Nyaya Youpenyu

Kubatsirwa Nokuvimbika Kwemhuri Yedu

YAKATAURWA NAKATHLEEN COOKE

PAVAISHANYIRA hama dzavo kuGlasgow, Scotland, muna 1911, ambuya vangu, Mary Ellen Thompson vakaenda kunonzwa hurukuro yaipiwa naCharles Taze Russell, nhengo yakanga yakakurumbira yeVadzidzi veBhaibheri, avo vakazozivikanwa seZvapupu zvaJehovha. Ambuya vakanakidzwa chaizvo nezvavakanzwa. Pavakadzoka kuSouth Africa, vakatsvaka Vadzidzi veBhaibheri vaikoko. Muna April 1914 vaiva mumwe wevanhu 16 vakabhabhatidzwa pagungano reruwa rokutanga reVadzidzi veBhaibheri rakaitirwa muSouth Africa. Mwanasikana waambuya ainzi Edith, akazova amai vangu, aiva nemakore matanhatu panguva iyoyo.

Hama Russell vafa muna 1916, pakava nokusawirirana pakati peVadzidzi veBhaibheri munyika yose. Nhamba yevakatendeka vaiva muDurban yakadzika kubva ku60 kuenda ku12. Ambuya vangu—amai vaBaba, Ingeborg Myrdal, nomwanakomana wavo Henry, aiva wechiduku akanga achangobva kubhabhatidzwa, vakatsigira vakavimbika ivavo. Muna 1924, Henry akava mucolporteur, sokudanwa kwaiitwa vashumiri venguva yakazara veZvapupu zvaJehovha panguva iyoyo. Akaparidzira mumativi akawanda okumaodzanyemba kweAfrica kwemakore mashanu akatevera. Muna 1930, Henry naEdith vakaroorana, uye ini ndakaberekwa kwapera makore matatu.

Hama Dzepedyo

Takagara muMozambique kwenguva pfupi, asi muna 1939 takatamira mumusha waAmbuya  naSekuru Thompson muJohannesburg. Sekuru vakanga vasingafariri chokwadi cheBhaibheri uye dzimwe nguva vaishora Ambuya, asi pasinei naizvozvo vaiva nomutsa zvikuru. Munun’una wangu Thelma, akaberekwa muna 1940, uye ini naye takadzidza kutarisira vanhu vakura. Kazhinji taitora nguva refu pakudya kwemanheru sezvataikurukurirana zvainge zvaitika zuva racho kana kuti zvakaitika kare.

Mhuri yedu yainakidzwa nokushamwaridzana neZvapupu zvaishanya, kunyanya zviya zvaiva muushumiri hwenguva yakazara. Panguva yezvokudya zvemanheru, vaikurukurawo zvainge zvaitika zuva racho uye zvavaitaura zvaiita kuti tiwedzere kuonga nhaka yezvokunamata yataiva nayo. Izvi zvakasimbisa chido changu nechaThelma chokuva mapiyona saivo.

Kubvira tichiri vaduku zvikuru, takadzidziswa kuti tinakidzwe nokuverenga. Amai, Baba, uye Ambuya vose vaitiverengera mabhuku enyaya akanaka kana kuti Bhaibheri pacharo. Misangano yechiKristu uye ushumiri zvaikosha zvikuru muupenyu hwedu. Baba ndivo vaiva muranda wekambani (ava kunzi mutariri anotungamirira) weUngano yeJohannesburg, saka tose taifanira kukurumidza kusvika pamisangano. Pataiva negungano reruwa, Baba vaimhanya-mhanya vachibatsira kutarisirwa kwaro, uku Amai vachibatsira vanhu vaiuya kugungano kuti vawane pokugara.

Gungano Reruwa Raikosha Kwatiri

Gungano reruwa romuna 1948 rakaitirwa muJohannesburg raikosha. Kokutanga, nhengo dzokudzimbahwe reZvapupu zvaJehovha riri kuBrooklyn, New York, dzakauya. Baba vakanzi vatakure Nathan Knorr naMilton Henschel nemotokari yavo nguva yose yavaizenge varipo. Ndakabhabhatidzwa pagungano iroro.

Nguva pfupi pashure peizvi, Baba vakashamiswa pavakaudzwa nababa vavo kuti vaidemba zvikuru kuti pashure pokufa kwaHama Russell, vakanga vabvuma kufurirwa nevaya vakarega kuva Vadzidzi veBhaibheri. Vakazofa kwapera mwedzi mishomanana. Asi Ambuya Myrdal vakaramba vakavimbika kusvikira vapedza upenyu hwavo hwepasi pano muna 1955.

