MUMWE musi, kwakafuma kuine kachando muBrookings, South Dakota, U.S.A. Izvi zvakandiyeuchidza kuti chando chakanga chava kuda kutanga. Zvisinei, ini nevamwe vashoma vandaiva navo taidedera takamira mune imwe imba hombe yaitonhora zvikuru yaigara zvipfuwo nezvimwewo zvinoshandiswa papurazi. Takanga takamira pamberi pemudziyo unonwirwa nezvipfuwo waiva nemvura inotonhora. Regai ndimbokuudzai nezveupenyu hwangu kuti munzwisise kuti ndaiitei imomo.

Ndakaberekwa musi wa7 March 1936, uye ndini wekupedzisira pavana 4. Taigara papurazi diki nechekumabvazuva kweSouth Dakota. Mhuri yedu yaikoshesa kurima asi zvekurima handizvo zvainyanya kukosha. Vabereki vangu vakabhabhatidzwa kuti vave Zvapupu zvaJehovha muna 1934. Vakanga vazvitsaurira kuna Baba vedu vekudenga Jehovha, saka kuita kuda kwaMwari ndiko kwaiva panzvimbo yekutanga muupenyu hwavo. Baba vangu Clarence, vaishumira semuranda wekambani (ava kunzi murongi mudare revakuru) muungano yedu diki yaiva muConde, South Dakota, uye nekufamba kwenguva babamukuru vangu Alfred, vakazoshumirawo semuranda wekambani.

Mhuri yedu yaigara ichipinda misangano yechiKristu uye kuenda paimba neimba kunoudza vamwe nezvetariro inoshamisa yeramangwana. Takabatsirwa chaizvo nemuenzaniso wevabereki vangu uye kutidzidzisa kwavakaita. Hanzvadzi yangu, Dorothy, akava muparidzi aine makore 6, uye ini ndakavawo muparidzi ndava nemakore 6. Muna 1943, ndakanyoresa paChikoro chaMwari Choushumiri icho chakanga chava kuitwa pamisangano yedu.

Taikoshesa chaizvo magungano muupenyu hwedu. Hama Grant Suiter ndivo vaiva mukurukuri anoshanya pagungano rakaitwa muna 1949 kuSioux  Falls, South Dakota. Ndichiri kuyeuka hurukuro yavo yaiva nemusoro wekuti: “Nguva Yafamba Kupfuura Zvaunofunga!” Vakanyatsojekesa kuti vaKristu vose vakazvitsaurira vanofanira kushandisa upenyu hwavo zvizere pakuparidza mashoko akanaka eUmambo hwaMwari hwakagadzwa. Izvi zvakandikurudzira kuti ndide kuzvitsaurira kuna Jehovha. Ndakabhabhatidzwa pagungano redunhu rakatevera rakaitwa muBrookings, musi wa12 November 1949. Ndosaka ndaiva muimba iya yaitonhora yandambotaura nezvayo. Ini nevamwe vatatu takanga takamirira kuti tibhabhatidzwe mumudziyo wesimbi unonwirwa mvura nezvipfuwo.

Ndakabva ndava nechinangwa chekupayona. Ndakatanga kupayona musi wa1 January 1952, ndiine makore 15. Bhaibheri rinoti: “Munhu anofamba nevanhu vakachenjera achava akachenjera.” (Zvir. 13:20) Paiva nevakawanda vakachenjera vemumhuri neveukama vakatsigira chisarudzo changu chekupayona. Babamukuru vangu vainzi Julius, avo vaiva nemakore 60, ndivo vandakatanga kupayona navo. Pasinei nekuti vaiva vakuru kwandiri nekure, tainakidzwa chaizvo nekushanda tese muushumiri. Ruzivo rwavaiva narwo muupenyu rwakaita kuti ndive akachenjera. Pasina nguva, Dorothy akatangawo kupayona.

Pandaiyaruka, vabereki vangu vaikoka vatariri vematunhu nemadzimai avo kuti vagare nesu. Vamwe vakandibatsira chaizvo ndiJesse naLynn Cantwell. Chimwe chakaita kuti ndipayone kwaiva kundikurudzira kwavakaita. Kundifarira kwavaiita kwakaita kuti ndive nechido chekuva nezvinangwa zvekunamata. Pavaishanyira ungano dzaiva pedyo nesu, dzimwe nguva vaindikoka kuti ndiende navo muushumiri. Izvozvo zvainakidza uye zvaikurudzira chaizvo!

Mutariri wedunhu akazotevera kutishanyira aiva Bud Miller uye mudzimai wake ainzi Joan. Panguva iyoyo, ndakanga ndava nemakore 18 uye ndaifanira kumira pamberi pekomiti yaisarudza vanhu vanopinda muchiuto. Komiti yacho yakanga yandipa basa randaiona kuti raipesana nemurayiro waJesu wekuti vateveri vake vasava nedivi ravanotsigira panyaya dzezvematongerwo enyika. Asi ndaida kuparidza mashoko akanaka eUmambo. (Joh. 15:19) Saka ndakakumbira komiti iyi kuti indiise muchikwata chevaparidzi sezvo vakanga vasingamanikidzwi kupinda muchiuto.

