OMU ngwapwile namyaka yakusemuka 12, ngwatachikijile ngwami nguli navyuma vyamwaza ngwatelele kuhana vakwetu. Likumbi limwe omu twapwile kukukunguluka chachihanda, ndumbwetu umwe anguhulishile numba nge nguli nakusaka kuya muwande. Kaha ngwetavile ngwami “eyo,” numba tuhu kanda ngwambululengaho lyehi. Anguhanyine mikanda yakuzachisa, kaha himwangulweza ngwenyi, “Ove mwambulwila kusali yino, yami kusali ikwavo.” Ngwevwile woma oloze ngwaputukile kwambulula kuzuvo hizuvo, kaha ngwahanyine vatu mikanda yosena ngwapwile nayo. Vatu vavavulu vasakile mikanda kana.

Ngwasemukile mu 1923 muChatham, Kent, mulifuchi lyaEngland, vatu vamulifuchi kana kavawahililileko. Vatu vashinganyekele ngwavo Jita Yayinene yepukile mukaye nayineha vyuma vyamwaza mulifuchi, oloze yanehele kaha ukalu. Visemi jami nawa kavasuulukile navyuma vanangwilenga vatwamina vamuchachi yaBaptist vaze vasakilenga kulisuulwisa kaha vavene. Omu ngwapwile namyaka 9, vamama vaputukile kuya nakukunguluka naVaka-Kulinangula Mbimbiliya vaze valivulukile ngwavo Vinjiho jaYehova. Ndumbwetu umwe wapwevo ahanyinenga etu vanyike vihande vyafumine muMbimbiliya namumukanda waThe Harp of God. Vyuma ngwalinangwilenga vyangwivwishile kuwaha.

Putu kuukweze wami ngwevwilenga kuwaha kulweza vatu mujimbu walutalililo wamuMbimbiliya. Numba tuhu kakavulu ngwambulwilenga uka wami kuzuvo hizuvo, oloze ngwazachilenga nawa navakwetu. Chakutalilaho, likumbi limwe twambachile jikinga jetu nakuya muwande nandumbwami umwe wamukulwane, kaha twamwene mukulwane umwe wamuchachi mwahita. Ngwambile ngwami, “Talenu pembe uze mwaya muze.” Uze ndumbwami emanyine nakukunjika kinga yenyi nakungulweza ngwenyi tutwameko hamungowa. Angulwezele ngwenyi: “Yiya akuhana lisesa lyakwamba mutu ngwove pembe? Yetu tuzate kaha mulimo wetu nakuwahilila, Yehova ikiye akwechi mulimo wakusakula.” Hamakumbi kana aze ngwamwene omu kuhana cheji kunehanga kuwahilila.—Mateu 25:31-33; Vili. 20:35.

Ndumbwami weka wamukulwane angukafwile ngutachikize nge shimbu jimwe chasakiwa kupwa namuchima wakutalilila chikoki numba tupwenga vakuwahilila. Puwenyi kasakile Vinjiho jaYehovako. Likumbi limwe angusanyikile kuzuvo yenyi  tukalihizumune. Uze puwenyi asulakanyine mwomwo lunga lyenyi ayile nakwambulula, ngocho aputukile kutwasa masamba. Uze ndumbwetu aholele kaha kulu, kaha aputukile kukungulula aze masamba nakuwatulika. Mukuhita chamyaka Kalunga amukiswile hamuchima wenyi wakutalilila chikoki, mwomwo puwenyi vamumbapachishile nakupwa Chinjiho chaYehova.

Ngwatwalileho kuzanga vyuma vyakushipilitu, kaha yami namama vatumbapachishile munganda yaDover muMarch 1940. Omu ngwapwile namyaka 16 vaka-Britain vaputukile kulwa jita navaka-Germany muSeptember 1939. MuJune 1940, ngwamwene maswalale vali muvimbayambaya vanahombo vanakufuma kujita. Maswalale kana vayovokele kujita yize yapwilile muDunkirk. Vasolokele vakuhomba chikuma, ngocho ngwafwilile kuvalweza vyaWangana waKalunga. Mumwaka vene uze, vaka-Britain vaputukile kupilula tupata. Ufuku hiufuku ngwamwenenga maswalale vamuGermany navapilula tupata mungalila. Ngwevwilenga omu vapwile nakuvuma tupata kaha woma wangukwachile chikuma. Omu kwachelenga twawanyinenga jizuvo jamundandanda jinalyenyeka. Vyuma kanevi vyangulingishile ngufwelele chikuma muWangana waKalunga.

