“YOU are such a cruel father,” scolded the KGB officer. * “You’ve abandoned your pregnant wife and baby daughter. Who will feed them and care for them? Renounce your activities and go home!” I replied: “No, I didn’t abandon my family. You arrested me! And for what?” The officer retorted: “Any crime other than being a Witness is better.”

That exchange took place in 1959 in a prison in the city of Irkutsk in Russia. Allow me to relate why my wife, Maria, and I were prepared to “suffer for the sake of righteousness” and how we were blessed for remaining faithful.​—1 Pet. 3:13, 14.

I was born in Ukraine in 1933 in the village of Zolotniki. In 1937 my aunt and her husband, who were Witnesses, visited us from France and left us the books Government and Deliverance, published by the Watch Tower Society. When my father read those books, his faith in God was awakened. Sadly, in 1939 he became very ill, but before he died he told my mother: “This is the truth. Teach it to the children.”

In April 1951, the authorities began sending Witnesses from the western USSR to Siberia into exile. Together with my mother and my younger brother, Grigory, I was banished from West Ukraine. After traveling over 3,700 miles (6,000 km) by train, we arrived in the city of Tulun in Siberia. Two weeks later my older brother, Bogdan, arrived in a camp in the nearby city of Angarsk. He had been sentenced to 25 years of hard labor.

My mother, Grigory, and I preached in the settlements around Tulun, but we had to be resourceful. For example, we would ask, “Is there anyone here who wants to sell a cow?” When we found someone with a cow to sell, we would mention to that person how amazingly designed cows are. Before long, we would be talking about the Creator. At that time, a newspaper wrote about the Witnesses that they ask about cows but they are looking for sheep! And we found sheeplike ones! It was a pleasure to study the Scriptures with the humble and hospitable people in that unassigned territory. Today, there is a congregation with over 100 publishers in Tulun.

My wife, Maria, learned the truth in Ukraine in the middle of World War II. When she was 18 years old, a KGB officer began to harass her and tried to force her to commit immorality with him, but she firmly rejected his advances. One day, she returned home and found the man lying on her bed. Maria fled. Furious, the officer threatened to have her locked up for being a Witness, and indeed, in 1952, Maria was sentenced to ten years in prison. She felt like Joseph, who was imprisoned for keeping his integrity. (Gen. 39:12, 20) The driver who took Maria from the courtroom to the prison told her: “Don’t be afraid. Many people go to prison but return with their dignity intact.” Those words strengthened her.

From 1952 to 1956, Maria was put to work in a labor camp near the city of Gorkiy (now Nizhniy Novgorod) in Russia. She was ordered to uproot trees, even in freezing weather. Her health suffered, but in 1956 she was set free and headed for Tulun.

When a brother in Tulun told me that a sister was coming, I went on my bicycle to the bus stop to meet the sister and to offer to help with her luggage. When I met Maria, I liked her right from the start. It took effort to win her heart​—but I succeeded. We got married in 1957. A year later, our daughter Irina was born, but the joy of being with her was cut short. In 1959, I was arrested for printing Bible literature. I spent half a year in solitary confinement. To maintain peace of heart during that time, I constantly prayed, sang Kingdom songs, and imagined how I would preach if I were free again.

While in prison, during an interrogation the investigator yelled, “Soon we will stamp you people out like mice against the floor!” I replied, “Jesus said that the good news of the Kingdom WILL be preached in all the nations, and no one can stop it.” Then, the investigator switched tactics and tried to persuade me to renounce my faith, as I mentioned in the introduction. When neither threats nor enticements worked, I was sentenced to seven years of hard labor in a camp near the city of Saransk. On my way to the camp, I learned that our second daughter, Olga, had been born. Although my wife and daughters were far away, I drew comfort from knowing that Maria and I had remained loyal to Jehovah.

Once a year Maria traveled to Saransk to visit me, although the journey from Tulun and back took 12 days by train. Each year she would bring me a new pair of boots. Hidden in the heels of the boots were recent copies of The Watchtower. One year Maria’s visit was very special because she brought our two young daughters with her. Imagine how touched I was to see them and to be with them!

