Inkuru ivuga ibyabaye mu mibereho

Nakoreye umurimo aho nabaga nkenewe hose

BYAVUZWE NA JAMES B. BERRY

Hari mu mwaka wa 1939. Ibibazo bikomeye byo Kugwa k’Ubukungu byatumaga ubuzima muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika bugorana, kandi intambara yari yugarije u Burayi bwose. Jye na murumuna wanjye Bennett twari twaravuye iwacu muri Mississippi tujya gushaka akazi i Houston ho muri Texas.

UMUNSI umwe mu gihe impeshyi yari irimo irangira, twumvise itangazo riteye ubwoba kuri radiyo, ryavugaga ko ingabo za Hitileri zari zigaruriye Polonye. Murumuna wanjye yariyamiriye ati “Harimagedoni yatangiye!” Twahise tureka akazi. Twagiye ku Nzu y’Ubwami yari iri hafi, maze twifatanya mu materaniro ku ncuro ya mbere. Kuki twagiye ku Nzu y’Ubwami? Reka mpere aho byatangiriye.

Navukiye i Hebron ho muri Mississippi mu mwaka wa 1915. Twari dutuye mu isambu iri mu giturage. Abigishwa ba Bibiliya, nk’uko Abahamya ba Yehova bitwaga icyo gihe, bajyaga baza muri ako karere buri mwaka, maze bagakora gahunda zo gutanga disikuru mu rugo rw’umuntu. Kubera iyo mpamvu, ababyeyi banjye bari bafite ibitabo byinshi by’imfashanyigisho za Bibiliya. Jye na Bennett twaje kugera ubwo twizera icyo ibyo bitabo byigishaga: i kuzimu nta muriro ubayo, ubugingo burapfa, abakiranutsi bazatura ku isi iteka ryose. Ariko kandi, twari tugifite byinshi tugomba kwiga. Hashize igihe runaka nyuma y’aho ndangirije amashuri, jye na murumuna wanjye twerekeje iya Texas tugiye gushaka akazi.

Igihe amaherezo twabonanaga n’Abahamya ku Nzu y’Ubwami, batubajije niba twari abapayiniya. Ntitwari tuzi ko umupayiniya ari umukozi w’igihe cyose mu Bahamya ba Yehova. Hanyuma batubajije niba dushaka kubwiriza. Twarabashubije tuti “cyane rwose!” Twibwiraga ko bari kuduha umuntu  wo kutwerekera uko tubigenza. Aho kubigenza batyo, baduhereje ikarita maze baratubwira bati “muzabwirize hariya!” Jye na Bennett nta kintu na kimwe twari tuzi ku bihereranye no kubwiriza, kandi twangaga ibintu byatubuza amahwemo. Amaherezo, iyo karita y’amafasi twayishyize mu iposita twisubirira i Mississippi!

Dushyira Ukuri kwa Bibiliya ku Mutima

Tumaze gusubira imuhira, twamaze hafi umwaka dusoma ibitabo by’Abahamya buri munsi. Iwacu mu rugo nta mashanyarazi yari ahari, bityo nijoro twasomeraga ku rumuri rw’umuriro w’inkwi. Muri icyo gihe abagenzuzi basura amatorero bajyaga basura amatorero y’Abahamya ba Yehova hamwe n’Abahamya bitaruye abandi kugira ngo babatere inkunga mu buryo bw’umwuka. Umwe muri abo bagenzuzi, witwaga Ted Klein, yasuraga itorero ryacu, maze jye na Bennett tukajyana na we mu murimo wo kubwiriza ku nzu n’inzu, akenshi akatujyana twembi icyarimwe. Yadusobanuriye byose ku byerekeranye n’umurimo w’ubupayiniya.

