Ibali Lobomi

Ndatsaleleka Kwabakhulileyo Abanobulumko

Kubalisa uElva Gjerde

Kwiminyaka engama-70, olunye undwendwe lwasekhaya lwacebisa utata kwaye oko kwayitshintsha kwaphela indlela endandiphila ngayo ubomi bam. Ukususela ngaloo mini ibalulekileyo, kukho abantu abaninzi abaye banempembelelo entle ebomini bam. Ngelo xesha, ndafumana abahlobo endibaxabisa gqitha. Makhe ndicacise.

NDAZALELWA eSydney, eOstreliya, ngowe-1932, ngabazali ababekholelwa kuThixo kodwa bengenacawa bakhonza kuyo. Umama wandifundisa ukuba uThixo wayesoloko esijongile, elungele ukundohlwaya xa ndithe ndageza. Oko kwandenza ndamoyika uThixo. Kodwa, ndandithabathekile yiBhayibhile. Xa umakazi eze kusityelela ngeempelaveki, wayendibalisela amabali amaninzi eBhayibhile abangel’ umdla. Ndandisoloko ndikhangele phambili kutyelelo lwakhe.

Xa ndandikwishumi elivisayo, utata wayesoloko efunda iincwadi umama owayezifumana komnye umakhulu owayeliNgqina likaYehova. Wayesoloko anelisekile ngoko wayekufunda kwezo mpapasho zamaKristu, waza ethubeni wavuma ukufundelwa iBhayibhile ngamaNgqina. Njengoko wayeqhutyelwa isifundo seBhayibhile ngenye ingokuhlwa, utata wandibhaqa ndiphulaphule ngomdla. Wathi mandiye kulala kodwa lona undwendwe lwathi kuye, “Ungamyeki nje uElva ahlale nathi?” Elo cebiso laba sisiqalo sobomi bam obutsha kunye nobuhlobo bam noThixo oyinyaniso—uYehova.

Kamsinya emva koko, mna notata saqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. Oko wayekufunda apho kwamqhubela ukuba enze utshintsho ebomini bakhe. Waqalisa nokulawula umsindo wakhe. Oko kwakhuthaza umama kunye nobhuti uFrank ukuba baqalise ukuya ezintlanganisweni.a Sobane senza inkqubela saza sabhaptizwa njengamaNgqina kaYehova. Ukususela ngoko, abantu abaninzi abakhulileyo babesoloko benempembelelo entle kum, bendikhuthaza kumaxesha anzima endijamelana nawo obomi.

XA NDANDISENZA UKHETHO NGENDLELA YOKUPHILA

Xa ndandiselula, ebandleni ndandinxulumana kakhulu nabantu abakhulileyo. Omnye wabo yayinguAlice Place, udade osele ekhulile owayengowokuqala ukutyelela intsapho yasekhaya. Wayengathi ngumakhulu wam. UAlice wandiqeqeshela ekubeni ndiye kwinkonzo yasentsimini kwaye endikhuthaza ukuba ndide ndibhaptizwe. Xa ndandineminyaka eli-15 ubudala, ndalufikelela olo sukelo.

Ndatsaleleka kwesinye isibini esikhulileyo uPercy noMadge [Margaret] Dunham. Ukunxulumana naso kwaba nempembelelo entle kum. Kaloku ndandizithanda izibalo, kwaye ndandinosukelo lokufundisa izibalo. UPercy noMadge babekhonza njengabathunywa bevangeli eLatvia ngeminyaka yee-1930. Xa kwaqhambuka iMfazwe Yehlabathi Yesibini eYurophu, bacelwa ukuba baye kukhonza kwiBheteli yaseOstreliya eyayikwidolophu yaseSydney. UPercy noMadge babendithanda ngokwenene. Bandibalisela amava amaninzi achukumisayo abawafumana kumsebenzi wobuvangeli. Kwakuzicacele ukuba ukufundisa iBhayibhile kwakuyeyona nto yanelisayo kunokufundisa izibalo. Ngoko ndakhetha ukuba ngumthunywa wevangeli.

AbakwaDunhams bandikhuthaza ukuba ndilungele ukuba ngumthunywa wevangeli ngokuqala ndibe nguvulindlela. Ngoko ke, ngowe-1948 xa ndandineminyaka eli-16 ubudala ndaba nguvulindlela kunye nabanye oovulindlela abaselula abalishumi ababekwibandla lasekhaya eHurstville, eSydney.

