Mtima Wanga Wadzaza Chiyamiko Chosaneneka

YOSIMBIDWA NDI JOHN WYNN

NDINKAKONDA kukana kupita kumisonkhano ya Mboni za Yehova! Ndinkanamizira kudwala m’mimba kapena mutu​—chilichonse chongoti ndipeŵe kukapezekapo. Koma amayi wanga anali otsimikiza kwakuti nthaŵi zonse matendawo anali kutha msanga, ndipo ndinkapezeka ndikuyenda nawo makilomita atatu kumka ku Nyumba ya Ufumu, nkumamvetsera akumakambitsirana Mawu a Mulungu ndi bwenzi lina lachikulire.

ZIMENEZI zinandiphunzitsa phunziro lofunika: Makolo ayenera kulimbikirabe mwachikondi kuchita zabwino pamaso pa Mulungu. (Miyambo 29:15, 17) Sayenera kuiŵala lamulo la Mulungu lakuti “osaleka kusonkhana kwathu pamodzi.” (Ahebri 10:25) Ndikamaganiza za moyo wanga m’mbuyomu, ndimayamikira chotani nanga kuti amayi wanga anandipangitsa kuchita zimene zinali zabwino kwambiri kwa ine!

Ndikuyamikira Zitsanzo Zabwino

Ngakhale kuti bambo wanga anali wosakhulupirira, sanali kutsutsa chikhulupiriro cha Amayi pamene anakhala Wophunzira Baibulo, monga mmene Mboni za Yehova zinali kudziŵikira kalelo. Mu 1913 anakamvetsera nkhani yakuti “Kuseli kwa Manda,” imene anakamba Charles T. Russell, pulezidenti woyamba wa Watch Tower Society. Komabe, anachedwa kufikako, ndipo mipando yonse inali itatha. Ndiye anapemphedwa limodzi ndi ochedwa ena kufika kuti akakhale chapafupi ndi pulatifomu, pafupi kwenikweni ndi Pasitala Russell. Nkhani imeneyo inawagwira mtima kwambiri. Tsiku linalo inafalitsidwa m’nyuzipepala yakonkuno, ndipo anasunga kope lake nkumaiŵerenga kaŵirikaŵiri.

Pambuyo pa msonkhanowo Amayi anapereka kapepala pamene analembapo dzina lawo, ndipo mwamsanga Wophunzira Baibulo wina anawachezera. Posakhalitsa, anayamba kumagaŵa matrakiti a Baibulo kukhomo ndi khomo m’tauni yathu ya Gloucester, England. Kuyambira pamene ine ndi alongo anga aŵiri tinali aang’ono kwambiri, tinali kutsagana ndi Amayi kuntchito yolalikira.

Pamene Harry Francis, Wophunzira Baibulo wakhama anasamukira ku Gloucester, Amayi anamlandira mwachimwemwe. Mwamsanga, anayamba kundikonda, ndipo kundilimbikitsa kwake nkumene kunandichititsa kudzakhala mpainiya, ndi mmene amatchedwera atumiki anthaŵi zonse. Chitsanzo cha Mbale Francis chinandiphunzitsa phunziro lofunika: Nthaŵi zonse achikulire ayenera kumafunafuna njira zolimbikitsira achinyamata.

Pamene amayi wanga anakhala Wophunzira Baibulo, enanso mu Gloucester anatsatira. Komabe, akulu ena mumpingo anayamba kunyada, ndipo anthu a m’gulu​—monga momwe anali kuutchera mpingo kalelo​—anayamba kutsatira anthu. Pamsonkhano wina, ena anali kumangowakodola Amayi kumbuyo, kuwasonkhezera kuti atukule mkono kuti achirikize akulu ena. Koma Amayi anadziŵa kuti akuluwo sanali kupereka chitsanzo chabwino, ndiye anakana kuchita kuumirizidwa. Panthaŵiyo, chakumapeto kwa zaka za m’ma 1920, ambiri anachoka mumpingo ndipo sanayendenso m’njira ya choonadi. (2 Petro 2:2) Komabe, Amayi sanaleke kuchirikiza gulu mokhulupirika, choncho anandisonyeza chitsanzo chabwino.

