MUMAKORE andaienda kuchikoro hapana zvakawanda zvaichinja. Vanhu vawaitanga kudzidza navo ndivo vawaipedza navo. Waitoziva mazita evanhu vakawanda vemutaundi racho uye ivo vaiziva rako.

Taundi reLiberty rainge rakapoteredzwa nemapurazi madiki ainyanyorimwa chibage. Pandakaberekwa, baba vangu vaishandira mumwe sapurazi. Pandaiyaruka ndakadzidza kudhiraivha tirakita uye kuita mamwe mabasa epapurazi.

Pandakaberekwa baba vangu vainge vatokura. Vaiva nemakore 56 uye amai vaiva nemakore 35. Kunyange zvakadaro, baba vangu vaiva murume ane utano, akasimba uye aida kushanda nesimba. Vakatidzidzisa tese kuti tidewo kushanda nesimba. Havana havo kumbobvira vaita mari yakawanda asi vaiita kuti tive nepekugara, mbatya dzekupfeka, zvekudya uye vaigara vachiwana nguva yekuva nesu. Pavakafa vakanga vava nemakore 93. Amai vangu vakafa vava nemakore 86. Pauviri hwavo hapana akashumira Jehovha. Pavana vemumba medu, ndine munin’ina mumwe chete ari kushumira Jehovha semukuru kubva muna 1972.

Amai vangu vaida chaizvo zvekunamata. Musi weSvondo wega wega vaienda nesu kuchechi yeBaptist. Ndakatanga kunzwa nezvedzidziso yeUtatu pandaiva nemakore 12. Ndichida kuziva, ndakabvunza amai kuti: “Jesu angava sei Mwanakomana uye Baba panguva imwe chete?” Ndinoyeuka mhinduro yavo yekuti: “Mwanangu, ichi chinhu chakavanzika. Hatifaniri kuchinzwisisa.” Zvechokwadi ichi chaiva chinhu chakavanzika kwandiri. Kunyange zvakadaro, pandaiva nemakore 14, ndakabhabhatidzwa mune kamwe karwizi.Ndakanyudzwa mumvura katatu, muzita raBaba, reMwanakomana uye remweya mutsvene.

Pandaiva kusekondari ndaiva neshamwari yaiva shasha yetsiva, uye yakandikurudzira kumbozviedzawo. Saka ndakatanga kudzidzira ndokunyoresa kuva nhengo yesangano retsiva rinonzi Golden Gloves. Ndaisanyatsogona zvetsiva saka pashure pemitambo mishoma ndakabva ndasiyana nazvo. Pava paya ndakapinzwa muuto reU.S.A. ndokutumirwa kuGermany. Ndiri ikoko vakuru vangu vebasa vakandiendesa kuchikoro chevakuru vakuru vemauto nekuti vaifunga kuti ndaigona kuva mutungamiriri. Vaida kuti ndirambe ndiri muchiuto. Ndaisava nechido chekuramba ndiri muchiuto, saka pashure pekupedza makore angu maviri, ndakabva ndabuda muchiuto muna 1956. Asi pasina nguva ndakabva ndapinda mune rimwe uto rakatosiyana.

Ndisati ndadzidza chokwadi, ndaisaziva kuti anonzi murume chaiye anofanira kunge akaita sei. Maonero angu ainge akakanganiswa nemafirimu uye vanhu vainge vakandipoteredza. Ndaifunga kuti varume vanoparidza varume pasina. Asi ndakatanga kudzidza zvimwe zvinhu zvakachinja upenyu hwangu. Rimwe zuva pandaidhiraivha mota yangu tsvuku yaivhurika denga ndichipfuura nemutaundi, vamwe vasikana vaviri vakandisimudzira maoko kuti ndiende kwavaiva. Ndaivaziva nekuti vaiva hanzvadzi dzemurume wehanzvadzi yangu. Vasikana ava vaiva Zvapupu zvaJehovha. Vainge vambondipa magazini eNharireyomurindi neMukai! asi ndaiona sekuti Nharireyomurindi yainge yakaoma chaizvo kunzwisisa. Zvisinei, musi uyu vakandikoka kuChidzidzo Chebhuku Cheungano. Uyu waiva musangano wekudzidza uye kukurukura Bhaibheri waiitirwa kumba kwavo. Ndakavaudza kuti ndaizofunga nezvazvo. “Uri kurevesa here?” vasikana vacho vakandibvunza kudaro vachinyemwerera. “Ndiri kurevesa,” ndakavapindura kudaro.

