Omu mwaka gwakulikiragaho, etangazo lyagera omu mulala gwe Beteli ok’omurhabi gwe Afrique du Sud gukenere ba volontere bulala baliri balonza kuhira amashini mahyahya m’okuforomola ebitabu. Nani nachiyandikisa omu balonzeze kujayo, nasomerwa bwenene okubona bantolere. Barhola bandi bakozi basharhu b’oku Beteli ye Kanada; k’okuderha Dennis Leech, Bill McLellan, na Ken Nordin. Barhubwira oku byarhuhema rhulegame e Afrique du Sud!

Nahamagala mama oku telefone namubwira: “Mama, mperhe omwazi nakubwira. Nkala kuja omu Afrique du Sud!” Mama aliri nsiririzi aliko mukazi w’ekiroho onagwerhe obwemere bukomere. Arhaderhaga binene, aliko naliyinji oku naye ayemerere. Eyi yewe, eyi papa, ntaye walilahire echi nachishogere, chiro akaba oku baligayire oku nkala kuja hale bwenene nabo.

Oku rhuli bane, rhwashuba kumala myezi esharhu oku Beteli ye Brooklyn, eyi rhuli rhwayiga gurhe amola mashini manakola. Rhwaja rhwarhola echombo ch’emizigo chasika e Cape Town, omu Afrique du Sud. Nalikala ngwerhe myaka 20. Lyalikala golo amango rhurhondera olugenzi lulehere omu tre l’okurhenga e Cape Town l’okuja e Johannesburg. Aha rhwayumangaga burhanzi haliri omu vile ngeke ye Karoo, eneo lili nka rungu. Haliri oluchuchu, emyusi, n’echuka. Oku rhuli bane rhwahwanza kulolera omu dirisha n’okuchibaza, lero hahantu hachi hanola. Lero gurhe byarhubera si berhu? Enyuma w’emyaka, rhwashuba kulambagirira eyola eneo ye Karoo, rhwarhegera okw’evile zayo zigeke-geke zisimisize bwenene zinali mu murhula.

Mu myaka migeke, engabane yani kwaliri kukolesa amashini makomere, masomeze mayirikwa Linotype manatayarisha emistari ah’emyandiko yachichapa omu kuforomola amagazeti Omunara g’Omulanzi na Amuka! Rhwaliherhe obusime bulala amola mashini m’okuforomola ebitabu mamarhumaga rhwarhenga e Kanada rhuyinja e Afrique du Sud maliri makoleswa bwenene!

Buzinda, rhwarhondera kukola omu biro byaliyimangiire makasi manene maliri makolwa ahola omu kuforomola ebitabu, oku bibalamisa, n’akasi k’okutafsiri. Naligwerhe binene by’okukola, obusime, na nalitoshekere omu kalamo.

Omu 1968, nashaba mwali-werhu muguma w’omu painiya oyirikirwe Laura Bowen, waliri hofi ne Beteli. Analiri ayandika emyandiko omu Biro by’Okutafsiri. Mw’ezola siku, abamayusa kushabana barhaliri babayemera oku babere omu Beteli, na ntyo, rhwava hwahabwa engabane y’okuba bapainiya baminuzize. Naliyubahire bugeke. Myaka 10 yoshi nalinamamala oku Beteli, baliri bampa ebilyo, ah’okulama, na buli choshi nkenere. Lero si gurhe rhwakalemere rhwapata olufuranga omu kasi kerhu k’obupainiya? Buli muguma werhu alikwanene kupata 25 rand (zigwerhe akachiro ka 35$ amola mango) buli mwezi, nka rhuyeneze esa, abarhukwanene rhugalukire, n’ebitabu rhukwanene kuhana. Olola lufuranga lurhwalikwanene kulipa kw’enju, ebiryo, amatike, okuchibukisa n’ebindi byoshi rhwakakenera.

