TWAPWA tu va 8 mu limo lyetu, cho yange wavu 7. Vithemi vetu vapwile vaka-kufwitangana. Njathemukile mu mwaka wa 1926 mu mbonge ya Karítsa ku Greece.

Vithemi vange valiwanene na John Papparizos, Mukaleho wa Yehova te kanda njithemuke. Vashangumukile kukunguluka na vaka-kulilongetha Mbimbiliya, lithzina lije lyapwile lya Vakaleho va Yehova ha thimbu oyo. John wapangethele mwamuvwa Vithoneka, cho echi chathzivithile vithemi vange kuvwaha. Vanana vakulahelele manene Yehova Njambi, cho lalo vakele na kulekako vakwavo vivakulahelele, nameme kuvathzivukile kutanda na kuthoneka. Oloni cha luvinda vatate vakelele mana ku kuvuthzeye vwa vakwavo vanu, ngechi valikelele kukunguluka na Vaka-Kilisitu.

Yetu vana twathingimikile manene Mbimbiliya, oloni vwanike vwanjungumwine. Muyashangumukile Ndthzita ya Kaye ya mu chivali mu Europe mu mwaka wa 1939, vyuma hembo lyetu vyatengulukile. Mpanjange Nicolas Psarras uje wapwile Mukaleho na vanu vatwalyatele navo, vavathonekele ha mukana wa vanu vaje vapandele kupwa mashwalale va ku Greece. Nicolas, wa myaka 20, wathimpile na kuleka vakulunu va mashwalale ngwendi, “Kunjatha kulwa eyi ndthzita, mwafwa njilishwalale wa Kilisitu.” Vakamuthompelele ku nkuta ya mashwalale na kukamwaka mu kamenga ha myaka 10. Mutwathzivile ngocho twalijujukilile manene.

Oloni mashwalale veka muvakovelele mu Greece mu 1941, Nicolas vamutuwithile mu kamenga. Cho welukile lalo ku Karítsa, kuje kwakawanene yayange, Ilias, uje wakamwihwile vihula vyavingi kutaletha ku Mbimbiliya. Nange njakele na kutolilila, cho hanima nange na Ilias na Efmorfia, uje wapwile mutinikila wetu, twashangumukile kulilongetha Mbimbiliya na kukunguluka thimbu yoshe ku viwano vya Vakaleho. Mu mwaka watakaneneko, twalikundikile kuli Yehova  na kutumbwitika. Hanima ya myaka yaindondo, vandolome na vandokathzi vange vawana navo vapwile Vakaleho va kulongwa.

Mu 1942, mu chikungulukilo cha Karítsa mwakele lika vakwenje na vambanda vakupwa 9 vamyaka ili mukati ka 15 na 25. Tuvavoshe twathzivukile ngwetu vyetheko vyakama vili na kwija kulutwe. Ngechi twakele na kulitakametha thimbu yoshe mu kulilongetha Mbimbiliya na kwimba myatho ya ku sipilitu na kulombela. Kulinga ngocho, kwakanyamethele likulahelo lyetu.

Ngechi lika mwa Ndthzita ya Kaye ya mu chivali muyashangumukile, chivunga cha vaka-Greece vatengulukilile fulumende ya lifuti lyavo na kushangumuna ndthzita. Echi chivunga cha vaka-kutengulukila fulumende vaile mu membo na kushakathzeka vanu va kulikwatathana navo mu kulwa ndthzita. Omwo vetele hembo lyetu, vakwatele Vakaleho va vakwenje vatatu va Antonio Tsoukaris na Ilias nange. Twavalekele ngwetu yetu tu vaka-Kilisitu, kutwethi kulwa, oloni vatuthindiyiye kulamata ha Munkinda wa Olympus. Twendele viola 12 kutunda hembo lyetu.

Umo hali vaje mashwalale vaka-kutengulukila fulumende watulekele ngwendi tulikwatathane navo mu kulwa. Omwo twavalumbunwinine ngwetu vaka-Kilisitu va vuthunga kuvethi kukwata vitwa na kulwitha vakwavo vanu, uje lishwalale waluvalele manene na kututwala kuli mukulunu wavo. Nendi twamulekele muthzimbu wa kulifwa, cho wendeka ngwendi: “Kumani ambateni kavalu mutwale ava mashwalale vanavulumuka ku chipatela.”

Twamwihwile ngwetu: “Vati cho nga mashwalale vaka-fulumende vatuwana, kuvathinganyeka ngwavo twatengulukila fulumende ndi?” Cho wakumbulwile ngwendi: “Twaleleni vaka-kulwa vyakulya.” Oloni twamwihwile lalo ngwetu: “Tulinga vati nga mukulunu wa mashwalale atumona na kavalu nakutuleka ngwendi twambate vitwa na kushangumuka kulwa?” Uje mukulunu wavo wathinganyekeleho manene, cho wakumbulwile ngwendi: “Chavwaha, kumani yeni mukala vene hano ha munkinda na kunyunga ovu vutanga vwa vimanga.”

