Chimwe Chinhu Chiri Nani Pane Mukurumbira

YAKATAURWA NACHARLES SINUTKO

Muna 1957, ndakawana basa rokuimba kwevhiki 13 muLas Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A., ndichitambira madhora anenge US$1000 [Z$5 300 000] pavhiki, paine mukana wokuti ndizoenderera mberi nokuimba kwedzimwe vhiki 50 kana kuimba kwacho kwaizofamba zvakanaka. Iyi yaizova imwe US$50 000 [Z$265 000 000]—yaiva mari yakawanda kwazvo panguva iyoyo. Regai nditsanangure chakaita kuti ndizowana basa raiva nemari kudai uye chakaita kuti zvindiomere kusarudza kuriita kana kuti kurirega.

BABA vangu chizvarwa chokuUkrain, vakaberekerwa kumabvazuva kweEurope muna 1910. Muna 1913 amai vavo vakauya navo kuUnited States pavakavazve pamwe chete nomurume wavo. Baba vakaroora muna 1935, uye ndakaberekwa mugore rakatevera racho muAmbridge, Pennsylvania. Panenge panguva iyoyo vakoma vaviri vaBaba vangu vakava Zvapupu zvaJehovha.

Ini nevanun’una vangu vatatu patakanga tichiri vaduku uye mhuri yedu ichigara pedyo neNew Castle, Pennsylvania, amai vedu vakadzidza Bhaibheri zvishomanana neZvapupu. Vabereki vangu vose havana kuva Zvapupu panguva iyoyo, asi Baba vaidavira kuti vakoma vavo vaiva nekodzero yokutenda zvavaida. Kunyange zvazvo Baba vakanga vatirera kuti tizvipire kunyika yedu, nguva dzose vaidzivirira kodzero yevamwe yokuti vanamate sezvavaida.

Basa Rokuimba

Vabereki vangu vaidavira kuti ndaiva nechipo chokuimba, saka vakaita zvose zvavaigona kuti vandisimudzire. Pandakanga ndava nemakore matanhatu kana manomwe, Baba vaindimisa pakaunda inotengeserwa doro nezvimwe zvinwiwa mukirabhu yousiku kuti ndiimbe uye ndiridze gitare rangu. Ndaiimba rwiyo rwainzi “Mother.” Rwiyo rwacho rwairatidza mashoko aitanga nemavara eshoko rokuti “mother.” Shoko rimwe nerimwe raisimbiswa sezvaraishandiswa mukurondedzera unhu hwaamai vane rudo. Rwiyo rwacho rwaiguma nokudanidzira kukuru kwokuti “Mukaabatanidza anoumba shoko rokuti M-O-T-H-E-R, shoko raireva zvinokosha zvakawanda kwandiri.” Varume vaiva pabhawa, vainge vanwa doro rakawanda, vaiwanzodanidzira uye voisa mari mungowani yaBaba.

Ndakava nepurogiramu yangu yokutanga paredhiyo muNew Castle paWKST muna 1945, ndichiimba nziyo dzecountry. Gare gare ndakatanga kuimbawo nziyo dzinozivikanwa dzaibva kuHit Parade, yaiva purogiramu yeparedhiyo yevhiki nevhiki yaibudisa nziyo gumi dzainyanya kufarirwa. Ndakatanga kubuda paterevhizheni muna 1950 pashoo yaPaul Whiteman. Chirongwa chaGeorge Gershwin chinonzi “Rhapsody in Blue” chichiri kuzivikanwa. Hapana kuzopera nguva refu Baba vasati vatengesa imba yedu yokuPennsylvania, uye takatamira kuLos Angeles iri muCalifornia tiine tariro yokuwedzera basa rangu.

Nokuda kwokushingirira kwaBaba, nenguva isipi ndakatanga purogiramu yangu yevhiki nevhiki muPasadena uye shoo yehafu yeawa pavhiki muTV muHollywood. Ndakarekodha paCapitol Records neboka revanhu zana rokuTed Dale uyewo ndakava muimbi weparedhiyo yeCBS. Muna 1955, ndakaita shoo yenziyo kuLake Tahoe nechokuchamhembe kweCalifornia. Ndiri ikoko, zvandaikoshesa muupenyu zvakachinja zvachose.

 Kutanga Kukoshesa Zvinhu Zvitsva

Panenge panguva iyoyo, babamukuru John—mukoma waBaba akanga atamirawo kuCalifornia achibva kuPennsylvania—akandipa bhuku rinonzi “Mwari Ngaave Wezvokwadi.” * * Ndakaenda naro kuLake Tahoe. Pashure peshoo yedu yokupedzisira, yakapera mambakwedza, ndakatanga kuverenga bhuku kuti ndizorore ndisati ndarara. Ndakafara kuwana mhinduro dzinobva muBhaibheri dzemibvunzo yakanga yandinetsa kwenguva refu.

