Anatiikira Chitsanzo
YOSIMBIDWA NDI CRAIG ZANKER
Kwa zaka zisanu ndi zitatu mkazi wanga, Gayle, ndi ine takhala apainiya, atumiki anthaŵi yonse a Mboni za Yehova. Kwa zaka zisanu ndi chimodzi zapitazo, takhala tikutumikira pakati pa Aaborijini akumidzi yakutali ku Australia. Tikungotsatira chitsanzo chabwino chimene makolo anga ndi agogo anatiikira.
TAIMANI ndikuuzeni makamaka za agogo anga. Nthaŵi zonse takonda kuwatcha kuti a Opa ndi a Oma, mawu Achidatchi akuti agogo aamuna ndi agogo aakazi. Agogo anga aamuna, a Charles Harris, akali kutumikirabe mwachangu mu Melbourne, kumene akhalako pafupifupi zaka 50.
Kuphunzira Choonadi cha Baibulo
A Opa anabadwira m’tauni ina yaing’ono ya ku Tasmania, boma la pachisumbu china cha Australia. Mu 1924, pamene anali ndi zaka zakubadwa 14, atate wawo anagula bokosi losungiramo zithu za mmalinyero pamalonda ogulitsa zinthu. Bokosilo linakhaladi la chuma chenicheni, kunena mwauzimu, pakuti linali ndi mpambo wa mabuku olembedwa ndi prezidenti woyamba wa Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Charles Taze Russell.
Mwachionekere, atate wawo wa a Opa anali osakondweretsedwa ndi mabukuwo, koma a Opa anayamba kuwaŵerenga ndipo nthaŵi yomweyo anazindikira kuti anali ndi choonadi chofunika cha Baibulo. Chotero anayamba kufunafuna Ophunzira Baibulo a Padziko Lonse, anthu oimira afalitsi a mpambo wa mabukuwo amene tsopano amadziŵika monga Mboni za Yehova. Iwo anafuna kukambitsirana nawo kotero kuti afotokozeredwe zowonjezereka ponena za choonadi cha Baibulo chimene anali kuphunzira.
Atafufuzafufuza kwambiri iwo anapeza akazi ena atatu achikulire amene anali okangalika m’kuphunzitsa ena. Iwowa anali ndi chisonkhezero champhamvu pa a Charles achicheperewo. Potsirizira pake, mu 1930, iwo anadzipatulira kwa Yehova Mulungu ndipo anabatizidwa m’madzi. Anasiya ntchito yawo monga wa m’butchale ndi kumka kumpoto ku Sydney, kumene analandira gawo monga mlaliki wanthaŵi yonse.
Kuchita Upainiya mu Australia
M’zaka zingapo zotsatira, magawo olalikirako a a Charles anaphatikizapo mlaga wa m’mphepete mwa nyanja wa Bondi ku Sydney ndiponso madera akumidzi m’boma la New South Wales. Ndiyeno anagaŵiridwa gawo ku Perth, Western Australia, makilomita zikwi zambiri kuchokera kumbali ina ya dzikolo. Kwa miyezi isanu ndi umodzi iwo anachitira umboni m’dera la malonda la Perth, ndiyeno, limodzi ndi apainiya ena aŵiri, iwo anagaŵiridwa gawo kumadera aakulu okhalidwa ndi anthu patalipatali a kumpoto chakumadzulo kwa Australia.
Gawo lolalikirako la anthu atatu ameneŵa—a Arthur Willis, a George Rollsten, ndi a Charles—linali dera la ukulu wa dziko la Italy kuŵirikiza kanayi! Anthu ake anakhalirana patalipatali, dzikolo linali chipululu, ndi lotentha kwambiri. Nthaŵi zina kunali kofunika kuyenda ulendo wa makilomita oposa 500 kumka pamalo ena a ulimi wa ng’ombe, odziŵika monga masiteshoni a ng’ombe. Galimoto limene anagwiritsira ntchito linali lowonongeka, ngakhale pamiyezo ya 1930, koma iwo anali ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba ndi kutsimikiza mtima kwakukulu.
