Ilifa Elinqabileyo LobuKristu
NGOKUBALISWA NGUBLOSSOM BRANDT
Kwakusiwa ikhephu eSan Antonio, eTexas, ngoJanuwari 17, 1923, usuku endazalwa ngalo. Kwakubanda phandle, kodwa ndamkelwa zingalo ezifudumeleyo zabazali abanothando abangamaKristu, uJudge noHelen Norris. Ukususela ebuntwaneni bam, ndikhumbula ukuba konke abazali bam ababekwenza kwakusekelwe ekunquleni kwabo uYehova uThixo.
NGOWE-1910 xa uMama wayeneminyaka esibhozo ubudala, abazali bakhe bafuduka besuka kufutshane nasePittsburgh, ePennsylvania, baya kwifama eyayingaphandle kweAlvin, eTexas. Apho bavuyela ukufunda iinyaniso zeBhayibhile kummelwane. UMama wachitha ubomi bakhe emva koko efuna ukwenza abantu babe nomdla kwithemba loBukumkani. Wabhaptizwa ngowe-1912 emva kokuba intsapho ifudukele eHouston, eTexas.
UMama nabazali bakhe baqala ukudibana noCharles T. Russell, umongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society, xa wayetyelele ibandla labo eHouston. Ngokufuthi intsapho yayisamkela ekhayeni layo abameli abahambahambayo boMbutho, ngoko ababebizwa ngokuba ngabahambi ngezonqulo. Iminyaka embalwa kamva, uMama wafudukela eChicago, eIllinois, nabazali bakhe, yaye uMzalwan’ uRussell wayedla ngokutyelela nebandla lalapho.
Ngowe-1918, uMakhulu wafunyanwa nguMbathalala, yaye ngenxa yokuba wawuyenza buthathaka impilo yakhe, oogqirha bancomela ukuba ahlale kwindawo enemozulu efudumeleyo. Ekubeni uTatomkhulu wayesebenzela inkampani yoololiwe yakwaPullman, ngowe-1919 watshintshelwa eTexas. Apho, eSan Antonio, uMama wadibana nelungu lebandla eliselula nelinenzondelelo elalinguJudge Norris ngegama. Bathandana zisuka nje, yaye ekuhambeni kwexesha batshata, waza uJudge waba ngutata.
UTata Ufunda Inyaniso YeBhayibhile
UJudge (ijaji) wathiywa elo gama lingaqhelekanga ekuzalweni kwakhe. Xa uyise wambona okokuqala, wathi: “Olo sana aluhleki nanye kwezihlekisayo ngathi yijaji,” yaye elo yaba ligama lakhe. Ngowe-1917, xa uTata wayeneminyaka eli-16, wanikwa iphecana elithi Where Are the Dead? nelithi What Is the Soul? ashicilelwe yiWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. UTata katata wayefe kwiminyaka emibini ngaphambilana, yaye loo maphecana anikela iimpendulo awayezifuna ngemeko yabafileyo. Kungekudala emva koko waqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zaBafundi BeBhayibhile, njengokuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayesaziwa ngolo hlobo ngoko.
Ngokukhawuleza uTata wafuna ukuba nesabelo kwimisebenzi yebandla. Wafumana umhlaba awayenokushumayela kuwo, yaye ukuphuma kwesikolo wayedla ngokuya apho ngebhayisekile ngenjongo yokuhambisa amaphecana. Wayezibhokoxa ngokupheleleyo ekwabelaneni nabanye ngethemba loBukumkani, yaye ngoMatshi 24, 1918, wafuzisela uzahlulelo lwakhe kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa emanzini.
Ngonyaka olandelayo xa uMama wafudukela eSan Antonio, uTata ngokukhawuleza watsalwa koko athi “lolona ncumo luhle nawona mehlo aluhlaza” awakha wawabona. Kungabanga thuba lide emva koko bavakalisa ukuba babefuna ukutshata, kodwa baba nobunzima ekoyiseni abazali bakaMama. Sekunjalo, ngoAprili 15, 1921, batshata. Babenosukelo lobulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo.
Ukuqalisa Kubulungiseleli Ndisemncinane
Xa uMama noTata babesaxakekile beceba ukuya kwindibano eyayiseCedar Point, eOhio, ngowe-1922, bafumanisa ukuba uMama wayekhulelwe mna. Kamsinya emva kokuzalwa kwam, xa uTata wayeneminyaka engama-22 kuphela ubudala, wamiselwa njengomalathisi wenkonzo webandla. Oku kwakuthetha ukuba wayesenza onke amalungiselelo enkonzo yasentsimini. Emva kweeveki nje ezimbalwa ndizelwe, uMama wayehamba nam ukuya kubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu. Enyanisweni, abazali babazali bam nabo babethanda ukuhamba nam kubulungiseleli.