Ndakambodemba kuvimbisa kwandakanga ndaita, asi ndakafunga kuti handingambotyori vimbiso yangu. Saka manheru iwayo ndakaenda. Ndakanyanya kutorwa mwoyo nezvaiitwa nevana. Zvakandishamisa kuti vaiziva Bhaibheri zvakadaro. Kunyange zvazvo ndaimboenda kuchechi naamai musi weSvondo wega wega, ndaingoziva zvishomanana nezveBhaibheri. Iye zvino ndakanga ndava kuda kudzidza zvakawanda. Ndakabvuma kudzidza Bhaibheri. Chimwe chezvinhu zvekutanga zvandakadzidza ndechekuti zita raMwari Wemasimbaose ndiJehovha. Makore ainge apfuura pandakabvunza amai nezveZvapupu zvaJehovha, vakangonditi, “Haa, vanonamata mumwe murume akwegura anonzi Jehovha.” Asi iye zvino ndakaona kuti maziso angu akanga achivhurwa.

Ndakafambira mberi nekukurumidza, nekuti ndaiziva kuti ndakanga ndawana chokwadi. Ndakabhabhatidzwa muna March 1957, pasati papera mwedzi 9 kubva paya pandakapinda musangano kekutanga. Maonero andaiita upenyu akachinja. Ndinofara zvikuru kuti ndakadzidza zvinotaurwa neBhaibheri nezvekuva murume chaiye. Jesu aiva  murume akakwana. Aiva nesimba rakawanda chaizvo kupfuura murume chero upi zvake. Kunyange zvakadaro, haana kumbobvira arwa nemunhu, asi “akabvuma kutambudzwa” sezvakagara zvataurwa. (Isa. 53:2, 7) Ndakadzidza kuti muteveri wechokwadi waJesu “anofanira kuva norupfave kuna vose.”​—2 Tim. 2:24.

Ndakatanga kupayona gore rakatevera racho muna 1958. Asi pasina nguva ndaifanira kumbomira kwenguva diki. Nemhaka yei? Ndainge ndasarudza kuroora Gloria, mumwe wevasikana vaya vainge vandikoka kuchidzidzo chebhuku. Handina kumbobvira ndademba chisarudzo ichocho. Gloria aiva dhaimondi chairo pandakamuroora uye nanhasi achiri dhaimondi. Kwandiri anokosha kupfuura dhaimondi rinokosha kupfuura ese uye ndinofara chaizvo kuti ndakamuroora. Regai ambokuudzai zvishoma nezvake:

“Taiva 17 mumba medu. Amai vangu vaiva Chapupu chakatendeka. Vakafa ndiine makore 14. Baba vangu ndipo pavakatanga kudzidza Bhaibheri. Pakafa Amai, Baba vane urongwa hwavakaita nemukuru wechikoro. Panguva iyoyo, mukoma wangu akanga ava kupedzisa sekondari uye Baba vakakumbira kuti tipote tichichinjana kuenda kuchikoro. Taizoita majana kuitira kuti mumwe wedu asare pamba achichengeta vana uye kuti Baba pavaizosvika vachibva kubasa vawane zvekudya zvemanheru zvabikwa. Mukuru wechikoro akabvuma, uye takaita izvozvo kusvikira mukoma wangu apedza chikoro. Takadzidziswa Bhaibheri nedzimwe mhuri mbiri dzeZvapupu, uye ini nevamwe vana 10 vemumba medu takasvika pakuva Zvapupu zvaJehovha. Ndainakidzwa nebasa remumunda kunyange zvazvo ndainyara zvisingaiti. Murume wangu Sam anga achindibatsira kwemakore ese aya kuti ndisanyanya kunyara.”

Ndakachata naGloria muna February 1959. Tainakidzwa nekupayona tese. Muna July gore iroro, takanyorera kuti tinoshumira paBheteri, nekuti taida chaizvo kushumira pamahofisi makuru. Hama Simon Kraker ndivo vakakurukura nesu nezvazvo. Vakatiudza kuti paBheteri paisatorwa vanhu vakaroorana panguva iyoyo. Takaramba tiine chido chekushumira paBheteri asi zvakatora makore akawanda kuti tizoendako.

Takanyorera kumahofisi makuru, tichikumbira kutumirwa kwaidiwa vaparidzi vakawanda. Takanzi tiende kuPine Bluff, Arkansas. Panguva iyoyo, muPine Bluff maiva neungano mbiri. Imwe yaiva yevachena imwe iri yevatema. Takatumirwa kunoshumira muungano yevatema, iyo yaingova nevaparidzi.

