Kuyamikira Choloŵa Cholimba Chachikristu

YOSIMBIDWA NDI GWEN GOOCH

Kusukulu ndinali kuimba nyimbo ya mawu akuti, ‘Yehova Wamkulukulu wokhala pampando wake waulemerero.’ Ndinkakonda kudzifunsa kuti, ‘Kodi Yehova ameneyu ndani?’

AGOGO anga anali anthu oopa Mulungu. Kuchiyambi kwa zaka za zana lino, iwo anayanjana ndi Ophunzira Baibulo, monga momwe Mboni za Yehova zinali kudziŵikira panthaŵiyo. Atate anali wazamalonda ndipo zinali kuwayendera bwino koma choyamba sanapatse ana awo atatufe choloŵa chachikristu chimene anapatsidwa.

Ndinazindikira kuti Yehova ndi dzina la Mulungu woona pamene Atate anapatsa ineyo, mbale wanga Douglas, ndi mlongo wanga Anne, timabuku totchedwa His Works (Ntchito Zake) ndi Who Is God? (Kodi Mulungu Ndani?). (Salmo 83:18) Ndinazizwa kotheratu! Koma kodi nchiyani chimene chinadzutsanso chidwi cha Atate?

Mu 1938, pamene anaona kuti mitundu inali yokonzekera kuthirana nkhondo, Atate anazindikira kuti munthu sangathe kuthetsa mavuto a padziko lapansi. Agogo wanga aakazi anapatsa Atatewo buku lotchedwa Adani, lofalitsidwa ndi Mboni za Yehova. Ataliŵerenga, iwo anazindikira kuti mdani weniweni wa mtundu wa anthu ndiye Satana Mdyerekezi ndipo anazindikiranso kuti Ufumu wa Mulungu wokha ndiwo ungabweretse mtendere padziko lapansi.a​—Danieli 2:44; 2 Akorinto 4:4.

Pamene nkhondo inayandikira, banja lathu linayamba kupezeka pamisonkhano pa Nyumba ya Ufumu ya Mboni za Yehova ku Wood Green, North London. M’June 1939 tinapita ku Alexandra Palace chapafupi nafe kukamvetsera nkhani yapoyera yakuti, “Government and Peace” (Boma ndi Mtendere), imene inakambidwa ndi Joseph F. Rutherford, pulezidenti wa Watch Tower Society wa panthaŵiyo. Nkhani ya Rutherford ku Madison Square Garden mu New York City inaulutsidwa pawailesi ku London ndi kumizinda ina ikuluikulu. Nkhaniyo tinali kuimva bwino lomwe kotero kuti pamene gulu lachiwawa la ku New York linayambitsa chisokonezo, ndinacheuka uku ndi uku pofuna kuona ngati zimenezo zinali kuchitikira m’nyumba imene tinasonkhanamoyo!

Changu cha Atate pa Choonadi cha Baibulo

Atate anali kulimbikitsa kuti banja lathu lonse lizichitira pamodzi phunziro la Baibulo Loŵeruka lililonse madzulo. Phunziro lathu linali kuchokera m’nkhani ya Baibulo yolembedwa mu Nsanja ya Olonda yokaphunziridwa tsiku lotsatira. Mpaka lero ndidakakumbukirabe bwinobwino nkhani ya Yoswa ndi kulandidwa kwa mzinda wa Ai zimene zinafotokozedwa mu Nsanja ya Olonda yachingelezi ya May 1, 1939, ndipo zimenezi zimasonyeza kuti maphunzirowa anali ndi chisonkhezero chachikulu. Ndinachita chidwi kwambiri ndi nkhani imeneyo kotero kuti ndinafufuza malifalensi ake onse m’Baibulo langa. Ndinaona kuti kufufuza kumeneko kunali kosangalatsa kwambiri​—ndipo kumandisangalatsabe.

