“M’Malo Mwa Golidi, Ndinapeza Madiamondi”

YOSIMBIDWA NDI MICHALIS KAMINARIS

Nditatha zaka zisanu ku South Africa kumene ndinakafunafuna golidi, ndinali kubwerera kwathu ndi kanthu kena koposa golidi. Lekani ndikusimbireni za chuma chimene tsopano ndinakhala nacho ndi chimene ndinakhumba kuchigaŵira ena.

NDINABADWA mu 1904 pachisumbu cha Greece chotchedwa Cephalonia m’Nyanja ya Ionia. Posakhalitsa, makolo anga onse aŵiri anamwalira, choncho ndinakula ndili mwana wamasiye. Ndinalakalaka kupeza chithandizo, ndipo kaŵirikaŵiri ndinapemphera kwa Mulungu. Ngakhale kuti nthaŵi zonse ndinapita ku Tchalitchi cha Greek Orthodox, ndinali mumdima weniweni ponena za Baibulo. Sindinapeze chitonthozo chilichonse.

Mu 1929, ndinaganiza zochoka m’dziko kuti ndikafunefune umoyo wabwinopo. Nditasiya chisumbu chathucho chosabala, ndinakwera chombo chopita ku South Africa, kudzera njira ya ku England. Nditatha masiku 17 panyanjapo, ndinafika ku Cape Town, mu South Africa, kumene nditangofika ndinalembedwa ntchito ndi munthu wina wakwathu. Komabe, sindinapeze chitonthozo m’chuma chakuthupi.

Kanthu Kena Kamtengo Wopambana

Ndinali m’South Africa pafupifupi zaka ziŵiri pamene mmodzi wa Mboni za Yehova anafika kuntchito kwanga nandigaŵira mabuku ofotokoza Baibulo a m’Chigiriki. Anaphatikizapo kabuku kakuti Where Are the Dead? (Kodi Akufa Ali Kuti?) ndi kakuti Oppression, When Will It End? (Chitsenderezo, Kodi Chidzatha Liti?) Ndikukumbukira bwino lomwe chidwi chomwe ndinali nacho powaŵerenga, moti ndinatha kuloŵeza pamtima malemba onse ogwidwa mawu. Tsiku lina ndinati kwa mnzanga wina: “Ndapeza chomwe ndakhala ndikufunafuna pazaka zonsezi. Ndinabwera kuno ku Afirika kudzafuna golidi, koma m’malo mwa golidi, ndapeza madiamondi.”

Ndinasangalala kwambiri pamene ndinaphunzira kuti Mulungu ali ndi dzina lakelake, Yehova, kuti Ufumu wake unakhazikitsidwa kale kumwamba, ndi kuti tikukhala m’masiku otsiriza a dongosolo ili la zinthu. (Salmo 83:18; Danieli 2:44; Mateyu 6:9, 10; 24:3-12; 2 Timoteo 3:1-5; Chivumbulutso 12:7-12) Ndinakondwa kwabasi kuphunzira kuti Ufumu wa Yehova udzabweretsa madalitso osatha ku mafuko onse a mtundu wa munthu! Mfundo ina yomwe inandikondweretsa kwambiri inali yakuti choonadi chamtengo wapatali chimenechi chinali kulalikidwa padziko lonse.​—Yesaya 9:6, 7; 11:6-9; Mateyu 24:14; Chivumbulutso 21:3, 4.

Posapita nthaŵi ndinapeza keyala ya ofesi ya nthambi ya Watch Tower Society mu Cape Town ndipo ndinagula mabuku ambiri onena za Baibulo. Ndinakondwa kwenikweni kukhala ndi Baibulo langalanga. Zomwe ndinaŵerenga zinandisonkhezera kufuna kuchitira umboni. Ndinayamba mwa kutumiza zofalitsa zonena za Baibulo kwa achibale anga, mabwenzi, ndi ena omwe ndinkadziŵa kwathu ku tauni ya Lixoúrion. Mwa maphunziro anga m’kupita kwa nthaŵi ndinazindikira kuti munthu wofuna kukondweretsa Yehova ayenera kupatulira moyo wake kwa iye. Basi mwamsanga ndinatero mwa pemphero.

Tsiku lina, ndinapita kumsonkhano wa Mboni za Yehova, koma posadziŵa Chingelezi, sindinamve kalikonse. Nditamva kuti ku Port Elizabeth kunali kukhala Agiriki ambiri, ndinasamukira konko, koma ndinalephera kupeza Mboni iliyonse yolankhula Chigiriki. Motero, ndinaganiza zobwerera ku Greece kuti ndikakhale mlaliki wanthaŵi zonse. Ndikukumbukira kulankhula ndekha kuti, ‘Ndibwerera ku Greece basi zivute zitani.’

