NDINABADWA mu 1955 ku Queensland m’dziko la Australia. Mayi anga dzina lawo ndi a Estelle ndipo bambo anga ndi a Ron. Nditangobadwa, mayi anga anayamba kuphunzira Baibulo ndipo anabatizidwa chaka chotsatira. Koma bambo anga anadzabatizidwa patatha zaka 13. Ineyo ndinabatizidwanso ku Queensland komweko mu 1968.

Kuyambira ndili mwana ndinkakonda kuwerenga ndipo ndinkachita chidwi ndi zilankhulo. Nthawi zina tikamapita koyenda pa galimoto, makolo anga sankasangalala nane chifukwa chakuti ndinkangokhalira kuwerenga osati kuona malo okongola. Koma mtima wokonda kuwerengawu unandithandiza kusukulu. Ndinapita kusekondale ina kuchilumba cha Tasmania ndipo ndinkalandira mphoto zambiri chifukwa chokhoza bwino.

Kenako ndinapatsidwa mwayi wolipiriridwa kuyunivesite ndipo ndinafunika kusankha kupitako kapena ayi. Ndimathokoza kwambiri kuti mayi anga anandithandiza kuti ndizikondanso kwambiri Yehova osati kuwerenga kokha. (1 Akor. 3:18, 19) Makolo anga anavomera kuti ndisapite kuyunivesite ndipo ndinayamba upainiya mu January 1971. Pa nthawiyi ndinali ndi zaka 15 ndipo ndinali ndi satifiketi ya kusekondale.

 Ndiyeno ndinachita upainiya kwa zaka 8 ku Tasmania. Pa nthawi imeneyi ndinakwatira mtsikana wokongola dzina lake Jenny Alcock. Tinachitira limodzi upainiya wapadera kwa zaka 4 ku Smithton ndi ku Queenstown.

Mu 1978, tinapita ku msonkhano wa mayiko mumzinda wa Port Moresby ku Papua New Guinea. Aka kanali koyamba kupezeka pa msonkhano wa mayiko ndipo ndinamva mmishonale wina akukamba nkhani m’chilankhulo cha Chihiri Motu. Sindinkamva zimene ankanena koma ndinachita chidwi kwambiri. Zinandilimbikitsa kuti ndiyesetse kuti ndidzakhale mmishonale, kuphunzira zilankhulo zina ndiponso kukamba nkhani m’zilankhulozo. Ndinasangalala kuona kuti ndikhoza kuphunzira zilankhulo zina uku ndikutumikira Yehova.

Titabwerera ku Australia tinapemphedwa kuti tikachite umishonale kuchilumba china cha ku Tuvalu. Tinasamukira kuchilumbachi mu January 1979 ndipo tinangopezako abale awiri ndi mlongo mmodzi.

Tinkavutika kuphunzira Chituvalu chifukwa panalibe madikishonale kapena mabuku ophunzitsa chilankhulocho. Buku limene linkapezeka m’chilankhulochi linali Baibulo la “Chipangano Chatsopano” basi. Ndiye tinkayesetsa patokha kuphunzira mawu 10 kapena 20 tsiku lililonse. Koma pasanapite nthawi, tinazindikira kuti sitinkamvetsa bwino tanthauzo la mawu ambiri amene tinkaphunzirawo. Mwachitsanzo, m’malo mouza anthu kuti kukhulupirira mizimu n’kulakwa, tinkawauza kuti azipewa kugwiritsa ntchito masikelo ndi ndodo zoyendera. Koma tinayenera kuyesetsabe kuphunzira chilankhulocho chifukwa tinali titayamba kuphunzitsa anthu ambiri Baibulo. Patapita zaka zambiri, munthu wina amene tinkamuphunzitsa anati: “Tikusangalala kwambiri kuti panopa mukulankhula chilankhulo chathu. Poyamba, sitinkamva ngakhale pang’ono zimene munkanena.”

Kuchilumbachi kunalibe nyumba zalendi choncho tinkakhala limodzi ndi banja lina la Mboni. Izi zinatithandiza kuti tiphunzire bwino chilankhulocho. Tikutero chifukwa chakuti nthawi zonse tinkamva anthu akulankhula Chituvalu ndiponso kuona moyo wa kumeneko. Ndiyeno patapita zaka zambiri osalankhula Chingelezi pafupipafupi, Chituvalu chinakhala ngati chilankhulo chathu.

