MU September 7, 1950, ndakaba umwi wamukwasyi wa Bbeteli ku Brooklyn. Aciindi eeco, mukwasyi wa Bbeteli wakajisi bakwesu abacizyi ibali 355 ibakali kuzwa mumasi aindene-indene alimwi ibakajisi myaka yakuzyalwa iili akati ka 19 alimwi a 80. Bunji bwabo bakali Banakristo bananike.

Bamaama mbebakandiyiisya kubelekela “Leza uukkomene.” (1 Ti. 1:11) Bakatalika kubelekela Jehova kandicili mulombe. Mu July 1, 1939, kandijisi myaka yakuzyalwa iili kkumi, ndakabbapatizyigwa amuswaangano wabbazu mu Columbus, Nebraska, U.S.A. Toonse antoomwe notwakali kubalilwa ku 100 twakaswaangana mubusena mbotwakabbadelela kutegwa tuswiilile makani aakalekkoodwa aakuti “Fascism or Freedom” (Bweendelezi Bwalunya naa Bwalwaanguluko) aakapegwa a Joseph Rutherford. Makani naakasika akati, nkamu yabasimanyongwe bakavwoomana anze aaŋanda nsyoonto motwakabungene. Bakanjila mukati, akutusinikizya kuti tuleke muswaangano wesu, alimwi akututanda kuzwa mudolopo. Twakaswaangana akuswiilila kupulogilamu yoonse aafaamu yamukwesu umwi iyakali afwaafwi adolopo. Mbubwenya mbomukonzya kweezyeezya, taakwe nondibuluba buzuba nondakabbapatizyigwa.

Bamaama bakabeleka cabunkutwe kundikomezya mukasimpe. Nokuba kuti bataata wakali muntu uuli kabotu alimwi usyi mubotu, tiibakali kubikkila maano kumakani aabukombi naa muzintu zyakumuuya nzyondakali kucita. Bamaama alimwi a Bakamboni bamwi bamu Mbungano ya Omaha, bakali kundikulwaizya kapati.

Kandiyanda kumanizya lwiiyo lwangu lwakusekondali, ndakeelede kusala cakucita mubuumi bwangu. Cilimo cimwi acimwi zikolo nozyakali kujalwa, ndakali kucita bupainiya bwakugwasyilizya antoomwe abamusela wangu.

Bakwesu bobilo bacili bana-bana ibakazwide aakumanizya Cikolo ca Gileadi mukkilasi yaciloba—John Chimiklis alimwi a Ted Jaracz—bakapegwa mulimo wamubbazu mucilawo cesu. Ndakagambwa nindakazyiba kuti bakajisi myaka yakuzyalwa iinda buyo asyoonto a 20. Ciindi eeco ndakajisi myaka yakuzyalwa iili 18 alimwi ndakali afwaafwi kumanizya lwiiyo lwakusekondali. Ndilayeeya ciindi Mukwesu Chimiklis naakandibuzya ncondakali kuyanda kucita mubuumi bwangu. Nindakamwaambila, wakandaambila kuti: “Inzya, weelede kutalika mulimo  waciindi coonse. Tokonzyi kuzyiba nkoukonzya kukusololela.” Kukulwaizya ooku alimwi acikozyanyo cabakwesu aaba, cakandinjila kapati mumoyo. Aboobo, nindakamanizya cikolo, ndakatalika bupainiya mu 1948.

Mu July 1950, twakaunka kumuswaangano wamasi ku New York City ku Yankee Stadium. Katucili kumuswaangano, ndakajanika mumuswaangano wabaabo ibakali kuyanda kuyakubelekela ku Bbeteli. Ndakatuma lugwalo lwakuti inga ndakkomana kubelekela ku Bbeteli.

