Laef Story

Plantim Love for Jehovah Insaed Heart Bilong Olketa Pikinini Bilong Mifala

STORY BILONG WERNER MATZEN

Samfala year bifor, firstborn son bilong mi, Hans Werner, givim mi wanfala Bible. Hem raet insaed long kava: “Dear Dadi, Letem word bilong Jehovah go ahed for leadim iumi olsem wanfala famili long wei bilong laef. Witim thankiu, firstborn son bilong iu.” Olketa dadi and mami bae minim hao olketa word hia fulimap heart bilong mi witim thankiu and hapi. Long datfala taem mi no savve wanem kaen challenge famili bilong mifala mas feisim yet.

MI BORN long 1924 long Halstenbek, samting olsem 20 kilometer from harbor bilong Hamburg, Germany, and mi growap witim mami and grandadi bilong mi. Long 1942, bihaen mi finisim course for lane for wakem olketa tul, gavman chusim mi for joinim Wehrmach, wea minim army. Samting wea mi experiencem long World War II taem mi faet long Russian front hem barava nogud tumas. Mi kasem typhoid fever bat bihaen treatment olketa sendem mi long war moa. Long January 1945, long Lodz, Poland, mi garekil nogud and admit long army hospital. Mi still stap long there taem war hem finis. Taem mi long hospital and bihaen long prison camp long Neuengamme, mi garem taem for ting raonem planti samting. Mi wari abaotem olketa kwestin olsem, Waswe, wanfala God really stap? Sapos olsem, why nao hem letem barava badfala fasin go ahed?

No longtaem bihaen mi kamaot from datfala prison camp, long September 1947, mi maritim Karla. Mitufala growap long sem taon. Karla hem Catholic, bat mi no growap kam insaed eni religion. Priest wea maritim mitufala givim idea for mifala talem Lord’s Prea tugeta evri naet. Mifala duim olsem, nomata mifala no savve wanem mifala prea for hem.

Wanfala year bihaen, Hans Werner hem born. Long datfala taem nao mi lane abaotem Olketa Jehovah’s Witness, thru long Wilhelm Ahrens, wakfren bilong mi. Hem showim mi from Bible hao long future olketa war bae finis. (Psalm 46:9) Klosap long cold season long 1950, mi dedicatem laef bilong mi long Jehovah and baptaes. Wan year bihaen mi hapi fogud taem waef bilong mi baptaes tu!

Bringimap Olketa Pikinini Long Wei Bilong Jehovah

Mi readim long Bible hao Jehovah nao man wea startim marit. (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:22-24) From mi stap taem olketa pikinini bilong mifala born—Hans Werner, Karl-Heinz, Michael, Gabriele, and Thomas—datwan strongim promis bilong mi for kamap gudfala hasband and dadi. Mitufala Karla hapi tumas taem each pikinini bilong mifala born.

Convention bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Nuremberg long 1953 hem wanfala barava important taem for famili bilong mifala. Long Friday aftanun, long datfala tok “Bringimap Olketa Pikinini long Niu World Society,” speaker hem talem samting wea mitufala nating forgetim: “Nambawan present wea iumi savve givim long olketa pikinini bilong iumi hem feeling for laek servem God.” Mitufala Karla barava laek for duim olsem, witim help bilong Jehovah. Bat hao nao for duim?

First samting, mifala prea tugeta olsem famili evriday. Datwan strongim long olketa pikinini wei wea prea hem important tumas. Each pikinini lane taem hem smol yet hao mifala evritaem prea bifor kaikai. Nomata taem olketa baby, taem olketa lukim botol bilong olketa for drink, olketa sat eye and foldim smolfala hand bilong olketa. Wantaem, mifala go long marit bilong wanfala relative bilong waef bilong mi, wea no Witness. Bihaen datfala ceremony, parents bilong girl invaetem olketa guest for kam long haos for lelebet kaikai. Evriwan laek kaikai stretawe. Bat, Karl-Heinz wea faev year tingse diswan no stret. Hem sei: “Plis iumi prea firstaem.” Olketa guest luk long hem, then long mifala, and then long dadi bilong girl. For stopem wei wea eniwan maet feel shame, mi talem hao mi willing for givim prea for datfala kaikai, and dadi bilong girl hem agree.

Datfala samting mekem mi tingim toktok bilong Jesus: “Long mouth bilong olketa baby and smol pikinini iu mekem praise kamap.” (Matthew 21:16) Mifala feel sure hao olketa prea from heart wea mifala talem evritaem helpem olketa pikinini for tingim Jehovah olsem loving Dadi bilong olketa long heven.

Responsibility Bilong Mifala Long Jehovah

For teachim olketa pikinini for lovem God minim tu famili mas readim and studyim Word bilong hem evritaem. From mifala tingim diswan, mifala duim famili study evri week, planti taem long Monday naet. From age bilong firstborn pikinini bilong mifala hem naen year winim lastborn, need bilong olketa pikinini barava difren, wea minim mifala no evritaem savve studyim sem information witim evriwan.

