Ndifumene Iintsikelelo Ezininzi

Kubalisa uArthur Bonno

KWAKUNGOWE-1951. Mna nomfazi wam uEdith, sasikwindibano yesithili xa seva isaziso sokuba kuza kubakho intlanganiso yabo banomdla wokuba ngabathunywa bevangeli.

Ndathi: “Masiye kuphulaphula!”

UEdith waphendula wathi: “Hayi Art, asinakulunga thina!”

“Khawuze torho Edie, siza kuphulaphula qha.”

Emva kwentlanganiso, sanikwa iifomu zesicelo sokuya kwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi.

Ndamcenga ndathi: “Masizizalise.”

“Kodwa Art, siza kuthini ngeentsapho zethu?”

Malunga nonyaka onesiqingatha emva kwaloo ndibano, saya kwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi yaye sabelwa ukuya kukhonza e-Ecuador, eMzantsi Merika.

Mhlawumbi kwincoko yam nomfazi wam ngoxa sasikuloo ndibano, ufumanise ukuba ndandingumntu othanda ukutyhala ngesifuba kwaye ndingafuni kuphoswa nto. Noko ke, uEdith wayenobulali yaye ethozamile. Xa wayesakhula kwidolophana yase-Elizabeth, ePennsylvania, eUnited States, wayengazange abe kude nekhaya okanye adibane nomntu welinye ilizwe. Kwakunzima ukuba ashiye intsapho yakowabo. Nangona kunjalo, wasamkela ngezandla ezishushu isabelo sakhe sokuya kukhonza kwelinye ilizwe. Ngowe-1954 safika e-Ecuador yaye ukususela ngoko besikhonza njengabathunywa bevangeli kweli lizwe. Ebudeni beminyaka esiyichithe apha, siye safumana iintsikelelo ezininzi. Ngaba ungathanda ukuva ngezinye zazo?

Iinkumbulo Ezintle

Isabelo sethu sokuqala saba kwisixeko esilikomkhulu, iQuito, esikwiimitha ezingama-2 850 ukuphakama kwiiNtaba ZeAndes. Sahamba iintsuku ezimbini ngololiwe nangelori ukusuka kwisixeko esigudle ulwandle iGuayaquil—uhambo ngoku oluthatha imizuzu engama-30 ngenqwelo moya! Sakhonza eQuito iminyaka emine engasayi kuze ilibaleke. Ngowe-1958, sasikelelwa nangenye indlela: Samenyelwa ukuya kwenza umsebenzi wesiphaluka.

Ngelo xesha, kwilizwe lonke kwakukho iziphaluka ezibini ezincinane kuphela. Ngoko ukongezelela ekutyeleleni amabandla, sachitha iiveki eziliqela sishumayela kwiidolophana zasekuhlaleni ezazingenamaNgqina. Ngokuqhelekileyo iindawo zokuhlala zalapho zazincinane, zingenafestile yaye kukho ibhedi kuphela. Sasiphatha ibhokisi eyenziwe ngamaplanga esasifaka kuyo isitovu separafini, ipani, iipleyiti, ivaskom, amashiti, inethi yokuzikhusela kwiingcongconi, iimpahla, amaphephandaba amadala nezinye izinto. La maphephandaba sasivala ngawo imingxuma eseludongeni ukuze iimpuku zisokole ukungena.

Nangona kwezo zindlu kwakumnyama, sineenkumbulo ezintle zeencoko zangokuhlwa esasiba nazo sihleli phezu kwebhedi, sisitya isidlo esilula esiphekwe kwisitovu sethu separafini. Ekubeni ndandingumntu ofan’ athethe, ngamanye amaxesha umfazi wam wayesebenzisa ezo zihlandlo zangokuhlwa ukuze andibonise ngobuchule indlela echubekileyo endinokuthetha ngayo nabazalwana esasibatyelela. Ndamphulaphula, yaye abazalwana babekhuthazeka ngakumbi xa ndityelele. Kwakhona, xa ndandithetha kakubi ngomnye umzalwana ndingacinganga, wayengayingeni loo ncoko. Ngoko ndafunda ukubajonga kakuhle abazalwana bam. Amaxesha amaninzi, ebusuku sasincokola ngezinto esizifunde kumanqaku eMboniselo nangamava entsimi yangolo suku. Ibe ayebangela imincili ngokwenene loo mava!

Indlela Esamfumana Ngayo UCarlos

Kwidolophu yaseJipijapa, ekwintshona ye-Ecuador, sanikwa igama lomntu onomdla—uCarlos Mejía, kodwa asanikwa adresi. Ukuphuma kwethu kwindlu esasiyirenta ngaloo ntsasa, sasingazi nokuba siqale ngaphi na ukumkhangela, ngoko sasuka nje saya kwelo cala silikhethileyo. Sasihamba sitsiba imigxobhozo kwezo zitrato zinodaka ngenxa yezantyalantyala zemvula ezazine ngezolo. Ndandihamba phambi komfazi wam, xa ndeva ekhwaza ngasemva esithi, “Art!” Ndathi ndakujika ndabona uEdie etshone waya kuma ngamadolo eludakeni. Yayicubhula ke leyo kangangokuba ngendandihlekile qha ndanqandwa ziinyembezi ezazigcwele ebusweni bakhe.

