Ibali Lobomi
Ukukhonza Apho Ndandifuneka Khona
NGOKUBALISWA NGUJAMES B. BERRY
Kwakungowe-1939. Ubomi babunzima eUnited States ngenxa yokuDodobala Okukhulu, yaye kwakuvakala amarhe emfazwe kulo lonke elaseYurophu. Mna nomninawa wam uBennett salishiya ikhaya eMississippi saya eHouston, eTexas, siye kufuna umsebenzi.
NGENYE imini ngasekupheleni kwehlobo, seva iindaba ezothusayo kunomathotholo: Imikhosi kaHitler iye yahlasela iPoland. Umninawa wadanduluka wathi: “Iqalile iArmagedon!” Ngoko nangoko sayeka ukuphangela. Saya kwiHolo yoBukumkani ekufutshane saya kwintlanganiso yethu yokuqala. Kwakutheni ukuze sikhethe ukuya kwiHolo yoBukumkani? Phulaphula kaloku ndikubalisele.
Ndalibona ilanga eHebron, eMississippi, ngowe-1915. Sasihlala emaphandleni. ABafundi BeBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayebizwa njalo, babesiza kummandla wethu phantse kube kanye ngonyaka baze balungiselele ukuba kunikelwe intetho yesidlangalala kwikhaya lothile. Ngenxa yoko, abazali bam babeneempapasho ezininzi zeBhayibhile. Mna noBennett sasiyikholelwa into eyayithethwa kwezi ncwadi yokuba: Isihogo asitshisi, umphefumlo uyafa, abalungileyo baza kuphila emhlabeni ngonaphakade. Sekunjalo, yayininzi into ekwakusafuneka siyifundile. Emva kwexesha elithile ndigqibile esikolweni, mna nomninawa sajik’ imibombo saya kufuna umsebenzi eTexas.
Ekugqibeleni xa sadibana namaNgqina kwiHolo yoBukumkani, asibuza enoba singoovulindlela kusini na. Sasingazi kwaloo nto ukuba uvulindlela ngumlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo wamaNgqina kaYehova. Andula ke asibuza enoba siyafuna kusini na ukushumayela. Saphendula sathi: “Singathanda!” Sasicinga ukuba siza kuhanjiswa nothile ukuze asibonise indlela ekuqhutywa ngayo. Kunoko, asinika nje imaphu aze asixelela, “Sebenzani phaya!” Kaloku, mna noBennett sasingazi nowathwethwa ngokushumayela, kwaye sasingakuthandi nokuzibona siphoxekile. Sagqiba kwelokuba loo maphu siyifake kwibhokisi yeposi saza sabuyela eMississippi!
Ukwamkela Inyaniso YeBhayibhile
Emva kokubuyela ekhaya, sasifunda iimpapasho zamaNgqina suku ngalunye phantse kangangonyaka. Ekhaya kwakungekho mbane, ngoko ebusuku sasifunda ngelitha lomlilo. Ngaloo mihla umveleli ohambahambayo wayetyelela amabandla amaNgqina kaYehova namaNgqina akwanti aze awomeleze ngokomoya. Omnye waba baveleli, uTed Klein, watyelela ibandla lethu waza wahamba nam noBennett kumsebenzi wokushumayela kwindlu ngendlu, ngokufuthi ehamba nathi sobabini ngexesh’ elinye. Wasicacisela indlela umsebenzi wobuvulindlela oqhutywa ngayo.
Ukuba kunye naye kwasenza sacinga nzulu ngokwenza okungakumbi ekukhonzeni uThixo. Ngoko ke ngoAprili 18, 1940, uMzalwan’ uKlein wabhaptiza mna, uBennett kunye nodadewethu uVelva. Abazali bethu babekho ngoxa sasibhaptizwa, yaye basivuyela isigqibo esasisenzile. Malunga neminyaka emibini kamva, nabo babhaptizwa. Bobabini bahlala bethembekile kuThixo de bafa—uTata ngowe-1956 yena uMama ngowe-1975.
