MU MYAKA namaze ndi ku ntebe y’ishure, nta kintu kinini cahinduka. Abo mwatanguranye ishure ni bo mwaba muri kumwe no mu kuyarangiza. Nkako, wasanga uzi amazina y’abo muri ico kigwati nka bose, na bo nyene bakamenya rwawe.

Ico kigwati ca Liberty cari gikikujwe n’imirima, ahanini bakaba barima ibigori. Igihe navuka, dawe yakorera umurimyi umwe wo muri ico gisagara. Maze kuba umusore, narize kunyonga imashini irima, ndamenya n’ibitari bike mu bijanye n’uburimyi.

Igihe navuka, dawe yari yitereye mu myaka. Yari afise imyaka 56, mawe akagira 35. Naho ari ukwo, dawe yari umugabo mutomuto w’amagara meza kandi w’inguvu. Yarakunda ibikorwa kandi na twebwe abana twese yaratwigishije kubikunda. Naho atigeze aronka amahera menshi, yagumye aturonsa aho dukika umusaya, ivyambarwa n’ibifungurwa, kandi yatwama hafi. Yapfuye amaze imyaka 93, mawe na we apfa afise 86, kandi nta n’umwe muri bo yakoreye Yehova. Mu bo tuvukana, hari mutoyi wanje umwe yabaye umukurambere w’umwizigirwa kuva iyo ntunganyo igitangura mu ntango z’imyaka ya 1970.

Mawe yarakunda cane ivy’idini. Buri wa mungu, yaratujana gusenga mu babatiste. Mfise imyaka 12, ni ho natanguye kwumva ivy’Ubutatu. Vyaranteye amakenga, nca mbaza mawe nti: “Yezu ashobora gute kuba Umwana, akaba na Data?” Ndibuka ingene yanyishuye ati: “Mwana, ni amayobera. Ni ukuvyemera ukwo.” Vyarambereye amayobera pe! Naho ari ukwo, igihe nari mfise imyaka nka 14, barambatije mu kuzi kari muri ako karere, banyibiza gatatu mw’izina ry’Ubutatu!

Igihe nari mw’ishure ryisumbuye, nari mfise umugenzi yakina inkino zo kurwana, maze aranyinjizamwo ivyo kwiga gukubitana ibipfunsi (boxe). Naciye ntangura kwimenyereza, mu nyuma ndiyandikisha mw’ishirahamwe ryo gukubitana ingumu ryitwa Golden Gloves. Kubera ko ntakina neza, inyuma y’amahiganwa nk’angahe naciye ndabiheba. Mu nyuma narasabwe kwinjira mu gisoda ca Amerika, nca ndungikwa mu Budagi. Abankurira barandungitse mw’Ishure ry’ibisongerezi, kuko biyumvira ko nari mfise impano yo kuyobora abandi. Bashaka ko nihebera igisoda. Kubera ko ntipfuza kuguma mu gisoda, barandetse nditahira mu 1956, maze kurangiza imyaka ibiri nasabwa yo gufasha. Ariko bidatevye, narinjiye mu gisoda c’ubundi buryo.

Gushika ico gihe, hari ukuntu nari narize kuba umuntu w’akanyarigabo. Ukuntu umugabo akwiye kuba ameze, nk’uko vyigishwa mu masinema no mu kibano, vyarangirako akosho gakomeye. Kuri jewe, nabona ko abavugabutumwa atari abagabo nya bagabo. Ariko nahavuye niga ibintu vyahinduye ubuzima bwanje. Umusi umwe nariko nyonga umuduga wanje mu gisagara, nca mbona abigeme babiri bariko bandamutsa. Narabamenye kuko bavukana n’umugabo wa mushikanje. Vyongeye, bari Ivyabona vya Yehova. Imbere y’aho bari barampaye ibinyamakuru Umunara w’Inderetsi na Be maso! Ariko muri rusangi nabona ko Umunara w’Inderetsi urimwo ibintu bindengeye. Ico gihe ho bantumiye mu Nyigisho y’igitabu y’ishengero yabera muhira iwabo, rikaba ryari ikoraniro ritoyi ryo kwiga no kuyaga kuri Bibiliya. Nababwiye ko ngiye kuvyiyumvira. Baciye bambaza bamwenyura, bati: “Urabitwemereye?” Nanje nti: “Ndavyemeye.”

