Laef Story

Jehovah Hem Ples for Haed and Strong Bilong Mi

STORY BILONG MARCEL FILTEAU

“Sapos iu maritim hem, bae iu go long prison.” Pipol talem diswan long woman mi plan for maritim. Letem mi minim why nao olketa tok olsem.

TAEM mi born long 1927, Catholic religion nao strong long Quebec, wanfala province bilong Canada. Samting olsem fofala year bihaen, Cécile Dufour, wanfala full-taem minister bilong Olketa Witness Bilong Jehovah, start for visitim haos bilong mifala long taon bilong Montreal. From diswan, hem planti taem kasem raf warning from olketa neiba bilong mifala. Olketa arrestim and treatim hem nogud staka taem from hem preachim message bilong Bible. So kwiktaem nomoa mifala lanem mining bilong toktok bilong Jesus: “Evri nation bae heitim iufala from nem bilong mi.”—Matthew 24:9.

Long datfala taem, pipol tingim famili long Canada wea kam from France bae nating lusim Catholic religion. Nomata dadi and mami bilong mi nating baptaes olsem Witness, olketa luksavve olketa teaching bilong Catholic Church no wan mind witim Bible. So tufala encouragem eitfala pikinini bilong tufala for readim olketa buk wea olketa Witness pablisim, and tufala saportim olketa long mifala wea disaed strong for followim Bible truth.

Disaed Strong Insaed Hard Taem

Long 1942, taem mi skul yet, mi start for barava interest long Bible study. Long datfala taem, gavman tambuim waka bilong Olketa Witness Bilong Jehovah long Canada from olketa followim example bilong olketa firstfala Christian and no joinim olketa war bilong olketa nation. (Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 26:52) Olketa putim firstborn brata bilong mi, Roland, insaed wanfala labor camp bikos hem nating willing for faet long world war wea go ahed.

Raon long taem hia, Dadi givim mi wanfala buk long languis bilong France wea storyim wei wea olketa Witness long Germany safa from olketa nating laek saportim army bilong Adolph Hitler.a Diswan muvim mi for laek saed witim olketa olsem wea no fraet for keepim faithful fasin, and mi start for attendim meeting bilong Olketa Witness Bilong Jehovah wea kamap long wanfala haos. No longtaem bihaen olketa invaetem mi for share long preaching waka. Mi acceptim disfala invitation nomata mi savve hao maet mi bae go long prison.

Bihaen mi prea for askem strong, mi nok long first door bilong mi. Wanfala kaenfala woman nao ansa, and bihaen mi introducem miseleva, mi readim long hem toktok bilong 2 Timothy 3:16: ‘Evri Scripture kam from God and helpem iumi.’

“Waswe, iu interest for lanem moa samting abaotem Bible?” mi ask.

Hem ansa: “Yes.”

So mi talem hem bae mi tekem kam wanfala fren wea savve gud long Bible winim mi, and mi duim long week bihaen. Bihaen diswan, mi feel moa strong, and mi luksavve hao iumi no duim ministry bilong iumi witim strong bilong iumiseleva. Olsem aposol Paul hem talem, iumi duim diswan witim help bilong Jehovah. Tru nao, hem barava important for iumi luksavve hao “paoa wea winim wanem iumi garem hem bilong God and no bilong iumiseleva.”—2 Corinthians 4:7.

Bihaen diswan, preaching waka witim wei for go long prison hem kamap part long laef bilong mi. Dastawe nao olketa talem woman wea mi laek maritim, “Sapos iu maritim hem, bae iu go long prison”! Nomata olsem, olketa samting hia wea mi kasem hem no barava hard. Bihaen mi sleep wan naet long prison, planti taem narafala Witness savve kam and peim mi aot from prison.

