NASEMEKEJILWE mu Wichita, Kansas, mu U.S.A., pa 10 December, 1936, yami najinga mubeji pa baana bana. Bansemi bami abo ba William ne ba Jean bajinga bapopweshi ba Yehoba. Batata bajinga mukulumpe utangijila mu kipwilo ye batela luno amba ukwatankanya mingilo ya bakulumpe mu kipwilo. Bamama bebafunjishe bukine bwa mu Baibolo ku bainabo abo ba Emma Wagner. Ba Emma bafunjishe bantu bavula bukine kubikapotu ne ba Gertrude Steele, baingijile bumishonale pa myaka yavula mu Puerto Rico. * Onkao mambo, najinga na bantu bavula bajinga na byubilo byawama ba kulondela.

Juba jimo pa Kibelushi mabanga saka nji na myaka itanu, amiwa ne batata twapainenga Kyamba kya Usopa ne Consolation (utelwa luno amba Labainga!) ku bantu bapichilenga mu mikwakwa. Pa kyokya kimye, mu kyalo mwajinga Nkondo ya Bubiji ya Ntanda Yonse. Dokotala umo wapendelwe waishile ne kutendeka kunena batata na mambo a kubula kwivwanga mu bya bumulwila ntanda, kwibambila’mba bajinga ba kileya mambo kechi bakebelenga kutwela bushilikale ne. Uno dokotala wazhingijile ne kushishika batata mutwe pa kilungi kabiji wibambijile’mba, “Mpume, obewa kileya!” Naumvwine bingi moyo, pano bino natemenwe byaubile batata. Batwajijiletu na kupa bantu magazini. Kepo mushilikale wayishile ko bajinga kabiji uno dokotala waambile’mba, “Mubaipo kimo uno kileya!” Uno mushilikale wamwene kuba’mba uno dokotala wapendwa, onkao mambo, wamwambijile’mba, “Yanga ku nzubo ukapenduluke!” Mushilikale ne dokotala bayile. Ne luno mvuluka Yehoba byo akwashishe batata kuchinchika. Batata bajinga na tumazubo tubiji mwa kutendela bantu nsuki, kabiji uno dokotala mo mo aiyanga na kutendesha nsuki.

Byo nafikizhe myaka itanu na isatu, bansemi bami bapoteshe nzubo yabo ne tumazubo mwa kutendela bantu nsuki kabiji balengele kazubo kacheche kakwenda nako kabiji twayile ku Colorado na  kwingijila kwakepa basapwishi. Bansemi bami baingijilenga bupainiya ku mpunzha itelwa’mba Grand Junction kabiji batweleleko nkito ya kwingila mu bujimi ne mu mpunzha mo balamina banyama. Na mambo a bukwasho bwa Yehoba ne kusapwila na mukoyo, kipwilo kyalengelwe. Pa 20 June, 1948, batata bambatizhe pamo na bakwabo bafunjilenga bukine bwa mu Baibolo kupikapotu ne ba Billie Nichols ne bakazhi babo. Mu kuya kwa kimye, batendekele mwingilo wa bukalama bwa mwanzo kabiji mwanabo ne mukazhanji nabo byo byo baubile.

Twitundaikanga bingi na bakwetu baingilanga na mukoyo mwingilo wa Bufumu kikatakata kisemi kya ba Steele ko kuba’mba ba Don ne Earlene, Dave ne Julia, ne Si ne Martha bankwashishe bingi. Bankwashishe kuyuka amba kutangizhako Bufumu kuleta bingi lusekelo mu bwikalo.

Byo nafikizhe myaka 19, ba Bud Hasty, bo twitemenwe nabo bingi bañambijile’mba twingilenga bonse mwingilo wa bupainiya ku bulenge bwa United States. Kalama wa mwanzo witwambijile kuya na kwingijila mu muzhi wa Ruston ku Louisiana kwajinga basapwishi bakooka. Betubuujile kwikalanga na kupwila konse nangwa kya kuba kechi kwatanwanga bantu bavula ne. Twataine mpunzha yawama ya kupwilamo. Twaikalanga na kupwila konse, bino bimye bimo twaikalangatu bubiji bwetu. Twaubangatu au waambako lubaji lumo mukwabo waambapo lubaji lukwabo, pa misambo ya mepuzho, umo ye wakumbulanga mepuzho onse. Inge mu jashi muji kimwesho, bonse babiji twaikalanga pa mutuntamo. Ko kyakayanga, nyenga umo wakikulumpe watendekele kupwila. Mu kuya kwa kimye, bantu bo twafunjishanga Baibolo ne basapwishi bakookele batendekele kwiya na kupwila. Mu kimyetu kicheche, bantu batendekele kuvula.

