Ndinabadwa mu 1934 mumzinda wa Pescara womwe uli m’mbali mwa nyanja ya Adriatic Sea, kum’mawa m’chigawo chapakati cha dziko la Italy. M’banja mwathu tinabadwa atsikana 4 ndipo wamng’ono kwambiri ndine. Bambo athu anatipatsa mayina potsatira zilembo za alifabeti. Woyamba dzina lake limayamba ndi “A” ndipo n’chifukwa chake inenso dzina langa limayamba ndi “D.”

 Bambo anga ankakonda kwambiri kuphunzira zokhudza Mulungu. Anakumana ndi Mboni za Yehova koyamba mu July 1943 pomwe munthu wina dzina lake Liberato Ricci yemwe ankasonkhana ndi Amboni anawauza zokhudza Baibulo n’kuwabwereka magazini ya Nsanja ya Olonda. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali, bambo anayamba kuchita khama kwambiri kuuza anthu ena zomwe ankaphunzira. Amayi nawonso anachita chidwi n’kuyamba kuphunzira. Ngakhale kuti amayi sankadziwa kuwerenga, ankauza anthu ena zomwe ankaphunzira. Iwo ankafotokoza mavesi a m’Baibulo omwe analoweza.

 Ngakhale kuti nyumba yathu inali yaing’ono, koma pankachitikira zinthu zambiri. Mwachitsanzo, tinkachitirapo misonkhano. Komanso ngakhale kuti inali ndi zipinda ziwiri zokha, tinkalandiriramonso woyendera dera ndi apainiya.

 Azikulu anga awiri sanasonyeze chidwi chofuna kuphunzira Baibulo ndipo patapita nthawi anakwatiwa n’kuchoka pakhomo. Koma ine ndi mkulu wanga amene ndinapondana naye dzina lake Cesira, tinkakonda kumvetsera bambo akamawerenga Baibulo. Tinkasangalalanso tikamamvetsera nkhani zolimbikitsa zokambidwa ndi abale akabwera kudzayendera kagulu kathu.

 Ndinkakonda kulowa mu utumiki ndi bambo komanso abale ena. Koma ndinali wamanyazi kwambiri moti zinanditengera miyezi kuti ndikwanitse kulankhula ndi anthu omwe tawapeza pa nyumba zawo. Komabe, chikondi changa pa Yehova chinakula kwambiri ndipo ndinabatizidwa mu July 1950. Nkhani yaubatizo inakambidwira pa nyumba pathu, kenako tinapita kunyanja komwe ndinabatizidwa. Chaka chotsatira, banja lina lomwe linkatumikira monga apainiya apadera linatumizidwa kuti lizikatumikira m’dera lathu. Nthawi zambiri ndinkakonda kulowa mu utumiki ndi banjali. Zinthu zinayamba kundiphwekerako chifukwa chokhala nthawi yambiri ndili mu utumiki. Ndinkasangalala kwambiri ndi kutumikira Yehova.

 Woyang’anira dera wathu woyamba anali M’bale Piero Gatti. a M’baleyu anandilimbikitsa kuchita upainiya komanso kusamukira komwe kukufunika olalikira Ufumu ambiri. Ndinali ndisanaganizireko zochita utumiki. Pachikhalidwe cha kwathu, atsikana ankakonda kukhala pakhomo pa makolo mpaka nthawi yomwe adzakwatiwe. Mu March 1952 ndidakali pakhomo pa makolo anga, ndinayamba kuchita upainiya. Sindinaganizireko kuti zomwe ndinasankhazi zidzakhudza tsogolo langa.

 Nthawi imeneyo, mtsikana wina dzina lake Anna anaganizanso zoyamba upainiya. Iye anabwera kumadzakhala nafe kuti tizilowera limodzi mu utumiki. Kenako mu 1954 ine ndi Anna tinatumizidwa mumzinda wa Perugia womwe uli pamtunda wamakilomita 250. Panthawiyo mumzindawu munalibe Wamboni aliyense.