Nokuba kuti bataata tiibakali kundikasya kucita bupainiya alimwi akukkala aŋanda, bakali kulimvwa kuti andime kandipa mali masyoonto aakubbadelela ŋanda alimwi akuula cakulya. Buzuba bumwi kumatalikilo aamwezi wa August, nindakali kuya kukuyandaula mulimo, ndakaima abusena mpotwakali kutambuda magwalo. Abusena aawo, ndakajana lugwalo lwangu luzwa ku Brooklyn. Lwakasainidwe aba Nathan H. Knorr, ibakalemba kuti: “Twakalutambula lugwalo lwako lwakulembela mulimo waku Bbeteli. Ndilizyi kuti ulazumina kubelekela ku Bbeteli kusikila ciindi eeco Mwami nayakwaamba kuti koleka. Aboobo, inga ndayanda kuti ukaboole ku Bbeteli ku 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York mu September 7, 1950.”

Ciindi bataata nobakasika aŋanda kuzwa kumulimo, ndakabaambila kuti ndajana mulimo. Mpoonya bakaamba kuti: “Cabota eeco, ino nkuli nkonakubeleka?” Ndakavwiila kuti, “ku Bbeteli yaku Brooklyn, alimwi ndinakuvwola mali aasika ku K54.00 amwezi.” Eeci cakabagambya aasyoonto, pele bakaamba kuti naa ncondasala kucita, ndeelede kusolekesya kutegwa ndizwidilile. Tiikwakainda ciindi cilamfwu kuzwa waawo, bakabbapatizyigwa amuswaangano wacooko ku Yankee Stadium mu 1953.

Icakakkomanisya ncakuti, Alfred Nussrallah ngotwakali kubeleka limwi mulimo wabupainiya, wakazyikwiitwa ku Bbeteli aciindi ncicona eeco, mpoonya twakaunkila antoomwe. Nokwakainda ciindi cili mbocibede wakakwata, mpoonya walo amukaintu wakwe, Joan, bakaunka ku Cikolo ca Gileadi, mumulimo wabumisyinali ku Lebanon, alimwi akujokela ku United States mumulimo wabbazu.

Mulimo wakusaanguna ngondakapegwa wakali wakubelekela mupangilwa mabbuku, kwaasuma kutegwa mapepa ajatane. Bbuku ndindakasaanguna kubelekela mpawo lyakali lyakuti What Has Religion Done for Mankind? Nokwakainda myezi iibalilwa kulusele yakubelekela mupangilwa mabbuku, ndakapegwa mulimo wakubelekela mu Dipatimenti Yamulimo iyakali kulanganizyigwa a Mukwesu Thomas J. Sullivan. Cakali kukkomanisya kubeleka anguwe alimwi akugwasyigwa kubusongo bwakumuuya alimwi aluzyibo ndwaakajana mumyaka njaakabeleka mumbunga eeyi.

Nondakakkwanya myaka iibalilwa kuli yotatwe mu Dipatimenti Yamulimo, Max Larson, iwakali mulangizi wakufakitoli, wakandaambila kuti Mukwesu Knorr uyanda kubonana andime. Ndakalibilika kuti ambweni kuli ncondakalubizya. Ndakakkalwa moyo Mukwesu Knorr naakaamba kuti wakali kuyanda kuzyiba naa ndakali kukanza kuzwa a Bbeteli mumazuba masyoonto kumbele. Wakali kuyanda muntu wakubelekela muofesi yakwe kwaciindi buyo cisyoonto alimwi wakali kuyanda kubona naa inga ndaucita mulimo ooyo. Ndakamwaambila kuti tiindakajisi makanze aakuzwa a Bbeteli. Cakatobela ncakuti, ndakaba acoolwe cakubelekela muofesi yakwe myaka iili 20 yakatobela.

Kanji-kanji ndilaamba kuti tiindakali kunga ndacikonzya kubbadelela lwiiyo ndondakatambula lwakubeleka a Bakwesu aaba, ba Sullivan alimwi aba Knorr, alimwi abamwi baa Bbeteli, mbuli ba Milton Henschel, ba Klaus Jensen, ba Max Larson, ba Hugo Riemer, alimwi aba Grant Suiter. *

 Bakwesu mbondakabeleka limwi bakali kuubeleka kabotu mulimo ngobakapedwe mumbunga eeyi. Mukwesu Knorr wakali mubelesi wakali kubeleka canguzu akuyandisya kubona mulimo wa Bwami kauya ambele kapati kusikila mpoukonzya kugolela. Aabo ibakali kubelekela muofesi yakwe bakalimuzyi kuba muntu uusikilika. Noliba leelyo notwakali kwiimpana mbotukabona kaambo kamwi, umwi aumwi wakali kukonzya kwaamba zili mumoyo cakulikwaya alimwi akuzumanana kukkomaninwa anguwe.

