“Yehova Ndiye Mphamvu Yanga”

Yosimbidwa ndi Joan Coville

Ndinabadwa mu July 1925 ku Huddersfield, m’dziko la England. Kwathu mwana ndinali ndekha komanso wodwaladwala. Bambo anga ankakonda kundinena kuti, “Mphepo ikangokuomba, umadwala.” Ndipo zinkaoneka ngati zinali zoona.

NDILI mwana, atsogoleri azipembedzo ankapempherera kwambiri mtendere, koma itangoyamba nkhondo yachiwiri yapadziko lonse, iwo anayamba kupempherera kuti dziko lawo lipambane pa nkhondoyo. Zimenezi zinandidabwitsa kwambiri ndipo ndinkakhala ndi mafunso. Kenako, kunyumba kwathu kunabwera Annie Ratcliffe. Iye yekha ndi amene anali wa Mboni za Yehova m’dera lathu.

Ndinaphunzira Choonadi

Annie anatisiyira buku lakuti Salvation ndipo anapempha amayi kuti akapezeke pa phunziro la Baibulo lomwe linakachitikira ku nyumba kwake. * Amayi anandipempha kuti ndipite nawo. Mpaka pano ndimakumbukirabe zimene tinaphunzira tsiku limeneli. Tinaphunzira nkhani yonena za dipo ndipo ndinadabwa kwambiri kuti phunzirolo linali losatopetsa. Phunziro limeneli linayankha mafunso anga ambiri. Ndipo mlungu wotsatira, tinakapezekanso pa phunzirolo. Ulendo umenewu tinaphunzira za ulosi wa Yesu wonena za chizindikiro cha masiku otsiriza. Titaona kuipa kwa zinthu m’dziko, nthawi yomweyo ine ndi amayi tinazindikira kuti tapezadi choonadi. Tsiku limenelo anatipempha kuti tipite nawo ku Nyumba ya Ufumu.

Tili ku Nyumba ya Ufumu, ndinakumana ndi apainiya achinyamata. Mmodzi wa apainiya amenewa anali Joyce Barber (yemwe tsopano ndi Ellis), ndipo akutumikirabe ndi mwamuna wake, Peter, pa Beteli ya ku London. Ndinkaganiza kuti munthu aliyense ankachita upainiya. Kuchokera nthawi imeneyo, ndinayamba kulalikira maola 60 mwezi uliwonse ngakhale kuti ndinali pa sukulu.

Patapita miyezi isanu, pa February 11, 1940, ine ndi amayi tinabatizidwa pa msonkhano wadera ku Bradford. Ngakhale kuti bambo sanakhale Mboni, iwo sankatsutsa chikhulupiriro chathu chatsopanochi. Panthawi imene tinabatizidwa, njira yolalikira m’msewu inakhazikitsidwa. Polalikira, ndinkanyamula chikwama cha magazini komanso zikwangwani. Loweruka lina, ndinauzidwa kuima pamalo azamalonda pomwe pankadutsa anthu ambiri. Ndinkaopabe anthu moti zinkaoneka ngati anzanga onse a ku sukulu ankadutsa pomwe ndinaimapo.

Mu 1940, mpingo wathu unafunika kuugawa. Ndipo zitatero, pafupifupi achinyamata onse a msinkhu wanga anali mumpingo winawo. Ndinadandaula zimenezi kwa woyang’anira  wotsogolera. Iye anati, “Ngati ukufuna achinyamata anzako, pita ukalalikire achinyamata.” Ndipo zimenezi n’zomwe ndinachita. Patangopita nthawi yochepa, ndinakumana ndi Elsie Noble. Iye anaphunzira choonadi ndipo anakhala mnzanga wa moyo wonse.

Utumiki Waupainiya Ndiponso Madalitso Ake

Nditamaliza sukulu ndinayamba kugwira ntchito yowerengetsa ndalama. Komabe, nditaona mmene atumiki a nthawi zonse ankasangalalira, chidwi changa chofuna kutumikira monga mpainiya chinakula. Mu May 1945, ndinakhala ndi mwayi woyamba utumiki waupainiya wapadera. Tsiku loyamba kuchita upainiya, kunagwa chimvula tsiku lonse. Komabe, ndinasangalala kwambiri kugwira ntchito yolalikira moti sindinade nkhawa ndi mvulayo. Ndinkapita muutumiki tsiku lililonse ndipo thupi langa linalimba chifukwa chopalasa njinga. Zimenezi zinandithandiza kuti ndikhale ndi thanzi labwino. Palibe nthawi imene ndinalephera kuchita utumiki wanga waupainiya ngakhale kuti sindinalemerepo makilogalamu 42. Kwa zaka zonsezi, ndaonadi kuti “Yehova ndiye mphamvu yanga.”​—Sal. 28:7.

