INE ndabalwa mu caka 1923 ku Hemsworth, mu nzinda wa Yorkshire, ku Inglatera. Ndikhali na m’bale wanga wankulu akhacemerwa Bob. Pikhali ine na pyaka pipfemba, babathu agumana mabukhu mazinji akhafokotoza kuti uphemberi wauthambi usanyengeza kakamwe anthu. Baba adzumatirwa na pikhaleri iye, thangwi nee akhakomerwa na atsogoleri a mauphemberi akuti akhacita pinthu pyakusiyana na pikhapfundzisa iwo. Pakupita pyaka pingasi, Bob Atkinson abwera kunyumba kwathu mbaliza ibodzi mwa nkhani za M’bale Rutherford. Ife tadzindikira kuti nkhani ineyi yabuluka mu nsoka ubodzi ene udabulusa mabukhu akhaleri Baba. Anyakubalanga acemera M’bale Atkinson toera kudzadya pabodzi na ife masiku onsene mbatawira mibvundzo yathu mizinji ya m’Bhibhlya. Iye atiphemba toera kuenda kumisonkhano pa nyumba ya m’bale yakuti ikhali kutali pang’ono. Tatoma kusonkhana ndzidzi onsene, pontho mukupita kwa ndzidzi wakhazikiswa mpingo ku Hemsworth. Mwakukhonda dembuka takhala na atumiki a pacisa (cincino asadziwika na ayang’aniri a cisa) na apainiya adabuluka m’mipingo ya pacisa akuti akhadya pabodzi na ife. Citsandzo ca abale na alongo anewa candiphedza kakamwe.

Mu ndzidzi unoyu banja yathu yatoma kucita malonda. Mbwenye Baba apanga m’bale wanga: “Ungafuna kutumikira ninga mpainiya, khala wakusudzuka.” Bob atawira, mbabuluka panyumba toera kutumikira ninga mpainiya pikhali iye na pyaka 21 pyakubalwa. Mudapita pyaka piwiri, pikhali ine na pyaka 16 ndadzakhalambo mpainiya. Kumala kwa sumana ndikhaphata basa na andzanga, mbwenye pakati pa sumana ndikhaphata ndekha. Ndikhaphatisira gramafone na cartão de testemunho, yakuti ikhali ing’ono, pontho ikhali na mphangwa zakukhonda nentsa za Bhibhlya. Yahova andipasa nkhombo thangwi yakukhala na nyakupfundza Bhibhlya wakuti akhathambaruka kakamwe. Mukupita kwa ndzidzi, acibale ace adziwambo undimomwene. Pakumala caka cibodzi, ndakhazikiswa ninga mpainiya wakupambulika pabodzi na Mary Henshall. Ife tatumizwa ku cisa cakukhonda mwazwa mphangwa, ku dziko ya Cheshire.

Mu ndzidzi wa Nkhondo Yaciwiri Ya Dziko Yonsene Yapantsi, akazi akhafunika kuphata basa toera kuphedzera nkhondo. Atsogoleri anango a mauphemberi akhakhonda kuenda ku nkhondo, natenepa ife tanyerezera kuti ninga apainiya akupambulika  tikhafunikambo kukhonda. Mbwenye atongi akhonda, natenepa ndafungirwa n’kaidi mbandimala ntsiku 31. Pakumala caka cibodzi, pikhali ine na pyaka 19, ndikhafunika kuenda katongwa maulendo mawiri thangwi cikumbuntima canga nee cikhanditawirisa kuphedzera nkhondo. Mbwenye maulendo anewa atongi aona kuti nee ndikhali na mulando. Mu ndzidzi unoyu, ndadzindikira kuti nzimu wakucena ukhandiphedza, pontho Yahova akhandipasa cipapo na mphambvu.—Izaiya 41:10, 13.

