Omwaka owakwamako, okwa Beteli mukwalhaba ekirango indi okwa kyaghanda ky’omuthahulha kye South Africa kukayithaghisibawa abakayihayo erikolerako, kundi babya ibabirihirayo ekindi kyuma ekikaprintinga. Munayihandikisya, kandi munatsema ingasombolhwa. N’abandi banya Beteli basathu abe Canada mubasombolhwa​—Dennis Leech, Bill McLellan, na Ken Nordin. Muthwabwirwa indi thukendiyabyayo habw’obuthuku buuli!

Munatherera mama indi: “Mama, ngakuwithire omwatsi. Ngaghenda e South Africa!” Mama abya mukuthu aliwe ini mukali oyuwithe erikirirya kandi ini w’obunyakirimu. Mwathabugha binene, aliwe nabya ingasi kw’akendi nyisighika. Mama na thatha mubathaghania erithwamu lyaghe, nomwakine indi mubakwa obulighe kundi nabya iningayabya haali okw’ibo.

Ithwe bbani muthwatsuka okwa Beteli kwe Brooklyn, eriyathendekwa habw’amezi asathu ngoku thwanga kolesya ekyuma ekikaprintinga ekikahulhawamo letterpress. Neryo muthwaghenda omwa bwathu obukaheka ebindu obukaya e Cape Town, South Africa. Nabya imunanamahikya myaka 20. Mwabya omw’igholho thukatsuka olhughendo lhuuli omwa treyini erilhua e Cape Town eriya Johannesburg. Muthwatsuka erimana omwa katawuni kake ke Karoo, omwanya owali lhwerere. Abya mw’etsutsu, omuki, kandi iniahuhire. Ithwe bosi bbani muthwalebererya omw’idirisa n’eriyibulya oyu nga ni mwanya owali athi. Muthwabulha nga thwamabiriyisingaki! Habere halhaba myaka, thwabere thukathasyahika omwa mwanya oyu, muthwatsema thukalhangira ehitawuni ehyuwene ehi kandi ehithekene.

Ahabw’emyaka mike, omubiiri waghe abya w’erikolesya ekyuma ekikatha-kathenie ekikahulhawamo Linotype, erithonda esyonyughuta esy’erikolesya eriprintinga egazeti ya Kaleberyo ne Awake! Ekyaghanda ky’omuthahulha ikikaprintinga esyogazeti omwa mibughe mingyi ye Afirika butsira eye South Africa misa, aliwe n’ey’omwa bihugho bingyi eby’omwa Afirika. Ekyuma kihyaka ekyo ekyathwasyakolerako mukyakolesibwa kutsibu!

Enyuma waho, munakolera omwa ofisi eyiri mw’edipatimenti eyikakolha okwa by’erihindulha, eby’eriprintinga, n’eby’ebitabu. Okw’ingye nabya ngwithe bingyi by’erikolha, kandi ingatsemire.

Omwa 1968, munathahya mwali wethu omutemburi, ya Laura Bowen, oyuwabya ikere hakuhi ne Beteli. Nayu iniakatayipingira Edipatimenti y’eby’Erihindulha. Okwa buthuku obo, sihabya endegheka ey’abakingira omwa butheke er’ikalha okwa Beteli, neryo muthwahebwa obutemburi bw’embaghane. Munanayibulha-bulha. Enyuma w’emyaka ikumi okwa Beteli ithunemuhebwa ebyalya n’ah’erikesya, ibbwa thwanga thokire thuthi eribyaho okwa kasente kake akakahebawa abatemburi b’embaghane? Obuli kwezi, obuli mundu iniakahebawa esyorandi 25 (obuthuku obo isingene n’esyodola 35, U.S.), aliwe iwunalyahikaya esyosaha esikayithaghisibawa, erisubayo, n’ebitabu. Esyosente esyo, isyathukakolesaya erithuha ah’eripangisya, ebyalya, etraspoti, kuthya n’emibatsi n’ebindi biyithawa.