Pofuna kuyambitsa mipingo yatsopano, ananditumiza monga mpainiya wapadera ku madera amene kunalibe Mboni. Choyamba, ndinatumikira ku England kwa zaka zitatu kenako ku Ireland kwa zaka zinanso zitatu. Ndili ku Lisburn, m’dziko la Ireland, ndinaphunzira ndi munthu wina yemwe anali wachiwiri kwa mbusa wa tchalitchi cha Pulotesitanti. Pamene ankaphunzira ziphunzitso zikuluzikulu za m’Baibulo, ankauzanso anthu a mumpingo wake zimene anali kuphunzirazo. Anthu ena mumpingomo anakadandaula kwa akuluakulu a tchalitchicho ndipo anam’funsa chifukwa chake ankachita zimenezi. Iye anawayankha kuti ankaona kuti ndi udindo wake wachikhristu kuuza anthuwo kuti wakhala akuwaphunzitsa zabodza kwa nthawi yaitali. Ngakhale kuti achibale ake ankam’tsutsa kwambiri, iye anadzipereka kwa Yehova ndi kukhala wa Mboni. Iye anatumikira Yehova mokhulupirika mpaka imfa yake.

Malo achiwiri amene ndinatumikira monga mpainiya ku Ireland anali ku Larne. Kwa milungu 6 ndinatumikira ndekha chifukwa mnzanga amene ndinkatumikira naye anapita ku msonkhano wachigawo wakuti, Kuwonjezeka kwa Teokalase womwe unachitikira ku New York, mu 1950. Imeneyi inali nthawi yovuta kwambiri moti ndinkalakalaka ndikanapita nawo ku msonkhanowo. Komabe, panthawi imeneyi ndinali ndi zokumana nazo zosangalatsa kwambiri muutumiki wakumunda. Ndinakumana ndi mwamuna wina wachikulire amene analandira limodzi mwa mabuku athu zaka zoposa 20 m’mbuyomo. Kwa zaka zonsezi, iye anali atawerenga bukuli nthawi zambiri moti anatsala pang’ono kuliloweza lonse pamtima. Iye limodzi ndi ana ake awiri anaphunzira choonadi.

Maphunziro a ku Sukulu ya Gileadi

Mu 1951, ine pamodzi ndi apainiya ena 10 ochokera ku England, tinaitanidwa kukachita nawo maphunziro a Sukulu ya Gileadi mu kalasi ya nambala 17 ku South Lansing, New York. Ndinasangalala kwambiri ndi malangizo a m’Baibulo amene tinaphunzira pa miyezi imeneyo. Panthawi imeneyo, alongo sankalowa nawo Sukulu ya Utumiki wa Teokalase ya pa mpingo. Koma ku Gileadi tinkapatsidwa mwayi wokamba  nkhani za ophunzira ndiponso wofotokoza malipoti. Tinkachita mantha kwambiri. Nditapatsidwa nkhani yoyamba, manja anga ankangonjenjemera mpaka ku mapeto kwa nkhaniyo. M’bale Maxwell Friend yemwe anali mlangizi wathu, ananena mwanthabwala kuti: “Wokamba nkhani aliyense waluso amachita mantha akamayamba kumene nkhani yake, koma iwe wapitiriza mpaka kumapeto.” Panthawi imene tinali ku sukuluyi, luso lathu lolankhula pamaso pa anthu m’kalasi linakula. Ndipo sukuluyi inaoneka ngati yatha mwamsanga. Titamaliza maphunziro tinatumizidwa ku mayiko ena osiyanasiyana ndipo ine ananditumiza ku Thailand.

“Dziko Lansangala”

Atandipatsa Astrid Anderson kuti akhale mnzanga wotumikira naye m’ntchito ya umishonale ku Thailand, ndinaona kuti inali mphatso yochokera kwa Yehova. Tinayenda milungu 7 pa sitima ya pa madzi yonyamula katundu kuti tikafike kumeneko. Titafika ku Bangkok, likulu la dzikolo, tinapeza kuti misika yake imakhala ya anthu ambiri zedi. Ndipo kunalinso ngalande zambiri zomwe ankazigwiritsa ntchito ngati misewu. Mu 1952, ku Thailand kunali ofalitsa Ufumu osakwana 150.

