IGIHE nigaga, abanyeshuri batangiraga mu mwaka wa mbere, bakarinda barangiza bakigana. Wabaga uzi amazina y’abantu bose bo mu mugi mutuyemo kandi na bo bakuzi. Muri make wasangaga nta gishya.

Umugi wa Liberty wari ukikijwe n’imirima mito, kandi abantu bakundaga guhinga ibigori. Igihe navukaga, data yakoreraga umwe mu bahinzi b’iwacu. Maze kuba ingimbi, nize gutwara imashini ihinga no gukora indi mirimo ijyanye n’ubuhinzi.

Navutse data akuze kuko yari afite imyaka 56, naho mama afite imyaka 35. Nubwo yari umugabo mutomuto, yari akomeye, afite imbaraga n’amagara mazima. Yari umugabo ukunda gukora kandi natwe yarabidutoje. Buri gihe yakoreraga udufaranga duke, ariko yatuboneraga aho kuba, imyambaro n’ibyokurya, kandi yashakaga umwanya wo kuba ari kumwe natwe. Yapfuye afite imyaka 93, naho mama apfa afite imyaka 86. Ababyeyi bange ntibigeze bakorera Yehova. Icyakora hari murumuna wange wabaye umusaza w’itorero kuva mu mwaka wa 1972, kandi n’ubu aracyari indahemuka.

Mama yakundaga gusenga. Ku Cyumweru yatujyanaga gusenga mu Babatisita. Igihe nari mfite imyaka 12 ni bwo numvise inyigisho y’Ubutatu ku nshuro ya mbere. Nagize amatsiko, maze mbaza mama nti: “Bishoboka bite ko Yesu yaba Umwana akaba na Data icyarimwe?” Ndibuka ko yanshubije ati: “Mwana wa, ibyo ni iyobera! Ntidushobora kubyumva.” Kandi koko, numvaga ari iyobera. Nubwo ntabyumvaga ariko, nabatijwe mfite imyaka 14, mbatirizwa mu kagezi k’iwacu, maze banyibiza mu mazi inshuro eshatu, mu izina rya Data, iry’Umwana n’iry’umwuka wera.

Igihe nigaga mu mashuri yisumbuye, hari umuhungu wari inshuti yange wakinaga umukino w’iteramakofe wanshishikarije kuwukina. Natangiye kwitoza, kandi niyandikisha mu ishyirahamwe ry’abakinaga uwo mukino (Golden Gloves). Uwo mukino warananiye, bidatinze ndawureka. Nyuma yaho, nagiye mu gisirikare cya Amerika, noherezwa mu Budage. Igihe nari mu Budage, abatuyoboraga banyohereje mu ishuri rya gisirikare, kuko babonaga ko naba umuyobozi mwiza. Bifuzaga ko nakomeza kuba umusirikare, ariko nge sinabishakaga. Ubwo rero, igihe nari mazemo imyaka ibiri, nasezerewe mu cyubahiro mu mwaka wa 1956. Icyakora nyuma yaho gato, naje kwinjira mu gisirikare cy’ubundi bwoko.

Ntaramenya ukuri, nari mfite imitekerereze ikocamye ku birebana n’uko umugabo nyamugabo agomba kuba ameze. Nari narashutswe na firimi narebaga hamwe n’inshuti zange. Numvaga ko ababwirizabutumwa atari abagabo nyabagabo. Ariko hari ibintu naje kumenya bihindura ubuzima bwange. Umunsi umwe, igihe nari ntwaye imodoka yange nziza ntembera mu mugi, abakobwa babiri baranshuhuje. Nari mbazi. Bavukanaga n’umugabo wa mushiki wange, kandi bari Abahamya ba Yehova. Bajyaga bampa amagazeti y’Umunara w’Umurinzi na Nimukanguke!, ariko gusobanukirwa Umunara w’Umurinzi byarangoraga. Icyo gihe bwo bantumiye mu materaniro y’Icyigisho cy’Igitabo cy’Itorero. Ayo materaniro yabaga arimo abantu bake, kandi yaberaga iwabo. Narababwiye nti: “Ndi bubitekerezeho.” Abo bakobwa baramwenyuye maze barambaza bati: “Uraza se koko?” Nange nti: “Ni ukuri ndi buze.”

