Pai wangu omwe akhacemeredwa na dzina lakuti John Mills, adabatizidwa mu 1913, mu mzinda wa Nova York, pomwe akhana magole 25. M’bale Russell ndiye omwe adafotokoza nkhani ya batismo yawo. Pomwe padapita nthawe pang’ono, pai wanguwo adayenda ku dziko la Trinidad, komwe adadzakalowola Constance Farmer, omwe akhali m’bodzi wa Anyakupfunza wa Bibliya. Pai wangu adathandiza xamwali wawo William R. Brown kucita basa lakulatiza “Fotodrama ya Cirengedwe.” Paiwo adathandiza basali mpaka pomwe m’bale Brown adacinjidwa kuti akatumikire kumadokero kwa África mu 1923. Tsono abereki wangu omwe akhana cidikhiro cakuyenda kudzulu adapitiriza kukhala ku Trinidad.

Abereki wangu akhana wana apfemba, ndipo mwana wakuyamba adamupasa dzina la m’bale omwe pa nthaweyo akhatumikira ninga prezidenti wa Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, omwe akhali Rutherford. Pomwe inepano ndidabadwa pa 30 Dezembro, 1922, adandipasambo dzina la Clayton J. Woodworth, omwe pa nthaweyo akhali nyakunyang’anira kukonzedwa kwa revista ya A Idade de Ouro, yomwe tsapano imbacemeredwa Galamukani! Napo abereki wathu adafuna kuti titambire mapfunziro ya ku xikola, tsono iwo adatilimbisa kuti tikhale na bzakulinga bzauzimu. Mai wangu akhana luso la kuphatisa basa Bzinembo. Pai wangu akhambakomedwa kwene-kwene kutifotokozera nkhani za m’Bibliya na mtima wawo wense, bzomwe bzikhaticitisa kuwona m’makumbukidwe mwathu nkhanizo.

Nyongo yawo idakhala na bzakutewera bzabwino. Pa wana axanu wacimuna omwe abereki wathu akhanawo, atatu tidayenda ku Xikola ya Gileyade. Ndipo mpfumakazi zathu zitatu zidatumikirambo ninga apainiya kwa magole mazinji ku Trinidad na Tobago. Mwa mapfunziso yomwe abareki wathu adatipasa, pabodzi na ciratizo cawo cabwino, iwo adatibzala ‘m’nyumba ya Yahova.’ Ndipo cilimbiso cawo cidatithandiza kupitiriza kukhala m’nyumbayi, ticikula ‘m’mabwalo ya Mulungu wathu.’—Psalymo 92:13.

Mui wathu ndiyo ikhali mbuto yomwe ikhambacitikira bzinthu bzauzimu. Apainiya akhambatsonkhana pamui pathu, ndipo kawiri-kawiri akhambacezerana bza m’bale George Young, misiyonario wa ku Canadá, omwe adazungira Trinidad. Abereki wangu akhambafotokozambo  mwakukondwa bza mwanzawo omwe akhadatumikira naye pabodzi, m’bale Brown, omwe pa nthaweyo akhatumikira kumadokero kwa África. Bzinthu bzensebzi bzidandicitisa kuti ndiyambe kupalizira na magole khumi yakubadwa.

Marevista yathu pa nthaweyo yakhambatsimula mwakusaya kupita mbali, bzinthu bzacinyengo bzomwe bzikhacitidwa na wanthu wa bzipembedzo bzakunama, anyamalonda na wanthu wa ndale. Thangwe ra bzimwebzo, mu 1936 atsogoleri wa cipembedzo adapfuwa makutu akulu-akulu wa boma la Trinidad, kuti aletse mabukhu ya Mboni za Yahova. Ifepano tidabisa mabukhu yathu, koma tidapitiriza kuyaphatisa basa mpaka iyo kumala. Tikhacita upalizi mwakumbafamba ninga thimu ayai kufamba na njinga, ndipo tikhaphatisa basa tumatsamba na bzikwangwani. Mwakuphatisa basa kanderendere wa bzakukuzira mafala wa thimu la abale wa ku mzinda wa Tunapuna, ifepano tidakwanisa kupalizira mpaka ku mphimpha zakutali za Trinidad. Bzikhadekeza kwene-kwene! Kucita bzinthu bzauzimu tenepa, kudandicitisa kuti ndibatizidwe na magole 16.

