Kulondola Chonulirapo Choikiridwa Pausinkhu Wazaka Zisanu ndi Chimodzi

MONGA MOMWE YASIMBIDWIRA NDI SANDRA COWAN

Makolo ambiri amasankhira ana awo ntchito, yonga kuimba kapena kuvina, nayamba kuŵaphunzitsa pausinkhu wochepa kwambiri. Izi nzimenedi amayi anandichitira. Kuyambira pamene ndinali ndi milungu iŵiri, ankanditenga kumisonkhano yonse Yachikristu ndi muutumiki wakumunda.

PAMENE ndinali ndi zaka zinayi, Amayi anaganiza kuti ndikakhoza kulalikira ndekha. Ndimaukumbukira bwino lomwe ulaliki wanga woyamba. Tinapita ndi galimoto kunyumba yaikulu pafamu ina, ndipo pamene Amayi ndi ena amene tinapita nawo anali kuyembekezera m’galimoto, ndinatuluka ndi kupita kukhomo. Dona wina wokoma mtima anamvetsera pamene ndinali kumgaŵira timabuku khumi. Analipirira timabukuto mwakundipatsa sopo wamkulu. Ndinachita kumnyamula ndi manja aŵiri. Ndinakondwera kotani nanga!

M’chaka chimenecho, cha 1943, Sukulu ya Gileadi ya Baibulo ya Watchtower inatsegulidwa yophunzitsa apainiya, aminisitala anthaŵi zonse, ntchito yaumishonale. Amayi anandilimbikitsa kupanga utumiki waumishonale kukhala chonulirapo changa m’moyo. Nkhondo Yadziko ya II inali mkati ku Yuropu, ndipo Amayi ankandisimbira za ana aang’ono a Mboni amene analandidwa kwa makolo awo. Anafuna kuti ndikhale wolimba kwambiri mokhoza kupirira chiyeso chirichonse.

M’chilimwe cha mu 1946, ndinabatizidwa pamsonkhano wamitundu yonse ku Cleveland, Ohio. Ngakhale kuti ndinali wazaka zisanu ndi chimodzi zokha, ndinatsimikiza mtima kukwaniritsa kudzipereka kwanga kwa Yehova. M’chilimwecho ndinatumikira monga mpainiya kwa nthaŵi yoyamba. Ndikukumbukira tsiku lina m’maŵa pamene ndinagaŵira magazini 40 kwa anthu amene anakhala pa Plaza ku San Diego, California. Ndikhulupirira kuti msinkhu wanga ndi kulankhulalankhula kunatheketsa zimenezo.

Kaŵirikaŵiri tinkalalikira pafupi ndi Beth-Sarim, kumene prezidenti amene anali kudwala wa Watch Tower Society, Mbale Rutherford, anali m’nyengo yachisanu asanafe mu 1942. Tinkamchezera nthaŵi zonse ndi kudya chakudya chamadzulo ndi atumiki anthaŵi zonse kumeneko. Kucheza kosangalatsa koteroko kunandipangitsa kusankha moyo umenewo kukhaladi umene ndinaufuna. Ndiyeno ndinapanga Sukulu ya Gileadi ndi utumiki waumishonale kukhala chonulirapo changa m’moyo.

Chaka chotsatira makolo anga anasudzulana, koma kusintha kwa mkhalidwe wabanja sikunatsamwitse mkhalidwe wathu wauzimu. Amayi anali apainiya ndipo anali osamala kwambiri kutiphunzitsa ineyo ndi mchimwene wanga. Nyumba yathu yaing’ono yokoka inali malo osangalatsa ndi kucheza kwa abale ndi alongo Achikristu. Amayi anaikako mtima kuti ndidzikumana ndi omaliza maphunziro a Gileadi. Aŵiri omaliza maphunziro otero anali Lloyd ndi Melba Barry, amene ankachezetsa m’ntchito yoyendayenda poyembekezera kupita kugawo lawo lakutali ku Japani. Anatenga nthaŵi yaitali akumandilimbikitsa​—ineyo msungwana wachichepere amene analakalaka kukhala mishonale​—ndipo ndinachita nazo chidwi.

Pamene ndinali ndi zaka khumi, Amayi anakwatiwa kwa Mboni yabwino imene inalinso minisitala, mpainiya. Inatilandira ineyo ndi mchimwene wanga monga ana ake osati chabe mwalamulo komanso ndi mtima wonse. Chikondi chake pa Yehova ndi changu cha utumiki zinali zosonkhezera kwambiri.

