Kuchokera ku Umphaŵi Wadzaoneni Kumka ku Chuma Chochuluka

YOSIMBIDWA NDI MANUEL DE JESUS ALMEIDA

Ndinabadwa mu October 1916, ndine wamng’ono pa ana 17. Abale ndi alongo anga asanu ndi anayi anamwalira chifukwa chodwala komanso chifukwa cha matenda ochititsidwa ndi kusoŵa chakudya choyenera m’thupi, choncho sindinawadziŵe iwo. Asanu ndi atatu otsalafe tinali kukhala ndi makolo athu m’mudzi wina waung’ono pafupi ndi Porto, m’Portugal.

NYUMBA yathu yosaukira, inali ndi chipinda chochezera chaching’ono komanso china chogona. Madzi akumwa tinali kuwatunga pachitsime pamtunda wa pafupifupi theka la kilomita imodzi, ndipo zipangizo zathu zophikira zinali zachikale.

Abale anga atasinkhukirapo, anayamba kugwira ntchito m’munda wa chimanga. Ndalama zomwe ankalandira zinathandizira kupeza chakudya cha banja lathu. Ndi thandizo lawo, ndinali mwana m’modzi yekha amene pang’ono chabe ndinalandirako maphunziro. Ngakhale kuti moyo wathu unali wovuta, tinakhalabe okhulupirika kwambiri m’Tchalitchi cha Katolika, tikumakhulupirira kuti mwanjira inayake chimenechi chidzathandiza miyoyo yathu.

M’mwezi wa May, m’tchalitchi mwathu munali kukhala chochitika china chimene chimatchedwa novena. Kwa masiku otsatizana asanu ndi anayi, timapita ku tchalitchi m’mawa kwambiri mdima ukalipo. Kumeneko tinali kupemphera, tikumakhulupirira kuti chimenechi chidzatibweretsera madalitso ochokera kwa Mulungu. Tinkaganizanso kuti wansembe anali munthu woyera, woimira Mulungu. Koma m’kupita kwa nthaŵi, kaonedwe kathu kanasintha.

Kufufuza Kanthu Kena Kabwino

Pamene tinali kulephera kupereka msonkho ku tchalitchi, wansembeyo sanasamale za ukulu wa mavuto a zachuma omwe tinali nawo. Chimenechi chinatifooketsa ife. Maganizo anga pa tchalitchicho anasintha kwambiri, choncho pamene ndinali ndi zaka 18, ndinaganiza zosiya banja lathu ndi kukaona ngati panalibe chinthu china chabwino m’moyo choposa ulimi ndi kukangana ndi mpingo. Choncho mu 1936, ndinafika ku Lisbon, likulu la dziko la Portugal.

Kumeneko ndinakumana ndi Edminia. Ngakhale ndinali n’taona chinyengo cha chipembedzo, tinangotsata mwambo ndi kumangitsa ukwati wathu mu Tchalitchi cha Katolika. Mu 1939, Nkhondo Yachiŵiri Yadziko Lonse inayamba. M’nthaŵi ya nkhondoyo, ndinali woyang’anira nyumba 18 zosungiramo katundu, ndipo tsiku limodzi lokha tinali kutumiza galimoto 125 zonyamula katundu wa zida zankhondo.

Zochitika zoopsa za nkhondoyo limodzi ndi kuloŵerera kwambiri m’nkhondo kwa Tchalitchi cha Katolika, zinandikhudza kwambiri. Ndinavutika maganizo kwambiri ndi kudzifunsa kuti, ‘Kodi Mulungu amasamaladi za mtundu wa anthu? Kodi tiyenera kum’lambira motani?’ Zaka zambiri pambuyo pake, mu 1954, mwamuna wina wachikulire wamakhalidwe abwino, m’modzi wa Mboni za Yehova, anandithandiza kuyankha mafunso omwe ndinali nawo. Makambirano ameneŵa anasintha moyo wanga wonse.

Ndinakondweretsedwa ndi Chiyembekezo cha m’Baibulo

Munthu wokoma mtima ameneyu, Joshua, anandifotokozera kuti Ufumu wa Mulungu ndiwo wokha umene udzathetsa mavuto m’dzikoli ndi kutinso mtendere ndi chisungiko zidzakhalapo kokha mu ulamuliro wa Ufumuwo. (Mateyu 6:9,10; 24:14) Zomwe ananena zinandikondweretsa, koma ndinagwa mphwayi kuti ndivomereze zomwe anakambazo chifukwa cha zimene ndinaziona m’chipembedzo changa choyamba. Pamene anandipempha kuphunzira naye Baibulo, ndinamuuza kuti ndivomera ngati likakhala laulere ndiponso ngati sazilankhula za ndale. Anavomereza, nanditsimikizira kuti phunzirolo linali laulere.​—Chivumbulutso 22:17.

