Bɛwole me December 22, 1929 wɔ Noville. Ɔte namue bie bɔ ogua mmokaa so, bɔ osa wura ɛhɔayɛɛ nu ɔ, na ɛberɛ pingye Bastogne bɔ ɔwɔ Belgium ne. Mekae kyɛ me ngwalaa nu ne, né me ne m’awofoɛ taa kɔ fiɛso. Né me ne nniema kaamba bɔ bɛfrɛ ye Raymond ne, yɛfa yɛsa yekyi nandwie nyɔfonesue, ná yafa yawa awuro. Mmenia bɔ né yɛwɔ namue nu berɛ ne, né yɛte ko, na né yɛbokaboka yɛnwo.

M’awofoɛ dumaa li Emile ne Alice. Né bɛte Romanfoɛ bɔ benni bɛ soen nwo angorɛ ɔ. Kwasiada biala né bɛkɔ Mass. Wɔ 1939 nu berɛ nekaa bie ne, ateepakyelɛfoɛ biemɔ fi England wale yɛ namue nu berɛ. Bɛmaa me baba hyehyɛle fɔɔm bie, yeti bosome biala, né yesa ka Consolation magazin ne bie. (Ɛhene yeɛ ɛnnɛ bɛfrɛ ye Awake! ne) Wangyɛ biala yeɛ me baba nwuni kyɛ nwomaa nanu dwirɛ te nahorɛ ɔ. Yeti ɔhyɛle yebo kyɛ ɔkenga Bible ne, na ɔyakyili Mass bɔ né ɔkɔ ne. Afei de, né benguro kyɛ benwu me baba nyunu wɔ namue nu berɛ po. Daa né bɛhyɛ ye kyɛ ɔtena Roman asɔre nanu. Ɔtɔ mmerɛ bie po a, né wakakyi ngondii.

Sɛ menwu ye kyɛ mmenia hyɛ me baba kyɛ ɔhɔ Roman asɔre ne a, né nikyee bie yɛ me. Ɛhe ati, ngane kyɛbɔ né mete nga namu ngyirele Yehowa. Sɔ mbaeɛ ne yeɛ mmerɛ bɔ mehyɛ me dwirɛ nabo ne, ngane yenwo dwirɛ ne. Nziɛen mmenia nemɔ yakyili bɔ né bɛyɛ ne, na menye gyele alaa maa né menwu bɔ nyɛ menwo po. Ɛhe maa nwuni kyɛ Yehowa te ebie ‘bɔ otie mbaeɛ ɔ.’

May 10, 1940 nu ne, Nazi awaen bɔ ɔwɔ Germany ne bɔ wurale Belgium maen nanu. Yeti, né odikyɛ ebiala pena nekaa fa yeti fa. Ɔwale sɔ ne, y’abusua ne yɛle kyɛ yɛnwati yɛkɔ France maen ne ngwaen dɔ. Yɛnate atee so bɔ yɛkɔ ne, yɛkwaato yɛnye a, yieee, German sogyafoɛ ne France sogyafoɛ  yeɛ bafa bateta so ye! Afei de, nisua yeɛ né yɛfa yɛti yɛfa ɔ?

Bɛnwa kundu fandi a, ye si alaa yeɛ ɔkɔ ɔ. Yeti yesale yɛ si yɛhɔle yɛ namue nu berɛ. Nakoso mmerɛ bɔ yeedwuli berɛ ne, né bɛne y’agyapadeɛ mukoraa ahɔ maa waha yɛ kyea bɔ bɛfrɛ ye Bobbie ne ngome. Ɛhe maa mmisale menwo kyɛ, ‘Nzuati yeɛ koɛ ne amaneɛnwunɛ abu so sɔ ne?’

Afia berɛ nekaa bie ne, né Aliemaa Emile Schrantz a taa ba yɛ berɛ, na ɔbokale yɛ paa. Né ɔte asafo nu panyi ne ateepakyelɛniɛ bɔ ɔmva ye soen nni angorɛ koraa ɔ. Ɔfale Bible ne hyirehyirele bɔ yeti yeɛ yenwu amaneɛ nanu kama, na ɔmaa nyane me nzɛmmisa pee nwo mmuayɛɛ. Mmanwuni kyɛ Yehowa te ɔdɔ, na ɛhene maa mvale ye adamvoa.

