“Njira ndi iyi, Yendani Inu Mmenemo”

Nkhani ya Moyo wa Emilia Pederson

Yosimbidwa ndi Ruth E. Pappas

AMAYI anga, a Emilia Pederson anabadwa mu 1878. Ngakhale kuti anali mphunzitsi, ankafunitsitsa ntchito yolalikira za Mulungu. Panthawiyi ankakhala m’tauni ina yaing’ono ya Jasper, ku Minnesota, U.S.A. Ndipo umboni wakuti amayi ankafunitsitsa ntchito imeneyi ndi wakuti ankasunga chikwama chachikulu chimene anagula kuti adzanyamuliremo katundu wawo popita ku China, kumene ankafuna kukatumikira monga m’mishonale. Koma amayi awo atamwalira, anasintha maganizo chifukwa anafunika kumasamalira azing’ono awo. Mu 1907 anakwatirana ndi Theodore Holien. Ine ndinabadwa pa December 2, 1925, mwana womaliza m’banja la ana 7.

Amayi anali ndi mafunso a nkhani za m’Baibulo amene ankafunitsitsa kudziwa mayankho ake. Funso lina limene ankafuna atadziwa yankho lake linali lokhudza chiphunzitso chakuti anthu oipa amazunzidwa m’moto wa helo. Iwo anafunsa mkulu wina woyendera matchalitchi a Lutheran kuti awaonetse m’Baibulo pamene pamapezeka chiphunzitso chimenechi. Koma iye anawayankha kuti zilibe kanthu kuti Baibulo limati chiyani pankhani imeneyi, anthu afunika kuphunzitsidwabe za moto wa helo.

Anapeza Choonadi

Patapita zaka pang’ono kuchokera mu 1900, amayi anga aang’ono, dzina lawo a Emma, anapita kukaphunzira nyimbo ku Northfield, ku Minnesota. Iwo anakafikira kwa aphunzitsi awo, a Milius Christianson amene mkazi wawo anali mmodzi wa Ophunzira Baibulo, lomwe linali dzina la Mboni za Yehova panthawi imeneyo. A Emma anawauza akazi awo a Christianson kuti nawonso ali ndi mchemwali wawo amene ankakonda kwambiri kuwerenga Baibulo. Patangopita nthawi pang’ono, akazi awo a Christianson anawalembera amayi kalata ndipo analembamo mayankho a mafunso a m’Baibulo amene amayi ankafuna kudziwa mayankho ake.

Tsiku lina, Wophunzira Baibulo wina dzina lake Lora Oathout anabwera kudzalalikira m’tauni ya Jasper. Iye anabwera pasitima kuchokera ku Sioux Falls, ku South Dakota. Amayi ankawerenga mabuku ankhani za m’Baibulo omwe ankalandira, ndipo mu 1915 anayamba kuuza ena choonadi cha m’Baibulo ndiponso kugawira mabuku amene Lora ankawapatsa.

Mu 1916, amayi anamva kuti Charles Taze Russell akachititsa msonkhano mu mzinda wa Sioux City, m’dziko la Iowa ndipo ankafunitsitsa kukapezeka pa msonkhanowu. Panthawiyi amayi anali ndi ana asanu, ndipo Marvin, yemwe anali wamng’ono pa onse, anali ndi miyezi isanu yokha. Komabe, iwo anatenga ana onse paulendo wa pasitima wopita ku msonkhano ku Sioux City. Ulendowu unali wa makilomita 160. Iwo anamvera nkhani za m’bale Russell, anaonera “Sewero la Pakanema la Chilengedwe,” ndiponso anabatizidwa pamsonkhano womwewu. Iwo atabwerako, analemba nkhani yonena za msonkhanowo ndipo inafalitsidwa m’nyuzipepala ya Jasper Journal.

Amayi anali mmodzi mwa anthu pafupifupi  18,000 amene anapezeka pa msonkhano wa ku Cedar Point, Ohio, mu 1922. Atachoka ku msonkhanowu anapitiriza kulengeza Ufumu wa Mulungu. Ndipo zimenezi zinatilimbikitsa kumvera malangizo akuti: “Njira ndi iyi, yendani inu m’menemo.”​—Yes. 30:21.

