Ndidabadwira mu mzinda wa Quebec, omwe uli pafupi na mzinda wa canadense wa ku Quebec. Ku mzinda umweule, cirewedwe ni cifalantsa. Abereki wangu, Louis na Zélia, adandilera mwa lufoyi kwene-kwene. Tsono pai wangu akhali munthu wa manyazi, ndipo akhafuna kwene-kwene kumbawerenga mabukhu. Koma inepano ndikhakomedwa na kumbanemba ndipo ndikhana cakulinga cakuti ntsiku inango ndidzakhale mtola nkhani.

Pomwe ndikhana magole 12, Rodolphe Soucy omwe akhaphata basa pabodzi na pai wangu, adabwera na xamwali wace kudzatizungira kumui kwathu. Iwo akhali Mboni za Yahova. Pa nthawe imweyi, inepano ndikhadziwa lini bzinthu bzizinji pakulewa bza Mboni za Yahova, ndipo ndikhalibe naco basa kwene-kwene cipembedzo cawo. Tsono ndidadabwa na momwe iwo adatawirira mibvunzo yathu mwakuphatisa basa Bibliya. Ndipo abereki wangu adadabwambo, tenepo tidabvuma pfunziro la Bibliya.

Pa nthawe imweire inepano ndikhapfunza xikola ya Cikatolika. Ndipo nthawe zinango, inepano ndikhaceza na anzangu omwe ndikhapfunza nawo pa bzomwe ndikhapfunza pa pfunziro langu la Bibliya. Ntsiku inango apfunzisi wa xikolayo adabva macezayo. Tsono mbuto mwa kuphatisa basa Bibliya kuti agaze bzomwe ndikhalewa, m’bodzi wa iwo adandilewa pamaso pa wanthu azinji kuti ndikhaphindukira xikolayo. Napo kuti nkhaniyi ikhali yakunesa kwene-kwene, koma idakhala na bzakutewera bzabwino, ndipo idandithandiza kuwona kuti bzomwe ndikhapfunza ku xikolako bzikhabverana lini na bzomwe Bibliya limbapfunzisa. Tenepo, ndidawona kuti ndikhafunika kusiya kupfunza xikola imweyire. Ndipo abereki wangu adandibvumiza kuti ndiyende kukapfunza xikola inango.

Ndidapitiriza kupfunza Bibliya, tsono ndikhayenda lini patsogolo mwauzimu thangwe ndikhana mantha  yakupalizira nyumba na nyumba. Cipembedzo ca Cikatolika cikhali cakubvekera mu mzinda wa Quebec, ndipo cikhanyoza mwamphanvu basa lathu lakupalizira. Maurice Duplessis, mkulu wa ndale wa Quebec akhali pa ciphatano camphanvu na cipembedzo. Mwa kuthandizidwa na mkulu wa ndaleyo, mathimu ya wanthu yadazunza na kucitira ciwembo Mboni za Yahova. Kulewa mwakusaya kupenukira, kupalizira pa nthawe imweyire bzikhafunika kukhala wakukhwimika.

M’bale winango wakucemeredwa John Rae omwe adapfunza cipinda cacipfemba ca Xikola ya Gileyade, adandithandiza kukunda mantha. John akhana maluso mazinji, ndipo akhali wakubzicepesa, wakudekera mtima na wakufikirika. Iye akhandipasa lini malango mwakucita kuwonekeraletu, koma ciratizo cace cabwino cidandipfunzisa bzinthu bzizinji. John bzikhamunesa kulewalewa cifalansa, tenepo inepano ndikhayenda naye mu utumiki bwa kumunda ndipo ndikhamuthandiza kulewalewa. Nthawe yomwe ndidamala ndikuceza na John, idandithandiza kukhala wakukhwimika na kuwona cadidi kukhala cakufunika kwene-kwene. Pomwe padapita magole khumi kucokera pomwe ndidagumana na Mboni za Yahova pa ulendo bwakuyamba, ndidadzabatizidwa pa 26 Maio, 1951.

Abale wathu azinji wa gwere la ku Quebec akhali apainiya. Tenepo ciratizo cawo cabwino, cidandithandiza kuti ndiyambembo kutumikira ninga mpainiya. Mu nthawe imweyire, ifepano tikhapalizira nyumba na nyumba mwakuphatisa basa kokha Bibliya. Pakuti tikhaphatisa lini basa mabukhu pakupalizira, tenepo tikhafunika kudziwa bwino momwe tingadaphatisira basa Bibliya. Tenepo, ndidacita nyongo yakupfunza mavesi yomwe yangadandithandiza kukhotcerera cadidi. Koma napo bzikhali tenepo, wanthu azinji akhambalamba kuwerenga Bibliya liri-lentse lakusaya kubvumiziwa na cipembedzo ca Cikatolika.

