Wala Shihilɛ He Sane

Hegbɛ Ko Bɛ Ni Fe Sɔɔmɔ Ni Wɔsɔmɔɔ Yehowa Lɛ

Taakɛ Zerah Stigers Gba

Miwu ni ji mihefatalɔ anɔkwafo yɛ be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli lɛ gbo yɛ afi 1938. No mli lɛ wɔhiɛ abifao kɛ binuu ni eye afii nyɔŋma ni esa akɛ makwɛ amɛ. Eyɛ mli akɛ miisumɔ akɛ masɔmɔ akɛ be fɛɛ sɔɔlɔ moŋ, shi te mafee tɛŋŋ? Dani matsɔɔ bo bɔ ni fee ni minyɛ mifee enɛ lɛ, ha magba bo miwala shihilɛ mli sane ni tsɔ enɛ hiɛ lɛ he sane fioo ko.

BENI afɔ mi yɛ Alabama yɛ U.S.A. yɛ July 27, 1907 lɛ sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ ni mifɔlɔi kɛ mi kɛ minyɛmimɛi etɛ lɛ fã kɛyahi Georgia. No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, wɔfã kɛyahi Tennessee kɛ agbɛnɛ he ko ni bɛŋkɛ Tampa yɛ Florida. Yɛ 1916 beni wɔyɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ, miyakwɛ “Photo-Drama of Creation” ni ji sini ni obaana mfonirii ni asha ni obaanu ni aawie yɛ mli lɛ. Akɛni nakai beaŋ lɛ kpaako abɔ̃i sini feemɔ hewɔ lɛ, mɛi nya “Photo-Drama” lɛ he waa!

Mifɔlɔi kaneɔ Blɔfo Buu-Mɔɔ kɛ Biblia he woji krokomɛi lɛ waa. Eyɛ mli akɛ Ataa sumɔɔ woji nɛɛ akanemɔ moŋ, shi nakai beaŋ lɛ ekɛ Biblia Kaselɔi taakɛ atsɛɔ Yehowa Odasefoi yɛ nakai beaŋ lɛ ebɔɔɔ gbagbalii. Shi Awo kɛ mi kɛ minyɛmimɛi lɛ yaa amɛkpeei lɛ. Hɛɛ, beni wɔfã kɛyahi Niles yɛ Michigan lɛ sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ nɔŋŋ lɛ, wɔkɛ oketeke faa gbɛ shitoi ni fa fe nyɔŋma daa kɛyaa kpeei yɛ South Bend yɛ Indiana.

 Enɛ ye ebua ni abaptisi mi yɛ July 22, 1924, ni mikɛfee mihe nɔ ni mijɔɔ kɛha Yehowa lɛ he okadi. No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, Awo to ebe he gbɛjianɔ ni ekɛ ehe wo be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli. Awo kɛ be fɛɛ sɔɔlɔi krokomɛi anɔkwɛmɔnɔ kpakpa lɛ ha miná he miishɛɛ akɛ mikɛ mihe baawo nitsumɔ nɛɛ mli.

Miná Hefatalɔ

Yɛ afi 1925 lɛ, mikɛ James Stigers ni jɛ Chicago lɛ kpe yɛ kpee wulu ko ni afee yɛ Indianapolis yɛ Indiana lɛ shishi. Miyɔse amrɔ nɔŋŋ akɛ James ji Yehowa sɔɔlɔ ni yɔɔ ekãa. Kɛjɛ Chicago kɛmiiba he ni miyɔɔ lɛ jɛkɛmɔ aaafee kilomitai 160, no hewɔ lɛ wɔnáaa lɛ mlɛo akɛ wɔɔsara wɔhe. Yɛ nakai beaŋ lɛ, asafo kome pɛ yɔɔ maŋ agbo nɛɛ mli, ni afeɔ kpeei lɛ yɛ he ko ni wɔyahai yɛ ŋwɛitsu ko nɔ. James ŋmaa mi wolo koni ekɛwo mi hewalɛ yɛ Nyɔŋmɔjamɔ he. Wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli yɛ December 1926 ni aaafee afi sɛɛ lɛ mifɔ wɔkromɔ bi ni ji Eddie.

