Yosimbidwa ndi Leonard Smith

Pamene ndinali ndi zaka 13 kapena 14, mavesi awiri a m’Baibulo anandifika pamtima. Panopa padutsa zaka 70 kuchokera pamene ndinamvetsa tanthauzo la lemba la Zekariya 8:23 lomwe limanena za “amuna 10” amene amagwira “chovala cha munthu amene ndi Myuda.” Iwo amauza Myudayu kuti: “Anthu inu tipita nanu limodzi, chifukwa tamva kuti Mulungu ali ndi inu.”

MYUDA akuimira Akhristu odzozedwa ndipo “amuna 10” akuimira a “nkhosa zina,” omwe kalelo ankatchedwa kuti “Ayonadabu.” * (Yoh. 10:16) Nditamvetsa mfundo ya choonadi imeneyi ndinazindikira kuti ngati ndikufuna kudzakhaladi ndi moyo wosatha padziko lapansi ndiyenera kukhala wokhulupirika pothandiza odzozedwa.

Fanizo la Yesu lonena za “nkhosa” ndi “mbuzi,” lomwe lili pa Mateyu 25:31-46, linandifikanso pamtima. “Nkhosa” zimaimira anthu amene pa nthawi ya chiweruzo adzalandira moyo chifukwa chothandiza abale odzozedwa a Khristu pamene ali padziko lapansi. Ndili kamnyamata, ndinkadziuza kuti, ‘Len, ngati ukufuna kuti Khristu aziona kuti ndiwe nkhosa, uyenera kuthandiza abale ake odzozedwa ndi kulola kuti azikutsogolera chifukwa Mulungu ali nawo.’ Kukumbukira zimenezi kwandithandiza kwa zaka zoposa 70.

‘NANGA INE MALO ANGA NDI ATI M’GULU LA MULUNGU?’

Mayi anga anabatizidwa mu 1925 m’holo ya pa Beteli. Holoyi inkatchedwa Chihema cha ku London ndipo inkagwiritsidwa ntchito ndi abale a kumeneko. Ndinabadwa pa October 15, 1926. Ndinabatizidwa mu March 1940, pa msonkhano wa kumzinda wa Dover umene uli m’mphepete mwa nyanja ku England. Ndinayamba kukonda kwambiri choonadi cha m’Baibulo. Mayi anga anali Mkhristu wodzozedwa choncho ndingati ‘chovala cha Myuda’ choyamba kuchigwira chinali cha mayi angawo. Pa nthawi imeneyi, abambo anga ndi mlongo wanga wamkulu sankatumikira Yehova. Tinali mu mpingo wa Gillingham womwe unali kum’mawa chakum’mwera kwa England. Pafupifupi anthu onse mu mpingowo anali Akhristu odzozedwa. Amayi anga anali chitsanzo chabwino kwambiri pochita khama pa ntchito yolalikira.

Mu September 1941, pa msonkhano wachigawo umene unachitikira mumzinda wa Leicester, panakambidwa nkhani ya mutu wakuti “Mtima Wosagawanika” ndipo inafotokoza za woyenera kulamulira chilengedwe chonse. Aka kanali koyamba kuti ine ndidziwe zoti anthufe tikukhudzidwa ndi nkhani ya pakati pa Yehova ndi Satana. Choncho ndinaona kuti tiyenera kusonyeza kuti tili ku mbali ya Yehova ndi kukhalabe okhulupirika kwa iye monga Wolamulira wa chilengedwe chonse.

Pa msonkhanowu anatsindika kwambiri za upainiya ndipo achinyamata analimbikitsidwa kuti akhale  ndi cholinga chochita upainiya. Nkhani yakuti “Malo a Apainiya M’gulu la Mulungu” inandichititsa kudzifunsa kuti, ‘Nanga ine malo anga ndi ati m’gulu la Mulungu?’ Msonkhanowu unandithandiza kuona kuti udindo wanga monga wa m’gulu la Ayonadabu ndi kukhala wodzipereka kwambiri pothandiza odzozedwa pa ntchito yolalikira. Ku Leicester komweko, ndinalemba fomu yofunsira upainiya.

KUCHITA UPAINIYA M’NTHAWI YA NKHONDO

Pa December 1, 1941, ndili ndi zaka 15, ndinaikidwa kukhala mpainiya wapadera. Poyamba ndinkachita upainiya limodzi ndi mayi anga koma patapita pafupifupi chaka chimodzi, anasiya upainiya chifukwa cha kudwala. Kenako ofesi ya nthambi ku London inatumiza Ron Parkin kuti tizidzachitira limodzi upainiya. Panopa iye akutumikira m’Komiti ya Nthambi ya ku Puerto Rico.

