Dziko Louma Likhala Lachonde

MONGA MOMWE YASIMBIDWIRA NDI ARTHUR MELIN

Linali tsiku la m’ngululu lopanda mitambo mu 1930, ndipo ndinali nditaima padoko ku Prince Rupert, ku British Columbia. Poyang’ana bwato lokhala pansipo m’nyanja, ndinadabwa kuti, ‘Kodi madzi onse aja apita kuti?’ Kumeneku kunali kuyamba kuona mafunde a ku Pacific West Coast kumene madzi a m’nyanja angaphwe kufikira pa mamita asanu ndi aŵiri m’maola asanu ndi limodzi okha. Koma kodi ndimotani mmene mnyamata wa ku famu ya kumadera opanda mitengo yambiri anapezekera kugombe la Pacific Ocean?

NDINALI nditaitanidwa kuti ndikafutukule mwaŵi wanga wa utumiki wanthaŵi yonse kwa Yehova mwa kugwirizana ndi oyendetsa bwato la Charmian. Gawo lathu linali la kuyambitsa ntchito yolalikira ku gombe lakutali la kumadzulo kuyambira ku Vancouver kufikira ku Alaska. Dera limeneli linali ndi mbali yaikulu ya gombe la makilomita ambiri la British Columbia, limene linalibiretu otamanda Yehova okangalika. Panali kokha gulu laling’ono la ofalitsa Ufumu m’tauni ya Prince Rupert.

Ndinali wofunitsitsa kuyamba ntchitoyo, chotero nditatuluka m’sitima ya pamtunda, nthaŵi yomweyo ndinamka kumadoko kukafunafuna bwato la Charmian ndi kukakumana ndi oliyendetsa ake, Arne ndi Christina Barstad. Mkati mwake munalibe munthu, chotero ndinachoka. Nditabwererako pambuyo pake tsiku lomwelo, ndinadabwa kwambiri. Nyanja yamchereyo inaonekera ngati kuti inali kuphwa!

Koma kodi nchiyani chimene chinatsogolera kugawo lokondweretsa limeneli?

Choloŵa Chauzimu

Kuyamikira kwanga zinthu zauzimu kunayamba ndili kwathu ku madambo a Alberta, ku Canada. Atate anapeza trakiti lolembedwa ndi Charles Taze Russell wa Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society limene linasintha moyo wawo kwambiri. Atate anayamba kulalikira kwa anansi awo, mosasamala kanthu za ntchito yawo ya ulimi yodya nthaŵi ku Calmar, ku Alberta. Zimenezo zinali zaka zana zapitazo, kuchiyambiyambi kwa ma 1890.

Munali m’banja lowopa Mulungu limeneli mmene ine ndinabadwira pa February 20, 1905, mwana wachisanu ndi chitatu wa amene potsirizira pake anakhala abale ndi alongo khumi. Atate, ndiponso ena a m’chitaganya chimenechi cha anthu a ku Sweden, anagwirizana ndi Ophunzira Baibulo a Padziko Lonse. M’kupita kwa nthaŵi, iwo anamanga malo osonkhanira, amene pambuyo pake anatchedwa Nyumba Yaufumu. Inali imodzi ya zoyambirira mu Canada.

Ntchito ya pa famu sinatiletse kufika pamisonkhano Yachikristu, imene ina ya iyo inali ndi nkhani zokambidwa ndi alendo otumizidwa ndi Watch Tower Society. Nkhani zimenezi zinakulitsa mwa ife chikhumbo chachikulu cha kukhala ndi phande m’ntchito yolalikira. Monga chotulukapo chake, pafupifupi onse a m’banja lathu ayenda m’kuunika kwa choonadi cha Baibulo mosagwedezeka.

Kukhala ndi Phande mu Ntchito Yolalikira

Kuchiyambiyambi kwa ma 1920, ndinapatsidwa gawo langa loyamba lochitira umboni. Ndinafunikira kukagaŵira mapepala oitanira anthu ku nkhani yapoyera kukhomo ndi khomo mu mzinda wa Edmonton. Pamene ndinali chiimire pamenepo ndili ndekhandekha tsiku limenelo, ndinaphunzira phunziro lofunika kwambiri: Khulupirira Yehova. (Miyambo 3:5, 6) Ha, ndinali wachimwemwe chotani nanga kukwaniritsa gawo loyamba limenelo ndi thandizo la Yehova!

