Mbiri ya Moyo Wanga

Kusangalala Nawo “Moyo Uno”

YOSIMBIDWA NDI TED BUCKINGHAM

Nditachita utumiki wa nthawi zonse kwa zaka sikisi, ndiponso nditakhala m’banja kwa miyezi sikisi ndinadwala matenda a poliyo mosayembekezereka. Umu munali mu 1950, ndipo n’kuti ndili ndi zaka 24. Ndinagonekedwa m’chipatala kwa miyezi naini ndipo izi zinandipatsa nthawi yambiri yoganizira mozama za moyo wanga. Kodi tsogolo langa ndi la mkazi wanga Joyce likhala lotani ndi matendawa?

M‘CHAKA cha 1938, bambo anga, womwe sanali munthu wokonda za mawu a Mulungu, anapeza buku lakuti Boma. * N’kutheka kuti anapeza bukuli poona kuti zinthu zinaipa pa zandale ndiponso poona kuti nkhondo inali itanunkhira. Mmene ndikudziwira ineyo, bambowo bukuli sanaliwerenge, koma mayi anga, womwe ankakonda kwambiri za mawu a Mulungu, analiwerenga. Nthawi yomweyo anasinthiratu. Anasiya tchalitchi cha Angilikani, ndipo ngakhale kuti bambo anga ankawaletsa, iwo anakhala Mboni ya Yehova yokhulupirika mpaka pamene anamwalira mu 1990.

Mayi anga ananditenga ku msonkhano wachikristu woyamba kupitako ineyo, ku Nyumba ya Ufumu ya ku Epsom, kummwera kwa mzinda wa London. Mpingowo unkakumana mu nyumba imene poyamba inali sitolo, ndipo kumeneko tinakamvetsera nkhani ya pa galamafoni yokambidwa ndi J. F. Rutherford, amene panthawiyo ankayang’anira ntchito ya Mboni za Yehova. Nkhaniyi inandikhudza mtima kwambiri.

Zinthu zinaipiraipira pamene mzinda wa London unaphulitsidwa koopsa ndi mabomba. Motero,  m’chaka cha 1940 bambo anga anaganiza zoti banja lathu lisamukire ku tauni ina yaing’ono yotchedwa Maidenhead, kumene zinthu zinaliko bwino ndithu. Tauniyi, ili pa mtunda wokwana makilomita 45 cha kumadzulo kwa mzinda wa London. Kusamukaku kunatithandiza chifukwa mpingo wa anthu 30 umene unali kumeneko unatilimbikitsa kwambiri. Fred Smith, yemwe anali Mkristu wolimba wobatizidwa mu 1917, anandisamalira mwauzimu n’kundiphunzitsa kukhala mlaliki wodziwa bwino kulalikira. Mpaka panopo ndimayamikira kwambiri chitsanzo chake ndiponso thandizo lake.

Kuyamba Utumiki wa Nthawi Zonse

Ndinabatizidwa mu mtsinje wa Thames, m’mwezi wa March, 1941, ndili ndi zaka 15 ndipo tsiku limenelo kunazizira kwambiri. Panthawiyi n’kuti mchimwene wanga Jim atalembetsa kukhala mlaliki wa nthawi zonse. Panopa, iyeyu ndi mkazi wake Madge, amakhala ku Birmingham, ndipo moyo wawo wonse akhala akutumikira Yehova mu ntchito yoyang’anira madera ndiponso zigawo zosiyanasiyana ku Britain. Mlongo wanga wamng’ono Robina, ndiponso mwamuna wake Frank, nawonso adakali atumiki okhulupirika a Yehova.

Panthawi ina ndinkagwira ntchito yowerengera ndalama ku kampani yosoka zovala. Ndiyeno tsiku lina bwana wamkulu anandiitanira mu ofesi mwake n’kundiuza kuti akuganiza zondikweza udindo kuti ndikhale wogula katundu pa kampaniyo. Komano apa n’kuti nditaganiza kwa nthawi yaitali ndithu zoti nditsatire chitsanzo cha mchimwene wanga, motero mwaulemu ndinakana mwayi umene bwanayu anali kundipatsa, n’kumulongosolera chifukwa chake. Komabe ndinadabwa chifukwa iyeyo anandiyamikira posankha kuchita ntchito yofunika yachikristu yotereyi. Motero, pambuyo pa msonkhano wachigawo ku Northampton mu 1944, ndinakhala wolalikira wa nthawi zonse.

