Ebyafaayo bya Amanda Berry Smith

Amanda Berry Smith yayagalanga okugamba nti yasumululwa emirundi ebiri. Eddembe erisooka lyagulwa n'entuuyo za kitaawe; eddembe eryokubiri lyaweebwa wansi w'omusaalaba. Yazaalibwa mu buddu nga January 23, 1837, mu Long Green, ekyalo eky'abalimi mu Baltimore County, Maryland, ng'omu ku baana kkumi na basatu aba Samuel Berry ne Miriam Matthews. Kitaawe yali musajja munyiikivu, atakoowa, eyakolanga okutuusa mu ttumbi ery'ekiro, oluvannyuma lw'okukola olunaku lwonna, ng'akola bbiraasi n'emikeeka gy'ebisusunku okusobola okufuna omuwendo gw'eddembe ery'ab'omu maka ge. Kinnoomu yabagula okuva mu buddu. Amanda yakulira ng'amanyi, mu mubiri gwe yennyini, eddembe nga bwe kiri ekintu eky'omuwendo omungi, era nga bwe liyinza okuwangulwa okw'okwagala okugaana okwebaka.

Okusoma kwe kwakoma ku myezi mitono egyasaasaana. Ebyo bye yayiga ku nnukuta yeeyigiriza yekka, ng'awandiika ebigambo mu kitangaala ky'ettaala oluvannyuma lw'okumaliriza emirimu gy'omu nnyumba. Ng'aweza emyaka kkumi n'esatu yatandika okukola emirimu gy'omu nnyumba z'abalala, era mu bulamu bwe obusinga yeeyimirizaawo ng'omwozi wa ngoye, omufumbi, n'omuyonjya mu maka g'abazungu okubuna Maryland ne Pennsylvania. Ensi oluvannyuma yandimutuumye “the Singing Pilgrim” (Omutambuze Ayimba) era n'ewandiika erinnya lye mu lipoota z'obwamisonaali okuva mu masemazinga asatu; naye teyaggwaamu bigambo bya bwangu n'engalo ezaakoowa ez'olubaya lw'okwoza. Kyawa okubuulira kwe obuyinza obw'enjawulo. Yayogera n'abaavu ng'omu ku bo.

Ennaku, n'omutima ogwatukuzibwa

Ennaku yajja ng'akyali muto era n'ebeerawo ebbanga ddene. Mu 1854 yafumbirwa Calvin Devine; okukyuka kwe ku Katonda kwaddirira nga wayiseewo emyaka nga ebiri, mu kiseera ky'obulwadde obw'amaanyi mwe yali okumpi n'okuggwaamu essuubi, n'akaabirira Katonda n'aweebwa emirembe. Devine yagenda okulwana mu Civil War (olutalo olw'omunda mu Amerika) n'atadda. Mu 1863 yafumbirwa James Smith, omudiikoni mu Kkanisa ya African Methodist Episcopal, ng'asuubira amaka amateefu ne munne mu mulimu gwe yali awulira nga gumusiikuula munda ye. Essuubi eryo lyayonoonebwa; obufumbo bwali buzibu era emirundi mingi obw'obwerere, era yafa mu 1869. Ku baana bataano be yazaala mu bufumbo bwombi, bana baafa nga bakyali bato. Muwala we Mazie yekka ye yawona n'akula. Ng'aweza emyaka amakumi asatu mu ebiri, Amanda Berry Smith yali aziise ba bbaawe babiri n'abaana bana. Yamanya, ng'abatono be bamanyi, akasiriikiriro ak'enjawulo ak'ennyumba efuuse njereere olw'okufa.

