Uko abandi bambaraga byamberaga igisitaza

BYAVUZWE NA EILEEN BRUMBAUGH

NAKURIYE mu idini ryitwa Abavandimwe ba Kera, rijya gusa n’iry’Abamishi ndetse n’iry’Abamenoni. Iryo dini ryatangiriye mu Budage mu mwaka wa 1708, rikaba ari rimwe mu madini bita ay’ububyutse y’Abihayimana. Hari igitabo cyavuze ko icyarangaga iryo dini ry’Abihayimana ari uko “ryabonaga ko abantu bakeneye ivanjiri ya Kristo.” Ni yo mpamvu ryatangije gahunda yo kohereza abamisiyonari mu bihugu bitandukanye kandi yagize icyo igeraho.

Mu mwaka wa 1719, muri leta ya Penisilivaniya muri Amerika hoherejwe itsinda rito ryari riyobowe na Alexander Mack. Nyuma yaho hashinzwe andi matsinda. Buri tsinda ryasobanuraga uko rishaka inyigisho za Alexander Mack. Itsinda twari turimo ryari rigizwe n’abantu bagera kuri 50. Abayoboke baryo basabwaga gusoma Bibiliya no gukurikiza amategeko y’iryo dini uko ari.

Abari bagize umuryango wacu kugeza nibura ku bisekuru bitatu babaye muri iryo dini kandi ni ryo ryagengaga ubuzima bwacu. Nanjye narigiyemo, mbatizwa mfite imyaka 13. Nakuze bambwira ko kugira imodoka cyangwa kuyigendamo ari bibi, kandi ko gutunga no gukoresha imashini ihinga, terefone, radiyo n’ibindi bikoresho nk’ibyo, ari bibi. Abagore bambaraga imyenda iciriritse, ntitwiyogosheshaga kandi twahoraga dutwikiriye umutwe. Abagabo bo baterekaga ubwanwa. Twumvaga ko tutagomba kuba ab’isi. Ni yo mpamvu twirindaga kwambara imyenda igezweho, inigi n’indi mirimbo cyangwa kwisiga, kuko twumvaga bigaragaza ubwibone.

Batwigishaga ko tugomba kubaha Bibiliya cyane, tukabona ko ari ibyokurya byo mu buryo bw’umwuka. Buri gihe mbere yo gufata ifunguro rya mu gitondo, twicaraga muri salo nuko papa akadusomera igice cyo muri Bibiliya kandi akagisobanura. Nyuma yaho yasengaga twese dupfukamye, yarangiza mama agasubiramo isengesho rya Data wa twese. Nabaga ntegerezanyije amatsiko ayo masengesho ya mu gitondo kuko abagize umuryango twese twabaga turi kumwe, duhugiye mu bintu by’Imana.

Twabaga mu isambu yacu hafi y’umugi wa Delphi muri leta ya Indiyana, aho twahingaga ibintu bitandukanye. Twabipakiraga ku igare rikururwa n’ifarashi tukagenda tubigurisha mu muhanda cyangwa mu ngo. Twumvaga ko gukorana umwete iyo mirimo na byo ari ugukorera Imana. Twayikoraga buri munsi uretse ku Cyumweru, aho tutari twemerewe kugira “umurimo uvunanye” dukora. Ariko hari igihe twagiraga akazi kenshi muri iyo sambu ku buryo kubahiriza iyo gahunda bitari byoroshye.

Uko nashinze umuryango

Mu mwaka wa 1963, igihe nari mfite imyaka 17, nashakanye na James twari duhuje idini. Abantu bo mu muryango we na bo bari baragiye muri iryo dini kuva kuri sekuruza. Twembi twifuzaga cyane gukorera Imana kandi twumvaga ko iryo dini twari turimo ari ryo ry’ukuri.

Mu mwaka wa 1975 twari dufite abana batandatu, kandi mu mwaka wa 1983 twabyaye umwana wa karindwi ari na we bucura. Umwana wa kabiri yitwa Rebecca kandi ni na we mukobwa wenyine. Twakoranaga umwete, ntidusesagure amafaranga kandi twabagaho mu buzima bworoshye. Twatozaga abana bacu amahame yo muri Bibiliya twatojwe n’ababyeyi bacu n’abandi twasengeraga hamwe.