Ndakwazi ukumkhupha kolo daka, kodwa izihlangu zakhe zashiyeka. Sasibukelwe yenye inkwenkwe nentwazana, ngoko ndathi kubo, “Ukuba ningandikhuphela eza zihlangu eludakeni, ndiza kuninika imali.” Ngokuqhwanyaza kweliso, izihlangu zazisele zingaphandle, kodwa uEdie wayefuna indawo aza kuhlambela kuyo. Unina waba bantwana wayebukele yaye wasibizela ekhayeni lakhe, apho wanceda umfazi wam ukuba ahlambe imilenze ngoxa abantwana babecoca ezo zihlangu zimdaka. Ngaphambi kokuba sihambe, kwenzeka into emangalisayo. Ndabuza lo mama ukuba sinokumfumana phi na uCarlos Mejía. Othukile, wathi, “Ngumyeni wam lowo.” Ethubeni kwaqaliswa isifundo seBhayibhile, yaye ekugqibeleni yonke loo ntsapho yabhaptizwa. Kwiminyaka kamva, uCarlos, umfazi wakhe nabantwana babo ababini baba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo.

Uhambo Olunzima—Ukwamkelwa Ngokufudumeleyo

Ukwenza umsebenzi wesiphaluka kwakungeyondlwan’ iyanetha. Sasikhwela iibhasi, oololiwe, iilori, amaphenyane neenqwelo-moya ezincinane. Ngeny’ imini uJohn McLenachan, owayekhonza njengomveleli wesithili, nomfazi wakhe uDorothy, basikhapha ukuya kushumayela kwiidolophana ekulotywa kuzo kufutshane nomda waseColombia. Sahamba ngephenyane eliqhutywa yinjini. Ookrebe abalingana nephenyane ubukhulu babedada kufutshane nathi! Nomqhubi onamava esasihamba naye woyikiswa bubukhulu baba krebe waza wakhawuleza walijika iphenyane laya ngaselunxwemeni.

Noko ke, nangona kwakungelula kumsebenzi wesiphaluka, asizange sizisole ngokuwenza. Sadibana nabazalwana abathandekayo, abasamkela ngobubele. Kumaxesha amaninzi iintsapho esasihlala nazo zazifuna sitye kathathu ngemini, nangona zona zazisitya kanye. Okanye zazisilalisa kwibhedi ekuphela kwayo ekhayeni, zize zona zilale phantsi. Umfazi wam wayedla ngokuthi, “Aba bazalwana noodade abathandekayo bandinceda ndibone ukuba ndinako ukuphila ngezinto ezingephi.”

“Asifuni Kuzibandeza”

Ngowe-1960 safumana enye intsikelelo—samenywa ukuba siye kukhonza kwiofisi yesebe eGuayaquil. Ngoxa ndandisenza umsebenzi weofisi, uEdith wayekhonza entsimini nebandla elalikufutshane nesebe. Ndandingengomntu ukuthandayo ukusebenza eziofisini yaye ndaziva ngathi andifaneleki, kodwa njengoko eyamaHebhere 13:21 isitsho, uThixo usixhobisa ‘ngento yonke elungileyo ukuze senze ukuthanda kwakhe.’ Kwiminyaka emibini kamva, ndamenywa ukuba ndiye kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi esasiza kuthatha iinyanga ezilishumi kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn, eNew York. Ngelo xesha, abafazi babeshiyeka kwizabelo zabo. Kwafika ileta ivela eBrooklyn, isiza kumfazi wam. Wacelwa ukuba acinge enoba angakwazi ukuhlala ngaphandle komyeni wakhe iinyanga ezilishumi kusini na.

UEdith waphendula wathi: “Ndiqinisekile ukuba akuyi kuba lula ukwenza le nto, kodwa siyazi ukuba uYehova uya kusinceda ukutyhubela nabuphi na ubunzima. . . . Asifuni kuzibandeza nawaphi na amalungelo asenokubekwa phambi kwethu okanye nawaphi na amathuba anokusenza sikufanelekele nangakumbi ukwenza izabelo zethu.” Xa ndandiseBrooklyn, ndandifumana ileta evela kumfazi wam veki nganye.

Ukukhonza Kunye Nabazalwana Bethu Abathembekileyo

Ngowe-1966, ngenxa yempilo, mna noEdith sabuyela kumsebenzi wobuvangeli eQuito, sikhonza kunye nabazalwana noodade basekuhlaleni. Ngokwenene babeyigcinile ingqibelelo yabo!

Omnye udade othembekileyo wayenomyeni ongeloNgqina owayedla ngokumbetha. Ngeny’ imini, ngeyesithandathu kusasa, sabizwa ngomnye umntu esixelela ukuba uphinde wabethwa kwakhona. Ndabaleka ndaya kumzi walo dade. Ndathi ndakumbona, andawakholelwa amehlo am. Wayethe tywaa ebhedini, edumbile yaye enemikrwelo. Umyeni wakhe wayembethe ngentonga yomtshayelo yada yophuka. Kamva ngalo mini, ndamfumana ekhaya ndaza ndamxelela ukuba wenze ubugwala. Wadomboza ecela uxolo.