Rhwarhumwa omu chigusho chigeke cha hofi n’evile ye Durban, eli oku mirhambira ye Ocean Indien. Eyola eneo yaliri mu Bahindi banene, abanene mu bo baburhwaga n’abakozi bajaga omu Afrique du Sud omu mwaka gwa 1875 omu kukola omu izine y’esukari. Bajire omu mandi makasi, aliko bagendereze emicho yabo, okuntu bavuya kuhubere mu n’esupu lilokere lili m’obulunge bwabo. Banaliri baderha Echingereza, n’echola charhuma byarhuyorohera.

Bapainiya baminuzize byalibahemere bahubiri sa 150 buli mwezi, n’eju y’echola, olusiku l’oburhanzi Nyono na Laura rhwapanga oku rhwajira sa ndarhu. Haliri haba echuka n’emboho. Bulala nta bantu b’okugalukira rhwaligwerhe na nta mafunzo me Biblia, rhwamala sa 6 zoshi eyi rhuli rhwahubiri nju ku nju. Rhwamalire akasanzi rhurhondere, nalola oku sa eyi rhwamamala miniti 40 yonyine. Nachibaza, aliko si rhwanabigala?

Harhalegamaga, rhwachipanga bwinja. Buli lusiku rhwaliri rhwachiyikira esambusa rhwanahira n’esupu omu termose changwa echahi ch’agahwa. Eyi rhwalonzaga humuka, rhwaliri rhwasika omutugari gwerhu omushi y’omurhi guli hofi. Mango maguma-maguma, abana bakwirire b’Abahindi baliri bayinja barhuzunguluka eyi bali barhulolako bulala rhurhashushene! Enyuma wa siku zigeke, rhwabona oku eyi sa 2 changwa 3 zigera, ebisanzi by’olusiku biyorhere binagenda juba-juba.

Byalisimisize bwenene okugeza obukweri bwe Biblia kw’abola bantu bashagalukira abandi ba mw’eyola eneo! Rhwabona okw’Abahindi bali bantu bajira obukenge, eshukurani, banayubaha na Mungu. Abahindu banene baliri bayemera oburhumwa rhwaliri rhwabalerhera. Baliri basima kuyiga oku bilolere Yehova, Yesu, Ebiblia, egulu lihyahya lyayinjire lili m’omurhula, n’obunihire oku bantu bafire. Enyuma wa mwaka muguma, rhwalikala rhugwerhe mafunzo me Biblia 20. Buli lusiku, rhwaliri rhwasangira ebilyo by’ezuba haguma na mulala muguma omu yirhwaliri rhwayiga nayo. Rhwalisimire bwenene.

Buzira kulegama, rhwahabwa engabane mpyahya y’okuba bemangizi b’omuzunguluko echinya-ntabi choshi ch’enyanja ekwirire bwenene (Ocean Indien). Buli boso, rhwaliri rhwachumbika mu mulala muguma omu chibaga rhwalambagiriraga, n’okuhubiri haguma na bene-berhu na bali-berhu omu kubahira omurhima. Baliri barhubona nka baguma b’omu milala yabo, rhwanasima n’okugeza ebisanzi haguma nabo, abana babo, n’embwa na babusu barhungire. Myaka 2 ekwirire bwenene yagera. Rhwayunva ebiro bye Beteli byarhuhamagala oku telefone. Barhubwira: “Rhulonzeze mushube mugaluke oku Beteli.” Nabashubiza: “Mumenyere, rhugwerhe busime bunene hanola rhuli.” Aliko omu bukweri, rhwaliri tayari kuja hoshi bakarhurhuma.

Engabane yani y’oku Beteli yaliri y’omu Biro Biyumangiire Akasi k’Okuhubiri, n’omola, nagwarha lukengo lunene l’okukola haguma na bene-berhu bakoomere akasi banakulire ekiroho. Mw’ezola siku, eyi mwimangizi w’omuzunguluko amalaga kurhangula echibaga anarhuma eraporo oku Beteli. Enyuma w’ahola, ebiro biyumangire akasi k’okuhubiri byanarhumira echibaga amarhuba malolere eraporo omwimangizi ahanaga. Amola maruba maliri makuhira omurhima n’okuhana obwerekezi boshi-boshi bwakaba bukenerwe. N’abandisi berhu baliri bakola kasi kanene bwenene k’okutafsiri omu Chingereza amaruba abemangizi b’emizunguluko barhumaga mayandikirwe omu Xhosa, Zulu, n’omu zindi ndimi n’okutafsiri omu zindi ndimi z’omu Afrique amaruba mayandikirwe omu Chingereza.  Nalisimire bwenene akasi k’obushiru k’abola batafsiri bantabalaga kumenya ebibazo bene-berhu na bali-berhu b’abeusi b’omu Afrique yi bahurana nabyo.

