Blessing Bilong Jehovah Mekem Mi Garem Gudfala Laef

MI BORN long 1927, long Wakaw, wanfala smol taon long Saskatchewan, long Canada. Dadi and mami bilong mi garem sevenfala pikinini, fofala boy and thrifala gele, so mi getius for stap witim staka pipol.

Famili bilong mifala tu kasem hard taem saed long selen long datfala taem wea olketa kolem Great Depression, long olketa year bilong 1930. Nomata mifala poor bat mifala no short long kaikai. Mifala garem samfala kokorako and wanfala buluka, so mifala evritaem garem olketa egg, milk, cream, cheese, and butter. And mifala evriwan long famili garem waka for duim long haos.

Mi tingim yet olketa naes samting wea happen taem mifala smol. Olsem example, taem dadi go long taon for salem market bilong mifala, staka taem hem savve kam bak witim wanfala box apple. Mifala evriwan enjoyim tumas for kaikaim apple evriday. Mi still tingim naes smel bilong apple long haos bilong mifala!

FAMILI BILONG MIFALA LANEM TRUTH

Famili bilong mi start for lanem truth taem mi six year. Brata bilong mi Johnny hem dae no longtaem bihaen hem born. Dadi and mami bilong mi wea sorre tumas askem priest olsem: “Johnny stap long wea?” Priest sei bikos Johnny hem no baptaes, hem no stap long heven bat hem long Limbo. Priest sei tu sapos mami and dadi givim selen long hem, hem bae prea long God for aotem Johnny from Limbo mekem hem go long heven. Sapos datwan happen long iu, hao nao bae iu feel? From dadi and mami bilong mi barava feel nogud long samting wea datfala priest talem, tufala no story moa witim hem. Nomata olsem, tufala laek savve wanem nao happen long Johnny.

Wanday mami bilong mi tekem wanfala buklet wea garem title Where Are the Dead? wea Olketa Jehovah’s Witness pablisim. Hem interest tumas for readim datwan. Taem dadi kam bak long haos, mami sei long hem: “Distaem mi savve wea nao Johnny stap! Hem sleep nomoa, and wanday bae hem wekap moa.” Datfala sem evening, dadi readim tu datfala buklet. Taem mami and dadi savve man wea dae hem olsem hem sleep nomoa, and olketa wea dae bae laef bak long future, datwan barava comfortim tufala.—Eccl. 9:5, 10; Acts 24:15.

Tru samting wea mami and dadi lanem long Bible comfortim famili bilong mifala and mekem mifala hapi. Tufala start for studyim Bible witim olketa Witness and go long olketa meeting long wanfala smol kongregeson long Wakaw. Staka pipol long datfala ples kam from Ukraine. No longtaem bihaen datwan, mami and dadi joinim preaching waka.

No longtaem bihaen datwan, mifala muv go long British Columbia, and mifala joinim wanfala naesfala kongregeson long there. Evri week famili bilong mifala savve redyim tugeta Wastaoa for meeting long Sunday. Mi barava enjoyim datwan. Evriwan long famili start for lovem Jehovah and tinghae long olketa tru samting wea mifala lanem long Bible. Mi luksavve famili bilong mifala kasem gud samting from datwan, and Jehovah blessim mifala.

Mi witim olketa brata and sista bilong mi fraet lelebet for preach long pipol. Bat samting wea helpem mi nao, mi and smol sista bilong mi Eva savve redyim wanem for storyim long ministry each month and duim demonstration long Service Meeting. Datwan hem barava helpem mitufala for savve hao for storyim Bible long olketa narawan. Mi tinghae long wei wea mifala kasem training for duim preaching waka!

Taem mifala smol pikinini mifala savve enjoyim tumas taem olketa long full-taem service stap long haos bilong mifala. Olsem example, mifala hapi tumas taem circuit overseer bilong mifala, Jack Nathan, visitim kongregeson and stap long haos bilong mifala.a Hem garem staka naes experience and hem praisem mifala for wanem mifala duim. Datwan encouragem mifala for gohed faithful long Jehovah.

