Ababyeyi bange bamenye Yehova nyuma gato y’umwaka wa 1920 kandi bari batarabana. Navutse mu ntangiriro z’umwaka wa 1939. Nkiri muto, nabanaga n’ababyeyi bange mu Bwongereza kandi najyanaga na bo mu materaniro, nyuma nza no kwiyandikisha mu Ishuri ry’Umurimo wa Gitewokarasi. N’ubu ndakibuka ukuntu natanze ishuri bwa mbere. Nahagaze ku ikarito kugira ngo ngere kuri puratifomu. Icyo gihe nari mfite imyaka itandatu, mfite ubwoba bwinshi kandi nabonaga abantu bose banduta.

Iyo twajyaga kubwiriza, papa yanyandikiraga ku gakarita amagambo make ndi bukoreshe mu murimo. Igihe nari mfite imyaka umunani ni bwo nabwirije bwa mbere ku nzu n’inzu ndi ngenyine. Nashimishijwe cyane no kubona nyiri inzu yemera gusoma agakarita, maze akakira igitabo nari muhaye (Que Dieu soit reconnu pour vrai!). Nahise niruka njya kubibwira papa. Umurimo wo kubwiriza n’amateraniro byaranshimishaga cyane, ku buryo byatumye nifuza gukorera Yehova umurimo w’igihe cyose.

Narushijeho gukunda Bibiliya igihe papa yansabiraga kujya mpabwa buri gihe igazeti y’Umunara w’Umurinzi. Iyo nayibonaga mu gasanduku kange k’amabaruwa, nahitaga nyisoma. Urukundo nakundaga Yehova rwagiye rwiyongera maze nyuma yaho ndamwiyegurira.

Mu mwaka wa 1950, nge n’ababyeyi bange twagiye mu ikoraniro ryabereye i New York, ryari rifite umutwe uvuga ngo: “Ukwiyongera kwa Gitewokarasi.” Umutwe w’ifatizo wo ku wa Kane, tariki ya 3 Kanama, waravugaga ngo: “Umunsi w’abamisiyonari.”  Uwo munsi, umuvandimwe Carey Barber, waje kuba umwe mu bagize Inteko Nyobozi ni we watanze disikuru y’umubatizo. Igihe yasozaga disikuru, yabajije abari biteguye kubatizwa ibibazo bibiri, maze ndahaguruka ndavuga nti: “Yego!” Nubwo nari mfite imyaka 11, nabonye ko ari ikintu gikomeye ngezeho. Ariko natinye kujya mu mazi kubera ko ntari nzi koga. Data wacu yamfashe ukuboko angeza kuri pisine, arambwira ati: “Humura nta cyo uri bube.” Bambatije vuba cyane ku buryo ntigeze ngeza ikirenge hasi muri pisine. Abavandimwe bagiye bampererekanya, umwe arambatiza, undi amvana muri pisine. Kuva kuri uwo munsi w’ingenzi, Yehova yakomeje kugorora inzira zange.

Igihe narangizaga amashuri yisumbuye, numvaga nshaka kuba umupayiniya, ariko abarimu bange bakanshishikariza kwiga kaminuza. Bandushije imbaraga nuko njya kuyiga. Ariko nahise nibonera ko ntari gukomeza kwibanda ku masomo, ngo nkomeze no kugira ukwizera gukomeye. Ubwo rero nahisemo guhagarika kaminuza. Nasenze Yehova ndabimubwira, maze ndangije umwaka wa mbere nandika ibaruwa yo gusezera. Niringiye Yehova mpita mba umupayiniya.

Muri Nyakanga 1957 ni bwo natangiye umurimo w’ubupayiniya bwa bwite, mu mugi wa Wellingborough. Nasabye abavandimwe bo kuri Beteli y’i Londres ko bampa umupayiniya umenyereye kugira ngo dukorane umurimo. Bampaye umuvandimwe Bert Vaisey kandi namwigiyeho byinshi. Yagiraga ishyaka mu murimo wo kubwiriza kandi yamfashije kugira gahunda mu murimo. Itorero ryacu ryari rigizwe nange, umuvandimwe Vaisey n’abandi bashiki bacu batandatu bageze mu za bukuru. Gutegura amateraniro no kuyifatanyamo, byamfashije kwiringira Yehova no kubwira abandi ibyo nizera.

