Ibali Lobomi
Isabelo Sam Ekuhambiseleni Phambili Imfundiso Yobuthixo Emhlabeni Wonke
NGOKUBALISWA NGUROBERT NISBET
UKumkani uSobhuza II waseSwazini wasamkela mna nomntakwethu uGeorge kwibhotwe lakhe. Kwakungowe-1936, kodwa ndisayikhumbula ngokucacileyo incoko yethu. Isizathu sokuba ndibe nale ncoko inde kangaka nalo kumkani yayiyinxalenye yomsebenzi wam omkhulu wokufundisa ngeBhayibhile. Ngoku ndikunyaka wama-95 ubudala, ndikhangela emva ndichwayitile kuloo msebenzi, owandisa kumazwekazi amahlanu awahlukahlukeneyo.
KONKE oku kwaqalisa ngowe-1925 xa indoda eyayithengisa iti egama linguDobson yaqalisa ukutyelela intsapho yakowethu e-Edinburgh, eScotland. Ndandikwiminyaka yam yokugqibela kwishumi elivisayo yaye ndandisebenza kwivenkile yamayeza ngoxa ndifunda. Nangona ndandibonakala ndiselula, zazindixhalabise kakhulu iinguqulelo imfazwe yehlabathi yangowe-1914-18 eyazibangela kwiintsapho naselunqulweni. Ngesinye isihlandlo xa wayesityelele, uMnu. Dobson wasishiyela incwadi ethi The Divine Plan of Ages. Indlela eyayimchaza ngayo uMdali okrelekrele “onenjongo” eqinisekileyo yabonakala isengqiqweni kakhulu yaye imfanele uThixo endandifuna ukumnqula.
Kungekudala mna noMama saqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zaBafundi beBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayesaziwa njalo. NgoSeptemba 1926 mna noMama safuzisela uzahlulelo lwethu kuYehova ngokuntywiliselwa emanzini kwindibano eyayiseGlasgow. Umntu ngamnye oza kubhaptizwa wayenikwa isambatho eside ukuze asinxibe ngaphezu kwempahla yokuqubha. Ngelo xesha ezi zambatho zazijongwa njengempahla efanelekele eso sihlandlo sibaluleke kakhulu.
Ngezo mini, indlela esasiziqonda ngayo izinto yayisafuna ukulungiswa. Inkoliso, yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba onke amalungu ebandla ayeyibhiyozela iKrismesi. Bambalwa ababesiya kwinkonzo yasentsimini. Kwanabanye abadala babengavumi ukuhambisa iincwadi ngeCawa, njengoko babevakalelwa kukuba oko kukwaphula iSabatha. Noko ke, amanqaku eMboniselo ngowe-1925 aqalisa ukuthetha ngakumbi ngezibhalo ezinjengoMarko 13:10 othi: “Kumele kushunyayelwe iindaba ezilungileyo kuzo zonke iintlanga kuqala.”
Wawuza kuphunyezwa njani loo msebenzi wenziwa ehlabathini lonke? Ukuqala kwam ukushumayela ngendlela elula kwindlu ngendlu, ndandixelela umnini khaya ukuba ndithengisa iincwadi ezibangela umdla zonqulo ndize ndimnike incwadi ethi U-Hadi lukaTixo, incwadi eyayicacisa iimfundiso ezilishumi ezibalulekileyo zeBhayibhile, izifanisa neentambo zohadi ezilishumi. Kamva sanikwa amaqweqwe okunikela ubungqina, awayenesigidimi esifutshane ukuze sifundwe ngumninimzi. Kwakhona sasisebenzisa iintetho ezirekhodiweyo ezithabatha imizuzu emine enesiqingatha ezazinokudlalwa ngegramafoni ephathwayo. Ezohlobo lakudala kwakunzima ukuziphatha, kodwa uhlobo lwamva lwalulula, yaye ezinye wawunokuzidlala zileli ngecala.
Ukususela ngowe-1925 ukusa kwiminyaka yee-1930, umsebenzi wethu wokunikela ubungqina sasiwenza ngendlela esasiwazi ngayo. Kwandula ke ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1940, kwamiselwa iSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo kuwo onke amabandla. Safundiswa indlela yokunikela isigidimi soBukumkani ngokobuqu ngokuthetha ngokungqalileyo nomninimzi owayephulaphule. Kwakhona safunda ukubaluleka kokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile nabantu abanomdla. Ngenye indlela, sinokuthi le yayikukuqala komsebenzi owenziwa ehlabathini lonke wokufundisa iBhayibhile.
