Afɔ mi yɛ Quebec City, yɛ Canada kpokpaa ni atsɛɔ lɛ Quebec lɛ nɔ. French titri awieɔ yɛ kpokpaa nɛɛ nɔ. Atsɛɔ mipapa Louis, ni atsɛɔ mimami Zélia. Amɛsumɔɔ misane waa, ni amɛkwɛ mi jogbaŋŋ. Mipapa sumɔɔ nikanemɔ waa, ni esumɔɔɔ wiemɔ kwraa. Misumɔɔ niŋmaa, ni mishwe akɛ wɔsɛɛ ko lɛ, mayatsu nii yɛ adafitswaa nitsumɔhe ko.

Be ni miye aaafee afii 12 lɛ, mɛi ni mipapa kɛtsuɔ nii lɛ ateŋ mɔ kome ni atsɛɔ lɛ Rodolphe Soucy lɛ kɛ enaanyo ko basara wɔ yɛ shĩa. Yehowa Odasefoi ji amɛ. No mli lɛ, mileee Odasefoi lɛ ahe nɔ ko tsɔ, ni mijeee gbɛ minyaaa amɛjamɔ lɛ he. Shi minya bɔ ni amɛkɛ wɔ susu nii ahe lɛ he, kɛ bɔ ni amɛjɛ Biblia lɛ mli amɛhã saji ni wɔbi amɛ lɛ hetoo lɛ. Mifɔlɔi hu nya he, no hewɔ lɛ, wɔkpɛlɛ ni akɛ wɔ bɔi Biblia lɛ kasemɔ.

Nakai beiaŋ lɛ, miyaa Katolikbii askul, ni bei komɛi lɛ, migbaa miklasbii lɛ nibii ni mikaseɔ yɛ Biblia lɛ mli lɛ. Shi wɔtsɔɔlɔi lɛ nu he. Tsɔɔlɔi nɛɛ, ni ji osɔfoi lɛ, náaa ŋmalɛ ko kwraa ni amɛbaadamɔ nɔ amɛkɛɛ akɛ nibii ni mitsɔɔ miklasbii lɛ ejaaa. Moŋ lɛ, amɛteŋ mɔ kome tsɛ mi atuatselɔ yɛ klasbii lɛ fɛɛ ahiɛ! Sane lɛ gba minaa waa, shi eye ebua mi ni mina akɛ, sɔlemɔ lɛ mli nibii ni atsɔɔ wɔ yɛ skul lɛ kɛ Biblia lɛ kpaaa gbee. Mina akɛ, esa ni makpa skul lɛ. Mikɛɛ mifɔlɔi, ni amɛkɛ mi tee skul kroko.

Mitee nɔ mikase Biblia lɛ, shi miyaaa mihiɛ oyayaayai, ejaakɛ misheɔ gbeyei akɛ maya mɛi ashĩai amli mayashiɛ mahã amɛ. No mli lɛ, nɔ ni Katolik Sɔlemɔ lɛ baakɛɛ lɛ, no akɛtsuɔ nii, ni amɛte shi amɛwo wɔ waa yɛ shiɛmɔ ni wɔshiɛɔ lɛ hewɔ. Maurice Duplessis, ni ji amralo ni kwɛɔ Quebec kpokpaa lɛ nɔ lɛ, kɛ sɔlemɔ lɛ yafee ekome ni amɛgba Odasefoi lɛ anaa. Apila nyɛmimɛi lɛ ateŋ mɛi komɛi po. Nakai beiaŋ lɛ, kɛ́ ofeee ekãa waa lɛ, onyɛŋ oya shiɛmɔ.

