Dziko la Mbalame Yoimba Limva “Nyimbo Yatsopano”

PA KUFIKA kwa mbandakucha, kuimba kosinthasintha kwa mbalame yoimba kukumveka mu Liberia monse. Kwa mibadwomibadwo, kuimba kwake kwatumikira kudzutsa anthu a m’mudzi ku tsiku lina la ntchito pansi pa dzuŵa la malo otentha. Mbalame yofala yotchedwa bulbul imeneyi yapatsa Liberia dzina lake lopeka lakuti “dziko la mbalame yoimba.”

Dzina lakuti Liberia, ngakhale kuli tero, limabweretsa ku malingaliro nkhani ina. Mu 1822 akapolo omasulidwa obwerera kuchokera ku America kupita ku kontinenti ya makolo awo anafika kothirira Mtsinje wa Mesurado ndi kupanga malo okhalako omwe anadzakhala Monrovia. Malo ena okhalako anakhazikitsidwa pa Buchanan, Greenville, ndi Harper, ndipo okhalapowo anapanga mapangano ndi mafumu a anthu a fuko la kumeneko. Anthu obwerera oyambirira amenewo anabweretsa limodzi nawo uzimu wa Chinegro​—nyimbo zomwe zinasanganiza mawu a nyimbo za Chiafrica ndi mitu ya m’Baibulo ndi kuwunikira chikhumbo chawo kaamba ka ufulu. M’kusungirira chikhumbo chimenecho, mu 1824 dziko lawo lolamuliridwa linatchedwa Liberia. Mu 1847 ilo linadzakhala boma loyamba la Chiafrica la anthu akuda.

M’zaka zaposachedwapa, ngakhale kuli tero, nyimbo yatsopano yamvedwa m’dziko limeneli. Iyi ndi nyimbo yoimbidwa, osati ndi mbalame yoimba kapena ndi akapolo obwerera, koma ndi liwu lomakula la anthu amene akuvomereza ku chilimbikitso cha wamasalmo wa m’Baibulo chakuti: “Myimbireni Yehova nyimbo yatsopano; Myimbireni Yehova, inu, dziko lonse lapansi. Nenani mwa amitundu, Yehova achita ufumu.” (Salmo 96:1, 10) Inde, iyi ndi nyimbo ya Ufumu wa Mulungu wokhazikitsidwa, ndi Yesu Kristu monga Mfumu. Iyo ikuimbidwa ndi oloŵa nyumba oyembekezeredwa a boma lakumwamba la Yehova. Iwo ndi atsamwali awo mwachisangalalo akulengeza “mbiri yabwino” yonena za Ufumu m’mitundu yonse​—kuphatikizapo Liberia​—mkati mwa “chimaliziro cha dongosolo la zinthu,” mu limene ife tsopano tikukhala. (Mateyu 24:3, 14, NW) Ndi liti ndipo ndimotani pamene nyimbo imeneyi inadzamvedwa choyambirira m’dziko la mbalame yoimba? Ndipo ndi chiyambukiro chotani chimene kumveka kwake kosanthula mtima kwakhala nako pa omvetsera achiyamikiro? Tiyeni timvetsere.

“Nyimbo Yatsopano” Ifikira Liberia

Mu 1946 Harry C. Behannan, wokhala ndi mphatso ya luso la kuimba piano wakuda yemwe anaseŵera mu Europe monse, analeka ntchito yake yoimba ndi cholinga chofuna kutumikira monga m’mishonale. Kwa miyezi isanu ndi umodzi iye anatumikira yekha monga Mboni ya Yehova ya chipainiya, akumapita kuchokera kunyumba ndi nyumba kufalitsa chowonadi cha Ufumu. Iye anagawira mabukhu oposa 500 ndi kupanga mabwenzi ambiri. Kenaka, mwatsoka, Mbale Behannan anafa ndi nthenda ya malungo a m’malo otentha. Koma “nyimbo yatsopano” sinafe, popeza kuti amishonale ena anamtsatira iye.

Mu 1947 George Watkins (wophunzira maseŵera a nkhonya wakale) ndi mkazi wake Willa Mae anabwera kudzatumikira mu Monrovia, likulu la Liberia. Iwo anali odekha ndi akhama m’kuphunzitsa anthu odzichepetsa a ku Liberia “kusunga zinthu zonse zimene [Yesu] analamulira.” (Mateyu 28:19, 20) Podzafika September 1948 gulu la anthu 15 linali kugawana mu utumiki wa Ufumu ndi iwo. Chotero, mpingo woyambirira wa Mboni za Yehova unapangidwa mu Liberia.