Ciindi cimwi, Mukwesu Knorr wakandaambila mbociyandika kubikkila maano mutwaambo tuboneka kuti ntusyoonto. Mucikozyanyo, wakandaambila kuti ciindi naakali mulangizi wakufakitoli, Mukwesu Rutherford wakali kumutumina luwaile akumwaambila kuti: “Mukwesu Knorr, waboola kuzwa kufakitoli kuzyikulya cakulya cakumangolezya, undileteezyele malabba naa mafuta. Ndaajane adesiki lyangu.” Mukwesu Knorr wakaamba kuti cintu ncaakali kusaanguna kucita ncakuti, wakali kuunka kuŋanda nkobakali kuyobweda zintu akubweza malabba akwaabikka munkomwe yakwe. Mpoonya masyikati wakali kwaatola kuofesi ya Mukwesu Rutherford. Kakali kantu kasyoonto, pele kakali kuyandika ku Mukwesu Rutherford. Mpoonya Mukwesu Knorr wakandaambila kuti: “Ndiyanda kuti kandijisi mapensulu aafwalidwe adesiki lyangu. Aboobo, ndilomba kuti kondifwalila lyoonse mafwumofwumo.” Kwamyaka minji, ndakali kubikkila maano kubona kuti mapensulu aakwe alifwalidwe.

Mukwesu Knorr kanji-kanji wakali kundaambila mbociyandika kuswiililisya notwalombwa kuti tubeleke mulimo umwi. Ciindi cimwi, wakandipa malailile aamvwika aajatikizya mbocakeelede kucitwa cintu cimwi, pele tiindakamvwisya. Aboobo, ndakamuusya nsoni. Ndakalimvwa bubi, aboobo ndakalemba kagwalo kafwaafwi kakulilekelela ncondakacita alimwi ndakalimvwa kuti inga cainda kugwasya kuti ndapegwa mulimo uumbi akuzwa muofesi yakwe. Mafwumofwumo buzuba mbubwenya oobo, Mukwesu Knorr wakaboola adesiki lyangu akundaambila kuti: “Robert, ndakabona kagwalo kako. Wakalubizya. Ndakalikwaambilide kujatikizya ncico, alimwi ndili masimpe kuti ciindi ciboola uyakubikkila maano kapati. Lino atuzumanane kubeleka.” Ndakalumba kapati akaambo kakundibikkila maano calubomba.

Nondakabeleka myaka iili lusele aa Bbeteli, makanze aangu akali aakuyanda buyo kuzumanana mumulimo waa Bbeteli. Nokuba boobo, makanze aayo akacinca. Nocakasika ciindi camuswaangano wamasi ku Yankee Stadium alimwi aku Polo Grounds mu 1958, ndakaswaangana aba Lorraine Brookes, mbondakabwene mu 1955 ciindi nobakali kucita bupaniya ku Montreal, mu Canada. Ndakakkomana amuuya ngobakajisi kujatikizya mulimo waciindi coonse alimwi akulyaaba kwabo kwakuunka kufwumbwa kubusena mbunga ya Jehova nkoikonzya kubatuma. Mbaakani yaba Lorraine yakali yakuunka ku Cikolo ca Gileadi. Nobakajisi myaka yakuzyalwa iili 22, bakatambwa kunjila cikolo mukkilasi yanamba 27 mu 1956. Nobakamanizya cikolo bakatumwa ku Brazil kuti bakabeleke kabali bamisyinali. Mebo aba Lorraine twakabukulusya cilongwe cesu mu 1958, alimwi bakazumina kuti tukwatane.  Twakamvwana kukwatana mwaka wakali kutobela alimwi akulangila kuti tukanjile mulimo wabumisyinali antoomwe.