Gawo langa loyamba linali la ku Exeter, m’chigawo cha Devon. Mzinda umenewu panthawiyi unali ukuyambanso kubwerera mwakale pambuyo pophulitsidwa ndi mabomba panthawi ya nkhondo. Ndinayamba kukhala m’nyumba ina ya lendi mmene munali apainiya ena awiri, Frank ndi Ruth Middleton, ndipo anthu amenewa anandisunga bwino kwambiri. Ndinali ndi zaka 18 zokha, ndipo sindinkadziwa kuchapa zovala komanso kuphika, komano ndinayamba kuphunzira n’kufika podziwa bwino ntchitozi.

Mnzanga amene ndinkalalikira naye anali Victor Gurd, yemwe anali ndi zaka 50. Iyeyu anali wa ku Ireland ndipo anayamba kulalikira m’ma 1920. Anandiphunzitsa kukonza nthawi yanga m’njira yopindulitsa, kukhala ndi chidwi chachikulu chowerenga Baibulo, ndiponso kudziwa phindu la kugwiritsira ntchito mabaibulo osiyanasiyana. Panthawiyi m’pamene ndinaphunzira zinthu zambiri, ndipo chitsanzo cha Victor chomachita zinthu mosabwerera m’mbuyo chinandithandiza kwambiri.

Kuvutika Chifukwa Chokana Kulowa Usilikali

Nkhondo inali kupita kwakutha, koma aboma ankapitirizabe kukakamiza achinyamata kulembetsa usilikali. M’chaka cha 1943 ndinaonekera ku khoti lapadera la ku Maidenhead, ndipo ndinapempha kuti andilole kuti ndisalembedwe usilikali poti ndine mtumiki wa uthenga wabwino. Ngakhale kuti sanavomere, ndinaganiza zopita ku Exeter kuti ndikayambe utumiki wanga. Motero uku n’kumene anandiuza kuti ndikaonekere ku khoti la komweko. Anandiweruza kuti ndikagwire ntchito ya kalavulagaga m’ndende kwa miyezi sikisi, ndipo woweruzayo anandiuza kuti iyeyo akanakonda akanandipatsa chilango chachikulu. Nditakhala m’ndende kwa miyezi sikisiyo, anandibwezeranso m’ndendeyo kwa miyezi ina inayi.

Popeza kuti m’ndende yonseyo wa Mboni ndinali ndekha, asilikali oyang’anira akaidi pa ndendeyi ankanditcha kuti Yehova. Zinkandivuta kwambiri kuzolowera kuvomera akaitana dzinali panthawi yoitana mayina a akaidi. Komabe unali mwayi wapadera kumva dzina la Mulungu likutchulidwa tsiku ndi tsiku. Zimenezi zinathandiza kuti akaidi enawo adziwe kuti ndine mkaidi chifukwa cha chikumbumtima changa monga wa Mboni za Yehova. Pambuyo pake, Norman Castro anamutumizanso ku ndende yomweyi, ndipo zitatero anandisintha dzina. Anayamba kutitchula kuti Mose ndi Aroni.

 Anandisamutsa ku Exeter n’kundipititsa ku Bristol ndipo kenaka ku ndende ya Winchester. Nthawi zina zinthu sizinkakhala bwino, komabe mtima wosakonda kuvutika maganizo ndi zinthu zilizonse unandithandiza. Ineyo ndi Norman tinali osangalala kuchitira pamodzi Chikumbutso tili ku Winchester. Francis Cooke, amene anatiyendera kundendeku, anatikambira nkhani yabwino kwambiri.

Kusintha kwa Zinthu Nkhondo Itatha

Pa msonkhano wa ku Bristol mu 1946, pomwe anatulutsa buku lothandiza pophunzira Baibulo la mutu wakuti “Mulungu Akhale Oona,” ndinakumana ndi kamtsikana kokongola kwambiri, dzina lake Joyce Moore, kamenenso kanali kuchita upainiya ku Devon. Ubwenzi wathu unakula, ndipo tinakwatirana patatha zaka zinayi ku Tiverton, komwe ndinali kukhala kuchokera m’chaka cha 1947. Tinayamba kukhala m’nyumba ya lendi ya chipinda chimodzi ndipo tinkalipira ndalama zokwana pafupifupi madola anayi ndi theka pamwezi. Unali moyo wosangalatsa kwambiri.

