Ngetama Kulingisa Tibonelo Letinhle

NGATALELWA eWichita, leseKansas eMelika, ngaDecember 10, 1936. Ngimi lomdzala kubantfwana labane. Batali bami, lokunguWilliam naJean, bebatikhonti taJehova letikhutsele. Babe bekayinceku yelibandla, ligama lebelisetjentiswa kuze lichaze umuntfu loholako ebandleni. Liciniso leliseBhayibhelini make walifundziswa ngumake wakhe, Emma Wagner. Emma wafundzisa bantfu labanyenti liciniso, lomunye nje lamfundzisa kwaba nguGertrude ­Steele, lowaba sitfunywa selivangeli iminyaka leminyenti ePuerto Rico.a Ngako benginetibonelo letinyenti letinhle lebengingatilingisa.

KUKHUMBULA TIBONELO LETINHLE

Ngalelinye lilanga ngeMgcibelo ntsambama nangineminyaka lesihlanu budzala, benginababe esitaladini sihambisa bomagazini Sicongosekulindza kanye ne-“Consolation” (nyalo leseyatiwa ngekutsi yi-“Phaphama!”). Ngaleso sikhatsi live beliseMphini Yelive Yesibili. Kwachamuka lomunye dokotela lobekadzakiwe futsi watfuka babe ngobe bekangakayi emphini. Bekatsi kubabe uligwala futsi ubalekela kuba lisotja. Wasondzela kakhulu ebusweni bababe futsi watsi: “Ngishaye phela, leligwala leli!” Bengesaba, kodvwa ngajabula nangibuka indlela babe lenta ngayo. Wavele wachubeka nje nekunika bantfu lebebalapho magazini. Kwase kwendlula lisotja, lodokotela walimemeta watsi: “Utsini ngaleligwala leli?” Lelisotja labona kutsi lendvodza yayidzakiwe, ngako latsi: “Hamba ekhaya wena!” Bobabili base bayahamba. Nangibuka emuva ngiyajabula ngobe ngiyabona kutsi Jehova waniketa babe sibindzi. Bekanetindzawo letimbili eWichita lapho bekahhula khona bantfu futsi lodokotela bekavamile kutohhula lapho.

Nangineminyaka lesiphohlongo, batali bami batsengisa likhaya kanye nalelibhizinisi labo, base bakha mahamba nendlwana lomncane futsi batfutsela eColorado lapho bekunesidzingo lesikhulu khona sebamemeteli. Sahlala dvutane neGrand Junction, lapho batali bami bafike baphayona khona futsi bebaphindze basebente sikhatsi lesitsite emapulazini. Jehova wayibusisa imetamo yabo lemihle, kangangekutsi kwamiswa libandla khona. Nga-June 20, 1948, babe wangibhabhatisa emfuleni kanye nalabanye lebebakutsandza loko bebakufundza eBhayibhelini. Labo bantfu bebafaka ekhatsi Billie Nichols nemkakhe labagcine bajikeleta. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi indvodzana yabo nemkayo nabo benta lokufanako.

Besisondzelene kakhulu nabo kanye nalabanye labanyenti lebebenta umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe futsi besijabulela tincociswano leticinisa buhlobo betfu naNkulunkulu, ikakhulukati nemndeni wakaSteele. Kulaba bekunaDon, Earlene, Dave, Julia, Si kanye naMartha labakutsintsa kakhulu kuphila kwami. Bangikhombisa kutsi kusho kutsini kufuna uMbuso waNkulunkulu kucala kanye nenjabulo lengaletfwa kwenta kanjalo.

KUTFUTSA FUTSI

Nangineminyaka lengu-19, Bud Hasty, longumngani wemndeni wakitsi, wangicela kutsi ngibe lihlahlandlela kanye naye eningizimu neMelika. Umbonisi wesigodzi wasicela kutsi sitfutsele eRus­ton, leseLouisiana lapho bekunaBoFakazi labanyenti lebesebapholile. Wasitjela kutsi kufanele sibe nemihlangano maviki onkhe kungakhatsaliseki kutsi bangakhi labakhona. Sayitfola indzawo lekahle futsi sayilungisa. Saba nayo yonkhe imihlangano, kodvwa kuso sonkhe leso sikhatsi besiba sobabili nje. Lomunye nakachuba umhlangano, lomunye abephendvula yonkhe imibuto, loko sikwenta ngekushintjana. Nangabe kufanele kukhonjiswe indlela yekwenta lokutsite, besikwenta sobabili, kube bete lobukelako. Ngalelinye lilanga, kweta dzadze losakhulile kulemihlangano. Kusukela lapho, letinye tifundvo teliBhayibheli kanye nalabanye labapholile bacala kuta emihlanganweni futsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi lelibandla lacina.

