Incuti z’Imana mu birwa bya Tonga

Mu mwaka wa 1932, hari ubwato bwazanye imbuto z’agaciro kenshi mu birwa bya Tonga. Uwari uyoboye ubwo bwato yahaye Charles Vete agatabo kari gafite umutwe uvuga ngo “Où sont les morts?” Charles yemeye adashidikanya ko yari amaze kubona ukuri. Hashize iminsi, Charles yasabye uruhushya rwo guhindura ako gatabo mu rurimi rwe kavukire, maze ibiro bikuru by’Abahamya ba Yehova biramwemerera. Arangije kugahindura, yohererejwe kopi 1.000 z’utwo dutabo maze atangira kuduha abantu. Nguko uko imbuto z’ukuri kwerekeye Yehova zatangiye kubibwa mu bwami bwa Tonga.

KU IKARITA ya Pasifika y’Amajyefo, mu burengerazuba bw’umurongo mpuzamahanga w’amatariki, aho uhurira n’ingengamirase ya Kapurikorune, uhabona ibirwa bya Tonga. Ikirwa kinini cyitwa Tongatapu, kikaba kiri kuri kirometero 2.000 uturutse iburasirazuba bwa Auckland ho muri Nouvelle-Zélande. Tonga igizwe n’ibirwa 171, ariko 45 muri byo ni byo bituwe. Ibyo birwa byitaruye bya Tonga, hari umukerarugendo uzwi cyane w’Umwongereza witwa James Cook wabyise Ibirwa birangwa n’urugwiro.

Tonga ituwe n’abaturage bagera ku 106.000, ikaba igizwe n’amazinga atatu y’ibirwa; amanini muri yo ni Tongatapu, Ha’apai na Vava’u. Mu matorero atanu y’Abahamya ba Yehova ari mu birwa bya Tonga, atatu muri yo ari mu izinga ry’ibirwa bituwe cyane kuruta ibindi rya Tongatapu, rimwe muri Ha’apai naho irindi riri mu izinga rya Vava’u. Kugira ngo Abahamya ba Yehova bafashe abantu kuba incuti z’Imana, bafite icumbi ry’abamisiyonari n’ibiro by’ubuhinduzi hafi y’umurwa mukuru Nuku’alofa.—Yesaya 41:8.

Kuva mu myaka ya 1930, abantu benshi bari bazi ko Charles Vete yari umwe mu Bahamya ba Yehova, n’ubwo yageze mu mwaka wa 1964 atarabatizwa. Hari abandi bifatanyije na we mu murimo wo kubwiriza, maze mu mwaka wa 1966 hubakwa Inzu y’Ubwami yashoboraga kwakira abantu 30. Mu mwaka wa 1970, hashinzwe itorero ry’ababwiriza b’Ubwami 20 i Nuku’alofa.

Kuva icyo gihe, umuntu ashobora kwibonera neza ukuntu amagambo y’umuhanuzi Yesaya yasohoreye  mu birwa bya Tonga. Ayo magambo agira ati “ibyo nibyubahe Uwiteka, byamamaze ishimwe rye mu birwa” (Yesaya 42:12). Umurimo wo kubwiriza iby’Ubwami wakomeje gusagamba, ufasha abantu benshi kugirana na Yehova imishyikirano. Mu ikoraniro ry’intara ryabereye i Nuku’alofa mu mwaka wa 2003, umubare w’abateranye wariyongereye ugera kuri 407, n’abantu 5 barabatizwa. Ikigaragaza ko hashobora kuzabaho ukwiyongera, ni uko ku Rwibutso rwo mu mwaka wa 2004 hateranye abantu 621.

Babaho mu buzima bworoheje

Icyakora, uretse mu murwa mukuru ahandi ho haracyakenewe cyane ababwiriza b’Ubwami. Urugero, abaturage 8.500 batuye mu birwa 16 bigize izinga rya Ha’apai, bakeneye kumva byinshi kurushaho ku bihereranye n’ukuri kwa Bibiliya. Izinga rya Ha’apai rigizwe ahanini n’ibirwa bishashe biriho ibiti by’imikindo kandi bifite inkombe ndende ziriho umucanga w’umweru. Amazi y’inyanja arabonerana cyane, ku buryo ushobora kubona ikintu kiri muri metero zisaga 30. Koga hagati y’amabuye ya marijani (récifs coralliens) yo mu mazi afite amabara atandukanye, ugenda unyuranamo n’amafi y’ubwoko busaga ijana y’amabara atandukanye aba ahantu hashyuha, nta ko bisa. Imidugudu yaho ubusanzwe iba ari mito. N’ubwo amazu yaho yoroheje, yubatswe mu buryo butuma ashobora guhangana n’inkubi z’imiyaga ihuha muri ibyo birwa.

