Nhaka Yakaisvonaka yechiKristu
YAKATAURWA NABLOSSOM BRANDT
Kwakanga kune sinou muSan Antonio, Texas,pana January 17, 1923, zuva randakaberekwa. Kunze kwaitonhora, asi ndakagamuchirwa mumaoko anodziya avabereki vechiKristu vane rudo, Judge naHelen Norris. Kuvambira muyeuko dzangu dzapakuvamba zvikurusa, chinhu chiri chose vabereki vangu vakaita chainanga pakunamata kwavo Jehovha Mwari.
MUNA 1910 apo Amai vaiva namakore masere, vabereki vavo vakabva pedyo nePittsburgh, Pennsylvania, vachienda kupurazi raiva kunze kweAlvin, Texas. Ikoko ivo vakafara kudzidza zvokwadi dzeBhaibheri kumuvakidzani. Amai vakapedza rutivi rwakasara rwoupenyu hwavo vachitsvaka kuita kuti vanhu vafarire tariro yoUmambo. Vakabhapatidzwa muna 1912 pashure pokunge mhuri yatamira kuHouston, Texas.
Amai navabereki vavo vakatanga kusangana naCharles T. Russell, purezidhendi wokutanga weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society, apo akashanyira ungano yavo muHouston. Mhuri kazhinji kazhinji yaivaraidza mumusha mavo vamiriri vanofambira veSosaiti, avo panguva iyeyo vainzi vanoenda kunzvimbo tsvene. Makore mashomanene gare gare, Amai vakatama navabereki vavo vachienda kuChicago, Illinois, uye Hama Russell aishanyirawo ungano ikoko.
Muna 1918, Ambuya vakabatwa nefuruwenza yeSpain, uye nemhaka yomuuyo wayo unonetesa pautano hwavo, vanachiremba vakarumbidza kuti vagare mumugariro wokunze unodziya zvikuru. Sezvo Sekuru vaishandira kambani yezvitima yePullman, muna 1919 vakadzorerwa kuTexas. Ikoko, muSan Antonio, Amai vakasangana nomumwe mutezo muduku, unoshingaira weungano wainzi Judge Norris. Ivo vakakwezvana nokukurumidza, uye pashure penguva yakati vakaroorana, uye Judge akava baba vangu.
Baba Vanodzidza Zvokwadi yeBhaibheri
Judge (Mutongi) akapiwa zita rake rechienzi pakuberekwa. Apo baba vake vakatanga kumuona, vakati: “Mwana iyeyo akadzikama somutongi,” uye iroro rakava zita rake. Muna 1917, apo Baba vakanga vava namakore 16, vakapiwa maturakiti Where Are the Dead? uye What Is the Soul? akatsikirirwa neWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Baba vababa vakanga vafa makore maviri pamberi pezvi, uye maturakiti akavagovera mhinduro dzavakanga vave vachitsvaka pamusoro pomugariro wavakafa. Nokukurumidza pashure pacho vakavamba kupinda misangano yaVadzidzi veBhaibheri, seizvo Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvaizivikanwa panguva iyeyo.
Baba vakakurumidza kuda kugoverana mumibato yeungano. Vakawana ndima umo vaigona kuparidzira, uye pashure pechikoro vaitasva bhasikoro ravo vachienda kundogovera maturakiti. Vakava vakanyura chose chose mukugoverana tariro yoUmambo, uye pana March 24, 1918, vakaratidzira tsauriro yavo kuna Jehovha kupfurikidza norubhapatidzo rwomumvura.
Gore rakatevera racho apo Amai vakatamira kuSan Antonio, Baba vakakurumidza kukwezverwa kuiyo vakati yakanga iri “nyemwerero yakanakisisa nameso ebhuruu zvikurusa” zvavakanga vasati vamboona. Vakakurumidza kuita kuti kuzivikanwe kuti vaida kuroorana, asi vakava nenguva yakaoma vachipwisa vabereki vaAmai. Bva, pana April 15, 1921, muchato wakaitika. Vose vari vaviri vaiva senharidzano yavo ushumiri hwenguva yakazara.
Kukurumidza Kutanga Muushumiri
Apo Amai naBaba vakanga vakabatikana kuronga kupinda kokorodzano yeCedar Point, Ohio, muna 1922, vakawana kuti Amai vakanga vachindikarira. Nokukurumidza pashure pokuberekwa kwangu, apo Baba vaiva namakore 22 bedzi, vakagadzwa kuva mutungamiriri webasa weungano. Ikoku kwakareva kuti vaiita gadziriro dzose dzebasa romumunda. Mumavhiki mashomanene chete, Amai vaibuda neni muushumiri hwapasuo nesuo. Zvomenemene, vanasekuru vangu vaidawo kuti ndive navo muushumiri.
