Kuzwa kubwana, ndakali kukayanda kasimpe. Ndakali kuyanda kulyaaba kuli Jehova akubbapatizyigwa. Nondakkwanya myaka iili 13, ndakakkomana kapati ciindi nondakaizuzikizya mbaakani eeyi. Nondakajisi myaka iili 14, mukwesu Helge Linck a wakandibuzya naa kuli nondakayeeyede kujatikizya mulimo wabupainiya. Ndiciciyeeya kabotu-kabotu ciindi eeci. Nokuba kuti bazyali bangu bakali kucita bupainiya bwakugwasyilizya, tiindakazyi ncocakali kwaamba kuba mupainiya waciindi coonse. Mubuzyo wa mukwesu Linck wakapa kuti nditalike kuyanda kucita zinji mumulimo wa Jehova.

 Mu 1974, kwakaba manyongwe ku Ethiopia calo cakasololela bantu kukwaangwa, kujaigwa alimwi amazwanga. Mukuya kwaciindi, tiitwakali kukonzya kukambauka kuŋanda aŋanda alimwi twakali kukonzya buyo kuswaangana mutubunga. Bazyali bangu bakatugwasya swebo tobana kulibambila kukukazyigwa akumbi. Njiisyo zyamu Bbaibbele zyakatugwasya kuzyiba ncocaamba kutatola lubazu mutwaambo twacisi. Twakaiya kuti Jehova wakali kuyootugwasya kuzyiba zyakwaamba ikuti twabuzyigwa-buzyigwa alimwi akuti zimwi ziindi twakeelede kuumuna buyo.​—Matayo 10:19; 27:12, 14.

 Nondakamanizya cikolo, ndakatalika kubeleka mukkampani yandeke ku Ethiopia. Bumwi buzuba nondakaunka kumulimo, babelesima bakandilumbaizya akaambo kakuti ndakasalwa kusololela muswaangano wakwiibaluka cisi nocakalilela. Mpoonya-mpoonya ndakaambila mupati wamulimo kuti akaambo kakuti tanditoli lubazu mutwaambo twacisi, tandikootola lubazu mukusekelela ooku.

 Buzuba bwakatobela, nondakali kubeleka kubbuwa lyandeke, aalale ndakabona baalumi bakajisi ntobolo kabaunka aawulilwa matiketi. Ndakayeeya kuti bakali kuboola kwaanga muntu umwi wakali kusola kutija mucisi. Muciindi caboobo, bakatalika kutondeka ndime minwe! Aboobo ndakatalika kulibuzya kaambo ncobakali kunditondekela. Buzuba bwakatalikede kabotu bwakacinca cakufwambaana.

 Basikalumamba bakanditola kuofesi kwalo nkondakali kubuzyigwa-buzyigwa kwamawoola aali mbwaabede. Kumane bakandibuzya kuti: “Nguni uubabbadela Bakamboni ba Jehova?” bakali kuyanda kuzyiba. “Sena ubelekela ba Eritrean Liberation Front? Sena yebo naa bauso mubelekela mfwulumende ya United States?” Nokuba kuti mibuzyo eeyi yakali kulibilisya kapati, ndakalibateme, alimwi ndilamulumba kapati Jehova akaambo kalugwasyo lwakwe.​—Bafilipi 4:6, 7.

 Nobakamana kundibuzya-buzya, basikalumamba bakanditola kuŋanda yalo njobakacinca kuba seelo iyakali iisyoonto kapati mwalo imwakali bamakaintu bacili bana-bana ibali 15 ibakaangwa akaambo kakutola lubazu mumanyongwe amapolitikisi.

 Busiku oobuya, kandilede aansi ayumu kumwi kandisamide ayunifoomu yakumulimo, ndakalikopene mumizeezo nkaambo ndakalizyi kuti bazyali bangu alimwi abanabokwesu bakalilibilikide kujatikizya ndime. Bakalizyi kuti ndaangwa, pele tiibakazyi nkondakabede. Aboobo ndakamulomba Jehova kuti augwasye mukwasyi wangu kuzyiba nkondakabede.

 Bubuza bwakatobela kuseeni nondakabuka, ndamukazyiba sikugatela umwi. Wakandilanga kumwi kagambidwe akundibuzya kuti, “Aster, ino utyani kuno?” Ndakamukombelezya kuti aunke kubazyali bangu kuŋanda kuti akabaambile nkondakabede. Kalitanalampa buzuba mbubonya, ndakatambula zyakulya alimwi azisani kuzwa kubazyali bangu. Sikugatela wakabaambila nkondakabede. Jehova wakawiingula mupailo wangu! Cintu eeci cakacitika cakandipa kusinizya kuti tiindakali ndelikke pe.

