Ukukhulisa Abantwana EAfrika Ngexesha Lobunzima

NGOKUBALISWA NGUCARMEN MCLUCKIE

Kwakungonyaka we-1941. Kwakugquba iMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Ndandiphuma kwelaseOstreliya ndingumdlezane oneminyaka engama-23 ubudala, kodwa mna nosana lwam oluneenyanga ezintlanu sasikwintolongo yaseGwelo, kuMzantsi Rhodesia (ngoku eyiGweru, eZimbabwe). Umyeni wam wayekwintolongo yaseSalisbury (ngoku eyiHarare). Abanye abantwana bethu—omnye wayeneminyaka emibini omnye enemithathu ubudala—babenyanyekelwa ngabantwana ababini bomtshato wokuqala womyeni wam ababekwishumi elivisayo. Makhe ndithi ukuchaza ngokuba kwasusela phi ukuze ndize kuba kule meko.

NDANDIHLALA noMama noTata ePort Kembla, malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-50 kumazantsi eSydney, eOstreliya. Ngowe-1924, uClare Honisett watyelela uMama waza wavuselela umnqweno wakhe kwiimfundiso zeBhayibhile ngokumbuza ukuba uyayiqonda na intsingiselo yoMthandazo weNkosi. UClare wachaza intsingiselo yokungcwalisa igama likaThixo, waza wachaza nendlela uBukumkani obuya kubangela ngayo ukuba kwenziwe ukuthanda kukaThixo emhlabeni. (Mateyu 6:9, 10) UMama wasala ebambe ongezantsi. Nangona uTata wayechasa, uMama waqalisa ukuyimba nzulu inyaniso yeBhayibhile.

Akuzange kube kudala emva koko, safudukela kwihlomela-dolophu laseSydney. Mna noMama sasidla ngokuhamba iikhilomitha ezintlanu sisiya kwiintlanganiso zaBafundi beBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayebizwa njalo ngelo xesha. Nangona uTata engazange abe liNgqina, wavuma ukuba kuqhutywe izifundo zeBhayibhile apho ekhaya. Abantakwabo ababini—uMax no-Oscar Seidel—baba ngamaNgqina, ngokunjalo namanye amalungu entsapho kaMax kwakunye nomntakwethu omncinane, uTerry nodadewethu omncinane, uMylda.

Ngowe-1930 iWatch Tower Society yathenga isikhephe esiziimitha ezili-16, esathi kamva sabizwa ngokuba yiLightbearer. Kangangeminyaka emibini esi sikhephe sasibotshelelwe ngasemazantsi endawo esasihlala kuyo kuMlambo iGeorges. Kulapho salungiselelwa ukuze sisetyenziswe ngamaNgqina kaYehova kumsebenzi wokushumayela kwisiqithi saseIndonesia. Maxa wambi mna nodade wethu uCoral sasidla ngokusicoca ngaphakathi nasemgangathweni yaye sasidla ngokuboleka isibane sephenyane siye kuloba.

Ndaya EAfrika Ndaza Ndatshata

Imeko yezoqoqosho yadodobala kanobom eOstreliya ngeminyaka yee-1930, yaye mna noMama saya eMzantsi Afrika ngelokuzama ukubona ukuba kungalula na ngentsapho yakowethu ukuya kuhlala apho. Sasineleta esichazayo evela kwiofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova yaseOstreliya eyayisiya kuGeorge Phillips, owayesongamela umsebenzi wokushumayela kumazantsi eAfrika ngelo xesha. UGeorge wayesezibukweni eKapa eze kusikhawulela enqanaweni. Wayegushe ekhwapheni incwadi yeWatch Tower Society ethi Riches ukuze simbone lula. Kwangaloo mini, ngoJuni 6, 1936, wasazisa kubasebenzi abahlanu besebe, phakathi kwabo kwakukho uRobert A. McLuckie.a Kwangaloo nyaka, mna noBertie—njengoko sasimbiza ngolo hlobo—satshata.

Ukhokho kaBertie uWilliam McLuckie wakha weza eAfrika ngowe-1817 esuka ePaisley, eSkotlani. Kuhambo lwakhe lokuqala, uWilliam waqhelana noRobert Moffat, indoda eyenza indlela yokuba kubhalwe ulwimi lwesiTswana yaza yaguqulela iBhayibhile ngolo lwimi.b Ngaloo maxesha, uWilliam neqabane lakhe uRobert Schoon babekuphela kwabelungu ababethenjwa nguMzilikazi, ijoni elidumileyo kumkhosi wenkosi eyaziwayo yamaZulu uShaka. Ngenxa yaloo nto, uWilliam noRobert babekuphela kwabelungu ababevunyelwa ukuba bangene kubuhlanti bukaMzilikazi, apho isixeko sasePitoli, eMzantsi Afrika, simiyo ngoku. Kamva uMzilikazi waba ligosa laseburhulumenteni waza phakathi kwinkulungwane ye-19 wadibanisa iintlanga ezininzi kubukumkani obumanyeneyo baseAfrika.