Nicujije impamvu nabemereye, ariko nanone nkumva ntakwisubiraho. Ubwo rero kuri uwo mugoroba nagiyeyo. Abana ni bo bantangaje cyane. Bari bazi Bibiliya pe! Nubwo kera najyanaga na mama gusenga ku Cyumweru, nta Bibiliya nari nzi rwose. Ibyo byatumye niyemeza kuyiga, kuko nifuzaga kumenya byinshi. Kimwe mu bintu bya mbere namenye ni izina bwite ry’Imana Ishoborabyose, ari ryo Yehova. Nari narigeze kubaza mama iby’Abahamya ba Yehova, maze arambwira ati: “Basenga umusaza witwa Yehova.” Ariko maze kumenya iryo zina, numvise mbaye nk’uhumutse!

Maze kubona ko mbonye ukuri, nagize amajyambere yihuse. Nabatijwe muri Werurwe 1957, hakaba hari hashize amezi ikenda gusa ngiye mu materaniro ku nshuro ya mbere. Imitekerereze yange yarahindutse. Iyo ntekereje uko kera numvaga uko umugabo nyawe agomba kuba ameze, nshimishwa n’uko namenye icyo Bibiliya ibivugaho. Yesu yari  umugabo utunganye. Yari akomeye kandi afite imbaraga kurusha abandi bagabo bose. Ariko ntiyigeze arwana, ahubwo ‘yemeye kubabazwa’ nk’uko byari byarahanuwe (Yes 53:2, 7). Namenye ko umwigishwa nyakuri wa Yesu “agomba kuba umugwaneza ku bantu bose.”—2 Tim 2:24.

Natangiye umurimo w’ubupayiniya mu mwaka wakurikiyeho, ni ukuvuga mu wa 1958. Icyakora naje kuwuhagarika igihe gito. Kubera iki? Nari ngiye gushakana na Gloria, umwe muri ba bakobwa bari barantumiye mu kigisho k’igitabo. Sinigeze nicuza uwo mwanzuro nafashe. Gloria yari ihogoza kandi n’ubu ni uko. Mbona ko afite agaciro kenshi kurusha diyama kandi nishimira ko namushatse. Reka na we abibwire:

“Iwacu turi abana 17. Mama yari Umuhamya w’indahemuka. Yapfuye mfite imyaka 14. Icyo gihe ni bwo data yatangiye kwiga Bibiliya. Mama amaze gupfa, data yagiye kureba umuyobozi w’ishuri ryacu, amusaba ko nge na mukuru wange wigaga mu mwaka wa nyuma w’amashuri yisumbuye, twajya twiga iminsi itandukanye. Mu gihe umwe yari kuba yagiye ku ishuri, undi yari kujya asigara mu rugo, akita kuri barumuna bacu kandi agateka ibya nimugoroba, kugira ngo tuze gusangirira hamwe na data avuye ku kazi. Uwo muyobozi yarabimwemereye kandi twakomeje kwiga dutyo kugeza mukuru wange arangije. Hari imiryango ibiri y’Abahamya ba Yehova yatwigishaga Bibiliya, maze abana 11 muri twe baba Abahamya ba Yehova. Nubwo nagiraga isoni, nakundaga umurimo wo kubwiriza. Ariko umugabo wange Samuel yagiye amfasha.”

Nge na Gloria twashyingiranywe muri Gashyantare 1959, maze dukorana umurimo w’ubupayiniya. Muri Nyakanga uwo mwaka twasabye gukora kuri Beteli, kubera ko twifuzaga gukora ku kicaro gikuru. Twaganiriye n’umuvandimwe Simon Kraker. Yatubwiye ko icyo gihe Beteli itakiraga abashakanye. Twakomeje kwifuza gukora kuri Beteli, ariko byadusabye gutegereza imyaka myinshi kugira ngo tuhakore.

Twandikiye ikicaro gikuru dusaba ko twakoherezwa kubwiriza ahari hakenewe ababwiriza benshi. Batwohereje mu mugi wa Pine Bluff, muri leta ya Arikansasi. Icyo gihe muri uwo mugi hari amatorero abiri: iry’abirabura n’iry’abazungu. Twoherejwe mu itorero ry’abirabura ryari rifite ababwiriza 14 gusa.

