BAMBO anga a Arthur anali oopa Mulungu ndipo ali mnyamata ankafuna kudzakhala m’busa wa tchalitchi cha Methodist. Koma anasintha maganizo atangoyamba kuwerenga mabuku a Ophunzira Baibulo komanso kusonkhana nawo. Iwo anabatizidwa mu 1914 ali ndi zaka 17. Apa n’kuti nkhondo yoyamba ya padziko lonse itayamba. Bambo anaitanidwa kuti akalowe usilikali ndipo atakana anaweruzidwa kuti akakhale kundende ina ya ku Canada kwa miyezi 10. Atatuluka kundendeko, anayamba upainiya ndipo pa nthawiyo ankati ukopotala.

Mu 1926, bambowo anakwatira a Hezel Wikinson. Mayi awo a mayi angawa anaphunzira choonadi mu 1908. Ineyo ndinabadwa pa 24 April, 1931. M’banja mwathu tinalipo ana 4 ndipo ine ndinali wachiwiri. Banja lathu linkakonda kuchita zinthu zokhudza kulambira ndipo chitsanzo cha bambo chinatithandiza kuti ifenso tizikonda Mawu a Mulungu. Nthawi zambiri banja lathu lonse linkapita kukalalikira kunyumba ndi nyumba.—Mac. 20:20.

Nkhondo yachiwiri ya padziko lonse inayamba mu 1939, ndipo chaka chotsatira ntchito ya Mboni za Yehova inaletsedwa ku Canada. M’sukulu za boma munkachitika miyambo yosonyeza kukonda dziko lako monga kuchitira saluti mbendera komanso kuimba nyimbo ya fuko. Ine ndi mchemwali wanga Dorothy ankatitulutsa m’kalasi zoterezi zikamachitika. Koma tsiku lina aphunzitsi anandinena kuti ndine wamantha pofuna kundichititsa manyazi. Titaweruka, anzanga ena a m’kalasi anayamba kundinyoza ndipo anandimenya mpaka kundigwetsa. Koma zimenezi zinangochititsa kuti ndilimbe mtima n’kumayesetsa “kumvera Mulungu monga wolamulira, osati anthu.”—Mac. 5:29.

 Mu July 1942, ndili ndi zaka 11 ndinabatizidwa muthanki imene inali pafamu inayake. Ndinkakonda kuchita upainiya wothandiza ndikatsekera sukulu. Chaka china ine ndi abale ena atatu tinapita kukalalikira anthu odula mitengo kudera lina la kumpoto kwa Ontario.

Pa 1 May, 1949 ndinayamba upainiya wokhazikika. Pa nthawiyo n’kuti ku ofesi ya nthambi kukugwiridwa ntchito zomangamanga choncho anandiitana kuti ndikagwire nawo ntchitoyi. Pa 1 December anandiuza kuti ndiyambe kutumikira pa Beteli ya ku Canada. Ndinkagwira ntchito kudipatimenti yosindikiza mabuku. Nthawi zina ndinkagwira ntchito usiku ndipo ndinasindikiza nawo kapepala kamene kankafotokoza mavuto amene a Mboni ankakumana nawo pamene ntchito yathu inali yoletsedwa m’dzikoli.

Kenako ndikugwira ntchito ku Dipatimenti ya Utumiki, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndifunse mafunso apainiya amene ankapita kukatumikira ku Quebec, komwe Mboni zinkatsutsidwa kwambiri. Mmodzi mwa apainiyawa anali Mary Zazula wochokera ku Alberta. Iye ndi mchimwene wake, Joe, anakana kuti asiye kuphunzira Baibulo. Choncho, makolo awo, omwe anali a tchalitchi cha Orthodox, anawathamangitsa panyumba. Mu June 1951, Mary ndi mchimwene wakeyu anabatizidwa ndipo patatha miyezi 6 anayamba upainiya. Pa nthawi imene ndinkawafunsa mafunsoyi, ndinachita chidwi nditaona kuti Mary ankakonda kwambiri Yehova. Choncho ndinaganiza kuti, ‘Ameneyu ndi mlongo wabwino. Ngati sipakhala vuto lililonse, ndidzamanga naye banja.’ Patatha miyezi 9 tinakwatiranadi pa 30 January, 1954. Patangotha mlungu umodzi, tinaitanidwa kuti tikaphunzire ntchito yoyang’anira dera ndipo kwa zaka ziwiri zotsatira ndinali woyang’anira dera kumpoto kwa Ontario.

Ntchito yolalikira itayamba kukula padziko lonse, pankafunikanso amishonale ambiri. Ifeyo tinali titakhala ku Canada komwe ndi kozizira kwambiri komanso kumakhala udzudzu wambiri nthawi yotentha. Choncho tinkaona kuti tingathe kukatumikira kulikonse. Tinaitanidwa kuti tikalowe kalasi ya nambala 27 ya Sukulu ya Giliyadi ndipo titamaliza maphunzirowa mu July 1956 anatitumiza ku Brazil. Mu November chaka chomwecho, tinapita kukayamba utumiki wathu watsopanowu.

