BATAATA bakazyalilwa ku Graz, mu Austria, mu 1899, aboobo lya Nkondo Yakusaanguna Yanyika Yoonse, bakacili buyo mukubusi. Mboyakatalikila buyo Nkondo Yabili Yanyika Yoonse mu 1939, bataata bakabanjizya mulimo wabusikalumamba mucisi ca Germany. Bakajaigwa ciindi nobakali kunkondo ku Russia mu 1943. Oobo mbombubo mbondakasweekelwa bataata kandijisi buyo myaka yobilo yakuzyalwa. Kunyina nondakabazyiba pe, alimwi ndakali kuusa kapati ndabona beenzuma banji kucikolo ibajisi bausyi. Kandili mukubusi, ndakaumbulizyigwa kapati kuzyiba makani aamba zya Taateesu wakujulu, Taata iwiinda boonse uutakonzyi kufwa.—Hab. 1:12.

Nondakajisi myaka yakuzyalwa iili ciloba, ndakanjila mukabunga kabakubusi basankwa. Tubunga ootu twabakubusi basankwa (Boy Scouts) tulajanika munyika yoonse alimwi twakatalika mu 1908 mu Great Britain asikalumamba mupati wabana Britain uutegwa Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell. Mu 1916 wakatalisya tubunga tumbi twabakubusi bamusela wangu tutegwa Wolf Cubs naa Cub Scouts.

Ndakali kukkomana kuunka musyokwe—koona mumatente, kusama mayunifomu, alimwi akulifwoola ciindi ngoma nozyakali kulila. Ndakali kukkomana kapati ciindi notwakali kwiimba kumazuba kumwi katuyota mulilo alimwi akusobana zisobano zimwi musyokwe. Alimwi twakali kwiiya makani manji aajatikizya zilenge, calo icakapa kuti kandilumba kapati mulimo wa Mulengi wesu.

Bakubusi basankwa ibali mutubunga ootu bakulwaizyigwa kucita cintu cimwi cibotu buzuba abuzuba. Aaya ngamakanze aabo. Twakali kwaanzyanya kwiinda mukwaamba majwi aakuti: “Balibambilide Lyoonse.” Eeci cakali kundikkomanisya. Kabunga kesu kakajisi basankwa bainda ku 100, ibabalilwa ku 50 bakali ba Katolika, mpoonya abamwi ibabalilwa ku 50 bakali ba Protestanti, omwe wakali mu Buddha.

Kuzwa mu 1920, miswaangano yatubunga ootu yakali kuccililana kucitika kwainda myaka misyoonto buyo. Mu August 1951, ndakajanika kumuswaangano wa Nyika Yoonse waciloba mu Bad Ischl, Austria, mu August 1957 ndakajanika kumuswaangano wa Nyika Yoonse wafwuka mu Sutton Park, afwaafwi a Birmingham, England. Kumuswaangano wafwuka, bakubusi basankwa ibali 33,000 kuzwa muzisi naa zilawo zili 85 ziindene-indene bakajanika. Alimwi bantu babalilwa ku 750,000 bakasika kumuswaangano ooyu, kubikkilizya a Mwami Mukaintu Elizabeth waku England. Kulindime, eeci cakali mbuli mukwasyi wabunyina bwanyika yoonse. Aciindi eeci tiindakazyi kuti ndiyakuzyiba mukwasyi wabunyina iwiinda kubota—mukwasyi wakumuuya.

Mu 1958 ciindi camupeyo kwakaceede buyo asyoonto kuti ndimanizye lwiiyo lwangu lujatikizya mulimo wakupa zyakulya muhotela mu Grand Hotel Wiesler ku Graz, mu Austria. Kandili kooko, ba Rudolf  Tschigger, mbotwakali kubeleka limwi alimwi ibakacizyi ncobeni kujika, bakandikambaukila kwiinda mubukambausi bwamukwiizya. Kunyina buzuba nondakamvwide makani aajatikizya kasimpe. Bakasaanguna kubandika njiisyo ya Butatu akundaambila kuti taili njiisyo yamu Bbaibbele. Nzyobakaamba kujatikizya njiisyo ya Butatu ndakazikazya alimwi ndakali kuyanda kubatondezya kuti balabeja. Ndakali kubayanda alimwi ndakali kuyanda kuti bapiluke ku Cikombelo ca Katolika.

