NONE vyari bivuye ku ki? Reka ndabibasigurire. Navutse ku wa 29 Mukakaro 1929, mu karere ko mu ntara ya Bulacan muri Filipine, akaba ari ho nakuriye. Ico gihe ubuzima bwari bubayabaye kubera ko ivy’ubutunzi bitari vyifashe neza. Nkiri umuyabaga haradutse intambara. Igisoda c’Ubuyapani carateye Filipine. Naho ari ukwo, igisagara cacu nticashikiriwe kubera ko cari kure cane. Ntitwari dufise iradiyo, televiziyo, canke ibinyamakuru, tukaba twaronka amakuru yerekeye iyo ntambara ku munwa gusa.

Nagira kabiri mu bana umunani. Igihe nari mfise imyaka umunani, sokuru na nyokuru bavyara mawe baranjanye kuba iwabo. Naho twari abagatolika, sokuru yari umuntu aganira na bose, kandi yarakira ibitabu vyo mu madini atandukanye yahabwa n’abagenzi biwe. Ndibuka ko yanyeretse Bibiliya be n’udutabu two mu rurimi rw’igitagalogi twashira ahabona inyigisho z’ikinyoma. Narakunda gusoma Bibiliya, canecane za Njili zine, ivyo bikaba vyatuma nipfuza gukurikira Yezu.​—Yoh. 10:27.

Ingabo z’Abayapani zavuye muri Filipine mu 1945. Muri ico gihe, abavyeyi banje baransavye kugaruka i muhira. Sokuru yaciye andungika.

Gatoyi inyuma y’aho, muri Kigarama 1945, hari umugwi w’Ivyabona vya Yehova waje kwamamaza mu karere iwacu uvuye mu gisagara ca Angat. Icabona umwe akuze ni we yaje muhira maze aradusigurira ivyo Bibiliya ivuga ku vyerekeye “imisi ya nyuma.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5) Yaciye adutumira ku nyigisho ya Bibiliya yabera mu kigwati cari hafi yacu. Abavyeyi banje ntibagiye mugabo jewe naragiye. Abantu nka 20 ni bo bari bahari, kandi bamwebamwe barabajije ibibazo bishingiye kuri Bibiliya.

Kubera ko ntatahura ivyo bariko baravuga vyose, naciye mfata ingingo yo gusohoka. Ariko rero, baciye batangura kuririmba ururirimbo rw’Ubwami. Urwo ruririmbo rwarankoze ku mutima ku buryo ntabaye ngisohoka. Ururirimbo n’isengesho  birangiye, abari bahari bose baratumiwe kw’ikoraniro ryobereye i Angat ku wa mungu ukurikira.

Benshi muri twebwe twagenze ibilometero umunani kugira ngo dushike kuri iryo koraniro ryitabwe n’abantu 50, rikaba ryabera mu nzu y’umuryango w’uwitwa Cruz. Narakozwe ku mutima n’ukuntu n’abana bakiri bato batanga ivyiyumviro ku nyigisho zimbitse zo muri Bibiliya. Maze kuryitaba nka kangahe, umuvukanyi w’umutsimvyi yitereye mu myaka yitwa Damian Santos, yaransavye kurara iwe. Muri iryo joro twaramaze umwanya munini tuganira kuri Bibiliya.

Ico gihe benshi muri twebwe, ntitwatevye gushira mu ngiro inyigisho zo muri Bibiliya z’ishimikiro twari tumaze kumenya. Tumaze kwitaba amakoraniro makeyi gusa, abavukanyi baratubajije bati: “Mwoba mwipfuza kubatizwa?” Nishuye nti: “Ego ndabishaka.” Naripfuza ‘gushumbira Databuja Kristu.’ (Kol. 3:24)Twaragiye ku ruzi rwari hafi maze tubatizwa turi babiri, ku wa 15 Ruhuhuma 1946.

Twari tuzi ko ababatijwe bakwiye kwigana Yezu mu kwamamaza badahorereza. Dawe ntivyamuhimbaye kuko yambwiye ati: “Uracari muto nturagera kwamamaza. Bisubiye, kwibizwa mu mazi ntibituma uba umwamamaji.” Naramusiguriye ko Imana ari yo ishaka ko twamamaza inkuru nziza y’Ubwami. (Mat. 24:14) Nongeyeko nti: “Nipfuza gushitsa ivyo nasezeraniye Imana.” Ico gihe ni ho dawe yaca ankankamira, ambwira ya majambo navuga mu ntango. Yashaka kumbuza kuja kwamamaza. Ico ni co catumye ntangura kugira ivyo mpevye kugira ngo nkurikirane imigambi y’ivy’impwemu.

Abo mu muryango wa Cruz baciye bansaba kuja kuba iwabo i Angat. Vyongeye, twe n’umukobwa wabo w’umuhererezi yitwa Nora, baraturemesheje gukora ubutsimvyi. Twempi twatanguye ubutsimvyi ku wa mbere Munyonyo 1947. Nora yagiye gukorera mu kindi gisagara, nanje mbandanya gushigikira igikorwa co kwamamaza i Angat.

