Ndinabadwa mu 1927, m’tawuni ina pafupi ndi ku Chicago, mumzinda wa Illinois, ku U.S.A. M’banja lathu tinalimo ana 5, Jetha, Don, ineyo, Karl, ndi Joy. Tonse tinkafunitsitsa kumatumikira Yehova ndi mtima wonse. Jetha analowa kalasi yachiwiri ya Sukulu ya Giliyadi mu 1943. Don anapita kukatumikira ku Beteli ya ku Brooklyn mu 1944, Karl mu 1947 ndipo Joy mu 1951. Chitsanzo chawo chabwino komanso cha makolo anga, zinandilimbikitsa kuti ndizichita zambiri potumikira Yehova.

Bambo ndi mayi ankakonda kuwerenga Baibulo komanso ankakonda Mulungu ndipo anatithandizanso anafe kuti tikhale ndi chikondi chofananacho. Koma bambo atabwera ku usilikali kumene anakamenya nawo nkhondo yoyamba ya padziko lonse, Anasiya kukonda za tchalitchi. Posangalala kuti abwerako amoyo, amayi anauza bambo kuti: “A Karl, tiyenitu tipite kutchalitchi ngati mmene tinkachitira.” Iwo anayankha kuti: “Ndikuperekezani koma sindikalowa nawo.” Mayi anafunsa kuti: “Chifukwa chiyani?” Iwo anayankha kuti: “Pa nthawi yankhondo, atsogoleri achipembedzo chofanana ankadalitsa zida ndi asilikali omwe ankamenyana. Ndiye kodi Mulungu ankathandiza asilikali a mbali zonse?”

Tsiku lina amayi ali kutchalitchi, a Mboni za Yehova awiri anafika kunyumba kwathu. Iwo anapatsa bambo mabuku awiri a Chingelezi a mutu wakuti Light, omwe amafotokoza za m’buku la Chivumbulutso. Bambo anasangalala kwambiri ndipo analandira mabukuwo. Amayi atawaona mabukuwo anayamba kuwawerenga. Kenako tsiku lina anaona mu nyuzipepala akuitanira anthu amene ankafuna kuphunzira Baibulo pogwiritsa ntchito mabuku aja. Amayi anasankha kupita. Atafika, mayi wina wachikulire anatsegula pakhomo. Mayi anga anaonetsa mayiyo limodzi mwa mabuku aja n’kumufunsa kuti, “Kodi mukuphunzira buku ili kuno?” Mayiyo anayankha kuti, “Inde, lowani.” Mlungu wotsatira amayi anatitenga ana tonse ndipo kenako tinayamba kupitako mlungu uliwonse.

Pamsonkhano wina, yemwe ankatsogolera anandipempha kuti ndiwerenge lemba la Salimo 144:15, lomwe limanena kuti anthu amene amalambira Yehova amakhala osangalala. Lemba limeneli linandisangalatsa. Mavesi enanso amene anandisangalatsa  ndi 1 Timoteyo 1:11, lomwe limanena kuti Yehova ndi “Mulungu wachimwemwe” komanso Aefeso 5:1, lomwe limatilimbikitsa ‘kutsanzira Mulungu.’ Ndinaona kuti ndiyenera kumasangalala chifukwa chotumikira Mlengi wanga komanso kumamuyamikira chifukwa cha mwayi wophunzira choonadi. Ndipo zinthu ziwiri zimenezi zakhala zofunika kwambiri pa moyo wanga.

Mpingo wapafupi unali ku Chicago, womwe unali pamtunda wamakilomita 32. Ngakhale zinali choncho, tinkapitabe ndipo ndinadziwa zinthu zambiri za m’Baibulo. Ndimakumbukira kuti pa nthawi ina, yemwe ankatsogolera anapereka mwayi kwa Jetha kuti ayankhe. Nditamva zimene anayankha ndinadziuza kuti: ‘Ndimadziwa kuti yankho ndi limenelo. Ndikanakweza mkono ndikanayankha.’ Ndinayamba kumakonzekera n’cholinga choti ndiziyankha. Chofunika kwambiri n’chakuti ine ndi abale anga aja, tinakhala pa ubwenzi wabwino ndi Yehova. Choncho ndinabatizidwa mu 1941.

Ndimakumbukira kwambiri msonkhano wa mu 1942 womwe unachitikira ku Cleveland, ku Ohio. Anthu ena omwe anali m’malo oposa 50 ku United States analumikizidwa kudzera pa foni. Banja lathu pamodzi ndi mabanja ena ambiri, tinkakhala m’matenti pafupi ndi malo amsonkhano. Pamene nkhondo yachiwiri ya padziko lonse inkakulirakulira a Mboni za Yehova ankatsutsidwa kwambiri. Madzulo alionse ndinkaona abale akuimika magalimoto kuzungulira malo amene tinkagonawo ndipo ankawaimika moyang’anitsa kunja. Iwo anagwirizana kuti m’galimoto iliyonse muzigona munthu yemwe azichita ulonda usiku wonse. Ngati patabwera adani, abalewo ankafunika kuyatsa nyale za galimotozo komanso kuliza mahutala n’cholinga choti awasokoneze. Zimenezi zikanachititsa kuti anthu ena abwere kudzawathandiza. Ndinadziuza kuti, ‘Anthu a Yehova amakhala okonzeka pa chilichonse.’ Nditaona zimenezo, ndinkagona popanda kuda nkhawa ndipo panalibe vuto lililonse.

