NDINABADWA m’caka ca 1955 ku Queensland m’dziko la Australia. Patangopita nthawi yocepa, amai anga a Estelle anayamba kuphunzila Baibulo ndi Mboni za Yehova. Iwo anabatizidwa m’caka cotsatilapo. Naonso atate anga a Ron, anaphunzila coonadi patapita zaka 13. Ine ndinabatizidwa m’caka ca 1968 ku Queensland.

Kuyambila ndili mwana, ndimakonda kuŵelenga, ndipo ndimacita cidwi kwambili ndi cinenelo. Nthawi zambili tikapita paulendo monga banja, makolo anga ayenela kuti anali kukhumudwa cifukwa ndikakhala pampando wakumbuyo mu galimoto, ndinali kuŵelenga buku mmalo moyang’ana cilengedwe panja. Kukonda kuŵelenga kunandithandiza kwambili pa maphunzilo a kusukulu. Ku sukulu ya sekondale mumzinda wa Glenorchy pa cilumba ca Tasmania, ndinapatsidwa mphoto zambili cifukwa cocita bwino m’maphunzilo.

Ndiyeno, ndinafunika kupanga cosankha cacikulu paumoyo wanga. Ndinauzidwa kuti a boma andilipilila maphunzilo a ku yunivesite. Conco, ndinafunika kusankha kupita kapena ai. Popeza kuti ndinali kukonda kuŵelenga ndi kuphunzila, amai anga anandithandiza kuti ndiyambe kukonda kwambili Yehova, ndipo ndimawayamikila kwambili. (1 Akor. 3:18, 19) Ndinatsiliza maphunzilo a ku sekondale ndili ndi zaka 15, ndipo ndinasankha zoti ndiyambe upainiya mu January 1971. Makolo anga anavomeleza zimenezo.

 Zaka 8 zotsatilapo ndinali ndi mwai wocita upainiya ku Tasmania. Kumeneko ndinakwatila mkazi wokongola dzina lake Jenny Alcock, ndipo tinatumikila ku tauni ya Smithton ndiponso ku Queenstown kwa zaka 4 monga apainiya apadela.

Mu 1978, kwa nthawi yoyamba tinayenda ulendo wa pa nyanja kupita ku mzinda wa Port Moresby, m’dziko la Papua New Guinea kukacita msonkhano wa maiko. Ndikali kukumbukila mmishonale wina amene anakamba nkhani m’cinenelo ca Cihiri Motu. Ngakhale kuti sindinali kumva cinenelo cimeneco, ndinalimbikitsidwa kuyamba umishonale, kuphunzila cinenelo cina, ndiponso kukamba nkhani zolimbikitsa. Ndiyeno, ndinazindikila mmene ndingagwilitsile nchito cinenelo kutumikila Yehova.

Pamene tinabwelela ku Australia, tinadabwa kudziŵa kuti taitanidwa kukatumikila monga amishonale mumzinda wa Funafuti pacilumba ca Tuvalu, kumene kale kunali kuchedwa zilumba za Ellice. Tinayamba kutumikila kumeneko mu January 1979. Panthawiyo mu Tuvalu munali ofalitsa obatizidwa atatu cabe.

Kuphunzila Cituvalu sikunali kopepuka. Buku limodzi lokha limene linapo m’cinenelo cimeneci linali buku la “New Testament.” Panalibe mabuku otanthauzila mau ndi masukulu ophunzitsa cinenelo. Conco, tinaganiza zomaphunzila mau 10 kapena 20 atsopano tsiku lililonse. Patangopita nthawi yocepa, tinazindikila kuti tinali kumvetsa molakwa mau ambili amene tinali kuphunzila. Mwacitsanzo, m’malo mouza anthu kuti kulosela n’koipa, mosadziŵa tinali kuwauza kuti afunika kupewa kugwilitsila nchito masikelo opimila zinthu ndi ndodo zoyendela. Tinafunika kuphunzila cineneloco kuti tizikwanitsa kucititsa maphunzilo a Baibulo ambili amene tinayambitsa. Conco, tinapitilizabe kuyesayesa. Patapita zaka, munthu wina amene tinali kuphunzila naye tisanadziŵe cineneloco anati: “Ndife okondwa kuti tsopano mukukwanitsa kukamba cinenelo cathu. Poyamba, sitinali kumvetsa ngakhale pang’ono zimene munali kukamba.”