Titafika kunthambi ya ku Brazil tinayamba kuphunzira Chipwitikizi. Titadziwa mawu ochepa komanso titaloweza zimene tinganene mwachidule pogawira magazini, tinayamba kulowa mu utumiki. Tinapatsidwa malangizo akuti tikapeza munthu wachidwi tizimuwerengera malemba ofotokoza  mmene zinthu zidzakhalire mu Ufumu wa Mulungu. Tsiku loyamba ndinakumana ndi mzimayi wina wachidwi ndipo ndinamuwerengera Chivumbulutso 21:3, 4. Koma mwadzidzidzi ndinakomoka. Thupi langa linali lisanazolowere nyengo yotentha kwambiri ya kumaloku. Pa nthawi yonse imene tinakhala m’dzikoli ndinkavutika ndi kutentha.

Utumiki wathu wa umishonale tinkachitira mumzinda wa Campos. Mmene tinkafika mumzindawu munali kagulu kakutali basi koma panopo muli mipingo 15. Munalinso nyumba ya amishonale komwe kunkakhala alongo 4: Esther Tracy, Ramona Bauer, Luiza Schwarz ndi Lorraine Brookes (panopa ndi Lorraine Wallen). Ntchito yanga kunyumba ya amishonaleyi inali kuchapa ndi kupeza nkhuni. Lolemba lina madzulo titamaliza Phunziro la Nsanja ya Olonda, tinkakambirana zomwe zinachitika pa tsikuli. Mkazi wanga anagona pasofa n’kutsamira pilo. Atadzutsa mutu tinangoona njoka ikutuluka pansi pa pilopo. Panali chipwirikiti mpaka pamene ndinaipha.

Titaphunzira Chipwitikizi kwa chaka chimodzi ndinakhala woyang’anira dera. Tinkakhala kumudzi, moyo wosalira zambiri. Nyumba zake zinali zopanda magetsi, tinkagona pamphasa komanso poyenda tinkakwera bulu kapena ngolo. Nthawi ina tinapita kukalalikira kugawo lakutali. Tinayenda pa sitima ndipo titafika kumeneko tinachita lendi nyumba inayake. Ofesi ya nthambi inatitumizira magazini okwana 800 oti tigwiritse ntchito mu utumiki. Tinayenda maulendo ambirimbiri kukatenga makatoni a magaziniwa kupositi ofesi.

Mu 1962, ku Brazil kunachitika Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Ufumu ndipo alongo omwe anali amishonale analowa nawo sukuluyi. Kwa miyezi 6, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndiziphunzitsa sukuluyi m’madera osiyanasiyana koma sindinkapita ndi mkazi wanga. Ndinaphunzitsa ku Manaus, Belém, Fortaleza, Recife ndi ku Salvador. Ndinakonza zoti msonkhano wachigawo uchitike m’nyumba ina yotchuka ku Manaus. Koma pamsonkhanowu panalibe madzi abwino akumwa komanso malo odyera chifukwa kunagwa chimvula chambiri. Pa nthawiyo pamsonkhano wachigawo pankaperekedwa chakudya. Nditalankhula ndi mkulu wa asilikali, anakonza zotumiza madzi akumwa ndiponso matenti awiri oti tigwiritse ntchito ngati khitchini komanso malo odyera.

Pa nthawi imene ndinali kophunzitsa sukulu ija, mkazi wanga ankalalikira m’dera lina lamalonda. M’derali munkapezeka anthu ambiri ochokera ku Portugal. Anthuwa analibe chidwi ndipo ankangoganiza zopeza ndalama. Zinali zovuta moti mkazi wanga sanapeze ngakhale munthu mmodzi woti n’kukambirana naye uthenga wa m’Baibulo.  Mpaka anafika pouza anzake kuti: “Ngati pali malo amene sindingakonde kutumikirako, ndi ku Portugal.” Koma patangotha nthawi pang’ono, tinalandira kalata yotiuza kuti tipite ku Portugal. Mkazi wanga anadabwa kwambiri ndi zimenezi. Pa nthawiyo, ntchito yathu yolalikira inali yoletsedwa m’dzikoli komabe tinavomera kupita.

Mu August 1964 tinafika mumzinda wa Lisbon ku Portugal. A Mboni ankazunzidwa kwambiri ndi gulu linalake la apolisi. Choncho panakonzedwa zoti abale asadzatilandire ndipo sitinakumane nawo kwa nthawi ndithu. Tinkachita lendi kachipinda kenakake podikira kuti tipatsidwe chilolezo chokhala m’dzikoli. Zimenezi zitatheka, tinapeza nyumba ya lendi. Mu January 1965 tinalumikizana ndi abale a ku ofesi ya nthambi. Apa n’kuti patatha miyezi 5 ndipo tinasangalala kwambiri kuchita nawo misonkhano.

Tinamva zoti apolisi ankafufuza m’nyumba za abale. Nyumba za Ufumu zinatsekedwa ndipo misonkhano inkachitikira m’nyumba za abale. Abale ndi alongo ambiri ankatengedwa n’kumakafunsidwa mafunso kupolisi. Ankazunzidwa kwambiri pofuna kuti aulule mayina a anthu amene ankachititsa misonkhano. Izi zinachititsa kuti abale aziitanirana ndi mayina oyamba osati a bambo. Choncho nafenso tinkachita chimodzimodzi.

