Yosimbidwa ndi Elva Gjerde

Pafupifupi zaka 70 zapitazo, kunyumba kwathu kunabwera mlendo amene ananena zinazake zimene zinandithandiza kusintha kwambiri moyo wanga. Kuchokera tsiku limenelo, anthu enanso ambiri andithandiza pa moyo wanga. Zimenezi zandithandiza kuti ndikhale pa ubwenzi wosayerekezereka ndiponso wamtengo wapatali kwambiri ndi Mulungu. Tsopano ndiloleni kuti ndikufotokozereni nkhani yonse.

INEYO ndinabadwa m’chaka cha 1932, mumzinda wotchedwa Sydney m’dziko la Australia. Makolo anga ankakhulupirira Mulungu koma sankapita kutchalitchi. Mayi anga ankandiuza kuti nthawi zonse Mulungu amayang’anitsitsa zochita zanga kuti andilange ndikachita chinachake choipa. Choncho ndinkachita mantha ndi Mulungu. Komabe ndinkakonda kwambiri Baibulo. Amayi anga aakulu ankakonda kubwera kunyumba kwathu Loweruka ndi Lamlungu. Iwo ankakonda kundikambira nkhani zosangalatsa za m’Baibulo. Ndinkasangalala kwambiri akabwera.

Pamene ndinali wachinyamata, bambo anga ankakonda kuwerenga mabuku omwe amayi analandira kwa mlongo winawake wachikulire. Iwo ankasangalala kwambiri ndi zimene anali kuwerenga m’mabukuwo moti anavomera kuti aziphunzira Baibulo ndi Mboni za Yehova. Tsiku lina madzulo pamene ankaphunzira Baibulo, bambo anga anandipeza ndikumvetsera mobisa zimene ankaphunzira. Iwo ankafuna kundiuza kuti ndikagone koma mlendoyo anati, “Muuzeni abwere adzaphunzire nafe.” Zimene ananenazi zinandithandiza kusintha moyo wanga ndiponso kuyamba kukhala pa ubwenzi ndi Yehova, yemwe ndi Mulungu woona.

Posapita nthawi, ine ndi bambo anga tinayamba kusonkhana ndi Mboni za Yehova. Zimene bambo ankaphunzira zinawathandiza kusintha zinthu pa moyo wawo moti anasiya chizolowezi chopsa mtima msanga. Izi zinalimbikitsa mayi anga ndiponso mchimwene wanga Frank kuti ayambe kusonkhana. * Tonse anayi tinapita patsogolo mwauzimu ndipo kenako tinabatizidwa kukhala Mboni za Yehova. Kuyambira nthawi imeneyo, anthu achikulire ambiri andithandiza pa moyo wanga pa nthawi zosiyanasiyana.

NTCHITO IMENE NDINASANKHA

Pamene ndinali wachinyamata ndinkakonda kucheza ndi achikulire a mu mpingo wathu. Wina wa iwo anali Alice Place, yemwe anali mlongo wachikulire amene anali woyambirira kubwera kwathu kudzalalikira. Ndinkangowatenga ngati agogo anga. Iwo anandiphunzitsa kulalikira komanso anandilimbikitsa kuti ndibatizidwe. Ndipo ndinabatizidwa ndili ndi zaka 15.

Ndinkakondanso kucheza ndi banja lina la achikulire ndipo mayina awo anali Percy ndi Madge Dunham. Kucheza ndi anthu amenewa kunandithandiza kwambiri kuti ndisinthe zimene ndinkafuna kudzachita ndikadzakula. Ndinkakonda kwambiri masamu ndipo ndinkafunitsitsa kudzakhala mphunzitsi wa masamu. Percy ndi Madge anali atatumikira ngati amishonale kudziko la  Latvia m’zaka za m’ma 1930. Nkhondo yachiwiri yapadziko lonse itayamba ku Ulaya, iwo anatumizidwa kukatumikira ku Beteli ya ku Australia mumzinda wa Sydney. Iwo ankandiganizira kwambiri ndipo ankakonda kundifotokozera nkhani zosangalatsa zokhudza zimene ankakumana nazo mu utumiki wawo waumishonale. Ndinatha kuona kuti kuphunzitsa Baibulo n’kosangalatsa kwambiri kuposa kuphunzitsa masamu. Choncho ndinasankha kudzakhala mmishonale.

Banjali linandilimbikitsa kuti ndiyambe upainiya n’cholinga choti ndidzakhale mmishonale. Choncho mu 1948 ndili ndi zaka 16, ndinayamba kuchita upainiya. Ndinkachita limodzi ndi achinyamata ena 10, omwe anali kusangalala kwambiri kuchita upainiya ku mpingo wathu wa ku Hurstville mumzinda wa Sydney.

