Yehova Wakhala Akundiphunzitsa Kuyambira Ndili Mwana

Koma ndisanapitirize dikirani ndikufotokozereni mbiri yanga. Ndinabadwa pa nthawi ya nkhondo yachiwiri yapadziko lonse ku Calgary ku Canada. Chakumapeto kwa zaka za m’ma 1940, mpainiya wina wachinyamata dzina lake Donald Fraser anagogoda pakhomo la nyumba yathu ndipo mayi anga anavomera kuti aziphunzira Baibulo. Iwo anayamba kukonda kwambiri choonadi koma chifukwa cha matenda sankachita zambiri mumpingo. Komabe anapitiriza kuphunzira mpaka anabatizidwa mu 1950. N’zomvetsa chisoni kuti anamwalira pasanathe zaka ziwiri. Pa nthawiyo bambo anga sanali a Mboni komabe anavomera kuti a Mboni za Yehova ayendetse mwambo wa maliro.

Patangopita masiku ochepa mayi atamwalira, mlongo wina wachikulire dzina lake Alice, yemwe anali wodzozedwa anandiitanira kumisonkhano yampingo. Mlongoyo anandidziwa pamene ndinkapita kumisonkhano yakumapeto kwa mlungu ndi mayi anga akapezako bwino. Nditapempha bambo anga kuti ndipite, iwo analola ndipo anandiuza kuti apita nawo “kamodzi kokha” kuti akathokoze m’bale amene anakamba nkhani pamaliro a mayi anga. Madzulo a tsikulo kunali Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Mulungu ndi Msonkhano wa Utumiki. Kanali koyamba kuti bambo anga apezeke pamisonkhano ndipo inali misonkhano yolimbikitsa kwambiri. Bambo anali atachita maphunziro olankhula pagulu ndipo anachita chidwi ndi mmene abale anakambira nkhani. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti ayambe kupezeka pamsonkhanowu mlungu uliwonse. Ndipo pang’ono ndi pang’ono anayamba kupezekanso pamisonkhano ina.

Nthawi imeneyo misonkhano ikamayamba, wochititsa Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Mulungu ankayamba ndi kulengeza mayina a abale onse amene analembetsa m’sukuluyi ndipo aliyense ankayankha kuti “Ndilipo.” Tsiku lina ndinauza m’bale uja kuti adzalengeze dzina langa pamsonkhano wotsatira. M’baleyo anandiyamikira kwambiri koma sanandifunse ngati ndinkadziwa kuti zimenezo zikutanthauza chiyani.

Sindinkadziwa kuti ndikulembetsa mu sukulu, ndinkangofuna kuti alengeze dzina langa basi. Wiki yotsatira anaitana dzina langa ndipo monyadira ndinayankha kuti, “Ndilipo.” Pambuyo pamisonkhano abale ndi alongo anandiyamikira kwambiri. Patapita mawiki angapo ndinapatsidwa nkhani imene ndaitchula kumayambiriro kwa nkhani ino.

Ndinali ndi nkhawa kwambiri. Nthawi imeneyo ophunzira ankafunika kukonzekera nkhani ya maminitsi 6 mpaka 8. Kunalibe mbali yongowerenga Baibulo. Bambo anga anandithandiza kukonzekera nkhaniyo ndipo ndinayeserera maulendo 20 ndisanaikambe. Nditakamba nkhaniyi ndinalandira malangizo othandiza kwambiri. Kwa zaka zambiri Yehova wakhala akundiphunzitsa pogwiritsa ntchito bambo anga, abale ndi alongo komanso gulu lake.

