IGIHE nari mfise imyaka 12, ni ho natangura kubona ko nari mfise ikintu c’agaciro notanga. Kw’iteraniro rimwe, hari umuvukanyi yambajije nimba notangura kwamamaza. Naramwemereye, naho ntari bwigere ndabigira. Twaragiye mu cibare, aca ampa udutabu tuvuga ivyerekeye Ubwami bw’Imana. Yambwiye ati: “Wewe korera kuri rurya ruhande rw’ibarabara, nanje nkorere kuri uru.” Naho nari mfise ubwoba, naratanguye kwamamaza inzu ku nzu, kandi sinamenye ingene udutabu twose nari mfise tumperanye. Bwa bundi, ico nari nshoboye gutanga ni co nyene abantu benshi bari bakeneye.

Navukiye i Chatham muri Kent mu Bwongereza, mu 1923. Ico gihe abantu bari mu mwiheburo ntangere: Naho Intambara ya mbere y’isi yose yari yarangiye, isi ntiyarushirije kuba nziza nk’uko abantu bari bavyiteze. Abavyeyi banje na bo nyene, bari baraciwe intege n’abakuru b’idini ry’ababatiste basa n’abitaho inyungu zabo gusa. Mfise nk’imyaka icenda, mawe yaratanguye kuja aho Abatohoji ba Bibiliya basengera, bakaba bari baherutse kwitwa Ivyabona vya Yehova. Hari mushiki wacu umwe yigisha abana ivyigwa bishingiye kuri Bibiliya akoresheje igitabu Inanga y’Imana. Narakunda cane ivyo yatwigisha.

Nkiri umuyabaga, narakunda kubwira abantu icizigiro dusanga mw’Ijambo ry’Imana. Naho nakunda kwamamaza inzu ku nzu ndi jenyene, gukorana n’abandi na vyo nyene vyaramfashije cane. Nk’akarorero, umusi umwe, hari umuvukanyi ahumuye twari tujanye kwamamaza turi ku makinga, maze duca iruhande y’indongozi imwe y’idini, nca mvuga nti: “Ehe irya mpene.” Uwo muvukanyi yaciye ahagarika ikinga, aca ansaba ko twokwicara ku ngegene y’igiti. Yambajije ati: “Ni nde yaguhaye uburenganzira bwo kuvuga ko naka ari impene? Twebwe dusabwa gusa kubwira abantu inkuru nziza, ivyo guca urubanza na vyo ni ivya Yehova.” Muri iyo myaka, nararushirije kwibonera ko gutanga birimwo agahimbare.​—Mat. 25:31-33; Ivyak. 20:35.

Hari uwundi muvukanyi ahumuye yanyigishije yuko rimwe na rimwe bisaba kwihangana kugira turonke agahimbare kava ku gutanga. Umukenyezi wiwe ntiyakunda Ivyabona vya Yehova. Igihe kimwe, yarantumiye iwe ngo dusangire akayi. Nya mugore yarashavuye cane kubona umugabo wiwe yari yamye mu ndimiro, aca atangura kudutera amapake y’icayi. Aho kumukarira, yaciye yandura  nya mapake n’umutima mwiza, ayasubiza mu kibanza cayo. Haciye imyaka, ukwihangana kwiwe kwaravuyemwo ivyiza, kuko nya mugore yabatijwe akaba Icabona ca Yehova.

