Ndakaberekerwa kuNetherlands muna 1948. Gore rakatevera racho, mhuri yedu yakatamira kuSão Paulo, Brazil. Vabereki vangu vaigara vachienda kuchechi, uye taiwanzoverenga Bhaibheri semhuri kana tapedza kudya manheru. Takatamazve muna 1959 asi iye zvino takaenda kuUnited States, kwatakanogara kuMassachusetts.

Baba vaishanda nesimba kuti variritire mhuri yedu yaiva nevanhu 8. Vakamboita mabasa akasiyana-siyana akadai sekuva salesman, kugadzira migwagwa, uye kushandira imwe kambani yendege. Mhuri yese yakafara pavakawana basa pakambani yendege, nekuti zvaiita kuti tikwire ndege tichienda kunzvimbo dzakasiyana-siyana.

Pandaiva kusekondari ndaiwanzozvibvunza kuti, ‘Ndichaitei kana ndakura?’ Dzimwe shamwari dzangu dzakasarudza kuenda kuyunivhesiti, uye dzimwe dzakasarudza kupinda muchiuto. Asi ini ndaisada zvekupinda muchiuto, nekuti ndaisafarira zvekupopotedzana nevanhu uye ndaisatomboda zvekurwa. Ndakasarudza kuenda kuyunivhesiti kuitira kuti ndisapinda muchiuto. Asi nechemukati-kati, ndaida kubatsira vanhu nekuti ndaifunga kuti izvozvo zvaizoita kuti upenyu hwangu huve nechinangwa.

Payunivhesiti, kudzidza nezvevanhu nemagariro avo kwaindinakidza, sezvo ndaida chaizvo kuziva kuti upenyu hwakatanga sei. Takadzidziswa kuti zvinhu zvakaita zvekushanduka uye vadzidzisi vaida kuti tizvibvume. Asi tsanangudzo dzacho dzakanga dzisingabatani uye vaida kuti ndizvibvume pasina kana uchapupu.

Muzvidzidzo zvataiita, taisadzidziswa kuti zvakanaka kana kuti zvakaipa ndezvipi. Asi taidzidziswa kuti tiite chero zvaiita kuti tipase. Ndainzwa kufara pataiita mapati neshamwari dzangu uye pandaimboita zvemadrugs, asi mufaro wacho waiva wenguva diki. Ndaizvibvunza kuti, ‘Uhwu ndihwo upenyu hune chinangwa here?’

Ndakabva ndatamira muguta reBoston uye ndakatanga kudzidza pane imwe yunivhesiti yeko. Kuti ndiwane mari yechikoro, ndakatanga kushanda pandaiva pazororo uye pabasa ipapo ndipo pandakatanga kuonana nemumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha. Mumwe wandaishanda naye akandiudza nezveuprofita hunotaura ‘nezvenguva nomwe’ huri muna Dhanieri chitsauko 4 uye akatsanangura kuti tiri kurarama munguva yemugumo. (Dhan. 4:13-17) Ndakabva ndaona kuti kana ndikaramba ndichitaura naye nezveBhaibheri uye kana ndikatenda zvandaidzidza, ndaifanira kuchinja mararamiro andaiita. Saka ndaiita zvese zvandaigona kuti ndimunzvenge.

Kuyunivhesiti, ndakaita zvidzidzo zvaizondibatsira kuita basa rekuzvipira randaida kuzoita kuSouth America. Ndaifunga kuti kubatsira vanhu vanoshayiwa kwaizoita kuti upenyu hwangu huve nechinangwa. Asi ndakaona kuti kunyange izvozvo zvaisazoita kuti upenyu hwangu huve nechinangwa. Ndakaora mwoyo ndokubva ndasiyana nezveyunivhesiti pakapera temu.

Muna May 1970, ndakatamira kuAmsterdam, Netherlands, kuti ndinoshanda pakambani yendege yaishandira baba vangu. Basa iri rakaita kuti ndikwanise kushanyira nyika dzakasiyana-siyana dzemuAfrica, America, Europe, uye Asia. Panyika dzandakashanyira, ndakaona kuti dzese dzaiva nematambudziko makuru uye hapana chinoratidza kuti pane anokwanisa kuagadzirisa. Ndakanga ndichine chido chekuita chimwe chinhu chinokosha muupenyu hwangu, saka ndakasarudza kudzokera kuUnited States uye kudzidza zvakare payunivhesiti muBoston.

