HA MASHIMBU waze te nguli ku shikola nichimwe chakalumukine. Achinyonga, akwenu waze waputukile kulilongesa no ha mwaka utangu ku shikola waze-ene muhwisa no shikola. Acho, yena munyingika majina ja atu anji mu mbonge, ni ayo nawa makunyingika.

Mu mbonge ya Liberdade mwapwile fazenda jinji, nawa chivale che te akulimamo chinji. Muze nasemukine yisemi jami te kakukalakala ku yimwe fazenda yize yapwile hakamwihi. Muze te hinapwa mukweze, yingulilongesa kwendesa katumba ni kulinga nawa milimo yikwo mu fazenda.

Tata te hi mukweze ko nawa. Mumu muze nasemukine iye te hapwa ni miaka 56, nawa mama te kali ni miaka 35. Chipwe chocho, tata te kakwete tachi ni mujimba upema. Iye te kakuzanga kukalakala chinji, chocho yalongesa nawa ana eswe kuzanga kukalakala. Te keshi kuzuka mbongo jinji, alioze te tukwete zuwo, kulia ni mazalo a kumbana. Nawa te kakupalikisa mashimbu hamwe ni yetu. Tata kafwile ni miaka 93. Mama yafwa ni miaka 86. Ayo eswe aali te keshi kuwayila Yehova. Umwe wa kuli mandumbu jami, nihindu uchili mukulwana wa mu chikungulwila washishika kukatuka ha mwaka 1972.

Mama te kakulihana chinji ku yuma ya Zambi. Iye te kakututwala mu yingeleja ya Batista ha hita Liayenga. Muze napwile ni miaka 12, yingwivwa ha chisuho chitangu longesa lia tuzambi atatu. Hachino yinguhula mama ngwenyi: “Kuchi Yesu, mutu umuwika mahasa kupwa Mwana iye ni Tata nawa iye?” Ngunewuluka  wika kumbululo lia mama ngwenyi: “Mwanami, achi chili chijimbikilo. Kashika yetu kutuchi kuhasa kuchinyingika.” Chochene, chapwile lume chijimbikilo kuli yami. Alioze, muze hinapwa ni miaka 14, yangupapachisa mu lwiji yoze wapwile hakamwihi. Ayo yangunjisa mu meya ha yisuho yitatu, chisuho chitangu cha Tata, chamuchiali cha Mwana ni chamuchitatu cha spiritu yisandu!

Muze napwile ku shikola yinene, yingulikata ni umwe sepa yoze te wanyingika boxe, nawa iye yangukolweza hanga ni yami ngulilongesa boxe. Chocho yinguputuka kulilongesa yo, nawa yingunjila mu chizavu cha akwa-boxe, cha Golden Gloves. Ami kuchakalivwile kanawa, kashika hanyima lia kwasa jimwe jita yingutuhukamo. Kulutwe, yangusanyika mu chizavu cha maswalale mu E.U. chocho yangutuma mu Alemanha. Muze te nguli mu Alemanha, miata jami yangutuma ku shikola ya maswalale mumu kanyongene ngwo te mungupwa kasongo mupema. Ayo kazangile hanga ngununge mu mulimo wa uswalale. Alioze ami te kuchishi kuzanga kununga mu uswalale, kashika muze nahwishile shikola ha miaka yaali, yingwecha mulimo wa uswalale ha mwaka 1956. Hakupalika cha amwe mashimbu, yingunjila mu mulimo ukwo wa kayanda.