No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ ni mikɛ James fɛɛ bɔi gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ. Wɔsɔmɔ yɛ hei kpaanyɔ yɛ Amerika. Hei nɛɛ ji Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, California, kɛ Illinois. Nakai beaŋ ji be ni wɔná miishɛɛ ni fe fɛɛ yɛ wɔshihilɛ mli akɛ gbalashihilɛ mli hefatalɔi. Beni hela batswa James ojo pɛ ni miishɛɛ ni wɔweku lɛ yɔɔ lɛ sɛɛ fo yɛ nakai beaŋ.

Akɛni James hela lɛ hã wɔdɛŋ fɛɛ kpala hewɔ lɛ, wɔku wɔsɛɛ kɛtee Chicago yɛ 1936 ni wɔkɛ mishaayoo ni lɛ hu eji Odasefonyo lɛ yahi shi. Beni mihiɛ wɔbi ni ji enyɔ lɛ hɔ, ni eshwɛ fioo ni James baagbo lɛ, mitsu nii yɛ niyelihe ko, ni awoɔ mi nyɔmɔ Amerika dɔla kome daa gbi. Mishaayoo ni misumɔɔ esane lɛ haa wɔ niyenii babaoo, ni ehaaa wɔwo he nyɔmɔ. Ekwɛ wɔ jogbaŋŋ diɛŋtsɛ.

James ye hela ni ha ejwɛŋmɔ fuu lɛ aaafee afii enyɔ ni egbo. Egbo yɛ July 1938. Beni eyeɔ hela nɛɛ, enyɛɛɛ ekudɔ lɔle ni enyɛɛɛ ekɛ ehe awo shĩa kɛ shĩa shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli, shi be fɛɛ be kɛ́ ena hegbɛ lɛ eyeɔ mɛi krokomɛi odase. Miŋmɛɛ be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ lɛ he bɔni afee ni matsu nii kɛye abua wɔweku lɛ yɛ shika gbɛfaŋ. Miná nitsumɔi srɔtoisrɔtoi, shi eko fɛɛ eko sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ.

Beni James gbo lɛ sɛɛ gbii kpaanyɔ lɛ, mifɔ wɔbi nuu ni atsɛɔ lɛ Bobby lɛ yɛ July 30, 1938. Shi mishaayoo ekpɛlɛɛɛ ni maya helatsamɔhe bibioo ni aheee shika ni datrɛfoi ni tsuɔ nii yɛ jɛmɛ lɛ ahe esako tsɔ lɛ. Yɛ no najiaŋ lɛ, eto gbɛjianɔ koni maya helatsamɔhe kpakpa, ni lɛ diɛŋtsɛ edatrɛfonyo ji mɔ ni kwɛ mi. Asaŋ, ewo mihelatsamɔ lɛ he nyɔmɔ fɛɛ, enifeemɔ nɛɛ ji Kristofoi asuɔmɔ kpojiemɔ ni mihiɛ sɔ waa.

Mikɛ Mihe Wo Be Fɛɛ Sɔɔmɔ Nitsumɔ lɛ Mli Ekoŋŋ

Wɔtee nɔ wɔhi mishaayoo ŋɔɔ aahu kɛyashi Bobby ye afii 2 kɛ gbii fioo ko, ni nakai beaŋ lɛ Eddie eye afii 12. Eyɛ mli akɛ esa akɛ matsake mihe mawo shihilɛ hee ni mibote mli lɛ mli moŋ, shi ekã mitsui nɔ waa lolo akɛ mikɛ mibe fɛɛ baasɔmɔ Yehowa. Mikɛ gbɛgbalɔi enyɔ ni ji gbalashihilɛ mli hefatalɔi komɛi kpe yɛ kpee wulu ni afee yɛ 1940 yɛ Detroit yɛ Michigan, ni amɛwo mi hewalɛ koni mibasɔmɔ yɛ South Carolina kpokpaa lɛ nɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, mikɛ Amerika dɔlai 150 yahe kar ko ni gbɛi ji Pontiac ni afee yɛ 1935, ni mibɔi mihe saamɔ koni mafã kɛya maŋ nɛɛ nɔ. Yɛ 1941 ni ji afi mli ni United States kɛ ehe wo Jeŋ Ta II lɛ mli lɛ, mikɛ mibihii enyɔ lɛ shi kɛtee United States wuoyigbɛ, ni misaa mibɔi be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ yɛ jɛmɛ.

