Makolo Athu Anatiphunzitsa Kukonda Mulungu

YOSIMBIDWA NDI ELIZABETH TRACY

Amuna omwe ananyamula zida, amenenso kuchiyambi kwa tsikulo anatsogolera magulu achiwawa kuti alimbane nafe, anaumiriza amayi ndi atate kuti atuluke m’galimoto. Ine ndi mkulu wanga, tinatsala tokha pa mpando wakumbuyo, tili ndi nkhaŵa kuti mwina makolo athuwo sitidzaŵaonanso. Kodi n’chiyani chimene chinachititsa chochitika chochititsa mantha chimenecho pafupi ndi Selma, ku Alabama, m’dziko la United States of America, m’chaka cha 1941? Ndipo kodi ziphunzitso zomwe tinalandira kuchokera kwa makolo athu zinagwirizana motani ndi chochitika chimenecho?

ATATE, anga a Dewey Fountain, analeredwa ndi mbale wawo pafamu ina ku Texas kuyambira paukhanda wawo makolo awo atangomwalira. Pambuyo pake anakayamba ntchito kuzitsime zamafuta. M’chaka cha 1922, ali ndi zaka 23, anakwatira Winnie, msungwana wokongola wa ku Texas, ndipo anaganiza zokhazikika ndi kuyamba kuyendetsa banja lawolo.

Anamanga nyumba kunkhalango ya mitengo kummaŵa kwa Texas pafupi ndi tauni ina yaing’ono ya Garrison. Kumeneko ankalima mbewu zosiyanasiyana, kuphatikizapo thonje ndi chimanga. Ankaŵetanso ziŵeto zamtundu wina uliwonse. M’kupita kwa nthaŵi, anafe tinabadwa. Dewey wamng’ono anabadwa m’May 1924, Edwena m’December 1925, ndipo kenako Ine ndinabadwa m’June 1929.

Kuphunzira Choonadi cha Baibulo

Amayi ndi atate anali a mpingo wa Church of Christ, ndipo ankaganiza kuti Baibulo amalimvetsa. Koma mu 1932, G. W. Cook anasiyira akulu awo a atate athu, a Monroe Fountain, mabuku akuti Deliverance ndi Government, ofalitsidwa ndi Watch Tower Society. Kaŵirikaŵiri a Monroe ankabwera kunyumba kwathu nthaŵi ya chakudya chammaŵa ali wofunitsitsa kuuzako makolo anga zomwe ankaphunzirazo, ndiyeno amatiŵerengera nkhani ya m’magazini a Nsanja ya Olonda, ndipo kenako amabwerera kwawo magaziniyo “n’kuiiwala.” Pambuyo pake, amayi ndi atate amaŵerenga magaziniyo.

M’maŵa wina wa tsiku Lamlungu, atate aakuluwo, a Monroe, anaitanira atate ku nyumba ya mnansi wina kuti akakhale nawo pa phunziro la Baibulo. Anawatsimikizira kuti a Cook akayankha mafunso awo onse pogwiritsa ntchito Baibulo. Atate atabwera kuchokera kuphunziroko, anauza banja lawo ali wosangalala kuti: “Mafunso anga onse ayankhidwa ndiponso ndamva zochuluka! Ndimaganiza kuti ndikudziŵa zonse, koma pamene a Cook anayamba kulongosola za helo, moyo, cholinga cha Mulungu cha dziko lapansi, ndi mmene Ufumu wa Mulungu udzakwanitsire cholingacho, ndinayamba kudzimva kuti palibe chilichonse chomwe ndikudziŵa ponena za Baibulo!”

Nyumba yathu inangokhala ngati malo omwe anthu amachitira msonkhano. Achibale ndi mabwenzi ankabwera kudzacheza, kuphika zakudya ndi kukazinga chimanga, komanso kuimba nyimbo motsatira piyano yomwe amayi ankaimba. Pang’ono ndi pang’ono zochitika zimenezi zinatsegula njira yokambirana nkhani za m’Baibulo. Ngakhale kuti anafe sitinkamvetsa zinthu zonse zimene ankakambiranazo, chikondi champhamvu cha makolo athu pa Mulungu ndi Baibulo chinali choonekeratu, mwakuti aliyense wa anafe anayambanso kukonda Mulungu ndi Mawu ake.

