Nyaya Youpenyu

Nguva Dzose Jehovha Anopa Mubayiro Vakavimbika Vake

YAKATAURWA NAVERNON DUNCOMBE

Ndakapedza zvokudya zvangu zvemanheru uye samazuva ose ndakabatidza mudzanga. Ipapo ndakabvunza mudzimai wangu Aileen kuti: “Musangano wafamba sei manheru ano?”

AKAMBOMIRA ndokuti: “Kwaverengwa tsamba yanga ichizivisa kugadzwa kutsva, uye zita rako radudzwa. Iwe uchava mutarisiri wegudzanzwi. Mutsetse wokupedzisira mutsamba yacho wati: ‘Kana vapi navapi veidzi hama dzichangobva kugadzwa vachiputa fodya, vanosungirwa kunyorera Sosaiti vataure kuti havangagamuchiri mugove wacho.’” * Ndakapindura ndichiita zvokudhonza mashoko uye ndichiratidza kusarudza ndichiti, “Ho-o-o nha-a-i! Saka ndizvo zvayataura.”

Ndakarumanisa mazino angu ndokukwizira mudzanga iwoyo muchindiro chokuisira madota efodya chaiva padivi pangu. “Handizivi kuti nei ndasarudzwa pakugadzwa uku. Asi handina kwandati ndaramba, uye handidi kutanga kudaro.” Ndakasarudza kusazosvutazve. Chisarudzo ichocho chakachinja zvikuru upenyu hwangu somuKristu uye somuimbi. Regai ndikurondedzererei zviitiko zvakatungamirira kuchisarudzo changu.

Upenyu Hwemhuri Hwapakuvamba

Ndakaberekerwa muToronto, muCanada, musi waSeptember 21, 1914, ndaiva mwanakomana wokutanga wavabereki vakanga vane rudo uye vaishanda nesimba, Vernon naLila, avo vaitarisira mhuri yavakomana vana navasikana vaviri. Ainditevera pazera ndiYorke, kwozouya Orlando, Douglas, Aileen, naCoral. Pandaiva nemakore mapfumbamwe chete, amai vangu vakandipa gitare uye vakaronga kuti ndive nezvidzidzo zvenziyo paHarris School of Music. Zvinhu zvakanga zvisiri nyore, asi Amai naBaba vaiwana nzira dzokubhadhara nadzo mari yokutakurwa nemota uye mari yechikoro. Gare gare ndakadzidza kuumbwa nokubvumirana kwenziyo  paRoyal Conservatory of Music muToronto, uye pazera remakore 12, ndakapinda mumakwikwi okuimba munhu ari oga omuguta rose paMassey Hall, yakakurumbira zvikuru pakati peguta. Ndakasarudzwa kuti ndini ndakanga ndakunda uye ndakapiwa gitare rakanaka kwazvo rakanga riri muhomwe yakagadzirwa neganda rengwena.

Nokufamba kwenguva, ndakadzidzawo kuridza piyano uye gitare rebhesi. Kakawanda chikwata chedu chairidza mumapati maduku manheru emisi yeChishanu noMugovera uye pamitambo yamasangano evadzidzi. Ndakasangana naAileen kokutanga pane mumwe wemitambo iyoyi. Mugore rangu rokupedzisira muchikoro chesekondari, ndakaridza nezvikwata zvokuimba zvakawanda muguta rose. Ndapedza kudzidza ndakakokwa kuti ndibatane nechikwata cheFerde Mowry Orchestra, uye rakaratidza kuva basa rakanaka, rakadzikama kutozosvikira muna 1943.