Important Disison

Long April 1943, mi dedicatem miseleva long Jehovah and showimaot diswan taem mi baptaes long wata. Then, long August 1944, mi attendim for firstfala taem wanfala big convention, long Buffalo, New York, U.S.A., wea klosap long spialaen bilong Canada. Long there 25,000 nao attend, and program hem muvim mi for laek pioneer, wea hem nem bilong olketa full-taem minister bilong Olketa Witness Bilong Jehovah. Gavman aotem tambu from waka bilong Olketa Witness Bilong Jehovah long Canada long May 1945, and mi start pioneer long month bihaen.

Bat taem mi duim moa samting long ministry, mi kasem prison planti moa taem tu. Wantaem mi insaed sem cell witim Mike Miller, wanfala faithful brata wea servem Jehovah for longfala taem. Mitufala sidaon long cement floor and story. Gudfala spiritual story bilong mitufala hem barava strongim mi. Bat, bihaen, mi tingim wanfala kwestin, ‘Waswe sapos mitufala kasem wanfala raoa bifor and mitufala no savve story tugeta distaem?’ Taem wea mi spendem witim disfala gudfala brata long prison hem teachim mi nambawan leson long laef bilong mi—iumi needim olketa brata bilong iumi and dastawe iumi need for garem wei for forgive and kaen. Sapos nomoa, olsem aposol Paul hem raetem: “Sapos . . . iufala go ahed for baetem and kaikaim narawan, lukaot mekem no eniwan distroem narawan.”—Galatians 5:15.

Long September 1945, mi kasem invitation for serve long branch office bilong Watch Tower Society long Toronto, Canada, wea garem nem Bethel. Spiritual program long there hem barava buildimap and strongim faith bilong man. Long year bihaen, olketa assignim mi for waka long Bethel farm, wea stap samting olsem 40 kilometer north long branch office. Taem mi harvestim strawberry witim youngfala Anne Wolynec, mi lukim no just naesfala lukluk bilong hem bat tu love and strong bilong hem for Jehovah. Mitufala start for fren, and mitufala marit long January 1947.

For tu and haf year bihaen, mitufala pioneer long London, Ontario, and bihaen diswan long Cape Breton Island, wea mitufala help for startim wanfala kongregeson. Then, long 1949, mitufala kasem invitation for attendim mek-14 class bilong Watchtower Bible Skul Bilong Gilead, wea mitufala kasem training for kamap missionary.

Missionary Waka Long Quebec

Olketa bilong Canada wea skul long Gilead bifor kasem assignment for duim preaching waka long Quebec. Long 1950, mitufala witim nara 25 long mek-14 class joinim olketa. Wei wea missionary waka kamap big hem bringim bigfala persecution and raf fasin from olketa crowd, wea olketa leader bilong Roman Catholic Church nao startim.

Tufala day bihaen mifala kasem first missionary assignment long taon bilong Rouyn, olketa arrestim Anne and putim hem insaed wanfala police car. Diswan hem niu long hem, from hem kam from wanfala smol vilij long province bilong Manitoba, Canada, wea hem no lukim tumas olketa police. Olsem iumi expectim, hem fraet and tingim toktok, “Sapos iu maritim hem, bae iu go long prison.” Nomata olsem, bifor police hem draev, hem faendem mi tu and putim mi insaed car witim Anne. “Mi hapi tumas for lukim iu!” Anne hem sei. Nomata olsem, hem keepim kwaet fasin and sei, “Iu savve, sem samting hem kasem olketa aposol from olketa preach abaotem Jesus.” (Acts 4:1-3; 5:17, 18) Olketa releasem mitufala bihaen, long datfala sem day.

Samting olsem wan year bihaen, taem mifala duim haos-tu-haos ministry long niu assignment bilong mitufala long Montreal, mi herem noise long road and lukim wanfala crowd wea kros and sutim stone. Taem mi go for helpem Anne and partner bilong hem, olketa police arrive long there. Winim wei for arrestim datfala crowd, olketa police arrestim Anne and partner bilong hem! Insaed prison, Anne talem moa datfala niu Witness hao tufala kasem samting wea Jesus hem minim taem hem sei: “Pipol bae heitim iufala from nem bilong mi.”—Matthew 10:22.