Naricujije igituma navyemeye, mugabo sinashobora kwihindukiza mw’ijambo. Nahavuye rero ngenda. Nta cantangaje nk’abana nahasanze. Naratangajwe n’ingene bari bazi cane Bibiliya. Naho nama njana na mawe mu misa ku wa mungu, nta vyinshi nari nzi kuri Bibiliya. Ico gihe naciye niyemeza kwiga Bibiliya. Naremeye rero ko bayinyigisha. Sinatevye kumenya ko izina ry’Imana Mushoboravyose ari Yehova. Imyaka atari mike imbere y’aho, nari narabajije mawe ivyerekeye Ivyabona vya Yehova maze ambwira ati: “Ni abantu basenga umutama yitwa Yehova.” Mugabo ico gihe hoho, naramenye aho ukuri kuri.

Sinatevye gutera imbere kubera yuko nari nzi ko nubuye ukuri. Maze amezi icenda nitaba amakoraniro, narabatijwe muri Ntwarante 1957. Ivyiyumviro nari mfise vyahavuye bihinduka. Ubu ndahimbawe cane n’ukuba naramenye ico Bibiliya ivuga ku bijanye n’ukuntu umugabo nya mugabo akwiye kuba ameze. Yezu yari umugabo atagira akanenge. Yari afise inguvu n’ubushobozi ata wundi mugabo  abifise. Yamara, ntiyigeze aja mu vyo kurwana. Ahubwo nk’uko vyari vyaravuzwe, ‘yaremeye gutezwa amarushwa.’ (Yes. 53:2, 7) Naramenye ko umuyoboke w’ukuri wa Yezu “abwirizwa kuba umuntu yengenga kuri bose.”​—2 Tim. 2:24.

Haciye umwaka, naratanguye ubutsimvyi mu 1958. Ariko bidatevye, nabwirijwe kubuhagarika gatoya. Uti kubera iki? Nari nafashe ingingo yo kwubakana na Gloria, umwe muri ba bigeme bari bantumiye mu nyigisho y’igitabu. Sinigeze nicuza kuri iyo ngingo. Gloria yari ikirezi ico gihe, kandi n’ubu ni ko biri. Kuri jewe ararusha agaciro akabuyenge keza kuruta utundi twose, kandi birampimbara kuba twarubakanye! Reka abacire ku mayange ivyiwe:

“Tuvukana turi abana 17. Mawe yari Icabona w’umwizigirwa. Yapfuye mfise imyaka 14. Dawe yaciye atangura kwiga Bibiliya. Mawe amaze gupfa, dawe yaciye yumvikana n’umuyobozi w’ishure ryacu iki kintu: Kubera ko mukuru wanje yari mu mwaka wa nyuma w’ishure ryisumbuye, dawe yaciye asaba nimba twe na we twoza turakurakuranwa mu kuja kw’ishure. Igihe umwe yaba yagiye kw’ishure, uwundi yasigara muhira kugira yitwararike batoya bacu kandi ategurire umuryango ibifungurwa kugira dawe avuye ku kazi asange vyahiye. Wa muyobozi yaravyemeye, kandi twagumye tubigenza gutyo gushika mukuru wanje ahejeje ishure. Hari imiryango ibiri y’Ivyabona yatwigishije Bibiliya, maze 11 muri twebwe baraba Ivyabona vya Yehova. Narakunda cane kwamamaza naho nyene namye ndi umuntu w’amasoni. Samuel yarabimfashijemwo iyo myaka yose.”

Twe na Gloria twubakanye muri Ruhuhuma 1959. Twarahimbawe no gukorana ubutsimvyi. Muri Mukakaro uwo mwaka nyene, twarasavye gukorera kuri Beteli, kuko twipfuza cane gukorera ku cicaro gikuru c’Ivyabona vya Yehova. Umuvukanyi Simon Kraker ni we yatubajije ibibazo. Yatubwiye ko ico gihe hari hakenewe abavukanyi batubatse gusa. Ntitwigeze dutakaza ico cipfuzo co gukorera kuri Beteli, naho vyahavuye bifata igihe kirekire.

Twarandikiye ikete icicaro gikuru dusaba ko tworungikwa gukorera ahari inkenero kuruta ahandi. Twabwiwe ko twoja gukorera i Pine Bluff, muri Arkansas. Muri ico gihe, i Pine Bluff hari amashengero abiri: iry’abazungu be n’iry’abirabure. Twarungitswe mw’ishengero ry’abirabure, rikaba ryari rifise abamamaji 14.

