Laef Story
Wanfala Pikinini wea No Garem Parents Faendem Loving Dadi
STORY BILONG DIMITRIS SIDIROPOULOS
“Holem gun and sut.” Hem nao raf toktok bilong wanfala officer wea trae forcem mi for holem gun. Long kwaet wei mi talem hem mi no willing. Olketa soldia wea luk kam seke for lukim olketa bullet from gun bilong datfala officer flae go pas klosap long hed bilong mi. Luk olsem bae hem killim mi dae. Lucky nao mi laef. Bat diswan no fastaem wea laef bilong mi stap long danger.
PARENTS bilong mi kam from Greece bat stap klosap long Kayseri, long Cappadocia, Turkey. Luk olsem samfala pipol from disfala area kamap olketa Christian taem Christian Wei hem just start. (Acts 2:9) Bat long start bilong olketa year bilong 1900, evri samting barava change nao.
Mi Kamap Refugee Then Dadi and Mami Dae
Tu-thri month bihaen mi born long 1922, famili bilong mi ranawe from ethnic tension and kamap olketa refugee long Greece. Parents bilong mi wea fraet fogud lusim evri samting, bat tekem nomoa mi, wea long datfala taem mi tu-thri month old. From olketa safa from staka barava nogud samting, taem olketa arrive long Kiria vilij klosap long Drama, long north Greece, olketa taed and wiki narawe.
Taem mi foa year and bihaen brata bilong mi born, dadi bilong mi dae. Hem 27 year nomoa, bat olketa hard taem wea hem kasem barava spoelem health bilong hem. Mami safa long plande hard samting, and no longtaem bihaen, hem tu dae. Mi witim brata bilong mi barava poor evribit. Mitufala stap long plande difren ples wea olketa keepim olketa pikinini wea no garem parents, and taem mi 12 year, mi stap long wanfala ples olsem long Thessalonica, wea mi startim training for kamap wanfala mechanic.
From mi growap insaed long olketa ples hia for keepim olketa pikinini wea no garem parents and pipol long there no mas kaen long olketa pikinini, mi laek savve why nao samfala pipol barava safa and no kasem justice. Mi laek savve why nao God letem kaen sorre samting olsem for gohed. Long religious instruction class, olketa teachim mifala hao God hem olmaeti, bat olketa no explainim why nao wicked fasin hem big tumas long world. Wanfala toktok long datfala taem sei Greek Orthodox Church hem best religion. Taem mi ask, “Sapos Orthodox hem best religion, why nao no evriwan Orthodox?” mi no kasem eni gudfala ansa.
Nomata olsem, teacher bilong mifala barava respectim Bible, and hem strongim long mifala hao Bible hem wanfala holy buk. Bigman bilong ples wea mifala stap hem garem semkaen tingting, bat hem nating go long service. Taem mi askem why nao hem olsem, samwan talem mi hao hem study witim Olketa Jehovah’s Witness bifor, bat mi no savve long datfala religion.
Taem mi skul finis long Thessalonica, mi 17 year. World War II hem start finis, and Greece stap anda long Nazi rul. Evriwea pipol dae from hangre. Mi lusim taon for go waka long wanfala farm for smolfala pei, sapos nomoa, bae mi dae nao.
Mi Kasem Olketa Ansa From Bible
Taem mi go bak long Thessalonica long April 1945, Paschalia, sista bilong wanfala boy wea fren bilong mi and wea mitufala stap long olketa sem ples taem mitufala pikinini, hem visit kam. Paschalia talem mi hao hem no savve wea nao brata bilong hem stap and hem askem mi sapos mi savve. Taem mitufala story, hem talem mi hao hem wanfala Jehovah’s Witness and hem storyim hao God hem interest long olketa man.
