GORE ra1970 rakanga rava nechepakati. Ndaiva ndakarara pamubhedha ndiri muchipatara chinonzi Valley Forge General Hospital, kuPhoenixville, Pennsylvania, muUnited States. Ndairwara zvisingaiti uye mumwe nesi wechirume ainditora BP pashure pemaminitsi 30 oga oga. Ndakanga ndava nemakore 20 uye ndaiva musoja. Nesi wacho aiva mukuru kwandiri nemakore mashomanana, uye airatidza kunetseka chaizvo. BP yangu zvayairamba ichinyanya kudzika, ndakamubvunza kuti, “Hamusati mamboona munhu achifa, handiti?” Akavhunduka, achibva ati, “Aiwa, handisati.”

Panguva iyoyo, ndaiona sokuti handichararami. Asi zvakafamba sei kuti ndizova muchipatara? Regai ndikuudzei nezvoupenyu hwangu.

Ndakatanga kurwara pandaishanda mukamuri raioparetwa varwere panguva yairwiwa hondo yokuVietnam. Ndaida chaizvo kubatsira vanhu vairwara nevainge vakuvara uye ndaida kuzovawo chiremba anoita zvokuvhiya varwere. Ndakasvika kuVietnam muna July 1969. Sezvaingoitwawo kune vamwe vanhu vatsva vaiuya, ndisati ndatanga basa ndakapiwa vhiki rokuti ndijairane nenyika yacho iyo inopisa chaizvo.

Ndichangotanga basa pane chimwe chipatara kuMekong Delta, muDong Tam, ndakaona herikoputa dzakawanda dzainge dzakazara nevanhu vakafa nevainge vakuvara dzichisvika. Ndaida chaizvo nyika yangu uye ndaida kushanda, saka ndaida kubva ndatotanga basa. Vaya vainge vakuvara vaitanga vagadzirwa vobva vamhanyiswa kumakondena madiki esimbi aiva nemichina yaiita kuti mutonhorere. Makondena iwayo aishandiswa sedzimba dzokurapira varwere. Mudzimba idzi, maiva nachiremba anoita zvokuvhiya, nesi anokotsirisa varwere, nemamwe manesi maviri. Vaishanda vakamanikidzana mukanzvimbo ikako kadiki, vachiita zvose zvavaigona kuti vararamise vanhu. Ndakaona kuti paiva nemamwe mabhegi matema aiva akakura asina kuburutswa mumaherikoputa. Ndakaudzwa kuti mabhegi iwayo aiva nezvidimbu zvidimbu zvemiviri yemasoja ainge aputikirwa nemabhomba muhondo. Izvi ndizvo zvandakatanga kusangana nazvo pandakapinda muhondo.

Ndichiri mudiki, ndakambowana mukana wokunzwa chokwadi chaidzidziswa neZvapupu zvaJehovha. Amai vangu vakambodzidza Bhaibheri neZvapupu asi havana kuzobhabhatidzwa. Pavaidzidza  Bhaibheri, ndaiuya kuzogarawo pasi ndichiteerera, uye zvaindinakidza chaizvo. Rimwe zuva ndakapfuura nepaImba yoUmambo ndiina baba vangu vokurera. Ndakavabvunza kuti, “Imba iyo ndeyei?” Vakapindura kuti, “Usambofa wakaenda pedyo nevanhu ivavo!” Ndaivada uye ndaivimba navo, saka ndakateerera zvavakataura. Kubvira ipapo handina kuzoonana neZvapupu zvaJehovha.

Pandakadzoka kubva kuVietnam, ndakatanga kuva neshungu dzokuziva Mwari. Ndangariro dzezvaiitika kuhondo dzainge dzandivhiringidza chaizvo. Zvaiita sokuti hapana ainyatsonzwisisa zvaiitika kuVietnam. Ndinoyeuka vanhu vachiratidzira vachitsutsumwa nokuti vakanga vanzwa kuti masoja eUnited States ari kuuraya vana vasina mhosva muhondo iyi.

Kuti ndipedze nzara yokunamata yandaiva nayo, ndakatanga kupinda machechi akasiyana-siyana. Ndainge ndagara ndichida Mwari asi zvandaiona mumachechi acho hazvina kundifadza. Ndakazopedzisira ndava kuenda kuImba yoUmambo yeZvapupu zvaJehovha kuDelray Beach, muFlorida. Ndakatanga kuendako uri musi weSvondo muna February 1971.

