Ndakakomborerwa Nokuti Ndakaisa Mwari Pakutanga

Yakataurwa naPierre Worou

“Bonjour!” Ndave ndichishandisa shoko iri rechiFrench rokukwazisa muupenyu hwangu hwose. Asi muna November 1975, ndakasungirwa izvozvo. Regai ndikuudzei kuti zvii zvakaita kuti ndizosungwa uye kuti chii chakaitika kubvira ipapo.

NDAKABEREKWA musi waJanuary 1, 1944, kuMalété, mumusha weSavé, nechepakati peBenin.a Vabereki vangu vakandipa zita rechiYoruba, rokuti Abiola. Ndichiri muduku, ndakarichinja ndikabva ndava kunzi Pierre, zita randaifunga kuti raienderana nenguva yacho uye raizivikanwa chaizvo.

Vaigara mutaundi iri vaipa vechiduku vose vaigara imomo mazita emadunhurirwa. Ini vainditi Pasita nokuti pandakaberekwa ndakanga ndakafanana nomufundisi womunzvimbo iyi. Zvisinei, ndainyanya kufarira kutamba bhora kudarika kuenda kumakirasi ekatekisimu.

Muna 1959, ndakatamira kuSakété, guta raiva kumaodzanyemba kwenyika yacho kuti ndienderere mberi nechikoro. Ndaigara nomukoma wangu mwana wababamukuru ainzi Simon, aiva mudzidzisi, uyo akanga achangotanga kudzidza Bhaibheri neZvapupu zvaJehovha zviviri. Pakutanga ndakanga ndisingafariri kudzidza nazvo. Pava paya ndakakumbira munun’una wangu Michel, mwana wababamukuru kana aida kubatana neni pakudzidza kwacho. Akabvuma, uye ndipo pandakanzwa kokutanga zita raMwari rokuti, Jehovha.

Rimwe zuva uri musi weSvondo, ini, Michel, naSimon, takaronga kusaenda kuchechi yedu asi kuenda kumusangano weZvapupu. Takaora mwoyo kuona kuti kwaingova nevanhu vashanu chete—Zvapupu zviviri nesu tiri vatatu. Kunyange zvakadaro, takaona kuti ndiko kwaiva nechokwadi cheBhaibheri ndokuramba tichidzidza. Michel ndiye akatanga kubhabhatidzwa achiratidza kuzvitsaurira kwake kuna Mwari. Iye zvino ari kushumira sapiyona, sokudanwa kunoitwa vashumiri veZvapupu zvaJehovha zviri munguva yakazara.

Simon akatamira kuchamhembe kuguta rinonzi Kokoro, uye ndakaenda naye. Gungano reZvapupu rakarongwa kuitwa paOuansougon. Simon akaenda netekisi asi ini ndakachovha bhasikoro rangu makiromita 220 kuti ndiripinde. Tose takabhabhatidzwa ikoko musi waSeptember 15, 1961.

Matambudziko Pakuparidzira Munguva Yakazara

Ndaizvitarisira nemari yandaiwana pamifananidzo yokudhirowa yandaitengesa uyewo nezvirimwa zvomumunda waiibvisa zvakanaka. Mumwe mutariri anofambira, Philippe Zannou, paakashanyira ungano yedu, akandibvunza kana ndakanga ndambofunga nezvoushumiri hwenguva yakazara ndiri piyona. Tapedza kukurukura nyaya yacho, ini neshamwari yangu, Emmanuel Fatunbi, takamuudza kuti tose taigona kutanga basa racho muna February 1966. Nokufamba kwenguva, ndakatanga kushumira somutariri anofambira, ndichifambira ungano munzvimbo dzaitaurwa chiFon, Gun, Yoruba, neFrench.

Gare gare ndakasangana naJulienne, imwe hanzvadzi yechiKristu yaiva tsvarakadenga chaiyo yaida upenyu huri nyore seni. Akava mudzimai wangu musi waAugust 12, 1971, uye takanga tava kushanyira ungano tose. Mwanakomana wedu Bola akaberekwa musi waAugust 18, 1972. Pataishanyira ungano, ndaichovha bhasikoro Julienne akagara pakeriya akabereka Bola. Chapupu chomuungano yatinenge tichifambira ndicho chaiwanzotakura bhegi redu nebhasikoro racho. Takashanyira ungano tichidai kwemakore mana.

Rimwe zuva Julienne akarwara uye akarwadziwa zvikuru usiku hwacho. Mangwanani akatevera, ndakafamba nomugwagwa ndichitsvaka angandibatsira. Pasina nguva yakareba, ndakaona imwe tekisi, chinhu chisingawanzoitiki munzvimbo yacho. Zvakare, yakanga isina vanhu vayakatakura—chimwe chinhu chinoshamisa zvakare! Ndakatsanangurira mutyairi wacho zvakanga zviri kuitika uye ndakamukumbira kana aikwanisa kutitakura kuenda kuPorto Novo, guta guru, raiva makiromita 25 kubva kwataiva. Akabvuma kutitakura. Patakasvika, akanyemwerera uye akati: “Ndangokutakurai nechido changu. Hamuna chamunofanira kubhadhara.”

