Vabereki vangu vakatanga kudzidza Bhaibheri neZvapupu zvaJehovha kuma1940. Havana kuzoenderera mberi nekudzidza, asi amai vairamba vachiwana magazini eNharireyomurindi neMukai! Muna 1950 pane gungano renyika dzakawanda rakaitirwa muNew York City, uye mhuri yedu yakapindawo gungano racho.

Gungano racho parakapera, Hama Lawrence Jeffries vakatanga kutishanyira. Vakaedza kundibatsira kuti ndidzidze chokwadi. Pakutanga ndaisabvumirana navo panyaya yekuti Zvapupu zvaJehovha hazvipindiri mune zvematongerwo enyika uye hazvipindi muchiuto. Pfungwa dzangu dzaiva dzekuti kana munhu wese muAmerica akaramba kuenda kuhondo, vavengi vaizouya votitorera nyika yedu. Hama Jeffries vakaratidza mwoyo murefu ndokubva vandibvunza kuti: “Kudai vanhu vese vari muAmerica vaishumira Jehovha, unofunga kuti aizoita sei kana muvengi akauya kuzovarwisa?” Zvavakataura panyaya iyoyo nepane dzimwewo nyaya zvakandibatsira kuona kuti ndainge ndakarasika. Izvozvo zvakaita kuti ndide kuziva zvakawanda.

Ndakaita maawa akawanda ndichiverenga magazini eNharireyomurindi neMukai! dzekare dzakanga dzaiswa naamai vangu muimba inochengeterwa zvinhu. Nekufamba kwenguva, ndakazoona kuti zvandaidzidza chaiva chokwadi, saka ndakabvuma kudzidza Bhaibheri naHama Jeffries. Ndakatangawo kupinda misangano nguva dzese. Zvinhu zvandakadzidza zvakandibaya mwoyo, uye ndakapedzisira ndava muparidzi wemashoko akanaka. Zvinangwa zvangu zvakachinja pandakaziva kuti “zuva guru raJehovha [rakanga] rava pedyo.” (Zef. 1:14) Ndakanga ndisisadi kuenda kuyunivhesiti. Asi ndakanga ndava kuda kubatsira vanhu kuti vadzidze chokwadi chiri muBhaibheri.

Ndakapedza chikoro chesekondari musi wa13 June 1956, uye pashure pemazuva matatu,  ndakabhabhatidzwa pagungano redunhu. Panguva iyoyo ndaisatomboziva kuti kusarudza kwandakaita kudzidza nezvaJehovha uye kudzidzisa vanhu nezvake kwaizoita kuti ndiwane makomborero akawanda chaizvo.

Papera mwedzi 6 ndabhabhatidzwa, ndakava piyona wenguva dzese. Ushumiri hwoUmambo hwaDecember 1956 hwaiva nenyaya yaiva nemusoro unoti “Unogona Kushumira Kunodiwa Vaparidzi Vakawanda Here?” Ndakaona kuti ndaikwanisa. Ndaida kunoshumira kunzvimbo dzaiva nevaparidzi vashoma vemashoko akanaka.—Mat. 24:14.

Ndakatamira kuEdgefield, kuSouth Carolina. Ungano yacho yaingova nevaparidzi 4 chete. Saka pandakatamira ikoko ndakaita wechi5. Taiitira misangano muimba yekutandarira yeimwe hama. Mwedzi wega wega ndaiita maawa 100 muushumiri. Ndainge ndakabatikana chaizvo nekutungamirira pabasa rekuparidza uye kuitisa misangano yeungano. Mabasa angu muungano paaiwedzera, ndaitowedzerawo kuziva Jehovha.

Paiva nemumwe mukadzi wandaidzidza naye Bhaibheri aiva nekambani yaiita nezvemariro muJohnston, taundi raiva kure nemakiromita mashoma. Akandipa basa randaiita kwemazuva mashoma uye akatibvumira kushandisa chimwe chivakwa chake seImba yeUmambo.