Mi feel nogud and mi komplen nao. Mi sei, why nao mi safa start kam long taem mi smol pikinini yet? Why nao mi no garem dadi and mami? Why nao God no duim samting taem iumi barava needim hem? Hem ansa olsem, “Waswe, iu sure God nao mekem kaen samting olsem kamap?” Hem iusim Bible bilong hem for showim mi hao God no mekem pipol safa. Diswan helpem mi for luksavve hao Creator hem lovem olketa man and klosap nao bae hem mekem evri samting kamap moabeta. Hem iusim olketa scripture olsem Isaiah 35:5-7 and Revelation 21:3, 4 for showim mi hao klosap nao war, raoa, sik, and dae bae finis, and pipol wea faithful bae stap olowe long disfala earth.
Mi Faendem Wanfala Famili wea Sapotim Mi
Mi faendaot hao brata bilong Paschalia hem dae long wanfala faet bilong olketa militant. Mi visitim famili bilong hem for comfortim olketa, bat olketa nao iusim Bible for comfortim mi. Narataem mi go bak moa long olketa for kasem comfort from Bible, and no longtaem bihaen mi joinim wanfala smol grup bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness wea hipap long ples wea haed for study and worship. Nomata pipol againstim religion bilong olketa Witness from gavman tambuim, mi strong long disison bilong mi for gohed kaban witim olketa.
Datfala grup bilong olketa hambol Christian hem olsem wanfala loving famili wea mi no garem. Olketa provaedem spiritual help and sapot wea mi barava needim. Olketa hia kamap olketa fren bilong mi wea kea and no selfish, wea redi and willing for helpem and comfortim mi. (2 Corinthians 7:5-7) Winim evri samting, olketa helpem mi for fren gud witim Jehovah, wea mi start for ting long hem olsem loving Dadi bilong mi long heven. Olketa fasin bilong hem olsem love and fasin for kea long pipol barava here naes long mi. (Psalm 23:1-6) Mi hapi tumas for faendem wanfala spiritual famili and wanfala loving Dadi! Diswan muvim heart bilong mi. No longtaem bihaen mi dedicatem miseleva long Jehovah, and mi baptaes long September 1945.
Taem mi attendim olketa Christian meeting mi kasem moa savve, and tu, faith bilong mi kamap moa strong. From no eni transport stap, plande taem samfala long mifala wakabaot faev kilometer from vilij bilong mifala for go kasem meeting, and taem mifala wakabaot mifala barava enjoyim wei for story raonem olketa spiritual samting. Klosap long end bilong 1945, taem mi savve hao man savve duim waka for talemaot gud nius full taem, mi start for pioneer. Hem important tumas for fren gud witim Jehovah, bikos no longtaem bihaen, samfala samting happen wea testim evribit faithful fasin bilong mi.
Gud Samting Kamap From Wei for Againstim Mifala
Plande taem police kam witim gun long ples wea mifala meeting. Army rulim kantri from war gohed yet long Greece. Olketa difren sekson wea fulap witim heit attakim each other. Olketa bigman bilong religion mekius long samting wea gohed for mekem olketa wea garem paoa tingse mifala olketa Communist and from datwan olketa barava persecutim mifala nogud.
Insaed tufala year, staka taem olketa arrestim mi and tufala nara brata, and sixfala taem mifala kasem panis for stap long prison, samfala taem for fofala month. Bat from olketa prison fulap finis witim olketa nara prisoner, mifala kamap free moa. Mifala iusim datfala freedom for gohed long preaching waka, bat no longtaem bihaen, olketa arrestim mifala moa—thrifala taem insaed sem week. Mifala savve hao plande brata bilong mifala kasem panis for go stap long olketa island wea no eni samting savve grow long hem. Waswe, bae faith bilong mi fitim kaen test olsem?
Laef hem kamap barava hard taem police laekem mi for report long olketa evriday. For mekem olketa evritaem savve chekim wanem mi duim, olketa sendem mi long Evosmos, klosap long Thessalonica, wea wanfala police station hem stap. Mi rentim wanfala rum klosap long there, and for kasem lelebet selen mi start for go long haos bilong pipol for klinim olketa pot. Taem mi pioneer long olketa vilij klosap, waka for klinim pot mekem isi for mi kasem haos bilong pipol and police no luksavve mi duim preaching waka. From diswan, samfala pipol herem gud nius and acceptim datwan. Gogo, winim tenfala long olketa dedicate and start for worshipim Jehovah.
