OMWA bulhwana bwiwe, thatha waghe Arthur, aby’anzire Nyamuhanga, neryo mwanza erisomerera obuhalimu bw’edini ye Kimetodisti. Aliwe abere asoma ebitabu by’Abigha be Biblia mwahindulha amalengekania wiwe neryo amatsuka eribya akahindana nabu. Omwa 1914, thatha inianawithe myaka 17, mwabatizibwa. Omwa Lhuhi lhw’erimbere olhw’ekihugho kyosi mubanza erimukaka eringira omwa busirikali, aliwe amaghana. Ekyo mukyaleka bamamuhira omwa ngomo habw’amezi ikumi omwa Ontario, e Kanada. Abere abirilhwikwa, mwabya colporteur, ngoku abatemburi b’omwa buthuku obo babya bak’ahulhwa.

Omwa 1926, thatha mwathahya Hazel Wilkinson. Mama wa Wilkinson iyo abya in’igha ekwenene omwa 1908. Munabuthwa omo Kwakani 24, 1931, ningye nabya mwana wakabiri omwa baana bethu bbani. Thatha inianzire e Biblia kandi iniasikiryeyo, nethu mwathukangirirya eribya thuthya. Eriramya iky’ekindu kikulhu omwa ngebe yethu. Ithukathulira nyumba okwa nyuma ng’eka.—Emibiri 20:20.

Omwa 1939, Olhuhe lhw’Ekihugho Kyosi olhwakabiri mulhwatsuka. Omwaka owakwamako, Abema ba Yehova mub’imanibwa omwa Kanada. Okwa sukuru, abaana ibatholere eritherera ebendera y’esaruti n’eriimba olhwimbo lhw’erihanga omwa kilasi. Kutsibu-tsibu, omuhalimu wethu iniakathulighira ingye na mwali wethu Dorothy erihulhuka bakakolha ebyo. Aliwe kiro kighuma, omuhalimu mwanyisekererya athi ngali muba. Thwabere thukakulhuka, abandi banya sukuru mubanyiwirira n’erinyikinda ahisi. Ekyo ibbwa mukyaleka inayongera erithwamu ‘erikenga Nyamuhanga kwilhaba abandu.’—Emibiri 5:29.

Omwa Kwomusanju 1942, ingane w’emyaka 11, munabatizibirwa omwa tanga y’amaghetse omwa famu. Ininga kolha obutemburi bw’ekihumuru omwa biro by’erilhuhuka okwa sukuru. Obutemburi obu munabwire bwa thuk’ahulha mwa butemburi bw’obuwathikya. Muhanabya omwaka, namaghenda n’abandi baghalha bethu basathu omwa Ontario, thwamathulira abakondi b’emithi.

Omwa Kwakathano 1, 1949, munatsuka obutemburi bw’omughulhu wosi. Enyuma w’aho munabirikirwa eriyawathikya omwa by’obuhimbe okwa Beteli ye Kanada. Buthuku buke enyuma w’aho, namalighirwa eribya munya Beteli. Munahebwa omubiiri w’erikolera omw’ikolero ly’ebitabu, bamanyeghesya erikolesya ekyuma ekikahulhukaya ebitabu. Ng’ibuka omughulhu nakolha obuthuku erikya thukahulhukya etrakit eyabya yikakania okw’endereribwa ly’Abema ba Yehova omwa Kanada.

Endambi muyahika namakolera omwa Dipatimenti ey’Omubiiri okwa Beteli. Kiro kighuma mubamba olhukwamirwa lhw’eribulya abatemburi ababya ibakendi yakolera e Quebec, eyiri eriendererya erikalire. Omughuma okw’ibo abya ini Mary Zazula erilhua e Edmonton, omwa Alberta. Ababuthi biwe babya b’edini y’Ekiotodoksi. Ababuthi ba Mary oyo na mughalha wabu mukulhu babere banza eribaghania er’igha e Biblia, mubaghana neryo bamabathibithako eka. Mary na mughalha wabu mubabatizibwa omo Kwomukagha 1951, neryo myezi mukagha enyuma w’aho bamatsuka erikolha obutemburi. Nabere nganemubulya, munalhangira Mary inianzire Yehova ya kutsibu. Ng’ibuka ingabugha omwa muthima indi oyu y’omusika oyo nanga thahya. Habere halhaba myezi mwenda, munamuthahya—kwabya Kwokubanza 30, 1954. Thwabere thwaghunza yenga nguma haghuma, mubathubirikira okw’ikolha ng’abalebererya b’omuthimbo. Muthwaghunza myaka ibiri ithunemubungira balikyethu b’omwa muthimbo we Ontario ey’eyighulhu.