Nokukurumidza pashure paizvozvo ndakagara pakirabhu yousiku ndapedza basa ndichitaura nevamwe vaimbi, kusvikira pamambakwedza. Taikurukura nyaya dzakadai soupenyu pashure pokufa, nei Mwari achibvumira uipi, uye kana vanhu vaizozviparadza nokuparadza pasi. Mwedzi mishomanana gare gare, pana July 9, 1955, pakokorodzano yoruwa yeZvapupu zvaJehovha yakaitirwa paWrigley Field muLos Angeles, ndakabhabhatidzwa ndichiratidzira kuzvitsaurira kwangu kuti ndishumire Jehovha Mwari.

Pasati pambopera mwedzi mitanhatu, mangwanani omusi weKrisimasi yomuna 1955, ndakakokwa nechimwe Chapupu, Henry Russell, kuti ndiende naye kunoona Jack McCoy, aiita zvokuimba. Henry pachake akanga ari mutungamiriri wezvemimhanzi paNBC. Saka, patakasvika, Jack akaita kuti vana vake vatatu nomudzimai vagare pasi kuti vatiteerere, kunyange zvazvo vakanga vachangobva kuvhura zvipo zvavo zveKrisimasi. Nenguva isipi iye nemhuri yake vakazova Zvapupu.

Panenge panguva iyoyo ndakadzidza naAmai, uye vakabatisisa chokwadi chomuBhaibheri. Vakazova mumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha uye piyona, muevhangeri wenguva yakazara. Nokufamba kwenguva, vanun’una vangu vatatu vakabhabhatidzwawo uye vakaita basa roupiyona kwekanguva. Muna September 1956, pazera remakore 20, ndakava piyona.

Kusarudza Basa

Panenge panguva iyi shamwari yamaneja wangu, George Murphy aida kundisimudzira. George akanga aonekwa mumafirimu akawanda kuma1930 nokuma1940. Muna December 1956, nemhaka yokuzivana nevanhu kwaMurphy, ndakabuda pashoo yaJackie Gleason muNew York City paCBS-TV. Izvi zvakandisimudzira zvikuru kuenderera mberi nebasa rangu, sezvo shoo yacho yakanga iine vateereri vanofungidzirwa kuva 20 000 000. Ndichiri muNew York, ndakashanyira dzimbahwe repasi pose reZvapupu zvaJehovha riri kuBrooklyn kwenguva yokutanga.

Pashure pokunge ndabuda pashoo yaGleason, ndakanyorerana kondirakiti yefirimu yemakore manomwe neMGM studios. Ndakapiwa basa renguva dzose paTV Western. Kunyange zvakadaro, pashure penguva shomanana hana yangu yakatanga kundinetsa, sezvo zvaida kuti ndiedzesere kuita zvokubheja uye unyanzvi hwokupfura nepfuti—mabasa anokurudzira unzenza uye mufambiro usiri wechiKristu. Saka, ndakarega. Vaya vaiva mubhizimisi rokuimba vakafunga kuti ndakanga ndava kupenga.

Apa ndipo panguva yandakazopiwa basa rinopa mari yakawanda kuLas Vegas, randambotaura nezvaro pakutanga. Ndaifanira kutanga basa muvhiki yaizoshanya mutariri wedu anofambira. Dai ndaizorega kuita basa racho panguva iyoyo, ndaizorasikirwa naro zvachose. Ndakanetseka, sezvo Baba vainditarisira kuita mari yakawanda kwazvo! Ndakafunga kuti vaifanira kupiwa mubhadharo nokuda kwezvinhu zvose zvavakanga vaita kuti vasimudzire basa rangu.

Saka ndakaenda kumutariri wedu anotungamirira, Carl Park, aiva muimbi pachake uye akanga ambove muridzi weviolin kuchiteshi cheredhiyo cheNew York chainzi WBBR kuma1920. Ndakatsanangura kuti kana ndikatora kondirakiti iyi, ndingagona kupayona upenyu hwangu hwose ndisinganetseki mune zvemari. “Ini handingakuudzi zvokuita,” akadaro, “asi ndinogona kukubatsira kuziva zvokuita.” Akabvunza kuti, “Waizoenda here kudai muapostora Pauro akanga achishanyira ungano yedu vhiki ino?” Akawedzera kuti, “Unofunga kuti Jesu aizoda kuti uitei?”

