NNAZAALIBWA mu 1926 ku kyalo ekiyitibwa Karítsa eky’omu Buyonaani. Baatuzaala abaana munaana era nze nnali omwana ow’omusanvu. Bazadde baffe baali bakozi nnyo.

Mu 1925, John Papparizos, omuweereza wa Yakuwa eyali omunyiikivu ennyo era eyali ayogerayogera ennyo, yabuulira bazadde bange ku bubaka obuli mu Bayibuli. Olw’okuba bazadde bange baakwatibwa olw’engeri John gye yali annyonnyolamu Ebyawandiikibwa, baatandika okugendanga mu nkuŋŋaana z’Abayizi ba Bayibuli, kati abayitibwa Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa. Maama wange yalina okukkiriza okunywevu era wadde nga yali tamanyi kusoma, yakozesanga buli kakisa ke yafunanga okubuulirako abalala. Eky’ennaku, taata wange yatunuuliranga nnyo obutali butuukirivu bw’abalala era ekyavaamu yalekera awo okugenda mu nkuŋŋaana.

Nze ne bagamba bange twali twagala nnyo Bayibuli naye bwe twavubuka amasanyu g’omu buvubuka ne gatuwugula. Mu 1939, Ssematalo II bwe yali agenda mu maaso mu Bulaaya, waliwo ekintu ekyaliwo ku kyalo kyaffe ekyatukwatako ennyo. Muliraanwa waffe Nicolas Psarras, omwana wa taata waffe omuto, eyali yaakabatizibwa yayitibwa okugenda okuyingira eggye lya Buyonaani. Nicolas, mu kiseera ekyo eyalina emyaka 20, yagamba abakulu b’amagye nti, “Sisobola kulwana kubanga nze ndi musirikale wa Kristo.” Baamutwala ne bamuwozesa mu kkooti y’amagye era ne bamusalira ekibonerezo kya kusibibwa emyaka kkumi. Ekyo kyatwewuunyisa nnyo!

Eky’essanyu, ku ntandikwa ya 1941, amagye ag’omukago gaayingira mu Buyonaani era Nicolas n’ateebwa. Nicolas yakomawo e Karítsa, era Ilias muganda wange omukulu n’amubuuza ebibuuzo bingi ebikwata ku Bayibuli. Nnawulirizanga bulungi nga Nicolas addamu ebibuuzo ebyo. Oluvannyuma, nze, Ilias, ne Efmorfia mwannyinaffe omuto, twatandika okuyiga Bayibuli n’okugendanga mu nkuŋŋaana z’Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa obutayosa. Omwaka ogwaddako, ffenna abasatu twewaayo eri Yakuwa era ne tubatizibwa. Oluvannyuma  ne baganda baffe abalala abana nabo baafuuka baweereza ba Yakuwa abeesigwa.

Mu 1942, ekibiina ky’e Karítsa kyalimu abavubuka abalenzi n’abawala mwenda abaali wakati w’emyaka 15 ne 25. Ffenna twali tukimanyi nti tujja kwolekagana n’okugezesebwa okw’amaanyi. N’olwekyo, okusobola okwenyweza mu by’omwoyo, twafunangayo akadde okubeerako awamu ne tusomera wamu Bayibuli, ne tuyimba ennyimba z’Obwakabaka, era ne tusabira wamu. Ekyo kyatuyamba okunywera mu by’omwoyo.

Ssematalo II bwe yali akomekkerezebwa, ab’ekibiina kya nnaakalyako ani mu Buyonaani baajeemera gavumenti ya Buyonaani era ekyo ne kireetawo olutalo olw’amaanyi. Abayeekera abo baalumbanga ebyalo ne bawaliriza abantu okubeegattako. Bwe baalumba ekyalo kyaffe, baawamba abavubuka basatu Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa, omwali Antonio Tsoukaris, Ilias, nange. Twabagamba nti ffe tuli Bakristaayo era nti tetwenyigira mu ntalo; naye baatukaka okutambula okumala essaawa nga 12 okuva ku kyalo kyaffe okutuuka ku Lusozi Olympus.

Oluvannyuma, omu ku bakulu b’abayeekera abo yatugamba twegatte ku kibinja ekyalinga kirumba ebyalo. Bwe twamugamba nti Abakristaayo ab’amazima tebakwata bya kulwanyisa kutta bantu bannaabwe, yanyiiga nnyo era n’atutwala eri omukulu w’abayeekera omulala eyali amusingako eddaala. Omukulu oyo bwe twamubuulira ennyimirira yaffe, yatugamba nti, “Kale mutwale ennyumbu muteekengako abo ababa bafunye ebisago mu ddwaniro, mubatwale mu ddwaliro.”

Twamuddamu nti: “Naye watya singa abasirikale ba gavumenti batukwata? Tebaakitwale nti naffe tuli bajaasi?” Yatuddamu nti: “Kati nno mutwalirenga abajaasi abali mu ddwaniro emmere.” Twamuddamu nti: “Naye watya singa omu ku baduumizi atulaba n’ennyumbu n’atulagira okutwalira abajaasi abali mu ddwaniro ebyokulwanyisa?” Omukulu w’eggye yamala akaseera ng’afumiitiriza, oluvannyuma n’atugamba nti: “Ndowooza musobola okulunda endiga! Musigale wano ku lusozi mulunde endiga.”

