NE MUTANDJIKWE mu kibundji kya Wichita, Kansas, mu U.S.A., mu 10/12/1936 bu mwana mbedi mu bana bananka. Baledi bande, William na Jean, babaadi balangwidi ba Yehowa be na lulamato. Nshami baadi mukwashi a kisaka, dino ngi eshina dibaabadi abetanyina muntu baadi akunkusha kakongye mu aa mafuku. Mama abaadi bamulongyeshe Bible kwi nyin’aye abetanyina bu Emma Wagner. Tabo Emma baadi mulongyeshe bantu bebungi bya binyibinyi, mukwetu Gertrude Steele baadi mufube bu misionere munda mwa bipwa bibungi mu Porto Rico. * Naadi na bileshesho bibuwa bya kwambula.

Mu dingi dya mpooso ku kyoolwa panadi na bipwa bitano, nayile na Papa mu museese mu kupa bantu ma jurnale a Kitenta Kya Mulami na a Consolation (abetanyina bino bino bu Réveillez-vous !). Mu aa mafuku, eumbo dyetu dibaadi dipaane mu ngoshi ya kabidi ya nsenga ishima. Anka Papa, baadi mupele kutwelakana mu myanda ya ngoshi. Ungi munganga baadi mukolwe maalwa bafikile abanga kukaa Papa pa mwanda wa kupela kutwelakana mu myanda ya politike, na kumukaa bu muntu mutshikame e na moo. Uno munganga baadi mwimane kumpala kwa Papa, na kumwamba’shi: “Bwakinyi tokyebe kunkupila, muntu mutshikame’be!” Nafitshile munda ngofu kadi naadi musankye bwa mwikeelo wa Papa. Baadi nka mutungunukye na kwabila bantu babaadi bebungye pamune ma jurnale. Akupu musalayi bakidile ku bula, yawa munganga nkumwela musaase’shi: “Fika okwate uno muntu e ntshimba!” Musalayi bamwene’shi uno muntu mmutome akwatshika, ngi aye nkumwaluula’shi: “Katuka wende koobe malofu akakwandukye! Babakatukile booso bwabo. Pantentekyesha uno mwanda napusha muloo wibungi mwanda Yehowa bapeele Papa eshimba dinyingye. Baadi na makashinyi a kupaana misambo yabadi bayimbe kukanwa mu kibundji kya Wichita, na uno munganga baadi kidiya aaye!

Panalombeeshe bipwa mwanda, baledi bande babapanyine nshibo na makashinyi aabo, abo nkwibaka kashibo ke na bipombo. Kunyima tubayile mu Colorado mu kukwasha mu mbalo i lukalo na  balungudi. Tubashalele peepi na masanka akata na baledi bande babaadi abafubu bu ba mbala-mashinda na kwata nsaa ipeela bwa kwenda mu kudima na kumuna. Ku bukwashi bwa myabi ya Yehowa na katshintshi kaabo ku mudimo, kubatukile kakongye kapya. Mwifuku dya 20/6/1948, Papa baadi mumbatshishe ami na bangi bantu babaadi bakumine binyibinyi bya mu Bible, na munkatshi mwabo mubaadi Billie Nichols na mukashi’aye. Kunyima kwa mafuku babafubile bu munkunkushi a Kifunda, pamune na bana baabo.

Tubapetele bakuuku bebuwa bebungi babaadi bepaane mu mudimo wa bulungudi na katshintshi, bikishekishe kifuko kya mukwetu Steele mubaadi—Don na Dave, Earlene, Julia, na Martha. Tubaadi na muloo wa kwisamba nabo myanda ya mu kikudi na babaadi bakambe kwikala na bukitshishi bwibuwa mu muwa wande. Babaadi bandeeshe’shi kutuula Bufumu pa mbalo ya kumpala akumpetesha nshaleelo ebuwa na a muloo.

