Ndidabadwa mu 1935, mu mzinda wa Darlaston, omwe uli m’cigawo ca Black Country, mu dziko la Inglaterra. Cigawoci cidapasidwa dzina limweri thangwe ra utsi buzinji bomwe bukhambacoka m’mafabrika yomwe yakhali m’cigawoci. Pomwe ndikhana magole manai, abereki wangu adayamba kupfunza Bibliya na Mboni za Yahova. Pomwe ndikhali mulumbwana, inepano ndidatsimikizira kuti cimweci n’cadidi, ndipo ndidabatizidwa mu 1952, pomwe ndikhana magole 16.

Pa nthawe ibodzi-bodzi ire, ndidayamba kupfunza basa pa empreza yomwe ikhambakonza mafalamento na pesa za karo. Ndidayamba kupfunzisidwa kuti ndikhale na mpando pa emprezayo, ndipo bzimwebzi bzikhandidekera kwene-kwene.

Ntsiku inango, nyakunyang’anira wakuyenda-yenda adandiuza kuti nimbatsogolere mtsonkhano wa gwere wa pakati pa sumana omwe ukhacemeredwa Pfunziro la Bukhu la Gwere, m’gwere la ku Willenhall. Ndikhafunika kucita bzinthu mwanzeru. Tsono, ndidasaya cakucita thangwe pa nthawe imweyi ndikhambatsonkhana m’magwere mawiri. Mkati mwa sumana ndikhambatsonkhana na gwere lomwe likhali kufupi na komwe ndikhambaphatira basa, ku Bromsgrove. Kucoka kumweko mpaka kufika kumui, pakhana makilometro 32. Ndipo kuphampha kwa sumana, ndikhambabwerera kumui kwa abereki wangu. Ndipo ndikhambakatsonkhana na gwere la ku Willenhall.

Inepano ndikhafunisisa kuthandizira gulu la Yahova, ndipopa ndidabvuma bzomwe nyakuyang’anira wakuyenda-yenda ule adandiuza, napo kuti ndikhafunika kusiya basa lomwe ndikhakomedwa nalo kwene-kwene. Kubvuma kuti Yahova atsogolere moyo wangu pa nthawe imweyire, kudandifungulira mwayi wakuti ndicite bzizinji pakumutumikira. Ndipo nimbakhumbula lini thangwe ra bzomwe ndidacitabzo.

Pomwe ndikhambatsonkhana mu Gwere la ku Bromsgrove, ndidadziwana na mtsikana wakudeka wa makhalidwe yabwino wakucemeredwa Anne. Ifepano tidalowolana mu 1957, ndipo tidacita pabodzi mautumiki yakusiyana-siyana. Tidacita pabodzi upainiya bwakukhazikika, upainiya bwakupambulika, basa la nyakuyang’anira wakuyenda-yenda na basa la pa Beteli. Kuyambira nthawe imweyire, Anne ambandicitisa kukhala wakukondwa kwene-kwene. Inepano nimbakomedwa  kwene-kwene kutumikira Yahova pabodzi na iye.

Mu 1966, tidacemeredwa kuti tikapite Xikola ya Jileyade turma 42. Pomwe tidamaliza, tidatumizidwa ku Malawi. Dziko limweri limbadziwika na dzina lakuti mtima wa África, thangwe rakuti wanthu wa kumweko ana mtima wakutambira alendo. Tsono tikhadziwa lini kuti tingadakakhala nthawe yakucepa ku Malawi.

Ifepano tidafika ku Malawi pa ntsiku ya 1 Fevereiro, 1967. Tidamala mwezi wantero tikupfunza cirewedwe ca kumweko. Ndipo ndidakhala nyakunyang’anira cigawo. Ifepano tikhana karo yakudziwika na dzina lakuti Kaiser Jeep, ndipo wanthu akhakumbuka kuti karo imweyi imbapita mbuto iri-yentse, napo m’mikulo. Koma ifepano tikhafamba nayo mu njerera basi. Nthawe zinango tikhakhala m’tunyumba twakukonzedwa na miti tomwe tukhacuca ndipo tikhambabvala bzakubvala bzomwe bzikhacitisa kuti tireke kutota kukakhala kukubvumba. Tiribe kukomedwa kuyamba basa lathu la umisiyonario tenepaule, koma tikhakomedwa nalo basalo!

