Ndidabadwa mu gole la 1955 ndipo ndine mwana wakumalizira pa wana atatu m’mimba mwathu. Ndidakulira pafupi na gombe la ku sul kwa Finlândia, komwe tsapano kumbadziwika na dzina lakuti Vantaa.

Mai wangu adabatizidwa acikhala Mboni ya Yahova pomwe inepano ndikhanati kubadwa. Tsono pai wangu akhatsutsa cadidi ndipo alibe kulekerera kuti mai wangu apfunze nafe Bibliya ayai kumbatitenga kuti ayende nafe ku mitsonkhano. Na tenepo, iwo akhambapfunza nafe Bibliya pai wathu pakakhala palibe.

Kuyambira pomwe ndikhali mwana ndikhali ku mbali ya Yahova. Mwa ciratizo, pomwe ndikhana magole 7, apfunzisi wangu akhambandikalipira thangwe ndikhalamba kudya verilättyjä (Yomwe ni mabolo ya ku Finlândia yomwe yambakonzedwa na mulopa). Iwo adaphata mulomo wangu aciyezera kundidyesa bololo. Tsono bziribe kukwanisika thangwe rakuti ndidawapsokonyola garfu yomwe ikhali m’manja mwawo.

Pai wangu adasaika pomwe ndikhana magole 12. Pomwe bzimwebzi bzidacitika ni pomwe ndidadzayamba kumbayenda ku mitsonkhano. Abale m’gwere adandilatiza kudeka mtima ndipo bzimwebzi bzidandilimbikisa kuti ndiyende patsogolo mwauzimu. Ndidayamba kumbawerenga Bibliya ntsiku zentse na kumbapfunza mabukhu yathu. Bzimwebzi bzidandicitisa kuti ndibatizidwe na magole 14, pa 8 Agosto 1969.

 Pomwe ndidamaliza kupfunza ndidayamba kucita upainiya bwakukhazikika. Mu sumana zing’ono-ng’ono, ndidayenda kukapalizira komwe kukhafunikira apalizi azinji mu mzinda wa Pielavesi, pafupi na Finlândia.

Ku Pielavesi, ndidadziwana na mkazangu Sirkka. Ndikhamufuna thangwe rakuti iye akhali wakubzicepesa ndipo akhafuna kwene-kwene Yahova. Iye akhafuna lini kubvekera ndipo akhafuna lini bzinthu bzizinji bzakuthupi. Tentse tikhafuna kutumikira Yahova mwakukhulupirika bziribe basa komwe angadatiuza kuti tikatumikireko. Tidalowolana pa 23 Março 1974. M’mbuto mwakuyenda kukapfatsa na mkazi wangu pomwe tidandomala kulowolana, tidayenda kukatumikira ku Karttula komwe kukhafunikira apalizi azinji.

Kuyambira pomwe tidalowolana, Yahova adalatiza kuti angadatisamalira mwakuthupi tingadaikha Umambo bwace pa mbuto yakuyamba. (Mateu 6:33) Mwa ciratizo, pomwe tikhali ku Karttula, tikhalibe karo. Pakuyamba tikhayenda na njinga. Tsono, nthawe za mainza kukhacita mphepo kwene-kwene. Tikafuna kukapalizira mphimpha zinango za mu gawo lathu tikhafunikira karo. Tsono tikhalibe kobiri kuti tigulire karoyo.

Mwakusaya kudikhiririka, mano wangu akulu adabwera kudzandizungira. Iwo adatipasa karo yawo. Madokumento yentse ya karoyo yakhadapagalidwi kale. Tikhandofunikira kugula kombustive basi. Tsapano tikhanayo karo yomwe tingadaiphatisa basa.

Yahova adalatiza kuti akhatisamalira mwakuthupi. Bzomwe tikhafunikira kucita ndibzo kuikha Umambo bwace pa mbuto yakuyamba.

Pomwe tikhali ku Xikola ya Utumiki bwa Upainiya mu 1978, Raimo Kuokkanen, a omwe akhali pfunzisi wathu adatilimbikisa kuti tiyende ku Xikola ya Jileyade. Na tenepo, tidayamba kupfunza Cingerezi na cakulinga cakuti tiyende ku xikolako. Tsono mu 1980, pomwe tikhanati kuyenda ku xikolako, tidacemeredwa kuti tikatumikire ku mthambi ya Finlândia. Pa nthawe imweyire, wanthu omwe akhatumikira pa Beteli akhayenda lini ku Xikola ya Jileyade. Tsono, tikhafuna kutumikira komwe Yahova akhafuna sikuti komwe ifepano tikhafuna. Ndipopa tidabvuma mcemoyo. Napo bziri tenepo, tidapitiriza kupfunza Cingerezi kuti pinango pentse pangadzagumanike mwayi wakudzayenda ku Xikola ya Jileyade.

