Kucinca Bukkale Kwatugwasya Kapati

Akaluulwa aba James A. Thompson

Nindakazyalwa mu 1928 mu United States nkoili kumusanza, kusalana mubala aakati kabakuwa abantu basiya wakali mulawo. Muntu wakali kukozya kwaangwa naa wakakilwa kuutobela mulawo ooyu naa kupegwa cisubulo ciinda waawo.

KUCIINDI eeco mumasena aamwi mu United States, Bakamboni ba Jehova bakuwa abantu basiya tiibakali kucitila antoomwe miswaangano yambungano, yabbazu alimwi ayacooko. Mu 1937 bataata bakaba basicuuno bakabunga kabaalu (ibakali kwiitwa kuti company servant) kumbungano yabantu basiya ya Chattanooga ku Tennessee. Ba Henry Nichols bakali basicuuno bakabunga kabaalu kumbungano yabakuwa.

Kuli zyintu zibotu nzyondiyeyeede kandicili mukubusi, kukkala mukkoce lyaŋanda masiku kandiswiilila kumakani aa bataata alimwi amukwesu Nichols. Nokuba kuti tiindakali kuzimvwisya zyoonse nzyobakali kwaamba, ndakali kukkomana kuba ambali lya bataata ciindi nobakali kubandika amukwesu Nichols mbobakali kuyooyendelezya mulimo wakukambauka nokuba kuti bukkale bwakali kukatazya.

Kumatalikilo aamwaka wa 1930, twakasikilwa penzi mumukwasyi wesu. Bamaama ibakajisi buyo myaka iili 20, bakafwa. Bataata bakacaala amukuli wakulanganya mucizyi wangu Doris iwakajisi myaka yone yakuzyalwa andime ndakajisi buyo myaka yobilo yakuzyalwa. Nokuba kuti bataata bakacili bapya kuzwa ciindi nobakabbapatizyigwa, bakali kucita kabotu kumuuya.

Zikozyanyo Zyakandigwasya Mubuumi

Mu 1933, bataata bakajana mucizyi mubotu Munakristo ulaazyina lyakuti Lillie Mae Gwendolyn Thomas, tiikwakainda ciindi bakakwatana. Bataata abamaama bakatusiila cikozyanyo cibotu cakubelekela Jehova cakusyomeka.

Mu 1938 mbungano zya Bakamboni ba Jehova zyakalombwa kuti zitobele kusala kwakuti baalu bakeelede kusalwa kuzwa kumaofesi mapati aaku Brooklyn mu New York, kutali kusalwa abasimbungano. Ciindi bakwesu bamwi baku Chattanooga nobakawayawaya kuzumina kucinca ooku, bataata bakalitondezya caantangalala kuti bakaliyandide kutobela kucinca ooku kwakazwa kumbunga. Cikozyanyo cabo cakusyomeka antoomwe akulyaaba kwabamaama akubelekela antoomwe kwandigwasya kusika cecino ciindi.

Kubbapatizyigwa Alimwi Amulimo Waciindi Coonse

Mumwaka wa 1940 banji mumbungano yesu bakabbadelela bbaasi kuti itutole kumuswaangano wacooko ku Detroit mu Michigan. Bamwi mubbaasi lyesu bakabbapatizyigwa. Bakwesu bamwi bakagambwa kuti tiindakabbapatizyigwa, kayi ndakali kukambauka kuzwa nindakajisi myaka yakuzyalwa iili musanu alimwi ndakali musungu mumulimo.

Nibakandibuzya kaambo ncindatakabbapatizyigwa, ndakabaingula kuti, “tandicimvwisyi ncicaamba kubbapatizyigwa.” Bataata bakandimvwa alimwi bakagambwa. Kuzwa waawo, bataata bakatalika kubikkila kapati maano kundigwasya kumvwisya lubbapatizyo ncolwaamba alimwi akaambo ncoluyandika. Nikwakainda myezi yone, mu October 1, 1940 kakutontola kapati, ndakabbapatizyigwa mucizyiba kunze adolopo lya Chattanooga.

Kandijisi myaka iili 14 yakuzyalwa, ndakatalika kucita bupainiya ciindi cakulyookezya kuzwa kucikolo. Ndakali kukambauka mumadolopo masyoonto-syoonto mu Tennessee alimwi amucooko cili afwaafwi a Georgia. Ndakali kufwambaana kubuka, akubambila limwi cakulya camasikati, akutanta citima ca 6 koloko mafwumofwumo naa bbasi kuya kucilawo nkondakali kubelekela. Ndakali kupiluka kuma 6 koloko kumazuba. Cakulya ncindakali kunyamuna cakali kumana kacitanasika ciindi cakususula. Nokuba kuti ndakalijisi mali, tiindakali kukonzya kunjila mucintoolo kutegwa nduule cakulya cimbi nkaambo ndakali muntu uusiya. Aciindi cimwi ndakanjila mucintoolo kutegwa nduule ice-cream, bakandaambila kuti ndizwe anze. Pele mukaintu umwi mukuwa siluzyalo wakandiletela anze.