Gukorana na we mu by’ukuri byatumye dutekereza ku bihereranye no gukora byinshi kurushaho kugira ngo dukorere Imana. Bityo, ku itariki ya 18 Mata 1940, Umuvandimwe Klein yabatije Bennett, mushiki wacu Velva nanjye. Ababyeyi bacu bari bahari igihe cy’umubatizo wacu, kandi bishimiye icyemezo cyacu. Hashize imyaka igera kuri ibiri nyuma y’aho, na bo barabatijwe. Bombi bakomeje kuba abizerwa ku Mana kugeza igihe bapfiriye​—Papa yapfuye mu mwaka wa 1956, naho Mama apfa mu mwaka wa 1975.

Igihe Umuvandimwe Klein yambazaga niba narashoboraga gukora umurimo w’ubupayiniya, namubwiye ko nari kubyishimira, ariko nta mafaranga nari mfite, nta myenda, nta kintu na kimwe nari mfite. Yarambwiye ati “ibyo nta kibazo, nzabikemura.” Kandi yarabikoze. Yarabanje yohereza fomu yanjye y’ubupayiniya. Hanyuma, yanjyanye muri New Orleans, ku birometero bigera kuri 300 maze anyereka ibyumba byiza byari biri hejuru y’Inzu y’Ubwami. Byari iby’abapayiniya. Bidatinze, nimukiyeyo maze ntangira umwuga wanjye w’ubupayiniya. Abahamya bo muri New Orleans bafashaga abapayiniya babaha imyenda, amafaranga n’ibyokurya. Ku manywa, abavandimwe bazanaga ibyokurya bakabisiga ku muryango cyangwa se bakabidushyirira muri firigo. Umuvandimwe wari ufite resitora hafi aho, yadutumiraga buri gihe ngo tuze akazi karangiye aduhe ibiryo byiza​—urugero nk’inyama, imigati, ibishyimbo birimo inyama n’urusenda hamwe na za gato​—byabaga byasigaye uwo munsi.

Tugerwaho n’Urugomo rw’Udutsiko tw’Inzererezi

Nyuma y’igihe runaka, noherejwe i Jackson, ho muri Mississippi gukorerayo ubupayiniya. Aho ngaho, jye na mugenzi wanjye twakoranaga wari ukiri muto twagiriwe urugomo n’udutsiko tw’inzererezi, kandi byasaga n’aho abashinzwe kubahiriza amategeko muri ako karere bari babashyigikiye! Ni na ko byagenze ahandi twoherejwe​—i Columbus ho muri Mississippi. Kubera ko twabwirizaga abantu bo mu moko yose no mu bihugu byose, abazungu bamwe na bamwe baratwangaga. Benshi batekerezaga ko tugandisha abantu. Umukuru w’umuryango wa ba sekombata b’Abanyamerika, ukaba ari umuryango ukunda igihugu by’agakabyo, yari afite ibyo bitekerezo. Incuro nyinshi yadushumurizaga udutsiko tw’inzererezi z’abarakare.

Ubwa mbere badutera muri Columbus, agatsiko k’inzererezi karadukurikiye mu gihe twarimo dutanga amagazeti mu muhanda. Badusunikiye ku kirahuri cy’idirishya ry’iduka. Imbaga y’abantu yarakoranye kugira ngo irebe ibyari birimo biba. Bidatinze, abapolisi barahageze maze batujyana ku biro bya komini. Abari bagize ako gatsiko  baradukurikiye batugeza ku biro bya komini maze batangariza imbere y’abategetsi bose bari bahari ko nituramuka tuvuye mu mujyi ku itariki batanze, twari gushobora kuhava turi bazima. Iyo turamuka tuhavuye nyuma y’iyo tariki, twari kuhava tutakiri bazima! Twasanze byarushaho kuba byiza tubaye tuvuye muri uwo mujyi mu gihe runaka. Ariko hashize ibyumweru runaka nyuma y’aho, twaragarutse dutangira kubwiriza.

