Nyaya Youpenyu

Kurarama Upenyu Huri Nyore Kuti Ndishumire Jehovha

YAKATAURWA NACLARA GERBER MOYER

Ndine makore 92 uye ndinofamba zvokunetsekera, asi ndichiri nepfungwa dzakajeka, dzinoyeuka. Ndinoonga sei ropafadzo yandakava nayo yokushumira Jehovha kubvira pauduku! Kurarama upenyu huri nyore, husina kuoma kunobatanidzwa kwazvo mupfuma iyoyo.

NDAKAZVARWA musi waAugust 18, 1907, muAlliance, Ohio, U.S.A., ndiri mukuru pavana vashanu. Pandaiva nemakore masere, mumwe mushumiri wenguva yakazara weVadzidzi veBhaibheri, sezvaidanwa Zvapupu zvaJehovha panguva iyoyo, akauya nebhasikoro kupurazi redu romukaka. Akaona amai vangu, Laura Gerber pamusuo, ndokubvunza kana vaiziva kuti nei uipi hwakabvumidzwa. Amai vakanga vagara vachishamisika nazvo.

Vabvunza Baba, vaiva muimba yaichengeterwa zvinhu zvepapurazi, Amai vakaodha seti yemavhoriyamu matanhatu eStudies in the Scriptures. Vakaarava nomufaro uye vakakurudzirwa kwazvo nechokwadi cheBhaibheri chavakanga vari kudzidza. Vakadzidza Vhoriyamu 6, yeThe New Creation, uye vakanzwisisa zvakajeka kudiwa kworubhabhatidzo rwechiKristu nokunyudzwa mumvura. Vasingazivi kuti vangawana sei Vadzidzi veBhaibheri, vakakumbira Baba kuti vavabhabhatidze murukova rwaiva papurazi, kunyange zvazvo waiva mwedzi unotonhora waMarch 1916.

Isiri nguva refu zvadaro Amai vakaona chiziviso mupepanhau chaizivisa nezvehurukuro yaizoitirwa kuDaughters of Veterans Hall muAlliance. Hurukuro yacho yaiva nomusoro waiti “The Divine Plan of the Ages.” Vakabva vangogadzirira, sezvo Vhoriyamu 1 yeStudies in the Scriptures yaiva nomusoro wakafanana nehurukuro yacho. Ngoro yakasungwa, uye mhuri yose yakaenda kumusangano wedu wokutanga nengoro yaidhonzwa nemabhiza. Kubvira ipapo taipinda  misangano mumisha yehama mumanheru eSvondo neeChitatu. Nokukurumidza pashure pacho, Amai vakabhabhatidzwazve nomumiririri weungano yechiKristu. Baba, vaigarobatikana nebasa repapurazi, pakupedzisira vakafarira kudzidza Bhaibheri, uye vakabhabhatidzwa makore mashomanana gare gare.

Kuonana Nevaitungamirira

Musi waJune 10, 1917, J. F. Rutherford, aichimbova purezidhendi weWatch Tower Society, akashanyira Alliance kuzokurukura nyaya yaiti “Nei Marudzi Achirwa?” Ndaiva nemakore mapfumbamwe uye ndakapinda nevabereki vangu nehanzvadzi dzangu mbiri, Willie naCharles. Takava neboka rakaisvonaka revakapinda raipfuura zana. Hurukuro yaHama Rutherford yapera, vakawanda vevakapinda vakamira kunze kweColumbia Theater kuti vatorwe mufananidzo, panzvimbo yakapiwa hurukuro yake. Vhiki yakatevera yacho, panzvimbo iyoyo, A. H. Macmillan akapa hurukuro yaiva nomusoro waiti “Umambo hwaMwari Huri Kuuya.” Yaiva ropafadzo kuti hama idzi dzishanyire guta redu duku.

Kokorodzano Dzapakuvamba Dzisingakanganwiki

Kokorodzano yokutanga yandakapinda yaiva yomuna 1918 paAtwater, Ohio, makiromita mashomanana kubva kuAlliance. Amai vakabvunza mumiririri weSosaiti aivako kana ndakanga ndakura zvokubhabhatidzwa. Ndakanzwa kuti ndakanga ndaita tsauriro inokosha kuna Mwari kuti ndiite kuda kwake, nokudaro ndakabvumirwa kubhabhatidzwa zuva iroro murukova rwaiva pedyo nebindu guru remaapuro. Ndakachinja mbatya dzangu mutende rakanga ragadzirwa nehama nokuda kwechikonzero ichocho uye ndakabhabhatidzwa ndine chipfeko chitsaru, chokurarisa.

