Choloŵa Chathu Chauzimu Chaulemerero

YOSIMBIDWA NDI PHILLIP F. SMITH

“Muuni wayatsidwa umene udzayaka mu Afirika yense wa mdima waukulu.” Tinakondwa chotani nanga kuŵerenga mawuwo patsamba 75 la 1992 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses! Mawu amenewo analembedwa mu 1931 ndi agogo wathu, a Frank W. Smith, m’kalata yawo kwa Mbale Joseph F. Rutherford, yemwe anali pulezidenti wa Watch Tower Society wa panthaŵiyo. Agogowo analemba zimenezo posimba za ulendo wa kukalalikira umene iwo ndi mng’ono wawo anapanga.

KOPE la 1992 Yearbook limenelo linafotokoza kuti: “Gray Smith ndi mkulu wake Frank, atumiki aupainiya aŵiri olimba mtima a ku Cape Town [South Africa], anapita ku British East Africa kukaona ngati uthenga wabwino ungafalitsidweko. Anatenga galimoto, la De Soto limene anali atalisandutsa caravan (galimoto la nyumba), nalikweza pa sitima yapanyanja pamodzi ndi makatoni 40 a mabuku, ndi kuyenda ulendo wapanyanja wa ku Mombasa, doko la Kenya.”

M’kalata yawo kwa Mbale Rutherford, Agogo anafotokoza ulendo wochoka ku Mombasa kumka ku Nairobi, likulu la Kenya kuti: “Tinayamba kuyenda ulendo wa pagalimoto wowopsa umene sindinauchitepo. Unatitengera masiku anayi, tikungoyenda, kuti tithe mtundawo wa makilomita 580 . . . Pakilomita iliyonse ndinafunikira kutuluka ndi fosholo kuti ndisalaze mabampu popyola mitundayo, kufotsera maenje, ndi kudulanso nsenjere ndi mitengo kuiika m’zithaphwi kupangira moponda matayala.”

Atafika ku Nairobi, a Frank ndi a Gray anagwira ntchito mosalekeza kwa masiku 21 akumagaŵira mabuku awo ofotokoza Baibulo. “Poyerekezera ndi zimene timamva,” Agogowo analemba motero, “ntchitoyi yadzutsa chidwi pakati pa anthu okonda chipembedzo a mu Nairobi.” Pambuyo pake, Agogo anafuna kubwerera kwawo kwa mwana wawo wamwamuna wa zaka ziŵiri, Donovan, ndi akazi awo, a Phyllis, amene anali kuyembekezera kukhala ndi mwana wawo wachiŵiri, atate wathu, a Frank. Agogowo anakwera sitima yapanyanja imene anapeza ku Mombasa, komano anamwalira ndi malungo asanafike kwawo.

Pamene ine, mlongo wanga wamkulu, ndi mng’ono wanga tinalingalira za nkhani imeneyo ya mu Yearbook, tinakumbukira za atate wathu okondedwa. Mu 1991, patatsala miyezi yoŵerengeka chabe kuti tilandire 1992 Yearbook, iwo anamwalira chifukwa cha zovuta zina za opaleshoni yamtima. Ngakhale kuti sanaonepo atate wawo, anali ndi chikondi chachikulu cha pa Yehova chonga cha atate wawo. Agogo akanakondwera chotani nanga kudziŵa kuti zaka 28 pambuyo pake, mu 1959, mwana wawo wamwamunayo anatsatira mapazi awo monga mtumiki Wachikristu ku East Africa!

Kukula kwa Atate

Atate wathu anabadwa pa July 20, 1931, ku Cape Town, miyezi iŵiri atate wawo atamwalira, natchedwa dzina la atate wawo. Kuyambira paubwana, Atate anasonyeza kukonda kwawo Yehova. Pamene anali ndi zaka zisanu ndi zinayi zokha, anaima pa siteshoni ya sitima yaikulu ya ku Cape Town akumachitira umboni ndi chikwangwani pamene anzawo akusukulu anali kuwaseka. Pa usinkhu wa zaka 11, anasonyeza kudzipatulira kwawo kwa Yehova ndi ubatizo. Nthaŵi zina Atate anagaŵidwa okha kufola ndime ya nyumba za msewu wonse mu utumiki. Pamene anafika zaka 18, anali kuchititsa Phunziro la Nsanja ya Olonda ku kagulu kena ka alongo Achikristu okalamba mu mlaga wina wa Cape Town.

