi fren dem. An wi get fi si ou Jeuova ansa wi prieya dem an elp wi fi gwaan tan op chrang.

Wan neda ting we mi an Lesli lorn a dat no mata umoch sitn wi av fi du, wi afi aalwiez mek shuor se wi a spen taim wid wi wan aneda. An wi get fi si se wi no fi tek wiself tuu siiros an wi afi laaf wen wi mek mistiek, wos wen wi a lorn wan neda langwij. An evri nait wi chrai fi fain sitn gud fi tangk Jeuova fa.

Bwai, wen mi tingk bout mi laif, mi wuda neva tingk se mi kuda did du mishineri wok ar go liv iina difrant difrant konchri, bot mi get fi si ou Jeuova kyan mek wi du eniting we im waahn wi fi du. An jos laik Jerimaiya, mi si ou Jeuova mek mi du tingz we mi neehn tingk mi kuda eva du. (Jer. 20:7) Ye man, a nof nais tingz Jeuova mek apm fi wi we wi wuda neva ekspek fi apm. Im aal mek mi get fi flai pan plien aal uova di plies, an dat a sitn we mi did waahn fram mi a likl bwai. Wi go nof muor plies dan mi tingk wi wuda eva go. An wi get fi go elp di breda an sista dem we wok iina di branch afis dem iina uol iip a difrant difrant konchri fi gwaan tan op chrang. An mi tangk Lesli fi ou shi eva de de wid mi an ou shi aalwiez api fi du eni wok we Jeuova gi ar fi du.

Wan ting we wi aalwiez chrai fi memba, a uu wi a wok fa an wa mek wi a dwi’it. Aal a di gud sitn dem we wi a get rait ya nou jos a gi wi wan likl prips a ou laif a-go swiit wen wi a liv fi eva, wen Jeuova “uopm op [im] an an gi evriting we a liv wa dem waahn.”​—Sa. 145:16.