BAMBO anga anali a Hendrik ndipo ankagwira ntchito yokonza nsapato komanso yosamalira maluwa m’kamudzi kena kotchedwa Donderen, komwe kali kumpoto m’dera la Drenthe, m’dziko la Netherlands. Ndinabadwa mu 1927 ndipo ndine mwana wachinayi m’banja la ana 7. Nyumba yathu inali m’mphepete mwa msewu wafumbi kudera lakumidzi. Anthu ambiri m’derali anali alimi ndipo ine ndinkakonda kwambiri ulimiwu. Tinkakhala pafupi ndi munthu wina dzina lake Theunis Been ndipo nthawi yoyamba imene ndinakumana naye sanandisangalatse. Koma nkhondo yachiwiri ya padziko lonse itatha, iye anaphunzira choonadi ndipo ndinazindikira kuti wasintha n’kukhala munthu wochezeka. Ndiyeno mu 1947, ndili ndi zaka 19, anandilalikira. Popeza ndinkachita chidwi ndi mmene anasinthira, ndinamvetsera pamene ankandiuza zoti Mulungu walonjeza kuti dzikoli lidzakhala paradaiso. Sizinatenge nthawi yaitali kuti nanenso ndikhale wa Mboni ndipo takhala tikugwirizana kwambiri kuyambira nthawi imeneyo. *

Ndinayamba kulalikira mu May 1948 ndipo ndinabatizidwa pa 20 June chaka chomwecho pa msonkhano wachigawo umene unachitikira mumzinda wa Utrecht. Ndinayamba upainiya pa January 1, 1949 ndipo ananditumiza kutauni ya Borculo, chakum’mawa kwa Netherlands. Kuti ndikafike kutauniyi, ndinafunika kuyenda mtunda wa makilomita 130. Choncho ndinaganiza zoyenda pa njinga. Ndinkaganiza kuti ndiyenda maola 6 okha koma ndinayenda maola 12 chifukwa cha mvula yamkuntho. Ndinachita  kukweranso sitima kuti ndimalizitse makilomita 90 a ulendowu ndipo ndinafika usiku. Ndinafikira m’nyumba ya banja lina la Mboni ndipo ndinkakhala kumeneko pa nthawi imene ndinkachita upainiya m’deralo.

Popeza nkhondo inali itangotha kumene, anthu analibe zinthu zambiri. Ine ndinali ndi suti imodzi ndi thalauza limodzi basi. Sutiyo inkandikulira ndipo thalauzalo linkandifupikira. Monga ndanenera kale, mwezi umene ndinayamba upainiya ku Borculo unali wovuta koma kenako Yehova anandidalitsa moti ndinapeza maphunziro a Baibulo ambiri. Koma patapita miyezi 9, ananditumiza ku Amsterdam.

Ndinakulira kudera lakumidzi kwa alimi okhaokha koma pa nthawiyi, ananditumiza kumzinda waukulu kwambiri m’dziko la Netherlands. Utumiki unkayenda bwino kwambiri kumeneko. M’mwezi woyamba, ndinagawira mabuku oposa mabuku onse amene ndinagawira m’miyezi 9 imene ndinali ku Borculo. Patapita nthawi yochepa, ndinali ndi maphunziro a Baibulo okwana 8. Nditaikidwa kukhala mtumiki wa mpingo, yemwe masiku ano timati wogwirizanitsa ntchito za bungwe la akulu, ndinapatsidwa nkhani ya onse yoyamba. Ndinkachita mantha kwambiri, choncho ndinasangalala pamene ndinapemphedwa kuti ndipite ku mpingo wina deti la nkhaniyo lisanafike. Pa nthawiyo, sindinadziwe kuti pa zaka zikubwerazi ndidzakamba nkhani zoposa 5,000.

