Bambo anga anali m’busa wa chipembedzo cha United Church of Canada, choncho mlungu uliwonse ankanditumiza ineyo ndi mchemwali wanga ku Sande Sukulu, kenako tinkapita kukachita nawo mapemphero a 11 koloko m’mawa. Masana tinkapita ndi amayi ku Nyumba ya Ufumu. Tinkatha kuoneratu kuti pali kusiyana pakati pa zipembedzo ziwirizi.

Mayi anga ankakonda kuuza banja la a Bob ndi Marion Hutcheson, omwe anali anzawo, zimene ankakhulupirira ndipo nawonso anavomera kuphunzira Baibulo. Mu 1958, M’bale ndi Mlongo Hutcheson ananditenga limodzi ndi ana awo aamuna atatu popita kumsonkhano wa mayiko wa masiku 8, wa mutu wakuti “Chifuniro cha Mulungu,” womwe unachitikira ku New York City. Ndikaganizira nthawiyo, ndimazindikira kuti iwo anafunika kuchita khama kuti anditenge kumsonkhanowo, womwe unali wofunika kwambiri pa moyo wanga.

Ndili kamnyamata tinkakhala pa famu ina ndipo ndinkakonda kusamalira ziweto. Ndinkafunitsitsa nditadzakhala dokotala wa ziweto. Mayi anga anafotokozera zimenezi mkulu wina wa mumpingo wathu. Mokoma mtima, iye anandikumbutsa kuti tikukhala “m’masiku otsiriza,” ndipo anandifunsa mmene kupita ku yunivesite n’kukakhala kumeneko kwa zaka zingapo kungakhudzire ubwenzi wanga ndi Yehova. (2 Tim. 3:1) Izi zinachititsa kuti ndisankhe kuti ndisapite ku yunivesite.

Ndinkaganizirabe zimene ndidzachite ndikamaliza maphunziro a kusekondale. Ngakhale kuti ndinkalalikira kumapeto kwa mlungu uliwonse, sindinkasangalala ndi utumiki moti sindinkaona kuti ndingakhale mpainiya. Pa nthawiyo, bambo anga omwe sanali a Mboni limodzi ndi mchimwene wawo ankandilimbikitsa kuti ndizigwira ntchito pakampani ina yaikulu ya inshulansi ku Toronto. Bambo anga aang’onowo anali ndi udindo waukulu kukampaniyo, choncho ndinavomera.

Ndili ku Toronto, nthawi zambiri ndinkagwira ma ovataimu komanso kugwirizana ndi anthu omwe sankalambira Yehova, zomwe zinachititsa kuti ndisamachite zambiri pa nkhani ya kulambira. Poyamba ndinkakhala ndi agogo anga aamuna omwe sanali a Mboni, ndiye atamwalira ndinkafunika kupeza malo ena okhala.

M’bale ndi Mlongo Hutcheson, omwe ananditengera kumsonkhano wamayiko wa mu 1958 aja, anali ngati makolo anga. Iwo anandiuza kuti ndizikakhala kunyumba kwawo ndipo anandithandiza kuti ndilimbitse ubwenzi wanga ndi Yehova. Ndinabatizidwa mu 1960 limodzi ndi mwana wawo dzina lake John. Iye anayamba upainiya ndipo izi zinandilimbikitsa kuti ndizichita zambiri pa ntchito yolalikira. Abale mumpingo anaona kuti ndikupita patsogolo, choncho pasanapite nthawi anandisankha kuti ndikhale mtumiki wa Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Mulungu. a

Mu 1966, ndinakwatira Randi Berge, amene anali mpainiya wakhama yemwe ankafunitsitsa kukatumikira kumene kunkafunikira olalikira ambiri. Woyang’anira dera wathu ankachita nafe chidwi ndipo anatilimbikitsa kuti tikathandize mumpingo wa ku Orillia ku Ontario, choncho tinasamukira kumeneko.

Titangofika ku Orillia, inenso ndinayamba upainiya wokhazikika. Ndinali nditayamba kale kutengeka ndi khama la Randi. Nditayamba kuchita upainiya mwakhama, ndinapeza chimwemwe chimene chimabwera chifukwa chogwiritsa ntchito Baibulo pophunzitsa anthu komanso kuwaona akumvetsa choonadi. Zinali zosangalatsa kwambiri kuthandiza banja lina ku Orillia kusintha zinthu pa moyo wawo n’kuyamba kutumikira Yehova.