Muna September wa1919, ini nevabereki vangu takakwira chitima kuenda kuSandusky, Ohio, kuLake Erie. Ikoko takakwira igwa, uye munguva pfupi, takasvika paCedar Point paizoitirwa kokorodzano yedu isingakanganwiki. Patakaburuka mugwa, pachiteshi paiva nesitendi duku yezvokudya zvemasikati. Ndakatora hamubhega, yaiva chinhu chaicho chaikosha kwandiri mumazuva iwayo. Yainaka zvikuru! Nhamba yepamusoro yevakapinda kokorodzano yedu yemazuva masere yaiva 7 000. Pakanga pasina gudzanzwi, saka ndaifanira kunyatsoteerera.

Pakokorodzano iyi magazini yeNharireyomurindi neimwe yayo yainzi The Golden Age (zvino yava Mukai!), yakabudiswa. Kuti ndipinde kokorodzano iyoyo, ndakarovha vhiki yokutanga yechikoro, asi zvakanga zvakakodzera zvikuru. Cedar Point yaiva nzvimbo yokuzororera, uye yaiva nevabiki ipapo paresitorendi vaigadzirira nhume zvokudya. Asi nemhaka yechimwewo chikonzero, vabiki nevanofambisa zvokudya vechikadzi vakaramwa basa, nokudaro hama dzechiKristu dzaiva noruzivo rwokubika zvokudya dzakauya dzikagadzirira nhume zvokudya. Kwemakumi akawanda emakore gare gare, vanhu vaJehovha vaizvigadzirira zvokudya zvavo pachavo pamagungano nekokorodzano.

Takavawo neropafadzo yokudzokera kuCedar Point muna September wa1922 nokuda kwekokorodzano yemazuva mapfumbamwe yakapindwa nenhamba yapamusoro yaipfuura 18 000. Ndiko kwatakakurudzirwa naHama Rutherford kuti “zivisai, zivisai, zivisai, Mambo noumambo hwake.” Zvisinei, ushumiri hwangu, hwakanga hwatanga nokuparadzira maturakiti uye The Golden Age makore anoverengeka akanga apfuura.

Kuonga Ushumiri

Pakuvamba muna 1918, ndakabatsirawo pakugovera turakiti rinonzi The Fall of Babylon kumapurazi aiva pedyo. Nemhaka yechando, taipisa dombo pachitofu chehuni kumba toritakura mungoro kuitira kuti tsoka dzedu dzirambe dzichidziya. Taipfeka mabhachi neheti zvinodziya, sezvo ngoro yacho yaiva yakangofukidzwa kumusoro uye mumativi ose nemaketeni asi isina mbaura. Asi idzodzo dzaiva nguva dzainakidza.

Muna 1920 bhuku rinokosha rinonzi The Finished Mystery, rainzi ZG, rakagadzirwa semagazini. * Ini nevabereki vangu takaenda kuAlliance nebhuku iri. Mumazuva iwayo munhu wose aienda oga paimba neimba, nokudaro ndichitya ndakakwira pavharanda paiva pakagara vanhu vakawanda. Ndapedza mharidzo yangu, mumwe mukadzi akati: “Apa hurukuro pfupi yakanaka,” uye akagamuchira  bhuku racho. Zuva iroro ndakagovera maZG 13, nguva yangu yokutanga kupa mharidzo refu, yakarongwa paimba neimba.

Pandakanga ndava mugiredhi rechipfumbamwe, Amai vakabatwa nemabayo uye vakava pamubhedha muchipatara kwenguva inopfuura mwedzi. Munu’una wangu gotwe, Hazel, aiva mucheche, nokudaro ndakarega chikoro kuti ndibatsire basa repapurazi nokutarisira vana. Kunyange zvakadaro, mhuri yedu yaikoshesa chokwadi cheBhaibheri, uye nguva dzose taipinda misangano yose yeungano.

Muna 1928 paChirangaridzo chorufu rwaKristu, turakiti raiti “Vapfumbamwe Varipi?” rakapiwa vose vakapinda. Rakakurukura Ruka 17:11-19, Bhaibheri parinoti mumwe chete pagumi vaiva nemaperembudzi vakanatswa ndiye chete akaonga Jesu nokuzvininipisa nemhaka yokurapa kunoshamisa. Izvozvo zvakandibaya mwoyo. Ndakazvibvunza kuti, ‘Ndinoonga zvakadini?’

