NDIMAYAMIKIRA kuti ndinabadwira m’banja la Mboni ndipo makolo anga anali Fred ndi Edna Molohan. Pamene ndinkabadwa mu 1934, makolowa anali atakhala m’choonadi kwa zaka 20 ndipo anandithandiza kuti ndizikonda Yehova. Tinkakhala m’katauni kotchedwa Parsons komwe kali ku Kansas ndipo mumpingo wathu munali odzozedwa ambiri. Banja lathu linkayesetsa kupezeka pamisonkhano komanso kulalikira kwa anthu ena. Loweruka lililonse masana tinkapita kukalalikira m’misewu. Nthawi zina tinkatopa kwambiri koma tikaweruka bambo ankatitenga kukagula ayisikilimu.

Gawo la mpingo wathu linali lalikulu kwambiri moti linali ndi matauni ang’onoang’ono ambiri komanso mafamu. Tikamalalikira m’mafamu, tinkasinthanitsa mabuku athu ndi ndiwo zamasamba, mazira kapena nkhuku. Popeza bambo ankaperekeratu ndalama za mabukuwo, zinthu zimene ankatipatsazi tinkangozigwiritsa ntchito kunyumba kwathu.

Makolo anga anapeza galamafoni imene ankagwiritsa ntchito polalikira. Ndinali wamng’ono moti sindinkatha kuigwiritsa ntchito koma ndinkasangalala kuika nawo malekodi a nkhani za M’bale Rutherford akamachita maulendo obwereza kapena maphunziro a Baibulo.

Bambo anaika zokuzira mawu padenga la galimoto yathu ndipo galimotoyi inkatithandiza kwambiri polalikira. Nthawi zambiri tinkaika kaye nyimbo kuti anthu achite chidwi kenako tinkaika nkhani ya m’Baibulo. Nkhaniyo ikatha, tinkapereka mabuku kwa anthu achidwi.

M’katauni ka Cherryvale ku Kansas, apolisi anauza bambo kuti achotse galimoto pamalo amene anthu ambiri ankakonda kucheza Lamlungu  n’kukaimika pamalo ena. Choncho bambo anakaimika galimotoyo pamsewu wina wapafupi ndi malowo kuti anthuwo apitirize kumvera nkhaniyo. Ndinkasangalala kukhala ndi bambo ndi mkulu wanga dzina lake Jerry pogwira ntchitoyi.

Chakumapeto kwa m’ma 1930, tinkagwira ntchito yapadera yokalalikira mwachangu kumadera kumene anthu ankakonda kutsutsa. Tinkadzuka usiku (ngati mmene tinachitira ku Joplin, ku Missouri kuja) ndipo tinkayenda mwakachetechete n’kumaika timapepala kapena timabuku m’makomo a anthu. Kenako tinkakumana kunja kwa mzindawo kuti tione ngati wina wagwidwa ndi apolisi.

Pa zaka zimenezi, tinkayendanso mumsewu titakolekera zikwangwani kuti tizilengeza za Ufumu. Ndikukumbukira nthawi ina pamene anzathu anapanga zimenezi m’tauni yathu ndipo zikwangwani zawo zinali ndi mawu akuti “Chipembedzo Ndi Msampha Ndiponso Malonda Achinyengo.” Iwo anayenda m’tauniyo pa mtunda wa makilomita 1.6 kenako n’kubwerera kunyumba. Mwamwayi sanakumane ndi otsutsa koma anthu ambiri anachita chidwi.

Banja lathu linkapita ku Texas kuchokera ku Kansas kuti likachite misonkhano yachigawo. Bambo ankagwira ntchito kukampani ina ya sitima yapamtunda choncho tinkakwera ulere. Izi zinkatithandiza kukaona achibale komanso kuti tonse tizipita kumisonkhano ikuluikulu. Amalume anga dzina lawo a Fred Wismar ndi akazi awo dzina lawo a Eulalie ankakhala mumzinda wa Temple, ku Texas. Amalume anaphunzira choonadi ali mnyamata chakumayambiriro kwa m’ma 1900. Iwo atabatizidwa anauza azibale awo komanso mayi anga zimene anaphunzira. Amalume angawo ankadziwika ndi abale ambiri kuchigawo chapakati cha ku Texas, kumene ankatumikira monga mtumiki wadera (panopa timati woyang’anira dera). Iwo anali okoma mtima komanso ansangala ndipo anthu ankakonda kwambiri kucheza nawo. Ankatumikiranso Mulungu mwakhama ndipo ankandilimbikitsa kwambiri ndili wamng’ono.