M’mwezi wa Abril, tidazindikira kuti boma likhayamba kunesa m’dziko lire. Ntsiku ibodzi ndidabva bzomwe prezidenti wa ku Malawi, wakucemeredwa Dr. Hastings Banda, akhalewa pa radio. Iye adalewa kuti Mboni za Yahova zimbapagali lini mtsonkho, ndipo adalewa kuti Mbonizo zikhacitisa kuti m’boma mukhale na mabvuto. Bzentse bzomwe iye akhalewabzo bzikhali bzakunama. Ifepano tikhadziwa kuti comwe cikhanyosa nzou pa mthunzi n’cakuti tikhapitira lini nkhani za ndale ndipo tikhalamba kugula makartau ya partido.

M’mwezi wa Setembro, tidawerenga pa jornale kuti prezidenti wa dzikolo akhalewa kuti Mboni za Yahova zikhayambisa mabvuto kuli-kwentse. Ndipo pa mtsonkhano unango wa ndale omwe adaucita, iye adalewa kuti boma lace lingadacita ciri-centse kuti liletse basa la Mboni za Yahova. Ndipo iye adacitadi bzimwebzo pa ntsiku ya 20 Outubro, 1967. Pomwe padapita kanthawe kakucepa, mapolisiya na wa migração adafunga mthambi ndipo adalewa kuti amisiyonario wentse acoke m’dzikolo.

 Pomwe padapita ntsiku zitatu tiri m’kawoko, iwo adaticosa m’dzikolo acitiyendesa ku dziko la Maurícia, lomwe pa nthaweyo likhatongedwa na dziko la Grã-Bretanha. Tsono, boma la Maurícia liribe kutibvumiza kukhala amisiyonario m’dzikolo. Ndipopa tidauzidwa kuti tikatumikire ku Rodésia (dziko lomwe tsapano ni Zimbabwe). Pomwe tidafika m’malire kuti tipite m’dzikolo, ifepano tidagumana na wa migração omwe akhali waukali kwene-kwene. Iwo adatiletsa kupita m’dzikolo. Iwo adalewa kuti: “Imwepo mwathamangisiwa ku Malawi, mwaletsedwa kukhala mu dziko la Maurícia ndipo mwabwera kuno thangwe mwawona kuti ndiko mungakhale!” Anne adayamba kulira. Bzikhawoneka ninga kuti palibe dziko lomwe tingadabvumizidwa kukhala! Pa nthawe imweyi tidawona kuti bzikhali bwino kundobwerera ku Inglaterra. Tsono, wa migração adadzatibvumiza kupita ticikafika ku Beteli. Mangwana yace tidanembera tsamba likulu lathu. Ifepano tikhadaneta, koma tidapitiriza kukhulupira kuti Yahova an’tithandiza. Ndipo kumidiya, ifepano tidabvumizidwa kukhala mu dziko la Zimbabwe ninga alendo. Pa ntsiku imweyire, inepano ndidakomedwa kwene-kwene, thangwe ndidatsimikizira kuti Yahova ndiye omwe akhatsogolera moyo wathu.

Ku mthambi ya ku Zimbabwe ndikhatumikira mu Depatimenti ya Utumiki. Depatimenti imweyi ikhambanyang’anira basa lakupalizira ku Malawi na ku Moçambique. Abale wa ku Malawi akhazunzidwa kwene-kwene. Basa linango lomwe ndikhacita likhali la kusandulizira marelatoriyo yomwe yakhatumizidwa na anyakunyang’anira dera wa ku Malawi. Ntsiku inango pomwe ndikhasandulizira relatoriyo yakucokera kwa anyakunyang’anira dera mpaka usiku, ndidacoka misozi pomwe ndidadziwa mabvuto yakuwawa yomwe abale na mpfumakazi akhagumana nayo ku Malawi. * Tsono ndidalimbikisidwa pomwe ndidabva bza kukhulupirika kwawo na kupirira kwawo. — 2 Akolinto 6:4, 5.

