Paidandomala gole ya 1940, azibereki wangu adayamba kupfunzira Baibolo na Mboni za Yahova. Koma alibe kupfunzira kwa nthawe itali ndawa yakuti amayi adaima kutambira magazini ya Nsanja ya Olonda na Galamukani! Mu 1950 kudachitiwa makonzedwe yakuti nsonkhano wamadziko ukachitikire ku Cidade ya Nova York ndipo banja yathu idabvuma kuyendambo.

Paudandopita nsonkhano moyu, m’bale Lawrence Jeffries adayamba kumbatizungira. Iye ambaniikhira nzeru maninge ndipo ambanithandiza. Poyamba, nidaipidwa maninge padaniuza kuti Mboni za Yahova zingenereralini mundale panango kumenya nkhondo. Nidamuuza kuti kumoku nkuphonya ndawa yakuti peno aliyese angalambe kuyenda kunkhondo, ndiye kuti adani angangene mosashupa mudziko ya América nkutipha tose. Koma m’bale Jeffries adanidawira modekha kuti: “Vichikhala kuti wanthu wa mu dziko yose ya América atumikira Yahova, ko unkuganiza kuti Iye angachite chani achiwona kuti adani ankubwera kudzawaukira?” Vomwe adanidawira pankhani mwiyi na pankhani zinango, vidanithandiza kuwona kuti nindotsutsa vinthu nilibe vifukwa vobveka. Ndipomwapa nidakhala na shungu yofuna kudziwa vizinji.

Nidayamba kumala nthawe itali nikuwerenga Nsanja za Olonda na Galamukani! zomwe amayi enze adasunga. Nkuyenda kwa nthawe nidazindikira kuti Mboni za Yahova zipfunzisa chaivo, ndipomwapa nidabvuma kuti m’bale Jeffries ambanipfunzise Baibolo. Nidayamba pomwe kugumanika pamisonkhano mosashotashota. Nidayamba kukonda vomwe ningapfunzira ndipo nidakhala wofalisa. Volinga vangu vidachinja panidazindikira kuti ‘ntsiku ikulu ya Yahova yafendera.’ (Zef. 1:14) M’malo mwakuti nikwanirise cholinga changu choyenda ku universidade, nidakhala na cholinga chothandiza wanthu kuti apfunzire Baibolo.

 Nidamaliza mapfunziro pa shikola zapadzulu pa 13 Junho 1956 ndipo pazidandopita ntsiku zitatu, nidabatizika pansonkhano wadera. Kanthawe pang’ono nidazindikira kuti nikapitiriza kudzipereka pakupfunzisa wanthu, nitambire madaliso yazinji.

Payadapita minyezi 6 kuchokera panidabatizika, nidayambiratu upainiya wokhazikika. Mu Utumiki Wathu wa Ufumu wa Dezembro 1956, mwenze nkhani yakuti: “Ko mungakatumikire kudera yosowa?” Panthawe mwiyi nenze na cholinga choyenda kudera yosowa ndipo nkhani mwiyi idanilimbikisa kuti nikathandize pa basa yolalikira.—Mat. 24:14.

Nidafuluka nkuyenda ku Edgefield, Carolina do Sul. Mpingu wa kumoku wenze na wofalisa 4 basi. Misonkhano yathu timbachitira panyumba ya m’bale. Mwezi uliwose nimbamala maola yokwana 100 ninkulalikira. Nimbatangwanika potsogolera basa yolalikira na kukamba nkhani pamisonkhano. Vimbanikomedza kuwona kuti nikambamala nthawe itali ninkukwanirisa mbali za kumpingu, nimbamudziwa bwino maninge Yahova.

Mayi munango yemwe nimbapfunzira naye Baibolo, wenze na nyumba yosungiramo maliro muthaundi yomwe yenze pataliko. Iye adatinemba basa yomwe imbatipasa mpata ndipo adapereka nyumba yake kuti timbachitiremo misonkhano.

