Pitirizanibe Kufesa Mbewu Yehova Adzazikulitsa

MONGA MOMWE YASIMBIDWIRA NDI FRED METCALFE

KALELO mu 1948, muuminisitala wanga wakunyumba ndi nyumba, ndinachezera famu yaing’ono kunja kwa Cork kum’mwera kwa Ireland. Pamene ndinalongosolera mlimiyo amene ndinali, nkhope yake inafiira. Iye anakwiya, nafuula kuti ndinali Mkomyunisti, nathamangira kukatenga nchokhotho wake wotembenuzira. Mosataya nthaŵi, ndinatuluka mwaliŵiro pafamupo nkulumphira panjinga yanga yomwe ndinaisiya m’mphepete mwa msewu. Gomolo linali lotsetsereka kwambiri, koma ndinapalasa njingayo mofulumira monga mmene ndikanathera, osayang’ana m’mbuyo, popeza ndinaganiza kuti mlimiyo akandiponyera nchokhotho wake wotembenuzirawo monga nthungo.

Ndinazoloŵerana ndi zochitika zoterozo m’zaka ziŵiri chiyambire pomwe ndinabwera ku Republic of Ireland kuchokera ku Mangalande monga mpainiya wapadera mu 1946. Gulu laling’ono la alaliki a Ufumu lomwe ndinaphatikana nalo, pafupifupi anthu okwanira 24 okha, anakumana kale ndi chiletso chankhalwe ndi chitonzo. Koma ndinali nchidaliro chakuti m’kupita kwanthaŵi mzimu wa Yehova ukabala zipatso.​—Agalatiya 6:8, 9.

Komabe, ndisanalongosole mmene zinthu zinayendera, lolani ndikusimbireni mwachidule za moyo wanga woyambirira ndi kuphunzitsidwa zomwe zinandithandiza pansi pa mikhalidwe yopereka chiyeso yoteroyo.

Chitsanzo Chabwino Chamakolo ndi Kuphunzitsa

Bambo anga anaphunzira chowonadi kalelo mu 1914. Pamene ankachoka kumaseŵera a mpira wachitanyu mu Sheffield, Mangalande, kunka kunyumba, anaŵerenga katrakiti ka Baibulo komwe kanafotokoza mkhalidwe wa akufa. Iwo anali atapita kale m’matchalitchi ambiri m’kufunafuna mayankho a mafunso awo koma sanapeze chipambano chirichonse. Zimene anaŵerenga tsopano m’katrakiti kameneko zinawakondweretsa. Iwo anaitanitsa mavolyumu asanu ndi imodzi a Studies in the Scriptures omwe katrakitiko kanalengeza, ndipo anawaŵerenga mofunitsitsa, kaŵirikaŵiri kufikira mbanda kucha. Atate anazindikira chowonadi mofulumira.

Posakhalitsa iwo anayamba kuyanjana ndi mpingo wakumaloko wa Mboni za Yehova, mayanjano omwe anachitika kwa zaka zoposa 40, kwa mbali yaikulu anatumikira monga woyang’anira wotsogoza. Zokondweretsa atate anga zinali zakuti, achimwene awo aŵiri ndi achemwali awo onse atatu anavomereza chowonadi. Mmodzi wa achimwene awo analalikira kwa wogulitsa m’shopu wachichepere, ndipo iye ndi mchemwali wake onse anakhala Akristu odzipereka, odzozedwa. Atate anga ndi mchimwene wawo anakwatira akazi achichepere ameneŵa.

M’banja mwanga ndinali mmodzi wa anyamata oleredwa ‘m’maleredwe ndi chilangizo za Ambuye.’ (Aefeso 6:4) Ndine wosangalala kuti makolo anga sanasiyepo kuyesayesa kulikonse m’kuyesa kufesa chowonadi mwa ife. Panthaŵiyo padalibe mabuku okonzedwa mwapadera othandizira makolo kuphunzitsa ana chowonadi Chabaibulo; koma tinali ndi phunziro Labaibulo labanja kaŵiri pamlungu kugwiritsira ntchito bukhu la Zeze wa Mulungu, limodzinso ndi kukambitsirana kokhazikika kwa lemba latsikulo.​—Deuteronomo 6:6, 7; 2 Timoteo 3:14, 15.

