Mitswa Mifai Shi ‘Mafi Shi Migbugbaaa’

Taakɛ Paul Smit jaje

OKWAAFOI ni ji blɔfomɛi ni yɔɔ Cape Province yɛ South Africa Iɛ ahe ejɔɔɔ amɛ kwraa yɛ 1830 afii lɛ amli. Akɛni amɛji Dutchbii hewɔ lɛ, eha Ŋleshi nɔyeli ni yɔɔ lɛ wo amɛmli la. Akpei abɔ fa gbɛ kɛtee kooyigbɛ yɛ jɛi niiaŋ he ni amɛleee jogbaŋŋ lɛ. Yɛ be mli ni amɛye naagbai pii anɔ kunim lɛ, amɛteŋ mɛi komɛi yahi Orange River lɛ kooyigbɛ ni yɛ sɛɛ mli lɛ abale nɛkɛ he nɛɛ akɛ Orange Free State. Mɛi krokomɛi hu fo Vaal River lɛ ni amɛyahi he ni atsɛɔ jɛi bianɛ akɛ Transvaal lɛ. Mɛi ni fata amɛhe ji miblemabii ni wieɔ Afrikaan ni yahi Transvaal Kooyigbɛ 1860 afii lɛ amli lɛ. Afɔ mi yɛ maŋ bibioo ko ni ji Nylstroom lɛ mli yɛ 1898.

Shihilɛ mli ni nakai maŋ bii lɛ yɔɔ mli yɛ no gbii lɛ amli lɛ bɛ mlɛo. Amɛgbɔbiɔ kooloi amɛyeɔ ni amɛhuɔ babaoo diɛŋtsɛ. Kɛkɛ ni ta ba yɛ afi 1899​—South Africa, aloo Boer Ta. Ŋleshibii lɛ to amɛyiŋ akɛ amɛbaaye Afrikaner Republics ni ji Orange Free State kɛ Transvaal nɔ. No hewɔ lɛ Ŋleshibii kɛ Boerbii (“okwaafoi”) yɛ Afrikaan wiemɔ mli wu ta kɛ mlijoomɔ koni ana mɔ ni baaye kunim. Yɛ enɛ feemɔ mli lɛ, atsi wɔweku lɛ naa yɛ gboklɛfoi aŋsra ko mli.

Beni ta Iɛ ba naagbee lɛ, wɔku sɛɛ wɔtee wɔ akrowa lɛ kɛ ŋmɔ lɛ mli ni wɔyana akɛ afite wɔ nɔ fɛɛ nɔ. Gbɔmɛi ena nɔ babaoo diɛŋtsɛ. Hii lɛ ateŋ mɛi pii egboi yɛ tawuu lɛ mli, ni yei kɛ gbekɛbii pii hu gboi yɛ gboklɛfoi aŋsara lɛŋ. Maŋ lɛ bɛ shika kwraa dɔŋŋ ni nakai hu wɔji. Shi nɔyeli lɛ niyenii ko ni ji ŋmaa ni akɛduro wɔ lɛ ha wɔje mli, ni wɔfɔlɔi lɛ tsu nii waa yɛ ŋmɔ lɛ mli, amɛdu aduawai kɛ nibii sɔrɔtoi babaoo.

