Kubvuma Kuchinja Muupenyu Kwakandibatsira Chaizvo

Yakataurwa naJames A. Thompson

Ndakaberekwa muna 1928 kumaodzanyemba kweUnited States, uye panguva iyoyo paiva nemutemo waiparadzanisa vatema nevachena. Munhu aiutyora aigona kuiswa mujeri kana kuitirwa zvakaipa kupfuura izvozvo.

PANGUVA iyoyo, mune dzimwe nzvimbo dzeUnited States, Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvechitema zvaisafanira kupinda nevachena muungano imwe chete, dunhu kana ruwa. Muna 1937 baba vangu vakava muranda wekambani (ava kunzi murongi mudare revakuru) muungano yevatema muChattanooga, Tennessee. Henry Nichols aiva muranda wekambani yevachena.

Ndinofara pandinoyeuka nguva yandaiva muduku, ndakagara pavheranda rokuseri ari manheru ndichiteerera Baba naHama Nichols vachikurukura. Kunyange zvazvo ndaisanzwisisa zvose zvavaitaura, ndainakidzwa nokuva padivi paBaba sezvavaikurukura kuti vangaita sei basa rokuparidza mumamiriro ezvinhu aivapo.

Mhuri yedu yainge yawirwa nedambudziko muna 1930. Amai vakashaya vaine makore 20 chete. Baba ndivo vainge vava kutitarisira. Ini ndaiva nemakore maviri chete uye sisi vangu Doris, vaiva nemakore mana. Kunyange zvazvo Baba vainge vachangobva kubhabhatidzwa, vakafambira mberi zvakanaka chaizvo.

Mienzaniso Yakandibatsira Muupenyu Hwangu

Muna 1933, Baba vakaonana naLillie Mae Gwendolyn Thomas, hanzvadzi yechiKristu yakanaka chaizvo uye pasina nguva, vakaroorana. Baba naAmai, vakaratidza muenzaniso wakanaka kwatiri, ini naDoris, pakushumira Jehovha vakatendeka.

 Muna 1938, ungano dzeZvapupu zvaJehovha dzakakumbirwa kuti dzitsigire chisarudzo chokuti vakuru veungano vaite zvokugadzwa nedzimbahwe redu riri kuBrooklyn, New York, panzvimbo pokuti vaite zvokusarudzwa muungano. Vamwe vomuChattanooga pavakazeza kubvuma chisarudzo ichi, Baba vakati vainyatsotsigira kuchinja uku kwainge kwaitwa nesangano. Muenzaniso wavo wokutendeka pamwe chete nokushandira pamwe nemwoyo wose kwaAmai zvichiri kundibatsira nanhasi.

Kubhabhatidzwa Uye Ushumiri Hwenguva Yakazara

Muna 1940 vakawanda vomuungano yedu vakahaya bhazi kuenda kugungano raiitirwa muDetroit, Michigan. Vamwe vatakaenda navo vakanobhabhatidzwa ikoko. Vamwe vakashamisika kuti nei ndisina kubhabhatidzwa sezvo ndainge ndatanga kuparidza ndiine makore mashanu uye ndichishingaira chaizvo muushumiri.

Pavakandibvunza, ndakavapindura kuti, “Pane zvimwe zvandisinganzwisisi panyaya yokubhabhatidzwa.” Baba vakanzwa zvandakataura uye zvakavashamisa. Kubva ipapo, vakatanga kundibatsira kunzwisisa zvinorehwa nokubhabhatidzwa uye zvakunokoshera. Papera mwedzi mina, pana October 1, 1940, kuchitonhora zvokuti huya uone, ndakabhabhatidzirwa mune rimwe dziva pedyo neChattanooga.

