Moyo Wopindulitsa Ngakhale Kuti Ndinali Wolekanitsidwa

NDINABADWA mu January 1927, ku Málaga, Spain, mwana wachisanu ndi chimodzi pa ana asanu ndi aŵiri m’banja losauka Lachikatolika. Kuyambira mu 1936 mpaka mu 1939, Nkhondo Yachiweniweni ya Spain inasakaza dziko lathu, ndipo tinazemba mabomba ndi kukhala ndi moyo modalira pa chakudya cholandiritsidwa. Komabe, ndinali mwana wachimwemwe wokonda kuimba ndi kukhala pamodzi ndi anthu.

Komabe, chinthu chimodzi chinandiwopsa—chiyembekezo cha kutenthedwa m’moto wa helo. Kuti ndichepetse manthawo, ndinasamukira kumalo a avirigo ndiri ndi zaka 12. Kumeneko, kwa pafupifupi zaka zitatu, ndinapukuta makwerero a miyala yamtengo wapatali, kupemphera, ndi kupukutanso, komabe ndinawona kuti kanthu kena kanali kusoŵeka. Mu 1941, sindinazengereze kuchokako.

Patapita zaka zingapo ndinapalana ubwenzi ndi woimba nyimbo wina amene anaganiza kuti ndikatha kupanga ndalama ndi mawu anga, ndipo anandilimbikitsa kuyamba maphunziro akuimba ndi kuliza piyano. Pamene Nkhondo Yadziko II inatha mu 1945, ndinapita ku Morocco, kumene ndinayamba kuimba m’makalabu ausiku mu Casablanca ndi Tangier. Umenewo unali moyo wosangalatsa kwa ine monga wachichepere. Koma pambuyo pa chiwonetsero chirichonse, ndinkapita kutchalitchi kukapempha Namwali Mariya kuti andikhululukire, ndikumakhulupirira kuti mwina ndingathe kupeŵa helo wamoto.

Pambuyo pogwira ntchito m’makalabu ausiku kwa zaka zisanu ndi zinayi, ndinapalana ubwenzi ndi Jack Abernathy wa ku Amereka. Panthaŵiyo iye anali kugwira ntchito m’Morocco pakampani yomanga ya ku Amereka. Tinakwatirana chaka chimenecho, ndipo ndinasiya kuimba. Posapita nthaŵi tinasamukira ku Seville, Spain, kumene tinakhala kufikira mu 1960. Ndiyeno tinasamukiranso ku Lodi, California, U.S.A.—kusamuka kumene kunasinthitsanso moyo wanga.

Kuphunzira za Yehova

Mu 1961 aŵiri a Mboni za Yehova anafika panyumba pathu nandisiira magazini a Nsanja ya Olonda ndi Galamukani! Pambuyo pake iwo anadzipereka kuphunzira nane Baibulo, ndipo ndinavomereza chogaŵiracho. Motero, ndinaphunzira za Mulungu wowona, Yehova, amene ali Atate wathu wachikondi wakumwamba. (Salmo 83:18) Kunalinso kotonthoza chotani nanga kuphunzira kuti helo wamoto kulibeko koma kuti mmalo mwake tiri ndi chiyembekezo cha kukhala ndi moyo kosatha m’paradaiso padziko lapansi!—Salmo 37:9-11, 29; Chivumbulutso 21:3, 4.

Mng’ono wanga Paquita, amene anali kukhala pafupi nafe, nayenso anayamba kuphunzira. Kale, ndinkasuta fodya ndi kukonda mapwando. Ndipo ndinali kukwiya msanga chotani nanga! Koma ndinapanga masinthidwe, ndipo pa October 17, 1962, ine ndi Paquita tinabatizidwa ku Sacramento, California, mwakutero kusonyeza kudzipatulira kwathu kutumikira Yehova.

Ku Thailand Kudzera ku Spain

Zitangotha zimenezo, kampani yomanga imene mwamuna wanga anagwirira ntchito inamtumiza ku Thailand, ndipo ndinatsagana naye. Paulendowo, ndinadzera ku Spain ndipo ndinakhoza kukambitsirana zikhulupiriro zanga ndi ziŵalo zina za banja. Mlamu wanga wamkazi Pura analabadira nakhala Mboni.

