Ebyafaayo n'ebitabo bya Gareth Evans

Gareth Evans yazaalibwa mu 1938 mu Merthyr Tydfil, wakati mu biwonvu bya amanda mu Wales ey'Obukiikaddyo, era kizibu okulowooza ku bulamu obwatambula ewala ennyo okuva ku ntandikwa eyo. Omusomesa wa fiziika era omusumba, omusumba w'abaserikale ku lyato ery'okusaasira ku lubalama lwa Afirika ey'Obugwanjuba era omusomesa wa Bayibuli mu ssemazinga ttaano, amaze emyaka ebisukka mu nkaaga ng'atambulira mu kukkiriza kumu — nti Mukama eyalokola omulenzi ow'essomero mu Wales akwata era buli lunaku lwe olujja. Yeeyogerako nga musinza kyokka, era obulamu bwe, nga bwe yeebuulira, ng'olukalala lw'amayinja ag'okulinnyako Katonda gaateeka wansi kimu ku kimu.

Ndaba amasomero mangi oba «amayinja ag'okulinnyako» mu bulamu bwange agaatwala ku by'okumanya ebiwanvu ne Mukama, era, awatali ago, sandirina lugero lwe njagala okwogera. Buli jjinja ery'okulinnyako lyatwala ku lyaddirira, era buli limu lyali kwetaba butereevu kwa Mukama mu nteekateeka zange.

— Gareth Evans

Obwana mu Biwonvu bya Wales

Gareth yazaalibwa mu Cyril Evans, omusajja wa RAF ow'Ssematalo Ogwokubiri ajjukirwa olw'eddoboozi lye ery'okuyimba n'okwagala kwe kkulikeeti, ne Ethel Evans, omukubi w'ennanga ow'ekitalo eyeewaayo mu kuzimba amaka. Ennyimba, emizannyo, n'okunyumya byakulukutira mu maka, nga bwe bikulukuta mu Wales yennyini — ensi eyatutumuka olw'aboogezi bayo ab'obumanyirivu n'ababuulizi baayo ab'obunyiikivu. Ng'aweza emyaka munaana, Gareth yasenguka mu nnyumba ya jjajjaawe mu Bonvilston, okumpi ne Cardiff, era ng'aweza kkumi na emu yayingira Cowbridge Grammar School, essomero eryookubiri mu bukadde mu Wales, ekibiina ky'abalenzi nga bikumi bisatu. Eyo omulenzi eyayagala okuvuga eggaali, omupiira, okunyumya, n'ennyimba, yalaga era nti yalina omutwe ogw'ekitalo ku by'okubala. Emyaka egyo yagigabana ne mwannyina omuto, Barbara, atuula mu Australia leero.

Awo, Gareth bwe yali aweza emyaka kkumi na esatu, ennaku yayingira mu nnyumba: maama we yafa olw'omutima ogwagwa, n'aleka ekifo ekyereere mu maka agaali ganywerangana. Kitaawe, ataddamu kuwasa, yeetikka n'obuvumu obuzito bw'okulabirira abaana be, era n'akwasa mutabani we obuvunaanyizibwa obwasukka emyaka gye. Ennaku zaakaka omulenzi mu bwannamunigina obw'amangu — era, mu bukkakkamu, mu nkula y'omusajja eyali ajja: ow'omunda, nga bwe yazuula, naye alina ekirabo eky'ekitalo eky'okwogera n'abantu ba buli ngeri ebigambo eby'omugaso.

«Onookola ki ne Mukama Yesu Kristo?»

