Mu myaka gya 1940 bazadde bange baatandika okuyiga Bayibuli n’Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa, naye tebaagenda mu maaso na kuyiga. Kyokka maama yasigala afuna magazini z’Omunaala gw’Omukuumi n’eza Zuukuka! Mu 1950 waaliwo olukuŋŋaana olubeerako ab’oluganda okuva mu nsi yonna, mu kibuga New York, era ffenna awaka twagenda.

Waayita ekiseera kitono ow’oluganda Lawrence Jeffries n’atandika okutukyaliranga, era yagezaako okunnyamba okuyiga Bayibuli. Mu kusooka nnali sikkiriziganya naye ku ky’Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa obuteenyigira mu bya bufuzi, oba obutayingira magye. Nnamugamba nti singa buli muntu mu Amerika agaana okugenda okulwana, abalabe bayinza okujja ne bawamba ensi yaffe. Ow’oluganda Jeffries yali mugumiikiriza gye ndi, era yambuuza nti: “Singa buli muntu mu Amerika aweereza Yakuwa, era abalabe ne bajja okutulumba, olowooza kiki Yakuwa ky’ayinza okukola?” Ebyo bye yaŋŋamba ku nsonga eyo ne ku nsonga endala, byannyamba okukiraba nti endowooza yange yali nkyamu. Ekyo kyandeetera okwagala okweyongera okuyiga.

Nnamalanga essaawa nnyingi nga nsoma magazini z’Omunaala gw’Omukuumi n’eza Zuukuka! maama wange ze yali aterese. Oluvannyuma nnakiraba nti bye nnali njiga ge mazima, era bwe kityo nnakiriza okutandika okuyiga Bayibuli n’ow’oluganda Jeffries. Ate era nnatandika n’okugendanga mu nkuŋŋaana obutayosa. Nnayagala nnyo bye nnali njiga era ne nfuuka omubuulizi w’amawulire amalungi. Ebiruubirirwa byange byakyuka bwe nnakitegeera nti “olunaku lwa Yakuwa olukulu [lwali] kumpi okutuuka.” (Zef. 1:14) Kati nnali sikyayagala kugenda ku yunivasite, wabula nnali njagala kuyamba balala kuyiga mazima agali mu Bayibuli.

Nnamaliriza emisomo gya siniya nga Jjuuni 13, 1956, era oluvannyuma lw’ennaku ssatu nnabatizibwa ku lukuŋŋaana olunene. Mu kiseera ekyo nnali simanyi  nti nnali ŋŋenda kufuna emikisa mingi olw’okusalawo okuyiga n’okuyigiriza abalala ebikwata ku Yakuwa.

Oluvannyuma lw’emyezi mukaaga nga mmaze okubatizibwa, nnatandika okuweereza nga payoniya owa bulijjo. Obuweereza bw’Obwakabaka aka Ddesemba 1956 mwalimu ekitundu ekigamba nti “Osobola Okuweereza Awali Obwetaavu obw’Amaanyi?” Ekyo nnali nsobola okukikola. Nnali njagala okuyambako mu bitundu omwali ababuulizi b’amawulire amalungi abatono.​—Mat. 24:14.

Nnagenda mu kabuga k’e Edgefield, mu ssaza lya South Carolina. Ekibiina kyayo kyalimu ababuulizi bana bokka. Bwe nnagendayo twawera bataano. Enkuŋŋaana zaffe twazifuniranga mu ddiiro ly’ow’oluganda omu. Buli mwezi nnabuuliranga okumala essaawa 100. Nnalina eby’okukola bingi kubanga nze nnali mpoma omutwe mu mulimu gw’okubuulira era nnakubirizanga n’ebitundu ebitali bimu mu nkuŋŋaana. Gye nnakoma okwenyigira mu bintu ebyo, gye nnakoma okuyiga ebikwata ku Yakuwa.

Omukyala omu gwe nnali njigiriza Bayibuli yalina kampuni ekola ku by’okuziika mu kabuga Johnston, akaali keesudde mayiro ntono okuva we twali tubeera. Omukyala oyo yampa omulimu ogutaali gwa kiseera kyonna, era mu kiseera ekyo omulimu ogwo nnali ngwetaaga nnyo. Ate era yatuwa n’ekizimbe tukuŋŋaanirengamu.

Ow’oluganda Jolly Jeffries, mutabani w’ow’oluganda eyayiga nange Bayibuli, yava mu Brooklyn, New York, n’ajja mu Edgefield. Nnatandika okubuuliranga n’ow’oluganda oyo, era twasulanga mu kyana ky’emmotoka ow’oluganda omu kye yatuwa tubeeremu.

