Baba vaiva elder muUnited Church of Canada, saka vhiki rega rega vaiendesa ini nasisi vangu kuSunday school. Uye na11 dzemangwanani taizopinda muchechi munenge muine vanhu vakuru. Ava masikati, taienda naAmai kuImba yeUmambo. Zvaiva nyore kuti tione musiyano waiva pakati pezvitendero zviviri izvi.

Amai vakaudzawo shamwari dzavo Bob naMarion Hutcheson zvavakanga vava kutenda, uye vaviri ava vakagamuchira chokwadi. Muna 1958 mhuri yekwaHutcheson yakaenda neni pamwe chete nevanakomana vavo vatatu kuGungano Renyika Dzakawanda rakaitwa kwemazuva 8 muNew York City raiva nemusoro wekuti Divine Will. Pandinofunga nezvazvo ndinoona kuti zvaisava nyore kuti vaendewo neni, asi gungano iroro raiva chinhu chakanaka chandinoyeuka muupenyu hwangu.

Pandaiva mumakore ekuyaruka, taigara papurazi pandainakidzwa nekuchengeta mhuka. Ndakafungisisa chaizvo nezvekuva chiremba wemhuka. Amai vangu vakaudza mumwe mukuru wemuungano izvozvo. Akandiyeuchidza zvakanakanaka kuti tiri kurarama “mumazuva ekupedzisira” uye akabvunza kuti kuenda kuyunivhesiti kwemakore akati kuti kwaizoita sei paushamwari hwangu naJehovha. (2 Tim. 3:1) Izvi zvakaita kuti ndisarudze kusaenda kuyunivhesiti.

 Ndainge ndichiri kunetseka kuti ndaizoitei pashure pekunge ndapedza chikoro chesekondari. Kunyange ndaiita ushumiri pakupera kwevhiki kwega kwega, ndaisanakidzwa nahwo uye ndaisambofunga kuti ndingava piyona. Panguva iyoyo, baba vangu nemunin’ina wavo, avo vaisava Zvapupu vakandikurudzira kuti ndishande nguva yakazara pane imwe kambani hombe yaiita zveinishuwarenzi muToronto. Babamunini vangu vaiva nechinzvimbo pakambani iyoyo, saka ndakabvuma basa racho.

MuToronto, ndaipedza nguva yakawanda ndichishanda uye ndichishamwaridzana nevanhu vasingatendi, izvo zvainditadzisa kugara ndichipinda misangano uye kubuda muushumiri. Pakutanga ndaigara nasekuru vangu avo vaisava Chapupu, asi pashure pekunge vafa, ndakanga ndava kufanira kutsvaga pamwe pekugara.

Hama naHanzvadzi Hutcheson, avo vakaenda neni kugungano ra1958, vakanga vakaita sevabereki kwandiri. Vakanditi ndiuye kuzogara navo uye vakandibatsira kuti ndikure pane zvekunamata. Ndakabhabhatidzwa muna 1960 pamwe chete naJohn mwanakomana wavo. John akabva atanga kupayona uye izvozvo zvakandikurudzira kuwedzera ushumiri hwangu. Hama dzemuungano dzakaona kuti ndakanga ndichifambira mberi pakunamata, uye ndakazogadzwa kuva mutariri weChikoro chaMwari Choushumiri. a

Muna 1966, ndakachata naRandi Berge, mumwe piyona aishingaira chaizvo uye aida kushumira kwaidiwa vaparidzi vakawanda. Mutariri wedu wedunhu aiva nehanya nesu uye akatikurudzira kuti tibatsire imwe ungano yemuOrillia, Ontario. Saka takabva tangorongedza tikatama.

Tichangosvika muOrillia, ndakabatana naRandi pakuita upiyona hwenguva dzese. Ndainge ndava kutofarirawo basa racho sezvaaiita! Pandakangoisa mwoyo wangu pakupayona, ndakawana mufaro wekushandisa Bhaibheri uye wekuona vanhu vachigamuchira chokwadi. Takava nechikomborero chakakura chekubatsira imwe mhuri muOrillia kuti  ichinje upenyu hwayo uye itange kushumira Jehovha.

