Afɔ mi yɛ afi 1941 yɛ Paris, yɛ France, ni mimami kɛ mipapa lɛ, jeee shikatsɛmɛi ji amɛ. Misumɔɔ nikasemɔ waa. Shi be ni miye afii nyɔŋma lɛ, wɔlɔmɔ fɔŋ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ tuberculosis lɛ bɔi minaa gbamɔ waa, ni no hewɔ lɛ minyɛɛɛ maya skul, ni enɛ dɔ mi waa. Datrɛfoi lɛ kɛɛ mi akɛ mikã shi ni mikafee nɔ ko nɔ ko, kɛjeee nakai lɛ, hela lɛ mli baawo wu. No hewɔ lɛ, mihi shi nyɔji pii ni mifeee nɔ ko nɔ ko, ni nɔ ni mifeɔ pɛ ji, mikaneɔ nii ni miboɔ University of Paris redio steshɛŋ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Radio Sorbonne lɛ toi. Miná miishɛɛ waa be ni datrɛfonyo ni kwɛɔ mi lɛ kɛɛ mi akɛ mihela lɛ etee, ni no hewɔ lɛ manyɛ maku misɛɛ maya skul lɛ. Mikɛɛ mihe akɛ, ‘Datrɛfoi bɔɔ mɔdɛŋ ei!’ Enɛ hã mishwe akɛ matsɔ datrɛfonyo ni matsa mɛi ahelai mahã amɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, be fɛɛ be ni mipapa baabi mi nɔ ni masumɔ ni mafee kɛ́ mida lɛ, mihãa lɛ hetoo kome too lɛ nɔŋŋ. Mikɛɔ lɛ akɛ: “Masumɔ ni matsɔ datrɛfonyo.” Anɔkwa, nɔ ni he bahia mi fe fɛɛ yɛ shihilɛ mli ji, ni matsɔ datrɛfonyo.

Mi kɛ miweku lɛ fɛɛ lɛ, Katolikbii ji wɔ. Shi no mli lɛ, mileee Nyɔŋmɔ he nɔ ko tsɔ, ni nibii pii yɛ Nyɔŋmɔ he ni minuuu shishi. Be ni mitee yunivɛsiti ni mibɔi datrɛfoi anitsumɔ lɛ he nii kasemɔ lɛ, nakai beiaŋ ni mibahe miye akɛ mɔ ko ni bɔ nibii ni yɔɔ wala mli lɛ.

Mikaiɔ klɛŋklɛŋ be ni mikɛ shwɛde kwɛ wala yibii ni yɔɔ fɔfɔi ko mli lɛ. Minaa kpɛ mihe waa be mina bɔ ni wala yibii nɛɛ nyɛɔ amɛtsakeɔ amɛhe koni amɛnyɛ amɛdamɔ dɔlɛ kɛ fɛi naa lɛ. Nɔ ko yɛ wala yibii lɛ amli ni atsɛɔ lɛ cytoplasm. Kɛ́ akɛ  wala yibii lɛ wo ŋoo nu mli lɛ, cytoplasm lɛ bɛɔ, shi kɛ́ akɛwo nu folo mli lɛ, cytoplasm lɛ lɛɔ. Enɛ kɛ nibii krokomɛi ni wala yibii lɛ nyɛɔ efeɔ lɛ hewɔ lɛ, nibii ni yɔɔ wala mli lɛ nyɛɔ amɛtsakeɔ amɛhe amɛwoɔ shihilɛi srɔtoisrɔtoi amli. Be ni mina bɔ ni nibii ni yɔɔ wala yibii lɛ amli lɛ fa pii shi ato fɛɛ he gbɛjianɔ jogbaŋŋ lɛ, ehã mihe miye akɛ nibii ni yɔɔ wala mli lɛ baaa kɛkɛ, shi mɔ ko je gbɛ efee.

