Etsɛɛɛ kwraa ni mibɔi ajemelekutu tuu kɛ dade womɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, migbele he ko ni awoɔ dade yɛ, yɛ San Leandro, ni yɔɔ California, yɛ U.S.A. lɛ, ni mɛi krokomɛi ni woɔ dade ni amɛteŋ mɔ ko po ná jweremɔ nɔ ni ji Mr. America lɛ baa jɛmɛ amɛbashiɔ dade. Eyɛ mli akɛ miná gbɔmɔtso ni efimɔ kpɔikpɔi moŋ, shi no hu hãaa mana miishɛɛ.

Minaanyo ko ni mikɛtsuɔ nii yɛ studio lɛ ni le akɛ miitao manu Biblia lɛ shishi lɛ jie mɔ ko ni ele yi ehã mi ni miyana lɛ. Enɔ jetsɛremɔ leebi lɛ, Yehowa Odasefoi lɛ ateŋ mɔ ko ba mishĩa lɛ. Wɔkɛ ŋmɛlɛtswai ejwɛ sɔŋŋ gba sane, ni ehã saji ni mibi lɛ lɛ fɛɛ hetoo kɛjɛ Biblia lɛ mli tɛ̃ɛ. Mikɛɛ lɛ ni eku esɛɛ eba miŋɔɔ nakai gbi lɛ gbɛkɛ lɛ nɔŋŋ, ni wɔkase Biblia lɛ aahu kɛyashi jenamɔ yi wa. Nɔ ni mikase lɛ hã miná miishɛɛ waa, ni mibi lɛ kɛji ebaanyɛ ekɛ mi aya shiɛmɔ enɔjetsɛremɔ koni mana bɔ ni eshiɛɔ ehãa. Bɔ ni egbeleɔ Biblia lɛ ni ehãa mɛi asaji ahetoo kɛjɛɔ mli lɛ hã minaa kpɛ mihe waa. No hewɔ lɛ, mikpɛ miyiŋ akɛ nɔ ni mafee lɛ nɛ!

No hewɔ lɛ, mihɔ̃ɔ minitsumɔ lɛ ni mikɛ gbɛgbalɔ nɛɛ bɔi shiɛmɔ yaa. Gbɛgbalɔ ji gbɛ́i ni akɛtsɛɔ Yehowa Odasefoi ni kɛ ŋmɛlɛtswai babaoo shiɛɔ lɛ. Yɛ May afi 1948 mli lɛ, abaptisi mi yɛ kpee ko ni afee yɛ Cow Palace Arena ni yɔɔ San Francisco yɛ California lɛ. Sɛɛ mli yɛ nakai afi lɛ mli lɛ, mibatsɔ gbɛgbalɔ.

No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, mikɛɛ Odasefoi lɛ ni amɛkɛ mimami ayakase Biblia lɛ. Ekpɛlɛ ni akɛlɛ kase nii, ni yɛ be fioo ko sɛɛ lɛ, ebatsɔ Yehowa Odasefonyo. Eyɛ mli akɛ eweku lɛ te shi ewo lɛ moŋ, shi etee nɔ eye Nyɔŋmɔ anɔkwa kɛyashi egbo yɛ afii komɛi asɛɛ. Wɔweku lɛ mli bii krokomɛi ni eshwɛ lɛ ateŋ mɔ ko ebatsɔɔɔ Odasefonyo.

Yɛ afi 1950 mli lɛ, mifã kɛyahi Grand Junction yɛ Colorado, jɛmɛ mikɛ Billie kpe yɛ. Afɔ lɛ yɛ afi 1928 mli, ni eda be ni shika he naagba wulu ni ale lɛ akɛ Great Depression lɛ ba lɛ mli. Minnie, ni ji emami lɛ sũɔ kane ní akɛ glasin woɔ mli daa gbɛkɛ, ni ekɛkaneɔ Biblia lɛ ehãa lɛ. Be ni Billie náa afii ejwɛ lɛ, no mli lɛ ele nikanemɔ ni enyɛɔ egbaa Biblia mli saji babaoo. Yɛ afi 1940 afii lɛ anaagbee gbɛ lɛ, emami kɛ Odasefoi lɛ kase Biblia lɛ, ni ená ele akɛ hɛl jeee he ko ni apiŋɔ mɛi yɛ la mli, shi moŋ eji adesai akwamaŋ gbonyobu. (Jajelɔ 9:5, 10) Minnie kɛ ewu fɛɛ batsɔmɔ Odasefoi.

