“NDEENDE,” “PAPA,” “SYAANENE.” Mbubandiita bachikula biingi aaBbeteli. Ndilakuyanda kuti kabandiita oobo nkaambo ndaba aminyaka iili 89. Mbubandiita ndikubona kachili chilongezyo chizwa kuli Jehova nkaambo ndaba aminyaka iili 72 kandili mumulimu wachiindi choonse. Zintu nzindakaswaana mumulimu wachiindi choonse, zipa kuti ndaambile bachikula kazizwa aansi amoyo kuti, ‘Milimu yanu iyoolumbulwa kuti maboko aanu kaataleki kubeleka.’—2 Mak. 15:7.

Bazyali bangu bakalongela kuCanada kabazwa kuUkraine. Bakakkala kudolopo litegwa Rossburn lili muchooko chaManitoba. Tuzyedwe katuli 16, balombe bali 8 abasimbi bali 8 pesi taakwe mambile pe. Ime ndili wachi14. Nsondo aNsondo kuseeni ndeende wakali kutubalila Bbayibbele pesi beendelezi bazikombelo wakali kubabona kuti babbida bantu mali nkinkaako chimwi chiindi wakali kwaamba kalikuseka kati, “Tandizi pe kuti ngwani wakali kufozya Jesu mali akaambo kakukambawuka akuyiisya nkwaakali kuchita.”

Mumpuli yesu balombe bali 4 abasimbi bali 4 balimukasimpe. Muchizi wangu Rose wakapayona kusikila naakatusiya. Katanafwa, wakali kutusungwaazya toonse kuti tutobele zyaambwa aaJwi lyaLeza kaamba kuti: “Ndiyanda kuzoomubona munyika mpya.” Kumatalikilo mukulanaangu Ted wakali musungu kukambawuka atala akuti bantu bayoopya mumulilo. Nsondo aNsondo kuseeni, wakali kukambawuka changuzu mulediyo kabuzya baswiilizi kuti basizibi bayoopya mubbibi lyamulilo utazimi kukabe kutamani. Mukuya kwachiindi, wakazooba mukombi waJehova uusyomeka alubo musungu.

Limwi zuba nindakazwa kuchikolo muJune 1944, ndakajana kabbuku kategwa The Coming World Regeneration * atebbulu mung’anda yakulida. Ndakabala peji lyakusaanguna, lyachibili mpawo teendakakabikka aansi kabbuku aaka. Nindakamanisya kukabala, ndakalibuzya kuti ndiyanda kubelekela Jehova mbuuli Jesu mbaakachita.

Zyakeenda biyeni kuti kabbuku aaka kajanike atebbulu? Mukulanaangu Steve, wakandibuzizye kuti kwazide bamwi baalumi babili “balikuuzya”  mabbuku atubbuku. Wakati: “Ndawula aaka nkaambo nka5 cents luzutu.” Baalumi aabo bakazooboola muNsondo. Bakatubuzya kuti bakali Bakamboni baJehova akuti babelesya Bbayibbele kusandula mibuzyo yabantu. Twakazumina nkaambo bazyali besu bakatuyiisya kulemeka Jwi lwaLeza. Alubo baalumi aabo bakatubuzya kuti Bakamboni bakali kuzooba amuswaangano wabbooma kudolopo litegwa Winnipeg, kwakali kukkala muchizi wangu Elsie. Ndakasala kwiinka.

Ndakachova nchinga yangu kwamakkilomita aali 320 kuti ndikasike kuWinnipeg pesi ndakiimikila kudolopo lyakuKelwood, kwakali kukkala Bakamboni aabaya babili bakatuswayide kung’anda. Nindakali nkuko, ndakanjila muswaangano wambungano kakusaanguna. Alubo ndakayiya kuti muntu woonse, baalumi, banakazi abachikula beelede kukambawuka kung’anda ang’anda mbuuli mbaakali kuchita Jesu.

KuWinnipeg, ndakabonana amukulanaangu Jack alakwe wakazide kumuswaangano kazwa kuOntario, nkwiili kunyika. Mubuzuba bwakusaanguna kumuswaangano, umwi mukwesu wakaambilizya kuti kuzooba kubbabbatizigwa. Ime aJack twakayeeya kuti tubbabbatizigwe aamuswaangano nguyooyo. Kuzwa waawo, twakakanza kuba mapayona nitwazwa aakubbabbatizigwa. Jack wakasaanguna kupayona mbuwakamana biyo muswaangano. Kuchiindi eecho, ndakali aminyaka iili 16, nkinkaako ndakeelede kubweeda kuchikolo pesi mumunyaka wakatobela andime ndakaba payona wachiindi choonse.

