Bambo ndi mayi anali Akatolika odzipereka. Koma ataphunzira m’Baibulo kuti dzina la Mulungu ndi Yehova, iwo anakhala a Mboni za Yehova okhulupirika. Bambo anasiya kupanga zifaniziro za Yesu. M’malomwake, iwo anagwiritsa ntchito luso lawo la ukalipentala posintha chipinda chapansi cha nyumba yathu kukhala Nyumba ya Ufumu yoyamba ya ku San Juan del Monte, ku Manila, lomwe ndi likulu la dziko la Philippines.

Nditangobadwa mu 1952, makolo anga anayamba kundiphunzitsa zokhudza Yehova, ngati mmene ankachitira ndi azichimwene anga 4 ndi azichemwali anga atatu. Pamene ndinkakula, bambo ankandilimbikitsa kuti ndiziwerenga chaputala chimodzi cha m’Baibulo tsiku lililonse komanso ankaphunzira nane mabuku athu osiyanasiyana. Nthawi zambiri iwo ankaitana oyang’anira dera komanso abale oimira ofesi ya nthambi kuti adzagonere kunyumba kwathu. Tinkasangalala komanso kulimbikitsidwa ndi zomwe abalewa ankatifotokozera zokhudza moyo wawo, zomwe zinatilimbikitsa tonsefe kuti tiziona kutumikira Yehova kukhala kofunika kwambiri pa moyo wathu.

Ndinaphunzira zambiri pa chitsanzo cha makolo anga omwe anali okhulupirika kwa Yehova. Mayi anga atamwalira chifukwa cha matenda, ine ndi bambo tinayamba upainiya mu 1971. Koma mu 1973, ndili ndi zaka 20, bambo anamwaliranso. Imfa ya makolo angawo inachititsa kuti ndizidzimva kuti ndili ndekhandekha. Koma chiyembekezo chathu chomwe “n’chotsimikizika komanso chokhazikika,” chinandithandiza kuti ndisamade nkhawa kwambiri komanso ndikhale pafupi ndi Yehova. (Aheb. 6:19) Pasanapite nthawi yaitali kuchokera pamene bambo anamwalira, ndinaikidwa kukhala mpainiya wapadera pakachilumba kena kotchedwa Coron, ku Palawan.

Ndinali ndi zaka 21 pamene ndinkafika ku Coron. Popeza kuti ndinakulira mumzinda waukulu, ndinadabwa  kuti pachilumbapo panalibe nyumba zambiri zokhala ndi magetsi, madzi a m’mipope ngakhalenso magalimoto. Ngakhale kuti kunali abale ochepa, ndinalibe mnzanga amene ndinkachita naye upainiya ndipo nthawi zambiri ndinkalalikira ndekha. Choncho m’mwezi woyamba ndinkawasowa kwambiri achibale anga komanso anzanga. Usiku ndinkayang’ana nyenyezi kumwamba kwinaku misozi ikutsikira m’masaya. Ndinkangofuna nditasiya utumikiwu n’kubwerera kunyumba.

Pa nthawi yomwe ndinkadziona kuti ndili ndekhandekhayi, ndinkamufotokozera Yehova kuchokera pansi pa mtima mmene ndinkamvera. Ndinkakumbukira mfundo zolimbikitsa zomwe ndinawerenga m’Baibulo komanso mabuku athu. Nthawi zambiri ndinkaganizira za lemba la Salimo 19:14. Ndinazindikira kuti Yehova angakhale “Thanthwe langa ndiponso Wondiwombola” ngati nditamaganizira zinthu zimene zimamusangalatsa monga zochita zake komanso makhalidwe ake. Nkhani ina ya mu Nsanja ya Olonda inandithandiza kwambiri. a Ndinaiwerenga mobwerezabwereza. Pa nthawiyi ndinkaona kuti ndili ndi Yehova ndipo zimenezi zinandithandiza kuti ndizipeza mpata wopemphera, kuphunzira komanso kuganizira mozama zimene ndaphunzira.