Ekudibaneni kwam noBertie, wayengumhlolo owayenentombi eneminyaka eli-12 ubudala, uLyall nonyana oneminyaka eli-11 ubudala uDonovan. UBertie waqala ukuva ngenyaniso yeBhayibhile ngowe-1927, kwiinyanga nje ezimbalwa emva kokufa komfazi wakhe uEdna. Kwiminyaka esithoba emva koko, washumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo kwiziqithi zaseMauritius naseMadagascar kwakunye nakulo lonke elaseNyasaland (ngoku eyiMalawi), ePortuguese East Africa (ngoku eyiMozambique), naseMzantsi Afrika.

Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa emva kokuba sitshatile noBertie, safuduka noLyall noDonovan sisinge eRhawutini, apho kwaba lula ngoBertie ukuba afumane umsebenzi. Okwelo xesha, ndakhonza njengovulindlela, njengoko abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bamaNgqina kaYehova bebizwa njalo. Emva koko ndakhulelwa uPeter.

Safudukela KuMzantsi Rhodesia

Ekugqibeleni, umntakwabo Bertie uJack wasicela ukuba siye kumncedisa kumsebenzi wokumba igolide kufutshane naseFilabusi, kuMzantsi Rhodesia. Mna noBertie sahamba noPeter, owayenonyaka ubudala ngoko, ngoxa umama wayenyamekela uLyall noDonovan okwexeshana. Ukufika kwethu kuMlambo uMzingwani kwakungexesha lezikhukula, ibe sanqumla ngebhokisi eyayitsalwa ngentambo, isuka kolunye unxweme lomlambo isiya kolunye. Ndandineenyanga ezintandathu ndikhulelwe uPauline, ibe kwafuneka uPeter ndimbeke esifubeni ndimbambe nkqi! Kwakusoyikisa ngokwenene, ingakumbi xa le ntambo yaphantsa yarheca amanzi kumbindi womlambo. Ngaphezu koko, kwakusezinzulwini zobusuku yaye kwakusina! Emva kokuba siwuwelile umlambo, kwafuneka sihambe iikhilomitha ezimalunga nezimbini ngaphambi kokuba sifike kumzi wesizalwane sethu.

Kamva saqesha indlu endala yefama eyayisele ihlala iintubi. Sasingenampahla yendlu ininzi—enye kwesasinayo sayenza ngeebhokisi ezazisetyenziselwa iidamanethi nerhuluwa. UPauline wayemana ephathwa sisifo esiphazamisa ukuphefumla icroup, ibe sasingakwazi ukuthenga amayeza. Ndandibuhlungu gqitha, kodwa sasiba nombulelo kuba uPauline wayesinda sihlandlo ngasinye.

Sabanjwa Sobabini NoBertie

Kanye ngenyanga sasidla ngokuya kwisixeko sakwaBulawayo, esimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-80 ukusuka apho sasihlala khona, ngelokuya kuthengisa igolide ebhankini. Sasidla ngokuya naseGwanda, idolophana ekufutshane naseFilabusi, siye kuthenga ukutya size sibe nesabelo kubulungiseleli. Ngowe-1940, unyaka osemva kokuqala kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II, umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wavalwa kuMzantsi Rhodesia.

Akuzange kube kudala emva koko, ndabanjwa ngoxa ndandishumayela eGwanda. Ngelo xesha ndandikhulelwe umntwana wam wesithathu uEstrella. Ngoxa kwakusaqwalaselwe isibheno sam, uBertie wabanjelwa ukushumayela waza wavalelwa eSalisbury, kumgama ongaphezu kweekhilomitha ezingama-300 ukusuka apho sasihlala khona.