Yɛ afi ni ji enyɔ nɔ yɛ minikasemɔ lɛ mli lɛ, mina nibii krokomɛi ni hã mina akɛ, lɛɛlɛŋ, Nyɔŋmɔ yɛ. Be ni wɔkaseɔ adesa gbɔmɔtso lɛ he nii lɛ, wɔna akɛ bɔ ni wɔnine yɔɔ ehãa lɛ ji nɔ ni yeɔ ebuaa wɔ ni wɔnyɛɔ wɔdɔrɔɔ wɔwaobii lɛ amli ni wɔkpãa mli lɛ. Bɔ ni tabai lɛ, talɔi lɛ amli loi lɛ, kɛ fãji lɛ feɔ ekome kɛtsuɔ nii lɛ yɛ naakpɛɛ waa. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, wɔkase akɛ fãŋ ni jɛɔ tabai ni yɔɔ wɔnine mli lɛ ekome he kɛyamɔɔ wu ni ji enyɔ yɛ wɔwao mli lɛ mli jaa enyɔ, ni fãŋ kroko tsɔɔ teŋ kɛyaa wɔwaobii lɛ anaa. Wɔheloo lɛ mɔɔ fãji nɛɛ kɛkpɛtɛɔ wui ni yɔɔ wɔwaobii lɛ amli lɛ ahe. Eji jeee nɛkɛ kulɛ, fãji ni yɔɔ wɔniji amli lɛ baafee kpɛŋŋ, ni wɔnyɛŋ wɔdɔrɔ wɔwaobii lɛ amli. Enɛ hã mina faŋŋ akɛ, mɔ ko ni le nii waa ni fee adesa gbɔmɔtso lɛ.

Nɔ kroko ni hã mihiɛ sɔ mɔ ni bɔ ade lɛ waa ji, be ni mikase bɔ ni feɔ ni gbekɛ muɔ kɛ́ afɔ lɛ nɔŋŋ lɛ. Kɛ́ gbekɛ ko yɛ emami musu mli lɛ emuuu. Kɔɔyɔɔ ni emami muɔ lɛ, no ji nɔ ni yeɔ ebuaa lɛ ni ehiɔ wala mli. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, kɔɔyɔɔ eyaaa kotokui bibiibibii ni yɔɔ efluflai amli lɛ amli. Kɛ́ eshwɛ otsii fioo ni abaafɔ gbekɛ lɛ, nɔ ko ni efee tamɔ fɔ boteɔ kotokui bibiibibii nɛɛ amli fɛɛ. Agbɛnɛ lɛ, kɛ́ afɔ gbekɛ lɛ ni emu klɛŋklɛŋ kwraa lɛ, nɔ ko ni yɔɔ naakpɛɛ baa. Fɔlɔ ko ni yɔɔ gbekɛ lɛ tsui mli lɛ tsiɔ ni no hãa lá nyɛɔ eyaa efluflai lɛ amli. Kɛ́ lá bote fluflai lɛ amli lɛ, fluflai lɛ bɔiɔ nitsumɔ amrɔ nɔŋŋ. Ni fɔ lɛ ni yɔɔ kotokui bibiibibii ni yɔɔ fluflai lɛ amli lɛ amli lɛ hewɔ lɛ, kotokui nɛɛ gbeleɔ ni kɔɔyɔɔ boteɔ mli. Kɛjɛ nakai ŋmɛlɛtswaa lɛ nɔ nɔŋŋ lɛ, gbekɛ lɛ diɛŋtsɛ nyɛɔ emuɔ.

Bɔ ni nibii nɛɛ fee mi naakpɛɛ ehã lɛ, hã mibɔi Biblia lɛ kanemɔ waa koni male mɔ ni fee nibii nɛɛ jogbaŋŋ. Be ni mikane falefalefeemɔ he mlai ni Nyɔŋmɔ kɛhã Israelbii lɛ, minaa kpɛ mihe waa. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, Nyɔŋmɔ fã Israelbii lɛ akɛ, kɛ́ amɛbaaya niiasɛɛ lɛ, amɛtsa shi ni kɛ́ amɛgbe naa lɛ amɛtsĩ nɔ. Agbɛnɛ hu, ekɛɛ amɛ akɛ amɛfɔ amɛhe juu, ni kɛ́ tsɛŋemɔ hela ko mɔ mɔ ko lɛ, akahã eba mɛi ateŋ. (3 Mo. 13:50; 15:11; 5 Mo. 23:13) Gbɛtsɔɔmɔi nɛɛ ni Nyɔŋmɔ kɛhã Israelbii lɛ nɔ ni fe afii 3,000 ni eho nɛ lɛ ahewɔ lɛ, hela egbɛɛɛ eshwãaa yɛ Israelbii lɛ ateŋ. Afii 150 ni eho nɛ lɛ nɔŋŋ dani jeŋ shikpalɔi yɔse akɛ, hejuu, falefalefeemɔ, kɛ nibii ni tamɔ nakai hãaa helai agbɛ ashwã. Agbɛnɛ hu, mibayɔse akɛ mlai ni Yehowa kɛhã yɛ bɔlɛnamɔ he yɛ 3 Mose lɛ mli lɛ bu Israelbii lɛ ahe kɛje helai komɛi ahe. (3 Mo. 12:1-6; 15:16-24) Mibana hu akɛ, mɔ ni bɔ ade lɛ ni kɛ mlai nɛɛ hã Israelbii lɛ yɛ amɛhilɛkɛhamɔ hewɔ, ni mɛi ni bo toi lɛ ná he sɛɛ jogbaŋŋ ni Nyɔŋmɔ jɔɔ amɛ. Enɛɛmɛi fɛɛ hã mihe miye akɛ, Biblia lɛ jɛ Nyɔŋmɔ ŋɔɔ. Shi no mli lɛ, mileee Nyɔŋmɔ gbɛ́i.