Asi ndakaona kuti pandakadzokera payunivhesiti, ndakanga ndisiri kuwana mhinduro dzemibvunzo yandaiva nayo nezveupenyu. Ndakanga ndisisazivi zvekuita, saka ndakabvunza mumwe purofesa wangu mazano. Ndakashamiswa paakati: “Saka uri kurambirei uchidzidza? Uri kudii kusiyana nazvo?” Ndakabva ndangoita zvaakataura. Saka ndakabva ndasiya zveyunivhesiti zvachose.

Sezvo upenyu hwangu hwaiita sehusina chinangwa, ndakasarudza kubatana nechimwe chikwata chairamba mararamiro aiitwa nevakawanda uye chaiita sechaikurudzira vanhu kuti vave nerugare uye vadanane. Ini nedzimwe shamwari dzangu takatenderera neUnited States tikasvika kuMexico, muguta rinonzi Acapulco. Tairarama nevanhu vaisada kuita zvaiitwa nevanhu vese muupenyu, uye vanhu ava vaiita sekuti havana kana matambudziko avainawo. Asi hazvina kunditorera nguva kuti ndione kuti mararamiro avaiita akanga asina chinangwa uye aisaita kuti vafare. Ndakaona kuti  vakawanda vavo vakanga vasina kutendeseka uye vasina kuvimbika.

Panguva iyoyo ndakatangazve kufunga nezvechimwe chinhu chandaida kuita ndichiri mwana. Ndaida kufamba mumakungwa ndiri ini mutyairi ari kutungamirira. Izvozvo ndaizongokwanisa kuzviita kana ndiine bhoti rangu pachangu. Sezvo shamwari yangu Tom aida kuitawo izvozvo, takasarudza kufamba nebhoti tichitenderera nenyika yese. Ndaida kutsvaga chitsuwa chakaita separadhiso chisina kana mitemo yevanhu.

Ini naTom takaenda kuArenys de Mar, iri pedyo neBarcelona, kuSpain. Tiri ikoko takatenga bhoti rainge rakareba mamita 9,4 rainzi Llygra. Takatanga kugadzirisa bhoti racho kuti rikodzere kufamba mugungwa. Sezvo taisamhanya-mhanya kuti tisvike kwataida kuenda, takabvisa injini yebhoti racho uye takashandisa nzvimbo yayo kuti tichengetere imwe mvura yekunwa. Kuitira kuti tikwanise kufamba zvakanaka munzvimbo dzaimira mabhoti, takatenga zvikwasviso zviviri zvakareba mamita 5. Pakupedzisira takatanga kufamba takananga kuSeychelles, iri muIndian Ocean. Takaronga kufamba tiri nechekumadokero kweAfrica tichipfuura nekuCape of Good Hope, kuSouth Africa. Takashandisa nyeredzi, mamepu, mabhuku nezvimwe zvigadzirwa kuti zvitibatsire kuziva kwataienda. Zvaindishamisa kuti taikwanisa kuziva pataiva chaipo chaipo.

Hazvina kutitorera nguva kuziva kuti bhoti redu iro raiva rekare rakanga risina kukodzera kufamba mugungwa. Raipinza mvura, zvekuti paawa imwe chete maipinda marita 22! Sezvandataura patangira nyaya ino, kwakabva kwaita dutu, ndikatya uye ndakanyengetera kekutanga pashure pemakore akawanda, ndichivimbisa Mwari kuti kana tikapona, ndaizoita zvese zvandaigona kuti ndimuzive. Dutu racho rakazopera, uye ndakabva ndaita zvandakanga ndavimbisa Mwari.

Ndakatanga kuverenga Bhaibheri patakanga tiri mugungwa. Chimbofunga kufadza kwazvaiita ndiri pakati peMediterranean Sea, ndichiona hove nemadolphin zvichisvetuka-svetuka, uye ndichiona gungwa rakaita zienda nakuenda. Usiku ndaishamiswa nekuona nyeredzi dzakawanda uye izvi zvakaita kuti ndiwedzere kuva nechokwadi chekuti kuna Mwari ane hanya nevanhu.