Xa ndandineminyaka emibini kuphela ubudala, abazali bam bafudukela eDallas, eTexas, yaye bangenela ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo njengoovulindlela kwiminyaka emithathu kamva. Ebusuku babelala kwibhedi encinane ecaleni kwendlela baze mna bandibeke kwisihlalo esingasemva kwinqwelo-mafutha. Kakade ke, oku ndandicinga ukuba kumnandi, kodwa kamsinya kwacaca ukuba babengekabulungeli ubomi bokuba ngoovulindlela. Ngoko uTata waqalisa ishishini. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, wakha inqwelo encinane erhuqwayo ekunokuhlalwa kuyo elungiselela ukuqalisa ubuvulindlela kwakhona.
Ngaphambi kokuba ndiqalise isikolo, uMama wandifundisa ukufunda nokubhala nokuphindaphinda amanani ngawo onke amanani angaphantsi kwesine. Wayesoloko eqinisekisa ukuba ngamaxesha onke uyandinceda ndifunde. Wayedla ngokundimisa esitulweni ecaleni kwakhe ukuze ndisule izitya njengokuba yena ezihlamba, yaye wayedla ngokundifundisa ukucengceleza izibhalo ndize ndicule neengoma zoBukumkani, okanye amaculo njengoko sasiwabiza njalo ngoko.
Ukukhonza UThixo Nabazali Bam
Ngowe-1931 sonke saya kwindibano eyayichulumancisa eyayiseColumbus, eOhio, esalifumana kuyo igama elithi amaNgqina kaYehova. Nangona ndandineminyaka esibhozo kuphela, ndacinga ukuba yayilelona gama limnandi ndakha ndaliva. Kungabanga thuba lide emva kokuba sibuyele ekhaya, ishishini likaTata latsha laluthuthu, yaye uTata noMama bakugqala ‘njengokuthanda kweNkosi’ ukuba baphinde baqalise ubuvulindlela. Ngaloo ndlela, ukususela kwihlobo lowe-1932, sanandipha iminyaka emininzi kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo.
Abazali bam baba ngoovulindlela kumbindi Texas ukuze bahlale kufutshane nabazali bakaMama, ababesahlala eSan Antonio. Ukusuka kwesinye isabelo siye kwesinye kwakuthetha ukuba ndandisoloko ndifunda kwizikolo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ngamanye amaxesha izihlobo ezazingakuqondi ngokupheleleyo esasikwenza zazidla ngokuthi, “Kutheni ningahlali ndaweninye nize nibe nekhaya lalo mntwana,” ngokungathi ndandinganyanyekelwa kakuhle. Kodwa ndandicinga ukuba ubomi bethu babuchulumancisa yaye ndandinceda uTata noMama kubulungiseleli babo. Enyanisweni, ndandiqeqeshelwa ndikwalungiselelwa oko kamva kwakuza kuba yindlela nam endiphila ngayo.
Kangangeenyanga ndandisoloko ndixelela uTata noMama ukuba ndandifuna ukubhaptizwa, yaye babethetha nam ngokufuthi ngako. Babefuna ukuqiniseka ukuba ndandiyazi indlela esinzulu ngayo isigqibo sam. NgoDisemba 31, 1934, lwafika usuku lwesi sihlandlo sibalulekileyo ebomini bam. Noko ke, ngobusuku obungaphambi kolo suku, uTata waqinisekisa ukuba ndandithandazile kuYehova. Wandula ke wenza into entle. Wasicela sonke ukuba siguqe ngamadolo, waza wathandaza. Waxelela uYehova ukuba wayevuya gqitha ngesigqibo sentombazana yakhe sokwahlulela ubomi bayo kuYe. Unokuqiniseka, logama ndisandla amazimba, andisayi kuze ndibulibale obo busuku!
Ukuqeqeshwa Ngabazali Babazali Bam
Phakathi kowe-1928 nowe-1938, ndachitha ixesha elininzi ndityelela abazali babazali bam eSan Antonio. Ucwangciso lwabo lwalufana kakhulu nolwabazali bam. Umakhulu weyeyicolporteur, njengokuba babebizwa njalo oovulindlela, waza ke waba nguvulindlela wokwexeshana. UTatomkhulu wamiselwa njengovulindlela ngoDisemba 1929, ngoko inkonzo yasentsimini yayisoloko ingumsebenzi wamihla le.