Tinatumizidwa kukatumikira ku matawuni a Broadstairs ndi Ramsgate omwe ali m’mphepete mwa nyanja kudera la Kent. Tinkachita lendi chipinda chinachake. Nthawi imeneyo apainiya apadera ankalandira ndalama zokwana mashiling’i 40, zomwe zinkakwana madola 8 a ku United States. Choncho tikalipira lendi, tinkatsala ndi ndalama zochepa moti nthawi zina sitinkadziwa kuti tipeza bwanji chakudya. Koma nthawi zonse Yehova ankatisamalira.

Tinkayenda kwambiri pa njinga titanyamula katundu wambiri ndipo tinkalimbana ndi mphepo yochokera kunyanja yotchedwa North Sea. Tinayeneranso kupirira mabomba amene Ajeremani anali kuponya. Mabombawa ankayenda m’munsi kwambiri kudutsa kudera la Kent kukaphulitsa ku London. Nthawi ina ndinadumpha panjinga n’kugwera m’ngalande bomba lina litadutsa pamutu panga n’kuphulika pamalo ena apafupi. Ngakhale kuti tinakumana ndi mavutowa, tinkasangalala kwambiri kuchita upainiya ku Kent.

NDINAKHALA “KAMNYAMATA KA PA BETELI”

Nthawi zonse mayi anga ankakonda kulankhula kwambiri za Beteli. Ankanena kuti, “Ndikufunitsitsa kuti ukakhale kamnyamata ka pa Beteli.” Ndiyeno tangoganizani mmene ndinasangalalira komanso kudabwa mu January 1946, nditaitanidwa kuti ndikatumikire ku Beteli ya ku London kwa milungu itatu. Milungu itatuyo itatha, M’bale Pryce Hughes, yemwe ankayang’anira nthambi, anandiuza kuti ndikhalebe ku Beteliko. Zimene ndinaphunzira ku Beteli zandithandiza kwa moyo wanga wonse.

Pa nthawi imeneyo, banja la Beteli ya ku London linali ndi anthu pafupifupi 30. Ambiri anali anyamata osakwatira koma kunali abale odzozedwa angapo monga Pryce Hughes, Edgar Clay, ndi Jack Barr, yemwe anadzakhala m’Bungwe Lolamulira. Unali mwayi waukulu kuthandiza abale a Khristu pogwira ntchito moyang’aniridwa ndi “mizati” yauzimu imeneyi.​—Agal. 2:9.

Tsiku lina ndili ku Beteli, m’bale wina anandiuza kuti kwabwera mlongo amene akufuna kundiona. Ndinadabwa kuona kuti anali mayi anga atakwapatira katundu winawake. Ananena kuti salowa kuopera kuti andisokoneza, koma anangondipatsa katunduyo iwo n’kumabwerera. Nditamasula ndinapeza kuti munali chijasi. Chikondi chimene anandisonyezachi chinandikumbutsa zimene Hana ankachita popereka malaya kwa Samueli pamene anali kutumikira kuchihema.​—1 Sam. 2:18, 19.

SUKULU YA GILIYADI INALI YOSAIWALIKA

Ndiyeno mu 1947, anthu 5 amene tinkatumikira pa Beteli tinauzidwa kuti tipite ku Sukulu ya Giliyadi ku United States. Choncho m’chaka chotsatira tinakalowa kalasi ya nambala 11. Pa nthawi imene tinkafika ku New York, kumene sukuluyi inkachitikira, kunkazizira kwadzaoneni. Ndinasangalala kwambiri kuti mayi anga anandipatsa chijasi chija.

Sindidzaiwala zimene zinachitika pa  miyezi 6 imene ndinakhala kusukuluyi. Kukhala limodzi ndi abale ndi alongo ochokera m’mayiko 16 kunanditsegula maganizo. Kuwonjezera pa kupita patsogolo mwauzimu chifukwa cha zimene ndinaphunzira kusukuluyi, ndinapindula kwambiri chifukwa chocheza ndi Akhristu okhwima mwauzimu. Tinkaphunzira ndi Lloyd Barry ndipo Albert Schroeder anali mmodzi mwa alangizi athu. John Booth ankayang’anira malo amene panali Sukulu ya Giliyadi otchedwa Famu ya Ufumu. Abale atatu onsewa anadzakhala m’Bungwe Lolamulira. Ndimayamikira kwambiri malangizo achikondi amene abalewa ankandipatsa, komanso chitsanzo chabwino chimene ankapereka pa nkhani yokhala okhulupirika kwa Yehova ndi gulu lake.

