“Gwirirani Ntchito, Osati Chakudya Chimene Chimawonongeka”

MONGA MOMWE YASIMBIDWIRA NDI DAVID LUNSTRUM

Ineyo ndi mphwanga Elwood tinali pamwamba poposa mamita 9, tikumalemba chikwangwani chatsopano panyumba ya fakitale ya Watchtower. Zaka zoposa 40 tsopano, icho chikalipo, chikumalimbikitsa anthu kuti: “ŴERENGANI MAWU A MULUNGU BAIBULO LOYERA TSIKU NDI TSIKU.” Mlungu uliwonse, zikwi za anthu amaona chikwangwanichi pamene akudutsa Brooklyn Bridge yotchukayo.

ZIKUMBUKIRO zanga zakale kwambiri zimaphatikizapo tsiku lochapa zovala la banja. Pa 5:00 a.m., Amayi ankakhala atadzuka kale akumachapa zovala za banja lathu lalikulu, ndipo Atate ankakonzekera kupita kuntchito. Ankakhalanso ndi mkangano wawo wina waukulu, Atate akumanena kuti munthu anasinthika mwa njira inayake mkati mwa mamiliyoni a zaka zambiri, ndipo Amayi akumagwira mawu kuchokera m’Baibulo posonyeza kuti anthu ali zolengedwa zenizeni za Mulungu.

Ngakhale pamene ndinali ndi zaka zisanu ndi ziŵiri zokha, ndinazindikira kuti Amayi ndiwo anali ndi choonadi. Ngakhale kuti ndinakonda Atate kwambiri, ndinaona kuti chikhulupiriro chawo sichinali kupereka chiyembekezo chamtsogolo. Amayi akanakondwa kwambiri chotani nanga kudziŵa kuti zaka zambiri pambuyo pake, aŵiri a ana awo aamuna adzalemba chikwangwani cholimbikitsa anthu kuŵerenga Baibulo, buku limene anakonda kwambiri!

Komano ndayambira kutsogolo kwa nkhaniyi. Kodi ndi motani mmene ndinadzakhalira ndi mwaŵi wantchito yotero? Ndiyenera kubwerera ku chaka cha 1906, zaka zitatu ndisanabadwe.

Chitsanzo Chokhulupirika cha Amayi

Panthaŵiyo Amayi ndi Atate anali atangokwatirana kumene ndipo ankakhala m’hema ku Arizona. Wophunzira Baibulo wina, monga mmene ankatchera Mboni za Yehova panthaŵiyo, anadza ndi kupatsa Amayi mpambo wa mabuku olembedwa ndi Charles Taze Russell, otchedwa Studies in the Scriptures. Anawaŵerenga usiku wonse nazindikira mosataya nthaŵi kuti chimenechi chinali choonadi chimene ankafunafuna. Sanayembekezere Atate kubwerako kumene anakafunafuna ntchito.

Atate nawonso anali osakhutira ndi zimene matchalitchi ankaphunzitsa, chotero anavomereza choonadi cha Baibulochi kwa kanthaŵi. Komabe, pambuyo pake, anapatuka nasankha chipembedzo chawo ndipo anasautsadi Amayi. Komabe amayi sanaleke kusamalira ana awo mwakuthupi ndiponso mwauzimu.

Sindidzaiŵala konse pamene Amayi ankatsika kuchokera pachipinda chapamwamba usiku uliwonse, pambuyo pa kugwira ntchito zolimba tsiku lonse, kuti adzatiŵerengere mbali ina ya Baibulo kapena kudzagaŵana nafe kanthu kena kamtengo wake. Atate nawonso anali munthu wogwira ntchito zolimba, ndipo pamene ndinali kusinkhuka, anandiphunzitsa ntchito yopaka utoto. Inde, Atate anandiphunzitsa kugwira ntchito, koma Amayi anandiphunzitsa chofunika kuchigwirira ntchito, monga momwe Yesu analangizira, ‘chakudya chimene sichimawonongeka.’​—Yohane 6:27, NW.

M’kupita kwa nthaŵi banja lathu linakhazikika m’tauni yaing’ono ya Ellensburg m’boma la Washington, pafupifupi makilomita 180 kummaŵa kwa Seattle. Pamene anafe tinayamba kupezeka pamisonkhano ya Ophunzira Baibulo ndi Amayi, tinkakumanirana m’nyumba za anthu. Pamene kufunika kwa kukhala ndi phande mu utumiki wa kunyumba ndi nyumba kunagogomezeredwa, amuna onse anachoka m’gulu lathu laphunziro. Koma Amayi sanagwedere. Zimenezi zinakhomerezeka kosatha mwa ine kuti tiyenera kudalira chitsogozo cha gulu la Yehova nthaŵi zonse.

