Makolo anga anachoka ku Estonia pa nthawi ya nkhondo yachiwiri yapadziko lonse, n’kupita ku Germany komwe ndinabadwira. Panali pa nthawi imeneyi pamene anayamba zokonzekera kusamukira ku Canada. Titafika ku Canada, nyumba yathu yoyamba inali pafupi ndi ku Otawa, ndipo inali yaing’ono komanso ankaweteramo nkhuku. Tinali osauka kwambiri komabe tinkakwanitsa kudya mazira pachakudya cham’mawa.

Tsiku lina a Mboni za Yehova anawerengera mayi anga lemba la Chivumbulutso 21:3, 4. Zimene anawawerengerazo zinawakhudza kwambiri moti mpaka anagwetsa misozi yachisangalalo. Mbewu za choonadi zinayamba kukula mumtima mwawo moti iwowo ndi bambo anga anapita patsogolo mofulumira ndipo anabatizidwa.

Makolo anga sankadziwa bwinobwino Chingelezi, komabe ankachita khama potumikira Yehova. Pafupifupi Loweruka lililonse, bambo anga ankanditenga limodzi ndi mchemwali wanga wamng’ono Sylvia pokalalikira, ngakhale pambuyo pogwira ntchito usiku wonse kufakitale yopanga ndalama zachitsulo ku Sudbury, ku Ontario. Mlungu uliwonse tinkaphunzira Nsanja ya Olonda limodzi monga banja. Bambo ndi mayi anga anandithandiza kwambiri kuti ndizikonda Mulungu. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti ndidzipereke kwa Yehova mu 1956, ndili ndi zaka 10. Kuona kuti iwo ankakonda kwambiri Yehova kwandithandiza kwambiri pa moyo wanga wonse.

Nditamaliza sukulu, ndinayamba kusokonezedwa ndi zinthu zina pa nkhani yotumikira Yehova. Ndinkaganiza kuti ngati nditakhala mpainiya, sindidzakwanitsa kupeza ndalama zokwanira zoti ndidzakwerere ndege n’kupita m’mayiko osiyanasiyana monga mmene ndinkafunira. Ndinapeza ntchito ya u DJ ku nyumba ina youlutsira mawu, ndipo ndinkaikonda kwambiri ntchitoyi. Koma ndinkagwira ntchito madzulo, zomwe zinkachititsa kuti nthawi zambiri ndisamapezeke pamisonkhano ndipo ndinkagwirizana ndi anthu omwe sankakonda Mulungu. Pamapeto pake, chikumbumtima changa chophunzitsidwa Baibulo chinandithandiza kuti ndisinthe.

Ndinasamukira ku Oshawa ku Ontario. Kumeneko ndinakumana ndi Ray Norman, mchemwali wake Lesli komanso apainiya ena. Onsewa anandilandira bwino. Kuona mmene ankasangalalira kunandichititsa kuti ndiganizirenso zolinga zanga. Iwo anandilimbikitsa kuti ndiyambe upainiya ndipo ndinayambadi mu September 1966. Ndinkasangalala ndipo ndinkaona kuti zinthu zikundiyendera bwino. Komabe, zinthu zimene zikanasintha moyo wanga zinali zitatsala pang’ono kuchitika.

Ndisanamalize sukulu ndinalemba fomu yofunsira utumiki wa pa Beteli ku Toronto, ku Canada. Pambuyo pake ndikuchita upainiya, ndinaitanidwa kuti ndikatumikire kwa zaka 4. Koma ndinkamukonda kwambiri Lesli moti ndinkaopa kuti ngati nditavomera kupita ku Beteli, ndiye kuti sindidzamuonanso. Pambuyo popempherera nkhaniyi mochokera pansi pa mtima kwa nthawi yaitali, ndinavomera kukatumikira ku Beteli ndipo ndinatsanzikana ndi Lesli ndili wokhumudwa.

Poyamba ndinkagwira ntchito mudipatimenti yochapa zovala, ndipo kenako ndinapatsidwa ntchito ya usekilitale. Pa nthawiyo, Lesli anakhala mpainiya wapadera ku Gatineau, ku Quebec. Nthawi zonse ndinkafuna nditadziwa kuti akuchita chiyani komanso ngati ndinasankha zoyenera. Kenako panachitika chinthu china chosangalatsa chomwe sindinkayembekezera. Ray, mchimwene wake wa Lesli uja, anaitanidwa ku Beteli ndipo tinkakhala m’chipinda chimodzi. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti ndiyambirenso kucheza ndi Lesli moti tinakwatirana pa 27 February 1971, tsiku limene ndinkamaliza utumiki wanga wa zaka 4.

