Ngwasemukilile munganda yaQuebec muze vahanjika lilimi lyaFrench, mulifuchi lyaCanada. Visemi jami vaLouis naZélia vangulelele kanawa. Tata apwilenga wasonyi, kaha nawa azangilenga vyakutanga-tanga. Ami ngwazangilenga vyakusoneka-soneka, kaha ngwafwililile kukapwa ngumuka-kusoneka mijimbu.

Omu ngwapwile namyaka kafwe 12, Rodolphe Soucy uze azachilenga natata ejile kuzuvo yetu hamwe nasepa lyenyi. Ava malunga vapwile Vinjiho jaYehova. Halwola kana, kangwatachikijile kanawa Vinjihoko, kaha nawa kangwazangile liuka lyavoko. Oloze ngwevwile kuwaha hajila vakumbulwililengamo vihula kuzachisa Mbimbiliya. Visemi jami nawa vawahililile ngocho twetavilile kulinangula Mbimbiliya.

Halwola kana ngwapwile nakutangila hashikola yavaka-Katolika. Ngwashimutwililenga navakwetu vaka-shikola havyuma ngwalinangwilenga muMbimbiliya. Kutwala muze, milongeshi vaze nawa vapwile vapilishitu muchachi, vatachikijile chuma ngwapwile nakulinga. Muchishishisa chakuzachisa Mbimbiliya mangana vasolole ngwavo vyuma ngwapwile nakuhanjika vyapwile vyamakuli, mulongeshi umwe alwezele vakwetu vaka-shikola ngwenyi ngwapwile ngumuka-kulikanga. Numba tuhu kungufumbukila changwivwishile kupihya, oloze changukafwile ngutachikize ngwami vyuma vapwile nakunangula hashikola kana vyalimbalakile navyuma yanangula Mbimbiliya. Kaha ngwamwene jino ngwami ngwatelelele kufuma hashikola kana, kaha visemi jami vangwitavishile ngulinge vene ngocho.

Numba tuhu ngwatwalileho kulinangula Mbimbiliya, oloze kangwazovolokele washiko, mwomwo  ngwevwilenga woma kwambulwila kuzuvo hizuvo. Vaka-Katolika kavazangilenga kumona Vinjiho vali nakwambululako. Maurice Duplessis, uze apwile mukulwane wamapolitiki muQuebec alizangile chikuma navaka-Katolika, ngocho etavishile vatu valukukenga Vinjiho nakuvayanjisa. Halwola kana chasakiwilenga kumika numba mutu azate mulimo wakwambulula.

Mutu angukafwile nguhonese woma shina ndumbu John Rae, uze afumine kuShikola yaNgileyate yakusokesa 9. Ou ndumbwetu apwile sachitetahundu, wakulinyisa kaha nawa wamwashi kuhanjikisa. Numba tuhu shimbu jimwe anguhuhumwinenga, oloze ngwalinangwile vyavivulu kuli ikiye. Hakuwana nge katachikijile kanawa lilimi lyaFrenchko, ngocho twazachilenga hamwe muwande. Kulikata nenyi changukafwile ngumike nakusakula jino kupwa nguChinjiho chaYehova. Omu mwahichile myaka 10 kufuma haze ngwaliwanyine naVinjiho, vangumbapachishile ha 26 May, 1951.

Muchikungulwilo chetu mwapwile vapayiniya vavavulu, kaha vangukolezezele nguputuke kuzata upayiniya. Halwola kana twambulwilenga kuzuvo hizuvo kuzachisa kaha Mbimbiliya. Shikaho twasakiwilenga kutachikiza mwakuzachishila kanawa visoneka. Ngwafwililile kutachikiza visoneka vyavivulu mangana ngunangule vatu muchano. Oloze vatu vavavulu vakanyinenga kutanga jiMbimbiliya jize vakanyishile vaka-chachi yaKatolikako.

Kuheta mu 1952, ngwambachile puwami Simone Patry uze apwile ndumbwetu wakushishika. Twanungulukilile kuMontreal, kahomu mwahichile mwaka umwe, twasemene mwanetu wapwevo Lise. Numba tuhu ngwechele kuzata upayiniya omu twalimbachile, oloze ami napuwami twashiwishile chiyoyelo chetu mangana tuzate chikuma milimo yakushipilitu.

Omu mwahichile myaka 10, ngwaputukile kushinganyeka kuzata cheka upayiniya. Mumwaka vene uze wa 1962, omu twapwile kuShikola yaMulimo waWangana yavakulwane yakakweji umwe yize yapwileko haMbetele yamuCanada, twapwile mukapete youmwe nandumbu Camille Ouellette. Twima apwile nayo yakuzata mulimo wakwambulula yangwivwishile kuwaha, chikumanyi mwomwo apwile navana. Halwola kana visemi vavavulu muQuebec kavazachilenga upayiniyako. Oloze chuma kana chikiko afwililile kulinga Camille. Halwola twapwilenga hamwe, angukolezezele mwamunene. Omu mwahichile tukweji vavandende, ngwamwene jino ngwami ngunahase kuzata cheka upayiniya. Vamwe vashinganyekele ngwavo chuma ngwasakwile  kulinga kachapwile chamanganako. Oloze kangwavevwililileko mwomwo ngwatachikijile ngwami Yehova mwangukafwa.

