NDIDABABWA mu 1926 m’mudzi wa Crooksville Ohio ku Estados Unidos. Tikhalipo wana asere ndipo baba na mai akhanamata lini tsono iwo akhambatiuza kuti timbayende ku gereja. Ndikhayenda ku gereja ya Metodista. Pomwe ndikhana magole 14 yakubadwa, m’busa adandipasa mabai-bai thangwe ndiribe kulova mdzinga ne na ubodziyo kwa gole lathunthu.

Pa nthawe imweyi, Margaret Walker omwe akhakhala pafupi na nyumba yathu akhali m’bodzi wa Mboni za Yahova, adayamba kumbazungira mai wangu acimbacezerana nawo nkhani za m’Bibliya. Nsiku inango ndidakumbuka kukhala nawo pabodzi. Mai wangu akhakumbukuka kuti ndingadadzongesa pfunzirolo, tenepo iwo adandiuza kuti ndicoke panja. Tsono ndidayeza kupitiriza kutetekera maceza yawoyo. Pambuyo pakubwera maulendo mazinji pa muipo, Margaret adandibvunza kuti: “Kodi iwepo umbalidziwa dzina la Mulungu?” Ine ndimutawira kuti: “Munthu ali-wense an’dziwa kuti iye ni Mulungu.” Margaret adandiuza kuti: “Ndoko ukatenge Bibliya lako ndipo ukawone pa Psalymo 83:18.” Ndidacitadi bzimwebzo, ndipo ndidazindikira kuti dzina la Mulungu ni Yahova. Ndidayenda kwa axamwali wangu ndicikawauza kuti: “Mukayenda ku mui usiku buno, mukafungule m’Bibliya pa Psalymo 83: 18 ndipo munkawona dzina la Mulungu.” Imwepo yambani kulewa kuti ine ndayamba kukhala mboni.

Ndidapfunza Bibliya ndipo ndidabatizidwa mu 1941. Mwakusaya kucedwa ndidapasidwa mbali, kuti ndimbacitise pfunziro la bukhu la gwere. Ndidalimbisa mai wangu na abale wangu kuti ndiyende nawo pabodzi, ndipo wensene akhambagumanika pa pfunziro la bukhu lomwe ine ndikhacitisa. Koma baba wangu alibe kufuna.

Ndidapasidwa udindo buzinji m’gwere, ndipo ndidakonza biblioteka yangu m’nyumba. Nsiku inango, baba adalata mabukhu yangu acilewa kuti: “Iwepo unkubziwona bzensene bzire? Ndikubzifuna lini pa mui pano, ndipo iwepo ucoke nabzo pabodzi.” Ndidacokadi pamuipo ndiciyenda kukakhala mu mzinda wapafupi na Zanesville, Ohio, tsono ndikhambabwerera ku mui kuti ndikalimbise wathu wa pamui pathu.

Baba akhaletsa mai kuyenda ku mitsonkhano. Tsono nthawe zinango pomwe mai akhacoka kuti ayende ku mitsonkhanoko, babawo akhawaletsa acimbawapfuwira m’nyumba. Tsono maiwo akhathawa ndipo akhabula na msuwo munango aciyenda ku mitsonkhano. Ndidauza maiwo kuti: “Lekani thupo. Iwo an’dzaneta kukuletsaniku.” Na kupita kwa nthawe, babawo adanetadi kuwaletsako, ndipo maiwo akhambayenda kumitsonkhano mwakusaya kunesana nawo.

Mu 1943 m’gwere lathu mudayambika Xikola ya Utumiki bwa Mulungu, ndipo inepano ndidayamba kumbafotokoza nkhani za mu xikolayi. Malango yomwe ndidatambira pambuyo pa nkhani yangu ya mu xikolayi, yadandithandiza kuti ndikulise luso langu lakulewa-lewa.