 Nyɛmi nuu ko ni tee Gilead Skul lɛ klas ni ji nɛɛhu nɔ lɛ, ni atsɛɔ lɛ John Rae lɛ ji mɔ ni ye ebua mi ni minyɛ mifee ekãa. Nyɛminuu Rae yɛ niiashikpamɔ waa, ehe jɔ, ebaa ehe shi, ni etseɔ ehiɛ ehãa mɔ fɛɛ mɔ. Shii enyɔoo ko pɛ ewo mi ŋaa tɛ̃ɛ yɛ nɔ ko he, shi mikase nibii pii yɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ kpakpa ni efee lɛ mli. Akɛni enyɛɛɛ ewie French jogbaŋŋ hewɔ lɛ, mikɛ lɛ fɔɔ shiɛmɔ yaa waa ni miyeɔ mibuaa lɛ kɛ French lɛ wiemɔ. Ehi waa akɛ mikɛ lɛ bɔ, ejaakɛ eye ebua mi ni minyɛ mifee ekãa ni mikpɛ miyiŋ akɛ, matsɔ Yehowa Odasefonyo. Abaptisi mi May 26, 1951. No mli lɛ, afii nyɔŋma eho kɛjɛ klɛŋklɛŋ be ni mikɛ Odasefoi gba sane.

Nyɛmimɛi fioo pɛ yɔɔ wɔsafo lɛ mli yɛ Quebec City, shi amɛteŋ mɛi pii ji gbɛgbalɔi. Amɛná minɔ hewalɛ kpakpa, ni no hã mi hu mibɔi gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ. No beiaŋ lɛ, kɛ́ wɔmiitsu shĩa fɛɛ shĩa shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ, Biblia lɛ pɛ wɔkɛyaa; wolo ko fataaa he. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, ehe bahia ni wɔle bɔ ni akɛ Ŋmalɛ lɛ tsuɔ nii jogbaŋŋ. Mimia mihiɛ waa mikase ŋmalɛi srɔtoi ni manyɛ mikɛtsɔɔ mɛi anɔkwale lɛ. Shi mɛi ni wɔkɛkpe yɛ shiɛmɔ nɔ lɛ ateŋ mɛi babaoo ekpɛlɛɛɛ ni wɔkaneɔ Biblia lɛ po wɔhãa amɛ, ja amɛna akɛ Katolik Sɔlemɔ lɛ kpɛlɛɔ Biblia shishitsɔɔmɔ ni wɔyaakane wɔhã amɛ lɛ nɔ.

Yɛ afi 1952 lɛ, mikɛ nyɛmi yoo anɔkwafo ko ni yɔɔ wɔsafo lɛ mli, ni atsɛɔ lɛ Simone Patry lɛ bote gbalashihilɛ mli. Wɔfã wɔyahi Montreal, ni be ni shɛɔ afi lɛ, wɔfɔ wɔbiyoo Lise. Eyɛ mli akɛ mikɛ gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ fɔ̃ shi be ni eshwɛ fioo ni wɔbaabote gbalashihilɛ mli lɛ moŋ, shi mi kɛ Simone bɔ mɔdɛŋ akɛ wɔkɛ heloonaa nibii pii gbaŋ wɔhe naa, koni wɔnyɛ wɔya asafoŋ kpeei lɛ fɛɛ ni wɔkɛ ekãa atsu shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ.

Afii nyɔŋma sɛɛ dani mikɛ hiɛdɔɔ bɔi gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ he susumɔ ekoŋŋ. Bɔ ni eba lɛ nɛ: Yɛ afi 1962 lɛ, afee Maŋtsɛyeli Sɔɔmɔ Skul yɛ Canada Betel ahã asafoŋ onukpai. Wɔkɛ nyɔɔŋ kome ni tee skul lɛ, ni mɔ ni ahã mi kɛ lɛ hi tsũ mli ji Nyɛminuu Camille Ouellette. Camille kɛ shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ shwɛɛɛ kwraa, ni enɛ fee mi fɛo waa, titri lɛ, akɛni eyɛ ŋa kɛ bii lɛ hewɔ. Yɛ wɔbeiaŋ lɛ, ekpakpa ko dani obaana nyɛmi ko yɛ Quebec ni yɔɔ bii bibii ni eetsu gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ; shi no ji oti ni Camille kɛma ehiɛ. Be ni wɔyaa skul lɛ, ewo mi hewalɛ ni mi hu makwɛ akɛ manyɛ mafee nakai lo. Eyeee nyɔji pii ni mina akɛ, manyɛ mabɔi gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ ekoŋŋ.  Mɛi komɛi kɛɛ yiŋkpɛɛ nɛɛ jeee yiŋkpɛɛ kpakpa, shi mihãaa no aje minijiaŋ wui, ejaakɛ mile akɛ, kɛ́ mimia mihiɛ lɛ, Yehowa baawa mi ni matsu.