Afrique du Sud yalilamire omu burhegesi bw’akabolo. Buli buko bwalihabirwe eneo bwalamamo, eju y’echola, birhakashobokene abantu barhagwerhe shusho liguma ly’omubiri babe haguma. Bene-berhu b’abeusi b’omu Afrique du Sud baliri baderha ezabo-zabo ndimi, banahubiri omu zabo-zabo ndimi, n’okuja oku mbuganano z’endimi zabo.

Intamenyanaga na beusi banene b’omu Afrique du Sud bulala eneo y’echibaga chani yaliri yazigana kuba eyi baganira Echingereza. Chiro akaba ntyo, nalipatire orozo l’okubamenya, emicho yabo n’emibereho yabo. Namenya ebibazo bene-berhu yi balwisa, bilerherwe n’emigenzo y’omu Afrique n’obwemere bw’amadini. Baliri bakolesa bushiru bunene bwenene yi balekana n’emigenzo erhapatene n’amandiko n’okugala kulwisa obupinzani bunene burhengerere omu milala yabo n’omu vilaje amango balahire kujira ebintu by’obushake! Omu ma vilaje, abantu baliri bakene bwenene. Banene balisomere bugeke hali n’abarhasomaga, aliko balikengere Ebiblia.

Nalipatire olukengo l’okukola omu shinja ziguma zihirirwe m’obuhuru bwerhu b’okuharamya n’okurhajira olunda rhuliko omu by’epolitike. Byalihirire obwemere bwani emisi bwenene okubona obwemere n’obushiru bw’Abahamirizi bachili basole, n’abana bafukwizwe oku masomo bulala balahire kujira amasala n’okuyimpa enyimpo z’echihugo.

Bene-berhu balihurene echindi chibazo omu chihugo chigeke ch’omu Afrique che Swaziland. Amango Mwami Sobhuza II afa, haliri migenzo miguma y’emishibo abantu boshi balihemerwe. Abalume balikwanene kugemba enviri zabo boshi, n’abakazi banapunguza oku zabo. Bene-berhu na bali-berhu banene balilibwizwe bulala balahire kujira kw’eyola migenzo y’obuharamye yakazaga kolwa na bashokuliza. Kweri, obwimana baligwerhe ku Yehova bwalihumire oku murhima! Rhwaliyigire binene oku bilolere obwemere, obwimana n’okulindira kugerera bene-berhu b’omu Afrique. Echola chakomeza obwemere bwerhu.

Omu 1981, napata engabane y’okukola omu chigusho ch’okuheba embere obuhanga b’okuforomola ebitabu kugerera Ordinatere. Nava nashuba hwanza kola omu Emprimeri. Kaliri kasanzi kasimisize  bwenene! Obulyo b’okuforomola ebitabu bwali bwahindamukire bwenene. Abachuruzi b’omu eneo baha e Beteli amashini m’okufotokopiye n’okuyandika, barhange bapime buzira n’okubahema chintu. Rhwava rhwagurana mashini 9 rhwaligwerhe me Linotype ku mashini 5 mahyahya. Rhwashuba kuheba h’amandi mashini mahyahya m’okuemprime. Akasi kahwanza kugenda juba-juba!

Bashuba rhurhabala rhuhwanzise enjira zihyahya z’okupanga emyandiko oku makaratasi omu kukolesa eprograme enayirikwa MEPS. Eteknoloji yajire embere bwenene kurhenga oku rhuli bane rhurhengere oku Beteli ye Kanada rhuyinja kola oku Beteli ye Afrique du Sud! (Isa. 60:17) Oku rhuli bane, rhweshi rhwashabire bali-berhu b’abapainiya bazigiire Yehova bwenene. Nyono na Bill rhwagenderera kukola oku Beteli. Ken na Dennis bajakukolera emilala yabo hofi n’oku Beteli.

