Chakumayambiriro kwa zaka za m’ma 1940, makolo anga ankaphunzira Baibulo ndi a Mboni za Yehova. Phunziro limeneli silinapitirire, komabe amayi anapitiriza kulandira magazini a Nsanja ya Olonda ndi Galamukani! Mu 1950, ku New York kunachitika msonkhano wa mayiko ndipo banja lathu linapita litaitanidwa.

Msonkhanowu utatha, M’bale Lawrence Jeffries anayamba kumatiyendera. Iye ankachita nane chidwi ndipo anayamba kundifotokozera mfundo za m’Baibulo. Poyamba ndinkamutsutsa chifukwa choti a Mboni za Yehova salowerera ndale komanso salowa usilikali. Ndinamuuza kuti ngati aliyense atakana kumenya nkhondo ku America, ndiye kuti adani akhoza kubwera n’kulanda dzikolo. Moleza mtima, M’bale Jeffries anandithandiza kuganiza pondifunsa kuti: “Kodi ukuganiza kuti Yehova Mulungu angatani ngati anthu onse ku America atakhala kuti akumutumikira ndiye adani n’kubwera kudzawaukira?” Zimene ananena pa nkhaniyi komanso pa zinthu zina zinandithandiza kuona kuti zomwe ndinkatsutsazo zinali zosamveka kwenikweni. Choncho ndinayamba kukhala ndi chidwi.

Kwa maola ambiri, ndinayamba kuwerenga magazini akale a Nsanja ya Olonda ndi Galamukani! omwe mayi anga anaika m’chipinda chapansi. Pamene nthawi inkapita, ndinazindikira kuti zomwe ndinkawerengazo ndi choonadi ndipo ndinavomera kuti M’bale Jeffries azindiphunzitsa Baibulo. Ndinayambanso kusonkhana nthawi zonse. Ndinayamba kukonda kwambiri choonadi ndipo kenako ndinakhala wofalitsa uthenga wabwino. Zolinga zanga zinasintha nditamvetsa kuti “tsiku lalikulu la Yehova lili pafupi.” (Zef. 1:14) Sindinkafunanso kupita yunivesite. M’malomwake, ndinkafuna kuthandiza ena kuti nawonso adziwe choonadi.

Ndinamaliza maphunziro akusekondale pa 13 June, 1956, ndipo patapita masiku atatu, ndinabatizidwa  pamsonkhano wadera. Ndipotu sindinkadziwa kuti ndidzapeza madalitso ambiri chifukwa chodzipereka kuti ndiphunzire komanso kuphunzitsa zokhudza Yehova.

Patangopita miyezi 6 kuchokera pamene ndinabatizidwa, ndinayamba upainiya wokhazikika. Mu Utumiki wa Ufumu wa December 1956, munali nkhani yakuti, “Kodi Mungakatumikire Kumene Kukufunikira Olalikira Ambiri?” Ineyo ndikanakwanitsa kuchita zimenezi. Ndinkafuna kukathandiza komwe kunali anthu ochepa olalikira uthenga wabwino.​—Mat. 24:14.

Ndinapita ku Edgefield, ku South Carolina. Mumpingo wakumeneko munali ofalitsa 4 okha basi moti ine nditafika tinakwana 5. Tinkachitira misonkhano m’nyumba ya m’bale wina. Mwezi uliwonse ndinkalalikira maola 100. Ndinkatanganidwa ndi kutsogolera mu utumiki komanso kukamba nkhani pamisonkhano yampingo. N’zosangalatsa kuti pamene ndinkachita zimenezi kwambiri, m’pamenenso ndinkaphunzira zambiri zokhudza Yehova.

Mayi wina yemwe ndinkaphunzira naye Baibulo anali ndi nyumba ya maliro m’tauni yapafupi ya Johnston. Mokoma mtima, iye anandilemba ntchito yomwe ndinkagwira masiku ochepa komanso anatilola kuti tizigwiritsa ntchito kanyumba kena kakang’ono kuchitiramo misonkhano.

