DAWE yavukiye i Graz muri Otrishe mu 1899, akaba rero yari akiri muto mu gihe c’Intambara ya mbere y’isi yose. Haciye igihe gito Intambara ya kabiri y’isi yose itanguye mu 1939, yarinjijwe ku nguvu mu gisoda c’Abadagi. Yishwe mu 1943 ari ku rugamba mu Burusiya. Ikibabaje ni uko nabuze dawe mfise imyaka nk’ibiri gusa. Sinigeze ndonka akaryo ko kumumenya, kandi narababazwa cane n’ukuba ntafise dawe, na canecane igihe naba mbonye yuko utundi duhungu two kw’ishure nka twose tubafise. Mu nyuma maze kuba umuyabaga, narahumurijwe no kumenya ivyerekeye Dawe wa twese wo mw’ijuru, akaba ari Dawe aruta abandi bose kandi adashobora gupfa.—Hab. 1:12.

Igihe nari mfise imyaka indwi, narinjiye mu muhari w’urwaruka rw’Abaskuti. Uwo ni umuhari ukwiye kw’isi yose watanguriye mu Bwongereza mu 1908, utanguzwa n’umujenerali wo mu gisoda c’Ubwongereza yitwa Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell. Mu 1916, yaratanguje umugwi w’abitwa Amabingira matomato (Les Louveteaux) ugizwe n’uduhungu twangana nanje.

Narakunda ukuntu twakambika mu gihugu hagati mu mpera z’imishamvu, tukaba twaryama mu mahema, tukambara imyambaro ituranga, tukongera tugatambuka dukurikira umudiho w’ingoma. Nararyoherwa canecane no kumara umwanya ndi kumwe n’abandi Baskuti, mw’ijoro tukaba twararirimba tugenda turazunguruka umucanwa, tukongera tugakina udukino mw’ishamba. Twariga n’ibintu vyinshi vyerekeye ibidukikije, bikaba vyaratuma nshima cane igikorwa c’Umuremyi wacu.

Urwaruka rw’Abaskuti ruremeshwa gukora igikorwa ciza imisi yose. Ico ni co civugo cabo. Twaramukanya ngo “Wame witeguye.” Ivyo vyarandyohera cane. Mu mugwi wacu w’uduhungu turenga ijana, nk’ica kabiri bari abagatolika, ikindi ca kabiri abaporoti, umwe akaba ari we yari umubuda.

Kuva 1920, buri mwaka haragirwa amahwaniro mpuzamakungu y’Abaskuti (ayo bita Jamborées). Naritavye irigira indwi ryabereye i Bad Ischl muri Otrishe muri Myandagaro 1951, be n’irigira icenda ryabereye i Sutton Park, hafi y’i Birmingham mu Bwongereza muri Myandagaro 1957. Iryo ry’icenda ryitabwe n’Abaskuti nka 33.000 bavuye mu bihugu n’uturere 85. Vyongeye, abantu nka 750.000 baratugendeye kuri iryo hwaniro, hakaba harimwo n’Umwamikazi Elizabeth w’Ubwongereza. Nabona ko wari nk’umuryango w’abavukanyi ukwiye kw’isi yose. Sinari nzi ko vuba nomenye ivyerekeye umuryango w’abavukanyi uhambaye cane kuruta uwo, ni ukuvuga umuryango wo mu buryo bw’impwemu.

Mu mpeshi yo mu 1958, nagira ndangize kwiga ivyo gusereva mw’ihoteli imwe (Grand Hotel Wiesler) y’i Graz muri Otrishe. Uwo twakorana ng’aho yitwa Rudolf Tschiggerl, akaba yari n’umukuru w’abotsa imikate, yarambwiye inkuru nziza akaryo  kizanye. Sinari bwigere numva ivyerekeye ukuri. Yabanje kuvuga ibijanye n’inyigisho y’Ubutatu, aca avuga yuko atari inyigisho yo muri Bibiliya. Narahaririye nshigikira Ubutatu, kandi nashaka kumwereka ko abesha. Narakunda uwo mukozi mugenzanje, nkaba narondera kumujijura ngo agaruke muri Gatolika.

