NDAKABEREKWA muna 1927 mutaundi diki rinonzi Wakaw, mudunhu reSaskatchewan, kuCanada. Mumba medu maiva nevana 7, vasikana vatatu uye vakomana vana. Saka ndakajaira kugara nevanhu vakawanda kubvira ndichiri mudiki.

Zvinhu zvakanga zvakatiomerawo panguva yakaderera upfumi pasi rose kuma1930. Takanga tisina hedu kupfuma asi hapana musi watakarara nenzara. Taiva nemombe yedu uye taichengeta huku, saka taisashaya mukaka, kirimu, chizi uye mazai pamba pedu. Hapana akanga asina basa rekuita pamba.

Pane zvakawanda zvaiitika mazuva iwayo zvandichiri kuyeuka. Semuenzaniso, baba pavaienda kudhorobha mumwaka wematsutso kunotengesa zvataiwana papurazi redu, vaiwanzodzoka kumba vaine bhokisi remaapuro achangotanhwa uye mumba maibva mazara nekunhuwirira kwemaapuro. Zuva rega rega taidya maapuro ainaka chaizvo.

Vabereki vangu vakatanga kunzwa chokwadi ndiine makore 6. Mwanakomana wekutanga mumba medu ainzi Johnny ainge afa achangobva kuberekwa. Vabereki vangu vakashungurudzika vakanobvunza mupristi kuti, “Johnny aenda kupi?” Mupristi wacho akati Johnny ainge asina kubhabhatidzwa, saka akanga asina kuenda kudenga. Akaudzawo vabereki vangu kuti kana vakamupa mari aizonyengeterera Johnny kuti aende kudenga. Dai uriwe waizonzwa sei? Vabereki vangu vakagumbuka chaizvo zvekuti havana kuzombotaurazve nemupristi iyeye. Asi vakaramba vachinetseka kuti Johnny akanga aendepi.

Rimwe zuva amai vakaona kabhuku kakabudiswa neZvapupu zvaJehovha kanonzi Where Are the Dead? Vakakaverenga neshungu. Baba pavakadzoka, amai vakataura vachifara kuti: “Iye zvino ndava kuziva kuti Johnny aripi! Iye zvino akarara, asi nerimwe zuva achamutswa.” Usiku ihwohwo baba vakaverenga kabhuku kacho kese. Vabereki vangu vakanyaradzwa chaizvo pavakaona kuti Bhaibheri rinotaura kuti vakafa vakarara uye kuti vachamutswa.—Mup. 9:5, 10; Mab. 24:15.

Zvavakadzidza zvakachinja upenyu hwavo, zvikaita kuti vafare uye vanyaradzwe. Vakatanga kudzidza Bhaibheri neZvapupu uye kupinda misangano neungano diki yaiva muWakaw. Vanhu vakawanda vaiva muungano iyi vaibva kuUkraine. Pasina nguva, vabereki vangu vakanga vava kuita basa rekuparidza.

Pashure paizvozvo, takatamira kuBritish Columbia uye ungano yeko yakatigamuchira zvakanaka. Ndinofara chaizvo pandinofunga kunakidzwa kwataiitwa semhuri tichigadzirira Nharireyomurindi yataizodzidza musi weSvondo. Kuda kwataiita Jehovha uye chokwadi chemuBhaibheri kwakaramba kuchiwedzera. Ndakaona kuti Jehovha aitikomborera.

 Sevana vadiki zvakanga zvisiri nyore kuti tiudze vanhu zvatinotenda. Asi chakanyanya kutibatsira ndechekuti ini nemunin’ina wangu Eva taiwanzogadzirira mharidzo yekushandisa muushumiri mwedzi iwoyo, toienzanisira paMusangano Webasa. Izvi zvakatibatsira kuti tigone kutaura nevanhu nezveBhaibheri, kunyange zvazvo tainyara. Ndinotenda chaizvo madzidzisirwo atakaitwa basa rekuparidza.

Chimwe chandinoyeuka ndechekuti pataiva vadiki vanhu vari mubasa renguva yakazara vaiwanzouya kuzogara kumba kwedu. Somuenzaniso, tainakidzwa chaizvo Hama Jack Nathan avo vaiva mutariri wedunhu pavaiuya kuzogara kumba kwedu panguva yavainge vashanyira ungano yedu. * Vaitaura nyaya dzakawanda dzinonakidza uye mashoko avo anokurudzira akatibatsira kuti tide kushumira Jehovha takatendeka.

Ndinoyeuka ndichiti nechemumwoyo, “Kana ndakura ndoda kuzoita saHama Nathan.” Ndakatozoona kuti muenzaniso wavo waindibatsira kuti ndide kuzoita basa renguva yakazara. Pandakazosvitsa makore 15, ndakanga ndatsidza kushumira Jehovha. Muna 1942, ini naEva takabhabhatidzwa.

