BAMBO anga anabadwa mu 1899 ku Graz m’dziko Austria. Pamene nkhondo yoyamba ya padziko lonse inkamenyedwa, iwo anali wachinyamata. Ndiyeno nkhondo yachiwiri ya padziko lonse itayambika mu 1939, iwo anatengedwa kuti akhale m’gulu la asilikali a Germany. Koma mwatsoka, anaphedwa mu 1943 akumenya nkhondoyo ku Russia. Apa n’kuti ndili ndi zaka ziwiri zokha. Kunena zoona sindinawadziwe kwenikweni ndipo ndinkasirira anzanga kusukulu amene anali ndi bambo awo. Koma nditasinkhuka ndinalimbikitsidwa kuphunzira za Atate wathu wakumwamba yemwe ndi wabwino kwambiri komanso amene sangafe.—Hab. 1:12.

Ndili ndi zaka 7, ndinalowa m’gulu lina la anyamata. Gululi ndi lapadziko lonse ndipo linayambitsidwa ku Great Britain mu 1908 ndi mkulu wina wa asilikali. Poyamba linali la anyamata aakulu okha koma mu 1916 anayambitsanso gulu linzake la anyamata aang’onoang’ono. Ndiyeno ndinalowa m’gulu lachiwirili.

Ndinkasangalala kwambiri pamene gulu lathu linkapita kutchire. Tinkagona m’matenti, kuvala yunifomu ndiponso tinkaguba motsatira ng’oma. Koma chimene chinkandisangalatsa kwambiri chinali kucheza ndi anzangawo, kuimba nyimbo tikamaotha moto usiku komanso kusewera m’tchire. Tinkaphunziranso zinthu zambiri zokhudza chilengedwe zomwe zinandithandiza kuchita chidwi ndi zimene Mulungu analenga.

Anyamata a m’gululi amalimbikitsidwa kuchitira anthu zinthu zabwino tsiku lililonse. Moni wathu anali wakuti “Wokonzeka Nthawi Zonse.” Zimenezi zinkandisangalatsa kwambiri. M’gulu lathu la anyamata oposa 100, hafu anali Akatolika, hafu anali Apulotesitanti ndipo mmodzi anali M’buda.

Kuyambira mu 1920, gululi lakhala likupanga misonkhano ya anyamata ochokera m’mayiko osiyanasiyana. Ndinapita ku msonkhano wa nambala 7 umene unachitika ku Austria mu 1951 ndiponso wa nambala 9 umene unachitika ku England mu 1957. Pa msonkhano wa ku England, panali anyamata a m’gululi pafupifupi 33,000 ochokera m’mayiko 85. Komanso anthu pafupifupi 750,000 anabwera kudzaonerera, kuphatikizapo Mfumukazi Elizabeth ya ku England. Kwa ine, umenewu unali ngati ubale wa padziko lonse. Koma sindinkadziwa kuti ndidzapeza ubale weniweni wa padziko lonse.

Mu 1958, nditangotsala pang’ono kumaliza maphunziro anga kuhotelo ya ku Graz, munthu wina amene ndinkagwira naye ntchito, dzina lake Rudolf Tschiggerl, anandilalikira. Aka kanali koyamba kulankhula ndi Mboni. Poyamba ananena kuti nkhani ya Utatu si yochokera m’Baibulo. Ndinachita makani ndipo ndinkafuna kumusonyeza kuti akunama. Ndinkamukonda kwambiri mnzangayo ndipo ndinkafunitsitsa kumuthandiza kuti abwerere ku Chikatolika.

Ndinamuuza Rudolf kuti ndikufuna Baibulo lachikatolika ndipo anandipezera. Ndiyeno nditayamba kuliwerenga ndinapezamo kapepala kofotokoza Baibulo kolembedwa ndi Mboni za Yehova. Sindinafune kukawerenga poganiza kuti timapepala toteroto tingalembedwe mokopa koma mfundo zake zili zabodza. Koma ndinkafunabe kukambirana naye mfundo za m’Baibulo. Rudolf anachita zinthu mwanzeru kwambiri moti sankandipatsanso timapepala kapena mabuku. Kwa miyezi itatu, nthawi zina tinkakumana n’kumakambirana za Baibulo mpaka usiku.

