Ibali Lobomi

UYehova Usoloko Ebavuza Abantu Bakhe Abanyanisekileyo

NGOKUBALISWA NGUVERNON DUNCOMBE

Ndathi ndakugqiba ukutya kwam okulula kwangokuhlwa njengesiqhelo ndatshaya. Emva koko ndabuza inkosikazi yam, uAileen oku: “Bekusenziwa ntoni ezintlanganisweni ngokuhlwanje?”

YATHI nqumama nje kancinane yaza yathi: “Kufundwe ileta echaza ngabantu abasandul’ ukumiselwa, yaye negama lakho liye lakhankanywa. Umiselwe ukuba unyamekele isandisi-lizwi. Umgca wokugqibela kuloo leta ubusithi: ‘Ukuba nawuphi na kwaba bazalwana basandul’ ukumiselwa usebenzisa icuba, umele abhalele uMbutho achaze ukuba akanako ukusamkela isabelo.’”a Ndaphendula ngendlela ebonisa ukuba ndizimisele ukwenza isigqibo, “O-o! Itsho njalo le leta.”

Ndaqinis’ amazinyo ndaza ndawucima loo mdiza ndawufaka kwisitya sokugalela uthuthu esasisecaleni kwam. “Andisazi isizathu sokuba ndinikwe esi sabelo. Kodwa andizange ndikhe ndisale isabelo, yaye andizimiselanga ukuqalisa ukwala.” Ndazimisela ukuba ndingaze ndiphinde nditshaye kwakhona. Eso sigqibo sabuphembelela ngokunzulu ubomi bam njengomKristu nemvumi. Makhe ndikubalisele ngezinye zeziganeko ezakhokelela ekubeni ndenze esi sigqibo.

Ubomi Bentsapho Bangaphambili

Ndazalelwa eToronto, eKhanada, ngoSeptemba 21, 1914 yaye ndandingoyena nyana mkhulu wabazali abanothando nababesebenza nzima, uVernon noLila, ababenyamekela intsapho eyayinamakhwenkwe amane namantombazana amabini. Ndandisalekelwa nguYorke, kuze uOrlando, kulandele uDouglas, kuze uAileen kugqibele uCoral. Xa ndandineminyaka esithoba kuphela, umama wandinika ivayolin waza walungiselela ukuba ndiye kufunda umculo kwiHarris School of Music. Imeko yayinzima, kodwa uMama noTata babesenza iinzame zokuhlawulela iindleko zohambo nemali yesikolo. Kamva ndafunda ubugcisa kwezomculo nendlela yokwenza umculo uyondelelane kwiRoyal Conservatory of Music yaseToronto, yaye xa ndandineminyaka eli-12 ubudala, ndangenelela ukhuphiswano lomculo olwalubandakanya isixeko siphela kwiMassey Hall, iholo yomculo edumileyo ekumbindi wedolophu. Ndanyulwa njengophumeleleyo yaye ndafumana isipho sevayolin entle efakwe kwisingxobo esenziwe ngofele lwengwenya efumaneka eMerika (ialligator).

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndafunda nokudlala ipiyano nevayolin edlala ibhesi. Ngokufuthi iqela lethu lalidlala umculo kumatheko amancinane ngoLwesihlanu nangoMgqibelo ngokuhlwa nakwimingqungqo yeqela lolutsha. Ndaqala ukumbona kuloo mingqungqo ke uAileen. Ngonyaka wam wokugqibela kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo, ndadlala umculo neeokhestra eziliqela zesixeko. Emva kokuphumelela kwam ndamenywa ukuba ndithelele iqela lomculo elalibizwa ngokuba yiFerde Mowry Orchestra, yaye lo yaba ngumsebenzi owandihlawula kakuhle de kwangowe-1943.

