“Iyi ni yo nzira, mube ari yo mujana”

Inkuru ya Emilia Pederson

NK’UKO VYAVUZWE NA RUTH E. PAPPAS

MAWE, uno akaba yitwa Emilia Pederson, yavutse mu 1878. Naho yahavuye akora akazi k’ubwigisha, yaripfuza vy’ukuri gukoresha ubuzima bwiwe mu gufasha abantu kwiyegereza Imana. Icerekana yuko mawe yari afise ico cipfuzo ni isandugu niniya yari mu nzu twabamwo mu gasagara kitwa Jasper, i Minnesota muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika. Yari yayirondeye kugira ngo azoyitwaremwo ibintu vyiwe agiye mu Bushinwa, aho yipfuza gukorera ari umumisiyonari wo mw’idini yarimwo. Ariko rero, igihe nyina wiwe yapfa, vyabaye ngombwa ko aheba iyo migambi yiwe maze aca aguma i muhira kugira ngo yitwararike batoyi biwe. Mu 1907 yarubakanye n’uwitwa Theodore Holien. Navutse igenekerezo rya 2 Kigarama 1925, nkaba ndi umuherezi mu bana indwi.

Mawe yari afise ibibazo bishingiye kuri Bibiliya yipfuza cane kuronkera inyishu. Kimwe muri ivyo cari ikijanye n’inyigisho y’uko umuriro udahera ari ahantu haka umuriro abanyakibi bababarizwa. Yarasavye umukuru umwe wo mw’idini ry’abaluteri yari yabagendeye kugira ngo amwereke aho Bibiliya ishigikira iyo nyigisho. Yaciye amubwira yuko ngo naho Bibiliya yoba ivuga iki ku bijanye n’umuriro udahera, ari ngombwa ngo iyo nyigisho yigishwe.

Inzara yari afise mu vy’impwemu ihera

Gatoyi inyuma yo mu 1900, mamawacu yitwa Emma, yaragiye muri Northfield i Minnesota kwiga ivy’umuziki. Yaba ku mwigisha wiwe yitwa Milius Christianson, umukenyezi wiwe akaba yari Umutohoji wa Bibiliya, ukwo akaba ari ko Ivyabona vya Yehova bitwa ico gihe. Emma yarababwiye ko afise mwenewabo akunda cane gusoma Bibiliya. Budakeye na kabiri, muka Christianson yarandikiye mawe ikete ryarimwo inyishu z’ibibazo vyiwe bishingiye kuri Bibiliya.

Umusi umwe, hari Umutohoji wa Bibiliya yitwa Lora Oathout yaje n’igariyamoshi avuye i Sioux Falls, muri Dakota y’Epfo kugira ngo yamamaze inkuru nziza i Jasper. Mawe yariga ibisohokayandikiro bishingiye kuri Bibiliya yaronka, maze mu 1915 aca aratangura kubwira abandi ukuri kwo muri Bibiliya, akabashikiriza ibisohokayandikiro Lora yamuzanira.

Mu 1916, mawe yarumvise ko Charles Taze Russell yobaye ari kw’ihwaniro ryobereye mu gisagara ca Sioux, muri leta ya Iowa. Yaciye yipfuza kuryitaba. Ico gihe, mawe yari afise abana batanu kandi uwitwa Marvin, umutoyi muri bo, yari amaze amezi atanu gusa avutse. Naho vyari ukwo, ari kumwe n’abo bana biwe, yarafashe urugendo mw’igariyamoshi rw’ibilometero hafi 160 aja mu gisagara c’i Sioux kugira ngo yitabe iryo hwaniro. Yarateze yompi insiguro zitandukanye umuvukanyi Russell yashikirije, ararorera rwa “Rukurikirane rw’amafoto yerekeye ivy’irema,” yongera arabatizwa. Aho atahukiye, yaranditse ikiganiro ku bijanye n’iryo hwaniro casohowe mu kinyamakuru kimwe citwa Jasper Journal.

Mu 1922, mawe yari mu bantu bashika ku 18.000 bitavye ihwaniro ryabereye i Cedar Point, muri leta ya Ohio. Inyuma y’iryo hwaniro, ntiyigeze ahengeshanya gutangaza Ubwami bw’Imana. Nkako, akarorero kiwe karaduhimiriza gukurikiza impanuro igira iti: “Iyi ni yo nzira, mube ari yo mujana.”​—Yes. 30:21.