Mabanja enanso anavomera kuti azikambirana nawo Baibulo mlungu uliwonse. Kaŵirikaŵiri kukambiranako kunkazikika pankhani ya m’magazini yatsopano ya Nsanja ya Olonda. Pamene misonkhano inali kuchitikira m’mabanja a m’matauni oyandikana nafe a Appleby ndi Nacogdoches, ife tinkadzazana m’galimoto lathu lamtundu wa Model A Ford ndi kupita kumeneko zivute zitani.

Kuchita Zomwe Anaphunzira

Sizinatenge nthaŵi kuti makolo athu aone kufunika kwa kuchitapo kanthu. Kukonda Mulungu kunafuna kuti zomwe taziphunzirazo tikagaŵane ndi ena. (Machitidwe 20:35) Koma mbali imeneyi, yosonyeza poyera chikhulupiriro chako inali yovuta kwambiri, makamaka chifukwa chakuti mwachibadwa makolo athuwo anali anthu amanyazi, ndi odzichepetsa. Koma kukonda kwawo Mulungu kunawasonkhezera, ndiponso zimenezo zinawathandiza kutiphunzitsa ifeyo kuika chikhulupiriro chakuya mwa Yehova. Atate anati: “Yehova akusandutsa alimi a mtedza kukhala alaliki!” M’chaka cha 1933, amayi ndi atate anasonyeza kudzipatulira kwawo kwa Yehova mwa ubatizo wam’madzi womwe unachitikira m’dziŵe la nsomba pafupi ndi Henderson ku Texas.

Kumayambiriro a chaka cha 1935, atate analembera Watch Tower Society ndi kufunsa mafunso angapo okhudza chiyembekezo chachikristu cha moyo wosatha. (Yohane 14:2; 2 Timoteo 2:11, 12; Chivumbulutso 14:1, 3; 20:6) Kalata yowayankha yomwe analandira inachokera kwa Joseph F. Rutherford weniweniyo, yemwe panthaŵiyo anali pulezidenti wa Sosaite. M’malo moyankha mafunso awowo, Mbale Rutherford anangoitanira atate ku msonkhano wa Mboni za Yehova ku Washington D.C., mwezi wa May.

‘N’zosatheka!’ atate analingalira choncho. ‘Ndife alimi ndipo tili ndi munda wa ndiwo za masamba wa maekala 65. Panthaŵiyo zidzafunika kuthyoledwa ndi kupita nazo kumsika.’ Komano pambuyo pake, madzi anasefukira ndi kukokolola zodzikhululukira zawo zonse; mbewu, mipanda, ndi milatho. Choncho tinatsagana ndi Mboni zina m’basi ya sukulu imene tinachita hayala yomwe inatitengera kumalo a msonkhano kumpoto cha kummaŵa mtunda wa makilomitala 1,600.

Pamsonkhanopo atate ndi amayi anali okondwa zedi kumvetsera mmene analongosolera momveka bwino kuti “khamu lalikulu” limene lidzapulumuke “chisautso chachikulu” ndi lotani. (Chivumbulutso 7:9,14) Kwa nthaŵi yonse yomwe anakhala ndi moyo, amayi ndi atate anasonkhezeredwa ndi chiyembekezo cha moyo wamuyaya padziko lapansi la paradaiso ndipo analimbikitsa anafe kuti ‘tikagwire moyo weniweniwo’ womwe kwa ife unatanthauza moyo wosatha padziko lapansi lomwe Yehova watipatsa. (1 Timoteo 6:19; Salmo 37:29; Chivumbulutso 21:3, 4) Ngakhale kuti panthaŵiyo ndinali ndi zaka zisanu zokha, ndinali wachimwemwe zedi kupezeka pachochitika chosangalatsa chimenecho ndi banja langa.

