“Ndiri Pano! Nditumei”

YAKATAURWA NAWILFRED JOHN

Varindiri vamauto veBurma vakatidenha pamativi ose ari maviri orwizi. Mabheneti akaiswa uye mityotya yakanangidzirwa kwatiri, ivo vakafamba mumvura inosvika muzviuno ndokutikomba pasi pebhiriji romugwagwa.

MUKUTSIRANI wangu neni takatyiswa. Chakanga chiri chiiko? Kunyange zvazvo tisina kunzwisisa mutauro wacho, takakurumidza kunzwisisa—takanga tasungwa. Namatauro bedzi akasungwa muzviuno zvedu, takaperekedzwa nokuvirima kukamba yamapurisa yaiva pedyo ndokubvunzurudzwa nomupurisa anotaura chiNgezi.

Akanga ari 1941, mukati mehondo yenyika yechipiri, uye takanyumwirwa kuva mharadzi. Pashure pokunge tatsanangura basa redu rechiKristu rokuparidzira kusvikira kugutsikano yomupurisa wacho, akatiudza kuti taiva nemhanza yakanaka yokuva takabuda murwisano tiri vapenyu. Vanyumwirwi vazhinjisa, akadaro, vakapfurwa, pasina mibvunzo yakabvunzwa. Takaonga Jehovha ndokutora zano romupurisa wacho rokusafamba-famba pamabhiriji munguva yemberi.

Ndakapinda sei mumugariro wakadaro muBurma (zvino Myanmar)? Regai nditsanangure ndokugovera mashoko ekare pamusoro pangu ndimene.

Chisarudzo Chakaitwa Pakuvamba Muupenyu

Ndakaberekerwa muWales muna 1917 uye pamakore matanhatu ezera ndakaenda navabereki vangu nomunun’una kuNew Zealand, uko ndakakurira papurazi romukaka rababa vangu. Rimwe zuva vakaunza kumusha murwi wamabhuku ekare ayo vakanga vatenga kushopu yezvinhu zvekare. Akanga akabatanidzwa akanga ari mavhoriyamu maviri eStudies in the Scriptures, akabudiswa neWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Iwaya akava zvinhu zvinokosheswa zvaamai, uye kufanana naamai vaTimotio, Juniki, ivo vakaroverera mandiri chishuvo chokushandisa upwere hwangu mukubatira fariro dzoUmambo hwaJehovha.—2 Timotio 1:5.

Muna 1937 zvisarudzo zviviri zvakanangana neni: kutora purazi romukaka rababa vangu kana kuti kutaura kuna Jehovha sezvakaita muporofita Isaya kuti, “Ndiri pano! Nditumei.” (Isaya 6:8, NW) Ndakanga ndiri muduku, ndine utano, uye ndisina mitoro. Ndakanga ndaravidza upenyu hwapapurazi ndokuhufarikanya. Pane rumwe rutivi, ndakanga ndisina ruzivo rwokuzviwanira somushumiri wenguva yakazara, kana kuti piona. Kwaizova kwakadini—kushanda papurazi kana kuti kubatira sapiona?

Vakurukuri vakabva kuhofisi yebazu yeAustralia yeZvapupu zvaJehovha vakanga vari manyuko ekurudziro. Ivo vaishanyira nharaunda yedu muNew Zealand ndokundikurudzira kushandisa upwere hwangu hunokosha mukubatira Mwari. (Muparidzi 12:1) Ndakakurukura nhau yacho navabereki vangu, uye ivo vakabvumirana nouchenjeri hwokuisa kuda kwaMwari pakutanga. Ndakarangarirawo mashoko aJesu Kristu ari muMharidzo yake yapaGomo, anoti: “Rambai, ipapoka, muchitanga kutsvaka Umambo nokururama [kwaMwari], uye zvimwe zvinhu zvose izvozvi zvichawedzerwa kwamuri.”—Mateo 6:33, NW.

Chisarudzo changu chakaitwa! Sezvo panguva iyoyo kwakanga kusina bazu reZvapupu zvaJehovha muNew Zealand, ndakakokwa kundobatira pabazu reAustralia muSydney. Nokudaro, muna 1937, ndakakwira ngarava yokuAustralia kuzova mushumiri wenguva yakazara waJehovha Mwari.

‘Mugovei wandichagamuchira?’ ndakashamisika. Bva, wakanga une zvawo. Ndakanga ndati, chaizvoizvo, kuna Jehovha, ‘Ndiri pano. Ndishandisei kupi kana kupi kwamunoda.’ Kwamakore maviri ndakabatsira mukugadzira magiramufomu ayo aishandiswa mumazuva iwayo neZvapupu zvaJehovha kuridzira vanasaimba hurukuro dzeBhaibheri dzakarekodhwa. Zvisinei, rovedzo yangu huru pabazu yakanga iri yebasa rapanzvimbo inochengetwa mabhuku.