Misewu yake yokumbikakumbika yaing’onoyo ndi ya fumbi inadutsadutsidwa ndi njira za ngamila, ndipo panali fumbi losalala cha apo ndi apo (lotchedwa bulldust) limene linabisa zitsa za mitengo mumsewumo. Mposadabwitsa kuti kaŵirikaŵiri masipuling’i a galimoto anali kuduka. Ekiselo ya magudumu yakumbuyo inaduka panthaŵi ziŵiri, ndipo matayala ake anabooka nthaŵi zambiri. Kaŵirikaŵiri apainiyawo anali kupanga zigamba kuchokera pamatayala akale ndi kuzimangirira ndi mabauti mkati mwa matayala kotero kuti apitirizebe ulendo wawo.
Pamene ndinali mwana wamng’ono, ndinafunsa a Opa chimene chinawalimbikitsa kupitirizabe pansi pa mikhalidwe yovuta chotero. Iwo anafotokoza kuti m’malo awo akutaliwo anali kuyandikirana ndi Yehova. Zimene panthaŵi zina zinali zovuta zakuthupi, iwo anatero, zinakhala dalitso lauzimu.
Popanda kudzikweza kapena kudzilungamitsa kulikonse, a Opa anasonyeza kudabwa kwakuti anthu ambiri anaonekera kukhala ndi nkhaŵa yaikulu ya kukundika chuma chakuthupi. “Moyotu,” iwo anandikumbutsa motero, “umakhala bwinopo ndi zinthu zochepa zakuthupi. Ngati Yesu anali wofunitsitsa kugona panja pamene kunali koyenera, pamenepo nafenso tiyenera kukhala achimwemwe kuchita chimodzimodzi ngati gawo lathu lifuna kuti titero.” (Mateyu 8:19, 20) Ndipo ndithudi, iwo ndi mabwenzi awo anatero.
Apemphedwa Kumka ku Munda Wachilendo
Mu 1935, a Opa analandira gawo latsopano lolalikirako—kukachitira umboni kwa anthu apazisumbu za ku South Pacific. Iwo pamodzi ndi kagulu ka anthu asanu ndi mmodzi, anayenda ulendo wa panyanja pabwato lokankhidwa ndi mphepo la Watch Tower Society la mamita 16 lotchedwa Lightbearer.
Panthaŵi ina, pamene anali ku Coral Sea kumpoto kwa Australia, injini yothandizira kuyenda kwa Lightbearer inafa. Kunalibe ndi mphepo yomwe yolikankha, chotero anasoŵa chochita kumalo a makilomita ambiri ndi kumtunda amenewo. Ngakhale kuti anayang’anizana ndi tsoka la kusweka kwa bwatolo pa Great Barrier Reef, a Opa anachita chidwi ndi bata lalikulu panyanjapo. “Nyanjayo inali yabata kwambiri,” iwo analemba motero m’dayale yawo. “Sindidzaiŵala kaloŵedwe ka dzuŵa madzulo alionse panyanja ya bata imeneyo. Kaonekedwe kake kanali kokongola kwambiri kwakuti kanakhomerezeka m’maganizo mwanga kwa nthaŵi zonse.”
Mwachimwemwe, asanatengedwere kudera la miyalalo, mphepo inayambanso kuomba, ndipo anakokedwa nayo bwino lomwe kufika pa Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, pamene anakonzetsa injiniyo. Kuchokera pa Port Moresby iwo anayenda ulendo kumka ku Thursday Island ndiyeno analoŵa mu Java, chisumbu chachikulu cha Indonesia. A Opa anakonda kwambiri dziko limeneli limene lafotokozedwa monga “chovala cha m’khosi cha ngale chotantha modutsa equator.” Panthaŵiyo, Indonesia anali pansi pa ulamuliro wa Netherlands, chotero agogo anaphunzira Chidatchi ndi Chiindoneziya chomwe. Komabe, zofalitsidwa zimene anagaŵira m’ntchito yawo yolalikira, zinali m’zinenero zisanu: Chidatchi, Chiindoneziya, Chitchainizi, Chingelezi, ndi Chiluya.