Mmerɛ bɔ né koɛ ne gyi nu po ne, né aliemaamɔ taa ba yɛ berɛ. Wɔ August 1943 nu ne, Aliemaa José-Nicolas Minet ɔɔmane Bible nu dwudwolɛ bie. Obisale yɛ kyɛ, “Nwa yeɛ ɔpena kyɛ ɔbɔ asu ɔ?” Me ne me baba pagyale yɛsa. Yeti bɛbɔle yɛ asu wɔ asue kaamba bie bɔ opingye yɛ namue nu berɛ nanu.

Wɔ December 1944 nu ne, German asogyafoɛ nemɔ sa hane bɛnwo, na ɛhene yeɛ né ɔpɛ yebo koraa ɔ. Nekaa bɔ bɛfale koɛ ne bɛtetale so ne, ne opingye y’awuro berɛ. Yeti yewurale yɛ sua nu berɛ tonn kɔyɛ bosome ko, na né yɛngora fite. Ɛlɛho bie, mvitele kyɛ mekwaama yɛ ngaka nemɔ aleɛ. Komapɛ bɔ ndele alaa yeɛ ole dimakuum! Né bato bɔmb maa waatu sua bɔ ngaka nemɔ aleɛ gua nu naso. America sogyaniɛ bie bɔ né ogyi ngaka nemɔ tuin nanwo ne teane nu kyɛ, “Da aseɛ nwo!” Nduli amirika ngɔle yenwo berɛ, yeɛ nnale ye gya bo ɔ, na ɔfale ye sogya kyerɛ ne wurale me ti fabɔle menwo waen.

Koɛ ne si ne, né yɛtaa yɛkɔ adesua wɔ kuro bie bɔ bɛfrɛ ye Liège bɔ né ɔla yɛ akuraa ne sorɔdɔ nanu. Sɛ efi yɛ berɛ kɔ Liège a, ɛkɔpɛ kwanzii 56 (kilomita 90). Mmerɛ kɔso ne, yɛtele grup wɔ Bastogne. Ngɔnyɛle adwuma wɔ nekaa bɔ bedide toɔ ɔ, na nyane yenwo atee nzuane mmraa. Yesi ne, me ne lɔyaniɛ bie yɛyɛle adwuma. Wɔ afoɛ 1951 nu ne, yɛyɛle manzini nhyiamu bie wɔ Bastogne. Mmenia bɔ bɛwale ne, yanzo koraa, né yɛte kɔyɛ ɛyaa ko. Aliemaa brasua bie bɔ bɛfrɛ ye Elly Reuter wale  bie. Sakre yeɛ ɔfa wale ɔ, na né wapɛ kwanzii 31 (kilomita 50). Né ɔte ateepakyelɛniɛ bɔ ɔbɔ yenwo mmɔden paa ɔ. Wangyɛ yeehurole yɛnwo paa, yeti yɛyɛle nhyehyɛɛ kyɛ yekogya. Nakoso né bato asaa bafrɛ Elly kyɛ ɔhɔ Gilead sukuu ne bie wɔ United States. Yede, nzu yeɛ né ɔkɔyɛ ɔ? Ɔhworɔle lɛtɛ hɔle Yehowa Adanzefoɛ adwumayɛbea ti, na ɔmaa benwuni bɔ yeti yeɛ ɔngɔhora ngɔwa ne. Sɔ mmerɛ ne, Aliemaa Knorr yeɛ né ɔla Yehowa asafo ne noa wɔ ewiase mukoraati ɔ. Ɔmane ye lɛtɛ nanwo mmuayɛɛ kyɛ, nnɛmaa ye abanu bu koraa, na kyeabie ɔne ohu kɔhora kɔwa Gilead. February 1953 yeɛ yegyale ɔ.

Sɔ afoɛ nala nu ne, me ne Elly hɔle New World Society nhyiamu bɔ bɛyɛle ye wɔ Yankee Stadium bɔ ɔwɔ New York ne bie. Yɛhɔle nhyiamu ne, aliemaa bie hahyirele me kyɛ ɔkɔma me adwuma wɔ United States, yeti ndu mmadena berɛ. Né adwuma ne te kama paa. Me ne Elly bɔle edwirɛ nanwo mbaeɛ, na yesili gyinayɛɛ kyɛ yɛngɔyɛ, na mmom, yekosa yɛkɔhɔ Belgium ná yaaboka grup bɔ ɔwɔ Bastogne ne. Ye mia adawurubɔfoɛ 10 pɛ yeɛ né bɛwɔ nu ɔ. Yehowa adaworoma, afoɛ bɔ oli berɛ ne, yɛwole yɛwa brienzua Serge. Nakoso bosome nzoo pɛ si ne, ɔbɔle anwonyerɛ, na owuli. Menwa, edwirɛ ne hɔle yɛnwo pá! Yeti yɛhane bɔ yɛfa nu namu yehyirele Yehowa. Anyelasoɛ bɔ yele kyɛ awufoɛ kotingye ne, ɛhene yeɛ ɔmaa yɛhora yegyinane yɛgya so bieku ɔ.

