Ndinabadwa mu 1955, ndipo ndinali womalizira pa ana aamuna atatu. Ndinakulira m’dera lina la mphepete mwa nyanja kummwera kwa dziko la Finland komwe panopa kuli mzinda wa Vantaa.

Mayi anga anabatizidwa n’kukhala a Mboni za Yehova kutatsala zaka zochepa kuti ndibadwe. Koma bambo anga ankatsutsa choonadi ndipo sankalola kuti mayi anga azitiphunzitsa kapena kutitenga kumisonkhano. Choncho mayi anga ankandiphunzitsa mfundo zoyambirira bambo akachokapo.

Kungoyambira ndili wamng’ono, ndinkayesetsa kumvera Yehova. Mwachitsanzo, pa nthawi ina ndili ndi zaka 7 aphunzitsi anga anakwiya kwambiri chifukwa ndinakana kudya makeke amene ankaphatikizamo magazi pophika. Ndi dzanja limodzi anandifinya masaya kuti nditsegule pakamwa pomwe dzanja lina ananyamula foloko yokhala ndi kekeyo kuti andidyetse. Koma ndinakwanitsa kuwatayitsa folokoyo.

Bambo anga anamwalira ndili ndi zaka 12. Atamwalira ndinayamba kupezeka pamisonkhano. Abale ndi alongo mumpingo ankandikonda ndipo zimenezi zinandithandiza kuti ndikhale pa ubwenzi ndi Mulungu. Ndinayamba kuwerenga Baibulo tsiku lililonse komanso kuphunzira mabuku athu mwakhama. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti ndibatizidwe ndili ndi zaka 14, pa 8 August, 1969.

 Nditangomaliza sukulu ndinayamba upainiya wokhazikika. Patapita milungu yochepa ndinasamukira kudera limene kunkafunika olalikira ambiri. Derali ndi la Pielavesi, ndipo lili cha pakatikati pa dziko la Finland.

Ku Pielavesi, ndi kumene ndinakumana ndi mkazi wanga wokondedwa, Sirkka. Ndinakopeka ndi kudzichepetsa kwake komanso amakonda kwambiri Yehova. Iye sankafuna zinthu zambiri kapenanso kutchuka. Tonsefe tinkafuna kutumikira Yehova mmene tingathere pa utumiki uliwonse umene tingapatsidwe. Tinakwatirana pa 23 March, 1974. M’malo mopita kumalo enaake kukasangalala pambuyo pa ukwati wathu, tinapita ku Karttula, komwe kunkafunika olalikira Ufumu ambiri.

Kungoyambira pamene tinakwatirana, Yehova wakhala akutisamalira chifukwa choika zinthu zokhudza Ufumu pamalo oyamba. (Mat. 6:33) Mwachitsanzo, pamene tinali ku Karttula, tinalibe galimoto moti tinkayenda panjinga. M’nyengo yozizira kunkazizira kwambiri mpaka madzi ankaundana. Kuti tithe kulalikira m’gawo la mpingo wathu lomwe linali lalikulu, tinkafunika galimoto koma tinalibe ndalama.

Kenako kunabwera mchimwene wanga kudzationa. Iye anatikomera mtima n’kutipatsa galimoto yake ndipo misonkho yonse inali yolipira kale. Tinkangofunika kugula mafuta basi. Choncho tinapeza galimoto yomwe tinkafuna ija.

Apa Yehova anatisonyeza kuti azikwaniritsa udindo wake wotipatsa zofunika pa moyo. Ife tinkangofunika kuika za Ufumu pamalo oyamba.