Kugaŵana ndi ena zimene tinali kuphunzira kunakhomereza ziphunzitso za Baibulo mumtima mwanga. Tsiku lina Atate anandipatsa galamafoni ndi nkhani ya Baibulo yojambulidwa, kabuku kamene tinkagwiritsira ntchito paphunziro la Baibulo, ndi keyala ya mkazi wina wokalamba. Kenaka iwo anandipempha kuti ndikamfikire mkaziyu.

“Ndikanenanji, ndipo ndikachitanji?” Ndinafunsa motero.

“Zonse zili mmenemo,” anandiyankha motero Atate. “Uzikangoimbitsa lekodiyo, kuŵerenga mafunso, kumpempha mwini nyumbayo kuti aŵerenge mayankho ake, ndipo kenaka nkuŵerenga malemba.”

Ndinachita monga anandiuzira, ndipo ndinadziŵa kuchititsa phunziro la Baibulo mwa njira imeneyi. Choncho, ndinazindikira bwino Malemba chifukwa cha kuwagwiritsira ntchito mu utumiki wanga.

Mavuto a m’Zaka Zankhondo

Nkhondo Yadziko II inaulika mu 1939, ndipo chaka chotsatira ndinabatizidwa posonyeza kudzipatulira kwanga pofuna kutumikira Yehova. Ndinali ndi zaka 13 zokha zakubadwa. Ndipo ndinaganiza zokhala mpainiya, monga momwe atumiki a nthaŵi zonse amatchedwera. Ndinasiya sukulu mu 1941 ndipo pamsonkhano wa ku Leicester ndinagwirizana ndi Douglas pantchito yolalikira nthaŵi zonse.

Chaka chotsatira, Atate anaponyedwa m’ndende chifukwa chakuti anakana kuloŵa m’nkhondo chifukwa cha chikumbutima chawo. Anafe tinali kuthandiza amayi, kuwathandiza kusamalira banja lathu panthaŵi yosautsa imeneyo yankhondo. Kenaka, Atate atangomasulidwa kumene kundende, Douglas anaitanidwa kuti akamenye nawo nkhondo. Nyuzipepala ina ya kumeneko inali ndi mutu wakuti, “Chifukwa Chimene Mwana Anasankhira Zopita Kundende Monga Atate Wake.” Kenaka tinachitira umboni wosangalatsa, popeza kuti tinali ndi mwaŵi wofotokoza chifukwa chake Akristu oona sagwira nawo ntchito yakupha anthu anzawo.​—Yohane 13:35; 1 Yohane 3:10-12.

M’zaka zimenezo zankhondo, Mboni zambiri za mu utumiki wa nthaŵi zonse zinali kubwera kaŵirikaŵiri kunyumba kwathu, ndipo nkhani zawo zolimbikitsa zochokera m’Baibulo zinatichititsa chidwi. Ena mwa abale achikristu okhulupirika ameneŵa anali John Barr ndi Albert Schroeder, amene tsopano ali m’Bungwe Lolamulira la Mboni za Yehova. Makolo anga analidi anthu ochereza alendo, ndipo anatiphunzitsa kuti tikhalenso otero.​—Ahebri 13:2.

Wokonzeka Kupereka Yankho

Nditangoyamba upainiya, ndinakumana ndi Hilda mu utumiki wakunyumba ndi nyumba. Iye anafotokoza mokalipa kuti: “Mwamuna wanga akumenya nkhondo kaamba ka ubwino wanu! Nchifukwa ninji simukuthandizana nawo kumenya nkhondo?”

“Kodi mukudziŵa zimene ndikuchita?” Ndinafunsa motero. “Kodi mukudziŵa chifukwa chimene ndafikira kwa inu?”

“Chabwino,” anayankha motero, “loŵani kuti mundifotokozere.”

Ndinafotokoza kuti tinali kupereka chiyembekezo choona kwa anthu amene anali kuvutika chifukwa cha zinthu zoipa zimene zinali kuchitika​—nthaŵi zambiri m’dzina la Mulungu. Hilda anamvetsera, ndipo anakhala wophunzira Baibulo wanga woyamba wokhazikika. Iye tsopano wakhala Mboni yokangalika kwa zaka zoposa 55.

