Ngwasemukile ha 19 May, mumwaka wa 1940, mumbaka yaAmioûn, mulifuchi lyaLebanon. Omu mwahichile myaka yayindende, tanga yetu yalukilile munganda yaTripoli. Tanga yetu yapwile yakuwahilila. Kaha nawa twazangile chikuma Yehova Kalunga. Twasemuka vatanu, mapwevo vatatu, malunga vavali, kaha ami yami kasulasongo. Visemi jetu kavafwilililenga kupwa najimbongoko. Twazangile chikuma kulinangula Mbimbiliya, nakuyanga kukukunguluka nakunangula vatu vyaKalunga.

Muchikungulwilo chetu mwapwile vandumbwetu vakuwavisa vavavulu. Hali ava vandumbwetu vakuwavisa, hapwile nandumbwetu Michel Aboud, uze atwaminyinyinenga chilongesa chamukanda. Alinangwilile muchano muNew York. Ikiye apwile watete kwambulula mujimbu wamwaza muLebanon mu 1921. Ngweji kwanukanga nawa omu ou ndumbwetu apwilenga nakukafwa vandumbwetu vamapwevo vaAnne naGwen Beavor, vaze vafumine kuShikola yaNgileyate. Ava vandumbwetu vamapwevo vapwile jino masepa jetu. Omu mwahichile myaka yayivulu, ngwawahililile chikuma omu ngwaliwanyine nandumbwetu Anne muUnited States. Kaha kutwala muze ngwaliwanyine cheka nandumbwami Gwen, halwola kana hanasomboka lyehi kuli ndumbwetu Wilfred Gooch. Halwola kana vapwile nakuzachila hamutango wamuLondon, mulifuchi lyaEngland.

Mulifuchi lyaLebanon mwapwile Vinjiho vavandende halwola ngwapwile ngumukweze. Oloze twazachilenga mulimo wakwambulula natwima. Twazachilenga mulimo kanou chamokomoko nakutufumbukila kuli vatwamina vamwe vamukwitava. Vyuma vimwe vyasolokele ngweji kuvyanukanga noholyapwa.

Likumbi limwe, ami nayayami Sana twapwile nakwambulula mujimbu wamwaza. Nakushimbula chiku, kapilishitu umwe ejile kuze twapwile nakwambulwila. Pamo kwapwile mutu amulwezele. Ou kapilishitu aputukile kuhenda yayami nakumushinjikila hamavu, kaha alikolesele. Mutu umwe atuminyinyine shinga tupokola, ngocho tupokola vejile. Kaha valwezele mutu umwe azakame Sana. Tupokola vatwalile ou kapilishitu kuofesi yavo. Kahomu vamukekesele, vamuwanyine nauta. Mukulwane watupokola amuhulishile ngwenyi: “Uno ove weji kunangulanga vatu vyaKalunga tahi, nyi weji kunangulanga vatu vyaulyanyi?”

Chuma chikwavo ngweji kwanukanga shina chize chasolokele omu chikungulwilo chetu chakumwine sacha nakuya nakwambulwila kumbaka yakwakusuku. Twalivwishile kuwaha kwambulwila kuchihela kana. Oloze nakushimbula chiku, kapilishitu wakuchihela kana evwile kupihya havyuma twapwile nakulinga, ngocho akungulwile lizavu lyavatu mangana litulukuke. Vatuhendele, nakutwasa malolwa, kaha tata vamulemekele. Ngocho kumeso kwosena kwapwile manyinga kaha. Tata namama vayile nakutwama muminyau, kahetu tuvosena twavakavile oku tunalizakamina. Oloze chuma kangweshi kukavulyamako shina echi, omu mama apwile nakukosa tata hajimbandu, ahanjikile ngwenyi: “Ove Yehova, vakonekele mwomwo kavatachikijile vyuma vali nakulingako.”

