SEMURUME aida Mwari, baba vangu, Arthur, vaida kuzova mufundisi weMethodist. Asi zvavaida zvakazochinja pavakaverenga mabhuku eVadzidzi veBhaibheri ndokutanga kuwadzana navo. Vakabhabhatidzwa muna 1914 vaine makore 17. Hondo Yenyika I yaitsviriridza uye vakashevedzwa kuti vapinde muchiuto. Nemhaka yekuti vakaramba, vakatongerwa kugara mujeri reKingston Penitentiary muOntario, Canada kwemwedzi gumi. Pavakabudiswa, Baba vakatanga kushumira semucolporteur (piyona).

Muna 1926, Arthur Guest akachata naHazel Wilkinson. Amai vaHazel vainge vadzidza chokwadi muna 1908. Ini ndakaberekwa musi wa24 April 1931, ndiri wechipiri pavana 4. Mhuri yedu yaikoshesa kunamata Jehovha. Baba vairemekedza Bhaibheri chaizvo uye izvozvo zvakaita kuti tirambe tichikoshesa Shoko raMwari. Taigara tichiparidza paimba neimba semhuri.—Mab. 20:20.

Hondo Yenyika II yakatanga muna 1939, uye gore rakatevera racho basa reZvapupu zvaJehovha rakabhanwa muCanada. Vana vechikoro vaifanira kusaruta mureza uye kuimba rwiyo rwenyika mumakirasi avo. Ini nehanzvadzi yangu, Dorothy, taibudiswa mukirasi paiitwa izvozvo. Asi ndakashamisika mumwe musi mudzidzisi wangu paakaedza kundinyadzisa nekutaura kuti ndaiva mbwende. Tava kuenda kumba vamwe vemukirasi medu vakandirova ndokundiwisira pasi. Asi izvozvo zvakatoita kuti ndiwedzere kutsunga “kuteerera Mwari somutongi panzvimbo pevanhu.”—Mab. 5:29.

 Ndakabhabhatidzirwa mutengi remvura pane rimwe purazi muna July 1942, ndiine makore 11. Panguva yezororo rekuchikoro, ndaifarira kushumira sapiyona wezororo (ava kunzi piyona webetsero). Rimwe gore ndakabatana nedzimwe hama nhatu pakunoparidzira vanhu vaiita basa rekutema miti mundima yakanga isina vaparidzi kuchamhembe kweOntario.

Ndakatanga kushumira sapiyona wenguva dzose musi wa1 May 1949. Sezvo hofisi yebazi yakanga ichivakwa, ndakashevedzwa kuti ndinoshanda ikoko uye ndakava nhengo yemhuri yeBheteri musi wa1 December. Ndakapiwa basa rekushanda maiprindwa mabhuku uye ndakadzidza kushandisa muchina wekuprinda. Ndakaita mavhiki akawanda ndichishanda usiku ndichiprinda turakiti raitaura nezvekutambudzwa kwaiitwa vanhu vaJehovha muCanada.

Nekufamba kwenguva, pandaishanda muDhipatimendi Rebasa, ndakaita nhaurirano nemamwe mapiyona aipfuura nepahofisi yebazi achienda kuQuebec, uko kwaitambudzwa vanhu vaMwari zvakanyanya. Mumwe wavo aiva Mary Zazula aibva muguta reEdmonton, kuAlberta. Nemhaka yekuti iye nehanzvadzi yake Joe, havana kubvuma kusiya kudzidza Bhaibheri, vakadzingwa pamba nevabereki vavo vaipinda chechi yeOrthodox. Vose vakabhabhatidzwa muna June 1951, uye pashure pemwedzi 6 vakatanga kupayona. Pandaikurukura navo, ndakayemura kuda kwaiita Mary zvekunamata. Ndinoyeuka ndichizviudza kuti uyu ndiye musikana wandingada kuzoroora. Takachata pashure pemwedzi 9, musi wa30 January 1954. Papera vhiki, takashevedzwa kuti tinodzidza basa remudunhu, uye kwemakore maviri akatevera takashanda mune rimwe dunhu raiva kuchamhembe kweOntario.

Basa rekuparidza zvarairamba richikura pasi rose, kwakanga kwava kudiwa mamishinari akawanda. Takafunga kuti kana tichikwanisa kutsungirira chando chemuCanada uye mosikito panguva yekupisa hapana nzvimbo yatingatadza kugara. Takapinda kirasi yechi27 yeChikoro cheGiriyedhi uye takapedza kudzidza muna July 1956. Pakazosvika November takanga tatova kundima yedu kuBrazil.

