Mbiri ya Moyo Wanga

Kutumikira Yehova Ndi Mwayi Waukulu Koposa

Yosimbidwa ndi Zerah Stigers

Mwamuna wanga amene ndinkachita naye utumiki wa nthawi zonse anamwalira mu 1938. Anandisiya ndi mwana wamwamuna mmodzi wa zaka 10 komanso ndili woyembekezera. Ndinkafunitsitsa kuchitabe utumiki wa nthawi zonse koma zinali zovuta. Ndisananene zambiri ndiloleni ndifotokoze kaye za moyo wanga ndili wamng’ono.

NDINABADWA pa July 27, 1907, ku Alabama, m’dziko la U.S.A. Pasanapite nthawi tinasamuka ndi makolo anga komanso alongo anga awiri ndi mng’ono wanga kupita ku Georgia. Tinasamukiranso ku Tennessee ndipo kenako tinapita cha kufupi ndi mzinda wa Tampa, ku Florida. Tili ku Florida mu 1916, ndinaonera “Sewero la Pakanema la Chilengedwe.” Panthawiyi kuonetsa masewero otere kunali kutangoyamba kumene, choncho aliyense anasangalala kwambiri ndi seweroli.

Makolo anga ankawerenga mwakhama Nsanja ya Olonda ndi mabuku ena ofotokoza Baibulo. Ngakhale kuti bambo anga ankakonda kuwerenga kwambiri mabuku sankasonkhana ndi Ophunzira Baibulo, dzina lomwe Mboni za Yehova zinkadziwika nalo nthawi imeneyo. Koma mayi ankatitenga popita kumisonkhano. Kenako tinasamukiranso ku tauni ya Niles ku Michigan. Ndipo titangokhala kumeneku nthawi yochepa, tinkayenda ulendo wa makilomita 15 pa sitima kupita kukasonkhana ku mzinda wa South Bend m’dera la Indiana.

Posonyeza kudzipereka kwa Yehova, ndinabatizidwa  pa July 22, 1924. Kenako mayi anakonza zoti akhale mkopotala, dzina lomwe atumiki anthawi zonse a Mboni za Yehova ankadziwika nalo nthawi imeneyo. Chitsanzo chawo limodzi ndi cha atumiki ena anthawi zonse, chinandilimbikitsa kuti nanenso ndikhale ndi chidwi chochita utumiki umenewu.

Ndinapeza Mwamuna

Mu 1925, pamsonkhano wina ku Indianapolis, m’dera la Indiana, ndinadziwana ndi James Stigers yemwe anachokera ku Chicago. Ndinakopeka kwambiri ndi James nthawi yomweyo chifukwa anali mtumiki wa Yehova wachangu kwambiri. Popeza kuti kuchokera ku Chicago kufika kumene ine ndinkakhala panali makilomita 160, zinali zovuta kuti tiziyenderana. Panthawiyo, panali mpingo umodzi wokha mumzinda waukuluwu ndipo tinkachita lendi chipinda china cham’mwamba chimene tinkachitiramo misonkhano. James ankandilembera makalata ambiri ondilimbikitsa mwauzimu. Tinakwatirana mu December, 1926, ndipo chaka chotsatira ndinali ndi mwana wamwamuna dzina lake Eddie.

Pasanapite nthawi, ine ndi James tinayamba utumiki wa upainiya. Tinkalalikira maboma 8 awa: Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, California, ndi Illinois. Zaka zimenezi zinali zosangalatsa kwambiri pamoyo wathu. James atayamba kudwala zinthu zinasintha m’banja lathu.

Matenda a James anachititsa kuti tikhale pa mavuto azachuma. Choncho mu 1936 tinabwerera ku Chicago kumene tinkakhala ndi apongozi anga omwe analinso Amboni. Nthawi imene matenda a James anakula, ndinkagwira ntchito ku nyumba yodyera komwe ndinkalandira ndalama zokwana dola imodzi pa tsiku. Apa n’kuti ndili ndi pakati pa mwana wachiwiri. Apongozi anga ankatipatsa chakudya chokwanira ndipo ankatisamalira bwino kwambiri.

James anamwalira mu July 1938, atadwala matenda otupa ubongo kwa zaka ziwiri. Pamene anali kudwala sankatha kuyendetsa galimoto kapena kulalikira nyumba ndi nyumba. Koma akapeza mpata wolalikira ankaugwiritsa ntchito. Zitatero, ndinasiya utumiki wa nthawi zonse n’cholinga choti ndisamalire banja langa. Ndinali ndi mwayi wopeza ntchito zosiyanasiyana koma sizinkachedwa kundithera.

Bobby mwana wanga wamwamuna, anabadwa pa July 30, 1938, patangodutsa masiku 8 chimwalirireni bambo ake. Apongozi anga sanalole kuti ndipite ku chipatala wamba. M’malo mwake anakonza zoti ndipite kuchipatala chabwino kwambiri kukaonana ndi dokotala wawo. Anandilipirira ndalama zonse kuchipatalako ndipo ndinayamikira kwambiri chikondi chawo chachikhristu.