Chikhulupiriro changa mwa Joshua chinakula mofulumira. Choncho, ndinam’pempha chinthu china chomwe ndinakhala ndikuchifuna kuyambira ubwana wanga. “Kodi kungatheke kuti ndikhale ndi Baibulo langalanga?” Nditalirandira, ndinali wosangalala kwambiri kuŵerenga kwa nthaŵi yoyamba Mawu a Mlengi a malonjezo monga lakuti: “Mulungu yekha adzakhala [ndi mtundu wa anthu]. . . Ndipo adzawapukutira misozi yonse kuichotsa pamaso pawo; ndipo sipadzakhalanso imfa; ndipo sipadzakhalanso maliro, kapena kulira, kapena chowawitsa; zoyambazo zapita”!​—Chivumbulutso 21: 3, 4.

Makamaka, malonjezo a Baibulo odzathetsa umphaŵi ndi matenda anali otonthoza kwa ine. Mwamuna wokhulupirikayo Elihu anati ponena za Mulungu: “Apatsa chakudya chochuluka.” (Yobu 36:31) Ndipo mu ulamuliro wolungama wa Ufumu wa Mulungu, Baibulo limati, “ndipo wokhalamo sadzanena, Ine ndidwala.” (Yesaya 33:24) N’koonekeratu kuti Yehova Mulungu akufunira mtundu wa anthu zabwino zokhazokha! Choncho chidwi changa m’malonjezo ake chinakula kwabasi!

Ndinasonkhana ndi Mboni za Yehova kwa nthaŵi yoyamba pa April 17, 1954. Unali msonkhano wapadera​—Chikumbutso cha imfa ya Kristu. Kuyambira nthaŵi imeneyo, sindinali kuphonya misonkhano. Mosakhalitsa ndinayamba kuuzako ena zinthu zabwino zomwe ndinali kuphunzira. Mu Portugal masiku amenewo, mwezi uliwonse tinkapita kupikiniki pafupi ndi gombe, kenako kumakhala ubatizo kumeneko. Patatha miyezi isanu ndi iŵiri kuchokera pamene Joshua analankhula nane kwa nthaŵi yoyamba, ndinadzipatulira kwa Yehova Mulungu ndipo ndinasonyeza chimenecho mwa ubatizo wa m’madzi m’nyanja yamchere.

Kumayambiriro a chaka cha 1954 munali Mboni pafupifupi zana limodzi zokha m’dziko lonselo la Portugal. Kaamba ka chimenecho, panali kusoŵa kwakukulu kwa amuna oti atsogolere m’ntchito yolalikira. Ndinapita patsogolo mwauzimu mofulumira kwambiri, ndipo mwamsanga ndinapatsidwa maudindo mu mpingo. M’chaka cha 1956, ndinaikidwa kukhala mtumiki wa mpingo, monga mmene woyang’anira wotsogoza anali kudziŵikira m’nthawiyo. Mmenemo munali mu mpingo wachiŵiri wa Mboni za Yehova mu Lisbon. Tsopano muli mipingo yoposa zana limodzi mu mzinda umenewu ndi m’milaga yozungulira mzindawu.

Kupindula ndi Kuchereza Alendo

Ngakhale kuti Ine ndi Edminia tinalibe chuma chochuluka, chitseko chathu chinali chotsekula nthaŵi zonse kwa abale athu a Chikristu. M’chaka cha 1955, mpainiya, monga mmene alaliki anthaŵi zonse a Mboni za Yehova amatchulidwira, anaima m’Portugal paulendo wake wochokera kwawo ku Brazil kupita ku msonkhano wa mitundu yonse wa “Ufumu Wolakika” ku Germany. Chifukwa cha vuto la kayendedwe, tinakhala naye m’nyumba yathu kwa mwezi umodzi, ndipo kutichezera kwake kunatipindulitsa kwambri mwauzimu!

Ena mwa alendo odzatichezera kunyumba kwathu panthaŵiyo anaphatikizapo ochokera ku likulu la banja la Mboni za Yehova ku Brooklyn, New York, monga Hugo Riemer ndi yemwe ankagona naye chipinda chimodzi Charles Eicher. Tinadya nawo limodzi chakudya chamasana, ndipo anapereka nkhani kwa abale a m’Portugal. Monga anapiye oswedwa chatsopano, oyasamula kukamwa, tinkayembekezera chakudya chauzimu choperekedwa ndi oterowo.