Na kupita kwa nthawe, Bungwe Lakutonga lidadzapasa mwayi wanthu omwe akhatumikira pa  Beteli kuti ayendembo ku Jileyade. Tidadzaza petição mwakamfulumize, tsono bzimwebzi bzin’funa lini kulewa kuti tikhakomedwa lini na kutumikira pa Beteli. M’mbuto mwace tikhandofuna kubzipereka kuti tikatumikire komwe kukhafunikira apalizi azinji penu bzingadakwanisika. Tidatawiridwa ndipo tidakacita mapfunziroya mu turma 79 mwezi wa Setembro 1985. Tidauzidwa kuti tingadakatumikira ku Colômbia.

Pomwe tikhali ku Colômbia, tidauzidwa kuti tikatumikire ku mthambi. Ndidayezera kucita bzomwe ningadakwanisa pa utumiki bumwebu, tsono pomwe tidamala gole libodzi tiri ku mthambiko tidawona kuti tikhafunikira kucinja. Pa moyo wangu wentse, kukhali kuyamba kukumbira utumiki bunango. Patsogolo pace, tidauzidwa kuti tikatumikire ninga amisiyonario mu mzinda wa Neiva, m’dera la Huíla.

Kuyambira kale-kale ndikhambafuna kwene-kwene basa la kupalizira. Pomwe ndikhanati kulowola ndipo ndikhatumikira ninga mpainiya ku Finlândia, nthawe zinango ndikhambapalizira kuyambira macibese mpaka usiku. Pomwe ndidalowola, inepano na Sirkka tikhambapalizira ntsiku yentse. Thangwe ra kupalizira ku mbuto zakutali, nthawe zinango tikhambagona m’karo. Bzimwebzi bzikhacitisa kuti nthawe yathu yakupalizira ireke kumalira mu njira pakucita ulendo ndipo bzikhacitisambo kuti tiyambe kupalizira macibese-bese.

Ninga amisiyonario tidakhala pomwe na cikondweso comwe tikhanaco pakuyamba mu utumiki. Gwere lathu lidakula ndipo abale na mpfumakazi wa ku Colômbia akhali waulemu, walufoyi na wakutenda.

Pafupi na ku Neiva komwe tikhacita utumiki bwathu kukhana mizinda inango yomwe kukhalibe Mboni za Yahova. Ndikhacita thupo kwene-kwene kuti cadidi cingadafika tani kwa wanthu amwewa. Na tenepo, thangwe ra nkhondo yomwe ikhacitika m’mizinda imweyi bzikhali bzakunesa kwene-kwene kuti wanthu omwe akhali lini wa mizinda imweyi ayende kumweko. Ndipopa ndidapemba kuti pawoneke munthu m’bodzi wakukhala m’mizinda imweyi kuti akhale Mboni ya Yahova. Ndidawonambo kuti munthuyo akhafunikira kukhala wa mu mzinda wa Neiva kuti apfunze cadidi. Ndipo ndidapembambo kuti munthuyo akabatizidwa, akule mwauzimu acibwerera ku mzinda wace kuti akapalizire. Inepano ndikhafunika kudziwa kuti Yahova ndiye omwe akhana njira yabwino yakucitira bzimwebzi sikuti inepano.

Pomwe padapita nthawe, ndidayamba kupfunza Bibliya na mulumbwana munango wakucemeredwa Fernando González. Iye akhakhala ku Algeciras, mzinda ubodzi omwe ukhalibembo Mboni za Yahova. Fernando akhacita ulendo bwa makilometro 50 kuti ayende kukaphata basa ku Neiva. Iye akhakonzekera bwino pfunziro liri-lentse ndipo mwakusaya kucedwa adayamba kutsonkhana mwakukhazikika. Kuyambira pa sumana yomwe Fernando adayamba kupfunza Bibliya, iye akafika kumui akhambauza wanthu winango bzomwe iye akhapfunzabzo.

