NASEMENWE mu 1926 kabiji yami ndondela mukala pa baana batanu na basatu. Bansemi betu baikalanga mu muzhi mucheche wa Karítsa mu kyalo kya Greece kabiji baingilanga bingi na ngovu.

Mwaka wa 1926 saka akyangye kufika, bansemi betu bamonañene ne ba John Papparizos, bajinga mu jibumba ja Bafunda Baibolo (byo batelanga Bakamonyi ba kwa Yehoba kala) baingilanga na mukoyo kabiji balokotele bingi. Baumvwine bingi bulongo ba John byo balumbulwilenga Binembelo kabiji batendekele kupwila na Bafunda Baibolo pa muzhi wetu. Bamama bajinga na lwitabilo lwakosa mwi Yehoba Lesa, kabiji nangwa kya kuba kechi bayukile kutanga ne, bino bamonangapo kimye kya kubuulako bakwabo bintu byo baitabijilemo. Kyataminekotu ke kya kuba’mba batata batele muchima pa bumbulwa kulumbuluka bwa bantu kabiji balekele kupwila.

Amiwa ne bakolojami twanemekele bingi Baibolo, bino twatele muchima pa kukaya. Kepo mu mwaka wa 1939, kimye Nkondo ya Bubiji ya Ntanda Yonse kyo yakumbene monse mu Europe, muzhi wetu waikele mu lukatazho. Kolojami wasemenwe kwi batata babakulumpe aye Nicolas Psarras wajinga Kamonyi wabatizhiwetu katataka bamukanjikizhe kutwela bushilikale mu nzhita ya bena Greece. Nicolas saka ajitu na myaka 20, wachinchikile ne kubuula bakulumpe ba bashilikale amba, “Kechi nakonsha kulwa nkondo ne, mambo nemushilikale wa kwa Kilishitu.” Bamutwajile ku kije kya bashilikale kabiji bamukashile myaka jikumi. Kino kintu kitukankamikile bingi.

Kyawaminekotu ke kya kuba’mba ku ntendekelo ya mwaka wa 1941, bashilikale kufuma mu byalo byapusana pusana batwelele mu Greece pa kimye kicheche, kabiji Nicolas bamufumishe mu kaleya. Wabwelele ku Karítsa, kwajinga bakolojami babalume, ba Ilias kabiji bamwipwizhe mepuzho avula bingi pa Baibolo. Nateleko  bingi muchima ku byo besambilenga. Mu kuya kwa kimye, amiwa, ba Ilias ne mukala wetu wamukazhi aye Efmorfia, twatendekele kufunda Baibolo kabiji twatendekele kupwila kimye kyonse na Bakamonyi. Mwaka walondejilepo, bonse basatu twipaine kwi Yehoba ne kubatizhiwa. Kabiji pakupitapo kimye, bakolojami bakwabo bana nabo baikele Bakamonyi ba kwa Yehoba ba kishinka.

Mu mwaka wa 1942, mu kipwilo kya Karítsa mwajinga bansongwalume ne bansongwakazhi batanu na bana bajinga na myaka pakachi ka 15 ne 25. Bonsetu twayukile’mba meseko abena kwiya kulutwe. Pa kuba’mba twikoseshenga atweba bene na bene, twafunjilanga pamo Baibolo, kwimba nyimbo ya Bufumu ne kulombela pamo. Kyafuminemo, lwitabilo lwetu lwakosele.

Nkondo ya Bubiji ya Ntanda Yonse byo yapwiletu, Bangiliki basatukijile kafulumende wa kyalo kya Greece, kabiji kino kyalengejile mwaikala malwañano mu kyalo. Jibumba ja bansatuki japitañenenga mu mapunzha a mu mizhi na kukanjikizha bantu kuba’mba nabo basatuke. Jino jibumba byo jafikile pa muzhi wetu, bakwachile banyike basatu bajinga Bakamonyi, Antonio Tsoukaris, Ilias, ne amiwa. Twibasashijile kuba’mba kechi tulwa nkondo ne, mambo twi bena Kilishitu; bino betusendele ku Mutumba wa Olympus, po twaendele maola 12 kufuma ku muzhi wetu.

Kabiji mukulumpe wa bashilikale ba kipanyi kya communist witukambizhe kutwela bushilikale mu kipanyi kyanji kyalukukilenga bantu. Byo twamulumbulwijile’mba bena Kilishitu ba kine kechi balwa nkondo na bakwabo ne, wazhingijile bingi ne kwitutwala ku mukulumpe wanji. Uno mukulumpe wa bashilikale byo twamupitulukijilemo byambo byo twabuujile yewa mukwabo, aye witwambijile’mba, “Nanchi sendai mbili musendelepo bantu bo bakozha mu nkondo mwibatwale ku kipatela.”