Wɔ October 1961 nu ne, nyane adwuma bie bɔ né ɔkɔkoka me maa ngɔyɛ ateepakyelɛ adwuma ne, na né ngɔfa mmerɛ kaa bie yeɛ ngɔyɛ ɔ. Nakoso, kyea bɔ né odikyɛ mehyɛ yebo ne, nyane kɔɔl. Mekwaanea a, aliemaa bɔ ɔla Belgium Bɛtɛl ne noa yeɛ ɔfrɛ ye. Obisale me kyɛ, ngɔhora ngɔhyɛ yebo ngɔyɛ manzini somvoɛ? (Ɛhene yeɛ kesaalae bɛfrɛ ye manzini soneafoɛ ne.) Yeɛ mmisale ye kyɛ: “Sɛ yedimoa yɛyɛ ateepakyelɛ adwuma kora né yahyɛ yebo a, ɔkɔha adwene hɔ ɔ?” Ole tole nu. Yɛyɛle ye bosome mmɔtwɛ pɛ, na yɛhyɛle manzini adwuma nabo September 1962.

Yɛyɛle manzini adwuma ne afoɛ nyɔ pɛ si ne, bɛfrɛle yɛ kyɛ yɛɛyɛ adwuma wɔ Bɛtɛl bɔ ɔwɔ Brussels ne. Yɛhyɛle adwuma nabo October 1964. Nhyiraa bɔ yenyane ye wɔ sɔ adwuma nanu ne de, pee mbaen. Ebie ɛhe: Wɔ afoɛ 1965 nu ne, Aliemaa Knorr ɔɔsrale Bɛtɛl abusua ne, na ɔhɔle ne si ne, bɛyele me kyɛ me yeɛ nna Bɛtɛl ne noa ɔ. Mangye ɛhe anwo laleɛ lle. Ɛhene si ne, bɛfrɛle me ne Elly kyɛ yɛhɔ Gilead sukuu bɔ ɔtɔ so 41 ne bie. Edwirɛ bɔ Aliemaa Knorr hane ye afoɛ 13 ɛhe ne, yeɛ ɔla berɛ ye. Yeyiele sukuu ne, bɛmaa yesa yɛhɔle Bɛtɛl bɔ ɔwɔ Belgium ne.

Ɔnate kyɛ mese mmraa nwo dwirɛ nati, ahofadie bɔ yele kyɛ yɛso Yehowa ne, manya yenwo atee mafa mabɔ yenwo waen wɔ Europe ne nekaa foforɛ biemɔ. (Flp. 1:7) Sɔ adwuma ne amaa me ne awaen mbanyi bɔ befi maen kɔbo 55 so yeɛ yadwudwo ɔ. Sɛ me ne bɛ dwudwo a, menyɛ menwo hyehyee kyɛ masua mmraa. Na mmom, memaa benwu ye kyɛ nde “Nyameɛ sona.” Daa mefa menwo meto  Yehowa so, ofikyɛ mese kyɛ, “Ɛhene [anaa temufoɛ] adwene, ɔte kyɛ asue bɔ ɔtengyɛ ɔ wɔ AWURADE sa nu, nekaa bɔ okuro ɔ yeɛ obiri ye fa ɔ.”—Any. 21:1.

Mekae kyɛ mmerɛ bie, me ne MP bie bɔ ofi Europe bɔle ngɔmmɔ, na bɔ osili ne de, mewora ngofi ye lle. Né mayɛ alaa kyɛ ngonya ye ne ye kodwudwo, nakoso né ɔmbene so. Ɛlɛho bie de ɔtele yebo, yeti yeyiale. Ɔha hyirele me kyɛ, “Mema wɔ minit 5, nnɛmaa ɔpa yenwo minit ko po.” Yeɛ nzili meti ase kyɛ mebɔ mbaeɛ ɔ. Né ɔnde bɔ meyɛ nabo, yeti obisale me kyɛ, “Nzu yeɛ ɛyɛ ne?” Yeɛ menwa, “Meda Nyameɛ ase kyɛ wamaa mayia ye somvoɛ nanu ko ɔ.” Yeɛ ɔhane kyɛ, “Mende bɔ ɛka nabo o.” Yeɛ ngengale Romanfoɛ 13:4 ngyirele ye ɔ. Né ɔte Protestantniɛ, yeti yenye gyele sɔ tworɔnzɛm nanwo paa. Bɔ osili yeɛ ole kyɛ, ebie bɔ né ɔnwa ɔma me minit 5 ne, afei de, ɔmane me minit 30. Yɛ ngɔmmɔ ne koso hɔle yé paa. Ɔhane po kyɛ, yenye gye adwuma bɔ yɛyɛ nanwo.

