Nditasiya kukayikira, ndinayamba upainiya ndipo Yehova wandidalitsa kuposa mmene ndinkaganizira. (Aef. 3:20) Mwina mungadzifunse kuti, ‘Kodi zimenezi zinatheka bwanji?’ Dikirani ndikufotokozereni kuyambira pachiyambi.

Ndinabadwira mumzinda wa Berlin ku Germany mu 1939 ndipo apa n’kuti patapita miyezi ingapo chiyambire nkhondo yachiwiri yapadziko lonse. Chakumapeto kwa nkhondoyi mu 1945, mabomba ambiri anaponyedwa mumzinda wa Berlin. Tsiku lina, bomba linaphulika pamsewu wakunyumba kwathu ndipo ine ndi banja lathu lonse tinathawira kumalo otetezeka. Kenako tinasamukira ku Erfurt, komwe kunali kwawo kwa mayi anga.

Mayi anga ankafufuza choonadi mwakhama. Iwo anawerenga mabuku a nzeru za anthu komanso kufufuza m’zipembedzo zosiyanasiyana koma sanapeze choonadi. Cha mu 1948, a Mboni za Yehova awiri anafika kunyumba kwathu. Mayi anga anawalandira bwino ndipo anawafunsa mafunso ambiri. Pasanathe ndi ola limodzi lomwe, anauza ineyo ndi mchemwali wanga kuti, “Ndapeza choonadi.” Kenako mayi anga, mchemwali wanga ndi ineyo tinayamba kupita kumisonkhano ku Erfurt.

Mu 1950, tinabwerera ku Berlin ndipo tinkasonkhana mumpingo wa Berlin-Kreuzberg. Kenako tinasamukira kudera lina la ku Berlin ndipo tinkasonkhana mumpingo wa Berlin-Tempelhof. Mayi anga anabatizidwa koma ineyo ndinkakayikira. Kodi mukudziwa chifukwa chake?

Zinkandivuta kuchita zambiri potumikira Yehova chifukwa ndinali wamanyazi. Ngakhale kuti ndinkalowa mu utumiki, kwa zaka ziwiri sindinkalankhula ndi anthu amene tinkakumana nawo. Koma zinthu zinasintha nditayamba kucheza ndi abale ndi alongo omwe anali olimba mtima komanso okhulupirika kwa Yehova. Ena mwa iwo anazunzika kundende za chipani cha Nazi ku East Germany. Ndipo ena ankaika moyo wawo pa  ngozi kuti azilowetsa mabuku athu ku East Germany. Chitsanzo chawo chinandikhudza kwambiri. Ndinkaganiza kuti ngati iwo analolera kuika moyo wawo pa ngozi potumikira Yehova ndiponso abale awo, ndiyenera kuyesetsa kuti ndisamachite manyazi.

Kugwira nawo ntchito yapadera yolalikira mu 1955 kunandithandiza kwambiri pa vuto langali. M’kalata yopezeka mu Informant, * M’bale Nathan Knorr analengeza kuti ntchito yapaderayi inali imodzi mwa ntchito zazikulu zimene gulu lathu lakonzapo. Iye ananena kuti ngati ofalitsa onse angagwire nawo ntchitoyi, “ndiye kuti ntchito yolalikira igwiridwa kwambiri mwezi umenewu kuposa m’mbuyo monse.” Zimenezi zinali zoona. Patangopita nthawi yochepa, ineyo, bambo anga komanso mchemwali wanga tinabatizidwa mu 1956. Koma kenako ndinayenera kusankha zochita pa nkhani ina yofunika.

Kwa zaka zambiri, ndinkadziwa kuti ndiyenera kuchita upainiya koma ndinkangozengereza. Poyamba, ndinasankha zophunzira ntchito yolandira ndiponso kutumiza zinthu kumayiko ena. Ndinaphunzira ntchitoyi ku Berlin ndipo nditamaliza ndinkafuna kugwira ntchito imeneyi kaye kuti ndiidziwe bwino. Choncho mu 1961, ndinayamba ntchito kumzinda wa Hamburg, womwe uli ndi doko lalikulu kwambiri ku Germany. Nditayamba kugwira ntchitoyi sindinkafuna kuyamba upainiya. Ndiye kodi chinachitika n’chiyani?

Ndikuyamikira kuti Yehova anagwiritsa ntchito abale achikondi kuti andithandize kuti ndiziika zinthu zauzimu patsogolo. Anzanga ambiri anali atayamba upainiya ndipo anandipatsa chitsanzo chabwino. Komanso M’bale Erich Mundt, yemwe anali atakhala mundende ya chipani cha Nazi, ankandilimbikitsa kuti ndizidalira Yehova. Iye ananena kuti abale amene ankadzidalira mundendezo anadzafooka. Koma abale amene ankadalira Yehova ndi mtima wonse anakhala okhulupirika ndipo anadzakhala anthu odalirika kwambiri mumpingo.