Ndakafara chaizvo kuti Hama Miller vakazvipira kundiperekedza pandaizoenda kunomira pamberi pekomiti yacho. Vaiva munhu ane ushamwari, anogona  zvekutaura nevanhu uye asingakurumidzi kuvhunduka. Kutsigirwa nemurume akasimba pakunamata akadaro kwakaita kuti ndive neushingi. Izvi zvakaita kuti komiti yaisarudza vanhu vanopinda muchiuto indiise muchikwata chevaparidzi muna 1954, mwaka wekupisa wava kunopera. Izvozvo zvakaita kuti ndive nemukana wekuzadzisa chimwe chinangwa pakunamata.

Panguva iyoyo, ndakakokwa kuti ndinoshumira paBheteri, papurazi rainzi Watchtower Farm, raiva muStaten Island, New York. Ndakashumira paBheteri kwemakore anenge matatu. Izvi zvakaita kuti ndive nezvakawanda zvakandifadza nekuti ndakashanda nevakawanda vakachenjera.

Papurazi raiva muStaten Island paivawo nenhepfenyuro yeWBBR. Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvakashandisa nhepfenyuro iyi kubva muna 1924 kusvika muna 1957. Papurazi iri paingoshanda vanhu 15 kusvika ku20 vemhuri yeBheteri. Vazhinji vedu taiva vadiki uye taisava neruzivo rwakawanda. Asi taiva naHama Eldon Woodworth, avo vaiva hama yechikuru yakazodzwa. Vakaratidza kuti vaiva munhu akachenjera. Kutiratidza rudo kwavaiita sababa, kwakatibatsira kuti tirambe takasimba pakunamata. Dzimwe nguva, vanhu pavaikanganisirana Hama Woodworth vaiwanzoti, “Ishe ari kuita zvinhu zvinoshamisa pasinei nezvakaita vanhu vaari kushandisa.”

Taiva neropafadzo yekuvawo naHama Frederick W. Franz. Uchenjeri hwavo uye kuziva kwavaiita Magwaro zvakatibatsira tese, uye vairatidza kuti vaida mumwe nemumwe wedu. Taibikirwa naHarry Peterson. Zvaitiitira nyore kushandisa zita rake iroro rekupedzisira pane kushandisa zita rake rekutanga rekuti Papargyropoulos. Hama Peterson vaivawo mumwe wevakazodzwa uye vaishingaira chaizvo muushumiri. Vainyatsoita basa ravo paBheteri asi vaisamborega kuita basa rekuparidza. Mwedzi wega wega vaipa vanhu mazana emagazini. Vainyatsozivawo Magwaro uye vaipindura mibvunzo yakawanda yataiva nayo.

Zvinhu zvairimwa papurazi zvaizogadzirwa zvoiswa mumagaba. Gore rega rega, magaba anenge 45 000 emichero nemiriwo aigadzirwa kuti azoshandiswa nemhuri yeBheteri. Ndakava neropafadzo yekushumira neimwe hanzvadzi yakachenjera yainzi Etta Huth pakuita basa iri. Etta Huth ndiye aiona  nezvemagadzirirwo aiitwa zvinhu zvaizoiswa mumagaba. Panguva yaiiswa zvinhu izvi mumagaba, hanzvadzi dzaigara pedyo nepurazi dzaiuya kuzobatsira uye Etta aibatsira pakuronga basa racho. Kunyange zvazvo Etta aiva neruzivo rwakawanda pakugadzira zvinhu zvaiiswa mumagaba, akaratidza muenzaniso wakanaka wekuremekedza hama dzaitungamirira papurazi. Ndaimuona semuenzaniso wakanaka wekuzviisa pasi pevaya vari kutungamirira musangano.

Imwe hanzvadzi yechidiki inonzi Angela Romano yaiuyawo kuzobatsira pabasa iroro. Etta akanga abatsira Angela paakawana chokwadi. Saka pandaishanda paBheteri ndakaona mumwezve munhu akachenjera wandava nemakore 58 ndichifamba naye. Ini naAngie takachata muna April 1958, uye taita mabasa akawanda ekunamata pamwe chete. Kwemakore ese aya, kuvimbika kwaAngie kuna Jehovha kwasimbisa mhuri yedu. Ndinokwanisa kunyatsovimba naye pasinei nematambudziko atinosangana nawo.

Pakatengeswa nhepfenyuro yeWBBR yaiva muStaten Island muna 1957, ndakanoshumira paBheteri reBrooklyn kwenguva pfupi. Ini naAngie takabva tazochata, saka ndakabva paBheteri tikanopayona muStaten Island kwemakore anenge matatu. Kwekanguva, ndakatomboshandira vanhu vainge vatenga nhepfenyuro yacho, iyo yainge yava kunzi WPOW.