Kuli chuma cheka nawa chasolokele omu twayile nakumeneka vausoko wetu. Omu ngwayile kuzuvo yavakaka, ngwawanyineko twamina wamukwitava. Ou twamina atachikijile ngwenyi visemi jami vapwa Vinjiho jaYehova. Numba tuhu ngwapwile namyaka yakusemuka 6, oloze anguhulishile ngwenyi, “Ove mwana, ika vahonena kukumbapachisa?” Ngwamukumbulwile ngwami, nguchili ngukanyike. Ngocho hakusaka ngutengamo kungumbapachisa, ngwatela kutachikiza vyuma vyavivulu vyamuMbimbiliya nakupwa nalufwelelo lwakukola. Apihililile najila ngwamukumbulwililemo. Ngocho alwezele kaka ngwenyi ou muzukulyove wakasautu.

Numba tuhu kwapwile vyuma vyavivulu vyavipi vyatusolokelele omu twapwile muLebanon, oloze vatu vamulifuchi kana vapwa vamwaza michima kaha nawa vazumbu. Echi chatulingishile tulivwise kuwaha kwambulila vatu muchano wamuMbimbiliya, nakutwaminyina vilongesa vyaMbimbiliya vyavivulu.

Omu ngwapwile kushikola, ndumbwetu umwe wamukweze ejile mulifuchi lyaLebanon. Apwile nakukungulukilanga muchikungulwilo chetu, kaha mukuhita chalwola, vaputukile kulitachikiza nayayami Wafa. Kaha mukuhita chalwola valimbachile, ngocho vayile nakutwama mulifuchi lyaVenezuela. Yayami Wafa atuminyinyinenga mikanda tata nakumulweza ngwenyi tanga yetu yosena yalukile muVenezuela. Asakile twaluke mangana atumonenga  kuswakumwe. Atukunywile, ngocho tanga yetu yosena yalukilile kuVenezuela.

Twalukilile muVenezuela mumwaka wa 1953, kaha twatwaminenga muCaracas, kwakamwihi nazuvo yatwamina walifuchi kana. Hakuwana nge ngwapwile ngumukweze, ngocho ngwafwilililenga kumona omu mwahita twamina mumunyau wenyi waulangaji. Oloze kachapwile chachashi kuli visemi jami kulinangula lilimi, nachisemwa, nakwijilila vyakulya najingonde jamulifuchi kanako. Halwola vapwile nakusaka ngwavo kachi vejilile chiyoyelo chamuVenezuela, kuli chuma chachipi chikuma chasolokele.

Tata aputukile kuviza. Twalikomokelele chikuma mwomwo tata kapwile muka-kuvizavizako. Katwanukile nalikumbi limwe lize avijilehoko. Oloze jino vejile nakumuwana namusongo wakasa. Ngocho vamupulile. Chaluvinda omu mwahichile chalumingo chimwe, tata afwile.

Kufwa chatata chatuhombesele chikuma. Halwola kana ngwapwile namyaka yakusemuka 13. Katwashinganyekele ngwetu tata nahase kufwako. Ngocho kufwa chenyi chatulingishile tushinganyeke ngwetu katweshi kukapwa cheka vakuwahilila mutanga yetuko. Chambachile lwola numba mama etavile ngwenyi tata nafu. Oloze Yehova atukafwile tumike muukalu kanou. Omu ngwapwile namyaka yakusemuka 16, ngwakumishile shikola. Ngocho ngwafwilile kukafwa tanga yetu.

Mukuhita chalwola, yayami Sana vamumbachile kuli Rubén Araujo, uze ayile kuShikola yaNgileyate nakwiza cheka nakuzachila muVenezuela. Kutwala muze valukilile kuNew York. Tanga yetu yasakile nguyenga kuyunivesiti, ngocho ngwayile nakutangila kuNew York mangana ngukatwamenga hamwe nayaya. Yayami nanyali vangukafwile nguzovoloke kushipilitu. Ngwapwile muchikungulwilo chamuBrooklyn chazachishilenga lilimi lyaSpanish. Muchikungulwilo kana mwapwile vandumbwetu vamalunga vavavulu vakuhya kushipilitu. Vandumbwetu vamwe ngwatachikijile shina Milton Henschel naFrederick Franz vaze vazachililenga haMbetele yamuBrooklyn.