Kumapeto kwa nkhondoyo, ndinalandira ntchito yatsopano yaupainiya ku Dorchester, tauni ya kummwera chakumadzulo kwa England. Imeneyi inali nthaŵi yanga yoyamba kukhala kudera lotalikirana ndi kwathu. Mpingo wathu waung’ono unali kusonkhanira m’lesitilanti, nyumba ya m’zaka za zana la 16 yotchedwa “The Old Tea House.” Tinali kuikanso matebulo ndi mipando mwadongosolo pamsonkhano uliwonse. Anali malo osiyana kwambiri ndi Nyumba ya Ufumu imene ndinali nditaizoloŵera. Komabe, panali chakudya chauzimu chimodzimodzicho ndi mayanjano achikondi a abale ndi alongo achikristu.

Panthaŵiyi makolo anga anasamukira ku Tunbridge Wells, kummwera kwa London. Ndinabwerera kumudzi pofuna kuti Atate, Anne, ndi ineyo tikachitire limodzi upainiya. Posakhalitsa mpingo wathu unakula kuchoka pa Mboni 12 kufika pa 70, kotero kuti banja lathu linapemphedwa kusamukira ku Brighton kugombe lakummwera, kumene kunali kusoŵa kwakukulu kwa olalika Ufumu. Ambiri anagwirizana ndi banja lathu laupainiya pantchito yolalikira mokangalika, ndipo Yehova anadalitsa kwambiri ntchito yathu. Mpingo umodziwo posakhalitsa unasanduka mipingo itatu!

Chiitano Chosayembekezereka

M’chilimwe cha mu 1950, banja lathu linali limodzi mwa nthumwi 850 zochokera ku Britain zimene zinakachita nawo Msonkhano Wamitundu Yonse wa Theocracy’s Increase (Kuwonjezeka kwa Teokrase) mu Yankee Stadium ku New York City. Apainiya ambiri amene anafika pamsonkhano umenewo kuchokera kumaiko akunja anawatumizira zikalata zofunsira kuti akaphunzire nawo m’Sukulu ya Baibulo ya Gileadi ya Watchtower, imene inali pafupi ndi South Lansing, New York. Ineyo, Douglas, ndi Anne tinali pakati pawo! Ndimakumbukira kuti nthaŵi imene ndinali kuika chikalata chofunsira sukuluyo m’bokosi la makalata ndinalingalira kuti, ‘Tsopano ndadziperekadi! Kodi moyo wanga udzakumana nzotani?’ Komabe ndinatsimikiza mtima kunena kuti: “Ndine pano; munditumize ine.” (Yesaya 6:8) Ndinasangalala kwambiri pamene ndinalandira chidziŵitso chakuti ndikhalire pambuyo pa msonkhanowo kuti ndikaloŵe nawo m’kalasi la 16 la Gileadi, pamodzi ndi Douglas ndi Anne. Tonsefe tinadziŵa bwino kuti atha kutitumiza kwina kulikonse padziko lapansi monga amishonale.

Titachitira pamodzi msonkhanowo monga banja, inali nthaŵi yakuti makolo athu abwerere ku England​—okhaokha. Ana tonse atatufe tinakweza manja athu potsazikana nawo atakwera sitima ya pamadzi yotchedwa Mauritania paulendo wakumudzi. Kunali kulekana kokhudza mtima chotani nanga!

Ntchito Zaumishonale

Kalasi la 16 la Gileadi linali ndi ophunzira 120 ochokera kumbali zosiyanasiyana za dziko lapansi, kuphatikizapo ena amene anazunzika m’misasa yachibalo ya Nazi. Popeza kuti kalasi lathu linaphunzitsidwa Chispanya, tinaganiza kuti tidzatumizidwa kudziko lina lolankhula Chispanya ku South America. Tangolingalirani mmene tinazizwira patsiku lomaliza maphunzirowo pamene ananena kuti Douglas adzatumizidwa ku Japan ndipo ineyo ndi Anne ku Syria. Choncho, atsikanafe tinayenera kuphunzira Chiarabiki, ndipo zimenezi zinali zofunikirabe ngakhale pamene anatisintha kuti tikagwire ntchitoyo ku Lebanon. Pamene tinali kuyembekezera zikalata zathu zokaloŵera m’dzikolo, tinali kuphunzira Chiarabiki kaŵiri pamlungu ndipo anali kutiphunzitsa ndi George Shakashiri, wokonza zilembo zamakina osindikizira Nsanja ya Olonda ya Chiarabiki wa Watch Tower Society.