Julienne aifanira kumbogara pamba pechimwe Chapupu kwemavhiki maviri kuti apore. Chiremba aiuya pamba pacho zuva roga roga. Aiuya nemishonga yaidiwa. Paakauya kuzoona Julienne kokupedzisira, ndakabvunza ndichinetseka kuti paidiwa marii. Ndakashamisika paakapindura kuti, “Hapana mari iri kudiwa.”

Zvinhu Zvakachinja Zvikuru

Muna 1975, Dahomey yakava nehurumende itsva yechiMarxist. Zita renyika yacho rakachinjwa kunzi People’s Republic of Benin. Upenyu hwezuva nezuva hwakachinjawo. Pakadzikwa mutemo wokuti vanhu vakwazisane vachiti: “Pour la révolution?” (Wagadzirira chimurenga here?) Zvaitarisirwa kuti munhu apindure achiti: “Prêt!” (Ndakagadzirira!) Hana dzedu dzakadzidziswa Bhaibheri dzakanga dzisingatibvumiri kudzokorora masirogani iwayo ezvematongerwo enyika. Izvi zvakaita kuti tivengwe zvikuru.

Nerimwe zuva uri musi weSvondo, 1975 ava kunopera, ndakasungwa pandaiparidza pamba nemba pedyo neSt. Michel. Sezvandambotaura, ndakanga ndadavira ndichiti, “Bonjour!” kune mumwe murume akanga andikwazisa achiti, “Pour la révolution?” Ndakaendeswa kukamba yemapurisa, kwandakarohwa. Asi pava paya musi iwoyo Zvapupu zvitatu zvomunzvimbo iyi zvakakwanisa kuita kuti ndibudiswe.

Ndini ndaiva Chapupu chaJehovha chokutanga kusungwa. Nenguva isipi vakawanda vaiva munyika iyi vakasungwawo. Hurumende yakatora Dzimba dzoUmambo, uye vaya vaiva mamishinari vakadzoserwa kumusha kwavo. Hofisi yebazi yakavharwa, uye Zvapupu zvakawanda zvaifanira kutiza munyika yacho, zvakananga kumadokero kuTogo kana kumabvazuva kuNigeria.

Mhuri Yedu Inowedzera Tava muNigeria

Mwanakomana wedu wechipiri, Kola, akaberekwa musi waApril 25, 1976. Mazuva maviri gare gare, mutemo wehurumende Nha. 111 wakarambidza basa reZvapupu zvaJehovha. Takaenda kuNigeria kwatakanosvikogara muImba yoUmambo yaive yakazara vapoteri. Zuva raitevera racho pakabva pangorongwa kuti tiende kuungano dzaiva pedyo. Paibva boka rimwe revapoteri paibva pasvika rimwe paImba yoUmambo. Vapoteri vatsva vaitakurwa nemarori kuenda kuungano dzokune dzimwe nzvimbo.

Hofisi yebazi reZvapupu zvaJehovha yomuNigeria yakandikumbira kuti ndishanyire Zvapupu zvose zvokuBenin. Ndakagadzwa kuti ndishande somutariri anofambira weboka reungano dzaitaura Yoruba muNigeria, uye gare gare ungano dzaitaura Gun. Taifamba nomudhudhudhu. Bola aigara pamberi pangu uye Kola aigara pakati paJulienne neni.

Muna 1979 takaziva kuti mudzimai wangu aiva nepamuviri pomwanasikana wedu Jemima, uye izvi zvakaita kuti tisiye basa rokufambira ungano. Munun’una waJulienne wataiti Pépé, akabva kuBenin kuti azogara nesu. Mhuri yedu yakaramba ichikura. Vakomana vaviri vakazvarwa: Caleb akazvarwa muna 1983 uye Silas muna 1987. Saka mhuri yedu yakanga yava nevanhu vasere. Ini naJulienne taida kuva vabereki vakanaka, asi taidawo kuramba tiri muushumiri hwenguva yakazara kana zvaikwanisika. Taizozviita sei? Takarenda munda uye takarima mufarinya, chibage, uye cocoyam. Takabva tavaka imba duku mumusha weIlogbo-Eremi.

Ini naJulienne taiparidzira mangwanani pashure pokunge vana vaenda kuchikoro. Taigarodzoka kumba panguva chaiyo kuti tidye pamwe chete semhuri. Pashure pokumborara kwenguva duku, taishanda mumunda. Julienne naPépé vainotengesawo zvatairima pamusika. Tose taishanda nesimba. Zvinofadza kuti taisamborwara-rwara makore iwayo.

Upenyu Hwakanaka Pasina Dzidzo Yepamusoro

Hatina kumbokurudzira vana vedu kuti vatsvake dzidzo yepamusoro. Taiziva kuti chinoita kuti munhu ave noupenyu hwakanaka kuisa basa rokuparidzira pakutanga muupenyu hwake, kuva nounhu hwechiKristu, uye kushanda nesimba. Takaedza kuroverera zvinhu izvi zvinokosha mumwoyo yevana vedu. Ndaidzidza navo, uye zvakatifadza kuona vana vedu vachida Jehovha, vachitsaurira upenyu hwavo kuti vamushumire, uye vachibhabhatidzwa kuratidza kuzvitsaurira kwavo!

