“BABA,” “SEKURU.” Aya ndiwo mashevedzerwo andinowanzoitwa nevechidiki vakawanda paBheteri. Semunhu avawo nemakore 89 izvozvo ndinozvifarira. Ndinoona izvozvo semumwe mubayiro wekushumira kwandaita Jehovha kwemakore 72 mubasa renguva yakazara. Uye ndichitarisa zvandasangana nazvo pakushumira Mwari, ndinogona kuudza vechidiki ava nemwoyo wese kuti, ‘Basa renyu richapiwa mubayiro kana mukasashayisa maoko enyu simba.’​—2 Mak. 15:7.

Vabereki vangu vakatamira kuCanada vachibva kuUkraine. Vakanogara mutaundi reRossburn mupurovhinzi yeManitoba. Amai vangu vakabereka vakomana 8 nevasikana 8. Hapana mapatya uye ini ndiri wechi14. Baba vaifarira Bhaibheri uye vaitiverengera Bhaibheri Svondo yega yega ari mangwanani, asi vaiona zvechitendero senzira yekutsvaga nayo mari uye vaiwanzotaura vachiseka kuti, “Hamheno kuti Jesu aibhadharwa naani paaiparidza nekudzidzisa?”

Vana 8 vemumba medu, vakomana 4 nevasikana 4, vakazogamuchira chokwadi. Hanzvadzi yangu Rose akapayona kusvikira paakazofa. Mumazuva ake ekupedzisira aikurudzira munhu wese kuti ateerere Shoko raMwari achiti, “Ndinoda kuzokuonai munyika itsva.” Mukoma wangu Ted aimboparidza nezvehero yemoto. Mangwanani ega ega emusi weSvondo aiparidza paredhiyo, achidzokorora zvakasimba kuvateereri vake kuti vatadzi vachapiswa nekusingaperi mumoto wehero. Asi akazova mushumiri waJehovha akatendeka uye aishingaira.

Rimwe zuva muna June 1944 pandakasvika pamba ndichibva kuchikoro, ndakawana patafura yemuimba yekudyira paine kabhuku kainzi The Coming World Regeneration. * Ndakaverenga peji yekutanga ndikaenda pane yechipiri ndokupedzisira ndangoverenga kese. Pandakakapedza, ndakabva ndasarudza kushumira Jehovha sezvaiitwa naJesu.

Kabhuku kacho kakasvika sei patafura yedu? Mukoma wangu Steve akandiudza kuti pane varume vaviri vaitengesa mabhuku vainge vambosvika pamba pedu. Akati, “Ndatenga ako nekuti kakachipa.” Varume vacho vakazodzoka musi weSvondo wakatevera. Vakatiudza kuti vaiva Zvapupu  zvaJehovha uye kuti vaishandisa Bhaibheri pakupindura mibvunzo yaiva nevanhu. Izvozvo takazvifarira nekuti vabereki vedu vainge vatidzidzisa kuremekedza Shoko raMwari. Varume vacho vakatiudzawo kuti pasina nguva Zvapupu zvaizova negungano muWinnipeg, guta raigara hanzvadzi yangu Elsie. Ndakasarudza kupinda gungano racho.

Ndakachovha bhasikoro rangu kwemakiromita anenge 320 ndakananga kuWinnipeg asi ndakambomira mutaundi reKelwood maigara Zvapupu zviviri zvainge zvambotishanyira. Pandaiva muKelwood ndakapinda musangano uye ndakadzidza kuti chii chinonzi ungano. Ndakadzidzawo kuti munhu wese, angava wechidiki, murume kana mukadzi, anofanira kudzidzisa paimba neimba, sezvaiita Jesu.

MuWinnipeg, ndakasangana nemukoma wangu Jack, uyo ainge auya kugungano racho achibva kuOntario iri nechekuchamhembe. Pazuva rekutanga regungano, imwe hama yakazivisa kuti paizova nerubhabhatidzo. Ini naJack takasarudza kubhabhatidzwa pagungano iroro. Tese taida chaizvo kutanga kupayona tichangobva kubhabhatidzwa. Jack akatanga basa renguva yakazara tichangobva kugungano. Ini ndaiva nemakore 16 uye ndaifanira kudzokera kuchikoro, asi gore rakatevera racho ndakavawo piyona wenguva dzose.