Tinasankha zogwilitsila nchito njila imene anthu ambili amaona kuti ndi yabwino pophunzila cinenelo catsopano. Panthawiyo, panalibe nyumba yakuti ticite lendi. Conco, tinayamba kukhala ndi banja lina la Mboni pamudzi wina waukulu. Zimenezi zinatithandiza kuzoloŵela kwambili cinenelo ndi umoyo wa kumudzi. Titakhala zaka zingapo osalankhula Cingelezi, Cituvalu cinakhala ngati cinenelo cathucathu.

Pasanapite nthawi, anthu ambili anayamba kucita cidwi ndi coonadi. Popeza tinalibe zofalitsa m’cinenelo cao, tinadzifunsa kuti: Kodi tidzagwilitsila nchito ciani pophunzila nao? Nanga angacite  bwanji phunzilo laumwini? Bwanji ngati ayamba kufika pa misonkhano, kodi ndi nyimbo ziti zimene adzizaimba? Ndi mabuku otani amene angagwilitsile nchito? Nanga angakonzekele motani misonkhano? Angapite bwanji patsogolo kuti abatizidwe? Kukamba zoona, anthu oona mtimawa anafunikila cakudya ca kuuzimu m’cinenelo cao. (1 Akor. 14:9) Tinali kukaikila kuti gulu la Mulungu lingatulutse zofalitsa m’Cituvalu cimene cinali kukambidwa ndi anthu osakwana 15,000. Yehova anayankha mafunso amenewo, ndipo anatitsimikizila zinthu ziŵili izi: (1) Iye afuna kuti mau ake alengezedwe “pazilumba zakutali,” ndi (2) afuna kuti anthu amene dziko limawaona kuti ndi otsika ndi onyozeka apeze citetezo m’dzina lake.—Yer. 31:10; Zef. 3:12.

Mu 1980, ofesi ya nthambi inatisankha kuti tikhale omasulila mabuku. Tinaona kuti sitinali oyenelela kugwila nchitoyo. (1 Akor. 1:28, 29) Poyamba, tinagula makina akale ochedwa mimeograph ku boma, ndipo tinayamba kusindikiza zofalitsa zoseŵenzetsa pamisonkhano. Tinamasulilanso buku lakuti Choonadi Chimene Chimatsogolera ku Moyo Wamuyaya m’Cituvalu, ndi kulisindikiza ndi makinawo. Ndikali kukumbukila fungo la inki komanso kutentha kwa makinawo, zomwe zinapangitsa kuti nchito yosindikiza bukuli pa manja ikhale yovuta kwambili. Panthawiyo tinalibe magetsi.

Kumasulila Cituvalu kunali kovuta cifukwa panalibe mabuku ena amene tingafufuzemo mau ena kuti atithandize. Koma nthawi zina, thandizo linali kucokela kumene sitinali kuyembekezela. Mwacitsanzo, tsiku lina mosadziŵa ndinafika pakhomo la munthu wacikulile amene anali kutsutsa coonadi. Mosataya nthawi, wacikulileyu amene kale anali mphunzitsi, anandiuza kuti safuna kuti tizifika pakhomo pake. Pambuyo pake iye anati: “Lekani ndikuuzeni cinthu cimodzi. Mabuku anu amafotokoza zinthu mosiyana ndi mmene timakambila m’cinenelo cathu.” Ndinafufuza kwa anthu ena ndipo anavomeleza kuti n’zoona. Conco tinaongolela. Ndinakhudzidwa kwambili kuti Yehova anatipatsa thandizo pogwilitsila nchito munthu wotsutsa amene mwacionekele anali kuŵelenga zofalitsa zathu.