A Opa anali ndi chipambano kwambiri m’kugaŵira zofalitsa zofotokoza Baibulo. Tsiku lina a Clem Deschamp, amene anali woyang’anira malo ofikira katundu wa Watch Tower ku Batavia (tsopano Djakarta), anaitanidwa ndi ofesala Wachidatchi amene anali kuyang’anitsitsa mosamala ntchito yathu yolalikira. “Kodi muli ndi anthu angati amene akugwira ntchito kuno ku East Java?” ofesalayo anafunsa motero.
“Mmodzi yekha,” M’bale Deschamp anayankha motero.
“Kodi muyembekezera kuti ndikhoza kukhulupirira zimenezo?” ofesalayo anakalipa motero. “Muyenera kukhala muli ndi gulu lalikulu la anthu ogwira ntchito kumeneko, tikayerekezera ndi kuchuluka kwa zofalitsidwa zanu zimene zikuperekedwa kulikonse!”
A Opa amalingalira kuti chimenecho chinali chimodzi cha zinthu zokhutiritsa zimene anachita m’moyo wawo. Komatu zimenezo zinali zowayenerera, popeza kuti kunali kozoloŵereka kwa iwo kugaŵira zofalitsa zofika chiŵerengero cha pakati pa 1,500 ndi 3,000 mwezi uliwonse.
Ukwati, Kuletsedwa, ndi Nkhondo
Mu December 1938, a Opa anakwatira msungwana wina Mwiindoneziya wotchedwa Wilhelmina, amene anakhala agogo anga aakazi. A Oma, kapena agogo aakaziwo, anali okoma mtima, aulemu, aluso ndi olankhula mofatsa. Ndikudziŵa zimenezi chifukwa chakuti muubwana wanga iwo anali bwenzi langa lapamtima.
Atakwatirana a Opa ndi a Oma anapitirizabe kuchita utumiki waupainiya pamodzi. Panthaŵiyo ziŵalo zina za kagulu ka Lightbearer zinali mwina zitamka kumadera ena a dziko kapena kubwerera kwawo. Koma a Opa anapanga Indonesia kukhala kwawo, ndipo anali otsimikiza kukhala komweko.
Pamene Nkhondo Yadziko II inayandikira, boma Lachidatchi lolamulira Indonesia, ndi lochita zinthu chifukwa cha chitsenderezo chochokera kwa atsogoleri achipembedzo, linayamba kuika ziletso pantchito ya Mboni za Yehova, potsirizira pake likumaletseratu ntchito yathu. Chotero kulalikira kunachitidwa movuta, mogwiritsira ntchito Baibulo lokha. Pafupifupi m’tauni iliyonse imene a Opa ndi a Oma anafikamo, anatengeredwa pamaso pa akuluakulu a boma ndi kufunsidwa mafunso. Iwo anachitiridwa monga apandu. Posakhalitsa chiletsocho chitaikidwa, mlamu wawo wa a Oma anaikidwa m’ndende kaamba ka kaimidwe kake ka uchete Wachikristu. Iye anafera m’ndende Yachidatchi.
A Opa ndi a Oma anali kukhala m’lole yanyumba. Pogwiritsira ntchito nyumba yoyenda imeneyi, iwo analalikira m’Java monse. Mu 1940, pamene chiwopsezo cha kulanda dziko cha Japan chinali pafupi kuchitika, iwo analandira mwana wamkazi, amene anakhala mayi wanga. Iwo anatcha mwanayo kuti Victory, mogwirizana ndi mutu wa nkhani imene inaperekedwa zaka ziŵiri poyambirirapo ndi yemwe panthaŵiyo anali prezidenti wa Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, J. F. Rutherford. Iwo anapitirizabe kuchita upainiya kufikira panthaŵi ya kubadwa kwa mwanayo.