 Tiindakazumizyidwe kuba a Bbaibbele naa cakumwaya cili coonse, alimwi balongwe abanamukwasyi tiibakazumizyidwe kundiswaya. Nokuba boobo, Jehova wakandikulwaizya kwiinda mubaangema. Buzuba abuzuba ndakali kubakambaukila, alimwi bakali kukakkomanina kasimpe kajatikizya Bwami bwa Leza. Kanji-kanji bakali kundaambila kuti: “Swebo tulwanina mfwulumende yabantu, pele yebo ulwanina mfwulumende ya Leza. Utaleki kusyomeka, nokuba kuti bakukonga kukujaya!”

 Zimwi ziindi basikugatela bakali kubabuzya-buzya mpoonya akubauma baange. Busiku bumwi, cakuma 23:00, bakandiboolela. Notwakasika muluumu mobakali kubuzyila-buzyila, bakapa twaambo tunji twakunditamizya. Bakaamba kuti tiindakali kwiigwasyilizya mfwulumende. Nondakakaka kwiinduluka majwi ngobalitembaula basimapolitikisi, basikugatela ntolongo bobilo bakanduuma. Basikugatela bakali kunditola kuyoobuzyigwa-buzyigwa ziindi zinji. Ciindi aciindi, ndakali kupaila kuli Jehova cakutaleka, alimwi ndakali kulimvwa kuti wakali kundigwasya.

 Nokwakainda myezi yotatwe, umwi wabasikugatela wakaboola kulindime akundaambila kuti ndaangununwa. Nokuba kuti ndakaligambidwe akukkomana, ndakausa asyoonto nkaambo ndakali kukkomana kukambauka bulangizi bwa Bwami kuli bamakaintu bacili bana-bana muntolongo.

 Nokwakainda myezi misyoonto kuzwa nondakaangununwa, buzuba bumwi nondatakali aŋanda, basikalumamba bakaboola akwaanga bakubusi boonse mumukwasyi wesu! Bakaanga bacizyi bangu bobilo alimwi amwanookwesu musankwa omwe. Aciindi eeci, ndakayeeya kuti cintu cakali kukonzya kundigwasya nkuzwa mucisi. Nokuba kuti ndakaluuside kubasiya banamukwasyi alimwi, bamaama bakandikulwaizya kuyuma akusyoma muli Jehova. Tiilyakalampa, ndakakkwela ndeke kuunka ku United States. Mangolezya ngoonya aayo, basikalumamba bakaboola kuŋanda kuti bandaange ciindi cabili. Nobatakandijana aŋanda, bakabalikila kubbuwa lyandeke. Pele nobakasika ookuya bakajana ndeke yanyamuka kale.

 Ndakasika ku Maryland kwalo nkondakatambulwa aba Haywood alimwi aba Joan Ward, bamisyinali ibakali kwiiya abazyali bangu. Nokwainda myezi iili 5, ndakaizuzikizya mbakaani yangu yakuba mupainiya. Mwana musimbi waba Ward, wazina lya Cyndi, ngotwakali kubeleka limwi mulimo wabupainiya, alimwi twakali kuba aziindi zinji zikkomanisya mubukambausi.

 Lyacilimo mu 1979, ndakaswaya ku Beteli ku New York kwalo nkondakazyibana aba Wesley Parker. Ndakabukkomanina bube bwabo bubotu alimwi ambaakani zyakumuuya. Mu 1981, twakakwatana akulongela ku Wallkill, New York, kuyoobelekela a Beteli abalumi bangu. Ndakali kubelekela kudipatimenti iisaalazya (Housekeeping) alimwi akuwasya (Dry Cleaning) kumane kumbele ndakatalika kubeleka aatiimu ya MEPS mu Kkompyuta Dipatimenti. Kubelekela a Beteli kwakandipa coolwe cakubelekela Jehova cakumaninina alimwi akuzyibana abakwesu abacizyi balo bakaba balongwe kusikila sunu.

 Nokuba boobo ku Ethiopia kuŋanda, banamukwasyi bakali kupenzyegwa citaambiki, eeci cakali kundilibilisya kapati. Banabokwesu botatwe ibakaangidwe bakacili muntolongo. b Abuzuba bamaama bakali kujika zyakulya akubatolela nkaambo muntolongo tiibakali kubapa zyakulya.

