PA NTHAWI imene ndinali pasukulu zinthu sizinkasintha kwambiri. Ndikutero chifukwa anthu amene unkayamba nawo sitandade 1 ndi omwewo amene unkamaliza nawo sukulu. Ndipo anthu ambiri m’katauniko ankadziwana mayina.

Pafupi ndi kataunika panali mafamu ndipo anthu ankakonda kulima chimanga. Pa nthawi imene ndinkabadwa, bambo anga ankagwira ntchito kufamu inayake. Nditakulirapo, ndinaphunzira kuyendetsa thirakitala komanso kugwira ntchito zina zaulimi.

Pamene ndinkabadwa, bambo anga anali achikulire. Iwo anali ndi zaka 56 pomwe mayi anga anali ndi zaka 35. Koma bambowo anali ndi thupi labwino komanso lamphamvu ndipo anali akhama pa ntchito. Anatiphunzitsanso kuti tizigwira ntchito mwakhama. Sankapeza ndalama zambiri koma nthawi zonse ankatipezera pogona, zovala komanso chakudya. Iwo ankapezanso nthawi yocheza nafe. Bambowo anamwalira ali ndi zaka 93 pomwe mayi anamwalira ali ndi zaka 86. Makolo onsewa sanatumikirepo Yehova. Koma mng’ono wanga mmodzi akumutumikira ndipo wakhala ali mkulu kuyambira mu 1972.

Mayi anga ankakonda kupemphera ndipo ankapita nafe kutchalitchi cha Baptist Lamlungu lililonse. Ndili ndi zaka 12 ndinamva za Utatu. Zimenezi  zinandidabwitsa kwambiri ndipo ndinafunsa mayi anga kuti: “Kodi zingatheke bwanji kuti Yesu akhale Mwana komanso Atate pa nthawi imodzi?” Ndikukumbukirabe yankho lawo. Iwo anangoti: “Ndi zovuta kumvetsa. Tingovomereza kuti sitingazimvetse.” Kwa ine nkhaniyi inali yosamvekadi. Komabe ndili ndi zaka 14, ndinabatizidwa mukamtsinje kenakake ndipo ndinaviikidwa katatu poimira Atate, Mwana ndi mzimu woyera.

Ndili kusekondale, mnzanga wina anali katswiri wa masewera a nkhonya ndipo anandilimbikitsa kuti nanenso ndiyambe. Choncho ndinayamba kuphunzira masewerawa ndipo ndinalowa m’gulu linalake la nkhonya. Sindinkatha kumenya bwino choncho ndinasiya pasanapite nthawi yaitali. Kenako anandiitana kuti ndikalowe usilikali ndipo ndinatumizidwa ku Germany. Ndili kumeneko, akuluakulu a asilikali ankaona kuti ndikhoza kumatsogolera bwino anzanga choncho ananditumiza kusukulu yophunzitsa anthu kutsogolera asilikali. Iwo ankafuna kuti ndikhale msilikali kwa moyo wanga wonse. Koma ine sindinkafuna moti nditangomaliza zaka ziwiri zimene aliyense amafunika kugwira, anandilola kuti ndichoke mu 1956. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali ndinalowa usilikali wa mtundu wina.

Pa nthawiyi ndinali ndi mtima wofuna kuoneka kuti ndine mwamuna wamphamvu. Mtima umenewu unayamba chifukwa cha mafilimu amene ndinkaonera komanso mmene anthu ankaonera zinthu pa nthawiyo. Ndiye ine ndinkaona kuti anthu amene amalalikira si amuna enieni. Koma ndinayamba kuphunzira zinthu zina zimene zinandithandiza kusinthiratu. Tsiku lina ndikuyendetsa galimoto yanga yokongola ndinaona atsikana awiri akundikodola. Atsikanawo anali azichemwali a mulamu wanga ndipo anali a Mboni za Yehova. M’mbuyomo anandipatsapo Nsanja ya Olonda ndi Galamukani! koma ndinkaona kuti nkhani za mu Nsanja ya Olonda n’zovuta. Pa tsikuli anandiitanira ku Phunziro la Buku la Mpingo. Umenewu unali msonkhano wa anthu ochepa womwe ankachitira kunyumba kwa atsikanawo ndipo ankaphunzira Baibulo. Ndinangowauza kuti mwina ndifika. Atsikanawo ananena uku akumwetulira kuti: “Musatinamizetu!” Ndinawayankha kuti, “Ee sindikunamizani.”