Pa nthawe imweyi, mitundu yense ya wanthu idayamba kumenya nkhondo yaciwiri ya pa dziko lense lapansi. Mu 1944, ndidacemeredwa kuti ndikapite basa la ucikunda. Inepano ndidayenda ku likulu la acikunda lakucemeredwa Fort Hayes ku Columbus, Ohio, komwe ndidakapimidwa m’thupi. Ndipo ndidawuzambo akulu-akulu wa acikundawo kuti ndingakhale lini mcikunda. Iwo adandiuza kuti ndiyende ku mui. Nsiku zing’ono-ng’ono patsogolo pace, mkulu wa mphanvu za umangi adabwera pamui pangu acindiuza kuti: “Corwin Robison, inepano ndatumidwa kudzakumanga kuti uyende mkawo.

Ku tribunal pambuyo pa midzinga miwiri, muyeruzi m’bodzi adalewa kuti: Bzingadathemba ine kuti ndicite cakusankhula pa mulandu wako ndigadatonga, kuti ukhale m’kawoko moyo wako wense. Una cakulewa? Koma ine ndidatawira kuti: “Wakulemekezeka, inepano ndingadafunika kuwonedwa ninga m’busa. Ndimbapalizira bzipsa bza bwino bza Umambo kwa wanthu azinji mwa kuyenda ku mui na mui.” Muyeruziyo adauza wanthu womwe akhatonga nayewo kuti: “Imwepo mulibe kubwera pano kuti mudzatonge penu mwamunayu ni m’busa ayai ne. Koma imwepo muli pano kuti mutonge penu ayendesedwe ku nkhondo ayai ne.” Mu nthawe ing’ono-ng’ono, ayeruzi adabwerera na bzomwe akhadatonga pa mulanduyo. Ndipo ndidatongedwa kuti ndikhale m’kawoko kwa magole maxanu ku Ashland, Kentucky.

Ndidamala midzinga miwiri ndiri m’kawoko ku Columbus, Ohio, ndipo nsiku yakuyamba ndidapitiriza kukhala m’kacipinda kangu. Ndidapemba kwa Yahova kuti: “Lekani kundilekerera kukhala m’kawoko muno magole maxanu. Tsono ndin’dziwa lini comwe ndingacite.”

Mangwana yace, mulindiri adandifungulira mu kacipinda mule. Ndidayenda pomwe pakhana nyamkawoko  m’bodzi mtali wa mapewa makulu, ndipo tikhambanyang’anisa kunja na pajanela. Iye adandibvunza kuti: “Kodi m’fupiwe ndiwe mbani?” Ine ndidamutawira kuti: “Ndine Mboni ya Yahova.” Iye adati: “Iwepo ndiwe Mboni ya Yahova? Tsono thangwe ranyi uli m’kawoko muno? Inepano ndidati: “Mboni za Yahova zimbayenda lini ku nkhondo ndipo zimbapha lini wanthu.” Iye adati: “Iwo adakumanga thangwe un’funa lini kupha wanthu. Koma iwo adamanga alumbwana winango thangwe adapha wanthu. Tsono bzimwebzi bzina msolo?” ndidatawira kuti: “Ne, bziribe na msoloyo.”

Patsogolo pace iye adati: “Kwa magole 15 ndikhali m’kawoko kwinango, ndiko komwe ndidawerenga mabukhu yanu.” Pomwe akhalewa bzimwebzi inepano ndidapemba kuti: “Yahova, ndithandizeni kuti munthuyu akhale kumbali kwangu.” Pa nthawe imweyi, Paulo lomwe likhali dzina lace, adalewa kuti: “Munthu ali-wense muno akafuna kukunesa, ukuwe. Ndipo ine ndin’dzawonana naye.” Bzinthu bzidacinjadi, inepano ndiribe kunesedwa na anzangu 50 wa m’kawoko wale.