M’kupita kwa nthaŵi Atate ndi Amayi anakhala ndi ana asanu ndi anayi. Ndinabadwa pa October 1 1909, mwana wawo wachitatu. Tonse pamodzi, asanu ndi mmodzi a ife tinatsanzira chitsanzo chabwino cha Amayi ndi kukhala Mboni zachangu za Yehova.

Kudzipatulira ndi Ubatizo

Pamene ndinali pafupifupi zaka makumi aŵiri, ndinadzipatulira kwa Yehova, ndipo ndinasonyeza zimenezi mwa ubatizo wa m’madzi mu 1927. Ubatizowo unachitikira ku Seattle m’nyumba yakale imene kale inali tchalitchi cha Baptist. Ndili wachimwemwe kuti anali atachotsapo nsanja yake. Anatiperekeza kudziŵe la chipinda chapansi kumene anatipatsa mikhanjo yaitali yakuda kuti tivale. Zinaoneka monga ngati tinali kupita ku maliro.

Ndinapitanso ku Seattle miyezi ingapo pambuyo pake, ndipo panthaŵiyi ndinalaŵa kwa nthaŵi yoyamba ulaliki wa kunyumba ndi nyumba. Amene anali kutsogolera anandilangiza kuti, “Pita kumbali iyi yakhwalala, ndipo ine ndidzapita uku.” Mosasamala kanthu za mantha anga, ndinagaŵira mipambo iŵiri ya timabuku kwa mkazi wina wabwino. Ndinapitiriza utumiki wa kukhomo ndi khomo pamene ndinabwerera ku Ellensburg, ndipo tsopano pafupifupi zaka 70 pambuyo pake, utumiki woterewu udakali wokondweretsa kwambiri kwa ine.

Utumiki pa Malikulu a Dziko Lonse

Posapita nthaŵi munthu wina amene anatumikira pa Beteli ya ku Brooklyn, malikulu a dziko lonse a Watch Tower Society, anandilimbikitsa kudzipereka kuti ndikatumikire pamenepo. Posakhalitsa pambuyo pa makambitsirano athu, chidziŵitso chinatuluka m’magazini a Nsanja ya Olonda chimene chinasonyeza za kufunika kwa thandizo pa Beteli. Motero ndinafunsira. Sindidzaiŵala konse chimwemwe changa pamene ndinalandira kalata kuti ndikayambe utumiki wa pa Beteli ku Brooklyn, New York, pa March 10, 1930. Motero ntchito yanga yanthaŵi zonse yogwirira ntchito ‘chakudya chimene sichimawonongeka’ inayamba.

Wina angalingalire kuti pokhala ndi chidziŵitso changa monga wopaka utoto, ndinapatsidwa ntchito yopaka utoto chinthu chinachake. M’malo mwake, ntchito yanga yoyamba inali ya pamakina osokera mabuku m’fakitale. Ngakhale kuti imeneyi inali ntchito yoichita mobwerezabwereza, ndinasangalala kuchita ntchitoyo kwa zaka zoposa zisanu ndi chimodzi. Makina osindikiza aakulu amene tinakonda kuwatcha kuti chombo chakale chankhondo anatulutsa timabuku timene tinatumizidwa pa lamba lonyamula katundu kutipitsa kuchipinda chathu chapansi. Tinasangalala kuona ngati tingasoke timabukuto mwamsanga titangotilandira kuchokera ku chombo chankhondo.

Pambuyo pake ndinagwira ntchito m’madipatimenti angapo, kuphatikizapo mu imene tinkapanga ma galamafoni. Tinkagwiritsira ntchito makina ameneŵa kuliza mauthenga a Baibulo ojambulidwa pamakomo a eni nyumba. Galamafoni yoimirira inalinganizidwa ndi kupangidwa ndi antchito odzifunira a m’dipatimenti yathu. Galamafoni imeneyi sinali kungoliza mauthenga ojambulidwa komanso inali ndi mbali zina zonyamuliramo timabuku ndiponso mwinamwake kamba. Ndinali ndi mwaŵi wa kusonyeza mogwiritsira ntchito chiŵiya chatsopano chimenechi pamsonkhano wachigawo ku Detroit, Michigan, mu 1940.

