NASEMUKINE mu mbonge ya Wichita, Kansas, E.U.A., ha Dezembro 10, 1936, nguli mukulwana wa ana awana. Yisemi jami, William ni Jean, kapwile tuvumbi twa Yehova ashishika. Tata kapwile kasongo wa mulimo mu chikungulwila, yoze anavuluka haliapwila ngwo kasongo wa chizavu cha makulwana. Mama kalilongesele umwenemwene kupalikila muli naye, Emma Wagner. Emma kalongesele umwenemwene kuli atu anji, hamwe ni ­Gertrude Steele, yoze wapwile mishionaliu mu Porto Rico. * (Tala maliji mushi lia lifwo.) Kashika napwile ni yilweza yipema yinji ya kwimbulula.

Ha yimwe Sambata ha ufuku muze te nguchili ni miaka yitano, ami ni tata yituya mu tapalo ni kuhana kuli atu Tuposhi a Kutalila ni Consolação (yoze anavuluka haliapwila ngwo Despertai!). Ha mashimbu jacho, chifuchi te chili mu Jita Yamuchiali ya Hashi Heswe. Tata te keshi kulinga yuma ya mafwefwe. Umwe ndotolo yoze te unazengewa, yeza yaputuka kulamikiza tata ngwo kali chileya nawa ngwo kanalionga-lionga hanga achine kuya ni kwasa jita. Ndotolo wacho yatala kuli tata ni kumwamba ngwenyi: “Ena chileya mba mumu liaka kuwangulambile!” Nevwile woma, chipwe chocho nakomokene ha yize tata alingile. Aye yanunga ni kuhana mikanda kuli atu waze te anatutale. Ha chino, yikupalika umwe swalale, mba ndotolo wacho  yakololoka ngwenyi, “Nwatamba kulinga chimwe chuma kuli yono chileya!” Swalale yamona ngwenyi ndotolo wacho te kanazengewa, chocho yamwamba ngwenyi, “Yako ku zuwo hanga ukahwime!” Ayo eswe ni aali yaya. Ami nevwile kuwaha ha hamu lize Yehova ahanyine kuli tata. Tata kapwile ni mazuwo aali akutewila kambu mu Wichita, nawa ndotolo kapwile umwe wa kuli waze te akuyamo ni kuteula kambu!

Muze napwile ni miaka nake, yisemi jami yalanjisa zuwo lio linene ni maloja, chocho yatunga zuwo likehe. Ha chino, yitukatuka ku Colorado, yituya hakamwihi ku mbonge ya Grand Junction, hanga tukalakala kuze kunafupiwa chinji akwa-kwambujola. Yisemi jami te pionelu nawa te kakukalakala mashimbu amwe mu minda akwo ku upichilo wa yimuna. Ni yiwape ya Yehova hamwe ni zango lietu ha mulimo wacho, yitwazulula chikungulwila. Ha kakweji wa Junho 20, 1948, tata yangupapachisa mu kamwe ka lwiji hamwe ni atu akwo waze atayijile umwenemwene, kuchingaho Billie Nichols ni mukwo-pwo. Hakupalika cha mashimbu o yaya mu mulimo wa kumeneka yikungulwila, hamwe ni mwano ni mukwo-pwo.

Twapwile ni masepa apema, anji akuli ayo kapwile ni kukalakala chinji mu mulimo wa Yehova, chipi-chipi usoko wa Steele​​—⁠Don ni Earlene, Dave ni Julia, ni Si ni Martha. Te twakuwahilila chinji kuhanjika no hakutwala ku Mbimbiliya, nawa yitanga yo yangukwashile chinji ku mwono wami. Ayo kangusolwele ngwo nyi nasa Wanangana wa Zambi kulutwe mwono wami muupwa ni ulemu hamwe ni uwahililo.

