NAVWALIKILILI muKarítsa, mukala wanyanya wamuGreece, nawa twadiña anyana 8 yami naamba 7. Mwadiña muchaaka cha 1926.

Mu 1925, anvwali jami ahumañeni John Papparizos, Kadizi waBayibolu, neyi chayiteneneñawu aYinsahu jaYehova hayina mpinji, wadiña wadikita nawa wahoshahosha. Atiyili kuwaha chelili John yayilumbulwili Nsona nawa atachikili kupompa nawaTudizi aBayibolu mumukala wetu. Amama amukuhweleleli chikupu Yehova Nzambi nawa alejeleñaku amakwawu yuma yadiziliwu hela chakwila elukili wanyi kutaña. Chawushona, atata ashili maana hayiluwa yamanakwetu nawa atachikili kuleka kuya nakupompa kwawakwaKristu chovu-chovu.

Ami nianakwami twakeñeli chikupu Bayibolu ilaña chiseki chawansi chatuluwañesheli. Dichi, mu 1939, Njita Yakaayi Yamuchiyedi yatachikili muEurope nawa yashikili nikumukala kutwashakamineña. Atata awakulumpi aNicolas Psarras, chafuminiwu tuhu hakupapatishewa, ayikwatili nakuyilisha mushidika wawaGreece. A Nicolas, adiña nayaaka 20, ayilejeli akulumpi awamashidika chakadi kutiya woma nawu, “Nukuzuña wanyi muloña nidi mushidika waKristu.” Ayisompesheli muchota chawamashidika nawa ayikasili yaaka 10 mukaleya. Twahayamini!

Kukukooleka, mu 1941, mashidika amwituña dacheñi enjili muGreece nawa aNicolas ayumbiliku. Afuntili kuKarítsa, kwayihwiliwu malwihu  amavulu kutalisha haBayibolu kudi ayaya aIlias. Natiyilileña chayinhwileñawu. Kuhiñahu, ami, ayaya aIlias nimuheletu wakansi, Efmorfia, twatachikili kudiza Bayibolu nawa twayileña nakupompa mpinji yejima nawaYinsahu. Chaaka chahiñilihu, wejima wetu asatu twapapatisheweli. Chimwahitili mpinji, anakwetu awana niwena ekalili aYinsahu.

Mu 1942, muChipompelu chaKarítsa mwadiña akwenzi niayañadima amavulu adiña nayaaka kutachika ha 15 nakushika ha 25. Twelukili netu twakamona kukala kweneni kumbidi. Twadikolesheleña mpinji yejima kuhitila mukudiza Bayibolu, kwimba tumina twakuspiritu nikulomba. Chikuhwelelu chetu chakoleli chikupu.

Chelili Njita Yakaayi Yamuchiyedi yimani, antu amuGreece adikañili nanfulumendi nawa chumichi chakojejeli njita yeneni. Antu abulili kwikala mashidika anfulumendi eñilili munyisumba nawa akakejileña antu amunyikala kudibomba nawu. Chalukukiliwu mukala wetu, asendeli aYinsahu atwansi asatu, ami, Antonio Tsoukaris niayaya aIlias. Twayilembeleli netu tudi akwaKristu tweñilaña wushidika wanyi; ilaña atukanjikijili kuya nakutemuka kumpidi yaOlympus, hadi maora 12 kufuma kumukala wetu.

Kuhiñahu, mukulumpi wadina izanvu dadikañili nanfulumendi watulejeli kudibomba nawu. Chitwalumbulwili netu akwaKristu alala ajahaña wanyi akwawu antu, iwu mukulumpi wahilili nawa watutwalili kudi mukulumpi wamubadika. Chitwamulejeli niyena mazu wowamu, wahosheli nindi: “Sendenu kawalu kulonda mutwalileñahu mashidika akukatishañawu kuchipatela.”

