Mu mwaka wa 1913, data witwaga John Mills yabatirijwe mu mugi wa New York afite imyaka 25. Umuvandimwe Russell ni we watanze disikuru y’umubatizo. Bidatinze, papa yagiye mu gihugu cya Tirinite, agezeyo ashakana na Constance Farmer wari Umwigishwa wa Bibiliya warangwaga n’ishyaka. Papa yafashaga inshuti ye William R. Brown kwerekana firimi yavugaga iby’irema. Bakomeje gukora uwo murimo kugeza mu mwaka wa 1923, igihe William R. Brown n’umugore we boherezwaga muri Afurika y’Iburengerazuba. Papa na mama, bombi bakaba bari bafite ibyiringiro byo kuzajya mu ijuru, bakomeje gukorera umurimo muri Tirinite.

Ababyeyi bacu batubyaye turi abana ikenda. Umwana w’imfura bamwise Rutherford, bamwitiriye uwari perezida w’umuryango wa Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Navutse ku itariki ya 30 Ukuboza 1922, banyita Woodworth, banyitiriye Clayton J. Woodworth, wari umwanditsi mukuru wa Nimukanguke! (Icyo gihe yitwaga L’Âge d’Or). Ababyeyi bacu batujyanye mu ishuri, ariko ahanini badushishikarizaga gukorera Yehova. Mama yari afite ubushobozi buhambaye bwo kwemeza yifashishije Ibyanditswe. Papa we yakundaga kutubwira inkuru zo muri Bibiliya, agakora ibimenyetso byinshi by’umubiri kugira ngo tuzumve neza.

Inyigisho baduhaye ntizabaye imfabusa. Iwacu twari abahungu batanu, kandi nge na barumuna bange babiri twize Ishuri rya Gileyadi. Bashiki bange batatu bamaze imyaka myinshi ari abapayiniya muri Tirinite na Tobago. Inyigisho ababyeyi bacu batwigishije n’urugero rwiza baduhaye, byatumye dushinga imizi “mu nzu ya Yehova.” Inkunga baduteye zadufashije gukomeza gukorera Imana turi ‘mu bikari byayo.’—Zab 92:13.

Iwacu ni ho haberaga iteraniro ry’umurimo wo kubwiriza. Abapayiniya barahahuriraga, akenshi bakavuga iby’umumisiyonari wo muri Kanada  wasuye Tirinite witwaga George Young. Ababyeyi bange bakundaga kuvuga iby’umuryango wa Brown, bigeze gukorana umurimo. Ariko icyo gihe Brown n’umugore we bari baragiye gukorera umurimo muri Afurika y’Iburengerazuba. Ibyo byose byatumye mba umubwiriza mfite imyaka icumi gusa.

Muri icyo gihe, amagazeti yacu yavugaga ibintu adaca ku ruhande, agashyira ahabona ibinyoma by’amadini, abacuruzi b’abanyamururumba n’abanyaporitiki b’abahemu. Ibyo byatumye mu mwaka wa 1936, abapadiri boshya uwari guverineri muri Tirinite, ahagarika ibitabo by’umuryango wacu. Twahishe ibyo twari dusigaranye, maze dukomeza kubitanga mu ibanga kugeza igihe byashiriye mu bubiko. Twakoraga ingendo n’amaguru cyangwa ku magare, tukagendera hamwe kuri gahunda dutanga impapuro z’itumira, kandi twabaga twambaye ibyapa. Twe n’itsinda ry’ababwiriza bo mu mugi wa Tunapuna bakoreshaga imodoka yabaga iriho indangururamajwi, twabwirizaga muri uwo mugi no mu turere twitaruye. Byari bishishikaje cyane! Ibyo bikorwa bya gikristo byatumye mbatizwa mfite imyaka 16.

Ibyo ababyeyi bange banyigishije n’umurimo wo kubwiriza nakoze nkiri muto, byatumye nifuza cyane kuba umumisiyonari. Icyo kifuzo nakomeje kukigira kugeza mu mwaka wa 1944, ubwo najyaga mu gihugu cya Aruba ngakorana umurimo n’Umuvandimwe Edmund W. Cummings. Twashimishijwe cyane no kwakira abantu icumi mu Rwibutso rwo mu mwaka wa 1945. Mu mwaka wakurikiyeho, kuri icyo kirwa hashinzwe itorero rya mbere.