Amayi ndi atate anga analinso chitsanzo chabwino koposa m’chiyamikiro chawo kaamba ka misonkhano ndi changu chawo kaamba ka uminisitala. Kuwonjezera pa mikhalidwe yawo yabwino yauzimu, atate anga analinso anthabwala, zomwe anapatsira ana awo. Kugwira ntchito zolimba kwa makolo anga kunatsogolera ku zotulukapo zabwino. Ana awo onse aamuna anayi, omwe tsopano ali m’zaka zawo za m’ma 60, adakali kutumikira Yehova mwachimwemwe.

Kuloŵa Utumiki wa Upainiya

Mu April 1939, pamsinkhu wa zaka 16, ndinamaliza sukulu ndikukhala mpainiya wokhazikika. Atate anga anagwirizana nane muutumiki wa upainiya ndipo anandiphunzitsa bwino kwambiri. Tikumayenda panjinga, tinakuta mokwanira gawo lonse lokhala pamtunda wa makilomita 11 m’mbali zonse kuchokera kunyumba kwathu. Tsiku lirilonse tinkanyamula timabuku 50, ndipo sitinabwerere kunyumba kufikira titagaŵira tonseto.

Zaka ziŵiri pambuyo pake ndinakhala ndi mwaŵi wakuikidwa kukhala pakati pa apainiya apadera oyambirira m’Briteni. Chinali chosangalatsa kulandira dalitso limeneli, koma chinali chopweteka kusiya chisungiko chachimwemwe cha banja lateokratiki. M’kupita kwanthaŵi ndi thandizo la Yehova, ndinazoloŵera.

Utumiki wanga waupainiya unadodometsedwa mkati mwa Nkhondo Yadziko ya II pamene, ineyo limodzi ndi Mboni zina zachichepere, tinaponyedwa m’ndende chifukwa cha nkhani ya uchete. Mu Durham Prison, ndinaikidwa m’gulu la YP (Young Prisoner). Ichi chinatanthauza kuti ndinayenera kumavala kabudula​—chinthu choipadi m’nyengo yozizira. Tangolingalirani Wilf Gooch (tsopano mgwirizanitsi wa Komiti ya Nthambi m’Briteni), Peter Ellis (chiŵalo cha Komiti ya Nthambi ya Briteni), Fred Adams, ndi ineyo​—tonse tiri pafupifupi pa utali wa mamita 1.8​—titaima pamodzi ndipo titavala makabudula monga ana asukulu!

Gawo​—Ireland

Pamene ndinamasulidwa kundende, ndinachita upainiya m’mbali zosiyanasiyana za Mangalande kwa zaka zitatu. Kenaka ndinalandira gawo lomwe linatsimikizira ponse paŵiri kukhala lopereka chiyeso ndi lokhutiritsa kwakukulu​—Republic of Ireland. Chinthu chimodzi chokha chomwe ndinadziŵa ponena za kum’mwera kwa Ireland chinali chakuti pafupifupi aliyense kumeneko anali Mroma Katolika. Koma ndinanyalanyaza ndemanga zosalimbikitsa zoperekedwa ndi anthu ena ndipo sindinasinkhesinkhe kuvomera gawolo. Iyi inali nthaŵi yakufutukula kulambira kowona, ndipo ndinali wotsimikiza kuti Yehova, kupyolera mwa mzimu wake woyera, akandithandiza.

