Ebyafaayo bya Billy Graham

Yabuulira enjiri, mu maaso gaabwe, eri abantu bangi okusinga omuntu yenna eyali abaddewo — okusinziira ku kubalirira kw’ekibiina kye, abantu nga obukadde 215, mu bisaawe, mu nnimiro z’omuceere ne mu mbuga z’amakanisa amanene mu nsi 185 — naye bwe yatuuka okulonda ebigambo ebyandiwandiikiddwa ku ntaana ye, teyasaba kintu na kimu ku ebyo. Akabonero ku ntaana ye ku Billy Graham Library e Charlotte kaliko erinnya lye, okujuliza Yokaana 14:6, n’ebigambo ebyangu ebinnyonnyola omulimu gwe: Omubuulizi w’Enjiri ya Mukama waffe Yesu Kristo. Ekyo kyokka kye yakkiriza nti kye yali yeegomba. Omusajja eyali asobola okujjuza Seoul n’abantu akakadde kamu yayagala okujjukirwa ng’omubuulizi ow’omu kyalo eyababuulira ebya Yesu.

Omubuulizi w’Enjiri ya Mukama waffe Yesu Kristo

— ebigambo Billy Graham bye yeerondera okuwandiikibwa ku jjinja ly’entaana ye

Faamu y’ente ez’amata okumpi ne Charlotte

William Franklin Graham yazaalibwa nga 7 Novemba 1918, ku faamu y’ente ez’amata ey’amaka ge okumpi ne Charlotte, North Carolina, mu maka ag’ekkanisa ya Reformed Presbyterian agaagendanga mu kkanisa obutayosa, era nga emirimu gy’awaka gitandika obudde nga tebunnakya. Bwali bulamu bwa bulijjo obw’omulenzi ow’omu byalo eby’e Bukiikaddyo bwa Amerika, era tewaaliwo kintu na kimu ekyamwawula ku balala.

Enkyukakyuka yajja bwe yali aweza emyaka kkumi na mukaaga. Mu 1934 omubuulizi w’enjiri omutambuze ayitibwa Mordecai Ham yakuba enkuŋŋaana z’okuzuukusa mu Charlotte, era Graham — nga ye yennyini bw’agamba, mu kusooka yalina kwagala kumanya okusinga okulumirizibwa mu mutima — yagenda, n’ava mu kifo kye n’agenda mu maaso, n’asalawo okugoberera Kristo. Buli kiwandiiko ekyogera ku bulamu bwe, nga mw’otwalidde ekitabo kye yennyini eky’ebijjukizo, kitwala ekiro ekyo ng’ennyingo obulamu bwe kwe bwakyukira. Ekiro ekyo teyafuuka mubuulizi; yafuuka Omukristaayo, era okubuulira kwe kwatwala emyaka okufuna enkula yaakwo.

Mu butuufu kyatwala entandikwa etaagenda bulungi n’okuyigirizibwa okw’ekiseera ekiwanvu. Yeewandiisa mu Bob Jones College mu 1936 n’amalayo ekisanja kimu kyokka, ng’enjigiriza yaayo ey’obukakanyavu emuziyiza okussa. Yasengukira mu Florida Bible Institute okumpi ne Tampa, era eyo, si mu kizibu kyonna eky’omu kibiina wabula mu kutebenkera mpolampola okw’endowooza z’omuvubuka, gye yakakasiza nti yayitibwa okubuulira. Yawongebwa mu Southern Baptist Convention mu 1939. Oluvannyuma n’agenda mu Wheaton College mu Illinois, gye yatikkirwa mu 1943 ne diguli mu by’obuwangwa bw’abantu (anthropology) — era gye yasisinkana Ruth McCue Bell, omuwala w’abaminsani b’ebyobujjanjabi mu China. Baafumbiriganwa mu mwaka ogwo gwennyini e Montreat, North Carolina, ne babeera mu bufumbo emyaka nkaaga mu esatu, okutuusa Ruth lwe yafa mu 2007.