Xa uMzalwan’ uKlein wandibuza enoba andingethandi kusini na ukuba nguvulindlela, ndamxelela ukuba ndilihlwempu nje elingenamali, elingenayo nempahla yokunxiba. Wathi: “Ayinamsebenzi wena loo nto, ndiza kubona ukuba mandenze ntoni na.” Enyanisweni wandibonelela. Waqala wathumela ifomu yam yesicelo sobuvulindlela. Emva koko sahamba saya eNew Orleans, phantse umgama oziikhilomitha ezingama-300, waza wandibonisa amagumbi amahle ngaphezu kweHolo yoBukumkani. Ayengawoovulindlela. Kungekudala ndafudukela apho ndaza ndaqalisa umsebenzi wam njengovulindlela. AmaNgqina aseNew Orleans ayencedisa ngokupha oovulindlela impahla, imali nokutya. Ebudeni bemini, abazalwana babedla ngokuza nokutya baze bakushiye emnyango okanye bade basifakele kwisikhenkcisi. Umzalwana owayenendlu yokuthengisa ukutya kufuphi wasimema ukuba size rhoqo xa eza kuvala ukuze sifumane ukutya okusandul’ ukuphekwa—okunjengenyama, isonka, itshili kunye neepayi—ukutya okusele ngaloo mini.
Ukujamelana Nogonyamelo Lwehlokondiba
Emva kwexesha elithile, ndabelwa njengovulindlela eJackson, eMississippi. Mna neqabane eliselula endandisebenza nalo sajamelana nogonyamelo lwehlokondiba apho, yaye kubonakala ukuba amagosa asemthethweni alapho ayewaxhasa loo mahlokondiba! Kwenzeka into efanayo nakwisabelo sethu esilandelayo—eColumbus, eMississippi. Ekubeni sasishumayela kubantu beentlanga nezizwe zonke, abantu abathile abamhlophe basithiya. Abaninzi babecinga ukuba sivukela urhulumente. Intsumpa yeAmerican Legion, intlangano eyayilithanda gqitha ilizwe layo, yayicinga njalo. Kangangezihlandlo ezininzi yantyontyela ihlokondiba ukuba lisihlasele.
Ukuqala kwethu ukuhlaselwa eColumbus, salandelwa lihlokondiba xa sasihambisa amaphephancwadi esitratweni. Eli hlokondiba lasiminxanisa neglasi yefestile yevenkile ethile. Kwaza abantu abaninzi beze kubukela. Kungekudala kwafika amapolisa aza asibamba asisa enkundleni. Eli hlokondiba lasilandela laya kufika enkundleni, laza lawaxelela amagosa ukuba, ukuba singahamba ngemini ethile siya kusinda. Ukuba sihamba emva kolo suku, kuya kuhanjiswa izidumbu zethu! Sakhetha ukuhamba kuloo dolophu okwexeshana. Kodwa kwiiveki ezimbalwa kamva, sabuya saza saqalisa ukushumayela.
Kungekudala emva koko, kwafika iqela lamadoda asibhozo aza asinyanzela ukuba sikhwele kwiinqwelo-mafutha zawo ezimbini. Ahamba nathi aya ehlathini, asikhulula saze, aza asikatsa ngebhanti yam imivumbo engama-30. Ayenemipu kunye neentsontelo, yaye hayi indlela esasisoyika ngayo. Ndandicinga ukuba aza kusibophelela aze asiphose emlanjeni. Azikrazula zonke iincwadi esasiziphethe aza azisasaza apho yaye ayaphula yaziingceba igramafoni yethu ngokuyibethekisa kwisikhondo somthi.
Emva kokusikatsa, asixelela ukuba sinxibe size sihambe ngqo ngendledlana eyayilapho ehlathini yaye singakhangeli ngasemva. Yaye njengokuba sasihamba, enyanisweni sasicinga ukuba, ukuba nje singaphazama sijonge emva, aza kusidubula asibulale—angaze abanjwe! Kodwa emva kwemizuzu embalwa, sawava ehamba.
Ngesinye isihlandlo, saleqwa lihlokondiba elalinomsindo, yaye kwafuneka sibophelele iimpahla zethu entanyeni size sidade siwele umlambo ukuze sisinde. Kungekudala emva koko, sabanjwa saza sagwetyelwa ukuvukela urhulumente. Sachitha iiveki ezintathu entolongweni ngaphambi kokuba ityala lethu lithethwe. Esi siganeko sabhengezwa gqitha eColumbus. Abafundi bekholeji ekufuphi bade bavunyelwa ukuba baphume ngaphambi kwexesha ukuze baye enkundleni. Ngolu suku inkundla yayizele imi ngeembambo—kungekho nesihlalo esinye! Abo babemele uRhulumente yayingabefundisi ababini, usodolophu kunye namapolisa.
