DAWE yitwa Arthur Guest. Akiri umusore yarakunda cane Imana, akaba rero yari afise icipfuzo co kuba umuvugabutumwa mw’idini ry’abametodiste. Ariko rero, igihe yasoma ibitabu vy’Abatohoji ba Bibiliya maze agatangura kwifatanya na bo, yaciye ahindura ivyiyumviro. Yabatijwe mu 1914 afise imyaka 17. Kubera ko ico gihe Intambara ya mbere y’isi yose yariko irabica bigacika, baramutumyeko ngo aje mu gisoda. Yaranse gufata ibirwanisho, baca bamucira gupfungwa amezi cumi mw’ibohero rya Kingston, mu ntara ya Ontario muri Kanada. Amaze kurekurwa, yaciye atangura umurimo w’igihe cose (ubutsimvyi).

Mu 1926, dawe yarubakanye na mawe Hazel Wilkinson. Nyokuru avyara mawe yamenye ukuri mu 1908. Navutse ku wa 24 Ndamukiza 1931, nkaba ngira kabiri mu bana bane. Umuryango wacu waritaho cane gusenga Yehova. Kuba dawe yarubaha cane Bibiliya, vyaratumye tubaho dukunda Ijambo ry’Imana. Uko tugize umuryango, twarakunda kujana kwamamaza inzu ku nzu.—Ivyak. 20:20.

Mu 1939, Intambara ya kabiri y’isi yose yaradutse. Mu mwaka wakurikiye, igikorwa c’Ivyabona vya Yehova carabujijwe muri Kanada. Mu mashure ya leta, baragira ibirori vyo guhayagiza igihugu vyajamwo kuramutsa ibendera no kuririmba ururirimbo rw’igihugu. Ivyo birori bigeze, twe na mushikanje mukuru Dorothy baca badusohora. Umusi umwe, nagiye numva umwigisha wacu amaramaza mu bandi bana ngo ndi ikinyabwoba. Dutashe, abanyeshure batari bake barangurukiyeko barankubita bongera bantura hasi. Ariko aho kunca intege, ivyo vyatumye nyabuna ndushiriza kwiyemeza “kugamburukira Imana nka yo mutware aho kugamburukira abantu.”—Ivyak. 5:29.

 Nabatijwe muri Mukakaro 1942 mfise imyaka 11, mbatirizwa mu kinogo c’amazi cari mw’iyororero rimwe. Mu buruhuko, narakunda gukora ubutsimvyi bwo gufasha. Igihe kimwe, narajanye n’abandi bavukanyi batatu kubwira inkuru nziza abantu bicira ibiti mu buraruko bwa Ontario, kakaba kari akarere Ivyabona batakoreramwo.

Ku wa 1 Rusama 1949, narabaye umutsimvyi asanzwe. Kubera yuko ishami ryo muri Kanada ryariko rirubakwa, barantumyeko ngo nje gufasha, maze ku wa 1 Kigarama nca ngenwa kuba Umunyabeteli. Nashinzwe gukorera mw’icapuriro, nca ndiga gukoresha imashini zicapura. Namaze amayinga atari make nkora ijoro, ducapura agapapuro k’inkuru nziza kavuga ivy’uruhamo rwariko rurashikira Ivyabona vya Yehova muri Kanada.

Mu nyuma, igihe nakorera mu Rwego rujejwe umurimo, naraganiriye n’abatsimvyi bariko bagendera ibiro vy’ishami, bakaba bari bagiye gukorera i Québec, ico gihe hakaba hari uruhamo rukomeye. Umwe muri bo yari Mary Zazula, yava i Edmonton muri Alberta. Kubera ko we na mukuruwe Joe bari baranse guheba kwiga Bibiliya, abavyeyi babo b’aborotodogisi baciye babirukana i muhira. Muri Ruheshi 1951, uko ari babiri barabatijwe, maze haciye amezi atandatu batangura ubutsimvyi. Igihe twariko turayaga, narakozwe cane ku mutima n’ukuntu Mary yari umukobwa w’ivy’impwemu. Naciye nibwira nti: ‘Sha, ata gihindutse, uyu ni we akwiye kumbera umukenyezi.’ Twubakanye ku wa 30 Nzero 1954, hakaba hari Haciye amezi icenda tubonanye. Inyuma y’indwi imwe, baradutumyeko ngo tuje kumenyerezwa igikorwa co kugendera amashengero. Imyaka ibiri ikurikira twayimaze tugendera amashengero mu buraruko bwa Ontario.