Ndinkaona kuti sindinachite bwino kulonjeza zoti ndipita koma ndinaona kuti ndiyenera kukwaniritsa zomwe ndalonjezazo. Choncho madzulo a tsikulo ndinapitadi. Ndinachita chidwi kwambiri kuona mmene ana ankadziwira Baibulo. Ndinazindikira kuti sindinkalidziwa bwino ngakhale kuti Lamlungu lililonse ndinkapita kutchalitchi ndi mayi anga. Kuyambira nthawi imeneyo, ndinkafunitsitsa kuphunzira zambiri moti ndinavomera kuti ndiziphunzira Baibulo. Nditangoyamba kuphunzira ndinamva kuti dzina lenileni la Mulungu Wamphamvuyonse ndi Yehova. M’mbuyomo nditafunsa mayi anga za a Mboni za Yehova anangondiyankha kuti: “Aaa anthu amene aja amalambira munthu winawake wokalamba dzina lake Yehova.” Koma tsopano zinali ngati maso anga ayamba kutseguka.

Ndinazindikira kuti ndapeza choonadi ndipo ndinayamba kupita patsogolo mwamsanga. Pamene unkafika mwezi wa 9 kuchokera pamene ndinapita ku Phunziro la Buku la Mpingo lija, ndinabatizidwa mu March 1957. Maganizo anga anasinthiratu. Ndimasangalala kuti ndinazindikira zimene Baibulo limanena pa nkhani ya mwamuna weniweni ndipo n’zosiyana kwambiri ndi zimene ndinkaganiza poyamba. Yesu anali mwamuna wangwiro. Anali wamphamvu kwambiri  moti palibe mwamuna aliyense wamphamvu amene akanapikisana naye. Koma sankakonda zomenyana ndi anthu, m’malomwake “analola kuti asautsidwe” ngati mmene ulosi unanenera. (Yes. 53:2, 7) Ndaphunzira kuti Mkhristu weniweni ayenera “kukhala wodekha kwa onse.”​—2 Tim. 2:24.

Chaka chotsatira, chomwe ndi 1958, ndinayamba upainiya. Koma pasanapite nthawi yaitali, ndinasiya kaye upainiyawo chifukwa choti ndinaganiza zoti ndikwatire Gloria. Iye anali mmodzi mwa atsikana amene anandiitanira ku phunziro la buku kuja. Ndimaona kuti ndinasankha bwino kwambiri chifukwa pa nthawi imene ndinkamukwatira ndinkaona kuti anali wamtengo wapatali kwambiri ndipo ndi mmene ndimamuonerabe mpaka pano. Ndi wamtengo wapatali kuposa dayamondi wodula kwambiri ndipo ndimaona kuti ndinachita bwino kumukwatira. Tsopano Gloria akufotokozereni za mbiri yake.

