Ndidabadwira ku Holanda mu gole la 1948. Gole lamangwana lace abereki wangu adafuluka aciyenda kukakhala ku São Paulo, ku Brasil. Abereki wangu akhafuna kwene-kwene kunamata, ndipo ninga banja, ifepano tikhambawerenga Bibliya tikamala kudya usiku. Mu gole la 1959, tidafuluka pomwe ticiyenda kukakhala ku Estados Unidos ndipo kumweko tidakakhala ku Massachusetts.

Pai wangu akhaphata basa kwene-kwene kuti adyese banja lathu lomwe likhana wanthu asere. Pai wanguwo adaphata mabasa yakusiyana-siyana, ninga vendambulanti, kukonza miseu na jerente wa empreza ya ndeke. Tentse m’banjamo tidakomedwa pomwe iwo adapita basa pa empreza ya ndekeyo thangwe bzimwebzi bzikhatithandiza kumbacita ulendo na ndeke mwakusaya kunesa.

Pomwe ndikhapfunza xikola, kawiri-kawiri ndikhabzibvunza kuti: ‘Kodi n’ciyani comwe nin’dzacita ndikadzakula?’ Axamwali wangu winango adasankhula kuyenda ku universidade pomwe winango adasankhula kucita basa la ucikunda. Tsono inepano ndikhafuna lini kucita basa la ucikunda thangwe rakuti ndikhafuna lini bzakumenyana-menyana. Tenepo, ndidasankhula kuyenda ku universidade kuti ndileke kuyenda kukacita basa la ucikundalo. Ndikhafuna kwene-kwene kuthandiza wanthu, thangwe ndikhawona kuti kucita bzimwebzi kungadandithandiza kukhala wakukondwa pa moyo wangu.

Ku universidade ndidakomedwa kupfunza antropologia, (yomwe ni disciplina yomwe imbapfunzisa bza moyo wa wanthu) thangwe ndikhafuna kudziwa kuti moyo udayamba tani. Ifepano tikhapfunzisidwa kuti bzinthu bza moyo bzidacita kusanduka, ndipo apfunzisi wathu akhafuna kuti ifepano tikhulupire bzimwebzo. Tsono bzinthu bzinango bzomwe akhafotokoza bzikhabveseseka lini ndipo ndikhandofunikira kubzikhulupira napo kuti ndikhalibe umboni bwakuti n’bzacadidi.

Ku universidade komwe ndikhapfunzako, tikhapfunzisidwa lini makhalidwe yabwino, koma tikhambauzidwa kuti tikhafunika kucita nyongo kuti tikwanise kumaliza mapfunziro yathu ku universidadeko. Kuceza na azixamwali wangu, kucita mafesta na kumbaphatisa basa mankhwala yakudzungulumwisa msolo bzikhambandicitisa kubzibva bwino. Tsono bzimwebzi bzikhambandicitisa lini kukhala wakukondwa. Tenepo, ndikhabzibvunza kuti: ‘Kodi cakulinga ca moyo n’cimweci?’

Na kupita kwa nthawe, ndidafuluka ndiciyenda kukakhala ku mzinda wa Boston, komwe ndidakapitiriza na mapfunziro ya ku universidade. Kuti ndikwanise kupagali universidadeyo, ndidaphata basa pomwe ndikhali feriya ndipo kubasako ndidadziwana na m’bodzi wa Mboni za Yahova. Iye adandifotokozera polofesiya yakugumanika mu bukhu la Danyeri kapitulo 4 yakulewa bza ‘nthawe zakukwana zinomwe’ ndipo adandiuza kuti tikukhala mu ntsiku zakumalizira. (Danyeri 4:13-17) Mwakamfulumize ndidazindikira kuti ndikapitiriza kumbaceza naye nkhani za m’Bibliya na kukhulupira bzomwe iye akhandiuza, ningadacinja moyo wangu. Tenepo ndidasiya kumbaceza nayeko.