Ntchito yolalikira inafalikira mofulumira kutsikira kumalire kwa doko la Harper, mu Kakata ndi midzi yozungulira, ndi pakati pa anthu okoka ulimbo olankhula chinenero cha Chikisi pa mitengo ya ku Firestone. Podzafika 1952 ofesi ya nthambi ya Watch Tower Society inakhazikitsidwa mu Liberia. Mkati mwa chaka chotsatira, Nyumba ya Ufumu yoyambirira limodzi ndi nyumba ya amishonale zinamangidwa pa McDonald Street mu Monrovia. Zimenezo zinali nthaŵi zosangalatsa. Lerolino, pali otamanda Yehova 1,724 m’dzikoli, ndipo akukhala ndi zotulukapo zabwino pakati pa anthu aubwenzi, ochereza, ndi odzichepetsa.

Kuvomereza ku “Nyimbo Yatsopano” Lerolino

Mboni za Yehova kuchokera ku mafuko aakulu 16 a Liberia, limodzi ndi amishonale ndi anthu amene abwera kudzatumikira kumene kusoŵa kuli kokulira, tsopano agwirizanitsa pamodzi mawu awo m’kumveketsa uthenga wa Ufumu. Posachedwapa, iwo awonjezera liwu la kufulumira m’kusangalatsa awo ofunafuna chowonadi. Pa avereji, Mboni iriyonse imathera oposa maora 27 pa mwezi m’ntchito yolalikira, ndipo chiŵerengero cha awo okhala mu utumiki wa nthaŵi zonse chaŵirikiza kuposa katatu m’zaka zisanu zapitazo. Zoyesayesa zoterozo zabweretsa madalitso ponse paŵiri kwa iwo ndi kwa ena. Tiyeni timvetsere ponena za ena a iwo.

Emmanuel anawongolera zochita zake kotero kuti angasamalire kaamba ka banja lake lalikulu ndi kugawanamo mu ntchito ya upainiya wa nthaŵi zonse mu Gardnersville. Iye anakumana ndi Varney ndi Lucinda ndi kuyamba phunziro la Baibulo la panyumba ndi iwo. Ngakhale kuli tero, iwo anakhulupirira kuti linali chimo kwa munthu kusintha chipembedzo chake. Emmanuel anawasonyeza iwo chimene bukhu la Reasoning From the Scriptures limanena pa nkhaniyo. Iwo anabwereka bukhulo, kuŵerenga nsonga zina mu ilo, ndi kuyamba kupezeka ku misonkhano Yachikristu. Mwamsanga pambuyo pake, iwo anatenga utumiki Wachikristu. Pa nthaŵiyo, mwini dziko wawo​—mtsogoleri wachipembedzo​—anawona kusintha mu mkakhalidwe wawo ndi kuwaitana iwo kugwiritsira ntchito chipinda chochezeramo chake kaamba ka phunziro lawo la Baibulo. Pambuyo pa kupezeka pa msonkhano wachigawo, mwini dzikoyo anakhutiritsidwa kuti anapeza chowonadi ndipo anafunsira kaamba ka phunziro la Baibulo la iyemwini.

Kuvomereza ku “nyimbo yatsopano” kunamasula Tamba, yemwe kale anali wofunsira mizimu wa ku Lofa County. Wodera nkhaŵa ponena za kudwala kwa mwana wake wamwamuna, iye anafunsira mizimu. Iyo inamtsimikizira iye kuti mwana wake wamwamuna akakhala ndi moyo koma inadzinenera kuti mkazi wake anali kudzetsa imfa ya mwana wake wamwamunayo. Ndi zopereka ndi nsembe, Tamba anapempha mizimuyo kupha mkazi wake kotero kuti imuchinjirize iye kuvulaza mwana wake wamwamuna. Kodi nchiyani chomwe chinali chotulukapo? Mwana wamwamunayo anafa koma mkazi wake sanavulazidwe. Atakwiyitsidwa ndi kukhumudwitsidwa, Tamba anataya kunja zogwiritsira ntchito zake zonse za mizimu. Mu mkhalidwe wake wokanthidwa ndi chisoni, iye anakhudzidwa mwakuya ndi uthenga wonena za chiyembekezo cha chiwukiriro ndi dziko lapansi la paradaiso lomwe likudzalo. Iye analandira phunziro la Baibulo, kuyeretsa moyo wake, ndi kudzipereka iyemwini kwa Yehova. Chiyambire pamenepo iye wathandiza banja lake ndi anthu ena asanu ndi anayi m’chitaganya chake kufika ku kudzipereka.