Komabe, tinali kupanga zoposa pa makina anzeru zapamwamba. Tinali kupanganso masinthidwe aakulu auzimu. Mwachitsanzo, Mboni za Yehova zinkavala naphini wokhala ndi mtanda ndi korona. Komano tinamvetsa kuti Yesu anapachikidwa pamtengo, osati pamtanda. (Machitidwe 5:30) Motero kuvala anaphini ameneŵa kunalekeka. Unali mwaŵi wanga kuchotsa zomangira zake ku anaphiniwo. Pambuyo pake golidiyo anasungunulidwa ndi kugulitsidwa.

Ngakhale tinali ndi ndandanda yantchito yamasiku asanu ndi theka pamlungu, tinakhala ndi phande mu utumiki wachikristu pa kutha kwa mlungu. Tsiku lina, 16 a ife tinamangidwa ndi kuponyedwa m’ndende mu Brooklyn. Chifukwa ninji? Eya, m’masiku amenewo tinaona chipembedzo chilichonse kukhala chonyenga. Motero tinanyamula zikwangwani zimene mbali imodzi zinati “Chipembedzo ndi Msampha ndi Chinyengo” ndipo kumbali ina “Tumikirani Mulungu ndi Kristu Mfumu.” Chifukwa cha kunyamula zikwangwani zimenezi, tinaponyedwa m’ndende, koma Hayden Covington, loya wa Watch Tower Society, anatilipirira belo yotimasula. Panthaŵiyo milandu yambiri yokhudza ufulu wa kulambira inkakambidwa mu Supreme Court of the United States, ndipo kukhala pa Beteli ndi kukhala oyamba kumva malipoti a zipambano zathu kunali kokondweretsa.

M’kupita kwa nthaŵi ndinapatsidwa ntchito zimene zinafuna chidziŵitso changa cha kupaka utoto. Pa Staten Island, umodzi wa milaga isanu ya New York City, tinali ndi nyumba yathu ya wailesi WBBR. Nsanja za wailesi zotumiza mawu zinali zoposa mamita 60 kutalika, ndipo zinali ndi magulu atatu a mawaya ochirikiza. Ndinakhala pa thabwa la ukulu wa masentimita 90 muutali ndi masentimita 20 mbwambi pamene mnzanga wogwira naye ntchito anandikwezeka m’mwamba. Nditakhala pa mpando waung’onowo pamwamba kwambiri kuchokera pansi, ndinapaka utoto mawaya ochirikiza ndi nsanjazo. Ena andifunsa ngati sitinapemphere kwambiri pomachita ntchitoyo!

Ntchito ya dzinja imene sindidzaiŵala inali yotsuka mazenera ndi kupaka utoto milomo yapansi ya mazenera ya nyumba ya fakitale. Tinaitcha tchuthi chathu cha dzinja. Tinakonzeka nsanja zathu zokwerapo ndi chingwe chokokera, tinadzikoka kukwera ndi kutsika pa nyumba yosanja zipinda zisanu ndi zitatu.

Banja Lochirikiza

Mu 1932 atate wanga anamwalira, ndipo ndinadzifunsa ngati ndinafunikira kupita kunyumba ndi kukathandizira kusamalira Amayi. Motero tsiku lina nthaŵi yachakudya chamasana isanakwane, ndinaika kakalata pathebulo lalikulu pamene Mbale Rutherford, pulezidenti wa Sosaite ankakhala. M’menemo ndinapempha kulankhula naye. Atadziŵa za nkhaŵa yanga ndipo atadziŵa kuti ndili ndi abale anga ndi alongo anga amene anali akali panyumba, anafunsa kuti, “Kodi ukufuna kukhala pa Beteli ndi kuchita ntchito ya Ambuye?”

“Indedi ndikufuna,” ndinayankha motero.

Motero analingalira kuti ndilembere Amayi kalata kuti ndione ngati akuvomerezana ndi lingaliro langa loti ndisapite. Ndinachitadi zimenezo, ndipo anandilembera akumavomereza kotheratu lingaliro langa. Ndinayamikiradi kukoma mtima kwa Mbale Rutherford ndi uphungu wake.

