MEMAMBOKALE Brooklyn Bɛtɛle abusua ne anwo wɔ September 7, 1950. Wɔ zɔhane mekɛ ne, ɛnee mediema 355 mɔɔ bɛvi manle ngakyile nu na bɛli ɛvolɛ 19 mɔɔ kɔ 80 la a wɔ Bɛtɛle abusua ne anu a. Ɛnee bɛ nuhua dɔɔnwo le Keleseɛnema mɔɔ bɛkpokpa bɛ.

Menzukoale yɛ ‘anyelielɛ Nyamenle’ ne anwo debie menvile me nli ɛkɛ. (1 Tem. 1:11) Ɔbɔle Gyihova ɛzonlenlɛ bo la ɛnee me le kakula ekyi bie. Mekɛ mɔɔ menlile ɛvolɛ bulu wɔ July 1, 1939 la, bɛzɔnenle me wɔ maanzinli nyianu bie mɔɔ bɛyɛle ye wɔ Columbus, wɔ Nebraska, U.S.A. la abo. Ɛnee yɛle kɛyɛ ɛya ko na yɛyiale nu wɔ sua bie mɔɔ yɛhayele la anu yɛdiele ɛdendɛlɛ mɔɔ Joseph Rutherford manle la. Ɔ ti ne se: “Ɔka A Bɛnga Arane anzɛɛ Fanwodi.” Mekɛ mɔɔ ɛdendɛlɛ ne ɛlɛkɔ zo la menli ekpunli bie rale ɛleka mɔɔ yɛlɛyɛ ayia ne la. Bɛbule anlenkɛ ne bɛrazɛkyele ayia ne, na bɛhwenle yɛ bɛvindele. Yɛhɔyiale adiema ko ɛya mɔɔ bikye sua zo la anu yɛdiele gyimalilɛ ne mɔɔ ɛnee ɛha la. Kɛmɔ ɛkola ɛnwu ye la, me rɛle ɛtɛfile kenle mɔɔ bɛzɔnenle me la ɛlɛ!

Ɔmɔ yelele ɔ nwo kɛ ɔtete me wɔ nɔhalɛ ne anu. Ɛnee me papa le sonla kpalɛ nee selɛ kpalɛ ɛdeɛ, noko ɛnee ɔ nye ɛnlie Nyamenle ɛzonlenlɛ anzɛɛ me sunsum nu ɛkpazilɛ nwo kpalɛ. Ɔmɔ nee Alasevolɛ mɔɔ ɛha mɔɔ bɛwɔ Omaha Asafo ne anu la boale me dɔɔnwo.

Mɔɔ ɔka ekyii mewie sukunwiɔ la, ɛnee ɔwɔ kɛ mesi mɔɔ mebayɛ ye wɔ ɛbɛlabɔlɛ nu la anwo kpɔkɛ. Wɔ ademanlɛ biala anu, me nee me tipɛnema yɛle ademanlɛ adekpakyelɛ, (ɛnɛ bɛfɛlɛ ye adekpakyelɛ boavolɛ).

Bɛkpale mediema mgbavolɛ nwiɔ mɔɔ bɛtɛgyale na bɔ zo mɔɔ bɛwie Geleade Sukulu mɔɔ tɔ zo nsuu—John Chimiklis nee Ted Jaracz—kɛ neavolɛ adenduvoma wɔ ɛleka mɔɔ ɛnee yɛwɔ la. Mekɛ mɔɔ mendele kɛ bɔ zo mɔɔ bɛbo ɛvolɛ 20 ekyi la ɔyɛle me azibɛnwo. Ɛnee meli ɛvolɛ 18, na ɔka ekyii mewie ndoazo sukulu. Metɛkakye kɛ Adiema Chimiklis bizale me kɛ duzu a mekulo kɛ meyɛ ye wɔ ɛbɛlabɔlɛ nu a. Mɔɔ menganle mengilele ye la, ɔdule me folɛ kɛ: “Ɛhɛe, fa ɛ  nwo wula ɛzonlenlɛ gyima ne anu ndɛndɛ. Ɛnze ɛleka mɔɔ ɔbava wɔ yeahɔdwu a.” Folɛdulɛ zɔhane nee mediema nwiɔ ne neazo ne boale me totohyia. Yemɔti mekɛ mɔɔ menwiele sukulu la membɔle adekpakyelɛ gyima ne abo wɔ 1948.