Ciindi nindakaunka kucikolo casekondali, tubunga tulwanina lwaanguluko twakavwula kucooko Cakumusanza. Kabunga mbuli kakuti NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) kakali kukulwaizya bana bacikolo kutola lubazu. Bakatwaambila kuti tunjile mukabunga aaka. Zikolo zinji zyabantu basiya kubikkilizya acikolo nkondakali kwiiya bakalikanzide kuti basicikolo boonse batole lubazu. Bakandisinikizya kuti “weelede kusumpula musyobo wesu.” Pele ndakakaka, ndakabapandulwida kuti Leza tasalululi alimwi kunyina nayanda musyobo umbi kwiinda umwi. Aboobo ndilangila Leza kuti amane kutalulama kuli boobu.—Joh. 17:14; Mil. 10:34, 35.

Nindakamanizya buyo cikolo casekondali, ndakayeeya kulongela kudolopo lipati lya New York. Pele nindakali kuya nkoonya ooku ndakaima mudolopo lya Philadelphia mucooko ca Pennsylvania kuswaya mweenzuma ngotwakabwenene kumuswaangano wacooko. Mbungano yakubusena oobu nkondakatalika kuswaangana, yakali yakusaanguna kulindime yakajisi bakuwa abantu basiya. Naakali kuswaya mbungano mulangizi wabbazu wakandiitila ambali akundaambila kuti ndapegwa cibeela amuswaangano uutobela. Eeci cakandigwasya kuyeeya kuti ndikkalile limwi.

Akati kabalongwe mbondakajisi ku Philadel­phia, wakali mucizyi mukubusi wazyina lya Geraldine White, ngondakali kwiita kuti Gerri. Wakajisi luzyibo lwamu Bbaibbele alimwi wakali kucikonzya kubandika kabotu abamukamwini ŋanda mumulimo waŋanda aŋanda. Icakandikkomanisya kapati ncakuti awalo wakajisi mbaakani mbuli ndime yakucita bupainiya. Twakakwatana mu April 23, 1949.

Kutambwa Kucikolo ca Gileadi

Kuzwa kumatalikilo twakajisi makanze aakunjila cikolo ca Gileadi kumane akuyoobelekela kucisi cimbi katuli bamisyinali. Twakakkomana kuti twakacikonzya kucinca bukkale kutegwa tweelele kuyoojanika kucikolo ca Gileadi. Kwakainda buyo ciindi cisyoonto kumane twakalombwa kulongela kudolopo lya Lawnside mu New Jersey; kumane kudolopo lya Chester mu Pennsylvania; alimwi aku Atlantic City mu New Jersey. Nitwakali mudolopo lya Atlantic City twakeelela kulembela kucikolo ca Gileadi nkaambo lino twakalikwetene kwamyaka yobilo. Pele tiitwakatambwa pe. Nkaambo nzi?

Kumatalikilo aamyaka yakuma 1950, basankwa banji bakali kutolwa kuti bakabeleke mulimo wabusikalumamba alimwi akulwana munkondo yakali ku Korea. Ibakali kulemba bantu mumulimo wabusikalumamba mu Philadelphia tiibakali kubayanda Bakamboni ba Jehova akaambo kakutatola lubazu mutwaambo twacisi. Kumamanino babetesi bakandaambila kuti iba FBI bakasinizya kuti tiindakali kutola lubazu mutwaambo twacisi. Aboobo, mu January 11, 1952 ibacibeela ca Presidential Appeal Board bakandibikka mucibeela cabakambausi.

Mumwezi wa August mwaka nguwenya ooyo, mebo aba Gerri twakatambwa kucikolo ca Gileadi kkilasi yanamba 20 iyakatalika mumwezi wa September. Nitwakali kucikolo twakali kulangila kuti twaakumanizya tuyoopegwa mulimo wakubelekela kucisi cimbi. Bacizyi bangu ba Doris bakalimanizyide kale cikolo ca Gileadi mukkilasi yanamba 13 alimwi bakali kubelekela ku Brazil. Mebo aba Gerri twakagambwa nitwakapegwa mulimo wamubbazu, ikuswaya mbungano zyabantu basiya mucooko ca Alabama kumusanza. Munzila imwi twakatyompwa akaambo kakuti twakalikanzide kuyoobelekela kucisi cimbi.

