Choloŵa Chapadera Chachikristu

YOSIMBIDWA NDI BLOSSOM BRANDT

Kunagwa chipale chofeŵa mu San Antonio, Texas, pa January 17, 1923, tsiku limene ndinabadwa. Kunja kunali kozizira, koma ndinalandiridwa m’manja ofunda a makolo achikondi Achikristu, a Judge ndi a Helen Norris. Kuyambira kalekale, kalikonse kamene makolo anga anachita kanazikidwa pakulambira kwawo Yehova Mulungu.

MU 1910 pamene Amayi anali ndi zaka zisanu ndi zitatu, makolo awo anasamuka kuchokera pafupi ndi Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, kukakhala pafamu kunja kwa Alvin, Texas. Ali komweko anasangalala kuphunzira za chowonadi cha Baibulo kwa mnansi wawo. Amayi anathera moyo wawo wonse akuyesayesa kuuza anthu chiyembekezo cha Ufumu. Anabatizidwa mu 1912 pambuyo pakuti banjalo lasamukira ku Houston, Texas.

Amayi ndi makolo awo anaonana kwa nthaŵi yoyamba ndi Charles T. Russell, prezidenti woyamba wa Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, pamene anachezera mpingo wawo mu Houston. Banjalo kaŵirikaŵiri linachereza m’nyumba mwawo oimira a Sosaite oyendayenda, amene panthaŵiyo anatchedwa alaliki oyendayenda. Patapita zaka zingapo, Amayi ndi makolo awo anasamukira ku Chicago, Illinois, ndipo Mbale Russell anali kuchezeranso mpingo kumeneko.

Mu 1918, Agogo aakazi anadwala fuluwenza ya Spanya, ndipo chifukwa chakuti inawafooketsa kwambiri, madokotala ananena kuti anayenera kukhala kumalo ofunda. Popeza kuti Agogo aamuna anagwira ntchito m’kampani ya sitima yotchedwa Pullman, mu 1919 anasamuka kubwerera ku Texas. Kumeneko, mu San Antonio, Amayi anakumana ndi mnyamata wina wachangu wotchedwa Judge Norris, chiŵalo cha mpingo. Iwo anakondana pomwepo, ndipo m’kupita kwa nthaŵi anakwatirana, ndipo a Judge anadzakhala atate anga.

Atate Aphunzira Chowonadi cha Baibulo

A Judge (Woweruza) anapatsidwa dzina lawo lachilendolo pamene anabadwa. Pamene atate wawo anawaona kwanthaŵi yoyamba, anati: “Mwana uyu ngwofatsa ngati woweruza,” ndipo limenelo linakhala dzina lawo. Mu 1917, pamene Atate anali ndi zaka 16, anapatsidwa matrakiti akuti Where Are the Dead? ndi What Is the Soul? osindikizidwa ndi Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Abambo awo a atate anali atamwalira kwa zaka ziŵiri, ndipo matrakitiwo anapereka mayankho amene anali kufunafuna onena za mkhalidwe wa akufa. Posapita nthaŵi, anayamba kufika pamisonkhano ya Ophunzira Baibulo, monga momwe Mboni za Yehova zimatchedwera panthaŵiyo.

Mwamsanga atate anafuna kukhala ndi phande m’ntchito za mpingo. Anapeza gawo lolalikirako, ndipo ataŵeruka kusukulu ankapitako panjinga kukagaŵira matrakiti. Anatanganitsidwa kotheratu ndi kulalikira za chiyembekezo cha Ufumu, ndipo pa March 24, 1918, anabatizidwa m’madzi monga chizindikiro cha kudzipatulira kwawo kwa Yehova.

Chaka chotsatira pamene Amayi anasamukira ku San Antonio, Atate anakopeka panthaŵi yomweyo ndi kumene anati kunali “kumwetulira kwabwino koposa ndi maso obiriŵira koposa” zimene anali asanaonepo ndi kale lonse. Posapita nthaŵi anadziŵikitsa nkhaniyo kuti anafuna kukwatirana, koma zinali zovuta kupangitsa makolo a Amayi kuvomera. Komabe, pa April 15, 1921, ukwati unachitika. Onse aŵiri anali ndi chonulirapo cha utumiki wanthaŵi yonse.

