Ndakaberekwa muna 1954 kuSt. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A. Vabereki vangu vakange vasina kupfuma asiwo vaisava varombo, uye taipinda chechi yeRoma. Takaberekwa tiri vashanu uye ini ndiri wechipiri. Pandaiva mudiki ndaidzidza pachikoro cheRoma uye ndaibatsira mupristi pamabasa ake. Asi ndaingoziva zvishoma nezveBhaibheri. Kunyange zvazvo ndaitenda kuti kunofanira kunge kuina Mwari akasika zvinhu zvese, ndakanga ndisisatendi kuti chechi yeRoma yaigona kundibatsira kuti ndimunamate.

Mugore rangu rekutanga ndichidzidza zvemutemo paWilliam Mitchell College of Law, mumwe murume nemudzimai avo vaiva Zvapupu zvaJehovha vakasvika pandaigara. Ndakanga ndichiwacha, uye vakati vaizodzoka. Pavakadzoka ndakavabvunza mibvunzo miviri. Wekutanga waiva wekuti: “Nei vanhu vakanaka vasingabudiriri munyika?” Uye wechipiri: “Munhu angaitei kuti afare?” Vakandipa bhuku rinonzi Zvokwadi Inotungamirira Kuupenyu Husingagumi uye Shanduro yeNyika Itsva yeMagwaro Matsvene, yaiva nekavha yakajeka yegreen.  Ndakabvumawo kudzidza Bhaibheri. Izvi zvakandibatsirawo kuziva zvinhu zvitsva zvakawanda. Ndakafara pandakadzidza kuti Umambo hwaMwari ndiyo hurumende ichatonga pasi rese. Ndaiona kuti kutonga kwevanhu kwakundikana uye kuti kuri kuita kuti vanhu varwadziwe uye vatambure.

Ndakazvitsaurira kuna Jehovha gore ra1982 richangotanga, uye ndakabhabhatidzwa gore iroro kuSt. Paul Civic Center pagungano raiva nemusoro unoti “Zvokwadi yoUmambo.” Pashure pevhiki ndakadzoka pacivic center kuti ndinyore bvunzo dzaizoita kuti ndikwanise kuva gweta. Muna October, ndakaona kuti ndakanga ndapasa bvunzo dzandakanga ndanyora uye ndakanga ndava kukwanisa kushanda segweta.

Pagungano iroro raiva nemusoro waiti “Zvokwadi yoUmambo,” ndakasangana naMike Richardson uyo aishumira paBheteri rekuBrooklyn, uye akanditsanangurira kuti pamahofisi edu makuru pakanga pava nehofisi yemutemo. Ndakayeuka mashoko emukuru mukuru wekuItiopiya ari pana Mabasa 8:36 uye ndakazvibvunza kuti ‘Chii chinganditadzisa kukumbira kushanda paHofisi yeMutemo?’ Saka ndakanyora tsamba ndichikumbira kushanda paBheteri.

Vabereki vangu havana kufara nekuti ndakanga ndava Chapupu chaJehovha. Baba vangu vakandibvunza kuti kushandira Watchtower kwaizondibatsirei pabasa rangu rekuva gweta. Ndakavatsanangurira kuti ndichange ndichiita basa rekuzvipira. Ndakavaudza kuti ndaizopiwa US$75 pamwedzi uye ndiyo mari yaingopiwa vamwe vashandi vese vepaBheteri.

Sezvo ndakanga ndatobvuma kare kushanda mune rimwe dare redzimhosva, ndaisakwanisa kubva ndangoenda kunoshanda paBheteri. Saka ndakazotanga kushanda paBheteri muBrooklyn, New York, muna 1984. Ndaishanda muHofisi yeMutemo. Kumboshanda kwandakaita mudare redzimhosva kwakandibatsira kuti ndigadzirire zvaizouya.

Chivakwa cheStanley Theater chiri muJersey City, New Jersey, chakatengwa muna November 1983. Hama dzakakumbira mapemiti ekuti dzigadziridze magetsi echivakwa chacho uyewo pombi dzemvura. Hama padzakaonana nevakuru vakuru vekanzuru, dzakatsanangura kuti dzaida kushandisa Stanley Theater senzvimbo yekuitira magungano eZvapupu zvaJehovha. Izvozvo zvakaita kuti pave nedambudziko. Mitemo yekanzuru yeguta reJersey City, yaiti zvivakwa zvekunamatira zvinofanira kungovakirwa kunzvimbo dzinogara vanhu chete. Chivakwa cheStanley Theater chiri  munzvimbo dzebhizinesi, saka kanzuru yeguta racho yakaramba kutipa mapemiti. Hama dzakakumbira kuti nyaya yacho iongororwe zvakare, asi dzakarambirwa.

