Mi born long wanfala vilij long Saxony. Diswan hem wanfala state long kantri wea olketa kolem German Democratic Republic (GDR) long bifor. Mi growap long naes famili, and dadi and mami teachim mifala for garem gudfala wei. Communist gavman nao rulim GDR, so pipol long Saxony no tinghae long religion. And mi tu no biliv long God. Tufala samting wea affectim tingting bilong mi go kasem taem mi 18 year hem: Mi no biliv long God and Communist gavman.

Mi interest long Communist gavman bikos mi laekem idea bilong olketa wea sei evriwan semsem. And tu, mi bilivim gavman shud sharem evri property long evriwan mekem no eniwan rich and no eniwan poor. So mi joinim wanfala Communist youth grup. Taem mi 14 year, mi waka long wanfala project wea mifala kolektem olketa weist pepa for pipol savve iusim moa. Olketa bigman long wanfala taon wea nem bilong hem, Aue, tinghae long datwan and givim award long mi. Nomata mi young tumas, mi savve nao long samfala bigman long gavman. Long tingting bilong mi, mi aftarem olketa gud samting and mi bae garem gudfala future.

Seknomoa evri samting change. Long 1989, olketa brekem daon Berlin Wall and evri Communist kantri long Eastern Europe tu changem gavman bilong olketa. Olketa samting hia mekem mi seke fogud. Mi faendaot staka samting no stret insaed GDR gavman tu. Olsem example, pipol wea no sapotim Communist gavman olketa treatim olketa nogud. Olketa shud no duim datwan. Mi tingse Communist gavman sei evriwan semsem. Waswe, olketa idea bilong Communist gavman hem dream nomoa? Evri samting hia mekem mi stress narawe.

So mi stop from wanem mi aftarem and start for interest long music and art. From mi laek for kamap famous musician mi go studyim music long wanfala music skul and plan for go long university. Gogo mi lusim olketa gudfala wei wea dadi and mami teachim mi. Samting wea important long mi nao hem for enjoyim laef, and mi savve frenim tu-thri gele wantaem. Nomata olsem, music, art, and evri samting hia no daonem stress bilong mi. Olketa painting wea mi drawim tu showimaot olketa samting wea mi barava stress abaotem. Mi laek for savve  wanem nao bae happen long future, and why nao olketa man stap long earth?

Gogo mi faendem ansa for olketa kwestin hia. Wanfala evening, samfala student mifala story abaotem future. Wanfala long olketa student hia hem Mandy, * wea hem wanfala Jehovah’s Witness. Long datfala evening hem talem mi wea for kasem ansa for olketa kwestin bilong mi. Hem sei: “Andreas, sapos iu laek kasem ansa for olketa kwestin abaotem why iumi stap long earth, and wanem bae happen long future, studyim Bible.” Datwan mekem mi sapraes fogud.

Mi daotem wanem hem talem bat mi barava laek for savve. Mandy talem mi for readim Daniel chapter 2, and mi barava sapraes long wanem mi readim. Disfala profesi storyim samfala world paoa. Olketa gavman hia rul bilong olketa barava affectim history bilong olketa man. Mandy showim mi olketa nara Bible profesi abaotem future. Diswan hem ansa for olketa kwestin bilong mi! Bat hu nao raetem olketa profesi hia, and hu nao savve tumas for talem olketa samting wea bae happen long future? Masbi wanfala God hem stap!

Mandy arrange witim tufala Jehovah’s Witness, Horst and Angelika, for studyim Bible witim mi. No longtaem nomoa mi luksavve Olketa Jehovah’s Witness nao only religion wea evritaem iusim nem bilong God, Jehovah, and storyim datfala nem. (Psalm 83:18; Matthew 6:9) Mi lanem tu Jehovah God hem laekem olketa man for laef olowe long paradaes long earth. Psalm 37:9 sei: “Jehovah bae givim earth long olketa wea trustim hem.” Mi laekem tumas promis bilong God for evriwan wea trustim hem and followim olketa standard bilong hem insaed Bible, bae olketa fit for laef olowe long earth.

Nomata olsem, hem no isi for mi change and followim olketa standard bilong God long Bible. Mi praod tumas bikos mi wanfala famous musician so mi mas lane for hambol. And tu, hem no isi for mi lusim olobaot wei bilong mi. Mi thankiu long Jehovah wea patient, showimaot mercy, and minim olketa wea traem best for followim wanem Bible teachim!

Long firstfala 18 year long laef bilong mi, mi no biliv long God and Communist gavman hem affectim mi. Bat kam kasem distaem Bible gohed changem laef bilong mi. Samting wea mi lanem long Bible helpem mi for no wari tumas abaotem future and mi garem gudfala laef. Long 1993, mi baptaes and kamap wanfala Jehovah’s Witness, and long 2000, mi maritim Tabitha, wea hem tu wanfala Witness. Distaem mitufala gohed for helpem nara pipol tu for lanem Bible. Laef bilong staka wea mitufala meetim olketa, hem olsem laef bilong mi bifor tu. Taem mi helpem olketa for savve long Jehovah, datwan mekem mi barava hapi and satisfae.

Dadi and mami barava no hapi taem mi start for study witim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness. Bat kam kasem distaem, tufala luksavve wei for associate witim olketa Witness hem helpem mi for garem gudfala laef. Mi hapi tumas bikos distaem tufala savve readim Bible and attendim olketa meeting bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness.

Mitufala Tabitha garem gudfala marit bikos mitufala traem best for followim advaes long Bible for olketa hasband and waef. Olsem example, taem mitufala followim kaonsel long Bible abaotem wei for faithful long each other, datwan mekem marit bilong mitufala hem barava gud.—Hebrew 13:4.

Distaem mi no stress and wari abaotem future. Mi insaed wanfala famili evriwea long world wea garem tru peace and waka gud tugeta. Insaed famili hia, mifala evriwan semsem. Datwan hem samting wea mi laekem tumas for kasem start taem mi smol yet.