In 1966, I was freed from the labor camp and the four of us moved to the city of Armavir, near the Black Sea. There, our sons Yaroslav and Pavel were born.

 It did not take long before KGB officers began to raid our home, looking for Bible literature. They searched everywhere, even in the cows’ feed. On one such occasion, the officers were perspiring from the heat, and their suits were covered in dust. Maria felt sorry for them, as they were only obeying orders. She poured them some juice and brought them a clothes brush, a bowl of water, and towels. Later, when the KGB chief arrived, the officers told him about the kind treatment they had received. When they left, the chief smiled and waved to us. We were happy to see the good that can result when we try to “keep conquering the evil with the good.”​—Rom. 12:21.

Despite the raids, we continued to preach in Armavir. We also helped to strengthen a small group of publishers in the nearby town of Kurganinsk. It gives me much joy to know that today there are six congregations in Armavir and four in Kurganinsk.

Through the years, there were times when our spirituality weakened. But we are grateful to Jehovah that he used faithful brothers to correct us and to strengthen us spiritually. (Ps. 130:3) It was also a serious test for us to serve alongside KGB agents who infiltrated the congregations without our realizing it. They appeared to be zealous and were active in the ministry. Some even received positions of responsibility in the organization. In time, though, we found out who they really were.

In 1978, when Maria was 45, she again became pregnant. Because she suffered from a chronic heart condition, the doctors feared for her life and tried to convince her to have an abortion. Maria refused. In response, some doctors followed her everywhere in the hospital with a syringe, trying to inject her and induce a premature birth. To protect the unborn child, Maria ran away from the hospital.

The KGB ordered us to leave the city. We moved to a village near the city of Tallinn in Estonia, which was then part of the USSR. In Tallinn, contrary to the doctors’ prediction, Maria gave birth to a healthy son, Vitaly.

Later, we moved from Estonia to the settlement of Nezlobnaya in the south of Russia. We preached cautiously in the neighboring resort towns, which were visited by people from all over the country. They came there for health reasons, but some left with the hope of everlasting life!

We tried to inculcate in our sons and daughters a love for Jehovah and a desire to serve him. We often invited to our home brothers who were a good influence on our children. One regular visitor was my brother Grigory, who served as a traveling overseer from 1970 to 1995. The whole family enjoyed his visits because he was joyful and had a good sense of humor. When we had guests, we often played Bible games, and our children grew to love the Bible’s historical accounts.

 In 1987, our son Yaroslav moved to the city of Riga in Latvia, where he was able to preach more openly. But when he refused to perform military service, he was sentenced to one and a half years behind bars and was held in nine different prisons. What I had told him about my experiences in prison helped him to endure. Later, he began serving as a pioneer. In 1990, our son Pavel, then 19 years old, wanted to pioneer on Sakhalin, an island north of Japan. At first, we did not want him to go. There were only 20 publishers on the whole island, and we lived over 5,500 miles (9,000 km) away from the island. But eventually we agreed, and it was a good decision. The people there responded to the Kingdom message. Within a few years, there were eight congregations. Pavel served on Sakhalin until 1995. By then, only our youngest son, Vitaly, remained at home. From childhood, he loved reading the Bible. At age 14, he began pioneering, and I pioneered with him for two years. It was a wonderful time. When he was 19, Vitaly left to serve as a special pioneer.

Back in 1952, a KGB officer had told Maria: “Renounce your faith or face ten years of imprisonment. When you come out, you will be old and alone.” But things worked out very differently. We felt the love of our loyal God, Jehovah, of our children, and of the many whom we have been privileged to help find the truth. Maria and I had the joy of visiting the places where our children served. We saw the gratitude of those who had been helped by our children to learn about Jehovah.

In 1991, the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses was given legal recognition. That decision gave renewed vigor to the preaching work. Our congregation even bought a bus so that we could travel to neighboring towns and villages each weekend.

I am happy that Yaroslav and his wife, Alyona, and Pavel and his wife, Raya, serve at Bethel while Vitaly and his wife, Svetlana, serve in the circuit work. Our eldest daughter, Irina, and her family live in Germany. Her husband, Vladimir, and their three sons all serve as elders. Our daughter Olga lives in Estonia and regularly calls me. Sadly, my dear wife, Maria, died in 2014. I cannot wait to see her again in the resurrection! Now I live in the city of Belgorod, and the brothers here are a huge support to me.