Muze napwile ni miaka 19, Bud Hasty, yoze wapwile sepa lietu, yangwita hanga tuye nenyi mu mulimo wa upionelu ku sango lia Estados Unidos. Kalayi wa mbonge yatwita hanga tuye ku Ruston, Louisiana kuze Yela ja Yehova anji te hanakeketela mu ufulielo. Aye yatulweza ngwenyi, chipwe ngwe kwasolokele mutu niumwe, enu nwatamba kusongwela kukunguluka cheswe, ha poso jeswe. Yituwana chihela chakulikungulwilamo nawa yituchilulieka kawashi-washi. Te twakulinga kukunguluka cheswe, alioze ha mashimbu amwe, etu aali e te twakupwaho wika. Muze te twakukunguluka, nyi umwe mahanjika pande​​—⁠umwe makumbulula yihula yeswe. Nyi pande jili ni chimweso, yetweswe aali te twakuya ha chihanjikilo ni mwe umwe te wakusala ha mbunga wakuhi! Kulutwe lia mashimbu umwe pangi kashinakaji yaputuka kukunguluka. Nawa amwe alongi a Mbimbiliya ni mandumbu waze te anazeye ku ufulielo yaputuka kwiza ni kukunguluka, chocho chikungulwila hi chijama.

Limwe tangwa, ami ni Bud yituliwana ni umwe ngana wa yingeleja ya Kristu, nawa yahanjika hakutwala ku yisoneko yize ami te chanyingikine. Yino yangupinjishile chinji nawa yingulingisa hanga ngunyonge chinji hakutwala ku ufulielo wami. Chino changukwashile hanga ngukolese usepa wami ni Yehova nawa nazangile chinji kuliwana ni ngana mukwo.

Kulutwe lia mashimbu kalayi wa mbonge yangwita hanga nguye ni kukwasa chikungulwila cha ku El Dorado, Arkansas. Muze napwileko, te nakufuna-funa ku Colorado hanga ngulisolole kuli akwa-chiyulo, waze te akukwata yiyulo ha kunyingika waze atamba kuya ku uswalale. Mu umwe wenyi, ami ni amwe mapionelu akwo yituya hamuwika, muze twahetele ku Texas yitulinga ponde, mashinyi eswe yapiha. Twasanyikine umwe ndumbu, yoze wejile ni kutwanda ni kututwala ku zuwo lienyi, koko te twakuya ku kukunguluka. Mandumbu yatwa mutambi mu chikungulwila hakutwala ku ponde yize twalingile, nawa mandumbu ni zango lieswe yatwaha jimwe mbongo. Ndumbu wacho yalanjisa nawa mashinyi jami mu unji wa dolar 25.

Chocho yituhasa kuya ku Wichita. Koko yituwana sepa lietu E. F. McCartney, yoze te avuluka nawa ngwo Doc, kanakalakala ko ngwe pionelu.  Ana jenyi amapasa Frank ni Francis ni haliapwila eswe ni aali achili masepa jami apema. Ayo kapwile ni amwe mashinyi akulu waze angulanjishile mu unji wa dolar 25, mbongo jojene nazukile ku mashinyi waze nalanjishile. Lino liapwile tangwa litangu namwene pundu ngwenyi, kumana ni nasa Wanangana wa Zambi kulutwe ku mwono wami, Yehova mangwaha yuma yeswe yize ngunafupu. Mu wenyi wacho ndumbu McCartneys yangulweza umwe pangi wa zango, yoze avuluka ngwo Bethel Crane. Naye Ruth, umwe Chela wa zango mu Wellington, Kansas, kanungine mu mulimo wa upionelu ndo muze apwile ni miaka 90. Muze yikwapalika mwaka umuwika ami ni Bethel yitulimbata ha mwaka 1958, nawa yituputuka kukalakala hamuwika mulimo wa upionelu mu El Dorado.

