Kuchotsa Chophimba ku Malire Omalizira a Alaska

KWA masiku aŵiri tsopano, anayife takhala mounjikana m’kachipinda kakang’ono m’tauni yotchuka ya mgodi wa golidi ya Nome, Alaska. Mu 1898 ofufuza miyala yamtengo wake oposa 40,000 anasonkhana kuno kudzafunafuna chinthu chimodzi chokha​—golidi! Kumbali ina, ifeyo tikufunafuna chuma cha mtundu wina.

Pakali panopo, chidwi chathu chili pa “zofunika” zimene zingakhale m’midzi yakutali ya Gambell ndi Savoonga pa chisumbu cha St. Lawrence, makilomita 300 cha kumpoto kwa Bering Strait. (Hagai 2:7) Kumeneko anthu a fuko la Inuit amalimba mtima kuloŵa m’madzi ozizira kwambiri a Arctic ndi kukasaka namgumi pamtunda wa makilomita ochepa chabe ndi malire a dziko lomwe kale linali Soviet Union. Koma mphepo ya chipale ndi nkhungu zatigwira. Ndege yathu singauluke.

Pamene tikudikira, ndilingalira za zochitika za zaka zingapo zapita ndi kuthokoza Yehova Mulungu kaamba ka dalitso lake pa ulaliki wa ku midzi yokhala ndi anthu ochepa. Mu Alaska​—dziko limene ena amalitcha malire omalizira a dziko​—muli anthu a dzikolo oposa 60,000 amene amakhala m’midzi yakutali yoposa 150, yomwazikana pa chipululu cha mtunda woposa pafupifupi makilomita 1,600,000 mbali zonse zinayi, yosagwirizanitsidwa ndi misewu ya mtundu uliwonse. Mwa kugwiritsira ntchito ndege ya Watch Tower Society, tafikira kale midzi yoposa umodzi mwa itatu ya midzi yakutali imeneyi, kuwaperekera mbiri yabwino ya Ufumu wa Mulungu.​—Mateyu 24:14.

Kuti tifike kumidzi yakutali imeneyi, kaŵirikaŵiri ndegeyo imafunikira kutera kudzera m’mitambo ndi nkhungu imene ingakute nthaka kwa masiku angapo. Itatera, pamakhala nkhungu ina yoyenera kuipyola. Mofanana ndi chophimba, imakuta maganizo ndi mitima ya anthu okoma mtima ndi amtendere ameneŵa.​—Yerekezerani ndi 2 Akorinto 3:15, 16.

Kusintha Kopweteka

Ku midzi yokhala ndi anthu ochepa ya Alaska kumakhala anthu a mafuko a Inuit, Aleut, ndi Amwenye. Fuko lililonse lili ndi miyambo yakeyake ndi mikhalidwe ya choloŵa chake. Kuti apulumuke nyengo yachisanu ya ku Arctic, iwo aphunzira kutetezera ndi kugwiritsira ntchito chuma cha dzikolo mwa kusaka, kusodza, ndi kusaka namgumi.

Chiyambukiro cha kumaiko ena chinawafikira mkati mwa ma 1700. Amalonda ogulitsa ubweya a ku Russia anapeza anthu ovala ubweya onunkha mafuta a seal, amene sanakhale m’nyumba zopangidwa ndi madzi oundana, koma nyumba zaudzu zokhala pansi panthaka. Amalondawo anabweretsera anthu olankhula mofatsa, odekha, komabe anyonga ameneŵa mavuto ambiri aakulu, kuphatikizapo miyambo yatsopano ndi matenda atsopano, amene anachepetsa chiŵerengero cha mafuko ena ndi theka. Posakhalitsa moŵa unabweretsa mavuto kwa anthuwo. Kayendetsedwe ka chuma katsopano kanakakamiza anthuwo kusintha moyo wodzilimira chakudya ndi kuyamba kumagula. Kufikira lerolino, ena amaganiza kuti kwakhala kusintha kopweteka.