M’masiku amenewo ntchito ya Mboni za Yehova inali yoletsedwa m’Spain. Komabe, tinafika pamsonkhano wamtseri m’kachipinda kakang’ono, kokhala ndi thebulo limodzi ndi kopanda mipando. Tonsefe 20 tinaimirira. Ha, kunali kosiyana chotani nanga ndi misonkhano yathu ku California! Kuwona anthu akwathu akuika paupandu ufulu wawo kuti asonkhane kunandikhutiritsa za kufunika kwa misonkhano Yachikristu, phunziro lapanthaŵi yake nditangotsala pang’ono kufika ku Bangkok, Thailand.

“Nthaŵi iriyonse imene ndidzadziŵa kuti ukulalikira, ndidzakusiya,” Jack anandiuza zimenezo tsiku limene tinafika m’Bangkok. Tsiku lotsatira iye anapita kukayang’anira ntchito yomanga kudera la kumidzi, chotero ndinangotsala ndekha m’Bangkok wapiringupiringu wa anthu ndi wantchito wamkazi amene sindinali wokhoza kulankhula naye. Ndinadzitanganitsa mwa kuphunzira mabuku anga ofotokoza Baibulo mobwerezabwereza.

Tsiku lina mu September 1963, pobwerera kunyumba, ndinapeza peya ya nsapato zachilendo pakhomo langa. Mkazi wa tsitsi lofonyongera lachikasu anali kundiyembekezera. “Ndingakuthandizeni, kodi?” ndinafunsa motero.

“Ndikuimira Watch Tower Society,” iye anatero.

Ndinalumpha ndi chimwemwe, kumkupatira ndi kumpsompsona. Eva Hiebert anali mmishonale wochokera ku Canada. Kuyambira tsiku lomwelo, Eva anali kubwera nthaŵi zonse, akumakwera mabasi aŵiri kapena atatu kuti afike kwathu. Ndinali ndi mantha a kukwera mabasi m’mene anthu anali othithikana, koma panalibe njira ina iriyonse imene ndikayendera. Eva anati: “Sudzatumikira Yehova konse ngati sukwera mabasi amene aja.” Choncho tinayeseza mmene tikanakwerera mabasiwo popita ku misonkhano.

Ndinali kuzengereza kulalikira, pakuti sindinadziŵe chinenero. Ndinali kugwiririra dzanja la Eva, basiketi lake, ndi chovala chake. “Sungatumikire Yehova m’njira imeneyi,” iye anatero.

“Koma sindidziŵa chinenero,” ndinadandaula motero.

Eva anandipatsa magazini khumi napita, akumandisiya pakati pa msika. Mwamantha, ndinapita kwa mkazi Wachitchaina, kumsonyeza magaziniwo, ndipo anawalandira!

“Eva, ndagaŵira magazini onse khumi,” ndinatero pambuyo pake ndikumwetulira. Iye anati, “Yehova amakonda anthu onga iwe. Tangopitiriza.” Ndinatero, kuphunzira kupereka moni m’Chithai ndipo, malinga ndi mwambo wakomweko, kukhala pansi. Ndinadziŵanso njira za ku malo osiyanasiyana. Ndipo kodi mwamuna wanga anachitanji? Tsiku lina, pamene Jack, amene anali atalolera zikhulupiriro zanga, anali ndi alendo, iye anawauza kuti: “Kayendeni ndi Pepita. Iye amalidziŵa bwino dera lino chifukwa amalalikira.”

Kusamukira ku Australia

Kuphunzitsa kwa Eva kwachikondi koma kolimba kunandikonzekeretsa kukhalabe wachangu muutumiki wa Yehova mkati mwa ntchito yotsatira yogaŵiridwa kwa mwamuna wanga, kumpoto koma chakumadzulo kwa Australia. Tinafika komweko chapakati pa 1965, ndipo ndinakhala mumsasa wa antchito pakati pa chipululu kumene kampani ya Jack inali kuyala njanje. Chakudya chinali kubwera pandege, ndipo kunali kotentha—kuposa 43 digiri Celsius. Panali mabanja 21 a Kumpoto kwa Amereka pamsasawo, chotero ndinayamba kuwafikira ndi uthenga wa Ufumu. Pambuyo pake, pamene ntchito yoyala njanje inapita patsogolo, tinaloŵa mkati mwa chipululucho, kumene kulekanitsidwa kunakhala kokulira kwambiri.

