KANDICHIIYA, zintu zyiingi teezyakachincha. Bantu mbindakiiyaabo ndakali bazi, abalabo bakalindizi nkaambo chiindi chiingi bantu mbindakali kusaangunaamwi chikolo twakali kumaninsyaamwi.

Kukadolopo kakuLiberty, kwakali mapulazi alubo kwakali kulimwa zipopwe. Nindakazyalwa, ndeende wakali kubeleka kuli limwi pulazi. Ndakayiya kweenzya ntalakita alubo ndakaba aluzibo atala azyakulima kandichili mukubusi.

Ndeende wakali wakomena nindakazyalwa. Wakali aminyaka iili 56, baama bakali a35. Ndeende taakalikwe mubili pesi wakalisimide, kabeleka changuzu alubo wakatuyiisya toonse kuti katuchita oobo. Taakali kufola mali nyingi pesi wakali kubona kuti tulazijana zintu ziyandikana mbuuli busena bwakukkala, chakulya azyakuzwaata. Wakali kutulangania chiindi choonse. Ndeende wakatusiya kali aminyaka iili 93. Baama bakatusiya kabali aminyaka iili 86. Boonse teebakali kukomba Jehova pe. Mwanikaangu nguwe alikke ukomba Jehova alubo wakaba mwaalu kuma1970 nibwakatalika bubambe oobu.

Baama bakali kuziyandisya zyabukombi. Bakali kwiinka andiswe Nsondo aNsondo kuchikombelo chitegwa Baptist. Kandili aminyaka iili 12, ndakayiisigwa njiisyo yakuti Leza uli muzipanzi zitatu. Ndakabuzya baama kuti: “Zichitika biyeni kuti Jesu abe Mwana akuba Ndeende muchiindi chimwi?” Bakandisandula kuti: “Mwanaangu, eezi tazimvwisisiki pe. Ninsiswa.” Nisimpe ndakali kubonaanga ninsiswa nkaambo teendakali kuzimvwisisisya pe. Nindakaba aminyaka iili 14, ndakabbabbatizigwa mukalonga kakali afwiifwi ankutwakali kukkala. Ndakabbizigwa tutatu kweendelana anjiisyo yakuti Leza uli muzipanzi zitatu.

Nindakali kusekkondali, ndakali amweenzuma wakali mukabunga kabantu bachita zyakulwana mpawo wakandisungwaazya kuti andime ndichite mbuuli nguwe. Nkinkaako, ndakazumina kuti ndiliswaanizye ambunga iitegwa Golden Gloves. Ndakafwambaana kuleka nkaambo teendakali kukonzya pe kulwana. Mukuya kwachiindi, ndakaba silumamba waU.S., mpawo ndakaakubelekela kuGermany. Beendelezi besu bakali kubonaanga ndakali kukonzya kuzulwida nkinkaako, bakanditola kuchikolo chitegwa Noncommissioned Officers Academy. Bakali kuyanda kuti ndibeleke mulimu wabusilumamba kwabuumi bwangu boonse. Nikuba boobo, teendakali kuyanda kuba silumamba kwabuumi bwangu boonse. Nindakabeleka kwaminyaka iibili, ndakasala kusiya mulimu ooyo mu1956. Mukuya kwachiindi, ndakazoojana mulimu wabusilumamba uusiyene awakusaanguna.