 Omubiiri w’erithulira omwa kihugho kyosi mwayongera, hamabya obuyithawa bw’abamisani. Ingye thuna Mary muthwabugha thuthi, thwamathabya ithunemuthoka omwa kihuhiriro kinene kye Kanada n’emibu yayo, obo kwesi sihali ahanga thulema erikolera. Muthwaghenda okwa sukuru ye Gileadi eya 27, thwamaghunza omwa Kwomusanju 1956. Okwerikuminakughuma kwa thweghaya eyo bathuthuma—e Brazil.

Thwabere thwahika e Brazil, muthwatsuka erigha Olhupotigizi. Muthwatsukira okw’igha ngoku wanga tsuka erikania n’omundu. Muthwatsuka n’eribya thukahambira omwa muthwe mw’eby’eribugha thukaha omundu y’egazeti. Kiro kighuma muthweya omukali oyuwanzisibawa, kandi ithwabirithwamu thuthi thwamabana oyukanzisibawa, ithukendi musomera erisako erihambire okwa bya Bwami bwa Nyamuhanga bukendi syakolha. Neryo munasoma Eribisulirwa 21:3, 4—neryo namahambwa olhususu n’eriyithinira! Sinabya ngabeghere omwisi n’ekihuhania kye Brazil. Ekyo mukyanyibera kitsibu ebiro byosi.

Thwabya thukathulira omwa tawuni ye Campos. Munabwire yiri ebithunga 15! Aliwe omughulhu thwahikayo, yabya egurupu nguma nyisa omwa tawuni n’abali bethu bbani abamisani: Esther Tracy, Ramona Bauer, Luiza Schwarz, na Lorraine Brookes (hathya ak’ahulhawa mwa Wallen). Aha thwabya thwikere ng’abamisani nabya ngawathikya omwa mibiiri y’eryoya esyongyimba n’erisenya esyongwe sy’eritsumbisya. Erigholho-gholho lighuma erya kyabbalaza, ithwamabirighunza erigha ly’Akaleberyo, Mary abya inianaghalhamire omwa kithumbi inianaseghemire okwa kaseghemo. Thwabya ithunemukania okwa bya thwalholireko ekiro ekyo. Mary abere akahangana, omwa kaseghemo akabya aseghemireko mumwathububukalha enzoka! Omwa nyumba mumwabya eriyitsatsabura erihika aho n’ithirayo.

Thwabere thwaghunza omwaka ithunemwigha Olhupotigizi, muthwatsuka erikolha ng’abalebererya b’omuthimbo. Eyo thwabya thukabungira siyabya masanyarazi. Ithukakesaya okwa mikeka, ithukaghenda okwa syopunda n’omwa kiggali ekikaboherawa okwa syopunda. Kiro kighuma muthwana ghenda omwa treyini eriya omwa tawuni eyiri omwa bithwe nuku thwanga thulira omwa myanya eyiri eyo. Muthwapangisyayo ekisenge. Ekyaghanda ky’omuthahulha mukyathuthumira esyogazeti 800 esy’erikolesya omw’ithulira. Muthwasuba ngendo nyingyi okwa posti ofisi thukaheka esyobbokisi esyo.

