Kafwe muji 1940, visemi jami valinangwilenga Mbimbiliya naVinjiho jaYehova. Numba tuhu visemi jami valitwaminyinyine kulinangula Mbimbiliya, oloze mama atwalileho lika kutambula jimangazini jaKaposhi Kakutalila najaTonenu! Mu 1950, kwapwile kukunguluka chamafuchi amavulu chize chapwililile muNew York City. Kaha tanga yami yetavilile kupwa kukukunguluka kana.

Nakushimbula chiku, Ndumbu Lawrence Jeffries aputukile kututambukila. Aputukile kungukafwa ngulinangule muchano. Hakavanga ngwalipulilenga nenyi jipami hakuwana nge Vinjiho jaYehova kavazanyinenga mumapolitiki nakwingila uswalaleko. Ngwashinganyekelenga ngwami nge vatu vosena muAmerica navakana kuya kujita, kaha vaka-kole navatambula lifuchi lyosena. Ndumbu Jeffries anguhulishile ngwenyi: “Unashinganyeka ngwove Yehova Kalunga mwalinga vyuma muka nge vatu vosena muAmerica navamuzachila, kaha jino vaka-kole hinavavalukuka?” Vyuma ahanjikile hachihande kana nahavihande vyeka vyangukafwile ngumone ngwami jipami jami japwile jamokomoko. Echi changulingishile ngupwenga jino napwipwi yakufwila kulinangula Mbimbiliya.

Ngwatangilenga chikuma jimangazini jamwaka jaKaposhi Kakutalila najaTonenu!, jize mama ahakilenga muchisweko. Kutwala muze, ngwamwene ngwami ngwapwile nakulinangula muchano, ngocho ngwetavilile Ndumbu Jeffries angunangule Mbimbiliya. Kaha nawa ngwaputukile kuyanga kukukunguluka. Ngwazangilenga chikuma vyuma ngwalinangwilenga, kaha ngwapwile jino muka-kwambulula mujimbu wamwaza. Vyuma ngwalitomenenene kulinga vyalumukile omu ngwatachikijile ngwami “likumbi lyaYehova lyalinene [lyapwile] hakamwihi.” (Zefwa. 1:14) Muchishishisa chakushinganyeka kuya kuyunivesiti, oloze ngwasakile kukafwa vakwetu valinangula Mbimbiliya.

 Ngwakumishile shikola ha 13 June, 1956, kaha omu mwahichile makumbi atatu vangumbapachishile hakukunguluka chachihanda. Kangwatachikijile ngwami Yehova mwangukisula chikuma mwomwo yakusakula kulinangula hali ikiye nakunangula vakwetuko.

Omu mwahichile tukweji 6 kufuma haze vangumbapachishile, ngwaputukile upayiniya washimbu yosena. MuMulimo waWangana waDecember 1956 mwapwile chihande chakwamba ngwavo, “Kutala Munahase Kuya Nakuzachila Kuze Kuli Nakusakiwa Kukafwa Tahi?” Nayami ngwatelelele kuya nakuzata mulimo kana, nakuya nakukafwa kuvihela kuze kakwapwilenga vatu vavavulu vaze vambulwilenga mujimbu wamwazako.—Mateu 24:14.

Ngwayile kuEdgefield, South Carolina. Chikungulwilo chamungalila kana chapwile navaka-kwambulula vawana kaha. Ami yami ngwapwile wamuchitanu. Twakungulukililenga muzuvo yandumbwetu. Kakweji hikakweji ngwazachilenga jiola 100 mumulimo wamuwande. Ngwatwaminyinyinenga kuliwana chakuya mumulimo wamuwande nakuhanjika vihande muchikungulwilo. Kupwa namilimo chikuma muchikungulwilo changulingishile ngulinangule vyavivulu hali Yehova.

Pwevo umwe uze ngwanangwilenga Mbimbiliya apwile nakanokelo mumbaka yaJohnston, yize yapwililile kwakamwihi nakungalila ngwapwile nakutwama. Angwingishile milimo yakuzata hamakumbi amwe muchalumingo, kaha nawa atuhanyine kazuvo kakandende mangana tukungulukilengamo.

