Okw’itsuka ly’emyaka ya 1940, ababuthi baghe mubatsuka erigha e Biblia n’Abema ba Yehova. Erigha eryo mulithalholha embere, aliwe mama waghe mwalholha embere eribya inianemuhebwa esyokopi sy’egazeti y’Akaleberyo na Awake! Omwa 1950 olhuhindano lhw’ebihugho bingyi mulhwabya e New York City, kandi efamile yethu muyaligha yikakokibwa.

Buthuku buke enyuma waho, Mughalha Wethu Lawrence Jeffries mwatsuka eribya akathubungira. Mwanza erinyiwathikya. Erimbere, munathalighirana nayu okwa ky’eribya Abema ba Yehova isibali yingiraya omwa by’ekipolitiki n’amahe. Iningabugha indi obuli mundu omwa Amerika amaghana erighenda oko malhwa, esyonzighu isyanganasa n’erihamba erihanga lyethu. Omw’ighumisirizya Mughalha Wethu Jeffries mwaghanirya naghe athi: “Wukalengekanaya ni kyahi ekya Yehova Nyamuhanga angakolire abandu bosi omwa Amerika kubabya ibakamukolera neryo esyonzighu isyabathahirira?” Ebyo abugha oko mwatsi oyo n’eyindi myatsi mubyangwathikya erilhangira ngoku ngawire. Ekyo mukyaleka inganzisibwa.

Iningaghunza esyosaha ingane musoma esyogazeti sy’Akaleberyo na Awake! esya kera, esyo mama waghe abya iniabiribika. Endambi muyahika, namaminya ngoku nganemw’igha ekwenene, neryo munaligha erisaba lya Mughalha Wethu Jeffries ery’erinyeghesya e Biblia. Kandi munatsuka erihindana mughulhu wosi. Ekwenene muyusulha omwa muthima waghe, neryo munabya muthuliri w’engulhu yuwene. Ebilhubirirwa byaghe mubyahinduka ingaminya ngoku “ekiro kinene ky’Omwami Mukulhu [Yehova] kiri hakuhi.” (Zef. 1:14) Omwakanya k’erihira amalengekania waghe okwa yunivasite, munanza eriwathikya abandi erigha ekwenene ye Biblia.

Naghunza esiniya biro 13 Okwomukagha 1956, n’enyuma w’ebiro bisathu, munabatizibwa okwa lhuhindano  lhw’omuthimbo. Sinabya ngasi ngoku nangabwene emighisa mingyi omw’ihayo engebe yaghe busana n’erigha n’erikangirirya abandi oku Yehova.

Mezi mukagha nalibatizibirwe, munabya mutemburi w’omughulhu wosi. Olhupapura lhw’Omubiiri Wethu w’Obwami olhw’Okwerikuminibiri 1956 mwabya omwatsi “Wangana Kolera Ahali Obuyithawa Bunene?” Nabya mundu oyuwangana kolha ekyo. Munanza eriyawathikya eyiri abathuliri bake b’engulhu yuwene.​—Mt. 24:14.

Munaghenda e Edgefield, South Carolina. Ekithunga ky’eyu kyabya mw’abathuliri bbani basa. Munaleka ithwabya bathanu. Ithukahindanira omwa diro ya ndugu. Obuli kwezi, iningaghunza esyosaha 100 omw’ithulira. Ingawithe bingyi by’erikolha erisondolha omuhindano w’eriyathulira n’erilhabya ebitsweka omwa mihindano. Ekikatsemesaya, iningabya ing’ongera erikolha ebyo, ikwangan’ongera nyithya erigha oku Yehova.

Omukali mughuma oyo nabya ing’igha nayu e Biblia abya iniawithe e bizinesi y’erikolha okwa by’eritsika omwa Johnston, mayiro nyike erihika omwa tawuni eyo. Omwa lhwanzo mwamba omubiiri w’eribya ingakolha biro bike omo wiki kandi mwathuhererya ekisenge kike ky’erihindaniramo.