M’bale Martin Poetzinger, yemwe anadzakhala m’bungwe lolamulira, ankalimbikitsa abale ndi mawu akuti, “Kulimba mtima ndi chuma chamtengo wapatali kwambiri.” Nditaganizira kwambiri mawu amenewa, ndinasiya ntchito n’kuyamba upainiya mu June 1963. Ndikuona kuti ndinachita bwino kwambiri. Patapita miyezi iwiri, ndisanayambe n’komwe kufufuza ntchito ina, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndikhale mpainiya wapadera. Patangopita zaka zochepa, Yehova anandidalitsa m’njira imene sindinkaganizira. Ndinaitanidwa kuti ndikalowe kalasi ya nambala 44 ya Sukulu ya Giliyadi.

Ku Giliyadi ndinaphunzira mfundo yofunika kwambiri, makamaka kwa M’bale Nathan Knorr ndi Lyman Swingle. Phunziro lake linali lakuti: “Musamafulumire kuchoka kumene mwatumizidwa.” Iwo anatiuza kuti tizichita zonse zimene tingathe kuti tikhalebe kumene atitumiza. M’bale Knorr ananena kuti: “Kodi inuyo mukapita muzikaganizira kwambiri za chiyani? Fumbi, tizilombo ndi umphawi wa m’dzikolo? Kapena muzikaganizira za mitengo, maluwa ndi anthu ansangala? Muyenera kuphunzira kukonda anthu akumeneko.” Tsiku lina, M’bale Swingle akufotokoza zimene zimachititsa amishonale ena kuti asiye utumiki wawo anakhudzidwa kwambiri moti misozi inayamba kulengeza. Anafika mpaka posiya kaye kulankhula kuti mtima ukhalenso m’malo. Zimenezi zinandikhudza kwambiri moti cholinga changa chinali choti ndisadzakhumudwitse Khristu kapena abale ake.​—Mat. 25:40.

Titauzidwa komwe tipite, abale ena a ku Beteli anatifunsa kumene atitumiza. Atamva za kumene anzanga ankapita ankalankhula zabwino. Koma ine nditangonena kuti “Ndikupita ku Congo (Kinshasa)” ananena kuti: “Iiii ku Congo? Yehova akhale nanu!” Pa nthawiyo ku Congo (Kinshasa) kunkatchuka chifukwa cha nkhondo ndi ziwawa. Koma mfundo zimene ndinaphunzira ku Giliyadi zinkandilimbitsa mtima. Titamaliza maphunziro athu mu September 1967, ineyo, Heinrich Dehnbostel ndi Claude Lindsay tinanyamuka kupita mumzinda wa Kinshasa, womwe ndi likulu la dziko la Congo.

Titafika ku Kinshasa, tinaphunzira Chifulenchi kwa miyezi itatu. Kenako tinakwera ndege kuti tipite kumzinda wa Lubumbashi, womwe kale unkatchedwa Elisabethville. Mzindawu uli pamalire ndi Zambia chakum’mwera kwa Congo. Tinkakhala kunyumba ya amishonale yomwe inali pakatikati pa mzindawu.

Popeza kuti panalibe a Mboni amene analalikirapo m’madera ambiri a ku Lubumbashi, tinasangalala kukhala oyamba kulalikira kwa anthu ambiri. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali, tinali ndi maphunziro a Baibulo ambiri moti zinkativuta kuchititsa onsewo. Tinkalalikiranso kwa akuluakulu a boma komanso apolisi. Ambiri ankalemekeza Mawu a Mulungu komanso ntchito yathu yolalikira. Popeza anthu ambiri ankalankhula Chiswahili, ine ndi Claude Lindsay tinachiphunzira. Kenako tinapemphedwa kuti tisamukire mumpingo wachiswahili.

Tinakumana ndi zinthu zambiri zosangalatsa koma tinakumananso ndi mavuto. Nthawi zambiri tinkakumana ndi asilikali oledzera atatenga mfuti komanso apolisi ovuta omwe ankatiimba milandu yabodza. Tsiku lina gulu la apolisi okhala ndi mfuti linafika kunyumba ya amishonale pa nthawi imene tinkachita misonkhano. Iwo anapita nafe kupolisi n’kutiuza kuti tikhale pansi ndipo sanalole kuti tichoke mpaka cha m’ma 10 koloko usiku.