Wantaem, samting olsem 1,700 case againstim Olketa Witness Bilong Jehovah weit for go long kot long Quebec. Planti taem, olketa accusim mifala for wei for givimaot literature wea againstim law or no garem license for duim diswan. From diswan, Legal Department bilong Watch Tower Society tekem gavman bilong Quebec long kot. Bihaen planti year wea olketa faetem diswan, Jehovah givim iumi tufala bigfala win front long Supreme Kot bilong Canada. Long December 1950, olketa aotem toktok wea accusim olketa literature bilong mifala, and long October 1953, mifala no needim license for givimaot Bible literature. So mifala barava lukim klia wei wea Jehovah hem barava wanfala “ples for haed and wanfala strong, wanfala help wea isi for faendem long taem bilong trabol.”—Psalm 46:1.

Namba bilong olketa Witness long Quebec hem go ap from 356 long 1945, taem mi start for pioneer, go kasem winim 24,000 distaem! Hem barava kamap olsem Bible profesi talem finis: “Eni samting for faet againstim iu bae no win, and eni toktok wea bae kam againstim iu long datfala judgment bae iu daonem.”—Isaiah 54:17.

Waka Bilong Mitufala Long France

Long September 1959, Anne and mi kasem invitation for serve long Bethel long Paris, France, wea mi kasem assignment for lukaotem printing waka. Bifor mifala arrive long there long January 1960, olketa bisnis nao savve duim printing. From gavman tambuim Wastaoa long France long datfala taem, mifala printim disfala magasin each month olsem wanfala 64-page buklet. Olketa kolem disfala buklet The Interior Bulletin of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and hem garem olketa article for kongregeson studyim insaed wanfala month. From 1960 go kasem 1967, namba bilong olketa wea share long preaching waka long France hem go ap from 15,439 go kasem 26,250.

Gogo, planti long olketa missionary kasem niu assignment, samfala go long olketa kantri long Africa wea iusim languis bilong France and olketa narawan go bak long Quebec. From Anne hem sik and needim operation, mitufala go bak long Quebec. Bihaen hem kasem treatment for thrifala year, Anne kamap gud moa. Then mi kasem assignment for duim circuit waka, for visitim olketa difren kongregeson each week for provaedem spiritual encouragement.

Missionary Waka Long Africa

Samfala year bihaen, long 1981, mifala hapi for kasem niu assignment for duim missionary waka long Zaire, wea distaem hem Democratic Republic Bilong Congo. Olketa pipol poor and kasem staka hard samting. Taem mifala kasem there, samting olsem 25,753 Witness stap, bat distaem datfala namba kamap big winim 113,000, and 446,362 nao attendim Memorial bilong dae bilong Christ long 1999!

Long 1984 mifala kasem from gavman samting olsem 200 hectare long land for buildim wanfala niu branch office. Then, long December 1985, wanfala international convention kamap long main taon, Kinshasa, wea 32,000 brata from planti part long world olketa attendim. Bihaen datwan, wei for againstim mifala wea olketa bigman bilong religion startim hem spoelem waka bilong mifala long Zaire. Long March 12, 1986, olketa brata wea garem responsibility kasem leta wea sei olketa tambuim nao association bilong Olketa Witness Bilong Jehovah bilong Zaire. Mobutu Sese Seko, president bilong kantri long datfala taem nao saenem disfala tambu.

From olketa samting olsem wea seknomoa kamap, mifala need for followim Bible kaonsel: “Man wea wise hem lukim trabol and start for haedem hemseleva.” (Proverbs 22:3) Mifala faendem wei for kasem pepa, ink, film, printing plate, and chemical from difren kantri for printim olketa pablikeson bilong mifala long Kinshasa. Mifala wakem wanfala wei for givimaot tu. Taem mifala organize gud, system bilong mifala hem moabeta winim gavman post service!

