“Iyi ni yo nzira mube ari yo mukomeza”

Inkuru y’ibyabaye kuri Emilia Pederson

Byavuzwe na Ruth E. Pappas

MAMA witwaga Emilia Pederson yavutse mu mwaka wa 1878. Nubwo yari umwarimu, yifuzaga rwose gukoresha ubuzima bwe afasha abantu kwegera Imana. Ikigaragaza ko mama yari afite icyo cyifuzo, ni ivarisi nini yari mu nzu yacu, mu mugi muto wa Jasper wo muri leta ya Minnesota ho muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika. Yari yarayiguze ashaka kuyitwaramo ibintu bye igihe yari kuba agiye mu Bushinwa aho yifuzaga gukorera umurimo w’ubumisiyonari. Ariko igihe nyina yapfaga, byabaye ngombwa ko ahindura iyo gahunda ye maze aguma mu rugo kugira ngo yite kuri barumuna be. Mu mwaka wa 1907, yashyingiranywe na Theodore Holien. Navutse ku itariki ya 2 Ukuboza 1925, nkaba nari umuhererezi mu bana barindwi tuvukana.

Mama yari afite ibibazo bishingiye kuri Bibiliya, kandi yashakaga ibisubizo byabyo abigiranye umwete. Kimwe muri ibyo bibazo cyari gihereranye n’inyigisho y’umuriro w’iteka aho abantu babi bababarizwa. Yabajije umwe mu bakuru b’idini ry’Abaluteriyani wari wabasuye aho yashoboraga kubona imirongo ya Bibiliya ishyigikira iyo nyigisho. Ariko uwo mukuru w’idini yamubwiye ko, uko Bibiliya yaba ibivuga kose, iyo nyigisho y’umuriro w’iteka igomba kwigishwa.

Uko yashize inyota yo mu buryo bw’umwuka

Nyuma gato y’umwaka wa 1900, murumuna wa mama witwa Emma yagiye i Northfield ho muri leta ya Minnesota kwiga ibirebana n’umuzika. Yacumbitse kwa mwarimu we witwaga Milius Christianson wari ufite umugore w’Umwigishwa wa Bibiliya, icyo gihe akaba ari ko Abahamya ba Yehova bitwaga. Emma yamubwiye ko yari afite mukuru we wasomaga Bibiliya ashishikaye. Bidatinze, umugore wa Christianson yandikiye mama ibaruwa yasubizaga ibibazo bishingiye kuri Bibiliya yari afite.

Umunsi umwe, Umwigishwa wa Bibiliya witwa Lora Oathout yavuye mu mugi wa Sioux Falls muri leta ya Dakota y’Amajyepfo, aza muri gari ya moshi aje kubwiriza i Jasper. Mama yize ibitabo by’imfashanyigisho ya Bibiliya yahawe, maze mu mwaka wa 1915, atangira kugeza ukuri kwa Bibiliya ku bandi atanga ibitabo by’imfashanyigisho Lora yamuzaniye.

Mu mwaka wa 1916, mama yamenye ko Charles Taze Russell yari kuba ari mu ikoraniro ryari kubera i Sioux City muri leta ya Iowa. Yifuje kujya muri iryo koraniro. Icyo gihe mama yari afite abana batanu, kandi umuto muri bo witwa Marvin yari amaze amezi atanu gusa avutse. Nyamara, yajyanye abo bana bose bakora urugendo rw’ibirometero 160 bari muri gari ya moshi, bajya i Sioux City muri iryo koraniro. Yumvise disikuru zatanzwe n’Umuvandimwe Russel, areba filimi yerekana iby’irema (“Photo-Drame de la Création”), kandi arabatizwa. Amaze kugaruka mu rugo, yanditse ingingo ivuga ibihereranye n’iryo koraniro, ikaba yarasohotse mu kinyamakuru cyo mu gace k’iwacu (Jasper Journal).

Mu mwaka wa 1922, mama yari umwe mu bantu bagera ku 18.000 bari mu ikoraniro ryabereye i Cedar Point muri leta ya Ohio. Nyuma y’iryo koraniro, ntiyigeze areka kubwiriza Ubwami bw’Imana. Mu by’ukuri, urugero rwe rwaduteye inkunga yo  kumvira inama igira iti “iyi ni yo nzira mube ari yo mukomeza.”—Yes 30:21.