Kusvika Pakuziva Jehovha

Vabereki vangu vakatanga kuudzwa nezvechokwadi cheBhaibheri nguva shomanana hondo yeNyika I isati yatanga, Baba pavaishanda basa rokuisa zvinhu pamahwindo muchitoro chikuru mukati meguta reToronto. Muimba yokudyira masikati, vaiteerera kukurukurirana kwaiita vamwe vashandi vaviri vaiva Vadzidzi veBhaibheri (sokuzivikanwa kwaiitwa Zvapupu zvaJehovha panguva iyoyo), uye pavaiuya kumba manheru vaiudza Amai zvavainge vanzwa. Makore akati gare gare, muna 1927, Vadzidzi veBhaibheri vakaita kokorodzano huru muToronto muNhandare iri muCanadian National Exhibition Grounds. Imba yedu yakanga iri kure zvingaenzana nemidhadhadha miviri yedzimba kubva pagedhi rokumadokero rokupinda munhandare, yakashandiswa kuti igarwe navanhu 25 vaibva kuOhio, U.S.A.

Kubvira ipapo, Ada Bletsoe, mumwe weVadzidzi veBhaibheri akatanga kushanyira Amai nguva nenguva, achivasiyira magazini ainge achangobuda. Rimwe zuva akati: “Mai Duncombe, ndave ndichikusiyirai magazini kwenguva yakati. Pane amakamboverenga here?” Kunyange zvazvo vairera vana vatanhatu, Amai vakasarudza kutanga kuverenga magazini acho kubva ipapo, uye havana kumborega. Zvisinei, handina kumboita basa nemagazini acho. Ndakanga ndichiedza kupedza chikoro, uye ndakanga ndakanyura mune zvokuimba.

Muna June 1935, ini naAileen takaroorana muchechi yeAnglican. Sezvo ndakanga ndasiya United Church pazera remakore 13, ndakanga ndisina chimwe chitendero chandaipinda; saka ndakasaina fomu rokuroorana kuti ndiri mumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha, kunyange zvazvo ndakanga ndisati ndava Chapupu.

Taitarisira kurera mhuri munguva yemberi uye taida kuva vabereki vakanaka. Nokudaro, takatanga kuverenga Testamendi Itsva pamwe chete. Zvisinei, pasinei zvapo nokuvavarira kwedu kwakanaka, zvimwe zvinhu zvakavhiringidza. Takaedzazve gare gare zvikangova zvakafanana. PaKrisimasi yomuna 1935, takagamuchira chipo chebhuku rakaputirwa raive nomusoro wokuti The Harp of God. Mudzimai wangu akati: “A, ichi chipo cheKrisimasi chinoshamisa chatatumirwa naamai vako.” Kunyage zvakadaro, pandakaenda kubasa, akatanga kuriverenga, uye akafarira zvaakaverenga. Kwenguva refu, hapana zvandaiziva nezvazvo. Kana dziri tarisiro dzedu dzokuva nemhuri, hadzina kuitika. Mwana wedu musikana, akaberekwa musi waFebruary 1, 1937, haana kurarama. Takashungurudzika kwazvo!

Panguva iyi, vomumhuri yangu vaishingaira mubasa rokuparidza, uye ndakaziva kuti Baba ndivo chete vaiva muparidzi woUmambo mumhuri akanga asati agovera kuzvinyoresa kwemagazini yeConsolation (zvino yava kunzi Mukai!) Ndiyo yaiva vavariro yomwedzi iwoyo muushumiri hwomumunda. Kunyange zvazvo ndakanga ndisati ndamboverenga chero mabhuku eSosaiti api zvawo, ndakanzwira baba urombo ndikati: “ZVAKANAKA, Baba ndinyoresei ini; uye muchaita savamwe.” Zhizha rakasvika, uye chikwata chokuimba chakatamira kunze kweguta kunoridzira panzvimbo yokuzororera. Consolation yaingotevera ichiita zvokutumirwa. Matsutso akasvika, uye chikwata chakadzokera kuToronto. Magazini acho akaramba achiuya kukero yedu itsva, uye ndakanga ndisati ndatombobvisa kana rimwe zvaro mubutiro rayo.