Nditamaliza maphunziro anga ku Graz, mayi anga anandilipirira maphunziro enanso kuti ndidzakhale woyang’anira mahotelo. Choncho ndinapita kusukulu imene inali kutauni ina m’chigwa cha mapiri a Alps. Kuti ndimvetse bwino zimene ndinkaphunzira m’kalasi, nthawi zina ndinkagwiranso ntchito muhotelo inayake.

Tsiku lina ndili kuhotelo, munthu wina anandiuza kuti kwabwera azimayi awiri amene akufuna kulankhula nane. Ndinadabwa chifukwa sindinkayembekezera kuti kubwera anthu. Koma ndinakawaonabe. Rudolf anali atatumiza adiresi yanga ku ofesi ya nthambi ya ku Vienna ndipo abale a kumeneko anatumiza adiresiyo kwa alongo awiri amene anali amishonale. Alongowa anali Ilse Unterdörfer ndi Elfriede Löhr. * Iwo ankagwira ntchito yozembetsa mabuku ku Germany nkhondo yachiwiri ya padziko lonse isanayambe. Alongowa anagwidwa ndi apolisi n’kutumizidwa kundende. Koma nkhondo itayamba anawatumiza kundende ina ya pafupi ndi mzinda wa Berlin.

Alongowa anali amsinkhu wofanana ndi mayi anga choncho ndinkawalemekeza kwambiri. N’chifukwa chake sindinkafuna kuwononga nthawi yawo pokambirana nawo, pansi pa mtima ndikudziwa kuti sindidzapitiriza. Choncho ndinangopempha kuti andipatse malemba okhudza zimene Akatolika amaphunzitsa pa nkhani ya Apapa. Ndinawauza kuti ndikakambirana malembawa ndi wansembe. Ndinaganiza kuti zimenezi zindithandiza kudziwa zoona zake.

Akatolika amaphunzitsa kuti mzere wa Apapa unayamba ndi mtumwi Petulo ndipo ena onse akubwera pambuyo pake. (Iwo samvetsa zimene Yesu ananena pa Mateyu 16:18, 19.) Choncho  amaona kuti zimene Papa amaphunzitsa akamagwira ntchito yake zimakhala zoona zokhazokha. Ine ndinkakhulupiriranso zimenezi moti ndinkaganiza kuti ngati Papa, yemwe amatchedwa Atate Woyera, amaphunzitsa za Utatu ndiye kuti n’zoona. Koma ngati sanena zoona zokhazokha, ndiye kuti za Utatu zikhoza kukhala zabodzanso. Akatolika ambiri amaona kuti nkhani ya mzere wa Apapayi ndi yofunika kwambiri chifukwa munthu amene amakayikira zimenezi angakayikirenso zonse zimene Akatolika amaphunzitsa.

Nditakumana ndi wansembeyo anakanika kuyankha mafunso anga, m’malomwake anangosolola buku lina pashelefu n’kundipatsa kuti ndikawerengemo za Apapazo. Nditapita nalo kunyumba n’kukaliwerenga, ndinabwerera kwa wansembeyo ndili ndi mafunso ambiri. Wansembeyo atalephera kuyankha anangonena kuti: “Ndikuona kuti apa sitithandizana. . . .  Ndikukufunira zabwino zonse.” Sanafune kuti tikambiranenso.

