Pomwe ndidakunda kupenukira kwangu pa nkhani ya kukhala mpainiya, Yahova adandifungulira msuwo omwe udandibweresera bzisimbo bzizinji, kuposa bzomwe ndikhadikhirira. (Wayefezo 3:20) Kodi bzimwebzi bzidacitika tani? Cakuyamba, bvani momwe bzidayambira.

Inepano ndidabadwira mu mzinda wa Berlim, ku Alemanha, ndipo pakhadandopita minyezi yakucepa pomwe Nkhondo Yaciwiri idayamba pa Dziko Lense mu 1939. Mu 1945, pomwe nkhondoyo ikhadandosala pang’ono kumala, ndeke za nkhando zidathusa mabomba mazinji mu mzinda wa Berlim. Ndipo mabomba manango yadagwera mu mseu na nyumba zathu, ndipo nyumba zizinji zidapsa. Banja lathu pabodzi na inepano tidakabisalika m’mbuto yakubisalira ndeke za nkhondo. Patsogolo pace tidathawira ku mzinda wa Erfurt, komwe adabadwira mai wangu.

Nthawe zense Mai wangu akhanyang’ana kunamata kwacadidi. Iwo akhadawerenga kale mabukhu ya filosofia, ndipo akhadapendambo kale bzipembedzo bzizinji, koma bzikhawaphata lini mtima. Pakumalizira pace, m’gole la 1948, Mboni za Yahova ziwiri zidagogoda msuwo wathu. Mai adawauza kuti apite m’nyumba ndipo adawacita mibvunzo mizinji. Nthawe pang’ono iwo adauza inepano na mpfumakazi yangu kuti: “Ndacigumana cadidi!” Ndipo mwakusaya kucedwa, mai wangu, inepano na mpfumakazi yangu tidayamba kumbatsonkhana ku Erfurt.

M’gole la 1950 tidabwerera ku Berlim, ndipo tikhambatsonkhana na gwere la Berlin-Kreuzberg. Patsogolo pace tidadzafulukira nyumba inango mu mzinda ubodzi-bodziyo, ndipo tidayamba kumbatsonkhana na gwere la Berlim-Tempelhof. Na kupita kwa nthawe, mai wangu adabatizidwa, tsono inepano ndikhabzibva kuti ndikhali lini wakukonzeka. Thangwe ranyi?

Cinthu comwe cikhanditazisa kuyenda patsogolo mwauzimu cikhali mantha. Kwa magole mawiri, inepano ndikhambayenda mu utumiki bwakumunda, koma ndikhambalewalewa lini na wanthu. Tenepo ndidayamba kumbacita tsansa na abale na mpfumakazi wakukhwimika omwe akhadatumikira kale Yahova kwa magole mazinji. Winango wa iwo akhadakhala kale m’kawoko ya a Nazi ayai m’kawoko zinango ku Alemanha Oriental. Ndipo winango adaikha moyo wawo pa ngozi kuti  mabukhu yathu yambafike ku Alemanha Oriental. Bzakucitika bza abalewa bzidandithandiza kwene-kwene. Ndidayamba kukumbuka kuti: ‘Penu iwo adaikha moyo wawo na ufulu bwawo pangozi thangwe ra Yahova na abale wathu, bzakucepa bzomwe inepano ndingacitembo ni kukunda mantha yanguya.’

Cinthu cakuyamba comwe ndidacicita kuti ndikunde mantha yangu cidakhala kucita mbali pa kampanya yakupalizira yomwe idacitika mu 1955. Tsamba lomwe likhagumanika mu kabukhu ka Informant, * m’bale Nathan Knorr adanemba kuti imweyo ingadakhala ibodzi mwa kampanya zikulu kwene-kwene zomwe zikhadacitidwa kale na gulu. Ndipo iye adalewa kuti penu apalizi wense angadatenga mbali, umweule ungadakhala “mwezi wakudekeza kwene-kwene pa basa lakupalizira.” Ndipo ndibzo bzomwe bzidacitikadi! Pomwe padapita nthawe pang’ono, inepano ndidabzipereka kwa Yahova, ndicibatizidwa mu 1956 pabodzi na pai wangu na mpfumakazi yangu. Ndipo patsogolo pace ndidafunika kucita cakusankhula cinango cakufunika kwene-kwene.

