CHII chakanga chaitika kuti zvizodaro? Regai nditsanangure. Ndakaberekwa musi wa29 July 1929, uye ndakakurira mumusha uri mupurovhinzi yeBulacan, muPhilippines. Ikoko vanhu vaisava nezvakawanda pakurarama nemhaka yekuderera kweupfumi hwenyika. Hondo yakatanga ndichiri mudiki. Masoja eJapan akapinda muPhilippines. Asi musha wedu waiva kwawo wega, saka hatina kumborwiswa. Takanga tisina redhiyo, TV uye taisawana mapepanhau, saka nhau dzehondo taiita zvekutoudzwa nevamwe.

Ndaiva wechipiri pavana 8, uye pandakanga ndava nemakore 8, sekuru naambuya vakanditora kuti ndigare navo. Kunyange zvazvo taipinda chechi yeRoma, Sekuru vangu vaisakurumidza kuramba zvinodzidziswa nezvimwe zvitendero uye vaichengeta mabhuku ezvitendero avaipiwa neshamwari dzavo. Ndinoyeuka kuti vaindiratidza Bhaibheri uyewo tumabhuku tunoti Protection, Safety, uye Uncovered mumutauro wechiTagalog. * Ndainakidzwa nekuverenga Bhaibheri, kunyanya mabhuku 4 eEvhangeri. Izvozvo zvaiita kuti ndide kutevera muenzaniso waJesu.—Joh. 10:27.

Masoja ekuJapan akabuda muPhilippines muna 1945. Panenge panguva iyoyo, vabereki vangu vakanditi ndidzoke kumba. Sekuru vangu vakandikurudzira kuti ndiende. Saka ndakadzokera kumba.

Nguva pfupi pashure paizvozvo, muna December 1945, boka reZvapupu zvaJehovha raibva mutaundi reAngat rakauya kuzoparidza muraini redu. Mumwe wavo ainge ati kurei akauya pamba pedu, ndokutsanangura zvinotaurwa neBhaibheri ‘nezvemazuva ekupedzisira.’ (2 Tim. 3:1-5) Akabva atikoka kuchidzidzo cheBhaibheri chaiitirwa mune rimwe raini raiva pedyo. Vabereki vangu havana kuenda, asi ini ndakaenda. Paiva nevanhu vanenge 20, uye vamwe vakabvunza mibvunzo ine chekuita neBhaibheri.

Sezvo ndaisanyatsonzwisisa zvese zvaitaurwa ipapo, ndakafunga kubvapo. Asi panguva iyoyo, vakabva vatanga kuimba rwiyo rweUmambo. Ndakanakidzwa chaizvo nerwiyo rwacho, saka ndakaramba ndiripo.  Pakapera rwiyo nemunyengetero, vanhu vese vakakokwa kumusangano waizoitirwa muAngat musi weSvondo yaitevera.

Vakawanda vedu takafamba makiromita anenge 8 kuenda kumusangano wacho kumba kwemhuri yekwaCruz. Paiva nevanhu 50. Ndakashamiswa kuti kunyange vana vadiki vaitopa mhinduro vachitaura zvinhu zvakadzama zvemuBhaibheri. Pashure pekunge ndaenda kumisangano kanoverengeka, Hama Damian Santos, avo vaiva piyona wechikuru uye vaimbova meya, vakandikoka kuti ndirare kumba kwavo. Takaita nguva yakareba tichikurukura nezveBhaibheri manheru iwayo.

Mazuva iwayo, vakawanda vedu takakurumidza kugamuchira chokwadi chinokosha cheBhaibheri. Pashure pekunge tangopinda misangano kanoverengeka, hama dzakatibvunza kuti, “Munoda kubhabhatidzwa here?” Ndakapindura kuti, “Ehe, ndinoda.” Ndaiziva kuti ndinoda ‘kushandira Tenzi, iye Kristu.’ (VaK. 3:24) Takaenda kurwizi rwaiva pedyo, uye ini nemumwe mukomana takabhabhatidzwa musi wa15 February 1946.

Taiziva kuti sevaKristu vakabhabhatidzwa, tinofanira kugara tichiparidza tichitevedzera Jesu. Baba vangu havana kufara nazvo, vachibva vati, “Uchiri mudiki chaizvo kuti uite zvekuparidza izvi. Uye kunyudzwa murwizi hakurevi kuti wava muparidzi.” Ndakavatsanangurira kuti Mwari anoda kuti tiparidze mashoko akanaka eUmambo hwake. (Mat. 24:14) Ndakawedzera kuti, “Ndinoda kuzadzisa mhiko yandakaita kuna Mwari.” Baba vangu ndipo pavakataura mashoko andataura kwekutanga. Vaiitira kuti ndisaita basa rekuparidza. Uye izvozvo ndizvo zvakaita kuti nditange kusiya zvimwe zvinhu kuti ndizadzise zvinangwa zvekunamata.

