Niwizigire Yehova Azogufasha Vy’ukuri

NK’UKO VYAVUZWE NA EDMUND SCHMIDT

Igihe nagira ndenguke imbere ya sentare i New York muri Gitugutu 1943, naributse iyo mpanuro. Igihe nashikana imyaka 25, nari maze hafi imyaka ine mpfunzwe nzira ukutagira aho mpengamiye mu vya politike kubera nari umukirisu. Nka kumwe kw’abayoboke ba Yezu bo mu ntango, nari niyemeje “kugamburukira Imana nka yo mutware aho kugamburukira abantu.” (Ivyakozwe 5:29) Ariko imbere y’uko ndabibiganira, reka ndabayagire ukuntu vyagenze ngo nizere Imana nshikamye gutyo.

NAVUTSE kw’igenekerezo rya 23 Ndamukiza 1922, mvukira mu gisagara ca Cleveland i Ohio muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, mu nzu twabamwo yari mw’igorofa iri hejuru y’aho dawe yokereza imikate. Haciye amezi ane, dawe Edmund yaritavye ihwaniro ry’Abatohoji ba Bibiliya (ukwo akaba ari ko Ivyabona vya Yehova bitwa ico gihe), iryabereye i Cedar Point, hafi y’i Sandusky, nko ku bilometero 160 uvuye i muhira.

Abitavye iryo hwaniro bahimirijwe ‘gutangaza, gutangaza, gutangaza Umwami [yagenywe n’Imana] n’ubwami bwiwe.’ Ku musi w’iyinga wakurikiye, dawe yaratanguye kugira uruhara muri ico gikorwa. Yarakibandanije imyaka 66 yakurikiye, gushika aho apfiriye kw’igenekerezo rya 4 Mukakaro 1988. Mawe Mary yapfuye ari umwizigirwa ku Mana mu 1981.

Niyunga ku bavyeyi banje mu bijanye n’ugusenga

Umuryango wacu wari mw’ishengero rikoresha ururimi rw’igipolonye ry’i Cleveland. Ku misi ya gatandatu ku muhingamo, benshi muri twebwe abana baragira uruhara mu gikorwa co kwamamaza inkuru nziza inzu ku nzu baherekejwe n’abakuze. Ku misi y’iyinga, abavyeyi bacu barahimbarwa no gukurikira insiguro ishingiye kuri Bibiliya yashikirizwa mu kibanza nyamukuru c’aho twagirira amakoraniro. Muri uwo mwanya, umwigisha abimenyereye wa Bibiliya yaba ariko aratwigisha Bibiliya turi abakiri bato nka 30 akoresheje igitabu gifasha kwiga Bibiliya citwa La Harpe de Dieu (mu congereza).a Bidatevye, ubwanje nari nsigaye nyobora inyigisho za Bibiliya, kandi haravamwo ivyiza.

Muri Mukakaro 1931, umuryango wacu, uwari usigaye urimwo na murumunanje Frank, waritavye irindi hwaniro ry’Abatohoji ba Bibiliya, ico gihe hoho rikaba ryabereye mu gisagara ca Columbus cari nko ku bilometero 160 uja mu Bumanuko. Ico gihe ni ho Abatohoji ba Bibiliya bemera n’umutima wabo wose kwitwa rya zina rishingiye kuri Bibiliya ry’Ivyabona vya Yehova. (Yesaya 43:10-12) Muri ico kiringo, naragize uruhara mu gikorwa co kwamamaza ku mugaragaro, ndatumira abantu kuza kwumviriza insiguro idasanzwe yoshikirijwe na Joseph Rutherford, akaba ari we yari ahagarikiye igikorwa Ivyabona vya Yehova barangura. Kuva ico gihe, maze imyaka irenga 79 nkoresha ubuzima bwanje ahanini mu gukorera Yehova Imana mfadikanije n’abasavyi biwe.

Namamaza mu magume hakavamwo ivyiza

Mu 1933, isi yose yari igeze muri ca kiringo ivy’ubutunzi vyashika ahatemba. Muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, abantu barenga imiliyoni 15, ni ukuvuga nk’ica kane c’abanyagihugu bari bashoboye gukora, nta kazi bari bafise. Ibisagara vyari bisigaye ata co vyiha, kandi nta kigega co gufasha abatishoboye canke abakene cariho. Naho vyari ukwo, bene wacu na bashiki bacu dusangiye ukwizera barafatanye mu mugongo. Ku misi y’iyinga, umuryango wacu waja aho twagirira amakoraniro witwaje imikate be n’udukate dusosa twaba twokeje kugira tubisabikanye n’abandi. Mu mpera z’ukwezi, dawe amaze gutanga amahera y’ibikenewe, ayasigaye yose yaca ayarungika ku cicaro gikuru c’Ivyabona vya Yehova kiri i Brooklyn, i New York. Yari azi ko ayo mahera yokoreshejwe mu gushigikira ibijanye no gucapura ibitabu bishingiye kuri Bibiliya.