Izvi zvakanga zvakajeka. Pandakaudza Baba kuti ndakanga ndasarudza kusaita basa kuLas Vegas, vakati ndakanga ndiri kuparadza upenyu hwavo. Usiku ihwohwo vakandigarira nechivhorovhoro. Vaida kundiuraya, asi vakabatwa nehope—nokuti vakanga vadhakwa. Vakazoedza kuzviuraya mugaraji noutsi hwemotokari. Ndakadaidza  vashandi vokununura, uye vakakwanisa kuvaponesa.

Vachiziva nezvehasha dzaBaba, vazhinji vomuungano medu vaivatya, asi mutariri wedu wedunhu, Roy Dowell akanga asingavatyi. Hama Dowell pavakaenda kunovaona, Baba vakavaudza kuti pandakaberekwa, paive nomukana wakakura wokuti ndaisazorarama. Baba vakanga vavimbisa Mwari kuti kana ndikararama vaizondipira kubasa raMwari. Hama Dowell vakabvunza kana Baba vakanga vambofunga kana Mwari angadaro akanga achiri kuvatarisira kuzadzika vimbiso yavo. Izvozvo zvakashamisa Baba. Hama Dowell vakabva vabvunza kuti, “Kana basa renguva yakazara rakanga rakanakira Mwanakomana waMwari, nei risina kunakira wenyu?” Izvi zvinenge zvakaita kuti Baba vabvume zvandakanga ndasarudza kuita.

Panguva ino, muna January 1957, Shirley Large akauya neshamwari yake piyona vachibva kuCanada vachishanyira shamwari dzavo. Ini naShirley takazivana pandakaenda naye pamwe chete neshamwari yake muushumiri hwepaimba neimba. Nokukurumidza pashure pacho, Shirley akandiperekedza kuHollywood Bowl, kwandakanoimba naPearl Bailey.

Kuita Zvandakanga Ndasarudza

Muna September 1957, ndakagadzwa kuti ndishumire sapiyona chaiye muruwa rweIowa. Pandakaudza Baba kuti ndakanga ndasarudza kuita basa racho, vakangopfikura chete. Havana kunzwisisa maonero angu matsva ezvakanga zvichikosha chaizvo. Ndakaenda nemotokari kuHollywood ndokugumisa kondirakiti dzangu dzose. Mutungamiriri akakurumbira weorchestra nekwaya ainzi Fred Waring aiva pakati pevaya vandakanga ndaita kondirakiti navo. Akandiudza kuti ndakanga ndisingazokwanisi kushandazve somuimbi kana ndikakundikana kuita zvandakavimbisa. Saka ndakatsanangura kuti ndakanga ndiri kusiya basa rangu rokuimba kuti ndiwedzere ushumiri hwangu mubasa raJehovha Mwari.

VaWaring vakateerera noruremekedzo sezvandaidonongodza zvose, asi vakandishamisa nemhinduro yavo younyoro: “Mwanangu, ndine urombo nokurega kwako basa rakanaka kudai, asi ndave ndiri kuita zvokuimba kwoupenyu hwangu hwose uye ndakadzidza kuti kune zvimwe zvinokosha muupenyu kupfuura kungoimba. Mwari ngaakomborere zvaunoita.” Ndinoyeuka ndichidzokera kumusha nemisodzi yomufaro mumaziso, ndichiona kuti iye zvino ndakanga ndasununguka kushandisa upenyu hwangu mubasa raJehovha.

“Kutenda Kwako Kuripi?”

Ndakatanga kushumira ndiri muStrawberry Point, Iowa, taundi rine vanhu vanenge 1 200, ndichishanda nomumwe wangu, Joe Triff. Shirley akauya kuzotishanyira, tikataura nezvokuroorana. Ndakanga ndisina mari, uye naiyewo akanga asina. Mari yose yandainge ndawana yaive ichichengetwa nababa vangu. Saka ndakatsanangura kuti: “Ndinoda kukuroora, asi tichararama sei? Chandinacho bedzi imari yokunditsigira sapiyona chaiye US$40 [Z$212 000] pamwedzi.” Akapindura zvinyoronyoro, neinzwi rakadzikama, achiti: “Asi, Charles, kutenda kwako kuripi? Jesu akataura kuti kana tikatanga kutsvaka Umambo nokururama kwake achatiwedzera zvinhu zvose zvatinoda.” (Mateu 6:33) Takabva tasarudza kuroorana. Takaroorana musi waNovember 16, 1957.