Patakasvika pabazi reBrazil, takatanga kudzidza chiPortuguese. Pashure pekudzidza kutanga kutaura nevanhu uye kudzidza mharidzo pfupi yemagazini, takatanga kuita ushumiri hwemumunda. Kana saimba akafarira, taikurudzirwa kuverenga rugwaro runotaura nezvekuti upenyu huchange hwakaita sei panenge pachitonga Umambo hwaMwari. Pazuva redu rekutanga, mumwe mukadzi akanyatsoteerera, saka ndakamuverengera Zvakazarurwa 21:3, 4, asi ndakabva  ndafenda. Ndakanga ndisati ndajairana nekupisa kwemunyika yacho, uye iri raiva dambudziko raizoramba riripo.

Ndima yedu yaiva guta reCampos, iro rava neungano 15. Patakasvika, muguta macho maingova neboka rimwe chete uyewo imba yemamishinari yaiva nehanzvadzi ina dzinoti: Esther Tracy, Ramona Bauer, Luiza Schwarz uye Lorraine Brookes (ava kunzi Lorraine Wallen). Basa rangu paimba yemamishinari raiva rekuwacha uye kutsvaga huni dzekubikisa. Mumwe musi weMuvhuro pashure peChidzidzo cheNharireyomurindi, takatsikwa nemumwe muenzi. Mudzimai wangu ainge akarara pasofa tichitaura hedu zvatakanga taswera tichiita. Paakasimudza musoro, nyoka yakabuda pasi pepiro yaainge akatsamira. Pakaita batai batai chaiyo kusvikira ndaiuraya!

Pashure pegore tichidzidza chiPortuguese, ndakagadzwa kuva mutariri wedunhu. Taigara kumaruwa. Kwaisava nemagetsi, tairara pasi, uye taifamba nengoro yaidhonzwa nebhiza. Pakaitwa mushandirapamwe mune imwe ndima yainge isina vaparidzi, takakwira chitima ndokuenda kune rimwe taundi raiva mumakomo uye takarenda imba ikoko. Hofisi yebazi yakatitumira magazini 800 ekushandisa muushumiri. Taifanira kuita nzendo dzakawanda dzekunotora mabhokisi emagazini tichienda nawo kwataigara.

Muna 1962, muBrazil makaitwa Chikoro cheUshumiri hweUmambo uye hanzvadzi dzaishanda semamishinari dzakachipindawo. Kwemwedzi 6 ndakaenda kunzvimbo dzakasiyana-siyana dzaiitirwa chikoro chacho, asi Mary akasara. Ndakaitisa makirasi echikoro ichi muManaus, Belém, Fortaleza, Recife uye Salvador. Ndakaronga gungano reruwa rakaitirwa muManaus. Kwakanaya chaizvo zvekuti mvura yekunwa yataiva nayo yakasviba, uye takasara tisina nzvimbo yakanaka yekudyira. (Mumazuva iwayo, vanhu vaiwana zvekudya panzvimbo yegungano.) Ndakataura nemumwe mukuru wemasoja ndichimutsanangurira dambudziko redu. Akaronga kutipa mvura yekunwa yakakwana mazuva ese egungano uye akatumira masoja kuti aise matende maviri akakura panzvimbo yekubikira neyekudyira.

Pandakanga ndisipo, Mary aiparidza munharaunda yaiitwa bhizinesi nevanhu vekuPortugal. Nyaya dzainyanya kufarirwa imomo dzaiva dzekuita mari. Haana waakakwanisa kutaura naye nezveBhaibheri, saka akaudza vamwe vaishanda paBheteri kuti, “Ndingazogara kuPortugal kana ndashayisisa kumwe kwekugara.” Pasina nguva izvi zvaitika, takagamuchira tsamba yaitaura kuti tiende kunoshumira kuPortugal. Panguva iyoyo basa redu rainge rakabhanwa munyika macho, asi takabvuma kuenda pasinei nekuti pakutanga Mary akavhundutswa nazvo.

Takasvika muLisbon, Portugal, muna August 1964. Hama dzedu dzaitambudzwa zvikuru nemapurisa epachivande ePortugal (PIDE). Nemhaka yaizvozvo, zvakanga zvakanaka kuti pataizosvika tisagamuchirwe neZvapupu zveko uye tirege kuwadzana nazvo. Taigara pane imwe imba tichimirira kupiwa mvumo yekugara munyika macho. Patakapiwa mavhiza edu, takatanga kurenda imwe imba. Muna January 1965, takazotaura nehofisi yebazi. Takafara chaizvo patakapinda musangano wedu wekutanga pashure pemwedzi mishanu.

Takanzwa kuti mapurisa aisecha dzimba dzehama dzedu zuva nezuva. Nemhaka yekuti dzimba dzeUmambo dzaivharwa, misangano yeungano yaiitirwa mudzimba dzehama. Mazana eZvapupu aiendeswa kumapurisa kuti anobvunzurudzwa. Hama ndidzo dzainyanya kubatwa zvisina kunaka kuitira kuti dzitaure mazita evaiitisa misangano. Kuti dzisatengesane, hama dzaishevedzana nemazita ekutanga chete akadai sekuti José kana kuti Paulo. Saka takatanga kuitawo izvozvo.