Apo ndaiva namakore maviri bedzi, vabereki vangu vakatamira kuDallas, Texas, uye vakavamba ushumiri hwenguva yakazara samapiona makore matatu gare gare. Usiku vairara pakamubhedha mumugwagwa ndokundiisa musiti yeshure yemotokari. Chokwadika, ndakafunga kuti ikoku kwaifadza, asi kwakakurumidza kuva pachena kuti vakanga vasati vagadzirira nokuda kwoupenyu hwoupiona. Naizvozvo Baba vakatanga bhizimisi. Pashure penguva yakati, vakagadzira turera duku vachigadzirira kutanga kupayona zvakare.
Ndisati ndavamba chikoro, Amai vakandidzidzisa kurava nokunyora, uye ndakaziva kusvikira kutaimi tebhuro yechina. Ngwariro yavo nguva dzose yaiva pakundibetsera kudzidza. Vaindimisa pachigaro pedyo navo kuti ndigogona kupukuta ndiro sezvo vaidzigeza, uye vaindidzidzisa kudzidza magwaro nomusoro ndokuimba nziyo dzoUmambo, kana kuti dzimbo sezvataidzidana kudaro panguva iyeyo.
Kubatira Mwari Navabereki Vangu
Muna 1931 tose zvedu takapinda kokorodzano inofadza muColumbus, Ohio, uko takagamuchira zita rokuti Zvapupu zvaJehovha. Kunyange zvazvo ndaingova namakore masere bedzi, ndakafunga kuti rakanga riri zita rakanaka zvikurusa randakanga ndati ndanzwa. Nokukurumidza pashure pokunge tadzokera kumusha, bhizimisi raBaba rakarokoteka, uye Baba naAmai vakarangarira ikoku so“kuda kwaShe” kuti vatange kupayona zvakare. Nokudaro, kuvamba muzhezha ra 1932, takafarikanya makore akawanda muushumiri hwenguva yakazara.
Vabereki vangu vakapayona pakati peTexas kuti vagare pedyo navabereki vaAmai, avo vakanga vachiri muSan Antonio. Kubva mumugove tichienda kumugove kwakareva kuti ndaichinja zvikoro kazhinji kazhinji zvikuru. Padzimwe nguva shamwari dzisingafungi dzaiti, “Neiko musingagari ndokuva nomusha nokuda kwomwana iyeyo,” sokunge ndakanga ndisingatarisirwi zvakafanira. Asi ndaifunga kuti upenyu hwedu hwakanga huchifadza uye kuti ndakanga ndichibetsera Baba naAmai muushumiri hwavo. Zvomenemene, ndakanga ndichirovedzwa nokugadzirirwa nokuda kwaaizova gare gare mararamire angu ndimene.
Kwemwedzi ndairamba ndichiudza Baba naAmai kuti ndaida kubhapatidzwa, uye ivo kazhinji kazhinji vaitaura kwandiri pamusoro pako. Vaida kuva nechokwadi chokuti ndaiziva kuti chisarudzo changu chakanga chakakomba sei. Pana December 31, 1934, zuva rakasvika reichi chinoitika chinokosha muupenyu hwangu. Zvisinei, usiku hwapamberi pacho, Baba vakava nechokwadi chokuti ndakanga ndaenda kuna Jehovha mumunyengetero. Ipapo vakaita chinhu chakaisvonaka. Vakaita kuti tose zvedu tipfugame, uye vakapa munyengetero. Vakaudza Jehovha kuti vakanga vafara kwazvo pamusoro pechisarudzo chomusikana wavo muduku chokutsaurira upenyu hwake kwaAri. Unogona kuva nechokwadi, mumazera ose akauya, handisati ndichizotongokanganwa usiku ihwohwo!
Rovedzo Yakabva Kuvanasekuru Vangu
Pakati pa 1928 na 1938, ndakapedza nguva yakawanda ndichishanyira vanasekuru vangu muSan Antonio. Muitiro navo wakanga uri mumwe chetewo zvikuru navabereki vangu. Ambuya vakanga vave colporteur, seizvo vaisidana mapiona, uye ipapo vakava piona wenguva isina kuzara. Sekuru vakagadzwa kuva piona muna December 1929, naizvozvo basa romumunda nguva dzose raiva mubato wezuva riri rose.
