Ndinaseka chifukwa sindinkamuona mnzangayo ngati wokonda zachipembedzo. Ndinamufunsa kuti: “Umadziwa zotani zokhudza Baibulo?” Iye sanayankhe nthawi yomweyo. Kenako anandiuza kuti mayi ake anali a Mboni za Yehova ndipo anaphunzira zinthu zambiri kuchokera kwa iwo. Zinandichititsa chidwi moti ndinamupempha kuti andifotokozere zambiri.

Tinakambirana za nkhaniyi mpaka usiku kwambiri. Mnzangayu anandiuza kuti Baibulo limanena kuti Satana ndi amene akulamulira dzikoli. (Yoh. 14:30) N’kutheka kuti mwakhala mukudziwa mfundoyi kwa moyo wanu wonse. Koma kwa ine inali yachilendo komanso yochititsa chidwi. Ndinakhala ndikumva kuti Mulungu wokoma mtima ndi wachilungamo ndi amene amalamulira dzikoli. Koma zimenezi sizinkagwirizana ndi zomwe ndinkaona pa moyo wanga. Ngakhale kuti ndinali ndi zaka 26 zokha, ndinali nditaona zinthu zambiri zomwe zinkandikhumudwitsa.

Bambo anga ankagwira ntchito yoyendetsa ndege zankhondo za ku United States. Choncho ndili wamng’ono ndinkadziwa bwino kuti kukhoza kuyambika nkhondo ya zida za nyukiliya, ndipo asilikali anali okonzeka kuphulitsa mabomba. Nkhondo ya ku Vietnam inkachitika ndili kukoleji ku California. Ndinalowa m’gulu la ana a sukulu ochita ziwonetsero. Apolisi ankatithamangitsa ndi zibonga ndipo tinkathawa tikukhosomola komanso tisakuona bwinobwino chifukwa cha utsi wokhetsa misozi. Inali nthawi yovuta kwambiri komanso anthu ankaukira boma. Anthu andale ankaphedwa ndiponso kunkachitika ziwonetsero ndi zachiwawa. Aliyense anali ndi maganizo osiyana ndi a mnzake pa nkhani ya zimene ziyenera kuchitika. Panali chisokonezo chokhachokha.

Mu 1970, ndinapeza ntchito kumpoto kwa gombe la Alaska ndipo ndinapeza ndalama zambiri. Kenako ndinapita ku London komwe ndinagula njinga yamoto n’kuyamba ulendo wolowera chakum’mwera koma sindinkadziwa komwe ndinkapita. Nditayenda kwa miyezi ingapo ndinafika ku Africa. M’njira ndinkakumana ndi anthu enanso omwe ankafuna kuthawa mavuto omwe ankakumana nawo.

Chifukwa cha zimene ndinaona komanso kumva, mfundo ya m’Baibulo yoti Satana ndi amene akulamulira dzikoli inayamba kukhala yomveka kwa ine. Koma ndinkafuna nditadziwa kuti, kodi Mulungu akuchitapo zotani?

M’miyezi yotsatira ndinapeza yankho. M’kupita kwa nthawi ndinadziwa komanso kuyamba kukonda amuna ndi akazi ambiri, omwe anasonyeza kuti ndi okhulupirika kwa Mulungu woona yekha posatengera kuti akukumana ndi zotani pa moyo wawo.

Nditabwerera ku London ndinalumikizana ndi amayi ake a mnzanga uja ndipo anandipatsa Baibulo. Kenako nditapita ku Amsterdam ku Netherlands, wa Mboni wina anandiona ndikuliwerenga m’mphepete mwa msewu pogwiritsa ntchito magetsi a mumsewu ndipo anandithandiza kuti ndidziwe zambiri. Kenako ndinapita ku Dublin ku Ireland ndipo ndinapeza ofesi ya nthambi ya Mboni za Yehova. Nditagogoda ndinakumana ndi M’bale Arthur Matthews yemwe anali wanzeru komanso wodziwa zambiri. Ndinamupempha kuti azindiphunzitsa Baibulo ndipo anavomera.

