Kumamatira Zolimba ku Gulu la Mulungu

MONGA MOMWE YASIMBIDWIRA NDI ROY A. RYAN

Sandhill, Missouri, limenelo linalidi dzina labwino popeza kuti deralo linali ngati phiri lalikulu lamchenga m’malo amapiri a dzikolo. Mudzi womwe tikukambapowu unali pamtunda wa makilomita asanu kumadzulo kwa tauni ya Rutledge ndipo unali ndi nyumba zisanu ndi zitatu kapena zisanu ndi zinayi zokha, tchalitchi cha Methodist, ndi shopu yaing’ono ya chipala. Ndinabadwira kumeneko pa October 25, 1900.

BAMBO ŵanga anali mwini chipala m’mudzimo. Ngakhale kuti makolo anga sankapitapita ku tchalitchi, Amayi anayamba kunditumiza ku sukulu ya Sande pa Tchalitchi cha Methodist. Sindinalikonde dzina lakuti Methodist, ndikumakhulupirira kuti munthu ayenera kutchedwa Mkristu; komabe ndinakulitsa ludzu la chowonadi cha Baibulo ndi chikondwerero m’moyo wamuyaya.

Pamene ndinali ndi zaka 16 zakubadwa, ndinapita kukagwira ntchito ku njanji ya Santa Fe. Mmodzi wa Ophunzira Baibulo Amitundu Yonse (monga momwe Mboni za Yehova zinkadziŵikira panthaŵiyo) wotchedwa Jim anabwera kudzagwira ntchito ndi gulu lathu la antchito apanjanjiwo, ndipo iye ndi ine tinkagwirira ntchito pamodzi kaŵirikaŵiri. Jim analankhula, ndipo ndinamvetsera zimene ananena ponena za Baibulo. Zinamveka zabwino kwa ine, chotero ndinafunsa ngati ndingabwerekeko limodzi la mabuku ake.

Jim anandibwereka volyumu yoyamba ya Studies in the Scriptures, yofalitsidwa ndi C. T. Russell wa International Bible Students Association. Pamene ndinalibweza, ndinampempha kundipezera mavolyumu owonjezereka. Mwamsanga pambuyo pachimenecho, Jim anasiya ntchito panjanjiyo, ndipo nthaŵi yotsatira yomwe ndinamuwona anali pakhwalala mu Rutledge, akumatenga maoda a bukhu lazithunzithunzi la Scenario of the Photo-Drama of Creation. Pambuyo pake anandiitanira ku misonkhano ya gululo yochitidwira m’nyumba mwake. Sande iriyonse, ndinayenda mtunda wa makilomita asanu mkati mwa Rutledge kumka kumsonkhano.

Pamene magazini a Golden Age (tsopano Galamukani!) anayambitsidwa mu 1919, ndinafuna kuyamba kutulukira muuminisitala wakumunda. Wophunzira Baibulo wina ndi ine tinatsimikiza mtima kugaŵira magazini atsopanowa kukhomo ndi khomo. Tinachita mantha kufikira anthu a m’tauni yathu, chotero tinakwera sitima ndikupita ku tauni yapafupi. Pamene tinafika m’maŵa, aliyense ananka kwayekha ndikugogoda pamakomo kufikira masana, ngakhale kuti sitinaphunzitsidwe ntchitoyi. Ndinatenga maoda a masabusikripishoni aŵiri, imodzi kwa mwamuna wina yemwe ndinagwira naye ntchito panjanji.

Pa October 10, 1920, ndinabatizidwa padziŵe lapafupi ndi Rutledge. Makolo anga anatsutsa kugwirizana kwanga ndi Ophunzira Baibulo Amitundu Yonse. Izi zinachitika chifukwa cha chitsutso chosonkhezeredwa ndi atsogoleri achipembedzo chimene Ophunzira Baibulo anakumana nacho m’zaka zankhondo ya 1914-18. Komabe, pambuyo pake bambo ŵanga anayamba kufika pamisonkhano ina ya Ophunzira Baibulo, ndipo anali kuŵerenganso The Golden Age. Amayi asanamwalire, anayamba kuyanja kamvedwe kathu ka chowonadi cha Baibulo. Komabe, palibe aliyense wa m’banja mwanga amene anachipanga chowonadi kukhala chakechake.

Nthaŵi Yakuyesa

M’masiku oyambirira amenewo, panali anthu atatu okha omwe ankafika mokhazikika pamisonkhano ya phunziro Labaibulo m’Rutledge. Pomalizira pake atatuwa anachoka m’gulu. Mmodzi anali wokamba nkhani yapoyera wabwino koposa, yemwe ankapereka nkhani Zabaibulo zapoyera m’deralo. Komabe, anayamba kunyada chifukwa cha maluso ake ndipo anachiwona kukhala chinthu chotsika kwenikweni kukhala ndi phande m’kulalikira kunyumba ndi nyumba monga momwe anachitira Akristu oyambirira.​—Machitidwe 5:42; 20:20.