 Ivyiza vyavuye mu busuku bw’Ubwami

Mu ntango z’imyaka ya 1920, abavyeyi banje barimukiye mu nzu yari hirya ya ka gasagara ka Jasper. Dawe yari afise urudandaza rwamwinjiriza cane, akagira n’umuryango munini yategerezwa kubungabunga. Ntiyiga Bibiliya ku rugero rumwe n’urwo mawe yagezako, mugabo yarashigikira n’umutima wiwe wose igikorwa co kwamamaza akongera akemerera abasuku b’ingenzi kuza barashikira i muhira. Igihe umwe muri bo yaba yatangiye insiguro i muhira, akenshi abantu ijana canke abari munsi yabo gatoyi ni bo bayitaba, ugasanga barundaniye muri salo, mu cumba c’uburiro no mu cumba co kuraramwo.

Igihe nari mfise nk’imyaka indwi, mamawacu yitwa Lettie yaraterefonye maze avuga ko ababanyi biwe, ari bo Ed Larson be n’umukenyezi wiwe, bipfuza kwiga Bibiliya. Ntibatevye kwemera ukuri kwo muri Bibiliya, maze mu nyuma baratumiye uwundi mubanyi yitwa Martha Van Daalen yari inabibondo w’abana umunani, kugira ngo yifatanye na bo muri iyo nyigisho. Martha n’abagize umuryango wiwe bose na bo nyene bahavuye baba Abatohoji ba Bibiliya. a

Muri ico kiringo, umusore umwe yitwa Gordon Kammerud yaba ku bilometero bikeyi uvuye iwacu, yaratanguye gukorana na dawe. Gordon yari yagabishijwe ngo “Uriyubara kuri barya bakobwa ba shobuja. Bari mw’idini ry’icaduka.” Yamara rero, Gordon yaratanguye kwiga Bibiliya kandi ntiyatevye kujijuka ko yari yubuye ukuri. Yabatijwe mu mezi atatu yakurikiye. Abavyeyi biwe na bo nyene bahavuye bizera, kandi imiryango yacu, ni ukuvuga umuryango wa Holien, uwa Kammerud be n’uwa Van Daalen, yahavuye icika incuti zishika.

Dukomezwa n’amahwaniro

Mawe yari yararemeshejwe cane na rya hwaniro ryabera i Cedar Point ku buryo atigeze yipfuza guhomba irindi hwaniro na rimwe. Ibintu nibuka vyabaye mu buto bwanje, ni ingendo ndende twagira twitavye ayo mahwaniro. Ihwaniro ryabereye i Columbus, muri leta ya Ohio mu 1931 ryari rihambaye cane kubera ko ico gihe ari ho twatangura kwitwa Ivyabona vya Yehova. (Yes. 43:10-12) Ndibuka kandi neza ihwaniro ryabereye i Washington, D.C. mu 1935, aho hashikirijwe insiguro y’intibagiranwa yerekanye abagize “ishengero ryinshi,” canke “isinzi rinini” rivugwa mu Vyahishuwe abo ari bo. (Ivyah. 7:9; King James Version) Bakurubanje ari bo Lilian na Eunice bari mu bantu barenga 800 babatijwe kuri iryo hwaniro.

Umuryango wacu waritavye ihwaniro ryabereye i Columbus muri leta ya Ohio mu 1937; iryabereye i Seattle muri leta ya Washington mu 1938; be n’iryabereye mu gisagara ca New York mu 1939. Twagenda tujanye n’abagize umuryango wa Van Daalen n’uwa Kammerud be n’abandi twaba turi kumwe, tukagenda turakambika mu nzira. Eunice yarubakanye na Leo Van Daalen mu 1940, baca baba abatsimvyi. Muri uwo mwaka nyene, Lilian yarubakanye na Gordon Kammerud, na bo nyene baca baba abatsimvyi.

Ihwaniro ryabereye i St. Louis muri leta ya Missouri mu 1941, ryari iridasanzwe. Aho ni ho abakiri bato ibihumbi n’ibindi baronka ca gitabu Enfants. Iryo hwaniro ryaratumye ngira ihinduka rikomeye  mu buzima. Gatoyi inyuma y’aho, kw’igenekerezo rya 1 Nyakanga 1941, jewe na musanzanje Marvin hamwe n’umukenyezi wiwe Joyce, twarabaye abatsimvyi. Nari mfise imyaka 15.