Kupfuurira kuSingapore

Muna 1939, ndakagamuchira mugove wokuenda kuFar East—kundobatira panzvimbo inochengetwa mabhuku yeSosaiti muSingapore. Nzvimbo yacho inochengetwa mabhuku yakabatira somusimboti wokugamuchira nokutumira mabhuku aibva Australia, Britain, uye United States kunyika dzakawanda muAsia.

Singapore rakanga riri guta remitauro yakawanda umo tsika dzokuMabvazuva neEurope dzakavhengana. Mutauro weMalay wakanga uri mutoo unozivikanwa navose wekurukurirano, uye kuti tiparidzire pasuo nesuo, isu vokumwe taifanira kuudzidza. Mumitauro yakawanda, taiva neainzi makadhi echipupuriro. Iwaya aiva nemharidzo pfupi yeshoko roUmambo rakatsikirirwa paari.

Kutanga ndakadzidza nomusoro kadhi rechipupuriro reMalay uye ipapo pashoma napashoma ndakawedzera ruzivo rwangu rwamashoko mumutauro iwoyo. Asi taitakurawo mabhuku eBhaibheri mumimwe mitauro yakawanda. Nokuda kwavagari vemo veIndia, somuenzaniso, taiva nezvinyorwa muBengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, uye Urdu. Kusangana navanhu vamapoka akawanda kwazvo omutauro kwakanga kuri chinoitika chitsva nokuda kwangu.

Ndinosanoyeuka chiziviso chinotyisa muna September 1939, ziviso yehondo muEurope. Takashamisika, ‘Ichawedzera ndokubatanidza Far East here?’ Kwakaratidzika kwandiri kuva mavambo kuArmagedhoni—panguva chaipo ndakafunga kudaro! Ndakanzwa ndakagutswa kuti ndakanga ndashandisa zvakazara uye zvakafanira upwere hwangu.

Pamwe chete nebasa rangu panzvimbo inochengetwa mabhuku, ndaiva negoverano yakazara mumisangano yeungano noushumiri hwomumunda. Fundo dzeBhaibheri dzaiitiswa, uye vamwe vanhu vakagamuchira ndokuzvipa kurubhapatidzo rwomumvura. Vaiendeswa kumhenderekedzo yegungwa iri pedyo ndokunyudzwa mumvura dzinodziya dzapanosvikira ngarava peSingapore. Takatosarudza kuva negungano, tichifambisa chinyararire kokero pakati pavanhu vanofarira. Kumufaro wedu, vanenge 25 vakauya kuiro panguva iyeyo takadavira kuti raizova gungano redu rokupedzisira pamberi peArmagedhoni.

Kurukurirano pakati pamapazu eSosaiti yakanga yakaganhurirwa zvakakomba nehondo. Nzvimbo yedu yokuchengeta mabhuku yeSingapore, somuenzaniso, yakagamuchira chiziviso chipfupi chokuti mapiona matatu eGermany aifanira kusvika muSingapore pane imwe nguva mungarava isina kududzwa zita aienda kumugove usina kuziviswa. Mavhiki mashomanene gare gare ivo vakasvika ndokupedza maawa gumi anofadza nesu. Kunyange zvazvo mutauro wakanga uri chinetso, takakwanisa kunzwisisa kuti mugumo wavo wakagoverwa wakanga uri Shanghai.

Mugove Wangu muShanghai

Gore rimwe gare gare ndakamuchirawo mugove wokubatira muShanghai. Ndakanga ndisina kero yomugwagwa, nhamba yebhokisi repositi hofisi bedzi. Pashure pokusanoongororwa papositi hofisi, ndakakwanisa kusimbisa kuzivikanwa kwangu zvakakwana zvokupiwa kero yepokugara peSosaiti. Zvisinei, mugari wemo wechiChina akandizivisa kuti bazu rakanga rabva, uye kwakanga kusina kero yokutumira.

‘Chii chandinoita zvino?’ Ndakashamisika. Ndakapa munyengetero chinyararire nokuda kwenhungamiro. Ndichitarira mudenga, ndakaona varume vatatu, vakati rebei kupfuura vanhu vazhinji uye vakati sianei muchitarisiko. Ivo zvamazvirokwazvo vakatarisika savaGermany vatatu vakamira muSingapore nokuda kwamaawa anopfuura nokukurumidza iwayo mashomanene. Nokukurumidza, ndakapinda munzira yavo.