Kulalikira za Ufumu Kunabala Zipatso Zabwino

Chakumayambiriro kwa m’ma 1920, makolo anga anasamuka ku Jasper. Bambo anali ndi bizinesi yomwe inkayenda bwino ndipo analinso ndi banja lalikulu. Iwo sankalimbikira kuphunzira Baibulo ngati mmene ankachitira amayi. Komabe, iwo ankathandiza kwambiri pantchito yolalikira ndipo pakhomo pawo ankalandira abale oyendera mipingo, omwe masiku ano timati oyang’anira oyendayenda. Nthawi zambiri, abale oyendayenda akamakamba nkhani ku nyumba kwathu, kumabwera anthu pafupifupi 100 ndipo ankadzaza m’chipinda chochezera, chodyera ndiponso chogona.

Ndili ndi zaka pafupifupi 7, azakhali anga a Lettie anaimba foni ndipo ananena kuti banja lina la a Ed Larson limene linkakhala pafupi ndi azakhaliwo, linkafuna kuphunzira Baibulo. Iwo sanachedwe kuphunzira choonadi. Patapita nthawi nawonso anaitana banja lina limene ankakhala nalo pafupi la Martha Van Daalen, kuti lizidzaphunzira nawo. Martha ndi banja lake lonse la ana 8 anakhalanso Ophunzira Baibulo. *

Panthawiyi, Gordon Kammerud, mnyamata yemwe amakhala pafupi ndi kwathu, analembedwa ntchito ndi bambo. Anthu anamuchenjeza Gordon kuti: “Usamale ndi ana a bwana wako. Chipembedzo chawo n’chosocheretsa.” Komabe, Gordon anayamba kuphunzira Baibulo ndipo posapita nthawi anazindikira kuti anali kuphunzira choonadi. Ndipo anabatizidwa patapita miyezi itatu. Makolo akenso anaphunzira choonadi ndipo banja lathu, la a Kammerud ndi la a Van Daalen tinakhala mabwenzi apamtima.

Misonkhano Inkatilimbikitsa

Amayi analimbikitsidwa kwambiri ndi msonkhano wa ku Cedar Point moti kuyambira nthawi imeneyi sankafuna kuphonya msonkhano ngakhale umodzi. Ndimakumbukira kuti ndili wamng’ono tinkayenda maulendo aatali kuti tikapezeke pamisonkhanoyi. Msonkhano wa ku Columbus, Ohio wa mu 1931 unali wapadera kwambiri chifukwa ndi pamene tinayamba kudziwika ndi dzina lakuti Mboni za Yehova. (Yes. 43:10-12) Ndimakumbukiranso msonkhano wa mu 1935, wa ku Washington, D.C. Pamsonkhano umenewu panakambidwa nkhani yapadera imene inafotokoza bwino tanthauzo la “khamu lalikulu,” lofotokozedwa m’buku la Chivumbulutso. (Chiv. 7:9) Azichemwali anga, Lilian ndi Eunice, anali m’gulu la anthu oposa 800 omwe anabatizidwa pamsonkhanowu.

Banja lathu linapita ku msonkhano wa ku Columbus, Ohio mu 1937. Mu 1938 tinapita wa ku Seattle, Washington, ndipo mu 1939 tinapitanso wa ku New York City. Pamaulendo amenewa, omwe tinkagonera m’njira, tinayendera limodzi  ndi banja la Van Daalen ndiponso la Kammerud. Eunice anakwatirana ndi Leo Van Daalen mu 1940 ndipo onse anayamba upainiya. M’chaka chomwechi Lilian anakwatirana ndi Gordon Kammerud ndipo iwonso anayamba upainiya.

Msonkhano wa mu 1941 wa ku St. Louis, Missouri, unali wapadera kwambiri. Pamsonkhanowu, achinyamata analandira buku la ana lakuti Children. Msonkhano umenewu unasintha kwambiri moyo wanga, chifukwa patangopita nthawi yochepa, pa September 1, 1941, ndinayamba upainiya pamodzi ndi mchimwene wanga Marvin ndi mkazi wake Joyce. Apa n’kuti ndili ndi zaka 15.