Ngechi ha thimbu ivakele na kulwa, yetu mu vutatu vwetu, twathalele ha munkinda mu kunyunga vimanga. Vitakutaku vyetu vyatutavethele kulinga echi chipangi. Hanima ya mwaka umo, Ilias ha kupwa mukulunu wetu vamutavethele kwiluka kwimbo kukanyunga vanana vaje vapwile vifwile. Antonio nendi wavinjile, cho vamupatwile. Oloni yange njathalele likalyange mu vundthzinda.

Ha thimbu eyi mashwalale vaka-Greece vakele na kwija kwa kulwitha ava vaka-kutengulukila. Chije chivunga chanjikwatele, chalyunukwile na kukalishweka ha minkinda ya ku Albania. Omwo twaketele kuyehi na nginga yeli lifuti, mashwalale vaka-Greece te vanatuthzengeleka laja. Ava vaka-kutengulukila vathzivile lyova, cho valyunukwile. Yange njalishwekele ku mungowa, kuje kuvanjiwanene mashwalale vaje vanjinendeka ha kulivanga.

Omwo njalekele mashwalale vaka-Greece ngwange yange valingile lika kunjikwata na kunjipwitha ndungo kuli mashwalale vaka-kutengulukila, cho vanjitwalele ku chilombo cha mashwalale chije chakele kuyehi na Véroia, nganda ije ivatumbwile mu thimbu ya Mbimbiliya ngwavo Mbeleya. Munjaketeleko,  vakanjilekele ngwavo njinde mingelo ya mashwalale. Omwo njavyanene, mukulunu wa mashwalale wendekele ngwendi vanjitwale ha liñanda lya kutewetha lya Makrónisos (Makronis.)

Eli liñanda livatumbula ngwavo Makrónisos, haje kuhakele mema, cho lalo hapwa ha kushaluka, lyakala mu Attica, vimailu 30 (50 km) kutunda ku Atena. Eli liñanda mu vulaha lyapwa lika vimailu 8 (13 km), cho mu vwihi lyapwa viyadi 550 (500 m). Oloni kushwa mu 1947 kutwala mu 1958, hakele na kutulila vindthzinda va kupwa 100,000 kuvwethzelelako na vaka-kutengulukila fulumende na vaje vavavangeyeye lika na vaje vavyanene kulwa. Kwakelako lalo na Vakaleho va Yehova vavangi.

Omwo njaketele, mu 1949, vindthzinda vavatwalele mu vilombo vya kulithethzathethza. Vakanjakele ha chilombo cha kutewetha manene na vakwetu vanalume. Twakalalele mu livu lya ngocho, cho lalo twakalilundikile tu va 40 mu mbalaka ivavwahethelele vanu va kupwa 10. Twakanwine mema a mathzilo, cho kakangi twakalile vinona na malembeka. Mpundthzi na likungu vyatuyandethele manene. Oloni twavethzikile, mwafwa kuvatuyandethele ngwe muvayandethele vindthzinda vamo vaje vathindumwine mamanya a kulema aje apokwele myongo yavo na kuvathzeyetha manene.

Litangwa limo munjakele na kwenda, njaliwanene na Vakaleho vavangi va mu vilombo vikwavo. Twavwahelelele manene ha kuliwana. Twakele lika na kuliwana mu vithimbu kutewa vatukwata. Twawanene vingila vyakwambulwilamo muthzimbu ku vakwetu vindthzinda, cho navo vapwile Vakaleho va Yehova. Evi vitwalingile na kulombela vyatutakamethele ku sipilitu.

Hanima ya vingonde 10 vya “kunjiyandetha,” vaje vanjikutile vashakele ngwavo njikovele vushwalale. Omwo njavyanene, vanjikokelele kuli mukulunu wa mashwalale ha chilombo. Njanene owo mukulunu kalipapelo haje njathonekele ngwange: “Njishaka kupwa lika lishwalale wa Kilisitu.” Owo mukulunu wanjijujwithile, cho wanjinungulwila kuli mukwathi wendi wa Kangiliki uje wapwa mukulunu mu vulombelelo vwa Orthodox. Ou munalume wathzalele vuthzalo vwa vakulunu va vulombelo. Omwo njathimpile na kumukumbulula kupangetha Vithoneka, waluvalele na kwendeka lalo ngwendi: “Mutunditheni aha. Wa kuthzaluka ou.”