Mughalha Wethu Jolly Jeffries, omwana wa ndugu oyuwanyeghesaya, mwahumira omwa Brooklyn, New York, kandi muthwakolha haghuma obutemburi. Muthwikalha omwa kamatoka akakolesibawa ng’enyumba ako mughalha wethu abugha athi thubye ithunemo.

Omusara ini muke omwa South. Obuli kiro ky’erikolha ithukathunga dola ibiri kutse isathu. Buthuku bughuma, nabya inamabirikolesya akasente kosi ako nabya nako erighulha ebyalya omwa duka. Nabere ingahulhuka, omulhume mwanyihikako n’erimbulya athi: “Wunanzire omubiiri? Ngendi kuthuha dola nguma okwa buli saha nguma.” Mwanyibwira athi ngendibya ingakolha biro bisathu eriyonza ahali obuhimbe. Mukyalhangirika ngoku Yehova anemungwathikya erithoka eribya e Edgefield. Nomwakine indi nabya ngwithe akasente kake, munathoka erighenda okwa lhuhindano lhw’ebihugho bingyi omwa 1958 e New York City.

Okwa kiro kyakabiri eky’olhuhindano, ekindu ky’embaghane mukyabya. Munabana Ruby Wadlington, oyuwabya akakolha ng’omutemburi w’omughulhu wosi e Gallatin, Tennessee. Kundi ithwanzire erisyabya bamisyonare, okwa lhuhindano olho muthwahindana okwa muhindano w’abakanza erighenda okwa Gilead. Enyuma waho, muthwatsuka eribya thukahandikirana esyobaruha. Neryo munakokibwa e Gallatin eriyalhabyayo omukania. Munakolesya akaghisa ako erimubulya nga nanganamuthahya. Munasuba omwa kithunga kyabu Ruby, neryo munamuherukya omwa 1959.

Nabere nahikya myaka 23, munasombolhwa ng’omughombe w’ekithunga (lino oyukahulhawamo omusangania w’akathunga k’abasyakulhu) omwa Gallatin. Ekithunga kyethu kya Charles Thompson atsuka eribungira ng’omulebererya w’omuthimbo. Abya asi bingyi; nomwabine, mwanyisaba amenge okwa  biyithawa by’abalikyethu kandi athi abandi balebererya b’omuthimbo nga bakakolha bathi oko myatsi ng’eyo. Munamw’ighirako ngoku ni kibuya eribulya ebibulyo n’eriminya okwenene okwosi kw’omwatsi wuthe wakania kugho.

Omwa Kwakathano 1964, munabirikirwa okwa Sukuru ey’Omubiiri w’Obwami ey’okwezi kughuma eyabya e South Lansing, New York. Baghalha bethu abasondolha esukuru eyi mubaleka ingayisunza kutsibu erigha bingyi n’erikulha-kulhana bunyakirimu.

Ingye na Ruby muthwahebwa ebaruha eyikathubirikira omwa mubiiri w’omuthimbo Okwokubanza 1965. Omuthimbo wethu abya munene, eritsuka e Knoxville, Tennessee, erihika n’omwa Richmond, Virginia. Mwabya ebithunga eby’omwa North Carolina, Kentucky, n’omwa West Virginia. Munakolera omwa bithunga by’abiraghulhu basa-basa kundi okwa buthuku obo ebilhaghiro by’akasolholho ebyabya omwa southern United States isibirilighira abiraghulhu erihindana haghuma n’abasungu. Balikyethu ibawithe bike kinyamubiri, neryo muthwigha eriha abawithe obuyithawa okwa bya thuwithe. Omulebererya w’omuthimbo oyuwabya iniabirikolha habw’omughulhu muuli mwanyeghesya erisomo likulhu: “Ambi iwabya ndugu. Isiwabungira ekithunga ng’omubbosi. Iwukendi bawathikya bamakulhangira nga ndugu.”

