PANDAIVA nemakore 12, ndakatanga kuona kuti ndaiva nechimwe chinhu chinokosha chandaigona kupa. Pataiva pagungano, imwe hama yakandibvunza kana ndaida kuparidza. Ndakati “hongu,” kunyange zvazvo ndakanga ndisati ndambozviita. Takaenda kundima yatainoparidza, uye hama iya yakandipa tumabhuku twaitaura nezveUmambo hwaMwari. “Iwe uchaparidzira vanhu vari kudivi iri,” yakadaro hama yacho, “uye ini ndichaita rimwe racho.” Ndichitya, ndakatanga kuenda paimba neimba, uye ndakashamisika kuti pasina nguva ndakanga ndatopa vanhu tumabhuku twese. Zviri pachena kuti vakawanda vaifarira zvandaida kupa vanhu.

Ndakaberekwa muna 1923 kuChatham, Kent, kuEngland, uye ndakakurira munyika yaiva nevanhu vakanga vasina mufaro. Hondo Yenyika I yakanga isina kuita kuti zvinhu zvinake panyika sezvaitarisirwa. Vabereki vangu vakanga vaodzwa mwoyo nevafundisi vechechi yeBaptist avo vairatidza kuti vaingokoshesa kubudirira kwavo pachavo. Pandainge ndava nemakore anenge 9, amai vangu vakatanga kuenda kuimba yekunamatira yeInternational Bible Students Association, uko kwaiitirwa “makirasi” kana kuti misangano nevanhu vakanga vava kushandisa zita rekuti Zvapupu zvaJehovha. Imwe hanzvadzi yaitiitisa zvidzidzo kubva muBhaibheri uye mubhuku rinonzi The Harp of God. Ndakafarira zvandaidzidza.

Semukomana wechidiki, ndainakidzwa nekuzivisa vanhu tariro iri muShoko raMwari. Kunyange zvazvo ndaiwanzoshanda ndega paimba neimba, ndakadzidza zvakawanda kuburikidza nekuparidza nevamwe. Semuenzaniso, pataichovha mabhasikoro neimwe hama takananga kundima yatainoparidza, takapfuudzana nemumwe mufundisi ndichibva ndati, “Mbudzi iyo.” Hama yacho yakamisa bhasikoro ikandikumbira kuti timbogara pane rimwe danda. Yakabva yati: “Wakapiwa nani simba rekuti utonge kuti mbudzi ndedzipi? Ngatingofarira kupa vanhu mashoko akanaka tosiyira Jehovha kuti atonge.” Mazuva andakatanga kuparidza ndakadzidza zvakawanda pamusoro pemufaro unobva pakupa.—Mat. 25:31-33; Mab. 20:35.

Imwewo hama yechikuru yakandidzidzisa kuti dzimwe nguva tinofanira kutsungirira tichiratidza mwoyo murefu kuti tiwane mufaro. Mudzimai wayo aisafarira Zvapupu zvaJehovha. Mumwe musi hama iyi yakati tipfuure nekumba kwayo tichimbodyira-dyira. Mudzimai wacho ainge atsamwa kuti hama iyi yainge  yaenda kunoparidza zvekuti akatanga kutitema nemapaketi emasamba. Pane kuti imutsiure, hama yacho yakadzorera masamba acho paaigara ichifara hayo. Papera makore, yakawana mubayiro wekuratidza mwoyo murefu pakabhabhatidzwa mudzimai wayo kuti ave mumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha.