Pamene amishonale a Dziko Lachikristu anafika, kusintha kwina kunaumirizidwa pa nzika za Alaska. Ngakhale kuti ena anasiya monyinyirika machitachita awo amwambo achipembedzo​—kulambira mizimu ya mphepo, madzi oundana, chimbalangondo, chiwombankhanga, ndi zina zotero​—ena anayambitsa msanganizo wa zikhulupiriro, umene unachititsa zipembedzo zosakaniza ndi zosokoneza. Kaŵirikaŵiri zonsezi zinachititsa kukayikira ndi kusadalira alendo. Si nthaŵi zonse pamene mlendo amalandiridwa ndi manja aŵiri m’midzi ina.

Chotero, vuto limene tikuyang’anizana nalo nlakuti, Kodi tidzafikira bwanji anthu onse okhala momwazikana m’malire aakulu ameneŵa? Kodi tingathetse motani kukayikira kwawo? Kodi tingachitenji kuti tichotse chophimbacho?

Zoyesayesa Zoyambirira za Kulalikira

Kuchiyambi kwa ma 1960, kagulu ka Mboni za ku Alaska zanyonga kanapirira molimba mtima mikhalidwe yoipa ya kunja​—mphepo yowopsa, kuzizira kwambiri, chipale​—ndi kuulutsa ndege zawo za injini imodzi kupita kukalalikira kumidzi yomwazikana kumpoto. Polingalira za zochitika zakale zimenezo, abale olimba mtima ameneŵa anali kudziikadi paupandu waukulu. Kulephera kwa injini kukanachititsa ngozi ndithu. Ngakhale ngati kunali kotheka kutera bwino, iwo akakhala pa mtunda wakutali ndi thandizo m’malo ozizira kwambiri opanda njira yoyendera. Kupulumuka kukadalira pa kupeza chakudya ndi pogona, zimene zikakhala zosoŵa. Mwamwaŵi, sikunachitike ngozi zazikulu, koma ngozi zoterozo sizinanyalanyazidwe. Chotero ofesi yanthambi ya Watch Tower Society ya ku Alaska sinalimbikitse abale kuchita ulaliki woterowo.

Pofuna kupitirizabe ntchitoyo, abale okhulupirika a ku mipingo ya Fairbanks ndi North Pole anasumika zoyesayesa zawo pa midzi yaikulu, yonga ngati Nome, Barrow, ndi Kotzebue, kumene kumapita ndege zamalonda. Iwo anagwiritsira ntchito ndalama zawo kupita ku madera ameneŵa, mtunda woposa makilomita 720 kumpoto ndi kumadzulo. Ena anatsala mu Nome kwa miyezi ingapo kuchititsa maphunziro a Baibulo kwa okondwerera. Mu Barrow anachita lendi nyumba kuti adzibisalamo kuzizira kwa -45 digiri Celcius. Mkati mwa zaka zambiri, abalewo anawononga ndalama zoposa $15,000 polabadira lamulo la Yesu la kulalikira mbiri yabwino kumalekezero a dziko lapansi.​—Marko 13:10.

Chithandizo Chosayembekezeredwa Chifika

Kufunafuna njira yofikira ku midzi yakutali imeneyi kunapitiriza, ndipo Yehova anatsegula njira. Panapezeka ndege ya mainjini aŵiri​—yomwe inafunikiradi kudutsa mapiri amajembamajemba a Alaska Range motetezereka. Mu Alaska muli mapiri ambiri amene amapitirira utali wa mamita 4,200, ndipo nsonga ya phiri lotchuka la McKinley (Denali) njautali wa mamita 6,193 kuchokera pa nyanja.

Pomalizira, ndegeyo inafika. Tangoyerekezerani kugwiritsidwa mwala kwathu pamene ndege, yothaitha, yotuŵa, yokhala ndi mitundu yosiyanasiyana inatera pa bwalo landege. Kodi ikakhozadi kuuluka? Kodi tikaikiza miyoyo ya abale athu mu ndegeyo? Kachiŵirinso, dzanja la Yehova silinafupike. Motsogozedwa ndi amakanika ophunzira, abale oposa 200 anadzipereka, akumathera maola zikwi zambiri kukonza ndege yonseyo.

