Yehova amakwaniritsa Chosowa Changa Chirichonse

Monga momwe yasimbidwira ndi John E. (Ted) Sewell

PAMENE tinatenga sitepi lirilonse kupyola mu nkhalango ya mdima ya Thailand, ndinalingalira, ‘Payenera kukhala njira zopepuka kuchokera ku Bangkok kupita ku Burma!’ Kutupa kwa mapazi ndi kunyowa ndi thukuta, chodera nkhaŵa changa chachikulu chinali chakuti tidzakumana ndi mmodzi wa akambuku, zimbalangondo zakuda, kapena njovu zomwe zinadziŵika kuyendayenda m’nkhalango zimenezi​—osatchula njoka za ululu. Nchifukwa ninji Frank Dewar ndi ine tinapanga ulendo wowopsya umenewu?

Tonse aŵirife tinali amishonale mu Thailand, ndipo tinali tinangodziŵa kuti msonkhano wa masiku atatu ukayenera kuchitidwa mu Rangoon, Burma, November 26-28, 1938. Ndalama zathu zoperewerazo zinasonyeza kuchokera ku Bangkok kupita ku Rangoon mwa kugwiritsira njira ya mtengo wotsika koposa yothekera, ndipo mbali ya ulendo umenewo inafunikira ulendo wapansi wa makilomita 80 kupyola nkhalango.

Tinanyamuka kuchoka ku Bangkok ndi sitima ya pa mtunda pa November 16, kusamutsidwira ku basi yaing’ono, tinayendetsedwa pa bwato kudutsa Mtsinje wa Ping mu bwato losemedwa lalikulu, ndipo kenaka tinayamba ulendo wathu wapansi wautali kupyola m’nkhalango. Frank anali atayang’anayang’ana pa mapu ndipo potsirizira kukhazikika kaamba ka njira yomwe inawoneka kukhala yaifupi koposa. Tinalibe njira zotsatira​—kokha kamsewu kakang’ono, kopangidwa ndi oyenda, komwe mokulira kanatsatira nthambo ya lamya.

Tinali oyamikira kuti nyama zokha zimene tinawona zinali anyani ambiri m’mitengo. Maluwa opumitsa bwino okongolawo ndi olenjekeka anali chosangalatsa chosayembekezereka. Pamene zithunzi za masana zinatalika, tinayamba kudera nkhaŵa ponena za mmene chikakhalira cha chisungiko kugona mu nkhalango. Chinali chosiyana kwambiri ndi nkhalango za ku Australia kumene kaŵirikaŵiri ndinagona panja usiku. Tinachenjezedwanso ponena za mbala zomwe zinadziŵika kuba ndipo ngakhale kuvulaza mwa kuthupi anthu oyenda.

Mitima yathu inada nkhaŵa pamene tinayang’anizana mwachindunji ndi gulu la amuna owoneka mowopsya, aliyense ali ndi mpeni waukulu wolenjekeka ka pa lamba wake. Iwo anatiimitsa ife ndi kutifunsa kumene tinali kupita. Pamene tinalongosola kuti tinali pa ulendo wathu wokapezeka ku msonkhano Wachikristu mu Rangoon, iwo anatiyang’ana ife mokwiya koma anachoka mopanda kutivulaza.

Mwamsanga pambuyo pake, tinakumana ndi amuna achichepere aŵiri omwe anawoneka aubwenzi. Ndi chidziŵitso chathu chochepa cha chinenero cha Thai, tinawalemba ganyu kutitsogoza ife kupita ku Burma. Pamene mdima unadza, tinafika pa mtengo waukulu wokhala ndi masitepi opita ku pulatiformu ya matabwa pakati pa nthambi. Pamenepo anayife tinagona.

Pofika madzulo a tsiku lotsatira, tinafika pa mudzi waung’ono kumene tinali okhoza kukhala usiku wonse pa khonde la nyumba ya kumudziko. Pa tsiku la chitatu, tinafika pa mudzi wa Mae Sot pa malire a Burma. Pano tinatsanzikana ndi otitsogolera athu ndipo mwachimwemwe tinawalipira iwo kaamba ka mautumiki awo abwino.

