Nyaya Youpenyu

Kushumira Jehovha—Ropafadzo Isina Yaingaenzaniswa Nayo

YAKATAURWA NAZERAH STIGERS

Murume wangu, akanga ari shamwari yangu yakatendeka muushumiri hwenguva yakazara, akafa muna 1938. Ndakasiyirwa kacheche nomwanakomana aiva nemakore gumi. Kunyange zvazvo ndakanga ndichiri kuda kuva mushumiri wenguva yakazara, ndaizozviita sei? Regai ndikuudzei zvishoma nezvoupenyu hwangu ndisati ndatsanangura kuti ndakazozvifambisa sei.

NDICHANGOBEREKWA musi waJuly 27 1907, muAlabama, U.S.A., vabereki vangu vakatamira kuGeorgia neni nomunun’una wangu uye hanzvadzi dzangu. Tichangodaro, takazotamira kuTennessee tikazogarazve pedyo neguta reTampa, kuFlorida. Ndiri ikoko, muna 1916, ndakaona bhaisikopu raitaura nezvezvinhu zvakasikwa rainzi “Photo-Drama of Creation.” Bhizimisi remabhaisikopu rakanga richiri kutanga, saka munhu wose ainakidzwa zvikuru ne“Photo-Drama”!

Vabereki vangu vaiverenga chaizvo Nharireyomurindi nemamwe mabhuku eBhaibheri. Kunyange zvazvo Baba vaifarira mabhuku acho, panguva iyi vakanga vasingawadzani neVadzidzi veBhaibheri, sokushevedzwa kwaiitwa Zvapupu zvaJehovha panguva iyoyo. Zvisinei, amai vaienda nesu vana kumisangano. Kutaura zvazviri, tichangotamira kuNiles, kuMichigan, taigara tichifamba nechitima makiromita anenge 15 kuenda kuSouth Bend, Indiana, kunopinda misangano.

Pakupedzisira, musi waJuly 22, 1924, ndakabhabhatidzwa kuti ndiratidze kuti ndakanga ndazvitsaurira  kuna Jehovha. Ndichangobhabhatidzwa, Amai vakaronga kuti vave mucolporteur, sokushevedzwa kwaiitwa vashumiri venguva yakazara veZvapupu zvaJehovha panguva iyoyo. Muenzaniso wavo wakanaka nowemamwe macolporteur wakaita kuti ndive nechido chokuitawo basa iri.

Ndakawana Wokushanda Naye

Muna 1925, pandaipinda gungano rakakura muIndianapolis, Indiana, ndakaonana naJames Stigers, aibva kuChicago. Ndichingomuona ndakatorwa mwoyo nokushingaira kwaaiita pakushumira Jehovha. Ndaigara makiromita anenge 160 kubva kuChicago, saka zvaisava nyore kuti tishanyirane. Kare ikako, muguta guru iroro maingova neungano imwe chete, uye misangano yaiitirwa muimba yairendwa yaiva panhurikidzwa yechipiri. James aiwanzonyora tsamba achindikurudzira pakunamata. Takaroorana muna December 1926, uye kwapera rinenge gore, ndakabereka mwanakomana wedu wedangwe, Eddie.

Eddie achangoberekwa, ini naJames takatanga kupayona (kuparidza nguva yakazara) pamwe chete. Takashumira munzvimbo sere dzinoti Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, California, uye Illinois, tichinakidzwa nemakore aifadza zvikuru oupenyu hwedu. Mazuva iwayo ataifara semhuri akazongovhiringidzwa James paakatanga kurwara.

Kushayiwa kwataiita mari zvichikonzerwa nokurwara kwaJames kwakaita kuti tidzokere kuChicago muna 1936 kunogara navamwene vangu, vaivawo Chapupu. James paakanga ava kunyanya kurwara, pandaiva nepamuviri pomwana wedu wechipiri, ndaishandira U.S.$1 pazuva muimba yaitengesa zvokudya. Vamwene vangu vandaida vaiva nechokwadi chokuti taiva nezvokudya zvakawanda, uye vaisambobvuma kubhadharwa kana sendi zvaro. Vakatibata zvakazonaka.

James akarwara kwemakore anenge maviri asati afa nechirwere chokuzvimba uropi chinonzi encephalitis. Maiva muna July 1938. Paairwara, aisakwanisa kutyaira motokari kana kuita ushumiri hwepasuo nesuo, asi aishandisa mikana yose yaaiwana kuti apupurire vamwe. Kuti ndibatsire mhuri yedu nemari, ndakarega ushumiri hwenguva yakazara. Ndakakwanisa kuwana mabasa akasiyana-siyana, asi aipera munguva pfupi.