Sezvo zvinhu zvino zvakanga zvava kufamba zvakanaka pamusha uye ndava mutano uye pasina chaigona kundivhiringidza, ndakasarudza kubva pamusha ndokupinda mubasa renguva yakazara, sokudanwa kunoitwa ushumiri hwenguva yakazara. Vabereki vangu vakandikurudzira kudaro. Saka, ini nomumwe wangu, Agnes Aleta, takagamuchira mugove wedu, uye musi waAugust 28, 1928, takakwira chitima na9:00 mangwanani Mumwe nomumwe aiva nesutukesi uye bhegi rokutakurira mabhuku edu eBhaibheri. Pachiteshi, vanu’una nevabereki vangu vaichema, nesuwo taidaro. Ndakafunga kuti ndaisazovaonazve, sezvo taidavira kuti Amagedhoni yakanga yava pedyo. Mangwanani akatevera, takasvika kumugove wedu muBrooksville, Kentucky.

Takarenda kamuri diki paimba yokudyira ndokuzvitengera sipageti yomumagaba uyewo takazvigadzirira chingwa. Zuva roga roga taienda kwakasiyana, mumwe nomumwe achishanda oga uye tichigovera vanasaimba mabhuku mashanu makuru nomupiro we$75,24. Zvishoma nezvishoma takashanda taundi racho rose, tichisangana nevanhu vakawanda vaifarira Bhaibheri zvikuru.

Mumwedzi inenge mitatu, takanga tataura nomunhu wose muBrooksville nekwakapoteredza nokuAugustawo. Nokudaro takatama kuti tinoshanda mataundi eMaysville, Paris, uye Richmond. Mumakore matatu akatevera, takashanda maruwa akawanda aiva asina ungano muKentucky. Taiwanzobatsirwa nenhengo dzemhuri uye shamwari dzaibva kuOhio dzaiuya nezvokufambisa nguva nenguva dzobatana nesu muushumiri kwevhiki kana kuti kupfuura.

Dzimwe Kokorodzano Dzisingakanganwiki

Kokorodzano yakaitirwa muColumbus, Ohio, musi waJuly 24-30, 1931, zvechokwadi yaiva isingakanganwiki. Ndiko kwazvakaziviswa kuti taizozivikanwa nezita romuBhaibheri rokuti Zvapupu zvaJehovha. (Isaya 43:12) Zvisati zvadaro, vanhu pavaitibvunza kuti taiva vechitendero chipi, taiti, che“Vadzidzi veBhaibheri Vomunyika Yose.” Asi izvozvo zvaisanyatsotisiyanisa chaizvoizvo, sezvo paiva nevadzidzi veBhaibheri vaibva mune mamwe mapoka akasiyana-siyana ezvitendero.

Mumwe wangu, Agnes, akanga aroorwa, uye ndakanga ndava ndoga; nokudaro ndakafara pazvakaziviswa kuti vaya vari kutsvaka piyona wokushanda naye vanofanira kuenda kune imwe nzvimbo yakati. Ikoko ndakaonana naBertha naElsie Garty uye Bessie Ensminger. Vaiva nemotokari mbiri uye vakanga vari kutsvaka hanzvadzi yechina iri piyona yokushanda navo. Takabva tose pakokorodzano, kunyange zvazvo takanga tisina kumbobvira taonana.

Muchirimo takashanda ruwa rwose rwePennsylvania. Zvadaro, chando zvachakasvika, takakumbira ndima mumaruwa anodziya okumaodzanyemba kweNorth Carolina, Virginia, uye Maryland. Muchirimo takadzokera kuchamhembe. Ndiyo yakanga iri tsika yemapiyona kareko. Muna 1934, John Booth naRudolph Abbuhl, vaitevedzera tsika iyi, vakatora Ralph Moyer nomunu’una wake Willard ndokuenda navo kuHazard, Kentucky.

Ndakanga ndamboonana naRalph panguva dzakawanda, uye takazivana zviri nani pakokorodzano huru yakaitirwa muWashington, D.C., musi waMay 30 kusvikira kuna June 3, 1935. Ini naRalph takanga takagara pamwe chete muvharanda pakapiwa hurukuro yaitaura nezve“vazhinji-zhinji,” kana kuti “boka guru revanhu.” (Zvakazarurwa 7:9-14) Zvisati zvadaro taifunga kuti vaya vevazhinji-zhinji vaiva nhengo dzeboka rokudenga rakatendeka zvishoma pane ve144 000. (Zvakazarurwa  14:1-3) Nokudaro ndakanga ndisingadi kuva mumwe wavo!

