Nkhondoyi inatenga zaka pafupifupi zitatu ndipo inawononga kwambiri. Anthu ambiri anavulala pa nkhondoyi komanso ena anasokonezeka maganizo. Ndipo mmodzi wa anthu amenewa anali bambo anga. Iwo anali munthu wokhulupirira kwambiri Mulungu koma anakhumudwa kwambiri ataona kuti ansembe a Chikatolika amalowerera kwambiri m’nkhondoyo. Choncho, iwo anasankha kuti ine ndi mchimwene wanga tisabatizidwe ku Chikatolika.

 Mu 1950, a Mboni za Yehova awiri anafika pa nyumba pathu. Bambo anga anamvetsera mwachidwi ndipo anavomera kuti aziphunzira Baibulo wiki iliyonse. Pa nthawiyi, ndinali ndi zaka 14 zokha ndipo ndinkakonda kwambiri mpira wa miyendo. Bambo anga ankayesetsa kuti ndiziwerenga nawo mabuku amene a Mboniwo ankawasiyira, koma sindinkafuna. Tsiku lina madzulo ndikuchokera kumpira, ndinafunsa amayi anga kuti, “ Amayi, kodi anthu amene amaphunzitsa Baibulo aja abweranso?” Amayi anayankha kuti: “Eya ali ndi bambo ako pabalaza.” Atangotero, nthawi yomweyo ndinabwerera kumsewu.

 Ndimathokoza kwambiri bambo anga kuti sanasiye kuphunzira Baibulo chifukwa choona kuti ndinalibe nazo chidwi. Iwo ankakonda kwambiri choonadi chomwe ankaphunzira moti mu 1953, anabatizidwa kukhala a Mboni za Yehova. Zimenezi zinandichititsa chidwi ndipo ndinayamba kufunsa bambo anga mafunso ambiri. Mpaka ndinapempha kuti andipezere Baibulo langalanga. Anakonza kuti mnyamata wina wa Mboni, dzina lake Máximo Murcia, azindiphunzitsa Baibulo. Patapita zaka ziwiri, ndili ndi zaka 19, ndinabatizidwa kukhala wa Mboni za Yehova. Ndinabatizidwa mumtsinje wa Jarama womwe uli cha kum’mawa kwa Madrid.

 Cha m’ma 1950, zinali zovuta kulalikira komanso kusonkhana. Pa nthawiyo mtsogoleri wa dziko la Spain anali Francisco Franco. Iye anali wolamulira wankhanza kwambiri komanso ankafuna kuti aliyense m’dzikomo akhale m’Katolika. Chifukwa cha zimenezi, nthawi zambiri apolisi ankazunza a Mboni za Yehova. Tinkasonkhana m’nyumba za abale ndipo tinkachita zinthu mosamala kwambiri kuti anthu oyandikana nafe asadziwe n’kukatinenera kupolisi. Polalikiranso khomo ndi khomo tinkachita zinthu mosamala kwambiri, moti tinkangolalikira nyumba ziwiri kapena zitatu zokha zomwe zili motalikirana. Tikatero, mofulumira tinkapita kudera lina. Anthu ambiri ankamvetsera uthenga wathu, komabe si onse amene anali ndi chidwi.

 Ndikukumbukira kuti panyumba ina ndinakumana ndi wansembe wakatolika. N’tamufotokozera chomwe ndinabwerera, anandifunsa kuti: “Ndani wakupatsani chilolezo chochitira zimenezi? Kodi mukudziwa kuti ndikhoza kukauza apolisi?” Ndinawauza kuti timayembekezera kuti zimenezo zitha kuchitika. Ndinawauzanso kuti: “Ngati adani anamanga Yesu Khristu, kodi zingakhale zachilendo ngati otsatira ake atakumananso ndi zomwezo?” Pokwiya ndi mawu amenewa, wansembeyo analowa m’nyumba kukaimbira foni apolisi. Atangotero, ndinachokapo nthawi yomweyo.

 Ngakhale tinkakumana ndi zimenezi, ofalitsa ochepa a ku Spain anapeza kuti m’dzikolo munali anthu ambiri omwe ankasangalala ndi uthenga wabwino. Mu February 1956, ndili ndi zaka 19 zokha, ndinaikidwa kukhala mpainiya wapadera. a Ambiri mwa apainiyafe tinali ana ndiponso osadziwa zambiri, koma amishonale omwe analipo anatiphunzitsa ndi kutilimbikitsa. Ine ndi mpainiya mnzanga, anatiuza kuti tizikatumikira mumzinda wa Alicante, komwe kunali kusanalalikidweko. Patangopita miyezi yochepa chabe, tinayambitsa maphunziro a Baibulo ambiri komanso tinagawira mabuku ambiri.

