Inkuru ivuga ibyabaye mu mibereho

Nafashijwe n’ubudahemuka bw’abagize umuryango wanjye

BYAVUZWE NA KATHLEEN COOKE

MU MWAKA wa 1911, igihe nyogokuru witwaga Mary Ellen Thompson yasuraga bene wabo i Glasgow muri Ecosse, yagiye kumva disikuru yatanzwe na Charles Taze Russell, umwe mu Bigishwa ba Bibiliya b’imena, nyuma baje kwitwa Abahamya ba Yehova. Nyogokuru yashimishijwe cyane n’ibyo yumvise. Agarutse muri Afurika y’Epfo, yashatse Abigishwa ba Bibiliya baho. Muri Mata 1914, yari umwe mu bantu 16 babatirijwe mu ikoraniro rya mbere ry’Abigishwa ba Bibiliya ryabereye muri Afurika y’Epfo. Umwana wa nyogokuru w’umukobwa witwaga Edith, ari we waje kuba mama, yari afite imyaka itandatu.

Umuvandimwe Russell amaze gupfa mu mwaka wa 1916, Abigishwa ba Bibiliya bo hirya no hino ku isi biciyemo ibice. Umubare w’abigishwa b’indahemuka bari mu mujyi wa Durban wavuye kuri 60 ugera kuri 12. Nyogokuru witwaga Ingeborg Myrdal n’umuhungu we Henry, umusore w’ingimbi wari uherutse kubatizwa, bagiye mu ruhande rw’ababaye indahemuka. Mu mwaka wa 1924, Henry yabaye umwe mu bantu bagendaga bagurisha ibitabo bishingiye ku idini bitwaga aba colporteurs, uko akaba ari ko ababwiriza b’igihe cyose b’Abahamya ba Yehova bitwaga icyo gihe. Mu myaka itanu yakurikiyeho, yabwirije mu turere twinshi two muri Afurika y’amajyepfo. Mu mwaka wa 1930, Henry na Edith barashyingiranywe maze nyuma y’imyaka itatu mba ndavutse.

Umuryango wacu waguka

Twamaze igihe gito muri Mozambike, ariko mu wa 1939 twimukiye i Johannesburg, kwa nyogokuru na sogokuru babyara mama. Sogokuru ntiyashimishwaga  n’ukuri kwa Bibiliya kandi rimwe na rimwe yajyaga arwanya nyogokuru, ariko nanone yagiraga urugwiro cyane. Murumuna wanjye witwa Thelma yavutse mu wa 1940 kandi twembi twatojwe kwita ku byo abageze mu za bukuru baba bakeneye. Incuro nyinshi, twamaraga igihe kinini ku meza tumaze kurya ku mugoroba, tukaganira ibyo twahuye na byo muri uwo munsi cyangwa tukibukiranya ibya kera.

Umuryango wacu wishimiraga Abahamya bazaga kudusura, cyane cyane abari mu murimo w’igihe cyose. Mu gihe cy’amafunguro yo ku mugoroba, na bo batubwiraga ibyo babaga bakoze muri uwo munsi kandi ibiganiro byabo byatumye turushaho kwishimira umurage wo mu buryo bw’umwuka twari dufite. Byatumye jye na Thelma turushaho kwifuza kuba abapayiniya nka bo.

Kuva tukiri bato, ababyeyi bacu badutoje kwishimira gusoma. Mama, papa ndetse na nyogokuru bose basimburanaga mu kudusomera inkuru zishimishije zo mu bitabo cyangwa zo muri Bibiliya. Amateraniro ya gikristo ndetse n’umurimo wo kubwiriza byari mu bigize ubuzima bwacu, mbese nk’uko umuntu aba agomba guhumeka. Papa yari umukozi w’itsinda (ubu witwa umugenzuzi uhagarariye) mu itorero ry’i Johannesburg kandi ibyo byatumaga twese tugera ku materaniro hakiri kare. Iyo habaga ikoraniro, papa yabaga ahugiye mu gufasha mu mirimo yo kuyobora ikoraniro, mu gihe mama yabaga afasha abashyitsi kubona amacumbi.

