Mihere Nɔ Yɛ Nikpamɔ Be Mli

TAAKƐ WINIFRED REMMIE GBA LƐ

“NIKPAMƆ lɛ fa moŋ, shi nitsulɔi lɛ faaa.” Nɛkɛ wiemɔi ni wɔ Nuŋtsɔ Yesu wie nɛɛ jɛ henumɔ ni mli wa ni eyɔɔ kɛha gbɔmɛi ni etɔ amɛ ni amɛfee yuuyaa tamɔ tooi ni bɛ kwɛlɔ lɛ mli. Mi hu mina nɛkɛ henumɔ nɛɛ nɔŋŋ eko, ni afii 40 ni eho lɛ mli fɛɛ lɛ, mibɔ mɔdɛŋ aahu akɛ mahere Nuŋtsɔ lɛ tsɛmɔ ni etsɛɔ mɛi ni amɛbatsu nikpamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ nɔ.​—Mateo 9:​36, 37.

Afɔ mi yɛ Afrika Anaigbɛ, yɛ weku ko ni gbekɛbii kpawo yɔɔ mli, fɛɛ yei sɔŋŋ. Wɔfɔlɔi ahe jɔ waa, shi kɛlɛ amɛyɛ shiŋŋ; amɛsumɔɔ Nyɔŋmɔ jamɔ hu waa. Nɔ ko kwraa bɛ ni wɔkɛtoɔ sɔlemɔ kɛ Hɔgbaa skulyaa najiaŋ. Shi enɛ jeee naagba ko kwraa kɛha mi, ejaakɛ misumɔɔ mumɔŋ nibii waa momo. Yɛ anɔkwale mli lɛ, beni miye afii 12 lɛ, ahala mi akɛ mikwɛ Hɔgbaa Skul nikasemɔ lɛ nɔ.

Gbalashihilɛ kɛ Hiɛtserɛjiemɔ

Afi 1941 mli, beni miye afii 23 lɛ, mikɛ Lichfield Remmie, ni ji shika he woji anɔkwɛlɔ yɛ nɔyeli lɛ nitsumɔ he lɛ bote gbalashihilɛ mli. Yɛ heloo gbɛfaŋ lɛ, wɔyɛ nii bɔ ni sa, shi bɔ ni wɔsumɔɔ gbɛfaa kɛha hiɛtserɛjiemɔ kɛ bɔ ni wɔtaoɔ ni wɔbua heloonaa nii babaoo naa lɛ kɛ wɔ yaje Liberia yɛ 1944 mli. Tsakemɔ ni ba yɛ miwu shihilɛ mli, kɛ naagbee lɛ, yɛ mi diɛŋtsɛ hu migbɛfaŋ lɛ ba yɛ 1950 mli beni wɔkɛ Hoyle Ervin, ni ji Yehowa Odasefoi amaŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛlɔ lɛ kpe lɛ. Yɛ otsii etɛ ni miwu kɛkase nii lɛ sɛɛ nɔŋŋ pɛ kɛkɛ ni ekɛ ehe wo shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli.

Beni miwu kpa sɔlemɔ yaa lɛ, egba minaa waa diɛŋtsɛ. Esa kadimɔ jogbaŋŋ akɛ, eji Protestantnyo ni etuu ehe fɛɛ eha, ni ehiɔ ŋmaa yɛ Ŋmaahilɛ Be lɛ mli po. Gbi klɛŋklɛŋ ni mina lɛ ni eeya shiɛmɔ, ni ehiɛ baagi yɛ edɛŋ lɛ, mimli fu waa. Ni mibi lɛ akɛ: “Mɛni kwraa feɔ bo? Bo gbɔmɔ wulu tamɔ nɛkɛ, ni ooya oyafata nɛkɛ gbɔmɛi kwashiai nɛɛ ahe kɛyashiɛ!” Shi efee dioo ni eŋmɛ etsui shi waa yɛ nɛkɛ mlifu be nɛɛ mli.

