Mbiri ya Moyo Wanga

“Ndidzabwezera Yehova Chiyani?”

YOSIMBIDWA NDI MARIA KERASINIS

Ndili ndi zaka 18, ndinali mwana wokhumudwitsa kwambiri kwa makolo anga, munthu wotayika kwa anthu a m’banja langa, ndipo anthu a m’mudzi mwathu amangokhalira kundiseka. Anayesera kundipempha, kundinyengerera, ndi kundiopseza kuti ndileke kukhulupirira Mulungu, koma analephera. Ndinali wotsimikiza kuti ndikamamatira choonadi cha m’Baibulo mokhulupirika, ndidzapeza madalitso auzimu. Ndikayang’ana m’mbuyo pa zaka zoposa 50 zimene ndakhala ndikutumikira Yehova, ndikugwirizana ndi mawu a wamasalmo akuti: “Ndidzabwezera Yehova chiyani chifukwa cha zokoma zake zonse anandichitira?”​—Salmo 116:12.

NDINABADWA m’chaka cha 1930, m’mudzi wa Aggelokastro, umene uli pa mtunda wa makilomita 20 kuchoka pa doko la Kenkreya, chakum’maŵa kwa kamtunda kopita ku chilumba cha Korinto, kumene mpingo wa Akristu oona unakhazikitsidwa m’zaka 100 zoyambirira za nyengo yathu ino.​—Machitidwe 18:18; Aroma 16:1.

Banja lathu linali lamtendere. Bambo anali mfumu ya m’mudzimo ndipo anali kuwalemekeza kwambiri. Ine ndinali wachitatu kubadwa m’banja la ana asanu. Makolo athu anatiphunzitsa kuti tikhale anthu olimbikira kwambiri m’Tchalitchi cha Greek Orthodox. Ndinkapita ku Misa Lamlungu lililonse. Ndinkalapa pamaso pa mafano azithunzi, kuyatsa makandulo m’matchalitchi a m’midzi, ndipo ndinkasala nawo kudya nthaŵi iliyonse imene timafunika kutero. Nthaŵi zambiri ndinkaganiza zodzakhala sisitere. Patapita nthaŵi, ndinakhala  woyamba m’banja lathu kukhumudwitsa makolo anga.

Ndinasangalala Kwambiri ndi Choonadi cha M’Baibulo

Ndili ndi zaka 18 ndinamva zoti Katina, mchemwali wa mlamu wanga wina amene anali kukhala m’mudzi woyandikana nafe, wayamba kuŵerenga mabuku a Mboni za Yehova, ndipo wasiya kupita kutchalitchi. Zimenezi zinandivutitsa maganizo kwambiri, choncho ndinaganiza zomuthandiza kuti abwererenso ku njira imene ndinkaiona kuti inali yolondola. Choncho, pamene anabwera kudzatichezera, ndinakonza zoti tipite kokayenda, n’cholinga choti tikadzere ku nyumba ya wansembe. Wansembeyo poyamba kulankhula ananyoza kwambiri Mboni za Yehova, ndipo anazitcha ampatuko amene anasocheretsa Katina. Kukambiranako kunapitirira kwa mausiku atatu otsatizana. Katina anasonyeza kuti zoipa zonse zimene amanena wansembezo zinali zabodza pogwiritsa ntchito mfundo zimene anazikonzekera bwino zochokera m’Baibulo. Pamapeto pake wansembeyo anamuuza Katina kuti chifukwa chakuti anali mtsikana wokongola ndi wanzeru, anayenera kusangalala ndi utsikana wake akadali wamng’ono ndipo adzayambe kuchita chidwi ndi Mulungu akadzakalamba.

Sindinauze makolo anga chilichonse chokhudza kukambirana kumeneko, koma Lamlungu lotsatira sindinapite kutchalitchi. Masana, wansembeyo anabwera mwachangu ku sitolo yathu. Ndinanamizira kuti ndinayenera kukhala m’sitoloyo kuti ndithandize Bambo.

“Kodi chifukwa chake n’chimenechodi, kapena mtsikana uja ndi amene wakuchititsa?” anandifunsa wansembeyo.

“Anthu ameneŵa ali ndi zikhulupiriro zabwino kuposa zathu,” ndinayankha mosapita m’mbali.