Hama Rutherford pavakatsanangura kuti vaya vevazhinji-zhinji vaiva boka repasi pano revapukunyuki vakatendeka veAmagedhoni, vakawanda vakashamiswa. Zvadaro vakakumbira vose vaiva vevazhinji-zhinji kusimuka. Naizvozvo, handina kusimuka, asi Ralph akasimuka. Gare gare, zvinhu zvakatanga kujeka mupfungwa dzangu, nokudaro 1935 rakava gore rokupedzisira randakadya chingwa newaini zvokuratidzira paChirangaridzo chorufu rwaKristu. Zvisinei, Amai vakapfuurira kudya kutozosvikira parufu rwavo muna November 1957.

Mubatsiri Wechigarire

Ini naRalph takapfuurira kunyorerana. Ndaishumira muLake Placid, New York, uye iye aiva muPennsylvania. Muna 1936 akagadzira turera diki yaaigona kudhonza nemotokari yake. Akaitamisa kubva kuPottstown, Pennsylvania, ndokuiendesa kuNewark, New Jersey, nokuda kwekokorodzano yaiitwa ikoko misi yaOctober 16 kusvika ku18. Humwe usiku purogiramu yapera, vakawanda vedu mapiyona takaenda kunoona turera itsva yaRalph. Ini naye takanga takamira mukati meturera yacho pasingi paakabvunza kuti, “Unoda turera iyi here?”

Pandakagutsurira musoro, akandibvunza kuti, “Unoda kugaramo here?”

“Hungu,” ndakapindura kudaro, uye akanditsvoda zvinyoro-nyoro zvandisingafi ndakanganwa. Mazuva anoverenga gare gare, takatora tsamba yomuchato. Musi waOctober 19, zuva rimwe pashure pekokorodzano, takaenda kuBrooklyn ndokutenderera zvivako zvokudhinda zveWatch Tower Society. Zvadaro takakumbira ndima yokushanda. Grant Suiter aiona nezvendima, uye akatibvunza kuti ndiani aizoishanda. Ralph akati, “Isu tichaishanda kana tikagona kuroorana.”

“Kana mukadzoka na5:00 zuva rodoka, tinogona kuzvironga,” Hama Suiter vakadaro. Saka manheru iwayo takaroorana mumusha wechimwe Chapupu muBrooklyn Heights. Takadya zvokudya nedzimwe shamwari pane imba yokudyira yomunharaunda yacho ndokubva takwira zvifambiso zvavose tichienda kuturera yaRalph yaiva muNewark, New Jersey.

Nokukurumidza pashure pacho, takanga tava munzira kuenda kuHeathsville, Virginia, ndima yedu yokutanga tichipayona pamwe chete. Takashanda muNorthumberland County ndokupfuurira kuenda kuFulton nemaruwa eFranklin muPennsylvania. Muna 1939, Ralph akakokwa kuti aite basa rokufambira, basa raizoita kuti tishanyire ungano dzinoverengeka tichitenderera. Takafambira ungano dzomuruwa rweTennessee. Gore rakatevera racho, Allen, mwanakomana wedu, akazvarwa, uye muna 1941 basa rokufambira rakamiswa. Takabva tapiwa ndima yokushanda kuMarion, Virginia, semapiyona chaiwo. Mumazuva iwayo, izvozvo zvaireva kupedzera maawa 200 pamwedzi muushumiri.

Kugadziridza

Muna 1943, ndakaona zvakakodzera kusiya basa roushumiri roupiyona chaihwo. Kugara muturera  duku, kutarisira mwana muduku, kugadzirira zvokudya, kuita kuti tose zvedu tirambe tine zvipfeko zvakachena, nokupedzera maawa anenge 60 muushumiri pamwedzi ndizvo zvandaigona kuita. Asi Ralph akapfuurira sapiyona chaiye.

Takadzokera kuAlliance, Ohio, muna 1945, takatengesa turera yakanga yave imba yedu kwemakore mapfumbamwe, ndokutamira muimba huru yepapurazi nevabereki vangu. Paiva ipapo, pavharanda repamberi, pakazvarirwa mwanasikana wedu, Rebekah. Ralph akashanda basa renguva isina kuzara uye akapfuurira sapiyona wenguva dzose. Ndakashanda papurazi ndokuita zvandaigona kumubatsira kuti apfuurire kupayona. Kunyange zvazvo mhuri yangu yakatipa nzvimbo neimba pasina muripo, Ralph akaramba. Aida kuramba asina zvinomudzongonyedza kuti tigone kutevedza basa roUmambo zvakazara.