Nantsi ke imeko esasikuyo ngelo xesha: UPeter wayekwisibhedlele sakwaBulawayo ngenxa yomqala omhlophe, yaye kwakuthandabuzeka ukuba uya kuphila. Ndandisandula ukubeleka uEstrella, ibe esinye isihlobo sandithabatha esibhedlele sandisa entolongweni ukuze ndibonise uBertie intombi yakhe. Kamva, xa sakhatywayo isibheno sam, omnye unovenkile osisinhanha oliNdiya ngobubele wandihlawulela ibheyile. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, kwafika amapolisa amathathu apho emgodini eze kundithabatha andise eluvalelweni. Andikhethisa. Ndandinokuhamba nosana lwam oluneenyanga ezintlanu ubudala ndiye nalo entolongweni okanye ndilushiye lunyanyekelwa ngabantwana ababekwishumi elivisayo uLyall noDonovan. Ndakhetha ukuhamba nalo.

Ndanikwa umsebenzi wokuthunga iimpahla nokucoca. Kwakhona, kwakukho umntu owayeza kundincedisa ukunyamekela uEstrella. Loo mntu wayelibanjwa eliselula ekuthiwa nguMatossi, elaligwetywe ubomi balo bonke ngenxa yokubulala umyeni walo. UMatossi wakhala ukukhululwa kwam, kuba wayengazi kuphinda anyamekele uEstrella. Umgcini-mabanjwa wandisa ekhayeni lakhe ukuze ndifumane isidlo sasemini waza wandikhwelisa kuloliwe ndisiya kutyelela uBertie kwintolongo yaseSalisbury.

Ngoxa sasisentolongweni noBertie, uPeter noPauline abaselula babenyanyekelwa nguLyall noDonovan. Nangona uDonovan wayeneminyaka eli-16 kuphela ubudala, waqhubeka esebenza kumgodi wethu. Ukukhululwa kukaBertie entolongweni, sagqiba kwelokuba sifudukele kwaBulawayo, kuba umgodi wawungasaqhubi kakuhle. UBertie waqeshwa esiporweni, yaye ndongezela ingeniso yethu ngokusebenzisa ubuchule endandisandula ukubufumana njengomthungi.

Umsebenzi kaBertie wokudibanisa isiporo wawujongwa njengobalulekileyo, ngoko wakhutshwa kwinkonzo yomkhosi. Ngaloo minyaka yemfazwe, iqaqobana lamaNgqina amhlophe kwaBulawayo laliziqhuba iintlanganiso kwindlwana yethu enegumbi elinye lokulala, ibe imbinana yabazalwana noodade wethu abantsundu babehlanganisana kwenye indawo esesixekweni. Kodwa ngoku angaphezu kwama-46 amabandla amaNgqina kaYehova anabantsundu nabamhlophe kwaBulawayo!

Ubulungiseleli Bethu Basemva Kwemfazwe

Emva kwemfazwe uBertie wacela apho esiporweni ukuba atshintshelwe eUmtali (ngoku eyiMutare), idolophu entle ekwimida yeMozambique. Sasifuna ukukhonza apho imfuneko yabavakalisi boBukumkani inkulu khona, yaye kwabonakala ngathi singayenza kakuhle kakhulu loo nto eUmtali ekubeni kwakungekho maNgqina kweso sixeko. Kwathi sisahleli nje ithutyana elifutshane, intsapho yakwaHoltshauzen, eyayinoonyana abahlanu yaba ngamaNgqina. Ngoku kukho amabandla ali-13 kweso sixeko!

Ngowe-1947 intsapho yethu yaxubusha ngokuba kunokwenzeka uBertie abuyele kumsebenzi wobuvulindlela. ULyall, owayevela kuba nguvulindlela eMzantsi Afrika wayixhasa le ngcamango. Ngelo xesha uDonovan wayenguvulindlela eMzantsi Afrika. Yathi iofisi yesebe eKapa yakuva ukuba uBertie unqwenela ukuphinda abe nguvulindlela, yamcela ukuba endaweni yoko avule indawo yokuthula uncwadi kwaBulawayo. Ngoko wawushiya umsebenzi wasesiporweni, saza sabuyela apho. Kungekudala emva koko, abavangeli bokuqala abaya kuMzantsi Rhodesia bafikela kwaBulawayo, phakathi kwabo kwakukho uEric Cooke, uGeorge noRuby Bradley, uPhyllis Kite, noMyrtle Taylor.

Ngowe-1948, uNathan H. Knorr, umongameli wesithathu weWatch Tower Society, kwakunye nososiba wakhe uMilton G. Henschel, batyelela kwaBulawayo baza balungiselela ukuba indawo ekothulwa kuyo ibe lisebe, waza uMzalwan’ uCooke wangumveleli walo. Kunyaka olandela lowo, kwazalwa intombi yethu uLindsay. Kwandula ke, ngowe-1950, isebe lafudukela eSalisbury, ikomkhulu loMzantsi Rhodesia, nathi safudukela apho. Sathenga umzi omkhulu esahlala kuwo iminyaka emininzi. Kwakusoloko kukho iindwendwe noovulindlela abasityelelayo, ngoko umzi wethu wabizwa ngokuba yihotele yakwaMcLuckie!