Mhuri yekwaCruz yakandikoka kuti ndinogara nayo muAngat. Vakakurudzira ini nemwanasikana wavo wekupedzisira, Nora, kuti tipayone. Tese tiri vaviri takatanga kupayona musi wa1 November 1947. Nora akanoshumira kune rimwe taundi, asi ini ndakaramba ndichitsigira basa rekuparidza muAngat.

Ndava nemakore matatu ndichipayona, Earl Stewart, hama yaibva kuhofisi yebazi, akapa hurukuro pane imwe nzvimbo yakapoteredzwa nezvivako muguta reAngat, uye vanhu 500 vainge vakateerera. Akaipa neChirungu, uye pashure pacho ndakazopa pfupiso yehurukuro yacho muchiTagalog. Ndakanga ndangoenda kuchikoro kwemakore 7 chete, asi maticha edu ainyanya kushandisa Chirungu. Chimwe chakandibatsira kuvandudza Chirungu ndechekuti kwaiva nemabhuku mashoma anotsanangura Bhaibheri muchiTagalog. Ndakadzidza akawanda acho muchiChirungu. Saka ndakanga ndava kugona Chirungu zvekukwanisa kuturikira hurukuro yacho nedzimwewo dzakazotevera.

Musi wandakaturikira hurukuro yaHama Stewart, vakaudza ungano kuti hofisi yebazi yaida hama imwe chete kana kuti mbiri dzinopayona kuti dziuye kuBheteri. Dzaifanira kuzobatsira kuita basa mamishinari paainopinda gungano rakaitwa muNew York, U.S.A., muna 1950 raiva nemusoro waiti Theocracy’s Increase. Ndaiva mumwe wevakakokwa. Ndakasiyazve nzvimbo uye hama nehanzvadzi dzandainge ndakajaira ndichinoshanda kuBheteri.

Ndakasvika paBheteri musi wa19 June 1950, ndichibva ndatanga kushanda. Bheteri racho raiva pane imwe imba hombe yekare yainge yakapoteredzwa nemiti yakakura. Nzvimbo yacho yaisvika maeka maviri nehafu. Paiva nehama dzinenge 12 dzisina kuroora dzaishumira ipapo. Ndaimuka mangwanani ngwanani ndichibatsira mukicheni. Kubva kuma9 ndaizoshandira muimba yekuwachira hembe ndichiita basa rekuaina. Masikati ndaitangawo nemukicheni, ndozoenda kunoaina hembe. Kunyange mamishinari paakadzoka kubva kugungano renyika dzakawanda, ndakaramba ndichishanda paBheteri. Ndakaita mabasa akadai sekupeka magazini, kuona nezvemagazini ainge anyoreswa, uye kushanda munzvimbo inosvikira vanhu; ndaiita chese chandaikumbirwa kuita.

Muna 1952, ndakafara chaizvo pandakakokwa pamwe chete nedzimwe hama 6 dzemuPhilippines kuti tipinde kirasi yechi20 yeChikoro cheGiriyedhi. Zvinhu zvakawanda zvatakaona uye zvatakasangana nazvo muUnited States zvaiva zvitsva kwatiri. Zvakanga zvakasiyana chaizvo nezvandaiziva ndichiri kumba kwedu.

 Semuenzaniso, taifanira kudzidza kushandisa midziyo yatainge tisina kujaira. Mamiriro ekunze ainge akasiyana chaizvo. Mumwe musi ari mangwanani, ndakabuda panze ndikaona pakachena kuti ngwerewere. Ndipo pandakatanga kuona sinou. Ndakabva ndanzwa kuti kunze kwaitonhora zvekutonhora zviya!

Asi dzidzo yakazonaka yeGiriyedhi yakaita kuti ndisafunga zvese izvozvo. Varayiridzi vacho vainyatsodzidzisa. Takadzidza kuti kutsvakurudza uye kudzidza kunonyatsoitwa sei. Chikoro cheGiriyedhi chakandibatsira kuvandudza ushamwari hwangu naJehovha.

Pandakagirajuweta ndakamboshanda sapiyona chaiye muBronx muNew York City. Saka muna 1953, ndakakwanisa kupinda gungano raiva nemusoro wekuti New World Society, rakaitirwa muBronx. Pakapera gungano racho, ndakadzokera kuPhilippines kunoshanda ikoko.

Hama dzepahofisi yebazi dzakati, “Iye zvino wava kuenda kunoita basa remudunhu.” Izvozvo zvaizondipa mumwe mukana wekunyatsotevera tsoka dzaTenzi, uyo akaenda kumataundi nemaguta aiva kure kuti abatsire makwai aJehovha. (1 Pet. 2:21) Ndakapiwa dunhu raisanganisira nharaunda yakakura yeLuzon, chitsuwa chakakura kupfuura zvese muPhilippines. Dunhu iroro raisanganisira mapurovhinzi anoti Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, uye Zambales. Kuti ndishanyire mamwe mataundi, ndaifanira kuyambuka makomo eSierra Madre. Paisava nezvifambiso zveruzhinji zvaisvika kunzvimbo idzodzo, saka ndaifanira kukumbira vatyairi vemarori kuti ndigare pamusoro pematanda avaitakura. Kazhinji kacho vaibvuma kuti ndikwire, asi kufamba nemarori kwaiti rwadzei.

