NDIDABADWA mu gole la 1934. Abereki wangu, Fred na Edna Molohan, akhali kale Anyakupfunza wa Bibliya (Mboni za Yahova) kwa magole 20. Ndimbawatenda kwene-kwene thangwe adandipfunzisa kufuna Yahova. Ifepano tikhakhala ku Parsons, kamzinda kang’ono ka ku mmwera kwa Kansas. Abale azinji wa m’gwere mwathu akhali wakudzozedwa. Ndipo banja lathu likhayenda ku mitsonkhano na mu utumiki bwakumunda mwakukhazikika. Kawiri-kawiri pa nsiku ya Malinkhuma ku masikati tikhacita upalizi bwa mu msewu, bomwe tsapano timbabucemera upalizi bwa padeca. Nthawe zinango tikhaneta, koma baba nthawe zense akhatigulira sorvete pambuyo pa kupalizira.

Gwere lathu likhali ling’ono, koma tikhana gawo likulu lakupalizira thangwe tikhaphatanidza mizinda yapafupi pabodzi na minda. Ndipo pomwe tikhagawira mabukhu yathu, alimi winango m’mbuto mwakupereka kobiri kuti zithandizire basa lathu lakupalizira, akhapereka bzisapo bza m’munda, mazai, ayai nkhuku. Pakuti baba akhambaperekeratu cakupereka pa mabukhuyo, tenepo bzinthu bzomwe wanthuwo akhapereka bzikhakhala bza kumui kwathu.

Abereki wangu akhaphatisa basa jiradisko mu utumiki bwakumunda. Ine ndikhakwanisa lini kuiphatisa basa thangwe ndikhadacepa, koma ndikhakomedwa kuthandiza baba pabodzi na mai mwa kuliza jiradiskoyo nkhani zakufotokozedwa na m’bale Rutherford pa ulendo bwakubwereza na pakucitisa mapfunziro ya Bibliya.

Baba adadzaikha cakukuzira mafala cikulu padzulu pa kanderendere wathu wakucemeredwa Ford 1936. Bzimwebzi bzikhathandiza kwene-kwene basa lathu lakupalizira. Kawiri-kawiri, tikafika cakuyamba tikhaliza nyimbo kuti ticemere wanthu, ndipo patsogolo pace tikhaliza audiyo ya nkhani ya m’Bibliya. Tikamala tikhagawira mabukhu wanthu omwe akhafunisisa kubva.

Mu kamzinda ka Cherryvale ku Kansas, baba adaimisa kanderendere omwe akhana bzakukuzira mafala ule mkati mwa mbuto yomwe wanthu azinji akhambacezera pa nsiku ya Mdzinga. Tsono wa mphanvu za umangi adabwera kudzawauza kuti akalizire kunja kwa mbutoyo. Baba alibe kudandaula, iwo adacosa kanderendereyo aciyenda kukamuimisa kutsogolo kwa mbutoyo. Tenepo, wanthu omwe akhali mkatimo adabvesera bwino-bwino audiyo ya nkhanizo. Pa nthawe imweyi, ndidakomedwa kwene-kwene kukhala na baba pabodzi na m’bale wangu mkulu, Jerry.

Mkati mwa magole yamweya, ifepano tidacita kampanya yakupambulika m’magawo momwe mukhana wanthu wakunyoza. Ninga momwe ndafotokozera pakuyamba, ifepano tikhamuka pakati pa usiku ndipo mwakabisira tikhaikha tumatsamba ayai tumabukhu nfunfunsi mwa misuwo ya wanthu. Tikamala kucita bzimwebzi,  ifepano tikhambagumana kunja kwa mzinda kuti tiwone penu palibe omwe aphatidwa na wa mphanvu za umangi.

Njira inango yakudekeza yomwe tikhaphatisa basa kuti tipalizire, tikhaicemera lonkholonkho lakumwazira mafala. Ifepano tikhabvala bzikwangwani bzikulu-bzikulu ticizungulira mzinda wense tikudziwisa bza Umambo. Ndikukumbukira nthawe inango pomwe abale adabwera kudzacita lonkholonkho mu mzinda wathu ndipo iwo akhadabvala bzikwangwani bzomwe bzikhadanembedwa kuti “Cipembedzo ni Msampha na Malonda Yacinyengo.” Iwo adazungulira mzindayo kuyambira pa mui pathu, ndipo adafamba mtantho wa kilometro ibodzi na pakati, acibwerera kumui kwathu. Bzakukondwesa mpsakuti, palibe ne m’bodzi omwe adawaletsa, koma munthu ali-wense akhadabwa na bzomwe bzikhacitikabzo.

