Isiseko Sobomi Bam Obunenjongo

KUBALISA UERNEST PANDACHUK

Ndizalelwe kummandla onamathafa waseSaskatchewan, eKhanada. Ndithe xa ndineminyaka engama-23 ubudala, ndaya eAfrika, apho ndakhonza khona kamnandi njengomvangeli wasemazweni kangangeminyaka engama-35. Kwenzeka njani konke oku? Akuzange kwenzeke ngamabona-ndenzile. Makhe ndinibalisele.

INDLU yokuqala yasekhaya yayakhiwe ngodaka, ifulelwe ngengca—ingayikhuseli kangako intsapho yakowethu kubusika obuqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo baloo mmandla ulithafa. Kwathi ngaphambi kokuba sizalwe solithoba ngowe-1928, uTata noMama bafumana uncwadi lweBhayibhile kumntu owayesityelele ekhaya. Ebudeni bobusika obude obalandelayo, bafundisisa iBhayibhile besebenzisa ezi mpapasho. Kwathi ke ngentwasahlobo yaloo nyaka, baba sele beqinisekile ukuba bayifumene inyaniso. Bancokola ngayo entsatsheni, kubahlobo, nakubamelwane, kodwa ubukhulu becala bayifaka kuthi bantwana.

Ndilibone ilanga ngowe-1931, kwaza kwathi kungekudala emva koko ndalekelwa ngabanye abantwana basekhaya abahlanu. Sasiyifundisisa rhoqo iBhayibhile njengentsapho. Ndiba nemincili xa ndikhumbula iintsasa esasizichitha sikunye. Yayidla ngokuba nguTata oqhuba ingxubusho yeBhayibhile, kwanaxa sasineendwendwe. UMama noTata, nabanye abantwana ababesele beqabukile, babedla ngokutshintshana ngokufunda iimpapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni.

Enye into esayifundiswa nguTata, ngaphandle kokufunda nokubhala, kukuphanda sisebenzisa iintyilalwazi zeBhayibhile. Akuzange kube kudala safunda nokuchazela abanye iinkolelo zethu sisebenzisa iBhayibhile. Ezi ngxubusho zimnandi zandinceda ndakwazi ukuqiqa ngemiba eseBhayibhileni. Ndada ndakwazi ukugatya iimfundiso zonqulo lobuxoki ndisebenzisa iBhayibhile. Ndandinokuyimela into yokuba umphefumlo uyafa, asikho isihogo somlilo, nokuba uThixo noYesu abalingani, bengeyiyo nenxalenye kaBathathu Emnye.—INtshumayeli 9:5, 10; Hezekile 18:4; Yohane 14:28.

Kanti uTata noMama babesimisela umzekelo yaye besikhuthaza ukuba sikumele okulungileyo, enoba loo nto iza kusenza singathandwa. Ngokomzekelo, abazange balifake emlonyeni icuba, yaye babedla ngokusilumkisa ngokungcola kwalo, yaye basixelela nento yokuba esikolweni siza kujamelana nempembelelo yokulisebenzisa. Kaloku ndikhumbul’ uTata esithi: “Kusenokuthiwa ulityutyusi xa ungatshayi. Kodwa ke babuze lo mbuzo, ‘Ngubani olikroti? Ngulo ukwaziyo ukulilawula icuba okanye ngolawulwa lilo?’”

Xa ndandineminyaka eli-11 ubudala, ndajamelana nolunye uvavanyo olwaluza kubonisa enoba ndandizimisele ukwenza izinto ngokuvisisana noqeqesho olusekelwe eBhayibhileni endalufumana kwasebuncinaneni bam. Ngelo xesha ke yayisandul’ ukuqala iMfazwe Yehlabathi II, yaye kwakulindeleke ukuba abantwana besikolo bakhahlele iflegi. Ngokusuka koko ndandikufunde eBhayibhileni, ndaqonda ukuba ukwenjenjalo kwakusisenzo sonqulo, ngoko ke ndala. Ndagxothelwa loo nto ke esikolweni kangangeenyanga ezintandathu.