Papitapo ndinali nditalembera ofesi ya nthambi ya Mboni za Yehova m’Australia, ndipo ndinali wokondwa chotani nanga kulandira kalata imene inati: “Landirani moni wathu ndi chikondi . . . Malingaliro athu ndi mapemphero adzakhala nanu m’miyezi yotsatira”! M’zaka zimene ndinayendayenda ndi mwamuna wanga m’ntchito yake imene anagaŵiridwa kumadera akutalidziko, ndinalimbikitsidwa ndi makalata otero ochokera ku gulu la Yehova. Kuwaŵerenga kunandithandiza kupirira nyengo zakusukidwa ndi kundilimbikitsa kupita m’ntchito yolalikira ngakhale kuti kaŵirikaŵiri ndinali wotalikirana ndi Mboni zina.

Ofesi yanthambi m’Australia inalinganiza kuti Mboni ziŵiri zokwatirana zindichezere kwa mlungu umodzi pamsasawo. Muuminisitala wathu tinapeza mkazi wokondwerera amene anali kukhala kutali, choncho kaŵiri pamlungu ndinkayenda m’dera limene linali ndi njoka ndi abuluzi ochuluka kukamchezera. Poyenda, ndinkaimba nyimbo Yaufumu: “Ima kwa Yehova/ Musekerere/ Sadzakusiyani/ Yenda mwa iye.” Tinaphunzira kwa miyezi 11.

Ndiyeno, titakhala m’Melbourne kwa pafupifupi chaka chimodzi, ndinasamuka ndi mwamuna wanga kupita kumsasa pafupi ndi tawuni la mgodi la Port Hedland, kumpoto komanso chakumadzulo kwa Australia. Patapita masiku asanu, kunafika alendo. Nthambi inali itadziŵitsa Mboni za kumene ine ndinali. Iwo atapita, ndinapitiriza kuchita misonkhano ndiri ndekha, kuchititsa Phunziro Labukhu Lampingo, Sukulu Yautumiki Wateokratiki, Msonkhano Wautumiki, ndi Phunziro la Nsanja ya Olonda. Pambuyo poimba nyimbo ndi kutsegula ndi pemphero, ndinayankha mafunso ndi kutseka ndi nyimbo ndi pemphero. Kutenga chiŵerengero sikunali kovuta konse—nthaŵi zonse chinali mmodzi. Komabe, programu ya misonkhano ya mlungu ndi mlungu imeneyi inandichirikiza mkati mwa zaka zambirizo zimene ndinatumikira Yehova ndiri wolekanitsidwa.

Ku Bougainville

Mu 1969, pambuyo pakugwira ntchito zolimba kwa zaka zinayi m’Australia, mwamuna wanga anapatsidwa ntchito yaukapitawo pantchito yolambula msewu wopita ku mgodi wa mkuwa m’mapiri achinyontho pa chilumba cha Bougainville. Tsiku lina madzulo munthu wina anagogoda pachitseko. Jack anatsegulako. “Ndi Mboni ndi mkazi wake ndi ana anayi,” iye anatero. Iwo anali kukhala kunyanja. Kamodzi pamlungu ndinawachezera ndi kufika pa Phunziro la Nsanja ya Olonda lochitidwira pasukulu lakomweko.

Panthaŵi ina Mboni zitatu zochokera ku Papua New Gunea zinandichezera. Mwamuna wanga monyada anauza mabwenzi ake kuti: “Kulikonse kumene mkazi wanga apita, kuli mabwenzi ake Amboni amene amamyembekezera.”

Ku Afirika

Mu 1972 tinafika m’chipululu ku Algeria, Kumpoto kwa Afirika, kumene kampani ya Jack inali kumanga maiŵe a minda yamatsirira. Imeneyi inali ntchito ya zaka zinayi. Ndinalembera ofesi yanthambi ya Mboni za Yehova ku France za ntchito yolalikira, ndipo anandilemberanso kuti: ‘Samala. Ntchito yathu njoletsedwa kumeneko.’ Sosaite inandithandiza kupeza Mboni ziŵiri zofooka, ndipo tinapanga kagulu ka phunziro.

Kenako, mmodzi wa anansi anga mumsasa wantchitowo, Cecilia, anadwala. Ndinamchezera masiku onse kuchipatala, kukampatsira supu, ndi kuyala kama wake. Pamene anabwera kunyumba, ndinapitirizabe kumgwirira ntchito zapanyumba, ndipo ndinakambitsirananso naye za chiyembekezo cha Ufumu. Zimenezo zinayambitsa phunziro Labaibulo, ndipo patapita miyezi isanu ndi itatu Cecilia anati: “Ndifuna kubatizidwa.” Koma kuti ndipo ndiyani?

