KU ITARIKI ya 7 Nzeri 1950, nabaye umwe mu bagize umuryango wa Beteli y’i Brooklyn. Icyo gihe uwo muryango wari ugizwe n’abavandimwe na bashiki bacu 355 bakomokaga mu bihugu bitandukanye, kandi bari bafite hagati y’imyaka 19 na 80. Abenshi muri bo bari Abakristo basutsweho umwuka.

Mama ni we wanyigishije gukorera “Imana igira ibyishimo” (1 Tim 1:11). Yatangiye gukorera Yehova nkiri umwana. Ku itariki ya 1 Nyakanga 1939, ubwo nari mfite imyaka icumi, nabatirijwe mu ikoraniro rya zone (ubu ryitwa ikoraniro ry’akarere) ryabereye mu mugi wa Columbus muri leta ya Nebraska, muri Amerika. Twari abantu bagera ku ijana duteraniye mu nzu twari twakodesheje, kugira ngo twumve disikuru yari yafashwe n’ibyuma bifata amajwi yari yatanzwe na Joseph Rutherford, yari ifite umutwe uvuga ngo “Ubutegetsi bw’igitugu bwa Fashisime cyangwa umudendezo.” Igihe iyo disikuru yari igeze hagati, abantu biremye agatsiko hanze y’inzu nto twari duteraniyemo. Binjiye ku ngufu, bahagarika ikoraniro maze batwirukana mu mugi. Twagiye guteranira mu isambu y’umuvandimwe yari hafi y’uwo mugi, dukurikirana igice cyari gisigaye cy’iryo koraniro. Birumvikana ko ntigeze nibagirwa itariki nabatirijweho.

Mama yashyizeho imihati anyigisha ukuri kuva mu buto bwanjye. Nubwo papa yari umuntu mwiza akaba n’umubyeyi mwiza, ntiyashishikazwaga n’iby’idini cyangwa ngo anyigishe iby’Imana. Mama hamwe n’abandi Bahamya bo mu itorero rya Omaha banteye inkunga cyane.

Igihe nari hafi kurangiza amashuri yisumbuye, nagombaga gufata umwanzuro urebana n’uko nari kuzakoresha ubuzima bwanjye. Buri gihe iyo twabaga turi mu biruhuko byo mu cyi, nakoraga umurimo w’ubupayiniya bwo mu biruhuko (ubu witwa ubupayiniya bw’ubufasha), mfatanyije n’abandi bo mu kigero cyanjye.

Abavandimwe babiri bakiri bato b’abaseribateri bari barangije ishuri rya karindwi rya Gileyadi, ari bo John Chimiklis na Ted Jaracz, boherejwe gukora umurimo wo gusura amatorero mu gace k’iwacu. Natangajwe no kumenya ko bari mu kigero cy’imyaka 20. Icyo gihe nari mfite imyaka 18 kandi nari hafi kurangiza amashuri yisumbuye. Ndacyibuka igihe umuvandimwe Chimiklis  yambazaga intego nari mfite mu buzima bwanjye. Ubwo nayimubwiraga, yarambwiye ati “ni byo, uzahite ukora umurimo w’igihe cyose. Ntiwamenya aho uzakwerekeza.” Iyo nama hamwe n’urugero abo bavandimwe bampaga byankoze ku mutima cyane. Ku bw’ibyo, maze kurangiza amashuri yisumbuye natangiye umurimo w’ubupayiniya mu mwaka wa 1948.

Muri Nyakanga 1950, jye n’ababyeyi banjye twagiye mu ikoraniro mpuzamahanga ryabereye i Yankee Stadium, mu mugi wa New York City. Igihe twari muri iryo koraniro, nagiye mu nama y’abifuzaga gukora kuri Beteli. Nujuje fomu y’abifuza gukora kuri Beteli maze ndayitanga.