ibiti byera imbuto zijya gusa n’imigati hamwe n’ibiti by’imyembe bitanga igicucu n’ibiribwa. Ubuzima bwa buri munsi bwibanda ahanini ku gushaka icyo kurya no guteka. Uretse ingurube, abatuye kuri ibyo birwa bakunda n’umusaruro utubutse uturuka mu nyanja. Amasambu yabo bayahingamo ibinyabijumba n’imboga. Ibiti by’indimu byimeza mu gisambu; hari ibiti byinshi bya coco hamwe n’urutoki rwinshi. Abazi ibyatsi, ibibabi, ibishishwa n’imizi by’imiti basiga babibwiye abana babo.

Birumvikana ariko ko ikintu gishimishije kurusha ibindi byose muri Ha’apai, ari abantu baho barangwa n’urugwiro bibera mu mutuzo wo muri ibyo birwa. Bafite ubuzima bworoheje. Abagore hafi ya bose bakora imyuga itandukanye, nko kuboha ibitebo, imikeka n’amatapi. Abagore bo muri Tonga bakora akazi kabo bicaye munsi y’igiti kibaha igicucu baganira, baririmba kandi baseka; akenshi abana baba bari hafi aho bakina cyangwa baryamye. Ubusanzwe, mu gihe amazi y’inyanja yigiyeyo abagore ni bo bajya gutoragura ubwoko bw’ibinyamushongo barya, hamwe n’ibindi biremwa byo mu nyanja biribwa, n’ibyatsi bimera mu mazi bihunjagurika bakoramo sarade iryoshye cyane.

Abagabo bo hafi ya bose birirwa bahinga, baroba, babaza, bakora amato, basana n’inshundura zo kurobesha. Abagabo, abagore n’abana bagenda mu bwato buto bwo kuroba buba busakaye iyo bagiye gusura bene wabo bo ku bindi birwa, bajya kwivuza se, cgangwa bagiye kugurisha ibyo bafite.

Nta hantu hitaruye cyane ku buryo ubutumwa bwiza butahagera

Abamisiyonari babiri hamwe n’abapayiniya babiri bahageze mu gihe cy’Urwibutso rwo mu mwaka wa 2002 bahasanga iyo mimerere ituje. Mbere y’aho hari abantu babwirizwaga rimwe na rimwe, kandi hari abantu bo muri Ha’apai bari barabonye ibitabo byanditswe n’Abahamya ba Yehova, ndetse hari n’abiganaga Bibiliya n’Abahamya.

Abigisha ba Bibiliya bane bagiye bafite intego eshatu: gutanga ibitabo by’imfashanyigisho bya Bibiliya, gutangiza ibyigisho bya Bibiliya byo mu rugo no gutumirira abantu kuzaza kwizihiza Ifunguro ry’Umwami rya Nimugoroba. Izo ntego uko ari eshatu bazigezeho. Abantu mirongo icyenda na barindwi bitabiriye ubutumire bwo kuza  mu Rwibutso rw’urupfu rwa Yesu. Bamwe muri bo baje mu bwato budasakaye n’ubwo hari imvura nyinshi n’imiyaga ikomeye. Kubera ko ikirere kitari kimeze neza, benshi baraye aho Urwibutso rwabereye, basubira iwabo bukeye bwaho.

Uwatanze disikuru y’Urwibutso byamusabye gushyiraho imihati ikomeye. Umumisiyonari watanze disikuru yagize ati “si ngombwa ko nirirwa mbabwira ukuntu byari bikanganye gutanga disikuru y’Urwibutso mu rurimi rw’amahanga kuri uwo mugoroba. Ushobora kwiyumvisha uko nari mpangayitse. Mbega ukuntu isengesho ryamfashije cyane! Nibutse amagambo n’interuro ntatekerezaga ko nari nzi.”

Kubera ko abo babwirizabutumwa babwirije abantu bo mu birwa bya Ha’apai bari basanzwe baragaragaje ko bashimishijwe, byatumye abagabo babiri n’abagore babo bo muri ako karere babatizwa. Umwe muri abo bagabo yatangiye gushishikazwa n’ibitabo by’Abahamya igihe yari acyigira kuba umupasiteri mu idini ry’iwabo.