Amayi ndi Atate anagwirira ntchito pamodzi kutitsogolera anafe kupyola zaka zovuta zaunyamata. Nyumba yathu inali linga lauzimu lomwe ndimalikumbukira mwachimwemwe. Kwa iwo kuchita upainiya ndi ndalama zochepa akulera ana aŵiri sikunali kosavuta; kunafuna kudzimana. Koma Amayi ndi Atate anadalira pa Yehova naika zabwino za Ufumu patsogolo.

Ha, ndimaukumbukira bwino chotani nanga msonkhano wamitundu yonse womwe unachitikira ku New York City mu 1950! Atate anatenga loni kubanki, ndipo tinanyamula anthu atatu m’galimoto kuthandizira kulipirira zowonongedwa. Amayi, Atate, mchimwene wanga, ndi ineyo tinakhala kumpando wakutsogolo kuchokera ku San Diego mpaka ku New York, ndipo enawo anakhala kumbuyo. Popeza kuti woŵalemba ntchito Atate anakana kuŵapatsa tchuthi chamilungu iŵiri, kupezeka pamsonkhanowo kunaŵachotsetsa ntchito. Koma Atate anatiuza kuti, Yehova akatipatsa zosoŵa zathu, ndipo Anaterodi. Atate anagulitsa galimotolo kuti alipirire loni kubanki, ndiyeno anapeza ntchito yabwinopo. Chokumana nacho chimenechi ndi zina zofanana zinandithandiza m’zaka zapambuyo pake pamene mwamuna wanga ndi ineyo tinagwera m’mavuto.

Paulendo wathu wobwerera kuchokera ku New York, tinadzera ku Kingdom Farm, kumene ndinawona Sukulu ya Gileadi kwa nthaŵi yoyamba. Ndikukumbukira pamene ndinaimirira m’chipinda china chophunzirira ndi kudziuza ndekha kuti, ‘Sindinafikebe zaka 11. Sindikabwera kuno. Armagedo idzayamba kubwera.’ Koma ulendowo unandipangitsa kukhala wotsimikiza mtima kwambiri kupanga Gileadi kukhala chonulirapo changa koposa ndi kalelonse.

Kukalimira Chonulirapo Changa

Nthaŵi yatchuti m’chilimwe chirichonse, ndinkachita upainiya kuyambira m’giredi loyamba m’zaka zonse zamaphunziro. Kenako, milungu iŵiri pambuyo pa kumaliza sukulu yasekondale mu June 1957, ndinakhala mpainiya wokhazikika.

Msonkhano wa ofuna Gileadi wochitikira pamsonkhano wachigawo ku Los Angeles mu 1957 unali wapadera kwa ine. Pokaloŵa m’hema kumene msonkhanowo unakhalira, ndinakumana ndi Bill, mbale wachichepere amene ndinamdziŵa ndili ndi zaka zisanu ndi chimodzi. Chaka chathacho, sanalipo pakuti anakatumikira kumene kunali kusoŵa kwakukulu ku Louisiana. Tinadabwa kuwona mmene aŵirife tinaliri ofuna utumiki waumishonale. Patapita miyezi isanu ndi umodzi tinalingalira zakukwatirana kuti tikauchitire pamodzi utumikiwo. Tinalembera Sosaite kupempha gawo kokagwira ntchito ndipo mwezi umodzi tisanakwatirane, tinapatsidwa gawo la Romney, West Virginia.

Tinasamukira kumeneko popita kumsonkhano ku New York mu 1958. Pamsonkhanopo, tinapezeka pamsonkhano wa ofuna Gileadi. Tinali mazana angapo. Powona khamulo, tinalingalira kuti mwaŵi wathu wakuitanidwa ku Gileadi unali wochepa kwambiri. Ngakhale nditero, tinapereka chofunsira choyamba, ngakhale kuti tinali okwatirana kwa milungu 11 yokha. Chaka chotsatira pamsonkhano wachigawo ku Philadelphia, tinapereka chofunsira chachiŵiri.

Bill ndi ine tinaphunzira tili ku Romney kudalira pa Yehova kutithandiza kupirira mavuto. Romney unali mzinda wa anthu pafupifupi 2,000. Ntchito inali yosapezeka. Tinkakhala m’nyumba yokoka yongodzipangira yamamita asanu yopangidwa moyenerana ndi mkhalidwe wa ku California. Tinalibe madzi akumpopi, magetsi, ndi filiji yomwe. Mkati mwake munali kumazizira kwambiri moti tinali kuswa madzi oundana m’bekete kuti tipezeko madzi. Abale anatithandiza molingana ndi mmene anathera, kutigaŵirako nyama zimene anasaka. Tinkadya nyama ya deer, raccoon, ndi gologolo. Nthaŵi zambiri tinaganiza kuti sitikadya kalikonse patsikulo, ndiyeno titafika panyumba pochoka muutumiki, tinali kupeza maepo kapena tchizi pakhomo.