Parimwe zororo reKrisimasi, ndakatarisa pamurwi wemagazini ndokugumisa kuti kana ndakaabhadharira, ndinofanira kuverenga mamwe awo kuti ndione zvaanotaura. Yandakatanga kuvhura yakandishamisa. Yaifumura unyengeri hwezvamatongerwo enyika nouori hwenguva iyoyo. Ndakatanga kutaura kune vandaiimba navo nezvezvandakanga ndichiverenga. Zvisinei, vakapikisa  chokwadi chezvandakanga ndichitaura, uye ndaifanira kutoramba ndichiverenga kuitira kuti ndizvidzivirire. Ndisingazivi, ndakanga ndatotanga kupupura nezvaJehovha. Uye kubva panguva iyoyo, handina kumborega kuverenga mabhuku akanaka zvikuru anotsanangura Bhaibheri o“muranda akatendeka, akangwara.”—Mateu 24:45.

Kunyange zvazvo ndairamba ndakabatikana nebasa pakati pevhiki, munguva pfupi ndakanga ndave kupinda misangano yomusi weSvondo naAileen. Muna 1938 patakasvika pamusangano mumwe musi weSvondo, dzimwe hanzvadzi mbiri dzakura dzakatikwazisa, uye imwe yacho yakati: “Hama Yechiduku, wati watanga kutsigira Jehovha here? Unoziva, Amagedhoni yava pedyo kwazvo!” Ndaiziva kuti Jehovha ndiye Mwari wechokwadi bedzi, uye ndaigutsikana kuti iri ndiro sangano rake. Ndaida kuva nhengo yaro, saka musi waOctober 15, 1938, ndakabhabhatidzwa. Aileen akabhabhatidzwa inenge mwedzi mitanhatu gare gare. Ndinofara kutaura kuti vomumhuri yangu vose vakava vashumiri vaJehovha vakazvitsaurira.

Mufaro wakadini wandakava nawo nokusonganira nevanhu vaMwari! Munguva pfupi, ndakanzwa ndakasununguka pakati pavo. Pandaitadza kupinda, nguva dzose ndaida zvikuru kuziva zvakanga zvaitika kumisangano. Manheru ataurwa pakutanga akava nguva yokuchinja kukuru mubasa rangu kuna Jehovha.

Nguva Yokuchinja Kwedu Kukuru

Kumwe kugadziridza kwedu kunokosha kwakaitika musi waMay 1, 1943. Takanga tapinda kokorodzano huru yedu yokutanga, Gungano reNyika Itsva Rokutonga Kunoitwa naMwari raSeptember 1942 muCleveland, Ohio. Ipapo, pakati pehondo yenyika inotyisa, hondo yaiita seisingazoperi, takanzwa Hama Knorr vaiva purezidhendi weWatch Tower Society panguva iyoyo vachipa noushingi hurukuro yavose yaibata pfungwa dzavateereri yaiti, “Rugare—Rungagara Here?” Tinoyeuka zvakanaka kuratidza kwavakaita, kubva muna Zvakazarurwa chitsauko 17, kuti kwaizova nenguva yorugare pashure pehondo apo basa guru rokuparidza raizoitwa.

Hurukuro yokutanga yakapiwa naHama Knorr ndiyo yakatibata zvikuru yaiti, “Jefita neMhiko Yake.” Chikumbiro chemapiyona akawanda chakaitwa! Ini naAileen takatarisana ndokuti pamwe chete (nevamwe vakawanda panguva iyoyo): “Ndisu!” Takatanga kuronga kuchinjira kubasa rinokosha zvikuru pakarepo.

Kurambidzwa kwebasa reZvapupu zvaJehovha kwakanga kuripo muCanada kubvira musi waJuly 4, 1940. Patakatanga kupayona musi waMay 1, 1943, zvakanga zvisati zvava pamutemo kuparidza nezvaJehovha uye kugovera mabhuku eSosaiti mubasa romumunda. Tichishanda savaKristu, taitakura makopi edu eBhaibheri reshanduro yaKing James chete. Mazuva mashomanana tasvika kumugove wedu wokupayona wokutanga muParry Sound, iri muOntario, Stewart Mann, piyona ane unyanzvi, akatumirwa nehofisi yebazi kuzoshanda nesu mumunda. Yaiva gadziriro yorudo yakadini! Hama Mann vaiva nounhu hwakanaka uye vaigara vachinyemwerera. Takadzidza kubva kwavari uye takava nenguva yakaisvonaka. Takanga tava kuitisa zvidzidzo zveBhaibheri zvakawanda apo Sosaiti yakatichinjira kuguta reHamilton. Pasina nguva refu pashure paizvozvo, pasinei zvapo nokuti ndakanga ndapfuura makore okuva muchiuto, ndakasarudzwa. Kuramba kwangu kupinda muchiuto kwakaguma nokusungwa musi waDecember 31, 1943. Mitemo inotevedzwa mudare yaitwa, ndakatongerwa kuenda kumusasa wokuzvisarudzira webasa rinoitirwa vanhu vose, kwandakaramba ndiri kusvikira muna August 1945.