Nthawi yoyamba imene tinaona Nsanja ya Olonda ya mu Chithayi, tinadzifunsa kuti, ‘Koma tidzatha kulankhula chinenero chimenechi?’ Zinkativuta kwambiri kutchula mawu molondola. Mwachitsanzo, mawu akuti khaù ukayamba kuwatchula mokweza n’kutsitsa pomaliza, amatanthauza kuti “mpunga.” Koma mawu omwewa ukawatchula motsindika amatanthauza “uthenga.” Choncho, poyamba tikakhala muutumiki wakumunda, timapezeka tikuwauza anthu kuti, “Takubweretserani mpunga wabwino” m’malo monena kuti “uthenga wabwino.” Koma m’kupita kwanthawi ndiponso chifukwa chosekedwa ndi anthu tinaphunzira chinenerocho.

Anthu a ku Thailand ndi ochezeka kwambiri. N’chifukwa chake dziko la Thailand limatchulidwa kuti Dziko Lansangala. Tinakatumikira koyamba mumzinda wa Khorat (womwe tsopano umatchedwa kuti Nakhon Ratchasima). Kumeneku tinakhalako zaka ziwiri ndipo kenako anatitumiza ku mzinda wa Chiang Mai. Anthu ambiri a ku Thailand ndi Abuda ndipo salidziwa bwino Baibulo. Tili ku Khorat, ndinkaphunzira ndi bwana wa pa positi ofesi inayake. Ndipo tinakambirana za kholo lakale Abulahamu. Popeza mwamunayu anali atamvapo za Abulahamu, ankangogwedezera mutu. Kenako ndinazindikira kuti iye ankaganiza za Abulahamu wina. Iye ankaganiza za Abraham Lincoln, pulezidenti wakale wa dziko la United States.

Tinkasangalala kwambiri kuphunzira Baibulo ndi anthu a ku Thailand. Koma anthu amenewa anatiphunzitsanso kukhala moyo wosalira zambiri koma n’kukhala wosangalala. Zimenezi zinali zofunika kwambiri chifukwa chakuti ku nyumba yoyamba ya amishonale ku Khorat tinalibe magetsi ngakhale madzi a pa mpope. Kudera ngati limeneli, ‘tinaphunzira chinsinsi . . . chokhala ndi zochuluka, ndi chokhala wosowa.’ Mofanana ndi mtumwi Paulo, tinadziwa tanthauzo la mawu akuti, ‘kupeza mphamvu kwa iye amene amatipatsa mphamvu.’​—Afil. 4:12, 13.

Mnzanga Watsopano Komanso Utumiki Watsopano

Mu 1945, ndinapita kukacheza ku London. Ndili kumeneku, tinapita ku nyumba yosungiramo zinthu zochititsa chidwi ya British Museum. Ndinapita ndi apainiya ena komanso abale ndi alongo a pa Beteli. Mmodzi mwa anthu amenewa anali Allan Coville amene patapita nthawi yochepa anaitanidwa kukachita nawo maphunziro a Sukulu ya Gileadi mu kalasi ya nambala 11. Atamaliza maphunzirowa anatumizidwa ku France kenako ku Belgium. * Panthawi ina, ndikutumikira monga mmishonale ku Thailand, anandifunsira ndipo ndinavomera kuti tikwatirane.

Ukwati wathu unachitikira ku Brussels, m’dziko la Belgium, pa July 9, 1955. Ndinkalakalaka kuti tikakwatirana tikachitire tchuthi ku Paris ndipo Allan anakonza zoti mlungu wotsatira tikapezeke pa msonkhano wa kumeneko. Koma titangofika kumeneku, Allan anapemphedwa kuti akhale womasulira nkhani pa msonkhano wonse. Tsiku lililonse iye ankapita ku msonkhanowo m’mawa kwambiri koma tinkabwerako usiku. Ngakhale kuti tinachitiradi tchuthi ku Paris, Allan  ndinkangomuonera patali ali ku pulatifomu. Komabe, ndinasangalala kuona mwamuna wanga akutumikira abale ndi alongo. Ndipo sindinkakayikira kuti ngati titsogoza Yehova m’banja mwathu ndiye kuti tidzakhala ndi banja losangalala kwambiri.

Ukwati unandichititsanso kuti ndipezeke ku Belgium, gawo langa latsopano. Poyamba zomwe ndinkadziwa za dziko limeneli n’zakuti kunachitika nkhondo zosiyanasiyana. Koma posapita nthawi ndinazindikira kuti anthu ambiri a ku Belgium ndi okonda mtendere. Kutumikira ku dziko limeneli kunandipangitsanso kuti ndiphunzire Chifalansa, chomwe chimalankhulidwa kum’mwera kwa dzikoli.