“M’banja lathu tinalimo ana 17 ndipo mayi anga anali mlongo wokhulupirika. Mayiwo anamwalira ndili ndi zaka 14. Pa nthawi imeneyi m’pamenenso bambo anga anayamba kuphunzira Baibulo. Bambo ataona kuti mayi amwalira, anapita kusukulu kukakambirana ndi ahedi athu. Anakapempha kuti ine ndi mchemwali wanga tizisinthana masiku okhala pakhomo. Pa nthawiyo mchemwali wanga anali ali mu fomu 4. Ahediwo anavomera moti tinkasinthanadi masiku okhala pakhomo n’cholinga choti tizisamalira azing’ono athu komanso kuphikiratu chakudya kuti bambo akamaweruka kuntchito azichipeza. Zimenezi zinachitika mpaka pamene mkulu wangayo anamaliza sukulu. Panali mabanja awiri a Mboni amene ankatiphunzitsa Baibulo moti ana 11 tinabatizidwa n’kukhala a Mboni za Yehova. Ndinkasangalala kwambiri ndi ntchito yolalikira ngakhale kuti ndili ndi vuto la manyazi. Mwamuna wanga wakhala akundithandiza pa vutoli.”

Ine ndi Gloria tinakwatirana mu February 1959 ndipo tinkasangalala kuchitira limodzi upainiya. Mu July chaka chomwecho, tinafunsira utumiki wa pa Beteli chifukwa tinkalakalaka kwambiri kukatumikira kulikulu lapadziko lonse. Titafunsira utumikiwu, m’bale wina wa ku Beteli dzina lake Simon Kraker anakambirana nafe zokhudza cholinga chathuchi. Kenako anatiuza kuti pa nthawiyo anthu a pa banja sankaitanidwa ku Beteli. Tinkafunitsitsa utumikiwu koma panapita zaka zambiri tisanaitanidwe.

Kenako tinapemphanso kulikulu kuti tipite kukatumikira kumene kukufunika ofalitsa ambiri. Potiyankha anatiuza kuti tipite mumzinda wa Pine Bluff ku Arkansas. Pa nthawiyo, mumzindawu munali mipingo iwiri. Wina unali wa azungu pomwe wina unali wa anthu akuda. Ndiye ifeyo anatitumiza mumpingo wa anthu akudawo womwe unali ndi ofalitsa 14 okha.

Mwina mungadabwe kuti zinatheka bwanji kuti a Mboni za Yehova nawonso azisonkhana azungu kwaokha, anthu akuda kwaokha. Yankho losavuta ndi lakuti pa nthawiyo sakanachitira mwina. Panali malamulo oletsa kuti azungu ndi anthu akuda azichitira limodzi zinthu ndipo ngati akananyalanyaza zimenezi akanatha kuchitiridwa nkhanza. Kumadera ambiri, abale anali ndi zifukwa zomveka zowachititsa kusonkhana kosiyana. Akanangoyamba kusonkhana limodzi, anthu akanawononga Nyumba ya Ufumu yawo. Zinthu zoterezi zinkachitikadi. A Mboni akuda akapita kukalalikira m’madera a azungu ankamangidwa kapena kumenyedwa. Choncho kuti tikwaniritse ntchito yolalikira tinkamvera malamulo koma tinkayembekezera kuti zinthu zisintha.

Tinkakumana ndi mavuto osiyanasiyana mu utumiki. Nthawi zina pamene tinkalalikira m’dera la anthu akuda, tinkagogoda mosazindikira panyumba ya azungu. Zikatero, tinkayenera kusankha mwamsanga ngati pankafunika kulalikira mwachidule kapena kungopepesa n’kumapita. Umutu ndi mmene zinalili m’madera ena pa nthawi imeneyo.