YEHOVA ANAPITIRIZA KUNDITHANDIZA

Mlongo Alice amene ndamutchula kale uja anandiphunzitsa kulalikira. Nthawi imeneyo tinkalimbikitsidwa kuti tiziwerengera mwininyumba malemba atatu kenako n’kumupatsa buku. Ikafika nthawi yanga yoti ndilalikire, Mlongo Alice ankadzidziwikitsa n’kuyamba kukambirana nawo kenako ankandipempha kuti ndiwerenge lemba loyamba. Ndiye ndinkapitiriza kucheza ndi munthuyo n’kuwerenga lemba lachiwiri komanso lachitatu kenako n’kumupatsa buku. Patapita nthawi ndinaphunzira mmene ndingayambire kukambirana ndi anthu pandekha. Bambo atabatizidwa kumapeto kwa chaka cha 1954, anapitiriza kundithandiza mmene ndingalalikirire. Monga bambo yemwe ankalera yekha mwana, anachita zonse zomwe akanatha kuti andiphunzitse choonadi. Iwo ankaona kuti misonkhano ndi utumiki ndi zinthu zofunika kwambiri moti ndinkadziwiratu kuti tipita kumisonkhano yonse yampingo ndipo Loweruka ndi Lamlungu m’mawa, tikalalikira.

Sikuti ndinali wanzeru kwambiri m’kalasi komabe zimene ndinaphunzira kusukulu pa zaka 12 zakhala zikundithandiza pamoyo wanga. Mwachitsanzo, ndinaphunzira kwambiri zokhudza masamu komanso galamala ya Chingelezi. Zomwe ndinaphunzira zokhudza Chingelezi komanso luso lolemba nkhani, zakhala zikundithandiza pa utumiki womwe ndikuchita m’Dipatimenti Yolemba.

Nthawi zambiri anthu amakonda kundifunsa chifukwa chake ndimakonda nyimbo. Mayi ndi bambo anga ankakonda nyimbo. Ndili ndi zaka 7, ndinayamba kuphunzira piyano koma aphunzitsi anga ankaona kuti sindikuchita bwino kwenikweni. Iwo anauza bambo anga kuti mwina ndingosiya. Sizinali zodabwitsa chifukwa pa nthawiyo ndinalibe chidwi kwenikweni.

Patapita miyezi yochepa bambo anga anandipezera mphunzitsi wina. Pa nthawiyi ndinkaphunzira piyano komanso kuimba nyimbo ndipo ndinkachita bwino kwambiri. Popeza ndinali kamnyamata, ndinkaimba mwanthetemya ndipo ndinawina mipikisano ingapo. Cholinga changa pophunzira kuimba chinali choti ndidzapeze digiri kuti ndizidzaphunzitsa ena kuimba, n’kumapeza zofunika pamoyo uku ndikuchita upainiya. Nditatsala pang’ono kutenga digiri, ndinazindikira kuti ndinkafunika nthawi yambiri yophunzira komanso kuwerenga zokhudza nyimbo pokonzekera mayeso. Choncho mu 1963, ndinasiya kuphunzira zokhudza nyimbo n’kuyamba upainiya wokhazikika.

MADALITSO AMENE NDINAPEZA CHIFUKWA CHOCHITA UPAINIYA

Nditachita upainiya wokhazikika kwa chaka chimodzi, ndinaikidwa kukhala mpainiya wapadera ku Kapuskasing m’chigawo cha Ontario. Mnzanga amene ndinkachita naye upainiya dzina lake Daniel Skinner yemwe anali wamkulu kwambiri kwa ine, anandiphunzitsa mmene zinthu zimayendera mumpingo. Ndili ndi zaka 20 ndinaikidwa kuti ndizitumikira mu Komiti ya Utumiki ya Mpingo ndipo panali zambiri zoti ndiphunzire. Ndimasangalala kuti panopa gulu la Yehova layambiranso kuphunzitsa kwambiri abale achinyamata. Ngati atamachita khama, Yehova akhoza kuwagwiritsa ntchito ngakhale akanali aang’ono.

Sizinali zophweka kukhala ku Kapuskasing. M’nyengo yozizira kunkazizira kwambiri mpaka kufika -44°C ndipo kukati kwatentherapo kunkafika -33°C. Ine ndi Dan tinazungulira pafupifupi tauni yonse ya Kapuskasing. Chimodzi mwa zinthu zimene ndinasangalala nazo pa utumikiwu ndikukumana ndi mlongo wina dzina lake Linda Cole amene anadzakhala Linda Splane.