Titapita kukacheza ku Toronto, ndinakumana ndi Arnold MacNamara, yemwe anali mmodzi wa abale amene ankatsogolera pa Beteli. Anandifunsa ngati tingakonde kukhala apainiya apadera. Nthawi yomweyo ndinayankha kuti: “Inde. Tikhoza kupita kulikonse kupatulapo ku Quebec.” Ndinali nditasokonezeka ndi maganizo olakwika a anthu a ku Canada olankhula chingelezi, okhudza zachipolowe zomwe zinkachitika m’dera la anthu olankhula Chifulenchi la Quebec. Pa nthawiyo kagulu kena ka ndale kumeneko kankalimbikitsa anthu kuti asakhale pansi pa ulamuliro wa Canada, koma azidzilamulira okha.

Arnold anandiyankha kuti, “Panopa ku Quebec ndi dera lokhalo kumene ofesi yanthambi ikutumiza apainiya apadera.” Nthawi yomweyo ndinavomera kuti tipita. Ndinkadziwa kale kuti Randi amafuna atakatumikirako kumeneko. Pambuyo pake tinadzazindikira kuti pa nthawiyi tinasankha bwino kwambiri.

Titalowa kalasi yophunzitsa Chifulenchi kwa milungu 5, ine ndi Randi komanso banja lina tinapita ku Rimouski, umene ndi mtunda wa makilomita 540 kumpoto cha kum’mawa kwa Montreal. Panali zambiri zoti tiphunzire ndipo zimenezi zinaonekera bwino pa nthawi yomwe ndinkawerenga zilengezo pamisonkhano. M’malo monena mawu otanthauza kuti pamsonkhano waukulu womwe uchitike kudzabwera alendo ochokera ku Austria, ndinanena mawu otanthauza kuti kudzabwera nthiwatiwa.

Ku Rimouski kunabweranso alongo 4 osakwatiwa ndiponso banja la a Huberdeaus ndi ana awo aakazi awiri. Banjali linachita lendi nyumba yaikulu yazipinda 7 ndipo apainiya tonse tinkakhala m’nyumba imeneyo n’kumathandizana kulipira lendi. Chifukwa chakuti nyumbayo limodzi ndi zipilala zake zinapentedwa penti yoyera, tinkaitchula kuti “White House.” Nthawi zambiri m’nyumbayi tinkakhalamo anthu 12 kapena 14. Monga apainiya apadera, ine ndi Randi tinkalowa mu utumiki m’mawa, masana komanso madzulo ndipo tinkayamikira munthu wina akalowa nafe mu utumiki ngakhale madzulo m’nyengo yozizira.

Tinkagwirizana kwambiri ndi apainiya okhulupirikawa ndipo ankangokhala ngati anthu a m’banja lathu. Nthawi zina tinkaotha moto kapena kudyera limodzi tizakudya tosiyanasiyana. M’bale wina anali ndi luso loimba, choncho nthawi zambiri Loweruka madzulo tinkaimba komanso kuvina.

Ku Rimouski, anthu ambiri ankachita chidwi ndi uthenga wa m’Baibulo. Pa zaka 5 zokha, tinasangalala kuona ophunzira Baibulo akupita patsogolo mpaka kufika pobatizidwa ndipo chiwerengero cha ofalitsa mumpingo chinakwera kufika pa 35.

Ku Quebec, tinaphunzitsidwa bwino ntchito yolalikira. Tinaona mmene Yehova ankatithandizira mu utumiki komanso kupeza zofunika pa moyo wathu. Kuonjezera pamenepa, tinayamba kukonda anthu oyankhula Chifulenchi, chilankhulo chawo komanso chikhalidwe chawo ndipo izi zinatithandiza kuti tizikondanso zikhalidwe zina.​—2 Akor. 6:13.

