Nasemenwe pa 19 May, 1940, mu muzhi wa Amioûn mu Lebanoni. Byo papichile myaka icheche, kisemi kyetu kyavilukijile mu muzhi wa Tripoli. Bansemi bami bankomeshe bingi bulongo kuno ko twavilukijile na mambo a kuba’mba bayukile Yehoba Lesa ne kumutemwa. Munda mwa bamama twasemenwe batanu, babakazhi basatu ne babalume babiji, kabiji amiwa yami mukala. Kwikala na mali kechi kyo kintu kyanemekele bingi bansemi bami ne. Bino bintu byo banemekele bingi ke kufunda Baibolo, kupwila ne kukwasha bantu kuyuka Lesa.

Mu kipwilo kyetu mwavujile bena Kilishitu bashingwa. Umo wajinga mulongo Michel Aboud, kabiji ye watangijilanga kupwila ko twatelanga’mba lufunjisho lwa buku. Wafunjile bukine mu New York kabiji ye muntu mutanshi watendekele kusapwila bukine mu kyalo kya Lebanoni mu 1921. Ne luno nkivuIuka uno mulongo byo akwashanga na mushingi banyenga babiji bapwishishe Sukulu wa Gileada abo ba Anne ne Gwen Beavor. Bano banyenga baikele balunda netu ba pa muchima. Naumvwine bingi bulongo kumonañana ne ba Anne jikwabo mu United States saka papita myaka yavula. Kabiji palutwe kacheche, namonañene na ba Gwen, saka basongolwa kwi ba Wilfred Gooch, kabiji baingijilanga pa ofweshi wa musampi mu London ku England.

Byo nakijinga nsongwalume, mu Lebanoni mwajingatu Bakamonyi bacheche. Bino twaingijile  na kizaku mwingilo wa kusapwila byambo bya mu Baibolo. Twatwajijile kusapwila nangwa kya kuba bantangi ba bupompweshi betwimenejile ku ntundwa. Nkivuluka bintu bimo byo twapichilemo pa kwingila mwingilo wa kusapwila.

Juba jimo, amiwa ne banyenga yami ba Sana twasapwijilenga mu kishimikwa kimo peulu. Ntangi wa bupopweshi waishile witutaana saka tubena kwisamba byambo bya Lesa na bantu. Kyamweka kuji wamwichile. Uno ntangi wa bupopweshi watendekele kutuka ba Sana. Wibakwachile ne kwibashinjikila munshi kabiji bekozhezhe. Muntu umo watumijile bakapokola foni, kabiji baishile na kukwasha ba Sana. Bano bakapokola batwajile uno ntangi wa bupopweshi ku ofweshi wa bakapokola kabiji bamutaaine ne na buta. Mukulumpe wa bakapokola wamushikishe’mba: “Yobe ñanyi? Nanchi wintangi wa bupopweshi nyi, inyi ufunjisha bantu bukapondo?”

Kimye kikwabo kyo mvuluka bingi ke kimye kipwilo kyetu o kyapaine mali ku sakya kuba’mba aketutwele na kusapwila mambo awama mu muzhi waikejile kwalepa na muzhi mo twaikalanga. Mwingilo wa kusapwila waendelenga bingi bulongo, bino ntangi wa bupopweshi byo aumvwine byo twaubilenga, wa obwele bantu bavula kwiya na kwitulukuka. Betuzakamishe, kwitwasa mabwe, kabiji batata bebakozhezhe. Mvuluka mashi byo apompolokelenga pa kilungi kya batata. Bayile na kwikala mu sakya ne bamama, ne atweba bavula twibalondejile mambo twaakaminwe. Nangwa byonkabyo, kechi nkalubamo byambo byaambile bamama kimye kyo bashimwinenga mashi pa kilungi kya batata ne. Baambile’mba: “Yehoba balekelaiko mambo bano bantu. Kechi bayuka kyo babena kuba ne.”