Twazangile chinji kwimbulula yitanga yipema muze te tunakola ku ufulielo, kashika twakwachile chiyulo chakutayiza mulimo weswewo matwaha mu ululikiso wa Yehova. Chocho, yatutuma ngwe pionelu alipwila mu Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. Ha chino ha mwaka 1962, yatusanyika hanga tuye ku shikola ya 37 ya Ngiliate. Tunakawahilila chinji hakunyingika ngwetu Don Steele twapwile nenyi mu kalasa yimuwika. Muze hitwahwisa shikola, ami ni Bethel yatutuma ku Nairobi, Quênia. Twakevwile kuwaha hakuhichika Nova Iorque, chipwe chocho, tunakawahilila chinji muze twahetele ku utulilo wa ndeke mu Nairobi, nawa twevwile kuwaha ha kumona chize mandumbu jetu ejile ni kutupatwiza!

Ha mashimbu akehe wika yituzanga chifuchi cha Quênia ni kwambujola ko. Alongi jetu atangu a Mbimbiliya waze ejile mu umwenemwene kapwile Chris ni Mary Kanaiya. Ayo achili mu mulimo wa mashimbu eswe mu Quênia. Ha mwaka wasulileho, yatutuma kuya ku Kampala, mu chifuchi cha Uganda. Etu twapwile atangu mu chifuchi ngwe mishionaliu. Mashimbu jacho kapwile apema chinji mumu atu kazangile kulilongesa umwenemwene wa Mbimbiliya. Ha chino, ayo yapwa mandumbu ni mapangi jetu. Alioze, muze twalingile miaka yitatu ni ndambu mu Africa, yituhiluka mu Estados Unidos hanga tulele asoko jetu. Twevwile chinyengo chinji muze twawuchikile Africa kuhiana  muze twakatukile mu Nova Iorque. Twazangile chinji atu mu Africa kashika yitupwa ni kutalatala chakuhilukako limwe tangwa.

Yitwaluka ku Colorado ocidental, kuze yisemi jami apwile ni kutwama. Mba mwanetu wa pwo yasemuka, yitumuluka jina lia Kimberly, muze kwapalikile tukweji 17, yitupwa nawa ni mwana mukwo yitumuluka jina lia Stephany. Chiteli chetu chaha ngwe yisemi chapwile chilemu chinji. Twakalakalile chinji hakulongesa ana jetu amapwo. Etu twazangile kwimbulula yilweza yipema yize akwetu atuwuchikile. Twanyingikine ngwetu yilweza yipema muyihasa kukwasa chinji ana, alioze chino te hi ko ukwaso ngwo ana jetu makola mu ufulielo hanga awayile Yehova. Yinyengo twevwile muze anakwetu aali lunga ni pwo awuchikile umwenemwene. Tuli ni kutalatala ngwo, ayo membulula yilweza yipema yize aawuchikilile.

Twazangile kulela kanawa ana jetu amapwo, kashika twalikolwezele kulinga yuma hamuwika mu usoko. Chize haze twapwile hakamwihi ni Aspen, Colorado, twalilongesele kuheha ni satapu ja chiwe, kashika ha mashimbu anji te twakuheha ha chiwe yetweswe. Chino chatwahele uhashi wakuhanjika ni anetu amapwo muze te twakuheha hamuwika ha chiwe. Nawa te twakuya no hamuwika ku minda, chino te chakutukwasa hanga tuhanjike no ni chiseke cheswe muze tunoto kahia. Chipwe muze te achili akweze, ayo te kakutuhula yihula ngwe yino, “Yika mutukalinga ni twakola?” nawa “Mutu wamutapu uka ami mungukazanga kumbata?” Twasele tachi jinji hanga tulongese ana jetu kuzanga Yehova. Te twakwaakolweza mashimbu eswe hanga apwe ni nyonga lia kulinga mulimo wa shimbu lieswe, nawa kulimbata ni mutu yoze uli ni nyonga lioliene. Te twakwaakwasa nawa hanga anyingike ngwo, hi chipema ko kuya ku ulo mu wanuke. Te twakwaalweza mashimbu eswe ngwo, “Shimbwilenuko kama ndambu, ndo muze munupwa ni miaka 23.”