Kuyamba Utumiki Ndili Mwana

Pamene Amayi ndi Atate anali kukonzekera kupita kumsonkhano wa ku Cedar Point, Ohio mu 1922, anapeza kuti Amayi anali ndi pathupi panga. Mwamsanga nditabadwa, pamene Atate anali ndi zaka 22 zokha, anaikidwa kukhala wotsogoza utumiki wa mpingo. Zimenezi zinatanthauza kuti iwo anayenera kulinganiza makonzedwe onse autumiki wakumunda. Pambuyo pa milungu yoŵerengeka, Amayi anayamba kupita nane muutumiki wa kunyumba ndi nyumba. Ndiponso, agogo anga anakonda kupita nane muutumiki.

Pamene ndinali ndi zaka ziŵiri zokha, makolo anga anasamukira ku Dallas, Texas, ndipo anayamba utumiki wanthaŵi yonse monga apainiya pambuyo pa zaka zitatu. Usiku iwo anagona pakama m’mphepete mwa msewu ndipo ine anandigoneka pampando wakumbuyo m’galimoto. Ndithudi, ndinalingalira zimenezi kukhala zosangalatsa, koma mwamsanga zinakhala zoonekeratu kuti sanali okonzekera bwino kaamba ka moyo waupainiya. Chotero Atate anayamba bizinesi. M’kupita kwanthaŵi, anapanga ngolo yaing’ono akumakonzekera kuyambanso upainiya.

Ndisanayambe sukulu, Amayi anandiphunzitsa kuŵerenga ndi kulemba, ndipo ndinadziŵa masamu ochulukitsa mpaka mpambo wachinayi. Maganizo awo nthaŵi zonse anali pakundithandiza kuphunzira. Nthaŵi zina anali kundiimika pampando pafupi nawo kuti ndidzipukuta mbale pamene iwo akutsuka, kwinaku akumandiphunzitsa kuloŵeza malemba ndi kuimba nyimbo za Ufumu, kapena nyimbo za tchalitchi monga momwe tinazitchera panthaŵiyo.

Kutumikira Mulungu Limodzi ndi Makolo Anga

Mu 1931 tonsefe tinapezeka pamsonkhano wosangalatsa mu Columbus, Ohio, kumene tinalandira dzina lakuti Mboni za Yehova. Ngakhale kuti ndinali ndi zaka zisanu ndi zitatu zokha, ndinalingalira kuti linali dzina labwino koposa limene sindinalimvepo. Mwamsanga titabwerera kunyumba, bizinesi ya Atate inapsa ndi moto, ndipo Atate ndi Amayi anaona zimenezi kukhala “chifuniro cha Ambuye” kuti ayambenso upainiya. Motero, kuyambira m’chilimwe cha 1932, tinasangalala ndi zaka zambiri za utumiki wanthaŵi yonse.

Makolo anga anachita upainiya m’chigawo chapakati cha Texas kuti akhale pafupi ndi makolo a Amayi, amene anali kukhalabe mu San Antonio. Kusinthasintha magawo kunandipangitsa kusintha masukulu kaŵirikaŵiri. Nthaŵi zina mabwenzi osalingalira bwino anali kunena kuti, “Bwanji simukhazikika ndi kupezera mwanayu malo okhala enieni,” monga ngati kuti sindinali kusamaliridwa bwino. Koma ndinalingalira kuti moyo wathu unali wosangalatsa ndi kuti ndinali kuthandiza Atate ndi Amayi muutumiki wawo. Kwenikwenidi, ndinali kuphunzitsidwa ndi kukonzekeretsedwa kaamba ka zimene zinali kudzakhala njira yanga ya moyo.