Kanditanayiya kasimpe, teendakali kukumvwisisisya pe kuti kuba mwaalumi wachoonzyo kwaambaanzi. Mamuvi ngindakali kweebela abantu mbindakali kumvwanana aabo bakandinyongania. Bantu bakali kukambawuka ndakali kubabona kuti teebakali baalumi bachoonzyo pe. Pesi zintu nzindakayiya zyakachincha buumi bwangu. Bumwi buzuba, nindakali kweenzya kamoota kangu kasalala kajulika aajulu, bamwi basimbi bakandibbabbayisya. Bakali banike bamukwasaangu, wakakwete muchizi wangu mupati. Basimbi aaba bakali Bakamboni baJehova. Bakandipede mamagazini aNgaziyakulinda aAwake!, pesi zyakalembedwe muNgaziyakulinda teendakali kuzimvwisisisya pe. Bakanditamba kuti ndisike kuChiiyo chaBbuku chaMbungano. Ooyu wakali muswaangano wakwaambuuzyania atala aBbayibbele alubo wakali kuchitilwa kulimbabo. Ndakabasandula kuti ndilabona. Basimbi aabo bakandibuzya kuti: “Ulasika na choonzyo?” Ndakati “Ndilasika.”

Nikuba kuti teendakali kuyanda kwiinka pesi ndakayeeyesesya atala achisyomezyo changu. Nkinkaako, ndakiinka. Bana mbabo bakandiyumya mate munkanwa, nkaambo bakali aluzibo lwiingi atala aBbayibbele. Nikuba kuti twakali twaba achiindi katwiinka kucheechi Nsondo aNsondo abaama pesi teendakalikwe luzibo lwiingi atala aBbayibbele. Eezi zyakapa kuti ndibe achiyandisyo chakuziba zyiingi. Ndakasaanguna kwiiya Bbayibbele alubo ndakayiya kuti zina lyaLeza Singuzuzyoonse nguJehova. Chiindi, ndakabuzizye baama atala aBakamboni baJehova pesi bakandisandula kuti, “Bakomba umwi mudaala uutegwa Jehova.” Kwiiya nkundakali kuchita kwakandijula kumeso.

Ndakiinkilila kunembo muzintu zyabukombi nkaambo ndakabona kuti aaka kakali kasimpe. Ndakabbabbatizigwa muMarch 1957, kakwiindide myeezi iili 9 kuzwa nindakasaanguna kunjila miswaangano yambungano. Maboneno aangu atala abuumi akachincha. Ndilabotelwa lino kuti ndakayiya kuzwa muBbayibbele zintu zipa kuti ndibe mwaalumi wachoonzyo. Jesu wakalimaninide. Wakali amanguzu  miingi akali kukonzya kupa kuti muntu ulibona kuti ‘mwaalumi uusimide’ abe wabuyo kuti twamukozyanisya anguwe. Taakali kulwana pe, pesi wakazumina ‘kufwiinsigwa’ mbuuli mbukwakasinsimidwe. (Is. 53:2, 7) Ndakayiya kuti mutobeli waJesu weelede “kuba mutete-moyo.”​—2 Tim. 2:24.

Ndakasaanguna kupayona mumunyaka wa1958. Nikuba boobo, ndakeelede kuleka kupayona kwachiindi chifwiifwi. Nkamboonzi? Nkaambo ndakali kuyanda kukwata Gloria, wakali umwi wabasimbi bakanditambide kuchiiyo chabbuku chambungano. Tandilisoli pe akusala nkundakachita. Gloria wakali pwapwapwa, asunu mbachibede. Kulindime uyandikana loko kwiinda dayamondi. Ndilabotelwa kuti twakakwatana. Amumvwe kali kumubuzya makani mache atala anguwe:

“Tuli 17 mumpuli yakulindiswe. Baama bakali Kamboni. Bakatusiya kandili aminyaka iili 14. Kuchiindi eecho, ndeende wakasaanguna kwiiya Bbayibbele. Ndeende wakachita mabambe amupati wachikolo nkutwakali kwiiya nkaambo Baama bakali batusiya. Mukulanaangu wakali kwiiya kusekkondali nkinkaako, Ndeende wakatukumbilila kuti katusotosya amwi mazuba kuchikolo. Twakali kuchinchaana kwiinka kuchikolo kuti tukonzye kusyaala abanike besu akuti Ndeende ajane katuli twajika chakulya chagoko, naazwa kumulimu. Mupati wachikolo wakazumina alubo twakali kuchinchaana kusikila mukulanaangu naakamaninsya chikolo. Mpuli zyaBakamboni baJehova zibili zyakatuyiisya Bbayibbele alubo katuli 11 twakaba Bakamboni baJehova. Kuzwa chiindi, ndakali kukuyanda kukambawuka nikuba kuti ndakali abweeme. Mulumaangu wakali kundigwasya chiindi choonse kuti ndizunde penzi eeli.”