Muze te kanda ngunyingika umwenemwene, napwile ni nyonga lipi ha chize lunga atamba kupwa. Napwile ni nyonga liacho mumu lia yinema yize te nakutala ni atu waze napwile no. Te nakunyonga ngwami malunga waze akuvuluka mu Mbimbiliya kakapwile ni tachi. Alioze yinguputuka kulilongesa yimwe yize yalumwine mwono wami. Limwe tangwa, muze te ngunendesa mashinyi jami achila nawa apema mu mbonge, akweze aali a pwo yangutekula hanga nguye kuli ayo. Kapwile mandumbu ja lunga yoze wambachile yaya. Akweze jacho te Yela ja Yehova. Ayo yangwaha Kaposhi wa Kutalila ni Despertai! yingutambula, alioze yingumona ngwami Kaposhi wa Kutalila te kanakale chinji. Ha shimbu liacho, ayo yangusanyika hanga nguye ha Longeso lia Mukanda lia Chikungulwila, kukunguluka cha kulilongesa Mbimbiliya chize te chakulingiwa ku zuwo lio. Yingwaaleza ngwami, nguchiya nguchinyonge. Ayo yaseha ni kunguhula ngwo: “Watulakenya nyi ngwami?” Ami yingutayiza ngwami: “Ewa, nanulakenya.”

Chakevwile kuwaha ha yize naashikile, alioze yingunyonga ngwami, chatambile kwehuka chilakenyo chami. Ha tangwa liacho yinguya ni kukunguluka. Twanuke waze apwileho yangukomwesa chinji. Ngunakashimoka ha kumona mutapu uze ayo apwile ni kunyingika Mbimbiliya. Chipwe ngwe te nakuya ku yingeleja ni mama, nihindu ami te chanyingikine kanawa Mbimbiliya. Hachino, yinguzanga kunyingika yuma yinji, chocho yingutayiza longeso lia Mbimbiliya. Chuma chitangu chize nalilongesele chapwile jina lia Zambi Mukwa-Ndundo-Jeswe, Yehova. Ha yimwe miaka kunyima, muze nahulile mama hakutwala kuli Yela ja Yehova, iye yamba ngwenyi: “Mwanami, ayo kakuwayila umwe lunga kashinakaji yoze avuluka ngwo Yehova.” Alioze ha shimbu liacho yingwivwa ngwe meso jami kanayi ni kulaula!

Yingukola ku ufulielo kawashi-washi, mumu te ngunanyingika ngwami hinawana umwenemwene. Yangupapachisa ha Março wa mwaka 1957 muze te hikwapalika wika tukweji livwa chize haze nayile kukunguluka chitangu. Manyonga jami yalumuka. Ngunawahilila chinji hakunyingika yize Mbimbiliya yakulongesa hakutwala kuli malunga. Yesu kapwile lunga mungunu. Kapwile ni tachi ni ndundo jinji kuhiana malunga eswe. Alioze kakalinjishile mu yuma ya jita. Waliechele hanga ‘amupinjise’ ngwe chize uprofeto wambile. (Izaia 53:2, 7) Yingunyingika ngwami kambaji wamwenemwene  wa Yesu kapwa “chimbovu kuli eswe.”—2 Timoteu 2:24.

Ha mwaka 1958, yinguputuka upionelu. Kulutwe yinguwecha ha amwe mashimbu. Mumu liaka? Mumu nakwachile chiyulo cha kumbata Gloria umwe wa kuli akweze a mapwo waze angusanyikine ku kukunguluka cha longeso lia mukanda! Kuchakevwile chinyongo ha chiyulo chami. Mumu Gloria te chileza, ni haliapwila uchili chileza. Kuli yami iye kali ni ulemu unji Kuhiana Kamanga nawa nakuwahilila chinji ha kulimbata nenyi! Manenu neye achinulwezeko hakehe hakutwala kuli mwene:

“Napwile ni mandumbu 16 a malunga ni a mapwo. Mama te Chela cha Yehova washishika. Iye kafwile muze te nguli ni miaka 14. Muze mama hafwa, tata yaputuka kulilongesa Mbimbiliya. Amu te kutushi mama, tata yatesa umwe katalilo ni kasongo wa shikola. Mumu yaya wa pwo, uno wapwile mwaka wenyi wa kasula ku shikola, chocho Tata yamuhula nyi te muchilita ami ni yaya tupwe ni kuya ku shikola ha matangwa alisa. Hachino, hanga umwe wa kuli yetu asale ku zuwo ni kufunga ana-kwetu waze te achili twanuke. Nawa muze Tata mafuna ku zuwo, hanga apwe ni kuwana kulia hi chahia kulu. Kasongo wa shikola yatayiza, yitununga ni kulinga chocho, ndo haze yaya ahwishile shikola. Amwe Yela ja Yehova yaputuka kulilongesa Mbimbiliya ni yetu, nawa hakachi ketu ana 11 yapwa Yela ja Yehova. Te nakuzanga chinji mulimo wa kwambujola, chipwe ngwe te nakwivwa-vwa sonyi. Mukwetu-lunga, Sam, kakungukwasa chinji ha miaka yeswayi.”