N’ubwo uwo mugabo n’umugore we ari abakene, bajyaga batanga amafaranga menshi y’amaturo iyo izina ryabo ryabaga ryatangajwe ku rusengero mu gihe cy’amasengesho yo gukusanya amafaranga buri mwaka. Umuhamya wabasuye mbere yari yarasabye uwo mugabo kurambura muri Bibiliya ye agasoma muri 1 Timoteyo 5:8. Aho ngaho intumwa Pawulo yaranditse ati “niba umuntu adatunga abe cyane cyane abo mu rugo rwe, aba yihakanye ibyizerwa, kandi aba abaye mubi hanyuma y’utizera.” Iryo hame rya Bibiliya ryakoze uwo mugabo ku mutima. Yabonye ko kuba yaratangaga amafaranga menshi idini rye ryamusabaga byatumaga adaha umuryango we ibintu by’ibanze wari ukeneye. Mu masengesho yo mu mwaka wakurikiyeho yo gukusanya amafaranga, n’ubwo yari afite amafaranga mu mufuka ntiyashoboraga kwibagirwa ibyanditswe muri 1 Timoteyo 5:8. Igihe izina rye ryatangazwaga, yagize ubutwari bwo kubwira pasiteri ko ibyo umuryango we ukeneye ari byo bigomba kuza mu mwanya wa mbere. Ibyo byatumye uwo mugabo n’umugore we bandagarizwa imbere y’abantu bose, kandi abakuru b’idini barabatuka biratinda.

Uwo mugabo n’umugore we bamaze kwigana Bibiliya n’Abahamya ba Yehova, babaye ababwiriza b’ubutumwa bwiza. Umugabo agira ati “ukuri kwa Bibiliya kwarampinduye. Singikagatiza umuryango wanjye cyangwa ngo nywugirire urugomo. Sinkinywa ngo ndenze urugero. Abantu bo mu mudugudu w’iwacu bashobora kwibonera ko ukuri kwampinduye. Niringiye ko na bo bazakunda ukuri nk’uko ngukunda.”

Ubwato bwitwa Quest bwakoreshejwe mu gushakisha abantu

Nyuma y’amezi make Urwibutso rwo mu mwaka wa 2002 rubaye, ubundi bwato bwazanye mu birwa byitaruye bya Ha’apai ibintu by’agaciro kenshi cyane. Ubwato bureshya na metero 18 bwitwa Quest bwari buturutse muri Nouvelle-Zélande bwaraje bugera mu birwa bya Tonga. Bwari burimo Gary na Hetty hamwe n’umukobwa wabo Katie. Abavandimwe na bashiki bacu icyenda bakomoka muri Tonga hamwe n’abamisiyonari babiri babaherekeje muri izo ngendo. Abo Bahamya babafashije gutwara ubwato, rimwe na rimwe bakabafasha kunyura mu bibuye byo mu mazi bitari ku ikarita. Izo ntizari ingendo zo kwitemberera gusa. Abari muri ubwo bwato bari bagiye kwigisha ukuri kwa Bibiliya. Babwirije ahantu hanini cyane mu birwa 14. Ubutumwa bwiza bw’Ubwami bwari butarigera bubwirizwa muri bimwe muri ibyo birwa.

Abantu babyitabiriye bate? Muri rusange, abo babwiriza bo mu nyanja bakirijwe umuco w’abatuye ibyo birwa urangwa no kugira amatsiko, urugwiro no kwakira abashyitsi. Abaturage bo muri ibyo birwa bamaze gusobanukirwa impamvu basuwe, bahise bagaragaza ugushimira. Abahamya bari basuye ibyo birwa biboneye ko  abaturage baho bubahaga Ijambo ry’Imana, kandi ko bari bazi ko bakeneye ibintu byo mu buryo bw’umwuka.—Matayo 5:3.

Akenshi wasangaga abo bashyitsi bicaye munsi y’ibiti, bakikijwe n’abantu benshi babaga bafite ibibazo byinshi bishingiye ku Byanditswe. Bumaze kwira, ibiganiro bishingiye kuri Bibiliya byakomereje mu ngo. Abantu bo ku kirwa kimwe babwiye Abahamya bari batashye bati “mwigenda! Ni nde uzadusubiza ibibazo dufite nimugenda?” Umuhamya umwe yagize ati “buri gihe biratugora cyane kugenda tugasiga abo bantu benshi cyane bagereranywa n’intama baba bafite inzara yo kumenya ukuri. Imbuto nyinshi z’ukuri zarabibwe.” Igihe ubwato Quest bwageraga ku kirwa kimwe, Abahamya basanze abantu bose bambaye imyenda y’icyunamo. Umukuru w’uwo mudugudu yari yapfushije umugore. We ubwe yashimiye abavandimwe ko bamuzaniye ubutumwa buhumuriza bwo muri Bibiliya.