Mu 1941 tinayenda pa sitima popita kumsonkhano wachigawo mumzinda wa St. Louis, ku Missouri. Ana onse anauzidwa kuti akhale pamalo apadera kuti amvetsere nkhani ya M’bale Rutherford ya mutu wakuti “Ana a Mfumu.” Atamaliza kukamba nkhaniyo, anafe tinasangalala kwambiri chifukwa M’bale Rutherford ndi anzake anatipatsa mphatso ya buku lakuti Ana. Pamsonkhanowu panali ana oposa 15,000 amene analandira bukuli.

Mu April 1943, tinapita kumsonkhano wa mutu wakuti “Tigwire Ntchito Mwakhama,” mumzinda wa Coffeyville, ku Kansas. Msonkhanowu unali waung’ono koma wosaiwalika. Pamsonkhanowu analengeza kuti Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Mulungu iyamba kuchitika m’mipingo yonse ndipo buku la mitu 52 logwiritsa ntchito pa sukuluyi linatulutsidwa. Chaka chomwecho ndinakamba nkhani yanga yoyamba m’sukuluyi. Msonkhanowu unalinso wapadera kwa ine chifukwa ndinabatizidwa limodzi ndi anthu ena padziwe kufamu inayake yapafupi.

Ndinamaliza sukulu mu 1951 ndipo pa nthawiyi ndinafunika kusankha zoti ndichite pa moyo wanga. Ndinkafunitsitsa kukatumikira ku Beteli, komwe Jerry nthawi ina anatumikirako. Choncho pasanapite nthawi ndinalemba fomu yofunsira utumiki wa pa Beteli ya ku Brooklyn. Zimene ndinasankha pa nthawiyi zinandithandiza kuti ndichite zambiri potumikira Yehova. Pa 10 March 1952, ndinaitanidwa kuti ndikayambe kutumikira pa Beteli.

Poyamba ndinkafuna kuti ndizikagwira ntchito kudipatimenti yosindikiza mabuku n’cholinga choti ndizithandiza nawo kupanga magazini ndi mabuku. Koma anandipempha kuti ndizigwira ntchito yoperekera chakudya. Kenako ndinayamba kugwira ntchito kukhitchini ndipo ndinaphunzirako zinthu zambiri. N’zoona kuti sindinakhale ndi mwayi wogwira ntchito kudipatimenti yosindikiza mabuku koma utumiki wakukhitchini unandithandiza. Popeza tinkasinthana nthawi zogwira ntchito, ndinkapeza nthawi yophunzira pandekha masana kulaibulale ya ku Beteliko imene inali ndi mabuku ambiri. Zimenezi zinandithandiza kuti ndilimbitse chikhulupiriro changa komanso ubwenzi wanga ndi Yehova. Zinandithandizanso kuti ndipitirize kukhala ndi mtima wofuna kutumikirabe Yehova ku Beteli. Mchimwene wanga Jerry anachoka pa Beteli mu 1949 pamene anakwatira mlongo wina dzina lake Patricia koma ankakhalabe pafupi ndi Beteli ku Brooklyn. Iwo ankandithandiza komanso kundilimbikitsa kwambiri pa zaka zoyambirira zimene ndinakhala pa Beteli.

Patangopita nthawi yochepa ndili ku Beteli, anakonza zowonjezera abale a pa Beteli okakamba nkhani m’mipingo ina. Abalewa ankapita m’mipingo yomwe inali pa mtunda wosapitirira makilomita 322 kuchokera ku Beteli. Iwo ankakamba nkhani ya onse kenako n’kulowa mu utumiki ndi mpingo. Inenso ndinali m’gulu la abale amenewa. Ndinali ndisanakambepo nkhani ya onse, choncho ndinkachita mantha ndipo pa nthawiyo nkhani ya onse inali ya ola limodzi. Nthawi zambiri ndinkapita kumipingo pa sitima yapamtunda. Mu 1954, tsiku lina Lamlungu madzulo, ndinakwera sitima yobwerera ku New York ndipo ndinkayembekezera kuti ndifika ku Beteli nthawi yabwino. Koma tsikulo kunachita mphepo yamkuntho komanso kunagwa sinowo ndipo zinachititsa kuti injini ya sitimayo izizimazima. Sitimayo inakafika mumzinda wa New York Lolemba cha m’ma 5 koloko m’mawa. Nditatsika ndinakwera sitima ina yopita ku Brooklyn ndipo ndinafikira kukagwira ntchito kukhitchini. Ndinayamba ntchito mochedwa komanso nditatopa chifukwa sindinagone usiku wonse. Komabe mavuto ngati amenewa anali aang’ono poyerekezera ndi zinthu zosangalatsa zimene ndinkakumana nazo chifukwa chotumikira abale ndi alongo komanso kupeza anzanga atsopano.