Wɔ July 1950, me nee me awovolɛ hɔle maanle nee maanle avinli nyianu wɔ Yankee Stadium wɔ New York City. Wɔ nyianu ne abo, mengɔle ayia mɔɔ bɛyɛ bɛmaa menli mɔɔ kulo kɛ bɛkɔyɛ gyima wɔ Bɛtɛle la bie. Mengɛlɛle kɛlata kɛ, me nye die nwo kɛ mebarayɛ gyima wɔ ɛkɛ.

Ɛnee me papa kulo kɛ metɛnla ye sua nu ɛkɛ meyɛ adekpakyelɛ gyima ne ɛdeɛ, noko ɛnee ɔkpondɛ kɛ metua sua nee aleɛ nwo kakɛ ne bie. Yemɔti, kenle ko bie, wɔ August mɔlebɛbo mɔɔ ɛnee melɛkɔ meahɔkpondɛ gyima la, mengɔneanle yɛ posu ɔfese ɛlɛka ne anu. Ɛnee me kɛlata bie mɔɔ vi Brooklyn la wɔ nu. Nathan H. Knorr yɛɛ ɛva ɔ sa ɛwula ɔ bo a. Ɔhɛlɛle kɛ: “Yɛ sa ɛha wɔ Bɛtɛle ademizalɛ kɛlata ne. Mete ɔ bo kɛ ɛdie ɛto nu kɛ ɛbadɛnla Bɛtɛle dedee wɔawu. Yemɔti mekulo kɛ ɛba Bɛtɛle wɔ 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York, wɔ September 7, 1950.”

Mɔɔ me papa vi gyima rale sua nu kenle zɔhane la, menzele ye kɛ menyia gyima. Ɔhanle kɛ, “Mo, nienwu a ɛbayɛ gyima ne a?” Membuale ye kɛ wɔ “Brooklyn Bɛtɛle, bɛbadua me dɔla 10.00 siane biala.” Ɛhye zinli ɔ nwo, noko ɔhanle kɛ saa yemɔ a mekulo a ɛnee membɔ mɔdenle kɛ ɔbawie me boɛ. Yeangyɛ, bɛzɔnenle ye wɔ maangyeba nyianu bie mɔɔ bɛyɛle ye wɔ Yankee Stadium wɔ 1953 la abo!

Bɛvɛlɛle me adekpakyelɛ bokavolɛ Alfred Nussrallah noko wɔ Bɛtɛle wɔ zɔhane mekɛ ne, yemɔti yɛbɔle nu yɛhɔle. Nzinlii, ɔgyale na ɔ nee ɔ ye Joan hɔle Geleade, yemɔti bɛhɔyɛle edwɛkpatɛlɛvolɛ gyima ne wɔ Lebanon, yɛɛ bɛrayɛle neavolɛ adenduvo gyima wɔ United States.

Ɛleka mɔɔ menlumuale menyɛle gyima wɔ Bɛtɛle la a le Mbulukuyɛlɛleka ne. Buluku mɔɔ lumua mɔɔ menyɛle nwolɛ gyima la a le What Has Religion Done for Mankind? (Duzu A Ɛzonlenle Ɛyɛ Ɛmaa Alesama A?) Mekɛ mɔɔ menyɛle gyima wɔ Mbulukuyɛlɛleka ne siane mɔtwɛ la, bɛyele me bɛhɔle Ɛzonlenlɛ Nwo Gyimalilɛleka ne, me nee Adiema Thomas J. Sullivan hɔyɛle gyima. Me nye liele ye gyima nwo na menyianle nvasoɛ menvile anwuma nrɛlɛbɛ ndelebɛbo nee nwunu mɔɔ ɛnee yenyia ye ɛvolɛ dɔɔnwo wɔ ahyehyɛdeɛ ne anu la azo.

