Hashize umwaka, kuri Beteli badutangarije ko ku biro by’ishami byo muri Afurika y’Epfo hari hakenewe abavoronteri bo gukoresha imashini nshya icapa yari igiye gushyirwayo. Nariyandikishije kandi nashimishijwe cyane no kuba baranyemereye kujyayo. Hari n’abandi bavandimwe batatu bo kuri Beteli yo muri Kanada bemerewe kujyayo; ari bo Dennis Leech, Bill McLellan na Ken Nordin. Twamenyeshejwe ko tuzamara muri Afurika y’Epfo igihe kirekire tutarasubira iwacu.

Naterefonye mama ndamubwira nti: “Mama, uzi n’ikindi! Ngiye muri Afurika y’Epfo.” Mama ntiyavugaga menshi, ariko yakundaga Yehova kandi afite ukwizera gukomeye. N’icyo gihe ntiyavuze byinshi, ariko nari nzi ko anshyigikiye. Nubwo we na papa bababajwe n’uko nari ngiye kure, ntibigeze barwanya umwanzuro nari nafashe.

Twese uko turi bane twabanje kujya kuri Beteli y’i Brooklyn, tuhamara amezi atatu duhabwa amahugurwa yo gukoresha imashini zicapa zari zigezweho icyo gihe. Hanyuma twafashe ubwato bwerekeza i Cape Town muri Afurika y’Epfo. Icyo gihe ni bwo nari nkigira imyaka 20. Twavuye i Cape Town nimugoroba, dukora urugendo rurerure na gari ya moshi twerekeza i Johannesburg. Mu rukerera, twahagaze mu mugi muto wa Karoo wenda kuba ubutayu. Aho ni ho hantu ha mbere twahagaze. Hari ivumbi ryinshi kandi hashyushye cyane. Twese uko turi bane, twarebye mu idirishya turibaza tuti: “Aha ni hantu ki? Ese aha hantu tuzahamenyera?” Nyuma yaho twaje kugaruka muri ako gace dusanga burya iyo migi mito ari myiza kandi ituje.

Inshingano nahawe mu myaka ya mbere, yari iyo gukoresha imashini yacapaga amagazeti y’Umunara w’Umurinzi na Nimukanguke!. Ibyo biro by’ishami byacapaga amagazeti menshi yo mu ndimi zo muri Afurika, atari izivugwa muri Afurika y’Epfo gusa, ahubwo n’izindi zivugwa mu bihugu byinshi byo muri Afurika. Twashimishijwe n’uko iyo mashini yatumye tuva muri Kanada, yari ifite akamaro kenshi.

Nyuma yaho naje gukora mu rwego rwari rufite inshingano zitandukanye, urugero nko gucapa ibitabo, kubyohereza no kubihindura mu zindi ndimi. Nahoraga mfite byinshi byo gukora kandi numvaga nyuzwe.

Mu mwaka wa 1968, nashakanye na mushiki wacu w’umupayiniya witwa Laura Bowen wari utuye hafi ya Beteli. Nanone yajyaga afasha mu Rwego Rushinzwe Ubuhinduzi. Icyo gihe iyo umuntu yashakaga umugabo cyangwa umugore, ntiyakomezaga gukora kuri Beteli. Ubwo rero, twabaye abapayiniya ba bwite. Icyakora narahangayitse. Nari maze imyaka icumi mba kuri Beteli, mpabwa ibyokurya n’icumbi. Naribazaga nti: “Ese mu dufaranga duke basubiza abapayiniya ba bwite, ibyo byose bizavamo?” Buri mupayiniya yahabwaga amarandi 25, icyo gihe yanganaga n’amafaranga y’u Rwanda hafi ibihumbi 120 buri kwezi. Ariko na yo yayahabwaga ari uko yujuje umubare w’amasaha yasabwaga, agasubira gusura inshuro yasabwaga kandi akuzuza n’umubare w’ibitabo yagombaga gutanga. Ayo mafaranga ni yo twakodeshagamo inzu, tukayaguramo ibyokurya, tukayategesha imodoka, tukayivuzamo, tukayaguramo n’ibindi bintu twabaga dukeneye.