Mu 1969, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndikhale woyang’anira dera. M’dera langa munali udzu wautali ndipo ndinkayenda wapansi m’njira zamatope. Kumudzi wina, nkhuku ina inkagona pansi pa bedi langa ndi anapiye. Tsiku lililonse ndinkadzuka  m’bandakucha chifukwa cha kulira kwa nkhukuyi. Koma ndimasangalala ndikakumbukira nthawi imene tinkacheza ndi abale n’kumakambirana nkhani za m’Baibulo madzulo, uku tikuwotha moto.

Vuto lalikulu kwambiri linali lokhudza anthu achinyengo amene analowa mumpingo koma ali m’gulu la Kitawala, kapena kuti Chitawala. * Ena mpaka anafika pokhala ndi maudindo mumpingo. Koma patapita nthawi, abale ndi alongo anazindikira ‘miyala yobisika’ imeneyi. (Yuda 12) Kenako Yehova anayeretsa mipingo ndipo anthu ambiri anayamba kubwera m’gulu lake.

Mu 1971, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndizikagwira ntchito kunthambi mumzinda wa Kinshasa. Ndinkagwira ntchito yolandira ndi kutumiza makalata, kusamalira maoda a mabuku komanso zinthu zina zokhudza utumiki. Ku Beteli ndinaphunzira kuyang’anira ntchito yaikulu m’dziko limene zinthu sizinkayenda bwino. Nthawi zina makalata athu ankatenga miyezi ingapo asanafike kumipingo. Makalata akafika pa ndege ankatengedwa pa maboti kupita kumadera osiyanasiyana. Koma mabotiwo ankavutika kuyenda chifukwa cha anamasupuni moti nthawi zina ankalephera kuyenda kwa milungu ingapo. Koma ntchito yathu inkayenda ngakhale kuti panali mavuto ngati amenewa.

Ndinachita chidwi kwambiri kuona zimene abale ankachita pokonzekera misonkhano ndi ndalama zochepa kwambiri. Ankasema chulu kuti apange pulatifomu, ndipo ankagwiritsa ntchito nsenjere kuti atchinge m’mbali mwake komanso apange mipando. M’malo mwa mitengo, ankagwiritsa ntchito nsungwi ndipo denga ndi matebulo zinkakhala zamphasa. Misomali yake inkakhala yopanga kuchokera ku makungwa. Kunena zoona, zimene abale ndi alongowa ankachita zinkandigometsa ndipo ndinayamba kuwakonda kwambiri. Nditapemphedwa kuti ndichokeko ndinkawasowa kwambiri.

Mu 1974, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndipite kunthambi ya ku Kenya yomwe ili mumzinda wa Nairobi. Ku Kenya kunali ntchito yambiri chifukwa nthambiyi inkayang’anira ntchito ya m’mayiko 10 oyandikana nawo ndipo m’mayiko ena munali bani. Ndinkapemphedwa kuti ndizikayendera mayiko amenewa, makamaka dziko la Ethiopia. Abale ndi alongo ambiri akumeneko ankazunzidwa, kutsekeredwa m’ndende ndipo ena kuphedwa kumene. Koma anakwanitsa kupirira chifukwa choti ankagwirizana komanso anali pa ubwenzi wolimba ndi Yehova.

Mu 1980, zinthu zosangalatsa kwambiri zinachitika pa moyo wanga. Ndikutero chifukwa ndinakwatira Gail Matheson. Mlongoyu ndi wa ku Canada ndipo tinali kalasi imodzi ku Giliyadi. Iye ankachita umishonale ku Bolivia ndipo tinkakonda kulemberana makalata. Patapita zaka 12, tinakumananso ku New York. Kenako tinakwatirana ku Kenya. Ndimayamikira kwambiri Gail chifukwa chakuti amayendera maganizo a Mulungu komanso amapereka chitsanzo chabwino pa nkhani yokhutira ndi zimene tili nazo. Iye amandithandiza kwambiri ndipo ndi mnzanga wapamtima.

Mu 1986, ine ndi Gail tinapemphedwa kuti tizichita utumiki woyendayenda pa nthawi imodzimodziyo ndikutumikira mu Komiti ya Nthambi. Ndinkayendera mayiko ambiri amene ankayang’aniridwa ndi nthambi ya ku Kenya.