Ami ni Gloria twalimbachile ha Fevereiro wa mwaka 1959. Te twakuwahilila ha kukalakala hamuwika mulimo wa upionelu. Ha Julho wa mwaka uzewene, yitwita hanga tukalakale ku Mbetele. Twazangile chinji kukalakala ku chishina chinene cha hashi heswe. Ndumbwami wa zango Simon Kraker, yatwihujola. Yatulweza ngwenyi, ha shimbu liacho ku Mbetele te keshi kutayizako atu waze alimbata. Nihindu te twakuzanga kukalakala ku Mbetele, alioze kwapalikile miaka yinji mba yituyako.

Yitusonekena mandumbu ku chishina chinene ni kwita hanga atutume mu ngiza yize te yinafupiwa akwa-kwambujola. Ayo yatutuma ku, Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Ha matangwa jacho, ku Pine Bluff, kwapwile wika yikungulwila yaali. Chikungulwila chimwe chapwile cha yindele, chikwo te cha atu alaa. Yetu yatutuma mu chikungulwila cha atu alaa, muze mwapwile wika akwa-kwambujola 14.

Yena muhasa kulihula ngwe mumu liaka Yela ja Yehova yindele ni atu alaa te akulihandununa. Kumbululo lili ngwo te kutushi ni uhashi wa kulinga nichimwe ha mashimbu jacho. Kulichinga cha yindele ni atu alaa chapwile kwehuka kukaula shimbi ja nguvulu, nawa te chakuneha ponde yinji. Ku yihela yinji, mandumbu te kakwaalweza ngwo nyi malikungulula hamuwika ni atu a yikowa yalisa maapuzula Mazuwo jo a Wanangana. Yino ye te yakulingiwako. Nyi Yela ja Yehova a chikowa chilaa, mambujola ku zuwo ni zuwo ha mukala wa yindele, ayo te makwata nawa mahasa kwaalamba. Mba tulinge kanawa mulimo wa kwambujola te twakwononokena shimbi ni kushimbwila ngwetu yuma muyalumuka.

Mulimo wetu wa kwambujola kuwakapwile washi mashimbu eswe. Muze te twakwambujola ha mukala wa atu alaa, chakuhona kunyingika, hamwe te twakungongwela ku mazuwo ja yindele. Te twakulihula ngwetu: Nyi matuhuka, shina mutwaambulwila sango lipema nyi mutwita wika ukonekeno ni kuya ku zuwo likwo? Yuma che yapwile ha matangwa jacho.

Ngwe mapionelu, te twatamba kukalakala hanga tuwane mbongo jakulikwasa najo. Milimo yinji yize te twakulinga ha tangwa, te kakutufweta wika mbongo jitatu ja dolar. Gloria te kakulinga milimo ya kukomba mu mazuwo. Ku chihela chimwe chakahashile kumukwasa hanga ahwise mulimo ni kawashi. Akwa-zuwo yatwaha kulia. Chapwile chimwe kulia cha kekema chize te akukasa ha mafunda, chino che twalile yami ni Gloria shimbu te kanda tuchiya ku zuwo lietu. Hita poso Gloria te kakuya ni kukoma mazalo ku mazuwo alisa. Ami te nakukalakala mu jardim, kukosa tupenda ni kulinga milimo yikwo nawa ku mazuwo. Ku zuwo lia amwe asoko yindele te twakukosako tupenda. Muze Gloria anakosa mukachi ami ngukosa sali likwo haze. Ku zuwo liacho twalingileko tangwa lia muwundu chocho yatwaha kulia. Gloria yalila mu zuwo, alioze yalihandununa ni asoko. Ami chakapalileko, chocho yinguya ni kulila mu garaje. Chapwile kulia chipema chinji. Ayo kapwile asoko apema, alioze te kakukaula wika yitanga ya waze te atunga no. Ngunewuluka  limwe shimbu muze twayile ha bomba ya combustivel. Muze te hitwazalisa mashinyi jetu ni maji, yingwita umwe mukweze chindele yoze te unalanjisa ku bomba hanga Gloria aye kama ku kumba. Iye yangutala ni uli ni kwamba ngwenyi “Yili ya kuyika.”