Nasabwe kujya mu gisirikare ndabyanga, maze ndafungwa. Nyuma gato maze gufungurwa, namenyanye na mushiki wacu Barbara, wari umupayiniya wa bwite. Twashyingiranwe mu mwaka wa 1959, kandi twari twiteguye kujya aho ari ho hose batwohereza. Twabanje koherezwa mu gace ka Lancashire, mu majyaruguru y’uburengerazuba bw’u Bwongereza. Hanyuma muri Mutarama 1961, natumiriwe kwiga Ishuri ry’Umurimo w’Ubwami ryari kumara ukwezi kumwe, ryabereye kuri Beteli y’i Londres. Iryo shuri rirangiye, natunguwe no kumenya ko bangize umugenzuzi usura amatorero. Namaze ibyumweru bibiri ntozwa n’umugenzuzi w’akarere umenyereye mu mugi wa Birmingham, kandi Barbara na we yemerewe kujya amperekeza. Hanyuma twatangiye kujya dusura amatorero yo mu duce twa Lancashire na Cheshire.

Muri Kanama 1962, igihe twari twaragiye mu biruhuko, ibiro by’ishami byatwoherereje ibaruwa. Iyo baruwa yari kumwe na fomu zuzuzwa n’abifuza kwiga Ishuri rya Gileyadi. Nge na Barbara twasenze Yehova, twuzuza  izo fomu, hanyuma duhita tuzohereza ku biro by’ishami nk’uko twari twabisabwe. Nyuma y’amezi atanu twagiye i Brooklyn, muri leta ya New York, twiga ishuri rya 38 rya Gileyadi ryamaze amezi icumi.

Muri iryo shuri twize byinshi ku birebana n’Ijambo ry’Imana, umuryango wayo n’abavandimwe na bashiki bacu bo hirya no hino ku isi. Kubera ko icyo gihe nari mfite imyaka 24 na ho Barbara afite 23, hari byinshi twigiye ku banyeshuri twiganaga. Nashimishwaga no gukorana buri munsi mu mirimo ya Beteli n’umwe mu bavandimwe batwigishaga witwaga Fred Rusk. Buri gihe yakundaga kuvuga ibyiza byo gutanga inama zikiranuka, ni ukuvuga inama zishingiye ku Byanditswe. Bamwe mu bazaga gutanga ibiganiro mu ishuri, harimo Nathan Knorr, Frederick Franz na Karl Klein, bakaba ari abavandimwe bari bamaze igihe kinini mu muryango wa Yehova. Twatewe inkunga cyane n’ikiganiro cyatanzwe n’umuvandimwe wicishaga bugufi witwaga A. H. Macmillan. Ikiganiro ke cyavugaga ukuntu Yehova yayoboye abamusenga mu gihe k’ibigeragezo, kuva mu mwaka wa 1914 kugeza mu ntangiriro z’umwaka wa 1919.

Ishuri rigiye kurangira, umuvandimwe Knorr yatubwiye ko twoherejwe i Burundi muri Afurika. Twahise tujya mu isomero rya Beteli, dufata Igitabo nyamwaka kugira ngo turebe umubare w’ababwiriza bari muri icyo gihugu. Twatunguwe no gusanga nta babwiriza barimo. Twari tugiye ahantu hatigeze habwirizwa kandi nta bintu byinshi tuhazi. Twumvise tugize ubwoba, ariko dusenga Yehova adufasha gutuza.

Twari tugiye kubwiriza ahantu hatandukanye n’aho twabwirije mbere. Ikirere cyaho, umuco n’ururimi, byose byari bishya. Byadusabye kwiga Igifaransa. Ikindi cyatugoye ni ukubona aho tuba. Hashize iminsi ibiri tugeze i Burundi, umwe mu banyeshuri twiganye witwa Harry Arnott, yaradusuye igihe yari asubiye aho yakoreraga umurimo muri Zambiya. Yadufashije kubona inzu yo kubamo, ari na yo yaje kuba inzu y’abamisiyonari. Nyuma y’igihe gito, abayobozi batangiye kuturwanya kuko batari bazi Abahamya ba Yehova. Igihe twari dutangiye kwishimira umurimo wacu, abayobozi batubwiye ko tutari gukomeza kuhaba, nta kintu kigaragara dukora. Ikibabaje ni uko  byabaye ngombwa ko tuva i Burundi, tukajya muri Uganda.

