Yehova Wandisamalira Bwino

NDINENE mwachidule kuti, ndinayamba kutumikira Yehova m’njira yachilendo. Ndinakulira m’dera lakumidzi lokongola chakumpoto kwa New Zealand, lokhalidwa kwakukulukulu ndi anthu Achimaori ofanana nane. Tsiku lina ndiri paulendo nditakwera bulu, ndinakumana ndi mbale wanga Ben pamsewu. Munali mu 1942, mumphakasa (Kuchigawo cha Kummwera, m’ngululu Kuchigawo cha Kumpoto). Ndinali ndi zaka 27 ndipo panthaŵiyo ndinali chiŵalo chokangalika cha Tchalitchi cha Ingalande.

Kwazaka zambiri Ben anali kuŵerenga mabukhu a Judge Rutherford, panthaŵiyo pulezidenti wa Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, ndipo tsopano anali ndi kalata m’dzanja lake yochokera ku ofesi yaikulu ya Watch Tower Society ku New Zealand ikumampempha kuitanira anthu akumaloko kumalo ena komwe angachitireko Mgonero wa Ambuye. Ndiponso, Ben anafunikira kulinganiza munthu wina wochititsa chikumbutsocho. Pondiyang’ana, Ben anati: “Munthuyo ndiwe.” Pokhala wonyadira kulingaliridwa kukhala woyeneretsedwa​—ndiponso pokhala wodya nawo mkate ndi vinyo pamgonero m’tchalitchi​—ndinavomera.

Madzulo amenewo, anthu pafupifupi 40 anasonkhana m’nyumba ya Ben kudzakumbukira imfa ya Ambuye wathu, ndipo panalibe ndi mmodzi yemwe amene anali Mboni ya Yehova. Nditafika mbale wangayo anandipatsa autilaini yankhani. Ndinalumpha nyimbo yomwe inayenera kuimbidwa ndi kupempha mlamu wake wa Ben kutsegula ndi pemphero. Ndiyeno ndinapitiriza kukamba nkhani ya mu autilainiyo, imene inali ndi mpambo wa mafunso limodzi ndi mayankho Amalemba. Mtsogoleri wina wachipembedzo amene analipo anadodometsa ndi zitsutso, koma zimenezi zinayankhidwa mwa kuŵerenga Malemba olembedwa mu autilaini.

Ndikukumbukira kuti limodzi la mafunso a mu autilaini linali lokhudza nthaŵi ya chaka pamene chochitikacho chinayenera kusungidwa. Kunali kokhutiritsa chotani nanga pamene onse amene analipo anasuzumira pazenera ndi kuwona mwezi uli wathunthu. Mwachiwonekere, detilo linali Nisani 14.

Unali usiku wapadera chotani nanga! Chikumbutso chathucho chinatenga maola anayi! Mafunso ambiri anafunsidwa ndi kuyankhidwa ndi Malemba a mu autilaini ya Sosaite. Poyang’ana mmbuyo, ndidziŵa kuti sindikanatha kupeza chipambano pa chochitikacho popanda chisamaliro chachikondi cha Yehova​—ngakhale kuti panthaŵiyo sindinali mmodzi wa Mboni zake zodzipatulira. Komabe, pausiku wa Chikumbutso umenewo mu 1942, ndinapeza chifuno changa m’moyo.

Kukula Kwanga

Ndinabadwa mu 1914. Atate wanga anali atamwalira miyezi inayi ndisanabadwe, ndipo ndimakumbukira monga kamwana kukhala ndikusirira ana ena amene anali ndi atate awo owakonda. Ndinakhumba zimenezo kwambiri. Kwa amayi moyo wopanda mwamuna unali wovuta kwambiri, wovutitsitsa ndi ziyambukiro zazikulu za Nkhondo Yadziko I.

Monga wachichepere, ndinakwatira msungwana wina wotchedwa Agnes Cope, ndipo wakhala wondithangatira kwazaka zoposa 58. Poyamba tinavutikira limodzi kuti tipeze chipambano m’moyo. Ndinalephera kukhala mlimi chifukwa cha chilala chachikulu. Ndinatembenukira kumaseŵera, koma kufikira pachochitika cha Chikumbutso cha 1942 chimenecho, ndinalibe chifuno chenicheni m’moyo.