Muri iyo myaka, ibiganiro bica kw’iradiyo vyarafasha cane mu gikorwa cacu co kwamamaza inkuru nziza. Amaradiyo arenga 400 yarasamiriza insiguro zishingiye kuri Bibiliya zashikirizwa ku mahwaniro yacu. Vyongeye, mu myaka ya 1930, Ivyabona vya Yehova barahingura ivyuma birekura amajwi vyitwa amafono bakongera bagafata amajwi insiguro mw’icapuriro ryabo ryari i Brooklyn. Ivyo bikoresho twaravyikorako mu gikorwa cacu co kwamamaza inkuru nziza maze tukamenyesha incuro twavugirije abatari Ivyabona vya Yehova izo nsiguro zishingiye kuri Bibiliya, tukamenyesha n’igitigiri c’abazumvirije.

Mu 1933, Adolf Hitler n’umugambwe w’Abanazi baragiye ku butegetsi mu Budagi. Reka rero Ivyabona vya Yehova baho bahamwe bimwe bikaze bahorwa ukutagira aho bahengamiye mu vya politike kuranga abakirisu. (Yohani 15:19; 17:14) Igice kinini cane c’Ivyabona vya Yehova bo mu Budagi barapfunzwe abandi bajanwa mu makambi y’itunatuniro kubera ko banse kugira uruhara mu vya politike canke gukoresha ya ndamutso ihayagiza Hitler. Benshi barishwe, abandi na bo bakoreshwa ibikorwa vyaruhiye kubica. Hari n’abandi benshi batatevye gupfa aho bamariye kurekurwa, bitumwe n’ukuntu bari barafashwe bunyamaswa. Abantu benshi ntibazi ayo Ivyabona vya Yehova baboneye mu bindi bihugu, ushizemwo na Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika.

Mu 1940, twaritavye ihwaniro mu gisagara ca Detroit, i Michigan. Kuri iryo hwaniro, kw’igenekerezo rya 28 Mukakaro, narabatijwe mba nerekanye ko niyeguriye Yehova Imana. Mu kwezi kw’imbere y’ukwo, Sentare Ntahinyuzwa ya Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika yari yashinze ko kwanka kuramutsa ibendera ari ukurenga ku mategeko y’igihugu, uwubikoze akaba yabwirizwa kwirukanwa kw’ishure. None Ivyabona vya Yehova baciye bavyifatamwo gute? Abenshi baratanguje amashure yabo bwite kugira ngo bigishe abana babo. Ayo mashure bayita Amashure y’Ubwami.

Ya Ntambara ya kabiri y’isi yose yari yatanguye muri Nyakanga 1939 i Buraya, ishaka rikaze ryo kurwanira igihugu muri iyo ntambara rikaba ryariko rirakwiragira mu bantu muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika. Urwaruka rw’Ivyabona vya Yehova rwaraturubitswe ruranakubitwa n’urundi rwaruka be n’abakuze batatahura impagararo yacu. Hari raporo yerekanye yuko kuva mu 1940 gushika mu 1944, Ivyabona vya Yehova bo muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika batewe incuro zirenga 2.500 n’utugwi tw’abantu bari babambawe. Igihe Abayapani batera ikivuko c’Abanyamerika citwa Pearl Harbor kw’igenekerezo rya 7 Kigarama 1941, uruhamo rwaciye rwongerekana. Indwi nka zingahe imbere y’aho, nari natanguye kuba umutsimvyi, ni ukuvuga Icabona ca Yehova amara umwanya munini mu buzima bwiwe yamamaza inkuru nziza. Naraziganije udufaranga ndaheza ngura ikonteneri yo kubamwo y’imetero 7, maze twimukira i Louisiane gukorerayo turi nka bangahe.

Uruhamo rwaduka mu Bumanuko

Abanyagihugu bo ng’aho baratwemereye ko twohagarika iyo konteneri yacu mu murima w’ivyamwa vyitwa pécan wari hafi y’igisagara ca Jeanerette. Umusi umwe ku wa gatandatu, twarafashe ingingo yo kuja kwamamaza inkuru nziza kw’ibarabara, mugabo umukuru w’abapolisi yaciye ahamagara abo atwara maze aradushorera no ku biro vya komine. Akagwi k’abantu nka 200 kariremye hanze, abapolisi baca bakaturekuriramwo ata n’abo kudukingira baduhaye. Ariko twariruhukije kubona abari bagize ako kagwi baciye batubisa duca hagati yabo, baratureka turarengana. Bukeye, twaciye tuja mu gisagara kinini cane co mu micungararo citwa Baton Rouge, tugiye kubwira Ivyabona vya Yehova bagenzi bacu ivyari vyadushikiye.