Akucheukira bambo anga, wansembeyo anati: “Bambo Economos, mum’thamangitse m’bale wanuyo nthaŵi yomwe ino, chifukwa akuikani pa moto.”

Makolo ndi Achibale Anga Anatsutsana Nane

Nthaŵi imeneyi kunali kumapeto kwa zaka za m’ma 1940 pamene m’dziko la Greece munali nkhondo yachiŵeniŵeni. Poopa kuti zigaŵenga zankhondo zinganditenge, Bambo anakonza zoti ndichoke m’mudzimo ndipite kunyumba kwa mkulu wanga m’mudzi umene Katina anali kukhala. Kwa miyezi iŵiri imene ndinakhala kumeneko, anandithandiza kumvetsa zimene Baibulo limanena pa nkhani zosiyanasiyana. Ndinakhumudwa kwambiri kuzindikira kuti ziphunzitso zambiri za Tchalitchi cha Orthodox zinali zosagwirizana ndi Malemba. Ndinazindikira kuti Mulungu savomereza kulambira mafano azithunzi, ndiponso kuti miyambo yosiyanasiyana yachipembedzo, monga kulambira mtanda, sinachokere ku Chikristu, ndiponso kuti munthu ayenera kulambira Mulungu “mumzimu ndi m’choonadi” kuti am’sangalatse. (Yohane 4:23; Eksodo 20:4, 5) Koposa zonse, ndinaphunzira kuti m’Baibulo mumapezeka chiyembekezo chabwino kwambiri chodzakhala ndi moyo kosatha padziko lapansi! Choonadi cha m’Baibulo chamtengo wapatali chimenecho chinali chimodzi mwa madalitso oyambirira amene ndinalandira kwa Yehova.

Panthaŵi imeneyi, mkulu wanga ndi mwamuna wake anaona kuti sindinali kupanga chizindikiro cha mtanda pa nthaŵi yachakudya, ndiponso sindinali kupemphera pamaso pa mafano azithunzi. Usiku wina aŵiri onseŵa anandimenya. Tsiku lotsatira ndinaganiza zochoka pakhomo pawo, ndipo ndinapita kwa ang’ono awo a mayi anga. Alamu angawo anauza bambo anga zimenezi. Pasanapite nthaŵi yaitali Bambo anabwera misozi ili chuchuchu, kuyesera kuti andisinthe maganizo. Alamu anga anagwada pamaso panga, ndipo anandipempha kuti ndiwakhululukire, ndipo ndinawakhululukira. Pofuna kuthetsa nkhaniyo, anandipempha kuti ndibwererenso kutchalitchi, koma sindinalole.

Nditabwereranso kumudzi kwa Bambo, anthu anapitirizabe kunditsutsa. Ndinalibe njira iliyonse yolankhulana ndi Katina, ndipo ndinalibe mabuku alionse oti ndiziŵerenga, ngakhale Baibulo limene. Ndinasangalala kwambiri pamene mwana wamkazi wa bambo aakulu anayesera kundithandiza. Atapita ku Korinto anapeza Mboni ndipo anandibweretsera buku lakuti “Mulungu Akhale Woona” ndi Baibulo la Malemba Achigiriki Achikristu, limene ndinayamba kuliŵerenga mwakabisira.

Moyo Unasintha Mosayembekezeka

Anthu anapitiriza kunditsutsa modetsa nkhaŵa kwa zaka zitatu. Sindinakumane ndi Mboni iliyonse, ndipo sindikanatha kulandira mabuku alionse. Komabe, mosadziŵa, panali zinthu zazikulu zokhudza moyo wanga zimene zinali zitatsala pang’ono kuchitika.

 Bambo anandiuza kuti ndiyenera kupita kwa amalume anga ku Tesalonika. Ndisanapite ku Tesalonikako, ndinapita kwa telala wamkazi ku Korinto kuti akandisokere chikhothi. Ndinadabwa kwambiri kupeza kuti Katina anali kugwira ntchito kumeneko! Tinali osangalala kwambiri kuonananso patapita nthaŵi yaitali choncho. Pamene ine ndi Katina timachoka kwa atelalako, tinakumana ndi mnyamata wina wosangalatsa amene anali kupita kunyumba kuchokera ku ntchito, atakwera njinga. Dzina lake linali Charalambos. Titadziŵana bwino, tinagwirizana zokwatirana. Panalinso chapanthaŵi yomweyi, pa January 9, 1952, pamene ndinasonyeza poyera kudzipatulira kwanga kwa Yehova mwa kubatizidwa.