Ndakasaanguna kupayona kuSouris mudolopo lili muchooko chaManitoba kandili aStan Nicolson. Ndakayiya kuti kupayona teekuuba pe chimwi chiindi. Twakamaninwa amali pesi teetwakaleka pe. Limwi zuba nitwakazwa kukukambawuka buzuba boonse, twakabweeda kung’anda pesi teetwakalikwe nikuba senti munkomo alubo twakalifwide anzala. Twakagamba nitwajana saka lizwide chakulya amulyango! Ambuli sunu tatumuzi pe muntu wakabikka saka eelyo amulyango. Mubuzuba oobo twakalya mbuli baami. Chakali chilongezyo chipati nkaambo teetwakalekela maboko eesu kuti aleke kubeleka! Kumamanino amweezi ooyo, ndakali ndaneneya kwiinda chiindi choonse mubuumi bwangu.

Nikwakiinda myeezi miche, twakakubelekela kudolopo lyakuGilbert Plains lili kubbazu lyakunyika, musinzo wamakkilomita aali 240 kuzwa kuSouris. Mumazuba aayo, mbungano imwi ayimwi yakali achaati pati litondeezya mbubakali kukambawuka mweezi amweezi. Umwi mweezi nibakatachita kabotu bakwesu abachizi, ndakapa nkani yakali kubasungwaazya kuti babeleke changuzu mumulimu wakukambawuka. Niwakamana muswaangano wambungano, umwi muchizi payona uuchembeede wakakwetwe amwaalumi uutali Kamboni, wakandibuzya makani atobela kumwi kalikulila: “Ndakeezya pesi ndakakonzya kuchita nzizeezi luzutu.” Andime ndakalila mpawo ndakakumbila kuti andilekelele.

Mbuuli zyakachitika kuli ndime, bakwesu bachili baniini balakonzya kubisya chakutayeeyela mpawo batalike kulisola. Ndakayiya kuti tatweelede kulekela maboko eesu kuti aleke kubeleka pesi tweelede kwiiya kuzwa kukubisya kwesu kuti tutazooyindululi lubo. Kuti twazumanana kubelekela Jehova, uyootulongezya.

Ndakajana chilongezyo chipati chakunjila Chikolo chaGiliyadi mukkilasi yachi14 kandili aminyaka iili 21 alubo twakagilajuweta muFebruary 1950! Bakwesu biingi mbitwakali aamwi mukkilasi eeyo, bakabuzigwa kuti bakabelekele kuchisi chaCanada muchooko chaQuebec, kwakali kwaambuulwa chiFrench alubo Bakamboni baJehova bakali kupenzegwa loko kubusena oobu. Ndakakubelekela kudolopo lyakuVal-d’Or kwakali mayini yangolida. Bumwi buzuba, twakayinka kuyookambawuka abamwi kuVal-Senneville. Mufundisi wakubusena oobo wakatubuzya kuti uzootujaya kuti teetwazwa chakufwambaana. Nzyaakachita zyakapa kuti nditole kaambo aaka kunkuta. Mufundisi ooyo wakaakubbadalisigwa. *

 Zyakachitika eezi azimwi zyakapa kuti kube kulwana kutegwa “Nkondo kuQuebec.” Chooko chaQuebec chakali kweendelezegwa achikombelo chaKatolika kwaminyaka yiinda ku300. Bapati bachikombelo kuswaanizya abazyatwaambo twanyika bakali kupenzya Bakamboni baJehova. Kuchiindi eecho, kwakali kuyumu alubo twakachili bache pesi teetwakalekela maboko eesu kuti aleke kubeleka. Bantu bakuQuebec bakali amyoyo iibombede bakali kuswiilila. Ndakagwasya bantu biingi kuti bazibe kasimpe. Bamwi bantu mbindakayiyaabo yakali mpuli iili abantu bali 10. Bamumpuli eeyi boonse bakaba bakombi baJehova. Kutayoowa nkubakatondeezya kwakapa kuti bamwi bazwe muchikombelo chaKatolika. Twakazumanana kukambawuka alubo kumamanino twakazunda.