Ini naStan Nicolson, takatanga kupayona muSouris, taundi raiva mupurovhinzi yeManitoba. Pasina nguva ndakaona kuti kupayona kunombooma. Mari yedu yaipera zvishoma nezvishoma, asi takaramba tichiparidza. Rimwe zuva patakaswera tichiparidza takasvika pamba tiine nzara isingaiti uye tisina kana mari. Takaita setiri kurota patakaona zisaga raiva nezvekudya riri padhoo pedu. Nanhasi hatizivi kuti ndiani akariisa ipapo. Manheru iwayo takadya semadzimambo. Waiva mubayiro wakazonaka wekusarega maoko edu achishayiwa simba. Pakapera mwedzi iwoyo, ndainge ndasimba zvandainge ndisati ndamboita muupenyu hwangu.

Papera mwedzi mishoma, takanzi tiende kunoshanda mutaundi reGilbert Plains, raiva makiromita anenge 240 kuchamhembe kweSouris. Mumazuva iwayo, ungano imwe neimwe yaiva nechati yakakura pachikuva yairatidza zvainge zvaitwa neungano muushumiri mwedzi wega wega. Basa reushumiri parakadzikira mumwe mwedzi, ndakapa hurukuro muungano yaisimbisa kuti hama nehanzvadzi dzaifanira kuita zviri nani. Pakapera musangano wacho, imwe hanzvadzi yechikuru yaipayona, iyo yaiva nemurume aisava Chapupu yakandiudza ichisvimha misodzi kuti, “Ndakaedza, asi ndakatadza kuita zvinopfuura ipapo.” Iniwo ndakabva ndatanga kuchema, uye ndakakumbira ruregerero.

Zviri nyore kuti hama dzechidiki dzichiine simba dziite chikanganiso sezvandakamboita dzobva dzazozvidemba. Asi ndakadzidza kuti pane kurega zvikanganiso zvako zvichikuodza mwoyo, unofanira kudzidza pazviri. Ukaramba wakatendeka unopiwa mubayiro.

Yaiva ropafadzo yakakura kwandiri kuti ndipinde kirasi yechi14 yeChikoro cheGiriyedhi ndiine makore 21, uye takapedza muna February 1950. Pavanhu 103 vaiva mukirasi yangu, vanenge 25 vakaendeswa kupurovhinzi yeQuebec muCanada kwaitaurwa chiFrench, uko kwaitambudzwa chaizvo Zvapupu. Ndakanzi ndiende kuVal-d’Or, taundi rinocherwa goridhe. Rimwe zuva, takaenda tiri boka kunoparidza mumusha weVal-Senneville. Mupristi aiva munharaunda yacho akatiudza kuti taizorohwa kana tikasabva munzvimbo macho nekukurumidza. Nyaya yacho yakaenda kudare redzimhosva uye mupristi wacho akabhadhariswa faindi. *

Chiitiko ichocho nezvimwe zvakadaro zvaibatanidzwa muhondo yataiva nayo muQuebec. Kwemakore anopfuura 300 chechi yeRoma yaiva nesimba mupurovhinzi iyi. Vafundisi nevezvematongerwo enyika vaitambudza Zvapupu zvaJehovha. Yaiva nguva yakaoma uye  taiva vashoma, asi hatina kurega maoko edu achishayiwa simba. Vanhu vaifarira chokwadi muQuebec vaibvuma kudzidza Bhaibheri. Ndakadzidza nevanhu vakati kuti vakazogamuchira chokwadi. Ndaiva nechimwe chidzidzo cheBhaibheri chaiva nevanhu 10 vemumhuri imwe chete. Vese vakatanga kushumira Jehovha. Ushingi hwavo hwakakurudzira vamwe kuti vasiye chechi yeRoma. Takaramba tichiparidza uye pakupedzisira takakunda hondo yacho.

