NGWASEMUKILILE muWichita, Kansas, muU.S.A., haDecember 10, 1936. Twasemuka tuvawana, kaha ami twatwa. Visemi jami vaWilliam naJean vapwile Vinjiho jaYehova vatwima. Tata apwile muka-kuzachila chikungulwilo, uze vanakuvuluka makumbi ano ngwavo muka-kuwanyisa lizavu lyavakulwane. Mama vamunangwile muchano kuli naye Emma Wagner. Emma anangwile vatu vavavulu muchano kuhakilako naGertrude Steele, uze azachile umishonali hamyaka yayivuulu muPuerto Rico. * Shikaho ngwapwile navyakutalilaho vyamwenemwene vyavivulu ngwatelele kukavangiza.

Likumbi limwe haSateli nachingoloshi, twapwile natata nakuhana vatu jimangazini jaKaposhi Kakutalila naConsolation (uze tunakuvuluka ngwetu Tonenu!) omu ngwapwile namyaka yakusemuka 5. Halwola kana lifuchi lyetu lyazanyine muJita yaKaye yamuchivali. Ndotolo umwe wachitakwa ejile nakutoleka tata hakukana kwazana mujita mwomwo yalufwelelo lwenyi. Ambile ngwenyi tata apwile nawoma kaha nawa achinyine milimo yauswalale. Ou ndotolo atalile tata swi nakwamba ngwenyi, “Nge unasake nguvete, ove chingutwa!” Ngwapihililile chikuma oloze ngwalikomokelele omu tata ahonene kupihilila. Atwalilileho nakuhana jimangazini kuvatu vaze vakungulukile. Kwapwile nakuhita liswalale, kaha uze ndotolo atambakanyine ngwenyi, “Muzangamise ou chingutwa!” Ou liswalele amwene ngwenyi ou ndotolo napende, shikaho amulwezele ngwenyi, “Yako kuzuvo ukasavale.” Kaha vayile. Ngwasakwililile chikuma Yehova hakukafwa tata apwenga namuchima wakumika. Tata apwile navitanda vivali vyakutewila muWichita, kaha ou ndotolo apwile nakusekasanyina chimwe.

Omu ngwapwile namyaka yakusemuka 8, visemi jami valanjishile zuvo navitanda vyavo, kaha vatungile zuvo yakutambuka nayo. Kaha twayile muColorado nakuzachila kuze kwapwila nakusakiwa vaka-kwambulula. Twatwamine kwakamwihi nanganda yaGrand Junction, kaha visemi jami  vapwile nakuzata upayiniya oku nawa vapwile vanjimi nakulama vimuna. Yehova avakafwile vatunge chikungulwilo mwomwo yakuzata natwima mulimo wakwambulula. Kaha haJune 20, 1948, tata angumbapachishile mumwanakalwiji wakupili hohamwe navaze vetavilile muchano vakufwana nge Billie Nichols napuwenyi. Kutwala muze Billie aputukile kuzata mwakalama wakujinguluka, mulimo uze azachilenga namwanenyi.

Twalivwishilenga kuwaha kushimutwila vyakushipilitu navandumbwetu vaze vazachilenga chikuma mulimo waWangana, chikumanyi tanga yaSteele, vaDon napuwenyi Earlene, naDave napuwenyi Julia, naSi napuwenyi Martha vaze vangukafwile ngwalumune chiyoyelo chami. Vangukafwile ngupwenga wakusuuluka mukuyoya chami hakuhaka chatete Wangana kulutwe.

Omu ngwapwile namyaka yakusemuka 19, sepa lyami Bud Hasty, angulwezele nguzate upayiniya kungalila yakusulo yaUnited States. Oloze kalama wakujinguluka atulwezele tuyenga nakuzachila kuRuston Louisiana kuze kwapwile nakusakiwa kukafwa. Vatulwezele kutwaminyinanga kukunguluka chosena chalumingo hichalumingo chamokomoko nakuvula chavatu. Twawanyine chihela chamwaza chakutungila Zuvo yaWangana, kaha twayitungile. Twatwaminyinenga kukunguluka chosena, oloze shimbu jimwe twakungulukilenga kaha tuvavali. Twalipangililenga vihande, umwe mwatwaminyina kaha mukwavo mwakumbulula vihula vyosena. Nge muchihande muli chimweso, kaha tuvosena twayilenga hautenda nakulinga chimweso. Kutwala muze ndumbwetu umwe wakashinakaji aputukile kukunguluka. Kaha vilongesa vimwe vyaMbimbiliya navandumbwetu vamwe vaze vazeyele kushipilitu vaputukile kwiza kukukunguluka. Kutwala muze chikungulwilo chaputukile kuzovoloka.