Anɔkwale Lɛ Tee “Laasuo Gbele” Loo Ahum Ko Shi

Kɛkɛ ni be ni mikaiɔ ni ji 1915 bashɛ. Ákɛ skul gbekɛ ni miye afii 16 lɛ, minine shɛ wolo bibioo ko ni egbɛi ji What Say the Scriptures About Hell? (Mɛni Ŋmalɛi lɛ Kɛɔ yɛ Hɛl He?) lɛ ni Yehowa Odasefoi kalaa yɛ nakai be lɛ mli lɛ nɔ. Minaanyo skulnyo ko, Abraham Stroh kɛ mi fɛɛ kane ni wɔkpɛlɛ nɔ akɛ anɔkwale lɛ nɛ. Wɔna miishɛɛ waa beni wɔkane ni wɔle akɛ Nyɔŋmɔ efeee gbɔmɛi niseniianii kɛyaaa naanɔ; gbohii lɛ leee nɔ ko nɔ ko, amɛwɔ yɛ gbele mli, amɛmiimɛ Yesu shiwoo ni kɔɔ gbohiiashitee he lɛ. (Jajelɔ 9:​5, 10; Ezekiel 18:4; Yohane 5:​28, 29) Wɔkɛ miishɛɛ wo nitsumɔ nɛɛ mli. Maŋ lɛ bafee hoo tamɔ ahum loo laasuo gbele ko miitswa waa yɛ Nylstroom, yɛ be mli ni wɔ skulbii enyɔ nɛɛ ha ale yɛ faŋŋ mli ni gbeyeishemɔ bɛ mli akɛ Dutch Reformed Church jamɔ lɛ tsɔɔmɔi lɛ apasa ni lɛ. Enɛ hao osɔfoi lɛ waa ni eha amɛjɛ amɛshiɛmɔ adekai amli amɛwie amɛshi nɛkɛ “jamɔ hee” nɛɛ.

Nɔ ni jɛ mli ba ji akɛ, wɔnanemɛi lɛ hereee mi kɛ Abraham kɛbaaa amɛshiai dɔŋŋ. Mitsɛ po wo mihe gbeyei akɛ ebaashwie mi kɛjɛ shia. Shi minyɛ, yoo heshibalɔ tamɔ gwantɛŋ lɛ ewieee wiemɔ ko ni esaaa eshiii mi. Yɛ be ni sa mli lɛ, mitsɛ ni ji nuumo ni yɔɔ bulɛ waa kɛha Biblia lɛ bayoo nɛkɛ “jamɔ hee” nɛɛ ni amɛkɛ mlihilɛ here Odasefoi kɛba wɔshia ekoŋŋ. Yɛ nakai shishijee gbii lɛ amli lɛ no mli Iɛ wɔleee Asafo lɛ he nɔ ko kwraa. Wɔkɛ wɔhe fɔɔ Yehowa pɛ nɔ. Yɛ sɛɛ mli lɛ colporteurs (gbɛgbalɔi) lɛ basara wɔ ni amɛha wɔbale Asafo lɛ kɛ he ni nitsumɔ he nine lɛ yɔɔ, aaafee shitooi 1,000 yɛ Cape Town. Enɛ ha abaptisi mi yɛ 1918.

Yɛ no sɛɛ afii enyɔ lɛ, mitee kpee yɛ Pretoria. No mli lɛ nyɛmimɛi hii kɛ yei 23 yɔɔ asafo lɛ mli, kɛ Nyɛminuu Aneketill, ni ji Asafo lɛ najiaŋdɔmɔlɔ lɛ ni kwɛɔ nitsumɔ lɛ nɔ Iɛ. Kwɛ miishɛɛ ni mina beni mikɛ minanemɛi heyelilɔi lɛ yakpe; eyɛ mli akɛ wɔyi faaa moŋ. Wiemɔi ahe gbɛjianɔtoo lɛ damɔ tsɔɔmɔi ahe saji kɛ “odaseyelii” aloo niiashikpamɔi anɔ titri, shi ewo mi hewalɛ bɔ ni manyɛ mafi shi shiŋŋ. No mli lɛ ehe miihia mi hu.