Ine ndi Lesli tinatumizidwa kukatumikira mumpingo wa Chifulenchi ku Quebec. Patapita zaka zochepa, ndinadabwa nditauzidwa kuti ndikhale woyang’anira dera. Apa n’kuti ndili ndi zaka 28 zokha. Ndinkadziona kuti ndine mwana komanso wosadziwa zambiri, koma mawu a pa Yeremiya 1:7, 8 anandilimbikitsa. Lesli anali atachita ngozi ya galimoto maulendo angapo. Ndiye kodi tikanakwanitsa bwanji utumiki woyang’anira dera? Koma Lesli anandiuza kuti, “Ngati Yehova watipempha kuti tichite zinazake, kodi sitingayese kuzichita?” Choncho tinavomera ndipo tinasangalala kuchita utumikiwu kwa zaka 17.

Ndinkatanganidwa kwambiri pa utumiki wanga woyang’anira dera moti sindinkakhala ndi nthawi yokwanira yocheza ndi Lesli. Kenako ndinaphunzira kanthu kena. Lolemba lina m’mawa ndinangomva kugogoda pachitseko. Nditatuluka sindinapeze aliyense. Ndinangopeza pali basiketi muli kansalu koyala patebulo, chipatso, tchizi, buledi, botolo la vinyo, matambula komanso kapepala kolemba kuti, “Atengereni akazi anu kumalo enaake mukasangalale.” Pa tsikuli kunacha bwino ndipo kunkawala dzuwa. Nditamufotokozera Lesli kuti ndinali ndi nkhani zoti ndikonzekere ndipo sitikanatha kupita, anandimvetsa koma sanasangalale nazo kwenikweni. Nditangokhala pampando kuti ndiziyamba kukonzekera, chikumbumtima chinayamba kundivutitsa. Ndinaganizira lemba la Aefeso 5:25, 28. Zinali ngati Yehova akundilimbikitsa kuti ndiganizire mmene mkazi wanga ankamvera. Nditapemphera ndinauza Lesli kuti, “Tiye tipite,” zomwe zinamusangalatsa. Tinapita kumalo ena okongola m’mphepete mwa mtsinje komwe tinakakhala pa kansalu kaja, ndipo limeneli ndi limodzi mwa masiku omwe tinasangalala kwambiri pa moyo wathu. Koma ndinakwanitsanso kukonzekera nkhani zanga zija.

Tinkasangalala ndi utumiki wathu woyang’anira dera ndipo tinayendera madera ambiri kuchokera ku British Columbia mpaka ku Newfoundland. Apa cholinga  changa chomwe ndinali nacho ndili wamng’ono chija chofuna kupita m’madera osiyanasiyana, chinayamba kukwaniritsidwa. Ndinali nditaganizirapo zolowa Sukulu ya Giliyadi, koma sindinkafuna kukakhala mmishonale kudziko lina. Ndinkaona kuti amishonale ndi anthu apadera ndipo ndinkaganiza kuti ineyo sindingakwanitse utumiki umenewu. Komanso ndinkaopa kuti mwina tingatumizidwe kudziko lina ku Africa komwe kuli matenda ndi nkhondo. Ndinkasangalala kutumikira komwe ndinkatumikirako.

Mu 1992, pamene ntchito yathu inkatsegulidwa m’mayiko amene poyamba anali mu ulamuliro wa Soviet Union, tinapemphedwa ngati tingakonde kukatumikira monga amishonale ku Estonia. Tinadabwa kwambiri, koma tinapempherera nkhaniyi. Apanso tinadzifunsa kuti, ‘Ngati Yehova watipempha kuti tichite zinazake, kodi sitingayese kuzichita?’ Tinavomera, ndipo tinadziuza kuti, ‘Ubwino wake sitikupita ku Africa.’

Posakhalitsa tinayamba kuphunzira Chiesitoniya. Kenako patapita miyezi ingapo tili m’dzikolo, tinapemphedwa kuti tichite utumiki woyang’anira dera. Tinkafunika tiziyendera mipingo 46 komanso timagulu m’mayiko atatu a m’mphepete mwa nyanja ya Baltic ndiponso ku Kaliningrad, ku Russia. Zimenezi zinatanthauza kuti tinkafunikanso kuphunzira Chilativiya, Chilituweniya ndi Chirasha. Zinali zovuta, komabe anzathu ankaona khama lathu ndipo anatithandiza kuphunzira zinenerozi. Mu 1999, ofesi ya nthambi inatsegulidwa ku Estonia ndipo ndinali ndi mwayi wotumikira m’komiti yake limodzi ndi Toomas Edur, Lembit Reile, komanso Tommi Kauko.

