Mwaka wakavangijileho vavilikile haMbetele ngwavo, kuli nakusakiwa vandumbwetu vakulisuula vaze vatela kuya nakuzachila haMbetele yamuSouth Africa mangana vakazachile kumakina amahya akupulita mikanda. Kaha ngwalisonekesele, ngocho ngwawahililile chikuma omu vangusakwile. Nandumbwami Dennis Leech, naBill McLellan naKen Nordin navakiko vavasakwile. Tuvosena vatulwezele ngwavo natukazachila muSouth Africa hatando yayisuku.

Ngwatuminyinyine mama shinga, nakuhanjika ngwami: “Vanangusakula nguyenga nakuzachila kuSouth Africa.” Mama apwilenga mutu wakuhola, oloze apwilenga wakuhya kushipilitu. Numba tuhu kahanjikile vyavivuluko oloze ngwatachikijile ngwami netavila. Visemi jami vahombele, oloze kavayayavalile hachuma kanechi ngwasakwile kulingako.

Chakavanga vatutumine kuMbetele yaBrooklyn, mangana vakatunangule mwakukazachishila makina amahya. Kufumaho twanyinyine mbopolo yakuya munganda yaCape Town, muSouth Africa. Halwola kana ngwapwile namyaka 20. Twanyinyine masuwa nachingoloshi kufuma muCape Town nakuya kuJohannesburg. Kuheta nachimene, twemanyine mumbaka yayindende yatwama mulikundu lyaKaroo. Chihela kana chapwile nalukungu, kaha nawa chizuma. Omu twatalile hanjanena twalikomokelele nakulihulisa ngwetu, chihela muka chakufwana ngana? Twalizakaminyine omwo natuzachilamo kulifuchi kana. Omu mwahichile myaka, twayilenga kuchihela kana nakulivwisa kuwaha kutambukila jize jimbaka jajindende jamwaza twawanyine kuchihela kana.

Hamyaka yayindende, ngwazachilenga mulimo wakupulita mangazini yaKaposhi Kakutalila naTonenu! kuzachisa likina vavuluka ngwavo Linotype. Ofesi yamutango yamuSouth Africa yapulitilenga jimangazini mumalimi amavulu amuAfrica. Twawahililile hakumona aze makina anakuzata chikuma.

Kutwala muze, vanguhanyine mulimo wakutwaminyina lipatimende lyatala hamulimo wakupulita, nou wakulongejeka nakutuma mikanda, namulimo wakwalumuna mikanda. Ngwasuulukilenga kuzata mulimo kana.

Kuheta mu 1968, ngwambachile Laura Bowen uze atwaminenga kwakamwihi naMbetele. Apwile payiniya kaha nawa azachilenga mulimo wakutayipa kuLipatimende Lyakwalumuna. Halwola luze, kavetavishilenga lunga napwevo vanalimbate kutwama  haMbeteleko, ngocho vatulwezele kuya nakuzata upayiniya wakulipwila. Ngwalizakaminyine nakushinganyeka ngwami, omu ngunapunga haMbetele myaka yakuhambakana 10, vanapunga nakunguhana vyakulya nazuvo yakusavala, jino omu ngunambate chiyoyelo chetu nachikapwa ngachilihi hakuwana nge navatuhananga kaha jimbongo jajindende jakulikafwa najo? Ofesi yamutango yatuhanyinenga mutu himutu jimbongo jakuheta ku 25 rand kakweji hikakweji (halwola luze japwile jindola $35, U.S.). Oloze vatuhanyinenga jimbongo kana kuvanga kaha nge natuhetesa jiola vatutomena, nakulinga maungeji akukindulukilako, nakuhana mikanda kweseka naseteko vatulwezele. Eji jimbongo jikiko twazachishilenga kukufwetela zuvo, nakulanda vyakulya, nakufweta kuminyau, nakulanda vitumbo navyuma vyeka.

Vatutumine kuya nakuzachila upayiniya kwakamwihi nanganda yaDurban, yize yatwamina kukalungalwiji vavuluka ngwavo Indian Ocean. Kungalila kana kwavulilenga chikuma vatu vakufuma kuIndia. Chasoloka nge vatu kana vavasemene kuli vatu vakufuma kuIndia vaze vayile kuSouth Africa nakuzata kukapani yakutunga shuka kafwe mu 1875. Halwola twapwile mungalila kana, vaka-India vapwile jino nakuzata milimo yeka oloze vakavangijilenga lika chisemwa chavo. Vahanjikilenga lilimi lyaChingeleshi ngocho chatwashiwilile kuvambulila.

