Jehovha, Chivimbo Changu Kuvambira Paupwere Zvichienda Mberi

YAKATAURWA NABASIL TSATOS

Gore racho rakanga riri 1920; nzvimbo yacho, makomo eArcadia muPeloponnisos yakaisvonaka, Girisi. Ndakanga ndakarara, ndichirwara zvakakomba nefuruwenza yaityisa yeSpain iyo yakanga ichipararira munyika.

NGUVA imwe neimwe bhero rechechi rairira, ndaiziva kuti raizivisa rufu rwomumwe nyajambwa. Ndingava anotevera here? Sezvineiwo, ndakanaya, asi mamirioni haana. Kunyange zvazvo panguva iyeyo ndaingova namakore masere bedzi okukura, ichi chinoitika chinotyisa chichiri chipenyu zvakajeka muyeuko yangu.

Itiro Hanya Dzomudzimu Dzapakuvamba

Nguva pfupi gare gare, Sekuru vakafa. Pashure pemariro, ndinoyeuka Amai vachikumbanira hanzvadzi yangu neni muberere romusha wedu. Pasina panikiro vachiedza kupfavisa nhamo yedu, vakati chinyararire: “Eya, vana, tose zvedu tinofanira kukwegura ndokufa.”

Kunyange zvazvo vakakutaura zvinyoro kwazvo, mashoko avo akanditambudza. ‘Kunosuruvarisa sei! Hakuna kunaka sei!’ ndakafunga kudaro. Asi tose tiri vaviri takafara apo Amai vakawedzera, kuti: “Apo Ishe anouyazve, kunyanguvezvo, achamutsa vakafa, uye hatisati tichizotongofazve!” Aa, ikoko kwakanga kuchinyaradza!

Kuvambira panguva iyeyo zvichienda mberi ndakava anofarira zvikuru kuwana apo chaizvo nguva iyoyo inofadza ingasvika. Ndakabvunza vanhu vakawanda, asi hapana munhu akakwanisa kundiudza, uyewo, pamusoro paikoko, hapana munhu upi noupi akamboratidzika kuva anofarira kukurukura nhau yacho.

Rimwe zuva apo ndakanga ndava naanenge makore 12 okukura, baba vangu vakagamuchira bhuku rakabva kumukoma wavo aigara muUnited States. Raiva nomusoro unoti The Harp of God, rakabudiswa neWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Ndakatarira ndichidzika nendaza yezviri mukati, uye ndakanyemwerera nomufaro apo ndakaona ganhuro rinoti “Our Lord’s Return.” Ndakarirava nefariro huru, asi ndakaodzwa mwoyo kuti hapana gore rakapiwa rokudzoka kwacho. Bhuku racho, zvisinei, rakaratidzira kuti kwakanga kusiri kure.

Nokukurumidza ndakavamba kuenda kuchikoro chapamusoro ndokuva akanyura mufundo dzangu. Panguva nenguva, kunyanguvezvo, babamukuru vangu vaiva muAmerica vaitumira makopi eNharireyomurindi, ayo ndaifarikanya kurava. Uyewo, Svondo rimwe nerimwe, ndaipinda Sandisikuru, uko bhishopi aiwanzouya ndokutaura kwatiri.

Pane rimwe Svondo rakati, bhishopi akashatirwa zvikuru ndokuti: “Vashanyi vari kuzadza guta redu nezvinyorwa zvokupanduka.” Iye ipapo akasimudza kopi yeNharireyomurindi ndokushevedzera, kuti: “Kana ani naani wenyu akawana zvinyorwa zvakafanana neichi pamusha, zviunzei kuchechi, uye ndichazvipisa.”

Chimiro chenzwi rake chakandikangaidza, asi mudzimu wake wamatsive zvinotova zvikuru kwazvo. Nokudaro, handina kuwirirana nechikumbiro chake. Zvisinei, ndakanyorera babamukuru vangu ndokukumbira kuti vasanditumirezve zvinyorwa zvipi nezvipi zveWatch Tower. Bva, ndakapfuurira kurangarira nhau yokudzoka kwaKristu.