Zviitiko Zvakachinja Upenyu Hwangu

Ndakatanga kushumira sapiyona wenguva dzose musi waFebruary 1, 1949. Munguva pfupi yakatevera, vanhu vakatanga kufara zvikuru pakaziviswa kuti gungano remarudzi ose raizoitwa muNew York City gore raitevera. Taida chaizvo kuenda, asi takanga tisina mari. Panguva iyoyo, muna February 1950, Sekuru Thompson vakafa, uye Ambuya vakashandisa mari yavakagara nhaka kutibhadharira isu tiri vashanu kuti tiende.

Vhiki dzinoverengeka tisati tasimuka, pakasvika tsamba yaibva kudzimbabwe renyika reZvapupu zvaJehovha riri muBrooklyn, New York. Yaiva yokundikoka kuti ndinopinda kirasi yechi16 yechikoro chemamishinari  cheGiriyedhi. Ndakafara zvikuru, nokuti ndakanga ndisati ndatombosvitsa makore 17! Kirasi yacho payakatanga, ndaiva mumwe wevadzidzi gumi vakabva kuSouth Africa vakawana ropafadzo inoshamisa yokupinda chikoro ichi cheGiriyedhi.

Tapedza kudzidza muna February 1951, vasere vedu takadzoka kuzoshumira semamishinari muSouth Africa. Kwemakore mashomanana akatevera, ini nomumwe wangu tainyanya kuparidzira mumataundi maduku maitaurwa Afrikaans. Pakutanga, ndakanga ndisinganyatsogoni mutauro iwoyo, uye ndinoyeuka kuti mumwe musi ndakachovha bhasikoro rangu ndichidzokera kumba ndichichema pamusana pokuti ndakanga ndisiri kubudirira muushumiri. Zvisinei, pashure penguva yakati ndakavandudzika, uye Jehovha akakomborera zvandaiita.

Kuroorwa uye Basa Rokufambira

Muna 1955, ndakazivana naJohn Cooke. Akanga abatsira kutanga basa rokuparidza muFrance, Portugal, uye Spain Hondo Yenyika II isati yatanga uye yapera, uye gore randakazoonana naye akanga ava mumishinari muAfrica. Pave paya akazonyora kuti: “Pane zvinhu zvitatu zvinoshamisa zvakaitika zvose muvhiki imwe chete . . . Hama yaiva norupo zvikuru yakandipa motokari duku; ndakagadzwa kuva mushumiri weruwa; uye ndakatanga kudanana nomumwe munhu.” * Takaroorana muna December 1957.

Panguva yataidanana, John akanga andivimbisa kuti taizogara tichinakidzwa noupenyu, uye ndizvo zvakaitika. Taishanyira ungano muSouth Africa yose, kunyanya munzvimbo dzevatema. Vhiki yoga yoga, taitarisana nedambudziko rokuwana mvumo yokungopinda munzvimbo dzakadaro, tisingatauri hedu nezvokurarako. Pano neapo, tairara pauriri hwechitoro chakanga chisina chinhu chaiva pedyo nenzvimbo yaigara vachena, uye taiedza kusaonekwa nevanhu vaipfuura. Kazhinji taifanira kugara neZvapupu zvechichena zvainge zviri kure nemakiromita akawanda, asi ndizvo zvaitova pedyo.

 Takatarisanawo nedambudziko rokuitira magungano panzvimbo dzisingashamisiri dzaivakirwa musango chaimo. Tairatidza mafirimu aiva abudiswa neZvapupu zvaJehovha ayo akabatsira vanhu kuti vanzwisise kuti tiri hama dzakabatana munyika yose. Taifamba nejenareta redu, sezvo kazhinji munzvimbo idzodzo maiva musina magetsi. Taifanirawo kutarisana nematambudziko omunyika dzaitongwa neBritain dzakanga dzisingabvumidzwi mabhuku edu uyewo dambudziko rokudzidza mutauro weZulu. Asi, taifara kuti taikwanisa kushumira hama dzedu.

Muna August 1961, John akava murayiridzi wokutanga weChikoro Choushumiri hwoUmambo chakaitwa kwevhiki ina muSouth Africa, chakanga chagadzirirwa kubatsira vatariri veungano. Aiva nounyanzvi hwokudzidzisa uye aibaya mwoyo yevaaidzidzisa nokutaura zviri nyore uye nokushandisa mifananidzo yakajeka. Kwerinenge gore nehafu, taifamba munzvimbo dzakasiyana-siyana achidzidzisa makirasi eChirungu imwe pashure peimwe. John paaidzidzisa, ini ndaiita ushumiri hwomumunda neZvapupu zvomuungano iyoyo. Zvadaro, takashamisika patakagamuchira tsamba yaitikoka kuzoshanda pahofisi yebazi rokuSouth Africa pedyo neJohannesburg kutanga musi waJuly 1, 1964.

