A BIN bɔn 1926 na wan ples we dɛn kɔl Kruksvil, Oayo, insay Amɛrika. Na wi et dɛn bɔn. Mi papa ɛn mama nɔ bin tu bisin bɔt Gɔd biznɛs, bɔt dɛn bin de tɛl wi fɔ de go chɔch. A bin de go na di Mɛtodist Chɔch. We a bin ol 14 ia, di pricha na di chɔch bin gi mi prayz bikɔs a bin de go chɔch ɛvri Sɔnde na di ia.

Insay da tɛm de, wan wi neba we nem Magrɛt Wɔka, we na bin Jiova Witnɛs bin bigin fɔ kam to mi mama ɛn tɔk to am bɔt di Baybul. Wan de, a bin disayd fɔ jɔyn dɛn. Mi mama bin fil se a go ambɔg am we i de stɔdi, so i bin tɛl mi fɔ kɔmɔt insay di os. Bɔt a bin de tray fɔ lisin to wetin dɛn bin de tɔk. Afta we Magrɛt dɔn kam fɔ tu-tri tɛm, i bin aks mi se, “Yu no wetin na Gɔd in nem?” A bin tɔk se, “Ɔlman no se na in nem Gɔd.” I tɛl mi se, “Go tek yu Baybul ɛn rid Sam 83:​18.” A bin du am, ɛn a bin kam fɔ no se Gɔd in nem na Jiova. A bin rɔn go to mi padi dɛn ɛn tɛl dɛn se, “We una go na una os dis nɛt, una rid Sam 83:​18 na una Baybul ɛn si wetin na Gɔd in nem.” Yu go se a bigin fɔ prich wantɛm wantɛm.

A bin stɔdi di Baybul ɛn baptayz 1941. Jɔs afta dat, dɛn bin pik mi fɔ kɔndɔkt kɔngrigeshɔn buk stɔdi. A bin ɛnkɔrej mi mama ɛn mi brɔda ɛn sista dɛn fɔ kam di buk stɔdi we a bin de kɔndɔkt, ɛn dɛn ɔl bin bigin fɔ kam. Bɔt mi papa nɔ bin de kam.

Dɛn bin gi mi mɔ wok na di kɔngrigeshɔn, ɛn a bin de gɛda bɔku buk dɛn we Jiova Witnɛs dɛn bin de mek. Wan de, mi papa pɔynt to mi buk dɛn ɛn tɛl mi se: “Yu si ɔl dɛn buk dɛn ya? A nɔ want dɛn insay dis os, ɛn yu bak kin go wit dɛn.” So a kɔmɔt na di os ɛn a go de na Zensvil, Oayo, we de nia mi famili, ɛn a bin de go ɛn kam fɔ ɛnkɔrej mi famili.

Mi papa bin de tray fɔ stɔp mi mama fɔ lɛ i nɔ go di mitin dɛn. Sɔntɛnde we mi mama de na rod fɔ go na mitin, mi papa de rɔnata am ɛn kɛr am go bak na os. Bɔt mi mama kin jɔs rɔn go pas na di ɔda domɔt ɛn go mitin. A bin tɛl mi mama se: “Nɔ  wɔri. I go taya fɔ de rɔnata yu.” As tɛm de go, mi papa bin taya fɔ tray fɔ stɔp am, ɛn mi mama bigin fɔ go di mitin dɛn fri wan.

We di Tiokratik Ministri Skul bin bigin insay di ia 1943, a bin stat fɔ gi tɔk dɛn na di skul insay mi kɔngrigeshɔn. Di advays dɛn we dɛn bin de gi mi afta a dɔn gi di tɔk dɛn na di skul bin ɛp mi fɔ sabi gi tɔk mɔ ɛn mɔ.