Noko ke, ndada ndagqiba esikolweni, ibe ngoMatshi 1947 ndafuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova uThixo ngokubhaptizwa emanzini. Kwiinyanga ezintandathu emva koko ndaba nguvulindlela, umvakalisi wexesha elizeleyo weendaba ezilungileyo. Ndaqala ndakhonza kumazantsi eSaskatchewan, ndinikela ubungqina kumafama nakubaqeshwa bawo ababehlala kuloo mhlaba mkhulu. Ehlotyeni ndandikhwela ihashe, kuze ke xa kubanda ebusika, ndisebenzise isileyi esinophahla esitsalwa ngamahashe, esasisibiza ngokuba likhareji. Eli khareji sasilifudumeza ngesitovu samalahle, ngenxa yoko kwakuye kufuneke ndiqiniseke ukuba aliwi.

Abantu basezilalini babenobuhlobo yaye bebathanda abantu. Ndandisithi ukuba ndityelele emva kwemini, ndisele ndicelwa ukuba ndilalise apho. Ndandizinandipha ngokwenene iingxubusho zeBhayibhile esasiba nazo apho! Eny’ intsapho eyangenelwayo kwiingxubusho ezazithabatha ubusuku bonke yeyakwaPetersons. UEarl nonina baba ngamaNgqina kaYehova anenzondelelo.

Ukukhonza EQuebec

Ngowe-1949, ndasabela xa kwakuhlatyw’ ikhwelo koovulindlela ukuba baye kuncedisa kumsebenzi wokushumayela kwiphondo laseQuebec. Oovulindlela abamalunga nama-200 basentshona Khanada basabela kwelo khwelo. Bagaleleka kwisixeko saseMontreal ngoSeptemba, sele belindele ukungena kwizabelo zabo kulo lonke elaseQuebec. Ngelo xesha kwakuphethe iNkulumbuso engumKatolika uMaurice Duplessis, owabetha ngenqindi phantsi esithi uza kuwatshayela amaNgqina kwelo phondo.

Lawo yayingamaxesha anzima naxakekileyo, kodwa kwangaxeshanye ayemyoli. Obu bunzima babuquka ukufunda ulwimi lwesiFrentshi, ukubanjwa, ukuhlangabezana namahlokondiba nokuphazanyiswa kweendibano zamaKristu ngabantu abanenzondelelo yempambano. Noko ke, loo nkcaso ayizange indoyikise okanye indenze ndibe madolw’ anzima ukuphumeza isabelo sam njengomlungiseleli kaThixo. Abazali bam babeyibethelele kum into yokuthanda okulungileyo yaye ndandiqinisekile ngelokuba umsebenzi wokushumayela womhlaba wonke wawuya kwenziwa njengoko uYesu watshoyo, kwanokuba kukho inkcaso.—Mateyu 24:9, 14.

Ngethuba ndiseQuebec, ndadibana noEmily Hawrysh, uvulindlela onenzondelelo waseSaskatchewan. Ukususela ekutshateni kwethu ngoJanuwari 27, 1951, uEmily ebeliqabane elithembekileyo nelindikhuthazayo. Kuba sasinosukelo lokushumayela ixesha elizeleyo, safaka isicelo esaphumelelayo sokuya kufunda kwiSikolo SeBhayibhile SeWatchtower SaseGiliyadi, esithabatha iinyanga eziliqela nesenza abalungiseleli balungele umsebenzi wobuvangeli basemazweni. Saphumelela kwiklasi yama-20 yaseGiliyadi ngoFebruwari 1953.

Ngoxa sasilinde amaphepha-mvume okungena eAfrika, sacelwa ukuba sincede amabandla amaNgqina kaYehova eAlberta naseOntario, eKhanada. Ngezo mini sasisebenzisa izithuthi zikawonke wonke xa sityelela amabandla. Ngoko safunda ukuphila ubomi obulula, zonke izinto zethu sasizifaka esutkheyisini. Kwadlula nje iinyanga ezimbalwa, alunga amaphepha-mvume ethu, saza ke saya eZimbabwe eyayisakubizwa ngokuba nguMzantsi Rhodesia.

Ukuziqhelanisa Nobomi BaseAfrika

Yaba ziinyanga nje ezintlanu sifikile apho, sathunywa ukuba siye kutyelela amaqela amaNgqina kaYehova aseZimbabwe nawaseBotswana nalawo akumazantsi oMntla Rhodesia (ngoku oyiZambia). Eny’ into esasiyinqonqozisiwe kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi kukungathelekisi amazwe asemzini esabelwe kuwo nalawo sizalelwe kuwo, nokuba sikhumbule ukuba sinokufunda lukhulu nakweyiphi na imeko esizifumana sikuyo. Loo mazwi obulumko asinceda salungisa indlela esasicinga ngayo. Nanamhlanje mna noEmily sisavumelana namazwi athi, “Lisebenzise kangangoko unako ithuba onalo; usenokungaphindi ulifumane kwakhona.”