Mosayembekezereka, ofesi ya nthambi inatiuza kuti tisamukire m’tauni ya Tracadie, yomwe ili mphepete mwa nyanja kum’mawa m’dera la New Brunswick. Koma pa nthawiyi tinali titasainira mapepala oti tizichita lendi nyumba ina komanso ndinali nditapeza ntchito ya uphunzitsi yogwira masiku ochepa. Kuwonjezera pamenepo, anthu ena omwe tinkaphunzira nawo Baibulo anali atangokhala kumene ofalitsa komanso tinali tikumanga Nyumba ya Ufumu.

Kumapeto kwa mlungu umenewo tinapempherera nkhaniyi ndipo tinapita ku Tracadie komwe kunali kosiyana kwambiri ndi ku Rimouski. Koma popeza kuti Yehova ankafuna kuti tipite kumeneko, tinasankha kuti tipite. Tinamuyesa Yehova ndipo tinaona mmene anatithandizira pa vuto lililonse lomwe likanatilepheretsa kusamuka. (Mal. 3:10) Monga mwa nthawi zonse, Randi anali munthu wokonda zinthu zauzimu, wodzipereka komanso wanthabwala ndipo zimenezi zinathandiza kuti kusamukako kusakhale kowawa.

Mu mpingo wathu watsopano munali mkulu mmodzi dzina lake Robert Ross. Poyamba, iye ndi mkazi wake Linda ankachita upainiya kumeneko ndipo mwana wawo woyamba atabadwa anasankha kukhalabe komweko. Ngakhale kuti iwo anali ndi mwana wamng’ono yemwe ankamusamalira, tinkalimbikitsidwa kwambiri ndi mtima wawo wochereza komanso khama lawo pa ntchito yolalikira.

Titachita upainiya ku Tracadie kwa zaka ziwiri, mosayembekezereka tinaitanidwanso kuti tikachite utumiki woyendera dera. Titatumikira m’madera a mipingo ya Chingelezi kwa zaka 7, tinatumizidwa kukatumikira m’dera la mipingo ya Chifulenchi ku Quebec. M’bale Léonce Crépeault, yemwe anali woyang’anira chigawo, ankandiyamikira ndikakamba nkhani. Koma kenako ankandifunsa kuti, “Kodi ukanatani kuti ikhale yothandiza kwambiri?” b Popeza kuti ankachita nane chidwi chonchi, zinandithandiza kuti ndiziganizira mmene ndingamaphunzitsire m’njira yosavuta kumva.

Chinthu chimodzi chomwe ndimakumbukira kwambiri ndi utumiki womwe ndinapatsidwa pamsonkhano wamayiko wa mu 1978, wa mutu wakuti “Chikhulupiriro Chopambana,” womwe unachitikira ku Montreal. Ndinatumikira mu dipatimenti yoona za zakudya. Tinkayembekezera kuti pakhala anthu 80,000 ndipo panali patakhazikitsidwa njira yatsopano yogawira chakudya. Chilichonse chinali chatsopano kuyambira zipangizo, zakudya komanso njira yokonzera zakudyazo. Tinali ndi mafiliji akuluakulu okwana 20 omwe nthawi zina ankawonongeka. Kutatsala tsiku limodzi kuti msonkhanowo uyambe, tinali tisanakonze musitediyamu mpaka pakati pa usiku chifukwa chakuti munkachitika masewera. Tinkafunika kuyatsa ma uvuni kusanache kuti tikonze chakudya cham’mawa. Tinatopa kwambiri, koma ndinaphunzira zambiri kwa anzanga, omwe anali olimbikira ntchito, anzeru ndiponso okonda nthabwala. Tinayamba kugwirizana kwambiri ndipo timagwirizanabe mpaka pano. Tinasangalala kwambiri kuchita msonkhano wosaiwalikawu ku Quebec, dera lomwe abale ndi alongo ankazunzidwa kwambiri cha m’ma 1940 ndi 1950.

Ndinaphunzira zambiri kwa oyang’anira anzanga pamisonkhano ikuluikulu ku Montreal. M’chaka china M’bale David Splane, yemwe panopa akutumikira m’Bungwe Lolamulira, anali woyang’anira msonkhano. Pa msonkhano wina nditauzidwa kuti ndichite utumiki umenewu, M’bale Splane anandithandiza kwambiri.