MuFebruary 1959 ndakamukwata Gloria. Twakatalika kupayona. MuJuly twakalembela kuyoobelekela kuBbeteli nkaambo twakali achiyandisyo chakubelekela kumawofesi mapati. Mukwesu Simon Kraker wakatubuzisisya. Wakatubuzya kuti kuchiindi eecho, kuBbeteli teekwakali kutambulwa bantu bakwetene. Chiyandisyo chakuyoobelekela kuBbeteli teechakamana pe pesi zyakatola chiindi chilamfu kuti chizuzikizigwe.

Twakalembela kumawofesi mapati katukumbila kuti tukabelekele kubusena buyanda basikugwasilizya. Twakabuzigwa kuti tukabelekele kuPine Bluff, Arkansas. Kuchiindi eecho kuPine Bluff kwakali mbungano zibili, imwi yakali yamakuwa imwi yabantu basiya. Twakabuzigwa kuti tukabelekele kumbungano yabantu basiya yakali abasikupupulula bali 14 luzutu.

Mulakonzya kugamba kuti nkamboonzi Bakamboni baJehova nibakali kubonekaanga balasalulana. Nsandulo njakuti kuchiindi eecho taakwe nzibakali kukonzya kuchita pe. Kwakali milawu yakali kukasya bantu basiya amakuwa kuti bakkale aamwi mbuuli kunjilaamwi miswaangano alubo eezi zyakali kweeta mapenzi. Mumasena miingi, bakwesu bakali alukanda lusiyene bakali kuyoowa kuti banjilaamwi miswaangano yambungano muNg’anda yaBwaami iimwi nkaambo yakali kukonzya kudilisigwa. Eezi nzizyo zyakali kuchitika. Bakamboni basiya bakali kusungwa naakuti kuumwa kuti bakambawukila mukuwa kung’anda ang’anda. Nkinkaako, kuti mulimu wakukambawuka uzwidilile, twakiswiilila milawu eeyi katuli abulangilizi bwakuti zintu zyakali kuzoochincha.

Twakali kuswaana buyumu-yumu mumulimu wakukambawuka. Nikuba kuti twakali kubelekela muchilawu chakali kukkala bantu basiya pesi chakutayeeyela, twakali kunoonga twakonkomona ang’anda kukkala makuwa. Twakali kusaanguna kubona kuti tumukambawukile na naakuti tukumbile lulekelelo. Kulaamwi masena, nzizyo zyakali kuchitika.

Kuti tukonzye kupayona, twakali kuchita imwi milimu. Milimu myiingi njitwakali kubeleka twakali kufola $3 abuzuba. Mukayintu wangu wakali kuchita milimu yamung’anda. Muliimwi ng’anda bakandizumizya kuti ndimugwasye mpawo twakafwambaana kumaninsya. Bakatupa chisusulo mpawo ndakalyaamwi amukayintu wangu. Mviki amviki mukayintu wangu wakali ku-ayina zigogo zyayimwi mpuli. Ime ndakali kusalazya lubuwa, mawindo akuchita imwi milimu yaang’anda. Chimwi chiindi, nitwakali kubelekela imwi mpuli yamakuwa, mukayintu wangu wakali kusanzya mawindo kali mukati, ime kandili aanze. Twakabeleka buzuba boonse nkinkaako, twakapegwa chisusulo. Mukayintu wangu wakalida  mung’anda pesi kakkede kule ampuli eeyo mpawo mebo ndakalida aanze kugalaji. Teezyakandichisya moyo pe eezi. Chakali kunona chakulya nchibakatupa. Mpuli eeyi yakali kabotu pesi bakali kunyonganisigwa azintu zyakali kuchitika achiindi eecho. Limwi zuba kwakachitika chimwi chintu, nitwakayimikila kuti tutile mafuta mumoota. Nitwakatila mafuta mumoota ndakakumbila mwaalumi wakali kubeleka mpawo kuti mukayintu wangu abelesye chimbuzi. Kaangide kumeso wakati, “Kulikkiidwe.”