Muthwathumwa omwa gurupu nyike eyiri hakuhi n’etawuni ye Durban, okwa Indian Ocean. Yabya abandu banene abe India, abanene ini baana b’abandu abasa kera erisyakolera omw’ikolero ly’esukali okw’ihwererera ly’emyaka 1800. Babya ibabirighenda omwa yindi mibiiri, aliwe ibakinahambirire ekalikya yabu n’emitsumbire, imwamuli n’emboka yabu eyikasiha. Kandi ibakabugha Olhusungu, neryo mukyathwolhobera erikania nabu.

Abatemburi b’embaghane ibatholere eriha esyosaha 150 obuli kwezi, neryo ingye na Laura muthwahiraho endegheka y’erikolha esyosaha mukagha obuli kiro. Iyihuhire kandi iyiri ekithuthu. Isithuwithe ab’erisubako n’abigha​—ithuli b’erighunza esyosaha mukagha nyumba okwa nyumba. Ihamabirilhaba buthuku thwalitsukire, munalebya okwa saha yaghe​—esyodakika 40 nyisa sy’esyabya isyamathalhaba! Munayibulya, thunemwendi thoka omubiiri oyu?

Buthuku buke-buke, muthuwania endegheka yethu. Obuli kiro, ithukaheka eky’erirya n’ekawa omwa fulasika. Ithukabya thukalhuhuka, ithukimanaya ematoka yethu omwa kitsutsu ky’omuthi owali aho​—ihakanayira abaana b’Abahindi ibathuthimbako bakathusamalira! Omo biro bike, muthwaminya ngoku hamabirilhaba esyosaha ibiri kutse isathu, neryo ekiro kikalhuaho ikyanguha.

Ka bwabya butseme erilethera abandu abakokya ab’omwa bulhambu obo ekwenene ye Biblia! Abandu be India babya bawithe erisikya, olhukeri, kandi ibakubaha Nyamuhanga. Ab’edini y’Ekihindi bangyi mubaligha omwatsi owathwabalethera. Mubanza erigha oku Yehova, Yesu, e Biblia, ekihugho kihya-kihya eky’obuholho ekikayasa, n’amaha w’abaholi. Habere halhaba mwaka, muthwathunga abigha 20. Obuli kiro, ithukalya eky’erithungyi haghuma n’enguma y’okwa syofamile esyo thuk’igha nasyo e Biblia. Etseme muyabya nene.

Biro bike, muthwahebwa olhundi lhusunzo lhw’erikolha​—omubiiri w’obulebererya bw’omuthimbo okwa mwalu we Indian Ocean. Obuli wiki, ithukabya bagheni ewa balikyethu thukabungira n’erikolha haghuma n’abathuliri omwa kithunga eribahimba. Muthwabya b’okwa famile yabu, eritsanga n’abaana babu n’ehisoro hyabu hy’eka. Muthwaghunza omwa mubiiri oyu mw’emyaka ibiri. Neryo isithuyitsulirye ekyaghanda ky’omuthahulha mukyathutherera. Mubabugha bathi, “Thwanzire imwasuba okwa Beteli.” Munasubirya indi, “Ibbwa munasi, eno thutsemire kutsibu.” Aliwe thwabya ithunayitheghekire erikolesibwa ehosi-hosi.

Okwa Beteli munakolera okwa Kathunga k’Omubiiri, okwa nathungira olhusunzo lhw’erikolha haghuma na balikyethu bangyi abakulire bunyakirimu. Okwa buthuku obo, ebithunga ibikathumirawa ebaruha erilhua okwa kyaghanda erikwamana n’eby’omulebererya alyahira omwa ripoti yiwe. Esyobaruha esi isikathumawa erihimba n’eriha ebithunga by’obusondoli obwangabya ibukayithaghisibawa. Oyu abya mubiiri munene okwa bahandiki bethu ababya bakahindulha esyobaruha esy’Olhuxhosa, Zulu, n’eyindi mibughe erisubyayo omwa Lhusungu n’erithasyahindulha esyobaruha sy’Olhusungu omwa mibughe ye Afirika. Munasima abahinduli bethu abakakolha kutsibu abo kundi mubaleka ingaminya ebitsibu ebya balikyethu abiraghulhu ab’omwa Afirika bakabana.