Mkati mwa zaka zanga zambiri pa Beteli, ndinkalembera banja lathu makalata nthaŵi zonse ndi kuwalimbikitsa kutumikira Yehova, monga momwe Amayi anandilimbikitsira. Amayi anamwalira mu July 1937. Anali chisonkhezero chotani nanga ku banja lathu! Ndi mkulu wanga, Paul ndi Esther mlongo wanga wamkulu, ndi mlongo wanga wamng’ono Lois okha amene sanakhale Mboni. Komabe, Paul ankakonda ntchito yathu ndipo anapereka malo pamene tinamangapo Nyumba yathu ya Ufumu yoyamba.

Mu 1936 mlongo wanga wamng’ono Eva anakhala mpainiya, kapena mlaliki wanthaŵi zonse. Chaka chomwecho anakwatiwa ndi Ralph Thomas, ndipo mu 1939 anapatsidwa ntchito yoyendayenda kutumikira mipingo ya Mboni za Yehova. Pambuyo pake anasamukira ku Mexico, kumene anathera zaka 25 akumathandiza mu ntchito ya Ufumu.

Mu 1939 alongo anga aang’ono Alice ndi Frances nawonso anayamba utumiki waupainiya. Kunali kokondweretsa chotani nanga kuona Alice ali pakauntala pamsonkhano wa ku St. Louis mu 1941 akumasonyeza mogwiritsira ntchito galamafoni imene ndinathandizira kupanga! Ngakhale kuti nthaŵi zina Alice anafunikira kuima upainiya wake chifukwa cha mathayo ake apabanja, anathera zaka zoposa 40 zonse pamodzi mu utumiki wanthaŵi zonse. Frances anapitiriza mpaka anapita ku Sukulu ya Baibulo ya Gileadi ya Watchtower mu 1944 natumikira kwanthaŵi yakutiyakuti monga mmishonale ku Puerto Rico.

Joel ndi Elwood, aŵiri aang’ono koposa ena m’banja, anakhala apainiya ku Montana kuchiyambi kwa ma 1940. Joel wakhalabe Mboni yokhulupirika ndipo tsopano akutumikira monga mtumiki wotumikira. Elwood anagwirizana nane pa Beteli mu 1944, akumakondweretsa kwambiri mtima wanga. Anali ndi zaka zochepekera pa zisanu pamene ndinachoka panyumba. Monga momwe ndasonyezera poyamba, tinagwira ntchito limodzi polemba chikwangwani chija panyumba ya fakitale chakuti, “Ŵerengani Mawu a Mulungu Baibulo Loyera Tsiku ndi Tsiku.” Nthaŵi zambiri ndimadzifunsa za uninji wa anthu amene aona chikwangwanicho kwa zaka zonsezi amene alimbikitsidwa kuŵerenga Baibulo.

Elwood anatumikira pa Beteli mpaka 1956 pamene anakwatira Emma Flyte. Kwa zaka zambiri Elwood ndi Emma anagwirira ntchito limodzi mu utumiki wanthaŵi yonse, akumatumikira kwa kanthaŵi ku Kenya, Afirika, ndiponso ku Spain. Elwood anadwala kansa namwalira ku Spain mu 1978. Emma wakhalabe ku Spain mu ntchito yaupainiya mpaka lero.

Ukwati ndi Banja

Mu September 1953, ndinachoka pa Beteli kukakwatira Alice Rivera, mpainiya mumpingo wa Brooklyn Center mmene ndinali kusonkhana. Ndinadziŵitsa Alice kuti ndili ndi chiyembekezo chakumwamba, koma anali wokondweretsedwabe kukwatiwa nane.​—Afilipi 3:14.

Pambuyo pa kukhala pa Beteli kwa zaka 23, kunalidi kusintha kwakukulu kuyamba ntchito yolembedwa monga wopaka utoto kuti ineyo ndi Alice tikhalebe mu ntchito yaupainiya. Ngakhale pamene analeka upainiya chifukwa cha kudwala, Alice anali wochirikiza nthaŵi zonse. Mu 1954 tinali kuyembekezera mwana wathu woyamba. Kubereka kwake sikunayende bwino, ngakhale kuti mwana wathu, John, anakhala bwino. Alice anataya mwazi wambiri pochitidwa opaleshoni yothandizira kubereka kotero kuti madokotala anaganizira kuti adzamwalira. Panthaŵi ina iwo sanathe kumva ngakhale kugunda kwa mtima. Komabe anapulumuka usikuwo ndipo m’kupita kwa nthaŵi anachiriratu.