Patapita zaka zingapo, nditaganizira zomwe zinachitika pamsonkhanowo, ndinazindikira kuti amayi sankada nkhawa kapena kuchita mantha. Iwo ankadalira kwambiri Yehova ndi gulu lake. Sindidzaiwala chitsanzo chawo chabwino.

Kutatsala kanthawi kochepa kuti msonkhanowu uchitike, amayi analembetsa upainiya wokhazikika. Iwo ankamvetsera mwatcheru nkhani zapamsonkhanowu zomwe zinkafotokoza utumiki wa nthawi zonse. Pobwerera kunyumba, amayiwo ananena kuti, “Ndingakonde kupitiriza kuchita upainiya koma sindingakwanitse kumachita zimenezo n’kumasamalira bwino pakhomo.” Kenako anatipempha ngati tingawathandize. Tinavomera ndipo anapatsa aliyense chipinda chimodzi kapena ziwiri kuti azikonza m’mawa uliwonse. Tikapita kusukulu, iwo ankaonetsetsa kuti chilichonse panyumbapo chili bwino kenako n’kulowa mu utumiki. Iwo ankatanganidwa koma sankaiwala kutisamalira. Tikabwera kusukulu pa nthawi ya masana kapena tikaweruka, ankakhalapo n’kumatisamalira. Masiku ena tikaweruka kusukulu tinkalowa nawo mu utumiki. Ndipo zimenezi zinatithandiza kumvetsa zimene apainiya amachita.

Ndinayamba upainiya ndili ndi zaka 16. Pa nthawiyi bambo sanali Mboni komabe ankachita chidwi ndi zimene zinkachitika pa moyo wanga. Madzulo a tsiku lina ndinawauza kuti ndakhala ndikufufuza munthu woti ndiziphunzira naye Baibulo koma sindinamupeze.  Kenako titakhala phee pang’ono, ndinawafunsa kuti, “Mungakonde kuti tiziphunzira?” Ndiye ataganizira kwakanthawi anayankha kuti, “Palibe vuto.” Choncho phunziro langa loyamba, anali bambo anga. Umenewutu unali mwayi wamtengo wapatali.

Tinkaphunzira buku la Chingelezi lakuti “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” Pamene tinkapitiriza kuphunzira, ndinazindikira kuti bambo ankandithandiza kuti ndikhale wophunzira komanso mphunzitsi wabwino. Mwachitsanzo, tsiku lina tikuphunzira tinawerenga ndime ina ndipo iwo ananena kuti: “Ndaona zimene bukuli likunena. Koma ukudziwa bwanji kuti zimene bukuli likunena ndi zoona?” Funso limeneli linandivuta choncho ndinawauza kuti, “Sindingathe kukuyankhani panopa, koma ndidzakuyankhani pa phunziro lotsatira.” Ndipo ndinawayankhadi. Ndinapeza mavesi ogwirizana ndi mfundo imene tinkakambirana. Kuchokera pamenepo ndinayamba kumakonzekera bwino phunziro ndipo ndinkafufuza bwino zinthu. Zimenezi zinathandiza ine ndi bambo kuti ubwenzi wathu ukhale wolimba. Bambowo ankatsatira zimene anaphunzira ndipo anabatizidwa mu 1952.

Ndinachoka pakhomo ndili ndi zaka 17. Jetha a anadzakhala mmishonale, pomwe Don ankatumikira ku Beteli. Onse ankakonda utumiki wawo ndipo zinkandilimbikitsa. Choncho ndinafunsira utumiki wa pa Beteli komanso Sukulu ya Giliyadi ndipo ndinasiya nkhaniyo m’manja mwa Yehova. Ndiye ndinaitanidwa ku Beteli mu 1946.

Ndakhala ndikuchita ma utumiki osiyanasiyana ku Beteli ndipo ndaphunzira zinthu zatsopano zambiri. Pa zaka 75 zimene ndakhala ndikutumikira ku Beteli ndathandizako pa ntchito yosindikiza mabuku komanso kuwerengera ndalama. Ndaphunzirakonso ntchito yogula ndi kutumiza zinthu kumadera ena. Koposa zonse, ndimasangalala ndi maphunziro amene timalandira ku Beteli kudzera mu pulogalamu ya kulambira kwa m’mawa, nkhani ndi mapulogalamu ena.