Titabwerera kunyumba pambuyo pamsonkhanowo, tinakabzalanso mbewu ndipo pambuyo pake tinakolola zochuluka kuposa ndi kalelonse. Zimenezi zinathandiza kutsimikizira amayi ndi atate kuti kuika chikhulupiriro chonse mwa Yehova sikudzakhala kopanda mphotho. Anayamba mtundu wapadera wa ntchito yolalikira yomwe aliyense wa iwo anavomereza kulalikira kwa maola okwanira 52 mwezi uliwonse. Ndipo kenako, itakwana nyengo yobzala, iwo anagulitsa zinthu zonse! Atate anali ndi kalavani yomwe m’litali mwake inali mamitala 6 ndipo m’lifupi mwake mamitala 2.4 yomwe inapangidwa kuti anthu asanufe tizikhalamo, ndipo atate anagula galimoto yaing’ono yazitseko ziŵiri yamtundu wa Ford kuti idzikoka kalavaniyo. Atate aakulu, a Monroe anachitanso chimodzimodzi, ndipo nawonso ndi banja lawo anasamukira m’kalavani.

Kutiphunzitsa Choonadi

Mu October 1936, atate ndi amayi anayamba upainiya, monga momwe utumiki wa nthaŵi zonse timautchulira. Monga banja, tinayamba kulalikira m’zigawo za kummaŵa kwa Texas komwe uthenga wa Ufumu sunali kufikako kaŵirikaŵiri. Kwa pafupifupi chaka chathunthu, tinakhala tikuchoka malo ena ndi kukakhala ena, koma kunena zoona, tinasangalala ndi moyo umenewu. Kupyolera m’mawu ndi zitsanzo zawo, amayi ndi atate anatiphunzitsa kukhala ngati Akristu oyambirira omwe anadzipereka kuuza ena choonadi cha Baibulo.

Anafe tinkachita chidwi kwambiri ndi amayi athu chifukwa cha kudzimana kwawo komwe ankachita mwa kusiya nyumba yawo. Komabe, panali chinthu chimodzi chomwe sankasiyana nacho, chimenechotu chinali makina osokera. Chosankha chawocho chinalidi chanzeru. Kaamba ka luso lawo losoka, nthaŵi zonse tinkavala bwino kwambiri. Pa msonkhano waukulu uliwonse, tinkavala zovala zokongola kwambiri zatsopano.

Ndikukumbukira bwino pamene Herman G.Henschel limodzi ndi banja lake anabwera kumene tinkakhala pa galimoto youlutsira mawu ya Watch Tower Society. Ankaimitsa galimotolo m’dera lomwe muli anthu ambiri ndi kutsegula nkhani yaifupi yojambulidwa, ndiyeno kenako amayendera anthuwo payekhapayekha ndi kuwapatsa chidziŵitso chowonjezeka. Dewey wamng’ono ankacheza kwambiri ndi Milton, mwana wa Herman, yemwe panthaŵiyo anali wachinyamata. Tsopano Milton ndi pulezidenti wa Watch Tower Society.

Panthaŵi ya msonkhano waukulu m’chaka cha 1937 womwe unachitikira ku Columbus, mu Ohio, Edwena anabatizidwa, ndipo amayi ndi atate anawapatsa mwayi wokatumikira ngati apainiya apadera. Panthaŵiyi, mpainiya wapadera ankafunika kulalikira kwa maola osachepekera pa 200 mwezi uliwonse . Ndikakumbukira, ndimazindikira mmene chitsanzo chabwino cha amayi chandithandizira kuchirikiza mwamuna wanga pantchito yake yachikristu.