Nubwo papa atangaga ko nkora umurimo w’ubupayiniya ntaha mu rugo, yumvaga ko nagombaga gutanga amafaranga runaka yo kwishyura icyumba nabagamo n’ibyokurya. Ku bw’ibyo, umunsi umwe mu ntangiriro z’ukwezi kwa Kanama, ubwo nari ngiye gushaka akazi, nabanje kujya kureba mu gasanduku kacu k’amabaruwa. Nasanzemo ibaruwa yanjye yari iturutse i Brooklyn. Yari iya Nathan H. Knorr, wari wanditse ati “twabonye fomu wujuje usaba gukora kuri Beteli. Nabonye waremeye ko uzaguma kuri Beteli kugeza igihe Umwami azahagukurira. Ku bw’ibyo, ndifuza ko ku itariki ya 7 Nzeri 1950 waba wageze kuri Beteli iri ku muhanda wa 124 Columbia Heights, i Brooklyn, muri leta ya New York.”

Igihe papa yatahaga avuye ku kazi kuri uwo munsi, namubwiye ko nari nabonye akazi. Yaravuze ati “ni byiza rwose. Wakabonye he?” Naramushubije nti “kuri Beteli y’i Brooklyn, kandi nzajya mpembwa amadolari 10 ku kwezi.” Yabaye nk’ubabaye, ariko avuga ko niba ari ko nari nahisemo, nagombaga kwihatira kugakora neza. Nyuma yaho gato, mu mwaka wa 1953, yabatirijwe mu ikoraniro ryabereye i Yankee Stadium.

Igishimishije ni uko Alfred Nussrallah twakoranaga umurimo w’ubupayiniya na we icyo gihe yatumiriwe gukora kuri Beteli, maze turajyana. Nyuma yaje gushaka, maze we n’umugore we Joan biga ishuri rya Gileyadi, bajya kuba abamisiyonari muri Libani, nyuma yaho bagaruka muri Amerika maze bakora umurimo wo gusura amatorero.

Nkigera kuri Beteli nabanje gukora mu Rwego Rushinzwe Guteranya Ibitabo. Igitabo cya mbere nateranyije cyavugaga ibirebana n’icyo idini ryamariye abantu (What Has Religion Done for Mankind?). Nyuma y’amezi agera ku munani, noherejwe gukora mu Rwego Rushinzwe Umurimo, rwari ruhagarariwe n’umuvandimwe Thomas J. Sullivan. Nishimiye gukorana na we no kungukirwa n’ubwenge n’ubushishozi yaronse mu myaka myinshi yari amaze mu muteguro.

Igihe nari maze imyaka hafi itatu nkora mu Rwego Rushinzwe Umurimo, Max Larson wari uhagarariye icapiro yambwiye ko umuvandimwe Knorr anshaka. Nibajije niba hari ikosa nari nakoze. Numvise nduhutse igihe umuvandimwe Knorr yambwiraga ko yashakaga kumenya niba narateganyaga kuzava kuri Beteli. Yifuzaga umuntu wo gukora mu biro bye igihe gito kandi yashakaga kureba niba nabishobora. Namubwiye ko ntateganyaga kuva kuri Beteli. Nishimiye kuba naramaze imyaka 20 yakurikiyeho nkora mu biro bye.

Njya mvuga ko ntari kubona amafaranga yo kwishyura ubumenyi nagize mbikesheje gukorana n’umuvandimwe Sullivan na Knorr, hamwe n’abandi bavandimwe bo kuri Beteli, urugero nka Milton Henschel, Klaus Jensen, Max Larson, Hugo Riemer na Grant Suiter. *

 Abavandimwe nakoranye na bo bagiraga gahunda mu kazi bakoraga ku bw’inyungu z’umuteguro. Umuvandimwe Knorr yari umukozi wagiraga ishyaka ryinshi, wabaga ushaka ko umurimo w’Ubwami utera imbere uko bishoboka kose. Abakoraga mu biro bye bavugaga ko yari umuntu wishyikirwaho. Niyo twabaga tutabona ibintu kimwe na we, yaraturekaga tukamubwira ibyo dutekereza twisanzuye, kandi agakomeza kutwiringira.

