Ndakaberekwa musi wa22 December, 1929, muNoville, imwe nzvimbo ine mapurazi 9 pedyo neBastogne, muArdennes iri muBelgium. Ndinoyeuka kufara kwandaiita ndiri mudiki ndichigara papurazi nevabereki vangu. Ini nemunin’ina wangu Raymond taikama mombe zuva rega rega uye taibatsira pakukohwa. Munzvimbo yataigara, vanhu vainge vakabatana chaizvo uye vaibatsirana.

Vabereki vangu, Emile naAlice, vainge vakazvipira kuchechi yeRoma. Vaipinda Misa musi weSvondo wega wega. Asi munenge muna 1939, mapiyona ekuEngland akauya kunharaunda yataigara uye vakaudza baba vangu kuti vaigona kunyoresa kuti vapote vachigamuchira magazini yeConsolation (yava kunzi Mukai!). Baba vakakurumidza kuona kuti magazini iyi yaitaura chokwadi, zvikabva zvaita kuti vatange kuverenga Bhaibheri. Pavakamira kuenda kuMisa, vavakidzani vedu avo vaimbova neushamwari vakatanga kuvapikisa zvakasimba. Vaimanikidza baba kuti varambe vari muchechi yeRoma uye vaigara vachinetsana navo.

Zvaindirwadza chaizvo kuona baba vangu vachinetswa nevavakidzani vedu. Izvozvo zvakaita kuti ndinyengetere nemwoyo wese kuna Mwari ndichikumbira kuti andibatsire sezvandataura patangira nyaya ino. Vavakidzani vedu pavakarega kunetsa baba vangu, ndakafara zvikuru. Izvi zvakaita kuti ndive nechokwadi chekuti Jehovha ndiye “Munzwi wemunyengetero.”

Nazi Germany yakapinda muBelgium musi wa10 May 1940, zvikaita kuti vanhu vakawanda vabude munyika macho. Mhuri yedu yakatizira kumaodzanyemba kweFrance. Pataifamba, dzimwe nguva taipinda munzvimbo dzine ngozi dzairwisana mauto eGermany neeFrance.

Patakadzokera kupurazi kwedu, takaona kuti zvinhu zvedu zvakawanda zvakanga zvabiwa. Pakanga  pangosara imbwa yedu yainzi Bobbie. Zviitiko zvakadaro zvakaita kuti ndizvibvunze kuti, ‘Nei panyika paine hondo uye kutambura kwakanyanya?’

Panguva iyoyo, takabatsirwa zvikuru nekushanyirwa kwataiitwa naHama Emile Schrantz, a avo vaiva mukuru uye piyona akatendeka. Vakatsanangura zvakajeka vachishandisa Bhaibheri kuti nei paine kutambura uye vakapindura mimwe mibvunzo yandaiva nayo nezveupenyu. Ndakava neushamwari hwepedyo naJehovha uye ndakava nechokwadi chekuti iye ndiMwari werudo.

Kunyange hondo isati yapera, mhuri yedu yaigara ichionana uye ichikurukura nezvimwe Zvapupu. Muna August 1943, Hama José-Nicolas Minet vakashanya papurazi redu kuti vape hurukuro. Vakabvunza kuti, “Ndiani anoda kubhabhatidzwa?” Baba vangu vakasimudza ruoko, ndikabva ndasimudzawo rwangu. Takabhabhatidzwa mune kamwe karwizi pedyo nepurazi redu.

Muna December 1944 uto reGermany rakatanga kurwisa zvakanyanya uye kekupedzisira kumadokero kweEurope. Hondo iyi yakazivikanwa seBattle of the Bulge. Taigara pedyo nepairwiwa hondo yacho, uye takaita unenge mwedzi tiri mukamuri raiva nechepasi. Rimwe zuva pandakabuda kuti ndinopa zvipfuwo chikafu, mabhomba akakandwa papurazi pedu, uye akabvisa denga rechivakwa chaichengeterwa zvinhu. Mumwe musoja wekuAmerica aiva pane imwe nzvimbo yaigara mhuka yaiva pedyo neni akashevedzera kuti, “Rara pasi!” Ndakamhanya ndokurara pedyo naye, iye ndokubva aisa helmet yake mumusoro mangu kuti indidzivirire.

Pakapera hondo, tainge tava kugara tichikurukura nehama nehanzvadzi dzaiva muLiège, iyo yaiva anenge makiromita 90 nechekuchamhembe kwedu. Nekufamba kwenguva, takakwanisa kuumba boka diki rekudzidza Bhaibheri muBastogne. Ndakatanga kuita basa rine chekuita nemitero uye ndakawana mukana wekudzidza mutemo. Pave paya, ndakatanga kushanda muhurumende. Muna 1951 takaronga gungano redunhu diki muBastogne. Vanhu vanenge 100 vakapinda gungano racho, kusanganisira imwe hanzvadzi yaishingaira chaizvo yaiva piyona, Elly Reuter. Akanga achovha bhasikoro kwemakiromita 50 kuti apinde gungano  racho. Pasina nguva takatanga kudanana uye takavimbisana kuroorana. Elly akanga akokwa kuti apinde chikoro cheGiriyedhi kuUnited States. Akanyorera kumahofisi makuru achitsanangura kuti nei aifunga kuti aisakwanisa kupinda chikoro chacho. Hama Knorr, avo vaitungamirira pakati pevanhu vaJehovha mazuva iwayo, vakamupindura zvakanaka kuti zvichida rimwe zuva aizogona kupinda chikoro chacho nemurume wake. Takachata muna February 1953.