Juba jimo, amiwa ne Bud twasambakene ntangi wa chechi watelwanga’mba Church of Christ waambile pa binembelo byo nabujile kuyuka bulongo. Nakuminye bingi kabiji byandengejile kulangulukapo bingi pa bintu byo naitabijilemo. Mu mulungu umo, nakishishenga na kukeba mikumbu ya mepuzho o aipwizhe. Kuba bino kwankwashishe kuyukisha bulongo bukine kabiji nakebeshe kumonañanapo na ntangi wa chechi mukwabo.

Palutwe kacheche, kalama wa mwanzo wañambijile kuya na kukwasha kipwilo kyajinga mu El Dorado, Arkansas. Byo najinga kokwa, nayanga bimye byavula ku Colorado na kwisamba na kavoto kasala bantu ba kutwela bushilikale. Juba jimo byo twayilenga na bapainiya bakwetu mu motoka wami, twatainwe mu mapuso mu muzhi wa Texas kabiji motoka wami waonaikile bingi. Twatumijile mulongo umo waishile kwitusenda kwitutwala ku nzubo yanji kepo  ne ku kupwila. Babijikile ku kipwilo amba tuji na balongo batanwa mu mapuso, kabiji balongo betukwashishe kupichila mu kwitupa mali. Kabiji uno mulongo wapoteshe motoka wami na mali a Kina Ameleka $25.

Twakanjijile motoka kubwela ku Wichita, kwaingijilenga bupainiya mulunda nami aye E. F. McCartney ye twaitanga’mba “Dokotala.” Baana banji mapasa, Frank ne Francis bajinga balunda nami kabiji batwajijila kwikala balunda ne luno. Bajinga na motoka wa kala ye bampoteshe na mali a kina Ameleka $25, aesakene na mali a motoka wami waonaikile. Kino kyajinga kimye kitanshi kyo namwene kuba’mba Yehoba wampeele byo nakebelenga mambo a kutangizhako Bufumu mu bwikalo bwami. Kimye kyo naikele na kisemi kya ba McCartney, namonañene na nyenga watemenwe bingi mwingilo wa Lesa aye Bethel Crane. Bainanji ba Ruth babambakene bingi mu mwingilo wa kusapwila mu muzhi wa Wellington, Kansas, kabiji batwajijile kwingila bupainiya kufikatu ne kimye kyo bajinga na myaka kukila pa 90. Mwaka wa 1958 saka akyangye kupwa, nasongwele Bethel kabiji twatendekele kwingijila pamo bupainiya mu El Dorado.

Byubilo byawama bya bantu bo twakomenenga nabo, bitulengejile kwipana kwingila mingilo yonse itupeele jibumba ja Yehoba. Betutumine kuya na kwingila mwingilo wa bupainiya bwiikajila mu Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. Mu 1962 twasangalele bingi byo betwichile kuya ku sukulu wa Gileada wa nambala 37. Twaumvwine bingi bulongo mambo twayile bonse ku sukulu ne Don Steele. Byo twapwishishe sukulu, amiwa ne Bethel betutumine kuya na kwingijila mu Nairobi mu Kenya. Twaumvwine bulanda pa kufuma mu New York, bino buno bulanda bwaalukile ke lusekelo byo twamonañene na balongo mu kibanza kya ndeke mu Nairobi.

Twatemenwe bingi kyalo kya Kenya ne mwingilo ye twaingijilenga. Chris ne Mary Kanaiya bo bajinga batanshi bo twatendekele kufunjisha Baibolo. Ne luno batwajijila kwingila mwingilo wa kimye kyonse mu Kenya. Mwaka walondelejilepo, betutumine kuya ku Kampala mu kyalo kya Uganda na kwingila bumishonale. Yetu twajinga bamishonale batanshi kwingijila mu kino kyalo. Twajinga bingi na lusekelo mambo bantu bavula bakebelenga kufunda bukine bwa mu Baibolo kabiji baikele Bakamonyi. Nangwa byonkabyo, byo twaingijile myaka isatu ne kichika mu Africa, twafuminemo pa kuba’mba tuye na kukomesha mwanetu. Twabwelele ku United States. Twafuukwilepo kubwela ku United States. Juba jo twafuminenga mu Africa, twajinga bingi na bulanda kukila bo twajinga nabo pa kufuma ku New York. Twatemenwe bingi bantu ba mu Africa kabiji twaketekejile’mba juba jimo tukabwela.