Nijiaŋwujee​—Kɛkɛ Lɛ Jɔɔmɔi

Nɔ ko ni hoso mihemɔkɛyeli waa yɛ shihilɛ mli ji beni minaanyo waa, Abraham, ni gbe skul naa ni yɛ no sɛɛ lɛ nitsumɔ he ni kwɛɔ skul nɔ lɛ ŋɔ lɛ akɛ ebatsu nii eha amɛ ni amɛwo ehe gbeyei akɛ kɛji akɛ ekpaaa ejamɔ lɛ amɛbaashwie lɛ yɛ nitsumɔ mli lɛ. Eshi anɔkwale lɛ, ni ekɛ ehe yabɔ Dutch Reformed Church jamɔ lɛ he. Ebashwɛ mikome, gbekɛ ni kpaako mibale anɔkwale lɛ yɛ Northern Transvaal fɛɛ. Miye awerɛho waa diɛŋtsɛ yɛ minaanyo nɛɛ ni eje midɛŋ lɛ hewɔ, shi misɔle waa miha Yehowa ni mikpaaa koni ewaje mi ‘koni mikagbugbaa shi moŋ miteke nɔ yɛ Nuŋtsɔ lɛ nitsumɔ lɛ mli daa.’​—1 Korintobii 15:⁠58.

Kɛkɛ ni 1920 afii lɛ baje shishi. Ajɔɔ mɔdɛŋ ni mitee nɔ mibɔ akɛ mahi shi yɛ anɔkwale lɛ naa bɔ ni manyɛ lɛ nɔ. Mitee nɔ mina “toi krokomɛi” yɛ akutsoŋ he ni miyɔɔ lɛ. Okwaafonyo ko binuu kpɛlɛ Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he sanekpakpa lɛ nɔ, ni akɛ lɛ to minaanyo ni milaaje lɛ najiaŋ. Nɛkɛ nyɛminuu nɛɛ, Hannes Grobler, hi shi anɔkwafo kɛyashi egbele be mli. Agbɛnɛ mikɛ weku ko, Vorsters, ni emlibii shɛɔ kpawo lɛ je nikasemɔ shishi yɛ wolo, The Harp of Goda lɛ mli.

Daa Hɔɔ lɛ, mikɛ miishɛɛ nyiɛɔ shitooi ejwɛ kɛtsɔɔ akrowai amli kɛyafeɔ Biblia mli nikasemɔ lɛ. Efɔlɔi batsɔmɔ Odasefoi ni abaptisi amɛ, ni amɛhi shi nakai kɛyashi amɛgbele mli.

Afi 1924 mli ni Nyɛminuu George Philips, ni eba South Africa agbɛnɛ, koni ebasɔmɔ yɛ nitsumɔ he nine lɛ ni yɔɔ Cape Town lɛ basara Nylstroom​—miishɛɛ be kɛha mi nɛ. Enɛ je naanyobɔɔ ni bɛŋkɛ kpaakpa ko kɛ ekomefeemɔ yɛ teokrase nitsumɔ ni baahi shi aahu kɛyashi eshikpɔŋ nɔ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ naagbee yɛ mikɛ lɛ teŋ yɛ 1982 mli lɛ shishi.

Maŋ bibioo lɛ mlibii lɛ ateŋ mɛi pii banya anɔkwale lɛ he, ni etsɛɛɛ ni wɔbana nyɛmimɛi hii kɛ yei ni shɛɔ 13​—klɛŋklɛŋ Odasefoi akuu yɛ Pretoria kooyigbɛ. Etsɛɛɛ ni Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he sane lɛ gbɛ shwã Northern Transvaal niiaŋ fɛɛ.

Naagbai Kɛ Shweremɔ Yɛ Pretoria

Shi yɛ nakai afi lɛ nɔŋŋ mli lɛ, shikatoo he ni mitsuɔ nii haa amɛ lɛ fa mi kɛtee Pretoria, he ni Biblia Kaselɔi (Yehowa Odasefoi) akuu ko ni mɛi kpaanyɔ yɔɔ mli lɛ yɔɔ. Shi amɛteŋ mɔ kome pɛ ji mɔ ni ehiɛ sɔɔ teokrase lɛ he saji, ni beni mishɛ lɛ etsɛɛɛ ni egbo. Mɛi ni eshwɛ lɛ​—amɛteŋ mɛi komɛi ni le woloŋ lɛ​—ahiɛ esɔɔɔ Asafo lɛ gbɛjianɔtoo akɛ ato asafoi ni amɛkɛ amɛhe awo sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli lɛ, ni amɛteŋ mɛi enyɔ shi wɔ.