Ku universidadeko, ndidasankhula curso yomwe idandikonzekeresa kudzacita basa lakubzipereka ku América do Sul. Ndikhakumbuka kuti kuthandiza wanthu winango kungadandithandiza kukhala na cakulinga pa moyo. Tsono patsogolo pace, ndidadzazindikira kuti kucita basa limweri kukhacitisa lini moyo wangu kukhala wabwino. Ndidasunama ndipo ndidasiya kupfunza ku universidadeko kuphampha kwa gole.

Mu Maio, 1970, ndidayenda ku likulu la Holanda, ku Amsterdam, kukaphata basa pa empreza ya ndeke komwe pai wangu adaphatambo basa. Basa limweri lidandicitisa kukwanisa kumbacita maulendo matali-matali ninga kuyenda ku madziko ya ku África, América na ku Ásia. Mwakusaya kutenga nthawe ndidakwanisa kuwona kuti ku madziko yomwe ndikhayendayo kukhana mabvuto yakusiyana-siyana ndipo palibe omwe akhakwanisa kuyamalisa. Tsono ndidawona kuti pakhana cinthu cakufunika comwe ndikhafunika kucicita pa moyo wangu, tenepo ndidakumbuka kubwerera ku Estados Unidos, kuti ndikapfunze pomwe ku universidade ya ku Boston.

Tsono ndidawona kuti ku universidadeko akhakwanisa lini kutawira mibvunzo yangu yakulewa bza moyo. Tenepo, ndidakumbira malango mpfunzisi wangu wa antropologia. Tsono mtawiro wace udandidabwisa. Iye adanditawira kuti: “Thangwe ranyi ukupitiriza kupfunza? Siya kupfunzako.” Ndidakomedwa kubva bzimwebzi, tenepo ndidasiyadi kupfunza ku universidadeko.

Pakuti moyo wangu udapitiriza kukhala wakusaya phindu, ndidabzipitisa mu thimu la wanthu omwe akhabzipambula ndipo akhawoneka ninga kuti akufuna mtendere na lufoyi. Inepano na azixamwali wangu tidacoka ku Estados Unidos ticiyenda ku mzinda wa Acapulco, ku México. Kumweko tidakakhala na wanthu omwe akhalamba kutetekera nzeru ziri-zentse zomwe zikhaperekedwa. Ndipo akhawoneka ninga kuti ana moyo wakusaya mabvuto na wakusaya thupo. Tsono pomwe ndidakhala nawo ndidawona kuti momwe iwo akhambacitira bzinthu bzikhalatiza kuti moyo wawo ukhalibe phindu thangwe rakuti akhakhala lini wakupfantsa, akhalibe cilungamo ndipo akhali lini wakukhulupirika.

Pa nthawe imweyo, ndidayamba kukumbukira bzinthu bzomwe ndikhafuna kucita pomwe ndikhali mwana. Ndikhafuna kufamba m’madzi na barko, koma sikuti ninga nyakucapa koma ninga mtsogoleri wa xitima ya m’madzi. Cinthu comwe cingadandithandiza kucita bzimwebzi ndico kukhala na barko langu. Pakuti xamwali wangu wakucemeredwa Ton akhana nzeru zibodzi-bodzimbo na zangu, tidapangana kuti tizungulire dziko lentse la pantsi na barko. Tikhafuna kugumana ntsuwa yakudeka kwene-kwene yomwe kulibe malamulo yakutonga wanthu.

Tenepo, inepano na Ton tidacita ulendo bwakuyenda ku Arenys de Mar pafupi na mzinda wa Barcelona ku Espanha. Kumweko ifepano tidagula barko lakucemeredwa Llygra lomwe likhana mametro 9,4. Tidayamba kukonza bzinthu bzinango m’barkomo kuti tikwanise kufamba nalo. Pakuti ulendo bwathubo bukhali lini bwakuthamanga-thamanga, tidacosa motori wa barkolo ndipo pa mbuto imweyo tidaikha madzi yakumwa. Kuti tikwanise kumbaimisa barko lathu m’mbuto zing’ono-zing’ono zakuimisira xitima za m’madzi, tidagula mphondo ziwiri zomwe zikhana mametro 5. Pomwe tidamala kukonzekera, tidayamba ulendo bwathu bwakuyenda ku Seychelles, ku Oceano Índico. Bzomwe tikhafuna ndibzo kufamba na barkolo m’mphepete mwa kumabvadzuwa kwa África na m’mphepete mwa Cabo da Boa Esperança, ku África do Sul. Tidaphatisa basa nyenyezi, mapa, mabukhu na bzinthu bzinango kuti bzitithandize kukafika komwe tikhayendako. Bzidakhala bzakudekeza kuna inepano kudziwa njira yomwe tikhafamba.