Mu May 1950, ndinatumizidwa kukatumikira mumzinda wa Haarlem. Kenako ndinapemphedwa kuyamba ntchito yoyang’anira dera. Nditamva zimenezi, ndinakhala masiku atatu osagona. Ndinauza M’bale Robert Winkler, yemwe ankatumikira ku ofesi ya nthambi, kuti ndikuona kuti sindikwanitsa. Koma iye anati: “Mungolemba mafomuwa basi. Zinazo muphunzira.” Kenako ndinaphunzitsidwa ntchitoyi kwa mwezi umodzi n’kuyamba kutumikira monga woyang’anira dera. Mumpingo wina ndinakumana ndi mtsikana wina dzina lake Janny Taatgen. Iye anali mpainiya wansangala, wokonda kwambiri Yehova komanso wodzipereka. Tinakwatirana mu 1955. Koma mwina Janny akufotokozereni kaye mmene anayambira upainiya ndiponso utumiki umene tachita titalowa m’banja.

Janny: Mayi anga anakhala Mboni mu 1945 ndipo pa nthawiyo ndinali ndi zaka 11. Nthawi yomweyo, mayiwo anazindikira kufunika kotiphunzitsa Baibulo. M’banja lathu tinalimo ana atatu. Bambo athu sankafuna kuti mayi azitiphunzitsa, choncho ankatiphunzitsa bambowo akachoka.

Msonkhano woyamba umene ndinapita unali wachigawo ndipo unachitikira mumzinda wa The Hague mu 1950. Patapita mlungu umodzi, ndinapita ku misonkhano ya ku Nyumba ya Ufumu ya mumzinda wa Assen ku Drenthe. Bambo anga anakwiya kwambiri ndi zimenezi moti anandithamangitsa. Koma mayi anangonena kuti: “Ukudziwa koyenera  kupita eti?” Apa ankatanthauza kwa abale ndi alongo. Poyamba ndinapita kukakhala ndi banja lina la Mboni limene linkakhala pafupi. Koma bambo anga ankandivutitsabe moti ndinasamukira ku mpingo wina wa mumzinda wa Deventer, womwe unali pa mtunda wa makilomita 95 kuchokera kwathu. Koma popeza ndinali wamng’ono, akuluakulu aboma anaimba mlandu bambo anga chifukwa chondithamangitsa. Choncho bambowo anandiuza kuti ndibwerere. Iwo sanakhale Mboni koma patapita nthawi, ankandilola kupita ku misonkhano komanso kukalalikira.

Nditangobwerera kunyumba, mayi anga anayamba kudwala kwambiri moti ine ndi amene ndinkagwira ntchito zonse zapakhomo. Koma ndinkachitabe bwino mumpingo ndipo ndinabatizidwa mu 1951 ndili ndi zaka 17. Mayi anga atachira mu 1952, ndinachita upainiya wothandiza kwa miyezi iwiri limodzi ndi alongo ena amene ankachita upainiya. Tinkakhala m’boti lokhala ndi zipinda ndipo tinkalalikira m’matauni awiri a ku Drenthe. Ndiyeno ndinayamba upainiya wokhazikika mu 1953. Patangopita chaka chimodzi, woyang’anira dera wachinyamata anafika mumpingo wathu. Anali Markus. Tinakwatirana mu 1955 chifukwa tinkaona kuti titakhala m’banja, tikhoza kutumikira Yehova bwino kwambiri.—Mlal. 4:9-12.

Markus: Titakwatirana, anatipempha kuti tizikachita upainiya mumzinda wa Veendam. Tinkakhala m’kachipinda kakang’ono kwambiri. Koma Janny anakongoletsa kachipindako moti tinkakhalamo mosangalala. Kukada, tinkasuntha tebulo ndi mipando yathu iwiri kuti tiikepo bedi lathu.

Patapita miyezi 6, anatiuza kuti tikayambe ntchito yoyang’anira dera m’dziko la Belgium. Mu 1955, m’dzikoli munali ofalitsa pafupifupi 4,000 okha. Koma pano akwana pafupifupi 24,000. Kudera la Flanders, lomwe lili kumpoto kwa Belgium, anthu amalankhula chilankhulo cha ku Netherlands. Koma kalankhulidwe kawo n’kosiyana ndi ka ku Netherlands moti poyamba sitinkamvana.