Pépé aiva mukuru kune vana vedu uye ndiye akatanga kubva pamba pedu. Paakanga auya kuzogara nesu, ndakamudzidzisa kuverenga. Kunyange zvazvo akanga asina kunyatsodzidza, aikoshesa kudzidza Bhaibheri uye zvimwe zvokunamata Mwari. Pashure pokushumira sapiyona kwenguva yakati, akaroorwa naMonday Akinra, mutariri anofambira, uye akabatana naye mubasa iroro. Iye zvino vava nomwanakomana, Timothy. Pépé naMonday vachiri mubasa renguva yakazara, uye Monday anoshandiswa chaizvo pamagungano.

Bola akadzidziswa basa rokubika pane imwe kambani huru. Pasina nguva, mumwe wevakuru vakuru vepakambani yacho akaona kushanda kwake kwakanaka, kuvimbika kwake, uye humwe unhu hwakanaka hwechiKristu. Nokufamba kwenguva, akakwidziridzwa pakambani. Zvinotonyanya kukosha ndezvokuti murume akanaka kumudzimai wake, Jane, uye ndibaba vakanaka kuvana vavo vatatu, uyewo mukuru anoshanda nesimba muungano yeZvapupu zvaJehovha kuLagos, Nigeria.

Kola akadzidziswa kusona uye akatanga basa roupiyona. Sezvo akanga adzidzira Chirungu paakanga ari kuNigeria, muna 1995 akakokwa kuti azoshanda muDhipatimendi Reshanduro pahofisi yebazi reZvapupu zvaJehovha muBenin. Ave achishanda ikoko kwemakore 13.

Ushumiri Hwedu Tadzokera kuBenin

Takafara kunzwa kuti mutemo wakadzikwa nehurumende yeBenin musi waJanuary 23, 1990 wakati mutemo wakanga wambodzikwa uchirambidza basa redu wakanga usingachashandi. Vapoteri vakawanda vakadzokera kuBenin. Uyewo, mamishinari matsva akaenda kuBenin, uye hofisi yebazi yakavhurwa zvakare. Muna 1994, mhuri yedu yakadzokera kuBenin, asi Pépé, Bola, uyewo mhuri dzavo vakasara kuNigeria.

Ndakawana basa rokushanda nguva shoma. Nemari shoma yaibhadharwa nevaigara muimba yedu kuNigeria uye nokubatsirwa kwataiitwa naBola, takakwanisa kuvaka imba yedu tiri vashanu yaive pedyo nehofisi yebazi. Jemima akashanda sapiyona kwemakore anopfuura matanhatu, achizvitsigira nebasa rokusona. Akabva aroorwa naKokou Ahoumenou, uye pari zvino vari kushanda pabazi riri pedyo. Caleb naSilas vava kuda kupedza chikoro. Kwemakore anodarika 40, ini naJulienne tave tiri muushumiri hwenguva yakazara pamusana pokubatsirwa kwatinoitwa naJehovha uye kushanda pamwe chete kunoita mhuri yedu.

Mwari akakomborera zvikuru basa rokuparidzira muBenin. Pandakabhabhatidzwa muna 1961, kwaiva neZvapupu zvaJehovha 871 zvaiparidzira mashoko oUmambo munyika yacho. Mugore randakasungwa, nhamba yacho yakanga yakwira kusvika pa2 381. Patakadzoka kuBenin muna 1994, nhamba yacho yakanga yakwira kusvika pa3 858 pasinei nokuti basa redu rakamborambidzwa kwemakore 14. Mazuva ano, nhamba iyoyi yakapetwa nekaviri—vava kupfuura 9 000—uyewo muna 2008 vanhu vakapinda Chirangaridzo chorufu rwaKristu vaiva 35 752.

Dzimwe nguva ndinomboenda panzvimbo yandakasungirwa makore anodarika 30 akapfuura ndofungisisa zvose zvakaitika. Ndinotenda Mwari kuti akakomborera mhuri yangu. Hapana chatakamboshaya. Uye ndichiri kukwazisa vanhu vose ndichiti, “Bonjour!”

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

[Mashoko okukwezva vaverengi ari papeji 23]

Akanyemwerera uye akati: “Ndangokutakurai nechido changu. Hamuna chamunofanira kubhadhara”

[Mashoko okukwezva vaverengi ari papeji 24]

Hatina kumbokurudzira vana vedu kuti vatsvake dzidzo yepamusoro

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 25]

Kushumira somutariri anofambira muna 1970

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 25]

Tiine vanakomana vedu vokutanga, Bola naKola muna 1976

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 25]

Nhasi, ndiine mhuri yangu—mudzimai wangu, vana vangu vashanu, vazukuru vangu vatatu, uye mhuri yaPépé