Yehowa Adanzefoɛ dwirɛ bɔ wahɔ kɔɔt wɔ Europe de, pee mbaen. Ebie ole amanyɔnzɛm bɔ yɛnyɛ, ɛtoɔ, yenwo atee bɔ awofoɛ le ye kyɛ bɛne bɛ mmaamɔ tena, na bɛnea bɛ, ɔne pee bɔ ɔboka so ɔ. Sɔ dwirɛ ne, nu pee wɔ berɛ a, bɛbɔ né begyi asafo ne gya nu ne, né mmoka bɛso. Menwu ye kyɛ ɔte yenwo atee bɔ nyane ye ɔ, na Yehowa koso maa yelili ngunim. Yehowa Adanzefoɛ dwirɛ bɔ bali ye wɔ Europe Kɔɔt Bɔ Bɛnea Mmenia Anwofadie So ne, nu ngokongoko 140 yeɛ yali ngunim wɔ nu ɔ.

Wɔ Cuba maen nanu ne koso, nna nikyee biala bɔ ɔfa Yehowa soen nwo ne, yeɛ né bɛma aliemaamɔ atee maa bɛyɛ ɔ. Yeti me ne Aliemaa Philip Brumley bɔ ɔyɛ adwuma wɔ ewiase amukoraati adwumayɛbeati, ɔne Aliemaa Valter Farneti bɔ ofi Italy ne bokale bɛ maa benyane ahofadie. Ndworɔle lɛtɛ ngɔmane bɔ ogyi Cuba maen ne gya nu wɔ Belgium ne. Yeɛ ye koso, ɔyele ebie kyɛ ootie bɔ yele ye yɛka ɔ. Mmerɛ bɔ yelimoa yeyiale ne, ndeaseɛ anhyɛda anyɛ adwuma pá.

Yɛbɔle edwirɛ nanwo mbaeɛ, na yesi ne yebisale yenwo atee kyɛ bɛma yɛfa Bible 5000 yɛhɔ Cuba maen nanu, na awaen ne koso penene so. Yeti yɛhora yɛfale Bible ne yɛhɔle, na bɛhyɛ bɛmane aliemaamɔ. Ɛhene maa yenwuni kyɛ Yehowa tiele yɛ mbaeɛ ne. Yenwuni ye sɔ ne, yebisale yenwo atee bieku kyɛ bɛma yɛfa Bible 27,500 yɛhɔ dɔ, na ɛhene koso, bele bɛtole nu. Mmerɛ bɔ aliemaamɔ sa hane Bible ne, ɔmaa m’ahone tɔle me kunu.

Cuba maen nanu de, né metaa medi akɔneaba wɔ berɛ paa, kyɛbɔ ɔkɔyɛ a, aliemaamɔ konya fahodie bɛkɔso Yehowa ɔ. Ne metaa meyia awaen mbanyi nemɔ, yeti ɔmaa benu pee bɛɛyɛle me damvo.

Wɔ 1994 nu ne, kõɛ bie sili wɔ Rwanda maen nanu. Ne ɔfa Tutsi abusua bɔ bɛpena kyɛ bɛyera bɛ boso nanwo. Mmenia kɔbo 1,000,000 yeɛ bewuli ɔ. Yeliemamɔ pee koso wuwuli; né ɔyɛ aworabɔ po mbaen. Bɛyele aliemaa biemɔ kyɛ bɛyɛ nhyehyɛɛ má bɛɛboka aliemaamɔ bɔ bɛwɔ berɛ ne.