Tinkayenera kugwira ntchito mwakhama kuti tipeze zofunika pa moyo uku tikuchita upainiya. Nthawi zambiri ntchito zimene tinkagwira zinkakhala zandalama zochepa. Gloria ankagwira ntchito yokonza m’nyumba za anthu angapo. Pa nyumba ina ankalola kuti ndizimuthandiza n’cholinga choti timalize msanga. Anthuwo ankatipatsa chakudya cha munthu mmodzi chomwe ine ndi Gloria tinkadya tisananyamuke. Mlungu uliwonse Gloria ankagwira ntchito yosita kunyumba inayake pomwe ine ndinkagwira ntchito zina zapanja ndiponso kutsuka mawindo. Tinkatsukanso mawindo kunyumba ina ya azungu. Gloria ankatsuka mkati ndipo ine ndinkatsuka panja. Ntchitoyi inkatenga tsiku lonse choncho tinkapatsidwa chakudya chamasana. Gloria ankadyera mkati  koma sankakhala limodzi ndi anthuwo pomwe ine ndinkadyera panja kugalaja. Sindinkadandaula nazo, ndinkangoona kuti bola atipatsa chakudya chabwino. Anthuwo anali abwino kungoti ankangotsatira zimene anthu ena onse ankachita pa nthawiyo. Ndikukumbukiranso zimene zinachitika nthawi ina pamene tinaima pamalo ogulira mafuta. Titagula mafutawo, ndinapempha amene ankagwira ntchito kumeneko ngati Gloria angagwiritse ntchito chimbudzi. Iye anangondiyang’ana n’kunena kuti, “Ndi chokhoma.”

Nthawi zambiri tinkasangalala ndi abale ndi alongo ndipo tinkakonda kwambiri utumiki wathu. Titangofika ku Pine Bluff, tinkakhala ndi m’bale wina yemwe pa nthawiyo anali mtumiki wa mpingo. Mkazi wake sanali wa Mboni ndipo Gloria anayamba kuphunzira naye Baibulo. Ine ndinkaphunzira ndi mwana wamkazi wa banjali komanso mwamuna wake. Mkazi wa m’baleyu limodzi ndi mwana wakeyo anadzipereka kwa Yehova ndipo anabatizidwa.

Tinalinso ndi anzathu ena kumpingo wa azungu. Nthawi zina ankatiitana kuti tikadye kwawo koma ankachita zimenezi usiku kuti anthu ena asaone. Kwenikweni ankaopa kagulu kotchedwa Ku Klux Klan kamene kankachitira nkhanza anthu chifukwa cha tsankho. Ndikukumbukira kuti tsiku linalake ndinaona munthu wina atakhala pakhonde lake usiku atavala nsalu yoyera yomwe inali ngati yunifomu ya kagulu kovutaka. Koma zoterezi sizinkalepheretsa abale kuthandiza anzawo. Mwachitsanzo, tsiku lina tinkafuna ndalama zoti tiyendere popita kumsonkhano wachigawo ndiye m’bale wina ananena kuti akhoza kugula galimoto yathu kuti tipeze ndalamazo. Ndiye patangotha mwezi umodzi, tsiku lina tinapita kukalalikira kunyumba ndi nyumba komanso kukachititsa maphunziro. Pobwerera kunyumba tinali titatoperatu chifukwa kunkatentha kwambiri ndipo tinkayenda wapansi. Titangofika tinadabwa kuona galimoto yathu ija ili kunyumbako ndipo pagalasi lake panali kapepala kolembedwa kuti: “Tengani galimoto yanuyi. Ndakupatsani. Ndine m’bale wanu.”

Sitidzaiwalanso mmene banja lina linatithandizira pa nthawi ina. Mu 1962, ndinaitanidwa kuti ndikalowe Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Ufumu ku South Lansing ku New York. Inali sukulu ya akulu, oyang’anira madera komanso oyang’anira zigawo ndipo inali ya mwezi wathunthu. Pa nthawi imene ndinkaitanidwayi sindinali pa ntchito ndipo tinali pa mavuto azachuma. Koma ndinali nditafunsira ntchito kukampani ina yamafoni moti akanandilemba ndikanakhala munthu wakuda woyamba kukagwira ntchito kumeneko. Kenako anandiuza kuti andilembadi. Apa ndinafunika kusankha zochita. Ndinalibe ndalama zoyendera kupita ku New York. Choncho ndinaganiza zoti ndisapite kusukuluyo kuti ndilowe ntchitoyo. Nditakonzeka kuti ndilembe kalata yonena kuti ndalephera kupita kusukuluko, panachitika zinthu zina zosaiwalika.