Kuchiyambiyambi kwa 1942, a Opa, a Oma, ndi Victory anali pasitima ya m’madzi ya Netherlands yonyamula katundu yobwerera kuchokera ku Borneo pamene kuphulika kwa mfuti kwa phokoso lalikulu kochokera ku sitima ya m’madzi yowononga ya Japan kunamveka. Magetsi onse anazima, ndipo anthu anafuula. Mwanjira imeneyi banja langa linakumana ndi nkhondo. Ngakhale kuti iwo anatha kubwereranso kudoko motetezereka, Ajapaniwo analanda Java masiku angapo pambuyo pake, ndipo ofesala wina Wachidatchi anaululira asilikali a Japan kumene a Opa ndi a Oma anali kukhala.
Pamene Ajapaniwo anawapeza, iwo analandidwa katundu wawo yense, ndi zidole zomwe za Victory, ndipo anatengeredwa kumisasa yachibalo iŵiri yosiyana. Victory analoledwa kukhala ndi a Oma, ndipo a Opa sanawaonenso kwa zaka zitatu ndi theka zotsatira.
Moyo m’Misasa ya Chibalo
Mkati mwa kubindikiritsidwa kwawo, a Opa anasamutsiridwa kumatauni osiyanasiyana—kuyambira ku Surabaja kumka ku Ngawi, ku Bandung, ndipo potsirizira pake ku Tjimahi. Kuwasamutsasamutsa kosalekeza kumeneku kunali ndi cholinga cha kuthetsa kuyesayesa kulikonse kwa makonzedwe olinganizidwa a kuthaŵa. Andendewo kwakukulukulu anali Adatchi, pamodzi ndi a ku Britain angapo ndi anthu ena a ku Australia. Pamene anali m’misasamo, a Opa anaphunzira ntchito yometa tsitsi, ntchito imene nthaŵi zina amachitabe. Buku lokha lachipembedzo limene analoledwa kusunga linali Baibulo—King James Version yawo.
Zidakali choncho, a Oma ndi Victory nawonso anali kusamutsidwira kumisasa yosiyanasiyana. M’misasa imeneyi akazi anali kuuzidwa ndi mkulu wa msasa kukatumikira kunja kaamba ka “ntchito zothandiza anthu.” Komabe, kaamba ka chifukwa china, a Oma sanasankhidwe. Pambuyo pake iwo anazindikira kuti akaziwo anatulutsidwa kuti akatumikire monga mahule kwa asilikali a Japan.
Popeza kuti asilikali a Japan sankafuna ana aakazi, nthaŵi zonse a Oma ankaveka Victory monga mnyamata ndi kumeta tsitsi lake kukhala lalifupi. Dzinalo Victory (Chilakiko) linachititsa vuto lalikulu pamene mkulu wa msasa anafuna kudziŵa tanthauzo la dzinalo—Chilakiko kaamba ka Gulu Lankhondo la Ufumu wa Japan kapena Chilakiko kaamba ka Amereka?
“Chilaliko kaamba ka Ufumu wa Mulungu pamaboma onse a padziko lapansi!” agogo anga aakaziwo anayankha choncho monyadira.
Monga chilango cha kukana kunena kuti, “Chilakiko kaamba ka Gulu Lankhondo la Ufumu wa Japan,” a Oma ndi msungwana wawo wa zaka zakubadwa zisanuyo anaumirizidwa kuimirira mowongoka kwa maola asanu ndi atatu padzuŵa lotentha la kumalo otentha. Popanda mthunzi, popanda madzi, popanda kukhala pansi, kapena kuweramira kutsogolo. Koma ndi chithandizo cha Yehova iwo anapulumuka pa vuto lankhanza limeneli.
Chaka chimodzi chitapita a Oma atabindikiritsidwa, mkulu wa msasawo anati kwa iwo amuna awo anafa. Iwowo mwachisoni anaika chithunzithunzi cha a Opa pansi m’sutukesi yawo yothaitha ndi kupitirizabe ndi moyo, mosasamala kanthu za chisoni chawo.