Ukhuthazo Oluvela KuMzalwan’ URutherford
Umnqweno wam wokuba nesabelo esingakumbi kumsebenzi wokufundisa wandikhokelela ekubeni ndibhalise njengovulindlela othe ngxi ngowe-1931. Ndandifanele ndiqalise kungekudala emva kwendibano yaseLondon. Noko ke, ebudeni besinye isidlo sasemini, uMzalwan’ uJoseph Rutherford, owayesongamela loo msebenzi ngelo xesha, wacela ukuthetha nam. Wayefuna uvulindlela owayenokuya eAfrika. Wandibuza: “Ngaba ungaya?” Nangona oku kwandothusa, ndakwazi ukutsho ngokuqinileyo ukuthi: “Ewe, ndiza kuya.”
Ngezo mini olona sukelo lwethu luyintloko yayikukusasaza iincwadi zeBhayibhile kangangoko kunokwenzeka, yaye oko kwakuthetha ukuba sasifanele sihambahambe. Ndakhuthazwa ukuba ndingatshati, njengoko inkoliso yabazalwana ababekwizigxina zembopheleleko babengatshatanga ngelo xesha. Intsimi yam yaqala eKapa, emazantsi encam yeAfrika, yaye yanabela kwimpuma yeli lizwekazi, kuquka iziqithi eziselunxwemeni zoLwandlekazi i-Indiya. Umda wasentshona wawususela kumhlaba oshushu kwiNtlango yaseKalahari ukusa kuMlambo umNayile kwiLake Victoria. Mna neqabane lam, kwakufanele sichithe iinyanga ezintandathu nyaka ngamnye kwilizwe elinye okanye angakumbi aseAfrika akulo mhlaba mkhulu.
Iibhokisi Ezingamakhulu Amabini Zobutyebi Bokomoya
Ukufika kwam eKapa, ndaboniswa ibhokisi ezingama-200 zeencwadi ezazisiya eMpuma Afrika. Ezi ncwadi zazibhalwe ngeelwimi ezine zaseYurophu nezine zaseAsia, kodwa akukho nanye kuzo eyayibhalwe ngeelwimi zaseAfrika. Xa ndabuza isizathu sokuba ezo ncwadi zibe lapho ngaphambi kokuba ndifike, ndaxelelwa ukuba zazithunyelelwe uFrank noGray Smith, oovulindlela ababini abasandul’ ukuya kushumayela eKenya. Kanye besandul’ ukufika eKenya, bobabini baphathwa sisifo seengcongconi, yaye okubuhlungu kukuba uFrank wafa.
Nangona ezi ndaba zazisothusa, azizange zindidimaze. Mna neqabane lam, uDavid Norman, sanduluka eKapa ngenqanawa sisiya kwisabelo sethu sokuqala, esimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-5 000 eTanzania. Umntu owayelungiselela olo hambo eMombasa, eKenya, wanyamekela uncwadi lwethu yaye wayezithumela iibhokisi naphi na apho sicela azithumele khona. Ekuqaleni, sashumayela kwiindawo zoshishino—iivenkile neeofisi—kwidolophu nganye. Inxalenye yeencwadi zethu yayiquka iincwadi ezisi-9 neencwadana ezili-11, ezathi ngenxa yemibala yazo eyahlukahlukeneyo zaziwa ngokuba ngumnyama.
Sandula ke sagqiba ukuba sityelele isiqithi saseZanzibar, esimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-30 kwimpuma yonxweme. Kangangeenkulungwane, iZanzibar yayiyeyona ndawo iyintloko ekuthengiswa kuyo amakhoboka kodwa kwakhona yayidume ngesinongo esithile, owawusisezela kuyo yonke loo dolophu. Kwakunzima ukuyibona indlela, kuba le dolophu yayakhiwe ngaphandle kweplani. Izitrato zaziphithene zidida yaye kwakulula ukuba silahleke. Ihotele esasihlala kuyo yayitofotofo ngokwaneleyo, kodwa yayineminyango enezikhonkwane neendonga ezinkulu yaye yayifana nentolongo kunehotele. Sekunjalo, saba nemiphumo emihle apho yaye kwasivuyisa ukufumanisa ukuba ama-Arabhu, amaIndiya nabanye babezithabatha ngovuyo iincwadi zethu.
Oololiwe, Amaphenyane Neemoto
Ukuhamba eMpuma Afrika ngezo mini kwakungelula. Ngokomzekelo, endleleni eya eMombasa kwiinduli zaseKenya, uloliwe esasihamba ngaye wamiswa libubu leenkumbi. Izigidi zeenkumbi zazizele ilizwe lonke neziporo zikaloliwe, zisenza ukuba amavili akhe atyibilike. Esona sicombululo yayikukuhlamba isiporo ngaphambi kukaloliwe, sisebenzisa amanzi ashushu kakhulu aphuma kwintloko kaloliwe. Ngale ndlela, wawuhamba kancinane lo msebenzi de ekugqibeleni lonke elo bubu leenkumbi laphela. Yaye kwathi qabu xa uloliwe wayeqalisa ukunyuka yaye sakwazi ukufumana impepho epholileyo yezo nduli!