My years of service to Jehovah have taught me that keeping integrity comes at a cost but the inner peace that Jehovah gives in return is a treasure of surpassing value. The blessings Maria and I received for remaining steadfast have been greater than I could ever have imagined. Before the fall of the USSR in 1991, there were just over 40,000 publishers. Today, there are over 400,000 publishers in the countries that were once part of the Soviet Union! I am now 83 years old and continue to serve as an elder. Jehovah’s support has always given me the strength to endure. Yes, Jehovah has richly rewarded me.​—Ps. 13:5, 6.

UKPO 1959 vbuwe eghan nọ rre Irkutsk, ovbiyokuo e Soviet Union keghi tama mwẹ wẹẹ: “Erha nọ mwẹ ekhọe ibisi ẹre u khin. U yangbe ọvbokhan ruẹ nọ hanmwa kevbe ovbuẹ nokhuo nọ ye re ọmobọ. De ọmwa ne u wẹẹ nọ gha gbaroghe iran? Siẹn ugamwẹ ruẹ ne u gha rrie!” Ẹre I na tama rẹn wẹẹ: “I ma yangbe ẹgbẹe mwẹ, I ma rẹn emwi ne I ru ne uwa na mu mwẹ khui. Ọ keghi zọkan mu mwẹ wẹẹ: “Uhi nọ mu Avbe Osẹe Jehova wegbe sẹ nọ mu ọmwa nọ zẹ emuẹn ye ihue.”

Nia, I khian nanaẹn evbọzẹe ne imẹ vbe ọvbokhan mwẹ na “rri oya ye ẹmwẹ emwi esi” kevbe afiangbe ne ima lae miẹn.​—⁠1 Pit. 3:​13, 14.

Ukpo 1933 ẹre a biẹ mwẹ vbe igue ọkpa na tie ẹre Zolotniki vbe Ukraine. Ọ ghi rre ukpo 1937, otiẹn iyemwẹ nokhuo kevbe arowa ẹre ni re Osẹe Jehova na ke France mu otuẹ gima. Iran khian ghi kpa, iran na sẹ ebe eso rae ne ima, na tie ẹre Government and Deliverance. Watch Tower Society ẹre ọ gbẹn ebe na ladian. Erha mwẹ ghi tie ebe na, ọ na dọlegbe do gha mwẹ amuẹtinyan daa Osanobua. Vbe ukpo 1939, emianmwẹ nọ wegbe na dekun ẹnrẹn, sokpan vbene ọ te wu ọ keghi tama iye mwẹ wẹẹ: “Ọna ọre odẹ ọghe ẹmwata. Maa ivbi ima odẹ ọghe ẹmwata na.”

Vbe April 1951, arriọba ọghe USSR keghi ru emwamwa ne iran ya rri Avbe Osẹe Jehova oya. Iran keghi ke odẹ ekẹn ọghe USSR viọ iran gha rrie iwe vbe Siberia. Mẹ, iye mwẹ kevbe ọtẹn mwẹ nokpia ne kherhe na tie ẹre Grigory ẹre a ke Ukraine viọ gha rrie iwe vbe Siberia. Ke Ukraine gha rrie Siberia keghi re ibiriki 3,700. Okọ ẹrhẹn ẹre ima la re ya sẹ ẹvbo na tie ẹre Tulun vbe Siberia. Vbe iyeke uzọla eva, iran na mu ọtẹn mwẹ ne ọdiọn na tie ẹre Bogdan gha die agọ ọkpa vbe ẹvbo na tie ẹre Angarsk. Ọ ma rree gbe vbe eke ne ima ye. Ukpo 25 ẹre iran wẹẹ nọ ya do winna iwinna a gha wu a rriẹ.