Mwanakomana wedu Bobby akaberekwa musi waJuly 30, 1938, mazuva masere chete mushure mokufa kwababa vake. Zvisinei, vamwene vangu vakaramba kuti ndiende kuchipatara chaiva navanachiremba vasina ruzivo rwakawanda. Asi vakandirongera kuti ndiende kuchipatara chiri nani kwandaizonorapwa nachiremba wavo. Uyezve, vakabhadhara mari yose yaidiwa, vachiratidza rudo rwechiKristu rwandinoonga nomwoyo wose.

Kutangazve Basa Renguva Yakazara

Takaramba tichigara navamwene vangu kusvikira Bobby ati pfuurei makore maviri, Eddie ava nemakore 12. Kunyange zvazvo ndaifanira kuchinja kuti ndiite zvaienderana nemamiriro akanga aita zvinhu, ndakanga ndichine chido chakasimba chokushumira Jehovha nguva yakazara. Pagungano reruwa rakaitirwa kuDetroit, Michigan, muna 1940, ndakaonana nevamwe vakaroorana vaipayona vakandikurudzira kuti ndiuye kuzopayona kuSouth Carolina. Saka ndakatenga motokari yegore ra1935 yainzi Pontiac yaiita U.S.$150 ndikagadzirira kutamira ikoko. Muna 1941, gore rakapinda United States muHondo Yenyika II, ini nevanakomana vangu vaviri takaenda kumaodzanyemba kweUnited States, uye ndakatangazve ushumiri hwenguva yakazara.

Patakatamira kuSouth Carolina, takatanga tanogara kuCamden, tikazonogara kuLittle River, tikazoguma tava kugara kuConway. KuConway, ndakatenga karavhani duku. Mumwe muridzi  wepaitengeserwa mafuta emotokari aiva nomutsa akandibvumidza kuti ndipake karavhani yacho pedyo nenzvimbo yake, kuti ndishandise mafuta ake nemagetsi ake, kunyange kutoshandisa chimbudzi chepo. MuHondo Yenyika II, mafuta aiita zvokugoverwa vanhu, uye ndaisakwanisa kuawana. Saka ndakatenga bhasikoro rakanga ramboshandiswa. Zvadaro, muna 1943, pazvaiita sokuti hazvichaiti kuti ndirambe ndichipayona nokuti takanga tisisina kana mari, ndakakumbirwa kuti ndive piyona chaiye; zvaireva kuti mwedzi nomwedzi ndaizowana mari yokundibatsira kurarama. Mumakore ose aya, Jehovha ave achindibatsira zvikuru!

MuConway makanga musina zvimwe Zvapupu panguva yacho, uye zvakanga zvakaoma kuti ini nevana tiite ushumiri tiri toga. Saka ndakanyora tsamba ndichikumbira kuti ndipiwe mumwe wokupayona naye, uye muna 1944, ndakapiwa akanga aine unhu hwakanaka chaizvo ainzi Edith Walker! Takashanda pamwe chete kunzvimbo dzakasiyana-siyana kwemakore 16. Asi nemhaka youtano husina kunaka, aifanira kudzokera kuOhio.

Zvikomborero Zvisingakanganwiki

Pane zvinofadza zvandinoyeuka zvakaitika mumakore iwayo, handimbofi ndakakanganwa Albertha aiva nemakore 13, aigara muConway uye aitarisira mbuya vake vaiva mhetamakumbo nehanzvadzi dzake mbiri duku. Aida chokwadi cheBhaibheri chandaimudzidzisa uye aida kuudzawo vamwe nezvacho. Iyewo akatanga kukoshesa ushumiri hwoupiyona ndokutanga kupayona paakapedza chikoro muna 1950. Iye zvino patopfuura makore 57, uye achiri kuita ushumiri hwenguva yakazara!

Muna 1951, ini naEdith takanzi tinoshanda kwenguva pfupi kuRock Hill, South Carolina, kwaigara Zvapupu zvishomanana. Pashure paizvozvo takatamira kuElberton, kuGeorgia, ndokugarako kwemakore matatu. Takazodzokera kuSouth Carolina, kwandakaramba ndiri kubvira muna 1954 kusvikira muna 1962. MuWalhalla, ndakaonana nomumwe mukadzi akanga akwegura, aiva nedambudziko rokunzwa ainzi Nettie, aigara oga kumaruwa. Kuti tirambe tichidzidza Bhaibheri, aiverenga ndima mubhuku, ini ndonongedzera mubvunzo wendima iyoyo panoperera peji yacho, iye onongedzera mhinduro yaiva mundima yacho.

Kana pane zvaainge asina kunzwisisa, ainyora mubvunzo wake papepa, ini ndonyora mhinduro yacho pasi pomubvunzo wacho. Nokufamba kwenguva, Nettie akatanga kukoshesa chokwadi cheBhaibheri zvokuti akatanga kupinda misangano yeungano pamwe nokuita ushumiri hwepasuo nesuo. Aienda oga kunoparidza, asi ndaigara ndiri pedyo, kazhinji mhiri kwomugwagwa, ndakagadzirira kuitira paaida kubatsirwa.