Mbungano yakusaanguna njitwakaswaya yakali ya Huntsville. Nitwakasika twakaunka kuŋanda yamucizyi Munakristo nkotwakali kunookkala. Nitwakali kulongolola zyintu zyesu, twakamumvwa mucizyi kaambaula aluwaile kuti, ‘basika bana.’ Twakajisi buyo myaka iili 24 yakuzyalwa alimwi twakali kulibonya bwana ncobeni. Bakazumanana kutwiita kuti bana kwaciindi coonse ncotwakali kubelekela mubbazu eelyo.

Kanji-kanji Kumusanza bakali kukwiita kuti Bible Belt nkaambo banji kubusena oobu bakali kulilemeka Bbaibbele. Aboobo, kanji-kanji twakali kubelesya twaambo totatwe ootu kutalisya mibandi:

(1) Kwaamba majwi masyoonto kujatikizya zyintu zicitika munyika.

(2) Kwaamba ncolyaamba Bbaibbele kujatikizya mbwaayoomana mapenzi.

(3) Kwaamba ncotweelede kucita kweelana a Bbaibbele.

Kumane twakali kwaabila bbuku lyeelela ligwasya kwiiya Bbaibbele. Akaambo kakuzwidilila kwanzila eeyi, ndakapegwa cibeela kumuswaangano wakuti New World Society Assembly (Bantu Bamunyika Mpya) mu 1953 wakacitikila mudolopo lya New York. Kumuswaangano ooyu ndakacita citondezyo kutondezya mboibeleka nzila eeyi.

Tiikwakainda ciindi cilamfwu, cilimo camu 1953 ndakapegwa mulimo wakuswaya mabbazu aambungano zyabantu basiya kandili mulangizi wacooko Kumusanza. Cilawo cesu cakali kutalikila ku Virginia kusikila ku Florida alimwi akumbo ku Alabama kusikila ku Tennessee. Masimpe balangizi beendeenda bakeelede kucikonzya kucinca kweelana abukkale. Mucikozyanyo, kanji-kanji twakali kukkala mumaanda aatajisi meenda mukati alimwi twakali kusambila mucibbavwa kunze aacitofwu muncikini. Eeci cakali kukkomanisya nkaambo oobu mbobwakali busena bukasaala kapati muŋanda.

Penzi Lyakusalana Mubala

Kubelekela Kumusanza kwakali kuyandika kulibambila kabotu alimwi akubelesya bupampu mukucita zyintu. Bantu basiya tiibakali kuzumizyigwa kubelesya mincini yakuwasyila. Aboobo, kuti ba Gerri kabayanda kuwasya bakali kwaamba kuti nzisani ‘zyabamuka Thompson.’ Banji bakali kuyeeya kuti ba Gerri bakali mbabelesi buyo alimwi akuti bamuka Thompson mbabakali bamukamwini ŋanda. Balangizi bacooko nibakali kutondezya bbasikopo yakajisi mutwe wakuti The New World Society in Action, ndakali kutuma buyo luwaile kucintoolo akubaambila kuti mubabambile cipekupeku cipati ‘ba Thompson.’ Kumane ndakali kuunka kuyoocibweza. Twakali kumweta-mweta lyoonse alimwi twakali kucikonzya kucita mulimo wesu kakunyina penzi.

Kwakali uumbi musyobo walusalululo, kusalana akati kabaabo bakali kukkala Kumusanza abaabo bakali kukkala Kunyika. Muteende umwi wakubusena ooku ciindi cimwi wakaamba kuti ba James A. Thompson, Jr., iba Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York bayoobandika amuswaangano. Bamwi ibakabala makani aaya bakamvwa kuti caamba kuti ndakazwa ku New York, aboobo bubambe bwakubelesya ŋanda mpati yaacikolo bwakalesyegwa. Aboobo, ndakaunka kubeendelezi bacikolo akubapandulwida kuti ndakali kwiiya kucikolo cili mudolopo lya Chattanooga. Aboobo, twakazumizyigwa kucita muswaangano.

Kusalana mubala kwakaya ambele akati kamyaka ya 1950 a 1960, alimwi ziindi zimwi bantu bakali kulwana. Kumiswaangano mipati yakacitwa mu 1954, Bakamboni bamwi bakabijilwa akaambo kakuti tiikwakali baambi bantu basiya apulogilamu. Twakakulwaizya bakwesu bantu basiya kuti bakkazyike moyo. Cilimo cakatobela, ndakapegwa cibeela cakukanana. Kuzwa waawo, bakwesu bantu basiya ba Kumusanza bakali kupegwa zibeela apulogilamu.