Ifepano tidacita ciri-centse kuti tipitirize kusandulizira na kumbapereka mabukhu na marevista kwa abale na mpfumakazi omwe akhadasala ku Malawi na omwe akhadathawira ku Moçambique pomwe akhaboneresedwa. Thimu lakusandulizira la cirewedwe ca Chichewa, comwe ni cirewedwe comwe cimbalalewedwa kwene-kwene ku Malawi, lidayenda ku Zimbabwe. Ndipo kumweko, lidakakhala m’munda ukulu wa m’bale. M’baleyo adawadekera mtima kwene-kwene ndipo adawamangira nyumba na xikiritoriyo kuti ambaphatire basa lawo. Iwo adapitiriza kucita basa lakufunika lakusandulizira mabukhu yakufotokoza nkhani za m’Bibliya.

Ifepano tidacita makonzedwe kuti anyakunyang’anira dera wa ku Malawi ambagumanike pa mtsonkhano wa cigawo wa Chichewa gole liri-lentse ku Zimbabwe. Kumweko, iwo akhambakhala na mwayi wakubva nkhani za mtsonkhano wa cigawoyo. Pomwe iwo akhabwerera, akhacita ciri-centse kuti afotokozerembo abale nkhani zomwe akhabvazo. Gole linango pomwe anyakunyang’anira derawa adabwera ku Zimbabwe, ifepano tidakonza Xikola ya Utumiki bwa Umambo kuti ilimbikise anyakunyang’anira dera wakukhwimikawa.

M’mwezi wa Fevereiro, m’gole la 1975, ndidayenda kukawona abale wa ku Malawi omwe akhadathawira ku Moçambique. Abale amwewa akhateweza bwino-bwino malango ya gulu la Yahova pabodzi na malango yakuti iwo akhafunika kukhala na bungwe la akulu. Akulu anovu akhambacita mabasa mazinji yauzimu. Iwo akhambafotokoza nkhani za wentse, kutsogolera vesi la ntsiku, kucitisa pfunziro la Ntsanza ya Mulindiri na kumbacitisa mitsonkhano ya dera. Pa mbuto yomwe iwo akhakhala pakhadakonzedwa ninga pa mbuto yakucitira mtsonkhano wa cigawo. Iwo akhana madepatimenti yakuwona bza khonkho, yakuwona bza cakudya na depatimenti yakukhotcerera mbutoyo. Abale wakukhulupirikawa akhacita bwino-bwino mabasa yawo thangwe rakuti Yahova akhawasimba. Pomwe ndidawona bzentsenebzi, inepano ndidalimbikisidwa kwene-kwene.

Kuphampha kwa gole la 1970, mthambi ya ku Zâmbia ndiyo idayamba kumbanyang’anira basa lakupalizira ku Malawi. Tsono inepano ndidapitiriza basi kumbakumbukira abale na mpfumakazi wa ku Malawi na kumbawapempherera, ninga momwe abale azinji akhacitira. Pakuti ndikhatumikira m’Komiti ya Mthambi ya dziko la Zimbabwe, tikhambatsonkhana na abale wakucokera ku likulu lathu la pa dziko lentse pabodzi na abale omwe akhanyang’anira basa lakupalizira ku Malawi, ku África do Sul na ku Zâmbia. Pomwe tikhatsonkhana, tikhambabvunzana mbvunzo ubodzi-bodzi, wakuti: “N’ciyani comwe tingacite kuti tithandize abale wathu wa ku Malawi?”