Ndumbu Jolly Jeffries, mwana ndumbwetu uze angunangwile Mbimbiliya, ejile kufuminyina kuBrooklyn, New York, kaha twazachililile hamwe upayiniya. Twatwaminenga muzuvo yakushindumuna yize vatuhanyine kuli ndumbwetu tuzachiseko.

Kungalila yakuSulo twatwaminenga, vatu vavaholeselenga jimbongo jajindende. Twaholelenga jindola jivali chipwe jitatu halikumbi. Likumbi limwe ngwazachishile tujimbongo twamuwayawaya ngwasalile natwo hakulanda vyakulya muchitanda. Kaha omu ngwalovokele, lunga umwe anguhulishile ngwenyi: “Uli nakutonda milimo tahi? Nangukufwetanga ndola yimwe haola yimwe.” Kaha anguhanyine mulimo wakuwahisa hachihela chakutungila, uze ngwazachile hamakumbi atatu. Echi chasolwele hatoma nge Yehova apwile nakungukafwa mangana ngutwaleho lika kutwama muEdgefield. Numba tuhu kangwapwile najimbongo jajivuluko, oloze ngwahashile kuya kukukunguluka chamafuchi amavulu chamu 1958 chize chapwililile muNew York City.

Halikumbi lyamuchivali lyakukunguluka kana, kwasolokele chuma chakulipwila. Ngwaliwanyine naRuby Wadlington uze apwile payiniya washimbu yosena muGallatin, Tennessee. Hakuwana nge tuvosena twafwililile kupwa vamishonali, ngocho twapwile kukuliwana chavaze vali nakusaka kuya kuNgileyate, chize chapwile hakukunguluka kana. Kufumaho, twaputukile kulisonekela mikanda. Kaha vangusanyikile kuya nakuhanjika chihande chalikungumbuwa kuGallatin. Ungeji kana wangulingishile ngulweze Ruby ngwami nguli nakusaka kumumbata. Ngwalukilile kuchikungulwilo chaRuby, kaha kuheta mu 1959 twalimbachile.

Omu ngwapwile namyaka yakusemuka 23, vangutongwele kupwa ngamba wachikungulwilo muGallatin (uze jino vali nakuvuluka ngwavo muka-kuwanyisa  lizavu lyavakulwane). Chikungulwilo chetu chikiko chapwile chatete kutambukila kuli Charles Thompson omu aputukile kuzata mwakalama wakujinguluka. Numba tuhu ou kalama atachikijile vyavivulu, oloze angulwezele ngumukafweko mwakuzakamina vandumbwetu nomwo nawa vakwavo tulama vanazakamanga chikungulwilo. Ou kalama angulingishile ngumone ngwami chapwa chamwaza kuhulisa vihula nakutachikiza kanawa unjiho wosena shimbu kanda ngusakule vyakulinga.

MuMay 1964, vangusanyikile kuShikola yaMulimo waWangana yakakweji umwe yize yapwililile kuSouth Lansing, New York. Vandumbwetu vaze vatetekelelenga shikola kana vangulingishile ngulinangule vyuma vyavivulu chikuma hali Yehova, nakungulingisa nawa nguzovoloke chikuma kushipilitu.

MuJanuary 1965, ami napuwami Ruby twatambwile mukanda wakutulweza kuzata mulimo wakujinguluka. Twazachililile muchihanda chize chapwile nangalila yayinene chikuma, kufuma kuKnoxville, Tennessee, nakuheta kwakamwihi naRichmond, Virginia. Muchihanda kana mwapwile navikungulwilo vyamuNorth Carolina, naKentucky, naWest Virginia. Ngwazachililenga kaha muvikungulwilo muze mwapwilenga kaha vatu velava, mwomwo jishimbi jakusulo yaUnited States jakanyishile vatu velava kulikungulwila hamwe navindele. Hakuwana nge vandumbwetu vapwile vakuhutwa, ngocho twahanyinengako vandumbwetu vamwe vakukalikiza vyuma vyakulikafwa navyo. Kalama wakujinguluka umwe uze nazatenga mulimo kana hamyaka yayivulu angulwezele chishina chachilemu chikuma. Ambile ngwenyi: “Kawatela kulisolola kupwa nge umwata muchikungulwiloko. Oloze watela kupwa undumbwavo. Vanahase kupwa vakukasunuka nakuvakafwa kachi nge navakumona kupwa undumbwavo.”