Kwa miyezi yambiri ndinali kuuza Atate ndi Amayi kuti ndinafuna kubatizidwa, ndipo kaŵirikaŵiri iwo analankhula nane za zimenezo. Anafuna kutsimikizira kuti ndinadziŵa kuopsa kwake kwa chosankha changa. Pa December 31, 1934, tsiku linafika la chochitika chachikulu chimenechi m’moyo wanga. Komabe, kusanache usikuwo, Atate ananditsimikiziritsa kuti ndipite kwa Yehova m’pemphero. Ndiyeno iwo anachita kanthu kena kabwino kwambiri. Anauza tonsefe kugwada, ndiyeno anapereka pemphero. Anauza Yehova kuti iwo anali okondwera kwambiri ponena za chosankha cha msungwana wawo wachichepere cha kupatulira moyo wake kwa Iye. Kunena zowona, kunthaŵi yonse ya moyo wanga, sindidzaiŵala usiku umenewo!

Kuphunzitsidwa ndi Agogo Anga

Pakati pa 1928 ndi 1938, ndinathera nthaŵi yochuluka ndikuchezera agogo anga ku San Antonio. Mkhalidwe wawo wa moyo unali wofanana ndi wa makolo anga. Agogo aakazi anali akoputala, monga momwe apainiya amatchedwera panthaŵiyo, ndiyeno anadzakhala mpainiya wothandiza. Agogo aamuna anaikidwa monga mpainiya mu December 1929, motero utumiki wakumunda unali chochitika cha masiku onse.

Agogo aamuna anali kundifukata usiku ndi kundiphunzitsa maina a nyenyezi. Anali kundilakatulira ndakatulo zimene analoŵeza. Ndinali kupita nawo pamaulendo asitima pamene anali kugwira ntchito m’kampani ya njanje. Nthaŵi zonse ndinkapita kwa iwo pamene ndinali ndi vuto; iwo anali kunditonthoza ndi kundipukuta misozi. Komabe, pamene ndinalangidwa chifukwa chopulupudza ndi kupita kwa iwo kuti akanditonthoze, iwo anali kungonena (mawu amene panthaŵiyo sindinadziŵe tanthauzo lake, koma anali omvekera bwino kwambiri) kuti: “Mdzukulu wanga wokondedwa, munthu akalakwa amavutika.”

Zaka za Chizunzo

Mu 1939, Nkhondo Yadziko II inaulika, ndipo anthu a Yehova anavutika ndi chizunzo ndi ziwawa za magulu a anthu. Pofika kumapeto kwa 1939, Amayi anali atadwala kwambiri ndipo potsirizira pake anafunikira opaleshoni, chotero tinabwereranso ku San Antonio.

Magulu a anthu achiwawa anali kusonkhana pamene tinali kuchita ulaliki wa magazini pa makwalala a San Antonio. Koma mlungu uliwonse, monga banja, tinali kupita kumeneko, aliyense ataimirira pagulaye yake. Kaŵirikaŵiri ndinalikuona pamene iwo anali kutenga Atate kupita nawo kupolisi.

Atate anayesa kupitirizabe upainiya ngakhale kuti Amayi anali atasiya. Komabe, sanakhoze kupeza ndalama zokwanira pantchito ya maola ochepa, motero nawonso anasiya. Ndinamaliza sukulu mu 1939, ndipo nanenso ndinaloŵa ntchito.

Dzina la Atate lakuti Judge (Woweruza) linakhala lothandiza m’zakazo. Mwachitsanzo, gulu la mabwenzi linapita kukalalikira m’tauni ya kumpoto kwa San Antonio, ndipo bwanamkubwa anawaika m’ndende onsewo. Anali atamanga pafupifupi 35, kuphatikizapo agogo anga. Iwo anadziŵitsa Atate, ndipo anapita kumeneko ndi galimoto. Atafika analoŵa mu ofesi ya bwanamkubwayo ndi kunena kuti: “Ndine Judge [Woweruza] Norris wochokera ku San Antonio.”