 Pomwe padapita nthawe, cizunzo cire cidayamba kucepa. Ndipo abale omwe akhadathawa mu dziko la Malawi adayamba kubwerera, ndipo winango omwe alibe kuthawa m’dzikomo adayamba kukhala na ufulu bwa kunamata pang’ono na pang’ono. Madziko yapafupi na dziko la Malawi yadayamba kubvumiza Mboni za Yahova kumbatsonkhana na kumbanamata mwakutsudzuka. Ndipo dziko la Moçambique lidacitambo bzibodzi-bodzibzo mu gole la 1991. Tsono tikhabzibvunza basi kuti: ‘Kodi ni lini pomwe Mboni za Yahova ku Malawi zin’dzakhala na ufulu bwa kunamata?’

Nkhani za ndale ku Malawi zidacinja. Ndipo mu 1993 boma la dzikolo lidabvumiza Mboni za Yahova kumbanamata mwakutsudzuka. Pomwe padapita ntsiku zakucepa ndidaceza na m’misiyonario m’bodzi. Iye adandibvunza kuti: “Kodi imwepo mun’bwerera ku Malawi?” Pa nthawe imweyire, ndikhana magole 59, ndipopa ndidamutawira kuti: “Ne, inepano ndakalamba!” Tsono pa ntsiku imweyireletu ndidatambira tsamba lakucokera ku Bungwe Lakutonga lomwe likhatikumbira kuti tibwerere ku Malawiko.

Ifepano tikhakomedwa kwene-kwene kutumikira ku Zimbabwe, ndipopa bzidakhala bzakunesa kuwona bzomwe tingadacita. Tikhadakhazikika m’dziko limwelire ndipo tikhana axamwali azinji. Bungwe Lakutonga lidatikumbira kuti tiyende kukatumikira ku Malawi; iro liribe kutingingimiza kucita bzimwebzo, ndipopa ifepano tingadacita kusankhula tekha kuyenda ayai ne. Tingadafuna, tingadapitiriza kukhala ku Zimbabwe. Tsono tidakumbukira kuti Abalahamu na Sara adabvera Yahova mwa kusiya mui wawo wabwino aciyenda komwe iye adawauza kuti ayende, napo kuti iwo akhadakalamba. — Ciyambo 12:1-5.

Ifepano tidafuna kucita bzomwe gulu la Yahova likhafuna, ndipo tidayenda ku Malawi pa ntsiku ya 1 Fevereiro, 1995. Pakhadapita magole 28 kucokera pomwe tidafika ku Malawi kakuyamba, ndipo ikhali ntsiku ibodzi-bodziyo na mwezi ubodzi-bodziyo. Pomwe tidandoti fikeni, padakonzedweratu Komiti ya Mthambi. Ndipo inepano na abale winango awiri tidayamba kutumikira m’komitiyo. Basa lakuyamba kucita likhali kulinganiza basa la Mboni za Yahova m’dziko lire.

Ndidakomedwa kuwona kuti Yahova ndiye akhacitisa kuti basa lire likule mwakamfulumize mu dzikolo! Mbogo ya apalizi idathimizirika kucoka pa 30 000 mu 1993 kufika pa 42 000 mu 1998. * Ndipopa, Bungwe Lakutonga lidabvumiza kuti Beteli inovu imangidwe kuti ikwanise kuthandiza magwere pa basa lakupalizira lomwe likhayenda licikula. Ifepano tidagula mbuto yakukula mayekitare 12 ku Lilongwe, ndipo ndidauzidwa kuti ndikatumikire mu komiti ya bzakumanga-manga.

M’bale Guy Pierce wa m’Bungwe Lakutonga ndiye adafotokoza nkhani yakufungulira Beteli inovuyi mu  Maio, 2001. Abale na mpfumakazi wakupitiriza 2000 adagumanika pa mtsonkhanoyo ndipo pa nthawe imweyire azinji wa iwo akhana kale magole yakubatizidwa yakupitirira 40. Abale na mpfumakazi amwewa adapirira mabvuto makulu yomwe adagumana nayo pa nthawe ya cizunzo. Iwo akhali wakusauka, koma akhali pa uxamwali bwakulimba na Yahova. Ndipo iwo akhakomedwa na Beteli yawo inovuyo. Pa Betelipo, kuli-kwentse komwe ndikhayenda, ndikhawona abale na mpfumakazi akuimba nyimbo za Umambo m’kaimbidwe ka ku África. Bzimwebzi bzidacitisa kuti mtsonkhano wakufungulira Beteliyo ukhale wakudekeza kwene-kwene. Inepano ndikhanati kuwona kale bzimwebzi. Bzimwebzire bzikhalatiziratu padeca kuti Yahova ambasimba atumiki wace akapitiriza kukhala wakukhulupirika pomwe akugumana na mabvuto.