Ushobora kuba wibajije impamvu mu matorero y’Abahamya ba Yehova harimo ivangura. Igisubizo kirumvikana. Muri icyo gihe ni uko byari bimeze, kandi nta ho wari kubihungira. Hariho amategeko yabuzaga abazungu n’abirabura guhurira hamwe, kandi abayarengagaho bashoboraga kugirirwa nabi. Mu duce twinshi, abavandimwe b’abazungu n’abirabura batinyaga guteranira hamwe, kuko byashoboraga gutuma Inzu y’Ubwami isenywa. Kandi koko hari aho byabaye. Iyo Abahamya b’abirabura babwirizaga ku nzu n’inzu mu ngo z’abazungu, barafatwaga, hakaba n’igihe bakubiswe. Ubwo rero, kugira ngo umurimo wo kubwiriza ukorwe, twubahirizaga ayo mategeko, twiringiye ko ibintu bizagera aho bigahinduka.

Twahuraga n’ingorane mu murimo wo kubwiriza. Iyo twabaga tubwiriza mu ifasi ituwe n’abirabura, hari igihe twakomangaga ku rugo, tugasanga rutuwe n’abazungu. Iyo byagendaga bityo, twahitaga tureba niba twababwiriza akanya gato cyangwa niba twabasaba imbabazi tugakomeza ku rundi rugo. Nguko uko byari bimeze mu duce tumwe na tumwe.

Kugira ngo dushobore gukomeza umurimo w’ubupayiniya, twagombaga gushaka akazi. Akenshi twabonaga akazi gahemba amafaranga make ku munsi. Gloria yakoraga akazi ko mu rugo ahantu hatandukanye. Hari aho bemeye ko najya mufasha kugira ngo turangize kare. Baduhaga ibyokurya bya saa sita, twamara kurya tugataha. Hari ahandi Gloria yateraga ipasi, nge ngakora mu busitani, nkoza amadirishya, ngakora n’akandi kazi ko mu rugo. Mu rugo rumwe rw’abazungu, nge na Gloria twozaga amadirishya, nkoza inyuma we akoza imbere. Kubera ko twahakoraga umunsi wose, saa sita baratugaburiraga. Gloria yariraga mu nzu ariko ntasangire n’uwo muryango, nge nkarira hanze. Ariko nta cyo  byari bintwaye. Baduhaga ibyokurya byiza. Bari abantu beza, icyakora nyine bagombaga kubahiriza amategeko yari ariho. Ikindi gihe twagiye kunywesha lisansi, maze nsaba umukozi waho gutiza Gloria ubwiherero. Yandebye nabi maze arambwira ati: “Harakinze.”

Icyakora twagiranye n’abavandimwe ibihe byiza kandi twakundaga umurimo wo kubwiriza. Igihe twageraga i Pine Bluff, twacumbikiwe n’umuvandimwe wari uhagarariye itorero, icyo gihe witwaga umukozi w’itorero. Kubera ko umugore we atari Umuhamya, Gloria yatangiye kumwigisha Bibiliya. Nge natangiye kwigisha Bibiliya umukobwa wabo n’umugabo we. Uwo mukobwa na nyina biyemeje gukorera Yehova, barabatizwa.

Twari dufite inshuti mu itorero ry’abazungu. Bajyaga badutumira ngo dusangire nimugoroba, ariko twajyagayo bwije kugira ngo hatagira utubona turi kumwe na bo. Icyo gihe hariho ishyirahamwe ry’abantu bari bashyigikiye ivangura kandi barangwaga n’urugomo (Ku Klux Klan). Nibuka ko umunsi umwe ari nijoro habaye umunsi mukuru wa Halowini, nabonye umugabo wari wicaye imbere y’inzu ye yambaye imyenda y’abayoboke b’iryo shyirahamwe, ubona bimuteye ishema. Icyakora ibyo ntibyabuzaga abavandimwe kugwa neza. Hari igihe twari dukeneye amafaranga yo kujya mu ikoraniro, maze umuvandimwe yemera kugura imodoka yacu kugira ngo tubone itike. Nyuma y’ukwezi, ubwo twari twiriwe tugenda n’amaguru tubwiriza ku nzu n’inzu, tunigisha abantu Bibiliya, izuba ritumena agahanga, twatunguwe n’ibyo twasanze mu rugo. Twasanze ya modoka yacu iparitse imbere y’inzu! Ku kirahuri k’iyo modoka hari hariho akandiko kavuga ngo: “Mwakire imodoka yanyu, nyibahayeho impano. Yari umuvandimwe wanyu.”