“Pamusoroi, ndapota,” Ndakandandama nenzira yamanyemwe. Ivo vakamira uye vakaringa norutyo kwandiri nameso anonzvera. “Singapore. Zvapupu zvaJehovha. Munondiyeuka here?” ndakabvunza kudaro.

Pashure penguva shomanene, ivo vakapindura, kuti: “Ya-a! Ya-a! Ya-a!” Nenzira yomuzvarirwo takambundirana, uye misodzi yomufaro yakadzika pachiso changu. Kubva mumamirioni avanhu, kwakadaro sei kuti varume vatatu ivavo vanofanira kupfuura panzvimbo iyoyo panguva iyeyo chaiyo? Ndakangoti, “Ndinokuongai, Jehovha.” Mhuri nhatu dzechiChina, nhatu dzechiGermany, uye ini taiva Zvapupu bedzi panguva iyeyo muShanghai.

Hong Kong uye Ipapo Burma

Pashure pokubatira muShanghai kwemwedzi mishomanene, ndakagoverwa kuHong Kong. Apo piona biyangu anokarirwa aibva Australia akakundikana kusvika, ndakazviwana ndimene ndava ndoga, Chapupu bedzi munyika yacho inotongwa nevokumwe. Zvakare, ndaifanira kuzviyeuchidza ndimene kuti ndakanga ndati kuna Jehovha, “Ndiri pano! Nditumei.”

Mubato wangu wakanangidzirwa zvikurukuru kuvanhu vechiChina vanotaura chiNgezi, bva ndakawana chitambudzo mukupfuura magedhi enzvimbo dzokugara, sezvo vabatiri vaiiswapo vaitaura chiChina bedzi. Naizvozvo ndakadzidza chiChina chiduku mumiviri yemitauro inoshandiswa zvikurusa. Kwakashanda! Ndaisvika varindiri vabatiri, kupa kadhi rangu rebhizimisi, kutaura chiChina changu chiduku, uye ipapo kazhinji kazhinji kupinzwa mukati.

Pane imwe nguva pakushanyira chikoro, ndakatevera uyu muitiro munhamburiko yokutaura nomudzidzisi mukuru. Mudzidzisi muduku akasangana neni mukamuri rokusvikira. Ndakamutevera mukamuri dzekirasi, ndakabvuma zviito zvokuremekedza zvavana, uye ndakagadzirira kushumwa kumudzidzisi mukuru. Mudzidzisi akagogodza, akazarura suo, akamira shure, uye akandipa chiratidzo chokupinda. Kushamisiko yangu yokushatirwa, iye akanga andiendesa nomutsa kuchimbudzi! Kwakaratidzika kuti chiChina changu chakanga chisina kunzwisiswa zvakafanira uye kuti, seizvo mudzidzisi mukuru akandiudza gare gare, ndakanga ndanzwisiswa zvisina kufanira kuva inisipikita wokugadzira pombi nowetsvina.

Pashure pemwedzi mina yomubato, ndakaziviswa namapurisa eHong Kong kuti chirambidzo chakanga chaiswa pabasa redu rokuparidzira uye kuti ndaifanira kurega kana zvimwe kudzingwa. Ndakasarudza kudzingwa sezvo suo rokukuparidzira kunopfuuridzirwa rakanga richiri rakazarurwa kune imwe nzvimbo zvayo. Ndiri muHong Kong, ndakanga ndagovera mabhuku 462 uye ndakanga ndabetsera vamwe vaviri kugoverana muushumiri.

Kubva kuHong Kong, ndakagoverwa kuBurma. Ikoko ndakapayona ndokubatsira mubasa rapanochengetwa mabhuku muRangoon (zvino Yangon). Chimwe chezvinoitika zvinofadza zvikurusa chaiva chiya chokuparidzira mumataundi nomumisha yakapararira munzira huru inobva Rangoon kuenda kuMandalay uye kupfuura kusvikira kutaundi rapamuganhu reChina reLashio. Piyona biyangu neni takapa ngwariro panzanga inotaura chiNgezi, tichiwana kuzvinyoresa kune mazana anoverengeka kuConsolation (zvino magazini yaMukai!). Sezvineiwo, uyu mugwagwa mukuru unobva Rangoon kuenda kuMandalay waizova unozivikanwa seBurma Road, nzira mairi migove yehondo yeAmerica yaipinzwa nayo muChina.