Ungano dzakawanda dzaiva diki uye dzakanga dzichangotanga. Saka hama dzakaonga chaizvo pandaidzibatsira kunyatsoronga misangano uye basa reushumiri.

Ndakazoendeswa kudunhu raisanganisira nharaunda yese yeBicol. Rainge rakawanda mapoka aiva kwawo ega munzvimbo dzainge dzatanga kushandwa nemapiyona chaiwo. Pamwe pamba, chimbudzi chacho rakanga riri gomba raiva nematanda maviri aiva pamusoro nechepakati. Pandakatsika matanda acho, akatyoka ndokubva ndadonhera mugomba pamwe chete nawo. Ndakatora nguva ndichigeza kuti ndizodya zvekudya zvemangwanani.

Pandaiita basa iroro ndipo pandakatanga kufunga nezvaNora, uyo akanga atanga kupayona achiri kuBulacan. Ndakamushanyira kuDumaguete City kwaakanga ava kushanda sapiyona chaiye. Pashure paizvozvo, takaita kanguva tichinyorerana ndokuzochata muna 1956. Pashure pekunge tachata, takaita vhiki rekutanga tiri muungano yaiva paRapu Rapu  Island. Ikoko taifanira kukwira makomo uye kufamba zvakanyanya, asi zvaifadza chaizvo kushayira hama munzvimbo dziri kure tiri vaviri.

Pashure pemakore anenge 4 tiri tese mubasa rekufambira, takakokwa kuti tishande pahofisi yebazi. Saka muna January 1960 takatanga kushanda paBheteri. Nekufamba kwenguva ndakadzidza zvakawanda pakushanda nehama dzine mabasa akakura, uye Nora aita mabasa akasiyana-siyana paBheteri.

PaBheteri ndine chikomborero chekuona kuwedzera kuri kuita basa raJehovha muPhilippines. Pandakauya paBheteri kekutanga ndiri hama yechidiki isina kuroora, munyika yacho yese maiva nevaparidzi vanenge 10 000. Iye zvino muPhilippines mava nevaparidzi vanopfuura 200 000, uye paBheteri pane vashandi 435 vanotsigira basa rinokosha rekuparidza.

Sezvo basa rakaramba richiwedzera nekufamba kwemakore, zvivako zveBheteri zvakanga zvava zvidiki. Saka Dare Rinotungamirira rakati titsvage nzvimbo yekuvaka bazi rakakura. Ini nehama yaitungamirira basa rekuprinda takaenda kuvanhu vese vaiva pedyo nebazi munharaunda yaigara maChina. Taibvunza kana paiva neaida kutengesa nzvimbo yake. Hapana aida, uye mumwe murume aiva nenzvimbo yake akatotiudza kuti: “MaChina haatengesi. Tinotenga.”

Asi mumwe musi tisingazvitarisiri, mumwe murume akatibvunza kana taida kutenga nzvimbo yake sezvo akanga ava kutamira kuUnited States. Apa ndipo pakatanga kuitika zvinhu zvaishamisa chaizvo. Mumwewo muvakidzani akasarudza kutengesa nzvimbo yake uye akakurudzira vamwe vavakidzani vake kuti vatengesewo dzavo. Takatozotengawo nzvimbo yemurume uya wekuti “MaChina haatengesi.” Pasina nguva, nzvimbo yebazi yakanga yakura zvakapetwa kanopfuura katatu. Ndine chokwadi chekuti Jehovha Mwari aida kuti izvozvo zviitike.

Muna 1950, ndini ndaiva mudiki mumhuri yese yeBheteri. Iye zvino ini nemudzimai wangu tisu vanhu vakuru kupfuura vese. Handidembi kutevera Tenzi pazvinhu zvese zvaanoti ndiite. Vabereki vangu vakandidzinga pamba, asi Jehovha akandipa mhuri yakakura yevanhu vatinonamata navo. Ndine chokwadi chekuti Jehovha haamboregi kutipa zvese zvatinoda, pasinei nebasa ratinenge tapiwa. Ini naNora tinotenda Jehovha chaizvo nezvese zvaakatiitira, uye tinokurudzira vamwe kuti vaedze Jehovha.—Mar. 3:10.

Jesu akakoka muteresi ainzi Mateu Revhi, achiti: “Iva muteveri wangu.” Akaita sei? “Achisiya zvinhu zvose akasimuka, akatanga [kutevera Jesu].” (Ruka 5:27, 28) Iniwo ndakawanawo mikana yakadaro, uye ndinokurudzira vamwe nemwoyo wese kuti vaitewo kudaro, vowana makomborero akawanda.