Ba Rudolf, balo mbotwakali kwiita kuti ba Rudi, bakandijanina Bbaibbele. Ndakabaambila kuti beelede kundiletela Bbaibbele lyaci Katolika. Nondakatalika kulibala ndakazikujana kuti bakabikka katulakiti kajisi makani aamu Bbaibbele ikakasimbwa aba Watchtower Society. Ndakali kukaka zintu zili boobu nkaambo ndakali kuyeeya kuti zilakonzya kulembwa munzila iitondezya mbuli kuti zililuzi kakuli taziluzi pe. Nokuba boobo, ndakali kuyanda kwiiya Bbaibbele ambabo. Ba Rudi bakatondezya bupampu alimwi kunyina nobakandiletela bbuku naa magazini iimbi. Kwamyezi yotatwe, ciindi aciindi twakali kubandika makani aamu Bbaibbele kanji-kanji twakali kucita oobo kusikila mane kwasiya.

Nondakamanizya lwiiyo lwangu lwamu hotela mudolopo lya Graz mondakali kukkala, bamaama bakandibbadelela kutegwa nduunke kucikolo cimbi kuyakuyungizya lwiiyo. Aboobo, ndakaunka ku Bad Hofgastein, dolopo lili mu Alps, ikwakali cikolo. Mbwaanga cikolo eeci cakali kubelekela antoomwe a Grand Hotel iyakali mu Bad Hofgastein, zimwi ziindi ndakali kuunka kuyakubelekela nkuko kutegwa ndiyungizye luzyibo.

Ba Rudi bakaituma kkeyala yangu kuofesi yamutabi mu Vienna, mpoonya mutabi, wakatuma bacizyi bobilo bamisyinali, ba Ilse Unterdörfer aba Elfriede Löhr. * Bumwi buzuba sikutambula beenzu ahotela wakanditumina fooni akundaambila kuti kuli bamakaintu bobilo ibakali anze ibakakkede mumootokala ibakali kuyanda kubandika andime. Ndakagambwa nkaambo kunyina makani ngondakazyi aajatikizya mbabo. Nokuba boobo, ndakaunka anze kutegwa tubonane. Nokwakainda ciindi, ndakazikuzyiba kuti bacizyi aaba kaindi bakali kubeleka mulimo wakutolela Bakamboni mabbuku ciindi cabulelo bwa Nazi mu Germany, ciindi mulimo nowakalesyedwe, kaitanatalika Nkondo Yabili Yanyika Yoonse. Nociba ciindi nkondo kaitanatalika, bakajatwa abamapulisa bana Germany (Gestapo) akutumwa kucilabba mu Lichtenburg. Mpoonya ciindi cankondo, bakalonzyegwa akutolwa kucilabba cimbi mu Ravensbrück afwaafwi a Berlin.

Bacizyi aabo bakali misela abamaama, aboobo ndakali kubapa bulemu. Nkakaambo kaako tiindakali kuyanda kubasowela ciindi kwiinda mukutalika kubandika ambabo makani aamu Bbaibbele kumane andiza kwainda nsondo naa myezi akubaambila kuti tandiciyandi kwiiya. Aboobo, ndakabaambila kuti bakalembe magwalo oonse aamba zyanjiisyo yaba Katolika yakukona masena aabaapostolo. Ndakabaambila kuti ndiyakwaatola kumupaizi akubandika anguwe. Ndakali kuyeeya kuti inga ndakazyiba kasimpe.