“Chabwino Bwana, Woweruza, kodi ndingakuthandizeni chiyani?” anafunsa motero bwanamkubwayo.

“Ndabwera kudzaonana nanu kuti mumasule anthu awa m’ndende,” anayankha motero Atate. Atamva zimenezo, bwanamkubwayo anawamasula popanda belo​—ndipo sanafunsenso mafunso!

Atate anakonda kulalikira m’maofesi a m’tauni, ndipo anakonda kwambiri kufikira oweruza ndi maloya. Iwo anali kuuza wokhala pofikira alendo kuti: “Ndine Judge [Woweruza] Norris, ndipo ndadza kudzaonana ndi Judge [Woweruza] Ngana.”

Ndiyeno, pamene anaonana ndi woweruzayo, choyamba iwo anali kunena kuti: “Eya, ndisananene zimene ndabwerera, ndikufuna kukuuzani kuti ine ndakhala Woweruza kwanthaŵi yaitali kuposa inuyo. Ndakhala Woweruza kwa moyo wanga wonse.” Ndiyeno anali kufotokoza mmene anakhalira ndi dzinalo. Zimenezi zinali kuyambitsa makambitsirano aubwenzi, ndipo anapanga ubwenzi wabwino ndi oweruza ambiri m’masiku amenewo.

Kuyamikira Chitsogozo cha Makolo

Ndinali m’zaka zovuta za uchichepere wanga, ndipo ndidziŵa kuti Atate ndi Amayi anali odera nkhaŵa kwambiri pamene anali kupenyerera ndi kukayikira kuti kaya ndidzachita chiyani. Monga momwe amachitira ana onse, ndinaika Atate ndi Amayi pachiyeso nthaŵi zambiri, ndikumapempha kuchita chinthu china kapena kupita kwinakwake ndikudziŵa bwino lomwe kuti sakavomereza zimenezo. Nthaŵi zina ndinali kulira. Kwenikweni, ndikanakhala wopulukira kwambiri ngati akanandiuzapo kuti: “Pita, kachite zimene ufuna. Tilibe nazo kanthu.”

Kudziŵa kuti sindikakhoza kuwasonkhezera kusintha miyezo yawo kunandichititsa kudzimva kukhala wotetezereka. Kwenikweni, zimenezi zinakupangitsa kukhala kosavuta kwa ine kukana pamene achichepere ena anandiuza kupita ku zosangulutsa zosayenera, popeza ndinali kunena kuti: “Atate sadzandilola kuchita zimenezo.” Pamene ndinali ndi zaka 16, Atate anafuna kuti ndiphunzire kuyendetsa galimoto ndi kutenga laisensi yoyendetsera. Ndiponso, panthaŵi imeneyi anandipatsa mfungulo ya nyumba. Ndinakondwera kwambiri kuti iwo anandidalira. Ndinadzimva kukhala wamkulu, ndipo ndinadzimva kukhala wathayo ndi kusafuna konse kuwononga chidaliro chawo mwa ine.

M’masikuwo panalibe malangizo ambiri amene anaperekedwa ponena za ukwati, koma Atate anadziŵa Baibulo ndi zimene linanena ponena za kukwatira kokha “mwa Ambuye.” (1 Akorinto 7:39) Iwo anandiuza motsimikiza kuti ngati ndikayesa konse kubweretsa mnyamata wadziko panyumba, kapena ngakhale kukacheza naye, iwo akagwiritsidwa mwala mosaneneka. Ndinadziŵa kuti iwo anali olondola, popeza kuti ndinaona chimwemwe ndi chigwirizano muukwati wawo chifukwa chakuti anakwatira “mwa Ambuye.”