Imẹ vbe iye mwẹ kegha ya ifuẹro kporhu ma emwa ni rre agọ ni lẹga e Tulun. Vbe igiemwi, ma gha miẹn ọmwa, ma ghi ka nọ wẹẹ, “U rẹn ọmwa nọ hoo nọ khiẹn ẹmila ra?” Ma gha ghi miẹn ọmwa nọ mwẹ ẹmila na khiẹn, ma ghi suẹn gha guan kaẹn odẹ ọyunnuan na ya yi ẹmila. Ẹmwẹ ẹmila ẹre ima ghi ke la ẹmwẹ Osanobua nọ yi emwi hia. Odẹ ẹghẹ na ẹre ebe iyẹn ya muẹn wẹẹ, Avbe Osẹe Jehova ghi ba gha gualọ emwa ni khiẹn ẹmila, vbene iran na gele gualọ emwa ni khian deba iran. Vbene ẹmwata, emwa nibun gele wa deba ima! Ma wa sọyẹnmwẹ iwinna ikporhu iyẹn nọ maan vbe Tulun rhumwuda, a ma he ka kporhu iyẹn nọ maan vba. Emwa ne ima ghaa kporhu ma kegha re emwa ni mu ọghọ ye orhunmwuyẹn egbe kevbe ni muegberriotọ. Nia, etẹn ni ya iyẹn wewe vbe iko ọkpa nọ rre Tulun gberra 100.

Adesẹ Okuo Ọgbagbọn Nogieva vbe Ukraine ẹre ọvbokhan mwẹ ighẹ Maria khian Osẹe Jehova. Vbe ọ rre ukpo 18, ovbiyokuo e Soviet Union na wa gha kpikpi ẹre nọ gu irẹn ru emwi ọdọ vbe amwẹ, sokpan ọ ma  zẹdẹ kue ye ọre. Ọ ghi ke orere dee vbe ẹdẹ ọkpa, ọ na do vba okpia na vbe uhunmwu ebẹdi ọghẹe. Ọwarokpa nii ẹre Maria wa ya lẹfua. Ohu mu ọgbalegbe na serriọ wẹẹ, ọ na ya obọ sudu wẹẹ, irẹn gha fi ẹre fi eghan rhunmwuda ne ọ na re Osẹe Jehova. Erriọ gele ruẹ. Vbe ukpo 1952, iran na gele mu e Maria khui, nọ ya gbe ukpo igbe vbe eghan. Ọna keghi yae yerre wẹẹ Josẹf vbe rri oya vbenian ba ẹmwẹ emwi ne ọ ma ru. (Gẹn. 39:​12, 20) Okpia nọ yi imọto ke owa ẹzọ mu Maria gha rrie eghan keghi rhie igiọdu nẹẹn wẹẹ: “Ghẹ gi ohan muẹn. Emwa nibun keghi yo eghan vbene iran ma na rẹn ọkpa rẹn eva, sokpan iran ye gha mwẹ uyi vbe a gha fan iran fua nẹ vbe eghan.” Ẹmwẹ na keghi wa rhie ẹrhiọn yọ re iwu.

Ke ukpo 1952 ya sẹ 1956, iran keghi mu e Maria gha rrie agọ irrioya nọ sikẹ ẹvbo na tie ẹre Gorkiy (na ghi tie ẹre Nizhniy Novgorod) vbe Russia. Iwinna ọviẹn ọmwa ne iran wa re ọre, nọ gha vulo erhan vbuwe oni ọghe oguozizi. Emianmwẹ keghi dekun ẹnrẹn, sokpan vbe ukpo 1956, iran keghi faẹn fua. Vbe iyeke ọni, ọ na gha rrie Tulun.