Twoherejwe gukorera umurimo mu itsinda rito ryari hafi y’umugi wa Durban, uri hafi y’inyanja y’u Buhinde. Muri ako gace hari Abahinde benshi bakomokaga ku Bahinde bari baraje muri Afurika y’Epfo, ahagana mu mwaka wa 1875, baje gukora mu ruganda rw’isukari. Icyakora icyo gihe abo Bahinde bakoraga n’iyindi mirimo, ariko bari baragumanye umuco wabo n’ibyokurya by’iwabo. Nanone bavugaga Icyongereza. Ibyo byatumye kubabwiriza bitworohera.

Icyo gihe abapayiniya ba bwite babwirizaga amasaha 150 mu kwezi. Ubwo rero ku munsi wa mbere, nge na Laura twiyemeje kubwiriza amasaha atandatu. Icyo gihe hari icyokere kinshi, nta bigishwa ba Bibiliya dufite cyangwa abantu twasubira gusura. Ngaho ibaze rero kubwiriza amasaha atandatu ku nzu n’inzu! Hashize umwanya dutangiye kubwiriza, narebye ku isaha nsanga hashize iminota 40 gusa! Naribajije nti: “Ubu koko ubupayiniya bwa bwite tuzabushobora?”

Bidatinze, twatangiye kumenyera. Buri munsi twapfunyikaga umugati n’isupu cyangwa ikawa. Iyo twabaga dukeneye akaruhuko, twaparikaga imodoka yacu munsi y’igiti, ahantu habaga hari agacucu. Rimwe na rimwe, twabaga dukikijwe n’abana b’Abahinde batwitegerezaga bafite amatsiko. Hashize iminsi mike, twiboneye ko nyuma y’amasaha abiri cyangwa atatu, andi masaha yabaga asigaye yihutaga.

Kubwiriza abantu bo muri iyo fasi bari bafite umuco wo kwakira abashyitsi, byari bishimishije cyane. Twasanze abo Bahinde bagira ikinyabupfura kandi bakunda Imana. Nanone Abahindu benshi bemeye ubutumwa bwiza twabagezagaho. Bashimishwaga no kwiga ibyerekeye Yehova, Yesu, Bibiliya, isi nshya irangwa n’amahoro n’uko abapfuye bazazuka. Nyuma y’umwaka umwe gusa, twari tumaze kugira abigishwa ba Bibiliya 20. Buri munsi twasangiraga n’umwe mu miryango twigishaga Bibiliya. Byari bishimishije cyane rwose.

Bidatinze twahawe inshingano yo gusura amatorero ari mu gace keza cyane kari ku nkengero z’inyanja y’u Buhinde. Buri cyumweru, umuryango wo mu itorero twabaga twasuye waratwakiraga, kandi tukajyana kubwiriza n’abavandimwe bo muri iryo torero kugira ngo tubatere inkunga. Iyo miryango yatwakiraga neza tukumva twisanzuye, tugakina n’abana babo ndetse n’utunyamaswa babaga batunze. Hashize imyaka ibiri dukora uwo murimo twakundaga cyane, abavandimwe bo ku biro by’ishami baraduhamagaye. Baratubwiye bati: “Twifuza ko mwagaruka gukora kuri Beteli.” Narabashubije nti: “Rwose twishimiye umurimo dukora hano.” Ariko nyine birumvikana ko twari twiteguye gusohoza inshingano iyo ari yo yose twari guhabwa.