Mukuya kwaciindi, kulwana akaambo kakusalana mubala kwakaceya Kumusanza, alimwi bantu basiya abakuwa bakatalika kusangana mumbungano. Aboobo, kwakali kuyandika kuti basikumwaya bamwi bacincwe mbungano alimwi kwakali kuyandika kucinca zilawo zyambungano amikuli yabakwesu. Bamwi akati kabantu basiya abakuwa tiibakali kubuyanda bubambe bupya. Nokuba boobo banji tiibakali kusalulula mbubwenya mbuli Taateesu wakujulu. Mubwini, banji bakaba balongwe kakunyina kulangana mubala. Mukwasyi wesu wakacitikilwa cintu cili boobo mumyaka yakuma 1930 a 1940 ciindi nindakali muniini.

Mulimo Mupya

Mu January 1969, mebo aba Gerri twakatambwa kuti tuunke ku Guyana mu South America alimwi twakalikkomene kuunka. Twakasaanguna kuunka ku Brooklyn mu New York, kwalo nkondakayiisyigwa kulanganya mulimo wakukambauka mu Guyana. Twakasika ookuya mu July 1969. Nikwakainda myaka iili 16 katuli mumulimo wakweendeenda, kwakali buyumuyumu kapati bwakubelekela mubusena bomwe. Mazuba manji ba Gerri bakali kujanika mumulimo wamumuunda kabali bamisyinali, pele mebo ndakali kubelekela kuofesi lyamutabi.

Mulimo wangu wakali kujatikizya milimo yoonse kubikkilizya akukwapa bwizu, kulanganya mabbuku aayandika aambungano zili 28, alimwi akulanganya magwalo aazwa akuunka kumaofesi mapati ku Brooklyn. Abuzuba ndakali kubeleka mawoola aali 14 naa 15. Wakali muyumu mulimo, pele twakali kuukkomanina. Notwakasika kwakali basikumwaya bali 950 mu Guyana; aano mazuba balainda ku 2,500.

Nokuba kuti twakali kucikkomanina cisi, micelo alimwi azisyu mani, cakatukkomanisya kapati mbantu babombe bakali kuyanda kasimpe kamu Bbaibbele ibakali kwiiya kujatikizya Bwami bwa Leza. Kanji-kanji ba Gerri bakali kusololela ziiyo zya Bbaibbele zili 20 ansondo, alimwi banji mbotwakaiya limwi bakayaambele kusika kukubbapatizyigwa. Mukuya kwaciindi bamwi bakaba bapainiya, baalu mumbungano alimwi bamwi mane bakaunka kucikolo ca Gileadi akuba bamisyinali.

Mapenzi Aakuciswa

Mu 1983 bazyali bangu ibakali kukkala mu United States bakali kuyandika lugwasyo. Mebo, ba Doris aba Gerri twakaba amuswaangano wamukwasyi. Ba Doris ibakabeleka kwamyaka iili 35 kabali bamisyinali mu Brazil, bakasala kuti bapiluke kuti bakalanganye bazyali. Bakaamba kuti takuyandiki bantu bobilo kuleka bumisyinali, muntu omwe ulakonzya kubalanganya bazyali. Kuzwa nobakafwa bazyali besu, ba Doris bakkala mudolopo lya Chattanooga alimwi balabeleka kabali bapainiya baalubazu.

Mu 1995 ndakajanwa abulwazi bwakkansa yamubbumbu (prostate cancer) aboobo ndakapiluka ku United States. Twakasala kukkala mudolopo lya Goldsboro mucooko ca Carolina nkocili kunyika, nkaambo mpaakali aakati-kati abamukwasyi bangu ibakali mu Tennessee alimwi abamukwasyi waba Gerri mu Pennsylvania. Bulwazi bwangu bwakkansa tabundipenzyi kapati lino, aboobo tubelekela mumbungano ya Goldsboro katuli bapainiya baalubazu bacembeede.

Ndalanga myaka iili 65 kandili mumulimo waciindi coonse, ndilalumba kapati kuti Jehova wandilongezya aba Gerri akaambo kakucinca bukkale bwesu kutegwa tumubelekele. Eelo kaka ngamasimpe majwi aa Davida aakuti: “Kumuntu siluzyalo [Jehova] ulalibonya mbuli siluzyalo”!—2 Sam. 22:26.

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Bataata Amukwesu Nichols bakandipa cikozyanyo cibotu

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Mebo aba Gerri, katulibambilide kuunka ku Gileadi mu 1952

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Notwakamana cikolo ca Gileadi twakatumwa mumulimo wakweendeenda Kumusanza

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Balangizi beendeenda abamakaintu babo kabalibambila muswaangano wacooko wabantu basiya abakuwa mu 1966

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Mulimo wabumisyinali mu Guyana wakali kukkomanisya