 Pasanapite nthawi, anthu ambiri ankafuna kuphunzira Baibulo koma tinalibe mabuku m’chilankhulo chawo. Anthuwo ankafunika mabuku oti azigwiritsa ntchito akamaphunzira, akapita ku misonkhano ndiponso akamaimba nyimbo. Popanda mabukuwa sakanafika pobatizidwa. Anthu odzichepetsawa ankafunikadi kupeza mabuku a chilankhulo chawo. (1 Akor. 14:9) Ndiyeno tinkadzifunsa kuti: ‘Popeza chilankhulochi ndi cha anthu osakwana 15,000, kodi zimenezi zitheka? Koma Yehova anathandiza kuti zitheke ndipo izi zinatitsimikizira mfundo ziwiri izi: Yoyamba, iye amafuna kuti Mawu ake alengezedwe “pazilumba zakutali.” Yachiwiri ndi yakuti amafuna kuti anthu ‘odzichepetsa ndi ofatsa apeze chitetezo m’dzina lake.’—Yer. 31:10; Zef. 3:12.

Mu 1980, ofesi ya nthambi inatipempha kuti tiyambe ntchito yomasulira mabuku koma tinkadzikayikira. (1 Akor. 1:28, 29) Ndiyeno tinagula makina enaake kuboma ndipo tinayamba kusindikiza zinthu zogwiritsa ntchito pa misonkhano. Kenako tinamasulira buku lakuti Coonadi Cimene Cimatsogolera ku Moyo Wamuyaya mu Chituvalu n’kulisindikizanso. Ntchito yosindikiza zinthu pamanjayi sinali yophweka chifukwa kunalibe magetsi, kunkatentha kwambiri ndipo inki inkanunkha koopsa.

Ntchito yomasulira inkavutanso kwambiri chifukwa choti panalibe mabuku ena kapena madikishonale. Koma nthawi zina tinkathandizidwa ndi anthu amene sitinkawaganizira. Mwachitsanzo, tsiku lina tikulalikira, ndinafika kwa munthu wina amene ankadana ndi Mboni. Munthuyo anali wachikulire amene anapuma pa ntchito ya uphunzitsi ndipo ananena nthawi yomweyo kuti sakufuna zoti timulalikire. Koma tisanapite, iye anatchula zinthu zina zokhudza chilankhulo cha Chituvalu zimene tinkalakwitsa pomasulira mabuku athu. Nditakafunsa anthu ena anavomereza kuti munthuyo ankanena zoona ndipo tinasintha. Ndinasangalala kuona kuti Yehova anatithandiza  pogwiritsa ntchito munthu wotsutsa amene ankawerenga mabuku athu.

Tinasindikizanso kapepala koitanira anthu ku Chikumbutso n’kugawira anthu ambiri. Kenako tinamasulira kapepala ka Uthenga wa Ufumu nambala 30 ndipo kanatuluka pa nthawi yofanana ndi kachingelezi. Tinasangalala kwambiri kupatsa anthu zinthu za mu chilankhulo chawo. Kenako tinayamba kumasulira mabuku ena ndi timabuku tina mu Chituvalu. Mu 1983, nthambi ya ku Australia inayamba kusindikiza magazini ya Nsanja ya Olonda ya masamba 24 m’Chituvalu ndipo mlungu uliwonse tinkaphunzira ndime pafupifupi 7. Popeza anthu a kumeneku amakonda kuwerenga, ankafunitsitsa kulandira mabuku athu. Buku lililonse likatuluka, ankalengeza pa wailesi ya boma ndipo nthawi zina ankazitchula koyambirira pa mitu ya nkhani. *

Poyamba, tinkamasulira mabuku pamanja. Koma kenako tinkagwiritsa ntchito makina otayipira. Tinkatayipa maulendo ambirimbiri kuti tikonze zolakwika zonse tisanatumize kunthambi ya ku Australia. Pa nthawi ina kunthambiyo, ankapempha alongo awiri kuti aliyense atayipe pa kompyuta zinthu zimene tamasulira ngakhale kuti sankadziwa chilankhulocho. Kenako ankayerekezera zimene anatayipazo n’kupeza pamene anasiyana. Izi zinathandiza kuti zinthu zolakwika zizichepa. Ndiyeno ankatitumizira bukulo kuti tilionenso kenako tinkalitumizanso kunthambi kuti akalisindikize.