Linda ankakonda kulalikira ndipo anali ndi maulendo obwereza ambiri. Analinso wopatsa, wachikondi komanso wochezeka. Amayi ake a Goldie anali mlongo wokhulupirika. Pamene bambo ake a Allen, poyamba sankasangalala ndi a Mboni za Yehova. Ngakhale kuti amuna awo ankawatsutsa, a Goldie nthawi zonse ankatenga Linda ndi azichimwene ake, John ndi Gordon, ku Nyumba ya Ufumu ndipo ankawaphunzitsa kulalikira. Nthawi zina a Goldie, Linda, John komanso Gordon, onse pamodzi ankachita upainiya. Patapita zaka, a Allen anaphunzira choonadi ndipo ankachita zambiri mumpingo.

Mu 1965, ndinaitanidwa kuti ndikalowe kalasi ya mwezi umodzi ya Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Ufumu, yomwe inachitikira ku Beteli ya ku Canada kuti ndikalandire maphunziro owonjezereka. Ndili kusukuluko ndinauzidwa kuti ndilembe fomu yoti ndikalowe sukulu ya Giliyadi. Ndinali ndisanaganizepo kuti ndingachite umishonale. Ndinkadziona kuti si ine woyenera koma ndinangolembabe fomuyo. Ndinaitanidwa kuti ndikalowe kalasi nambala 42. Kusukuluyi alangizi ankatipatsa lipoti la mmene tikuchitira m’kalasi. Mulipoti loyamba limene ndinalandira alangizi anandilimbikitsa kuti ndiyesetse kuphunzira zambiri zokhudza gulu lathu. Anali malangizo a pa nthawi yake chifukwa apa n’kuti ndili ndi zaka 21 zokha.

Zina zimene tinaphunzira ku Giliyadi zinali zokhudza mmene tingachitire zinthu ndi owulutsa nkhani pawailesi, pa TV komanso olemba nyuzipepala. Ndinkasangalala kuphunzira zimenezi koma sindinkadziwa kuti zidzakhala zofunika kwambiri nthawi inayake monga mmene ndifotokozere kutsogoloku.

ULENDO WA KU SENEGAL

Patapita masiku ochepa kuchokera pamene tinamaliza maphunziro a ku Giliyadi, ine ndi Michael Höhle tinanyamuka kupita ku Senegal ku Africa, kumene tinatumizidwa kuti tizikachita umishonale limodzi. Pa nthawiyo m’dzikoli munali ofalitsa pafupifupi 100.

Nditachita umishonale kwa miyezi ingapo, ndinaitanidwa kuti ndizikatumikira ku ofesi ya nthambi ya m’dzikoli kamodzi pa wiki. “Ofesi ya nthambi” yake inali chipinda chimodzi m’nyumba ya amishonale. Ngakhale kuti nthambiyi inali yaing’ono kwambiri, M’bale Emmanuel Paterakis yemwe anali woyang’anira, anandikumbutsa kuti inkaimira gulu la Yehova m’dzikolo. Tsiku lina M’bale Paterakis anakonza zoti tilembe kalata yolimbikitsa amishonale onse. Pa nthawiyo sizinkatheka kupanga fotokope makalata, choncho tinkafunika kulemba kalata iliyonse payokha pogwiritsa ntchito makina otayipira. Sizinali zophweka chifukwa panalibe zoti ufufuta ukalakwitsa.

Madzulo a tsikulo ndikukonzeka kuti ndizipita, Mbale Paterakis anandipatsa envelopu n’kundiuza kuti, “David, Sosaite yakulembera kalata iyi.” Nditaitsegula ndinaona kuti ndi imodzi mwa makalata amene ndinatayipa aja. Zimenezi zinandithandiza kuti ndizilemekeza gulu la Yehova posatengera kuti nthambi ya m’dzikolo ndi yaing’ono kapena yaikulu.