Mu 1954 Watch Tower Society inalengeza kuti misonkhano ya mitundu yonse idzachitidwa m’chaka chotsatiracho ku Ulaya. Atate anafunitsitsa kupita kumeneko, komano analibe ndalama zokwanira zoyendera kumka kumeneko kuchokera ku Cape Town. Chotero analoŵa ntchito ya miyezi itatu monga chemist pa migodi yamkuwa ya ku Northern Rhodesia (tsopano Zambia). Malo opendera miyala ya m’migodi anali m’nkhalango ya mu Afirika.

Atate anadziŵa kuti ku Northern Rhodesia kunali Mboni zambiri Zachiafirika chotero pamene anafika, anazifunafuna ndi kudziŵa kumene zinali kusonkhana. Ngakhale kuti sanathe kulankhula chinenero cha kumaloko, iwo anayanjanabe nazo ndi kusonkhana nazo nthaŵi zonse mu Mpingo wa Mine wa Mboni za Yehova. Azungu a pamgodipo anali atsankhu ndipo kaŵirikaŵiri ankasonyeza tsankhulo mwa kunyoza Aafirika. Komabe, Atate anali okoma mtima nthaŵi zonse.

Patapita miyezi itatu, wantchito wina Wachiafirika amene sanali Mboni anafikira Atate nawafunsa kuti: “Kodi mukudziŵa dzina limene timakutchani?” Mwamunayo anamwetulira nati: “Timakutchani kuti Bwana Watchtower.”

Mu 1955, Atate anakhoza kufika pa umodzi wa Misonkhano ya “Ufumu Wolalika” ku Ulaya. Kumeneko anakumana ndi a Mary Zahariou, amene anakhala mkazi wawo chaka chotsatira. Atakwatirana, anakakhala ku Parma, Ohio, U.S.A.

Kumka ku East Africa

Pamsonkhano wachigawo mu United States, panaperekedwa pempho kwa oloŵa msonkhanowo la kukatumikira kumene kunali kusoŵa kokulirapo kwa atumiki. Makolo athu anasankha kumka ku East Africa. Anachitadi zimene Watch Tower Society inali itaperekera lingaliro. Anasunga ndalama zokwanira zogulira tikiti yopitira ndi kubwerera powopera kuti mwina Atatewo angalephere kupeza ntchito, popeza kuti ndi okhala ndi zikalata za chilolezo cha kugwira ntchito okha amene analoledwa kukhala m’dzikolo.

Mu July 1959, Atate ndi Amayi atapeza mapasipoti, maviza, ndi kulandira akatemera, anayenda ulendo wapanyanja pa sitima yonyamula katundu wamalonda kuchokera ku New York City kumka ku Mombasa kudzera ku Cape Town. Ulendowo unawatengera milungu inayi. Ku Mombasa analandiridwa ndi manja aŵiri pa doko ndi abale Achikristu amene anayambirira kufika iwo asanadze kudzatumikira kumene kusoŵa kunali kokulirapo. Pamene anafika ku Nairobi, Atate anapeza kalata ikuwayembekezera. Inali kuyankha pempho lawo la kuloŵa ntchito monga chemist ku Geological Survey Department ku Entebbe, Uganda. Atate ndi Amayi anakwera sitima kumka ku Kampala, Uganda, kumene Atate anafunsidwa za ntchitoyo ndi kulembedwa. Panthaŵiyo, m’dera la Entebbe-Kampala munali Mboni imodzi yokha, George Kadu.

Boma la atsamunda linalipirira Atate kuti aphunzire chinenero cha kumaloko, Chiluganda. Iwo anakondwa, popeza kuti anali atalinganiza kale kuchiphunzira kotero kuti akhale ogwira mtima kwambiri mu utumiki. Pambuyo pake, Atate anathandiza ngakhale kutembenuza kabuku kakuti “Mbiri Yabwino Imene’yi ya Ufumu” m’Chiluganda.

Atate analibe mantha pochitira umboni kwa ena. Analankhula ndi Azungu onse a m’dipatimenti yawo, ndipo nthaŵi zonse anali kukhala ndi phande m’kulalikira kwa Auganda. Iwo anachitira umboni ngakhale kwa loya waboma wa Aafirika wa Uganda. Mwanunayo sanangomvetsera kokha uthenga wa Ufumu komanso anaitana Atate ndi Amayi ku chakudya.