Modesto: okusalawo kuna nga ettutumu terinnajja

Ng’ebibiina by’abantu tebinnabaawo, waaliwo akasenge akatono e Modesto, California, mu 1948, n’okusalawo okuyinza okuba nga kwali kukulu okusinga okubuulira kwonna. Graham yali alabye ababuulizi b’enjiri abatambuze nga beeyonoona bo bennyini n’obujulirwa bwabwe — olw’ensimbi, olw’abakazi, olw’obulimba ku muwendo gw’abantu abajja, n’olw’okuvuganya n’ekkanisa ez’omu kitundu — era teyalina kigendererwa kubeegattako. Ng’ali wamu ne banne basatu be yali asinga okukwatagana nabo — omukulembeze w’ennyimba Cliff Barrows, omuyimbi George Beverly Shea, ne Grady Wilson — yatuula wansi ne basalawo obukuumi buna obw’omulimu ogwali gubalindiridde.

Baali ba kukwata ensimbi mu bwesimbu: obutakozesa bubi birabo bya kwagala (love offerings), omusaala omugereke, ebitabo by’ensimbi ebyekebejjebwa era ebiri mu lwatu, n’obutasabiriza nsimbi nga bali ku pulatifoomu. Baali ba kwekuuma ne ku kufaanana obukaba bwonna — etteeka eryatuumibwa erinnya lya Graham oluvannyuma, nti tewali n’omu ku bo yanditambudde, yandisisinkanye oba yandiriiridde emmere yekka n’omukazi atali mukazi we. Baali ba kwogera amazima ku miwendo, n’obutagulumiza muwendo gw’abantu oba ogw’abakyuse. Era baali ba butavuganya na basumba ba mu kitundu wadde okubanenya, wabula okukolera wamu n’ekkanisa n’okuzikwasa abakyuse.

Tegwali mukago ogwassibwako emikono, era tewaali kirango ekyafulumizibwa ku lunaku olwo; erinnya erisikiriza, Modesto Manifesto, lyajja oluvannyuma. Kwali kusalawo kuna okw’akamwa abavubuka bana kwe baakola okuyambagana okubeera abeesimbu. Naye kye kimu ku bintu ebisinga okwewuunyisa era ebisinga okuwandiikibwa obulungi mu bulamu bwe, era kinnyonnyola nnyo ekintu ekisinga okweyoleka ku ye: mu myaka amakumi mukaaga ng’ali waggulu ddala mu by’eddiini mu Amerika, yamaliriza nga talina kavuyo ka nsimbi wadde aka by’obukaba. Obukuumi obwo bwanywera kubanga yabuzimba nga tannabwetaaga.

Weema eyagaana okusimbulwa

Omukisa omunene gwajja mu Los Angeles mu 1949. Graham ne ttiimu ye baasimba weema ennene ey’ekika kya sekisi — "Canvas Cathedral" — ku Washington Boulevard ne Hill Street, ne bateekateeka wiiki ssatu. Abantu ne beeyongera okujja, wiiki essatu ne zituuka ku munaana. Amawulire bwe gaamufaako (kigambibwa nti nnannyini mpapula z’amawulire William Randolph Hearst yalagira abakulira empapula ze nti "mumugulumize Graham") omubuulizi ow’ekitundu yafuuka omuntu amanyiddwa mu ggwanga lyonna kumpi mu kiro kimu.

Ebyaddirira byali tebibangawo. Mu myaka nga amakumi mukaaga yakuba enkuŋŋaana ennene (crusades) nga 400 mu nsi n’ebitundu ebisukka 185. BGEA — Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, gye yatandikawo mu Minneapolis mu 1950 — ebalirira nti yabuulira mu maaso gaabwe abantu nga obukadde 215, era nti abasukka obukadde busatu baayanukula okuyita kwe okujja mu maaso. Ekibiina ky’abantu ekisinga obunene kye yabuulira omulundi gumu, abasukka akakadde kamu, kyakuŋŋaanira mu Seoul mu 1973. Gino miwendo ekibiina kye kyennyini kye kyabala, era kirungi okugitwala ng’okubalirira kwakyo so si ng’amazima amakakafu; naye ne bw’ogikendeezaako, ginnyonnyola obunene bw’okutuuka ku bantu omubuulizi w’enjiri yenna eyamusooka bwe yali tasemberera.