Ini naAngie takanga takazvipira kuita kuti upenyu hwedu husava netwakawanda wanda kuitira kuti tigare takagadzirira kunoshumira chero kwataizodiwa. Izvi zvakaita kuti tikwanise kubvuma basa rekunoshumira semapiyona chaiwo kuFalls City, Nebraska, muna 1961. Asi tichangotanga basa racho, takabva takokwa kuti tipinde Chikoro Choushumiri hwoUmambo kuSouth Lansing, New York, icho chaiitwa kwemwedzi mumwe chete. Takanakidzwa nechikoro chacho uye taitarisira kushandisa zvatakanga tadzidza pataizodzokera kuNebraska. Asi takashamisika nekuti takabva tapiwa rimwe basa idzva rekushumira semamishinari muCambodia! Munyika iyi yakanaka chaizvo iri kuSoutheast Asia takaona, takanzwa uye takaravidza zvimwe zvinhu zvatakanga tisingazivi. Taida chaizvo kuparadzira mashoko akanaka ikoko.

Asi zvematongerwo enyika zvakangoerekana zvachinja, saka taifanira kutamira kuSouth Vietnam. Zvinosuwisa kuti pasina kana makore maviri, ndakabva ndarwara chaizvo saka takakurudzirwa kuti tidzokere kumusha. Ndaida nguva yekuti ndivezve nesimba. Pandakangosimba, takabva tatangazve basa renguva yakazara.

Muna March 1965 takava neropafadzo yekuita basa remudunhu. Kwemakore 33, ini naAngie takanakidzwa pandaishanda semutariri wedunhu, semutariri weruwa uye pandaibatsira kuronga magungano. Magungano akanga agara achindinakidza, saka zvaifadza chaizvo kubatsirawo pakuaronga. Kwemakore akati kuti taiva muNew York City, uye magungano akawanda aiitirwa muYankee Stadium.

Sezvinowanzoitika kune vakawanda vari mubasa renguva yakazara, ini naAngie taiva nemabasa akaoma ainge akatimirira. Semuenzaniso, muna 1995, ndakakumbirwa kuti ndive murayiridzi weChikoro Chokudzidzisa Vashumiri. Pashure pemakore matatu, takashevedzwa kuBheteri. Zvaifadza chaizvo kudzokera kwandakatangira basa rangu renguva yakazara  makore anopfuura 40 akanga adarika. Kwemakore, ndakashanda muDhipatimendi Rebasa uye semurayiridzi muzvikoro zvakasiyana-siyana. Muna 2007, Dare Rinotungamirira rakaita kuti zvikoro zvaiitwa paBheteri zvive pasi peDhipatimendi Rezvikoro Zvesangano, iro rakanga richangobva kuumbwa, uye ndakava neropafadzo yekuva mutariri wedhipatimendi iri kwemakore akati kuti.

Mumakore achangopfuura takaona zvakawanda zvichichinjwa pazvikoro zvesangano. Chikoro Chevakuru veUngano chakatangwa muna 2008. Mumakore maviri ekutanga, vakuru vanopfuura 12 000 vakapinda chikoro ichi chakaitirwa paBheteri rePatterson uye reBrooklyn. Chikoro ichi chiri kuenderera mberi kune dzimwe nzvimbo. Muna 2010, Chikoro Chokudzidzisa Vashumiri chakatanga kunzi Chikoro cheBhaibheri Chehama Dzisina Kuroora, uye pakatangwa chikoro chitsva chainzi Chikoro cheBhaibheri chevaKristu Vakaroorana.

Kutanga mugore rebasa ra2015, zvikoro zviviri izvozvo zvakabatanidzwa kuva chikoro chimwe chete chinonzi Chikoro Chevazivisi Vemashoko oUmambo. Chikoro ichi chinogona kupindwa nevakaroorana kana kuti nehama nehanzvadzi dzisina kuroora kana kuroorwa. Vanhu vakawanda pasi rose vakafara kunzwa kuti chikoro ichi chaizoitirwa munyika dzavo. Zvinofadza kuona pachiva nemikana yakawanda yekuti vanhu vadzidziswe naJehovha, uye ndinofara chaizvo kuti ndakaona vakawanda vakazvipira kuti vadzidziswe naye.

Ndichitarisa upenyu hwangu, kubvira pandakanga ndisati ndabhabhatidzwa mumudziyo uya unonwirwa mvura nezvipfuwo kusvikira nhasi, ndinotenda Jehovha nekuita kuti pave nevakachenjera vakandibatsira kufamba muchokwadi. Havasi vese vaiva vezera rangu kana vaiva netsika dzakafanana nedzangu. Asi mumwoyo mavo, vaiva vanhu vakasimba pakunamata. Mafungiro avo uye zvavaiita zvainyatsoratidza kuti vaida Jehovha. Musangano raJehovha tine vakachenjera vakawanda vatinokwanisa kufamba navo. Ndakafamba nevakachenjera vakadaro uye ndakabatsirwa chaizvo.