Woshobora kwibaza igituma mu mashengero y’Ivyabona vya Yehova harimwo ivangura ry’amoko. Muri make, ni kubera ko ata kundi bari kubigira muri iyo myaka. Hariho amategeko yabuza abadasangiye ibara ry’urukoba kuja hamwe, kandi abagiye hamwe barashobora kubagirira nabi. Henshi, abavukanyi baratinya ko Ingoro z’Ubwami zabo zoca zisamburwa hamwe abazungu n’abirabure boja hamwe mu gusenga, kandi ivyo vyarashika. Igihe Ivyabona b’abirabure baba bagiye kwamamaza inzu ku nzu ahantu haba abazungu, barashobora gufatwa, n’ugukubitwa bagakubitwa. Kugira rero dushobore kwamamaza twarubahiriza ayo mategeko, twizigiye ko ibintu vyotevye bigahinduka.

Igikorwa co mu ndimiro nticari coroshe. Igihe twaba turiko turamamaza mu karere kabamwo abirabure benshi, vyarashika tukadodora ku muhana w’umuzungu tutabizi. Twategerezwa rero guca turaba nimba vyoba vyiza tumubwiye amajambo make yo mu Vyanditswe canke tukamusaba gusa imbabazi maze tukabandanya. Ahantu hamwehamwe ni ko vyari vyifashe ico gihe.

Ariko rero, twategerezwa gukora cane kugira twibesheho mu gikorwa cacu c’ubutsimvyi. Akenshi twahembwa uduhera dukeya ku musi. Gloria yakora akazi ko kugira isuku mu mihana y’abantu. Mu muhana umwe, baranyemerera kumufasha kugira anyarutse ico gikorwa. Baratugaburira sasita, tukabifungura tugira dutahe. Buri ndwi, Gloria yaragororera impuzu umuryango umwe. Jewe nakora mu busitani, ngahanagura amadirisha, ngakora n’utundi dukorwa. Mu muhana umwe w’abazungu, twarahanagura amadirisha. Gloria yahanagura indani, nanje inyuma. Kubera ko twakora umusi wose, baratugaburira. Gloria yafungurira mu nzu, mugabo ari ukwa wenyene, nanje ngafungurira hanze aho babika umuduga. Ivyo nta co vyari bintwaye. Vyari ibifungurwa  biryoshe cane. Uwo muryango wari umeze neza, uretse gusa ko wakurikiza ivyiyumviro vy’ico gihe. Ndibuka ko igihe kimwe twahagaze ahantu banyweshereza igitoro. Tumaze gushira igitoro mu muduga, narabajije umukozi waho nimba Gloria yoshobora gukoresha akazu ka surwumwe. Yaciye andaba urujisho, aca avuga ngo “harugaye!”

Yamara rero, twaragira ibihe vyiza turi kumwe n’abavukanyi kandi twarakunda cane ubusuku. Igihe twashika i Pine Bluff, twabana n’umuvukanyi yari umusuku w’ishengero ico gihe. Umugore wiwe ntiyari bwizere, maze Gloria aca aratangura kumwigisha Bibiliya. Muri ico gihe nyene, naratanguye kwigisha Bibiliya umukobwa w’uwo muvukanyi be n’umugabo wiwe. Uwo mugore be n’umukobwa wiwe barafashe ingingo yo gukorera Yehova maze barabatizwa.

Twari dufise abagenzi bashika muri rya shengero ry’abazungu. Baradutumira ngo dusangire akajumbu, ariko babigira mu mpisho. Ico gihe, akagwi karemesha amacakubiri n’ububisha (Ku Klux Klan) karabica bigacika. Ndibuka ko umusi umwe mw’ijoro nigeze kubona umugabo yicaye kw’ibaraza ryiwe ku musi mukuru (Halloween) yambaye impuzu zaranga abantu bo muri ako kagwi. Ariko rero, ibintu nk’ivyo ntivyabuza abavukanyi kugaragariza abandi umutima mwiza. Igihe kimwe, twari dukeneye amahera yo kuja kw’ihwaniro maze umuvukanyi umwe aremera kugura umuduga wacu kugira dushobore kujayo. Haciye ukwezi, umusi umwe twatashe turushe cane tuvuye kwamamaza inzu ku nzu ku zuba rimena imbwa agahanga no kuyobora inyigisho za Bibiliya. Dushitse muhira, hari ikintu cadutangaje. Twagiye tubona wa muduga wacu uri imbere y’inzu! Ku kiyo c’imbere hariko urwandiko ruvuga ruti: “Akira wa muduga wanyu, ndawubagabiye. Umuvukanyi wanyu.”