 Kumeneku kunali kusintha kwakukulu pa moyo wanga. Ndinali ndi zaka 20 zokha ndipo inali nthawi yanga yoyamba kuchoka dera lathu. Nthawi yokhayo yomwe ndinachokapo pakhomo, ndi pomwe ndinapita kumsonkhano ndi makolo anga. Moti kupita ku Perugia, kunali ngati kupita dziko lakutali. Bambo ankatidera nkhawa kuti tikakhala bwanji tokhatokha, ndiye anabwera kuti adzatithandize kupeza nyumba. Tinachita lendi chipinda chinachake chomwe tinkachigwiritsanso ntchito ngati Nyumba ya Ufumu. Kwa kanthawi ndithu, pamisonkhanopo tinkangopezekapo tokha. Komabe tinkasangalala kwambiri kulalikira anthu ku Perugia komanso m’matauni ndi m’midzi yapafupi. Patapita nthawi khama lathu linayamba kubala zipatso. Patatha pafupifupi chaka chimodzi, m’bale wina anasamukira ku Perugia ndipo ndi amene ankatitsogolera pamisonkhano. Pomwe tinkasamuka m’derali mu 1957 kupita kudera lina, n’kuti kutakhazikitsidwa mpingo waung’ono.

 Tinatumizidwa ku kumzinda wina waung’ono wotchedwa Terni womwe uli chapakatikati padziko la Italy. Tinasangalala kwambiri kulalikira ku Terni chifukwa kunali anthu ambiri achidwi. Komabe panali zovuta zina. Ngakhale kuti ulamuliro womwe unalipo panthawiyo unatha mu 1943, akuluakulu ena aboma anayesetsa kuletsa kuti a Mboni za Yehova asamalalikire uthenga wa m’Baibulo. Iwo ankanena kuti tikufunika kutenga kaye chilolezo kuti tizilalikira khomo ndi khomo.

 Nthawi zambiri apolisi ankangokhalira kutilondola komwe tikupita. Nthawi zina tinkangowazemba n’kulowerera m’chigulu cha anthu. Koma nthawi zina sizinkatheka moti nthawi ina ndinamangidwapo kawiri. Nthawi yoyamba, ndinkalalikira ndi woyang’anira dera. Atatimanga anapita nafe kusiteshoni yawo komwe anakatitsegulira mlandu wolalikira popanda chilolezo ndipo anatiuza kuti tilipire. Tinakana kulipirira chifukwa sitinkaphwanya malamulo alionse. Ndinali ndi mantha ndipo mtima wanga unkagunda koopsa. Ndimathokoza Yehova kuti panthawiyo sindinali ndekha. Ndinakumbukira mawu opezeka pa Yesaya 41:13 omwe amati: “Usachite mantha. Ineyo ndikuthandiza.” Anatimasula, koma pomwe mlandu unafika kukhoti, jaji ananena kuti panalibe umboni uliwonse woti tinachita zinthu zosemphana ndi malamulo. Kenako ulendo wachiwiri, ndinamangidwa patatha miyezi 6. Panthawiyi ndinali ndekha. Komabe, panthawi imeneyinso jaji ananena kuti ndinalibe mlandu.

 Ndimakumbukira mmene ndinasangalalira ndi msonkhano womwe unachitika mu 1954 ku Naples, kum’mwera kwa dziko la Italy. Nditafika pamsonkhanopo, ndinadzipereka kugwira nawo ntchito yokonza pamalo amsonkhanowo ndipo ndinauzidwa kuti ndikonze malo ena omwe anali pafupi ndi pulatifomu. Ndili pomwepo ndinakumana ndi mnyamata wina wooneka bwino dzina lake Antonio Caparelli yemwe ankalandira alendo pamsonkhanowo. Antonio ankachita upainiya ku Libya. Banja lawo linasamukira ku Libya kuchoka ku Italy chakumapeto kwa zaka za m’ma 1930.

 Antonio ankachita zinthu mwamphamvu komanso anali wolimba mtima. Iye anapita kuchipululu cha ku Libya panjinga yamoto kuti akalalikire anthu olankhula Chitaliyana omwe ankakhala kumeneko. Tinkalemberana makalata pafupipafupi. Komabe chakumayambiriro kwa chaka cha 1959, Antonio anabwereranso ku Italy. Anatha miyezi ingapo ali pa Beteli ya ku Rome asanatumizidwe ngati mpainiya wapadera mumzinda wa Viterbo womwe uli chapakatikati m’dziko la Italy. Chikondi chathu chinakula kwambiri ndipo tinakwatirana pa 29 September 1959. Kenako ndinayamba kukatumikira limodzi ndi Antonio ku Viterbo.