Pashure pemavhiki tiri mugungwa, takazosvika pachiteshi chengarava muguta rinonzi Alicante, kuSpain, kwatakasarudza kutengesa bhoti redu kuti titenge rimwe riri nani. Zvakanga zvakaoma kuwana munhu anotenga bhoti rekare rakadaro, raisava neinjini uye raipinza mvura! Asi yaivawo nguva yakanaka chaizvo yekuti ndiverenge Bhaibheri rangu.

Pandairamba ndichiverenga Bhaibheri, ndakatanga kuriona sebhuku rinogona kutibatsira kuti tifare muupenyu. Ndakashamiswa kuti Bhaibheri rinotaura zvakajeka nezvekurarama upenyu hwakachena uye tsika dzakanaka uye zvakandinetsa kuti nei vanhu vakawanda kusanganisira ini tichizviti tiri vaKristu asi tisingaiti zvarinotaura.

Ndainge ndatsunga kutora matanho aizoita kuti ndirarame upenyu hwakachena, saka ndakasiyana nezvemadrugs. Ndakazviudza kuti kunofanira kunge kuine vanhu vanorarama vachitevedzera zvinotaurwa neBhaibheri, uye ndaida kuonana navo. Kechipiri muupenyu hwangu, ndakanyengetera kuna Mwari ndichimukumbira kuti andibatsire kuvaona.

Ndakaona zviine musoro kuti ndiongorore zvitendero zvese, chimwe nechimwe panguva, kusvikira ndawana chechokwadi. Pandaifamba nemigwagwa yemuAlicante, ndaiona zvivakwa zvakawanda zvezvitendero. Zvivakwa zvakawanda zvaiva nezvifananidzo, saka zvakanga zviri nyore kuti ndizive kuti hazvisi zvitendero zvechokwadi.

Mumwe musi weSvondo ari masikati, ndainge ndiri pachikomo pakatarisana nepanomira ngarava, ndichiverenga Jakobho 2:1-5, iyo inoyambira nezvekusarura vanhu. Pandaidzokera kubhoti redu, ndakapfuura nepane chimwe chivakwa chainge chakanyorwa nechepamusoro pedhoo kuti: “Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

Ndakati nechemumwoyo, ‘Regai ndimboedza vanhu ava ndione kuti vanondigamuchira sei.’ Saka ndakapinda muImba yeUmambo ndisina bhutsu, ndiine ndebvu, uye ndakapfeka jini rakabvaruka-bvaruka. Murindiri akandiperekedza kunogara pedyo nevamwe mbuya avo vaindibatsira kuwana mavhesi aitaurwa nemukurukuri. Pakapera musangano wacho, ndakashamiswa chaizvo neushamwari hwairatidzwa nevanhu vese vaiuya kuzondikwazisa. Mumwe murume akandikoka kumba kwake kuti tizokurukura, asi sezvo ndakanga ndisati ndapedza kuverenga Bhaibheri, ndakamuudza kuti, “Ndichazokuudzai kana zvava kuita.” Panguva iyoyo ndakatanga kupinda misangano yese.

Kwapera mavhiki akati kuti, ndakashanyira murume uya kumba kwake uye akapindura mibvunzo yangu yeBhaibheri. Pashure pevhiki, akandipa bhegi rakazara hembe dzakanaka. Akandiudza kuti muridzi wehembe dzacho akanga ari mujeri pamusana pekuteerera murayiro weBhaibheri wekuti tidanane uye tisadzidza kurwa zvakare. (Isa. 2:4; Joh. 13:34, 35) Iye zvino ndakanga ndava nechokwadi chekuti ndakanga ndawana zvandaitsvaga, vanhu vanoshandisa zvinotaurwa neBhaibheri pamusoro pezvakanaka uye zvakaipa! Chinangwa changu chakanga chisisiri chekutsvaga chitsuwa chakaita separadhiso, asi kudzidza Bhaibheri zvakadzama. Saka ndakadzokera kuNetherlands.

Ndakaita mazuva 4 kuti ndisvike kuguta reGroningen, muNetherlands. Ndiri ikoko ndaifanira kutsvaga basa. Ndakanyorera basa pane imwe nzvimbo yaiita zvekuveza uye pafomu pacho paida kuti ndinyore nezvechitendero changu. Ndakanyora kuti, “Zvapupu zvaJehovha.” Muridzi wacho paakaverenga izvozvo, ndakaona kuti chiso chake chakachinja. Akati, “Ndichakufonera.” Asi haana kuzombofona.