Ndinayambiranso Utumiki wa Nthawi Zonse

Tinkakhalabe ndi apongozi anga mpaka Bobby atakwanitsa zaka ziwiri ndipo panthawi imeneyi Eddie ali ndi zaka 12. Ngakhale kuti zinthu zinali zitasintha pa moyo wanga, ndinkafunitsitsa kutumikira Yehova nthawi zonse. Mu 1940, pamsonkhano wina kumzinda wa Detroit, ku Michigan, ndinakumana ndi banja lina lomwe linkachita upainiya. Banjalo linandilimbikitsa kupita ku South Carolina kuti ndikachite upainiya. Choncho ndinagula galimoto pamtengo wa madola 150 ndipo ndinakonzekera kupita kumeneku. Mu 1941, dziko la United States linalowa mu nkhondo yachiwiri ya padziko lonse. Chaka chimenechi ine ndi ana anga awiri tinapita chakum’mwera kwa dziko la United States ndipo ndinayambiranso utumiki wa nthawi zonse.

Titafika ku South Carolina, choyamba tinakhala ku Camden pafupi ndi tauni ya Little River kenako tinakakhala ku mzinda wa Conway. Tili mu  mzinda umenewu, ndinagula kalavani yaing’ono. Ndipo munthu wina anandilola kuika kalavani yanga pafupi ndi malo amene ankagulitsira gasi moti ndinkagwiritsa ntchito zinthu zapamalopo monga magetsi, gasi ndi chimbudzi. Nkhondo yachiwiri ya padziko lonse ili m’kati, kupeza gasi kunali kovuta. Choncho ndinagula njinga kwa munthu wina. Ndiyeno mu 1943 ndalama zathu zonse zitatithera, ndinkaona kuti sindipitiriza kuchita upainiya. Kenako ndinapatsidwa mwayi wochita upainiya wapadera moti ndinkalandira ndalama pang’ono yogwiritsa ntchito pa zinthu zofunika. Kwa zaka zonsezi Yehova wakhala akundithandiza kwambiri.

Mumzinda wa Conway munalibe Mboni panthawiyo, choncho zinkandivuta kuyenda ndi ana anga okha muutumiki wa kumunda. Ndiyeno ndinalemba kalata yopempha kuti anditumizire mpainiya wapadera. Mu 1944, ananditumizira Edith Walker, mlongo wosangalatsa kwambiri. Tinatumikira limodzi m’madera osiyanasiyana kwa zaka 16. Ndiyeno atayamba kudwala anabwerera ku Ohio ndipo zimenezi sizinandisangalatse.

Madalitso Osaiwalika

Pazinthu zonse zosangalatsa zimene sindidzaiwala pa zaka zonsezi, ndi mtsikana wa zaka 13 dzina lake Albertha. Iye ankakhala ku Conway ndipo ankasamalira agogo ake olumala ndi alongo ake awiri. Ankakonda kwambiri choonadi cha m’Baibulo chimene ndinkamuphunzitsa ndipo ankafunitsitsa kuuzako ena. Nayenso ankakonda utumiki wa upainiya moti anauyamba atangomaliza maphunziro ake a kusekondale mu 1950. Tsopano wakhala akuchita upainiya kwa zaka zoposa 57.

M’chaka cha 1951, ineyo ndi Edith anatitumiza kukatumikira kwa kanthawi ku mzinda wa Rock Hill, ku South Carolina komwe kunali Mboni zochepa. Ndiyeno tinakatumikira ku mzinda wa Elberton ku Georgia kwa zaka zitatu. Kenako tinabwereranso ku South Carolina komwe ndinakhalako kuyambira 1954 mpaka 1962. M’tauni ya Walhalla ndinakumana ndi gogo wina dzina lake Nettie, amene anali wogontha ndipo ankakhala yekha panyumba m’dera lakumidzi. Pophunzira Baibulo, iye amati akawerenga ndime m’buku, ine ndinkaloza funso la ndimeyo m’munsi mwa tsamba ndipo iye ankaloza yankho lake m’ndimeyo.

Ngati sanamvetse mfundo ina, ankalemba funso lake papepala, ndipo ine ndinkalemba yankho pafupi ndi funsolo. M’kupita kwa nthawi Nettie ankakonda kwambiri choonadi cha m’Baibulo ndipo anayamba kusonkhana ndi kulalikira khomo ndi khomo. Iye ankalalikira yekha koma ndinkaima panjira chapafupi kuti mwina nthawi ina angafune thandizo.