Mumunyaka wa1956, ndakakumbilwa kuti ndikabelekele kuHaiti. Mamishinali bapya chakali kubayumina chiFrench pesi bantu bakali kuswiilila. Mumishinali uutegwa Stanley Boggus wakati: “Twakagamba kubona bantu mbubakali kutugwasya kuti tuzibe milaka njibakali kwaambuula.” Kumasaangunino, teezyakandikataazya pe nkaambo ndakali ndayiya chiFrench kuQuebec. Pesi twakazoobona kuti bakwesu aba bakazi chiHaitian Creole. Nkinkaako, kuti tukonzye kuyiisya bantu aaba, twakeelede kwiiya mulaka wabo. Twakawuziba mulaka ooyu alubo twakajana zilongezyo zyiingi.

BamuKabunga Keendelezya bakatuzumizya kuti tusandulule Ngaziyakulinda aamwi mabbuku muchiHaitian Creole kuti tukonzye kugwasya bakwesu kuti biinkilile kunembo. Eezi zyakapa kuti bantu biingi basaangune kunjila miswaangano. Mu1950, kuHaiti kwakali basikupupulula bali 99 pesi mu1960 bakali biinda ku800. Muchiindi eecho, ndakatambwa kuti ndikabelekele kuBbeteli. Mu1961, ndakajana chilongezyo chakuyiisya kuChikolo Chamulimu waBwaami. Twakaba achilongezyo chakuyiisya baalu amapayona bayandikana bali 40 bazwa mumbungano zisiyene-siyene. Kumuswaangano wabbooma wakachitwa muJanuary 1962, twakasungwaazya bakwesu beelela kuti bayungizye mulimu wabo alubo bamwi bakasalwa kuba mapayona ayandikana. Mabambe aaya akasika kuchiindi cheelede nkaambo twakali afwiifwi kupenzegwa.

 Mu23 January 1962, muswaangano wabbooma kawuli wiinda, ime amumishinali uutegwa Andrew D’Amico twakasungwa katuli ku-wofesi yamutabi alubo magazini yaAmubuke! yamuJanuary 8, 1962 (yachiFrench) yakabwezegwa abamfulumende. Magazini yaAmubuke! yakali amajwi aakazwa mupepa-twaambo lyachiFrench aakali kutondeezya kuti bukombi bwabantu bakuHaiti buli azyachidimoni. Makani aaya akabanyemya bamwi bamuchilawu kabayeeya kuti akalembelwa kumutabi. Nikwakiinda mviki ziche, mamishinali bakategwa babweede kulimbabo. * Pesi bakwesu bakayiisidwe bakazumanana amulimu. Kulisimya nkubakachita akubona mbubakasimya lusyomo lwabo kulandibotezya. Lino Bbayibbele lyaNew World Translation of the Holy Scriptures lilajanika mumulaka wachiHaitian Creole nikuba kuti minyaka eeyo teetwakali kuzilota pe kuti zizoochitika.

Nindakazwa kuHaiti, ndakakumbilwa kuti ndikabeleke kandili mishinali kuCentral African Republic. Mukuya kwachiindi, ndakazoojana chilongezyo chakuba mulangizi weendeenda mpawo ndakazooba mulangizi wamutabi.

Muchiindi eecho, Maanda aBwaami akayakidwe munzila nguba. Ndakayiya kugonka ziyako akuvumba ng’anda. Zyakali kubagambya bantu bakali kundibona kandilikugonka akuvumba. Alubo zyakasungwaazya bakwesu kuti babeleke changuzu mukuyaka akubambulula Maanda aabo aBwaami. Beendelezi bazikombelo bakali kutuseka nkaambo maanda ngibakali kukombela akavumbidwe amazeng’e pesi eesu akali aabwizu. Nikuba boobo, twakazumanana kubelesya Maanda aBwaami aabwizu. Pesi bakazooleka kutuseka mvula yakali aaguwo pati niyakawa mudolopo litegwa Bangui. Guwo eeli lyakavumbula kaluli kachikombelo chabo mpawo mazeng’e akasowelwa mumigwagwa. Maanda eesu aaBwaami taakavumbuka pe nikuba kuti akavumbidwe aabwizu. Kuti tukonzye kuuyendelezya kabotu mulimu waBwaami, twakayaka wofesi yamutabi amuunzi wamamishinali mumyeezi iili 5 luzutu. *

Mu1976, mulimu waBwaami wakakasigwa kuCentral African Republic mpawo ndakakumbilwa kuti ndikabelekele kuN’Djamena dolopo pati lyakuChad. Kuzwa waawo, ndakabonana amuchizi Happy payona uuyandikana uuzwa kuCameroon. Mpawo twakachada mu1 April 1978. Mumweezi nguyooyo, kwakabuka nkondo mpawo twakachijila kumusanza. Niyakamana nkondo, twakabweeda pesi twakajana kuti mputwakali kukkala kwakali kukkala bantu bakali azilwanisyo. Bantu aabo bakabweza mabbuku, gawuni lyaHappy lyamuchado azipo nzitwakapedwe. Pesi teetwakalekela maboko eesu kuti aleke kubeleka. Toonse twakali bawumi nkinkaako twakazumanana kuchita imwi milimu.

