Mu ntangiriro z’imyaka ya 1940, Abahamya ba Yehova batangiye kwigisha ababyeyi bange Bibiliya. Nubwo ababyeyi bange batakomeje kwiga Bibiliya, mama yakomeje gufata amagazeti y’Umunara w’Umurinzi na Nimukanguke! Mu mwaka wa 1950, habaye ikoraniro mpuzamahanga mu mugi wa New York, kandi umuryango wacu warigiyemo.

Nyuma yaho umuvandimwe witwa Lawrence Jeffries yatangiye kujya adusura. Yagerageje kunyigisha Bibiliya, ariko mbanza kubyanga, kubera ko ntumvaga impamvu Abahamya ba Yehova batajya muri poritike cyangwa mu gisirikare. Namubwiye ko abantu bo muri Amerika bose baramutse banze kujya mu ntambara, abanzi batera igihugu maze bakagifata. Hanyuma umuvandimwe Jeffries yarambajije ati: “Ese abantu bose bo muri Amerika baramutse bamenye Yehova kandi bakamukorera, maze abanzi babo bakabatera, wumva Yehova yakora iki?” Icyo kibazo yambajije hamwe n’ibindi bintu twagiye tuganiraho, byatumye mbona ko ibyo navugaga nta shingiro byari bifite. Ibyo byatumye nifuza kumenya byinshi kuri Bibiliya.

Namaraga igihe kinini nsoma amagazeti ya kera y’Umunara w’Umurinzi na Nimukanguke! mama yari yarabitse. Naje kubona ko ibyo nasomaga ari ukuri, maze nemera ko Jeffries anyigisha Bibiliya. Natangiye no kujya mu materaniro buri gihe. Nakundaga cyane ibyo nigaga, ku buryo naje kuba umubwiriza w’ubutumwa bwiza. Maze kumenya ko “umunsi ukomeye wa Yehova” uri hafi, nahinduye intego nari mfite (Zef 1:14). Ubwo rero, niyemeje gufasha abandi kumenya ukuri ko muri Bibiliya, aho kwiga kaminuza.

Narangije amashuri yisumbuye ku itariki ya 13 Kamena 1956, maze nyuma y’iminsi itatu mbatizwa mu ikoraniro ry’akarere. Icyo gihe sinari nzi ko kwiga ibyerekeye Yehova no kubimenyesha abandi, byari kuzatuma mbona imigisha myinshi.

Hashize amezi atandatu mbatijwe, nabaye umupayiniya w’igihe cyose. Mu Murimo Wacu w’Ubwami wo mu kwezi k’Ukuboza 1956, hasohotsemo ingingo yashishikarizaga abantu kujya kubwiriza mu duce twari tutarabwirizwamo cyane. Ibyo byatumye numva nange najyayo. Nifuzaga kujya kubwiriza ubutumwa bwiza ahantu nk’aho.—Mat 24:14.

Nimukiye mu mugi wa Edgefield, muri Karolina y’Epfo. Itorero nagiyemo ryarimo ababwiriza bane gusa. Ubwo nagezemo ndi uwa gatanu. Icyo gihe twateraniraga muri saro y’inzu y’umuvandimwe. Buri kwezi nabwirizaga amasaha 100. Nahoraga mpuze, kubera ko namaraga igihe kinini mu murimo wo kubwiriza kandi ntanga ibiganiro mu materaniro. Gukora byinshi mu itorero, byatumye ndushaho kumenya Yehova.

Hari umugore nigishaga Bibiliya wari ufite inzu batunganyirizagamo imirambo mbere yo kuyishyingura, yari mu mugi wa Johnston, hafi y’aho twari dutuye. Uwo mugore yampaye akazi nari kujya nkora igihe gito kandi aduha n’akazu gato ko guteraniramo.

Nyuma yaho Jolly Jeffries, umuhungu wa wa muvandimwe wanyigishije Bibiliya, yavuye i Brooklyn muri New York, yimukira aho twari dutuye maze dufatanya gukora umurimo w’ubupayiniya. Twabanaga mu kazu gato gakururwa n’imodoka, umuvandimwe yari yaradutije.