Ebutsheni beminyaka yee-1970, impilo yam yaba bhetele yaye sabuyela kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Isixeko saseIbarra sasiyinxalenye yesiphaluka sethu. Xa sasityelele eso sixeko ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1950, kwakukho amaNgqina amabini kuphela, umthunywa wevangeli nomnye umzalwana wasekuhlaleni. Ngoko sasikhangele phambili ekuboneni abantu abatsha ababeye bangena ebandleni.

Kwintlanganiso yethu yokuqala apho, uMzalwana uRodrigo Vaca wakhwela eqongeni waza wanikela intetho eyayibandakanya abaphulaphuli. Nanini na ebuza umbuzo, abo babekho babekhwaza bathi “Yo, yo!” (“Ndim, ndim!”) kunokuba baphakamise izandla. Sajongana noEdith simangalisiwe. Ndandizibuza, ‘Kuqhubeka ntoni apha?’ Kamva seva ukuba uMzalwana uVaca akaboni kodwa uyaweva amazwi abantu basebandleni xa bekhwaza. Ngumalusi ozazi kakuhle izimvu zakhe! Oku kwandikhumbuza amazwi kaYesu akuYohane 10:3, 4, 14 athetha ngoMalusi Omhle ozazi kakuhle izimvu zakhe nowaziwa kakuhle naye zizimvu zakhe. Namhlanje, eIbarra kukho amabandla amathandathu eSpanish, elinye lesiQuichua nelentetho yezandla. UMzalwana uVaca uqhubeka ekhonza ngokuthembeka njengomdala nanjengovulindlela okhethekileyo.a

Siyambulela UYehova Ngokulunga Kwakhe

Ngowe-1974 uYehova wasisikelela kwakhona xa samenywa ukuba sibuyele eBheteli, apho ndaphinda ndabelwa kumsebenzi weofisi ndaza kamva ndamiselwa njengelungu leKomiti Yesebe. UEdith waqala wasebenza kwindawo yokuphekela, waza kamva wasebenza eofisini, apho asasebenza khona nanamhlanje kwisebe elisingatha iposi.

Ukutyhubela iminyaka, siye sakuvuyela ukwamkela amakhulu abathunywa bevangeli abaqeqeshwe eGiliyadi, abakhuthaza amabandla abakhonza kuwo ukuba akhule aze akhuthale. Sikhuthazwa nangamawaka abazalwana noodade abasuka kumazwe angaphezu kwama-30 abeze kukhonza kweli lizwe. Usichukumisa ngokwenene umoya wokuzincama abanawo! Abanye abantu bathengise imizi namashishini abo ukuze beze kukhonza kwiindawo ekufuneka abavakalisi boBukumkani abangakumbi. Bebethenga iimoto zokuya kushumayela kwiindawo ezikwanti, bemisela amabandla amatsha yaye bencedisa ekwakheni iiHolo zoBukumkani. Oodade abaninzi abangatshatanga baye basuka kwamanye amazwe ukuze babe ngoovulindlela apha—bangabasebenzi abakhutheleyo ngokwenene!

Ngokwenene, ndiye ndafumana iintsikelelo ezininzi kwiminyaka ebendikhonza ngayo uThixo. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kuzo lulwalamano lwam noYehova. Kwakhona, ndiyambulela uYehova ngokundinika “umncedi.” (Gen. 2:18) Xa ndikhangela emva kwiminyaka engama-69 sikunye njengendoda nomfazi, ndicinga ngeMizekeliso 18:22, ethi: “Kukho bani na ufumene umfazi olungileyo? Ufumene into elungileyo.” Bekumnandi ukuba kunye noEdith. Undincede kwizinto ezininzi. Ebemthanda kakhulu nonina. Ukususela kwixesha esafika ngalo e-Ecuador, umfazi wam ebebhalela unina veki nganye kwada kwangowe-1990, xa unina wasutywa kukufa eneminyaka engama-97 ubudala.

Ngoku ndineminyaka engama-90 ubudala yaye uEdith unengama-89. Siyavuya kuba siye sanceda abantu abangama-70 ukuba bamazi uYehova. Ngokuqinisekileyo siyavuya nangokuba saye sazalisa eza fomu zokuya kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi kwiminyaka engama-60 eyadlulayo. Isigqibo esasenzayo siye sabangela ukuba ebomini bethu sifumane iintsikelelo ezininzi.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Apha sasiseYankee Stadium eNew York, sikunye nabanye abathunywa bevangeli esasiye nabo kwiklasi yaseGiliyadi, ngowe-1958

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 31]

Apha sasityelele intsapho engamaNgqina sisekumsebenzi wesiphaluka ngowe-1959

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 32]

Apha sasisesebeni lase-Ecuador, ngowama-2002