M’bale Jolly Jeffries, mwana wa m’bale yemwe ankandiphunzitsa Baibulo uja, anabwera kuchokera ku Brooklyn ku New York, ndipo tinkachita limodzi upainiya. Tinkakhala mukalavani yaing’ono yomwe m’bale wina anatibwereka.

Malipiro anali otsika kudera limeneli moti tinkapeza madola awiri kapena atatu tikagwira ntchito tsiku lonse. Pa nthawi ina ndinagwiritsa ntchito kandalama konse komwe ndinali nako pokagula chakudya pagolosale ina. Nditangotuluka mugolosaleyo munthu wina anandifunsa kuti: “Ukufuna ntchito? Ndizikupatsa 1 dola pa ola lililonse.” Iye anandilemba ntchito yoyeretsa pamalo ake a zomangamanga, yomwe ndinkagwira masiku atatu pamlungu. Zinkachita kuonekeratu kuti Yehova ankandithandiza kuti ndipitirize kukhala ku Edgefield. Komabe mu 1958, ndinapita kumsonkhano wamayiko ku New York.

Pa tsiku lachiwiri la msonkhanowu, panachitika chinthu china. Ndinakumana ndi Ruby Wadlington, yemwe ankachita upainiya wokhazikika ku Gallatin, ku Tennessee. Popeza tinkafuna kudzachita utumiki waumishonale, tinakhala nawo pamsonkhano wa ofuna kudzalowa sukulu ya Giliyadi. Pambuyo pake tinayamba kumalemberana makalata. Kenako ndinaitanidwa ku Gallatin kuti ndikakambe nkhani ya onse. Ndinagwiritsa ntchito mwayi umenewo kuti ndimufunsire. Ndinasamukira mumpingo umene Ruby ankasonkhana ndipo tinakwatirana mu 1959.

Ndili ndi zaka 23, ndinaikidwa kukhala mtumiki wa mpingo (yemwe panopa amatchulidwa kuti wogwirizanitsa ntchito za akulu) ku Gallatin. Tinali mpingo woyamba womwe M’bale Charles Thompson anachezera atakhala woyang’anira dera. Iye ankadziwa  zinthu zambiri, komabe anandifunsa maganizo anga pa zomwe abale akufunikira komanso mmene oyang’anira madera ena amasamalirira zimenezo. Ndinaphunzira kwa iye kuti ndi bwino kufunsa mafunso kuti tidziwe mbali zonse zokhudza nkhani inayake tisanaisamalire.

Mu May 1964, ndinaitanidwa kuti ndikachite nawo Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Ufumu ya mwezi umodzi ku South Lansing, ku New York. Abale amene ankaphunzitsa anandithandiza kuti ndikhale ndi mtima wofunitsitsa kuphunzira zambiri zokhudza Yehova komanso kukhala naye pa ubwenzi wolimba.

Ine ndi Ruby tinapatsidwa utumiki woyang’anira dera mu January 1965. Tinapatsidwa dera lalikulu loyambira ku Knoxville, ku Tennessee, mpaka cha ku Richmond, ku Virginia. M’derali munali mipingo ya ku North Carolina, ku Kentucky, komanso West Virginia. Ndinkachezera mipingo ya anthu akuda okhaokha chifukwa pa nthawiyo, ku United States kunali tsankho lalikulu. Choncho anthu akuda sakanasonkhana pamodzi ndi azungu. Abale ambiri anali osauka, choncho tinaphunzira kumagawana zinthu ndi amene analibe. Woyang’anira dera wina yemwe anachita utumikiwu kwa nthawi yaitali anandiphunzitsa phunziro lofunika kwambiri. Iye anati: “Uzikhala ngati m’bale wawo. Ukapita kumpingo usamakakhale ngati bwana. Ungawathandize ngati amakuona kuti ndiwe m’bale wawo.”