KUKHALA WOYANG’ANIRA DERA KENAKO KUBWERERA KU BETELI

Pochoka ku Giliyadi ndinauzidwa kuti ndikatumikire ku Ohio m’dziko la United States. Apa n’kuti ndili ndi zaka 21 zokha koma abale ankandilandira bwino chifukwa choti ndinali wachinyamata wakhama. M’dera limeneli ndinapindula kwambiri ndi abale achikulire omwe ankadziwa zambiri.

Patangopita miyezi yochepa, ndinauzidwa kuti ndibwerere ku Beteli ya ku Brooklyn kuti ndikaphunzire zinthu zina. Pa nthawi imeneyi ndinadziwana ndi mizati ya choonadi monga Milton Henschel, Karl Klein, Nathan Knorr, T. J. Sullivan ndi Lyman Swingle. Abale onsewa anakhala m’Bungwe Lolamulira. Zinali zosangalatsa kuona mmene ankagwirira ntchito komanso mmene ankasonyezera makhalidwe achikhristu. Pa nthawi imeneyi ndinayamba kukhulupirira kwambiri gulu la Yehova. Kenako ndinauzidwa kuti ndibwerere ku Ulaya kukatumikira kumeneko.

Mayi anga anamwalira mu February 1950. Pambuyo pa mwambo wa maliro ndinakambirana mofatsa ndi bambo anga komanso mchemwali wanga Dora. Ndinawafunsa maganizo awo pa nkhani ya choonadi popeza tsopano amayi anali atamwalira komanso ine ndinali nditachoka pakhomo. Iwo ankadziwana ndi m’bale wina wachikulire dzina lake Harry Browning yemwe anali wodzozedwa. Iwo ankamulemekeza kwambiri ndipo anavomera kuti m’baleyu aziwaphunzitsa. Pasanathe chaka, bambo ndi Dora anabatizidwa. Kenako bambo anga anadzaikidwa kukhala mtumiki mu mpingo wa Gillingham. Bambo anga atamwalira, Dora anakwatiwa ndi m’bale wina yemwe anali mkulu wokhulupirika dzina lake Roy Moreton. Dora anatumikira Yehova mokhulupirika mpaka pamene anamwalira m’chaka cha 2010.

ANANDITUMIZA KUTI NDIKATHANDIZE KU FRANCE

Pamene ndinali mwana ku sukulu ndinaphunzira Chifulenchi, Chijeremani ndiponso Chilatini. Pa zinenero zitatuzi, Chifulenchi n’chimene ndinkavutika nacho kwambiri. Choncho nditauzidwa kuti ndipite kukathandiza ku Beteli ya ku Paris m’dziko la France, ndinasangalala koma pa nthawi imodzimodziyo ndinalinso ndi nkhawa. Ku France ndinkatumikira ndi m’bale wachikulire dzina lake Henri Geiger yemwe anali woyang’anira nthambi komanso wodzozedwa. Utumikiwu sunali wophweka ndipo ndiyenera kuti ndinkalakwitsa zambiri koma ndinaphunzira kukhala bwino ndi anthu.

Ndiyeno panakonzedwa zoti mu 1951 pachitike msonkhano wa mayiko ku Paris, womwe unali woyamba kuchitika nkhondo itatha. Ndinauzidwa kuti ndithandize pa ntchito yokonzekera msonkhanowu. Woyang’anira woyendayenda wachinyamata dzina lake Léopold Jontès anabwera ku Beteli kudzandithandiza pa ntchitoyi. Patapita nthawi, Léopold anadzaikidwa kukhala woyang’anira nthambi. Msonkhanowu unachitikira m’chiholo chotchedwa Palais des sports pafupi ndi nsanja yotchedwa Eiffel. Pa msonkhanowu panabwera anthu ochokera m’mayiko 28. Pa tsiku lomaliza, abale 6,000 a ku France anasangalala kwambiri kuona kuti pa msonkhanowu panafika anthu okwana 10,456.

 Nditangofika ku France ndinkavutika kwambiri kulankhula Chifulenchi. Vuto lina linali lakuti ndinkalankhula pokhapokha ngati ndatsimikiza kuti zomwe ndilankhulezo n’zolondola. Ndinkaiwala kuti popanda kulakwitsa, anthu sangakuthandize ndipo sungaphunzire.