Twembulwile yitanga yipema ya yisemi jetu, nawa te twakusa tachi hanga tukunguluke ni kuya ni kwambujola sango lipema yetweswe. Yituputuka kuzumbula mandumbu waze te akulinga mulimo wa shimbu lieswe ku zuwo lietu. Nawa te twakuhanjika hakutwala ku chize te twakuzanga chinji mulimo wa mishionaliu. Te twakushimbwila ngwetu, limwe tangwa yetweswe te mutulinga wenyi wakuya ku Africa. Ana jetu te kakuzanga chinji nyonga liacho.

Mashimbu eswe te twakulinga uwayilo wa mu usoko. Te twakuhanjika chitangu ni ana jetu hakutwala ku yuma yize te muyihasa kulingiwa ku shikola, nawa ayo te twakwaasa ngwe Yela hanga akumbulule yihula. Ayo kazangile chinji kulilongesa ha chino, nawa chino chinakaaha ujikijilo. Muze te hakola, ayo te kakutwita hanga tulinge uwayilo wa mu usoko. Ha shimbu limwe, ami te chisolo kulivwa kanawa yingwalweza hanga aye ni kupomba chakuhona kulilongesa no. Alioze ayo yevwa chinyengo chinji ku mbunge, nawa yaputuka kulila ni kwamba ngwo, o te kanazange kulilongesa.  Chocho, yituputuka kumona ngwetu kumana te twakukwasa ana jetu hanga azange chinji kulilongesa hakutwala kuli Yehova. Hakupalika cha mashimbu o yazanga chinji kulilongesa Mbimbiliya, nawa te keshi kwivwa sonyi ja kutulweza manyonga jo waze ali no ku mbunge. Ha mashimbu amwe chapwile chikalu kuli yetu ha kunyingika ngwo ayo te kakuhangulula amwe malongeso amu Mbimbiliya. Alioze yitunyingika chize o te akwivwa ku mbunge yo. Muze te twakushimutwina no, ayo te kakutayiza kanawa shimbi ja Yehova.

Miaka yize twapalikishile hanga tulele ana jetu yapalikile kawashi-washi. Ni ukwaso hamwe ni usongwelo wa ululikiso wa Zambi, yetu te twakusa tachi hanga tulele ana jetu azange Yehova. Twawahililile chinji muze ana jetu eswe ni aali aputukile mulimo wa upionelu muze ahwishile shikola yinene, nawa yalilongesa milimo yize yakwaakwasa ku mwono. O yaya ku Cleveland, Tennessee, hamwe ni mapangi aali waze te akukalakala kuze te kwakufupiwa akwa-kwambujola. Yitwevwila usona unji, chipwe chocho, te twakuwahilila ngwetu, kanazachisa mwono wo mu mulimo wa shimbu lieswe. Ami ni pangi Bethel yituputuka nawa mulimo wa upionelu. Hakupalika cha mashimbu yituputuka kukwasa kalayi wa mbonge kumeneka yikungulwila, ni kukwasa ha kukunguluka cha mambonge.

Muze ana jetu te kanda achiya ku Tennessee, o yaya ku Londres, Inglaterra, koko yameneka mutango. Muze Stephany akumbanyishine miaka 19, yalinyingika ni umwe mukweze te wakukalakala ku Mbetele, yoze te avuluka ngwo Paul Norton. Mu wenyi uze wasulileho, Kimberly yalinyingika ni Brian Llewellyn yoze te akukalakala nenyi. Muze Stephany akumbanyishine miaka 23, yamumbata kuli Paul. Ha mwaka uze wasulileho, Kimberly yakumbanyisa miaka 25, yamumbata kuli Brian. Ha chino, ayo kahashile kushimbwila ndo muze akumbanyishine miaka 23. Twawahililile chinji ni malunga waze o asakwile.

