Olengeza Ufumu Akusimba

Kudziŵa Mulungu Wachikondi

PAMENE anali ndi zaka 16, mnyamata wa ku Brazil wotchedwa Antônio anali atataya kale chiyembekezo chake m’moyo. Posaona chifuno cha moyo, iye anayamba kumwa mankhwala osokoneza bongo ndi moŵa kwadzaoneni. Nthaŵi zambiri anali kuganizira zodzipha. Ndi panthaŵi zoterozo pamene anakumbukira zimene amayi ake anali atamuuza kuti: “Mulungu ndiye chikondi.” (1 Yohane 4:8) Koma kodi Mulungu wachikondi ameneyu anali kuti?

Poyesa kuthetsa mavuto ake odza ndi kumwa mankhwala osokoneza bongo ndi moŵa, Antônio anakapempha thandizo kwa wansembe wa tchalitchi cha kwawo komweko. Ngakhale kuti Antônio anakhala wokangalika m’Tchalitchi cha Katolika, iye anali ndi mafunso ambiribe. Mwachitsanzo, mawu a Yesu akuti, “Mudzazindikira choonadi, ndipo choonadi chidzakumasulani” anam’patsa mafunso ambiri. (Yohane 8:32) Kodi Yesu anali kulonjeza mtundu wotani wa ufulu? Tchalitchi sichinam’patse mayankho okhutiritsa a mafunso ake. M’kupita kwa nthaŵi, Antônio anasiyananso ndi tchalitchi nabwerera ku khalidwe lake lakale. Komanso, anaŵirikiza kumwa mankhwala osokoneza bongo ndi moŵa.

Cha panthaŵi imeneyi, mkazi wa Antônio, Maria, anayamba kuphunzira Baibulo ndi Mboni za Yehova. Ngakhale kuti sanam’letse kuphunzira, Antônio ankanena kuti Mboni ndi “chipembedzo cha ku America chofuna kuti dziko la America lidzilamulira mayiko ena.”

Maria sanajejemetsedwe ndipo makope a Nsanja ya Olonda ndi Galamukani! amene anali ndi nkhani zimene anaona kuti Antônio angazikonde ankawasiya paliponse m’nyumbamo. Popeza kuti Antônio ankakonda kuŵerenga, nthaŵi zina anali kusunzumira m’maganiziwo mkazi wake akakhala kuti palibe. Kwa nthaŵi yoyamba m’moyo wake, anapeza mayankho a mafunso ake pankhani za m’Baibulo. “Ndinayambanso kuona chikondi ndi chifundo chimene mkazi wanga ndi Mboni anali kundisonyeza,” amatero pokumbukira.

Chapakati pa chaka cha 1992, Antônio anaganiza zoti iyenso aphunzire Baibulo ndi Mboni za Yehova. Koma anapitirizabe kumwa mankhwala osokoneza bongo ndi kumwetsa moŵa. Usiku wina pamene iyeyo ndi mnzake anali kubwerera kunyumba kuchokera ku komboni inayake, apolisi anawaimitsa. Pamene apolisi anapeza Antônio ndi mankhwala osokoneza bongo otchedwa cocaine, iwo anayamba kum’menya. Wapolisi wina anagwetsera Antônio m’thope ndi kumuloza mfuti yake kumaso. “M’malize!” anakuwa motero wapolisi wina.

Ali chigonere m’thopemo, Antônio anakumbukira mmene moyo wake wakhalira. Zinthu zabwino zokhazo zomwe anakumbukira zinali banja lake ndi Yehova basi. Anapereka pemphero lachidule, kupempha Yehova kuti am’thandize. Pachifukwa chosadziŵika bwino, apolisiwo anam’siya. Antônio anapita kunyumba, wotsimikiza mtima kuti Yehova wam’teteza.

Antônio anayamba kuphunzira Baibulo mwakhama tsopano. Pang’onopang’ono, anasintha pofuna kukondweretsa Yehova. (Aefeso 4:22-24) Mwa kuphunzira kudziletsa kwambiri, iye anayamba kulimbana ndi mavuto ake a mankhwala osokoneza bongo. Ngakhale ndi tero, anafunikira thandizo la kuchipatala. Miyezi iŵiri yomwe anakhala m’chipatala chothandiza anthu kuyambiranso moyo wolongosoka anapeza mpata woŵerenga zofalitsa zambiri zolongosola Baibulo, kuphatikizapo buku la Chidziŵitso Chotsogolera ku Moyo Wosatha. Kenako Antônio anauzako odwala ena zomwe anaphunzira m’mabuku ameneŵa.

Antônio atatuluka m’chipatalamo, anapitiriza kuphunzira kwake Baibulo ndi Mboni. Lero, Antônio, Maria, ndi ana awo aakazi aŵiri, ndi amayi a Antônio akutumikira Yehova pamodzi monga banja logwirizana ndi lachimwemwe. Antônio amati: “Tsopano ndikumvetsa tanthauzo lenileni la mawu akuti ‘Mulungu ndiye chikondi.’”

[Chithunzi patsamba 8]

Kulalikira mu Rio de Janeiro