Mboni zambiri za ku Republic of Ireland zinali m’likulu la dzikolo, Dublin, ndipo imodzi kapena ziŵiri zinamwazikana kwinakwake. Chotero, anthu ambiri anali asanawonepo mmodzi wa Mboni za Yehova. Limodzi ndi apainiya apadera ena atatu, ndinayamba ntchito m’mzinda wa Cork. Sizinali zokhweka kupeza munthu wokondwerera. Pa Misa yawo, ansembe ankachenjeza mokhazikika za ife, akumatitcha “adyerekezi a Chikomyunizimu.” Manyuzipepala nawonso anachenjeza za ntchito yanthu.

Tsiku lina wometa tsitsi ankayepula tsitsi langa kugwiritsira ntchito lumo lakuthwa kwambiri. M’kukambitsirana kwathu, iye anafunsa zimene ndinkachita m’Cork. Pamene ndinamuuza, iye anakwiya nanditukwana. Dzanja lake linkanjenjemera ndi mkwiyo, ndipo ndinalingalira kuti ndikatuluka m’shopumo ndiri wakufa! Chinali chodzetsa mpumulo chotani nanga kuti ndinatuluka ndidakali wamoyo!

Chiwawa cha Chipwirikiti

Nthaŵi zina tinafunikira kuyang’anizana ndi chiwawa cha chipwirikiti. Mwachitsanzo, tsiku lina m’March 1948, tinali otanganitsidwa muuminisitala wakunyumba ndi nyumba pamene gulu la anthu linawukira mnzanga, Fred Chaffin. Akumathamangitsidwa ndi khamulo, Fred anathamangira kumalo oima basi nachonderera woyendetsa basiyo ndi wogulitsa matikiti kuti amthandize. Mmalomwake, iwo anagwirizana m’kuwukirako. Fred anathamangabe mokwezeka ndi msewu nakhoza kubisala kumbuyo kwa linga lalitali lomwe linachita malire a nyumba ya wansembe.

Panthaŵiyi, ndinathamangira kukatenga njinga yanga. Kuti ndibwerere pakati pa mzinda, ndinadzera msewu wakumbali, koma pamene ndinatulukira mu msewu waukulu, gulu la anthulo nkuti likudikirirabe. Amuna aŵiri analanda chola changa anaponyera m’mwamba zomwe zinali mkati mwake. Kenaka anayamba kundimenya zibakera ndi kundikankha. Mwadzidzidzi kunabwera munthu wina. Iye anali wapolisi wosavala yunifomu, ndipo analetsa kuwukirako, nanditenga ine limodzi ndi owukirawo kunka kupolisi.

Kuwukira kumeneku kunapereka maziko a ‘kuchilikiza ndi kukhazikitsa mwalamulo mbiri yabwino.’ (Afilipi 1:7, NW) Pamene nkhaniyo inapita kukhoti, wapolisi yemwe anandipulumutsayo, yemwe nayenso anali Mroma Katolika, anapereka umboni, ndipo anthu asanu ndi mmodzi anapezedwa ndi mlandu wa kuwukira mwachiwawa. Mlanduwo unasonyeza kuti tinali ndi kuyenera kwakupita kukhomo ndi khomo ndipo unatumikira monga choletsa kwa ena omwe angakhale ankalingalira kuchita chiwawa.

Poyamba kunalingaliridwa kuti kunali kowopsa kwambiri kutumiza alongo monga apainiya m’malo onga ngati Cork. Komabe, kaŵirikaŵiri zinawoneka kuti kukakhala bwino kuti alongo adzifikira akazi okondwerera. Chotero, kuwukirako kusanachitike, Sosaite inagaŵira alongo aŵiri abwino kubwera ku Cork. Wina, Evelyn MacFarlane, pambuyo pake anadzakhala mishonale ndipo anachita ntchito yabwino koposa mu Chile. Winayo, Caroline Francis, yemwe anagulitsa nyumba yake m’London kuti akachite upainiya mu Ireland, anakhala mkazi wanga.