Pambuyo powoloka mtsinje kulowa mu Burma, tinakwera basi yaing’ono kupyola mu msewu wa m’mapiri ndipo kenaka tinakwera bwato la pa mtsinje kupita ku Moulmein. Mbali yomalizira ya ulendo wathu wopita ku Rangoon inali ya pasitima ya pa mtunda, chomwe chinawoneka chopepuka pambuyo pa ulendo wathu wautali wowawa wa pansi. Ulendo wonsewo unatenga mlungu umodzi, koma chinali choyenerera kuyesetsa konseko kusangalala ndi mayanjano auzimu ndi abale athu. Unali kokha umodzi wowonjezereka wa maumboni ochulukira amene Yehova wakwaniritsa kaamba ka chosowa changa chirichonse. Koma ndiloleni ndikuuzeni mmene ndinabwerera ku Thailand.

Kuzindikira Zosowa Zauzimu

Moyo ndi miyambo zinali kusintha pamene ndinabadwa Kumadzulo kwa Australia mu 1910. Nkhondo ya Dziko ya I yomwe inayamba mu 1914 inawoneka kufulumiza masinthidwewo. Ngakhale kuti pa nthaŵiyo ndinali kokha ndi zaka chifupifupi zisanu ndi ziŵiri, ndimakumbukira bwino Amayi akulemba makalata kwa Atate anga omwe anali kutali ku nkhondo mu Europe. Kamodzi Amayi anati kwa ine: “Udziŵa, Baibulo limanena kuti kudzakhala nkhondo ndi mbiri za nkhondo.” Sanalongosole mowonjezereka, koma ndinali wofunitsitsa kudziŵa.

Zaka zingapo pambuyo pake, mu December 1934, pamene ndinali kubwerera pa kavalo ku munda kumene ndinali kugwira ntchito, ndinakumana ndi mnzanga wa ku sukulu wakale yemwe anandiuza ine kuti zina za Mboni za Yehova zinabwera posachedwapa kuchokera ku Perth. Banja lake linagula mabukhu awo koma linagamulapo kusaŵerenga iwo. Pokhala wofunitsitsa, ndinapeza bukhu la Life kuchokera kwa iye.

Pamene ndinali kuyenda pa kavalo mu mphepo ya bata ya usiku, kuwala kwa mwezi kunali kowala kwambiri kotero kuti ndinali kukhoza kuŵerenga zosindikiza zazikulu za mutu uliwonse. Pamene ndinafika kumundako, ndinapitiriza kuŵerenga ndi kuwala kwa nyali ya paraffin. Kumeneko, kwa nthaŵi yoyamba, ndinaphunzira kuti Mulungu ali ndi dzina laumwini​—Yehova. Ndinasangalatsidwa koposa kuphunzira kuti Mulungu ali ndi chifuno chosangalatsa kaamba ka dziko lathu lapansi, inde, kuti dziko lapansi lidzakhala paradaiso kaamba ka mtundu wa anthu womvera kuti usangalale naye. Nkulekeranji, m’bukhu limeneli mafunso anga onse anali kuyankhidwa!

Anthu oyambirira amene ndinafuna kuwauza anali makolo anga, omwe anali kukhala pa munda waung’ono pa mtunda wa makilomita 138 kutali. Ichi chinatanthauza kuyenda pa kavalo kwa tsiku limodzi ndi theka. Pamene ndinauza Amayi zimene ndinaphunzira, iwo anandidabwitsa mwa kunena kuti nawonso anali kuphunzira ndi kusangalala ndi mabukhu a Baibulo amodzimodziwo! Pa ulendo wanga wa pa kavalo wautali wobwerera kumudzi mlungu umodzi pambuyo pake, ndinali ndi kulingalira kokulira koyenera kukuchita, popeza kuti maphunziro anga anandisonyeza ine kuti chidziŵitso ndi chikhulupiriro si zonse zimene Mulungu amafuna. Tsopano ndinadziŵa kuti Mkristu wowona ayenera kutsatira Yesu Kristu ndipo mwaumwini kutumikira Yehova mwa kulalikira kwa ena. Chotero ndinagamulapo kuyesera kuchita ichi kumapeto kwa mlungu uliwonse kuyambira pa nthaŵiyo kunka mtsogolo.