Chido changu chekuzivisa vamwe tariro yeramangwana chakaramba chichikura, uye ini namai vangu takabhabhatidzwa muna March 1940 mutaundi reDover. Muna September 1939 ndiine makore 16, Britain yainge yazivisa kuti yaida kurwisana neGermany. Muna June 1940, ndaimira padhoo ndichiona zviuru zvemasoja ainge avhiringidzwa pfungwa nehondo achipfuura ari mumarori. Ainge apona pakurwisana kwakaitika muDunkirk. Zviso zvavo zvairatidza kuti vakanga vasina tariro uye ndaiva neshungu dzekuvaudza nezveUmambo hwaMwari. Pava paya mugore iroro, Britain yakatanga kugara ichibhombwa. Usiku hwega hwega ndaiona ndege dzehondo dzeGermany dzichipfuura nemunharaunda medu. Mabhomba airira semuridzo achidonha, uye izvozvo zvaiita kuti tiwedzere kutya. Pataizobuda mangwanani, taiona dzimba dzainge dzaparadzwa. Ndakanyatsoona kuti tariro yangu yeramangwana yaiva paUmambo chete.

Maiva muna 1941 pandakatanga upenyu hunoita kuti ndifare chaizvo. Ndaishanda paRoyal Dockyard kuChatham, ndichidzidzira kugadzira zvikepe. Basa iri raidiwa nevanhu vakawanda uye raibhadhara chaizvo. Vashumiri vaJehovha vakanga vagara vachiziva kuti vaKristu havafaniri kurwisana nemamwe marudzi. Pakazosvika 1941 takanga tava kuziva kuti taisafanira kutsigira basa rekugadzira zvombo. (Joh. 18:36) Sezvo kwandaishanda kwaigadzirwa masubmarine, ndakaona kuti ndaifanira kusiya basa racho ndotanga kuita ushumiri hwenguva yakazara. Ndakatanga kutumirwa kuCirencester, taundi rakanaka riri mumakomo eCotswolds.

Pandakanga ndava nemakore 18, ndakavharirwa mujeri kwemwedzi 9 nekuti ndakaramba kuita basa rechiuto. Ndakatya chaizvo pakavharwa dhoo rejeri ndichibva ndasiyiwa ndega. Pasina nguva, magadhi nevamwe vasungwa vakatanga kubvunza kuti nei ndaiva mujeri, uye ndakafara kuvatsanangurira zvandaitenda.

Pandakabudiswa mujeri, ndakakumbirwa kuti ndibatane naLeonard Smith * pakunoparidza mumataundi emunharaunda yeKent. Kubva muna 1944, mabhomba anopfuura 1 000 akadonhera muKent. Mabhomba aya dzaiva ndege dzaisatyairwa nevanhu. Kwataigara ndiko kwaipfuura nendege idzodzo dzaibva  kunharaunda yeEurope yainge iine masoja eGermany dzichienda kuLondon. Mabhomba iwayo ainzi madoodlebug. Izvi zvaityisa chaizvo nekuti waiti ukanzwa injini yanyarara wobva waziva kuti pasina nguva ndege yacho ichadonha yoputika. Takadzidzisa Bhaibheri imwe mhuri ine vanhu vashanu. Dzimwe nguva taigara pasi peimwe tafura yesimbi yainge yakagadzirirwa kuti idzivirire vanhu kana imba ikadonha. Mhuri yacho yese yakazobhabhatidzwa.

Hondo payakapera, ndakapayona kwemakore maviri nechekumaodzanyemba kweIreland. Taisaziva kuti Ireland yakasiyana chaizvo neEngland. Taifamba paimba neimba tichitsvaga pekugara, tichitaura kuti tiri mamishinari, uye taipa vanhu magazini mumugwagwa. Kuita izvozvo kwaiita kuti vanhu vatione semapenzi nekuti taiva munyika yakazara vanhu vechechi yeRoma! Mumwe murume paaida kutirova, ndakamhan’ara kune mumwe mupurisa, ndichibva ndanzi: “Wanga uchiti zvinoguma nei?” Taisaziva simba raiva nemapristi. Aiita kuti vanhu vadzingwe mabasa kana vakatambira mabhuku edu, uye aiita kuti tidzingwe mudzimba dzataigara.