Ikoraniro ryatugiriye akamaro cyane

Ikoraniro ryabaye mu mwaka wa 1948 i Johannesburg ryari ridasanzwe. Ku ncuro ya mbere, haje abashyitsi bari baturutse ku cyicaro gikuru cy’Abahamya ba Yehova kiri i Brooklyn, muri Leta ya New York. Papa yahawe inshingano yo gutwara mu modoka ye Nathan Knorr na Milton Henschel mu gihe cyose bahamaze. Muri iryo koraniro ni bwo nabatijwe.

Nyuma yaho gato, papa yaratangaye yumvise se amubwiye ko yababajwe cyane no kuba nyuma y’urupfu rw’umuvandimwe Russell, yaremeye gushukwa n’abantu baretse kwifatanya n’Abigishwa ba Bibiliya. Amezi make nyuma yaho se yarapfuye. Nyogokuru Myrdal we yakomeje kuba indahemuka kugeza aho arangirije isiganwa rye ryo ku isi mu mwaka wa 1955.

Ibintu byabaye byahinduye ubuzima bwanjye

Natangiye umurimo w’ubupayiniya bw’igihe cyose ku ya 1 Gashyantare 1949. Nyuma y’igihe gito, narushijeho kwishima ubwo badutangarizaga ko hari ikoraniro mpuzamahanga ryagombaga kuzabera mu mujyi wa New York, mu mwaka wari gukurikiraho. Twifuzaga kujyayo ariko nta bushobozi twari dufite. Muri Gashyantare 1950, sogokuru Thompson yarapfuye maze nyogokuru akoresha amafaranga yari yaramusigiye aturihira itike twese uko twari batanu.

Habura ibyumweru bike ngo tugende, haje ibaruwa iturutse ku cyicaro gikuru cy’Abahamya ba Yehova i New York. Yari ibaruwa yantumiraga kujya kwiga mu ishuri rya 16 ry’abamisiyonari ry’i Galeedi. Byari ibintu bishimishije cyane kubera  ko nari ntaruzuza imyaka 17. Ishuri rimaze gutangira, nabaye umwe mu banyeshuri 10 bari bavuye muri Afurika y’Epfo bagize igikundiro kitagereranywa cyo kuryiga.

Tumaze guhabwa impamyabumenyi muri Gashyantare 1951, abanyeshuri umunani muri twe twasubiye muri Afurika y’Epfo aba ari ho tujya gukorera umurimo w’ubumisiyonari. Mu myaka mike yakurikiyeho, jye n’uwo twabanaga ahanini twabwirizaga cyane cyane mu mijyi mito yavugwamo ururimi rwa Afrikaans. Mu mizo ya mbere, sinari menyereye kuvuga urwo rurimi kandi ndibuka ukuntu umunsi umwe, nagiye ku igare ngasubira mu rugo ndira kubera ko nabonaga nta cyo ngeraho mu murimo wo kubwiriza. Icyakora, nyuma y’igihe naramenyereye kandi Yehova yahaye imigisha imihati nashyizeho.

Ishyingiranwa n’umurimo wo gusura amatorero

Mu mwaka wa 1955, natangiye kugirana ubucuti na John Cooke. Yari yarafashije mu gutangiza umurimo mu Bufaransa, muri Porutugali no muri Hisipaniya mbere na nyuma y’Intambara ya Kabiri y’Isi Yose. Muri uwo mwaka twahuyemo, yari umumisiyonari muri Afurika. Nyuma yaje kwandika ati “mu cyumweru kimwe nabonye ibintu bitatu byantunguye . . . Umuvandimwe ugira ubuntu cyane yampaye akamodoka, nagizwe umugenzuzi w’intara kandi nabonye umuntu nkunda.” * Twashyingiranywe mu Kuboza 1957.