Bamwe mu baturage bo kuri ibyo birwa ntibyoroshye kubageraho. Hetty asobanura agira ati “ikirwa kimwe nticyari gifite ahantu umuntu yakomokera, inkombe zacyo zose zari imikingo ireshya na metero cyangwa irenga uvuye ku nyanja. Twashoboraga komoka dukoresheje akato kacu gato k’ibiti. Twabanzaga guhereza imizigo yacu abantu benshi babaga bari ku nkombe biteguye kudufasha. Hanyuma iyo amazi y’inyanja yateruraga ako kato kakaringanira n’umukingo twahitaga dusimbuka mbere y’uko kongera kumanuka.”

Abari mu bwato bose si ko bari intwari zimenyereye kugenda mu nyanja. Nyuma y’ibyumweru bibiri mu mazi, umukuru w’ubwo bwato yanditse asobanura urugendo bari bagiye gukora basubira ku kirwa kinini cya Tongatapu agira ati “ubu tugiye gukora urugendo rw’amasaha 18 mu nyanja. Ntidushobora kuyakora ingunga imwe bitewe n’uko hari abo kugenda mu nyanja byateye uburwayi. Dushimishijwe n’uko tugiye gusubira iwacu, ariko nanone tubabajwe cyane n’abantu bari bamaze kumva ubutumwa bw’Ubwami dusize hano. Ubu tubasigiye Yehova ngo azabiteho akoresheje umwuka we wera n’abamarayika kugira ngo bazabafashe gukura mu buryo bw’umwuka.”

Ibirwa bitanga icyizere

Hashize amezi nk’atandatu uhereye igihe ubwato Quest bwatahiye, abapayiniya ba bwite babiri ari bo Stephen na Malaki boherejwe kubwiriza mu izinga ry’ibirwa bya Ha’apai. Basanzeyo abagabo babiri hamwe n’abagore babo bari baherutse kubatizwa bafatanya kwigisha Bibiliya. Ubu baragirana n’abantu ibiganiro bishyushye bishingiye ku nyigisho z’amadini kandi ababwiriza barakoresha neza Bibiliya.

Ku itariki ya 1 Ukuboza 2003, i Haʹapai hashinzwe itorero, rikaba ari irya gatanu muri Tonga. Mu baza mu materaniro harimo abana benshi. Bitoje gutega amatwi bitonze. Bicara batuje kandi bashishikarira gutanga ibisubizo. Umugenzuzi usura amatorero yavuze ko “kuba bazi ibiri mu Gitabo cy’Amateka ya Bibiliya bigaragaza ko ababyeyi babo bafatana uburemere inshingano yabo yo gucengeza mu bana babo ukuri kwa Bibiliya.” Uko bigaragara, ibyo birwa bitanga icyizere cy’uko umusaruro w’izindi ncuti za Yehova uzakomeza kwiyongera.

Mu myaka isaga 70, ubwo Charles Vete yahinduraga agatabo Où sont les morts? mu rurimi rwe kavukire rw’Igitonga, ntiyari azi urugero imbuto y’Ubwami yari kuzashingamo imizi mu mitima y’abaturage bo mu gihugu cye. Yehova ahereye kuri iyo ntangiriro yoroheje, yakomeje gutanga umugisha muri uwo murimo wo gutangaza ubutumwa bwiza ukomeza kwaguka muri iyo mfuruka y’isi. Muri iki gihe, dushobora kuvugisha ukuri ko Tonga iri mu birwa byo mu nyanja byitaruye, ubu mu buryo bw’ikigereranyo bihindukirira Yehova (Zaburi 97:1; Yesaya 51:5). “Ibirwa birangwa n’urugwiro” ubu birimo incuti nyinshi za Yehova.

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 8]

Charles Vete, 1983

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 9]

Baboha itapi

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 10]

Ubwato “Quest” bwakoreshejwe mu gukwirakwiza ubutumwa bwiza muri Tonga

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 11]

Ikipi y’abahinduzi i Nukuʹalofa

[Aho amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 9 yavuye]

Ababoha itapi: © Jack Fields/CORBIS; amafoto ari ku ipaji ya  8 n’iya 9, n’uburobyi: © Fred J. Eckert