Mlongo wina amene mwamuna wake sanali wa Mboni anafika m’mamawa n’kundipatsa envelopu yodzaza ndi ndalama. Mlongoyu ndi ana ake ankadzuka m’mawa kwambiri n’kumakagwira ganyu m’minda ya thonje kuti apeze ndalama zoti ndiyendere popita  kusukuluko. Mlongoyo anati: “Mupite kusukuluko mukaphunzire zambiri kuti mukabwera mudzatiphunzitsenso ifeyo.” Zitatero, ndinapempha kukampani ija kuti ndidzayambe ntchito pakapita milungu 5. Anandiuza pompo kuti, “N’zosatheka.” Koma sindinadandaule nazo chifukwa ndinali nditasankha kale zochita. Ndinachita bwino kwambiri kusalowa ntchitoyo.

Tsopano tamvani zimene Gloria akunena zokhudza utumiki wathu ku Pine Bluff. “Ndinkakonda kwambiri gawo lathu ndipo ndinkakhala ndi maphunziro a Baibulo 15 kapena 20. Choncho kum’mawa tinkalalikira kunyumba ndi nyumba, pomwe madzulo tinkachititsa maphunziro mwina mpaka m’ma 11 koloko usiku. Utumiki unkasangalatsa kwambiri moti ndikanakonda kuchitabe upainiya. Kunena zoona sindinkafuna kusiya utumikiwu n’kuyamba kuyendera dera koma izi si zimene Yehova ankafuna.” Maganizo a Yehova sanalidi amenewo.

Pamene tinkachita upainiya ku Pine Bluff tinafunsira kuti tikhale apainiya apadera. Tinkaganiza kuti zitheka chifukwa woyang’anira chigawo ankafuna kuti tikathandize kumpingo wina wa ku Texas ndipo ankafuna kuti tikakhale apainiya apadera. Tinkafuna kwambiri kuchita zimenezi. Choncho tinkayembekezera kuti atiyankha koma sitinalandire kalata iliyonse. Kenako mu January 1965 kunabwera kalata yotiuza kuti tipite kukayendera dera. M’bale Leon Weaver, yemwe panopa ndi wogwirizanitsa Komiti ya Nthambi ya ku United States, anayambanso ntchito yoyang’anira dera pa nthawi yomweyo.

Ndinkachita mantha kukhala woyang’anira dera. Pafupifupi chaka chimodzi ndisanapemphedwe kukhala woyang’anira dera, M’bale James A. Thompson anakambirana nane. Iye anali woyang’anira chigawo wathu ndipo anandifotokozera mokoma mtima zinthu zina zimene ndinayenera kusintha kuti ndikhale woyang’anira dera wabwino. Nditangoyamba ntchito yoyang’anira dera ndinazindikira kuti malangizo ake anali ofunika kwambiri. M’bale Thompson anali woyang’anira chigawo woyamba amene ndinatumikira naye limodzi nditakhala woyang’anira dera ndipo ndinaphunzira zambiri kwa m’bale wokhulupirikayu.

Pa nthawiyo, oyang’anira madera sankaphunzitsidwa kwa nthawi yaitali asanayambe ntchito yawo. Choyamba, ndinangoona zimene woyang’anira dera wina ankachita pamene ankayendera mpingo umodzi. Kenako iye ankaona zimene ndinkachita poyendera mpingo wina ndipo anandipatsa malangizo. Koma zitatero anatisiya tokha kuti tiziyendera mipingo. Ndikukumbukira kuti ndinauza Gloria kuti, “Ndikuona kuti m’baleyu wafulumira kutisiya.” Koma kenako ndinazindikira mfundo yofunika. Nthawi zonse pamakhala abale abwino  amene angakuthandizeni ngati mutalola kuti akuthandizeni. Ndimayamikirabe kwambiri thandizo limene ndinapatsidwa ndi abale okhulupirika monga J. R. Brown, yemwe anali woyang’anira woyendayenda, komanso Fred Rusk, yemwe anali pa Beteli.