Zvisinei, panguva iyi utano hwaJohn hwakanga hwatanga kutishamisa. Muna 1948 akarwara neTB uye pashure paizvozvo kazhinji aingonzwa asina simba. Aigara achiita seane dzihwa uye airwara kwemazuva akati—hapana chaaigona kuita uye hapana munhu waaigona kuona. Mumwe chiremba watakanga taona nguva pfupi tisati tashevedzwa kubazi akati John aiva nechirwere chokuora mwoyo.

Zvakanga zvisingambofungiki kuti tichinje mararamiro edu totanga kuita zvishoma, sezvakataurwa nachiremba uyu. Pabazi, John akanzi ashande kuDhipatimendi Rebasa, uye ini ndakanzi ndaizoita basa rokuverenga zvaiva zvashandurwa. Uye kuva neimba yedu pachedu chaiva chikomborero chaicho! John akanga amboshanda ndima dzechiPutukezi tisati taroorana, saka muna 1967 takakumbirwa kubatsira mhuri imwe bedzi yeZvapupu zvechiPutukezi yaiva mundima yedu kuparidzira nharaunda yechiPutukezi yaiva pedyo neJohannesburg. Izvi zvaireva kuti ndaifanira kudzidzira mumwezve mutauro.

Sezvo vanhu vechiPutukezi vaigara kure nokure munharaunda yakakura, taifamba chaizvo—dzimwe nguva makiromita anenge 300 kuti tione vakakodzera. Panguva iyi, Zvapupu zvaitaura chiPutukezi zvokuMozambique zvakatanga kutishanyira panguva dzemagungano, izvo zvakabatsira chaizvo vatsva. Pamakore 11 atakashanda nevanhu vechiPutukezi, takaona boka redu duku revanhu vanenge 30 richiwedzera kuva ungano ina.

Zvakachinja Kumba

Munguva iyi, pane zvakanga zvachinja kumba kwevabereki vangu. Muna 1960, munun’una wangu Thelma, akaroorwa naJohn Urban, mumwe piyona aibva kuUnited States. Muna 1965 vakapinda kirasi yechi40 yeGiriyedhi uye vakashanda vakavimbika vari mamishinari kuBrazil kwemakore 25. Muna 1990 vakadzokera kuOhio kunotarisira vabereki vaJohn vakanga vava kurwara. Pasinei nokunetsa kunoita kutarisira vanorwara, vachiri muushumiri hwenguva yakazara nanhasi.

Ambuya Thompson vakapedza upenyu hwavo hwepasi pano muna 1965, vachakatendeka kuna Mwari pazera remakore 98. Baba vakapiwa mudyandigere mugore iroro. Saka ini naJohn patakakumbirwa kuti tibatsire mundima yechiPutukezi, Baba naAmai vakati vaizobatana nesu. Vaisimbisa boka racho, uye pashure pemwedzi mishomanana, ungano yokutanga yakaumbwa. Nguva pfupi pashure pacho, Amai vakatanga kurwara nekenza, iyo yakazovauraya muna 1971. Baba vakazofa kwapera makore manomwe.

Kutsungirira Kurwara kwaJohn

Kuma1970, zvakava pachena kuti utano hwaJohn hwakanga husiri kuvandudzika. Zvishoma nezvishoma, aifanira kurega dzimwe ropafadzo dzake dzebasa dzaaida chaizvo, dzaisanganisira  kuitisa chidzidzo chemhuri yebazi chevhiki nevhiki cheNharireyomurindi uye kukurukura rugwaro rwezuva mangwanani. Akachinjwa kubva kuDhipatimendi Rebasa kuti anoshandira kuImba Yetsamba, ndokuzonzi ashande mubindu.

John aida kuramba achingoita sezvaaiita kare uye izvi zvakaita kuti zvimuomere kuchinja. Pandairamba ndichimuyeuchidza kuti arege zvimwe zvinhu, ainditsvinyira achiti ndiri chipingamupinyi—asi ozondimbundira. Takaguma taona zvakanaka kusiya ndima yechiPutukezi ndokunoshanda neungano yaisangana paImba yoUmambo yaiva pabazi.