Yɛ afi 1964 lɛ, ahã mi kɛ Simone bɔi sɔɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔi krɛdɛi yɛ Quebec City, ni ji, wɔmaŋ lɛ mli, ni wɔsɔmɔ yɛ jɛmɛ afii pii. Eyɛ mli akɛ no mli lɛ nibii amli ejɔ fioo moŋ, shi loloolo lɛ, mɛi te shi amɛwo wɔ.

Hɔɔ shwane ko be ni miishiɛ yɛ maŋ bibioo ko ni kɛ Quebec City jekɛɛɛ, ni atsɛɔ lɛ Sainte-Marie lɛ, amɔ mi kɛtee polisteshɛŋ ni ayawo mi tsuŋ ejaakɛ akɛɛ miishiɛ yɛ shĩai amli shi mihiɛɛɛ gbɛŋmɛɛ wolo. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, akɛ mi tee kɔɔtu, ni akɛ misane lɛ yahã kojolɔ ko ni atsɛɔ lɛ Baillargeon lɛ. Nuu nɛɛ kwɔ ni eti, ni asheɔ lɛ gbeyei. Ebi mi lɔya ni baawie ahã mi, ni mikɛɛ lɛ akɛ Glen How * baawie ahã mi. Glen How ji Odasefonyo lɔya ko ni ale lɛ waa yɛ nakai beiaŋ, ni efã nyɛmimɛi lɛ ahe ni amɛye kunim yɛ saji pii amli. No hewɔ lɛ, be ni mitsɛ egbɛ́i lɛ, kojolɔ lɛ hao, ni ewie akɛ: “Ao, ao! Nakai nuu lɛ ekoŋŋ?” Etsɛɛɛ ni kɔɔtu lɛ hã mile akɛ aŋmɛɛ sane lɛ he.

Akɛni ahãaa wɔ mumɔhe kwraa yɛ Quebec hewɔ lɛ, wɔnyɛɛɛ wɔhai he ko kpakpa ni wɔfee asafoŋ kpeei yɛ jɛmɛ. He pɛ ni wɔsafo bibioo lɛ yaná ji garaj momo ko. Jɛmɛ jɔɔ waa. No hewɔ lɛ, yɛ fɛi beiaŋ lɛ, nyɛmimɛi lɛ kɛ tsɔne ni hãa tsũ mli dɔɔ baa. Bei pii lɛ, dani abaaje asafoŋ kpee shishi lɛ, wɔ fɛɛ wɔyabuaa wɔhe naa yɛ he, ni wɔkɛ ŋmɛlɛtswai fioo gbaa niiashikpamɔi kɛwoɔ wɔhe hewalɛ.

Miishɛɛ sane ji akɛ, shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ ewo yibii kpakpai pii yɛ Quebec City kɛ hei krokomɛi ni bɛŋkɛ jɛmɛ lɛ. Yɛ aaafee afi 1960 mli lɛ, asafoi bibii enyɔoo ko pɛ yɔɔ nakai kpokpaa lɛ, Côte-Nord kpokpaa lɛ, kɛ Gaspé Peninsula lɛ. Shi ŋmɛnɛ lɛ, asafoi ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ ayi fa aahu akɛ, ayɛ kpokpai fe enyɔ yɛ jɛmɛ, ni nyɛmimɛi lɛ kpeɔ yɛ Maŋtsɛyeli Asai fɛfɛji amli.