Ndinkaphunzira moikirapo mtima komanso ndinkawerenga kwambiri mabuku ndi magazini ofalitsidwa ndi a Mboni. Kuwonjezera pa mabukuwo ndinkawerenganso Baibulo lenilenilo ndipo zinali zosangalatsa. Kumisonkhano yampingo ndinkaona ngakhale ana akudziwa mayankho a mafunso omwe anthu ophunzira akhala akufufuza kwa zaka zambiri, monga akuti: ‘N’chifukwa chiyani padzikoli pamachitika zoipa? Kodi Mulungu ndi ndani? Kodi chimachitika n’chiyani munthu akamwalira?’ Anzanga onse anali a Mboni. Izi zinali choncho chifukwa sindinkadziwana ndi aliyense m’dzikolo. Iwo anandithandiza kuti ndiyambe kukonda Yehova komanso kufuna kuchita chifuniro chake.

Ndinabatizidwa mu 1972. Patangotha chaka, ndinayamba upainiya komanso kusonkhana mumpingo wina waung’ono ku Newry ku Northern Ireland. Ndinkachita lendi nyumba ina yomangidwa ndi miyala, yomwe inali payokha m’mphepete mwa phiri. M’munda wa pafupi munkakhala ng’ombe ndipo ndinkayeserera nkhani zanga pafupi ndi ng’ombezo. Zinkaoneka ngati zinkamvetsera mwatcheru uku zikutafuna zinthu zomwe zadya. Ng’ombezi sizikanandipatsa malangizo koma zinandithandiza kuti ndikamakamba nkhani ndiziyang’ana anthu. Mu 1974, ndinaikidwa kukhala mpainiya wapadera ndipo ndinkachita upainiyawo ndi Nigel Pitt yemwe anakhala mnzanga wapamtima.

Pa nthawiyo ku Northern Ireland kunkachitika zachiwawa zambiri. N’chifukwa chake ena ankatchula dzikoli kuti “dziko la mabomba ndi zipolopolo.” Zinali zofala kuona anthu akumenyana m’misewu, kuwomberana komanso kuphulitsa magalimoto. Anthu ankakangana pa nkhani zandale komanso zachipembedzo. Komabe Apulotesitanti ndi Akatolika ankadziwa kuti a Mbonife sitichita nawo zandale. Choncho tinkatha kulalikira momasuka ndiponso popanda vuto. Kawirikawiri eninyumba ankadziwa nthawi komanso kumene kuchitike zachiwawa, ndipo ankatichenjeza n’cholinga choti tisakumane ndi mavuto.

Komabe, nthawi zina tinkakumana ndi zinthu zoopsa. Tsiku lina ine ndi Denis Carrigan yemwenso anali mpainiya, tinakalalikira m’tauni ina yapafupi komwe kunalibe a Mboni ndiponso tinali titangopitako kamodzi kokha m’mbuyomu. Mayi wina anayamba kutinena kuti ndife asilikali achinsinsi a ku Britain mwina chifukwa choti sitinkalankhula bwino chilankhulo cha m’dzikolo. Zimene analankhulazi zinatichititsa mantha kwambiri. Zikangodziwika kuti unkagwirizana ndi asilikali, unkaphedwa kapena kuwomberedwa pabondo. Tili tokhatokha n’kumadikira basi komanso kunja kukuzizira, tinaona galimoto ikupita kwa mzimayi uja. Atatuluka analankhula ndi azibambo awiri omwe anali m’galimotoyo ndipo iye ankatiloza ali wosangalala. Kenako azibambowo anafika pomwe tinali ndipo anatifunsa mafunso angapo okhudza nthawi yobwera basi. Basiyo itafika, iwo analankhula ndi dalaivala. Sitinkamva zomwe ankalankhula. M’basiyo munalibenso anthu ena choncho tinkaganiza kuti ankakonza zoti athane nafe tikangotuluka m’tauniyo. Koma zimenezi sizinachitike. Pamene ndinkatsika, ndinafunsa dalaivalayo kuti: “Kodi anthu aja amafunsa za ifeyo?” Iye anayankha kuti: “Ndimakudziwani ndipo ndinawafotokozera za inu. Musadandaule ndinu otetezeka.”

Pamsonkhano wachigawo womwe unachitika mu 1976 ku Dublin, ndinakumana ndi Pauline Lomax, mpainiya wapadera yemwe anachokera ku England. Iye anali mlongo wokhulupirika, wodzichepetsa komanso wokongola. Iye ndi mchimwene wake Ray anabadwira m’banja la Mboni. Patatha chaka, ine ndi Pauline tinakwatirana ndipo tinakapitiriza upainiya wapadera ku Ballymena ku Northern Ireland.

