IGIHE nari mfite imyaka 12, nabonye ko nari mfite ikintu cy’agaciro natanga. Ubwo twari mu ikoraniro, hari umuvandimwe wambajije niba narifuzaga kubwiriza. Naramushubije nti “yego,” nubwo ntari narigeze mbwiriza. Twagiye mu ifasi, maze ampa udutabo twavugaga iby’Ubwami bw’Imana. Yarambwiye ati “genda usure abantu batuye hakurya y’umuhanda, nanjye ndasura abo hakuno.” Nubwo nari mfite ubwoba, natangiye kujya ku nzu n’inzu, kandi natangajwe n’uko natanze udutabo twose nari mfite. Uko bigaragara, abantu benshi bishimiraga ubutumwa nabagezagaho.

Navutse mu mwaka wa 1923, mvukira mu mugi wa Chatham wo mu karere ka Kent ho mu Bwongereza. Icyo gihe abantu bari baramanjiriwe kubera ko intambara y’isi yose itari yaratumye isi iba nziza nk’uko bari babyiteze. Ababyeyi banjye na bo bari baratakarije icyizere abayobozi b’idini ry’Ababatisita, kuko wabonaga bashishikajwe cyane no kwishakira inyungu zabo. Igihe nari mfite imyaka icyenda, mama yatangiye kujya mu materaniro y’Abigishwa ba Bibiliya, bari baherutse gufata izina rishya ry’Abahamya ba Yehova. Muri ayo materaniro yitwaga “amashuri,” hari mushiki wacu wigishaga abana yifashishije Bibiliya n’igitabo cy’imfashanyigisho (La Harpe de Dieu). Nakundaga cyane ibyo nigaga.

Igihe nari ingimbi, nishimiraga kumenyesha abantu ibyiringiro byo mu Ijambo ry’Imana. Akenshi nabwirizaga ku nzu n’inzu jyenyine, ariko kujyana n’abandi byanyigishije byinshi. Urugero, umunsi umwe jye n’undi muvandimwe ukuze twari ku magare tugiye kubwiriza, tunyura ku muyobozi w’idini maze ndavuga nti “dore ihene.” Uwo muvandimwe yarahagaze, maze twicara ku giti arambaza ati “ni nde waguhaye uburenganzira bwo gucira abantu imanza ubita ihene? Reka tubwirize abantu ubutumwa bwiza, ibyo guca imanza tubirekere Yehova.” Kuva icyo gihe, nagiye nibonera ukuntu gutanga bihesha ibyishimo.—Mat 25:31-33; Ibyak 20:35.

Hari undi muvandimwe ukuze wanyigishije ko rimwe na rimwe tuba tugomba kwihangana, kugira ngo tubone ibyishimo duheshwa no gutanga. Umugore we ntiyakundaga Abahamya ba Yehova. Igihe kimwe uwo muvandimwe yansabye ko tunyurana iwe. Umugore we yari yarakajwe cyane n’uko yari yagiye kubwiriza, atangira kudutera udupaki tw’amajyane. Uwo muvandimwe yaramwihoreye,  atoragura ayo majyane yishimye, ayasubiza mu mwanya wayo. Yabonye ingororano yo kwihangana nyuma y’imyaka myinshi, igihe umugore we yabatizwaga akaba Umuhamya wa Yehova.

Nakomeje kugira icyifuzo cyo kubwira abandi ibyiringiro by’igihe kizaza, kandi jye na mama twabatirijwe i Dover muri Werurwe 1940. Muri Nzeri 1939, ubwo nari mfite imyaka 16, u Bwongereza bwatangaje ko bugiye kurwana n’u Budage. Umunsi umwe ari muri Kamena 1940, narebeye mu muryango w’inzu yacu, mbona amakamyo arimo abasirikare babarirwa mu bihumbi bari bahahamutse. Bari barokotse urugamba rw’i Dunkirk. Nabonaga bihebye kandi nifuzaga kubabwira iby’Ubwami bw’Imana. Mu mpera z’uwo mwaka, Abadage batangiye gusuka ibisasu mu Bwongereza. Buri mugoroba nabonaga indege z’Abadage z’intambara ziguruka mu kirere cy’iwacu. Ibisasu byabaga bivuza ubuhuha, twabyumva biturika tukarushaho kugira ubwoba. Iyo twasohokaga bukeye, twasangaga amazu menshi yabaye amatongo. Narushagaho kubona ko Ubwami bw’Imana ari bwo bwonyine twari dutezeho amakiriro!