Rudolf, uwo twita Rudi, yarampaye Bibiliya. Narashimitse ndamubwira nti: ‘Iraba ari iy’abagatolika!’ Naratanguye kuyisoma kandi nahavuye nsanga Rudi yari yashizemwo agapapuro k’inkuru nziza kasohowe n’ishirahamwe Watchtower. Narakiyamirije kubera nabona yuko koshobora kuba kumvikana nk’akatagiramwo amakosa mugabo atari ko biri. Ariko rero, naremeye kuyaga na we kuri Bibiliya. Rudi yaragaragaje ugutahura kugera kure maze ntiyasubira kumpa ikindi gisohokayandikiro. Twaramaze amezi nk’atatu tuza turayaga kuri Bibiliya, akenshi tukaba twarayaga gushika ijoro ryitereye.

Ndangije ivyigwa kuri ya hoteri yo mu gisagara canje c’amavukiro ca Graz, mawe yarandihiye kugira nkurikirane ibindi vyigwa kw’ishure ryigisha ivyo gutunganya amahoteli. Narimukiye rero i Bad Hofgastein, igisagara kiri mu mubande w’imisozi Alpes, aho iryo shure ryari riri. Ryarakorana na ya hoteli (Grand Hotel) y’i Bad Hofgastein, kandi rimwe na rimwe narakorerayo kugira ndonke ubumenyi bwiyongera ku bwo nakura mw’ishure.

Rudi yari yararungitse aderese yanje nshasha ku biro vy’ishami vyo muri Vienne, na vyo bica biyirungikira bashiki bacu babiri b’abamisiyonari, ari bo Ilse Unterdörfer na Elfriede Löhr. * Umusi umwe, uwariko arakorera kw’iyakiriro ryo kuri nya hoteli yaranterefonye ambwira ko hanze mu muduga hari abakenyezi babiri bipfuza ko tuvugana. Narahagaritse umutima kuko ata na kimwe nari ndabaziko. Mugabo narasohotse kuraba abo ari bo. Nahavuye menya yuko bari baragize uruhara mu vyo gutwara ibisohokayandikiro mu Budagi bw’Abanazi, igihe igikorwa cari kibujijwe imbere y’Intambara ya kabiri y’isi yose. N’imbere y’uko iyo ntambara itangura, bari barafashwe n’igipolisi c’Abadagi citwa Gestapo cakorera mu kinyegero maze barungikwa mw’ikambi y’itunatuniro y’i Lichtenburg. Mu nyuma mu gihe c’intambara, baciye bimurirwa mw’ikambi y’itunatuniro y’i Ravensbrück yari hafi ya Berlin.

Abo bashiki bacu ni nk’aho bangana na mawe, nkaba rero narabubashe. Ni co gituma ntashatse kubatesha umwanya mu kuyaga na bo maze mu nyuma, kumbure haciye amayinga canke amezi nk’angahe, nkababwira ko ntipfuza kubandanya. Naciye ndababaza nimba boshobora kunzanira urutonde rw’ivyanditswe bivuga ibijanye n’inyigisho ya Gatolika yerekeye ikurakuranwa ry’abapapa. Nababwiye ko nociye ndarujana ku mupatiri wo muri ako karere tukaruganirako. Nabona ko nociye ntahura ukuri ukwo ari kwo.