Ana jetu kakutulweza ngwo yilweza yetu ni ya akako yaakwashile chinji, ‘kulianga kufupa Wanangana wa Zambi,’ chipwe muze akuhona mbongo. (Mateu 6:33) Ha Kakweji wa Abril 1998, Paul ni Stephany yasanyika hanga aye ku shikola 105 ya Ngiliate, chocho, yaatuma ku Malawi, mu Africa. Ha shimbu lioliene, Brian ni Kimberly no yaasanyika hanga aye ni kukalakala ku Mbetele ya ku Londres, hakupalika cha mashimbu yaatwala ku Mbetele ya ku Malawi. Te twakuwahilila chinji, mumu ana jetu kakuzachisa mwono wo mu jila yize yalita.

Ha kakweji wa Janeiro 2001, yangusanyika ku telefone, maliji waze natongolanga kuuputukilo. Ndumbu Marais, kalayi wa chizavu cha akwa-kulumbununa, yangulweza ngwenyi, te kanalongesa mandumbu hanga aye ni kukwasa akwa-kulumbununa hashi heswe hanga anyingike kanawa Limi lia Inglês. Chipwe ngwe napwile ni miaka 64, nihindu ayo kazangile hanga ngupwe umwe wa kuli alongeshi. Ami ni Bethel yitulemba hakutwala ku chikuma chacho, nawa yituhanjika ni yisemi jetu hanga twite chiyulo. Chipwe ngwe te hapwa kulu tushinakaji nawa mutwaauchika, o eswe ni aali yatwamba ngwo munuhasa kuya. Yingusanyika nawa ndumbu Marais ni kumulweza ngwami, tunawahilila chinji kutayiza mulimo wacho.

Hakupalika cha mashimbu, mama yamuwana ni yikola ya cancer. Yingulweza mama ngwami, chichi kuya nawa, hanga ngukwase pangiami Linda kukufunga. Mama yalituna nawa yamba ngwenyi, “Ami chichi kuwahilila nyi yena kuwayile ku mulimo wacho.” Ni Linda neye yanyonga chochene. Tunakawahilila chinji ha ukwaso wa zango uze o atwehele, nawa tunakawahilila chinji ha ukwaso uze mandumbu ni mapangi amu chikungulwila te akuhana kuli mama. Tangwa lize twakatukile ku Centro Educacional ya Patterson, Linda yangusanyika ni kutulweza ngwenyi, mama hafwa. Ngwe  chize iye atukolwezele, yitununga mu mulimo wetu waha.

Twevwile chiseke chinji hakunyingika ngwetu, te mutuya chitangu ku mutango wa ku Malawi, kuze te akukalakala mwanetu ni mukwo-lunga. Tunakawahilila chinji hakupwa no hamuwika. Kusulaho, yituya ni kulongesa mandumbu ku Zimbabwe nawa yituya ku Zambia. Muze hitwalongesa mandumbu ha miaka yitatu ni ndambu, yitufuna nawa ku Malawi hanga tusoneke yakulitakana nayo ya Yela ja Yehova waze apwile mu yihungumiona, mumu liakuchina kulinga yuma ya mafwefwe. *​—⁠ Tala maliji mushi lia lifwo.

Ha mwaka 2005, yitwivwa nawa yinyengo ha kuhichika Africa. Twafunyine ku zuwo lietu ku Basalt, Colorado, kuze ami ni Bethel tunanungu ni kukalakala mu mulimo wa upionelu. Ha mwaka 2006, Brian ni Kimberly yeza kuze twapwile hanga alele ana jo aali, Mackenzie ni Elizabeth. Paul ni Stephany achili mu Malawi, muze Paul anakalakala mu chizavu cha makulwana aku mutango. Haliapwila nguli ni miaka 80, nawa chino chakungwaha chiseke chinji muze nakumona akweze waze napwile ni kukalakala no mafunga yiteli yize napwile nayo. Chili kuyuka chinene ha kumona ana ni ajikulu jami, kanembulula yitanga yipema yize akwetu hanatuhichikila. Chino chakutunehena chiseke chinji hamwe ni uwahililo.