Jehovha Ave Ari Utiziro Hwangu
YAKATAURWA NAPENELOPE MAKRIS
Amai vangu vakanditeterera nesimba, kuti: “Ramba murume wako; hanzvadzi dzako dzichakutsvakira ari nani.” Nei amai vangu vane rudo vaizoda kuti ndigumise roorano yangu? Chii chakanga chavatsamwisa kwazvo?
NDAKABEREKWA muna 1897 mumusha muduku weAmbelos, pachitsuwa cheGreece cheSamos. Mhuri yedu yakanga iri mitezo inoshingaira Chechi yeGreek Orthodox. Baba vakafa nguva shomanene ndisati ndaberekwa, uye Amai, hanzvadzi dzangu nhatu, uye ini taifanira kushanda zvakaoma kuti tingorarama bedzi pakati pourombo hukuru hwenguva idzodzo.
Hondo Yenyika I yakavamba muna 1914, uye nokukurumidza pashure payo hanzvadzi dzangu huru mbiri dzakarayirwa kunyoresa muuto. Asi kudzivisa kuita saizvozvo, vakaenda kuAmerica, vachindisiya neimwe hanzvadzi yangu pamusha naAmai. Makore mashomanene gare gare, muna 1920, ndakaroorwa naDimitris, mudzidzisi muduku mumusha medu.
Shanyo Inokosha
Nokukurumidza pashure pokunge ndaroorwa, hanzvadzi yaamai vangu yakauya ichibva kuAmerica kuzotishanyira. Yakauya nerimwe remavhoriyamu eStudies in the Scriptures, rakanyorwa naCharles Taze Russell. Chakanga chiri chinyorwa cheVadzidzi veBhaibheri, avo zvino vanozivikanwa seZvapupu zvaJehovha.
Apo Dimitris akazarura bhuku racho, akacherekedza nhau yaakanga ashamisika pamusoro payo kubvira paakanga ari mwana, “Chii chinoitika kumunhu apo anofa?” Muchikoro chapamusoro akanga abvunza mufundisi weGreek Orthodox pamusoro peiyi nhau imene asi akanga asina kuwana mhinduro inogutsa. Tsananguro yakajeka neine mufungo yakagoverwa muchinyorwa chacho yakafadza Dimitris zvikuru kwazvo zvokuti akaenda zvakananga kunzvimbo yokutandarira yomumusha, uko varume veGreece vanowanzoungana. Ikoko akarondedzera zvinhu zvaakanga adzidza muBhaibheri.
Kutsigira Kwedu Chokwadi cheBhaibheri
Panenge paiyi nguva—mukuvamba kwama1920—Greece yakanga iri pakati peimwe hondo. Dimitris akamanikidzwa kupinda muuto akatumirwa kunyika yeTurkey, muAsia Minor. Akakuvadzwa uye kutumirwa kumusha. Pashure pokunge anaya, ndakamuperekedza kuSmyrna, Asia Minor (zvino Izmir, Turkey). Apo hondo yakaguma kamwe kamwe muna 1922, taifanira kutiza. Kutaura idi, takapukunyuka nepaburi retsono tiri mungarava zvikuru tichienda kuSamos. Pakusvika kumusha, takapfugama ndokuonga Mwari—Mwari watakanga tichine zivo isina kukwana bedzi pamusoro pake.
Nokukurumidza Dimitiris akagoverwa kudzidzisa pachikoro muVathy, dzimbahwe rechitsuwa chacho. Akapfuurira kurava mabhuku eVadzidzi veBhaibheri, uye pausiku umwe hwainaya vaviri vavo vaibva kuchitsuwa cheChios vakatishanyira. Vakanga vadzoka vachibva kuAmerica kuti vabatire samacolporteur, seizvo vaevhangeri venguva yakazara vaidanwa. Takavapa pokurara usiku hwacho, uye vakataura kwatiri pamusoro pezvinhu zvakawanda pamusoro pemadonzo aMwari.
Pashure pacho Dimitris akandiudza, kuti: “Penelope, ndaziva kuti ichi ndicho chokwadi, uye ndinofanira kuchitevera. Ikoku kunoreva kuti ndinofanira kurega kuimba muChechi yeGreek Orthodox, uye kuti handigoni kupinda chechi nevana vechikoro.” Kunyange zvazvo zivo yedu pamusoro paJehovha yakanga yakaganhurirwa, chishuvo chedu chokumubatira chakanga chakasimba. Naizvozvo ndakapindura, kuti: “Handisati ndichizova mhinganhidzo kwauri. Ingopfuurira mberi.”
Akapfuurira achiti zengurirei: “Hungu, asi kana nzira yedu ikazivikanwa, ndicharasikirwa nebasa rangu.”
