Bwe nnali nkyali muto, nze ne bazadde bange twabeeranga ku kyalo ekimu ekiri mu bukiikaddyo bwa Bufalansa. Taata yankolera ekyesuubo, era nnanyumirwanga nnyo okuzannya. Mu 1966, Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa baatandika okujja ewaka era baamalanga ekiseera kiwanvu nga bakubaganya ebirowoozo ne taata. Nga wayiseewo emyezi musanvu gyokka, taata yasalawo okufuuka Omujulirwa wa Yakuwa. Oluvannyuma lw’ekiseera kitono, maama naye yasalawo okukola kye kimu, era bombi baafuba okunjigiriza ebikwata ku Katonda.

Bwe twali twakaddayo mu Sipeyini bazadde bange gye bazaalibwa, nnatandika okuwulira obulumi mu bukongovvule ne mu ngalo. Oluvannyuma lw’emyaka ebiri nga tugenda ku basawo abatali bamu, twafuna omusawo omukugu mu kujjanjaba obulwadde bw’amagumba, naye yagamba nti nnali sikyasobola kuwona. Maama yatandikirawo okukaaba. Omusawo oyo yannyonnyola bazadde bange nti nnina obulwadde bw’amagumba obutawona, * era nti bwe bundeetera okuzimba mu nnyingo n’okulumizibwa. Wadde nga mu kiseera ekyo nnalina emyaka kkumi gyokka, nnamanya nti ebyange bibi.

Omusawo yagamba nti kyali kyetaagisa okuntwala mu kifo awajjanjabirwa abaana abalina obulwadde obutawona. Bwe nnatuukayo, ekifo tekyansanyusa n’akamu. Ate era mu kifo ekyo waaliyo amateeka mangi. Ababiikira bansalako enviiri era ne bampa yunifoomu y’abalwadde. Nnawulira ennaku ey’amaanyi era ne nneebuuza nti, ‘Ddala nnaasobola okubeera mu kifo kino?’

Olw’okuba bazadde bange banjigiriza ebikwata ku Yakuwa, nnagaana okwetaba mu mikolo gy’Abakatuliki egyakolebwanga mu kifo we twajjanjabirwanga. Ababiikira kyabazibuwalira okutegeera ensonga lwaki nnali seenyigira mu mikolo gyabwe. Nnasaba Yakuwa annyambe, era oluvannyuma lw’ekiseera kitono nnatandika okuwulira emirembe ng’omwana bw’awulira ng’ali ne kitaawe.

Bazadde bange bakkirizibwa okunkyalirangako buli Lwamukaaga okumala akaseera katono. Bandeeteranga ebitabo ebinnyonnyola Bayibuli bye nnasomanga ne binnyamba okunyweza okukkiriza kwange. Abaana baali tebakkirizibwa kuba na bitabo  byabwe ku bwabwe, naye nze ababiikira banzikiriza okuba nabyo awamu ne Bayibuli yange, era nnagisomanga buli lunaku. Ate era nnabuulirangako bawala bannange ku ssuubi ery’okufuna obulamu obutaggwaawo mu nsi empya omutaliba bulwadde. (Okubikkulirwa 21:3, 4) Wadde ng’oluusi nnawuliranga ennaku n’ekiwuubaalo, okukkiriza kwange kweyongera okunywera era nneeyongera okwesiga Yakuwa. Bwe ntyo ne nneeyongera okuba omusanyufu.

Oluvannyuma lw’emyezi mukaaga, abasawo bansiibula ne nzirayo eka. Wadde nga nnali nkyali mulwadde, nnali musanyufu okuddayo okubeera ne bazadde bange. Ennyingo zange zeeyongera okuzimba, era n’obulumi ne bweyongera. We nnatuukira mu myaka egy’obutiini, omubiri gwange gwali munafu nnyo. Wadde kyali kityo, ku myaka 14 nnabatizibwa, bwe ntyo ne mmalirira okuweereza Kitange ow’omu ggulu. Kyokka, oluusi nnalowoozanga nti Katonda tanfaako. Oluusi bwe nnabanga mmusaba, nnamubuuzanga nti “Lwaki ondeka okubonaabona bwe nti? Nnyamba omponye. Tolaba nga mbonaabona nnyo?”

Ekiseera kya kaabuvubuka kyanzibuwalira nnyo. Tekyannyanguyira kukikkiriza nti sigenda kutereera. Bwe nneegeraageranyanga ku mikwano gyange, nga ndaba bo balamu bulungi era nga banyumirwa obulamu, nnanakuwalanga nnyo era nnalowoozanga nti siri wa mugaso. Wadde kyali kityo, ab’awaka ne mikwano gyange bannyamba nnyo. Mukwano gwange nfiirabulago ayitibwa Alicia, eyali ansingako emyaka 20, yankubirizanga okufaayo ku balala mu kifo ky’okumalira ebirowoozo ku bulwadde bwange.