Tisanathe chaka titakwatirana, tinasamukanso n’kulowera kummwera, ku tauni yokongola ya Brixham yomwenso ili doko. Uku n’kumene anatulukira njira yopha nsomba ndi khoka. Komabe titakhala kumeneku kwa nthawi yochepa chabe, ndinadwala matenda a poliyo tili m’njira popita ku msonkhano ku London. Ndinakomoka ndipo anapita nane kuchipatala, komwe ndinakhalako kwa miyezi naini, monga ndanena kale. Dzanja langa lamanja ndiponso miyendo yanga inafooka kwabasi, ndipo siinasinthebe mpaka pano, motero ndinkayendera ndodo. Mkazi wanga nthawi zonse ankachita zinthu zondiiwalitsa maganizo ndiponso zondilimbikitsa, makamaka chifukwa choti iyeyo anapitirizabe kuchita utumiki wa nthawi zonse. Komano kodi tinatani zinthu zitasintha choncho? Posakhalitsa ndinaphunzira kuti dzanja la Yehova si lalifupi ayi.

Chaka chotsatira tinapita ku msonkhano womwe unachitikira ku Wimbledon, mumzinda wa London. Panthawiyi ndinali kuyenda popanda ndodo. Kumeneko tinakumanako ndi Pryce Hughes amene anali kuyang’anira ntchito yathu ku Britain. Atangondiona anandipatsa moni mosangalala n’kunena kuti: “Tikukufuna kuti ukachite ntchito yoyang’anira dera.” Mawu amenewa anandilimbikitsa mosaneneka. Koma kodi ndikanakwanitsa ntchitoyi ndi matenda angawo? Ine ndi Joyce tinakayikira zoti ndingakwanitse ntchitoyi, koma atandiphunzitsa kwa mlungu umodzi ndiponso chifukwa chodalira kwambiri Yehova, tinabwereranso m’dera la kummwera cha kumadzulo kwa England, komwe ndinakakhala woyang’anira dera. Panthawiyi ndinali ndi zaka 25 zokha,  koma mpaka panopo ndimakumbukirabe kuti abale ndi alongo anandithandiza kwambiri, mwachifundo ndiponso moleza mtima.

Pa mautumiki osiyanasiyana amene tachitapo, ine ndi Joyce tinaona kuti kuyendera abale m’mipingo n’kumene kunatithandiza kugwirizana kwambiri ndi abale ndiponso alongo athu achikristu. Pakuti tinalibe galimoto, tinkayenda pa sitima ya pamtunda kapena pa basi. Ngakhale kuti ndinkavutika ndi matenda aja, tinali ndi mwayi wochita utumiki umenewu mpaka m’chaka cha 1957. Moyo wathu unali wosangalatsa kwambiri, komano chaka chimenechi zinthu zinasinthanso pa moyo wathu.

Kuyamba Utumiki wa Umishonale

Tinasangalala kwambiri titaitanidwa kuti tikakhale nawo m’kalasi ya nambala 30 ya sukulu ya Gileadi. Apa n’kuti matenda anga aja nditawazolowera ndithu, motero ineyo ndi mkazi wanga tinavomera mosangalala kukachita nawo sukuluyi. Tinkadziwa bwinobwino kuti Yehova salephera kum’patsa munthu mphamvu ngati munthuyo akufuna kuchita chifuniro Chake. Posakhalitsa, tinapezeka kuti tamaliza maphunziro a miyezi isanu ku Sukulu ya Gileadi ya Watchtower Yophunzitsa Baibulo, yomwe inali m’dera lokongola la South Lansing, mu mzinda wa New York, ku United States. Ophunzira a m’kalasili anali makamaka anthu okwatirana omwe ankachita ntchito yoyendera mipingo. Atafunsa ophunzira a m’kalasiyo ngati ena angafune kudzipereka kukachita ntchito ya umishonale m’mayiko akunja, ifeyo tinali m’gulu la ophunzira amene anatero. Kodi anatitumiza kuti? Anatitumiza ku Uganda, dziko lomwe lili kum’mawa kwa Africa.

