Ibali Lobomi

Ndinombulelo Ngokukhumbula Izinto Ezixabisekileyo!

NGOKUBALISWA NGUDRUSILLA CAINE

Kwakungonyaka we-1933, yaye ndandisanda kutshata noZanoah Caine, naye owayeyicolporteur njengam—umshumayeli wexesha elizeleyo. Ndandivuya kakhulu, yaye ndaceba ukuya nomyeni wam kwisabelo sakhe, kodwa ukuze ndenjenjalo, kwakufuneka ndibe nebhayisekile—eyayinexabiso elixhome kakhulu nendingazange ndikwazi ukuyithenga kuba iimeko zazimbi kakhulu ebudeni bokudodobala kwezoqoqosho. Ndandiza kwenza ntoni?

XA BESIVA imeko yam, abaninawa bomyeni wam baya kwindawo yasekuhlaleni eyayinobugoxo bezama ukundifunela iintsimbi ezindala ukuze bandenzele ibhayisekile. Bazifumana, baza bayenza ibhayisekile, yasebenza! Kungekudala emva kokufunda ukuyiqhuba, mna noZanoah sangena endleleni, siqhuba iibhayisekile ngovuyo kwiinqila zaseNgilani eWorcester naseHereford, sinikela ubungqina kubo bonke esidibana nabo.

Ndandingazi ukuba eli nyathelo lilula lokholo laliya kubangela ukuba ndibe neenkumbulo ezimyoli ebomini. Noko ke, abazali bam abathandekayo bandibekela isiseko sokomoya ebomini bam.

Iminyaka Enzima YeMfazwe Enkulu

Ndazalwa ngoDisemba 1909. Kungekudala emva koko umama wafumana umbhalo wencwadi ethi The Divine Plan of the Ages, yaye ngowe-1914 abazali bam bahamba nam ukuya kubona i-“Photo-Drama of Creation,” eOldham, eLancashire. (Zombini zenziwa ngabo ngoku babizwa ngokuba ngamaNgqina kaYehova.) Nangona ndandiselula, ndisakhumbula kakuhle nditsibatsiba luvuyo endleleni egodukayo ngenxa yoko ndandikubonile! Wandula ke uFrank Heeley waqalisa iqela lesifundo seBhayibhile eRochdale, apho sasihlala khona. Ukuya kwesi sifundo kwasinceda njengentsapho ukuba siqonde iZibhalo.

Uxolo lwethu lwaphazanyiswa kukuqhambuka kweMfazwe Enkulu ngaloo nyaka—IMfazwe Yehlabathi I, njengoko siyibiza njalo ngoku. Utata wabizelwa emkhosini kodwa waba ngundilele. Enkundleni wachazwa ngokuthi “yindoda enesidima,” iphephandaba lasekuhlaleni lachaza ukuba kwathunyelwa iincwadi ezahlukahlukeneyo ezivela “kumadoda awathi akholelwa ukuba unyanisekile ekuchaseni kwakhe ukuthabatha izixhobo.”

Noko ke, kunokuba ayekiswe ngokupheleleyo, utata wavunyelwa ukuba angabandakanyeki “Ekulweni kuphela.” Ngoko nangoko wagculelwa, njengoko kwaba njalo nakum nomama. Ekugqibeleni kwahlolwa uhlelo awayekulo, yaye wabelwa kumsebenzi wokulima, kodwa abanye abalimi bamxhaphaza ngokumhlawula imali encinane okanye bangamhlawuli kwaphela. Ukuze axhase intsapho, umama wayesebenza—esamkela imali encinane—esenza umsebenzi onzima kwindawo yokuhlamba iimpahla. Sekunjalo, ngoku ndiyayibona indlela okwandomeleza ngayo ukuchitha iminyaka yobutsha bam ndinyamezela iimeko ezinzima ngolo hlobo; kwandinceda ndanoxabiso ngezinto zokomoya ezibaluleke ngakumbi.