Mungangodaro muchinetseka kuti nei vachena nevatema vaisanamata vakasangana muungano dzeZvapupu zvaJehovha. Mhinduro ndeyekuti hapana zvavaigona kuita mazuva iwayo. Paiva nemitemo yairambidza vachena nevatema kuungana pamwe chete uye kusateerera mitemo iyi kwaigona kukonzera kurwisana. Munzvimbo dzakawanda hama dzaiva nechikonzero chakanaka chekutya kuti kana vachena nevatema vakaungana pamwe chete kuti vanamate, Imba yavo yeUmambo yaizoparadzwa. Zvinhu zvakadaro zvaiitika. Kana Zvapupu zvechitema zvikaparidza paimba neimba munzvimbo inogara vachena, zvaigona kusungwa uye dzimwe nguva kutorohwa nemapurisa. Saka kuitira kuti basa rekuparidza rifambe, taiteerera mitemo yacho, tichitarisira kuti zvinhu zvaizonaka.

Ushumiri hwedu hwaiva nematambudziko ahwo. Pataishanda munzvimbo inogara vatema, dzimwe nguva taierekana tagogodza pasuo revachena. Taifanira kukurumidza kusarudza kuti toedza kuita mharidzo pfupi here kana kuti tokumbira ruregerero toenda paimba inotevera. Izvi ndizvo zvaiitika mune dzimwe nzvimbo mazuva iwayo.

Kuti tikwanise kuramba tichipayona taifanira kushanda kuti tiwane mari. Pamabasa akawanda ataiita taipiwa madhora matatu pazuva. Gloria aiva nemabasa aaiita pane dzimwe dzimba. Pane imwe imba ndaibvumirwa kumubatsira kuti akurumidze kupedza. Taipiwa zvekudya zvemasikati zvataidya pamwe chete tisati taenda. Vhiki yega yega Gloria aiaina hembe dzeimwe mhuri. Ini ndaishanda muyadhi, kugeza mahwindo uye kuita mamwe mabasa. Pamba peimwe mhuri yevachena, taigeza mahwindo, Gloria ari mukati ini ndiri kunze. Taiita zuva rese, saka taipiwa  zvekudya zvemasikati. Gloria aidyira mumba asi kwete nemhuri yacho, ini ndaidyira mugaraji. Ndaisaita basa nazvo. Zvekudya zvacho zvainaka chaizvo. Yaiva mhuri yakanaka zvikuru, kungoti yaikanganiswa nemafungiro evanhu vainge vakaipoteredza. Ndinoyeuka mumwe musi patakamira pane rimwe garaji. Pashure pekudirirwa mafuta, ndakakumbira mushandi wepo kuti Gloria ashandise chimbuzi. Akangondidzvokora ndokuti, “Chakakiyiwa.”

Pasinei nematambudziko iwayo, taiva nenguva yakanaka nehama uye taida chaizvo ushumiri hwedu. Patakatanga kusvika muPine Bluff, takagara neimwe hama yaiva muranda weungano panguva iyoyo. Mudzimai wacho akanga asati ava Chapupu uye Gloria akatanga kudzidza naye Bhaibheri. Ini ndakabva ndatanga kudzidza nemwanasikana wavo pamwe chete nemurume wake. Amai vacho nemwanasikana wavo vakasarudza kushumira Jehovha ndokubhabhatidzwa.

Taiva neshamwari dzepedyo muungano yevachena. Dzaitikoka kuzodya manheru asi taiendako kwasviba kuti vanhu vasationa tiri pamwe chete. Sangano rinonzi Ku Klux Klan (KKK), iro rinosimudzira rusaruraganda uye kurwisana, raipisa-pisa chaizvo mazuva iwayo. Ndinoyeuka kuti rimwe zuva ari manheru ndakaona mumwe murume akagara pavharanda rake achitodada nehembe dzaainge akapfeka dzakafanana nedzevanhu veKKK. Asi zvinhu zvakadai hazvina kutadzisa hama kuitirana mutsa. Pane imwe nguva, taida mari yekuti tiende kugungano uye imwe hama yechichena yakabvuma kutenga motokari yedu ya1950 yerudzi rweFord. Papera mwedzi, takashamisika nezvatakaona rimwe zuva. Takadzoka kumba taneta chaizvo nekuti tainge tafamba kuchipisa tichiparidza paimba neimba uye tichiitisa zvidzidzo zveBhaibheri. Takasvika mota yedu yakapakwa pamba. Paiva nekatsamba pamota yacho kaiti: “Ndakudzorerai mota yenyu sechipo. Ndini hama yenyu.”