Twari dufite ubwoba bwo kujyayo nta ruhushya rwo kuhaba dufite. Ariko twiringiye Yehova turagenda. Hari umuvandimwe wari waravuye muri Kanada ajya kubwiriza muri Uganda, watuvuganiye ku mukozi wari ubishinzwe. Twahawe amezi make yo gushaka ibyangombwa bitwemerera kuhaba. Ibyo byatweretse ko Yehova yari adushyigikiye.

Kubwiriza muri Uganda byari bitandukanye no kubwiriza i Burundi. Byibuze ho umurimo wo kubwiriza wari waratangiye gukorwa, nubwo mu gihugu hose hari ababwiriza 28 bonyine. Iyo twabaga tubwiriza, twabonaga abantu benshi bavuga Icyongereza. Ariko twahise tubona ko twarushaho kugera abantu ku mutima, ari uko twize nibura rumwe mu ndimi zaho kavukire. Twatangiye kubwiriza mu mugi wa Kampala, ahari abantu benshi bavuga Ikigande. Ubwo rero twahisemo kwiga urwo rurimi. Byadusabye imyaka myinshi kugira ngo dushobore kuruvuga neza. Ariko kurumenya byatumye dukora umurimo wacu neza. Twatangiye kumenya uko twafasha abo twigisha Bibiliya, bakarushaho kuba inshuti za Yehova. Na bo iyo babonaga ko tubitayeho, batwisanzuragaho bakatubwira ibibari ku mutima.

Twishimiye cyane gufasha abantu bakamenya ukuri. Ariko twarushijeho kwishima igihe twasabwaga kujya dusura amatorero yo mu gihugu hose. Ibiro by’ishami rya Kenya byadusabye ko twakora ingendo hirya no hino mu gihugu, kugira ngo tumenye ahantu hashyirwa abapayiniya ba bwite, ngo bahatangize umurimo. Inshuro nyinshi, twakirwaga neza n’abantu batazi Abahamya ba Yehova. Batwakiranaga urukundo kandi bakatugaburira.

Nyuma yaho nakoreye ingendo mu bindi bihugu. Navuye i Kampala, nkora urugendo rw’iminsi ibiri muri gari ya moshi ngiye muri Kenya ku cyambu cya Mombasa. Hanyuma nafashe ubwato njya mu birwa bya Seyishele, biri mu Nyanja y’Abahindi. Kuva mu mwaka wa 1965 kugeza mu wa 1972, Barbara yaramperekezaga iyo nabaga ngiye gusura ibirwa bya Seyishele. Icyo gihe hari ababwiriza babiri gusa, ariko baje kuba itsinda, nyuma yaho baba n’itorero rikomeye. Mu zindi ngendo nakoze, nasuye abavandimwe bo muri Eritereya, Etiyopiya no muri Sudani.

Muri Uganda ibintu byaje guhinduka igihe igisirikare cyafataga ubutegetsi. Ibyabaye mu myaka yakurikiyeho byari bigoye cyane ku buryo byanyeretse akamaro ko kumvira itegeko ryo muri Bibiliya, ryo kubaha abayobozi (Mar 12:17). Hari igihe cyageze, abanyamahanga bose basabwa kujya kwiyandikisha ku biro bya porisi bibegereye. Twahise tujyayo. Nyuma y’iminsi mike, igihe nge n’undi mumisiyonari twari i Kampala, abaporisi baraduhagaritse. Twagize ubwoba bwinshi! Bavuze ko turi abatasi, maze batujyana ku biro bikuru bya porisi. Tuhageze, twabasobanuriye ko turi abamisiyonari b’abanyamahoro. Twababwiye ko twamaze kwiyandikisha ku biro bya porisi, ariko ntibatwumva. Batujyanye ku biro bya porisi byari hafi y’inzu y’abamisiyonari. Twahasanze umuporisi wari uzi ko twiyandikishije, aratumenya twumva turahumurijwe. Yahise asaba uwari uturinze kuturekura.