Yɛ afi 1970 lɛ, ahã mikɛ Simone bɔi sɔɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ kɛ eŋa. Kɛkɛ ni yɛ afi 1973 lɛ, ahã wɔbɔi sɔɔmɔ akɛ kpokpaa wulu nɔkwɛlɔ kɛ eŋa. Yɛ be nɛɛ mli lɛ, mikase nii waa kɛjɛ nyɛmimɛi komɛi ni he esa, tamɔ Laurier Saumur * kɛ David Splane, * ni no mli lɛ amɛ hu amɛmiisɔmɔ akɛ nɔkwɛlɔi gbɛfalɔi lɛ adɛŋ. Be fɛɛ be kɛ́ agbe kpee ko naa lɛ, David woɔ mi ŋaa yɛ nibii komɛi ni baahã minitsɔɔmɔ amɔ shi jogbaŋŋ lɛ he, ni mi hu miwoɔ lɛ ŋaa yɛ enɔ he. Mikaiɔ akɛ, be ko lɛ, David kɛɛ mi akɛ: “Léonce, minya onaagbee wiemɔ lɛ he waa. Obɔ mɔdɛŋ, shi obua saji ni manyɛ mawie yɛ maŋshiɛmɔi etɛ sɔŋŋ mli owo nakai maŋshiɛmɔ kome lɛ mli!” Etamɔ nɔ ni kɛ́ miihã maŋshiɛmɔ lɛ, miwieɔ pii tsɔ. Ehe bahia ni makase bɔ ni mawie saji otii lɛ ahe tɛ̃ɛ ni mikɛ saji krokomɛi ni he ehiaaa fataaa he.

Nakai beiaŋ lɛ, ahãa kpokpaa wulu nɔkwɛlɔi  yasaraa kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔi koni amɛwo amɛ hewalɛ. Shi akɛni nyɛmimɛi ni yɔɔ Quebec lɛ ateŋ mɛi pii le mi waa hewɔ lɛ, kɛ́ mitee kpokpai lɛ saramɔ lɛ, nyɛmimɛi lɛ sumɔɔ ni mikɛ amɛ aya shiɛmɔ. Miná enɛ he miishɛɛ waa, shi ehãaa maná be pii mahã kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔi lɛ. Be ko lɛ, kpokpaa nɔkwɛlɔ ko kɛɛ mi akɛ: “Ehi waa akɛ onáa nyɛmimɛi lɛ ahe dekã, shi kaahã ohiɛ kpa nɔ akɛ mi mihewɔ oba biɛ otsi nɛɛ. Mi hu hewalɛwoo he miihia mi!” Ŋaa kpakpa nɛɛ ni ewo mi lɛ hã mina akɛ esumɔɔ misane, ni eye ebua mi waa.

Mɔbɔ sane ji akɛ, yɛ afi 1976 lɛ, nɔ ko ni yɔɔ dɔlɛ ni mikpaaa gbɛ kwraa nina mi. Hela bamɔ misuɔlɔ Simone waa ni egbo. Simone kɛ ehe shãa afɔle ni esumɔɔ Yehowa, ni no hã ebatsɔ hefatalɔ ni nɔ bɛ. Mikɛ ekãa tsu sɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ yɛ be nɛɛ mli, ni no ji nɔ ni ye ebua mi ni minyɛ midamɔ egbele lɛ naa. Midaa Yehowa shi waa akɛ, eye ebua mi ni eshɛje mimii yɛ nakai be ni wa lɛ mli. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, mikɛ nyɛmi yoo gbɛgbalɔ ko ni yɔɔ ekãa, ni wieɔ Blɔfo, ni atsɛɔ lɛ Carolyn Elliott lɛ bote gbalashihilɛ mli. No mli lɛ, eba Quebec koni ebasɔmɔ yɛ he ni hiamɔ lɛ da yɛ. Carolyn tseɔ ehiɛ ehãa mɛi, ni esumɔɔ ni ekɛ mɛi abɔ naanyo, titri lɛ, mɛi ni hiɛ gboɔ kɛ mɛi ni he efee shoo lɛ. Eye ebua mi waa yɛ gbɛfãa nitsumɔ lɛ mli.