Moyo wa mu msasa wachibalo unali wovuta kwambiri. Phoso la munthu aliyense linali kapu ya ufa wa chinangwa kaamba ka mfisulo, magalamu 190 a buledi wopangidwa ndi sago kaamba ka chakudya chamasana, ndipo kaamba ka chakudya chamadzulo, kapu ya mpunga wophikidwa wosakaniza ndi msuzi wonga madzi wa ndiwo zamasamba. Chifukwa cha kupatsidwa phoso lochepa lotero, kutupirana kunali kofala, ndipo odwala kamwazi anali kufa tsiku ndi tsiku.
Mkati mwa kubindikiritsidwa kwa a Opa, iwo anadwala pellagra ndi nutritional edema (nthenda ya kusoŵa chakudya). Nawonso a Oma anatsala nenene kufa, popeza kuti kaŵirikaŵiri iwo anapatsa Victory chakudya chawo kuti msungwanayo asafe ndi njala. Nkhanza ndi njala zinakhala zosatha. Iwo anakhoza kukhalabe ndi moyo kokha mwa kuyandikira kwa Mulungu wawo, Yehova.
Ndikukumbukira bwino lomwe mawu amene a Opa amakonda kunena akuti: “Chimasuko ndicho kukhala mogwirizana ndi Mulunguyo, Yehova.” Motero, a Opa anadziona kukhala omasuka m’lingaliro lenileni ngakhale pamene anali kupirira mkhalidwe wankhanza wa m’ndende. Chikondi chimene iwo ndi a Oma anali nacho pa Yehova ndithudi chinawathandiza ‘kupirira zinthu zonse.’ (1 Akorinto 13:7) Unansi wathithithi umenewo ndi Mulungu ndiwo umene Gayle ndi ine tikufunafuna kusunga tsopano.
Chimasuko ndi Kugwirizananso Kodabwitsa
Potsirizira pake, Nkhondo Yadziko II inatha mu 1945. Posapita nthaŵi Japan atagonja, a Opa anali paulendo wa pasitima ya pamtunda. Paulendowo wochokera ku Djakarta kumka ku Bandung, sitimayo inaimitsidwa ndi asilikali Achindoneziya. Ngakhale kuti kudana ndi Ajapani kunali kutalekeka, Aindoneziya anali kumenyera nkhondo kuchoka muulamuliro wa Adatchi. A Opa anadabwa kwambiri pamene mwadzidzidzi anatulutsidwa m’sitimayo kwakuti anaiŵala kulankhula m’Chingelezi ndipo mmalo mwake anayamba kulankhula m’Chidatchi. Kwa Aindoneziya, Chidatchi chinali chinenero cha adani, ndipo adaniwo anafunikira kuphedwa.
Mwamwaŵi, pamene asilikaliwo anali kufufuza m’matumba mwa a Opa, anapeza lainsensi yawo ya ku Australia yoyendetsera galimoto, imene anali ataiŵala kalekale. Mwamwaŵi, Aindoneziyawo sanali kulimbana ndi anthu a ku Australia. Kufikira lerolino, a Opa amalingalira kupezedwa kwa laisensi imeneyo imene inatsimikizira kukhala kwawo nzika ya ku Australia kukhala kuloŵerera kwa Mulungu pankhaniyo, pakuti pamalo omwewo patangopita maola angapo pambuyo pake, asilikali omwewo anapha amuna 12 Achidatchi amene anali kudutsa m’sitima.
Posakhalitsa zimenezi zitachitika, a Oma ndi Victory anali kuyembekezera zoyendera kuti achoke m’dera losakazidwa ndi nkhondo. Ali chikhalire pambali pa msewu, malole ambiri ondondozana onyamula asilikali ankhondo ndi anthu wamba unadutsa. Mwadzidzidzi, popanda chifukwa chenicheni, malolewo anaima. Zinangochitika kuti a Oma anasuzumira m’lole ina yotsegulidwa kumbuyo, ndipo mmenemo, mozizwitsa, munali mwamuna wina wowonda kwambiri amene anamzindikira nthaŵi yomweyo. Anali mwamuna wawo! Panalibe mawu ofotokoza malingaliro a kugwirizananso kwawo.