Ndinasankha Choonadi

Potsiriza, mu June 1939, pamene ndinali ndi zaka 18, ndinabatizidwa mu Mtsinje wa Severn. Chaka chomwecho ndinaikidwa kukhala mtumiki wa zokuzira mawu. Masiku amenewo tinali kugwiritsira ntchito makina aakulu oulutsira mawu omwe tinali kulengezera m’makwalala uthenga wakuti: “Chipembedzo ndi Msampha Ndiponso Malonda.” Panthaŵiyo tinkalimbikira kwambiri kuvumbula chinyengo ndi ziphunzitso zonama za Dziko Lachikristu.

Tsiku lina ndimayenda patsogolo pa kagulu titanyamula mbendera yolembedwa mbali imodzi kuti “Chipembedzo ndi Msampha Ndiponso Malonda” ndi mbali ina “Tumikirani Mulungu ndi Kristu Mfumu.” Kumbuyoku mwana wa kavalo anali kutsatira, kumbali iyi ndi iyi atamatidwa mapepala aakulu ofalitsa nkhani yapoyera. Kaguluko kanali kochititsa chidwi chotani nanga kwa anthu okonda chipembedzo kwambiri m’mzinda wa Gloucester!

Ngakhale kwathu tinali kuvutikira kupeza ndalama, Amayi anandilimbikitsa kukhala mpainiya. Choncho, mu September 1939, Nkhondo Yadziko II itangoyamba kumene, ndinafika kugawo langa loyamba laupainiya ku Leamington, katauni kena mu Warwickshire. Tauniyo inali mudzi wa atsogoleri achipembedzo ochulukira amene anapuma pantchito.

Tinali kugwiritsira ntchito galamafoni yaing’ono mu utumiki wathu wakunyumba ndi nyumba, tikumaulutsa nkhani za Joseph F. Rutherford, yemwe panthaŵiyo anali pulezidenti wa Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Koma makina athu oulutsira mawu (omwe tinkagwiritsira ntchito pamisonkhano yaikulu) anali olemera kwambiri, ndipo tinali kuwanyamula m’pulemu, kapena m’chikuku cha mwana. Nthaŵi zina atsogoleri achipembedzo, atakwiya ndi uthenga wovumbula chipembedzo chonyenga, anali kutiingitsa pamalo awo. Koma sitinali kukhumudwa ayi. Yehova anadalitsa ntchito yathu, ndipo lero mpingo wa Mboni zoposa zana limodzi ungapezeke mu Leamington.

Mu 1941, pamene Nkhondo Yadziko II inafika pachimake, ndinasamukira ku Wales, kumene ndinachita upainiya m’matauni a Haverfordwest, Carmarthen, ndi Wrexham. Popeza ndinali mtumiki wanthaŵi zonse, anandipatula pankhondo, koma anthu sanakonde kaimidwe kathu kauchete. Choncho, ine ndi mnzanga wina anatineneza kuti tinali azondi kapena ochirikiza azondi. Usiku wina, apolisi anazinga ngolo yathu. Mnzangayo, yemwe anali atangobwera kuchokera kuntchito yofoshola malasha, anatulutsa mutu kuti aone kuti ndani analiko. Nkhope yake inali bii ndi fumbi la malasha, ndipo kwa apolisiwo anaoneka ngati msilikali wokonzekera kuukira. Tinayenera kuwafotokozera!

Tinadalitsidwa kwambiri pantchito yathu. Panthaŵi ina, tili ku Carmarthen, John Barr wa ku ofesi yanthambi mu London (tsopano ngwa Bungwe Lolamulira) anadzatichezera ndipo anatilimbikitsa. Panthaŵiyo, mu Carmarthen munali ofalitsa aŵiri basi; koma lero muli oposa zana limodzi. Pakali pano, m’Wrexham muli mipingo itatu, ndipo posachedwapa ndinali ndi mwaŵi wopatulira Nyumba ya Ufumu yokongola mu Haverfordwest.​—1 Akorinto 3:6.