Charalambos anali atabatizidwa kale. Nayenso anatsutsidwa ndi achibale ake. Charalambos anali wachangu kwambiri. Anali mtumiki wothandizira wa mpingo ndipo anali kuchititsa maphunziro a Baibulo ambiri. Pasanapite nthaŵi yaitali azichimwene ake anaphunzira choonadi, ndipo lero anthu ambiri m’mabanja mwa azichimwene akewo nawonso akutumikira Yehova.

Bambo anamukonda Charalambos kwambiri, choncho analola kuti tikwatirane, koma zinali zovuta kuwakhutiritsa maganizo Mayi. Ngakhale zinthu zinali choncho, ine ndi Charalambos tinakwatirana pa March 29, 1952. Mchimwene wanga wamkulu ndi msuwani wanga m’modzi yekha ndi amene anabwera ku ukwati wathu. Panthaŵi imeneyi sindinadziŵe kuti Charalambos adzakhala dalitso lalikulu kwa ine, mphatso yeniyeni yochokera kwa Yehova! Monga mnzake, ndinatha kuika patsogolo kutumikira Yehova pamoyo wanga.

Kulimbikitsa Abale Athu

Mu 1953, ine ndi Charalambos tinaganiza zosamukira ku Athens. Pofuna kuchita zambiri mu ntchito yolalikira, Charalambos anasiya kuchita nawo bizinesi ya banja lawo, ndipo anapeza ntchito yaganyu. Masana tinkakhalira limodzi mu utumiki wachikristu ndipo tinkachititsa maphunziro a Baibulo ambiri.

Chifukwa chakuti utumiki wathu unali kuponderezedwa, tinayenera kuchita zinthu mochenjera. Mwachitsanzo, tinaganiza zoika magazini a Nsanja ya Olonda pa windo la kanyumba kogulitsiramo malonda pakatikati pa mzinda wa Athens, kumene mwamuna wanga ankagwira ntchito yaganyu. Wapolisi waudindo waukulu anatiuza kuti magaziniyo inali yoletsedwa. Komabe, anatipempha kuti atengeko imodzi kuti akafunse za magaziniyo ku ofesi yoyang’anira za chitetezo. Atamuuza kuti magaziniyo inali yololedwa, anabweranso kudzatiuza. Abale ena amene analinso ndi tinyumba togulitsiramo malonda atangomva zimenezi, nawonso anayamba kuika magazini a Nsanja ya Olonda m’mawindo a tinyumba tawoto. Mwamuna wina anatenga magazini a Nsanja ya Olonda pa windo la kanyumba kathu kogulitsiramo malonda, anakhala Mboni, ndipo panopa ndi mkulu mu mpingo.

Tinasangalalanso kuona mchimwene wanga wamng’ono kwambiri akuphunzira choonadi. Anali atabwera ku Athens kudzaphunzira pa koleji yophunzitsa kuyendetsa sitima zapamadzi, ndipo tinapita naye ku msonkhano wachigawo. Misonkhano yathu yachigawo inkachitika mwachinsinsi mu nkhalango. Anasangalala ndi zimene anamvazo, koma pasanapite nthaŵi yaitali anayamba kuyenda maulendo apanyanja. Paulendo wake wina, anakafika ku doko lina ku Argentina. Ali kumeneko, m’mishonale wina anakwera sitimayo kuti alalikire, ndipo mchimwene wanga anam’pempha magazini athu. Tinasangalala kwambiri pamene tinalandira kalata yake yonena kuti: “Ndapeza choonadi. Ndikonzereni zoti ndizilandira magazini nthaŵi zonse papositi.” Lero, iye ndi banja lake akutumikira Yehova mokhulupirika.

Mu 1958, mwamuna wanga anapemphedwa kuti akhale woyang’anira woyendayenda. Chifukwa chakuti ntchito yathu inali yoletsedwa ndipo zinthu zinali zovuta kwambiri, oyang’anira oyendayenda  nthaŵi zambiri anali kuyenda okha popanda akazi awo. Mu October 1959 tinapempha abale amene anali ndi udindo ku ofesi yanthambi kuti ndiziyenda limodzi ndi mwamuna wanga, ndipo anatiloleza. Tinafunika kuyendera ndi kulimbikitsa mipingo m’chigawo chapakati ndi chakumpoto cha Greece.

