HASEPTEMBER 7, 1950, vangusanyikile kuya nakuzachila haMbetele yamuBrooklyn. Halwola kana, haMbetele hapwile vandumbwetu vakuheta ku 355 vakumiyachi yakulisezaseza vamyaka yakusemuka 19 nakuheta ku 80. Vavavulu vapwile vaka-Kulishitu vawavisa.

Mama ikiye angunangwile kuzachila “Kalunga wakuwahilila.” (Chimo. 1, 1:11) Mama aputukile kuzachila Yehova omu ngwapwile ngukanyike. Kaha vangumbapachishile haJuly 1, 1939, omu ngwapwile namyaka yakusemuka 10, hakukunguluka chachihanda muColumbus, Nebraska, U.S.A. Yami navandumbwetu vakuheta 100, twalikungulwile muzuvo yize twafwetelele nakwivwilila kuchihande chakukopa ahanjikile ndumbwetu Joseph Rutherford chakwamba ngwavo, “Fascism or Freedom.” Omu twapwile nakwivwilila kuchihande kana, lizavu lyavatu lyalikungulwile haweluka. Vengilile muzuvo nakutukanyisa kwivwilila kuchihande chetu nakutuhanga muze mumbaka. Twalikungulwile hembo lyandumbwetu kwakamwihi nayize mbaka kaha twevwilile kuchihande chosena. Kangwavulyama likumbi vakumbapachishileko.

Mama azachile nangolo mangana angunangule muchano. Numba tuhu tata apwile navilinga vyamwaza, oloze kazangilenga chikuma kulinangula vyaKalunga chipwe kungunangula yamiko. Mama naVinjiho veka vamuchikungulwilo chaOmaha vakivo vangukafwilenga chikuma.

Omu ngwapwile kwakamwihi nakukumisa shikola, ngwashinganyekele vyakulinga mukuyoya chami. Omu twasokelenga shikola, ngwazachilenga upayiniya wakukafwa hamwe kaha namasepa jami.

Vandumbwetu vavajike vamalunga vaJohn Chimiklis naTed Jaracz vaze vakumishile Shikola yaNgileyate yakusokesa 7, vavatumine mumulimo wakutambwojoka mungalila yetu. Ngwalikomokelele hakuwana nge vapwile namyaka yakusemuka yamuji 20. Halwola kana ngwapwile namyaka 18 kaha nawa te hinangukumisa shikola. Nguchili lika nakwanuka omu Ndumbu Chimiklis anguhulishile vyuma ngwasakile kulinga mukuyoya chami. Omu ngwamulwezele ngwami nguli nakusaka kuzata mulimo washimbu yosena, angukolezezele ngwenyi: “Zata vene mulimo washimbu yosena. Unahase kukulingisa uzate milimo yayivulu.” Mazu kana awa nachakutalilaho chavo chamwaza vyangukolezezele chikuma. Ngachize, Omu  ngwakumishile shikola, ngwaputukile kuzata upayiniya mu 1948.

MuJuly 1950, yami navisemi jami twayile kukukunguluka chamafuchi muYankee Stadium muNganda yaNew York. Omu twapwile hakukunguluka kana, ngwayile kukuliwana chavaze vasakile kuya nakuzachila haMbetele. Ngwasonekele mukanda wakuvalweza nge ngunakusaka kuzachila haMbetele.

Numba tuhu tata kangukanyishile kuzata upayiniya nakutwama hemboko, oloze angulwezele ngwenyi ngwatela kufwetela kapete ngwapwile nakusavala navyakulya. Likumbi limwe kumaputukilo aAugust omu ngwapwile nakuya nakutonda milimo, ngwemanyine hachikasha twatambwilililenga mikanda yetu. Ngwawanyine mukanda wami wakufuma kuBrooklyn. Mukanda kana vasayinyineko kuli ndumbu Nathan H Knorr, uze asonekele ngwenyi: “Twatambulanga mukanda wove wakusaka kwiza nakuzachila haMbetele. Ngunafwelela ngwami mwitavila kutwama haMbetele palanga noho Mwata mwakakufumisaho. Ngocho ngunakukulweza ukeze haMbetele haSeptember 7, 1950 kuchihela cha 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York.”

Omu tata afumine kumilimo, ngwamulwezele ngwami ngunawane milimo. Ambile ngwenyi, “Ocho chinawahe, muzachilanga kulihi?” Ngwamukumbulwile ngwami, “KuMbetele yakuBrooklyn, kaha nangutambulanga jimbongo jakuheta $10.00 kakweji hikakweji.” Numba tuhu alikomokelele hakwivwa ngocho, oloze angulwezele ngutwalilileho kuzata nangolo mangana ngufukile nge eyi yikiko milimo ngwasakwile kuzata. Nakushimbula chiku, tata vamumbapachishile hakukunguluka changalila chapwile muYankee Stadium mu 1953.

Ngwevwile kuwaha hakuwana nge mukwetu mutwazachilile upayiniya Alfred Nussrallah vamusanyikile kuMbetele halwola lwolumwe, kaha twatambukilile hamwe. Kutwala muze mukwetu ambachile puwenyi Joan, kaha vayile kushikola yaNgileyate. Kufumaho vavatumine mumulimo waumishonali muLebanon, kaha kutwala muze vayile mumulimo wakutambwojoka muUnited States.