Pomwe tidamaliza kumanga mthambi, ndidakomedwa kwene-kwene pomwe ndidauzidwa kuti nimbakafotokoze nkhani zakufungulira Nyumba za Umambo. Magwere ya ku Malawi yadagumana phindu na programa yomwe gulu lathu lidakonza ya kumanga Nyumba za Umambo m’madziko yomwe wanthu azinji mbakusauka. Pakuyamba, abale na mpfumakazi akhambatsonkhana mu nyumba zakukonzedwa na miti zomwe akhazipswimphira na uswa ndipo mkati mwace akhambaikha mitanda ya miti kuyesa mabankho. Ntsiku zino, iwo ambakomedwa kuumba matijolo acimanga Nyumba za Umambo zakudeka kwene-kwene. Ndipo ambakomedwa kuphatisira basa mabankho mu Nyumba za Umambo, thangwe m’mabankhomo mumbakwana wanthu azinji kusiyana na m’makadera!

Ndidakomedwambo kwene-kwene kuwona Yahova akuthandiza abale kukula mwauzimu. Abale azinji wa ku África omwe ni alumbwana adandidabwisa kwene-kwene, thangwe iwo adabzipereka kuti acite utumiki. Pomwe akhapfunzisidwa mabasa yakusiyana-siyana na gulu la Yahova, iwo akhakwanisa kudziwa mabasayo mwakamfulumize. Ndipopa iwo adakhala na maudindo makulu pa Beteli na m’magwere. Ndipo magwere yakhalimbikisidwa kwene-kwene na anyakunyang’anira dera anovu omwe akhasankhulidwa, napo kuti azinji wa iwo akhadalowola kale. Iwo pabodzi na akazawo akhafuna kucita bzizinji pakutumikira Yahova, ndipo adabvuma kuleka kubereka wana napo kuti wanthu wa cikhalidwe cawo na adzinza wawo akhafunisisa kuti iwo akhale na wana.

Pomwe ndidapfitsa magole 52 ndiri ku África, ndidayamba kuduwala-duwala. Komiti ya Mthambi idakumbira Bungwe Lakutonga kuti tibwerere ku Grã-Bretanha kuti tikatumikire kumweko. Bungwe Lakutongalo lidabvuma mkumbiroyo ndipo tidabwerera ku Grã-Bretanha. Bzidatiwawa kwene-kwene kusiya utumiki bomwe tikhabufuna. Tsono, banja la Beteli la ku Grã-Bretanha likutikonkhobza bwino pomwe takalambapa.

Inepano ndikutsimikiza na mtima wangu wentse kuti kubvuma kuti Yahova atsogolere moyo wangu cidakhala cinthu cabwino kwene-kwene comwe ndidacita. Bzingadakhala kuti ndidandothemba nzeru zangu, ndikudziwa lini kuti basa lomwe ndikhafuna lire lingadandifikisa kuponi. Yahova akhadziwa bzomwe ndikhafunikira kuti ‘ndilungamize njira zangu.’ (Mimwani 3:5, 6) Pomwe ndikhali mulumbwana, ndidakomedwa kudziwa momwe empreza zikulu-zikulu zimbaphatira basa, pomwe ndikhaphata basa pa empreza ibodzi ikulu. Tsono, gulu la Yahova lidandipasa basa lauzimu lomwe nimbakomedwa nalo kwene-kwene. Kwa inepano, kutumikira Yahova ni cinthu cabwino kwene-kwene pa moyo wangu!