Kuchitira Umboni Kwa Achibale

Chikumbutsocho chitatha, ndinaphunzira Baibulo mwakhama, ndikumakambitsirana ndi abale anga ena za m’mabukhu ofotokoza Baibulo ofalitsidwa ndi Watch Tower Society. Mu Sepetember 1943 Mboni za Yehova zochokera kudera lina zinachezera chitaganya chathu chakutalicho. Tinali ndi makambitsirano amphamvu, a maola anayi. Ndiyeno, titadziŵa kuti adzachoka mmaŵa wotsatira, ndinawafunsa kuti: “Kodi chindiletsa nchiyani kubatizidwa tsopano lino?” Abale anga aŵiri ndi ine tinamizidwa m’madzi pa 1:30 a.m. mbandakucha.

Pambuyo pake, ndinayenda kwambiri ndi kumachitira umboni kwa achibale anga. Ena anali okondwerera, ndipo kwa amenewo ndinkazika makambitsirano anga pa Mateyu chaputala 24. Ena sanali okondwerera, ndipo kwa oterowo ndinkagwiritsira ntchito mawu a Yesu kwa Afarisi olembedwa pa Mateyu chaputala 23. Komabe, munthaŵi yokwanira, ndinaphunzira kukhala waluso kwambiri, potsanzira Atate wathu wakumwamba wokoma mtima ndi wachikondiyo.​—Mateyu 5:43-45.

Choyamba mkazi wanga anatsutsa chikhumbo changa cha kutumikira Yehova. Komabe, mwamsanga anagwirizana nane, ndipo mu December 1943 anakhala wothandiza wodzipatulira, wobatizidwa. Ogwirizana naye muubatizo patsiku losaiŵalika limenelo anali anthu ena asanu a m’mudzi wathu wa Waima, kukumachititsa chiwonkhetso cha ofalitsa Aufumu m’dera limenelo kufika pa asanu ndi anayi.

Madalitso Mosasamala Kanthu za Chitsutso

Mkati mwa 1944 tinachezeredwa kachiŵirinso ndi abale ochokera kudera lina, ndipo panthaŵiyo anapereka malangizo a kuchitira uminisitala wa kunyumba ndi nyumba wolinganizidwa. Pamene kukhalapo kwathu m’chitaganyacho kunafikira pakudziŵika kwambiri, chitsutso chochokera kwa oimira a Chikristu Chadziko chinakula. (Yohane 15:20) Panali mikangano yobwerezabwereza ndi atsogoleri achipembedzo akumaloko, ikumachititsa makambitsirano aatali aziphunzitso. Koma Yehova anapereka chilakiko, ndipo ziŵalo zina za chitaganyacho, kuphatikizapo mlongo wanga, zinasamaliridwa mwachikondi ndi Yehova.

Mu June 1944 mpingo unaumbidwa mu Waima. Chizunzo chachipembedzo ndi udani zinakula. Mboni za Yehova zinamanidwa mwaŵi wa kuika akufa awo m’manda akumaloko. Panthaŵi zina chitsutsocho chinkakhala chachiwawa. Panali kulimbana kwenikweni kwakuthupi. Galimoto langa ndi galaja lake zinatenthedwa psiti. Komabe, mwa dalitso la Yehova, m’miyezi yosakwanira itatu, tinali okhoza kugula kagalimoto. Ndipo ndinkagwiritsira ntchito galeta kunyamulira banja langa lomakulalo kumka nalo kumisonkhano.

Chiŵerengero chowonjezereka cha osonkhana nawo chinatanthauza kuti tinafunikira kwambiri malo osonkhana okulirapo, chotero tinalingalira kumanga Nyumba Yaufumu mu Waima. Imeneyi inali Nyumba Yaufumu yoyamba kumangidwa mu New Zealand. Miyezi inayi pambuyo pa kudula nsichi zoyamba pa December 1, 1949, programu yogwirizanitsidwa ya msonkhano wadera ndi ya kupatulira nyumbayo inachitidwira m’nyumba yatsopano ya mipando 260. M’masiku amenewo zimenezo zinali kanthu kena kapadera, kochitidwa ndi chithandizo cha Yehova.