Ngowe-1953, mna noBertie saya kwiindibano zezizwe ngezizwe zamaNgqina kaYehova kwiYankee Stadium ekwisiXeko saseNew York. Kaloku eso siganeko asisayi kuze siphume ezingqondweni zethu! Kwiminyaka emihlanu emva koko, uLyall, uEstrella, uLindsay, noJeremy owayeneminyaka eli-16 ubudala babekunye nathi kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe eyathabatha iintsuku ezisibhozo ngowe-1958 eYankee Stadium ngakwiiPolo Grounds. Inani lababekho kwintetho yesidlangalala ngosuku lokugqibela laphul’ izikeyi ngokuba ngaphezu kwekota yesigidi!

Isabelo Esitsha Sokushumayela

UBertie wasebenza ehlala ngaphandle kwiofisi yesebe yaseSalisbury kangangeminyaka eli-14, kodwa sagqiba kwelokuba sikhonze apho imfuneko inkulu khona eSeychelles. Sathengisa umzi nempahla yethu saza sapakisha izinto zethu eziseleyo kwinqwelo-mafutha yethu ethe gabalala yohlobo lweOpel. Sikunye noLindsay owayeneminyaka eli-12, noJeremy owayeneminyaka emi-5, sahamba malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-3 000 kwindlela yomhlaba eyayinamagingxigingxi sinqumla kuMntla Rhodesia (ngoku oyiZambia), eTanganyika (ngoku eyinxalenye yeTanzania) naseKenya, de saya kufika kwisixeko esisezibukweni iMombasa.

IMombasa yayiluvundu ukutshisa oku, kodwa yayinonxweme oluhle. Sashiya inqwelo-mafutha yethu kwiNgqina lalapho, saza sathabatha uhambo lweentsuku ezintathu ngephenyane oluya eSeychelles. Sathi sakufika apho, sadibana noNorman Gardner, indoda eyafumana ulwazi olusisiseko lwenyaniso yeBhayibhile kwelinye iNgqina eDar es Salaam, eTanganyika. Wenza amalungiselelo okuba siqeshe umzi oseSans Souci Pass owawakhelwe amapolisa awayelinda uBhishophu Omkhulu wobuGrike bobuOthodoki uMakarios, owagxothwayo eCyprus ngowe-1956.

Ekubeni umzi wethu wawukwanti, emva kwenyanga safudukela kumzi ongaselunxwemeni eBeau Vallon. Apho sasidla ngokumema abantu ukuba baphulaphule iintetho ezazinikelwa nguBertie kwiveranda yethu. Saqalisa isifundo seBhayibhile nabakwaBindschedler, yaye kwiinyanga eziliqela emva koko, uBertie wababhaptiza kunye nentombi engeyoyabo ababeyikhulisa kwakunye noNorman Gardner nowakwakhe. Kwakhona sahamba noNorman ngephenyane lakhe saya kwiSiqithi iCerf, apho uBertie wanikela iintetho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni kwindlu yokugcina amaphenyane.

Xa sasisele sihleli malunga neenyanga ezine eSeychelles, intloko yamapolisa yasixelela ukuba simele siyeke ukushumayela okanye siya kugxothwa apho. Imeko yethu yemali yayingentle, ibe ndandikhulelwe kwakhona. Sagqiba kwelokuba siqhubeke sishumayela esidlangalaleni. Ngapha koko, sasisazi ukuba siza kuhamba kungekudala kakade. Kwathi kwakufika iphenyane elilandelayo livela eIndiya kwisithuba senyanga emva koko, sagxothwa.

Amagingxigingxi Endleleni Ebuyayo

Ukufika kwethu eMombasa, sathabatha inqwelo-mafutha yethu saza saya ngasemazantsi sihamba ngendlela enentlabathi negudle unxweme. Ukufika kwethu eTanga, injini yenqwelo-mafutha yethu yanikezela. Sasingenamali ngokwaneleyo, kodwa esinye isizalwana sethu naNgqina lithile basinceda. Ngoxa sasiseseMombasa, omnye umzalwana wathi uza kusixhasa ngemali ukuba sinokuya kushumayela emantla eSomalia. Noko ke, ndandingaphilanga, ngoko sasifuna nje ukugoduka sibuyele kuMazantsi eRhodesia.

