Kuma 1940, bazyali bangu bakali kwiiya Bbaibbele a Bakamboni ba Jehova. Ciiyo eeco tiicakazumanana, pele bamaama bakazumanana kutambula mamagazini aa Ngazi Yamulindizi alimwi a Sinsimuka! Mu 1950, muswaangano wamasi wakacitilwa mu New York City, aboobo mukwasyi wesu wakajanika kumuswaangano ooyo.

Nokwakainda ciindi cisyoonto buyo kuzwa nowakainda muswaangano ooyu, Mukwesu Lawrence Jeffries wakatalika kundiyiisya. Wakabikkila maano kundigwasya. Kumatalikilo, tiindakali kumumvwisya mukwesu mumakani aajatikizya kutatola lubazu kwa Bakamboni ba Jehova mumapolitikisi alimwi amumulimo wabusikalumamba. Ndakali kwaamba kuti, ikuti bana America boonse bakaka kuunka kunkondo, basinkondo balakonzya kucizunguluka cisi akutudyaaminina. Cakukkazyika moyo, Mukwesu Jeffries wakandaambila kuti: “Ino uyeeya kuti ncinzi ncakonzya kucita Jehova Leza kuti bantu boonse mu America kabamubelekela, mpoonya basinkondo baboola kubalwana?” Ncaakaamba kujatikizya makani aaya alimwi amakani aambi cakandigwasya kubona kuti kuyeeya kwangu tiikwakaluzi pe. Eeci cakapa kuti luyandisisyo lwangu lwakwiiya Bbaibbele lukomene.

Ndakali kubelesya ciindi cinji kubala mamagazini aakaindi aa Ngazi Yamulindizi alimwi a Sinsimuka! aayo bamaama ngobakayobwede. Mukuya kwaciindi, ndakabona kuti aaka nkasimpe, aboobo ndakazumina kwiiya Bbaibbele a Mukwesu Jeffries. Alimwi ndakatalika kujanika kumiswaangano lyoonse. Kasimpe kakandisika amoyo, aboobo ndakaba sikumwaya wamakani mabotu. Mbaakani zyangu zyakacinca ciindi nondakamvwisya kuti “buzuba bupati bwa Jehova buli afwaafwi.” (Zef. 1:14) Aboobo muciindi cakubikkila maano kukuunka kuyunivesiti, ndakali kuyanda kugwasya bamwi kwiiya kasimpe kamu Bbaibbele.

 Ndakamanizya cikolo mu June 13, 1956, mpoonya nokwakainda mazuba otatwe, ndakabbapatizyigwa amuswaangano wabbazu. Kunyina nondakazyi kuti ndiyoojana zilongezyo zinji kapati kwiinda mukulitakata kwiiya alimwi akuyiisya kujatikizya Jehova.

Nokwakainda myezi iili cisambomwe kuzwa nondakabbapatizyigwa, ndakaba mupainiya waciindi coonse. Mulimo wesu wa Bwami wamu December 1956, wakajisi cibalo cakuti “Sena Inga Mwabeleka Kubusena Kubulide?” (“Can You Serve Where the Need Is Great?”) Kutamba ooku kwakali kundijatikizya andime. Ndakali kuyanda kugwasyilizya ooko ikwakali bakambausi bamakani mabotu basyoonto.—Mt. 24:14.

Ndakalongela ku Edgefield, South Carolina. Mbungano yakooko yakajisi buyo basikumwaya bone. Mebo ndakaba wasanu. Twakali kuswaanganina aŋanda yamukwesu. Mwezi amwezi, ndakali kubeleka mawoola aaIi 100 mumulimo wakukambauka. Ndakajisi bubi kusololela mulimo wamumuunda alimwi akupa makani lyamiswaangano yambungano. Pele cikkomanisya ncakuti, akaambo kakubeleka canguzu mumbungano, ndakaiya zinji kujatikizya Jehova.

Mukamufwu umwi ngondakali kuyiisya Bbaibbele wakajisi ŋanda iibbadelelwa kucitila malila mu Johnston, dolopo ilili munsi-munsi ankotwakali kukkala. Wakandifwida luzyalo kwiinda mukundinjizya mulimo uutabelekwi abuzuba alimwi wakatuzumizya kucita miswaangano mukaanda kakwe kamwi kasyoonto.