Pamene atatuwa analeka kuyanjana ndi Ophunzira Baibulo Amitundu Yonse, ndikumbukira kuti ndinamva ngati mtumwi Petro panthaŵi imene Yesu analankhula ndi anthu za ‘kudya thupi la Yesu ndi kumwa mwazi wake.’ Atakhumudwa ndi chiphunzitso chake, ambiri anamusiya panthaŵi imeneyo. Zitachitika zimenezo, Yesu anawafunsa atumwiwo kuti: ‘Nanga inunso mufuna kuchoka?’ Petro anayankha kuti: ‘Ambuye, tidzamuka kwa yani? Inu muli nawo mawu a moyo wosatha.’​—Yohane 6:67, 68.

Ngakhale kuti Petro sanamvetsetse mokwanira zimene Yesu anatanthauza ‘mwakudya thupi la Yesu ndi kumwa mwazi wake,’ iye anazindikira kuti Yesu anali ndi mawu a moyo. Mmenemo ndi mmene ndinamverera ponena za gulu. Linali ndi chowonadi ngakhale kuti nthaŵi zonse sindinamvetsetse mokwanira zonse zimene ndinaŵerenga m’zofalitsidwa. Komabe, pamene chinachake chinanenedwa chimene sindinachimvetsetse, sindinatsutsane nacho konse. Pambuyo pake, nkhanizo zinamveketsedwa, kapena malingalirowo anawongoleredwa. Nthaŵi zonse ndinakhala wachimwemwe kuti ndinayembekezera moleza mtima kaamba ka kumveketsa kwabwinopo.​—Miyambo 4:18.

Kusintha Kuti Ndichite Upainiya

Mu July 1924, ndinafika pamsonkhano wamitundu yonse mu Columbus, Ohio. Magazini a The Golden Age anaufotokoza kukhala “msonkhano waukulu koposa umene Ophunzira Baibulo anachita m’nyengoyo.” Kumeneko chigamulo chodzutsa maganizo chakuti “Indictment” (Kusuliza) chinatengedwa. Mawu amene analandiridwa ndi mzimu umene unasonyezedwa pa msonkhanowo unandilimbikitsa kukhala minisitala wanthaŵi zonse, kapena mpainiya.

Pamene ndinabwerera kuchokera ku msonkhanowo, ndinasiya ntchito kunjanji, ndipo Wophunzira Baibulo wina ndi ine tinayamba kutumikira pamodzi monga apainiya. Komabe, pambuyo pa chaka chimodzi, umoyo wa makolo anga unanyonyotsoka kufika pamlingo wakuti anafunikira chithandizo changa. Ndinaleka upainiya ndikuyamba ntchito pakampani ya paipi ya mafuta, koma popeza kuti anthu amene amagwira ntchito kumeneko sanali ndi chisonkhezero chabwino, ndinaleka ntchitoyo ndikuyamba bizinesi yoŵeta njuchi ndikugulitsa uchi.

Pofika m’phukuto ya 1933, makolo anga onse aŵiri anamwalira, kundimasula ku mathayo. Chotero m’ngululu ya 1934, ndinapatsa munthu wina kuti adzisamalira njuchi zanga, ndinamanga ngolo yaing’ono yokhalamo, ndipo ndinayambanso uminisitala wanthaŵi zonse monga mpainiya. Poyamba ndinagwira ntchito ndi Mboni yokalamba pafupi ndi Quincy, Illinois. Pambuyo pake ndinasamukiranso ku Missouri, kumene ndinagwirizana ndi gulu la apainiya.

Mu 1935 kunali chilala chowopsa ku Midwest, ndipo popeza kuti tinali kugwira ntchito m’dera laulimi wokhawokha, zinali zovuta. Panalibe aliyense anali ndi ndalama, chotero anthu oyamikira anatipatsa zakudya kapena zinthu zina pamene tinawasiira mabuku.

Kuchita Upainiya Kum’mwera

Nyengo yachisanu imeneyo tinasamukira ku Arkansas kuthaŵa mphepo yozizira. Tinali okhoza kugaŵira mabuku ochuluka m’dera limenelo ndipo tinalandira zakudya za m’chitini zonse zomwe tinakhoza kugwiritsira ntchito. Kaŵirikaŵiri tinalandira zinthu zina zomwe tikanakhoza kugulitsa, kuphatikizapo zotengera zakale za aluminum, brass kapena mkuwa, maradiator akale a galimoto ndi mabatiri. Izi zinatipatsa ndalama zogulira petulo ya galimoto yanga ya Model A Ford, yomwe tinkagwiritsira ntchito muuminisitala.