Likumbi limwe ami nandumbu Bud twawanyine mukulwane waChurch of Christ, uze ahanjikile visoneka vize kangwatachikijileko. Chuma kana changukomwesele nakungulingisa ngushinganyeke chikuma havyuma ngwafwelelele. Ngwahehwojwelenga mumikanda naufuku hachalumingo chamuundu mangana nguwane muvakumbulwila vihula ahulishile. Echi changukafwile ngutachikize kanawa muchano, kaha ngwapwile jino wakulizanga kushimutwila natwamina wachachi mukwavo.

Kutwala muze, kalama wakujinguluka angulwezele nguyenga kunganda yaEl Dorado, muArkansas, nakukafwa chikungulwilo. Omu ngwapwile kuze, ngwayilenga kakavulu kuColorado nakushimutwila nalizavu lyakwingisa vatu uswalale. Halwola lumwe omu twapwile nakuya navakwetu vapayiniya muminyau yami, twengilile muponde munganda yaTexas, kaha minyau yami yalyenyekele chikuma. Twasanyikile ndumbwetu kaha atutwalile kuzuvo yenyi.  Kufumaho twayile nenyi kukukunguluka. Vavilikile muZuvo yaWangana ngwavo vandumbwetu vamwe vali muukalu, kaha vatuhanyine jimbongo jakulikafwa najo. Ou ndumbwetu alanjishile naminyau yami najindola 25.

Twahashile jino kukinduluka kuWichita, kuli ndumbwetu McCartney, uze apwile payiniya. Vapasa jenyi, vaFrank naFrancis, vapwa masepa jami chikuma noholyapwa. Vapwile naminyau yavo, kaha vangulanjishileyo najindola 25, kweseka najimbongo ngwalanjishile minyau yami. Elu lwapwile lwola lwatete ngwamwene ngwami Yehova nanguzakama kumujimba hakuhaka chatete Wangana wenyi kulutwe. Halwola kana, ndumbu McCartneys angujimbwile kuli ndumbwetu wapwevo watwima Bethel Crane. Naye Ruth apwile Chinjiho watwima muWellington, muKansas, uze atwalilileho kuzata natwima upayiniya omu apwile namyaka yakusemuka yakuji 90. Omu mwahichile tukweji vavavulu ngwambachile Bethel mu 1958, kaha naikiye aputukile kuzata upayiniya muEl Dorado.

Hakushinganyeka havyakutalilaho vyamwaza vyandumbwetu vatwima, twalisuwile kuzata kala milimo vatuhanyine muliuka lyaYehova. Shikaho vatutumine kuya nakuzata upayiniya wakulipwila mumbaka yaWalnut Ridge, muArkansas. Kaha mu 1962 vatusanyikile kushikola yaNgileyate yakusokesa 37. Twawahililile chikuma kupwa hamwe naDon Steele mushikola. Omu yakumine shikola ami napuwami vatutumine munganda yaNairobi, muKenya. Twevwile ushona kuseza nganda yaNew York, oloze twawahililile chikuma omu vandumbwetu vejile nakutumbata kuchivaza chandeke muNairobi.

Twazangile chikuma lifuchi lyaKenya kaha twalivwishilenga kuwaha kwambulula mujimbu. Chris napuwenyi Mary Kanaiya vakiko vatete twanangwile Mbimbiliya kaha vazovolokele. Vachili nakuzata natwima mulimo washimbu yosena muKenya. Mwaka wakavangijileho, vatutumine kuya nakuzachila munganda yaKampala, muUganda. Yetu twapwile vamishonali vatete mulifuchi kana. Lwola kana lwapwile lwamwaza chikuma mwomwo vatu vavavulu mulifuchi kana, vafwililile kulinangula muchano wamuMbimbiliya kaha valumukile nakupwa vandumbwetu. Oloze omu mwahichile myaka yitatu nachimbwa, twakindulukile kuUnited States mangana tukaseme vana. Twevwile ushona chikuma kufuma muAfrica, kuhambakana muze twevwile omu twasezele nganda yaNew York. Twazangile chikuma vatu vamuAfrica, kaha twashinganyekele ngwetu likumbi limwe natukakinduluka.