Patakashanya kuToronto, ndakaonana naArnold MacNamara, uyo aishanda kuBheteri. Akandibvunza kana ndaida kuva piyona chaiye. Ndakakurumidza kupindura kuti: “Ehe! Ndingada kuenda chero nzvimbo isiri Quebec!” Ndakanga ndakanganiswa nemafungiro aiva nevanhu vemuCanada vaitaura Chirungu avo vaisafarira zvaiitika mupurovhinzi yeQuebec yaiva nevanhu vaitaura chiFrench. Panguva iyoyo, paiva nevaiita zvematongerwo enyika vaikurudzira kuti Quebec inge yakaparadzana nezvimwe zvikamu zvese zveCanada.

Arnold akapindura kuti, “Quebec ndiyo chete nzvimbo iri kutumirwa mapiyona chaiwo nebazi panguva ino.” Ndakabva ndangokurumidza kubvuma kuenda. Ndaitoziva kuti Randi aida kushumira ikoko. Pave paya, ndakaona kuti ichi ndicho chimwe chezvisarudzo zvakanaka chaizvo zvatakaita muupenyu hwedu!

Pashure pekupinda kirasi yekudzidza chiFrench kwemavhiki mashanu, ini naRandi pamwe chete nemumwe murume nemudzimai wake, takaenda kuRimouski, anenge makiromita 540 kuchamhembe kwakadziva kumabvazuva kweMontreal. Takanga tichiine zvakawanda zvekudzidza uye izvi zvakava pachena pandakaverenga zvimwe zviziviso pamusangano. Ndakataura kuti pagungano raizouya taizova “nevaenzi vemaostrich” vakawanda pane kuti nditi “vaenzi vekuAustria.”

MuRimouski makazouyawo dzimwe hanzvadzi ina dzisina kuroorwa dzaishingaira, pamwe chete nahama nahanzvadzi Huberdeaus nevanasikana vavo vaviri. Hama naHanzvadzi Huberdeaus vairenda imba yainge iine makamuri ekurara 7 uye mamwe mapiyona aibatsirawo pakubhadhara rendi. Imba yacho takaipa zita rekuti White House nekuti nechekumberi kwayo yaiva chena uye yaiva nemapillar machena. Pamba pacho paiwanzogara vanhu vari pakati pe12 ne14. Sezvo taiva mapiyona chaiwo, ini naRandi taiparidza makuseni, masikati uye manheru, saka taionga chaizvo kana pakava nemumwe munhu anogara aripo kuti abude nesu muushumiri kunyange manheru munguva dzechando.

Takava neushamwari hwepedyo chaizvo nemapiyona iwayo akatendeka zvekuti vakava semhuri kwatiri. Dzimwe nguva taigara pamwe chete tichidziya moto uye taiva nezuva rataibika pamwe chete. Imwe yehama dzacho yaigona zvemimhanzi, saka misi yeMigovera manheru taiwanzoimba nekutamba.

Ndima yemuRimouski yaiva nevanhu vakawanda vaida kudzidza Bhaibheri! Mumakore mashanu, takafara kuona vadzidzi veBhaibheri vakati kuti vachifambira mberi kusvika vabhabhatidzwa. Ungano yacho yakawedzera kusvika pavaparidzi vanenge 35.

MuQuebec, takanyatsodzidziswa kuti tive vazivisi veUmambo. Takaona kubatsirwa kwatakaitwa naJehovha muushumiri uye pakuwana zvekurarama nazvo. Uyewo takadzidza kuda vanhu vanotaura chiFrench, mutauro wavo, uye tsika dzavo, izvo zvakaita kuti tisvike pakuda tsika dzevamwewo vanhu.—2 VaK. 6:13.

