NGWASEMUKILE mu 1923 mumbaka yaHemsworth yamuYorkshire, England. Yayami walunga lijina lyenyi ikiye Bob. Omu ngwapwile namyaka yakusemuka 9, tata uze ajinjile vatu vaze valyongelenga kupwa vaka-kwitava, atambwile mikanda yize yasopolwele kwitava chamakuli. Azangile chikuma vyuma atangile muze mumikanda. Omu mwahichile myaka yayindende, Bob Atkinson ejile hembo lyetu nakusokolola chisaji chafwonongalafu, kaha twevwililile kuvihande vyandumbwetu Rutherford. Aha hakiko twatachikijile jino ngwetu vihande kana vyafumine kuliuka kuze kwafumine yize mikanda atambwile tata. Visemi jami valwezele ndumbu Atkinson ezenganga kuzuvo yetu nakulya kulya chachingoloshi hakumbi hakumbi, kaha akumbulwilenga vihula vyetu vyavivulu vyamuMbimbiliya. Vatulanyine tuyenga kukukunguluka hazuvo yandumbwetu yize yapwilile kwakusuku. Kaha twetavilile vyuma twalinangwilenga, nakushimbula chiku twasokolwele chikungulwilo muHemsworth. Kutwala muze, twasanyikilenga kalama wakujinguluka navapayiniya vezenganga nakulya vyakulya hembo lyetu. Kulikata navandumbwetu kana chatunganyalishile mwamunene.

Twaputukile mulimo wakusekasana, oloze tata alwezele yayami ngwenyi, “Nge nausaka kuya nakuzata upayiniya, kaha natulitwamina kusekasana.” Yaya Bob etavilile, ngocho afumine hembo nakuya mumulimo waupayiniya omu apwile namyaka 21. Kaha omu mwahichile myaka yivali, vangutongwele kupwa ngupayiniya omu ngwapwile namyaka 16. Kakavulu ngwazachilenga ukawami mukachi kachalumingo kuzachisa kati yamujimbu wamwaza nachisaji chafwonongalafu. Oloze Yehova angukafwile nguwane chilongesa chaMbimbiliya uze azovolokele washiwashi. Kaha vaka-tanga yenyi vavavulu nawa vetavilile muchano. Mwaka wakavangijileho, ami naMary Henshall vatutongwele kupwa tuvapayiniya vakulipwila. Ngocho vatutumine kuya nakuzachila kungalila yaCheshire kuze kakwapwile vaka-kwambululako.

Omu Jita yaKaye yamuchivali yahetele hatwitwi, namapwevo vavashinjililenga kuya kujita. Hakuwana nge twapwile mumulimo washimbu yosena, twashinganyekele ngwetu navatusezaho ngana muze  chapwilenga kuvatu veka vamukwitava. Oloze zango yakanyine kaha vangukashile mukamenga hamakumbi 31. Mwaka wakavangijileho omu ngwapwile namyaka 19, ngwalisonekesele mangana vangwitavise nguhone kwazananga mujita. Vangutwalile kujizango jivali, oloze vaka-zango kavamwene chihande kana kupwa chachilemuko, ngocho kavachisopeleko. Vyuma vyosena ngwahichilemo, vyangukafwile ngumone ngwami shipilitu yajila yapwile nakungukafwa, kaha nawa Yehova apwile nakungukwachilila kulivoko lyami lyachilyo.—Isa. 41:10, 13.

Ami naArthur Matthews twaliwanyine mu 1946. Omu akumishile kupika njele hatukweji vatatu, ayile kuli yayenyi Dennis uze apwile payiniya wakulipwila muHemsworth. Vavanangwile muchano kuli sevo kufuma vene kuukemba wavo, kaha Dennis vamumbapachishile omu apwile namyaka 16, Arthur vamumbapachishile omu apwile namyaka 17. Dennis vamulwezele akazachile muIreland, ngocho Arthur asalile jino ukawenyi chakuzeneka mutu wakuzata nenyi. Omu visemi jami vamwene twima yenyi vamulwezele ezenga atwamenga navo. Jino omu ngwejilenga nakumeneka visemi jami, twazachililenga hamwe naArthur milimo yakukosa malonga nge tunakumisa kulya. Kutwala muze twaputukile kulisonekela mikanda. Kuheta mu 1948, Arthur vamukashile cheka mukamenga. Jino kuheta muJanuary 1949 twalimbachile, kaha twalishikile ngwetu natutwalaho lika kuzata mulimo washimbu yosena kachi nge kakweshi kupwa vyuma vyakutuhonesako. Yehova atukafwile, ngocho hamakumbi amwe akunoka twayilenga nakwahilila mihako mumande mangana tuwaneko jimbongo jakulikafwa najo muupayiniya.