Insay 1944, we dɛn bin de fɛt Wɔl Wɔ Tu, dɛn bin tɛl mi fɔ jɔyn di ami. A bin go na Fɔt Ezs insay Kɔlɔmbɔs, Oayo, usay dɛn bin du sɔm tɛst dɛn na mi bɔdi, ɛn a bin fil sɔm fɔm dɛn. A bin tɛl di ɔfisa dɛn se a nɔ want fɔ bi sojaman. Dɛn bin lɛf mi fɔ go na os. Bɔt afta tu-tri dez, wan ɔfisa bin kam na mi domɔt ɛn tɛl mi se, “Kɔwin Rɔbinsin, a gɛt pepa we de gi mi di rayt fɔ arɛst yu.”

We wi go na kɔt tu wiks leta, di jɔj se: “If i lɛf to mi, a go mek yu de na prizin te yu day. Yu gɛt ɛnitin fɔ se?” A se: “Yu Ɔnɔ, dɛn fɔ dɔn tek mi as pricha. Ɔlman in domɔt, na mi pulpit, ɛn a dɔn prich di gud nyus bɔt Gɔd in Kiŋdɔm to bɔku pipul dɛn.” Di jɔj bin tɛl di wan dɛn we fɔ kɔt di kes, se: “Una nɔ de ya fɔ disayd if dis yɔŋ man na pricha ɔ nɔto pricha. Una de ya fɔ disayd if i bin go jɔyn di ami ɔ i nɔ bin go jɔyn di ami.” I nɔ ivin rich 30 minit, di wan dɛn we de kɔt di kes disayd se a dɔn du bad tin. Di jɔj bin sɛntɛns mi fɔ go na prizin fɔ fayv ia. Di prizin bin de na Ashland, Kɛntɔki.

A bin spɛn di fɔs tu wiks na wan prizin we de insay Kɔlɔmbɔs, Oayo, ɛn di fɔs de, a bin de insay mi yon sɛl. A pre to Jiova se: “A nɔ go ebul de na sɛl fɔ fayv ia. A nɔ no wetin fɔ du.”

Di nɛks de, di sikyɔriti dɛn bin pul mi na do. A waka go nia wan prizina we tɔl ɛn gɛt brɔd sholda. Wi bin tinap de luk oba di winda. I aks mi se, “Wetin briŋ yu kam na ya, Shɔti?” A tɛl am se, “Mi na wan pan Jiova Witnɛs dɛn.” I aks mi bak se, “Yu na Jiova Witnɛs? So, wetin mek yu de ya?” A tɛl am se, “Jiova Witnɛs dɛn nɔ de put an pan wɔ ɛn dɛn nɔ de kil pipul dɛn.” Na de i se, “Dɛn put yu na prizin bikɔs yu nɔ gri fɔ kil pipul dɛn. Dɛn de put ɔda pipul dɛn na prizin bikɔs dɛn de kil pipul dɛn. Yu tink se i mek sɛns?” A ansa am se, “Nɔ, i nɔ mek sɛns.”

Dɔn i tɔk se, “We a bin de na wan ɔda prizin fɔ 15 ia, a bin de rid sɔm pan una buk dɛn.” We a yɛri dis, a bin pre se, “Jiova, ɛp mi so dat dis man go de fɔ mi.” As a de dɔn fɔ pre so, na in dis prizina we nem Pɔl tɔk se: “If ɛniwan pan dɛn man ya tɔch  yu, jɔs ala nɔmɔ. A go dil wit dɛn.” So we a bin de de, a nɔ bin gɛt wan prɔblɛm wit di prizina dɛn we de na da say de.

We di ɔfisa dɛn transfa mi na di prizin na Ashland, a bin mit sɔm machɔ brɔda dɛn we bin dɔn ɔlrɛdi de de. Dɛn bin ɛp mi ɛn ɔda wan dɛn fɔ kɔntinyu fɔ de nia Jiova. Dɛn bin de sho wi us pat na di Baybul wi fɔ rid ɛni wik, ɛn wi kin pripia kwɛstyɔn ɛn ansa dɛn fɔ di mitin we wi bin de kɔl Baybul Biz. Wi bin de na wan big sɛl we gɛt bed dɛn we ling na di wɔl. Wan brɔda bin de we de sho wi usay fɔ prich. I bin de tɛl mi se: “Rɔbinsin, na yu gɛt bed so ɛn so. Na yu fɔ prich to ɛnibɔdi we de na dɛn bed dɛn de. Mek shɔ se yu prich to di pɔsin bifo i go.” Na so wi bin de prich ɛn i bin rili ɔganayz.