Enkomerero bulijjo yabanga y’emu. Ekibiina bwe kyabanga kiyimba oluyimba olw’edda Just As I Am — ebigambo bya Charlotte Elliott, "nga bwe ndi, awatali kwewolereza" — Graham yayitanga abantu okuva mu ntebe zaabwe bajje mu maaso eri Kristo. Okuyita okwo, okwaddibwangamu mu bibuga bikumi na bikumi ne mu nnimi nnyingi, ky’ekifaananyi ensi kye yasigaza ku ye: omusajja omuwanvu ng’akutte Bayibuli enzigule, n’omugga gw’abantu ogutambula mpola nga gukka gye pulatifoomu ng’oluyimba luddibwamu nate.

Okwetooloola okubuulira yazimba ekyuma ekyakutambuza — pulogulaamu ya leediyo Hour of Decision okuva mu 1950, World Wide Pictures, magazini Decision okuva mu 1960, ne ttiimu, Barrows ne Shea ne Wilson, eyabeera naye obulamu bwe bwonna.

Byasitulwa okusaba

Graham teyeegamba nti ebibala byali bibye. Yawa okusaba ekitiibwa ng’amaanyi agaavaamu buli kimu ekyava mu nkuŋŋaana ennene, era yakyogerako, emirundi n’emirundi, ng’ekimu ku bisumuluzo by’omulimu. Ekyo tekyali kwetoowaza kwa ku kituuti kyokka; yali ngeri ya kukola. Enkuŋŋaana ennene zaategekebwanga mu kusaba nga Graham tannatuuka mu kibuga. Okumala emyezi nga tezinnatandika, ebibuga ebyazikyazanga byategekebwanga mu bibinja by’okusaba eby’omu kitundu ne mu nkuŋŋaana z’okusaba ez’omu maka — abantu aba bulijjo nga bakuŋŋaanira mu bisenge byabwe eby’okutuulamu okusabira baliraanwa baabwe nga babayita amannya — era BGEA yatwala omusingi guno ng’ogwetaagisa ennyo eri buli kyabangawo ng’okuyimba kutandise.

Kirungi okwegendereza wano, kubanga enfumo zidduka mu maaso g’ebiwandiiko. Ebifaananyi eby’amaanyi eby’okusaba okw’ekyama ebyesiba ku babuulizi abamanyifu — essaawa entuufu ze baazuukukiranga, amaziga, ebigambo ebyaluubirirwanga nga obudde tebunnakya — ebisinga bwongezo bwa kwewunda obw’eddiini, era Graham asaanidde ekisinga okwewunda. Ekiyinza okwogerwa mu lwatu kimala: yayigiriza nti okusaba kwe kusooka, yazimba omulimu gw’obulamu bwe ku kwegayirira okutegeke, era yagaana okutwala ettendo lye yakkiririzangamu nti lyali lya Katonda n’abantu abaali basabye.

Omwonoonyi eyabuulira ekisa

Teyali musajja atalina kamogo, era okunyumya obulamu bwe mu bwesimbu kwetaaga ebintu bibiri ebizibu.

Ekisooka kwe kwegatta kwe n’obuyinza bw’ebyobufuzi. Graham yali musumba era mukwano gw’ekyama ogw’abapulezidenti ba Amerika abaddiriŋŋana okuva ku Truman okutuuka ku Obama, naye yali asinga okuba okumpi ne Richard Nixon, era okuba okumpi okwo kwamwonoona. Yatuuka n’akiraba. Mu kitabo kye eky’ebijjukizo yawandiika nti okwesimbawo kwa Nixon "kwasirisa amaloboozi ag’omunda agaali gandabula okumala emyaka nneewale ebyobufuzi by’ebibiina." Bwe yabuuzibwa ng’akaddiye kiki kye yandikoze mu ngeri endala, yagamba nti yandibadde yeewala ebyobufuzi, n’ayongerako:

Bwe ntunuulira emabega, mmanyi nti oluusi nnasukka ensalo, era kaakano sandikikoze.

— Billy Graham, Christianity Today, 2011

Olwo si lulimi lwa musajja eyeewolereza. Ye Mukristaayo akuze mu by’omwoyo ng’atereeza ebyafaayo bye mu lwatu, era kisaanidde okusomebwa ng’amaanyi, so si ng’ebbala bubaze.

