AFƆ mi yɛ akrowa bibioo ko ni yɔɔ Greece ni atsɛɔ lɛ Karítsa lɛ mli yɛ afi 1926. Mifɔlɔi kɛ nitsumɔ shwɛɛɛ kwraa, ni miji amɛbii kpaanyɔ lɛ ateŋ mɔ ni ji kpawo nɔ.

Yɛ afi 1925 lɛ, nyɛmi nuu ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ John Papparizos lɛ kɛ mifɔlɔi gba sane. John yɛ ekãa, ni esumɔɔ wiemɔ waa. Bɔ ni egbala Ŋmalɛi lɛ amli jogbaŋŋ lɛ ta mifɔlɔi lɛ atsuiŋ ni amɛbɔi Biblia Kaselɔi lɛ loo Yehowa Odasefoi lɛ akpeei yaa yɛ wɔkrowa lɛ. Mimami leee nikanemɔ kɛ niŋmaa, shi hemɔkɛyeli ni eyɔɔ yɛ Yehowa Nyɔŋmɔ mli lɛ mli wa waa, ni eshiɛ ehã mɛi be fɛɛ be ni ebaaná hegbɛ lɛ. Mɔbɔ sane ji akɛ, mipapa kɛ ejwɛŋmɔ ma mɛi afatɔi anɔ ni sɛɛ mli lɛ ekpa Kristofoi akpeei yaa.

Mi kɛ minyɛmimɛi lɛ yɔse akɛ Biblia lɛ ji Nyɔŋmɔ Wiemɔ, shi ŋɔɔmɔyeli kɛ nibii krokomɛi ni oblahii kɛ oblayei tiuɔ sɛɛ lɛ hewɔ lɛ, wɔtseee wɔhe wɔkaseee. Shi be ni Jeŋ Ta II lɛ je shishi yɛ Yuropa yɛ afi 1939 lɛ, nɔ ko ni tee nɔ yɛ wɔkrowa lɛ hɛle wɔ shi. Atsɛ wɔwekunyo ko ni shĩa bɛŋkɛ wɔ ni atsɛɔ lɛ Nicolas Psarras lɛ akɛ ebafata Greece asraafoi lɛ ahe. No mli lɛ, abaptisi Nicolas etsɛko, shi efee ekãa ni ekɛɛ asraafoi onukpai lɛ akɛ, “Minyɛŋ maya ta, ejaakɛ Kristo asraafonyo ji mi.” Amɔ lɛ ni ayaye esane. Abu lɛ fɔ ni ahã ele akɛ abaawo lɛ tsuŋ afii nyɔŋma. No mli lɛ eye afii 20. Wɔnaa kpɛ wɔhe waa!

Heniianaa lɛ, yɛ afi 1941 shishijee gbɛ lɛ, maji ni kɛ Germany wuɔ yɛ jeŋ ta lɛ mli lɛ ba Greece be kukuoo ko, ni aŋmɛɛ Nicolas he. Eku esɛɛ eba Karítsa, ni minyɛmi nuu nukpa Ilias bibii lɛ Biblia mli saji babaoo. Migbele mitoiiaŋ mibo amɛsanegbaa lɛ toi. Sanegbaa nɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, mi, Ilias, kɛ Efmorfia, ni ji wɔnyɛmimɛi yei lɛ ateŋ naagbee mɔ lɛ bɔi Biblia lɛ  kasemɔ kɛ asafoŋ kpeei yaa daa. Enɔ afi lɛ, wɔyi etɛ lɛ fɛɛ wɔjɔɔ wɔhe nɔ wɔhã Yehowa ni abaptisi wɔ. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, minyɛmimɛi ni eshwɛ lɛ ateŋ mɛi ejwɛ hu batsɔmɔ Odasefoi ni yɔɔ ekãa.

Yɛ afi 1942 lɛ, oblahii kɛ oblayei nɛɛhu yɔɔ Karítsa Asafo lɛ mli ni eye kɛjɛ afii 15 kɛmiimɔ 25. Wɔ fɛɛ wɔle akɛ wɔkɛ kai ni naa wala baakpe. No hewɔ lɛ, wɔkpe yɛ be kɛ beiaŋ koni wɔkase Biblia lɛ, wɔlá maŋtsɛyeli lalai, ni wɔsɔle, bɔ ni afee ni wɔnyɛ wɔkpee kai ni kamɔ wɔhiɛ lɛ anaa. Kpeei nɛɛ waje wɔ waa.