Kwiminyaka emine emva koko, ndaye ndanguvulindlela kwezinye iidolophu ezine—zonke ziseNew South Wales naseQueensland. Umntu wokuqala endamqhubela isifundo seBhayibhile yayinguBetty Law (osele enguRemnant) UBetty intombazana eyayikhathala, wayemdala kum ngeminyaka emibini. Kamva waba nguvulindlela saza sashumayela kunye kwidolophu yaseCowra kwiikhilomitha ezingama-230 kwintshona yeSydney. Nangona sasingoovulindlela sobabini okwexeshana, mna noBetty saqhubeka singabahlobo ukuza kuthi ga namhlanje.

Xa ndafumana isabelo sokuba nguvulindlela okhethekileyo, ndafudukela eNarrandera—idolophu eziikhilomitha ezingama-220 kumzantsi-ntshona weCowra. Ndashumayela kunye noJoy Lennox (osele enguHunter), owayenguvulindlela onenzondelelo kwaye naye wayemdala kum ngeminyaka emibini. Yayisithi kuphela amaNgqina kuloo dolophu. Sasihlala kunye nesibini esinobubele uRay noEsther Irons. Bona, unyana wabo neentombi zabo ezintathu baba nomdla wokwazi inyaniso. Ebudeni beveki uRay nonyana wakhe babesebenza kwifama yeegusha kunye nengqolowa kude kufuphi nedolophu ababehlala kuyo. UEsther neentombi zakhe babenyamekela indlu ababeqeshisa ngayo. Rhoqo ngeeCawa ngedinala sinoJoy sasidla ngokwenza isibhadlalala sokutya okuqhotsiweyo, siphekela intsapho yakwaIrons kunye nowalakahla lwabantu ababehlala nabo—bonke bengamadoda asebenza esiporweni azixabisileyo izisu zawo. Ukwenza loo msebenzi kwakusiphungulela imali yerente. Emva kokuba sicocile sasilungiselela intsapho yakwaIrons ukutya kokomoya okumnandi—isifundo seveki nganye seMboniselo. URay, uEsther nabantwana babo abane bangena enyanisweni yaye baba ngamalungu okuqala eBandla laseNarrandera.

Ngowe-1951, ndaya kwindibano yamaNgqina kaYehova eyayiseSydney. Apho ndaya kwintlanganiso ekhethekileyo yoovulindlela abanomdla kumsebenzi wokuba ngabathunywa bevangeli. Babengaphezu kwama-300 ababekho kuloo ntlanganiso eyayisententeni enkulu. UNathan Knorr owayekhonza kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn, wayenza yacaca imfuneko engxamisekileyo yabo baza kuthwala iindaba ezilungileyo bazise kuzo zonke iindawo zomhlaba. Sayigcina yonke into awayeyithetha. Uninzi loovulindlela ababekuloo ntlanganiso kamva lwaqalisa umsebenzi woBukumkani kuMzantsi wePasifiki nakwezinye iindawo. Ndakuvuyela ukuba ngomnye wabemi baseOstreliya abali-17 abamenyelwa kwiklasi ye-19 yeSikolo saseGiliyadi ngowe-1952. Xa ndandineminyaka nje engama-20 ubudala iminqweno yam yokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli yazaliseka!

XA KWAFUNEKA NDIPHUCULE

Imfundo kunye nonxulumano lwaseGiliyadi azizange nje zandise ulwazi lwam lweBhayibhile zize zomeleza ukholo lwam kodwa zachaphazela nobuntu bam. Ndandiselula, ndinamaphupha, kwaye ndilindele imfezeko kum nakwabanye. Ezinye zeembono zam zazingqongqo. Ngokomzekelo, kwandothusa gqitha ukubona uMzalwan’ uKnorr edlala ibhola kunye nabazalwana noodade abaselula baseBheteli.

Abaqeqeshi baseGiliyadi—amadoda athembekileyo nanamava—bamele ukuba babona ukuba ndinengxaki. Babonakalisa umdla kum kwaye bandinceda ukuba ndilungise indlela yokucinga. Ngokuthe ngcembe, ndaqalisa ukubona ukuba uYehova unothando kwaye nguThixo onoxabiso, akakho ngqongqo kwaye akasinyanzeli. Kwakhona, ndancedwa nangabanye babo ndandikunye nabo esikolweni. Ndikhumbula omnye wabo esithi: “Elva, uYehova akaphethanga mvubu phaya ezulwini. Ngoko ke, sukuba ngqongqo kangaka!” Amazwi akhe acacileyo ayichukumisa intliziyo yam.