Mu idini ryacu imyambarire no kwirimbisha twabihaga agaciro cyane. Twatekerezaga ko imyambarire ari yo igaragaza uwo umuntu ari we imbere, cyane ko tudashobora kureba mu mutima. Ubwo rero iyo umugore yatunganyaga umusatsi we byabaga ari ubwibone. Nubwo yambaraga imyambaro yoroheje, iyo yabaga iriho imitako myinshi na bwo byagaragazaga ubwibone. Ibyo byatumaga abantu batita ku Byanditswe ahubwo bakita ku myambarire.

Muramu wanjye afungwa

Mu mpera z’imyaka ya 1960 muramu wanjye witwa Jesse na we wari mu idini ryacu, yafunzwe azira ko yanze kujya mu gisirikare. Igihe yari muri gereza yahuye n’Abahamya ba Yehova, na bo bemera ko Bibiliya ivuga ko tutagomba kwivanga mu ntambara (Yesaya 2:4; Matayo 26:52). Jesse yaganiriye cyane n’Abahamya ba Yehova kandi yibonera ukuntu bagira imico myiza. Amaze kwiga Bibiliya yarabatijwe aba Umuhamya wa Yehova, ariko byaratubabaje cyane.

Jesse yabwiye umugabo wanjye ibyo yari yarize. Nanone yakoraga uko ashoboye umugabo wanjye akabona amagazeti y’Umunara w’Umurinzi na Nimukanguke! buri gihe. Kuyasoma byatumye akunda Bibiliya cyane. Kubera ko umugabo wanjye yifuzaga gukorera Imana ariko akabona iri kure ye, yashishikazwaga cyane n’ikintu cyose cyamufasha kuyegera.

Abayobozi b’idini ryacu badusabaga gusoma ibitabo byo mu idini ry’Abamishi, Abamenoni n’ibyo mu yandi madini yakomotse ku ryacu, nubwo twabonaga ko ayo madini ari ay’isi. Icyakora papa yangaga Abahamya cyane. Yumvaga ko tutagomba gusoma Umunara w’Umurinzi na Nimukanguke! Ubwo rero, sinashimishijwe no kubona umugabo wanjye abisoma. Natinyaga ko ashobora kwiga inyigisho z’ibinyoma.

Ariko James hari inyigisho zo mu idini ryacu yari amaze igihe kirekire atemera akumva ko zidahuje na Bibiliya, cyane cyane inyigisho ivuga ko umuntu atagomba gukora imirimo iruhije ku Cyumweru. Urugero, muri iryo dini batwigishaga ko kuhira amatungo ku Cyumweru byemewe ariko ko kubagara bitemewe. Abayobozi b’idini ryacu ntibashoboraga kumwereka aho bakura iryo tegeko muri Bibiliya. Amaherezo nanjye natangiye gushidikanya kuri izo nyigisho.

Kubera ko twari tumaze igihe kirekire twemera ko idini ryacu Imana iryemera kandi tukaba twari tumaze kubona ko kurivamo byari kuduteza ibibazo, kurivamo burundu byaratugoye. Ariko nanone, imitimanama yacu ntiyatwemereraga kuguma mu idini twumvaga ko ridakurikiza mu buryo bwuzuye ibyo Bibiliya ivuga. Ni yo mpamvu mu mwaka wa 1983 twanditse ibaruwa isobanura impamvu turivuyemo kandi dusaba ko yasomerwa itorero. Twahise ducibwa muri iryo dini.

Dushakisha idini ry’ukuri

Nyuma yaho twatangiye gushakisha idini ry’ukuri. Twashakaga idini rifite abayoboke bakora ibyo ryigisha. Mbere na mbere twiyemeje kutajya mu idini ryifatanyije mu ntambara. Twari tugifite icyifuzo cyo kujya mu idini ry’abantu boroheje, kuko twumvaga ko kugira imibereho yoroheje no kwambara imyenda iciriritse bigaragaza ko iryo dini atari iry’isi. Twazengurutse Amerika kuva mu mwaka wa 1983 kugeza mu mwaka wa 1985, tugenzura buri dini. Twagenzuye Abamenoni, Abakwekazi n’andi madini twabonaga ko ay’abantu boroheje.