M’zaka zinayi zotsatira ndinachita upainiya kumizinda ina inayi, yomwe inali kumadera a New South Wales ndiponso ku Queensland. Munthu wina amene ndinayambirira kuphunzira naye Baibulo kumeneko anali Betty Law (panopa ndi Betty Remnant). Betty anali munthu wachikondi ndipo anali wamkulu kwa ine ndi zaka ziwiri. Patapita nthawi, tinadzachitira limodzi upainiya m’tauni ya Cowra yomwe inali pa mtunda wa makilomita 230 kumadzulo kwa mzinda wa Sydney. Ngakhale kuti tinachitira limodzi upainiya kwa nthawi yochepa, iye ndi mnzangabe wapamtima mpaka lero.

Nditaikidwa kukhala mpainiya wapadera ananditumiza kutauni yotchedwa Narrandera, yomwe ili pa mtunda wa makilomita 220 kum’mwera cha kumadzulo kwa tauni ya Cowra. Kumeneko ndinkachita upainiya ndi mlongo wina dzina lake Joy Lennox (panopa ndi Joy Hunter). Iye anali mpainiya wakhama ndipo nayenso anali wamkulu kwa ine ndi zaka ziwiri. M’tauni yonseyi, a Mboni tinali awiri tokhafe. Tinkachita lendi m’nyumba ya banja lina lokonda kuchereza alendo. Linali banja la Ray ndi Esther Irons. Iwo limodzi ndi mwana wawo wamwamuna ndiponso ana awo aakazi atatu, ankasangalala kuphunzira choonadi. M’kati mwa mlungu, Ray limodzi ndi mwana wake wamwamuna ankagwira ntchito yoweta nkhosa ndiponso kulima tirigu kufamu ina pafupi ndi tauni imene tinkakhala. Koma Esther limodzi ndi ana ake aakazi, ankagwira ntchito kunyumba ya pafupi yogona alendo. Lamlungu lililonse, ine ndi Joy tinkaotcha nyama n’kuphika chakudya chambiri kuti banjali limodzi ndi amuna ena ogwira ntchito yokonza njanji adzadye. Okonza njanjiwo ankakhala ndi njala kwambiri. Chifukwa cha ntchito yophikayi ankatichotsera ndalama zina pa ndalama zomwe tinkalipira lendi. Tikamaliza kutsuka mbale, tinkayamba kuphunzira ndi banjali nkhani zophunzira za mu Nsanja ya Olonda. Ray ndi Esther limodzi ndi ana awo onse anadzakhala Mboni za Yehova ndipo ndi amene anayambitsa mpingo wa ku Narrandera.

Mu 1951, ndinapita ku msonkhano wachigawo wa Mboni za Yehova mumzinda wa Sydney. Kumeneko ndinapita ku msonkhano wapadera wa anthu amene ankafuna kukhala amishonale. Pa msonkhano wapaderawu tinali anthu oposa 300 ndipo unachitikira muchitenti chachikulu. M’bale Nathan Knorr wochokera ku Beteli ya ku Brooklyn ndi amene anatilankhula ndipo anafotokoza mosapita m’mbali zoti pakufunika kuti uthenga wabwino ufike kulikonse padziko lapansi. Tinkamvetsera mwatcheru kwambiri. Ena mwa apainiya amene anali pa msonkhanowu, anadzakhala oyamba kukalalikira za Ufumu kuzilumba za kum’mwera kwa nyanja ya Pacific ndiponso kumadera ena. Ndinasangalala kwambiri pamene ine limodzi ndi anthu ena 16 a ku Australia tinaitanidwa kukalowa kalasi ya nambala 19 ya Sukulu ya Giliyadi m’chaka cha 1952. Choncho, cholinga changa chokhala mmishonale chinakwaniritsidwa ndili ndi zaka 20 zokha.

NDINALI NDI ZINTHU ZINA ZOFUNIKA KUSINTHA

Maphunziro ndiponso kucheza ndi anthu ku Sukulu ya Giliyadi zinandithandiza kudziwa zambiri zokhudza Baibulo ndiponso kulimbitsa chikhulupiriro changa. Koma kuwonjezera pa zimenezi, zinandithandizanso kukhala munthu wabwino. Pa nthawiyi, ndinali ndisanakhwime maganizo ndipo ndinkafuna kuti zinthu ziziyenda mwamyaa nthawi zonse. Ndinkaganizanso kuti ine ndiponso anthu ena tiyenera kuchita zinthu mosalakwitsa chilichonse. Nthawi zina ndinkakhwimitsa zinthu kwambiri. Mwachitsanzo, ndinadabwa kwambiri nditaona Mbale Knorr akusewera mpira ndi achinyamata ena a pa Beteli.