Mi remember taem mi smol gele, mi savve ting olsem: “Taem mi big, mi laek for olsem Brata Nathan.” Long datfala taem mi no savve example bilong Brata Nathan bae helpem mi for duim full-taem service tu. Taem mi 15 year, mi disaed mi laek dedicate long Jehovah. Long 1942, mitufala Eva baptaes.

KASEM OLKETA TEST

Long taem bilong World War II, wei for mekhae long kantri hem big tumas. Wanfala teacher long skul bilong mifala, Miss Scott, wea no laekem Olketa Jehovah’s Witness, hem mekem tufala sista and wanfala brata bilong mi for expel from skul. Why nao olsem? Bikos olketa no salutim flag. Then hem talem teacher bilong mi for mi tu mas expel. Bat teacher bilong mi sei: “Iumi stap long kantri wea pipol garem raet for chus, and iumi garem raet for no join insaed long kaen ceremony for mekhae long kantri.” Nomata Miss Scott trae for forcem teacher bilong mi for mi expel, teacher bilong mi sei bae hem no duim datwan.

Miss Scott sei long teacher bilong mi: “Iu no garem paoa for disaedem datwan. Sapos iu no mekem Melita for expel, bae mi reportim iu.” Teacher bilong mi kam story long dadi and mami. Hem sei hem mas mekem mi expel, nomata hem savve datwan hem no stret samting for duim. Sapos nomoa olketa bae sakem hem. Nomata mifala expel, mifala duim skul waka long haos. No longtaem bihaen, famili bilong mifala muv go long nara ples and mifala go skul long there.

Long olketa year wea war gohed, gavman tambuim olketa literature bilong mifala. Nomata olsem, mifala savve iusim Bible taem mifala preach. Datwan helpem mifala for savve gud hao for iusim Bible for teachim pipol abaotem Kingdom and helpem mifala for kamap strong long spiritual wei. Mifala luksavve Jehovah sapotim mifala.

DUIM FULL-TAEM SERVICE

Taem mitufala Eva finis skul, mifala start for pioneer. Firstaem mi waka lelebet long wanfala stoa wea salem kaikai. Gogo mi tekem wanfala course for six month for lanem hao for kat hair, wea hem samting mi enjoyim for duim long haos tu. Mi waka long wanfala hair salon tufala day evri week, and tufala taem evri month, mi savve teachim olketa narawan hao for katem hair. Datfala waka nao sapotim mi taem mi pioneer.

Long 1955, mi plan for attendim assembly wea theme bilong hem “Triumphant Kingdom” wea kamap long New York City, long U.S.A., and long Nuremberg, long Germany. Bifor mi go long New York, mi meetim Brata Nathan Knorr, wea waka long world hedquarter. Hem and waef bilong hem attendim wanfala convention long Vancouver, long Canada. Taem olketa long there, mi kasem assignment for katem hair bilong Sista Knorr. Brata Knorr hapi long hao mi katem hair bilong waef bilong hem and hem laek for meetim mi. Taem mifala story, mi talem hem mi plan for go long New York, then go long Germany. Hem askem mi for go waka long Brooklyn Bethel for naenfala day.

Laef bilong mi hem change bihaen long datfala gogo. Taem mi long New York, mi meetim wanfala young brata wea nem bilong hem Theodore Jaracz. Staka pipol savve kolem hem Ted. No longtaem bihaen mi meetim hem, mi sapraes taem hem askem mi olsem: “Hao, iu wanfala pioneer?” Mi sei: “Nomoa.” Fren bilong mi LaVonne herem wanem mi talem and kwiktaem sei: “Ia, hem pioneer.” Ted konfius and askem LaVonne olsem: “So which ansa nao tru wan?” Mi talem hem mi pioneer bifor and mi plan for pioneer moa taem mi go bak bihaen convention.