Mwaka wakavangijileho vatulwezele kuya nakuzachila kuNorthern Ireland. Hakavanga twatwaminenga mumbaka yaArmagh, kufumaho twayile muNewry, mujimbaka kana mwavulile chikuma vaka-Katolika. Mujimbaka kana Vinjiho kavavazangileko, ngocho twambulwilenga mukuzangama. Twakungulukililenga muzuvo yandumbwetu yize yapwililile kwakusuku kafwe jikilomita 16 kufuma kuze twatwaminenga. Vaka-kwambulula vapwilenga kaha 8. Hamwe nahamwe vatusanyikilenga tusavale vene kuze, kaha twasavalilenga hamavu. Twalivwishilenga kuwaha kulila hamwe vyakulya. Ngweji kwivwanga kuwaha chikuma hakuwana nge makumbi ano mulifuchi kana muli jino Vinjiho vavavulu.

Yayami napuwenyi Lottie, vapwile vapayiniya vakulipwila muNorthern Ireland, kaha mu 1952 tuvosena tuvawana twapwile kukukunguluka changalila muBelfast. Ndumbwetu umwe ikiye alisuwile kututambula kuzuvo yenyi tuvosena hohamwe nandumbu Pryce Hughes, uze apwile muka-kutwaminyina mutango muBritain. Likumbi limwe naufuku twashimutwilile vyamukanda waGod’s Way Is Love valowele hakukunguluka kana uze vasonekelele chikumanyi vatu vamuIreland. Ndumbu Hughes ahanjikile haukalu twamwenenga hakwambulila vaka-Katolika vapwile muIrish Republic. Mulifuchi kana tupilishitu vamuKatolika vafumishilenga vandumbwetu mujizuvo muze vatwaminenga nakuputuka kuvayanjisa. Ndumbu Pryce ambile ngwenyi: “Tuli nakutonda vandumbwetu vaze vali najiminyau mangana vayenga  mumulimo wakuhana vatu mikanda mulifuchi lyosena.” * Hahaze vene twetavilile ngwetu, “Natuya mwane.”

Kakavulu vapayiniya vaze vazachililenga muDublin vatwaminenga hembo lyandumbwetu wapwevo Rutland uze azachilile Kalunga hamyaka yayivulu. Omu twahetele hembo lyenyi, twalanjishile vikumba vyetu vimwe. Tuvosena tuvawana twanyinyine hamutukutuku wayaya Bob uze wapwile nakalitemba kaha twayile nakutonda munyau. Twawanyine munyau wamwaka. Twalwezele uze atulanjishilewo mangana atutwalilewo kuze twapwile nakutwama mwomwo tuvosena katwejivile kutambukisako. Ufuku wosena Arthur apwile nakushinganyeka mwakutambukishila munyau. Lichako nachimene omu apwile nakweseka kuutambukisa mangana aufumise muze twaukunjikile, kwejile Mildred Willett kamishonali uze atachikijile kutambukisa munyau, kaha amulongesele. (Mildred Willett ikiye jino asombokele kuli ndumbwetu John Barr) Mukuhita chalwola, Arthur atachikijile kutambukisa, kaha twatelemo jino kuya nakuzata uze mulimo vatuhanyine.

Twaputukile jino kutonda zuvo yakutwamamo. Vatulwezele ngwavo katwatela kusavala mumbalakako mwomwo vanahase kutwochelamo, oloze twahonene kuwana zuvo. Ngocho twasavalile mumunyau tuvosena tuvawana. Hakuwana nge zuvo katwayiwanyineko, ngocho twawanyine kaha mbalaka, kaha mukiko twasavalilenga. Muze mumbalaka mwapwile tuhela vavali umwe helu mukwavo mwishi. Eyi mbalaka yikiko jino yapwile zuvo yetu. Numba tuhu vatulwezele ngwavo vanahase kutwochelamo, oloze kakwapwile ukalu watusolokeleleko mwomwo vatu twawanyinenga vapwile vamichima yamwaza. Twambulwilile ngalila yize yapwile kwakusuku kafwe jikilomita 24. Hanyima yakwambulwila ngalila yosena, twakindulukilenga cheka nakushimutwila navo.

Twambulwilile membo osena chakuzeneka ukalu, kaha twahanyine mikanda yakuhambakana 20,000. Twatuminenga kuofesi yamutango yamuBritain majina avatu vaze vasolwele muchima wakufwila kulinangula. Ocho kuwaha kana tweji kwivwanga hakuwana nge makumbi ano mulifuchi kana muli jino Vinjiho vavavulu chikuma!

Vatutumine cheka kusouth London. Mwahichile kaha vyalumingo vyavindende, kaha ofesi yamutango yamuBritain yatuminyinyine Arthur shinga nakumulweza aputuke kuzata mulimo wakutambwojoka likumbi lyakavangijileho. Vamunangwile hachalumingo chamuundu, kufumaho twayile nakuzachila kuScotland. Numba tuhu kapwile nalwola lwakuhituluka muvihandeko, oloze muchima wenyi wakufwila kuzachila Yehova chamokomoko naukalu wangukolezezele. Twalivwishile kuwaha kuzata mulimo wakutambwojoka. Twazachililenga mungalila yize kavahana kuchikungulwiloko hamyaka yayivulu, oloze jino makumbi ano tuli nakulivwisa kuwaha kutwama hamwe navandumbwetu vavavulu.