Tikuchezera mpingo wina womwe unali waung’ono, Ruby anayamba kuphunzira Baibulo ndi mayi wina wachitsikana yemwe anali ndi mwana wamkazi wachaka chimodzi. Chifukwa choti mumpingomo munalibe aliyense yemwe akanamaphunzira naye, Ruby ankamuphunzitsa pogwiritsa ntchito makalata. Pamene tinadzachezera mpingowu pa ulendo wotsatira, mayiyo anabwera pamisonkhano yonse. Kenako mumpingomo munabwera alongo awiri, omwe anali apainiya apadera, ndipo anapitiriza kuphunzira naye. Pasanapite nthawi anabatizidwa. Patadutsa zaka 30 mu 1995, tili ku Beteli ya ku Patterson, mlongo wina wachitsikana anabwera kudzalankhula ndi Ruby. Anali mwana wa mayi yemwe Ruby ankaphunzira naye uja. Iye ndi mwamuna wake anali ophunzira a kalasi nambala 100 ya Sukulu ya Giliyadi.

Dera lathu lachiwiri kuyendera linali m’katikati mwa mzinda wa Florida. Pa nthawiyi tinkafunika galimoto ndipo tinaipeza pamtengo wabwino kwambiri. Komabe mlungu woyamba womwewo, chinthu china muinjini chinawonongeka. Tinalibe ndalama zoti n’kukonzetsera. Ndinaimbira foni m’bale wina yemwe ndinkadziwa kuti angatithandize. Iye anauza mmodzi mwa antchito ake kuti akonze galimotoyo ndipo sanatiuze kuti tipereke ndalama iliyonse. Iye anangonena kuti, “Simukufunika kulipira.” Anatipatsanso ndalama zina ngati mphatso. Chimenechitu chinali chitsanzo chabwino kwambiri pa nkhani yosonyeza mmene Yehova amasamalira atumiki ake ndipo chinatikumbutsa kuti ifenso tiyenera kukhala owolowa manja.

Nthawi zonse tikamachezera mipingo, tinkakhala m’nyumba za abale. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti tikhale ndi anzathu abwino ambiri. Tsiku lina ndinayamba kutaipa lipoti la mpingo ndipo ndinalisiya ndisanamalize. Pamene ndimabwerera madzulo, ndinadzapeza kuti kamwana kakamuna kazaka zitatu ka banjalo “kandithandiza” kumalizitsa lipoti lija moti ndinkafunika kuchita kuyambiranso. Ndakhala ndikumukumbutsa za nkhani imeneyi kwa zaka zambiri.

Mu 1971, ndinalandira kalata yondiuza kuti ndikatumikire monga woyang’anira chigawo mumzinda wa New York. Tinadabwa kwambiri ndi zimenezi. Pamene tinkapita kumeneko n’kuti ndili ndi zaka 34 zokha. Abale anandilandira bwino kwambiri monga woyang’anira chigawo wawo wakuda woyamba.

Monga woyang’anira chigawo, ndinkasangalala kuphunzitsa zokhudza Yehova pamsonkhano wadera kumapeto kwa mlungu uliwonse. Ambiri mwa oyang’anira madera anali odziwa zambiri kuposa ineyo. Mmodzi wa iwo ndi amene anakamba nkhani yanga ya ubatizo. Ndipo m’bale wina, dzina lake Theodore Jaracz, patapita nthawi anayamba kutumikira m’Bungwe Lolamulira. Panalinso abale ambiri odziwa zambiri omwe ankatumikira ku Beteli ya ku Brooklyn. Ndinkayamikira kuti oyang’anira madera komanso abale a pa Beteliwa, ankandichititsa kukhala womasuka. Ndinadzionera ndekha kuti iwo anali abusa achikondi omwe ankadalira Mawu a Mulungu komanso kuthandiza gulu lake mokhulupirika. Kudzichepetsa kwawo kunandithandiza kuti ndisamavutike kutumikira monga woyang’anira chigawo.

Mu 1974, Bungwe Lolamulira linasankha kagulu kena ka abale oyang’anira madera kuti akhale oyang’anira zigawo, choncho ine ndinayambiranso kutumikira monga woyang’anira dera. Pa nthawiyi ndinkayendera ku South Carolina. N’zosangalatsa kuti pofika pa nthawiyi, mipingo ndi madera a anthu akuda ndi azungu ankatha kuchitira zinthu limodzi, zomwe zinasangalatsa abale.