Nyuma yaho, nabwirije umuntu twakoranaga witwaga Oris Williams. Oris yangishije impaka nyinshi ashyigikira inyigisho yari yarigishijwe. Icyakora yize Bibiliya, maze abatizwa ku itariki ya 5 Mutarama 1947. Nyuma y’igihe twarakundanye maze turashyingiranwa. Yabaye umupayiniya mu Gushyingo 1950, kandi twakoranye umurimo w’ubupayiniya twishimye.

Mu mwaka wa 1955 twatumiriwe kwiga Ishuri rya Gileyadi. Kugira ngo twitegure iryo shuri, twasezeye ku kazi, tugurisha inzu yacu n’ibintu twari dufite, maze tuva muri Aruba. Ku itariki ya 29 Nyakanga 1956, twashoje Ishuri rya Gileyadi rya 27, twoherezwa muri Nijeriya.

Oris yashubije amaso inyuma, maze aravuga ati: “Umwuka wera ushobora gufasha umuntu kwihanganira ibibazo ahura na byo mu murimo w’ubumisiyonari. Nubwo umugabo wange yifuzaga kuba umumisiyonari, nge sinigeze mbyifuza. Numvaga nagira iwange, nkabyara abana. Ariko maze kumenya ko kubwiriza ubutumwa bwiza byihutirwa, nahinduye uko nabonaga ibintu. Twarangije Ishuri rya Gileyadi niteguye kuba umumisiyonari. Igihe twari mu bwato bwitwaga Queen Mary, Umuvandimwe Worth Thornton wakoraga mu biro by’Umuvandimwe Knorr yaradupepeye, aratubwira ati: ‘Urugendo rwiza!’ Yatubwiye ko twari tugiye gukora kuri Beteli. Nahise nitsa umutima, ndavuga nti: ‘Yebaba wee!’ Ariko sinatinze kubyakira kandi narahakunze cyane. Nakoze imirimo myinshi, ariko nashimishijwe cyane no gukora aho bakirira abantu. Nkunda abantu, kandi uwo murimo watumye mbonana n’abavandimwe benshi bo muri Nijeriya. Abenshi bahageraga buzuye ivumbi, bananiwe, bafite inyota kandi bashonje. Kubitaho, nkabaha ibyo bakeneye, byaranshimishaga. Uwo ni umurimo wera nakoraga kandi waranezezaga cyane.” Mu by’ukuri, inshingano yose twahabwaga, yaduhaga uburyo bwo gukorera Yehova.

Mu mwaka wa 1961, twagiye muri Tirinite. Igihe twasabanaga, Umuvandimwe Brown yatubwiye inkuru zishishikaje zo muri Afurika, nange mbabwira ukuntu muri Nijeriya hari ukwiyongera. Umuvandimwe Brown yamfashe ku rutugu maze abwira papa ati: “Johnny, ntiwakoreye umurimo muri Afurika, ariko Woodworth we yarawuhakoreye!” Papa yaravuze ati: “Komereza aho mwana wa! Komereza aho rwose!” Izo nkunga twatewe n’abantu bari bamaze igihe kirekire bakorera  Yehova, zatumye dukomeza gukora neza umurimo wacu.

Mu mwaka wa 1962, nongeye kwiga Ishuri rya Gileyadi rya 37 ryamaze amezi icumi. Umuvandimwe Wilfred Gooch, wari umugenzuzi w’ibiro by’ishami muri Nijeriya, yize Ishuri rya Gileyadi rya 38, arirangije yoherezwa mu Bwongereza. Nahise musimbura. Niganye Umuvandimwe Brown, nange nkajya nkora ingendo nyinshi nsura abavandimwe bo muri Nijeriya, ndabamenya kandi ndabakunda. Nubwo babaga bakennye ugereranyije n’abavandimwe bo mu bihugu byateye imbere, babaga bishimye kandi banyuzwe. Ibyo bigaragaza ko ibyishimo nyakuri bidaturuka ku mafaranga cyangwa ku byo umuntu atunze. Wabonaga bafite isuku, kandi mu materaniro babaga bambaye mu buryo bwiyubashye. Iyo babaga bagiye mu makoraniro, abenshi bagendaga mu makamyo no mu zindi modoka zikorerwa muri Nijeriya zitwa bolekajas. * Inshuro nyinshi, kuri izo modoka habaga handitseho amagambo ashishikaje. Urugero, hari imwe yari yanditseho ngo: “Nta mugabo umwe!”

