Ndakhala Ndikutumikira Yehova ku Cuba kwa Zaka Pafupifupi 70

Ndimakumbukira kuti tinkakhala mwamtendere m’mudzi mwathu. Tinkakhala ndi achibale athu ambiri kuphatikizapo anti, ankolo komanso agogo athu. Tinali ndi chakudya chokwanira ndipo tinkakhala moyo wosangalala.

Ndili ndi zaka pafupifupi 5, makolo anga anayamba kuphunzira Baibulo ndi M’bale Walton Jones. Iye ankagwira ntchito yolalikira mwakhama ndipo ankayenda maola pafupifupi 10 kuti adzafike kumudzi kwathu. Nthawi zonse akabwera, achibale anga ankasonkhana kunyumba kwa agogo anga ndipo m’baleyu ankakambirana nawo mfundo za m’Baibulo kwa maola ambiri. Makolo anga, ankolo anga a Pedro komanso anti anga a Ela ankasangalala ndi zimene ankaphunzira ndipo pasanapite nthawi yaitali anabatizidwa n’kukhala a Mboni za Yehova. Panopa a Ela ali ndi zaka pafupifupi 100 ndipo akupitirizabe kuchita upainiya ku Cuba.

Pa nthawi imeneyo a Mboni za Yehova anali ndi ufulu wolambira ku Cuba. Anthu ankatidziwa kuti tinkakonda kunyamula zikwama za mabuku n’kumalalikira kunyumba ndi nyumba. Tinkayenda kwambiri. Ndimakumbukira mmene ndinkasangalalira kutumikira Yehova ndili wachinyamata “pa nthawi yabwino” imeneyo. Koma “nthawi yovuta” inali itangotsala pang’ono.—2 Tim. 4:2.

NTHAWI YOVUTA INAFIKA

Ndidakali ndi zaka pafupifupi 5, bambo anga ndi ankolo anga anapita kumsonkhano wadera womwe unali m’chigawo china cha dziko lathu. N’zomvetsa chisoni kuti onse awiri anadwala pa ulendowu chifukwa choti anamwa madzi oipa. Ndimakumbukira kuti tsitsi lonse la m’mutu mwa ankolo anga linatha, komabe anachira. Koma bambo anga anamwalira. Pa nthawiyi n’kuti ali ndi zaka 32 zokha.

Bambo anga atamwalira, mayi anga anasankha zoti tisamuke n’kumakakhala ndi mchimwene wawo amene ankakhala m’mudzi wa Lombillo. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti tisiyane ndi achibale athu kuphatikizapo agogo athu omwe tinkawakonda kwambiri. Koma tinapitirizabe kulambira Yehova monga banja.

Pa 26 August 1957, ndinabatizidwa m’damu lina pafupi ndi mudzi wa Lombillo. Pa nthawiyi n’kuti ndili ndi zaka 10. Sindinkadziwa kuti pasanathe zaka ziwiri, moyo usinthiratu kwa a Mboni za Yehova ku Cuba. Mu 1959 boma linalandidwa ndipo ulamuliro wa Chikomyunizimu unayambika.

Tsopano tinayamba kulamulidwa ndi boma limene linkalimbikitsa kuti anthu azilowa usilikali. Zimenezi zinakhudza anthu a Yehova omwe m’mayiko onse salowerera ndale komanso sagwira ntchito ya usilikali. Zotsatira zake, pang’ono ndi pang’ono tinasiya kukhala ndi ufulu wa kulambira womwe tinasangalala nawo kwa nthawi yayitali. Kenako boma linaletseratu ntchito yathu ndipo abale okhulupirika mahandiredi anamangidwa. Ena mwa abalewa ankamenyedwa pafupipafupi ndipo sankapatsidwa chakudya chokwanira. Nthawi zina ankapereka zakudya zosakanikirana ndi magazi, zomwe Baibulo limaletsa.