Ndinapeza anzanga ambiri mumpingo amene ndinkacheza nawo Loweruka madzulo. Tinkasangalala kwambiri nthawi imeneyo ndipo mpaka pano timachezabe. Ndili ku Senegal ndinaphunzira Chifulenchi ndipo chimandithandiza ndikamayendera maofesi a nthambi.

Mu 1968 ine ndi Linda tinachita chinkhoswe. Patadutsa miyezi ingapo, ndinkafufuza ntchito yoti ndizigwira masiku ochepa n’cholinga choti ine ndi Linda tizichita upainiya, koma mabwana ankafunika kumalemba ntchito anthu a m’dzikolo osati obwera. Kenako nditabwerera ku Canada, tinakwatirana ndipo tinaikidwa kukhala apainiya apadera monga banja ku Edmundston, mumzinda wina waung’ono wa New Brunswick, omwe uli kumalire a chigawo cha Quebec.

TINKACHITA UPAINIYA KU NEW BRUNSWICK NDI QUEBEC

M’derali munalibe ofalitsa komanso tinali ndi maphunziro a Baibulo ochepa. Chipembedzo cha Chikatolika chinali chitafalikira kwambiri ndipo chinkakhudza pafupifupi chilichonse pa moyo wa anthu. Pafupifupi nyumba iliyonse inali ndi chikwangwani chakuti “A Mboni za Yehova Pano Ayi.” Pa nthawiyi sitinkauzidwa zambiri zokhudza kulemekeza zikwangwani ngati zimenezi, choncho tinkapita pa nyumba iliyonse kaya pali chikwangwanichi kapena ayi. Wiki iliyonse bungwe la chipembedzo cha Chikatolika linkalemba uthenga munyuzipepala wakuti: “Tiyeni tisake mfiti za Mboni za Yehova.” M’deralo munali a Mboni 4 okha, Victor ndi Velda Norberg, ineyo komanso Linda, ndiye tinkadziwiratu kuti “mfiti” zimene akunenazi ndi ifeyo.

Ndimakumbukirabe ulendo woyamba umene woyang’anira dera anatichezera. Pambuyo pa wiki yapadera, iye anati: “Mwina chimene mungakwanitse kuchita kunoko ndi kuthandiza anthu kuti aziona moyenera a Mboni za Yehova.” Kuyambira pa nthawiyi tinayesetsa kuchita zimenezi ndipo zinthu zinkatiyendera bwino. Pang’ono ndi pang’ono anthu anayamba kusiyanitsa pakati pa a Mboni za Yehova omwe anali odzichepetsa, ndi atsogoleri a zipembedzo a Chikatolika omwe anali onyada. Panopa m’derali muli mpingo umodzi waung’ono.

Pambuyo potumikira m’derali pafupifupi kwa chaka, tinapemphedwa kuti tizikatumikira mumpingo wina waukulu ku Quebec City. Tinakhala kumeneko miyezi 6 ndi abale ndi alongo odziwa kuchereza tisanayambe utumiki woyang’anira dera.

Kwa zaka 14 zotsatira tinkatumikira m’madera osiyanasiyana m’chigawo cha Quebec. Inali nthawi yosangalatsa kwambiri. Ntchito yolalikira inkayenda bwino moti sizinali zachilendo kuona mabanja ambiri a mpingo umodzi akuphunzira Baibulo mpaka kubatizidwa.

TIMAKUMBUKIRA ABALE NDI ALONGO OMWE ANALI AKHAMA

Abale ndi alongo a ku Canada olankhula Chifulenchi ndi omasuka ndipo zimakhala zosavuta kuyamba kuwakonda. Iwo amanena zinthu mosapita m’mbali, ndi ansangala komanso akhama. Komabe sizinali zophweka kuti aphunzire choonadi chifukwa nthawi zina amatsutsidwa ndi anthu a m’banja lawo. Makolo ena omwe si a Mboni amauza achinyamata kuti: “Usiye kuphunzira ndi a Mboni za Yehova, apo ayi uchoke pakhomo pano.” Koma ambiri mwa achinyamatawa amakhalabe okhulupirika ndipo Yehova amasangalala nawo kwambiri.