Hari ikindi kintu kiranga ubuntu cankoze ku mutima cane. Mu 1962, nararonse ubutumire bwo kwitaba Ishure ry’ubusuku bw’Ubwami ryabereye i South Lansing, muri New York. Iryo shure ryamara ukwezi rimenyereza abahagarikiye amashengero, imizunguruko be n’intara. Ariko rero igihe naronka ubwo butumire, nari umushomeri kandi nari mfise ubukene bw’amahera. Yamara rero, nari narakoze ikibazo mw’ishirahamwe rimwe ryo gutumatumanako amakuru ry’i Pine Bluff. Rimpaye akazi, nari kuba mbaye umwirabure wa mbere arikozemwo. Bahavuye bambwira ko bazompa ako kazi. None nari gukora iki? Nta mahera nari mfise yo kuja i New York. Nariyumviriye kwemera ako kazi nkareka kwitaba rya shure. Mu vy’ukuri, nagira nandike ikete ryo kumenyesha ko ntazokwitaba iryo shure, haca hashika ikintu ntazokwigera nibagira.

Mushiki wacu umwe wo mw’ishengero narimwo, akaba yari afise umugabo atari Icabona, yaradodoye ku muryango wacu hakiri kare mu gatondo maze ampereza ibahasha. Yari yuzuyemwo amahera. We hamwe n’abana biwe nka bangahe bari bamaze igihe bazinduka kare mu gatondo bakaja guca amahera mu kubagara ipampa kugira nshobore kwitaba  rya shure. Yavuze ati: “Genda kw’ishure wige vyinshi bishoboka, hama uzogaruke utwigishe natwe.” Mu nyuma, narabajije rya shirahamwe ko noshobora gutangura gukora inyuma y’indwi zitanu. Bambwiye bati: “Ntibishoboka!” Ariko nta co vyambwiye. Nari namaze gufata ingingo. Ndahimbawe kuba ntakoze ako kazi!

Gloria aribuka ibihe twaciyemwo i Pine Bluff. Yigana ati: “Narakunze cane ico cibare! Nari mfise inyigisho za Bibiliya ziri hagati ya 15 na 20. Mu gitondo rero twakora inzu ku nzu, umwanya usigaye na wo tukayobora inyigisho za Bibiliya, rimwe na rimwe tugashikana isaha zitanu z’ijoro. Indimiro yari iryoshe cane! Nari gushima kwigumira muri ico gikorwa. Ntabeshe, sinashaka ko twohindura ngo dutangure igikorwa co kugendera amashengero. Mugabo Yehova yari adufitiye uwundi mugambi.” Emwe, uwo mugambi yari awufise koko.

Igihe twari abatsimvyi i Pine Bluff, twarujuje urukaratasi rwo kuba abatsimvyi badasanzwe. Twari tuvyizigiye cane kubera ko umucungezi wacu w’intara yashaka ko dufasha ishengero ry’i Texas, akaba yipfuza ko tuja gukorerayo turi abatsimvyi badasanzwe. Ico kintu twari tugishashaye cane. Twararindiriye rero, twongera turarindira, twizigiye ko ishirahamwe rizotwishura, mugabo twaguma dusanga mu gasandugu kacu k’amakete ata kiriyo. Amaherezo ikete ryaraje. Twasabwe gukora igikorwa co kugendera amashengero! Aho hari muri Nzero 1965. Umuvukanyi Leon Weaver, ubu akaba ari umuhuzabikorwa wa Komite y’ishami rya Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, ico gihe nyene yaragenywe ngo abe umucungezi w’umuzunguruko.

Narahagaritse umutima igihe nagenwa kuba umucungezi w’umuzunguruko. Hari haciye nk’umwaka umuvukanyi James Thompson, akaba yari umucungezi w’intara, ansuzumye. Yaranyeretse abigiranye umutima mwiza imice nkwiye kuryohora, arambwira ubuhanga umucungezi mwiza w’umuzunguruko akwiye kugira. Haciye igihe gito gusa ngendera amashengero, narabonye ko impanuro yampaye zari zikenewe vy’ukuri. Maze kugenwa, umuvukanyi Thompson ni we mucungezi w’intara twatanguye gukorana. Narigiye vyinshi kuri uwo muvukanyi w’umwizigirwa.

