Mbiri ya Moyo Wanga

Kuphunzitsidwa ndi Yehova Kuyambira pa Ubwana Wanga

YOSIMBIDWA NDI RICHARD ABRAHAMSON

“Mulungu, mwandiphunzitsa kuyambira ubwana wanga; ndipo kufikira lero ndilalikira zodabwiza zanu.” Talekani ndifotokoze chifukwa chake mawu ameneŵa opezeka pa lemba la Salmo 71:17 amandigwira mtima.

MAYI anga, a Fannie Abrahamson, anakumana ndi Ophunzira Baibulo mu 1924, monga mmene Mboni za Yehova zinkadziŵikira panthaŵiyo. Nthaŵi imeneyo ndinali ndi chaka chimodzi chokha. Pamene Mayi amaphunzitsidwa choonadi cha m’Baibulo, nthaŵi yomweyo ankapita kwa anzawo oyandikana nawo n’kumawauza zimene aphunzira, ndiponso anaphunzitsa ine, mkulu wanga ndi mlongo wanga. Ndisanadziŵe kuŵerenga, anandithandiza kuloweza pa mtima malemba ambiri ofotokoza za madalitso a Ufumu wa Mulungu.

Chakumapeto kwa zaka za m’ma 1920, gulu lathu la Ophunzira Baibulo ku La Grande, m’chigawo cha Oregon ku United States of America, kumene ndinabadwira ndi kukulira, linapangidwa ndi azimayi ndi ana ochepa okha basi. Ngakhale kuti tinali kutali, atumiki oyendayenda, amene ankadziŵika kuti aulendo wachipembedzo ankatiyendera kamodzi kapena kaŵiri pachaka. Aulendo wachipembedzowo ankakamba nkhani zolimbikitsa, ankapita nafe ku utumiki wa kunyumba ndi nyumba, ndipo ankakhala ndi chidwi ndi ana. Ena mwa anthu okondedwa amenewo panali Shield Toutjian, Gene Orrell, ndi John Booth.

Mu 1931 palibe aliyense wochokera m’gulu lathu amene anatha kukapezeka pamsonkhano waukulu ku Columbus, Ohio, kumene Ophunzira Baibulo analandira dzina lakuti Mboni za Yehova. Koma magulu, monga momwe mipingo  inkadziŵikira panthaŵiyo, ndiponso magulu akutali omwe analibe owaimira pamsonkhanowo anasonkhana kumadera awo mwezi umenewo wa August kuti alandire chikalata chovomereza dzinalo. Kagulu kathu kakang’ono ku La Grande kanachita zimenezo. Kenako mu 1933, pa kampeni yogaŵira kabuku kakuti The Crisis, ndinaloŵeza pa mtima ulaliki wa m’Baibulo, ndipo kwa nthaŵi yoyamba ndinalalikira ndekha ku nyumba ndi nyumba.

M’zaka za m’ma 1930, kutsutsa ntchito yathu kunayamba kukula. Kuti tipirire chitsutso chimenecho, magulu angapo ankawaika pamodzi n’kumawatcha zigawo, zimene zinkachita misonkhano ing’onoing’ono. Zigawo zimenezi zinkagwiranso ntchito yolalikira imene inkadziŵika kuti makampeni a chigawo omwe ankachitika kamodzi kapena kaŵiri pachaka. Pamisonkhano imeneyi, tinalangizidwa njira zolalikirira ndiponso anatisonyeza mmene tingachitire zinthu mwaulemu ndi apolisi amene ankatisokoneza. Chifukwa chakuti Mboni kaŵirikaŵiri ankazitenga kukaonekera kwa oweruza apolisi kapena kukhoti, tinkayeserera malangizo amene anali papepala limene linkatchedwa Malangizo a pa Mlandu. Zimenezi zinatithandiza kulimbana ndi chitsutso.

