Kusanonamatira kuSangano raMwari

YAKATAURWA NAROY A. RYAN

Sandhill, Missouri, wakatumidzwa zita zvakafanira, sezvo wakanga wakati pfuurei gomo guru rejecha munyika isina chinhu ina makomo. Uyu musha uri pamharadzano wakanga uri makiromita mashanu kumadokero kweRutledge uye waingova nedzimba sere bedzi kana pfumbamwe, chechi yeMethodist, uye shopo duku yomupfuri. Ndakaberekerwa imomo pana October 25, 1900.

BABA vangu vakanga vari mupfuri womusha. Kunyange zvazvo vabereki vangu vakanga vasingawanzopindi chechi, Amai vakavamba kunditumira kuSandisikuru kuChechi yeMethodist. Ndakanga ndisingadi zita rokuti Methodist, ndichidavira kuti munhu anofanira kunzi muKristu; bva ndakatanga nyota yezvokwadi yeBhaibheri nefariro muupenyu husingagumi.

Apo ndakanga ndava namakore 16 okukura, ndakaenda kundoshandira raruwe yeSanta Fe. Mumwe waVadzidzi veBhaibheri vaMarudzi Ose (seizvo Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvaidanwa panguva iyeyo) ainzi Jim akauya kuzoshanda pachikwata chedu cheraruwe, uye iye neni taiwanzoshanda pamwe chete. Jim aitaura, uye ini ndaiteerera zvaaitaura pamusoro peBhaibheri. Zvainzwika zvakanaka kwandiri, naizvozvo ndakakumbira kana ndaigona kukwereta rimwe ramabhuku ake.

Jim akandikweretesa vhoriyamu yokutanga yeStudies in the Scriptures, yakabudiswa naC. T. Russell weInternational Bible Students Association. Apo ndakaridzorera, ndakamuita kuti anditorere mamwe mavhoriyamu. Nokukurumidza pashure paikoko, Jim akabva pararuwe, uye nguva yakatevera ndakamuona makanga muri mumugwagwa muRutledge, achitora odha dzebhuku rine mifananidzo rinonzi Scenario of the Photo-Drama of Creation. Gare gare iye akandikoka kumisangano yeboka yaiitirwa mumba make. Svondo iri yose, ndaifamba makiromita mashanu ndichipinda muRutledge nokuda kwomusangano.

Apo magazini yeGolden Age (zvino Mukai!) yakatangwa muna 1919, ndakada kutanga muushumiri hwomumunda. Mumwe Mudzidzi mutsva weBhaibheri neni takanga takatsunga kuparadzira iyi magazini itsva pasuo nesuo. Takati tyiswei pamusoro pokushanyira vanhu mutaundi romumusha medu, naizvozvo takakwira chitima ndokuenda kutaundi raiva pedyo. Apo takasvika mumangwanani, isu mumwe nomumwe takaenda nenzira yedu timene ndokugogodza pamasuo kutozosvikira masikati, kunyange zvazvo takanga tisina rovedzo muiri basa. Ndakatora maodha okuzvinyoresa kuviri, kumwe kwomurume wandaishanda naye pararuwe.

Pana October 10, 1920, ndakabhapatidzwa mudziva pedyo neRutledge. Vabereki vangu vaishora kuva kwangu anobatanidzwa naVadzidzi veBhaibheri vaMarudzi Ose. Ikoku kwakanga kuri nemhaka yechishoro chainyandurwa navafundisi icho Vadzidzi veBhaibheri vakatambura mukati mamakore ehondo a 1914-18. Gare gare, zvisinei, baba vangu vakavamba kupinda misangano yaVadzidzi veBhaibheri, uye vakaravawo The Golden Age. Vasati vafa, amai vangu vakava vanoda zvikuru nzwisiso yedu yezvokwadi yeBhaibheri. Bva hapana nomumwe wemhuri yangu akamboita iyi zvokwadi yavo vamene.

Nguva Yokuedza

Mumazuva iwayo apakuvamba, kwaingova navatatu chete kunze kwangu vaigaropinda misangano yefundo yeBhaibheri muRutledge. Ava vatatu pakupedzisira vakasiya sangano. Mumwe akanga ari mukurukuri akaisvonaka, uyo aikurukura hurukuro dzavose dzeBhaibheri munharaunda macho. Zvisinei, akava anodada namano ake ndokunzwa kusina kumufanira kuti agoverane mukuparidzira paimba neimba sezvakanga zvaita maKristu apakuvamba.—Mabasa 5:42; 20:20.