Hari ikindi gikorwa kirangwa n’ineza ntazibagirwa. Mu mwaka wa 1962, natumiriwe kwiga Ishuri ry’Umurimo w’Ubwami mu mugi wa South Lansing muri leta ya New York. Iryo shuri ryamaraga ukwezi kose rihugura abasaza b’amatorero, abagenzuzi b’uturere n’ab’intara. Icyakora igihe natumirwaga nta kazi nari mfite kandi ubukene bwari bumeze nabi. Ariko hari isosiyete yo mu mugi wa Pine Bluff yari yarankoresheje ikizamini cy’akazi. Iyo baza kukampa nari kuba mbaye umwirabura wa mbere ukoreye iyo sosiyete. Baje kukanyemerera. None se nari kubigenza nte? N’ubundi nta mafaranga nari mfite yo kujya i New York mu ishuri. Ubwo rero, numvaga nahitamo kujya gukora ako kazi, ishuri nkarireka. Igihe nari ngiye kwandikira Beteli mbamenyesha ko ntazajya kwiga, habaye ikintu ntazigera nibagirwa.

Hari mushiki wacu twateraniraga hamwe wari ufite umugabo utari Umuhamya, wakomanze iwacu mu gitondo karekare, maze ampereza ibahasha. Yari yuzuye amafaranga. We n’abana be babyukaga kare mu gitondo bakajya kubagara imirima y’ipamba, kugira ngo banshakire amafaranga yo  kujya i New York. Yarambwiye ati: “Jya ku ishuri kandi uzige ushyizeho umwete, hanyuma uzagaruke utwigishe!” Nyuma yaho, nasabye ya sosiyete ko nazatangira akazi nyuma y’ibyumweru bitanu. Birumvikana ko batabyemeye! Ariko nta cyo byari bintwaye. Nari namaze gufata umwanzuro. Nishimira cyane ko ntagiye gukora ako kazi!

Gloria na we yibuka ibihe byiza twagiriye i Pine Bluff. Agira ati: “Nakunze cyane iyo fasi! Nigishaga Bibiliya abantu bari hagati ya 15 na 20. Twabwirizaga ku nzu n’inzu mu gitondo, nyuma yaho tukigisha abantu Bibiliya. Hari n’igihe twagezaga saa tanu z’ijoro! Umurimo wari ushimishije cyane. Numvaga nahigumira. Mvugishije ukuri, numvaga ntashaka kuva mu ifasi ngo nge mu murimo wo gusura amatorero, ariko Yehova we si uko yabibonaga.”

Mu gihe twakoreraga umurimo i Pine Bluff, twasabye kuba abapayiniya ba bwite. Twari twizeye ko bazabyemera kubera ko umugenzuzi w’intara yifuzaga ko tujya gufasha itorero ry’i Tegizasi, kandi tukajyayo turi abapayiniya ba bwite. Twumvaga tubishaka cyane. Twategereje igisubizo kivuye kuri Beteli, turategereza weee, ariko twareba mu gasanduku k’iposita tugasanga nta kirimo. Amaherezo twabonye igisubizo. Twari twahawe inshingano yo gusura amatorero! Icyo gihe hari muri Mutarama 1965. Umuvandimwe Leon Weaver, ubu akaba ari umuhuzabikorwa wa Komite y’Ibiro by’Ishami byo muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, na we yari yabaye umugenzuzi w’akarere.

Kuba umugenzuzi w’akarere byanteye ubwoba. Hari hashize nk’umwaka cyangwa urenga uwari umugenzuzi w’intara witwa James A. Thompson asuzumye niba nari nujuje ibisabwa ngo mbe umugenzuzi w’akarere. Yambwiye mu bugwaneza utuntu duke nagombaga kunonosora, anambwira bimwe mu bintu biranga umugenzuzi mwiza. Nyuma y’igihe gito mbaye umugenzuzi, ni bwo nabonye ko inama yangiriye nari nzikeneye rwose. Maze guhabwa iyo nshingano, Umuvandimwe Thompson ni we mugenzuzi w’intara twakoranye bwa mbere. Uwo muvandimwe ukuze mu buryo bw’umwuka namwigiyeho byinshi.