Kabiji pa kimye kikwabo, twayile nakufwakesha balongo betu baikalanga mu muzhi mo twakomejile. Byo twafikile pa nzubo ya bankambo babalume, twataainepo ntangi wa bupopweshi ye banemekele mu muzhi. Uno ntangi wayukile’mba bansemi bami Bakamonyi ba kwa Yehoba. Mu kukeba kundengesha bumvu, uno ntangi wafikenejiletu kungipuzha’mba: “Mambo ka o wabujila kubatizhiwa?” Pa kikye kimye saka nji na myaka itanu na umo. Namukumbwile’mba, nkiji mwanyike, kabiji pa kuba’mba mbatizhiwe nafwainwa kuyuka byavula bya mu Baibolo ne kwikala na lwitabilo lwakosa. Kechi watemenwe byo namukumbwile ne, onkao mambo, wabuujile bankambo amba kechi nji na mushingi ne.

Nangwa byonkabyo, mikiika ya uno mutundu kechi yavujile ne. Bantu ba ku kyalo kya Lebanoni bawama michima kabiji batemwa kutambwila benyi. Onkao mambo, bavula batambwijile byambo bya mu Baibolo kabiji bavula baswile kufunda.

Saka nkiya ku sukulu, mulongo mwanyike wa ku Venezuela waishile na kufwakasha ku Lebanoni. Twapwilanga nanji mu kipwilo kyetu, kabiji waikele mulunda na kolojami wa mukazhi aye Wafa. Mu kuya kwa kimye, batwelele mu masongola kabiji bayile na kwikala ku Venezuela. Mu makalata atumanga ba Wafa, batundaikilenga batata kuvilukila ku Venezuela pamo na kisemi kyonse. Baubilenga bino mambo betutonganga bingi. Mu kuya kwa kimye, twaswile kuviluka.

Twafikile mu Venezuela mu 1953 kabiji twaikelenga mu muzhi wa Caracas, kwipi na kipango kya ndamakyalo. Na mambo a kuba’mba  nakijinga mwanyike, naumvwanga bulongo kumona ndamakyalo na kupita mu motoka wawama bingi. Pano bino, bansemi bami kibakatezhe kupijilwa bwikalo bwa mu kino kyalo, kufunda mulaka, kisho, kajo ne nkiilo. Byo batendekeletu kupilwa bwikalo bwa ku kino kyalo, kwamwekele kintu kyatama bingi.

Batata batendekele kubela. Kino kintu kitukumishe bingi, mambo bajingatu bulongo ne butuntulu bwa mubiji bwawama. Kitukatezhe kuswa, mambo baikele moba avula kwa kubula kukolwapo. Bebakwachile na kikola kya kansa, kabiji bebatumbwile. Kyataminekotu ke kya kuba’mba byo papichiletu mulungu umo bafwile.

Lufu lwa batata lwituletejile bingi bulanda. Pa kyo kya kimye, najinga na myaka 13. Twajinga bingi na bulanda kya kuba’mba twamwenengatu nobe kechi tukekalapo na lusekelo jibiji ne. Papichile moba avula pa kuba’mba bamama baswe’mba benakwabo kine bafwa. Nangwa byonkabyo, twamwene kuba’mba twafwainwa kukosa, kabiji na bukwasho bwa Yehoba twachinchikile. Napwishishe sukulu mu Caracas saka nji na myaka 16, kabiji nakebeshe bingi kukwasha kisemi kyami.

Pa kyo kya kimye, banyenga yami abo ba Sana basongwelwe kwi ba Rubén Araujo bapwishishe Sukulu wa Gileada ne kubwela ku Venezuela. Bafuukwilepo kuvilukila ku New York. Kisemi kyami byo kyafuukwilepo kuba’mba ngye ku sukulu mukatampe, nayile na kwikala na banyenga ne babukwe ku New York ko nakafunjilenga sukulu. Babukwe ne banyenga bankwashishe bingi kwikala na bulunda bwakosa ne Yehoba. Kabiji mu kipwilo kyetu kya Brooklyn Spanish mwajinga balongo bavula bajinga na bulunda bwakosa na Lesa. Naumvwine bingi bulongo kuyuka balongo babiji abo ba Milton Henschel ne ba Frederick Franz. Abano bonse babiji baingijilanga pa Betele mu Brooklyn.