Inepano ndikhadziwa kuti cinthu cabwino kucita cikhali kutumikira ninga mpainiya, tsono padapita magole mangasi ndicimbandocita nkhankhankha. Cakuyamba, ndidasankhula kupfunza momwe ndingacitire malonda na madziko yakunja. Pambuyo pace ndidasankhula kuphata basali kuti ndiridziwe bwino. Ndipopa m’gole la 1961 ndidabvuma kuphata basa ku Hamburgo, omwe ukhali mzinda ukulu wakufikira ngalawa m’dziko la Alemanha. Pomwe ndikhayenda ndicikomedwa na basa langu, ndikhaiciikha kutali basa la upainiya. Kodi ndingadacita ciyani?

Yahova adandidekera mtima kwene-kwene. Iye adaphatisa basa abale wa lufoyi kuti andithandize kuikha pa mbuto yakuyamba bzinthu bzauzimu. Azixamwali wangu azinjisa adakhala apainiya, ndipo iwo adakhala ciratizo cabwino kwa inepano. Kuthumizira bzimwebzi, m’bale Erich Mundt, omwe akhadakhala m’kawoko thangwe la cikhulupiro cace, adandilimbisa kuti ndimbakhulupire Yahova. Iye adandiuza kuti, abale omwe akhambabzikhulupira okha adamalizira kutepa mwauzimu m’kawokomo. Koma omwe akhakhulupira Yahova na mtima wense adapitiriza kukhala wakukhulupirika, ndipo adadzakhala na maudindo m’gwere.

Cinango comwe cidandithandiza ni mafala ya m’bale Martin Poetzinger, omwe pambuyo pace adadzatumikira m’Bungwe Lakutonga. Kuti alimbise abale, iye akhambalewa kuti: “Kukhwimika ni khalidwe lakufunika kwene-kwene lomwe munthu an’funika kulikulisa.” Pambuyo pakukumbukira mafalaya, inepano ndidasiya basa langu ndiciyamba kutumikira ninga mpainiya m’mwezi wa Junho, m’gole la 1963. Cimweci cidakhala cakusankhula cabwino kwene-kwene comwe ndidacicita pa moyo wangu! Pambuyo pa minyezi miwiri, ndikanati kuyamba kunyang’ana basa lipsa, ndidauzidwa kuti ndikatumikire ninga mpainiya wakupambulika. Pambuyo pa magole mangasi, Yahova adandisimba pomwe kuposa bzomwe ndikhadikhirira. Ndidacemeredwa kuti ndikacite mbali ya Xikola ya 44 ya Gileyade.

Cinthu cibodzi cakufunika comwe ndidapfunza ku Gileyade kucokera kwa m’bale Nathan Knorr pabodzi na Lyman Swingle, n’cakuti: “Tin’funika lini kumbasiya utumiki bwathu mwakamkulumize.” Iwo akhambatilimbisa kuti tin’funika kupitiriza kucita utumikibo napo tigumane na mphitca. M’bale Knorr akhambalewa kuti: “Kodi imwepo munkambakumbukira bza ciyani? Kupswipa kwa mbutoyo, tulombo, kusauka? Ayai munkambanyang’anisa miti, maluwa na nkhope zakukondwa za abale? Pfunzani kumbafuna wanthu!” Nsiku inango m’bale Swingle adafotokoza thangwe race abale winango ambasiya utumiki mwakamkulumize. Tsono iye alibe kukwanisa kupirira, ndipo adayamba kucoka misozi. Tenepo, adaimisa pang’ono nkhani yaceyo kuti aderekhe. Bzimwebzire bzidanditokonya kwene-kwene ndipo, ndidakhala wakutsimikiza kuleka kusunamisa Kristu na abale wace.—Mateu 25:40.

Pomwe tidapasidwa matsamba yakutiuza komwe tingadakatumikira, abale atatu wa pa Beteli adabwera kudzatibvunza komwe tingadayenda. Iwo akhambalewa bzinthu bzabwino bza dziko liri-lense. Koma pomwe ndidawauzambo kuti ndingadayenda ku “República Democrática do Congo”, iwo adandolewa kuti: “Ah, ku Congo! Yahova akusimbeni!” Pa nthawe imweyire, dziko la República Democrática do Congo likhambanembedwa m’majornal mazinji thangwe ra nkhondo yomwe ikhacitika kumweko, pabodzi na kuphedwa kwa wanthu. Tsono inepano ndikhandokumbukira bzomwe ndikhadapfunza ku Gileyade. Msinda wakufungira mapfunziro yathu udacitika m’mwezi wa Setembro, m’gole la 1967. Nthawe pang’ono, inepano, Heinrich Dehnbostel na Claude Lindsay tidayamba ulendo bwakuyenda ku mzinda wa  Kinshasa, omwe ni likulu la dziko la República Democrática do Congo.