Banja lathu kawiri-kawiri likhakacitira mitsonkhano ya cigawo ku Texas. Baba akhaphata basa pa impreza ya njanje, na tenepo ifepano tikhapakira xitima fovolo pa kuyenda ku mitsonkhano ya cigawo na kukazungira wacibale wathu. M’bale wa mai wangu, Fred Wismar na mkazace Eulalie akhakhala ku Temple, Texas. Tiyu Fred adapfunza cadidi ca m’Bibliya pomwe akhali tswaka mu 1900 acibatizidwa, ndipo adayamba kumbafotokozerambo azibale wawo bzomwe adapfunzabzo kuphatanidzambo mai wangu. Tiyu Fred akhadziwika kwene-kwene na abale wa ku Texas central thangwe iwo akhadatumikira kumweko ninga mtumiki wa cigawo (omwe tsapano nyakunyang’anira dera). Iwo akhali wakudeka mtima, wa nsangala, wa nyongo ndipo adakhala ciratizo cabwino kwa ine.

Mu 1941, tidapakira xitima ticiyenda ku St. Louis, Missouri, kuti tikagumanike pa mtsonkhano ukulu wacigawo. Kumweko wana wense adauzidwa kuti akhale pafupi na pulatifomu kuti abvesere nkhani yakufotokozedwa na m’bale Rutherford yomwe ikhana msolo wakuti “Wana wa Umambo.” Kuphampha kwa nkhaniyo, wana wense wakukwana 15.000 adatambira mphaso yomwe akhaidikhirira lini. M’bale Rutherford pabodzi na abale winango adatigawira bukhu lipsa la msolo wakuti Wana.

Mu Abril 1943, tidayenda ku mtsonkhano wa dera omwe ukhana msolo wakuti “Mwacemeredwa kuti Mucite Basa” omwe udacitikira mu mzinda wa Coffeyville, Kansas. Pa mtsonkhanoyo padaperekedwa cidziwiso cakuti magwere yense yangadakhala na Xikola ya Utumiki bwa Mulungu. Pambuyo pa mtsonkhanoyo tidatambira bukhu lomwe likhana mapfunziro 52 yomwe tingadayaphatisa basa pa xikolayo, ndipo mu gole limweri, ndidafotokoza nkhani yangu yakuyamba. Mtsonkhanoyo udakhala pomwe wakupambulika kwa ine, thangwe inepano na anzangu awiri tidabatizidwa mu mkulo omwe ukhali pafupi na munda ndipo madzi yace yakhadjedjera kwene-kwene.

Pomwe ndidamaliza mapfunziro yapadzulu mu gole la 1951, ndidakumbukira bzomwe ndingadacita pa moyo wangu. Inepano ndikhafunisisa kutumikira ku Beteli komwe m’bale wangu Jerry akhadatumikira, mwakusaya kucedwa ndidatumiza formulario yangu. Mu nthawe yakucepa, ndidacemeredwa ku Beteli ndipo ndidayamba kutumikira kumweko pa 10 Março, 1952. Cakusankhulaci cidakhala cabwino kwene-kwene thangwe cidandithandiza kuti ndikule mwauzimu.

Inepano ndikhafunisisa kuphata basa na m’tcini wakudindira mabukhu kuti ndimbadinde marevista na mabukhu. Koma ndiribe kukhala na mwayi wakucita bzimwebzi. M’mbuto mwace, ndidauzidwa kuti ndikatumikire ku mbuto yakudyera ndipo patsogolo pace ndidadzatumikira ku kozinya. Ndidakomedwa na basa limweri ndipo ndidapfunza bzizinji kwene-kwene. Ndipo pakuti ku kozinya tikhacita kugawana nthawe, ndikhana nthawe inango yakundokhala, tsono ndikhaphatisa basa nthaweyo kuti ndicite pfunziro la pandekha ku biblioteca ya ku Beteliko. Bzimwebzi bzidandithandiza kuti ndilimbise cikhulupiro cangu pabodzi na uxamwali bwangu na Yahova. Ndidalimbisambo cikhumbo cangu cakufuna kutumikira Yahova pa Beteli mpaka kale-kale. Jerry adasiya kutumikira pa Beteli mu 1949, acilowolana na Patricia, ndipo iwo adapitiriza kukhala pafupi na Brooklyn, tenepo iwo akhandithandiza na kundilimbisa, maka-maka m’magole yakuyambirira ya utumiki bwangu pa Beteli.