Muna 1956 ndakanzi ndiende kunoshumira kuHaiti. Raiva basa chairo kuti mamishinari matsva adzidze chiFrench, asi vanhu vaingoteerera. Stanley Boggus akati: “Takashamiswa kuti vanhu vaiedza zvese zvavaigona kuti vatibatsire kutaura zvataida kutaura.” Pakutanga zvaiva nani kwandiri nekuti ndakanga ndadzidza chiFrench ndiri muQuebec. Asi pasina nguva takaona kuti hama dzakawanda dzemunyika macho dzaitaura Haitian Creole chete. Saka isu mamishinari taifanira kudzidza mutauro wemunyika macho kuti tibudirire pabasa redu. Ndizvo zvatakaita uye takawana mubayiro.

Kuti hama dziwedzere kubatsirwa, Dare Rinotungamirira rakabvumira kuti Nharireyomurindi nemamwe mabhuku zvishandurirwe mumutauro weHaitian Creole. Vanhu vaipinda misangano vakawedzera nekukurumidza munyika yese. Muna 1950 muHaiti maiva nevaparidzi 99, asi pakazosvika gore ra1960 vakanga vava kupfuura 800. Panguva iyoyo ndakanzi ndinoshanda paBheteri. Muna 1961, ndakaitisa Chikoro Choushumiri hwoUmambo. Takadzidzisa vakuru nemapiyona chaiwo 40. Pagungano rakaitwa muna January 1962, takakurudzira hama dzaikodzera kuti dziwedzere ushumiri hwadzo, uye vamwe vavo vakagadzwa kuti vave mapiyona chaiwo. Izvi zvakaitika panguva yakakodzera nekuti pasina nguva basa redu rakatanga kupikiswa.

Musi wa23 January 1962, gungano richangopera, ini nemumishinari ainzi Andrew D’Amico takasungwa tiri pahofisi yebazi uye magazini eMukai! aJanuary 8, 1962 (echiFrench), akatorwa. Magazini yeMukai! yainge yataura zvaiva mumapepanhau echiFrench ayo akati  muHaiti maiitwa zvemashiripiti. Vamwe havana kufarira mashoko iwayo uye vakataura kuti tisu tainge tanyora nyaya yacho pabazi. Papera mavhiki mashoma mamishinari akabudiswa munyika macho. * Asi hama dzemunyika macho dzainge dzadzidziswa dzakaenderera mberi nebasa. Mazuva ano, ndinofara pamwe chete navo nekutsungirira kwavakaita uye kufambira mberi kwavakaita pakunamata. Iye zvino vatova neShanduro yeNyika Itsva yeMagwaro Matsvene muHaitian Creole, uye hatina kumbobvira tafungidzira kuti izvozvo zvaizoitika.

Pandakabva muHaiti, ndakanzi ndinoshumira semumishinari muCentral African Republic. Pava paya, ndakashumira semutariri anofambira ndokuzoshumirawo semutariri webazi.

Mumazuva iwayo, Dzimba dzeUmambo dzakawanda dzakanga dzisina kutsarukana. Ndakadzidzira kucheka uswa uye kupfirira dzimba. Vanhu vaipfuura vaishamisika pavaiona ndichitamburira kuita basa iri. Zvakakurudzirawo hama kuti dziwedzere kuita basa rekuvaka uye kugadziridza Dzimba dzeUmambo. Vatungamiriri vezvitendero vaitiseka nekuti machechi avo aiva nematenga emarata. Tisingadzokeri shure, takaramba tichishandisa Dzimba dzeUmambo dzaiva nematenga euswa. Hatina kuzombosekwa kubvira pakaitika dutu rakakura muguta guru reBangui. Dutu racho rakatakura denga reimwe chechi ndokurikanda mumugwagwa mukuru. Matenga euswa eDzimba dzedu dzeUmambo haana kuparadzwa. Kuti basa reUmambo rinyatsofamba zvakanaka, takavaka hofisi yebazi uye imba yemamishinari mumwedzi mishanu chete. *

Muna 1976 basa reUmambo rakabhanwa muCentral African Republic, uye ndakanzi ndiende kuN’Djamena, guta guru reChad. Ikoko ndakasangana naHappy, piyona chaiye aishingaira, uyo aibva kuCameroon. Takachata musi wa1 April, 1978. Mwedzi iwoyo, hondo yakatanga uye takatizira kumaodzanyemba kwenyika yacho sezvaingoitawo vamwe. Hondo payakapera, takadzoka uye takaona kuti imba yedu yainge yambogarwa nechimwe chikwata chaiva nezvombo. Mabhuku edu, dhirezi raHappy remuchato uyewo zvipo zvatakapiwa pamuchato zvakanga zvatorwa. Asi hatina kurega maoko edu achishayiwa simba. Isu tiri vaviri taiva vapenyu uye taitarisira kuenderera mberi nebasa.