“Usanetseka,” ndakadaro, “vanhu vose vanowana chokurarama nacho nebasa rokudzidzisa here? Tiri vaduku uye takasimba, uye nebetsero yaMwari tinogona kuwana rimwe basa.”
Panenge paiyi nguva takaziva kuti mumwe Mudzidzi weBhaibheri—mucolporteurwo zvekare—akanga auya kuSamos. Apo takanzwa kuti akanga anyimwa bvumo nemapurisa yokupa hurukuro yavose yeBhaibheri, takaenda kunomutsvaka. Takamuwana muchitoro achikurukura nevafundisi vaviri veGreek Orthodox. Vanyadziswa nokusakwanisa kudzivirira zvitendero zvavo neBhaibheri, vafundisi vacho vakakurumidza kuenda. Murume wangu, aororwa nezivo yemucolporteur wacho, akabvunza, kuti: “Kunodaro sei kuti munoshandisa Bhaibheri norusununguko rwakadaro?”
“Tinofunda Bhaibheri zvine nhevedzano,” akapindura kudaro. Achivhura bhegi rake, akabudisa bhuku refundo The Harp of God ndokutiratidza kushandiswa kweiri bhuku mufundo yakadaro. Takanga tichidisa kwazvo kudzidza zvokuti murume wangu neni, mucolporteur wacho, uye vamwe varume vaviri nokukurumidza takaperekedza mutengesi womuchitoro kumba kwake. Mucolporteur wacho akapa mumwe nomumwe wedu kopi yeThe Harp of God, uye takavamba kufunda pakarepo. Takapfuudzira fundo yedu kutozosvikira kwapfuura zvikuru pakati pousiku, uye ipapo sezvo mambakwedza akasvika, takavamba kudzidza nziyo dzaiimbwa neVadzidzi veBhaibheri.
Kubvira panguva iyoyo zvichienda mberi, ndakatanga kufunda Bhaibheri maawa anoverengeka pazuva. Vadzidzi veBhaibheri vaibva kudzimwe nyika vakaramba vachitigovera yamuro dzefundo yeBhaibheri. Muna January 1926, ndakaita tsauriro yangu kuna Mwari mumunyengetero, ndichiita mhiko yachose chose yokuita kuda kwake. Gare gare muzhizha iroro murume wangu neni takaratidzira tsauriro yedu kupfurikidza nerubhabhatidzo rwomumvura. Takanga tine chishuvo chakasimba chokutaura kuvamwe pamusoro pezvinhu zvatakanga tichidzidza, naizvozvo takatanga ushumiri hwapasuo nesuo neturakiti rinonzi Message of Hope.
Kutsungirira Chishoro Chakasimba
Rimwe zuva ndakakokwa nomukadzi muduku kuti ndipinde musangano worudzidziso mukamuri duku rokunamatira reGreek Orthodox. “Ndakarega kunamata Mwari munzira iyoyo,” ndakatsanangura kudaro. “Zvino ndinomunamata nemudzimu nechokwadi, sezvinodzidzisa Bhaibheri.” (Johane 4:23, 24) Akashamiswa uye akashuma kwose kwose chakanga chaitika, achibatanidzawo murume wangu.
Anodokuva munhu ari wose akavamba kushora. Hakuna kwataigona kuwana rugare—mumusha medu kana kuti zvimwe pamisangano yataiita nevanhu vanofarira vashomanene pachitsuwa chacho. Pakurudziro yevaprisita veOrthodox, mapoka akaungana kunze kwenzvimbo yedu yemisangano, achipotsera matombo uye kudanidzira kunyomba.
Apo takaparadzira turakiti rinonzi Message of Hope, vana vakaungana vakatikomba vachidanidzira kuti “vaMireniyumu” uye mamwe mashoko okuzvidza. Vasonganiri vomurume wangu vakavambawo kumuparira chinetso. Mukupera kwa1926 akatongwa, akapomerwa kusava akakodzera kuva mudzidzisi wezvikoro zvehurumende, uye akatongerwa mazuva 15 mutorongo.
Apo Amai vakaziva nezvaikoku, vakarayira kuti ndirambe murume wangu. “Teererai, amai vangu vanodiwa,” ndakapindura kudaro, “munoziva sezvandinoitawo kuti ndinokudai zvikuru nokukuremekedzai. Asi handimbogoni kukuregai muchitidzivisa kunamata Mwari wechokwadi, Jehovha.” Vakaenda kumusha kwavo vashatiriswa zvikuru.
Muna 1927 gungano reVadzidzi veBhaibheri rakaitwa muAthens, uye Jehovha akatizarurira nzira kuti tipinde. Takafadzwa uye takasimbiswa mumudzimu kupfurikidza nokuungana nevatendi biyedu vakawanda. Tichidzokera kuSamos, takaparadzira makopi 5 000 eturakiti raiva nomusoro unoti A Testimony to the Rulers of the World mumataundi nemisha zvechitsuwa chedu.