Mu mwaka wa 1941 ni bwo mu by’ukuri natangiye umurimo watumye ndushaho kugira ibyishimo. Nakoraga mu ruganda rw’i Chatham, nimenyereza gukora amato, uwo ukaba ari umwanya abantu bifuzaga. Abagaragu ba Yehova bari bamaze igihe basobanukiwe ko Abakristo batagombaga kurwana mu ntambara zishyamiranya amahanga. Icyo gihe twari dutangiye gusobanukirwa ko tutagomba gukora mu nganda zicura intwaro (Yoh 18:36). Kubera ko uruganda nakoragamo rwakoraga amato y’intambara, nabonye ko igihe cyari kigeze ngo ndeke ako kazi ntangire umurimo w’igihe cyose. Natangiriye umurimo mu mugi wa Cirencester uri ku nkombe, mu karere ka Cotswolds.

Maze kugira imyaka 18, nafunzwe amezi icyenda nzira ko nanze kujya mu gisirikare. Nagize ubwoba igihe banshyiraga muri kasho bagakinga, ngasigara jyenyine. Ariko bidatinze, abarinzi n’izindi mfungwa batangiye kumbaza icyatumye mfungwa, maze mbasobanurira imyizerere yanjye nishimye.

Maze gufungurwa, nasabwe gusanga Leonard Smith * tukabwiriza mu midugudu itandukanye yo mu karere k’iwacu ka Kent. Guhera mu mwaka wa 1944, indege zisaga igihumbi zitagira abapilote zipakiye ibisasu zaguye mu karere ka Kent. Indege z’Abanazi zajyaga gutera ibisasu mu mugi wa Londres zacaga hejuru y’iwacu. Ibyo bisasu byagwaga mu karere k’iwacu byari biteye ubwoba. Iyo wumvaga  moteri y’indege izimye, wabaga uzi ko nyuma y’amasegonda make iri bugwe igaturika. Ibyo byakundaga kubaho kenshi. Twari dufite umuryango w’abantu batanu twigishaga Bibiliya. Hari igihe twigaga twicaye munsi y’ameza y’icyuma kugira ngo inzu nisenyuka itatugwaho. Abagize uwo muryango bose baje kubatizwa.

Nyuma y’intambara, namaze imyaka ibiri nkorera umurimo w’ubupayiniya mu majyepfo ya Irilande. Kubwiriza muri Irilande byari bitandukanye cyane no kubwiriza mu Bwongereza. Twajyaga ku nzu n’inzu tugasaba icumbi tuvuga ko turi abamisiyonari, kandi tugatanga amagazeti mu muhanda. Gukora ibintu nk’ibyo mu gihugu cyari indiri ya Kiliziya Gatolika, byari ubupfapfa rwose! Igihe umuntu yatwenderezaga, nabibwiye umupolisi maze arambaza ati “ubundi se wari uzi ko bigenda bite?” Ntitwari tuzi ukuntu abapadiri bari bafite ububasha bwinshi. Birukanishaga ku kazi abantu bose bemeraga ibitabo byacu, kandi natwe batwirukanishije aho twari ducumbitse.