Mwaka mutanshi pa sukulu mukatampe byo ayilenga na kupwa, natendekele kulanguluka pa byo naingijishenga bumi bwami. Natangile bibaaba mu Kyamba kya Usopa byaambilenga pa bena Kilishitu bebikijile bikonkwanyi mu mwingilo wa Yehoba, kabiji nalangulukilepo bingi. Nemwenejile lusekelo lwajinga na bapainiya ne balongo baingijilanga pa Betele bajinga mu kipwilo kyetu, kabiji nakebeshe kwikala nobe abo. Pano bino, pa kyo kya kimye saka nkyangye kubatizhiwa. Kechi pabanjile ne, nayukile’mba nafwainwe kupana bumi bwami kwi Yehoba. Naubile bino kupichila mu kuba byonse bikebewa pa kuba’mba mfikilemo kubatizhiwa, kabiji nabatizhiwe pa 30 March 1957.

Byo nafikizhe kikonkwanyi kyanema kya kubatizhiwa, natendekele kulanguluka pa kikonkwanyi kikwabo, ko kuba’mba kutendeka mwingilo wa kimye kyonse. Natemenwe bingi uno mwingilo, pano bino, nayukile’mba kechi kikampelela kutendeka uno mwingilo ne. Neshikishenga’mba, nkakonsha byepi kwingila bupainiya ne kufunda sukulu? Balongo bami ku Venezuela bantuminanga makalata, ne amiwa nebatuminanga, kabiji nebalumbulwijile kuba’mba mbena kukeba kuleka kufunda sukulu ne kubwela ku Venezuela ne kutendeka bupainiya.

Nabwelele ku Caracas mu June 1957. Nangwa byonkabyo, bwikalo bwa balongo bami kechi bwawamine ne. Kwakebewenga wa mu kisemi  wa kwibakwashako mu bikebewa mu bwikalo. Neipwizhenga’mba, nsakwibakwasha byepi? Kwamwekele nkito ku banki, pano bino, nakebelenga mwingilo wa bupainiya mambo o ene mambo o nabwelejile. Nafuukwilepo kwingila byonse bibiji. Pa myaka yavula, natwajijile kwingila mu banki ne bupainiya. Napayankane bingi, bino najinga bingi na lusekelo.

Kintu kikwabo kyandetejile lusekelo ke kusongola nyenga wa jizhina ja Sylvia wafumine ku Germany walambile bingi kabiji watemenwe bingi Yehoba. Wavilukijile ku Venezuela pamo na bansemi banji. Mu kuya kwa kimye, twaikele na baana babiji, wamulume aye Michel (Mike), ne wamukazhi Samira. Kabiji natendekele kulama bamama baishile na kwikala ne atweba. Nangwa kya kuba nalekele bupainiya na mambo a mitembo ya kisemi, bino natwajijile kusapwila na mukoyo. Amiwa ne benakwami ba Sylvia twaingilangako bupainiya bwa kukwasha pa moba a kukookoloka.

Baana betu bakiyilenga ku sukulu kimye kyo kwaubiwe kintu kyo naambapo ku ntendekelo ya kino kibaaba. Twaikalanga bulongo kabiji bantu bo naingilanga nabo mu banki bannemekele bingi. Pano bino, nakebanga bantu kummonanga’mba kalume wa Yehoba. Nalangulukilepo bingi pa byo nakonsheshe kuba pa kuba’mba bantu bammonenga bino. Onkao mambo, twaikele panshi na mwinakwami ne kwisamba pa mali o twajinga nao. Namwene kuba’mba, inge ndeke nkito ku banki, bakampa mali a kunkunta bibalabala avula bingi. Na mambo a kuba’mba kechi twajingapo na makongole ne, twamwene kuba’mba inge twapeezhako bwikalo tukekala na mali avula a kwingijisha ku bikebewa mu bwikalo pa kimye kyabaya.