Tugarutse i Jeanerette, twasanze hari ubutumwa bashize ku muryango wa ya konteneri yacu buvuga ngo: “Ndabasavye munsange kw’ikambi y’abacukura igitoro.” Nyene kubwandika yari yanditse izina ryiwe ngo “E. M. Vaughn.” Umushingantahe Vaughn twaramutoye, aca aradutumira ngo dusangire udufungurwa na we hamwe n’umukenyezi wiwe. Yatubwiye yuko we n’abantu biwe bari muri rya sinzi ryari ryakoranye ku wa gatandatu kandi ko iyo biba ngombwa yari kudukingira nya kagwi. Twarashimye ukuntu yaturemesheje akanadushigikira.

Umusi ukurikira, ivyegera vyitwaje inkoho vy’abatware baraba ivy’amategeko baraduhagaritse batwaka n’ibitabu vyacu. Baratwaye imfunguruzo za ya konteneri nabamwo maze bamaza imisi 17 mw’ibohero rya jenyene, nkaba naza ndaronka udufungurwa tw’inticantikize. Umushingantahe Vaughn nta ko atagize ngo adufashe, ariko nta kintu kinini vyavuyemwo. Mu gihe twari dupfungiwe aha twenyene, ka kagwi karadusahuye gaca gaturira ivyo twari dutunze vyose, ushizemwo na ya konteneri yanje. Ico gihe sinatahura ko Yehova yariko arantegura ku bw’ivyari bigiye kunshikira.

Mpfungirwa mu Buraruko

Haheze ukwezi nsubiye mu Buraruko, naragenywe mba umutsimvyi adasanzwe ngo nje gukorera mu gisagara ca Olean i New York, mfadikanije n’ibindi Vyabona vya Yehova. Igihe nari muri ico gisagara, Leta yaransavye kwiyandikisha ngo nje mu gisoda, maze ndemererwa kutaja mu gisoda kubera ijwi ryanje ryo mu mutima. Bamaze gusuzuma amagara yanje n’ubwenge bwanje, urukaratasi rwanje baciye baruterako ikidodo kivuga ngo “Arabereye kuja mw’ishure rimenyereza intwazangabo.”

Narashoboye kubandanya ca gikorwa c’ubutsimvyi mu kiringo c’uwundi mwaka nk’umwe. Mu 1943, kubera ko nanse guhagarika igikorwa nakora co kwamamaza inkuru nziza ngo nje kumenyerezwa mu vy’igisoda, abakorera mu Biro vy’iperereza baramfashe baca bantegeka kurenguka muri sentare y’igihugu yari i Syracuse muri leta ya New York mu ndwi ikurikira kugira ngo nsambishwe. Naragirijwe icaha, baca bashinga yuko urubanza rwanje rwoburanishijwe haciye imisi ibiri.

Ni jewe niburaniye. Ku makoraniro yacu ya gikirisu, twebwe urwaruka rw’Ivyabona vya Yehova baratwigisha ingene twoburanira muri sentare uburenganzira bwacu bwemewe n’ibwirizwa shingiro, bakatwigisha n’inyifato ibereye twogira muri sentare. Naributse ya mpanuro nari narahawe yavuzwe mu ntango y’iki kiganiro. Abatuburanya bamwebamwe baridoze mbere bavuga yuko Ivyabona vya Yehova bazi amategeko kubaruta! Naho ari ukwo, abancira urubanza baruhiye kunkubita intahe mu gahanga. Igihe umucamanza yambaza yuko noba mfise ikindi nokwongerako, navuze gusa nti: “Uyu musi igihugu cacu kiriko kiracirwa urubanza n’Imana kubera ukuntu gifata abayikorera.”

Naciriwe gupfungwa imyaka ine mw’ibohero rya Leta ryo mu gisagara ca Chillicothe, muri leta ya Ohio. Muri iryo bohero, nagizwe umunyamabanga w’umukuru umwe waryo. Haciye indwi nkeyi, umuntu umwe yariko agira iperereza ridasanzwe ava i Washington D.C. yaraje mu biro twakoreramwo, aca avuga ko bariko baratohoza ibijanye n’uwitwa Hayden Covington. Yari umushingwamanza aburanira Ivyabona vya Yehova kandi yari azwi cane ko ari umwe mu bashingwamanza b’ibihangange bo muri Amerika mu bijanye n’ibwirizwa shingiro.