Icyo gihe ni bwo Abahamya ba Yehova badusuye mu isambu yacu iri hafi y’umugi wa Camden, muri leta ya Indiyana. Twabateze amatwi, ariko tubasaba ko bakoresha Bibiliya ya King James gusa. Nubahaga Abahamya bitewe n’uko bativangaga mu ntambara. Ariko numvaga ntakomeza kuganira na bo bitewe n’uko nabonaga idini ryabo atari iry’ukuri, kuko batambaraga mu buryo buciriritse. Natekerezaga ko ubwibone ari bwo bwatumaga abantu batambara nkatwe kandi ko ubutunzi ari bwo butera abantu ubwibone.

Umugabo wanjye yatangiye kujya mu materaniro ku Nzu y’Ubwami, akajyana na bamwe mu bahungu bacu. Byarandakazaga cyane. Yansabaga ko tujyana, nkamwangira. Rimwe yarambwiye ati “nubwo utemera inyigisho zabo zose, nibura uzaze wirebere ukuntu bagira urukundo.” Uko bakundanaga n’uko bitanagaho, byari byaramukoze ku mutima.

Amaherezo nemeye kujyana na we, ariko mfite amakenga cyane. Ninjiye mu Nzu y’Ubwami nambaye ikanzu iciriritse n’ingofero. Bamwe mu bahungu bacu bari bambaye ibirenge n’imyenda yoroheje. Ariko Abahamya baduhaye ikaze kandi batwitaho. Naribwiye nti “nubwo dutandukanye na bo, batwakiriye neza nta cyo bishisha.”

Nashimishijwe n’urukundo rubaranga, ariko icyari kinzanye ni ukubagenzura gusa. Sinigeze mpaguruka cyangwa ngo ndirimbe indirimbo zabo. Amateraniro arangiye, nababajije ibibazo byinshi. Nababajije ibibazo bifitanye isano n’ibintu bakoraga numvaga ko bidakwiriye cyangwa icyo umurongo runaka usobanura. Nubwo ibibazo nabazaga byabaga bidasobanutse, uwo nabazaga wese yanyitagaho by’ukuri. Ikindi cyanshimishije ni uko nabazaga abantu benshi ikibazo kimwe, bose bakampa ibisubizo bihuye. Hari igihe ibisubizo babyandikaga, kandi ibyo byaramfashaga kuko nyuma yaho nongeraga kubisuzuma ndi njyenyine.

Mu mwaka wa 1985, twagiye mu ikoraniro ry’intara ry’Abahamya ba Yehova ryabereye i Memfisi muri leta ya Tenesi, tugiye kwirebera gusa ibihabera. James yari agifite ubwanwa, kandi twagiye twambaye ya myambaro yacu iciriritse. Mu gihe cy’ikiruhuko akenshi wansangaga hari abantu baje kudusuhuza. Urukundo batugaragarije, uko batwitayeho no kuba baratwemeye uko turi, byadukoze ku mutima. Ikindi cyadukoze ku mutima ni uko aho wateranira hose, inyigisho ziba ari zimwe.

James yashimishijwe n’ukuntu Abahamya bamwitayeho, yemera kwiga Bibiliya. Yagenzuraga ibintu byose kugira ngo arebe niba ibyo bamwigishaga ari ukuri (Ibyakozwe 17:11; 1 Abatesalonike 5:21). Amaherezo yemeye ko yabonye ukuri. Ariko jye nari ngishidikanya nibaza umwanzuro nafata. Nifuzaga gukora ibikwiriye, ariko nanone sinashakaga kuba mu bantu nabonaga ko ari ab’isi kandi ko bagendana n’ibigezweho. Igihe nemeraga kwiga Bibiliya ku nshuro ya mbere, nabaga mfite ebyiri: Bibiliya ya King James na Bibiliya y’Ubuhinduzi bw’isi nshya. Umurongo wose basomaga nawugenzuraga muri Bibiliya zombi kugira ngo batanyobya.

