Zimene Chikristu Chadziko Chinafesa mu Afirika
MU 1867, Charles Lavigerie Mkatolika Wachifrenchi, anadza mu Afirika monga mkulu wa mabishopu wokhazikitsidwa chatsopano wa ku Algiers. “Mulungu wasankha Falansa,” iye anatero, “kupanga Algeria chiyambi cha mtundu waukulu ndi Wachikristu.”
Loto la Lavigerie linaphatikizapo zoposa Algeria. Kunena zowona, iye anatumiza amishonale kudutsa chipululu ali ndi cholinga cha “kugwirizanitsa chigawo cha Pakati ndi cha Kumpoto kwa Afirika kukhala ndi moyo wa Chikristu Chadziko.”
Panthaŵiyi, kumbali za kumadzulo, za kummwera, ndi za kummaŵa za kontinentilo, amishonale Achiprotestanti anali pantchito kale. Iwo anapirira mavuto ambiri, onga kugwidwa ndi malungo kwakaŵirikaŵiri, limodzi ndi zisonyezero zake za kunjenjemera, kuchita chitungu, ndi kubwetuka. Atafoketsedwa mwamsanga ndi nthenda za m’maiko otentha, ambiri anafa mwamsanga atafika. Koma ena anapitirizabe kumadza. “Aliyense amene amayenda mu Afirika,” anafotokoza motero Adlai Stevenson, “amakumbutsidwa mosalekeza za ungwazi wa amishonale. . . . Iwo anamenyana ndi ntchofu, m’mimba mwa kamwazi, njoka ndipo . . . ndinawona . . . miyala yawo yapamanda—zonsezo mu Afirika yense.”
Zipatso Zaumishonale
Pamene amishonale analoŵa mu Afirika, anapeza kuti mafuko ambiri anali osatha kulemba ndi kuŵerenga. “Mwa pafupifupi zinenero [za mu Afirika] mazana asanu ndi atatu,” akufotokoza motero Ram Desai m’bukhu lake lakuti Christianity in Africa as Seen by Africans, “zinayi zokha ndizo zimene zinali zolembedwa amishonale asanadze.” Chotero amishonale anatulukira njira yolembera zinenero zosalembedwa zimenezi. Ndiyeno anapanga mabukhu ophunziridwa ndi kuyamba kuphunzitsa anthu kuŵerenga. Kaamba ka chifuno chimenecho iwo anamanga masukulu mu Afirika yense.
Amishonale anamanganso zipatala. “Palibe gulu lina limene lingalingane ndi mbiri yawo pa ntchito zothandiza anthu,” akuvomereza motero Ram Desai. Kuphatikiza pachisamaliro chamankhwala, anthu a mu Afirika anafunafuna katundu wa ku Ulaya. Amishonale ena anayambitsa malo ogulitsira zinthu, popeza kuti anakhulupirira kuti zimenezi zikakopa oti atembenuzidwe. Mwachitsanzo, Mishoni ya Basel ya ku Switzerland inayambitsa kampani yamasitolo m’Ghana. Iwo anapeza kuti mitengo ya koko inakula bwino kumeneko, ndipo lerolino Ghana ndidziko lachitatu padziko lonse limene limalima koko wambiri koposa.
Chipambano chapadera cha amishonale a Chikristu Chadziko chinali kutembenuza kwawo Baibulo. Komabe kuwanditsa uthenga wa Baibulo kumamkera limodzi ndi thayo lolemera lowonjezereka. Mtumwi Wachikristu Paulo anasonyeza zimenezi mwa kufunsa kuti: “Ndiwe tsono wakuphunzitsa wina, kodi ulibe kudziphunzitsa mwini? Iwe wakulalikira kuti munthu asabe, kodi uli kuba mwini wekha?” Baibulo limachenjeza kuti awo amene amaphunzitsa Chikristu iwo eni ayenera kukhala ndi moyo mogwirizana ndi miyezo yamakhalidwe abwino yoperekedwa m’Mawu a Mulungu.—Aroma 2:21, 24.
Kodi bwanji za mishoni ya Chikristu Chadziko mu Afirika? Kodi yalemekeza Mulungu wa Baibulo, kapena kodi yaimira molakwa ziphunzitso Zachikristu?