Enɔ jetsɛremɔ lɛ, Nyɛminuu Ervin ba wɔshia lɛ ni ekɛ Lichfield abakase nii. Taakɛ mifeɔ daa lɛ, miyata sɛɛ flɛŋŋ beni amɛkaseɔ nii lɛ. Ekolɛ enɛ hewɔ ni Nyɛminuu Ervin bi mi kɛji mileee wolo mli lo lɛ. Mɛni ewieɔ nɛɛ? Mi, mileee woloŋ? Mɛɛ jɛmɔ wiemɔ nɛ! Matsɔɔ lɛ bɔ ni mikase nii jogbaŋŋ miha! Makpa nɛkɛ apasa jamɔ nɛɛ he mama!

Anɔkwale lɛ Nɔkpɛlɛmɔ

Yɛ enɛ sɛɛ be fioo mli lɛ, mina Ha Nyɔŋmɔ Afee Anɔkwafo wolo lɛ eko ka wɔ asa nɔ okpɔlɔ lɛ nɔ. Mijwɛŋ he akɛ, ‘Mɛɛ hefɛoyeli wiemɔ nɛ. Bɛ Nyɔŋmɔ wieɔ anɔkwale be fɛɛ be, aloo efeee nakai?’ Beni mikwɛɔ wolo lɛ mli lɛ, mina nɔ kroko hu ni baaha mawie mashi wolo lɛ waa. Etsɔɔ akɛ gbɔmɔ bɛ susuma, shi moŋ lɛ ji susuma lɛ! Ni susumai ji gbeei kɛ alɔŋtei po! Enɛ wo mimlila waa. Eha misusu akɛ, ‘Mɛɛ kwashiai atsɔɔmɔ po nɛ!’

Beni miwu ba shia lɛ, mikɛ mlifu yatutua lɛ. “Nɛkɛ shishiulɔi nɛɛ miikɛɛ akɛ gbɔmɔ bɛ susuma. Amale gbalɔi ji amɛ!” Miwu kɛ mi beee yɛ enɛ he; shi moŋ, ekɛ naajɔlɛ jie mi naa akɛ: “Winnie, nɔ fɛɛ nɔ yɛ Biblia lɛ mli.” Sɛɛ mli, beni Nyɛminuu Ervin kɛ tsuishitoo tsɔɔ mi kɛjɛ Biblia lɛ mli akɛ susumai ji wɔ, ni wɔsusumai lɛ gboiɔ lɛ, minaa kpɛ mihe waa. (Ezekiel 18:⁠4) Nɔ ni mihiɛ sɔ waa diɛŋtsɛ ji ŋmalɛ ni yɔɔ 1 Mose 2:​7, he ni kɛɔ akɛ: “Ni gbɔmɔ lɛ [Adam] tsɔ wala susuma” lɛ.

Kwɛ bɔ ni misusumɔ lɛ ejaaa ha! Minu he akɛ osɔfo lɛ eshishiu mi, ni no hewɔ lɛ miyaaa sɔlemɔ lɛ dɔŋŋ. Yɛ no najiaŋ lɛ, mibɔi Kristofoi akpeei ni Yehowa Odasefoi feɔ lɛ yaa. Kwɛ bɔ ni mihiɛ sɔ waa ha beni mina suɔmɔ ni yɔɔ amɛteŋ lɛ! Enɛ moŋ ji anɔkwa jamɔ lɛ.

Ŋmaakpamɔ yɛ Cape Palmas

No sɛɛ aaafee nyɔji etɛ lɛ, miwu na hegbɛ ko ni ebaanyɛ ekɛju shika wulu ko waa kɛjɛ amɛnitsumɔ he lɛ​—shi efeee nakai. Kɛkɛ ni enanemɛi lɛ bɔ lɛ ahora akɛ: “Remmie, onaŋ shika kɔkɔɔkɔ ni obaagbo.”