Mu 1978, titalowa Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Upainiya, M’bale Raimo Kuokkanen, a yemwe anali mmodzi mwa alangizi athu, anatilimbikitsa kuti tifunsire Sukulu ya Giliyadi. Choncho tinayamba kuphunzira Chingelezi kuti tidzakalowe nawo sukuluyi. Koma mu 1980, tisanafunsire sukuluyi, anatiitana kuti tizikatumikira ku ofesi ya nthambi ku Finland. Pa nthawiyi atumiki a pa Beteli analibe mwayi wolowa sukulu imeneyi. Koma tinkafuna kutumikira kumene Yehova ankafuna osati kumene ife tinkafuna choncho titaitanidwa tinavomera. Komabe tinapitiriza kuphunzira Chingelezi kuti mwina kutsogolo tingadzakhale ndi mwayi wolowa Sukulu ya Giliyadi.

 Patapita zaka zochepa Bungwe Lolamulira linavomereza kuti atumiki a pa Beteli akhoza kulowa nawo Sukulu ya Giliyadi. Nthawi yomweyo tinalemba mafomu koma sikuti sitinkasangalala ndi utumiki wa pa Beteli. Tinkangofuna kuti tikhale okonzeka kukatumikira kulikonse komwe kungafunike. Tinaitanidwa kukalowa kalasi nambala 79 ya Sukulu ya Giliyadi ndipo tinamaliza maphunziro athu mu September 1985. Titamaliza anatitumiza ku Colombia.

Ku Colombia, utumiki wathu woyamba unali ku ofesi ya nthambi. Ndinkayesetsa kuchita zomwe ndingathe pa utumiki wanga, koma patangotha chaka chimodzi ndinaona kuti bola andisinthe. Kwa nthawi yoyamba pa moyo wanga ndinapempha kuti andipatse utumiki wina. Kenako tinatumizidwa monga amishonale mumzinda wa Neiva, m’chigawo cha Huila.

Ntchito yolalikira imandisangalatsa kwambiri. Ndisanakwatire, pamene ndinkachita upainiya ku Finland, nthawi zina ndinkayamba kulalikira m’mamawa kwambiri mpaka madzulo. Titangokwatirana kumene, ine ndi Sirkka tinkalalikiranso tsiku lonse. Tikamalalikira m’gawo lakutali, nthawi zina tinkagona m’galimoto yathu. Zimenezi zinkathandiza kuti tisamataye nthawi yaitali tikuyenda ndipo tsiku lotsatira tinkayamba msanga kulalikira.

Choncho titangokhala amishonale, tinayambiranso kusangalala ndi utumiki ngati poyamba. Mpingo wathu unakula ndipo abale ndi alongo a ku Colombia anali aulemu, achikondi komanso oyamikira.

Pafupi ndi ku Neiva komwe tinkalalikira, kunali matauni awiri komwe kunalibe wa Mboni aliyense. Ndinkafunitsitsa kuti uthenga wabwino ufikenso m’matauni amenewa. Koma chifukwa chakuti m’maderawa munkachitika nkhondo zapachiweniweni, alendo sakanakhala otetezeka. Choncho ndinkapemphera kuti m’matauni awiriwa mupezeke munthu woti aphunzire n’kukhala wa Mboni. Ndinkafuna nditakumana ndi munthuyo ku Neiva ndiyeno akaphunzira choonadi abwerere kwawo kuti akalalikire. Sindinkadziwa kuti Yehova ali ndi njira ina yabwino kuposa imene ndinkaganizayi.

Pasanapite nthawi yaitali ndinayamba kuphunzira ndi mnyamata wina dzina lake Fernando González. Iye ankakhala ku Algeciras, imodzi mwa matauni amene kunalibe a Mboni kuja. Fernando ankayenda mtunda wa makilomita oposa 50 kubwera ku Neiva kudzagwira ntchito. Ankakonzekera bwino phunziro lililonse ndipo anayamba kupezeka pamisonkhano yonse. Kungoyambira mlungu umene anayamba kuphunzira, Fernando ankasonkhanitsa anthu a m’tauni yake n’kumawaphunzitsa zimene waphunzira m’Baibulo.