Igihe kimwe, umuvandimwe Knorr yambwiye ibirebana n’akamaro ko kwita ku bintu bisa n’aho byoroheje. Urugero, yambwiye ko igihe yari ahagarariye icapiro, umuvandimwe Rutherford yajyaga amuhamagara kuri telefoni akamubwira ati “muvandimwe Knorr nuva mu icapiro uje kurya, unzanire amagoma. Ndayakeneye mu biro.” Umuvandimwe Knorr yambwiye ko yahitaga ajya mu bubiko bw’ibikoresho, agafata amagoma maze akayashyira mu mufuka. Hanyuma iyo saa sita zageraga, yayajyanaga mu biro by’umuvandimwe Rutherford. Nubwo byabaga ari ibintu byoroheje, byari bifitiye akamaro umuvandimwe Rutherford. Nyuma y’ibyo, umuvandimwe Knorr yarambwiye ati “nshimishwa no kugira amakaramu y’igiti aconze ku meza yanjye. Ndakwinginze rero, buri gitondo ujye uyahanshyirira.” Namaze imyaka myinshi nconga amakaramu ye y’igiti.

Umuvandimwe Knorr yakundaga kutubwira ko ari ngombwa gutega amatwi twitonze mu gihe dusabwe gukora umurimo runaka. Igihe kimwe yansobanuriye neza uko nari gukora akazi yari ampaye, ariko sinatega amatwi neza. Ibyo nakoze byatumye akorwa n’isoni. Byarambabaje cyane, maze mwandikira akandiko mubwira ko nababajwe n’ibyo nakoze, kandi ko numvaga ko ibyiza ari uko banyimura nkajya gukora ahandi. Nyuma yaho muri icyo gitondo, umuvandimwe Knorr yaje aho nakoreraga. Yarambwiye ati “Robert, nabonye akandiko kawe. Wakoze ikosa. Nari nabigusobanuriye neza, kandi ndizera ko ubutaha uzarushaho gutega amatwi witonze. Reka noneho dusubire mu kazi.” Nishimiye cyane amagambo meza yambwiye.

Igihe nari maze imyaka umunani nkora kuri Beteli, nta yindi gahunda nari mfite uretse gukomeza kuhakora. Ariko byarahindutse. Igihe twari mu ikoraniro mpuzamahanga ryabereye i Yankee Stadium n’i Polo Grounds mu mwaka wa 1958, nabonye umupayiniya witwa Lorraine Brookes nari narahuye na we mu mwaka wa 1955, igihe yakoreraga umurimo w’ubupayiniya i Montréal muri Kanada. Nishimiye uko yabonaga umurimo w’igihe cyose n’ukuntu yari yiteguye kujya aho ari ho hose umuteguro wa Yehova wari kumwohereza. Lorraine yari afite intego yo kwiga Ishuri rya Gileyadi. Igihe yari afite imyaka 22, yemerewe kwiga ishuri rya 27 mu mwaka wa 1956. Arirangije yoherejwe kuba umumisiyonari muri Burezili. Jye na Lorraine twongeye kugirana imishyikirano mu mwaka wa 1958, maze yemera ko tuzashakana. Twari dufite gahunda yo gushyingiranwa mu mwaka wari gukurikiraho, kandi twifuzaga gukorana umurimo w’ubumisiyonari.

Igihe nabwiraga umuvandimwe Knorr gahunda nari mfite, yangiriye inama yo gutegereza imyaka  itatu tukabona gushakana, maze tugakora kuri Beteli y’i Brooklyn. Icyo gihe, kugira ngo abantu bakomeze kuba kuri Beteli nyuma yo gushyingiranwa, umwe muri bo yagombaga kuba amaze imyaka icumi cyangwa irenga ahakora, naho undi ahamaze nibura imyaka itatu. Bityo rero, Lorraine yemeye gukora imyaka ibiri kuri Beteli yo muri Burezili, n’undi mwaka umwe kuri Beteli y’i Brooklyn mbere y’uko dushyingiranwa.