Umboni Wowonjezereka wa Chisamaliro cha Yehova

Popeza kuti chiŵerengero cha olengeza Ufumu kumpoto kwa New Zealand chinapitiriza kuwonjezereka, oyang’anira oyendayenda ochezetsa anapereka chilimbikitso cha kukatumikira kumene kusoŵa kunali kwakukulu. Polabadira, mu 1956, ndinasamutsira banja langa ku Pukekohe, chakummwera kwa Auckland. Tinatumikira kumeneko kwazaka 13.​—Yerekezerani ndi Machitidwe 16:9.

Ndimakumbukira mwapadera zitsanzo zina ziŵiri za chisamaliro cha Yehova mkati mwa nthaŵi imeneyi. Pamene ndinali wolembedwa ntchito ndi konsolo yachigawocho monga woyendetsa lole ndi woyendetsa makina, ndinapemphedwa kukaloŵa Sukulu Yautumiki Waufumu ya masabata anayi ku ofesi ya nthambi ya Watch Tower Society mu Auckland. Ndinapempha kukhala patchuthi cha masabata anayi kaamba ka chifuno chimenechi, ndipo injiniyala wamkulu anati: “Ndithudi. Ndimakhumba kuti bwenzi anthu ambiri akanafanana nawe. Ukadzabwera udzafike mu ofesi yanga.” Pambuyo pake nditafika mu ofesi yake, ndinalandira malipiro a masabata anayi amene ndinali patchuthi. Motero, zosoŵa za banja langa zinasamaliridwa.​—Mateyu 6:33.

Chimenecho chinali chitsanzo choyamba. Chachiŵiri chinachitika mkazi wanga ndi ine titaloŵa muutumiki waupainiya wokhazikika mu 1968. Kachiŵirinso, tinadalira pa Yehova kaamba ka chichirikizo, ndipo anatifupa. Mmaŵa wina titafisula, mkazi wanga anatsegula firiji ndi kupeza kuti mkati mwake munalibe kanthu kusiyapo theka la mtanda wa batala. “Sarn,” iye anatero, “tiribiretu kanthu kakudya. Kodi tipitabe kuutumiki lero?” Yankho langa? Ndinati “Inde!”

Panyumba yoyamba, mwininyumba analandira bukhu limene tinamgaŵira ndipo mokoma mtima anatipatsa madazeni angapo a mazira monga chopereka. Munthu wachiŵiri amene tinamfikira anatipatsa mphatso ya ndiwo zamasamba​—kumaras (mbatata), kolifulawa, ndi makaroti. Zakudya zina zomwe tinamka nazo kunyumba tsiku limenelo zinali nyama ndi batala. Mmene analiri owona nanga kwa ife mawu a Yesu akuti: “Yang’anirani mbalame za kumwamba, kuti sizimafesa ayi, kapena sizimatema ayi, kapena sizimatutira m’nkhokwe; ndipo Atate wanu wakumwamba azidyetsa. Nanga inu mulibe kusiyana nazo kuziposa kodi?”​—Mateyu 6:26.

Gawo la Kunja Kwadziko

Rarotonga wa mu Cook Islands! Limeneli linali gawo lathu la upainiya wapadera mu 1970. Kunali kudzakhala kwathu kwa zaka zinayi zotsatira. Chitokoso choyamba kuno chinali kuphunzira chinenero chatsopano. Komabe, chifukwa cha kufanana kwa mawu a Chimaori cha ku New Zealand ndi Chimaori cha ku Cook Islands, ndinapereka nkhani yanga yoyamba yapoyera masabata asanu titafika.

Mu Cook Islands, munali ofalitsa Ufumu oŵerengeka, ndipo tinalibe malo osonkhanirako. Panonso, poyankha pemphero, Yehova anatigaŵira zosoŵa zathu. Makambitsirano ocheza ndi mwini sitolo wina anachititsa kugula kwathu malo oyenerera, ndipo mkati mwa chaka tinali ndi nyumba yaing’ono ndi Nyumba Yaufumu yokhala anthu 140. Kuyambira pamenepo kumka mtsogolo tinalandira madalitso otsatizanatsatizana, motamanda Yehova.

Makamaka koyamikiridwa kunali kuchereza kwa anthu apachisumbupo kumene anatisonyeza. Kaŵirikaŵiri, pamene tinali muuminisitila, tinkapatsidwa zakumwa zotsitsimutsa​—zofunika kwambiri m’nyengo yotentha, yachitungu. Kaŵirikaŵiri tinkafika kunyumba ndi kupeza nthochi, mapapaya, mango, ndi malalanje zosiyidwa ndi anthu osadziŵika pakhomo pathu.