Inyigisho ya Gatolika yerekeye ikurakuranwa ry’abasenyeri ivuga yuko abapapa bagiye barakurakuranwa ata guhagarika kuva ku ntumwa Petero. (Gatolika isigura mu buryo butari bwo amajambo ya Yezu ari muri Matayo 16:18, 19.) Gatolika ivuga kandi yuko papa atigera yihenda mu bijanye n’inyigisho igihe  avuga aserukiye Imana. Ivyo naravyemera kandi niyumvira yuko nimba papa, uwo abagatolika bita ngo ni Dawe Mweranda, atigera yihenda mu bijanye n’inyigisho kandi akaba yavuze yuko Ubutatu ari inyigisho y’ukuri, itegerezwa rero kuba ari iy’ukuri. Ariko nimba ashobora kwihenda, iyo nyigisho rero yoshobora kuba ari iy’ikinyoma. Ntibitangaje kubona abagatolika benshi bemera ko inyigisho yerekeye ikurakuranwa ry’abapapa ari yo ihambaye kuruta izindi zose, kubera ari yo ivyo bemera bishingiyeko.

Igihe naja kuraba patiri, ntiyashoboye kunyishura ibibazo namubajije, mugabo yasokoroye mu kabati kiwe igitabu kivuga ibijanye na ya nyigisho yo muri Gatolika yerekeye ikurakuranwa ry’abapapa. Naragitwaye i muhira nk’uko yari abinsavye, ndagisoma, kandi nagarutse mfise ibibazo vyinshi. Amaherezo, kubera ko uwo mupatiri atashoboye kwishura ibibazo vyanje, yavuze ati: “Sinshobora kukujijura, kandi nawe ntushobora kunjijura. . . . Uze wererwe!” Ntiyashaka ko hagira ikindi kintu na kimwe dusubira kuyaga.

Ico gihe, nari niteguriye kwiga Bibiliya mfashijwe na Ilse be na Elfriede. Baranyigishije vyinshi ku vyerekeye Dawe Mweranda w’ukuri wo mw’ijuru Yehova Imana. (Yoh. 17:11) Muri ako karere nta shengero ryari bwahabe, akaba ari co gituma abo bashiki bacu babiri bahagarikira amakoraniro mu nzu y’umuryango wari warashimishijwe. Yitabwa gusa n’abantu bari ku rushi. Abo bashiki bacu ni bo bashikiriza ibiganiro nka vyose vy’ikoraniro ari babiri kuko ata muvukanyi yabatijwe yari ahari kugira atuje imbere. Rimwe na rimwe haraza umuvukanyi avuye ahandi agashikiriza insiguro y’icese mu kibanza caba cakoswe.

Ilse na Elfriede batanguye kunyigisha Bibiliya muri Gitugutu 1958, nca mbatizwa haciye amezi atatu muri Nzero 1959. Imbere y’uko mbatizwa, narababajije nimba twoshobora kujana mu busuku bw’inzu ku nzu kugira ndabe gusa ukuntu igikorwa co kwamamaza kirangurwa. (Ivyak. 20:20) Tumaze kujana ubwa mbere, narababajije nimba noshobora kuronka icibare canje co gukoreramwo. Barampaye ikigwati kimwe, kandi narijanayo nkamamaza inzu ku nzu ata we turi kumwe, nkongera ngasubira kuraba abashimishijwe. Umuvukanyi wa mbere twajanye mu busuku bw’inzu ku nzu yari umucungezi w’umuzunguruko, akaba yahavuye atugendera.

Mu 1960, maze kurangiza ivyigwa muri rya shure ryigisha ivy’amahoteli, narasubiye mu gisagara canje c’amavukiro kugira ngerageze gufasha incuti zanje kumenya ukuri kwo muri Bibiliya. Gushika n’ubu nta n’umwe muri bo araza mu kuri, mugabo bamwebamwe barashimishwa ku rugero runaka.

Mu 1961, mu mashengero harasomwe amakete avuye ku biro vy’ishami aremesha gukora ubutsimvyi. Sinari bwubake urwanje kandi nari mfise amagara meza, nkaba rero nabona ko ata mvo n’imwe nari mfise yo kudakora ubutsimvyi. Narabajije umucungezi w’umuzunguruko Kurt Kuhn ico yiyumvira ku bijanye n’uko nomara ayandi mezi makeyi nkora akazi kugira nshobore kugura umuduga womfashije mu gikorwa c’ubutsimvyi. Urazi ico yanyishuye? Yambajije ati: “Yezu n’intumwa boba bakoresheje umuduga kugira barangure umurimo w’igihe cose?” Emwe, nta co nasubijeyo! Naciye ntegekanya gutangura ubutsimvyi vuba bishoboka. Mugabo kubera yuko nakora amasaha 72 buri ndwi mw’ihoteli imwe, vyabaye ngomba ko mbanza kugira ivyo mpinduye.