Thwabere thwabungira ekithunga kirebe ekike, Ruby mwatsuka erigha n’omukali mulere oyuwabya awithe kali kiwe ak’omwaka mughuma. Omughulhu omwa kithunga mwabya isimuli oyuwangathoka eryeghesya omwigha, Ruby iniakamweghesaya erilhabira omwa syobaruha. Thwabere thukathasyabungira ekithunga ekyo, omukali oyo mwabya akasa okwa buli muhindano. Bali bethu babiri abatemburi b’embaghane babere bahumirayo, mubalholha embere erigha nayu, neryo biro bike mwabatizibwa. Enyuma w’emyaka nga 30 omwa 1995, okwa Beteli kwe Patterson, dada omulere mwasyakania na Ruby. Abya ini mwali w’omukali oyo Ruby aby’ak’igha nayu. Omusika oyo na mwira wiwe babya banya-sukuru omwa klasi eye 100 eye Gilead.

Omuthimbo wethu wakabiri abya omwa central Florida. Okwa buthuku obu muthwayithagha ematoka, neryo muthwaghulhayo okwa bbeyi eyinuwene. Aliwe, omwa wiki y’erimbere, akuma akakasukuma amaghetse omwa matoka mukakwa. Sithwabya thuwithe esyosente sy’erikakanika. Munatherera mughalha wethu oyo nalengekanaya indi angana thoka erithuwathikya. Mwabwira omughuma w’okwa bakoli biwe athi akanike ematoka kandi mwathathwihako sente. Mwakwama ky’erithubwira athi, “Ebyo byahwere.” Nibya mwathuha n’ekihembo ky’esyosente! Ekyo kyabya ky’erileberyako ekyuwene ekikakanganaya ngoku Yehova akatsomana abaghombe biwe. Mukyathw’ibukya ngoku thutholere ithwahithya.

Ithukabya thukabungira ebithunga ithukabya ewa balikyethu. Busana n’ekyo, muthwabana abanywani bangyi abuwene. Kiro kighuma, munasigha eripoti eyithahwere eyihambire okwa kithunga y’omwa typewriter yaghe. Nabere ingasubulha omw’igholho, muneya akalhwana k’emyaka isathu ak’omw’eka eyathwabyamo nako ikabiritayipinga kuyo. Munabya ingakasekererya ahabw’ekyo ahabw’emyaka mingyi.

Omwa 1971, munathunga ebaruha eyikanyithuma e New York City ng’omulebererya w’edistrikiti. Muthwathika! Thwahumirayo ingawithe emyaka 34 buyira. Balikyethu mubanyithangirira ndeke ng’omulebererya wabu w’erimbere omwiraghulhu ow’edistrikiti.

Ingye ng’omulebererya w’edistrikiti, iningatsemera erikangirirya oku Yehova obuli wikendi y’olhuhindano lhw’omuthimbo. Abalebererya bangyi b’omuthimbo babya basi bingyi kw’inyilhaba. Omughuma w’okw’ibo yuwalhabaya omukania waghe w’olhubatizo. N’owundi mughalha wethu, Theodore Jaracz, oyo enyuma waho mwabya mughuma w’okwa Kathunga Akakasondolha. Kandi yabya n’abaghalha bethu bangyi ababya basi bingyi ababya bakakolera okwa Beteli kwe Brooklyn. Munatsema kutsibu kundi abalebererya b’omuthimbo n’Abanya Beteli ibakaleka ingayowa buholho. Munayilhangirira ngoku aba babya balisya b’olhwanzo, abakayikethera Ekinywe kya Nyamuhanga n’erisighika ekithunga buthaleghulha. Eriyikehya lyabu mulyaleka ikyanyolhobera erikolha ng’omulebererya w’edistrikiti.

Omwa 1974 Akathunga Akakasondolha mukathuma eyindi gurupu y’abalebererya b’omuthimbo omwa mubiiri w’obulebererya bw’edistrikiti, neryo munabya  w’erithasyakolha ng’omulebererya w’omuthimbo​—lero lino e South Carolina. Eky’obutseme, okwa buthuku obo ebithunga n’emithimbo y’abiraghulhu n’abasungu mubyahirwa haghuma, ekindu ekyatsemesaya balikyethu.