Ngakhale kuti panali mavuto onsewa tinkakumanabe pamodzi n’kumalambira Yehova. (Aheb. 10:25) Tinkachitanso misonkhano yadera m’mafamu komanso m’malo ena m’dziko lonse. Ndimakumbukira kuti nthawi ina m’bale wina anatilola kuti tigwiritse ntchito khola lake lalikulu la nkhosa kuchitiramo msonkhano wadera. Sitinakwanitse kuyeretsa m’kholamo kapenanso kutulutsamo nkhosazo tisanayambe msonkhano. Moti nkhosa zauzimu ndi nkhosa zenizeni zinachitira limodzi msonkhanowo.—Mika 2:12.

Timayamikira kwambiri abale akhama amene ankatithandiza kuti tizipeza chakudya chauzimu m’masiku amenewo. Mwachitsanzo, misonkhano inkajambulidwa pa matepi n’kutumizidwa m’malo osiyanasiyana m’dzikolo. Nthawi zina abale awiri okha ndi amene ankauzidwa kuti akonzekere, akambe komanso ajambule nkhani zonse za msonkhano. Chifukwa chakuti abale ankajambula nkhanizi mobisa, nthawi zina tinkamva kulira kwa atambala komanso mapokoso ena oseketsa tikamamvetsera. Ngati msonkhano ukuchitikira m’dera limene kulibe magetsi, m’bale ankapalasa njinga yongoima yomwe inali ndi kachipangizo kopangira magetsi. Ndiye tinkatenga mphamvu ya magetsi kuchokera pakachipangizoko kuti timvetsere pulogalamu yamsonkhanowo. N’zoona kuti tinalibe ufulu wolambira ndipo sitinkakhala ndi mabuku onse omwe abale m’mayiko ena anali nawo, koma sitinkasowa chakudya chauzimu. Ndipo tinkasangalala kutumikira Yehova mogwirizana.—Neh. 8:10.

TINAKHALA APAINIYA KOMANSO MAKOLO

Nditakwanitsa zaka 18, ndinayamba kuchita upainiya wokhazikika m’tauni ya Florida. Patadutsa pafupifupi chaka chimodzi, ndinaikidwa kukhala mpainiya wapadera mumzinda wa Camagüey. Kumeneku n’kumene ndinakumana ndi Emilia mlongo wokongola wa ku Santiago de Cuba. Kenako tinayamba chibwenzi ndipo pasanathe chaka tinakwatirana.

Ndinayamba kugwira ntchito pakampani ina ya boma yopanga shuga. Ine ndi Emilia sitikanathanso kumachita upainiya komabe tinkachita zonse zomwe tikanatha potumikira Yehova. Ndinapempha kuti ndizigwira ntchito kuyambira 3:00 koloko mpaka 11:00 koloko m’mawa. Sindinkakonda kudzuka m’mawa kwambiri, koma kugwira ntchito nthawi imeneyi kunandithandiza kuti ndizikhala ndi nthawi yambiri yolalikira komanso kupezeka pamisonkhano yonse ndi Emilia.

Mu 1969 mwana wathu woyamba Gustavo anabadwa. Kenako ndinapemphedwa kuti ndiyambirenso utumiki wa nthawi zonse ndipo ndinaikidwa kukhala woyang’anira dera. Pa nthawiyo sizinali zachilendo kuti woyang’anira dera azikhala ndi ana ku Cuba. Apa tsopano tinayamba kukhala moyo wosangalala koma wotanganidwa kwambiri. Ine ndi Emilia tinkaona kuti ndi mwayi waukulu kutumikira abale ndi alongo athu m’njira imeneyi. Pa nthawiyi mwana wathu Obed anabadwa kenako panabadwa Abner ndipo patapita zaka zingapo tinadzakhala ndi mwana wamkazi dzina lake Mahely.

Ndikaganizira zaka zimene ndakhala ndikuyang’anira dera ndimasangalala kuona mmene Yehova wadalitsira anthu ake ku Cuba. Ndipo anadalitsa zonse zomwe tinkachita pophunzitsa ana athu kuti azimukonda. Tsopano ndikufotokozereni mmene moyo unalili kwa ine ndi Emilia pamene ndinkagwira ntchito yoyang’anira dera.

