ANWOMA weɛlɛkɔkɔ bie bɔle kenle ko nwonlomɔ wɔ Brookings, South Dakota, U.S.A. Ɔhakyele me kɛ ɔnrɛhyɛ maanle nu bayɛ ɛyɛlɛyɛlɛ. Ɔbayɛ wɔ azibɛnwo kɛ, ɛnee me nee mediema ekyi bie wɔ sua bie mɔɔ nuhua le weɛlɛkɔkɔ la anu, na ɛyɛyɛlɛ ɛlɛku yɛ. Ɛnee yɛgyi angola bie mɔɔ bɛfa nzule bɛgua nu bɛmaa nyɛmoa mɔɔ nzule weɛlɛkɔkɔ wɔ nu la anwo! Maa menga me ɛbɛlabɔlɛ nu edwɛkɛ ekyi mengile wɔ amaa wɔade ɔ bo kpalɛ.

Bɛwole me March 7, 1936, yɛle mediema nna, medame a mele ekyi a. Ɛnee yɛde sua ekyi bie azo wɔ South Dakota aduduleɛ. Ɛnee yɛsie nyɛmoa yɛɛ yɛyɛ egyinli, noko tɛ yemɔ a hyia yɛ kpalɛ a. Bɛzɔnenle me awovolɛ kɛ Gyihova Alasevolɛ wɔ 1934. Bɛyilale bɛ nwo zo bɛmaanle yɛ anwuma Selɛ Gyihova, yemɔti Nyamenle ɛhulolɛdeɛ ɛyɛlɛ hyianle bɛ kpalɛ. Ɛnee me papa Clarence, yɛɛ nzinlii ɔ diema Alfred, le asafo azonvolɛ (ɛnɛ bɛfɛlɛ bɛ mgbanyima avinli ngitanwodivolɛ) wɔ yɛ asafo ekyi ne mɔɔ wɔ Conde, South Dakota la anu.

Ɛnee yɛkɔ debiezukoalɛ dahuu, na yɛka Baebolo nu anyelazo kɛnlɛma ne anwo edwɛkɛ yɛkile awie mɔ wɔ bɛ azua nu kɛ abusua. Me awovolɛ neazo kpalɛ ne nee bɛ ndetelɛ nyianle yɛ nwo zo tumi kpalɛ. Me nee me diema raalɛ Dorothy nyianle ɛvolɛ nsia la yɛɛ yɛyɛle Belemgbunlililɛ nolobɔlɛma a. Menvale me nwo menwulale Teokelase Ɛzonlenlɛ Sukulu ne mɔɔ ɛnee bɔ zo mɔɔ yeraboka yɛ debiezukoalɛ ne anwo la anu wɔ 1943.

Ɛnee maanzinli nee maangyebakyi nyianu nwo hyia yɛ kpole kpalɛ. Adiema Grant Suiter a nleanle maanzinli nyianu bie mɔɔ yɛhɔle ye 1949 wɔ Sioux Falls, South Dakota la azo a. “Metɛkakye  ye ɛdendɛlɛ ne, “Yɛbikye Ewiade Ɛhye Awieleɛ Ne Yɛdɛla Kɛzi Ɛsuzu La!” Ɔzile zo kɛ ɔwɔ kɛ Kilisienema mɔɔ bɛyila bɛ nwo zo la kɔsɔɔti fa bɛ ngoane mekɛ bɔ Nyamenle Belemgbunlililɛ edwɛkpa ne nolo. Ɛhye maanle menyilale me nwo zo memaanle Gyihova. Wɔ maangyebakyi nyianu bieko abo wɔ Brookings yɛɛ ɛnee megyi zɔhane sua ne mɔɔ melimoa meha nwolɛ edwɛkɛ la anu, melɛkendɛ meamaa bɛazɔne me la. Bɛzɔnenle yɛdayɛ menli nna ne wɔ “angola” ne mɔɔ ɛnee nzule weɛlɛkɔkɔ ne wɔ nu la anu wɔ November 12, 1949.