Pane pamwe patakaitirwa mutsa wandisingambokanganwi. Muna 1962, ndakakokwa kuChikoro Choushumiri hwoUmambo chaiitirwa muSouth Lansing, New York. Chikoro ichi chaiitwa kwemwedzi wese uye chaipindwa nevaya vaiva vatariri muungano, mumatunhu uye mumaruwa. Asi pandakakokwa, ndainge ndisingashandi uye taingova nemari shomanana. Zvisinei, imwe kambani yemafoni yemuPine Bluff yainge yambokurukura neni nezvebasa. Kudai vaizondipinza basa ndaizova munhu mutema wekutanga kushandira kambani iyoyo. Vakazondiudza kuti vaida kundipinza basa. Ndaizoita sei? Ndaisava nemari yekuti ndiende kuNew York. Ndakafunga nezvekubvuma basa racho ndorega kuenda kuchikoro. Ndakanga ndava kutogadzirira kunyora tsamba yekuti ndaisazokwanisa kupinda chikoro chacho pakaitika chimwe chinhu chandisingambokanganwi.

Imwe hanzvadzi yemuungano medu yaiva nemurume asingatendi yakagogodza pasuo redu mangwanani-ngwanani ndokunditambidza hamvuropu. Yainge yakazara mari. Hanzvadzi iyi nevana vayo vadiki  vainge vaita mavhiki vachimukira kunosakura donje kuitira kuti vawane mari yekundipa kuti ndikwanise kuenda kuNew York. Yakati, “Endai kuchikoro munodzidza zvakawanda, mozouya motidzidzisawo!” Ndakakumbira kambani iya yemafoni kana zvaiita kuti ndizotanga basa pashure pemavhiki mashanu kubva musi wandaifanira kutanga. Ndakaudzwa zvakasimba kuti, “Kwete!” Asi zvaisava nebasa. Ndakanga ndatosarudza kare zvekuita. Ndinofara chaizvo kuti handina kuita basa iroro.

Izvi ndizvo zvinoyeukwa naGloria nezvenguva yataiva muPine Bluff: “Ndaida chaizvo ndima yacho! Ndaidzidza Bhaibheri nevanhu vari pakati pe15 ne20. Saka taiita basa repaimba neimba mangwanani, uye taizoswera tichiitisa zvidzidzo zveBhaibheri, dzimwe nguva tichisvika na11 manheru. Ushumiri hwainakidza chaizvo. Ndaizoda hangu kuramba ndichiita basa iroro. Ndaisada kuchinja basa rangu kuti ndiite basa remudunhu, asi Jehovha ane zvimwe zvaaifunga.” Zvechokwadi ane zvaaifunga.

Pataipayona muPine Bluff takanyorera kuti tive mapiyona chaiwo. Taiva netariro yakakura nekuti mutariri wedu weruwa aida kuti tibatsire imwe ungano muTexas uye aida kuti tiende ikoko semapiyona chaiwo. Izvozvo takazvifarira chaizvo. Saka takamirira ndokumirirazve, tichitarisira mhinduro yaibva kuSosaiti, asi taingowana munosvikira tsamba musina chinhu. Rimwe zuva takazogamuchira tsamba. Takanzi tiite basa rekufambira. Maiva muna January 1965. Hama Leon Weaver, avo vava murongi mudare reBazi reUnited States, vakagadzwawo kuti vashumire semutariri wedunhu panguva iyoyo.

Ndaizeza kuva mutariri wedunhu. Mwedzi 12 yainge yadarika, mutariri weruwa, Hama James A. Thompson, Jr., vainge vaongorora kuti ndaikwanisa here. Vakandiratidza pashoma pandaifanira kuvandudza, vachitaura zvinodiwa kuti munhu ave mutariri wedunhu akanaka. Pashure penguva pfupi ndiri mubasa remudunhu ndakaona kuti zano ravo rainge rakakodzera chaizvo. Pandakagadzwa, Hama Thompson ndivo mutariri weruwa wandakatanga kushanda naye. Ndakadzidza zvakawanda kubva kuhama iyoyo yakatendeka.