Kuyamba Kumvetsetsa Choonadi cha M’Baibulo

Ndinali nditayamba kumvetsetsa choonadi cha m’Baibulo ndi chiyembekezo chimene chimapezeka m’Baibulo chodzakhala ndi moyo wosatha padziko lapansi molamulidwa ndi Ufumu wa Mulungu wakumwamba. Panthaŵi imeneyo, sankatsindika mfundo ya ubatizo kwa anthu amene analibe chiyembekezo chokalamulira kumwamba ndi Kristu. (Chivumbulutso 5:10; 14:1, 3) Ngakhale zinali choncho, anandiuza kuti ngati ndatsimikiza kuchita zimene Yehova amafuna, kukanakhala koyenera kubatizidwa. Ndinachita zimenezi mu August 1933.

Ndili ndi zaka 12, aphunzitsi anga anaganiza kuti ndinkalankhula bwino kwa anthu, motero analimbikitsa Mayi kuti andikonzere maphunziro owonjezera. Mayi anaganiza kuti zimenezi zikanandithandiza kutumikira Yehova mogwira mtima. Motero analipira ndalama za maphunzirowo pomachapira zovala mphunzitsiyo kwa chaka chimodzi. Maphunzirowo anakhala othandizadi pautumiki wanga. Ndili ndi zaka 14, ndinadwala nyamakazi yapakhungu, imene inandichititsa kuti ndisaphunzire sukulu kwa nthaŵi yoposa chaka chimodzi.

Mu 1939, mtumiki wa nthaŵi zonse dzina lake Warren Henschel anabwera m’dera lathu. * Anali mkulu wanga mwauzimu, ndipo ankanditenga kupita nane mu utumiki wakumunda kukathera tsiku lonse kumeneko. Pasanapite nthaŵi anandithandiza kuti ndiyambe upainiya wochita nthaŵi yatchuti, umene unali mtundu wina wa utumiki wanthaŵi zonse wochita nthaŵi yochepa chabe. M’chilimwe chimenecho, gulu lathu linakhala gulu loima palokha. Warren anasankhidwa kukhala mtumiki wa gulu, ndipo ine ndinasankhidwa kukhala wochititsa Phunziro la Nsanja ya Olonda. Warren atachoka kuti akatumikire ku Beteli, likulu la Mboni za Yehova padziko lonse ku Brooklyn, New York, ndinakhala mtumiki wa gulu.

 Kuyamba Utumiki wa Nthaŵi Zonse

Kukhala ndi udindo woonjezeka wotumikira monga mtumiki wagulu kunalimbikitsanso kwambiri cholinga changa chofuna kuyamba utumiki wa nthaŵi zonse. Ndinayamba utumiki umenewu ndili ndi zaka 17 nditamaliza chaka chachitatu kusukulu ya sekondale. Bambo anga sanali okhulupirira, koma ankasamalira bwino banja lathu ndipo anali munthu wa mfundo zapamwamba. Ankafuna kuti ndiphunzire mpaka kukoleji. Komabe anandiuza kuti, ndikhoza kuchita zimene ndikufuna ngati sindiziwapempha ndalama zolipirira malo ogona ndi zodyera. Choncho ndinayamba upainiya pa September 1, 1940.

Ndikuchoka pakhomo, amayi anga anandiŵerengetsa lemba la Miyambo 3:5, 6 limene limati: “Khulupirira Yehova ndi mtima wako wonse, osachirikizika pa luntha lako; um’lemekeze m’njira zako zonse, ndipo Iye adzaongola mayendedwe ako.” Kudalira Yehova nthaŵi zonse pa moyo wanga kwandithandizadi kwambiri.

Pasanapite nthaŵi, ndinayamba kuchita utumiki ndi Joe ndi Margaret Hart kumpoto chapakati m’chigawo cha Washington. M’gawolo munali zinthu zosiyanasiyana monga mafamu oŵeterako ng’ombe ndi oŵeterako nkhosa, malo okhala amwenye achimereka, komanso matauni ang’onoang’ono ndi midzi. M’nyengo ya ngululu ya 1941, anandisankha kukhala mtumiki wagulu mu mpingo wa ku Wenatchee, Washington.