Tinadziwana ndi a Mboni ambiri omwe anasamutsidwira ku Siberia m’mbuyomu. Ngakhale kuti anazunzidwa m’ndende komanso kusiyanitsidwa ndi mabanja awo, iwo sanakwiye kapena kusunga chakukhosi. Anapitirizabe kukhala osangalala komanso kulalikira mwakhama. Zimenezi zinatithandiza kuona kuti ifenso tingathe kupirira n’kumakhalabe osangalala ngakhale pamene takumana ndi mavuto.

Pamene zaka zinkapita, tinkatanganidwa moti sitinkakhala ndi nthawi yambiri yopuma ndipo kenako Lesli anayamba kumva kutopa kwambiri. Sitinazindikire mofulumira kuti iye anali atayamba kudwala matenda omwe amachititsa kuti munthu azimva kutopa kwambiri. Apa tinatsimikiza zobwerera ku Canada. Titaitanidwa kuti tikalowe nawo Sukulu ya Abale a m’Komiti ya Nthambi ku Patterson, ku U.S.A., ndinakayikira ngati tingakwanitse kupita. Komabe titaipempherera kwambiri nkhaniyi, tinapita. Yehova anadalitsa zomwe tinasankhazo. Tili kusukuluyi ndi pamene Lesli analandira thandizo la mankhwala lomwe ankafunikira, choncho tinayambiranso kuchita zinthu ngati kale.

Titabwerera ku Estonia, madzulo a tsiku lina, mu 2008 ndinalandira foni kuchokera ku likulu lathu la padziko lonse, yotipempha ngati tingakatumikire ku Congo. Ndinadabwa kwambiri, makamaka chifukwa chakuti ndinkafunika kuyankha tsiku lotsatira. Poyamba sindinamuuze Lesli za nkhaniyi, chifukwa ndinkaona kuti sagona usiku umenewo. M’malomwake ineyo ndi amene sindinagone. Ndinakhala ndikupemphera kwa Yehova, kumufotokozera nkhawa zomwe ndinali nazo pa nkhani yopita ku Africa.

 Tsiku lotsatira nditamufotokozera Lesli, tinauzana kuti, “Yehova akutipempha kuti tipite ku Africa, ndiye tingadziwe bwanji kuti sitingakwanitse komanso kusangalala nazo ngati sitingapite?” Choncho pambuyo potumikira ku Estonia kwa zaka 16, tinakwera ndege kupita ku Kinshasa, ku Congo. Kumeneko ofesi ya nthambi inali ndi malo okongola komanso abata. Chimodzi mwa zinthu zimene Lesli anayambirira kuika pakhoma m’chipinda mwathu chinali kakhadi komwe anakasunga kungoyambira pomwe tinachoka ku Canada. Pakakhadipo panali mawu akuti, “Muziphuka mosangalala pamalo amene mwadzalidwa.” Titayamba kucheza ndi abale, kuchititsa maphunziro a Baibulo komanso kuona zinthu zosangalatsa zobwera chifukwa cha umishonale, tinayambiranso kusangalala potumikira Yehova. M’kupita kwa nthawi tinakhala ndi mwayi woyendera maofesi a nthambi m’mayiko 13 a ku Africa. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti tikhale ndi mwayi woona komanso kuphunzira zinthu zambiri zokhudza anthu osiyanasiyana. Nkhawa zomwe ndinali nazo poyamba zinatheratu ndipo tinkathokoza Yehova chifukwa chotitumiza ku Africa.

Ku Congo, tinkapatsidwa zakudya zosiyanasiyana monga tizilombo, zomwe ndinkaganiza kuti sitingadye. Koma titaona kuti abale athu akuzikonda, tinaziyesa ndipo ifenso tinazikonda.

Tinkakwanitsa kupititsa chakudya chauzimu komanso thandizo lina kum’mawa kwa dzikolo kumene magulu a zigawenga ankaukira midzi komanso kuvulaza akazi ndi ana. Abale ambiri anali osauka, koma tinalimbikitsidwa kuona kuti iwo ankakhulupirira kwambiri kuti akufa adzauka, ankakonda Yehova komanso anali okhulupirika ku gulu lake. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti tidzifufuze ndiponso kulimbitsa chikhulupiriro chathu. Nyumba komanso mbewu za abale ambiri zinali zitawonongedwa. Izi zinandithandiza kumvetsa mfundo yakuti zinthu zimene tingakhale nazo zikhoza kutha mofulumira ndiponso kuti chofunika kwambiri ndi ubwenzi wathu ndi Yehova. Ngakhale kuti abalewo ankakumana ndi mavuto aakulu chonchi, sankadandaula kwenikweni. Ndipo popeza kuti abalewa ankaona zinthu moyenera zinatilimbikitsa kuti tizilimbana ndi mavuto athu, ngakhalenso okhudza thanzi lathu, molimba mtima.