Papera makore anenge maviri, basa redu rakatanga kubvumirwa muCentral African Republic. Takadzokera ikoko ndokuita basa rekufambira. Taigara mumotokari yaiva nemubhedha waipetwa, dhiramu raitakura marita 200 emvura, firiji yegasi nechitofu chegasi. Kufamba kwaisava nyore. Pane rumwe rwendo, takamiswa nemapurisa kanopfuura ka117.

Kunze kwaiwanzopisa zvekusvika madhigirii 50. Dzimwe nguva zvaisava nyore kuwana mvura yakakwana yekubhabhatidza vanhu pamagungano. Saka hama dzaifukura murwizi mainge makaoma uye zvishoma nezvishoma dzaichera mvura yaikwana kubhabhatidza vanhu, uko kwaiwanzoitirwa mudhiramu.

Muna 1980 takanzi tiende kuNigeria. Kwemakore maviri nehafu, takabatsira pakugadzirira kuvakwa kwehofisi yebazi itsva. Hama dzakanga dzatenga imba yekuchengetera zvinhu yaiva nenhurikidzwa mbiri iyo yaifanira kubviswa payaiva yovakwazve panzvimbo yedu. Mumwe musi ari mangwanani, ndakakwira pamusoro pechivako chacho kuti ndibatsirewo. Ava kuda kusvika masikati, ndakatanga kudzika nepandakanga ndakwira napo. Asi pandakadzika napo pakanga papazwa, saka ndakashaya pekutsika ndokubva ndadonha. Zvaiita sekuti ndainge ndakuvara chaizvo asi pandakatorwa ekisireyi uye pandakaongororwa, chiremba akaudza Happy kuti asanetseka uye kuti paizopera vhiki ndainge ndapora.

 Muna 1986 takatamira kuCôte d’Ivoire, kwatakanoita basa rekufambira. Basa iri rakaita kuti tisvike kuBurkina Faso. Handina kumbofungidzira kuti nekufamba kwemakore taizoti garei muBurkina Faso.

Ndakabva kuCanada muna 1956, asi muna 2003, pashure pemakore 47 ndakadzokera kuCanada ndava naHappy uye takatanga kushumira paBheteri. Pazvitupa zvedu taiva zvizvarwa zveCanada, asi taiona sekuti taiva vekuAfrica.

Muna 2007, pandakanga ndava nemakore 79 takadzokera kuAfrica. Takanzi tiende kuBurkina Faso, kwandakanoshumira muDare Rinoona Nezvebasa Munyika. Nzvimbo yataishandisa yakazoitwa hofisi yeshanduro yaiva pasi pebazi reBenin uye muna August 2013, takanzi tinoshumira paBheteri muBenin.

Pasinei nekuti ndinonetseka neutano, ushumiri huchiri pamwoyo pangu. Ndichibatsirwa nevakuru nemudzimai wangu, mumakore matatu apfuura ndakafara kuona vadzidzi vangu veBhaibheri, Gédéon naFrégis, vachibhabhatidzwa. Vava kushingaira pakushumira Jehovha.

Pari zvino, ini nemudzimai wangu tiri kushumira pabazi reSouth Africa kwandiri kubatsirwa nemhuri yeBheteri pane zveutano. South Africa ndiyo nyika yechi7 yandashumira muAfrica. Muna October 2017, takawana chikomborero chakakura chaizvo. Takakwanisa kupinda musangano wekutsaurirwa kwemahofisi edu makuru kuWarwick, New York. Hatimbokanganwi chiitiko ichocho.

Bhuku Regore ra1994 papeji 255, rinoti: “Kune vese vakatsungirira mubasa kwemakore akawanda, tinoti: ‘Shingai uye musashayisa maoko enyu simba, nokuti basa renyu richapiwa mubayiro.’​—2 Mak. 15:7.” Ini naHappy takatsunga kuramba tichiteerera mashoko aya uye kukurudzira vamwe kuti vaitewo saizvozvo.