Pamsonkhano wina ku Walla Walla, Washington, ndinatumikira monga kalinde, kulandira amene anali kuloŵa mu holoyo. Ndinaona mbale wina wachinyamata akuvutika kukonza zokuzira mawu. Ndinaganiza zoti atenge ntchito yanga ndipo ine nditenge yakeyo. Mtumiki woyang’anira chigawo, Albert Hoffman atabwera n’kuona kuti ndasiya ntchito yanga, anandifotokozera mokoma mtima akumwetulira kufunika kokhalabe pa ntchito imene wapatsidwa mpaka atachita kukusintha. Ndimakumbukirabe malangizo akewo mpaka pano.

Mu August 1941, Mboni za Yehova zinakonza msonkhano waukulu kwambiri ku St. Louis, Missouri. Joe ndi Margaret Hart anakunga chinsalu kumbuyo kwa galimoto yawo ya bokosibode ndipo anaikamo mabenchi. Apainiya okwana asanu ndi anayi tinayenda ulendo wa makilomita 2,400 kupita ku St. Louis m’galimoto imeneyo. Tinayenda mlungu wathunthu popita ndiponso mlungu wathunthu pobwera. Apolisi anayerekezera kuti pa msonkhanowo panafika anthu okwana 115,000. Ngakhale kuti mwina chiŵerengerocho sichinafike pamenepo, mosakayikira chinaposa nambala ya Mboni mu United States zimene pa nthaŵiyo zinali pafupifupi 65,000. Msonkhanowo unalidi wolimbikitsa kwambiri mwauzimu.

Kutumikira pa Beteli ku Brooklyn

Nditabwerera ku Wenatchee, ndinalandira kalata yondipempha kuti ndipite ku Beteli ya Brooklyn. Nditafika, pa October 27, 1941, ananditengera ku ofesi ya Nathan H. Knorr, woyang’anira ntchito ya m’fakitale. Anandifotokozera mokoma mtima zimene zimachitika pa Beteli ndipo anagogomezera kuti kuyandikana kwambiri ndi Yehova kunali kofunika kuti munthu ukhale wosangalala pa Beteli. Kenako ananditengera ku Dipatimenti Yotumiza mabuku kumene ndinayamba kugwira ntchito yomanga makatoni a mabuku oti azitumizidwa.

Pa January 8, 1942, Joseph Rutherford, amene  anali kutsogolera Mboni za Yehova padziko lonse, anamwalira. Patapita masiku asanu akuluakulu a Sosaite anasankha Mbale Knorr kuti alowe mmalo mwake. Pamene W.  E. Van Amburgh, amene anali atatumikira kwa nthaŵi yaitali monga msungichuma wa Sosaite, amalengeza zimenezi ku banja la Beteli, anati: “Ndikukumbukira pamene C. T. Russell anamwalira [mu 1916] analowedwa mmalo ndi J. F. Rutherford. Ambuye anapitiriza kutsogolera ndi kupititsa patsogolo ntchito Yake. Tsopano, ndikukhulupirira ndi mtima wanga wonse kuti ntchitoyi ipita patsogolo pamene Nathan H. Knorr ali pulezidenti, chifukwa imeneyi ndi ntchito ya Ambuye, osati ya munthu.”

Mu February 1942, analengeza kuti pakhala “Maphunziro Owonjezera a Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Mulungu.” Anakonzedwa kuti aphunzitse amene amatumikira pa Beteli kuti apititse patsogolo luso lawo lochita kafukufuku pankhani za m’Baibulo, kukonza nkhani zawo mwadongosolo, ndiponso kuzikamba mogwira mtima. Ndinapita patsogolo kwambiri papulogalamu imeneyi chifukwa cha maphunziro amene ndinalandira ndili mwana olankhula pamaso pa anthu.

Pasanapite nthaŵi yaitali, anandiika m’Dipatimenti Yoyang’anira Utumiki, imene imayang’anira utumiki wa Mboni mu United States. Chakumapeto kwa chaka chimenecho, anaganiza zoyambitsanso pulogalamu yoti atumiki aziyendera magulu a Mboni. M’kupita kwa nthaŵi, oyang’anira oyendayenda ameneŵa, amene ankatchedwa atumiki a abale, anadzatchedwa oyang’anira madera. M’chilimwe cha 1942, anakonza maphunziro pa Beteli kuti aphunzitse abale oti achite utumiki umenewu, ndipo ndinali ndi mwayi wokhala mmodzi wa anthu oti aphunzirewo. Ndimakumbukira bwino kuti Mbale Knorr, yemwe anali mmodzi wa alangizi, anatigogomezera mfundo iyi: “Musayese kusangalatsa anthu chifukwa ngati mutero mapeto ake simudzatha kusangalatsa ndi mmodzi yemwe. Sangalatsani Yehova, ndipo mudzasangalatsa onse amene amakonda Yehova.”