Mlongo wanga, Anthe, anabadwa mu 1960, ndipo ine ndinatsatira mu 1965. Banja lathu linakhala logwirizana kwambiri ndi abale ndi alongo a mumpingo waung’ono koma womakula wa m’likululo, Kampala. Ife monga Mboni zachiyera zokha ku Entebbe wapafupipo, tinali ndi zokumana nazo zina zokondweretsa. Nthaŵi ina bwenzi lina la Atate linaima mwadzidzidzi mu Entebbe ndi kuyesa kuonana ndi Atate. Ilo silinakhoze kuwapeza kufikira litafunsa munthu wina kuti: “Kodi mukudziŵa banja lina la Azungu kuno limene lili Mboni za Yehova?” Nthaŵi yomweyo munthuyo analipititsa pagalimoto kunyumba kwa Amayi ndi Atate.

Tinalinso ndi zokumana nazo zovuta, kuphatikizapo kupulumuka nkhondo ziŵiri zoukira boma. Magulu ankhondo a boma panthaŵi ina anali kuwombera aliyense wa fuko lina lake. Masana ndi usiku wonse, panali kuwombera kosatha. Popeza kuti panali lamulo loletsa kuyenda kuyambira pa 6:00 p.m. mpaka 6:00 a.m., misonkhano inachitidwa masana m’nyumba ya makolo anga ku Entebbe.

Pambuyo pake, pamene lamulolo linachotsedwa, Atate anatipititsa pagalimoto ku Kampala ku Phunziro la Nsanja ya Olonda. Msilikali wina anatineneketsera mfuti, kuimitsa galimoto lathu, ndi kufunsa kumene tinali kupita. Panthaŵiyo ndinali khanda, ndipo Anthe anali ndi zaka zisanu. Pamene Atate analongosola mofatsa, akumasonyeza msilikaliyo ma Baibulo ndi mabuku athu, anatilola kupita.

Mu 1967, titakhala pafupifupi zaka zisanu ndi zitatu mu Uganda, makolo athu anaganiza za kubwerera ku United States chifukwa cha kudwaladwala ndi mathayo a banja. Tinagwirizana ndi Mpingo wa Canfield, ku Ohio, kumene Atate anatumikira monga mkulu. Kumeneko makolo anga anakondadi abalewo monga momwe anakondera mpingo waung’onowo ku Kampala.

Kuleredwa Kwachikristu Kwachikondi

Mu 1971 mphwanga David anabadwa. Pamene tinali kukula, tinaleredwa m’banja limene linali lachikondi kwambiri. Mosakayikira zimenezi zinachitika chifukwa cha unansi wabwino umene makolo athu anali nawo kwa wina ndi mzake.

Pamene tinali aang’ono, nthaŵi zonse Atate ankatiŵerengera nkhani ina ya m’Baibulo pogona, kupemphera, ndiyeno, kutipatsa chokoleti chokutidwa m’pepala lonyezimira la golidi, zimene Amayi sanadziŵe. Nthaŵi zonse tinkaphunzira Nsanja ya Olonda pamodzi monga banja, kulikonse kumene tinali. Pamene tinali patchuti monga banja, nthaŵi ina tinaiphunzira tili m’mphepete mwa phiri ndipo panthaŵi ina pagombe la nyanja. Kaŵirikaŵiri Atate anali kunena kuti zimenezo zinali zochita zawo zosangalatsa kwambiri zimene anakumbukira. Iwo anati anachita chisoni ndi awo amene analibe mwaŵi wa chisangalalo chimene phunziro la banja limadzetsa.

Pankhani ya kusonyeza kukonda Yehova, Atate anaphunzitsa ndi chitsanzo. Nthaŵi iliyonse pamene kope la magazini a Nsanja ya Olonda kapena Galamukani! linafika kapena pamene tinalandira chofalitsidwa china cha Watchtower, Atate anali kuŵerenga nkhani zake zonse mwaphamphu. Tinaphunzira kwa iwo kuti choonadi cha Baibulo sichiyenera kuonedwa mopepuka koma chiyenera kuonedwa kukhala cha mtengo wapatali monga chuma. Chimodzi cha chuma chathu chamtengo wapatali kwambiri cha Atate ndicho Reference Bible. Pafupifupi tsamba lililonse nlolembedwa mfundo zochokera m’zophunziridwa zawo. Tsopano pamene tiŵerenga ndemanga zawo za m’mphepete, zili monga ngati kuti timawamvabe akutiphunzitsa ndi kutilangiza.

