“URI baba vane utsinye chaizvo,” akadaro mupurisa weKGB. * “Wakasiya mudzimai wako ane pamuviri uye mwanasikana wako. Ndiani achavariritira? Ramba chitendero chako udzokere kumba!” Ndakapindura kuti: “Aiwa, handina kusiya mhuri yangu. Imi ndimi makandisunga! Makandisungirei?” Mupurisa wacho akati: “Dzimwe mhosva dzese dziri nani pane kuva Chapupu.”

Izvi zvakaitika muna 1959 mune rimwe jeri muguta reIrkutsk muRussia. Regai nditaure kuti nei ini nemudzimai wangu Maria tainge takagadzirira ‘kutamburira kururama’ uye kuti takakomborerwa sei patakaramba takatendeka.—1 Pet. 3:13, 14.

Ndakaberekerwa muUkraine muna 1933 mumusha unonzi Zolotniki. Muna 1937 mainini vangu nemurume wavo, avo vaiva Zvapupu, vakatishanyira vachibva kuFrance uye vakatisiyira bhuku raGovernment neraDeliverance, ayo akabudiswa neWatch Tower Society. Baba vangu pavakaaverenga, kutenda kwavo muna Mwari kwakamutsidzirwa. Zvinosuwisa kuti muna 1939 vakarwara chaizvo, asi vasati vashaya vakaudza amai vangu kuti: “Ichi ndicho chokwadi. Dzidzisa vana vedu chokwadi ichi.”

Muna April 1951, hurumende yakatanga kubvisa Zvapupu kumavirira kweUSSR ichizviendesa kuSiberia. Ini naamai vangu nemunin’ina wangu Grigory takadzingwa muWest Ukraine. Pashure pekunge tafamba makiromita 6 000 nechitima, takasvika muguta reTulun muSiberia. Papera mavhiki maviri, mukoma wangu anonzi Bogdan, akasvika mumusasa waiva muguta raiva pedyo rinonzi Angarsk. Akanga atongerwa kugara mujeri kwemakore 25 achishanda zvakaoma.

Ini, amai vangu naGrigory taiparidzira munharaunda dzakapoteredza guta reTulun, asi taifanira kutsvaga nzira dzekuparidza nadzo dzaisazotibatisa. Semuenzaniso, taibvunza kuti, “Pane ari kutengesawo mombe here?” Pataiwana munhu aitengesa mombe, taibva tamuudza nezvekushamisa kwemasikirwo akaitwa mombe. Pasina nguva tainge tava kutotaura nezveMusiki. Panguva iyoyo, rimwe bepanhau rakanyora nezveZvapupu richiti zvinobvunza nezvemombe, asi isusu taiziva kuti taitsvaga makwai! Uye takatowana vanhu vakaita semakwai. Zvaifadza chaizvo kudzidza Bhaibheri nevanhu vaizvininipisa uye vaigamuchira vaeni zvakanaka mundima iyoyo yakanga isina ungano. Iye zvino, muTulun mune ungano ine vaparidzi vanopfuura 100.

Mudzimai wangu Maria akadzidza chokwadi ari muUkraine pairwiwa Hondo Yenyika II. Paaiva nemakore 18, mumwe mupurisa weKGB akatanga  kumunetsa uye akaedza kumumanikidza kuti aite ufeve naye, asi Maria akatsika madziro. Rimwe zuva paakadzoka kumba, akawana murume wacho akazvambarara pamubhedha wake. Maria akabva atiza. Agumbuka nazvo, mupurisa wacho akamutyisidzira achiti aizoita kuti avharirwe mujeri nekuti aiva Chapupu, uye ndizvo zvakazoitika. Muna 1952, Maria akatongerwa kugara mujeri kwemakore 10. Akanzwa saJosefa, uyo akaiswa mujeri nemhaka yekuti akaramba akavimbika. (Gen. 39:12, 20) Mutyairi akatakura Maria kubva kudare achienda naye kujeri akamuudza kuti: “Usatya. Vanhu vakawanda vanoiswa mujeri, asi vanodzoka vachiine chiremerera.” Mashoko iwayo akamusimbisa.