Kudera limene tinkakhala, zinali zovuta kuti abale onse apezeke pa misonkhano yachigawo chifukwa nthawi zambiri inkachitika panthawi yokolola. Choncho anthu amene apita ku msonkhano akabwerako, pankakhala nthawi yokambirana zimene akaphunzira kuti abale amene sanapite apindule. Nthawi imeneyi inkakhala yosangalatsa kwambiri.

Kupita ku Sukulu ya Gileadi

Mu February 1943, anakhazikitsa sukulu yophunzitsa apainiya utumiki waumishonale. Anthu 6 a m’banja la Van Daalen anali m’gulu la anthu a m’kalasi yoyamba. Anthuwa ndi Emil, Arthur, Homer, ndi Leo komanso msuweni wawo Donald ndi mchemwali wanga Eunice yemwe anali mkazi wake wa Leo. Potsanzikana tinali osangalala komanso okhumudwa chifukwa sitinkadziwa kuti tidzaonananso liti. Atamaliza maphunziro awo, anthu 6 onsewa anatumizidwa kukatumikira ku Puerto Rico komwe panthawi imeneyo kunali Mboni pafupifupi 10.

Patatha chaka chimodzi, Lilian ndi Gordon komanso Marvin ndi Joyce analowa kalasi lachitatu la sukulu ya Gileadi. Nawonso anatumizidwa ku Puerto Rico. Ndiyeno mu September 1944, ndili ndi zaka 18, ndinalowa kalasi ya nambala 4 ya Gileadi. Nditamaliza maphunzirowa mu February 1945, ananditumiza ku Puerto Rico kumene ndinakapezana ndi abale anga aja. Ndinasangalala kwambiri kukatumikira kumeneku. Ngakhale kuti zinkativuta kuphunzira Chisipanya, sipanatenge nthawi kuti ena m’gulu lathulo azichititsa maphunziro a Baibulo oposa 20. Yehova anadalitsa ntchito yathu moti masiku ano ku Puerto Rico kuli Mboni za Yehova pafupifupi 25,000.

Banja Lathu Linakumana ndi Mavuto Aakulu

Leo ndi Eunice anapitiriza kukhala ku Puerto Rico mwana wawo Mark atabadwa, mu 1950. Pa April 11, 1952, ananyamuka ulendo wa pandege wopita kumudzi kukaona achibale. Koma n’zomvetsa chisoni kuti ndegeyo itangonyamuka inagwera m’nyanja yaikulu, ndipo Leo ndi Eunice anafera pomwepo. Mwana wawo Mark anapezeka akuyandama ndipo munthu wina anamuponyera mu boti lopulumutsiramo anthu pangozi. Atamuika zothandizira kupuma anapulumuka. *

Patapita zaka zisanu, pa March 7, 1957, bambo ndi mayi akupita ku Nyumba ya Ufumu, teyala la galimoto yawo linaphwa. Ndipo akukonza teyalalo m’mbali mwamsewu, bambo anagundidwa ndi galimoto n’kufera pomwepo. Anthu am’dera limene bambo ankakhala ankawalemekeza kwambiri moti pamaliropo panafika anthu pafupifupi 600. Ndipo nkhani ya maliro inapereka mwayi woti anthu a m’deralo amve uthenga wabwino.

Utumiki Watsopano

Patatsala nthawi pang’ono kuti bambo amwalire, ndinali nditauzidwa kuti ndizikatumikira ku Argentina. Mu August 1957, ndinafika m’tauni ya Mendoza m’tsinde mwenimweni mwa mapiri a Andes. Mu 1958, m’bale George Pappas, yemwe anali atamaliza maphunziro a Gileadi m’kalasi ya nambala 30, anatumizidwanso ku Argentina.  Ndinayamba kucheza ndi m’bale ameneyu ndipo tinakwatirana mu April 1960. Amayi anamwalira mu 1961 ali ndi zaka 83. Iwo anakhala wokhulupirika pa kulambira koona ndipo anathandiza anthu ambiri kuchitanso zimenezi.