Isiqalo Esincinane

Saqhelana noDaniel Hughes, umfundi weBhayibhile owayenenzondelelo. Wayengumembi wamalahle eRuabon, idolophana ekumgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-20 ukusuka eOswestry, apho sasifudukele khona. UMalum’ uDan, njengoko ndandimbiza njalo, wayenxibelelana nentsapho yethu, yaye nanini na ezokusibona, wayesoloko ethetha ngemibandela ephathelele iZibhalo. Wayengancokoli ngezinto ezingenamsebenzi. Ngowe-1920, kwaqaliswa iklasi yesifundo seBhayibhile eOswestry, yaye ngowe-1921, uMalum’ uDan wandinika umbhalo weThe Harp of God. Ndandiyixabisa kuba yayisenza kube lula ngakumbi ukuqonda iimfundiso zeBhayibhile.

Kwakukho noPryce Hughes,a owathi kamva waba ngumlungiseleli owongamelayo weofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova yaseLondon. Wayehlala nentsapho yakhe kufuphi nathi eBronygarth, kumda waseWales, yaye udade wabo, uCissie, waba ngumhlobo osenyongweni kamama.

Ndikhumbula indlela endaba nemincili ngayo ngowe-1922 xa kwabakho isimemo sokuba ‘kubhengezwe uKumkani nobukumkani bakhe.’ Ebudeni beminyaka eyalandelayo, nangona ndandisesesikolweni, ndathelela ngehlombe ekusasazeni amaphecana akhethekileyo, ingakumbi iEcclesiastics Indicted ngowe-1924. Xa ndikhangela emva kwelo shumi leminyaka, hayi ilungelo endandinalo lokunxulumana nabazalwana noodade abathembekileyo abaninzi kangaka—phakathi kwabo kwakukho uMaud Clarkb neqabane lakhe uMary Grant,c uEdgar Clay,d uRobert Hadlington, uKaty Roberts, uEdwin Skinner,e kunye noPercy Chapman noJack Nathan,f abaya eKhanada ukuya kuncedisa kumsebenzi owawusenziwa apho.

Intetho yeBhayibhile ethi “Izigidi Eziphilayo Ngoku Azisayi Kuze Zife” yaba bubungqina obunikelwe ngexesha elifanelekileyo kwintsimi yethu enkulu. NgoMeyi 14, 1922, kwafika isalamane sikaPryce Hughes, uStanley Rogers, evela eLiverpool eze kunikela le ntetho eChirk, kwidolophana esemntla kwedolophu yethu, yaye kamva ngaloo ngokuhlwa wayinikela eThe Picture Playhouse eOswestry. Ndisenaso esinye sezimemo ezazishicilelwe ngokukhethekileyo eso siganeko. Ebudeni balo lonke eli xesha, iqela lethu elincinane laliqhubeka lisomelezwa ngamatyelelo abaveleli abahambahambayo abathathu—abahambi ngezonqulo njengoko sasibabiza njalo—uHerbert Senior, uAlbert Lloyd noJohn Blaney.

Ixesha Lokwenza Isigqibo

Ngowe-1929, ndenza isigqibo sokuba ndibhaptizwe. Ndandineminyaka eli-19 ubudala, yaye kwangaxeshanye, ndajamelana novavanyo lokwenene okwesihlandlo sokuqala. Ndadibana nomfana owayengunyana welungu lezobupolitika. Sobabini sasithandana, yaye wacela kuba sitshate. Kunyaka ngaphambilana, kwakhululwa incwadi ethi Government, ngoko ndamnika umbhalo wayo. Kodwa kungekudala kwabonakala ukuba wayengenamdla kurhulumente wasezulwini, nto leyo eyayingumxholo wale ncwadi. Ndandisazi ngokusuka koko ndandikufunda ukuba amaSirayeli amandulo ayalelwa ukuba angendiselani nabangakholwayo yaye lo mgaqo wawusebenza nakumaKristu. Ngoko ke, nangona kwakunzima ukwenjenjalo, ndasala isicelo sakhe.—Duteronomi 7:3; 2 Korinte 6:14.

Ndomelezwa ngamazwi kampostile uPawulos athi: “Masingayeki ukwenza okuhle, kuba sovuna ngexesha elililo ukuba asidinwa.” (Galati 6:9) UMalum’ uDan othandekayo naye wandikhuthaza xa wandibhalela esithi: “Xa ujamelane novavanyo oluncinane nolukhulu, funda amaRoma 8, indinyana 28,” athi: “Ke kaloku siyazi ukuba uThixo uyenza isebenzisane yonke imisebenzi yakhe ukwenzela ukulungelwa kwabo bamthandayo uThixo, bona abo babiziweyo ngokuvumelana nenjongo yakhe.” Kwakungelula, kodwa ndandisazi ukuba ndenze isigqibo esifanelekileyo. Ngaloo nyaka ndabhalisa njengecolporteur.

