Hadithi za Ubatizo

Na Noelle Lambert Barrus

(Imetokana na hadithi ya kweli)

“Mwanzilishi ni mtu ambaye ni wa kwanza kufanya jambo fulani,” Mama alisema.

Hadithi hii ilitokea huko Marekani.

Mary alizunguka na kulipenda gauni lake jeupe kwenye kioo. Lilikuwa gauni lilelile alilolivaa mama yake kwenye ubatizo wake. Bibi Mkuu Marluce alikuwa amelirekebisha limtoshe Mary. Sasa, Mary angeweza kulivaa kwenye ubatizo wake!

“Unaonekana mrembo!” Mama aliushika mkono wa Mary na kumzungusha tena.

Mary alicheka. “Je, ninaweza kuendelea kubakia nimelivaa kwa siku nzima?”

“Ngoja tulitunze kwa ajili ya siku ya ubatizo wako ili libaki kuwa zuri na safi, SAWA?” Mama alisema.

“SAWA.” Mary atabatizwa wakati atakapofikisha miaka minane na amekuwa akijitayarisha kwa muda sasa. Amekuwa akihudhuria Msingi, akisoma maandiko na hata kuhudhuria ubatizo wa rafiki zake. Lakini siku yake ya kuzaliwa bado ilionekana kuwa mbali sana!

Mary na Mama waliegemea kwenye sofa. “Mama, ulikuwa na miaka mingapi wakati ulipobatizwa?”

“Nilikuwa na miaka 16.”

“Wao! “Kwa nini ulisubiri muda mrefu hivyo?”

1. A young woman being baptized at 16. 2. A young woman and her mother are driving in a car and see a temple in the distance. 3. An eleven year old boy going to Church by himself. 4. Mary imagining her own baptism

Mama alimkumbatia Mary kwa nguvu. “kwa sababu sikujua kuhusu Kanisa lililorejeshwa la Yesu Kristo hadi wakati huo. Lakini nilianza kwenda kwenye shughuli za Kanisa na baadhi ya marafiki. Na kadiri nilivyojifunza, ndivyo zaidi nilivyotaka kubatizwa!”

“Kwa nini?” Mary aliuliza.

“Kwa sababu nilitaka kuwa na familia ya milele.” Mama alionesha picha ya hekalu iliyokuwa ikining’inia juu yao. “Nilijifunza kwamba siku moja ningeweza kuunganishwa na familia yangu hekaluni milele. Kuwa na familia ya milele ilikuwa ndoto yangu. Na ubatizo ulikuwa hatua ya kwanza! Sasa ndoto yangu inakuwa kweli.”

Mary alitabasamu. “Unaye Baba, Mallory na mtoto Maeva! Na mimi pia.”

“Ndiyo, hakika. Na Bibi Angela.”

“Je, Bibi alibatizwa pamoja na wewe?”

“Alisubiri miaka kadhaa. Lakini wakati wowote tuliposafiri karibu na mahekalu, tulipenda kusimama na kuyaangalia.

1. A young woman being baptized at 16. 2. A young woman and her mother are driving in a car and see a temple in the distance. 3. An eleven year old boy going to Church by himself. 4. Mary imagining her own baptism

Mary alimfikiria Mama na Bibi wakiangalia mahekalu pamoja. “Na vipi kuhusu Baba? Alikuwa na umri gani wakati alipobatizwa?

“Alikuwa na miaka 11.”

“Na aliishi nchini Brazili kwa wakati huo?”

“Hiyo ni sawa,” alisema Mama. “Kuna watu ulimwenguni kote wanajifunza kuhusu Yesu na ubatizo. Wengi wao ni waanzilishi.”

“Waanzilishi?”

“Mwanzilishi ni mtu ambaye ni wa kwanza kufanya jambo fulani,” Mama alifafanua.

Mary aliwaza kuhusu hilo. “Kama vile ulivyokuwa mtu wa kwanza katika familia yako kubatizwa?”

Mama alikubali kwa kichwa na kutabasamu.

Kisha wakati huo, Baba aliingia chumbani na kujibana kwenye sofa.

“Baba, je, wewe ulikuwa mwanzilishi kwa familia yako?”

“Kwa namna fulani. Baada ya kubatizwa, niligundua Bibi Rosimere alikuwa tayari muumini wa kanisa letu! Lakini hakuwa amehudhuria kwa miaka mingi.”

“Kweli? Nini kilitokea?”

“Nilianza kwenda kanisani. Kisha kaka zangu wakaanza kwenda, kisha Bibi Rosimere pia. Hata Bibi Mkuu Marluce alijiunga!”

Mary alivuta taswira ya Baba kwenda kanisani peke yake, kisha kuwaleta wengine zaidi wa familia yake pamoja naye.

1. A young woman being baptized at 16. 2. A young woman and her mother are driving in a car and see a temple in the distance. 3. An eleven year old boy going to Church by himself. 4. Mary imagining her own baptism

“Wow,” Mary alisema. “Napenda kusikiliza hadithi zenu. Zinanifanya niwe na shauku zaidi ya kubatizwa.”

“Asante kwa kutuuliza maswali yote haya, Mary,” Baba alisema. “Sasa tunaweza kukuuliza swali moja?”

Mary alikubali kwa kichwa. Je, watauliza nini?

“Kwa nini unataka kubatizwa?”

1. A young woman being baptized at 16. 2. A young woman and her mother are driving in a car and see a temple in the distance. 3. An eleven year old boy going to Church by himself. 4. Mary imagining her own baptism

Mary alifikiria kuhusu kile alichojifunza kutoka kwenye maandiko na jinsi alivyohisi kanisani. “Kwa sababu ninataka kumfuata Yesu na kuwa na familia yangu milele.”

Mama na Baba walitabasamu, na Mary akawakumbatia wazazi wake. “Nasubiri kwa hamu!”

1. A young woman being baptized at 16. 2. A young woman and her mother are driving in a car and see a temple in the distance. 3. An eleven year old boy going to Church by himself. 4. Mary imagining her own baptism

PDF ya hadithi

Vielelezo na Tammie Lyon