Ukwazi UYehova

Abazali bam baqala ukufumana inyaniso yeBhayibhile ngaphambi nje kokuba kuqhambuke iMfazwe Yehlabathi I, xa uTata wayesenza umsebenzi wokubeka impahla yokubonisa efestileni kwenye ivenkile ekumbindi wedolophu yaseToronto. Kwigumbi abebetyela kulo isidlo sasemini, wayedla ngokuphulaphula incoko yabasebenzi ababini ababengaBafundi BeBhayibhile (njengoko ayesaziwa ngolo hlobo amaNgqina kaYehova ngelo xesha), yaye emva koko xa efika ekhaya ngokuhlwa wayedla ngokwabelana noMama ngoko akuvileyo. Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, ngowe-1927, aBafundi BeBhayibhile baba nendibano enkulu eToronto eColiseum kuMabala eNational Exhibition aseKhanada. Kwikhaya lam, elalikwisitrato sesibini ukusuka kwisango elingasentshona laloo mabala, kwahlaliswa abantu abangama-25 ababevela eOhio, eUnited States.

Emva koko, omnye waBafundi BeBhayibhile, uAda Bletsoe, waqalisa ukutyelela uMama rhoqo, emshiyela uncwadi olusandul’ ukufika. Ngenye imini wathi: “Nkskz. Duncombe, sekulithuba noko ndikushiyela uncwadi. Ngaba ukhe walufunda?” Nangona wayekhulisa abantwana abathandathu, uMama wagqiba kwelokuba aqalise ukuwafunda la maphephancwadi ukususela ngelo xesha, yaye akazange ayeke. Noko ke, ndanikela ingqalelo nje kancinane kolo ncwadi. Ndandizabalazela ukuphumelela esikolweni, yaye ndandithe phithi ngumculo.

NgoJuni 1935, mna noAileen satshatela kwicawa yaseTshetshi. Ekubeni ndayeka ukuya eUnited Church xa ndandineminyaka eli-13 ubudala, ndandingelolungu lwalo naluphi na unqulo; ngoko encwadini yomtshato ndabhala ukuba ndingomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova, nangona ndandingekabi lilo iNgqina.

Sasikhangele phambili ekukhuliseni abantwana ngenye imini yaye sasinomnqweno wokuba ngabazali abalungileyo. Ngaloo ndlela, saqalisa ukufunda iTestamente Entsha sobabini. Noko ke, nangona sasinezo njongo zintle, kwabakho ezinye iziphazamiso. Saphinda sazama kwakhona emva kwethuba elithile kodwa sabuya soyisakala. Kwandula ke ngeKrismesi yowe-1935, safumana isipho esasisongelwe sencwadi ethi UHadi LukaThixo. Inkosikazi yam yathi: “Yhu asiqhelekanga esi sipho seKrismesi sisithunyelelwe ngunyoko.” Sekunjalo, emva kokuba ndihambile ndaya emsebenzini, waqalisa ukuyifunda yaye wakuthanda oko wayekufunda. Kangangethuba elide, ndandingayazi mna loo nto. Umnqweno esasinawo ngentsapho awuzange uphumelele. Umntwana wethu oyintombazana owayezelwe ngoFebruwari 1, 1937, akazange aphile. Hayi indlela esaba buhlungu ngayo!

Ngeli xesha, intsapho yakowethu yayinesabelo ngenkuthalo kumsebenzi wokushumayela, yaye ndafumanisa ukuba yayinguTata kuphela entsatsheni umvakalisi woBukumkani owayengekahambisi umrhumo wephephancwadi iConsolation (ngoku elibizwa ngokuba nguVukani!). Olo yayilusukelo lwenkonzo yasentsimini lwenyanga. Nangona ndandingekalufundi uncwadi loMbutho, ndamsizela ndaza ndathi: “Kulungile Tata, ndenzele umrhumo; nawe uya kutsho ufane nabanye.” Lafika ihlobo, yaye iqela leemvumi laphuma esixekweni laya kucula kwindawo yabakhenkethi. Yafika iConsolation ngeposi. Kwafika ukwindla, yaye iqela leemvumi labuyela eToronto. La maphephancwadi aqhubeka efika kwidilesi yethu entsha, yaye ndandingekaqhaqhi nelinye.

