Navukiye mu Buholandi mu mwaka wa 1948. Mu mwaka wakurikiyeho, umuryango wacu wimukiye mu mugi wa São Paulo muri Burezili. Ababyeyi bange bakundaga kujya gusenga kandi buri mugoroba iyo twamaraga kurya, twasomeraga Bibiliya hamwe. Mu mwaka wa 1959, nanone twimukiye muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, maze dutura muri leta ya Masashuseti.

Papa yakoranaga umwete kugira ngo yite ku muryango wacu wari ugizwe n’abantu umunani. Yakoraga akazi gatandukanye. Yaracuruzaga, akubaka imihanda kandi yaje no gukora mu bijyanye n’ingendo z’indege. Amaze kubona ako kazi k’ingendo z’indege, twese twarishimye kuko katumaga dutembera cyane mu ndege.

Nkiri mu mashuri yisumbuye, nakundaga kwibaza icyo nzakora ninkura. Inshuti zange zimwe zagiye muri kaminuza, izindi zijya mu gisirikare. Ariko nge sinari kurota njya mu gisirikare, kuko ubusanzwe ntakunda ibintu by’amahane, naho kurwana byo bikaba ibindi bindi. Ubwo rero, nahisemo kujya muri kaminuza kugira ngo ntajya mu gisirikare. Icyakora nge nifuzaga gufasha abandi kuko numvaga ari byo byatuma nishima, ubuzima bwange bukagira intego.

Ngeze muri kaminuza, nahisemo kwiga ibihereranye n’inkomoko y’ubuzima n’imiterere y’abantu, kuko numvaga binteye amatsiko. Abarimu bacu batwigishije ubwihindurize kandi bashakaga ko twemera ko iyo nyigisho ari ukuri. Icyakora hari ibintu batwigishaga nkumva bidashyize mu gaciro kandi bigasaba ko umuntu abyemera buhumyi. Nyamara ibyo ntibihuje na siyansi.

Muri kaminuza ntibigeze batwigisha kugira imyifatire myiza, ahubwo badusabaga gutsinda uko byagenda kose. Nakundaga kujya mu birori kandi ngakoresha ibiyobyabwenge. Nubwo ibyo byatumaga nishima, ibyo byishimo ntibyamaraga kabiri. Nakundaga kwibaza nti: “Intego y’ubuzima ni iyihe?”

Hagati aho naje kwimukira mu mugi wa Boston aba ari ho nkomereza kaminuza. Mu biruhuko nashatse akazi kugira ngo mbone amafaranga yo kwishyura ishuri. Aho rero ni ho nahuriye bwa mbere n’Abahamya ba Yehova. Umukozi twakoranaga yansobanuriye ubuhanuzi bwo muri Daniyeli igice cya kane buvuga iby’“ibihe birindwi,” kandi ambwira ko turi mu minsi y’imperuka (Dan 4:13-17). Nahise mbona ko ninkomeza kuganira na we kuri Bibiliya, bizatuma mpinduka. Ubwo rero niyemeje kumugendera kure.

Ndi muri kaminuza, nize amasomo yari kuzamfasha kuba umukorerabushake muri Amerika y’Epfo. Numvaga ko gufasha abatishoboye ari byo byari gutuma ngira ibyishimo. Ariko ni ha handi nakomezaga kumva ubuzima bwange nta ntego bufite. Numvise nshitse intege, maze igihembwe kirangiye mpita ndeka ishuri.

Muri Gicurasi 1970, nimukiye mu mugi wa Amsterdam mu Buholandi, nkora mu kigo gikora ibijyanye n’ingendo z’indege, cya kindi papa yakoragamo kera. Ako kazi katumaga ntembera mu bihugu bitandukanye byo muri Afurika, Amerika, u Burayi no muri Aziya. Naje kubona ko buri gihugu najyagamo, cyari gifite ibibazo bikomeye kandi ko nta n’uwari gushobora kubikemura. Kubera ko numvaga ngifite cya kifuzo cyo gukora ikintu cyatuma nishima, niyemeje gusubira muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, nkajya muri ya kaminuza nahozemo yo muri Boston.

