Nasemekejilwe mu muzhi wa St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A., mu mwaka wa 1954. Bansemi bami kechi bajinga banonshi nangwa bayanji ne, kabiji bapwilanga mu Katolika. Yami ndondela mubeji, kabiji munda mwa bamama twasemekelwe batanu. Byo nakijingatu mwanyike, nafundanga pa sukulu wa Bakatolika, kabiji nakwashanga bantangi kimye kya bijiilo. Nangwa byonkabyo, kechi nayukile byavula pa Baibolo ne. Nangwa kya kuba naitabijile kuba’mba kwafwainwa kwikala Lesa walengele bintu byonse, bino kechi naitabijile kuba’mba chechi wa Bakatolika wakonsheshe kunkwasha kupopwela Lesa ne.

Mwaka mutanshi ye najinga pa sukulu ufunjisha bya mizhilo wa William Mitchell College of Law, Bakamonyi ba kwa Yehoba baishile pa nzubo yami. Napayankene na kuchapa bivwalo, nebambijile namba babweleko kimye kikwabo, kabiji bano ba mulume ne mukazhi baswile. Byo babwelele, nebepwizhe mepuzho abiji a kuba’mba: ‘Mambo ka bantu batama o baikela bulongo kukila bantu bawama?” ne “Bantu bafwainwa kuba byepi pa kuba’mba bekale na lusekelo?” Bampele buku wa kuba’mba Bukine Butangijila ku Bumi bwa Myaka ne Myaka (The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life) ne Baibolo wa Binembelo bya Ntanda Ipya wajinga na musombelo wawama bingi wa manzhamatamba.  Kabiji naswile kufunda Baibolo. Kufunda Baibolo kwankwashishe kuyuka bintu byavula byo nabujile kuyuka kala. Naumvwine bingi bulongo pa kuyuka kuba’mba Bufumu bwa Lesa ye kafulumende ukalamanga bantu pano pa ntanda. Namwene kuba’mba bukalama bwa bantu bwakankalwa kukwasha bantu kabiji bwaleta makatazho, buyanji, nshiji ne bya malwa.

Nepaine kwi Yehoba mu mwaka wa 1982 kabiji nabatizhiwe ku mpelo ya uno mwaka pa kushonkena kwajinga na mutwe wa kuba’mba “Bukine Bwaamba pa Bufumu” kwaikejile mu kishimikwa kya St. Paul Civic Center. Nabwelele mu kino kishimikwa mulungu walondejilepo na kunembelamo mpeso ya kwikala shabyambo. Ku ntendekelo ya ñondo wa October, bambuujile’mba naubile bingi bulongo mu mpeso kabiji nafikijilemo kwingila mwingilo wa bushabyambo.

Pa kushonkena kwa kuba’mba “Bukine Bwaamba pa Bufumu,” namonañene ne ba Mike Richardson, baingijilanga pa Betele mu Brooklyn. Bandumbulwijile kuba’mba pa ofweshi mukatampe wa ntanda yonse balengapo dipatimenti utala pa bya mambo. Navulukile byambo byaambile ntungu mwina Etiopya byanembwa pa Byubilo 8:36, kabiji neipwizhe amiwa mwine’mba, ‘Ñanyi kintu kisakunkanya kuya na kwingijila ku dipatimenti utala pa bya mambo’? Onkao mambo, nanembele pepala wa kwipwizhapo mwingilo wa pa Betele.

Bansemi bami kechi basekejilemo byo nafuukwilepo kwikala Kamonyi wa Yehoba ne. Batata bangipwizhe byo nkamwenamo mu kwingijila pa Betele mwingilo wa bushabyambo. Nebalumbulwijile namba nepanatu kwingila uno mwingilo. Nebabuujile’mba bakampanga madola 75 a kina America pa ñondo pa ñondo, mambo o mali o bapanga baingijilanga pa Betele pa kyo kya kimye.

Na mambo a kuba’mba naswile kwingila nkito ku kochi, kechi nafikenejiletu kuya na kwingijila pa Betele ne. Onkao mambo, natendekele mwingilo wa pa Betele mu Brooklyn, New York, mu mwaka wa 1984. Bampele mwingilo wa kwingijila ku dipatimenti utala pa bya mambo. Kwingijilako pa kochi kwankwashishe kuyuka bya kwamba bulongo mambo.