Kubva muna 1952 kusvika muna 1956, Maria akaendeswa kunoshanda zvakaoma mumusasa waiva pedyo neguta reGorkiy (rava kunzi Nizhniy Novgorod) muRussia. Akanzi aite basa rekugobora miti, kunyange pakwaitonhora zvakanyanyisa. Utano hwake hwakakanganisika, asi muna 1956 akasunungurwa achibva ananga kuTulun.

Imwe hama yaiva muTulun payakandiudza kuti pane hanzvadzi yakanga ichiuya, ndakaenda nebhasikoro rangu kuchiteshi chemabhazi kuti ndinotambira hanzvadzi yacho ndoitakurira zvinhu zvayo. Pandakaona Maria, ndakabva ndangomufarira. Ndakamira-mira chaizvo kuti andide. Takachata muna 1957. Papera gore, takava nemwanasikana anonzi Irina, asi mufaro wekuva pamwe naye wakadimburirwa panzira. Muna 1959, ndakasungirwa kuprinda mabhuku anotsanangura Bhaibheri. Ndakaita hafu yegore ndiri mujeri ndakavharirwa kwangu ndega. Kuti ndirambe ndiine rugare mumwoyo mangu, ndaigara ndichinyengetera, ndichiimba nziyo dzeUmambo uye ndichifungidzira kuti ndaizoparidzira sei kana ndikabudiswa mujeri.

Pandaiva mujeri ndichibvunzurudzwa, murume aindibvunzurudza akashevedzera achiti, “Pasina nguva vanhu imimi tichakutsvairai mese!” Ndakapindura kuti, “Jesu akati mashoko akanaka eUmambo ACHAPARIDZWA munyika dzese, uye hapana anokwanisa kuamisa.” Murume wacho akabva aedza rimwe zano uye akaedza kundiita kuti ndisiye kutenda kwangu, sezvandataura patangira nyaya ino. Paakaona kuti mazano ake ashaya basa, ndakatongerwa kugara mujeri kwemakore 7 ndichishanda zvakaoma mune mumwe musasa waiva pedyo neguta reSaransk. Pandaiva munzira kuenda kumusasa wacho, ndakaudzwa kuti mwanasikana wedu wechipiri, Olga, akanga aberekwa. Kunyange zvazvo mudzimai wangu nevanasikana vangu vaiva kure, ndainyaradzwa nekuziva kuti ini naMaria tainge taramba takavimbika kuna Jehovha.

Maria aindishanyira kuSaransk achibva kuTulun kamwe chete pagore, kunyange zvazvo rwendo rwacho rwaitora mazuva 12 kuenda nekudzoka achishandisa chitima. Gore negore aindiunzira majombo matsva uye muhiri dzacho aiviga makopi eNharireyomurindi dzainge dzichangobva kubuda. Rimwe gore paakandishanyira, ndakafara chaizvo nekuti akauya nevanasikana vedu vaviri. Fungidzira kuti zvaifadza sei kuvaona uye kuva pamwe chete navo.

Muna 1966, ndakabudiswa mumusasa wacho uye ini nemhuri yangu takatamira kuguta reArmavir, riri pedyo neBlack Sea. Ndiko kwakaberekerwa vanakomana vedu, Yaroslav naPavel.

