KODI n’ciyani comwe cidacitisa pai wangu kukalipa kwene-kwene? Lekani ndikufotokozereni thangwe race. Ndidabadwa pa 29 Julho, 1929, ndipo ndidakulira mu mzinda wa Bulacan, m’dziko la Filipinas. Banja lathu likhali lakusauka, ndipo tikhalibe bzinthu bzizinji. Pomwe ndikhali mng’ono, acikunda wa dziko la Japão adapita m’dzikolo ndipo padayambika nkhondo. Koma ifepano tiribe kubonera na nkhondoyo thangwe mzinda omwe tikhakhala, ukhali kutali na komwe kukhacitika nkhondoyo. Tikhalibe cikasi ca mphepo, cikasi ca bzithunzi-thunzi ne tsamba lakumwazira nkhani, tenepo nkhondoyo tikhandoibva na wanthu.

M’mimba mwathu tikhalipo anomwe, ndipo pomwe ndidapfitsa magole masere yakubadwa, yavu wangu adanditenga kuti ndikakhale nawo. Napo kuti tikhali wa cipembedzo cacikatolika, yavu wangu akhafuna kwene-kwene nkhani za cipembedzo, ndipo akhambatambira mabukhu manango yomwe axamwali wawo akhambawapasa. Nsiku inango, iwo adandilatiza Bibliya na tumabukhu twakucemeredwa Protection, Safety, na Uncovered, m’cirewedwe ca Citagalog. * (onani mafala ya m’nyansi) Ndikhakomedwa kwene-kwene kuwerenga Bibliyalo, maka-maka mabukhu ya Mateu, Marko, Luka na Juwau. Kuwerenga mabukhuya, kudandicitisa kufunisisa kutewezera ciratizo ca Jezu.—Juwau 10:27.

Mu 1945, acikunda wa dziko la Japão adacoka m’dziko la Filipinas. Mu gole limweri, abereki wangu adandicemera kuti ndikakhale nawo pabodzi. Yavu wangu adandibvumiza kuyenda, ndipo ndibzo bzomwe ndidacita.

M’mwezi wa Dezembro wa 1945, Mboni za Yahova za mu mzinda wa Angat, zidabwera kudzapalizira m’dera lathu. Mboni ibodzi yomwe ikhali yacikulire, idabwera pamui pathu ndipo idafotokoza bzomwe Bibliya limbalewa pa nkhani ya ‘nsiku zakumalizira.’ (2 Timotio 3:1-5) Iwo adaticemera kuti tikagumanike pa pfunziro la Bibliya lomwe lingadacitikira mu mzinda winango wa pafupi na dera lathu. Inepano ndidayenda napo kuti abereki wangu alibe. Ndipo kumweko tidagumanika wanthu wakukwana 20, ndipo winango akhacita mibvunzo mizinji yakulewa bza Bibliya.

Inepano ndikhabvesesa lini bzomwe bzikhafotokozedwabzo, tenepo ndidakumbuka bza kubwerera kumui. Koma ndikanati kucoka, iwo adayamba kuimba nyimbo ya Umambo. Nyimboyo idandidekera kwene-kwene,  tenepo ndiribe kudzacoka. Itamala nyimboyo na mpembo, tense tidacemeredwa kuti tikagumanike pa mtsonkhano ku Angat pa mdzinga wakutewera.

Mtsonkhanoyo udacitikira kumui kwa m’bale Cruz, ndipo winango mwa ife tidafamba mtantho wa makilometro 8 kuti tikafike kumweko. Wanthu wakukwana 50 adagumanika pa mtsonkhanoyo, ndipo ndidadabwa kwene-kwene kuwona wana ang’ono, ankutawirambo mibvunzo yakulewa bza nfundo zakunesa za m’Bibliya. Nsiku inango, pambuyo pa mitsonkhano, m’bale munango wakucemeredwa Damian Santos, omwe akhali mpainiya wacikulire, adandicemera kuti ndikagone kumui kwace. Nsiku imweire, tidaphuphudza usiku bwense tinkuceza bza Bibliya.