Utano hwaJohn zvahwairamba huchiipa, zvaibaya mwoyo kuona kuti aiva noukama hwepedyo naJehovha. John paaimuka pakati pousiku akaora mwoyo chaizvo, taitaura kusvikira ava kunzwa zviri nani zvokukwanisa kunyengetera kuti abatsirwe naJehovha. Pakupedzisira, akanga ava kukwanisa kukurira nguva idzodzo dzakaipa nokuzvimanikidza kudzokorora zvishoma nezvishoma VaFiripi 4:6, 7, inoti: “Musazvidya mwoyo pamusoro pechinhu chero chipi zvacho . . . ” Zvadaro aizokwanisa kugadzikana zvokutanga kunyengetera. Kazhinji ndainge ndakamuka uye ndaitarira miromo yake chinyararire sezvaaiteterera Jehovha nomwoyo wose.

Sezvo takanga tisisanyatsokwani pazvivako zvebazi redu, bazi idzva rakatanga kuvakwa kunze kweJohannesburg. Ini naJohn taishanyira nzvimbo iyi ine runyararo, iri kure noruzha rweguta uye ine mhepo yakachena. Zvakabatsira John chaizvo patakabvumirwa kutamira kuzvivako zvenguva pfupi zvaiva ikoko kusvikira bazi idzva rapera.

Zvinetso Zvitsva

Sezvo John akanga asingachanyatsokwanisi kufunga uye kukurukura zvakanaka, kuita mabasa ake kwakamuomera. Ndakabayiwa mwoyo nenzira iyo vamwe vaitsigira nayo zvaiitwa naJohn. Somuenzaniso, imwe hama payaishanyira raibhurari kuti inotsvakurudza, yaienda naJohn. Homwe dzaJohn dzainge dzakazara maturakiti nemagazini okugovera kwavaizoenda. Izvi zvaibatsira John kuziva kuti ane zvaaigona kuita uye kuti akanga achiri kukosha.

Pakupedzisira, chirwere cheAlzheimer chakaita kuti John atadze kuverenga. Takaonga chaizvo makaseti eBhaibheri uye enziyo dzoUmambo. Taiateerera taateererazve. Kazhinji John aishatirwa kana ndaisagara pasi ndichiteerera naye, saka ndaisona nokuruka mumaawa iwayo akawanda. Zvakabatsira kuti tive nemajuzi nemagumbeze akawanda!

Nokufamba kwenguva, chirwere chaJohn chakada kuti ndimutarisire nguva yakawanda. Kunyange zvazvo kazhinji ndaiwanzova ndakaneta zvokutadza kuverenga kana kudzidza, kumutarisira kusvikira pakuguma yaiva ropafadzo. Kuguma ikoko kwakauya muna 1998, John paakafira mumaoko angu achangosvitsa makore 85—akaramba akavimbika kusvikira kumugumo. Ndinotarisira kuzomuona kana amutswa, ava noutano hwakanaka uye pfungwa dzake dzava kushanda zvakanaka.

Kuzorodzwa

John afa, zvakanga zvisiri nyore kuti ndidzidze kurarama ndiri ndoga. Saka muna May 1999, ndakashanyira munun’una wangu Thelma nomurume wake kuUnited States. Zvaifadza uye zvaizorodza chaizvo kuonana neshamwari dzinodiwa dzakawanda, dzakavimbika, kunyanya patakashanyira dzimbahwe reZvapupu zvaJehovha kuNew York! Zvechokwadi ndiko kukurudzirwa mune zvokunamata kwandaida.

Kufunga nezvoupenyu hwevadiwa vangu vakavimbika kunondiyeuchidza zvinhu zvakawanda kwazvo zvave zvichindibatsira. Nokundirayiridza kwavakaita, muenzaniso wavo, uye rubatsiro rwavo, ndakadzidza kuwedzera kuda kwandaiita vanhu vemamwe marudzi uye verimwe ganda. Ndakadzidza kushivirira, kutsungirira uye kukwanisa kuchinja. Kupfuura zvose, ndakaziva nyasha dzina Jehovha, Munzwi womunyengetero. Ndinonzwa semanzwiro aiita munyori wepisarema uyo akati: “Anofara munhu wamunosarudza uye wamunoswededza pedyo, kuti agare muzvivanze zvenyu. Tichagutswa nokunaka kweimba yenyu.”—Pisarema 65:4.

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 8]

Ambuya nevanasikana vavo

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 9]

Ndiine vabereki vangu pandakabhabhatidzwa muna 1948

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 10]

Ndiina Albert Schroeder, munyori weGiriyedhi, nevamwe vadzidzi vapfumbamwe vokuSouth Africa

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 10]

Ndiina John muna 1984