Chikwo nawa, twapwile ni mashimbu apema hamwe ni mandumbu jetu, nawa te twakuzanga mulimo wa kwambujola! Chitangu muze twahetele mu Pine Bluff, twapwile ku zuwo lia ndumbu yoze ha shimbu liacho te kavumbi wa chikungulwila. Mukwo-pwo te hi Chela ko, chocho Gloria yaputuka kulilongesa nenyi Mbimbiliya. Ha shimbu liacho ami yinguputuka kulilongesa ni mwano wa pwo ni mukwo-lunga. Mwana ni naye yakwata chiyulo cha kwaapapachisa.

Twapwile ni masepa apema mu chikungwila cha mandumbu yindele. Te kakutusanyika hanga tuye ni kulia no hamuwika ha chingoloshi, alioze te twakushimbwila wika muze mukutoka hanga niumwe achine kutumona ngwo tuli hamuwika. Ululikiso uze te avuluka ngwo, Ku Klux Klan (KKK), uze te wakukolweza kulihandununa cha yikowa nawa te wa yingalwe wapwile ni kukalakala chinji mu mbonge yacho. Ha umwe ufuku uze te analingi chiwanyino cha Halloween, yingumona umwe lunga kanatwama mu mbalanda ya zuwo, kanazale mazalo atoma ni chifulu, ngwe chize te akuzala akwa KKK. Yuma yacho yipi kuyakakwikile mandumbu kusolola umbovu. Ha amwe mashimbu ha mwaka 1950, yitufupa mbongo hanga tuye ku kukunguluka cha Mambonge, umwe ndumbu yatayiza kulanda mashinyi jetu. Limwe tangwa, hanyima lia umwe kakweji, twahongele chinji mumu twayile ni kwambujola ku zuwo ni zuwo ni kusongwela malongeso anji a Mbimbiliya, tangwa liacho kwapwile mwalwa unji. Muze twafunyine ku zuwo yituwana chuma chize kutwanyongene. Yituwana mashinyi jetu kulutwe lia zuwo! Yituwana nawa jimwe sona ha vidru ya mashinyi ngwo, “Munuhasa kusala ni mashinyi jenu ngwe chawana cha kuli yami, ndumbwenu.”

Chitanga chikwo cha umbovu chize changukwachile chinji ku mbunge. Ha mwaka 1962, yangusanyika ku Shikola ya Mulimo wa Wanangana ku Sule ya Lansing, mu New York. Te matufumba ha kakweji umuwika hanga tupwe tulayi a yikungulwila, a mbonge ni a mambonge. Ha mashimbu jacho ami chakapwile ni mulimo, kashika twapwile ni mbongo jikehe. Hachino, impreza ya telefone mu Pine Bluff yiyingwihujola hanga ngukalakaleko. Nyi te mangutayiza kachi mutu mulaa ami wika te ngukalakalako. Ayo yangulweza ngwo te kanazange kungwaha mulimo. Mba yika te mungulinga? Ami chakapwile ni mbongo ja kuya najo ku New York. Chocho, yingunyonga chinji hakutwala ku mulimo wacho ni kufupa kulituna kuya ku shikola. Te hinalilulieka kulu hanga ngusonekene mandumbu ku Mbetele, yikulingiwa chuma chize kuchichi keza kavulama ni limwe tangwa.