Chishuvo Chomudzimu Chinokura

Apo zororo rezhizha rakasvika, ndakabudisa sutukesi yangu kuti ndirongedze zvipfeko zvangu. Imomo nechepasi makanga mune mabhukwana matatu akatsikirirwa neWatch Tower Society. Nenzira yakati ndakanga ndisina kuacherechedza kare. Rimwe rainzi Where Are the Dead?

‘Iroro rinoratidzika kuva rinofadza,’ ndakafunga kudaro. Kunyange zvazvo ndaiyeuka nyevero yabhishopi, ndakasarudza kurava mabhukwana acho nokungwarira kuti ndiwane zvikanganiso zvandaifunga kuti aiva nazvo. Ndakatora penzura ndokuvamba nzvero yangu nokungwarira. Kushamisiko yangu, chinhu chiri chose chaiva mumabhukwana acho chairatidzika kuva chine mufungo, uye kutaura kumwe nokumwe kwaiva namagwaro akarongwa kuitira kuti muravi agogona kunzvera Bhaibheri.

Sezvo takanga tisina Bhaibheri, ndakashamisika kana magwaro akarongwa akanga ashandiswa zvisakafanira kuti akodzere donzo ravanyori. Naizvozvo ndakanyorera babamukuru vangu ndokuvakumbira kunditumira kopi yeBhaibheri rakakwana. Vakakurumidza kuita saizvozvo. Ndakarirava rose kaviri, uye kunyange zvazvo makanga mune zvakawanda mariri zvandaisagona kunzwisisa, ndakafadzwa namabhuku aDhanieri naZvakazarurwa. Ndaida kunzwisisa zvinhu zvaakadeya kutaura, asi pakanga pasina munhu aiwanika aigona kundibetsera.

Ndakarega chikoro muna 1929, uye nokukurumidza pashure pacho babamukuru vangu vaiva muAmerica vakanditumirazve makopi eNharireyomurindi. Ndakavamba kuafarikanya zvikuru kwazvo ndokuvakumbira kuatumira kwandiri nguva dzose. Ndakatangawo kutaura kuvamwe pamusoro petariro yenguva yemberi iyo ndakanga ndichidzidza mumagazini acho. Asi ipapo upenyu hwangu hwakachinja zvikuru kwazvo.

Fambiro Mberi Yomudzimu muBurma

Hanzvadzi dzaamai vangu dzakanga dzatamira kuBurma (zvino yava Myanmar), uye mhuri yakasarudza kuti kana ndikavakumbanira, kwaizofadza ruzivo rwangu uye zvichida kundizarurira mabanza ebhizimisi. Madokero nguva dzose akanga andifadza, naizvozvo ndakafadzwa nekariro yokuenda ikoko. MuBurma, ndakapfuurira kugamuchira Nharireyomurindi dzaibva kuna babamukuru vangu, asi handina somunhu oga kusangana nomumwe waVadzidzi veBhaibheri, seizvo Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvaidanwa panguva iyeyo.

Rimwe zuva ndakafadzwa nokuwana chiziviso muNharireyomurindi chamabhuku aLight, mavhoriyamu maviri ayo aitsanangura bhuku reBhaibheri raZvakazarurwa. Mukuwedzera, ndakaziva kuti mubato waVadzidzi veBhaibheri muBurma waitarisirwa nebazu reIndia reWatch Tower Society, raiva muBombay. Ndakakurumidza kunyora kuti ndikumbire mabhuku aLight, uyewo kuti ndikumbire kuti Vadzidzi veBhaibheri muIndia vatumirwe kuzoparidzira muBurma.

Mabhuku acho akakurumidza kusvika nepositi, uye vhiki rimwe kana kuti kupfuura gare gare, Vadzidzi veBhaibheri vomunzvimbomo vechiBurma vakandishanyira. Ndakafara kuziva kuti maiva neboka duku ravo umo ndakanga ndichigara muRangoon (zvino yava Yangon), dzimbahwe reBurma. Ivo vakandikoka kuzopinda kirasi yavo yefundo yeBhaibheri yenguva dzose uyewo kugoverana navo mukuparidzira paimba neimba. Ndaiti zengurirei pakutanga asi nokukurumidza ndakavamba kufarikanya kugoverana zivo yeBhaibheri navaBuddha, maHindu, uye maMuslem, pamwe chete namaKristu nezita.