Zinali zosangalatsa chotani nanga kupita ku dziko lotchulidwa m’Baibulo limene tinaphunzira m’kalasi! Keith ndi Joyce Chew, Edna Stackhouse, Olive Turner, Doreen Warburton, ndi Doris Wood anatsagana nafe kumeneko. Tinapanga banja la amishonale lachimwemwe chotani nanga! Mboni ina yakomweko inali kudzachezera banja lathu la amishonale kudzatiphunzitsa zowonjezereka za m’chinenerocho. Tsiku lililonse pophunzira, tinali kuyeseza umboni wachidule, ndipo tikatero tinali kukagwiritsira ntchito umboni umenewo pantchito yathu yolalikira.

Tinathera zaka zathu zoyambirira ku Tripoli, kumene kunali mpingo wokhazikika. Ineyo, Joyce, Edna, Olive, Doreen, Doris, ndi Anne tinathandiza akazi ndi ana aakazi a Mboni zakumeneko kutengamo mbali pamisonkhano ndiponso mu utumiki wakumunda. Mpaka panthaŵiyo, abale ndi alongo athu achikristu sanali kukhalira pamodzi pamisonkhano potsatira mwambo wakumeneko, ndipo alongo ameneŵa achikristu sanali kuchita nawo kwenikweni utumiki wakunyumba ndi nyumba. Anafunikira kuti azitithandiza kulankhula bwino chinenerocho polalikira m’munda, ndipo tinawalimbikitsa kuti iwonso azichita ntchito imeneyi.

Kenaka Anne ndi ine tinapemphedwa kuti tikathandize gulu laling’ono la Mboni mumzinda wakale wa Sidon. Pasanapite nthaŵi yaitali, tinapemphedwa kuti tipitenso ku likulu lake, Beirut. Mbewu za choonadi cha Baibulo zinafesedwa kumeneko pakati pa anthu olankhula Chiameniya, choncho tinaphunzira chinenerocho kuti tiwathandize.

Kusintha Ntchito

Ndinakumana ndi Wilfred Gooch ndisanachoke ku England. Iye anali mbale wokangalika komanso wachifundo amene anali kutumikira pa Beteli ya ku London. Wilf anali mmodzi mwa ophunzira a m’kalasi la 15 la Gileadi, limene linamaliza maphunziro panthaŵi ya msonkhano wa mu 1950 wa ku Yankee Stadium. Iye anatumizidwa kukagwira ntchito yake yaumishonale ku ofesi yanthambi ya Watch Tower Society ku Nigeria, ndipo tinali kulemberana makalata kwa kanthaŵi ndithu. Mu 1955 tinakachitira limodzi msonkhano wa “Triumphant Kingdom” (Ufumu Wachipambano) ku London, ndipo kenaka tinatomerana. Chaka chotsatira, tinakwatirana ku Ghana, ndipo ndinagwirizana ndi Wilf pantchito yake yaumishonale ku Lagos, Nigeria.

Nditamsiya ku Lebanon, Anne anakwatiwa ndi mbale wachikristu wabwino kwambiri amene anaphunzirira choonadi cha Baibulo ku Jerusalem. Makolo anga analephera kudzaonerera maukwati athu, popeza kuti ineyo, Douglas, ndi Anne tinapeza anzathu a muukwati m’maiko osiyanasiyana akutali. Komabe, iwo anali osangalala pamene anamva kuti tonsefe tinali kutumikira Mulungu wathu, Yehova, mosangalala.