Gareth yakulira mu maka aga Angirikaani, ng'amanyi empisa z'Ekikristaayo naye nga tannaba kunywezebwa mu zo. Enkyukakyuka yajja ng'aweza emyaka kkumi na mukaaga, mu nkuŋŋaana z'abavubuka za ku Lwakutaano ekiro eza Betty Bishop, Omukristaayo omunyiikivu era omutandisi w'obubaka bw'abaana — obudde bw'eggulo obw'essanyu obw'ennyimba, ebibuuzo bya Bayibuli, n'aboogezi abagenyi. Ekiro kimu Ms. Bishop yamubuuza butereevu: «Ntegeeze Gareth, onookola ki ne Mukama Yesu Kristo?» Okumala wiiki ttaano yakyewala, ng'ate mu kiseera ekyo yeekengera okwewaayo okw'amazima kw'abavubuka abaali bamwetoolodde era ng'awulira Kristo omulamu ng'amunyigiriza. Awo mukwano gwe ayitibwa David yaleeta amawulire nti omubuulizi omuvubuka ayitibwa Austin — amaaso agaali gamanyiddwa mu nnaku zaabwe z'essomero — yali agenda okwogera mu kapeela ekyali kumpi. Abavubuka amakumi abiri baagenda, Gareth mu bo. Oluvannyuma Austin yamusimba amaaso ag'obumalirivu n'amubuuza ekibuuzo kye kimu kye yali adduka: «Ntegeeze Gareth, onookola ki ne Mukama Yesu Kristo?»

Omwoyo wa Katonda yajja ku nze era mu kaseera ako nnamanya nti Yesu yannyagala, era nti nnali mwana wa Katonda. Mu kaseera ako ekintu kyazaalibwa munda mu nze.

— Gareth Evans

Okukkiriza okupya kwafuuka omusingi gw'obwe, era yakwaniriza n'obuvumu wakati mu mikwano gye ne ku ssomero. Essomero lya Ssande wansi wa Mr. Collins, omukulu w'eposita w'ekitundu, lyateeka emisingi gye; omusumba we omusooka, Wynne Lewis — omusajja, nga Gareth bwe yagamba, «alina omuliro ogwaka mu lubuto lwe» — yakuma okunyiikira kwe; era ekkanisa ya Elim mu Bridgend, n'ekibiina kyayo ky'abavubuka abakulu, Elim Crusaders, kyamunyweza mu Kigambo. «Nnaweebwa omukisa okufuna abasomesa abalungi abaayagala Mukama n'Ekigambo kye», ajjukira. «Nnali ntandika okuzuula obugagga bw'obusika bwaffe mu Kristo era nnazuula ekibala ky'Omwoyo we». Bwe yali mu yunivasite yasula mu nnyumba ya Donald Evans, eyava mu ssomero lya Bayibuli n'obuweereza bw'obusumba n'afuuka omu ku basinga okumanya mu nsi ku by'empisa mu bujjanjabi — obujulizi obulamu nti okukkiriza n'okusoma okw'amaanyi bisobola okutambulira wamu. Era kitaawe wa Donald, Mr. Aubrey Evans ow'e Swansea, ye yawa Gareth amagezi agasigadde naye okutuusa leero: nti abo abagoberera nga bali ewala basobola okulaba Mukama, naye abo abakulembera Ekitangaala ky'ensi ekigere kimu tebasobola kumulaba nate, era besanga nga batambulira mu kisiikirize kyabwe. Mu kigambo ekyo mwe mwava omulamwa gw'obulamu bwe: «Nnaatambula ne Yesu, si mu maaso ge wadde okusigala emabega».

Omunnassaayansi mu Kibiina

Okuva ku Cowbridge Grammar School, gye yasoma okubala okuyonjo, okubala okukozesebwa, ne fiziika ku ddaala erya waggulu, Gareth yagenda mu Yunivasite ya Swansea okusoma diguli y'ekitiibwa mu Fiziika, ng'agattako Diguli ey'Okusomesa. Swansea yamuwa ekintu ekirungi okusinga diguli: eyo gye yasisinkana Anne, omuwandiisi omuvubuka omunyiikivu maama we yali wa Kibiina ky'Okusaba kya Rees Howells, era eyalina empisa ey'Ekikristaayo ey'obuziba gye yatuuka okutwala ng'eya muwendo. Baasuubizagana ku lunaku lwe yafuna diguli era ne bafumbiriganwa oluvannyuma lw'omwaka, nga 15 Julaayi 1961. Kitaawe wa Anne, omuweereza omunyiikivu Omunnowe ow'Enjiri, yafuuka oluzzi olulala mu bulamu bwa Gareth; abasajja bombi baagabana okwagala kw'ebiwandiiko eby'okwewaayo bya A. W. Tozer ne Watchman Nee ebyakuuma omuliro gw'Omwoyo nga gwaka.