Tinatumikira m’zigawo za Newton, Searcy, ndi Carroll m’malo amapiri a Ozark. Zokumana nazo zomwe tinakhala nazo zakulalikira kwa anthu akumapiri a Arkansas zinali zambiri kwakuti zingakhoze kudzaza bukhu. Popeza kuti misewu masiku amenewo inali yoipa kapena kunalibiretu, tinachita yochuluka ya ntchito yathu mwakuyenda pansi. Apainiya ena m’gulu lathu ankapita ndi akavalo kukafikira anthu akumalo okwezeka a mapiriwo.

Nthaŵi ina tinamva za munthu wokondwerera wotchedwa Sam, amene tinampeza pomalizira pake akukhala pamwamba pa phiri. Iye anatilandira ndi manja aŵiri ndipo anali wachimwemwe kuti tikhale naye kwa usiku wonse. Ngakhale kuti mkazi wa Sam sanali wokondweretsedwa ndi uthenga wathu, mwana wake wamwamuna wazaka 16 zakubadwa, Rex, anali wokondweretsedwa. Pamene tinachoka, Sam anatipempha kuti tibwerereko. Chotero milungu iŵiri pambuyo pake, tinakhala nawonso.

Pamene tinkachoka nthaŵi yachiŵiriyi, anali mkazi wa Sam amene anatiitana kuti tikabwerenso. Iye anati tinali chisonkhezero chabwino pa Rex. Iye anafotokoza kuti: “Ndimnyamata woipa wokonda kutukwana, ndipo sindikuganiza kuti anatukwana kwambiri chiyambire pamene anyamatanu munabwera kuno.” Zaka zambiri pambuyo pake ndinakumananso ndi Rex pamene anapezekapo pa sukulu ya Gileadi ya amishonale mu South Lansing, New York. Zokumana nazo zoterezi zandibweretsera chikhutiro chachikulu m’zaka zonsezi.

Utumiki wa Beteli

Pamene ndinafunsira kukhala mpainiya, ndinafunsiranso kutumikira pamalikulu a Mboni za Yehova otchedwa Beteli, mu New York. M’ngululu ya 1935, ndinadziŵitsidwa kuti pempho langa linalandiridwa ndipo ndinayenera kufika pa Kingdom Farm ya Watchtower Society mu South Lansing, New York, ndikuyamba utumiki wanga wa Beteli. Panthaŵi yomweyo ndinapanga makonzedwe kuti Mboni ina itenge ngolo yanga yaupainiya.

Ndinayenda pagalimoto langa la Model A Ford kupita ku New York, ndipo pa hafu pasiti 10 m’mawa wa May 3, 1935, ndinafika. Pafupifupi 1 koloko masana amenewo, ndinagaŵiridwa kugwira ntchito yowaza nkhuni. Tsiku lotsatira ndinauzidwa kupita kukhola la ng’ombe zamkaka kukathandiza kukama ng’ombe. Ndinagwira ntchito kumalo okamira mkakawo kwa zaka zingapo, nthaŵi zina kumakama mkaka m’maŵa ndi madzulo ndi kugwira ntchito ndi gulu la m’dimba ndi m’munda masana. Ndinkasamaliranso njuchi ndi kufula uchi wa banja la Beteli. Mu 1953, ndinasamutsidwira kuchigawo chopanga cheese.

Munthu mmodzi amene anakhudza moyo wanga chifukwa cha chitsanzo chake chabwino koposa cha kudzichepetsa, kukhulupirika, ndi kumvera Yehova anali Walter John “Pappy” Thorn. Iye anali mmodzi wa Ophunzira Baibulo 21 oikidwa mu 1894 kukhala a pilgrim oyambirira​—amuna omwe ankachita ntchito yofanana ndi ya oyang’anira dera amasiku ano​—kuchezera mipingo kuilimbikitsa. Pambuyo pa zaka zambiri m’ntchito yoyendayenda, Mbale Thorn anabwera ku Kingdom Farm ndipo anagwira ntchito m’khola lankhuku. Nthaŵi zambiri ndinamumva akunena kuti: “Pamene ndiyamba kudzilingalira mopambanitsa, ndimapita pangondya, kunena kwake titero, ndikunena kwa ine ndekha kuti: ‘Ha, fumbi lachabechabe iwe. Kodi uli nchiyani chonyadira?’”