Pa nthawiyi ndinaona kuti ndi bwino kuyamba kuphunzira Baibulo ndi alongo awiri aja. Iwo anandiphunzitsa zambiri zokhudza Yehova Mulungu yemwe ndi Atate woyera weniweni. (Yoh. 17:11) M’derali munalibe mpingo, choncho alongowo ankachititsa misonkhano m’nyumba ya munthu wina amene ankaphunziranso. Koma kunkabwera anthu ochepa kwambiri. Nthawi zambiri alongowa ankangokambirana nkhani zake ngati mmene alongo amakambira nkhani za mu sukulu. Ankatero chifukwa chakuti panalibe abale obatizidwa oti azitsogolera. Nthawi zina tinkachita lendi malo ena kukabwera abale ochokera m’mipingo ina kudzakamba nkhani za onse.

Alongowo anayamba kuphunzira nane Baibulo mu October 1958 ndipo ndinabatizidwa patapita miyezi itatu mu January 1959. Ndisanabatizidwe, ndinawapempha kuti ndiyende nawo popita kunyumba ndi nyumba kuti ndione mmene amagwirira ntchito yolalikira. (Mac. 20:20) Nditayenda nawo kamodzi, ndinapempha kuti andipatse gawo langa. Choncho anandipatsa mudzi wina ndipo ndinkapita ndekha kukalalikira ndiponso kukapanga maulendo obwereza. M’bale woyamba amene ndinayenda naye mu utumiki anali woyang’anira dera amene anadzatichezera.

Nditamaliza maphunziro aja mu 1960, ndinabwerera kwathu kuti ndikathandize achibale anga kuphunzira Baibulo. Mpaka pano, palibe ngakhale mmodzi amene wakhala wa Mboni za Yehova, koma ena amamvetserabe pang’ono.

Mu 1961, ofesi ya nthambi inalemba makalata opita kumipingo olimbikitsa upainiya. Pa nthawiyo ndinali wosakwatira komanso wathanzi ndiye ndinaona kuti palibe chondilepheretsa. Ndinakambirana ndi woyang’anira dera kuti ndiyambe ndagwira ntchito pang’ono kuti ndipeze galimoto yoyendera pochita upainiyawo. Koma anandiyankha kuti: “Kodi Yesu ndi atumwi ake aja ankafunikira galimoto kuti achite utumiki wa nthawi zonse?” Atangotero ndinasintha n’kuganiza zoyamba mwamsanga upainiya. Koma popeza ndinkagwira ntchito muhotelo kwa maola 72 pa mlungu, ndinaona kuti ndi bwino kusintha zinthu zina.

 Ndinapempha bwana wanga kuti mwina ndizigwira maola 60 okha. Bwanayo anavomera ndipo sanasinthe malipiro anga. Patapita nthawi, ndinamupemphanso kuti ndizigwira maola 48 pa mlungu. Anavomeranso popanda kusintha malipiro anga. Ndiye ndinadzapemphanso kuti ndizigwira maola 36 okha, kapena kuti maola 6 pa masiku 6. Chodabwitsa n’chakuti anandilolanso popanda kusintha malipiro. Zikuoneka kuti bwanayo sankafuna kuti ndisiye ntchito. Apa tsopano ndinayamba upainiya wokhazikika. Pa nthawiyo apainiya ankafunika kupereka maola 100 pa mwezi.

Patangopita miyezi 4, ndinaikidwa kukhala mpainiya wapadera komanso mtumiki wa mpingo * mumpingo wina waung’ono. Pa nthawiyo apainiya apadera ankafunika kupereka maola 150 pa mwezi. Kunalibenso mpainiya wina koma ndinkayenda mu utumiki ndi mlongo wina, dzina lake Gertrude Lobner, yemwenso anali ngati mlembi wa mpingo.

Mu 1963, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndikhale woyang’anira dera. Nthawi zina ndinkakwera sitima yapamtunda popita kumipingo nditanyamula zikwama zolemera. Abale ambiri analibe galimoto choncho sankatha kudzanditenga kusiteshoni. Poopa kuti abale angaganize kuti ndine wonyada sindinkachita hayala galimoto. Ndinkangoyenda wapansi kupita kunyumba yoti ndikagone.