Sasihamba ngololiwe, ngebhasi, ngelori, ngebhayisikile—okanye nantoni na eyayifumaneka. Nangona oku kwakuqoba, zikho nezinye iimeko ezazivavanya ‘ukulisebenzisa kwethu kangangoko sinako ithuba esinalo.’ Kwiminyaka emibini yokuqala, uEmily wayengavunyelwa ukuba ahambe nam kwimimandla ethile yasezilalini ngenxa yemithetho yasekuhlaleni. Ngoko, kwakufuneka ukuba umfazi wam endandisandul’ ukutshata naye asale kwiidolophu ezingasesikhululweni sikaloliwe, apho kwakudla ngokungabikho maNgqina. Ukholo nenkalipho kaEmily ayizange ikhulise indlela endandimthanda ngayo nje kuphela kodwa yakhulisa nesiqhamo soBukumkani kuloo mimandla.

Ngokukhawuleza nje emva kokufumana indawo yokuhlala komnye wabemi balapho, uEmily wayeshumayela apho de ndibuye ezilalini. Maxa wambi, wayesebenza apho yedwa kangangenyanga. Ukuthembela kumandla kaYehova kwamomeleza kwaza kwamkhusela, yaye loo nto yavelisa iziqhamo ezihle kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Omnye owayamkelayo inyaniso yeBhayibhile nguRita Hancock owathi kamva wathelelwa ngumyeni wakhe. Wathembeka ngalo lonke ixesha lokuphila kwakhe, engumdala ongumKristu de kwasekufeni kwakhe. Ngenxa yembewu yenyaniso yeBhayibhile eyahlwayelwa nguEmily, namhlanje kukho amabandla aqhuba kakuhle kwezinye iidolophu zalapho.

Ububele Nenkcubeko Yama-Afrika

Eny’ into eyandichukumisa gqitha yindlela amaNgqina aseAfrika ayixabisa ngayo intlangano kaYehova nabaveleli abahambahambayo. Ndandiphethwe okweqanda ngaba bazalwana bangamaKristu nabanobubele. Mvulo ngamnye ndandisiya kwindawo ekuza kuqhutywa kuyo indibano. Ndandisakhelwa indlu entsha nefulelwe ngengca xa ndifikile, nto leyo eyayindikhumbuza indlu yasekhaya eSaskatchewan. Ibhedi yam yayiba ngumbhumbutho wengca ophakame kangangama-30 eesentimitha owawusandlalwa phantsi uze walekwe ngeshiti.

Ngokuqhelekileyo iindibano zasezilalini zaziqhutyelwa ehlathini. Abezileyo babesusa imithi emincinane, baze bashiye leyo inamagqabi amakhulu ukuze ibe ngumthunzi. Kwakuhlalwa kwimibhumbutho yengca eyayibotshwa ize ilungelelaniswe kakuhle. Kanti ke, kwakusakhiwa uthango lwengca olwalubiyela yonke loo nto. Kule mo iphole kangaka, into eyayidla ngokundichukumisa ngamazwi amnandi abazalwana noodadewethu baseAfrika ababevumela uYehova iindumiso konke oko bekwenza ngemangalisayo yona imvisiswano.

Amava Endingasokuze Ndiwalibale

Ngoxa ndandishumayela ndadibana noGideon Zenda, umhloli omkhulu wezikolo zeCawa yaseTshetshi. UGideon wayifumana imfundo yakhe kuquka leyo yaseyunivesithi ngoncedo lwecawa. Kodwa ke, wayenganeliswa yindlela eyayiphendulwa ngayo imibuzo yeBhayibhile awayenayo. Ngoko wacela ukuba ndimtyelele ekunye nabaliqela kwabo asebenza nabo ukuze ndimphendulele le mibuzo. Phakathi kwabantu abangama-50 ababelapho, kwakukho abahloli, iinqununu nootitshala. UGideon wayengusihlalo. Ngendlela elungeleleneyo, saxubusha imibandela eyahlukeneyo. Ndandixubusha umbandela ngamnye kangangemizuzu eli-15 ndize ke ndivule ithuba lemibuzo. Oko kwathabatha iiyure eziliqela.