Eitfala Prison Insaed Tenfala Year
Police gohed for chekim wanem mi duim go kasem end bilong 1949, and then mi go bak long Thessalonica and garem goal for gohed long full-taem ministry. Taem mi tingse olketa hard taem hia finis nao, seknomoa, long 1950 mi kasem order for joinim army. From mi followim Christian wei for no teksaed, mi strong long disison bilong mi for no “lanem war.” (Isaiah 2:4) Datwan nao start bilong wanfala longfala hard taem wea mi safa insaed samfala barava worse prison long Greece.
Diswan start long taon wea olketa kolem Drama. Insaed olketa fasfala week wea mi stap insaed prison long there, olketa niu soldia start for practicem wei for sutim gun. Wanday, olketa tekem mi long ples wea olketa practice. Wanfala officer trae forcem mi for holem gun and orderim mi for sut. Taem mi no willing, hem start for sut kam long mi. Taem olketa nara officer luksavve mi bae no obeyim hem, olketa start for killim mi nogud. Olketa laetem smoke bilong olketa and iusim datwan for bonem hand bilong mi. Bihaen, olketa lokim mi long wanfala cell. Mi stap seleva for thrifala day. Pain from wei wea olketa bonem mi hem narawe, and olketa mark from datwan stap long hand bilong mi for plande year.
Bifor mi go front long kot bilong army, olketa muvim mi go long wanfala army camp long Iráklion, Crete. Long there, olketa barava whipim mi nogud for trae brekem faithful fasin bilong mi. From mi fraet nogud mi givap, mi barava prea long Dadi bilong mi long heven for strongim mi. Mi rememberim toktok long Jeremiah 1:19 wei sei: “Olketa bae faet againstim iu, bat olketa bae no winim iu, from ‘mi stap witim iu for sevem iu,’ hem nao toktok bilong Jehovah.” “Peace bilong God” wea givim comfort barava daonem feeling for wari and fraet. Mi minim hao hem wise for barava trustim Jehovah evribit.—Philippians 4:6, 7; Proverbs 3:5.
Long datfala kot case, mi kasem panis for stap long prison for full laef bilong mi. Olketa ting long Olketa Jehovah’s Witness olsem olketa “enemy bilong Gavman” wea worse winim eni nara enemy. Fastaem mi go long Itsedin criminal prison, wea stap aotsaed long Canea, wea olketa lokim mi long cell seleva. Itsedin hem wanfala castle bifor, and cell bilong mi fulap witim olketa rat. Mi putim wanfala old kava raonem full body bilong mi for stopem olketa rat for tasim body bilong mi taem olketa ran olobaot. Mi kasem pneumonia and mi barava sik fogud. Doctor sei mi mas sidaon aotsaed, mekem sun sunim mi, and from diswan mi garem chance for story witim plande prisoner long courtyard. Bat sik bilong mi kamap moa worse and from lungs bilong mi start for fulap long blood, olketa tekem mi go long Iráklion hospital.
Long datfala taem tu, olketa Christian brata and sista wea kamap spiritual famili bilong mi stap redi for givim help wea mi needim. (Colossians 4:11) Olketa brata long Iráklion visitim mi evritaem and comfortim and encouragem mi. Mi talem olketa mi needim literature mekem mi savve witness long olketa wea interest. Olketa tekem kam wanfala suitcase witim spes wea stap haed mekem mi haedem literature insaed. Mi barava hapi hao taem mi stap long olketa prison hia, mi helpem winim sixfala prisoner for kamap olketa tru Christian!
Long datfala taem, war hem finis and olketa daonem haomas year mi mas stap long prison for kamap tenfala year. Long olketa year hia mi stap long olketa prison long Rethimno, Genti Koule, and Cassandra. Bihaen samting olsem tenfala year long eitfala difren prison, mi kamap free and go bak long Thessalonica. Long there, olketa Christian brata wea mi lovem tumas olketa barava welkamim mi.