Munguva yeHondo Yenyika II, vanhu vainzi vanofanira kuratidza kuti vanoda nyika yavo, uye mumwe mudzidzisi ainge akaoma musoro ainzi Miss Scott akadzinga vanin’ina vangu vaviri nekahanzvadzi kangu kuchikoro. Akavadzingirei? Vakanga varamba kusaruta mureza. Akabva audza mudzidzisi wangu kuti andidzingewo pachikoro. Asi mudzidzisi wangu akati, “Munyika ino munhu wese ane kodzero yekusarudza zvaanoda panyaya yemhemberero dzenyika.” Miss Scott vakaramba vachimanikidza mudzidzisi wangu, asi akati, “Zvandataura ndizvozvo.”

Miss Scott vakati: “Aiwa haisi nyaya yekuti unosarudza zvaunoda. Ukasadzinga Melita chikoro ndichakumhan’arira.” Mudzidzisi wangu akatsanangurira vabereki vangu kuti aifanira kundidzinga chikoro kuti arambe ari pabasa, kunyange zvazvo aiziva kuti zvakanga zvisina kunaka. Asi takawana mabhuku ekuchikoro nezvimwewo zvaitibatsira kudzidza tiri kumba. Takazotamira kune imwe nzvimbo iri makiromita 32 kubva pataigara uye takawana nzvimbo pane chimwe chikoro.

Munguva yehondo mabhuku edu akanga ava kurambidzwa, asi takaramba tichiparidza paimba neimba tichishandisa Bhaibheri chete. Saka unyanzvi hwedu hwekuparidza mashoko akanaka oUmambo tichishandisa Magwaro hwakawedzera. Izvozvo zvakatibatsira kuti tikure pakunamata uye tione kutsigirwa kwataiitwa naJehovha.

Patakangopedza chikoro, ini naEva takatanga kupayona. Kuti ndiwane chekurarama nacho, ndakatanga kushanda mune chimwe chitoro. Ndakazoita kosi yemwedzi 6 yekugadzira vanhu musoro, uye izvi ndakanga ndagara ndichizvifarira ndichiri kumba. Ndakazowana basa musaruni mandaishanda mazuva maviri pavhiki uye kaviri pamwedzi ndaidzidzisawo vanhu kugadzira musoro. Basa iri raiita kuti ndikwanise kuramba ndichipayona.

Muna 1955, ndaida kupinda gungano raiva nemusoro unoti, “Umambo Hunokunda,” muNew York City, kuU.S.A., uye muNuremberg, kuGermany. Asi ndisati ndaenda kuNew York, ndakaonana  naHama Nathan Knorr, avo vaishanda kumahofisi edu makuru. Ivo nemudzimai wavo vainge vauya kuzopinda gungano muVancouver, kuCanada. Panguva iyoyo, ndakakumbirwa kugadzira Hanzvadzi Knorr musoro. Hama Knorr vakafarira magadziriro andakaita musoro womudzimai wavo, uye vakati vaida kundiona. Pataikurukura ndakavaudza kuti ndaida kutanga ndaenda kuNew York, ndozopedzisira nekuGermany. Vakandikoka kuti ndizoshanda paBheteri kuBrooklyn kwemazuva 9.

Rwendo urwu rwakachinja upenyu hwangu. Pandaiva kuNew York, ndakaonana neimwe hama yechidiki yainzi Theodore (Ted) Jaracz. Ndakashamiswa paakandibvunza kuti, “Uri piyona here?” Ndakabva ndati, “Aiwa, handisi.” LaVonne, shamwari yangu, akanzwa tichitaura, achibva ati, “Ehe, ndipiyona.” Ted akabva abvunza LaVonne kuti, “Saka ndiani ari kutaura chokwadi manje, ndiwe here kana kuti ndiye?” Ndakazotsanangura kuti ndaimbopayona ndikazomira, asi ndakanga ndiri kuronga kutangazve ndichangobva kugungano.

Ted akaberekwa muna1925, muKentucky, kuU.S.A, uye akabhabhatidzwa ava nemakore 15. Pashure pemakore maviri, akatanga kushumira sapiyona wenguva dzose kunyange zvazvo vemumhuri make vaisava muchokwadi. Akaramba achiita basa renguva yakazara kwemakore anenge 67 akatevera.

Muna 1946, ava nemakore 20, Ted akapedza kudzidza mukirasi yechinomwe yeChikoro cheBhaibheri cheWatchtower cheGiriyedhi. Pashure paizvozvo akashanda semutariri wedunhu muCleveland, Ohio. Papera makore mana, Ted akazonzi anoita muranda webazi kuAustralia.