Kuheta mu 1964, ami napuwami Simone vatutongwele kupwa tuvapayiniya vakulipwila, kaha vatutumine munganda yaQuebec muze twazachilile hamyaka yayivulu. Halwola kana kavatufumbukililenga chikumako.

Likumbi limwe namusana, vangukwachile mumbaka yaSainte-Marie yize yalihata nanganda yaQuebec. Kapokola umwe angutwalile kuofesi yavo kaha anguhakile mukamenga mwomwo ngwapwile nakwambulwila kuzuvo hizuvo chakuzeneka lisesa. Kufumaho, vangutwalile kuli Baillargeon muka-kusopesa uze vevwilenga vatu woma. Anguhulishile ngumulweze lihako wakungwimanyinako hakusopa, kaha ngwamulwezele ngwami lihako lyami Glen How, * uze apwile lihako lyaVinjiho uze vatachikijile chikuma. Hakwivwa ngocho, ambile ngwenyi: “Nduma! Uzenyi chiku!” Ndumbwetu Glen How vamutachikijilile chikuma hakuhakwila Vinjiho. Nakushimbula chiku, vaka-zango vangulwezele ngwavo chihande chami vanachijimbangana.

Hakuwana nge vatufumbukililenga muQuebec, ngocho chatukaluhwililenga kuwana zuvo yakufwetela yakukungulukila. Shikaho chikungulwilo chetu chawanyine zuvo yakukunjikila jiminyau muze mwapwile mututa. Ngocho halwola kwatuchilenga chikuma, twazachishilenga likina lize lyazumishilenga muchihela kana. Twalivangilenga kwiza shimbu kanda lwola lwakukunguluka luhete, mangana tushimutwile vyakuliwana navyo vize vyatukolezezelenga, oku tuli nakwota kakahya kuze kulikina.

Ngweji kwivwanga kuwaha hakumona omu unazovoloka mulimo wakwambulula. Muji 1960, munganda yaQuebec, namuCôte-Nord, namuGaspé Peninsula mwapwile vikungulwilo vyavindende kaha. Oloze makumbi ano, mujinganda kana muli vikungulwilo vyavivulu, kaha vali nakukungulukila muJizuvo jaWangana jamwaza.

Mu 1970, ami napuwami Simone vatutumine kuya nakuzata mulimo wakutambwojoka. Kaha kuheta mu 1973, vangutongwele kupwa kalama wangalila. Ngwalinangwile vyavivulu kuli vandumbwami vakufwana nge Laurier Saumur * naDavid Splane, * vaze vazachilenga mulimo wakutambwojoka. Nge kukunguluka chachihanda chinakumu, ami naDavid twalilwezelenga vishina vize twatelelele kuzachilaho mangana tuzovoloke mukunangula. Ngunakwanuka lwola lumwe David angulwezele ngwenyi: “Léonce, ngwalivwisanga kuwaha chihande chove. Chawahanga chikuma, oloze nge ngwapwanga yami, kachi ngunatunguho vihande vitatu.” Ahanjikile ngocho mwomwo ngwambombwelenga vyavivulu chikuma hakuhanjika vihande. Shikaho kangwatelelele kuhanjika vishina vyavivuluko.

 Tulama vangalila vavahanyine mulimo wakukolezezanga tulama vakujinguluka. Chipwe ngocho, vaka-kwambulula vavavulu muQuebec vangutachikijile chikuma. Kakavulu vasakilenga nguzate navo muwande kachi nge ngunatambukila ngalila yavo. Numba tuhu kuzata navo muwande changwivwishilenga kuwaha, oloze changuhoneselenga kupwa nalwola lwaluvulu lwakukolezeza kalama wakujinguluka. Lwola lumwe kalama wakujinguluka angulwezele ngwenyi: “Chinawahe vene kuzata navandumbwetu, oloze anuka ngwove wakatukilanga yami mangana ungukolezeze.” Echi kuhuhumuna anguhuhumwine ou ndumbwami changukafwile chikuma.

Chaluvinda, mu 1976 mwasolokele chuma chachipi chize chejile mukukasumuna. Puwami Simone, avijile chikuma kaha afwile. Simone apwile pwevo wamwenemwene mwomwo apwile namuchima wakulisuula kaha nawa azangile chikuma Yehova. Chuma changukafwilenga ngukeheseko ushona shina kuzata chikuma mulimo wakwambulula, kaha nawa ngweji kumusakwililanga Yehova hakungukafwa ngumike. Kutwala muze, ngwambachile Carolyn Elliott, payiniya wakwipangweji uze ahanjikilenga kanawa lilimi lyaChingeleshi, uze ejile nakuzachila muQuebec muze mwapwile nakusakiwa chikuma kukafwa. Carolyn apwa wamwashi kuhanjikisa kaha nawa azanga vandumbwenyi chikumanyi vaze vatwama nasonyi chipwe kuhomba. Angukafwile chikuma omu twazachilenga mulimo wakutambwojoka.