Ngalelinye lilanga, mine naBud sahlangana nemfundisi waseChurch of Christ, lowakhuluma ngemiBhalo lebengingayati. Loko kwangimangalisa kakhulu futsi kwangenta ngacabangisisa ngaloko lebengikukholelwa. Kwaphela liviki ngingalali ebusuku, ngetama kutfola timphendvulo talemibuto layibutile. Loko kwangisita ngakucondza kancono lokushiwo liBhayibheli futsi besengilangatelela kuhlangana nalomunye umfundisi.

Ngekushesha nje emvakwaloko, umbonisi wesigodzi wangicela kutsi ngitfutsele e-El Dorado, lese-Arkansas, kuze ngiyosita ebandleni lebelilapho. Nangiselapho, bengivame kuya eColorado kuze ngiyovela embikwebhodi lekhetsa emasotja. Ngalelinye lilanga ngiya khona, ngatfola ingoti eTexas leyayilimata kakhulu imoto yami, bengihamba nalamanye emahlahlandlela. Sashayela lomunye umzalwane lucingo futsi wasilandza saya emtini wakhe, kamuva saya emhlanganweni yelibandla. Nasilapho, bamemetela kutsi sitfole ingoti, futsi bazalwane basipha imali. Lomzalwane waphindze watsengisa lemoto yami ngemadola langu-25.

Sakhona kutfola kwekuhamba lokwasimikisa eWichita, lakuhlala khona umngani wemndeni wakitsi, lokungu-E. F. “Doc” McCartney, lobekalihlahlandlela. Emadvodzana akhe lamaphahla, lokunguFrank naFrancis, bebabangani bami labakhulu futsi nanyalo kusenjalo. Bebanemoto lendzala labangitsengisela yona ngemadola langu-25, imali lelingana ncamashi naleyo lengayitfola nangitsengisa lemoto yami leyalimala. Bekukwekucala ngca ngibona ngalokucacile kutsi Jehova uyatinakekela tidzingo tami ngobe bengenta uMbuso wakhe ute kucala ekuphileni kwami. Nangilapho, lomndeni wakaMcCartney wangihlanganisa nalomunye dzadze lomuhle lokhutsele emsebentini weNkhosi, lokunguBethel Crane. Make wakhe lokunguRuth, unguFakazi lokhutsele eWellington, leseKansas, futsi ulihlahlandlela ngisho nobe sekafike eminyakeni yabo-90 budzala. Mine naBethel sashada nga-1958, ungakapheli umnyaka sihlangene futsi sahamba sayoba ngemahlahlandlela e-El Dorado.

TIMEMO LETIJABULISAKO

Ngemuva kwekucabanga ngaletibonelo letinhle lesikhule sitibona, sancuma kutsi sitawenta nobe ngabe yini inhlangano yaJehova lesicela kutsi siyente. Satfunyelwa eWalnut Ridge, lese-Arkansas, lapho saba ngemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile. Kwatsi nga-1962, sajabula kakhulu nabasimema eklasini lesi-37 laseGiliyadi. Lokwasijabulisa nakakhulu kutsi Don Steele bekakuleliklasi. Ngemuva kwekuphotfula, mine naBethel satfunyelwa eNairobi, leseKenya. Seva buhlungu nasihamba eNew York, kodvwa sajabula nasihlangana nebazalwane betfu esikhumulweni setindiza eNairobi.

Sasheshe sayitsandza iKenya kanye nemsebenti wekushumayela lebesiwenta lapho. Sifundvo setfu sekucala lesatfutfuka kwakunguChris naMary Kanaiya. Kuze kube ngunyalo, solo basemsebentini wasikhatsi sonkhe eKenya. Ngemnyaka lolandzelako, sacelwa kutsi siye eKampala leseUganda, njengetitfunywa telivangeli tekucala kulelo live. Leso bekusikhatsi lesimnandzi ngobe bantfu labanyenti bebafuna kwati kabanti ngaloko lokufundziswa liBhayibheli futsi baba BoFakazi BaJehova. Nanobe kunjalo, ngemva kweminyaka lemitsatfu nesigamu sikulase-Afrika, sabuyela emuva eMelika kuze siyoba nemndeni. Lobuhlungu lesabuva nasisuka e-Afrika bebendlula lobu lesabuva nasisuka eNew York. Besesibatsandza kakhulu bantfu base-Afrika futsi besetsemba kutsi ngalelinye lilanga sitawubuyela khona.