Uko naje kwemera ukuri

Igihe Abahamya batwigishaga Bibiliya, twamenye ko Data wo mu ijuru ari Imana imwe, aho kuba ubutatu. Nanone twamenye ko tudafite ubugingo budapfa, ahubwo ko twe ubwacu turi ubugingo (Intangiriro 2:7; Gutegeka 6:4; Ezekiyeli 18:4; 1 Abakorinto 8:5, 6). Twamenye kandi ko ikuzimu ari imva y’abantu, aho kuba umuriro utazima abantu bababarizwamo iteka (Yobu 14:13; Zaburi 16:10; Umubwiriza 9:5, 10; Ibyakozwe 2:31). Kumenya ukuri ku birebana n’umuriro w’iteka byari ikintu gikomeye kuri jye, kuko mu idini nabagamo batabivugagaho rumwe.

Icyakora nakomezaga kwibaza ukuntu Abahamya ba Yehova ari idini ry’ukuri kandi narabonga ari ab’isi. Nabonaga batabaho mu buryo buciriritse, kandi numvaga ibyo ari iby’ingenzi cyane. Ku rundi ruhande ariko, nabonye ko bakurikizaga itegeko rya Yesu ryo kugeza ku bantu bose ubutumwa bwiza bw’Ubwami. Nabuze icyo mfata n’icyo ndeka.—Matayo 24:14; 28:19, 20.

Muri ibyo bihe bitari byoroshye, urukundo Abahamya bangaragarije rwamfashije gukomeza kugenzura ngo menye ukuri. Abari bagize itorero bose bitaga ku muryango wacu. Uko bagendaga baza kudusura, bamwe bazanywe no kugura amata n’amagi iwacu, twatangiye kubona ko ari abantu beza. Nubwo hari abatwigishaga Bibiliya, ntibyabuzaga abandi Bahamya kuza kudusura. Twahoranaga abashyitsi. Twari dukeneye ibihe nk’ibyo kugira ngo tumenye neza Abahamya kandi twashimishijwe n’urukundo nyakuri bagaragaza n’ukuntu bita ku bantu.

Abahamya bo mu itorero ryo hafi y’iwacu si bo bonyine batwitagaho. Igihe nari ngihanganye n’ikibazo cy’imyambarire ikwiriye, Umuhamya witwa Kay Briggs wo mu itorero ryo hafi y’iwacu na we wambaraga mu buryo buciriritse kandi ntiyisige ibintu byinshi cyane, yaransuye. Naganiriye na we ntuje kandi nisanzuye kurushaho. Nyuma yaho, Lewis Flora, na we wari warakuriye mu idini nabagamo, yaransuye. Yarandebye, abona ko mu by’ukuri gufata umwanzuro byangoye. Yanyoherereje ibaruwa y’amapaji icumi, ageragaza kumfasha. Ineza yangaragarije yankoze ku mutima nsuka amarira, kandi iyo baruwa nayisomye kenshi.

Nasabye umugenzuzi usura amatorero witwaga O’Dell, ko yansobanurira ibivugwa muri Yesaya 3:18-23 no muri 1 Petero 3:3, 4. Naramubajije nti “ese iyi mirongo ntigaragaza ko tugomba kwambara mu buryo buciriritse kugira ngo dushimishe Imana.” Yarambajije ati “ese kwambara ingofero ni bibi? Ese gusuka imisatsi ni bibi?” Mu idini nabagamo, twasukaga abana b’abakobwa bakiri bato, naho abagore bakambara ingofero. Nahise mbona ko byavugurazanyaga. Kuba yarihanganye akanganiriza mu bugwaneza, byaranshimishije cyane.

Ibyo banyigishaga nagendaga mbyemera buhoro buhoro, ariko hari ikindi ntumvaga neza. Numvaga ko abagore bagomba kwiyogoshesha. Abasaza b’itorero bansobanuriye ko abagore bamwe bagira imisatsi migufi abandi bakagira imisatsi miremire. None se twavuga ko imisatsi y’umwe irusha iy’undi ubwiza? Nanone bamfashije kumenya uruhare rw’umutimanama mu birebana n’imyambarire no kwirimbisha, kandi bampa inyandiko nari gusomera mu rugo.