 Cofalitsa coyamba kutulutsidwa mu Cituvalu ndi kugaŵilidwa kwa anthu cinali kapepala koitanila anthu ku Cikumbutso. Kotsatilapo kanali kapepala ka Uthenga wa Ufumu Na. 30, kamene kanatulutsidwila pamodzi ndi kacingelezi. Zinalidi zosangalatsa kwambili kugaŵila anthu zofalitsa m’cinenelo cao! Ndiyeno, mabulosha ndi mabuku ena anamasulilidwa m’Cituvalu. Mu 1983, nthambi ya ku Australia inayamba kusindikiza Nsanja ya Olonda ya masamba 24 kamodzi pakapita miyezi itatu. Popeza anthu a ku Tuvalu amakonda kuŵelenga, io anasangalala kwambili ndi kutulutsidwa kwa mabuku ndi magazini amenewo. Pakatulutsidwa cofalitsa catsopano, anali kuulutsa pa mawailesi a boma, ndipo nthawi zina cofalitsaco cinali kukhala mutu wa nkhani pa nyuzi. *

Poyamba, tinali kugwilitsilila nchito bolopeni ndi pepala pa nchito yathu yomasulila. M’kupita kwa nthawi, tinayamba kugwilitsila nchito kompyuta polemba mau, ndipo tinali kucita zimenezo mobwelezabweleza. Tikamaliza, tinali kutumiza zolembazo ku nthambi ya ku Australia kuti akazisindikize. Panthawi ina, ofesi ya nthambi inakonza zoti alongo aŵili ngakhale kuti sanali kumvetsa Cituvalu, aziloŵetsa mau onse pa kompyuta. Njila yolemba mau kaŵili ndi kuwalinganiza ndi amene ali pa kompyuta inacititsa kuti kulakwitsa kucepe. Akakonza mmene bukulo lidzaonekela, anali kutitumizila kupyolela pa melo kuti tilione. Tikamaliza kuliona, tinali kulitumizanso ku nthambi kuti likasindikizidwe.

Tsopano, zinthu zasintha. Masiku ano, omasulila mabuku amaloŵetsa mau mwacindunji pa kompyuta. Mau amaloŵetsedwa pa kompyuta ndi kupanga mafaelo amene amatumizidwa ku nthambi zimene zimasindikiza mabuku kupyolela pa Intaneti. Tsopano, kulibenso kuthamangathamanga kupita ku positi ofesi kukatumiza zinthu zimene zamasulilidwa.

Kwa zaka zambili, ine ndi Jenny, tinalandila mautumiki osiyanasiyana mu zilumba za ku Pacific. Pamene tinacoka ku Tuvalu, tinatumizidwa ku ofesi ya nthambi ya ku Samoa mu 1985. Ngakhale kuti tinali kugwilabe nchito yomasulila Cituvalu, tinali kuthandizilanso anthu omasulila Cisamowa, Citongani, ndi Citokelauni. * Mu 1996, tinatumizidwa ku nthambi ya ku Fiji. Kumeneko tinapatsidwanso nchito yothandizila anthu omasulila mabuku m’Cifijiya, Cikiribati, Cinauru, Cirotuma, ndi zinenelo zina za ku Tuvalu.

Khama limene omasulila zofalitsa zathu ali nalo limandicititsa cidwi. Nthawi zina, nchitoyo imakhala yotopetsa ndi yosasangalatsa kwenikweni. Komabe, abale ndi alongo okhulupilikawa amayesetsa kutsanzila Yehova amene afuna kuti uthenga wabwino ulalikidwe “kudziko lililonse, fuko lililonse, cinenelo ciliconse, ndi mtundu uliwonse.” (Chiv. 14:6) Mwacitsanzo, pamene tinali kukonza zakuti Nsanja ya Mlonda izimasulilidwa m’Citongani, ndinakumana ndi akulu onse olankhula Citongani. Ndinawafunsa ngati pali amene angakonde kuphunzitsidwa kuti akhale womasulila. Mmodzi wa akulu amenewa, amene anali kugwila nchito yabwino ya umakanika, anadzipeleka ndipo ananena kuti tsiku lotsatila adzasiya nchito yake kuti ayambe mwamsanga nchito yomasulila. Zimenezi zinalidi zolimbikitsa kwambili cifukwa m’baleyo  anali ndi banja, koma anadzipeleka ngakhale kuti sanali kudziŵa kumene azidzapeza ndalama zosamalila banja. Koma Yehova anam’samalila pamodzi ndi banja lake, ndipo anagwila nchito yomasulila mabuku kwa zaka zambili.