Vbe ọtẹn nokpia ọkpa vbe Tulun tama mwẹ wẹẹ ọtẹn nokhuo ọkpa dee, I na mu ikẹkẹ mwẹ gha rrie ehe ne okotọ na kun sie, ne I mieke na guẹ mu ihẹ. Ẹmwẹ e Maria na wa gha yẹẹ mwẹ vbe I wa bẹghe ẹre. Ọ ma rherhe kue vbe I tama rẹn wẹẹ ẹmwẹ ọnrẹn yẹẹ mwẹ, sokpan ọ ye kue vbe okiekie. Ukpo 1957 ẹre ima ru orọnmwẹ. Ukpo nọ ghi lelẹe, ọvbokhan mwẹ na biẹ ovbi ima nokhuo na tie ẹre Irina. Ovbi ẹghẹ kherhe ẹre I ya gu iran gha rrọọ. Vbe ukpo 1959, arriọba keghi mu mwẹ khui rhunmwuda ebe ọghomwa ne I ghaa print. Uki ehan ẹre I gbe vbe eghan igbedia na mu orhunmwu ọkpa yi. Ẹghẹ hia ẹre I ya gha na erhunmwu, ẹre I vbe ya gha so ihuan Arriọba, I vbe gha ya ekhọe zẹ omwa rẹn vbene I gha ya kporhu hẹ, vbe a gha fan mwẹ fua nẹ. Ena ẹre ọ ghaa rhie ifuẹko mẹ.

Vbe ọgbalegbe ọkpa nọ mwẹ ọta vbe ẹdẹ ọkpa vbe I rre eghan, ọ keghi van mu mwẹ wẹẹ, “Vbe nẹi khian ghi kpẹ gbe, ma gha rẹnkhẹn uwa hia rua vbene a ya ye owẹ lọkọ ofẹn ginna otọ!” Ẹre I na tama rẹn wẹẹ, “Jesu taa re nẹ wẹẹ, a GHA kporhu iyẹn nọ maan vbe uhunmwu otagbọn hia, ọmwa rhọkpa i sẹtin mu idobo yọ.” Ọgbalegbe na, nọ ghaa nọ mwẹ ọta, na ghi la obẹlẹ ọvbehe. Zẹ vbene I yunu kaẹn vbe omuhẹn ban, ọ na hoo nọ ya erẹrẹ fi mwẹ ekhọe werriẹ ne I mieke na siẹn ugamwẹ mwẹ. Iran ghi bẹghe ẹre wẹẹ, obẹlẹ ne iran lae ma gba re, iran na gie mwẹ gha rrie agọ irrioya vbe ẹvbo na tie ẹre Saransk vbe ukpo ihinrọn. Vbe I rrie agọ irrioya nii, ẹre a na gie na tama mwẹ wẹẹ ọvbokhan mwẹ biẹ ọmokhuo, nọ ghi ya gba vbe emọ eva ne ima ghi mwẹ. Olga ọre eni ẹnrẹn. Agharhemiẹn wẹẹ ọvbokhan mwẹ kevbe ivbi mwẹ wa khian rree mẹ, I rẹn wẹẹ ọvbokhan mwẹ i khian sẹ e Jehova rae.

Ukpo ukpo ẹre Maria ya gha mu otuẹ gu mwẹ vbe Saransk. Ọ gha la okọ erhẹn, ikpẹdẹ 12 ẹre ọ gbe vbe odẹ gha yo gha rre. Ọ ghaa dee, ọ ghi viọ ibata ọgbọn gu mwẹ. Ọ vbe viọ ebe Owa Ọkhẹ ni da ladian lẹre ye uwu ẹre. Otuẹ nọ mu rre vbe ukpo ọkpa keghi wa gbe mwẹ otiti rhunmwuda ne ọ na viọ ivbi ima eva lele egbe gha dee. Ọyẹnmwẹ nọ ghaa sẹ mwẹ I gia gie!

Ọ ghi rre ukpo 1966, iran keghi fan mwẹ fua vbe agọ irrioya, ẹre ima na gha rrie ẹvbo na tie ẹre Armavir vbe ọkpẹn Black Sea. Ẹvbo na, ẹre a na biẹ ivbi ima eva nikpia na tie ẹre Yaroslav kevbe Pavel.