Utumiki Wanthaŵi Zonse m’Greece

Ngululu ya mu 1934 inandipeza ndili m’chombo cha ku Italy chotchedwa Duilio. Ndinafika ku Marseilles, m’France, ndipo nditakhala masiku khumi kumeneko, ndinanyamuka kumka ku Greece m’chombo cha Patris. Tili panyanjapo, chombocho chinakhala ndi vuto, ndipo usiku chilengezo chinaperekedwa cha kutsitsa panyanja mabwato opulumutsa. Ndiyeno ndinakumbukira malingaliro anga akuti ndipita ku Greece zivute zitani. Komabe, potsirizira pake panafika bwato lokoka la ku Italy ndipo linatikoka mpaka ku Naples, m’Italy. Potsirizira pake tinafika ku Piraiévs (Piraeus), m’Greece.

Kuchoka kumeneko ndinapita ku Athens kumene ndinakafika ku ofesi ya nthambi ya Watch Tower Society. Pokambitsirana ndi Athanassios Karanassios, woyang’anira nthambi, ndinapempha ntchito ya kulalikira ya nthaŵi zonse. Mmaŵa mwake, ndinali paulendo wopita ku Peloponnisos, chigawo cha kummwera kwa Greece. Ndinapatsidwa chigawo chonsechi monga gawo langalanga!

Ndi chisangalalo chosefukira ndinayamba ntchito yolalikira, kupita ku tauni ndi tauni, mudzi ndi mudzi, famu ndi famu, ndi kunyumba ndi nyumba zotalikirana. Posapita nthaŵi Michael Triantafilopoulos anadzagwirizana nane, yemwe anandibatiza m’chilimwe cha mu 1935​—nditakhala kale mu utumiki wanthaŵi zonse koposa chaka chimodzi! Kunalibe zoyendera za onse, choncho timayenda pansi kulikonse. Vuto lathu lalikulu koposa linali chitsutso cha atsogoleri achipembedzo, omwe anachita chilichonse kuti atiletse. Chifukwa cha zimenezo, anthu ambiri sanatifune. Komabe, mosasamala kanthu za zopinga zimenezi, umboni unaperekedwa, ndipo dzina la Yehova linabukitsidwa konsekonse.

Kupirira Chitsutso

Tsiku lina mmaŵa, polalikira m’dera la m’mapiri la Arcadia, ndinafika pamudzi wa Magouliana. Nditachitira umboni kwa ola limodzi, ndinamva kulira kwa mabelu a tchalitchi ndipo mwamsanga ndinazindikira kuti anali kulizira ine! Gulu la anthu linasonkhana motsogoleredwa ndi archimandrite (mkulu wa tchalitchi wachiŵiri kwa bishopu) wa tchalitchi cha Greek Orthodox. Mwamsanga ndinatseka chola changa chaulaliki ndi kupemphera mwakachetechete kwa Yehova. Archimandrite ameneyo, ndi gulu la ana pambuyo pake, anangolunjika kwa ine. Anayamba kufuula, “Ndi yemweyu! Ndi yemweyu!”

Anawo anandizinga, ndipo mtsogoleri wa tchalitchiyo anafika pa ine nayamba kundikankha ndi mimba yake yaikulu, asakufuna kundigwira ndi manja akumati ‘ndingadetsedwe.’ Anakuwa kuti, “M’bwanyuleni! M’bwanyuleni!” Koma panthaŵi yomweyo wapolisi anatulukira natitengera ku polisi aŵirife. Mtsogoleri wachipembedzoyo anazengedwa mlandu wa kusonkhezera gulu la anthu ndipo analipira faindi ya 300 drachmas ndi zina zolipira khoti. Ine anandimasula.

Pamene tinafika m’dera latsopano, tinaika maziko a ntchito yathu m’tauni yaikulu, ndipo kuchokera mmenemo tinafola magawo onse okhala pamtunda wa ulendo wapansi wa maola anayi. Zimenezo zinatanthauza kuti tinanyamuka mbandakucha kudakali mdima ndi kubwerako usiku, ndipo nthaŵi zambiri timafola mudzi umodzi kapena iŵiri tsiku lililonse. Titafola midzi yapafupiyo, tinalalikira m’tauni yaikuluyo ndiyeno kuchoka kukapitirizanso kwina. Kaŵirikaŵiri anali kutigwira chifukwa atsogoleri achipembedzo anasonkhezera anthu kuti atiukire. M’chigawo cha Parnassus, chapakati pa Greece, apolisi anandilondalonda miyezi ingapo. Koma sanathe kundigwira.