Mu 2011, titachita utumiki woyang’anira dera kwa zaka 36, ndinaitanidwa kuti ndikakhale mlangizi wa Sukulu ya Akulu. Kwa zaka ziwiri, ine ndi Randi tinakhala tikugona pa mabedi osiyanasiyana okwana 75. Koma kudzipereka kumeneku kunali ndi zotsatirapo zabwino. Kumapeto kwa mlungu uliwonse akulu ankayamikira kwambiri chifukwa ankaona kuti Bungwe Lolamulira limaona kuti ubwenzi wawo ndi Yehova ndi wofunika.

Kenako ndinkaphunzitsa Sukulu ya Akhristu Olalikira za Ufumu. Nthawi zambiri ophunzira ankatopa kwambiri ndi zinthu monga kukhala m’kalasi kwa maola pafupifupi 7 patsiku, kulemba homuweki kwa maola atatu madzulo alionse, ndiponso kuchita mbali 4 kapena 5 zomwe apatsidwa mlungu uliwonse. Ine ndi mlangizi mnzanga tinauza ophunzirawo kuti sakanatha kukwanitsa popanda kuthandizidwa ndi Yehova. Sindidzaiwala mmene ophunzirawo anasangalalira kuona kuti chifukwa chodalira Yehova, anakwanitsa kuchita zambiri kuposa zimene ankaganiza kuti angakwanitse.

Chidwi chimene mayi anga ankasonyeza anthu omwe ankaphunzira nawo Baibulo chinathandiza ophunzirawo kupita patsogolo komanso kuti bambo anga ayambe kuchita chidwi ndi choonadi. Patapita masiku atatu kuchokera pamene mayi anamwalira, tinadabwa bambo atabwera ku Nyumba ya Ufumu kudzamvetsera nkhani ya onse, ndipo anapitiriza kupezeka pa misonkhano pa zaka 26 zotsatira. Ngakhale kuti sanabatizidwe, akulu anandiuza kuti nthawi zonse bambo ankakhala oyamba kufika pamisonkhano mlungu uliwonse.

Mayi anga analinso chitsanzo chabwino kwa ine ndi azichemwali anga. Onse atatu limodzi ndi amuna awo akutumikira Yehova mokhulupirika. Awiri akutumikira m’maofesi a nthambi, wina ya ku Portugal ndipo wina ya ku Haiti.

Panopa ine ndi Randi tikutumikira monga apainiya apadera ku Hamilton ku Ontario. Pamene tinkachita utumiki woyang’anira dera, tinkasangalala kuperekeza anzathu ku maulendo awo obwereza komanso maphunziro a Baibulo. Koma tsopano timasangalala kuona anthu amene ifeyo tikuwaphunzitsa Baibulo akupita patsogolo. Panopa tayamba kugwirizana kwambiri ndi abale ndi alongo mumpingo wathu watsopano, ndipo timalimbikitsidwa kuona kuti Yehova amakhala nawo pamavuto ndi pamtendere.

Tikaganizira zimene zakhala zikuchitika pa moyo wathu, timayamikira kuti anthu ambiri ankatisonyeza chidwi. Zotsatira zake n’zakuti ifenso ‘timadera nkhawa’ anthu ena n’kumawalimbikitsa kuti azichita zonse zomwe angathe potumikira Yehova. (2 Akor. 7:6, 7) Mwachitsanzo, m’banja la m’bale wina, mkazi wake, mwana wawo wamwamuna komanso wamkazi, ankachita utumiki wa nthawi zonse. Ndinafunsa m’baleyo ngati anaganizapo zochita upainiya. Iye anandiuza kuti amasamalira kale apainiya atatu. Ndiye ndinamufunsa kuti, “Kodi ungawasamalire bwino kuposa mmene Yehova angachitire?” Ndinamulimbikitsa kuti ayambe utumiki wa nthawi zonse n’kumasangalala ngati mmene anthu a m’banja akewo ankasangalalira. Patangopita miyezi 6 anayamba upainiya.

Ine ndi Randi tipitiriza ‘kufotokozera m’badwo wotsatira’ zokhudza ‘ntchito zodabwitsa’ za Yehova, ndipo tikukhulupirira kuti mofanana ndi ifeyo, iwonso adzasangalala kutumikira Yehova.​—Sal. 71:17, 18.