Tisingazvitarisiri, bazi rakatikumbira kuti tiende kuguta reTracadie, riri kumhenderekedzo yekumabvazuva kweNew Brunswick. Izvi zvakaita kuti pave nedambudziko nekuti takanga tichangobva kusaina chibvumirano chekugara pane imwe imba uye ndaiva nekondirakiti yekudzidzisa pane chimwe chikoro kwemaawa mashoma pavhiki. Kuwedzera pane izvozvo, vamwe vevadzidzi vedu veBhaibheri vakanga  vachangobva kuva vaparidzi uye taiva pakati pekuvaka Imba yeUmambo.

Takanyengetera chaizvo pakupera kwevhiki nezvekutama kwacho uye takashanya kuTracadie, iyo yainge yakasiyana chaizvo neRimouski. Asi takasarudza kuti sezvo Jehovha aitida ikoko, taizoenda. Takaedza Jehovha uye takamuona achibvisa dambudziko rimwe nerimwe. (Mar. 3:10) Sezvo Randi aiva neushamwari hwakasimba naJehovha, ari munhu anozvipira uye achigona kutaura zvinosetsa, zvakaita kuti kutama kwacho kuve nyore.

Muungano yedu itsva maingova nemukuru mumwe chete ainzi Robert Ross. Akanga apayona ikoko nemudzimai wake Linda, uye vakasarudza kuramba variko pashure pekunge mwana wavo wekutanga aberekwa. Kunyange pavaichengeta mwanakomana wavo mudiki, vakakurudzira ini naRandi chaizvo nemuenzaniso wavo wekugamuchira vaenzi uye kushingaira muushumiri.

Pashure pekupayona muTracadie kwemakore maviri, takakumbirwa zvakare tisingazvitarisiri kuti tiite basa rekufambira. Takashumira matunhu eChirungu kwemakore 7, tikazoendeswa kudunhu reFrench muQuebec. Mutariri wedu weruwa muQuebec uyo ainzi Léonce Crépeault, aindirumbidza nezvehurukuro dzangu. Asi aizondibvunza kuti, “Ungaitei kuti dziwedzere kubatsira?” b Kuratidzwa hanya zvakadai kwakandibatsira kuti ndifunge zvandingaita kuti madzidzisiro angu awedzere kunzwisisika.

Rimwe remabasa andinonyanya kuyeuka chaizvo ndiro randakaita paGungano Renyika Dzakawanda rakaitirwa muMontreal muna 1978 raiva nemusoro unoti “Kutenda Kunokunda.” Ndakashanda mudhipatimendi rechikafu. Taitarisira kuti kwaizouya vanhu 80 000, uye paiva neurongwa hutsva hwekugadzira zvekudya. Zvinhu zvese zvaiva zvitsva kwatiri: midziyo yacho, zvaidyiwa zvacho, uye magadzirirwo azvo. Taiva nemafiriji mahombe anenge 20 ayo aimbofa. Zuva redu rekutanga risati rasvika, takatadza kupinda munhandare kuti tironge zvinhu kusvikira pava pakati peusiku nekuti maiva nemutambo waiitwa imomo. Uye taifanira kubatidza maovheni kusati kwachena kuti tigadzire zvekudya zvemangwanani! Takanga takaneta, asi ndakadzidza zvakawanda pakushanda nesimba, unhu hwakanaka uye kutaura zvinonakidza kwaiitwa nevanhu vandaishanda navo. Takava neushamwari hwepedyo uhwo huchiripo kunyange nanhasi. Takafara chaizvo kupinda gungano iri rinokosha muQuebec, nharaunda  yaitambudzwa Zvapupu chaizvo mumakore ekuma1940 nekuma1950.

Ndakadzidza zvakawanda kune vamwe vatariri pamagungano makuru akaitirwa muMontreal. Rimwe gore, David Splane, uyo ava kushumira muDare Rinotungamirira, ndiye aiva mutariri wegungano racho. Pane rimwe gungano rakazoitwa pandakakumbirwa kuti ndiite basa iroro, David akanditsigira chaizvo.