Mɔɔ menyɛle gyima asɛɛ ɛvolɛ nsa wɔ Ɛzonlenlɛ Nwo Gyimalilɛleka ne la, Max Larson mɔɔ ɛnee nea mbulalɛ gyima ne azo la hanle hilele me kɛ Adiema Knorr kpondɛ kɛ ɔnwu me. Ɛnee mengola mennwu ye saa meyɛ ɛtane bie a. Mekɛ mɔɔ Adiema Knorr hanle kɛ ɔkpondɛ kɛ ɔnwu ye saa mekulo kɛ mefi Bɛtɛle kenlensa ye la, me ahonle dɔle me azule nu. Ɛnee ɔkpondɛ kɛ awie bayɛ gyima wɔ ye ɔfese ɛkɛ mekɛ ekyii, na ɔkpondɛ kɛ ɔnwu ye saa mebayɛ a. Menzele ye kɛ metɛyɛle me adwenle kɛ mefi Bɛtɛle. Yemɔti, menyianle nwolɛ adenle mengɔnyɛle gyima wɔ ye ɔfese ɛkɛ ɛvolɛ 20.

Meta meka kɛ anrɛɛ menrɛhola menrɛdua ndetelɛ mɔɔ menyianle menvile Mediema Sullivan nee Knorr, yɛɛ Bɛtɛlema mɔɔ ɛha mɔɔ bie mɔ a le Milton Henschel, Klaus Jensen, Max Larson, Hugo Riemer, nee Grant Suiter ɛkɛ la anwo kakɛ. *

Mediema mɔɔ me nee bɛ yɛle gyima la yɛle bɛ ngyehyɛleɛ kpalɛ wɔ gyima mɔɔ bɛyɛle ye ahyehyɛdeɛ  ne anu la anwo. Ɛnee Adiema Knorr yɛ gyima a ɔnvɛ. Ɛnee ɔkpondɛ kɛ Belemgbunlililɛ gyima ne anu tɛlɛ kpalɛ. Menli mɔɔ nee ye yɛle gyima la nwunle kɛ ye edwɛkɛ ɛhanlɛ ɛnyɛ se. Saa yɛ nee ye ɛnyɛ adwenle wɔ debie bie anwo bɔbɔ a, yɛkola yɛnyia anwodozo yɛka.

Mekɛ bie, Adiema Knorr nee me hanle kɛzi ɔwɔ kɛ yɛdi ninyɛne ngyikyi nwo gyima la anwo edwɛkɛ. Mɔɔ ɔkilehile nu yeahile me la, ɔzele me kɛ, mekɛ mɔɔ ɛnee ɔnea mbulalɛ gyima ne azo la, ɔyɛ a Adiema Rutherford fɛlɛ ye fonu zo ka kile ye kɛ: “Adiema Knorr, saa ɛvi mbulalɛ gyima nu ɛkɛ ɛlɛba wɔarali debie a, anrɛɛ fa wolɔba mɔɔ bɛfa bɛkyikyi pɛnsele ngɛlɛlera la bɛlɛ me. Mehyia bie wɔ me ɛkponle ne azo.” Adiema Knorr hanle kɛ debie mɔɔ ɔdumua ɔyɛ la a le kɛ ɔkɔ ɛleka mɔɔ bɛfa ninyɛne zɔhane mɔ bɛsie la, na ɔfa wolɔba ne bie ɔgua ye kodoku nu. Na bɛbɔ bulu nee nwiɔ a, yeava yeahɔ Adiema Rutherford ɔfese. Ɔle debie ekyi noko ɔboale Adiema Rutherford. Akee Adiema Knorr zele me kɛ: “Mekulo kɛ menyia pɛnsele mɔɔ bɛzinzi la wɔ me ɛkponle ne azo dahuu. Yemɔti, mesɛlɛ wɔ anrɛɛ fa bie gua ɛkɛ nwonlomɔ biala.” Wɔ ɛvolɛ dɔɔnwo anu, meneanle kɛ bɛzinzi ye pɛnsele ne mɔ ati.

Ɛnee Adiema Knorr ta ka kɛ saa bɛlɛka gyima bie mɔɔ bɛkpondɛ kɛ yɛyɛ la anwo edwɛkɛ bɛahile yɛ a, anrɛɛ yɛdie ye kpalɛ. Kenle ko bie, ɔhilehilele kɛzi ɔwɔ kɛ medi edwɛkɛ bie anwo gyima la anu wienyi ɔhilele me, noko meandie ye kpalɛ. Zɔhane ati, memanle ɔ ti zile aze. Ɔgyegyele me kpalɛ, yemɔti mengɛlɛle ye kɛlata sikalɛ bie kɛ ɔyɛ me nyane kɛ ɛhye ɛzi la, yemɔti ɔye me ɔvi ye ɔfese ɛkɛ. Wɔ nwonlomɔ ne anu ala, Adiema Knorr rale me ɛkɛ. Ɔhanle kɛ: “Robert, me sa ɛha wɔ kɛlata ne. Ɛvonle, menganle nwolɛ edwɛkɛ mengilele wɔ, na medie medi kɛ kenle fofolɛ ɛbanlea boɛ. Akee maa yɛhɔyɛ gyima.” Me nye liele atiakunlukɛnlɛma ne mɔɔ ɔlale ye ali la anwo kpalɛ.