Shi, yɛ enɔkwayeli lɛ hewɔ lɛ, awo enɔ yɛ nitsumɔ lɛ mli ni akɛ lɛ tee Cape Palmas koni eyagbele ɔfis hee yɛ jɛmɛ. Wɔkɛ ekaa shiɛ waa, ni yɛ nyɔji enyɔ pɛ mli lɛ, wɔna kuu bibioo ko ni yɔɔ Biblia lɛ mli sane lɛ he miishɛɛ waa. Yɛ sɛɛ mli, beni Lichfield fa gbɛ kɛtee maŋtiase, ni ji Monrovia koni eyatao nibii ni he hiaa kɛha ɔfis hee lɛ, ni abaptisi lɛ. Ebi hu ni Asafo lɛ aye abua lɛ koni ekɛtsu mɛi ni yɔɔ Cape Palmas, ni yɔɔ anɔkwale lɛ he miishɛɛ lɛ ahe nii.

Asafo lɛ tsu he nii, ni eha Nyɛminuu kɛ Nyɛmiyoo Faust ba Cape Palmas. Nyɛmiyoo Faust ye ebua mi waa diɛŋtsɛ, ni yɛ December 1951 mli lɛ, mifee mihenɔjɔɔmɔ kɛha Yehowa lɛ he okadi kɛtsɔ baptisimɔ nɔ. Amrɔ nɛɛ, mitswa mifai shi akɛ ‘mabua yibii anaa mato kɛha naanɔ wala’ fe bei fɛɛ ni eho. (Yohane 4:​35, 36) Yɛ April 1952 mli lɛ, mikɛ mihe wo be-fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli akɛ gbɛgbalɔ.

Yehowa jɔɔ mimɔdɛŋbɔi lɛ anɔ amrɔ nɔŋŋ; aaafee afi mli lɛ, minyɛ miye mibua mɛi enumɔ kɛshɛ henɔjɔɔmɔ kɛ baptisimɔ he. Amɛteŋ mɔ kome, Louissa Macintosh, ji Liberia maŋsɔɔlɔ nukpa ni yeɔ nɔ yɛ nakai beaŋ, W. V. S. Tubman tsɛkwɛ bi. Abaptisi yoo nɛɛ ni ekɛ ehe wo be-fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli ni etsa nɔ eye Nyɔŋmɔ anɔkwa aahu kɛyashi egbo yɛ 1984 mli. Eshiɛ etsɔɔ maŋsɔɔlɔ nukpa lɛ aahu yɛ be kɛ bei amli.

Wɔba Lower Buchanan

Yɛ 1957 mli, beni kpokpaa wulu nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ basara wɔ lɛ, afɔ mikɛ miwu nine ni wɔkɛ wɔhe awo gbɛgbamɔ krɛdɛɛ mli. Beni wɔkɛ sɔlemɔ esusu he sɛɛ lɛ, wɔkpɛlɛ nitsumɔ lɛ nɔ. Esa akɛ Lichfield ana nyɔji fioo ko ni ekɛto gbɛjianɔ ni eshi eheloo gbɛfaŋ nitsumɔ ni etsuɔ yɛ Cape Palmas lɛ, no hewɔ lɛ mitsɔ hiɛ kɛtee Lower Buchanan, ni ji shikpɔŋkuku hee kwraa lɛ mli, koni wɔyaje nitsumɔ lɛ shishi yɛ jɛmɛ.

Beni wɔyashɛ jɛmɛ lɛ, Maclean weku lɛ ji mɛi ni here wɔ hiɛmɛɛ. Enɔ jetsɛremɔ lɛ, akɛ mi tee maŋtsɛ ni yeɔ Pele weku lɛ nɔ lɛ ŋɔɔ, taakɛ afɔɔ feemɔ lɛ. Maŋtsɛ lɛ kɛ eweku lɛ here mi kɛ miishɛɛ, ni miye mɛi fioo ko ni babua amɛhe naa yɛ eshia lɛ odase. Yɛ naagbee lɛ, gbɔmɛi ni mikɛwie yɛ eshia lɛ nakai gbi lɛ ateŋ mɛi ekpaa, ni maŋtsɛ lɛ diɛŋtsɛ kɛ eŋa fata he, batsɔmɔ Odasefoi.