Mwaŵi Wosangalatsa Utseguka

Ndi cholinga chofuna kuchitira umboni m’boma lathu lomwazikana la ulimi, ndinagula Model-T Ford yomwe inasinthidwa kukhala galimoto yaikulu yogwiritsira ntchito. Ndikumatenga zofunda ndi zinthu zina zofunikira, ndinayendera alimi pa Loŵeruka masana onse, kugona m’galimoto, ndipo kenaka kupitiriza kuchitira umboni kuchokera ku munda ndi munda Sande m’mawa. Mochedwa m’masana ndinabwerera kunyumba.

Mu April 1936 ndinachitira chizindikiro kudzipereka kwanga mwa ubatizo pa msonkhano waung’ono mu Perth. Imodzi ya nkhanizo inagogomezera utumiki wa upainiya wa nthaŵi zonse. Ndinadziŵa kuti ndinalibe mathayo a m’Malemba ondiletsa ine kugawana mu ntchito yofunika kwambiri imeneyi, chotero mu December 1936, ndinayamba upainiya.

M’mwezi umodzimodziwo, apainiya aŵiri amphamvu, arthur Willis ndi Bill Newlands, anafika mu Perth ndi galimoto. Iwo anachoka ku Sydney ku gombe la kum’mawa miyezi isanu ndi inayi kumayambiriro ndipo anali atapanga ulendo wochitira umboni modutsa Australia. Mungalingalire kusangalatsidwa kwanga pamene ndinagawiridwa ndi Sosaite kugwirizana nawo pa ulendo wawo wobwerera. Iwo anandipatsa ine maphunziro a mtengo wapatali omwe sindinaiwale mpang’ono pomwe.

Modutsa Chigwa cha Nullarbor

Dzina lakuti Nullarbor limatanthauza “popanda mitengo.” Kali kalongosoledwe koyenera ka chigwa chowuma, chopanda mitengo mkati mwa Australia. Mkati mwa ma 1930 msewu umene tinadutsa kumeneko unali wa makilomita 1,600 a msewu woipa koposa wolingaliridwa.

Usiku uliwonse tinagona pa mabedi, kaŵirikaŵiri panja pansi pa mtambo woyera. Kuli mvula yochepera ndipo kopanda mame kotheratu mu mbali imeneyi ya dziko. Pamene tinakhazikika pansi usiku uliwonse pansi pa denga la nyenyezi, zowala mu mpweya wabwino, wosaipitsidwa, kaŵirikaŵiri ndinakumbutsidwa za mawu otsegulira a Salmo 19: “Za kumwamba zimalalikira ulemerero wa Mulungu; ndipo thambo liwonetsa ntchito ya manja ake.”

Njanji yodutsa Nullabor ikunenedwa kukhala kufutukuka kowongoka kwa njanji kwa kutali koposa pa dziko lonse. Iyo imayenda kwa mtunda wa makilomita 480 popanda kukhota kochepetsetsa kapena kupindika. Tinasangalala ndi kuchitira umboni m’midzi yaing’ono m’mphepete mwa njanji, ndi kwa anthu okhala m’masitesheni okwezekera nkhosa, kapena malo osungira ziweto. Kusunga malo m’mbali imeneyo ya Australia kunali kokulira. Ndimakumbukira malo a ukulu wa makilomita zikwi zinayi mu mbali zonse zinayi okhala ndi malo a nyumba chifupifupi makilomita 80 kuyambira pa chipata cha kutsogolo.

Pomalizira pake, tinafika mu Katoomba mu Mapiri a Blue kumadzulo kwa Sydney pa nthaŵi yake kaamba ka Chikumbutso pa March 26, 1937. Gawo lathu loyendayenda linakhala losangalatsa ndi lopatsa mpoto mwauzimu, koma kunali kusintha kosangalatsa kwa kanthaŵi kukhala ndi mpingo wa anthu a Mulungu.

Kudyako kapena Ayi?

Pa nthaŵi ya Chikumbutso cha 1937 chimenecho, panali padakali m’sokonezo ponena za “nkhosa zina.” (Yohane 10:16) Ena anadzimva kuti ukulu wa chikhulupiriro ndi changu cha Chikristu chimene munthu anachisonyeza chikasonyeza kaya iye anali atalandira kuitanidwa kwa kumwamba kapena ayi. Chotero, mofanana ndi unyinji wa ena m’mikhalidwe yofananayo, ndinadyako ziphiphiritsozo. Chaka chotsatira unyinji wa ife apainiya kachiŵirinso tinavutitsidwa ponena za kudyako.