Ọ ma he kpẹ vba, ivbiyokuo e Soviet Union na suẹn gha zanzan owa ima deghẹ iran gha miẹn ebe ọghomwa ni rhan otọ e Baibol. Iran na zanzan ehe hia ya sẹ eke ne ima viọ evbare ẹmila yi. Ọ mwẹ ẹdẹ ọkpa ne  iran rre vberriọ, ọfọ na gha siẹn kua vbe egbe iran, erriọ ebubẹ vbe ya ma rhu ẹwu ne guọrọ ne iran mu gba. Ohan iran na gha to e Maria rhunmwuda, iran i sẹtin hee uhunmwu ne arriọba gie iran re. Ọvbokhan mwẹ na sa ayọn nọ furre ne iran, ọ na rhie evba ya bọnmwẹ ukpọn ne iran, ọ na sa amẹ ye ikoroba ne iran, ọ na vbe viọ ukpọn ne a ya khiẹn egbe ne iran. Enọwanrẹn iran ghi rre vbọghizẹkpẹ, iran na tama rẹn obọ esi ne a ya mu iran. Iran khian ghi kpa, enọwanrẹn iran na gha muẹnmuẹn ogiẹ fi eghe obọ daa ima. Ọ keghi sẹ ima ọyẹnmwẹ rhunmwuda evbọ kẹrikian vbe ima lele adia nọ rre Baibol nọ wẹẹ ne ima “ya ọ maan rhie obọ yan ọkhọ uhunmwu.”​—⁠Rom. 12:⁠21.

Vbene iran kpokpo ima sẹ, ma na ye gha kporhu vbe Armavir. Ma na vbe gha ru iyobọ ne ibozẹghẹ etẹn ni ghaa rre ẹvbo nọ ma rre egbe na tie ẹre Kurganinsk. Nia, iko ehan ẹre ọ rre Armavir vbene iko enẹ na rre Kurganinsk. Ọna keghi wa ye ọyẹnmwẹ sẹ mwẹ.

Ẹghẹ eso vbe gha rrọọ ne ima ya woo rua vbe odẹ ọghe orhiọn. Ma kpọnmwẹ e Jehova ne ọ na ya etẹn ni mudia ẹse ru iyobọ ne ima ya dọlegbe deziẹn vbe odẹ ọghe orhiọn. (Psm. 130:⁠3) Edanmwẹ nọ wegbe ne ima werriẹ aro daa ọre ne ivbiyokuo e Soviet Union na ba mu akpa ọghe Ivbiotu e kristi yọ. Iran na do gha zọghae vbe iwinna ugamwẹ uhiẹn, iran na gha mwẹ ukpamuyọmọ eso vbuwe iko vbene ima ma na rẹn aro emwa ne iran khin. Sokpan vbene ẹghẹ ya khian, ovẹn keghi gualọ idagbo, ma na dọ rẹn wẹẹ emwa okeke ẹre iran khin.

Vbe ukpo 1978, vbe ọvbokhan mwẹ rre ukpo 45, ọ na dọlegbe gha hanmwa. Rhunmwuda emianmwẹ ẹwẹ nọ wegbe nọ ka khuọnmwi fe, afianma na gha fian avbe ọbo ebo wẹẹ ẹi khian sẹtin biẹ. Iran na wẹẹ ne ọ kpannọ ẹko sokpan ọvbokhan mwẹ ma kue. Avbe ọbo ebo na gha hia vbe odẹ ke odẹ ne iran rhiẹre olodẹ, ne ọ mieke na biẹ ọmọ nọ ma sẹ uki. Ọna ẹre ọ ghi ye ọvbokhan mwẹ lẹ hin owa isinmwegbe nii rre.

Asẹ na ẹre ivbiyokuo e Soviet Union ya wẹẹ ne ima kpa hin Armavir rre. Ma na ghi kpa gha rrie igue nọ sikẹ ẹvbo na tie ẹre Tallinn vbe Estonia. Estonia kegha re otọ ẹvbo nọ ghaa rre ototọ arriọba e Soviet Union. E Talinn ẹre ọvbokhan mwẹ na biẹ ọvbi ima na tie ẹre Vitaly ne avbe ọbo ebo te wẹẹ ẹi khian sẹtin biẹ. Te egbe wa gba nẹ vbe a biẹ ọre.