Mbewu za Chowonadi Zimera

Kukanakhala kokhweka kulingalira kuti tinkataya nthaŵi yathu kufesa mbewu za Ufumu pansi pa mikhalidwe yoteroyo. Komabe, kuwona chowonadi chikumera apa ndi apo, kunachilikiza chidaliro chathu m’mphamvu ya Yehova yakukulitsa zinthu. Mwachitsanzo, panthaŵi ina Sosaite inatumiza dzina ndi keyala ya munthu yemwe analemba kupempha kope la bukhu la Mulungu Akhale Woona. Keyalayo inali ya ku Fermoy, tauni yaing’ono yokhala pa mtunda wa makilomita 35 kuchokera ku mzinda wa Cork. Choncho ndinanyamuka panjinga yanga pa Sande mmawa kukafuna munthuyu.

Pamene ndinafika ku Fermoy, ndinafunsa njira munthu wina. “Oo,” iye anatero, “umenewo ndi ulendo wa [makilomita ena 14] kunka ndi msewu wokha.” Ndinanyamukanso ndipo pomalizira pake ndinapeza famu kunsi kwa msewu waung’ono wam’mudzi. Mwamuna wachichepere yemwe anapempha bukhulo anaima pachipata cha famuyo. Pamene ndinadzidziŵikitsa ndekha, iye anati: “Mtengo wa bukhu limenelija uyenera kukhala golide!” Tinakambitsirana mosangalala, ndipo sindinauwone kutalika ulendo wapanjinga wa mtunda wa makilomita 50 umenewo pobwerera kunyumba. Ngakhale tsopano, zaka zoposa 40 pambuyo pake, ndimakondwera ndikakumana ndi mwamuna “wachichepere” ameneyo, Charles Rinn, chaka chirichonse pamisonkhano. Lerolino, m’dera la Cork muli mipingo khumi.

M’ma 1950, Caroline ndi ine tinamwaza mbewu za chowonadi mkati mwa Ireland. Chilimbikitso cha kulimbikirabe chinabwera mu 1951 pamene anthu odzichepetsa monga “Gogo” Hamilton ndi mpongozi wawo anavomereza mofulumira. “Gogo” Hamilton anakhala wofalitsa wobatizidwa woyamba mu County Longford.​—1 Atesalonika 2:13.

Malo ogona anali ovuta kupeza. Mwamsanga chitsenderezo chitaikidwa pa eni malo, iwo anatipempha kuchoka. Chotero, pokhala titataikiridwa malo atatu ogona osiyanasiyana motsatizanatsatizana, tinagula hema, nsalu yoyala pansi, ndi matumba ogonamo ndikuzinyamulira m’galimoto yathu ya mtundu wa Y-model Ford. Tinkakhoma hemayo paliponse pomwe tinakhoza kumapeto kwa tsiku lirilonse lochitira umboni. Pambuyo pake, tinagula ngolo ya mamita anayi. Iyo inali yaing’ono, yokhala ndi ziŵiya zochepa zamakono​—tinayenera kuyenda mtunda wa theka la kilomita kukatunga madzi akumwa​—ndipo inalibe zochinjiriza ku kutentha, koma kwa ife inali yosangalatsa. Nthabwala zanga zinayesedwa tsiku lina pamene ndinaterereka pamtsitsi wonyowa wa mtengo nkugwera chagada m’chitsime chachitali, chopapatiza, koma chosaya kwambiri. Komabe, tinachereza woyang’anira dera ndi mkazi wake m’ngolo imeneyo pamene anatichezera.

Nthaŵi zina anthu amtima wabwino anasonyeza kukoma mtima kosayembekezereka. Mwachitsanzo, tinapita ku Sligo kumadzulo kwa Ireland mu 1958, zaka zisanu ndi zitatu pambuyo pakuti okwatirana ena achipainiya anathamangitsidwa m’taunimo. Tinapemphera kaamba ka thandizo la Yehova kupeza malo oikapo ngoloyo, ndipo pambuyo pa maola ambiri akufunafuna, tinafika pamalo aakulu okumbako miyala osagwiritsiridwa ntchito. Munthu yemwe ankaŵeta ng’ombe mumsewuwo anatiuza kuti malo okumbako miyalawo anali a banja lake. “Kodi tingawagwiritsire ntchito?” tinafunsa motero, tikumamuuza kuti tinali nthumwi za sosaite ya Baibulo. Iye ananena kuti tingatero.