Twamukumbwile’mba: “Pano inge kya kuba betukwate ku bashilikale ba kafulumende, kechi basakwitumona’mba tubena kulwako nkondo nenyi?” Aye witwambijile’mba: “Nanchi twalai kajo ku bashilikale babena kulwa nkondo.” Bino twamwipwizhe’mba: “Kisakwikala byepi inge mushilikale witumona na mbili ne kwitukambizha kusenda bilwilo kutwala ko babena kulwila nkondo?” Uno mukulumpe wa bashilikale walangulukilepo bingi. Kepo aambile na jiwi jakanza amba: “Nanchi yainga na kujiisha mikooko! Mwikale konka ku mitumba na kulama jitanga ja mikooko.”

Na mambo a kuba nkondo mu kyalo yakosele bingi, atweba bonse basatu twamwene kuba’mba jiwi jetu ja mu muchima jisakwitwitabizha kulama mikooko. Mwaka walondejilepo, ba Ilias, na mambo a kuba’mba bo bakomejilepo pe atweba, bebaswishishe kubwela ku nzubo na kulama bamama bafwijilwe. Antonio wakolelwe kabiji bamukasulwile. Bino amiwa nashajile, kechi bandekeleko ne.

Pano bino, nzhita ya Bangiliki yatendekele kutula bulemo mizhi yonse. Bashilikale bankwachile, banyemene kupita mu mitumba kuya kwipi na kyalo kya Albania. Byo twafikile kwipi na mupaka wa kino kyalo, betutayile mu kuñumbwañumbwa ku bashilikale Bangiliki. Bano bansatuki banyemene. Amiwa nafyamine mu kichi kyaponene, kabiji kyo kimye kyo bantaine ku bashilikale bo naambapo ku ntendekelo yo jino jishimikila.

Byo nabuujile bashilikale Bangiliki namba bankwachile ku bashilikale ba kipanyi kya communist, bantwajile  mu kampu wa bashilikale wajinga kwipi na muzhi wa Véroia, watelwanga kala kimye kyanembejilwemo Baibolo amba Beliya, kuba’mba bantebawizhe bulongo. Bañambijile kupoya mifolo ya bashilikale. Byo nakaine, mukulumpe wa bashilikale wakambizhe’mba bantwale pa kaleya katamine bingi kajinga pa jikuji ja Makrónisos (Makronisi).

Jino jikuji pavula mabwe pabula mema kabiji patwa bingi kyuya jitelwa’mba Makrónisos jaikela ku kitulu kya Attica palepa makilomita 50 kufuma mu muzhi wa Atene. Jino jikuji mu bula jalepa makilomita 13 kabiji mu bwipi jalepa mamita 500 po jabayila. Pano bino, kufuma mu 1947 kufika mu 1958, pa jino jikuji balamijilepo bakaili kukila pa 100,000, kubikapo ne bajinga mu kipanyi kya communist ne boba bo balangukilenga’mba nabo baji mu kino kipanyi, bantu balwishishenga kafulumende, ne Bakamonyi ba kwa Yehoba bavula bingi.

Byo nafikile pa kano kaleya mu 1949, nataaine bakaili bebabanya mu makampu avula. Bambikile mu kaleya ka pangye pamo na banabalume bakwabo bavula bo bakashile. Atweba 40 twalaalanga panshi mu matente o banengezhezhe mwa kulaala bantu 10. Kechi twatomanga mema awama ne, kabiji twajangatu nkunde ne bipangwa byapasha mpwa. Bwikalo bwakatezhe bingi, mambo papuupanga bingi mwela ne lukungu. Bino kyawaminekotu ke kya kuba’mba kechi twaalumunanga mabwe akatampe byonka byo bamanyikile bakaili bakwabo kya kuba mibiji ya bakaili bavula yaikalanga na misongo na mambo a luno lumanamo ne.

Juba jimo byo naendelenga ku kitulu kya kalunga ka mema, nasambakene Bakamonyi bavula bafumine ku makampu a lumanamo akwabo. Amiwa ne bakwetu Bakamonyi twasangalele bingi pa kumonañana. Bimye bimo twapwilanga pamo mu bufyamfya na kwikosesha. Kabiji twasapwilanga ne ku bakaili, bamo pa bano bo twasapwilanga baikele ke Bakamonyi ba kwa Yehoba. Kupwila, kusapwila ne kulomba kimye kyonse kwitukwashishe bingi kukosesha bulunda bwetu na Lesa.

Byo papichile bañondo jikumi mu kaleya, bañambijile’mba pano kimye kyafika kya kuvwala bivwalo bya bashilikale. Byo nakaine kuvwala bivwalo bya bashilikale bantwajile ku mukulumpe wa bashilikale. Byo nafikile kokwa, napaine kapepala ku mukulumpe wa bashilikale po nanembele’mba: “Amiwa mbena kukeba kwikala mushilikale wa kwa Kilishitu.” Byo atangilepo, wazhingijile bingi kabiji wantumine kuya ku mukulumpe wa bashilikale wa kibiji wajinga Mungiliki wapwilanga mu chechi wa Orthodox. Byo nakumbwile mepuzho anji kwingijisha Baibolo, wazhingijile bingi ne kukambizha’mba: “Mufumyai papo, maana ufwao!”