Mukwesu Jolly Jeffries, mwana wamukwesu iwakali kundiyiisya Bbaibbele, wakalonga kuzwa ku Brooklyn, New York, alimwi ngowakaba mupainiya ngotwakali kubeleka limwi. Twakali kukkala mukaanda kamavwili kasyoonto nkaakatupa mukwesu umwi.

Aciindi eeco, kumusanza aacisi eeci bakali kuvwozya buyo mali masyoonto. Twakali kuvwola ma dollar obilo naa otatwe twabeleka buzuba boonse. Aciindi cimwi, ndakaabelesya mali woonse masyoonto ngondakajisi kuula cakulya. Nondakazwa mucintoolo, kwakasika mwaalumi umwi akundibuzya kuti: “Sena ulayanda kunjila mulimo? Ndinookuvwozya dollar lyomwe muwoola lyomwe.” Aboobo wakandinjizya mulimo wakusalazya busena bwamayake uubelekwa mazuba otatwe. Eeci cakalibonya caantangalala kuti Jehova wakali kuyanda kuti ndizumanane kukkala mu Edgefield. Mpoonya 1958, ndakaunka kumuswaangano wamasi iwakacitilwa mu New York City.

Mubuzuba bwabili bwamuswaangano ooyu, kwakacitika cintu cimwi caalubazu. Twakazyibana aba Ruby Wadlington, ibakali kubeleka kabali bapainiya baciindi coonse ku Gallatin, Tennessee. Akaambo kakuti toonse twakali kuyanda kuba bamisyinali, twakajanika kumuswaangano wabasikulembela cikolo ca Gileadi. Kuzwa waawo, twakatalika kulembelana magwalo. Mpoonya ndakatambwa ku Gallatin kuyoopa makani aabuleya. Mpoonya ndakajana coolwe cakubalomba naa inga twakwatana. Ndakalongela kumbungano yaba Ruby, kumane twakakwatana mu 1959.

Nondakajisi myaka iili 23, ndakasalwa kuba mubelesi wambungano (lino wiitwa kuti sicuuno wakabunga kabaalu) mu Gallatin. Mbungano yesu njiyakali yakusaanguna kuswaigwa a Charles Thompson, mbwaakabeda buyo mulangizi wabbazu. Wakalijisi luzyibo lunji; pele wakandibuzya kujatikizya nzyobakali kuyandika bakwesu abacizyi alimwi alugwasyo balangizi bamabazu bamwi ndobakali kupa kulanganya zintu eezyo. Aboobo ndakaiya kulinguwe kuti cili kabotu kubuzya akuzyiba twaambo toonse tujatikizyidwe katutanabweza ntaamu.

Mu May 1964, ndakatambwa kunjila Cikolo Camulimo wa Bwami camwezi omwe icakacitilwa mu South Lansing, New York. Bakwesu ibakali kutuyiisya kucikolo eeci, bakandipa kuba amuuya wakuyandisya kwiiya zinji kujatikizya Jehova kutegwa cilongwe cangu anguwe ciyume kapati.

Mebo aba Ruby twakatambwa kunjila mulimo wamubbazu mu January 1965. Twakatumwa mubbazu ilyakajisi busena bupati, kuzwa ku Knoxville, Tennessee, mane amunsi-munsi aku Richmond, Virginia. lyakali kubikkilizya mbungano zyamu North Carolina, Kentucky, alimwi a West Virginia. Ndakali kubelekela buyo mumbungano zyabantu basiya nkaambo aciindi eeco kusalaulana mubala kwakalibbebbede mu United States nkoili kumusanza, aboobo bantu basiya tiibakali kuswaangana abamakuwa. Bakwesu bakali bacete, aboobo twakaiya kwaabana zintu ambabo. Mulangizi wabbazu umwi iwakabeleka mulimo ooyu kwaciindi cilamfwu, wakandiyiisya ciiyo ciyandika kapati naakati: “Waswaya mbungano, koba mukwesu, utanikuciti zintu mbuli kuti nduwe bboosi wabo. Ulakonzya kubagwasya lilikke buyo kuti kabakubona kuti uli mukwesu.”