Ntchito ya ku Nigeria

Paofesi yanthambi ku Lagos, ndinapatsidwa ntchito yoyeretsa zipinda za anthu asanu ndi atatu a m’banja lathu la panthambi ndipo ndinali kuphikanso chakudya chawo ndi kuchapa zovala zawo. Ndinaona kuti ndinapata mwamuna pamodzi ndi banja lokhalapo mosayembekezereka!

Wilf ndi ine tinaphunzira kuchita umboni wa m’Baibulo mwachidule m’chinenero cha Chiyoruba, ndipo khama lathu linatipindulitsa. Wophunzira wina wachinyamata amene tinakumana naye panthaŵiyo tsopano ali ndi mwana wamwamuna ndi wamkazi amene akutumikira m’banja lalikulu la Beteli la ku Nigeria lokhala ndi anthu pafupifupi 400.

Mu 1963, Wilf analandira kalata yomuuza kuti akachite nawo maphunziro apadera a miyezi 10 ku Brooklyn, New York. Atamaliza maphunzirowo, iye anatumizidwanso ku England mosayembekezereka. Ndinatsalira ku Nigeria ndipo anangondipatsa masiku 14 okonzekera kukakumananso ndi Wilf ku London. Ndinanyamuka ndi malingaliro osakhazikika, popeza kuti ntchito ya ku Nigeria inali yosangalatsa. Titatumikira zaka 14 kumaiko akunja, panapita nthaŵi yaitali kuti tizoloŵerenso moyo wa ku England. Komabe, tinayamikira chifukwa chakuti tinakhalanso pafupi ndi makolo athu okalamba ndipo tinali kuwathandiza.

Kuchirikizidwa ndi Chiyembekezo Chathu

Kuyambira mu 1980, ndinali ndi mwaŵi wotsagana ndi Wilf pamene anali kupita kumaiko ambiri monga woyendera nthambi. Ndinali kuyembekezera kwambiri kuti tidzapitenso ku Nigeria. Pambuyo pake tinapitanso ku Scandinavia, ku West Indies, ndi ku Middle East​—kuphatikizapo ku Lebanon. Chinali chinthu chapadera kwambiri kukumbukiranso ndi kuona anthu amene ndinawadziŵa akali achinyamata ochepa msinkhu amene tsopano anali kutumikira monga akulu achikristu.

Mwachisoni, mwamuna wanga wokondedwa anamwalira m’ngululu ya mu 1992. Anali ndi zaka 69 zokha zakubadwa. Chinali chinthu chopweteka maganizo kwambiri makamaka chifukwa chakuti zinachitika mwadzidzidzi. Pokhala nditakwatiwa kwa zaka 35, zinanditengera nthaŵi kuti ndizoloŵere. Koma ndalandira thandizo lochuluka ndiponso chikondi kwa banja langa lachikristu lapadziko lonse. Ndakhala ndi zokumana nazo zambiri zosangalatsa zimene ndimazikumbukira.

Makolo anga onse anapereka chitsanzo chabwino kwambiri cha kukhulupirika kwachikristu. Amayi anamwalira mu 1981 ndipo Abambo anamwalira mu 1986. Douglas ndi Anne akupitirizabe kutumikira Yehova mokhulupirika. Douglas ndi mkazi wake Kam, anabwerera ku London, kumene anakakhazikika atasamalira Atate. Anne ndi banja lake ali ku United States. Tonsefe timayamikira kwambiri chifukwa cha chiyembekezo ndi choloŵa chathu chopatsidwa ndi Mulungu. Tikupitirizabe “kusonyeza mzimu woyembekeza,” kuyembekezera nthaŵi imene amoyo, pamodzi ndi okondedwa awo oukitsidwa, adzatumikira pamodzi kwamuyaya monga anthu a m’banja la Yehova la padziko lapansi.​—Maliro 3:24.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Zithunzi patsamba 23]

Kuzungulira kuyambira kulamanzere pamwamba:

Gwen pamsinkhu wazaka 13 akuchitira chitsanzo phunziro la Baibulo pa Nyumba ya Ufumu ku Enfield

Banja la amishonale ku Tripoli, Lebanon, 1951

Gwen ndi mwamuna wake malemu Wilf