Be ni eshwɛ fioo ni Jeŋ Ta II lɛ baaba naagbee lɛ, mɛi komɛi te shi amɛwo Greece nɔyeli lɛ ni enɛ hã ta gbeyeigbeyei ko te shi yɛ maŋ lɛ mli. Mɛi ni miinɔ amɛmiihã mɛi ni teɔ shi amɛwoɔ nɔyeli lɛ bote akrowai amli ni amɛmɔmɔ mɛi akrana naa koni amɛbafata amɛhe. Be ni amɛshɛ wɔkrowa lɛ, amɛmɔ mi, Ilias, kɛ Antonio Tsoukaris, ni lɛ hu eji Odasefonyo lɛ. Wɔkpa amɛ fai akɛ amɛŋmɛɛ wɔhe, ejaakɛ Kristofoi ji wɔ ni wɔyaaa ta. Shi amɛbooo toi. Moŋ lɛ, amɛhã wɔnyiɛ aaafee ŋmɛlɛtswai 12 kɛjɛ wɔkrowa lɛ kɛtee Olympus Gɔŋ lɛ nɔ.

No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, amɛ onukpai lɛ ateŋ mɔ kome fã wɔ akɛ wɔyafata amɛsraafoi akuu ko he ni wɔyatutua mɛi komɛi. Shi wɔhã ele akɛ anɔkwa Kristofoi ji wɔ, ni no hewɔ lɛ wɔgbeee gbɔmɔ. Onukpa lɛ mli fu waa ni ekɛ wɔ tee amɛ onukpa fe fɛɛ lɛ ŋɔɔ. Wɔgbala nibii amli wɔtsɔɔ lɛ hu. Shi be ni wɔnaa nyɔ shi lɛ, ekɛɛ wɔ akɛ, “Belɛ, nyɛkɛ teji ayaa ni nyɛyaholea mɛi ni epila lɛ kɛya helatsamɔhe lɛ.”

Shi wɔto he akɛ: “Ni kɛji maŋ lɛ nɔyeli lɛ asraafoi lɛ mɔmɔ wɔ hu? Ani amɛkɛŋ akɛ wɔfata nyɛsraafoi lɛ ahe?” Nuu lɛ here nɔ akɛ: “Belɛ, nyɛkɛ blodo ayahãa asraafoi ni yɔɔ ta lɛ hiɛ lɛ.” Shi wɔkɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Ni kɛji onukpa ko na wɔ ni wɔhiɛ teji lɛ ni efã wɔ akɛ wɔkɛ tawuu nibii ayahã mɛi ni yɔɔ ta lɛ hiɛ hu?” Eta shi diŋŋ esusu nɔ ni wɔwie lɛ he be saŋŋ, kɛkɛ ni ekɛɛ wɔ akɛ: “Belɛ, toi nyɛbaanyɛ nyɛkwɛ! Nyɛhia gɔji lɛ anɔ ni nyɛlɛa toi lɛ.”

No hewɔ lɛ, be ni awuɔ ta lɛ, wɔyi etɛ lɛ wɔnu he akɛ wɔhenilee baaŋmɛ wɔ gbɛ ni wɔkwɛ toi lɛ. Afi sɛɛ lɛ, aŋmɛɛ Ilias he koni eya shĩa ni eyakwɛ wɔmami, ejaakɛ wɔpapa egbo ni lɛ ji bi nukpa. Hela bamɔ Antonio ni aŋmɛɛ lɛ hu ehe. Agbɛnɛ lɛ, ebashwɛ mi kome too.

Ebashɛ he ko ni agbɛnɛ lɛ, mɛi ni teɔ shi amɛwoɔ nɔyeli lɛ nyɛɛɛ ta lɛ dɔŋŋ. No hewɔ lɛ, kuu lɛ ni emɔ mi lɛ jo foi kɛtsɔ gɔji lɛ anɔ koni amɛya Albania, ni ji maji ni kɛ Greece jeɔ husu lɛ ateŋ ekome nɔ. Shi be ni eshwɛ fioo ni wɔbaashɛ Albania lɛ, Greece nɔyeli lɛ asraafoi lɛ bɔle wɔ trukaa. Asraafoi ni emɔ mi lɛ atsui fã. Amɛgbɛ amɛshwã, ni ebashwɛ mi kome. Mitee yɛ tso ko ni egbee shi lɛ sɛɛ, ni jɛmɛ sane ni migba yɛ shishijee lɛ tee nɔ yɛ.