Pomwe tidafika mu mzinda wa Kinshasa, tidapfunza cirewedwe ca cifrancês kwa minyezi mitatu. Patsogolo pace tidayenda na ndeke ku mzinda wa Lubumbashi, omwe pakuyamba ukhacemeredwa Elisabethville. Mzindayu uli kumwera kwa dziko la Congo, pafupi na dziko la Zâmbia. Ndipo tidakakhala ku nyumba ya mamisiyonario yomwe ikhagumanika pakati pa mzindayo.

Mbali ikulu ya mzinda wa Lubumbashi ikhanati kupaliziridwa kale. Tidakomedwa kwene-kwene thangwe ra kukhala apalizi wakuyamba kupalizira bzipsa bzabwino kwa wanthuwo. Nthawe pang’ono, tidakhala na mapfunziro mazinji kwene-kwene yomwe tikhakwanisa lini kuyasamalira. Ndipo tikhapalizirambo wanthu omwe akhaphata basa m’boma ayai wamphanvu za umangi. Wanthu azinji akhalemekeza Bibliya, na basa lathu lakupalizira. Wanthu azinji akhalewalewa suaíli. Tenepo inepano na Claude tidayamba kupfunza cirewedweco. Patsogolo pace tidakumbiridwa kuti titumikire m’gwere lacirewedwe ca cisuaíli.

Napo kuti ifepano tidakhala na bzakugumana nabzo bzizinji bza bwino, tidagumanambo na mabvuto. Nthawe zizinji tidafunika kulimbana na acikunda wakuledzera ayai wamphanvu zaumangi waukali omwe akhambatinamizira. Nsiku inango pomwe tikhacita mitsonkhano ya gwere m’nyumba ya mamisiyonario, mwakusaya kudikhirika, thimu linango la wamphanvu za umangi lomwe likhana mpfuti lidapita m’nyumbamo licititengera ku kamtondo. Wamphanvu za umangi adatingingimiza kuti tikhale pansi mpaka nthawe khumi za usiku, ndipo pambuyo pace adatileka ticiyenda.

Mu 1969, ndidauzidwa kuti nditumikire ninga nyakunyang’anira dera. Ndipo mbali inango ya deralo ikhali thengo la África, bzomwe bzikhathanduza kufamba  maora mazinji m’miseu ya matope pakati pa thengo. Mudzi unango omwe ndikhambazungira pakhana nkhuku inango yomwe ikhambagona pansi pa talimba wangu na tutiyo twace. Ndimbayebwa lini momwe iyo ikhambandilamusira “mwa ulemu” macibese yali-yense thangwe ra kukukudza komwe ikhacitira tutiyo twace. Ndipo ndimbakumbukirambo momwe bzikhambakhalira bzakudekeza kuwotha moto na abale usiku, uku tikuceza nkhani za m’Bibliya.

Bvuto likulu lomwe tidalimbana nalo, likhali wanthu wa thimu la Kitawala, omwe akhambanamizira kukhala abale. * Winango mwa wanthuwa adakwanisa kupita m’gwere, mpaka kufika pa kukhala na udindo. Tsono abale wathu alibe kupumpsiwa nawo. Wanthuwa akhali ninga ‘minyala mikulu-mikulu yakubisika m’madzi.’ (Juda 12) Na kupita kwa nthawe, Yahova adacenesa magwere, bzomwe bzidafungula njira yakukuzira gulu lace.

Mu 1971, ndidauzidwa kuti ndikatumikire ku Beteli yomwe ikhagumanika mu mzinda wa Kinshasa. Ndikhaphata mabasa mazinji ninga: kutambira na kutumiza matsamba, kusamalira mikumbiro ya mabukhu, na kusamalira nkhani zinango zakubverana na basa lakupalizira. Beteli idandipfunzisa momwe basa lathu lingalinganizidwire m’dziko momwe mulibe nyumba zakukwanira zakucitira basali. Nthawe zinango matsamba yomwe yakhambatumizidwa pa ndeke na Beteli yakhambamala minyezi mizinji kuti yafike ku magwere. Thangwe likhali lakuti, ndeke zikambakasiya matsombayo kuti yanyamulidwe na mabarko, mabarkoyo yakhambamala midzinga mizinji yadaima m’madzi pakuti yakhambatazira kufamba thangwe ra mabimbi ya madzi. Napo kuti tidagumana na bvuto limweri na mabvuto manango, koma tidakwanirisa basa lomwe tikhacita.