Oyang’anira oyendayenda a Mboni za Yehova, anadzakhalanso nafe m’nyumba yathu nthaŵi za kuchezera kwawo. Mlendo wosaiŵalika mu 1957 anali Álvaro Berecochea woyang’anira nthambi ya ku Morocco, yemwe anapatsidwa ntchito yoyendera ndi kulimbikitsa abale m’Portugal. Amasonkhana pa phunziro la buku la m’nyumba mwathu ndipo tinamuumiriza kuti akhalabe nafe kwa nthaŵi yonse imene adzakhala ali mu Portugal. Tinadalitsidwa kwambiri ndi kunenepa mwauzimu m’mwezi wonse umene anatichezera, komanso Álvaro ananenepa mwakuthupi ndi chakudya chophikidwa bwino ndi wokondedwa wanga Edminia.

Umphaŵi wadzaoneni, wonga uja ndinakumana nawo paubwana wanga, ungasiye chipsera chosaiŵalika m’maganizo a munthu. Chikhalirechobe, ndinazindikira kuti pamene tipereka kwa Yehova ndi kwa atumiki ake okhulupirika, timadalitsidwanso kwambiri. Ndinaona zimenezi mobwerezabwereza pamene tinkachereza onse kwa amene tinakhoza kutero.

Pa msokhano wa chigawo ku Porto m’chaka cha 1955, panaperekedwa chilengezo chakuti kudzakhala msonkhano wa mitundu yonse wa Mboni za Yehova umene unali kudzachitikira pa bwalo la maseŵero la Yankee mumzinda wa New York m’chaka cha 1958. Bokosi la chopereka chaufulu linaikidwa m’Nyumba zonse za Ufumu m’dzikomo​—zomwe pa nthaŵiyo zinali zochepa​—kuti ndalamazo zithandizire potumiza Nthumwi za m’Portugal ku msonkhanowo. Tangoganizirani chimwemwe chimene ine ndi mkazi wanga tinali nacho pamene anatisankha kukhala m’gulu la nthumwi zimenezo? Tinasangalala kwabasi kuona likulu la Mboni za Yehova la dziko lonse lapansi ku Brooklyn pokhala pamsonkhano mu United States!

Kupirira Chuzunzo

Mu 1962 ntchito yolalikira ya Mboni za Yehova, inaletsedwa m’dziko la Portugal, ndipo amishonale​—kuphatikizapo Eric Britten, Domenick Piccone, Eric Beveridge, ndi akazi awo anapitikitsidwa. Pambuyo pake, sanatilole kuchita misonkhano m’Nyumba za Ufumu, kotero kuti tinali kusonkhana mwakabisira m’nyumba zina; sikunalinso kotheka kuchita misonkhano ikuluikulu m’Portugal. Motero unali udindo wanga kukonza kayendedwe ka abale ndi alongo athu achikristu opita ku misonkhano yoteroyo ku mayiko ena.

Kupanga makonzedwe a kayendedwe ka Mboni zochuluka kupita ku mayiko ena, sichinali chinthu chapafupi. Komabe kuyesetsako kunalidi kofunikira, polingalira mapindu odabwitsa auzimu amene abale athu a m’Portugal analandira. Chinali cholimbikitsa kwambiri kwa iwo kupezeka pamisonkhano ku Switzerland, England, Italy, ndi ku France! Misonkhano imeneyi inawapatsanso mwayi wotengera mabuku ku dziko la kwawo. M’zaka zimenezo, tinayesayesa nthaŵi zambiri kuti tilembetse chipembedzo chathu m’kaundula m’Portugal, koma zonsezo zinakanidwa.

Amishonale atapitikitsidwa kumayambiriro kwa 1962, gulu la polisi lakabisira linayamba kulimbikitsa cholinga choletsa ntchito yathu yolalikira. Abale ndi alongo athu ambirimbiri anamangidwa ndi kutengeredwa ku khothi. Nkhani zonena za zochitika ngati zimenezi zinafalitsidwa m’magazini ino ndi inzake yotchedwa Galamukani!a

M’modzi mwa amene anaponyedwa m’ndende chifukwa cholalikira anali mpainiya amene ndinam’dziŵitsa za uthenga wabwino wa Ufumu wa Mulungu. Pamene apolisi anapeza keyala yanga m’katundu wake, anandiitana kukandifunsa mafunso.