Utatomkhulu wayedla ngokundifunqula ebusuku aze andifundise amagama eenkwenkwezi. Wayedla ngokundicengcelezela imibongo. Ndandihamba naye amaxesha amaninzi ngoololiwe bakwaPullman xa wayesebenzel’ abakwaloliwe. Wayengulowo endandisoloko ndisiya kuye xa ndinengxaki; wayendithuthuzela aze andisule neenyembezi. Sekunjalo, xa ndohlwayiwe ngenxa yokungaziphathi kakuhle ndize ndiye kuye ukuze andithuthuzele, wayedla ngokuthi (amazwi endandingawaqondi ngeloo xesha, kodwa ayecace gca): “Sithandwa, indlela yomoni inzima kakhulu.”
Iminyaka Yentshutshiso
Ngowe-1939, iMfazwe Yehlabathi II yaqalisa, ibe abantu bakaYehova batshutshiswa yaye bahlaselwa ngamahlokondiba. Ngasekupheleni kowe-1939, uMama wagula gqitha yaye ekugqibeleni kwafuneka atyandwe, ngoko sabuyela eSan Antonio.
Amahlokondiba ayedla ngokuqokelelana njengokuba sisenza umsebenzi wokuhambisa amaphephancwadi kwizitrato zaseSan Antonio. Kodwa veki nganye, njengentsapho, sasibalapho, ngamnye ekwikona abelwe kuyo. Ngokufuthi ndandibukela xa besisa uTata kwisikhululo samapolisa.
UTata wazama ukuqhubeka nobuvulindlela nangona uMama kwafuneka ayeke. Noko ke, akazange akwazi ukufumana imali eyaneleyo kumsebenzi wakhe wesingxungxo, ngoko naye kwafuneka ayeke. Ndagqiba esikolweni ngowe-1939, nam ndafumana umsebenzi.
Igama likaTata uJudge (ijaji) langqineka liluncedo ebudeni baloo minyaka. Ngokomzekelo, iqela lezihlobo laya kunikela ubungqina kwidolophu esemantla eSan Antonio, yaye umphathi wamapolisa wabavalela bonke entolongweni. Wayevalele abamalunga nama-35, kuquka nabazali babazali bam. Bathumela umyalezo kuTata, yaye waya apho. Waya kwiofisi yalo mphathi wamapolisa waza wathi: “NdinguJudge Norris waseSan Antonio.”
“Ewe Mhlekazi, Jaji, ndingakunceda ngantoni?” wabuza oko lo mphathi wamapolisa.
UTata waphendula ngelithi, “Ndizele ukuza kuqonda ngokukhululwa kwaba bantu bangapha kwezitshixo.” Ngenxa yoku lo mphathi wamapolisa wabakhulula ngaphandle kwebheyile—yaye akazange abuze mibuzo ingakumbi!
UTata wayekuthanda ukunikela ubungqina kwizakhiwo zeeofisi ezisedolophini phakathi, yaye wayekuthanda ngokukodwa ukutyelela iijaji namagqwetha. Wayedla ngokuthetha oku kumamkeli-ndwendwe: “NdinguJudge Norris, yaye ndityelele uJaji Zibani-bani.”
Wayesandula ke, xa ebona loo jaji, aqalise incoko yakhe ngokuthi: “Ngoku, ngaphambi kokuba ndichaze injongo yotyelelo lwam, ndifuna ukucacisa ukuba mna bendiyiJaji ixesha elide kunawe. Bendiyiyo ubomi bam bonke.” Aze ke acacise indlela awalifumana ngayo igama lakhe. Oku kwakuba yintshayelelo enobuhlobo, yaye wahlakulela ulwalamano oluhle neejaji ezininzi ngezoo mini.
Ndinombulelo Ngokhokelo Lwabazali
Ndandikuloo minyaka yeshumi elivisayo ixakanisayo, yaye ndiyazi ukuba uTata noMama babehlala benexhala njengokuba babebukele yaye bezibuza ukuba ndiya kwenza ntoni na ngokulandelayo. Njengabo bonke abantwana, ndandibalinga amaxesha amaninzi uTata noMama, ndicela ukwenza into okanye ukuya endaweni ethile ndisazi kusengaphambili ukuba babeza kwala. Ngamanye amaxesha ndandiba sezinyembezini. Eneneni, ngendandikhathazeke gqitha ukuba babenokuthi: “Hamba ngoyibonayo. Asikukhathalele.”