Umurimo wo kubwiriza iby’Ubwami wera imbuto

Mu ntangiriro y’imyaka ya za 20, ababyeyi banjye bavuye i Jasper bajya gutura mu kandi gace ko hafi aho. Papa yari afite ubucuruzi bwamuzaniraga inyungu nyinshi, kandi yari afite umuryango munini yagombaga kwitaho. Ntiyize Bibiliya cyane nk’uko mama yabigenje, ariko yashyigikiraga umurimo wo kubwiriza abivanye ku mutima, kandi agacumbikira abagenzuzi basura amatorero. Incuro nyinshi, iyo umwe muri abo bagenzuzi basura amatorero yabaga atanga disikuru mu materaniro yaberaga iwacu, abantu babarirwa mu ijana cyangwa barenga barateranaga. Babaga buzuye mu cyumba cy’uruganiriro, mu cyo kuriramo n’icyo kuraramo.

Igihe nari mfite imyaka igera kuri irindwi, murumuna wa mama witwa Lettie yaraterefonnye maze avuga ko abaturanyi be, ari bo Ed Larson n’umugore we, bifuzaga kwiga Bibiliya. Bahise bemera ukuri kwa Bibiliya, kandi nyuma yaho batumira undi muturanyi wabo witwaga Martha Van Daalen, umubyeyi wari ufite abana umunani, kugira ngo ajye yifatanya muri icyo cyigisho cya Bibiliya. Martha n’umuryango we wose na bo babaye Abigishwa ba Bibiliya. *

Muri icyo gihe, umusore witwa Gordon Kammerud wari utuye mu birometero bike uvuye iwacu, yatangiye gukorana na papa. Gordon yari yarahawe umuburo ugira uti “uzirinde abakobwa ba shobuja! Bari mu idini ry’inzaduka!” Ariko kandi, Gordon yatangiye kwiga Bibiliya kandi ntiyatinze kwemera adashidikanya ko yari yabonye ukuri. Yabatijwe nyuma y’amezi atatu. Ababyeyi be na bo baje kwizera, kandi imiryango yacu, ni ukuvuga uwa Holien, uwa Kammerud n’uwa Van Daalen, yagiranye ubucuti.

Amakoraniro yaduteye inkunga

Mama yatewe inkunga cyane n’ikoraniro ryabereye i Cedar Point, ku buryo atigeze yifuza na rimwe ko hagira irindi koraniro rimucika. Ku bw’ibyo, ndibuka ko nkiri muto twakoraga ingendo ndende kugira ngo twifatanye muri ayo makoraniro. Rimwe muri ayo ni iryabereye mu mugi wa Columbus wo muri leta ya Ohio, mu mwaka wa 1931. Iryo koraniro ryari rishishikaje cyane, kubera ko icyo gihe ari bwo twafashe izina ry’Abahamya ba Yehova (Yes 43:10-12). Nanone kandi, ndacyibuka neza ikoraniro ryabereye i Washington, D.C. mu mwaka wa 1935, ahatangiwe disikuru itazibagirana mu mateka, yasobanuraga “imbaga y’abantu benshi” ivugwa mu Byahishuwe (Ibyah 7:9). Bakuru banjye Lilian na Eunice bari mu bantu barenga 800 babatirijwe muri iryo koraniro.

Abagize umuryango wacu bagiye mu ikoraniro ryabereye i Columbus muri leta ya Ohio mu mwaka wa 1937, iryabereye i Seattle muri leta ya Washington mu mwaka 1938, n’iryabereye i New York City mu mwaka wa 1939. Twajyanye n’umuryango wa Van Daalen n’uwa Kammerud ndetse n’abandi, kandi twagendaga dukambika mu nzira. Mu mwaka wa 1940, Eunice yashyingiranywe na Leo Van Daalen maze baba abapayiniya. Muri uwo mwaka,  Lilian yashyingiranywe na Gordon Kammerud maze na bo baba abapayiniya.