 Komabe, anthu anazindikira zomwe tinkachita. Choncho titakhala miyezi yochepa chabe ku Alicante, apolisi anatimanga ndi kutilanda Mabaibulo. Anatisunga m’ndende kwa masiku 33, kenako anapita nafe ku Madrid, komwe anakatimasula. Chimenechi chinali chiyambi chabe cha mavuto omwe tinkayembekezera kukumana nawo.

 Ndili ndi zaka 21, ndinalamulidwa kuti ndikalowe usilikali. Ndinapita ku ofesi ya asilikali mumzinda wa Nador. Nthawi imeneyo mzindawu womwe uli kumpoto kwa dziko la Morocco, unali mbali yachigawo cha dziko la Spain. Nditakumana ndi mkulu wa asilikali, ndinamuuza mwaulemu ndiponso momveka bwino kuti sindingagwire ntchito ya usilikali kapena kuvala yunifolomu ya usilikali. Msilikali wina anakandisiya kundende ya Rostrogordo ku Melilla, kuti ndikayembekezere kuzengedwa mlandu kukhoti la asilikali.

 Ndikudikira kuzengedwa mlandu, mkulu wa asilikali wa Chisipanishi ku Morocco, anauza asilikali kuti andimenye n’cholinga choti ndisinthe maganizo. Choncho, anandikwapula ndi chikoti chamahatchi kwa 20 minitsi komanso kundimenya mateche mpaka ndinagwa pansi n’kukomoka. Sizinathere pomwepo, woyang’anira asilikaliwo anandiponda kumutu ndi jombo ndipo anandisiya nditayamba kutuluka magazi. Ndiyeno anapita nane ku ofesi kwake, kukandikalipira kuti: “Usaganize kuti ndathana nawe. Udziwe kuti ndizikuchita zimenezi kapena zoposa pamenepa tsiku lililonse.” Anauza alonda kuti akanditsekere mundende ina yapansi pa nthaka. M’ndendeyi munali chinyezi komanso mdima ndipo zinali zokayikitsa ngati akananditulutsamo.

 Ndimakumbukirabe nthawi imene ndinagona pansi m’ndende imeneyi, magazi akuyendererabe m’mutu wanga. Ndinalibe chilichonse, ndinangokhala ndi bulangete laling’ono loti ndifunde komanso nthawi zina ndinkangoona makoswe amene amabweramo. Ndinkangopemphera kwa Yehova kuti andipatse mphamvu komanso andithandize kupirira. Ndinkapemphera pafupipafupi m’ndende yamdima ndi yozizira imeneyi. b

 Tsiku lotsatira, msilikali wina anandimenyanso mkulu wa asilikali akuona. Mkulu wa asilikali ankaona n’cholinga choti aonetsetse kuti ndamenyedwa momwe iye ankafunira. Ndisaname apa ndinayamba kukaikira zoti ndipitiriza kupirira zimenezi. Tsiku lachiwiri kugona m’ndende, ndinapempha Yehova kuti andithandize.

 Pa tsiku lachitatu m’ndende, anandiitananso ku ofesi ya mkulu wa asilikali. Ndinali ndi mantha kwambiri kuti mwina akandimenyanso. Ndikupita ku ofesiko, ndinapemphera kwa Yehova. Don Esteban, c mlembi wa khoti la asilikali anali akundidikira. Iye anabwera kudzaweruza milandu kukhoti la asilikali.

 Don Esteban ataona mabandegi m’mutu mwanga, anandifunsa kuti ndatani. Sindinkafuna kunena, poopa kuti ndimenyedwanso kwambiri koma ndinamuuza chilungamo. Don Esteban atamva zimene zinachitika anati: “Sindingaletse kuti nkhani yako isakalowe m’khoti. Koma dziwa kuti palibe akumenyenso.”