Fernando anabatizidwa mu January 1990, patangopita miyezi 6 kuchokera pamene anayamba kuphunzira. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali anayamba upainiya wokhazikika. Popeza kuti ku Algeciras tsopano kunali wa Mboni, zinali zosavuta kuti ofesi ya nthambi itumizeko apainiya apadera. Mu February 1992, mtauniyi munakhazikitsidwa mpingo.

Kodi Fernando ankangolalikira m’tauni yawo yokha? Ayi! Atakwatira, iye ndi mkazi wake anasamukira m’tauni ya San Vicente del Caguán. Iyi  ndi tauni ina ija yomwe kunalibe a Mboni. Iwo anathandiza kuti m’tauniyi mukhazikitsidwenso mpingo. Mu 2002, Fernando anaikidwa kukhala woyang’anira dera ndipo iye ndi mkazi wake Olga, akupitirizabe kuchita utumikiwu.

Kuchokera pa zimene zinachitikazi, ndaphunzira kufunika kotchula mwachindunji nkhani zokhudza Ufumu zomwe tikupempherera. Yehova amachita zimene ifeyo sitingakwanitse. Ndipotu ntchito yokololayi si yathu, ndi yake.​—Mat. 9:38.

Mu 1990, tinapatsidwa utumiki woyendayenda. Dera lathu loyamba linali mumzinda wa Bogotá womwe ndi likulu la dzikoli. Tinkachita mantha ndi utumikiwu. Ine ndi mkazi wanga tilibe luso lililonse lapadera komanso tinali tisanazolowere kukhala m’mizinda ikuluikulu. Komabe Yehova anakwaniritsa lonjezo lake la pa Afilipi 2:13 lakuti: “Mulungu ndi amene amakulimbitsani. Amakupatsani mtima wofuna kuchita zinthu zimene iye amakonda komanso mphamvu zochitira zinthuzo. Iye amachita zimenezi chifukwa ndi zimene zimamusangalatsa.”

Pambuyo pake tinakatumikira kudera lina m’tauni ya Medellín, imene ndaitchula kumayambiriro ija. Anthu kumeneko anali atazolowera zachiwawa zimene zinkachitika mumsewu moti sankazionanso ngati kanthu. Mwachitsanzo, panthawi ina ndikuchititsa phunziro la Baibulo, anthu anayamba kuwomberana panja pa nyumba yomwe tinali. Ndinkafuna kudzigwetsa pansi kuti chipolopolo chisandipeze koma ndinadabwa kuti wophunzirayo sankatekeseka ndipo ankangopitiriza kuwerenga ndime. Atamaliza kuwerenga anatuluka panja. Patapita kanthawi kochepa, iye anabwera ndi ana ake aang’ono awiri ndipo anati: “Pepanitu ndimakatenga kaye anawa.”

Pali nthawi zinanso pomwe moyo wathu unkakhala pangozi. Tsiku lina tikulalikira, mkazi wanga anabwera akuthamanga ndipo ankaoneka wamantha kwambiri. Ananena kuti munthu wina ankafuna kumuwombera. Zimenezi zinandichititsa mantha kwambiri. Koma pambuyo pake tinadzazindikira kuti munthu wa mfutiyo, sankafuna kuwombera Sirkka koma munthu wina amene ankadutsa pafupi naye.

Patapita nthawi tinayamba kuzolowera ndipo sitinkachita mantha ndi zachiwawa mumsewu. Tinkalimbikitsidwa ndi kulimba mtima kwa a Mboni a m’derali omwe ankakumana ndi zinthu ngati zimenezi, mwinanso zoposa pamenepa. Tinkaona kuti ngati Yehova amawathandiza ndiye kuti ifenso adzatithandiza. Nthawi zonse tinkatsatira malangizo a akulu, kuchita zinthu mosamala, komanso kusiya zina zonse m’manja mwa Yehova.

Komabe nthawi zina zinthu sizinkafika poopsa ngati mmene timaganizira. Mwachitsanzo, tsiku lina ndinamva ngati azimayi awiri akukangana panja pa nyumba. Sindinkakonda kuonerera anthu akukangana koma mwini wake wa nyumbayo anandiitana kuti ndikakhale pakhonde. Pambuyo pake ndinazindikira kuti si anthu amene ankakangana koma zinali mbalame zotchedwa maparoti ndipo zinkayerekeza zimene anthu a nyumba zapafupi ankachita.