Bidatinze twamenye ko mu gihe tugeze mu karere, byaba byiza dufashe amagare tukajya kubwiriza kure y’aho twabaga ducumbitse, tukabwiriza gusa abantu bo mu gace kagenzurwa n’undi mupadiri. Abantu bo hafi twabasuraga nyuma y’abandi bose. Hari umusore w’i Kilkenny twiganaga incuro eshatu mu cyumweru, nubwo twashoboraga kwibasirwa n’abantu biremye udutsiko. Nakundaga cyane kwigisha abandi ukuri kwa Bibiliya ku buryo niyemeje kwiyandikisha mu Ishuri rya Bibiliya rya Watchtower rya Gileyadi, ryatozaga abamisiyonari.

Nyuma y’amasomo yamaze amezi atanu i New York, jye n’abandi banyeshuri batatu twoherejwe mu birwa bito byo mu nyanja ya Karayibe. Mu kwezi k’Ugushyingo 1948, twavuye i New York turi mu bwato bwitwaga Sibia. Nari mfitiye amatsiko urwo rugendo kuko bwari ubwa mbere ngenda mu bwato. Umwe muri twe witwaga Gust Maki, yari umusare umenyereye. Yatwigishije ibintu by’ibanze, urugero nko kuzamura no kumanura imyenda igendesha ubwato, gukoresha busole no guhangana n’umuyaga. Gust yakoresheje ubuhanga bwe anyura mu miraba iteje akaga tugera muri Bahamasi nyuma y’iminsi 30.

Twamaze amezi make tubwiriza mu birwa bya Bahamasi, hanyuma tujya kubwiriza mu ifasi y’ibirometero bigera kuri 800, uhereye mu birwa bya Vierges hafi ya Poruto Riko ukagera hafi ya Tirinite. Twamaze imyaka itanu tubwiriza cyane cyane mu birwa byitaruye, bitarimo Abahamya. Rimwe na rimwe twamaraga ibyumweru byinshi tudashobora kohereza amabaruwa cyangwa kuyakira. Ariko twashimishwaga cyane n’uko twatangazaga ijambo rya Yehova muri ibyo birwa.—Yer 31:10.

Iyo twageraga ku kirwa, abaturage barahururaga bakaza kureba abo turi bo. Bamwe babaga ari ubwa mbere babonye ubwato nk’ubwo, cyangwa ari ubwa mbere babonye umuzungu. Abantu bo muri ibyo birwa bagiraga urugwiro, bagashishikazwa n’iby’idini kandi bari bazi Bibiliya. Incuro nyinshi baduhaga amafi, avoka n’ubunyobwa. Ubwato bwacu bwari buto tudafite ahantu hahagije ho kuryama, aho gutekera cyangwa aho kumesera, ariko twabukoreshaga uko buri.

Twaromokaga tukamara umunsi wose dusura abantu. Twababwiraga ko hari disikuru ishingiye kuri Bibiliya. Ku mugoroba twavuzaga inzogera yo ku bwato. Twashimishwaga no kubona ukuntu abantu bazaga kumva iyo disikuru. Babaga  bitwaje amatara ya peteroli, ukabona ameze nk’utunyenyeri ku misozi. Hari igihe hazaga abantu bagera mu ijana, bakageza nijoro babaza ibibazo. Bakundaga kuririmba, kandi twacapaga amagambo y’indirimbo z’Ubwami tukazibaha. Uko twari bane twageragezaga kuririmba neza abandi na bo bakunga amajwi yabo mu yacu, ukumva biryoheye amatwi. Ibyo bihe byabaga bishimishije cyane.

Iyo twabaga tumaze kwigisha abantu Bibiliya, hari abaduherekezaga bakatugeza mu rugo rw’abandi twigishaga, bakongera kwigira hamwe na bo. Nyuma y’ibyumweru bike twarimukaga tukajya kubwiriza ahandi, tugasiga dusabye ababaga bashimishijwe cyane gukomeza kwigisha abandi kugeza igihe tuzagarukira. Kubona ukuntu bamwe muri bo bafatanaga uburemere iyo nshingano, byabaga bishimishije.