Sekuru vaindibata mumaoko avo usiku ndokundidzidzisa mazita enyeredzi. Vaidzokorora madetembedzo kwandiri nomusoro. Ndaiita nzendo dzakawanda navo muzvitima zvePullman apo vaishandira raruwe. Nguva dzose vaiva munhu wandaigona kutendeukira kwaari apo ndaiva nechinetso; vaindinyaradza uye vaipukuta misodzi yangu. Bva, apo ndakarangwa nokuda kwemisikanzwa ndokuenda kwavari ndichitsvaka nyaradzo, vaingoti zvavo (mashoko andaisanzwisisa panguva yacho, asi kunzwika kwawo kwakanga kwakajeka zvikuru): “Mudiwa, nzira yomudariki yakaoma zvikuru.”
Makore Echitambudzo
Muna 1939, Hondo yeNyika II yakavamba, uye vanhu vaJehovha vakatambura chitambudzo namasimba masimba enyongori. Pakasvika mugumo wa 1939, Amai vakarwara zvikuru uye pakupedzisira vakada kuvhiiwa, naizvozvo takadzokera kuSan Antonio.
Nyongori dzaiungana sezvo taiita basa ramagazini mumigwagwa yeSan Antonio. Asi vhiki rimwe nerimwe, semhuri, taivako, mumwe nomumwe pakona redu rakagoverwa. Ndaiwanzotarira sezvo ivo vaikwevera Baba kukamba yamapurisa.
Baba vakaedza kupfuurira kupayona kunyange zvazvo Amai vaifanira kurega. Zvisinei, vaisagona kuwana mari yakakwana vachishanda nguva isina kuzara, naizvozvo vaitofanira kuregawo. Ndakapedza chikoro muna 1939, uye iniwo ndakaenda kunoshanda.
Zita rababa rokuti Judge (Mutongi) rakabvumikisa kuva rinoshanda mukati mamakore iwayo. Somuenzaniso, rimwe boka reshamwari rakaenda kundopupurira mutaundi kuchamhembe chaiko kweSan Antonio, uye mutongi akatanga kuvaisa vose mutorongo. Akanga asunga vanenge 35 kubatanidza vanasekuru vangu. Vakasvitsa shoko kuna Baba, uye ivo vakachaira vachikwirako. Vakapinda muhofisi yomutongi ndokuti: “Ndini Judge Norris anobva San Antonio.”
“Hungu Changamire, Mutongi, chii chandinogona kukuitirai?” mutongi akabvunza kudaro.
“Ndauya kuzoona pamusoro pokubudisa vanhu ava mutorongo,” Baba vakapindura kudaro. Naikoko mutongi akavarega vachibuda pasina bherauti—uye pasina mimwe mibvunzo!
Baba vaida kushanda muzvivako zvehofisi zvomutaundi, uye vaida zvikuru kushanyira vatongi namagweta. Vaiudza mugamuchiri wavaenzi, kuti: “Ndini Judge Norris, uye ndauya kuzoona Mutongi nhingi.”
Ipapo, pavaisangana nomutongi, nguva dzose vaitanga kuti: “Zvino, ndisati ndataura pamusoro pedonzo reshanyo yangu, ndinoda kutsanangura kuti ndave ndiri Judge kwenguva refu kupfuura imi. Ndave ndakadaro upenyu hwangu hwose.” Uye ipapo vaitsanangura kuti vakawana sei zita ravo. Ikoku kwaivatungamirira kumavambo oushamwari, uye vakasakurira ushamwari hwakanaka hwakawanda navatongi mumazuva iwayo.
Ndinoonga Nhungamiro Yavabereki
Ndaidaro mumakore iwayo akanyongana ouduku, uye ndinoziva kuti Baba naAmai vaifunganya kakawanda sezvo vaitarira ndokushamisika chandaizotevera kuita. Sezvinoita vana vose, ndakaedza Baba naAmai kakawanda, ndichikumbira kuita chimwe chinhu kana kuti kuenda kune imwe nzvimbo ndichiziva pachine nguva mberi kuti mhinduro yavo yaizova aiwa. Pane dzimwe nguva kwaiva nemisodzi. Zvomenemene, ndingadai ndakakangaidzika zvikuru kudai vakanga vamboti: “Pfuurira, ita zvaunoda. Hatina basa nazvo.”