Nikuba boobo, twakali kubotelwa kuba abakwesu alubo mulimu wakukambawuka wakali kupa kuti tubotelwe. Nitwakasika kuPine Bluff, twakakkala amukwesu wakali mulangizi wambungano. Mukayintu wakwe taakali kukomba pe nkinkaako, mukayintu wangu wakatalika kwiiya Bbayibbele anguwe. Andime ndakasaanguna kwiiya Bbayibbele amwanaabo amulumaakwe. Banyina amwanaabo bakasala kukomba Jehova mpawo bakabbabbatizigwa.

Twakali abeenzuma mumbungano yamakuwa. Bakali kututamba kuti tuzoolyaamwi pesi bakali kusisikizya. Achiindi eecho mbunga iitegwa Ku Klux Klan (KKK) yakali kusumpula kusalulana. Ndichiyeeyede bumwi buzuba ndakabona umwi mwaalumi wakakkede aanze ang’anda yakwe kazweete mbuuli mbubakali kuzwaata bakabunga kaKKK. Nikuba boobo, eezi teezyakalesya bakwesu kuti batondeezyanie luzyalo. Chimwi chiindi twakali kuyanda mali yakuti tuye kumuswaangano wabbooma alubo umwi mukwesu wakazumina kuula moota yesu iitegwa Ford yamu1950. Nikwakiinda mweezi, bumwi buzuba twakasika kung’anda katukatede nkaambo zuba lyakali kupya alubo twakali twazwa kukumbawuka kung’anda ang’anda akubona zyiiyo zyaBbayibbele. Nitwakasika ang’anda twakagamba. Twakajana moota yesu ang’anda. Twakajana kagwalo aawindo lyamoota kakalembedwe kuti: “Ndakuboozya moota yako kachili chipo. Ndime mukombinyokwe.”

Alubo kuli chimwi chintu chakachitika nchinditalubi pe. Mumunyaka wa1962 ndakatambwa kuti ndikanjile Chikolo Chamulimu waBwaami kuSouth Lansing, New York. Chikolo eechi chakali kutola mweezi alubo bakwesu bakali kuzulwida mumbungano, mabazu amabbooma, bakali kuyoojana malayilile aagwasya. Nindakatambwa teendakali kubeleka alubo teendakalikwe mali. Nikuba boobo, kwakali imwi kkampani yamafooni yakali kuyanda kundinjizya mulimu. Ndakali kuyooba muntu uusiya wakusaanguna kubelekela kkampani eeyi kaansinga ndakiinka. Kumamanino bakandibuzya kuti bakali kuyoondinjizya mulimu. Niinzi nzindakeelede kuchita? Teendakalikwe mali yakuti ndiye kuNew York. Ndakayeeya kuti ndizumine mulimu ooyu mpawo ndileke kwiinka kuchikolo. Chiindi nindakali kulibambila kulemba lugwalo lwakuti nsichikonzyi kuya kuchikolo, kwakachitika chimwi chintu nchinditalubi.