Njiisyo yaba Katolika iyaamba zyakukona masena aabaapostolo itondezya kuti kuzwa kuciindi camwaapostolo  Petro lyoonse kwali bamapaapa. (Cikombelo cipandulula munzila iitaluzi majwi aa Jesu aalembedwe mulugwalo lwa Matayo 16:18, 19.) Ba Katolika alimwi baamba kuti paapa kunyina nalubizya mutwaambo twanjiisyo ciindi naambaula. Ndakali kucisyoma eeci alimwi ndakali kuyeeya kuti, ikuti paapa, ba Katolika ngobaamba kuti Taata Uusalala, tabeji mutwaambo twanjiisyo alimwi mbwaanga wakaamba kuti njiisyo ya Butatu njamasimpe, nkokuti njamasimpe ncobeni. Pele ikuti kakonzya kulubizya, nkokuti njiisyo njakubeja. Nkakaambo kaako njiisyo yaba Katolika yakukona masena aabaapostolo ncoiyandika kapati kulimbabo, nkaambo njiisyo zimbi ziyeeme aalinjiyo!

Nondakamuswaya mupaizi, kunyina naakaingula mibuzyo yangu, pele wakabweza bbuku limwi lyaci Katolika mushelufu yakwe ilyakali kwaamba zyakukona masena aabaapostolo. Wakandipa kutegwa ndikabale kuŋanda, nondakapiluka ndakajisi mibuzyo minji. Akaambo kakuti mupaizi wakaalilwa kwiingula mibuzyo yangu, wakaamba kuti: “Tandikonzyi kukuzula, anduwe tokonzyi kundizula pe. . . . Leza akuleleke!” Taakwe naakacili kuyanda kubandika andime.

Aciindi eeco, ndakalilibambilide kutalika kwiiya Bbaibbele aba Ilse aba Elfriede. Bakandiyiisya zinji kujatikizya Taata Uusalala mwini-mwini uuli kujulu, Jehova Leza. (Joh. 17:11) Aciindi eeco kwakanyina mbungano mubusena oobo, aboobo bacizyi aaba bobilo bakali kweendelezya miswaangano muŋanda yasikwiiya umwi. Mbasyoonto ibakali kujanika. Bacizyi aaba ziindi zinji bakali kubandika ziyiigwa akati kabo bobilo nkaambo kwakanyina mukwesu uubbapatizyidwe iwakali kukonzya kusololela. Ziindi zimwi, mukwesu kuzwa kumbungano imbi wakali kuboola kuzikupa makani mubusena mbotwakali kubbadelela.

Ba Ilse aba Elfriede bakatalika kundiyiisya Bbaibbele mu October 1958, alimwi ndakabbapatizyigwa nokwakainda myezi yotatwe mu January 1959. Kanditana bbapatizyigwa, ndakabalomba kuti ndibasindikile mumulimo wakukambauka kuŋanda aŋanda kutegwa ndibone mboucitwa mulimo wakukambauka. (Mil. 20:20) Notwakamana kukambauka ambabo ciindi cakusaanguna, ndakabalomba kuti bandipe cilawo cakubelekela. Bakandipa munzi umwi, alimwi ndakali kuunka mumunzi ooyo kuyakukambauka kuŋanda aŋanda ndelikke alimwi ndakali kucita nyendo zyakupilukila kuli baabo ibakali kutondezya luyandisisyo. Mukwesu wakusaanguna ngotwakabeleka limwi mumulimo wakukambauka kuŋanda aŋanda wakali mulangizi wabbazu, nokwakainda ciindi wakazikutuswaya.

Mu 1960, nondakamanizya lwiiyo lwangu lwamulimo wamuhotela, ndakapiluka kuŋanda kugwasya banamukwasyi kwiiya kasimpe kamu Bbaibbele. Kusikila sunu, kunyina iwakatambula kale kasimpe, pele bamwi balatondezya luyandisisyo.