Hakuwana nge vapayiniya vakulipwila vavalweza kwambulula jiola 150 kakweji hikakweji, ngocho yami napuwami twajinyine kuzata jiola 6 halikumbi lyakulivanga. Halikumbi kana kwazumine chikuma. Hakuwana nge katwapwile navilongesa vyaMbimbiliya navatu vakukindulukilakoko, ngocho twayile kaha kuzuvo hizuvo. Kahomu mwahichile lwola, ngwashinganyekele ngwami tunazate jiola jajivulu, oloze omu ngwatalile hakoloko ngwawanyine nge tunazate kaha minyutu 40. Echi changulingishile ngulihulise ngwami, kutala natutesamo mulimo kana tahi?

Kutwala muze twanonekele kanawa jino lwola. Hakumbi hakumbi, twawahishilenga vyakulya nakuhaka kofi muflask. Kufumaho twayilenga jino muwande. Kuheta nalwola lwakunoka, twakunjikilenga minyau yetu mumutondo, kaha shimbu jimwe vatujingilikilenga kuvana vavaIndian. Omu mwahichile makumbi amandende, twejililile jino kuzata mulimo kana.

Twawahililile chikuma kunangula vatu vachisambo muchano wamuMbimbiliya. Twawanyine nge vatu vakufuma kuIndia vapwa vakalemesa, vachisambo, kaha nawa vazanga Kalunga. Kaha nawa vatu vavavulu vamukwitava chavaHindu vetavililenga mujimbu twavambulililenga. Vazangile kulinangula hali Yehova, naYesu, naMbimbiliya, navyakaye kakahya navyuma navikasoloka kuli vaze vafwa. Omu mwahichile mwaka umwe, twapwile nakutwaminyina vilongesa vyaMbimbiliya 20. Hakumbi hakumbi, twalivwishilenga kuwaha kulila hamwe vyakulya navilongesa vyetu. Chikupu vene twawahililile chikuma.

Nakushimbula chiku, vatulwezele tuzate mulimo wakujinguluka. Twazachililenga kujingalila jatwama kungenge yakalungalwiji. Chalumingo hichalumingo, twayilenga nakutwama kujizuvo javandumbwetu, kaha twatambukililenga vandumbwetu vakulisezaseza muchikungulwilo nakuzachila navo hamwe muwande mangana tuvakolezeze. Vandumbwetu vatusolwelelenga chisambo omu twapwilenga kujizuvo javo, nakulivwisa kuwaha kushikama navo hamwe navana vavo, nakuhemesa vimuna javo. Twazachile mulimo wakujinguluka hamyaka yivali. Likumbi limwe twatambwile shinga kufuma kumutango, vatulwezele ngwavo, “Tunakusaka mukinduluke cheka kuMbetele.” Ngwavakumbulwile ngwami, “Tuli nakulivwisa kuwaha kuzachila kuno.” Oloze twalisuwile vatuhane kala mulimo navatulweza.

Omu twakindulukile kuMbetele, ngwazachilililenga kuLipatimende lyaMulimo, ngwazachililenga hamwe navandumbwami vakulindunuka. Halwola luze, nge kalama wakujinguluka natambukila chikungulwilo, atuminenga lipoti kuofesi yamutango. Kufumaho ofesi yamutango yatuminyinyinenga chikungulwilo mukanda. Mukanda kana wakolezezelenga vandumbwetu muchikungulwilo nakuvalweza nawa haze vatela kuzachila. Ngocho vaka-kusoneka kuLipatimende lyaMulimo vapwile namulimo waunene wakwalumuna malipoti vasonekelenga tulama vakujinguluka kufuma mumalimi aXhosa, naZulu, naeka nakutwala muChingeleshi. Kaha nawa valumwinenga mikanda navasoneka kumutango kufuma muChingeleshi nakutwala mumalimi amuAfrica. Ngweji kusakwililanga ava vandumbwetu vakilikichilenga hakwalumuna eyi mikanda nakungukafwa nawa ngutachikize ukalu vapwile nakumona vandumbwetu velava vamuAfrica.