Kukwedaira muguruva rinosvika muziso regumbo kazhinji kazhinji kwakatiita kuti tinzwe tichida kushamba kwakanaka. Ikoku kwakatungamirira kuchinoitika charondedzerwa pakutanga, chiya chokusungwa tichishamba murwizi pasi pebhiriji. Nokukurumidza pashure pacho mabasa ehondo nechirwere zvakatimanikidzira kudzokera kuRangoon. Ndakakwanisa kugara muBurma kutozosvikira muna 1943, apo mabasa akawedzerwa ehondo akandimanikidzira kudzokera kuAustralia.

Kudzokera muAustralia

Munguvayo, mibato yeZvapupu zvaJehovha yakanga yarambidzwa muAustralia. Zvisinei, chirambidzo chakakurumidza kubviswa, uye pashure penguva yakati ndakakokwazve kushanda pahofisi yebazu. Gare gare, muna 1947, ndakaroora Betty Moss, uyo akanga ave achishanda pabazu reSosaiti muAustralia. Baba naamai vaBetty vakanga vari mapiona, uye ivo vakakurudzira vose vari vaviri iye nehanzvadzi yake Bill kuita kupayona mabasa avo. Betty akatanga kupayona zuva raakabva pachikoro, pazera ramakore 14. Ndakarangarira kuti tinofanira kuita zvakanaka pamwe chete, sezvo iyewo, chaizvoizvo, akanga ati kuna Jehovha, “Ndiri pano! Nditumei.”

Pashure pokunge taroorana kwegore rimwe, ndakakokwa kupinda mubasa redunhu, kushanyira ungano dzeZvapupu zvaJehovha. Kushanda munharaunda dziri mukati menyika dziri kure dzeAustralia yakanga iri denho chaiyoiyo. Mafashamo akamwe kamwe kazhinji kazhinji aipa zvinetso zvokufamba, zvikurukuru mumigwagwa inotsvedza. Tembiricha dzezhezha dzaikwira kusvikira kumadhigirii 43 Celsius mumumvuri. Tichigara mumatende, takawana mazhezha anopisa zvikuru kuva anopisa zvinodokuva zvisingashiviririki uye dzechando nguva kuva dzinotonhora zvikuru.

Wakanga uri mufaro kubatira somutariri woruwa apo kwakanga kune maruwa maviri bedzi muAustralia. Donald MacLean akabatira rumwe ruwa, uye ini rumwe rwacho. Ipapo taichinjana maruwa. Mufaro kurava pamusoro peungano idzo zvino dziripo uko takambobatira. Mbeu dzezvokwadi yeBhaibheri zvirokwazvo dzakamera ndokubereka!

Kudzokera Uko Kwakatanga

Muna 1961, ndakava neropafadzo yokupinda kirasi yokutanga yechikoro chavafundisi cheGilead pashure pokutama kwacho chichienda kuBrooklyn, New York. Ndakanga ndagamuchira kokero dzekare dzokuchikoro kwacho asi handina kugona kugamuchira nokuda kwezvikonzero zvoutano. Pamhedziso yekosi yemwedzi gumi, ndakakokwa kugamuchira New Zealand somugove wangu.

Naizvozvo chifo chaJanuary 1962, Betty neni tave tiri muno muNew Zealand, imwe yenyika dzeAustralia. Inowanzonongedzerwa kwairi sechimwe chezvinokosha zvikuru zvePacific. Nenzira youbati ushe hwaMwari, wave uri mufaro kubatira mose muri muviri mubasa redunhu nomune roruwa. Kwamakore 14 apfuura, chifo chaApril 1979, tave tichishanda pahofisi yebazu yeNew Zealand.

Betty neni zvino tose tiri vaviri tava mumakore edu apakati pama 70, uye pamwe chete tine makore 116 ebasa roUmambo renguva yakazara rinopfuurira. Betty akatanga kupayona muna January 1933, uye ini muna April 1937. Yakawanda yave iri mifaro yedu sezvatakatarira vana vedu vomudzimu navazukuru vachiita zvatakaita apo takanga tiri vaduku, ndiko kuti, kuteerera zano raMuparidzi 12:1: “Rangarirawo Musiki wako pamazuva oujaya hwako.”

Yave iri ropafadzo yakadini kupedza hunodokuva upenyu hwedu hwose tichiparidzira mashoko akanaka oUmambo hwaMwari nokuita vadzidzi, seizvo Ishe wedu Jesu Kristu akaraira! (Mateo 24:14; 28:19, 20) Tinofara kwazvo kuti takagamuchira kokero yaMwari sezvakaita muporofita Isaya kare kare, “Ndiri pano! Nditumei.”