Ukuhlangabezana Nocelomngeni

Ngowe-1931 safumana igama lethu elitsha, elithi amaNgqina kaYehova, yaye ngaloo nyaka, sasizibhokoxa ngamandla kwiphulo lokusebenzisa incwadana ethi The Kingdom, the Hope of the World. Lungu ngalinye lezobupolitika, mfundisi ngamnye nosomashishini ngamnye wanikwa umbhalo. Intsimi yam yayisuka eOswestry ukuya eWrexham, kumgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-25 ukusuka emntla. Kwakulucelomngeni ukuyigubungela.

Kwindibano eyayiseBirmingham kunyaka olandelayo, kwacelwa amatsha-ntliziyo angama-24. Ngehlombe, abangama-24 kuthi babhalisela ukuba siqale inkalo entsha yenkonzo, singazi ukuba siza kwenza ntoni. Khawube nombono wendlela esothuka ngayo xa sabelwa ngababini ukuba sihambise kwale ncwadana ethi, The Kingdom, the Hope of the World, sinxibe iiplacards ezibhengeza uBukumkani.

Ngoxa ndandisebenza kummandla wezindlu zecawa, ndandineentloni, kodwa ndazithuthuzela ngelithi akukho mntu undaziyo kweso sixeko. Sekunjalo, umntu wokuqala oweza kum yayingumhlobo wam wakudala wasesikolweni, owandithi ntsho ngamehlo waza wathi: “Tyhini, yintoni le uyinxibileyo?” Loo mava andinceda ndoyisa uloyiko endandinalo!

Ukufudukela Kwintsimi Ekude

Ngowe-1933, ndatshata noZanoah, umhlolo owayemdala kum ngeminyaka engama-25. Umfazi wakhe wokuqala wayenguMfundi weBhayibhile onenzondelelo, yaye uZanoah ngokuthembeka wahlala kwisabelo sakhe emva kokufa komfazi wakhe. Kungekudala safudukela eNgilani kwintsimi yethu entsha eNorth Wales, malunga neekhilomitha ezili-140 ukusuka apho. Iibhokisi, iisutikheyisi, nezinye izinto zexabiso zapakishwa kwiimpondo zeebhayisekile zethu, zanyanzelwa phakathi kweentsimbi ezinqamlezileyo, zaza zafakwa kwiingxowana, kodwa sahamba sada saya kufika! Kweso sabelo iibhayisekile zethu zaziyimfuneko—sasisiya ngazo naphi na, sasisiya nakufuphi nencopho yeCader Idris, intaba yaseWales emalunga neemitha ezingama-900 ukuphakama. Kwakuvuyisa ukufumana abantu ababekulangazelela ukuva “ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani.”—Mateyu 24:14.

Kungabanga thuba lide silapho, abantu basixelela ukuba indoda ethile egama linguTom Pryce yayishumayela kubo, ngendlela esasisenza ngayo. Ekugqibeleni samfumana uTom owayehlala eLong Mountain, kufuphi neWelshpool—yaye hayi indlela esothuka ngayo! Xa ndandiqala ukunikela ubungqina, ndamnika impapasho yokufundisisa iBhayibhile ethi Reconciliation. Wazifundela, wabhalela eLondon ukuze afumane uncwadi olungakumbi, yaye wayesoloko esabelana nabanye ngenzondelelo ngokholo lwakhe awayesandul’ ukulufumana. Sakunandipha ukuchitha iiyure ezininzi kubudlelane, ngokufuthi sobathathu sasifundisisa kunye ukuze sikhuthazane.