Omu twatambukilile kachikungulwilo kakandende, Ruby aputukile kulinangula Mbimbiliya namwanapwevo umwe uze apwile namwanenyi wamwaka umwe. Hakuwana nge muchikungulwilo kamwapwile ndumbwetu uze atelelele kulinangula Mbimbiliya nayou mwanapwevoko, ngocho Ruby atwalilileho kulinangula nenyi hakumutumina mikanda. Omu twatambukilile cheka chikungulwilo kana, twawanyine nge ou mwanapwevo apwilenga nakukungulukanga lwola lwosena. Kaha omu vapayiniya vavali vakulipwila vejile nakuzachila hachikungulwilo kana, vatwalileho kumunangula. Nakushimbula chiku, ou mwanapwevo vamumbapachishile. Omu mwahichile myaka kafwe 30 mu 1995, omu twapwile haMbetele yamuPatterson, ndumbwetu umwe wamwanapwevo alijimbwile kuli puwami Ruby. Ou mwanapwevo apwile mwana yauze ndumbwetu alinangwilenga naRuby. Ikiye nalunga lyenyi vejile kuShikola yaNgileyate yakusokesa 100.

Chihanda chamuchivali chize twazachililenga chapwilile muFlorida. Halwola kana twasakiwilenga minyau, ngocho twalanjile yimwe handando yamwaza. Oloze muchalumingo chatete, chuma chimwe kuyinjini chafwile. Katwapwile najimbongo jakuyiwahishisako. Ngocho ngwatuminyinyine shinga ndumbwetu uze ngwashinganyekele ngwami nahase kutukafwa. Ou ndumbwetu alwezele vaka-milimo yenyi vezenga nakutuwahishilayo, kaha valingile vene ngocho. Oloze ou ndumbwetu akanyine kumufweta. Ambile ngwenyi: “Kanda kulizakaminako, ngunakukafwe kaha.” Kaha atuhanyine najimbongo. Echi hichakutalilaho chakulipwila chize chasolwele omwo Yehova eji kuzakamanga vangamba jenyi. Kaha chatwanukishile nge twatelele kupwa tuvaka-kuhana.

Omu twatambukililenga vikungulwilo, twatwaminenga mujizuvo javandumbwetu. Ngocho twatungile masepa vamwenemwene. Likumbi limwe, ngwatayipilenga lipoti lyachikungulwilo, oloze ngwalisele mulikina chakuhona kulikumisa. Omu ngwakindulukile nachingoloshi, ngwawanyine kanyike wamyaka yitatu uze apwile kuze kuzuvo nanyachikanyachika halikina nakupihisa lize lipoti, kaha ngwalitayipile cheka lyosena. Ngwamusehelenga hachihande kana hamyaka yayivulu.

Kuheta mu 1971, ngwatambwile mukanda wakungulweza kuya nakuzachila kuNew York City kupwa kalama wangalila. Twalikomokelele chikuma. Halwola twayile kuze, ngwapwile kaha namyaka yakusemuka 34. Vandumbwetu vangutambwokesele nachisambo, hakupwa ngukalama wangalila watete wamutu wilava.

Hakupwa kalama wangalila, ngwalivwishilenga kuwaha kunangula vakwetu hali Yehova kusongo yachalumingo hichalumingo hakukunguluka chachihanda. Tulama vakujinguluka vavavulu vatachikijile vyuma vyavivulu kuhambakana yami. Umwe hali ava tulama vakujinguluka ikiye ahanyine chihande chami chalumbapachiso. Kaha ndumbwetu Theodore Jaracz ejile nakupwa muLizavu lyaKutwaminyina. Kwapwile nawa vandumbwetu vavavulu vakuhya vaze vazachilililenga haMbetele yaBrooklyn. Ngwevwilenga kuwaha hakuwana nge tulama vakujinguluka navaka-Mbetele vangulingishile ngupwenga wakukasunuka. Ngwamwene  ngwami ava vandumbwetu vapwile tufunga vazangi, vaze vapendaminyinenga haMazu aKalunga nakukundwiza liuka lyaYehova. Kulinyisa chavo changukafwile nguzate kanawa hakupwa kalama wangalila.