Pomwe tikhanati kuyenda patali, tidazindikira kuti barko lathulo lingadatifikisa lini kutali. Thangwe barkolo likhadabooka ndipo mubo waceyo ukhapitisa malitru 22 ya madzi pa ora ibodzi! Ninga momwe ndafotokozera pakuyamba pale, pomwe conzi cidayamba, ndidacita mantha ndipo ndidacita mpembo wangu wakuyamba pa moyo wangu. Mu mpembomo, ndidauza Mulungu kuti penu tingadapulumuka pa conzico, ningadacita ciri-centse kuti ndimudziwe. Conzico cidalekeza ndipo ndidafuna kuteweza bzomwe ndikhadalewa.

Tenepo, ndidayamba kuwerenga Bibliya pomwe tikhali m’barkomo. Ndokumbukirani momwe bzikhaliri bzakudekeza kukhala m’barko pakati pa Nyanza ya Mediterrâneo! Ndikhakomedwa kuwona mitundu yakusiyana-siyana ya ntsomba. Ndipo ndikhakumbukirambo bzinthu bzakusiyana-siyana bzomwe tingadagumana nabzo. Usiku, ndikambanyang’anisa kudzulu ndikhadabwa kwene-kwene ndikambawona gwala la nzou ndipo bzimwebzi bzidanditsimikizira kuti pana Mulungu omwe ambafuna wanthu.

Pomwe tidamala sumana zing’ono-ng’ono tiri m’madzimo, tidafika ku mbuto yakuimisira xitima za m’madzi ku Alicante, ku Espanha. Kumweko tidayezera kugulisa barko lathulo kuti tigule linango labwino. Ifepano tikhadziwa kuti bzingadakhala bzakunesa kuti munthu agule barko lakale-kale, lakusaya motori na lakubooka! Ndidaphatisa basa mpata umweyu kuti ndiwerenge Bibliya langu.

Ndidawerenga kwene-kwene Bibliyalo, ndipo ndidawona kuti iro likhali bukhu lomwe likhana malango yomwe yangatithandize kukhala na moyo wakupfantsa. Inepano ndidadabwa pomwe ndidawona kuti Bibliyalo limbafotokoza mwakubveka bwino kuti tin’funika kukhala na makumbukidwe yakucena ndipo ndidabzibvunza kuti thangwe ranyi wanthu azinji kuphatanidzambo inepano ambalewa kuti ni Akristau tsono ambacita lini bzomwe Bibliyalo limbalewa.

Ndidatsimikiza kucinja bzinthu pa moyo wangu, tenepo ndidaleka kuphatisa basa mankhwala yakudzungulumwisa msolo. Inepano ndidawona kuti pana wanthu omwe ambateweza bzomwe Bibliya limbalewa ndipo ndidafuna kuwadziwa wanthuwo. Tenepo, ndidapemba  kaciwiri ndicikumbira Mulungu kuti andithandize kuwagumana wanthuwo.

Inepano ndidawona kuti bzikhali bwino kunyang’ana gereja ibodzi-na-ibodzi kuti ndidziwe kuti njiponi yacadidi. Pomwe ndikhafamba mu mseu wa Alicante, ndidawona magereja mazinji. Pakuti magereja mazinji yakhana bzifanikiso, ndidakwanisa kuwona kuti magerejayo yakhali lini yacadidi.