Kuleredwa m’banja lacikristau pabodzi na utumiki bomwe ndidacita ndikali mwana, bzidandicitisa kufuna kutumikira ninga misiyonario. Ndipo cikhumboco cikhalipo basi pomwe ndidayenda ku Aruba m’gole la 1944, kuti ndikatumikire na m’bale Edmund W. Cummings. Tidakomedwa kwene-kwene kuwona wanthu wakukwana khumi ankubwera pa Cikumbuso ca m’gole la 1945. Ndipo m’gole lakutewera lace, gwere lakuyamba lidakhazikisidwa pa nsuwa ire.

Nsiku inango ndidapalizira mtsikana munango omwe ndikhaphata naye basa, wakucemaredwa Oris Williams. Oris adatsutsa mwamphanvu bzomwe ndidamufotokozera, pakufuna kukhotcerera bzomwe iye akhadapfunzisidwa. Tsono iye adadzabvuma kupfunza Bibliya. Bzimwebzi bzidamuthandiza kudziwa bzomwe Bibliya limbapfunzisadi, ndipo adabatizidwa pa 5 Janeiro, 1947. Na kupita kwa nthawe tidadzayamba kufunana, ndipo tidadzamalizira kulowolana. Iye adayamba upainiya mu Novembro, 1950. Tenepo ndidayamba moyo upsa na Oris.

Mu 1955 tidatambira mcemo kuti tiyende ku Xikola ya Gileyade. Pambuyo pakupasidwa mwayi umweyu, inepano na Oris tidasiya kuphata basa, tidagulisa nyumba yathu na bzinthu bzinango, ndipo tidacoka ku Aruba ticiyenda ku xikola. Tidamaliza xikola ya 27 ya Gileyade, pa 29 Julho, 1956, ndipo tidauzidwa kuti tikatumikire ku Nigéria.

Pakukumbukira bza m’mbuyo, Oris adati: “Mzimu wa Yahova ungathandize munthu kukwanisa kulimbana na mabvuto yomwe munthu angagumane nayo pa basa la umisiyonario. Mwa kusiyana na abayangu, ndikhanati kukumbuka kale bzakutumikira ninga misiyonario. Ndikhandofuna kukhala na nyumba yangu, ndicibereka wana. Koma ndidadzacinja makumbukidwe yangu pomwe ndidadzazindikira kuti basa lakupalizira bzipsa bzabwino likhafunika kucitidwa mwakamfulumize. Pomwe tidamaliza mapfunziro ya xikola ya Gileyade, ndikhali wakukonzeka kutumikira ninga misiyonario. Pomwe tidapakira xitima ya m’madzi yakucemeredwa Queen Mary, m’bale Worth Thornton, omwe akhatumikira mu xikiritoriyo ya m’bale Knorr, adatigoneka aciti: ‘Citani Ulendo Bwabwino!’ Ndipo iye adatiuza kuti tingadakatumikira pa Beteli. Na mumtima ndidati: ‘Ahh ne!’ Koma ndidacinja makumbukidwe yangu mwakamfulumize. Ndidadzayamba kuufuna kwene-kwene moyo wa pa Beteli, mwakuti ndidadzacita mabasa mazinji yakusiyana-siyana. Basa libodzi lomwe ndikhakomedwa nalo kwene-kwene likhali lakumbatambira alendo. Nimbafuna wanthu, ndipo basali lidadzandicitisa kuti ndidziwane na abale azinji wa ku Nigéria. Azinji wa iwo akhambafika adapswipa, adaneta, ana nyota ndipo ana njala. Ndipo tikhambakomedwa kuwathandiza pa bzakusaya bzawo na kuwatsangalaza. Kudziwa kuti limweri likhali basa lakupambulika kwa Yahova, kukhandikondwesa kwene-kwene.” Inde, basa liri-lense m’gulu la Yahova lingatithandize kukula mwauzimu.