Ebudeni benye yeeholide zeKrismesi, ndajonga le mfumba yamaphephancwadi ndaza ndagqiba kwelokuba ekubeni ndiwahlawulele, ndifanele ubuncinane ndifunde amanye awo ukuze ndive oko akutshoyo. Elokuqala endalivulayo landothusa. Lalibhenca ubuqhophololo bezobupolitika nokunganyaniseki okwakuqhubeka ngelo xesha. Ndaqalisa ukuthetha nezinye iimvumi ngoko ndandikufunda. Noko ke, zandiphikisa zisithi asiyonyaniso le ndiyithethayo, yaye kwafuneka ndiqhubeke ndifunda ukuze ndizithethelele. Ndingaqondanga, ndandiqalisile ukunikela ubungqina ngoYehova. Yaye ukususela ngelo xesha, andizange ndiyeke ukufunda iimpapasho ezintle zeBhayibhile ‘zekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’—Mateyu 24:45.

Nangona ndandihlala ndixakekile emsebenzini ebudeni beveki, kungekudala ndandisiya kwiintlanganiso zangeCawa noAileen. Ngenye iCawa yowe-1938, sathi xa sifika kwiintlanganiso, sabuliswa ngoodade ababini abasele bekhulile, yaye omnye wabo wathi: “Hee Mzalwana oselula, ngaba sele usenzile isigqibo ngoYehova? Uyazi, iArmagedon isemnyango!” Ndandisazi ukuba uYehova kuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, yaye ndandeyisekile kwelokuba le yintlangano yakhe. Ndandifuna ukuba yinxalenye yayo, ngoko ngo-Oktobha 15, 1938, ndabhaptizwa. UAileen wabhaptizwa malunga neenyanga ezintandathu kamva. Ndiyakuvuyela ukutsho ukuba bonke entsatsheni yam baba ngabakhonzi bakaYehova abazahluleleyo.

Olunjani lona uvuyo endaba nalo ngokunxulumana nabantu bakaThixo! Kungekudala, ndaziva ndisekhaya xa ndiphakathi kwabo. Xa ndingakwazanga ukuya, ndandisoloko ndilangazelela ukwazi ukuba bekusenzeka ntoni ezintlanganisweni. Le ngokuhlwa ikhankanywe ekuqaleni yaba yimini yokuguquka kwezinto kwinkonzo endandiyinikela kuYehova.

Ixesha Lokuba Senze Utshintsho Olukhulu

Olunye uhlengahlengiso oluphawulekayo lwenzeka ngoMeyi 1, 1943. Sasiye kwindibano yethu yokuqala enkulu, ngoSeptemba 1942 kwiNdibano Yehlabathi Elitsha Lobuthixo eCleveland, eOhio. Apho, kanye ngexesha ekwakugquba ngalo imfazwe yehlabathi eyoyikekayo, imfazwe ekwakungabonakali ukuba iya kuze iphele, saphulaphula uMzalwan’ uKnorr, owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Society ngelo xesha, enikela ngenkalipho intetho yesidlangalala eyayibangel’ umdla eyayisithi, “Uxolo—Ngaba Lunokuhlala Lukho?” Sisakhumbula kakuhle indlela awabonisa ngayo, ngokusuka kwiSityhilelo isahluko se-17, ukuba emva kwemfazwe kuza kubakho ixesha loxolo ekuya kuthi ngalo kuphunyezwe umsebenzi omkhulu wokushumayela.

Eyona nto yasichukumisa ngakumbi yintetho kaMzalwan’ uKnorr awayeyinikele ngaphambilana ethi, “UYifeta Nesifungo Sakhe.” Kwandula ke kwenziwa isicelo soovulindlela abangakumbi! Sajongana noAileen saza satsho ngaxeshanye (kunye nabanye abaninzi): “Sithi abo!” Ngoko nangoko saqalisa ukwenza amalungiselelo okuhlabela mgama nomsebenzi obaluleke ngakumbi.

Umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wawuvaliwe eKhanada ukususela ngoJulayi 4, 1940. Ekuqaliseni kwethu ukuba ngoovulindlela ngoMeyi 1, 1943, kwakungekavumeleki emthethweni ukunikela ubungqina ngoYehova nokunikela uncwadi loMbutho enkonzweni yasentsimini. NjengamaKristu, sasiphatha imibhalo yethu yenguqulelo yeBhayibhile yeKing James kuphela. Emva kweentsuku nje ezimbalwa sifikile kwisabelo sethu sobuvulindlela sokuqala eParry Sound, eOntario, uStewart Mann uvulindlela onamava wathunyelwa yiofisi yesebe ukuba aze kusebenza kunye nathi entsimini. Elinjani lona ilungiselelo lothando! UMzalwan’ uMann wayenobubele yaye wayesoloko encumile. Safunda kuye yaye saba nethuba elimnandi. Sasiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile eziliqela xa uMbutho waphinda wasitshintshela kwisixeko saseHamilton. Kungekudala emva koko, nakuba ndandisele ndimdala ukuba ndingaya emkhosini, ndabizelwa emkhosini. Ndathi ndakwala ukuya emkhosini ndabanjwa ngoDisemba 31, 1943. Emva kokuba kwenziwe iinkqubo zenkundla, ndafumana isigwebo sokwenza inkonzo eyahlukileyo, yaye ndahlala apho de kwaba ngoAgasti 1945.

Ekukhululweni kwam sinoAileen safumana isabelo sobuvulindlela eCornwall, eOntario. Ngokukhawuleza emva koko, saya eQuebec sinesiqinisekiso esikhethekileyo esivela emapoliseni esasisithabathe kwiSebe Lezomthetho loMbutho. Oku kwenzeka ngexesha likaDuplessis eQuebec, xa intshutshiso yamaNgqina kaYehova yayikrakra ngokukhethekileyo. Iintsuku ezininzi veki nganye, ndandisiba kwiinkundla ezine ezahlukahlukeneyo ndinceda abazalwana bethu. Lawo yayingamaxesha abangel’ imincili nawomelez’ ukholo.

Emva kwendibano yaseCleveland ngowe-1946, safumana izabelo zomsebenzi wesiphaluka nowesithili yaye mna nenkosikazi yam sasisuka kolu nxweme siye kolunye. Izinto zazisenzeka ngokukhawuleza. Ngowe-1948 samenyelwa kwiklasi ye-11 yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi. UMzalwan’ uAlbert Schroeder noMaxwell Friend babengabanye babahlohli bethu, yaye iklasi yethu eyayinabafundi abali-108 yayiquka abathanjiswa abangama-40. Ekubeni kwakukho abakhonzi bakaYehova abaninzi kangaka abangamagqala, ngokwenene eso sihlandlo sasizaliswe ngamava anomvuzo!

Ngenye imini satyelelwa nguMzalwan’ uKnorr evela eBrooklyn. Kwintetho yakhe, wamema amatsha-ntliziyo angama-25 ukuba afunde ulwimi lwaseJapan. Bonke abo bali-108 bavuma! Yaba ngumsebenzi kamongameli ukukhetha abo babeza kufundiswa. Ndicinga ukuba yaba nguYehova owalathisa olo khetho ngenxa yokuba lwaphumelela. Uninzi lwabo bangama-25 abakhethwayo baza emva koko bafumana ilungelo lokuqalisa umsebenzi eJapan lusekweso sabelo salo—ewe lukhulile, kodwa luselapho. Bambi njengoLloyd noMelba Barry, batshintshelwa kwezinye izabelo. ULloyd wayelilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo de wafa kunyaka ophelileyo. Sivuyisana nabo bonke ngomvuzo aye wabanika wona uYehova.

Lwafika usuku lothweso zidanga, yaye safumana isabelo saseJamaica. Noko ke, ngenxa yokuba kwakusafuneka siye kuvela kwinkundla yaseQuebec, sanikwa umyalelo wokuba sibuyele eKhanada.

Umculo Ongakumbi!