Panalombeeshe bipwa 19, Bud Hasty ungi kuukwande bangitanyine mu mbalo ibaadi afubu bu mbala-mashinda mwiumbo di kuushi kwa États-Unis. Mukunkushi a kifunda betulungwile bwatudya kwenda mu kibundji kya Ruston, na mu Louisiane mu ma mbalo mubaadi Batemwe balekye kufuba. Tubaatshile kitshibilo kya kukita bisangilo byooso bya ku lubingo sunga mwekala bantu bapeela be naminyi. Tubapetele mbalo ibuwa ya kukitshina bisangilo atwe nkwiyilumbuula. Tubabangile kutwesha bisangilo byooso, kadi ingi misango, tabaadi atutwele mwanka nka bubidi bwetu. Tubaadi atwishintusheena mu kukita kwa midimo. Nsaa i umune a kwatudi akunkusha kipindji kya bisangilo, ungi namu baadi aluula nkonko yooso. Su mu kyakya kipindji amutungu kukita kileshesho, booso bwetu tubaadi atukamina ku mbalo ya kwakwila kushii mungi muntu etuteemesha! Kunyima kwa mafuku, ungi mukwetu mukashi taadi mununu babangile kutwela mu bisangilo. Akupu, balongi ba Bible, na bangi Batemwe balekye kufuba, ababangile kufika mu bisangilo, na kunyima kwa mafuku kakongye kabaadi kapete kibobo.

Dingi efuku, ami na Bud tubafumankeene na muntu a mu kipwilo kyabetanyina bu ministere de Christ, baadi muteemune maverse anshii mwiubidisheene nao. Bino bibaadi binkalakashe kapindji ami nkubanga kunangusheena ngofu pa myanda yandi mukumiine. Naadi natembesha kimunyi munkatshi’a bufuku munda mwa lubingo lushima bwa kukimba ngaluulo ku nkonko yaaye. Mwiyendo, bino bibaadi binkwashe bwa kunyingisha kipwano kyande na Yehowa , na naadi mupushe kisukusuku kya kwenda kushii kutengyela ungi mulungudi nami.

Kunyima kwa mafuku apeela, mukunkushi a kifunda bandungwile bwa kukatuka na kwenda ku kibundji kya Eldorado, Arkansas, mu kukwasha kakongye ka mu kino kibundji. Panafikile kwanka, naadi musembe misusa ibungi kukatuka ku Eldorado na ku  Colorado kubaabadi abangitanyina ku biro byabafundaa bantu abende busalayi. Ungi mususa, tubayile pamune na bangi ba mbala-mashinda mu mootoka wande, atwe nkupeta masaku mu kibundji kya Texas mootoka wande nkulwila ooso. Tubayitanyine ungi mukwetu bafikile etwata enda netu kwaye ku nshibo, akupu etutwala ku bisangilo. Mu bisangilo babaadi baukishe bakwetu’shi twi bapete masaku, abo nkwitukwasha na makuta. Bakwetu babaudiishe dingi mootoka wande ku dollards 25.

Tubapetele mushindo wa nkafika ku Wichita, mbalo ibaadi ayifubu mukwetu “Doc” McCartney, bu mbala-mashinda. Bana baaye ba mpasa, Frank na Francis, babaadi ba kuuku bande na tukii nka ba kuuku ba kabu ka mwa. Babaadi na mootoka ukulu abo nkwiungudisha mu Dollards 25, nka winyi muulo ubaabaudile wande ulwile. Uno ngi musango wa kumpala unamwene na meeso ande abidi’shi Yehowa kwete kundombeesha bintu byandi nabyo lukalo mwanda ne mutuule myanda ya Bufumu pa mbalo ya kumpala. Uno musango, mukwetu McCartneys na mukashi’ aye babandesheshe mukwetu mukashi abetanyina bu Bethel Crane. Nyinaaye, Ruth, baadi Temwe e na katshintshi mu kibundji kya Wellington, Kansas, na batungunukile na kufuba bu mbala-mashinda aye e na bipwa 90. Kunyima kwa kipwa kimune ami na Bethel tubaadi beyibakishene mu kipwa kya 1958, atwe nkufuba pamune bu ba mbala-mashinda mu Eldorado.