Muri iki gihe ibyo birwa bisurwa na ba mukerarugendo benshi, ariko muri icyo gihe byari ibirwa byitaruye bikikijwe n’amazi y’ubururu, inkombe ziriho umucanga n’ibiti by’imikindo. Ubusanzwe twagendaga nijoro tuva ku kirwa kimwe tujya ku kindi. Amafi manini yabaga akinira iruhande rw’ubwato bwacu, kandi nta kindi wumvaga uretse ijwi ry’ubwato bwabaga butema amazi. Ukwezi kwabaga kumurika hejuru y’inyanja ituje.

Tumaze imyaka itanu tubwiriza muri ibyo birwa twagiye muri Poruto Riko, kugira ngo duhindure ubwato dufate ubwakoreshaga moteri. Tuhageze nahuye na mushiki wacu mwiza cyane w’umumisiyonari witwa Maxine Boyd, numva ndamukunze. Yari yarabaye umubwiriza urangwa n’ishyaka kuva akiri umwana. Nyuma yaho yari yarabaye umumisiyonari muri Repubulika ya Dominikani, kugeza igihe ubutegetsi bw’Abagatolika bwabirukanaga mu mwaka wa 1950. Nari nemerewe kuguma muri Poruto Riko ukwezi kumwe gusa kubera ko nabaga mu bwato. Nari kujya kubwiriza mu birwa nkazamara imyaka myinshi ntaragaruka. Ku bw’ibyo naribwiye nti “Ronald, niba ushaka uyu mukobwa, witinda mu makorosi.” Nyuma y’ibyumweru bitatu, namusabye ko twabana, kandi twashyingiranywe nyuma y’ibyumweru bitandatu. Jye na Maxine twabaye abamisiyonari muri Poruto Riko, bityo sinigera nkorera muri ubwo bwato bushya.

Mu mwaka wa 1956 twatangiye gusura amatorero. Abavandimwe benshi bari bakennye, ariko twishimiraga kubasura. Urugero, mu mudugudu wa Potala Pastillo, hari imiryango ibiri y’Abahamya yari ifite abana benshi, kandi nabacurangiraga umwironge. Nabajije umwana umwe w’umukobwa witwaga Hilda niba yarifuzaga ko tujyana kubwiriza. Yaravuze ati “nabishakaga ariko ntibishoboka. Nta nkweto mfite.” Twamuguriye inkweto maze tujyana kubwiriza. Nyuma y’imyaka myinshi, ubwo jye na Maxine twari twasuye Beteli y’i Brooklyn mu mwaka wa 1972, mushiki wacu wari urangije ishuri rya Gileyadi yaje kudusuhuza. Yiteguraga kujya muri Ekwateri aho yari yoherejwe gukorera umurimo. Yaratubwiye ati “ndabona mutamenye. Ni jye wa mwana w’i Pastillo utari ufite inkweto.” Yari Hilda! Twarishimye cyane turarira!

Mu mwaka wa 1960 twagiye gukorera ku biro by’ishami byo muri Poruto Riko, byari mu nzu y’amagorofa abiri i Santurce mu karere ka San Juan. Mu mizo ya mbere, jye na Lennart Johnson twakoraga akazi hafi ya kose. We n’umugore we ni bo babaye Abahamya ba Yehova ba mbere muri Repubulika ya Dominikani, kandi bageze muri Poruto Riko mu mwaka wa 1957. Nyuma yaho, Maxine yoherezaga amagazeti y’abantu babaga barakoresheje abonema, akohereza asaga igihumbi buri cyumweru. Yakundaga cyane uwo murimo kubera ko yatekerezaga ko abo bantu bose bari kubona amafunguro yo mu buryo bw’umwuka.