Maulendo amenewo anali ovuta. Misewu yatala inali yoŵerengeka. Chifukwa chakuti tinalibe galimoto, nthaŵi zambiri tinkakwera basi kapena magalimoto a bokosibode, mmene amanyamuliramonso nkhuku ndi katundu wina. Tinkavala majombo kuti tizitha kuyenda bwino m’misewu yamatope. Chifukwa chakuti m’mudzi uliwonse munali asilikali aboma, tinayenera kuloŵa m’midziyo kuli mdima kuti asatifunse mafunso.

Abalewo ankayamikira kwambiri maulendo ameneŵa. Ngakhale kuti ambiri a iwo ankagwira ntchito molimbika m’minda mwawo, ankayesetsa kukapezeka pa misonkhano imene timachita usiku ku nyumba zosiyanasiyana. Abalewo analinso odziŵa kuchereza alendo kwambiri, ndipo ankatipatsa zinthu zabwino kwambiri zimene anali nazo, ngakhale kuti anali ndi zinthu zochepa kwambiri. Nthaŵi zina tinali kugona m’chipinda chimodzi ndi banja lonse. Chikhulupiriro, kupirira, ndi changu cha abalewo chinadzakhala dalitso linanso lapadera kwa ife.

Kuwonjezera Utumiki Wathu

Mu February 1961, pamene tinali kucheza pa nthambi ku Athens, anatifunsa ngati tikanakonda kutumikira pa Beteli. Tinayankha ndi mawu a Yesaya akuti: “Ndine pano; munditumize ine.” (Yesaya 6:8) Patatha miyezi iŵiri, tinalandira kalata yotiuza kuti tipite ku Beteli mwamsanga tikangolandira kalatayo. Choncho, pa May 27, 1961, tinayamba kutumikira pa Beteli.

Tinasangalala kwambiri ndi utumiki wathu watsopanowo, ndipo tinakhazikika mofulumira. Mwamuna wanga ankagwira ntchito mu dipatimenti ya Utumiki ndi ya Masabusikiripishoni, ndipo kenaka anatumikira kwakanthaŵi mu Komiti ya Nthambi. Ine ndinali ndi ntchito zosiyanasiyana zosamalira anthu apabanjalo. Panthaŵi imeneyo, m’banjalo munali anthu 18, koma kwa zaka pafupifupi zisanu kunali anthu pafupifupi 40 chifukwa cha sukulu yophunzitsa akulu imene imachitika pa Betelipo. M’maŵa, ndinkatsuka mbale, kuthandiza wophika, kuyala mabedi 12, ndi kukonza ndi kuyala matebulo odyerapo chakudya chamasana. Masana ndinkasita zovala ndi kuyeretsa zimbudzi ndi zipinda zogona. Kamodzi pamlungu ndinkagwiranso ntchito yochapa zovala. Panali ntchito yambiri, koma ndinali wokondwa kuthandiza nawo.

Tinali otanganidwa kwambiri mu utumiki wathu pa Beteli komanso mu utumiki wakumunda. Nthaŵi zambiri tinkachititsa maphunziro a Baibulo okwana mpaka asanu ndi aŵiri. Mapeto a mlungu, ndinkamuperekeza Charalambos kupita ku mipingo yosiyanasiyana kukakamba nkhani. Nthaŵi zonse timakhala limodzi.

Tinaphunzira Baibulo ndi mwamuna wina ndi mkazi wake amene anali odzipereka kwambiri m’Tchalitchi cha Greek Orthodox ndipo anali anzawo a wansembe amene anali m’tsogoleri wa gulu lofufuza anthu ampatuko la tchalitchilo. Anali ndi chipinda china m’nyumba mwawo chodzaza ndi mafano azithunzi, m’mene mumayaka zofukiza nthaŵi zonse ndiponso mumamveka nyimbo zachipembedzo za ku Byzantium tsiku lonse. Kwanthaŵi yaitali ndithu, tinkapitako Lachinayi kukaphunzira nawo Baibulo, ndipo mnzawo wansembeyo ankapitako Lachisanu. Tsiku lina anatiuza kuti tisalephere kupita kunyumba kwawo chifukwa panali chinachake chimene anakonza kuti tikaone chomwe chinali chachilendo. Chinthu choyamba chimene anationetsa chinali chipinda chija. Anali atataya mafano azithunzi onse aja ndipo anali atachikonzanso chipindacho. Banja limeneli linapita patsogolo ndipo linabatizidwa. Tinasangalala kuona anthu okwana pafupifupi 50 amene tinaphunzira nawo Baibulo akupatulira miyoyo yawo kwa Yehova ndi kubatizidwa.