Bidateye kabiri, igitero cy’abantu umunani batuguye gitumo, maze batwinjiza mu modoka zabo ebyiri ku ngufu. Batujyanye mu ishyamba, badukuramo imyenda, maze badukubitisha umukandara wanjye, buri muntu bamukubita imikandara 30! Bari bafite imbunda n’iminyururu, kandi rwose ubwoba bwari bwadutashye. Natekerezaga ko bari bagiye kutuboha bakatujugunya mu mugezi. Bashwanyaguje ibitabo byacu barabinyanyagiza, ndetse na phonographe twari dufite bayikubise ku giti barayimenagura.

Bamaze kudukubita, badutegetse kwambara maze tukanyura mu kayira ko mu ishyamba tutareba inyuma. Mu gihe twari turimo tugenda, mu by’ukuri twatekerezaga ko turamutse twihaye kugenda dukebakeba, bari kuturasa tugapfa​—kandi ntibigire inkurikizi! Ariko nyuma y’iminota mike, twumvise bakije imodoka bagiye.

Ikindi gihe, agatsiko k’inzererezi zari zarakaye katwirutseho, maze biba ngombwa ko duhambira imyenda yacu ku ijosi tukoga mu ruzi kugira ngo tubacike. Hashize igihe gito nyuma y’aho, twafashwe dushinjwa kugandisha abaturage. Twamaze ibyumweru bitatu muri gereza mbere y’uko tuburanishwa. Urwo rubanza rwaravuzwe cyane muri Columbus. Ndetse abanyeshuri bo muri kaminuza ya hafi aho bemerewe kuva mu ishuri hakiri kare kugira ngo baze kumva urubanza. Igihe uwo munsi wageraga, urukiko rwari rwuzuye​—hasigaye aho guhagarara gusa! Abavugiraga Leta bari bakubiyemo abavugabutumwa babiri, umuyobozi w’umujyi n’abapolisi.

Umwavoka w’Umuhamya witwaga G. C. Clarke hamwe na mugenzi we boherejwe kutuburanira. Basabye ko ibirego by’uko twagandishaga abantu byaseswa kubera ko nta gihamya bari bafite. Umwavoka wakoranaga n’Umuvandimwe Clarke, n’ubwo atari umwe mu Bahamya ba Yehova, yatanze ingingo zifite ireme atuvuganira. Hari aho yageze abwira umucamanza ati “abantu bavuga ko Abahamya ba Yehova ari abasazi. Koko se ni abasazi? Rero ngo na Thomas Edison yari umusazi!” Hanyuma yatunze urutoki ku itara rimanitse hejuru, maze aravuga ati “ariko reba iriya ampuru!” Edison, wavumbuye ampuru, hari abantu bamwe na bamwe bashobora kuba barabonaga ko ari umusazi, ariko nta n’umwe washoboraga kujya impaka ku bintu yagezeho.

Umucamanza mukuru w’urwo rukiko amaze kumva ubuhamya, yabwiye umushinjacyaha ati “nta gihamya na kimwe mufite cy’uko aba bantu bagandisha abaturage kandi bafite uburenganzira bwo gukora uyu murimo. Ntimuzabagarure muri uru rukiko ngo mupfushe ubusa igihe n’amafaranga bya Leta kandi nanjye munteshe igihe, kugeza igihe muzabonera ibihamya!” Twari dutsinze!

Ariko kandi, nyuma y’aho uwo mucamanza yaduhamagaje mu biro bye. Yari azi ko abo mu mujyi bose batishimiye icyemezo yafashe. Bityo yaratuburiye ati “ibyo navuze, nakurikije amategeko, ariko inama nabagira mwembi ku giti cyanjye ni iyi: muve muri uyu mujyi, naho ubundi bazabica!” Twari tuzi ko ibyo avuga ari ukuri, bityo twavuye muri uwo mujyi.

Navuye aho nsanga Bennett na Velva, bakaba bari abapayiniya ba bwite i Clarksville, ho muri  Tennessee. Hashize amezi make, twoherejwe i Paris ho muri Kentucky. Hashize umwaka n’igice, twari turi hafi gushinga itorero igihe jye na Bennett twabonaga itumira ryihariye cyane.