Kunali kosangalatsa chotani nanga kuiona! Ikunyamuka kuuluka m’mitambo ya Alaska, ndege yoŵala, yooneka ngati yatsopano yokhala ndi nambala ya 710WT yolembedwa kumchira kwake! Popeza kuti manambala onse aŵiri zisanu ndi ziŵiri ndi khumi amagwiritsiridwa ntchito m’Baibulo kuphiphiritsira kukwanira, 710 ingaonedwe kukhala ikugogomezera chichirikizo chimene gulu la Yehova lapereka pa kuchotsa chophimba m’mitima yokhala mumdima.

Kutsikira ku Mtandadza wa Zisumbu za Aleutian

Kuyambira pamene tinalandira ndegeyo, tafola mtunda wa makilomita 80,000 wa chipululucho, kupititsa mbiri yabwino ya Ufumu ndi mabuku a Baibulo ku midzi yoposa 54. Mtunda umenewu ngwolingana ndi kudutsa dziko lonse la United States nthaŵi 19!

Nthaŵi zitatu tatsikira kumunsi ku mtandadza wa zisumbu za Aletuian wa utali wa makilomita 1,600, zimene zimasiyanitsa Nyanja ya Pacific ndi Nyanja ya Bering. Zisumbu zoposa 200 zopanda mitengo zimene zimapanga mtandadzawo sizili kwawo kwa anthu a fuko la Aleut okha komanso kwa zikwizikwi za mbalame za m’nyanja, ziwombankhanga, ndi atsekwe, okhala ndi mitu yoyera monga chipale ndi nthenga zakuda ndi zoyera.

Komabe, kukongola kokopa kwa chigawochi kuli ndi ngozi zake. Pamene tinali kuuluka kudutsa nyanjayo, tinaona zibulumwa zoyera za madzi oundana za ukulu wa mamita atatu mpaka asanu pa madzi athovu ozizira kwambiriwo, ozizira kwambiri kwakuti ngakhale m’chilimwe munthu akhoza kukhalamo ndi moyo kwa mphindi 10 mpaka 15 zokha. Atakakamizidwa kutera, woulutsa ndegeyo angakhale ndi zosankha ziŵiri zokha, kaya kutera pa chisumbu chokhala ndi miyala, kapena pa nyanja yozizira yakupha. Tili oyamikira chotani nanga kwa abale athu aluso, okhala ndi masetifiketi a umakanika wa ndege a A & E (Aircraft and Engines), amene anadzipereka kukonza ndegeyo kukhala mumkhalidwe wabwino!

Pa umodzi wa maulendowo, tinali kupita ku Dutch Harbor ndi mudzi wa asodzi wa Unalaska. Chigawocho chimadziŵika chifukwa cha mphepo yake ya mkuntho ya liwiro la makilomita 130 mpaka 190 pa ola. Mosangalatsa, tsikulo kunali bata lokulirapo komabe kunali mphepo yamphamvu yokhoza kutichititsa nseru nthaŵi zingapo. Zinali zodabwitsa chotani nanga pamene tinaona bwalo la ndege​—linali bwalo laling’ono la m’mphepete mwa phiri lathanthwe! Kumbali ina ya bwalolo kunali therezi la thanthwe, kumbali inayo, kunali madzi oundana a Nyanja ya Bering! Pamene tinatera, pabwalopo panali ponyowa. Kunoko mvula imagwa kwa masiku oposa 200 pa chaka.

Kunali kokondweretsa chotani nanga kukambitsirana Mawu a Mulungu ndi chifuno chake ndi anthu a m’deralo! Nkhalamba zingapo zinasonyeza chiyamikiro kaamba ka chiyembekezo cha dziko lopanda nkhondo. Iwo anali kukumbukirabe bwino lomwe kuphulitsidwa ndi mabomba kwa Dutch Harbor kochitidwa ndi Japan mkati mwa Nkhondo Yadziko ya II. Zikumbukiro zathu za maulendo olalikira amenewo zilinso zosaiŵalika.

