Kugira ibyo mpindura byangiriye akamaro

Byavuzwe na James A. Thompson

Igihe navukiraga mu majyepfo ya Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika mu mwaka wa 1928, ivangura hagati y’abazungu n’abirabura ryari itegeko. Uwaryicaga yashoboraga gufungwa cyangwa agahabwa ikindi gihano kirushijeho gukomera.

ICYO gihe, mu duce tumwe na tumwe twa Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, Abahamya ba Yehova b’abazungu n’abirabura bagombaga kuba mu matorero, uturere n’intara bitandukanye. Mu mwaka wa 1937, data yabaye umukozi w’itsinda (ubu witwa umuhuzabikorwa w’inteko y’abasaza) w’itorero ry’abirabura ry’i Chattanooga muri leta ya Tennessee. Henry Nichols yari umukozi w’itsinda w’itorero ry’abazungu.

Nibuka ko igihe nari nkiri muto, nicaraga inyuma y’inzu ku ibaraza nijoro maze ngatega amatwi ibyo papa n’umuvandimwe Nichols bavugaga. Nubwo ntumvaga ibyo bavugaga byose, nishimiraga kuba iruhande rwa papa igihe bombi babaga baganira uko umurimo wo kubwiriza warushaho gukorwa neza bakurikije imimerere barimo.

Mbere yaho, mu mwaka wa 1930, umuryango wacu wari waragize ibyago. Mama wari ufite imyaka 20 gusa, yarapfuye. Papa yasigaye atwitaho jye na mushiki wanjye Doris wari ufite imyaka ine, naho jye nkaba nari mfite imyaka ibiri. Nubwo papa yari amaze igihe gito gusa abatijwe, yagize amajyambere yo mu buryo bw’umwuka yihuse.

Abantu bambereye icyitegererezo

Mu mwaka wa 1933, papa yahuye n’Umukristokazi mwiza cyane witwa Lillie Mae Gwendolyn Thomas, maze nyuma yaho barashyingiranwa. Papa na mama baduhaye urugero rwiza mu birebana no gukorera Yehova ari indahemuka.

Mu mwaka wa 1938, amatorero y’Abahamya ba Yehova yasabwe gushyigikira umwanzuro w’uko abasaza b’amatorero bari kujya bashyirwaho n’ibiro bikuru by’i Brooklyn muri leta ya New York, aho gutorwa n’abagize itorero. Bamwe mu bari bagize itorero ry’i Chattanooga ntibahise bemera iryo hinduka, ariko papa we yavuze ko ashyigikiye rwose iryo hinduka ryari ribaye mu muteguro. Urugero rwe rw’ubudahemuka, n’ukuntu mama yamushyigikiye n’umutima we wose, byaramfashije kugeza n’uyu munsi.

Mbatizwa kandi ngakora umurimo w’igihe cyose

Mu mwaka wa 1940, bamwe mu bari bagize itorero ryacu bakodesheje bisi maze bajya mu ikoraniro ryabereye mu mugi wa Detroit, muri leta ya Michigan. Bamwe mu bo twari kumwe muri iyo bisi babatirijwe muri iryo koraniro. Hari abibajije impamvu jye ntabatijwe, kandi naratangiye kubwiriza mfite imyaka itanu, nkaba naragiraga n’ishyaka mu murimo.

Igihe bambazaga impamvu, narabashubije nti “sindasobanukirwa neza ibirebana n’umubatizo.” Papa yaranyumvise maze aratangara. Kuva icyo gihe, yashyizeho imihati kugira ngo ansobanurire icyo umubatizo usobanura n’impamvu ari ngombwa kubatizwa. Amezi ane nyuma yaho, ku itariki ya 1 Ukwakira 1940, uwo munsi hakaba hari hakonje cyane, nabatirijwe mu kizenga cyari inyuma y’umugi wa Chattanooga.

Maze kugira imyaka 14, natangiye kujya nkora umurimo w’ubupayiniya mu gihe cy’ibiruhuko byo mu mpeshyi. Nabwirizaga mu migi mito ya Tennessee no muri leta ya Georgia byegeranye. Nabyukaga kare kare, ngapfunyika ibyokurya bya saa sita hanyuma ngafata gari ya moshi cyangwa bisi ya saa kumi n’ebyiri, nkajya mu ifasi nabwirizagamo. Nagarukaga mu rugo nka saa kumi n’ebyiri z’umugoroba. Ibyokurya bya saa sita napfunyikaga akenshi byashiraga mbere y’uko saa sita zigera. Nubwo nabaga mfite amafaranga, sinashoboraga kwinjira mu iduka ngo ngure ibyokurya kubera ko nari umwirabura. Igihe kimwe, ninjiye mu iduka ngiye kugura ibintu biryohera barya bikonje cyane, maze baranyirukana. Hari umuzungukazi wagwaga neza wabinzaniye hanze.

