NGWASEMUKILE haJuly 29, 1929, kaha ngwakolelele mungalila yaBulacan muPhilippines. Hakuwana nge mulifuchi kana mwapwile uhutu, ngocho katwayoyelenga muuhandoko. Jita yepukile mulifuchi lyetu omu ngwapwile ngumukweze. Maswalale vamuJapan valukukile lifuchi lyaPhilippines. Hakuwana nge ngalila yetu yapwililile kwakusuku nambaka, ngocho kuze twapwile kakwapwile jitako. Kungalila yetu kakwapwile visaji, navisaji vyamivwimbimbi, namapapilo amijimbuko, ngocho mijimbu yajita twayivwililenga kaha kuvatu.

Twasemukile 8, kaha ami yami ngwapwile nguwamuchivali. Omu ngwapwile namyaka 8, vakaka vangumbachile nguyenga nakutwama navo. Numba tuhu twapwile tuvaka-Katolika, oloze kaka walunga atambwilenga mikanda yamukwitava vamuhanyinenga masepa jenyi. Mikanda kana yapwile Mbimbiliya namukanda waProtection, nawaSafety, nawaUncovered, mulilimi lyaTagalog. * Kaka angulweze ngutangenga tuhu mikanda kana heshoho ngunasakila. Ngwalivwishilenga kuwaha kutanga Mbimbiliya, chikumanyi Mikanda yaMujimbu Wamwaza yiwana. Mijimbu kana yangukunywile ngufwile kulondezeza Yesu.—Yowa. 10:27.

Jita yapwile muJapan yakumine mu 1945. Halwola kana hakiko visemi jami vangusanyikile ngukinduluke kwimbo. Kaka angwitavishile, ngocho ngwayile.

Kuheta muDecember 1945, lizavu lyaVinjiho jaYehova vaze vafumine kumbaka yaAngat vejile nakwambulwila kungalila yetu. Chinjiho umwe wakashinakaji ejile kuzuvo yetu nakutulumbunwina vyuma yahanjika Mbimbiliya “hamakumbi akukuminyina.” (Chimo. 2, 3:1-5) Atusanyikile tukapwe kuchilongesa chaMbimbiliya chize chapwilile hambweli. Visemi jami kavayileko, oloze ami ngwayile. Kwapwile vatu kafwe 20, kaha vamwe vahulishilenga vihula vyahanjika haMbimbiliya.

Vyuma vyavivulu vapwile nakuhanjika kavyangulumbunukilileko, shikaho ngwashinganyekele kufumako. Oloze vaputukile kwimba mwaso waWangana. Mwaso kana wanguhetele kumuchima, ngocho kangwafumineko. Hanyima yakwimba mwaso nakulomba, tuvosena vatulwezele tukaye kukukunguluka kumbaka yaAngat lyaSondo.

 Etu vamwe twatambukile jikilomita 8 numba tuhete kuze kukukunguluka chapwililile hembo lyaCruz. Twakungulukile vatu 50. Chuma changwivwishile kuwaha chikuma shina kumona navanyike vavandende vali nakuhanjikaho havihande vyamuMbimbiliya vyakujiminyina vapwile nakushimutwila. Ngwakungulukilenga navo mapapa kakavulu, kaha likumbi limwe ndumbwetu Damian Santos payiniya wakashinakaji uze apwilenga mukulwane wambaka kunyima angusanyikile nguyenga nakusavala kuzuvo yenyi. Ufuku wosena twashimutwilile vihande vyamuMbimbiliya.

Hamakumbi aze, vatu vetavililenga washi muchano wamuMbimbiliya. Shikaho omu twalingile tunakungulukako lyehi havyalumingo vyavindende, vandumbwetu vatuhulishile ngwavo, “Kutala muli nakusaka kumimbapachisa tahi? Ami ngwakumbulwile ngwami “Emwane.” Ngwatachikijile ngwami ngwatela kuzachila “Mwata, Kulishitu.” (Kolo. 3:24) Twayile kukalwiji apwile mwakamwihi, kaha ami namukwetu weka vatumbapachishile haFebruary 15, 1946.

Twamwene ngwetu twatelelele kwambululanga lwola lwosena hakusaka kulondezeza Yesu. Oloze echi kachasuulwishile tatako, ngocho ambile ngwenyi, “Kawatela kuputuka kwambululako mwomwo uchili ukanyike. Kaha nawa kukumbwichika mumeya kacheshi nakulumbununa nge watela kuya nakwambululako.” Ngwamukumbulwile ngwami, Kalunga ikiye ajina ngwenyi twambululenga mujimbu wamwaza waWangana waKalunga. (Mateu 24:14) Ngwambile cheka ngwami, “Ngwatela kutesamo lushiko lwami ngwashikile Kalunga.” Echi chikiko chalingishile tata ahanjike mazu aze ali kumaputukilo achino chihande. Afwililile kunguhonesa kwambulula. Echi chikiko changulingishile nguseze vyosena nakufwila kuzata milimo yakushipilitu.