Pomwe ndidandofika pa Beteli, abale adayamba kufufudza abale omwe akutumikira pa Beteli kuti athumizire ndandanda yawo ya afotokozi wa nkhani za wense. Abale omwe adanembedwa madzina yawo pa ndandandayo akhafunika kumbayenda kukazungira magwere yomwe yakhali pa mtantho wa makilometro 320 kucokera ku Brooklyn. Kumweko, iwo akhafunika kufotokoza nkhani za wense na kuyenda kukapalizira pabodzi na gwere. Tenepo, ine ndidakhala m’bodzi wa abale omwe adasankhulidwawo. Ndipo pomwe  ndidayenda ulendo bwakuyamba ndidakhala na thupo kwene-kwene pomwe ndikhafotokoza nkhani yangu, yomwe pa nthaweyo ikhafotokozedwa ora ibodzi. Kawiri-kawiri ndikhayenda kumweko na xitima. Ndikukumbukira bzomwe bzidacitika ku masikati kwa nsiku inango ya Mdzinga pa nthawe ya mainza mu gole la 1954. Ndidapakira xitima yomwe ikhayenda ku Nova York, ndipo ndikhakumbuka kuti ndin’kafika ku Beteli pomwe kunkuyamba kudoka. Koma tiri mu njira, padayambika conzi camphanvu na pfulere, ndipo maluju yense ya xitimayo yadathima, tenepo idadzafika ku mzinda wa Nova York nthawe zixanu zakumacibese pa nsiku ya Ciposi. Ndidabuluka mu xitimamo ndipo mwakamfulumize ndidapakira kanderendere omwe akhayenda ku Brooklyn ndipo ndidakafikira kuphata basa ku kozinya. Ndidacedwa pang’ono kufika ndipo ndikhadaneta thangwe ndiribe kugona usiku bwense. Tsono pomwe ndikhakumbukira bzomwe ndidacita pa kutumikira m’magwere manango na kuwonana na abale pabodzi na mpfumakazi zipsa ndikhakomedwa kwene-kwene.

Pa magole yangu yakuyambirira pa Beteli, ndidayamba kutenga mbali ya pfunziro la Bibliya lomwe likhacitika mdzinga uli-wense pa cikasi cathu ca mphepo cakucemeredwa, WBBR. Cikasici cikhagumanika ku Columbia Heights pa nyumba yaciwiri yapadzulu ndipo mulewengo wace ukhali 124. Ndipo m’bale Alexander H. Macmillan, omwe akhatumikira pa Beteli kwa magole mazinji, ndiye omwe kawiri-kawiri akhambafotokoza mbali za pa cikasici. Ifepano tikhambamucemera kuti m’bale Mac. Iye akhali ciratizo cabwino kwa maswaka mazinji pa Beteli, thangwe adakhala wakukhulupirika pa mayezo mazinji.

Mu 1958, ndidacinjidwa pa basa lomwe ndikhacita ndipo ndidayamba kucita basa lomwe likhabverana na Xikola ya Gileyade. Pa basalo ndikhathandiza abale na mpfumakazi omwe akhagumanika pa xikolayi pa kuwakonzera matsamba yakufunikira na ulendo bwawo. Pa nthawe imweyire, kucita ulendo na ndeke kukhadaumira kwene-kwene, tenepo abale azinji omwe akhamaliza mapfunziro yawo acitumizidwa ku África na Ásia, akhayenda na xitima ya m’madzi yomwe ikhanyamula mitolo. Ndipo na kupita kwa nthawe, pomwe ndeke zakunyamula anyamalonda zidayamba kuphata basa, kucita ulendo na ndekezo kudadzafewera, tenepo amisiyonario azinji adayamba kupakira ndeke pakuyenda ku madziko yomwe angadakatumikira.