Pandakasunungurwa, Aileen neni takabva tangowana mugove wokunopayona kuCornwall, iri muOntario. Munguva pfupi pashure paizvozvo, takaenda kuQuebec nomugove chaiwo wedare ramapurisa waibva kuDhipatimendi reSosaiti Romutemo.  Apa paiva panguva yaDuplessis muQuebec apo kutambudzwa kweZvapupu zvaJehovha kwakanga kwakaoma zvikuru. Mazuva akawanda pavhiki yoga yoga, ndaizviwana ndiri mumatare mana akasiyana ndichibatsira hama dzedu. Idzodzo dzaiva nguva dzinofadza nedzinosimbisa kutenda.

Kokorodzano yokuCleveland ya1946 yapera, takawana migove yebasa redunhu nereruwa iro rakaita kuti ini nomudzimai wangu tibve kune imwe mhenderekedzo tichienda kune imwe. Zvinhu zvakanga zvichiitika nokukurumidza. Muna 1948 takakokwa kukirasi yechi11 yeWatchtower Bible School of Gilead. Kirasi yedu yevadzidzi 108 yaisanganisira vakazodzwa 40, uye Hama Albert Schroeder naMaxwell Friend vaive vaviri vevarayiridzi vedu. Nevashumiri vaJehovha venguva refu vaivapo, zvechokwadi chaiva chiitiko chakapfuma nechinopa mubayiro!

Rimwe zuva Hama Knorr vakatishanyira vachibva kuBrooklyn. Muhurukuro yavo, vakakumbira vazvipiri 25 kuti vadzidze mutauro wechiJapan. Vose 108 vakazvipira! Zvakasarira kuna purezidhendi kuti asarudze vaizodzidziswa. Ndinofunga kuti Jehovha akatungamirira kusarudza kwacho nokuti kwakashanda zvakanaka chaizvo. Vakawanda ve25 vakasarudzwa ndokuzova neropafadzo yokutanga basa muJapan vachiri kumugove wavo—hungu, vakwegura, asi vachiriko. Vamwe vakaita saLloyd naMelba Barry, vakaendeswa kune mimwe migove. Lloyd akanga ari nhengo yeDare Rinodzora kusvikira parufu rwake gore rapera. Tinofara pamwe navo vose nomubayiro uyo Jehovha akapa.

Musi wokupiwa zvitupa wakasvika, uye takapiwa mugove wokunoshanda kuJamaica. Zvisinei, nemhaka yemazuva okupinda mudare akanga asati apera muQuebec, takarayirwa kudzokera kuCanada.

Kumwe Kuimba Zvekare!

Kunyange zvazvo ndakasiya kuimba kuti ndiite basa rokupayona, zvakaratidzika sokuti kuimba hakuna kundisiya. Gore rakatevera purezidhendi weSosaiti, Nathan Knorr, nomunyori wake, Milton Henschel, vakauya kuMaple Leaf Gardens muToronto. Hurukuro yavose yaHama Knorr yaive nomusoro unoti “Zviri Mberi Kupfuura Zvaunofunga!” yakafadza munhu wose. Kwenguva yokutanga, ndakakokwa kuti nditarisire kwaya pakokorodzano. Takaronga nziyo dzomutinhimira wewaltz dzinozivikanwa zvikuru muKingdom Service Song Book (1944). Hama dzakaratidza kuzvifarira. Pakapera purogiramu musi woMugovera masikati, takadzokorora zvaive papurogiramu yedu yakarongwa yomusi weSvondo. Ndakaona Hama Henschel kuti nzve-e vachiuya kwatiri nokune rimwe divi rechikuva, uye ndakamisa kwaya kuitira kuti ndiende kunosangana navo. Vakabvunza kuti, “Mune vaimbi vangani mukwaya yenyu kuno?” “Kana vose varipo, vanenge 35,” ndakadaro. “Muchava nevakawanda zvakapetwa kaviri muNew York zhizha rinotevera,” vakadaro.