Kuti ndithane ndi vutoli ndinaganiza zolowa sukulu yophunzitsa alendo Chifulenchi. Ndinkakaphunzira madzulo pa masiku amene kunalibe misonkhano. Ndinayamba kukonda Chifulenchi ndipo panopa ndimachikonda kwambiri. Izi zakhala zothandiza kwambiri chifukwa ndinapemphedwapo kuti ndithandize omasulira mabuku m’Chifulenchi. Patapita nthawi inenso ndinakhala womasulira. Unali mwayi waukulu kuthandiza kuti abale olankhula Chifulenchi padziko lonse alandire chakudya chauzimu chokonzedwa bwino chochokera kwa kapolo wokhulupirika ndi wanzeru.​—Mat. 24:45-47.

NDINAKWATIRA KENAKO NDINALANDIRA MAUDINDO ENA

Mu 1956, ndinakwatira Esther yemwe anali mpainiya wa ku Switzerland ndipo ndinali nditadziwana naye kwa zaka zingapo. Ukwati wathu unachitikira m’Nyumba ya Ufumu ya pafupi ndi Beteli ya ku London. Holoyi ndi imene inkatchedwa Chihema cha ku London ndipo ndi mmene mayi anga anabatizidwa muja. M’bale Hughes ndi amene anakamba nkhani ya ukwati wathu. Mayi a Esther analipo ndipo nawonso anali odzozedwa. Ndinakwatira mlongo wokongola komanso wokhulupirika. Kuwonjezera pamenepo, apongozi anga ankakonda zinthu zauzimu ndipo ndinapindula pocheza nawo mpaka nthawi imene anamaliza utumiki wawo wapadziko lapansi m’chaka cha 2000.

Titakwatirana, ine ndi Esther sitinkakhala ku Beteli. Ine ndinapitiriza kutumikira monga womasulira ku Beteli pomwe Esther ankachita upainiya wapadera kunyumba zina za m’mphepete mwa mzinda wa Paris. Iye anathandiza anthu ambiri ndithu kuyamba kutumikira Yehova. Mu 1964, tinauzidwa kuti tipite kukakhala ku Beteli. Ndiyeno mu 1976, pamene ankakhazikitsa Makomiti a Nthambi, ndinapemphedwa kuti ndikhale m’komiti. Esther wakhala akundithandiza mwachikondi kwa zaka zonsezi.

“SIMUDZAKHALA NANE NTHAWI ZONSE”

Nthawi zina ndinkakhala ndi mwayi wopita ku likulu lathu ku New York. Pa maulendo amenewa ndinkalandira malangizo othandiza kuchokera kwa abale a m’Bungwe Lolamulira. Mwachitsanzo, tsiku lina ndikudandaula zoti mwina sinditha kumaliza ntchito ina pa nthawi yake, M’bale Knorr anangomwetulira n’kunena kuti: “Osadandaula. Uzingogwira ntchito basi.” Kuyambira nthawi imeneyo, ndikakhala ndi ntchito yambiri, sindida nkhawa m’malomwake ndimangoyamba imodzi, ikatha n’kuyamba ina basi. Ndipo ndimamaliza pa nthawi yake.

Atangotsala pang’ono kumwalira, Yesu anauza ophunzira ake kuti: “Simudzakhala nane nthawi zonse.” (Mat. 26:11) Nafenso a nkhosa zina timadziwa kuti abale odzozedwa a Khristu sitidzakhala nawo nthawi zonse padziko lapansi pano. Ndimaona kuti ndi mwayi wosaneneka kudziwana ndi odzozedwa osiyanasiyana kwa zaka zoposa 70. Ndakhala ndikugwira chovala cha Myuda mosangalala.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Mawu Otsindika patsamba 21]

M’bale Knorr anamwetulira n’kunena kuti: “Osadandaula. Uzingogwira ntchito basi.”

[Zithunzi patsamba 19]

(Kumanzere) Bambo ndi mayi anga

(Kumanja) Ndili ku Giliyadi mu 1948 nditavala chijasi chimene mayi anga anandipatsa chija

[Chithunzi patsamba 20]

Mu 1997, ndikumasulira nkhani ya M’bale Lloyd Barry pa mwambo wopereka nthambi ya ku France

[Zithunzi patsamba 21]

(Kumanzere) Ndili ndi Esther pa tsiku la ukwati wathu

(Kumanja) Tikulalikira