Icyo gihe mu magepfo ya Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, abakozi bahembwaga amafaranga make cyane. Twahembwaga amadorari abiri cyangwa atatu ku munsi. Umunsi umwe nari mvuye kugura ibyokurya, nta dufaranga na duke nsigaranye. Hanyuma nahuye n’umugabo arambwira ati: “Ese urashaka akazi? Ubyemeye najya nguhemba idorari ku isaha?” Yampaye ikiraka k’iminsi itatu cyo gukora isuku ahantu bubakaga. Ibyo byanyeretse ko Yehova yifuzaga ko nguma mu mugi wa Edgefield. Nubwo nahembwaga amafaranga make, nabashije kujya mu ikoraniro mpuzamahanga ryabereye mu mugi wa New York, mu mwaka wa 1958.

Hari ikintu kidasanzwe cyabaye ku munsi wa kabiri w’ikoraniro. Nahuye na mushiki wacu witwa Ruby Wadlington, wari umupayiniya w’igihe cyose mu mugi wa Gallatin, muri leta ya Tenesi. Kubera ko twese twifuzaga kuba abamisiyonari, twagiye mu nama y’abifuzaga kwiga Ishuri rya Gileyadi yabereye muri iryo koraniro. Bidatinze twatangiye kujya twandikirana. Nyuma yaho nagiye gutanga disikuru muri uwo mugi yari atuyemo. Icyo gihe namusabye ko twazabana. Naje kwimukira mu itorero Ruby yateraniragamo, hanyuma dukora ubukwe mu mwaka wa 1959.

Igihe nari maze kugira imyaka 23, nabaye umuhuzabikorwa w’inteko y’abasaza (icyo gihe witwaga umukozi w’itorero) mu itorero ryo mu mugi wa Gallatin. Umuvandimwe Charles Thompson akimara kuba umugenzuzi w’akarere, itorero ryacu ni ryo yasuye bwa mbere. Nubwo yari umuvandimwe w’inararibonye, yangishaga inama. Urugero, yambazaga ibibazo abavandimwe bahanganye na byo n’uko abandi bagenzuzi basura amatorero bagiye  babikemura. Namwigiyeho ko ngomba kubanza kubaza ibibazo kandi nkamenya uko ibintu byose bimeze, mbere yo gufata umwanzuro.

Muri Gicurasi 1964, nize Ishuri ry’Umurimo w’Ubwami ryabereye mu mugi wa South Lansing, muri leta ya New York ryamaze ukwezi kumwe. Abavandimwe batwigishije muri iryo shuri, batumye nifuza kurushaho kumenya Yehova no kuba inshuti ye.

Muri Mutarama 1965, ibiro by’ishami byansabye kuba umugenzuzi w’akarere. Akarere kacu kari kanini, kuko kavaga mu mugi wa Knoxville wo muri leta ya Tenesi, kakagera hafi mu mugi wa Richmond muri leta ya Virijiniya. Ako karere kari kagizwe n’amatorero yo muri leta ya Karolina ya Ruguru, Kentuki no muri Virijiniya y’i Burengerazuba. Nasuraga amatorero y’abirabura gusa, kuko icyo gihe mu magepfo ya Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika hari hakiri ivangura, ku buryo abirabura batashoboraga guteranira hamwe n’abazungu. Icyo gihe abavandimwe bari bakennye. Ni yo mpamvu twitoje gusangira na bo ibyo twari dufite. Umuvandimwe wari umaze igihe ari umugenzuzi w’akarere, yangiriye inama yamfashije cyane. Yarambwiye ati: “Uge witwara nk’umuvandimwe, aho kuba umutware w’abagize itorero. Abavandimwe na bashiki bacu nibabona ko uri umuvandimwe wabo, ni bwo uzashobora kubafasha.”

