Imfazwe Eyatshintsha Ubomi Bam
KUBALISA UMICHAEL MOLINA
‘IRiphabliki yaseViet Nam ithwese igosa lomkhosi waselwandle uMolina ngembasa iVietnam Cross of Gallantry.’ Latsho njalo iphephandaba laseTester, eMaryland, eUnited States laza longezelela lisithi: ‘Kamva, uMolina uye wathiwa jize ngembasa yesibini eyinkwenkwezi yegolide ekuthiwa yiCommendation Medal ngenxa yokukhalipha nenzondelelo kungquzulwano olwalunzima loombayimbayi. NgoJuni 6, 1968, uMolina wafumana inkwenkwezi yesibini yegolide xa wakhusela isakhiwo somkhosi kubagrogrisi beViet Cong.’
IYONKE imilo endathunyelwa kuyo yaba ngama-284 ndaza ndathweswa iimbasa ezingama-29. Ngoku ndingumKristu ndikwimfazwe eyahlukileyo, yaye iBhayibhile ithi ngayo: “Izixhobo zethu zemfazwe ayizizo ezenyama.” (2 Korinte 10:4) Makhe ndikubalisele indlela ubomi bam obatshintsha ngayo.
IChicago ikumntla weIllinois, eUnited States, ifumana imimoya enamandla yeChibi laseMichigan. NgoFebruwari 1, 1947, usuku endazalwa ngalo, kwakungabhudli nje umoya, kodwa ingqele yayiqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo. Ekubeni utata wayelijoni kwiMfazwe Yehlabathi II, oogqirha ababini basemkhosini bancedisa umama ekubelekeni ekuzalweni kwam. Xa ndandineminyaka elishumi ubudala, abazali bam bafudukela eLos Angeles, eKhalifoniya, apho bathumela umkhuluwa wam nodade wethu kunye nam kwisikolo samaKatolika.
Ndandikuthanda ukudlala ibaseball nebhola ekhatywayo esitratweni nakumabala avulekileyo, kodwa kwakhona ndandikuthanda ukudlala ukuba lijoni ngemipu noombambayi bamaplanga. Ngeminyaka yee-1960, ukuqala kwam amabanga aphakamileyo, kwenzeka izinto ezininzi nezaguqula indlela abantu ababecinga ngayo. Ukugwintwa koosomaqhuzu basekuhlaleni neenkokeli zobupolitika nokucinyw’ igama komongameli waseUnited States welo xesha; imingcelele yogwayimbo, ukutshiswa kwendwe yaseMerika kunye nobundlobongela, ezo zinto zazisenzeka umhla nezolo. Kwelinye icala mna nabo ndandifunda kunye nabo esikolweni sasisexhaleni lokubizelwa emkhosini.
Ngemva nje kokuphumelela kwam amabanga aphakamileyo ngowe-1966, ndabizwa ukuze ndize kuxilongwa ngabezomkhosi, yaye ndafunyaniswa ndingumqabaqaba. Noko ke, kunokuba ndibe lijoni nje eliqhelekileyo, ndathunyelwa kumkhosi waselwandle. Ekubeni ndandizithanda iihelikopta, ndacela ukuba ndifakwe kwiqela elitsha labahlasela ngehelikopta. Emva kokufumana uqeqesho olungephi, ngoNovemba 1967, ndingalindelanga ndathunyelwa kwikomkhulu laseVietnam, iSaigon.
Ukuqala Ukulwa Imfazwe
Kungekudala emva koko, ndathunyelwa kwibala elincinane leenqwelo-moya elalineehelikopta ezine zohlobo lweHuey. Abanye beqela lethu laselwandle abangama-30 balala kwibala leehelikopta, ngoxa abanye kuthi balungiselelwa malunga nekhilomitha ezi-16 kwisakhiwo esinemigangatho emibini. Kubusuku nje bokuqala apho, ndothuswa ziimbumbulu ezazivuthulula esi sakhiwo sasikuso. Ndaziphosa phantsi ndaza ndalala emgangathweni kangangemizuzwana ethile. Ndeva ukuba eluphahleni zigagene ebezikade zizondana, ndanyukela phezulu ndaza ndaya kufika eluphahleni, yaye omnye apho wandinika umpu. Zanqoza de kwasa, sibetha ngezikaTshiwo neempahla zokulala kuphela.
