Navutse ku itariki ya 19 Gicurasi 1940, mu mugi wa Amioûn, muri Libani. Hashize imyaka mike twimukiye mu mugi wa Tripoli. Nakuriye mu muryango urangwa n’urukundo, wishimye, kandi wakundaga Yehova. Twavutse turi abana batanu, ni ukuvuga abakobwa batatu n’abahungu babiri kandi ni nge wari umuhererezi. Gushaka amafaranga si byo ababyeyi bacu bashyiraga mu mwanya wa mbere. Icyazaga mu mwanya wa mbere mu muryango wacu ni ukwiga Bibiliya, kujya mu materaniro no gufasha abandi kumenya Imana.

Mu itorero ryacu harimo Abakristo basutsweho umwuka, umwe muri bo yitwaga Michel Aboud, wayoboraga ikitwaga ikigisho k’igitabo. Yari yaramenyeye ukuri mu mugi wa New York kandi ni we wagutangije muri Libani mu ntangiriro z’imyaka ya 1920. Ndibuka ukuntu yitaga kuri bashiki bacu babiri ari bo Anne na Gwen Beavor, bari baherutse kwiga Ishuri rya Gileyadi kandi akabubaha. Abo bashiki bacu baje kuba inshuti zacu. Hashize imyaka myinshi, nashimishijwe no guhura na Anne, muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika. Nyuma yaho nahuye na Gwen wari warashakanye na Wilfred Gooch wakoraga ku biro by’ishami by’i Londres mu Bwongereza.

Ndibuka ko nkiri muto, muri Libani hari Abahamya bake. Nubwo Abayobozi b’amadini baturwanyaga twakomezaga kubwiriza twishimye. Hari ibintu nibuka byatubayeho.

Umunsi umwe nge na mushiki wange Sana twarimo tubwiriza mu igorofa ryari rituwemo n’abantu benshi. Mu gihe twarimo tuganira n’abantu bari batuye muri iyo nzu, birashoboka ko hari umuntu wahamagaye umupadiri, maze araza atangira gutuka mushiki wange. Uwo mupadiri yararakaye cyane, ni uko ahirika Sana kuri esikariye arakomereka. Hari umuntu wahise ahamagara abaporisi nuko baraza bafasha Sana. Bajyanye uwo mupadiri ku biro bya porisi baza no gusanga yari afite imbunda. Hanyuma umukuru w’abaporisi yaramubajije ati: “Harya ubundi uri umuyobozi w’idini cyangwa uri umugizi wa nabi?”

Ikindi kintu nibuka ni ibyabaye igihe itorero ryacu ryakodeshaga bisi, tugiye kubwiriza mu mugi wari mu gace kitaruye. Umurimo wari wagenze neza, ariko umupadiri wo muri ako gace yumvise ko turi kuhabwiriza, ashaka abantu baza kutugirira nabi. Baraje badutesha umutwe, badutera amabuye kandi icyo gihe papa yarakomeretse. Namubonye avirirana mu maso. Hanyuma we na mama basubiye ku modoka, nuko natwe tubakurikira dufite ubwoba. Ariko sinzibagirwa amagambo mama yavugaga igihe yahanaguraga papa. Yaravugaga ati: “Yehova bababarire kuko batazi icyo bakora.”

Ikindi gihe, twari twagiye gusura bene wacu mu gace tuvukamo. Tugeze kwa sogokuru twasanze hariyo umuyobozi w’idini wari ukomeye. Icyo gihe nari mfite imyaka itandatu gusa. Kubera ko uwo muyobozi w’idini yari azi ko ababyeyi bange ari Abahamya ba Yehova, yantoranyije mu bandi maze arambaza ati: “Ni ko sha, kuki utarabatizwa?” Namushubije ko nari nkiri umwana. Namubwiye ko kugira ngo mbatizwe, nagombaga kumenya byinshi kuri Bibiliya, kandi nkagira ukwizera gukomeye. Ibyo namubwiye byaramubabaje nuko abwira sogokuru ko nsuzugura.

Icyakora ibyo bintu maze kubabwira, ntibyakundaga kubaho, kuko ubusanzwe abantu bo muri Libani ari abantu beza kandi bagira urugwiro. Ubwo rero, twabaga dufite abantu benshi tuganira na bo, kandi abenshi muri bo tukabigisha Bibiliya.

Nkiri umunyeshuri, hari umuvandimwe wo muri Venezuwela waje muri Libani. Yateraniraga mu itorero ryacu, kandi nyuma yaho yatangiye kurambagizanya na mushiki wange witwa Wafa. Nyuma yaho baje gushakana nuko bajya gutura muri Venezuwela. Mushiki wange yakundaga kwandikira papa amusaba ko umuryango wose wakwimukira muri Venezuwela. Impamvu yabisabaga, ni uko yadukumburaga cyane kandi amaherezo koko umuryango wacu warimutse.