KUCHITA UTUMIKI WOYANG’ANIRA DERA PA NTHAWI IMENE NTCHITO YATHU INALI YOLETSEDWA

M’zaka za m’ma 1960 ndi 1970, zinthu zinayamba kuvuta kwambiri ku Cuba. Nyumba za Ufumu zinatsekedwa. Amishonale anathamangitsidwa m’dzikoli. Abale achinyamata ambiri anamangidwa n’kuikidwa m’ndende ndipo ofesi ya nthambi ku Havana inatsekedwa.

Chifukwa chakuti ntchito yathu inali yoletsedwa, tinkangochezera mipingo kumapeto kwa wiki basi. Ndiye mpingo uliwonse tinkauchezera kwa mawiki awiri. Sitinkatenga katundu wambiri ndipo nthawi zambiri tinkayenda panjinga, chifukwa njinga sinkachititsa kuti apolisi komanso anthu ena azichita nafe chidwi. Tinkachezera mipingo mwachinsinsi. Tinkapanga zinthu ngati kuti tikungokacheza ndi achibale. Sizinali zovuta kuchita zimenezi ndipotu tinkangomva ngati tili ndi anthu a m’banja lathu lenileni moti tinkafunika kuchita zinthu mosamala kuti tisaiwale kuti tapita kukawalimbikitsa mwauzimu. (Maliko 10:​29, 30) Komabe tinkafunika kumachita zinthu mosamala chifukwa nthawi zambiri apolisi ankatitsatira kapena kutifunsa mafunso. Tikanagwidwa, abale amene ankatisunga m’nyumba zawo akanathanso kumangidwa.—Aroma 16:4.

Pa nthawiyi tinakumana ndi abale ndi alongo ambiri omwe anali ndi mtima wopatsa ngakhale kuti anali ndi zinthu zochepa. M’madera ena kunali udzudzu wambiri mwinanso kuposa anthu. Koma abale ndi alongo ankatipatsa neti imene ankagwiritsa ntchito kuti udzudzu usatilume tikagona. Ena ankatilandira m’nyumba zawo ngakhale kuti analibe chakudya chokwanira. Ndiye nthawi zina tinkatenga chakudya chathu kuti tizikadya nawo limodzi.

Zinali zosatheka kutenga ana athu onse tikamakachezera mipingo. Choncho tinkangoyenda ndi mwana mmodzi basi pamene ana enawo tinkawasiyira mayi anga komanso mchemwali wanga kuti aziwasamalira. Kuyenda ndi mwana kunkatiteteza kwambiri. Nthawi zina apolisi ankatisecha koma tinkabisa mabuku athu m’chikwama cha matewera akuda a mwana chifukwa tinkadziwa kuti sangasechemo.

Ndimayamikira kwambiri Emilia pa ntchito yonse yomwe ankagwira posamalira ana athu komanso kundithandiza pa zaka zonse zimene tinkachita utumiki wa nthawi zonse. Ineyo ndinkatha kugwira ntchito kukampani yopanga shuga ija komanso kutumikira monga woyang’anira dera pa nthawi imodzi. Kuti zimenezi zitheke, ndinkagwira mashifiti awiri kamodzi kapena kawiri pa wiki kuti kumapeto kwa wiki ndisagwire ntchito. Patapita nthawi anandipatsa udindo ndipo ndinkayang’anira anzanga. Ndinauzidwa kuti ndizigwira ntchito masiku 7 pa wiki koma sindinakane. Ndinaona kuti ngati nditamapereka ntchito yokwanira kwa anthu amene ndikuwayang’anira, akanamagwiranso ntchito m’malo mwa ine kumapeto kwa wiki, ine ndikuchezera mipingo. Ndikukayikira ngati mabwana anga ankadziwa kuti sindinkagwira ntchito kumapeto kwa wiki.