Mu South Carolina abakozi baasasulwanga ssente ntono. Olunaku twakoleranga ddoola bbiri oba ssatu. Lumu bwe nnali nva okugula emmere era nga ssente zimpeddeko, omusajja omu yantuukirira n’ambuuza nti: “Oyagala omulimu? Nja kukusasula ddoola emu buli ssaawa gy’onookolera.” Yampa omulimu gw’okutereeza we baali bagenda okuzimba era gwali gwa nnaku ssatu. Nnakirabirawo nti Yakuwa yali annyamba nsobole okusigala mu Edgefield. Kyokka mu 1958 nnagenda mu lukuŋŋaana olunene olubeerako ab’oluganda okuva mu nsi yonna, olwali mu kibuga New York.

Ku lunaku olw’okubiri olw’olukuŋŋaana, waliwo ekintu ekyabaawo. Nnasisinkana mwannyinaffe Ruby Wadlington, eyali aweereza nga payoniya owa bulijjo mu Gallatin, mu ssaza ly’e Tennessee. Olw’okuba ffembi twali twagala okuweereza ng’abaminsani, twagenda mu lukuŋŋaana lw’abo abaagala okugenda mu ssomero lya Gireyaadi olwaliwo ku lukuŋŋaana olwo. Oluvannyuma twatandika okuweerezeganya amabaluwa. Lumu nnayitibwa okuwa emboozi mu kibiina ky’e Gallatin, era nnakozesa akakisa ako okusaba Ruby okunfumbirwa. Nnava mu kibiina ky’e Edgefield ne ŋŋenda mu kibiina Ruby gye yali akuŋŋaanira, era twafumbiriganwa mu 1959.

Bwe nnali nga ndi wa myaka 23, nnalondebwa okuweereza ng’omuweereza w’ekibiina (mu kiseera kino ayitibwa omukwanaganya w’akakiiko k’abakadde) mu kibiina ky’e Gallatin. Ow’oluganda Charles Thompson bwe yalondebwa okuweereza ng’omulabirizi  akyalira ebibiina, ekibiina kyaffe kye yasookerako okukyalira. Wadde nga yalina obumanyirivu bungi, yansaba mmubuulire endowooza gye nnalina ku ebyo ab’oluganda bye baali beetaaga, era n’engeri abalabirizi abalala abaali bakyalira ebibiina, gye baali bakola ku bintu ebyo. Nnayigira ku w’oluganda oyo nti kirungi okubuuza ebibuuzo, n’okumanya byonna ebizingirwamu nga tonnakola ku nsonga.

Mu Maayi 1964, nnayitibwa mu Ssomero ly’Obuweereza bw’Obwakabaka, mu South Lansing, New York, era essomero eryo lyali limala omwezi gumu. Essomero eryo lyannyamba okweyongera okwagala okuyiga ebikwata ku Yakuwa n’okweyongera okumusemberera.

Nze ne Ruby twasabibwa okutandika okukola omulimu gw’okukyalira ebibiina mu Jjanwali 1965. Ekitundu kye twaweebwa okuweererezaamu kyali kinene, nga kitandikira mu kibuga Knoxville, eky’omu ssaza ly’e Tennessee, ne kituukira ddala kumpi mu kibuga Richmond, mu ssaza ly’e Virginia. Ate era kyali kizingiramu n’ebibiina by’omu North Carolina, Kentucky, ne West Virginia. Nnali mpeereza mu bibiina by’abaddugavu byokka, kubanga mu kiseera ekyo, mu bukiikaddyo bwa Amerika, abazungu n’abaddugavu baali tebakkirizibwa kubeera wamu. Bwe kityo abaddugavu baakuŋŋaananga bokka, n’abazungu baakuŋŋaananga bokka. Ab’oluganda baali baavu era twayiga okugabananga bye twalina n’abo abaabanga mu bwetaavu. Ow’oluganda eyali amaze ekiseera ekiwanvu ng’aweereza ng’omulabirizi akyalira ebibiina alina ekintu ekikulu ennyo kye yanjigiriza. Yaŋŋamba nti: “Bw’ogenda mu kibiina, beera wa luganda, so si bboosi. Ab’oluganda bwe baba bakutwala nga muganda waabwe, awo oba osobola okubayamba.”