Nondakamwaambila Mukwesu Knorr kujatikizya makanze aangu, wakaamba kuti tulindile myaka yotatwe, mpoonya inga twakwatana akubelekela a Bbeteli yaku Brooklyn. Kuciindi eeco, kutegwa banabukwetene bazumanane kuba a Bbeteli kuzwa nobakwatana, omwe akati kabo wakeelede kuba amyaka iili kkumi naa kwiinda aawo yakubelekela a Bbeteli mpoonya umwi wakeelede kukkwanya myaka yotatwe. Aboobo, ba Lorraine bakazumina kubeleka myaka yobilo ku Bbeteli yaku Brazil mpoonya mwaka omwe ku Bbeteli yaku Brooklyn katutanakwatana.

Nzila ilikke njotwakali kukonzya kubelesya kutegwa tubandike notwakali kweebana nkwiinda mumagwalo. Mazuba aayo cakali kudula kubelesya fooni alimwi kwakanyina kutuma tugwalo kubelesya Intaneti. Notwakakwatana mu September 16, 1961, Mukwesu Knorr ngowakapa makani aalukwatano. Mubwini, myaka eeyo yakulindila yakali kuboneka kulampa kapati. Pele lino twalanga kukkutila alimwi alukkomano mumyaka iili 50 njotwakkala mucikwati, tulazumina kuti kulindila kwakagwasya kapati.

Mu 1964 ndakapegwa coolwe cakuswaya zisi kandili mulangizi uuswaya mitabi. Kuciindi eeco bamakaintu tiibakali kupegwa coolwe cakusindikila bamalumi babo munyendo eezyo. Mu 1977, kwakaba kucinca, bamakaintu bakatalika kuunka abamalumi babo. Mwaka ooyo mebo aba Lorraine twakasindikila ba Grant aba Edith Suiter kuswaya mitabi ku Germany, Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey alimwi aku Israel. Zisi zyoonse antoomwe nzyondakaswaya munyika yoonse zili 70.

Mulweendo lumwi katuya kucisi ca Brazil mu 1980, twakainda ku Belém, dolopo nkobakali kubelekela mulimo wabumisyinali ba Lorraine. Twakainda alimwi kubona bakwesu ku Manaus. Makani amwi naakali kwaambwa mubbuwa lyazisobano, twakabona kakamu kabantu bakakkede antoomwe ibatakali kutobela cilengwa cicitwa abamakaintu baku Brazil cakumyontana kumasaya alimwi abakwesu ibakali kwaanzyanya mumaanza. Ino nkaambo nzi?

Bakali Bakambonima ibakazwa kubusena kwakali kukkala basicinsenda ku Amazon. Kutegwa batayambukizyi bamwi, bakatantamuka kugumana abamwi ibakali kumuswaangano. Nokuba boobo, twakakulwaizyigwa, alimwi tatukalubi lukkomano ndobakajisi. Eelo kaka ngamasimpe majwi aa Isaya aakuti: “Balanda bangu bayooimba cakukondwa mumoyo.”—Is. 65:14.

Kanji-kanji mebo aba Lorraine tulayeeya kapati myaka iinda ku 60 yakulyaaba mumulimo wa Jehova. Tulikkomene kapati anzila nzyotwalongezyegwa kwiinda mukuzumizya Jehova kuti atusololele mumbunga yakwe. Nokuba kuti tandikonzyi kweenda muzisi mbuli kaindi, ndilacikonzya kuzumanana kucita milimo yangu abuzuba kandili sikugwasyilizya ku Kabunga Keendelezya, kubeleka a Kkomiti Yabeendelezi alimwi a Kkomiti Yamulimo. Ndilakkomana acoolwe cakutola lubazu mukusumpula bunyina bwanyika yoonse munzila eeyi. Cilatukkomanisya kubona mweelwe mupati wabaalumi abamakaintu bana-bana ibanjila mulimo waciindi coonse kabajisi muuya wa Isaya iwakaamba kuti: “Mpendi! Unditume mebo!” (Is. 6:8) Bantu boonse aaba bainduluka majwi aamasimpe mulangizi wabbazu umwi kaindi ngaakaamba aakuti: “Weelede kutalika mulimo waciindi coonse. Tokonzyi kuzyiba nkoukonzya kukusololela.”