Chakumapeto kwa 1976, ndinatumizidwa kudera la ku Georgia, lomwe lili pakati pa Atlanta ndi Columbus. Ndimakumbukirabe pamene ndinakamba nkhani ya maliro ya ana 5 achikuda, omwe anaphedwa pamene munthu wina anaponya bomba panyumba yawo. Mayi wa anawo anagonekedwa m’chipatala chifukwa chovulala kwambiri. A Mboni za Yehova ambiri, azungu ndi akuda omwe, ankabwera kuchipatalako kudzatonthoza makolowo. Ndinaona kuti abale ndi alongo amakondana kwambiri. Chikondi choterechi, chingathandize atumiki a Mulungu kupirira pa nthawi yovuta kwambiri.

Mu 1977, tinapemphedwa kupita ku Beteli ya ku Brooklyn kukathandiza kwa miyezi yochepa pa ntchito inayake. Ntchitoyo itatsala pang’ono kutha, abale awiri a m’Bungwe Lolamulira anafunsa ine ndi Ruby ngati tingakonde kupitiriza kutumikira pa Beteli ndipo tinavomera.

Kwa zaka 24, ndinkatumikira m’Dipatimenti ya Utumiki, komwe nthawi zambiri abale amayankha mafunso ovuta kwambiri. Pa zaka zonsezi, Bungwe Lolamulira lakhala likutipatsa malangizo ogwirizana ndi mfundo za m’Baibulo. Malangizowo amagwiritsidwa ntchito poyankha mafunsowa komanso pophunzitsa oyang’anira madera, akulu ndiponso apainiya. Zimenezi zathandiza anthu ambiri kuti akhale pa ubwenzi wolimba ndi Yehova. Ndipo izi zachititsa kuti gulu la Yehova likhale lolimba kwambiri.

Kuchokera mu 1995 mpaka mu 2018, ndinayendera maofesi anthambi osiyanasiyana monga woimira likulu, yemwe poyamba ankatchedwa woyendera nthambi. Ndinkakumana ndi abale a m’Komiti ya Nthambi, otumikira pa Beteli komanso amishonale kuti ndiwalimbikitse komanso kuwathandiza pa mavuto awo. Ndipo nthawi zonse ine ndi Ruby, tinkalimbikitsidwa kumva zinthu zosiyanasiyana zomwe zinawachitikira pa moyo wawo. Mwachitsanzo, mu 2000 tinapita ku Rwanda. Tinakhudzidwa kwambiri kumva mmene zinthu zinalili kwa abale ndi alongo komanso banja la Beteli pa nthawi yomwe anthu ambirimbiri anaphedwa pankhondo mu 1994. Anthu ambiri okondedwa awo anaphedwa. Ngakhale kuti anakumana ndi mavuto amenewa, abale anali ndi chikhulupiriro, chiyembekezo komanso chimwemwe.

Panopa tili ndi zaka za m’ma 80. M’zaka 20 zapitazi, ndakhala ndikutumikira m’Komiti ya Nthambi ku United States. Sindinakaphunzire maphunziro apamwamba kuyunivesite. Komabe ndapeza maphunziro apamwamba kwambiri kuchokera kwa Yehova ndi gulu lake. Zimenezi zachititsa kuti ndikhale wokonzeka kuphunzitsa ena choonadi cha m’Baibulo, chomwe chingawathandize mpaka kalekale. (2 Akor. 3:5; 2 Tim. 2:2) Ndaona mmene uthenga wa m’Baibulo wathandizira anthu kusintha moyo wawo komanso kukhala pa ubwenzi wabwino ndi Mlengi wawo. (Yak. 4:8) Mulimonse momwe tingathere, ine ndi Ruby tikupitiriza kulimbikitsa anthu ena kuti azikonda kuphunzira za Yehova komanso kuphunzitsa ena mfundo za m’Baibulo, umene ndi mwayi waukulu kwambiri womwe mtumiki wa Yehova angakhale nawo.