Notwakaswaya mbungano imwi nsyoonto, ba Ruby bakatalisya ciiyo kumukaintu iwakacili mwana-mwana, iwakajisi mwana musimbi wamwaka omwe. Ciindi mumbungano nokwakanyina uukonzya kumuyiisya, ba Ruby bakali kucita oobo kwiinda mukulemba magwalo. Notwakaswaya lweendo lwakatobela, mukaintu ooyo wakali kuboola kumiswaangano yoonse. Mpoonya ciindi bapainiya baalubazu bacizyi bobilo nobakaboola mumbungano eeyo, bakazumanana kwiiya anguwe, kumane tiilyakampa wakabbapatizyigwa. Mu 1995, kakwiindide myaka iili 30, ku Beteli yaku Patterson, mucizyi umwi uucili mwana-mwana wakalipandulula kuli ba Ruby. Wakali mwana wamukaintu ooyo ba Ruby ngobakali kuyiisya Bbaibbele. Mwana musimbi ooyo alimwi amulumaakwe bakaboolede ku Cikolo ca Gileadi kkilasi yanamba 100.

Bbazu lyesu lyabili lyakali mu central Florida. Aciindi aawa, twakali kuyandika moota, aboobo twakaula moota amuulo mubotu kapati. Nokuba boobo, munsondo yakusaanguna, kuli cimwi cakanyongana kunjini. Twakanyina mali aakuti tuubambye moota. Aboobo ndakatumina mukwesu umwi kuti atugwasye. Mpoonya mukwesu ooyo wakaambila mubelesi wakwe umwi kuti aupange moota, alimwi kunyina naakatubbadelesya. Wakaamba buyo kuti, “mbubo kaka.” Mane buya wakatupa acipego camali! Eeci cakali cikozyanyo cibotu kapati citondezya mbwabalanganya babelesi bakwe Jehova. Alimwi cakatuyeezya kuba baabi.

Lyoonse notwakali kuswaya mbungano, twakali kukkala mumaanda aabakwesu. Akaambo kaceeco, twakajana balongwe banji babotu. Bumwi buzuba ndakasiya lipooti yambungano iyakali afwaafwi kumana kutaipwa. Pele nondakapiluka kumangolezya, ndakajana kuti mwana musankwa wamyaka yotatwe wamumukwasyi mpotwakali kukkala “wakandigwasya” kumanizya kutaipa lipooti eeyo, munzila imwi wakaityankaula. Kwamyaka minji, ndakalikumuyeezya kaambo aaka akumusesya.

Mu 1971, ndakatambula lugwalo lwakunditamba kubeleka kandili mulangizi wacooko mu New York City. Twakagambwa! Notwakaunka kooko, ndakajisi buyo myaka iili 34. Bakwesu bakanditambula amaanza obilo, kandili mulangizi wabo wacooko wakusaanguna uusiya.

Kandili mulangizi wacooko, ndakalikukkomana kuyiisya kujatikizya Jehova lyoonse kumamanino aansondo kumuswaangano wabbazu. Bunji bwabalangizi bamabazu bakalijisi luzyibo lunji kwiinda ndime. Umwi wabo ngowakapa makani aalubbapatizyo lwangu. Mpoonya umwi, mukwesu Theodore Jaracz, kumbele wakaba wamu Kabunga Keendelezya. Alimwi kwakali abakwesu banji bakajisi luzyibo, ibakali kubelekela a Beteli yaku Brooklyn. Ndakalumba kapati kuti balangizi bamabazu alimwi abaabo ibakali  kubelekela a Beteli bakali kundipa kwaanguluka. Ndakalibonena kuti aaba mbeembezi basiluyando, ibakali kusyoma Jwi lya Leza alimwi akugwasyilizya mbunga cakusyomeka. Kulicesya kwabo kwakapa kuti cinduubile kubeleka kandili mulangizi wacooko.

