KI KA kyalengejile luno lukatazho? Lekai nemushimikizhe byo kyajinga. Nasemekelwe pa 29 July, 1929, kabiji nakomejile mu muzhi umo mu kibunji kya Bulacan mu kyalo kya Philippines. Bwikalo ku yoya mpunzha bwakatezhe. Kwabukile nkondo nsaka nkijitu mwanyike. Nzhita ya bena Japan yalukukile kyalo kya Philippines. Kyawaminekotu ke kya kuba’mba nkondo kechi yafikile ko twaikalanga ne, mambo muzhi wetu waikejile kwalepa. Kabiji kechi kwajinga mawaileshi, TV, nangwa mapepala a byambo ne. Bantu bo betubuujile’mba mu kyalo muji nkondo.

Twasemenwe batanu na basatu, amiwa yami najinga ndondela mubeji kabiji ba nkambo bansendele saka nji na myaka itanu na isatu kuba’mba nkekalenga nabo. Nangwa kya kuba twajinga Bakatolika, ba nkambo babalume baswanga kuteleka ku bya bupopweshi bukwabo kabiji batambula ne mabuku ebapanga bakwabo. Mbena kuvuluka bankambo bamwesheshe mabuku a kuba’mba Protection, Safety, ne Uncovered mu mulaka wa Tagalog, * ne Baibolo. Naumvwanga bingi bulongo kutanga Baibolo, kikatakata mabuku ana a Mambo Awama. Kuba bino ko kwandengejile kukeba kulondela Yesu.—Yoa. 10:27.

Bashilikale ba ku Japan bafuminemo mu Philippines mu 1945. Pa kyonkakya kimye, bansemi bami bañambijile kubwela na kwikala nabo. Ba nkambo banswishishe, kabiji nayile.

Byo papichiletu kimye kicheche, mu December 1945, jibumba ja Bakamonyi ba kwa Yehoba jafumine mu muzhi wa Angat baishile na kusapwila pa muzhi wetu. Mukulumpe wajinga pa jino jibumba waishile ku nzubo yetu kabiji walumbulwile Baibolo byo aambapo pa “moba a kupelako.” (2 Timo. 3:1-5) Uno Kamonyi witwichile kuya na kufunda Baibolo pa muzhi wajinga pepi. Bansemi bami kechi bayileko ne, bino amiwa nayile. Kwataainwe bantu nobe 20, kabiji bamo baipwizhenga mepuzho a mu Baibolo.

Kechi nakwatakenye byo baambilengapo ne, onkao mambo nafuukwilepo kufumapo. Bino saka nkyangye  kuya, batendekele kwimba lwimbo wa Bufumu. Lwimbo wawamine bingi, onkao mambo naikele. Byo bapwishishe kwimba ne kulomba, bonse betwichile kuya na kupwila mu muzhi wa Angat pa Mulungu, mulungu walondejilepo.

Kuno kupwila kwaikelanga mu nzubo ya ba Cruz, kabiji atweba bavula twaendele makilomita 8 pa kuba’mba tufike. Kwataainwe bantu 50 kabiji nakuminye bingi pa kumona banyike saka bakumbula mepuzho pa mitwe yakatazha ya mu Baibolo. Byo napwijileko bimye byavula, Mulongo Damian Santos wajinga painiya wa kikulumpe kabiji kala waimenangako kafulumende mu muzhi mukatampe, wingichile kuya na kulaala ku nzubo yanji. Byo nayile ku nzubo yanji, twisambile bingi bya mu Baibolo bufuku.

Mu yoya myaka, muntu inge wafundakotu mafunjisho atanshi a mu Baibolo bamubatizhanga. Byo napwijilekotu bimye bicheche, balongo betwipwizhe amiwa ne bakwetu amba: “Nanchi mukeba kubatizhiwa nyi?” Naswile amba “Ee.” Nayukile’mba mbena kukeba ‘kwingijilanga Nkambo, aye Kilishitu.’ (Kolo. 3:24) Twayile kwajinga mukola kwipi, kabiji amiwa ne mukwetu umo twabatizhiwe pa 15 February, 1946.

Twayukile’mba byo twabatizhiwa, twafwainwa kusapwilanga kimye kyonse byonka byaubanga Yesu. Batata kechi baumvwine bulongo pa kumona amiwa saka nsapwila ne, bañambijile’mba, “Ukiji mwanyike kechi wafwainwa kusapwilanga ne. Kukwibizha mu mema kechi kulumbulula’mba wimusapwishi ne.” Nebalumbulwijile’mba kyo kyaswa muchima wa Lesa kuba’mba tusapwilenga mambo awama a Bufumu bwa Lesa. (Mat. 24:14) Nanungilepo’mba: “Nafwainwa kufikizha mulaye wami kwi Lesa.” Kino kyo kyalengejile batata kwamba byambo bya kunchiinya byo naamba ku ntendekelo ya jino jishimikila. Batata bankainyenga kusapwila. Kabiji kino kyo kyalengejile kufuukulapo kusha bintu byonse ne kuya na kwingijila Lesa.