Mu 1961, pa maceza yathu yanango ninga banja ku Trinidade, m’bale Brown adafotokoza bzakugumana nabzo bzabwino bzomwe adakhala nabzo ku África. Ndipo, inepano ndidafotokozambo momwe basa lathu likhayendera patsogolo ku Nigéria. M’bale Brown adandikolobexa mwalufoyi, ndipo adauza pai wangu kuti: “Johnny, iwepo ukanati kuyenda ku África, koma mwana wako, Woodworth, acita bzimwebzi!” Pai wangu adatawira acindiuza kuti: “Pitiriza Worth! Pitiriza kucita bzimwebzi!” Cilimbiso comwe amuna awiriwa adandipasa, cidathumizira cikhumbo cangu ca kufuna kucita bzizinji mu utumiki bwangu.

M’gole la 1962, ndidakhala pomwe na mwayi wa kukatambira mapfunziro yakuthumizirika ku xikola ya 37 ya Gileyade, ya minyezi khumi. M’bale Wilfred Gooch  omwe akhanyang’anira mthambi ku Nigéria adakatambira mapfunziro ya xikola ya 38 ya Gileyade, ndipo patsogolo pace adatumizidwa kuti akatumikire ku Inglaterra. Tenepo, inepano ndine omwe ndidadzakhala nyakunyang’anira mthambi ku Nigéria. Ndidacita maulendo mazinji m’dzikomo na cakulinga cakufuna kudziwana na abale na kufunambo kuwalatiza lufoyi, ninga momwe akhacitira m’bale Brown. Abalewo akhali lini wakudala ninga momwe wanthu aliri m’madziko yakudala, napo bzikhali tenepo, iwo akhali wakukondwa kwene-kwene. Cikondweso cawoco cikhalatiziratu padeca kuti kobiri ayai bzinthu bzakuthupi, ndibzo lini bzomwe bzimbacitisa moyo kukhala wathandauzo. Napo abalewo akhalibe kudala, iwo akhambabwera ku mitsonkhano adacena na wamawonekedwe yabwino. M’mitsonkhano mikulu-mikulu akhambabwera adapakira m’mabolekajas * (akanderendere wakunyamulira wanthu). Kazinji makanderendereyo yakhambakhala yadanembedwa mafala. Ndipo kanderendere m’bodzi akhadanembedwa kuti: “Tumathotho twa madzi ni tomwe tumbadzaza nyanza.”

Mwakusaya kupenukira mafalaya yakhali yacadidi! Nyongo ya m’bodzi na m’bodzi wa ifepano njakufunika kwene-kwene. Kupambula Estados Unidos, dziko la Nigéria lidadzakhala lakuyamba kupfitsa mbogo ya apalizi wakukwana 100.000, mu 1974. Basa likhadathumizirika kwene-kwene!

Napo mbogo ya apalizi ikhathumizirika, nkhondo ku Nigéria ikhali pakati, kutomera m’gole la 1967 mpaka 1970. Kwa minyezi mizinji, abale wathu wa ku Biafran yomwe ikhali ng’ambu inango ya mkulo wa Níger, akhakwanisa lini kunemberana matsamba na cipinda ca mthambi. Ndipo bzikhafunika kuti tiwayendesere cakudya cauzimu. Ninga momwe ndafotokozera kale kumayambiriro kwa nkhani ino, kupemba kwa Yahova na cikhulupiro kwa iye, ndibzo bzikhambatithandiza kuyambuka mkuloyo ulendo buzinji bwense.

Na lero ndikadakumbukira momwe kukhaliri kwakugopswa kucita ulendo bwakumbayambuka mkulo wa Níger. Ndipo tikhaikhambo moyo wathu pa ngozi penu tingadagumana na acikunda wale, kutakanyidwa na matenda, pabodzi na ngozi zinango. Cinthu cibodzi cakugopswa cikhali kumbapita na pomwe pakhana acikunda wa boma, tsono cinthu cinango cakugopsweratu cikhali kuyenda ku Biafran, yomwe ikhali mbuto yakuletsedwa. Nsiku inango usiku ndidayambuka mkulo wa Níger na mwadiya mwakamfulumize; ndidacoka ku Asaba ndiciyenda ku Onitsha komwe ndikhafuna kukalimbikisa akulu wa ku Enugu. Pa ulendo bunango tidayenda kukalimbisa abale wa ku Aba, komwe wanthu akhabvumizidwa lini kugasa maluju usiku. Ku Port Harcourt, tidamaliza mtsonkhano wathu mwakamfulumize pomwe acikunda wa boma adakwanisa kukunda acikunda omwe akhakhotcerera mzinda wa Biafran.