Mwamsanga pambuyo pake anafunsa kuti: “Kodi ndinu a Baibulo Sosaite itiyo?” Inali mphindi yodetsa nkhaŵa. Tinamuuza kuti ndife Mboni za Yehova. Iye anakhalabe waubwenzi, ndipo ichi chinatipatsa mpumulo waukulu. Milungu yoŵerengeka pambuyo pake, iye anatipatsa lisiti ya lendi ya chaka chathunthu kaamba ka malowo. Iye anati: “Sitikufuna ndalama zirizonse, koma tikudziŵa za chitsutso chimene anthunu mumakumana nacho, chotero ngati wina aliyense akufunsani kuyenera kwa kukhala pamalowa, nawu umboni wanu.”

Pamene tinali ku Sligo, tinamva za munthu wina, wogulitsa m’sitolo ndiponso woseŵera mpira wachitanyu wotchuka, yemwe anasonyeza chikondwerero panthaŵi yapitayo pamene apainiya anali adakali m’tauniyo. Komabe, iye sanafikiridwe kwa zaka zisanu ndi zitatu, chotero sitinadziwe kuti anali bwanji tsopano. Kumwetulira kwa nkhope ya Mattie Burn pamene ndinazidziŵikitsa kunapereka yankho. Mbewu za chowonadi zodzalidwa zaka zambiri kalelo sizinafe. Iye adakali chiŵalo chokangalika cha mpingo waung’ono mu Sligo.

Kusintha kwa Malingaliro

Malo ena amene anafanana ndi mkhalidwe waudani wa anthu ambiri kulinga kwa ife anali tauni ya Athlone. Pamene kulalikira kwagulu kunayambika m’ma 1950, ansembe anapanga makonzedwe kwa onse okhala m’mbali imodzi ya tauniyo kusaina pempho lonena kuti sakufuna kuti Mboni za Yehova zidzifika pamakomo awo. Iwo anatumiza mapemphowa kuboma, kupangitsa ntchito mu Athlone kukhala yovuta kwambiri kwa zaka zambiri. Panthaŵi ina gulu la achichepere linandizindikira kukhala Mboni nayamba kundigenda ndi miyala. Pamene ndinaima kutsogolo kwa zenera la shopu, wogulitsayo anandiitanira mkati mwa shopu yake​—kuti achinjirize zenera lake osati ine​—nanditulutsira kukhomo lakumbuyo.

Komabe, posachedwapa, mu August 1989, pamene ndinachititsa utumiki wamaliro a mbale wokhulupirika mu Athlone, ndinazizwa kwambiri ndi mmene Yehova wakulitsira zinthu kumeneko. Kuwonjezera pa ziŵalo za mpingo, anthu ena akumaloko okwanira 50 anamvetsera mwaulemu ku utumiki wamalirowo m’Nyumba Yaufumu yabwino imene abalewo anamanga.

Maphunziro Apadera ku Sukulu ya Gileadi

Mu 1961, ndinaitanidwa ku kosi ya miyezi khumi ku Sukulu ya Baibulo ya Gileadi ya Watchtower. Kosi yapadera imeneyi inali ya abale okha, chotero Caroline ndi ine tinayenera kulingalira mwapemphero chiitanocho. Sitinasiyanepo kwa zaka 12. Kuwonjezerapo, popeza kuti mkazi wanga analinso ndi chikhumbo chofunitsitsa cha kupezeka ku Sukulu ya Gileadi ndi kukhala mishonale, iye anakhumudwa kwambiri kuti sanaitanidwe. Komabe, pokhala wodzichepetsa maganizo, iye anaika zabwino Zaufumu choyamba navomereza kuti ndipite. Kosiyo inali mwaŵi wapadera wozizwitsa. Koma chinali chosangalatsa kubwerera kunyumba ndikudziloŵetsanso m’ntchito pa ofesi yanthambi ya Sosaite, kulimbikitsa Mboni zokwanira 200 kapena kuposapo zomwe zinkafesa ndi kuthirira m’Ireland kuchiyambi kwa ma 1960.

