Ndinapeza Chuma Chamtengo Wopambana

MONGA MOMWE YASIMBIDWIRA NDI FLORENCE WIDDOWSON

Pamene mdima unayamba kugwa, tinasankha zoimika hema pafupi ndi thamanda. Osati malo abwino kwambiri kwa akazi aŵiri, komabe tinalingalira kuti ngotetezereka kaamba ka usiku umodziwo. Pamene ndinali kalikiliki kukhomerera zichiri za hemayo, Marjorie anali kukonza chakudya chathu chamadzulo.

NDINALI nditangotsiriza kukhomera chichiri cha hema chotsiriza pamene ndinaona chinthu choyenda pafupi ndi chitsa cha mtengo chakuda. “Kodi waona chinthu choyenda pachitsapo?” ndinatero mokweza mawu kwa Marjorie.

“Ayi,” iye anatero, ali wododoma pang’ono.

“Ndithudi, ndachiona chikuyenda,” ndinafuula. “Ndipatse ketulo!”

Pamene ndinaitenga, limodzi ndi nkhwangwa papheŵa, ndinamka cha kuthamandako. Pamene ndinali pafupi ndi chitsacho, mwamuna wina anachoka kutseri kwake!

“Kodi madzi a pathamandapa ngoyenera kumwedwa?” ndinadzikakamiza kulankhula motero.

“Ayi, ngoipa,” anayankha motero ndi mawu aakulu, “koma ngati mukufuna madzi akumwa, ndikubweretserani.”

Ndinakana thandizo lakelo mwamsanga, ndipo mwamwaŵi wanga, iye anatembenuka mwamsanga napita. Ndili njenjenje, ndinabwerera mofulumira kwa Marjorie ndi kumuuza zimene zinali zitachitika. Tinapasula hemayo mofulumira, kulongedza zinthu, ndi kuchokapo. Pambuyo pake tinauzidwa kuti mwamunayo anali atangomasulidwa kumene kundende.

Ngakhale kuti anthu ofunafuna miyala ya mtengo wapatali kaŵirikaŵiri anamanga mahema pamenepo m’dera la golidi limeneli la Australia kalelo mu 1937, ife tinali ofunafuna miyala ya mtundu wina. Tinali kufunafuna anthu amene anali amtengo wapatali kwa Mulungu.

Banja Limene Ndinachokera

Zaka zana limodzi zapitazo, atate wanga anali wosula zitsulo m’mudzi wina waung’ono wa Porepunkah m’boma la Victoria. Ndinabadwira kumeneko mu 1895, ndipo ndinakula ndili ndi alongo anga anayi pafupi ndi mtsinje wa Ovens, m’tsinde mwa phiri la Buffalo. Makolo anga anali okonda kupita ku Union Church nthaŵi zonse, ndipo ine ndinkapita ku Sande sukulu, kumene atate anali woyang’anira wake.

Mu 1909, Amayi anadwala mtima mkati mwa mkuntho waukulu ndipo anamwalirira m’manja mwa atate. Ndiyeno, kuchiyambiyambi kwa 1914, mmodzi wa alongo anga anachoka panyumba, ndipo maola angapo pambuyo pake, anabwezedwa kwa ife​—atafa. Anali atadzipha. Chisoni chathu chinakulitsidwa kwambiri ndi chiphunzitso cha tchalitchi chakuti iyeyo anali kuyembekezeredwa ndi helo, popeza kuti kudzipha kunanenedwa kuti kunali tchimo losakhululukiridwa.

Pambuyo pake chaka chimenecho Nkhondo Yadziko I inaulika, ndipo aŵiri a alongo anga analembetsa usilikali kukatumikira kutsidya kwanyanja. Mbiri yoipa ya kukhetsa mwazi ndi kuvutika kwa anthu inasonkhezera atsikana asanu ndi mmodzi a ife, limodzi ndi atate, kuyamba kuphunzira buku Labaibulo la Yohane.

Kupeza Chuma Chowona

Ellen Hudson anali ndi kope la buku lakuti The Time Is at Hand, lolembedwa ndi Charles Taze Russell. Kutenthedwa nalo maganizo kwake kunasonkhezera ife tonse a m’kagulu kameneko. Pamene anaona kuti bukulo linali kokha limodzi la mpambo wa mavoliyumu asanu ndi limodzi otchedwa Studies in the Scriptures, iye analembera kalata gulu la International Bible Students Association m’Melbourne napempha mabuku ena otsalawo. Kagulu kathu kanavomerezana kugwiritsira ntchito voliyumu yoyamba yakuti, The Divine Plan of the Ages, m’maphunziro athu amlungu ndi mlungu.