Ba Cruz ne kisemi kyabo bangichile kuya na kwikala nabo mu muzhi wa Angat. Kabiji betutundaikile amiwa ne mwanabo wamukazhi aye Nora kutendeka bupainiya. Twatendekele bupainiya pa 1 November, 1947. Nora waingijijilenga mu muzhi mukwabo, bino amiwa naingijijilenga mu muzhi wa Angat.

Byo naingijile bupainiya myaka isatu, mulongo Earl Stewart wafumine ku ofweshi wa musampi waambile jashi pa lubanza mu muzhi Angat, kwatainwe bantu 500. Waambile jino jashi mu Kizungu kabiji byo apwishishe nachibawizhe jino jashi mu mulaka wa Tagalog. Nafunjiletu myaka 7 ku sukulu, bino bafunjishi betu batemenwe kwamba Kizungu. Kabiji kikwabo kyankwashishe kuyuka Kizungu ke kutanga mabuku a Kizungu, mambo twajingatu na mabuku acheche alumbulula Baibolo mu mulaka wa Tagalog. Kino kyo kyankwashishe kuyuka Kizungu kya kuba natuntulwile jino jashi ne majashitu akwabo pa bimye bikwabo.

Juba jo natuntulwile jashi ja Mulongo Stewart, uno mulongo waambile’mba ku ofweshi wa musampi babena kukebako mulongo umo nangwa babiji bapainiya ba kwingijila pa Betele. Kuya na kukwashako mwingilo pa musampi kimye bamishonale kyo bayile na kubuñana kwajinga na mutwe wa kuba’mba, Kuvujilako kwa Bantu ba Lesa, kwaikejile mu muzhi wa New York, U.S.A mu 1950. Ne amiwa najinga pa balongo bo baichile kuya na kwingijila pa Betele. Nashile jibiji bwikalo bo napijilwe ne kuya na kwingijila pa Betele.

Nafikile pa Betele pa 19 June, 1950. Uno ofweshi wa musampi wajinga mu nzubo ikatampe ya kala kabiji pajinga mpunzha ikatampe ne bichi bikatampe. Pa uno ofweshi pajinga balongo bakatanda 12. Kimye kya lukelo naingijilanga mu kibamba kya kutekelamo. Inge kyafika 9 koloko, nayanga na kwingijila ku dipatimenti wa kuchapa ne kukisa bivwalo. Byo byo naingila lukelo ne mute. Nangwatu kimye bamishonale kyo babwelele kufuma ku kubuñana kukatampe, natwajijile kwingijila pa Betele. Naingilanga mwingilo yense ye bampanga. Nalonganga magazini ne kunembapo mazhina ne kwiatuma ku bipwilo, kabiji naingijilanga ne mu kibamba mwafikilanga benyi.

Mu 1952, saka tuji ku Philippines, amiwa ne balongo batanu na umo betwichile kuya ku Sukulu wa Gileada wa nambala 20. Naumvwine bingi bulongo. Bintu byo twamwene ku United States byapusene bingi na bintu byo twayukile. Bwikalo bwapusene bingi na bwa ku muzhi ko nakomejile.

 Betufunjishe bya kwingijisha bipe bya malaichi ne bintutu bikwabo byo twabujile kuyuka. Nkiilo nayo yapusene bingi na ko twafumine. Juba jimo lukelo byo nalupukile pangye namwene byatoka toka. Kyo kyajinga kimye kitanshi kumonapo sino. Yamwekelenga bingi bulongo, bino ileta bingi mashika.

Nangwa byonkabyo, namwenejilemo bingi mu byo twafunjilenga ku Gileada kya kuba nalubileko ne byonse bino. Bafunjishi baingijishenga mashinda awama bingi pa kwitufunjisha. Betufunjishe bya kukebakeba bishinka mu mabuku etu ne bya kufunda bulongo Baibolo. Bintu byo nafunjile ku Gileada byankwashishe kukosesha bulanda bwami na Lesa.

Byo napwishishe sukulu, batumine kuya na kwingijila bupainiya bwiikajila bwa kimye kicheche mu muzhi wa Bronx uji mu New York City. Mu July 1953, nayile ku kubuñana kwa mwanzo kwa New World Society. Kubuñana byo kwapwile, bantumine kuya na kwingijila ku Philippines ko najinga kala.

Byo nafikile pa ofweshi wa musampi, balongo bampele mwingilo wa mu mwanzo. Nayukile’mba uno mwingilo usakundengela kulondela mu ngayo ya Nkambo, wayanga mu mizhi ikatampe ne icheche na kukwasha mikooko ya kwa Yehoba. (1 Pe. 2:21) Mwanzo ye batuminemo wavwangilemo mpunzha yabaya ya Luzon, jikuji ja bayilamo mu Philippines. Kubikapotu ne kibunji kya Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, ne Zambales. Pa kuya mu mizhi imo, napitanga mu mitumba ya Sierra Madre yavula mabwe. Kechi kwayanga masakya ku ano mapunzha ne, kwayangatu bimbayambaya byasendanga myandalo. Onkao mambo, nesambanga na baendeshanga bino bimbayambaya kunsendako. Bimye byavula baswanga kunsendako, bino lwendo kechi lwawamanga ne. Naikalanga peulu pa myandalo.