Twafashe umwanzuro dushingiye ku byo twize

Twifuzaga kubona abantu bera imbuto nziza kandi twarababonye. Yesu yaravuze ati “ibyo ni byo bose bazabamenyeraho ko muri abigishwa banjye, nimukundana” (Yohana 13:35). Twiboneye ko Abahamya ba Yehova bagaragaza urukundo nyakuri. Ariko ibyo byateye urujijo abana bacu bakuru ari bo Nathan na Rebecca, kuko bari baremeye kujya mu idini twabagamo kandi bararibatirijwemo. Icyakora inyigisho zo muri Bibiliya twabigishaga n’urukundo Abahamya bagaragaza, byabakoze ku mutima.

Urugero, Rebecca yifuzaga buri gihe kugirana ubucuti bwihariye n’Imana. Igihe yamenyaga ko Imana itavuga mbere y’igihe ibizaba ku muntu, kuyisenga byarushijeho kumworohera. Nanone igihe yamenyaga ko Imana atari Ubutatu, ko iriho koko, kandi ko ashobora kuyigana, byatumye arushaho kuyegera (Abefeso 5:1). Yanashimishijwe no kumenya ko mu gihe ayisenga, atari ngombwa gukoresha amagambo ya kera yo muri Bibiliya ya King James. Nanone igihe yamenyaga ibisabwa kugira ngo Imana yumve amasengesho yacu ndetse n’umugambi uhebuje ifitiye abantu uvuga ko bazabaho iteka ryose mu isi izahinduka paradizo, yumvise arushijeho kuyikunda.—Zaburi 37:29; Ibyahishuwe 21:3, 4.

Inshingano twese twishimira

Jye na James n’abana bacu bakuru batanu ari bo Nathan, Rebecca, George, Daniel na John twabatijwe mu mwaka wa 1987, tuba Abahamya ba Yehova. Harley yabatijwe mu mwaka wa 1989, naho Simon abatizwa mu mwaka wa 1994. Abagize umuryango wacu bose bitangiye gukora umurimo Yesu Kristo yashinze abigishwa be, wo kubwiriza ubutumwa bwiza bw’Ubwami bw’Imana.

Abahungu bacu bakuru uko ari batanu ari bo Nathan, George, Daniel, John na Harley n’umukobwa wacu ari we Rebecca, bose bakoze ku biro by’ishami by’Abahamya ba Yehova byo muri Amerika. George ahamaze imyaka 14. Simon na we aherutse kuba umukozi wa beteli, nyuma yo kurangiza amashuri mu mwaka wa 2001. Abahungu bacu bose bafite inshingano mu matorero y’Abahamya ba Yehova. Bamwe ni abasaza b’itorero, abandi ni abakozi b’itorero. Umugabo wanjye ni umusaza mu itorero rya Thayer muri leta ya Misuri, nanjye nkaba nkorana umwete umurimo wo kubwiriza.

Ubu dufite abuzukuru batatu ari bo Jessica, Latisha na Caleb kandi bishimira kubona ababyeyi babo babatoza gukunda Yehova kuva bakiri bato. Twese abagize umuryango wacu twishimira ko Yehova yatwireherejeho, akadufasha kumenya abantu bitirirwa izina rye, bitewe n’urukundo bagaragaza.

Ubu twiyumvisha imimerere y’abantu bifuza gushimisha Imana, ariko imitimanama yabo ikaba iyoborwa n’imimerere barerewemo, aho kuyoborwa na Bibiliya. Twizera ko bashobora kugira ibyishimo nk’ibyo tugira iyo tubwiriza ubutumwa bw’Ubwami ku nzu n’inzu, tubwira abandi ibyiza byabwo, aho gutembereza ibicuruzwa ku nzu n’inzu. Iyo ntekereje uko abitirirwa izina rya Yehova batwihanganiye n’urukundo batugaragarije, biranshimisha cyane.

[Amafoto]

Igihe nari mfite imyaka nk’irindwi, na nyuma yaho maze kuba mukuru

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James, George, Harley, na Simon, bambaye imyenda iciriritse

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Iyi ni ifoto yanjye njyanye ibicuruzwa mu isoko kandi yasohotse mu kinyamakuru cy’iwacu

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Journal and Courier, Lafayette, Indiana

[Ifoto]

Ndi kumwe n’umuryango wanjye muri iki gihe