Kubera ko igikorwa co kwamamaza caguma gitera imbere kw’isi yose, harakenewe abamisiyonari. Twiyumviriye duti: ‘Nimba twihanganira imbeho yo muri Kanada mu gihe c’urushana be n’imibu yaho yo mu ci, twoshobora gukorera aho boturungika hose.’ Twasohotse Ishure rya Gileyadi muri Mukakaro 1956, mu mugwi ugira 27. Muri Munyonyo, twari muri Brezile aho twarungitswe gukorera.

Igihe twashika kw’ishami ryo muri Brezile, twaratanguye kwiga igiportigale. Tumaze kumenya ingene baramukanya be no gufata ku mutwe amajambo makeya yo gushikiriza ibinyamakuru, twaciye dutangura kuja mu ndimiro. Bishitse hakagira uwushimishwa, twaca tumusomera ivyanditswe vyerekana ingene ubuzima buzoba bumeze igihe Ubwami bw’Imana buzoba buganza. Umusi twatangura kuja mu ndimiro, hari umwigeme yaduteze yompi, nca ndamusomera mu Vyahishuwe 21:3, 4 hanyuma nca ndata ubwenge! Sinari menyereye ahantu hashushe, kandi iyo yari ingorane nobandanije kwihanganira.

 Twaciye turungikwa gukorera mu gisagara ca Campos, ubu kikaba kirimwo amashengero 15. Igihe twashikayo, twahasanze umugwi umwe gusa be n’inzu yabamwo bashiki bacu bane b’abamisiyonari, ari bo Esther Tracy, Ramona Bauer, Luiza Schwarz, na Lorraine Brookes (ubu yubakanye na Robert Wallen). Muri iyo nzu, nari njejwe kumesura no kurondera inkwi zo gucana. Umusi umwe ku wa mbere ku mugoroba, duhejeje kwiga Umunara w’Inderetsi, hari umushitsi yatugendeye tutavyiteze. Uti yari nde? Umukenyezi wanje yari aruhukiye mw’ifoteyi, turiko turayaga ingene umusi wagenze. Avyuye umutwe ku musego kugira ahaguruke, twagiye tubona hasohokotseyo inzoka, duca tuja mu ruhagarara gushika ndayishe!

Inyuma y’umwaka twiga igiportigale, naciye ngenwa kuba umucungezi w’umuzunguruko. Twabaho mu buzima busanzwe kure y’igisagara: Nta muyagankuba twagira, twaryama ku tuntu tumeze nk’imikeka, kandi twiyunguruza n’ifarasi. Igihe kimwe, twarafashe igariyamoshi tuja mu gasagara kamwe kari mu misozi, kugira ngo twamamaze muri ako karere kari ahitereye. Dushitseyo, twaciye dupanga inzu. Ibiro vy’ishami vyaraturungikiye ibinyamakuru 800 twokoresheje mu ndimiro. Kugira ngo tubishikane aho twaba, vyasaba ko tugira ingendo nyinshi tuja kuri posita gutora amakarato vyarimwo.