Menvale menyɛle me bodane kɛ mebayɛ adekpakyelɛ gyima ne. Membɔle adekpakyelɛ gyima ne abo wɔ January 1, 1952, na ɛnee meli ɛvolɛ 15. Baebolo ne ka kɛ: “Sonla mɔɔ nee nrɛlɛbɛvolɛma tu la nwu nrɛlɛbɛ,” nrɛlɛbɛvolɛma dɔɔnwo mɔɔ wɔ me abusua ne anu la boale maanle menyɛle adekpakyelɛ gyima ne. (Mrɛ. 13:20) Me papa adiema Julius, mɔɔ ɛnee yeli ɛvolɛ 60 la rayɛle me adekpakyelɛ bokavolɛ. Ɔnva nwo kɛ ɛnee yenyi yedɛla me la, yɛvale anyelielɛ yɛyɛle ɛzonlenlɛ gyima ne. Ye anwubielɛ maanle menwunle nrɛlɛbɛ. Yeangyɛ Dorothy noko rayɛle adekpakyelɛnli.

Wɔ me ngakula nu, ɛnee me awovolɛ maa maangyebakyi zo neavolɛma nee bɛ ye mɔ batɛnla yɛ sua nu. Agyalɛma mɔɔ boale me kpalɛ la a le Jesse nee Lynn Cantwell. Bɛ anwosesebɛmaanlɛ maanle membɔle kpɔkɛ kɛ mebayɛ adekpakyelɛnli. Me nwo anyelielɛ mɔɔ bɛnyianle la maanle menyianle ɛhulolɛ kɛ mebava teokelase bodane meazie me nye zo. Saa bɛlɛsonle asafo mɔɔ bikye yɛ la a, ɔyɛ a bɛfɛlɛ me bɛ nee me kɔ daselɛlilɛ. Nea kɛzi ɛhye maanle me nye liele na menyianle anwosesebɛ a!

Bud Miller nee ɔ ye Joan noko razonlenle yɛ asafo ne wɔ bɛ neavolɛ adendulɛ gyima ne anu, ɛnee meli ɛvolɛ 18. Wɔ zɔhane mekɛ ne ɛnee ɔwɔ kɛ mekɔnwu mgbanyima mɔɔ kpa menli maa bɛkɔ sogya la. Ɛnee bɛkpondɛ kɛ meyɛ gyima bie mɔɔ ɔnle kɛ Gyisɛse ɛdoavolɛma yɛ la. Noko ɛnee mekulo kɛ mebɔ Belemgbunlililɛ edwɛkpa ne nolo. (Dwɔn 15:19) Menzɛlɛle mgbanyima ne kɛ bɛmaa menyɛ daselɛlilɛ gyima ne.

Me nye liele kɛ Adiema Miller hanle kɛ ɔ nee me bahɔ la. Ɔle awie mɔɔ ɔkola ɔwolo menli yɛɛ  ɔnle foanvoanle. Sonla zɛhae mɔɔ yenyi sunsum nu mɔɔ me nee ye lua la maanle menyianle akɛnrasesebɛ! Mɔɔ vi nu rale la a le kɛ, wɔ 1954, mgbanyima ne mɔ maanle me adenle kɛ menyɛ daselɛlilɛ gyima ne. Ɛhye maanle mendwule teokelase bodane fofolɛ nwo.

Mekɛ ɛhye anu, bɛvɛlɛle me kɛ mengɔnyɛ gyima wɔ Bɛtɛle, mɔɔ ɛnee bɛfɛlɛ ye Watchtower Farm, wɔ Staten Island, New York la. Menzonlenle ɛkɛ ne ɛvolɛ nsa. Ɛhye maanle menyianle anwubielɛ dɔɔnwo, ɔluakɛ me nee nrɛlɛbɛvolɛma dɔɔnwo yɛle gyima.