Okwa buthuku obo, abanya South Africa babya omwa gavumente y’akasolholho. Obuli rangyi y’abandu ibakikalha omwa mwanya wabu,  neryo abandu b’esyorangyi muthina-muthina isibangabya haghuma. Balikyethu abiraghulhu Abafirika ibakabugha emibughe yabu, ibathulira omwa mibughe yabu, n’erihindana omwa bithunga by’emibughe yabu.

Mundaminya balikyethu bangyi abiraghulhu, kundi obulhambu bw’ekithunga kyethu mughulhu wosi ibukabya mw’abandu abakabugha Olhusungu. Aliwe lero munabana akaghisa k’eriminya abiraghulhu n’ekalikya yabu n’emirwa yabu. Munaminya ebitsibu ebya balikyethu bakabana busana n’emirwa n’esyonyikirirya sy’amadini. Mubakangania obuthubaha bakaleka emirwa eyithaseghemere okwa Masako kandi bakaghumira erihakanisibwa erikalire erilhua okwa bahughu n’abataka busana n’erighana erighendera okwa by’obukumu! Omwa byalu, iyiri obunakwa bunene. Abanene isibasomire, aliwe ibasikirye e Biblia.

Munathunga olhusunzo lhw’erikolha okwa by’ebilhaghiro ebihambire okwa bwiranda bw’eriramya n’erithendibya na lhuhandi. Ikikahimba erikirirya erilhangira obuthaleghulha n’obuthubaha bw’Abema abalere ababya bakabingwa okwa sukuru busana n’erighana erisangira omwa misabe n’esyonyimbo sy’edini.

Balikyethu ab’omwa kihugho kike ekye Afirika ekyabya kikahulhwamo Swaziland mubabana ekindi kitsibu. Omukama Sobhuza abere akaholha, abikalhani abosi mubayithaghisibwa erikolha emirwa mirebe erikangania obulighe. Abalhume babya b’erighembwa obukongu, n’abakali ini b’erighemba esyonzwiri mwa sikuhi. Balikyethu bangyi mubendereribwa busana n’erighana erisangira omwa murwa oyu owabya hambire okw’iramya abaholi. Obuthaleghulha bwabu oku Yehova mubwathutsemesya kutsibu! Muthwighira okwa balikyethu Abafirika kwa bingyi ebihambire okw’ikirirya, obuthaleghulha, n’erighumisirizya, kandi ekyo mukyahimba erikirirya lyethu.

Omwa 1981, munahebwa omubiiri w’eriwathikya omwa by’eriprintinga omw’ikolesya ekombyuta. Neryo munasuba omwa by’eriprintinga. Obo ka mubwabya buthuku obukatsemesaya! Emibere y’eriprintinga iyikabya iyinemuwanibwa. Oyuk’imanira ebikaghulibawa eyathwabya mwaha ekyaghanda ky’omuthahulha ekyuma kye phototypesetter erikilengesya ahathe erithuha. Eki mukyaleka  ithwasubya omo mwanya w’esya Linotype mwenda mw’esyo phototypesetter ithano esyombyaka. Kandi muthwahimba ekindi kyuma kihyaka eky’erikolesya okw’iprintinga. Omubiiri w’eby’eriprintinga mwanguha!

Kandi eby’ekombyuta mubyaleka ithwabana esindi nzira mbyaka esy’erikoleramu ekitabu ngoku kitholere ikyabya omw’ikolesya eprogramu eye MEPS (Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System). Ka thwabya ithwamalhua okw’ikolesya ebyuma bye Linotype ebikalire erikolesya, ebithenguhaya, n’ebyuma ebikaprintinga ebikahuha kutsibu ebyaleka ithwe banya Beteli bbani ithwalhua e Canada eryasa e South Africa! (Isa. 60:17) Okwa buthuku obo, ithwe bosi thwabya ithwabirithahya bali bethu babuya, abatemburi kandi ab’obunyakirimu. Ingye na Bill thwabya ithukinakolera okwa Beteli. Ken na Dennis babya ibabiributha abaana kandi ibanikere hakuhi ne Beteli.