Mu 1965, ndisanakwatire, ndinaitanidwa kukalowa kalasi ya nambala 41 ya Sukulu ya Giliyadi. Anthu ambiri m’kalasi yathuyo sanalinso pa banja. Ndinadabwa kuti nditamaliza sukuluyo ndinapemphedwa kubwerera ku Austria kukapitiriza ntchito yoyang’anira dera. Koma ndisanachoke ku United States ndinapemphedwa kuti ndiyende ndi woyang’anira dera wina kwa milungu 4. Ndinasangalala kwambiri kuyendera limodzi ndi Anthony Conte. Iye anali m’bale wachikondi amene ankakonda utumiki ndipo ankalalikira mwaluso kwambiri. Tinatumikira limodzi kudera lina la kumpoto kwa New York.

Nditabwerera ku Austria, ndinapatsidwa dera lina kumene ndinakumana ndi mtsikana wina wokongola dzina lake Tove Merete. Iye analeredwa m’banja la Mboni kuyambira ali ndi zaka 5. Abale akatifunsa mmene tinakumanira, timangoti, “Ofesi ya nthambi ndi imene inakonza.” Tinakwatirana patapita chaka chimodzi mu April 1967 ndipo tinaloledwa kuti tipitirize ntchito yoyang’anira dera.

Chaka chotsatira, ndinazindikira kuti Yehova wandisankha kukhala m’gulu la odzozedwa. Nthawi imeneyo, ndinayamba kukhala pa ubwenzi wapadera ndi Atate wanga wakumwamba komanso ndi anthu ena onse amene, malinga ndi Aroma 8:15, ‘amafuula nawo kuti: “Abba, Atate!”’

Ine ndi Merete tinapitiriza kugwira ntchito yoyang’anira dera ndiponso yoyang’anira chigawo mpaka mu 1976. Nthawi zina m’nyengo yozizira kwambiri, tinkagona m’zipinda mopanda zotenthetsera. Tsiku lina podzuka tinapeza bulangete  lathu litauma chifukwa cha kuzizira. Choncho tinaganiza zoti tiziyenda ndi kambaula kamagetsi kuti tisamazizidwe kwambiri usiku. Kunyumba zina, tinkayenda m’chipale chofewa kuti tikalowe m’chimbudzi momwe munkakhalanso mozizira kwambiri. Tikafika pampingo sitinkachoka panyumba imene tinafikira mpaka Lachiwiri m’mawa pamene tinkapita kumpingo wina.

Ndikusangalala kuti mkazi wanga wakhala akundithandiza kwambiri kwa zaka zonsezi. Iye amakonda kwambiri kulalikira moti sindinayambe ndamuuzapo kuti alowe mu utumiki. Amakondanso kwambiri abale ndi alongo ndipo amaganizira anthu ena. Zimenezi zandithandiza kwambiri.

Mu 1976, tinaitanidwa ku ofesi ya nthambi ya ku Austria ndipo ndinkatumikira m’Komiti ya Nthambi. Pa nthawiyo, nthambi ya ku Austria inkayang’anira ntchito za mayiko ambiri a kum’mawa kwa Ulaya. Inkakonza zoti mabuku azizembetsedwa kupita m’mayikowa. M’bale Jürgen Rundel ndi amene ankayang’anira zimenezi ndipo ankachita zinthu mwanzeru. Ndinali ndi mwayi wogwira naye ntchito koma kenako ndinapemphedwa kuti ndiziyang’anira ntchito yomasulira mabuku m’zilankhulo 10 za kum’mawa kwa Ulaya. M’bale Rundel ndi mkazi wake Gertrude akutumikirabe monga apainiya apadera ku Germany. Kuyambira mu 1978, nthambi ya ku Austria inkasindikiza magazini m’zilankhulo 6. Tinkatumizanso magazini kumayiko osiyanasiyana amene ankaitanitsa. Otto Kuglitsch ndi amene ankayang’anira ntchitoyi. Panopa m’baleyu amatumikira limodzi ndi mkazi wake Ingrid ku ofesi ya nthambi ya ku Germany.