Kubwerera ku Australia
Pamene agogo aamuna anabwerera ku Australia ndi banja lawo mu 1946, atakhala ku Indonesia kwa zaka 11, moyo kwa iwo unali wovuta. Iwo anabwerera monga othaŵa nkhondo—aumphaŵi, ozunzika ndi njala, ndi okayikiridwa ndi anthu ambiri a dzikolo. A Oma ndi Victory anafunikira kupirira mavuto a tsankho lochitidwa kwa alendo a ku Asia. A Opa anafunikira kugwira ntchito zolimba kwa maola ambiri kuti asamalire banja lawo ndi kulipezera nyumba. Mosasamala kanthu za mavutowo, iwo anapirira ndipo anakhalabe olimba mwauzimu.
Tsopano, zaka zoposa 48 pambuyo pake, a Opa amakhala ku Melbourne, kumene akugaŵanabe muutumiki wa kunyumba ndi nyumba. Iwo aona a Victory ndi ana awo akulandira choonadi, kupatulira miyoyo yawo kwa Yehova, ndipo aliyense wa iwo, motsatizana, akumaloŵa utumiki waupaniya wa nthaŵi yonse.
A Des Zanker, amene anakhala atate wanga, ndi a Victory anabatizidwa kuchiyambiyambi kwa ma 1950, ndipo a Des anakhala chiŵalo cha banja la Beteli la ku Australia mu 1958. Atakwatira a Victory, amene anali kutumikira monga mpainiya wapadera, anachita upainiya kwakanthaŵi ndiyeno anapemphedwa kuloŵa utumiki woyendayenda. Ndiyeno ineyo ndinabadwa, ndipo analeka ntchito yoyendayenda kuti andilere. Komabe, pambuyo pa zaka 27, Atate akuchitabe upainiya.
Kuchiyambiyambi kwa 1990, a Oma anamwalirira panyumba mwabata, m’nyumba mwenimwenimo mmene mayi analeredweramo. Nanenso ndinaleredwera m’nyumba yomweyi ya ku Melbourne, chimodzimodzinso mphwanga ndi mlongo wanga. Lakhala dalitso lenileni kubanja lathu kukhalira limodzi m’nyumba imodzi. Nthaŵi zina inali kuchepa kwambiri, koma sitinadandaule konse za zimenezo. Ngakhale mkati mwa zaka zathu zinayi zoyamba muukwati, mkazi wanga, Gayle, anakhala bwino lomwe mmenemo ndipo anamukonda. Potsirizira pake pamene tinachokamo kumka kugawo lathu, ndinalira. Ndinapatsidwa chichirikizo ndi chikondi chachikulu m’nyumba imeneyo.
Komabe, tsopano, Gayle ndi ine tili ndi chifukwa chokhalira achisangalalo, pakuti tili okhoza kuchita zimene makolo anga ndi makolo awo anayambirira kuchita. Pamene tinachoka panyumbapo, tinapeza chitonthozo pachifukwa chathu chochokera, chimene chinali cha kufuna kukachita chifuniro cha Yehova muutumiki wake wanthaŵi yonse. Tikuyesayesa mwamphamvu kutsatira chitsanzo chabwino cha makolo athu okhulupirika, amene anapeza chitonthozo chimodzimodzicho pamene anali kugwira ntchito m’magawo ovuta kwambiri, pamene anali paumphaŵi waukulu, ndipo ngakhale pamene anali m’ndende zachibalo za Ajapani kwa zaka.—2 Akorinto 1:3, 4.
A Opa nthaŵi zonse apeza chitonthozo m’mawu ouziridwa a Mfumu Davide kwa Yehova akuti: “Chifundo chanu chiposa moyo makomedwe ake.” (Salmo 63:3) Nthaŵi zonse chakhala chikhumbo chachikulu cha agogo anga aamuna kulandira chifundo chimenecho kosatha. Chilinso chikhumbo cha banja lawo lonse kugaŵana nawo chikhumbocho.
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A Oma ndi a Opa Harris
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Craig Zanker (kumbuyo), ndi mkazi wake, makolo, mphwake ndi mlongo wake