Mu gole la 1952, ndidalowola Simone Patry, mpfumakazi yakukhulupirika kwene-kwene. Na kupita kwa nthawe tidafulukira ku Montreal, ndipo mkati mwa gole libodzi, tidakhala na mwana omwe tidamupasa dzina lakuti Lise. Napo kuti ndikhadaima kutumikira ninga mpainiya pomwe tikhanati kucita malowozi, ine na Simone tidayezera kukhala na moyo wakusaya kufuna bzinthu bzizinji. Ndipo bzimwebzi bzidatipasa mpata wakumbacita mabasa mazinji ya gwere ninga banja.

Padapita magole khumi kuti ndiyambe kukumbukira bza kukatumikira pomwe ninga mpainiya. Tenepo, mu gole la 1962, ndidayenda kukapfunza Xikola ya Utumiki bwa Umambo yomwe ikhali ya akulu wa gwere. Xikolayo idakhazikisidwa ku Beteli ya ku dziko la Canadá ndipo idamala mwezi ubodzi. Kumweko, ndidauziwa kuti nimbakhale mu cipinda cibodzi na m’bale wakucemeredwa Camille Ouellette. Koma ndidadabwa kwene-kwene na nyongo yomwe Camille akhanayo pa utumiki, comwe cikhandidabwisa maka-maka n’cakuti iye  akhana banja ndipo akhana wana. Pa nthawe imweyire ku Quebec, abale na mpfumakazi zing’ono-ng’ono zikhacita utumiki bwa upainiya ndipo pa nthawe ibodzi-bodziyo zikhalerambo wana. Bzimwebzi ni bzomwe Camille akhacita. Ndipo iye adandilimbikisa kuti ndikumbukire cakulinga cangu. Tenepo, pambuyo pa minyezi ming’ono-ng’ono, ndidazindikira kuti ningadayamba pomwe kutumikira ninga mpainiya. Napo bzikhali tenepo, wanthu winango adalewa kuti n’kusaya nzeru ine kusankhula kutumikira pomwe ninga mpainiya, tsono ndiribe kuwabvera ndipo ndidayamba pomwe utumiki bwangubo thangwe ndikhana citsimikizo cakuti Yahova angadasimba nyongo yangu yakucita bzizinji mu utumiki.

Mu gole la 1964, ine na Simone tidauziwa kuti tikatumikire ku Quebec ninga apainiya, mu mzinda omwe tikhadatumikira kwa magole mazinji. Pa nthawe imweyi, bzinthu bzikhali bwino pang’ono, koma akhalipo wanthu winango omwe akhanyoza basa lathu lakupalizira.

Pa ntsiku ya Sabudu masikati, ndidaikhidwa m’kawoko ku Sainte-Marie mzinda omwe ukhali pafupi na Quebec. Mkulu wa mphanvu za umangi, adandiphata aciyenda nande ku nyumba ya mphanvu za umangi, ndipo kumweko adakandiikha m’kawoko thangwe ra kupalizira nyumba na nyumba mwakusaya kubvumizidwa. Nakupita kwa nthawe ndidacosewa kuti ndikalewelewe na muyeruzi wa nkhani wakucemeredwa Baillargeon omwe akhapasa mantha nakundomuwona basi. Iye adandibvunza kuti ni mbani omwe angadandiimikira mu nyumba ya mphala. Pomwe ndidaguma dzina lakuti Glen How, * dzina la muimikiri wa Mboni za Yahova wakudziwika bwino, iye adabva mantha ndipo adalewa kuti: “Nee, umweyu ne!” Thangwe ranyi iye akhana mantha? Thangwe ndakuti Glen How akhali muimikiri wabwino omwe adathandiza Mboni za Yahova kuwina nkhani zakusiyana-siyana. Mwakusaya kutenga nthawe, nyumba ya mphala idandiuza kuti ndikhalibe mulandu.