Kwathunyelwa igqwetha eliliNgqina uG. C. Clarke neqabane asebenza nalo ukuze baze kusithethelela. Balichitha ityala lokuvukela urhulumente kuba besithi kwakungekho bungqina baneleyo. Igqwetha elalisebenza noMzalwan’ uClarke, nangona lalingenguye omnye wamaNgqina kaYehova, lasithethelela ngeyona ndlela. Ngesinye isihlandlo lathi kumantyi: “Abantu bathi amaNgqina kaYehova aphambene. Ngaba nyhani aphambene? Kwakusithiwa uThomas Edison uphambene!” Landula ke eli gqwetha lalatha kwisibane esasilapho laza lathi: “Khawukhangele le glowubhu!” UEdison, owayila iglowubhu, abathile babecinga ukuba uphambene, kodwa akukho mntu unokuzikhalazela izinto aziphumezileyo.
Emva kokuphulaphula eli tyala, umgwebi oyintloko wenkundla yamatyala wesiphaluka wathi kumlomo wenkundla: “Aninabo nobuncinane ubungqina bokuba aba bantu bavukela urhulumente, yaye banelungelo lokuwenza lo msebenzi. Ndingaphindi ndibabone kule nkundla yaye nani ningaphindi nidlale ngexesha nemali kaRhulumente nide nibe ninobungqina!” Olunjani uloyiso kuthi!
Noko ke, emva koko umgwebi wasibizela eofisini yakhe. Wayesazi ukuba bonke abantu kwidolophu yakhe babengavumelani nesigqibo sakhe. Ngoko wasilumkisa esithi: “Oko ndikuthethileyo kuvumelana nomthetho, kodwa icebiso lam kuni nobabini kukuba: Niphume niphele kule ndawo, kungenjalo baza kunibulala!” Sasisazi ukuba unyanisile, ngoko sahamba.
Ukunduluka kwam apho ndaya kusebenza noBennett noVelva, ababekhonza eClarksville, eTennessee, njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Emva kweenyanga ezithile, sabelwa eParis, eKentucky. Kunyaka onesiqingatha kamva, xa kanye sasiza kumisela ibandla kuloo ndawo, mna noBennett safumana isimemo esikhethekileyo.
Ukuya Kwinkonzo Yobuvangeli Basemazweni
Xa sabona isimemo sokuya kwiklasi yesibini yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi, sizicingela sathi: ‘Baphazamile! ‘Bangathini ukumema amaqothololwana amakhwenkwana amabini aseMississippi kwisikolo esinjeya?’ Sasisoloko sicinga ukuba bafuna abantu abafundileyo, phofu sekunjalo saya. Kwakukho abafundi abali-100 kuloo klasi, yaye izifundo zathabatha iinyanga ezintlanu. Uthweso-zidanga lwaba ngoJanuwari 31, 1944, yaye sasikhangele phambili ukuya kukhonza kwilizwe lasemzini. Kodwa ngaloo mihla, kwakuthabatha ixesha ukufumana iincwadi zokundwendwela, ngoko abafundi babesabelwa kwalapha eUnited States okwexeshana. Emva kokukhonza njengoovulindlela kangangexesha elithile eAlabama naseGeorgia, ekugqibeleni mna noBennett sazifumana izabelo zethu—eBarbados, eWest Indies.
Kwakusaliwa IMfazwe Yehlabathi II, yaye uncwadi lwamaNgqina kaYehova lwalusavaliwe kwiindawo ezininzi, kuquka eBarbados. Kwisebe lokuhlola iimpahla, amagosa awuvula umthwalo wethu aza afumana uncwadi esasilufihle apho. Ezingcingeni zethu sathi: ‘Hayi ke, kuphelile ngathi.’ Kunoko, elinye igosa lathi, “Sicela uxolo kuba kuye kwafuneka sihlole umthwalo wenu; ezinye zeencwadi zenu azivumelekanga apha eBarbados.” Sekunjalo, lasivumela sangena nalo lonke uncwadi esasilupakishile! Kamva sanikela ubungqina kumagosa karhulumente, yaye asixelela ukuba akasazi isizathu sokuba uncwadi lwethu lube luvaliwe apho. Emva kweenyanga ezithile, loo miqathango yasuswa.