Omwa 1962, Esukuru y’Omubiiri w’Obwami muyabya omwa myanya mingyi e Brazil. Munaghunza myezi mukagha ingane muyakangirirya omwa masukuru ayo. Munakangirirya e Manaus, Belém, Fortaleza, Recife, ne Salvador. Omughulhu nabya e Manaus, munatheghekania olhuhindano lhwe disitrikiti omwa nyumba y’emisathu eyabya yasibwe kutsibu. Busana n’embulha nene, sihabya maghetse w’erinywa awuwene, kandi isihali omwanya owuwene ogho balikyethu bang’ikalhamu bakalya. Munakania n’omukulhu w’abasirikali, namamusoborera ekitsibu kyethu. Mwathuha amaghetse w’erikolesya okwa lhuhindano olhwosi. Kandi mwathuma n’abasirikali bamasyathuhimbira esyohema esinene-sinene ibiri, enguma yamabya jokoni n’eyindi thwamabya thukalira muyo.

Mary mwanathulira omwa mwanya w’esuburu omwabya abandu abathanzire ebye Biblia. Abandu abo ibakalhua  e Portugal eryasa e Brazil erisyakolha esyosente. Mary mwahwa amani n’eribwira abandi banywani biwe athi, “Ekihugho ekyo ngathe nanganza erikalhamu ye Portugal.” Buthuku buke enyuma w’aho, muthwathunga e baruha. Ithukasabawa erisuba e Portugal, eyo erithulira lyethu lyabya lighanirwe. Mary mwasweka! Aliwe muthwaligha, thwamaghendayo.

Muthwahika e Lisbon, omwa Portugal, omwa Kwomunani 1964. Abapolisi babya ibabirikalirya balikyethu b’engebe. Neryo muthwabya isithutholere eriyiminyikalya oku balikyethu thukanahikayo. Erimbere, muthwapangisya akasenge. Enyuma w’aho, thwabere thwabirithunga esyopasipoti syethu, muthwapangisya enyumba nene. Habere halhaba myezi ithanu, muthwathoka erikanirania na balikyethu abali okwa kyaghanda ky’omuthahulha. Muthwatsema kutsibu thukabana akaghisa k’erighenda okwa mihindano!

Kundi egavumente yabya iyabirithuhira kw’olhukako, esyo Kingdom Hall musyakingwa, emihindano iyikabya omwa manyumba w’abalikyethu. Abapolisi ibakabera erisyalebya omwa manyumba wabu bakasondya ebitabu byethu. Balikyethu bangyi ibakathwalhawa okwa polisi bakayababulirirya. Abapolisi ibakabakolha nabi bakanza bathi bababwire amena w’abaghalha bethu abakasondolha. Neryo busana n’eryanza eritheya abandi, balikyethu mubathwamu eribya bakabirikirana omo lina lighuma-lighuma butsira awosi.

Ithwe ekikulhu ithukalhangira thuthi balikyethu bakabana ebitabu ebyanga bawathikya erisika. Mary iniakakolesaya etaipuraita erihandika emyatsi eye Watchtower ey’erigha okwa lhupapura olhukalha-kalire. Olhupapura olho ilhukakolesibawa erilhusya mw’esindi mbapura esy’erithumira balikyethu.

Omwa Kwomukagha 1966, muthwabya n’olhubanza lhw’erithongana omwa koti e Lisbon. Balikyethu 49 abosi ab’omwa kithunga kye Feijó mubahirwa kw’olhubanza lhw’erihindana bubiso-biso omwa nyumba y’omundu. Thwabere thukayitheghekera olhubanza olho, munayikolha ng’oyuli okwa lhuhandi lhw’abathuhababire. Aliwe ngoku thwanabya thukalengekania, mubathusingisya olhubanza. Balikyethu abosi 49, imwamuli na bali bethu mubabohwa, abandi biro 45 erihika okwa b’okwezi kughuma n’embindi. Aliwe erithuthonganisya eryo mulyaha obwema. Kundi omwa koti, omuthonghaniri wethu mwasoma n’ebinywe bya Gamalieli ebiri omwa Biblia. (Emibiri 5:33-39) Enyuma w’aho, erithonganisibwa lyethu mulyahirwa omwa makuru. Mukyathutsemesya omuthonganiri wethu akatsuka erigha e Biblia n’eritsuka eryasa okwa mihindano.