 Muri iyo minsi, inshuro nyinshi twarahangayikaga iyo abasirikare baduhagarikaga kuri za bariyeri. Ariko byarushagaho kuba bibi iyo babaga basinze. Buri gihe twasengaga Yehova maze baturekura tukaganda, tukumva tugize amahoro yo mu mutima. Ikibabaje ni uko mu mwaka wa 1973 abamisiyonari bose bategetswe kuva muri Uganda.

Twoherejwe kubwiriza muri Kote Divuwari, mu burengerazuba bwa Afurika. Ibyo ntibyari byoroshye kuko twagombaga kwiga umuco mushya, kongera kuvuga Igifaransa igihe cyose no kubana n’abamisiyonari bavuye mu bindi bihugu. Icyo gihe na bwo Yehova yaradufashije tubona abantu bicisha bugufi bemera kwakira neza ubutumwa bwiza. Twiringiye Yehova, na we agorora inzira zacu.

Nyuma yaho, twaje gutungurwa n’uko Barbara bamusuzumye bagasanga arwaye kanseri. Nubwo twagiye kwivuriza mu bihugu bitandukanye, mu mwaka wa 1983 twabonye ko gukomeza gukorera muri Afurika bitagishobotse. Twumvise tubabaye cyane.

Igihe twari kuri Beteli y’i Londres, Barbara yakomeje kuremba, amaherezo arapfa. Abagize umuryango wa Beteli baramfashije cyane. Ndibuka ko hari umugabo n’umugore we bamfashije mu buryo bwihariye. Bamfashije kwakira ibyambayeho, nkomeza kwiringira Yehova. Nyuma yaho namenyanye na mushiki wacu wakoraga kuri Beteli ataha witwa Ann. Yari yarigeze kumara igihe ari umupayiniya wa bwite kandi nabonye ko yakundaga Yehova cyane. Twashyingiranwe mu wa 1989, kandi kuva icyo gihe twakoze kuri Beteli y’i Londres.

Kuva mu mwaka wa 1995 kugeza mu wa 2018, nabaye intumwa y’ikicaro gikuru (yahoze yitwa umugenzuzi wa zone) kandi nasuye ibihugu bigera hafi kuri 60. Aho nageraga hose, niboneraga ukuntu Yehova yita cyane ku bamusenga, nubwo baba bafite ibibazo bitandukanye.

Mu mwaka wa 2017 nasubiye muri Afurika, ngiye gusura bimwe mu bihugu byaho. Nashimishijwe no kujyana Ann i Burundi ku nshuro ya mbere, kandi twembi twashimishijwe n’ibintu byagezweho mu murimo. Nasanze ha hantu nabwirizaga ku nzu n’inzu mu mwaka wa 1964, hubatse Beteli nziza cyane ifasha ababwiriza barenga 15.500 bo muri icyo gihugu.

Narishimye cyane igihe nahabwaga ibindi bihugu nari gusura mu mwaka wa 2018. Muri ibyo bihugu harimo na Kote Divuwari. Igihe nageraga mu murwa mukuru wa Abidjan, numvaga meze nk’umwana usubiye iwabo. Narebye ahanditse terefoni z’abagize umuryango wa Beteli, nsanga icyumba gikurikiye icyo twarimo, kibamo umuvandimwe witwa Sossou, numva ndamuzi. Igihe nabwirizaga muri icyo gihugu, yari umugenzuzi w’umugi. Ariko naribeshyaga. Ahubwo yari umwana we.

Niboneye ko Yehova asohoza ibyo yavuze. Ibibazo byose nanyuzemo byanyigishije ko iyo wiringiye Yehova agorora inzira zawe. Ubu dukomeje inzira itagira iherezo, igenda irushaho kuba nziza, igana mu isi nshya.—Imig 4:18.