Kuziva kuti ndaisagona kuvapesvedzera kuchinja mipimo yavo kwakandipa kunzwa kwechengeteko. Kutaura idi, ikoku kwakaita kuti kundiitire nyore zvikuru apo vamwe vaduku vaikarakadza varaidzo dzisiri dzokuchenjera, nokuti ndaigona kuti: “Baba vangu havangandibvumiri.” Apo ndakanga ndava namakore 16, Baba vakava nechokwadi chokuti ndakadzidza kuchaira uye kuti ndakawana rezenesi rangu romuchairi. Uyewo, panenge panguva ino vakandipa kiyi yokupinda mumba. Ndakaororwa kwazvo kuti ivo vaindivimba. Ndakanzwa ndakura kwazvo, uye kwakandipa pfungwa yomutoro nechishuvo chokusashatisa chivimbo chavo.
Mumazuva iwayo hapana zano rakawanda raipiwa pamusoro peroorano, asi Baba vaiziva Bhaibheri uye zvaraitaura pamusoro pokuroora “bedzi munaShe.” (1 VaKorinte 7:39, NW) Vakandijekesera kuti kana ndikambounza kumba mukomana wenyika, kana kuti kunyange kuvhakacha naye, kuora mwoyo kwavo kwaizova kukuru. Ndaiziva kuti vakanga vakarurama, nokuti ndakanga ndaona mufarwa nechinzwano muroorano yavo nemhaka yokuti vakaroora “munaShe.”
Muna 1941, apo ndakanga ndava namakore 18, ndakafunga kuti ndaidanana nomumwe murume muduku muungano. Akanga ari piona uye achifunda kuva gweta. Ndakafadzwa. Apo takaudza vabereki vangu kuti taida kuroorana, panzvimbo pokuratidza kusatendera kana kuti kuva vasingakurudziri, vakangoti: “Tingada kukukumbira chinhu chimwe, Blossom. Tinorangarira kuti muri vaduku zvikuru, uye tingada kukukumbirai kumira gore rimwe. Kana muchidanana chaizvoizvo, gore rimwe harisati richizoita musiano.”
Ndinoonga kwazvo kuti ndakateerera zano iroro rokuchenjera. Mukati megore racho, ndakati kurei ndokuvamba kuona kuti uyu murume muduku akanga asina mavara aizoparira mukwanyina weroorano akanaka. Iye pakupedzisira akasiya sangano, uye ndakapukunyuka ingadai yakava ngwavaira muupenyu hwangu. Kunoshamisa sei kuva navabereki vakachenjera vane chisarudzo chinogona kuvimbwa nacho!
Roorano Nebasa Rokufambira
Munguva yechando ya 1946, pashure pokunge ndapedza makore matanhatu ndichipayona nokushanda nguva isina kuzara, murume muduku akaisvonakisisa wandakanga ndisati ndambosangana naye akapinda muHoro yedu yoUmambo. Gene Brandt akanga agoverwa somubiyake kumuranda wedu anofambira hama, seizvo mutariri wedunhu aidanwa panguva iyeyo. Kwakanga kuri kukwezvana, uye pana August 5, 1947, takaroorana.
Nokukurumidza, Baba naGene vakazarura hofisi yeakaunzi. Asi Baba vakaudza Gene, kuti: “Zuva iro hofisi ino inotirovhesa musangano kana kuti mugove woubati ushe hwaMwari, tichakiya suo ndokurasa kiyi.” Jehovha akakomborera uyu murangariro womudzimu, uye hofisi yacho yakagovera zvakakwana nokuda kwezvinodikanwa zvedu zvokunyama ndokubvumira nguva yokupayona. Baba naGene vakanga vari vezvebhizimisi vakanaka, uye taigona kuva tisina kutana kuva vakapfuma, asi ikoku kwakanga kusati kuchitongova nharidzano yavo.
Muna 1954, Gene akakokwa mubasa redunhu, uko kwakareva chinjo huru muupenyu hwedu. Vabereki vangu vaizoita sei? Zvakare, itiro hanya yavo yakanga isati iri nokuda kwavo vamene asi nokuda kwefariro dzoUmambo hwaMwari uye nokuda kwegarikano yomudzimu yavana vavo. Havana kutongoti kwatiri: “Neiko musingatipi vazukuru?” Panzvimbo pezvo, nguva dzose kwakanga kuri “Chii chatinogona kuita kukubetserai mubasa renguva yakazara?”