Atate akayambitsa phunziro la Baibulo ndi banja lina, amatenga anafe kuti tidzikasonyeza chitsanzo chabwino kwa ana am’banjalo. Ankatipatsa mwayi woŵerenga mawu a m’Baibulo ndi kuyankha mafunso ena ofeŵa. Chotsatirapo chake n’chakuti, achinyamata omwe tinkaphunzira nawowo akutumikira Yehova mokhulupirika kufikira tsopano lino. Ndithudi, ifenso anatiyalira maziko olimba zedi kuti tipitirizebe kukonda Mulungu.

Pamene Dewey wamng’ono anali kukula, anaona kuti n’kovuta kuti azikhala mopanikizana ndi azilongo ake aŵiri. Choncho m’chaka cha 1940 anachoka ndi kukayamba utumiki wa upainiya ndi Mboni inanso. Kenako, anakwatira Audrey Barron. Motero Audrey anaphunzitsidwa zinthu zambiri ndi makolo athu, mwakuti amayi ndi atate ankawakonda kwambiri. Dewey wamng’ono atam’tsekera m’ndende m’chaka cha 1944 chifukwa cha uchete wake wachikristu, Audrey anabwera ndi kudzakhala ndi ife m’kalavani yathu.

Pamsonkhano wina waukulu kwambiri womwe unachitikira ku St. Louis, Missouri, m’chaka cha 1941, Mbale Rutherford analankhula mwachindunji ndi ana azaka 5 mpaka 18, omwe anakhala m’malo apadera chakutsogolo. Edwena ndi Ine tinamvetsera mawu ake odekha ndi omveka bwinowo; anali ngati atate wachikondi yemwe akulangiza ana ake panyumba. Analimbikitsa makolo kuti: “Lerolino Yesu Kristu wasonkhanitsa kwa iye anthu ake apangano, ndipo mwamphamvu akuwauza kulangiza ana awo m’njira yachilungamo.” Anawonjezera mawu akuti: “Alereni panyumba ndi kuwaphunzitsa choonadi!” Ndithudi, makolo athu anachita zimenezo!

Pamsonkhano umenewo, tinalandira kabuku katsopano kakuti Jehovah’s Servants Defended (Atumiki a Yehova Akutetezedwa) komwe kanafotokoza milandu yomwe Mboni za Yehova zinapambana, kuphatikizapo yomwe inazengedwa m’bwalo lamilandu lapamwamba la mu United States. Atate anatiphunzitsa kabukuko monga banja. Sitinkadziŵa kuti tinali kukonzekeretsedwa zomwe zinachitika ku Selma mu Alabama, patangopita milungu yoŵerengeka.

Kuchitidwa Chiwembu M’Selma

M’maŵa wa chochitika chochititsa mantha chija, atate anali atapereka makope a kalata kwa bwanamkubwa, meya, ndi mkulu wa polisi ku Selma yomwe inalongosola ufulu wathu walamulo wa kupitiriza utumiki wathu motetezedwa ndi lamulo. Komabe, anaganiza zotiumiriza kuti tichoke m’tauniyo.

Nthaŵi ya madzulo, pa kalavani yathuyo panafika amuna asanu omwe anali ndi mfuti ndi kugwira amayi, mchemwali wanga, limodzi ndi ine. Ndiyeno anapitiriza kusakatula chilichonse m’kalavanimo, kufunafuna chinachake chomwe chingawasonyeze kuti ndife oukira. Atate anali panja, ndipo anawalamula kuti amangirire kalavaniyo ku galimoto, ndipotu pomwe zimachitika izi n’kuti atawalozetsa mfuti zawo. Panthaŵiyi ine sindinkaopa. Chinali choseketsa zedi kuti amuna ameneŵa ankaganiza kuti ife tinali oopsa mwakuti mchemwali wanga ndi ine tinagwidwa ndi chiphwete. Komabe, mosakhalitsa tinadekha atate atatidzudzula mwa kungotiyang’ana.