Olsem example, for olketa pikinini wea no skul yet, mifala iusim simpol information. Karla storyim wanfala Bible scripture nomoa witim olketa, or hem iusim olketa piksa insaed olketa Bible pablikeson. Mi still garem olketa naesfala memory abaotem wei wea olketa smol pikinini wekapem mitufala long early morning taem olketa klaem kam insaed bed bilong mitufala for showim favorite piksa bilong olketa insaed datfala buk The New World.a

Gogo Karla savve tumas for teachim olketa pikinini long patient wei olketa reason wea iumi evriwan garem for lovem Jehovah. Datwan maet here olsem simpol and isi, bat for tok stret, long physical saed and long feeling hem olsem full-taem waka for mitufala Karla. Nomata olsem, mifala no givap. Mifala want for plantim gud samting insaed young heart bilong olketa bifor nara pipol wea no savve long Jehovah start for affectim olketa. Dastawe mifala disaed strong hao olketa pikinini bilong mifala mas joinim famili study start long taem wea olketa savve sidaon, nomata olketa baby yet.

Olsem parents, mitufala Karla luksavve hao hem important for givim gudfala example for olketa pikinini bilong mifala saed long worship. And nomata mifala kaikai, waka long garden, or wakabaot, mifala trae for strongim wei wea each pikinini fren witim Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7) Mifala mek sure evri pikinini garem Bible bilong hemseleva taem hem smol yet. And tu, taem mi kasem olketa magasin, mi raetem nem bilong each famili member long magasin bilong hem. Long datfala wei, olketa pikinini lane for luksavve long literature wea bilong each wan seleva. Mifala givim each pikinini assignment for readim difren article long Wekap! magasin. Bihaen lunch long Sunday, olketa explainim wanem olketa lanem from datfala information.

Showimaot Interest wea Olketa Pikinini Needim

Hem tru, hem no isi evritaem. Taem olketa pikinini grow, mifala luksavve hao wei for plantim love long heart bilong olketa minim mifala mas firstaem savve wanem hem stap finis insaed heart bilong olketa. Hem minim mifala mas lisin long olketa. Samfala taem olketa pikinini laek komplen abaotem samting, so mitufala Karla sidaon and story raonem datwan witim olketa. Mifala markem spesol haf hour bihaen evri famili study. Hem taem for eniwan talem stret feeling bilong hem.

Olsem example, tufala young wan, Thomas and Gabriele, feel olsem mitufala Karla favorim firstborn brata bilong tufala. Wantaem, tufala tok stret and sei: “Dadi, mifala tingse iutufala Mami evritaem letem Hans Werner duim eni samting hem laek duim.” Taem mi herem, mi sapraes fogud. Bat, taem mifala ting raonem long honest wei, mitufala Karla luksavve hao olketa pikinini tok tru. So mifala trae moa hard for no favorim eniwan long olketa pikinini.

Samfala taem, mi kwiktaem tumas for panisim olketa pikinini or long taem olketa no duim eni rong samting. Long taem olsem mifala mas lane for tok sorre. Bihaen, mifala prea long Jehovah. Hem important for olketa pikinini luksavve hao dadi bilong olketa hem willing for tok sorre long Jehovah and long olketa tu. From diswan, mitufala fren gud and klos witim olketa. Planti taem, olketa sei long mifala, “Iutufala best fren bilong mifala.” Datwan mekem mifala barava hapi.

For waka tugeta olsem famili mekem wan mind kamap. Dastawe, evriwan garem samfala waka for duim long haos. Waka bilong Hans Werner hem for go long olketa stoa for peim kaikai wanfala taem evri week, wea minim mifala givim hem selen witim list bilong olketa samting for peim. Wantaem, mifala no givim eni list or selen long hem. Hem askem mami and mami talem hem hao mifala no kasem eni selen yet. Olketa pikinini start for tok smol midolwan long olketa seleva, then evriwan tekem kam selen bilong hemseleva and putim long tebol. Olketa sei: “Mami, iumi savve peim kaikai nao!” Tru nao, olketa pikinini lane for help long hardfala taem and datwan mekem famili moa klos.

Taem olketa moa big, olketa boy start for interest long olketa girl. Olsem example, Thomas barava interest long wanfala Witness girl wea 16 year. Mi explainim long hem hao sapos hem barava laekem disfala girl hem mas willing for maritim hem and mas fit for lukaftarem hem and olketa pikinini. Thomas luksavve hao hem no redy for marit, from hem 18 year nomoa.

Muv Ahed Olsem Famili

Taem olketa smol yet, each pikinini joinim Theocratic Ministry Skul. Mifala lisin gud long assignment bilong olketa and kasem encouragement from mifala lukim love from heart wea olketa pikinini garem for God. Olketa circuit and distrik overseer wea samfala taem stap witim mifala talem olketa experience bilong olketa or readim Bible long mifala. Olketa man hia witim waef bilong olketa help for mekem grow love for full-taem service insaed heart bilong famili bilong mifala.