Halwola kana, vatu vamuSouth Africa vapwile nakuvayula kuli vindele. Hakuwana nge vatu vatwaminenga mujingalila kweseka nachikova chavo,  ngocho chapwile chachikalu vatu vakwechi vikova vyakulihandununa kupwa hamwe nakushimutwila. Ngocho, vandumbwetu velava vamuAfrica vahanjikilenga kaha malimi avo, nakwambulwila mujingalila muze mwatwama vatu velava, nakukungulukila kuvikungulwilo kuze vahanjika kaha malimi avo.

Ngwatachikijile kaha vatu vavandende vamuAfrica, mwomwo ngalila yakwambulwila yachikungulwilo chetu mwapwilenga kaha vaze vahanjika Chingeleshi. Jino ngwaputukile kutachikiza kanawa vatu velava vamuAfrica nachisemwa chavo navilika veji kulinganga. Ngwatachikijile jino ukalu vapwile nakumona vandumbwetu vamuAfrica omu vakanyinenga kwazana muvisemwa nakukana kunangula chamukwitava chamakuli. Chikupu vene, vapwile vakuhamuka hakukana visemwa vize vyalimbalaka naMbimbiliya, nakupwa vakumika omu vavafumbukililenga kuli vausoko wavo navatu vamungalila vatwama mwomwo yakukana kukavangiza visemwa vize vyakundwiza kupanda. Kaha vandumbwetu vaze vatwaminenga kumembo vamwenenga ukalu wauvulu mwomwo yauhutu. Numba tuhu vavavulu kavatangilenga mashikolako, oloze vamwenenga Mbimbiliya kupwa yayilemu.

Vanguhanyine nawa mulimo wakutala havihande vyakupandama kulisesa vatwama nalyo vandumbwetu lyakulemesa Kalunga nakuhona kwazana muvihande vyalifuchi nachiyulo. Lufwelelo lwami lwazamine omu ngwamwene vandumbwami vavanyike navapwa lika vakushishika kuli Yehova nakumika omu vavahangile kushikola mwomwo yakukana kulomba nakwimba myaso yamukwitava.

Kaha nawa vandumbwetu vaze vapwilenga mulifuchi lyaSwaziland vamwenenga ukalu. Omu Mwangana Sobhuza II afwile, vatu vosena mulifuchi vavalwezele vazane muvisemwa vimwe vyakutalisa kukulila mwangana. Malunga vavalwezele vateule jikambu, kaha mapwevo vavalwezele vakambe jikambu. Shikaho, vandumbwetu vavavulu vavayanjishile mwomwo yakukana kwazana muvisemwa kanevi vyakutalisa kukulemesa vakulu. Twawahililile chikuma omu vandumbwetu vatwalileho lika kupwa vakushishika kuli Yehova. Chikupu vene, twalinangwile vyavivulu kuli vandumbwetu vamuAfrica vaze vapwile vakushishika kuli Yehova nakupwa namuchima wakutalilila chikoki. Echi chazamishile lufwelelo lwetu.

Kuheta mu 1981, vangulwezele nguzachile cheka kumakina akupulita. Ngwalivwishilenga kuwaha kuzata mulimo kana. Jijila jakupulitilamo japwilenga nakwalumuka. Lwola lumwe mukulwane atala vyakulanjisa makina akupulita wamuSouth Africa ahanyine  ofesi yamutango likina limwe lyalihya mangana valyeseke kulizachisa hawana wakanyombo. Echi chalingishile twechenga kuzachisa makina 9 twapwile nawo hamutango nakushishisamo makina amahya 5. Kaha nawa twalanjile likina likwavo lyalinene lyakutukafwa kupulita. Echi chalingishile tuputuke kupulita mikanda yayivulu chikuma kuhambakana kunyima.

Kuzachisa jikopyuta chatukafwile nawa tutunge polongalamu vavuluka ngwavo MEPS, [Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System.] Eyi polongalamu yinatukafwe tutunge jijila jajihya jakuwahishilamo vasona vasoloke kanawa hamapapilo. Chikupu vene tunamono omu chinyingi chamakina chinazovoloka chikuma kufuma halwola luze ami navandumbwami vatatu vatulwezele tufume haMbetele yamuCanada nakuya nakuzachila kumakina hamutango wamuSouth Africa. (Isa. 60:17) Tuvosena mutwayililile kuSouth Africa twambachile mapwevo vamwenemwene, vaze vazachilenga upayiniya kaha nawa vazangile chikuma Yehova. Yami nandumbwami Bill twapwile lika nakuzachila haMbetele, kaha ndumbwami Ken naDennis vapwile navana, ngocho vatwaminenga kwakamwihi naMbetele.