Hama Jolly Jeffries, avo vaiva mwanakomana wehama yakadzidza neni Bhaibheri, vakatama kubva kuBrooklyn, New York, vakauya kuzogara neni uye takatanga kupayona tese. Taigara mune imwe karavhani diki yatakapiwa neimwe hama kuti tishandise.

Mari yaitambiriswa vashandi munharaunda yataigara yaiva shoma. Taitambiriswa $2 kana kuti $3 pazuva. Rimwe zuva, ndakanga ndichangopedza kushandisa tumari tushoma twandaiva natwo kutenga zvekudya pane chimwe chitoro. Pandakabuda muchitoro chacho, mumwe murume akasvika pandaiva akati: “Unoda basa here? Ndinenge ndichikubhadhara dhora paawa.” Akandipa basa rekuchenesa panzvimbo yaivakwa, uye basa racho ndairiita kwemazuva matatu. Zvaiva pachena kuti Jehovha aindibatsira kuti ndirambe ndiri kuEdgefield. Pasinei nekuti ndaiwana mari shoma, ndakakwanisa kuenda kugungano renyika dzakawanda rakaitirwa muNew York City muna 1958.

Pazuva rechipiri regungano racho, chimwe chinhu chinokosha chakaitika. Ndakaonana naRuby Wadlington, uyo aishumira sapiyona wenguva dzese kuGallatin, muTennessee. Tese taida kuva mamishinari, saka takapinda musangano wevanoda kuenda kuGiriyedhi wakaitwa pagungano racho. Takazotanga kunyorerana tsamba. Ndakazokokwa kuGallatin kuti ndinopa hurukuro yavose. Ndakabva ndangoshandisa mukana wacho kubvunza Ruby kana aida kuti tichate. Ndakazotamira muungano yaanaRuby uye takachata muna 1959.

Pandaiva nemakore 23, ndakagadzwa kuva muranda weungano (uyo ava kunzi murongi mudare revakuru) yeGallatin. Ungano yedu ndiyo yaiva yekutanga kushanyirwa nahama Charles Thompson  pavakagadzwa kuva mutariri wedunhu. Vaiva neruzivo rwakawanda, asi vaidawo kunzwa pfungwa dzangu pazvinhu zvaidiwa nehama uye kuti vamwe vatariri vematunhu vaiita sei panyaya dzakadaro. Izvozvo zvakandidzidzisa kuti zvakanaka kubvunza vamwe mibvunzo uye kuva nemashoko akakwana ndisati ndaita zvisarudzo.

Muna May 1964, ndakakokwa kunopinda Chikoro Cheushumiri hweUmambo icho chaizoitwa kwemwedzi kuSouth Lansing, muNew York. Hama dzaiitisa chikoro chacho dzakaita kuti ndive nechido chakasimba chekudzidza zvakawanda uye chekukura pakunamata.

Ini naRuby takanzi titange basa redunhu muna January 1965. Dunhu redu rainge rakakura chaizvo. Raitangira muKnoxville, kuTennessee, richida kunosvika kuRichmond, kuVirginia. Raibatanidza ungano dzaiva muNorth Carolina, Kentucky, neWest Virginia. Ndaingoshanyira ungano dzehama dzechitema chete nekuti mitemo yaiva kumaodzanyemba kweUnited States yaisabvumira varungu nevatema kuti vaite misangano pamwe chete. Hama dzacho dzaisava nezvakawanda, saka takadzidza kupawo vamwe zvataiva nazvo. Mumwe mutariri wedunhu uyo ainge ashumira kwenguva yakareba akandidzidzisa chidzidzo chinokosha. Akati: “Zvione sehama. Usashanyira ungano uchizviona sabhosi wavo. Unokwanisa kuvabatsira chete kana vachikuona sehama yavo.”