Mu 1974, Lizavu lyaKutwaminyina lyatongweleleleko cheka tulama vakwavo vakujinguluka mangana vapwenga tulama vangalila, kaha yami ngwaputukile cheka kuzata mulimo wakalama wakujinguluka muSouth Carolina. Halwola kana, twaputukile jino kukungulukila hamwe navandumbwetu velava navindele, kahechi chevwishilenga vandumbwetu kuwaha chikuma.

Kuheta kusongo ya 1976, vangutumine kuya nakuzachila muchihanda chakuGeorgia chize chapwililile mukachi kaAtlanta naColumbus. Ngweji kwanukanga omu ngwahanjikile chihande chachipeji chavanyike velava vatanu vaze vawemenenene muzuvo yize vochele kuvatu. Naye apwile muchipatela mwomwo yakakahya awemene. Vandumbwetu vavavulu, velava navindele, vayilenga nakumenekela ava visemi muchipatela. Ngwamwene ngwami zangi yavandumbwetu yapwile yakulipwila. Muchima kanou wakutetela unahase kukafwa vangamba jaKalunga vomike mukala ukalu navahitamo.

Mu 1977, vatulwezele kuya nakuzatako mulimo umwe haMbetele yamuBrooklyn hatukweji vavandende kaha. Omu uze mulimo wapwile kwakamwihi nakukuma, vandumbwetu vavali vamuLizavu lyaKutwaminyina vejile nakunguhulisa nge yami napuwami Ruby natwitavila kutwalaho lika kuzachila haMbetele. Ngocho twetavile.

Hamyaka 24, ngwazachililenga kuLipatimende lyaMulimo, kuze vandumbwetu kakavulu veji kutalanga havihula vyavikalu veji kuhulisanga vandumbwetu. Hamyaka yayivulu, Lizavu lyaKutwaminyina linahanenga jindongi jamwakulingila vyuma kweseka najindongi jamuMbimbiliya. Eji jindongi veji kujizachisanga hakukumbulula vihula, nakunangula tulama vakujinguluka, navakulwane navapayiniya. Kaha jinakafwe nawa vatu vavavulu vazovoloke kushipilitu. Echi chinazamisa liuka lyaYehova.

Kufuma mu 1995 nakuheta mu 2018, ngwatambukililenga jiofesi jamitango jajivulu kupwa muka-kwimanyinako chikota, uze vavulukilenga ngwavo kalama wakutambukila mitango. Ngwaliwanyinenga navandumbwetu vamuKomiti yaMutango, navaka-kuzata haMbetele, navamishonali mangana nguvakolezeze nakuvakafwa mukala ukalu vali nawo. Kaha nayetu nawa vanatukolezezanga chikuma kuli ava vandumbwetu omu twevwilenga vyuma vali nakuhitamo. Chakutalilaho, mu 2000 twayile kuRwanda. Kaha twevwile ushona chikuma hakwivwa vyuma vahichilemo vandumbwetu muvikungulwilo navaka-Mbetele mu 1994, halwola kwapwile kulijiha mulifuchi kana. Vandumbwetu vavavulu vafwishile vausoko wavo. Chamokomoko navyuma vahichilemo, ava vandumbwetu vapwile nalufwelelo, nalutalililo nakupwa vakuwahilila nawa.

Tuli jino mumyaka yakusemuka yamuji 80. Ami ngunazatenga muKomiti yaMutango waUnited States hamyaka 20. Numba tuhu kangwayile kuyunivesitiko, oloze ngunalinangula vyuma vyavivulu chikuma kuli Yehova nakuliuka lyenyi. Echi chinangulingisa nguhase kunangula vakwetu muchano wamuMbimbiliya uze unahase kuvanganyalisa haya myaka. (Koli. 2, 3:5; Chimo. 2, 2:2) Ngunamono omwo mujimbu wamuMbimbiliya unakafwe vatu vapwenga nachiyoyelo chamwaza nakupwa nausoko wamwaza naTengi yavo. (Yako. 4:8) Yami napuwami Ruby tunakutwalaho lika kukolezeza vakwetu vamone kulinangula hali Yehova kupwa chachilemu nakunangula nawa vakwavo muchano wamuMbimbiliya. Ou himulimo waulemu atela kupwa nawo ngamba yaYehova.