Mu 1997, ndinaikidwa kukhala mlangizi wa Sukulu Yophunzitsa Utumiki. b Ndinkasangalala kulandira maphunziro m’masukulu a gulu. Koma ndinali ndisanaganizirepo zoti tsiku lina ndingadzakhale ndi mwayi wophunzitsa nawo m’masukuluwa.

Kenako ndinkatumikiranso monga woyang’anira chigawo. Zoti pazikhala oyang’anira chigawo zitatha, ndinabwereranso kukakhala woyang’anira dera. Choncho kwa zaka zoposa 30 ndinkasangalala kutumikira monga mlangizi komanso woyang’anira woyendayenda. Ndinapeza madalitso ambiri pochita mautumiki amenewa. Komabe sikuti nthawi zonse zinthu zinkangoyenda bwino. Dikirani ndikufotokozereni.

Mwachibadwa ndine wolimba mtima. Khalidweli lakhala likundithandiza ndikakumana ndi zinthu zovuta. Komabe nthawi zina ndakhala ndikuchita zinthu mopupuluma pofuna kukonza zinthu m’mipingo. Mwachitsanzo ndakhala ndikulimbikitsa anthu ena kuti azisonyeza chikondi komanso aziganizira anzawo. Koma kunena zoona, pa nthawi imodzimodziyo inenso ndinkavutika kusonyeza makhalidwe omwewo.​—Aroma 7:21-23.

Nthawi zina ndinkakhumudwa chifukwa cha zimene ndinkalakwitsa. (Aroma 7:24) Tsiku lina ndinamuuza Yehova m’pemphero kuti bola ndingosiya umishonale n’kubwerera ku Finland. Madzulo a tsiku limeneli ndinapita kumisonkhano yampingo. Zimene ndinaphunzira zinandithandiza kuona kuti sindiyenera kusiya utumikiwu koma kungoyesetsa kukonza zimene ndimalakwitsa. Kungochokera nthawi imeneyi, ndimalimbikitsidwa chifukwa cha mmene Yehova anayankhira pemphero langa. Ndimayamikiranso kuti wandithandiza mokoma mtima kuti ndilimbane ndi zimene ndimalakwitsa.

Ine ndi Sirkka timayamikira Yehova chifukwa chotipatsa mwayi wokhala mu utumiki wa nthawi zonse kwa zaka zambiri chonchi. Ndimathokozanso Yehova chifukwa chondipatsa mkazi wachikondi komanso wokhulupirika.

Posachedwapa ndikwanitsa zaka 70 ndipo ndisiya kutumikira monga mlangizi komanso woyang’anira dera. Komabe zimenezi sizimandikhumudwitsa. Ndikutero chifukwa ndimakhulupirira kuti timalemekeza Yehova tikamamutumikira modzichepetsa komanso kumulambira chifukwa chomukonda komanso kumuyamikira. (Mika 6:8; Maliko 12:32-34) Munthu amalemekezabe Yehova ngakhale asakuchita utumiki woonekera kwa anthu.

Ndikaganizira mautumiki amene ndakhala ndikuchita, ndimaona kuti sindinawalandire chifukwa choti ndinkaposa ena, kapenanso chifukwa choti ndinali ndi luso linalake lapadera. M’malomwake Yehova anandipatsa mautumikiwa chifukwa cha kukoma mtima kwake kwakukulu. Ndipo anandipatsa ngakhale kuti ndinkalakwitsa zinthu zina. Ndikudziwa kuti Yehova ndi amene wakhala akundithandiza kuti ndikwanitse mautumikiwa. Choncho ndingati kufooka kwanga kwachititsa kuti mphamvu za Mulungu zionekere.​—2 Akor. 12:9.