Tili pafupi kunyamuka, amunawo anafuna kuti Edwena ndi Ine tikwere m’galimoto lawolo. Koma atate anakana molimba mtima. Iwo anati: “Pokhapokha ine nditafa!” Pambuyo pokambirana nawo analola kuti tonse a m’banja lathu tiyendere limodzi, ndikuti amuna amfutiwo azitilondola pambuyo ndi galimoto lawo. Titayenda mtunda wa makilomitala 25 kuchokera m’tauniyo, iwo anapereka chizindikiro choti tiime m’mphepete mwa msewu ndipo anatenga atate ndi amayi. Amunawa anayesetsa molandizana kunyengerera amayi ndi atate akumati: “Tangosiyani chipembedzo chimenecho. Mubwerere ku famu yanu ndipo mukalere atsikana anuwa bwinobwino!” Atate anayesa kukambirana nawo koma mosaphula kanthu.

Pamapeto pake, mwamuna wina anati: “Pitani, ndipo mukadzangoyesa kubweranso m’chigawo cha Dallas, tidzakuphani nonse!”

Mitima itakhazikikanso ndipo titakumananso tonse pamodzi, tinapitiriza kuyenda kwa maola ochuluka ndithu ndipo kenako kunja kutada tinaimika galimoto. Tinasunga nambala ya galimoto yawoyo. Mofulumira atate anakanena zonse zinachitikazo ku Watch Tower Society, ndipo pambuyo pa miyezi ingapo amuna aja anapezeka ndi kuwamanga.

Ku Sukulu ya Amishonale ya Gileadi

Edwena anamuitana kuti akaphunzire nawo m’kalasi la nambala 7 la Sukulu ya Gileadi ya Baibulo ya Watchtower ku South Lansing, mu New York m’chaka cha 1946. Albert Schroeder, mmodzi wa alangizi, anauza Bill Elrod, yemwe poyamba ankachita naye upainiya, za mikhalidwe yabwino ya Edwena. Panthaŵiyi Bill Elrod anali akutumikira pa Beteli, ku likulu la dziko lonse la Mboni za Yehova ku Brooklyn mu New York.a Edwena ndi Bill anadziwana, ndipo chaka chimodzi Edwena atatsiriza maphunziro ku Gileadi, iwo anakwatirana. Anakhala muutumiki wa nthaŵi zonse kwa zaka zambiri, kuphatikizapo kutumikira limodzi pa Beteli kwa zaka zisanu. Ndiyeno tsiku lina, m’chaka cha 1959, Mbale Schroeder anauza kalasi la 34 la Gileadi kuti mnzake wapamtima wakhala atate wa ana amapasa, wamwamuna ndi wamkazi.

Kumapeto a chaka cha 1947, ndikutumikira limodzi ndi makolo anga ku Meridian, Mississippi, tonse atatu anatiitana kuti tikaphunzire ku Gileadi m’kalasi la nambala 11. Tinali wodabwa zedi chifukwa chakuti malinga ndi ziyeneretso, ine ndinali wamng’ono kwambiri, ndiponso amayi ndi atate anali atapyola zaka zoyenerera. Kwa ife ziyeneretso zimenezi sanazigwiritse ntchito, ndipo tinalandira mwayi wosayembekezereka umenewo wokalandira malangizo apamwamba a Baibulo.

Utumiki Waumishonale ndi Makolo Anga

Dziko lomwe anatitumiza kuti tikatumikire monga amishonale linali la Colombia, ku South America. Komano, munali mu December 1949, chaka chitatha kuchokera pamene tinatsiriza maphunziro athu ku Gileadi, pomwe tinafika ku Bogotá ku nyumba ya amishonale komwe kunali kale amishonale ena atatu. Poyamba, atate anaganiza kuti mwina kukakhala kosavuta kuphunzitsa anthu Chingelezi kusiyana n’kuti atatewo aphunzire Chispanya! Inde, panalidi ziyeso, koma madalitso omwe tinalandira n’ngosaneneka! M’chaka cha 1949, m’Colombia munali Mboni zosakwana 100, koma tsopano lino muli Mboni zoposa 100,000!