Kukhoza kukhala kusayamikira ngati nditapanda kutchula za apainiya okhazikika komanso apadera amene ankatumikira mwakhama ku Quebec m’zaka zimenezo. Ambiri a iwo ankachokera m’madera ena a ku Canada. Kuwonjezera pa kuphunzira Chifulenchi, iwo ankafunikanso kuphunzira chikhalidwe cha anthu akumeneko, omwe ankachita zinthu potengera chipembedzo cha Chikatolika.

Nthawi zambiri apainiya apadera ankatumizidwa kumadera akutali kumene kunalibe ofalitsa. Popeza kuti anthu ambiri sankasangalala ndi a Mboni, zinali zovuta kupeza ntchito ya masiku ochepa komanso nyumba. Ngakhale anthu omwe angokwatirana kumene ankakhala m’magulu a anthu 4, 6 kapena 8 kuti azithandizana kulipira zinthu zofunika. Sakanakwanitsa kumakhala paokha. Apainiya odziperekawa anali akhama. Ndiye akapeza phunziro la Baibulo ankachita zonse zomwe angathe kuti athandize munthuyo. Panopa ku Quebec sikukufunikiranso ofalitsa ochokera m’madera ena, ndiye ambiri mwa apainiyawa anatumizidwa m’madera amene mukufunika olalikira ambiri.

Pa nthawi imene tinkachita utumiki woyang’anira dera tinkakonda kulalikira ndi achinyamata Loweruka m’mawa. Zimenezi zinkatithandiza kudziwa mavuto omwe ankakumana nawo. Panopa ena mwa achinyamatawa akutumikira m’mayiko ena monga amishonale komanso akuchita mautumiki osiyanasiyana.

Nthawi imeneyo mipingo ina sinkakwanitsa kutibwezera ndalama za thiransipoti ndiye nthawi zina mwezi ukamatha tinkakhala opanda ndalama. Zikatero, tinkafunika kudalira kwambiri Yehova chifukwa ndi amene ankadziwa mmene zinthu zinalili pa moyo wathu. Sanatisiye tokha ndipo zinkatheka ndithu kuchoka mpingo wina kupita wina.

NDINAPHUNZIRA ZAMBIRI KWA ABALE OKHULUPIRIKA

Monga ndafotokozera kale, zimene ndinaphunzira ku Giliyadi zinandithandiza kwambiri. Mwachitsanzo, ndili ku Quebec ndinali ndi mwayi wolalikira pawailesi, pa TV ndi m’manyuzipepala. Nthawi zambiri ndinkagwira ntchito ndi M’bale Léonce Crépeault, yemwe anali woyang’anira dera mnzathu ndipo anali ndi luso pochita zinthu ndi ofalitsa nkhani. Akamalankhula ndi mtolankhani wodziwika bwino sankachita zinthu modzionetsera. Iye ankati: “Bwana, ine ndi mnzangayu tangokhala atumiki a Mulungu basi. Sitidziwa zambiri zokhudza kufalitsa nkhani. Koma tauzidwa kuti tidziwitse anthu za msonkhano waukulu umene a Mboni za Yehova akufuna kuchita. Tiyamikira chilichonse chimene mungachite potithandiza.” Kuchita zinthu mwa njira imeneyi kunkachititsa kuti ofalitsa nkhani ambiri atithandize, zomwe sizikanatheka tikanapanda kudzichepetsa.

Patapita nthawi abale ku ofesi ya nthambi anandipempha kuti ndizitumikira ndi M’bale Glen How, mmodzi mwa maloya athu, pa nkhani zovuta kwambiri zimene ofalitsa nkhani akanachita nazo chidwi. Zimene ndinaphunzira ku Giliyadi komanso kwa M’bale Léonce zinandithandiza kwambiri. Koma pa nthawiyinso ndinasangalala kwambiri kugwira ntchito ndi m’baleyu. Iye sankachita mantha pochita zinthu ndi anthu odziwa zamalamulo komabe ankakonda kwambiri Yehova.