Bidateye kabiri, na bwo numvise amasomo nigaga muri kaminuza atamfasha kubona ibisubizo by’ibibazo nibazaga mu buzima. Nuko mbuze icyo mfata n’icyo ndeka, ngisha inama umwarimu wanyigishaga. Ariko ibyo yambwiye byarantunguye cyane! Yarambwiye ati: “Ubundi se urarushywa n’iki warivuyemo?” Yabaye nk’uworosora uwabyukaga. Nahise ndivamo burundu.

Nakomeje kumva ubuzima bwange nta ntego bufite. Ubwo rero, nahisemo kujya mu itsinda ry’abantu babagaho uko bishakiye, ariko batanduranya. Nge n’inshuti zange twagiye hirya no hino muri Amerika, tugera no muri Megizike mu mugi wa Acapulco. Twabanaga n’agatsiko k’abasore n’inkumi bakoraga ibyo bishakiye. Ariko nanone nabonye ko kubana n’abo bantu byatumaga ubuzima bwange butagira intego kandi bigatuma ntagira ibyishimo nyakuri. Naje kubona ko abenshi muri abo bantu twabanaga batari inyangamugayo kandi ko bakoraga ibintu bibi.

Hagati aho nongeye gutekereza ku kintu nifuzaga gukora nkiri umwana. Numvaga nagira ubwato bwange bwite, nkajya ntembera aho nshaka hose. Kubera ko inshuti yange yitwaga Tom na yo yari ifite icyo kifuzo, twiyemeje kujya dutembera hirya no hino ku isi dukoresheje ubwato. Nifuzaga gushaka ikirwa kimeze nka paradizo akaba ari cyo niberaho, nta muntu umpa amategeko.

Nge na Tom twagiye ahitwa Arenys de Mar hafi y’umugi wa Barcelone muri Esipanye. Tugezeyo twaguze ubwato bwitwaga Llygra bwareshyaga na metero 9,4. Twatangiye kubusana kugira ngo tuzabugendemo bumeze neza. Kubera ko ntacyatwirukansaga, twakuyemo moteri kugira ngo tubone ahantu hahagije ho gushyira amazi yo kunywa. Nanone, twashatse ingashya ebyiri zireshya na metero 5, kugira ngo tuge dushobora guparika neza ku byambu. Ubwo rero twatangiye urugendo twerekeza mu birwa bya Seyishele, biri mu Nyanja y’Abahinde. Twari dufite intego yo kujya ku nkengero z’inyanja mu burengerazuba bwa Afurika, tukajya n’ahitwa Cap de Bonne-Espérance muri Afurika y’Epfo. Kugira ngo tumenye aho tujya twarebaga inyenyeri, tugakoresha amakarita, ibitabo n’ibindi bikoresho byoroheje. Natangazwaga n’ukuntu twamenyaga neza aho duherereye.

Bidatinze twabonye ko ubwato bwacu bwari bushaje kandi bukoze mu giti, butari gushobora kogoga inyanja. Ubwo bwato bwinjiragamo amazi, ku buryo buri saha hinjiragamo amazi yakuzura ijerekani. Nk’uko nabivuze ngitangira, haje inkubi y’umuyaga, nshya ubwoba maze nsenga Imana nubwo nari maze imyaka myinshi ntabikora. Icyo gihe nayisezeranyije ko niturokora, nzakora uko nshoboye kose nkayimenya. Uwo muyaga waje guhagarara kandi nange nakoze ibyo nari nasezeranyije Imana.

Natangiye gusoma Bibiliya ndi mu munyenga wo mu mazi. Ngaho nawe tekereza uri hagati mu Nyanja ya Mediterane, nta kindi ureba uretse amafi y’ubwoko butandukanye, amwe asimbuka mu nyanja yiyereka, ari na ko ureba hirya iyo ntuheze inyanja! Iyo nijoro nitegerezaga ikirere gihunze inyenyeri, byatumaga ndushaho kwemera ko hariho Umuremyi wita ku bantu.