Bɛsomane me ne aliemaa biemɔ kyɛ yɛhɔ Kigali bɔ ɔte Rwanda maen ne ahenguro nanu. Yeedwuli berɛ ne, yenwuni kyɛ nekaa bɔ bekyire dwudwolɛ bo, ɔne nekaa bɔ bɛfa asafo nwomaa begua ne, tui nyɔboɛ atofi tofi sua nanu. Yɛtele kyɛ bapepɛ aliemaa biemɔ dadeɛ po. Nna ɛhene angome, na mmom, yesa yɛtele kyɛ aliemaamɔ yele ɔdɔ ali hyirele bɛnwo. Bɔ bɛyɛle ne bie ɛhe: Yeyiale aliemaa bie bɔ ɔte Tutsiniɛ, na ɔhahyirele yɛ kyɛ abusua bie bɔ bɛte Hutufoɛ fale ye siele kumaa bie nu fabɔle yenwo waen. Owurale berɛ tonn ngyea 28. Yɛfale Bible nu dwirɛ yɛkyekyele aliemaamɔ kɔbo 900 wora wɔ Kigali.

Yefili berɛ ne, yɛfale yɛnye yehirele Zaire. (Ɛberɛ yeɛ ɛnnɛ bɛfrɛ ye Democratic Republic of the Congo ne.) Yɛhɔle berɛ kyɛ, aliemaamɔ bɔ banwati bafi Rwanda bahɔ refugee camp bɔ opingye Goma ne, yɛkwaapena bɛ boso. Nakoso yɛyɛle dee, né yennwu bɛ, yeti yɛsrɛle Yehowa kyɛ ɔboka yɛ ma yenwu nekaa bɔ bewura ɔ. Yegyigyi berɛ ne ala yeɛ yenwuni kyɛ ebie yia yɛ ɔ. Yeɛ yebisale ye kyɛ, “Ɛse Yehowa Danzeniɛ bie wɔ mandanu wa hɔ ɔ?” Yeɛ ɔnwa, “Yoo, nde Yehowa Danzeniɛ. Ɛmɔnwodɛ me, mekwaafrɛ atorɛngyɛm kɔmatii ne meba.” Mmerɛ bɔ bɛwale ne, yɛne bɛ bɔle ngɔmmɔ, na yɛnye gyele paa. Yɛne mmenia kɔyɛ 1,600 bɔ banwati bawa berɛ ne koso bɔle ngɔmmɔ, na yɛfale Bible nu dwirɛ yɛhyɛle bɛ ngunaen. Lɛtɛ bɔ Akwangyerɛ Kue ne fa somane yɛ ne koso, yɛhane nu dwirɛ ne yehyirele bɛ. Nu dwirɛ ne bie ɛhe: “Daa yɛbɔ mbaeɛ yɛma ɛmɔ. Yɛse ye paa kyɛ Yehowa ngɔyakyi ɛmɔ nu lle.” Mmerɛ bɔ aliemaamɔ tele sɔ dwirɛ ne, b’ahone tɔle bɛ kunu. Na ɔte amba koso, Yehowa anyakyi aliemaamɔ nu. Ɛnnɛ, sɛ ɛkɔ Rwanda maen nanu a, aliemaamɔ kɔbo 30,000 yeɛ bɛfa anigye bɛso Yehowa ɔ!

Wɔ 2011 nu ne, meye Elly wuli. Né me ne ye atena afoɛ 58. Ngane bɔ né mefa nu namu ngyirele Yehowa, na ye koso, wanyakyi me nu. Sɛ meka nzɛmba ne bie mekyire bɛbɔ me ne bɛ te mandanu ne a, ɔmaa m’ahone tɔ me kunu.

Kesaalae mapɛ nu afoɛ 90. Nakoso m’asɛnga de, menni yenwo angorɛ; dapɛen biala mekɔ. Meyɛ adwuma wɔ ɔffiss bɔ bɛnea mmraa nwo dwirɛ so wɔ Begium Bɛtɛl. Ɛyɛ a meka m’abrabɔ nu dwirɛ mefa mehyɛ aliemaamɔ ngunaen. Afei, baye me kyɛ nzrasra mmrandeɛ ne ndaluwa bɔ bɛwɔ Bɛtɛl wa ne. Ɛhe mukoraati maa menye gye paa.

Kɔyɛ afoɛ 84 ɛhe yeɛ mmɔle me mbaeɛ bɔ olimoa ɔ. Sɛ ngɔha a, sɔ mmerɛ ne yeɛ me ne Yehowa adamvoa ne hyɛle yebo ɔ. Sɛ menea m’asetena nu a, sana mmamukye menoa kyɛ mebɔ mbaeɛ, né Yehowa atie, na meda ye ase paa.—Edw. 66:19. b