Wɔl Wɔ Tu bin dɔn 1945, bɔt a bin stil de na prizin fɔ sɔm tɛm afta dat. A bin de wɔri bɔt mi famili bikɔs mi papa bin dɔn tɛl mi se, “If a ebul pul yu kɔmɔt na ya, a go ebul di ɔda wan dɛn.” Afta we dɛn fri mi, a bin sɔprayz fɔ no se sɛvin pipul dɛn na mi famili bin de go di mitin dɛn ɛn wan pan mi sista dɛn bin dɔn baptayz, pan ɔl we wi papa bin de tray fɔ stɔp dɛn.

We di wɔ na Koria bin bigin 1950, dɛn bin tɛl mi fɔ jɔyn di ami fɔ di sɛkɔn tɛm. Dɛn tɛl mi fɔ go ripɔt bak na Fɔt Ezs. Afta we dɛn dɔn tɛst mi fɔ no wetin a kin ebul du, wan ɔfisa bin tɛl mi se, “Na yu gɛt ay mak pas ɔlman na yu grup.” A bin tɛl am se, “Dat na fayn tin, bɔt a nɔ go jɔyn di ami.” A bin kot Sɛkɛn Lɛta To Timoti 2:​3 ɛn tɛl am se, “A dɔn ɔlrɛdi bi sojaman fɔ Krays.” Afta we i sɛt in mɔt fɔ lɔng tɛm, i se, “Yu kin go.”

Jɔs afta dat, a go di Bɛtɛl mitin we dɛn bin ol na wan kɔnvɛnshɔn na Sinsinanti, Oayo. Wan brɔda we nem Miltin Ɛnshɛl bin tɛl wi se dɛn nid brɔda dɛn na Bɛtɛl we want fɔ wok tranga wan fɔ di Kiŋdɔm. A bin fil fɔm fɔ go na Bɛtɛl ɛn dɛn bin tek mi. A bigin fɔ wok na Bruklin insay Ɔgɔst 1954, ɛn frɔm da tɛm de, a dɔn de na Bɛtɛl.

A kin gɛt bɔku wok fɔ du na Bɛtɛl. Fɔ lɔng tɛm, a bin de wok wit wan mashin we dɛn kɔl bɔyla. Dis mashin bin de na di say we dɛn de print ɛn i bin de bak na di ɔfis bildin dɛn. Bɔyla na wan mashin we jɔs tan lɛk jɛnɛretɔ. A bin de wok bak pan ɔda mashin dɛn, ɛn a bin de mek lɔk dɛn we dɔn pwɛl. A bin de wok bak na Asɛmbli Ɔl dɛn insay Nyu Yɔk Siti.

A lɛk di program dɛn na Bɛtɛl, lɛk di mɔnin wɔship, di famili Wachtawa Stɔdi, ɛn fɔ go prich  wit di kɔngrigeshɔn. We yu tink bɔt dɛn tin ya, na tin dɛn we ɛni famili we na Jiova Witnɛs fɔ du ɔltɛm. We mama, papa, ɛn dɛn pikin dɛn du di deli tɛks togɛda, du Famili Wɔship, tek pat na di mitin dɛn, ɛn gɛt zil fɔ prich di gud nyus, ɔlman na di famili go mɔs kam nia Jiova mɔ ɛn mɔ.