Munthu wina wodekha amene anakhala chitsanzo changa anali John Booth, tsopano chiŵalo cha Bungwe Lolamulira la Mboni za Yehova. Iye wakhala akugwidwa mawu m’zakazi kukhala akunena kuti: “Chimene chiri chofunika koposa simalo amene ukutumikira koma munthu amene ukumtumikira.” Ndemanga yopepuka komadi yowona! Kutumikira Yehova kuli mwaŵi waukulu koposa wonse!

Imodzi ya mfundo zazikulu za utumiki wanga wa Beteli inali kutsegulidwa kwa sukulu ya amishonale ya Gileadi pa Kingdom Farm mu 1943. Kuyanjana ndi apainiya ochokera kumbali zambiri zadziko kunalidi kosangalatsa. M’masiku amenewo panali pafupifupi ophunzira zana limodzi m’kalasi iriyonse, chotero miyezi isanu ndi umodzi iriyonse atsopano zana limodzi anafika ku Kingdom Farm. Chochitika cha kumaliza maphunziro chinali kukopa anthu zikwi zambiri kubwera kumalo ophunzirira ameneŵa kuchokera kuminda yakumidzi ku New York.

Kusintha Ntchito

Pamene sukulu ya Gileadi inasamutsidwira ku Brooklyn ndipo malo ogona ndi ophunzirira ku South Lansing anagulitsidwa, malo osungira ng’ombe zamkaka anasamutsidwira ku Watchtower Farms ku Wallkill, New York. Chotero m’phukuto ya 1969, ndinasamutsidwira ku famu ya ku Wallkill ndikupitiriza kupanga cheese mpaka mu 1983. Ndiyeno ndinasinthidwa ntchito, ndikuyamba kugwira ntchito yokongoletsa pabwalo.

Pamene ndinkafunsidwa nthaŵi ina yapitayo, ndinafunsidwa zimene ndinalingalira posinthidwa ntchito pambuyo popanga cheese kwa zaka 30. “Sindinadandaule,” ndinatero momasuka, “chifukwa chakuti sindinakonde kupanga cheese.” Mfundo inali yakuti tingakhale achimwemwe kutumikira Yehova m’ntchito iriyonse ngati tikhala ndi maganizo abwino ndikugonjera modzichepetsa ku chitsogozo chateokratiki. Choncho ngakhale kuti sindinakondedi kupanga cheese, ndinasangalala ndi ntchito yanga chifukwa chakuti inathandiza banja la Beteli. Ngati timatumikira Mulungu wathu wamkulu, Yehova, mokhulupirika ndi osadandaula, tingakhale achimwemwe mosasamala kanthu za ntchito yathu.

M’zaka zanga zaukalambazi, sindikuganiza kuti ndikanakhala bwinopo kuposa kutumikira pa Beteli. Ndimasamaliridwa bwino ndipo ndakhala wokhoza kupitiriza kuchita ntchito zanga ngakhale kuti ndiri ndi zaka 90 zakubadwa. Kwazaka zambiri tsopano, ndakhala ndi mwaŵi wakutsogoza pa programu yakulambira kwa m’maŵa kwa banja la Beteli pano pa Watchtower Farms. Ndikakhala ndi mpata, ndimalimbikitsa achatsopano pa Beteli kugwiritsira ntchito mwaŵi wonse wa utumiki umene apatsidwa ndikuphunzira kukhala okhutira ndikusangalala nawo.

Mkati mwa zakazi, ndakhala wokhoza kuchezera malo achilendo nthaŵi zambiri​—India, Nepal, Far East, ndi Ulaya. Uphungu wotsatirawu ungakhale wothandiza kwa awo amene ali m’mipingo yawo ya anthu a Yehova padziko lonse: Khalani achimwemwe ndi okhutira ndi mkhalidwe wanu umene mulimo ndipo phukani mwauzimu m’nthaka imene mwadzalidwa.

Ndasankha kukhala mbeta, popeza kuti kwanditheketsa kupitiriza utumiki wanga wa kwa Mulungu popanda chocheutsa. Mulungu wathu wamkulu amatipatsa chiyembekezo cha moyo wamuyaya monga mphotho ya kukhulupirika. Kwa ambiri, udzatanthauza moyo wosatha pamudzi waparadaiso padziko lapansi. Enafe timayang’ana kutsogolo ku moyo wosatha kumwamba, kusamalira ntchito zirizonse zimene tapatsidwa.

Ena angaganize kuti zaka zanga 90 zakhala moyo wautali, wopindulitsa. Moyo wanga wakhala wopindulitsa koma sunali wautali mokwanira. Mwakukhala womamatira ku gulu la Mulungu ndi mawu ake achowonadi, tingatalikitse miyoyo yathu kwamuyaya.a

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Mbale Ryan m’zaka zake zoyambirira pambali pa galimoto la mtundu wa Model T Ford