Emva kokuba sigqibile eGiliyadi, mna kwakunye nabanye abane kwabo ndandikunye nabo esikolweni sathunyelwa eNamibia, eAfrika. Kungekudala emva koko, sisonke sasisele siqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezingama-80. Ndandiyithanda iNamibia kuquka nokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli, kodwa ndathandana nomnye umfana endandikunye naye esikolweni eGiliyadi yena owathunyelwa eSwitzerland. Emva kokuba ndigqibe unyaka eNamibia, ndaya kushumayela naye eSwitzerland. Emva kokuba sitshatile, saba kunye kumsebenzi wesiphaluka.

XA NDANDIJAMELENE NOBUNZIMA

Emva kokuchitha iminyaka emihlanu nevuyisayo kumsebenzi wokutyelela amabandla, sacelwa ukuba siye kukhonza kwiBheteli yaseSwitzerland. Kwintsapho yaseBheteli yalapho, ndakuvuyela kakhulu ukuba phakathi kwabazalwana noodade abakhulileyo nabaqolileyo ngokomoya.

Kamsinya emva koko, ndehlelwa yinto embi neyothusayo. Ndafumanisa ukuba umyeni wam wayenganyanisekanga kum nakuYehova. Ngoko saqhawula umtshato. Ndandidandathekile! Ndandingakwazi ukujamelana nale ngxaki, kodwa abahlobo bam abathandekayo baseBheteli bandixhasa ngothando. Babendiphulaphula xa ndifuna ukuthetha yaye xa ndifuna ukuphumla babendiyeka ndiphumle. Amazwi abo akhuthazayo nezinto ezintle ababendenzela zona zandixhasa kwintlungu engathethekiyo endandikuyo kwaye oko kwandinceda ndasondela ngakumbi kuYehova.

Kwakhona, ndakhumbula amazwi awathethwa ngaphambilana ngabanye abantu abakhulileyo abazizilumko abavavanywa zizilingo. Omnye wabo yayinguMadge Dunham. Wathi kum: “Elva, njengoko ukhonza uYehova, uza kudibana nezilingo ezininzi kodwa olona vavanyo luqatha luya kuvela kwabo basondeleyo kuwe. Xa ulingwa, sondela ngakumbi kuYehova. Khumbula ukuba ukhonza yena, kungekhona abantu abangafezekanga!” Icebiso likaMadge landinceda kubunzima endandijamelene nabo. Ndazimisela ukuba ndingavumeli iimpazamo zomyeni wam zindahlukanise noYehova.

Ethubeni, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndibuyele eOstreliya ndibe nguvulindlela kufutshane nasekhaya. Ngoxa ndandigoduka ngenqanawa ndandikuvuyela ukuncokola ngokukhululekileyo ngeBhayibhile kunye neqela endandikhwele nalo. Kwelo qela kwakukho indoda ezolileyo yaseNorway uArne Gjerde. Wakuthanda oko wayekuphulaphule. Kamva uArne waya kusibona ekhaya eSydney. Wakhawuleza wenza inkqubela ngokomoya waza wangena enyanisweni. Ngowe-1963, mna noArne satshata, kwiminyaka emibini kamva saba nomntwana oyinkwenkwe, uGary.

XA NDAJAMELANA NENYE ILAHLEKO

Mna uArne noGary sasonwabile yaye sibunandipha ubomi bentsapho. Kungekudala uArne wayandisa indlu yethu ukuze sihlale kunye nabazali bam ababesele bekhulile. Emva kweminyaka emithandathu sitshatile, savelelwa yenye ingxaki eyahlukileyo. UArne wafumanisa ukuba unesifo somhlaza engqondweni. Ndandimtyelela yonke imihla esibhedlele njengoko wayefumana unyango lweradiation. Okwethuba elithile wayeqhuba kakuhle; kodwa imeko yaya isiba mandundu kangangokuba wade wafa icala. Ndaxelelwa ukuba uza kuphila nje iiveki ezimbalwa. Noko ke, uArne waphila. Wabuyela endlini, apho ndandisoloko ndimnyamekela ukuze abuyele empilweni. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, waphinda wakwazi ukuhamba waza waphinda waqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe njengomdala webandla. Ukuba nobuhlobo nokuba noburharha kwaba negalelo ekuchacheni kwakhe yaza loo nto yenza kwalula ukuba ndiqhubeke ndimnyamekela.

