Laef Story

“Wanem Nao Mi Savve Peim Bak Long Jehovah?”

STORY BILONG MARIA KERASINIS

Taem mi 18 year, parents bilong mi shame tumas long mi, olketa relative les long mi, and vilij savve mekfani long mi. Olketa ask strong, forcem mi, and warnim mi for trae brekem faith bilong mi long God—bat olketa no win. Mi sure hao wei for loyal long truth bilong Bible bae helpem mi long spiritual wei. Taem mi tingim bak winim 50 year wea mi servem Jehovah, mi agree witim feeling bilong man wea raetem psalm: “Wanem nao mi savve peim bak long Jehovah for evri gud samting wea hem duim long mi?”—Psalm 116:12.

MI BORN long 1930, long Aggelokastro, wanfala vilij wea stap samting olsem 20 kilometer from Cenchreae, east saed bilong Isthmus of Corinth, ples wanfala kongregeson bilong olketa tru Christian hem start long first century.—Acts 18:18; Romans 16:1.

Mi kam from wanfala kwaet famili. Dadi hem president bilong vilij and pipol respectim hem. Mi mek-thri long faevfala pikinini. Parents bilong mi lanem mifala for kamap olketa loyal member bilong Greek Orthodox Church. Mi attendim Mass evri Sunday. Mi savve ask for forgiveness front long olketa lotu piksa, laetem kandol long chapel, and joinim evri wei for fast. Staka taem mi tingting for kamap Sista bilong Greek Orthodox Church. Bat mi kamap first wan long famili for mekem parents bilong mi feel nogud.

Hapi Tumas Long Bible Truth

Taem mi 18 year, mi faendaot Katina, sista bilong wanfala long olketa brata-in-law bilong mi, wea stap long wanfala vilij klosap, hem savve  readim olketa pablikeson bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness and no gogo nao long church. Diswan mekem mi wari, so mi disaed for helpem hem for kam bak long wanem mi ting hem stret wei for followim. So, taem hem visit kam, mi arrange for mitufala go wakabaot, witim goal for mitufala stop long haos bilong priest. Datfala priest startim story long wei for accusim staka samting againstim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness, wea hem kolem olketa “heretic” wea giamanim Katina. Mifala go ahed long disfala story long thrifala naet. Katina ansarem evri samting priest accusim long hem witim toktok wea hem redyim gud from Bible. Gogo, datfala priest talem hem hao, from hem luk naes and garem bigfala savve, hem shud enjoyim young laef bilong hem and for interest long God taem hem olo.

Mi no talem eniting long parents bilong mi abaotem datfala story bilong mifala, bat long nextfala Sunday, mi no go long church. Long midol day, datfala priest stretawe kam long stoa bilong mifala. Mi excuse for sei mi hard for lusim stoa from mi helpem Dadi.

Priest hem askem mi: “Waswe, datwan nao really reason, or datfala girl nao changem mind bilong iu?”

Mi talem hem stret: “Biliv bilong olketa hem moabeta winim biliv bilong iumi.”

Priest luk go long dadi bilong mi and sei: “Mr. Economos, kwiktaem raosem datfala girl Katina, hem mek trabol long haos bilong iu.”

Famili Againstim Mi

Diswan hem tu-thri year bifor 1950, taem wea pipol bilong Greece faetem each other yet. From hem fraet nogud olketa man wea faet maet kasholem mi, Dadi arrange for mi lusim vilij and go long haos bilong sista bilong mi long vilij wea Katina hem stap. Long tufala month mi stap long there, mi lanem wanem Bible talem abaotem samfala samting. Mi sorre for lukim hao staka teaching bilong Orthodox Church no kam from Bible. Mi luksavve hao God no acceptim wei for worship thru long lotu piksa, hao olketa samting wea religion savve duim—olsem wei for worship thru long cross—hem no kam from Christian religion, and man mas worshipim God “witim spirit and truth” sapos hem laek mekem God hapi. (John 4:23; Exodus 20:4, 5) Winim evriting, mi lanem hao Bible offerim nambawan hope bilong laef olowe long earth! Wanfala long olketa first samting mi kasem from Jehovah hem olketa spesol Bible truth.

Kam kasem datfala taem, sista bilong mi and hasband bilong hem lukim wei wea mi no savve duim saen bilong cross long taem for kaikai, and mi no prea front long olketa lotu piksa. Wan naet tufala evriwan hitim mi. Long next day mi disaed for lusim haos bilong tufala and go long haos bilong aunty bilong mi. Brata-in-law bilong mi reportim diswan long dadi. No longtaem bihaen, Dadi krae long mi and trae for mekem mi givap. Brata-in-law nildaon front long mi and barava ask for forgiveness. Mi forgivim hem. For stretem diswan, olketa askem mi for go bak long church, bat mi stand strong.

Taem mi kasem bak vilij bilong Dadi, olketa hevi start bak moa. No eni wei stap for mi story witim Katina, and mi no garem eni buk for readim, nomata Bible nomoa tu. Mi hapi tumas taem wanfala kasin trae helpem mi. Taem hem go long Corinth, hem meetim wanfala Witness and tekem kam bak datfala buk “Let God Be True” and wanfala copy bilong Christian Greek Scripture wea mi readim haed.