Cha mkatikati tinali kuyang’ana kutsogolo ku moyo pa dziko lapansi la paradaiso, komabe ambiri anadzimva kuti changu chathu ndi utumiki wa upainiya unapereka umboni wa kukhala kwathu odzozedwa ndi mzimu. Pa nthaŵi yake yeniyeni Yehova anatipatsa ife yankho kupyolera mwa gulu lake la padziko lapansi. Pa masana enieniwo a Chikumbutsocho, kope la March 15, 1938, la Nsanja ya Olonda linafika. Nkhani yake yaikulu, “Gulu Lake,” inali phunziro la tsatanetsatane la Yohane 10:14-16. Tinali osangalatsidwa chotani nanga ndi kulongosola komvekera bwino komwe kunayankha mafunso athu!

Nkhaniyo inapereka zitsanzo za mmene mzimu wa Mulungu unachitira mwamphamvu kwa atumiki ake m’nthaŵi zakale ndi kuwapangitsa iwo kuchita ntchito zamphamvu motalikira kwambiri chiitano cha kumwamba chisanatseguke. Mofananamo, Mulungu anaika mzimu wake pa atumiki ake odzipereka pa dziko lapansi lerolino kwa amene iye anapereka chiyembekezo cha pa dziko lapansi. Chotero tinali oyamikira kumvetsetsa kusiyana pakati pa kudzozedwa ndi mzimu woyera ndi kukhala opatsidwa mphamvu ndi mzimu wa Mulungu kuchita chifuniro chake.

Chiitano cha “Kufikira”

Zochitika zina zosangalatsa za 1938 zinali kuchezera kwa prezidenti wa Watch Tower Society, Mbale Rutherford, ndi msonkhano pa Sydney Sports Ground. Chiitano chinalengezedwa pa msonkhanopo kaamba ka apainiya ofunitsitsa kutumikira mu Burma, Malaya, Siam (tsopano Thailand), ndi Java (tsopano Indonesia). Hector Oates, Fred Paton, ndi ine tinasangalatsidwa kulandira magawo kupita ku Burma.

Ndinali ndisanachokepo ndi kale lonse pa magombe a Australia. Ngakhale kuli tero, mkati mwa miyezi iŵiri, apainiya ena ndi ine tinali pa sitima ya pamadzi pa ulendo wathu wopita ku magawo athu. Tinafika pa Singapore pa June 22, 1938, ndipo tinachingamiridwa pa malo oima sitimayo ndi Bill Hunter, yemwe anali kale kuchita upainiya kumeneko. Zinali zachilendo ndi zosangalatsa chotani nanga mmene zirizonse zinawonekera pamene tinawona kavalidwe ndi miyambo ya anthu akumaloko ndi kumva zinenero zomwe sitinali okhoza kuzimva.

Mbale Hunter anandipatsa ine telegramu yochokera ku Australia yomwe inasintha gawo langa kuchokera ku Burma kupita ku Malaya. Fred Paton ndi Hector Oates anayenera kupitiriza kupita ku Burma popanda ine. Ndinali wachimwemwe kumva kuti ndikakhala ndikugwira ntchito ndi amishonale ozoloŵera aŵiri, Kurt Gruber ndi Willi Unglaube. Iwo anali ochokera ku Germany koma anakhala akutumikira mu Malaya kwa kanthaŵi.

Pambuyo pa miyezi itatu mu Malaya, ndinagawiridwa ku Thailand. Willi Unglaube anayenera kutsagana nane, limodzi ndi Frank Dewar, amene kalelo anali atachitapo ntchito ya umishonale kumeneko. Tinafika ndi sitima mu September 1938, kudzipezera ife eni malo okhalapo a pa kanthaŵi, ndi kuyamba ntchito yathu yochitira umboni. Tinapeza kuti anthu a ku Thailand anali achifundo ndi oleza mtima pamene tinavutika ndi chinenero chawo cholongosola.