Stap Gud Midolwan Olketa Christian Brata and Sista
Long datfala taem no eni samting stopem worship bilong olketa Witness long Greece. Stretawe mi mekius long diswan for start bak moa long full-taem ministry. No longtaem bihaen, mi kasem nara blessing taem mi start for savve long wanfala faithful Christian sista, Katina, wea lovem Jehovah and wea waka hard long preaching waka. Mitufala marit long October 1959. Taem dota bilong mitufala, Agape, hem born, and mi garem Christian famili bilong miseleva, hem helpem mi for lusim sorre feeling bilong mi olsem pikinini wea no garem parents. Main important samting nao, famili bilong mi hapi for serve anda long loving protection bilong Dadi bilong mifala long heven, Jehovah.—Psalm 5:11.
Hard taem saed long selen forcem mi for lusim pioneer waka, bat mi sapotim waef bilong mi wea gohed long full-taem service. Wanfala important samting long Christian laef bilong mi kamap long 1969, taem wanfala international convention bilong Olketa Jehovah’s Witness hem kamap long Nuremberg, Germany. Taem mi plan for go long there, mi putim application for kasem wanfala passport. Taem waef bilong mi go long police station for faendaot why nao winim tufala month go pas finis and mi no kasem passport yet, wanfala policeman showim hem wanfala big file abaotem mi long cupboard bilong hem and hem sei: “Waswe, iu askem passport for disfala man mekem hem savve go and preach long pipol long Germany? Barava nomoa nao! Man hia danger tumas.”
From help bilong Jehovah and samfala brata, nem bilong mi stap long wanfala grup passport, and from datwan mi attendim datfala nambawan convention. Attendance hem winim 150,000, and mi barava lukim klia hao spirit bilong Jehovah directim and mekem disfala spiritual famili raonem full world garem wan mind. Long olketa year bihaen datwan, mi tinghae go moa hao Christian famili raonem world hem barava spesol samting.
Long 1977 faithful waef wea hem fren bilong mi and wea mi lovem tumas, hem dae. Mi barava trae hard for bringimap dota bilong mi followim olketa Bible principle, bat mi no stragol seleva for duim datwan. Long datfala taem moa, spiritual famili bilong mi helpem mi. Bae mi no forgetim wei wea olketa brata sapotim mi long datfala hard taem. Samfala long olketa kam stap long haos for lelebet taem for helpem mi lukaftarem dota bilong mi. Bae mi nating forgetim willing fasin and love bilong olketa.—John 13:34, 35.
Gogo Agape maritim wanfala faithful brata, Elias. Tufala garem fofala son, and evriwan long olketa insaed long truth. Long olketa year wea just go pas, mi kasem samfala stroke and health bilong mi gogo daon. Dota bilong mi and famili bilong hem lukaftarem mi gud. Nomata health bilong mi no mas gud, mi garem plande reason for hapi. Mi remember taem Thessalonica garem samting olsem wan handred brata nomoa and olketa hipap for meeting long wei wea haed long haos bilong samfala brata. Distaem, klosap faev thousand strongfala Witness stap long datfala area. (Isaiah 60:22) Long olketa convention, olketa young brata askem mi: “Waswe, iu remember taem iu tekem kam olketa magasin long haos bilong mifala?” Nomata parents bilong olketa maet no readim olketa magasin hia, olketa pikinini readim and olketa muv ahed long spiritual wei!
Nomata mi safa long plande samting, taem mi lukim wei wea organization bilong Jehovah hem gohed for grow, mi barava hapi. Mi evritaem talem olketa grani bilong mi and olketa nara young wan for no forgetim Dadi bilong olketa long heven taem olketa young yet, and bae hem nating lusim olketa. (Ecclesiastes 12:1) Jehovah hem faithful long promis bilong hem. For mi, hem kamap “wanfala dadi bilong olketa boy wea no garem dadi.” (Psalm 68:5) Nomata mi no garem dadi and mami taem mi smol, gogo mi faendem wanfala Dadi wea barava lukaftarem mi!
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Long Drama prison mi duim waka for kuki
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Mi witim Katina taem mitufala marit long 1959
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Assembly long bush area klosap long Thessalonica, midolwan 1967-1970
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Witim dota bilong mitufala, 1967