Maze imyaka itatu nkora ubutsimvyi, umuvukanyi Earl Stewart yakorera ku biro vy’ishami, yarashikirije insiguro abantu barenga 500 i Angat, mu kibanza ca bose. Yayitanga mu congereza nanje nkayisobanura muri make mu gitagalogi. Nari nagarukiye mu mwaka w’indwi gusa, ariko abigisha bacu barakoresha kenshi icongereza. Ikindi camfashije kurushiriza kumenya icongereza ni uko twari dufise ibisohokayandikiro bishingiye kuri Bibiliya bike cane mu gitagalogi. Vyinshi navyiga mu congereza. Nari nzi rero akongereza gake ku buryo nashobora gusobanura iyo nsiguro be n’izindi zatanzwe mu bindi biringo.

Kuri uwo musi nyene, umuvukanyi Stewart yaramenyesheje ishengero ryacu ko ibiro vy’ishami vyipfuza gutumira umuvukanyi umwe canke babiri b’abatsimvyi ngo baje gukorera kuri Beteli. Kwari ukugira bafashe, mu gihe abamisiyonari bari bitavye ihwaniro ryataziriwe ngo “Iyongerekana rya gitewokarasi,” ryabereye i New York, muri Amerika mu 1950. Nari mu batumiwe. N’ico gihe nyene, narahevye ibintu nari menyereye kugira ngo nje gufasha kuri Beteli.

Nashitse kuri Beteli ku wa 19 Ruheshi 1950, nca ndatangura igikorwa bari banshinze. Beteli yari inzu yagutse, ishaje, ikikujwe n’ibiti bininibinini, ikaba mu kibanza kingana na hegitari imwe. Hakorera abavukanyi 12 batarubaka izabo. Hakiri kare mu gitondo, nafasha mu gikoni. Mu nyuma, isaha zitatu naca nja gukorera mw’imesuriro, nkagorora impuzu. N’inyuma y’umutaga nakora ukwo nyene. N’igihe abamisiyonari bagaruka bavuye kuri iryo hwaniro mpuzamakungu, nabandanije gukorera kuri Beteli. Natekera ibinyamakuru vyarungikwa kw’iposita be n’ivy’abiyandikishije kuza barabirungikirwa, nkongera nkakira abantu. Nakora ikintu cose baba bansavye gukora.

Mu 1952, jewe n’abandi bavukanyi batandatu bo muri Filipine, twarahimbawe no kuronka ubutumire bwo kwitaba Ishure rya Gileyadi, mu mugwi ugira 20. Vyinshi mu vyo twabonye muri Amerika, vyari bishasha kuri twebwe kandi bimwe vyaradutangaza. Mu vy’ukuri vyari bitandukanye n’ivyo nari menyereye iwacu mu gasagara gatoyi.

Nk’akarorero, twategerezwa kwiga gukoresha ivyuma n’ibindi bikoresho tutari tumenyereye.  N’ikindi kandi, ikirere cari gitandukanye n’ico nari menyereye! Umusi umwe mu gitondo, narasohotse hanze maze ndagendagenda hejuru ku bibarafu vyera bibereye ijisho. Bwari bwo bwa mbere ndabibona. Vyari bikanye cane rwose!

Ariko rero, ivyo nategerezwa kumenyera, nta co vyari bivuze ndabigereranije n’umunezero nironkera ndiko ndamenyerezwa mw’Ishure rya Gileyadi. Abigisha bacu bakoresha uburyo kirumara mu kutwigisha. Twarize kugira ubushakashatsi no kwiyigisha mu buryo ngirakamaro. Ukumenyerezwa naronkeye mw’Ishure rya Gileyadi kwaratumye ngira ivyo ndyohoye mu vy’impwemu.

Maze kurangiza iryo shure, naciye ndungikwa kuba ndakora ubutsimvyi budasanzwe i Bronx mu gisagara ca New York. Muri Mukakaro 1953, naciye ndonka akaryo ko kwitaba ihwaniro ryataziriwe ngo “Abagize ikibano c’isi nshasha,” ryabereye muri ako karere. Inyuma y’iryo hwaniro, naciye nsubira muri Filipine gukorerayo.

Abavukanyi bo ku biro vy’ishami bambwiye bati: “Ubu ugiye gukora igikorwa co kugendera amashengero.” Ivyo vyotumye ndonka akaryo ko kwigana neza na neza Kristu, uwaja mu bisagara no mu bigwati kugira afashe intama za Yehova. (1 Pet. 2:21) Narungitswe mu muzunguruko w’akarere kagutse kari hagati muri Luzon, rikaba ari ryo zinga ryagutse kuruta ayandi muri Filipine. Harimwo kandi n’intara za Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, na Zambales. Kugira ngendere ibisagara bimwebimwe, nabwirizwa guca mu misozi ya Sierra Madre y’ibitandara vy’amabuye. Nta miduga canke ikindi kintu co kwunguruza abantu cashikayo. Nategerezwa rero gusaba abashoferi b’ibiduga bitwara ibigiga vy’ibiti nimba nokwicara hejuru yavyo. Kenshi baranyemerera, mugabo ntibwari uburyo bwiza bwo kwiyunguruza.