Pandaiva kuWalhalla, mota yangu yakafa. Pane imwe yaiita U.S.$100, asi ndakanga ndisina mari. Ndakataura nechimwe Chapupu chaiva nebhizimisi, uye chakandikweretesa U.S.$100 yacho. Izvozvo zvichangoitika, ndisingambozvitarisiri, ndakagamuchira tsamba yaibva kumunun’una wangu achiti iye nehanzvadzi dzangu vakanga vawana kuti pakafa baba vedu, vakanga vasiya mari mubhengi. Vakakurukura kuti voitei nayo uye vose vakabvumirana kuti vanditumire mari yacho. Yaiva U.S.$100!

Kupayona Nevanakomana Vangu

Pavaiva vaduku, Eddie naBobby vaishanda neni nguva dzose mubasa rokuparidza paimba neimba. Mumazuva iwayo, vanhu vakawanda vakanga vasingashandisi zvinodhaka, uye vakanga vachine tsika. Kuita kuti upenyu hwedu hurambe husina zvakawanda uye kunyanya kukoshesa basa rokuparidza kwakandibatsira kuti ndisava nematambudziko  akawanda anotarisana nevabereki mazuva ano pakurera vana vavo kuti vashumire Jehovha.

Eddie aidzidza kuCamden kusvikira apedza giredhi rechisere (ava nemakore anenge 13), uye pashure paizvozvo aida kupayona neni. Takapayona tose tichifara kwemakore akawanda. Zvadaro akatanga kuva nechido chokunoshanda kudzimbahwe romunyika yose reZvapupu zvaJehovha muBrooklyn, New York, kwaakashanda kubvira muna 1947 kusvikira muna 1957. Muna 1958 akaroora Albertha, wandakadzidza naye Bhaibheri, uye vakapayona pamwe chete. Zvainakidza chaizvo tose tiri vatatu patakapinda Chikoro Choushumiri Chemapiyona muna 2004!

Ndinoyeuka kuti rimwe zuva makore akawanda apfuura, Bobby paakanga achiri muduku, ndakamunzwa achinyengetera achikumbira Jehovha kuti andibatsire kuwana mafuta akakwana kuti ndishandise motokari kuenda kunoona vanhu vandaidzidza navo Bhaibheri nguva dzose. Muupenyu hwake hwose, Bobby akaratidza kuti anoda ushumiri uye akapayona kwemakore akawanda. Zvinosuruvarisa kuti Bobby akawirwawo nenjodzi mumhuri yake. Muna 1970 akafirwa nomudzimai wake waakanga angoroorana naye kwegore nemwedzi gumi chete paaisununguka vana vake vaiva mapatya, vakabva vafawo. Ini naBobby tave tichigara pedyo napedyo nguva dzose, uye tinowirirana zvikuru.

Ndichiri Kupayona!

Muna 1962, ndakanzi ndinoshanda neungano yokuLumberton, North Carolina, uye ndichiri muungano iyoyo mushure memakore 45. Ndakaramba ndichityaira motokari yangu kusvikira ndava nemakore anenge 84. Iye zvino imwe mhuri yeZvapupu inogara pedyo neni ndiyo inondiendesa kumisangano yeungano uye mubasa rokuparidza.

Ndine chokundibatsira kufamba newiricheya asi hapana chandati ndava kushandisa, zvandichiri kugona kuzvifambira ndoga. Ndinoonga Jehovha kuti ndave ndiine utano hwakanaka, kungoti munguva pfupi yapfuura ndakatanga kunetseka nemaziso. Handimborovhi misangano kunze kwokunge ndichirwara zvikuru, uye ndichiri piyona wenguva dzose asi ndiri ndonda.

Zvandave ndiri piyona kwemakore anopfuura 70, ndinogona kutaura nomwoyo wose kuti Jehovha akandibatsira muupenyu hwangu hwose. * Ndinoziva kuti handina kumbobvira ndava munhu akangwara kana kuti munhu anoshanda achikurumidza, asi Jehovha anoziva zvandinogona nezvandisingagoni. Ndinoonga zvikuru kuti anoziva kuti ndiri kuedza zvandinogona uye kuti ave achindishandisa.

Ndinofunga kuti kushumira Jehovha zvakazara sezvinobvira kunokosha nokuti ndiye akatipa zvinhu zvose. Chero bedzi ndichikwanisa, handingasarudzi kuita rimwe basa kunze kwokuva piyona. Iyi yave iri ropafadzo yakakura zvikuru! Ndinonyengetera kuti dai ndikashandiswa naJehovha nokusingaperi.

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 13]

Ini nomurume wangu taishandisa motokari iyi mubasa redu tiri ma“colporteur”

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 14]

Ndiine vanakomana vangu muna 1941

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 15]

Nguva pfupi yapfuura ndiina Eddie naBobby