Mu 1974, bamu Kabunga Keendelezya bakacinca balangizi bamabazu bambi kuba balangizi bazyooko, aboobo mebo bakandicinca alimwi kuba mulangizi wabbazu ku South Carolina. Aciindi eeco, mbungano zyabakuwa azyabantu basiya mu United States nkoili kumusanza zyakalikamantene, calo cakabakkomanisya bakwesu abacizyi.

Kumamanino aamwaka wa 1976, ndakatumwa kubbazu lyaku Georgia akati-kati ka Atlanta a Columbus. Ndilayeeya kabotu-kabotu ciindi nondakapa makani aamalila abana basiya bosanwe ibakafwa ciindi muntu umwi naakaumpa ŋanda yabo. Banyina bakali mucibbaddela nkaambo bakalicisa. Bakwesu abacizyi bakuwa abasiya, bakali kuunka kucibbadela mubunji kuyoobaumbulizya bazyali aaba. Ndakalubona luyando lwabakwesu abacizyi. Luzyalo luli boobu lulakonzya kugwasya babelesi ba Leza kuliyumya mubukkale bukatazya kapati.

Mu 1977, twakalombwa kuunka ku Beteli yaku Brooklyn myezi misyoonto kuyoogwasyilizya mumulimo umwi. Mulimo ooyo nowakali afwaafwi kumana, bamu Kabunga Keendelezya bobilo bakabandika andime kumvwa naa inga twayanda kuzumanana kubelekela a Beteli. Twakakuzumina kutambwa ooko.

Kwamyaka iili 24, ndakabeleka mu Dipatimenti ya Mulimo, mwalo bakwesu kanji-kanji mobalanganya twaambo tupati-pati alimwi amibuzyo iikatazya. Kwamyaka minji, bamu Kabunga Keendelezya balikupa busolozi ibweendelana anjiisyo zyamu Bbaibbele. Eeci cilagwasya kwiingula mibuzyo, alimwi akuyiisya balangizi bamabazu, baalu alimwi abapainiya. Lwiiyo oolu lwabagwasya banji kukomena kumuuya. Calo, cipa kuti mbunga ya Jehova iyume.

Kuzwa mu 1995 kusika mu 2018, ndakaswaya maofesi aamitabi aaindene-indene kandili mwiiminizi waku maofesi mapati, kaindi iwakali kwiitwa kuti mulangizi wazisi. Ndakali kuswaangana abamuma Kkomiti Aamitabi, babelesi baa Beteli alimwi abamisyinali kutegwa ndibakulwaizye akubagwasya mumbazu zimwi. Aboobo mebo aba Ruby lyoonse twakali kukulwaizyigwa azyakuluula nzyobakali kutwaambila. Mucikozyanyo, mu 2000, twakaswaya ku Rwanda. Cakatukkomanisya kapati kumvwa bakwesu alimwi abamukwasyi wa Beteli mbobakafwutuka lyankondo yacijaye-jaye iyakacitika mu 1994. Banji bakafwidwa bayandwa babo. Nokuba kuti bakali mumapenzi aali boobu, bakwesu abacizyi aaba bakatondezya lusyomo, bakali abulangizi alimwi alukkomano.

Lino tujisi myaka yakuma 80. Kwamyaka iili 20, ndalikubeleka mu Kkomiti Yamutabi yaku United States. Kunyina nondakaunka kuyunivesiti; pele ndakatambula lwiiyo lwiinda kubota kuzwa kuli Jehova alimwi ambunga yakwe. Eeci cakandigwasya kulibambila kuyiisya bamwi kasimpe kamu Bbaibbele ikakonzya kubagwasya mane kukabe kutamani. (2Kor. 3:5; 2Tim. 2:2) Ndalibonena mulumbe wamu Bbaibbele mbowabagwasya bantu banji kucinca buumi bwabo alimwi akuba acilongwe a Mulengi wabo. (Jak. 4:8) Kufwumbwa buyo notucikonzya, mebo aba Ruby tulazumanana kukulwaizya bamwi kucikkomanina coolwe cakwiiya kujatikizya Jehova alimwi akuyiisya bamwi kasimpe kamu Bbaibbele, coolwe ciinda kubota mubelesi wa Jehova ncakonzya kuba ancico.