Mu nnaku eno mwe mwajjira omukisa gw'obulamu bwe ogusinga obuziba. Mu Sebuttemba 1868, mu Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church mu New York City, yatuula ng'awuliriza okubuulira kwa John S. Inskip n'awulira Katonda ng'amuwa ekyo abantu ab'obutukuvu kye baayita “omutima omulongoofu” — okutukuzibwa okutuukiridde, okwagala kwa Katonda nga kujjuza buli nsonda enzikiza ng'omusana bwe gujjuza ekisenge. Yali ayaayaanira okuleekaanira essanyu, era emirundi esatu okwegomba kwajja mu ye; naye ye yali mukazi omuddugavu yekka mu kkanisa ejjudde, era okutya ne kumuziyiza. Eddoboozi ne lyama nti abasinza abazungu bandimufulumizza ebweru. Ku nkomerero okutya ne kumenyeka. N'ayimuka n'aleekaana nti “Ekitiibwa kibe eri Yesu!” era okuva mu maaso Ow'oluganda Inskip n'addamu nti “Amiina, Ekitiibwa kibe eri Katonda.” Ekintu ne kiteeka mu ye ekitaddayo kunyeenya. Okuva mu kiro ekyo mwe mwava ekigambo kye yaddiŋŋanamu obulamu bwe bwonna:

Ntera okugamba abantu nti nnina obuyinza okuleekaana okusinga abamu; nnaguzibwa emirundi ebiri, ne nsumululwa emirundi ebiri, kyenva mpulira nga nnina obuyinza obulungi okuleekaana.

— Amanda Berry Smith

Omuvvangeri Omwozi wa Ngoye

Omwaka ogwaddirira okutukuzibwa kwe, Amanda yakakasibwa nti Katonda yali amuyita okubuulira. Kyali kintu kya buvumu. Abakazi ababuulizi baali tebakkirizibwa nnyo mu mulembe ogwo, era omukazi omuddugavu okubuulira amakkuŋŋaaniro agatabuddwamu era emirundi mingi ag'abazungu, eri bangi, kyali ekitalowoozeka. Teyalina kuwongebwa, teyalina musaala, teyalina kibiina kya ddiini kimuwagira, era teyalina kutendekebwa kwa ttendekero. Kye yalina kwali okuyitibwa okw'olwatu n'eddoboozi ery'enjawulo. Ng'ayambadde ekyambalo ekyangu ekya Quaker n'enkoofiira eya poke bonnet — ekitundu olw'okukakasibwa, ekitundu olw'okuba nga kye kyokka kye yali asobola okugula — yatandika okwogera n'okuyimba mu makkanisa ga African Methodist Episcopal ne mu nkuŋŋaana ennene ez'obutukuvu ez'omu nsiisira ezaali zibunye eggwanga.

Okuyimba kwe kwamalamu ekibiina amaanyi ng'okubuulira kwe tekunnabakwasa musango. Enkuŋŋaana ez'omu nsiisira ezandigobye omukazi omuddugavu zeesanga nga zikaaba era nga zileekaana wansi w'obuweereza bwe. Yeeyimirizaawo ng'akola omulimu gw'okwoza wakati w'obuweereza bwe, ng'afunya Enjiri n'engoye mu nnaku ze zimu empanvu. Teyeefuula nti okusosola kwe yasisinkana tekwamukwasa bulumi; yakwogera mu bwerufu. Naye yagaana okukukkiriza kumutegeeze; era ekimu ku bigambo bye yali awandiise ebisinga okwewakanira mu kasirise kikyusa embeera yonna okugivaako oluuyi olulala:

Kaakano, okugamba nti okuba abaddugavu tekyatuteganya mirundi mingi, kyandibadde si kya mazima; naye nga bwe tuli ab'olulyo olw'obwakabaka, tusuubira okugumira obuzibu buno mu kiseera kino, ne tuyita ne tuyingira mu biseera eby'omu maaso ebinene ennyo, gye ebintu bino ebitono byonna bijja okubula olw'obutono bwabyo obw'amazima! Mukama aweereze ebiro eby'omu maaso okutusisinkana!