KUTFOLA UMSEBENTI LOMUSHA

Sefike sahlala enshonalanga neColorado, labekuhlala khona batali bami. Ngekushesha nje emvakwaloko, intfombatanyana yetfu yekucala lokunguKimberly yatalwa, kwatsi ngemuva kwetinyanga letingu-17 kwatalwa Stephany. Umsebenti wetfu lomusha wekuba batali sawutsatsa njengalobaluleke kakhulu, futsi besitimisele kunamatselisa liciniso kulamantfombatanyana etfu lamahle. Besifuna kulingisa tibonelo letinhle lesakhula sitibona. Bekumatima kucabanga kutsi nakuba sibonelo lesihle singaba nemtselela lomuhle kubantfwana, loko akusho kutsi nabo batawukhula bamkhonte Jehova. Umnaketfu lomncane nasisi wami, bakuyekela kukhonta Jehova. Mhlawumbe ngalelinye lilanga batawutilingisa letibonelo letinhle labakhula batibona.

Besikujabulela kakhulu kukhulisa bantfwabetfu futsi besetama kwenta tintfo njengemndeni. Ngenca yekutsi besihlala dvutane ne-Aspen, leseColorado, safundza umdlalo wekuhamba tikwelichwa kuze sikwati kuhle siwudlala kanyekanye. Letikhatsi tekutijabulisa tasiniketa sikhatsi sekucoca nemantfombatanyana etfu njengobe sisadlala ndzawonye. Besihle sihamba siyokhempa nabo futsi besijabulela tincociswano letimnandzi nabo nasesibase umlilo khona. Nanobe bebabancane ngeminyaka, bebabuta imibuto lenjengekutsi: “Yini lengitayenta nasengimdzala?” nalotsi: “Ngitawushada nemuntfu lonjani?” Besitimisela ngekunamatsisela indlela yekutiphatsa kwebuKhristu kumadvodzakati etfu. Besibakhutsata kutsi bacabangele umsebenti wekushumayela wasikhatsi sonkhe, kanye nekushada kuphela nemuntfu lonemgomo lofanako. Sabenta babona kubaluleka kwekushada nasebakhule kahle. Saze satakhela emagama latsi: “Shada kuphela nase ufikile eminyakeni lengu-23 budzala.”

Njengebatali betfu, natsi satikhandla kuze imihlangano yelibandla ingasiphutseli futsi siye njalo emsebentini wekushumayela njengemndeni. Besiphindze simeme ekhaya letfu labasemsebentini wasikhatsi sonkhe. Besikhuluma kahle nangemsebenti lebesiwenta ngesikhatsi sititfunywa telivangeli. Besisho nekutsi siyetsemba kutsi ngalelinye lilanga sonkhe njengemndeni sitawukuya e-⁠Afrika. Emadvodzakati etfu bekakufisa kakhulu loku.

Besivame kuba nekukhonta kwemndeni, lapho besilingisa simo lesingenteka esikolweni. Besicela emadvodzakati etfu kutsi ente shengatsi wona aBoFakazi labaphendvula imibuto. Bebakujabulela kufundza ngalendlela futsi bekubaniketa nesibindzi. Njengobe bakhula, bebahle bakhonona ngekuba nekukhonta kwemndeni. Ngalelinye lilanga ngaze ngatsi abahambe baye emakamelweni abo, ngeke sibenako kukhonta kwemndeni. Bamangala kakhulu, baze bacala kukhala futsi batsi bafuna kufundza. Sase siyabona kutsi besesibente bakutsandza kukhonta Nkulunkulu. Bachubeka basitsandza lesifundvo futsi sabavumela kutsi bakusho ngekukhululeka loko labakucabangako. Ngaletinye tikhatsi, besiva buhlungu nasibeva batsi abavumelani nalokunye lokufundziswa liBhayibheli. Nanobe kunjalo, besikhona kwati kutsi bacabangani. Ngemuva kwekubonisana nabo, bebabese bayayibona indlela Jehova lacabanga ngayo.

KUTIVUMELANISA NALOLUNYE LUSHINTJO

Lomsebenti wekukhulisa bantfwabetfu wabonakala ushesha kakhulu. Inhlangano yaNkulunkulu yasisita saphumelela ekukhuliseni bantfwabetfu kutsi batsandze Jehova. Sajabula kakhulu ngesikhatsi bobabili baba ngemahlahlandlela ngemuva kwekucedza sikolwa futsi sebanemakhono labangatinakekela ngawo. Batfutsela eCleveland, leseTennessee, lapho bekunesidzingo lesikhulu khona sebamemeteli, bahamba nalabanye bodzadze lababili. Besibakhumbula kakhulu kodvwa besijabula ngekutsi bebasebentisa kuphila kwabo kuze bente umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe. Mine naBethel saphindze saba ngemahlahlandlela, lokwasivulela iminyango yekutfola lamanye emalungelo lasijabulisa. Besibambela babonisi besigodzi siphindze sisite nangemsebenti wesifundza.