Kuyamikira Utumiki Wanga

Pamene tinali ku Swansea, South Wales, mnzangayo, Don Rendell, sanamlole kusapita kunkhondo. Anaponyedwa m’ndende mosasamala kanthu kuti anafotokoza kuti chikumbumtima chake sichikanamlola kupita kunkhondo komenyana ndi Akristu anzake a m’maiko ena. (Yesaya 2:2-4; Yohane 13:34, 35) Tsopano kuti ndikamlimbikitse, ndi kuchitiranso umboni kwa anansi apafupi ndinakhazika makina oulutsira mawu pafupi ndi ndendeyo, ndikuyamba kuulutsa nkhani za Baibulo.

Komabe, akazi a kumeneko sanazifune zimenezo ndiye anasonkha ndalama nkulipira asilikali kuti atimenye ine ndi mnzangayo. Tinachokapo ndi liŵiro kwambiri​—ine ndinali kukankhanso pulemu momwe munali makina aja oulutsira mawu​—kuthaŵira ku Nyumba ya Ufumu kuti tikabisale m’menemo. Koma pamene tinafikako, munali mokhoma! Chabe kuti apolisi analoŵereramo msanga nkutipulumutsa, bwenzi titamenyedwa mwankhanza.

Aliyense anachidziŵa bwino chochitikacho. Pamene ndinali kulalikira m’mudzi wina pafupi ndi Swansea pambuyo pake, munthu wina anandiuza moyamikira kuti: “Chikristu nchimene inu mumachirikiza, ngati mnyamata uja wa ku Swansea amene analengeza molimba mtima zimene amakhulupirira ndipo anachita kuthaŵa kuti akabisale.” Anadabwa chotani nanga pamene anadziŵa kuti mnyamatayo ndinali ineyo!

Upainiya unali wovuta m’zaka zankhondo zimenezo. Tinalibe katundu wambiri, koma zimene tinali nazozo, tinakhutira nazo ndi kukondwa nazo. Nthaŵi zonse tinali kulandira chakudya chauzimu, ndipo sitinaphonyepo msonkhano, pokhapokha pamene tinali kudwala. Ndinagula njinga yakale ndipo tinamangirirapo mabasiketi aakulu kuti tizinyamuliramo galamafoni ndi mabuku ofotokoza Baibulo. Nthaŵi zina ndinali kupalasa njinga makilomita 80 patsiku! Ndinachita upainiya kwa zaka ngati zisanu ndi ziŵiri ndipo ndimawakumbukira bwino masiku amenewo.

Mu 1946, Nkhondo Yadziko II itatha, ndinaitanidwa kukagwira ntchito ku Beteli, dzina la ofesi ya nthambi za Mboni za Yehova m’dziko lawo. Panthaŵiyo Beteli yathu inali pa 34 Craven Terrace, pafupi ndi London Tabernacle. Ndinakondwera kukumana ndi achikulire kumeneko, monga Alice Hart, yemwe bambo wake, Tom Hart, ambiri amaganiza kuti inali Mboni yoyamba mu England.

Kupeza Bwenzi Lokhulupirika

Mu 1956, ndinachoka pa Beteli kuti ndikakwatire Etty, mpainiya yemwe ndinadziŵa pamene anabwera kuchokera ku Netherlands kuzachezera mkulu wake yemwe panthaŵiyo anali kukhala ku London. Chakumapeto kwankhondo, Etty anali kuphunzitsa taiping’i ndi shotihandi pa koleji mu Tilburg, kumadzulo kwa Netherlands. Tsiku lina mphunzitsi wina anatsagana naye panjinga kumperekeza kwawo kuti atsimikizire kuti anafika bwino. Iye anali Mroma Katolika. Atafika, anayamba kukambitsirana ndi makolo a Etty, Aprotestanti. Mpaka anakhala mabwenzi, ndipo mphunzitsiyo anali kumachezerako kaŵirikaŵiri.

Nkhondo ija itangotha, mphunzitsiyo anapita kwawo kwa Etty, nkufuula kuti: “Ndachipeza choonadi!”

“Ndimayesa munati choonadi munachidziŵa pamene munali Mroma Katolika!” Bambo wa Etty anatero.

“Iyayi!” anayankha mwachimwemwe. “Mboni za Yehova ndizo zimadziŵa choonadi!”