M’zaka zoyambirira zimene ndinali ku Beteli, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndizithandiza nawo kusiteshoni ya wailesi ya pa Beteli yotchedwa WBBR. Situdiyo yake inali ku nyumba ya ku 124 Columbia Heights. Ndinapemphedwa kuti ndikhale pa pulogalamu ya phunziro la Baibulo imene inkachitika mlungu uliwonse. Nayenso M’bale A. H. Macmillan, yemwe anali atakhala ku Beteli kwa nthawi yaitali, ankachita nawo pulogalamu imeneyi. Tinkangomutchula kuti M’bale Mac ndipo iye anali chitsanzo chabwino kwambiri kwa achinyamatafe chifukwa anali atatumikira Yehova mokhulupirika kwa nthawi yaitali.

Mu 1958 ndinapemphedwa kuti ndizigwira ntchito ku Sukulu ya Giliyadi. Ndinkathandiza anthu amene anamaliza sukuluyi kuti apeze chilolezo chopita kumayiko amene anatumizidwa komanso kuwakonzera mayendedwe. Pa nthawi imeneyo, kuyenda pa ndege kunali kodula kwambiri moti anthu ochepa okha ndi amene ankakwera ndege. Ambiri amene anatumizidwa ku Africa kapena ku Asia ankayenda pa sitima yapamadzi yonyamula katundu. Koma kenako kuyenda pa ndege kunayamba kutchipa moti amishonale ambiri ankakwera ndege popita kumayiko amene anatumizidwa.

Mu 1960 ndinali ndi ntchito yambiri. Ndinkakonza nawo za maulendo apandege opita kumisonkhano yamayiko imene inachitikira ku Europe  mu 1961. Ndinakwera ndege yochokera ku New York kupita kumsonkhano umene unachitikira mumzinda wa Hamburg ku Germany. Msonkhanowu utatha, ine ndi abale ena atatu a pa Beteli tinakwera galimoto kuchoka ku Germany kupita kukaona nthambi ya ku Italy mumzinda wa Rome. Pochoka kumeneko tinadutsa mapiri enaake kupita ku France ndipo kenako tinapita ku Spain. Pa nthawiyi ntchito yathu inali yoletsedwa ku Spain ndipo tinapereka mabuku kwa abale athu ku Barcelona koma tinangowakutira ngati mphatso. Tinasangalala kwambiri kukumana ndi abale a ku Spain. Kenako tinapita ku Amsterdam n’kukakwera ndege yobwerera ku New York.

Patapita chaka chimodzi, ndinapatsidwa ntchito yokonza maulendo a anthu amene anasankhidwa kupita kumisonkhano ya mayiko. Mutu wa msonkhanowu unali wakuti “Uthenga Wabwino Wosatha” ndipo unachitika mu 1963. Panakonzedwa zoti anthu 583 apite m’mayiko osiyanasiyana ku Europe, Asia, South Pacific kenako n’kumalizira mumzinda wa Honolulu ku Hawaii ndiponso mumzinda wa Pasadena ku California. Pa ulendowu anthu anali ndi mwayi woima ku Lebanon ndi ku Jordan kuti akaone malo otchulidwa m’Baibulo. Tinagwira ntchito yokonza maulendo a pa ndege, mahotelo oti akafikire komanso kupeza chilolezo cha munthu aliyense wa pa ulendowo.

Chaka cha 1963 chinali chapadera kwambiri kwa ine pa chifukwa china. Pa 29 June ndinakwatira Lila Rogers wa ku Missouri amene anali atatumikira pa Betelipo kwa zaka zitatu. Patangopita mlungu umodzi tinapita nawo pa ulendo wakumisonkhano uja ndipo tinafika ku Greece, ku Egypt ndi ku Lebanon. Tinakwera ndege ku Beirut n’kukafika ku Jordan. Ntchito yathu inali yoletsedwa m’dzikoli ndipo a Mboni za Yehova sankaloledwa kulowamo moti tinkadzifunsa kuti, Kodi zitithera bwanji? Koma titangofika, tinasangalala kuona gulu la anthu likutidikira pabwalo la ndege litatenga chikwangwani cholembedwa kuti “Takulandirani a Mboni za Yehova.” Zinali zosangalatsa kwambiri kuona koyamba malo otchulidwa m’Baibulo. Tinafika malo amene anthu ngati Abulahamu ankakhala, kumene Yesu ndi atumwi ake ankalalikira komanso kumene Chikhristu chinayambira.​—Mac. 13:47.