Saba nempumelelo engathethekiyo kubulungiseleli eBarbados. Ubuncinane ngamnye kuthi wayeqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezili-15, yaye inkoliso yezo zifundo zenza inkqubela ngokomoya. Sasivuya gqitha ukubona ezinye zazo zisiza kwiintlanganiso zebandla. Noko ke, ekubeni uncwadi lwethu lwaluvaliwe apho kangangexesha elithile, abazalwana babengayiqondi kakuhle indlela yokuqhutywa kweentlanganiso ngelo xesha. Noko ke, kungekudala, sakwazi ukuqeqesha iqela labazalwana abanobuchule. Sakuvuyela ukunceda abaninzi kwabo sasifunda nabo ukuba baqalise kubulungiseleli bobuKristu kwanokubona ibandla likhula.
Ukukhulisa Intsapho
Emva kwethuba elinokuba ziinyanga ezili-18 siseBarbados, kwafuneka ndenze utyando kwaza kwanyanzeleka ukuba ndibuyele eUnited States. Ngoxa ndandilapho, ndatshata neNgqina elinguDorothy esasibhalelana nalo. Mna nomfazi wam saba ngoovulindlela eTallahassee, eFlorida, kodwa emva kweenyanga ezintandathu safudukela eLouisville, eKentucky, apho iNgqina elithile lalithembise ukundiqesha. Umninawa wam uBennett waqhubeka nenkonzo yakhe eBarbados kangangeminyaka emininzi. Kamva watshata nomnye umvangeli wasemazweni baza bakhonza kunye kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba kwezo ziqithi. Ekugqibeleni, kwafuneka babuyele eUnited States ngenxa yempilo. Baqhubeka bekhonza kumabandla athetha iSpanish bekumsebenzi wokuhambahamba de uBennett wafa ngowe-1990 eneminyaka engama-73 ubudala.
Ngowe-1950, uDorothy wazala umntwana wethu wokuqala, intombazana esayithiya ngokuba nguDaryl. Ekugqibeleni saba nabantwana abahlanu. Umntwana wethu wesibini, uDerrick wafa eneminyaka emibini enesiqingatha ubudala ngenxa yesifo sokudumba kwenwebu yomnqonqo (spinal meningitis). Kodwa kamva sazala uLeslie ngowe-1956, waza walekelwa nguEverett ngowe-1958. Mna noDorothy sasizabalazela ukukhulisa abantwana bethu ngendlela yenyaniso yeBhayibhile. Sasisoloko sizama ukuba nesifundo seBhayibhile sentsapho veki nganye yaye sasizama ukusenza sibangele umdla kubo bonke abantwana. Xa uDaryl, uLeslie kunye noEverett babesebancinane, sasibabuza imibuzo ekwakufuneka benze uphando ngayo veki nganye baze bayiphendule kwiveki elandelayo. Kwakhona babesenza imidlalo yokushumayela kwindlu ngendlu. Omnye wayengena kwigunjana leempahla aze azenze umninimzi. Omnye wayesima phandle aze ankqonkqoze. Babedla ngokuthetha izinto ezihlekisayo ngokungathi omnye uyachasa, kodwa oku kwabanceda bawuthanda umsebenzi wokushumayela. Yaye sasishumayela nabo rhoqo.
Ukuzalwa kwethunjana lethu, uElton ngowe-1973, uDorothy phantse wayeneminyaka engama-50 yaye mna phantse ndandinengama-60 ubudala. Ebandleni, babesibiza ngokuthi singuAbraham noSara! (Genesis 17:15-17) La makhwenkwe ayesemadala ayedla ngokuphuma noElton xa esiya kubulungiseleli. Sicinga ukuba yayibubungqina obunamandla ebantwini ukubona iintsapho—abazalwana noodade abantwana nabazali—besebenza kunye, besabelana nabanye ngeenyaniso zeBhayibhile. Abakhuluwa bakaElton babetshintshisana ngaye bembeka emagxeni baze bamnike iphecana leBhayibhile. Phantse abantu babephulaphula ngalo lonke ixesha xa bevula ezindlwini zabo baze babone lo mfana usemagxeni abakhuluwa bakhe. La makhwenkwe amfundisa uElton indlela yokuhambisa iphecana emntwini xa egqibile ukuthetha nokuba athethe amazwi ambalwa. Leyo yindlela awaqala ngayo ukushumayela.
Ekuhambeni kweminyaka, siye sakwazi ukunceda abanye ukuze bamazi uYehova. Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1970 safudukela eShelbyville, eKentucky, sisuka eLouisville ukuze siye kukhonza kwibandla ekwakukho imfuneko khona. Ngoxa sasilapho, asizange sibone nje kuphela ibandla lisanda kodwa sancedisa nasekufuneni isiza nasekwakheni iHolo yoBukumkani. Kamva sacelwa ukuba siye kukhonza kwelinye ibandla elingekude.