Ndumbu Cruz natanga yenyi vangulwezele ngukatwamenga navo kuAngat. Vangukolezezele nawa hamwe namwanavo Nora mangana tulisonekese upayiniya. Tuvosena tuvavali twaputukile kuzata upayiniya haNovember 1, 1947. Nora azachililenga mumbaka yeka, oloze ami ngwatwalileho kuzachila muze vene muAngat.

Omu ngwalingile ngunazate lyehi upayiniya hamyaka yitatu, ndumbwetu Earl Stewart uze afumine kuofesi yamutango ahanjikile chihande hakukunguluka chapwile navatu 500 muAngat. Ahanjikile chihande muChingeleshi, kaha ami ngwamwalumwinyinenga mulilimi lyaTagalog. Ngwakuminyinyine kaha mumango 7 oloze ngwejivile Chingeleshi mwomwo kakavulu milongeshi jami vahanjikilenga Chingeleshi. Chuma chikwavo changukafwile ngutachikize kanawa Chingeleshi, shina kuhona kupwa namikanda yayivulu mulilimi lyaTagalog. Ngocho ngwatangilenga chikuma mikanda muChingeleshi. Echi changukafwile nguhase kwalumuna chihande kana navyeka hakukunguluka chikwavo.

Halikumbi lize ngwalumwine chihande chaNdumbu Stewart, Ou ndumbwetu alwezele lizavu lyosena ngwenyi kwapwile nakusakiwa vandumbwetu vavali vamalunga vavapayiniya mangana vayenga nakuzachila haMbetele. Vapwile nakusaka vatu vakuzata hamakumbi vapwile vamishonali kukukunguluka chachihanda chamu 1950 chapwile namutwe wakwamba ngwavo Theocracy’s Increase Assembly muNew York, U.S.A. Shikaho nayami ngwapwile hali vaze vasanyikile. Halwola kanelu nawa ngwasezele masepa jami navandumbwami nakuya nakuzachila haMbetele.

Ngwahetele haMbetele haJune 19, 1950, nakuputuka kuzata. Mbetele yapwilile muzuvo yayinene yize vajingilikile kumitondo yayinene. HaMbetele hapwile vandumbwetu vamalunga vavajike 12. Ngocho nachimene ngwapwilenga namulimo wakuteleka vyakulya, kaha kuputuka nalwola lwa 9:00 ngwapwilenga namulimo wakukosa uvwalo nakuungomala. Omu mukiko ngwalingile nachingoloshi. Ngwatwalileho lika kuzachila haMbetele nahalwola vamishonali vakindulukile kukukunguluka vayile. Ngwapwilenga nawa namulimo wakulongejeka jimangazini muvikasha nakujituma, nakutala kujimbongo, kaha nawa ngwapwilenga nakutambulanga nakutuma jishinga kuvihela vyakulisezaseza. Kala mulimo vangulwezele kuzata ngwauzachilenga.

Kuheta mu 1952 ami navakwetu veka 6 twawahililile chikuma mwomwo vatusanyikile kuShikola yaNgileyate yakusokesa 20. Vyuma twakamwene nakulinga kuUnited States vyapwile vyaungeji kuli etu. Mwomwo kakwapwile vyuma vimwe vyalifwanyine navyuma vyakwimbo kuze ngwafumineko.

 Chakutalilaho, twazachishilenga makina akulisezaseza hakuteleka nahakukosa. Kaha nawa kwapwile kututa chikuma kuhambakana kwimbo lyetu. Likumbi limwe nachimene ngwalovokele haweluka kaha ngwawanyine hosena to nambundu. Likumbi kana likiko lyapwile lyatete kumona mbundu kana. Echi chikiko chalingishile kuchihela kana kutute chikuma.

Numba tuhu kwapwile ukalu kanou, oloze ngwalivwishile kuwaha vyuma twalinangwile kushikola yaNgileyate. Vaka-kunangula vazachishilenga jijila jakulisezaseza mangana vatuhete kumichima. Vatunangwile mwakuhehwojwela kanawa vihande. Vyuma twalinangwile kushikola vyangukafwile nguzovoloke kushipilitu.

Omu ngwakumishile, vangutumine mumulimo waupayiniya wakulipwila hatando yayindende mumbaka yaBronx muNew York. Ngocho muJuly 1953, ngwapwile kukukunguluka chachihanda chakwamba ngwavo, New World Society, chize chapwilile mumbaka kana. Hanyima yakukunguluka, ngwakindulukile cheka kuPhilippines.

Vandumbwetu hamutango vambile ngwavo: “Nauya jino mumulimo wakutambwojoka.” Echi changulingishile ngukavangize Kulishitu uze ayilenga kujinganda jakwakusuku nakukafwa mikoko jaYehova. (Petu. 1, 2:21) Vangutumine kulitungu lyalinene lyamuLuzon muPhilippines, kuhakilako najingalila jaBulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, naZambales. Hakutambukila vikungulwilo vimwe vyapwile mujimbaka, ngwahichilenga tunda yajipili namalolwa yaSierra Madre. Kakwapwile jiminyauko, shikaho ngwayilenga kuli vaka-vimbayambaya vaze vambachilenga mapulanga, kaha ngwatwaminenga helu lyamapulanga. Oloze chapwile chaponde chikuma kuzachisa jiminyau kana.