Twapotele kishimikwa kya Stanley Theater mu muzhi wa Jersey mu November 1983. Balongo banembele bipepala bya kwipuzha kuba’mba bebaswishe kuwamisha kino kishimikwa ne kubikamo ntambo ya malaichi ne mipaipi ya mema. Byo bamonañene na ba mingilo mu kafulumende batala pa bishimikwa, balongo balumbulwile kuba’mba babena kukeba kwingijishanga kino kishimikwa kwikala kya kushonkenamo Bakamonyi ba kwa Yehoba. Kino kyaletele lukatazho. Mizhilo yo balengele mu muzhi wa Jersey yaambile kuba’mba bishimikwa bya kupopwelamo Lesa kechi byafwainwa kwikala muji mazubo a bantu ne. Kishimikwa kya Stanley Theater kyaikejile pa mpunzha paji mashitolo, onkao mambo, ba mingilo ba mu kafulumende bakaine kwibaswisha. Balongo  batwajile ano mambo ku kije, bino kechi bebaswishishe kuba’mba bambe ano mambo ne.

Mu mulungu mutanshi ye naikele pa Betele, jibumba jetu jatwajile ano mambo ku kije kya mu nkambi kuba’mba bebape luusa lwa kwingijisha kino kishimikwa. Na mambo a kuba’mba popo napwishishetu myaka ibiji kwingijila mu kino kije kya mambo mu St. Paul, Minnesota, nayukile bya kwamba mambo a uno mutundu. Shabyambo wetu umo waambile’mba kishimikwa kya Stanley Theater bekingijishanga ku bintu byapusana-pusana kutanwa bantu bavula nabiji kutambishishamo mafilimu ne nyimbo. Pano mambo ka o kyakonsha kukatezha kubilamo bya bupopweshi? Kije kyalangulukilepo pa luno lukatazho kabiji kyachibile kuba’mba kije kya kanso kyanyachinjile luusa lwetu lwa kupopwela Lesa. Kije kya mambo kyakambizhe ba mingilo mu kafulumende batala pa muzhi wa Jersey kwituswisha kwingila mwingilo ye twakebelenga. Onkao mambo, natendekele kumona Yehoba byo apesheshenga jibumba janji pa kwingijisha bashabyambo kutwala palutwe mwingilo wanji. Najinga bingi na lusekelo pa kwingilako uno mwingilo wa kwambilako jibumba ja Lesa.

Balongo batendekele mwingilo mukatampe wa kuwamisha kino kishimikwa. Kabiji kyo kishimikwa kyaikele ke Nzubo ya Kubuñenamo mu muzhi wa Jersey. Kyo kyo baingijishe bapwishishe sukulu wa Gileada wa nambala 79 pa 8 September, 1985, mwaka saka akyangye kupwa kufuma kimye kyo batatwile kuwamisha kino kishimikwa. Nasangalele bingi pa kwingilako uno mwingilo wa kutundaika Bufumu mu dipatimenti wa bya mambo. Lusekelo lo najinga nalo lwakijile bingi pa lusekelo lo naikalanga nalo kimye kyo najinga Shabyambo saka nkyangye kutendeka kwingijila pa Betele. Kechi nayukilepo’mba Yehoba ukampapo mingilo yavula ya uno mutundu ne.

Mu myaka ya mu ma 1980 badokotala mu bipatela javula kechi baswanga inge Kamonyi wakana kumubikamo mashi ne. Bamitonyi mu bije bya mambo javula baambanga’mba mwanamukazhi wanema pa muchima kechi uji luusa lwa kukana kumubikamo mashi ne. Baambanga’mba inge mwanamukazhi wanema pa muchima babula kumubikamo mashi, wakonsha kufwa ne kusha mwana bunke.