Tangoyerekezerani chisangalalo changa ndi cha Atate pamene tinatulukira kuti kulibe helo wa moto. Mantha akuti mlongo wanga anali kumoto wa helo anachotsedwa. Tinadziŵa chowonadi chakuti akufa sadziŵa kanthu, monga ngati ali mtulo, ndipo samakhalanso ndi moyo kwina kwake akumavutika ndi chizunzo. (Mlaliki 9:5, 10; Yohane 11:11-14) Ena a m’kagulu kathu ka phunziro Labaibulo anasankha zopita kwa anansi athu kukalalikira chowonadi chimene tinali kuphunzira. Tinayenda ndi miyendo kumka kunyumba zimene zinali pafupi, komanso tinakwera njinga ndi galeta lokhala ndi magudumu aŵiri lokokedwa ndi kavalo kukafikira awo amene anali kumidzi yakutali.

Tsiku langa loyamba kulaŵa kuchitira umboni wa kunyumba ndi nyumba linali pa Armistice Day, November 11, 1918. Atatu a ife m’kagulu kathu tinayenda ulendo wa makilomita 80 kumka kutauni ya Wangaratta kukagaŵira trakiti lakuti Peoples Pulpit. Zaka zingapo pambuyo pake, tili m’gawo lathu lolalikira m’limodzi la madera akutali a kumidzi, ndinali ndi chokumana nacho chotchulidwa poyambacho.

Mu 1919, ndinakafika pamsonkhano wachigawo wa Ophunzira Baibulo mu Melbourne. Kumeneko, pa April 22, 1919, ndinasonyeza kudzipatulira kwanga kwa Yehova mwa kumizidwa m’madzi. Phwando lauzimu linakulitsa chiyamikiro changa cha chuma chauzimu cha Ufumu wa kumwamba ndi cha gulu la Yehova la padziko lapansi.​—Mateyu 13:44.

Msonkhanowo utatha sindinabwerere kwathu koma ndinavomereza pempho la kugwirizana ndi Jane Nicholson, mlaliki wanthaŵi yonse, kuchitira umboni kwa mwezi umodzi. Gawo lathu linali dera la alimi ndi ofuya ziŵeto m’mphepete mwa mtsinje wa King. Zaka zingapo zokha zapitazo, dera lamapiri limeneli linali malo opangirako kanema wotchedwa The Man From Snowy River.

Mu 1921 tinalandira buku labwino kwambiri lothandiza kuphunzira Baibulo lotchedwa Zeze wa Mulungu. Pamene Atate anayamba kuligwiritsira ntchito monga buku lophunziridwa la kalasi lawo la Sande sukulu, makolo ambiri anakhumudwa nawapempha kusiya ntchito. Iwo anatero nthaŵi yomweyo. Pambuyo pake tinalandira kabuku kakuti Hell, kokhala ndi mafunso ake ochititsa chidwi apachikuto akuti, “Kodi Iye Nchiyani? Kodi Ndani Ali Kumeneko? Kodi Angatulukeko?” Atate anakondweretsedwa kwambiri ndi maumboni omvekera bwino Abaibulo ofotokozedwa pankhaniyi kwakuti nthaŵi yomweyo anayamba kugaŵira makope ake kunyumba ndi nyumba. Iwo anagaŵira mazana ambiri a kabukuko m’mudzi mwathu ndi kumidzi ina yapafupi.

Maulendo Okalalikira ndi Atate

Potsirizira pake, Atate anagula galimoto kuti tikafikire anthu okhala kumadera ena ndi uthenga Waufumu. Monga wosula zitsulo, iwo anazoloŵera kuyenda pa akavalo, chotero ndinakhala woyendetsa galimoto. Choyamba, tinkagona m’mahotelo. Koma posapita nthaŵi zimenezi zinakhaladi zokwera mtengo, ndipo tinayamba kugona m’mahema.

Atate analinganiza mpando wakutsogolo wa galimoto kuti udzigwetsedwa kotero kuti ndidzigona m’galimoto. Tinkaimika hema wamng’ono kuti Atate adzigonamo. Titatero milungu ingapo, tinkabwerera ku Porepunkah, kumene Atate ankatsegulanso shopu yawo yosula zitsulo. Sitinaleke kuchita chidwi ndi mmene tinali kukhalira ndi ndalama zambiri zolipiridwa ndi makasitomala zoti tilipirire ulendo wathu wotsatira wokalalikira.

Anthu ambiri amaganizo abwino anatilandira bwino ndipo potsirizira pake anavomereza maphunziro Abaibulo. Tsopano m’dera limene linatumikiridwa poyamba ndi kagulu kathu kochokera ku Porepunkah muli mipingo isanu ndi iŵiri yokhala ndi Nyumba zawo Zaufumu. Ndithudi, kodi ndani amene angapeputse “tsiku la tinthu tating’ono”?​—Zekariya 4:10.