Hari igihe nge na Ruby twasuye itorero ryarimo ababwiriza bake, maze Ruby atangira kwigisha umugore muto wari ufite umwana w’umukobwa w’umwaka umwe. Icyakora muri iryo torero habuze umuntu ukomeza kumwigisha Bibiliya, maze Ruby akajya amwigisha akoresheje amabaruwa. Igihe twasubiraga gusura iryo torero, uwo mugore yazaga mu materaniro yose. Nyuma yaho, hari bashiki bacu b’abapayiniya ba bwite bimukiye muri iryo torero bakomeza kumwigisha Bibiliya, maze bidatinze arabatizwa. Mu mwaka wa 1995 hashize imyaka 30, igihe twari turi kuri Beteli y’i Patterson, hari mushiki wacu wari ukiri muto waje maze yibwira Ruby. Uwo mushiki wacu yari umwana wa wa mugore Ruby yigishije Bibiliya. We n’umugabo we bari baraje kwiga Ishuri ry’i 100 rya Gileyadi.

Akarere ka kabiri twagiyemo, kari kagizwe n’amatorero yo muri leta ya Folorida yo hagati. Icyo gihe twari dukeneye imodoka kandi twayibonye itaduhenze. Icyakora hatarashira n’icyumweru, moteri yagize ikibazo kandi nta n’amafaranga twari dufite yo kuyikoresha. Naterefonnye umuvandimwe nari nzi ko yadufasha, maze yohereza umukozi we ngo aze kuyikora. Icyakora yanze ko tumwishyura. Ahubwo yaratubwiye ati: “Muhumure, byakemutse.” Nanone yaduhaye amafaranga. Ibyo byatweretse ukuntu Yehova yita ku bagaragu be, kandi bitwigisha ko natwe tugomba gufasha abandi.

Iyo twasuraga amatorero, twacumbikaga mu ngo z’abavandimwe. Ibyo byatumye tubona inshuti nyinshi. Umunsi umwe nari ndimo nandika raporo y’itorero, maze nyisiga mu mashini yandika ariko ntarayirangiza. Nimugoroba ntashye, nasanze akana k’agahungu k’imyaka itatu ko muri uwo muryango, kakomereje aho nari ngeze, karangiza iyo raporo. Namaze imyaka myinshi nserereza uwo mwana ibyo yakoze.

Mu mwaka wa 1971, nabonye ibaruwa ivuye ku biro by’ishami, yansabaga kuba umugenzuzi w’intara mu mugi wa New York. Byarantunguye, kubera ko icyo gihe nari nkiri muto mfite imyaka 34 gusa. Icyo gihe abavandimwe banyakiranye urugwiro, nubwo ari nge mugenzuzi w’intara wa mbere w’umwirabura bari babonye.

Igihe nari umugenzuzi w’intara, nishimiraga kwigisha abandi ibyerekeye Yehova mu makoraniro y’akarere, yabaga buri cyumweru. Abagenzuzi b’akarere benshi bari inararibonye kundusha. Urugero, umwe muri bo, ni we watanze disikuru y’umubatizo igihe nabatizwaga. Undi ni umuvandimwe Theodore Jaracz, waje kuba umwe mu bagize Inteko Nyobozi. Nanone mu turere nasuraga, harimo abavandimwe b’inararibonye bakoraga kuri Beteli y’i Brooklyn. Abo bagenzuzi basura amatorero hamwe n’abo bakozi ba Beteli, bakoraga uko bashoboye kugira ngo numve nisanzuye. Ibyo byaranshimishaga cyane. Niboneye ko abo bavandimwe bari abungeri barangwa n’urukundo, bakurikiza Ijambo ry’Imana kandi bagashyigikira umuryango wayo. Kuba baricishaga bugufi, byatumye gusohoza iyo nshingano binyorohera.

Mu mwaka wa 1974, hari abandi bagenzuzi b’uturere Inteko Nyobozi yagize abagenzuzi b’intara, maze nge nongera kuba umugenzuzi w’akarere muri  Karolina y’Epfo. Nashimishijwe n’uko icyo gihe muri Amerika y’Epfo ivangura ryari ryarashize, ku buryo abagize itorero bose bashoboraga guteranira hamwe, baba abazungu cyangwa abirabura. Ibyo byashimishije abavandimwe cyane.