Akasi k’oku Beteli kaliri kagenderera bwenene. Ebitabu bye Biblia byarhonderwa kutafsiribwa n’okuforomolwa bwenene mu ndimi kamama n’okurhumwa oku mandi ma Beteli. Eju y’echola, haba eyi hamaba obulagirire bw’ezindi nju zihyahya oku Beteli. Bene-berhu bayumbaka nju nguma efasi ekwirire bwenene y’emahulukiro me Johannesburg, yahanwa emwa Yehova n’okuhamirwa mo omu 1987. Bwaliri busime bunene bwenene nani omu kugwasa kw’amola maja-mbere n’okukola omu Komite y’Omurhabi y’omu Afrique du Sud mu myaka minene.

Echintu rhurhaliwazize haba n’akatyu chaba omu mwaka gwa 2001 bampamagala oku nyinje nkole omu komite mpyahya y’Omurhabi gwe États-Unis yabaga yamarhondera. Chiro akaba oku rhurhalisimire kuleka akasi kerhu na bera berhu b’omu Afrique du Sud, byalirhusimisize bwenene kurhondera akandi kalamo kahyahya eyi rhuli mulala oku Beteli ye États-Unis.

Chiro akaba ntyo, rhwaliyubahire bulala rhwamaja hale na nyina wa Laura walikala ashajire. Rhurhakachigalire kumurhabala bwenene n’obola rhuli omu New York, aliko bene-babo Laura basharhu baliri bamurhabala oku by’omubiri, achiyunve bwinja, n’okumuha olufuranga lwamurhabala. Baderhere ntya: “Rhwabo, rhurhagalire kuba omu kasi k’amango moshi, aliko nka rhugenderere kushishikala mama, rhwabarhabala nenyu mugenderere omu ngabane yenyu.” Ntako rhwakagala kubayereka kangana gurhe rhubasimire.

Mwene-werhu naye na mukage balilamire omu Toronto, Kanada, bahwanza shishikala mama naye walikala mukana. Amola mango, mama abaga ey’amamala myaka 20 ey’alamire ahamwabo. Rhubasimire bwenene oku buzigire bamuyerekere n’okuntu bamushishikere kugera amango afaga siku zigeke oku rhwanahika omu New York. Guli mugisho gunene okugwarha abantu b’omulala bayemera bahindamula bintu biguma omu kalamo kabo yibashishikala abazere bakala bushaja, chiro akaba okw’echola chakabalerhera ebibazo omu kalamo!

Mu myaka migeke, engabane yani omu États-Unis kwaliri kukola omu kasi k’okukula ebitabu, kali kahindamukire bwenene kanali kayorohezwe. Harhalegamaga, narhondera kukola oku Biro by’Okukula Ebintu. Insimire bwenene okubona namamala myaka 20 kw’eyila Beteli nzibu-zibu eli mu bantu hofi 5 000 na bandi bakozi be Beteli hofi 2 000 banakola eyi bahulukira eka!

Nka ngalukire enyuma wa myaka 60, ntaliwazize chiro oku nakagerere hanola. Laura antabere n’omurhima gwage goshi mw’eyila myaka yamagera. Kweri nalahire akalamo kenja bwenene! Rhusimire bwenene buli ngabane yoshi rhwapatire n’abantu benja boshi rhwakolere nabo bahirirwe mw’abantu b’oku Beteli zinene rhwalambagirire, ezi rhwarhumirwe kukolerako mu bihugo binene. Bunola nkala ngwerhe myaka erhalwise 80, ntachikola binene bulala hachili bene-berhu bachili basole bachigwerhe emisi y’okukola.

Mwandisi muguma we Zaburi aliyandikire ntya: “Olusimire luli lubaga olu Mungu walo ali Yehova.” (Zb. 33:12) Nta ngangane, obola buli bukweri! Imperhe busime bunene okubona nakolere Yehova haguma n’olubaga lwage lugwerhe obusime.