Narabajije databuja nimba yonyemerera kuza ndakora amasaha 60. Yarabinyemereye kandi aguma ampemba wa mushahara nyene. Ata gihe kinini kihaciye, naramubajije nimba noshobora gukora amasaha 48 gusa buri ndwi. Na vyo nyene yarabinyemereye kandi aguma ampemba ya yandi nyene. Ubukurikira namusavye ko yonyemerera gukora amasaha  36 gusa buri ndwi, ni ukuvuga amasaha 6 ku musi mu misi 6, kandi n’ivyo nyene yarabinyemereye. Igitangaje ni uko nagumye ndonka wa mushahara nyene! Vyasa n’uko databuja atipfuza ko ndahava. Urwo rutonde rwaramfashije gutangura gukora ubutsimvyi busanzwe. Ico gihe umutsimvyi yasabwa gukora amasaha 100 ku kwezi.

Haciye amezi ane, narabaye umutsimvyi adasanzwe n’umusuku w’ishengero mw’ishengero ritoyi ryari mu ntara ya Carinthie mu gisagara ca Spittal an der Drau. Ico gihe umutsimvyi adasanzwe yasabwa gukora amasaha 150 buri kwezi. Nta we nari mfise dukorana ubutsimvyi, mugabo narakenguruka cane imfashanyo nahabwa na mushiki wacu yitwa Gertrude Lobner mu busuku, uno akaba yari umufasha w’umusuku w’ishengero. *

Mu 1963, narasabwe kuja mu gikorwa co kugendera amashengero. Rimwe na rimwe nagenda n’igariyamoshi mva mw’ishengero rimwe nja mu rindi, ntwaye amavalisi aremereye. Abavukanyi benshi nta miduga bari bafise, akaba rero ata n’umwe yashobora kuntora ku gituro c’amagariyamoshi. Kugira ngo ntivyitwe ko niyerekana, sinashaka gufata itagisi injana aho nabwirizwa kumara imisi. Naca rero ngenda n’amaguru gushika ndahageze.

Mu 1965, nkaba nari nkiri umusore, naratumiwe kwitaba umugwi ugira 41 w’Ishure rya Gileyadi. Benshi mu bo twigana na bo nyene ntibari bwubake izabo. Igihe twaronka impapuro z’umutsindo, naratangaye cane bansubije mu gihugu canje ca Otrishe kugira mbandanye igikorwa co kugendera amashengero. Ariko rero, imbere y’uko mva muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, nasabwe kumara amayinga ane nkorana n’umucungezi w’umuzunguruko umwe. Nararyohewe cane no gukorana na Anthony Conte, umuvukanyi w’umunyarukundo na we nyene yakunda umurimo wo mu ndimiro kandi yaroranirwa cane muri wo. Twakoranye mu gice ca ruguru ca New York, mu karere ka Cornwall.

Igihe nasubira muri Otrishe, narungitswe gukorera mu muzunguruko umwe aho twahuriye na Tove Merete, akaba yari mushiki wacu atarubaka urwiwe yasa n’irirenga. Yarerewe mu kuri kuva afise imyaka itanu. Iyo abavukanyi batubajije ingene twamenyanye, tubishura twijajurira duti: “Ibiro vy’ishami ni vyo vyabitunganije.” Twubakanye haciye umwaka umwe muri Ndamukiza 1967, kandi twaremerewe kubandanya igikorwa co kugendera amashengero turi kumwe.