Nkunda cyane umurimo wo kuri Beteli, kubera ko utuma nkoresha imbaraga zanjye zose nkorera Yehova. Ariko si ko buri gihe biba byoroshye. Urugero, mu gihe cy’ikoraniro rya mbere mpuzamahanga ryabereye muri Poruto Riko mu mwaka wa 1967, nari mfite akazi kenshi. Nathan Knorr wayoboraga umurimo w’Abahamya ba Yehova yaje muri Poruto Riko. Yatekereje ko nari nirengagije gutegura gahunda yo gutwara abamisiyonari bari baje muri iryo koraniro, nubwo nari nabikoze. Yangiriye inama itajenjetse ku birebana no kugira gahunda, kandi ambwira ko nari namutengushye. Sinifuzaga kujya na we impaka, ariko numvaga narenganye kandi namaze iminsi mbabaye. Icyakora igihe jye na Maxine twongeraga guhura n’umuvandimwe Knorr, yaradutumiye turasangira.

 Twajyaga tuva muri Poruto Riko, tukajya gusura umuryango wanjye mu Bwongereza. Igihe jye na mama twemeraga ukuri, Data we ntiyakwemeye. Ariko iyo abavandimwe bo kuri Beteli bazaga gutanga disikuru, incuro nyinshi mama yarabacumbikiraga. Data yari yarazinutswe abayobozi bo mu idini rye. Yiboneye ukuntu abo bagenzuzi bo kuri Beteli biyoroshyaga bari batandukanye n’abayobozi bo mu idini rye, kandi yaje kubatizwa mu mwaka wa 1962, aba Umuhamya wa Yehova.

Umugore wanjye nkunda cyane Maxine yapfuye mu mwaka wa 2011. Ntegereje kuzongera kumubona mu gihe cy’umuzuko. Kubitekereza biranshimisha cyane. Mu myaka 58 namaranye na Maxine twiboneye ukuntu abagaragu ba Yehova bo muri Poruto Riko biyongereye, bakava kuri 650 bakagera ku 26.000. Mu mwaka wa 2013 ibiro by’ishami byo muri Poruto Riko byahurijwe hamwe n’ibyo muri Amerika, maze noherezwa gukorera i Wallkill muri leta ya New York. Numvaga narabaye nk’umuturage wo muri Poruto Riko kuko nari mazeyo imyaka 60 yose, ariko igihe cyari kigeze ngo mpave.

Ndacyishimira gukorera Imana kuri Beteli. Ubu mfite imyaka isaga 90, kandi mfite inshingano yo gutera inkunga abagize umuryango wa Beteli kuko ndi umwungeri wo mu buryo bw’umwuka. Kuva aho ngereye i Wallkill maze gusura abantu basaga 600. Bamwe mu bo tuganira baba bifuza ko mbagira inama ku bibazo byabo bwite cyangwa iby’umuryango. Abandi bo baba basaba inama ku birebana n’uko bakora neza umurimo wabo kuri Beteli. Ababa bamaze igihe gito bashatse basaba inama ku birebana n’ishyingiranwa. Bamwe bahinduriwe inshingano bajya gukora umurimo wo kubwiriza. Ntega amatwi abifuza ko tuganira bose, kandi iyo mbona bikwiriye, ndababwira nti “‘Imana ikunda utanga yishimye.’ Bityo rero mwishimire umurimo wanyu. Ni Yehova mukorera.”—2 Kor 9:7.

Kugira ngo ugire ibyishimo, waba uri kuri Beteli cyangwa ahandi hose, ugomba kuzirikana impamvu ibyo ukora bifite agaciro. Umurimo wose dukora kuri Beteli ni umurimo wera. Ugira uruhare mu gufasha ‘umugaragu wizerwa kandi w’umunyabwenge’ guha umuryango w’abavandimwe bo ku isi hose amafunguro yo mu buryo bw’umwuka (Mat 24:45). Aho twaba dukorera Yehova hose, tuba tumuhesha ikuzo. Nimureke twishimire gukora ibyo Imana idusaba, kubera ko “ikunda utanga yishimye.”