 Beni wɔtee South Carolina lɛ, he ni wɔyahi klɛŋklɛŋ ji maŋ ni atsɛɔ lɛ Camden lɛ, jɛmɛ sɛɛ lɛ wɔya hi Little River kɛ agbɛnɛ hu Conway. Beni wɔyɔɔ Conway lɛ, miyahe lɔle ko ni afee tsu ni awɔɔ mli yɛ esɛɛ lɛ eko. He ko ni ahɔ̃ɔ mu ni akɛwoɔ lɔle mli yɛ lɛ nɔtsɛ lɛ ŋmɛ mi gbɛ ní mikɛ lɔle nɛɛ ama amɛkoŋ nɔ, koni manyɛ magbala sarawa hewalɛ kɛ gas kɛjɛ amɛŋɔɔ, ni amɛhaa miyaa niiaŋ yɛ kuŋtso ni afee kɛha nitsumɔhe nɛɛ mli. Beni Jeŋ Ta II lɛ yaa nɔ lɛ pɛtrol he basɛ̃, ni no hewɔ lɛ ajaa lɛ fiofio, shi minaaa eko. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ miyahe okɔokpe. Kɛkɛ ni yɛ 1943 lɛ beni etamɔ nɔ ni minyɛŋ matsa gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ nɔ akɛni wɔshika fɛɛ eta hewɔ lɛ, afɔ mi nine koni misɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔ krɛdɛɛ; no hewɔ lɛ daa nyɔŋ gbele lɛ ahaa mi shika fioo ni mikɛkwɛ mihe. Yehowa eye ebua mi waa diɛŋtsɛ yɛ afii ni eho lɛ fɛɛ amli!

No mli lɛ Odasefoi krokomɛi bɛ Conway, ni ewaa kɛhaa mi kɛ mibii lɛ akɛ wɔ pɛ wɔbaaya shiɛmɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, miŋma nitsumɔhe nine lɛ wolo koni aha gbɛgbalɔ krɛdɛɛ ko abafata mihe, ni yɛ afi 1944 lɛ aha Edith Walker ni he yɔɔ miishɛɛ waa lɛ bafata mihe! Wɔfee ekome kɛtsu nitsumɔ nɛɛ afii 16 yɛ hei srɔtoi. Ni mɔbɔ sane ji akɛ, yɛ hela ko hewɔ lɛ, eshi mi kɛtee Ohio.

Jɔɔmɔi ni Mihiɛ Kpaŋ Nɔ

Niiashikpamɔi ni yɔɔ miishɛɛ ni miná lɛ fa waa, shi mihiɛ kpaŋ niiashikpamɔ ni miná ni kɔɔ Albertha ni no mli lɛ eye afii 13, ni hi Conway kɛkwɛ enaa ni ekumɔ kɛ enyɛmimɛi hii bibii enyɔ lɛ nɔ kɔkɔɔkɔ. Ená suɔmɔ eha Biblia mli anɔkwalei ni mitsɔɔ lɛ lɛ, ni ená he miishɛɛ akɛ ebaagba mɛi krokomɛi. Lɛ hu ebaná suɔmɔ kɛha gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ, ni ekɛ ehe wo mli beni egbe skul naa yɛ afi 1950 lɛ. Ekɛ nɔ ni fe afii 57 esɔmɔ yɛ be-fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli!