Tujya mu Murimo w’Ubumisiyonari

Igihe twatumirirwaga kujya kwiga ishuri rya kabiri mu Ishuri rya Bibiliya rya Galeedi rya Watchtower, twaratekereje tuti ‘baribeshye! Kuki batumiye abasore babiri basanzwe bo muri Mississippi ngo bajye muri iryo shuri?’ Twibwiraga ko bashakaga abantu bize, ariko ibyo ari byo byose twagiyeyo. Muri iryo shuri hari harimo abanyeshuri 100, kandi amasomo yamaze amezi atanu. Twahawe impamyabumenyi ku itariki ya 31 Mutarama 1944, kandi twari dufite amatsiko yo gukorera mu gihugu cy’amahanga. Ariko kandi, muri icyo gihe kubona pasiporo na viza byatwaraga igihe kinini, bityo abanyeshuri babaye boherejwe by’agateganyo gukorera muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika. Tumaze igihe runaka dukorera ubupayiniya muri Alabama na Georgia, amaherezo jye na Bennett twoherejwe aho tuzakorera​—muri Barubade, mu Birwa bya Antilles.

Intambara ya Kabiri y’Isi Yose yari igikomeza, kandi umurimo n’ibitabo by’Abahamya ba Yehova byari bibuzanyijwe mu bihugu byinshi, hakubiyemo na Barubade. Tugeze kuri gasutamo, abakozi baho bafunguye imitwaro yacu barayisaka maze babona ibitabo twari twahishemo. Twaratekereje tuti ‘biturangiriyeho.’ Nyamara ahubwo, umukozi umwe yaravuze gusa ati “mutubabarire kuko byabaye ngombwa ko dusaka imitwaro yanyu; bimwe muri ibi bitabo birabujijwe muri Barubade.” Icyakora, yaraturetse turinjira n’ibitabo byose twari twazanye! Nyuma y’aho, igihe twabwirizaga abategetsi, batubwiye ko na bo batari bazi impamvu ibyo bitabo byabuzanyijwe. Nyuma y’amezi runaka, byarakomorewe.

Twagize ingaruka nziza cyane mu murimo muri Barubade. Twayoboraga nibura ibyigisho bya Bibiliya 15 buri muntu, kandi abenshi mu bo twiganye bagize amajyambere mu buryo bw’umwuka. Twashimishwaga no kubona bamwe muri bo baza mu materaniro y’itorero. Ariko kandi, kubera ko ibitabo byari byaramaze igihe runaka bibuzanyijwe, abavandimwe baho ntibari basobanukiwe uko amateraniro yagombaga kuyoborwa. Icyakora, nyuma y’igihe gito twashoboye gutoza umubare runaka w’abavandimwe bashoboye. Twashimishwaga no gufasha abenshi mu bo twiganaga gutangira umurimo wa Gikristo, dushimishwa no kubona ukuntu itorero ryakuraga.

Uko Naje Kugira Umuryango

Nyuma y’amezi agera kuri 18 ndi muri Barubade, nagombaga kubagwa maze biba ngombwa ko nsubira muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika. Igihe nari muri Amerika, nashyingiranywe n’Umuhamya witwa Dorothy twari dusanzwe twandikirana. Hanyuma, jye n’umugore wanjye twakoze umurimo w’ubupayiniya i Tallahassee ho muri Florida, ariko nyuma y’amezi atandatu twimukiye i Louisville ho muri Kentucky, aho Umuhamya yampaye akazi. Murumuna wanjye Bennett we yakomeje gukorera umurimo we w’ubumisiyonari muri Barubade mu gihe cy’imyaka myinshi. Nyuma y’aho  yaje gushyingiranwa na mugenzi we w’umumisiyonari maze akora umurimo wo gusura amatorero muri ibyo birwa. Amaherezo, byabaye ngombwa ko basubira muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika ku mpamvu z’uburwayi. Bakomeje gukorana n’amatorero akoresha Igihisipaniya mu murimo wo kuyasura kugeza igihe Bennett yapfiriye mu mwaka wa 1990 afite imyaka 73.