Umwe pangi wa mu chikungulwila chetu, yoze mukwo-lunga te hi Chela ko, yangongwela ku zuwo lietu ha chimene ni kungwaha yimwe envelope. Mwapwile mwa too ni mbongo. Iye te kakuya hamwe ni ana jenyi ku munda wa wanda hanga aselelemo katanda. Ayo kalingile chino hanga awane mbongo ja kumbana ni kungwahajo nguye ku New York. Pangi yamba ngwenyi, “Yako ku shikola hanga ukalilongese, muze mufuna ukatulongese yetu!” Chocho yingusanyika ku  impreza ya telefone ni kwaahula nyi te muchilita kuputuka mulimo muze mukupalika poso jitano kukatuka ha shimbu lize twalitesele no. Kumbululo lio liapwile pundu ngwo, “Ka!” Chipwe chocho chakapalileko. Yingufupa kukwata chiyulo. Nakuwahilila chinji mumu lia kwecha mulimo wacho!

Hano Gloria kanewuluka chize twapwile mu Pine Bluff: “Ami nazangile chinji ngiza yacho! Napwile ni kusongwela malongeso a Mbimbiliya 15 hanji 20. Kashika te twakuya ni kwambujola ku zuwo ni zuwo ha chimene ha chingoloshi te twakusongwela malongeso a Mbimbiliya, ha mashimbu akwo te twakuheta ndo hakachi ka ufuku. Kwambujola chapwile kanawa! Ami te nakuwahilila chinji. Munguhasa kwamba pundu ngwami cha kazangile kwecha mulimo uno hanga ngulinge mulimo wa kalayi wa mbonge, alioze kumana Yehova kapwile ni nyonga lieka.” Chocho iye yamanununa nyonga lienyi.

Muze te tunalingi upionelu mu Pine Bluff, yitusoneka hanga tupwe pionelu alipwila. Yitushimbwila hanga atutayize. Mumu liaka? Mumu te tunanyingika ngwetu kalayi wetu wa mambonge kazangile hanga tuye ni kukwasa chikungulwila ku Texas, nawa kazangile hanga tukalakaleko ngwe pionelu alipwila. Twazangile chinji nyonga liacho. Chocho yitushimbwila kumbululo, alioze mu kasha yize te mutuwana mukanda wa kumbululo mwapwile mwawashi. Hi kusongo mukanda yiuheta. Yatutuma mu mulimo wa kalayi wa mbonge! Yino yalingiwile ha Janeiro wa mwaka 1965. Ha mashimbu jacho, Ndumbu Leon Weaver, yoze haliapwila unamanyinako Komite ya ku Mutango mu Estados Unidos neye yamutuma ngwe kalayi wa mbonge.

Nevwile mwongo ha kupwa kalayi wa mbonge. Ku uputukilo kalayi wa mambonge ndumbu James A. Thompson, Jr., yatala ha mulimo wami. Ni zango lieswe yangulweza haze te munguhasa kululieka, ni kungusolwela yize kalayi wa mbonge atamba kulinga. Ha limwe shimbu, muze te hinapwa kalayi wa mbonge, yingumona ulemu wa chiyulo chize angwehele. Muze napwile kalayi wa mbonge Ndumbu Thompson, kapwile kalayi wa mambonge mutangu yoze nakalakalile nenyi. Nalilongesele yuma yinji kuli ndumbu yono washishika.

Ha matangwa jacho, kalayi wa mbonge te kakutambula fumbo likehe. Natambwile fumbo ha poso yimuwika kuli kalayi wa mbonge muze te anameneka chikungulwila. Neye yangutwala ha poso yimuwika ni kumeneka chikungulwila. Yangwaha yiyulo ni usongwelo. Mba yatwecha tuye ukawetu. Ngunewuluka muze Gloria ambile ngwenyi: “Shina katamba lume kutwecha ukawetu haliapwila?” Hakupalika cha mashimbu, yingunyingika chimwe chuma chilemu. Nihindu kuli mandumbu apema waze mahasa kukukwasa, alioze muchilingiwa nyi yena mweecha hanga ayo akukwase. Ni haliapwila nakulemesa ukwaso uze natambwile kuli mandumbu wano ajama ngwe, J. R. Brown, kusulaho kalayi wa mbonge ni Fred Rusk wa mu chisaka cha Mbetele.