Kusintha kwa Mkhalidwe

Pamene tipendanso kunja, tiona kuti kukutentha pang’onopang’ono. Zimenezo zimandichititsa kulingalira za ulaliki wathu wa kumidzi yokhala ndi anthu ochepa. Mwapang’onopang’ono koma mokhazikika taona kusintha kwa mkhalidwe wa mitima ya anthuwo.

Kwatenga nthaŵi kuchotsa chophimba cha kukayikira ndi kupanda chidaliro chimene anthuwo anali nacho kulinga kwa alendo. M’zoyesayesa zathu zoyambirira, sikunali kwachilendo kwa atsogoleri atchalitchi a pamudzipo kufika ku ndegeyo, kufunsa cholinga cha ulendo wathu, ndipo kenako kutiuza kuchoka panthaŵi yomweyo. Ndithudi, kulandiridwa koteroko kunali kokhumudwitsa. Koma tinakumbukira uphungu wa Yesu wopezeka pa Mateyu 10:16 wakuti: “Khalani ochenjera monga njoka, ndi owona mtima monga nkhunda.” Chotero tinabwerera ndi ndegeyo ili yodzaza ndi ndiwo zamasamba monga ngati letesi, matimati, cantaloupes, ndi zinthu zina zimene sizimapezekapezeka kumaloko. Nzika zomwe kale zinali zaudani tsopano zinakondwera kuona katundu wathu.

Pamene mbale mmodzi anali kugulitsa pa “sitoloyo,” namalandira zopereka za zinthu zatsopanozo, ena angapo anapita kukhomo ndi khomo, kukadziŵitsa eninyumba za kufika kwa katundu watsopanoyo. Pamakomopo anafunsanso kuti: “Kodi paja mumaŵerenga Baibulo? Ndidziŵa kuti mudzakonda chothandizira kuphunzira Baibulo ichi chimene chimasonyeza kuti Mulungu watilonjeza paradaiso.” Kodi ndani akanakana chopereka chabwino choterocho? Aliyense anayamikira chakudya chakuthupi ndi chauzimu chomwe. Tinalandiridwa ndi manja aŵiri, mabuku ambiri anagaŵiridwa, ndipo mitima ingapo inasinthidwa.

Kudutsa Malire

Ku Yukon Territory, mpingo wa Whitehorse unatipatsa chiitano cha ku “Makedoniya” kuti ‘tipite’ ku Canada kukachezera madera ena akutali a Northwest Territories. (Machitidwe 16:9) Asanu a ife tinali mu ndege pamene tinali kupita ku Tuktoyaktuk, mudzi wapafupi ndi Mackenzie Bay pa nyanja ya Beaufort, kumpoto kwa Arctic Circle.

‘Kodi mumatchula bwanji dzina lachilendoli?’ tinali kudabwa motero pamene tinafika.

“Tuk,” anayankha motero mnyamata wina akumwetulira.

“Nchifukwa ninji sitinalingalire za zimenezo?” tinadabwa motero.

Tinadabwa kupeza kuti anthu a ku Tuktoyaktuk anali kudziŵa bwino lomwe Malemba. Chifukwa chake, tinakambitsirana mwaubwenzi ndi anthu ambiri, ndipo mabuku ambiri anagaŵiridwa. Mmodzi wa apainiya athu achichepere anali ndi kukambitsirana kosangalatsa ndi mwininyumba.

“Ndine wa Anglican!” anatero mwininyumbayo.

“Kodi mukudziŵa kuti tchalitchi cha Anglican chimavomereza kugonana kwa ofanana ziŵalo?” mpainiya wathuyo anafunsa choncho.

“Kodi chimavomereza?” munthuyo anazengereza motero. “Pamenepo ndalekeratu kukhala wa Anglican.” Mwinamwake mtima wa munthu winayo unali kutsegukira mbiri yabwino ya Baibulo.​—Aefeso 1:18.