Popeza kuti panthawiyi ntchito ya Mboni za Yehova inali yoletsedwa ku Uganda, anandilangiza kuti ndikakhazikike m’dzikomo n’kupeza ntchito yolembedwa. Titayenda ulendo wautali pa sitima ya pamtunda ndiponso pa boti, tinafika mumzinda wa Kampala, ku Uganda. Akuluakulu oona za anthu olowa m’dzikomo, sanasangalale nafe ndipo anatiuza kuti tingokhala m’dzikomo kwa miyezi yochepa chabe. Kenaka anatiuza kuti tizipita. Abale a ku likulu anatilangiza kuti tipite ku Northern Rhodesia (kumene panopo ndi ku Zambia). Kumeneko tinasangalala kwambiri kukumana ndi anzathu anayi amene tinali nawo m’kalasi ya Gileadi, mayina awo Frank ndi Carrie Lewis komanso Hayes ndi Harriet Hoskins. Tisanakhalitseko kwenikweni, anatitumiza ku Southern Rhodesia (kumene panopo ndi ku Zimbabwe).

Tinayenda pa sitima ya pamtunda ndipo mathithi a Victoria Falls tinawaona kwa nthawi yoyamba tisanafike ku Bulawayo. Tinakhala limodzi ndi banja la a McLuckie kwa kanthawi pang’ono. Iwowa anali m’gulu la Mboni zoyamba kukhazikika m’dera limeneli. Tinali ndi mwayi wodziwana bwino ndi banjali kwa zaka 16 zotsatira.

Kuzolowera Moyo Wosiyanasiyana

Nditaphunzitsidwa kwa milungu iwiri kuti ndizolowere gawo la ku Africa, ndinasankhidwa kukhala  woyang’anira chigawo. Kuti tilalikire m’madera akumidzi a ku Africa tinafunika kumayenda ndi madzi, chakudya, zofunda, zovala, makina oonetsera kanema ndiponso jenereta ya magetsi, chinsalu chachikulu komanso zinthu zina zofunikira. Zinthu zonsezi tinkazilongeza m’galimoto yamphamvu yotha kuyenda nayo m’misewu yoipa.

Ndinkagwira ntchito pamodzi ndi abale a ku Africa oyang’anira madera ndipo Joyce ankathandiza azikazi awo ndiponso ana amene ankayenda nawo. Kuyenda m’tchire la ku Africa, n’kotopetsa, makamaka masana kukamatentha kwambiri, koma posakhalitsa ndinazindikira kuti chifukwa cha kutenthaku, matenda anga aja anachepako mphamvu, motero ndinali woyamikira kwambiri.

Anthu ambiri anali osauka. Ambiri zikhulupiriro za chikhalidwe chawo zinali zitawalowerera kwabasi ndiponso ankakwatira mitala, komabe iwo anachita chidwi kwambiri ndi Baibulo. M’madera ena, misonkhano ya mpingo inkachitikira pansi pa mitengo yaikulu yokhala ndi mithunzi, ndipo madzulo ankaunikira nyali zomwe ankazipachita pamwamba. Nthawi zonse tinkachita kakasi tikamaphunzira Mawu a Mulungu usiku n’kuona nyenyezi, zomwe ndi mbali yochititsa chidwi kwambiri ya chilengedwe cha Mulungu, zitangoti waa kumwamba konse.

Chinthu chinanso chimene sitidzachiiwala ndicho kuonetsa mafilimu a Mboni za Yehova m’midzi. Nthawi zambiri mpingo wa m’mudzi umodzi wotere unkakhala ndi anthu 30 okha koma tinkadziwa kuti poonetsa filimuzi pabwera anthu mwina 1,000 kapena kuposa.

Inde, m’madera otentha anthu amadwaladwala, koma ndibwino kusadandaula nazo zimenezi nthawi zonse. Ine ndi Joyce tinaphunzira kungozolowera basi. Ineyo ndinkadwala malungo nthawi ndi nthawi, ndipo Joyce ankadwala matenda osiyanasiyana chifukwa cha zakudya ndi madzi.