Ntchito yoyendayenda inayambika mu October 1942. Ena mwa ife amene tinali pa Beteli tinkachita nawo ntchitoyi kumapeto kwa milungu ina. Tinkayendera mipingo m’dera lozungulira makilomita 400 mu New York City. Tinkaona zolembapo za ntchito yolalikira ya mpingo ndi chiŵerengero cha anthu osonkhana, kuchita msonkhano ndi amene anali ndi udindo mu mpingo, kukamba nkhani imodzi kapena ziŵiri, ndiponso kukalalikira ndi Mboni za kumaloko.

Mu 1944, ndinali mmodzi mwa anthu ochokera mu Dipatimenti Yoyang’anira Utumiki amene tinatumizidwa kukagwira ntchito yoyendayenda kwa miyezi isanu ndi umodzi, ku Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, ndi Virginia. Kenaka, kwa miyezi yochepa, ndinayendera mipingo ku Connecticut, Massachusetts, ndi Rhode Island. Nditabwerera ku Beteli, ndinkagwira ntchito nthaŵi zina muofesi ya Mbale Knorr ndi mlembi wake Milton Henschel, ndipo ndinadziŵa bwino mmene ntchito yathu yapadziko lonse imayendera. Nthaŵi zina ndinkagwiranso ntchito muofesi ya Msungichuma imene ankayang’anira ndi W. E. Van Amburgh ndi wom’thandizira wake, Grant Suiter. Kenako, mu 1946, anandisankha kukhala woyang’anira maofesi angapo pa Beteli.

Kusintha Kwakukulu pa Moyo Wanga

Ndikutumikira mipingo mu 1945, ndinadziŵana ndi Julia Charnauskas, mumzinda wa Providence ku Rhode Island. Pofika m’katikati mwa 1947 tinayamba kuganiza zokwatirana. Ndinkakonda utumiki wa pa Beteli kwambiri, koma nthaŵi imeneyo, munthu akakwatira sikunali kotheka kuti abweretse mkazi wake kuti adzatumikire pa Beteli. Choncho mu January 1948, ndinachoka pa Beteli, ndipo Julia (Julie) ndi ine tinakwatirana. Ndinapeza ganyu m’sitolo ku Providence, ndipo tinayamba utumiki waupainiya limodzi.

Mu September 1949, anandipempha kuti ndikagwire ntchito yoyang’anira dera kumpoto chakumadzulo kwa Wisconsin. Kunali kusintha kwakukulu kwa Julie ndi ine kulalikira nthaŵi zambiri m’matauni ang’onoang’ono ndi m’madera a kumidzi kumene amaŵeta ng’ombe zamkaka. Nyengo zozizira zinali zazitali ndiponso zozizira kwambiri, moti milungu yambiri kunkakhala chipale chofeŵa. Tinalibe galimoto. Komabe, winawake ankatitenga nthaŵi zonse n’kukatisiya pampingo wotsatira.

Patangopita nthaŵi yochepa nditayamba utumiki woyang’anira dera, tinakhala ndi msonkhano wadera. Ndikukumbukira kuti ndinkayendera mwachidwi kwambiri kuonetsetsa kuti zinthu  zonse zikuyenda bwino, zimene zinachititsa ena kukhala ndi mantha. Chifukwa cha zimenezo, woyang’anira chigawo, Nicholas Kovalak, mokoma mtima anandifotokozera kuti abale akumeneko anazolowera kuchita zinthu mosiyanako moti sindinafunike kuonetsetsa kuti kanthu kalikonse kali mmene ndimafunira mpaka pamenepo. Malangizo amenewo andithandiza pochita utumiki wosiyanasiyana kuyambira nthaŵi imeneyo.