Mulimo watete ngwazachile haMbetele shina wakutonga mikanda. Mukanda watete ngwatongele shina wakuvuluka ngwavo What Has Religion Done for Mankind? Omu mwahichile tukweji 9, vangutwalile kuLipatimende lyaMulimo lize vapwile nakutwaminyina kuli Ndumbu Thomas J. Sullivan. Ngwevwile kuwaha kuzata nenyi kaha angukafwile chikuma kushipilitu mwomwo apwile namangana nachinyingi chize alinangwile muliuka lyaKalunga hamyaka yayivulu.

Omu ngwazachile myaka kafwe yitatu muLipatimende lyaMulimo, Max Larson uze apwile kalama wakufakitoli, angulwezele ngwenyi Ndumbu Knorr anakusaka kungumona. Ngwalizakaminyine chikuma ngwami pamo ngunapihisako vyuma vimwe. Ngwevwile kumuchima hwo omu anguhulishile numba nge nguli nakusaka kuseza Mbetele mumyaka yakalinwomu. Asakile mutu wakumukafwa kuzata milimo muofesi yenyi hatando yayindende, kaha asakile amone nge ngunahase kuzata mulimo kana. Ngwamulwezele ngwami kangweshi nakusaka kuseza Mbeteleko. Oloze jino ngwazachila muofesi yenyi hamyaka 20.

Kakavulu ngweji kushinganyeka ngwami nge ngwavo tweji kufwetanga, kachi kangwahashile kufweta ava vandumbwami vanangunangula milimo yayivuluko. Vandumbwami kana shina vaSullivan naKnorr naveka vahaMbetele vakufwana nge Milton Henschel, Klaus Jensen, Max Larson, Hugo Riemer, naGrant Suiter. *

Vandumbwetu ngunazatenga navo vapwile vasamalikita,  nakuzata mukulonga milimo yamuliuka. Ndumbu Knorr apwile muka-kuzata natwima uze asakilenga mulimo waWangana uzovoloke nakuya kulutwe. Vaze vazachilile muofesi yenyi vachiwanyinenga chachashi kumuhanjikisa. Numba tuhu twamwenenga vyuma mujila yakulihandununa, oloze twapwile vakukasunuka kuhanjika vyapwile mumichima yetu kaha ikiye nawa atufwelelele.

Lwola lumwe Ndumbu Knorr angulwezele ovyo chapwila chachilemu kuzakama namilimo yayindende. Chakutalilaho angulwezele ngwenyi omu apwile kalama wakufakitoli, Ndumbu Rutherford amutuminyinenga shinga nakumulweza ngwenyi: “Ndumbu Knorr, omu mufuma kufakitoli nakwiza kukulya chachingoloshi unguhichikako jindundu jakujimisa sonekeso. Ngunakusaka kujizachisa.” Hahaze vene Ndumbu Knorr ayile kuzuvo veji kulaminanga vyuma nakumbata jindundu jakujimisa nakujihaka musweko. Kaha namusana ajitwalile kuofesi yaNdumbu Rutherford. Numba tuhu twapwile tuvyuma twatundende, oloze twakafwile Ndumbu Rutherford. Kufumaho Ndumbu Knorr angulwezele ngwenyi: “Nguli nakusaka ungusongelengako jisonekeso jami jili hamesa. Ngunakulombo ungusongelengako chimene hichimene.” Ngwamusongelelenga jisonekeso jenyi hamyaka yayivulu.

Kakavulu Ndumbu Knorr ahanjikilenga ovyo chapwila chachilemu kwivwililanga kanawa nge vanatulweze kuzata milimo yimwe. Likumbi limwe angulwezele mwakuzachila mulimo umwe, oloze kangwevwishishileko. Ngocho ngwamwivwishile chikuma kupihya. Ngwevwile chikuma kupihya ngocho ngwamusonekelele mukanda wakulikonekela nakumulweza ngwami nachiwaha nge mwangufumisa muofesi yenyi nakuzachila kweka. Nachimene vene chize Ndumbu Knorr ejile kuli yami nakwamba ngwenyi: “Robert, ngunatambula mukanda wove, kanda kulizakaminako waluwisanga kaha. Ngwakulwezanga mwakulingila, kaha ngwafwelela kulutwe mukazachilaho. Tuputuke jino kuzata milimo.” Ngocho ngwamusakwililile chikuma halikoji lyenyi.

