Ndakawana Pfuma Youkoshi Hwakaisvonaka
YAKATAURWA NAFLORENCE WIDDOWSON
Sezvo usiku hwakasvika, takasarudza kudzika tende pedyo nerimwe gungwa duku. Yakanga isati iri nzvimbo yakanaka yokudzika tende nokuda kwavakadzi vaviri, asi takafunga kuti yaizova yakanaka nokuda kwousiku humwe. Apo ndakanga ndakabatikana kudzika tende, Marjorie aigadzira zvokudya zvedu zvamadekwana.
NDAKANGA ndichangobva kupedza kuroverera hoko yokupedzisira yetende apo ndakaona kufamba pedyo nechigutsa chitema. “Waona chigutsa ichocho chichifamba here?” ndakadanidzira kuna Marjorie.
“Aiwa,” akapindura, ashamiswa zvishomanene.
“Eya, chafamba zvamazvirokwazvo,” ndakadanidzira kudaro. “Ndipe ketero!”
Ndichiitora, pamwe chete nedemo papfudzi rangu, ndakananga kugungwa duku. Apo ndakanga ndadokuvambirana nechigutsa, mumwe murume akabuda achibva seri kwacho!
“Mvura iri mugungwa duku yakakodzera kunwa here?” ndakakwanisa kutaura kudaro nokukurumidza.
“Aiwa, haina,” akapindura kudaro nehasha, “asi kana muchida mvura yokunwa, ndichakuwanirai.”
Ndakaramba nokukurumidza chikarakadzo chake, uye kukusununguka kwangu kukuru, pakarepo akadzokera ndokuenda. Ndichidedera, ndakakurumidza kudzokera ndokuudza Marjorie chakanga chaitika. Takakurumidza kupunza tende, kurongedza, uye kuenda. Gare gare takaudzwa kuti murume wacho akanga achangobva kuburitswa mutorongo.
Kunyange zvazvo vatsvaki vendarama kazhinji kazhinji vaigara mumatende ikoko muminda yendarama yeAustralia shure muna 1937, takanga tiri vatsvaki vorudzi rwakasiana. Takanga tichitsvaka vanhu vakanga vachikosha kuna Mwari.
Mugariro Wekare Wemhuri Yangu
Makore ane zana apfuura, baba vangu vakanga vari mupfuri mumusha muduku wePorepunkah munyika yeVictoria. Ndakaberekerwa imomo muna 1895, uye ndakakura nehanzvadzi ina pedyo neOvens River, mujinga meMount Buffalo. Vabereki vangu vakanga vari vapindi venguva dzose veUnion Church, uye ndaienda kuSandisikuru, uko baba vangu vakanga vari mutarisiri.
Muna 1909, Amai vakarwara nomwoyo mukati memhepo yamasimba masimba ndokufira mumaoko ababa vangu. Ipapo, pakuvamba muna 1914, imwe yehanzvadzi dzangu yakabva pamusha, uye maawa mashomanene gare gare, yakadzorerwa kwatiri—yakafa. Yakanga yazviuraya. Nhamo yedu yakakudzwa nedzidziso yechechi yokuti hero yakamumirira, sezvo kuzviuraya kwaitaurwa kuva chivi chisingakanganwirwi.
Gare gare gore iroro Hondo yeNyika I yakatanga, uye mbiri dzehanzvadzi dzangu dzakanyoresa nokuda kwebasa remhiri kwamakungwa. Mashoko anotyisa okuteurwa kweropa nokutambura zvakakurumidzisa vatanhatu vedu vakadzi vaduku, pamwe chete nababa vangu, kuvamba fundo yebhuku reBhaibheri raJohane.
Kuwana Pfuma Yechokwadi
Ellen Hudson akanga ane kopi yebhuku raThe Time Is at Hand, rakanyorwa naCharles Taze Russell. Mbavarira yake nokuda kwaro yakapesvedzera vasara vedu muboka. Apo akacherekedza kuti bhuku racho rakanga riri rimwe bedzi renhevedzano dzamavhoriyamu matanhatu ane musoro unoti Studies in the Scriptures, akatumira tsamba kuInternational Bible Students Association muMelbourne ndokukumbira asara ose enhevedzano yacho. Boka redu rakabvuma kushandisa vhoriyamu rokutanga, The Divine Plan of the Ages, mufundo dzedu dzevhiki nevhiki.