Ndikukumbukira zimene zinachitika mu 1992 pokonzekera msonkhano wachigawo wakumzinda wa Asmara (ku Eritrea). Pa nthawiyi, ntchito yathu sinali yoletsedwa m’dzikoli. Tinapeza malo m’chinyumba chinachake chosaoneka bwino kunja komanso chonyansa kwambiri mkati. Tsiku la msonkhano litafika, ndinadabwa kuona kuti abale anakonza bwino malowo moti anali oyenera kulambiramo Yehova. Mabanja ambiri anabweretsa nsalu zokongola n’kutchingira malo alionse omwe sankaoneka bwino. Msonkhanowu unali wosangalatsa kwambiri ndipo tinasonkhana anthu okwana 1,279.

 Ntchito yoyendayenda inali yosiyana kwambiri ndi zimene tinazolowera chifukwa mlungu uliwonse tinkasintha malo ogona. Mlungu wina tinakhala m’nyumba yabwino kwambiri ya m’mbali mwa nyanja koma nthawi ina tinakhala m’nyumba yopangidwa ndi malata okhaokha ndipo kuti tipite kuchimbudzi tinkayenda mamita opitirira 100. Koma kaya tinali kumalo otani, chimene timakumbukira kwambiri ndi kulalikira limodzi ndi apainiya komanso ofalitsa akhama. Titauzidwa kuti tikatumikire kwina, tinasiyana ndi anzathu apamtimawo moti tinkawasowa kwambiri.

Chakumapeto kwa zaka za m’ma 1980 ndi kumayambiriro kwa zaka za m’ma 1990, ntchito yathu inavomerezedwa m’mayiko angapo amene ankayang’aniridwa ndi nthambi ya ku Kenya. Izi zinachititsa kuti pakhazikitsidwe maofesi ena a nthambi ndi a mayiko. Mu 1993, tinapemphedwa kuti tipite ku ofesi yathu ya ku Ethiopia mumzinda wa Addis Ababa. Kumeneku, ntchito yathu inali itangovomerezedwa kumene pambuyo pa zaka zambiri za bani.

Yehova wadalitsa ntchito yathu ku Ethiopia. Abale ndi alongo ambiri anayamba upainiya. Moti kuyambira mu 2012, chaka chilichonse abale ndi alongo oposa 20 pa 100 alionse anachitapo upainiya wokhazikika. Kuwonjezera pamenepa, sukulu zophunzitsa utumiki zathandiza abale ndi alongo ambiri ndipo Nyumba za Ufumu zoposa 120 zinamangidwa. Mu 2004, banja la Beteli linasamukira kumaofesi ndi nyumba zatsopano ndipo pafupi ndi maofesiwo panamangidwanso Malo a Msonkhano omwe ndi othandiza kwambiri.

Kwa zaka zambiri, ine ndi Gail tasangalala kwambiri kutumikira ndi abale komanso alongo ku Ethiopia ndipo akhala anzathu apamtima. Timawakonda kwambiri chifukwa ndi anthu achifundo komanso achikondi. Pakatipa takhala tikudwaladwala ndipo zimenezi zapangitsa kuti atitumize kunthambi ya ku Central Europe. Abale ndi alongo akutisamalira mwachikondi kunthambiyi komabe timawasowa kwambiri anzathu a ku Ethiopia.

Taona mmene Yehova wadalitsira ntchito yake. (1 Akor. 3:6, 9) Mwachitsanzo, nthawi imene ndinalalikira koyamba kwa anthu a ku Rwanda, omwe ankagwira ntchito m’migodi ku Congo, ku Rwanda kunalibe wofalitsa ngakhale mmodzi. Koma panopa kuli abale ndi alongo pafupifupi 30,000. Mu 1967, ku Congo (Kinshasa) kunali ofalitsa pafupifupi 6,000. Koma panopa kuli ofalitsa oposa 230,000, ndipo anthu opitirira 1 miliyoni anapezeka pa Chikumbutso mu 2018. Tikaphatikiza ofalitsa onse amene ali m’mayiko amene nthambi ya ku Kenya inkayang’anira, panopa kuli ofalitsa oposa 100,000.

Zaka zoposa 50 zapitazo, Yehova anagwiritsa ntchito abale osiyanasiyana kundithandiza kuti ndiyambe utumiki wa nthawi zonse. Ngakhale kuti ndimavutikabe ndi vuto la manyazi, ndaphunzira kudalira Yehova ndi mtima wonse. Zimene ndakumana nazo ku Africa zandithandiza kuti ndikhale munthu woleza mtima komanso wokhutira. Abale komanso alongowa amayesetsa kuchereza alendo, kupirira komanso kudalira Yehova ndipo ine ndi Gail timachita nawo chidwi kwambiri. Ndimathokoza Yehova chifukwa chondisonyeza kukoma mtima kwakukulu. Yehova wandidalitsa kwambiri kuposa mmene ndinkaganizira.​—Sal. 37:4.