Okw’ihwererera lya 1976, munathumwa omwa muthimbo we Georgia owali ahakathi-kathi ke Atlanta ne Columbus. Ng’ibuka ndeke-ndeke ingalhabya omukania w’amatsiko ow’abaana bathanu abiraghulhu abaholha esyongoli sy’ebibi sikahisya enyumba yabu. Mama wabu mwaya okwa ngyingo okwa sipatara busana n’erihuthangalha. Abema ba Yehova, abiraghulhu n’abasungu, mubakumukalira okwa sipatara eriyahumulikania ababuthi abo. Munalhangira ngoku balikyethu bawithe olhwanzo lhunene. Omubere w’erikwira abandi b’obulighe ng’oyo angana wathikya abaghombe ba Nyamuhanga erighumira emibere eyikalire kutsibu.

Omwa 1977 muthwasabwa eryasa okwa Beteli kwe Brooklyn erisyawathikya okwa mubiiri mulebe habw’amezi make. Omubiiri oyo abere akayahwa, ababiri b’okwa Kathunga Akakasondolha mubathuhikako ingye na Ruby n’erithubulya nga thwangana ligha erikolera okwa Beteli habw’omughulhu wosi. Muthwaligha.

Ahabw’emyaka 24, munakolera omwa Dipatimenti y’Omubiiri, omo baghalha bethu bakakolha okwa bibulyo ebikalha-kalire mughulhu mungyi. Ahabw’emyaka, Akathunga Akakasondolha kabiribya ikanemuha obusondoli obuhambene n’emisingyi ye Biblia. Eki kikawathikaya Edipatimenti eyi erisubirya ebibulyo ebyo, kandi kikawathikaya omw’ithendeka abalebererya b’omuthimbo, abasyakulhu, n’abatemburi. Emyatsi ey’erikolesya omw’ithendeka eyi yabiriwathikya abangyi erikulha-kulhana bunyakirimu. Kandi ekyo kyabirighumya ekithunga kya Yehova.

Eritsuka 1995 erihika 2018, iningabungira ebyaghanda by’omuthahulha muthina-muthina ng’omuthumwa erilhua okwa kyaghanda kikulhu, kera oyuwabya akahulhwamo omulebererya w’ezoni. Munabanangana n’ab’okwa sya Komiti sy’Ebyaghanda by’Emithahulha, Abanya Beteli, n’abamisyonare eribahimba n’eribawathikya okwa bikabalyambaya. Nethu, ingye na Ruby mughulhu wosi thwabiribya ithunemuhimbwa omwa ebyalholirweko ebya bandi bakathubwirako. Ng’eky’erileberyako, muthwabungira e Rwanda omwa mwaka 2000. Mukyathuhambako kutsibu thukowa ngoku balikyethu n’Abanya Beteli bathoka erilhama okw’ithibwa linene ly’abandu omwa 1994. Abangyi mubaholerwa. Nomubanabana ebitsibu, balikyethu abo mubakangania erikirirya, amaha, n’etseme.

Lino thuli omo myaka yethu ye 80. Ahabw’emyaka 20 eyihwere, nabiribya inganemukolha ng’omughuma w’okwa Komiti y’Ekyaghanda ky’Omuthahulha ekye United States. Sinathaghenda okwa yunivasite; nomwabine, nabiribana ekisomo ekilengireyo kutsibu erilhua oku Yehova n’ekithunga kiwe. Eki kyabirinyithokesya erikangirirya abandi ekwenene ye Biblia eyanga baghasira kera na kera. (2 Kor. 3:5; 2 Tim. 2:2) Nabirilhangira ngoku omwatsi we Biblia abiriwathikya abandu eryuwania esyongebe syabu n’eribya bughuma n’Omuhangiki wabu. (Yak. 4:8) Omughulhu kikathokekana, ingye na Ruby thukalholha embere erihira omwa bandi mw’omuhwa w’erilhangira olhusunzo lhw’erigha oku Yehova n’erikangirirya abandi ekwenene ye Biblia mwa lhw’obughuli​—olhusunzo lhunene kutsibu olho omughombe wa Yehova angatsemera!