 Zinakhaladi choncho, nthawi yonse imene ndinakhala m’ndende, palibenso anandimenya. Sindikudziwa chifukwa chake woweruza anasankha kundilankhula tsiku limeneli. Chomwe ndikudziwa n’choti mapemphero anga anayankhidwa mwapadera kwambiri. Ndinaona Yehova akundipulumutsa m’mavuto aakulu ndipo sanalole kuti ndiyesedwe kufika pamene sindingapirire. (1 Akorinto 10:13) Ndinaimbidwa mlandu m’khoti la asilikali ndili ndi chikhulupiriro chonse kuti Yehova andithandiza.

 Khoti linagamula kuti ndikhale m’ndende zaka 19, koma kenako anawonjezerapo zaka zina zitatu chifukwa cha “kusamvera.” Nditakhala miyezi 15 ku Morocco, anandisamutsira kundende ya anthu amilandu ikuluikulu ya ku Ocaña, osati kutali kwenikweni ndi ku Madrid, kukamaliza zaka zimene ndinafunika kukhala m’ndende. Kusamukira ku Ocaña linali dalitso lochokera kwa Yehova. Ndende imeneyi inali ngati Paradaiso tikayerekezera ndi ndende ya ku Rostrogordo. Muselo yanga munali bedi, matilesi ndi nsalu zofunda zingapo. Patapita nthawi, anandipatsa ntchito yoyang’anira zachuma kundendeko. Koma kukhalitsa m’ndende kunandipangitsa kuyamba kudzimva kuti ndili ndekhandekha. Vuto lalikulu limene ndinali nalo linali kulephera kucheza ndi abale anga auzimu.

 Nthawi zina makolo anga ankabwera kudzandiona, komabe ndinkafunika kulimbikitsidwa kwambiri. Makolo anga anandiuza kuti abale enanso anakana kumenya nawo nkhondo. Choncho, ndinapempha Yehova kuti kubwere m’bale wina kundende imene ndinali. Apanso Yehova anayankha mapemphero anga ochokera pansi pa mtima kuposa mmene ndimaganizira. Posapita nthawi, abale atatu okhulupirika Alberto Contijoch, Francisco Díaz ndi Antonio Sánchez anandipeza kundende ya ku Ocaña. Nditakhala zaka zinayi m’ndende ndekhandekha, ndinapeza abale olimbikitsana nawo zauzimu. Tonse anayi tinkaphunzirira pamodzi komanso tinkalalikira kwa anzathu kundendeko.

 M’chaka cha 1964, anatitulutsa mongotikhululukira. Chigamulo chakuti ndikhala zaka 22 m’ndende chinachepetsedwa kufika pa zaka 6 ndi hafu zokha. Tsiku lomwelo limene ndinatuluka m’ndende ndinapita kumsonkhano wanga woyamba. Ngakhale kuti ndinafunika kuti kandalama kamene ndinakhala ndikusunga ndilipilire galimoto popita ku Madrid ndinafika pamisonkhano pa nthawi yake. Zinali zosangalatsa kwambiri kuonananso ndi abale! Koma sikuti ndinkangofuna kuti ndionane ndi abale anga basi. Ndinkafuna kuyambiranso upainiya mwamsanga. Ngakhale kuti apolisi ankatizunza, anthu ankamvetsera uthenga wabwino ndipo panali ntchito yambiri yoti igwiridwe.

 Pa nthawi imeneyi, ndinakumana ndi Mercedes yemwe anali mtsikana wachangu ndipo ankatumikira monga mpainiya wapadera. Mercedes anali mlongo wodzichepetsa amene anali wokonzeka kulalikira aliyense amene angathe. Analinso wokoma mtima ndi wopatsa kwambiri, makhalidwe amene anandipangitsa kuti ndimukonde. Tinakondana ndipo patangotha chaka chimodzi tinakwatirana. Mercedes ndi dalitso lalikulu kwambiri kwa ine.

 Patapita miyezi ingapo titakwatirana, anatiitana kuti tikayambe utumiki woyendayenda. Tinkayendera mipingo yosiyanasiyana mlungu uliwonse, kusonkhana ndi abale athu pamisonkhano ndi pa ntchito yolalikira. Mipingo inkachuluka ku Spain, ndipo abale anafunika thandizo ndi kulimbikitsidwa. Kwa kanthawi ndithu, ndinali ndi mwayi womayendera kukathandiza ntchito pa ofesi yobisika ya Mboni za Yehova ku Barcelona.