Umwaka wakurikiye, naramenye ko Yehova yari yarangize umwana wiwe wo mu buryo bw’impwemu biciye ku buntu bwiwe ata wari abukwiriye. Nk’uko bivugwa mu Baroma 8:15, naratanguye rero kugiranira ubucuti budasanzwe na Dawe wa twese wo mw’ijuru be n’abo bose “[ba]semerera [ba]ti: ‘Abba, Data!’ ”

Twe na Merete twarabandanije gusukura turi kumwe mu gikorwa co kugendera amashengero gushika mu 1976. Rimwe na rimwe mu gihe c’urushana, twabwirizwa kuryama mu vyumba bikanye gusumba ibarafu. Igihe kimwe twavyutse dusanga ku gice co haruguru c’uburengeti hakongataye kandi hera kubera ko impemu zacu zari zacitse ibarafu. Twahavuye dufata ingingo yo kuza turitwaza akuma gatanga ubushuhe gakoreshwa n’umuyagankuba kugira mw’ijoro hagume hasusurutse. Mu bibanza bimwebimwe,  kugira ngo dushike ahari ubwogero mw’ijoro, twaca ku bibarafu tuja ku kazu ka surwumwe wasanga karimwo imbeho nyinshi. Vyongeye, ntitwagira inzu dushikiramwo, akaba ari co gituma imisi yose ku wa mbere twaguma ku muhana twaba tumazemwo indwi. Ku wa kabiri mu gitondo, twaca dufata urugendo tuja mw’ishengero rikurikira.

Ndahimbawe no kuvuga yuko mu myaka n’iyindi ihaciye, umukenyezi wanje nikundira yamye anshigikira cane. Asanzwe akunda indimiro, kandi sinigeze na rimwe ndamuhimiriza kuja mu busuku. Vyongeye, arakunda abagenzi kandi aritwararika cane abandi. Ivyo vyaradufashije cane.

Mu 1976, twaratumiwe gukorera ku biro vy’ishami vyo muri Otrishe i Vienne, nca ngenwa ngo mbe mu bagize Komite y’ishami. Ico gihe, ishami ryo muri Otrishe ni ryo ryahagarikira igikorwa mu bihugu bitari bike vyo mu Buraya bwo mu Buseruko rikongera rigatunganya ivyo gutwara ibisohokayandikiro mu mpisho muri ivyo bihugu. Umuvukanyi Jürgen Rundel ni we yaja imbere muri ico gikorwa, akaba yari umuntu yibwiriza cane. Naratewe agateka ko gukorana na we, mu nyuma na ho nsabwa guhagarikira igikorwa c’ubuhinduzi mu ndimi cumi zakoreshwa mu Buraya bwo mu Buseruko. Jürgen n’umukenyezi wiwe Gertrude barabandanya gusukura badahemuka ari abatsimvyi badasanzwe mu Budagi. Guhera mu 1978, ishami ryo muri Otrishe ryaratanguye gucapura ibinyamakuru mu ndimi zitandatu rikoresheje akamashini gatoyi. Twararungikira kandi ibinyamakuru ibihugu bitandukanye vyaba vyabidusavye. Uwitwa Otto Kuglitsch ni we yahagarikira ivyo bikorwa, ubu akaba akorana n’umukenyezi wiwe Ingrid ku biro vy’ishami vyo mu Budagi.

Abavukanyi bo mu Buraya bwo mu Buseruko baracapura kandi ibisohokayandikiro mu bihugu vyabo bakoresheje imashini zibigwiza zikoresheje ivyitwa stencils canke bagacapura amayagwa bayakuye ku vyo bita négatifs. Ariko rero, bari bakeneye gushigikirwa n’ibindi bihugu. Yehova yarakingiye ico gikorwa, kandi twese abo kw’ishami twarakunda abo bavukanyi babwirizwa gukora mu bihe bigoye mu myaka myinshi igikorwa camaze kibujijwe.