Pambuyo pake amuna aŵiri apolisi anafika kunyumba kwanga. Anandilanda mabuku anga ophunzirira Baibulo limodzi ndi ma Baibulo 13. Anapitirizabe kundivutitsa, anabwera kasanu ndi kaŵiri kudzafufuza pamene ndinali kukhala. Nthaŵi iliyonse anali kutipanikiza ndi mafunso.

Nthaŵi zambiri ankandiitana kuti ndikaimire Mboni zinzanga m’mabwalo a milandu. Ngakhale kuti sindinapite patali ndi maphunziro anga akusukulu, Yehova anandipatsa ‘nzeru zimene adani anga onse sanathe kuzikana kapena kuzitsutsa.’ (Luka 21:15) Pa chochitika china, woweruza milandu anazizwa ndi umboni umene ndinali kupereka mwakuti anafunsa za m’mene ndinapitira patsogolo ndi maphunziro anga. Onse amene anali m’khothimo anaseka pamene ndinanena kuti ndinalekera giredi folo.

Pamene chizunzo chinali kuwonjezeka, chiŵerengero cha olandira uthenga wa Ufumu chinali kuwonjezekanso. Choncho chiŵerengero chochepa cha Mboni zokwana 1,300 m’Portugal m’chaka cha 1962 chinawonjezeka kuposa 13,000 pomafika chaka cha 1974! Panthaŵi imodzimodziyo, mu May 1967, anandiitana kukatumikira monga woyang’anira woyendayenda. Ndikugwira ntchito imeneyi, ndinayendera mipingo ya Mboni za Yehova kuwalimbikitsa mwauzimu.

Kusangalala ndi Chuma Chochuluka Koposa

Mu December 1974, ndinali ndi mwayi wolembetsa nawo zikalata zimene zinalola ntchito ya Mboni za Yehova m’Portugal. M’chaka chotsatiracho, ine ndi mkazi wanga tinakhala am’banja la Beteli la Mboni za Yehova ku Estoril. Ndinasankhidwanso kutumikira monga membala wa Komiti ya Nthambi ya m’Portugal.

Ndakhala wosangalala kwabasi, kuona ntchito yolalikira ikupita patsogolo m’Portugal ndi m’zigawo zomwe zili pansi pa uyang’aniro wa nthambi yathu! Zimenezi zikuphatikizapo Angola, Azores, Cape Verde, Madeira, ndi São Tomé ndi Príncipe. Kwa zaka zambiri chakhala chosangalatsa kuona amishonale ochokera m’Portugal akutumizidwa kukatumikira m’mayiko ameneŵa, kumene anthu asonyeza chidwi pa uthenga wa Ufumu. Talingalirani m’mene tikunyadirira tsopano kukhala ndi ofalitsa oposa 88,000 m’malo onseŵa kuphatikizanso oposa 47,000 a m’Portugal! Opezeka pa Chikumbutso m’mayiko amemeŵa m’chaka cha 1998 anakwana 245,000, poyerekeza ndi 200 pamene ndinali Mboni yatsopano mu 1954.

Edminia ndi ine tikuvomereza kwathunthu zimene wamasalmo wa m’Baibulo ananena kuti “tsiku limodzi m’mabwalo [a Yehova] likoma koposa ambirimbiri akukhala pena.” (Salmo 84:10) Ndikakumbukira za chiyambi changa chaumphaŵi chija, ndi kuchiyerekeza ndi chuma chauzimu chomwe ndakhala ndikusangalala nachochi, ndimadzimva monga m’mene Yesaya mneneri anadzimvera: “Yehova, inu ndinu Mulungu wanga. Ndidzakukuzani inu, ndidzatamanda dzina lanu, chifukwa mwachita zinthu zodabwitsa. . . Chifukwa inu mwakhala linga la aumphaŵi, linga la osowa.”​—Yesaya 25:1, 4.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Zithunzi patsamba 24]

Pamwamba: Mbale Almeida ku Lisbon akulengeza kakonzedwe kotumiza nthumwi ku msonkhano wa 1958 womwe unachitikira ku New York

Pakati: Chitsanzo cha msonkhano wa akulu pa msonkhano wa mitundu yonse wa “Mtendere Padziko Lapansi” ku Paris

Pamunsi: Mabasi opangidwa hayala kukonzekera kupita ku msonkhano wa chigawo ku France

[Chithunzi patsamba 25]

Kuchita kulambira kwa m’maŵa pa Nthambi ya Portugal

[Chithunzi patsamba 25]

Nthambi ya Portugal, yopatulidwa mu1988

[Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Nkhani za mbale Hugo Riemer zinatilimbikitsa pamene anadzatichezera kuchokera ku Beteli ya Brooklyn

[Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Limodzi ndi mkazi wanga