Mikɛɛ nɔyeli lɛ asraafoi lɛ akɛ mɛi ni teɔ shi woɔ nɔyeli lɛ mɔ mi akrana naa. No hewɔ lɛ, amɛkɛ mi tee nsara ko ni bɛŋkɛ Véroia, ni ji maŋ ni atsɛɔ lɛ akɛ Beroia yɛ Biblia lɛ mli lɛ, koni amɛyakwɛ kɛji nɔ  ni miwieɔ lɛ yɛ mli. Be ni amɛkɛ mi tee lɛ, afã mi ni mitsa bui mihã asraafoi lɛ. Shi mihã amɛle akɛ minyɛŋ mafee nakai. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, asraafonyo nukpa lɛ fã ni akɛ mi aya ŋshɔkpɔ ko ni akɛfee tsuŋwoohe ni atsɛɔ lɛ Makrónisos (Makronisi) lɛ.

Makrónisos ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ yɛ Attica ŋshɔ lɛ naa ni ekɛ Athens teŋ jekɛmɔ baafee kilomitai 50. Ŋshɔkpɔ muu lɛ fɛɛ kɛlɛ ji kilomitai 13 pɛ, ni ehe ni mli jekɛ fe fɛɛ lɛ feɔ kilomitai enyɔ kɛ fã. Kɛ̃lɛ, kɛjɛ afi 1947 kɛyashi afi 1958 lɛ, awo mɛi 100,000 kɛ sɛɛ tsuŋ yɛ jɛmɛ. Mɛi ni teɔ shi amɛwoɔ nɔyeli lɛ, kɛ Yehowa Odasefoi anɔkwafoi babaoo fata mɛi ni awo amɛ tsuŋ yɛ ŋshɔkpɔ nɛɛ nɔ lɛ ahe.

Akɛ mi tee ŋshɔkpɔ nɛɛ nɔ yɛ afi 1949 shishijee gbɛ. No mli lɛ, ajara gboklɛfoi lɛ awo nsarai bibii pii amli. Akɛ mi kɛ hii ohai abɔ wo nsarai lɛ ateŋ ekome ni bulɔi bɛ jɛmɛ tsɔ lɛ mli. Wɔyi aaafee 40 wɔ buu ni afee ahã mɛi 10 lɛ mli. Nu ni ahã wɔ ni wɔnu lɛ esha, ni nɔ titri ni wɔyeɔ ji yɔɔ kɛ sɛbɛ henɔ ko. Kɔɔyɔɔ lɛ tswaa be fɛɛ be kɛ emli mulu, ni enɛ hã wɔnii fee mɔbɔ waa. Shi wɔkɔ lɛ nakai, ejaakɛ kɛhooo lɛ, ahãaa wɔtere tɛi agboiagboi kɛya kɛba kɛkɛ kɛyashi wɔmumɔ naa baatã, tamɔ bɔ ni afee gboklɛfoi babaoo lɛ.

Be ko lɛ, minyiɛ ŋshɔ lɛ naa ni mikɛ Odasefoi pii ni jɛ nsarai krokomɛi amli kpe. Wɔmii ko ni shɛ wɔhe! Wɔkpe yɛ be kɛ beiaŋ, shi wɔkwɛ jogbaŋŋ koni akamɔ wɔ. Kɛfata he lɛ, wɔtsɔ ŋaa gbɛ nɔ wɔshiɛ wɔhã gboklɛfoi krokomɛi, ni sɛɛ mli lɛ, amɛteŋ mɛi komɛi po batsɔmɔ Odasefoi. Nibii nɛɛ kɛ sɔlemɔ ji nɔ ni waje wɔ ni wɔtee nɔ wɔye Yehowa anɔkwa.