Takazodzidza kuti tikagara mune imwe nzvimbo, zvainge zvakanaka kuchovha mabhasikoro tichienda kure kunoparidza munzvimbo dzaiva nemapristi asingatizivi. Taizopedzisira nekuparidzira vanhu vepedyo nekwataigara. MuKilkenny, taidzidza Bhaibheri nemumwe mukomana katatu pavhiki pasinei nekutyisidzirwa nezvikwata zvevanhu. Ndainakidzwa chaizvo nekudzidzisa chokwadi cheBhaibheri zvekuti ndakasarudza kunyorera kuti ndidzidziswe kuChikoro cheBhaibheri cheWatchtower cheGiriyedhi kuti ndive mumishinari.

Patakapedza kosi yemwedzi mishanu yeGiriyedhi kuNew York, takatumirwa tiri 4 kuzvitsuwa zvidiki zveCaribbean Sea. Muna November 1948, takabuda muNew York City nechikepe chainge chakareba mamita 18 chainzi Sibia. Ndainge ndisati ndambofamba nemugungwa, saka ndaifara chaizvo. Mumwe wedu ainzi Gust Maki aiva mutyairi wezvikepe ane unyanzvi. Akatidzidzisa zvinhu zvinoitwa pakutyaira chikepe zvakadai sekukwidza kana kudzikisa maseiri, kushandisa kambasi, uye kuti chinodzorwa sei kana kuine mhepo. Gust akatyaira chikepe chedu zvine unyanzvi kwemazuva 30 tichipfuura nemumadutu kusvika tasvika kuBahamas.

Pashure pekunge taita mwedzi mishoma tichiparidza pazvitsuwa zveBahamas, takaenda kuzvitsuwa zveLeeward Islands nezveWindward Islands, zviri makiromita 800 kubva kuzvitsuwa zveVirgin Islands pedyo nePuerto Rico uye zvinosvika pedyo neTrinidad. Kwemakore mashanu, tainyanya kuparidza muzvitsuwa zvaiva kwazvo zvega zvakanga zvisina Zvapupu. Pamwe pacho taiita mavhiki akati kuti tisingakwanisi kutumira kana kugamuchira tsamba. Asi taifara chaizvo kuti taizivisa shoko raJehovha muzvitsuwa.—Jer. 31:10.

Pataimira pamahombekombe, vanhu vaishamisika, uye vaiungana panoburukira vanhu kuti vaone kuti taiva vanaani. Vamwe vainge vasati vamboona munhu wechichena kana chikepe chine maseiri. Vanhu vacho vaiva neushamwari uye vaiziva Bhaibheri. Vaiwanzotipa hove nemakotapeya nenzungu. Chikepe chedu chaiva nenzvimbo diki yekurara, yekubikira, uye yekuwachira, asi tairarama.

Taibudisa chikepe mumvura toswera tichishanyira vanhu. Taivaudza kuti pachava nehurukuro yeBhaibheri. Kana kwadoka tairidza bhero rechikepe.  Zvaifadza kuona vanhu vachiuya. Marambi avo aiita senyeredzi dziri kudzika kubva mumakomo. Dzimwe nguva kwaiuya vanhu vanosvika 100, uye vairamba varipo kusvika nguva dzafamba vachibvunza mibvunzo. Vainakidzwa nekuimba, saka taitaipa mashoko edzimwe nziyo dzeUmambo tovapa. Isu tiri 4 taiimba nemwoyo wese, uye vanhu vaibva vajoinawo, mazwi avo achinyatsopindirana. Nguva idzi dzainakidza chaizvo!

Pashure pekunge taitisa chidzidzo cheBhaibheri, vamwe vadzidzi vaienda nesu pachidzidzo chinotevera kuti vadzidze zvakare. Kunyange zvazvo taifanira kuenda kune imwe nzvimbo pashure pemavhiki mashoma, taiwanzokumbira vainge vanyanya kufarira kuti vasare vachidzidza nevamwe vavo kusvika tadzoka. Zvaifadza chaizvo kuona kuti vamwe vacho vaikoshesa zvikuru basa rataivasiira.