 Kugwira ntchito yathu mobisa kunatha m’chaka cha 1967 nthawi imene boma linapatsa anthu a ku Spain ufulu wolambira. Mu 1970, Mboni za Yehova zinaloledwa mwalamulo kugwira ntchito yawo. Tsopano zinatheka kusonkhana mwaufulu komanso kukhala ndi Nyumba za Ufumu zathuzathu, ngakhalenso kutsegulira poyera ofesi ya nthambi.

 Mu 1971, ine ndi Mercedes tinaitanidwa kukakhala ogwira ntchito a nthawi zonse pa ofesi yanthambi yatsopano ku Barcelona. Koma patatha chaka chimodzi, Mercedes anatenga pathupi ndipo anabereka mwana wathu wamkazi wokongola, dzina lake Abigail. Apa tinayenera kusiya kutumikira pa Beteli ndi kuyamba utumiki wina, wolera mwana wathu wamkaziyo.

 Abigail ali ndi zaka zapakati pa 13 mpaka 19, ofesi ya nthambi inatipempha ngati tingabwerere kuntchito yathu yoyendera dera. Mwachizolowezi, tinapemphera kwa Yehova ndiponso kufunsira nzeru kwa abale achikulire mwauzimu. Mkulu wina anati: “Jesús, ngati akukufunanso kuti ubwerere mu utumiki, usakane.” Choncho, tinayambanso ntchito yopindulitsa kwambiri pamoyo wathu. Poyamba tinkayendera mipingo m’dera lapafupi ndi kwathu n’cholinga chakuti tizitha kusamalirabe mwana wathu Abigail. Koma patapita nthawi Abigail, anakula ndipo anadziimira payekha, zimene zinatipatsa mpata wochita zambiri mu ntchito yathu ya utumiki wapadera wanthawi zonse.

 Ine ndi Mercedes takhala mu utumiki woyendayenda kwa zaka 23. Ndinasangalala kwambiri ndi utumiki umenewu, umene unandipatsa mpata wogwiritsa ntchito zimene ndikudziwa kuthandizira achinyamata. Nthawi ina tikutumikira ngati wolangiza akulu ndiponso atumiki anthawi zonse, tinkakhala pa Beteli ya ku Madrid. Chochititsa chidwi n’chakuti, pamtunda wa makilomita atatu kuchokera pa Beteli pali Mtsinje wa Jarama, umene ndinabatizidwamo mu 1955. Pa nthawiyo sindinadziwe kuti ndidzabwereranso m’dera lomweli patatha zaka makumi ambiri kudzathandiza achinyamata kugwira ntchito zazikulu potumikira Yehova.

 Kuyambira m’chaka cha 2013, takhala tikutumikiranso ngati apainiya apadera. Kunena zoona, zinali zovuta kusiya ntchito yoyendayenda n’kuyamba upainiya, koma kuchita zimenezi kunali chinthu chanzeru. Posachedwapa, ndakhala ndikudwala komanso kuchitidwa opaleshoni yaikulu ya mtima. Pa zinthu zimenezi, ndinafunikanso kudalira Yehova kuti andithandize, ndipo anandithandizadi monga mmene wakhala akuchitira nthawi zonse. Ndipo pa zaka 56, mkazi wanga wokondedwa Mercedes wakhala akundithandiza nthawi zonse, ndipo ndi mnzanga weniweni pantchito yanga yonse yotumikira Mulungu.

 Nthawi zambiri ndimakumbukira nthawi imene ndinali mlangizi. Ndimathabe kuziona m’maganizo nkhope za ophunzira anga achinyamata achidwi. Chidwi ndi changu chawo, chimandikumbutsa mmene nane ndinalili ndili wachinyamata pamene ndinkayamba ntchito ya moyo wonse ya utumiki wopatulika. N’zoona kuti ndinakumana ndi mavuto aakulu pamoyo wanga, koma ndinalinso ndi zinthu zambiri zosangalatsa. Ngakhale pamavuto aakulu ndinaphunzirapo zinthu zambiri. Chinthu chachikulu chimene ndinaphunzirapo n’chakuti ndisamadalire mphamvu zanga. Mavuto anga anandipatsa mpata woona dzanja lamphamvu la Yehova, dzanja limene lakhala likundilimbikitsa nthawi zonse, ngakhale pa nthawi imene ndinali pamavuto aakulu.​—Afilipi 4:13.