Nyɔji nyɔŋma sɛɛ lɛ, asraafoi lɛ kpɛ amɛyiŋ akɛ, agbɛnɛ lɛ, be eshɛ ni amɛbaawo mi asraafoi atade. Shi mikɛɛ amɛ akɛ miwooo. No hewɔ lɛ, amɛkɛ mi tee nsara lɛ nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ ŋɔɔ. Miŋma yɛ wolo ko nɔ akɛ, “Mɔ pɛ ni mitaoɔ matsu asraafoi anitsumɔ lɛ mahã ji Kristo,” kɛkɛ ni mikɛ wolo lɛ hã nuu lɛ. Be ni ekane nɔ ni miŋma lɛ, ewo mihe gbeyei ni ekɛ mi yahã Hela Ɔtodɔks Sɔlemɔ lɛ mli osɔfonukpa ko ni wo osɔfoi atade. Asomoaŋ, osɔfo nɛɛ ji mɔ ni kwɛɔ sɛɛ kɛ́ nsara lɛ nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ bɛ. Osɔfo lɛ bibii mi saji, ni mijɛ Ŋmalɛi lɛ amli mihã lɛ hetoo. Sane lɛ wo emli la waa, ni ebo ekɛɛ akɛ: “Nyɛkɛ lɛ ajea biɛ. Afite ejwɛŋmɔ!”

Enɔ jetsɛremɔ lɛ, asraafoi lɛ hã mi asraafoi atade shi kome ekoŋŋ akɛ miwo. Be ni mikɛɛ amɛ akɛ miwooo lɛ, amɛmamɔ mi atswɛrɛ ni amɛkɛ kpotii yi mi. Be ni amɛyi mi saŋŋ lɛ, amɛkɛ mi tee nsara lɛŋ helatsamɔhe lɛ koni amɛyakwɛ kɛji miwui lɛ eko eku lo. Kɛkɛ ni amɛkɛ mi ku sɛɛ kɛtee mibuu lɛ mli. Nɛkɛ amɛfee mi daa gbi aahu nyɔji enyɔ.

Amɛfee aahu shi mitsakeee mijwɛŋmɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, nɔ ni amɛfee ji, amɛfimɔ miniji amɛwo misɛɛ ni amɛkɛ kpãi yi minajiashi basabasa. Yii lɛ bote miwuiaŋ kɛshɛ mitsui he tɔ̃ɔ, shi mikai Yesu wiemɔi lɛ, akɛ: “Nyɛyɛ miishɛɛ, kɛ́ mɛi bɔ nyɛ ahora ni amɛwa nyɛ yi . . . Nyɛmii ashɛa nyɛhe ní nyɛmli afilia nyɛ, akɛni nyɛjuromɔnɔ lɛ fa babaoo yɛ ŋwɛi lɛ hewɔ, ejaakɛ nakai nɔŋŋ amɛwa gbalɔi ni tsɔ nyɛhiɛ lɛ ayi.” (Mat. 5:11, 12) Amɛyi mi aahu ni nɔ nyɔ minɔ.

Be ni mihiɛ tsirɛ mi lɛ, mina akɛ awo mi tsuŋ. He ni akɛ mi yawo lɛ ejɔ ŋanii, ni ahãaa mi niyenii, nu, loo kuntu ni maha. Shi yɛ shihilɛ nɛɛ mli po lɛ, mitsui efãaa. Tamɔ bɔ ni Biblia lɛ ewo shi lɛ, “Nyɔŋmɔ toiŋjɔlɛ” lɛ bu ‘mitsui kɛ mijwɛŋmɔ he.’ (Fil. 4:7) Enɔ jetsɛremɔ lɛ, asraafonyo ko ni mli jɔ lɛ hã mi blodo kɛ nu kɛ suwɛta. Asraafonyo kroko hu hã mi eniyenii. Enɛ kɛ nibii krokomɛi hã mina akɛ Yehowa mli hi ni ekwɛɔ etsuji.

Amralofoi lɛ bu mi akɛ atuatselɔ ko ni bɛ subaŋ kwraa. No hewɔ lɛ, akɛ mi tee Athens koni ayaye misane yɛ asraafoi asaneyelihe ko. Abu mi fɔ ni ahã mile akɛ abaawo mi tsuŋ afii etɛ yɛ tsuŋwoohe ko ni yɔɔ ŋshɔkpɔ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Yíaros (Gyaros) lɛ nɔ. Ŋshɔkpɔ nɛɛ kã Makrónisos bokã, ni ekɛ lɛ teŋ jekɛmɔ baafee kilomitai 50.