Igihe twarambagizanyaga, John yanyijeje ko kubana na we bizahora ari ibintu bishimishije kandi koko ibyo yambwiraga byari ukuri. Twasuye amatorero yo hirya no hino muri Afurika y’Epfo, cyane cyane ayo mu turere dutuwe n’abirabura. Buri cyumweru, twabaga duhanganye n’ikibazo cyo kubona uruhushya rwo kwinjira muri utwo turere; ibyo kurarayo byo ntitwirirwaga tunabitekereza. Rimwe na rimwe, twararaga ku isima mu nzu yahoze ari iduka, yari yegeranye n’agace kari gatuwe n’abazungu, tugakora uko dushoboye ngo hatagira utubona. Ubusanzwe twagombaga gucumbika mu Bahamya b’abazungu bari batuye hafi hashoboka, kandi babaga mu birometero byinshi uvuye aho abirabura babaga batuye.

 Nanone twari dufite ikibazo cyo guteranira amakoraniro mu mazu aciriritse yari yubatse mu gisambu. Twerekanaga filimi zakozwe n’Abahamya ba Yehova kandi zafashaga abantu gusobanukirwa umuryango wacu w’abavandimwe ku isi hose. Twijyaniraga imashini itanga umuriro w’amashanyarazi kubera ko muri utwo turere nta mashanyarazi yari ahari. Nanone twahuraga n’ingorane mu turere twagenzurwaga n’u Bwongereza, aho ibitabo byacu byari bibuzanyijwe. Twari dufite n’ingorane yo kwiga ururimi rw’Ikizulu. Ariko kandi, twashimishwaga no kuba twarashoboraga gufasha abavandimwe.

Muri Kanama 1961, John yabaye umwarimu wa mbere wigishije Ishuri ry’Umurimo w’Ubwami ryamaraga ibyumweru bine, ryari rigenewe gufasha abagenzuzi mu matorero. Yari afite ubuhanga bwo kwigisha no kugera abantu ku mutima akoresheje ibitekerezo birimo ubwenge kandi byoroheje n’ingero zifatika. Twamaze hafi umwaka n’igice tuva mu karere tujya mu kandi ahaberaga ishuri ry’abakoresha ururimi rw’Icyongereza. Mu gihe John yabaga yigisha, nabwirizanyaga n’Abahamya bo mu karere twabaga tugezemo. Mu buryo butunguranye, twabonye ibaruwa yadutumiraga kujya gukora ku biro by’ishami byo muri Afurika y’Epfo byari hafi y’i Johannesburg, guhera ku itariki ya 1 Nyakanga 1964.

Icyakora muri icyo gihe, ubuzima bwa John bwari bwaratangiye kudushobera. Mu wa 1948, yarwaye igituntu kandi nyuma yaho, incuro nyinshi yajyaga agira imbaraga nke cyane. Yagaragazaga ibimenyetso nk’iby’ibicurane kandi yamaze iminsi arwaye. Nta kintu na kimwe yashoboraga gukora kandi ntiyabonanaga n’abantu. Umuganga wamusuzumye mbere gato y’uko duhamagarirwa kujya ku biro by’ishami, yavuze ko John yari afite ibibazo by’ihungabana.

Twumvaga tudashobora kugabanya ibyo twakoraga mu murimo nk’uko muganga yari yabitugiriyemo inama. Tugeze ku biro by’ishami, John yashyizwe mu rwego rushinzwe umurimo naho jye njya gukora umurimo wo kunonosora imyandiko. Twishimiye cyane kuba twari dufite icyumba cyacu twihariye. Mbere y’uko dushyingiranwa, John yabwirizaga mu mafasi avugwamo Igiporutugali. Ni yo mpamvu mu wa 1967, twasabwe kujya gufasha umuryango w’Abahamya bavugaga Igiporutugali kubwiriza mu ifasi nini yari irimo abantu bakoreshaga urwo rurimi i Johannesburg no mu nkengero zaho. Ibyo byansabaga kwiga urundi rurimi.

Kubera ko abantu bavuga Igiporutugali bari batuye batatanye cyane, byadusabaga gukora ingendo nyinshi. Rimwe na rimwe twagendaga ibirometero birenga 300 kugira ngo tugere ku bantu bakwiriye. Icyo gihe ni bwo Abahamya bo muri Mozambike bavuga Igiporutugali batangiye kujya baza kudusura mu gihe cy’amakoraniro, kandi ibyo byafashaga abashya cyane. Mu myaka 11 twamaze tubwiriza mu ifasi ikoresha Igiporutugali, twiboneye ukuntu itsinda ryacu rito ry’abantu nka 30 ryiyongereye rikabyara amatorero ane.