Laef Change Long Wei wea Mi No Expectim

Barava nogud persecution go ahed for thrifala year. No eni wei stap for mi contactim olketa Witness, and mi no savve kasem eni literature. Bat, long wei wea mi no savve, olketa bigfala samting go ahed for happen wea bae affectim laef bilong mi.

Dadi talem mi hao mi mas go long uncle bilong mi long Thessalonica. Bifor mi go long Thessalonica, mi go long wanfala woman for sew kaleko long Corinth for hem sewim coat for mi. Mi sapraes tumas for faendaot Katina hem waka long there! Mitufala hapi tumas for meet moa bihaen longfala taem. Taem mitufala  lusim datfala stoa, mitufala meetim wanfala barava naes young man wea gogo hom from waka long bicycle. Nem bilong hem Charalambos. Bihaen mitufala savve long each other, mitufala disaed for marit. Raon long datfala sem taem tu, long January 9, 1952, mi showimaot dedication long Jehovah thru long wei for baptaes.

Charalambos baptaes finis long datfala taem. Hem tu feisim persecution from famili bilong hem. Charalambos barava strong. Hem serve olsem assistant kongregeson servant and conductim staka Bible study. No longtaem bihaen, olketa brata bilong hem acceptim truth, and distaem staka long famili bilong olketa servem Jehovah.

Dadi bilong mi barava laekem Charalambos, so hem letem mi maritim hem, bat Mami nao strong hed. Nomata olsem, mitufala Charalambos marit long March 29, 1952. First brata and wanfala kasin bilong mi nomoa kam long wedding. Mi no savve long datfala taem hao Charalambos bae kamap wanfala blessing wea winim wanem mi tingim—trufala present from Jehovah! Olsem fren bilong hem, mi fit for mekem wei for servem Jehovah hem main important samting long laef bilong mi.

Strongim Olketa Brata Bilong Mifala

Long 1953, mitufala Charalambos disaed for muv go long Athens. From hem laek duim moa samting long preaching waka, Charalambos finis from famili bisnis bilong hem and duim part-taem waka. Mitufala spendem olketa aftanun tugeta long Christian ministry and conductim staka Bible study.

From gavman tambuim waka bilong mifala, mifala need for tingim olketa difren wei. Olsem example, mitufala disaed for putim olketa Wastaoa magasin long window bilong kiosk long midol bilong Athens, wea hasband bilong mi waka long hem part-taem. Wanfala police wea garem hae position talem mitufala hao gavman tambuim olketa magasin hia. Nomata olsem, hem ask for wanfala copy and faendaot moa abaotem long security office. Taem olketa talem hem law luksavve long datfala magasin, hem kam bak for talem mitufala. Stretawe bihaen olketa nara brata wea garem kiosk herem diswan, olketa tu start for putim olketa Wastaoa long window bilong kiosk bilong olketa. Wanfala man kasem Wastaoa from kiosk bilong mifala, kamap wanfala Witness, and distaem serve olsem wanfala elder.

Mitufala hapi tu for lukim last brata bilong mi hem lanem truth. Hem kam long Athens for skul long wanfala college, and mitufala tekem hem long wanfala convention. Mifala holem haed olketa convention hia long bush. Hem laekem samting hem herem, bat no longtaem bihaen, hem start for gogo long ship. Long wanfala gogo bilong hem, hem kasem Argentina. Long there, wanfala missionary go preach insaed ship and brata bilong mi ask for olketa magasin bilong iumi. Mitufala barava hapi for kasem leta from hem wea sei: “Mi faendem truth nao. Plis mi laekem subscription.” Distaem, hem and famili bilong hem faithful for servem Jehovah.

Long 1958 hasband bilong mi kasem invitation for serve olsem traveling overseer. From gavman tambuim waka bilong mifala and living hem hard, olketa traveling overseer staka taem no gogo witim waef bilong olketa. Long October 1959, mitufala askem olketa brata long branch office sapos mi savve go witim Charalambos. Olketa letem mi. Mitufala visitim and  strongim olketa kongregeson long midol and north Greece.

Olketa gogo hia barava hard tumas. Staka road hem bush road nomoa. From mitufala no garem trak, staka taem mitufala gogo insaed pablik transport or trak, witim olketa kokorako and olketa nara samting. Mifala werem olketa rubber boot mekem mifala savve wakabaot thru long mud. From army stap long evri vilij, mitufala go insaed olketa vilij long naetaem for missim chekap.

Olketa brata barava tinghae long olketa visit olsem. Nomata staka long olketa waka hard long garden bilong olketa, olketa trae hard for attendim olketa meeting long big naet long olketa haos bilong olketa brata. Olketa brata barava showimaot kaen fasin tu and offerim mifala best samting bilong olketa, nomata olketa garem lelebet samting nomoa. Samtaem mifala sleep witim full famili long sem rum. Faith, fasin for go ahed strong, and strong bilong olketa brata hem nara spesol help long mitufala.