Tsiku lina ine ndi Mbale Triantafilopoulos tinali kulalikira m’mudzi wa Mouríki, m’chigawo cha Boeotia. Tinagaŵa mudziwo m’zigawo ziŵiri, ndipo ine ndinayamba kulalikira chakumatherezi chifukwa ndinalipo wamng’ono. Mwadzidzidzi ndinamva mawu a kulira chakummunsi. Ndinathamangirako kumeneko, ndikulingalira kuti, ‘Mbale Triantafilopoulos akumenyedwa.’ Apamudzipo anali atasonkhana m’sitolo ya khofi, ndipo wansembe anali kulumphalumpha monga nkhunzi yaukali. “Anthuŵa amatitcha ‘mbewu ya Njoka,’” anali kufuula motero.

Wansembeyo anali atathyolera kale ndodo yoyendera m’mutu mwa Mbale Triantafilopoulos, ndipo mwazi unali kuchucha kumaso. Nditapukuta mwaziwo, tinakhoza kuchoka ndi kupita. Tinayenda kwa maola atatu mpaka tinafika ku tauni ya Thebes. Kumeneko, balalo analisamalira kukiliniki. Tinakanena chochitikacho kupolisi, ndipo nkhaniyo inapita kukhoti. Komabe, wansembeyo anali ndi omvana naye ndipo potsirizira pake anamasulidwa.

Pamene tinali kulalikira m’tauni ya Leukas, atsatiri a wina wa atsogoleri andale wa kuderalo “anatigwira” natitengera ku sitolo la khofi, kumene anatizenga mlandu m’khoti la anthu wamba. Mtsogoleri wandaleyo ndi anthu ake anali kulandizana kumatizungulira akumalankhula​—kutizazira mopitirizabe​—ndi kutiopseza ndi nkhonya. Onse anali oledzera. Anapitirizabe kutilalatira kuyambira masana mpaka madzulo, koma tinangokhala bata ndi kumwetulira kusonyeza kupanda kwathu mlandu ndipo mwakachetechete tinali kupempherera chithandizo cha Yehova Mulungu.

Kutada apolisi aŵiri anadzatilanditsa. Anatitengera kupolisi ndi kutisamala bwino. Kuti alungamitse zochita zake, mtsogoleri wandaleyo anabwera mmaŵa mwake ndi kudzatineneza za kufalitsa mabodza onena za Mfumu ya Greece. Motero anauza amuna aŵiri kuti atiperekeze ku tauni ya Lamia kukafunsidwanso. Anatisunga m’lumande masiku asanu ndi aŵiri ndiyeno tili muunyolo anapita nafe kutauni ya Larissa kukatizenga mlandu.

Abale athu achikristu m’Larissa, omwe anali atadziŵitsidwa pasadakhale, anayembekezera kufika kwathu. Chikondi chachikulu chomwe anasonyeza kwa ife chinali umboni wabwino kwa apolisiwo. Loya wathu, mmodzi wa Mboni za Yehova yemwenso kale anali kazembe wankhondo, anali wodziŵika kwambiri m’tauniyo. Pamene anaonekera m’khoti ndi kutilankhulira pamlandu wathu, milandu yotinenezayo inavumbulidwa kukhala yonama, ndipo tinamasulidwa.

Kupita patsogolo kwa ntchito yonse ya kulalikira kwa Mboni za Yehova kunachititsa kukula kwa chitsutso. Malamulo anaperekedwa mu 1938 ndi 1939 oletsa kusintha chikhulupiriro cha ena, ndipo ine ndi Michael tinapezeka m’milandu yakukhoti yambirimbiri pankhani imeneyi. Pambuyo pake, ofesi ya nthambi inatilangiza kugwira ntchito wayekhawayekha kuti ntchito yathu isaonekere kwambiri. Zinandivuta kugwira ntchito popanda mnzanga. Komabe, podalira Yehova, ndipo mwa kuyenda pansi, ndinafola zigawo za Attica, Boeotia, Phthiotis, Euboea, Aetolia, Acarnania, Eurytania, ndi chigawo cha Peloponnisos.