Thangwe ra cizunzo ku Quebec, bzikhali bzakunesa kugumana nyumba ya aluge kuti timbatsonkhanire. Koma mbuto yomwe gwere lathu lidagumana, ikhali yakukoyera akanderendere ndipo ikhathuma lini. Tsono pa nthawe ya mphepo, abale akhaphatisa basa mtcini winango omwe umbaikhidwa mafuta kuti abzithumise. Ikanati kukwana nthawe ya mitsonkhano, kawiri-kawiri tikhakhala pafupi na mtciniyo, ndipo tikhaceza nkhani zakudekeza.

Mpsakudekeza kwene-kwene kuwona momwe basa lakupalizira layendera patsogolo na kupita kwa nthawe. M’magole ya 1960, mizinda ya Quebec, Côte-Nord na Península de Gaspé, ikhana magwere mang’ono-ng’ono yacikhala yakucepa. Koma ntsiku zino, kuna madera yakupitirira mawiri ndipo abale ambatsonkhana m’Nyumba za Umambo zakudeka.

Ine na Simone tidauzidwa kuti tikatumikire ninga nyakunyang’anira dera mu 1970. Ndipo mu 1973, tidaikhidwa kuti tikhale nyakunyang’anira cigawo. M’magole yamweya, ndidapfunza bzinthu bzizinji na Laurier Saumur * na David Splane, * omwe akhatumikirambo ninga anyakunyang’anira dera. Pambuyo pa mtsonkhano uli-wentse wa dera, ine na David tikhathandizana momwe tingakulisire luso lathu lakupfunzisa. Ndikukumbukira nthawe inango pomwe David adandiuza kuti:  “Léonce, ndakomedwa kwene-kwene na nkhani yako yakumalizira. Ikhali yabwino, koma na mafala yentse yomwe wayafotokoza, inepano ningadafotokoza nkhani zitatu!” Bzomwe adalewa David bzikhali bzacadidi, thangwe inepano ndikhambawanza mafala pakufotokoza nkhani, tenepo ndikhafunika kupfunza kumbafotokoza nfundo zikulu-zikulu.

Anyakunyang’anira cigawo akhana udindo bwakumbalimbisa anyakunyang’anira dera. Tenepo, apalizi azinji wa ku Quebec akhandidziwa bwino ndipo iwo kawiri-kawiri akhandikumbira kuti ndipalizire nawo pabodzi ndikambazungira dera lawo. Bzikhali bzakudekeza kwene-kwene kupalizira nawo pabodzi, ndipo bzimwebzi bzikhandisaisa nthawe yakumbaceza na nyakunyang’anira dera. Pa nthawe inango, nyakunyang’anira dera winango adandikumbusa mwalufoyi kuti: “Mpsabwino kuwona kuti imwepo mumbafuna abale, koma lekani kuyebwa kuti mdzinga uno mwabwera kudzazungira ine. Ine ndikufunambo kulimbisiwa!” Malango ya lufoyiya, yadandithandiza kuti nimbawone bzinthu mwakuthemera.

Mu 1976, mudacitika cinthu cinango comwe ndikhacidikhirira lini ndipo cidandisunamisa kwene-kwene. Mkazangu wa pa mtima, Simone adaduwala kwene-kwene acifa. Iye akhali mkazi wabwino thangwe akhali wakubzimana ndipo akhafuna kwene-kwene Yahova. Ndipo thangwe ra kutanganidwa na basa lakupalizira, ndidakwanisa kupirira msunamo omwe ndikhanawo, ndipo ndikutenda kwene-kwene Yahova thangwe ra lufoyi lomwe adandilatiza pa nthawe yakunesa ire. Na kupita kwa nthawe, ndidadzalowola Carolyn Elliott, omwe akhatumikira ninga mpainiya mu gawo la cirewedwe ca cingerezi, ndipo akhadabwera ku Quebec kuti adzatumikire komwe kukhafunikira apalizi azinji. Carolyn ambazolowerana na wanthu mwakusaya kunesa ndipo ambawalatiza lufoyi lacadidi, maka-maka wamanyazi ayai omwe ambabziwona kuti alibe na basalo. Iye adandithandiza kwene-kwene pa nthawe yomwe ndikhatumikira ninga nyakunyang’anira dera.

Mu Janeiro 1978, ndidauzidwa kuti ndikakhale mpfunzisi wa xikola ya utumiki bwa upainiya ku Quebec. Inepano ndidabva mantha kwene-kwene thangwe ndikhanati kupitambo mu xikolayo ndipo ndikhadziwa lini ciri-centse. Koma bzakukondwesa mpsakuti, gulu lakuyamba la apainiyawo likhadziwa bzinthu bzizinji. Tenepo, napo kuti inepano ndikhali mpfunzisi, ndidapfunza bzinthu bzizinji na iwo!