Milimo yapwile nakuvulilako hamutango wamuSouth Africa. Chakutalilaho, vaputukile mulimo wakwalumuna mikanda yahanjika haMbimbiliya nakuyipulita mumalimi amavulu, nakuyituma kumitango yikwavo. Shikaho, kwapwile nakusakiwa chihela cheka chakutungilaho Mbetele. Ngocho vatungile Mbetele yayihya hachihela chamwaza chamunganda yaJohannesburg, kaha vayikunjikile mu 1987. Ngwevwile kuwaha chikuma kwazana mumulimo wakutunga Mbetele kaneyi yayihya nakupwa nawa muKomiti yaMutango wamuSouth Africa hamyaka yayivulu.

Kuheta mu 2001, ami napuwami twalikomokelele chikuma omu vangulwezele ngwavo tuyenga haMbetele yamuUnited States mangana ngukapwe muKomiti yaMutango yayihya vanatungu. Numba tuhu twahombele mwomwo yakuseza masepa jetu namilimo twazachilenga muSouth Africa, oloze twawahililile hakuputuka chiyoyelo chachihya haMbetele yamuUnited States.

Twalizakaminyine chikuma kuseza naye yapuwami muAfrica mwomwo apwile kashinakaji. Katwahashile kumukafwa chikumako mwomwo yakutwama kwakusuku, oloze vanyali jami vamapwevo vatatu valisuwile kuzakama nevo. Vambile ngwavo: “Etu katweshi kuhasa kupwa mumulimo washimbu yosenako, shikaho nge etu natuzakama mama, kaha nachimikafwa mutwalaho lika kuzata mulimo washimbu yosena.” Tweji kuvasakwililanga chikuma hamuchima wavo wakulisuula.

Omu mukiko alingilenga songo yami napuwenyi vaze vapwile nakutwama muToronto muCanada. Navakiko vazakaminenga mama uze apwile tuliwe. Vatwaminenga namama kuzuvo yavo hamyaka yakuhambakana 20. Tweji kuvasakwililanga chikuma hakuzakama mama swi nomu afwile omu mwahichile makumbi amandende kufuma haze twejile muNew York. Chapwa hikutokwa chachinene kupwa navausoko vaze navalisuula kwalumunako chiyoyelo chavo mangana vazakame visemi vatushinakaji, numba tuhu shimbu jimwe chapwa chachikalu kuvazakama.

Mulimo watete ngwazachile muUnited States wapwile wakupulita mikanda, mulimo uze jino vanashiwisa makumbi ano. Oholyapwa ngunakuzachila kuLipatimende lyaKulanda Vyuma. Ngwawahilila chikuma kuzachila haMbetele yayinene ngana, haze hali jino vaka-Mbetele vakuheta kafwe 5,000, navandumbwetu kafwe 2,000 vaze veji kufuminyinanga kujizuvo nakuzachila haMbetele.

Myaka 60 kunyima kangwashinganyekele ngwami nangukapwa haMbetele kanako. Puwami Laura nangukundwizanga hamyaka yosena eyi tunazachila Yehova. Chikupu vene echi chikiko kuyoya chamwenemwene. Twamona milimo yosena yize vanatuhanenga muliuka kupwa yayilemu, kaha nawa tunalivwisanga kuwaha kuzachila hamwe navandumbwetu vakulisezaseza kuhakilako navandumbwetu vaze vatwama hajiMbetele jize tunatambukilanga mumafuchi akulisezaseza. Oholyapwa jino nguli namyaka yakusemuka yakuhambakana 80, ngocho vanguhana milimo yayindende, eyi yikwavo vali jino nakuyizata kuli vandumbwetu vavakweze vavavulu vaze vali nangolo.

Muka-kwimba jisamu asonekele ngwenyi: “Wawahilila muyachi uze ukwechi Kalunga kawo Yehova.” (Samu 33:12) Chikupu vene mazu kana apwa amuchano. Ngwasakwilila chikuma Yehova hakungwitavisa ngumuzachile hamwe navangamba jenyi vaze vapwa vakuwahilila.