Pomwe mkulu wa acikunda adandicinja kuti ndiyende ku Ashland, ndidakagumana abale wakukhwima mwauzimu omwe akhali kale kumweko. Kukhala nawo pabodzi kudathandiza ine pabodzi na winango kupitiriza kukhala wakulimba mwauzimu. Iwo adalinganiza kuti timbawerenge Bibliya m’dzinga uliwense, ndipo tikhambakonzekerambo mibvunzo na mitawiro pa mtsonkhano wa kathimu ka abale. Ndipo kukhadasankhulidwambo mtumiki wa gawo. Tikhambagona m’cipinda cikulu comwe cikhana kama zizinji. Mtumiki wa gawo ule adandiuza kuti: “Robison, iwepo ndiwe uninyang’anira kama ire na ire. Ali-wense omwe anipasidwa kama zimwezi umweyo ali m’gawo lako. Uwonesese kuti wamupalizira, pomwe iye akanati kucoka.” Umu ni momwe tikhapalizirira mu njira yakulinganizika.

Nkhondo yaciwiri ya pa dziko lapansi idamala mu 1945, koma ndidapitiriza kukhala m’kawoko. Inepano ndikhana thupo na banja lathu thangwe baba wangu akhadandiuza kuti: “Ndikathamangisa iwepo, winangowa ndin’neseka lini nawo.” Tsono pambuyo pa kucosedwa m’kawoko, ndidadabwa kwene-kwene. Napo akhatsutsidwa na baba, wanthu anomwe wa m’banja lathu wankhambagumanika pa mitsonkhano ndipo mpfumakazi yangu ibodzi idabatidwa.

Ku Corea, pomwe nkhondo idayambika mu 1950, ndidakakamizidwa pomwe kaciwiri kuti ndipite nkhondo ndipo ndidayenda pomwe ku Fort Hayes. Pambuyo pa kuyezedwa ndiciwonedwa kuti ndikhali wakuthemera, mkulu munango wa acikunda adandiuza kuti: “Iwepo ndiwe udathemera  kwene-kwene pa thimu.” Ine ndidalewa kuti: “Ooh bzabveka, tsono inepano ndiniyenda lini ku nkhondo.” Ndidaphatisa basa mafala ya pa 2 Timotio 2:3 ndiciti: “Ndine kale m’cikunda wa Kristu.” Pambuyo pakukhala zi, iye adandiuza kuti: “Ndoko.”

Mwakusaya kupita nthawe, ndidagumanika pa mtsonkhano wa anyakufuna katumikira ku Beteli pa mtsonkhano wacigawo ku Cincinnati, Ohio. M’bale Milton Henschel adatiuza kuti penu alipo m’bale omwe an’funa kucita bzizinji mu Umambo, gululi lingamuphatise basa pa Beteli. Cakulinga cangu ca utumki bwa pa Beteli cidabvumidwa, ndipo ndidatumizidwa ku Beteli ya Brooklyn mu Agosto 1954. Ndidakhala pa Beteli kutomera nthawe imweyi.

Ndiribe kusaya basa pa Beteli. Kwa magole mazinji, ndidaphata basa la kumbakonza-konza makina. Ndipo ndidaphatambo basa la kumanga Nyumba zakucitira Mitsonkhano ikulu-ikulu mu mzinda wa Nova York.

Ndidafika pa kufunisisa basa la uzimu la pa Beteli, kuphatanidza kucezerana ninga baja vesi la nsiku, pfunziro la Nsanza ya Mulindiri na kuyenda mu utumiki pabodzi na gwere. Ndikambakumbukira, ndinkuwona kuti mabanja yali-yense ya Mboni za Yahova yan’funika kuti yambacitembo bzimwebzi. Abereki akambacezerana vesi la nsiku pabodzi na wana, kunamata ninga banja mwakukhazikika, kumbagumanika pa mitsonkhano ya gwere nthawe zense na kupalizira bzipsa bza bwino, ali-wense m’banja an’dzakhala wathanzi mwauzimu.

Ndidakhala na axamwali azinji pa Beteli na m’gwere. Winango wa iwo adadzozedwa ndipo adatambira bzisimbo bzawo kudzulu koma winango akanati. Tsono atumiki wense wa Yahova kuphatanidza na abale wa pa Beteli ni wanthu wakuperewera. Nthawe zense ndikanyosana na m’bale ndikhacita ciri-cense kuti pakhale na mtendere. Ndikhakumbukira Mateu 5:23, 24 na bzomwe timbadikhirira kucita kuti timalise kusaya kubvesesana. Napo kupepesa n’cinthu lini cakupusa, tsono ndikanyosana na xamwali wangu ndicimuuza kuti pepani ndimbawona kuti mabvuto yambamala.