Pa 29 December, 1988, Nyenga Denise Nicoleau wafumishe mashi avula bingi kimye kyo apaapile mwana wa mulume. Mashi ashajile mu mubiji akepele bingi ajinga 5.0, kabiji dokotala wamwipwizhe kuba’mba amuswishe kumubikamo mashi. Nyenga Nicoleau wakaine. Lukelo byo bwakile, bakulumpe batala pa kipatela bayile na kutambula luusa ku kije kya mambo kuba’mba badokotala babike mashi mu uno nyenga. Mutonyi kechi wapele Nyenga Nicoleau kimye kya kuba’mba aye mwine nangwa bamwatawanji balumbulule ene mambo o bakaina kumubikamo mashi ne. Kabiji kechi wibabuujilepo’mba wapana luusa ku kipatela kuba’mba bamubikemo mashi ne.

Pa Kitanu, pa 30 December, ba mingilo mu kipatela babikile Nyenga Nicoleau mashi nangwa kya kuba bamwatawanji ne balongo banji bajinga ku mwanya bakaine. Bonkabwa bufuku, balongo ba uno nyenga bavula ne mukulumpe mu kipwilo umo nangwa babiji  bebakwachile amba bashinkijilenga ba mingilo mu kipatela kuba’mba babule kubika mashi mwi Nyenga Nicoleau. Byo bwakile pa Kibelushi, pa 31 December, mapepala a byambo, pa TV ne pa mawaileshi mu muzhi yense wa New York ne Long Island baambile pa bano bantu bo bakwachile.

Lukelo pa Kimo, nesambile na mutonyi wa mu kije kikatampe aye Milton Mollen. Nalumbulwile byajinga ano mambo ne kumubuula kuba’mba mutonyi waswishishe kuba’mba babike mashi mu nyenga kwa kubula kumvwa kwi aye mwine ne. Mutonyi Mollen wangichile’mba ngye ku ofweshi wanji jonkaja juba mabanga na kwisamba pa bishinka byonse ne mizhilo yo bengijisha mu ano mambo. Nayijile pamo na mulongo watangijilanga dipatimenti wetu aye Philip Brumley ku ofweshi wa Mutonyi Mollen. Uno mutonyi waichile ne Shabyambo waimejilengako kipatela. Mwisambo wetu wakosele bingi. Pa kimye kimo, Mulongo Brumley wannembejile tubyambo pa kakipepala kumbuula’mba kechi nafwainwa “kwamba na bukaji ne.” Luno lujimuno lwawamine bingi mambo natendekele kuzhingila pa kumwesha’mba byaambilenga shabyambo waimejileko kipatela byajinga bya bubela.

Byo papichile jiola jimo, Mutonyi Mollen waambile’mba ano mambo o akekala atanshi kwamba juba jalondejilepo lukelo. Byo twafuminenga mu ofweshi, Mutonyi Mollen waambile’mba shabyambo waimejilengako kipatela ukekala na “mwingilo wakosa bingi kesha.” Kino kyalumbulwilenga’mba uno shabyambo kechi kikamupelela kumwesha’mba kipatela kiji na luusa lwa kukanjikizha Nyenga Nicoleau kuswa kumubikamo mashi ne. Namwene’mba Yehoba uketukwasha kubinga na ano mambo. Nakuminye bingi pa kumona Yehoba byo etwingijishenga kuba kyaswa muchima wanji.

Twaikele bufuku bonse na kunengezha bya kwamba lukelo. Kochi kechi wajinga kwalepa na Betele wa mu Brooklyn ne. Onkao mambo, atweba bavula ba mu dipatimenti utala pa bya mambo, twaendeletu panshi kuya ku kochi. Bamitonyi bana byo baumvwine byo twaambile, bafuukwilepo kuba’mba mutonyi kechi wafwainwe kuswisha kuba’mba babike mashi mu muntu wakolelwe ne. Kije kikatampe kyazhachishe kipatela mu mambo a Nyenga Nicoleau. Kabiji kyachibile kuba’mba muteeto wa kutambula luusa ku kochi nangwa kwamba mambo kwa kubula kubuujila jimo muntu ke kunyanchijila nsambu ya muntu kwesakana na byaamba mizhilo.