Yɛ afi 1949 mli lɛ, Billie jɛ kɔleji ko ni yɔɔ Boston lɛ eba, ni ekɛ hiɛdɔɔ bɔi Biblia lɛ kasemɔ. Yɛ nɔ najiaŋ ni eeetsɔ skul tsɔɔlɔ lɛ, ekpɛ eyiŋ akɛ ekɛ ewala be  fɛɛ baasɔmɔ Nyɔŋmɔ. Abaptisi lɛ yɛ majimaji ateŋ kpee ni Yehowa Odasefoi fee yɛ Yankee Stadium ni yɔɔ New York lɛ yɛ afi 1950 lɛ mli. No sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, mikɛ Billie kpe ni wɔbote gbalashihilɛ mli ni wɔ fɛɛ wɔkɛ wɔhe wo be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli.

Wɔje shihilɛ shishi yɛ Eugene yɛ Oregon, ni wɔná nanemɛi babaoo, ni wɔkɛ amɛ miibɔ lolo. Yɛ afi 1953 mli lɛ, wɔfã kɛtee Grants Pass yɛ Oregon ni wɔyaye wɔbua asafo bibioo ko ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ. Sɛɛ mli yɛ nakai afi lɛ nɔŋŋ mli lɛ, afɔ̃ wɔ nine kɛtee Gilead Skul lɛ klas ni ji 23 lɛ, ni ji Odasefoi askul ni bɛŋkɛ South Lansing ni yɔɔ New York, aaafee kilomitai 400 yɛ New York City kooyi-anaigbɛ, ni akɛtsɔseɔ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi lɛ.

Yɛ December afi 1954 lɛ mli lɛ, be ni wɔgbe Gilead Skul lɛ naa nyɔji enumɔ sɛɛ lɛ, mikɛ Billie wó kɔɔyɔŋ lɛlɛ kɛtee Brazil. Ŋmɛlɛtswaa kome sɛɛ be ni wɔyɔɔ kɔɔyɔɔ lɛ mli lɛ, wɔ engine lɛ ekome fite, shi wɔyama shi shweshweeshwe yɛ Bermuda. Be ni wɔyaa lɛ, naagba kroko hu ba ni wɔyama Cuba, wɔye ŋmɛlɛtswai 36 dani wɔyashɛ Yehowa Odasefoi anitsumɔhe nine ni yɔɔ Rio de Janeiro, yɛ Brazil lɛ.

Be ni wɔhi shi fioo lɛ, mi kɛ Billie kɛ maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi krokomɛi shi kɛtee Bauru yɛ São Paulo, koni wɔyato maŋsɛɛ sɔɔlɔi ashĩa shishi yɛ jɛmɛ. Mɛi fe 50,000 yɛ maŋtiase lɛ mli, ni wɔji Odasefoi ni tee jɛmɛ klɛŋklɛŋ.

Wɔbɔi mɛi aŋɔɔ yaa yɛ amɛshĩai amli, shi Katolik osɔfo ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ te shi ewo wɔ. Enyiɛ wɔsɛɛ ni eekɛɛ shiabii lɛ akɛ amɛkabo wɔ toi. Kɛ̃lɛ, yɛ otsii fioo komɛi amli lɛ, weku ko kɛ emli bii babaoo ni wɔkɛ kaseɔ Biblia lɛ mɔ anɔkwale lɛ mli, ni sɛɛ mli lɛ abaptisi amɛ. Etsɛɛɛ ni mɛi krokomɛi hu kpɛlɛ ní akɛ amɛ akase Biblia lɛ.