Ayo magambo ni ukuri rwose! Nge na Oris dufatanyije n’abavandimwe bo muri Nijeriya twageze kuri byinshi. Mu mwaka wa 1974, Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika na Nijeriya ni byo bihugu byonyine byari bifite ababwiriza bagera ku 100.000. Ababwiriza bariyongeraga cyane!

Kuva mu mwaka wa 1967 kugeza mu wa 1970, muri Nijeriya hari intambara ariko ntiyabujije umurimo gutera imbere. Abavandimwe bo mu karere ka Biafra ko hakurya y’Uruzi rwa Nijeri, bamaze amezi runaka badashobora gushyikirana n’ibiro by’ishami. Twagombaga kubashyira amafunguro yo mu buryo bw’umwuka. Nk’uko nabivuze ngitangira, gusenga Yehova no kumwiringira byadufashije kwambuka urwo ruzi inshuro nyinshi.

Ndakibuka ingendo ziteje akaga twakoraga twambuka Uruzi rwa Nijeri, aho twabaga dushobora kwicwa n’abasirikare bari bafite inyota yo kumena amaraso, tukaba twakwandura indwara cyangwa tugahura n’ibindi bibazo. Kurenga bariyeri z’abasirikare ba leta ntibyari byoroshye, ariko mu karere ka Biafra ho byari ibindi bindi. Igihe kimwe nambutse Uruzi rwa Nijeri ari nijoro ndi mu bwato buto, mva ahantu hitwa Asaba ngera ahitwa Onitsha, njya no gutera inkunga abagenzuzi b’ahitwa Enugu. Ikindi gihe nateye inkunga abasaza bo mu gace ka Aba, aho abantu batari bemerewe gucana amatara nijoro. Igihe twari mu gace ka Port Harcourt, twashoje amateraniro hutihuti n’isengesho, kubera ko ingabo za leta zari zagabye igitero mu karere ka Biafra.

Amateraniro nk’ayo yari ay’ingenzi cyane kuko yizezaga abavandimwe ko Yehova abakunda, akanabitaho. Nanone yabafashaga kwibuka ko bagomba kunga ubumwe, ntibagire aho babogamira. Abavandimwe bo muri Nijeriya bitwaye neza muri ibyo bihe bikomeye. Urukundo rwabafashije kunga ubumwe batitaye ku moko bakomokamo. Twishimiye kuba twari kumwe na bo muri ibyo bigeragezo.

Mu mwaka wa 1969, habaye ikoraniro mpuzamahanga ryari rifite umutwe uvuga ngo: “Amahoro ku isi,” ribera i Yankee Stadium, muri leta ya New York. Umuvandimwe Milton G. Henschel ni we wari urihagarariye, kandi namwigiyeho byinshi kuko nari mwungirije. Ibyo byaramfashije cyane kubera ko mu mwaka wa 1970, i Lagos muri Nijeriya twagize ikoraniro mpuzamahanga ryari rifite umutwe uvuga ngo: “Abantu Imana yishimira.” Kubera ko ari bwo twari tukiva mu ntambara, Yehova ni we wadufashije atuma iryo koraniro rigenda neza. Ryabaye mu ndimi 17, haterana abantu 121.128. Umuvandimwe Knorr na Henschel n’abandi bashyitsi bari baturutse muri Amerika no mu Bwongereza biboneye abantu bagera ku 3.775 babatizwa. Aho ni hamwe mu hantu habatijwe abantu benshi cyane uhereye kuri Pentekote. Igihe twateguraga iryo koraniro ni bwo nagize akazi kenshi. Icyo gihe ababwiriza bariyongeraga cyane!

Mu myaka isaga 30 namaze muri Nijeriya, najyaga nsura amatorero cyangwa ngasura ibiro by’amashami byo muri Afurika y’Iburengerazuba. Abamisiyonari bishimiraga cyane ko bitabwagaho buri wese ku giti ke kandi bagaterwa inkunga.  Kubizeza ko bafite agaciro byabaga ari ibintu bishimishije. Uwo murimo wanyigishije ko kwita ku bantu bibafasha gukomeza gukorera Yehova, bagashikama kandi bakunga ubumwe.