 Muciindi eeci cikatazya, Jehova wakali mayubilo aangu alimwi bamukwasyi wa Beteli bakali kunduumbulizya akundigwasya. (Marko 10:29, 30) Buzuba bumwi, Mukwesu John Booth wakandaambila kuti: “Tulikkomene kapati kuti mubelekela aano a Beteli. Tiicakali kunookonzyeka ikuti nomwatakalongezyegwa a Jehova.” c Majwi aaya aaluzyalo akandipa kusyoma kuti Jehova wakakulongezya kusala kwangu kwakuzwa ku Ethiopia akuti unakuulanganya mukwasyi wangu.

 Mu January 1989, twakatambula makani aakuti ndilaada. Kusaanguna, twakagambwa kapati! Pele, nokwakainda mazuba masyoonto, twakacileka kuusa akutalika kuba alukkomano. Nokuba boobo, twakali kuyeeya kuti naa tuyooba bazyali bali buti, nkotwakali kuyookkala, ambotwakali kunoojana ziyandika twazwa a Beteli.

 Mu April 15, 1989, twakapakiŋa zintu mumoota wesu akuunka ku Oregon, kwalo nkotwakali kuyanda kuyoozumanana amulimo waciindi coonse katuli bapainiya. Nokuba boobo, kalitanalampa kuzwa ciindi notwakasika, balongwe besu bamwi bakajisi mizeezo mibotu bakatwaambila kuti tiicakali camaano kulindiswe kucita bupainiya. Masimpe kuti twakajisi zintu zisyoonto buyo zyakumubili alimwi twakali kuyooba amwana caino-ino. Ino twakali kunoocita buti? Kalitalanalampa, twakaswaigwa amulangizi wabbazu, mukwesu Guy Pierce, abakaintu bakwe ba Penny. d Bakatukulwaizya kukakatila kumbaakani yesu. Aboobo twakatalika kubeleka mulimo wabupainiya alimwi akusyoma kuti Jehova wakali kuyootugwasya. (Malaki 3:10) Twakazumanana kubeleka katuli bapainiya naakazyalwa mwaneesu musankwa wakusaanguna, Lemuel, allimwi awabili, Jadon.

 Kubeleka abana besu kwakali kutukkomanisya kapati. Mulimo wabupainiya wakali kutupa zyoolwe zyakwaamba kasimpe kamu Bbaibbele ikutali buyo kuli basimukoboma pele akubana besu. (Deuteronomo 11:19) Nokuba boobo, notwakaba amwana watatu, Japheth, twakasala kuti twiime asyoonto kucita bupainiya.​—Mika 6:8.

 Twakabona kuti mukuli mupati ngotwakajisi tobazyali wakali wakugwasya bana besu kubona Jehova kuti muntu mwini-mwini kulimbabo akubagwasya kuba acilongwe cibageme anguwe. Kutegwa tucikonzye, twakali kucita kukomba kwamumukwasyi munzila njobakali kukkomanina. Nobakacili bana, twakali kubala antoomwe mabbuku mbuli lyakuti: Listening to the Great Teacher alimwi alyakuti Bbuku Lyangu Lya Makani Aamu Bbaibbele. Zimwi ziindi twakali kucita azisobano zyazibalo zimwi. Mbwaanga ndime ndelikke ndakali mukaintu aŋanda, twanoosobana makani aajatikizya Jezebeli, ndime ndakali kusobana alinguwe. Bana besu bakali kukukkomanina kulicengezya mbuli kuti banditonkela aansi kuzwa acuuno alimwi akucita mbuli kuti mbabwa! Kunze lyakukomba mumukwasyi, balumi bangu bakali kubayiisya Bbaibbele bana besu umwi aumwi kali alikke.

 Twakali kubayanda akubabikkila maano bana besu, alimwi twakali kupailila kuti katukamantene mumukwasyi. Nobakali kuyaabukkomena, twakabayiisya milimo yaaŋanda, mbuli kusanzya mitiba, kusalazya luumu yabo alimwi akuwasya zisani zyabo. Kunze lyaboobo bakaiya akujika.

 Tabali buyo bana balikke bakaiya ziiyo pele andiswe tobazyali. Kwakali ziindi zimwi notwakali kunyema akubaambila majwi aatali kabotu bana besu alimwi amulicesu. Muziindi eezyi, twakali kulicesya alimwi buya akulilekelela.