Janny: Ntchito yoyang’anira dera imafuna munthu amene ali ndi mtima wodzipereka. Tinkayenda pa njinga pochoka mpingo wina kupita wina ndipo tinkafikira m’nyumba za abale. Popeza tinalibe nyumba yoti tizikhala tisanapite ku mpingo wina, tinkakhalabe ku mpingo umene tinkachezera mpaka Lachiwiri m’mawa pamene tinkapita ku mpingo wina. Koma nthawi zonse tinkaona kuti Yehova anatidalitsa potipatsa ntchito imeneyi.

Markus: Ngakhale kuti abale ndi alongo m’mipingo imene tinkayendera poyamba sankatidziwa, iwo ankatilandira bwino ndiponso kutisamalira mokoma mtima. (Aheb. 13:2) Pa zaka zimene tinatumikira ku Belgium, tinayendera kangapo mipingo yonse yolankhula Chidatchi. Tinadalitsidwa kwambiri pa ntchito imeneyi. Mwachitsanzo, tinafika podziwa pafupifupi abale ndi alongo onse m’chigawo cha mipingo ya Chidatchi ndipo tinkawakonda kwambiri. Taona achinyamata ambiri akukula, kuyamba kukonda kwambiri Yehova, kubatizidwa ndiponso kuika Ufumu patsogolo. Timasangalala kwambiri kuona ambiri  mwa achinyamatawa akuchita utumiki wa nthawi zonse mokhulupirika. (3 Yoh. 4) Takhala tikulimbikitsana kwambiri ndi abale ndi alongo onsewa ndipo izi zathandiza kuti tipitirize kuchita utumiki wathu ndi mtima wonse.—Aroma 1:12.

Markus: Kuyambira tsiku limene tinakwatirana, tinali ndi cholinga chopita ku Sukulu ya Giliyadi. Tsiku lililonse tinkaphunzira Chingelezi kwa ola limodzi. Koma zinali zovuta kuphunzira Chingelezi pongowerenga m’mabuku choncho tinasankha kuti tipite ku England pa nthawi ya tchuti kuti tikalalikire, uku tikuphunzira Chingelezi. Ndiyeno mu 1963, tinalandira envelopu yochokera kulikulu lathu ku Brooklyn. Munali makalata awiri ndipo imodzi inali yanga, inayo ya Janny. Kalata yangayo inali yondiitanira ku kalasi yapadera ya Giliyadi ya miyezi 10. Cholinga cha kalasi imeneyi chinali kuphunzitsa abale ndiponso kuwathandiza kudziwa mmene zinthu zimayendera m’gulu lathu. Choncho pa anthu 100 amene tinaitanidwa, 82 anali abale.

Janny: M’kalata imene ndinalandira, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndiganizire ndiponso kupemphera kwambiri ngati ndingalolere kutsala ku Belgium pamene Markus adzapita ku Giliyadi. Kunena zoona, poyamba ndinakhumudwa. Ndinkaona kuti ndinkatumikira modzipereka kwambiri koma Yehova sanandidalitse. Komabe ndinaganizira cholinga cha Sukulu ya Giliyadi chomwe ndi kuthandiza anthu kuti agwire bwino ntchito yolalikira padziko lonse. Choncho ndinavomera kutsala. Ndinapemphedwa kukakhala mpainiya wapadera mumzinda wa Ghent limodzi ndi Anna ndi Maria Colpaert, omwe anali atachita upainiya wapadera kwa nthawi yaitali.

Markus: Ndinapemphedwa kuti ndipite ku Brooklyn miyezi isanu sukuluyo isanayambe kuti ndizolowere Chingelezi. Ndinkagwira ntchito mu Dipatimenti Yotumiza Mabuku ndiponso Dipatimenti ya Utumiki. Kutumikira kulikulu lathu ndiponso kugwira ntchito yotumiza mabuku ku Asia, ku Ulaya ndiponso ku South America kunandithandiza kumvetsa bwino ubale wathu wa padziko lonse. M’bale wina amene sindimuiwala ndi A. H. Macmillan, amene anagwira ntchito yoyang’anira dera m’nthawi ya M’bale Russell. Pa nthawi imene ndinapita kulikulu lathu, M’bale Macmillan anali wokalamba komanso ankavutika kumva koma ankapezeka ku misonkhano yonse ya mpingo. Izi zinandithandiza kuona kuti misonkhano yathu ndi yofunika kwambiri.—Aheb. 10:24, 25.