Tinachita utumiki woyang’anira dera kwakanthawi ndipo tinkatumikira abale athu ku Belfast, Londonderry ndi m’madera ena oopsa. Tinalimbikitsidwa kwambiri ndi chikhulupiriro cha abale ndi alongo athu omwe anasiya tsankho, chidani komanso ziphunzitso zachipembedzo zomwe ankazikhulupirira kwambiri poyamba, n’cholinga choti azitumikira Yehova. Ndipotu Yehova anawadalitsa komanso kuwateteza.

Ndinakhala ku Ireland kwa zaka 10. Kenako mu 1981, tinaitanidwa kuti tikalowe kalasi nambala 72 ya sukulu ya Giliyadi. Titamaliza maphunziro, tinatumizidwa ku Sierra Leone ku West Africa.

Tinkakhala m’nyumba ya amishonale ndi anzathu ena 11. M’nyumbayi munali khitchini imodzi, zimbudzi zitatu, mabafa awiri, telefoni imodzi, mashini ochapira amodzi ndi oumitsiranso amodzi. Magetsi ankazimazima komanso mosayembekezereka. Kudenga kunali makoswe ndipo pansi pankayenda njoka za mamba.

Ngakhale kuti tinkakhala movutika, tinkasangalala ndi utumiki. Anthu ankalemekeza Baibulo ndipo ankamvetsera mwachidwi. Tinaphunzira ndi anthu ambiri ndipo anayamba choonadi. Anthu a m’dzikoli ankanditchula kuti “Mr Robert.” Pauline ankamutchula kuti “Mrs Robert.” Komabe patapita nthawi, ntchito inawonjezereka ku ofesi ya nthambi ndipo sindinkalowa mu utumiki kawirikawiri. Choncho anthu anayamba kutchula Pauline kuti “Mrs Pauline” ndipo ine ankanditchula kuti “Mr Pauline.” Zimenezi zinkamusangalatsa mkazi wanga.

Abale ambiri anali osauka koma Yehova nthawi zonse ankawapatsa zomwe ankafunikira, nthawi zinanso m’njira zodabwitsa kwambiri. (Mat. 6:33) Ndikukumbukira mlongo wina yemwe anali ndi ndalama zongokwanira kugulira chakudya cha tsiku limodzi choti iye ndi ana ake adye. Koma anapatsa ndalama zonsezo m’bale wina wodwala yemwe analibe ndalama zoti agulire mankhwala a malungo. Kenako mosayembekezereka tsiku lomwelo kunabwera mayi wina yemwe anauza mlongoyo kuti amukonze tsitsi ndipo anamulipira. Zinthu ngati zimenezi zinkachitika kawirikawiri.

Tinakhala ku Sierra Leone kwa zaka 9 ndipo kenako tinatumizidwa ku Beteli ya ku Nigeria. Tsopano tinkatumikira ku ofesi ya nthambi yaikulu. Ndinkagwira ntchito ya mu ofesi yomwenso ndinkagwira ku Sierra Leone. Koma kwa Pauline, kumeneku kunali kusintha kwakukulu ndipo sizinali zophweka. Iye ankalalikira kwa maola 130 mwezi uliwonse, ndipo anali ndi maphunziro a Baibulo opita patsogolo. Tsopano iye anapatsidwa ntchito yosoka ndipo ankatha masiku ambiri akusoka zovala zong’ambika. Zinamutengera nthawi kuti azolowere, koma kenako anazindikira kuti ena ankayamikira kwambiri ntchito yomwe ankagwira ndipo ankayesetsa kupeza mipata yolimbikitsa atumiki anzake a pa Beteli.

Chikhalidwe cha ku Nigeria chinali chatsopano kwa ife, ndipo panali zambiri zoti tiphunzire. Pa nthawi ina m’bale anabwera mu ofesi mwanga ndi mlongo wina yemwe anali atangoitanidwa kumene pa Beteli. Pamene ndinafuna kumupatsa moni, mlongoyo anagwada n’kundiweramira. Ndinadabwa kwambiri. Nthawi yomweyo ndinakumbukira lemba la Machitidwe 10:25, 26 komanso Chivumbulutso 19:10. Ndinadzifunsa kuti, ‘Kodi ndimuletse kuti asachite zimenezi?’ Koma mwamsanga ndinazindikira kuti mlongoyo anali ataitanidwa ku Beteli ndipo ayenera kuti ankadziwa zimene Baibulo limaphunzitsa.