Nikwakiinda minyaka iibili, mulimu wesu wakazoozumizigwa kuCentral African Republic. Nitwakabweeda twaakakubeleka mumulimu wakweendeenda. Ng’anda yesu yakali moota, alubo twakali kubelesya matilesi uupetwa, dilamu lyamaanzi, filiji iibelesya gasi achitofu chagasi. Kweenda kwakali kuyumu. Chimwi chiindi twakali kwiimikizigwa amapolisa kwaziindi zisika ku117.

Kwakali kupya zyakuti tempulicha yakali kusika ku50°C. Chimwi chiindi kumiswaangano yamabazu, kwakali kuyumu kujana maanzi aakuti bantu babbabbatizigwe. Nkinkaako, bakwesu bakali kuseya zikala mumulonga kuti tujane maanzi aakuti bantu babbabbatizigwe nkaambo bantu bakali kubbabbatizigilwa mudilamu.

Mu1980, twakazooya kuNigeria. Kwaminyaka iibili achisela, twakagwasilizya mukuchita mabambe aakuti kuyakwe mutabi mupya muchisi eechi. Bakwesu bakali bawula Ng’anda mpati yakeelede kudilisigwa kuti tukonzye kuyaka mutabi. Bumwi buzuba kuseeni, ndakatanta ajulu kuti ndigwasilizye mukudilisya. Nilyakaba sikati ndakaselukila nkundakatantilide. Pesi teendakazi pe kuti kwadilisigwa nkinkaako  ndakawa. Ndakalilichiside pesi nindakaakulangwa-langwa amunchina, dokotela wakaambila Happy kuti: “Utakataazikani pe. Wakalichisa luzutu pesi ulapona kwayinda mviki ziche.”

Mu1986 twakazoobeleka katuli balangizi beendeenda kuCôte d’Ivoire. Alubo mulimu ooyu wakali kupa kuti katusika kuBurkina Faso. Teendakali kuyeeyela pe kuti mukuya kwachiindi tuzookkala kuBurkina Faso kwachiindi.

Ndakali ndaba aminyaka iili 47 kandizwide kuCanada kuzwa mu1956 kusika mu2003 alubo achiindi eechi ndakali amukayintu wangu Happy kuBbeteli yakuCanada. Nikuba kuti azitupa kulembedwe kuti tuzwa kuCanada pesi twakalimvwa kuti kulindiswe nku-Africa.

Mu2007, kandili aminyaka iili 79, ndakakumbilwa kuti ndikabelekele kuAfrica lubo! Twakabelekela kuBurkina Faso nkundakali muKkomiti yaChisi. Mutabi wakachinchwa akuba wofesi yabusanduluzi kayilanganisigwa amutabi wakuBenin mpawo muAugust 2013 twakaakubelekela kuBbeteli iili kuBenin.

Nikuba kuti tandichikonzyi kuchita zyiingi pesi mulimu wakukambawuka ndichiwuyanda. Muminyaka iitatu yakiinda, kandigwasigwa abaalu amukayintu wangu, ndakabotelwa kubona bantu babili Gédéon aFrégis mbindakali kuyiisya Bbayibbele kababbabbatizigwa. Lino mbakombi baJehova basungu.

Ime amukayintu wangu twakakumbilwa kuti twiinke kumutabi wakuSouth Africa alubo bampuli yaBbeteli balikundilangania. South Africa njachi 7 muzisi zili muAfrica nzindakabelekela. Alubo muOctober 2017 twakaba achilongezyo chipati. Twakanjila muswaangano wakupeda mawofesi mapati kuWarwick, New York. Muswaangano ooyu tatukawulubi pe!

Yearbook yamu1994 apeji 255 yaamba kuti: “Bantu boonse baba achiindi chilamfu kabalisimya mumulimu, tubasungwaazya kuti: ‘Amuliyumye. Maanza aanu ataleki kubeleka nkaambo milimo yanu iyoolumbulwa.’—2 Mak. 15:7.” Ime amukayintu wangu tulikweezya kutobelezya makani aaya alubo tusungwaazya bamwi kuti bachite mbubo.