Yíaros tsuŋwoohe lɛ ji tsũ wulu ko ni akɛ ntayaa ema, ni awo mɛi fe 5,000 tsuŋ yɛ jɛmɛ yɛ maŋkwramɔŋ saji ahewɔ. Awo mi kɛ nyɛmimɛi ekpaa krokomɛi hu tsuŋ yɛ jɛmɛ yɛ wɔhe ni wɔkɛwooo maŋkwramɔŋ saji kɛ tawuu mli lɛ hewɔ. Eyɛ mli akɛ  akpɛlɛɛɛ kwraa ni gboklɛfoi lɛ kpeɔ moŋ, shi wɔkpe yɛ teemɔŋ ni wɔkase Biblia lɛ. Ajuɔ shi abahãa wɔ Buu-Mɔɔ lɛ be fɛɛ be, ni wɔkɛ wɔniji ŋmalaa eko wɔhãa wɔhe ni wɔkaseɔ.

Gbi ko lɛ, wɔmiifee kpee nɔŋŋ ni bulɔi lɛ eko bati wɔnɔ ni ehe wɔwoji lɛ kɛjɛ wɔdɛŋ. Atsɛ wɔ kɛtee tsuŋwoohe nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ sɛɛkwɛlɔ lɛ ŋɔɔ, ni wɔjwɛŋmɔ fɛɛ ji akɛ, ebaagbala wɔtoi. Shi yɛ nɔ najiaŋ ni nuu lɛ baagbala wɔtoi lɛ, ekɛɛ wɔ akɛ: “Wɔle mɛi ni nyɛji, ni wɔnuɔ nyɛ shishi. Wɔle akɛ nyɛfeŋ nɔ fɔŋ ko. Nyɛyatsua nii.” Etsake wɔteŋ mɛi komɛi anitsumɔ po ni ehã wɔ nitsumɔi ni tsumɔ waaa tsɔ. Wɔjɛ wɔtsuiŋ wɔda Yehowa shi waa. Yɛ tsuŋwoohe lɛ tete lɛ, bɔ ni wɔbaa wɔjeŋ wɔhãa akɛ Kristofoi lɛ hã ajie Yehowa yi.

Wɔshifimɔ lɛ wo yibii kpakpai krokomɛi hu. Nilelɔ kpanaa ko ni lɛ hu awo lɛ tsuŋ lɛ yɔse akɛ wɔbaa wɔjeŋ jogbaŋŋ, ni enɛ tsirɛ lɛ ni ebi wɔ wɔhemɔkɛyeli lɛ he sane. Aŋmɛɛ wɔ, ni ji Odasefoi lɛ, kɛ nuu nɛɛ fɛɛ he be kome too lɛ nɔŋŋ yɛ afi 1951 shishijee gbɛ. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, abaptisi lɛ ni ebatsɔ be fɛɛ sɔɔlɔ.

Be ni aŋmɛɛ wɔhe lɛ, miku misɛɛ kɛtee miwekumɛi lɛ aŋɔɔ yɛ Karítsa. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, mi kɛ mimaŋbii lɛ babaoo fã ni wɔyahi Melbourne yɛ Australia. Jɛmɛ mikɛ nyɛmi yoo ko ni bɔɔ mɔdɛŋ waa ni atsɛɔ lɛ Janette lɛ kpe yɛ ni wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli. Wɔfɔ bii ejwɛ, nuu kome kɛ yei etɛ, ni wɔkɛ Biblia lɛ tsɔse amɛ.

Amrɔ nɛɛ, miye afii 90 kɛ sɛɛ, shi mikã he miisɔmɔ kɛ ekãa akɛ asafoŋ onukpa. Awui ni aye mi afii komɛi ni eho lɛ hewɔ lɛ, bei komɛi lɛ mihewojiaŋ kɛ minaji waa mihe, titri lɛ kɛ́ mitee shiɛmɔ miba. Shi mitswa mifai shi akɛ maya nɔ masɔmɔ akɛ “Kristo Yesu asraafonyo.”—2 Tim. 2:3.