Ndakadzidza Bhaibheri nomumwe murimi nechokunze kweStrawberry Point uyo aiva nekamba kemapuranga musango pamunda wake. Pakanga pasina magetsi kana pombi yemvura uye pasina chimbudzi. Asi kana taida, taigona kugarapo mahara. Aiva magariro echinyakare, asi takaona kuti taipedza zuva rose tiri muushumiri uye taingoda nzvimbo yokurara chete.

Ndaichera mvura pachitubu chaive pedyo. Taiita kuti kamba kacho kadziye nokuvesa moto wehuni tichiverenga nomwenje weparafini; Shirley aibika nechitofu cheparafini. Taigezera mune rimwe bhavhu raiva rekare. Usiku tainzwa mhumhi  dzichiungudza asi isu taifara zvedu nokuti takanga tiri kushumira Jehovha pamwe chete kwaidiwa vashumiri vechiKristu zvikuru. Bill Malenfant nomudzimai wake Sandra, avo zvino vava kushumira padzimbahwe renyika yose muBrooklyn, vakanga vari mapiyona chaiwo anenge makiromita 100 kubva pataiva, Decorah, Iowa. Panguva nenguva, vaiuya vozopedza zuva rose vari mubasa romumunda nesu. Nokufamba kwenguva pakava neungano duku yevanhu vanenge 25 muStrawberry Point.

Kupinda Mubasa Rokufambira

Muna May 1960 takakumbirwa kuenda kubasa redunhu, ushumiri hwokufambira. Dunhu redu rokutanga rakanga riri muNorth Carolina, uye raisanganisira maguta eRaleigh, Greensboro, uye Durham, pamwe nemataundi maduku okumaruwa akawanda. Magariro edu akavandudzika, sezvo taigara nemhuri dzakawanda dzaiva nemagetsi uye kunyange zvimbudzi zviri mukati memba. Zvisinei, nyevero dzevaya vakanga vaine zvimbudzi zviri kunze kwemba dzakanga dzisinganyaradzi. Vaitiyambira kuti tingwarire nyoka munzira!

Pakutanga kwa1963 takachinjirwa kudunhu riri kuFlorida, uko kwandakazorwara zvikuru nechirwere chinozvimbisa nyama dzinotenderedza mwoyo uye ndakapotsa ndafa. Ndingadai ndakafa kudai asiri Bob naGinny Mackey vokuTampa vakandibatsira. * Vakandiendesa kuna chiremba wavo uye vakatotibhadharira mari yacho yose.

Kushandisa Zvandakanga Ndadzidza Kare

Muzhizha romuna 1963, ndakakokwa kuti ndinoshanda kuNew York nokuda kwekokorodzano huru yeZvapupu zvaJehovha yakanga ichazoitirwa ikoko. Ndakaenda naMilton Henschel, mumiririri weZvapupu zvaJehovha, kunotaura paredhiyo achibvunzwa naLarry King. VaKing vachiri munhu akakurumbira nokuita shoo yokutaura yepaterevhizheni. Vairemekedza zvikuru uye kweinenge awa imwe pashure peshoo yacho vakabvunza mibvunzo yakawanda pamusoro pebasa redu.

Muzhizha iroro hama Harold King, mumwe mumishinari akanga achangobva kusunungurwa mujeri muCommunist China, akanga ashanyira dzimbahwe repasi pose reZvapupu. Mamwe manheru akarondedzerera vanhu vanenge 700 zvaakasangana nazvo uye achitsanangura kuti kutenda kwake kwakasimbiswa sei nemakore ake anopfuura mana ari mujeri rake oga. Achiri mujeri akanga anyora nziyo dzinobva muBhaibheri uye pamusoro poushumiri hwechiKristu.

Manheru iwayo andisingakanganwi ndakaperekedza Audrey Knorr, Karl Klein, naFred Franz—Chapupu chenguva refu chakarovedzwa kuimba tena—mukuimba rwiyo rwunoti “Paimba Neimba” rwakazoiswa mubhuku renziyo rinoshandiswa neZvapupu zvaJehovha. Hama Nathan Knorr, vakanga vachitungamirira mubasa reZvapupu, vakandikumbira kuti ndizoruimba paGungano rainzi “Everlasting Good News” (Mashoko Akanaka Asingagumi) vhiki inotevera kuYankee Stadium, zviri zvandakazoita.