 Mu 1978, tidakhala na mtsonkhano wa madziko omwe ukhana msolo wakuti “Fé Vitoriosa,” ndipo udacitikira mu thambwe la Olímpico de Montreal. Umweyu udakhala mtsonkhano ukulu kwene-kwene thangwe ukhana mbogo ya wanthu wakukwana 80.000, bzomwe bzikanati bzacitika kale ku Quebec mpaka pano. Pa mtsonkhanoyo inepano ndidaikhidwa mu Depatimenti ya Notisiya za pa Mtsonkhano wacigawo. Ndidalewalewa na anyakumwaza nkhani azinji ndipo ndidakomedwa kwene-kwene kuwona kuti iwo akhanemba bzinthu bzizinji bzabwino pakulewa bza ifepano. Iwo adaceza nafe pa TV na pa cikasi ca kumwazira nkhani kwa maora yakupitirira 20, ndipo bzulu na bzulu bza nkhani zidamwazidwa pa jornale. Bumwebu budakhala upalizi bwamphanvu kwene-kwene!

Kuyambira pomwe ndidabatizidwa, inepano ndikhatumikira kokha mu dera lomwe likhalewedwa cirewedwe ca cifalantsa. Koma mu 1996, bzinthu bzidacinja kwene-kwene pa moyo wangu, thangwe ndidauziwa kuti ndikatumikire ku gawo lacingerezi mu mzinda wa Toronto. Inepano ndikhabziwona kuti ndikhali lini wakuthemera, ndipo ndikhacita mantha kufotokoza nkhani thangwe ndikhadziwa lini kulewalewa bwino-bwino cingerezi. Tenepo, ndikhafunika kupemba mwakubwereza-bwereza na kuthemba kwene-kwene Yahova.

Tsapano ndikakumbukira, ndikuwona kuti magole mawiri yomwe ndidatumikira ku Toronto yadakhala yaphindu kwene-kwene. Carolyn adandithandiza kwene-kwene kulewalewa cingerezi ndipo abale wa kumweko adatithandizambo na kutilimbisa. Ndipo mwakusaya kucedwa tidakhala na axamwali azinji.

Kuthimizira pa mabasa na kukonzekera mtsonkhano wa dera, kawiri-kawiri inepano ndikhapalizira nyumba na nyumba Cixanu ciri-centse usiku kwa ora ibodzi. Winango akhabzibvunza kuti: ‘Thangwe ranyi ndikhayenda kukapalizira m’mbuto mwakundokonzekera mtsonkhano wa dera?’ Thangwe kupalizira kukhandikondwesa. Napo ntsiku zino, ndikamala kupalizira nimbakhala wakukondwa kwene-kwene.

Mu 1998, ine na Carolyn tidauzidwa kuti tikatumikire ku Montreal ninga apainiya wakupambulika. Kwa magole mazinji, utumiki bwangu bukhaphatanidza kulinganiza upalizi bwapadeca na kuthandiza anyakumwaza nkhani kuti amalise tsankhulo na Mboni za Yahova. Ine na Carolyn timbakomedwa kwene-kwene kupalizira alendo omwe afulukira ku Canadá, maka-maka wale omwe akufunisisa kudziwa bzizinji pakulewa bza Bibliya.

Ndikakumbukira magole 68 yomwe ndakhala ndikutumikira Yahova, nimbawona kuti ndine munthu wakusimbidwa kwene-kwene. Kufuna upalizi na kuthandiza wanthu azinji kudziwa cadidi ca m’Bibliya, kudandikondwesa kwene-kwene. Pomwe mwanangu wacikazi Lise, pabodzi na bayace adakuza wana wawo, iwo adayamba kutumikira ninga apainiya wakukhazikika. Ndikambawona nyongo yomwe mwananguyo ambacita pa basa lakupalizira nimbakomedwa kwene-kwene. Ndikutendambo abale thangwe ra bziratizo bzabwino na malango ya lufoyi, omwe adandithandiza kukhala pa uxamwali bwakulimba na Yahova na kupitiriza kumutumikira mu njira zakusiyana-siyana. Ndidazindikira kuti ifepano tingapitirize kucita bzomwe gulu la Yahova limbafuna kuti ticite, tikathemba mzimu wakucena wa Yahovayo. (Psalymo 51:11) Inepano ndikupitiriza kutenda Yahova thangwe ra kundipasa mwayi wakutumbiza dzina lace!—Psalymo 54:6.