Etsɛɛɛ ni mibɔi Buu-Mɔɔ nikasemɔ nɔkwɛmɔ, ni gbɔmɛi fe 20 baa nikasemɔ lɛ. Ehe bahia ni mikɛ mihe afɔ Yehowa nɔ waa diɛŋtsɛ, ni eha mi hewalɛ kɛ nyɛmɔ ni he hiaa ni mikɛaakwɛ etooi lɛ anɔ. Kɛji minu he akɛ etɔ mi aloo mishɛɛɛ lɛ, mikaiɔ anɔkwafoi ni hi shi yɛ blema lɛ, titri lɛ yei tamɔ Debora kɛ Hulda, ni kɛ ekaa tsu nitsumɔi ni Yehowa ha amɛ lɛ ahe nii lɛ.​—Kojolɔi 4:​4-7, 14-16; 2 Maŋtsɛmɛi 22:​14-20.

Yɛ March 1958 mli, beni mikɛ nyɔji etɛ pɛ ehi Lower Buchanan lɛ, minine shɛ wolo ko nɔ ni akɛmiitswa mi kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ, John Charuk saramɔ lɛ he adafi. Miyahai shia ko mli nitoohe tsu agbo ko ni mɛi babaoo banyɛ atara jɛmɛ. Kɛkɛ ni mifa gbɛ kɛtee Upper Buchanan koni mikɛ Nyɛminuu Charuk ayakpe, shi ebaaa. Beni mimɛ aahu kɛyashi je bɔi namɔ lɛ, mikɛ tɔlɛ babaoo ku misɛɛ kɛba Lower Buchanan ekoŋŋ.

Aaafee nyɔɔŋ teŋ lɛ, minu ni aatswa mishinaa lɛ. Beni migbele lɛ, jeee kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ lɛ kɛkɛ mina, shi miwu hu ni ejɛmɛ shɛɛ trukaa ni mikpaaa lɛ gbɛ lɛ kɛ Nyɛminuu Charuk baa lɛ kpe pɛpɛɛpɛ lɛ. Te amɛfee tɛŋŋ amɛna he ni miyɔɔ lɛ? Amɛkɛ gbɔbilɔ ko kpe, ni amɛbi lɛ kɛji ele awura ko ni shiɛɔ Yehowa he sane etsɔɔ mɛi lɛ lo. Eha hetoo “Hɛɛ,” kɛkɛ ni etsɔɔ amɛ gbɛ kɛba shia ni miyɔɔ mli lɛ. Kwɛ bɔ ni mina miishɛɛ waa miha akɛ nyɔji etɛ pɛ mli lɛ, mila lɛ miikpɛ waa nakai yɛ Lower Buchanan!​—Mateo 5:​14-16.

Wɔna mɛi ayifalɛ ni fe fɛɛ ni ji mɛi 40 yɛ Nyɛminuu Charuk saramɔ be lɛ mli. Etsɛɛɛ tsɔ ni ato asafo ko ni shwere waa shishi, ni wɔnyɛ wɔma Maŋtsɛyeli Asa fɛfɛo ko. Shi kɛlɛ, jeee be fɛɛ be shihilɛ lɛ bafeɔ nɔ ni naagba ko kwraa bɛ mli. Akɛ nɔkwɛmɔ nɔ lɛ, yɛ 1963 mli lɛ, jamɔ mli yiwaa ko te shi yɛ Kolahun, ni amɔ miwu ni ayawo lɛ tsuŋ. Ayi lɛ aahu akɛ ehe bahia ni ayatsi enaa yɛ helatsamɔ he.

Beni ajie lɛ kɛjɛ helatsamɔ he lɛ sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, wɔfee kpee wulu ko yɛ Gbarnga nakai afi lɛ nɔŋŋ. Yɛ naagbee gbi lɛ nɔ lɛ, asraafoi bamɔmɔ mɛi fɛɛ ni eba kpee lɛ, ni amɛfa ni mɔ fɛɛ mɔ aŋa maŋ aflaŋaa lɛ. Ni wɔkpoo akɛ wɔfee lɛ, asraafoi lɛ nyɛ wɔnɔ ni wɔhole wɔniji anɔ kɛtee ŋwɛi ni wɔkwɛ hulu lɛ tɛɛ kɛ wɔhiŋmɛii. Amɛkɛ amɛtui lɛ asɛɛ tsei lɛ yi wɔteŋ mɛi komɛi po. Mila Maŋtsɛyeli lala ni ji ‘Kaashe Amɛ Gbeyei!’ lɛ yɛ miyitsoŋ, bɔni afee ni mikɛye mabua mihe, ni mahiɛ emuuyeli mli maha Nyɔŋmɔ. No sɛɛ lɛ, asraafoi lɛ kɛ wɔ yawo tsuŋwoo he ko ni mli ewo muji mli. Gbii etɛ sɛɛ lɛ, aŋmɛɛ mɛi ni ji gbɔi lɛ ahe, ni atswa Lichfield kɛ mi fɛɛ nane shi tu kɛtee Sierra Leone. Ajie Odasefoi ni ji maŋbii lɛ enɔ jetsɛremɔ.