Nthaŵi ndi nthaŵi tinalimbikira kwa miyezi isanu ndi inayi ndi tindalama tosakwanira. Potsirizira pake, tinalingalira kuti kukakhala kwanzeru kusamukira ku Baltimore, Maryland, kumene Bill akapeza ntchito. Pamene tinafotokozera abale za chosankha chathu, tinalira nawo. Choncho tinasankha kupirirabe pang’ono.

Zimenezo zitangochitika Mboni imene inali manijala wa shopu yaikulu ku Westernport, Maryland, pafupifupi mtunda wamakilomita 60, analemba Bill ntchito yaganyu. M’mwezi umodzimodziwo wophunzira Baibulo wathu anatipatsa kanyumba kokongola ndi chitofu chachikulu chamalasha. Inali nthaŵi yomweyo pamene Malaki 3:10 linakhala lemba langa lapamtima. Yehova anatitsanulira madalitso oposa amene tinawayembekezera.

Kupita ku Gileadi Pomalizira Pake!

Limodzi mwa masiku osangalatsa koposa m’moyo wathu linali mu November 1959, pamene tinalandira chiitano kupita ku Gileadi. Tinaitanidwa kukaloŵa kalasi ya 35, yomalizira kuchitikira ku Kingdom Farm. Pamene ndinaimirira m’chipinda chophunzirira chimene ndinaloŵamo ndili mwana, ndinali ndi chimwemwe chachikulu moti ndisoŵa mawu ochifotokozera.

Gileadi inali chitsime chauzimu. Kunali ngati kukhala m’dziko latsopano kwa miyezi isanu. Ndimwakamodzikamodzi m’moyo pamene timayembekezera kanthu kena kwa zaka zambiri ndiyeno nkupeza kuti kanthuko nkabwinopo kuposa zimene tinayembekezera. Koma Gileadi inalidi tero.

Tinagaŵiridwa kupita ku India, koma m’kupita kwa nthaŵi tinamanidwa ziphaso zoyendera. Choncho, titayembekezera kwa chaka chimodzi mu New York City, Watch Tower Society inatigaŵiranso kupita ku Morocco, Kumpoto kwa Afirika.

Monga Amishonale ku Morocco

Tinakhala ku Morocco kwa zaka 24 zosangalatsa, ndipo tinaŵakonda anthu titangofika. Tinaphunzira zonse ziŵiri Chifalansa ndi Chispanya, zinenero zimene zinatithandiza kulankhula ndi nzika za kumaiko ena zokhala komweko. Ochuluka amene analabadira uthenga wa Ufumu anali ochokera kumaiko ena.

Mkazi wina amene ndinaphunzira naye Baibulo anali Msipanya wovina mavinidwe a flamenco amene ankagwira ntchito m’kalabu lausiku ku Casablanca. Ataphunzira malamulo amakhalidwe abwino a Baibulo, anachoka kwa mwini kalabulo yemwe ankakhala naye nabwerera ku Spanya. Mkaziyo analalikira kwa a m’banja lake onse kumeneko, ndipo ena mwa iwo analandira chowonadi cha Baibulo chimene anagaŵana nawo. Pambuyo pake anabwerera ku Casablanca, kumene anakhalabe wokhulupirika kwa Mulungu mpaka imfa yake mu 1990.

Zaka zathu zochepa zoyambirira ku Morocco zinali ndi ziŵerengero zowonjezereka za ofalitsa a Ufumu. Komabe, pamene kupeza ntchito ndi zikalata zokhalira m’dziko kunakhala kovuta kwa alendo, Mboni zambiri zinasamukira ku Yuropu. Ena mwa amene tinaphunzira nawo ali ku New Zealand, Canada, United States, Bulgaria, Russia, ndi Falansa tsopano, ndipo ena a iwo ndiaminisitala anthaŵi zonse.