Twatwaminenga mungalila yakumulauko waColorado, kuze vatwaminenga visemi jami. Twasemene mwana wapwevo, Kimberly. Kahomu mwahichile tukweji 17, twasemene Stephany. Twahakile muchima kumulimo wakulela vana, kaha twanangwilenga vana vetu muchano wamuMbimbiliya. Twasakile kukavangiza vandumbwetu vaze vatusela chakutalilaho chamwenemwene. Numba tuhu kuli vyakutalilaho vyamwenemwene vize navihasa kukafwa vana, oloze kachalumbununa nge navakiko navakazachilanga Yehova omu navakakolako. Songo yami walunga nou wapwevo vasezele muchano. Ngwafwelela ngwami navakalondezeza cheka vyakutalilaho vyamwenemwene vize vatusela vandumbwetu.

Twawahililile chikuma kulela vana vetu, kaha twevwilenga kuwaha kuzachila hamwe mwatanga. Hakuwana nge twatwaminenga kwakamwihi naAspen, muColorado, ngocho twazangilenga kuhemena hameya akaza aze alumbaminenga. Twashimutwililenga navana vetu halwola kanelu lwakulihizumuna. Omu twayilenga nawa kuvihela vyeka nakuhema,  twawikilenga kakahya nakushimutwila navo. Numba tuhu vapwile vanyike, oloze vahulishilenga vihula vyakufwana nge, “Vyuma muka nangukalinga nge ngunakolo, kaha ngwatela kukasomboka kulunga wakufwana ngachilihi?” Twafwililile kukafwa vana vetu vatachikize vyuma vyavilemu vyakushipilitu nakuvilama. Twavakafwilenga vafwile kuzata mulimo washimbu yosena nakusomboka kumalunga vaze vazanga mulimo washimbu yosena. Twavakafwile nawa vatachikize ovyo chapwila chakuhenga kusomboka winyike. Twavalwezelenga ngwetu, “Twamenunga lika ujila swi nomu namukapwa namyaka 23 nakuhambakanyisaho.”

Twazangilenga kukunguluka hamwe navana vetu shimbu yosena nakuya navo mumulimo wakwambulula ngana muze valingilenga visemi jetu. Twalanyinengako vandumbwetu vaze vapwile mumulimo washimbu yosena kwiza nakushikama kuzuvo yetu. Kaha nawa twashimutwililenga vyuma twalivwishile kuwaha mumulimo waumishonali. Twafwelelele ngwetu lwola lumwe natukaya muAfrica navana vetu. Vana vetu vazangile kuya kuAfrica.

Lwola lwosena twapwilenga nachilongesa chatanga, kaha twalingilenga vimweso vize twalingilenga kushikola yaNgileyate. Hakulinga vimweso, vana vetu vapwilenga vaka-kwambulula vaze navakumbulula vihula. Chawahilenga chikuma, kaha chavakafwile vapwenga vakumika. Omu vapwile nakuya nakukola, vayayavalilenga shimbu jimwe hakupwa nachilongesa chatanga lwola lwosena. Nge vanayayavala, kaha ngwavalwezelenga vayenga nakusavala, kaha katwapwilenga nachilongesako. Valikomokelelenga chikuma, kaha valililenga nakwamba ngwavo tunakusaka kulinangula. Twatachikijile jino ngwetu chikupu vene tuli nakunangula vana vetu vazange vyuma vyakushipilitu shimbu vachili vanyike. Vazangilenga kulinangula, kaha twavalwezelenga vahanjike vili kumichima yavo. Shimbu jimwe kavetavililenga vyuma vimwe vapwile nakulinangulako. Oloze twatachikijile vyuma vapwile nakushinganyeka. Twashimutwililenga navo, kaha vevwishishilenga vishinganyeka vyaYehova hachihande kana.

Mulimo wakulela vana watwashiwilile chikuma kuhambakana muze twashinganyekele hakavanga. Twahashile kulela kanawa vana vetu vazange Yehova mwomwo yakutukafwa kuliuka lyenyi navandumbwetu. Twawahililile chikuma omu vana vetu vaputukile kuzata upayiniya omu vakumishile kutanga shikola. Kaha valinangwile milimo yize yavakafwile mwakuyoyela. Vayile navandumbwetu vamapwevo vavali kuCleveland, muTennessee, kuze kwapwile nakusakiwa vaka-kwambulula. Twalinyengele omu vatusele. Oloze twawahililile hakutachikiza ngwetu vapwile nakuzachila Kalunga mumulimo washimbu yosena. Ami napuwami twaputukile nawa upayiniya, echi chalingishile tuzate namilimo yikwavo. Twazachile mulimo wakukwachilako kalama wakujinguluka namilimo yahakukunguluka changalila.