Okhulupirika Kufikira Mapeto

Pa May 16, 1991, pamene anali mu utumiki wakumunda, Atate anadwala mtima. Milungu ingapo pambuyo pake, anachitidwa opaleshoni ya mtima imene inachita ngati kuti inayenda bwino. Komano, usiku wa opaleshoniyo, tinalandira telefoni kuchokera kuchipatala. Atate anali kuchucha mwazi, ndipo madokotala anada nkhaŵa kwambiri. Anabwezeretsedwa m’chipinda cha opaleshoni kaŵiri usikuwo poyesa kuletsa kuchucha mwaziko komano mosaphula kanthu. Mwazi wa Atate sunaleke kuchucha.

Tsiku lotsatira, pamene matenda a Atate anali kukula kwambiri, madokotala choyamba anatengera amayi pambali ndiyeno mphwanga kuwaumiriza kuti avomere kuthira mwazi Atate. Komabe, Atate anali atauza kale madokotalawo kuti sakufuna kuthiridwa mwazi zivute zitani. Anawafotokozera zifukwa zawo za m’Malemba zokanira mwazi koma nanena kuti adzalandira mankhwala ena osakhala mwazi.​—Levitiko 17:13, 14; Machitidwe 15:28, 29.

Udani waukulu wa ziŵalo zina zingapo za ogwira ntchito m’chipatala unadzetsa mkhalidwe wamkwiyo mu ICU (intensive care unit). Zimenezi, kuphatikizapo kukula kwa matenda a Atate, nthaŵi zina zinali ngati zovuta kuti tipirire. Tinachonderera Yehova thandizo ndiponso tinayesa kugwiritsira ntchito malingaliro othandiza amene tinalandira. Chotero pamene tinali kuloŵa mu ICU, nthaŵi zonse tinkavala bwino ndi kulemekeza antchito a m’chipatala. Tinafuna kudziŵa zambiri ponena za mkhalidwe wa Atate mwa kufunsa mafunso anzeru, ndipo tinathokoza wantchito aliyense amene anaphatikizidwa pa kusamalira Atate.

Zoyesayesa zathu zinadziŵidwa ndi antchito a m’chipatalamo. M’masiku oŵerengeka, mkhalidwe wa mkwiyowo unasintha nukhala wokoma mtima. Manesi amene poyamba anasamalira Atate anapitiriza kupenda mkhalidwe wawo ngakhale pamene sinali nthaŵi yawo ya kuwasamalira. Dokotala wina amene anatichitira chipongwe kwambiri anafeŵetsa mtima mpaka pa kufunsa Amayi za mmene zinthu zinali kuwayendera. Mpingo wathu ndi achibalenso anatichirikiza mwachikondi. Anatitumizira chakudya ndi makhadi ambiri otonthoza, ndipo anatipempherera.

Mwachisoni, Atate sanachire pa kuyesayesako. Anamwalira patatha masiku khumi pambuyo pa opaleshoni yawo yoyamba. Tikulira kwambiri Atate. Nthaŵi zina, timamva kutayikiridwako kukhala kolemetsa. Mwamwaŵi, Mulungu wathu akulonjeza kuti ‘tsiku ndi tsiku adzatisenzera katundu,’ ndipo taphunzira kuyedzamira pa iye kuposa ndi kale lonse.​—Salmo 68:19.

Tonsefe tatsimikiza kuti nafenso tidzapitiriza kutumikira Yehova mokhulupirika kotero kuti tidzakhale ndi chisangalalo cha kuona Atate m’dziko latsopano.​—Marko 5:41, 42; Yohane 5:28; Machitidwe 24:15.

[Chithunzi patsamba 21]

A Frank Smith ndi amayi awo, a Phyllis, ku Cape Town

[Chithunzi patsamba 22]

Atate ndi Amayi pa nthaŵi ya ukwati wawo

[Chithunzi patsamba 23]

Abale anapempha kugwiritsira ntchito dziŵe la mfumu ina Yachiafirika kaamba ka ubatizo woyamba mu Entebbe

[Chithunzi patsamba 23]

Kupatsana moni m’mwambo wake

[Chithunzi patsamba 24]

Atate ndi Amayi imfa ya Atate itatsala pang’ono kuchitika