Pomwe adapfunza Bibliya kwa minyezi 6, Fernando adabatizidwa mu Janeiro 1990. Patsogolo pace iye adakhala mpainiya wakukhazikika. Thangwe ra kukhala na Mboni ibodzi ku Algeciras, tsapano bzikhali bzakukwanisika kuti mthambi itumize apainiya wakupambulika. Mu Fevereiro 1992, gwere lidakhazikisidwa ku mzinda umweyu.

Kodi Fernando adandopalizira ku Algeciras kokha? Ne! Kucokera pomwe adalowola, iye na mkazace  adayenda kukakhala ku San Vicente del Caguán, omwe ukhali mzinda unango omwe ukhalibe Mboni za Yahova. Kumweko iwo adakhazikisa gwere. Mu 2002, Fernando adakhala nyakunyang’anira dera ndipo iye na mkazace, Olga, akupitiriza kutumikira ninga nyakunyang’anira dera mpaka pano.

Na nkhani imweyi ndidapfunza kuti mpsakufunika kwene-kwene kumbapemba mwakucita kufotokozeratu bzinthu bzomwe ndikufuna pa nkhani ya utumiki bwathu. Yahova ambacita bzomwe ifepano timbakwanisa lini kucita. Ifepano timbadziwa kuti munda ngwace sikuti wathu. — Mateu 9:38.

Mu gole la 1990 ndidayamba kutumikira ninga nyakung’anira dera. Dera lathu lakuyamba likhali ku likulu la Bogotá. Tikhacita mantha penu tingadakwanisadi kucita basali. Inepano na mkazangu ndife wanthu omwe tiribe kupfunza kwene-kwene. Ndipo tikhalibe kuzolowera kukhala ku mbuto komwe kukhakhalidwa na wanthu azinji. Tsono Yahova adateweza piciro lace lomwe limbagumanika pa Afilipi 2:13. Pomwe pambati: “Mulungu ngule omwe mwakubverana na kufuna kwace, ambakupasani mphanvu na cikhumbo kuti mucite bzomwe iye akufuna.”

Patsogolo pace, tidauzidwa kuti tikatumikire ku Medellín, mzinda omwe ndaulewa pakuyamba ule. Wanthu wa kumweko akhadazolowera ciwembo comwe cikhambacitika mu mseu mwakuti bzimwebzi bzikhambawapasa lini pomwe mantha. Mwa ciratizo, ntsiku inango pomwe ndikhacitisa pfunziro la Bibliya, tidayamba kubva kulira kwa nfuti pafupi na kumui kwa munthu omwe ndikhapfunza naye Bibliyayo. Inepano ndidadzidzimuka ndipo ndikhafuna kugwa, tsono nyakupfunza wangu wa Bibliya adapitiriza kuwerenga ndimeyo mwakugwa mpfuwa. Pomwe adamaliza kuwerenga ndimeyo, iye adandiuza kuti, “nin’bwera tsapanopa.” Pomwe padapita nthawe pang’ono, iye adabwera na wana ang’ono awiri ndipo adalewa kuti: “Pepani, ndikhafunikira kukatenga wana wanguwa.”

Tidagumana na mabvuto yanango. Ntsiku inango, pomwe tikhapalizira nyumba na nyumba, mkazi wangu adabwera acithamanga ndipo akhadaneta kwene-kwene. Iye adalewa kuti munthu munango akhadamulizira nfuti. Bzimwebzi bzidandipasa mantha kwene-kwene. Patsogolo pace, tidadzabvesesa kuti munthuyo akhalizira lini nfuti Sirkka; koma akhalizira mwamuna munango omwe akhali pafupi na iye.

Na kupita kwa nthawe, ciwembo cikhaticitisa lini pomwe mantha. Tikhalimbikisidwa kwene-kwene na abale na mpfumakazi omwe akhakhala ku mbuto zimwezi acimbagumana na mabvuto yamweya na yanango kuposa yamweya. Tidakwanisa kuwona kuti penu Yahova akhathandiza abalewo, iye angadatithandizambo. Nthawe zentse tikhambabvera malango ya akulu wa kumweko, tikhambacita bzinthu mwakusamala ndipo bzinango tikhambabzisiya m’manja mwa Yahova.