Chidaliro changa m’gulu looneka la Yehova ndi m’kagulu kake ka kapolo wokhulupirika ndi wanzeru chinapitiriza kukula pamene chidziŵitso chowonjezereka chinaperekedwa pa Mawu ake a choonadi. Ambiri a machitachita a Dziko Lachikristu, onga ngati mapwando a Krisimasi ndi masiku akubadwa, anachotsedwa. Chipulumutso cha munthu mwini sichinalinso chofunika koposa; mmalomwake, kulalikira Ufumu kunayamba kukhala kofunika koposa. Zonsezi zinali ndi chiyambukiro chachikulu pa moyo wanga. Chotero posapita nthaŵi nditapatulira moyo wanga kwa Yehova pa April 23, 1923, ndinapanga utumiki wanthaŵi yonse kukhala chonulirapo changa.

M’nyengo ya kuzizira kwa m’dambo kofikira pa subzero, tinachitira umboni m’madera akumidzi ndi akavalo okoka sleigh. Nthaŵi ina ndinathera milungu iŵiri ndi kagulu kena m’ntchito imene inadziŵika panthaŵiyo monga ntchito ya pagalimoto ya nyumba. Galimoto zapadera zimenezi zinakhaladi zothandiza m’kuchitira umboni m’madera aakulu apululu m’madera opanda mitengo yambiri a Canada. Mosasamala kanthu za mavuto a ndalama, kachedwe kakunja koipa kwambiri, ndi mitunda yaikulu ya ulendo, ndinali wokhoza kupirira mu utumiki waupainiya molekezalekeza mu Alberta kwa pafupifupi zaka zitatu kufikira patsiku limenelo losaiŵalika mu 1930 pamene ndinaitanidwa kukatumikira ku Pacific West Coast. Popeza kuti sindinali kudziŵa chilichonse ponena za nyanja kapena mabwato, chiitano chimenecho chinandidabwitsa.

Eya, sipanapite nthaŵi nditafika ku Prince Rupert pamene ndinayamba kuzoloŵera malowo ndili ndi antchito anzanga atsopano m’bwato. Mbale Barstad anali katswiri paumalinyero, pokhala atachitapo bizinesi ya nsomba kwa zaka zambiri. Zaka zisanu ndi chimodzi zotsatira zinali nyengo ya kulalikira kwakukulu, tikumayenda ndi bwatolo m’gombe la British Columbia kuchokera ku Vancouver kukafika ku Alaska. Phunziro lina lophunziridwa: Landira gawo kuchokera kwa Yehova nthaŵi zonse, ndipo usakayikire.

Kufesa Mbewu m’Mphepete mwa Nyanja

Doko lathu loyamba kuimapo m’ngululu imeneyo ya 1930 linali Ketchikan, ku Alaska, kumene tinapachira makatoni 60 a mabuku a Baibulo. Kwa milungu ingapo, tinafikira nyumba zonse mu Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, Skagway, Haines, Sitka, ndi midzi ina ya patalipatali. Kenako tinafola gombe lonse la British Columbia, tikumalimaliza chilimwe chisanathe. Misasa yakutali ya antchito yodula mitengo, misasa yosamalira nsomba zosodzedwa, midzi ya Amwenye, matauni aang’ono, ndiponso osamukira kumadera akutali ndi okola nyama, zinafikiridwa. Panthaŵi zina kunali kovuta kulekana ndi alonda osungulumwa a nsanja ya amalinyero amene anali okondwera kulandira munthu wina wokambitsirana naye.

M’kupita kwa nthaŵi, Sosaite inatipatsa magalamafoni onyamulika ndi nkhani za Baibulo zojambulidwa palekodi. Tinanyamula zimenezi, pamodzi ndi mabuku, Mabaibulo, ndi magazini. Kaŵirikaŵiri tinafunikira kunyamula zimenezi pamene tinali kuyenda movutikira kudumpha miyala ya gombelo. M’nthaŵi ya kuphwa kwa madzi anyanja, nthaŵi zina ife tinali kunyamula katunduyo kukwera pamakwerero atewatewa kumka naye pamwamba pamadoko okwezekera katundu. Ndinali wachimwemwe pokhala ndinali nditaphunzitsidwa ntchito yakuthupi pa unyamata wanga pamene ndinali kugwira ntchito pa famu kumadera opanda mitengo yambiri.