Mu 1971 mkazi wanga ndi ine, limodzi ndi ofalitsa ena atatu a ku Rarotonga, tinayenda ulendo kumka kuchisumbu cha Aitutaki, chodziŵika ndi thamanda lake lokongolalo. Tinapeza anthu okonda Mawu a Mulungu pakati pa nzika zocherezazo ndi kuyambitsa maphunziro apanyumba a Baibulo anayi, amene tinapitiriza kuwachititsa mwa kulemberana nawo makalata titabwerera ku Rarotonga. Munthaŵi yokwanira ophunzira amenewa pa Aitutaki anabatizidwa, ndipo mpingo unaumbidwa. Mu 1978 Nyumba Yaufumu yachiŵiri mu Cook Islands inamangidwa kumeneko. Yehova anachititsa zinthu kukula polabadira kufesa kwathu ndi kuthirira.​—1 Akorinto 3:6, 7.

Ndinali ndi mwaŵi wa kufika m’zisumbu khumi za chiungwe cha Cook Islands, kaŵirikaŵiri pansi pa mikhalidwe yoyesa. Ulendo wina wa pabwato kumka ku Atiu, makilomitala 180, unafunikira masiku asanu ndi limodzi chifukwa cha mikuntho ndi nyanja yowinduka. (Yerekezerani ndi 2 Akorinto 11:26.) Ngakhale kuli kwakuti chakudya chinali chochepa ndipo ambiri omwe ndinali nawo anadwala ndi ulendo wa panyanjawo, ndinayamikira chisamaliro cha Yehova, chimene chinachititsa kufika kwanga kumalo a ulendowo motetezereka.

Mu 1974 tinamanidwa chilolezo chokhala mu Cook Islands ndipo motero tinabwerera ku New Zealand. Pofika nthaŵiyo pazisumbuzo panali mipingo itatu.

Mwaŵi Wowonjezereka wa Utumiki​—Ndi Chiyeso

Titabwerera ku New Zealand, mipata ina yatsopano inatseguka. (1 Akorinto 16:9) Sosaite inafuna munthu amene anafunikira kutembenuza Nsanja ya Olonda ndi mabukhu ena ofotokoza Baibulo m’Chimaori cha ku Cook Islands. Ndinapatsidwa mwaŵi wa ntchitoyo, ndipo ndakhala nayo kufikira lerolino. Ndiyeno ndinali ndi mwaŵi wa kupanga maulendo obwereza okhazikika kwa abale anga a ku Cook Islands, choyamba monga woyang’anira dera, ndiyeno monga wogwirira malo wa woyang’anira chigawo.

Paumodzi wa maulendo amenewo, Mbale Alex Napa, mpainiya wapadera wa ku Rarotonga, anamka nane paulendo wapanyanja wa masiku 23 umene unatitengera ku Manahiki, Rakahanga, ndi Penrhyn​—zisumbu zakumpoto kwa Cooks. Pachisumbu chirichonse, Yehova anasonkhezera mitima ya anthu ochereza akumaloko kutipatsa malo okhala ndi kulandira mabukhu ofotokoza Baibulo. (Yerekezerani ndi Machitidwe 16:15.) M’zisumbu zimenezi, ngale nzambiri, ndipo nthaŵi zambiri anthu anatipatsa ngale monga chopereka cholipirira ntchito yofalitsa yapadziko lonse. Chotero, pamene tinalinkupereka ngale zauzimu, tinalandiranso zenizeni.​—Yerekezerani ndi Mateyu 13:45, 46.

Mmene mbali yakutali imeneyi iliri yokongola nanga! Tangoyerekezerani mashaki aakulu akumasambirira pamodzi ndi ana m’thamandalo! Ndimawonekedwe aulemerero chotani nanga amene thambo lake linasonyeza usiku! Ngowona chotani nanga mawu a wamasalmo akuti: “Usana ndi usana uchulukitsa mawu, ndipo usiku ndi usiku uwonetsa nzeru.”​—Salmo 19:2.