Janny: Ine ndi Marcus tinkalemberana makalata kangapo pa mlungu. Tinkasowana koopsa. Koma Markus ankasangalala ndi maphunziro a ku Giliyadi ndipo ine ndinkasangalalanso mu utumiki. Pamene Markus ankabwerera kuchokera ku United States, anandipeza ndili ndi maphunziro 17. Sizinali zophweka kusiyana kwa miyezi 15 koma Yehova anatidalitsa chifukwa chodzipereka. Tsiku limene Markus anafika, ndege inachedwa kwambiri koma titakumana tinakumbatirana ndipo aliyense anayamba kulira chifukwa cha chisangalalo. Kuchokera nthawi imeneyo, sitinasiyanenso.

Markus: Nditangobwera kuchokera ku Giliyadi mu December 1964, tinapemphedwa kuti tizikatumikira ku Beteli. Pa nthawiyo sitinkadziwa kuti sitikhalitsa ku Beteliko. Koma patangopita miyezi itatu, anatipempha kuti tikayambe utumiki woyang’anira  chigawo ku Flanders. Ndiyeno Aalzen ndi Els Wiegersma anatumizidwa kudzachita umishonale ku Belgium. Atafika anauzidwa kuti azichita utumiki woyang’anira chigawo ndipo ife tinapemphedwa kuti tibwerere ku Beteli. Ine ndinkatumikira mu Dipatimenti ya Utumiki. Kuyambira mu 1968 kufika mu 1980 utumiki wathu unkasinthasintha. Nthawi zina tinkatumikira ku Beteli koma nthawi zina m’ntchito yoyendayenda. Kuchokera mu 1980 mpaka 2005, ndinatumikiranso monga woyang’anira chigawo.

Ngakhale kuti utumiki wathu unkasinthasintha, sitinaiwale kuti tinadzipereka kwa Yehova kuti timutumikire ndi mtima wonse. Tinkasangalala kwambiri ndi utumiki uliwonse podziwa kuti ankatisintha n’cholinga choti tithandize kwambiri pa ntchito yokhudza Ufumu.

Janny: Ndinasangalala kwambiri nditakhala ndi mwayi wopita ndi Markus ku Brooklyn mu 1977 ndiponso ku Patterson mu 1997 kusukulu ya abale a m’Komiti ya Nthambi.

Markus: Mu 1982, Janny anachitidwa opaleshoni ndipo anachira bwinobwino. Patapita zaka zitatu, mpingo wa ku Louvain unatipatsa mwayi woti tizikhala m’zipinda zina pamwamba pa Nyumba ya Ufumu. Apa tsopano tinali ndi nyumba yathuyathu pambuyo pa zaka 30 zokhala opanda nyumba. Tsiku Lachiwiri, pokonzekera kupita ku mpingo wina, ndinkayenera kudutsa masitepe 54 mobwerezabwereza kuti nditsitse katundu wathu kuchokera m’nyumbayo. Mwamwayi, mu 2002 abale anakonza zoti tizikhala m’zipinda zina za m’munsi. Nditakwanitsa zaka 78, tinapemphedwa kukachita upainiya wapadera kutauni ya Lokeren. Timasangalala kwambiri kuchita upainiya wapadera ndipo timatha kulowa mu utumiki tsiku lililonse.

Janny: Tikaphatikiza zaka zimene ine ndi Markus tachita utumiki wa nthawi zonse, zikukwana 120. Taona Yehova akukwaniritsa lonjezo lake lakuti ‘sadzatisiya ngakhale pang’ono’ ndiponso lakuti tikamamutumikira mokhulupirika ‘sitidzasowa kanthu.’—Aheb. 13:5; Deut. 2:7.

Markus: Pamene tinali achinyamata tinadzipereka kwa Yehova. Sitinkafunafuna zinthu zazikulu pamoyo wathu. Takhala tikuvomera mosangalala utumiki uliwonse podziwa kuti chofunika kwambiri ndi kutumikira Yehova basi osati mtundu wa utumiki kapena malo amene tikutumikira.