Ngaphambi kwekutsi baye eTennessee, bantfwabetfu bavakashela eLondon leseNgilandi, futsi nabalapho baya ehhovisini leligatja. Stephany lobekaseneminyaka lengu-19 budzala, wafike wahlangana naPaul Norton lebekasikhonti saseBethel. Nabaphindze babuyela, Kimberly wahlangana nalobekasebenta naPaul lokunguBrian Llewellyn. Nasekendlulile eminyakeni lengu-23 budzala, Stephany washada naPaul. Ngemnyaka lolandzelako, Kimberly nasekaneminyaka lengu-25 budzala washada naBrian. Bahlala bangakashadi baze befika eminyakeni lengu-23. Sajabula kakhulu ngebalingani babo bemshado lababakhetsa.

Emadvodzakati etfu asitjela kutsi sibonelo setfu kanye nesabogogo nabomkhulu babo sabasita balalela umyalo waJesu, ‘bachubeka bafuna kucala uMbuso,’ ngisho nobe bebahle badvonsa kamatima kutemnotfo. (Mat. 6:33) Nga-April 1998, Paul naStephany bamenywa eklasini lesi-105 laseGiliyadi, futsi ngemuva kwaloko batfunyelwa eMalawi, lese-Afrika. Ngesikhatsi lesifanako, boBrian naKim­ber­ly bamenywa eBethel eLondon kute bayosebenta khona futsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi batfunyelwa eBethel yaseMalawi. Sajabula kakhulu ngoba siyati kutsi kute lenye indlela labasha labangasebentisa kahle ngayo sikhatsi sabo ngaphandle kwalena.

LESINYE SIMEMO LESIJABULISAKO

NgaJanuary 2001, ngatfola lolucingo lengikhulume ngalo ekucaleni. Umzalwane Marais, lobuke uMsebenti Wekuhumusha, wangichazela kutsi bazalwane bebahlela kufundzisa bahumushi lulwimi lwesiNgisi emhlabeni wonkhe. Bengineminyaka lengu-64 budzala nakucatjangelwa kutsi ngibe ngulomunye wabothishela. Mine naBethel sathantaza ngalendzaba futsi sayicoca nebatali betfu lasebakhulile kuze baseluleke. Bobabili bebafuna siwente lomsebenti ngisho nobe besesingeke sisabasita. Ngabese ngiyamshayela lomzalwane, ngamtjela kutsi singajabula kakhulu kuwenta lomsebenti.

Ngemuva nje kwaloko, kwatfolakala kutsi make unesifo semdlavuza. Ngamtjela kutsi ngeke sisahamba, kunaloko bengitawulekelela sisi wami Linda kuze simnakekele. Make watsi: “Ungayenti intfo lenjalo, ngitawugula kakhulu mine nangabe ungahambi.” NaLinda bekativa ngendlela lefanako. Sibonga kakhulu ngemoya wekutidzela lebebanawo kanye nelusito lesalutfola kubazalwane. Ngelilanga lelilandzelako sifikile eWatchtower Educational Center lesePatterson, Linda wasishayela lucingo wasitjela kutsi make sewushonile. Njengobe bekangafisa kutsi sente njalo, satimisela emsebentini wetfu lomusha.

Lokwasijabulisa nakakhulu kutsi sabelo setfu sekucala sibe sehhovisini leligatja laseMalawi, labekukhonta khona emadvodzakati etfu kanye nemadvodza abo. Saphindze sahlangana! Sase siyofundzisa eZimbabwe naseZambia. Ngemuva kweminyaka lemitsatfu nesigamu solo sifundzisa, sacelwa kutsi sibuyele eMalawi siyobhala ngalobekwenteke kuBoFakazi ngesikhatsi baphatfwa kabi ngenca yekungangeneli imphi.b

Nga-2005 saphindze seva buhlungu nasibuyela ekhaya eBasalt, leseColorado, lapho mine nemkami saba ngemahlahlandlela khona. Nga-2006, Brian naKimberly baba bomakhelwane betfu kuze batewukhulisa emadvodzakati abo lamabili, lokunguMackenzie na-Elizabeth. BoPaul naStephany solo baseMalawi, lapho khona Paul alilunga leKomidi yeLigatja. Njengobe sengineminyaka lecishe ibengu-80 budzala, ngijabula kakhulu nangibona emajaha lebengisebenta nawo kuyo yonkhe leminyaka enta lemisebenti lebengiyenta. Injabulo yetfu lenkhulu yabangelwa kutsi besinetibonelo letinhle futsi natsi besitimisela kutilingisa kuze kusitakale bantfwabetfu nebatukulu betfu.