Yehova ni we wadufashije guhangana n’ibibazo twahuye na byo bitewe n’intambara n’uburwayi. Buri gihe twiboneraga imigisha ye. Oris yaravuze ati:

“Twarwaye malariya kenshi. Hari ubwo bajyanye Worth mu bitaro i Lagos ari muri koma. Bambwiraga ko ashobora gupfa ariko yongeye kuzanzamuka. Amaze kugarura akenge, yabwirije umuforomo wamwitagaho. Nyuma yaho, nge na Worth twagiye gusura uwo muforomo witwaga Nwambiwe, kugira ngo dukomeze kumwigisha Bibiliya. Yabaye Umuhamya wa Yehova, nyuma yaho aba umusaza w’itorero mu gace ka Aba. Nange nafashije abantu benshi, harimo n’Abisilamu bari bakomeye ku idini, biyegurira Yehova. Icyadushimishije kurushaho, ni uko twamenyanye n’abavandimwe bacu bo muri Nijeriya, tukabakunda, tugakunda umuco wabo n’ururimi rwabo.”

Dore irindi somo twize: Kugira ngo dusohoze neza inshingano mu ifasi y’amahanga, twagombaga gukunda abavandimwe na bashiki bacu nubwo tudahuje umuco.

Mu mwaka wa 1987 twavuye kuri Beteli yo muri Nijeriya, tujya kuba abamisiyonari ku kirwa kiza cyane cya Sainte-Lucie muri Karayibe. Iyo nshingano yari ishimishije cyane, ariko twahuye n’ibibazo byihariye. Abagabo bo muri Afurika bashakaga abagore benshi, ariko muri Sainte-Lucie ho, abagabo babanaga n’abagore batarasezeranye. Imbaraga z’Ijambo ry’Imana zafashije abantu benshi bigaga Bibiliya, barahinduka.

Mu mwaka wa 2005, Inteko Nyobozi yatwimuriye ku kicaro gikuru i Brooklyn muri leta ya New York muri Amerika, kubera iza bukuru. Buri munsi nshimira Yehova ko yampaye Oris. Yapfuye mu mwaka wa 2015. Kumubura byanshenguye umutima. Yari umugore udasanzwe, ukunda kandi agakundwa. Twamaranye imyaka 68, kandi naramukundaga cyane. Twabonye ko ibanga ry’ibyishimo, haba mu muryango cyangwa mu itorero, ari ukubaha ubutware, kubabarirana, kwicisha bugufi no kugaragaza imbuto z’umwuka.

Iyo twahuraga n’ibiduca intege, twasengaga Yehova ngo adufashe gukomeza kumukorera. Uko twakomezaga kwemera ko Yehova adukosora, twiboneraga ko ibintu byagendaga biba byiza kandi twazirikanaga ko mu gihe kiri imbere tuzabona ibyiza bihebuje.—Yes 60:17; 2 Kor 13:11.

Yehova yahaye umugisha umurimo ababyeyi bange n’abandi bakoreye muri Tirinite na Tobago. Raporo iherutse gusohoka igaragaza ko ubu hari Abahamya bagera ku 9.892. Nanone hari abantu benshi bagize uruhare mu gutuma itorero nabayemo muri Aruba rikomera, none risigaye rifite ababwiriza benshi. Ubu kuri icyo kirwa hari amatorero 14 ameze neza. Muri Nijeriya ho ababwiriza bariyongereye cyane bagera ku 381.398. Naho ku kirwa cya Sainte-Lucie hari Abahamya 783.

Ubu mfite imyaka isaga 90. Muri Zaburi ya 92:14 havuga ko abatewe mu nzu ya Yehova “bazakomeza gusagamba no mu gihe bazaba bameze imvi” kandi ko “bazakomeza gushisha no kugira amagara mazima.” Nishimira cyane ko nakoreye Yehova ubuzima bwange bwose. Umurage wa gikristo nahawe watumye nkorera Yehova mu buryo bwuzuye. Yehova yangaragarije urukundo rudahemuka, anyemerera ‘kurabya uburabyo mu bikari by’Imana yange’.—Zab 92:13.