Bwe nnaweza emyaka 18, obulwadde bweyongera, era n’okugenda okusinza Katonda kyankooyanga. Wadde kyali kityo, nnasomanga Bayibuli obutayosa. Ekitabo kya Yobu n’ekya Zabbuli byannyamba okukitegeera nti mu kiseera kino Yakuwa Katonda okusingira ddala atukuuma mu bya mwoyo so si mu bya mubiri. Olw’okuba nnasabanga Katonda entakera, nnafunanga “amaanyi agasinga ku ga bulijjo” era ‘n’emirembe gya Katonda egisingira ewala ebirowoozo byonna.’—2 Abakkolinso 4:7; Abafiripi 4:6, 7.

Bwe nnaweza emyaka 22, nnatandika okutambulira mu kagaali k’abalema. Nnalowooza nti abantu bwe bandindabyenga mu kagaali ako bandinnyoomyenga. Kyokka, oluvannyuma nnakiraba nti akagaali ako kaali kajja kunnyamba nnyo. Mukwano gwange ayitibwa Isabel yansaba mbuulireko naye okumala essaawa 60 mu mwezi gumu.

Mu kusooka nnalowooza nti ekyo tekisoboka. Naye nnasaba Yakuwa annyambe, era ab’awaka awamu ne mikwano gyange bannyamba ne nsobola okubuulira okumala essaawa ezo. Wadde nga tekyali kyangu, okubuulira kwannyamba okuggwaamu okutya n’ensonyi. Mu butuufu, nnanyumirwa nnyo okubuulira era mu 1996, nnafuuka omubuulizi ow’ekiseera kyonna nga mbuulira okumala essaawa 90 buli mwezi. Okubuulira ekiseera kyonna kinnyambye okweyongera okufuna amaanyi n’okuba n’enkolagana ennungi ne Katonda. Ate era okubuulira kunsobozesezza okuyamba abantu abawerako okuyiga ebikwata ku Katonda ne bafuuka mikwano gye.

Mu 2001, nnagwa ku kabenje amagulu gange gombi ne gamenyeka. Nga ndi mu ddwaliro, nnali mu bulumi bwa maanyi nnyo era nnasaba mu kasirise nti: “Yakuwa nnyamba, tonjabulira!” Omukyala eyali anninaanye yambuuza nti, “Oli Mujulirwa wa Yakuwa?” Olw’okuba nnali sirina googera, nnanyeenya bunyeenya mutwe. Omukyala oyo yaŋŋamba nti, “Mbamanyi bulungi! Ntera okusoma obutabo bwammwe.” Ebigambo ebyo byanzizaamu nnyo amaanyi. Wadde nga nnali mu bulumi bwa maanyi, ekyo kye nnakola kyayamba omukyala oyo okumanya nti ndi muweereza wa Yakuwa. Eyo yali nkizo ya maanyi!

Bwe nnatereeramu, nnatandika okubuulira abalwadde abalala ebikwata ku Yakuwa. Maama yansindikangako mu kagaali k’abalema ng’ebigere byange byombi biri mu biseminti. Buli lunaku twakyaliranga abalwadde ne tubabuuzaako era ne tubalekera ebitabo ebinnyonnyola Bayibuli. Wadde ng’okubuulira okwo kwankooyanga nnyo, Yakuwa yampanga amaanyi.

Mu kiseera kino obulumi bweyongedde era kitange bwe yafa nneeyongera okunakuwala. Wadde kiri  kityo, okubeerako n’ab’eŋŋanda zange awamu ne mikwano gyange kinnyambye obutalowooza nnyo ku bizibu byange. Ate era bwe mba nzekka, nsoma Bayibuli, era mbuulirako abalala ebikwata ku Katonda nga nkozesa essimu.

Nnyumirwa nnyo akawewo akaweweevu n’akawoowo akalungi akava mu bimuli, era nneebaza Katonda eyabituwa. Ate era nnyumirwa okusaaga. Lumu bwe twali tubuulira, mukwano gwange eyali ansindikako mu kagaali yayimirira abeeko by’awandiika. Bwe yata akagaali, nnayigiringita ne ntomera emmotoka gye baali basimbye ku mabbali g’oluguudo. Twatya nnyo, naye bwe twalaba nga tewali kizibu kyonna kibaddewo, twaseka busesi.

Waliwo ebintu bingi bye sisobola kukola. Naye nkimanyi nti nja kubikola mu biseera eby’omu maaso. Ntera okufumiitiriza ku ngeri obulamu gye bulibeeramu mu nsi empya Katonda gy’atusuubizza. (2 Peetero 3:13) Nkuba akafaananyi nga ndi mulamu bulungi, nga ntambula bulungi, era nga nnyumirwa obulamu mu bujjuvu. Kabaka Dawudi yagamba nti: “Lindirira Mukama: Ddamu amaanyi, ogume omwoyo.” (Zabbuli 27:14) Ebigambo ebyo binzizaamu nnyo amaanyi. Wadde ng’omubiri gwange gweyongedde okunafuwa, Yakuwa yeeyongera okumpa amaanyi. Mu butuufu nnina amaanyi wadde nga ndi mulwadde.