NDINABADWA mu 1923 m’tauni ya Hemsworth ku Yorkshire m’dziko la England. M’banja lathu tinalimo ana awiri ndipo wamkulu anali mchimwene wanga Bob. Bambo anga ankadana ndi chinyengo chimene chinkachitika m’zipembedzo ndipo ndili ndi zaka 9, anapeza mabuku ofotokoza nkhani imeneyi. Zimene anawerenga m’mabukuwo zinawasangalatsa kwambiri. Patapita zaka zochepa, m’bale wina dzina lake Bob Atkinson anafika kunyumba kwathu ndi galamafoni ndipo tinamvetsera nkhani inayake ya M’bale Rutherford. Tinazindikira kuti gulu limene linkafalitsa nkhaniyi ndi limenenso linafalitsa mabuku amene bambo anga anapeza aja. Makolo anga anapempha M’bale Atkinson kuti madzulo alionse azibwera kudzadya kwathu n’cholinga choti azidzatiyankha mafunso okhudza Baibulo. Nthawi ina anatiitanira kumisonkhano imene inkachitikira kwa m’bale wina yemwe ankakhala chapatali ndithu. Tinavomera nthawi yomweyo ndipo pasanapite nthawi ku Hemsworth kunakhazikitsidwa mpingo waung’ono. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali, atumiki adera (amene panopa timati oyang’anira dera) ankafikira kwathu, komanso tinkakonda kuitana apainiya kuti adzadye kunyumba kwathu. Kucheza ndi anthu amenewa kunandithandiza kwambiri.

Tinayamba kuchita bizinezi koma bambo anga anauza mchimwene wanga kuti, “Mukadzafuna kuchita upainiya, tidzasiya bizineziyi.” Bob anavomera ndipo atakwanitsa zaka 21 anachoka n’kumakachita upainiya. Patapita zaka ziwiri, nanenso ndinayamba upainiya ndipo pa nthawiyo n’kuti ndili ndi zaka 16. Nthawi zambiri, mkati mwa mlungu ndinkalalikira ndekha ndipo ndinkagwiritsa ntchito galamafoni ndi makadi olalikirira. Koma Yehova anandidalitsa chifukwa ndinayamba kuphunzira ndi munthu wina amene anayamba kutumikira Yehova. Achibale ambiri a munthuyo anakhalanso a Mboni za Yehova. Chaka chotsatira, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndikhale mpainiya wapadera limodzi ndi Mary Henshall. Tinatumizidwa kugawo la ku Cheshire komwe kunalibe mpingo.

Nkhondo yachiwiri yapadziko lonse itafika pachimake, akazi ankauzidwa kuti azithandiza pa ntchito zina zokhudza nkhondoyo. Koma anthu ogwira ntchito zachipembedzo sankauzidwa zimenezi. Choncho tinkaganiza kuti ifenso atisiya chifukwa tinali apainiya apadera. Koma akhoti anakana zimenezo moti anandiweruza kuti ndikakhale kundende masiku 31. Chaka chotsatira, nditakwanitsa zaka 19 ndinakalembetsa kuboma kuti ndili m’gulu la anthu amene chikhulupiriro  chawo sichiwalola kuthandiza nawo pa nkhondo. Akuluakulu a boma anandisumira m’makhoti awiri koma m’makhoti onsewa ananena kuti ndilibe mlandu. Pa nthawi yonseyi, ndinkadziwa kuti mzimu woyera ukundithandiza ndipo Yehova akundigwira dzanja komanso kundilimbitsa.​—Yes. 41:10, 13.