Twaikejilenga ku muzhika wa Colorado konka kwajinga bansemi bami. Papichiletu kimye kicheche, mwanetu mubeji wamukazhi aye Kimberly wasemenwe, kabiji byo papichile bañondo 17 twaikele na mwana mukwabo aye Stephany. Twanemekele mwingilo wetu wa bunsemi kabiji twafunjishe baana betu bukine. Twakebelenga kumwesha byubilo byawama byajingapo na bansemi betu. Twayukile kuba’mba nangwa tuji na byubilo byawama byakonsha kukwasha baana, bino kino kechi kilumbulula’mba bakengijilanga Yehoba inge bakoma ne. Bankasami babiji, wamulume ne wa mukazhi bafumine mu bukine. Twaketekela kuba’mba byubilo byetu byawama byo twibamwesha bikebalengela kubwela mu bukine.

Twaumvwinenga bingi bulongo kukomesha baana betu kabiji twaingijilanga pamo. Na mambo a kuba’mba twaikalanga kwipi na mpunzha ya Aspen mu  Colorado, twayanga na kutezhimuka pa sino bonse. Kuya na kukaya kwitulengelanga kwisamba na baana betu. Kabiji twayanga nabo na kufwakasha mungye mo twabanzanga mujilo ne kwikala na kwisamba. Nangwa kya kuba bajinga banyike, betushikishenga mepuzho nabiji a kuba’mba “Ñanyi bintu byo nafwainwa kuba mu bwikalo bwami inge nakoma?” ne bwa kuba’mba, “Nkasongolwa ku mwanamulume uji byepi?” Twatwajijile kufunjisha baana betu mafunde a Lesa pa kuba’mba ekale mu michima yabo. Twibatundaikanga kwibikila kikonkwanyi kya kwingila mwingilo wa kimye kyonse ne kwibabuula buneme bwa kusongolwa ku mwanamulume wibikila konkwanyi kyo bajipo nakyo. Twibabuulanga’mba kechi kyawama kusongolwa saka bakiji banyike ne. Twaingijishanga byambo bya kuba’mba, “Mwafwainwa kupembela kufikizha myaka 23.”

Byonkatu bitufunjishanga bansemi betu, twibikileko kuya na kupwila ne kusapwila pamo na baana betu. Twaitanga bantu bajinga mu mwingilo wa kimye kyonse kwikala mu nzubo yetu. Kabiji twisambanga nabo bintu byawama byo twamwenejilemo mu mwingilo wa bumishonale. Twaketekejile’mba juba jimo, atweba bonse tukaya na kufwakasha mu Africa. Baana betu bakebelenga bingi kuba’mba tukaye.

Twaikalanga na kupopwela kisemi kimye kyonse, kabiji twafwanyikizhanga bintu byakonsha kumweka pa sukulu. Twaambilanga baana betu kwikala nobe Kamonyi ubena kukumbula mepuzho. Baumvwa bingi bulongo kufunda kwingijisha jino jishinda, kabiji kibakwashanga kuchinchika pa kusapwila. Byo bakomene, kimye kimo bejizhanyanga inge twibabuula’mba kechi tusakwikala na kupopwela kwa kisemi ne. Juba jimo nebabuujile kuya na kulaala mu bibamba ne kwibabuula’mba kechi tusakwikala na kupopwela kwa kisemi ne. Bakuminye bingi kabiji batendekele ne kujila ne kwamba’mba bakebelenga kufunda. Kepo twayukile’mba tubena kufunjisha baana betu kunemeka bulunda bwabo na Lesa. Byo bakomene, batemenwe bingi kufunda kabiji twibambilanga kukasuluka kwamba biji mu michima. Bimye bimo kitukatazhanga bingi mu milanguluko inge baamba’mba kechi baswa mafunjisho amo a mu bukine ne. Pano bino, twayukanga byajinga mu michima yabo. Inge twisamba nabo, baumvwishanga bintu byo bafunjilenga pe Yehoba.

Baana betu bakomenetu nobe mu kukopa kwa jiso. Na bukwasho ne lutangijilo lwa jibumba ja Lesa, twakwashishe baana betu kutemwa Yehoba. Kabiji twaumvwine bingi bulongo baana betu byo batendekele mwingilo wa kimye kyonse byo bapwishishe sukulu kabiji bafunjileko ne mingilo ya kwikwashishamo mu bwikalo. Bayile na banyenga babiji na kwingijila kwakepa basapwishi ku Cleveland, mu Tennessee. Twibavulukilenga bingi, pano bino twatemenwe amba babena kwingijisha bumi bwabo mu mwingilo wa kimye kyonse. Bethel ne amiwa twatendekele mwingilo wa bupainiya jikwabo witulengejile ne kwingilako mingilo ikwabo. Twakwashangako kalama wa mwanzo ne mingilo ya pa kushonkena.