Yɛ January 1978 lɛ, akɛ nitsumɔ wo midɛŋ akɛ mitsɔɔ nii yɛ klɛŋklɛŋ Gbɛgbamɔ Sɔɔmɔ Skul ni abaafee yɛ Quebec lɛ shishi. Mishe gbeyei, ejaakɛ miyako skul nɛɛ eko pɛŋ, ni minako wolo ni akɛbaatsu nii yɛ shishi lɛ dã, tamɔ skulbii lɛ nɔŋŋ. Miishɛɛ sane ji akɛ, mɛi ni ba klɛŋklɛŋ klas lɛ ateŋ mɛi pii kɛ afii pii etsu gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ, ni amɛhe esa. Eyɛ mli akɛ mi ji amɛtsɔɔlɔ moŋ, shi mikase nii pii kɛjɛ amɛ kɛ skulbii krokomɛi lɛ adɛŋ!

Sɛɛ mli yɛ afi 1978 lɛ, afee “Hemɔkɛyeli Kunimyeli” Majimaji Ateŋ Kpee lɛ eko yɛ Olympic Stediɔm ni yɔɔ Montreal lɛ. No ji kpee ni da fe fɛɛ ni afee yɛ Quebec, ni mɛi 80,000 kɛ  sɛɛ ba. Yɛ nakai kpee lɛ shishi lɛ, ahã mikɛ Adafitswaa Nitsumɔhe (News Service Department) lɛ tsu nii. Miná hegbɛ mikɛ mɛi pii ni tsuɔ nii yɛ adafitswaa nitsumɔhei shara, ni miná miishɛɛ waa akɛ amɛwie kpee lɛ he ekpakpa. Abibii wɔ saji yɛ TV kɛ redio nɔ, ni akala wɔhe saji pii yɛ adafitswaa woji amli. Fɛɛ kɛ fɛɛ lɛ, wɔye fe ŋmɛlɛtswai 20 yɛ TV lɛ kɛ redio lɛ nɔ. Efee odaseyeli kpele diɛŋtsɛ!

Yɛ afi 1996 lɛ, ahã mibɔi kpokpaa wulu ko ni yɔɔ Toronto lɛ sɔɔmɔ, ni Blɔfo awieɔ yɛ jɛmɛ. Enɛ bafee tsakemɔ kpele diɛŋtsɛ kɛhã mi, ejaakɛ kɛjɛ be ni abaptisi mi lɛ, misɔmɔ yɛ Quebec, ni French titri awieɔ yɛ jɛmɛ. Minu he akɛ minyɛŋ matsu nitsumɔ lɛ, ni akɛni mi-Blɔfo shɛɛɛ shɔŋŋ hewɔ lɛ, mishe gbeyei akɛ mahã wiemɔ yɛ Blɔfo mli. Misɔle waa fe bɔ ni mifeɔ momo lɛ po, ni mikɛ mihiɛ fɔ̃ Yehowa nɔ kwraa.

Ŋmɛnɛ lɛ, kɛ́ misusu afii enyɔ ni miye yɛ Toronto niiaŋ lɛ he lɛ, manyɛ makɛɛ akɛ miná miishɛɛ waa. Carolyn to etsui shi eye ebua mi kɛ Blɔfo lɛ wiemɔ, ni nyɛmimɛi lɛ hu wa mi ni amɛwo mi hewalɛ. Etsɛɛɛ ni wɔbaná nanemɛi hei pii.