MARITIM MAN WEA LOVEM JEHOVAH

Ted hem born long 1925 long Kentucky, long U.S.A., and hem baptaes taem hem 15 year. No eniwan long famili bilong hem kam insaed long truth. Hem start for pioneer taem hem 17 year, and hem insaed long full-taem service for klosap 67 year.

Long July 1946, taem Ted hem 20 year, hem graduate long mek-seven class bilong Watchtower Bible Skul Bilong Gilead. Bihaen datwan hem duim traveling waka long Cleveland, long Ohio. Samting olsem fofala year bihaen, hem kasem assignment for kamap branch servant long Australia Branch.

Ted tu go long datfala convention long Nuremberg, long Germany, and mitufala garem chance for spendem taem tugeta. Mitufala start for fren long datfala taem. Mi hapi hem brata wea strong for worshipim Jehovah. Hem tinghae long worship bilong hem for Jehovah and hem kaen and isi for olketa narawan story witim. Hem brata wea evritaem tingim olketa narawan. Bihaen datfala convention, Ted go bak long Australia, and mi go bak long Vancouver, bat mitufala raet leta long each other.

Bihaen Ted stap long Australia for faevfala year, hem go bak long United States, and then hem kam long Vancouver for pioneer. Mi hapi bikos famili bilong mi barava laekem hem. Big brata bilong mi Michael, hem evritaem lukaftarem mi. Hem savve wari taem olketa young brata showimaot olketa laekem mi. Bat Michael hem barava laekem Ted. Hem sei long mi: “Melita, man hia hem gudfala man. Iu mas kaen long hem and keakea nogud iu lusim hem.”

Mi tu mi barava laekem Ted. Mitufala marit long December 10, 1956. Mitufala pioneer tugeta long Vancouver, then long California, and then mifala kasem assignment for duim circuit waka long Missouri and Arkansas. For samting olsem 18 year, mitufala stap long olketa difren haos evri week taem mitufala duim traveling waka long staka ples long America. Mifala garem staka naes experience long ministry and mifala hapi for associate witim olketa brata and sista. Nomata hem no isi for stap long olketa difren ples evri week, mitufala hapi for duim circuit waka.

Wanfala reason why mi respectim Ted, hem bikos hem barava tinghae long wei wea hem fren witim Jehovah God. Datwan hem barava spesol long Ted. Mitufala laek tumas for readim and studyim Bible tugeta. Long naet, bifor mitufala sleep, mitufala nildaon saed long bed and hem prea for mitufala. Then mitufala talem prea seleva long Jehovah. Mi savve taem Ted wari abaotem eni samting, bikos hem bae getap from bed, then nildaon moa, and prea kwaet for longfala taem. Mi tinghae long wei wea hem evritaem laek for prea long Jehovah abaotem eni samting.

Tu-thri year bihaen mitufala marit, Ted explainim long mi hem bae start for kaikaim bred and drinkim wine long Memorial. Ted sei: “Mi prea strong long Jehovah abaotem diswan, and mi barava sure hem nao samting wea Jehovah laekem mi for duim.” Mi no really sapraes God anointim Ted witim holy spirit for go long heven bihaen hem dae. So mi tingim hem wanfala privilege for sapotim wanfala brata bilong Christ.—Matt. 25:35-40.

NIU ASSIGNMENT

Long 1974, mitufala sapraes taem Ted kasem privilege for kamap member bilong Governing Body bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness. Gogo, mitufala kasem invitation for go waka long Brooklyn Bethel. Ted duim waka bilong hem long Governing Body, and mi duim klining and waka for katem hair.

Samfala taem Ted kasem assignment for go visitim samfala branch office long nara kantri. Ted interest tumas long preaching waka wea gohed long olketa communist kantri long Europe bifor. Wantaem, taem mitufala holiday long Sweden, Ted sei long mi: “Melita, gavman long Poland tambuim preaching waka long there, and mi barava laek for helpem olketa brata and sista long Poland.” So mitufala kasem visa and go long Poland. Ted meetim samfala brata wea lukaftarem preaching waka long there, and olketa wakabaot nomoa for story mekem no eniwan herem wanem olketa storyim. Long fofala day wea olketa brata garem meeting, olketa story raonem staka samting. Nomata Ted waka hard, hem hapi for helpem olketa brata and sista long Poland.