Bazu reIndia panguva iyeyo rakatumira kuRangoon vashumiri vaviri venguva yakazara (anonzi mapiona), Ewart Francis naRandall Hopley. Vose vari vaviri pakuvamba-vamba vakabva England asi vakanga vave vachibatira muIndia kwamakore anoverengeka. Ivo vakandikurudzira zvikuru, uye muna 1934, ndakabhapatidzwa muchiratidzo chetsauriro yangu kuna Jehovha.

Uchapupu Hwoushingi

Pashure penguva yakati bazu reIndia rakatumira mamwe mapiona kuBurma. Maviri awo, Claude Goodman naRon Tippin, vakashanyira chiteshi cheraruwe ndokutaura kuna Sydney Coote, mukuru wechiteshi. Iye akagamuchira mabhuku acho, akaarava ose, uye akavamba kunyorera hanzvadzi yake yakaroorwa, Daisy D’Souza, muMandalay. Iyewo akawana mabhuku acho achifadza ndokukumbira mamwe.

Daisy, uyo akanga ave ari muKaturike anoshingaira, akanga ari munhu ane ushingi hwechienzi. Akavamba kushanyira vavakidzani vake uye achivaudza nezvezvinhu zvaakanga achidzidza. Uye apo akashanyirwa nomuprista woruwa, uyo akabvunza chikonzero nei akanga arega kupinda chechi, akamuratidza kuti Bhaibheri rakanga risingatsigiri zvinhu zvaakanga achidzidzisa, zvakadai sehero inopisa.

Pakupedzisira, akamubvunza, kuti: “Pashure peaya makore ose okuvaudza pamusoro pehero inopisa, ndinogona sei zvino kuvaudza kuti hakuna nzvimbo yakadaro? Hapana munhu achada kuuya kuchechi.”

“Kana imi muri muKristu akatendeseka,” Daisy akapindura kudaro, “muchavadzidzisa zvokwadi, pasinei zvapo nemiuyo.” Ipapo akawedzera, kuti: “Kana musati, ipapo ndichadaro!” Uye iye akadaro.

Dick naDaisy navanasikana vavo vaviri vakura vakabhapatidzwa muRangoon panguva imwe cheteyo yandakabhapatidzwawo. Makore matatu gare gare, muna 1937, ndakaroora mwanasikana wavo wechipiri, Phyllis.

Kunzvenga kuenda kuIndia

Mauto echiJapan akavhozhokera Burma mukati meHondo yeNyika II, uye Rangoon yakawa pana March 8, 1942. Vasiri varwi vokumwe vakamanikidzirwa kubuda nechimbichimbi vachienda kuIndia. Mazana akaedza kupinda nomumasango, asi vakawanda vakafira munzira. Ndaiziva somunhu oga mukuru mukuru aitarisira kutama, naizvozvo ndakakwanisa kuwana matikiti muchimwe chamagwa anotakura zvinhu chokupedzisira kubva muRangoon kuenda kuCalcutta. Kusiya imba yedu nezvizhinjisa zvezvinhu zvedu nechimbichimbi yakadaro yaiva nguva inosuruvarisa nokuda kwedu tose. Burma yakatorwa namaJapan kuvambira muna 1942 kusvikira kuna 1945.

Mari yedu yakanga yava shoma apo takasvika India, uye kuwana basa kwakanga kusiri nyore. Ikoku kwakaguma nomuedzo wokutenda. Ndakasangana nomumwe mukuru mukuru weBritain uyo akandipa basa risiri rokurwa rinobhadhara, asi raibatanidza kubatira sorutivi rwegadziriro yehondo. Nebetsero yaJehovha, ndakakwanisa kuramba basa racho uye nokudaro ndakachengeta hana yechiKristu yakachena. (Isaya 2:2-4) Mudzimwe nzirawo, takanzwa ruoko rune rudo rwaJehovha.