Pane imwe nzvimbo inoita zvekuveza, ndakabvunza muridzi wacho kuti paiva nebasa here.  Akandibvunza mapepa ebasa uye tsamba dzekwandakamboshandira. Ndakamuudza kuti ndakanga ndambogadzirisa bhoti remapuranga. Zvakandishamisa paakati, “Unogona kutanga basa masikati ndokunge tawirirana pachinhu ichi. Handidi kuti uite misikanzwa pabasa pangu nekuti ndiri Chapupu chaJehovha, uye ndinotevedzera zvinotaurwa neBhaibheri.” Ndakamutarisa ndichishamiswa ndikati, “Kana neniwo ndiri Chapupu chaJehovha!” Ndaiva nebvudzi refu nendebvu, saka akaziva kuti ndakanga ndisiri uye akabva ati, “Saka ndichadzidza newe Bhaibheri.” Ndakabvuma kudzidza. Zvakanga zvava pachena kuti nei muridzi wepandakatanga kunyorera basa asina kuzondifonera. Jehovha akanga achindipa zvaidiwa nemwoyo wangu. (Pis. 37:4) Ndakashanda pabasa pehama yacho kwegore rimwe chete. Panguva iyoyo, yakadzidza neni Bhaibheri, uye ndakazobhabhatidzwa muna January 1974.

Pashure pemwedzi, ndakatanga kupayona uye basa iroro rakaita kuti ndiwane mufaro wakakura. Mwedzi wakatevera wacho ndakatamira kuAmsterdam kuti ndinobatsira boka remutauro weSpanish rakanga richangotangwa. Ndakafara chaizvo kuitisa zvidzidzo zveBhaibheri muchiSpanish nemuchiPortuguese! Muna May 1975, ndakatanga kushumira sapiyona chaiye.

Rimwe zuva, imwe hanzvadzi yaishumira sapiyona chaiye, inonzi Ineke, yakauya kumusangano wedu wechiSpanish iine mudzidzi wayo weBhaibheri wekuBolivia kuti azivane nehama nehanzvadzi dzaitaura chiSpanish. Ini naIneke takatanga kunyorerana tsamba, uye takaona kuti taiva nezvinangwa zvakafanana. Takachata muna 1976 uye takaramba tichishumira semapiyona chaiwo kusvika muna 1982 patakazokokwa kuGiriyedhi kuti tipinde Kirasi yechi73. Takashamiswa chaizvo uye takafara patakanzi tiende kuEast Africa, uko kwatakanoshumira kwemakore 5 muguta reMombasa, kuKenya! Muna 1987, takanzi tinoshumira kuTanzania, uko kwainge kwava kubvumidzwa zvakare basa redu rekuparidza. Takagara ikoko kwemakore 26 tichibva tazodzokera kuKenya.

Kubatsira vanhu vanoda chaizvo kudzidza chokwadi chiri muBhaibheri kwakaita kuti upenyu hwedu hunyatsova nechinangwa. Mudzidzi wangu weBhaibheri wekutanga muMombasa aiva mumwe murume wandakaona tichiparidza. Pandakamupa magazini maviri, akati, “Kana ndikapedza aya, ndinobva ndaita sei?” Vhiki rakatevera racho takabva tatanga kudzidza Bhaibheri tichishandisa bhuku rinonzi Iwe Unogona Kurarama Nekusingaperi Pasi Pano, iro rainge richangobudiswa muchiSwahili. Akabhabhatidzwa pashure pegore uye akabva atanga kushumira sapiyona wenguva dzese. Kubvira ipapo, iye nemudzimai wake vabatsira vanhu vanoda kusvika 100 kuti vazvitsaurire uye vabhabhatidzwe.

Pandakatanga kunzwisisa chinangwa cheupenyu, ndakanzwa sezvakaita munhu aiita basa rekufamba achitengesa uyo akawana parera rinokosha uye aisada kurasikirwa naro. (Mat. 13:45, 46) Ndaida kubatsira vamwe kuti vazive chinangwa cheupenyu. Ini nemudzimai wangu, tazvionera tega kuti Jehovha anokomborera sei vanhu vake neupenyu hune chinangwa.