Ndinali womangika pa nthawi yonse yomwe tinkakambitsirana. Kenako nditafufuza, ndinapeza kuti mlongoyo ankatsatira mwambo wachikhalidwe womwe pa nthawiyo unkachitikabe m’madera ena a m’dzikolo. Amuna ankachitanso zimenezi ndipo inali njira yosonyezera ulemu. Sikunali kulambira, ndipo m’Malemba mulinso zitsanzo ngati zimenezi. (1 Sam. 24:8) Ndinasangalala kuti ngakhale kuti sindinkadziwa, sindinalankhule chilichonse chomwe chikanakhumudwitsa mlongo wangayo.

Ku Nigeria tinadziwana ndi abale ambiri omwe anasonyeza chikhulupiriro kwa zaka zambiri. Taganizirani za M’bale Isaiah Adagbona. a Iye anaphunzira choonadi ali wachinyamata koma kenako anapezeka ndi khate. Anatumizidwa kumalo osungirako anthu odwala khate komwe wa Mboni analiko yekha. Ngakhale kuti ankatsutsidwa, iye anathandiza anthu oposa 30 akhate kuti aphunzire choonadi ndipo anakhazikitsa mpingo kumeneko.

Mu 1996 tinatumizidwa ku nthambi ya ku Kenya. Aka kanali koyamba kubwereranso m’dzikoli kuchokera pa nthawi yomwe ndaifotokoza kumayambiriro ija. Tinkakhala ku Beteli. Alendo ena omwe ankabwera ku Beteli anali anyani. Iwo ankalanda zipatso zomwe alongo atenga. Tsiku lina mlongo wina anasiya windo lake lili losatseka. Atabwera anapeza kuti banja lina la anyani likudya zakudya zomwe linapeza m’chipinda chake. Iye anafuula n’kuthawira panja. Anyaniwonso anakuwa n’kutulukira pawindo.

Ine ndi Pauline tinayamba kusonkhana mpingo wa Chiswahili. Patangopita kanthawi, ndinauzidwa kuti ndizichititsa Phunziro la Buku la Mpingo (panopa limadziwika kuti Phunziro la Baibulo la Mpingo). Komabe sindinkachidziwa bwino chilankhulochi. Ndinkaphunziriratu nkhaniyo n’cholinga choti ndizikatha kuwerenga mafunso. Koma mayankho a abale akangosiyana ngakhale pang’ono ndi zomwe zalembedwa, sindinkamva. Zinali zovuta kwambiri ndipo ndinkawamvera chisoni abale ndi alongo. Ndinasangalala kwambiri kuti moleza mtima ndiponso modzichepetsa analola kuti ndizichititsa phunziroli.

Tinakhala ku Kenya kwa nthawi yosakwana chaka. Kenako mu 1997 tinaitanidwa kuti tikatumikire ku Beteli ya ku Brooklyn ku New York. Tsopano tinafika m’dziko limene anthu ambiri ndi olemera, zomwenso zingabweretse mavuto ena. (Miy. 30:8, 9) Koma ngakhale m’dziko ngati limeneli, abale ndi alongo ali ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba. Iwo amagwiritsa ntchito nthawi ndi zinthu zawo, osati kuti adzilemeretse, koma kuthandizira pa ntchito ya gulu la Yehova.

Kwa zaka zambiri takhala tikuona Akhristu anzathu akusonyeza chikhulupiriro m’mikhalidwe yosiyanasiyana. Ku Ireland anasonyeza chikhulupiriro ngakhale kuti kunali ziwawa. Ku Africa anasonyeza chikhulupiriro ngakhale kuti kunali umphawi komanso tsankho. Ndipo ku United States amasonyeza chikhulupiriro ngakhale kuti anthu ambiri m’dzikolo ndi olemera. Yehova ayenera kuti amasangalala kwambiri akamaona anthu amene amasonyeza kuti amamukonda m’mikhalidwe yosiyanasiyana.

Zaka zadutsa mofulumira kwambiri “kuposa mmene chimathamangira chowombera nsalu.” (Yobu 7:6) Panopa tili kulikulu la padziko lonse ku Warwick ku New York ndipo tikusangalala kupitiriza kutumikira ndi anthu omwe amakondanadi. Ndife osangalala komanso okhutira ndipo timachita zonse zomwe tingathe pothandiza Mfumu yathu Khristu Yesu, yemwe posachedwapa adzapereke mphoto kwa onse okhulupirika.​—Mat. 25:34.