Uwo muntu wo mw’iperereza yavuze ko yashaka amakuru akwiye yerekeye abantu babiri bari bapfunzwe, ari bo Danny Hurtado na Edmund Schmidt. Umuhagarikizi wanje yaciye avuga ati: “Emwe, birahuriranye pe! Umushingantahe Schmidt ng’uyu.” Igikorwa cari cazanye uwo muntu wo mw’iperereza cari ic’ibanga, mugabo yaciye ubwo nyene atahura ko vyose twamaze kubimenya. Ntibatevye guca banyimurira mu gikoni.

Ingene nasubiye mu butsimvyi, nja kuri Beteli, hanyuma nubaka urwanje

Kw’igenekerezo rya 26 Nyakanga 1946, nararekuwe ivy’agateganyo ndaheza nsubira kuba umutsimvyi, ico gihe nkaba nifatanije n’ishengero rya Highland Park muri California. Mu nyuma, muri Nyakanga 1948, narashitse ku mugambi nari maze igihe kirekire mfise. Naratumiwe ngo nje gukora igikorwa co kwotsa imikate ku cicaro gikuru c’Ivyabona vya Yehova (ahitwa kuri Beteli) i Brooklyn, akaba ari na ho bacapurira ibitabu dukoresha mu gikorwa cacu co kwamamaza inkuru nziza kirangurwa kw’isi yose. Naciye ubwo nyene mpeba akazi nakora k’umukuru w’abotsa imikate kw’iresitora imwe yo mu gisagara ca Glendale, nca nja kuri Beteli.

Haciye imyaka indwi, mu 1955, hari amahwaniro mpuzamakungu atandukanye yari yimirije kubera i Buraya. Umuryango wacu warandonkeje uburyo bwo gushobora kwitaba ayo mahwaniro. Narahimbawe no kwitaba amahwaniro yabereye i Londres, i Paris, i Roma, na canecane iryabereye i Nuremberg mu Budagi ryitabwe n’abantu barenga 107.000 mu kibuga kinini amahero c’inkino aho Hitler yari yarigeze kugenzurira ingabo ziwe aziratira. Mu bitavye iryo hwaniro harimwo n’Ivyabona vya Yehova Hitler yari yararahiye ararengwa ko azoherengeteza. Ntiworaba ukuntu cari ikintu gihimbaye kuba kumwe na bo!

Kuri iryo hwaniro ryabereye i Nuremberg, narahuye n’Icabona ca Yehova akiri muto wo mu Budagi yitwa Brigitte Gerwien, ndamugomwa. Twaciye twubakana hadaciye n’umwaka, maze dusubira i Glendale kuba hafi y’abavyeyi banje. Umuhungu wacu wa mbere Tom yavutse mu 1957, uwa kabiri Don avuka mu 1958, umukobwa wacu Sabena na we avuka mu 1960.

Ubuzima bumara akanyota koko

Hari ababajije nimba narigeze nicuza kubona naragizweko ibitero n’utugwi tw’abantu nongera ndapfungwa nzira gukorera Imana. Aho kwicuza, ndashimira Yehova kubona naratewe agateka ko kumukorera mfadikanije n’abasavyi biwe b’abizigirwa benshi cane. Nizera kandi yuko ivyanshikiye bizoremesha abandi kurushiriza kwiyegereza Imana, ntibigere bayidohokako.

Abasavyi b’Imana benshi barashikiwe n’ivyago bikomeye kubera ko bayikorera. None ivyo si vyo twabwiwe ko dukwiye kwitega? Bibiliya ivuga iti: “Abo bose bipfuza kubaho bihebera Imana bifatanije na Kristu Yezu na bo nyene bazohamwa.” (2 Timoteyo 3:12) Naho ari ukwo, nariboneye ukuntu amajambo yo muri Zaburi 34:19 avuga ukuri koko! Agira ati: “Ivyago vy’umugororotsi ni vyinshi, yamara Yehova aramurokora akabimukiza vyose.”

[Akajambo k’epfo]

[Akajambo gasigura ifoto ku rup. 27]

Aha twariko turamamaza inkuru nziza i Louisiane mu ntango z’imyaka ya 1940

[Akajambo gasigura ifoto ku rup. 29]

Aha nariko nkora igikorwa co kwokereza imikate abakorera ku cicaro gikuru

[Akajambo gasigura ifoto ku rup. 29]

Aha twari kumwe n’umukenyezi wanje Brigitte