Miyoyo ya anthu owona mtima ambiri inakhudzidwa ndi “nyimbo yatsopano.” Herbert anapeza chiphaso chopitirizira maphunziro ku yunivesiti mu Monrovia ndi ntchito ya boma chifukwa cha kuthekera kwake kwapadera monga woseŵera mpira wachitanyu. Pamene anaphunzira chimene Baibulo limanena ponena za mzimu wopikisana, ngakhale kuli tero, iye anasonkhezeredwa kuleka ntchito yake ya zamaseŵera. (Agalatiya 5:26) Tsopano iye akusangalala m’ntchito yake yatsopano monga minisitala wa nthaŵi zonse.

James anafunsa Mboni yomwe inaphunzira naye mmene iye angalakire kumwerekera kwake mu chamba. Atalimbikitsidwa kupemphera ponena za nkhaniyo, James anafunsa Yehova kumthandiza iye kuleka. Milungu ingapo pambuyo pake, iye sanathe kukaniza chisonkhezerocho ndipo anasutanso. Panjira akubwerera kunyumba, anayenda molunjika nakagunda mpingidzo wachitsulo ndi kukha mwazi kwakukulu kuzungulira diso. Akumakumbukira pemphero lake, iye sanabwerere mpang’ono ponse ku chizoloŵezi chake. Lerolino, iye akutumikira monga mpainiya wokhazikika ndi mtumiki wotumikira mu mpingowo.

Kusangalatsa kwa “nyimbo yatsopano” kwafikiranso mwamuna wachikulire, Samuel wa fuko la Krahn, amene kale anali woyang’anira wa Montserrado County. Kodi nchiyani chimene chinamusonkhezera iye kuleka ntchito yokhala ndi malipiro apamwamba ndi kutsatira utumiki wa nthaŵi zonse? “Chomwe chinandisangalatsa ine chinali chenicheni chakuti m’Baibulo langa ndinakhoza kupeza chirikizo kaamba ka chirichonse chimene Mboni za Yehova zinanena, kuphunzitsa, ndi kuchita,” anatero Samuel. Iye anawonjezera kuti pakati pa Mboni za Yehova iye wapeza chikondi chimene Yesu anachilongosola pa Yohane 13:34, 35. Samuel anawona kuti ziŵalo za tchalitchi chake chakale, mosiyanako, “zinali nthaŵi zonse kukangana ndi kumenyana ponena za nkhani za ndalama mkati mwa tchalitchi mwenimwenimo.” Samuel tsopano akutumikira monga mpainiya wokhazikika.

“Nyimbo Yatsopano” Inafuulidwa

Chitadza ku kuimba zitamando kwa Mulungu, palibe nthaŵi zosangalatsa koposa kaamba ka anthu a Yehova kuposa pa misonkhano yawo yachigawo ya chaka ndi chaka. M’zaka za posachedwapa, ngakhale kuli tero, kuno ku Liberia chitokoso chinali m’kupeza malo aakulu okwanira kutenga Mboni zonse ndi anthu okondwerera omwe akapezekapo. Mu 1986 misonkhano iŵiri inachitidwa panyumba yosonkhanira yoyenerera yokhayo, koma chiwonkhetso cha opezekapo oposa 4,000 chinadzaza mopambanitsa malowo. Kodi nchiyani chomwe chikachitidwa kaamba ka 1987? Chabwino, Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex inamalizidwa kokha m’nthaŵi yake ndi thandizo la boma la China. Koma kodi tikanakhoza kuchita renti malowa?

Chifukwa cha mkhalidwe wa maphunziro wa programu yathu, olamulira anavomereza kutilola ife kugwiritsira ntchito bwalo la maseŵeralo pa mtengo wolingalirika kwambiri. Koma kokha milungu yoŵerengeka nthaŵi ya msonkhano isanafike, olamulirawo anafuna kuwonjezera malipirowo. Chifukwa ninji? Chifukwa chakuti mlengezi wa pa TV wotchuka wochokera ku United States anali atangomaliza msonkhano wake mu bwalo la maseŵeralo, ndipo khamulo linalisiya ilo mu mkhalidwe wopanda udongo, ndi zinyalala zomwazikana paliponse. Olamulirawo anatsimikiziridwa kuti Mboni za Yehova zinali zosiyanako. Tsiku limodzi msonkhanowo usanachitike, abale ndi alongo oposa 500 anayeretsa bwalo la maseŵeralo mosamalitsa. Pambuyo pa msonkhanowo, chiŵalo cha olamulira a gulu la ku China chinamvedwa chikunena kuti kuyesayesa kwathu kwa kusunga bwalo la maseŵera kukhala loyera kunali koyenerera kuposa zimene tinalipira kaamba ka kuigwiritsira ntchito.