Beni enɛ yaa nɔ lɛ, kuu lɛ “onukpa” lɛ miiŋma lɛ diɛŋtsɛ ewolo ko kɛ lɛ diɛŋtsɛ eshishitsɔɔmɔ ni kɔɔ Ŋmalɛi lɛ ahe eyɛ mli akɛ Asafo lɛ ekpɛlɛɛɛ nɔ akɛ efee nakai. Mi diɛŋtsɛ hu miwie mitsɔɔ Iɛ koni ekpa nɔ ni efeɔ lɛ. Naagbee lɛ bashɛ, Hɔgbaa leebi ko. Akala ewolo lɛ, ekɛ ekomɛi baha kuu lɛ ni ekɛɛ amɛ akɛ amɛja. Minaa kpɛ mihe naakpa. Mite shi midamɔ shi ni miwie mishi nɔ ni ebiɔ ni afee lɛ. Nɔ ni jɛ mli ba ji akɛ “onukpa” lɛ kɛ mɛi ejwɛ loo enumɔ ko shi asafo lɛ. Ebashwɛ nyɛmiyoo onukpa ko ni ji obubuafo kɛ mi kɛ miŋa. Shi wɔtswa wɔfai shi akɛ ‘wɔbaafi shi ni wɔgbugbaŋ’ ni wɔkɛ anɔkwayeli afi Asafo lɛ sɛɛ. Kɛjɛ nakai be lɛ mli kɛyaa lɛ, fiofio lɛ, Yehowa kɛ shweremɔ lɛ ba.​—1 Korintobii 3:6; 15:⁠58.

Yɛ be ni sa mli lɛ, Yehowa kɛ nitsulɔi babaoo ha Pretoria Asafo lɛ mli. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔ nɔ lɛ, yɛ afi 1931 mli lɛ, nyɛmimɛi enyɔ ni ji mɛidiji ba wɔ Asafo Woloŋ Nikasemɔ kuu lɛ shishi ni amɛjie amɛhe kpo amɛtsɔɔ wɔ. Yɛ no sɛɛ, afii komɛi asɛɛ lɛ, ebafee gbɛnaanii ni ka minɔ akɛ misɔmɔ blɔfomɛi kɛ mɛidiji fɛɛ​—hegbɛ ni ekaaa yɛ South Africa. Bɔni afee ni maye mabua wɔnyɛmimɛi ni ji Mɛidiji lɛ, mito Asafo Woloŋ Nikasemɔ shishi yɛ maŋ ni amɛjɛ mli lɛ mli, aloo he ni yɔɔ banee ni ji mɛidiji ashihilɛ he. Mikɛ Nyɛminuu Rutherford maŋshiɛmɔ wiemɔ ni akɛwo gramofon plɛtei anɔ lɛ tsu nii yɛ maŋ lɛ mli. Kɛfata enɛ he lɛ, Nyɛminuu Hamilton Kaphwitti Maseko, ni eji mɔdiŋ lɛ yeɔ buaa mi daa Hɔgbaa gbɛkɛ ni wɔtswaa nɛkɛ maŋshiɛmɔ nɛɛ kɛtsɔɔ tsɔne ko ni awieɔ awoɔ mli lɛ nɔ yɛ Church Square, ni ji Pretoria maŋ lɛ teŋ diɛŋtsɛ.

Akɛni Yehowa eha yifalɛ lɛ miinya nɔ hewɔ lɛ, ato Mɛidiji Asafo ko shishi. Misɔmɔ akɛ maŋtiase lɛ nɔkwɛlɔ afii pii, ni mina hegbɛ mito kpeei krɛdɛɛi nɛɛ ahe gbɛjianɔ. Nitsumɔ lɛ je shishi fiofio yɛ Mɛidiji lɛ ateŋ yɛ Pretoria, ni emli lɛɛ kɛyashɛ be mli ni asafoi lɛ ayifalɛ bashɛ 16 yɛ 1984.