Mɔɔ menyɛle gyima wɔ Bɛtɛle ɛvolɛ mɔtwɛ la, ɛnee mendwenle adwenle biala kɛ me Bɛtɛle gyima ne ala. Noko, nzenzaleɛ rale. Mɔɔ yɛbayɛ maanle nee maanle avinli nyianu ne wɔ Yankee Stadium nee Polo Grounds wɔ 1958 la, menwunle Lorraine Brookes, mɔɔ menyiale ye wɔ 1955 wɔ mekɛ mɔɔ ɛnee ɔlɛyɛ adekpakyelɛ gyima ne wɔ Montreal, Canada la. Me nye liele kɛzi ɛnee ɔlɛyɛ dahuu ɛzonlenlɛ gyima ne nee ɛhulolɛ mɔɔ ɔlɛ kɛ ɔbahɔ ɛleka biala mɔɔ Gyihova ahyehyɛdeɛ ne kɛzoa ye la anwo kpalɛ. Ɛnee Lorraine bodane a le kɛ ɔbahɔ Geleade Sukulu ne bie. Mekɛ mɔɔ ɔlile ɛvolɛ 22 la bɛmanle ɔhɔle sukulu ne mɔɔ ɔtɔ zo 27 la wɔ 1956. Mɔɔ ɔwiele la bɛmanle ɔhɔle Brazil kɛ edwɛkpatɛlɛvolɛ. Menwunle Lorraine wɔ ɛvolɛ 1958 ne anu la, ɔkponlenle zo kɛ ɔbagya me. Yɛyɛle ngyehyɛleɛ kɛ yɛbagya wɔ ye ɛvolɛ bieko anu, na ɛnee yɛlɛ anyelazo kɛ bɛbamaa yɛahɔyɛ edwɛkpatɛlɛvolɛma.

Mengale mɔɔ mezuzu nwo mengilele Adiema Knorr la, ɔhanle kɛ yɛhendɛ ɛvolɛ nsa, yemɔ  saa yɛgya a yɛbadɛnla Brooklyn Bɛtɛle. Wɔ zɔhane mekɛ ne saa bɛbakponle zo bɛamaa agyalɛma bie adɛnla Bɛtɛle a, ɛnee ɔwɔ kɛ bɛ nuhua ko ɛyɛ gyima wɔ Bɛtɛle ɛvolɛ bulu na ko ne noko ɛyɛ gyima wɔ ɛkɛ ɛvolɛ nsa. Yemɔti, Lorraine kponlenle zo kɛ ɔbayɛ gyima wɔ Brazil Bɛtɛle ɛvolɛ nwiɔ na yearayɛ gyima wɔ Brooklyn Bɛtɛle ɛvolɛ ko kolaa na yɛagya.

Wɔ ɛvolɛ nwiɔ ne mɔɔ lumua la anu ɛnee kɛlata ala a yɛkola yɛkɛlɛ yɛ nwo a. Ɛnee telefuu bolɛ yɛ se kpalɛ, yɛɛ ɛnee e-mail ɛnle ɛkɛ! Mekɛ mɔɔ yɛgyale wɔ September 16, 1961 la, ɔyɛle yɛ fɛ kɛ Adiema Knorr a manle yɛ agyalɛ ɛdendɛlɛ ne la. Nɔhalɛ, ɛvolɛ ekyi ne mɔɔ yɛvale yɛhendɛle la yɛle yɛ nye zo mekɛ tendenle kpalɛ. Noko kɛkala, saa yɛnea nyilalɛ nee anyelielɛ mɔɔ yɛnyia ye wɔ ɛvolɛ mɔɔ bo 50 mɔɔ yɛva yɛgya la anu la a, yɛdie yɛto nu kɛ ɔle kpalɛ kɛ yɛhendɛle la!