Mu 1950, anandipatsa utumiki wakanthaŵi kochepa, woyang’anira kugaŵira zipinda zogona kwa alendo obwera pamsonkhano woyamba mwa misonkhano yathu ikuluikulu pa Yankee Stadium ku New York City. Msonkhanowo unali wosangalatsa kuyambira tsiku loyamba mpaka lomaliza. Panafika alendo ochokera m’mayiko 67 ndipo panasonkhana anthu 123,707. Msonkhanowo utatha, Julie ndi ine tinayambiranso utumiki wathu woyendayenda. Tinkasangalala mu ntchito yathu yoyang’anira dera. Komabe, tinaona kuti tiyenera kupitiriza kufuna kuchita utumiki wina uliwonse. Motero chaka chilichonse tinkalemba makalata ofunsira utumiki wa pa Beteli ndi waumishonale. Mu 1952 tinasangalala kulandira kalata yotiitana kukalowa kalasi la nambala 20 la Sukulu ya Gileadi ya Watchtower Yophunzitsa Baibulo, kumene tinaphunzitsidwa ntchito yaumishonale.

Kutumikira Dziko Lakunja

Titamaliza maphunziro athu mu 1953, anatitumiza ku Britain, kumene ndinatumikira mu ntchito yoyang’anira chigawo kummwera kwa England. Chaka chimodzi chisanathe ndikuyang’anira chigawo, ntchito imene Julie ndi ine tinkayikonda zedi, tinadabwa kuuzidwa kuti tipite kukatumikira ku Denmark. Ku Denmark kunkafunika woyang’anira ofesi yanthambi. Chifukwa chakuti ndinali kufupi ndiponso ndinali nditaphunzira ntchito imeneyo ku Brooklyn, ananditumiza kuti ndikathandize. Tinakwera boti kupita ku Netherlands, ndipo kumeneko tinakwera sitima kupita ku Copenhagen ku Denmark. Tinafika ku Denmark pa August 9, 1954.

Limodzi mwa mavuto amene ndinakumana nawo linali lakuti abale angapo amene anali ndi  maudindo anakana kutsatira malangizo ochokera ku likulu ku Brooklyn. Komanso, anthu atatu mwa anthu anayi amene ankamasulira zofalitsa zathu m’chinenero cha Chidenishi anachoka pa Beteli ndipo pasanapite nthaŵi anasiya kusonkhana ndi Mboni za Yehova. Koma Yehova anayankha mapemphero athu. Apainiya aŵiri, Jørgen ndi Anna Larsen, amene anali atagwirako ntchito yomasulira, anadzipereka kuti azimasulira nthaŵi zonse. Motero magazini athu amene amawamasulira m’Chidenishi anapitiriza osaphonya ngakhale imodzi. Jørgen ndi Anna Larsen mpaka pano akadali pa Beteli ku Denmark, ndipo Jørgen ndi wotsogolera m’Komiti ya Nthambi.

Masiku amenewo maulendo a nthaŵi zonse a Mbale Knorr anali olimbikitsa kwambiri. Ankapatula nthaŵi yocheza ndi aliyense, n’kumafotokoza zokumana nazo zimene zinkatithandiza kudziŵa mmene tingathetsere mavuto. Atatiyendera mu 1955, panakonzedwa zoti timange nthambi yatsopano yokhala ndi makina osindikizira kuti tizisindikiza magazini a dziko la Denmark. Malo anapezeka m’dera lakumpoto mu mzinda wa Copenhagen, ndipo pofika chilimwe cha 1957, tinasamukira m’nyumba zimene zinali zitamangidwa kumenezo. Harry Johnson, pamodzi ndi mkazi wake, Karin, amene anali atangofika kumene ku Denmark atamaliza maphunziro awo m’kalasi la nambala 26 la Gileadi, anathandiza kukhazikitsa makina osindikizira kuti azigwira ntchito.