Naizvozvo apo zuva rakasvika rokuti tiende, kwaingova bedzi namashoko ekurudziro nokufarira ropafadzo yedu yakaisvonaka. Havana kutongotiita kuti tinzwe kuti takanga tiri kuvasiya asi nguva dzose vakanga vachititsigira zvakazara. Pashure pokunge taenda, vakazvichengeta vamene vakabatikana mubasa roupiona kwamamwe makore gumi. Baba vakagadzwa kuva mutariri weguta reSan Antonio, iri nzvimbo yavakava nayo kwamakore 30. Vakafara kuona kukura kubva paungano imwe muguta racho muma 1920 kusvikira ku 71 vasati vafa muna 1991.
Nokuda kwaGene neni, upenyu hwakazadzwa nomufaro. Takava nomufaro wakapfuma wokubatira hama nehanzvadzi dzinodiwa munyika dzinopfuura 31 uye, zvimwe yakatanhamara yadzose, ropafadzo yokupinda kirasi yechi 29 yeWatchtower Bible School of Gilead muna 1957. Pashure paikoko takadzokera kubasa rokufambira. Muna 1984, pashure pamakore 30 mubasa redunhu nereruwa, Sosaiti nomutsa yakapa Gene mugove wedunhu muSan Antonio, sezvo vabereki vakanga vava namakore ari muma 80 okukura uye vane utano hwakashata.
Kutarisira Vabereki
Rakanga richingova bedzi gore rimwe nehafu pashure pokunge tadzokera kuSan Antonio apo Amai vakadokuva vasingazivi ndokufa. Kwakaitika nokukurumidza kwazvo zvokuti handina kukwanisa kutaura zvimwe zvezvinhu ndaida kutaura kwavari. Ikoku kwakandidzidzisa kutaura zvakawanda naBaba. Pashure pamakore 65 eroorano, vakarasikirwa naAmai zvikuru kwazvo, asi taivapo kuti tipe rudo netsigiro.
Muenzaniso waBaba woupenyu hwose wokupinda misangano yechiKristu, fundo, uye basa wakapfuurira kusvikira parufu rwavo. Vaida kurava. Sezvo vaifanira kuva voga patakanga tiri mubasa, ndaiuya kumba ndokubvunza kuti, “Maiva noushoma here?” Vakanga vave vakabatikana kwazvo nokurava nokufunda, mufungo wacho wakanga usina kumboitika kwavari.
Kwakanga kune imwe tsika youpenyu hwose yatakachengeta. Baba nguva dzose vaitaura kuti mhuri idyire pamwe chete, zvikurukuru panguva yechisvusvuro, apo Rugwaro rwezuva rwairangarirwa. Handina kutongobvumirwa kubva pamusha pasina kukuita. Pane dzimwe nguva ndaiti: “Asi Baba, ndichanonoka kuchikoro (kana kuti kubasa).”
“Harusati ruri rugwaro runokunonotsa; hauna kukurumidza kumuka,” vaidaro. Uye ndaifanira kugara ndokurunzwa. Vaiva nechokwadi chokuti uyu muenzaniso wakanaka waivapo kusvikira kumazuva avo okupedzisira oupenyu. Iyi ndiimwe nhaka yavakandisiira.
Baba vakaramba vakasvinurira mundangariro kusvikira kumugumo. Chakaita kuti kuvatarisira kuve kuri nyore zvikuru chaiva chokuti havana kutongonetsa kana kuti kunyunyuta. Haiwa, pane dzimwe nguva vaidudza arthritis yavo, asi ndaivayeuchidza kuti kwavaiva nako chaizvoizvo kwaiva “kusakwana kwakagarwa nhaka kuna Adhama,” uye vaiseka. Sezvo Gene neni takagara parutivi pavo, Baba vakarara chinyararire pamangwanani aNovember 30, 1991.
Zvino ndine makore anopfuura 70 ezera uye ndichiri kubetserwa nomuenzaniso wakanaka wavabereki vangu vane rudo vechiKristu. Uye munyengetero wangu wapachokwadi kuti ndichabvumikisa kuonga kwangu kwakazara iyi nhaka kupfurikidza nokuishandisa zvakafanira mumazera ose achauya.—Pisarema 71:17, 18.
[Mufananidzo uri papeji 5]
Amai neni
[Mifananidzo iri papeji 7]
1. Kokorodzano yangu yokutanga: San Marcos, Texas, September 1923
2. Kokorodzano yokupedzisira yaBaba: Fort Worth, Texas, June 1991 (Baba vakagara)
[Mufananidzo uri papeji 9]
Gene naBlossom Brandt