 Twimukiye muri Venezuwela mu mwaka wa 1953, nuko dutura i Caracas hafi y’ingoro ya perezida. Kubera ko nari nkiri muto, nakundaga kwitegereza imodoka ya perezida inyuzeho. Icyakora ababyeyi bange ntibahise bamenyera icyo gihugu, ururimi rwaho, umuco waho, ibyokurya n’ikirere cyaho. Bagize ngo batangiye kumenyera, hahise haba ikintu kibabaje cyane.

Papa yatangiye kurwara. Ibyo byaradutangaje kuko ubusanzwe yari akomeye kandi afite amagara mazima. Sinari narigeze mbona papa arwara. Basanze afite kanseri yari yarafashe imwe mu nyama zo mu nda. Baramubaze, ariko ikibabaje ni uko yapfuye nyuma y’icyumweru kimwe gusa.

Biragoye kubona amagambo nakoresha kugira ngo nsobanure agahinda twari dufite. Icyo gihe nari mfite imyaka 13 gusa. Ariko twumvise tumeze nk’aho ijuru ritugwiriye. Hashize igihe mama atarabyakira ngo yumve ko umugabo we yapfuye. Icyakora twabonye ko ubuzima bwagombaga gukomeza kandi Yehova yaradufashije cyane. Mfite imyaka 16 narangije amashuri yisumbuye i Caracas, kandi nifuzaga cyane gufasha umuryango wange.

Hagati aho mushiki wange Sana yashakanye na Rubén Araujo, wari wararangije kwiga ishuri rya Gileyadi, akagaruka gutura muri Venezuwela. Baje kwimukira i New York. Igihe abagize umuryango wange bemezaga ko nagombaga kwiga kaminuza, bansabye ko ari ho najya kuyigira mba kwa mushiki wange. Mushiki wange n’umugabo we bamfashije kugira amajyambere yo mu buryo bw’umwuka. Ikindi kandi itorero twateraniragamo ry’i Brooklyn ryakoreshaga Icyesipanyoli, harimo abavandimwe benshi bari bamaze igihe kirekire bakorera Yehova. Abo namenyanye na bo cyane ni Milton Henschel na Frederick Franz, bombi bakoraga kuri Beteli y’i Brooklyn.

Igihe nari hafi kurangiza umwaka wa mbere muri kaminuza i New York, natangiye kwibaza icyo nzakora mu buzima. Hari ingingo zo mu Munara w’Umurinzi nari narasomye kandi nzitekerezaho, zigaragaza Abakristo bari barishyiriyeho intego zo gukorera Yehova. Nabonaga ukuntu abapayiniya n’abantu bakoraga kuri Beteli bo mu itorero ryange bari bishimye. Nifuzaga kumera nka bo. Icyakora nari ntarabatizwa. Ubwo rero, nabonye ko nagombaga kubanza kwiyegurira Yehova. Naramwiyeguriye, hanyuma mbatizwa ku itariki ya 30 Werurwe 1957.

Maze kubatizwa natangiye gutekereza uko nakora umurimo w’igihe cyose. Uwo murimo waranshimishaga cyane, ariko nabonye ko kuwukora bitari kunyorohera. Nibazaga ukuntu nakora uwo murimo ari na ko niga muri kaminuza. Nandikiye mama n’abo tuvukana amabaruwa menshi, mbabwira ko nifuzaga kureka amashuri, ngasubira muri Venezuwela nkibera umupayiniya.

Nasubiye i Caracas muri Kamena 1957. Icyakora, nasanze mu muryango wange ibintu  bitameze neza. Hari hakenewe undi muntu ukorera amafaranga kugira ngo abafashe. None se nari gukora iki? Nabonye akazi muri banki ariko nanone nashakaga no kuba umupayiniya. Kandi n’ubundi icyo ni cyo cyari kingaruye. Ubwo rero, niyemeje kubikora byombi. Namaze imyaka runaka nkora muri banki, ngakora iminsi yose y’akazi, kandi ndi n’umupayiniya. Nubwo nahoraga mpuze cyane, ariko nari nishimye.

Ikindi kintu cyanshimishije ni uko naje guhura na Sylvia, mushiki wacu wakomokaga mu Budage wakundaga Yehova cyane, nuko tuza gushakana. We n’umuryango we bari barimukiye muri Venezuwela. Twaje kubyarana abana babiri uw’umuhungu witwa Michel (Mike) n’umukobwa witwa Samira. Nanone nagombaga kwita kuri mama, kandi yaraje turabana. Nubwo byabaye ngombwa ko mpagarika umurimo w’ubupayiniya kugira ngo nite ku nshingano z’umuryango, nakomeje kurangwa n’ishyaka mu murimo wo kubwiriza. Nge na Sylvia twakoraga uko dushoboye, tugakora umurimo w’ubupayiniya bw’umufasha mu gihe k’ibiruhuko.