Emva kweentsuku ezintathu sisilwa—sasirhangqiwe yaye singakwazi ukunxibelelana neqela lethu—saphelelwa kukutya, ngamanzi naziimbumbulu. Igosa elalisiphethe lasiyalela lisithi: “Xa kuthi qheke nje ukusa, siza kubalekela kwibala leenqwelo-moya.” Sasiza kunqumla kwidolophana eyayisitsha. Sasiziva izithonga zemipu noombayimbayi njengoko sasinqumla kule dolophana. Kwakuthe tywaa izidumbu kuyo yonke indawo.
Ekugqibeleni safika apho sasisiya khona, phofu nalapha kwakuqhum’ irhuluwa. Semba imingxuma esangena kuyo sizama ukuzikhusela kutshaba. Izihlandlo ezininzi, iVietcong zatyhoboza zaza zabulala abaninzi kuquka umphathi womkhosi wethu. Ndahlala kumngxuma wam kangangeeveki eziliqela ndingazange nditshintshe zimpahla okanye ndihlambe. Sandula ke safuduka ngehelikopta sisiya kwenye indawo yamajoni.
Emva kolo ngquzulwano ndandizimisele ukuba lijoni elisebenza emnyango wehelikopta. Ndaqeqeshwa nje iintsuku ezimbalwa ndaza ndaba yinxalenye yomkhosi womoya. Ukulwa kwakuyinto yomhla nezolo, ngamanye amaxesha ndandithunyelwa edabini kathathu okanye kane ngemini.
Imiphumo Yemfazwe
Ndothuswa kakhulu kukubulalana okungaka. Kwelinye icala, ndandicinga ngemingcelele eyayisenziwa ekhaya ngabantu ababechasene nale mfazwe. Ngaba sasingalweli inkululeko? Ngaba sasingabeki ubomi bethu esichengeni ukuze abantu baphile kamnandi? Ngamanye amaxesha, ndandizibuza enoba kusesikweni kusini na ukulwa imfazwe. Ngubani oza kuzuza kule mfazwe? Ngaba yayiza kuba ngabantu baseVietnam? Babenyamezele imfazwe kangangeminyaka ngaphambi kokufika kwethu. Ngoku kwakusifa abangakumbi ibe bebandezeleka nangakumbi.
Ndandiselula yaye ndandingaziqondi izizathu zokuba kubekho imfazwe. Phofu ke, ndandingenalo nexesha lakucinga nzulu ngazo. Into endandiyazi kukuba ndifanele ndiye kulwa ngehelikopta, kuba ndandiqeqeshelwe ukwenza loo nto. Amajoni aselwandle ayesithi: “Siqeqeshelwe ukulwa, kungekhona ukucinga.” Noko ke ndafunga ndisithi, ukuba ndisindile kule mfazwe, ndiya kwenza uphando ngesizathu sokuba sibe lapho.
Imfazwe yaseVietnam yandifaka komnye umgxobhozo ekwakunzima ukuphuma kuwo—ukuba likhoboka leziyobisi. Xa ndandikwiminyaka yeshumi elivisayo ubudala, ndanditshaya icuba, ndisela utywala ngeempelaveki yaye ndisiya nasemathekweni. Kodwa andizange ndizisebenzise iziyobisi. EVietnam izinto zatshintsha. Amanye amajoni ayedla ngokundibuza: “Yintoni embi ngokusebenzisa iziyobisi, Mike? Ungalibali ukuba usenokufa nanini na.” Maxa wambi, nam ndandizisebenzisa.
Imfazwe asiyondawo yeziyobisi ngoko ndazixelela ukuba andinakuze ndizisebenzise xa ndisiya edabini. Noko ke, emva kokuba ndibuyele ekhaya, ndazifuna apho bezikho, ndaza ndalikhoboka lazo.