Hegbɛi Krokomɛi kɛ Nyɔmɔwooi

Aha wɔ nitsumɔ ni wɔkɛ Bo Asafo ni yɔɔ Sierra Leone wuoyigbɛ lɛ atsu nii. Wɔsɔmɔ yɛ jɛmɛ afii kpaanyɔ dani no sɛɛ lɛ ajie wɔ kɛtee Njala. Beni wɔyɔɔ Njala lɛ, ahala miwu koni esɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ sɛɛmɔ, ni mina hegbɛ akɛ mafata ehe kɛtsu nii yɛ nɛkɛ sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ nɛɛ mli. Kɛkɛ ni, yɛ 1970 afii lɛ teŋ gbɛ lɛ, asaa aha wɔ nitsumɔ ekoŋŋ yɛ East Freetown Asafo lɛ mli.

Mina nyɔmɔwoo kpakpa ni ji mɛi ni mikɛ amɛ kase Biblia lɛ, ni minaa akɛ amɛbamɔ anɔkwale lɛ mli lɛ mli niiashikpamɔ. Miyɛ mumɔŋ bii kɛ nabii fe 60 ni ji “yijiemɔ woji.” (2 Korintobii 3:⁠1) Ehe bahia ni mɛi komɛi afee tsakemɔi wuji, taakɛ Victoria Dyke, ni eji Aladura jamɔ kuu lɛ mli osɔfoyoo lɛ fee lɛ. Beni wɔsusu 1 Yohane 5:21 he wɔgbe naa lɛ, yɛ naagbee lɛ, ejie ewɔŋjamɔ mli nibii kɛ amagai ni ejaa amɛ lɛ fɛɛ. Ekɛ baptisimɔ fee ehenɔjɔɔmɔ lɛ he okadi, ni yɛ naagbee lɛ, ebatsɔ gbɛgbalɔ krɛdɛɛ, ni eye ebua ewekumɛi lɛ ateŋ mɛi pii ni amɛbale anɔkwale lɛ.

Yɛ April 1985 mli lɛ, milaaje miwu yɛ gbele mli, beni eshwɛ nyɔji fioo ko pɛ ni wɔgbalashihilɛ lɛ baana afii 44. Shi jeee mikome folo miyɔɔ. Mitee nɔ misɔmɔ mi-Yelikɛbualɔ lɛ, Yehowa, akɛ be-fɛɛ sɔɔlɔ. Ni minuɔ tsakpaa krɛdɛɛ ko he yɛ mikɛ mɛi ni minyɛ miye mibua amɛ ni amɛbale lɛ lɛ ateŋ. Amɛji weku kɛha mi yɛ shishinumɔ krɛdɛɛ ko naa. Misumɔɔ amɛ, ni amɛ hu amɛsumɔɔ mi. Kɛji mihe miiye lɛ, amɛkɛ foi baa amɛbakwɛɔ mi, ni mi hu taakɛ eji lɛ, miyeɔ mibuaa amɛ.

Ŋwanejee ko bɛ he akɛ, kɛji ebalɛ akɛ maje shishi ekoŋŋ lɛ, mikɛ miishɛɛ kpele baakɔ minikpamɔ kakla lɛ, ni mafata nikpamɔ lɛ he akɛ Yehowa naanyo nitsulɔ.

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 23]

Winifred Remmie ŋmɛnɛ