Be ni miyɔɔ yunivɛsiti lɛ, mikɛ oblayoo ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Lydie lɛ kpe ni mibasumɔ lɛ waa. Kɛkɛ ni yɛ afi 1965 lɛ, wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli, shi no mli lɛ migbeko skul naa lolo. Be ni shɛɔ afi 1971 lɛ,  mikɛ Lydie efɔ bii etɛ. Bianɛ lɛ, wɔyɛ bii ekpaa. Lydie eye ebua mi waa yɛ minitsumɔ akɛ datrɛfonyo lɛ mli, ni eye ebua mi yɛ weku lɛ mli hu.

Mitsu nii yɛ helatsamɔhe ko afii etɛ dani mi diɛŋtsɛ miyagbele mihelatsamɔhe lɛ. No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ ni mɔ kɛ eŋa lɛ ni miwie amɛhe yɛ shishijee lɛ ba jɛmɛ koni makwɛ amɛ lɛ. Miyaŋma tsofa mahã nuu lɛ nɔŋŋ ni eŋa lɛ bi mi akɛ: “Dɔkita, ofainɛ bɛ jeee lá akɛfee tsofa nɛɛ?” Minaa kpɛ mihe fioo ni mibi lɛ akɛ: “Kulɛ nɔ ko?” Ekɛɛ mi akɛ: “Yehowa Odasefoi ji wɔ.” No mli lɛ, mileee Yehowa Odasefoi, ni mileee bɔ ni amɛnaa lá amɛhãa. Yoo lɛ jɛ Biblia lɛ mli etsɔɔ mi nɔ hewɔ ni amɛheee lá. (Bɔf. 15:28, 29) Kɛkɛ ni ekɛ ewu lɛ tsɔɔ mi nɔ ni Nyɔŋmɔ Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ baafee, akɛ ebaajie piŋmɔ, hela, kɛ gbele kɛya. (Kpo. 21:3, 4) Mikɛ miishɛɛ kɛɛ amɛ akɛ, “Nɔ ni nyɛkɛɔ mi nɛɛ ji nɔ ko ni mishwe waa kɛjɛ migbekɛbiiashi tɔ̃ɔ. Nɔ hewɔ ni mibatsɔ datrɛfonyo lɛ ji, koni maye mabua mɛi ni miipiŋ.” Mimii shɛ mihe aahu akɛ, wɔgba sane ŋmɛlɛtswaa kome kɛ fã sɔŋŋ. Be ni nuu nɛɛ kɛ eŋa lɛ shiɔ mi lɛ, mikpɛ mli yɛ mitsui mli akɛ makpa Katolik sɔlemɔ lɛ yaa. Ni miná mile hu akɛ, mɔ ni bɔ nibii fɛɛ ni mibasumɔ esane waa lɛ gbɛ́i ji Yehowa!