Nahavuye ndushiriza kugira icipfuzo co kubwira abandi inkuru nziza, maze twe na mawe turabatizwa muri Ntwarante 1940, i Douvres. Muri Nyakanga 1939, Ubwongereza bwaratangaje ko bugiye gutera Ubudagi, ico gihe nkaba nari mfise imyaka 16. Muri Ruheshi 1940, narabona ndi kw’irembo iwacu ingene ibikamyo vyaguma biseha abasoda ibihumbi n’ibihumbi bari bahahamutse. Bari abarokotse intambara yabereye i Dunkerque. Kubera nabona ko ata cizigiro bari bafise, naripfuza kubabwira ivyerekeye Ubwami bw’Imana. Mu mpera z’uwo mwaka, Ubwongereza bwaciye butangura gucucagirwa amabombe. Mu karere iwacu, nta joro ryijana hadaciye indege z’intambara z’Abadagi. Waza wumva ibibombe biriko birasūma, mu nyuma bigaturika, tugaca turushiriza kugira ubwoba. Bukeye, twasanga amazu yo muri ako karere yose ari hasi. Naciye ndushiriza kubona yuko ata kindi cizigiro nari mfise, atari Ubwami.

Mu 1941 ni ho vy’ukuri natangura ubuzima bwatumye mpimbarwa cane. Naramaze igihe nkorera ku kivuko Royal Dockyard c’i Chatham, niga ivyo gukora amato. Ako kazi kahurumbirwa na benshi kandi karimwo uturusho twinshi. Abasavyi ba Yehova bari bamaze igihe kinini batahuye ko abakirisu badakwiye kugira uruhara mu bijanye n’intambara. Nko mu 1941, twaratahuye yuko tudakwiye gukorera ahahingurirwa ibirwanisho. (Yoh. 18:36) Kubera ko kuri ico kivuko hariko hahingurirwa ubwato bw’intambara, naciye mbona ko nkwiye guheba ako kazi maze ngatangura gukora umurimo w’igihe cose. Nabanje kurungikwa gukorera mu gisagara ciza cane citwa Cirencester, kiri mu karere ka Cotswolds.

Maze gukwiza imyaka 18, narapfunzwe amezi icenda kubera ko nanse kuja mu gisoda. Igihe banta mu gasho ka jenyene bagaca badadira umuryango, naciye mbona ko kabaye. Ariko bidatevye, abarinzi be n’abandi banyororo barambajije icatumye mpfungwa, nca ndabasigurira ivyerekeye ukwizera kwanje mpimbawe.

Maze kurekurwa, naciye ndungikwa gukorana na Leonard Smith * mu bisagara bitandukanye vyo mu ntara yacu y’amavukiro, ari yo Kent. Kuva mu 1944, i Kent haraguye indege zitagira abadereva zirenga igihumbi zaba zuzuye ibibombe. Indege zava mu bihugu vya Buraya vyari vyarigaruriwe n’Abanazi be n’izava i Londres, zose zaca neza na neza  muri ako karere twarimwo. Emwe, vyari biteye ubwoba! Wapfa kwumva indege iretse guhinda, ugaca umenya ko mu masegonda makeyi ica igwa maze igaturika. Ico gihe, hari umuryango umwe w’abantu batanu twigisha Bibiliya. Rimwe na rimwe, twiga twicaye munsi y’imeza y’icuma yari igenewe kubakingira bishitse inzu igasenyuka. Abo muri uwo muryango bose bahavuye babatizwa.

Intambara irangiye, naramaze imyaka ibiri nkorera ubutsimvyi muri Irlande yo mu Bumanuko. Ntitwari tuzi ko hatandukanye no mu Bwongereza. Twaraja ku nzu n’inzu turondera inzu yo gupanga, tukavuga yuko turi abamisiyonari, tugatanga n’ibinyamakuru kw’ibarabara. Emwe, gukora ico kintu mu gihugu c’abagatolika kwari nko kwiha amenyo y’abatwenzi! Igihe umugabo umwe yahakwa kutugirira nabi, naciye nitura umupolisi, na we ambwira ati: “Erega ni ukwo nyene muhungu!” Ntitwari tuzi ko abapadiri ari bo bica bagakiza. Barakuza abantu mu kazi kubera bakiriye ibitabu vyacu, na twebwe bakatwirukanisha aho twaba dupanze.