Fungidzira mufaro waBaba nowangu kuwana kuti hakuna hero yomwoto. Rutyo rwokuti hanzvadzi yangu yakanga yakaganhurirwa muhero yomwoto rwakabviswa. Takadzidza zvokwadi yokuti vakafa havana chavanoziva, sokunge varere, uye havasi kugara kune imwe nzvimbo vachitambudzwa. (Muparidzi 9:5, 10; Johane 11:11-14) Vamwe muboka redu refundo yeBhaibheri vakasarudza kuenda kuvavakidzani vedu kundoparidzira zvokwadi dzatakanga tichidzidza. Taifamba kuenda kudzimba dzakanga dziri pedyo, asi taishandisa mabhasikoro nengoro yaiva namavhiri maviri yaidhonzwa nebhiza rimwe kuti tisvike dziya dzaiva kunze kwetaundi.
Ndakatanga kuravidza kupupurira kwangu kwapaimba neimba paArmistice Day, November 11, 1918. Vatatu vedu vomuboka redu refundo takafamba makiromita 80 kuenda kutaundi reWangaratta kundoparadzira turakiti raPeoples Pulpit. Makore akati gare gare, apo ndakanga ndiri pamugove wokuparidzira muimwe yenzvimbo dzomumaruwa, ndakava nechinoitika chadudzwa pakuvamba.
Muna 1919, ndakapinda kokorodzano yaVadzidzi veBhaibheri muMelbourne. Imomo, pana April 22, 1919, ndakaratidzira tsauriro yangu kuna Jehovha kupfurikidza noruombeko rwomumvura. Zvokudya zvomudzimu zvakakudza nzwisiso yangu yepfuma yomudzimu yoUmambo hwamatenga uye yesangano rapasi raJehovha.—Mateo 13:44.
Handina kudzokera kumusha pashure pekokorodzano asi ndakagamuchira kokero yokukumbanira Jane Nicholson, muparidziri wenguva yakazara, kwomwedzi wokupupurira. Mugove wedu wakanga uri nzanga dzokurima nedzokuchengetera mombe muKing River. Makore mashomanene chete apfuura, iyi nzvimbo ine makomo yakanga iri nzvimbo yefirimu rinonzi The Man From Snowy River.
Muna 1921 takagamuchira yamuro yakaisvonaka yefundo yeBhaibheri yaThe Harp of God. Apo Baba vakavamba kuishandisa sebhuku rinofundwa nokuda kwekirasi yavo yeSandisikuru, vabereki vazhinji vakaramba ndokuvakumbira kurega. Vakaita kudaro nokukurumidza. Gare gare takagamuchira bhukwana raHell, rine mibvunzo yaro yapabutiro inofadza, “Iyo Chii? Ndivanaani Variko? Vanogona Kubuda Here?” Baba vakafadzwa kwazvo nechibvumikiso chakajeka cheBhaibheri chakapiwa pamusoro wacho zvokuti kamwe kamwe vakavamba kuparadzira makopi paimba neimba. Vakagovera mazana awo mumusha wedu nomumaruwa ari pedyo.
Nzendo Dzokuparidzira naBaba
Pakupedzisira, Baba vakatenga motokari kuti tisvike vanhu vari mudzimwe nzvimbo neshoko roUmambo. Somupfuri, vakanga vakarovedzana zvikuru namabhiza, naizvozvo ndakava muchairi wemotokari. Kutanga, taigara usiku muhotera. Nokukurumidza ikoku kwakabvumikisa kuva kunodhura zvikuru, uye takavamba kugara mutende.
Baba vakagadzira chigaro chokumberi chemotokari kuti chirare uye ini ndaigona kurara mumotokari. Taidzika tende duku kuti Baba varare mairi. Pashure pokugara mutende kwamavhiki anoverengeka, taidzokera kuPorepunkah, uko Baba vaizozarurazve shopo yavo yokupfura. Hatina kutongorega kushamisika kuti nguva dzose pakanga pana vatengi vazhinji vanobhadhara kuti tifukidze ndyiko dzorwendo rwedu runotevera rwokuparidzira.
Vanhu vazhinji vane ndangariro yakarurama vakagamuchira zvakanaka shanyo dzedu uye pakupedzisira vakagamuchira fundo dzeBhaibheri dzapamusha. Zvino kune ungano nomwe dzine Horo dzoUmambo dzadzo dzimene munharaunda iyo pakuvamba yaibatirwa neboka redu duku rokuPorepunkah. Zvamazvirokwazvo, ndiani anogona kushora “zuva rezvinhu zviduku”?—Zekaria 4:10, NW.