Zvisinei, zhizha iroro risati rasvika, ndakakokwa kuBrooklyn. Nemhaka yemamiriro ezvinhu, pakutanga Aileen haana kukwanisa kuuya neni. Chivako chitsva chepa124 Columbia Heights chakanga chisati chapera, saka ndakapiwa mubhedha muchivako chokutanga, mukamba kaduku nehama mbiri dzakazodzwa—Hama yakanga yakura Payne naKarl Klein, vandakanga ndichionana navo kwenguva yokutanga. Makanga makaita dzvikitsviki here? Hungu. Kunyange zvakanga zvakadaro, takagarisana zvakanaka chaizvo. Hama dzakura idzi dzaiva nomwoyo murefu uye dzaishivirira. Ndakaedza kusavhiringidza chete! Chaiva chidzidzo chakanaka mune zvinogona kuitwa nomudzimu waMwari. Kusangana kwangu nokushanda naHama Klein kwakandiunzira zvikomborero zvakadaro! Vaiva nomutsa uye vaibatsira nguva dzose. Takashanda zvakanaka pamwe chete uye tave tiri shamwari dzapedyo kwemakore anopfuura 50.

Yaiva ropafadzo yangu kubatsira nenziyo pakokorodzano dzakaitirwa muYankee Stadium muna 1950, 1953, 1955, na1958, uyewo kugoverana mitoro yokuimbisa kwaya naAl Kavelin pakokorodzano ya1963 yakaitirwa paRose Bowl muPasadena, iri muCalifornia. Pakokorodzano ya1953 paYankee Stadium, purogiramu yokuimba yakatangwa musi weSvondo hurukuro yavose isati yapiwa. Erich Frost akasuma Edith Shemionik (akazonzi Weigand), akanga ane inzwi rinoimba zvakajeka, uyo akaimba nziyo yakanyorwa naErich yokuti “Pamberi, Imi Zvapupu!” pamwe chete nekwaya yedu. Ipapo takafara zvikuru patakanzwa manzwi akajeka zvikuru uye akanaka ehama nehanzvadzi dzedu dzomuAfrica kwenguva yokutanga. Mumishinari Harry Arnott akanga aunza tepi yainakidza kwazvo kubva kuNorthern Rhodesia (zvino yava Zambia) kuti tinakidzwe nokuiteerera. Mutinhimira wacho wakazadza nhandare yose.

 Kurekodha Bhuku Renziyo ra1966

Unoyeuka here bhuku renziyo raive nebutiro repingi, “Muchiimba muchizvibatanidza imi mumene namarimba mumwoyo menyu”? Parakanga rava kunopera, Hama Knorr vakati: “Ticharekodha. Ndinoda kuti muronge kwaya diki, magitare mashoma chete nemitoriro inoverengeka. Handidi munhu upi noupi ‘anoridza bhosvo rake’!” Horo yoUmambo yaiva paBheteri ndiyo yaizova imba yedu yokurekodhera, asi takanga tisinganyatsofari kuti tiishandise. Chii chaizoitika noruzha rwaizoita maungira nemhaka yomudhuri usina kuvharwa namachira, uriri hune mataira, uye macheya okupeta esimbi? Ndiani aizotibatsira kupedza zvinetso zvemaungira zvisingafadzi? Mumwe akati: “Tommy Mitchell! Anoshanda paABC Network Studios.” Takataura naHama Mitchell, avo vaida kubatsira.