Mwadzidzidzi, mu April 1973 ntchito yathu inaletsedwa mu Morocco. Ha, inali nkhonya yotani nanga! Pa Lachinayi madzulo, tinali khamu lachimwemwe pa Nyumba Yaufumu, tikumakambitsirana mpaka nyali zitazimitsidwa kutidziŵitsa kuti inali nthaŵi yopita kunyumba. Sitinadziŵe mpang’ono pomwe kuti sitikaziwonanso nyalizo zikuunikira unansi wapoyera Wachikristu. Pansi pa chiletso, misonkhano yathu yampingo ndi yadera tinkaichita m’timagulu m’nyumba za abale. Kuti zikapezeke kumsonkhano wachigawo, Mbonizo zinapita mwina ku Falansa kapena Spanya.

Pamene chiŵerengero chathu chinkacheperachepera, Mboni zochepa zotsala mu Morocco zinakondana kwabasi. Chotero pamene Watch Tower Society pomalizira pake inasankha kutseka nthambi ndi kutitumiza kwinakwake, tonsefe tinachita chisoni kwambiri.

Tipita Pakati pa Afirika

Gawo lathu latsopano linali dziko la Central African Republic. Kunali kosiyana kwambiri chotani ndi Kumpoto kwa Afirika! Pamene kuli kwakuti Morocco inali ndi mphepo yofanana kwambiri ndi kum’mwera kwa California, tinali kumalo otentha anthunzi.

Tinakumana ndi mavuto atsopano. Mwachitsanzo, ndinayenera kuthetsa mantha anga a zolengedwa zokwawa. Panthaŵi zitatu buluzi anandigwera pamutu pamene ndinali kupyola pakhomo. Nthaŵi zina, pochititsa phunziro la Baibulo, khoswe anaganiza zakutsangana nafe! Ngakhale kuti ndinafuna kulumpha ndi kuthaŵa, ndinadziletsa, koma osachotsa diso langa pa Bambo Khosweyo nditanyamula miyendo ndi chola m’mwamba kufikira atachoka. Ndinapeza kuti ukhoza kuzoloŵerana ndi kalikonse malinga nkulimba mtima.

Titakhala komweko kwa miyezi isanu ndi umodzi, chilengezo chinaperekedwa pawailesi kuti ntchito yathu yaletsedwa. Choncho Nyumba zathu Zaufumu zinatsekedwa, ndipo amishonale analamulidwa kupita. Ifeyo ndi okwatirana ena aŵiri tinakhoza kutsala tokha panthambi kwa miyezi ina itatu. Kenako pa Sande ina m’maŵa paphunziro lathu la Nsanja ya Olonda, apolisi onyamula zida anabwera natitengera kulikulu lawo. Anamasula akazi onse ndi ana, koma anagwira abale 23, kuphatikizapo mwamuna wanga, Bill. Patapita masiku atatu anammasula kuti abwere kunyumba kudzalongedza katundu; masiku atatu pambuyo pake, molamulidwa ndi boma, tinachoka m’dzikolo mu May 1989. Unalinso ulendo wina wogwetsa misozi pabwalo la ndege, pamene abale athu ambiri okondedwa anabwera kudzatsazikana nafe.

Pomalizira Pake, Tipita ku Sierra Leone

Gawo lathu tsopano ndi Sierra Leone, Kumadzulo kwa Afirika, dziko labwino lokhala ndi magombe okongola amchenga woyera. Anthu ngaubwenzi, ndipo uminisitala wakumunda ngwosangalatsa. Timauzidwa kukhala pansi panyumba iliyonse, kaŵirikaŵiri m’mthunzi wa mtengo wa mango kapena wa ngole. Anthu amakonda kulankhula za Mulungu ndipo amatenga kope lawo la Baibulo kuti adzitsatira bwino.

Aŵirife Bill ndi ine timagwira ntchito pa Nyumba ya Beteli ku Freetown. Ndimatumikira polandirira alendo ndiponso kusamalira masabusikiripishoni ndi maakaunti a mipingo. Pambuyo pa zaka 16 zakutumikira m’maiko kumene ntchito yathu yolalikira njoletsedwa, nkosangalatsa kukhala m’dziko kumene ntchito yathu ili yomasuka ndipo ikufutukuka.

Ndinakwanitsa zaka 30 muutumiki waumishonale mu June 1991. Ndithudi, Amayi anandiikira chonulirapo chapindu! Akadakhala amoyobe, ndikanakonda kuŵauzanso kuti, “Zikomo, Amayi!” Koma mokondwera ndinenabe kuti: “Zikomo, Atate!”

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Msonkhano ku New York, 1958

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35th class-July, 1960

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Bill ndi Sandra Cowan, 1991