M’bale Jolly Jeffries, mwana wa m’bale ule yemwe adanipfunzisa Baibolo, adafuluka ku Brooklyn, Nova York ndipo adakhala munzangu wochita naye upainiya. Tingakhala mukanyumba kang’ono komwe m’bale adatilugalisi.

Venze voshupa kuti tigumane kobiri kudera yetenze. Timbaphata basa kwa ntsiku yantero, koma timbandopasiwa madola yawiri basi. Nthawe inango nidandosala na kakobiri kochepa ndipo nidayenda kukagula chakudya kubazali. Panimbabwerera, nidagumana na mwamuna munango yemwe adanibvunza kuti: “Ungafune nikunembe basa? Nimbakupase dola ibodzi pa ora.” Iye adanipasa basa yochenesa pamalo yomwe ambafuna kumangapo nyumba ndipo nidaiphata kwa ntsiku zitatu. Vimbachita kuwonekeratu kuti Yahova ankutithandiza ndawa ankufunalini kuti tichoke ku Edgefield. Patsogolo pake, nidayenda kunsonkhano wamadziko womwe udachitikira ku Cidade ya Nova York mu 1958.

Pantsiku yachiwiri ya nsonkhano, padachitika chinthu chapadera maninge. Nidagumana na Ruby Wadlington yemwe ambachita upainiya wokhazikika ku Gallatin, Tennessee. Tose tenze na shungu yokhala amishonale, ndipomwapa tidakhalapo pansonkhano wa wanthu wofuna kuyenda ku Shikola ya Giliyadi. Patsogolo pake tidayamba kumbanemberana makalata. Nkuyenda kwa nthawe, nidachemerewa kuti nikakambe nkhani ya wose ku mpingu wa Gallatin. Nidawona kuti ni mwayi wangu kuti numuuze mtsikana ule kuti ninkukufuna. Nidafulukira mumpingu wa Ruby ndipo tidalowolana mu 1959.

Penenze na magole 23, ku Gallatin nidaikhiwa kuti nikhale mtumiki wa mpingu (yemwe manje ni wogwirizanisa bungwe ya akulu). Umoyu ni mpingu woyamba womwe Charles Thompson adazungira padandoti wakhala wonyang’anira dera. Iye ambadziwa vizinji, koma adanikumbira kuti nileweko maganizo  yangu pa vomwe abale angafune ndipo adanibvunza pomwe momwe wonyang’anira madera anango angachitira vinthu. Chitsanzo chake chidanipfunzisa kuti ni vabwino maninge kumbabvunzako anzathu kuti tidziwe bwino nkhani yose tikanati kusaina vochita.

Mu Maio 1964, nidachemerewa kuti nikangene Shikola ya Olalikira va Ufumu ya mwezi ubodzi yomwe idachitikira ku Lansing do Sul, Nova York. Vomwe abale otsogolera shikola mweyi angachita, vidanithandiza kukhala na shungu yopfunzira vizinji kuti nikulise ushamwali wangu na Yahova.

Ruby na inepano tidachemerewa kuti tiyambe basa yonyang’anira dera mu Janeiro 1965. Dera yoyamba kunyang’anira yenze ikulu maninge. Imbayambira ku Knoxville, Tennessee mpakana ku Richmond, Virgínia. Dera mwiyi imbaphatanidzapo mipingu ya ku Carolina do Norte, Kentucky na ku Virgínia Ocidental. Timbandozungira mipingu ya wanthu apsipa ndawa yakuti panthawe mweyo, m’madera yanango ya ku Estados Unidos wanthu apsipa ambabvumiziwalini kukhala pabodzi na azungu. Abale enze na vinthu vochepa maninge ndipo tidalimbikisiwa kuti timbathandizane. Wonyang’anira dera munango adaniuza mpfundo yomwe niiyebwalini yakuti: “Yesesa kuti abale na alongo ambakuwone kuti ndiwe m’bale. Osati umbafike pampingu kumbakhala ninge kuti ndiwe shefi. Dziwa kuti ungakwanise kuwathandiza pokhapokha peno akuwona kuti ndiwe m’bale wawo.”