Haba ihinduka mu muryango

Hagati aho, hari ihinduka ryabaye mu muryango wacu. Mu mwaka wa 1960, murumuna wanjye witwa Thelma yashyingiranywe na John Urban, umupayiniya wari waraturutse muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika. Mu wa 1965, bagiye kwiga mu ishuri rya 40 rya Galeedi kandi bakoze umurimo w’ubumisiyonari mu budahemuka muri Brezili mu gihe cy’imyaka 25. Mu wa 1990, basubiye muri leta ya Ohio ho muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika kwita ku babyeyi ba John bari barwaye. Nubwo bahura n’ingorane ziterwa no kwita ku babyeyi barwaye, bakomeje gukora umurimo w’igihe cyose kugeza n’ubu.

Nyogokuru yarangije isiganwa rye ryo ku isi mu mwaka wa 1965; yakomeje kuba indahemuka ku Mana nubwo yari afite imyaka 98. Uwo mwaka ni bwo papa yahagaritse akazi afata ikiruhuko cy’iza bukuru. Bityo, igihe jye na John twasabwaga kujya gufasha mu ifasi yo hafi aho yavugagwamo Igiporutugali, papa na mama bemeye ko tujyana. Batumye itsinda ryacu rishinga imizi kandi nyuma y’amezi make, havutse itorero rya mbere. Nyuma yaho gato, mama yafashwe na kanseri, iza no kumwica mu wa 1971. Papa yapfuye nyuma hashize imyaka irindwi.

Nahanganye n’uburwayi bwa John

Mu myaka ya za 70, byaragaragaraga ko ubuzima bwa John bwagendaga burushaho kumera nabi. Buhoro buhoro, byabaye ngombwa ko areka zimwe mu nshingano yakundaga zo kuri Beteli, nko kuyoborera abagize umuryango wa Beteli  icyigisho cy’Umunara w’Umurinzi kiba buri cyumweru ndetse n’isomo ry’umunsi. Yagiye ahindurirwa imirimo ava mu Biro Bishinzwe Umurimo ajya mu Biro Byakira Amabaruwa, nyuma aza kujya gukora mu busitani.

Ishyaka John yagiraga ryatumaga bitamworohera kugira icyo ahindura. Iyo nageragezaga kumubwira ngo ajye aruhuka, yambwiraga ko mba muca intege, ariko akabivuga mu by’ukuri adakomeje ndetse agahita ampobera angaragariza urukundo. Amaherezo twaje kubona ko ibyiza ari uko twava mu itorero ryakoreshaga Igiporutugali tukajya mu itorero ryateraniraga ku Nzu y’Ubwami yari ku biro by’ishami.

John yagendaga arushaho kuremba ariko nashimishwaga cyane no kubona ukuntu yari afitanye na Yehova imishyikirano ya bugufi. Iyo John yicuraga nijoro mu gicuku, indwara ye imurebeje, twaraganiraga kugeza ubwo atuje bihagije ku buryo asenga Yehova amusaba kumufasha. Amaherezo, yaje kumenya guhangana n’ibyo bihe bigoye ari wenyine, akihatira gusubiramo yitonze amagambo yo mu Bafilipi 4:6, 7 agira ati “ntimukagire icyo mwiganyira . . . ” Ibyo byatumaga atuza bihagije maze agatangira gusenga. Incuro nyinshi nabaga ndi maso, nkitegereza ncecetse ukuntu iminwa ye yabaga inyeganyega mu mwanya munini yamaraga yinginga Yehova.