Ine na Arthur Matthews taonana mu caka 1946. Arthur akhali n’kaidi miyezi mitatu thangwi yakukhonda kuenda kunkhondo. Pidabuluswa iye kwene n’kaidi, aphata basa pabodzi na m’bale wace Dennis, ninga mpainiya wakupambulika ku Hemsworth. Babawo akhadaapfundzisa pya Yahova kutomera mu uwana wawo, pontho abatizwa pikhali iwo aphale. Pidatumikira iwo pabodzi ninga apainiya mu ndzidzi ungasi, Dennis atumizwa ku Irlanda. Natenepa Arthur akhadasala ekha. Anyakubala anga adzudzumika kakamwe na mwanawo. Natenepa ancemera toera akhale pabodzi. Pidaenda ine kaaona, ine na Arthur taphedzana kutsuka maparato pakumala kudya. Mukupita kwa ndzidzi tatoma kulemberana matsamba unango na ndzace. Mu caka 1948, Arthur afungirwa pontho n’kaidi miyezi mitatu. Ife tamanga banja mwezi wa Janeiro mu caka 1949, pontho cifuno cathu cikhali kupitiriza m’basa ya ndzidzi onsene pingakwanisika. Tikhaphatisira mwandzeru kobiri yathu, pontho mu ndzidzi wa ferya tikhagulisa misapo toera kugumana kobiri. Na nkhombo za Yahova, ife tapitiriza kutumikira ninga apainiya.

Mudapita caka cibodzi, taphembwa toera katumikira ku Irlanda wa ku Norte, pakutoma taenda ku Armagh, buluka peno taenda ku Newry, mizinda ineyi ikhali ya Akatolika. Mwenemu, mauphemberi akhasankhulana kakamwe, natenepa tikhafunika kucita mphole-mphole kakamwe na kukhala akucenjera pakumwaza mphangwa. Misonkhano yathu tikhacitira n’nyumba za abale na alongo, nsindzo wa makilometru 16. Midzidzi inango tikhasonkhana anthu asere. Midzidzi inango tikhagona kweneko. Tikhagona pantsi, m’mangwana mwace namacibese tikhaphika nkhuce. Ndi pyakutsandzayisa kakamwe kudziwa kuti cisa ceneci ciri na Mboni za Yahova zizinji lero.

M’bale wanga na nkazace, Lottie, akhadatumikira kale ninga apainiya akupambulika ku Irlanda wa ku Norte, pontho mu caka 1952 unai wathu taenda ku nsonkhano wa gawo ku Belfast. M’bale atitambira mwadidi, natenepa unai wathu tafikira panyumba pace pabodzi na Pryce Hughes, buluka penepo tadzakhala na ntumiki wa ku Bheteli ya Britanya. Ntsiku inango namasiku tikhacedza pya bukhu ipswa, O Caminho de Deus é Amor, yakuti ikhadacitirwa basi ene anthu a ku Irlanda. M’bale Hughes afokotoza kuti pikhali pyakunentsa toera kumwazira mphangwa anthu a uphemberi wa Katolika ku Republika ya Irlanda. Abale akhakakamizwa toera kubuluka m’mbuto ikakhala iwo, pontho mapadhri akhakulumiza anthu toera kupomokera abale athu. Pryce alonga: “Ife tisafuna mabanja akuti ali na miotokala toera kucita khundu mu kampanya yakugawira bukhu ineyi n’dziko ino yonsene.” * (Onani cidzindikiro capantsi.) Ndi ndzidzi unoyu udalonga ife: “Tinacita pyenepi!”

 Mbuto ibodzi yakuti apainiya mbadakwanisa kukhala ndzidzi onsene ikhali ku Dublin panyumba ya Ma Rutland, mulongo wakuti atumikira Yahova mwakukhulupirika mu pyaka pizinji. Ife tikhaenda kafikirambo panyumba pace, pontho tagulisa pinthu pyathu. Buluka penepo, unai wathu takwira mota wa Bob wakuti uli na ngolo mbitienda kasaka motokala. Tagumana motokala wakale wakuti ukhali mwadidi, mbatiphemba munthu adagula na ife toera kutiphedza kutekenya thangwi nee m’bodzi wa ife akhadziwa kutekenya. Arthur aphuphudza nee kugona, mbakanyerezera kuti anatekenya tani motokala unoyu. Mangwana mwace namacibese, mu ndzidzi ukhayesera iye kutekenya motokala toera kubuluka nawo n’nyumba inakoyerwa motokala, misionaryo anacemerwa Mildred Willett (wakuti mukupita kwa ndzidzi amanga banja na John Barr) abwera kudzationa. Iye akhadziwa kutekenya! Atipfundzisa kutekenya, natenepa tikhali dzololo toera kucita ulendo.