Kunyima kwa’mi kwambula bileshesho bibuwa bya bantu banaadi mukule nabo, tubaatshile kitshibilo kya kukita kintu kyooso kyabetutekye kwi ndumbulwilo a Yehowa. Babaadi betutume bu ba mbala-mashinda ba nsaa yooso mu kibundji kya Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. Mu kipwa kya 1962, tubapetele muloo wibungi wa kupeta lwitamino lwa kutwela mu kalasa ka 37 ka Gileade. Muloo wetu ubaadi unyiishe pa kupusha’shi mukwetu Don Steele mbamwitanyine naye namu mu kano kalasa. Pa kwitwabila ma diplome, ami na Bethel abetutumine mu Nairobi, mwiumbo dya Kenya. Tubapushishe kinyongwa pa kukatuka mu New York, kadi pabatufikile ku kipalwe kya ndekye kya mu Nairobi twemoneena na bakwetu, kinyongwa kibashintulukile kyafika muloo!

Tubadi bafule eumbo dya Kenya ngofu kunyima kwa mafuku apeela na mudimo wetu wa muloo ubaatudi atukitshi mwanka. Balongi beetu ba kumpala kwela matabula nyi Chris na Mary Kanaiya. Bakwete kufuba na lulamato looso mu mudimo wa nsaa yooso mu Kenya. Mu bipwa bibalondele, babetutumine mu Kampala mwiumbo dya Uganda, bu ba misionere ba kumpala. Anka, kunyima kwa bipwa bisatu na kipindji mu Afrique, tubalukiile mu mu États-Unis mu kutanda bana. Efuku dibatukatukile mu Afrique, tubapushishe kinyongwa kikile kibatupushishe pa kukatuka mu New York. Tubaadi bafule bantu ba mu Afrique ngofu na tubaadi atukulupila’shi atwimwalukila kunyima kwa mafuku apeela.

Tubashalele mwibanda dya kutunduka kwa kibundji kya Colorado, mubaadi mushale baledi bande. Kipwa na myeshi itano (myeshi 17) kunyima kwa kutanda mwan’etu mukashi a kumpala Kimberly, tubatandile ungi mwana Stephany. Tubapetele mudimo upya wa bu ba nambutwile, atwe nkwiulombasha na katshintshi kooso, atwe nkwata kitshibilo kya kulongyesha bana beetu bakashi bya binyibinyi. Tubaadi na lukalo lwa kwambula bileshesho bibuwa bibaabadi betulekyele kwi bangi. Bibaadi abitungu kushinguula’shi, kwikala kileshesho kibuwa kwi na bukitshishi bwibuwa bwa kukusha bana kalolo, bino tabileesha’shi abakekala nka na lukalo lwa kufubila Yehowa nya. Mwin’ande mulume na nkashanami mbatombokyele bya binyibinyi. Atukulupila’shi abakambula bileshesho bibuwa bibaabadi bebalekyele.

 Tubaadi na muloo wibungi wa kukusha bana beetu na kwikala atukitshi myanda pamune mu kifuko. Bu bibatudi bashale peepi na kibundji kya Aspen, Colorado, tubakimbile bya kupeta bintu bya kwasha nabyo byabetanyinaa bu skiing bwatudya kwikala atwasha nabyo booso pamune. Mu ino nsaa ya kukisha kapapi yibaadi aitupa mushindo wa kulama bana betu bakashi pakwikalanga atwasha pamune mu kifuko. Tubaadi dingi atwende nabo mu kwifunya mu ma mbalo elekeene na kutentekyesha nabo miisambo ibuwa nsaa yatudi bashale pa kyooto kya kaalo. Kubanga ku bukinga bwabo, babaadi abepusha nkonko bu ino: “Pankakulu nakakitshi mudimo kinyi?” na “Nakumina kutwelela mulume a mushindo kinyi?” Tubaadi atwikitshisha bwa kulongyesha bana beetu bwabadya kufula Yehowa. Tubaadi atwibaleesha bwa kwata mudimo wa nsaa yooso na kwibaleesha’shi bibuwa beyibakisheene nka na bantu be na kyakya kitshibilo. Tubaadi atwibakwasha bwabadya kupela kutwela ku bulunda pabakii bakinga. Tubaadi atwibalungula’shi, “Shalayi bulungantu na panukalombeesha bipwa 23.”