Mangwanani oMugovera wokutanga kurekodha akasvika, uye apo vaimbi vakanga vachisumwa, imwe hama yaiva nehomwe yebhosvo. Ndakayeuka kunyevera kwaHama Knorr kwokuti: “Handidi munhu upi noupi ‘anoridza bhosvo rake’!” Zvino, ndaizoita sei? Ndakatarira sezvo hama yacho yakabvisa bhosvo racho muhomwe yaro, akaisa chokuchunisa panzvimbo yacho, ndokutanga kugadzirira. Hama yacho yaiva Tom Mitchell, uye kamutinhimira kayakatanga kuridza kakanga kakanaka chaizvo. Akaita kuti bhosvo rinzwike segitare! Ndakafunga kuti, ‘hama iyi inofanira kugara!’ Hama Knorr havana kumboramba.

Mukwaya iyoyo, taiva nechikwata chevaimbi vaigona kwazvo vaivawo hama nehanzvadzi dzine rudo. Pakanga pasina vane misikanzwa! Kurekodha raiva basa rinonetesa, asi pakanga pasina kugunun’una. Basa racho parakapera, takadonhedza misodzi; uye ushamwaridzani hwakasimba huchiripo pakati peavo vaivepo. Tose zvedu takanakidzwa neropafadzo yacho, uye tinoonga Jehovha kuti takaita basa racho.

Dzimwe Ropafadzo Dzinopa Mubayiro

Pashure pemakore akawanda kudai, ndinongoramba ndichinakidzwa noushumiri hwenguva yakazara. Pave paine makore 28 emigove mubasa redunhu nereruwa—rimwe nerimwe rawo raifadza. Izvi zvakateverwa nemakore mashanu okutarisira Horo yemaGungano iri muNorval muOntario. Ini naAileen takanga takabatikana, nemhaka yemagungano edunhu aiitwa kupera kwevhiki kwoga kwoga uyewo kokorodzano dzoruwa dzemimwe mitauro. Muna 1979/80, vanogadzira mapurani ezvivako nemainjiniya vakashandisa zvivako zviri paHoro yemaGungano pavaigadzira purani yebazi reSosaiti raizovakwa munguva yemberi muHalton Hills. Pashure pebasa redu paHoro yemaGungano, mumwe mugove wakaita kuti tive nokumwezve kugoverana mune zvokuimba muBrooklyn, kubva muna 1982 kusvika 1984.

Mudzimai wangu anodiwa akashaya musi waJune 17, 1994, mazuva manomwe bedzi pashure pomusi wegore negore womuchato wedu wechi59. Takanga tapedza makore 51 okuzvipira kubasa rokupayona pamwe chete.

Sezvandinofunga nezvezvakaitika zvangu zvakawanda muupenyu, ndinoyeuka kuti Bhaibheri rave riri nhungamiro inokosha zvikuru sei. Dzimwe nguva ndinoshandisa Bhaibheri raAileen uye ndinowana mufaro mukuru kubva mukucherechedza zvaibaya mwoyo wake—ndima dzose, zvikamu zvamashoko, uye mashoko mamwe namamwe aakatara. Sezvazvakanga zvakaitawo naAileen, iniwo ndine magwaro ane zvaanoreva zvinokosha kwandiri. Chimwe chikamu iPisarema rechi137, rinotaura uyu munyengetero wakanaka kuna Jehovha wokuti: “Ngandirege kuzokwanisazve kuridza rudimbwa kana ndikakukanganwa, iwe Jerusarema! Ngandirege kuzokwanisazve kuimba kana ndikakukanganwa, kana ndikasafunga nezvako kuva mufaro wangu mukuru!” (Pisarema 137:5, 6, Today’s English Version) Kunyange zvazvo ndichida nziyo, mufaro wangu mukuru unobva mukushumira Jehovha nokuvimbika, akandipa mubayiro woupenyu hwakazara uye hunogutsa.

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 28]

Ndina Aileen muna 1947

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 30]

Tiri papurogiramu yokurekodha yapakuvamba