Pataishanyira imwe ungano diki, Ruby akatanga kudzidza Bhaibheri nemumwe mukadzi wechidiki aiva nemwanasikana ane gore rimwe chete. Patakashaya munhu muungano yacho aizodzidza nemukadzi uyu, Ruby akatanga kudzidza naye vachiita zvekunyorerana tsamba. Patakashanyira ungano iyi kechipiri, mukadzi wacho akapinda misangano yese. Dzimwe hanzvadzi mbiri dzaiva mapiyona chaiwo padzakazotamira muungano yacho, vakaenderera mberi nekudzidza naye uye akabva abhabhatidzwa. Papera makore 30, muna 1995, imwe hanzvadzi yakauya kuna Ruby paBheteri rekuPatterson. Hanzvadzi iyi yaiva mwanasikana wemukadzi uya akadzidza naRuby. Hanzvadzi yacho nemurume wayo vakanga vauya kuzopinda kirasi yechi100 yeChikoro cheGiriyedhi.

Dunhu redu rechipiri raiva pakati peFlorida. Panguva iyi takaona kuti taifanira kuva nemota, saka tine yatakatenga nemutengo wakaderera chaizvo. Asi muvhiki rekutanga taitenga, water pump yacho yakabva yafa. Takanga tisisina mari yekuigadzirisa. Saka ndakafonera imwe hama yandaifunga kuti yaigona kutibatsira. Hama yacho yakaronga kuti mushandi wayo atigadzirire mota yedu uye paakapedza kuigadzira, hama yacho yakati tisabhadhara hedu mari. Yakangoti, “Hapana chamunofanira kundipa.” Yakatotipa mari yekuti tishandise! Takanyatsoona kuti Jehovha anochengeta vashumiri vake. Zvakaitika izvi zvakatiyeuchidza kuti tinofanira kuva nerupo.

Pese pataishanyira ungano, taigara mudzimba dzehama. Izvozvo zvakaita kuti tive neshamwari dzakawanda dzakanaka. Rimwe zuva ndainyora mushumo weungano ndichishandisa typewriter, ndikausiya usati wapera kunyorwa. Pandakadzoka manheru ndakawana kamukomana kane makore matatu kepamba apa kabaya-baya mabhatani etypewriter yacho zvekuti ndaifanira kutangidzazve kunyora mushumo wacho. Ndakaita makore akawanda ndichiseka mukomana uyu nezvaakaita.

Muna 1971, ndakagamuchira tsamba yaiti ndinoshumira semutariri weruwa muNew York City. Takanga tisingambozvitarisiri! Patakatamira kuNew York City, ndaingova nemakore 34 chete. Hama dzeikoko dzakanditambira nemaoko maviri, sezvo ndaiva mutariri wavo weruwa wekutanga wechitema.

Pandaiva mutariri weruwa, ndainakidzwa nekudzidzisa nezvaJehovha pamagungano edunhu pakupera kwevhiki rega rega. Vatariri vematunhu vakawanda vandaishanda navo vakanga vava nenguva yakareba kundipfuura vachiita basa rekufambira. Mumwe wacho ndiye akatopa hurukuro pandakabhabhatidzwa. Mumwe wacho aiva hama Theodore Jaracz, avo vakazova nhengo yeDare Rinotungamirira. Paivawo nehama dzakawanda dzine ruzivo dzaishumira paBheteri rekuBrooklyn. Ndainzwa kufara chaizvo kuti vatariri vacho vematunhu nehama dzekuBheteri vaiita kuti ndinzwe ndakasununguka. Ndakanyatsozvionera kuti varume ava vaiva vafudzi vane rudo, vaishandisa Shoko raMwari muupenyu  hwavo uye vaitsigira sangano raJehovha. Kuzvininipisa kwavo kwaiita kuti zvindiitire nyore kushumira semutariri weruwa.

Muna 1974 Dare Rinotungamirira rakagadza vamwe vatariri vematunhu kuti vave vatariri veruwa, uye ini ndakanzi ndinoshumira semutariri wedunhu kuSouth Carolina. Chinofadza ndechekuti panguva iyoyo hama dzechichena nedzechitema dzakanga dzava kukwanisa kunamata pamwe chete, uye izvozvo zvakafadza munhu wese.