Intlekele Eyabangela Iintsikelelo

Ngowe-1934 zonke iicolporteur ezazikufuphi noMntla Wales zamenywa ukuba ziye kwidolophu yaseWrexham ukuze zincedise ekuhambiseni incwadana ethi Righteous Ruler. Usuku ngaphambi kokuba siqale olu hlaselo lukhethekileyo, kwakukho intlekele enkulu kwelo lizwe. Ugqabhuko-dubulo kumgodi wamalahle iGresford, kumgama oziikhilomitha ezi-3 ukusuka emntla Wrexham, lwabulala abasebenzi abangama-266. Abantwana abangaphezu kwama-200 basala bengenayise, yaye amabhinqa ali-160 aba ngabahlolokazi.

Kwafuneka sibhale phantsi amagama abo bafelweyo, sibatyelele ngokobuqu size sibashiyele incwadana. Elinye lamagama endawanikwayo lelikaNkskz. Chadwick owayefelwe ngunyana wakhe oneminyaka eli-19 ubudala. Ndafika apho kukho unyana wakhe omdala, uJack, owayeze kuthuthuzela unina. Lo mfana uselula wayendazi kodwa akazange atsho. Kamva, wayifunda le ncwadana waza wakhangela enye ethi The Final War, incwadana endamshiyela yona kwiminyaka ethile ngaphambilana.

UJack nomfazi wakhe, uMay, bayifumana indawo endandihlala kuyo baza beza befuna uncwadi olungakumbi. Ngowe-1936 bavuma ukuba kuqhutyelwe iintlanganiso ekhayeni labo eWrexham. Emva kotyelelo luka-Albert Lloyd kwiinyanga ezintandathu ngaphambilana, kwasekwa ibandla, yaye uJack Chadwick waba ngumveleli owongamelayo. Ngoku kukho amabandla amathathu eWrexham.

Ubomi Kwinqwelana IGypsy

De kube leli xesha, sasihlala nakwesiphi na isakhiwo njengoko sasisuka kule ndawo siye kwenye, kodwa uZanoah wagqiba kwelokuba sibe nekhaya lethu, elaliza kurhuqwa liye kwiindawo ngeendawo. Umyeni wam wayengumchweli onamava weeGypsy, yaye wasakhela inqwelana iGypsy. Sayibiza ngokuba nguElizabeth, igama leBhayibhile elithetha “UThixo Wentabalala.”

Ndikhumbula indawo enye esasihlala kuyo—yayikwibhoma elalikufuphi nomsinga. Kum yayinjengeParadesi! Akukho nto eyayiphazamisa ulonwabo lweminyaka esayichitha sobabini kuloo nqwelana, nangona sasinezinto ezimbalwa. Kwimozulu ebandayo, ngokufuthi iimpahla zethu zokulala zazibanda ngenxa yeendonga zale nqwelana, yaye loo nqwelana yayisoloko ineqabaka ngaphandle. Kwakhona sasifanele siye kukha amanzi, maxa wambi siwakha kude, kodwa samelana nala magingxigingxi.

Ngobunye ubusika ndandigula, yaye sasinokutya okuncinane yaye singenamali. UZanoah wahlala ebhedini, wabamba isandla sam, waza wandifundela INdumiso 37:25: “Ndakha ndangumfana, kungokunje ndimdala, kodwa andikaboni nabani na olilungisa eshiywe ngokupheleleyo, nenzala yakhe ifuna isonka.” Wandijonga waza wathi: “Ukuba akukho nto yimbi iza kwenzeka kungekudala, siza kuhamba sicela, yaye andiboni ukuba uThixo angakuvumela oko!” Wandula ke wahamba waya kunikela ubungqina kubamelwane.

Xa uZanoah ebuya ngemini maqanda ukuza kundenzela into eselwayo, wafika kukho imvulophu emlindeleyo. Yayingama-R500, imali eyayivela kuyise. Kwiminyaka ngaphambilana uZanoah wayetyholwe ngokuba, kodwa kwakusandul’ ukufunyaniswa ukuba wayemsulwa. Esi sipho sasiyimbuyekezo. Safika kanye ngexesha elifanelekileyo!