Omu ngwazachilile haMbetele hamyaka 8 ngwashinganyekele kutwalaho lika kuzachila Mbetele. Oloze vishinganyeka vyalumukile. Halwola twapwile kukukunguluka chamafuchi muYankee Stadium namuPolo Grounds mumwaka wa 1958, ngwamwene ndumbwetu wapwevo Lorraine Brookes, uze twaliwanyine mu 1955 halwola apwile nakuzachila upayiniya muMontreal, Canada. Ngwevwile kuwaha hamuchima wenyi wakusaka kuzata mulimo washimbu yosena nakulisuula chenyi chakuya nakuzachila kala kweshoko navamutuma muliuka lyaYehova. Lorraine afwililile kuya kuShikola yaNgileyate. Kahomu apwile namyaka yakusemuka 22, vamusanyikile kuya kushikola yaNgileyate yakusokesa 27, mu 1956. Omu akumishile shikola kana, vamutumine mumulimo waumishonali kuBrazil. Kaha ami naLorraine twaputukile kulivwasana mu 1958, kaha etavilile kusomboka kuli ami. Twalivwasanyine kulimbata mumwaka wakavangijileho nakukazachila hamwe mulimo waumishonali.

Omu ngwalwezele Ndumbu Knorr vishinganyeka vyami, angulwezele nguvandamineko myaka yitatu numba jino ngumbate nakungwitavisa kutwama haMbetele yamuBrooklyn. Halwola kana hakusaka vaze  valimbachile vatwalilileho lika kuzachila haMbetele, umwe atelele kuzata haMbetele hamyaka 10 chipwe kuhambakanyisaho, kaha mukwavo myaka yitatu chipwe kuhambakanyisaho. Ngocho, Lorraine etavilile kuya nakuzachila haMbetele yamuBrazil hamyaka yivali, kaha mwaka umwe haMbetele yamuBrooklyn.

Hamyaka yivali yize twatwamine kufuma hakulihuhwa chetu, twalisonekelelenga kaha mikanda. Mwomwo kulitumina jishinga chambililenga jimbongo jajivulu chikuma, kaha kakwapwile kulitumina mijimbu hamakina halwola kanako. Omu twalimbachile haSeptember 16, 1961, Ndumbu Knorr ikiye ahanyine chihande chawenga. Kuhanjika kaha muchano, myaka yize twalivandaminyine yasolokele nge yayivulu chikuma. Oloze oholili tweji kuwahililanga hakwanuka myaka 50 yize tunatwame muulo, kaha myaka yize twavandaminyine numba tulimbate yapwile yayilemu chikuma.

Kuheta mu 1964, ngwapwile nakutokwa chakutambukila mafuchi eka kupwa kalama wakutambukila mitango. Halwola kana mapwevo kavavetavishile kuya namalunga javoko. Kaha kuheta mu 1977 elu lushimbi lwalumukile, ngocho mapwevo vaputukile kuyanga namalunga javo. Mumwaka kana, ami napuwami Lorraine twayile hamwe naGrant Suiter napuwenyi Edith nakutambukila jiofesi jamutango jamuGermany, Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, naIsrael. Ngunatambukila mafuchi akuheta kafwe 70 mukaye kosena.

Omu twapwile nakuya kuBrazil mu 1980, twayile munganda yaBelém, muze puwami apwile nakuzachila umishonali. Kaha twemanyine muManaus mangana tumeneke vandumbwetu. Omu twayile nakwivwilila kuchihande muchivaza chakuhemena, twamwene lizavu lyavandumbwetu vanatwame hamwe vaze kavapwile nakulinga kweseka nachisemwa chavo chamuBrazilko. Mapwevo kavapwile nakulisweswenya kumakili navakwavo mapwevoko, kaha malunga kavapwile nakulimeneka navakwavo malungako. Mwomwo ika?

Mwomwo vandumbwetu kana vafumine hachihela chakulamina vaka-mbumba chize chapwilile mumusenge waAmazon. Ngocho kavasakile kutambwisa vakwavo mbumba hakulimeneka navo chipwe hakuvasweswenyako. Chipwe ngocho, twevwile kuwaha kuvamona, kaha katweshi kukavulyama kuwahilila chavo vasolweleko. Mazu asonekele Isaya apwa amuchano. Ahanjika nge: “Vangamba jami navakatwanga jingunda hakumona kuwaha mumichima yavo.”—Isa. 65:14.

Ami napuwami Lorraine tweji kushinganyekanga hamyaka yakuhambakana 60 yize tunazachilanga Yehova. Twawahilila chikuma hakutukisula mwomwo yakwitavila Yehova atutwaminyine kuhichila muliuka lyenyi. Numba tuhu kangweshi nakuhasa cheka kutambuka maungeji ngana muze ngwatambukilenga kumyaka yakunyimako, oloze oholili nguchili lika nakuzata hakumbi hakumbi mwamuka-kukafwa Lizavu Lyakutwaminyina, nakuzachila hamwe naKomiti yaKuwanyisa nayaMulimo. Ngweji kwivwanga kuwaha chikuma hakupwa nakutokwa chakuzata mulimo wakukafwa vandumbwetu vamukaye kosena mujila kaneyi. Tweji kulikomokelanga hakumona omu vakweze vavavulu vali nakulisuula kuzata mulimo washimbu yosena. Vali namuchima ngana uze apwile nawo Isaya wakwamba ngwenyi: “Yami uno, ngutume ami.” (Isa. 6:8) Vatu kanava vavavulu vasolola nge mazu ahanjikile uze kalama wakujinguluka apwile amuchano, akwamba ngwenyi: “Zata vene mulimo washimbu yosena. Unahase kukulingisa uzate milimo yayivulu.”