Chimene chinandithandiza kwambiri panthaŵi imeneyi anali mawu okongola a wamasalmo a kukhulupirira Yehova: “Mwa Inu ndipyola khamu la anthu; ndipo mwa Mulungu wanga ndilumphira linga. Mulungu ndiye wondizingiza mphamvu m’chuuno, nakonza njira yanga ikhale yangwiro. Alinganiza mapazi anga ngati a nswala: nandiimitsa pamsanje panga.”​—Salmo 18:29, 32, 33.

Mu 1940, Italy anayamba kumenyana ndi Greece, ndipo posapita nthaŵi asilikali a German analoŵa m’dzikolo. Asilikaliwo anaika lamulo lawo, ndipo mabuku a Watch Tower Society analetsedwa. Zimenezo zinali nthaŵi zovutadi kwa Mboni za Yehova m’Greece; komabe, zinawonjezeka kwambiri​—kuchokera pa Mboni 178 mu 1940 mpaka 1,770 pofika kumapeto kwa Nkhondo Yadziko II mu 1945!

Kutumikira pa Beteli

Mu 1945, anandiitana kukatumikira pa ofesi ya nthambi ya Mboni za Yehova ku Athens. Beteli, kutanthauza “Nyumba ya Mulungu,” panthaŵiyo inali m’nyumba yalendi mu Lombardou Street. Maofesi anali pansi pa nyumba yansanjikayo, ndipo chipinda chosindikizira chinali kunsi. Chinali ndi makina aang’ono osindikizira ndi odulira. Antchito yosindikiza poyamba anali aŵiri basi, koma posapita nthaŵi ena anadzipereka kudzathandiza ntchito kuchokera kunyumba.

Mu 1945 tinayamba kukambitsirana ndi malikulu a Watch Tower Society ku Brooklyn, New York, ndipo chaka chimenecho tinayamba kusindikiza Nsanja ya Olonda nthaŵi zonse m’Greece. Ndiyeno, mu 1947, tinasamutsira nthambi yathu ku 16 Tenedou Street, koma ntchito yosindikiza inatsala ku Lombardou Street. Pambuyo pake ntchito yosindikiza inasamutsidwa ku Lombardou Street kumka ku fakitale ya Mboni ina pamtunda wa makilomita asanu. Motero, kwa nyengo yaitali ndithu tinali kuyenda uku ndi uku pakati pa malo atatu amenewo.

Ndikukumbukira kuti tinali kuchoka kunyumba zogona ku Tenedou Street mbandakucha kupita ku malo osindikizira. Titagwira ntchito kumeneko mpaka 1:00 p.m., ndinkapita ku Lombardou Street komwe mapepala omwe tinasindikiza ankapita. Kumeneko tinali kuwapinda mapepalawa kupanga magazini, kuwasoka, ndi kuwadulira ndi manja. Pambuyo pake tinapereka magazini akuthawa ku positi ofesi, kukwera nawo pansanjika yachiŵiri, kuthandiza antchito kuwasankha, ndi kuika masitampa pa maenvulopu otumiziramo.

Pofika mu 1954 chiŵerengero cha Mboni m’Greece chinakula kuposa pa 4,000 ndipo panafunikira kufutukula nthambi. Motero tinasamukira ku Beteli yatsopano yansanjika ziŵiri mu Athens mu Kartali Street. Mu 1958, anandipempha kuyang’anira khichini, ndipo limenelo linakhala thayo langa mpaka 1983. Komabe, mu 1959, ndinakwatira Eleftheria, yemwe wakhaladi wondithangata wokhulupirika mu utumiki wa Yehova.

Kupiriranso Chitsutso

Mu 1967 chipani cha asilikali chinalanda ulamuliro, ndipo ziletso zinaikidwanso pa ntchito yathu yolalikira. Komabe, chifukwa cha zokumana nazo zakale zolimbana ndi ziletso pantchito yathu, tinasintha mwamsanga ndi kupitiriza ntchito yathu mwakabisira.

Tinachita misonkhano yathu m’nyumba za abale ndipo tinachita mochenjera mu utumiki wa kunyumba ndi nyumba. Komabe, abale anthu anali kugwidwa nthaŵi ndi nthaŵi, ndipo milandu yakukhoti inali kuchuluka. Maloya athu nthaŵi zonse anali kuyenda uku ndi uku kukasamalira milandu yomwe inkachitika m’mbali zosiyanasiyana za dzikolo. Mosasamala kanthu za chitsutsocho, Mboni zochuluka zinalalikira nthaŵi zonse, makamaka kumapeto kwa mlungu.