Gore iroro, ini naElly takapinda gungano reNew World Society Assembly rakaitirwa muYankee Stadium, New York. Tiri ikoko, takasangana neimwe hama yaiti yaida kundipa basa rakanaka ndokundiudza kuti nditamire kuUnited States. Pashure pekunge taudza Jehovha nyaya yacho mumunyengetero, ini naElly takasarudza kuramba basa racho ndokudzokera kuBelgium kunotsigira boka diki revaparidzi vanenge 10 vaiva muBastogne. Gore rakatevera racho takakomborerwa nemwanakomana, watakapa zita rekuti Serge. Zvisinei, pashure pemwedzi 7, Serge akarwara ndokufa. Takanyengetera tichiudza Jehovha kurwadziwa kwataiitwa, uye takasimbiswa netariro yechokwadi yerumuko.

Muna October 1961, ndakakwanisa kuwana basa raizondibvumira kuti ndipayone. Asi zuva iroro, ndakafonerwa nemuranda webazi reBelgium. Akandibvunza kana zvaiita kuti nditange kushumira semuranda wedunhu (ava kunzi mutariri wedunhu). Ndakabvunza kuti “Zvinoita here kuti titange tashumira semapiyona tisati tatanga basa racho?” Chikumbiro changu chakabvumwa. Pashure pekushumira semapiyona kwemwedzi 8, takatanga basa redunhu muna September 1962.

Patakaita makore maviri tiri mubasa redunhu, takakokwa kuti tishumire paBheteri muBrussels. Takatanga kushumira ipapo muna October 1964. Basa idzva iri rakatiunzira makomborero akawanda. Pashure penguva pfupi Hama Knorr vashanyira bazi redu muna 1965, ndakashamiswa pandakagadzwa semuranda webazi. Pave paya, ini naElly takakokwa kuti tipinde kirasi yechi41 yeChikoro cheGiriyedhi. Izvi zvakazadzisa mashoko akanga ataurwa naHama Knorr makore 13 akanga adarika! Patakagirajuweta, takadzokera kuBheteri rekuBelgium.

Kwemakore akawanda, ndakava neropafadzo yekushandisa ruzivo rwandakawana panyaya dzine chekuita nemutemo kuti ndibatsire pakudzivirira rusununguko rwedu rwekunamata muEurope uyewo kune dzimwe nzvimbo. (VaF. 1:7) Izvi zvakaita kuti nditaure nevakuru vakuru vanobva munyika dzinopfuura 55 dzatisingabvumirwi kuita zvimwe zvinhu pabasa redu kana kuti dzakabhana basa racho. Pane kuti ndiudze vakuru vakuru nezveruzivo rwangu panyaya dzemutemo, ndaizvisuma ‘semunhu waMwari.’ Ndaigara ndichinyengeterera kutungamirirwa naJehovha, ndichiziva kuti “mwoyo wamambo [kana kuti wemutongi] wakaita sehova  dzemvura dziri muruoko rwaJehovha. Anoita kuti uende chero kwese kwaanoda.”—Zvir. 21:1.

Ndinoyeuka pandakakurukura neimwe nhengo yeParamende yeEurope. Ndakanga ndakumbira kakawanda kutaura nemurume wacho, uye akazobvuma kuita musangano neni. Akati, “Ndichakupa maminitsi 5, uye hautombofaniri kupfuura kunyange neminiti imwe chete.” Ndakakotamisa musoro wangu ndokutanga kunyengetera. Murume wacho akandibvunza kuti ndaiitei. Ndakasimudza musoro wangu, ndokuti, “Ndanga ndichitenda Mwari nekuti muri mumwe wevashumiri vake.” Akandibvunza kuti, “Unorevei?” Ndakamuratidza VaRoma 13:4. Aiva munhu anoenda kuchechi, saka vhesi iyi yeBhaibheri yakaita kuti ade kuteerera. Zvakaguma nei? Akandipa maminitsi 30, uye takava nemusangano wakanaka chaizvo. Akatotaura kuti anoremekedza basa redu.

Kwemakore ese aya, Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvakapinda kakawanda mumatare kuEurope pamusana penyaya dzakadai sekusava kwedu nedivi ratinotsigira, nyaya yekuti vana vochengetwa naani, mitero, nedzimwewo. Ndakava neropafadzo yekubatanidzwa munyaya dzakawanda dzacho uye kuzvionera pachangu kuti Jehovha akatibatsira sei kubudirira uye kukunda. Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvakakunda munyaya dzinopfuura 140 dzakaendeswa kuEuropean Court of Human Rights!