Omasulila mabuku odzipeleka amenewa amatsanzila abale a m’Bungwe Lolamulila, amene afuna kuti anthu azisamalidwa mwakuuzimu ngakhale kuti cinenelo cao cimakambidwa ndi anthu ocepa. Mwacitsanzo, ena anafunsa ngati kunali kwa phindu kupitiliza kutulutsa zofalitsa m’Cituvalu. Ndinalimbikitsidwa kwambili nditaŵelenga yankho locokela ku Bungwe Lolamulila ili: “Sitionapo cifukwa ciliconse cimene muyenela kulekela nchito yomasulila m’Cituvalu. Ngakhale kuti anthu amene amakamba Cituvalu ndi ocepa poyelekezela ndi zinenelo zina, io afunikabe kulandila uthenga wabwino m’cinenelo cao.”

Mu 2003, pambuyo potumikila m’Dipatimenti Yomasulila pa nthambi ya ku Fiji, ine ndi Jenny tinaitanidwa kuti kukatumikile m’Dipatimenti Yothandiza Omasulila ku Patterson, mumzinda wa New York. Tinali kuona monga ndi loto cabe. Tinakhala m’gulu la othandiza pa nchito yomasulila zofalitsa zathu m’zinenelo zina zoonjezeleka. Kwa zaka zoposa ziŵili, tinakhala ndi mwai woyendela maiko osiyanasiyana kukaphunzitsa magulu a omasulila.

Tsopano, lekani ndikusimbileni za miting’i imene ndachula kuciyambi kwa nkhani ino. Mu 2000, Bungwe Lolamulila linaona kufunika kothandizila magulu a omasulila padziko lonse. Panthawiyo, omasulila ambili anali asanaloŵe sukulu ya omasulila. Pambuyo polongosolela a Komiti Yoona za Ntchito Yolemba Mabuku mavuto amene omasulila amakumana nao, Bungwe Lolamulila linavomeleza kuti pakhale pulogalamu yophunzitsa omasulila onse padziko lonse. Omasulila anali kudzaphunzitsidwa mmene angazimvetsetsela Cingelezi, mmene angakhalile aluso panchito yao, ndiponso mmene angamagwilile nchitoyo mogwilizana.

Kodi pakhala zotsatilapo zotani cifukwa ca maphunzilo amenewa? Zimenezi zathandiza kuti zofalitsa zathu zizimasulilidwa bwino kwambili. Ndiponso zapangitsa kuti zofalitsa zathu zizitulutsidwa m’zinenelo zambili kuposa kale. Pamene tinayamba utumiki wa umishonale mu 1979, magazini ya Nsanja ya Olonda anali kufalitsidwa m’zinenelo 82 cabe. Magazini a m’zinenelo zina anali kufalitsidwa pakapita miyezi ingapo pambuyo pakuti yacingelezi yatulutsidwa. Koma tsopano, Nsanja ya Mlonda imapezeka m’zinenelo zoposa 240. Ndipo m’zinenelo zambili magazini imeneyi imatulukila pamodzi ndi ya Cingelezi. Masiku ano, zofalitsa zathu zimapezeka m’zinenelo zoposa 700, ngakhale kuti zina mwa zinenelozo zilibe zofalitsa zina. Kale, tinali kuona kuti zimenezi sizingatheke.