Mu 1941, pamene ndinali ndi zaka 18, ndinaganiza kuti ndinakondana ndi mbale wachichepere mumpingo. Iye anali mpainiya ndipo anali kuchita maphunziro a uloya. Ndinakondwera kwambiri. Pamene tinauza makolo anga kuti tinafuna kukwatirana, m’malo mosonyeza kuvomereza kapena kutiletsa, iwo anangoti: “Tifuna kukupempha chinthu chimodzi, Blossom. Tikulingalira kuti udakali wamng’ono, ndipo tikukupempha kuti uyembekezere kwa chaka chimodzi. Ngati mwakondanadi, chaka chimodzi sichidzakhala patali kwambiri.”

Ndili woyamikira kwambiri kuti ndinamvera uphungu wanzeru umenewo. Mkati mwa chakacho, ndinakhala ndi malingaliro auchikulire ndi kuyamba kuona kuti mnyamatayu analibe mikhalidwe imene ikampangitsa kukhala mnzanga wabwino wa muukwati. M’kupita kwanthaŵi iye anachoka m’gulu, ndipo ndinapulumuka imene ikanakhala ngozi m’moyo wanga. Nkwabwino chotani nanga kukhala ndi makolo anzeru amene malingaliro awo angadaliridwe!

Ukwati ndi Ntchito Yoyendayenda

M’nyengo yachisanu ya 1946, nditathera zaka zisanu ndi chimodzi muupainiya ndi ntchito ya maola ochepa, mnyamata wina wabwino koposa amene sindinakumanepo naye anabwera m’Nyumba yathu Yaufumu. Gene Brandt anali atagaŵiridwa monga woyenda naye wa mtumiki wathu woyendayenda, monga momwe woyang’anira dera amatchedwera panthaŵiyo. Tonse aŵiri tinakondana, ndipo tinakwatirana pa August 5, 1947.

Posapita nthaŵi, Atate ndi Gene anayamba bizinesi ya accounting. Koma Atate anauza Gene kuti: “Tsiku limene bizinesiyi idzatiletsa kupita kumsonkhano kapena kuchita ntchito yateokratiki, ndidzaitseka.” Yehova anadalitsa lingaliro lauzimu limeneli, ndipo bizinesiyo inatipatsa zofunika zakuthupi zokwanira ndi kukhalanso ndinthaŵi yochita upainiya. Atate ndi Gene anali odziŵa kuyendetsa bizinesi, ndipo tikanalemera mosavuta, koma sindicho chinali chonulirapo chawo.

Mu 1954, Gene anaitanidwa m’ntchito ya m’dera, zimene zinatanthauza kusintha kwakukulu m’moyo wathu. Kodi makolo anga anachita motani? Kachiŵirinso, nkhaŵa yawo siinali ya ubwino wa iwo eni koma ya zinthu za Ufumu wa Mulungu ndi ya mkhalidwe wauzimu wa ana awo. Iwo sanatiuzepo konse kuti: “Bwanji simukutibalira adzukulu?” M’malomwake, nthaŵi zonse ankanena kuti: “Kodi tingachitenji kukuthandizani muutumiki wanthaŵi yonse?”

Chotero pamene tsiku linafika lakuti tipite, panali chabe mawu achilimbikitso ndi chisangalalo cha mwaŵi wathu waukuluwo. Sanatipangitse kumva monga ngati kuti tinali kuŵasiya koma kuti nthaŵi zonse akakhala otichilikiza. Pamene tinachoka, anakhala otanganitsidwa m’ntchito yaupainiya kwa zaka zina khumi. Atate anaikidwa kukhala woyang’anira mzinda wa San Antonio, udindo umene anakhala nawo kwa zaka 30. Iwo anasangalala kuona chiwonjezeko chochokera pa mpingo umodzi mumzindawo m’ma 1920 kufikira mipingo 71 asanamwalire mu 1991.