Pandakapinda muImba yoUmambo, hurukuro yavose yakanga yava kupera, saka ndakaramba ndirimo kuti ndinzwe chidzidzo cheNharireyomurindi. Handichayeuki kuti inyaya ipi yaidzidzwa, asi ndichiri kuyeuka ndichiona vana vaduku vachivhura maBhaibheri avo vachitsvaka magwaro. Izvozvo zvakandibaya mwoyo! Ndakanyatsoteerera uku ndichiona zvaiitika. Pandakanga ndava kubva paImba yoUmambo, imwe hama yaiva nemakore anenge 80 yakauya kwandiri. Hama iyi yainzi Jim Gardner. Yakauya yakabata bhuku rakanzi Zvokwadi Inotungamirira Kuupenyu Husingagumi, ndokundibvunza kuti, “Ungada here bhuku iri?” Takarangana kuonana China mangwanani kuti titange kudzidza Bhaibheri.

Manheru iwayo omusi weSvondo ndaifanira kuenda kubasa. Ndaishanda pane chimwe chipatara chokuBoca Raton, muFlorida ndichishandira kunosvikira varwere vanoda kurapwa nokukurumidza. Ndaitanga basa na11 manheru ndichipedza na7 mangwanani. Basa rakanga risina kunyanya kuwanda usiku ihwohwo, saka ndakakwanisa kuverenga bhuku raZvokwadi. Mumwe nesi akauya pandaiva akandibvutira bhuku racho, achibva atarisa pakavha ndokutanga kupopota achiti, “Uri kuda kuita mumwe wavoka iwe?” Ndakamutorera bhuku rangu ndichibva ndati, “Ndava pakati nepakati pokuriverenga uye zvinoita sokuti ndichava mumwe wavo!” Akabva asiyana neni uye ndakapedza kuriverenga usiku ihwohwo.

Patakanga tava kuda kudzidza Bhaibheri naHama Gardner, ndakatanga nokuvabvunza kuti, “Saka tichadzidzei?” Vakati, “Tichadzidza bhuku randakakupa.” Ndakabva ndati, “Ndakatoriverenga ini.” Hama Gardner vakabva vandipindura zvakanaka-naka vachiti, “Ngatimbodzidzai chitsauko ichi chokutanga.” Ndakashamiswa kuona kuti ndaiva nezvakawanda zvandainge ndisina kunzwisisa. Vakandivhurisa magwaro akawanda muBhaibheri rangu reKing James Version. Iye zvino ndakanga ndava kudzidza  nezvaMwari wechokwadi, Jehovha. Mangwanani iwayo, Hama Gardner, avo vandaishevedza kuti Jim, vakadzidza neni zvitsauko zvitatu zvebhuku raZvokwadi. Kubva ipapo, mangwanani emusi weChina woga woga taidzidza zvitsauko zvitatu. Ndainakidzwa chaizvo nezvidzidzo izvozvo. Chaiva chikomborero kudzidziswa Bhaibheri nehama iyoyo yakazodzwa yaizivana naHama Charles T. Russell!

Pashure pemavhiki mashoma, ndakagadzwa kuva muparidzi wemashoko akanaka. Jim akandibatsira pane zvakawanda zvaindinetsa, kusanganisira pakutya kwandaiita kuparidza paimba neimba. (Mab. 20:20) Kushanda kwandaiita naJim kwakaita kuti ndipedzisire ndava kunakidzwa nebasa rokuparidza. Ndichiri kuona ushumiri seropafadzo inopfuura dzose dzandinadzo. Zvinofadza chaizvo kuva mushandi pamwe chete naMwari!—1 VaK. 3:9.

Iye zvino regai ndimbokuudzai matangiro andakaita kuda Jehovha. (Zvak. 2:4) Rudo irworwo rwuri kundibatsira kuti ndisaramba ndichifunga zvinhu zvinorwadza zvandaiona muhondo uye kuti ndikwanise kukunda mimwe miedzo yakawanda.—Isa. 65:17.

Ndinoyeuka zvakaitika rimwe zuva muna 1971. Ndainge ndichangodzingwa pane imwe imba yandainge ndanzi nevabereki vangu ndigare. Baba vangu vokurera vakanga vati havadi kuona Chapupu chaJehovha pamba pavo. Panguva iyoyo, mari yandaiva nayo yaiva shoma. Pachipatara pandaishanda ndaitambira mari pashure pemavhiki maviri uye pamari yandakanga ndichangotambira, yakawanda yacho ndainge ndaishandisa kutenga hembe kuti ndikwanise kuenda muushumiri ndichiratidzika zvakanaka semushumiri waJehovha. Ndaiva nemari yandainge ndakachengeta asi yaiva mubhengi raiva kuMichigan kwandakakurira. Saka kwemazuva mota yangu  ndiyo yakanga yava imba yangu. Ndainogeza uye kushevha ndebvu pazvimbudzi zvepanotengeserwa mafuta emota.