Igihe twageraga kuri Beteli, nahawe inshingano yo gukora mu Rwego Rushinzwe Umurimo. Nishimiye gukorana n’abavandimwe bakuze mu buryo bw’umwuka. Muri iyo minsi, iyo umugenzuzi w’akarere yabaga amaze kohereza ku biro by’ishami raporo y’itorero yasuye, Urwego Rushinzwe Umurimo rwohererezaga ibaruwa iryo torero. Ayo mabaruwa yabaga agamije gutera inkunga abavandimwe no kubaha andi mabwiriza ya ngombwa. Abavandimwe babaga bafite akazi katoroshye ko guhindura raporo z’umugenzuzi  w’akarere, bazikura mu rurimi rw’Ikizosa, Ikizulu no mu zindi ndimi bakazishyira mu Cyongereza. Nanone bahinduraga amabaruwa yanditswe n’Urwego Rushinzwe Umurimo, bayakura mu Cyongereza bakayashyira mu zindi ndimi zo muri Afurika. Nashimishijwe cyane n’uwo murimo abahinduzi bakoraga, kuko watumye menya ingorane abavandimwe na bashiki bacu b’Abanyafurika bahuraga na zo.

Icyo gihe muri Afurika y’Epfo habaga ivangura ry’amoko ryari rishyigikiwe na leta. Buri bwoko bwari bufite aho butuye. Ibyo byatumaga amoko atandukanye atabasha gusabana. Abavandimwe bacu b’abirabura bavugaga indimi zabo, bakabwiriza mu duce dukoresha izo ndimi ndetse bakifatanya no mu matorero akoresha izo ndimi.

Nta bwo nari nziranye n’abavandimwe b’abirabura benshi, kubera ko buri gihe nateraniraga mu matorero akoresha ururimi rw’Icyongereza. Icyo gihe noneho, nari mbonye uburyo bwo kumenya abavandimwe bange b’abirabura n’imico yabo. Namenye ingorane abavandimwe bahuraga na zo kuko batifatanyaga mu migenzo gakondo cyangwa iy’idini. Abo bavandimwe byabasabaga ubutwari, kugira ngo bareke iyo migenzo idashingiye kuri Bibiliya. Nanone iyo bangaga kwifatanya mu bikorwa by’ubupfumu, abagize imiryango yabo n’abaturanyi barabarwanyaga cyane. Ikindi kandi, mu cyaro hari ubukene bukabije. Nubwo benshi batari barize, bakundaga Bibiliya.

Nishimiye gufasha abavandimwe mu manza zimwe na zimwe baburanaga zijyanye n’umudendezo wo gusenga no kutivanga muri poritike. Nanone niboneye ukuntu abana bato b’Abahamya bagaragaje ubudahemuka n’ubutwari, igihe birukanwaga ku ishuri kuko batifatanyije mu masengesho no mu ndirimbo z’amadini. Ibyo byakomeje ukwizera kwange.

Abavandimwe bo mu gihugu cyo muri Afurika kitwaga Suwazilandi (ubu kitwa Eswatini), na bo bahuye n’ikindi kigeragezo kitoroshye. Igihe Umwami Sobhuza wa II yapfaga, hari imigenzo abaturage bose basabwe gukora yo kumwunamira. Abagabo bagombaga kogosha umusatsi bakawumaraho, naho abagore bakawugabanya ugasigara ari muke. Abavandimwe na bashiki bacu benshi baratotejwe cyane bazira ko banze kwifatanya muri uwo muhango wo gusenga abakurambere. Kuba barakomeje kuba indahemuka,  byadukoze ku mutima. Twigiye byinshi ku bavandimwe bacu bo muri Afurika, urugero nk’ubudahemuka no kwihangana. Ibyo byakomeje ukwizera kwacu.

Mu mwaka wa 1981, nahawe inshingano yo gufasha abavandimwe bateguraga uburyo bwo gucapa hakoreshejwe imashini zifite porogaramu ya mudasobwa. Nguko uko nasubiye gukora mu icapiro! Byari bishimishije cyane. Uburyo bwo gucapa bwari burimo buhinduka. Hari umuntu wari uhagarariye ikigo cyacuruzaga imashini zicapa, wahaye ibiro by’ishami imashini nshya kugira ngo tuyigeragerezeho. Ibyo byatumye imashini ikenda twari dufite tuzisimbuza eshanu nshya. Hari n’indi mashini nshya nini yashyizwe muri iryo capiro, bituma dutangira gucapa ibintu byinshi cyane.