Madzulo omwewo ndi madzulo ena ambiri anali kumangokambitsirana za Baibulo. Pambuyo pa zimenezo Etty anakhala mpainiya. Mu utumiki wake nayenso anakumana ndi omtsutsa moipa, mu Netherlands anali a Tchalitchi cha Roma Katolika. Ansembe anali kusonkhezera ana kumamsokoneza pokambitsirana ndi anthu popita kunyumba ndi nyumba, ndipo tsiku lina anawo anamuwonongera njinga yake. Anapita nayo njingayo kwa mmisiri amene panthaŵi ina analandirapo kabuku kwa iye. “Taonani zimene ana achita!” anadandaula choncho.

“Tsopano musatope iyayi,” munthuyo anayankha mokoma mtima. “Mukugwira ntchito yabwino kwambiri. Ndikukonzerani njinga yanu kwaulere.” Ndipo anaikonzadi.

Etty anaona kuti ansembe sanali kusamala kwenikweni anthu awo kufikira iye atayamba kuphunzira nawo Baibulo. Kenaka ansembe ndi avirigo anali kubwera kumadzafooketsa anthu kuti asakhulupirire Baibulo ndi Yehova. Komabe, anali ndi maphunziro ambiri a Baibulo oyenda bwino.

Ndikuyamikira Kukhala Naye Pamodzi

Pambuyo pa ukwati wathu, ine ndi Etty tinapatsidwa ntchito yoyendayenda mu England, ndipo kwa zaka pafupifupi zisanu, tinachezera mipingo tikumailimbikitsa mwauzimu. Ndiyeno ndinadzaitanidwa kukaloŵa nawo kalasi ya 36 ya Gileadi, kumalikulu a Mboni za Yehova mu Brooklyn, New York. Kosi ya miyezi khumiyo, imene tinatsiriza mu November 1961, anaikonza kwenikweni kuti aphunzitse anthu kusamala ntchito pamaofesi anthambi za Mboni za Yehova. Pamene ndinali kumeneko, Etty anatsala ku England ku Beteli ya London. Nditatsiriza maphunziro, anatigaŵira kuti tikatumikire kumeneko limodzi.

Kwa zaka 16 zotsatira, ndinagwira ntchito mu dipatimenti ya utumiki, kusamalira nkhani zokhudza mipingo. Ndiyeno, mu 1978, woyang’anira Nyumba ya Beteli, Pryce Hughes atamwalira, ndinaikidwa m’malo mwake. Kukhala ndi udindo woyang’anira apabanja lathu la Beteli lomakulakulali​—tsopano tili ndi banja la anthu oposa 260​—kwakhala ntchito yopindulitsa pa zaka zonsezi.

Mu 1971 amayi wanga wokondedwa anamwalira ali ndi zaka 85. Ine ndi Etty tinabwerera ku Gloucester kukakhala nawo pamaliro, kumene mbale wina analongosola bwino chiyembekezo chakumwamba chimene Amayi anali nacho. (Afilipi 3:14) Ndikuyamikira kuti alongo anga Doris ndi Grace anawasamala mwachikondi Amayi paukalamba wawo, choncho anathandiza ine ndi Etty kuchitabe utumiki wanthaŵi zonse.

Ine ndi Etty nthaŵi zambiri timakumbukira mmene makolo athu anatilerera mwachikondi chonchi. Tili nawo mangawa aakulu chotani nanga! Makamaka amayi wanga anasonyeza ine ndi alongo anga chitsanzo chabwino, kutithandiza kukonda Yehova ndi gulu lake.

Ndithudi, mitima yathu imadzaza chiyamiko chosaneneka tikamayembekezera tsiku latsopano lililonse loti titumikire Atate wathu wakumwamba, Yehova. Iye ali Mulungu wodabwitsa, wachikondi chotani nanga! Wamasalmo a m’Baibulo anafotokoza maganizo athu pamene anati: “Ndidzakukwezani Mulungu wanga, Mfumu; ndipo ndidzalemekeza dzina lanu ku nthaŵi za nthaŵi. Masiku onse ndidzakuyamikani; ndi kulemekeza dzina lanu ku nthaŵi za nthaŵi.”​—Salmo 145:1, 2.

[Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Ndili ndi mkazi wanga, Etty