Rimwe zuva ndichiri kugara mumota, ndakasvika paImba yoUmambo pachine maawa kuti musangano webasa romumunda utange. Ndainge ndichangopedza basa kuchipatara kwandaishanda. Pandakanga ndakagara kuseri kweImba yoUmambo kusina munhu aindiona, ndangariro dzezvaiitika kuVietnam dzakatanga kudzoka. Ndakatanga kuyeuka ndichinzwa kunhuhwa kwevanhu vari kutsva, uye ndichiona ropa revanhu. Mupfungwa dzangu ndaiita sendiri kunzwa uye kutoona vakomana vaindibvunza vachiteterera vachiti, “Ndichararama here ini? Ndichararama here ini?” Ndaiziva kuti vachafa, asi ndaiedza kuvanyaradza nepose pandaigona ndichiita kuti vasaone kuti ndaisada kuvaudza chokwadi. Ndakanetseka chaizvo ndakagara ipapo.

Ndakanyengetera uku misodzi ichiti mokoto mokoto pamatama. (Pis. 56:8) Ndakatanga kufungisisa nezvetariro yekumutswa kwevakafa. Ndakabva ndayeuka kuti Jehovha Mwari achamutsa vanhu vose ivavo vandakaona vachifa muhondo uye achabvisa kurwadziwa kwose kwandakaita uye kwakaitawo vamwe. Mwari achamutsa vakomana ivavo uye vachava nemukana wokudzidza chokwadi nezvake. (Mab. 24:15) Panguva iyoyo, kuda kwandaiita Jehovha kwakawedzera. Zuva iroro ndinoramba ndichirikoshesa. Kubva ipapo, ndinoedza nepandinogona napo kuti ndisambosiya rudo rwandaiva narwo pakutanga kunyanya pandinosangana nemiedzo uye matambudziko.

Muhondo, vanhu vanoita zvinhu zvakaipa chaizvo uye ndaizviitawo. Asi ndakabatsirwa nokufungisisa mamwe emagwaro maviri andinofarira. Rugwaro rwokutanga ndiZvakazarurwa 12:10, 11, urwo rwunotaura kuti tinokunda Dhiyabhorosi neshoko ratinopupura uyewo neropa reGwayana. Rugwaro rwechipiri ndiVaGaratiya 2:20. Kubva mundima iyoyo, ndinoziva kuti Kristu Jesu akandifira. Jehovha paanonditarisa anofunga nezvekushanda kweropa raJesu uye akandiregerera pane zvandakaita. Kuziva izvi kwakaita kuti ndive nehana yakachena uye kunoita kuti ndiite zvose zvandinogona kubatsira vamwe kuti vazive chokwadi nezvaMwari wedu ane ngoni, Jehovha!—VaH. 9:14.

Pandinofunga nezveupenyu hwangu, ndinotenda chaizvo Jehovha nokuti agara achindichengeta. Somuenzaniso, Jim paakangoziva kuti ndaigara mumota, zuva iroro akaita kuti nditaure neimwe hanzvadzi yairendesa dzimba. Ndinonyatsoona kuti Jehovha akashandisa Jim pamwe nehanzvadzi iyi kuti ndiwane pokugara pakanaka. Jehovha ane mutsa chaizvo! Anochengeta vanamati vake vakatendeka.

Muna May 1971, ndaifanira kuenda kuMichigan nokuti pane zvandaida kunoita ikoko. Ndisati ndabva muungano yeDelray Beach muFlorida, ndakazadza bhuti remota yangu nemabhuku uye ndakabva ndaenda nemugwagwa wokuchamhembe unonzi Interstate 75. Mabhuku angu akanga atopera ndisati ndabuda muGeorgia. Ndakashanda nesimba ndichiparidza mashoko akanaka oUmambo munzvimbo dzakasiyana-siyana. Ndaimira pamajeri uye ndaipa vanhu maturakiti kunyange vaiva muzvimbudzi zvepanzvimbo dzinozororera vanhu vari parwendo. Nanhasi handizivi kana mbeu idzodzo dzandakadyara dzakazomera.—1 VaK. 3:6, 7.