Olutalo bwe lwali lugenda mu maaso, twakiraba nti omuntu waffe ow’omunda yali atukkiriza okulunda endiga. Nga wayise omwaka gumu, Ilias, muganda waffe omukulu yakkirizibwa okuddayo eka alabirire maama waffe mu kiseera ekyo eyali afuuse nnamwandu. Ate ye Antonio yalwala n’ateebwa, bwe ntyo ne nsigala nzekka mu buwambe.

Amagye ga Buyonaani gaagenda gamala abayeekera amaanyi. Ekibinja ky’abayeekera ekyali kituwambye, kyadduka ne kyolekera ebitundu by’ensozi eziriranye ensi ya Albania. Bwe twali tunaatera okutuuka ku nsalo ya Buyonaani ne Albania, abajaasi ba Buyonaani baatuzingiza era abayeekera ne babuna emiwabo. Nze nneekweka emabega w’omuti ogwali gwagwa, ne nneesanga mu mbeera gye njogeddeko ku ntandikwa.

Bwe nnagamba abasirikale ba gavumenti nti abayeekera baali bampambye, abasirikale abo bantwala okumbuuza ebibuuzo mu nkambi y’amagye eyali okumpi ne Véroia, mu Bayibuli ekiyitibwa Beroya. Oluvannyuma bandagira okusima emifulejje abasirikale gye bandyekweseemu. Bwe nnagaana okugisima, omuduumizi w’amagye yalagira ntwalibwe ku kizinga ky’e Makrónisos (Makronisi) abantu bangi kye baali batya ennyo.

Ekizinga Makrónisos, kyonna lwazi lwereere era kikalu nnyo. Kisangibwa kumpi n’omwalo gw’e Attica, mayiro nga 30 okuva mu kibuga Athens. Ekizinga ekyo obuwanvu kiweza mayiro nga munaana ate obugazi tekiweza na kitundu kya mayiro. Kyokka wakati w’omwaka gwa 1947 ne 1958, ekizinga ekyo kyaliko abasibe abasukka mu 100,000, nga muno mwe mwali abayeekera b’ekibiina kya nnaakalyako ani, abo abaali bateeberezebwa okuba abayeekera, n’Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa bangi.

We nnatuukira ku kizinga ekyo mu 1949, abasibe baali baateekebwa mu bibinja eby’enjawulo. Nange banteeka mu kibinja ekimu omwali abasajja abawerako. Nze n’abasajja abalala nga 40 twasulanga ku ttaka mu weema eyalina okubeeramu abantu 10. Amazzi ge baatuwanga okunywa gaabanga mabi era nga gawunya ekivundu, era ebiseera ebisinga twalyanga mpindi na bbiriŋŋanya. Enfuufu n’empewo ey’amaanyi byaleetera obulamu ku kizinga ekyo okuba obuzibu ennyo. Naye ekirungi tetwalagirwa kusindika gayinja aganene okumala essaawa eziwera, ng’abamu ku basibe bwe baabakolanga, ekintu ekyabaviirangako okunafuwa n’okwennyamira ennyo.

Lumu bwe nnali ntambulira ku lubalama lw’ekizinga ekyo, nnasisinkana Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa abaali babeera mu bibinja ebirala. Kyatusanyusa nnyo okusisinkana! Okuva olwo twatandika okusisinkananga, naye nga twegendereza nnyo baleme okutugwamu. Ate era twabuulirangako n’abasibe abalala, naye nga tukikola mu ngeri ey’amagezi. Abamu ku basibe abo oluvannyuma baafuuka Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa. Okusisinkanangako awamu, okubuulira, awamu n’okusaba byatunyweza nnyo mu by’omwoyo.

Oluvannyuma lw’emyezi kkumi nga ndi ku kizinga, baŋŋamba nti ekiseera kyali kituuse nnyambale ekyambalo ky’amagye. Bwe nnagaana, bampalaawala ne bantwala mu maaso g’ow’amagye eyali alabirira ekibinja kye nnalimu. Nnamukwasa ekiwandiiko ekyali kigamba nti, “Nze njagala kuba musirikale wa Kristo yekka.” Oluvannyuma lw’okuntiisatiisa, omusirakale oyo yankwasa oyo eyali amuddirira mu buyinza era ng’ono yali bisopu w’Abasoddookisi eyali ayambadde egganduula. Bwe nnaddamu ebibuuzo bye nga nkozesa Ebyawandiikibwa, yanyiiga nnyo era n’agamba nti: “Ono nnalukalala. Mumuggyeewo mumutwale!”