Pasanapite nthawi yaitali nditafika ku Coron ndinaikidwa kukhala mkulu. Popeza mkulu ndinalipo ndekha, mlungu uliwonse ndinayamba kumachititsa Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Mulungu, Msonkhano wa Utumiki, Phunziro la Buku la Mpingo komanso Phunziro la Nsanja ya Olonda. Ndinkakambanso nkhani ya onse mlungu uliwonse. Apatu ndinkatanganidwa kwambiri moti panalibenso nthawi yomadziona kuti ndili ndekhandekha.

Utumiki wanga ku Coron unali ndi zotsatirapo zabwino chifukwa anthu ena omwe ndinkaphunzira nawo Baibulo anabatizidwa. Koma panalinso zovuta zina. Nthawi zina ndinkayenda kuyambira m’mawa mpaka masana kuti ndikafike kugawo lolalikira ndipo sindinkadziwa kuti ndikagona kuti. Gawo la mpingo linalinso ndi tizilumba tina tambiri ting’onoting’ono. Nthawi zambiri ndinkayenda paboti kudutsa panyanja ya mafunde kuti ndikafike kugawo ngakhale kuti sindinkadziwa kusambira. Yehova ankanditeteza komanso kundisamalira pa mavuto onsewa. Pambuyo pake ndinazindikira kuti Yehova ankandikonzekeretsa mavuto ena aakulu omwe ndinadzakumana nawo pa utumiki wanga wotsatira.

Mu 1978, ndinatumizidwa ku Papua New Guinea, komwe ndi kumpoto kwa dziko la Australia. Dziko la Papua New Guinea ndi la mapiri ndipo kukula kwake lingafanane ndi dziko la Spain. Ndinadabwa kuti anthu pafupifupi 3 miliyoni m’dzikolo amalankhula zinenero zoposa 800. Mwamwayi, anthu ambiri a kumeneko ankalankhula Chitoku Pisini.

Kwa kanthawi kochepa, ndinakhala mumpingo wa Chingelezi kulikulu la dzikolo ku Port Moresby. Kenako ndinasamukira mumpingo wa Chitoku Pisini ndipo ndinalowa kalasi yophunzitsa chinenerochi. Ndinkagwiritsa ntchito zimene ndinkaphunzira m’kalasiyo ndikamalalikira. Zimenezi zinandithandiza kuti ndichiphunzire mofulumira. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali, ndinayamba kukamba nkhani ya onse mu Chitoku Pisini. Ndinadabwa kuti pasanathe chaka kuchokera pamene ndinafika ku Papua New Guinea, ndinaikidwa kukhala woyang’anira dera la  mipingo ya Chitoku Pisini, lomwe linali lalikulu kwambiri.

Chifukwa chakuti mipingo inali motalikirana, ndinkakonza zoti tizikhala ndi misonkhano yadera yambiri zomwe zinkachititsa kuti ndiziyenda kwambiri. Poyamba ndinkadzimva kuti ndili ndekhandekha chifukwa chokhala kudziko lachilendo, komwe kunali chinenero chatsopano komanso chikhalidwe chatsopano. Sizinkatheka kuyenda pamsewu pochoka mpingo wina kupita mpingo wina chifukwa linali dera lamapiri. Choncho ndinkafunika kuyenda pandege, pafupifupi mlungu uliwonse. Nthawi zina ndinkakhala ndekhandekha mu kandege kakang’ono komwe sikanalinso kabwino. Ndinkachita mantha pa maulendowa, ngati mmene ndinkamvera ndikamayenda paboti.

Anthu ambiri analibe matelefoni, choncho ndinkalumikizana ndi mipingo polemba makalata. Nthawi zina ndinkafika makalatawo asanafike, ndiye ndinkafunika kufufuza komwe kuli abale. Nthawi zonse ndikawapeza abalewo ankandilandira bwino ndipo ndinkaona kuti khama langa likupindula. Ndinkaona kuti Yehova ankandithandiza Yehova m’njira zambiri ndipo ubwenzi wanga ndi iye unkakula.

Nditafika kwa nthawi yoyamba pamisonkhano pachilumba cha Bougainville, banja lina linandipeza likumwetulira n’kundifunsa kuti: “Kodi mwatikumbukira?” Ndinakumbukira kuti ndinawalalikira nditangofika kumene ku Port Moresby. Ndinkaphunzira nawo Baibulo ndipo ndinawapereka kwa m’bale wina wa komweko kuti apitirize kuphunzira nawo. Tsopano onse anali atabatizidwa. Amenewa ndi ena mwa madalitso ambiri omwe ndinapeza pa zaka zitatu zomwe ndinakhala ku Papua New Guinea.