— Amanda Berry Smith

Temuli kwesaasira mu ebyo. Waliwo omukazi amanyi bulungi ky'ali kubanga amanyi gw'ali. Ebivume eby'ekkanisa eyawukanyizibwa bifuuka, mu ngeri gy'akyogeramu, “ebintu ebitono” bwe bigeraageranyizibwa n'obusika obunene obw'omwana wa Katonda.

Emitala w'ennyanja

Mu 1878 yasaabala emmeeri okugenda Bungereza, era ekyatandika ng'okukyalira ne kiwanvuwa okutuuka emyaka kkumi n'ebiri egy'okutambula egyamutwala ewala okusinga omuvvangeri Omuyamerika yenna ow'omu kiseera kye. Yabuulira okubuna Britain, Ireland, ne Scotland, era yakolawo enteekateeka Mazie asome mu Bungereza. Okuva eyo yeeyongerayo okutuuka mu Buyindi okumala emyezi nga kkumi na munaana, ku kubuutikira kwa Bishop James M. Thoburn, ekitiibwa kye yamuwa ekyaddayo okukubibwa mu ntandikwa y'ebyafaayo bye eby'obulamu. Oluvannyuma ne lujja ekitundu ekisinga obuwanvu eky'omulimu gwe ogw'ebweru w'eggwanga: emyaka munaana mu Buwafirika obw'ebugwanjuba, okusingira ddala mu Liberia ne Sierra Leone, gye yabuulira, n'alwanirira obwegendereza ku mwenge ng'awakanya obusuubuzi bw'omwenge obwonoona, era n'atwala abaana Abawafirika abeetaavu okubalabirira ng'ababe.

Yagenda ng'“omumisonaali eyeeyimirizaawo” — ekyo nga ngeri ya kitiibwa ey'okugamba nti yagenda nga talina kibiina kya kumusasulira lugendo lwe wadde okumusuubiza olugendo olw'okudda eka. Yasaba busabi, n'eesiga Katonda okumuwa essente z'olugendo n'emmere. Emirundi n'emirundi mu byafaayo bye, obuwewesi bwajjanga ku ssaawa ey'enkomerero: ekirabo nga kiteekeddwa mu ngalo ze, omuwendo gw'essente ogusindikiddwa omugenyi, nga gwennyini gwe gwetaagisa era nga si lunaku olumu ng'olubadde luyise. Edda ennyo, ng'omu ku bannyina abaazaalibwa nga ba ddembe yakwatibwa n'atundibwa nate mu buddu ng'ali ku kukyalira ab'ekika mu Maryland, Amanda yali akuŋŋaanyizza n'awola doola amakumi ataano okumununula. Yali ayize ng'akyali muto nti Katonda addamu okusaba kw'abo ababa baweddemu buli kkubo.

Okugondera, eri Amanda Berry Smith, tekwali kwa birowoozo byokka. Kwamuggyako emirembe, obukuume, n'amaka amateefu ge yali ayagadde bulijjo. Naye yalowooza nti empeera y'obujeemu ya waggulu okusinga. Ku kusikanyizibwa wakati w'okusigala mu bukuume n'okugenda Katonda gye yamutuma, yaleka olunyiriri olw'obukalu ng'okukkiriza kwe:

Okusigala wano ne njeemera Katonda — sisobola kwetikka biva mu ekyo.

— Amanda Berry Smith

Ekisulo ky'abaana, n'omuliro omuwanvu ogw'okugezesebwa

Yadda mu Amerika nga mu 1890, ng'akooye mu bulamu, era mikwano gye ne bamukubiriza okuwandiika ebyafaayo by'obulamu bwe. Yakisabira nnyo, nga tategeerera ddala oba kyali kya Katonda ky'ayagala, era ku nkomerero n'atandika omulimu. An Autobiography: The Story of the Lord's Dealings with Mrs. Amanda Smith, the Colored Evangelist ne kifuluma mu 1893 — ebyafaayo eby'olwatu, ebikwata ku mutima, eby'empapula ebikumi bitaano, eby'obwavu, enjala, okukkiriza, n'okutambula, ebyafuuka ekitabo ekyatiibwa mu bujulizi bw'eddiini mu Amerika. Yabiwandiika si lwa kwatiikirira wabula ku lw'abaana. Ebyava mu bitundwa, awamu n'obukuumi bwe n'akatabaaza akatono ke yafulumya, byagenda mu kirooto kye yali atutte okumala emyaka.