Apo ava vatatu vakarega kusonganirana naVadzidzi veBhaibheri vaMarudzi Ose, ndinoyeuka ndichinzwa somuapostora Petro panguva apo Jesu akataura kuvanhu pamusoro po‘kudya nyama yaJesu nokunwa ropa rake.’ Vagumburwa nokudzidzisa kwake, vazhinji pana ikoko vakamusiya. Panguva iyoyo, Jesu akabvunza vaapostora, kuti: “Nemi munoda kubvawo here?” Petro akapindura, kuti: “Ishe, tichagoenda kuna aniko? Ndimi mune mashoko oupenyu husingaperi.”—Johane 6:67, 68.

Kunyange zvazvo Petro asina kunzwisisa zvizere icho Jesu akareva no‘kudya nyama yaJesu nokunwa ropa rake,’ iye akaziva kuti Jesu akanga ane mashoko oupenyu. Ndiwo manzwire andakaita pamusoro pesangano. Iro raiva nezvokwadi kunyange zvazvo nguva dzose ndaisanzwisisa zvizere chinhu chiri chose ndairava muzvinyorwa. Bva, panguva ipi neipi chimwe chinhu chaitaurwa icho ndisina kunzwisisa, handina kutongochiitira nharo. Gare gare, nhau yacho yakajekeswa, kana kuti mirangariro padzimwe nguva yaigadziridzwa. Nguva dzose ndaifara kuti ndakanga ndamirira nokushivirira nokuda kwejekeso.—Zvirevo 4:18.

Gadziridzo Kuti Ndipayone

Muna July 1924, ndakapinda kokorodzano yamarudzi ose muColumbus, Ohio. The Golden Age yakairondedzera se“kokorodzano hurusa yaVadzidzi veBhaibheri yakaitwa mukati mamazera.” Ikoko chisarudzo chinonyandura chinonzi “Pomero” chakagamuchirwa. Mashoko akagamuchirwa nomudzimu wakaratidzirwa pakokorodzano iyoyo zvakandikurudzira kuva mushumiri wenguva yakazara, kana kuti piona.

Pakudzokera ndichibva kukokorodzano, ndakarega basa rangu neraruwe, uye Mudzidzi weBhaibheri biyangu neni takavamba kubatira samapiona pamwe chete. Zvisinei, pashure perinenge gore rimwe, utano hwavabereki vangu hwakaderera kusvikira patambanuko yokuti vakada betsero yangu. Ndakarega kupayona ndokuwana basa rokushandira kambani yepombi, asi sezvo vanhu vaishandako vakanga vasiri pesvedzero yakanaka, ndakasiya basa iroro ndokupinda mubhizimisi rokutarisira nyuchi nokutengesa uchi.

Pakasvika kupera kwa 1933, vabereki vangu vose vari vaviri vakanga vafa, kuchindisiya ndisina misengwa. Naizvozvo muchirimo cha 1934, ndakapa nyuchi dzangu kutarisiro yomumwe munhu, kuvaka turera duku yokugara mairi, uye ndakatanga ushumiri hwenguva yakazara zvakare sapiona. Pakutanga ndakashanda neChapupu chakwegura munzvimbo yeQuincy, Illinois. Gare gare ndakadzokera kuMissouri, uko ndakakumbanira boka ramapiona.

Muna 1935 kwaiva nokusanaya kwakakomba kwemvura muMidwest, uye sezvo takanga tichishanda munharaunda yokurima zvikuru, kwakanga kwakaoma. Hakuna munhu aiva nemari ipi neipi, naizvozvo vanhu vanoonga vaiwanzotipa zvokudya kana kuti zvimwe zvinhu apo taivasiira mabhuku.

Kupayona Mumaodzanyemba

Nguva yechando iyoyo takadzika kuArkansas kunzvenga mugariro wokunze unotonhora. Takakwanisa kuparadzira mabhuku akawanda munharaunda iyoyo ndokugamuchira zvinhu zvose zvomumatini zvataigona kushandisa. Taiwanzogamuchira zvimwe zvinhu zvataigona kutengesa nokuda kwemari, kubatanidza midziyo yekare yakagadzirwa nealuminium, brass yekare kana kuti mukore, maradiator emotokari ekare namabhatiri. Ikoku kwaitipa mari yepeturo yeModel A Ford yangu, iyo taishandisa muushumiri.