Kubera ko amazu y’ibiro by’ishami yari amaze kutubana mato, hatangiye kubakwa ibiro bishya by’ishami binini kurushaho, hanze y’umujyi wa Johannesburg. Incuro nyinshi, jye na John twajyaga gutemberera kuri icyo kibanza cyari ahantu hatuje hitaruye urusaku rwo mu mujyi n’imyuka yaho ihumanya. Igihe njye na John twemererwaga kujya kuba mu mazu y’agateganyo ku biro by’ishami bishya kugeza igihe byuzuriye, byaramufashije cyane.

Izindi ngorane nahuye na zo

Uko ubushobozi bwa John bwo gutekereza no kwiyumvisha ibintu bwagendaga burushaho kwangirika, gusohoza inshingano yari afite byarushijeho kumugora. Nakozwe ku mutima n’ukuntu abandi bashyigikiraga John mu mihati yashyiragaho. Urugero, hari umuvandimwe wajyaga mu nzu y’isomero gukora ubushakashatsi akajyana na. Umunsi John yabaga yatembereye, yabaga yujuje inkuru z’ubwami n’amagazeti mu mifuka y’imyenda ye. Ibyo byamufashaga gukomeza kumva ko hari icyo ashoboye gukora kandi ko afite agaciro.

Nyuma yaho haje kuziramo indwara ya Alzheimer ifata ubwonko, ku buryo atari agishobora gusoma. Twishimiraga kuba hariho za kaseti zishingiye kuri Bibiliya ndetse n’indirimbo z’Ubwami. Twarazumvaga tukongera tukazisubiramo. Iyo ntazaga ngo nicarane na we, yarahangayikaga cyane. Ibyo byatumye nshaka icyo najya nkora muri ayo masaha menshi twamaranaga, nkajya mboha imipira n’ibyo kwiyorosa!

Haciye iminsi, John yarushijeho kuremba ku buryo kumwitaho byasabaga umuntu ubishoboye kundusha. Nubwo incuro nyinshi nabaga naniwe ku buryo ntabashaga gusoma cyangwa kwiyigisha, numvaga ari igikundiro gukomeza kumwitaho kugeza ku iherezo. Iryo herezo ryageze mu wa 1998 ubwo John yangwaga mu maboko, amaze igihe gito yujuje imyaka 85. Yakomeje kuba indahemuka kugeza apfuye. Ntegerezanyije amatsiko menshi kuzamubona azutse, afite amagara mazima kandi ubwenge bwe bukora neza!

Nongeye kugarura ubuyanja

John amaze gupfa, ntibyari binyoroheye kuba jyenyine. Ni yo mpamvu muri Gicurasi 1999, nasuye murumuna wajye Thelma hamwe n’umugabo we muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika. Guhura n’abavandimwe benshi b’indahemuka kandi b’incuti byaranshimishije kandi bingarurira ubuyanja, cyane cyane igihe nasuraga icyicaro gikuru cy’Abahamya ba Yehova kiri i New York! Mu by’ukuri iyo ni yo nkunga yo mu buryo bw’umwuka nari nkeneye.

Iyo ntekereje imibereho y’abantu banjye nakundaga binyibutsa ibintu byinshi cyane byangiriye akamaro. Inama bangiriye, urugero bansigiye n’uburyo bamfashije, byanyigishije kwaguka mu buryo ngaragariza urukundo abantu bo mu bindi bihugu no mu yandi moko. Nitoje gutegereza, kwihangana no guhuza n’imimerere. Ikirenze ibyo byose, niboneye ineza ya Yehova, we wumva ibyo asabwa. Mfite ibyiyumvo nk’iby’umwanditsi wa zaburi wanditse ati “hahirwa umuntu utoranya ukamwiyegereza, kugira ngo agume mu bikari byawe. Tuzahazwa n’ibyiza byo mu nzu yawe.”—Zaburi 65:5.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 8]

Nyogokuru n’abakobwa be

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 9]

Ndi kumwe n’ababyeyi banjye igihe nabatizwaga mu mwaka wa 1948

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 10]

Ndi kumwe na Albert Schroeder, umwanditsi w’ishuri rya Galeedi hamwe n’abandi banyeshuri icyenda bari baturutse muri Afurika y’Epfo

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 10]

Ndi kumwe na John mu wa 1984