Mu 2004, Bungwe Lolamulila linakonza zakuti Baibulo la Dziko Latsopano limasulilidwe m’zinenelo zambili. Ndipo nchitoyi inali kufunika kucitidwa mwamsanga. Zimenezi zapangitsa kuti anthu ambili akhale ndi Baibulo la Dziko Latsopano m’cinenelo cao. Pofika mu 2014, Baibulo limeneli kapena mbali yake linasindikizidwa m’zinenelo 128,  kuphatikizapo zinenelo zina zimene zimakambidwa ku South Pacific.

Cinthu cina cosangalatsa paumoyo wanga cinali kupatsidwa mwai wokapezeka pa msonkhano wacigawo ku Tuvalu mu 2011. Kwa miyezi, yambili m’dzikolo munali cilala cadzaoneni. Abale anaganiza kuti msonkhanowo udzaimitsidwa. Komabe, madzulo a tsiku limene tinafika, kunagwa cimvula camphamvu, ndipo msonkhano unacitika. Ndinali ndi mwai wapadela kutulutsa Baibulo la Dziko Latsopano Lomasulira Malemba Achigiriki Achikhristu m’Cituvalu. Ngakhale kuti pali abale ocepa omwe amakamba cinenelo cimeneci, io analandilabe mphatso yamtengo wapatali imeneyo. Msonkhano utatha, kunagwanso cimvula. Conco, aliyense anamaliza msonkhanowo ali ndi madzi ambili akuuzimu ndiponso madzi enieni.

N’zacisoni kuti mkazi wanga Jenny, amene anali mnzanga wokhulupilika kwa zaka zoposa 35, sanaoneko cocitika capadela cimeneci. Iye anamwalila mu 2009 ndi khansa ya m’maŵele imene anavutika nayo kwa zaka 10. Akadzaukitsidwa, adzasangalala kwambili kudziŵa za kutulutsidwa kwa Baibulo m’Cituvalu.

Yehova wandidalitsa ndi mkazi wina wokongola dzina lake Loraini Sikivou. Loraini ndi Jenny anali kutumikila limodzi pa nthambi ya ku Fiji. Nayenso anali m’gulu la omasulila mabuku m’cinenelo ca Cifiji. Tsopano ndilinso ndi mzanga wokhulupilika, ndipo tikutumikila Yehova pamodzi mogwilizana. Timakondanso kwambili cinenelo.

Kwa zaka zambili, ndaona mmene Atate wathu wakumwamba Yehova, amasamalilila zosoŵa za anthu m’zinenelo zonse, mosasamala kanthu kuti cinenelo cao cimakambidwa ndi anthu ocepa kapena ambili. (Sal. 49:1-3) Ndakhala ndikuona cimwemwe cimene anthu amakhala naco akalandila cofalitsa catsopano m’cinenelo cao, kapena akamaimba nyimbo zotamanda Yehova m’cinenelo cao. Pazocitika ngati zimenezi, ndimaganizila za cikondi cacikulu ca Yehova pa ife. (Mac. 2:8, 11) Ndikali kukumbukila mau a m’bale wacikulile Saulo Teasi wa ku Tuvalu. Ataimba nyimbo ya Ufumu kwa nthawi yoyamba m’cinenelo cake, anati: “Mukauze Bungwe Lolamulila kuti nyimbozi zikumveka bwino kwambili m’Cituvalu kuposa m’Cingelezi.”

Mu September 2005, ndinapatsidwa mwai wosayembekezeleka wotumikila m’Bungwe Lolamulila la Mboni za Yehova. Ngakhale kuti sindikumasulilanso, ndimayamikila Yehova pondilola kupitilizabe kucilikiza nchito yomasulila mabuku padziko lonse. N’zosangalatsa kwambili kudziŵa kuti Yehova akusamalila zosoŵa zakuuzimu za anthu ake onse, ngakhale amene ali pazilumba zimene zili pakati pa Nyanja ya Pacific. Mau amene wamasalimo anakamba kuti “Yehova wakhala Mfumu! Dziko lapansi likondwele, ndipo zilumba zambili zisangalale,” ndi oona.—Sal. 97:1.