Ndakhala ndikutumikira limodzi ndi Lila kwa zaka pafupifupi 55. Tinakhala ndi mwayi wopita ku Spain ndi ku Portugal maulendo angapo pa nthawi imene ntchito yathu inali yoletsedwa kumayikowa. Tinkalimbikitsa abale ndi alongo komanso kuwabweretsera mabuku ndi zinthu zina zofunika. Tinakaonanso abale athu omwe anali kundende mumzinda wa Cádiz ku Spain. Ndinasangalala kwambiri kuwalimbikitsa ndi kuwakambira nkhani ya m’Baibulo.

Kuchokera chaka cha 1963, ndakhala ndi mwayi wokonza maulendo opita kumisonkhano yamayiko a ku Africa, Australia, Central ndi South America, Europe, Asia, Hawaii, New Zealand ndi ku Puerto  Rico. Ine ndi mkazi wanga tinapitanso kumisonkhano yachigawo yambiri imene inali yosaiwalika. Umodzi mwa misonkhanoyi unachitikira mumzinda wa Warsaw ku Poland mu 1989. Abale ambiri a ku Russia anafika pamsonkhanowu ndipo umenewu unali msonkhano wawo woyamba. Abale ndi alongo ambiri amene tinakumana nawo anamangidwapo chifukwa cha chikhulupiriro chawo ndipo anakhala m’ndende kwa zaka zambiri.

Tinalinso ndi mwayi woyendera nthambi za m’mayiko osiyanasiyana n’kumalimbikitsa mabanja a Beteli komanso amishonale. Pa ulendo wathu womaliza tinapita ku South Korea ndipo tinali ndi mwayi wokumana ndi abale 50 amene anali kundende ya ku Suwon. Abale onsewa anali ndi maganizo oyenera ndipo ankayembekezera kuti tsiku lina adzagwira nawo ntchito yolalikira. Tinalimbikitsidwa kwambiri kukumana nawo.​—Aroma 1:11, 12.

Pa zaka zimenezi ndaona Yehova akudalitsa gulu lake. Pamene ndinkabatizidwa mu 1943, padziko lonse panali ofalitsa 100,000 koma panopa ofalitsa oposa 8 miliyoni akutumikira Yehova m’mayiko okwana 240. Zimenezi zatheka makamaka chifukwa chakuti anthu ochokera ku Sukulu ya Giliyadi amagwira ntchito yolalikira mwakhama. Ndasangalala kwambiri kugwira ntchito ndi amishonalewa kwa zaka zambiri komanso kuwathandiza pa maulendo awo opita m’mayiko osiyanasiyana.

Ndinachita bwino kwambiri kusankha zopita ku Beteli ndili wachinyamata. Yehova wandidalitsa kwambiri pa moyo wanga wonse. Kuwonjezera pa utumiki wa pa Beteli, ine ndi Lila tinkalalikira limodzi ndi abale komanso alongo a m’mipingo ya ku Brooklyn ndipo tinapeza anzathu ambiri apamtima.

Panopa ndidakali ku Beteli ndipo Lila amandithandiza tsiku lililonse. Ndili ndi zaka zoposa 84 koma ndimathandizabe pa ntchito zina monga kusamalira makalata ochokera kunthambi zosiyanasiyana.

N’zosangalatsa kwambiri kukhala m’gulu la Yehova n’kumaona kusiyana pakati pa anthu amene amamutumikira ndi amene samutumikira. Timaoneratu umboni wa lemba la Malaki 3:18 lakuti: “Anthu inu mudzaonanso kusiyana pakati pa munthu wolungama ndi woipa ndiponso pakati pa munthu amene akutumikira Mulungu ndi amene sanatumikirepo Mulungu.” Tsiku lililonse timaona kuti zinthu m’dziko la Satanali zikulowa pansi kwambiri ndipo anthu ake ndi osasangalala komanso opanda chiyembekezo. Koma anthu amene amakonda Yehova komanso kumutumikira amasangalala komanso ali ndi chiyembekezo ngakhale kuti amakumana ndi mavuto. Ndi mwayi waukulu kwambiri kulalikira nawo uthenga wabwino wa Ufumu. (Mat. 24:14) Tikungoyembekezera nthawi imene Ufumu wa Mulungu udzawononge dziko loipali n’kubweretsa dziko latsopano. Pa nthawi imeneyo tidzasangalala ndi madalitso ambiri ndipo sitidzadwala kapena kumwalira. Atumiki a Yehova okhulupirika adzakhala ndi mwayi wokhala padzikoli mpaka kalekale.