Mifala luk forward long olketa convention. Olketa nao important samting wea helpem mifala for putim insaed olketa pikinini feeling for laek servem God. Long olketa pikinini, hem spesol samting taem olketa werem badge card bifor mifala travel go long convention. Mifala barava hapi taem Hans Werner wea ten year, hem baptaes. Samfala tingse hem young tumas for dedicate long Jehovah, bat taem hem 50 year, hem talem mi hem barava hapi from hem servem Jehovah for 40 year finis.

Mifala showim olketa pikinini hao hem important for fren klos witim Jehovah, bat mifala no forcem olketa for dedicate. Nomata olsem, mifala hapi taem each wan muv ahed and baptaes taem hem redy.

Lane for Torowem Evri Hevi Bilong Mifala Long Jehovah

Mifala hapi fogud long 1971, taem Hans Werner graduate olsem member bilong mek-51 class bilong Watchtower Bible Skul bilong Gilead and kasem missionary assignment long Spain. Gogo, each wan long olketa nara pikinini serve olsem olketa full-taem minister, wea mekem mitufala barava hapi. Long datfala taem nao, Hans Werner givim mi Bible wea mi storyim long start bilong disfala article. Olsem famili, mifala hapi evribit.

Then mifala faendaot mifala mas hol strong moa long Jehovah. Why? Bikos samfala full-grown pikinini bilong mifala kasem olketa problem wea barava testim faith bilong olketa. Olsem example, dota bilong mifala Gabriele kasem samfala hard samting. Long 1976 hem maritim Lothar. No longtaem bihaen Lothar kamap sik. Gabriele lukaftarem hem go kasem taem hem dae. For lukim member bilong famili wea healthy kasem sik and dae remindim mifala hao mifala barava needim loving hand bilong Jehovah.—Isaiah 33:2.

Olketa Privilege Insaed Organization Bilong Jehovah

Taem mi kamap kongregeson servant (wea distaem olketa kolem presiding overseer) long 1955, mi feel olsem mi no fit for duim datfala responsibility. Planti waka stap, and for duim olketa responsibility hia samfala morning mi mas wekap long foa klok. Waef and olketa pikinini bilong mi barava saportim mi, olketa mek sure no eniting disturbim mi long evening sapos mi mas waka yet.

Nomata olsem, planti taem mifala enjoyim hapitaem tugeta olsem famili. Samfala taem boss bilong mi letem mi iusim car bilong hem for tekem famili for hapitaem. Olketa pikinini enjoyim wei for studyim Wastaoa long bush. Mifala go wakabaot tugeta long bush tu and singsing followim harmonica wea mi pleim taem mifala wakabaot.

Long 1978, olketa appointim mi olsem substitute circuit overseer (traveling minister). From hem big samting long mi, mi prea olsem: “Jehovah, mi feel olsem mi no fit for duim diswan. Bat sapos iu laekem mi for traem, bae mi duim best bilong mi.” Tufala year bihaen, taem mi 54 year, mi givim smol bisnis bilong mi long lastborn son, Thomas.

Evri pikinini big finis, wea minim mitufala Karla garem chance for duim moa samting for Jehovah. Long datfala sem year, mi kamap circuit overseer long part bilong Hamburg and full area bilong Schleswig-Holstein. From mifala bringimap finis olketa pikinini, mifala barava minim parents and olketa pikinini bilong olketa. Planti brata kolem mifala circuit parents bilong olketa.

Bihaen Karla bin go witim mi long circuit waka for tenfala year, hem needim wanfala operation. And long sem year, olketa doctor faendaot mi garem brain tumor. So, mi finis for serve olsem circuit overseer and olketa operate long brain bilong mi. Thrifala year go pas bifor mi fit for duim moa datfala waka olsem substitute circuit overseer. Distaem mitufala Karla winim 70 year and no duim traveling waka. Jehovah helpem mifala luksavve hem iusles for trae hol strong long privilege wea mi no savve duim.

Taem mifala ting go bak, mitufala Karla thankiu long Jehovah for helpem mifala plantim love for truth insaed heart bilong olketa pikinini bilong mifala. (Proverbs 22:6) Insaed olketa year wea go pas, Jehovah directim and trainim mifala, helpem mifala for lukaftarem olketa responsibility. Nomata mifala olo and no strong tumas, love bilong mifala for Jehovah hem young and fresh olsem bifor.—Romans 12:10, 11.

[Footnote]

[Piksa long page 26]

Famili bilong mifala, wakabaot saed long Elbe River, Hamburg, 1965

[Piksa long page 28]

Witim samfala famili member long international convention long Berlin, 1998

[Piksa long page 29]

Witim waef bilong mi, Karla