Ukungaqiniseki Kobomi Bentsapho
Bendingathanda ukuthi abantwana bethu bahamba ngeendlela zikaYehova, kodwa akuzange kube njalo. Emva kokuba bekhulile baza balishiya ikhaya, abantwana abathathu kwabane abaphilayo bayishiya indlela yenyaniso. Noko ke, unyana wethu uEverett wawulandela umzekelo wam waza waqalisa kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo. Kamva wakhonza kwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eNew York yaye ngowe-1984 wamenyelwa kwiklasi yama-77 eGiliyadi. Emva kokuba ephumelele apho, waya kwisabelo sakhe eSierra Leone, eNtshona Afrika. Ngowe-1988 watshata noMarianne, uvulindlela waseBelgium. Ukususela ngoko baye bakhonza kunye njengabavangeli basemazweni.
Kanye njengokuba nawuphi na umzali ebenokucinga, kwakudakumbisa ukubona abantwana bethu abathathu beyilahla indlela yobomi ekholekileyo ngoku nekhokelela kwithemba elihle lobomi obungunaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadesi kwixesha elizayo. Maxa wambi bendiye ndizibek’ ityala. Kodwa kuyandithuthuzela ukwazi ukuba kwanoonyana bakaYehova bokomoya, okanye iingelosi, bayeka ukumkhonza—nangona uYehova eqeqesha ngothando nangobubele obungasifanelanga yaye engenzi mpazamo. (Duteronomi 32:4; Yohane 8:44; ISityhilelo 12:4, 9) Oku kuye kwabethelela kum ukuba kungakhathaliseki umzamo owenziwa ngabazali ukukhulisa abantwana babo ngendlela kaYehova, sekunjalo bambi abasayi kuyamkela inyaniso.
Njengomthi obhudlwa yimimoya enamandla, kuye kwafuneka sizivumelanise nobunzima neengxaki ezahlukahlukeneyo esijamelana nazo. Ekuhambeni kweminyaka, ndiye ndafumanisa ukuba isifundo seBhayibhile esithe rhoqo nokuya ezintlanganisweni kuye kwandomeleza ukuze ndikwazi ukuzivumelanisa neemeko ndize ndingafi ngokomoya. Njengokuba ndisiya ndikhula yaye ndizibona iimpazamo endiye ndazenza kwixesha elidluleyo, ndizama ukucinga ngezinto ezakhayo. Ngapha koko, ukuba sihlala sithembekile, amava anjalo ongezelela ekukhuleni kwethu ngokomoya. Ukuba siyafunda kuwo, izinto ezimbi ezenzekileyo ebomini, zisenokuba neenkalo ezithile ezintle.—Yakobi 1:2, 3.
Ngoku mna noDorothy asisenampilo namandla okwenza oko besingathanda ukukwenza enkonzweni kaYehova. Kodwa sinombulelo ngenkxaso yabazalwana bethu noodade abangamaKristu. Phantse kwintlanganiso nganye, abazalwana bayasixelela indlela abakuxabisa ngayo ukubakho kwethu. Yaye bayazinikela ekusincedeni ngayo nayiphi na indlela—kwanokulungisa indlu nenqwelo-mafutha.
Ngezihlandlo ezithile, siyakwazi ukuba kwinkonzo yobuvulindlela bobuncedani, yaye siqhuba izifundo nabantu abanomdla. Into emnandi esisoloko siyivuyela kukufumana iindaba ezivela kunyana wethu okhonza eAfrika. Sisenaso isifundo seBhayibhile sentsapho, nangona isithi nje sobabini ngoku. Siyakuvuyela ukuba siye sachitha iminyaka emininzi kangaka enkonzweni kaYehova. Uyasiqinisekisa ukuba akasayi kuze ‘awulibale umsebenzi wethu nothando esilubonakalisa ngegama lakhe.’—Hebhere 6:10.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Mna, uVelva kunye noBennett sibhaptizwa nguTed Klein ngoAprili 18, 1940
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26]
Ndikunye nomfazi wam uDorothy, ekuqaleni kowe-1940 nangowe-1997
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]
Kubhengezwa intetho yesidlangalala ethi, “INkosana Yoxolo” kwibhasi eya edolophini eBarbados
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]
Umninawa wam uBennett ngaphambi kwekhaya labavangeli basemazweni