Kutsonkhana na akuluwo kukhali kwakufunika kuti tiwatsimikizire kuti Yahova angadapitiriza kuwasamalira mwalufoyi, ticiwapasambo malango yakulewa bza kufunika kwa kuleka kupitira m’nkhondo na kukhala wakuphatana. Abale wathu ku Nigéria adakwanisadi kukhala wakukhulupirika mkati mwa nkhondo ire. Iwo adalatiza lufoyi lacadidi, lomwe limbakunda kuwengana thangwe ra kusiyana mtundu, ndipo alibe kutenga mbali mu nkhondoyo. Udakhala mwayi ukulu kwene-kwene kuthandiza abale wathu pa nthawe yakunesayi!

Mu 1969, m’bale Milton G. Henschel akhali prezidenti wa mtsonkhano wa madziko omwe ukhana msolo wakuti: “Mtendere Padziko la Pansi” omwe udacitikira mu thambwe la masenzeka la Yankee, ku Nova York, ndipo inepano ndidapfunza bzinthu bzizinji na m’baleyu pakuti ndikhali nyakumuthandizira. Ndipo bzidakhala bwino kukhala na mwayi umweule pakuti m’gole lakutewera lace, 1970, tidadzakhalambo na mtsonkhano wa madziko mu mzinda wa Lagos ku Nigéria, omwe ukhana msolo wakuti: “Homens de Boa Vontade.” Mtsonkhanoyu udakwanisika na thandizo la Yahova, pakuti nkhondo ikhadamala tsapanopa. Ukhali mtsonkhano wakusaya kuyebweka; mtsonkhanoyo udasanduliziridwa m’bzirewedwe 17, ndipo wanthu wakukwana 121.128 adagumanika. M’bale Knorr na m’bale Henschel, pabodzi na alendo omwe adabwera pa ndeke kucokera ku Estados Unidos na Inglaterra adadzawona ibodzi mwa batismo yacikristau ikulu pa batismo zomwe zikhadacitika kale kucokera pa Pentekosite ya m’gole la 33EC! Pa mtsonkhanoyu padabatizidwa wanthu wakukwana 3.775. Kutenga mbali pa kukonzekera mtsonkhanoyu, idakhala nthawe yomwe ndidakhala wakutanganidwa kwene-kwene pa moyo wangu. Mbogo ya apalizi idathumizirika kwene-kwene!

Mkati mwa magole yakupitirira 30 yomwe tidakhala ku Nigéria, nthawe zinango ndidatumikira ninga nyakuyang’anira dera na nyakuzungira mthambi zakusiyana-siyana kumadokero kwa África. Mamisiyonario yakhambakomedwa kwene-kwene kuzungiridwa, yacimbalimbisidwa mwauzimu! Kuzungira abalewa, ticimbawatsimikizira kuti Yahova akhalibe kuwayebwa,  cikhali cinthu cakukondwesa kwene-kwene! Ndidazindikira kuti kulatiza thupo kwa abale ndibzo bzimbawathandiza kukula mwauzimu, kukhala wakulimba, na kupitiriza kukhala wakuphatana na gulu la Yahova.

Bzidacita kuwonekeratu kuti ni Yahova omwe adatithandiza kulimbana na mabvuto yomwe yadayambisidwa na nkhondo ire, pabodzi na matenda. Nthawe zense tikhambakwanisa kuwona Yahova ankutisimba. Oris adalewa kuti:

“Tense awiri tidaduwala malaria kazinji-kense. Nsiku inango, tidatenga abayangu, ticiyenda nawo ku nyumba ya ulapi mu mzinda wa Lagos, pomwe iwo akhadakomoka. Ndidauzidwa kuti iwo angadacira lini, tsono iwo alibe kufa! Pomwe adaphephuka, iwo adayamba kupalizira mulapi omwe akhawasamalira. Patapita nsiku zing’ono-ng’ono ine na mwamuna wangu, tidakazungira mulapi ule, omwe akhacemeredwa Nwambiwe, kuti tikamuthandize kudziwa bzinthu bzizinji pakulewa bza Bibliya. Iye adabvuma cadidi, ndipo adadzakhala mkulu m’gwere ku Aba. Inepano ndidakwanisambo kuthandiza wanthu winango kutumikira Yahova, napo wale omwe akhali m’cipembedzo ca amwenye. Koma cinthu cikulu comwe cimbatikondwesa, cikhali kufika pa kudziwa bwino wanthu wa ku Nigéria, ticifika pa kufuna iwo, cikhalidwe cawo na cirewedwe cawo.”