Umwi muchizi wamumbungano wakakwetwe amwaalumi uutakombi, wakakonkomona kuseeni-seeni mpawo wakanditambikizya envelopu. Envelopu eeyo yakali aamali. Muchizi ooyo abana bakwe baniini bakali kubuka kuseeni kuti bakabwezelele  kkotoni akumwa masokwe kuti bakonzye kujana mali yakuti ndiye kuchikolo. Muchizi ooyo wakati, “Yinka kuchikolo ukayiye zyiingi mpawo uboole uzootuyiisye.” Kuzwa waawo, ndakakumbila kkampani yamafooni kuti ndisaangune kubeleka kakuli kwiinda mviki zili 5. Bakandibuzya kuti, “Tazichiti pe.” Eezi teezyakandikataazya pe. Ndakali ndasala kale. Ndilabotelwa kuti teendakawuzumina pe mulimu ooyu.

Mukayintu wangu uchiyeeya chiindi nitwakachili kuPine Bluff. Waamba kuti: “Ndakali kubuyanda busena oobu. Ndakali azyiiyo zyaBbayibbele zili 15 kusika ku20. Buzuba abuzuba kuseeni, twakali kuchita mulimu waang’anda ang’anda mpawo buzuba boonse twakali kwiiya abantu Bbayibbele, chimwi chiindi kusika kuma11 mansiku. Kukambawuka kwakali kunoneezya. Teendakali kuyanda kuchincha mulimu ooyu. Teendakali kuyanda pe kubeleka mulimu wabbazu pesi kuli zimwi Jehova nzyaakatubambilide.” Alubo wakazizuzikizya.

Nitwakali kupayona kuPine Bluff, twakalembela kuti tube mapayona ayandikana. Twakali abulangilizi nkaambo mulangizi wabbooma wakali kuyanda kuti tugwasilizye mbungano yakuTexas alubo wakali kuyanda kuti twiinke katuli mapayona ayandikana. Nzyaakatubuzya zyakatubotezya. Twakalindila, kumwi katulanga mukabbokesi kabikkilwa tugwalo kuti amwi tulajana kagwalo kazwa kuMutabi pesi twakali kujana kakutakwe chintu. Bumwi buzuba, twakazoojana lugwalo lwakuti tuye kumulimu wakweendeenda. Eezi zyakachitika muJanuary 1965. Mukwesu Leon Weaver lino mulangizi waKkomiti yaMutabi kuUnited States, wakasalwa kuti abe mulangizi wabbazu mumunyaka ooyo.

Kuba mulangizi wabbazu kuchiindi eecho kwakali kundiyoosya. Kakuchisyeede munyaka uumwi, mulangizi wabbooma uutegwa James A. Thompson, Jr. wakalanga-langa zyeelelo zyangu. Wakandibuzya zimwi nzindakeelede kubambulula kuti ndibe mulangizi wabbazu uulikabotu. Nikuba kuti ndakali achiindi chifwiifwi kandili mumulimu wabbazu pesi lwakandigwasya lulayo ndwaakandipa. Nindakasalwa kuba mulangizi wabbazu, ndakasanguuna kubeleka amukwesu Thompson wakali mulangizi wabbooma. Ndakayiya zyiingi kumukwesu ooyu wakasimide muzintu zyabukombi.

Kuchiindi eecho, balangizi bamabazu bakali kuyiisigwa kwachiindi chifwiifwi. Kwamviki iimwi, ndakali kubona mbaakali kuchita mulangizi wabbazu wakaswayide imwi mbungano. Mpawo mumviki yakali kutobela, wakali kulanga mbundakali kuchita nindakaswaya imwi mbungano. Wakandibuzya aamwi malayilile ngindakeelede kubelesya. Kuzwa waawo twakali kulibonena. Ndakabuzya mukayintu wangu kuti: “Tuzookonzya na kubeleka atulikke?” Mukuya kwachiindi ndakabona chimwi chintu chiyandikana.  Ndakabona kuti bakwesu balakonzya kutugwasya kuti twabakumbila kuti batugwasye. Ndilamulumba mukwesu J. R. Brown wakali mulangizi weendeenda amukwesu Fred Rusk wakabeleka kuBbeteli nkaambo bakandigwasya.