Lumu bwe twali tukyalidde ekibiina ekimu ekyalimu ababuulizi abatono, Ruby yatandika okuyiga Bayibuli n’omukyala omu, eyalina akaana akawala ak’omwaka ogumu. Olw’okuba mu kibiina ekyo tewaaliwo n’omu eyali ayinza kugenda mu maaso n’okuyiga n’omukyala oyo, Ruby yasigala ayiga naye ng’amuwandiikira mabaluwa. Bwe twaddamu okukyalira ekibiina ekyo, omukyala oyo yajja mu nkuŋŋaana zonna. Bannyinaffe babiri abaali baweereza nga bapayoniya ab’enjawulo bwe baagenda mu kibiina ekyo, beeyongera okuyiga n’omukyala oyo era n’abatizibwa. Oluvannyuma mu 1995 nga tuli ku Beseri y’e Patterson, nga wayise emyaka 30, waliwo mwannyinaffe eyajja ne yeeyanjulira Ruby. Yali muwala w’omukyala oli Ruby gwe yayigirizaako Bayibuli. Mwannyinaffe oyo n’omwami we baali bazze mu ssomero lya Gireyaadi ery’e 100.

Ekitundu kye twaddako okuweererezaamu ng’abalabirizi abakyalira ebibiina, kyali kya mu masekkati g’essaza lya Florida. Mu kiseera ekyo twali twetaaga emmotoka, era tulina gye twagula ku bbeeyi ensaamusaamu. Kyokka mu wiiki eyasooka nga tumaze okugula emmotoka eyo, waliwo ekintu ekyayonooneka mu yingini yaayo. Tetwalina ssente za kugikanika. Nnayita ow’oluganda omu gwe nnalowooza nti yali asobola okutuyamba. Yalagira omu ku bakozi be okukanika emmotoka yaffe, era talina ssente ze yatuggyako. Yatugamba bugambi nti, “Sirina kye mbabanja.” Yatuwaayo ne ku ssente! Ekyo kyatulaga engeri emu Yakuwa gy’alabiriramu abaweereza be. Mu butuufu, kyayongera okutuyigiriza obukulu bw’okuba abagabi.

Buli lwe twakyaliranga ebibiina, twasulanga mu maka ga ba luganda. Ekyo kyatusobozesa okukola emikwano mingi. Lumu nnaleka lipoota gye nnali mpandiika ekwata ku kibiina mu kyuma ekikuba tayipu, nga sinnagimaliriza. Bwe nnakomawo awaka olweggulo, Nnasanga omwana wa waka, eyalina emyaka esatu, “amalirizza” lipoota eyo. Kya lwatu nnalina okugiddamu. Okumala emyaka, bwe nnamusisinkananga nnamusaagisanga nti, yannyambako okumaliriza lipoota.

Mu 1971, nnafuna ebbaluwa nga nsabibwa okutandika okuweereza ng’omulabirizi wa disitulikiti mu kibuga New York. Twewuunya nnyo! Mu kiseera ekyo nnalina emyaka 34 gyokka. Nze mulabirizi wa disitulikiti omuddugavu eyasooka okuweereza mu kibuga ekyo, era ab’oluganda bannyaniriza n’essanyu.

Bwe nnali mpeereza ng’omulabirizi wa disitulikiti, Nnanyumirwanga nnyo okuyigiriza ebikwata ku Yakuwa buli wiikendi ku lukuŋŋaana lw’ekitundu. Bangi ku balabirizi abakyalira ebibiina baali balina obumanyirivu bungi okunsinga. Omu ku bo ye yali yawa emboozi ey’okubatizibwa, ku lunaku lwe nnabatizibwa. Omulala yali wa luganda, Theodore Jaracz, oluvannyuma eyaweereza ku Kakiiko Akafuzi. Waliwo n’ab’oluganda abalala bangi abaalina obumanyirivu, abaali baweereza ku Beseri y’omu Brooklyn. Nnasanyuka nnyo okuba nti abalabirizi abakyalira ebibiina, n’Ababeseri tebandeetera kuba na kutya. Nnakiraba nti baali basumba abalina okwagala, abaali bakolera ku bulagirizi obuli mu Kigambo kya Katonda, era abaali bawagira ekibiina  kye. Obwetoowaze bwabwe bwakifuula kyangu gyendi okuweereza ng’omulabirizi wa disitulikiti.

Mu 1974 Akakiiko Akafuzi kaawa abalabirizi abakyalira ebibiina abalala omulimu gw’okukola ng’abalabirizi ba disitulikiti. Bwe kityo nnaddamu okukola ng’omulabirizi akyalira ebibiina, era nnasindikibwa mu ssaza ly’e South Carolina. Ekirungi, mu kiseera ekyo ab’oluganda abazungu n’abaddugavu baali bakkirizibwa okukuŋŋaana awamu. Era ekyo kyaleetera ab’oluganda essanyu lingi nnyo.