Bipwilo byavula byajinga bicheche kabiji bikwabo po po byalengelwetu. Bino Balongo basantanga bingi pa kwibakwasha bya kupwila ne bya kusapwila.

Byo nafumine kuno, bantumine kuya na kwingijila mu mwanzo wa ku Bicol wa bayile bingi. Mu uno mwanzo mwajinga mabumba avula aikejile mwalepa mwaingijilenga bapainiya beikajila kabiji bo bajinga Bakamonyi batanshi kusapwilamo. Pa nzubo imo po twafikijile, kyolonyi kyo baingijishanga kyajinga kimbo po babikile myandalo ibiji pakachi. Byo nakanjijile pa ino myandalo yakulukijilemo kabiji naponejilemo. Papichile kimye kyabaya pa kuba’mba mpwishe kwiwamisha ne kwinengezha kuya na kuja kajo ka kwiaula.

Byo naingijilenga mu uno mwanzo, natendekele kulanguluka pe Nora, nyenga motwatendekejile bupainiya mu muzhi wa Bulacan. Pa kyokya kimye wajinga painiya wiikajila ku Dumaguete City, kabiji nayile na kumufwakesha. Kufumatu kyokya kimye, twatendekele kwitumina makalata, kabiji mu 1956 namusongwele. Byo twapwishishetu mulungu umo mu masongola, twayile na kufwakesha kipwilo kyajinga pa jikuji ja Rapu Rapu. Byo twajinga ku ino mpunzha,  twapichilenga pa mitumba ne kwenda miseke yalepa, bino twajinga na lusekelo pa kwingijila pamo ne kukwasha balongo baikalanga mu mapunzha a mwalepa.

Byo twaingijile myaka ina mu mwanzo, betwichile kuya na kwingijila pa ofweshi wa musampi. Twatendekele kwingijila pa Betele mu January 1960. Pa myaka yavula yapitapo, naingijila pamo na balongo bengila mingilo ikatampe mu jibumba ja Yehoba, kabiji nafunjilako byavula. Kabiji ba Nora baingila mu madipatimenti avula aji pa Betele.

Kwingijila pa Betele kwankwasha kwimwena mwingilo wa Lesa byo abena kuyilako palutwe mu Philippines. Kimye kitanshi kyo naishile pa Betele saka nkijitu nsongwalume kabiji katanda, mu kyalo kyonse mwajingatu basapwishi 10,000. Lelo jino mu Philippines muji basapwishi kukila pa 200,000, kabiji ba mingilo pa Betele bavula babena kukwasha mwingilo wa kusapwila.

Mwingilo byo abayijileko, bishimikwa pa Betele byakepele. Jibumba Jitangijila jitubuujile kukeba mpunzha pa kushimikila musampi wabaya. Kalama watalanga pa mwingilo wa bya kupulinta ne amiwa twayile mwaya nyaunda ya musampi na kwipuzha inge kwajingapo bapoteshenga mpunzha. Bonse bakaine, kabiji shetu umo witubuujile’mba: “Atweba bena China kechi tupotesha ne, yetu tupota.”

Bino juba jimo muntu umo waishile na kwitwipuzha inge twakonsha kupota mpunzha yanji mambo aye wavilukijilenga ku United States. Bintu byalondejilepo bitukumishe bingi. Muntu mukwabo naye wafuukwilepo kupotesha mpunzha yanji, kabiji watundaikile ne bakwabo nabo kuba byonkabyo. Twapotele ne mpunzha ya yewa shetu waambile’mba, “Atweba bena China kechi tupotesha ne.” Mu kimyetu kicheche, twapotele mpunzha yabaya bingi pa kushimikilapo musampi. Nashiinwe kuba’mba Yehoba Lesa ye walengejile kino kumweka.

Mu 1950, yami najinga mwanyike pa bonse bajinga pa Betele. Pano luno, amiwa ne mukazhami yetu bakulumpe pa bonse. Kechi nelangulusha pa kufuukulapo kulondela mu ngayo ya Nkambo konse ko atuma ne. Ibyo kuba’mba bansemi bami bampangile pa nzubo, bino Yehoba wampa kisemi kikatampe kya bakwetu ba mu lwitabilo. Nashiinwa’mba Yehoba witupa byonse byo tukeba pa kuba’mba twingile bulongo mingilo yonse yo etupa. Amiwa ne ba Nora tusanchila Yehoba pa byonse byo etubila, kabiji tubena kutundaika bantu bonse kweseka Yehoba mu kino.—Mala. 3:10.

Kimye kimo Yesu waichile musonkeshi aye Mateo Levi, amba: “Ndondelenga.” Mateo waubile byepi? ‘Washile byonse, waimene keamulondele Yesu.’ (Luka 5:27, 28) Ne amiwa byo byo naubile, kabiji mbena kutundaika bonse kuba byonkabyo pa kuba’mba bakemwena mapesho avula aji mu kwingijila Lesa.