Ndinakumana ndi Arthur Matthews mu 1946 atangotuluka kumene kundende. Iye anakhala kundendeko kwa miyezi itatu chifukwa chokana kumenya nawo nkhondo. Anabwera ku Hemsworth kudzakhala ndi mchimwene wake dzina lake Dennis, yemwe anali mpainiya wapadera. Bambo awo anawaphunzitsa za Yehova kuyambira ali aang’ono ndipo Arthur anabatizidwa ali ndi zaka 17, pomwe Dennis anabatizidwa ali ndi zaka 16. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali, Dennis anapemphedwa kuti akachite upainiya ku Ireland ndipo Arthur anatsala yekha. Makolo anga anachita chidwi kwambiri ndi Arthur chifukwa anali mpainiya wakhama komanso wakhalidwe labwino ndipo anamutenga n’kumakhala naye. Ndikapita kukaona makolowo, ine ndi Arthur tinkakonda kutsukira limodzi mbale. Kenako tinayamba kulemberana makalata. Mu 1948, Arthur anamangidwanso ndipo anakhala kundende kwa miyezi itatu. Tinakwatirana mu January 1949 ndipo tinali ndi cholinga choti tisasiye utumiki wa nthawi zonse. Tinkayesetsa kugwiritsa ntchito bwino ndalama ndipo pa nthawi ya tchuthi tinkapeza ndalama zina pochita ganyu yothyola zipatso. Yehova ankatidalitsa ndipo tinapitiriza kuchita upainiya.

Patapita chaka chimodzi, tinapemphedwa kuti tipite ku Northern Ireland ndipo poyamba tinali m’tauni ya Armagh, kenako ya Newry. Anthu ambiri a m’matauniwa anali Akatolika. Tinkayenera kukhala osamala kwambiri polankhula ndi anthu chifukwa ambiri ankadana ndi zipembedzo zina. Tinkachita misonkhano m’nyumba ya banja linalake lomwe linkakhala pa mtunda wa makilomita 16 kuchokera kwathu. Nthawi zambiri tinkasonkhana anthu 8. Masiku ena ankatiuza kuti tigone komweko ndipo tinkangoyala pansi chifukwa analibe mabedi okwanira. Kukacha tinkasangalala kudyera limodzi chakudya cham’mawa. N’zosangalatsa kwambiri kuti panopa kuderalo kuli a Mboni ambiri.

Mchimwene wanga ndi mkazi wake Lottie anali akuchita kale upainiya wapadera ku Northern Ireland ndipo mu 1952 tinachitira limodzi msonkhano wachigawo ku Belfast. Tonse tinafikira kunyumba ya m’bale wina ndipo tinalinso ndi mtumiki wa nthambi ya ku Britain dzina lake Pryce Hughes. Tsiku lina tinkakambirana za kabuku kenakake kamene kanatuluka pamsonkhanowu komwe analembera anthu a ku Ireland. M’bale Hughes anafotokoza kuti zinali zovuta kulalikira kwa Akatolika a ku Irish Republic. Ansembe ankachititsa kuti anthu azizunza a Mboni za Yehova ndipo abale ena ankathamangitsidwa m’nyumba zawo. Ndiyeno M’bale Hughes anati: “Tikufuna mabanja amene ali ndi magalimoto kuti akathandize pa ntchito yapadera yogawa timabukuti m’dziko lonse la Irish Republic.” * Nthawi yomweyo tinayankha kuti, “Tikhoza kuchita zimenezo.” Utumiki umenewu ndi umene ndautchula kumayambiriro uja.

 Mumzinda wa Dublin ku Irish Republic, apainiya ankakonda kukhala kwa Mlongo Ma Rutland yemwe anatumikira Yehova mokhulupirika kwa nthawi yaitali. Tinafikira kwa mlongoyu n’kugulitsa katundu wathu wina. Kenako tonse 4 tinakwera njinga yamoto ya Bob, yomwe inali ndi mipando ya m’mbali, n’kupita kukafufuza galimoto. Titaipeza tinapempha wogulitsayo kuti akatisiyire galimotoyo kwa mlongo uja chifukwa tonse sitinkadziwa kuyendetsa. Pofuna kukonzekera kuyendetsa galimotoyo, madzulo a tsiku limenelo Arthur anakhala pabedi n’kumayerekezera kusintha magiya. Kutacha, iye ankafuna kusuntha galimotoyo ndipo mwamwayi panafika mmishonale wina dzina lake Mildred Willett (yemwe anadzakwatiwa ndi M’bale John Barr). Mlongoyu ankadziwa kuyendetsa galimoto ndipo anamuthandiza. Atayeserera kangapo tinaona kuti ntchito yathu itheka basi.