Patingazungira mpingu unango ung’ono, Ruby adayamba kupfunzira na mtsikana munango yemwe wenze na kamwana kake kakazi ka gole ibodzi basi. Akasowa munthu womupfunzisa Baibolo tikachoka, Ruby ambapfunzira naye pochita kumunembera kalata. Patidabwera pomwe kudzazungira mpingu moyu, mtsikana moyu alibe kulovako kumisonkhano. Pakudabwera alongo awiri omwe enze apainiya wapadera, adapitiriza kupfunzira naye ndipo kanthawe pang’ono adabatizika. Pakudzafika mu 1995, penze padapita magole 30. Nthawe inango tili ku Beteli ya ku Patterson, mulongo munango wachitsikana adabwera kudzamonisa inepano na nkazi wangu Ruby. Tidadabwa patidadziwa kuti ni mwana wa mtsikana ule yemwe angapfunzira na Ruby. Panthawe mwiyi, nkuti mwana moyu na mwamuna wake adangena kale Shikola ya Giliyadi ya classe numero 100.

Dera yathu yachiwiri kunyang’anira yenze ya centro da Flórida. Panthawe mwiyi timbafuna karo kuti timbafambire, ndipomwapa tidagula patidagumana ya ntengo wabwino. Koma nkati mwa sondo yoyambirira, tubu ya madzi ya karo idadzongeka ndipo tenze tilibe kobiri zokonzesera. Nidachemera m’bale yemwe nimbadziwa kuti akwanise kutikonzera. Iye adabwera na nyabasa wake nkutikonzera, koma adalamba kutambira kobiri. Iye adatiuza kuti: “Nandokuthandizanimbo basi.” Iye mpaka adafika potisiira kobiri kuti tithandizike. Vimwevi vidatitsimikizira kuti Yahova asamaliradi atumiki wake. Vidatithandiza pomwe kuwona kuti tingachite bwino kumbathandizambo anango mosaumira.

Tikambazungira mipingu, timbafikira m’manyumba ya abale. Vimwivi vidachitisa kuti tikhale na azishamwali azinji. Ntsiku inango, nidayamba kunemba pa mashini lipoti ya momwe vafambira pochezera mpingu. Nikalibe kumaliza, nidachokapo nkuisiya teno pamashini. Pakubwerera maulo, nidagumana kuti kamwana ka magole yatatu katinya kuipa nkusokoneza ndipo nidachita kuyambira pomwe. Olo kuti papita magole yazinji, nikakumbukira nkhani mwiyi nindoseka.

Mu 1971, nidatambira kalata yoniuza kuti nikayambe basa yonyang’anira chigawo ku Cidade ya Nova York. Padatiuza vimwevi, tidakhala na nkhawa ikulu! Viri teno ndawa panthawe mweyi nenze na magole 34 basi. Abale adanitambira bwino maninge podiya kuti nenze wonyan’anira chigawo woyamba mpsipa.

Pa basa mweyi yonyang’anira chigawo, ningakomedzewa maninge nikambakamba nkhani kumapeto kwa sondo iliyose pochita nsonkhano wadera. Penze pomwe wonyang’anira madera anango omwe ambadziwa vinthu vizinji kuposha inepano. Pa wonyang’anira madera mwawa, m’bodzi ndiye adakamba nkhani ya ubatizo wangu. M’bale munango wenze Theodore Jaracz yemwe patsogolo pake adadzakhala m’Bungwe Yotonga. Penze pomwe abale wodziwa vizinji omwe ambatumikirambo pa Beteli ya ku Brooklyn. Ninkutembeja ndawa yakuti wonyang’anira madera mwawa na abale anango azinji ambakhala nane bwino. Nidachita kuwona nekha  kuti abale mwawa enze abusa wabwino na wotewedza malangizo ya Mulungu ndipo nthawe zose ambathandizira makonzedwe ya gulu. Kudzichepesa kwawo kudanithandiza kuti nimbachite bwino pa basa yonyang’anira chigawo.