Thangwe ra kukalamba, tsapano nthawe zinango kupalizira nyumba na nyumba kumbakhala kwakundinesa, koma cipo ndicileka kupalizira. Ndimbapfunza pang’ono cirewedwe ca ku China ca Cimandarin ndipo ndimbakondwa kupalizira maxineji mu mseu. Nthawe zinango macibese ndimbagawira marevista 30 ayai 40 kwa wanthu wakufunisisa.

 Ndimbacita makonzedwe ya ulendo bwakubwereza mu cixineji! Nsiku yinango, mtsikana munango wakucenjera adapita pana ine ndipo akhambandimwetukira acimbakuwira malonda yace ya bzisapo. Ine ndidamwetukirambo ndicimupasa Nsanza ya Mulindiri na Galamukani! za cixineji. Iye adatambira ndipo adandiuza dzina lace kuti akhali Katie. Pambuyo pa bzimwebzi nthawe zense Katie akandiwona, akhambabwera kudzaceza nane. Ndidamupfunzisa madzina ya bzisapo na ya bzakudya bza masamba mu cingirezi, ndipo ndikalewa iye akhambabwezerambo. Ndipo ndidamufotokozerambo mavesi ya m’Bibliya, acitambira bukhu lakuti Bibliya Limbapfunzisa Ciyani. Pambuyo pa midzinga minango, ndiribe kudzawonana naye pomwe.

Yitapita minyezi, mtsikana munango omwe akhapita acimbakuwira malonda yace adatambira marevista yomwe ndidamugawira. Mdzinga wa mangwana yace, iye adandipasa mtedwe wace ndipo adalewa kuti: “Lewalewani na munthu wa ku China.” Ine ndidatawira kuti: “Ndiribe munthu wakudziwana naye ku China.” Tsono iye adandingingimira ndipo ndidatambira mtedwe waceyo ndicitawira kuti: “Alo, ndine Robison.” Ndipo mu mtedwemo fala lidati: “A Robby, ndine Katie. Ndiri kuno ku China.” Ine ndidati: “Ku China?” Katie adatawira kuti: “Inde, a Robby, imwepo munkumudziwa mtsikana omwe wakupasani mtedweyo? Iye ni m’bale wangu. Imwepo mudandipfunzisa bzinthu bzizinji bzabwino. Ndaphata minyendo, mupfunzisenimbo ninga momwe mudandipfunzisira.” Ine ndidamuuza Katie kuti: “Ndiniyezera momwe ndingakwanisiremo. Ndatenda pa kundiuza komwe uli.” Mwa kusaya kupita nthawe, ndidalewalewa na m’bale wace wa Katie pa ulendo bwakumalizira. Kuli-kwense komwe atsikanawo ali, ndina cidikhiro cakuti iwo ankupfunza bzizinji pakulewa bza Yahova.

Utumiki bwakupambulika bwa Yahova bwakhala basa langu kwa magole 73. Ndinkukondwa kwene-kwene thangwe iye adandithandiza kuti ndileke kupitira pa bzandale na kupitiriza kukhala wakukhulupirika, pomwe ndikhali m’kawoko. Ndipo abale wangu adandiuza kuti iwo adakhala wakulimba, pomwe ine ndikhatsutsidwa na baba mwakusaya kubwerera m’mbuyo. Mai wangu na abale wangu atanthatu adadzabatizidwa. Baba adadzacinja ndipo nthawe zinango akhagumanika pa mitsonkhano pomwe akhanati kufa.

Penu n’kufuna kwa Mulungu, wanthu wa m’banja mwangu pabodzi na axamwali wangu womwe wadafa an’dzalamusidwa kuti akhale na moyo mu dziko lipsa. Kumbukirani cikondweso comwe tin’dzakhala naco pa kutumikira Yahova pabodzi na wale womwe timbawafuna kwa nthawe zense! *