Omu ngwapwile kwakamwihi nakukumisa mwaka umwe hayunivesiti muNew York, ngwaputukile kushinganyeka hachiyoyelo chami chakulutwe. Ngocho ngwatangilenga vihande vyamuKaposhi Kakutalila vize vyahanjikilenga hali vandumbwetu vaze valitomenene kulinga vyuma vyamwaza mukuyoya chavo. Vapayiniya navaka-Mbetele vamuchikungulwilo chetu vapwile vakuwahilila. Ngocho ngwafwililile kupwa ngana mwavakiko. Oloze halwola kana nguchapwile kanda vangumbapachise. Kutwala muze, ngwamwene ngwami chapwile chachilemu kulihana kuli Yehova. Ngwazachile nangolo, kaha kuheta ha 30 March, mumwaka wa 1957, vangumbapachishile.

Hanyima yakungumbapachisa, ngwashinganyekele kuputuka kuzata upayiniya. Oloze chapwile chachikalu mwomwo ngwapwile hayunivesiti. Ngocho, ngwatuminyinyinenga mama navayaya jami mikanda yakuvalweza ngwami nguli nakusaka kufuma hayunivesiti nakukinduluka kuVenezuela mangana nguputuke kuzata upayiniya. Ngocho mama navayaya jami navakiko vangutuminyinyinenga mikanda.

Ngwakindulukile kuCaracas muJune 1957. Oloze chiyoyelo chatanga yetu kachapwile kanawako. Vasakiwilenga  mutu mukwavo mutanga atelelele kuvazakama kumujimba. Ngocho ngwafwililile kuvakafwa. Ngwawanyine mulimo kunyambaulu oloze nawa ngwasakilenga kuzata upayiniya, mwomwo ngwakindulukile kuVenezuela ngwami nguzate upayiniya. Ngocho ngwafwililile kuzata milimo yosena yivali. Hamyaka yayivulu, ngwazachilenga kunyambaulu oku nguli nakuzata upayiniya. Numba tuhu ngwazachilenga milimo yosena yivali, oloze kangwawahilililenga chikumako.

Ngwawahililile chikuma omu ngwambachile Sylvia, ndumbwami wamwaza wakuGerman uze azanga chikuma Yehova. Sylvia navisemi jenyi valukilile muVenezuela. Mukuhita chalwola, twasemene vana vavali, ou walunga ou pwevo. Mwanetu walunga ikiye Michel (Mike), kaha wapwevo ikiye Samira. Halwola kana ngwapwile nawa namulimo wakuzakama mama mwomwo ejile nakutwama nayetu. Numba tuhu ngwechele upayiniya mangana nguzakame tanga yami, oloze ngwazachilenga ngana mwapayiniya. Twazachililenga hamwe upayiniya wakukafwa napuwami kachi nge tuli hamakumbi akunoka kumilimo.

Halwola vyasolokele vyuma vize ngwahanjikanga kumaputukilo achino chihande, vana vami vachapwile lika kushikola. Chiyoyelo chami chapwile chauhando, kaha vakwetu mutwazachililenga kunyambaulu vanguvumbikilenga. Oloze ngwasakilenga vatu vangutachikize ngwavo ngwapwa ngungamba yaYehova. Ngwashinganyekelenga lika havyuma ngwatelele kulinga mangana vatu vangumonenga kupwa ngungamba yaYehova. Ngocho ami napuwami twatwamine hamavu mangana tuwane vyuma natulinga. Ngwatachikijile ngwami nge nangwecha kuzata milimo kunyambaulu, kaha navanguhana jimbongo jajivulu chikuma. Hakuwana nge katwapwile namikuliko ngocho twamwene ngwetu nge natwashiwisako chiyoyelo chetu kaha natupwa najimbongo jajivulu jize najitukafwa hamyaka yayivulu.

Kachapwile chachashi kusakula kulinga chuma kanako. Oloze puwami namama vangukundwijile. Ngocho ngwaputukile kushinganyeka kuzata cheka upayiniya. Ngwawahililile chikuma, kaha ngwalizangile kuputuka kuzata upayiniya. Oloze kuli chuma chikwavo chamwaza chasolokele.