Zokuzira mawu za pa bwato lathu zinatumikira monga chiwiya champhamvu powanditsa mbiri ya Ufumu. Mawu ake akumatengedwa ndi madzi, nkhani zojambulidwazo zinamvedwa pamtunda wa makilomita ochuluka. Panthaŵi ina titakocheza pa malo a m’mbali mwa nyanja akutali pa Vancouver Island, tinaliza imodzi ya malekodi a nkhani za Baibulo ameneŵa. Tsiku lotsatira anthu okhala pachisumbucho anaituza mokondwera kuti: “Dzulo tinamva ulaliki kuchokera kumwamba mwachindunji!”

Panthaŵi ina nkhalamba zina ziŵiri zokwatirana zinanena kuti zinamva nyimbo kuchokera m’chumuni chawo, koma pamene zinatuluka kunja, sizinamve chilichonse. Atabwerera mkati, anamva mawu. Kodi nchifukwa ninji zimenezo zinali choncho? Aha, pamene anali kunjako, tinali kusintha lekodi. Choyamba tinkaliza nyimbo kuti anthu atchere khutu, ndiyeno nkuika lekodi ya nkhani ya Baibulo.

Panthaŵi inanso, pamene tinakocheza pafupi ndi chisumbu china cha mudzi wa Amwenye, anyamata ena aŵiri a m’mudzimo anadza akumapalasa bwato kudzaona kumene mawu anali kuchokera. Ena a pachisumbupo analingalira kuti anali mawu a akufa awo amene anali atauka!

Sikunali kwachilendo kugaŵira mabuku zana patsiku kwa awo amene anali kugwira ntchito m’mafakitale oika nsomba m’zitini. Pokhala ndi zocheukitsa zoŵerengeka, iwo anali ndi nthaŵi ya kuganizira zinthu zauzimu. Potsirizira pake ambiri a anthu akutali ameneŵa anakhala Mboni. Pamaulendo ake otsatizana, tinayembekezera kukawachezera kaamba ka ‘kulimbikitsana.’​—Aroma 1:12, NW.

Utumiki Wopitirizabe ndi Mnzanga wa Muukwati

Mu 1931, ndinakwatira mng’ono wa Christina Barstad, Anna. Pambuyo pake tinapitiriza kuchita upainiya pamodzi pabwato ndi kusangalala ndi zokumana nazo zambiri zofupa m’zaka zonsezo. Anamngumi, ma sea lion, ma seal, ma porpoise, ma deer, zimbalangondo, ndi ziombankhanga zinali mabwenzi athu m’malo amapiri okongola, malo a m’mbali mwa nyanja obisika, ndi zigwegwe zabata, zowirira ndi mikungudza, pine, mitengo yaikulu ya Douglas fir. Tinathandiza kangapo ma deer otopa ndi ana awo pamene anali kuyesa kusambira kudutsa ngalande zakuya za madzi othamanga kuti athaŵe zilombo zolusa.

Tsiku lina masana tinaona chiombankhanga cha mutu woyera chikuuluka chapansipansi pamwamba pamadzi, zikhadabo zake zitagwira mwamphamvu chambo chachikulu cha chinook. Nsombayo inali yaikulu kwambiri yosatheka kuivuuliratu m’madzimo, chotero chiombankhangacho chinali kumka patsidya chikumakoka chambocho. Frank Franske, mmodzi wa amalinyero, anaona zimenezo kukhala mwaŵi nathamanga m’mphepete mwa gombe kukakumana ndi chiombankhanga chotopacho ndi kuchichititsa kulepa nyama yakeyo. Madzulo amenewo gulu lathu la apainiya linadya chambo chokoma, ndipo chiombankhangacho chinaphunzira kugaŵira ena, ngakhale kuti chinatero monyinyirika.

Pa kachilumba kena kumpoto chakumapeto kwa Vancouver Island, banja lina la a Thuot linalandira choonadi cha Baibulo. Mwamuna anali wosadziŵa kulemba ndi kuŵerenga, wolimbirira, munthu wodzidalira wa zaka zake za m’ma 90, ndipo mkazi wake anali m’zaka zake za ma 80. Komabe, iyeyo anakondweretsedwa kwambiri ndi choonadi kwakuti anadzichepetsa nalola mkazi wake kumphunzitsa kuŵerenga. Posapita nthaŵi iye anali wokhoza kuphunzira yekha Baibulo ndi zofalitsidwa zina za Sosaite. Zosafika zaka zitatu pambuyo pake, ndinasangalala kubatiza aŵiri onsewo kwawo komweko pachisumbu chakutalicho, ndikumagwiritsira ntchito bwato lathu lopalasa monga dziwe lobatizira!