Ndiyeno, zaka zisanu ndi zinayi zapitazo, panadza chiyeso chenicheni cha umphumphu. Mkazi wanga analoŵa m’chipatala chifukwa cha kukha mwazi muubongo. Anafunikira opaleshoni, koma dokotala wake anakana kuichita popanda kugwiritsira ntchito mwazi. Mkazi wanga ndi ine mwachikumbumtima sitinavomereze njira imene ikaswa lamulo la Mulungu. Komano chikumbumtima cha dokotala wa opaleshoniyo chinamlamulira kuti njira iriyonse yothekera kuphatikizapo mwazi, igwiritsiridwe ntchito kupulumutsa moyo.

Thanzi la mkazi wanga linanyentchera, ndipo anaikidwa m’chipinda cha odwala kwa kayakaya, kumene odzazonda oŵerengeka analoledwa. Anagontha m’khutu chifukwa cha kupanikizidwa ndi gazi kwa mwanakhutu. Unakhaladi mkhalidwe wovuta. Pambuyo pa ulendo wina dokotala wina ananditsatira kugalimoto langa, akumaumirira kuti mwaŵi wokha wakuti mkazi wanga asafe unali kuchita opaleshoni yothirira mwazi ndipo anandichonderera kuti ndivomereze. Komabe, mkazi wangayo ndi ine tinadalira Yehova​—ngakhale ngati kumvera lamulo lake kunachititsa kutayikiridwa ndi zaka zoŵerengeka m’moyo wa lerolino.

Mwadzidzidzi, panali kuwongokera kotsimikizirika mumkhalidwe wa mkazi wanga. Tsiku lina ndinafika ndi kumpeza atakhala tsonga pabedi akumaŵerenga. Pamasiku otsatira anayamba kuchitira umboni kwa odwala ena ndi kwa anamwino. Ndiyeno ndinaitanidwira kuofesi ya dokotala wa opaleshoni. “A Wharerau,” iye anatero, “mulidi munthu wamwaŵi! Tikukhulupirira kuti vuto la mkazi wanu latha.” Mosayembekezereka, kayendedwe ka mwazi wake kanabwerera mmalo. Tonse, mkazi wanga ndi ine tinathokoza Yehova ndi kuyambiranso chitsimikiziro chathu cha kuchita zimene tingathe muutumiki wake.

Tsopano ndagaŵiridwanso ku Cook Islands ndipo kachiŵirinso ndi kutumikira mu Rarotonga. Ndimwaŵi wotani nanga! Poyang’ana mmbuyo mkazi wanga ndi ine tikuyamikira chisamaliro cha Yehova m’zaka pafupifupi makumi asanu muutumiki wake. Mwakuthupi, sitinakhale osoŵa zofunika zamoyo. M’lingaliro lauzimu, madalitsowo akhala ochuluka osati nkuwaŵerenga. Losaiŵalika ndilo chiŵerengero cha achibale anga amene alandira chowonadi. Ndingathe kuŵerenga oposa 200 amene tsopano ali Mboni za Yehova zobatizidwa, kuphatikizapo mbadwa zanga 65. Mdzukulu wina ndichiŵalo cha banja la Beteli ku New Zealand, pamene mwana wanga wina wamkazi ndi mwamuna wake ndi ana awo aŵiri akugwira ntchito yomanga nthambi.​—3 Yohane 4.

Poyang’ana mtsogolo, ndiri ndi chiyembekezo cha kukhala ndi moyo m’paradaiso mmene, padziko lonse lapansi, kukongola kwake kudzapambana ngakhale kuja kwa chigwa chokongola chobiriŵira chimene ndinabadwirako. Udzakhala mwaŵi wodabwitsa chotani nanga kulandira amayi wanga ndi atate m’chiukiriro ndi kuwauza za dipo, Ufumu, ndi maumboni ena onse a chisamaliro cha Yehova.

Chitsimikizo changa, chochirikizidwa ndi chidziŵitso chakuti Mulungu amandisamalira, chiri chofanana ndi momwe ananenera wamasalmo pa Salmo 104:33 kuti: “Ndidzaimbira Yehova m’moyo mwanga: ndidzaimbira Mulungu wanga zomlemekeza pokhala ndiripo.”​—Monga momwe yasimbidwira ndi Sarn Wharerau.

[Chithunzi patsamba 28]

Nyumba Yaufumu yoyamba kumangidwa mu New Zealand, 1950