Vikungulwilo vyavivulu vyapwile vyavihya kaha nawa vatu vapwile vavandende. Ngocho vandumbwetu vevwilenga kuwaha omu ngwavakafwilenga vatachikize mwakutwaminyina kukunguluka nakuliwahisa vyakuya mumulimo wakwambulula.

Kufumaho vangutumine kungalila yaBicol. Mungalila kana mwapwile mazavu amavulu aze apwililile kwakusuku aze vaputukile kuli vapayiniya vakulipwila omu vambulwililenga kujingalila jize kanda vambulwilengako. Halimbo limwe kahapwile chimbushuko, oloze hapwile kaha wina uze vakikile mitondo yivali helu. Omu ngwanyinyine haze hamitondo, yize mitondo yakuyukilile muze muwina ngocho ngwaholokelelemo. Hahichile lwola numba ngukumise kuliwahisa.

Aha hakiko ngwaputukile kushinganyeka hali Nora, apwile nakuzachila upayiniya muBulacan. Halwola kana apwile jino payiniya wakulipwila munganda yaDumaguete, kaha ngwayile nakumutala. Kaha twatwalileho kulisonekela mikanda, jino kuheta mu 1956 twalimbachile. Chalumingo chatete muulo wetu twayile nakutambukila chikungulwilo chahalitungu lyaRapu Rapu. Numba tuhu twatambukilenga jitunda jajipili hamavu, oloze twawahilililenga chikuma kuzachila hamwe hakuya nakukafwa vandumbwetu.

Omu mwahichile kafwe myaka yiwana kufuma hakulimbata chetu, vatusanyikile kuya nakuzachila kuofesi yamutango. Shikaho twaputukile kuzachila haMbetele muJanuary 1960. Ngunalinangula vyuma vyavivulu hakuzata navandumbwetu vaze vanazatenga milimo yayinene yamuliuka, kaha Nora nawa nazatenga milimo yakulisezaseza haMbetele.

Kuzachila haMbetele chinangukafwe ngumone omu mulimo wetu unazovoloka mulifuchi lyaPhilippines. Halwola lwatete ngwejile haMbetele omu ngwapwile ngumujike, mulifuchi lyosena lyaPhilippines mwapwile kaha vaka-kwambulula 10,000. Oloze oholyapwa muli jino vaka-kwambulula 200,000 navaka-Mbetele vavavulu vaze vali nakukafwa kutandakanyisa mulimo wakwambulula.

Omu waputukile kutohwa mulimo wetu, chihela chaMbetele jino chakehele. Ngocho Lizavu Lyakutwaminyina lyatulwezele tutonde chihela chachinene mangana tutungileho jiofesi jeka. Ami nandumbwetu uze apwile kalama walipatimende lyakupulita mikanda twayile mundandanda nakutonda chihela kana. Mundandanda kana mwapwilenga chikuma vaka-China. Chaluvinda, katwawanyine mutu apwile nakulanjisa chihelako. Mutu umwe atukumbulwile ngwenyi: “Etu vaka-China katwalanjisa upite wetuko, oloze tweji kulandanga kaha.”

Oloze likumbi limwe kwejile lunga umwe uze ejile nakutukulisa limbo lyenyi mwomwo apwile nakwalukila kuUnited States. Chuma kana chatukomwesele chikuma. Kutwala muze weka nawa atukulishile chihela chenyi, kaha akolezezele navakwavo valanjise. Twalanjile chihela nakuli mutu uze ambile ngwenyi, “Etu vaka-China katwalanjisa upite wetuko.” Nakushimbula chiku twapwile jino nachihela chachinene chaMbetele. Chikupu vene ngwejiva ngwami Yehova Kalunga ikiye atondele chuma kana chisoloke.

Mu 1950, ami yami ngwapwile ngukanyike chikuma hali vaka-Mbetele, oloze aholyapwa ami napuwami jino yetu tushinakaji hali vaka-Mbetele vosena. Kangwaliveya hakukavangiza Mwata Kulishitu kwosenokwo nangulwezenga kuyako. Numba tuhu visemi jami vanguhangile hembo lyavo, oloze Yehova nanguhane tanga yayinene yakushipilitu. Kangweshi kukakasana numba hahandendeko ngwami, Yehova eji kutuhananga vyuma vyosena twasaka chamokomoko nakala milimo mwatuhana. Ami naNora twasakwilila Yehova havyuma vyamwaza natulingila, ngocho tuli nakukolezeza vandumbwetu vosena mangana veseke Yehova vamone kuwaha chenyi.—Mala. 3:10.

Halwola lumwe Yesu alanyine Mateu Levi uze apwile muka-kutambula mitelo nakumulweza ngwenyi: “Pwako umuka-kungukavangiza.” Uno Mateu akwileko ngachilihi? Mbimbiliya ngwayo: “Asezele vyuma vyosena, akatukile, aputukile kumukavangiza [Yesu].” (Luka 5:27, 28) Nayami ngwalingile mwomumwe, shikaho nguli nakukolezeza vosena valinge nganomu ngwalingile ami mangana vamone kuwaha chaYehova.