Nyuma y’ibyumweru bike twageze ku cyambu cya Alicante muri Esipanye, maze dushyira ubwo bwato bwacu ku isoko kugira ngo tubone uko tugura ubundi bwiza. Birumvikana ko kubona ubugura bitari byoroshye kuko bwari bushaje, butagira moteri kandi bwaratobotse. Ariko nanone, nari niboneye igihe kiza cyo gusoma Bibiliya.

Uko nagendaga nsoma Bibiliya, ni ko nabonaga ko irimo inama nziza zatuma ngira ibyishimo. Natangajwe no kubona ukuntu Bibiliya ivuga mu buryo bweruye ko abantu bakwiriye kugira imyifatire myiza. Ibyo byatumye ntangira kwibaza impamvu abantu benshi bavuga ko ari Abakristo, nange ndimo, badakurikiza ibivugwamo.

Nahise mfata ingamba zo guhindura uko nabagaho, maze ndeka gukoresha ibiyobyabwenge. Nanone natekerezaga ko byanze bikunze hari abantu bakurikiza ibyo Bibiliya ivuga kandi nifuzaga kubabona. Icyo gihe nongeye gusenga Imana ku nshuro ya kabiri, nyisaba ko yamfasha kubona abo bantu.

Numvaga nasuzuma buri dini kugeza igihe nzabonera iry’ukuri. Ubwo rero, igihe nagendagendaga mu mihanda yo muri Alicante, nabonye insengero nyinshi. Kubera ko inyinshi muri zo zariho amashusho, nahitaga mbona ko aho ho ntakwirirwa mpashakira.

Umunsi umwe ari ku Cyumweru nyuma ya saa sita, ndi ku musozi nitegeye icyambu, narimo nsoma muri Yakobo 2:1-5 hatugira inama yo kwirinda gukunda abakire tukabarutisha abakene. Ubwo nari ntashye nsubiye ku bwato bwacu, nanyuze ku nzu nabonaga imeze nk’iyo basengeramo, iriho icyapa cyanditseho ngo: “Inzu y’Ubwami y’Abahamya ba Yehova.”

Naravuze nti: “Reka mbagerageze ndebe uko banyakira.” Ubwo rero nahise ninjiramo nambaye ibirenge, mfite ibyanwa byinshi kandi nambaye n’ikoboyi yacitse. Uwakiraga abantu yaranjyanye anyicaza iruhande rw’umukecuru. Uwo mukecuru yanyitayeho, akanyereka imirongo yose yo muri Bibiliya uwatangaga disikuru yavugaga. Amateraniro arangiye, natangajwe n’uko abantu bose bansuhuzaga, bakanyakirana urugwiro. Hari umugabo wantumiye iwe kugira ngo tuganire kuri Bibiliya, ariko ndamuhakanira kuko nari ntararangiza kuyisoma. Naramubwiye nti: “Nimboneka nzakubwira.” Ariko nahise ntangira kujya mu materaniro yose.

Nyuma y’ibyumweru bike, nasuye wa mugabo ansubiza ibibazo byose nibazaga kuri Bibiliya. Hashize icyumweru, yampaye igikapu cyuzuye imyenda myiza. Yambwiye ko nyiri iyo myenda, ari muri gereza azira ko yubahirije itegeko rya Bibiliya, ridusaba gukunda bagenzi bacu no kutajya mu ntambara (Yes 2:4; Yoh 13:34, 35). Nahise menya ko nabonye icyo nashakaga. Nifuzaga kubona abantu bakurikiza ibyo Bibiliya ivuga, bakagira imyifatire myiza. Icyo gihe intego yange ntiyari ikiri iyo gushaka ikirwa kimeze nka paradizo, ahubwo yari iyo kwiga Bibiliya nkayisobanukirwa neza. Ubwo rero nasubiye mu Buholandi.

Nakoze urugendo rw’iminsi ine ngenda nsaba abantu rifuti kugira ngo ngere mu mugi wa Groningen mu Buholandi. Ngezeyo nashatse akazi kugira ngo mbone ikintunga. Nagiye gusaba akazi ahantu bakora iby’ububaji, maze bambaza idini ryange. Narababwiye nti: “Ndi Umuhamya wa Yehova.” Nyiraho amaze kubyumva, yaranyitegereje mbona ahinduye isura. Yarambwiye ati: “Genda nzaba nguhamagara.” Icyakora ntiyigeze abikora.