Cinthu comwe cikhambandidabwisa, cikhali kuwona momwe abale akhakwanisira kucita mitsonkhano mikulu-mikulu napo akhana bzinthu bzakucepa. Iwo akhambazira pa pulatifomu na dongo, akhakonza cengo ca pulatifomuyo na nsungwi acikhukutidza na ncenjere. Ndipo akhaphatisambo basa ncenjere kuti akonze bzakukhalira, akhapswimphira na makhangala ndipo akhakonzambo nayo meza. Pakuti iwo akhalibe maperego, akhambaphatisa basa nzoi. Ndikhambadabwa na momwe abalewa akhambacitira bzinthu na kukunda mphitca zakusiyana-siyana. Ndikhambawafuna kwene-kwene abalewa, ndipo ndidawasuwa pomwe ndidayenda kukatumikira ku dziko linango.

Mu 1974, ndidacinjidwa kuti ndikatumikire ku Beteli ya ku Quênia, yomwe iri mu mzinda wa Nairóbi. Kumweko kukhana basa lizinji kwene-kwene, thangwe rakuti Beteli ya ku Quênia ikhambasamalira basa lakupalizira m’madziko khumi ya pafupi na dzikolo, ndipo manango ya madzikoya basa lathu likhadaletsedwa. Kazinji-kense ndidauziwa kuti ndikazungire madzikoya, ndipo dziko lomwe ndidalizungira kwene-kwene ni la Etiópia, komwe kukhana abale omwe akhazunzidwa ndipo akhagumanambo na mabvuto makulu. Azinji wa iwo akhaboneresedwa ayai kufungiridwa m’kawoko. Winango adafika pakuphedwa. Koma abale adakhala wakukhulupirika ndipo adapirira thangwe ra kukhala pa uxamwali bwakulimba na Yahova na abale anzawo.

M’gole la 1980, padacitika cinthu cabwino kwene-kwene pa moyo wangu: ndidacita malowozi na Gail Matheson omwe ngwa ku Canadá. Ine na iye tidacita pabodzi xikola ya Gileyade. Ifepano tikhambaceza mwakumbanemberana matsamba. Gail akhatumikira ninga misiyonario ku Bolívia. Pambuyo pa magole 12, tidawonana pomwe ku Nova York. Nthawe pang’ono tidacita malowozi yathu ku Quênia. Gail ni munthu wamakumbukidwe ya uzimu ndipo ambakomedwa na bzomwe anabzo. Iye ni mthandizi wabwino mpaka pano, ndipo ni mwanzangu omwe ndimbamufunambo kwene-kwene.

Mu 1986, inepano na Gail tidauzidwa kuti ndicite basa lakunyang’anira dera, ndipo ndikhaphatambo basa mu Komiti ya Mthambi. Ninga nyakunyang’anira dera, ifepano tidazungira madziko mazinji yomwe yakhasamaliridwa na Beteli ya ku Quênia.

Ndikadakumbukira momwe tidakonzekerera mtsonkhano wa ku Asmara (mu Eritreia). Likhali gole la 1992, ndipo pa nthaweyo basa lathu likhali lakubvumizika m’dzikolo. Bzakubvesa nsisi mpsakuti mbuto yomwe tidagumana kuti ticitire mtsonkhanoyo ikhali yakupswipa ndipo ikhaphatisidwa basa ninga gwangwa. Mkati mukhadapswipa kwene-kwene kuposa kunja. Pa nsiku ya mtsonkhano ndidadabwa kwene-kwene kuwona momwe abale akhadekesera mkati mule, mucikhala mbuto yakupereka mbiri kwa Yahova. Mabanja mazinji yadabweresa nguwo zakudeka, ndipo adampsinkha mwa luso  mbuto zense zomwe zikhadaipa zire. Udakhala mtsonkhano wakudekeza kwene-kwene, ndipo padagumanika wanthu 1.279.