Ndisanachoke ku Coron mu 1978, ndinadziwana ndi mlongo wina wokongola yemwe anali wodzipereka, dzina lake Adel. Iye anali mpainiya wokhazikika ndipo ankalera ana ake awiri Samuel ndi Shirley. Pa nthawiyo ankasamaliranso mayi ake omwe anali achikulire. Mu May 1981, ndinabwereranso ku Philippines ndipo tinakwatirana ndi Adel. Titakwatirana tinkachita limodzi upainiya wokhazikika komanso kusamalira banjalo.

Ngakhale kuti ndinali ndi mkazi ndi ana, mu 1983 ndinaikidwanso kukhala mpainiya wapadera ndipo ndinatumizidwa pachilumba cha Linapacan ku Palawan. Banja lathu lonse linasamukira kudera lakutali limeneli komwe kunalibe wa Mboni aliyense. Patangopita chaka chimodzi, mayi ake a Adel anamwalira. Komabe tinkatanganidwa ndi ntchito yolalikira, zomwe zinatithandiza kupirira pa nthawi yovutayi. Tinayamba kuphunzira ndi anthu ambiri ku Linapacan, moti pasanapite nthawi yaitali pankafunika Nyumba ya Ufumu yaing’ono. Choncho tinamanga tokha nyumbayo. Patangopita zaka zitatu kuchokera pamene tinafika m’deralo, tinasangalala kwambiri kuona anthu okwana 110 atapezeka pa Chikumbutso ndipo ambiri mwa anthuwo anadzabatizidwa titachokako.

Mu 1986, ndinatumizidwa kuchilumba cha Culion, komwe kunali malo ena okhalako anthu a khate. Kenako nayenso Adel anaikidwa kukhala mpainiya wapadera. Poyamba tinkaopa kulalikira kwa anthu ena omwe anaduka ziwalo zina chifukwa cha khate. Koma ofalitsa a kuderalo anatitsimikizira kuti  anthuwo anali atalandira thandizo lokwanira moti sakanatipatsira matendawo. Ena mwa anthuwo ankachitira misonkhano m’nyumba ya mlongo wina. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali tinazolowera ndipo tinkaona kuti ndi mwayi kuphunzira ndi anthu omwe ankadziona ngati ndi okanidwa ndi Mulungu ngakhalenso anthu. Tinkasangalala kuona anthu omwe ankadwala kwambiri akusangalala ndi chiyembekezo chakuti tsiku lina adzakhala ndi thanzi labwino.—Luka 5:12, 13.

Kodi n’chiyani chomwe chinathandiza ana athu kuti azolowere moyo wa ku Culion? Ine ndi Adel tinaitana alongo awiri achitsikana kuchokera ku Coron n’cholinga choti ana athuwo asamangulumwe. Samuel, Shirley ndi alongo awiriwo ankasangalala kwambiri ndi utumiki ndipo ankaphunzira Baibulo ndi ana ambiri, pomwe ine ndi Adel tinkaphunzira ndi makolo a anawo. Ndipotu pa nthawi ina tinkaphunzira ndi mabanja 11. Posakhalitsa tinayamba kuphunzira Baibulo ndi anthu ambiri moti tinakhazikitsa mpingo watsopano.

Poyamba mkulu ndinali ndekha m’deralo. Choncho ofesi ya nthambi inandipempha kuti mlungu uliwonse ndizichititsa misonkhano ndi ofalitsa 8 ku Culion kenako ndizipitanso kumudzi wotchedwa Marily komwe kunali ofalitsa 9. Mudziwu unali pa mtunda woyenda maola atatu paboti. Tikamaliza misonkhano kumeneko, tonse monga banja tinkayenda m’dera la mapiri kwa maola ambiri kukachititsa maphunziro a Baibulo kumudzi wotchedwa Halsey.

Anthu ambiri anayamba kuphunzira choonadi ku Marily ndi ku Halsey moti tinamanga Nyumba za Ufumu m’madera onsewa. Abale komanso anthu achidwi ndi amene ankapereka zinthu zambiri zogwirira ntchito komanso kugwira ntchitoyo. Nyumba ya Ufumu ya ku Marily inali yoti mungakwane anthu 200 komanso inali yotheka kuiwonjezera moti tinkachitiramo misonkhano yadera.