Olketa kasholem and killim nogud planti thousand Witness. Nomata olsem, samfala nomoa fail bat planti stand strong long kaen samting olsem and keepim faithful fasin. Olketa kasholem mi tu and mi lukim rabis samting wea olketa brata kasem long prison. Planti taem olketa secret police and olketa bigman putim hevi long mifala long evrikaen wei, bat Jehovah evritaem mekem wei for mifala.—2 Corinthians 4:8.

Mifala haedem samting olsem 3,000 box long literature insaed wanfala warehaos bilong wanfala bisnisman. Bat wanfala wakman bilong hem talem olketa secret police, and olketa arrestim datfala bisnisman. Taem olketa gogo for prison, olketa meetim mi long car bilong mi. Datfala bisnisman talem olketa hao mi nao arrange witim hem for keepim datfala literature. Olketa police stop and kwestinim mi long diswan, and accusim mi for wei wea mi putim literature wea gavman tambuim insaed warehaos bilong datfala man.

“Waswe, iufala garem wanfala long olketa buk hia?” mi ask.

“Yes,” olketa ansa.

“Mi savve lukim?” mi ask.

Olketa givim mi wanfala copy, and mi showim olketa page insaed wea sei: “Printed in the United States of America by the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society.”

Mi remindim olketa: “Samting iu garem long hand bilong iu hem bilong America and no bilong Zaire. Gavman bilong iu putim tambu long legal corporation bilong association bilong Olketa Witness Bilong Jehovah long Zaire and no long Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society long United States. So iu mas barava careful long wanem iu duim witim olketa pablikeson hia.”

Olketa letem mi go from olketa no garem eni kot order for arrestim mi. Datfala naet, mifala tekem tufala trak long datfala warehaos and aotem evri literature. Taem police kam long nextfala day, olketa barava kros for faendem ples hem emti. Datfala taem nao olketa lukaotem mi from olketa kasem nao kot order for arrestim mi. Olketa faendem mi, and bikos olketa no garem car, mi draevem miseleva go long prison! Narafala Witness go witim mi mekem hem savve tekem car bilong mi bifor olketa sei for holem.

Bihaen olketa kwestinim mi for eitfala hour, olketa disaed for aotem mi from kantri. Bat mi showim olketa fotocopy bilong wanfala leta from gavman wea showimaot wei wea olketa appointim mi for sellim evriting bilong association bilong Olketa Witness Bilong Jehovah bilong Zaire. From diswan olketa letem mi go ahed waka long Bethel.

Bihaen fofala year wea mi serve anda long olketa hevi bilong tambu long waka long Zaire, mi kasem ulcer long bele wea go ahed for lusim blood wea savve killim mi dae. Disison kamap for mi go kasem treatment long South Africa, wea branch lukaftarem mi gud, and mi kamap gud. Bihaen mifala serve for eitfala year long Zaire, wea hem wanfala nambawan hapi experience, mitufala muv go long South Africa branch long 1989. Long 1998 mitufala go bak hom and serve moa long Canada Bethel kam kasem distaem.

Thankiu for Serve

Taem mi luk go bak long 54 year wea mi duim full-taem ministry, mi barava thankiu long wei wea mi iusim young laef bilong mi long spesol service bilong Jehovah. Nomata Anne hem feisim staka hardfala samting, hem nating komplen bat hem barava saportim evri waka wea mifala duim. Tugeta, mitufala kasem privilege for helpem planti for savve long Jehovah, wea samfala distaem duim full-taem ministry. Hem barava hapi samting for lukim samfala pikinini and granpikinini bilong olketa tu olketa servem nambawan God bilong iumi, Jehovah!

Mi barava sure no eniting wea disfala world hem givim hem winim olketa privilege and blessing wea Jehovah hem givim iumi. Hem tru, iumi kasem planti test, bat olketa buildimap faith and trust bilong iumi long Jehovah. Hem barava wanfala taoa bilong strong, wanfala ples for haed, and wanfala help wea isi for faendem long taem bilong trabol.

[Footnote]

[Piksa long page 26]

Pioneer tugeta long 1947; and witim Anne distaem

[Piksa long page 29]

Pipol mifala meetim long Zaire lovem Bible truth