Mazuva ano, zvitsuwa zvakawanda zveko zvava nzvimbo dzinoshanyirwa nevanhu vakawanda, asi kare ikako waingoona madziva emugungwa ane mvura yeblue, mhenderekedzo dzine jecha, uye miti yemichindwe. Taiwanzofamba usiku kubva pachimwe chitsuwa tichienda pane chimwe. Hove dzinonzi madolphin dzaitambira padivi pechikepe chedu chichifamba, uye chawaingonzwa chete kwaiva kuchekwa kwaiitwa mvura nechikepe. Chiedza chemwedzi chaipenya mugungwa chaiita semugwagwa unopenya wakananga kwataienda.

Pashure pemakore mashanu tichiparidza pazvitsuwa zvacho, takaenda kuPuerto Rico kunochinjanisa chikepe chemaseiri nebhoti rine mainjini. Patakasvika, ndakaonana naMaxine Boyd, imwe tsvarakadenga yaiva mumishinari, tikabva tadanana. Aiva muparidzi anoshingaira wemashoko akanaka kubva achiri mudiki. Akazoshumira semumishinari muDominican Republic kusvika paakadzingwa munyika macho muna 1950 nehurumende yaitungamirirwa nechechi yeRoma. Semutyairi wechikepe, ndaiva nepemiti yekugara muPuerto Rico kwemwedzi mumwe chete. Pasina nguva ndaizodzokera kuzvitsuwa uye paizopera makore ndisati ndadzoka kuPuerto Rico. Saka ndakazviudza kuti, ‘Ronald, kana uchida musikana uyu, wotomira-mira nekukurumidza.’ Papera mavhiki matatu ndakamuudza kuti ndaida kumuroora uye takachata pashure pamavhiki matanhatu. Ini naMaxine takanzi tishande semamishinari muPuerto Rico, saka handina kuzombofamba nebhoti riya remainjini.

Muna 1956 takatanga kushanyira ungano mubasa redunhu. Hama dzakawanda dzaiva varombo, asi taifara chaizvo pataidzishanyira. Semuenzaniso, mumusha wePotala Pastillo maiva nemhuri mbiri dzeZvapupu dzine vana vakawanda, uye ndaiwanzovaridzira chiridzwa chinonzi flute. Ndakabvunza kamwe kasikana kainzi Hilda kuti kaida here kunoparidza nesu. Kakati: “Ndinoda, asi handikwanisi. Handina bhutsu.” Takakatengera bhutsu, tikabva taenda kunoparidza tose. Papera makore, ini naMaxine patakashanyira Bheteri rekuBrooklyn muna 1972, imwe hanzvadzi yainge ichangobva kupedza kudzidza muChikoro cheGiriyedhi yakauya kwatiri. Yakanga yava pedyo kuenda kuEcuador kwayaizoshumira, uye yakati: “Hamuna kundiziva handiti? Ndini kasikana kekuPastillo kainge kasina bhutsu.” Aiva Hilda! Takafara zvekuti takabuda misodzi!

Muna 1960, takanzi tinoshanda pabazi rekuPuerto Rico, rakanga riri paimba diki yaiva nenhurikidzwa mbiri kuSanturce, San Juan. Pakutanga, ini naLennart Johnson tisu taiita basa rakawanda. Iye nemudzimai wake ndivo vaiva Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvekutanga muDominican Republic, uye vakanga vatamira kuPuerto Rico muna 1957. Pava paya, Maxine ndiye akanga ava kuona nezvemagazini aitumirwa vanhu vakanga vanyoresa, ayo aipfuura 1 000 pavhiki. Ainakidzwa nebasa iri nekuti aifunga nezvevanhu vose ivavo vaigamuchira zvekudya zvekunamata.