Pa Loŵeruka lotero kapena Sande titamaliza ulaliki wa tsikulo, tinali kufufuza kuona ngati wina anasoŵeka m’magulu athu. Kaŵirikaŵiri ena akasoŵa anali kupolisi atawagwira. Motero tinawaperekera mabulangeti ndi chakudya ndi kuwalimbikitsa. Ndiponso, tinauza maloya athu, omwe anaonekera pa Lolemba kwa wowagwirayo kukalankhulira ogwidwawo. Tinali okondwa poyang’anizana ndi mkhalidwewu chifukwa tinali kuvutikira choonadi!

M’nthaŵi ya chiletso ntchito yathu yosindikiza pa Beteli inatsekedwa. Choncho nyumba imene ine ndi Eleftheria tinali kukhalamo kumilaga ya Athens inakhala monga yosindikizira. Eleftheria anataipa makope a Nsanja ya Olonda mwa kugwiritsira ntchito taipi yolemba kwambiri. Analongamo mapepala khumi panthaŵi imodzi m’taipi ndi kutaipa mwamphamvu kwambiri kuti zilembeke pamapepala onsewo. Ndiyeno ndinasonkhanitsa masambawo ndi kuwasoka pamodzi. Tinachita zimenezi madzulo alionse mpaka pakati pa usiku. Wapolisi anali kukhala pansi pa nsanjika yathu, ndipo tikudabwabe chimene sanatiganizire kalikonse.

Kusangalala ndi Chiwonjezeko Chopitirizabe

Demokrase inabwezeretsedwa mu Greece mu 1974, ndipo ntchito yathu yolalikira inachitidwanso poyera kwambiri. Komabe, pazaka zisanu ndi ziŵiri zachiletso pa ntchito yathu, tinasangalala ndi chiwonjezeko chodabwitsa cha Mboni zatsopano zoposa 6,000, kufika pa chiwonkhetso cha olengeza Ufumu oposa 17,000.

Tinayambanso ntchito yathu yosindikiza nthaŵi zonse panthambipo. Chotsatirapo nchakuti, malo a Beteli mu Kartali Street anachepa kwambiri. Choncho tinagula malo okwanira hekitala imodzi m’mlaga wa mu Athens. Beteli yatsopano inamangidwa imene inaphatikizapo zipinda zogona 27, fakitale, maofesi, ndi nyumba zina. Zimenezi zinapatuliridwa mu October 1979.

M’kupita kwa nthaŵi tinafunanso malo ena. Choncho tinagula malo a mahekitala 22 pamtunda wa makilomita 60 kumpoto kwa Athens. Malowo ali ku Eleona, kumbali kwa phiri koonekera mapiri ndi chigwa chobiriŵira bwino. Kumeneko, mu April 1991, tinapatulira nthambi yokulirapo imene inaphatikizapo nyumba 22, iliyonse yokhoza kugonamo anthu asanu ndi atatu.

Nditatha zaka zoposa 60 mu utumiki wanthaŵi zonse, ndidakali wodalitsidwa ndi thanzi labwino. Ndili wachimwemwe kuti ‘ndikupatsabe zipatso mu ukalamba.’ (Salmo 92:14) Ndikuyamikira kwambiri Yehova kuti ndakhala ndi moyo ndi kudzionera ndekha chiwonjezeko cha alambiri ake. Mneneri Yesaya ananeneratu za chiwonjezeko chimenechi: “Zipata zako zidzakhalabe zotseguka, sizidzatsekedwa usana pena usiku, kuti abwere nacho kwa iwe chuma cha amitundu, ndi mafumu awo otsogozedwa nawo pamodzi.”​—Yesaya 60:11.

Nkokoma chotani nanga kuona anthu mamiliyoni ochokera m’mitundu yonse akuloŵa m’gulu la Yehova ndi kuphunzitsidwa mmene angapulumukire chisautso chachikulu ndi kuloŵa m’dziko latsopano la Mulungu! (1 Petro 3:13) Ndikunenadi moona mtima kuti utumiki wanthaŵi zonse wakhaladi chuma chenicheni kwa ine kuposa kalikonse kamene dzikoli lingapereke. Inde, ndapeza chuma, osati chagolidi, koma madiamondi auzimu omwe alemeretsa moyo wanga kosayerekezereka.

[Zithunzi patsamba 23]

Michalis ndi Eleftheria Kaminaris

(Kulamanja) Nyumba yosindikizira mu Lombardou Street