Mu mwaka wa 1950, Dorothy yabyaye umwana wacu w’imfura, umukobwa twise Daryl. Amaherezo twaje kugira abana batanu. Umwana wacu wa kabiri Derrik, yapfuye amaze imyaka ibiri n’igice avutse, azize mugiga. Ariko Leslie yavutse mu mwaka wa 1956 na Everett amukurikira mu mwaka wa 1958. Jye na Dorothy twihatiye kurerera abana mu nzira y’ukuri kwa Bibiliya. Buri gihe twihatiraga kugira porogaramu ya buri cyumweru y’icyigisho cy’umuryango cya Bibiliya no gukora icyatuma ishimisha abana bose. Igihe Daryl, Leslie na Everett bari bakiri bato, buri cyumweru twabahaga ibibazo bagombaga gukoraho ubushakashatsi bakazabisubiza mu cyumweru gikurikiraho. Nanone kandi, bakinaga udukino tugaragaza umurimo wo kubwiriza ku nzu n’inzu. Umwe yajyaga mu kabati k’imyenda maze akigira nk’aho ari we nyir’inzu. Undi yahagararaga hanze maze agakomanga. Bashyiragamo n’amagambo y’urwenya kugira ngo bakangane, ariko ibyo byabafashije kwihingamo gukunda umurimo wo kubwiriza. Nanone kandi, buri gihe twajyanaga na bo kubwiriza.

Igihe umuhungu wacu w’umuhererezi Elton yavukaga mu mwaka wa 1973, Dorothy yari afite imyaka igera hafi kuri 50 nanjye nkaba nari mfite imyaka ikabakaba 60. Mu itorero batwise Aburahamu na Sara (Itangiriro 17:15-17)! Akenshi abahungu bacu bakuru bajyaga bafata Elton bakamujyana mu murimo. Twumvaga ko ibyo byari ubuhamya bukomeye kuba abantu barabonaga imiryango​—abahungu n’abakobwa, ababyeyi n’abana​—bakorera hamwe, bageza ku bandi ukuri kwa Bibiliya. Bakuru ba Elton bajyaga ibihe byo kumutwara ku rutugu no kumushyira inkuru y’Ubwami mu ntoki. Buri gihe abantu bategaga amatwi iyo bakinguraga urugi bakabona ako kana gato gateye imbabazi gahetswe na mukuru wako ku rutugu. Abahungu bacu bigishije Elton guhereza umuntu inkuru y’Ubwami mu gihe ikiganiro cyabaga kirangiye no kugira amagambo make avuga. Nguko uko yatangiye kubwiriza.

Mu gihe cy’imyaka myinshi, twashoboye gufasha abandi kumenya Yehova. Mu mpera z’imyaka ya za 70 twavuye i Louisville twimukira i Shelbyville ho muri Kentucky, tugiye gukorera mu itorero ryari rikeneye ubufasha. Mu gihe twari turi aho ngaho, ntitwabonye ukuntu iryo torero ryakuze gusa, ahubwo twanagize uruhare mu gushaka ikibanza no kubaka Inzu y’Ubwami. Nyuma y’aho, twasabwe gukorera mu rindi torero rya hafi aho.

Ibizazane Tutari Twiteze mu Mibereho y’Umuryango

Nifuzaga ko abana bacu bose baguma mu nzira ya Yehova, ariko si ko byagenze. Igihe bari bamaze gukura kandi baravuye mu rugo, batatu mu bana bacu bane bakiriho bataye inzira y’ukuri. Ariko kandi, umuhungu wacu Everett yakurikije urugero rwanjye maze aba umukozi w’igihe cyose. Nyuma y’aho yaje gukora ku biro bikuru byo mu rwego rw’isi yose by’Abahamya ba Yehova biri i New York, maze mu mwaka wa 1984 atumirirwa kwiga mu ishuri rya 77 rya Galeedi. Amaze guhabwa impamyabumenyi yoherejwe muri Sierra Leone, muri Afurika y’u Burengerazuba. Mu mwaka wa 1988 yashyingiranywe na Marianne, umupayiniya ukomoka mu Bubiligi. Kuva icyo gihe bakoreye hamwe umurimo w’ubumisiyonari.