Kuchiindi eecho, bantu bakachili kusalulana lukanda. Chiindi nitwakali kuswaya imwi mbungano yachiTennessee, bakabunga kaKKK bakali kumacha. Ndichiyeeyede bamwi bakwesu bakali kukambawuka nibakali kuyanda kuula chakulya kuliimwi restaurant. Nindakanyampuka kuti ndiye kuchimbuzi, ndakatobelwa awumwi mukuwa wakaangide manganda kumeso alubo wakadilowedwe zifanikisyo aamubili. Pesi kwakasika umwi mukwesu mukuwa wakali aamubili mupati kwiinda ndime amukuwa wakaangide manganda wakali kunditobela. Mpawo wakati: “Mukwesu Herd niinzi zilikukataazya?” Mukuwa wakaangide manganda wakazwa aanze katabelesezye chimbuzi. Ndakabona kuti kusalulana takweetwi akaambo kakusiyana lukanda pesi kweetwa achibi nchitwakakona kuli Adamu. Alubo ndakabona kuti bakombima mbakombima, nikuba katusiyene chikanda, balilipedelede kutufwida kuti bakonzye kutugwasya.

Ndakabeleka mulimu wakweendeenda kwaminyaka iili 33 kandili amukayintu wangu alubo akati kaminyaka eeyi iili 21, ndakali mulangizi wabbooma. Kwaminyaka yoonse eeyi twakali kubotelwa, twakasungwaazigwa alubo twakajana zilongezyo zyiingi. Mukuya kwachiindi, twakazoojana chimwi chilongezyo. MuAugust 1997 chiyandisyo nchitwakali aacho chakazuzikizigwa. Kakwiindide minyaka iili 38 kuzwa nitwakalembelede, twakatambwa kuyoobelekela kuBbeteli yakuUnited States. Twakasaanguna kubelekela kuBbeteli mumweezi wakatobela. Ndakali kuyeeyela kuti bakwesu bakuBbeteli bakali kuyanda kuti ndigwasilizye kwachiindi chifwiifwi pesi teenzinzyo zyakachitika pe.

Nindakasika bakandibuzya kuti ndikabelekele kuService Department. Eezi zyakandigwasya kuti ndiiye zintu zyiingi. Bakwesu badipatimenti eeyi balanga-langa makani aakataazya amibuzyo iizwa kubaalu akubalangizi bamabazu bakuU.S.A. Ndilabalumba bakwesu aaba nkaambo bakandiyiisya zintu zyiingi loko. Nikuba boobo, kuti kwategwa ndikabelekele nkuko lubo, ndiyooyiya zyiingi.

Ime amukayintu wangu tulakuyanda kubelekela kuBbeteli. Tulafwambaana kubuka mazuba woonse, nkinkaako eezi zilatugwasya kuBbeteli. Nikwakiinda munyaka, ndakaba mugwasilizi waKkomiti yaMulimu yaKabunga Keendelezya yaBakamboni baJehova. Kuzwa mu1999, ndakaba achilongezyo chakubelekela muKabunga Keendelezya. Ndakayiya zintu zyiingi mumulimu ooyu pesi chiiyo chiyandikana nchindakayiya nchakuti Jesu Kristu nguwe ulikweendelezya mbungano yachiKristu kutali bantu.

Kuti ndayeeya zintu zyakandichitikila musule, ndilimvwa mbuuli musinsimi Amosi. Jehova wakabelesya mweembezi uulibombya wakali kulangania mikuyu, chakulya chakali kuligwa abantu bafwaba. Leza wakasala Amosi kuti abe musinsimi, mulimu ooyu wakali kupa kuti anote mubukombi. (Am. 7:14, 15) Jehova wakapa kuti ndimwana wamulimi uufwaba wakali kukkala kuLiberty, Indiana ndijane zilongezyo zyiingi. (Tus. 10:22) Nisimpe kuti kumasaangunino ndakali kufwaba pesi kumamanino ndakajana zilongezyo zyiingi zyabukombi nzindakatali kukonzya kujana.