Muvhiki rangu rekutanga paBheteri, sangano rakaendesa nyaya yacho kudare redzimhosva. Sezvo ndakanga ndichangopedza makore maviri ndichishanda mudare redzimhosva kuSt. Paul, Minnesota, ndainyatsoziva nezvenyaya dzakadaro. Rimwe remagweta edu rakati Stanley Theater yaishandisirwa zvimwe zviitiko zvinopindwa neveruzhinji zvakadai sekuona mafirimu uye kuridza mabhendi. Saka, nei zvinganzi hazvisi pamutemo kuti vanhu vanamatire imomo? Dare redzimhosva rakati kanzuru yeguta reJersey City yakanga yatyora kodzero dzedu dzekuva nerusununguko rwekunamata. Dare racho rakaudza kanzuru kuti itipe mapemiti ataida. Ndakatanga kuona kuti Jehovha akanga achikomborera sangano rake nekushandisa kwaraiita zvemitemo kuti basa rake rienderere mberi. Ndakafara chaizvo kuvawo nezvandakaita panyaya yacho.

Hama dzakabva dzatanga basa guru rekugadzirisa chivakwa ichi. Uye girajuwesheni yekirasi yechi79 yeGiriyedhi yakaitirwa muJersey City Assembly Hall musi wa8 September, 1985, gore risati rapera kubvira pakatanga kugadziriswa chivakwa chacho. Ndakafara chaizvo nekubatsirawo kwandakaita pabasa iri raJehovha. Mufaro wandakawana ipapo waipfuura wandakawana pandaiva gweta ndisati ndauya paBheteri. Ndakanga ndisingatombozivi kuti Jehovha aiva nezvakawanda zvaaida kuti ndiite munyaya dzemumatare edzimhosva.

Kumakore ekuma1980, vanachiremba uye vashandi vemuzvipatara vaisaremekedza kodzero yeChapupu chabva zera yekurapwa chisingawedzerwi ropa. Vakadzi vane pamuviri vaisangana nematambudziko akakura nekuti vatongi vaiona sekuti vakadzi ivavo havana kodzero yekuramba kuwedzerwa ropa. Vatongi vaiti kana mukadzi ane pamuviri akaramba kuwedzerwa ropa, aigona kufa, mwana osara asina amai.

Musi wa29 December, 1988, Hanzvadzi Denise Nicoleau vakarasikirwa neropa rakawanda pashure pekunge vasununguka mwanakomana wavo. Ropa ravo rakanga rava shoma zvekuti vaigona kufa, saka chiremba wavo aida kuti vawedzerwe ropa. Hanzvadzi Nicoleau vakaramba. Mangwana acho mangwanani, chipatara chakakumbira mumwe mutongi kuti achipe mvumo yekuwedzera ropa kuna Hanzvadzi Nicoleau. Mutongi wacho haana kupa Hanzvadzi Nicoleau kana murume wavo mukana wekuti vatsanangure maonero avo, uye akapa chipatara mvumo yekuwedzera ropa kuna Hanzvadzi Nicoleau.

Musi weChishanu, 30 December, Hanzvadzi Nicoleau vakawedzerwa ropa pasinei nekuti murume  wavo nedzimwe hama dzavo dzaivapo vakanga varamba. Manheru iwayo dzimwe hama dzavo uye vamwe vakuru vakasungwa vachinzi vakanga vachitadzisa vashandi vechipatara kuti vawedzere ropa Hanzvadzi Nicoleau. Mangwana acho mangwanani nyaya yekusungwa kwavo yakabuda munhau dzemuNew York City uye muLong Island.

Musi weMuvhuro mangwanani, ndakataura nemukuru wedare repamusoro anonzi Milton Mollen. Ndakamutsanangurira nyaya yacho ndichimujekesera kuti mumwe mutongi akanga asaina gwaro rekuwedzera ropa nyaya yacho isina kupinda mudare. Masikati acho Justice Mollen akandishevedza kuhofisi kwake kuti tikurukure nezvenyaya yacho uye mitemo ine chekuita nenyaya yacho. Philip Brumley uyo aiva mutariri wangu, akandiperekedza kuhofisi kwaJustice Mollen manheru iwayo. Mutongi wacho akakoka gweta rechipatara kuti ringe riripowo. Takaitisana nharo zvakasimba. Pataikurukura kudaro, hama Brumley vakandinyorera mashoko mubhuku ravo vachindiudza kuti ndisanyanya “kukaka nharo.” Iroro raiva zano rakanaka nekuti ndakanga ndagumbuka ndichiedza kuratidza kuti gweta rechipatara raisaziva zvariri kutaura.

Pashure peinenge awa, Justice Mollen akati nyaya yacho ndiyo yaizova yekutanga mudare mangwana mangwanani. Pataibuda muhofisi yake, Justice Mollen akati gweta rechipatara raizova panguva yakaoma mangwana. Izvi zvaireva kuti zvaisazova nyore kuti gweta racho riratidze kuti chipatara chaiva nekodzero yekuwedzera munhu ropa iye asingadi. Ndakanzwa sekuti Jehovha aindibatsira kuona kuti taiva nemukana wakakura wekuhwina nyaya yacho. Zvaitishamisa kuona kuti Jehovha aitishandisa kuita kuda kwake.