Kwa Gene ndi ine, moyo unali wa chisangalalo chokhachokha. Tinali ndi chisangalalo chachikulu cha kutumikira abale ndi alongo athu m’maboma oposa 31 ndipo, mwinamwake chapadera kwambiri chinali, mwaŵi wakupezekapo pa kalasi la 29 la Sukulu ya Gileadi ya Baibulo ya Watchtower mu 1957. Pambuyo pake tinabwerera m’ntchito yoyendayenda. Mu 1984, pambuyo pa zaka 30 m’ntchito yadera ndi yachigawo, mokoma mtima Sosaite inagaŵira Gene kuyang’anira dera la mu San Antonio, popeza kuti makolo athu anali m’zaka zawo za m’ma 80 ndipo anali ndi thanzi lofooka.

Kusamalira Makolo

Panangopita chaka chimodzi ndi theka titabwerera ku San Antonio pamene Amayi anadwala kwakayakaya namwalira. Zinachitika mofulumira kwambiri kwakuti sindinathe kunena zinthu zina zimene ndinafuna kuwauza. Zimenezi zinandiphunzitsa kukambitsirana kwambiri ndi Atate. Pambuyo pa zaka 65 zaukwati, iwo analakalaka kwambiri Amayi, koma nthaŵi zonse tinalipo kuwasonyeza chikondi ndi kuwalimbikitsa.

Chitsanzo cha Atate cha moyo wonse cha kupezeka pamisonkhano Yachikristu, phunziro, ndi utumiki wakumunda chinapitirizabe kufikira imfa yawo. Iwo anakonda kwambiri kuŵerenga. Popeza kuti anali kutsala okha panyumba pamene tinkapita kuutumiki, titabwerako ndinkawafunsa kuti, “Kodi munasungulumwa?” Iwo ankatanganitsidwa kwambiri ndi kuŵerenga kwakuti ngakhale lingaliro lokha la kusungulumwa sanali kukhala nalo.

Panalinso chizoloŵezi china cha moyo wonse chimene sitinaleke. Atate nthaŵi zonse anafuna kuti banja lidzidyera pamodzi, makamaka chakudya cha m’maŵa pamene tinali kuchita Lemba latsiku. Sindinaloledwe konse kuchoka panyumba popanda kuchita zimenezo. Nthaŵi zina ndinkadandaula kuti: “Atate, koma ndidzachedwa kusukulu (kapena kuntchito).”

“Silemba latsiku limene lidzakuchedwetsa; wadzuka mochedwa,” iwo ankayankha motero. Ndipo ndinali kukhala ndi kumvetsera. Iwo anatsimikiza kupitiriza chitsanzo chabwino chimenechi kufikira masiku otsiriza a moyo wawo. Ichi ndicholoŵa china chimene anandisiyira.

Atate anakhalabe ogalamuka m’maganizo kufikira imfa yawo. Iwo anali osavuta kusamalira chifukwa chakuti sanali kukwiya msanga kapena kudandaula. Inde, nthaŵi zina ankadandaula za matenda awo a kutupa kwa mfundo zathupi, koma ndinali kuwakumbutsa kuti matenda awo anali kupanda ungwiro kochokera kwa Adamu, ndipo anali kuseka. Tsiku lina pamene Gene ndi ine tinakhala pambali pawo, Atate anagona tulo ta imfa m’maŵa wa November 30, 1991.

Tsopano ndili ndi zaka zoposa 70 ndipo ndidakapindulabe ndi chitsanzo chabwino cha makolo anga achikondi Achikristu. Ndipo lili pemphero langa la mtima wonse kuti ndisonyeze chiyamikiro changa kaamba ka choloŵa chimenechi mwakuchigwiritsira ntchito moyenera kunthaŵi yonse ilinkudza.​—Salmo 71:17, 18.

[Chithunzi patsamba 5]

Amayi ndi ine

[Zithunzi patsamba 7]

1. Msonkhano wanga wachigawo woyamba: San Marcos, Texas, September 1923

2. Msonkhano wachigawo wotsirizira wa Atate: Fort Worth, Texas, June 1991 (Atate akhala pansi)

[Chithunzi patsamba 9]

Gene ndi Blossom Brandt