Nka bu bibadi bitukitshine baledi betu, tubadi bakite bukopo bwa kutwela mu bisangilo na kwikalanga atwende mu bulungudi pamune mu kifuko. Tubaadi balumbule bwa kwikala beemene mu mudimo wa nsaa yooso mu nshibo yetu. Na dingi, tubaadi atwibalondela pabitale mafuku abatudi mu mudimo wa bu misionere. Tubebalungwile byatukwete kukulupila’shi dingi efuku atwende booso bwetu mu Afrique. Bana beetu babaadi basangale ngofu pa kupusha ano mayi.

Tubaadi atulongo mu kifuko lubingo looso, mu kwakwa kulonga tubaadi atwisamba myanda yabadi bafumankane nayo ku kalasa. Bana babaadi abaata mbalo ya Temwe a Yehowa kwete kwaluula nkonko yabamwipusha. Babaadi abapusha muloo wa kulonga mu kino kipaso, na babaadi abashinkamisha myanda yabalongo. Bu bibaabadi abende na kukula, ingi nsaa abaadi abatompola pabitale kulonga kwa mu kifuko. Ungi musango, naadi mukookye ngofu na nebalungwile’shi ndayi mu tudimbo twenu lelo tatulongo nya. Babenyongwele, babanga kudila’shi atukyebe nka kulonga. Yaya nsaa tubamwene’shi twi bapwe kukuna muloo wa myanda ya mu kikudi mu mashimba aabo. Abaadi na muloo wa kulonga wibungi, atwe nkwibatadila bwa’shi bekale abakula myanda i mu mashimba aabo. Ingi nsaa bibaadi abibelela bukopo bwa kwakula’shi tambakumine ingi myanda ya binyibniyi yatudi balongye. Anka, tubakimbile bya kushinguula ki mu mashimba aabo. Kunyima kwa kunangusheena nabo, abaadi abasangeela binangu bya Yehowa pa wawa mwanda.

Mudimo wa kukusha bana ubayiile lubilo mu kipaso kibaadi kitukanyishe. Ku bukwashi bwa buludiki bwa ndumbulwilo a Yehowa, tubakitshine mwetu mooso bwa kwibalambukisha byabadya kukula na kifulo kyaye. Tubapushishe muloo wibungi nsaa ibaababangile booso bwabo mudimo wa bu mbala mashinda abo babapudisha kalasa, abo nkupeta ngobesha ya kwikimbila makuta. Babakatukile benda ku Cleveland, Tennessee, pamune na bangi bakwetu bakashi babidi bwa nkakwasha mu mbalo mwi lukalo lwa balungudi. Tubaadi na bushiye, kadi tubaadi na muloo mwanda babaadi abafubu mudimo wa nsaa yooso mu muwa wabo. Yaya nsaa ami na Bethel tubatshile dingi mudimo wa bu mbala-mashinda, ubetukwashishe bwa kupeta mashito ebungi. Babaadi betutume bu mukunkushi a kifunda mukwashi na mu kukwasha ku bikongeeno bya mafuku asatu.

Kumpala kwa kwenda ku Tenessee, bana beetu babayile mu Londres, mwiumbo dya Angleterre, abo nkwenda mu kutemba mpaa na ku biro bya filiale. Kwanka, Stephany, pabaadi na bipwa 19, bemonesheene na Paul Norton, ungi nsongwalume mwina Betele. Pababayile dya kabidi, Kimberly bemonesheene na Brian Llewellyn ungi nsongwalume abaabadi abatumika naye. Paul na Stephany abaadi beyibakisheene kunyima kwa Stephany kulombasha bipwa 23. Kunyima kwa kipwa Brian na Kimberly namu nkwiyibakishena​—pabalombeeshe Kimberly bipwa 25. Byabya babaadi bashaale bukupi mpa na bibaabalombeeshe bipwa 23. Tubaadi na muloo wibungi bwa balume babaabadi basangule.