Ma ghi kpa hin Estonia rre, ma na si gha rrie ovbi ẹvbo na tie ẹre Nezlobnaya nọ rre odẹ ekẹn ọghe Russia. Ma kegha ya ifuẹro kporhu vbe ẹvbo ni lẹga Nezlobnaya rhunmwuda ehe hia vbe Russia ẹre emwa ke rri evba do gha hẹwẹ katekate vbe ẹghẹ irhiẹdẹ, iran vbe mu okhian lẹga ẹvbo nii hia. Eso vbe rre rhunmwuda egbe nọ ma rhan iran, sokpan iran gha khian ghi kpa, iran gha mwẹ ayayẹrọ ọghe arrọọ etẹbitẹ rhunmwuda iyẹn nọ maan ne iran họn!

Ma keghi maa ivbi ima odẹ ọghe Jehova ne iran mieke na gha ya ekhọe hia gae. Etẹn ni mwẹ igiemwi esi ẹre ima mobọ tie rrie owa ima ne ivbi ima mieke na gha mwẹ ọse ni ga e Jehova vbuwe amuẹtinyan. Ọtẹnmwẹ nokpia na tie ẹre Grigory nọ gae zẹvbe ọgbaroghe otako ke 1970 ya sẹ 1995, wa vbe gha mu otuẹ gima. Te ima wa gha sọyẹnmwẹ otuẹ nọ mu gima rhunmwuda ọmwa nọ soyaya kevbe nọ gbe ọdẹn ẹre nọ. Etẹn gha rre do tuẹ ima, iku ne ima ku kegha re inọta kevbe ewanniẹn nọ dekaan e Baibol. Ọna keghi ya ivbi ima gha gbọyẹmwẹ ya okha ọghe Baibol.

Vbe ukpo 1987, ovbi ima nokpia na tie ẹre Yaroslav keghi si gha rrie ẹvbo na tie ẹre Riga vbe Latvia. Ẹkpotọ wa kie nẹẹn ya gha kporhu vba rhunmwuda a  ma mu awua ye iwinna ima vba. Vbe arriọba ghi wẹẹ nọ deba ivbiyokuo, ọ ma kue. Iran na gie ẹre eghan vbe ukpo ọkpa vbe ukhiọnmwẹ. Eghan ihinrin ẹre ọ na gbe ukpo ọkpa vbe ukhiọnmwẹ. I ka tama rẹn vbene I ya rri oya hẹ vbe eghan, ọna wa ru iyobọ nẹẹn ya zinegbe. Ọ ghi ladian nẹ vbe eghan, ọ na rhie obọ ye iwinna arọndẹ. Vbe ukpo 1990, ovbi ima ighẹ Pavel nọ ghaa rre ukpo 19 vbe ẹghẹ nii na wẹẹ irẹn khian ya ru iwinna arọndẹ vbe Sakhalin, ẹvbo nọ rre odẹ okuọ ọghe Japan. Ima ma te hoo nọ yo rhunmwuda, vbene ẹvbo nii kpọlọ sẹ, etẹn 20 kẹkan ẹre ọ ghaa rre evba, kevbe wẹẹ, ẹi re otọ ne emwa. Ke ehe ne ima ye gha rrie evba, gberra ibiriki 5,500. Ma ye kue nọ gha khian, okhian nii wa vbe biẹ ọmọ esi. Emwa ni rre ẹvbo nii na wa fiwerriẹ vbe iran họn iyẹn nọ maan ọghe Arrioba. Etẹn keghi mu iko erẹnrẹn gbọọ vbuwe ẹghẹ nọ ma kpẹ gbe. Ukpo 1995 ẹre Pavel ghi kpa hin e Sakhalin rre. Vbe ẹghẹ na, e Vitaly ne alagbodẹ ọkpa ẹre ọ ghi gha rre owa. Ke egbe ọvbokhan gha dee, ẹre Baibol na tie ke wa yẹẹ ọre. Ọ ghi rre ukpo 14, ọ na rhie obọ ye iwinna arọndẹ. Ẹghẹ na mẹ vbe ya rhie obọ ye iwinna arọndẹ vbe ukpo eva. Ma wa sọyẹnmwẹ ikporhu iyẹn nọ maan vbe ẹghẹ na. Ọ ghi rre ukpo 19, ọ na ya gha ga zẹvbe arọndẹ ne kpataki.