Emibiiri yabya minene okwa Beteli. Ebitabu ebiseghemere okwa Biblia ibikahindulhawa n’eriprintingwa omwa mibughe eyabya iyinemwongera, kandi ibyathumwa okwa bindi byaghanda. Neryo, muhabya ihakayithaghisaya erihimba eyindi Beteli nene. Balikyethu mubahimba e Beteli omwa mwanya owuwene ebulengera lyuba bwe Johannesburg, kandi muyahebwayo omwa 1987. Mukyatsemesya erisangira omwa ngulha-kulhana eyo n’erikolha ng’omughuma w’okwa Komiti y’Ekyaghanda ky’Omuthahulha eye South Africa habw’emyaka mingyi.

Omwa 2001 muthwasweka kutsibu ingakokibwa eribya mughuma w’okwa Komiti eyatsuka okwa Kyaghanda ky’Omuthahulha ekye Amerika. Nomwakine indi muthwayowa nabi erisighania omubiiri wethu n’abanywani e South Africa, muthwatsema eritsuka engebe mbyaka ng’abaghuma b’okwa Beteli ye Amerika.

Aliwe, muthwayibulha-bulha busana n’erisighania mama wa Laura oyukekelhuhire. Isithuwithe ku thwanga muwathikya ithune e New York, aliwe bali bobu Laura basathu mubayihayo erimuwathikya kinyamubiri, omw’iyowa, n’omwa by’esyosente. Mubabugha bathi, “Ithwe sithwang’ingira omwa mubiiri w’omughulhu wosi, aliwe thwamatsomana ebiyithawa bya Mama, ikikendi leka imwalholha embere omo lhusunzo lhwenyu.” Thukasima kutsibu bali babu Laura abo.

Mukulhu waghe na mukali wiwe ababya bikere Toronto, Canada, mubakangania omuthima iwan’oyo, bamatsomana mama waghe oyuwabya mukwakali. Okwa buthuku obo, mama abya iniamabirighunza emyaka eyilhabire oku 20 inianikere nabu. Thukabasima kutsibu busana n’eritsomana mama omo lhwanzo erihika aho aholera imuthwanamahika e New York. Ka ni mughisa eribya n’ab’okw’iwe abakabya ibanayitheghekire erihindulha esyongebe syabu nuku bakole olhukwamirwa olho okwa bundi buthuku lhukanakalha!

Ahabw’emyaka nga y’eyo, munakolera omwa by’eriprintinga e Amerika, ebyabiryongera eribya okwa mulembe n’eryolhoba. Lino-lino, nabya inganemukolera omwa Dipatimente y’eby’Erighulha. Ka kikatsemesaya erikolera okwa kyaghanda kinene eki, lino ekiri kw’abanya Beteli nga 5,000 n’abakakolerako ibanemulhua eka nga 2,000, habw’emyaka 20 eyihwere!

Myaka ngagha enyuma, sinabya ingalengekania indi inabya aho ngali hano. Laura abiribya inianemunyisighika n’omuthima wosi omwa myaka yosi eyi. Eyi ka yabiribya ngebe eyuwenenga! Thukasima esyonzunzo muthina-muthina esyo thwabirihebwa n’abandu bosi abuwene abo thwabirikolha nabu, imwamuli n’abali okwa byaghanda bingyi eyo nathumawa omwa bitsweka bingyi by’ekihugho. Neryo kundi lino ngawithe emyaka eyilhabire omu 80, babirinyikeherya emibiiri kundi hane baghalha bethu bangyi abalere ababirithendekwa erikolha omubiiri.

Omuhandiki w’esyonyimbo mwahandika athi: “Obutseme buli oko kihanda ekyo Nyamuhanga wakyo ni Yehova.” (Esy. 33:12, NWT) Ekyo ka ni kwenene! Ngatsemire kutsibu eribya imunathoka erisangira omwa butseme bw’abandu ba Yehova abatsemire.