Mu 1960, basa langu lidadzaphatanidza kucita makonzedwe ya ndeke zakucokera ku Estados Unidos kuyenda ku Europa komwe kungadakacitikira mitsonkhano yacigawo ya pa dziko lense mu 1961. Inepano ndidacita mwayi wakupakirambo ibodzi mwa ndekezo kuti ndiyende ku mtsonkhano omwe udacitikira ku Hamburgo, Alemanha. Pomwe mtsonkhanoyo udamala, ine pabodzi na abale atatu omwe akhatumikira pa Beteli, tidapakira taxi ticiyenda ku Itália ndipo tidakazungira mthambi ya ku Roma. Pomwe tidacoka kumweko, tidayenda ku França, ticipita na ku mapiri ya Pireneus mpaka tidafika ku Espanha. Ndipo pa nthawe imweyi basa lathu likhadaletsedwa ku Espanha. Kumweko tidagumana na abale wa ku Barcelona ndipo tidawapasa mabukhu yakusiyana-siyana yomwe tikhadayafunyizira na matsamba kuti yawoneke ninga mphaso. Ifepano tidakomedwa kwene-kwene kugumana na abalewo! Ndipo pomwe tidacoka kumweko, tidayenda ku Amsterdã kuti tikapakire ndeke yakubwerera ku Nova York.

Mu 1962, ndidauzidwa kuti ndicite makonzedwe ya ulendo bwa abale omwe akhafunika kukagumanika pa mbali zakupambulika pa mitsonkhano yacigawo ya pa  dziko lense yomwe ingadacitika m’madziko mazinji mu gole la 1963. Mtsonkhanoyo ukhana msolo wakuti “Bzipsa Bzabwino Bzamuyaya.” Padasankhulidwa abale wakukwana 583 omwe angadakagumanika pa mtsonkhano wacigawo ku Europa, ku Ásia, Pacífico Sul, Honolulu, Havaí, Pasadena na Califórnia. Iwo akhafunika kukazungirambo Líbano na Jordão, komwe kukhana mbuto zakupfunzisira Bibliya. Depatimenti yathu idacita makonzedwe ya ndeke, mbuto zakugona na kukonza matsamba yakufunikira kwa abale wense omwe akhayenda ku mtsonkhanoyo.

Gole la 1963, lidakhalambo lakufunika kwene-kwene kwa ine. Pa 29 Junho, ndidalowolana na Lila Rogers wa ku Missouri, omwe akhadabwera pa Beteli mu 1960. Pomwe padapita mdzinga ubodzi pambuyo pa malowozi yathu, ine na Lila tidakhala m’gulu la abale omwe akhayenda ku mtsonkhano wacigawo wa pa dziko lense na kukazungira madziko ya Grécia, Egito na Líbano. Kumweko tidapakira ndeke ing’ono yakuyenda ku Joridano. Tsono basa lathu kumweko likhadaletsedwa, ndipo boma likhabvumiza lini kuti Mboni za Yahova zipite m’dzikolo. Tenepo, tikhadziwa lini comwe cingadacitika tikafika kumweko. Koma ndokumbukirani cikondweso comwe tidakhala naco pomwe tidafika pa thambwe la ndeke, tidawona gulu la abale na mpfumakazi adaima omwe akhadaphatirira cikwangwani cikulu comwe cikhadanembedwa kuti: “Munkutambiridwa Mboni za Yahova!” Ifepano tidakomedwa kwene-kwene thangwe ra kuzungira madziko yakufotokozedwa m’Bibliya na kuwona mbuto zomwe Abalahamu, Izaki, Djakobi akhakhala, mbuto zomwe Jezu na anyakupfunza wace akhapalizira, pabodzi na komwe Cikristau cidayambira ‘mpaka kumalekezero ya dziko la pansi.’—Mabasa 13:47.

Lila adakhala mwanzangu wakukhulupirika pa utumiki bwathu bwense kwa magole 55. Ifepano tidazungira madziko ya Espanha na Portugal kazinji kense pa nthawe yomwe basa lathu likhaletsedwa m’madzikoya. Kumweko tikhalimbisa abale na mpfumakazi zathu ndipo tikhawayendesera mabukhu pabodzi na bzinthu bzinango bzomwe iwo akhafunikira. Tidakwanisambo kuzungira abale wathu winango omwe akhali m’kawoko ku Cádiz, Espanha. Ndidakomedwa kwene-kwene thangwe ra kuwafotokozera nkhani yakulimbisa.