Sanqumla iTanganyika sisiya eNyasaland saza sehlisa icala elingasentshona yeLake Nyasa, ngoku ebizwa ngokuba yiLake Malawi. Ndagula apho kangangokuba ndacela uBertie ukuba andithi tya-a ecaleni kwendlela ndizifele! Sasikufutshane nesixeko saseLilongwe, ngoko wandisa kwisibhedlele salapho. Inaliti enemorphine yatsho kwee qabu noko. Ekubeni ndandingenakukwazi ukuqhubeka nohambo ngenqwelo-mafutha, uBertie nabantwana baqhubeka nohambo oluziikhilomitha ezingama-400 ukuya eBlantyre. Kwiintsukwana emva koko, esinye isizalwana salungiselela ukuba ndiye kubo ngenqwelo-moya. Ukusuka eBlantyre ndathabatha inqwelo-moya yandibuyisela eSalisbury, yaye uBertie nabantwana balandela ngenqwelo-mafutha.

Hayi indlela ekwathi qabu ngayo sakufika eSalisbury emzini wentombi yethu uPauline nomyeni wayo! Ngowe-1963 kwazalwa umntwana wethu wamagqibelo, uAndrew. Omnye umphunga wakhe wawonakele ibe kwakungalindelwanga ukuba aphile, kodwa ngethamsanqa waphila. Ekugqibeleni safudukela eMzantsi Afrika saza sanomzi ePietermaritzburg.

Ukusikelelwa Ngentsapho Enothando

UBertie wasweleka eneminyaka engama-94 ngowe-1995, yaye ukususela ngoko bendihlala ndedwa kumzi wethu. Kodwa andindedwa kwaphela! ULyall noPauline bakhonza uYehova kunye neentsapho zabo apha eMzantsi Afrika, yaye abanye kubo bahlala apha ePietermaritzburg. ULindsay nentsapho yakhe baseKhalifoniya, eUnited States, apho bonke bangamaNgqina akhutheleyo. Abantwana bethu abangabona bancinane, uJeremy noAndrew, bafudukela eOstreliya, apho bobabini bonwabileyo kwimitshato yabo yaye bakhonza njengabadala kumabandla abakuwo.

Bosibhozo abantwana bethu bakhe babuxhamla ubulungiseleli bobuvulindlela, yaye abathandathu kubo bakhe bakhonza kwiiofisi zamasebe zeWatch Tower Society. UDonovan waphumelela kwiklasi ye-16 kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi ngoFebruwari 1951 waza wakhonza njengomveleli ohambahambayo eUnited States ngaphambi kokuba aze kusebenza kwiofisi yesebe eMzantsi Afrika. Ngoku ngumdala ongumKristu eKlerksdorp, malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-700 ukusuka ePietermaritzburg. UEstrella uhlala nomyeni wakhe uJack Jones, kwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York.

UPeter, izibulo lam, wachitha iminyaka eliqela kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, kumsebenzi wobuvulndlela nakwiofisi yesebe yeWatch Tower eRhodesia. Noko ke, kwiminyaka edluleyo ndaba buhlungu akushiya ubudlelane bebandla lamaKristu.

Xa ndikhangela emva kubomi bam, ndingathi indivuyisa ngokwenene into yokuba ndathi ndisekwishumi elivisayo ndaya eAfrika nomama. Liyinyaniso elokuba, ubomi bebungasoloko bulula, kodwa kwaba lilungelo kum ukuxhasa umyeni wam size sikhulise intsapho eye yaluncedo ekuhambiseleni phambili umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo kumazantsi eAfrika.—Mateyu 24:14.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imaphu ekwiphepha 20, 21]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

SOUTH AFRIKA

Cape Town

Pietermaritzburg

Klerksdorp

Johannesburg

Pretoria

ZIMBABWE

Gwanda

Bulawayo

Filabusi

Gweru

Mutare

Harare

ZAMBIA

MOZAMBIQUE

MALAWI

Blantyre

Lilongwe

TANZANIA

Dar es Salaam

Tanga

KENYA

Mombasa

SEYCHELLES

SOMALIA

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Ndikunye noPeter, uPauline, noEstrella, ngaphambi kokuba ndiye kuhlala noEstrella entolongweni

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 19]

ULyall noDonovan ngaphambi komzi wethu osefama kufutshane neFilabusi

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]

Ndikunye noBertie, uLyall, uPauline, uPeter, noDonovan, ngowe-1940

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 22]

UCarmen nabahlanu kubantwana bakhe: (ukusuka ngasekhohlo) uDonovan, xa wayeseGiliyadi ngowe-1951, noJeremy, uLindsay, uEstrella, noAndrew namhlanje