Pandakasvitsa makore 14, ndakatanga kupayona pamazororo okuchikoro pakwainge kuchidziya. Ndaiparidza mumataundi maduku emuTennessee uyewo emuGeorgia. Ndaifumobata jongwe muromo, ndorongedza mbuva yangu, ndobata chitima kana kuti bhazi ra6 mangwanani kuenda kundima yandaizoshanda. Ndaidzoka kuma6 manheru. Masikati aiwanzosvika mbuva yangu yati hwa. Kunyange zvazvo ndaiva nemari, ndaisakwanisa kutenga zvokudya muzvitoro nekuti ndaiva mutema. Rimwe zuva ndakapinda mune chimwe chitoro ndichida aizikirimu ndikabva ndanzi ndibude. Mumwe mukadzi wechichena akabva andiunzira.

Ndava kusekondari, sangano raiona nezvekodzero dzevanhu rakanga riri kukura chaizvo kumaodzanyemba. Masangano akadai seNAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) aikurudzira vana kuti vaatsigire. Takakurudzirwa kuti tivewo nhengo dzawo. Zvikoro zvevatema zvakawanda kusanganisira chedu zvaitotarisira kuti mwana wose avewo nhengo. Ndaimanikidzwa kuti “nditsigire rudzi rwedu,” sokutaurwa kwazvaiitwa. Asi ndairamba, ndaitsanangura kuti Mwari haasaruri uye haana rudzi rwaanokoshesa kupfuura rumwe. Saka ndinosiyira Mwari kuti agadzirise kusaruramisira kwakadai.—Joh. 17:14; Mab. 10:34, 35.

Ndichangopedza chikoro, ndakafunga zvokunogara kuNew York City. Zvisinei, ndakambomira muPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, kuti ndimboshanyire shamwari dzandakanga ndaonana nadzo pagungano. Imomo ndimo mandakatanga kupinda neungano yaiva nevatema nevachena. Pakashanya mutariri wedunhu, akaenda neni parutivi, akandiudza kuti ndaizova nehurukuro pamusangano waitevera. Izvi zvakabva zvandiitira nyore kusarudza kugara ikoko.

Pashamwari dzandakava nadzo muPhiladelphia  paiva neimwe hanzvadzi yechiduku yainzi Geraldine White, asi ini ndakazopedzisira ndava kumudana kuti Gerri. Ainyatsoziva Bhaibheri uye aiva shasha pakutaura navanasaimba muushumiri hwepaimba neimba. Chandainyanya kukoshesa ndechokuti taiva nechinangwa chakafanana chokupayona. Takaroorana pana April 23, 1949.

Kukokwa kuGiriyedhi

Kubvira pakutanga, taiva nechinangwa chokupinda Chikoro cheGiriyedhi uye kunoshumira kune imwe nyika semamishinari. Taida chaizvo kugadzirisa mamiriro edu ezvinhu kuti tikwanise kuenda kuGiriyedhi. Pasina nguva, takanzi titamire kuLawnside, New Jersey; tikazoenda kuChester, Pennsylvania; uye kuAtlantic City, New Jersey. Tiri kuAtlantic City, takanga tava kukwanisa kuenda kuGiriyedhi, nokuti tainge tava nemakore maviri taroorana. Asi takanzi timbomira. Nei?

Kwekutanga kwema1950, vechiduku vakawanda vainzi vapinde muchiuto kuti vanorwa kuKorea. Dare rokuPhiladelphia raipinza vanhu muchiuto raisafarira Zvapupu zvaJehovha nokuti zvaisaenda kuhondo. Asi ndakazoudzwa nemumwe mutongi kuti FBI yainge yaongorora, ikagutsikana kuti ndaisaita zvehondo. Saka pana January 11, 1952, Presidential Appeal Board yakabvuma kuti ndinzi ndiri mushumiri wechitendero.

Muna August wegore iroro, ini naGerri takakokwa kuti tipinde kirasi yechi20 yeGiriyedhi, yaizotanga muna September. Pataidzidza, taitarisira kuti taizonzi tinoshumira kune imwe nyika. Hanzvadzi yangu Doris ainge apinda kirasi yechi13 yeGiriyedhi uye aishumira kuBrazil. Ini naGerri takashamiswa patakanzi tipinde mudunhu, tichishanyira ungano dzevatema nechokumaodzanyemba muAlabama. Hatina kunyanya kufara nekuti taitarisira kunoshanda kune imwe nyika.