Igihe najyaga mu mashuri yisumbuye, abantu bo mu Majyepfo bagendaga barushaho guharanira ko abaturage bose bagira uburenganzira bumwe imbere y’amategeko. Imiryango imwe n’imwe, urugero nk’uwaharaniraga iterambere ry’abirabura (NAACP), yashishikarizaga abanyeshuri guhaguruka bakarwanirira uburenganzira bwabo. Yadushishikarije kuba abayoboke bayo. Amashuri menshi y’abirabura, n’iryacu ririmo, yishyiriyeho intego y’uko abanyeshuri bose baba abayoboke bayo. Bampatiraga “gushyigikira ubwoko bwacu,” nk’uko babivugaga. Ariko naranze, mbasobanurira ko Imana itarobanura abantu ku butoni, kandi ko nta bwoko ikunda kurusha ubundi. Nababwiye ko Imana ari yo nari niringiye ko izavanaho ako karengane.—Yoh 17:14; Ibyak 10:34, 35.

Hashize igihe gito ndangije amashuri yisumbuye, niyemeje kwimukira mu mugi wa New York City. Ubwo nari mu nzira, nahagaze mu mugi wa Philadelphia, muri leta ya Pennsylvania kugira ngo nsure incuti zanjye twari twarahuriye mu ikoraniro. Itorero ryaho ni ryo rya mbere nari nteraniyemo ririmo abazungu n’abirabura. Igihe umugenzuzi yasuraga iryo torero, yanshyize ku ruhande maze ambwira ko nari nahawe ikiganiro mu iteraniro ryari gukurikiraho. Ibyo byatumye mfata umwanzuro wo kuhaguma.

Mu bantu twagiranye ubucuti i Philadelphia harimo Umukristokazi wari ukiri muto witwa Geraldine White, naje kujya nita Gerri. Yari azi Bibiliya neza kandi yari azi kuganira n’abo yasangaga mu ngo, igihe yabaga abwiriza ku nzu n’inzu. Icy’ingenzi cyane ni uko na we yari afite intego nk’iyanjye yo kuba umupayiniya. Twashyingiranywe ku itariki ya 23 Mata 1949.

Dutumirirwa kwiga Ishuri rya Gileyadi

Twari dufite intego yo kwiga Ishuri rya Gileyadi maze tukaba abamisiyonari mu kindi gihugu. Hagati aho twagize ibyo duhindura kugira ngo twuzuze ibisabwa abiga iryo shuri. Twasabwe kwimukira i Lawnside muri leta ya New Jersey, tuza kujya i Chester muri leta ya Pennsylvania, amaherezo tujya mu mugi wa Atlantic City muri leta ya New Jersey. Ubwo twari muri uwo mugi, ni bwo twujuje ibisabwa kugira ngo tujye kwiga mu ishuri rya Gileyadi, kuko twari tumaze imyaka ibiri dushyingiranywe. Ariko twabwiwe ko tugomba gutegereza. Kubera iki?

Mu ntangiriro y’imyaka ya za 50, abasore benshi bahatirwaga kujya mu gisirikare maze bakajya kurwana mu ntambara yaberaga muri Koreya. Urwego rw’i Philadelphia rwari rushinzwe kwandika abajya mu gisirikare, rwasaga n’aho rwanga Abahamya bitewe no kutivanga kwabo. Amaherezo umucamanza yambwiye ko urwego rw’ubutasi rwa Amerika (FBI) rwari rwaragenzuye rusanga ntivanga. Ku bw’ibyo, ku itariki ya 11 Mutarama 1952, Urwego rwashyizweho na Perezida rwemeje ko nsonewe kujya mu gisirikare kuko nari umukozi wo mu rwego rw’idini.

Mu kwezi kwa Kanama uwo mwaka, jye na Gerri twatumiriwe kujya kwiga ishuri rya 20 rya Gileyadi, rikaba ryaratangiye muri Nzeri. Igihe twari mu ishuri, twari twiteze ko tuzoherezwa gukorera umurimo mu mahanga. Mushiki wanjye Doris yari yarize ishuri rya 13 rya Gileyadi kandi yakoreraga umurimo muri Burezili. Jye na Gerri twatunguwe no kuba baratwohereje kuba abagenzuzi basura amatorero y’abirabura yo muri leta ya Alabama, mu majyepfo ya Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika. Twumvise ducitse intege mu rugero runaka, kuko twumvaga twari koherezwa gukorera umurimo mu mahanga.