Yɛ afi 1951 lɛ, aha mikɛ Edith yasɔmɔ be kukuoo yɛ Rock Hill yɛ South Carolina, ni Odasefoi fioo pɛ yɔɔ jɛmɛ. Ni no sɛɛ lɛ wɔkɛ afii etɛ yasɔmɔ yɛ Elberton yɛ Georgia. Wɔsaa wɔku wɔsɛɛ kɛba South Carolina ekoŋŋ, ni jɛmɛ mihi kɛjɛ 1954 kɛyashi 1962. Beni miyasɔmɔ yɛ Walhalla lɛ, mikɛ yoo onukpa ko kpe yɛ akrowa ko mli, ni atsɛɔ lɛ Nettie. Eji mumui, ni ekome too pɛ eyɔɔ. Kɛ́ mikɛ lɛ miifee Biblia mli nikasemɔ lɛ, ekaneɔ kuku lɛ mli yɛ eyitsoŋ, mikɛ miwao tsɔɔ sanebimɔ ni yɔɔ baafa lɛ shishigbɛ kɛha nakai kuku lɛ, ni lɛ hu ekɛ ewao tsɔɔ mi heni hetoo lɛ yɔɔ yɛ kuku lɛ mli.

Kɛ́ enuuu nɔ ko shishi lɛ, eŋmaa esanebimɔ lɛ yɛ wolo nɔ, ni mihu miŋmaa hetoo lɛ miwoɔ esanebimɔ lɛ shishi. Nɔ ni jɛ mli ba ji akɛ, suɔmɔ ni Nettie yɔɔ kɛha Biblia mli anɔkwalei lɛ bafa aahu akɛ ebɔi asafoŋ kpeei yaa ni ekɛ ehe woɔ shĩa kɛ shĩa shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli. Lɛ diɛŋtsɛ eyaa shinaai anaa, shi mishiii lɛ kwraa, bei pii lɛ mishiɛɔ yɛ gbɛjegbɛ lɛ afã kroko lɛ, ni kɛ́ ehe bahia ni maye mabua lɛ lɛ, mifeɔ nakai amrɔ nɔŋŋ.

Beni misɔmɔɔ yɛ Walhalla lɛ, mikar ni egbɔ lɛ fite kwraa. Miyana kar ko ni aahɔ̃ɔ lɛ dɔlai 100, eyɛ ofoo, shi mibɛ shika. Mikɛ Odasefonyo ko ni yɔɔ lɛ diɛŋtsɛ enitsumɔ wie he, ni efa mi dɔlai 100. No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, minine shɛ wolo ko ni mikpaaa gbɛ nɔ kɛjɛ minyɛmiyoo lɛ dɛŋ, eŋma akɛ minyɛmimɛi lɛ eyana wolo ko ni tsɔɔ akɛ wɔtsɛ kɛ shika ko yato shikatoohe ko dani etsɔ esɛɛ. Amɛsusu nɔ ni amɛkɛbaafee lɛ he, ni amɛba gbeekpamɔ akɛ amɛkɛbaamaje mi. Shika lɛ ji dɔlai 100!

Mikɛ Mibihii lɛ Sɔmɔ Akɛ Gbɛgbalɔi

Beni Eddie kɛ Bobby ji gbekɛbii lɛ, amɛfataa mihe daa kɛtsuɔ shĩa kɛ shĩa shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ.  Yɛ nakai beaŋ lɛ, tsofai ni akɛtsuɔ nii yɛ gbɛ ni ejaaa nɔ lɛ he naagbai heko shi ni jeŋba shara hu náa mɛi anɔ hewalɛ waa taakɛ eji ŋmɛnɛ lɛ. Akɛni wɔha wɔshihilɛ fee mlɛo ni wɔkɛ wɔhiɛ ma shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ nɔ hewɔ lɛ, wɔkɛ naagbai ni fɔlɔi kɛkpeɔ ŋmɛnɛ yɛ amɛbii ni amɛtsɔseɔ koni amɛsɔmɔ Yehowa lɛ mli lɛ pii ekpeee.

Eddie tee skul yɛ Camden, ni beni ekɛ afii kpaanyɔ etee skul lɛ, ekpá ni ebafata mihe kɛsɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔ. Wɔfee ekome kɛsɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔi afii fioo, ni wɔna miishɛɛ waa. No sɛɛ lɛ, ebaná he miishɛɛ akɛ eyatsu nii yɛ he ni ajɛɔ atoɔ Yehowa Odasefoi ni yɔɔ jeŋ fɛɛ lɛ ahe gbɛjianɔ, ni yɔɔ Brooklyn yɛ New York lɛ. Esɔmɔ yɛ jɛmɛ kɛjɛ 1947 kɛyashi 1957. Yɛ 1958 lɛ ekɛ Albertha ni ji mitsutsu Biblia mli nikaselɔ lɛ bote gbalashihilɛ mli ni amɛsɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔi. Miná miishɛɛ waa akɛ nɔ ko beni wɔyi etɛ lɛ fɛɛ kpe yɛ Skul Kɛha Gbɛgbamɔ Nitsumɔ lɛ ni afee yɛ 2004 mli lɛ!