Mumazuva iwayo, mutariri wedunhu aingodzidziswa zvishoma. Ndakaita vhiki ndichicherechedza zvaiitwa nemutariri wedunhu achishanyira imwe ungano. Iye akabva aita vhiki yaitevera achicherechedza zvandaiita pandaishanyira imwe ungano. Akandipa mazano uye akandiudza zvandaifanira kuita. Pashure paizvozvo tainge tava tega. Ndinoyeuka ndichiti kuna Gloria, “Vava kutofanira kuenda izvozvi here?” Zvisinei, nekufamba kwenguva ndakazodzidza  chimwe chinhu chinokosha. Pachagara paine hama dzakanaka dzinogona kukubatsira, kana ukabvuma kuti dzikubatsire. Ndichiri kuonga kubatsirwa kwandakaitwa nehama dzaiva neruzivo dzakadai saJ. R. Brown, uyo aiva mutariri anofambira, uye Fred Rusk uyo aiva wemhuri yeBheteri.

Rusaruraganda rwainge rwakanyanya mazuva iwayo. Pane imwe nguva, veKKK vakafora mutaundi rataishanyira muTennessee. Ndinoyeuka patakambomira pane imwe resitorendi kuti timbozorora tiri muushumiri. Pandakaenda kuchimbuzi, ndakateverwa nemumwe murume ainge akatsamwa uye ainge akanyorwa-nyorwa muviri wake sezvaiitwa nevanhu vaisafarira vatema. Asi imwe hama yechichena iyo yaiva nemuviri muhombe kupfuura ini nemurume uya ainge akatsamwa yakabva yatitevera. Yakabva yandibvunza kuti: “Zviri kufamba zvakanaka here Hama Herd?” Murume uya akabva abuda nekukurumidza asina kutomboshandisa chimbuzi. Mumakore ese aya, ndaona kuti rusaruraganda harukonzerwi neruvara rweganda asi runokonzerwa nechivi chakabva kuna Adhamu chatiinacho tese. Uye ndakadzidza kuti hama ihama pasinei neruvara rweganda, uye kuti kana zvichidiwa inogona kukufira.

Takaita makore 33 tiri mubasa rekufambira uye 21 ekupedzisira acho mubasa reruwa. Aiva makore ane makomborero akawanda uye zvinhu zvinokurudzira. Asi chimwe chikomborero chainge chakatimirira. Muna August 1997, chishuwo chataiva nacho kwenguva refu chakazadzika. Takakokwa kuti tinoshumira paBheteri reUnited States pashure pemakore 38 kubva patakatanga kunyorera. Mwedzi wakatevera wacho, takatanga kushumira paBheteri. Ndaifunga kuti hama dzaitungamirira dzaida kuti ndingobatsira kwenguva pfupi, asi handizvo zvakazoitika.

Ndakatanga kushanda muDhipatimendi Rebasa. Ndakadzidza zvakawanda. Hama dzinoshanda mudhipatimendi iri dzinofanira kupindura mibvunzo yakaoma chaizvo inobva kumatare evakuru uye vatariri vematunhu munyika yese. Ndinotenda chaizvo kuti hama idzi padzaindidzidzisa basa, dzaindiitira mwoyo murefu uye dzaindibatsira zvikuru. Asi ndinofunga kuti kudai ndaizonzi ndishande ikoko zvakare ndingadai ndichiri kungodzidza.

Ini naGloria tinoda upenyu hwepaBheteri. Tagara tiri vanhu vanokurumidza kumuka, uye izvi zvinobatsira chaizvo paBheteri. Pashure perinenge gore kana kupfuura, ndakatanga kushumira semubatsiri muKomiti yeBasa yeDare Rinotungamirira reZvapupu zvaJehovha. Muna 1999 ndakagadzwa kuva nhengo yeDare Rinotungamirira. Ndadzidza zvinhu zvakawanda mubasa iri, asi chidzidzo chikuru ndechekuti Jesu Kristu ndiye musoro weungano yechiKristu, kwete munhu upi zvake.

Ndichitarisa kwandakabva, dzimwe nguva ndinonzwa sezvaiita muprofita Amosi. Jehovha akacherechedza mufudzi iyeye aiva neupenyu hwakaderera uye aiita basa rekubaya maonde emitsamvi, michero yaingodyiwa nevarombo. Mwari akagadza Amosi kuti ave muprofita, uye akamukomborera zvikuru mubasa iroro. (Amo. 7:14, 15) Saizvozvowo Jehovha akacherechedza ini, mwanakomana wemurimi wemuLiberty, Indiana, ndokundipa makomborero akawandisa zvekuti handingakwanisi kuataura ese munyaya ino. (Zvir. 10:22) Zvechokwadi pakutanga ndaiva murombo, asi pakupedzisira ndakawana makomborero akawanda kupfuura zvandaigona kufungidzira.