Ukubuya Ndivela Emfazweni
Emva kokubuyela ekhaya eKhalifoniya ndisuka eVietnam ngo-Oktobha 1970, indlela endandibujonga ngayo ubomi yayitshintshe ngendlela ephawulekayo. Nangona ndaya emkhosini ukuze ndincede abo babefuna ukukhululeka, kodwa ndaziva ndixhatshaziwe. Ndabuya ndinenzondo nentiyo. Ndingasenalo nothando ngelizwe lethu.
Ndanditshaya umya kangangeentsuku ezininzi yaye ndisebenzisa nezinye iziyobisi xa ndandilungisa isithuthuthu sam kwigaraji yasekhaya. Ukucinga ngemeko endandikuyo kunye nezinto ezenzeka eVietnam kwandenza ndadandatheka nangakumbi. Ndaqalisa ukukhathazwa sisazela. Umnqweno wokuphanda ngemfazwe yaseVietnam waya ukhula nangakumbi.
Urhulumente wanika bonke ababesemfazweni ithuba lokongeza imfundo yabo, ngoko ndabhalisa kwikholeji yasekuhlaleni ndaza kamva ndafunda eKhalifoniya State University, eLos Angeles. Apho ndafumana abahlobo ababegwayimba nxamnye nemfazwe yaseVietnam, kunye nabanye ababekule mfazwe. Sasixoxa de kutshon’ ilanga ngemfazwe neemeko zehlabathi. Akukho namnye kuthi owayeneempendulo ezanelisayo, sonke sasifuna isity’ emnyameni.
Ukuzama Ukunceda Nokufuna Uncedo
Uninzi lwethu sasiphazamisekile ngokweemvakalelo nangokwasengqondweni. Ndaziva ndinyanzelekile ukuba ndizame ukunikela uncedo. Ngoko ke, ndafunda ngezigulo zengqondo. Ekubeni ndandisemfazweni ndibulala abantu, ndagqiba ekubeni ndenze okuthile njengentlawulo. Ngenxa yoko, ndasebenza kwisibhedlele sabagula ngengqondo.
Iziyobisi zazifumaneka nakuthathatha eyunivesithi, ibe ndaqonda ukuba zingumthombo weengxaki ezininzi. Ndandifuna ukwenza inkqubela kwizifundo zam ndize ndincede abo ababegula ngengqondo esibhedlele. Ndaziyeka iziyobisi ndaza ndazimisela ukuchitha ixesha lam ndifunda yaye ndisebenza. Noko ke, njengogqirha wengqondo, ndandingaboni nkqubela ingako kwabo ndandibanyanga kwizigulo zengqondo.
Ndidinyazwa yindlela izinto ezazihamba ngayo nesazela sam esasindinkrunkrutha, ndafuna uncedo. Ndaqalisa ukuthandaza ndaza ndaya nasecaweni. Andizange ndifunde nto ingakho kwidini leMisa kwiCawa yamaKatolika. Ndaqalisa ukuya ecaweni ebusuku. Ndandidla ngokungena, ndize ndikhanyise ikhandlela, ndithandaze kwimifanekiso eqingqiweyo. Le mifanekiso yayiquka okaYesu oxhonywe emnqamlezweni, uMariya onekrele entliziyweni neyabo babizwa ngokuba ziingcwele.
Hayi indlela eyaba nezothe ngayo icawa! Ndazibuza ‘Ngaba ngokwenene umoya kaThixo ukho apha?’ Ndandifuna iimpendulo nokhuthazo. Ndandizibone ngokwaneleyo izinto ezimbi. Ngobunye ubusuku ndaphuma ecaweni ndaza ndaya kuthandaza epakini. Ndakhangela phezulu ezinkwenkwezini mhlawumbi okokuqala ebomini ndizama ngokunyaniseka ukuthetha noMdali wam.