Panopa zinthu zasintha kwambiri chifukwa chakuti anthu amatayipa pakompyuta nthawi imene akumasulirayo. Nthawi zambiri amangotumiza bukulo kunthambi ina kuti likasindikizidwe basi ndipo amagwiritsa ntchito Intaneti potumiza.

Ine ndi Jenny tinakatumikiranso m’zilumba zosiyanasiyana. Mu 1985, tinachoka ku Tuvalu ndipo tinakatumikira kunthambi ya ku Samoa. Kumeneko tinathandiza pa ntchito yomasulira mabuku m’chilankhulo cha Chisamowa, Chitongani, Chitokelau ndi Chituvalu. * Mu 1996, tinapemphedwa kukatumikira kunthambi ya ku Fiji. Kumenekonso tinathandiza pa ntchito yomasulira mabuku m’chilankhulo cha Chifiji, Chikiribati, Chinauru, Chirotuma ndi Chituvalu.

Ndimachitabe chidwi ndi khama la abale amene amamasulira mabuku athu. Ntchitoyi ndi yaikulu kwambiri ndiponso yovuta. Koma abalewa amayesetsa kuti uthenga wabwino ulalikidwe “kudziko lililonse, fuko lililonse, chinenero chilichonse, ndi mtundu uliwonse.” (Chiv. 14:6) Amachita zimenezi chifukwa chodziwa kuti ndi cholinga cha Mulungu. Mwachitsanzo, pamene tinkafuna kuyamba kumasulira Nsanja ya Olonda m’Chitongani, ndinafunsa akulu onse ku Tonga ngati akudziwa anthu amene angagwire ntchitoyi. Mkulu wina yemwe ankapeza ndalama zambiri pokonza magalimoto ananena kuti asiya ntchito yake tsiku lotsatira n’kuyamba kuthandiza pa ntchito yomasulira.  Izi zinandikhudza kwambiri chifukwa m’baleyo anali ndi banja koma sanadere nkhawa kuti azisamalira bwanji banja lakelo. Yehova anawasamalira ndipo iye anagwira ntchito yomasulira kwa zaka zambiri.

Nawonso abale a m’Bungwe Lolamulira amafunitsitsa kuti aliyense azitha kuphunzira Baibulo m’chilankhulo chake. Mwachitsanzo, nthawi ina anthu ena anafunsa ngati mabuku athu ayeneradi kumasuliridwa m’Chituvalu popeza anthu ochepa okha amachilankhula. Ndinalimbikitsidwa pamene Bungwe Lolamulira linayankha kuti: “Palibe chifukwa choti musiyire kumasulira mabuku athu m’Chituvalu. Ngakhale kuti anthu a chilankhulochi ndi ochepa, amafunikirabe kuphunzira uthenga wabwino m’chilankhulo chawo.”

Mu 2003, ine ndi Jenny tinapemphedwa kuchoka kunthambi ya ku Fiji n’kusamukira ku Patterson ku New York kukatumikira mu dipatimenti yoona za ntchito yomasulira mabuku. Tinasangalala kwambiri kukathandiza kuti mabuku athu ayambe kumasuliridwa m’zilankhulo zina. Pa zaka ziwiri zotsatira, tinali ndi mwayi wopita kumayiko osiyanasiyana kuti tikaphunzitse ntchito yomasulira mabuku.

Tsopano ndifotokoze bwino za msonkhano umene ndinatchula poyamba uja. Pofika m’chaka cha 2000, Bungwe Lolamulira linazindikira kuti abale omasulira mabuku athu padziko lonse ankafunikira kuphunzitsidwa ntchito yawo mokwanira. Choncho pa msonkhanowu tinafotokozera Komiti Yoona za Ntchito Yolemba Mabuku zimene tinapeza. Choncho Bungwe Lolamulira linavomera kuti pakhale ntchito yophunzitsa omasulira mabuku padziko lonse. Ndiyeno omasulira anayamba kuphunzira zambiri zokhudza Chingelezi, kugwira ntchito limodzi ndi anthu ena ndiponso luso lomasulira.