Ine ndi George tatumikira limodzi ndi amishonale ena m’mayiko osiyanasiyana kwa zaka 10. Kenako tinakhala oyendera dera kwa zaka 7. Mu 1975 tinabwerera ku United States kukasamalira achibale amene ankadwala. Mu 1980 mwamuna wanga anapemphedwa kukayendera mipingo m’dera la Chisipanya. Panthawiyo ku United States kunali mipingo ya Chisipanya pafupifupi 600. Kwa zaka 26 tinayendera yambiri mwa mipingo imeneyi ndipo tinaona ikuwonjezeka mpaka kuposa 3,000.

Anayenda mu “Njira” ya Choonadi

Amayi anasangalalanso kuona zidzukulu zawo zikuyamba utumiki wanthawi zonse. Mwachitsanzo, Carol yemwe anali mwana wa mchemwali wanga, Ester, anayamba upainiya mu 1953. Iye anakwatirana ndi Dennis Trumbore ndipo akhala mu utumiki wanthawi zonse kuyambira nthawi imeneyo. Mwana wina wa Ester, dzina lake Lois anakwatirana ndi Wendell Jensen. Iwo analowa kalasi ya nambala 41 ya Gileadi ndipo anatumikira ngati amishonale ku Nigeria kwa zaka 15. Mark, amene makolo ake anamwalira pangozi yandege ija, analeredwa ndi azakhali ake, a Ruth La Londe ndi amuna awo a Curtiss. Mark ndi mkazi wake Lavonne akhala akuchita upainiya kwa zaka zambiri ndipo akulera ana awo anayi mu “njira” ya choonadi.​—Yes. 30:21.

Pa abale anga onse, amene ali moyo ndi Orlen yekha ndipo ali ndi zaka zoposa 95. Iye akutumikirabe Yehova mokhulupirika. Ndipo ine ndi George tikupitirizabe utumiki wanthawi zonse mosangalala.

Zimene Amayi Anga Anasiya

Panopo ndili ndi chinthu chimodzi chimene amayi ankachikonda kwambiri. Chinthucho ndi desiki yomwe ndi mphatso imene bambo anapatsa amayi paukwati wawo. M’madilowa a desikiyi muli buku lakale limene ankasungamo makalata ndi nkhani zina za m’manyuzipepala zokhudza uthenga wa Ufumu zimene analemba. Zina mwa zinthu zimenezi ndi zakale kwambiri, zolembedwa kumayambiriro kwa m’ma 1900. Mulinso makalata amene amayi ankawakonda kwambiri ochokera kwa ana awo amene anali amishonale. Ndimasangalala kwambiri kuwerenga makalata amenewa mobwerezabwereza. Ndipo makalata amene ankatilembera anali olimbikitsa kwambiri komanso a mfundo zabwino. Amayi sanakwanitse cholinga chawo chokhala m’mishonale. Komabe, mtima wawo wofuna utumiki wa umishonale unathandiza anthu ena kukhala amishonale. Ndimadikira mwachidwi nthawi imene banja lathu lonse lidzaonanenso ndi amayi ndi abambo m’paradaiso padziko lapansi.​—Chiv. 21:3, 4.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Chithunzi patsamba 17]

Emilia Pederson

[Chithunzi patsamba 18]

Mu 1916: Amayi ndi abambo anga (atanyamula Marvin); m’munsi, kuyambira kumanzere kupita kumanja: Orlen, Ester, Lilian ndi Mildred

[Chithunzi patsamba 19]

Leo ndi Eunice, atatsala pang’ono kumwalira

[Chithunzi patsamba 20]

Mu 1950: Pamwamba, kuyambira kumanzere kupita kumanja: Ester, Mildred, Lilian, Eunice, Ruth; m’munsi: Orlen, Amayi, Abambo, ndi Marvin

[Chithunzi patsamba 20]

George ndi Ruth Pappas ali oyendera dera mu 2001