Nangona ndandiwushiye ngasemva umculo ndaza ndangenela inkonzo yobuvulindlela, kwabonakala ngathi umculo wona awuzange undishiye. Kunyaka olandelayo umongameli woMbutho uNathan Knorr, nonobhala wakhe, uMilton Henschel, beza eMaple Leaf Gardens eToronto. Intetho yesidlangalala eyayinikelwa nguMzalwan’ uKnorr eyayisithi “Ixesha Limkile Kunokuba Ucinga!” yakhuthaza wonk’ umntu. Okwesihlandlo sokuqala ndacelwa ukuba ndiculise iokhestra yendibano. Senza amalungiselelo okuqhelisela iingoma ezithile ezazisaziwa kwiKingdom Service Song Book (yowe-1944). Abazalwana babonakala beyithanda. Ekupheleni kocwangciso emva kwemini ngoMgqibelo, saqhelisela indlela esasicwangcise ukwenza ngayo ngeCawa. Ndathi tshe uMzalwan’ uHenschel enqumla ebaleni esiza ngakweli cala sasikulo, yaye ndamisa ikwayala ukuze ndiye kuye. Wabuza, “Zingaphi iimvumi ezikule okhestra yakho?” “Zimalunga nama-35 xa ziphelele,” ndaphendula ndatsho. “Hayi ke, uya kufumana eziliphinda kabini elo nani eNew York kwihlobo elizayo,” waphendula ngelitshoyo.

Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba lifike ihlobo ndamenyelwa eBrooklyn. Ngenxa yeemeko, ekuqaleni uAileen akazange akwazi ukuhamba nam. Isakhiwo esitsha sase-124 Columbia Heights sasingekagqitywa, ngoko ndahlaliswa kwisakhiwo sokuqala, kwigumbi elincinane nabazalwana ababini abathanjisiweyo—uMzalwan’ uPayne noKarl Klein ababesele bekhulile, endandiqala ukubabona. Ngaba kwakuxinene? Ewe. Sekunjalo, sasivana gqitha. Aba bazalwana badala babezeka kade umsindo yaye benomonde. Ndandizama nje ukuba ndingaphazamisani nabo! Yayisisifundo esihle sokubona oko umoya kaThixo unokukuphumeza. Ukwazi kwam uMzalwan’ uKlein nokusebenza kunye naye kwandizisela iintsikelelo ezingummangaliso! Wayesoloko enobubele yaye eluncedo. Sasebenza kakuhle sobabini yaye siye saqhubeka singabahlobo abasenyongweni isithuba esingaphezu kweminyaka engama-50.

Ndafumana ilungelo lokuncedisa emculweni kwiindibano ezaziqhutyelwa eYankee Stadium ngowe-1950, 1953, 1955, nowe-1958, nelokwabelana ngeembopheleleko zokunyamekela iokhestra noAl Kavelin kwindibano yowe-1963 eyayiqhutyelwa eRose Bowl, ePasadena, eKhalifoniya. Ebudeni bendibano eyayiqhutyelwa eYankee Stadium ngowe-1953, kwabakho ucwangciso lomculo ngeCawa ngaphambi kwentetho yesidlangalala. UErich Frost weza noEdith Shemionik (owaba ngowakwaWeigand kamva), owayecula isoprano kwingoma eyayiqanjwe ngulo kaFrost ethi “Phambili, MaNgqina!” ekhatshwa yiokhestra yethu. Saba nemincili kakhulu kukuva, okwesihlandlo sokuqala, amazwi amnandi abazalwana noodade wethu abaNtsundu. Umvangeli wasemazweni uHarry Arnott wayeze nomculo orekhodiweyo evela nawo kumNtla Rhodesia (ngoku oyiZambia) ukuze siwunandiphe. Loo mculo wavakala kulo lonke elo bala.

Ukurekhoda Iculo Lowe-1966

Ngaba usalikhumbula iculo elalipinki lineqweqwe levinyl, elithi “Nivuma Nibetha Uhadi Entliziyweni Yenu”? Xa lalisele liza kugqitywa, uMzalwan’ uKnorr wathi: “Siza kurekhoda. Ndifuna ulungise iqela elincinane leokhestra, abambalwa nje abadlala iivayolin kunye nabanye abambalwa abadlala imbande. Andifuni mntu uza kuvuthela ‘ixolongo’!” Sasiza kurekhodela kwiHolo yoBukumkani yaseBheteli, kodwa sasinexhala ngokusebenzisa yona. Yintoni eyayiza kwenzeka kwiindonga ezingagqunywanga, kumgangatho weethayile, nezihlalo ezenziwe ngesinyithi ezisongwayo xa kuhlokoma isandi somculo? Ngubani owayenokusinceda kuloo ngxaki yokuhlokoma kwesandi somculo? Mntu uthile wacebisa: “NguTommy Mitchell! Usebenza e-ABC Network Studios.” Saqhagamshelana noMzalwan’ uMitchell owakuvuyelayo ukusinceda.