Pa nthawiyo, tsankho linafika povuta kwambiri. Tsiku lina tili ku Tennessee, kagulu kaja ka Ku Klux Klan kanachita zionetsero. Ndikukumbukiranso tsiku lina tili mu utumiki tinaima kulesitilanti inayake. Ndikupita kuchimbudzi ndinaona bambo wina woopsa akunditsatira. Iye anali atadzilembalemba pathupi mosonyeza kuti anali m’gulu la azungu odana ndi anthu akuda. Koma m’bale wina wachizungu, yemwe anali wamkulu kwambiri kuposa ine komanso bamboyo, anaona zimene zinkachitika ndipo anatitsatiranso n’kufunsa kuti, “M’bale Herd, kodi pali vuto lililonse?” Nthawi yomweyo bamboyo anabwerera. Ndazindikira kuti munthu amakhala watsankho osati chifukwa chosiyana khungu koma chifukwa cha uchimo umene tinatengera kwa Adamu. Ndazindikiranso kuti m’bale ndi m’bale basi, ngakhale mutasiyana khungu, ndipo akhoza kukufera pakafunika kutero.

Tinagwira ntchito yoyang’anira dera kwa zaka 12 komanso yoyang’anira chigawo kwa zaka 21. Tinkasangalala kwambiri pa zaka zonsezi. Koma panalinso utumiki wina wosangalatsa umene Yehova anatipatsa. Mu August 1997, zimene tinkazilakalaka kwa zaka zambiri zija zinachitika. Tinaitanidwa kuti tizikatumikira ku Beteli ya ku United States. Choncho tinaitanidwa patapita zaka 38 kuchokera pamene tinafunsira utumikiwu. Mu September, tinayamba utumiki wa pa Beteli. Ndinkaganiza kuti abale a ku Beteliko ankangofuna kuti ndikathandize kwa nthawi yochepa koma si zimene zinachitika.

Poyamba ndinkagwira ntchito ku Dipatimenti ya Utumiki. Panali zinthu zambiri zoti ndiphunzire pa utumikiwu. Abale a mudipatimentiyi amayankha mafunso ovuta kwambiri ochokera kwa akulu komanso oyang’anira madera a m’dziko lonse. Ndimayamikira abale amene ankandiphunzitsa chifukwa anali oleza mtima ndipo anandithandiza kwambiri. Koma panopa ndimaonabe kuti ngati nditapitanso kukagwira ntchito mudipatimentiyi ndikakhala ngati wongoyamba kumene.

Ine ndi Gloria timakonda kwambiri moyo wa pa Beteli. Timakonda kudzuka msanga ndipo zimenezi n’zothandiza kwambiri munthu akakhala pa Beteli. Titakwanitsa chaka, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndikhale wothandiza Komiti ya Utumiki ya Bungwe Lolamulira la Mboni za Yehova. Ndiyeno mu 1999, ndinaikidwa kuti ndikhale m’Bungwe Lolamulira. Ndaphunzira zambiri pa utumiki umenewu. Koma kwenikweni ndaona umboni wotsimikizira mfundo yakuti amene akutsogolera mpingo wachikhristu ndi Yesu Khristu osati munthu wina aliyense.

Ndikaganizira za moyo wanga, ndimaona kuti ndikufanana ndi mneneri Amosi. Yehova anamuona ali m’busa amene ankagwira ganyu yosamalira nkhuyu zimene anthu osauka ankadya. Koma anamusankha kuti akhale mneneri, womwe unali utumiki wapamwamba kwambiri. (Amosi 7:14, 15) Inenso ndine mwana wa mlimi wosauka wa m’katauni ka Liberty ku Indiana koma Yehova anandiona n’kundipatsa madalitso osaneneka. (Miy. 10:22) Ndinali wosauka koma panopa ndimaona kuti ndine wolemera kwambiri mwauzimu kuposa mmene ndinkaganizira.