Kenaka anatitumiza ku ofesi ya nthambi ku Salisbury (kumene panopo ndi ku Harare), komwe tinakhala ndi mwayi wogwira ntchito pamodzi ndi atumiki ena okhulupirika a Yehova, monga Lester Davey komanso George ndi Ruby Bradley. Boma linandisankha kukhala ndi udindo womangitsa maukwati, ndipo udindowu unandithandiza kuti ndimangitse maukwati a abale ambiri a ku Africa, motero ndinathandiza kulimbikitsa maukwati achikristu m’mipingo. Patatha zaka zochepa, ndinalandiranso mwayi wina. Uwu unali mwayi woyendera mipingo yonse ya chizungu m’dzikoli. Kwa zaka zoposa 10, ine ndi Joyce tinasangalala kudziwana ndi abale athu m’njira imeneyi, ndipo tinasangalala kuwaona akupita patsogolo mwauzimu. Panthawiyi tinayenderanso abale athu a ku Botswana ndi ku Mozambique.

Kusamukanso

Titakhala kummwera kwa Africa kwa zaka zambiri, mu 1975 tinatumizidwa ku Sierra Leone, kumadzulo kwa Africa. Posakhalitsa tinakhazikika pa ofesi ya nthambi kuti tiyambe ntchito yathu yatsopano, koma sitinachite ntchitoyi kwa nthawi yaitali. Malungo ananditengetsa kwambiri, motero ndinafooka moti mpaka ndinapita ku London kukalandira chithandizo, ndipo kumeneku anandilangiza kuti ndisabwererenso ku Africa. Zimenezi zinatikhumudwitsa, komabe banja la Beteli ku London linatilandira bwino kwambiri. Abale ambiri a ku Africa omwe anali m’mipingo yambiri ya ku London anatilandiranso ndi manja awiri. Nditachira, tinafikanso pozolowera moyo watsopanowu, ndipo ineyo ndinapatsidwa ntchito yosamalira dipatimenti yogula zinthu. Ntchito imeneyi ndasangalala nayo kwambiri, chifukwa pa zaka zonsezi taona ntchito yathu yachikristu ikupita patsogolo kwambiri.

Kumayambiriro kwa m’ma 1990, mkazi wanga Joyce anadwala matenda owononga ubongo ndipo anamwalira nawo mu 1994. Anali mkazi wachikondi, ndiponso wokhulupirika, ndipo nthawi zonse ankalolera kuzolowera moyo uliwonse umene tayamba. Kuti munthu ulimbe mtima zovuta ngati zimenezi zikakuonekera, ineyo ndinaona kuti m’pofunika kumaona zinthu mwauzimu ndiponso osayang’ana m’mbuyo ayi. Chimenenso chimandithandiza kuti ndisamakhale ndi maganizo ndicho kupemphera kuti Yehova andithandize kupitirizabe kuchita zinthu zonse zauzimu mwadongosolo, kuphatikizapo kulalikira.​—Miyambo 3:5, 6.

Kutumikira pa Beteli ndi mwayi wapadera ndiponso ndi moyo wabwino kwambiri. Pali achinyamata ambiri ogwira nawo ntchito ndipo pali zinthu zambiri zosangalatsa. Dalitso lina ndilo alendo ambirimbiri amene timalandira kuno ku London. Nthawi zina ndimakumana ndi anzanga okondedwa omwe ndinagwira nawo ntchito ku Africa, ndipo ndimasangalala kwambiri pokumbukira zinthu za kalelo. Zonsezi zimandithandiza kupitiriza kusangalala nawo “moyo uno” ndiponso kusinkhasinkha komanso kuyembekezera mosakayika za moyo “ulinkudza.”​—1 Timoteo 4:8.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Chithunzi patsamba 25]

Ndili pamodzi ndi mayi anga mu 1946

[Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Ine ndi Joyce pa tsiku laukwati wathu mu 1950

[Chithunzi patsamba 26]

Pamsonkhano wa ku Bristol mu 1953

[Zithunzi patsamba 27]

Kutumikira kagulu kakutali (pamwambapa) ndiponso mpingo (kumanzereku) ku Southern Rhodesia, kumene panopo ndi ku Zimbabwe