Ntsiku inango pa Dumingu kumaulo, ndikhadakhala pa phiri ndikhakwanisa kuwona mbuto yakuimisira xitima za m’madzi ndipo ndikhawerenga Tiyago 2:1-5, pomwe pambalewa bzakufuna kwene-kwene munthu wakudala. Pomwe ndikhabwerera komwe kukhana barko lathu, ndidapita na pa mbuto inango pomwe pakhana wanthu omwe akhanamata. Pamwepo pakhana cikwangwani comwe cikhadanemba kuti: “Nyumba ya Umambo ya Mboni za Yahova.”

Tenepo ndidalewa mu mtima mwangu kuti: ‘Nin’funa kukawona kuti iwo ambanamata tani. Ndipo nin’funa kukawona kuti an’kanditambira tani.’ Ndidapita mu Nyumba ya Umambo uko ndiribe ntsapato, ndikhana ndebvu ndipo ndikhadabvala kalasau ya djini. Pomwe ndidafika, alatizi adandipasa mbuto yakukhala ndipo ndidakhala pafupi na mpfumakazi yacikulire yomwe mwa lufoyi idandithandiza kugumana bzinembo bzomwe bzikhafotokozedwa na mfokotozi wa nkhani. Pomwe mitsonkhanoyo idamala, inepano ndidadabwa kuwona wanthu wentse akubwera kudzandimusa. Mwamuna munango adandicemera kuti ndiyende kumui kwace kuti tikaceze bza Mulungu, tsono pakuti ndikhanati kumaliza kuwerenga Bibliya, ndidamuuza kuti: “Nin’dzakuuza ndikakonzeka.” Na kupita kwa nthawe, ndidayamba kumbagumanika pa mitsonkhano yentse.

Pomwe padapita sumana zakucepa, ndidayenda kukazunga kumui kwa mwamuna ule ndipo iye adanditawira mibvunzo yangu yakulewa bza Bibliya. Sumana ya mangwana yace, iye adandipasa pasta yakudzala na bzakubvala bzabwino. Iye adandiuza kuti mwenekaciro wa bzakubvalabzo akhali m’kawoko thangwe ra kubvera lamulo la m’Bibliya lakuti timbafunane na kuleka kupfunza nkhondo. (Zaiya 2:4; Juwau 13:34, 35) Tsapano ndikhadatsimikiza kuti ndagumana wanthu omwe ndikhawanyang’ana wale, omwe ambaphatisa basa malamulo ya m’Bibliya pa nkhani ya makhalidwe yabwino! Tenepo, cakulinga cangu ciribe kudzakhala pomwe cakunyang’ana ntsuwa yakudeka, koma kupfunza Bibliya na kulibvesesa. Tenepo, ndidabwerera ku Holanda.

Ndidacita ulendo bwa ntsiku zinai kuti ndifike mu mzinda wa Groningen ku Holanda. Kumweko ndidafunika kunyang’ana basa. Ndidayenda kukabvunza basa pa mbuto yakupala matabwa. Ndidapasidwa tsamba lomwe likhana mibvunzo ndipo m’bodzi mwa mibvunzoyo ukhabvunza gereja yomwe nimbapemphera. Ndidanemba pa tsambapo kuti: “Ndine Mboni ya Yahova.” Pomwe mwenekaciro wa basalo adawona mtawiro wanguyo, ndidawona kuti nkhope yace idacinja. Iye adalewa kuti: “Nin’kuligariri.” Tsono alibe kudzacita bzimwebzo.

Ndidayenda pomwe kukabvunza basa pa mbuto inango yakupala matabwa, ndipo ndidabvunza mwenekaciroyo penu akhafuna nyabasa. Iye adandikumbira  bziphaso na matsamba yomwe yakhalatiza kuti ndikhadaphata kale basa pa empreza zinango. Inepano ndidamufotokozera kuti ndikhadaphata kale basa lakukonza barko la matabwa. Ndidadabwa pomwe iye adandiuza kuti: “Iwepo ungayambe kuphata basa kumaulo kuno. Koma nin’funa kuti udziwe cinthu cibodzi. Inepano nin’funa lini kuti iwepo undibweresere mulandu pabasa pangu pano, thangwe inepano ndine Mboni ya Yahova ndipo nimbaphatisa basa nfundo za m’Bibliya pa moyo wangu.” Mwakukomedwa ndidamunyang’anisa ndipo ndidamutawira kuti: “Inepano ndine Mbonimbo ya Yahova!” Pakuti ndikhana tsisi litali ndipo ndikhalibe kugwata ndebvu, iye adadziwa kuti ndikhali lini Mboni ya Yahova, tenepo iye adalewa kuti: “Nin’pfunza nawe Bibliya!” Mwakukomedwa ndidabvuma kuti iye andipfunzise. Tenepo ndidadzabvesesa thangwe lomwe patrau wakuyamba ule alibe kudzandiligariri. Yahova akhatawira mipembo yangu. (Salimo 37:4) Ndidamala gole libodzi ndikuphata basa na m’baleyo. Pa nthawe imweyo iye akhandipfunzisa Bibliya, patsogolo pace ndidabatizidwa mwezi wa Janeiro, mu 1974.