Msonkhano Wodzutsa Maganizo wa ku Rangoon

Kunali kuchokera ku Bangkok, Thailand, kumene tinapanga ulendo wowopsya kwambiri wopita ku Rangoon, Burma, wolongosoledwa kumayambiriroko. Imeneyo inali nthaŵi yoyamba imene msonkhano unachitidwa mu Burma, ndipo Holo ya Mzindawo yokongola inadzazidwa kotheratu ndi anthu oposa chikwi chimodzi kaamba ka nkhani yapoyera. Zitseko zinayenera kutsekedwa popeza kuti panalibe malo kaamba ka owonjezereka. Panali kokha Mboni zoŵerengeka mu Burma ndi maiko oyandikana nayo, chotero ambiri a omwe anabwera kudzamva nkhani anali anthu omwe anavomereza ku zikwi za ziitano za ma handibilu zogawiridwa usanachitike msonkhanowo.

Kwa ife omwe tinabwera kuchokera ku magawo a kutali a umishonale, chinalidi chakumwa chauzimu. Koma pamene msonkhanowo unatha, tinabwerera kunyumba ku Thailand​—pa nthaŵi ino, ngakhale kuli tero, ndi njira yopepukako yomwe siinafunikire kuyenda kupyola mu nkhalango.

Nkhondo ndi Kulowerera kwa chiJapan

Mitambo ya mkuntho ya nkhondo tsopano inali kuyenda mwaukali kulinga kum’mwera cha kum’mawa kwa Asia. Pamene magulu ankhondo a chiJapan anapita mu Thailand, chiletso chinaikidwa pa ntchito ya Mboni za Yehova. Anthu onse a chiBritish, a chiAmerica, ndi chiDutch anatsekeredwa mu msasa kaamba ka nyengo yonse ya nkhondo. George Powell, mpainiya yemwe anachokera ku Singapore kudzagwirizana nafe mu Bangkok, anaikidwa m’ndende ndi ine. Tinatha zaka zitatu ndi miyezi isanu ndi itatu mu msasa limodzi.

Mkati mwa nthaŵi imene tinali otsekeredwa, tinali osakhoza kulandira mabukhu aliwonse atsopano kapena mawu kuchokera ku Sosaite. Koma tinakumanizana ndi lonjezo la wamasalmo: “Yehova agwirizitsa onse akugwa, nawongoletsa onse owerama.”​—Salmo 145:14.

Kubwerera ku Australia

Pamene nkhondo inatha mu 1945, ndinabwerera ku Australia. Ndi chakudya chabwino ndi mikhalidwe yokhalamo yogwirizanitsika, ndinapezanso umoyo wanga wabwino ndipo ndinali wokhoza kuyambanso upainiya. Kenaka, mu 1952, ndinagawiridwa ku ntchito yoyendayenda monga woyang’anira wa dera, ndipo ndinasangalala ndi mwaŵi umenewu kwa zaka zotsatira 22. Mu 1957, ndinakwatira Isabell, yemwe anali mpainiya kwa zaka 11, ndipo tinapitiriza mu ntchito ya dera monga mwamuna ndi mkazi.

Mavuto a umoyo anayamba kupanga kuyenda kokhazikika kukhala kovuta, chotero mu 1974 tinakhazikika kuchita upainiya mu Melbourne. Ndidakatumikirabe monga woyang’anira wa dera wogwirizira kwa nthaŵi ndi nthaŵi, ndipo posachedwapa ndinali ndi mwawi wa kugawanamo monga mlangizi pa imodzi ya masukulu a utumiki wa upainiya. Mu ntchito yonseyi, mkazi wanga wakhala chirikizo lokhazikika ndi lachimwemwe. Tsopano pa msinkhu wa zaka 78, ndimadzimva woyamikira mozama kwa Yehova pamene iye akupitirizabe kukwaniritsa chosowa changa chirichonse.

Kumayang’ana m’mbuyo mkati mwa zaka, nthaŵi zonse ndimawunikira pa mmene Yehova watiphunzitsira ife, kutithandidza ife pa zolakwa, ndi kutilanga ife kuti atiyenge monga atumiki ake. Ndimakumbukira m’zochitika pamene Mulungu wapereka njira kaamba ka ine kutuluka m’ziyeso zomwe zinali zoposa kuthekera kwa umunthu kuzipirira. Zikumbukiro zimenezi ziri magwero a chilimbikitso ndi chikumbutso chokhazikika kuti Yehova ndithudi wakwaniritsa chosowa changa chirichonse.

[Chithunzi patsamba 10]

Chithunzi cha posachedwapa cha ine ndi mkazi wanga, Isabell

[Chithunzi patsamba 12]

Kuchitira umboni mu Nullarbor