NDINAPITIRIZA KUKHALA WOSANGALALA UTUMIKI WANGA UTASINTHA

Tsiku lina mu 1994, abale amene ankatitsogolera anaitanitsa oyang’anira madera onse okwana 80 kuti tipite kumsonkhano wapadera ku Havana. Zinali zosangalatsa kwambiri kukumana pambuyo pa zaka zambiri. Pamsonkhanowo, choyamba tinakambirana zinthu zina zimene zinali zitasintha m’gulu. Kenako panaperekedwa chilengezo chodzidzimutsa. Abale anatiuza kuti akufuna kupereka mayina athu kwa akuluakulu aboma. N’chifukwa chiyani ankafuna kuchita zimenezi?

Abalewo anatifotokozera kuti akhala akukumana ndi akuluakulu aboma n’cholinga choti zinthu ziyambirenso kuyenda bwino pakati pa boma ndi a Mboni za Yehova. Akuluakulu abomawo anapempha kuti apatsidwe mayina a oyang’anira madera onse ndipo tonse tinavomera. Kuyambira nthawi imeneyo zokambirana ndi akuluakulu aboma zinayamba kukhala ndi zotsatirapo zabwino.

N’kupita kwa nthawi tinayamba kumasonkhana komanso kulalikira mwa ufulu ngakhale kuti chipembedzo chathu chinali chisanalembedwe m’kaundula wa boma. Kenako tinazindikira kuti akuluakulu abomawo ankadziwa kale mayina a oyang’anira madera ena koma ankangofuna kutsimikizira.

Mu September 1994, boma linatipatsa chilolezo kuti titsegulenso ofesi ya nthambi. Zinali zosangalatsa kuyambiranso kugwiritsa ntchito nyumba zimene zinatsekedwa zaka 20 zapitazo.

Kenako mu 1996, ine ndi Emilia tinalandira foni yotiitana kuti tizikatumikira ku Beteli. Ndinadabwa kwambiri ndipo ndinauza abalewo kuti ndili ndi ana awiri omwe ndikuwasamalirabe. Abale anaganizira mmene zinthu zinalili pa moyo wanga koma anandiuzabe kuti ndikufunika kukatumikira ku Beteli. Tinavomera ndipo tinayamba kukonzekera zosamukira ku Havana monga banja.

Kunena zoona, poyamba sindinkasangalala ndi utumiki wa pa Beteli. Ndinali nditatumikira monga woyang’anira dera kwa zaka zambiri ndipo ndinkaukonda kwambiri utumikiwu. Zinkandivuta kumagwira ntchito nditangokhala pampando mu ofesi. Koma anzanga amene ndinkatumikira nawo pa Beteli, makamaka mkazi wanga Emilia, anandithandiza kuti ndisinthe mmene ndinkaonera zinthu. Patapita nthawi ndinayambiranso kusangalala moti panopa ndikutumikira pa Beteli mwachimwemwe.

Ine ndi Emilia takula. Komabe timasangalala tikaganizira za abale ndi alongo onse omwe takhala ndi mwayi wowadziwa komanso kutumikira nawo limodzi pa zaka zonsezi. Timasangalalanso kwambiri kuona ana athu komanso zidzukulu zathu zikutumikira Yehova. Timamva ngati mmene mtumwi Yohane amene anali wachikulire anamvera pamene anati: “Palibe chimene chimandisangalatsa kwambiri kuposa kumva kuti ana anga akuyendabe mʼchoonadi.”—3 Yoh. 4.

Panopa tatumikira pa Beteli kwa zaka pafupifupi 30 ndipo ine ndi Emilia timachita zonse zomwe tingathe pa utumiki wathu ngakhale kuti tsiku lililonse timalimbana ndi mavuto chifukwa cha uchikulire komanso matenda a khansa. Pa zaka zonse zimene takhala tikutumikira Yehova, takhala tikukumana ndi mavuto koma timasangalala chifukwa takwanitsa kutumikira “Mulungu wachimwemwe” kwa zaka pafupifupi 70, kuno ku chilumba cha Cuba.—1 Tim. 1:11; Sal. 97:1.