Bana betu bakashi mbetulungule’shi bileshesho bibuwa byatudi bebalekyele na ba nkambwa baabo mbibakwashe bwabadya kukookyela mwiya wa Yesu wa ‘kukimba Bufumu bw’Efile Mukulu kumpala,’ mpa na mu nsaa yabadi mu bulanda. (Mateo 6:33) Mu mweshi wa Kananka 1998, Paul na Stephany abebetanyine mu kalasa ka 105 ka Gileade, kunyima abebatumine bwabadya nkafuba mu Malawi, mu Afrique. Mu aa mafuku, Brian na Kimberly abebetanyine ku Betele a mu Londres, kunyima abebatumine ku Betele a ku Malawi. Tubaadi na muloo ukile, mwanda bana beetu abaadi abafubu na muwa wabo mu kipaso kibuwa.

Mu mweshi wa Kumpala 2001, tubapetele lwitamino lwatudi batemune kunundu. Mukwetu Marais, mukunkushi a mudimo wa kwaluula mikanda, baadi  mwitulungule’shi bakwetu bakwete kwilumbuula bwa kulonga ludimi lwa Anglais bwabadya kulongyesha bakwetu abaluula mikanda mu Nsenga ishima. Ami taadi na bipwa 64, babaadi bandungule’shi atukyebe nkutuma mu kulongyesha bangi baluudi. Ami na Bethel tubaadi bele nteko ibungi pa uno mwanda na kwisamba na nyin’ami taadi mununu bwadya kwitupa malango. Booso bwabo babakuminyine’shi twende sunga twebaleka kushii bukwashi. Nalukile dingi nalungula bakwetu’shi twi na muloo wibungi wa kwipaana mu kukita uno mudimo wi bu mwabi ukata kwatudi.

Mu aa mafuku abakwatshile nyinami na maladi a cancer. Nalungwile mama’shi ne mulombeene kushaala bwa’shi twikwateene na mukwetu mukashi Linda bwa nkukwasha. Mama bapelele na bangalulwile’shi: “ Su bopele kwenda napusha bibubi bukile.” Linda namu bapushishe nka byabya bimune. Tubaadi basangale ngofu pa kumona kipaso kyabesumina ingi miloo na pakumona bukwashi bwa bakwetu ba mu kino kibundji! Butokye tubakatukile twenda ku mbalo ya tulasa twa Watchtower mu Patterson, kunyima Linda betwitanyine bwa kwitulungula’shi Mama bafu. Baadi mwitukankamikye bwatudya kwipaana ku mudimo wetu, atwe namu nkutumikila mayi aaye.

Ungi mwanda ubaadi witusangashe ngofu, mbalo ya kumpala ibaabadi betutume nku filiale a mu Malawi mubaadi amufubu bana betu na balume babo. Tubaadi na muloo wibungi wa kwimunena dingi! Kukatuka mu Malawi, tubayile mu kulongyesha bangi mu Zimbabwe akupu twenda mu Zambie. Kunyima kwa kulongyesha bangi munda mwa bipwa bisatu na kipindji, abetutumine dingi mu Malawi mu kufunda myanda ibaadi ifumankane na Batemwe babaadi bakyengye na kubingwabingwa pa mwanda wa kupela kutwelakana mu myanda ya politike. *

Mu kipwa kya 2005 ami na Bethel tubakatukile na kinyongwa kikata kwishimba twaluka kwetu mu Basalt, Colorado, kwatukwete kufuba bu ba mbala-mashinda. Mu 2006, Brian na Kimberly abafikile mu kushala kwetu ku nshibo bwabadya kukusha bana baabo babidi bakashi, Mackenzie na Elizabeth. Paul na Stephany bakii mu Malawi, mukwete kufuba Paul bu mwina Komite a Filiale. Binobino bu bitandi peepi na kulombasha bipwa 80, ne na muloo wibungi wa kumona ba nsongwa banaadi nafubu nabo munda mwa bipwa bibungi abasemuna mashito anaadi nasemuna kumpala. Muloo ukata watudi nao aukamba kutuukila ku bileshesho bibuwa bibatudi balonde, na bileshesho bibuwa bibatudi betatshishe bwa kulekyela bana na bekulu beetu.