Pomwe padapita mwezi ubodzi, ndidayamba kucita upainiya, basa lomwe lidandicitisa kukhala wakukomedwa kwene-kwene. M’mwezi wa mangwana wace ndidafuluka ndiciyenda ku Amsterdam kuti ndikathandize grupo la wanthu omwe akhalewalewa Cixipanyol. Ndidakomedwa kwene-kwene pomwe ndikhacitisa mapfunziro ya Bibliya mu cirewedwe ca Cixipanyol na Cipwitikizi! M’mwezi wa Maio, 1975, ndidakhala na mwayi wakutumikira ninga mpainiya wakupambulika.

Ntsiku inango, mpainiya munango wakupambulika wakucemeredwa Ineke, adabwera ku mitsonkhano yathu ya Cixipanyol kuti adzatidziwise bza nyakupfunza wace wa Bibliya wa ku Bolívia. Inepano na Ineke tidayamba kumbanemberana matsamba kuti tidziwane bwino, ndipo mwakusaya kucedwa tidawona kuti tentse tikhana bzakulinga bzibodzi-bodzi. Tidalowolana mu gole la 1976, ndipo tidapitiriza kutumikira ninga apainiya wakupambulika mpaka mu 1982 pomwe tidacemeredwa kuti tikapite Xikola ya Jileyade, turma 73. Patsogolo pace tidakomedwa kwene-kwene pomwe tidauzidwa kuti tikatumikire kumabvadzuwa kwa África ku Mombasa, Quênia, komwe tidakatumikira magole maxanu! Mu gole la 1987, tidatumizidwa ku Tanzânia, komwe boma likhabvumiza basa lathu lakupalizira. Kumweko tidakhala magole 26 tikanati kubwerera ku Quênia.

Kuthandiza wanthu kupfunza cadidi ca m’Bibliya kudaticitisa kukhala na moyo wabwino. Mwa ciratizo, nyakupfunza wangu wa Bibliya wakuyamba ku Mombasa ni mwamuna omwe ndidagumana naye kakuyamba mu upalizi bwa pa mseu. Pomwe ndidamupasa revista ziwiri, iye adandibvunza kuti: “Ndikamaliza kuwerenga marevistaya n’ciyani cinango comwe nin’dzacita?” Sumana ya mangwana yace tidayamba kupfunza Bibliya mwakuphatisa basa bukhu lakuti: Mungathe Kukhala ndi Moyo Kosatha m’Paradaiso pa Dziko Lapansi, lomwe likhadacosedwa kale mu Ciswahili. Iye adadzabatizidwa gole lamangwana lace ndipo adadzakhala mpainiya wakukhazikika. Kuyambira nthawe imweyo, iye adathandiza wanthu pafupi-fupi 100 kubzipereka kwa Yahova, acibatizidwa.

Pomwe ndidayamba kubvesesa thandauzo la moyo, ndidabzibva ninga nyamalonda omwe wagumana cuma cakubisika ndipo akufuna lini kucisiya. (Mateu 13:45, 46) Ndikufuna kucita ciri-centse pa moyo wangu kuti ndithandize winango kugumanambo moyo wabwino. Inepano na mkazi wangu tidayamba kuwona momwe Yahova ambathandizira wanthu wace acikhala na moyo wabwino.