Omwa Kwerikuminibiri 1966, munahebwa olhukwamirwa lhw’eribya mulebererya w’ekyaghanda ky’omuthahulha, namaghunza myaka mingyi inganemukolha okwa myatsi y’egavumente ey’ebilhaghiro. Muthwalengaho kutsibu erikangania ngoku ebilhaghiro by’egavumente bikalighira Abema ba Yehova eribya n’obwiranda bw’eriramya omwa Portugal. (Abanya Filipi 1:7) Erighunzerera, omwa Kwerikuminibiri 18, 1974, egavumente muyathulighira buthongole eriramya. Mughalha wethu Nathan Knorr na Frederick Franz mubasa erilhua okwa kyaghanda kikulhu erisyatsema haghuma  nethu. Muthwathunga olhuhindano lhunene omwa Oporto ne Lisbon, olhwahika kw’abandu 46,870.

Yehova kandi mwawathikya erileka ihabya erikanyirira ly’omubiiri wethu eryahika n’okwa bindi bitsinga okwa bakabugha Olhupotigizi. Ebizinga ebyo mwabya ng’ekye Azores, Cape Verde, Madeira, na São Tomé na Príncipe. Emighanzo y’Abema ba Yehova yabere yinemuyongera omwa myanya eyi, muthwayithagha ekyaghanda ky’omuthahulha ekinene. Mukyahimbwa, mughalha wethu Milton Henschel yuwalhabaya omukania w’erihayo enyumba eyo omwa Kwakani 23, 1988. Baghalha bethu na bali bethu abahindana ekiro ekyo babya 45,522, imwamuli n’abandi 20 ababya bamisani omwa Portugal abasa okw’ihayo ly’omuthahulha eri.

Omo myaka yosi eyo, ingye thuna Mary thwabirigha bingyi okwa bandi balikyethu abawithe erikirirya. Ng’eky’erileberyako, omughulhu nakolha na mughalha wethu Theodore Jaracz oyuwasa okw’ibungirwa ly’omuthahulha, munamwighira kw’ekindu kikulhu kutsibu. Omuthahulha ogho thwabungira abya awithe ekitsibu ekikalire, kandi balikyethu ab’okwa Kathunga k’Ekyaghanda babya ibabirilengaho kutsibu aliwe ibyabirilema. Babya ibabiriyowa nabi busana n’erithendi kighunzaho ndeke. Neryo Mughalha wethu Jaracz mwabaghumya omw’ibugha athi: “Hathyanu, muleke thuthalinda, thulebaye ekya mulimu abuyirire akendi kolha.” N’ekindi ekya ngathendi syibirirwa, ky’ekya Mughalha wethu Franz abugha kera omughulhu thwabungira e Brooklyn thuna Mary. Thwabere ithune n’abandi, thukamusaba obuwathikya bulebe, mwathubwira athi: “Ekya ngababwira kya kino: Mwamakirire ekithunga kya Yehova, omwa ndeke n’omwa nabi. Kya kithunga kisa ekikalkolha omubiiri ogho Yesu aha abigha biwe—ow’erithulhughania engulhu yuwene y’Obwami bwa Nyamuhanga!”

Erikolha ekyo lyabirithutsemesya thuna Mary. Ni bingyi ebikahimba ebya thukin’ibuka omughulhu thwabya thukabungira ebyaghanda by’omuthahulha erithimba omwa kihugho kyosi. Ithukayowa ndeke thukabana abaghombe ba Yehova ab’esyondengo syosi thukabakakasya ngoku omubiiri ogho bakakolera Yehova akasimawa. Ithukabahira mw’omuhwa w’erilholha embere erimukolera.

Ni myaka mingyi eyamabirilhaba, hathya thuwithe myaka nga 80. Mary hathya awithe makeku mane. (2 Abanya Korinto 12:9) Thwabirilhaba n’omwa bindi bitsibu binene. Aliwe ebitsibu ebyo byabirileka erikirirya lyethu iryaghuma n’erileka ithwaghumya obuthaleghulha bwethu oku Yehova. Thukabya thukathasubya ameso w’enyuma omwa bya thwabirikolera Yehova, thukalhangira iniabiri thukangania olhukogho lhwiwe omo mibere mingyi kutsibu. *—Lebaya omwatsi ahikwa.