Ukufunda Inyaniso Efumaneka EBhayibhileni
Ukuze ndibethwe ngumoya emva kokuxinezeleka ngumsebenzi wesibhedlele, ngenye impela-veki ndatyelela umhlobo wam, uGary. Ngenye imini sasihleli sibukele umabonwakude. Iindaba zazimalunga nokumangalela uMongameli uNixon. Sancokola ngokunganyaniseki kwiinkalo zonke zobomi ndaza ndamxelela ukuba ndandiziva ndiqhathiwe ngemfazwe yaseVietnam.
UAlva, inkosikazi kaGary wasiva waza waphuma ekhitshini. Wathi izinto esasithetha ngazo zazizalisekisa iziprofeto zeBhayibhile. Ndambuza: “Isiprofeto seBhayibhile singena phi kwiingxaki zikamongameli?” UAlva wandichazela ukuba kungekudala uBukumkani bukaThixo phantsi koKristu Yesu buza kushenxisa bonke oorhulumente abonakeleyo baze abantu bahlale ngonaphakade ngoxolo kumhlaba owenziwe iparadesi. (Daniyeli 2:44; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4) UAlva wathetha ngomthandazo weNkosi, apho sicela uBukumkani bukaThixo bufike kuze kwenziwe ukuthanda kwakhe emhlabeni njengasezulwini.—Mateyu 6:9, 10.
Ndaqonda ukuba siyalufuna ngokwenene ukhokelo lukaThixo ukuze sibe norhulumente obhetele noxolo lokwenyaniso emhlabeni. (INtshumayeli 8:9; Yeremiya 10:23) Xa wayethetha ngokuphila ngonaphakade, ndakhumbula ndifunda ngeeseli ezisemzimbeni wethu, eziziphindaphinda kwixesha nje elifutshane. Nangona ezinye izinto ezazithethwa nguAlva zazibonakala zingenakwenzeka, kodwa kwabangel’ umdla oko ndandikuva. Ndandifuna ukulungisa umonakalo endawenzayo nokuzisa isiqabu kwababandezelekileyo. UAlva wandicebisa ukuba ndiye kwiHolo yoBukumkani apho ndinokufunda okungakumbi.
UBill Akina, wayengumshumayeli wexesha elizeleyo ebandleni. Naye, wayekumkhosi waselwandle ngemfazwe yehlabathi yesibini, ngoko ke sasiqondana. Ngaphezu koko, wayeyazi iBhayibhile, yena nomfazi wakhe bayiphendula imibuzo endandinayo emininzi besebenzisa yona. Njengoko izifundo zam noBill zaqhubela phambili, ndaqonda ukuba nakuba imigudu yam yokunceda abo basesibhedlele yayingumnqweno omhle, ndandinokuyithomalalisa nje okwexeshana intlungu ababekuyo. Kwelinye icala, ukunceda abantu bafumane ulwazi oluchanileyo lweBhayibhile kuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade kubo, ukuba banokholo baze baphile ngokuvisisana nolo lwazi.—Yohane 17:3.
UBill wandifundisa iBhayibhile esebenzisa incwadi ethi Inyaniso Ekhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade. NgoJulayi 1974, ndabhaptizwa ndibonakalisa uzahlulelo lwam kuThixo. Kwiinyanga ezintandathu kamva, ndaba nguvulindlela okanye umshumayeli wexesha elizeleyo wamaNgqina kaYehova. Ndayeka ukufunda eyunivesithi nokusebenza esibhedlele. Ukuze ndizixhase kumsebenzi wokushumayela, ndandicoca iibhanki ebusuku. (1 Tesalonika 4:11) Abahlobo nabantu basekhaya babecinga ukuba ndiphambene.
Emva kokuba nguvulindlela ixesha elingangonyaka eKhalifoniya, ndacinga ngendlela endandinokusetyenziswa ngakumbi ngayo kwintlangano kaYehova. Ndagqiba ekubeni ndizenzele usukelo lokuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni kwelinye ilizwe. Emva kokuba nguvulindlela iminyaka embalwa, ndamenyelwa kwisikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi, esasiseBroonklyn, eNew York. NgoMatshi 11, 1979, ndaphumelela kwiklasi yama-66 kwisiXeko saseLong Island, eNew York.