Mu 1931, ine ndi Atate tinayenda ulendo wa pagalimoto wa pafupifupi makilomita 300 m’misewu yoipa kukapezeka pamsonkhano wapadera, kumene tinatenga dzina lathu latsopano lakuti, “Mboni za Yehova.” Tonse aŵirife tinali osangalala ndi dzina lapadera Lamalemba limeneli. (Yesaya 43:10-12) Linatidziŵikitsa bwino kwambiri kuposa dzina limene linatilekanitsa pang’onolo lakuti “International Bible Students Association,” limene tinadziŵika nalo kufikira panthaŵiyo.

Tsiku lina ndikuchitira umboni m’tauni ya Bethanga, ndinakumana ndi mbusa wa Church of England. Iyeyu anakwiya nayamba kulondola mmene tinagaŵira mabuku athu ambiri, akumalamula anthu kumpatsa mabuku awo. Ndiyeno anatsogolera m’kutentha poyera mabukuwo pakati pa tauni. Komatu mchitidwe woipa kwambiri umenewu unamtsatira.

Nditadziŵitsa ofesi yanthambi ya Sosaite zimene zinachitika, panasindikizidwa kalata yapoyera imene inatsutsa zimene mtsogoleri wachipembedzoyo anachita. Ndiponso, panapangidwa makonzedwe akuti galimoto zodzazidwa ndi Mboni zigaŵire kalatayo m’chigawo chonsecho. Pambuyo pake pamene ine ndi Atate tinakayendanso m’tauniyo, tinagaŵira mabuku owonjezereka kuposa poyamba. Anthu okhala m’tauniyo anali ndi chidwi cha kufuna kudziŵa zimene zinali mkati mwa mabuku “oletsedwawo”!

Munthu woyamba kulandira chowonadi Chabaibulo kumpoto koma chakummaŵa kwa Victoria chifukwa cha kulalikira kwathu anali Milton Gibb. Nthaŵi iliyonse pambuyo pocheza naye, iye ankatsala akuphunzira mosamalitsa zofalitsidwa za Sosaite zonse zimene tinamsiyira. Paulendo wathu wina wobwereza, iye anatidabwitsa mwa kunena kuti: “Tsopano ndine mmodzi wa ophunzira anu.”

Ngakhale kuti ndinakondwera ndi chosankha chake, ndinati: “Ayi, Milton. Iwe sungakhale mmodzi wa ophunzira anga.”

“Chabwino, pamenepo ndiye kuti ndine mmodzi wa ophunzira a Rutherford [prezidenti wa Watch Tower Society wa panthaŵiyo].”

Kachiŵirinso ndinati: “Ayi, sulinso mmodzi wa ophunzira a Rutherford, koma ndikhulupirira kuti ndiwe mmodzi wa ophunzira a Kristu.”

Milton Gibb anakhaladi mmodzi wa chuma chamtengo wapatali chimene ndinathera zaka zambiri ndikuchifunafuna. Iyeyo ndi ana ake aamuna aŵiri ndiakulu Achikristu, ndipo ziŵalo zina za banja lake nzokangalika mumpingo.

Kukumana ndi Mayesero Osiyanasiyana

Mosasamala kanthu za kuletsedwa kwa ntchito ya Mboni za Yehova mu Australia mu January 1941, tinapitirizabe kulalikira, tikumagwiritsira ntchito Baibulo lokha. Ndiyeno upainiya wanga, kapena utumiki wanthaŵi yonse, unadodometsedwa pamene ndinaitanidwa kwathu kukayang’anira atate odwala kwambiriwo. Pambuyo pake, nanenso ndinadwala ndipo ndinafunikira kuchitidwa opaleshoni yaikulu. Kuchira kwanga kunatenga nthaŵi yaitali, koma ndinaona kuona kwa lonjezo la Mulungu lakuti: “Sindidzakusiya konse, kungakhale kukutaya, sindidzakutaya ndithu.” (Ahebri 13:5) Mlongo wina Wachikristu anandilimbikitsa kuti: “Kumbukira, Flo, suli wekha. Ndipo iwe uli ndi Yehova nthaŵi zonse.”

Ndiyeno panadza kudwala kwa atate wanga okondedwawo kotsiriza kwa milungu 13. Pa July 26, 1946, iwo anatseka maso awo namwalira. Iwo anali atakhutiritsidwa ndi moyo wawo, ndipo chiyembekezo chawo chinali chakumwamba. (Afilipi 3:14) Chotero pausinkhu wazaka 51, ndinali ndekha, pambuyo pa kukhala ndi Atate mbali yaikulu ya zaka zanga zoyambirira. Ndiyeno ndinakumana ndi wodzakhala mwamuna wanga mtsogolo. Tinakwatirana mu 1947 ndi kuyamba kuchita upainiya pamodzi. Koma nyengo yachimwemwe imeneyi sinakhalitse, popeza kuti iye anagwidwa ndi sitiroko mu 1953 nakhala wosakhoza kuchita kanthu kalikonse.