Le ntlanganiso ingaqhelekanga yaphumela ekubeni, uGideon, intsapho yakhe, neqela labanye asebenza nabo libe ngabakhonzi bakaYehova abazahluleleyo nababhaptiziweyo. Ubhishopu walapho wabagxotha kweso sikolo samaTshetshi. Noko ke, bonke abazange babuye ngamva, kodwa bahlala benenzondelelo ngenkonzo kaYehova, abanye bada bangoovulindlela.

Indlela Owamkelwa Ngayo Umboniso Oshukumayo

Ngowe-1954, amaNgqina kaYehova akhulula umboniso oshukumayo onomxholo othi The New World Society in Action. Ngonyaka olandela lowo imiqathango engokwasemthethweni neyayibekwe ngaphambili eyalela ukuhamba kwendoda nomfazi ezilalini yapheliswa. Oku kwavula ithuba lokuba sihambe kunye noEmily xa sisiya ezilalini. Ngelo xesha, sanikwa isithuthi, umatshini wokuvelisa umbane nesixhobo sokubonisa imifanekiso ukuze sibonise lo mfanekiso ushukumayo kuzo zonke ezo lali. Abaninzi babengazange bawubone umfanekiso oshukumayo ngaphambili, ngoko babedla ngokuba baninzi abezayo. Lo mfanekiso ushukumayo wawubonisa amanqanaba awahlukeneyo okuveliswa kweeBhayibhile kwakunye noncwadi lweBhayibhile kwindawo yethu yokushicilela enkulu eBrooklyn, eNew York.

Kulo mfanekiso ushukumayo kwakuboniswa nemifanekiso yabazalwana bezizwe ngezizwe abangamaNgqina kaYehova ababesendibanweni eYankee Stadium, eNew York, ngowe-1953. Aba bantu baseAfrika abazange bayibone ngaphambili into yokumanyana nokuthandana kweentlanga ezahlukeneyo. Lo mfanekiso ushukumayo wakhuthaza iintsapho ezininzi eZimbabwe ukuba zifundisise iBhayibhile zize zinxulumane namaNgqina. Iinqununu ezikulo lonke elo neziyiqondayo indlela owawunemfundiso ngayo lo mfanekiso ushukumayo, zathumela uthotho lwezicelo zokuba uboniswe abafundi.

Kwathi ezinzulwini zobusuku ngeny’ imini, ndavuswa ngamanye amaNgqina awacela ukuba ndiwabonise lo mfanekiso ushukumayo. Yandimangalisa into yobukho babantu abangama-500 ababehambe ngeenyawo kangangeeyure eziliqela ukuza kubona lo mfanekiso. Babevile ngokufika kwam apho ndize kubonisa lo mfanekiso. Lathi lichithakala elo hlokondiba, kwabe kungena elinye elinabantu abangama-300. Nabo ndaphinda ndababonisa lo mfanekiso. Abokugqibela ababeze kubukela lo mfanekiso bemka ngeyesithathu ekuseni! EZambia nje kuphela, bangaphezu kwesigidi abantu abaye babukela lo mfanekiso uchukumisayo kwisithuba seminyaka eli-17!

Safumana Izabelo Ezitsha EAfrika

Emva kokusebenza iminyaka emihlanu enesiqingatha eZimbabwe, sathunyelwa eMzantsi Afrika. Kwanyanzeleka ukuba sifunde ulwimi lwesiBhulu. Kanti kamva safunda nokuthetha isiSuthu nesiZulu. Ukukwazi ukufundisa iLizwi likaThixo ngezinye iilwimi kwasenza saba nempumelelo entsimini kwaza kwasinika ulwaneliseko.

Ebutsheni bowe-1960 sabelwa kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba kumazantsi eAfrika. Kangangeminyaka engama-27 eyalandelayo, sasebenza kakhulu eLesotho, eNamibia, eMzantsi Afrika, naseSwazini kwakunye nakwiziqithi zaseAscension naseSt. Helena ekuMzantsi woLwandlekazi lweAtlantiki. Lilonke, sahamba amakhulu amawaka eekhilomitha sinceda abazalwana noodadewethu abangamaKristu. Ukholo nokuthembeka kwabo nakwezona meko zingentle kwasikhuthaza ukuze singanikezeli.