Buluka penepo, tikhafunika kugumana mbuto toera kukhala. Abale akhadatipanga toera kucalira kukhala mu caravana thangwi anyamalwa mbadaipisa. Natenepa ife tasaka nyumba, mbwenye nee taigumana. Masiku anewa unai wathu tagona m’motokala. Mangwana mwace tonsene tagumana nyumba ing’ono na makama mawiri mang’ono. Nyumba ineyi yadzakhala yathu. Mwakutsandzayisa, nee tikhali na nkandzo wa mbuto toera kuikha caravana. Ife tikhafunika kumwaza mphangwa ku cisa cakutali cakuti cikhali na nsindzo wa makilometru 16 mpaka 24. Mudafuluka ife mbitienda cisa cinango, tikhafunika kubwerera pontho toera kumwaza mphangwa kuna anthu a mbuto ikhadafikira ife.

Ife tamwaza mphangwa nyumba zonsene ku sudeste wa Republika ya Irlanda mwakukhonda kutcingwa. Tagawira mabukhu akupiringana 20.000, mbatitumiza madzina a anthu onsene akhapangiza cifuno ku Bheteli ya Britanya. Ndi pyakutsandzayisa kakamwe kudziwa kuti ku Irlanda kuna abale na alongo azinji cincino!

Mudapita pyaka pingasi, tatumizwa ku sul de Londres. Mudapita masumana mangasi, abale adabuluka ku Bheteli ya Britanya acemera Arthur mbamphemba toera kutumikira ninga muyang’aniri wa cisa pa ntsiku idatowera! Tikhapfundza pa sumana mbaticita ulendo na muyang’aniri wathu wa cisa mu Escócia, natenepa Arthur nee akhali na ndzidzi uzinji toera kukhunganyika nkhani zace. Mbwenye iye ndzidzi onsene akhali dzololo toera kucita basa yonsene ya Mulungu, mwakukhonda tsalakana kunentsa kwa basa. Citsandzo cace candiwangisa kakamwe. Mwandimomwene tikhakomerwa kakamwe na basa ikhacita ife. Pidamala ife kuphata basa mu cisa ceneci mu pyaka pingasi, tikhatsandzaya kakamwe pabodzi na abale na alongo azinji.

Mu ndzidzi udacemerwa Arthur ku Xikola ya Gileade mu caka 1962, tikhafunika kucita macinjo makulu. Xikola ineyi mbidamala miyezi khumi, mbwenye nee ndikhafunika kuenda pabodzi na iye thangwi nee ndikhadacemerwa. Ife taona kuti pikhali pyadidi Arthur atawire ncemerero unoyu. Nakuti nee ndikhali na mpainiya ndzanga, Bheteli yandiphemba toera kubwerera ku Hemsworth toera katumikira ninga mpainiya wakupambulika. Mudamalisa Arthur xikola ineyi, tapaswa basa yakutumikira ninga muyang’aniri wa cisa. Cisa cathu cikhaphataniza Escócia, Inglatera wa ku norte na Irlanda wa ku Norte.