Ngoxa kwakulula ukuya kwiidolophu eziselunxwemeni ngololiwe nangephenyane, kwakufikeleleka lula kwiindawo ezisemaphandleni ngemoto. Ndavuya xa umninawa wam uGeorge wayeza kusebenza nam, kuba ngoko sakwazi ukuthenga imoto eyikharavan, eyayinkulu ngokwaneleyo ukuba ingangena ibhedi, ikhitshi, indawo yokugcina impahla neyayineefestile ekwakungenakungena iingcongconi kuzo. Kwakhona safaka isandisi-lizwi eluphahleni. Ngenxa yokuba sasinezi zixhobo, sasikwazi ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu ebudeni bemini size simemele abantu kwiintetho zethu zangokuhlwa ezaziqhutyelwa emarikeni. Icwecwe esasithanda ukulidlala lalinomxholo othi “Is Hell Hot?” Sathabatha uhambo olusuka eMzantsi Afrika ukuya eKenya, uhambo oluziikhilomitha ezingama-3 000 “ngendlu yethu enamavili,” yaye savuya kuba ngesi sihlandlo sasineencwadana ezahlukahlukeneyo ngeelwimi eziliqela zaseAfrika, yaye abantu balapho bazivuyela kakhulu ukuzifumana.
Eyona nto yayimnandi kuthi kuhambo olufana nolu, sasikwazi ukubona izilwanyana zasendle zaseAfrika. Kakade ke, kuba sifuna ukukhuseleka sasihlala ngaphakathi kwikharavan xa kwakumnyama, kodwa kwakuqinisa ukholo ngeyona ndlela ukubona izilwanyana ezidalwe nguYehova kwindawo yazo yokwemvelo.
Intshutshiso Iyaqalisa
Ngoxa sasizilumkela izilwanyana zasendle, oku kwakungafani kwaphela noko kwakufanele sikwenze xa sasijamelene namagosa karhulumente awahlukahlukeneyo nezinye iinkokeli zonqulo ezinomsindo ezaqalisa ukuchasa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ngoBukumkani ekuhleni. Owona mqobo mkhulu ekwafuneka sijamelane nawo yayingumntu owayenenzondelelo yempambano owayezibiza ngokuba nguMwana Lesa, gama elo elalithetha “uNyana kaThixo,” yaye iqela lakhe lalibizwa ngokuba yiKitawala, yaye okubuhlungu kukuba lalithetha “iWatchtower.” Kungekudala ngaphambi kokuba sifike, lo mntu wayesele erhaxe abantu abaNtsundu abaliqela, esithi uyababhaptiza. Ekugqibeleni wabanjwa waza waxhonywa. Kamva, ndafumana ithuba lokuthetha nomntu owamxhomayo ndaza ndamcacisela ukuba le ndoda yayingenanto yakwenza noMbutho wethu weWatch Tower.
Kwakhona saba nengxaki nabantu abaMhlophe abaninzi, ababengawuthandi umsebenzi wethu wokufundisa, ngenxa yezizathu zemali. Omnye umphathi wendawo yokugcina iimpahla wakhalaza esithi: “Ukuba abantu abaMhlophe baza kuhlala kweli lizwe, abantu abaNtsundu abamele babone ukuba bayaxhatshazwa.” Ngesizathu esifanayo, umphathi womgodi wegolide wandigxotha esithi mandiphume eofisini yakhe. Emva koko elugcwabevu ngumsindo wahamba nam waya kundibeka esitratweni.
Ephenjelelwe ngokuyintloko ngabachasi bonqulo nabezorhwebo, urhulumente waseRhodesia (ngoku yiZimbabwe) ekugqibeleni wasiyalela ukuba siphume siphele kwelo lizwe. Sabhena ngenxa yesi sigqibo yaye savunyelwa ukuba siphinde sihlale, kuphela ukuba asiyi kushumayela kubantu abaNtsundu. Isizathu esanikelwa lelinye igosa yayikukuba iincwadi zethu “azizifanelanga iingqondo zabantu abaNtsundu.” Noko ke, kumanye amazwe, umsebenzi wethu wokufundisa kubantu abaNtsundu wawungaphazanyiswanga, yaye wawuthandwa. Elinye lala mazwe kuseSwazini.
Ukwamkelwa NguKumkani WaseSwazini
ISwazini lilizwe elincinane nelizimele-geqe eliziiskwe-khilomitha ezingama-17 364 eliphakathi kuMzantsi Afrika. Kulapha apho sadibana khona neciko elinguKumkani uSobhuza II, okhankanywe ekuqaleni kweli bali. Wayesithetha kakuhle isiNgesi, awayesifunde ngoxa wayefunda kwiyunivesithi yaseBritani. Enxibe ngokupholileyo, wasamkela ngobubele.