Ukusebenza Kwezinye Iindawo
Ndabelwa eGuatemala, kuMbindi weMerika, apho ndaba ngumvangeli wasemazweni ixesha elinokuba ngangonyaka. Ndandula ke ndamenywa ukuze ndiye kusebenza kumzi-mveliso wesebe lamaNgqina kaYehova kwikomkhulu lalapho, kwisiXeko iGuatemala. Ngowe-1981, ndatshata noLupita, uvulindlela walapho, waza naye wamenyelwa kwiofisi yesebe. Ngowe 1996, isebe laseGuatemala layeka ukushicilela iincwadi, saza saqalisa ukufumana zonke iincwadi zethu kwisebe laseMexico.
UStephanie, intombi yethu yazalwa ngowe-1984, kodwa ndaqhubeka ndisebenza kwiofisi yesebe. Oku kwaqhubeka nasemva kokuzalwa kukaMitchell ngowe-1987. Ukuhlala kwisakhiwo esikumgama ozikhilomitha ezilishumi ukuya kwiofisi yesebe kwakungeyondlwan’ iyanetha. Kodwa kwakulilungelo ukusebenza apho ibe intsapho yam ibindixhasa kakhulu.
ULupita noStephanie ngoku bangoovulindlela ibe uMitchell ubhaptiziwe. Kulo nyaka uza kugqiba izifundo zakhe kwisikolo sobugcisa yaye uzimisele ukuba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ndiyazi ukuba sinandipha la malungelo akhethekileyo, kungengenxa yokuba sinobuchule obukhethekileyo, kodwa ngenxa yobubele obungasifanelanga bukaYehova. UnguThixo onothando, yaye usebenzisa nabani na onomoya ovumayo aze avume ukukhokelwa nguye.
Ngamanye amaxesha siyazibuza njengentsapho ukuba silifumana phi ithuba lokuba nesabelo ngokuzeleyo kubulungiseleli size sizixhase. Siyasebenza xa sisekhefini. Kodwa ngaphezu koko, siye sazama ukuphila ubomi obulula ngokuphathelele izinto eziphathekayo, sikhangela kuYehova ukuze asincede, sithembela kuye yaye siqhubeka sifuna ulwalathiso lwakhe.—Mateyu 6:25-34; Imizekeliso 3:5.
Ukuphatha umpu kwandenza ndacinga ukuba ndinegunya, ngenxa yoko ndiyasiqonda isizathu sokuba ngamaxesha onke ndizabalazele ukuzithoba. Ihlabathi likaSathana lifundisa intiyo, ukubulala, ukukrokrela abanye, ukuba ndlongondlongo nokuzikhusela. Kodwa uYehova ubonakalise inceba nobubele bothando kum, yaye ndikuxabisa ngokwenene oku. Ngoku ndizimisele ukungafundi ukulwa kwakhona kodwa ndibe nothando nemfesane kubo bonke abantu.—Mateyu 5:43-45; Isaya 2:4.
Akukhange kube lula ukwenza utshintso ebomini bam. Kodwa ndiye ndafunda ukuphila ubomi obuseluxolweni. Ngoncedo lukaThixo ndiye ndazinyamezela iinkumbulo ezimbi zemfazwe. Ndijonge phambili kwixesha xa iimfazwe ziya kube ziphelile. (INdumiso 46:9) De lifike elo xesha, ndivuyiswa lithuba lokuba nenxaxheba kulo msebenzi usindis’ ubomi nokuze sincede abantu bafunde ngoMniki-bomi obalaseleyo, uYehova uThixo.
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 12]
Ndandikumnyango wehelikotpa ndidubula abantu
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14]
Ndikunye noBill Akina nomfazi wakhe, uEloise ngowe 1978
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Ndisebenza kumatshini wokushicilela kwisebe laseGuatemala, ngowe 1982
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
Ndishumayela nomfazi wam
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
Apha, ndim noLupita, uMitchell noStephanie