Mu 1955, ku Belgium kunali ofalitsa pafupifupi 4,500. Kwa zaka 50, ine ndi Allan tinatumikira pa Beteli komanso m’ntchito yoyendera dera. Zaka ziwiri zoyambirira, tinkayenda pa njinga m’malo azitunda, kaya kunja kuche bwino kapena ayi. Kwa zaka zambiri, tinakhala m’nyumba zoposa 2,000 za abale osiyanasiyana. Nthawi zambiri ndinkakumana ndi abale ndi alongo amene ankadwaladwala koma amatumikira Yehova ndi mphamvu zawo zonse. Chitsanzo chawo chinandilimbikitsa kupitirizabe utumiki wanga. Pamapeto a mlungu uliwonse wochezera mpingo, tinkaona kuti talimbikitsidwa. (Aroma 1:11, 12) Allan anali mnzanga wa pamtima. Mawu a pa Mlaliki 4:9, 10 ndi oona. Mawuwa amati: “Awiri aposa mmodzi, . . . pakuti akagwa, wina adzautsa mnzake.”

Tinapeza Madalitso Chifukwa Chotumikira mu ‘Mphamvu ya Yehova’

Kwa zaka zambiri, ine ndi Allan tinasangalala kwambiri kuthandiza ena kutumikira Yehova. Mwachitsanzo, mu 1983, tinakayendera mpingo wa Chifalansa ku Antwerp. Tili pa mpingo umenewu tinakhala ndi banja limene linkasunganso m’bale wina wachinyamata dzina lake Benjamin Bandiwila wa ku Zaire (komwe tsopano ndi ku Democratic Republic of Congo). Benjamin anabwera ku Belgium kudzachita maphunziro apamwamba. Iye anatiuza kuti: “Ndimasirira moyo wanu anthu inu, ndinu odzipereka kwambiri muutumiki wa Yehova.” Allan anamuyankha kuti: “Ukunena kuti umatisirira koma ukuchita maphunziro apamwamba. Kodi sukuona kuti zimene wanena sizikugwirizana ndi zimene ukuchita?” Mawu osapita m’mbali amenewa anachititsa kuti Benjamin aganizire za moyo wake. Atabwerera kwawo ku Zaire, anayamba upainiya wokhazikika ndipo tikunena pano akutumikira m’Komiti ya Nthambi.

Mu 1999, anandichita opaleshoni ya pakhosi. Kuchokera nthawi imeneyo, ndimangolemera makilogalamu 30 ndipo ndimaonadi kuti ndine ‘chotengera cha dothi’ chosalimba. Komabe, ndine wosangalala kuti Yehova wandipatsa “mphamvu yoposa yachibadwa.” Nditachitidwa opaleshoni, Yehova anandithandiza kuti ndikatumikirenso limodzi ndi Allan m’ntchito yoyendera mipingo. (2 Akor. 4:7) Mu March 2004, Allan anafera kutulo. Ndimamusowa kwambiri, koma ndimatonthozedwa podziwa kuti Yehova akumukumbukira.

Panopo ndili ndi zaka 83 ndipo ndimasangalala kuti ndakhala muutumiki wanthawi zonse zaka zoposa 63. Ndidakali wachangu muutumiki, ndimachititsa phunziro la Baibulo kunyumba ndipo ndimagwiritsira ntchito mpata uliwonse kulankhula za cholinga cha Yehova. Nthawi zina, ndimadzifunsa kuti, ‘Kodi moyo wanga ukanakhala wotani ndikanakhala kuti sindinayambe upainiya mu 1945?’ Nthawi imeneyo, kudwaladwala kwanga kunkaoneka ngati chifukwa chomveka chosachitira upainiya. Koma ndimasangalala kwambiri kuti ndinayamba upainiya ndidakali wamng’ono. Ndadzionera ndekha kuti ngati titsogoza Yehova pamoyo wathu, amakhala mphamvu yathu.

[Mawu a M’munsi]

[Chithunzi patsamba 18]

Ndili ndi mmishonale mnzanga Astrid Anderson (kumanja)

[Chithunzi patsamba 18]

Ndili ndi mwamuna wanga m’ntchito yoyendera dera mu 1956

[Chithunzi patsamba 20]

Ndili ndi Allan mu 2000