Muri icyo gihe abagenzuzi b’uturere ntibatozwaga bihagije. Namaze icyumweru nitegereza uko umugenzuzi w’akarere abigenza iyo yasuye itorero. Mu cyumweru cyakurikiyeho twasuye irindi torero, areba uko mbigenza, angira inama z’ibyo nanonosora. Nyuma yaho twahise tujya mu karere kacu. Ndibuka ko nabwiye Gloria nti: “Ubu se koko aragiye?” Icyakora nyuma y’igihe, hari isomo nize: Iyo wemeye gufashwa, buri gihe haba hari abavandimwe beza baba biteguye kugufasha. N’ubu  ndakishimira cyane ukuntu nafashijwe n’abavandimwe b’inararibonye, urugero nka J. R. Brown wari umugenzuzi usura amatorero, na Fred Rusk wakoraga kuri Beteli.

Icyo gihe ivangura ryacaga ibintu. Hari igihe twari twasuye itorero ryo mu mugi wo muri leta ya Tenesi, dusanga abayoboke ba rya shyirahamwe ry’abari bashyigikiye ivangura bakoze imyigaragambyo. Ikindi gihe, twari mu murimo wo kubwiriza, tujya muri resitora kugira ngo turuhukeho gato. Nagiye mu bwiherero, ngiye kubona mbona umugabo warebaga nabi cyane, yaranishushanyijeho ibimenyetso by’abari bashyigikiye ivangura, aje ankurikiye. Ariko hari umuvandimwe w’umuzungu waturushaga ibigango twembi, na we waje adukurikiye. Uwo muvandimwe yarambajije ati: “Muvandimwe Herd, ni amahoro?” Uwo mugabo yahise agenda atanakoresheje ubwiherero. Uko igihe cyagiye gihita, naje kubona ko kugirira abandi urwikekwe bidaterwa mu by’ukuri n’uko mudahuje ibara ry’uruhu, ahubwo biterwa n’icyaha twarazwe na Adamu. Nanone namenye ko umuvandimwe aba ari umuvandimwe wawe koko, uko ibara ry’uruhu rwe ryaba riri kose, kandi ko bibaye ngombwa yagupfira.

Twamaze imyaka 12 turi abagenzuzi b’akarere, tumara n’indi 21 turi abagenzuzi b’intara. Muri iyo myaka twabonye imigisha myinshi kandi tubona ibintu byinshi byaduteye inkunga. Icyakora hari ikindi kintu kiza twari tugiye kubona. Muri Kanama 1997, inzozi twari tumaranye imyaka myinshi zabaye impamo. Twatumiriwe gukora kuri Beteli yo muri Amerika, hakaba hari hashize imyaka 38 tubisabye. Twatangiye gukora kuri Beteli mu kwezi kwakurikiyeho. Nibwiraga ko kuri Beteli bashakaga ko tubafasha igihe gito, icyakora si ko byagenze.

Nabanje gukora mu Rwego Rushinzwe Umurimo, kandi nahigiye byinshi. Abavandimwe bakora muri urwo rwego basubiza ibibazo bikomeye biba byabajijwe n’inteko z’abasaza n’abagenzuzi basura amatorero. Nishimiye cyane ukuntu abavandimwe bantozaga bihanganye. Ntekereza ko ndamutse nsubiye gukorayo, bakongera kuntoza.

Nge na Gloria dukunda ubuzima bwo kuri Beteli. Kuva kera twabyukaga kare, kandi biradufasha cyane. Nyuma y’umwaka cyangwa urenga, natangiye gufasha muri Komite Ishinzwe Umurimo y’Inteko Nyobozi y’Abahamya ba Yehova. Mu mwaka wa 1999, nabaye umwe mu bagize Inteko Nyobozi. Nigiye byinshi muri iyo nshingano, ariko isomo rikomeye kurusha andi nize, ni uko Yesu Kristo ari we mutware w’itorero. Ntiriyoborwa n’umuntu.

Iyo nshubije amaso inyuma, hari igihe numva meze nk’umuhanuzi Amosi. Nubwo yari umushumba woroheje wakoraga akazi ko gusharura ku mbuto z’ibiti byo mu bwoko bw’umutini, byari ibyokurya by’abakene gusa, Yehova yamuhaye agaciro. Yamugize umuhanuzi, kandi iyo nshingano yayimuhereyemo imigisha myinshi (Amosi 7:14, 15). Kimwe na Amosi, nange Yehova yampaye agaciro, nubwo data yari umuhinzi w’umukene wo mu mugi wa Liberty, muri leta ya Indiyana. Nanone yampaye imigisha myinshi itarondoreka (Imig 10:22). Navukiye mu muryango ukennye, none nshaje mfite ubukire bwo mu buryo bw’umwuka ntigeze ntekereza ko nagira!