Ikoraniro ryabereye i St. Louis muri leta ya Missouri mu mwaka wa 1941, ryo ryari ryihariye. Muri iryo koraniro, abakiri bato babarirwa mu bihumbi bahawe igitabo cyari kigenewe abana (Children). Iryo koraniro ryahinduye ibintu byinshi mu mibereho yanjye. Nyuma yaryo gato, ku itariki ya 1 Nzeri 1941, jye na musaza wanjye Marvin n’umugore we Joyce, twabaye abapayiniya. Icyo gihe nari mfite imyaka 15.

Mu gace k’ubuhinzi twari dutuyemo, ntibyoroheraga abavandimwe kujya mu makoraniro, kubera ko akenshi yabaga mu gihe cy’isarura. Ku bw’ibyo, nyuma y’amakoraniro twahuriraga hamwe inyuma y’inzu yacu, maze tugasubiramo ibyo twumvise kugira ngo abatarashoboye kujyayo bungukirwe. Ayo materaniro yaradushimishaga cyane.

Twiga Ishuri rya Galeedi maze tukoherezwa gukorera umurimo mu mahanga

Muri Gashyantare 1943, hashyizweho Ishuri rya Galeedi kugira ngo rijye ritoza abapayiniya gukora umurimo w’ubumisiyonari. Ishuri rya mbere ryari ririmo abantu batandatu bo mu muryango wa Van Daalen, ari bo: Emil, Arthur, Homer na Leo bavaga inda imwe, mubyara wabo Donald na mukuru wanjye Eunice wari umugore wa Leo. Twasezeranyeho dufite ibyishimo bivanze n’akababaro kuko tutari tuzi igihe twari kuzongera kubonanira. Bamaze guhabwa impamyabumenyi, bose uko ari batandatu boherejwe muri Porto Rico, icyo gihe hakaba hari Abahamya batageze kuri cumi na babiri.

Mu mwaka wakurikiyeho, Lilian na Gordon ndetse na Marvin na Joyce, bize ishuri rya gatatu rya Galeedi. Na bo boherejwe muri Porto Rico. Hanyuma muri Nzeri 1944, nanjye nize ishuri rya kane rya Galeedi, mfite imyaka 18. Maze kubona impamyabumenyi muri Gashyantare 1945, nanjye nasanze abo tuvukana muri Porto Rico. Mbega ukuntu nari ngiye kwinjira mu buzima bushya! Nubwo kwiga Icyesipanyoli bitari byoroshye, bidatinze bamwe muri twe batangiye kuyobora ibyigisho bya Bibiliya birenze 20. Yehova yaduhaye umugisha muri uwo murimo twakoraga. Ubu muri Porto Rico hari Abahamya bagera ku 25.000!

Umuryango wacu ugerwaho n’ibyago

Leo na Eunice bagumye muri Porto Rico nyuma y’uko umuhungu wabo Mark avutse mu mwaka wa 1950. Mu mwaka wa 1952, bateguye gahunda yo kujya mu kiruhuko iwabo gusura bene wabo. Ku itariki ya 11 Mata, bafashe indege. Ikibabaje ni uko iyo ndege yagize impanuka ikagwa mu nyanja nyuma gato yo gufata ikirere, maze Leo na Eunice bagahita bapfa! Abatabazi basanze Mark wari ufite imyaka ibiri mu kato k’ubutabazi areremba hejuru y’amazi. Umuntu wari warokotse ni we wari wamushyize muri ako kato. Bamwongereye umwuka maze akomeza kubaho. *

Imyaka itanu nyuma yaho, ni ukuvuga ku itariki ya 7 Werurwe 1957, mama na papa bari bari mu modoka berekeza ku Nzu y’Ubwami maze ipine y’imodoka iratoboka. Igihe papa yarimo ahindura iyo pine yari iri mu ruhande rw’umuhanda, indi modoka yaraje iramugonga ahita apfa. Abantu bagera kuri 600 bifatanyije kuri disikuru y’ihamba, maze ibyo bibera ikibwiriza cyiza abantu bo mu gace twari dutuyemo, aho papa yubahwaga cyane.

Noherezwa gukorera ahandi hantu

Mbere gato y’uko papa apfa, nari namenyeshejwe ko nari kuzakorera muri Arijantina. Muri Kanama 1957, nageze mu mugi wa Mendoza uri munsi y’imisozi ya Andes. Mu mwaka wa 1958, George Pappas wari warabonye impamyabumenyi mu ishuri rya 30 rya Galeedi yoherejwe muri Arijantina. Jye na George twarakundanye, maze muri Mata 1960 turashyingiranwa. Mama yapfuye mu mwaka wa 1961 afite imyaka 83. Yagendeye mu  nzira y’ukuri ari uwizerwa, kandi yafashije abantu benshi cyane kubigenza batyo.