Tinapita patsogolo pa kayendetsedwe kamisonkhano ikuluikulu mu Denmark, ndipo zimene ndinaphunzira pamene ndimagwira nawo ntchito pamisonkhano yachigawo ku United States zinathandiza kwambiri. Mu 1961, pamsonkhano wathu waukulu wa mayiko ku Copenhagen panafika alendo ochokera m’mayiko oposa 30. Panasonkhana anthu 33,513. Mu 1969, tinachititsa msonkhano umene unadzakhala msonkhano waukulu kwambiri mwa misonkhano yonse imene inachitika m’chigawo cha ku Scandinavia, ndipo panasonkhana anthu 42,073!

Mu 1963, anandiitana kuti ndikachite nawo maphunziro m’kalasi la nambala 38 la Gileadi. Ameneŵa anali maphunziro owonjezera a miyezi khumi omwe kwenikweni anakonzera oyang’anira nthambi. Zinali zosangalatsa kukhalanso ndi banja la Beteli la Brooklyn ndiponso kumva zokumana nazo za anthu amene anakhala akugwira ntchito palikulu kwa nthaŵi yaitali.

Nditamaliza maphunziro ameneŵa, ndinabwerera ku Denmark kukapitiriza udindo wanga. Kuwonjezera apo, ndinalinso ndi mwayi wotumikira monga woyang’anira woyendera nthambi. Ndinayendera nthambi za kumadzulo ndi kumpoto kwa Ulaya, kulimbikitsa abale kumeneko ndiponso kuwathandiza kuti azikwaniritsa maudindo awo. Posachedwapa ndagwirako ntchito imeneyi ku West Africa ndi mayiko a ku Caribbean.

Kumapeto kwa zaka za m’ma 1970, abale ku Denmark anayamba kufuna malo aakulu amene akanamangapo kuti awonjezere ntchito yomasulira ndi kusindikiza. Anapeza malo abwino pafupifupi mtunda wa makilomita 60 kumadzulo kwa Copenhagen. Ndinagwira ntchito pamodzi ndi abale ena yokonza mapulani a malo atsopano ameneŵa, ndipo Julie ndi ine tinkayembekezera mwachidwi kudzakhala ndi banja la Beteli m’nyumba zokongola zimenezo. Komabe zinthu sizinayende choncho.

Kubwerera ku Brooklyn

Mu November 1980, Julie ndi ine anatiitana kuti tikatumikire pa Beteli ku Brooklyn, kumene tinafikako kumayambiriro kwa January 1981. Nthaŵi imeneyo tinali ndi zaka pafupifupi 60 ndipo tinali titatumikira pafupifupi theka la moyo wathu pamodzi ndi abale ndi alongo anthu okondedwa ku Denmark. Zinali zovuta kuti tibwerere ku United States. Komabe, sitinaike maganizo pa kumene tikanakonda kukhala koma tinayesetsa kuganizira za utumiki wathu watsopano ndi mavuto amene ukanabweretsa.

Tinafika ku Brooklyn n’kukhazikika. Julie anamuika mu ofesi yoŵerengera chuma, kumene ankagwira  ntchito yofanana ndi imene ankagwira ku Denmark. Ine anandiika m’Dipatimenti Yolemba kuti ndizithandiza kupanga ndandanda yokonza mabuku athu. Kumayambiriro kwa 1980 panali kusintha pa kagwiridwe kathu ka ntchito ku Brooklyn, chifukwa tinasiya kugwiritsa ntchito makina otayipira ndi osindikizira pogwiritsa ntchito inki yotentha n’kuyamba kugwiritsa ntchito kompyuta ndi makina osindikizira atsopano. Sindinkadziŵa kalikonse za makompyuta koma ndinkadziŵa za kayendetsedwe ka zinthu ndi kugwira ntchito ndi anthu.

Patapita nthaŵi yochepa, panafunika kulimbikitsa kayendetsedwe ka ntchito mu Dipatimenti Yokonza Zithunzi pamene tinayamba kusindikiza mabuku a zithunzi za kala. Ngakhale kuti sindinkadziŵa zambiri monga wokonza zithunzi, ndinathandiza kayendetsedwe ka ntchitoyo. Motero ndinakhala ndi mwayi woyang’anira dipatimenti imeneyi kwa zaka zisanu ndi zinayi.