Ngokomzekelo, ndazi amaNgqina eSwazini angazange alalanise kukholo lwawo ekufeni kukaKumkani Sobhuza II. Ekubeni engazange avume ukuba nenxaxheba kumasiko angengowaZibhalo awenziwa ekufeni kwesi sithwalandwe, agxothwa emisebenzini aza abandezwa amalungelo awo njengabemi. Nakubeni kwaba yiminyaka ephazanyiswa yaye esebunzimeni, akazange ayekelele elukholweni lwawo. Ndakusoloko ndimbulela uYehova ngelungelo elikhulu kangaka lokwazi aba bazalwana noodade bangamaKristu nokuthetha nabo ngokobuqu.

Kukho nomnye ke umzalwana onguPhilemon Mafareka, uvulindlela ohlala eMokhotlong, eLesotho, ekwiintaba eziphakame kangangeemitha ezingama-3 000. Ekubeni kwakungekho zithuthi, yena nomfazi wakhe othandekayo nabantwana bakhe ababini, nabanye abantu abane ababeza kubhaptizwa, bahamba ngaphezu kweekhilomitha ezili-100 besiya kwindibano eyayiza kuqhutyelwa kwiintaba eziphakame kangangeemitha ezili-1 200. Ubukhulu becala loo ndlela yayingumnqantsa. Banyuka besihla kuloo ntaba imxinwa bewela iintlambo nemilambo eliqela.

Njengoko babegoduka emva kwendibano, babethwele imibhalo elikhulu yencwadi ethi Inyaniso Ekhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade. Ezi ncwadi babeziphathele abantu baseMokhotlong. Kodwa ngenxa yokudibana nabantu abanomdla kuncwadi lweBhayibhile, zaphela bengekafiki nasekhaya. Ukubona abazalwana noodade abangamaKristu abanenzondelelo njengoPhilemon nowakwakhe kuye kwalilungelo kum noEmily, yaye oko sisakuxabisa nanamhlanje.

Sasikhe sibe sesichengeni sokuhlaselwa ziinyoka ezinobuhlungu njengamaphimpi kwakunye nezikhukula ezinamandla nezinye ke iingozi. Nangona ezi ziganeko zazisoyikisa ngelo xesha, zaba zizinto ezingenamsebenzi xa zithelekiswa nomvuzo noyolo lokuba kwinkonzo kaYehova. Safunda ukuba akabalahli abantu bakhe abathembekileyo.

Wathi akugula uEmily, uYehova wasinika ubulumko bokujamelana nale meko ngenkalipho. Ukuze impilo yakhe ibe bhetele, watshintsha ukutya awayekutya kwaza kwatshintsha nenkqubo yogutyulo. Safakela intente elorini ukuze uEmily ahlale kamnandi njengoko sasihambahamba, yaye ekuhambeni kwexesha, wachacha.

Ukubuyela EKhanada

Ngowe-1988, sele kuyiminyaka engama-35 singabavangeli basemazweni kweli lizwekazi lithandekayo laseAfrika, saphinda sathunyelwa eKhanada. Ngowe-1991, ndaqalisa ukuba ngumveleli ohambahambayo kwakhona. Kwiminyaka esibhozo kamva ndahlaselwa sistroke. Nakuba bendingasebenzi kangako ukususela ngelo xesha, kusandivuyisa ukuba ngumdala kwelinye lamabandla aseLondon, eOntario.

Namhlanje ndaneliseka gqitha xa ndicinga ngexesha endaqalisa ngalo ubuvulindlela ndihamba ngehashe kumazantsi eSaskatchewan, malunga neminyaka engama-56 eyadlulayo. Hayi indlela endinombulelo ngayo kuba uTata waqhubeka esifundisa ukuba ngabantu bokomoya, abangoyikiyo ukumela inyaniso nobulungisa! Wandifundisa iLizwi likaThixo elandinika ubomi obunenjongo. Elo lifa ndiya kulilondoloza ubomi bam bonke. Andisayi kuze nditshintshise ngenkonzo kaYehova ngenxa yayo nantoni na enokufumaneka kweli hlabathi lidala.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

Intsapho yakowethu enabantwana abasi-thoba ngowe-1949, noMama efunqule oyena mntwana mncinane. Ndim lo umi emva kwakhe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

Eli “khareji” ndalakhela ukulisebenzisa entsimini

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

Amabhinqa aseQuebec awavalelwayo ngenxa yokushumayela

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 30, 31]

Ndaba nelungelo lokufundisa aba baveleli bahambahambayo eZimbabwe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 31]

Le ntente sayenza ngenxa yempilo kaEmily

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 31]

Ifoto yam noEmily yakutshanje