Nyɛmi nuu lɛ kɛ eŋa lɛ ba mihelatsamɔ he lɛ shii etɛ sɔŋŋ, ni be fɛɛ be lɛ, wɔgbaa sane fe ŋmɛlɛtswaa kome. Mifɔ̃ amɛ nine kɛba mishĩa lɛ koni wɔná be ni fa kɛgba Biblia lɛ mli sane. Be ni mikɛɛ Lydie ni efata wɔhe kɛkase Biblia lɛ, ekpɛlɛ nɔ. Shi eyakpɛlɛɛɛ nɔ akɛ nibii ni atsɔɔ yɛ Katolik sɔlemɔ lɛ mli lɛ ejaaa. No hewɔ lɛ, mifɔ̃ osɔfo ko nine kɛba wɔshĩa lɛ. Mijɛ Biblia lɛ mli mibi lɛ saji yɛ Katolik sɔlemɔ lɛ tsɔɔmɔi lɛ ahe, ni lɛ hu ebɔ mɔdɛŋ akɛ ebaajɛ Biblia lɛ mli ehã misanebimɔi lɛ ahetoo, shi eyanyɛɛɛ. Wɔhiɛ mli nakai aahu kɛyashi je na suɛ. Nibii ni wɔsusu he nakai gbi lɛ hã Lydie he eye akɛ nibii ni Yehowa Odasefoi lɛ tsɔɔ lɛ ji anɔkwale. Enɛ sɛɛ lɛ, wɔtee nɔ wɔkase nii lɛ ni wɔbasumɔ Yehowa Nyɔŋmɔ waa, ni yɛ afi 1974 lɛ, wɔhã abaptisi wɔ.

Be ni mibale nɔ hewɔ ni Nyɔŋmɔ bɔ adesai kɛ nɔ ni ebaafee ehã amɛ wɔsɛɛ lɛ, mishihilɛ tsake kwraa. Mi kɛ Lydie fɛɛ hã Yehowa sɔɔmɔ lɛ he bahia wɔ fe nibii krokomɛi fɛɛ yɛ shihilɛ mli. Wɔtswa wɔfai shi akɛ, wɔbaatsɔse wɔbii lɛ ni amɛhi shi yɛ nibii ni Biblia lɛ etsɔɔ lɛ anaa. Agbɛnɛ hu, wɔye wɔbua amɛ ni amɛsumɔ Nyɔŋmɔ kɛ amɛnyɛmi gbɔmɔ, ni no hã ekomefeemɔ ni yɔɔ wɔweku lɛ mli lɛ mli bawa waa.​—Mat. 22:37-39.

Be fɛɛ be lɛ, mikɛ Lydie kpãa gbee yɛ saji ahe, ni kɛ́ wɔkai bɔ ni enɛ ná wɔbii lɛ anɔ hewalɛ  ehã lɛ, ehãa wɔnáa miishɛɛ. Wɔbii lɛ na akɛ wɔhãa wɔ hɛɛ feɔ hɛɛ ni wɔ dabi hu feɔ dabi, tamɔ bɔ ni Yesu fã wɔ akɛ wɔfee lɛ pɛpɛɛpɛ. (Mat. 5:37) Be ko lɛ, wɔbiyei lɛ ateŋ mɔ kome ni eye afii 17 lɛ yabi Lydie gbɛ koni ekɛ oblahii kɛ oblayei komɛi aje kpo, shi Lydie ekpɛlɛɛɛ. Shi enanemɛi lɛ ateŋ mɔ kome kɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Kɛ́ omami ekpɛlɛɛɛ lɛ, yaabi opapa mɔ!” Shi wɔbiyoo lɛ kɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Ehe ehiaaa ni miyabiɔ mipapa. Nɔ ni mimami ekɛɛ lɛ, no nɔŋŋ lɛ hu ebaakɛɛ.” No hewɔ lɛ, wɔbii ekpaa lɛ na akɛ ekomefeemɔ yɛ wɔteŋ ni wɔkɛ Biblia mli shishitoo mlai tsuɔ nii. Wɔdaa Yehowa shi akɛ ŋmɛnɛ lɛ, wɔweku lɛ mli bii lɛ ateŋ mɛi babaoo miijá lɛ.

Eyɛ mli akɛ anɔkwale lɛ hã mishihilɛ tsake kwraa moŋ, shi mishwe akɛ mikɛ nibii ni mikase yɛ helatsamɔ mli lɛ aye abua Nyɔŋmɔ webii lɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, mikɛ mihe hã akɛ majɛ shĩa mayatsu nii akɛ datrɛfonyo yɛ Betel. Mifee nakai be ni Betel lɛ yɔɔ Paris lɛ, kɛ sɛɛ mli be ni ajie kɛtee Louviers lɛ. Mikɛ nɔ ni miihe ashɛ afii 50 sɔŋŋ etsu nitsumɔ nɛɛ, ni mibaná nanemɛi pii yɛ Betel ni misumɔɔ amɛsane waa. Bianɛ lɛ, amɛteŋ mɛi komɛi eye fe afii 90. Be ko lɛ, mikɛ mɔ hee ko ni eba Betel lɛ kpe, ni miná miishɛɛ waa ni minaa kpɛ mihe. Ani ole nɔ hewɔ? Aaafee afii 20 ni eho nɛ be ni emami yaafɔ lɛ lɛ, mi mikwɛ emami ni efɔ lɛ!