 Tinkafuna nyumba yoti tizikhalamo komanso kuchitiramo misonkhano. Kenako tinachita lendi chipinda chapansi cha nyumba ina yosanja. Nyumbayi inalinso ndi kabafa kakang’ono kumbuyo kwake. Bedi lathu tinaliika pakona kenako n’kutseka ndi katani. Chimenecho n’chimene chinali chipinda chathu. Mbali inayo ndi imene tinkaigwiritsa ntchito ngati balaza kapena Nyumba ya Ufumu. Ndikanakhala ndekha sindikanasankha kukhala m’nyumba imeneyi. Koma zinali bwino komanso ndinkasangalala chifukwa ndinkakhala ndi Antonio.

 Mu 1961, Antonio anaikidwa kuti azitumikira ngati woyang’anira dera. Koma choyamba anafunika kukalowa sukulu ya atumiki ampingo yomwe inkachitika kwa mwezi wathunthu. Choncho Antonio atakalowa sukuluyi, ndinakhala ndekha kwa mwezi wonse. Ndisaname ndinkadzimvera chisoni makamaka usiku ndikhala ndekhandekha m’kachipinda kathu kakang’onoko. Komabe ndinkasangalala ndikaganizira kuti Yehova akugwiritsa ntchito Antonio. Pomwe Antonio anali kusukulu mwezi umenewo, ndinadzitangwanitsa kwambiri ndiye nthawi inadutsa mofulumira.

 Chifukwa cha utumiki woyang’anira dera, tinkapita m’madera osiyanasiyana. Tinachoka ku Veneto komwe ndi kuchigawo chakumpoto kwa Italy, kupita ku Sicily komwe ndi kuchigawo chakum’mwera. Poyamba tinalibe galimoto ndiye tinkagwiritsa ntchito mathiransipoti wamba. Nthawi ina titayenda msewu wamabampu pa basi kudera lakumudzi ku Sicily, tinalandiridwa ndi abale omwe anali ndi bulu yemwe anamunyamulitsa zikwama zathu. Panthawiyo Antonio anavala suti ndipo ine ndinatchena diresi. Ndikuganiza kuti anthu ankaseka akationa tikuyenda ndi alimi omwe anali ndi bulu atanyamula zikwama zathu komanso taipilaita.

 Abale anali owolowa manja, ankatigawira zilizonse zomwe anali nazo ngakhale zitakhala zochepa bwanji. Nyumba zina zinalibe mabafa komanso madzi a m’mipopi. Nthawi ina tinafikira m’chipinda chomwe sichinagwiritsidwe ntchito kwa zaka zingapo. Usiku ndikugona ndinkangofulukutafulukuta mpaka Antonio anandidzutsa. Titachotsa zovunda, tinangoona kuti zadzaza ndi tizilombo. Palibe chomwe tikanachita chifukwa panali pakati pausiku. Tinangokutumula zofundazo n’kugonanso.

 Komabe mavuto enieni si omwe ndawafotokozawa. Vuto langa lalikulu linali manyazi. Tikangofika pampingo kwa nthawi yoyamba, ndinkavutika kuti ndizolowerane ndi anthu. Ndinayesetsa kwambiri kulimbana ndi vutoli chifukwa ndinkafunitsitsa kuti ndizilimbikitsa komanso kuthandiza alongo. Mothandizidwa ndi Yehova, wiki imeneyo ikamatha, ndinkakhala nditazolowera. Unali mwayi waukulu kugwira ntchito limodzi ndi abale ndi alongo makamaka ukaona kuwolowa manja kwawo, kukhulupirika komanso mmene ankakondera Yehova.