Gukoresha porogaramu za mudasobwa mu mashini zicapa, byatumye dukoresha uburyo bushya bwo gushyira umwandiko ku mpapuro, twifashishije porogaramu ikoreshwa mu guhuza amafoto n’umwandiko mbere y’uko bicapwa yitwa MEPS. Ikoranabuhanga ryari ryarateye imbere ugereranyije n’igihe twese uko turi bane twavaga kuri Beteli yo muri Kanada, tuje muri Afurika y’Epfo (Yes 60:17). Twese twari twarashatse abagore beza b’abapayiniya kandi bakunda Yehova cyane. Nge na Bill twari tugikora kuri Beteli. Ken na Dennis bari barabyaye abana, batuye hafi aho.

Akazi ko ku biro by’ishami karushagaho kugenda kiyongera. Twari dusigaye duhindura ibitabo mu ndimi nyinshi kandi tukabicapa, hanyuma tukabyohereza ku bindi biro by’amashami. Ibyo byatumye Beteli ikenera andi mazu mashya yo gukoreramo. Abavandimwe bayubatse mu gace keza k’iburengerazuba bw’umugi wa Johannesburg maze yegurirwa Yehova mu mwaka 1987. Nishimiye gukora kuri uwo mushinga wo kwagura Beteli no kuba muri Komite y’Ibiro by’Ishami by’Afurika y’Epfo mu gihe k’imyaka myinshi.

Mu mwaka wa 2001, natumiriwe kujya muri Komite y’Ibiro by’Ishami bya Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, yari imaze gushyirwaho. Ibyo byaradutangaje cyane. Nubwo twababajwe no kureka akazi twakoraga no gusiga inshuti zacu muri Afurika y’Epfo, twashimishijwe n’iyo nshingano nshya twahawe yo gukora kuri Beteli yo muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika.

Icyakora, twari duhangayikishijwe no gusiga mabukwe wari ugeze mu za bukuru. Kubera ko kumwitaho turi muri Amerika byari kutugora, barumuna ba Laura batatu biyemeje kujya bamwitaho. Baravuze bati: “Kubera ko turi mu mimerere itatwemerera kujya mu murimo w’igihe cyose, nitwita kuri mama bizabafasha gukomeza inshingano yanyu.” Tubashimira tubikuye ku mutima ibyo bakoze.

Nanone mukuru wange n’umugore we bari batuye i Toronto muri Kanada, bitaga kuri mama wari warapfakaye. Icyo gihe hari hashize imyaka isaga 20 babana na mama. Tubashimira cyane ukuntu bakomeje kumwitaho kugeza igihe yapfiriye. Yapfuye tukigera muri Amerika. Birashimishije cyane ukuntu abagize imiryango yacu bemeye gusohoza inshingano itoroshye yo kwita ku babyeyi bacu bari bageze mu za bukuru.

Namaze imyaka runaka nkora mu icapiro ryo kuri Beteli yo muri Amerika. Uburyo bwo gucapa bwari bwarorohejwe kandi bwarateye imbere. Vuba aha, natangiye gukora mu Rwego Rushinzwe Kugura Ibintu. Birashimishije cyane kuba tumaze imyaka 20 turi kuri Beteli nini cyane, igizwe n’abantu bagera ku 5.000 babamo n’abandi bagera ku 2.000 bakora bataha.

Iyo nshubije amaso inyuma mu myaka 60 ishize, sinatekerezaga ko nshobora kuba ndi aha ngaha. Muri iyo myaka yose, Laura yaranshyigikiye cyane. Nagize ubuzima bushimishije rwose! Twishimira cyane inshingano zitandukanye twahawe, abo twakoranye, hamwe n’abo ku biro by’amashami byo hirya no hino ku isi twasuye. Ubu mfite imyaka isaga 80. Nagabanyirijwe inshingano kuko hari abavandimwe bakiri bato bashoboye kuzisohoza.

Umwanditsi wa zaburi yaranditse ati: “Hahirwa ishyanga rifite Yehova ho Imana yaryo” (Zab 33:12). Ibyo ni ukuri rwose. Nshimishwa no kuba narakoreye Yehova mfatanyije n’abagaragu be barangwa n’ibyishimo.