Tinalandira kalata kuchokera ku ofesi ya nthambi ku France yonena kuti Mboni yotchedwa François inali kudza ku Algeria patchuthi chanthaŵi yochepa. Ngati tikakhoza kumtengera kumudzi wathu wa m’chipululu ndi kumbwezeranso ku bwalo landege nthaŵi idakalipo, iye akachititsa ubatizowo. Koma sanafunikire kukhala kwa maola oposa 24.

François atangofika, ananyamulidwa mwamsanga ndi galimoto natengeredwa ku chipululu. Madzulo amenewo, ku nyumba kwa Cecilia, iye anatulutsa kapepala kakang’ono ka manotsi m’thumba la malaya ake nakamba nkhani yabwino. Pa May 18, 1974 m’mamaŵa, iye anabatiza Cecilia m’bafa langa natenganso ulendo wobwerera.

Nkhondo inaulika m’Algeria chakumapeto kwa 1975, ndipo ine ndi Jack tinachokamo mofulumira. Ndinachezera achibale anga ku Spain. Mu 1976, ndinayamba kulongeza katundu kupita kuntchito yotsatira ya Jack—msasa wa antchito m’nkhalango ya ku Suriname, Kummwera kwa Amereka.

Kummwera kwa Amereka

Msasawo kummwera koma chakumadzulo kwa Suriname unali wozingidwa ndi zomera zobiriŵira. Zinkhwe zaphokoso ndi apusi okopeka kumitengo anayang’ana pansi pa mabanja 15 ofika chatsopano, ambiriiwo ndinawadziŵira pantchito zapapitapo. Pambuyo pa miyezi isanu ndi umodzi, mabanja owonjezereka a antchito anafika, kuphatikizapo Cecilia amene anabatizidwira ku Algeria—wantchito mnzanga.

Pamene March 23, 1978, inayandikira, sitinadziŵe mmene tikachitira Chikumbutso cha imfa ya Kristu. Posoŵa choyendera kupita ku mzinda waukulu, Paramaribo, tinakonza kuchichitira m’nyumba mwathu. Woyang’anira msasawo anatilola kujambula makope a tsamba lomalizira la Nsanja ya Olonda lolengeza Chikumbutso, ndipo tinawagaŵira kunyumba ndi nyumba m’msasawo. Panapezeka anthu makumi aŵiri mphambu mmodzi! Cecilia anakamba nkhani, ndipo ine ndinaŵerenga malemba. Madzulowo, ngakhale kuti tinali olekanitsidwa, tinadzimva kukhala ogwirizana ndi gulu la Yehova la padziko lonse.

Panthaŵiyo, nthambi ya ku Suriname ya Mboni za Yehova inatumiza otichirikiza—amishonale aŵiri okwatirana achichepere mu Land-Rover yakale. Iwo asanafike, ndinali nditayamba kudziwona kukhala wopanda pake m’msasawo, koma amishonalewo anandilimbikitsa kuti: “Pepita, uli kuno kaamba ka chifuno china chake.” Panthaŵiyo sindinali wokhutira, koma posapita nthaŵi ndinazindikira zimenezo.

Tsiku lina pakucheza kwa amishonalewo, tinatulukira msewu wongolambulidwa kumene wosasalaza ndipo tinasangalala kupeza midzi ya Amwenye Achimereka pafupifupi makilomita 50 kuchokera pamsasa wathu. Kulalikira kwa masiku oŵerengeka kwa Amwenye Achiarawak aubwenzi amenewo kunayambitsa maphunziro ochuluka Abaibulo. Chotero pamene amishonalewo anapita, ineyo ndi Cecilia tinayamba kuchezera anthu a m’midziyo kaŵiri pamlungu.

Tinkadzuka 4 koloko m’maŵa, ndipo podzafika 7 koloko tinali kuyamba phunziro lathu loyamba Labaibulo. Pafupifupi 5 koloko madzulo, tinkafikanso panyumba. Kwa zaka ziŵiri tinachititsa maphunziro 30 pamlungu umodzi uliwonse. Posapita nthaŵi ana a m’mudziwo anali kunditcha kuti Amayi ŵa Baibulo! Ambiri m’kupita kwa nthaŵi anabatizidwa, ndipo pambuyo pa zaka zambiri 182 anapezekapo pamsonkhano wa dera m’mudzi umenewo. Ndithudi, monga momwe amishonale, mabwenzi anga okondedwa ananenera, tinalidi m’nkhalangoyo kaamba ka chifuno china chake!