Mu 1962, muri Brezile hose harabaye Ishure ry’ubusuku bw’Ubwami ryari rigenewe abavukanyi na bashiki bacu b’abamisiyonari. Naramaze amezi atandatu nigisha, mva mw’ishure nja mu rindi, mugabo tutari kumwe na Mary. Narigishije i Manaus, i Belém, i Fortaleza, i Recife, no muri Salvador. Igihe nari i Manaus, naratunganije ihwaniro ry’intara mu nyubakwa imwe bakunda gutambiramwo imiziki. Ico gihe haraguye imvura nyinshi cane ironona amazi yo kunywa, yonona n’iresitora abitavye ihwaniro bari gufunguriramwo. (Muri iyo myaka, ku mahwaniro barateka.) Naciye nitura intwanzangabo imwe, ica iratwemerera kuronsa amazi abazoba bitavye ihwaniro bose, yongera irungika abasoda ngo batwubakire igikoni n’uburiro bakoresheje amahema.

Muri ico kiringo ntari kumwe na Mary, yaragiye kwamamaza mu karere Abanyaportigale benshi badandarizamwo. Kubera ko amahera yari yarabatwaye umutima, nta n’umwe yigeze amwumviriza. Mary Yahavuye abwira Abanyabeteli bamwebamwe ati: “Igihugu co kw’isi ntocutsa umutima wo kubamwo ni Portigale.” Ndagupfinze! Haciye imisi mikeya gusa, twaciye turonka ikete ritwimurira muri Portigale. Ico gihe, igikorwa cacu cari kibujijwe muri ico gihugu. Naho iyo nkuru yo kwimuka yabanje kuba incamugongo kuri Mary, twahavuye tuja gukorerayo.

Muri Myandagaro 1964, ni ho twashika i Lisbonne muri Portigale. Urwego rw’iperereza rwaratoteza  cane abavukanyi bacu. Ku bw’ivyo, twabonye ko vyoba vyiza ata bavukanyi baje kutwakira canke ngo tubonane na bo. Igihe tutari bwaronke uruhusha rwo kuba muri ico gihugu, twapanze mu nzu y’ingenzi. Tumaze kuronka urwo ruhusha, twaciye dupanga mu nyubakwa imwe nini. Muri Nzero 1965, twahavuye dutangura guhanahana amakuru n’ibiro vy’ishami. Ese ukuntu twanezerewe igihe twitaba ikoraniro rya mbere inyuma y’amezi atanu!

Twaramenye yuko buri musi igipolisi caja gusaka imihana y’abavukanyi. Amakoraniro yabera mu mazu y’abavukanyi, kubera yuko Ingoro z’Ubwami zari zarugawe. Ivyabona amajana barajanywe gusambishwa ku gipolisi. Abavukanyi ni bo canecane bahohoterwa, ngo bavuge amazina y’abahagarikira amakoraniro. Ivyo vyatumye abavukanyi biga ubwenge bwo kwiyita ayandi mazina, nk’akarorero José canke Paulo. Na twebwe ntitwasigaye inyuma.

Icaturaza ishinga cane kwari ukuronsa abavukanyi ibifungurwa vy’impwemu. Mary yari ajejwe kwandika n’imashini ibiganiro vy’Umunara w’Inderetsi vyo kwiga be n’ibindi bitabu. Yaca abigwiza amakopi kugira ngo abihe abavukanyi.

Muri Ruheshi 1966, i Lisbonne harabaye urubanza rudasanzwe. Abari bagize ishengero rya Feijó bose uko ari 49, bararengukijwe muri sentare bazira ko bagiriye ikoraniro mu nzu y’umuntu ngo batabirekuriwe n’amategeko. Mu kubategura ku bw’urwo rubanza, narigize umushikirizamanza maze ndabasambisha kugira ngo ndabe ingene bisigura. Naho twari tuzi ko tuzotsindwa, twarabona neza ko vyoshinze intahe ikomeye. Mu gusozera imburano, umushingwamanza wacu yarasubiyemwo n’umutima rugabo amajambo Gamaliyeli yavuze mu kinjana ca mbere. (Ivyak. 5:33-39) Ivy’urwo rubanza vyaravuganzwe cane mu bimenyeshamakuru. Abo bavukanyi na bashiki bacu 49, bakatiwe umunyororo wo kuva ku misi 45 gushika ku mezi atanu n’inusu. Igishimishije ni uko uwo mushingwamanza wacu yemeye kwiga Bibiliya, kandi akaba yapfuye amaze gutangura kwitaba amakoraniro.