Takabatira muNewton, Searcy, uye Carroll muOzark Plateau ine makomo. Zvinoitika zvatakava nazvo tichiparidzira pakati pavanhu vomumakomo veArkansas zvingazadza bhuku. Sezvo migwagwa yaiva yakashata kana kuti yaisavapo mumazuva iwayo, taiita rakawanda rebasa redu netsoka. Mamwe mapiona aiva muboka redu aisienda akatasva mabhiza kundowana vanhu munharaunda dzakakwirira dzamakomo.

Pane imwe nguva takanzwa nezvomumwe murume anofarira ainzi Sam, uyo pakupedzisira takawana achigara pamusoro pegomo. Iye akatigamuchira nomutsa uye akafara kuita kuti tigare kwousiku hwose. Kunyange zvazvo mudzimai waSam akanga asingafariri shoko redu, mwanakomana wake wamakore 16 okukura, Rex, aifarira. Apo takabva, Sam akatikoka kudzokera. Naizvozvo mavhiki maviri gare gare, takagara navo zvakare.

Pakubva nguva yechipiri, akanga ari mudzimai waSam uyo akatikoka kudzokera. Iye akati takanga tiri pesvedzero yakanaka pana Rex. “Iye mukomana anoshandisa mutauro wakashata,” iye akatsanangura kudaro, “uye handifungi kuti iye akatuka zvikuru chifo chaapo imi vakomana maiva pano.” Makore gare gare ndakasangana naRex zvakare apo akapinda chikoro chavafundisi cheGilead muSouth Lansing, New York. Zvinoitika zvakadai seichi zvakandiunzira gutsikano huru mumakore apfuura.

Basa reBheteri

Apo ndakakumbira kuva piona, ndakakumbirawo kubatira padzimbahwe reZvapupu zvaJehovha muNew York, rinonzi Bheteri. Muchirimo cha 1935, ndakaziviswa kuti kumbiriso yangu yakanga yagamuchirwa uye kuti ndaifanira kushuma kuKingdom Farm yeWatchtower Society muSouth Lansing, New York, kuti ndivambe basa rangu reBheteri. Ndakakurumidza kuita gadziriro dzokuti Chapupu biyangu chitore turera yangu youpiona.

Ndakachaira ndichienda kuNew York ndiri muModel A Ford yangu, uye panenge pa 10:30 mangwanani aMay 3, 1935, ndakasvika. Panenge pa 1 kiroko masikati iwayo, ndakapiwa basa rokutsemura huni. Zuva rakatevera racho ndakaudzwa kushuma kudanga rokukamira mukaka kuti ndibetsere kukama mombe. Ndakashanda navanokama mukaka kwamakore anoverengeka, pane dzimwe nguva kukama mumangwanani namadekwana uye kushanda namapoka omubindu nomumunda wezvirimwa mukati mezuva. Ndaitarisirawo nyuchi ndokubura uchi hwemhuri yeBheteri. Muna 1953, ndakachinjirwa kubato rinogadzira chizi.

Mumwe waavo vakaorora upenyu hwangu nemhaka yomuenzaniso wake wakaisvonaka wokuzvininipisa, ruvimbiko, uye teerero kuna Jehovha akanga ari Walter John “Pappy” Thorn. Iye akanga ari mumwe waVadzidzi veBhaibheri 21 vakagadzwa muna 1894 kuva vafambiri vokutanga—varume vaiita basa rakafanana neiro ravatariri vedunhu vanhasi—kushanyira chiverengero chakati cheungano kuti vadzikurudzire. Pashure pamakore akawanda mubasa rokufambira, Hama Thorn vakauya kuKingdom Farm ndokushanda mumba yehuku. Panhambo dzakawanda ndaivanzwa vachiti: “Nguva ipi neipi ndinosvika pakufunga zvikuru nezvangu ndimene, ndinozvipinza ndimene mukona, sokunge zvakadaro, ndokuti: ‘Iwe kahuruva. Chii chaunacho chokudada nezvacho?’”

Mumwe murume wokuzvininipisa uyo akava muenzaniso webasa nokuda kwangu akanga ari John Booth, zvino mutezo woMutumbi Unodzora weZvapupu zvaJehovha. Iye akanokorwa mashoko mumakore apfuura saanoti: “Hakusati kuri zvikuru kwaunobatira asi waunobatira anokosha zvirokwazvo.” Kutaura kwakapfava asi ndokwechokwadi sei! Kubatira Jehovha ndiko hurusa yamaropafadzo ose!