Ntitwatevye gutahura yuko igihe twimukiye mu karere gashasha, vyoba vyiza tugiye kwamamaza kure y’aho tuba, mu karere k’uwundi mupadiri. Mu nyuma, twaraheza tukagendera abo hafi. Igihe twari i Kilkenny, hari umugabo akiri muto twigisha gatatu mu ndwi, naho hari utugwi tw’abantu badutera ubwoba. Narahimbarwa cane no kwigisha abantu Bibiliya, ku buryo nahavuye nsaba kuja mw’Ishure rya Gileyadi rimenyereza abamisiyonari.

Turangije iryo shure ryamaze amezi atanu i New York, twaciye turungikwa gukorera mu tuzinga twa Karayibe turi abamisiyonari bane. Muri Munyonyo 1948, twaravuye i New York n’ubwato batazira Sibia, bukaba bwareha n’imetero 18. Kubera ko ntari bwigere ngendera mu mazi, nararyohewe cane. Umwe muri twebwe, uwitwa Gust Maki, yari amenyereye ivyo gutwara ubwato. Yaratwigishije ibintu nyamukuru bijanye no gusoza ubwato, nko kuduza canke kumanura ibitambara, gukoresha ka kuma karanga amerekero be no guhangana n’imiyaga. Gust abigiranye ubuhanga, yaramaze imisi 30 atwara ubwo bwato mu bihuhusi bikomeye, gushika dushitse i Bahamas.

Tumaze amezi makeyi twamamaza mu tuzinga twa Bahamas, twaciye twerekeza mu mazinga ya Leeward n’aya Windward. Ayo mazinga areha n’ibilometero 800, kuva mu mazinga yitwa Vierges gushika kw’izinga rya Trinité. Twamaze imyaka itanu twamamaza canecane mu mazinga ya kure, aho ata Cabona n’umwe yaharangwa. Rimwe na rimwe twaragenda tukamara amayinga n’ayandi, tudashobora kurungika canke kuronka ikete. Ariko ntiworaba ukuntu twari duhimbawe no kumenyekanisha ijambo rya Yehova mu mazinga!​—Yer. 31:10.

Duhagaritse ubwato ku nkengera, abanyagihugu baca baza kudushengerera kugira bamenye abo turi bo. Bamwe ntibari bwigere babona ubwato nk’ubwo canke umuzungu. Abo muri ayo mazinga bari abantu bameze neza, bakunda gusenga kandi bazi Bibiliya. Kenshi baraduha amafi, amavoka be n’ivyema. Naho ubwo bwato bwacu butari bunini, ni bwo twaryamamwo, tukabutekeramwo tukongera tukabumesuriramwo.

Twarava mu bwato, tukamara umusi wose tugendera abantu. Twarababwira ko haza kuba insiguro ishingiye kuri Bibiliya. Bugorovye, twaravuza inkengeri yari ku bwato. Vyari bihimbaye kubona ingene abantu bamanuka baza aho turi, amatara  yabo aca ibibatsi, ukamenga ni inyenyeri ziriko ziramanuka ku misozi. Vyarashika hakaza nk’abantu ijana, bakahaguma gushika ryitereye, batubaza ibibazo. Kubera ko bakunda kuririmba, twarandika indirimbo z’Ubwami zimwezimwe tukazibaha. Twebwe bane twarihatira kuririmba cane, abo bantu na bo bakatwiyungako, maze amajwi yacu agaca anywana. Emwe, vyari ibihe bihimbaye!

Hari abatohoji twayoborera inyigisho ya Bibiliya, duhejeje bagaca badukurikira ku yindi nyigisho kugira ngo na ho nyene bumvirize. Haciye amayinga nk’angahe turi mu karere kanaka, twaca tuhava. Ariko imbere yo kugenda, akenshi twarasaba abatohoji bamaze gutera imbere ngo babandanye kwigisha abandi gushika tugarutse. Ntiworaba ingene bamwe muri bo bafatana uburemere iryo banga.