Weku ni abaptisi amɛ lɛ yɛ wekunyo ko ni ji kuu ko ni ale waa lɛ sɛinɔtalɔ. Mito gbɛjianɔ koni mikɛ nibii ni kuu lɛ kɛfeɔ amɛkpee lɛ atsu nii kɛfee kpee. Be ni osɔfo ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ ma nɔ mi doo akɛ akahã wɔfee kpee lɛ, kuu lɛ sɛinɔtalɔ lɛ kɛ kuu lɛ mli bii lɛ kpe ni ekɛɛ amɛ akɛ: “Kɛ́ nyɛŋmɛɛɛ amɛ gbɛ ni amɛfee kpee lɛ, no lɛ mashi kuu lɛ mli!” Amɛkpɛlɛ ni wɔfee kpee lɛ.

Yɛ 1956 ni ji afi ni nyiɛ sɛɛ lɛ mli lɛ, afɔ̃ wɔ nine koni wɔya kpokpaa wulu nɔ kpee yɛ Santos ni yɔɔ São Paulo lɛ. Odasefoi aaashɛ 40 ni jɛ wɔsafo lɛ mli wo oketeke kɛtee kpee lɛ shishi. Be ni wɔku wɔsɛɛ kɛba Bauru lɛ, minine shɛ wolo ko nɔ ni aafɔ̃ mi nine ni miyasɔmɔ akɛ nɔkwɛlɔ gbɛfalɔ koni miyasara Yehowa Odasefoi asafoi lɛ. Enɛ ji nɔ ni kɛwɔ je gbɛfãa nitsumɔ ni wɔkɛ afii 25 tsu yɛ Brazil lɛ shishi, ni enɛ hã wɔkpa maŋ lɛ mli hei pii.

Nakai beaŋ lɛ, gbɛfãa jaraa waa. Wɔkpa maŋ lɛ mli fɛɛ; wɔkɛ bɔɔs, oketeke, okpɔŋɔ shwiili ni akɛholeɔ mɛi, okɔɔkpe, ni bei komɛi lɛ hu lɛ, wɔtswaa nantu kɛyaa hei. Klɛŋklɛŋ maŋtiasei ni wɔtee lɛ ateŋ ekome ji Jaú yɛ São Paulo. Osɔfo ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ te shi wo wɔ.

Ekɛɛ akɛ: “Nyɛnyɛŋ nyɛshiɛ nyɛhã ‘mitooi lɛ!’”

Wɔkɛɛ lɛ akɛ: “Jeee otooi ni, Nyɔŋmɔ tooi ni.”

Wɔto gbɛjianɔ ní wɔjie sini ko ní kɔɔ wɔjeŋ muu fɛɛ shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ he, ni yitso ji, The New World Society in Action, shi osɔfo lɛ bua mɛi anaa ní amɛte shi amɛwo wɔ. Oya nɔŋŋ ni wɔhã polisifoi lɛ le. Be ni osɔfo lɛ kɛ mɛi ni ebua amɛnaa ní amɛte shi amɛwo wɔ lɛ shɛ jɛmɛ lɛ, amɛbanina polisifoi pii yɛ he ni wɔfeɔ nii lɛ yɛ lɛ shinaa lɛ naa, ni amɛta amɛtui lɛ amɛmamɔ amɛhiɛ. Mɛi babaoo ni bakwɛ sini lɛ nya he waa.

 Nakai beaŋ lɛ, wɔkɛ shiteekɛwoo kɛ nyɛ ni osɔfoi lɛ nyɛɔ wɔ lɛ kpe yɛ he fɛɛ he kwraa ni wɔbaaya. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, yɛ Brusque ni bɛŋkɛ Blumenau ni yɔɔ Santa Catarina lɛ, wɔkɛ gbɛgbalɔi enyɔ ni kɛ shiteekɛwoo ni naa wa waa miikpe lɛ kpe yɛ jɛmɛ. Kɛ̃lɛ, akɛni amɛfi shi hewɔ lɛ, ajɔɔ amɛmɔdɛŋbɔi lɛ anɔ babaoo. Amrɔ nɛɛ, yɛ nɔ ni fe afii 50 sɛɛ lɛ, aná asafoi ni fe 60 ni miishwere waa yɛ nakai kpokpaa lɛ nɔ, kɛ Kpee Asa kome ni bɛŋkɛ Itajaí maŋtiase lɛ!

