Lukaotem for Longtaem Kasem Ansa
“JEHOVAH? Hu nao Jehovah?” Silvia wea hem eit year lukim datfala nem insaed Bible bilong Armenia, wea narafala smol girl showim long hem. Hem ask raon, bat no eniwan long Yerevan, Armenia, savve talem hem hu nao Jehovah—parents bilong hem no savve talem hem, olketa teacher bilong hem tu, nomata olketa minister long church tu.
Silvia growap, finisim skul, and garem waka, bat hem still no savve hu nao Jehovah. Olsem wanfala young woman, hem mas ranawe from Armenia, and samfala taem bihaen hem kasem Poland, hem stap insaed wanfala smol rum witim olketa nara refugee. Wanfala fren bilong hem wea stap tugeta long datfala rum garem samfala visitor evritaem. “Hu nao olketa guest bilong iu?” Silvia hem ask. Hem ansa olsem, “Olketa Jehovah’s Witness, olketa kam for teachim mi long Bible.”
Taem Silvia herem nem Jehovah, diswan barava muvim heart bilong hem. Hem start for lanem hu nao Jehovah and hao hem wanfala loving God. Bat, no longtaem bihaen hem mas lusim Poland. Hem lukaotem ples for stap sef long Denmark, akros long Baltic Sea. Hem karem tu-thri samting nomoa, bat insaed diswan samfala Bible buk wea Olketa Jehovah’s Witness pablisim. Long bihaen page bilong wanfala buk, Silvia faendem address bilong olketa branch office bilong Watch Tower Society. Datwan hem wanfala long olketa barava important samting wea hem ownim—samting for helpem hem kasem Jehovah!
Long Denmark, Silvia go long wanfala refugee camp, and stretawe hem start for lukaotem Olketa Jehovah’s Witness. From list bilong olketa address, hem savve hao branch office bilong Watch Tower Society long Denmark hem stap long taon bilong Holbæk. Bat datwan stap wea? Olketa muvim Silvia long nara camp, and taem hem gogo long there, train go pas long Holbæk! Diswan barava muvim heart bilong mi.
Long wanfala day no longtaem bihaen, Silvia kasem train for go bak long Holbæk and wakabaot from station go long branch office. Hem rememberim: “Taem mi go insaed garden, mi sidaon long stul and sei long miseleva, ‘Diswan hem paradaes!’” Olketa welkamim hem long branch and hem savve for go ahed studyim Bible.
Bat bihaen hem muv go long samfala difren ples. Long evri refugee center wea hem muv go, Silvia mas faendem Olketa Jehovah’s Witness and startim moa Bible study bilong hem. Nomata olsem, bihaen tufala year, hem lanem inaf mekem hem fit for dedicatem laef long Jehovah. Hem baptaes and no longtaem bihaen hem joinim full-taem ministry. Long 1998 gavman bilong Denmark letem hem stap long kantri.
Silvia hem 26 year distaem and hem serve long datfala ples wea remindim hem abaotem paradaes, branch office bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness long Denmark. “Wanem nao mi savve talem?” hem sei. “Mi start for lukaotem Jehovah taem mi wanfala smol girl nomoa. Distaem mi faendem hem finis. Mi laekem tumas for iusim laef bilong mi long service bilong hem, and mi hia long Bethel distaem. Mi prea for disfala ples kamap hom bilong mi for olketa year bihaen!”