Kuyambira mu 1963, ndidakhala na mwayi wakuthandizira kulinganizidwa kwa ulendo bwakuyenda ku mitsonkhano ya pa dziko lense ku África, América Central, América do Sul, Austrália, Europa, Havaí, Nova Zelândia na Porto Rico. Ine na Lila tidakhala na mwayi wakugumanika pa mitsonkhano ya cigawo mizinji yomwe cipo ticidzaiyebwa, ninga omwe udacitikira ku Varsóvia, Polônia, mu gole la 1989. Ndipo abale azinji wa ku Rússia adakwanisa kufika pa mtsonkhanoyo, omwe udakhala wakuyamba pa moyo wawo! Ku União Soviética tidagumana na abale na mpfumakazi omwe akhali m’kawoko kwa magole mazinji thangwe ra cikhulupiro cawo.

Udindo bunango bomwe ndidakomedwa nabo budakhala bwakuzungira na kulimbisa abale pa Beteli pabodzi na amisiyonario wa pa dziko lense la pansi. Ndipo pa ulendo bwakumalizira bomwe tidacita ku dziko la Coreia do Sul, tidakwanisa kugumana na abale wathu wakukwana 50 omwe akhali m’kawoko ku Suwon. Abalewo akhana cikhulupiro cakulimba ndipo akhatsimikiza kuti angadadzacoka m’kawokomo acipitiriza kutumikira Yahova mwakutsudzuka. Pomwe tidagumana nawo tidalimbisidwa kwene-kwene!—Waroma 1:11, 12.

Pa magole yenseneya ndakwanisa kuwona momwe Yahova adasimbira wanthu wace. Pomwe ndidabatizidwa mu 1943, pakhana apalizi wa Umambo wakukwana  100.000. Koma tsapano pana apalizi wakupitirira 8.000.000 omwe ankutumikira Yahova m’madziko 240. Mulewengo umweyu unkuthumizirika kwene-kwene thangwe ra basa lamphanvu lomwe abale wakucokera ku xikola ya Gileyade ankucita. Ndimbadekedwa kwene-kwene thangwe ndidaphatana nawo basa pabodzi na kuwathandiza kufika ku madziko yomwe ankutumikira.

Ndikutenda kwene-kwene thangwe ndidasankhula kuphatisa basa moyo wangu kuti nditumikire Yahova kuyambira ndiri mwana. Ndipo ndidacita bzimwebzi mwa kudzaza formulario ya kukatumikira ku Beteli. Yahova wandisimba kwene-kwene pa moyo wangu m’magole yamweya. Kuthumizira pa cikondweso comwe tacigumana thangwe ra kutumikira pa Beteli, ine na Lila timbakomedwa kupalizira pabodzi na magwere yakusiyana-siyana ku Brooklyn kwa magole yakupitirira 50 ndipo tina axamwali azinji wa pa mtima.

Ndikupitiriza kutumikira pa Beteli mwa kuthandizidwa na mkazangu Lila nsiku zense. Napo kuti tsapano ndina magole yakupitirira 84 yakubadwa, ndimbakondwa kuti ndikupitiriza kucita basa lakufunika na kuthandizira kukonza matsamba pa mthambi.

Ndimbadekedwa kwene-kwene kuti ndinkucita mbali ya gulu la Yahova na kuwona kukwanirisidwa kwa mafala ya Malakiya 3:18, yomwe yambati: ‘Imwepo mun’dzawona pomwe kusiyana pakati pa munthu wakulungama na munthu wakuipa na pakati pa omwe ambatumikira Mulungu na omwe ambam’tumikira lini.’ Nsiku na nsiku timbawona kuti dziko la Sathaniri linkuyenda licidzongeka, wanthu alibe tsogolo ndipo ana cikondweso cakucepa pa moyo wawo. Tsono omwe ambafuna na kutumikira Yahova ambakhala na moyo wakukondwa, napo mu nthawe zakunesa zino, ndipo ana cidikhiro cabwino ku tsogolo. Ndipopa ndimbawona kukhala mwayi ukulu kuuza winango bza bzipsa bzabwino bza Yahova! (Mateu 24:14) Tsapanopapa Umambo bwa Mulungu bun’pfudza dziko lakuipali bucibweresa paraizo. Tinkudikhirira na mtima wense nsiku imweyi kuti tidzawone munthu ali-wense pa dziko la pansi ana thanzi labwino, wakukondwa acikhala na moyo wakusaya kumala.