Mu 1985, ndili ndi zaka 10 zokha, ana ochokera ku Cambodia anabwera kusukulu kwathu mumzinda wa Columbus ku Ohio m’dziko la United States. Mnyamata wina pa gululi ankadziwa mawu ochepa a Chingelezi. Koma pogwiritsa ntchito zithunzi, anandiuza nkhani zoopsa za anthu a kwawo amene ankazunzidwa, kuphedwa komanso zimene ankachita kuti apulumuke. Ndinkalira usiku poganizira za anawo. Ndinkafunitsitsa kuwauza za Paradaiso ndiponso kuti akufa adzaukitsidwa. Koma zinali zosatheka chifukwa sankadziwa Chingelezi. Ngakhale kuti ndinali wamng’ono, ndinaganiza zophunzira Chikambodiya n’cholinga choti ndiuze anawo za Yehova. Pa nthawiyo, sindinkadziwa kuti zimene ndinasankhazo zidzakhudza kwambiri zimene ndidzachite pa moyo wanga.

Kuphunzira Chikambodiya kunali kovuta kwambiri. Kawiri konse ndinaganiza zongosiya, koma Yehova anandilimbikitsa kudzera mwa makolo anga. Kenako, aphunzitsi anga ndiponso anzanga akusukulu anayamba kundilimbikitsa kuchita zinthu zondithandiza kuti ndidzapeze ntchito yapamwamba. Koma ndinkafunitsitsa kukhala mpainiya. Choncho pamene ndinali kusekondale, ndinasankha maphunziro omwe akanandithandiza kupeza ntchito ya maola ochepa n’cholinga choti ndidzathe kuchita upainiya. Ndikaweruka kusukulu, ndinkakonda kulowa mu utumiki ndi apainiya ena. Ndinadziperekanso kuti ndithandize ana ena kuphunzira Chingelezi. Zimenezi zinandithandiza m’tsogolo.

Ndili ndi zaka 16, ndinamva kuti kuli gulu la anthu olankhula Chikambodiya mumzinda wa Long Beach ku California. Ndinapita kukacheza kumeneko ndipo ndinaphunzira kuwerenga Chikambodiya. Nditangomaliza sukulu, ndinayamba upainiya ndipo ndinapitiriza kulalikira anthu ochokera ku Cambodia omwe ankakhala pafupi ndi kwathu. Pamene ndinkakwanitsa zaka 18, ndinali nditayamba kuganiza zosamukira ku Cambodia. Zinthu zoopsa zinali kuchitikabe m’dzikoli, koma ndinkadziwa kuti pa anthu 10 miliyoni amene ankakhala kumeneko ndi ochepa chabe amene anali atamva uthenga wabwino wa Ufumu. Pa nthawiyo, kunali mpingo umodzi wokha wa ofalitsa 13 m’dziko lonselo. Nthawi yoyamba imene ndinapita ku Cambodia ndinali ndi zaka 19. Ndiyeno patapita zaka ziwiri, ndinaganiza zosamukira kumeneko. Ndinapeza ntchito ya maola ochepa yophunzitsa Chingelezi kuti ndizipeza zofunika pa moyo uku ndikuchita upainiya. Patapita nthawi, ndinakwatira mlongo amene anali ndi zolinga zofanana ndi zanga. Tasangalala kuthandiza anthu ambiri ku Cambodia kuti adzipereke kwa Mulungu.

Yehova wandipatsa ‘zokhumba za mtima wanga.’ (Sal. 37:4) Kuthandiza anthu kukhala ophunzira a Yesu ndi ntchito yosangalatsa kuposa ina iliyonse. Pa zaka 16 zimene ndakhala ku Cambodia, mumpingo umodzi wa ofalitsa 13 uja mwatuluka mipingo ina moti panopa kuli mipingo 12 ya Mboni za Yehova komanso timagulu 4.—Yofotokozedwa ndi Jason Blackwell.