Ku Papua New Guinea

Tinachoka ku Suriname mu 1980, ndipo chaka chotsatira tinatumizidwa ku Papua New Guinea. Pambuyo pokhala ndi Mboni mumzinda waukulu wa Port Moresby kwa miyezi yosangalatsa isanu ndi umodzi, helikoputala inanditengera kumudzi wanga wotsatira—msasa wokhala m’mapiri kumene kampani ya Jack inali kupanga mgodi wa golide. Kunalibe misewu. Anthu, zipangizo, ndi chakudya zinali kubwera pandege. Malo ameneŵa anali akutali koposa alionse amene ndinakhalako. Ndinadzifunsanso kuti, Kodi nkuti kumene ndingapeze anthu olankhula nawo?

Anthu a m’msasa wathu anandidziŵira kumalo amene tinali kalelo, ndipo palibe aliyense amene anafuna kumvetsera. Komabe, chapanthaŵi imeneyo, kampani inatsegula grosale. Akazi ochokera kutali anali kugula pamenepo. Posapita nthaŵi ndinakhala mmodzi wa makasitomala ofikapo kaŵirikaŵiri a sitolo limenelo. Kodi zimenezo zinadzetsa chipambano?

Tsiku lina ndinayamba kukambitsirana ndi mkazi wina wa ku Papua New Guinea. Iye anandiuza kuti anali mphunzitsi. “Kodi! Nanenso ndine mphunzitsi,” ndinatero.

“Ndinu mphunzitsi?” iye anafunsa motero.

“Inde, ndimaphunzitsa Baibulo.” Panthaŵi yomweyo iye anavomereza pempho langa lakuphunzira naye Baibulo. Pambuyo pake, ogula zinthu ochuluka anavomereza kuchita chimodzimodzi. Malo amenewo pafupi ndi mgodi wa golide anatulutsa maphunziro Abaibulo asanu ndi aŵiri—mgodi wa golide wauzimu zedi!

Titakhala zaka zitatu pachilumba cha Pacific chimenechi, ntchito yatsopano inachititsa kuti titumizidwe ku chilumba cha Grenada kuchigawo cha Caribbean. Koma pambuyo pa chaka chimodzi ndi theka, mwamuna wanga anafunikira kubwerera ku United States chifukwa cha kusapeza abwino, chotero mu 1986, tinakakhala ku Boise, Idaho.

Kugwira Ntchito ndi Mpingo

Pambuyo pakulekanitsidwa ndi abale anga ndi alongo Achikristu kwa zaka zonsezo, tsopano ndinafunikira kuphunzira kugwirira ntchito limodzi ndi ena. Komabe, akulu Achikristu ndi ena andithandiza moleza mtima. Lerolino ndimakondwa kufika pamisonkhano ndi kuchititsa maphunziro Abaibulo m’dera lino la dziko.

Komabe, nthaŵi zina, pamene ndimakhala m’malo abata ndi kudziwonanso ndikuthamanga kulondola Eva m’Bangkok wapiringupiringu wa anthu kapena kuimba nyimbo Yaufumu ndikuyenda pamsewu m’chipululu ku Australia kapena kulalikira pakati pa Amwenye Achimereka odzichepetsa m’nkhalango ya ku Suriname, ndimamwetulira, ndipo maso anga amadzala misozi ya chiyamiko kaamba ka chisamaliro chimene ndinalandira m’zaka zambiri zimene ndinatumikira Yehova ndiri wolekanitsidwa.—Monga momwe yasimbidwira ndi Josefa ‘Pepita’ Abernathy.

[Zithunzi patsamba 22]

Ndinathandiza ambiri ku Papua New Guinea kufika pakumdziŵa Yehova

Kuphunzitsa Mawu a Mulungu m’Suriname

[Zithunzi patsamba 23]

Kuimba nyimbo ndi maphunziro anga Abaibulo Achispanya ku Melbourne

[Chithunzi patsamba 24]

Tsopano ndimatumikira limodzi ndi mpingo mu Idaho