Amashengero menshi yari matomato kandi mashasha. Abavukanyi rero barakenguruka cane igihe naba ndabafashije gutunganya amakoraniro n’indimiro mu buryo ngirakamaro.

Nahavuye ndungikwa mu wundi muzunguruko ugizwe n’akarere ka Bicol kose. Ahanini wari ugizwe n’imigwi iri ukwa yonyene yari yatangujwe n’abatsimvyi badasanzwe. Ku muhana umwe, akazu ka surwumwe bari bafise cari ikinogo gitambitseko ibiti bibiri. Igihe nahonyora kuri ivyo biti, twaciye dukorokana na vyo. Vyafashe umwanya munini kugira nitunganye maze nshobore gutangura ibikorwa vy’uwo musi!

Ico gihe ni ho natangura kwiyumvira ivyerekeye Nora, uwari yatanguye gukora ubutsimvyi muri Bulacan, akaba yari asigaye akorera muri Dumaguete. Naciye rero nja kumuraba. Inyuma y’aho, twaramaze igihe twandikiranira maze mu 1956 turubaka urwacu. Mu ndwi ya mbere y’ubugeni, twagendeye  ishengero ryo mw’izinga ryitwa Rapu Rapu. Ng’aho, twabwirizwa kuduga imisozi, kandi tukagenda cane n’amaguru. Ariko rero, vyari biteye umunezero gusukurira abavukanyi baba mu turere turi ukwa twonyene, turi kumwe n’umukenyezi wanje!

Haheze nk’imyaka ine tugendera amashengero, twaratumiwe kuja gukorera ku biro vy’ishami. Muri Nzero 1960, ni ho twatangura umurimo tumazemwo igihe kirekire kuri Beteli. Muri ico gihe cose, nagiye ndigira vyinshi ku bavukanyi dukorana bafise amabanga aremereye. Nora na we yagiye arashingwa ibikorwa bitandukanye kuri Beteli.

Ntereje amaso inyuma, ndabona ko natewe agateka ko kwibonera iyongerekana ridasanzwe ryo mu vy’impwemu ryagiye riraba muri Filipine. Igihe nashika kuri Beteli nkiri umuyabaga, mu gihugu cose hari nk’abamamaji 10.000. Ariko ubu hari abarenga 200.000 hamwe n’Abanyabeteli amajana bashigikira igikorwa co kwamamaza kirokora ubuzima.

Uko igikorwa cagiye kirongerekana, inyubakwa za Beteli zagiye ziraga. Ku bw’ivyo, Inama Nyobozi yaradusavye ko tworondera aho twubaka inyubakwa nshasha yagutse. Narajanye n’umuhagarikizi w’icapuriro, tuja ku nzu n’inzu mu babanyi baba hafi ya Beteli, abenshi bakaba bari Abashinwa. Twagenda tubaza nimba hari uwipfuza kugurisha ikibanza ciwe. Nta n’umwe yemeye, mbere hari uwatubwiye ati: “Twebwe Abashinwa ntitugurisha. Ahubwo turagura.”

Naho ari ukwo, umusi umwe twagiye tubona hari uwuje kutubaza nimba twogura ikibanza ciwe, kuko yagira yimukire muri Amerika. Haciye haba urukurikirane rw’ibintu vyari bigoye kwemera. Hari uwundi mubanyi yemeye kugurisha, aca aremesha n’abandi kubigenza gutyo. Twaranaguze ikibanza ca wa mugabo yatubwira ngo “Twebwe Abashinwa ntitugurisha.” Hadaciye n’igihe, Beteli yari imaze kwaguka incuro zirenga zitatu. Sinkekeranya ko Yehova ari we yashatse ko biba gutyo.

Mu 1950, mu muryango wa Beteli, ni je nari muto. Ariko ubu, jewe n’umukenyezi wanje, ni twe dukuze kubaruta. Sinicuza namba kuba narakurikiye Kristu aho yandungitse hose. Naho abavyeyi banje banyirukanye, Yehova yarandonkeje umuryango munini w’abo dusangiye ukwemera. Nta makenga na makeya mfise ko Yehova ashobora kuturonsa ibintu vyose dukeneye mu gikorwa icari co cose adushinga. Twe na Nora turakengurukira Yehova cane ku bintu vyose aturonsa kandi turaremesha n’abandi kumugeza.​—Mal. 3:10.

Igihe kimwe Yezu yaratumiye umutozakori Matayo Lewi, amubwira ati: “Nkurikira.” None yavyakiriye gute? Yaciye “asiga vyose arahaguruka aramukurikira.” (Luka 5:27, 28) Na jewe nararonse uturyo nk’utwo kandi ndahimiriza n’abandi kubigenza gutyo maze bironkere imihezagiro myinshi.