Pa nthawe imweire, pakhatenga lini nthawe itali kuti munthu abatizidwe, malinge akandodziwa mapfunziso yakuyambirira ya m’Bibliya. Napo kuti pakhalibe kupita nthawe itali kucokera pomwe ndidayamba kumbagumanika pa mitsonkhano, abale adandibvunza pabodzi na anzangu kuti: “Kodi imwepo mun’funa kubatizidwa?” Ine ndidatawira kuti: “Inde ndin’funa.” Inepano ndikhafunisisadi ‘Kutumukira Mbuya, Kristu.’ (Wakoloso 3:24) Tenepo, pa 15 Fevereiro, 1946, inepano pabodzi na mwanzangu munango tidabatizidwa mu mkulo omwe ukhali pafupipo.

Inepano ndikhadziwa kuti Mkristau wakubatizidwa, ambafunika kupalizira bzipsa bzabwino ninga momwe Jezu akhacitira. Tsono pai wangu, akhafuna lini kuti inepano ndimbapalizire. Iwo adandiuza kuti: “Iwepo ukali mwana kuti umbacite basa limweri. Ndipo cinango pomwe n’cakuti, kubatizidwa m’madzi, kungakucitise lini kukhala nyakupalizira.” Inepano ndidawauza kuti n’cakulinga ca Mulungu kuti timbapalizire Bzipsa Bzabwino bza Umambo. (Mateu 24:14) Ndipo ndidawauzambo kuti inepano ndikhafunika kuteweza piciro lomwe ndidacita kwa Mulungu. Ni pamwepa pomwe pai wangu adalewa mafala yomwe ndayafotokoza pakuyamba yale. Pai wangu akhafuna kuti ndileke kumbapalizira. Ndipo ni nsiku imweyi yomwe ndidasiya bzense kuti nditumikire Yahova.

M’bale Cruz adandicemera kuti ndikakhale nawo kumui kwawo ku Angat. Ndipo iwo adatilimbisa ine pabodzi na mwana wawo wacikazi Nora kuti tiyambe na upainiya. Tenepo, tense awiri tidayamba kutumikira ninga apainiya pa 1 Novembro, 1947. Ine ndidapitiriza kukhala ku Angat, koma Nora adayenda kukatumikira ku mzinda winango.

Pambuyo pa kutumikira ninga mpainiya kwa magole mawiri, m’bale Earl Stewart omwe akhatumikira ku Beteli, adafotokoza nkhani kwa wanthu wakupitirira 500 omwe akhadatsonkhana pa bwalo la Angat. Iye akhafotokoza nkhaniyo m’Cingerezi ndipo ine ndikhasandulizira m’Citagalog. Imweyi ikhali nkhani yakuyamba kusandulizira pa nkhani zomwe inepano ndidasandulizira kwa magole mazinji. Kodi ndidakwanisa tani kucita bzimwebzi? Ndidandopfunza kwa magole manomwe yokha, koma apfunzisi wangu akhambalewalewa Cingerezi kawiri-kawiri. Ndipo ndikhawerenga mabukhu yathu mazinji m’cingerezi, thangwe pakhana mabukhu yakucepa m’cirewedwe ca Citagalog. Bzimwebzi ndibzo  bzidandithandiza kudziwa Cingerezi mpaka kukwanisa kumbasandulizira nkhani.

Mu gole la 1950, m’bale Stewart adalewa kuti mamisiyonario yangadayenda ku Nova York kuti yakagumanike pa mtsonkhano wa cigawo wa msolo wakuti Kuwonjezeka kwa Teokalase. Na tenepo, Beteli ikhafuna mpainiya m’bodzi ayai awiri kuti akathandize ku Beteliko. Inepano ndikhali m’bodzi wa apainiya omwe adacemeredwawo. Tenepo ndidasiya pomwe m’mbuyo bzinthu bzense, koma ulendo buno kuti ndikatumikire pa Beteli.

Ndidafika ku Beteli pa 19 Junho, 1950. Beteli ikhali nyumba yakale-kale ndipo ikhana mbuto ikulu yakuzunguliridwa na miti mikulu-mikulu. Abale 12 wakusaya kulowola akhaphata basa kumweko. Ku macibese-bese ndikhakathandiza ku kozinya ndipo ku ma 9 ora ndikhayenda kukayengomari bzakubvala. Maulo ndikhacita bzibodzi-bodzibzi. Pomwe mamisiyonario yadabwerera ku mtsonkhano wa cigawo, inepano ndidapitiriza kuphata basa pa Beteli. Ndikhacita basa liri-lense lomwe akhandikumbira kuti ndicite, ninga kulongedza marevista, kumbasamalira mikumbiro ya wanthu ya marevista na kutambira alendo.