 Mu 1977, titatha zaka zingapo tili mu utumiki woyang’anira dera komanso woyang’anira chigawo, b tinaitanidwa ku Beteli ku Rome kuti tikagwire ntchito yokonzekera Msonkhano wa Mayiko wa mu 1978 wamutu wakuti: “Chikhulupiriro Chopambana.” Patangotha miyezi yochepa, tinayamba utumiki wa pa Beteli. Pambuyo pake, patangopita nthawi yochepa Antonio anaikidwa kuti azitumikira m’Komiti ya Nthambi.

 Beteli anali malo achilendo kwa ine ndipo chifukwa cha vuto langa la manyazi, ndinkavutika kuti ndizikhala womasuka. Koma mothandizidwa ndi Yehova komanso atumiki ena a pa Beteli, pasanathe nthawi yaitali, ndinayamba kuona Beteli ngati kwathu.

 M’zaka zotsatira, tinakumana ndi vuto latsopano. Panthawiyi Antonio anayamba kudwaladwala. Mu 1984, Antonio anachitidwa opaleshoni yamtima ndipo patatha zaka pafupifupi 10 anali ndi mavuto ambiri a m’thupi. Kenako mu 1999 anamupeza ndi chotupa. Antonio anali munthu wamphamvu koma matendawa anayamba kumufooketsa. Zinkandikhudza kwambiri kuona thanzi lake likufookerafookera. Nthawi zambiri ndinkapemphera kwa Yehova kuti andipatse mphamvu kuti ndikwanitse kuthandiza mwamuna wanga. Ndinkakondanso kuwerenga buku la Masalimo. Zimenezi zinkandilimbikitsako ndikakhala ndi nkhawa. Antonio anamwalira pa 18 March 1999 ndipo tinali titakhala pa banja kwa zaka pafupifupi 40.

 Simungamvetse kuti ndinkamva kuti ndili ndekhandekha ngakhale kuti panali anthu ambirimbiri omwe anali nane pafupi. Kunena zoona, atumiki a pa Beteli komanso abale ndi alongo omwe ndinadziwana nawo tikuyendera dera, anandilimbikitsa kwambiri. Ngakhale kuti panali anthu onsewa omwe ankandilimbikitsa, madzulo ndikabwerera kuchipinda changa ndinkamva kuti ndikusowa wocheza naye ndipo sindingathe kufotokoza mmene ndinkamvera mumtima. Kupemphera ndi kuphunzira mawu a Mulungu zinandithandiza kwambiri ndipo pamene nthawi inkapita ndinayamba kupepukidwa mumtima. Ndikaganizira zinthu zomwe ndinkachita ndili ndi Antonio, zimandithandiza kukhala wosangalala. Ndimakonda kuganizira zinthu zomwe tinkachitira limodzi. Ndili ndi chikhulupiriro kuti Yehova akumukumbukira ndipo ndidzakumana nayenso akamadzaukitsidwa.

 Ndachitapo mautumiki osiyanasiyana pa Beteli monga kugwira ntchito kushopu yosokera zinthu. Ndimasangalala kwambiri ndikamagwira ntchito yothandiza banja lalikulu la Beteli. Ndimayesetsanso kudzitangwanitsa ndi ntchito yolalikira. Ngakhale kuti panopo sindingachite zambiri ngati mmene ndinkachitira kale, ndimasangalalabe kuuza ena uthenga wabwino wa Ufumu, ntchito yomwe ndinaikonda kuyambira ndili mwana. N’chifukwa chake ndimakonda kulimbikitsa achinyamata kuchita upainiya. Ndimadziwa kuti ntchitoyi ndi yosangalatsa kwambiri.

 Ndikakumbukira zaka pafupifupi 70 zomwe ndakhala ndikuchita utumiki wanthawi zonse, ndimaona mmene Yehova wandithandizira komanso kundidalitsa. Ngakhale kuti ndimalimbanabe ndi vuto lochita manyazi koma ndimadziwa kuti pandekha sindikanakwanitsa kuchita zonse zomwe ndinachitazi. Ndinafika m’madera osiyanasiyana akutali, ndinaona zinthu zosiyanasiyana zochititsa chidwi komanso kukumana ndi anthu omwe ankandilimbikitsa. Ndikhoza kunena motsimikiza kuti ngati mwayi wina ukanakhalapo, ndikanasankhanso kutumikira Yehova.