Jye na George twakoranye n’abandi bamisiyonari mu turere dutandukanye mu gihe cy’imyaka icumi. Hanyuma twamaze imyaka irindwi dukora umurimo wo gusura amatorero. Mu mwaka wa 1975, twasubiye muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika kugira ngo twite ku bari bagize umuryango bari barwaye. Mu mwaka wa 1980, umugabo wanjye yahawe inshingano yo gusura amatorero avuga ururimi rw’Icyesipanyoli. Icyo gihe, muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika hari amatorero akoresha ururimi rw’Icyesipanyoli agera kuri 600. Mu gihe cy’imyaka irenga 26, twasuye amenshi muri yo kandi twiboneye umubare wayo wiyongera ukarenga 3.000.

Bagendeye mu “nzira”

Nanone kandi, mama yishimiye kubona abakiri bato bo mu muryango we bajya mu murimo w’igihe cyose. Urugero, Carol umukobwa wa mukuru wacu Ester, yatangiye umurimo w’ubupayiniya mu mwaka wa 1953. Yashyingiranywe na Dennis Trumbore, kandi kuva icyo gihe bakoze umurimo w’igihe cyose bari kumwe. Undi mukobwa wa Ester witwa Lois yashyingiranywe na Wendell Jensen. Bize ishuri rya 41 rya Galeedi maze bamara muri Nijeriya imyaka 15 ari abamisiyonari. Mark, wa wundi wapfushije ababyeyi be mu mpanuka y’indege, yarezwe na mushiki wa Leo witwa Ruth La Londe hamwe n’umugabo we Curtiss. Mark n’umugore we Lavonne bakoze ubupayiniya mu gihe cy’imyaka myinshi kandi barerera abana babo bane mu “nzira.”—Yes 30:21.

Ubu musaza wanjye Orlen, ari na we wenyine ukiriho mu bo tuvukana, afite imyaka irenga 90. Aracyakorera Yehova ari uwizerwa. Jye na George turacyakora umurimo w’igihe cyose twishimye.

Ikintu mama yasize

Kimwe mu bintu bya mama by’agaciro kenshi mfite ubu, ni ameza afite ububiko. Ayo meza ni ayo papa yari yaramuhayeho impano ku munsi w’ubukwe bwabo. Mu bubiko bw’ayo meza, harimo amabaruwa n’ingingo yandikaga akazohereza mu kinyamakuru kugira ngo zisohokemo, kandi zatanze ubuhamya bwiza ku bihereranye n’Ubwami. Zimwe muri izo nyandiko ni izo mu ntangiriro y’imyaka ya 1900. Nanone kandi, ayo meza arimo amabaruwa yakundaga cyane yandikiwe n’abana be b’abamisiyonari. Nshimishwa cyane no gusoma ayo mabaruwa buri gihe. Amabaruwa na we yatwandikiraga yabaga atera inkunga, kandi arimo ibitekerezo birangwa n’icyizere. Mama yifuzaga kuba umumisiyonari. Ariko nubwo atabigezeho, yari afite ishyaka ry’ubumisiyonari ryatumye abamukomotseho bakora uwo murimo. Mbega ukuntu ntegerezanyije amatsiko kuzongera kubona twese abagize umuryango twongera guhurira muri paradizo, turi kumwe na mama na papa!—Ibyah 21:3, 4.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 17]

Emilia Pederson

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Mu mwaka wa 1916: mama, papa (afashe Marvin); hasi uva ibumoso ugana iburyo: Orlen, Ester, Lilian na Mildred

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Leo na Eunice, mbere gato y’uko bapfa

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Mu mwaka wa 1950: uva ibumoso ugana iburyo, hejuru: Ester, Mildred, Lilian, Eunice na Ruth; hasi: Orlen, mama, papa na Marvin

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George Pappas n’umugore we Ruth mu murimo wo gusura amatorero, mu mwaka wa 2001