Muna 1950 takatamira kuPottstown, Pennsylvania, ndokurenda imba nokuda kwe$950 pamwedzi. Mumakore 30 akatevera, rendi yacho yakawedzera kusvika pa$2 850 chete. Takaziva kuti Jehovha akanga ari kutibatsira kuchengeta upenyu hwedu huri nyore. (Mateu 6:31-33) Ralph aishanda mazuva matatu pavhiki somugeri. Vhiki yoga yoga taidzidza Bhaibheri nevana vedu vaviri, taipinda misangano yeungano, uye taiparidza mashoko akanaka oUmambo semhuri. Ralph aishumira somutariri anotungamirira weungano yataipinda. Nokurarama upenyu huri nyore, takakwanisa kuita zvakawanda mubasa raJehovha.

Kufirwa Nomudiwa Wangu

Musi waMay 17, 1981, takanga takagara muHoro yoUmambo, tichiteerera hurukuro yavose. Ralph akarwara, akaenda kumashure kwehoro, uye akaita kuti murindiri andipe katsamba kaiti akanga ava kuenda kumba. Izvi zvakanga zvisina kumboitwa naRalph zvokuti ndakakumbira mumwe munhu kuti andiendese kumba pakarepo. Ralph akafa nesitiroko muawa iyoyo. Pakazopera fundo yeNharireyomurindi mangwanani iwayo, ungano yakaziviswa kuti akanga afa.

Mwedzi iwoyo Ralph akanga atopedzera maawa anopfuura 50 muushumiri. Basa rake renguva yakazara sapiyona aiva makore anopfuura 46. Akanga aitisa fundo dzeBhaibheri vanhu vanopfuura zana vakazova Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvakabhabhatidzwa. Zvikomborero zvomudzimu zvatakagamuchira zvakanga zvakanyatsokodzera kupfuura kuzvipira kupi nokupi kwatakaita mumakore iwayo ose.

Ndinoonga Ropafadzo Dzangu

Kwemakore 18 apfuura, ndave ndichigara ndoga, ndichipinda misangano, ndichiparidza kuna vamwe nepandinogona napo, uye kudzidza Shoko raMwari. Zvino ndava kugara mumusha unochengeterwa zvizvarwa zvakura zviri pamudyandigere. Ndine fanicha shomanana chete uye ndinosarudza kusava neterevhizheni. Asi upenyu hwangu hune chinangwa uye hwakapfuma mumudzimu. Vabereki vangu nehanzvadzi dzangu mbiri vakanga vakatendeka kusvikira parufu rwavo, uye vanu’una vangu vaviri vari kupfuurira nokutendeka munzira yechokwadi.

Ndinofara kuti mwanakomana wangu, Allen, ari kushumira somukuru wechiKristu. Kwemakore akawanda ave achiisa gadziriro dzegudzanzwi muHoro dzoUmambo neHoro dzemaGungano uye ave achishanda kuisa gudzanzwi pakokorodzano dzomuchirimo. Mudzimai wake mushandi akavimbika waMwari, uye vanakomana vavo vaviri vanoshumira sevakuru. Mwanasikana wangu, Rebekah Karres, apedzera makore anopfuura 35 muushumiri hwenguva yakazara, kubatanidza makore mana ari padzimbahwe reZvapupu zvaJehovha renyika yose muBrooklyn. Iye nomurume wake vakapedzera makore 25 apfuura mubasa rokufambira munzvimbo dzakasiyana-siyana dzeUnited States.

Jesu akati Umambo hwaMwari hwakafanana nepfuma yakavanzwa inogona kuwanwa. (Mateu 13:44) Ndinoonga kuti mhuri yangu yakawana pfuma iyoyo makore akawanda apfuura. Iropafadzo yakadini kutarira kumashure kumakore 80 ebasa rakatsaurirwa kuna Mwari—pasina kudemba! Dai ndaizorarama upenyu hwangu zvakare, ndaizohurarama sezvandakatoita nokuti, zvechokwadi, “unyoro hwaMwari hunokunda upenyu pachahwo.”—Pisarema 63:3.

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 23]

Takanzwa hurukuro yaHama Rutherford muna 1917 muAlliance, Ohio

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 23]

NaRalph pamberi peturera yaakagadzira

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 24]

Nevana vangu vaviri nhasi