Mu 1941 ngwaputukile kuzata mulimo uze unangunehela kuwahilila. Shimbu kanda nguputuke mulimo kanou, ngwatungilenga nakuwahisa jimbopolo kuRoyal Dockyard muChatham. Ngwatambwilenga jimbongo jajivulu. Putu vene kunyima vangamba jaYehova kavazungilenga jitako. Kuheta mu 1941 twatachikijile jino nge katwatela kuzata milimo yize yakukundwiza jitako. (Yowa. 18:36) Hakuwana nge jimbopolo twatungilenga vajizachishilenga kujita, ngwamwene ngwami ngwatela kwecha mulimo kana nakuzata mulimo washimbu yosena. Ngwaputukile kuzachila mumbaka yaCirencester muCotswolds.

Omu ngwapwile namyaka 18 vangukashile munjele hatukweji 9 mwomwo yakukana kuzata milimo yauswalale. Ngwevwile woma omu vangupachililile munjele. Kaha vafunge navaka-kuvalama vanguhulishile nguvalweze vyuma vangukashililile, ngocho ngwavalumbunwinyine vyalufwelelo lwami.

Omu vangufumishile munjele, ngwayile nandumbwami Leonard Smith * nakwambulwila mujimbaka jamulifuchi lyetu lyaKent. Kuheta mu 1944 jindeke jakuzomboka makombakaji jize jambachile tupata jejile muKent. Jafuminenga kuli vaka-Nazi vaze vafungulwile Europe naLondon, kaha jahichilenga kuze twatwaminenga. Tupata kana vavavulukilenga ngwavo doodlebugs. Twevwilenga woma chikuma, mwomwo nge munevu chivumo chandeke  nachihola kaha tupata hikutotoka. Twanangwilenga visemi navana vavo vatatu Mbimbiliya. Lwola lumwe twatwaminenga mwishi yamesa, eyi mesa kana yapwile yakulipwila kayapazukako numba vyuma vyavilemu naviholokelaho. Shikaho twatwaminenga mwishi mangana yitukinge nge zuvo nayishiuka. Kaha vosena mutanga vavambapachishile.

Omu jita yakumine ngwazachile upayiniya hamyaka yivali kusulo yalifuchi lyaIreland. Katwatachikijile chihandwa chapwile havatu vamulifuchi lyaIreland naEngland. Omu twayile kuIreland, twatondelenga kwakutwama, kaha twavahanyinenga mangazini nakuvalweza ngwetu tuvamishonali. Mulifuchi kana mwavulile vaka-Katolika. Likumbi limwe kwapwile lunga asakile kutuveta, kaha ngwalwezele tupokola. Oloze kapokola umwe angukumbulwile ngwenyi, “Kaha yetu tulinge ngachilihi?” Vapilishitu vamulifuchi kana vapwile nangolo jakufumisa vatu hamilimo nge navatambula mikanda yetu, kaha vatuhangile namuzuvo twatwaminenga.

Twamwene jino ngwetu twatela kuvangila kwambulwila kuvihela vyakwakusuku kuze kwatwama kapilishitu weka, numba jino twambulwile kungalila yetu. MuKilkenny twalinangwilenga namukweze umwe katatu muchalumingo numba tuhu vatu vatufumbukililenga. Ngwalivwishilenga kuwaha kunangula vatu Mbimbiliya, shikaho ngwatumine mukanda wakulisonekesa vyakulinangula umishonali kuShikola yaNgileyate Yakulinangula Mbimbiliya.

Omu twalinangwile hatukweji 5 mushikola kuNew York, yetu vawana vatutumine kumatungu aCaribbean Sea. Kuheta muNovember 1948, twafumine kuNew York nakuya kuze kumatungu kuzachisa mbopolo vavulukilenga ngwavo Sibia yize yapwile jimita 18. Kanda ngutambukengaho lyehi mulwiji ngocho ngwawahililile chikuma. Gust Maki ikiye atambukishilenga mbopolo. Atunangwileko chindende mwakutambukishila mbopolo. Chakutalilaho, atulwezele mwakuzundwila namwakuholwela mahina akukinga peho, namwakukavangijila jila namwakuhonesela peho. Ndumbwetu Gust atambukishile kanawa hamakumbi 30 aze apwile napeho yayinene swi nomu twahetele kuBahamas.

Twatwamine hamatungu aBahamas hatukweji vavandende, kaha twayile kumatungu aLeeward naWindward, aze apwila kafwe jikilomita 800 kufuma kumatungu aVirgin kwakamwihi naPuerto Rico aze aheta nakuTrinidad. Hamyaka yitanu, twambulilile hamatungu kana haze kahapwile Vinjihoko. Lwola lumwe twatwaminenga vyalumingo chakuzeneka kutambula mijimbu kufuma kuli masepa chipwe vausoko. Oloze twevwile kuwaha hakwambulwila mujimbu kumatungu akwakusuku.—Yele. 31:10.