Nk’uko umubyeyi wese yabyiyumvisha, kubona batatu mu bana bacu bareka inzira y’ubuzima itera kunyurwa muri iki gihe, kandi ikaba itanga ibyiringiro bihebuje byo kuzabona ubuzima bw’iteka ku isi izahinduka paradizo mu gihe kizaza, byaduciye intege. Rimwe na rimwe najyaga nirenganya. Ariko naje kubonera ihumure mu kumenya ko ndetse na bamwe mu bana b’umwuka ba Yehova bwite, cyangwa abamarayika, baretse kumukorera​—n’ubwo Yehova atanga uburere bwuje urukundo n’ineza kandi akaba atigera akora amakosa (Gutegeka 32:4; Yohana 8:44; Ibyahishuwe 12:4, 9). Ibyo byatumye menya ko n’ubwo ababyeyi bashyiraho imihati bate bagerageza kurerera abana babo mu nzira za Yehova, abana bamwe bashobora kwanga ukuri.

Kimwe n’igiti gihuhwa n’imiyaga ifite imbaraga, tugomba guhangana n’ibigeragezo hamwe n’ibibazo bitari bimwe duhura na byo. Mu gihe cy’imyaka myinshi, naje kubona ko kwiga Bibiliya buri gihe no kujya mu materaniro bituma mbona imbaraga zo kugira ibyo mpindura no gukomeza kuba muzima  mu buryo bw’umwuka. Mu gihe ngenda nsaza maze nkabona amakosa nakoze mu gihe cyahise, ngerageza kureba ku ruhande rw’ibyiza. N’ubundi kandi, iyo dukomeje kuba abizerwa, bene ibyo bintu bituma turushaho kugira amajyambere yo mu buryo bw’umwuka. Iyo tuvanye isomo ku bintu bibi byabayeho mu buzima, bishobora kuvamo ibintu byubaka.​—Yakobo 1:2, 3.

Ubu jye na Dorothy ntitugifite amagara n’imbaraga byo gukora ibyo twifuza gukora mu murimo wa Yehova. Ariko kandi, dushimira inkunga duterwa n’abavandimwe na bashiki bacu b’Abakristo dukunda. Ku materaniro hafi ya yose, abavandimwe batubwira ukuntu bishimira ko tuba duhari. Kandi baritanga bakadufasha mu buryo ubwo ari bwo bwose bushoboka​—ndetse bakadusanira inzu bakadukorera n’imodoka.

Rimwe na rimwe, tujya dushobora kwifatanya mu murimo w’ubupayiniya bw’ubufasha, kandi tukayoborera abantu bashimishijwe ibyigisho bya Bibiliya. Ikintu kidushimisha mu buryo bwihariye, ni uko buri gihe tumenya amakuru y’umwana wacu ukorera muri Afurika. Turacyagira icyigisho cyacu cy’umuryango, n’ubwo noneho ubu tuba turi twembi gusa. Twishimira ko twamaze imyaka myinshi cyane mu murimo wa Yehova. Atwizeza ko ‘atazibagirwa urukundo twerekanye ko dukunze izina rye.’​—Abaheburayo 6:10.

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 25]

Velva, Bennett, nanjye tubatizwa na Ted Klein ku itariki ya 18 Mata 1940

[Amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 26]

Ndi kumwe n’umugore wanjye, Dorothy, mu ntangiriro z’imyaka ya za 40 no mu wa 1997

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 27]

Disikuru y’abantu bose yari ifite umutwe uvuga ngo “Umwami w’Amahoro” yamamazwa muri bisi yo mu mujyi muri Barubade

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 27]

Murumuna wanjye Bennett ari imbere y’inzu y’abamisiyonari