Zaka zingapo pambuyo pake, pamene atate a Alice anamwalira, tinasamukiranso kutali ku Long Island kukakhala ndi amayi wake. Popeza tinalibe galimoto, ndinkayenda ndi miyendo kapena kugwiritsira ntchito basi ndi sitima zapansi pa nthaka kuti ndiyende ulendo. Motero ndinatha kupitirizabe ntchito yaupainiya ndi kuchirikiza banja lathu. Chimwemwe cha utumiki wanthaŵi zonse chaposa kwambiri zinthu zimene ndadzimana. Kuthandiza anthu​—onga Joe Natale, amene anasiya ntchito yopereka chiyembekezo ya baseball kuti akhale Mboni​—kwangokhala limodzi la madalitso anga ambiri.

Mu 1967, pamene zinthu zinali kuipa m’dera la New York, ndinalingalira kutenga Alice ndi John kubwerera ku tauni yakwathu ku Ellensburg kukakhala kumeneko. Tsopano ndikuyesa kopindulitsa kuona adzukulu ndi adzukulu tubzi ambirimbiri a amayi akumagaŵana mu utumiki wanthaŵi yonse. Ena akutumikira ngakhale pa Beteli. Yohane pamodzi ndi mkazi wake ndi ana nawonso akutumikira Yehova mokhulupirika.

Mwachisoni, ndinatayikiridwa mkazi wanga, Alice, mu imfa mu 1989. Kukhalabe wotanganitsidwa mu utumiki wanthaŵi yonse kwandithandiza kupirira kutayikiridwako. Tsopano ineyo ndi mlongo wanga Alice tikusangalala kuchitira upainiya pamodzi. Nkwabwino chotani nanga kukhalanso m’nyumba imodzi ndi kudziona tili otanganitsidwa m’ntchito yofunika koposa imeneyi!

M’ngululu ya 1994, ndinapita ku Beteli kwa nthaŵi yoyamba pambuyo pa zaka pafupifupi 25. Zinali zokondweretsa chotani nanga kuona ambiri a awo amene ndinagwira nawo ntchito zaka zoposa 40 zapitazo! Pamene ndinapita ku Beteli mu 1930, 250 okha ndiwo anali m’banjalo, koma lero banja la Beteli ku Brooklyn likuposa pa 3,500!

Wochirikizidwa ndi Chakudya Chauzimu

Nthaŵi zambiri mmamaŵa ndimawongola miyendo m’mbali mwa mtsinje wa Yakima pafupi ndi nyumba yathu. Kuchokera pamenepo ndimaona phiri lokongolalo lophimbidwa ndi chipale la Rainier lalitali mamita 4,300 m’mwamba. Zinyama zakuthengo nzambiri. Nthaŵi zina ndimaona deer ndipo panthaŵi ina ndinaona ngakhale chinkhoma.

Nthaŵi zimenezi zopanda phokoso pamene ndimakhala ndekha zimandilola kusinkhasinkha pa makonzedwe odabwitsa a Yehova. Ndimapempherera mphamvu yakuti ndipitirizebe kutumikira Mulungu wathu Yehova mokhulupirika. Ndimakondanso kuimba pamene ndikuyenda, makamaka nyimbo yakuti “Kukondweretsa Mtima wa Yehova,” mawu ake amene amati: “Mulungu, ife tasankha; Kuchita chifuno chanu. Tidzakhala ndi mbalitu yokondweretsa mtimanu.”

Ndili wachimwemwe kuti ndinasankha kuchita ntchito imene imakondweretsa mtima wa Yehova. Pemphero langa nlakuti ndipitirize kuchita ntchito imeneyi mpaka nditalandira mphotho yakumwamba imene yalonjezedwa. Chiyembekezo changa nchakuti nkhaniyi isonkhezerenso ena kugwiritsira ntchito moyo wawo ‘kugwirira ntchito chakudya chimene sichimawonongeka.’​—Yohane 6:27.

[Zithunzi patsamba 23]

Elwood alemba chikwangwani chakuti “ŴERENGANI MAWU A MULUNGU BAIBULO LOYERA TSIKU NDI TSIKU”

[Chithunzi patsamba 24]

Pamodzi ndi Grant Suiter ndi John Kurzen, kusonyeza galamafoni yatsopano pamsonkhano mu 1940

[Chithunzi patsamba 25]

Mu 1944 tonsefe tinali mu utumiki wanthaŵi zonse. Kuyambira kudzanja lamanzere: David, Alice, Joel, Eva, Elwood, ndi Frances

[Chithunzi patsamba 25]

Am’banja amene akali ndi moyo: Alice, Eva, Joel, David, ndi Frances