Ɛnee WBBR relɛdio gyimalilɛ ɛleka ne boka egyinli ne mɔɔ wɔ Staten Island la anwo. Gyihova Alasevolɛ vale yɛle gyima ɔvi 1924 kɔdwu 1957. Ɛnee Bɛtɛle abusua ne anu amra 15 kɔdwu 20 a yɛ gyima wɔ ɛya ne anu a. Ɛnee yɛ nuhua dɔɔnwo le ngakula yɛɛ yɛnlɛ anwubielɛ dɔɔnwo. Noko ɛnee adiema nrenyia Eldon Woodworth mɔɔ bɛkpokpa ye la boka yɛ nwo. Ɔlale ye ali kɛ amgba ɔle nrɛlɛbɛvolɛ. Ɔhulole yɛ kɛ ɔdaye mumua ne ɔ mra, ɛhye maanle yɛ sunsum nu anwosesebɛ. Ɔdwu mekɛ ne bie na yɛ mediema sinlidɔlɛ fa ngyegyelɛ ba a, Adiema Woodworth ka kɛ, “Mɔɔ Gyihova ɛlɛyɛ la yɛ azibɛnwo, ɔnva nwo kɛ menli mɔɔ ɔ nee bɛ ɛlɛyɛ gyima la ɛnli munli la.”

Ɔle nwolɛ adenle kpole kɛ yɛ nee Adiema Frederick W. Franz noko yɛle gyima la. Ye nrɛlɛbɛ nee Ngɛlɛlera ne mɔɔ ɔte ɔ bo kpalɛ, nee yɛ nwo anyelielɛ mɔɔ ɔhilele la boale yɛ kpalɛ. Harry Peterson a ɛnee to aleɛ maa yɛ a; ɔnyɛ se kɛ yɛbava zɔhane duma ne yɛavɛlɛ ye, tɛla kɛ yɛbava ye duma kpalɛ Papargyropoulos yɛavɛlɛ ye la. Ɛnee bɛkpokpa ɔdaye noko, yɛɛ ɔbɔ mɔdenle kpalɛ wɔ daselɛlilɛ gyima ne anu. Adiema Peterson yɛle ye Bɛtɛle gyima ne boɛ noko yeambu ɔ nye yeangua daselɛlilɛ gyima ne azo. Ɔmaa magazine mɔɔ bo ɛya ko siane biala. Ɛnee ɔdaye noko ɔte Ngɛlɛlera ne abo kpalɛ, na ɔbuale kpuya dɔɔnwo mɔɔ yɛbizale ye la.

Ɛnee yɛfa aleɛ mɔɔ bɛnyia ye wɔ ɛya ne anu la bie yɛsie boɛ amaa yeanzɛkye. Mbakama nee nya nya mɔɔ yɛfa yɛsie yɛmaa Bɛtɛle abusua ne ɛvolɛ biala la bayɛ litili 42,600. Ɛhye maanle menyianle  nwolɛ adenle me nee adiema raalɛ Etta Huth, mɔɔ ɔle nrɛlɛbɛvolɛ la yɛle gyima. Ɛnee ɔdaye a ɔkile ninyɛne mɔɔ yɛfa yɛfonla aleɛ ne amaa yɛfa yɛsie a yeanzɛkye a. Saa yɛlɛyɛ gyima ne a, mediema mraalɛ mɔɔ bɛnle Bɛtɛle ɛkɛ ne la baboa yɛ, na Etta a yɛ bɛ gyima ne anwo ngyehyɛleɛ a. Ɛnee Etta ze gyima ne anye zo kpalɛ, noko ɔlale ɛbulɛ ali ɔhilele mediema mrenyia mɔɔ ɛnee nea ɛya ne azo la. Ɔyɛle neazo kpalɛ ɔmaanle yɛ muala.