Ng’omwaka gwa 1976 gunaatera okuggwaako, nnasindikibwa okuweereza mu ssaza ly’e Georgia, okuva mu kibuga Atlanta okutuuka mu kibuga Columbus. Nkyajjukira bulungi lwe nnawa emboozi ku kuziika abaana abataano abaddugavu abaafa, oluvannyuma lw’omuntu omu okwokya ennyumba yaabwe. Maama w’abaana abo yali mu ddwaliro ng’ajjanjabibwa olw’ebiwundu eby’amaanyi bye yafuna. Abaweereza ba Yakuwa bangi, abaddugavu n’abazungu, baagenda mu ddwaliro okubudaabuda bazadde b’abaana abo. Nnakiraba nti ab’oluganda abo baalaga okwagala kungi nnyo. Okwagala ng’okwo kuyamba abaweereza ba Katonda okugumira ebizibu ebisingayo okuba eby’amaanyi.

Mu 1977 twasabibwa okugenda ku Beseri y’e Brooklyn okumala emyezi mitono tuyambeko mu kukola omulimu ogumu. Omulimu ogwo bwe gwali gunaatera okuggwa, babiri ku b’oluganda abaali baweereza ku Kakiiko Akafuzi baayogerako nange ne bambuuza obanga nze ne Ruby twali tusobola okusigalira ddala ku Beseri. Ekyo twakikkiriza.

Okumala emyaka 24 nnali nkola mu Kitongole ky’Obuweereza, era mu kitongole ekyo ab’oluganda batera okuyambako mu kuddamu ebibuuzo ebizibu ebiba bibuuziddwa. Okumala emyaka, Akakiiko Akafuzi kazze kawa obulagirizi obwesigamiziddwa ku misingi egiri mu Bayibuli. Obulagirizi obwo buyamba ab’oluganda mu Kitongole ky’Obuweereza okuddamu ebibuuzo era bukozesebwa mu kutendeka abalabirizi abakyalira ebibiina, abakadde, ne bapayoniya. Okutendekebwa okwo kuyambye bangi okukula mu by’omwoyo. Era ekyo kyongedde okunyweza ekibiina kya Yakuwa.

Okuva mu 1995 okutuuka mu 2018, nnakyaliranga amatabi ag’enjawulo ng’oyo akiikiridde ekitebe ekikulu. Nnasisinkananga n’ab’oluganda abali ku Bukiiko bw’Amatabi, Ababeseri, n’abaminsani okubazzaamu amaanyi n’okubayambangako mu bizibu bye baabanga boolekagana nabyo. Nze ne Ruby twazzibwangamu amaanyi ab’oluganda bwe baatubuuliranga bye baabanga bayiseemu. Ng’ekyokulabirako, mu 2000 twagenda okukyala mu Rwanda. Twakwatibwako nnyo ab’oluganda ku Beseri, n’ab’oluganda abalala bwe baatunyumiza ebyo bye baayitamu mu kittabantu ekyaliwo mu 1994. Bangi baali baafiirwa abantu baabwe. Wadde kyali kityo, ab’oluganda abo baalina okukkiriza okw’amaanyi, baalina essuubi, era baali basanyufu.

Kati ffembi tusussa emyaka 80. Mmaze emyaka 20 nga mpeereza ku Kakiiko k’Ettabi, ku Beseri y’omu Amerika. Saafuna buyigirize bwa yunivasite; kyokka nfunye obuyigirize obusingayo okuva eri Yakuwa n’ekibiina kye. Ekyo kinsobozesezza okuyigiriza abalala amazima agali mu Bayibuli agasobola okubaganyula emirembe gyonna. (2 Kol. 3:5; 2 Tim. 2:2) Ndabye engeri obubaka obuli mu Bayibuli gye buyambamu abantu okulongoosa obulamu bwabwe, n’okufuna enkolagana ey’oku lusegere n’Omutonzi waabwe. (Yak. 4:8) Buli lwe tufuna akakisa, nze ne Ruby tukyeyongera okukubiriza abalala okutwala enkizo ey’okuyiga ebikwata ku Yakuwa, n’okuyigiriza abalala amazima agali mu Bayibuli nga ya muwendo nnyo. Mu butuufu eyo ye nkizo esingayo obulungi!