Intsasa yoMgqibelo wokuqala wokurekhoda yafika, yaye njengoko kwakusaziswa iimvumi, omnye wabazalwana wayephethe isingxobo sohlobo oluthile lexilongo. Ndakhumbula isilumkiso sikaMzalwan’ uKnorr esithi: “Andifuni mntu uza kuvuthela ‘ixilongo’!” Yinto endandiza kuyithini ke ngoku le? Ndambukela lo mzalwana njengoko wayekhupha ixilongo lakhe kwisingxobo salo, walungisa umbhobho walo, waza waqalisa ukuzilungisa. Lo mzalwana yayinguTom Mitchell, yaye iinowuthi zakhe zokuqala zatsho kamnandi. Eli xilongo lakhe walenza lavakala njengevayolin! Ndathi ngaphakathi, ‘lo mzalwana makahlale!’ UMzalwan’ uKnorr akazange akugatye oko.

Kuloo okhestra, kwakukho iqela leemvumi ezazingabazalwana noodade abathandekayo. Kwakungekho milonjikazi ihamba phambili! Ukurekhoda kwakungumsebenzi onzima, kodwa kwakungekho mntu ukhalazayo. Wakuba ugqityiwe umsebenzi, kwakukhalwa; yaye kusekho ulwalamano olusenyongweni phakathi kwabo babenenxaxheba. Wonk’ ubani walinandipha elo lungelo, yaye ngenxa kaYehova loo msebenzi waphumelela.

Amalungelo Ongezelelekileyo Anomvuzo

Emva kweminyaka emininzi kangaka, ndisaqhubeka ndiyinandipha inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ndiye ndafumana izabelo ezingama-28 kumsebenzi wesiphaluka nowesithili—yaye ndiye ndazinandipha zonke. Emva koko, kangangeminyaka emihlanu ndandinyamekela iHolo yeNdibano yaseNorval, eOntario. Njengoko kwakubakho indibano yesiphaluka ngazo zonke iimpelaveki kunye neendibano zesithili zeelwimi zasemzini, sasixakekile noAileen. Ngowe-1979/80, iingcali zezakhiwo noononjineli basebenzisa izakhiwo zeHolo yeNdibano xa babeceba iofisi yoMbutho yesebe yexesha elizayo yaseHalton Hills. Emva kokusebenza kwiHolo yeNdibano, safumana esinye isabelo somculo eBrooklyn, ukususela ngowe-1982 ukusa kowe-1984.

Umfazi wam endimthandayo wafa ngoJuni 17, 1994, kwiintsuku nje ezisixhenxe emva kokuba sigqibe iminyaka engama-59 sitshatile. Sasisele sigqibe iminyaka engama-51 yenkonzo yobuvulindlela yokuzinikela sisobabini.

Xa ndicinga ngamava amaninzi endiye ndanawo ebomini, ndikhumbula indlela iBhayibhile eye yalukhokelo oluxabisekileyo ngayo. Maxa wambi, ndisebenzisa iBhayibhile ka-Aileen yaye ndivuya kakhulu xa ndiphawula oko kwakumchukumisa—iindinyana ezipheleleyo, amabinzana athile akhethekileyo namagama athile awawaphawulayo. Njengoko kwakunjalo ngoAileen, nam zikho izibhalo ezinentsingiselo ekhethekileyo kum. Esinye sazo yiNdumiso ye-137, evakalisa lo mthandazo omnandi kuYehova othi: “Ngamana andingekwazi ukudlala uhadi kwakhona ukuba ndingakulibala, Yerusalem! Ngamana andingekwazi ukucula kwakhona xa ndingakukhumbuli, ukuba andicingi ngawe njengovuyo lwam olukhulu!” (INdumiso 137:5, 6, Today’s English Version) Nangona ndiwuthanda umculo, ndivuyiswa kakhulu kukukhonza uYehova ngokunyaniseka, lowo uye wandivuza ngokunandipha ubomi ngokupheleleyo nangokwanelisayo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

Ndikunye noAileen ngowe-1947

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 30]

Kucwangciso lokuqala lokurekhoda