Muna 1931, Baba neni takachaira anodokusvika makiromita 300 mumigwagwa yakashata zvikuru kuti tipinde musangano chaiwo, uko takagamuchira zita redu idzva, “Zvapupu zvaJehovha.” Tose tiri vaviri takafadzwa neiri zita rechienzi, rapaMagwaro. (Isaya 43:10-12) Rakatizivisa zvakajeka zvikuru kwazvo kupfuura zita rinosianisa zvishomanene rokuti “Vadzidzi veBhaibheri Vamarudzi Ose,” iro takanga tazivikanwa naro kusvikira ipapo.
Rimwe zuva apo ndakanga ndichipupurira mutaundi reBethanga, ndakasangana nomufundisi womunzvimbomo weChurch of England. Akatsamwa ndokuvamba kuronda mabhuku edu mazhinji atakagovera, achiraira kuti vanhu vamupe mabhuku avo. Pashure akapisa mabhuku pachena pakati peguta. Asi chiito chake chinoshoresa chakakundikana.
Pashure pokunge ndazivisa hofisi yebazu yeSosaiti nezvechakanga chaitika, tsamba yakabudiswa mupepanhau yakatsikirirwa iyo yaishurikidza izvo mufundisi wacho akanga aita. Uyewo, gadziriro dzakaitwa dzokuti motokari dzakazara Zvapupu dziparadzire tsamba yacho muruwa rwose. Apo Baba neni gare gare takashanyirazve taundi racho, takagovera mabhuku akawanda kupfuura kare. Vanhu vomutaundi vakanga vachidisa kuziva pamusoro peicho mabhuku “akarambidzwa” akanga anacho!
Munhu wokutanga kugamuchira zvokwadi yeBhaibheri muVictoria yokuchamhembe kwakadziva kumabvazuva somuuyo wokuparidzira kwedu akanga ari Milton Gibb. Pakati peshanyo dzedu, aisanofunda zvinyorwa zvose zveSosaiti zvataimusiira. Paimwe yeshanyo yedu yedzokerero, akatishamisa kupfurikidza nokutaura, kuti: “Zvino ndava mumwe wavadzidzi venyu.”
Kunyange zvazvo ndakafadzwa nechisarudzo chake, ndakatsanangura, kuti: “Aiwa, Milton. Haungagoni kuva mumwe wavadzidzi vangu.”
“Eya, ipapo, ndiri mumwe wavadzidzi vaRutherford [ipapo aiva purezidhendi weWatch Tower Society].”
Zvakare ndakaonesa kuti: “Aiwa, hausati urizve mumwe wavadzidzi vaRutherford, asi ndinokarira kuti uri mumwe wavadzidzi vaKristu.”
Milton Gibb akabvumikisa kuva mumwe chete wepfuma zhinji dzinokosha uyo ndakapedza makore mazhinji kwazvo ndichikarira. Iye navaviri vavanakomana vake vakuru vechiKristu, uye mimwe mitezo yemhuri yake inoshingaira muungano.
Kusangana Nemiedzo Yakasiana-siana
Pasinei hapo nechirambidzo chakaiswa pabasa reZvapupu zvaJehovha muAustralia muna January 1941, takapfuurira kuparidzira, tichishandisa Bhaibheri bedzi. Ipapo kupayona kwangu, kana kuti ushumiri hwenguva yakazara, kwakadzongonyedzwa apo ndakadanwa kumusha kuzotarisira baba vangu vakanga vachirwara zvakakomba. Gare gare, ndakarwarawo uye ndakada kuvhiiwa kwakakomba. Kudzokera kwangu kuutano kwakatora nguva yakati, asi ndakawana zvokwadi yechipikirwa chaMwari, chinoti: “Handingatongokuregeri, handingatongokusiyi.” (VaHebheru 13:5) Imwe hanzvadzi yechiKristu yakandinyaradza, ichiti: “Yeuka, Flo, hausati uchitongova woga. Uye iwe naJehovha nguva dzose makawanda.”
Ipapo kwakasvika kurwara kwokupedzisira kwababa vangu vanodiwa kwamavhiki 13. Pana July 26, 1946, vakapfiga meso avo murufu. Vakanga vafarikanya upenyu hwakazara, uye yavo yakanga iri tariro yokudenga. (VaFiripi 3:14) Naizvozvo pazera ramakore 51, ndakanga ndiri ndoga, ndave ndina Baba mazhinjisa amakore angu apakuvamba. Ipapo ndakasangana nomurume wangu womunguva yemberi. Takaroorana muna 1947 ndokuvamba kupayona pamwe chete. Asi iyi nhambo inofadza haina kugara kwenguva refu, sezvo akaoma mitezo muna 1953 ndokuva chirema.