Muri iki gihe, menshi muri ayo mazinga aragenderwa n’ingenzi nyinshi, ariko ico gihe hari ahantu hanyegeye. Harangwa gusa ibidengeri vy’amazi asa n’ubururu, inkengera zuzuyeko umusenyi be n’ibigazi. Kenshi twava kw’izinga tuja ku rindi mw’ijoro. Ibifi bininibinini (dauphins) vyaza biriginagura hafi y’ubwato bwacu, kandi nta kindi wumva uretse amazi yasunikwa n’ubwato. Ukwezi kurasiye ku kiyaga gitekanye, imishwarara yakwo wamengo ni ibarabara ryagutse rishika i buheramaso.

Tumaze imyaka itanu twamamaza muri ayo mazinga, twaciye twerekeza i Porto Riko kugira ngo turondere ubundi bwato bw’imoteri. Dushitseyo, narahuye na mushiki wacu umwe w’umumisiyonari yasa n’irirenga yitwa Maxine Boyd, maze ndamukunda. Kuva mu buto bwiwe, yamye ari umwamamaji w’umunyamwete. Mu nyuma, yarabaye umumisiyonari muri République dominicaine gushika igihe leta yatwarwa n’abagatolika yamwirukana mu 1950. Kubera ko nari mu batwara ubwo bwato, nategerezwa kumara ukwezi kumwe gusa aho i Porto Riko, ngaca nja mu yandi mazinga, nkamarayo imyaka itari mike. Naciye nibwira nti: ‘Muhungu, nimba wipfuza uwo mukobwa, kumbura ugire ningoga!’ Inyuma y’indwi zitatu naciye ndamuresha, kandi mu kwezi n’igice twari turushinze. Kubera ko twe na Maxine twaciye turungikwa kuba abamisiyonari i Porto Riko, bwa bwato bushasha sinigeze ndabugenderamwo.

Mu 1956, twaciye dutangura igikorwa co kugendera amashengero. Naho abavukanyi benshi bari abakene, twarahimbarwa no kubagendera. Nk’akarorero, mu kigwati ca Potala Pastillo, hari imiryango ibiri y’Ivyabona yari ifise abana benshi. Igihe naba nabagendeye, narabavugiriza umwironge. Umusi umwe, narabajije agakobwa kitwa Hilda nimba koshima kujana natwe mu ndimiro. Kishuye gati: “Navyipfuza, ariko ntibishoboka. Nta birato mfise.” Twaciye tukazanira ibirato, duca turajana mu ndimiro. Haciye igihe, twe na Maxine twaragiye gutembera kuri Beteli y’i Brooklyn mu 1972. Twagiye tubona mushiki wacu umwe yari asohotse Ishure rya Gileyadi, aza kuturamutsa. Yagira agende muri Équateur iyo yari arungitswe, maze atubaza ati: “Muranyibuka? Ndi ka gakobwa k’i Pastillo katagira ibirato.” Uzi n’inkuru? Yari Hilda! Twaranezerewe cane gushika naho dukorora amosozi!

Mu 1960 twararungitswe gukorera kw’ishami rya Porto Riko, rikaba ryakorera mu nyubakwa ntoyi y’igorofa imwe yari i Santurce, ku mugwa mukuru San Juan. Mu ntango, jewe na Lennart Johnson ni twe twakora ibikorwa nka vyose. We n’umukenyezi wiwe ni bo batanguye kuba Ivyabona vya Yehova muri République dominicaine, bakaba bashitse i Porto Riko mu 1957. Mu nyuma, Maxine ni we yatekera ibinyamakuru akabirungikira ababisavye, buri ndwi akaba yarungika ibirenga igihumbi. Ivyo yabikora aryohewe kuko yazirikana abo bantu bose bariko bararonka ibifungurwa vy’impwemu.