Ungano yatakatanga kushanyira yaiva kuHuntsville. Tichingosvika, takaenda kumba kweimwe hanzvadzi kwatainogara. Pataiburutsa zvinhu zvedu takanzwa hanzvadzi iya ichitaura pafoni kuti, “Vana vaye vasvika.” Taingova nemakore 24 uye taitoita setakanga tisati taasvitsa. Zita remadunhurirwa rokuti Vana rakabva rapfumbira mudunhu racho.

Vanhu vakawanda vokumaodzanyemba vaikoshesa Bhaibheri chaizvo. Saka taiwanzotanga kukurukura nevanhu tichishandisa mharidzo yaiva nepfungwa nhatu dzinotevera:

(1) Kutsanangura muchidimbu mamiriro akaita zvinhu munyika.

(2) Kuti Bhaibheri rinoti zvichagadziriswa sei.

(3) Zvatinonzi neBhaibheri tiite.

Taibva tagovera bhuku rakakodzera rinotsanangura Bhaibheri. Nemhaka yekubudirira kwenzira iyi, muna 1953 ndakapiwa hurukuro paGungano Renzanga Yenyika Itsva rakaitwa  muNew York. Muhurukuro yacho ndakaenzanisira mharidzo iya yataishandisa.

Pasina nguva, muna 1953, ndakanzi ndinova mutariri weruwa kumatunhu evatema aiva kumaodzanyemba. Ndima yedu yaibva kuVirginia kusvika kuFlorida uye yaisvikawo kumadokero kweAlabama neTennessee. Vatariri vanofambira vaifanira kudzidza kurarama nezvaivapo. Somuenzaniso taiwanzogara mudzimba dzainge dzisina pombi dzemvura uye taigezera mumabhaketi kuseri kwechitofu chomukicheni. Chaifadza ndechokuti iyoyo ndiyo nzvimbo yaidziya!

Dambudziko Rerusaruraganda

Kushumira kumaodzanyemba kwaida kunyatsofunga uye unyanzvi hwokuita zvinhu. Vatema vaisabvumirwa kunoshandisa michina yokuwachisa. Saka Gerri aiendako onoti aida kuwacha mbatya dza“Mai Thompson.” Vakawanda vaifunga kuti Gerri aiva mushandi wa“Mai Thompson.” Vatariri veruwa pavairatidza firimu rainzi The New World Society in Action, ndaifonera chitoro ndovati vachengetere “VaThompson” sikirini hombe yokuratidzira firimu. Ndaizoenda kuchitoro chacho ndonoitora. Nguva dzose taisanetsana nevanhu uye taiita ushumiri hwedu pasina dambudziko.

Vanhu vokuchamhembe nevokumaodzanyemba vaisaruranawo. Rimwe pepanhau romunzvimbo yacho rakataura kuti James A. Thompson, Jr., weWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York aizokurukura pagungano. Vamwe vakazvitora sokuti ndaibva kuNew York uye vakabva vatirambidza kushandisa nzvimbo yepachikoro yatakanga tahaya. Saka ndakaenda kudare rechikoro ndikavatsanangurira kuti ndakadzidza muChattanooga. Vakabva vatibvumira kuitira gungano redu redunhu ipapo.

Nyaya yerusaruraganda yainge yava kutsviriridza pakati pema1950 uye dzimwe nguva vanhu vaitorwisana. Pamagungano eruwa akati wandei emuna 1954, zvimwe Zvapupu zvakatogumbuka nekuti vakurukuri vechitema havana kupiwa hurukuro. Takakurudzira hama dzedu dzechitema kuti dzishivirire. Pagungano rakazotevera ndakapiwa hurukuro. Kubva ipapo, hama dzechitema dzakawanda dzokumaodzanyemba dzakatanga kupiwawo hurukuro.