Chinangwa chedu chikuru chaiva chekuti hama dzedu dziwane zvekudya zvekunamata. Basa raMary raiva rekutaipa nyaya dzekudzidza dzeNharireyomurindi uye mamwe mabhuku. Aitaipa mashoko acho pane imwe mhando yebepa raizoshandiswa pakuprinda.

Muna June 1966, imwe nyaya inokosha yakapinda mudare muguta reLisbon. Vanhu vose 49 veUngano yeFeijó vakamiswa pamberi pedare. Vose vaipomerwa mhosva yekuita musangano pamba zviri kunze kwemutemo. Ndakabatsira hama idzi kuti dzigadzirire kupinda mudare nekuita semuchuchisi aibvunzurudza Zvapupu. Taiziva kuti taizoruza nyaya yacho asi takaona kuti paizova neuchapupu hwakakura chaizvo. Gweta redu paraitidzivirira rakataura neushingi mashoko aGamarieri ari muBhaibheri. (Mab. 5:33-39) Nyaya yacho yakabudiswa munhau, uye hama nehanzvadzi dzacho dziri 49 dzakatongerwa kugara mujeri kwemazuva aibva pa45 kusvika kumwedzi mishanu nehafu. Zvinofadza kuti murume aiva gweta redu akabvuma kudzidza Bhaibheri uye akanga ava kutopinda misangano paakazofa.

Muna December 1966, ndakagadzwa kuva mutariri webazi uye ndakaita nguva yakawanda ndichishanda panyaya dzine chekuita nemutemo. Takaita zvese zvataigona kuti tipe zvikonzero zvepamutemo zvekuti nei Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvaifanira kunamata zvakasununguka muPortugal. (VaF. 1:7) Takazotanga kuzivikanwa zviri pamutemo musi wa18 December 1974. Hama Nathan Knorr naHama Frederick Franz, avo vakabva kumahofisi edu makuru, vakauya kuPortugal kuzofara nesu. Takaita musangano usingakanganwiki  muguta reOporto uye reLisbon uye vose vakapinda vaiva 46 870.

Jehovha akanga avhura mukana wekuti basa riwedzere muzvitsuwa zvaiva nevanhu vaitaura chiPortuguese, kusanganisira zvitsuwa zvinoti: Azores, Cape Verde, Madeira uye São Tomé and Príncipe. Sezvo Zvapupu zvaiwedzera, pakanga pava kudiwa bazi rakati kurei. Parakazovakwa, Hama Milton Henschel vakapa hurukuro yekutsaurira bazi racho musi wa23 April 1988, uye pakanga paine vanhu 45 522. Zvaifadza kuva nehama nehanzvadzi 20 dzainge dzamboshumira semamishinari muPortugal, idzo dzakanga dzadzoka kuti dzione bazi racho richitsaurirwa.

Munguva yese yatashumira Jehovha takabatsirwa zvikuru nekuwadzana nehama dzakatendeka. Ndakawana chidzidzo chinokosha pataishanyira rimwe bazi ndichibatsira Hama Theodore Jaracz. Bazi racho rakanga riine dambudziko rakakura uye hama dzaiva muDare Rebazi dzakanga dzaita zvese zvadzaigona. Hama Jaracz vakanyaradza hama idzi vachiti: “Iye zvino yava nguva yekusiyira mweya mutsvene kuti ushande.” Patakashanya kuBrooklyn makumi emakore apfuura, ini naMary takawana nguva yekutandara naHama Franz pamwe chete nedzimwewo hama. Pavakakumbirwa kuti vataure chimwe chinhu nezvekushumira kwavakaita Jehovha kwemakore akawanda, Hama Franz vakati: “Ndinokukurudzirai kuti: Rambai muri musangano raJehovha rinooneka nyange zvodini. Ndiro rega riri kuita basa iro Jesu akarayira vadzidzi vake kuti vaite, basa rekuparidza mashoko akanaka eUmambo hwaMwari!”

Ini nemudzimai wangu tiri kuwana mufaro wechokwadi pakuita izvozvo. Tinofara patinoyeuka nguva yataiita basa rekushanyira mapazi. Kushanya ikoko kwakatipa mukana wekuonga basa rakanaka rinoitwa nevakuru nevadiki uye kuvakurudzira kuti varambe vachishumira Jehovha.

Makore afamba, uye tose tiri vaviri tava nemakore ekuma80. Mary anonetseka neutano. (2 VaK. 12:9) Takavawo nemimwe miedzo asi miedzo yacho yakatibatsira kusimbisa kutenda kwedu uye kuti titsunge kuramba takavimbika kuna Mwari. Patinofunga nezveupenyu hwedu tinonyatsoona kuti Jehovha akatiratidza mutsa wake usina kukodzera kuwanwa munzira dzakawanda. *