Zaka zingapo pambuyo pake, mu 1979, Caroline anadzapita ku malikulu a padziko lonse a Mboni za Yehova mu New York pamene ndinaitanidwa ku kosi yapadera ya Gileadi ya ziŵalo za Komiti ya Nthambi. Inali mfundo yaikulu ya yomwe inakhala mbali yomalizira ya moyo wake. Zaka ziŵiri pambuyo pake anamwalira. M’zaka 32 zonse zomwe tinatumikira pamodzi muutumiki wa nthaŵi zonse, Caroline sanataye konse changu chake kaamba ka utumiki wa Yehova kapena chidaliro chakuti iye akakulitsa zinthu.

Ndinamlakalaka kwambiri. Chinthu chimodzi chimene chinandithandiza kulaka chinali nkhani ya m’magazini a Galamukani! yokhala ndi mutu wakuti “Kuphunzira Kukhala ndi Moyo Wokondedwa Wanu Atafa.” (May 8, 1982) Misozi inkabwera m’maso mwanga nditangolingalira za bwenzi langa lotaikalo, koma ndinachita zimene nkhaniyo inanena ndipo ndinakhala wotanganidwa muutumiki wa Yehova.

Dalitso la Yehova Likupitirizabe

Chaka chimodzi chimenechi chisanachitike, mu April 1980, ndinalipo pamene Mbale Lyman Swingle wa Bungwe Lolamulira anapereka nyumba ya nthambi yatsopano mu Dublin. Zinali zosangalatsa chotani nanga kuwona ofalitsa 1,854 ali m’munda, womwe panthaŵiyo unaphatikizapo Northern Ireland! Ndipo tsopano, zaka khumi pambuyo pake, Yearbook ikusimba chiŵerengero chapamwamba cha 3,451 mu 1990!

Pakali pano ndakhala ndi dalitso lowonjezereka. Pamene ndinkatumikira monga mlangizi wa Sukulu Yautumiki Waufumu, ndinakumana ndi Evelyn Halford, mlongo wokongola ndiponso wachangu yemwe anasamukira ku Ireland kudzatumikira kumene kusoŵa kunali kwakukulu. Tinakwatirana mu May 1986, ndipo watsimikizira kukhala chilikizo lenileni kwa ine m’ntchito zanga zonse zateokratiki.

Pa zaka zanga 51 za utumiki wanthaŵi zonse chiyambire pamene ndinasiya sukulu, zaka 44 ndazithera m’Ireland. Nkosangalatsa kuwona ambiri amene ndinaŵathandiza akutumikirabe Yehova, ena monga akulu ndi atumiki otumikira. Ndinganene mosakaikira kuti chimodzi cha chimwemwe chachikulu koposa chimene munthu angakhale nacho ndicho kuthandiza munthu wina kukhala panjira yonka ku moyo.

Chakhala cholimbitsa chikhulupiriro kuwona kulambira kowona kukukula mmalo amodzi pambuyo pa amnzake m’Ireland, mosasamala kanthu za chitsutso chowopsa. Tsopano, ofalitsa okwanira 3,500 akuyanjana ndi mipingo yoposa 90 m’dziko lonselo. Zowonadi, palibe polekezera ku zimene Yehova angachite. Iye adzakulitsa zinthu ngati tikhala akhama m’kufesa ndi kuthirira. (1 Akorinto 3:6, 7) Ndikudziŵa kuti zimenezi nzowona. Ndaziwona zikuchitika m’Ireland.