Zvakaitika Mubasa Rokufambira

Patakanga tiri kushumira muChicago, Illinois, zvinhu zviviri zvandisingakanganwi zvakaitika. Kutanga, pagungano redunhu, Shirley akaona Vera Stewart, akanga amuparidzira pamwe chete naamai vake muCanada pakati pema1940. Shirley, aiva nemakore 11 panguva iyoyo, akafara kunzwa pamusoro pevimbiso dzaMwari dziri muBhaibheri. Vakabvunza Vera kuti, “Unofunga kuti ini ndingagara munyika itsva iyoyo here?” Vera akapindura kuti, “Shirley, handioni chingakutadzisa.” Hapana kana mumwe wavo akakanganwa mashoko iwayo chaiwo. Kubvira pakuonana ikoko kwokutanga naVera, Shirley akaziva kuti kushumira Jehovha ndikwo kwaakanga achida kuita.

Chechipiri, chimwe Chapupu chakandibvunza  kana ndakanga ndichiri kuyeuka ndichiwana saga rembatatisi raisvika makirogiramu 23 pasuo redu mumwaka wechando wa1958. Hungu, ndinoyeuka. Ndakariwana mumamwe manheru pashure pokunge tafamba nomudutu rine chando pataidzoka kumba! Kunyange zvazvo tisina kuziva kwarakabva, zvechokwadi takati ndiJehovha akatipa. Takanayiwa nesinou kwemazuva mashanu asi taifara kudya makeke embatatisi, mbatatisi dzakabhekwa, dzakafurayiwa, nhopi yembatatisi, uye muto wadzo! Takanga tisina zvimwe zvokudya. Chapupu chacho chakanga chisina kutiziva kana kuziva kwataigara, asi chakanga chanzwa kuti mamwe mapiyona aigara pedyo nekwachaigara akanga achiomerwa nezvinhu. Chakati, pane chimwe chinhu chakandiita kuti ndibvunze pamusoro pekwaigara mhuri iyi yechiduku. Varimi vanoziva zvose pamusoro pevavakidzani vavo, saka akaratidzwa kwaiva nekamba kedu uye akauya nembatatisi nomusinou.

Kufara Nezvandakasarudza

Muna 1993, pashure pemakore 33 ndiri mubasa rokufambira, utano hwangu hwakatanga kuipa zvokuti ndaitofanira kusiya ropafadzo yebasa racho. Ini naShirley takava mapiyona chaiwo ari ndonda, zvatakazoramba tiri kusvikira nhasi. Kunyange zvazvo ndichidemba kuti handichina simba rokuita basa rokufambira, ndinofara kuti ndakashandisa simba rangu mubasa renguva yakazara.

Vanun’una vangu vakasarudza zvakasiyana nezvandakaita. Mumwe akasarudza kutsvaka pfuma yenyama, uye hapana kana nomumwe wavo ari kushumira Jehovha nhasi. Muna 1958, Baba vakabhabhatidzwa. Ivo naAmai vakabatsira vanhu vanoverengeka kuti vasvike pakushumira Jehovha, kutsaurira upenyu hwavo kwaAri, uye kubhabhatidzwa. Vose vakazofa muna 1999. Saka, kusarudza kwandakaita kuramba mukurumbira nepfuma zvenyika kwakazopa baba vangu tariro youpenyu husingaperi kunyangewo vamwe vakawanda vavakadzidza navo Bhaibheri vari pamwe naAmai. Ndinowanzoshamisika kuti, ‘Ndingadai ndakaramba ndichishumira Jehovha here kudai ndisina kusarudza kuita zvandakaita pakutanga?’

Anenge makore mashanu pashure pokunge ndasiya basa romudunhu, utano hwangu hwakaita zviri nani, uye ndakagona kuwedzera ushumiri hwangu. Parizvino ndiri kushanda somutariri anotungamirira weungano iri kuDesert Hot Springs, California. Ndinewo ropafadzo yokutsiva vatariri vanofambira, kushanda mumatare okutonga uye, padzimwe nguva, kudzidzisa paChikoro Chebasa Roupiyona.

Nanhasi Shirley achiri shamwari yangu yepamwoyo. Hapana mumwe munhu wandingada kuva naye. Tinowanzokurukura zvinhu zvinokurudzira kunamata, tose tichinakidzwa nechokwadi cheBhaibheri chatinokurukura pamwe chete. Ndichiri kuyeuka makore 47 akapfuura achibvunza zvinyoronyoro kuti, “Asi, Charles, kutenda kwako kuripi?” Kana vakaroorana vechiduku vakangobvunzana mubvunzo iwoyo, handizivi kuti vangani vangawanawo mufaro nezvikomborero zvatave tinazvo muushumiri hwenguva yakazara.

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 16]

Babamukuru John muna 1935, gore ravakabhabhatidzwa

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 17]

Kamba kedu kemapuranga

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 18]

Mufananidzo womuna 1975 wevabereki vangu, vakaramba vakatendeka kusvikira pakufa

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 18]

Ndiina Shirley nhasi