Twakwili netu: “Indi neyi atukwata kudi mashidika anfulumendi? Akutumona wanyi nawu tudi mashidika enu?” Wahosheli nindi: “Komana mukutwalaña yakuda kudi mashidika anakwasa njita.” Twenhwili cheñi netu: “Indi neyi mukulumpi wamashidika yatumona nakawalu nawa yatuleja nindi sendenu mata mutwalili mashidika anakwasa njita?” Iwu mukulumpi wamashidika wahudikilili. Nkumininaku, wahosheli nezu dankalu nindi: “Komana hembenuña anyikoku! Mukushakamaña hampidi nakudisha anyikoku.”

Njita chiyashikili mumukala wetu, chinleji chetu chatwitejeli kuhemba nyikoku. Chimwahitili chaaka, ayaya aIlias, awedi wetu, ayitejeli kufunta kumukala nakuhemba amama. Antonio wakatili nawa amukasunwiniku. Ilaña ami nashalili.

Mashidika awaGreece enjileña nakutulukuka. Izanvu dankwatili muwuduñu datemukili nakuya kuAlbania kuhitila mumpidi. Chitwashikili kwakwihi nañinza, atunyeñumukili kudi mashidika awaGreece. Akwakudikaña adiña mukukala nawa atemukili. Naswamini mumutondu wakotoka, chaletesheli anwani kudi mashidi inatena hakusambila.

 Chinayilejili mashindi awaGreece nami asendeli chakusenda, atwalili kuchilombu chawamashidika kwakwihi naVéroia, musumba watenañawu muBayibolu nawu Bereya. Kwena kuna anlejeli kwimba nyifolu yawamashidika. Chinakaanini, mukulumpi wamashidika watwalili mukaleya kahachitutu chaMakrónisos (Makronisi).

Makrónisos hichitutu chabula nyitondu, chabula menji nawa mwatataña chikupu hekala makilomita 50 kufuma kuAthens. Ichi chitutu chekala makilomita 13 muwulehi nawa muwihi mwekala mamita 500. Ilaña, kufuma mu 1947 kushika mu 1958, hadiña atuyili 100,000 nawa hakachi kawu hadiña aYinsahu jaYehova amavulu akaanini kwiñila wushidika niantu adiña nakuzuñisha nfulumendi.

Chitwashikili mu 1949, atuyili ayanzañeni muyilombu yashiyashana. Anshili muchilombu mwabula kukiñewa nawakwetu amavulu. Etu 40 twakamineña hamaseki mwitenti mwakukama antu 10. Twanwineña menji amajilu, kuda yakuda yafuta nindimwa. Nawa kwakunkileña mpepela yeneni yaleteleña lunkuñu. Ilaña hitwashinjikileña hela kukoka malolaku, njila yazatishileñawu hakuyandisha atuyilili yakotwesheleña nyima.

Ifuku dimu dinayili kuchiwelelu, nadibulakeni nawaYinsahu amavulu adiña muyilombu yacheñi. Twatiyili kuwaha chitwadibulakeni! Twabulakeneña kwakankawetu chakubula antu ejima kwiluka. Twashimwinineña cheñi mukuswamujoka kudi atuyili amakwawu nawa amakwawu ekalili aYinsahu jaYehova. Iyi yuma yitwelelileña nikulomba chakufuma hamuchima yatukolesheleña kuspiritu.

Chimwahitili tukweji 10 kufuma halekeliwu “kutukabisha,” antu anshili mukaleya elili nawu ichi dinu wukuvwala yunifomu yawushidika. Chinakanini, antwalili kudi mukulumpi wachilombu. Namwinkeli chipapilu chinasonekelihu nami: “Inakukeña kwikala hohu mushidika waKristu.” Hanyima yakundilumuna, mukulumpi wachilombu niyena wantwalili kudi mukulumpi wamubadika, bishopu wamaOrthodox muGreece, wavwalili yakuvwala yansakililu yawu. Chinamwakwili nakuhamuka malwihu indi kuzatisha Nsona, wazuwili nakuhosha nindi: “Mufumishenu aha. Wasupa!”

Chikwachili, mashidika akanjikijili cheñi kuvwala yunifomu yawushidika. Naakanini, dichi añeteli nankonyi ninakabama kamutondu. Dichi antwalili kuchipatela nakumpima neyi mafwaha anakotoki nawa anfutishili kwitenti. Atwalekelihu kuñeta hefuku-hefuku hadi tukweji tuyedi.