Kwiminyaka emininzi kamva, ngowe-1986, impilo ka-Arne yaba nkenenkene kwakhona. Ngelo xesha bobabini abazali bam bebesele bengasekho, ngoko safudukela kwindawo entle ebizwa ngokuba yiBlue Mountains ngaphandle kwaseSydney, oko kwenza saba kufutshane nabahlobo bethu. Kamva, uGary watshata nodade othandekayo okhulileyo ngokomoya uKarin kwaye bacebisa ukuba sihlale sobane endlwini enye. Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa, safudukela kwindlu ekufutshane kuleyo sasisoloko sihlala kuyo noArne.

Kwiinyanga ezili-18 ezazisele zobomi bakhe, impilo ka-Arne yaba mbi kakhulu yaye kwakufuneka ejongiwe ngalo lonke ixesha. Kuba ndandisoloko ndikho endlwini amaxesha amaninzi, ndandichitha iiyure ezimbini suku ngalunye ndifunda iBhayibhile kunye neempapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni. Njengoko ndandiqhubeka ndifunda ndafumana amacebiso awandinceda ndakwazi ukumelana nale meko. Ndandisoloko ndityelelwa ngabazalwana noodade abakhulileyo ebandleni—abanye babo babekhe banyamezela iimeko ezifana nale yam. Utyelelo lwabo lwalundikhuthaza ngokomoya. UArne wasweleka ngoApril 2003, enethemba lovuko.

OYENA MNTU WANDIXHASAYO

Xa ndandiselula, ndandinamaphupha. Kodwa ndafumanisa ukuba ubomi abusoloko buyile nto ndandiyilindele. Ndafumana iintsikelelo ezingabalekiyo kwaye ndajamelana nezona zilingo zinzima—ukulahlekelwa liqabane lam lokuqala lomtshato elaziphatha kakubi kunye nelinye elahlaselwa kukugula. Ebudeni belo xesha ndafumana ukhokelo kunye nentuthuzelo kubantu abaninzi. Oyena mntu wandixhasayo ‘nguNyangelemihla’—uYehova uThixo. (Dan. 7:9) Amacebiso akhe andinceda kubuntu bam kwaye ndafumana namava amyoli kumsebenzi wam wokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli. Xa kwakuvela iingxaki, ‘ububele bothando bukaYehova baqhubeka bundixhasa kwaye intuthuzelo yakhe yaqalisa ukuthuthuzela umphefumlo wam.’ (INdu. 94:18, 19) Kwakhona ndandikuvuyela ukufumana uthando nenkxaso entsatsheni ‘nakumaqabane enyaniso azalelwe ixesha lokubandezeleka.’ (IMize. 17:17) Uninzi lwabo yayingabantu abadala nabazizilumko.

Usolusapho uYobhi wabuza oku: “Ngaba akukho bulumko phakathi kwabalupheleyo nokuqonda ebudeni bemihla?” (Yobhi 12:12) Xa ndijonga ubomi bam bangaphambili ndingatsho ukuthi impendulo yalo mbuzo nguewe. Amacebiso abo bakhulileyo nabanobulumko andinceda, intuthuzelo yabo yandinceda nokunxulumana nabo kwandinceda. Ndinombulelo ongazenzisiyo kuba ndiye ndanxulumana nabo.

Ngoku ndineminyaka engama-80 ubudala yaye ndaluphele. Amava aye andenza ndazinyamekela ngakumbi iimfuno zabo bakhulileyo. Ndisakuthanda ukubatyelela nokubanceda. Kodwa ndiyakuvuyela nokuchitha ixesha nolutsha. Indlela abanamandla ngayo iyakhuthaza kwaye indlela abadlamke ngayo iyasulela. Xa ulutsha lufuna ulwalathiso kwakunye nenkxaso yam, ndikuvuyela gqitha ukulunceda.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14]

Sasingoovulindlela kunye noJoy Lennox eNarrandera

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

UElva kunye namalungu entsapho yaseBheteli eSwitzerland ngowe-1960

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]

Ukunyamekela uArne ngoxa wayegula