Nkhani zinango zikhali lini zakugopswa ninga momwe tikhakumbukirira. Ntsiku inango, ndidabva ninga akazi awiri akupopotezana pafupi na nyumba yomwe ndikhazungira. Inepano ndikhafuna lini kuwona kupopotezanako, tsono mwenekaciro wa muiyo adandiuza kuti tikawone. Pomwe tidafika tidawona kuti zikhali mbalame ziwiri za papagaio zomwe zikhatewezera bzomwe avizinyu akhalewa-lewa.

Mu 1997, ndidaikhidwa kukhala mpfunzisi wa Xikola Yakupfunzisa Utumiki. b Kuyambira kale-kale, inepano ndikhafuna kuyenda ku xikola ya utumiki, tsono ndikhakumbukira lini kuti ningadadzakhala na mwayi umweyu.

Patsogolo pace ndidadzakhala nyakunyang’anira cigawo. Pomwe makonzedwe yamweya yadamala, ndidayamba pomwe kutumikira ninga nyakunyang’anira dera. Kwa magole yakupitirira 30, ndidakomedwa kwene-kwene kutumikira ninga pfunzisi na nyakunyang’anira dera. Utumiki bumwebu budandicitisa kuti ndigumane bzisimbo bzizinji kwene-kwene. Tsono ni nthawe lini zentse pomwe bzinthu bzikhafamba bwino. Dikhirani ndikufotokozereni.

Ndine munthu wakukhwimika na wakutsimikiza. Bzimwebzi bzidandithandiza kuti ndikwanise kukunda mabvuto yakunesa. Tsono nthawe zinango nimbacita nyongo kwene-kwene kuti ndipereke malango m’gwere. Pa nthawe inango, ndidapereka malango kwa abale winango m’gwere kuti akhafunikira kulatiza lufoyi na kumbaleka kumbangingimira nzeru zawo pomwe akucita bzinthu na abale na mpfumakazi zawo. Tsono bzakudabwisa mpsakuti pa nthawe imweyi inepano ndikhalibembo makhalidwe yamweya. — Aroma 7:21-23.

Nthawe zinango nimbasunama thangwe ra bzakuphonya bzangu. (Aroma 7:24) Nthawe inango ndidapemba kwa Yahova ndicimuuza kuti bzingadakhala bwino ndicisiya utumiki bwangu bwa umisiyonario ndicibwerera ku Finlândia. Usiku bumwebule, ndidayenda ku mitsonkhano. Bzomwe ndidabva kumweko bzidandithandiza kuwona kuti ndikhafunikira kupitiriza kucita utumiki bwangu ndicipitirizambo kucita nyongo yakulimbana na bzakuphonya bzangu. Mpaka pano nimbakhala wakukondwa ndikakumbukira momwe Yahova adatawirira mpembo wangu ule. Kuthumizira bzimwebzi, nimbatenda momwe iye adandithandizira mwakudeka mtima kuti ndilimbane na bzakuphonya bzangu.

Inepano na Sirkka timbatenda kwene-kwene mwayi omwe tinawo wa kutumikira Yahova mu utumiki bwa nthawe zentse. Nimbatendambo Yahova thangwe ra kundipasa mkazi omwe ngwa lufoyi na wakukhulupirika.

Tsapanopali nin’kwanisa magole 70 ndipo nin’siya utumiki bwangu ninga pfunzisi wa utumiki na nyakunyang’anira dera. Tsono bzimwebzi bzimbandisunamisa lini. Thangwe ranyi? Thangwe nimbakhulupira na mtima wentse kuti bzomwe bzimbatumbizisa Yahova, ndibzo kumutumikira mwakubzicepesa na kumutumbiza na mtima wa lufoyi na wakutenda. (Mika 6:8; Marko 12:32-34) Kuti titumbize Yahova timbafunikira lini kukhala na utumiki bwakupambulika.

Ndikakumbukira utumiki bomwe ndakhala nabo, nimbazindikira kuti ndiribe kutambira utumikibu thangwe rakuti ndikhali wakufunika kwene-kwene kuposa winango, ayai thangwe rakuti ndikhadziwa kwene-kwene bzinthu. M’mbuto mwace, Yahova adandipasa utumiki bumwebu thangwe ra kudeka mtima kwace. Iye adandipasa udindo bumwebu napo kuti ndine munthu wakuperewera. Ndikudziwa kuti ndidakwanisa kucita utumiki bumwebu na thandizo la Yahova. Mwa njira imweyi, kuwofoka kwangu kudathandizidwa na mphanvu ya Mulungu. — 2 Akolinto 12:9.