 Alangizi a ku Giliyadi ayenera kuti anazindikira kuti ndinali kuvutika. Iwowo anali abale anzeru ndiponso odziwa zinthu zambiri. Choncho anandithandiza kuti ndisinthe n’kuyamba kuona zinthu moyenera. Patapita nthawi, ndinayamba kuona kuti Yehova ndi Mulungu wachikondi ndiponso woyamikira anthu ake osati wokhwimitsa zinthu. Anthu ena amene ndinkaphunzira nawo limodzi Sukulu ya Giliyadi anandithandizanso. Ndikukumbukira wina akundiuza kuti: “Elva, Yehova sachita kutikusa ndi chikwapu. Usamadzipanikize kwambiri.” Mawu ake osapita m’mbaliwa anandifika pa mtima.

Titamaliza Sukulu ya Giliyadi, ine limodzi ndi anzanga anayi anatitumiza kudziko la Namibia ku Africa. Posapita nthawi, tinali kuchititsa maphunziro a Baibulo okwana 80. Ndinkakonda kwambiri ku Namibia ndiponso ntchito ya umishonale. Koma ndinali nditayamba chibwenzi ndi m’bale wina amene tinali naye ku Sukulu ya Giliyadi yemwe anatumizidwa ku Switzerland. Nditakhala ku Namibia chaka chimodzi, ndinatsatira chibwenzi changacho ku Switzerland. Titakwatirana ndinkayenda ndi mwamuna wanga m’ntchito yoyang’anira dera.

NDINAKUMANA NDI ZOTHETSA NZERU

Titatumikira zaka zisanu m’ntchito yoyang’anira dera, tinauzidwa kukatumikira pa Beteli ku Switzerland. M’banja la Beteli munali abale ndi alongo ambiri okhwima mwauzimu ndipo ndinasangalala kwambiri kukhala nawo.

Koma kenako ndinakumana ndi zothetsa nzeru. Ndinadzazindikira kuti mwamuna wanga anali wosakhulupirika kwa ine ndiponso kwa Yehova. Kenako anandisiya. Ndinasokonezeka maganizo kwambiri. Sindidziwa ngati ndikanatha kupirira zimenezi pakanapanda thandizo ndiponso chikondi cha anzanga achikulire a pa Beteli. Ndikafuna kulankhula nawo ankandimvetsera ndiponso pamene ndinkafuna kupumula pa ndekha ankandipatsa mpata. Mawu awo otonthoza ndiponso zinthu zabwino zimene ankandichitira pa nthawi yopweteka kwambiri imeneyi zinandithandiza kuyandikira kwambiri Yehova.

Ndinakumbukira zimene achikulire anzeru ena ananena zaka zambiri izi zisanachitike. Iwowa anali ataphunzira zambiri pa mavuto amene anakumana nawo. Ena mwa achikulire amenewa ndi Madge Dunham. Tsiku lina, mlongoyu anandiuza kuti: “Elva, udzakumana ndi mayesero ambiri potumikira Yehova ndipo mayesero ovuta kwambiri angachokere kwa anzako a pamtima. Ukakumana ndi mayesero amenewa, yandikira kwambiri Yehova. Kumbukira kuti umatumikira iyeyo osati anthu opanda ungwiro.” Malangizo awowa ankandilimbikitsa kwambiri pa nthawi zovuta. Ndinatsimikiza mtima kuti zoipa zimene mwamuna wanga anachita zisasokoneze ubwenzi wanga ndi Yehova.

Patapita nthawi, ndinasankha zobwerera ku Australia kuti ndikachite upainiya kufupi ndi achibale anga. Pobwerera kwathu pa sitima, ndinkacheza ndi anthu nkhani za m’Baibulo. Pa gululo panali munthu wina wochokera ku Norway dzina lake Arne Gjerde ndipo anali wofatsa. Iye ankasangalala ndi zimene tinkakambirana. Kenako anabwera kudzationa ine ndi achibale anga ku Sydney. Iye anaphunzira mwamsanga choonadi n’kubatizidwa. Mu 1963, ine ndi Arne tinakwatirana ndipo patapita zaka ziwiri tinadzakhala ndi mwana wamwamuna dzina lake Gary.

NDINAKUMANA NDI MAVUTO ENANSO OFUNIKA KUPIRIRA

Ine limodzi ndi Arne komanso Gary tinali ndi banja losangalala kwambiri. Kenako Arne anawonjezera nyumba yathu kuti makolo anga okalamba adzakhale nafe. Titakhala m’banja zaka 6, tinakumananso ndi vuto lina lalikulu. Arne anapezeka ndi khansa ya mu ubongo. Anakhala m’chipatala nthawi yaitali akulandira chithandizo ndipo ndinkapita kukamuona tsiku lililonse. Poyamba zinkaoneka kuti akuchira, koma kenako zinthu zinafika  poipa moti anadwalanso matenda opha ziwalo. Ndinauzidwa kuti pangotsala milungu yochepa kuti amwalire, koma sanamwalire. Kenako anadzatulutsidwa m’chipatala ndipo ndinkamusamalira kunyumba mpaka anawongokera. Patapita nthawi, anayambanso kuyenda komanso kutumikira monga mkulu mu mpingo. Iye ankakhala wosangalala komanso wanthabwala ndipo izi zinathandiza kuti achire komanso kuti ndizimusamalira mosangalala.