Agu Nitsumɔ Lɛ Yɛ Ta Be Mli

Jeŋ Ta II ni je shishi yɛ September 1939 lɛ kɛ piŋmɔ ba maji pii anɔ. South Africa hu fata he. Shi kɛlɛ, yɛ sane ni ba ni hoso jeŋ fɛɛ nɛɛ hewɔ lɛ, eha South Africa bii hɛle shi kɛjɛ amɛwɔdɔiwɔɔ lɛ mli, ni amɛgbala amɛjwɛŋmɔ kɛba Biblia mli gbalɛi anɔ. Nɔ ni jɛ mli ba ji akɛ, Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he nitsumɔ lɛ tee hiɛ oyayaayai ni shiɛlɔi lɛ ayifalɛ lɛ tee hiɛ oha fɛɛ mli 50 akɛ nɔyaa yɛ 1941 sɔɔmɔ afi lɛ mli. Enɛ tee sɔlemɔi lɛ amlifu shi, titri lɛ Katolek Sɔlemɔ lɛ, ni amɛfɔlɔ Asafo lɛ naa akɛ eji oshara kɛha Maŋ lɛ. Kɛkɛ ni nɔyeli lɛ gu woji lɛ.

No mli ni miŋa Anna kɛ mi kɛ mibii enyɔ, Paulo kɛ Anelise, yasara Nylstroom, ni eba akɛ esa akɛ maha maŋshiɛmɔ yɛ jɛmɛ. Miŋɔ hegbɛ lɛ ni mitsɔɔ nyɛmimɛi lɛ gbɛ ni amɛaatsɔ nɔ ni amɛkɛ woji tɛtrɛbii lɛ atsu nii yɛ gbɛjegbɛi anɔ. Mihala he ko yɛ Maŋ Saneyeli Tsu lɛ sɛɛ. Etsɛɛɛ ni Police Sergeant ko kɛɛ mi akɛ mla eŋmɛɛɛ nitsumɔ ni mitsuɔ lɛ gbɛ no hewɔ lɛ miya charge ɔfis lɛ, ni mikɛ mihe ayatsɔɔ yɛ jɛmɛ amrɔ nɔŋŋ. Shi, akɛni wɔkpɛ wɔyiŋ akɛ wɔkɛ ŋmlɛtswaa kome baatsu nii hewɔ lɛ, mifooo edaaŋ ni mitee nɔ mitsu nii. Kɛkɛ ni Polisinyo ko ba ni ebakɛɛ mi akɛ Polisi Onukpa lɛ miimɛ mi. No hu miyaaa. Polisinyo kroko kɛ shɛɛ sane ni tamɔ nakai nɔŋŋ ba ni lɛ hu mifooo edaaŋ. Wɔgbe wɔ ŋmlɛtswaa kome nitsumɔ lɛ naa kɛ omanyeyeli babaoo. Kɛkɛ ni mikɛ miweku lɛ shi ni wɔtee bar ko mli koni wɔyanu tea yɛ jɛmɛ.

Beni yɛ sɛɛ mli lɛ mitee charge ɔfis lɛ, abi mi akɛ mɛni eba woji ni mihiɛ lɛ nɔ. Mitsɔɔ mli akɛ mikɛha maŋbii lɛ. Yɛ sɛɛ mli lɛ polisifoi lɛ bana mifɔlɔi yɛ amɛŋmɔ lɛ mli, he ni wɔyɔɔ lɛ. Amɛloo woji tɛtrɛbii ni amɛna lɛ fɛɛ kɛtee.