Saka bakyangye kuya ku Tennessee, baana betu bayile na kufwakesha ofweshi wa musampi ku London mu England. Byo bafikile, Stephany saka aji na myaka 19, wamonañene ne Paul Norton nsongwalume waingijilanga pa Betele. Byo babweleleko ja bubiji, Kimberly wamonañene ne Brian Llewellyn mo baingijilanga ne Paul. Stephany byo afikizhe myaka 23 wasongwelwe kwi Paul. Brian ne Kimberly besongwele mwaka walondejile byo afikizhe myaka 25. Onkao mambo, basongwelwe saka baji na myaka 23 ne kukilapo. Basajile bantu bawama kusongolwako kabiji ne atweba twaswishishe.

Baana betu betubuula’mba byubilo byetu byawama ne bya bankambo yabo bibakwashishe kukookela mukambizho wa kwa Yesu wa “kukeba Bufumu patanshi” nangwatu inge bintu byakatazha. (Mat. 6:33) Mu April 1998, Paul ne Stephany bebechile kuya na kutaanwa ku sukulu wa Gileada wa nambala 105, kabiji byo bapwishishe bebatumine kuya na kwingijila mu Africa mu kyalo kya Malawi. Kabiji Brian ne Kimberly bebechile kuya na kwingijila pa Betele wa mu London, kabiji mu kuya kwa kimye, bebatumine kuya na kwingijila pa Betele ku Malawi. Twatemenwe bingi mambo kafwako jishinda jikwabo jawama kukila kwingijisha bumi bwabo mu jino jishinda ne.

Mu January 2001, bantumijile foni yo naambapo ku ntendekelo ya jino jishimikila. Mulongo Marais, utangijila dipatimenti itala pa ntuntulwilo, walumbulwile’mba balongo babena kunengezha  sukulu wa kufunjisha bantuntuluzhi kumvwisha mulaka wa Kizungu mwaya ntanda, kabiji pa kikye kimye saka nji na myaka 64. Bambikile pa mutanchi wa kumfunjisha kwikala mufunjishi wa ano masukulu. Bethel ne amiwa twalombelepo ne kwisamba na bansemi betu bakotele pa kuba’mba tumvwe byo basakwambapo. Bansemi bakebelenga amba tuye nangwa kya kuba kechi kwajinga wa kwibakwasha ne. Natumine foni ku musampi ne kwibabuula’mba twaswa kwingila uno mwingilo.

Bino bamama bebataaine na kikola kya kansa. Nebabuujile’mba tusakwikala pa kuba’mba twibalamine pamo na nyenga yami Linda. Bamama baambile’mba: “Nangwatu inge wikale, kafwako kisakunkwasha ne. Inge ubule kuya, popo kisakukilamo ne kutama.” Linda naye byo byo akebelenga. Twibasanchila bingi pa muchima wabo wa kwipana ne pa bibakwashishe balongo mu kipwilo. Byo papichiletu juba jimo kufuma juba jo twayile ku Watchtower Educational Center mu Patterson, Linda witutumijile foni kwitubuula’mba bamama bafwa. Byonkatu bitutundaikile bamama, twateleko muchima ku mwingilo wetu wa katataka.

Kya kukumya ke kya kuba’mba, mpunzha itanshi yo betutumineko ke musampi wa Malawi ponka pajinga baana betu ne benakwabo. Kyawamine bingi pa kumonañana na baana betu. Byo twafumine mu Malawi, twayile na kufunjisha mu Zimbabwe kabiji twayile ne mu Zambia. Pa kupitapo myaka isatu na kufunjisha uno sukulu, betwambijile kubwela ku Malawi na kunemba jishimikila ja mwapichile Bakamonyi kimye kyo bebamanyikilenga na mambo a kubula kwivwanga mu bya bumulwila ntanda. *

Kabiji mu 2005 twabwelele kwetu ku Basalt, Colorado na kwingila bupainiya bwa kimye kyonse. Mu 2006, Brian ne Kimberly baishile na kwikala kwipi na ko twikala na kukomesha baana babo babakazhi babiji, Mackenzie ne Elizabeth. Paul ne Stephany bakiji ku Malawi kabiji Paul uji mu Kavoto ka Musampi. Luno byo nji na myaka 80, nji bingi na lusekelo pa kumona bansongwalume bo nakwasha na kwingila mingilo yo naingilanga. Kintu kikatampe kituletela lusekelo ke kya kuba’mba byubilo byawama byo twafunjileko ku bakwetu byalengela baana betu ne bankana kumwenamo bingi.