Tinkaonetsetsa kuti abale ndi alongo akupeza mabuku ndi magazini. Mkazi wanga Mary ankataipa nkhani zophunzira za mu Nsanja ya Olonda komanso za m’mabuku athu patimapepala ta mtundu winawake n’kupereka nkhanizo kwa abale.

Mu June 1966, abale ndi alongo ena anaimbidwa mlandu kukhothi la ku Lisbon. Anthuwa analipo 49 ndipo anali a mumpingo wa Feijó. Iwo ankaimbidwa mlandu wochita misonkhano m’nyumba za abale. Powakonzekeretsa zoti akanene pa mlanduwo, ndinayerekezera kukhala loya wa boma n’kumawafunsa mafunso. Tinkadziwa kuti sitingawine mlanduwu komabe tinadziwa kuti zithandiza kuti tikalalikire kukhothiko. Pa tsiku la mlanduwu, loya wathu ananena molimba mtima mawu a Gamaliyeli wa m’nthawi ya atumwi. (Mac. 5:33-39) Atolankhani ambiri analemba za mlanduwu. Abale ndi alongo 49 onsewo anaweruzidwa kuti akhale kundende, ena masiku 45 ena kuposa ndipo ena mpaka miyezi 5 ndi hafu. Tinasangalala kwambiri kuona kuti loya wathu uja anavomera kuti aziphunzira Baibulo komanso anayamba kupezeka pamisonkhano.

Mu December 1966 ndinaikidwa kukhala woyang’anira nthambi ndipo nthawi zambiri ndinkagwira ntchito yokhudzana ndi zamalamulo. Tinayesetsa kuti a Mbonife tipatsidwe ufulu wolambira mogwirizana ndi malamulo. (Afil. 1:7) Pa 18 December, 1974 tinapatsidwadi ufulu umenewu ndipo tinakhala gulu lovomerezeka. M’bale Nathan Knorr ndi M’bale Frederick Franz ochokera  kulikulu anabwera ku Portugal kudzakhala nafe pamsonkhano wosaiwalika womwe unachitikira ku Oporto ndi ku Lisbon. Pamsonkhanowu panafika anthu 46,870.

Yehova anathandizanso kuti uthenga wathu ufike pazilumba za Azores, Cape Verde, Madeira ndi cha São Tomé ndi Príncipe. Anthu apazilumbazi amalankhula Chipwitikizi. A Mboni atayamba kuchuluka pazilumbazi, tinafunikanso ofesi ya nthambi yaikulu. Nthambiyi inamangidwadi ndipo pa 23 April, 1988 M’bale Milton Henschel anakamba nkhani yopereka nthambiyi kwa Yehova. Panali anthu okwana 45,522 ndipo abale ndi alongo 20 amene anachitapo umishonale m’dziko la Portugal anafikanso.

Abale okhulupirika amene tinkatumikira nawo anatithandiza kwambiri. Mwachitsanzo, ndinaphunzira zambiri kwa M’bale Theodore Jaracz pamene ndinapita naye pa ulendo woyendera nthambi ina. Nthambiyo inali ndi vuto linalake ndipo abale a m’Komiti ya Nthambi anayesetsa kuthana ndi vutolo koma sizinatheke. M’bale Jaracz anawalimbikitsa powauza kuti: “Mwayesetsa. Ndi nthawi yoti musiyire mzimu woyera kuti nawonso uchite mbali yake.” Pa nthawi ina, ine ndi mkazi wanga titapita ku Brooklyn tinacheza ndi M’bale Franz komanso abale ena. Pomaliza machezawa, M’bale Franz anapemphedwa kuti atipatse malangizo. Iye anati: “Malangizo anga ndi akuti: Musasiyane ndi gulu la Yehova, zivute zitani. Gulu limeneli ndi lomwe likugwira ntchito yolalikira Ufumu wa Mulungu imene Yesu anasiyira ophunzira ake.”

Kutsatira malangizo amenewa kwathandiza kwambiri kuti ine ndi mkazi wanga tizikhala osangalala. Timakumbukiranso zinthu zosangalatsa zimene tinkakumana nazo tikamayendera nthambi. Tinkakumana ndi abale ndi alongo ambiri, ana ndi akulu omwe ndipo tinkawatsimikizira kuti Yehova ndi gulu lake amayamikira utumiki wawo. Choncho tinkawalimbikitsa kuti asasiye kutumikira Yehova.

Panopa ine ndi mkazi wanga tili ndi zaka zoposa 80 ndipo mkazi wanga amadwaladwala. (2 Akor. 12:9) Komanso takumanapo ndi mavuto ena. Komabe mavutowa atithandiza kulimbitsa chikhulupiriro chathu komanso cholinga chathu chotumikira Yehova. Tikaganizira madalitso amene tapeza, timaona kuti Yehova watisonyeza kukoma mtima kwakukulu m’njira zambiri. *