Pasina nguva mapurisa eKGB akanga ava kugara achisecha pamba pedu achitsvaga mabhuku anotsanangura  Bhaibheri. Aisecha pese pese, kunyange muchikafu chemombe. Pane imwe nguva paakanga achisecha, mapurisa acho aidikitira nekuti kwaipisa uye mayunifomu avo akazara guruva. Maria akavanzwira tsitsi sezvo vaingoitawo zvavainge vaudzwa. Akavapa dhiringi uye akavaunzira bhurasho rehembe, dhishi remvura uye matauro. Pava paya, mukuru wemapurisa eKGB akabva asvika uye mapurisa acho akamuudza nezvekubatwa zvakanaka kwavainge vaitwa. Pavakanga vava kuenda, mukuru wemapurisa acho akanyemwerera ndokutisimudzira ruoko. Takafara kuona zvakanaka zvinovapo patinoedza ‘kuramba tichikunda zvakaipa nezvakanaka.’—VaR. 12:21.

Pasinei nekuti mapurisa aigara achiuya achisecha pamba pedu, takaramba tichiparidza muArmavir. Takabatsirawo kusimbisa boka diki revaparidzi vaiva muguta riri pedyo rinonzi Kurganinsk. Zvinondifadza chaizvo kuziva kuti iye zvino muArmavir mava neungano 6 uye muKurganinsk mune ungano 4.

Makore ese aya, panewo dzimwe nguva pataimbopera simba pakunamata. Asi tinotenda kuti Jehovha akashandisa hama dzakatendeka kuti dzitiruramise uye dzitisimbise pakunamata. (Pis. 130:3) Waivawo muedzo wakakura kushumira pamwe chete nevasori veKGB avo vaiverevedza vachipinda muungano. Vainyepedzera kushingaira, vachitoshanda nesimba muushumiri. Vamwe vavo vakatowana ropafadzo musangano. Zvisinei, nekufamba kwenguva takazoziva kuti vaiva vasori veKGB.

Muna 1978, Maria paaiva nemakore 45, akavazve nepamuviri. Nemhaka yekuti aiva nechirwere chemwoyo chisingarapiki, vanachiremba vaityira kuti aigona kufa saka vakaedza kuita kuti abvume kubvisa pamuviri. Maria akaramba. Izvi zvakaita kuti vamwe vanachiremba vamutevere pese pese muchipatara imomo vaine jekiseni, vachiedza kumubaya kuti asununguke nguva yake isati yakwana. Kuti achengetedze mwana wacho, Maria akatiza muchipatara.

KGB yakati tibude muguta reArmavir. Takatamira mumusha waiva pedyo neguta reTallinn muEstonia, iyo yaivawo muUSSR. Kusiyana nezvakanga zvataurwa navanachiremba, Maria akabereka mwanakomana aiva neutano hwakanaka muTallinn, uye takamutumidza kuti Vitaly.

Pava paya takazobva kuEstonia tikatamira kunharaunda yeNezlobnaya kumaodzanyemba kweRussia. Taiparidza takangwarira mumataundi aiva pedyo aiwanzoshanyirwa nevanhu vaibva kunzvimbo dzakasiyana-siyana muRussia. Vanhu vacho vaiuya ikoko nemhaka yeutano hwavo, asi vamwe vaizobva ikoko vava netariro yeupenyu husingaperi.

Takaedza kuita kuti vanakomana nevanasikana vedu vade Jehovha uye vade kumushumira. Taiwanzokoka hama dzaizokurudzira vana vedu kuita zvakanaka. Mumwe aigara achitishanyira aiva munin’ina wangu Grigory, uyo akashumira semutariri wedunhu kubva muna 1970 kusvika muna 1995. Mhuri yese yaifara chaizvo paaitishanyira nekuti aiva munhu aifara uye aiwanzotaura zvinosetsa. Patainge tiine vaenzi, taiwanzoita mitambo yenyaya dzemuBhaibheri, uye vana vedu vakasvika pakuda nyaya dzemuBhaibheri.