Wɔ 1964 ne anu, bɛkpale me kɛ neavolɛ mɔɔ kpɔlɔkpɔla Bɛtɛle. Wɔ mekɛ zɔhane, ɛnee bɛmmaa yelɛma nee bɛ hu mɔ ɛndu adenle ɛhye. Bɛyɛle nzenzaleɛ wɔ nu wɔ 1977, bɛmanle yelɛma nee bɛ hu mɔ dule adenle. Wɔ ɛvolɛ zɔhane anu, me nee Lorraine yɛɛ Grant nee Edith Suiter hɔkpɔlale Bɛtɛle mɔɔ bɛwɔ Germany, Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, yɛɛ Israel la. Saa bɛka bɛbɔ nu a mehɔ maanle 70 azo wɔ ewiade amuala.

Mekɛ bie mɔɔ yɛhɔle Brazil wɔ 1980 ne anu la, yɛhɔle Belém, sua bie mɔɔ wɔ azɛlɛ ne avinli mɔɔ ɛnee Lorraine ɛyɛ edwɛkpatɛlɛvolɛ gyima wɔ ɛkɛ la azo. Yɛhɔkpɔlale mediema mɔɔ bɛwɔ Manaus la noko. Wɔ ɛdendɛlɛ bie mɔɔ yɛmanle ye wɔ nwɔhoalilɛleka bie abo la, yɛnwunle kɛ mediema ekpunli bie mɔɔ bɛnyɛ ninyɛne le kɛ mraalɛ mɔɔ bɛfo bɛ nvoka anwo nee mrenya mɔɔ bɛsomaa bɛ sa nu kɛmɔ Brazilima yɛ la bie wɔ ɛkɛ. Duzu ati a ɛnee bɛnyɛ bie a?

Bɛle yɛ mediema Alasevolɛ mɔɔ bɛwɔ ɛleka mɔɔ kokobɛvolɛma dɔɔnwo wɔ wɔ Amazon kpɔkɛmile ne anu. Banebɔlɛ ti, ɛnee bɛngulo kɛ bɛ nee menli mɔɔ wɔ nyianu ne abo la kɛbɔ nu kɛyɛ ninyɛne bie mɔ. Noko akee, yɛ nye liele bɛ nwo kpalɛ, na yɛ rɛle ɛnrɛvi kɛzi ɛnee bɛ nye ɛlie la ɛlɛ! Nea kɛzi Ayezaya edwɛkɛ ne le nɔhalɛ a: “Me sonvolɛma ne bava fɛlɛkolilɛ ado edwɛne bɛ ahonle nu.”—Aye. 65:14.

Me nee Lorraine yɛta yɛsuzu ɛvolɛ mɔɔ bo abulasia mɔɔ yɛva yɛdu yɛ nwo yɛmaa Gyihova la anwo. Yɛ nye die kpalɛ wɔ nyilalɛ mɔɔ Gyihova mɔɔ yɛmaa yehile yɛ adenle ɛmaa yɛnyia ye wɔ ye ahyehyɛdeɛ ne anu la anwo. Ɔwɔ nuhua kɛ mengola mendu adenle mengɔ moa kɛ dɛba ne la ɛdeɛ, noko mekola meyɛ gyima meboa Neazo Eku ne Ngitanwodivoma Kɔmatii ne nee Ɛzonlenlɛ Kɔmatii ne. Me nye sɔ ye kpalɛ kɛ menyia adenle meboa ewiade amuala mediemayɛlɛ eku ne ekyii wɔ zɛhae adenle ne azo la. Ɔsi yɛ nwo dahuu kɛ mgbavolɛ nee mbɛlɛra dɔɔnwo ɛnyia Ayezaya subane ne bie na bɛlɛyɛ dahuu ɛzonlenlɛ gyima ne la. Ɔhanle kɛ: “Mewɔ ɛke! Soa me.” (Aye. 6:8) Menli ɛhye mɔ ɛnwu nɔhalɛ mɔɔ wɔ edwɛkɛ ne mɔɔ maanzinli zo neavolɛ ne hanle hilele me anu la: “Bɔ dahuu ɛzonlenlɛ gyima ne abo ndɛndɛ. Ɛnze ɛleka mɔɔ ɔbava wɔ yeahɔdwu a.”