Isifundo Esiyingenelo

Maxa wambi sifunda isifundo emva kokuba sekudlule iminyaka emininzi. Ngokomzekelo: Ngaphambi kokuyeka esikolweni ngowe-1927, ndanikela ubungqina kubo bonke endandifunda nabo nakubafundisi-ntsapho—ngaphandle komnye, uLavinia Fairclough. Ekubeni kwakungekho mntu wayenomdla koko ndandiceba ukukwenza ngobomi bam, yaye ekubeni sasingavisisani noNksz. Fairclough, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndingamxeleli. Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wendlela endothuka ngayo—ndivuya—malunga neminyaka engama-20 kamva xa umama wandixelela ukuba loo mfundisi-ntsapho wayebuyile ezokutyelela bonke abahlobo nabafundi bakhe abadala ukubaxelela ukuba ngoku ungomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova!

Ekudibaneni kwethu ndamcacisela ngesizathu sokungamxeleli ngaphambili ngokholo lwam nomsebenzi endandiceba ukuwenza. Waphulaphula ngenyameko waza wathi: “Bendisoloko ndifuna inyaniso. Ibiyeyona nto bendiyifuna ebomini!” La mava aba sisifundo esiyingenelo kum—sokuba ndingaze ndibe madolw’ anzima ukunikela ubungqina kubo bonke endidibana nabo yaye ndingaze ndigwebe namnye umntu.

Enye Imfazwe—Nasemva Koko

Kwaqalisa imfazwe kwakhona njengoko iminyaka yowe-1930 yayisondela ngasekupheleni. UDennis, umntakwethu omncinane kum ngeminyaka elishumi, wayengazukuya emkhosini kuphela xa eza kuhlala esebenza. Wayengazange abonakalise mdla kangako enyanisweni, ngoko mna nomyeni wam sacela uvulindlela wasekuhlaleni uRupert Bradbury nomninawa wakhe uDavid ukuba bamtyelele. Benjenjalo baza bafundisisa naye iBhayibhile. UDennis wabhaptizwa ngowe-1942, kamva wangenelela inkonzo yobuvulindlela, yaye wamiselwa njengomveleli ohambahambayo ngowe-1957.

Intombi yethu, uElizabeth, yazalwa ngowe-1938, yaye ukuhlangabezana neemfuno zentsapho, uZanoah wayandisa inqwelana yethu. Xa kwazalwa intombi yethu yesibini, uEunice, ngowe-1942, kwabonakala kububulumko ukukhangela ikhaya elisisigxina. Ngenxa yoku uZanoah wayeka ukuba nguvulindlela kangangeminyaka eliqela, yaye safudukela kwindlu encinane kufuphi neWrexham. Kamva, sahlala eMiddlewich kwinqila emelene neCheshire. Wafela apho umyeni wam othandekayo ngowe-1956.

Iintombi zethu ezimbini zaba ngabashumayeli bexesha elizeleyo, yaye zombini zonwabile emtshatweni. UEunice nomyeni wakhe, ongumdala, basakhonza njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo eLondon. Umyeni kaElizabeth ungumdala webandla, yaye kuyandivuyisa ukuba bona, nabantwana babo, nabazukulwana babazukulwana abane behlala kufuphi nam ePreston, eLancashire.

Ndinombulelo kuba ndiyakwazi ukusuka emnyango wendlu yam ndiye kwiHolo yoBukumkani ngaphesheya kwendlela. Kwiminyaka yakutshanje ndiye ndanxulumana neqela elithetha isiGujarati, nalo elihlanganisana apho. Bekungelula ukulufunda olu lwimi kuba andiseva kakuhle ngoku. Maxa wambi kunzima ukuva iimvakalo-zwi ezahlukahlukeneyo, njengoko abaselula benako. Kodwa kulucelomngeni olubangela umdla.

Ndisakwazi ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu nokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ekhayeni lam. Xa ndityelelwe ngabahlobo, kusoloko kuluyolo ukubalisa amanye amava angaphambili. Ndinombulelo ngokukhumbula izinto ezixabisekileyo neentsikelelo endiye ndazifumana ngokunxulumana nabantu bakaYehova phantse iminyaka engama-90.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Isimemo esibhengeza intetho yeBhayibhile ethi “Izigidi Eziphilayo Ngoku Azisayi Kuze Zife,” endayiva ngoMeyi 14, 1922

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Ndikunye noZanoah kungekudala emva kokuba sitshatile ngowe-1933

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Sime ecaleni kuka-“Elizabeth,” inqwelana yethu eyakhiwa ngumyeni wam