Ndili ku Walhalla, galimoto yanga inafa. Kenako ndinapeza galimoto ina pamtengo wa madola 100 koma ndinalibe ndalama. Ndiyeno ndinadziwitsa Mboni ina yomwe inkachita bizinesi za vuto langa ndipo inandibwereka madola okwana 100. Pasanapite nthawi yaitali ndinalandira kalata yochokera kwa mng’ono wanga yonena kuti iwo anapeza kuti bambo anasiya ndalama ku banki asanamwalire. Iwo anakambirana zoti achite ndi ndalamazo ndipo onse anagwirizana kuti anditumizire. Ndipo ndalamazo zinali zokwana madola 100.

Ndinkachita Upainiya ndi Ana Anga

Eddie ndi Bobby ali aang’ono, ankakhala nane nthawi zonse pantchito yolalikira khomo ndi khomo. Nthawi imeneyo anthu ambiri sankagwiritsa ntchito mankhwala osokoneza bongo ndipo makhalidwe sanali oipa kwambiri monga mmene alili masiku ano. Kukhala ndi moyo wosalira zambiri ndiponso kukonda kwambiri kulalikira, kunandithandiza kupewa mavuto amene makolo ambiri amakumana nawo masiku ano polera ana awo kuti akhale atumiki a Yehova.

 Eddie ankaphunzira kumzinda wa Camden, ndipo atamaliza sitandade 8, anafuna kuti tizichitira limodzi upainiya. Tinachita upainiya pamodzi mosangalala kwa zaka zingapo. Kenako anafuna kukatumikira ku likulu la dziko lonse la Mboni za Yehova ku Brooklyn, ku New York. Anatumikira kumeneko kuyambira mu 1947 mpaka 1957. Mu 1958 anakwatira Albertha, mtsikana yemwe ndinkaphunzira naye Baibulo poyamba, ndipo onse ankachita upainiya. Mu 2004 zinali zosangalatsa kwambiri pamene tonse atatu tinapezeka pa Sukulu ya Utumiki Waupainiya.

Zaka zambiri m’mbuyomu, ndikukumbukira tsiku lina Bobby ali wamng’ono kwambiri akupemphera kuti Yehova andithandize kupeza mafuta a galimoto kuti ndipite ku maphunziro anga a Baibulo omwe ndinkachititsa. M’moyo wake wonse Bobby wakhala akukonda utumiki ndipo anachita upainiya kwa zaka zambiri. Koma n’zomvetsa chisoni kuti banja la Bobby nalonso linakumana ndi vuto lalikulu. Mu 1970, mkazi wake anamwalira ndipo anali atakhala m’banja kwa miyezi 22 yokha. Anamwalira pamodzi ndi mapasa ake pobereka. Nthawi zonse ine ndi Bobby takhala m’dera limodzi, ndipo takhala ogwirizana kwambiri.

Ndikuchitabe Upainiya

Mu 1962, ndinatumizidwa ku mpingo wa Lumberton, ku North Carolina, ndipo tsopano padutsa zaka 45 ndikutumikirabe mu mpingowu. Ndinkatha kuyendetsabe galimoto mpaka pamene zaka zanga zinaposa 80. Ndipo banja lina la Mboni lomwe ndimakhala nalo moyandikana limanditenga popita ku misonkhano ya mpingo ndiponso muutumiki wa kumunda.

Ndili ndi ndodo zoyendera ndiponso njinga ya olumala, koma zonsezi sindimazigwiritsa ntchito chifukwa ndimatha kuyenda popanda wondithandiza. Ndikuyamikira kwambiri Yehova chifukwa cha thanzi labwino kwambiri limene ndakhala nalo. Koma ndi posachedwapa pamene ndakhala ndi vuto la maso. Sindimalephera kupita ku misonkhano kokha ngati ndadwala kwambiri, ndipo ndikutumikirabe monga mpainiya wa thanzi lofooka.

Chifukwa choti ndachita utumiki waupainiya mosangalala kwa zaka zoposa 70, nditha kunena ndi mtima wonse kuti Yehova wandithandiza pa moyo wanga wonse. * Ndikudziwa kuti sindinali munthu wodziwa kwambiri zinthu kapena wogwira ntchito mofulumira, koma Yehova amadziwa zimene ndingathe ndiponso zomwe sindingathe kuchita. Ndikuyamikira kwambiri kuti wandigwiritsa ntchito ndiponso amadziwa kuti ndikuyesetsa.

Ndikuona kuti kutumikira Yehova mmene tingathere n’kofunika chifukwa iye ndi amene amatipatsa zinthu zonse. Malinga ngati ndili ndi mphamvu, sindingasiye utumiki waupainiya. Uwutu ndi mwayi waukulu kwambiri. Pemphero langa n’loti Yehova andigwiritse ntchito mpaka muyaya.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Chithunzi patsamba 13]

Iyi ndi galimoto imene ine ndi mwamuna wanga tinkagwiritsa ntchito pochita ukopotala

[Chithunzi patsamba 14]

Ndili ndi ana anga mu 1941

[Chithunzi patsamba 15]

Ndili ndi Eddie ndiponso Bobby chaposachedwapa