 Nagiye gusaba akazi ahandi hantu bakora iby’ububaji. Nyiraho yansabye impamyabumenyi, ambaza n’aho nakoze mbere. Namubwiye ko nigeze gusana ubwato bw’igiti. Natangajwe n’uko yambwiye ati: “Ushobora gutangira akazi nyuma ya saa sita. Ariko ngusabe ikintu kimwe: ntuzanteze ibibazo, kuko ngewe ndi Umuhamya wa Yehova kandi nkurikiza ibyo Bibiliya ivuga.” Nahise musubiza ntangaye cyane nti: “Nange ndi we.” Ariko kuko nari mfite umusatsi muremure n’ubwanwa bwinshi, yahise abona ko ntaraba we. Yarambwiye ati: “Ubwo rero nzakwigisha Bibiliya.” Nahise mbyemera. Ibyo byatumye menya impamvu wa mukoresha wa mbere atigeze ampamagara. Yehova yashakaga gusubiza amasengesho yange (Zab 37:4). Nakoreye uwo muvandimwe umwaka umwe kandi muri icyo gihe anyigisha Bibiliya, maze mbatizwa muri Mutarama 1974.

Nyuma y’ukwezi kumwe mbatijwe, nabaye umupayiniya kandi byatumye ngira ibyishimo byinshi. Mu kwezi kwakurikiyeho nimukiye mu mugi wa Amsterdam, nifatanya n’itsinda ryakoreshaga Icyesipanyoli ryari rikimara gushingwa. Kwigisha abantu Bibiliya mu rurimi rw’Icyesipanyoli n’Igiporutugali, byaranshimishaga cyane. Muri Gicurasi 1975 nabaye umupayiniya wa bwite.

Umunsi umwe mushiki wacu w’umupayiniya wa bwite witwa Ineke yaje mu materaniro yacu yabaga mu rurimi rw’Icyesipanyoli, azanye umwigishwa we wakomokaga muri Boliviya, na we wavugaga Icyesipanyoli. Nge na Ineke twatangiye kwandikirana kugira ngo turusheho kumenyana neza, kandi twaje gusanga duhuje intego. Twashakanye mu mwaka wa 1976 kandi dukomeza kuba abapayiniya ba bwite kugeza mu mwaka 1982, ubwo twatumirirwaga kwiga ishuri rya 73 rya Gileyadi. Twashimishijwe n’uko twoherejwe kuba abamisiyonari i Mombasa muri Kenya. Twahamaze imyaka itanu. Mu mwaka wa 1987 twoherejwe muri Tanzaniya, icyo gihe umurimo wacu ukaba wari umaze kwemerwa muri icyo gihugu. Twahamaze imyaka 26, nyuma yaho dusubira muri Kenya.

Kwigisha Bibiliya abantu bicishaga bugufi, byaradushimishaga cyane. Urugero, umuntu wa mbere nigishije Bibiliya i Mombasa, ni umugabo twahuye ndimo kubwiriza. Namuhaye amagazeti abiri maze arambaza ati: “Nindangiza kuyasoma se nzakora iki?” Mu cyumweru cyakurikiyeho, twatangiye kwiga Bibiliya dukoresheje igitabo Ushobora Kubaho Iteka ku Isi Izahinduka Paradizo cyari giherutse gusohoka mu Giswayire. Yabatijwe nyuma y’umwaka umwe, nyuma yaho aba umupayiniya w’igihe cyose. Kuva icyo gihe, we n’umugore we bafashije abantu bagera hafi ku 100 biyegurira Yehova barabatizwa.

Igihe nasobanukirwaga intego y’ubuzima ku nshuro ya mbere, numvise meze nka wa mucuruzi wabonye isaro ry’agaciro kenshi maze agakora uko ashoboye kose kugira ngo ritamucika (Mat 13:45, 46). Nifuzaga gufasha abandi kumenya intego y’ubuzima. Nge n’umugore wange twiboneye ko Yehova afasha abagaragu be bakagira ubuzima bufite intego.