Angela Romano boka mediema mraalɛ mɔɔ raboale gyima ne la anwo. Etta boale ye wɔ mekɛ mɔɔ ɔrale nɔhalɛ ne anu la. Ɔti, menyiale Angie wɔ mekɛ mɔɔ mewɔ Bɛtɛle la, na ɔdaye noko ɔle nrɛlɛbɛvolɛ, yɛgyale April 1958, yɛɛ yɛlua ɛvolɛ 58. Yɛ nye ɛlie nwolɛ adenle mɔɔ yɛnyia yɛzonle yɛbɔ nu la anwo. Nɔhalɛ mɔɔ Angie ɛli ɛmaa Gyihova wɔ ɛvolɛ dɔɔnwo anu la ɛboa yɛ agyalɛ ne kpalɛ. Mekola mefa me nwo meto ɔ nwo zo wɔ ngyegyelɛ biala mɔɔ yɛkɛyia la anu.

Mekɛ mɔɔ yɛdɔnenle WBBR mɔɔ wɔ Staten Island wɔ 1957 la, menyɛle gyima wɔ Brooklyn Bɛtɛle mekɛ ekyi. Na mɔɔ me nee Angie gyale la, menvile Bɛtɛle, na yɛyɛle adekpakyelɛ gyima kɛyɛ ɛvolɛ nsa wɔ Staten Island. Menyɛle gyima memaanle menli mɔɔ dɔle yɛ riledio ne la wɔ mekɛ bie anu, na ɛnee bɛfɛlɛ ye WPOW.

Me nee Angie yɛamkpondɛ ninyɛne dɔɔnwo amaa yɛahola yɛazonle wɔ ɛleka mɔɔ moalɛ nwo hyia la. Ɛhye ati, wɔ 1961 yɛhɔzonlenle kɛ adekpakyelɛ titilima wɔ Falls City, Nebraska. Yeangyɛ yɛɛ bɛdole ɛsalɛ bɛvɛlɛle yɛ bɛmaanle yɛhɔle Belemgbunlililɛ Gyima Sukulu wɔ South Lansing, New York a, zɔhane mekɛ ne ɛnee bɛyɛ ye siane ko. Yɛ nye liele sukulu ne anwo na ɛnee yɛ nye la kɛ yɛbava mɔɔ yɛzukoa la yɛahɔyɛ gyima wɔ Nebraska. Ɔzinle yɛ nwo kɛ yɛnyianle gyimalilɛ fofolɛ kɛ edwɛkpatɛlɛvolɛma wɔ Cambodia la! Azɛlɛ kɛnlɛma ɛhye mɔɔ la Asia Nyiakɛ Adɔleɛ la maanle yɛnwunle ninyɛne ngɛnlɛma dɔɔnwo, yɛdele ɛnelɛ nee evuanlɛ ngakyile. Ɛnee yɛ nye die nwolɛ kpalɛ kɛ yɛbaha edwɛkɛ ne wɔ ɛkɛ.

Noko, bɛhakyile arane ne yemɔti yɛvile ɛkɛ ne yɛhɔle South Vietnam. Ɔyɛ alɔbɔlɛ kɛ wɔ ɛvolɛ nwiɔ anu, me nwo dole me kpole yemɔti bɛmaanle yɛziale yɛhɔle yɛ sua zo. Ɔhyɛle ekyii na me nwo ayɛ se bieko, noko mɔɔ menyianle anwosesebɛ la, yɛyɛle dahuu ɛzonlenlɛ gyima ne bieko.

Wɔ March 1965 yɛnyianle adenle yɛzonlenle asafo ngakyile wɔ yɛ neavolɛ adendulɛ gyima ne anu. Me nee Angie yɛvale ɛvolɛ 33 yɛyɛle maangyebakyi nee maangyeba zo neavolɛ gyima, yɛyɛle nyianu nwo gyima dɔɔnwo. Me nye die nyianu nwo, yemɔti ɛnee ɔyɛ me fɛ kɛ mebaboa meamaa bɛayɛ nwolɛ ngyehyɛleɛ. Yɛvale ɛvolɛ dɔɔnwo yɛzonlenle asafo mɔɔ wɔ New York City nee mɔɔ bɛbikye ɛkɛ la, na yɛyɛle nyianu dɔɔnwo wɔ Yankee Stadium.