Ukwazi ukuba ndandingenakutyhala ngesifuba ndize ndiguqule imilinganiselo yabo kwandinika imvakalelo yokunqabiseka. Enyanisweni, oku kwakusenza kube lula ngakumbi ngam xa abanye abaselula beceba ukuzonwabisa ngendlela ethandabuzekayo, kuba ndandisithi: “Utata akacingi andivumele.” Xa ndandineminyaka eli-16 ubudala, uTata waqinisekisa ukuba ndifunda ukuqhuba inqwelo-mafutha yaye ngaloo ndlela ndafumana iimpepha zokuqhuba. Kwakhona, malunga neli xesha wandinika isitshixo sendlu. Ndachukumiseka gqitha kukubona ukuba uyandithemba. Ndaziva ndikhulile, yaye oko kwandenza ndanenkathalo ngakumbi nomnqweno wokuba ndingabaphoxi kwintembelo yabo.
Ngezoo mini kwakunganikelwa lwalathiso lwezibhalo lungako ngomtshato, kodwa uTata wayeyazi iBhayibhile noko ikuthethayo ngokutshatela ‘eNkosini.’ (1 Korinte 7:39) Wakwenza kwacaca kum ukuba ukuba ndandinokuze ndize nomfana wehlabathi ekhaya, okanye ndicinge ngokuthandana nomfana wehlabathi, wayeya kudana ngendlela engathethekiyo. Ndandisazi ukuba wayechanile, kuba ndandilubonile ulonwabo nomanyano emtshatweni wabo ngenxa yokuba betshatele ‘eNkosini.’
Ngowe-1941, xa ndandineminyaka eli-18 ubudala, ndandicinga ukuba ndithandana nomnye umfana ebandleni. Wayenguvulindlela yaye efundela ukuba ligqwetha. Ndandichulumancile. Xa saxelela abazali bam ukuba sasifuna ukutshata, kunokuba bangavumi okanye basidimaze, basuka bathi: “Singathanda ukwenza isicelo esinye kuwe, Blossom. Sivakalelwa kukuba uselula gqitha, yaye singathanda ukukucela ukuba ulinde unyaka omnye. Ukuba nithandana ngokwenene, unyaka omnye awusayi kwenza mahluko.”
Ndibulela gqitha kuba ndaliphulaphulayo elo cebiso lobulumko. Ngaloo nyaka, ndaqola noko ndaza ndabona ukuba lo mfana akanazo iimpawu ezinokwenza iqabane elilungileyo lomtshato. Ekugqibeleni wayishiya intlangano, yaye ndasinda koko ngekwakube yintlekele ebomini bam. Hayi indlela ekulunge ngayo ukuba nabazali abazizilumko onokuzithemba izigqibo zabo!
Umtshato Nomsebenzi Wokuhambahamba
Ngobusika bowe-1946, emva kokuba ndichithe iminyaka emithandathu ndinguvulindlela yaye ndinomsebenzi wesingxungxo, oyena mfana mhle ndakha ndambona wangena kwiHolo yethu yoBukumkani. UGene Brandt wayenesabelo sokusebenza nesicaka sethu esihambahambayo sabazalwana, njengokuba umveleli ohambahambayo wayebizwa njalo ngoko. Sathandana sobabini, ibe ngoAgasti 5, 1947, satshata.
Ngokukhawuleza, uTata noGene bavula ishishini lobalo-mali. Kodwa uTata waxelela uGene oku: “Mhla eli shishini lobalo-mali lasenza asakwazi ukuya kwiintlanganiso okanye kwisabelo sobuthixo, ndiza kulutshixa ucango ndize ndilahle eso sitshixo pha kude.” UYehova wayisikelela le mbono yokomoya, yaye elo shishini lobalo-mali lazanelisa iintswelo zethu zokwenyama laza lasinika ixesha lokuba sibe ngoovulindlela. UTata noGene babengoosomashishini abalungileyo, yaye ngokulula sasinokuba zizityebi, kodwa oku akuzange kube lusukelo lwabo.
Ngowe-1954, uGene wamenyelwa kumsebenzi wesiphaluka, okwathetha inguqulelo enkulu kubomi bethu. Babeza kusabela njani abazali bam? Kwakhona, babengazixhalabelanga kodwa babexhalabele izilangazelelo zoBukumkani bukaThixo nobumoya babantwana babo. Abazange khe bathi kuthi: “Kutheni ningabi nabantwana ukuze sibe nabazukulwana?” Kunoko, babesoloko besithi: “Singenza ntoni ukuze sinincede kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo?”