Mekem Big Service Bilong Mitufala

Long February 1961, taem mitufala visitim branch office long Athens, olketa ask sapos mitufala willing for serve long Bethel. Mitufala ansa witim toktok bilong Isaiah: “Mi long hia! Sendem mi.” (Isaiah 6:8) Tufala month bihaen, mitufala kasem leta wea sei for mitufala kwiktaem go long Bethel. So, long May 27, 1961, mitufala start for serve long Bethel.

Mitufala barava enjoyim disfala niu assignment and stretawe hem kamap hom bilong mitufala. Hasband bilong mi waka long Service and Subscription department, and bihaen hem serve lelebet long Branch Komiti. Mi duim olketa difren waka. Long datfala taem, Bethel famili garem 18 member, bat for klosap faev year, samting olsem 40 pipol nao insaed Bethel bikos skul for olketa elder hem kamap long Bethel. Long morning, mi was pleit, help for kuki, stretem 12-fala bed, and redyim tebol for lunch. Long aftanun, mi ironem kaleko and klinim olketa toilet and rum. Wantaem insaed week mi was kaleko. Staka waka nao stap, bat mi hapi for help.

Mitufala barava busy long olketa Bethel assignment and long field service tu. Staka taem mifala conductim samting olsem sevenfala Bible study. Long olketa weekend, mi savve joinim Charalambos taem hem givim olketa tok long olketa difren kongregeson. Mitufala gogo tugeta evritaem.

Mitufala conductim Bible study witim wanfala hasband and waef wea strong long Greek Orthodox Church and wea fren gud witim wanfala bigman long lotu wea leadim wanfala sekson wea savve luk aotem pipol wea lusim church. Insaed haos bilong tufala, tufala garem wanfala rum wea fulap witim olketa lotu piksa, wea incense bone evritaem insaed and lotu singsing plei full day insaed. For lelebet taem, mitufala savve visitim tufala long evri Thursday for studyim Bible, and datfala bigman long lotu wea fren bilong tufala savve visitim tufala long olketa Friday. Wanday, tufala askem mitufala for mas go long haos bilong tufala bikos tufala garem sapraes for mitufala. First samting tufala showim long mitufala hem datfala rum. Olketa torowem evri lotu piksa and arrangem datfala rum for kamap niu moa. Disfala hasband and waef muv ahed gud and kamap baptaes. Mitufala kasem hapi for lukim samting olsem 50 pipol wea mitufala study witim olketa dedicate long Jehovah and kamap baptaes.

 For kaban witim olketa anointed brata hem spesol privilege wea mi enjoyim. Visit bilong olketa member bilong Governing Body olsem Brata Knorr, Franz, and Henschel, hem barava encouragem mifala. Bihaen winim 40 year, mi still feel hao wei for serve long Bethel hem bigfala honor and privilege.

Deal Witim Sik and Dae

Long 1982 hasband bilong mi start for showaot saen bilong sik Alzheimer’s disease. Long 1990 hem sik big, and gogo hem needim samwan for evritaem kea for hem. Mifala no savve go aot from Bethel insaed eitfala year bifor hem dae. Staka brata insaed Bethel famili, and olketa overseer tu, arrange for helpem mitufala. Nomata long kaenfala help bilong olketa, mi mas spendem staka hour long day and naet for kea for hem. Gogo hem savve barava hard samfala taem, and staka naet mi nating sleep.

Long July 1998 hasband wea mi lovem hem dae. Nomata mi missim hem tumas, mi kasem comfort hao laef bilong hem long hand bilong Jehovah, and mi savve Jehovah bae rememberim hem and staka million moa long resurrection.—John 5:28, 29.

Thankiu for Olketa Gud Samting From Jehovah

Nomata mi lusim hasband bilong mi, mi no stap seleva. Mi still garem privilege for serve long Bethel, and mi enjoyim love and kea bilong full Bethel famili. Insaed famili bilong mi hem olketa spiritual brata and sista raonem Greece. Nomata mi winim 70 year distaem, mi still fit for waka full day long kitchen and dining rum.

Long 1999 mi visitim world headquarters bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long New York, samting mi bin laek duim longtaem. Mi hapi narawe. Hem wanfala experience wea encouragem mi and wea mi bae nating forgetim.

Taem mi ting go bak, mi barava biliv hao mi iusim laef bilong mi long best wei. Best wei for eni man iusim laef nao hem for servem Jehovah full-taem. Mi fit for talem witim no eni daot hao no enitaem mi short long eniting. Long loving wei Jehovah hem kea for mitufala hasband bilong mi long spiritual and physical wei. From experience bilong mi, mi minim why man wea raetem psalm hem ask: “Wanem nao mi savve peim bak long Jehovah for evri gud samting wea hem duim long mi?”—Psalm 116:12.

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Mitufala Charalambos gogo tugeta evritaem

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Hasband bilong mi long office bilong hem long branch

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Mi ting wei for serve long Bethel hem bigfala honor