Itorero rya mbere twasuye ni iry’i Huntsville. Tuhageze, twagiye mu rugo rwa mushiki wacu wari kuducumbikira. Mu gihe twapakururaga ibintu byacu, twumvise avugira kuri telefoni ati “abana bahageze.” Twari dufite imyaka 24 gusa kandi twagaragaraga nk’aho tukiri abana. Igihe cyose twamaze dusura ako karere batwitaga “abana.”

Ako karere ko mu Majyepfo bakundaga kukita Akarere ka Bibiliya bitewe n’uko abantu benshi baho bubahaga cyane Bibiliya. Akenshi twaganiraga n’abantu ku bintu bitatu bikurikira:

(1) Twagiraga icyo tuvuga ku mimerere yari ku isi.

(2) Umuti Bibiliya itanga.

(3) Icyo Bibiliya ivuga ko tugomba gukora.

Hanyuma twabahaga igitabo cy’imfashanyigisho ya Bibiliya gihuje n’ibyo twaganiriyeho. Kubera ko ubwo buryo bwo kubwiriza bwagiraga icyo bugeraho, nasabwe gutanga icyerekanwa mu ikoraniro ryabereye i New York mu mwaka wa 1953, ryari rifite umutwe uvuga ngo “Umuryango w’isi nshya.”

Bidatinze, mu mpeshyi yo mu mwaka wa 1953, nabaye umugenzuzi w’intara mu turere two mu majyepfo twari tugizwe n’amatorero y’abirabura. Ifasi yacu yaheraga kuri leta ya Virginia ikagera ku ya Florida kugeza no kuri leta ya Alabama na Tennessee, mu burengerazuba. Mu by’ukuri, abagenzuzi bagombaga kuba abantu bazi guhuza n’imimerere. Urugero, incuro nyinshi twacumbikaga mu mazu atabamo amazi kandi twogeraga mu kintu kimeze nk’umuvure gikozwe mu cyuma cyabaga kiri inyuma y’aho batekeraga. Igishimishije ni uko aho hantu ari ho habaga hashyushye kurusha ahandi hose mu nzu.

Ikibazo cy’ivangura

Gukorera muri ako karere k’amajyepfo byasabaga ubwenge no kureba kure. Abirabura ntibari bemerewe kumeshesha imyenda aho abandi bamesheshaga. Ku bw’ibyo, iyo Gerri yajyanaga imyenda yo kumeshesha yaravugaga ati “ni iya Madamu Thompson.” Abenshi batekerezaga ko ari uwo yakoreraga. Igihe abagenzuzi b’intara berekanaga filimi ivuga uko umuryango w’isi nshya ukora, naterefonaga ku iduka maze nkababwira nti “Bwana Thompson ari buze gukenera icyuma kinini cyo kwerekaniraho filimi.” Nyuma yaho najyagayo nkagifata. Buri gihe twarangwaga n’ikinyabupfura, kandi muri rusange twakoraga umurimo wacu nta kirogoya.

Icyo gihe hariho n’urwikekwe rushingiye ku karere rwagirirwaga abakomokaga mu Majyaruguru. Igihe kimwe, ikinyamakuru cyo muri ako gace cyavuze ko James A. Thompson, Jr. ukorera Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York yari gutanga ikiganiro mu ikoraniro. Hari abumvise ko ibyo byavugaga ko nkomoka i New York, bituma bisubiraho ntibaba bakitwemereye gukoresha icyumba cy’ishuri twari twakodesheje. Ku bw’ibyo, nagiye kureba abayobozi b’iryo shuri mbasobanurira ko nize i Chattanooga. Byatumye batwemerera gukorera ikoraniro ryacu ry’akarere muri icyo cyumba.

Mu myaka ya za 50 rwagati, hariho ivangura rikaze kandi rimwe na rimwe habaga ibikorwa by’urugomo. Mu mwaka wa 1954, hari Abahamya bagaragaje ko bababajwe n’uko nta mwirabura wahawe ikiganiro mu makoraniro amwe n’amwe y’intara. Twateye abavandimwe bacu b’abirabura inkunga yo kwihangana. Mu mpeshyi yakurikiyeho, nahawe ikiganiro mu ikoraniro ry’intara. Nyuma yaho, abavandimwe benshi b’abirabura bo mu Majyepfo bagiye bahabwa ibiganiro mu makoraniro.