Ted aivawo pagungano muNuremberg, kuGermany, uye takawana mukana wokuzivana zviri nani. Takabva tatanga kudanana. Ndakafarira kuti zvinangwa zvake zvaiva pakushumira Jehovha nemweya wose. Aiva munhu akanyatsozvipira, aikoshesa zvinhu zvekunamata, asi aivawo neushamwari uye mutsa. Ndaiona kuti aisangoita zvakamunakira asi aikoshesawo zvinodiwa nevamwe. Gungano iroro parakapera, Ted akadzokera kuAustralia, iniwo ndikadzokera kuVancouver, asi taigara tichinyorerana tsamba.

Ted akaita makore anenge mashanu achishumira muAustralia, achibva adzokera kuUnited States. Akazouya kuVancouver kuzopayona. Ndakafara pandakaona kuti vanhu vemumhuri medu vaimufarira chaizvo. Michael, hanzvadzi yangu akanga asingadi neni, saka aitombonetsa kana pakaita mukomana aindida. Asi kana ari Ted, Michael akabva angomufarira. Akati, “Melita, apa wakazviwanira mukomana. Unofanira kumubata zvakanaka kuti asakusiya.”

Ted wacho ndakanga ndatomuda kare. Saka takabva tachata musi wa10 December, 1956. Takapayona pamwe chete muVancouver, tikazonopayona kuCalifornia, uye takazotumirwa kuMissouri nekuArkansas kuti tinoita basa redunhu. Kwemakore anenge 18, taigara mudzimba dzakasiyana-siyana vhiki rega rega, pataiva mubasa redunhu muUnited States. Tine zvinhu zvinofadza zvakaitika tiri muushumiri, kusanganisira nguva dzinonakidza dzataiva pamwe chete nehama nehanzvadzi. Izvozvo zvaiita kuti tisanyanye kuomerwa neupenyu hwatairarama hwekungogara tichitama-tama.

Chimwe chinhu chandaifarira pana Ted ndechokuti aikoshesa ushamwari hwake naJehovha. Aikoshesawo chaizvo basa raaiitira Jehovha Mwari. Tainakidzwa nekuverenga uye kudzidza Bhaibheri pamwe chete. Manheru ega ega tisati tarara, taipfugama pedyo nemubhedha, obva anyengeterera. Mumwe  nemumwe wedu aizonyengeterawo ega. Kana Ted aine chimwe chinhu chaimunetsa, ndaizviona. Aimuka opfugama zvakare, onyengetera chinyararire kwenguva refu. Zvaindifadza chaizvo kuti ainyengetera kuna Jehovha pangava pazvinhu zvihombe kana kuti zvidiki.

Papera makore akawanda taroorana, Ted akandiudza kuti aizotanga kudya chingwa nekunwa waini paChirangaridzo. Akandiudza kuti, “Ndakanyengetera kakawanda nezvenyaya iyi kuti ndinyatsova nechokwadi chekuti zvandava kuda kuita ndizvo zvinodiwa naJehovha.” Hazvina kumbonyanya kundishamisa hazvo kuti akanga azodzwa nemudzimu waMwari kuti azonoshumira ari kudenga. Ndakaona kuti ndaiva nechikomborero chokutsigira mumwe wehama dzaKristu.—Mat. 25:35-40.

Muna 1974, takashamiswa chaizvo Ted paakagadzwa senhengo yeDare Rinodzora reZvapupu zvaJehovha. Pasina nguva, takanzi tizoshumira paBheteri rokuBrooklyn. Ted paaiita mabasa ake senhengo yeDare Rinodzora, ini ndaiita basa rekuchenesa dzimba uye dzimwe nguva ndaishanda musaruni.

Rimwe basa raiitwa naTed raiva rokushanyira mahofisi emapazi akasiyana-siyana. Aifarira chaizvo kuziva kuti basa rokuparidza raifamba sei munyika dzairambidzwa basa redu dzaiva pasi peSoviet Union. Pane imwe nguva tiri pazororo kuSweden, Ted akati kwandiri: “Melita, basa rekuparidza rarambidzwa kuPoland, uye ndinoda kunobatsira hama dzeko.” Saka takatora mavhiza tikabva taenda kuPoland. Ted akaonana nehama dzaitungamirira basa redu ikoko, uye vakatorana vakaenda kure kuti pasava nemunhu ainzwa zvavaitaura. Kwemazuva mana, vakaita misangano yakareba, asi ndakafara chaizvo kuona kuti Ted aigutsikana nekubatsira hama dzake dzechiKristu.