Mu caka 1964, Arthur akhazikiswa ninga ntumiki wa Bheteli ku Republika ya Irlanda. Pakutoma, ndikhagopa kuenda ku Bheteli thangwi ndikhakomerwa kakamwe na basa ikhacita ine ninga muyang’aniri wa cisa. Ndinganyerezera pidacita ine, ndisapereka takhuta kakamwe thangwi ya mwai wakutumikira pa Bheteli. Ndisanyindira kuti mungatawira basa, maseze nee muli na cinyindiro cakuti munakwanisa kuicita, Yahova anakupasani nkhombo. Pa Bheteli, ndaphata basa mu ofesi, kutsalakana mabukhu, kuphika na kutsalakana pya unyai. Mu ndzidzi ungasi, tatumikira ninga muyang’aniri wa gawo mbandidziwana na abale akusiyana-siyana. Tingaona kuthambaruka kwa anyakupfundza athu a Bhibhlya, pisawangisa abale na alongo athu ku Irlanda. Ndi pyakutsandzayisa kakamwe!

Nsonkhano wakutoma wa dziko yonsene ku Irlanda wacitwa mu nzinda wa Dublin mu caka 1965. * (Onani cidzindikiro capantsi.) Maseze tikhatcingwa, nsonkhano wacitwa mwadidi. Anthu adagumanika pa nsonkhano unoyu akhali 3.948 na 65 abatizwa. Anthu akukwana 3.500 afikira m’manyumba mwa abale ku Dublin. Anaciro nyumba onsene atambira matsamba akupereka takhuta. Pontho iwo asimba kakamwe makhaliro adidi a abale. Mwandimomwene akhali macinjo adidi kakamwe ku Irlanda.

Mu caka 1966, Irlanda wa ku norte na wa ku sul akhadabvungazwa mbatsalakanwa na Bheteli ya ku Dublin. Kubvungazwa kweneku kukhali kwakusiyana kakamwe na pikhacitika mu Irlanda onsene wakuti anthu akhagawana thangwi ya ndale za dziko na mauphemberi. Takomerwa pikhaona ife Akatolika azinji mbakapfundza undimomwene na kutumikira Yahova pabodzi na abale awo akuti akhali a uphemberi unango.

Mu caka 2011 umaso wathu wacinja kakamwe pidagumanyizwa Bheteli ya Britanya na Irlanda, pontho ife taphembwa toera katumikira ku Bheteli ya ku London. Mu ndzidzi unoyu, ndatoma kudzudzumika na ungumi wa Arthur. Iye akhadaphatwa na utenda wa Parkinson. Mwakutsukwalisa, ntsiku 20 ya mwezi wa Maio wa caka 2015, mamunanga alowa na pyaka 66 pyakubalwa.

Mpaka lero, ine ndiciri wakutsukwala kakamwe. Mbadzati kufa Arthur akhali na ine ndzidzi onsene. Ndantsuwa kakamwe! Mbwenye munthu angathimbana na makhaliro ninga anewa, asakhala cifupi na Yahova. Ndisatsandzaya kakamwe kudziwa kuti anthu anango akhafuna kakamwe Arthur. Ndikhatambira matsamba a abale na alongo a ku Irlanda, Britanya na ku Estados Unidos. Matsamba anewa, pabodzi na ciwangiso cidatambira ine kuna m’bale wace Arthur, nkazace, Mavis na adzukulu anga Ruth na Judy, andiphedza kakamwe kupiringana pikhadikhira ine.

Lemba idandiwangisa kakamwe ndi Izaiya 30:18. Iyo isalonga: ‘Yahova anadzapitiriza kudikhira toera kukuphedzani, natenepa iye anadzalamuka toera kukupangizani ntsisi. Thangwi Yahova ndi Mulungu wa kutonga miseru. Anyakutsandzaya ndi ale anapitiriza kudikhira iye.’ Mwandimomwene pisandibalangaza kakamwe kudziwa kuti Yahova asapitiriza kudikhira toera kumalisa nyatwa zathu zonsene na kutipasa mabasa akutsandzayisa n’dziko ipswa.

Ndinganyerezera pyonsene pidaticitikira, ndisaona kuti Yahova akhatitsogolera na kupasa nkhombo basa yakumwaza mphangwa ku Irlanda. Ndisapibva kuti ndi mwai ukulu kakamwe kukhala m’bodzi wa ale akhaphedzera basa ineyi. Mwandimomwene kucita pinafuna Yahova ndzidzi onsene kusabweresa nkhombo.