Mu 1974, Bungwe Yotonga idatumiza abale anango kuti adzatumikire ninge wonyang’anira vigawo ndipo nidayamba pomwe kutumikira ninge wonyang’anira dera, koma ulendo uno adanitumiza ku Carolina do Sul. Kundochokera mwapo, abale apsipa na azungu ambalambiziwalini pomwe kukhalira pabodzi ndipo abale adakondwa maninge.

Kumapeto kwa gole ya 1976, nidatumiziwa kuti nikatumikire ninge wonyang’anira dera ku dera ya Geórgia yomwe ili pakati pa Atlanta na Colombo. Niyebwalini nkhani ya maliro yanidakamba padamwalira wana ashanu na bomba yomwe idaphulika pamuyi pawo. Amayi wa pamuyi mwapa adakhala basha ku shipitali ndawa ya bomba mwiyi. Abale apsipa na azungu adabwera kushipitali kudzalimbikisa azibereki mwawa woferewa. Panthawe mwiyi nidatsimikizira kuti pali chikondi chikulu pakati pa abale na alongo. Abale na alongo akambawonesewa chifundo tene, vikhala vosashupa kuti apirire mavuto yawo.

Mu 1977, tidachemerewa ku Beteli ya ku Brooklyn kuti tikathandizire basa inango kwa minyezi. Basa mweyo paidamala, abale awiri wa m’Bungwe Yotonga adabvunza inepano na Ruby kuti peno tingabvume kukhaliratu pa Beteli. Tidawona kuti viri bwino ndipo tidabvuma.

Kwa magole 24, ningatumikira mu Dipatimenti ya Utumiki ndipo timbatambira mibvunzo yoshupa maninge. Kwa magole yazinji, Bungwe Yotonga yakhala ikupereka malangizo yobverana na mpfundo za m’Baibolo. Malangizo mwaya yatithandiza kuti tikwanise kudawira mibvunzo ya abale ndipo yatithandiza pomwe popfunzisa wonyang’anira madera, akulu na apainiya. Malangizo yabwino mwaya yathandiza azinji kuti akhale Akhrisitu wokhuma mwauzimu. Vimwevi vathandiza kuti gulu ya Yahova ikhale yobverana.

Kuchokera mu 1995 mpakana 2018, nimbazungira maofesi yazinji ya nthambi ninge woimira likulu yathu. Nimbacheza na Komiti ya Nthambi, atumiki wa pa Beteli na amishonale kuti niwalimbikise na kuwathandiza pa vinthu vizinji. Inepano na Ruby nthawe zizinji timbalimbikisiwa na nkhani zomwe abale na alongo ambatisimbira. Mwakulinganiza, patidazungira dziko ya Ruanda mu 2000, tidalimbikisiwa maninge patidabva momwe abale wathu adapulumukira panthawe yomwe vinthu venzelini bwino mu 1994. Azinji adapherewa azibale wawo. Koma olo venze teno, iwo adapirira ndawa yodziwa kuti Yahova adzakonze vinthu.

Manjeuno tinamagole yopitirira 80. Natumikira mu Komiti ya Nthambi ya ku Estados Unidos kwa magole 20. Nilibe kuyendako ku universidade, koma natambira mapfunziro yapadzulu maninge m’gulu ya Yahova. Mapfunziro mwaya yanithandiza kuti nipfunzise anango choonadi cha m’Baibolo kuti aphindule mpakana kalekale. (2 Akor. 3:5; 2 Tim. 2:2) Nawona momwe Baibolo yathandizira wanthu azinji kuchinja moyo wawo nkukhala pa ushamwali wabwino maninge na Mulengi wawo. (Yak. 4:8) Kulikose kwatiri, inepano na Ruby tilekalini kulimbikisa wanthu kuti ambapfunzire va Yahova na kupfunzisa anango. Ndipo kwa isepano atumiki wa Yahova ni mwayi ukulu maninge kupfunzisambo anango!