Nga June 28, 1899, mu Harvey, Illinois, mu bukiikaddyo bwa Chicago, yaggulawo ekisulo eky'abaana n'ennyumba ey'emirimu, Amanda Smith Orphanage and Industrial Home for Abandoned and Destitute Colored Children — kimu ku bibiina ebyasooka eby'engeri eyo eby'abaana abaddugavu mu ssaza. Gwali mulimu gwa mu bukadde bwe era gwe gwali ekintu ekyamweraliikiriza ennyo. Ssente zaali za kubula bulijjo. Waaliwo okuyomba n'abakozi, okwemulugunya kw'abaliraanwa, okukebera okwagaana, n'omuliro nga bwe wamu. Yafukamu amaanyi ge agaasembayo n'emirembe gye mingi. Kya mazima okugamba nti ekisulo ky'abaana kyamuleetera obulumi bw'omutima nga bwe kyamuleetera essanyu; omukazi eyali yeesize Katonda ku lugendo lw'okusomoka ennyanja, yasanga omulimu gwa buli lunaku ogw'okuliisa n'okusuza abaana abeetaavu nga muzigo omuzito era ogutasanyusa. Naye teyandibaleseewo. Yali mwana ensi gwe yabala ng'ataliiko mugaso, era teyayinza kugumira kuleka mulala afuuka bw'atyo.

Sebring, n'ekiwummulo ekyalindirirwa ennyo

Mu 1912, ng'aweza emyaka nsanvu mu etaano era nga takyasobola kwetikka mulimu, yakwasa ennyumba n'awummula n'agenda e Sebring, Florida, omuntu ow'ekisa gye yali amuteekeddewo ennyumba. Ekibiina ne kiddira gavumenti ya ssaza ne kiwandiikibwa oluvannyuma nga Amanda Smith Industrial School for Girls; kyayokebwa omuliro mu 1918, emyaka esatu oluvannyuma lw'okufa kwe. Teyawangaala kulaba kufiirwa okwo, era oboolyawo kyali kisa nti teyakulaba.

Amanda Berry Smith yafiira mu Sebring nga February 24, 1915. Yali yazaaliddwa muddu mu kasiisira ke Maryland era yali abuulidde Enjiri mu masemazinga ana; yali afiiriddwa nga buli muntu gwe yayagala era yali akuŋŋaanyizza abaana abaasuulibwa ab'abagenyi; yali asasuddwa mu bivume era yali addizeemu n'essanyu. Ekibiina ky'obutukuvu kyamujjukira ng'omu ku bitangaala byakyo ebyaka ennyo, era emirembe egyaddirira ne giddamu okumuzuula ng'eyakulembera okubuulira kw'abakazi abaddugavu n'enkyukakyuka mu mbeera z'abantu. Naye ye yandyagadde ekijjukizo ekyangu ennyo — kiri ekyo obulamu bwe bwonna kye bwali bugenda buwandiika, nti omwozi wa ngoye omwavu alina omutima omulongoofu n'okugonda agagga okusinga bw'alabika, era nti Katonda eyamusumulula omulundi ogwasooka olw'okwagala kwa kitaawe yali amusumuludde emirembe n'emirembe olw'okwagala kwe ye.

Yali amaze obulamu bwe ku luguudo, ng'ayimba. Kirabika nga kituufu okumulowoozaako, ku nkomerero, ng'assa wansi omugugu gwe yali atutte ewala ennyo, n'asanga nti ebiro eby'omu maaso bye yasabira ku nkomerero byali bimufulumidde okumusisinkana.