Kenako tinanyamuka n’kuyamba ntchito yathu ndipo tinafunika kupeza malo ogona. Tinauzidwa kuti ndi bwino kugona m’nyumba osati mukalavani chifukwa anthu akhoza kuiyatsa. Koma mwatsoka nyumba sinapezeke ndipo tsiku limenelo tinagona m’galimoto. Tsiku lotsatira, tinapeza kakalavani kenakake kokhala ndi timabedi tiwiri tosanjikizana ndipo tinkakhala mmenemo. Tinkasangalala kuona kuti alimi ena ankalola kuti tiimike kalavaniyo pamalo awo. Tikaimika kalavaniyo tinkangogawira timabukuto m’madera akutali, mwina makilomita 16 mpaka 24 kuchokera pamene taimika kalavaniyo. Ndiyeno tikasamutsira kalavaniyo dera lina, tinkabwerera kukalalikira dera limene tinaimika poyamba lija.

Tinalalikira popanda vuto lililonse kunyumba zonse zakum’mwera chakum’mawa kwa dzikoli. Tinagawira timabuku toposa 20,000 ndipo tinkatumiza mayina a anthu achidwi ku ofesi ya nthambi ya ku Britain. N’zosangalatsa kudziwa kuti panopa kuderali kuli a Mboni za Yehova ambirimbiri.

Patapita nthawi, tinapemphedwa kuti tikatumikire kum’mwera kwa mzinda wa London. Koma patangopita milungu yochepa, ofesi ya nthambi ya ku Britain inaimbira foni Arthur n’kumupempha kuti tsiku lotsatira ayambe ntchito yoyang’anira dera. Ataphunzira ntchitoyi kwa mlungu umodzi, tinapita kukayendera mipingo ya ku Scotland. Arthur analibe nthawi yokwanira yokonzekera nkhani zake koma ndinalimbikitsidwa kwambiri poona kuti anali ndi mtima wofunitsitsa kutumikira Yehova ngakhale kuti ankakumana ndi mavuto ena. Tinkasangalala kwambiri ndi ntchito yoyang’anira dera, chifukwa kwa zaka zingapo tinatumikira kudera limene kunalibe mipingo, choncho pa nthawiyi zinali zosangalatsa kukhala ndi abale ndi alongo ambiri.

Mu 1962, Arthur anaitanidwa kuti akalowe Sukulu ya Giliyadi yomwe inali ya miyezi 10 ndipo tinafunika kusankha kuvomera kapena kukana. Titakambirana tinaona kuti ngakhale kuti akanandisiya ndekha, kunali bwino kuti Arthur apite chifukwa unali mwayi waukulu. Popeza ndinalibe mnzanga wotumikira naye, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndibwerere ku Hemsworth n’kumakachita upainiya wapadera. Arthur atabwerako m’chaka chotsatira, tinapatsidwa ntchito yoyang’anira chigawo ndipo tinkayendera madera a ku Scotland, kumpoto kwa England ndi ku Northern Ireland.

Mu 1964, Arthur anapemphedwa kuti akakhale mtumiki wa nthambi ku Irish Republic. Poyamba sizinandisangalatse kwenikweni chifukwa tinkasangalala kwambiri ndi ntchito yoyendayenda. Koma tsopano ndikaganizira za utumiki wathu, ndimathokoza kuti anatiitana kuti tidzatumikire pa Beteli. Ndimaona kuti nthawi zonse Yehova amakudalitsa ukavomera kuchita utumiki ngakhale kuti utumikiwo sukukusangalatsa. Pa Betelipo, ndinkagwira ntchito zina za mu ofesi, ntchito yolongedza mabuku, yophika komanso yoyeretsa. Tinagwiraponso ntchito yoyang’anira chigawo ndipo tinadziwana ndi abale a m’madera osiyanasiyana. Tinasangalalanso kuona anthu amene tinkaphunzira nawo Baibulo akupita patsogolo mwauzimu. Zochitika zonsezi zinatithandiza kuti tizikondana kwambiri ndi abale athu a ku Ireland. Kunena zoona, Yehova anatidalitsa kwambiri.