Muna 1987, mwanakomana wedu Yaroslav, akatamira kuguta reRiga muLatvia, uko kwaaikwanisa kuparidza akasununguka. Asi paakaramba kupinda  mubasa rechiuto, akatongerwa kugara mujeri kwegore nehafu uye akagara mumajeri 9 akasiyana. Zvandakanga ndamuudza nezvezvakaitika kwandiri pandaiva mujeri zvakamubatsira kutsungirira. Pava paya, akatanga kushumira sapiyona. Muna 1990, mwanakomana wedu Pavel, uyo aiva nemakore 19, aida kunopayona kuSakhalin, chitsuwa chiri kuchamhembe kweJapan. Pakutanga taisada kuti aende. Pachitsuwa chacho paingova nevaparidzi 20 chete, uye chitsuwa ichi chaiva makiromita 9 000 kubva kwataigara. Asi takazobvuma, uye ichocho chaiva chisarudzo chakanaka. Vanhu veko vaifarira mashoko eUmambo. Mumakore mashomanana, kwakanga kwatova neungano 8. Pavel akashumira kuSakhalin kusvika muna 1995. Panguva iyoyo, mwanakomana wedu mudiki, Vitaly, ndiye ega ainge asara pamba. Kubvira achiri kadiki, aifarira kuverenga Bhaibheri. Akatanga kupayona aine makore 14, uye ndakapayona naye kwemakore maviri. Takanakidzwa chaizvo. Paakanga ava nemakore 19, Vitaly akanoshumira sapiyona chaiye.

Muna 1952, mupurisa weKGB akanga audza Maria kuti: “Ramba chitendero chako kana kuti woita makore 10 uri mujeri. Pauchabuda mujeri unenge wachembera uye usina wako.” Asi izvozvo handizvo zvakazoitika. Takaona rudo rwaJehovha Mwari wedu akavimbika, uye rwevana vedu nerwevanhu vakawanda vatakabatsira kuwana chokwadi. Ini naMaria takafara chaizvo kushanyira nzvimbo dzaishumira vana vedu. Takaona kuti vanhu vakanga vabatsirwa nevana vedu kudzidza nezvaJehovha vaionga zvavainge vaitirwa.

Muna 1991, basa reZvapupu zvaJehovha rakatanga kubvumirwa zviri pamutemo. Izvozvo zvakaita kuti tiwedzere kuva nesimba rekuparidza. Ungano yedu yakatotenga bhazi kuitira kuti tikwanise kuenda kumataundi nemisha zvaiva pedyo pakupera kwevhiki rega rega.

Ndinofara kuti Yaroslav nemudzimai wake Alyona, uye Pavel nemudzimai wake Raya, vanoshumira paBheteri, uyewo Vitaly nemudzimai wake Svetlana, vari kuita basa remudunhu. Mwanasikana wedu mukuru, Irina, nemhuri yake vanogara kuGermany. Murume wake Vladimir, pamwe chete nevanakomana vavo vatatu vanoshumira sevakuru. Mwanasikana wedu Olga anogara kuEstonia uye anowanzondifonera. Zvinondirwadza kuti mudzimai wangu Maria, akashaya muna 2014. Ndinotarisira chaizvo kuzomuona zvakare pachamutswa vakafa. Iye zvino ndinogara muguta reBelgorod, uye hama dzekuno dzinonditsigira chaizvo.

Mumakore andashumira Jehovha, ndadzidza kuti kuramba takavimbika hakusi nyore, asi rugare rwatinopiwa naJehovha patinoramba takavimbika ipfuma inopfuura chero chii zvacho. Makomborero atakawana, ini naMaria, nemhaka yekuti takaramba takatsiga anopfuura nekure zvandaigona kufungidzira. USSR isati yaparara muna 1991, yaingova nevaparidzi vanoti pfuurei 40 000. Asi iye zvino munyika dzaimbova pasi peSoviet Union, mava nevaparidzi vanopfuura 400 000. Ndava nemakore 83 uye ndichiri kushumira semukuru. Kutsigirwa kwandinoitwa naJehovha kunondipa simba rekutsungirira. Chokwadi Jehovha akandikomborera chaizvo.—Pis. 13:5, 6.