Lya mukwavo mutondo, mashwalale vanjithindiyiye kuthzala vuthzalo vwa ndthzita. Omwo njavyanene vanjipupangele na viñome na mbweti ya chiti. Vanjitwalele ha chipatela cha ha chilombo vakamone indi vithsiya vyange vyapokoka, cho vanjilwithile lalo mu mbalaka. Vanjiyandethele ngachije vene litangwa na litangwa ha vingonde vivali.

Mashwalale vamo vethekele kupangetha vingila vyeka vyakunjethekelamo, mwafwa njatwaleleleho kuvyana kukovela vushwalale. Vakutiyiye mavoko ange kunima nakunjipupanga ku mendi kupangetha mikole. Omwo njathzivile manene kuvavala njanukile majwi a Yesu uje wendekele ngwendi: “Munavethzika omwo vamishaula na kumiyandetha . . . Vwaheleleni na kujolela manene, omwo vanamitulikila chikandelela cheni chakama mwilu. Omwo omu mukemwo muvayandethelele vaka-kwimanena vaje valivangele kulutwe lweni.” (Mateo 5:11, 12) Njalethzumukile hanima ya kunjipupanga manene.

Njakendukilile mu kamenga kakutonola manene, cho lalo kumwakele vyakulya nambe mema nambe mapai. Nameme ngocho, kunjakele na vishoti vyavingi. Ngwe muje yakulahetha Mbimbiliya, “kwoloka kwa Njambi” ‘kwanyungile mbunge na viyongola vyange.’ (Fili. 4:7.) Alikaki, lishwalale umo wa ngothzi wanjanene likende na mema na chikoveyo. Cho kwakele mukwavo lalo wanjanene vyakulya. Eyi ngothzi ivanjimwethele, yanjilingithile njilithzive ngwange Yehova wanjithzema.

Vaka-mashiko vathinganyekele ngwavo njili na vuthitwi, ngechi vanjitwalele ku nkuta ya mashwalale ku Athens. Cho vakanjikutile ha myaka itatu ha liñanda livatumbula ngwavo Yíaros Gyaros lije lyakala vimailu 30 (50 km) ku ngangela ya Makrónisos.

Kamenga ka Yíaros kaje kavatungithile na vindopi vya kuvenga kapwile kakama na kukola, cho kathele kutulika vindthzinda va kupwa 5,000. Mwakele lalo na Vakaleho va Yehova va kupwa 7, vavakutile mwafwa ya kuvyana kulikoveletha mu viñanda vya kaye ha kupwa vaka-Kilisitu. Twakele na kuliwana na kulilongetha Mbimbiliya, nameme kuvatutavethele kulinga  ngocho. Thimbu yoshe vakele na kututuminako mangazini muvushweke a kulilongetha amandondo a Kaposhi ka Kukengela, cho twakele na kuthoneka viñanda vyakelemo ha mapapelo akwavo.

Litangwa limo mutwakele na kulilongetha, muka-kunyunga kamenga watuwanene twalikungulula na kutunyeka mavulu etu. Watwambulwile kuli mukulunu wa kamenga, cho twavandamenene ngwetu vavwethzelela ku myaka yetu ya kukala mu kamenga. Oloni uje mukulunu wa kamenga wendekele ngwendi: “Tumithzivuka, cho lalo twathingimika futithi yeni. Twamikulahela. Ilukeni mukatwaleleho kupanga.” Vamo mukati ketu wavanene vipangi vyavyathi. Twavwahelelele manene. Kulongwa kwetu mu kamenga ha kupwa vaka-Kilisitu kwashangathzalethele lithzina lya Yehova.

Kuli vuvwa vwatundile mu kukanyama kwetu. Omwo wanangukile futithi yetu yaivwa, chindthzinda umo uje wapwile muka-kulilongetha vya kulava watwihwile ha vyuma vitwakulahela. Omwo yetu Vakaleho vatupatwile mu 1951, nendi vamupatwile. Kutundoho, vamumbwitikile na kupwa Mukaleho, cho wapwile muka-kwambulula wa thimbu yoshe.

Omwo njapatukile, njelukile kuli vavushoko vwange ku Karítsa. Kutundoho, yange na vakwetu mutwakelelele mu lifuti limo, twaile ku Melbourne mu Australia. Munjaketele kuje, twakaliwanene na ndokathzi wa kuhya ku sipilitu, cho twalyambatele. Twalongethelele hamo vana vetu vya vunjambi.

Hano njatuvakana myaka 90, oloni hanga nji mukulunu mu Chikungulukilo. Thimbu imo munjikatundu mu lihya, njikathzivi kuvavala mu muvila na mendi, mwafwa ya kuje kunjipupanga. Nameme ngocho, viyongola vyange vya kupwa “lishwalale wamuvwa wa Kilisitu,” kuvyatengulukile.—2 Tima. 2:3.