Mibana akɛ, Yehowa tsɔɔ esafo lɛ nɔ etsɔɔ ewebii lɛ gbɛ ni ebuɔ amɛhe ni enɛ ehã mibasumɔ lɛ waa. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, aaafee afii 40 ni eho nɛ lɛ, Gbɛtsɔɔmɔ Kuu lɛ to gbɛjianɔ ko yɛ United States koni akɛye abua datrɛfoi kɛ mɛi krokomɛi ni tsuɔ nii yɛ helatsamɔhe lɛ ni amɛnu nɔ hewɔ ni Yehowa Odasefoi heee lá lɛ shishi jogbaŋŋ.

Yɛ afi 1988 lɛ, Gbɛtsɔɔmɔ Kuu lɛ to nitsumɔhe kroko ko shishi yɛ Betel ni atsɛɔ lɛ Hospital Information Services (Nitsumɔhe Ni Kwɛɔ Helatsamɔ He Saji Anɔ). No mli lɛ, Hospital Information Services lɛ ni kwɛɔ Ajinafoi Akui Ni Kɛ Helatsamɔhei Shãraa (Hospital Liaison Committees, HLC) ni yɔɔ Unites States lɛ anɔ. HLC lɛ ni yeɔ ebuaa Yehowa Odasefoi ni bɛ hewalɛ ni miitao datrɛfoi ni baakwɛ amɛ ni kɛ lá tsuŋ nii lɛ. Be ni ato HLC lɛ shishi yɛ je lɛŋ hei krokomɛi lɛ, amɛnitsumɔ lɛ baje France nitsumɔhe nine lɛ shishi agbɛnɛ. Mihiɛ sɔɔ bɔ ni Yehowa asafo lɛ yeɔ ebuaa nyɛmimɛi ni bɛ hewalɛ ni yelikɛbuamɔ he miihia amɛ lɛ waa!

No mli lɛ, nɔ ni misumɔɔ waa ji datrɛfoi anitsumɔ lɛ. Shi be ni misusu nibii ahe ekoŋŋ lɛ, mibayɔse akɛ nɔ ni he hiaa waa ji ni maye mabua mɛi ni amɛbale Yehowa Nyɔŋmɔ, mɔ ni ji wala Jɛɛhe lɛ ni amɛsɔmɔ lɛ. Be ni miba pɛnshɛŋ lɛ, mi kɛ Lydie sɔmɔ akɛ daa gbɛgbalɔi, ni daa nyɔɔŋ nɔ lɛ, wɔkɛ ŋmɛlɛtswai babaoo shiɛɔ Nyɔŋmɔ Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he sane kpakpa lɛ. Wɔkɛ wɔhewalɛ fɛɛ miitsu nitsumɔ ni baanyɛ ahere mɛi ayiwalɛ nɛɛ lolo.

Miifee nɔ ni manyɛ kɛmiiye miibua mɛi ni bɛ hewalɛ lɛ lolo. Shi mile akɛ, datrɛfonyo ni he esa fe fɛɛ lɛ po nyɛŋ atsa helai fɛɛ loo ehã gbele sɛɛ afo. No hewɔ lɛ, miikpa jeŋ hee ni etsɛŋ kwraa ebaaba lɛ gbɛ waa. Nakai beiaŋ lɛ, piŋmɔ, hela, kɛ gbele sɛɛ baafo kwraa. Yɛ jeŋ hee lɛ mli lɛ, mahi shi kɛya naanɔ, ni maná hegbɛ kɛkase adesa gbɔmɔtso ni yɔɔ naakpɛɛ lɛ kɛ nibii krokomɛi ni Yehowa ebɔ lɛ ahe nii jogbaŋŋ. Nɔ ni mishwe kɛjɛ migbekɛbiiashi lɛ eba mli, shi etsɛŋ, ewulu lɛ diɛŋtsɛ baaba, ni miikpa enɛ gbɛ waa!