Nyuma y’igihe runaka, urugomo rushingiye ku ivangura mu Majyepfo rwaragabanutse, maze buhoro buhoro abazungu n’abirabura batangira guteranira hamwe. Ibyo byasabye ko ababwiriza bahindurirwa amatorero, amafasi agahinduka kandi habayeho n’ihinduka ku birebana n’inshingano z’abavandimwe b’abagenzuzi mu matorero. Bamwe mu bavandimwe b’abirabura n’abazungu ntibakiriye neza iryo hinduka. Icyakora, abavandimwe benshi ntibavanguraga, kimwe na Data wo mu ijuru. Mu by’ukuri, abenshi bari incuti magara nubwo babaga badahuje ibara ry’uruhu. Ibyo ni byo nakuze mbona iwacu mu myaka ya za 30 na za 40.

Duhabwa indi nshingano

Muri Mutarama 1969, jye na Gerri twoherejwe gukorera umurimo muri Guyana, muri Amerika y’Epfo, kandi twabyemeye twishimye. Twabanje kujya i Brooklyn muri leta ya New York, aho naherewe imyitozo mu birebana no kuyobora umurimo wo kubwiriza muri Guyana. Twahageze muri Nyakanga 1969. Kubera ko twari tumaze imyaka 16 mu murimo wo gusura amatorero, kuguma ahantu hamwe byadusabye guhindura byinshi. Gerri yamaraga hafi iminsi yose mu murimo wo kubwiriza ari umumisiyonari, naho jye ngakora ku biro by’ishami.

Nakoraga imirimo inyuranye, urugero nko gukata ibyatsi, koherereza amatorero 28 ibitabo yabaga akeneye no kwandikirana n’ibiro bikuru by’i Brooklyn. Buri munsi nakoraga amasaha 14 cyangwa 15. Twembi twarakoraga cyane, ariko twishimiraga umurimo wacu. Igihe twageraga muri Guyana hari ababwiriza 950, none ubu basaga 2.500.

Nubwo twishimiraga ibihe byaho, imbuto n’imboga tutari dusanzwe tuzi, icyadushimishaga cyane ni uko abantu baho bicisha bugufi bifuzaga kumenya ukuri kwa Bibiliya bigaga ibihereranye n’Ubwami bw’Imana. Incuro nyinshi, buri cyumweru Gerri yigishaga Bibiliya abantu bagera kuri 20, kandi abenshi mu bo twigishaga bagize amajyambere barabatizwa. Nyuma yaho, bamwe muri bo babaye abapayiniya, abasaza b’amatorero, ndetse hari n’abagiye kwiga ishuri rya Gileyadi na bo baba abamisiyonari.

Duhura n’ibibazo, cyane cyane iby’uburwayi

Mu mwaka wa 1983, ababyeyi banjye babaga muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika bari bakeneye umuntu wo kubafasha. Gerri nanjye na Doris twakoze inama y’umuryango. Doris wari umaze imyaka 35 ari umumisiyonari muri Burezili yahisemo gutaha akajya kubitaho. Yaravuze ati ‘kuki abamisiyonari babiri bataha, kandi umwe ashobora gukora ibyo bari gukora?’ Ababyeyi bacu bamaze gupfa, Doris yagumye i Chattanooga aho akorera umurimo w’ubupayiniya bwa bwite.

Mu mwaka wa 1995, baransuzumye basanga ndwaye kanseri mu gasabo k’amasohoro, maze biba ngombwa ko dusubira muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika. Twatuye i Goldsboro, muri leta ya Carolina ya Ruguru, kubera ko ari hagati y’aho umuryango wanjye wari utuye i Tennessee n’uwa Gerri wari i Pennsylvania. Indwara yanjye yabaye nk’iyoroha, kandi ubu dukora umurimo turi abapayiniya ba bwite bafite ubumuga mu itorero ry’i Goldsboro.

Iyo nshubije amaso inyuma nkareba imyaka 65 maze mu murimo w’igihe cyose, mu by’ukuri nshimira Yehova kuba yaratumye jye na Gerri tugira ibyo duhindura kugira ngo tumukorere. Mbega ukuntu Dawidi yavuze ukuri igihe yavugaga ati ‘ku muntu w’indahemuka, [Yehova] azaba indahemuka’!—2 Sam 22:26.

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Papa n’umuvandimwe Nichols bambereye icyitegererezo

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Ndi kumwe na Gerri, twiteguye kujya mu Ishuri rya Gileyadi mu mwaka wa 1952

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Nyuma y’Ishuri rya Gileyadi, twoherejwe kuba abagenzuzi mu Majyepfo

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Abagenzuzi basura amatorero n’abagore babo bitegura ikoraniro ry’intara ryarimo abazungu n’abirabura mu mwaka wa 1966

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Kuba abamisiyonari muri Guyana byaradushimishije