Tinasangalalanso kuona banja la a Sallis ku Powell River likulabadira uthenga wa Ufumu. Walter anaŵerenga kabuku kakuti War or Peace​—Which? ndi kuzindikira choonadi chake nthaŵi yomweyo. Mwamsanga banja lonse linagwirizana ndi Walter mu ntchito yaupainiya ku Vancouver, kumene tinkasiya Charmian m’nyengo yozizira. Iye anakhaladi wachangu, ndipo kwazaka zambiri anakondedwa ndi abale onse m’dera la Vancouver. Iyeyu anamaliza njira yake ya padziko lapansi mu 1976, akumasiya banja lalikulu la Mboni.

Kulaka Chitsutso

Atsogoleri achipembedzo m’midzi ya Amwenye kaŵirikaŵiri ananyansidwa ndi ntchito yathu, akumationa monga oloŵerera m’dera lawo lauzimu. Pa Port Simpson mtsogoleri wachipembedzo wa kumaloko analamula kuti mfumu ya mudziwo itikanize kufikira nyumba za anthu. Tinaonana ndi mfumuyo ndi kuifunsa ngati inalingalira kuti mtsogoleri wachipembedzoyo anaonadi moyenerera anthu ake kukhala mbuli kwambiri kwakuti sangathe kudzisankhira. Tinapereka lingaliro lakuti anthu akewo apatsidwe mwaŵi wa kumva nkhani ya Mawu a Mulungu ndi kudzisankhira okha zimene anafuna kukhulupirira. Chotulukapo chake: Anatipatsa chilolezo cha kupitirizabe kulalikira m’mudzimo.

Mfumu ya mudzi wina kwazaka zambiri inalepheretsa zoyesayesa za ziŵalo za bungwe ndi magulu azipembedzo kuletsa Mboni kufikira anthu ake. “Malinga ngati ndili mfumu,” iyo inatero, “Mboni za Yehova nzolandiridwa kuno.” Zoonadi, si konse kumene tinalandiridwa, koma mosasamala kanthu za chitsutsocho, sitinaumirizidwe konse kuchoka m’deralo. Motero tinakhoza kukwaniritsa utumiki wathu nthaŵi iliyonse pamene tinakocheza.

Kupirira Mavuto a Panyanja

Kwazaka zonsezo, tinakumana ndi zovuta za mikuntho, mafunde, miyala yobisika, ndipo nthaŵi zina kufa kwa injini. Nthaŵi ina tinatengedwa ndi madzi kukafika pafupi kwambiri ndi Lasqueti Island, pafupifupi makilomita 160 kumpoto kwa Vancouver. Tinaimitsidwa ndi miyala, tikumatsakamira pamenepo chifukwa cha kutha kwa mafunde a m’nyanja, ndipo tinadalira pa kachedwe kakunja. Ngati kachedwe kanali koipa, bwatolo likanasweka pamiyalapo. Tonsefe tinakwera pamiyalapo movutikira ndi kuyesayesa kuchita zonse zotheka mu mkhalidwe woipawo. Tinadya chakudya chamasana, kuphunzira, ndi kuyembekezera kuti mafundewo abwererenso.

Mosasamala kanthu za ngozi zambiri ndi zovuta, umenewu unali moyo wabwino ndi wachimwemwe. Komabe, kubadwa kwa ana athu aamuna aŵiri kunadzetsa masinthidwe aakulu. Tinapitirizabe kukhala m’bwato, koma nthaŵi iliyonse pamene tinayenda ulendo wapanyanja kumka kutali kumpoto ku Oona River, Anna ndi anyamatawo ankatsala kumeneko ndi makolo ake pamene kuli kwakuti enafe tinkapitirizabe kumka kumpoto kwenikweni kukafika ku Alaska. Ndiyeno, pamene tinabwerera kummwera, Anna ndi anawo ankagwirizana nafe.

Sindikukumbukira konse pamene anawo anadandaula kapena kudwala. Iwo ankavala ma life belt nthaŵi zonse, ndipo nthaŵi zina tinkawamangirira chingwe. Inde, nthaŵi zina panali nyengo zoumitsa thupi.