Nokufamba kwenguva, kurwisana kwaikonzerwa norusaruraganda kumaodzanyemba kwakaderera uye vatema nevachena vakatanga kupinda misangano pamwe chete. Izvi zvaida kuti vaparidzi varongwe patsva, ndima dzeungano dzichinjwe, uye kuti mabasa aiitwa nehama achinjewo. Vamwe vatema nevachena havana kufarira urongwa hutsva uhwu. Zvisinei, vakawanda vakanga vasingasaruri sezvinoita Baba vedu vokudenga. Vaitoshamwaridzana nevane ganda rakasiyana neravo. Mhuri yedu yainge yagara ichiwirirana nevachena kuma1930 uye ma1940 ndichiri kuyaruka.

Kutamisirwa kuGuyana

Muna January 1969, ini naGerri takanzi tiende kuGuyana, iri kuSouth America uye takafara chaizvo. Takatanga taenda kuBrooklyn, New York, kwandakadzidziswa kutarisira basa rokuparidza muGuyana. Takasvikako muna July 1969. Kuchinja ndichitanga kushandira  panzvimbo imwe chete kwaisava nyore sezvo ndakanga ndapedza makore 16 ndiri mudunhu. Mazuva akawanda Gerri aienda muushumiri achishanda somumishinari asi ini ndaishanda pabazi.

Basa rangu raisanganisira zvose, kucheka uswa, kugadzira odha dzemabhuku eungano 28 uye kutumira tsamba kudzimbahwe kuBrooklyn. Ndaishanda maawa 14 kana kuti 15 pazuva. Taishanda zvakaoma chaizvo asi tainakidzwa nebasa redu. Patakasvika kuGuyana, kwaiva nevaparidzi 950 asi iye zvino vava kupfuura 2 500.

Kunyange zvazvo taifarira mamiriro ekunze eko, michero uye miriwo, tainyanyofadzwa nekuona vanhu vaizvininipisa, vaida kuziva chokwadi cheBhaibheri vachidzidza nezvoUmambo hwaMwari. Kakawanda, Gerri aiitisa zvidzidzo zveBhaibheri 20 pavhiki uye vakawanda vatakadzidza navo vakafambira mberi vakabhabhatidzwa. Vamwe vacho vakazova mapiyona, vakuru muungano, uye vamwe vakatoenda kuGiriyedhi kuti vave mamishinari.

Matambudziko, Kunyanya Eutano

Muna 1983 vabereki vangu vaiva kuUnited States vakanga vava kuda kutarisirwa. Ini, Doris, naGerri takagara pasi kuti tikurukure nezvenyaya yacho. Doris, ainge ava nemakore 35 ari mumishinari kuBrazil akasarudza kunovatarisira. Akati zviri nani kuti mumishinari mumwe chete adzokere pane kuti vaviri vasiye basa. Kubvira pakashaya vabereki vedu, Doris ave achigara muChattanooga uye ndipiyona chaiye.

Muna 1995, ndakabatwa kenza uye ndaifanira kudzokera kuUnited States. Takanogara kuGoldsboro, North Carolina nokuti kwaiva pakati nepakati peTennessee, kwaigara mhuri yangu, nePennsylvania, kwaigara mhuri yaGerri. Iye zvino kenza yangu yadzikira uye tiri mapiyona chaiwo ndonda muungano yeGoldsboro.

Ndichitarisa makore 65 andave ndiri mubasa renguva yakazara, ndinofara zvechokwadi kuti Jehovha ave achitikomborera ini naGerri nokubvuma kuchinja upenyu hwedu kuti timushumire. Mashoko aDhavhidhi ndeechokwadi okuti: “[Jehovha] muchava akavimbika kune akavimbika.”—2 Sam. 22:26.

[Mifananidzo iri papeji 3]

Baba vangu naHama Nichols vakandisiyira muenzaniso wakanaka chaizvo

[Mifananidzo iri papeji 4]

Ndiina Gerri, tagadzirira kuenda kuGiriyedhi muna 1952

[Mifananidzo iri papeji 5]

Patakapedza chikoro cheGiriyedhi, takanzi tiende mudunhu kumaodzanyemba

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 6]

Vatariri vanofambira nemadzimai avo vachigadzirira gungano reruwa revatema nevachena muna 1966

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 7]

Basa roumishinari muGuyana rainakidza chaizvo