Mu myaka amakumi abiri egyaddirira ekituuti kya Gareth kyali kibiina ky'essomero, era empisa z'omu laboratory — obutuufu, obugumiikiriza, okugaana okuwummulira mu bibuuzo ebitali bikakafu — oluvannyuma zaawa okusomesa kwe okwa Bayibuli obulungamu bwakwo obw'enjawulo. Yatandika ku Kenfig Comprehensive School, ng'asomesa fiziika ku ddaala erya waggulu. «Sitegeeranga engeri gye nnafunamu ekifo ekyo», agamba. «Kiteekwa okuba nti kyali kirala ku bye Mukama yalonda kubanga kyali mukisa gwe sinnoonya». Mu mwaka gwe ogwokusatu kwajja okuyitibwa ku Windsor Boys School mu Bugirimaani, essomero ery'abaana ab'abaserikale abasukka bikumi bitaano — ekyafuula Gareth, mu ngeri ey'ekitalo, omusomesa asinga obuto eyapangisibwa Minisitule y'Eby'okwerinda, wadde nga yali talina buweereza bwa gwanga wadde emyaka etaano gy'obumanyirivu ebifo bino bwe byetaaganga bulijjo. «Katonda asobola n'okusukka amateeka ga magye!» aseka. Kwaddirira ebifo mu Hamm mu Bugirimaani ne mu Hong Kong ne ttendekero ly'amagye ga Bungereza; era buli gy'asomesezanga, yayogeranga era obujulizi, ng'atandika Ebibiina by'Abakristaayo oba enkuŋŋaana ezifaanana mu buli ssomero. Mu Hong Kong yakolagana ne Jackie Pullinger mu mulimu gwe wakati mu banywi b'ebiragalalagala, ng'ayingira mu kibuga ekyaliko bbugwe eky'e Kowloon okwegatta ku kibiina kya Bayibuli mu «kkubo ly'ogusota»; ye ne Anne baakyaliranga ennyumba y'enfuuzi ey'omu byalo buli mwezi okubuulira abaana ku Yesu; yakulembera okuyiga Bayibuli kwa buli wiiki okwasembezebwanga omuweereza omukadde John Bechtel ku basirikale ba Bungereza okutuuka ku amakumi asatu, mwe muli Abagurika ab'e Nepal; era yeegatta ne ku kwayira kw'Abachina, ng'agezaako ebitundu by'okuyimba yekka mu luyimba lwa Paska olwayimbibwa mu Lucantonese.

Bwe yadda mu Wales mu 1969, Gareth yafuuka Omukulu w'Ekitongole kya Fiziika ku Ogmore Grammar School, yakulembera ekibiina kyayo ky'Abakristaayo, era yakulembera enkuŋŋaana z'essomero, ng'ate aweereza mu ttiimu erirondoddwa ery'abasomesa ba fiziika mu Yunivasite ya Cardiff eryali litegeka enteekateeka empya ey'okusoma ku ddaala erya waggulu. Awaka, Anne yatandika ekibiina ky'abavubuka ekyabuna amakanisa mu bitundu byonna bya Bridgend; okuva mu kyo kwakula olupapula lw'amawulire lw'abavubuka, ekibinja ky'abayimbi amakumi asatu abaayimbanga ennyimba za Paska ne Ssekukkulu mu bizimbe, mu makanisa ne mu makomera, emisiri gy'ekyeya, ekiro ky'abavubuka ku wiikendi, obubaka mu bitundu, n'enteekateeka za YMCA. Mu Agusito 1975 amaka gaasengukira mu Kanada, gye Gareth yakulembera ekitongole kya fiziika ku Toronto French School n'oluvannyuma ekitongole kya ssaayansi ku Toronto Hebrew Academy — essomero ly'Abayudaaya ab'Ennono gye yatendeka ttiimu y'omupiira okutuuka ku mwaka gwayo ogusooka ogw'obuwanguzi era gye yabuulira Enjiri abayizi n'Omulabirizi omukulu awamu.