Masinthidwe Owonjezereka

Mu 1936 tinasiya Charmian, ndipo ndinapeza ntchito yolembedwa. Pambuyo pake tinalandira mwana wamwamuna wachitatu. M’kupita kwanthaŵi, ndinagula bwato losodzera, limene linatumikira osati chabe monga njira yopezera zokhalira moyo komanso linatitheketsa kupitiriza mu ntchito yolalikira kugombe la nyanja.

Tinamanga nyumba pa Digby Island, patsidya pa doko la Prince Rupert, ndipo posakhalitsa mpingo waung’ono unapangidwa. Mkati mwa Nkhondo Yadziko II, pamene ntchito yolalikira ya Mboni za Yehova inaletsedwa mu Canada, tinkawoloka ndi bwatolo kumka ku Prince Rupert pakati pa usiku patapita ndi “kuukira” deralo, tikumasiya mabuku panyumba iliyonse. Palibe aliyense amene anaganiza kuti kudutsa kwathu kwapakati pausiku kunali kwa kukagaŵira mabuku oletsedwawo!

Dzikolo Lakhala Lachonde

Pang’ono ndi pang’ono anthu owonjezereka anayamba kuyanjana ndi Mboni za Yehova, ndipo mu 1948 kufunika kwa Nyumba Yaufumu mu Prince Rupert kunali kwachionekere. Titagula nyumba ya asilikali yokhala patsidya pa doko, tinaiphwasula, ndi kudutsa nayo titaikweza pabwato, ndiyeno kuinyamulira palole kumka nayo pokaiimika. Yehova anadalitsa kugwira ntchito kwathu zolimba, ndipo tinali ndi Nyumba yathuyathu Yaufumu.

Mu 1956, ndinaloŵanso upainiya, ndipo Anna anagwirizana nane mu 1964. Kachiŵirinso tinagwira ntchitoyo ndi bwato m’mbali mwa Pacific Coast. Tinakhalanso ndi phande mu ntchito yadera kwakanthaŵi, tikumachezera mipingo kuyambira ku Queen Charlotte Islands chakummaŵa kudutsa mapiri kukafika ku Fraser Lake, ndipo pambuyo pake kukafika kumalo akutali monga Prince George ndi Mackenzie. M’zaka zonsezo, tinayenda ulendo wa makilomita zikwi zambiri kudutsa Pacific Northwest ndi galimoto, bwato, ndi ndege.

Tapitirizabe kukhala ndi zokumana nazo zabwino kwambiri mu utumiki ku Prince Rupert. Aŵirife Anna ndi ine taphunzira ndi anthu osiyanasiyana amene pambuyo pake aloŵa Sukulu ya Gileadi ya Baibulo ya Watchtower ndipo pambuyo pake atumikira monga amishonale m’maiko achilendo. Nkosangalatsa chotani nanga kuona ana athu auzimu akutengera uthenga wa Ufumu wamtengo wapataliwo kumaiko akutali!

Tsopano aŵirife tapitirira zaka 80 ndipo tikulimbana ndi thanzi lomafooka, koma tidakali achimwemwe mu utumiki wa Yehova. Kukongola kwachilengedwe kumene taona ku Alaska ndi ku British Columbia kumatikumbutsa zinthu zokondedwa zakale. Komanso kumadzetsa chisangalalo chokulira poona gawo lalikululi limene panthaŵi ina linali chipululu chouma chauzimu tsopano mukumaphuka mipingo yambiri ya otamanda Yehova.

Makamaka mitima yathu yakondwera kuona ana athu enieniwo, ndiponso ana athu auzimu, akumakula ndi kudalitsa Yehova. Tikukondwera kuti tachita mbali yaing’ono m’chifutukuko chauzimu kumbali ino ya dziko lapansi. Mwachitsanzo, tsopano Alaska ali ndi ofesi ya nthambi yakeyake imene imasamalira ntchito ya mipingo yoposa 25.

Ku Prince Rupert kuno tinali ndi mwaŵi mu 1988 wa kupatulira Nyumba Yaufumu yatsopano yokongola, mkati mwenimweni mwa mzinda. Inde, tikukondwera, monga momwe Yesaya anachitira, pamene anati: “Mwachulukitsa mtundu, Yehova, . . . Inu mwalemekezeka, mwakuza malire onse a dziko.”​—Yesaya 26:15.

[Chithunzi patsamba 21]

Kutumikira mu ntchito yadera mu 1964-67

[Chithunzi patsamba 24]

Mtundu wa bwato umene unagwiritsiridwa ntchito m’kuchitira umboni m’mbali mwa gombe