Kulankhula kwa mwamuna wanga kunayambukiridwa kwambiri, ndipo kunakhala pafupifupi kosatheka kukambitsirana naye. Imeneyo inali mbali yovuta koposa pomusamalira. Kuvutika kwanga maganizo poyesayesa kuzindikira zimene anali kuvutikira kunena kunalidi kwakukulu ndithu. Ngakhale kuti tinali kukhala m’dera lakutali kumene kunalibe mpingo wapafupi, Yehova sanatisiye mkati mwa zaka zamayesero zimenezo. Ndinayendera limodzi ndi chidziŵitso chatsopano chonse chagulu, limodzinso ndi chakudya chauzimu chosalekeza m’magazini a Nsanja ya Olonda ndi Galamukani! Pa December 29, 1957, mwamuna wanga wokondedwayo anamwalira.

Utumiki mu Adelaide

Ndinali ndekha kachiŵirinso. Kodi ndikachitanji? Kodi ndikavomerezedwanso kukhala mtumiki wanthaŵi yonse pambuyo pa kuleka pafupifupi zaka zisanu? Ndinavomerezedwa, chotero ndinagulitsa nyumba yanga ndi kuyambanso ntchito yaupainiya mu Adelaide, mzinda umene uli malikulu a South Australia. Apainiya anali ofunika kumeneko panthaŵiyo, ndipo ine ndinagaŵiridwa ku Mpingo wa Prospect.

Popeza kuti ndinali ndi mantha a kuyendetsa galimoto mumzindawo, ndinagulitsa galimoto langa ndi kuyamba kugwiritsira ntchito njinga kachiŵirinso. Ndinaigwiritsira ntchito kufikira pamene ndinali ndi zaka 86, ndikumadziŵika m’deralo monga “kamzimayi kokwera njinga yabuluu.” M’kupita kwanthaŵi ndinakhala wamantha kwambiri pamsewu; ndinali kuyendetsa njinga mopotokapotoka nthaŵi zonse. Nthaŵi yotsiriza inadza tsiku lina masana pamene ndinagwera mumpanda wobzalidwa. ‘Basi, ndaleka,’ ndinatero, ndipo chotero ndinayambiranso kuyenda ndi miyendo.

Zaka zingapo zapitazo, pamene ndinali pamsonkhano wachigawo, miyendo yanga inayamba kufooka, ndipo pambuyo pake ndinachitidwa maopaleshoni aŵiri m’chuuno mwanga. Ndinali kuchira bwino lomwe pambuyo pa opaleshoniyo kufikira pamene galu wina wamkulu anandigwetsera pansi. Zimenezi zinafunikiritsa chisamaliro chamankhwala chowonjezereka, ndipo chiyambire pamenepo ndimafunikira ndodo kundithandiza kuyenda. Ndidakali wolama maganizo. Zimenezi zili monga momwe mnzanga wina ananenera kuti: “Kukuonekera ngati kuti thupi lako lokalamba silingathe kupikisana ndi kuganiza kwako kosakalambako.”

M’zaka zonsezi, ndaona mipingo ikukula, kufutukuka ndi kugawidwa mu Adelaide. Ndiyeno, mu 1983, pamene ndinali ndi zaka 88, ndinasamuka kuchoka mu Adelaide kukakhala ndi banja lina ku Kyabram m’boma la Victoria, kumene ndatherako zaka khumi zosangalatsa. Ndimakhozabe kupita muutumiki wakumunda; mabwenzi amene ali mumpingo amandiyendetsa pagalimoto nthaŵi zonse kukaonana ndi awo amene amalandira magazini kwa ine. Anthu ameneŵa mokoma mtima amadza kumene kuli galimoto kotero kuti ndilankhule nawo.

Popenda za kumbuyoku paumoyo wanga wa zaka zoposa 98, ndimakumbukira mwachimwemwe anthu ambiri okhulupirika amene atamanda nane Yehova, makamaka atate wanga abwinowo. Ndiganiza kuti ndine ndekha amene ndakhala ndi moyo kwanthaŵi yaitali pa okhulupirika onse amene anali anzanga muutumiki waupainiya. Koma nchisangalalo chotani nanga chimene chikundiyembekezera cha kugwirizana ndi awo amene ali ndi chiyembekezo cha mfupo ya moyo Muufumu wakumwamba wa Mulungu, ndithudi chuma chamtengo wopambana!

[Chithunzi patsamba 28]

Ndinabatizidwa pa April 22, 1919

[Chithunzi patsamba 31]

Ndili wachimwemwebe kutumikira Yehova pamene ndikuyandikira zaka 100