Incoko yethu kunye naye yayisekelwe kumhlaba oyiParadesi uThixo awulungiselele abantu abanotyekelo olufanelekileyo. Nangona wayengenamdla ungako kulo mbandela, walitsolisa elokuba naye kudala ecinga ngento enjalo. Lo kumkani wayezimisele ukuphucula indlela yokuphila yamahlwempu nabantu abangafundanga. Wayengazithandi izinto ezazisenziwa ngabavangeli beNgqobhoko, ababebonakala benomdla ngakumbi ekwandiseni amalungu ecawa kunokuwafundisa. Noko ke, lo kumkani wayeqhelene nezinto ezazisenziwa ngoovulindlela bethu abaliqela, yaye wasincoma ngomsebenzi wethu wokufundisa iBhayibhile, ingakumbi xa sasikwenza oko ngaphandle kokuhlawulisa.
Imfundo YeBhayibhile Ihambela Phambili
Ngowe-1943 kwasekwa iSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi ukuze kuqeqeshwe abavangeli basemazweni. Kwakugxininiswa ekubuyeleni kubo bonke abanomdla kunokugxininisa ekusasazeni iincwadi zeBhayibhile. Ngowe-1950 mna noGeorge samenyelwa kwiklasi ye-16 yaseGiliyadi. Apha ndadibana okokuqala noJean Hyde, udade okhutheleyo waseOstreliya owathunyelwa ukuba abe ngumvangeli wasemazweni eJapan emva kokuba sigqibile esikolweni. Ngelo xesha kwakukhuthazwa gqitha ukungatshati, ngoko ubuhlobo bethu abuzange buhambele phambili.
Emva koqeqesho lwethu eGiliyadi, mna noGeorge safumana isabelo sokuba sibe ngabavangeli basemazweni eMauritius, kwisiqithi esikuLwandlekazi lwaseIndiya. Sazenzela abahlobo, safunda ulwimi lwabo saza saqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile kunye nabo. Kamva, umninawa wam uWilliam nomfazi wakhe, uMuriel nabo baphumelela eGiliyadi. Bathunyelwa apho ndandishumayela khona—eKenya.
Iminyaka esibhozo yadlula ngokukhawuleza, kwandula ke kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe eNew York ngowe-1958, ndadibana noJean Hyde kwakhona. Saqhubeka nobuhlobo bethu saza saganana. Ndanikwa esinye isabelo sobuvangeli basemazweni ndisuka eMauritius ndisiya eJapan, yaye mna noJean satshatela apho ngowe-1959. Sandula saqalisa umsebenzi wobuvangeli wasemazweni eHiroshima sonwabe kakhulu, yaye ngelo xesha kwakukho ibandla nje elinye elincinane. Namhlanje, kukho amabandla angama-36 kweso sixeko.
Ukunduluka EJapan
Njengoko iminyaka ihamba, iingxaki zempilo kuthi sobabini zaqalisa ukwenza umsebenzi wethu wobuvangeli ube nzima, yaye ekugqibeleni kwafuneka siyishiye iJapan siye kuhlala kwilizwe lokuzalwa likaJean, eOstreliya. Kwakubuhlungu gqitha ngemini esasiyishiya ngayo iHiroshima. Kwisikhululo sikaloliwe, sathi sayonara, okanye salani kakuhle kubahlobo bethu bonke esibathandayo.
Ngoku sihlala eOstreliya, yaye sisebenzisa onke amandla ethu esinawo siqhubeka sikhonza uYehova neBandla laseArmidale kwisithili saseNew South Wales. Kuye kwaba luvuyo ngokwenene ukwabelana nabantu abaninzi ngeenyaniso zamaKristu phantse iminyaka engamashumi asibhozo! Ndiye ndabona ulwando oluhle lwenkqubo yokufundisa ngeBhayibhile yaye ngokobuqu ndiye ndabona iziganeko ezibalulekileyo zokomoya. Akukho mntu okanye abantu abanokuzizukisa ngoku. Ngokwenene, xa ndicaphula amazwi omdumisi, “oku kuye kwabakho kuvela kuYehova; kuyamangalisa emehlweni ethu.”—INdumiso 118:23.
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Umntakwethu uGeorge nenqwelo yethu ekwayindlu
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NdiseLake Victoria
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Abafundi besikolo samabanga aphakamileyo ababeze kwintetho yesidlangalala eSwazini ngowe-1938
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Ndikunye noJean ngemini yethu yomtshato ngowe-1959 nanamhlanje