Omu mbopolo yetu yahetele muchau, vatu vavavulu vejile nakututala oku vanalikomokela. Vatu vamwe lukiko lwapwile lwola lwatete kumona mbopolo nachindele. Vapwile vachisambo kaha nawa vetavila mazu amuMbimbiliya. Kakavulu vatuhanyinenga vayishi vatuta, namakotapela navyelu. Numba tuhu mbopolo yetu yapwile yayindende, oloze mukiko twasavalilenga, nakukosela nakutelekela.

Twasezelenga mbopolo nakuya hatunda nakwambulula likumbi lyosena, nakuvalanya vezenga kuchihande chaMbimbiliya. Kuheta muze wi, twembilenga ngezo mangana vezenga. Twevwilenga kuwaha hakuvamona naveza oku vanambate  manongo avo. Omu vapwile nakushikumuka kufuma hapili, twamwenenga manongo avo kwijiva nge vatanganyika. Shimbu jimwe vatu vavavulu vejile, kaha vahulishilenga vihula namukachi kaufuku. Vevwilenga kuwaha kwimba myaso, kaha twavasonekelelenga myaso yetu yaWangana nakuvahana. Yetu vavene twembilenga chikuma, kaha vakiko vakavangijile. Twalivwishilenga kuwaha.

Vatu vamwe vaze valinangwilenga Mbimbiliya vatukavilenga omu twalukilile kuvihela vyeka, mangana vatwaleho lika kulinangula. Omu kwasalile vyalumingo vyavindende nakuya, twalwezelenga vaze vapwileko nachinyingi vanangulenga vakwavo swi nomu natukeza cheka. Twevwile kuwaha hakumona omu vatu kana vaputukile kunangula vakwavo.

Makumbi ano, vatu vavavulu vanakuyanga nakutala matungu kana, oloze hamyaka yize nou ahakilengako mangana wauchi. Twayilenga nambopolo halitungu hilitungu naufuku. Vayishi vavuluka ngwavo Dolphins vejilenga nakuhemena kumbopolo yetu omu twapwilenga nakutambuka. Kuheta naufuku, myeji yamunyikilenga hameya nakusoloka kanawa.

Omu twambulilile hamatungu kana hamyaka 5, twayile kuPuerto Rico mangana tukatambasane wato wetu nakambopolo kakutambukisa nalikina. Kuheta kuze twaliwanyine nandumbwetu wapwevo Maxine Boyd uze apwile nakuzata umishonali. Aputukile kuzata mulimo wakwambulula kufuma vene kuwinyike. Kutwala muze ayile, nakuzachila kulifuchi lyaDominican Republic swi nomu vamuhangile mulifuchi kana kuli vaka-Katolika mu 1950. Hakuwana nge ngwapwile ngumuka-kutambukisa jimbopolo, ngwapwile namukanda wakungwitavisa kutwama mulifuchi lyaPuerto Rico hakakweji umwe. Kufumaho, hinanguhiluka kulifuchi ngwafumine. Kaha ngwashinganyekele ngwami nge nangusaka kumbata ou ndumbwetu, ngwatelele kulinga ngocho mukakweji vene uze. Twalivwasanyine kulimbata, kaha omu mwahichile vyalumingo 6 twalimbachile. Ami napuwami Maxine vatutumine mumulimo waumishonali kulitungu lyaPuerto Rico, kaha kangwazachishile yize mbopolo yetu yayihyako.

Kuheta mu 1956, twaputukile kuzata mulimo wakutambukila vikungulwilo. Muvikungulwilo vyavivulu, vandumbwetu vapwile vakuhutwa. Chakutalilaho, kuchihela chaPotala Pastillo, twawanyineko jitanga jivali jize japwile navana vavavulu vaze ngwembilililenga kalyaya. Ngwalwezele kanyike wapwevo Hilda tuyenga nenyi muwande, oloze ikiye ambile ngwenyi: “Kangweshi kuhasako mwomwo kangwatwama nasapatoko.” Twamulanjililile sapato, kaha aputukile kuya nayetu nakwambulula. Omu mwahichile myaka yayivulu, ami napuwami Maxine twayile nakutambukila Mbetele yaBrooklyn mu 1972. Kaha ndumbwetu umwe wapwevo uze apwile muShikola yaNgileyate ejile nakutumeneka halikumbi lyakuya kulifuchi vamutumine lyaEcuador. Atuhulishile ngwenyi: “Muli nakungwanuka tahi? Yami Hilda uze mwalanjilile sapato omu mwapwile nakuzachila kuPastillo.” Twawahililile chikuma, kaha twalipakachile mukasamba nakulila.