Muna 2011, pashure pekunge tashumira kwemakore 36 mubasa rekufambira, ndakakumbirwa kuti ndive murayiridzi weChikoro Chevakuru Veungano. Ini naRandi takarara pamibhedha 75 mumakore maviri chete, asi kuzvipira kwakadaro kwainge kwakakodzera chaizvo. Pakupera kwevhiki rega rega, vakuru vaionga chaizvo nekuti vakaona kuti Dare Rinotungamirira raiva nehanya nezveushamwari hwavo naJehovha.

Pava paya ndakava murayiridzi weChikoro Chevazivisi Vemashoko eUmambo. Vadzidzi vaiwanzonzwa vakaneta chaizvo uye vaizvidya mwoyo nemhaka yepurogiramu yacho ine zvinhu zvakawanda zvinoti: kugara mukirasi kwemaawa anenge 7 pazuva, kuita homuweki kwemaawa matatu manheru ega ega, uye zvikamu 4 kana 5 zvekuita mukirasi pavhiki. Ini nemumwe murayiridzi takavaudza kuti vaisakwanisa kuzviita kudai vasingabatsirwi naJehovha. Ndicharamba ndichiyeuka kushamiswa kwaiita vadzidzi pavaiona kuti kana vakavimba naJehovha vaikwanisa kuita zvakawanda kupfuura zvavaifunga kuti vanokwanisa kuita.

Kuva nehanya nevamwe kwaiita amai vangu kwakabatsira kuti vanhu vavaidzidza navo Bhaibheri vafambire mberi uye kwakatobatsirawo baba vangu kuti vachinje maonero avaiita chokwadi. Pashure pemazuva matatu amai vafa, baba vakatishamisa pavakauya kuzonzwa hurukuro yavose kuImba yeUmambo, uye vakaramba vachipinda misangano kwemakore 26 akatevera. Kunyange zvazvo baba vasina kuzombobhabhatidzwa, vakuru vaindiudza kuti ndivo vaitanga kusvika pamisangano vhiki rega rega.

Amai vaiva muenzaniso wakanaka kwandiri pamwe chete nehanzvadzi dzangu. Hanzvadzi dzangu dzese dziri nhatu pamwe chete nevarume vavo vari kushumira Jehovha vakatendeka. Hanzvadzi dzangu mbiri dziri kushanda pamahofisi emapazi, mumwe kuPortugal uye mumwe wacho kuHaiti.

Iye zvino ini naRandi tava kushumira semapiyona chaiwo muHamilton, Ontario. Pataiva mubasa remudunhu, tainakidzwa nekuenda nevamwe kunoona vanhu vainge vafarira uye zvidzidzo zvavo zveBhaibheri. Asi iye zvino tinofara kuona zvidzidzo zvedu zveBhaibheri zvichifambira mberi mune zvekunamata. Uye patiri kuwedzera kuva neushamwari nehama nehanzvadzi dzemuungano yedu itsva, tinokurudzirwa nekuona kutsigirwa kwavari kuitwa naJehovha munguva dzakanaka uye dzakaoma.

Patinofunga zvakaitika muupenyu hwedu, tinoonga chaizvo rudo rwatakaratidzwa nevanhu vakawanda. Uye tinoedzawo kuva nehanya nevamwe tichivakurudzira kuti vaite zvese zvavanogona mubasa raJehovha. (2 VaK. 7:6, 7) Semuenzaniso, mune imwe mhuri, amai vacho, uye mwanakomana nemwanasikana wavo, vese vaiva mubasa renguva yakazara. Ndakabvunza murume wacho kana akambofungawo nezvekupayona. Akapindura kuti aitsigira vatatu ava vaipayona. Saka ndakamubvunza kuti, “Ungavatsigira kupfuura zvavanoitwa naJehovha here?” Ndakamukurudzira kuti awane mufaro wavaiwana. Pashure pemwedzi 6, akatangawo kupayona.

Ini naRandi ticharamba ‘tichiudza chizvarwa chinotevera nezvemabasa anoshamisa aJehovha’ uye tinotarisira kuti chizvarwa ichi chichanakidzwawo nebasa rake sezvatakaita.—Pis. 71:17, 18.