 Kanji-kanji twakali kubatamba bakwesu alimwi abacizyi bamumbungano kuŋanda yesu, kubikkilizya abamukwasyi wa Beteli ibakali kuswaya, bamisyinali, balangizi beendeenda alimwi abaabo bakali kubelekela kubusena bubulide. (Baroma 12:13) Ciindi notwakali kuyanzana abeenzu, tiitwakali kubatanda bana besu kuti baunke muluumu iimbi kuyoosobana. Bakali kukkala andiswe alimwi bakali kwiikkomanina mibandi azyakuluula. Kanji-kanji bana besu bakali kutuyeeya twaambo tunji twakali kubandikwa kwiinda ndime abalumi bangu.

 Mebo abalumi bangu twakabeleka canguzu kupa kuti buumi bwesu bwakubelekela Jehova kabukkomanisya. Mucikozyanyo, twakali kulibambilila limwi mbuli kuyobola mali alimwi kubamba mazuba eesu aakulyookezya kutegwa katucikonzya kuswaya masi aaindene-indene. Kufwumbwa nkotwaunka, twakali kuswaya ofesi yamutabi, kujanika kumiswaangano, alimwi akutola lubazu mumulimo wakukambauka. Eeci cakatupa kuti twiiyande kapati mbunga ya Jehova nyika yoonse, alimwi twakakamantana kapati mbuli mukwasyi.

 Twakabona kuti kwakali bantu banji mucilawo cesu bakali kwaambaula ci Spanish, pele tiibakali kuvwula kukambaukilwa. Aboobo ciindi bana besu nobakacili baniini, twakabuzya mukwesu Pierce mizeezo njaakajisi kujatikizya mukwasyi wesu kulongela mumbungano iibelesya ci Spanish. Mukwesu wakaingula kumwi kamweta-mweta kuti, “Ikuti kamuli bazubi banswi, inga muunka ookuya nkozilida.” Akaambo kakukulwaizyigwa ooku, twakalongela mumbungano iyakali kubelesya mwaambo waci Spanish ku Woodburn, Oregon. Twakaba alukkomano akaambo kakutalisya ziiyo zya Bbaibbele ziyaambele, kugwasya bamwi kusika ataamu yakubbapatizyigwa, alimwi mukuya kwaciindi akubona kabunga kamwi kasyoonto kaci Spanish kakaba mbungano.

 Aciindi cimwi, balumi bangu mulimo wakamana, aboobo twakalongela ku California nkobakajana mulimo mupya. Nokwakainda myaka yobilo mebo abana besu bobilo Lemuel a Jadon twakasala kuti tutalike bupainiya bwaciindi coonse. Mu 2007, ndakakkomana kunjila Cikolo Camulimo Cabapainiya ambabo. Kalitanalampa kuzwa ciindi notwakanjila cikolo, twakabona kuti mucilawo cesu kwakali bantu banji ibakali kubelesya mwaambo waci Arabic. Aboobo notwakamana kubeleka myaka iili 13 mucilawo mobabelesya ci Spanish, mukwasyi wesu wakasala kuti usangane mbungano iibelesya mwaambo waci Arabic. Twakali kukkomana kukambaukila bamuzwakule banji ibakali kubelesya ci Arabic alimwi akuunka mumasi aambi kuyoocita bukambausi bwaalubazu. Twazumanana kubeleka mbuli bapainiya mucilawo camwaambo waci Arabic mu San Diego, California.

 Balumi bangu ngusilutwe wamukwasyi alimwi mulumi uuli kabotu. Balailemeka kapati mbunga ya Jehova. Kunyina nobakaambide cintu cibi kujatikizya Beteli alimwi abubambe buli mumbungano. Muciindi caboobo, lyoonse bakali kwaambo zintu zibotu. Balapaila andime, ikundipailila, alimwi notwakali kujana buyumu-yumu, mipailo yabo yakali kunduumbulizya alimwi akundigwasya kubatama.

 Ndalanga musyule, inga ndilaakuyeeya mbotwakali kuukkomanina mulimo waciindi coonse, kuba amukwasyi, alimwi akubelekela mumbungano zibulide. Twabona kuti Jehova ulabalongezya aabo ibamubikka mubusena bwakusaanguna mubuumi, alimwi kunyina notwakabulide cintu cili coonse. (Intembauzyo 37:25) Ndilisinizyide kuti kubelekela Jehova cakumaninina mubuumi bwangu, ncakusala cibotu ncondakapanga.​—Intembauzyo 84:10.