Chineli nafumpili kashinshi kami wanyi, mashidika azatishili njila yacheñi. Ankasili makasa hanyima, mashidika añeteli chikupu mumadachilu nanyonji yansambu. Iku inakutiya kuyeña, nanukili mazu aYesu akwila nawu: “Mudi namuzañalu enu ahoshañawu kasawuntu kudi antu nikuyikabisha . . . Zañalalenu nawa tiyenu kuwaha chikupu, muloña wufwetu wenu weneni mwiwulu, dichakabishiliwu niatuprofwetu adiñaku henohu enu kanda muvwaliki.” (Mat. 5:11, 12) Nkumininaku, chiyamanini yuma yamwekeneña neyi yikutwalekahu, nahwidilili.

Napapukilili mukapeka kamukaleya katuta, mwakadi yakuda, menji hela mwemba. Ilaña nakameneni wanyi. Neyi chochahosha Bayibolu, “kuwunda kwaNzambi” ‘kwahembeli muchima wami niyitoñojoka yami.’ (Fwi. 4:7) Chikwachiili, mushidika wumu wanyinkeli yakuda, menji nikochi. Mushidika mukwawu wanyinkeli yakuda yindi. Namweni nami Yehova nakuñakamena kuzatisha iyi njila ninjila yikwawu.

Akulumpi awamashidika ammweni nawu nadikañi chikupu dichi antwalili kuchota chawamashidika kuAthens. Ankasili cheñi hadi yaaka yisatu mukaleya kuYíaros (Gyaros), chitutu hekala makilomita 50 kufuma kuMakrónisos.

Kaleya kakuYíaros kadiña kaleya keneni kakutuña namatafwali akocha, mwadiña atuyili 5,000 adikañileña nanfulumendi. Mwadiña cheñi aYinsahu jaYehova 7, abulelili kudiñija munsañu  jamatuña nachiyuulu. Hela chakwila akanishileña, twabulakeneña nakudiza Bayibolu muwusatu wetu. Twatambwilileña nimakopi aKaposhi Kakutalila mukuswamujoka, nakukikopolola nansonekeshu kulonda tukazatisheña hakudiza.

Ifuku dimu ditwadizileña mukuswamujoka, mukwakuhemba atuyili watuwanini tunakudiza dichi watambwili nyikanda yetu. Atutwalili kudi mukulumpi wawakwakuhemba atuyili, twakuhweleli netu akutunuñilaku yaaka yikwawu. Ilaña, wahosheli nindi: “Twayiluka nawa twalemesha yuma yimwakuhwelela. Tuneluki netu tunateli kuyikuhwelela. Nfuntenu nakuzata.” Etu amakwawu watwinkeli nyidimu yapela. Twatiyili kuwaha nankashi. Kashinshi kanetu akwaKristu kanateli kuleta kalemesha hejina daYehova hela tudi mukaleya.

Kashinshi ketu mwafumini yuma yikwawu yayiwahi. Hanyima yakushinshika yilwilu yetu yayiwahi, kayili wadiza chikupu makumi watwihwili yuma yitwakuhwelela. Etu aYinsahu chiyatufumishiliwu mukaleya mu 1951, niyena amufumishili. Kuhiñahu, wekalali Chinsahu nawa mukwakushimwina wampinji yejima.

Chanfumishiliwu mukaleya, nafuntili kumukala kuKarítsa. Kuhiñahu, twabuukilili kuMelbourne muAustralia hamu nawakwetu. Kwenakuna diku twadisumbwili naJanette, muhela mukwaKristu wapama, nawa twavweli mwana weyala wumu niawambanda asatu itwakulishili muchalala.

Chayinu mpinji nidi nayaaka 90 nawa nidi eluda mukwaKristu. Muloña wamabinjila atweteleñawu, mujimba ninyendu yami yakataña sweje-e neyi nafumi nakushimwina. Hela chochu, nichidi “mushidika waKristu.”—2 Tim. 2:3.