Msonkhano wa mayiko woyamba ku Ireland unachitika mumzinda wa Dublin mu 1965. * Msonkhanowu unayenda bwino ngakhale kuti panali anthu ambiri ofuna kusokoneza. Panasonkhana anthu okwana 3,948 ndipo anthu 65 anabatizidwa. Pamsonkhanowu panali alendo 3,500 ochokera m’mayiko ena ndipo munthu aliyense amene anapereka malo ogona kwa alendowo analandira kalata yomuthokoza. Komanso eni nyumba anayamikira khalidwe labwino la alendowo. Msonkhano umenewu unasintha zinthu kwambiri m’dziko la Ireland.

Mu 1966, nthambi ya ku Dublin inayamba kuyang’anira ntchito ya dziko lonse la Ireland. Izi zinachitika ngakhale kuti andale analigawa dzikoli kukhala Northern Ireland ndi Irish Republic ndipo achipembedzo nawo amayendera zomwezo. Tinasangalala kuona Akatolika ambiri akukhala a Mboni n’kumatumikira limodzi ndi abale amene poyamba anali achipulotesitanti.

Mu 2011, utumiki wathu unasintha kwambiri. Nthambi ya ku Ireland inaphatikizidwa ndi nthambi ya ku Britain ndipo ife tinauzidwa kuti tipite ku Beteli ya ku London. Izi zinachitika pa nthawi imene ine ndinkadanso nkhawa chifukwa choti Arthur ankadwaladwala. Iye anapezeka ndi matenda a mu ubongo amene ankamulepheretsa kuyendetsa ziwalo zake bwinobwino. Arthur anamwalira pa 20 May 2015 ndipo apa n’kuti titakhala m’banja zaka 66.

Zaka zaposachedwapa ndakhala ndikuvutika maganizo, kuda nkhawa komanso kumva chisoni. Ndimamusowa kwambiri Arthur chifukwa ankandilimbikitsa kwambiri. Koma munthu ukakumana ndi mavuto ngati amenewa m’pamene umayambanso kudalira kwambiri Yehova. Ndimalimbikitsidwanso kuona kuti Arthur ankakondedwanso ndi anthu ena. Ndakhala ndikulandira makalata kuchokera kwa anzathu a ku Ireland, ku Britain ngakhalenso ku United States. Ndimasowa chonena ndikaganizira mmene ndimamvera ndikawerenga makalatawa. Komanso ndimalimbikitsidwa kwambiri ndi mchimwene wake wa Arthur uja ndi mkazi wake Mavis komanso Ruth ndi Judy, omwe ndi ana a mchimwene wanga uja.

Lemba limene lakhala likundilimbikitsa kwambiri ndi la Yesaya 30:18 lomwe limati: “Yehova azidzayembekezera kuti akukomereni mtima ndipo adzanyamuka kuti akuchitireni chifundo, pakuti Yehova ndi Mulungu amene amaweruza mwachilungamo. Odala ndi anthu onse amene amamuyembekezera.” Mtima wanga umakhala m’malo ndikaganizira zoti Yehova akuyembekezera moleza mtima kuti akonze zinthu komanso atipatse utumiki wosangalatsa m’dziko latsopano.

Ndikaganizira zimene zachitika pa moyo wathu, ndimaona kuti Yehova wakhala akutsogolera komanso kudalitsa ntchito yolalikira ku Ireland. Ndimasangalala kuti ndakhala ndi mwayi wothandiza nawo pa ntchito imeneyi. N’zoonadi kuti nthawi zonse timadalitsidwa tikamachita zimene Yehova amatiuza.