Kucita basa la kunyang’anira dera, kudakhala kucinja kukulu pa moyo wathu, thangwe rakuti tikhambafikira m’nyumba zakusiyana-siyana m’dzinga uli-wense. Ulendo bunango tidafikira m’yumba yabwino kwene-kwene, m’mphepete mwa nyanza. Ndipo nthawe inango tidakafikira m’kanyumba kamalata pambuto yakukhala anyabasa, ndipo bzimbudzu bzikhakhala pa mtantho wa mametro 100 na nyumbayo. Tsono mbuto zomwe tikhatumikira, zikhali lini cinthu cakufunika. Bzomwe tidakoya m’makumbukidwe mwathu ni nsiku zomwe tikhambakhala wakutanganidwa na basa lakupalizira na apainiya, pabodzi na apalizi wa nyongo. Pomwe tidacinjidwa kuti tikatumikire ku mbuto inango, tidafunika kugonekana na axamwali azinji omwe tingadawasuwa.

Kuphampha kwa magole ya 1980 na kumayambiriro kwa 1990, basa lathu lidabvumizidwa m’madziko mazinji yomwe yakhambanyang’aniridwa na Beteli ya ku Quênia. Bzimwebzi bzidacitisa kuti bzipinda bzizinji bza Mthambi bzifungulidwe m’mbuto zimwezi. Mu 1993, ndidauzidwa kuti ndikatumikire ku cipinda ca Mthambi ca ku Etiópia, comwe cikhali mu mzinda wa Adis-Abeba. Pambuyo pakumala magole mazinji abale wathu ankunamata Yahova mwakabise-bise, iwo adadzabvumizidwa kunamata padeca.

Yahova ankusimba basa lathu ku Etiópia. Abale na mpfumakazi zizinji ankutumikira ninga apainiya. Kuyambira mu 2012, mbongo yakupitirira 20% pa apalizi wense inkutumikira ninga apainiya wakukhazikika. Ndipo pana abale azizinji omwe adatambira mapfunziro mu xikola zakupfunzisa utumiki, ndipo gulu lathu lidamanga Nyumba za Umambo zakupitirira 120. M’gole la 2004 banja la Beteli lidafulukira ku mbuto ipsa. Ku mbuto ipsayi kumbagumanikambo Nyumba ya Mitsonkhano mikulu-mikulu, ndipo cimweci ni cisimbo cikulu kwene-kwene kwa abalewo.

Na kupita kwa nthawe inepano na Gail tidacita uxamwali na abale na mpfumakazi wa ku Etiópia. Ifepano timbawafuna kwene-kwene thangwe ra kudeka mtima kwawo. M’magole yakumaliziraya, tidayamba kugumana na mabvuto ya thanzi, tenepo tidauzidwa kuti tikatumikire ku Beteli ya ku Europa Central. Abale wa kuno ambatisamalira bwino, tsono tikana cisuwo ca axamwali wathu ku Etiópia.

Ifepano tidawona mwapafupi momwe Yahova adakulisira basa lace. (1 Wakolinto 3:6, 9) Mwa ciratizo, ku Congo ndidapalizira amuna winango wa ku Ruanda omwe akhaphata basa m’mina ya mkuwa. Amunawo akhanati kupaliziridwa kale na Mboni za Yahova, ndipo m’dziko la Ruanda mukhalibe mpalizi na m’bodziyo. Lero, m’dzikolo muna apalizi 30.000. Mu 1967, dziko la República Democrática do Congo, likhana apalizi 6.000. Tsapano lina apalizi 230.000, ndipo wanthu wakupitirira midyau ibodzi adagumanika pa Cikumbuso mu 2018. Mbogo ya apalizi m’madziko yense yomwe yakhasamaliridwa na Beteli ya ku Quênia yapitirira 100.000.

Magole yakupitirira 50 m’buyomu, Yahova adaphatisa basa abale wakusiyana-siyana kuti andithandize kupita mu utumiki bwa nthawe zense. Napo kuti mpaka pano ndimbabva mantha, ndidapfunza kukhulupira Yahova m’bzinthu bzense. Ndipo bzakugumana nabzo bza ku África bzandithandiza kukhala munthu wakupirira na wakukomedwa na bzomwe ndinabzo. Inepano na Gail timbatenda kwene-kwene abale na mpfumakazi omwe ni bziratizo bzabwino pa nkhani yakutambira alendo, kupirira na kukhulupira Yahova. Inepano ndimbatendambo kwene-kwene Mulungu thangwe ra kundilatiza kudeka mtima kwace kukulu komwe ndikhathemera lini. Mwakusaya kupenukira Yahova adandisimba kwene-kwene kuposa momwe ndikhadikhirira!—Psalymo 37:4.