Shimbu kanda vana vetu vayenga kuTennessee, vana vetu vayile nakutala ofesi yamutanga yaEngland muLondon. Stephany wamyaka yakusemuka 19, aliwanyine nandumbwetu Paul Norton, uze apwile nakuzachila haMbetele. Omu vakindulukilileko nawa, Kimberly aliwanyine naBrian Llewellyn uze azachilenga nenyi kumilimo. Omu Stephany apwile namyaka yakusemuka 23 asombokele kuli Paul. Kaha mwaka wakavangijileho, naKimberly asombokele kuli Brian omu apwile namyaka yakusemuka 25. Vakavangijile mazu twavalwezele ngwetu vatela kusomboka namyaka 23 nakuhambakanaho. Twasuulukile kuvetavisa vasomboke kumalunga vakuhya kushipilitu.

Vana vetu vakavangijile chakutalilaho chetu nechi chavakaka javo chize chavakafwile kwononoka mazu aYesu akusaka chatete Wangana waKalunga numba tuhu vamwenenga ukalu wakuwana jimbongo jakulikafwa najo. (Mateu 6:33) Mu April 1998, Paul napwevo lyenyi Stephany vavasanyikile kushikola yaNgileyate yakusokesa 105. Kahomu yakumine shikola, vavatumine kuya nakuzachila kuMalawi, muAfrica. Halwola lwolumwe, Brian naupwenyi Kimberly vavasanyikile kuya nakuzachila haMbetele yamuLondon. Kaha kutwala muze vavatumine kuya nakuzachila haMbetele yamuMalawi. Twawahililile chikuma hakuwana nge vasakwile kuzachila Kalunga muunyike.

MuJanuary 2001, vangutuminyinyine shinga kuli ndumbu Marais, wamuLipatimende Lyatala haMulimo waKwalumuna Mikanda. Angulwezele ngwenyi  vandumbwetu vanawahisa shikola yaChingeleshi yavaka-kwalumuna mikanda mukaye kosena. Halwola kana te nguli namyaka yakusemuka 64, oloze vangusakwile kupwa halizavu lyavaka-kunangula. Ngwalombele napuwami, kaha twashimutwilile chihande kana navisemi jetu mangana vatukafwe. Visemi jetu vatulwezele tuyenga numba tuhu vasakiwile kuvazakama kuli yetu. Ngwatuminyinyine shinga ndumbu Marais nakumulweza ngwami tunetavila kuzata mulimo kanou wamwaza.

Mama vamuwanyine namusongo wakasa. Ngwalwezele mama ngwami kangweshi kuyako mangana tulikafwe kumilama nasongo yami Linda. Mama ambile ngwenyi, “Nachipihya nge kaweshi kuyako. Nangwivwa kupihya chikuma nge kaweshi kuyako.” Omu mukiko ambile naLinda. Twasakwililile chikuma hakutukafwa kuli visemi jetu navandumbwetu vamungalila yetu. Omu mwahichile likumbi limwe kufuma halikumbi twakatukile nakuya kuchikota chetu chaWatchtower Educational Center muPatterson, Linda angutuminyinyine shinga ngwenyi mama nafu. Twahakile chikuma muchima kumulimo wetu kweseka namuze atukolezezele.

Twawahililile chikuma hakutachikiza ngwetu vatutumine kuya nakuzachila hamutango wakuMalawi, kuze vapwile nakuzachila vana vetu namalunga javo. Ocho kuwaha kana twevwile! Kufumaho, twayile nakunangula vaka-kwalumuna hamutango waZimbabwe naZambia. Omu twazachile hamyaka yitatu nachimbwa, vatutumine cheka kuMalawi nakusoneka mijimbu yavandumbwetu vaze valamine kulonga chavo hakuvayanjisa mwomwo yakukana kwazana muvihande vyalifuchi nachiyulo. *

Twalinyengele nawa hakukinduluka kuBasalt, muColorado, mu 2005, chipwe ngocho twatwalilileho kuzata upayiniya. Kaha mu 2006, Brian napuwenyi Kimberly vakindulukile nakutwama nayetu mwomwo vapwile jino namulimo wakulela vana vavo vavali vamapwevo, Mackenzie naElizabeth. Paul naStephany vachili nakuzachila muMalawi, kaha Paul atwama muKomiti yaMutango. Numba tuhu nguli namyaka yakusemuka kafwe 80, oloze ngweji kwivwanga kuwaha kumona vakweze vaze ngunazate navo hamyaka yayivulu navazata milimo yize ngwazachilenga. Twapwa vakuwahilila chikuma mwomwo yakukavangiza vyakutalilaho vyamwenemwene vyavandumbwetu, kaha tunahane chakutalilaho chamwaza kuli vana vetu navazukulu jetu.