Omusomesa Afuuse Omusumba

Hebrew Academy yalyoka yafuuka ejjinja ery'okulinnyako ery'oluvannyuma mu mulimu gwe ogw'okusomesa. Omusumba w'ekkanisa ye bwe yeeyawula, Gareth yayitibwa okwogera ku lukuŋŋaana lw'okusiibula, era abasumba babiri ab'edda baamugamba mu bwerufu nti ekifo kye kyali mu buweereza. Oluvannyuma lw'okusaba, era n'obuwagizi bwa Anne obw'omutima gwonna, yaleka okusomesa n'afuuka omusumba ne Christian and Missionary Alliance. Ku Hazelglen Fellowship mu Kitchener, Ontario, yalabirira ekibiina, yakulembera abavubuka, yaweereza ng'omusumba w'abayizi Abakristaayo ab'e Malaysia mu yunivasite y'ekitundu, yakulembera emisomo, era yaddukanya emisiri gy'ekyeya mu Toronto. Mu Maaci 1983 kwajja okuyitibwa ku kizinga kya Vancouver, era ku Sebuttemba 1984 yali atuuzibwa ng'omusumba wa Victoria Alliance Church, gye yaweereza emyaka munaana — era gye ye ne Anne baazimbira amaka gaabwe okuva olwo. Byonna ebyo, mwattu okijjukire, awatali lunaku lumu mu ttendekero ly'eby'okutendekebwamu: Mukama yali atendese omusomesa we mu bibiina by'amasomero, mu bifo by'abayimbi, ne mu bifo by'amagye.

Okufuluma mu Nnyanja

Mu Sebuttemba 1990 kwajja enkyukakyuka etasuubirwa: obulwadde obwa mangu obwateeka Gareth mu bujjanjabi bw'ekifo eky'okwebaka ku Yunivasite ya British Columbia era obwamuggya mu nnyiriri z'obuweereza okumala emyaka ebiri. Awatali kuggwaamu maanyi, yeewa eddagala ery'okwewaanya n'okusoma ennyo okukuuma omwoyo n'omutwe nga bulamu — awo essimu n'eddayo n'evuga. Yayitibwa okuweereza ku lyato ery'Okusaasira M/V Anastasis, ng'akolera mu Afirika ey'Obugwanjuba. Nga tannaba kuwona bulungi, Gareth ne Anne baaseeyeeyera bwe kityo, ne beegatta ku lyato mu Rotterdam mu Maayi 1991 ng'abasumba. N'abaweereza banaabwe baafuuka abazimbi b'essuubi — amasomero, ebitundu by'eddwaliro, ebifo by'obujjanjabi, ensulo z'amazzi amayonjo, obusenge bw'obuyonjo obwazimbibwa okuziyiza endwadde ez'okutta — naye essanyu lya Gareth erisingira ddala lyali mu myoyo gye baakwatako. Yaweereza abaminsani n'abasumba mu misomo gya buli wiiki ne mu nkuŋŋaana, yasomesa abakulembeze b'amakanisa abasukka mu 150 mu Sierra Leone, yatwala okusomesa kwe mu Guinea eyogera Olufalansa, mu Côte d'Ivoire, ne mu Senegal, era yasomesa mu lukuŋŋaana lw'abasumba olw'ennaku musanvu mu Naijeriya.

Okutuuka ku Nkomerero z'Ensi

Gareth ne Anne bwe baava ku Anastasis ku nkomerero ya 1994, tebaava mu bulamu bw'okutambula bwe lyali bubaggulidde. Jaanwali 1995 yasanga Gareth ng'akulembera essomero ly'ekyeya ku Capernwray Bible School mu Moss Vale, okumpi ne Sydney, Australia, abayizi baalyo nga bava mu nsi yonna. Okuyitibwa kweyongera, kungi okuva ku bakulembeze ba YWAM abaali baagala obuyambi bwe mu Masomero gaabwe ag'Okutendeka Abayigirizwa: Mexico mu Febwali 1996, n'olukuŋŋaana lw'abasumba olw'ennaku bbiri n'omusomo gw'obufumbo ku ludda; YWAM Fortaleza mu bukiikakkono bw'obuvanjuba bwa Brazil mu Agusito ogwo, era n'olwo mu 1997 ne 1998; olukuŋŋaana lw'abasajja n'abasajja nga nsanvu okuva mu kkanisa y'Ababaputiisiti mu Kelowna; Baja California, Bungereza, India, Nepal, ne Brazil mu 1998; omwaka gw'okwogera mu makanisa ga Victoria mu 1999. Ekyasa ekipya kyaleeta okuyitibwa okuva ku Ade Ajala ku buweereza obupya mu Naijeriya, olugendo olwokubiri mu India mu 2001 — mu Chennai mu bukiikaddyo — era, mu 2002, obuweereza awaka ne mu bweru obwatuuka mu Haiti, Manitoba, Bungereza, Portland, Fortaleza, ne Australia. Bwe yatunula emabega, asobola okulambika emyaka amakumi nga essuula: abaserikale Abagurika mu Hong Kong mu myaka gy'ensanvu, abavubuka b'e Bridgend mu myaka gy'ensanvu, Academy y'Abayudaaya mu Toronto mu myaka gy'ekinaana, enkuŋŋaana z'abasumba mu Afirika ey'Obugwanjuba mu myaka gy'ekyenda. Emirundi esatu mu lugendo luno oluwanvu, ajjukira, awulidde Omwoyo Omutukuvu ng'amwogerako n'eddoboozi eriwulikika.