Mu mpera z’umwaka wa 1976, nahawe inshingano yo gusura amatorero yo muri leta ya Jeworujiya mu mugi wa Atlanta na Columbus. Hari igihe abagizi ba nabi batwitse inzu maze abana batanu b’abirabura bahiramo. Ndibuka ko icyo gihe ari nge watanze disikuru yo gushyingura. Mama wabo yajyanywe mu bitaro, kubera ko yari yakomeretse. Abavandimwe benshi cyane b’abirabura n’abazungu, bazaga gusura abo babyeyi ku bitaro kugira ngo babahumurize. Icyo gihe nabonye ko abavandimwe bakundana cyane. Iyo abavandimwe bagaragarizanyije impuhwe nk’izo, bituma bihanganira ibibazo bitoroshye bahura na byo.

Mu mwaka wa 1977, nge n’umugore wange twasabwe kujya kuri Beteli y’i Brooklyn kugira ngo tuhakore igihe gito. Igihe twagombaga kuhamara kenda kurangira, abavandimwe babiri bo mu Nteko Nyobozi bambajije niba nge n’umugore wange twakwemera gukora kuri Beteli igihe cyose, maze turabyemera.

Namaze imyaka 24 nkora mu Rwego Rushinzwe Umurimo kandi abavandimwe bakora muri urwo rwego, hari igihe baba bagomba gukemura ibibazo bikomeye. Hashize imyaka myinshi Inteko Nyobozi itanga amabwiriza ashingiye kuri Bibiliya, dukwiriye gukurikiza. Ayo mabwiriza atuma abavandimwe bakora muri urwo rwego rw’imirimo bashobora gusubiza ibibazo bitandukanye, kandi akabafasha gutoza abagenzuzi basura amatorero, abasaza n’abapayiniya. Ibyo byatumye abavandimwe na bashiki bacu benshi baba Abakristo bakuze mu buryo bw’umwuka, kandi bituma n’umuryango wa Yehova urushaho gukomera.

Kuva mu mwaka wa 1995 kugeza mu mwaka wa 2018, nasuye ibiro by’amashami byinshi, mpagarariye ikicaro gikuru. Mbere abavandimwe basohozaga iyo nshingano bitwaga abagenzuzi ba zone. Icyo gihe nahuraga n’abavandimwe bo muri komite z’ibiro by’amashami, abakozi ba Beteli n’abamisiyonari, nkabatera inkunga kandi nkabafasha gukemura ibibazo bitandukanye babaga bafite. Nanone abo bavandimwe batubwiraga inkuru z’ibyababayeho, maze zikadutera inkunga, nge n’umugore wange. Urugero, mu mwaka wa 2000 nasuye u Rwanda. Kumva inkuru z’abavandimwe ndetse n’iz’abagize umuryango wa Beteli barokotse jenoside yakorewe Abatutsi yabaye mu mwaka wa 1994, byadukoze ku mutima cyane. Abenshi bari barapfushije bene wabo. Nubwo abo bavandimwe bari baranyuze mu bihe bikomeye, bakomeje kugira ukwizera, ibyiringiro n’ibyishimo.

Ubu nge n’umugore wange turengeje imyaka 80 kandi maze imyaka 20 ndi muri Komite y’Ibiro by’Ishami bya Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika. Sinigeze niga kaminuza, ariko ibyo Yehova n’umuryango we banyigishije, biruta kure cyane ayo mashuri nari kwiga. Nanone byatumye mfasha abandi kumenya inyigisho zo muri Bibiliya, zizatuma babona ubuzima bw’iteka (2 Kor 3:5; 2 Tim 2:2). Niboneye ukuntu izo nyigisho zagiye zifasha abantu guhinduka, kandi zikabafasha kuba inshuti za Yehova (Yak 4:8). Ubu nge na Ruby dukomeza gukora uko dushoboye kugira ngo dutere abandi inkunga yo kumenya byinshi kuri Yehova, no kugeza ku bandi inyigisho zo muri Bibiliya. Iyo ni yo nshingano nziza cyane buri mugaragu wa Yehova afite.