Kije kikatampe kya mu New York kyaambile kuba’mba Nyenga Nicoleau uji na luusa lwa kumubuka kwa kubula kumubikamo mashi. Ano o ajinga mambo  atanshi pa mambo ana o naambileko a bya mashi achibile bije bikatampe mu bibunji bya mu United States. (Monai kakitenguluzha ka kuba’mba “ Kubinga na Mambo mu Bije Bikatampe.”) Kabiji naingijile pamo na bashabyambo bakwabo pa Betele mu mambo aamba pa bya kulama baana, kwipala, bya kwingijisha mapunzha ne bishimikwa.

Kimye kitanshi kyo namonañene na mwinakwami aye Dawn, wajinga nyenga ye bakaine kabiji wajinga na baana basatu. Wajinga na mo amwenanga bya mu bwikalo kabiji waingijilenga bupainiya. Wapichile mu makatazho avula bingi mu bwikalo bwanji, kabiji natundaikilwe bingi pa kumona byo aingijilenga Yehoba na muchima yense. Mu 1992, twataainwe ku Kushonkena kwa Nkambi mu muzhi wa New York kwajinga na kishina kya kuba’mba “Bantu Basamisha Kyeya,” nesambile nanji kuba’mba tukatwele mu masongola. Masongola etu aikeleko mu mwaka walondejilepo. Kwikala na mwanamukazhi wanemeka bingi kwingijila Yehoba mu bwikalo bwanji kabiji uji na lusekelo ke bupe bwafuma kwi Yehoba. Dawn wandetelanga bingi lusekelo mu moba onse a bwikalo bwetu pamo.—Maana 31:12.

Kimye kyo twatwelele mu masongola, mwanetu mubeji wajinga na myaka 16, ndondela mubeji wajinga na myaka 13, kabiji mukala wajinga na myaka 11. Nebikileko kwikala nsemi wawama. Onkao mambo, natanganga ne kwingijisha byanembwa mu mabuku etu byaamba pa bya kulama baana ba kushinda. Kwajinga makatazho pa myaka yavula, bino nji bingi na lusekelo mambo baana baswa kuba’mba ne mulunda nabo kabiji nsemi wibatemwa. Kechi twakanyanga balunda ba baana betu kwiya mu nzubo yetu ne, kabiji twaumvwanga bingi bulongo kwikala na bano banyike.

Mu 2013, amiwa ne ba Dawn twavilukijile ku Wisconsin na kulama bansemi betu bakotele. Kyo nakuminyeko ke kya kuba’mba mwingilo wami wa pa Betele kechi wapwile ne. Natwajijile kukwasha jibumba jetu mu bya mambo.

Mu September 2018, pa mujibu kechi paumvwanyikilenga bulongo ne. Dokotala wampimine, bino wakankelwe kuyuka kyalengejilenga. Mu kuya kwa kimye, dokotala wañambijile’mba nkaye na kumona shayuka wa mishipeshipe. Mu January 2019, uno shayuka wampesele pesele ne kumbuula’mba najinga na kikola kikonauna mubiji wami yense mu kuya kwa kimye.

Byo papichile moba asatu, kimye kyo nakayilenga makayo o natemenwe, naponene kabiji nachimukile mwanungakena kuboko na mukoko ku kuboko kwa kilujo. Nakayanga ano makayo mu bwikalo bwami bonse, kabiji nayukile bingi bya kwiakaya. Onkao mambo, nayukile kuba’mba mubiji watendeka kukooka. Nakuminye bingi pa kumona kino kikola byo kyabayilenga lubilo kya kuba natendekele kukankalwa kwamba bulongo, kwenda ne kumina kajo.

Nji bingi na lusekelo pa kwingila mwingilo wa bushabyambo kukwasha jibumba ja Yehoba. Kabiji nji bingi na lusekelo kuba’mba nanembele bibaaba byavula bingi bya mu magazini abena kutanga badokotala, bashabyambo ne mitonyi. Kabiji naambile ku mabumba a bantu apusana-pusana mwaya ntanda, kulwilako luusa lwa bantu ba Yehoba lwa kusalapo kwibabuka nangwa kwibatumbula kwa kubula kwibabikamo mashi. Pano bino, ñamba byonka byaambile nnembi wa Baibolo aye Luka pa Luka 17:10 amba: ‘Amiwa ne kalumetu. Naubatu kyonka kyo nafwainwa kuba.’