Ico gihe, umucungezi w’umuzunguruko ntiyamenyerezwa cane. Naramaze indwi nihweza umucungezi w’umuzunguruko ariko aragendera ishengero. Mu nyuma, na we yaramaze indwi anyihweza ndiko ndagendera irindi shengero. Yarangiriye inama arampa n’ubuyobozi. Mugabo mu nyuma twaciye twirwanako. Ndibuka ko nabajije Gloria nti: “Aha nyene aragiye?” Ariko rero mu nyuma, naratahuye ikintu gihambaye. Hazokwama  hariho abavukanyi beza bashobora kudufasha igihe tubahaye ako karyo. N’ubu ndacakenguruka ingene abavukanyi bazi utuntu n’utundi badufashije. Novuga nka J. R. Brown, ico gihe akaba yari umucungezi w’ingenzi, na Fred Rusk yakora kuri Beteli.

Ico gihe, amacakubiri yarabica bigacika. Umusi umwe, ka kagwi (Ku Klux Klan) karagize imyiyerekano mu gisagara twariko turagendera muri Tennessee. Ndibuka ko ikindi gihe twari mu ndimiro maze turaruhuka gato kugira twivune umusase mw’iresitora imwe. Naragiye kwa surwumwe, nza mbona umugabo umwe yari yarunguye yishushanijeko ibintu ku mubiri vyerekana ko abazungu baruta abirabure, arahagurutse arankurikira. Mugabo umuvukanyi umwe w’umuzungu, akomeye kunduta no kuruta uwo mugabo, yaciye aza. Yambajije ati: “Muvukanyi Herd ni sawa?” Nya mugabo yaciye agenda adakoresheje akazu ka surwumwe. Mu myaka n’iyindi, nariboneye ko ukwinubana kudashingiye vy’ukuri ku rukoba rw’umuntu, ahubwo gushingiye ku gicumuro ca Adamu kitugirako ingaruka twese. Vyongeye, naratahuye ko umuvukanyi aba ari umuvukanyi naho yoba afise urukoba rusa gute, kandi arashobora kugupfira igihe bikenewe.

Twamaze imyaka 33 turi mu gikorwa co kugendera amashengero, 21 ya nyuma nkaba nari umucungezi w’intara. Twarayikuyemwo imihezagiro myinshi, kandi twariboneye ibintu vyinshi biremesha. Ariko rero hari uwundi muhezagiro twahavuye turonka. Muri Myandagaro 1997, icipfuzo twari tumaranye igihe kirekire cararangutse. Twaratumiwe ngo tuje gukorera kuri Beteli yo muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, hakaba hari haciye imyaka nka 38 tubisavye. Mu kwezi kwakurikiye, twaratanguye gukorera kuri Beteli. Niyumvira ko abavukanyi bari bahagarikiye igikorwa kuri Beteli bashaka gusa ko nofasha igihe gitoya, mugabo si ko vyagenze.

Nabanje gukorera mu Rwego rujejwe umurimo. Emwe, narahigiye vyinshi! Abavukanyi bakorerayo bategerezwa kwitwararika ibibazo vy’inkoramutima bibazwa n’inama z’abakurambere be n’abacungezi b’imizunguruko bo hirya no hino muri ico gihugu. Narakengurutse ukuntu abavukanyi bamfashije bongera baramenyereza bihanganye. Naho ari ukwo, ndabona ko hamwe nosubira gukorerayo noba ngikeneye kwiga.

Twe na Gloria turakunda ubuzima bwo muri Beteli. Kuva kera twama tuvyuka kare, kandi ivyo biradufasha cane muri Beteli. Haciye nk’umwaka, naratanguye gufasha muri Komite y’umurimo y’Inama Nyobozi y’Ivyabona vya Yehova. Mu 1999 na ho, narabaye mu bagize Inama Nyobozi. Narize vyinshi muri ico gikorwa, mugabo icigwa gihambaye nahakuye, nariboneye ko ishengero rya gikirisu ridahagarikiwe n’umuntu, ahubwo ko Yezu Kristu ari we mutwe waryo.

Nsubije amaso inyuma, birashika nkumva meze nk’umuhanuzi Amosi. Yehova yarabonye uwo mwungere aciye bugufi yakora igikorwa c’abantu bo hasi co kurasaga insukoni z’ibiti vy’imisukomora, zino zikaba zari imfungurwa z’abakene. Imana yaragenye Amosi ngo abe umuhanuzi, kikaba cari igikorwa gihambaye cane. (Am. 7:14, 15) Na jewe Yehova yarambonye naho nari umwana w’umurimyi akenye w’i Liberty, muri Indiana maze arampa ubutunzi bwinshi cane bwo mu buryo bw’impwemu. (Imig. 10:22) Naho nakuriye mu muryango ukenye, ubu ndatunze cane mu buryo bw’impwemu kuruta uko nari gushobora kuvyibaza!