Takagara muNew Delhi, dzimbahwe reIndia, umo pokugara paidokuva pasingabviri kuwana. Kunyanguvezvo, takawana furati hombe pakati chaipo peguta. Yaiva nekamuri rokutandarira guru rine suo riri roga, uye iri kamuri rakabatira kwamakore mashomanene akatevera seHoro yoUmambo yeUngano yeDelhi yeZvapupu zvaJehovha. Zvisinei, nemhaka yechirambidzo chakaiswa muna 1941 pazvinyorwa zvose zveWatch Tower Society muIndia, hatina kukwanisa kuwana mabhuku eBhaibheri.

Kubviswa Kwakaitwa Chirambidzo

Rimwe Svondo muna 1943, avo vaipinda minamato pachechi dzeDelhi vakagamuchira kapepa kakasainwa navafundisi 13 vechechi dzakasiana-siana. Kakanyevera, kuti: “VAGARI VEDELHI NGWARIRAI ZVAPUPU ZVAJEHOVHA.” Pomero yacho yaiva yokuti takanga tarambidzwa muIndia nokuda kwezvikonzero zvamatongerwe enyika.

Netendero yehofisi yebazu muBombay, takakurumidza kutsikirira ndokuparadzira pepa rakafumura vafundisi. Sezvo ndakanga ndiri mutariri anotungamirira, zita rangu nekero zvakatsikirirwa pasi pepepa raiva namashoko akasimba. Nokukurumidza pashure pacho, apo mapurisa akawana Margrit Hoffman neni tichiparadzira makopi epepa racho, takasungwa ndokupinzwa mutorongo. Zvisinei, takakurumidza kusunungurwa tabvisa bherauti.

Gare gare, muushumiri hwake, Margrit akashanyira musha waSir Srivastava, gurukota raisanozivikanwa mudare ramakurukota romutongi weIndia. Sir Srivastava vakamugamuchira nomutsa, uye mukati mekurukurirano, akamuudza kuti mabhuku edu akanga arambidzwa zvisakarurama muIndia. Zuva iroro Margrit akasanganawo nomutezo weparamende wakabva kunyika yeMadras. Akanga ari muguta kuzopinda musangano weparamende. Iye akadudza kwaari kusarurama kwechirambidzo chakaiswa pamabhuku edu, uye iye akavimbisa kumutsa mubvunzo wacho pamusangano unotevera.

Panguva yacho, ndakanga ndichishanda sachiremba anorapa nokurovedza muchipatara chomunzvimbomo. Eya, Sir Srivastava vakakuvara, uye chipatara chakandituma kuzoona kana kurapa nokurovedza kungamubetsera. Ndakawana Sir Srivastava kuva munhu ane ushamwari, uye sezvo takakurukura, ndakangodudzawo zvangu kuti Muzvare Hoffman neni takanga tabudiswa mutorongo tabvisa bherauti. Ndakatsanangura kuti mabhuku edu eBhaibheri akanga arambidzwa nezvikonzero zvamatongerwe enyika nemhaka yedzvinyiriro yavafundisi asi kuti takanga tisiri vezvamatongerwe enyika chose chose. Mumiriri wedu webazu, Edwin Skinner, ndakapfuurira, akanga aita zvikumbiro zvebvunzurudzo kuti atsanangure chimiro chedu chendangariro, asi akanga arambirwa.

Mazuva maviri gare gare, Sir Srivastava vakandiudza, kuti: “VaJenkins [mukuru mukuru wehurumende akanga ave asingadi basa redu] vachave vachirega basa mumazuva mashomanene, uye nzvimbo yavo ichatorwa naSir Francis Mudie. Kumbirai VaSkinner kuuya, uye ndichavasuma kuna Sir Francis.”

Sir Srivastava vakaronga musangano sezvo vakanga vavimbisa. Mukati mawo, Sir Francis Mudie vakaudza Hama Skinner, kuti: “Handigoni kukuvimbisai chinhu chipi nechipi, asi ndichaongorora nhau yacho.” Sezvo paramende yaizotanga mumazuva mashomanene, Hama Skinner vakagara kuti vaone muuyo wacho. Mukuwirirana neshoko ravo, mutezo weparamende wakabva Madras wakamira ndokubvunza, kuti: “Ichokwadi here kuti zvinyorwa zveWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society zvakarambidzwa nokuda kwezvikonzero zvamatongerwe enyika?”