A dɔn mek bɔku padi dɛn na Bɛtɛl ɛn insay di kɔngrigeshɔn. Sɔm pan dɛn na anɔyntɛd ɛn dɛn dɔn go na ɛvin. Ɔda wan dɛn nɔto anɔyntɛd. Bɔt Jiova in savant dɛn ɔl nɔ pafɛkt, ivin di wan dɛn we na Bɛtɛlayt. If a gɛt cham-mɔt wit wan brɔda, a kin tray ɔltɛm fɔ mek pis wit am. A kin mɛmba Matyu 5:​23, 24 ɛn tink bɔt aw fɔ sɛtul di cham-mɔt. I nɔ kin izi fɔ se “A sɔri,” bɔt na dis kin sɔlv bɔku cham-mɔt.

Naw i nɔ izi fɔ mi fɔ go prich frɔm os to os bikɔs a dɔn ol, bɔt a nɔ stil giv ɔp. A dɔn lan smɔl Chayniz ɛn a kin gladi fɔ tɔk to Chayniz pipul dɛn na strit. Sɔm mɔnin dɛn, a kin gi 30 ɔ 40 magazin dɛn to pipul dɛn we want fɔ no mɔ.

A dɔn ivin mek ritɔn visit na Chayna! Wan de, wan yɔŋ nays gyal bin de pas ɛn i bin de smayl to mi. Dis gyal bin de gi kad dɛn we de advatayz frut dɛn. A bin smayl to am ɛn gi am Di Wachtawa ɛn Awake! we de insay Chayniz. I bin tek dɛn ɛn tɛl mi se na in nem Keti. Afta dat, ɛnitɛm we Keti si mi, i kin kam tɔk to mi. A bin tich am aw fɔ kɔl frut dɛn ɛn ɔda it dɛn insay Inglish, ɛn i bin de ripit afta mi. A bin ɛksplen bak sɔm skripchɔ dɛn to am, ɛn i bin gri fɔ tek di Baybul Tich buk. Bɔt afta sɔm wiks, a nɔ bin si am igen.

Afta sɔm tɛm, a bin gi di magazin dɛn to wan ɔda gyal we bin de pas ɛn gi kad dɛn we de advatayz ɛn i bin tek di magazin dɛn. Di ɔda wik, i gi mi in fon ɛn se, “Yu tɔk to Chayna.” A tɛl am se, “A nɔ sabi ɛnibɔdi na Chayna.” Bɔt i bin stil pin se a fɔ tɔk, so a tek di fon na in an ɛn se, “Ɛlo, dis na Rɔbinsin.” Di vɔys we a yɛri na di fon bin se, “Rɔbi, dis na Keti. A dɔn kam bak na Chayna.” A se, “Chayna?” Keti ansa se, “Yɛs. Rɔbi, yu sabi di gyal we gi yu di fon? Na mi sista. Yu bin dɔn tich mi bɔku fayn fayn tin dɛn. Duya tich am di we aw yu bin tich mi.” A ansa am se, “Keti, a go du ɔl wetin a ebul fɔ du. Tɛnki fɔ we yu mek a no usay yu de.” Afta dat, a bin tɔk to Keti in sista fɔ di las tɛm. A op se ɛnisay we dɛn tu gyal dɛn de naw, dɛn go lan mɔ bɔt Jiova.

A dɔn sav Jiova fɔ 73 ia, ɛn a gladi we i ɛp mi fɔ lɛ a nɔ put an pan wɔ ɛn fɔ lɛ a sav am fetful wan pan ɔl we a bin de na prizin. Dɔn mi brɔda ɛn sista dɛn bin tɛl mi se dɛn gladi we a bin tinap tranga wan ɛn nɔ giv ɔp we wi papa bin de tray fɔ stɔp wi. As tɛm de go, mi mama ɛn siks pan mi brɔda ɛn sista dɛn bin baptayz. Ivin mi papa bin chenj smɔl, ɛn i bin bigin fɔ atɛnd sɔm mitin dɛn bifo i day.

If Gɔd want, mi fambul ɛn padi dɛn we dɔn day go gɛt layf bak insay di nyu wɔl. Jɔs imajin di kayn gladi at we wi go gɛt as wi de wɔship Jiova sote go wit di wan dɛn we wi lɛk! *—Rid di futnot.