Muri Kigarama 1966, naragenywe guhagarikira ibiro vy’ishami, nkaba namara umwanya munini mu bijanye n’imanza. Twarakoze ibishoboka vyose twisunze amategeko kugira ngo twerekane igituma Ivyabona vya Yehova bakwiye kuronka umwidegemvyo wo gusenga. (Flp. 1:7) Twahavuye twemerwa n’amategeko ku wa 18 Kigarama 1974. Umukanyi Nathan Knorr na Frederick Franz bo ku cicaro gikuru, baraje muri Portigale gusangira natwe umunezero kw’ikoraniro ry’intibagirwa ryabereye i Porto be n’i Lisbonne. Abaryitavye bose hamwe bari 46.870.

Yehova yari yugururiye umuryango igikorwa, kiraguka gushika mu mazinga atari make yavuga  igiportigale, ushizemwo amazinga ya Açores, Cap-Vert, Madère, Sao Tomé na Principe. Mu 1988, twararonse inyubakwa z’ishami zagutse twari dukeneye. Ku wa 23 Ndamukiza muri uwo mwaka nyene, umuvukanyi Milton Henschel ni we yahagarikiye ibirori vyo kwegurira Yehova izo nyubakwa nshasha. Abitavye urwo rubanza bari 45.522. Emwe, vyari biteye umunezero kubona abavukanyi na bashiki bacu 20 bakoreye ubumisiyonari muri Portigale bari bahishikiye!

Imyaka twamaze twifatanya n’abavukanyi b’intahemuka yaragize ico itwungura cane. Narigiye icigwa gihambaye ku muvukanyi Theodore Jaracz igihe namuherekeza kugendera ishami rimwe. Iryo shami ryari rifise ingorane ikomeye, kandi abagize komite y’ishami nta co batari barakoze ngo bashire ibintu mu buryo. Mu kubahumuriza, umuvukanyi Jaracz yavuze ati: “Ubu hageze ko tureka impwemu nyeranda ikikorera akazi.” Ikindi gihe, twe na Mary twaragiye gutembera i Brooklyn, ubu hakaba haciye imyaka mirongo. Sinzokwibagira ikintu umuvukanyi Franz yavuze ku mugoroba umwe, igihe twari duteramanye na we hamwe n’abandi. Igihe bamusaba ngo agire akajambo ashikirije ku bijanye n’imyaka yari amaze akorera Yehova, yavuze ati: “Ico nobabwira ni iki: Mu mahirwe no mu magorwa, muraguma mwifatanije n’ishirahamwe rya Yehova riboneka. Ni ryo ryonyene ririko rirakora igikorwa Yezu yategetse abigishwa biwe, na co kikaba ari ukwamamaza inkuru nziza y’Ubwami bw’Imana!”

Twe n’umukenyezi wanje twarashize mu ngiro iyo mpanuro, kandi vyaratumye duhimbarwa cane mu buzima. Turaryoherwa cane iyo twibutse ingendo twagize tugendera amashami. Izo ngendo zaraduhaye akaryo ko gushima igikorwa abakiri bato be n’abakuze barangura, be n’ako kubaremesha ngo babandanye igikorwa kidasanzwe barangurira Yehova.

Ubu twe na Mary turashaje, kuko turengeje imyaka 80. Mary afise ingorane nyinshi z’amagara. (2 Kor. 12:9) Ibigeragezo twaciyemwo, aho kuduca intege vyarakomeje ukwizera kwacu n’umwiyemezo wacu wo kuguma turi intahemuka. Iyo dutereje amaso inyuma tukaraba ubuzima twaciyemwo, turemeza neza ko twiboneye ubuntu ata wari abukwiriye bwa Yehova, mu buryo butandukanye. *