Mu 1992 anandiuza kuti ndizithandiza mu Komiti Yosindikiza ya Bungwe Lolamulira ndipo ndinasamukira mu Ofesi ya Msungichuma. Kumeneku n’kumene ndikutumikirabe posamalira kayendetsedwe ka chuma cha Mboni za Yehova.

Kutumikira Kuyambira pa Ubwana Wanga

Kuyambira ndili mwana mpaka zaka 70 za utumiki wodzipereka, Yehova wandiphunzitsa mofatsa kudzera m’Mawu ake, Baibulo, ndi abale othandiza m’gulu lake lodabwitsali. Ndasangalala ndi utumiki wa nthaŵi zonse kwa zaka zoposa 63, ndipo zaka zoposa 55 mwa zaka zimenezo ndakhala ndikutumikira ndi mkazi wanga wokhulupirika Julie. Kunena zoona, ndimaona kuti Yehova wandidalitsa kwambiri.

Ndikakumbukira mu 1940 pamene ndinkachoka panyumba n’kuyamba utumiki wa upainiya, bambo anga anaseka zimene ndinasankha ndipo anati: “Mwana wanga, ukachoka pa khomo lino kuti ukachite zimenezi, usaganize kuti ukhoza kubweranso kwa ine kuti ndidzakuthandize.” Zaka zonse zapitazi sindinapite kukawapempha thandizo. Yehova wandipatsa zinthu zofunika pa moyo wanga, nthaŵi zambiri kudzera mwa Akristu anzanga othandiza. Patapita nthaŵi, bambo anga anayamba kulemekeza ntchito yathu, ndipo mpaka anayamba kupita patsogolo kuphunzira choonadi cha m’Baibulo asanamwalire mu 1972. Mayi, omwe anali ndi chiyembekezo cha moyo wakumwamba, anapitiriza kutumikira Yehova mokhulupirika mpaka pamene anamwalira mu 1985, ali ndi zaka 102.

Ngakhale kuti nthaŵi zina pamabuka mavuto mu utumiki wa nthaŵi zonse, Julie ndi ine sitinaganizepo zosiya utumiki wathu. Yehova wakhala akutithandiza pankhani imeneyi. Ngakhale pamene makolo anga anali kukalamba ndipo ankafuna thandizo, mlongo wanga, Victoria Marlin, anawathandiza ndi kuwasamalira mokoma mtima. Timamuthokoza kwambiri chifukwa chowathandiza mwachikondi, zimene zinatithandiza kuti tipitirize utumiki wa nthaŵi zonse.

Julie wandithandiza mokhulupirika mu utumiki wathu wonse, akumaona utumiki umenewu monga mbali ya kudzipatulira kwake kwa Yehova. Ndipo ngakhale kuti tsopano ndili ndi zaka 80 ndipo ndimadwaladwala, ndikuona kuti Yehova wandidalitsa kwambiri. Ndimalimbikitsidwa kwambiri ndi wamasalmo, amene atalengeza kuti Mulungu anam’phunzitsa kuyambira ubwana wake, anachonderera kuti: ‘Poteronso pokalamba ine musandisiye, Mulungu; kufikira nditalalikira mbadwo uwu za dzanja lanu, mphamvu yanu kwa onse akudza m’mbuyo.’​—Salmo 71:17, 18.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Chithunzi patsamba 20]

Ndili ndi Mayi mu 1940, pamene ndinayamba kuchita upainiya

[Chithunzi patsamba 21]

Ndili ndi apainiya anzanga, Joe ndi Margaret Hart

[Chithunzi patsamba 23]

Tsiku la ukwati wathu mu January 1948

[Chithunzi patsamba 23]

Mu 1953, ndili ndi anzanga a m’kalasi la Gileadi. Kuyambira kumanzere kupita kumanja: Don ndi Virginia Ward, Geertruida Stegenga, Julie, ndi ine

[Chithunzi patsamba 23]

Ndili ndi Frederick W. Franz ndi Nathan H. Knorr ku Copenhagen, Denmark, 1961

[Chithunzi patsamba 25]

Ine ndi Julie masiku ano