Olunaku olwaddako, abasirikale era baddamu okundagira okwambala ekyambalo ky’amagye. Bwe nnagaana, bankuba ebikonde era ne bankuba ne bbatuuni. Oluvannyuma bantwala mu ddwaliro ery’oku kizinga okunkebera okulaba obanga amagumba gange gaali tegamenyese, era bwe baamala banzizaayo mu weema mwe twali tusula. Ekyo baakikola okumala emyezi ebiri.

Olw’okuba nnagaana okwekkiriranya, abasirikale baayiiya amagezi amalala. Bansiba akandooya, ne batandika okunkuba ebigere nga bakozesa emiguwa. Mu butuufu bankuba nnyo. Nga ndi mu bulumi obw’amaanyi, nnajjukira ebigambo bya Yesu bino: “Mulina essanyu abantu bwe babavumanga [era] bwe babayigganyanga . . . Musanyuke era mujaguze, kubanga empeera yammwe nnene mu ggulu; kubanga bwe batyo bwe baayigganya bannabbi abaabasookawo.” (Mat. 5:11, 12) Oluvannyuma, nnazirika.

Nnagenda okudda engulu nga ndi mu kasenge akannyogoga ennyo nga sirina kya kulya, kya kunywa, wadde eky’okwebikka. Wadde kyali kityo, nnawulira emirembe mu mutima. Nga Bayibuli bw’egamba, ‘emirembe gya Katonda gyakuuma omutima gwange n’ebirowoozo byange.’ (Baf. 4:7) Olunaku olwaddako, omusirikale omu yankwatirwa ekisa n’ampa emmere, amazzi, n’ekikooti eky’okwambala. Ate omusirikale omulala yampanga ku mmere ye. Ebintu ebyo awamu n’ebirala bingi byandaga nti ddala Yakuwa yali anfaako.

Ab’obuyinza baali bantwala ng’omuyeekera ow’omutwe omunene, era baasalawo okunsindika mu kkooti y’amagye ey’omu Athens. Oluvannyuma lw’okumpozesa, bansalira ekibonerezo kya kusibibwa emyaka esatu mu kkomera ly’e Yíaros (Gyaros), ekizinga ekisangibwa mayiro nga 30 okuva e Makrónisos.

Ekkomera ly’e Yíaros lyaliko bbugwe omunene gwe baali baazimbisa amatoffaali amamyufu era lyalimu abasibe abasukka mu 5,000 abaali basibiddwa olw’ensonga ezeekuusa ku by’obufuzi. Ekkomera eryo era lyalimu Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa musanvu abaali basibiddwa olw’okugaana okwenyigira mu by’obufuzi. Wadde nga kyali tekikkirizibwa, ffenna omusanvu  twakuŋŋananga mu nkukutu okusoma Bayibuli. Era twafunanga ne magazini z’Omunaala gw’Omukuumi, ezaabanga zikukusiddwa ne zitutuusibwako. Oluvannyuma twazikoppololanga era ne tuzikozesa mu nkuŋŋaana zaffe.

Lumu bwe twali tukuŋŋaanye wamu, omu ku bakuumi b’ekkomera yatusanga n’atuggyako ebitabo byaffe. Twatwalibwa mu ofiisi y’omumyuka w’omukulu w’ekkomera era twali tulowooza nti ekibonerezo kyaffe baali bagenda kukyongerako. Kyokka omumyuka w’omukulu w’ekkomera yatugamba nti: “Tubamanyi era tussa ekitiibwa mu nzikiriza yammwe. Tubeesiga. Muddeeyo mukole.” Abamu ku ffe yatuggyako emirimu emizibu ennyo n’atuwa emirimu emyanguko. Ekyo kyatusanyusa nnyo. Twakiraba nti ne bwe twali mu kkomera, enneeyisa yaffe yali eweesa Yakuwa ekitiibwa.

Okuba nti twasigala nga tuli beesigwa eri Yakuwa kyavaamu n’ebirungi ebirala. Oluvannyuma lw’okwetegereza enneeyisa yaffe, omu ku basibe eyali profesa mu kubala, yakwatibwako nnyo era n’atubuuza ebikwata ku nzikiriza yaffe. Ffe Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa bwe twateebwa mu 1951, naye yateebwa. Oluvannyuma omusajja oyo yabatizibwa era n’ayingira obuweereza obw’ekiseera kyonna.

Bwe nnava mu kkomera, nnaddayo ewaffe e Karítsa. Oluvannyuma nze awamu n’abalala bangi okuva mu Buyonaani twasengukira mu kibuga Melbourne ekya Australia. Eyo gye nnasisinkana mwannyinaffe Janette ne mmuwasa era ne tuzaala omwana omulenzi omu n’abawala basatu. Abaana abo twabakuliza mu makubo ga Yakuwa.

Wadde nga kati nsussa emyaka 90, nkyaweereza ng’omukadde mu kibiina. Naye olw’obuvune bwe nnafuna mu biseera eby’emabega, oluusi nnumizibwa mu mubiri n’ebigere nnaddala nga nva okubuulira. Wadde kiri kityo, nkyali mumalirivu okweyongera okuba ‘omusirikale wa Kristo.’—2 Tim. 2:3.