Ntivyari vyoroshe ko abavukanyi bose bo mu kibano cacu c’abarimyi bitaba ayo mahwaniro kubera yuko akenshi yaba mu gihe c’iyimbura. Ni co gituma amahwaniro arangiye, twaza turagira isubiramwo ry’ivyashikirijwe kw’ihwaniro turi mu kigo iwacu kugira ngo ababa batashoboye kuryitaba baryungukireko. Ukwo guhurira hamwe n’abandi kwari guhimbaye.

Twitaba Ishure ry’i Gileyadi, tukarungikwa gukorera mu mahanga

Muri Ruhuhuma 1943, haratangujwe Ishure ry’i Gileyadi kugira ngo abatsimvyi bamenyerezwe ku bw’umurimo w’ubumisiyonari. Umugwi wa mbere w’iryo shure warimwo batandatu mu bagize umuryango wa Van Daalen, ari bo Emil, Arthur, Homer na Leo bano bakaba bavukana; muvyara wabo Donald be na mukurwanje Eunice muka Leo. Twarabasezeye duhimbawe ariko kandi dufise akababaro, kuko tutari tuzi igihe twosubiye kubonana na bo. Iryo shure riheze, bose ukwo bari batandatu barungitswe gukorera mu gihugu ca Porto Rico, hano hakaba hari Ivyabona batashika na 12.

Mu mwaka wakurikiye, Lilian na Gordon hamwe na Marvin be na Joyce baritavye umugwi ugira gatatu w’Ishure ry’i Gileyadi. Na bo nyene baciye barungikwa gukorera muri Porto Rico. Mu nyuma, muri Nyakanga 1944, naritavye umugwi ugira kane w’Ishure ry’i Gileyadi mfise imyaka 18. Nsohotse iryo shure muri Ruhuhuma 1945, naciye mpamvya bakurubanje muri Porto Rico. Ese ukuntu ico cari ikintu gishasha kuri jewe! Naho vyari urugamba kwiga igisupanyoli, bamwebamwe muri twebwe ntibatevye kuyobora inyigisho za Bibiliya zirenga 20 umwumwe. Yehova yarahezagiye ico gikorwa. Ubu muri Porto Rico hari Ivyabona bashika ku 25.000.

Umuryango wacu ushikirwa n’ivyago

Leo na Eunice bagumye muri Porto Rico inyuma y’aho bavyariye umuhungu wabo yitwa Mark mu 1950. Mu 1952 baratunganije ivyo kuja mu karuhuko kugira ngo bagende kuramutsa incuti i muhira. Bafashe indege igenekerezo rya 11 Ndamukiza. Ikibabaje ni uko iyo ndege imaze umwanya mutoyi igurutse, yaciye igira isanganya maze igwa mw’ibahari. Leo na Eunice baciye bahasiga ubuzima. Mark na we, uwari amaze imyaka ibiri yatowe ariko arareremba kw’ibahari. Uwarokotse muri iryo sanganya ni we yamutereye mu kato gatoyi ko gutabara, arafashwa gusubira guhema, gutyo aba ararusimvye. b

Haciye imyaka itanu, kw’igenekerezo rya 7 Ntwarante 1957, mawe na dawe bariko baja ku Ngoro y’Ubwami mu modoka igihe ipine ry’imodoka ryatoboka. Igihe Dawe yariko arahindurira iryo pine iruhande y’ibarabara, imodoka yari irenganye yaramuhitanye, ubwo nyene aca arapfa. Abantu bashika ku 600 ni bo bitavye insiguro yiwe y’amaziko, kandi harashinzwe intahe nziza mu bantu bo mu kibano cacu, aho dawe yubahwa cane.

Dushingwa ibindi bikorwa

Gatoyi imbere y’uko dawe ahwera, nari narungitswe gukorera muri Arijantine. Muri Myandagaro 1957 ni ho nashika mu gisagara ca Mendoza kiri mu mucamo wa ya misozi yitwa les Andes. Mu 1958 uwitwa George Pappas yari asohotse umugwi ugira 30 w’Ishure ry’i Gileyadi, yararungitswe gukorera muri Arijantine. Jewe na George twarabaye abagenzi beza utoraba, maze duca twubakana muri Ndamukiza 1960. Mu 1961 mawe yarapfuye amaze imyaka 83. Yari yagumye agendera mu nzira y’ugusenga kw’ukuri ari umwizigirwa kandi yari yarafashije abandi bantu benshi, benshi cane, kubigenza gutyo na bo nyene.