Gore ra1976 rava kunopera, ndakanzi ndinoshumira kudunhu rekuGeorgia raiva pakati peAtlanta neColumbus. Ndinonyatsoyeuka zvakaitika pane imwe nguva pandakapa hurukuro yemariro pakafa vana 5 vechitema imba yavo payakapiswa nevamwe vanhu. Amai vacho vakakuvara uye vakaendeswa kuchipatara. Zvapupu zvaJehovha, vatema nevachena, vairamba vachidirana kuenda kuchipatara kunonyaradza vabereki ava. Rudo rwakaratidzwa nehama rwaishamisa chaizvo. Kunzwira vamwe tsitsi saizvozvo kunobatsira vashumiri vaMwari kuti vatsungirire matambudziko akaoma chaizvo.

Muna 1977 takakumbirwa kuuya kuBheteri rekuBrooklyn kwemwedzi mishoma kuti tibatsire pane rimwe basa raida kuitwa. Patakanga tava kuda kupedza basa racho, hama mbiri dzemuDare Rinotungamirira dzakandibvunza kana ini naRuby taida kuramba tichishumira paBheteri. Takabvuma.

Ndakashanda muDhipatimendi Rebasa kwemakore 24. Mudhipatimendi iri hama dzinowanzogadzirisa nyaya dzakawanda dzinenge dzichinetsa. Dare Rinotungamirira rava nemakore richipa mirayiridzo inoenderana nepfungwa dziri muShoko raMwari. Mirayiridzo iyoyo ndiyo inoshandiswa pakupindura mibvunzo inenge yabvunzwa nehama, uye inoshandiswawo pakudzidzisa vatariri vematunhu, vakuru, uye mapiyona. Izvozvo zvakaita kuti vakawanda vakure pakunamata zvichisimbisawo sangano raJehovha.

Kubva muna 1995 kusvika muna 2018, ndakashanyira mahofisi emapazi akawanda semumiririri wemahofisi makuru, uyo aimbonzi mutariri anoshanyira mapazi. Ndaionana neMatare Emapazi, hama nehanzvadzi dzinoshumira paBheteri, uyewo mamishinari ndichivakurudzira uye ndichivabatsira pane zvaivanetsa. Ini naRuby takakurudzirwa chaizvo nezvinoitika zvavaitiudza. Semuenzaniso, takashanya kuRwanda muna 2000. Takabayiwa mwoyo chaizvo kunzwa kuti hama dzeikoko, kusanganisira dzinoshumira paBheteri, dzakapona sei hondo yakaitika kuRwanda muna 1994. Vakawanda vainge vafirwa nehama dzavo. Pasinei nematambudziko akasangana nehama idzi, dzaifara uye dzairatidza kuti dzine kutenda netariro.

Iye zvino tava nemakore ekuma80. Kwemakore 20 apfuura, ndanga ndichishumira senhengo yeDare Rebazi remuUnited States. Handina kuzoenda kuyunivhesiti, asi ndakawana dzidzo yepamusorosoro kubva kuna Jehovha nesangano rake. Izvi zvakaita kuti ndikwanise kudzidzisa vamwe chokwadi chemuBhaibheri chinogona kuvabatsira nekusingaperi. (2 VaK. 3:5; 2 Tim. 2:2) Ndakaona chokwadi chiri muBhaibheri chichibatsira vanhu muupenyu hwavo uye chichivabatsira kuva neushamwari neMusiki wavo. (Jak. 4:8) Pese patinokwanisa, ini naRuby tinoramba tichikurudzira vamwe kuti vakoshese ropafadzo yekudzidza nezvaJehovha uye kudzidzisa vamwe chokwadi chiri muBhaibheri, inova ropafadzo yakakura ingawanikwa nemushumiri waJehovha!