Vbe ukpo 1952, ivbioyokuo e Soviẹt Uniọn keghi tama ọvbokhan mwẹ wẹẹ: “U ma na siẹn ugamwẹ ruẹ, u ya gbe ukpo igbe vbe eghan. Egbe ọmaẹn ẹre u khian ya ladian vbe eghan, u i ghi miẹn ọdọ rọnmwẹ amaiwẹ te u khian biẹ.” Sokpan ebe na te wẹẹ nọ dee rhu na ghi dewuarorua. Odẹ nibun ẹre Jehova he ya rhiẹre ma wẹẹ irẹn hoẹmwẹ ima. Ivbi ima kevbe emwa ne ima ru iyobọ na ya dọ rẹn e Jehova, wa gbọyẹmwẹ ye iyobọ ne ima rhie ne iran. Ẹghẹ hia mẹ vbe ọvbokhan mwẹ ya mu otuẹ gie ivbi ima. Erriọ emwa ne iran maa re odẹ ọghe ẹmwata wa vbe ya gbọyẹmwẹ yọ.

Ọ ghi rre ukpo 1991, arriọba na ghi fọnbọ ne Avbe Osẹe Jehova ya gha kporhu. Etẹn nibun na werriegbe do gha zọghae vbe iwinna ikporhu iyẹn nọ maan. Uhiẹn etẹn ni rre iko ọghe ima na ku obọ gbe ya dẹ tuke tuke ne ima ya gha yo ikporhu vbe ẹvbo ni lẹga ima vbe ufomwẹ uzọla.

Ọ keghi wa sẹ mwẹ ọyẹnmwẹ ne ivbi mwẹ hia na mudia ẹse vbe otu e Jehova. Yaroslav vbe amwẹ ọnrẹn Alyona kevbe Pavel vbe amwẹ ọnrẹn ighẹ Raya ga vbe Abotu vbene Vitaly vbe amwẹ ọnrẹn na ga zẹvbe ọgbaroghe otako. Irina ne ovbi ima ne okhuo ne ọdiọn vbe ẹgbẹe ọre rre Germany. Ediọn vbe iko ẹre arowa ẹre kevbe ivbi iran eha nikpia khin. Ọvbi ma nokhuo nogieva rre Estonia, ẹghẹ hia ẹre ọ ya nọ ẹmwẹ mwẹ. Ukpo 2014 ẹre ọvbokhan mwẹ wu. Te uwu ẹre da mwẹ sẹ ugboloko sokpan I yaro ye ẹghẹ ne I khian ya werriegbe miẹn ọnrẹn vbe ẹghẹ arriọkpaegbe. Ẹvbo na tie ẹre Belgorod ẹre I ghi ye nia. Etẹn ni rre emwa wa ru iyobọ nọ khẹke mẹ.

Emwi ẹwaẹn ne I miẹn vbe ukpo nibun ne I ya ga e Jehova ọre wẹẹ, te ọmwa nọ mudia ẹse vbe ugamwẹ e Jehova gha la edanmwẹ nibun gberra, sokpan ifuẹko nọ ke obọ e Jehova rre keghi re emwi ewe nai sẹtin ya igho dẹ. Afiangbe ne imẹ vbe ọvbokhan mwẹ he miẹn rhunmuwda ne ima na mudia ẹse keghi re ne ima ghẹ sẹtin ya ekhọe ze ọmwa rẹn. Vbene Soviet Union te ghae egbe vbe 1991, ọ gberra etẹn 40,000 ni ghaa ya iyẹn wewe vba. Vbe ẹdẹnẹrẹ, ọ gberra etẹn 400,000 ni ya iyẹn wewe vbe otọ ẹvbo ni ka kugbe gha re Soviet Uniọn! Ukpo 83 ẹre I ye nia, I ye ga zẹvbe ọdion vbe iko. Iyobọ nọ ke obọ e Jehova rre ẹre ọ zẹe ighẹ I sẹtin zinegbe vbuwe edanmwẹ hia ne I la gberra. Vbene ẹmwata, afiangbe wọrhọ wọrhọ ẹre I he miẹn vbe obọ e Jehova.​—⁠Psm. 13:​5, 6.