Omu Arthur vamusanyikile kushikola yaNgileyate mu 1962 hatukweji 10, chatukaluhwilile kusakula vyakulinga. Oloze twakukulwile ngwetu nachipwa chamwaza Arthur kuya kushikola numba  tuhu yami nangusala. Hakuwana nge kangwapwile namutu wakuzata nenyiko, ngwakindulukile kuHemsworth nakuzata upayiniya wakulipwila. Omu akindulukile Arthur mwaka wakavangijileho, vatutumine mumulimo wakutambwojoka, kaha twazachililile muScotland, namunorthern England, namuNorthern Ireland.

Kuheta mu 1964, Arthur vamutongwele kupwa muka-kutwaminyina mutango waIrish Republic. Twalivwishile kuwaha mulimo wakutambwojoka ngocho omu vatusanyikile tuyenga nakuzachila haMbetele hakavanga kangwevwile kuwahako. Oloze jino ngweji kwivwanga kuwaha kuzachila haMbetele. Ngwatachikiza jino ngwami kwitavila mulimo mwatuhana Yehova numba tuhu katwauzangileko cheji kunehanga nganyo. Ngwapwilenga namulimo wakulongejeka mikanda, nakuteleka nakukomba. Lwola lumwe lunga lyami apwile kalama walifuchi, ngocho twatachikijile vandumbwetu vavavulu mulifuchi kana. Kumona omu Kalunga atuzachishilenga, nakumona omu vilongesa vazovolokelenga chatulingishile tupwenga natanga yakushipilitu muIreland. Echi chapwile hikutokwa chachinene.

Kukunguluka chamafuchi chatete chize chapwile muIreland mu 1965 chapwililile muDublin. * Numba tuhu vaka-kole vatufumbukililenga chikuma, oloze kukunguluka chatambukile kanawa. Kwapwile vatu 3,948, kaha vatu 65 vavambapachishile. Vandumbwetu vosena vaze vatambwile vangeji vakuheta ku 3,500 vavasonekelele mikanda yakuvasakwilila. Vakiko nawa vasakwililile vaze vangeji mwomwo yavilinga vyavo vyamwaza. Chikupu vene mulimo wetu wazovolokele muIreland.

Mu 1966 lifuchi lyosena vapwile nakulitetekela kumutango wamuDublin. Twawahililile chikuma hakumona vaka-Katolika vavavulu naveza mumuchano nakuzachila hamwe navandumbwetu vaze vavangilile kupwa vaka-Polotesitati.

Mu 2011, chiyoyelo chetu chalumukile omu mutango waBritain nawaIreland vayifutwile, ngocho vatutumine kuMbetele yamuLondon. Kwalumuka kana chejile halwola aputukile Arthur kuviza. Vamuwanyine namusongo wakuzeyesa mishisa vavuluka ngwavo Parkinson. Kuheta haMay 20, 2015, mukwetu ngunatwame nenyi hamyaka 66 afwile.

Shimbu jimwe ngweji kuhombanga nakwivwa ushona mwomwo yakumushinganyeka. Arthur angukafwilenga chikuma ngocho ngweji kumwanukanga lwola lwosena. Oloze kuhita muvyeseko kana chinangulingisa ngupandame chikuma kuli Yehova. Ngweji kwivwanga nawa kuwaha kutachikiza ngwami lunga lyami vamuzangile kuvatu vavavulu. Ngweji kutambulanga mikanda yakungukolezeza kufuma kuli masepa vamuIreland, namuBritain, namuUnited States. Kaha nawa nyali Dennis napuwenyi Mavis, navana vavo vaRuth naJudy veji kungukolezezanga chikuma.

Chisoneka cheji kungukolezezanga chikuma shina chaIsaya 30:18, chize chamba ngwacho: “Yehova ali nakumitalilila chikoki mangana amivwile uselewa, mwakatuka mangana amitetele. Mwomwo Yehova apwa Kalunga wachiyulo. Vawahilila vaze veji kumuvandaminanga.” Kutachikiza ngwami Yehova ali nakututalilila chikoki numba akawahise vyuma nakutuhana milimo yamwaza mulifuchi lyalihya cheji kunguvendejekanga.

Ngunamono omu Yehova nakisula mulimo mulifuchi lyaIreland. Ngwawahilila hakwazana mumulimo wakukafwa vatu kushipilitu mulifuchi kana. Chikupu vene kuzata milimo mwatuhana Yehova cheji kunehanga kutokwa chachinene.