Takazodzokera kuPoland muna November 1977. Aka ndiko kaiva kekutanga kuti Poland ishanyirwe nehama dzeDare Rinodzora dzaiti, F. W. Franz, Daniel Sydlik, naTed. Basa redu rakanga richiri kurambidzwa ikoko, asi hama nhatu idzi dzeDare Rinodzora dzakakwanisa kushanyira maguta akasiyana-siyana dzichikurukura nevatariri, mapiyona, uyewo zvimwe Zvapupu zvakanga zvava nenguva yakareba zvichishumira Jehovha.

Gore rakatevera racho, Hama Milton Henschel naTed vakaenda kuPoland, vakanoonana nevakuru vakuru vehurumende avo vakanga vava kutibvumira kuita zvimwe zvinhu zvine chokuita nebasa redu. Muna 1982, hurumende yePoland yakabvumira hama dzedu kuti dziite magungano ezuva rimwe chete. Gore rakatevera, muPoland makatanga kuitwa magungano makuru uye akawanda acho aiitirwa muzvivako zvokuhaya. Muna 1985, basa rekuparidza rakanga richiri kurambidzwa, asi takabvumirwa kuita magungano mana munhandare dzakakura.  Muna May 1989, urongwa hwokuti pave nemagungano akatonyanya kukura pahwakanga huchiri pakati, hurumende yePoland yakabvumira Zvapupu zvaJehovha kuti zviite basa razvo zvakasununguka. Ted akafara zvekufara zviya.

Muna 2007, taiva munzira kuenda kuSouth Africa kunopinda musangano wekukumikidza bazi reko. Patakanga tava kuEngland, BP yaTed yakakwira, uye chiremba akamuti akanzure rwendo rwake. Ted paakanga ava kunzwa zviri nani, takabva tadzokera kuUnited States. Asi pashure pemavhiki mashoma, akasitiroka ndokuoma rutivi rwerudyi.

Ted akanonoka kupora, uye pakutanga akanga asingakwanisi kuenda kunoshanda ari kuhofisi yake. Chakangotifadza ndechokuti kusitiroka kwaakaita hakuna kukanganisa matauriro ake. Pasinei nourwere uhwu, aiedza kuramba achiita mabasa ake. Aitopindawo musangano unoitwa vhiki nevhiki neDare Rinodzora, achitaura ari pafoni ari kumba.

Ted aitenda chaizvo kurapwa kwaaiitwa paBheteri uye nokufamba kwenguva akanga ava kukwanisa kufamba. Akanga ava kukwanisawo kuita mamwe mabasa ane chokuita nekunamata, uye aigara achifara.

Papera makore matatu, akasitirokazve ndokubva ashaya musi weChitatu, 9 June, 2010. Ndaiziva hangu kuti rimwe zuva Ted aizopedza upenyu hwake hwepanyika, asi zvakandirwadza chaizvo paakashaya uye ndinomusuwa chaizvo. Kunyange zvakadaro, zuva nezuva ndinotenda Jehovha kuti akaita kuti ndikwanise kubatsira Ted. Ini naTed takanakidzwa chaizvo tiri mubasa renguva yakazara kwemakore anopfuura 53. Ndinotenda Jehovha kuti Ted akandibatsira kuti ndiswedere pedyo naBaba vangu vokudenga. Iye zvino ndine chokwadi chokuti Ted ari kunakidzwa chaizvo nebasa rake idzva uye ari kugutsikana zvikuru.

Pashure pemakore akawanda iwayo tichishumira Jehovha nemurume wangu tichinakidzwa, iye zvino zvava kundiomera kutsungirira matambudziko andiri kusangana nawo. Ini naTed tainakidzwa nokuona vanhu vaishanya paBheteri uye paimba yedu yoUmambo. Iye zvino mudiwa wangu Ted haasisipo uye handisisina kugwinya sezvandaiva, saka handichakwanisi kunyanya kuwadzana nevamwe. Asi ndichiri kunakidzwa nekuva nehama nehanzvadzi paBheteri uye muungano yedu. Basa repaBheteri harisi nyore, asi ndinofara chaizvo kushumira Mwari ndiri ipapo. Uye ndichiri kuda chaizvo basa rekuparidza. Kunyange zvazvo ndisingachagoni kumira kwenguva refu uye ndichikurumidza kuneta, ndinogutsikana chaizvo nekuparidza mumigwagwa uye kuitisa zvidzidzo zveBhaibheri.

Pandinoona zvinhu zvinotyisa zviri kuitika munyika, ndinofara chaizvo kuti ndakava mubasa raJehovha nemurume akanaka chaizvo! Zvechokwadi chikomborero chaJehovha chakandipfumisa.—Zvir. 10:22.