Ndakunda ubuzima bwo kuri Beteli, kuko bushingiye ku gutanga. Mugabo ingorane zo ntizibura. Nk’akarorero, kw’ihwaniro mpuzamakungu rya mbere ryabereye i Porto Riko mu 1967, narumvise ndengewe n’ibikorwa. Nathan Knorr, akaba ari we yari ahagarikiye igikorwa c’Ivyabona vya Yehova, yaraje i Porto Riko. Hari ukuntu yiyumviriye ko ntari nitwararitse gutunganya ivyo kwunguruza abamisiyonari b’abashitsi kandi nari nabigize. Mu nyuma, yarankariye ambwira ko nkwiye kuba umuntu atunganya neza ibintu, yongera avuga ko ntari meze nk’uko yanziga. Sinashatse guharira na we, ariko narumvise ko andenganije, kandi naramaze igihe mbabaye. Mugabo igihe twe na Maxine twasubira kubonana n’umuvukanyi Knorr, yaradutumiye mu cumba iwe maze aratuzimana.

 Igihe twari i Porto Riko, twarakunda kuja kuramutsa abo mu muryango wanje mu Bwongereza. Dawe ntiyakiriye ukuri igihe twe na mawe twizera. Ariko igihe abashikirizansiguro bo kuri Beteli baba batugendeye, kenshi mawe yarabaha indaro. Dawe yarabona ukuntu abo Banyabeteli bicisha bugufi, bakaba bari batandukanye na ba bakuru b’idini bari baramuvunye umutima. Mu 1962, yahavuye abatizwa araba Icabona ca Yehova.

Umukenyezi wanje nakunda Maxine yapfuye mu 2011. Ndashashaye cane gusubira kumubona yazutse. Ese ingene ico cizigiro kimpimbara! Mu myaka 58 twabanye na Maxine, twariboneye ukuntu abasavyi ba Yehova i Porto Riko bagwiriye, bava ku 650 bashika ku 26.000! Mu 2013, ishami ry’i Porto Riko ryarashizwe hamwe n’ishami ryo muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, baca bansaba kuja gukorera i Wallkill muri New York. Imyaka 60 namaze muri iryo zinga yaratumye numva umengo ndi Umunyaportoriko yuzuye, cokimwe n’agakere coquí ko mu biti vy’i Porto Riko gakunda kuririmba ngo ko-kee, ko-kee iyo buhwibiriye. Ariko nta kundi, nabwirijwe kuvayo.

Ndacahimbarwa no gukorera Imana kuri Beteli. Ubu mfise imyaka irenga 90, nkaba njejwe kuremesha abo mu muryango wa Beteli, nk’umwungere wo mu vy’impwemu. Kuva nshitse i Wallkill, maze kugendera abarenga 600. Bamwe mu baza kundaba usanga bipfuza ko tuganira ibijanye n’ingorane zibega canke iz’umuryango wabo. Abandi baransaba impanuro z’ingene boshobora kuroranirwa mu murimo barangurira kuri Beteli. Ababa baherutse kurushinga na bo usanga bakeneye impanuro zijanye n’umubano. Hari n’ababa baherutse kurungikwa gukorera mu ndimiro. Abaza bose ndabatega yompi, kandi igihe bibereye, akenshi ndababwira nti: “‘Imana ikunda uwutangana akamwemwe.’ Nuryohererwe igikorwa urangura. Yehova ni we ukorera.”​—2 Kor. 9:7.

Cokimwe n’ahandi hose, kuri Beteli hariho ivyoshobora gutuma udahimbarirwa umurimo. Igikenewe ni ukuguma wibuka igituma ivyo uriko urakora bihambaye. Ico dukora cose kuri Beteli ni umurimo mweranda. Kiragira ico gifashije wa “mushumba w’umwizigirwa kandi w’ubwenge” kugira aronse ibifungurwa vy’impwemu umuryango w’abavukanyi ukwiye kw’isi yose. (Mat. 24:45) Aho dukorera Yehova haba hehe, turafise uturyo two kumushemeza. Nimuze rero dukore ivyo adusaba tunezerewe, kuko “Imana ikunda uwutangana akamwemwe.”