Nnakulira mu kibuga ekiyitibwa Puerto Limón, ekiri mu buvanjuba bwa Costa Rica. Twazaalibwa abaana munaana era nze eyali ow’omusanvu. Taata yafa nga nnina emyaka munaana, era maama ye yatukuza.

Nnanyumirwanga nnyo omuzannyo gwa baseball okuviira ddala mu buto. Bwe nnali mu myaka egy’obutiini, nneegatta ku kiraabu y’omuzannyo ogwo. Bwe nnali nkyazannyira mu kiraabu eyo nga ndi wa myaka 20, nnasabibwa okugenda okuzannyira ensimbi mu kiraabu emu mu Nicaragua. Naye olw’okuba mu kiseera ekyo maama yali alwalalwala, ate nga nze nnali mmulabirira, sakkiriza kugenda. Oluvannyuma nnayitibwa okuzannyira tiimu y’eggwanga lya Costa Rica, era ku luno nnakkiriza. Nnazannyira mu tiimu y’eggwanga okuva mu 1949 okutuuka 1952, era nneetaba mu mpaka za baseball nnyingi ezaali mu Cuba, mu Mexico, ne mu Nicaragua. Nnali muzibizi mulungi nnyo era nnazannyako emizannyo 17 egy’omuddiriŋŋanwa nga sikoze nsobi n’emu. Nnanyumirwanga nnyo okuwulira abawagizi nga bayimba erinnya lyange!

Eky’ennaku, nneenyigiranga ne mu bikolwa eby’obugwenyufu. Wadde nga nnalina omuwala gwe njagala, nnaganzanga n’abakazi abalala era nnanywanga nnyo omwenge. Lumu nnatamiira nnyo, era bwe nnazuukuka enkeera, nnali sijjukira na ngeri gye nnali ntuuseemu awaka! Ate era nnakubanga zzaala.

Mu kiseera ekyo maama we yafuukira Omujulirwa wa Yakuwa. Yafuba okumbuulira ng’ayagala nange nfuuke Omujulirwa wa Yakuwa, naye tekyasoboka mu kusooka, olw’okuba ebirowoozo byange byonna byali ku bya mizannyo. Nnali njagala nnyo omuzannyo gwa baseball, era bwe nnabanga mu kutendekebwa, saawuliranga njala. Buli kiseera nnalowoozanga ku muzannyo gwa baseball.

Kyokka, bwe nnali wa myaka 29, nnafuna obuvune obw’amaanyi ennyo nga tuzannya. Bwe nnawona, nnalekera awo okuzannyira ensimbi. Naye nnasigala ntendeka abazannyi abalala okumpi ne we nnali mbeera.

Mu 1957, nnagenda mu lukuŋŋaana olunene olw’Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa olwali mu kisaawe kye nnazannyirangamu baseball. Bwe nnali mu lukuŋŋaana olwo, nnakiraba nti Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa baali beeyisa bulungi, era nga ba njawulo nnyo ku bantu abajjanga okulaba baseball. Kye nnalaba ku lukuŋŋaana olwo kyandeetera okutandika okuyiga Bayibuli n’Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa era ne ntandika n’okusabira awamu nabo.

Nnayiga ebintu bingi mu Bayibuli ebyankwatako ennyo. Ng’ekyokulabirako, Yesu yali yakiraga dda nti mu nnaku ez’enkomerero abagoberezi be bandibuulidde amawulire amalungi ag’obwakabaka bwa Katonda mu nsi yonna. (Matayo 24:14) Ate era nnayiga nti Abakristaayo ab’amazima tebaweereza Katonda olw’okwagala okufuna ssente. Yesu yagamba nti: “Mwaweebwa buwa, nammwe muwenga buwa.”—Matayo 10:8.

Bwe nneeyongera okuyiga Bayibuli, nnageraageranya Bayibuli by’egamba n’ebyo Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa bye bakola. Nnakiraba nti bafuba nnyo okubuulira amawulire amalungi mu nsi yonna era ekyo kyankwatako nnyo. Ate era nnakiraba nti balina omwoyo omugabi Yesu gwe yakubiriza Abakristaayo okwoleka. Bwe nnasoma mu Makko 10:21 Yesu w’agambira nti ‘jjangu ongoberere,’ nnayagala okuba omu ku Bajulirwa ba Yakuwa.

Wadde nga nnali njagala okuba Omujulirwa wa Yakuwa, nnalwawo okukola enkyukakyuka ezaali zeetaagisa. Ng’ekyokulabirako, nnamala emyaka mingi nga nkyakuba lottery, era nnalondanga ennamba gye nnatwalanga nti ya “mukisa.” Kyokka bwe nnali nsoma Bayibuli, nnayiga nti Katonda tayagala bantu basinza “katonda Mukisa,” era n’ab’omululu. (Isaaya 65:11; Abakkolosaayi 3:5) Bwe ntyo nnasalawo okulekera awo okukuba zzaala. Kyokka ku Ssande eyasooka nga ndekedde awo okuzannya lottery, ennamba yange “ey’omukisa” yawangula! Abantu bansekerera olw’okuba nnali sizannye wiiki eyo, era bampikiriza nziremu okuzannya lottery, naye nnagaana era saddamu kukuba zzaala.

Ku lunaku lwennyini lwe nnabatizibwa ku lukuŋŋaana olunene olw’Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa, nnafuna ekikemo. (Abeefeso 4:24) Bwe nnaddayo mu wooteeri mwe nnali nsula, nnasanga omuwala eyaliko muganzi wange ng’anninze ku mulyango gw’ekisenge mwe nnali nsula. Yaŋŋamba nti “Sammy mukwano, obwedda nkulinze.” Naye nnamugambirawo nti, “Ebyange naawe byakoma.” Nnamujjukiza nti ngoberera mitindo gya Bayibuli egy’empisa. (1 Abakkolinso 6:18) Yanziramu nti, “Ogambye ki?” Yavumirira nnyo Bayibuli ky’egamba ku bugwenyufu era n’ayongera okunsendasenda ng’ayagala omukwano guddewo. Saayongerako kirala, wabula nnayingira buyingizi mu kisenge ne nzigalawo oluggi. Ndi musanyufu okuba nti okuva lwe nnafuuka Omujulirwa wa Yakuwa mu 1958, nkyanyweredde ku kye nnasalawo.

Ŋŋanyuddwa nnyo mu kukolera ku magezi agali mu Bayibuli. Egimu ku miganyulo gye nfunye kwe kuba n’emikwano emirungi, obulamu obulina ekigendererwa, n’essanyu erya nnamaddala.

Wadde nga nkyanyumirwa omuzannyo gwa baseball, si kye kintu ekisinga obukulu mu bulamu bwange. Mu kuzannya omuzannyo gwa baseball nnafunamu ssente n’ettutumu, naye ebintu ebyo byaggwaawo mangu. Kyokka enkolagana gye nnina ne Katonda awamu ne Bakristaayo bannange ya kubeerawo emirembe gyonna. Bayibuli egamba nti: “Ensi eggwaawo n’okwegomba kwayo, naye oyo akola Katonda by’ayagala abeerawo emirembe gyonna.” (1 Yokaana 2:17) Kati njagala Yakuwa Katonda n’abantu be okusinga ekintu ekirala kyonna.