Mu myaka ibiri ya mbere, nta bundi buryo bwo gushyikirana twari dufite uretse kwandikirana. Guterefona byari bihenze cyane, kandi icyo gihe nta interineti yabagaho. Igihe twashyingiranwaga ku itariki ya 16 Nzeri 1961, twatewe ishema no guhabwa disikuru n’umuvandimwe Knorr. Ni iby’ukuri ko iyo myaka mike twamaze dutegereje yasaga n’aho ari myinshi cyane. Ariko ubu, iyo dushubije amaso inyuma tukareba imyaka isaga 50 yaranzwe n’ibyishimo tumaze dushyingiranywe, twemera ko kuba twarategereje byatugiriye akamaro.

Mu mwaka wa 1964, nahawe inshingano yo gusura ibindi bihugu ndi umugenzuzi usura ibiro by’amashami. Icyo gihe abagore ntibaherekezaga abagabo babo. Mu mwaka wa 1977 byarahindutse, abagore batangira kujya bajyana n’abagabo babo. Muri uwo mwaka, jye na Lorraine twaherekeje Grant na Edith Suiter bagiye gusura ibiro by’amashami byo mu Budage, muri Otirishiya, mu Bugiriki, muri Shipure, muri Turukiya no muri Isirayeli. Nasuye ibihugu bigera kuri 70 byo hirya no hino ku isi.

Igihe kimwe ubwo twari tugiye muri Burezili mu mwaka wa 1980, twanyuze mu mugi wa Belém uri kuri koma y’isi, aho Lorraine yari yarakoreye umurimo w’ubumisiyonari. Nanone twasuye abavandimwe b’i Manaus. Mu gihe cya disikuru yatangiwe muri sitade, twabonye itsinda ry’abantu bari bicaye hamwe, batakoraga nk’ibyo abandi Banyaburezili bakora. Abagore ntibasomanaga, n’abavandimwe ntibahanaga umukono. Kubera iki?

Bari Abahamya bagenzi bacu bari baturutse mu gace baciramo abarwaye ibibembe, kari hagati mu ishyamba rya Amazone. Kubera ko bangaga kwanduza abandi, birindaga kubakoraho. Icyakora, byadukoze ku mutima, kandi ntituzigera twibagirwa ukuntu mu maso habo hagaragaraga ibyishimo. Twabonye ko amagambo Yesaya yavuze ari ukuri. Yagize ati “abagaragu banjye bazarangurura ijwi ry’ibyishimo bitewe n’imimerere myiza yo mu mutima.”—Yes 65:14.

Jye na Lorraine dukunda gutekereza ku myaka isaga mirongo itandatu tumaze mu murimo wa Yehova. Twishimira cyane ukuntu twabonye imigisha myinshi bitewe n’uko twemeye ko Yehova atuyobora binyuze ku muteguro we. Nubwo ntagishobora gukora ingendo zo hirya no hino ku isi nka mbere, ndacyashobora gukora akazi kanjye ka buri munsi mfasha abagize Inteko Nyobozi. Mfasha Komite y’Abahuzabikorwa na Komite Ishinzwe Umurimo. Nishimira cyane uruhare ruto ngira mu gufasha abavandimwe bo ku isi hose. Dushimishwa no kubona abakiri bato benshi biyemeje gukora umurimo w’igihe cyose, bafite imitekerereze nk’iya Yesaya wavuze ati “ndi hano, ba ari jye utuma” (Yes 6:8). Iyo mbaga y’abakiri bato igaragaza ukuri kw’amagambo wa mugenzuzi w’akarere yambwiye kera ati “uzahite ukora umurimo w’igihe cyose. Ntiwamenya aho uzakwerekeza.”