Me nee Angie nyianle gyimalilɛ ngakyile nee gyimalilɛ mɔɔ yɛ se la wɔ ɛvolɛ dɔɔnwo anu. Kɛ neazo la, wɔ 1995, bɛmaanle mengilele debie wɔ Azonvolɛ Ndetelɛ Sukulu ne anu. Ɛvolɛ nsa anzi,  bɛvɛlɛle yɛ wɔ Bɛtɛle. Me nye liele kɛ menziale mengɔle ɛleka mɔɔ membɔle me dahuu ɛzonlenlɛ gyima ne abo ɛvolɛ 40 mɔɔ ɛze ɛhɔ la. Menyɛle gyima wɔ Ɛzonlenlɛ Nwo Gyimalilɛleka ne na mengilele debie wɔ sukulu ngakyile nu wɔ mekɛ bie anu. Wɔ 2007, Neazo Eku ne vale sukulu mɔɔ bɛyɛ ye wɔ Bɛtɛle la wulale Teokelase Sukulu Ngakyile Gyimalilɛleka fofolɛ ne abo, na bɛkpale me kɛ zolɛ neavolɛ wɔ ɛvolɛ bie mɔ anu.

Bɛyɛ nzenzaleɛ dɔɔnwo wɔ teokelase sukulu ne mɔ anu kenlensa ye. Bɛbɔle Asafo Mgbanyima Sukulu ne abo wɔ 2008. Ye ɛvolɛ nwiɔ anzi, bɛtetele mgbanyima mɔɔ bo 12,000 la wɔ Patterson nee Brooklyn Bɛtɛle. Bɛyɛ sukulu ɛhye bie wɔ ɛleka ngakyile, bɛmaa kilehilevolɛma mɔɔ bɛtete bɛ la kile debie wɔ ɛkɛ. Wɔ 2010, bɛhakyile Azonvolɛ Ndetelɛ Sukulu ne duma bɛyɛle ye Mediema Mrenyia Mɔɔ Bɛtɛgyale Baebolo Sukulu, na bɛdele sukulu fofolɛ, Kilisiene Agyalɛma Baebolo Sukulu.

Bɛhanle sukulu nwiɔ ɛhye bɛbɔle nu bɛyɛle ye Belemgbunlililɛ Edwɛkpakavolɛma Sukulu ɔvi 2015 ɛzonlenlɛ ɛvolɛ ne anu. Agyalɛma anzɛɛ mediema mrenyia nee mraalɛ mɔɔ bɛtɛgyale la kola kɔ bie. Mekɛ mɔɔ mediema dɔɔnwo dele kɛ bɛbayɛ sukulu ɛhye bie wɔ maanle dɔɔnwo anu la bɛ nye liele. Saa menwu kɛ menli dɔɔnwo banyia adenle ahɔ teokelase sukulu ɛhye mɔ bie a ɔmaa me nye die, yɛɛ ɔyɛ me fɛ kɛ meyia menli ngakyile mɔɔ yɛle nzenzaleɛ rale sukulu ɛhye mɔ bie la.

Saa menea mɔɔ mehola meyɛ ɔvi mekɛ mɔɔ bɛzɔnenle me wɔ zɔhane angola ne anu la a, meda Gyihova ase kɛ nrɛlɛbɛvolɛma boale me maanle menwunle nɔhalɛ adenle ne la. Ɛnee yɛnle atipɛnema yɛɛ bɛ nuhua dɔɔnwo nee me ɛnvi ɛleka ko. Noko ɛnee bɛkulo Gyihova kpalɛ. Bɛ ɛhulolɛ ne lale ali wɔ bɛ nyɛleɛ nee bɛ subane nu. Wɔ ye ahyehyɛdeɛ ne anu, yɛlɛ nrɛlɛbɛvolɛma dɔɔnwo mɔɔ yɛbahola yɛ nee bɛ alua a. Meyɛ zɔ na menyia zolɛ nvasoɛ kpalɛ.