Mu 1993 ana athu atakula, ine ndi Adel tinayamba utumiki woyang’anira dera ku Philippines. Kenako mu 2000 ndinalowa Sukulu Yophunzitsa Utumiki, komwe ndinaphunzitsidwa kukhala mlangizi wa sukuluyi. Ndinkadziona kuti sindingakwanitse koma Adel ankandilimbikitsa nthawi zonse. Iye ankandikumbutsa kuti Yehova adzandipatsa mphamvu  kuti ndikwanitse utumiki watsopanowu. (Afil. 4:13) Adel ankadziwa kuti zimenezi ndi zotheka chifukwa nayenso ankatumikira Yehova akulimbana ndi matenda aakulu.

Mu 2006 ndili mlangizi, Adel anapezeka ndi matenda enaake aakulu. Tinadabwa kwambiri ndi zimenezi. Nditamuuza kuti ndikufuna ndisiye utumiki n’cholinga choti ndizimusamalira, Adel anayankha kuti, “Mungondipezera dokotala amene angandithandize pa matenda angawa, ndikudziwa kuti Yehova atithandiza kuti tipitirize kumutumikira.” Pa zaka 6 zotsatira, Adel anapitiriza kutumikira Yehova popanda kudandaula. Atasiya kuyenda, ankalalikira ali pa njinga ya olumala. Atayamba kuvutika kulankhula ankangoyankha ndi mawu amodzi kapena awiri pamisonkhano. Adel ankalandira mauthenga ochokera kwa abale ndi alongo omuyamikira chifukwa cha kupirira kwake mpaka pamene anamwalira mu 2013. Ndinakhala ndi mnzanga wachikondi komanso wokhulupirikayu kwa zaka zoposa 30, koma atamwalira ndinayambiranso kuvutika ndi chisoni komanso kusungulumwa.

Adel ankafuna kuti ndipitirize utumiki wanga, choncho ndinapitirizadi. Ndinkayesetsa kukhala ndi zochita zambiri ndipo zimenezi zinandithandiza kuti ndisamasungulumwe. Kuyambira mu 2014 mpaka mu 2017, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndiziyendera mipingo yolankhula Chitagalogi m’mayiko omwe ntchito yathu inali yoletsedwa. Kenako ndinkayendera mipingo ya Chitagalogi ku Taiwani, United States, ndi ku Canada. Mu 2019, ndinali mlangizi wa Sukulu ya Akhristu Olalikira za Ufumu ya Chingelezi ku India ndi Thailand. Ndimasangalala kwambiri ndikakhala ndi zochita zambiri potumikira Yehova.

Pa utumiki uliwonse umene ndapatsidwa, ndimayamba kukonda abale ndi alongo amene ndakumana nawo ndipo zimakhala zovuta kusiyana nawo. Choncho ndaphunzira kudalira kwambiri Yehova ndikamasiyana ndi anthuwo. Nthawi zonse ndimaona Yehova akundithandiza ndipo zimenezi zandithandiza kuti ndizivomereza kusintha kulikonse komwe kwachitika. Panopa ndine mpainiya wapadera ku Philippines. Ndipo ndakhazikika mumpingo wanga watsopano womwe uli ngati banja lomwe likundisamalira. Ndimasangalalanso kuona Samuel ndi Shirley akutsanzira chikhulupiriro cha mayi awo.—3 Yoh. 4.

Ndakumana ndi mayesero ambiri pa moyo wanga kuphatikizapo kuona mkazi wanga akudwala matenda aakulu mpaka kumwalira. Ndinkafunikanso kuzolowera zinthu zikasintha pa moyo. Koma ndaona kuti Yehova “sali kutali ndi aliyense wa ife.” (Mac. 17:27) Dzanja la Yehova ‘si lalifupi’ moti angalephere kuthandiza atumiki ake, ngakhale amene ali m’madera lakutali. (Yes. 59:1) Yehova, yemwe ndi Thanthwe langa, wakhala akundithandiza pa moyo wanga wonse ndipo ndimayamikira kwambiri. Sindinakhalepo ndekhandekha.