Kechi kyapeelele kuba kino ne, bino mwinakwami ne bamama bantundaikile bingi. Namwene kuba’mba kuleka nkito kusakundengela kutendeka jibiji mwingilo wa kimye kyonse. Nasangalele bingi! Namwene kuba’mba jishinda ja kutwela mu mwingilo wa kimye kyonse jashinkuka, pano bino, kwaubiwe kintu kyo twabujilenga kuketekela.

Juba jimo dokotala wabuujile ba Sylvia amba banema pa muchima. Bonse babiji twakuminye bingi. Kabiji twasangalele bingi pa kino, bino nalangulukilenga pa kintu kyo nafuukwilepo kuba, ko kuba’mba mwingilo wa bupainiya. Neipwizhenga’mba, nanchi nakonsha kutendeka bupainya nyi? Bukiji bukiji, twalekele kwilangulusha ne kwinengezha kutambwila mwanetu. Pano bino, nalangulakilenga inge nkakonsha kutendeka mwingilo wa bupainiya.

 Byo twisambilepo, twafuukwilepo kuba’mba nafwainwa kwikala painiya. Mwanetu wamulume aye Gabriel wasemekelwe mu April 1985. Nangwa byonkabyo, nalekele nkito yo naingilanga ku banki kabiji natendekele bupainiya bwa kimye kyonse mu June 1985. Mu kuya kwa kimye bantongwele kwikala mu Kavoto ka Musampi. Pano bino, musampi kechi wajinga mu muzhi wa Caracas. Onkao mambo, mu mulungu naingilangamo moba abiji nangwa asatu kwenda museke wa makilomita 80, kuya kwajinga musampi.

Ofweshi wa musampi waikejile mu muzhi wa La Victoria. Onkao mambo, twisambile na kisemi kuvilukila ku La Victoria kuba’mba kukepipeko na ku Betele. Luno lwajinga lupimpu lukatampe. Natemwa bingi kisemi kyami kabiji nebasanchila bingi. Byubilo byabo byawama bintundaika bingi. Banyenga yami ba Baha bepaine kulama bamama. Mike wasongwele, bino Samira ne Gabriel twatwajijile kwikala nabo pa nzubo. Onkao mambo, kuvilukila ku La Victoria kwalumbulwilenga kusha balunda nabo mu Caracas. Kabiji benakwami ba Sylvia nabo bepaine kusha muzhi mukatampe ne kuya na kwikala mu muzhi mucheche. Kabiji bonse twafwainwe kupijilwa kwikala mu nzubo icheche. Kwambatu kine, mwavwangile byavula mu kuviluka kufuma mu Caracas kuya ku La Victoria.

Nangwa byonkabyo, bintu byapimpwilwe jikwabo. Gabriel wasongwele kabiji Samira wavilukile muzubo yetu ne kutendeka kwikala bunke bwanji. Kepo amiwa ne ba Sylvia betwichile kuya na kwingijila pa Betele mu 2007, kabiji popo tubena kwingijila kufikatu ne lelo jino. Mwanetu mubeji aye Mike mukulumpe mu kipwilo kabiji ubena kwingila bupainiya pamo ne mwinakwanji aye Monica. Gabriel naye mukulumpe mu kipwilo, kabiji bengijila ku Italy pamo na mwinakwanji aye Ambra. Samira naye painiya kabiji wingilako mingilo ya pa Betele ya kwingijila ku nzubo.

Mu bwikalo bwami, nafuukwilepo bintu bikatampe bingi. Nangwa byonkabyo, kechi nelangulushapo ne. Nakonsha kufuukula ne jikwabo bintu byonka byo nafuukwilepo. Nsanta bingi pa mingilo yonse yo naingilako mu jibumba ja Yehoba. Pa myaka yavula yapitapo, nemwena buneme bwa kwikala na bulunda bwakosa ne Yehoba. Bintu byo tufuukulapo kuba, bikatampe nangwa bicheche, Lesa witupa mutende “wakila milanguluko ya bantu.” (Fili. 4:6, 7) Amiwa ne ba Sylvia tubena kwiyowa kwingila mwingilo wazhila pa Betele, kabiji twamona kuba’mba Lesa wapesha lupimpu lo twauba mu bwikalo bwetu na mambo a kutangizhako Yehoba mu byonse byo tufuukula.