Kenako panachitika chinthu chinanso chomwe sitinkayembekezera. Tinapemphedwa kuti tisamukire  ku ofesi ya nthambi ya ku Hong Kong. Tinali tisanaganizirepo zoti tingakakhale ku Asia. Koma tinavomera titaganizira mmene Yehova anatithandizira mwachikondi pa mautumiki osiyanasiyana. Mu 2013, tinasiyana ndi anzathu komanso dera lokongola la ku Africa tikugwetsa misozi, ndipo sitinkadziwa kuti kumene tikupitako tikakumana ndi zotani.

Tinafika ku Hong Kong, womwe ndi mzinda wokongola komanso wokhala ndi anthu ambiri, ndipo kumeneku kunali kusintha kwakukulu. Zinali zovuta kuphunzira Chitchainizi. Komabe abale anatilandira bwino ndipo tinkasangalala ndi zakudya zakumeneko. Ntchito yathu inkapita patsogolo mofulumira koma kukhala ndi nyumba kunali kokwera mtengo. Choncho Bungwe Lolamulira linaganiza zogulitsa nyumba zambiri za gulu m’dzikolo. Ndiye pasanapite nthawi yaitali, mu 2015, tinasamukira ku South Korea, komwe tikutumikira mpaka pano. Kunonso tinapeza chinenero china chovuta. Komabe ngakhale kuti pali zambiri zoti tiphunzire, timalimbikitsidwa chifukwa anzathu amatiuza kuti tikuyesetsa kuphunzira chinenerochi.

Si nthawi zonse pamene kupeza anzathu kumakhala kophweka, koma taona kuti tikayamba ndi ifeyo kuchereza anthu ena, tingathe kudziwana ndi anthu mofulumira. Taona kuti ngakhale kuti abale athu amasiyana pa zinthu zina, amafanana pa zinthu zambiri. Komanso Yehova anatilenga m’njira yapadera yoti tizitha kufutukula mtima wathu n’kumatha kukhala ndi mabwenzi ambiri.​—2 Akor. 6:11.

Taona kuti tiyenera kumaona anthu ngati mmene Yehova amawaonera komanso kumafufuza kuti tione mmene Yehova akutisonyezera chikondi ndiponso mmene akutitsogolerera pa moyo wathu. Nthawi iliyonse yomwe tinkaona kuti tafooka kapena kuyamba kukayikira ngati abale athu akusangalala nafe, tinkawerenganso makalata ndi makhadi omwe anzathu ankatilembera. Takhala tikuona mmene Yehova wakhala akuyankhira mapemphero athu, kutilimbikitsa komanso kutipatsa mphamvu.

Pa zaka zonsezi, ine ndi Lesli taphunzira kufunika kokhala ndi nthawi yochitira zinthu limodzi monga banja, ngakhale pamene tatanganidwa kwambiri. Taonanso kufunika koseka tikalakwitsa penapake, makamaka pamene tikuphunzira chinenero china. Madzulo alionse timayesa kuganizira chinachake chosangalatsa chimene Yehova watichitira n’kumuthokoza.

Kunena zoona, ndinali ndisanaganizirepo kuti ndingadzakhale mmishonale kapenanso kukhala m’mayiko osiyanasiyana. Komabe ndasangalala kuphunzira mfundo yakuti tikhoza kuchita chilichonse mothandizidwa ndi Yehova. Nthawi zonse ndimakumbukira mawu a mneneri Yeremiya, akuti: “Mwandidabwitsa inu Yehova.” (Yer. 20:7) Kunena zoona, iye watipatsa zinthu zambiri zosangalatsa komanso madalitso osaneneka, kuphatikizaponso kukwaniritsa cholinga changa chofuna kukwera ndege. Takhala tikupita pandege m’madera ambiri omwe ndili mwana sindinaganizirepo kuti ndingadzapiteko. Ndipo tayendera maofesi a nthambi m’zigawo 5 za dziko lapansili. Pa mautumiki athu onse omwe takhala tikuchita, ndimamuthokoza kwambiri Lesli chifukwa chokhala ndi mtima wofunitsitsa kundithandiza.

Timapitiriza kudzikumbutsa kuti timachita zonsezi chifukwa chakuti timakonda Yehova. Panopa timangokhala ngati tikulawa madalitso omwe tidzapeze m’tsogolo tikadzalandira moyo wosatha, pamene Yehova ‘adzatambasule dzanja lake ndi kukhutiritsa zokhumba za chamoyo chilichonse.’​—Sal. 145:16.