Beni wɔkɛ nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ maŋ lɛ mli lɛ esusu he lɛ, wɔto wɔyiŋ akɛ wɔfeŋ dioo yɛ nɛkɛ sane nɛɛ he. No hewɔ lɛ enɔ otsi sɛɛ pɛ kɛkɛ ni wɔbua wɔhe naa aaafee nyɛmimɛi 30 ni wɔbɔi nitsumɔ yɛ Nylstroom gbɛjegbɛi anɔ, ni otsi ni nyiɛ sɛɛ lɛ hu wɔtee Warmbad, shitooi 18 yɛ wuoyigbɛ. Efee wɔ naakpɛɛ akɛ mɔ ko ekɛɛɛ wɔ akɛ wɔkpa nitsumɔ Iɛ. Yɛ sɛɛ mli Iɛ, beni wɔbɔ he mɔdɛŋ saŋŋ lɛ, akɛ woji ni nɔyeli lɛ etsiko no naa lɛ fɛɛ ha wɔ.

‘Shifimɔ Ni Migbugbaaa’ Yɛ Gbɔlɛ Fɛɛ Sɛɛ

Miŋa Anna fi misɛɛ yɛ anɔkwayeli mli aahu kɛyashi egbo yɛ 1949. Kɛjɛ 1954 ni miku sɛɛ mibote gbalashihilɛ mli lɛ sɛɛ kɛbaa nɛɛ, miŋa Maud etee nɔ efi misɛɛ yɛ anɔkwayeli mli. Kɛjɛ amɛ gbɛkɛbiiashi tɔŋŋ ni wɔbii enyɔ, Paul kɛ Anelise fataa mihe kɛyaa Maŋtsɛyeli sɔɔmɔ lɛ eko fɛɛ eko mli. Amɛyi enyɔ lɛ fɛɛ bafee gbɛgbalɔi beni amɛshi shia. Anelise kɛ ewu, Jannie Muller yɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli lolo. Paul shi anɔkwale lɛ yɛ sɛɛ mli ni eyadi universiti nikasemɔ sɛɛ, shi eku sɛɛ ekɛ ehe ebabɔ Asafo lɛ he ekoŋŋ yɛ nyɛsɛɛ afii nɛɛ amli. Minabii enumɔ lɛ fɛɛ batsɔmɔ Yehowa Odasefoi; amɛyi enyɔ, kɛ amɛgbalashihilɛ mli hefatalɔi miisɔmɔ akɛ be fɛɛ sɔɔlɔi. Masumɔ ni majie yi waa maha fɔlɔi akɛ, amɛbɛŋkɛ amɛbii ahe kpaakpa, ni amɛje gbɛ amɛkɛ nifeemɔ kɛ wiemɔ atsɔse amɛ ni amɛsumɔ Yehowa ni amɛsɔmɔ lɛ kɛ amɛsusuma muu lɛ fɛɛ.​—5 Mose 6:​6, 7.

Mikɛ afii 69 ewo teokrase sɔɔmɔ mli, ni mihiŋmɛi ena shweremɔ diɛŋtsɛ kɛ miishɛɛ. Yɛ afi 1931 mli lɛ, no mli lɛ Maŋtsɛyeli jajelɔi enumɔ pɛ yɔɔ Pretoria. Amrɔ nɛɛ, 1,500 hɔlɔ asafoi 26 mli. Enɛ he yijiemɔ kɛ woo fɛɛ yaa Yehowa ŋɔɔ. Amrɔ nɛɛ miye afii 86, ni akɛni migbɔmɔtso ŋmɛɔ mi gbɛ hewɔ lɛ, mikɛ mihe woɔ shia kɛ shia odaseyeli nitsumɔ lɛ mli, ni mikɛ Buu-Mɔɔ lɛ kɛ Awake! woji tɛtrɛbii lɛ haa yɛ gbɛjegbɛi anɔ. Maud kɛ mi fɛɛ etswa wɔfai shi akɛ ‘wɔbaafi shi shiŋŋ ni wɔgbugbaŋ’ ni wɔye Yehowa anɔkwale ni wɔjɔɔ egbɛ́i lɛ kɛya naanɔi anaanɔ.

[Shishigbɛ niŋmaa]