Mu 1985 tinatumizidwa m’dera limene linali pafupi ndi bambo anga kumadzulo kwa Canada, ndipo zimenezi zinatipatsa mwayi woti tiziwasamalira. Koma anamwalira patangotha miyezi ingapo. Tinapitiriza utumiki woyang’anira dera kumadzulo kwa Canada mpaka mu 1989, pamene mosayembekezereka tinaitanidwa kuti tizikatumikira ku Beteli ya ku United States. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti tisiye utumiki woyang’anira dera womwe tinauchita kwa zaka pafupifupi 19. Pa zaka zimenezi, tinkakhala komanso kudya chakudya m’nyumba za abale ambiri omwe anali ndi mtima wochereza. Timayamikira kwambiri onsewa chifukwa chotilandira m’nyumba zawo komanso kutipatsa chakudya.

TINAPITA KU UNITED STATES

Titafika ku Brooklyn, ndinayamba kutumikira m’Dipatimenti ya Utumiki. Ndimayamikira kwambiri zimene ndinaphunzira m’dipatimentiyi. Chimodzi chimene ndinaphunzira n’chakuti ndisamangoganiza kuti ndamvetsa zinthu koma ndizifufuza mfundo zonse kuti nditsimikizire ngati n’zoona. Mu 1998 ndinayamba kutumikira m’Dipatimenti Yolemba ndipo mpaka pano ndikuphunzirabe kulemba. Kwa zaka zambiri ndinali ndi mwayi wothandiza M’bale John Barr, amene anali wogwirizanitsa Komiti Yoona za Ntchito Yolemba Mabuku. Ndimayamikira kwambiri zimene anandiphunzitsa komanso mwayi wotumikira naye limodzi omwe ndinali nawo. M’baleyu anali ndi makhalidwe abwino ambiri.

Ndimasangalalanso kugwira ntchito ndi abale ndi alongo odzichepetsa a m’Dipatimenti Yolemba. Amayamba utumiki wawo ndi pemphero chifukwa amadziwa kuti zilizonse zimene angakwanitse kuchita zimatheka chifukwa cha mzimu wa Yehova osati luso limene ali nalo.

Ine ndi Linda takhalanso ndi mwayi woyendera abale ndi alongo m’mayiko 110. Taona mmene amishonale, abale a m’Komiti ya Nthambi komanso atumiki ena apadera amakondera Yehova. Tinalinso ndi mwayi woona mmene ofalitsa a m’mayikowa amasonyezera khama komanso kukhulupirika n’kumatumikira Yehova ngakhale kuti m’madera awo mukuchitika nkhondo, akukumana ndi mavuto azachuma komanso akuzunzidwa. Yehova amakonda kwambiri abale ndi alongowa.

Pa zaka zonsezi, Linda wakhala akundithandiza kuti ndikwanitse utumiki wanga. Iye amakonda anthu ndipo amayesetsa kupeza njira zowathandizira. Samavutika kuyamba kucheza ndi anthu. Iye wathandiza anthu ambiri kuti aphunzire za Yehova komanso amene anafooka kuti ayambirenso kuchita khama mumpingo. Ndimaona kuti iye ndi mphatso yochokera kwa Yehova. Ine ndi Linda takula ndipo timayamikira kwambiri abale ndi alongo achinyamata amene amatithandiza pa nkhani ya mayendedwe komanso zinthu zina zofunika.—Maliko 10:​29, 30.

Ndikamaganizira zimene zachitika zaka 80 zapitazi, ndimathokoza Yehova. Ndimagwirizana ndi wamasalimo amene analemba kuti: “Inu Mulungu, mwandiphunzitsa kuyambira ndili mnyamata, ndipo mpaka pano ndikupitiriza kulengeza ntchito zanu zodabwitsa.” (Sal. 71:17) Ndikufunitsitsa kuchita zimenezi pa nthawi yonse yomwe ndikhale ndi moyo.