Mu 1961, magwalo kuzwa kuofesi yamutabi aakukulwaizya kucita mulimo wabupainiya akabalwa mumbungano. Ndakali mukubusi uutakwete alimwi tiindakali kuciswa-ciswa, aboobo ndakabona kuti ndakanyina cilitamizyo cakuti nditaciti bupainiya. Ndakabandika amulangizi wabbazu, Kurt Kuhn, ndakamwaambila kuti ndiyanda kubeleka kwamyezi iimbi misyoonto kutegwa nduule mootokala ngondakali kukonzya kubelesya mumulimo wabupainiya. Wakandibuzya kuti: “Sena Jesu abaapostolo bakwe bakali kuyandika mootokala kuti babeleke mulimo waciindi coonse?” Eeci cakandigwasya! Ndakaba amakanze aakutalika bupainiya cakufwambaana. Pele akaambo kakuti ndakali kubeleka mawoola aali 72 ansondo muhotela, cakusaanguna ndakeelede kucinca zintu zimwi.

Ndakalomba mupati wamulimo ikuti naa inga kandibeleka buyo mawoola aali 60. Bakandizumizya  alimwi bakali kundivwozya mali ngamunya ngondakali kuvwola lyoonse. Nokwakainda ciindi cisyoonto, ndakamulomba ikuti naa inga kandibeleka buyo mawoola aali 48 ansondo. Bakandizumizya alimwi bakazumanana kundivwozya mali ngamunya ngondakali kuvwola lyoonse. Alimwi ndakalomba kuti kandibeleka buyo mawoola aali 36 ansondo naa mawoola aali cisambomwe abuzuba mumazuba aali cisambomwe, alimwi bakandizumizya. Ndakagambwa kapati nkaambo bakacili kundivwozya mali ngamunya ngondakali kuvwola! Cakalibonya kuti mupati wamulimo tanaakali kuyanda kuti ndicileke mulimo. Kwiinda mumulongo ooyu, ndakatalika bupainiya bwaciindi coonse. Aciindi eeco, mupainiya wakeelede kusika amawoola aali 100 amwezi.

Nokwakainda myezi yone, ndakasalwa kuba mupainiya waalubazu alimwi akuba mubelesi wambungano (mazuba aano wiitwa kuti sicuuno wakabunga kabaalu) mumbungano isyoonto yakali kucooko ca Carinthia, mudolopo lya Spittal an der Drau. Kuciindi eeco mupainiya waalubazu wakeelede kusika amawoola aali 150 amwezi. Tiindakajisi mupainiya wakubeleka limwi, pele ndakalumba lugwasyo ndondakatambula mumulimo wakukambauka kuzwa kumucizyi uutegwa Gertrude Lobner, walo iwakali kubeleka kali sikugwasyilizya mubelesi wambungano. *

Mumwaka wa 1963, ndakatalika mulimo wamubbazu. Zimwi ziindi ndakali kukkwela citima kuzwa kumbungano imwi kuya kumbungano imbi, kandijisi zibbeeke zilema kapati. Bakwesu banji tiibakalijisi myootokala, aboobo taakwe wakali kukonzya kundibweza kuzwa kucitisyini cacitima. Kutegwa nditalibonyi kuba “amambonwa,” tiindakali kuyanda kubbadelela mootokala kundisisya aŋanda mpondakali kuyakusikila, aboobo ndakali kweenda amaulu kuya kuŋanda nkondakali kuyakusikila.

Mumwaka wa 1965, kanditanakwata, ndakatambwa kuyakunjila Cikolo ca Gileadi mukkilasi yanamba 41. Bunji bwabasicikolama tiibakakwete abalo. Ndakagambwa kuzyiba kuti notwakamana cikolo, ndakatumwa kuyakubelekela kucisi cesu ku Austria akuzumanana amulimo wamubbazu. Nokuba boobo, kanditanazwa ku United States, ndakalombwa kusindikila mulangizi wabbazu umwi mumulimo wakwe kwansondo zyone. Ndakakkomana kapati kubeleka aba Anthony Conte, mukwesu siluyando walo iwakali kuuyandisya mulimo wakukambauka alimwi kali musungu kapati mumulimo ooyu. Twakabeleka antoomwe mubusena butegwa Cornwall mu New York.