 Ha mashimbu jacho katonde wa yikowa kapwile ku yihela yeswe. Ha limwe shimbu, chizavu cha KKK yichiputuka kutwa milolo, mu mbonge ya Tennessee muze te tunameneka yikungulwila. Ngunewuluka ha shimbu likwo, muze twamanyine ha yimwe restaurante hanga tuhwimeko ndambu amu te tuchili mu mulimo. Muze nayile ku kumba, umwe lunga te unevu uli nawa uli ni tatuaje ya waze te keshi kuzanga atu alaa yangukaulamo. Alioze umwe ndumbu chindele yoze te musuku hakachi ketu, neye yangukaula. Yanguhula ngwenyi, “Ndumbu Herd, yuma yeswe yinende kanawa?” mukwa-kulanda mukwo yatuhuka mu kumba kafuji-fuji. Hakupalika cha miaka, yingunyingika ngwami, kulihandununa cha atu kuchakapwile mumu lia kulisa cha yikowa, alioze mumu lia shili yize tukwete. Yingulilongesa nawa ngwami, ndumbu kali lume ndumbu, chipwe ngwe kali ni chikowa chalisa, iye mahasa kufwa hamukunda wa yena.

Twalingile miaka 12 mu mulimo wa kalayi wa mbonge, ni miaka yikwo 21 mu mulimo wa kalayi wa mambonge. Yino yapwile miaka ya upite hamwe ni yiwape nawa ya too ni yilweza ya utakamiso. Alioze kwapwile nawa chiwape chikwo chize te twakushimbwila. Ha Agosto wa mwaka 1997, nyonga lize twapwile nalio ha miaka yinji kunyima yilimanunuka. Yatusanyika ku Mbetele ya mu Estados Unidos. Chocho nyonga lietu lia kuya ku Mbetele yilimanunuka hakupalika cha miaka 38. Kakweji yoze wasulileho, yituputuka mulimo wetu ku Mbetele. Nanyongene ngwami, mandumbu ku Mbetele te kanangufupu wika hanga ngukwase ha shimbu likehe, alioze kuyakalingiwile chocho.

Ku Mbetele yinguputuka kukalakala ku Chipatulo cha Milimo. Yingulilongesa yuma yinji! Mandumbu aku Chipatulo cha Milimo kakwaahula yuma yikalu kuli makulwana amu yikungulwila ni tulayi a mbonge mu chifuchi cheswe. Nakusakwilila chinji ha uhumikizo uze mandumbu jacho asolwele ha kungufumba. Nyi te mangufunyisa hanga ngukalakaleko nawa, te mungulilongesa yuma yinji kuli mandumbu jacho.

Ami ni Gloria twakuzanga chinji mwono wa ku Mbetele. Twakulianga kuhinduka, chino chakutukwasa ku Mbetele. Hanyima lia umwe mwaka, yinguputuka kukalakala ngwe Chikwashi wa Komite ya Mulimo wa Chizavu cha Tusongo cha Yela ja Yehova. Ha mwaka 1999, yangutongola kupwa umwe wa mu Chizavu cha Tusongo. Nakulilongesa yuma yinji mu mulimo uno. Alioze chuma chahiana ulemu chili ngwo mutwe wa chikungulwila cha akwa-Kristu, Yesu Kristu, iye hi mutu ko.

Muze nakunyonga ha mwono wami, ha mashimbu amwe nakwivwa ngwe chize evwile profeta Amose. Yehova yamona kafunga wacho walikehesa yoze wapwile ni mulimo wangwaza wa kufunga uva, uze te wapwa kulia cha yiswale. Alioze Zambi yatongola Amose hanga apwe profeta ni kuwahisa chinji mulimo wenyi. (Amose 7:14, 15) Chizechene nawa, che Yehova amwene hali yami, mwana wa njimi chiswale mu Liberdade, Indiana. Nawa Yehova hangupichisa chinji, ni yiwape yize natongwola hano! (Yishima 10:22) Mwono wami ku uputukilo wapwile wa uswale, alioze haliapwila hinapwa pichi kuhiana chize nanyongene!