 Kucheza ndi abale odzozedwa linali dalitso lapadera limene ndinasangalala nalo. Maulendo a anthu a m’Bungwe Lolamulira, monga Mbale Knorr, Franz, ndi Henschel, anali olimbikitsa kwambiri. Pambuyo pa zaka 40, ndikuonabe kuti kutumikira pa Beteli ndi mwayi wapadera kwambiri.

Kulimbana ndi Matenda ndi Kumwalira kwa Mwamuna Wanga

Mu 1982 amuna anga anayamba kusonyeza zizindikiro za matenda a Alzheimer. Pofika mu 1990, matendaŵa anali atakula kwambiri, ndipo kenaka anafunika kuwayang’anira nthaŵi zonse. M’zaka zisanu ndi zitatu zomaliza za moyo wawo, sitikanatha n’komwe kupita kokayenda kuchoka pa Beteli. Abale okondedwa ambiri m’banja la Beteli, ndiponso oyang’anira audindo, anakonza zotithandiza. Komabe, ngakhale anatithandiza mokoma mtima chotero, ndinkatha maola ambiri usana ndi usiku ndikuyang’anira amuna anga. Nthaŵi zina zinthu zinkafika povuta kwambiri, ndipo mausiku ambiri sindinkatha kugona.

Mu July 1998, amuna anga okondedwa anamwalira. Ngakhale kuti ndikuwasoŵa kwambiri, ndimatonthozedwa podziŵa kuti tsopano ali m’manja mwa Yehova ndipo ndikudziŵa kuti adzawakumbukira limodzi ndi anthu ena ambirimbiri pa kuuka kwa akufa.​—Yohane 5:28, 29.

Kuyamikira Madalitso a Yehova

Ngakhale amuna anga anandisiya, sindili ndekha. Ndikadali ndi mwayi wotumikira pa Beteli, ndipo ndimasangalala chifukwa cha chikondi ndi chisamaliro cha banja lonse la Beteli. Abale anga akuphatikizaponso abale ndi alongo anga auzimu m’dziko lonse la Greece. Ngakhale kuti panopa ndili ndi zaka zopitirira 70, ndimathabe kugwira ntchito tsiku lonse m’khitchini ndi m’chipinda chodyera.

Mu 1999, zimene ndinakhala ndikulakalaka kwa moyo wanga wonse zinakwaniritsidwa pamene ndinakacheza ku likulu la dziko lonse la Mboni za Yehova ku New York. Sindingathe kufotokoza mmene ndinamvera. Zinali zinthu zolimbikitsa kwambiri ndiponso zosaiŵalika.

Ndikayang’ana m’mbuyo, ndikukhulupirira kuchokera pansi pa mtima kuti moyo wanga ndaugwiritsa ntchito m’njira yabwino kuposa ina iliyonse. Ntchito yabwino kwambiri imene munthu angakhale nayo ndiyo kutumikira Yehova mu utumiki wa nthaŵi zonse. Ndinganene motsimikiza kuti sindinasoŵepo kanthu. Yehova anasamalira mwamuna wanga ndi ine mwachikondi, pa moyo wathu wauzimu komanso pa zosoŵa za pamoyo wathu. Kuchokera pa zimene ndaona pa moyo wanga, ndimamvetsa chifukwa chimene wamasalmo anafunsira kuti: “Ndidzabwezera Yehova chiyani chifukwa cha zokoma zake zonse anandichitira?”​—Salmo 116:12.

[Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Ine ndi Charalambos nthaŵi zonse tinkakhala limodzi

[Chithunzi patsamba 27]

Mwamuna wanga ali mu ofesi yake pa nthambi

[Chithunzi patsamba 28]

Ndimaona kuti kutumikira pa Beteli ndi mwayi wapadera