Mu gole la 1952, inepano na abale winango atanthatu wa ku Filipinas, tidacemeredwa kuti tikacite mapfunziro ya Gileyade. Ndidakomedwa kwene-kwene! Ku dziko la Estados Unidos, bzinthu bzense bzikhali bzacirendo bzokha-bzokha. Ndipo moyo wa kumweko ukhali wakusiyana kwene-kwene na omwe tikhadazolowera kwathu.

Mwa ciratizo, tidafunikira kupfunza kuphatisa basa bzombo bzinango bzomwe tikhanati kubziwona kale! Ndipo nyengo ikhalimbo yakusiyana. Nsiku inango pomwe ndidalamuka, ndidawona kuti kunja bzinthu bzense bzikhadacita mame koma yakhadaumirira ninga gelo, bzikhali mbee. Kukhali kuyambiratu kuwona bzimwebzi. Bzikhadekeza kuwona koma pomwe ndidakhuya, ndidabva kuti yakhadjedjera kwene-kwene!

Ndidadekedwa kwene-kwene na mapfunziro yabwino ya Gileyade yomwe ndidatambira, ndipo mabvuto yakufuna kuzolowerana na mbuto ipsayo, yakhali lini cinthu pa kundendemezera na mapfunziroyo. Apfunzisi akhali wabwino kwene-kwene ndipo adatilatiza momwe tingambapfunzire na momwe tingambafufudzire. Ndipo kuposa bzense, mapfunziro ya ku Gileyade yadandithandiza kulimbisa uxamwali bwangu na Yahova.

Titamaliza mapfunziro ya Gileyade, ndidauzidwa kuti ndikatumikire ninga mpainiya wakupambulika ku Bronx, mu mzinda wa Nova York. Tenepo, m’mwezi wa Julho, 1953, ndidakhala nawo pa Mtsonkhano wa Sociedade do Novo Mundo, omwe udacitikira ku Bronx. Mtsonkhanoyu utamala, ndidauzidwa kuti ndikatumikire pomwe ku Filipinas.

Ku Filipinas, ndidakatumikira ninga nyakunyang’anira dera. Utumikibu budandipasa mpata wa kutewezera Jezu, omwe akhafamba mitantho mitali-mitali kuti akathandize mabira ya Yahova. (1 Pedru 2:21) Dera lomwe ndidayamba kutumikira likhaphatanidza bzigawo bza Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac na  Zambales, bzomwe bziri pa ntsuwa ya Luzon, yomwe ni ntsuwa ikulu ya m’dziko Filipinas. Kuti ndikafike ku mizinda inango, ndikhafunika kukwira phiri linango la pfefe lakucemeredwa Sierra Madre. Ku mbuto zimwezi kukhafika lini machimbombo, koma akanderedere wakunyamula bzinthu. Tenepo ndikhambakumbira kupakira mu ngolo padzaulu pa mathimba. Nthawe zizinji anyakutekenya kanderendere akhandibvumiza kupakira mu ngolomo, koma kulewa cadidi, bzikhadekeza lini kucita ulendo mwa njira imweyi.

Magwere mazinji yakhana apalizi ang’ono-ng’ono ndipo yakhali yatsapano. Tenepo abale akhakomedwa kwene-kwene pomwe ndikhawathandiza kulinganiza mitsonkhano na utumiki bwakumunda.

Na kupita kwa nthawe ndidayamba kutumikira m’dera lomwe likhaphatanidza cigawo cense ca Bicol. Dera limweri likhana mbuto zizinji zakufunikira apalizi, ndipo apainiya wakupambulika azinji akhapalizira wanthu omwe akhanati kubva kale bzipsa bzabwino. Pa nyumba inango, cimbudzu cawo cikhana mitanda miwiri basi yakutandalika padzulu pa dindiro. Pomwe ndidaponda mitandayo, iyo idatcoka ndipo inepano ndidagwera m’dindimo. Padatenga nthawe kuti ndimale kubzicenesa ndicikadya matabitcu!