Panenge panguva iyoyo Dimitris akadzingwa panzvimbo yake yokudzidzisa, uye nemhaka yekutifungira mano akaipa, kwakanga kuchidokuva kusingabviri kuwana basa. Asi sezvo ndaigona kusona uye Dimitris ari mupendi ane unyanzvi, taikwanisa kuwana mari inokwana kugovera zvinodikanwa. Muna 1928 murume wangu, pamwe chete nedzimwe hama ina dzechiKristu muSamos, akatongerwa mwedzi miviri mutorongo nokuda kwokuparidza mashoko akanaka. Ndichiva Mudzidzi weBhaibheri bedzi akasununguka, ndaikwanisa kuvagovera zvokudya vari mutorongo.
Kurwisa Undonda Hwakakomba
Pane imwe nguva ndakarwara netubercular spondylitis, panguva iyoyo chirwere chinopfuurira chaisazivikanwa. Ndakarasikirwa nechishuwo changu chezvokudya uye ndakava nefivha yakakwira inopfuurira. Kurapwa kwaibatanidza kuvharirwa mubhokisi rakananwa nedhaka kubva pahuro yangu kusvikira kuzvidya zvangu. Kuti ndikwanise mune zvemari, murume wangu akatengesa chidimbu chemunda kuti ndikwanise kupfuuridzira kurapwa. Ndatambudzika mwoyo, ndakanyengetera kuna Mwari zuva riri rose nokuda kwesimba.
Pakundishanyira, hama dzokunyama dzakapfuurira kunyandura chishoro. Amai vakati takanga tichiwana izvi zvinetso zvose nemhaka yokuti takanga tachinja rudzidziso rwedu. Ndisingakwanisi kufamba, ndakanyorovesa piro yangu nemisodzi sezvo ndakateterera Baba vedu vokudenga kuti vandipe shiviriro neushingi kuti nditsungirire.
Patafura yangu yeparutivi pomubhedha, ndaichengeta Bhaibheri rangu uye mugove wamabhukwana nematurakiti nokuda kwavashanyi. Kwakanga kuri chikomborero kuti misangano yeungano yedu duku yaiitirwa mumusha medu; ndaigona kugamuchira nguva dzose kurudziro yomudzimu. Taifanira kutengesa chimwe chidimbu chemunda kuti tibhadhare kurapwa nachiremba muAthens.
Nokukurumidza pashure pacho, mutariri anofambira akatishanyira. Akanzwa urombo zvikuru kundiwana ndiri muuyu mumiriro wezvinhu uye Dimitris asingashandi. Nomutsa akatibetsera kuita gadziriro dzokugara muMytilene pachitsuwa cheLesbos. Takatamira ikoko muna 1934, uye Dimitris akakwanisa kuwana basa. Ikoko takawanawo hama nehanzvadzi dzechiKristu dzinofadza idzo dzakanditarisira muurwere hwangu. Zvishoma nezvishoma, pashure pemakore mashanu okurapwa, ndakanga ndanaya zvizere.
Zvisinei, muna 1946, nokukurumidza pashure peHondo Yenyika II, ndakarwara zvekare zvakakomba, nguva ino netubercular peritonitis. Ndakanga ndiri mumubhedha kwemwedzi mishanu ndine fivha yakakwira uye marwadzo akakomba. Asi, sekare, handina kutongorega kutaura pamusoro paJehovha kuvashanyi vangu. Pashure penguva yakati, ndakawanazve utano hwangu.
Kupayona Pasinei Zvapo Nechishoro
Chishoro chakaoma wakanga uri mugariro weZvapupu zvaJehovha muGreece mumakore apashure pehondo. Takasungwa kakawanda zvikuru patakanga tichigoverana muushumiri hwapaimba neimba. Murume wangu akabatira hwerengedzo yerinodokusvika gore ari mutorongo. Apo taiva taivamba muushumiri, kazhinji kazhinji tairongedzera kupedza usiku muusungwa pakamba yemapurisa. Bva Jehovha haana kutongotisiya. Nguva dzose akagovera ushingi nesimba zvaidikanwa kutsungirira.
Muma1940, ndakarava muInformant (zvino Hushumiri Hwedu hwoUmambo) pamusoro pegadziriro yokupayona pazororo. Ndakasarudza kuedza kugoverana muurwu rutivi rwebasa rwaida kupa maawa 75 pamwedzi kuushumiri. Somugumisiro, shanyo dzangu dzedzokerero nefundo dzeBhaibheri zvakawedzera—kwenguva yakati ndakanga ndichiitisa fundo 17 vhiki nevhiki. Ndakatangawo kwakamirirwa magazini munharaunda yebhizinesi yeMytilene, umo ndakaendesa nguva dzose anenge makopi 300 eNharireyomurindi neMukai! kuzvitoro, hofisi, uye mabhangi.