“Aiwa, chirambidzo chakaiswa nezvikonzero zvokungwarira,” Sir Francis Mudie vakapindura kudaro, “asi hurumende zvino yakasarudza kugumisa chirambidzo chacho.”

Yakanga iri nguva inofadza zvakadini nokuda kwedu apo takanzwa mashoko iwayo! Vhiki rimwe gare gare hofisi yebazu muBombay yakagamuchira tsamba yaizivisa mugumo wechirambidzo chacho.

Kudzokera kuBurma Yakaparadzwa Nehondo

Kutonga kweBritain kwakadzokera kuBurma pashure peHondo yeNyika II, uye gumi vedu Zvapupu takadzokera kuRangoon mwedzi mishomanene gare gare. Takafara kuona zvakare Zvapupu zvomunzvimbomo zvakasara zvishomanene. Nyika yacho yakanga iri mumugariro unosuruvarisa. Zvinhu zvavose, kubatanidza magetsi nezvokufambisa zvavose, zvakanga zvisingawaniki. Naizvozvo takatenga jipi kune vezvehondo ndokuishandisa zvakanaka mukutakura vanhu kuenda kumisangano iyo takanga taronga nokukurumidza pashure pokudzokera kwedu.

Mumwe munhu anofarira akatipa nzvimbo, uye nebetsero yavanhu vane mutsa munharaunda macho, takavaka Horo yoUmambo youkuru hwakanaka. Yakavakwa namapango makuru amasengere, madziro amasengere akarukwa, uye denga rakapfirirwa. Muno, muna April 1947, Nathan H. Knorr purezidhendi wapanguva iyeyo weWatch Tower Society, uye munyori wake, Milton G. Henschel, vakakurukura hurukuro mukati meshanyo yavo kuRangoon. Panguva yacho, taiva neZvapupu 19 muBurma mose. Asi hurukuro yavose yaHama Knorr, yakakurukurirwa kuNew Excelsior Theatre, yakapindwa navane 287!

Tinogara muAustralia

Pana January 4, 1948, Burma yakapiwa kuzvitonga neGreat Britain, uye vaEurope vazhinjisa vakakurangarira kuva kwakanakisisa kubva munyika yacho. Pashure perangariro yokunyengetera, Phyllis neni takasarudza kutora mwanasikana wedu ndokutamira kuAustralia. Takagara muPerth, dzimbahwe reWestern Australia.

Kubva muBurma zvakare, uye nguva ino kwechigarire, yaiva nguva inosuruvarisa zvikuru nokuda kwedu. Nguva nenguva, takanzwa kushamwari dzinodiwa ikoko, uye takafara kuziva kuti basa roUmambo rakanga riri kufambira mberi nenzira yakatsiga munyika iyoyo.

Kuvambira muna 1978, kwamakore mana takava nomufarwa wokubatira ungano dzose dzinotaura chiGiriki mumaguta makuru eAustralia. Ikoku kwakareva kufamba kukuru, sezvo kuchipfuura makiromita 4 200 kubva kumhenderekedzo yegungwa yokumadokero kuenda kumhenderekedzo yegungwa yokumabvazuva kweiyi nyika huru. Pashure penguva yakati, mugariro wokunze, uyo unosiana zvikuru munzvimbo imwe neimwe, wakagovera kuderera muutano hwedu. Naizvozvo takagarazve muPerth, umo ndinopfuurira kubatira somukuru muimwe yeungano 44 dzeguta.

Sezvo makore akapfuura, kuona kwangu kwava kwakaipa zvikuru, uye kurava kwava kunonetsa. Bva, pasinei zvapo nezvinetso zvoutano, mwoyo yedu ichiri miduku. Tose tiri vaviri tiri kumirira nechivimbo zuva rinofadza apo vose vanotya Jehovha vachaona mushana wenyasha dzake “uchipenya, nokuporesa mumapapiro awo; uye [isu] tichabuda zvomenemene ndokubata pasi semhuru dzakakodzwa.”—Maraki 4:2.a

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

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Mhuri yangu naHama Henschel naKnorr muBurma (Myanmar) muna 1947

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Basil Tsatos nomudzimai wake, Phyllis, muAustralia