Kaha mu 1960, vatutumine kuya nakuzachila hamutango waPuerto Rico uze watwamina kwakamwihi nazuvo yayisuku yaSanturce, San Juan. Hakavanga ami nandumbu Lennart Johnson twazachilenga milimo yayivulu. Ikiye namuka-zuvo yenyi vapwile Vinjiho jaYehova vatete mulifuchi lyaDominican Republic, kaha vejile muPuerto Rico mu 1957. Kutwala muze puwami Maxine asonekelenga vikungulwilo navatu vaze vasonekeselenga jimangazini. Evwilenga kuwaha kuzata mulimo kana mwomwo amwene ngwenyi vandumbwetu vapwile nakutambula kulya chakushipilitu.

Ngwalivwishile kuwaha kuzachila haMbetele mwomwo milimo yacho yapwa yakulisuula. Chipwe ngocho, lwola lumwe twamwenenga ukalu. Chakutalilaho, omu kwapwile kukunguluka chatete chamafuchi amavulu muPuerto Rico mu 1967, kwapwile milimo yayivulu. Kaha ngwevwile ngwami kangweshi kuhasa kuyizatako. Ndumbwetu Nathan Knorr, uze apwile nakutwaminyina Vinjiho jaYehova halwola kana ejile muPuerto Rico. Ashinganyekele ngwenyi pamo kangwawahishile jiminyau jakuya nakutambula vamishonali vaze vapwile nakwizako. Kaha alusukile nakungutenukila chikuma. Ngwaholele kaha kulu, hakushinganyeka ngwami katachikijile chihande chosenako. Oloze ngwevwile kupihya chikuma. Omu mwahichile myaka, twaliwanyine nandumbwetu Knorr, kaha atusanyikile kuzuvo yenyi nakutuwahishila vyakulya.

 Kufuma kuPuerto Rico, twayilenga kuEngland nakumeneka vatanga jetu. Tata ketavilile muchanoko, oloze mama etavilile. Omu vandumbwetu vakuhana vihande vakufuma kuMbetele vejilenga, mama avalwezele vatwame hazuvo yetu. Tata amwene omu vapwile vakulinyisa hakuvesekesa kuvakulwane vakulivwimba vakuchachi yenyi. Kuheta mu 1962, vamumbapachishile nakupwa Chinjiho chaYehova.

Kuheta mu 2011 puwami Maxine afwile. Nguli nakufwila kukamumona omu Yehova mwakamusangula. Echi cheji kunguvendejekanga! Hamyaka 58 tunapunga muulo napuwami Maxine, tunamono omu vatu jaYehova muPuerto Rico vanavulu kufuma 650 nakuheta 26,000. Mu 2013 mutango waPuerto Rico vauwanyishile kuUnited States, kaha vangusanyikile kuya nakuzachila kuWallkill, New York. Ngunazachila halitungu lyaPuerto Rico hamyaka 60, kaha ngweji kwivwanga nge ngwasemukilile halitungu kana. Oloze jino vangufumishileko.

Nguchili nakwivwa lika kuwaha kuzachila haMbetele. Oholyapwa nguli namyaka yakuzomboka 90, kaha vanguhana mulimo wakukolezeza vaka-Mbetele nakuvafunga. Vangulwezele ngwavo ngunakafwe vandumbwetu vakuzomboka 600 kufuma haze ngwejililile kuWallkill. Vatu vamwe veji kwizanga mangana nguvakafwe haukalu vanakumona mutanga yavo. Vakwavo veji kusaka kuvakafwa omu vatela kutwalaho lika kuzachila haMbetele. Kaha vaze vanalimbate kalinwaha vanakusakanga kuvakafwa mwakutwamina muulo. Veka vaze vanatumu muwande vanezanga nguvakafwe. Vosena vaze veji kwizanga nguvakafwe, ngweji kuvevwililanga nakuvalweza ngwami: “‘Kalunga azanga muka-kuhana nakuwahilila.’ Shikaho wahililenu mwomwo milimo munakuzata yaYehova.”—Koli. 2, 9:7.

Numba munakuzachila haMbetele numba kuchihela cheka, tachikizenu ngwenu: Chapwa chachilemu kutachikiza kaha kulema chamulimo muli nakuzata. Milimo yosena tweji kuzatanga haMbetele yapwa yajila, kaha yeji kukundwizanga “ndungo wakushishika wakuzangama” uze ali nakuhana kulya chakushipilitu kuli vandumbwetu mukaye kosena. (Mateu 24:45) Tunahase kwalisa Yehova kweshokwo tuli nakumuzachila. Twatela kulivwisa kuwaha kala mulimo mwatuhana mwomwo “Kalunga azanga muka-kuhana nakuwahilila.”