Igihe ibyo nababwiye tugitangira byabaga, abana bacu bari bakiri mu mashuri. Mvugishije ukuri, twari tubayeho neza, kandi n’abandi bakozi bakoraga mu yandi mabanki baranyubahaga. Ariko nifuzaga cyanecyane ko abantu babona ko nkorera Yehova. Cya kifuzo nari mfite nta ho cyari cyaragiye. Nge n’umugore wange twaricaye, tuganira uko twakoreshaga amafaranga. Nabonye ko iyo mpita mpagarika akazi ko muri banki, nari guhabwa imperekeza. Ubwo rero, kubera ko nta myenda twari dufite, twabonye ko turamutse tworoheje ubuzima nta kibazo twari kugira, kandi twari kuba dufite amafaranga ahagije yo kudutunga.

Gufata uwo mwanzuro ntibyari byoroshye, ariko umugore wange nkunda na mama baranshyigikiye. Ubwo rero, nari ngiye gusubira mu murimo w’igihe cyose. Mbega ibintu byari bishimishije! Nabonaga nta kintu gishobora kumbuza rwose. Icyakora bidatinze, habayeho ikindi kintu tutari twiteze.

Umunsi umwe muganga yabwiye Sylvia ko yari atwite. Ibyo byaradutunguye rwose. Nubwo byadushimishije cyane, ntibyambujije gukubita agatima kuri ya ntego nari mfite yo kuba umupayiniya. Nibazaga niba iyo ntego yange nzayigeraho. Ariko hashize igihe gito twaratuje, nuko dutegerezanya amatsiko uwo mwana wari  hafi kuvuka. Ubwo se za ntego zange zarangiriye aho?

Tumaze kubiganiraho twiyemeje ko ngomba kuba umupayiniya. Umuhungu wacu Gabriel yavutse muri Mata 1985. Nange nasezeye muri banki, maze nongera kuba umupayiniya muri Kamena 1985. Nyuma yaho naje kuba umwe mu bagize Komite y’Ibiro by’Ishami. Ariko kubera ko Beteli itubatse mu mugi dutuyemo wa Caracas, byansabaga gukora urugendo rw’ibirometero 80, iminsi ibiri cyangwa itatu mu cyumweru, ngiye kuri Beteli.

Ibiro by’ishami byari byubatse mu mugi wa La Victoria. Ubwo rero twemeje ko umuryango wacu wimukira muri uwo mugi kugira ngo wegere Beteli. Hari ibintu byinshi byahindutse mu muryango wacu. Icyakora mpora nshimira umuryango wange kubera ko wanshyigikiye. Mushiki wange witwa Baha, yemeye kwita kuri mama. Mike we yaje gushaka ariko Samira na Gabriel bari bakiba mu rugo. Ubwo rero, kwimukira i La Victoria byabasabye kwigomwa kuko bari gusiga inshuti zabo i Caracas. Nanone umugore wange nkunda Sylvia yagombaga kwimenyereza ubuzima bwo mu mugi muto, bwari butandukanye n’ubwo mu murwa mukuru. Nanone twese twagombaga kwimenyereza kuba mu nzu nto. Birumvikana rero ko kuva i Caracas tukajya i La Victoria, bitari byoroshye rwose.

Icyakora, ibintu byaje kongera guhinduka. Gabriel yarashatse, Samira na we ajya kwibana. Nyuma yaho mu mwaka wa 2007, nge na Sylvia twatumiriwe kujya gukora kuri Beteli. Byaradushimishije cyane kandi kugeza na n’ubu ni ho tugikora. Umuhungu wacu w’imfura witwa Mike ni umusaza w’itorero kandi we n’umugore we Monica ni abapayiniya b’igihe cyose. Gabriel na we ni umusaza w’itorero kandi we n’umugore we Ambra baba mu Butaliyani. Samira na we ni umupayiniya kandi ni n’umuvolonteri wo kuri Beteli ukorera mu rugo.

Mu mibereho yange nagiye mfata imyanzuro myinshi ikomeye. Ariko nta mwanzuro n’umwe nafashe utuma nicuza. Nishimira cyane inshingano nagiye mpabwa mu murimo wa Yehova. Mu gihe k’imyaka myinshi niboneye agaciro ko gukomeza kugirana ubucuti bukomeye na Yehova. Uko imyanzuro tuba tugomba gufata yaba imeze kose, yaba ikomeye cyangwa iyoroheje, Yehova aduha ‘amahoro asumba cyane ibitekerezo byose’ (Fili 4:6, 7). Nge na Sylvia twishimira umurimo dukorera kuri Beteli kandi twumva Yehova yaraduhaye umugisha, kubera imyanzuro twafashe igaragaza ko tumushyira mu mwanya wa mbere.