Tidakhala na pfunziro linango: Kuti tikwanise kukula mwauzimu pomwe tikhatumikira ku dziko linango, ifepano tikhafunika kufuna abale wathu, napo kuti tikhadasiyana nawo cikhalidwe.

Pambuyo pa kutumikira pa Beteli ya ku Nigéria, mu 1987, tidauzidwa kuti tikatumikire ninga mamisiyonario pa nsuwa yakudeka yakucemeredwa Santa Lúcia ku Caraíbas. Bzikhali bzakudekeza kwene-kwene kutumikira ku nsuwa ire, tsono kukhana bzineso bzacembo. Mwakusiyana na ku África komwe amuna ambalowola akazi azinji, bvuto la ku nsuwa ya Santa Lúcia, likhali lakuti wanthu akhambanembesa lini malowozi yawo. Tsono na thandizo la Fala la Mulungu, anyakupfunza wathu azinji wa Bibliya adakwanisa kucinja bzinthu pa moyo wawo.

Pomwe mphanvu zathu zikhayenda zicicepekera thangwe ra kukalamba, mu 2005, Bungwe Lakutonga lidadzatifulusa ticiyenda kukakhala ku likulu lathu ku Brooklyn, Nova York, E.U.A. Nsiku zense ndimbatenda Yahova thangwe ra mkazangu Oris. Iye adaduwala kwene-kwene, ndipo adasaika mu 2015; ndimbawawidwa kwene-kwene ndikambakumbukira bzimwebzo. Iye akhali xamwali wangu wa ponda-ndipondembo na mkazi wakufunika. Inepano ndidamufuna kwene-kwene kwa magole yense 68, yomwe tidakhala pabodzi. Tidazindikira kuti cinsinsi ca cikondweso, m’banja na mu gwere, ni kumbalemekeza msolo wa banja na omwe ambatsogolera m’gwere, kulekerera na mtima wense, kubzicepswa na kulatiza bzisapo bza mzimu.

Pomwe tikhambasunama, ifepano tikhambalinga thandizo kwa Yahova, ticipitiriza kukhala wakulimba. Pomwe tikhapitiriza kucinja makumbukidwe yathu, tikhakwanisa kuwona kuti bzinthu bzikhambafamba bwino, ndipo tikhadziwa kuti bzinthu bzabwino bziri kutsogoloku!—Zaiya 60:17; 2 Wakolinto 13:11.

Ku dziko la Trinidad na Tobago, Yahova adasimba basa la abareki wangu pabodzi na abale winango, ndipo relatoriyo ya tsapanopa yalatiza kuti m’dzikolo muna apalizi 9.892. Ku Aruba, abale azinji adaphata basa kuti alimbise gwere lakutoma, lomwe inepano ndikhadatumikira m’mbuyomo. Pa nsuwayi tsapano pana magwere 14 yomwe yankupitiriza kuyenda patsogolo. Ninga ku Nigéria, apalizi wa Umambo ku Aruba adathumizirika mpaka kufika mbogo ya 381.398. Ndipo ku nsuwa ya Santa Lúcia, wanthu wakukwana 783 ankuthandizira Umambo bwa Yahova.

Tsapano ndina magole yakupitirira 90. Psalymo 92:14 ambalewa bza wale omwe adabzalidwa m’nyumba ya Yahova kuti: ‘Napo atakalamba an’dzabala bzisapo bzizinji, iwo an’dzakhala wa mphamvu na wa thanzi.’ Ndimbatenda kwene-kwene thangwe ra moyo omwe ndakhala nawo mu utumiki bwa Yahova. Utaka bwauzimu bwomwe ndidatambira budandilimbisa kutumikira Yahova mwakukwanira. Thangwe ra lufoyi lace lakukhulupirika, Yahova adandibvumiza kupitiriza ‘kukula m’mabwalo ya Mulungu [wangu].’—Psalymo 92:13.