Kunyange zvakadaro, pandakatanga kudzidza chokwadi, ndaisangwarira pamatauriro andaiita nevanhu kunyanya vomumba medu. Rudo rwandaiva narwo pakutanga rwaipisa chaizvo zvokuti ndaivaparidzira noushingi asi ndisina unyoro. Vakoma vangu, John naRon ndinovada chaizvo saka ndaivaudza chokwadi chomumagwaro asi ndichiita zvokuvamanikidza. Ndakatozovakumbira ruregerero nepamusana pematauriro andaiita navo. Asi ndinoramba ndichivanyengeterera  kuti zvimwe vachagamuchira chokwadi. Kusvikira iye zvino, Jehovha ari kuramba achindidzidzisa uye ndava kukwanisa kutaura zvakanaka nevanhu pandinenge ndichiparidza nekudzidzisa.—VaK. 4:6.

Handikanganwi kuda kwandinoita Jehovha, asi ndine vamwewo vandinoda muupenyu hwangu. Mumwe wandinoda ndiSusan, mudzimai wangu. Ndakaona kuti ndaida mumwe munhu aizondibatsira pakuita basa roUmambo. Susan mudzimai akasimba pakunamata. Ndinonyatsoyeuka rimwe zuva pandakaenda kunomuona tichiri mukomana nemusikana. Akanga akagara pavharanda reimba yavo kuCranston, Rhode Island. Aiverenga Nharireyomurindi aine Bhaibheri rake padivi. Chakanyanya kundifadza ndechokuti aiverenga dzimwewo nyaya dzisiri dzokudzidza uye aivhura magwaro. Ndakabva ndati nechomumwoyo, ‘Uyu ndiye mukadzi anoda Mwari!’ Takachata muna December 1971, uye ndinotenda chaizvo kuti kubva ipapo akaramba aineni uye achinditsigira. Chandinonyanya kufarira ndechokuti kunyange zvazvo achindida, anoda Jehovha zvakanyanya.

Jehovha akatikomborera nevanakomana vaviri, Jesse naPaul. Vakaramba vachikura Jehovha ainavo. (1 Sam. 3:19) Vakaita kuti chokwadi chive chavo uye ini naSusan tinodada navo. Vari kuramba vachishumira Jehovha nokuti vanoyeuka rudo rwavaiva narwo pakutanga. Mumwe nomumwe wavo ava nemakore  anopfuura 20 ari mubasa renguva yakazara. Ndinodadawo nevaroora vangu vaviri vakanaka chaizvo, Stephanie naRacquel avo vandinoona sevana vangu vokubereka. Vanakomana vangu vakaroora vakadzi vanoda Jehovha Mwari nemwoyo wose uye nemweya wose.—VaEf. 6:6.

Pandakabhabhatidzwa, ndakashumira kwemakore 16 kuRhode Island uye ikoko ndakava neshamwari dzakawanda. Ndinoramba ndichifunga nezvevamwe vakuru vaiita zvakanaka chaizvo vandaishumira navo. Uyewo ndinotenda chaizvo vatariri vanofambira vakawanda vaindikurudzira. Yaiva ropafadzo yakakura kushanda nevarume vairamba vachida Jehovha sezvavaiita pakutanga. Muna 1987, takatamira kuNorth Carolina kuti tinoshumira kwaidiwa vaparidzi vakawanda uye tiri ikoko takava nedzimwe shamwari dzakawanda. *

Muna August 2002, ini naSusan takabvuma kukokwa kwatakaitwa kuti tive nhengo dzemhuri yeBheteri kuPatterson muUnited States. Ndaishanda kuDhipatimendi Rebasa uye Susan aiita basa rokuwacha. Ainakidzwa chaizvo nebasa iri. Zvadaro, muna August 2005, ndakapiwa ropafadzo yokushumira senhengo yeDare Rinodzora. Ndakanzwa sokuti handikodzeri kuwana ropafadzo iyi. Mudzimai wangu akanetseka paakafunga nezvekukura kwakaita basa racho uye kufamba kwataizoita. Susan anotya kufamba nendege asi tinogara tichibhururuka. Susan anoti mamwe mashoko anokurudzira aanoudzwa nemamwe madzimai enhengo dzeDare Rinodzora anomubatsira kuti atsunge kuramba achinditsigira nepose paanogona napo. Ndizvo chaizvo zvaanoita uye ndizvo zvandinomudira.

Muhofisi mangu makazara mapikicha anondiyeuchidza zvakawanda. Anondiyeuchidza zvinhu zvinofadza zvandakasangana nazvo. Ndine makomborero akawanda andakatowana nemhaka yekuramba ndichiyeuka kutanga kwandakaita kuda Jehovha!