Ndinonakidzwa chaizvo nebasa repaBheteri nekuti rinoita kuti ndishandise simba rangu mubasa raJehovha. Asi kushanda paBheteri hausi mutserendende. Semuenzaniso, ndakawandirwa chaizvo nebasa pakaitwa gungano rekutanga renyika dzakawanda muPuerto Rico muna 1967. Hama Nathan Knorr, avo vaitungamirira Zvapupu zvaJehovha panguva iyoyo, vakauya kuPuerto Rico. Vakafunga kuti ndakanga ndangoregeredza kutsvaga kuti pave nezvekufambisa zvemamishinari ainge ashanya, asi ini ndakanga ndatsvaga. Vakazondipa zano rakasimba panyaya yekurongeka uye vakati vainge vasina kufara nazvo. Handina kuda kuita nharo navo, asi ndakaona sekuti vakandiona zvisiri izvo uye zvakandirwadza chaizvo kwekanguva. Zvisinei, ini naMaxine patakazoonana  zvakare naHama Knorr, vakatikoka kumba kwavo uye vakatibikira.

Pataiva kuPuerto Rico, taishanyira hama dzangu kakawanda kuEngland. Ini naAmai patakagamuchira chokwadi, Baba havana. Asi paishanya vakurukuri vaibva kuBheteri, amai vaiwanzovakoka kuti vagare pamba pedu. Baba vangu vakaona kuti vatariri ivavo vaibva kuBheteri vaizvininipisa kusiyana nevafundisi vainge vambovasembura makore ainge apfuura. Pakupedzisira, muna 1962 vakazobhabhatidzwa kuti vave mumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha.

Mudzimai wangu Maxine akashaya muna 2011. Ndinotarisira kuzomuona zvakare pachamutswa vanhu. Ndinofara chaizvo pandinozvifunga! Mumakore 58 tiri tose, ini naMaxine takaona vanhu vaJehovha muPuerto Rico vachiwedzera kubva paZvapupu zvinenge 650 kusvika ku26 000! Zvadaro, muna 2013 bazi rePuerto Rico rakabatanidzwa nereUnited States, uye ndakanzi ndinoshanda kuWallkill, New York. Pashure pemakore 60 ndiri pachitsuwa ichi, ndakanga ndava kunzwa sekuti ndiri chizvarwa chekuPuerto Rico, sekadatya kanogara mumuti kanozivikanwa zvikuru ikoko kanonzi coquí, kanorira kachiti ko-kee ko-kee kana zuva ravira. Asi ndakanga ndava kufanira kuchinja.

Ndichiri kunakidzwa nekushumira Mwari paBheteri. Parizvino ndava nemakore anopfuura 90, uye basa rangu nderekukurudzira hama nehanzvadzi dzepaBheteri semufudzi. Ndakaudzwa kuti kubva zvandauya kuWallkill, ndashanyira vanhu vanopfuura 600. Vamwe vanondishanyira kuti tikurukure nezvematambudziko avo kana kuti emhuri. Vamwe vanobvunzawo mazano ekuti vangabudirira sei pakuita basa repaBheteri. Kunoitawo vamwe vachangobva kuroorana vanenge vachida mazano ane chekuita newanano. Vamwe vacho ndevaya vakanzi vaende kunoita mamwe mabasa asiri epaBheteri. Ndinoteerera vose vanotaura neni, uye pazvinenge zvakakodzera ndinowanzovaudza kuti: “‘Mwari anoda munhu anopa achifara.’ Saka nakidzwai nebasa ramuri kuita. Muri kushandira Jehovha.”—2 VaK. 9:7.

Kana uchida kufara, pasinei nekuti uri paBheteri kana kuti kwete, zano ndeiri: Unofanira kuramba uchifunga kuti nei zvauri kuita zvichikosha. Zvose zvatinoita paBheteri ibasa dzvene. Zvinobatsira “muranda akatendeka, akangwara” kuti ape zvekudya zvekunamata kuhama dzedu pasi rose. (Mat. 24:45) Chero kwatinoshumira Jehovha tiri, tine mikana yekumurumbidza. Ngatinakidzwei nezvaanotiudza kuti tiite, nokuti “Mwari anoda munhu anopa achifara.”