Apo mutariri anofambira akabatira ungano yedu muna 1964, akati: “Hanzvadzi Penelope, ndakaona paKadhi renyu reChinyorwa cheMuparidzi kuti migumisiro inofadza zvakadini yamuri kuva nayo muushumiri hwenyu. Huregererei kuzadza kumbiriso yokupayona nguva dzose?” Nguva dzose ndichava anoonga kurudziro yake; ushumiri hwenguva yakazara hwave huri mufaro wangu kwemakore anopfuura makumi matatu.
Chakaitika Chinotusa
MuMytilene mune nharaunda yakawanda vanhu zvikuru inonzi Langada, umo vapoteri veGreece vaigara. Takadzivisa kuenda pasuo nesuo imomo nemhaka yechishoro chokunyanyisa icho takanga tanangana nacho. Zvisinei, apo murume wangu akanga ari mutorongo, ndaifanira kupfuura nomuiyi nharaunda kuti ndimushanyire. Parimwe zuva rainaya mumwe mukadzi akandikoka kupinda mumusha wake kuti abvunze chikonzero nei murume wangu akanga ari mutorongo. Ndakatsanangura kuti kwaiva nokuda kwokuparidza mashoko akanaka oUmambo hwaMwari uye kuti akanga achitambura seizvo chaizvo Kristu akanga atambura.
Pashure penguva yakati, mumwe mukadzi akaronga kuti ndigosvika pamusha wake. Apo ndakasvika ndakaona kuti akanga akoka hwerengedzo yevakadzi 12. Ndakakarira chishoro chinobvira, naizvozvo ndakanyengetera kuna Mwari kuti andipe uchenjeri neushingi zvokutarisana nechipi nechipi chaizoitika. Vakadzi vacho vakanga vane mibvunzo yakawanda, uye vamwe vakamutsa zvirambidzo, asi ndakanga ndichikwanisa kugovera mhinduro dzapaMagwaro. Apo ndakasimuka kuti ndiende, mukadzi weimba yacho akandikumbira kuuya zvakare zuva rinotevera. Nomufaro, ndakagamuchira kokero yacho. Apo shamwari neni takasvika zuva rakatevera racho, takawana vakadzi vacho vakatomirira.
Pashure paikoko kurukurirano dzedu dzeMagwaro dzakapfuurira pahwaro hwenguva dzose, uye fundo dzakawanda dzeBhaibheri dzakatangwa. Vakati vevakadzi vacho vakafambira mberi muzivo yakarurama, uye ndizvo zvakaitawo mhuri dzavo. Iri boka gare gare rakaumba musimboti weungano itsva yeZvapupu zvaJehovha muMytilene.
Jehovha Ave Akanaka Kwandiri
Mumakore apfuura Jehovha akatusa nhamburiko dzomurume wangu neni dzokuMubatira. Vashoma veZvapupu paSamos muma1920 vakakura kuva ungano mbiri neboka rimwe rine vaparidzi vanenge 130. Uye pachitsuwa cheLesbos, pane ungano ina uye mapoka mashanu anobatanidza vazivisi voUmambo 430. Murume wangu akazivisa nokushingaira Umambo hwaMwari kutozosvikira parufu rwake muna 1977. Iropafadzo yakadini kuona avo takabetsera vachiri vanoshingaira muushumiri! Chokwadi, nevana vavo, vazukuru, uye vazukuru-chibvi, vanoumba boka guru rinonamata Jehovha zvakabatana!
Nhau yangu yebasa rechiKristu, iyo inopfuura makore 70 zvino, yave isiri nyore. Bva Jehovha ave ari nhare isingaenzaniswi. Nemhaka youkweguru uye utano hunoderera, ndave ndakaganhurirwa kumubhedha uye handikwanisi zvikuru kuita zvakawanda mukuparidza kwandinogona kuita. Asi, sezvakaita wezvemapisarema, ndinogona kutaura kuti kuna Jehovha: “Ndiye utiziro hwangu nenhare yangu; Iye Mwari wangu, wandinovimba naye.”—Pisarema 91:2.
(Hanzvadzi Makris vakashaya apo nyaya ino yakanga ichinyorwa. Vakanga vane tariro yokudenga.)
[Mufananidzo uri papeji 26]
Vaine murume wavo muna 1955
[Mufananidzo uri papeji 26]
Hanzvadzi Makris vaizodai vakava nemakore 100 muna January 1997