Mu 1989, naratewe agateka ko guherekeza muri Rumaniya umuvukanyi Theodore Jaracz yari mu bagize Inama Nyobozi. Twari tujanywe no gufasha umugwi munini w’abavukanyi gusubira kwifatanya n’ishirahamwe. Mu ntango z’umwaka wa 1949,  bari baritandukanije n’ishirahamwe babitumwe n’imvo zitandukanye maze bishingira amashengero yabo bwite. Yamara barabandanya kwamamaza no kubatiza abantu. Baranapfunzwe bahorwa ko batagira aho bahengamiye mu vya politike, nk’uko nyene vyari vyarashikiye abavukanyi bari bakiri mw’ishirahamwe ryemewe n’icicaro gikuru. Kubera ko igikorwa cari kikibujijwe muri Rumaniya, twakoraniye mu mpisho mu nzu y’umuvukanyi Pamfil Albu, turi kumwe n’abakurambere bane babaserukira hamwe n’abaserukira Komite y’igihugu ca Rumaniya yemewe. Twagiye kandi dutwaye umuhinduzi yitwa Rolf Kellner wo muri Otrishe.

Mw’ijoro rigira kabiri ry’ibiganiro, umuvukanyi Albu yarajijuye abo bakurambere bagenziwe bane ngo bifatanye natwe igihe yavuga ati: “Tutabigize ubu, twoshobora kutigera turonka akandi karyo ko kubigira.” Mu nyuma, abavukanyi nka 5.000 barasubijwe mw’ishirahamwe. Ese ukuntu Yehova yari atsinze, Shetani na we amaramaye!

Mu mpera z’umwaka wa 1989, imbere y’uko intwaro y’Abakomunisita itembagara mu Buraya bwo mu Buseruko, Inama Nyobozi yaradusavye twe n’umukenyezi wanje ngo twimukire ku cicaro gikuru i New York. Ntitwari tuvyiteze na gato. Twatanguye umurimo kuri Beteli y’i Brooklyn muri Mukakaro 1990. Mu 1992, naragenywe ngo mfashe muri Komite y’umurimo y’Inama Nyobozi, maze kuva muri Mukakaro 1994 nterwa agateka ko kuba mu bagize Inama Nyobozi.

Imisi namaze nsereva mw’ihoteli yajanye n’ico gihe. Ubu mfise agateka ko kugira uruhara mu gutegura ibifungurwa vy’impwemu no kubiha umuryango wacu w’abavukanyi ukwiye kw’isi yose. (Mat. 24:45-47) Ntereje amaso inyuma mu myaka irenga 50 maze mu murimwo udasanzwe w’igihe cose, nta kindi nogira atari ugukenguruka cane n’ukunezererwa imihezagiro Yehova aha umuryango wacu w’abavukanyi ukwiye kw’isi yose. Ndakunda kwitaba amahwaniro mpuzamakungu, aho usanga kwiga ivyerekeye Dawe wa twese wo mw’ijuru Yehova be n’ukuri kwo muri Bibiliya ari vyo bishimikwako. Kubera ko abantu benshi bakora ibikorwa vyiza buri musi kandi bakemera Imana, ndizigiye ko benshi bazotangura kwiga Bibiliya maze bagakorera Yehova. Muri ubwo buryo, barashobora kubandanya gukora igikorwa ciza buri musi no gukorera Yehova bifatanije n’umuryango wacu w’abavukanyi ukwiye kw’isi yose.—1 Pet. 2:17.

Nsenga nsaba ko abandi bantu amamiliyoni bazokwiga Bibiliya, bakemera ukuri maze bagakorera Yehova bifatanije n’umuryango wacu w’abavukanyi ukwiye kw’isi yose. (1 Pet. 2:17) Ndashashaye kandi kwihweza ndi mw’ijuru izuka rizoba kw’isi, maze nze nasubira kubona dawe yanyibarutse. Ndizigiye ko we hamwe na mawe be n’izindi ncuti nikundira, bose bazokwipfuza gusenga Yehova mw’Iparadizo.