Ndinaphunziranso zambiri kwa mng’ono wanga Karl yemwe anabwera ku Beteli mu 1947. Iye ankaphunzira Baibulo mwakhama komanso ankaphunzitsa bwino. Nthawi ina ndinamupempha kuti andithandize kukonzekera nkhani yomwe ndinkafunika kukakamba. Ndinamufotokozera kuti ndasonkhanitsa mfundo zambiri koma sindikudziwa mmene ndingazigwiritsire ntchito. Iye anandithandiza pondifunsa funso limodzi lokha, lakuti, “Joel, kodi mutu wa nkhani yako ndi woti chiyani?” Ndinamvetsa mwamsanga zimene ankatanthauza. Ndinkangofunika kugwiritsa ntchito mfundo zogwirizana ndi mutu wa nkhani yangayo n’kusiya zina zonsezo. Sindidzaiwala phunziro limene ndinapeza pamenepa.

Kuti munthu azisangalala ndi utumiki wa pa Beteli, amafunika kugwiranso mwakhama ntchito yolalikira  ndipo zimenezi zimachititsa kuti azikumananso ndi zinthu zina zolimbikitsa. Chimodzi mwa zinthu zosangalatsazi chimene ndimakumbukira chinachitika madzulo a tsiku lina ku Bronx mumzinda wa New York. Ine ndi mchimwene wanga tinakumana ndi mayi wina yemwe anali atalandirapo magazini a Nsanja ya Olonda ndi Galamukani! Titalonjerana naye tinamuuza kuti, “Madzulo ano tikukambirana ndi anthu mfundo zolimbikitsa za m’Baibulo.” Iye anayankha kuti, “Ngati ndi nkhani yokhudza Baibulo, lowani.” Tinawerenga komanso kukambirana malemba ambiri okhudza Ufumu wa Mulungu ndi dziko latsopano. Ziyenera kuti izi zinamusangalatsa kwambiri chifukwa mlungu wotsatira anaitana anzake angapo kuti adzaphunzire nawo. Pambuyo pake, iye ndi mwamuna wake anakhala atumiki a Yehova okhulupirika.

Nditaganiza zokhala pabanja panadutsa zaka 10 ndipo ndinapeza mlongo woyenerera yemwe ndinakwatirana naye. Kodi n’chiyani chinandithandiza kupeza mkazi wabwino? Ndinaipempherera nkhaniyi kenako n’kudzifunsa kuti, ‘Kodi ndikufuna kudzachita chiyani tikakwatirana?’

Pamsonkhano wa mu 1953 womwe unachitikira ku Yankee Stadium, ndinakumana ndi mlongo wina dzina lake Mary Aniol. Iye ndi mchemwali wanga Jetha anali atalowa limodzi kalasi yachiwiri ya Sukulu ya Giliyadi ndipo ankachitira limodzi umishonale. Mary anandifotokozera mmene ankasangalalira ndi utumiki wake ku Caribbean komanso maphunziro a Baibulo omwe ankachititsa pa zaka zimene ankatumikira ali kumeneko. Pamene tinkapitiriza kudziwana, tinazindikira kuti tonse tinali ndi zolinga zofuna kutumikira Yehova. Tinayamba kukondana kwambiri ndipo tinakwatirana mu April 1955. Mary anasonyeza m’njira zambiri kuti anali mphatso yochokera kwa Yehova ndipo ankandipatsa chitsanzo chabwino. Iye ankasangalala ndi utumiki uliwonse womwe wapatsidwa. Ankagwira ntchito mwakhama, ankakonda anthu komanso nthawi zonse ankaika zinthu zokhudza Ufumu pamalo oyamba. (Mat. 6:33) Tinatumikira monga oyang’anira dera kwa zaka zitatu, ndipo mu 1958, tinaitanidwa ku Beteli.

Ndinaphunzira zambiri kwa Mary. Mwachitsanzo, titangokwatirana kumene tinagwirizana kuti tiziwerenga Baibulo limodzi ndipo tiziwerenga mavesi 15 pa nthawi imodzi. Wina akamaliza kuwerenga tinkakambirana malembawo n’kuona mmene tingawagwiritsire ntchito pa moyo wathu. Nthawi zambiri Mary ankandifotokozera zimene anaphunzira ku Sukulu ya Giliyadi komanso pa utumiki wake wa umishonale. Kukambirana mwa njira imeneyi kunandithandiza kuti ndizikamba bwino nkhani zanga komanso ndizilimbikitsa bwino alongo.​—Miy. 25:11.

Mkazi wanga wokondedwa Mary anamwalira mu 2013. Ndimafunitsitsa kudzaonana nayenso m’dziko latsopano. Panopa ndine wotsimikiza kuti ndipitiriza kuphunzira komanso kudalira Yehova ndi mtima wanga wonse. (Miy. 3:5, 6) Ndimasangalala komanso kulimbikitsidwa ndikaganizira zimene anthu a Yehova adzachite m’dziko latsopano. Zimenezi zikuphatikizapo kuphunzira zinthu zatsopano kuchokera kwa Mlangizi wathu wamkulu. Ndimayamikira kwambiri chifukwa cha zinthu zambiri zimene wakhala akundiphunzitsa komanso chifukwa chondisonyeza kukoma mtima kwake kwakukulu.