Byo bwakile lukelo, bashilikale bañambijile jikwabo kuvwala bivwalo bya bushilikale. Byo nakaine kuvwala, bampumine binkonyi ne na kichi. Byo bapwishishe nkumpuma bantwajile ku kipatela kyajinga mu kampu kuba’mba bakamone inge pajipo bikupa byamokoka, kabiji byo twafumine kuno bambwezhezhe ku tente ko naikalanga. Batwajijile kummanyika pa bañondo babiji.

Bashilikale byo bamwene’mba natwajijila kukana na mambo a bintu byo naitabijile, bafuukwilepo kwingijisha jishinda jikwabo ja kungesekelamo. Bakashijile maboko ami panyuma ne nkumpuma bingi na kichi ku maulu kwajinga bilonda. Na mambo a kukola kwa bipumo, navulukile byambo bya kwa Yesu bya kuba’mba: “Mwi ba lusekelo umvwe bantu bemwambila mwenga, kwimumanyika . . . Sekelai ne kusangalala, mambo mfweto yenu ya mwiulu yabaya, mambo byo byo bamanyikilenga ne bangauzhi bajingako anweba saka mukyangye kusemwa.” (Mat. 5:11, 12) Kabiji na mambo a kubaya kwa bipumo, napungijile.

Nakabukijile mu kaleya mwaubile bingi munyango mwabujile kajo, mema, nangwa mwemba. Nangwa byonkabyo, muchima wakasulukile. Byonkatu byaamba Baibolo, ‘mutende wa Lesa walaminenga muchima ne milanguluko yami.’ (Fili. 4:7) Juba jalondejilepo, mushilikale wawamine muchima wampele kajo, mema ne kivwalo kya mashika. Kabiji mushilikale mukwabo wampele kajo kanji. Bino byonse bandengejile kumona’mba Yehoba wandaminenga.

Bakulumpe ba mu kafulumende bammonanga’mba nensatuki kabiji bafuukwilepo kuntwala ku kije kya bashilikale kyajinga ku Atene. Akwa ko nayile, bañambijile kwikala mu kaleya myaka isatu pa jikuji ja Yíaros (Gyaros) ku musela wa Makrónisos palepa makilomita 50.

Kaleya ka ku Yíaros kajinga kaleya kakatampe kajinga na bibumbulu byakosa bingi mo bakashijile bamulwila ntanda kukila pa 5,000. Kabiji bakashijilemo ne atweba  Bakamonyi ba kwa Yehoba batanu na babiji, twakaine kwivwanga mu bya bumulwila ntanda. Nangwa kya kuba bakanyanga kupwila pamo, bino atweba batanu na babiji twapwilanga mu bufyamfya na kufunda Baibolo. Twatambwilanga Kyamba kya Usopa kimye kyonse, kabiji twakopololanga ne kwingijisha pa kupwila.

Juba jimo byo twapwijilenga mu bufyamfya, kapokola wa mu kaleya witutaaine kabiji witwangachile mabuku etu. Betutwajile ku mukulumpe wa kibiji na mulanguluko wa kuba’mba betunungileko myaka. Bino uno mukulumpe waambile’mba: “Twayuka byo muji anweba Bakamonyi, kabiji twanemeka byo mwaitabilamo. Twimuketekela bingi, yainga na kwingila.” Kabiji wapeleko ne bamo nkito yabula kukosa. Twaumvwine bingi bulongo, mambo twayukile’mba nangwa kya kuba tuji mu kaleya twatwajijile kuleta lukumo pe Yehoba.

Mu kuchinchika kwetu mwafumine bintu byawama bingi. Kaili umo wajinga shayuka wa nsamushi byo amwene byubilo byetu byawama, wakebeshe kuyuka bintu byo twaitabilamo. Atweba Bakamonyi byo betukasulwile mu 1951, naye bamukasulwile. Byo papichile kimye, wabatizhiwe kabiji watendekele mwingilo wa kimye kyonse.

Byo bankasulwile mu kaleya, nabwelele kwajinga kisemi kyami ku Karítsa. Palutwe kacheche, amiwa ne bantu bakwabo twavilukijile ku Melbourne, mu Australia. Akuno ko ko namonañene na nyenga Janette mwina Kilishitu wajinga na byubilo byawama. Namusongwele kabiji twaikele na baana bana, mubeji wetu wajinga wa mulume kabiji basatu bajinga babakazhi. Baana betu bonse twibafunjishe bukine bwa mu Baibolo.

Luno nji na myaka kukila pa 90, kabiji natwajijila pa bukulumpe mu kipwilo. Na mambo a bikozha bya mu kaleya, mubiji ne maulu bikola bingi kikatakata inge po po nafumatu na kusapwila. Pano bino, kechi nkaleka kwikala ‘mushilikale wa kwa Kilishitu’ ne.—2 Timo. 2:3.