Ngoko xa lwafikayo usuku lokuba sihambe, kuphela babesikhuthaza yaye bevuyela ilungelo lethu elizukileyo. Abazange basenze sizive ngokungathi siyabalahla kodwa ngalo lonke ixesha babesixhasa ngokupheleleyo. Emva kokuba sihambile, bahlala bexakekile emsebenzini wobuvulindlela kangangeminye iminyaka elishumi. UTata wamiselwa njengomveleli wesixeko saseSan Antonio, yaye wahlala kweso sikhundla kangangama-30 eminyaka. Wavuyiswa kukubona ulwando olususela kwibandla elinye kweso sixeko ngeyee-1920 ukusa kumabandla angama-71 ngaphambi kokuba afe ngowe-1991.
Kum noGene, ubomi babuzaliswe luchulumanco. Sasinolona vuyo lumangalisayo lokukhonza abazalwana noodade abathandekayo kumazwe angaphezu kwama-31 kunye, mhlawumbi nembalasane yako konke, ilungelo lokuya kwiklasi yama-29 yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi ngowe-1957. Emva koko sabuyela kumsebenzi wethu wokuhambahamba. Ngowe-1984, emva kweminyaka engama-30 kumsebenzi wesiphaluka nowesithili, uMbutho ngobubele wanika uGene isabelo kwisiphaluka esiseSan Antonio, ekubeni abazali bam babekwiminyaka yabo yama-80 yaye benempilo enkenenkene.
Ukunyamekela Abazali
Kwakusemva konyaka onesiqingatha kuphela sibuyele eSan Antonio xa uMama waba kwimeko yokubangathi ufile (coma) waza wafa. Wafa ngesiquphe kangangokuba andizange ndifumane thuba lokuthetha ezinye zezinto endandifuna ukumxelela zona. Oku kwandifundisa ukuba ndithethe kakhulu noTata. Emva kweminyaka engama-65 betshatile, wayemkhumbula gqitha uMama, kodwa sasikho ukuze sibonakalise uthando yaye simxhase.
Umzekelo kaTata wobomi bakhe bonke wokuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, ukufundisisa, nenkonzo waqhubeka de kwasekufeni kwakhe. Wayekuthanda ukufunda. Njengokuba kwakufuneka ashiyeke yedwa ngoxa sisenkonzweni, ndandidla ngokuthi xa ndifika ekhaya ndimbuze oku, “Ubungenasithukuthezi?” Ebexakeke gqitha efunda efundisisa, akukhange kuthi qatha engqondweni yakhe ukuba unesithukuthezi.
Kwakukho nomnye umkhwa wobomi bakhe bonke osaqhubekayo. UTata wayesoloko egxininisa ukuba intsapho ihlale kunye ngamaxesha okudla, ngokukodwa ngexesha lesidlo sakusasa xa kuqwalaselwa itekisi yeZibhalo yemihla ngemihla. Ndisengumntwana, ndandingavunyelwa ukuba ndihambe ekhaya ingekaxutyushwa. Maxa wambi ndandidla ngokuthi: “Kodwa Tata, ndiza kufika emva kwexesha esikolweni (okanye emsebenzini).”
Wayedla ngokuthi, “Asiyotekisi ekwenza ushiywe lixesha; akukhange uvuke ngexesha.” Yaye kwakufuneka ndihlale ndize ndiyiphulaphule. Waqinisekisa ukuba lo mzekelo mhle wawuqhubeka de kwaziintsuku zakhe zokugqibela ebomini. Oku kwakulelinye ilifa awandishiyela lona.
UTata wahlala esezingqondweni de kwasekufeni kwakhe. Into eyenza kwaba lula ukumnyamekela kukuba akazange abe nochuku okanye akhalaze. Kwowu, maxa wambi wayedla ngokukhankanya isifo sakhe samathambo, kodwa ndandidla ngokumkhumbuza ukuba oko wayenako ngokwenene “sisifo sika-Adam,” ibe wayedla ngokuhleka. Njengokuba mna noGene sasihleli ecaleni kwakhe, uTata wafa ngokuzolileyo ngentsasa kaNovemba 30, 1991.
Ngoku ndineminyaka engaphezu kwama-70 ubudala yaye ndisangenelwa kumzekelo omhle wabazali bam abanothando nabangamaKristu. Yaye kungumthandazo wam onyanisekileyo ukuba ndiya kungqina uxabiso lwam olunzulu ngeli lifa ngokulisebenzisa logama ndisadla ubomi.—INdumiso 71:17, 18.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 5]
Mna ndikunye noMama
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 7]
1. Indibano yokuqala endaya kuyo: eSan Marcos, eTexas, ngoSeptemba 1923
2. Indibano yokugqibela uTata awayekho kuyo: eFort Worth, eTexas, ngoJuni 1991 (uTata ehleli phantsi)
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
UGene noBlossom Brandt