Kodi zonsezi zathandiza bwanji pa ntchito yomasulira? Panopa mabuku athu akumasuliridwa mwaluso ndiponso m’zilankhulo zambiri. Mu 1979, pamene tinayamba kukhala amishonale, Nsanja ya Olonda inkamasuliridwa m’zilankhulo 82 zokha. Magazini ambiri ankatenga nthawi yaitali kuti atuluke pambuyo poti yachingelezi yatuluka kale. Koma panopa Nsanja ya Olonda imamasuliridwa m’zilankhulo zoposa 240 ndipo zambiri zimatuluka nthawi yofanana ndi yachingelezi. Tsopano ntchito yomasulirayi ikuchitika m’zilankhulo zoposa 700. Kodi ankadziwa ndani kuti izi zidzachitika?

Mu 2004, Bungwe Lolamulira linasankha kuchita zinthu zina zosaiwalika. Linakonza zoti Baibulo la Dziko Latsopano liyambe kumasuliridwa m’zilankhulo zambiri. Pofika mu 2014, Baibulo lathunthu kapena mbali yake ina yamasuliridwa m’zilankhulo 128 ndipo zina ndi za kuzilumba zija.

 Mu 2011, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndipite ku msonkhano wa ku Tuvalu ndipo ndinasangalala kwambiri. M’dzikoli munali chilala kwa miyezi yambiri moti zinkaoneka kuti msonkhano ulephereka chifukwa cha kusowa kwa madzi. Koma tsiku limene tinafikalo mvula inagwa. Choncho msonkhano unachitikadi ndipo ndinali ndi mwayi waukulu wotulutsa Baibulo la Dziko Latsopano Lomasulira Malemba Achigiriki lachituvalu. Izi zinachitika ngakhale kuti chilankhulochi ndi cha anthu ochepa kwambiri. Msonkhano utangotha panagwanso chimvula. Kenako anthu anapita ataphunzira zambiri, atalandira Baibulo komanso madzi amvula.

Koma n’zomvetsa chisoni kwambiri kuti Jenny sanathe kukhala nawo pa msonkhano wosaiwalikawu. Iye anadwala khansa ya m’mawere kwa zaka 10 ndipo anamwalira mu 2009 nditakhala naye m’banja kwa zaka 35. Jenny akadzaukitsidwa adzasangalala kwambiri kudziwa kuti Baibulo lachituvalu linatulutsidwa.

Yehova wandidalitsanso pondithandiza kupeza mkazi wina wokongola dzina lake Loraini Sikivou. Iye ankagwira ntchito ndi Jenny ku Beteli ya ku Fiji koma ankamasulira m’chilankhulo cha Chifiji. Choncho ndapezanso mkazi wokhulupirika amene amakonda zilankhulo ndipo timatumikira Yehova limodzi.

Ndimalimbikitsidwa kwambiri ndikaganizira kuti Atate wathu wachikondi Yehova amasamalira anthu olankhula zilankhulo zosiyanasiyana, kaya akhale ambiri kapena ochepa. (Sal. 49:1-3) Anthu ambiri amasangalala kulandira mabuku ndiponso kuimba nyimbo zotamanda Yehova m’chilankhulo chawo. (Mac. 2:8, 11) Ndikukumbukira zimene m’bale wina wachikulire dzina lake Saulo Teasi ananena. Iye atangoimba koyamba nyimbo ya Ufumu m’chilankhulo chake anati: “Mukawauze a m’Bungwe Lolamulira kuti nyimbo zimakoma kwambiri m’Chituvalu kuposa m’Chingelezi.”

Kuyambira mu September 2005, ndakhala ndi mwayi umene sindinkauyembekezera wotumikira m’Bungwe Lolamulira la Mboni za Yehova. Panopa sindigwiranso ntchito yomasulira koma ndimathokoza Yehova chifukwa choti walola kuti ndizithandizabe kuti ntchitoyi iziyenda bwino padziko lonse. N’zosangalatsa kudziwa kuti Yehova amasamalira anthu ake onse ngakhale amene amakhala kuzilumba zakutali kwambiri. M’pake kuti wamasalimo ananena kuti: “Yehova wakhala mfumu! Dziko lapansi likondwere, ndipo zilumba zambiri zisangalale.”—Sal. 97:1.