Takashanda neusiku tichigadzirira zvataizotaura mangwana acho mangwanani. Dare racho riri pedyo neBheteri rekuBrooklyn, saka vakawanda vevanoshanda muHofisi yedu yeMutemo vakafamba netsoka kuenda ipapo. Pashure pekunge vatongi vana vanzwa nyaya yedu, vakati Hanzvadzi Nicoleau vaisafanira kunge vakawedzerwa ropa. Dare repamusoro rakatsigira Hanzvadzi Nicoleau, uye rakati kusaina gwaro rekuwedzera munhu ropa pasina kutanga wanzwa maonero anoita murwere wacho, kwaiva kutyorwa kwekodzero dzemunhu.

Dare repamusorosoro remuNew York rakati Hanzvadzi Nicoleau vaiva nekodzero yekurapwa vasingawedzerwi ropa. Iyi yaiva nyaya yekutanga  panyaya 4 dzine chekuita neropa dzakatongwa nematare epamusoro dzandakashanda padziri. (Ona bhokisi rakanzi “ Nyaya Dzatakakunda Mumatare Epamusorosoro.”) Ndakashandawo pamwe chete nemamwe magweta epaBheteri munyaya dzine chekuita nekuchengetwa kwevana, kurambana, uye mitemo yekushandiswa kwenzvimbo nezvivakwa.

Pandakatanga kuonana nemudzimai wangu Dawn, ainge akarambana nemurume uye airera vana vatatu. Aienda kubasa uye aipayona. Ainge asangana nematambudziko akaoma muupenyu hwake uye ndakabayiwa mwoyo nechido chaaiva nacho chekushumira Jehovha. Muna 1992 takapinda Gungano reRuwa rakaitirwa muNew York City raiva nemusoro unoti “Vatakuri Vechiedza,” uye ndakamukumbira kana zvaiita kuti tizivane zviri nani. Takaroorana pashure pegore. Jehovha akandipa mudzimai anoda zvekunamata uye anonakidza kutaura naye. Dawn andiitira zvakanaka zvakawanda kubvira patakatanga kugara tese semurume nemudzimai.—Zvir. 31:12.

Patakachata vana vake vaiva nemakore 11, 13, ne16. Ndaida kuva baba vakanaka kwavari, saka ndakaverenga zvese zvaiva mumabhuku edu zvaitaura nezvekuva mubereki wekurera. Kwemakore, takasangana nematambudziko, asi ndinofara kuti vana vakasvika pakundiona seshamwari yavo uye baba vane rudo. Shamwari dzevana vedu dzainzwa dzakasununguka kuuya kumba kwedu uye taifara chaizvo kuva pamwe chete navo.

Muna 2013, ini naDawn takatamira kuWisconsin kunochengeta vabereki vedu vainge vakwegura. Chakandishamisa ndechekuti handina kumira basa rangu repaBheteri. Ndakanzi ndinogona kuramba ndichibatsira sangano redu panyaya dzakasiyana-siyana dzine chekuita nemitemo.

Muna September 2018, ndakaona kuti ndanga ndava kungogara ndichigadzirisa pahuro pangu. Chiremba wedu akandiongorora, asi akatadza kuziva kuti zvaikonzerwa nei. Muna January 2019, mumwe chiremba akandiudza kuti ndinogona kunge ndaiva nechirwere chaizokanganisa muviri wangu wese.

Pashure pemazuva matatu, ndakadonha ndikatyoka ruoko rwerudyi pandaitamba mutambo wandinofarira unoitirwa muchando. Mutambo uyu ndaiutamba kweupenyu hwangu hwese uye ndaiugona chaizvo. Saka ndakaziva kuti ndakanga ndisingachanyatsokwanisi kudzora muviri wangu. Chirwere chacho chakawedzera nekukurumidza. Zvairamba zvichindiomera kuti nditaure, ndifambe uye ndimedze.

Ndinofara chaizvo kuti ndakakwanisawo kubatsira sangano raJehovha ndichishanda segweta uye ndinofara kuti ndakanyorawo nyaya dzakawanda mumagazini anoverengwa navanachiremba, magweta uye vatongi. Ndaipawo hurukuro pamisangano ine chekuita nemitemo yezvekurapa ndichidzivirira kodzero dzevanhu vaJehovha dzekurapwa vasingawedzerwi ropa. Kunyange zvakadaro, ndinodzokorora mashoko ari pana Ruka 17:10 ndichiti: ‘Ndiri muranda pasina. Zvandakaita ndizvo zvandaifanira kuita.’