Rimwe ramapfundo makuru mubasa rangu reBheteri rakanga riri kuzarurwa kwechikoro chavafundisi cheGilead kuKingdom Farm muna 1943. Kusonganirana namapiona akabva kumativi akawanda enyika kwaifadza zvamazvirokwazvo. Mumazuva iwayo kwaiva navanenge vadzidzi zana mukirasi imwe neimwe, naizvozvo mwedzi mitanhatu iri yose vatsva vane zana vaiuya kuKingdom Farm. Marusando okupedza kufunda aikwezva zviuru zvavanhu kuiyi nzvimbo yedzidzo mumapurazi omuruwa okumusoro kweNew York.

Chinjo Yebasa

Apo chikoro cheGilead chakatamisirwa kuBrooklyn uye chivako chikuru chedhomitari nekirasi kuSouth Lansing zvakatengeswa, imba yokukamira yakatamisirwa kuWatchtower Farms kuWallkill, New York. Naizvozvo mukupera kwa 1969, ndakachinjirwa kupurazi kuWallkill ndokupfuurira kugadzira chizi kutozosvikira muna 1983. Ipapo ndakapiwa chinjo yebasa, uye ndakavamba kushanda mukunadziridza nzvimbo.

Ndichibvunzurudzwa nguva yakati yapfuura, ndakabvunzwa chandaifunga pamusoro pokupiwa chinjo yebasa pashure pamakore 30 okugadzira chizi. “Hakuna kundinetsa,” ndakadaro zvakajeka, “nemhaka yokuti ndakanga ndisingadi zvangu kugadzira chizi.” Pfundo randakanga ndichiita nderokuti tinogona kufara tichibatira Jehovha mumugove upi noupi kana tikachengeta murangariro wakarurama ndokubvuma nokuzvininipisa nhungamiro youmwari. Naizvozvo kunyange zvazvo ndakanga ndisingadi chaizvoizvo kugadzira chizi, ndaifarikanya mugove wangu nemhaka yokuti waibatsira mhuri yeBheteri. Kana tikabatira Mwari wedu mukuru, Jehovha, nokutendeka uye nokusanyunyuta, tinogona kufara pasinei zvapo nouri mugove wedu.

Mumakore angu okuderera, handifungi kuti ndaigona kuva munzvimbo iri nani kupfuura kubatira paBheteri. Ndinosanotarisirwa uye ndakakwanisa kupfuurira kuita migove yangu yebasa kunyange zvazvo ndine makore 90 ezera. Kwamakore akawanda zvino, ndakava neropafadzo yokutora dzoro rangu mukuva sachigaro pagadziriro yokunamata kwamangwanani yemhuri yeBheteri pano paWatchtower Farms. Kana ndine banza, ndinokurudzira vatsva paBheteri kushandisa maropafadzo ose ebasa avanopiwa nokudzidza kugutswa nokufara nawo.

Mumakore ose apfuura, ndakakwanisa nguva dzinoverengeka kushanyira nzvimbo dzokumwe—India, Nepal, Far East, uye Europe. Zano rinotevera ringava rebetsero kuavo vari muungano dzavo dzakatsaukana dzavanhu vaJehovha kupota nyika: Fara ndokugutsikana mumigariro yako yazvino ndokubudirira munzira yomudzimu muvhu mawakasimwa.

Ndakasarudza kuramba ndisina kuroora, sezvo kwakandigonesa kupfuurira ndisingatsauswi mubasa rangu kuna Mwari. Setuso nokuda kwokutendeka, Mwari wedu mukuru akandipa kariro youpenyu husingagumi. Nokuda kwavazhinji, ikoko kuchareva upenyu husingagumi mumusha weparadhiso pano pasi pano. Vamwe vedu vanotarira mberi kuupenyu husingagumi mumatenga, tichitarisira mugove upi kana upi watinopiwa.

Vamwe vangafunga kuti makore angu 90 hwave huri upenyu hurefu, hwakapfuma. Upenyu hwangu hwave hwakapfuma asi kwete hwakareba zvakakwana. Kupfurikidza nokurambira pedyo nesangano raMwari namashoko ake ezvokwadi, tinogona kutambanudza upenyu hwedu nokusingagumi.a

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 26]

Hama Ryan mumakore ake apakuvamba parutivi peModel T Ford