Titatumikira m’Bogotá kwa zaka zisanu, amayi ndi atate anawatumiza ku mzinda wa Cali. Panthaŵi yomweyo, m’chaka cha 1952, ndinakwatiwa ndi mmishonale mnzanga, Robert Tracy, ku Colombia.b Tinakhala mu Colombia mpaka chaka cha 1982, m’chaka chimenechi anatitumiza ku Mexico, komwe takhala tikutumikira kuyambira nthaŵi imeneyo. Pambuyo pake, mu 1968, makolo anga anabwerera ku United States kukalandira chithandizo cha mankhwala. Atachira, anapitiriza utumiki monga apainiya apadera pafupi ndi Mobile ku Alabama.

Kusamalira Makolo Athu

Pamene zaka zinali kupita, mphamvu za amayi ndi atate zinalinso kutha ndipo ankafunikira chithandizo ndi chisamaliro. Pambuyo popempha kuti azikachitira utumiki wawo pafupi ndi Edwena ndi Bill, iwo anawatumiza ku Athens, Alabama. Kenako mbale wathu, Dewey wamng’ono, anaganiza kuti chikakhala chanzeru kuti banjalo likakhalire limodzi ku South Carolina. Choncho Bill ndi banja lake anasamukira ku Greenwood, limodzi ndi amayi ndi atate. Makonzedwe achikondi ameneŵa anatheketsa Robert ndi Ine kupitiriza utumiki wathu wa umishonale ku Colombia, ndikudziŵa kuti makolo anga akusamalidwa bwino.

Ndiyeno m’chaka cha 1985, atate anadwala sitiroko yomwe inawachititsa kukhala osalankhula ndi ongokhala chogona. Tinasonkhana pamodzi monga banja kuti tikambirane mmene tingasamalire bwino makolo athuwo. Tinagwirizana kuti Audrey ndiye amene azisamalira atate ndi kuti ineyo ndi Robert tizithandiza powatumizira kalata mlungu uliwonse yokamba zokumana nazo zolimbikitsa komanso mwa kukawaona pafupipafupi.

Ndikukumbukirabe nthaŵi yomwe ndinakaona atate kotsiriza. Ankalephera kulankhula, koma titawatsazika kuti tikubwerera ku Mexico, anayesera kutulutsa mawu, moyesetsa zedi ndiponso mokhudzika mtima ananena mawu akuti “Zabwino zonse!” Ndi mawu ameneŵa, tinadziŵa kuti m’mtima mwawo akuvomerezana ndi chosankha chathu chopitirizabe ntchito yathu ya umishonale imeneyo. Anamwalira mu July 1987, ndipo amayi anamwalira pambuyo pa miyezi isanu ndi inayi.

Kalata yomwe ndinalandira kuchokera kwa mchemwali wanga wamasiye, inasonyeza mmene aliyense wa ife anasonyezera kuyamikira makolo athuwo. “Ndasunga choloŵa changa chachikristu ndipo sin’naganize m’pang’ono pomwe kuti tikanakhala osangalala kwambiri ngati makolo athuŵa akanasankha kutilera mosiyana ndi momwe anachitiramu. Chitsanzo chawo cha chikhulupiriro champhamvu, kudzimana, ndi kukhulupirira Yehova kotheratu chandithandiza kupirira zipsinjo m’moyo wanga.” Edwena anamaliza ndi mawu akuti: “Ndikuthokoza Yehova chifukwa chotipatsa makolo omwe mwa mawu ndi chitsanzo anatisonyeza chimwemwe chomwe tingachipeze ngati titapereka miyoyo yathu kotheratu m’kutumikira Mulungu wathu wachikondiyo, Yehova.”

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Zithunzi pamasamba 22, 23]

Banja la a Fountain: (kuyambira kulamanzere kumka kulamanja) Dewey, Edwena, Winnie, Elizabeth, Dewey wamng’ono; kulamanja: Elizabeth ndi Dewey wamng’ono pa galimoto youlutsa mawu ya a Henschel (1937); m’munsi kulamanja: Elizabeth akuchita ntchito ya zikwangwani ali ndi zaka 16