Nondakasika ku Austria, ndakatumwa kubbazu limwi nkondakayaana aba Tove Merete, mucizyi weebeka kapati. Wakakomenena mukasimpe kuzwa ciindi naakali amyaka yakuzyalwa yosanwe. Bakwesu nobatubuzya kuti twakayaana buti tulabaambila kube tusobana buya kuti, “Bamutabi mbabakapa kuti tuyaane.” Twakakwatana nokwakainda mwaka omwe, mu April 1967, alimwi twakazumizyigwa kuzumanana mumulimo wamubbazu.

Mwaka wakatobela, ndakazyiba kuti kwiinda muluzyalo lwa Jehova, ndananikwa kuba mwanaakwe wakumuuya. Aawa mpaakatalikila cilongwe cilibedelede a Taata wakujulu alimwi abaabo boonse ‘boompolola kuti: “Abba, Taata!”,’ kweelana alugwalo lwa Baloma 8:15.

Mebo aba Merete twakazumanana kubeleka mulimo wamubbazu alimwi awacooko mane kusikila mu  1976. Zimwi ziindi ciindi camupeyo, twakali koona mumaanda aatontola kapati. Cimwi ciindi, notwakabuka twakajana kuti kumitwe ngubo yaba acaanda. Akaambo kaceeco twakatalika kweenda acitofwu cikasaazya kutegwa muŋanda kamutatontoli kapati. Mumasena amwi, ikuti koyanda kubelesya cimbuzi masiku, kwakali kuyandika kweenda atala aacaanda, alimwi kanji-kanji tiizyakayakidwe kabotu. Alimwi tiitwakajisi ŋanda, aboobo mu Muhulo uuli woonse twakali kukkala muŋanda njimunya motwakali kukkala nsondo eeyo. Mpoonya, muli Bwabili mafwumofwumo twakali kuunka kumbungano imbi.

Ndilikkomene nkaambo bakaintu bangu lyoonse bali kundigwasya kapati. Balauyanda kapati mulimo wakukambauka, alimwi kunyina buzuba nondakabaambila kuti mweelede kuunka mumulimo wakukambauka. Balabayanda balongwe alimwi balababikkila kapati maano bantu. Bandigwasya ncobeni.

Mu 1976 ndakatambwa kuyakubelekela kuofesi yamutabi yaku Austria, mu Vienna, alimwi ndakasalwa kuba umwi wabaabo ibakali mu Kkomiti Yamutabi. Aciindi eeco, mutabi waku Austria ngowakali kweendelezya mulimo muzisi zimwi zyakunyika lya Europe alimwi akulanganya bubambe bwakutola mabbuku cakusisikizya kuzisi eezyo. Mukwesu Jürgen Rundel ngowakali kusololela bubambe oobu, akupa mizeezo imwi kujatikizya mbobakali kukonzya kucita. Ndakaba acoolwe cakubeleka anguwe alimwi mukuya kwaciindi wakalombwa kulanganya mulimo wakusandulula mumyaambo iili kkumi yakujwe lya Europe. Ba Jürgen abakaintu babo ba Gertrude, bazumanana kubeleka mulimo wabupainiya bwaalubazu cakusyomeka mucisi ca Germany. Kutalikila mumwaka wa 1978, mutabi waku Austria wakali kulemba mamagazini alimwi akwaasimba mumyaambo iili cisambomwe mubusena busyoonto bwakusimbila. Alimwi twakali kutuma magwalo kuzisi zimwi izyakalomba kuti kazitambula mamagazini. Ba Otto Kuglitsch alimwi abakaintu babo ba Ingrid, balo lino ibabelekela kuofesi yamutabi yamu Central Europe, bakabeleka mulimo mupati kutegwa bubambe oobu buzwidilile.