Ekyokubiri kye kisinga obuzito. Nga 1 Febwali 1972, mu kwogera mu Oval Office okwakwatibwa ku byuma bya Nixon ebikwata amaloboozi, Graham yayogera ebigambo eby’okukyawa Abayudaaya — ng’akkiriziganya ne Nixon ku "kukwata mu bulago" Abayudaaya kwe baali bakutte amawulire, ng’agamba nti kwali kwetaaga okumenyebwa, n’ebigambo ebirala eby’okunyooma. National Archives bwe yafulumya entambi mu 2002, ebigambo ebyo byamanyibwa mu lwatu, era tewaali ngeri ya kubikendeeza. Graham teyagezaako kubikendeeza. Yeetonda mu lwatu era awatali kwekwasa, n’agamba nti ebigambo ebyo tebyalaga mutima gwe, n’ayogera ku Bayudaaya n’okwenenya okw’amazima:

Sijjukira n’akamu nga nnina enneewulira ng’ezo ku kibinja kyonna, naddala Abayudaaya, era mazima kaakano sizirina.

— Billy Graham, okwetonda mu lwatu, 2002

Kino kyali kibi kya ddala, era tekisaana kukiteeka wansi wa "byabufuzi byokka" oba "tekyali mu mpisa ye." Omusajja eyali abuulidde obukadde n’obukadde nti beetaaga ekisa yalagibwa, ku ntambi, nga naye yennyini akyetaaga — era, bwe yakirabisibwa, yeenenya mu lwatu. Tewali kyakulabirako kitangaavu okusinga ekyo eky’obubaka bwe yennyini. Enjiri gye yabuulira tegyali nti abantu abalungi bagenda mu ggulu; yali nti aboonoonyi basonyiyibwa. Era kyalabika nti naye yali omu ku boonoonyi abo.

Okukyusa ekifo w’abeera

Ruth yafa mu 2007, Graham n’awangaala emyaka emirala kkumi n’emu mu maka gaabwe e Montreat, mu nsozi za North Carolina. Yali yamala dda okukwasa omulimu mutabani we Franklin, eyamusikira ku bukulembeze bwa BGEA ne Samaritan’s Purse. Yafiira awaka nga 21 Febwali 2018, ng’aweza emyaka kyenda mu mwenda.

Eggwanga lyakijjukira mu ngeri gye lyali lijjukidde kumpi tewali muntu mulala. Omulambo gwe gwateekebwa mu kitiibwa mu Capitol Rotunda e Washington — munnansi owa bulijjo owookuna mu byafaayo by’eggwanga eyaweebwa ekitiibwa ekyo, era omukulembeze w’eddiini eyasooka — ekintu ekyaleeta empaka entono ku kkanisa ne gavumenti ze yandisanze nga zisesa. Oluvannyuma baamuzzaayo ewaka e Charlotte ne bamuziika okumpi ne Ruth ku ntandikwa y’ekkubo eriri mu kifaananyi ky’omusaalaba, mu ssanduuko ya mbaawo ennyangu eyakolebwa abasibe b’omu kkomera. Omubuulizi asinga okumanyika mu kyasa kye yaziikibwa mu ssanduuko omusibe gye yakola.

Graham yayagalanga okugamba, mu bukadde bwe, nti abantu bwe banaawulira nti afudde tebasaanye kukikkiriza ddala — nti anaabanga akyusizza bukyusa ekifo w’abeera, n’addayo ewaka. Ekirowoozo ekyo yali akyewola; D. L. Moody yali ayogedde kumpi ekintu kye kimu emyaka kikumi emabega, era Graham yali akimanyi era nga tafaayo. Kwe kwenyumiriza kwokka kwe yeekkiriza, era mazima tekwali kwenyumiriza. Bwe bwali obubaka bwe yali abuulidde abantu obukadde 215: nti waliwo ewaka, era waliwo ekkubo erigendayo, era nti ekkubo eryo muntu. Yamala obulamu obuwanvu ng’alisonga. Ebigambo ebyangu bye yalonda okuwandiikibwa ku jjinja lye tebisaba kumujjukira olw’ekintu ekirala kyonna.