Mikaiɔ akɛ yɛ Bobby gbekɛbiiashi lɛ, be ko lɛ minu ni eebi Yehowa yɛ sɔlemɔ mli koni eye ebua mi ni maná pɛtrol bɔ ni sa koni manyɛ mayasara mi-Biblia mli nikaselɔi lɛ. Ená suɔmɔ kɛha shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ kɛjɛ egbekɛbiiashi tɔ̃ɔ, ni ekɛ ehe wo gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli afii pii. Mɔbɔ sane ji akɛ Bobby hu kɛ weku mli oshara kpe. Yɛ afi 1970 lɛ, eŋa kɛ amɛbii haaji lɛ gboi beni eyaafɔ amɛ lɛ, no mli lɛ amɛgbalashihilɛ lɛ eye nyɔji 22 pɛ. Bobby ehi he ni bɛŋkɛ mi daa, ni wekukpãa kpaakpa yɛ mikɛ lɛ teŋ.

Miitsu Gbɛgbamɔ Nitsumɔ lɛ Lolo!

Yɛ afi 1962 lɛ, aha mibɔi sɔɔmɔ yɛ Lumberton asafo ni yɔɔ North Carolina lɛ mli, ni mikã he miisɔmɔ yɛ jɛmɛ afii 45 nɛ. Mitee nɔ mikudɔ mikar lɛ kɛyashi miye aaafee afii 84. Odasefoi aweku ko ni bɛŋkɛ he ni miyɔɔ bawoɔ mi kɛya asafoŋ kpeei ni amɛwoɔ mi kɛyaa shiɛmɔ hu.

Miyɛ tso ni akɛnyiɛɔ kɛ shwiili ni ataa mli, shi mikɛtsuuu nii ejaakɛ minyɛɔ minyiɛɔ ni yelikɛbuamɔ he ehiaaa mi. Miida Yehowa shi akɛ mináko gbɔmɔtsoŋ naagba ko, sɛɛkpee nɛɛ ni mihiŋmɛi ebɔi minaa gbamɔ. Mifooo asafoŋ kpeei amli ja mibɛ hewalɛ kwraa, ni miisɔmɔ akɛ daa gbɛgbalɔ ní akpaaa ŋmɛlɛtswaa 70 kɛjɛɛɛ edɛŋ.

Akɛni mikɛ miishɛɛ esɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔ afii 70 hewɔ lɛ, manyɛ majɛ anɔkwayeli mli mawie akɛ Yehowa eye ebua mi miwala beaŋ fɛɛ. * Mile akɛ mileee nii tsɔ ni miyɛ blɛoo hu, shi Yehowa le nɔ ni manyɛ matsu kɛ nɔ ni minyɛŋ matsu. Miida lɛ shi, akɛni ele akɛ miibɔ mihe mɔdɛŋ ni ekɛ mi miitsu nii lɛ hewɔ.

Misusuɔ akɛ ehe miihia waa akɛ wɔkɛ wɔnyɛmɔ fɛɛ asɔmɔ Yehowa, ejaakɛ lɛ ehewɔ wɔyɔɔ. Kɛ miyɛ nyɛmɔ lɛ kome too lɛ, masumɔ akɛ masɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔ. Eji hegbɛ kpele diɛŋtsɛ! Misɔlemɔ ji akɛ mafee mɔ ko ni Yehowa baanyɛ ekɛ lɛ atsu nii kɛya naanɔ.

[Shishigbɛ niŋmaa]

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 13]

Mikɛ miwu kɛ tsɔne nɛɛ tsu nii yɛ be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 14]

Mi kɛ mibihii lɛ yɛ 1941

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 15]

Mi kɛ Eddie kɛ Bobby nyɛsɛɛ nɛɛ nɔŋŋ