Kɛ́ abaafee kpokpaa nɔ kpee lɛ, mitsuɔ nii waa kɛtoɔ nibii ahe gbɛjianɔ. Shi bei pii lɛ, Sohaa gbɛkɛ kɛhã Hɔɔ lɛ, mikɛ ŋmɛlɛtswaa kome loo nɔ tsuɔ shĩa fɛɛ shĩa shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ. Akɛni miyɛ nibii pii tsumɔ yɛ kpee lɛ shishi hewɔ lɛ, ekolɛ obaabi akɛ, ‘Mɛni hewɔ oyaa shiɛmɔ nakai gbɛkɛ lɛ?’ Nɔ kome ni mikpa shi mina ji akɛ, kɛ́ mitee shiɛmɔ ni miná mɛi mikɛgba sane lɛ, ewoɔ mi hewalɛ. Kɛbashi ŋmɛnɛ lɛ, kɛ́ mitee shiɛmɔ lɛ, mináa miishɛɛ waa.

Yɛ afi 1998 lɛ, atsake mi kɛ Carolyn nitsumɔ, ni ahã wɔbɔi sɔɔmɔ akɛ gbɛgbalɔi krɛdɛi yɛ Montreal. Nibii ni mitsu lɛ ekomɛi ji, mito maŋ odaseyeli krɛdɛi ahe gbɛjianɔ, ni mikɛ adafitswaa nitsumɔhei shara koni wɔjaje jwɛŋmɔ ni ejaaa ni mɛi hiɛ loo nibii ni ejaaa ni awie yɛ Yehowa Odasefoi ahe lɛ. Amrɔ nɛɛ, mi kɛ Carolyn shiɛɔ wɔhãa mɛi ni ejɛ maŋsɛɛ amɛba Canada etsɛko lɛ, ni wɔna akɛ amɛteŋ mɛi pii yɛ ni Biblia lɛ he hɔmɔ miiye amɛ.

Kɛ́ mijwɛŋ afii 68 ni mikɛsɔmɔ Yehowa akɛ etsulɔ ni abaptisi lɛ lɛ ahe lɛ, manyɛ makɛɛ kɛ nɔmimaa akɛ, ejɔɔ mi waa. Mimii eshɛ mihe waa, ejaakɛ mibasumɔ shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ, ni miye mibua mɛi pii ni amɛba anɔkwale lɛ mli. Be ni mibiyoo Lise bii lɛ dara lɛ, ekɛ ewu fɛɛ bɔi gbɛgbamɔ nitsumɔ lɛ. Kɛ́ mina bɔ ni ekɛ ekãa tsuɔ shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ, mitsui tɔɔ. Mihiɛ sɔɔ nyɛmimɛi ni fee nɔkwɛmɔnɔ kpakpa amɛhã mi kɛ mɛi ni wo mi ŋaa lɛ waa. Amɛye amɛbua mi ni wekukpaa ni yɔɔ mi kɛ Yehowa teŋ lɛ mli wa, ni minyɛ mitsu nitsumɔi srɔtoi ni Yehowa asafo lɛ tu ewo midɛŋ lɛ jogbaŋŋ. Mina akɛ, kɛ́ wɔkɛ wɔhiɛ efɔ̃ɔɔ Yehowa nɔ ni ekɛ emumɔ krɔŋkrɔŋ ni yɔɔ hewalɛ lɛ baaye abua wɔ lɛ, wɔnyɛŋ wɔtsu nitsumɔ ko kwraa ni akɛbaawo wɔdɛŋ lɛ jogbaŋŋ. (Lala 51:11) Midaa Yehowa shi daa akɛ, ehã miná hegbɛ ni nɔ bɛ akɛ majie egbɛ́i lɛ yi!​—Lala 54:6.