Bakwesu baku Europe nkoili kujwe abalo bakali kusimba mamagazini mucisi kwiinda mukukkopolola kuzwa mumabbuku ambi naa kuzwa mumafilimu. Nokuba boobo, bakali kuyandika lugwasyo kuzwa kuzisi zimbi. Jehova wakaukwabilila mulimo ooyu, alimwi twakatalika kubayanda kapati bakwesu ibakali kubeleka amutabi mubukkale bukatazya alimwi aaciindi mulimo nowakakasyidwe kwamyaka minji.

Mumwaka wa 1989, ndakaba acoolwe cakusindikila Mukwesu Theodore Jaracz, iwakali mu Kabunga Keendelezya kuya ku Romania. Makanze akali aakugwasya bakwesu banji kutegwa batalike kuyanzana ambunga alimwi. Kutalikila mumwaka wa 1949, bakali cilekede kuyanzana ambunga akaambo katwaambo tumwi mpoonya akupanga mbungano zyabo beni. Nokuba boobo, bakazumanana kukambauka alimwi akubbapatizya bantu. Alimwi bakali kwaangwa akaambo kakutatola lubazu mutwaambo twacisi, mbubwenya mbobakali kwaangwa bakwesu bamwi ibakali mumbunga yakazumizyidwe amaofesi mapati. Mulimo wakacilesyedwe mucisi ca Romania, aboobo twakaswaangana cakusisikizya muŋanda ya Mukwesu Pamfil Albu, antoomwe abaalu bone ibakali kusyomwa alimwi abaiminizi bazumizyidwe bamu Romania Country Committee. Alimwi twakabwezelezya asikusandulula kuzwa ku Austria uulaazina lyakuti Rolf Kellner.

Mubusiku bwabili bwakubandika, Mukwesu Albu wakakulwaizya baalunyina kuti bakamantane andiswe naakaamba kuti: “Ikuti tutaciti ndimunya lino, inga twabula coolwe cimbi cakucita boobu.” Cakatobela ncakuti, ibakwesu ibatandila ku 5,000 bakazumina kupiluka mumbunga. Eelo kaka Jehova wakamuzunda Saatani!

Kumamanino aamwaka wa 1989, Kabunga Keendelezya kakatutamba abakaintu bangu kuti tuunke kumaofesi mapati ku New York. Eeci cakatugambya kapati. Twakatalika kubeleka a Bbeteli yaku Brooklyn mu July 1990. Mumwaka wa 1992, ndakasalwa kuba mugwasyilizyi mu Kkomiti ya Mulimo ya Kabunga Keendelezya, alimwi kuzwa mu July 1994, ndilijisi coolwe cakubelekela mu Kabunga Keendelezya.

Ciindi nondakali kubeleka mulimo wakupa zyakulya muhotela cakainda. Lino ndilikkomene acoolwe cakutola lubazu mukubamba akwaabila cakulya cakumuuya kubakwesu nyika yoonse. (Mt. 24:45-47) Kulanga musyule mumyaka yiinda ku 50 yamumulimo waciindi coonse waalubazu, ndikonzya buyo kutondezya kulumba kapati alimwi akukkomana akaambo kazilongezyo zya Jehova kubunyina bwanyika yoonse. Ndilayandisya kujanika kumiswaangano yesu yamasi, kwalo kukankaizyigwa kapati kwiiya kujatikizya Taateesu wakujulu Jehova, alimwi akasimpe kamu Bbaibbele.

Ndipailila kuti mamiliyoni aabantu baiye Bbaibbele, bakatambule kasimpe, akubelekela Jehova calukamantano antoomwe abunyina bwa Bunakristo bwanyika yoonse. (1 Pe. 2:17) Alimwi ndilangila kumbele nondiyakubona bantu kandili kujulu kababusyigwa anyika alimwi akuyakubona bataata bakumubili. Ndijisi bulangizi bwakuti bataata, bamaama alimwi abanamukwasyi bamwi bayakuyandisya kukomba Jehova mu Paradaiso.