Mu January 1978, vangulwezele ngunangule Shikola yaMulimo wauPayiniya yatete yize yapwile muQuebec. Ngwalizakaminyine chikuma mwomwo mukanda wavapayiniya wapwile wauhya kuli yami nakuli vaka-shikola. Chipwe ngocho, hakuwana nge vapayiniya vavavulu vapwile vakuluwa, ngwalinangwile vyavivulu chikuma kuli vakiko.

Mumwaka woumwe, kwapwile Kukunguluka chaMafuchi Amavulu chakwamba ngwavo, “Victorious Faith” muchivaza chakuhemena chamuMontreal. Kukunguluka kana chikiko chapwile chachinene chikuma muQuebec, kaha kwapwile vatu  vakuzomboka 80,000. Vangulwezele nguzachile kuLipatimende lyaVaka-kuhana Mijimbu lyahakukunguluka. Ngwahanjikile navaka-kusoneka mijimbu vavavulu, kaha ngwevwile kuwaha mwomwo vasonekele vyuma vyamwaza hali etu Vinjiho. Vaka-kwazana mijimbu vatwihwojwelenga hachisaji chamivwimbimbi nahachisaji chahapeho, ngocho jola kana kujifutula jahambakanyine ha 20. Kaha vihande vyeka vyavivulu vavisonekele hamapapilo. Echi chalingishile mujimbu wamwaza utandakane.

Kuheta mu 1996, vyuma vyalumukile. Kufuma vene hakungumbapachisa, ngwazachililenga kaha muQuebec muze vazachisa lilimi lyaFrench. Oloze mumwaka kana, vatutumine kuya nakuzachila kuToronto kuze vahanjika lilimi lyaChingeleshi. Ngwalizakaminyine ngwami kangweshi kuhasa kuhanjikanga vihande muChingeleshiko, mwomwo kangwatachikijile kanawa lilimi kanako. Shikaho ngwatelelele kulomba chikuma nakupendamina hali Yehova.

Numba tuhu hakavanga ngwalizakaminyine, oloze ngwalivwishile kuwaha kuzachila muToronto hamyaka yivali yize ngwatwaminemo. Carolyn angutalililenga chikoki hakungunangula lilimi lyaChingeleshi, kaha vandumbwetu nawa vangukafwilenga chikuma nakungukolezeza. Twawanyine washi masepa vavavulu.

Numba tuhu ngwalongeselenga vyakukunguluka chachihanda nakuzata nawa milimo yeka, oloze kakavulu ngwazachilenga ola yimwe hakwambulwila kuzuvo hizuvo lyachitanu nachingoloshi. Pamo vamwe vashinganyekelenga ngwavo, ‘Mwomwo ika ali nakuyila muwande okunyi ali namulimo wakulongesa vyakukunguluka?’ Oloze kushimutwila navatu muwande changujikijishilenga chikuma. Namakumbi ano ngweji kwivwanga kuwaha chikuma kachi nge ngunambulila vatu mujimbu wamwaza.

Mu 1998, ami napuwami Carolyn vatutumine kuMontreal nakuzachilako upayiniya wakulipwila. Hamyaka yayivulu, ngwalongeselenga vyakwambulwila kuvihela vyasanga, nakushimutwila nawa navaka-kwazana mijimbu mangana nguhakwile Vinjiho jaYehova. Ami naCarolyn tweji kulivwisanga kuwaha kwambulila vamwiza vaze vasaka kulinangula muchano wamuMbimbiliya.

Omu ngweji kushinganyekanga hamyaka 68 ngunazachila Yehova kufuma hakungumbapachisa, ngweji kuwahililanga chikuma. Kulinangula mwakulivwishila kuwaha kuzata mulimo wakwambulula nakukafwa vatu vavavulu vatachikize muchano chinangunganyalisa chikuma. Mwanami Lise nalunga lyenyi vaputukile kuzata upayiniya washimbu yosena omu vakolele vana vavo. Kaha ngweji kwivwanga kuwaha chikuma hakumona ali nakutwalaho kuzata mulimo wakwambulula natwima. Ngweji kusakwililanga vandumbwami vakuhya kushipilitu vaze vanguhuhumwinenga nakungukafwa nguzovoloke kushipilitu nakuzata milimo yayivulu muliuka. Ngunamono jino ngwami hakusaka tuzate kanawa milimo yakushipilitu, twatela kupendaminanga hashipilitu yaYehova. (Samu 51:11) Ngweji kumusakwililanga Yehova hakunguhana mulimo wakwalishilaho lijina lyenyi.—Samu 54:6.