Long November 1977, mifala go bak long Poland witim nara tufala member bilong Governing Body, Frederick Franz and Daniel Sydlik. Nomata gavman tambuim yet waka bilong iumi long Poland, Ted and nara tufala member bilong Governing Body hia go long staka taon and story witim olketa elder, pioneer, and olketa Witness wea stap long truth for longtaem finis.

Long year bihaen, taem Milton Henschel and Ted go bak long Poland, tufala meetim samfala bigman long gavman wea start for acceptim preaching waka wea iumi duim. Long 1982, gavman long Poland letem olketa brata long there for garem olketa wanday assembly. Long 1983, olketa Witness garem samfala big convention insaed long olketa building wea olketa rentim. Long 1985, nomata gavman tambuim yet waka bilong iumi, olketa Witness garem fofala convention long olketa big stadium. Then, long May 1989, taem olketa Witness mekem plan for garem olketa big convention, gavman long Poland appruvim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness olsem wanfala religion. Datwan mekem Ted barava hapi.

SAMFALA HEALTH PROBLEM

Long 2007, mifala travel for go long dedication bilong niu branch long South Africa. Taem mifala kasem England, Ted garem hae blood, and doctor talem hem for no go long South Africa. Bihaen Ted feel gud lelebet, mitufala go bak long United States. Bat tu-thri week bihaen, hem kasem stroke wea spoelem raet saed long body bilong hem.

Hem tek taem lelebet for Ted kamap gud, and firstaem hem no savve go long office for waka. Nomata olsem, mifala hapi bikos hem fit for story yet. Nomata hem sik, hem traem best bilong hem for gohed waka. Evri week hem iusim telephone long rum for joinim Governing Body long meeting bilong olketa.

Ted barava tinghae long wei wea olketa long Bethel lukaftarem hem gud. Isisi hem start for wakabaot moa. Hem savve duim samfala theocratic assignment wea hem kasem, and evritaem hem luk hapi.

Thrifala year bihaen, hem kasem nara stroke and hem dae long Wednesday, June 9, 2010. Nomata mi savve wanday Ted bae go long heven, mi sorre fogud taem hem dae and mi barava missim hem. Nomata olsem, evriday mi thankiu long Jehovah from mi savve sapotim Ted. Mitufala hapi for duim full-taem service tugeta for winim 53 year. Mi thankiu long Jehovah long wei wea Ted helpem mi for fren gud witim Dadi bilong mi long heven. Mi sure Ted hem hapi tumas long niu assignment wea hem kasem distaem.

LAEF BILONG MI DISTAEM

Taem hasband bilong mi laef, mitufala busy for duim staka samting tugeta. Bat bihaen hem dae, laef bilong mi barava difren nao. Mitufala Ted laekem tumas for meetim olketa wea visit kam long Bethel and long Kingdom Hall. Distaem mi stap seleva and mi no strong olsem bifor, so mi no garem chance for meetim staka pipol. Nomata olsem, mi hapi for spendem taem witim olketa brata and sista bilong mi long Bethel and long kongregeson bilong mi. Laef long Bethel hem no isi, bat mi hapi tumas from mi savve waka for Jehovah long hia. And mi still enjoyim preaching waka. Mi savve taed kwiktaem and no savve standap longtaem tu, nomata olsem, mi laekem tumas for duim street witnessing and conductim olketa Bible study.

Taem mi lukim olketa nogud samting wea happen distaem, mi hapi from mi worshipim Jehovah for staka year witim wanfala gud hasband wea lovem Jehovah! Blessing bilong Jehovah mekem mi garem barava gudfala laef.—Prov. 10:22.