Jewe na George twamaze imyaka cumi dukorana  n’abandi bamisiyonari tuba mu nzu z’abamisiyonari zitandukanye. Mu nyuma twaramaze imyaka indwi mu gikorwa co kugendera amashengero. Mu 1975 twaratahutse muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika kugira ngo dufashe abo mu muryango wacu bari barwaye. Mu 1980 umunega wanje yararonse ubutumire bwo gukora igikorwa co kugendera amashengero mu cibare kibamwo abantu bavuga igisupanyoli. Ico gihe muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika hari amashengero 600 akoresha igisupanyoli. Mu myaka 26 twamaze muri ico gikorwa, twaragendeye menshi muri ayo mashengero, twongera turibonera ingene arushiriza kwongerekana agashika ku yarenga 3.000.

Baragendeye muri “iyo nzira”

Mawe yaragize kandi umunezero wo kubona abakiri bato bo mu muryango wiwe bakora ubusuku bw’igihe cose. Hari nk’akarorero uwitwa Carol, umukobwa wa mukurwanje yitwa Ester, yabaye umutsimvyi mu 1953. Yarubakanye n’uwitwa Dennis Trumbore, maze kuva ico gihe baca batangura kugira uruhara mu busuku bw’igihe cose. Uwundi mukobwa wa Ester yitwa Lois yarubakanye n’uwitwa Wendell Jensen. Baritavye umugwi ugira 41 w’Ishure ry’i Gileyadi, maze bamara imyaka 15 ari abamisiyonari muri Nijeriya. Mark, umwe abavyeyi biwe bahitanwa na rya sanganya ry’indege, mushiki wa Leo, ari we Ruth La Londe n’umunega wiwe Curtiss, baremeye kwitwa abavyeyi biwe baca baramurera. Mark n’umukenyezi wiwe yitwa Lavonne baramaze imyaka itari mike bakora ubutsimvyi kandi barereye abana babo bane muri “iyo nzira.”​—Yes. 30:21.

Uwitwa Orlen, akaba ari we wenyene akiriho mu bo tuvukana, ubu ageze mu myaka 95 y’amavuka. Aracasukurira Yehova ari umwizigirwa. Jewe na George turabandanya gukorana umunezero ubusuku bw’igihe cose.

Ico mawe yasize

Ubu ndacafise kimwe mu bintu vy’agaciro mawe yari afise, na co kikaba ari imeza yiwe. Yari ingabirano yahawe na dawe ku musi w’ubugeni bwabo. Muri kamwe mu bubati bw’iyo meza harimwo igitabu ciwe ca kera yabikamwo amafoto, kino kikaba kirimwo amakete be n’ibiganiro yanditse vyasohowe mu binyamakuru kandi vyashingiye intahe nziza Ubwami. Bimwebimwe muri ivyo yavyanditse mu ntango z’imyaka ya 1900. Iyo meza irimwo kandi amakete y’agaciro mawe yandikiwe n’abana biwe b’abamisiyonari. Ese ukuntu ndyoherwa no kwama ndayasoma nisubiriza! Amakete yatwandikira na yo nyene yama nantaryo aturemesha cane, ugasanga atekeye ivyiyumviro vyubaka. Mawe ntiyigeze aba umumisiyonari nk’uko yari yaravyipfuje. Ariko rero, yari afitiye umwete umurimo w’ubumisiyonari wakoze ku mutima abandi bo mu mayaruka y’inyuma yiwe. Ese ukuntu niteganye umushasharo igihe abagize umuryango wacu munini, ushizemwo na mawe be na dawe, tuzosubira kuba turi hamwe mw’isi yabaye Iparadizo!​—Ivyah. 21:3, 4.

[Utujambo tw’epfo]

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Emilia Pederson

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Mu 1916: Mawe, dawe (ateruye Marvin); hepfo, uhereye ibubamfu uja iburyo: Orlen, Ester, Lilian, Mildred

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Leo na Eunice, gatoyi imbere y’urupfu rwabo

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Mu 1950: Uhereye ibubamfu uja iburyo, haruguru: Ester, Mildred, Lilian, Eunice, Ruth; hepfo: Orlen, mawe, dawe na Marvin

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George na Ruth Pappas bari mu gikorwa co kugendera amashengero mu 2001