Mu Sebuttemba 2003 ekigezo kyaddamu okukyala, bwe kwaddirira okulongoosebwa okwabulijjo okw'ekiwundu ky'olubuto ne kumuleka mu bunafu obuwanvu. Nate yagaana okwonoona eddungu.

Omunyumya ku Mmeeza Ye

Okuva mu kusomesa okwo kwonna kwe kwava ebitabo bye. Gareth atikkirwa omunagiro gw'omunyumya, era okuwandiika kwe kwa mpola, kwangu, era kwa busumba, nga kugenderera ekkanisa ebonaabona — abakkiriza abakoowu olw'okubonaabona oba olw'okusuubira ebitatuukiridde abeetaaga okujjukizibwa nti Katonda akwata enkya zaabwe. Ebitabo nga He Holds My Tomorrows, Ekisumuluzo Ekiri mu Mukono Gwange, Stepping Stones, Soar Like the Eagle, ne Feasting at the Table bitwala omusomi mpolampola mu Byawandiikibwa, nga bigatta okunnyonnyola okw'obwegendereza n'okugumya kw'omusajja eyalabirira ebibiina ebyennyini mu buzibu obwennyini.

Abamu bandituumye Abaebbulaniya 11 «Abazira b'Okukkiriza». Nze siraba bazira eyo.

— Gareth Evans, He Holds My Tomorrows

Sentensi eyo emu eggulawo eddirisa mu ngeri ye yonna. Eri Gareth ebyokulabirako ebikulu eby'okukkiriza si bantu ab'omwoyo abanene abateekwa okwewuunyizibwa nga basinziira ewala mu bukuumi, wabula abantu abaabulijjo, abaliko obukyamu, abaakkiriza Katonda ku kigambo kye — ekitegeeza nti okukkiriza kwabwe kwe kukkiriza omusomi asobola ddala okugabana. Kye kigambo ky'addamu emirundi n'emirundi: okukkiriza kukolera, okukkiriza kwa banafu nga bwe kuli kwa b'amaanyi, era kutambulirwa ekigere kimu eky'okugondera mu kiseera.

Amaka gasigala jjinja ery'oku nsonda mu byonna. Mukama yawa Gareth ne Anne omukisa ogw'abaana abawala basatu — Corinne, eyazaalibwa mu Wales, ne Andrea ne Lynette, abaazaalibwa mu Hamm, mu Bugirimaani — era mu kiseera n'abazzukulu munaana n'abazzukulu ab'abazzukulu kkumi na bana, awamu n'abaana n'abavubuka abatabalika be bakuzizza mu kukkiriza. Leero, ng'atali nate asibiddwa ku kituuti kimu, Gareth aweereza okusinga ng'ayita ku mukutu gwe, gye ebiwandiiko bye eby'okwewaayo, ebitabo, n'ennyimba bikuŋŋaanyiza amagezi ag'olugendo olugazi eri abaasaasaana n'abali obwannamunigina. Yeeyongera okutwala omugugu ogw'enjawulo ku lw'abavubuka — okubayigiriza n'okubategeka okutuuka ku bukulu mu Kristo — era okutambula, nga bulijjo, ng'agoberera omulamwa ogwamuweebwa edda mu Swansea: si mu maaso ga Yesu, si nga asigala emabega, wabula naye, ejjinja ery'okulinnyako limu ku limu.