Pomwe ndikhatumikira m’derali, ndidayamba kukumbukira bza Nora, omwe ndikhadatumikira naye pabodzi ninga mpainiya wakukhazikika ku Bulacan. Tenepo ndidayenda kukamuzungira ku Dumaguete, komwe iye akhatumikira ninga mpainiya wakupambulika. Kucokera pa nthawe imweyire tidayamba kumbaceza mwakumbanemberana matsamba, ndipo tidalowolana m’gole la 1956. Pa mdzinga wakuyamba wa malowozi yathu tidakacezera gwere la pa ntsuwa ya Rapu Rapu. Tidafunika kukwira mapiri na kufamba mtantho utali, koma bzikhali bzakudekeza kwene-kwene kuzungira abale wale pabodzi na mkazi wangu Nora.

Pambuyo pa kutumikira ninga nyakunyang’anira dera kwa magole manai, tidacemeredwa kuti tikatumikire pa Beteli. Ndipo tidayamba kutumikira pa Beteli mu Janeiro, 1960. Magole yense yomwe tamala tinkutumikira pa Beteli, ndapfunza bzinthu bzizinji na abale omwe ana udindo bukulu m’gulu la Yahova. Ndipo mkazangu Nora adakhalambo na mwayi wa kutumikira m’madepatimenti yakusiyana-siyana.

Ndakhala na mwayi wa kuwona kuthumizirika kwa mulewengo wa atumiki wa Yahova m’dziko la Filipinas. Pomwe ndidabwera kudzatumikira pa Beteli ulendo bwakuyamba, ndikhali tswaka ndipo ndikhanati kulowola. Pa nthaweyo m’dziko la Filipinas mukhana apalizi pafupifupi 10.000. Koma tsapano, ndife apalizi wakuposa 200.000, ndipo pana abale madzana omwe ankutumikira pa Beteli pakuthandizira basa la kupalizira.

Na kupita kwa nthawe, mbuto ya Beteli idadzacepa. Tenepo Bungwe Lakutonga lidatiuza kuti tifufudze mbuto inango kuti timange Beteli ikulu. Inepano na nyakunyang’anira Depatimenti yakudinda mabukhu tidayamba kufamba nyumba na nyumba za wanthu omwe akhakhala pafupi na Beteli yathu, ticimbabvunza penu iwo akhafuna kugulisa mbuto zawo. Palibe omwe akhafuna kugulisa mbuto. Ndipo m’xineji munango mpaka adafika pakutiuza kuti: “Maxineji yambagulisa lini, koma yambagula.”

Tsono nsiku inango, padacitika bzinthu bzomwe tikhabzidikhirira lini. Munthu munango omwe akhakhala pafupi na Beteli akhafuna kufuluka kuti akakhale ku Estados Unidos, tenepo adatibvunza penu tingadafuna kugula mbuto yace. Ndipo munthu munango adafunambo kugulisa mbuto yace ndipo adauzambo anzace kuti acitembo bzibodzi-bodzibzo. Mpaka tidafika pa kugula mbuto ya munthu ule omwe adalewa kuti maxineji yambagulisa lini mbuto zawo. Mu nthawe yakucepa Beteli idakhala na mbuto ikulu kwene-kwene. Ndimbapenukira lini kuti ni Yahova omwe adacitisa bzimwebzi.

Mu gole la 1950, ndidayamba kutumikira pa Beteli ndipo ndikhali tswaka. Tsapano inepano na mkazi wangu takalamba. Ndimbawona kuti ndidacita bwino kusankhula kutewera Jezu. Napo abereki wangu adandithangisa pa mui, koma Yahova adandipasa banja likulu la wanthu omwe ambamufuna. Ndina citsimikizo cense cakuti Yahova ambatipasa bzinthu bzomwe tinkufunikira, bziribe basa utumiki bomwe tapasidwa. Nora na inepano timbatenda kwene-kwene Yahova pa bzabwino bzense bzomwe iye ambaticitira, ndipo tinkulimbisa winango kuti ambakhulupirembo Yahova na mtima wense.—Malakiya 3:10.

Nsiku inango Jezu adacemera nyakukhomesa mtsonkho wakucemeredwa Mateu kuti akhale mteweri wace. Kodi n’ciyani comwe Mateu adacita? “Iye adasiya bzinthu bzense, adamuka aciyamba kumutewera.’ (Luka 5:27, 28) Inepano ndidakhalambo na mwayi wa kusiya bzinthu bzense kuti nditewere Jezu, ndipo ndinkulimbisa winango kucitambo bzibodzi-bodzibzi kuti agumanembo bzisimbo bzizinji.