Mumakore ekuma1990, ndakashanda naHama Philip Brumley, vekumahofisi makuru, uye Hama Valter Farneti, vekuItaly, kuti tibatsire hama dzedu dzekuCuba, kuti dziwedzere kuva nerusununguko rwekunamata nekuti pane zvimwe zvinhu zvadzairambidzwa kuita. Ndakanyorera hofisi yemumiririri weCuba muBelgium ndokubva ndasangana nemumwe mukuru mukuru ainge asarudzwa kuti aone nezvechikumbiro chedu. Pamusangano wedu wekutanga hatina kukwanisa kugadzirisa kusanzwisisana kwakanga kwakonzera kuti hurumende itirambidze zvimwe zvinhu pabasa redu.

Pashure pekunyengetera tichikumbira kutungamirirwa naJehovha, takakumbira mvumo yekutumira maBhaibheri 5 000 kuCuba uye takabvumirwa. MaBhaibheri acho akasvika zvakanaka uye akapiwa hama, saka takava nechokwadi chekuti Jehovha aikomborera zvataiita. Takabva takumbira mvumo yekutumira mamwe maBhaibheri 27 500. Hurumende yakabvuma zvakare. Kubatsira hama nehanzvadzi dzedu muCuba kuti dzive nemaBhaibheri kwakaita kuti ndifare chaizvo.

Ndakaenda kuCuba kakawanda kuti ndibatsire pakuita kuti tibvumirwe nemutemo kuita zvimwe zvinhu pabasa redu. Pandaiita izvozvo, ndakasvika pakuzivana nevakuru vakuru vehurumende vakawanda.

Muna 1994 vanhu vanopfuura 1 000 000 vakaurayiwa pairwiswa vaTutsi muRwanda. Zvinosuruvarisa kuti dzimwe hama nehanzvadzi dzedu dzakaurayiwawo. Pasina nguva boka rehama rakakumbirwa kuti ribatsire pakuendesera hama nehanzvadzi zvinhu zvekurarama nazvo munyika yacho.

Boka redu parakasvika muKigali, guta guru, takawana hofisi yeshanduro uye nzvimbo yaichengeterwa mabhuku zvakaboorwa-boorwa nemabara. Takanzwa nyaya dzaityisa dzehama nehanzvadzi dzakanga dzaurayiwa nemabhemba. Asi takanzwawo nezvehama nehanzvadzi dzakawanda dzaibatsirana dzichiratidza rudo rwechiKristu. Semuenzaniso, takasangana neimwe hama yechiTutsi yakanga yahwanda mugomba kwemazuva 28, ichichengetedzwa nemhuri yeZvapupu yechiHutu. Pane mumwe musangano wakaitwa muKigali, takashanda nesimba kuti tikurudzire uye tinyaradze hama nehanzvadzi dzinopfuura 900.

Takabva tazoyambuka bhodha tichipinda muZaire (yava kunzi Democratic Republic of the Congo) kuti titsvage Zvapupu zvekuRwanda zvakawanda zvakanga zvatizira kumisasa yevapoteri pedyo neguta reGoma. Hatina kukwanisa kuzviwana, saka takanyengetera, tichikumbira Jehovha kuti atitungamirire kwazvaiva. Takabva taona mumwe munhu achifamba akananga kwatiri, uye takamubvunza kana aiva neZvapupu zvaJehovha zvaaiziva. Akapindura kuti, “Hongu, ndiri Chapupu. Regai ndikuendesei kune komiti yekuyamura.” Pashure pemusangano unokurudzira nekomiti yekuyamura, takaita musangano nevapoteri vanenge 1 600 kuti tivakurudzire uye tivanyaradze. Takavaverengerawo tsamba yaibva kuDare Rinotungamirira. Hama nehanzvadzi dzacho dzakafara chaizvo padzakanzwa mashoko anokurudzira ekuti: “Tinogara tichikunyengetererai. Tinoziva kuti Jehovha haazokusiyai.” Mashoko iwayo akabva kuDare Rinotungamirira akaratidza kuti aiva echokwadi. Iye zvino muRwanda mune Zvapupu zvinopfuura 30 000 zviri kushumira Jehovha zvichifara!

Muna 2011 ndakarasikirwa nemudiwa wangu Elly, pashure pemakore anenge 58 tiri tese. Ndakaudza Jehovha kurwadziwa kwandaiitwa uye akandinyaradza. Ndakanyaradzwawo nekuudza vavakidzani vangu mashoko akanaka eUmambo.

Kunyange zvazvo ndiri mumakore ekuma90, ndichiri kuparidza vhiki rimwe nerimwe. Ndinowanawo mufaro pakubatsira dhipatimendi remutemo pano pabazi reBelgium, kuudza vamwe nhoroondo yangu yeupenyu uye kukurudzira vechidiki vari mumhuri yeBheteri.

Anenge makore 84 apfuura, ndakaita munyengetero wangu wekutanga kuna Jehovha. Uku kwaiva kutanga rwendo rwakazonaka urwo rwakaita kuti ndiwedzere kuswedera pedyo naJehovha. Ndinofara chaizvo kuti kweupenyu hwangu hwese Jehovha ari kuteerera minyengetero yangu.—Pis. 66:19. b