Msonkhano weniweniwo unali chipambano. Chiŵerengero chapamwamba chatsopano cha 5,852 chinapezeka pa nkhani yapoyera yakuti “Mu Nthawi Zino Zowopsya, Kodi Ndani Amene Mungakhulupirire?” Chinali chisangalalo chotani nanga kuwona atsopano 101 akuchitira chizindikiro kudzipereka kwawo kwa Mulungu mwa kumizidwa m’madzi! Maubatizo anachitika m’madziŵe onyamulika aŵiri pa malo a msonkhano enieniwo​—woyambirira kaamba ka Liberia!

Ndi ziŵerengero zomawonjezereka za anthu ovomereza ku “nyimbo yatsopano,” ofesi ya nthambi yoyambirira pa McDonald Street mu Monrovia inatsimikizira kukhala yaing’ono kwambiri. Ngakhale chimango choitsatira mu Sinkor sichinali chachikulu mokwanira kaamba ka kusungira mabukhu a Baibulo onse ofunikira kusamalira kaamba ka zosoŵa zauzimu za anthu a ku Liberia. Chotero, chimango chokhalamo chachikulu chinagulidwa ndi kukonzedwanso pafupi ndi Nyumba ya Ufumu ya Paynesville, ndipo ofesi ya nthambi yatsopano inaperekedwa pa March 28, 1987. Ndi chimango chachikulu chokhazikitsidwa pa malo abwino chimenechi, atumiki a Yehova mu Liberia ali okonzekeretsedwa bwino kusamalira kaamba ka zikondwerero zomakulakula.

Kodi ndi ntchito yochulukira chotani yomwe yatsalira kuchitidwa mu Liberia? Chiŵerengero cha opezeka pa Chikumbutso mu 1988 cha 8,600​—kuŵirikiza nthaŵi zisanu chiŵerengero cha ofalitsa a Ufumu​—chimasonyeza kuti pali kuthekera kwakukulu kaamba ka ophunzira owonjezereka. Ndipo Mboni zogwira ntchito mwamphamvu za ku Liberia zikuyankha ku chitokosocho. Iwo akutsogoza maphunziro a Baibulo a panyumba oposa 3,000 mwezi uliwonse. Liri pemphero lathu kuti owonjezereka ambiri kuno adzagwirizana ndi “khamu lalikulu” lomakula nthaŵi zonse omwe akutamanda Yehova m’kuyankha ku “nyimbo yatsopano.”​—Chibvumbulutso 7:9, 10.

[Bokosi patsamba 28]

Kupita Kunyumba ndi Nyumba mu Liberia

Pamene tikufikira panyumba ya mitengo yomatidwa ndi matope, m’malo mwa kugogoda, timalengeza kufika kwathu mwa kuitana kuti: “Kpaw, kpaw, kpaw!”

Posamva yankho, timapita kumbuyo kwa nyumba ndi kupeza banja liri khale mu “kitchini”​—kamsasa kakang’ono kumbuyo kwa nyumba. Mphika wa mafuta ofiira a ngole ochindikala ukubwadamuka pamoto wa nkhuni. Amayi, omwe akupakula mpunga, atumiza ana awo kuthamangira m’nyumba kukatenga mipando kaamba ka ife.

Ziŵalo za banjalo tsopano zikukhazikika pansi. Tiri khale pa benchi, iwo amvetsera mosamalitsa pamene tikupereka uthenga wa Ufumu. Iwo mwachimwemwe alandira kope la broshuwa ya Sangalalani ndi Moyo pa Dziko Lapansi Kosatha! ndipo tipanga makonzedwe a kubwererako. Pamene tikunyamuka kuti tipite, iwo anena kuti: “Tiyeni tidye!”

[Mapu/​Zithunzi patsamba 26]

(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

SIERRA LEONE

LIBERIA

LOFA COUNTY

MONTSERRADO COUNTY

Monrovia

Kakata

Buchanan

Greenville

Harper

GUINEA

IVORY COAST

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Km 0 100 200 300

mi 0 100 200

[Mapu]

AFRICA