Abale a kum’mawa kwa Ulaya ankasindikizanso mabuku m’mayiko awo pogwiritsa ntchito timakina ting’onoting’ono. Komabe ankafunikira kuthandizidwa ndi nthambi za mayiko ena. Yehova anawateteza pa ntchitoyi. Tonsefe pa nthambi tinkakonda kwambiri abale athu amene ankatumikira Yehova kumayiko kumene ntchito yathu inaletsedwa.

Mu 1989, ndinali ndi mwayi wotsagana ndi M’bale Theodore Jaracz, yemwe anali m’Bungwe Lolamulira, pa ulendo wopita ku Romania.  Ulendowu unali wokathandiza abale ena ambirimbiri kuti ayambenso kuchita zinthu mogwirizana ndi gulu. Kuyambira mu 1949, abale ena anasiya kugwirizana ndi gulu la Yehova ndipo anakhazikitsa mipingo yawoyawo. Koma ankalalikirabe n’kumabatiza anthu. Ankaloleranso kumangidwa chifukwa chosalowerera ndale mofanana ndi abale a m’gulu la Yehova. Pamene tinkapita, ntchito yathu inali idakali yoletsedwa ku Romania. Tinakakumana ndi abale a m’Komiti ya Dziko la Romania n’kukambirana ndi akulu anayi a m’gulu linalo kunyumba ya M’bale Pamfil Albu. Tinapitanso ndi m’bale wina wa ku Austria amene ankamasulira.

Tsiku lachiwiri usiku, M’bale Albu anachonderera akulu anayiwo kuti agwirizanenso ndi gulu la Yehova. Iye anati: “Abale inu nthawi yoti tibwerere ndi yomweyitu. Mwina sitidzapezanso mwayi wina.” Zitatero, abale pafupifupi 5,000 anagwirizananso ndi gulu la Yehova. Apatu Yehova anapambana ndipo Satana zinamusokonekera.

Chakumapeto kwa chaka cha 1989, Bungwe Lolamulira linatiitana kuti tipite kulikulu lathu ku New York. Tinadabwa kwambiri titamva zimenezi. Tinayamba kutumikira ku Beteli ya ku Brooklyn mu July 1990. Mu 1992, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndizithandizira mu Komiti ya Utumiki ya Bungwe Lolamulira. Ndiyeno kuyambira mu July 1994, ndakhala ndikutumikira m’Bungwe Lolamulira.

Nthawi yogwira ntchito ya muhotelo inatha kalekale. Panopa ndili ndi mwayi wothandiza pa ntchito yopereka chakudya chauzimu kwa abale ndi alongo padziko lonse. (Mat. 24:45-47) Ndikaganizira zimene zachitika pa zaka 50 zimene ndakhala mu utumiki wapadera wa nthawi zonse, ndimaona kuti Yehova wadalitsa kwambiri gulu lake ndipo zimandisangalatsa kwabasi. Ndimakonda kwambiri kupezeka pa misonkhano ya mayiko imene imatilimbikitsa kuphunzira za Atate wathu wakumwamba ndiponso Mawu ake.

Ndimapemphera kuti anthu ambiri aphunzire Baibulo n’kuyamba kutumikira Yehova mogwirizana ndi Akhristu onse padziko lapansi. (1 Pet. 2:17) Ndikuyembekezeranso nthawi imene ndidzakhale kumwamba n’kumaona anthu akuukitsidwa padzikoli. Pa nthawiyo ndidzaona bambo anga. Ndikufunitsitsa kuona bambowo, mayi anga komanso achibale anga akusonyeza mtima wofuna kulambira Yehova m’Paradaiso.