Nkhalamba ina inachita chidwi ndi kutsimikiza mtima kwathu kufuna kufikira nyumba iliyonse m’deralo. Nthaŵi zambiri tinachita ntchito yathu mwa kuyenda pansi. Kaŵirikaŵiri tinali kuyenda mtunda wa kilomita imodzi kapena kuposapo kuchokera pa bwalo la ndege kupita ku mudziwo. Ndiyeno, kuti tifikire nyumba iliyonse, tinayenera kuyenda movutikira pamsewu wafumbi kapena tinjira tamatope. Mwamunayo anatibwereka lole yake, ndipo linali dalitso lotani nanga! Kuwoloka malire ndi kukathandiza m’gawo la Canada kunali mwaŵi wabwino.

Kodi Pali Zotulukapo Zokhutiritsa?

Pamene kunja kusanache bwino ndipo tisoŵa chochita kapena kuchedwetsedwa, monga momwe zachitikiramu, kapena pamene tsiku lalitali la kulalikira lionekera kukhala losaphula kanthu kapena ngati takumana ndi chidani, pamenepo timayamba kukayikira ngati nthaŵi yonse, nyonga, ndi ndalama zilidi zoyenerera. Tingalingalire za anthu amene amaonekera kusonyeza chikondwerero ndi kulonjeza kuti adzapitiriza kuphunzira mwa kulemba makalata koma amalephera kuchita choncho. Ndiyeno timakumbukira kuti kulemba makalata sikuli chizoloŵezi cha anthu ambiri a kumeneko, ndipo ubwenzi ungaonedwe molakwa kukhala chikondwerero mu uthenga wa Baibulo. Nthaŵi zina kumaonekera kukhala kovuta kwambiri kupenda chipambano.

Malingaliro oipa ameneŵa amatha mwamsanga pamene tikumbukira zokumana nazo zabwino za ofalitsa Ufumu ena. Mwachitsanzo, Mboni ya ku Fairbanks inalalikira m’mudzi wa Barrow kumpoto kwenikweni. Kumeneko anakumana ndi wachichepere amene anali patchuthi wochokera ku koleji ku California. Mlongoyo anapitiriza kusonkhezera chikondwererocho mwa kulemba makalata ndi kupitiriza kulimbikitsa mtsikanayo ngakhale pambuyo pakubwerera ku koleji. Lerolino, mtsikanayo ali mtumiki wachimwemwe, wobatizidwa wa Yehova.

Kugogoda kwa pakhomo kusokoneza malingaliro anga ndipo kupereka umboni wina wakuti ntchitoyi ili ndi zotulukapo zokhutiritsa. Pakhomo paima Elmer, Mboni yokha yobatizidwa ya fuko la Inuit mu Nome.

“Ngati muti mupite kukalalikira, kodi ndingapite nanu?” akufunsa motero. Popeza amakhala kwayekha ndipo ali pa mtunda wa makilomita oposa 800 kupita ku mpingo wapafupi, iye akufuna kukhala ndi phande muutumiki ndi abale ake pamene ali ndi mwaŵi.

Cheza cha dzuŵa chikuyamba kutulukira m’mitambo, ndipo tidziŵa kuti posachedwapa tidzalandira chilolezo chakunyamuka. Pamene Elmer akukwera m’ndegemo, tikusangalala kuona nkhope yake yachimwemwe. Limeneli ndi tsiku lapadera kwa Elmer. Akupita nafe kumudzi komwe tikupita kukalalikira kwa anthu a fuko lake la Inuit, kugwirizana nafe m’kuchotsa chophimba m’mitima ya anthu okhala kumalire omalizira a dziko.​—Yoperekedwa.

[Mapu patsamba 23]

(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)

3. Gambell

2. Savoonga

3. Nome

4. Kotzebue

5. Barrow

6. Tuktoyaktuk

7. Fairbanks

8. Anchorage

9. Unalaska

10. Dutch Harbor

[Chithunzi patsamba 24]

Kuti tifike kumidzi yakutali, kaŵirikaŵiri nkofunikira kudutsa umodzi wa mitandadza ya mapiri ambiri ya Alaska

[Chithunzi patsamba 25]

Betty Haws, Shophie Mezak, ndi Carrie Teeples ali ndi chionkhetso cha zaka 30 muutumiki wanthaŵi yonse