Likumbi limwe ndotolo atulwezele ngwenyi puwami nemita. Ngwawahililile chikuma hakwivwa mujimbu kana. Oloze ngwashinganyekelenga nawa omwo ngunahase kuputuka kuzata upayiniya. Ngwalihulishile ngwami, ‘Hakuwana nge natupwa nakemba ngunahase kuzata ngachilihi upayiniya?’ Twawahishile vyuma mangana tulizange kupwa nakemba. Oloze ngwashinganyekelenga lika numba nge ngunahase kuzata upayiniya nyi chiku.

 Hanyima yakushimutwila mwatanga twamwene jino ngwetu ngunahase tuhu kuputuka kuzata upayiniya. Kuheta muApril 1985, twakwachile mwana walunga, kaha twamulukile ngwetu Gabriel. Kaha kuheta muJune ngwechele kuzata kunyambaulu nakuputuka cheka kuzata upayiniya washimbu yosena. Kutwala muze ngwapwile nakutokwa chakuzata muKomiti yaMutango. Hakuwana nge kufuma okwo ngwapwilenga nakutwama nakuya hamutango hapwile jikilomita kafwe 80, ngocho ngwayilenga nakuzachila hamutango makumbi avali chipwe atatu muchalumingo.

Hakuwana nge ofesi yamutango yapwililile mumbaka yaLa Victoria, ngocho ami natanga yami twalukilile mumbaka kana mangana tutwamenga kwakamwihi namutango. Chuma kana chalumwine kuyoya chetu. Ngwatokwa chikuma kupwa natanga kaneyi yeji kungukundwizanga, kaha ngweji kuvasakwililanga chikuma. Yayami wapwevo Baha alihanyine ngwenyi mwalamanga mama. Kaha nawa Michel ambachile, oloze Samira naGabriel tuchapwile nakutwama navo hazuvo. Hakuwana nge twalukilile kumbaka yaLa Victoria, ngocho twasele masepa jetu kuCaracas. Puwami nawa atelele kwijilila kutwama mumbaka yayindende hakuwana nge twafumine munganda yayinene. Kahetu tuvosena mwatanga twatelelele kwijilila kutwama muzuvo yayindende. Chikupu vene, chasakiwile kulisuula kufuma kuCaracas nakuya nakutwama kuLa Victoria.

Omu twapwile nakutwama mumbaka kana, mwanetu Gabriel ambachile, kaha mwanetu Samira nawa aputukile kutwama ukawenyi. Kaha kuheta mu 2007 ami napuwami vatusanyikile tuyenga nakuzachila haMbetele. Noholyapwa tuchili lika nakuzachila haMbetele. Mwanetu watwatwa Michel apwa mukulwane muchikungulwilo, kaha eji kuzatanga upayiniya hamwe napuwenyi Monica. Mwanetu Gabriel naikiye apwa mukulwane muchikungulwilo. Ikiye napuwenyi Ambra vatwama mulifuchi lyaItaly. Kaha nawa mwanetu Samira apwa payiniya, kaha eji kuzatangako mulimo wakulisakila haMbetele.

Chikupu vene, ngwalingilenga vyuma vyavivulu mukuyoya chami. Kaha kangwaliveyako, mwomwo kusakula kulinga vyuma kana chinangulingisa nguwahilile mukuyoya chami. Ngweji kusakwililanga chikuma Yehova hakungukafwa ngumuzachile. Hamyaka yoseneyi yinahichi kunyima, ngunamono ngwami chapwa chachilemu kupwa nausepa wakukola naYehova. Kachi nge tuli nakusakula kulinga kala vyuma mukuyoya chetu, Yehova nahase kutuhana kuunda chize “chahambakana kunangakana chosena.” (Fwili. 4:6, 7) Ami napuwami tuli nakulivwisa kuwaha kuzachila haMbetele. Kaha tunamono ngwetu Yehova natukisula mwomwo yakupendamina hali Yehova muvyuma vyosena.