Wɔgbɛfaa nitsumɔ lɛ mli nɔ ko ni wɔnya he waa ji, bei ni wɔkɛ wɔnyɛmimɛi Odasefoi lɛ yeɔ kɛtoɔ kpeei wuji ahe gbɛjianɔ lɛ. Yɛ afi 1970 afii lɛ amli lɛ, miná hegbɛ kɛsɔmɔ akɛ kpee nɔkwɛlɔ yɛ kpee ko ni afee yɛ Morumbi Shwɛmɔhe wulu lɛ. Aŋmala woji ahã asafoi ni bɛŋkɛ lɛ koni amɛhã mɛi nyɔŋma nyɔŋma ni amɛbasaa he ni abaafee kpee lɛ yɛ lɛ gbɛkɛ dani aje kpee lɛ shishi enɔjetsɛremɔ.

Be ni bɔɔlutswalɔi lɛ shiɔ shwɛmɔhe lɛ nakai gbɛkɛ lɛ, anu ni amɛteŋ mɛi komɛi miiye nyɛmimɛi lɛ ahe fɛo akɛ, “Nyɛkwɛa yei bibii lɛ kɛ amɛbɔlɔi kɛ shikpɔŋ tsuumɔ nibii lɛ.” Kɛ̃lɛ, be ni kɛɛ eshɛɔ nyɔŋteŋ lɛ shwɛmɔhe lɛ fɛɛ etse keŋkeŋ! Mɔ ni kwɛɔ shwɛmɔhe lɛ nɔ lɛ kɛɛ akɛ, “Ebaahe mɛi ni saa biɛ nɛɛ otsi muu fɛɛ dani amɛbaanyɛ amɛtsu nɔ ni nyɛ, Odasefoi lɛ, nyɛkɛ ŋmɛlɛtswai fioo etsu nɛɛ!”

Yɛ afi 1980 mli lɛ, mipapa gbo, ni no sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ nɔŋŋ lɛ, wɔku wɔsɛɛ kɛtee United States koni wɔyakwɛ mimami yɛ Fremont ni yɔɔ California lɛ. Wɔná nitsumɔ ko, no ji wɔsaa tsui amli gbɛkɛ gbɛkɛ, ni wɔtee nɔ wɔtsu gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ ni wɔye wɔbua Portuguesebii ni yɔɔ wɔkutso lɛ mli lɛ. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, wɔfã kɛtee he ko ni bɛŋkɛ San Joaquin Valley. Jɛmɛ da ni wɔtaoɔ mɛi ni wieɔ Portuguese wiemɔ lɛ yɛ jɛmɛ, kɛjɛ Sacramento kɛyashi Bakersfield. Amrɔ nɛɛ, ayɛ Portuguese asafoi aaafee nyɔŋma yɛ California.

Be ni mimami gbo yɛ afi 1995 mli lɛ, wɔfã kɛtee Florida ni wɔyakwɛ Billie papa kɛyashi egbo. No mli lɛ, emami egbo momo yɛ afi 1975 lɛ mli. Yɛ afi 2000 lɛ mli lɛ, wɔfã kɛtee he ko ni shia ŋa yɔɔ waa, yɛ Colorado wuoyi-anaigbɛ ni wɔkɛ wɔbe fɛɛ shiɛ wɔhã Amerika Shikwɛ̃ɛbii ni yɔɔ Navajo kɛ Ute niiaŋ lɛ. Dɔlɛ sane ji akɛ, yɛ February afi 2014 lɛ mli lɛ, Billie gbo.

Miyɛ miishɛɛ waa akɛ nɔ ni fe afii 65 ni eho nɛ lɛ, mikɛ Yehowa Odasefonyo ko kpe ni ehã saji ni mibi lɛ lɛ fɛɛ hetoo kɛjɛ Biblia lɛ mli tɛ̃ɛ! Mimii eshɛ mihe hu waa akɛ mitao nibii ni etsɔɔ mi akɛ Biblia lɛ tsɔɔ diɛŋtsɛ lɛ amli, ni mikɛná nɔmimaa akɛ nɔ ni etsɔɔ mi lɛ yɛ mli nakai. Enɛ hã miná shihilɛ kpakpa yɛ Nyɔŋmɔ sɔɔmɔ mli.