Pofika mu 1986, Arne anadwalanso. Pa nthawiyi, makolo anga anali atamwalira choncho tinasamukira kumapiri okongola otchedwa Blue kunja kwa mzinda wa Sydney. Kumeneko tinkakhala pafupi ndi anzathu. Kenako Gary anakwatira mlongo wabwino dzina lake Karin yemwe anali wokonda zinthu zauzimu. Iwo anatipempha ngati tingakonde kukhala nawo limodzi. Patangopita miyezi yochepa, tonse tinasamukira kunyumba yapafupi ndi komwe ine ndi Arne tinkakhala.

Pa miyezi 18 yomalizira ya moyo wake, Arne ankakhala chigonere ndipo ankafuna kusamaliridwa nthawi zonse. Popeza kuti nthawi imeneyo ndinkangokhala pakhomo, ndinkawerenga Baibulo ndiponso mabuku ofotokoza Baibulo kwa maola awiri tsiku lililonse. Pa nthawi imeneyi, ndinapeza malangizo anzeru ondithandiza kupirira mavuto angawa. Anthu achikulire a mu mpingo wathu ankabwera kudzandiona ndipo ena a iwo anali atakumana ndi mavuto ofanana ndi angawa. Ndinkalimbikitsidwa kwambiri akabwera kudzandiona. Arne anamwalira mu April 2003, ali ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba chakuti akufa adzauka.

WONDITHANDIZA WAMKULU

Pamene ndinali wachinyamata ndinkafuna kuti zinthu zizingoyenda mwamyaa nthawi zonse. Koma ndinaphunzira kuti zinthu pa moyo sizichitika mogwirizana ndi mmene timaganizira. Ndalandira madalitso ambiri komanso ndapirira mavuto akuluakulu awiri omwe ndi kusiyidwa ndi amuna anga. Woyamba anandisiya chifukwa cha kusakhulupirika kwake ndipo wachiwiri anamwalira ndi matenda. M’mayesero anga onsewa, ndakhala ndikulimbikitsidwa ndiponso kutonthozedwa kudzera m’njira zosiyanasiyana. Yehova Mulungu yemwe ndi “Wamasiku Ambiri,” ndi amene wakhala akundithandiza kwambiri. (Dan. 7:9) Malangizo ake anandithandiza kukhala munthu wabwino komanso kusangalala ndi ntchito yaumishonale. Pamene ndinakumana ndi mavuto, ‘kukoma mtima kosatha kwa Yehova kunandichirikiza ndipo mawu ake otonthoza anasangalatsa moyo wanga.’ (Sal. 94:18, 19) Ndimayamikiranso chikondi ndiponso thandizo la achibale anga komanso la anzanga enieni amene ‘anabadwira kuti andithandize pakagwa mavuto.’ (Miy. 17:17) Ambiri a iwo anali anthu achikulire anzeru.

Yobu anafunsa kuti: “Kodi okalamba si paja amakhala ndi nzeru, ndipo amene akhala masiku ambiri si paja amamvetsa zinthu?” (Yobu 12:12) Ndikaona mmene ndakhalira moyo wanga wonse ndingayankhe kuti inde. Malangizo a anthu achikulire anzeru andithandiza, mawu awo otonthoza andilimbikitsa ndiponso ndapindula kwambiri chifukwa chokhala nawo pa ubwenzi. Ndine wosangalala kwambiri chifukwa chocheza ndi anthu amenewa.

Panopa ndinenso wokalamba ndithu chifukwa ndili ndi zaka 80. Zimene ndakumana nazo pa moyo wanga zandichititsa kuti ndizikomera mtima kwambiri okalamba anzanga. Ndimakondabe kuwayendera ndiponso kuwathandiza. Koma ndimakondanso kucheza ndi achinyamata. Ndimasangalala kuwaona akuchita zinthu mwamphamvu ndipo khama lawo limandilimbikitsa. Ndikaona achinyamata akundipeza kuti ndiwalangize kapena kuwathandiza, ndimasangalala kuwachitira zimenezo.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Chithunzi patsamba 14]

Ndikulalikira ndi Joy Lennox ku Narrandera

[Chithunzi patsamba 15]

Elva ali ndi banja la Beteli ya ku Switzerland mu 1960

[Chithunzi patsamba 16]

Ndikusamalira Arne pamene ankadwala