Kutaura kwomurume wangu kwakatapurwa zvikuru, uye kwakadokuva kusingabviri kukurukura naye. Irworwo rwakanga rwuri rutivi rwakaoma zvikurusa rwokumuchengeta. Dzvinyiriro yendangariro yokuedza kunzwisisa chaakanga achitamburira kutaura yakanga iri huru zvamazvirokwazvo. Kunyange zvazvo takanga tichigara munzvimbo iri yoga uko kwakanga kusina ungano iri pedyo, Jehovha haana kutisiya mukati mamakore iwayo anonetsa. Ndakaramba ndichivambirana namashoko ose azvino uno esangano, pamwe chete nomugove wenguva dzose wezvokudya zvomudzimu mumagazini eNharireyomurindi naMukai! Pana December 29, 1957, murume wangu anodiwa akafa.
Ushumiri muAdelaide
Ndakanga ndava ndoga zvakare. Chii chandaizoita? Ndaizogamuchirwazve somushumiri wenguva yakazara here pashure pokurega kwaanodokusvika makore mashanu? Ndakagamuchirwa, naizvozvo ndakatengesa musha wangu ndokutanga patsva mubasa roupiona muAdelaide, dzimbahwe reSouth Australia. Mapiona akanga achidikanwa imomo panguva yacho, uye ndakagoverwa kuProspect Ungano.
Sezvo ndakanga ndichitya kuchaira muzvinofamba muguta, ndakatengesa motokari yangu ndokuvamba kushandisazve bhasikoro. Ndakarishandisa kusvikira ndava namakore 86 okukura, ndichisvika pakuzivikanwa munharaunda yacho so“mukadzi muduku ari pabhasikoro rebhuruu.” Pashure penguva yakati ndakava anotya nenzira inowedzera muzvinofamba muguta; vhiri rapamberi rebhasikoro rangu rairatidzika kuva rinozunguzika nguva dzose. Chinoitika chokupedzisira chakasvika mamwe masikati apo ndakawira muheji. ‘Ndokokupedzisira,’ ndakadaro kwandiri ndimene, uye naizvozvo ndakadzokazve kukufamba.
Makore mashomanene apfuura, apo ndakanga ndichipinda kokorodzano yoruwa, makumbo angu akatanga kukundikana, uye pakupedzisira ndakavhiiwa kaviri mutsoro dzangu. Ndakanga ndichiita zvakaisvonaka pashure pokuvhiiwa kusvikira imwe imbwa huru yandiriga. Ikoku kwakaita kuti kumwe kurapwa kuve madikanwa, uye chifo chaipapo ndakada mudonzvo kundibetsera kufamba-famba. Ndangariro yangu ichiri kushingaira zvikuru. Kwakaita sokutaura kwakaita imwe shamwari, kuti: “Kunoratidzika kuti muviri wako uri kukwegura haugoni kuvambirana nendangariro yako duku.”
Mumakore apfuura, ndakaona ungano dzomuAdelaide dzichikura, kufutunuka, uye dzichikamukana. Ipapo, muna 1983, apo ndakanga ndava namakore 88, ndakabva muAdelaide kundogara neimwe mhuri paKyabram munyika yeVictoria, uko ndapedzera makore gumi okufara. Ndichiri kukwanisa kubuda muushumiri hwomumunda; shamwari muungano dzinofamba-famba neni nemotokari kuzoshanyira avo vanowana magazini nguva dzose kwandiri. Ava vanhu vanobuda nomutsa vachiuya kumotokari kuti ndigone kutaura kwavari.
Ndichirangarira shure pamakore angu anopfuura 98 okurarama, ndinoyeuka nokudisa vanhu vazhinji vakavimbika navakatendeka avo vakarumbidza Jehovha neni, zvikurukuru baba vangu vanoshamisa. Ndinoratidzika kuva ndararama kupfuura vakatendeka vose avo vakanga vari vabiyangu muushumiri hwoupiona. Asi mufaro wakadini wakandimirira pakubatanidzwazve naavo vanogoverana tariro yomubairo woupenyu muUmambo hwaMwari hwokudenga, zvirokwazvo pfuma youkoshi hwakaisvonaka!
[Mufananidzo uri papeji 28]
Ndakabhapatidzwa pana April 22, 1919
[Mufananidzo uri papeji 31]
Ndichiri anofara kubatira Jehovha sezvandinosvika makore 100