Sasikelelwa Ngenxa Yokubeka UThixo Kuqala

Kubalisa uPierre Worou

“Bonjour!” Bendisoloko ndibulisa ngale ndlela ubomi bam bonke xa ndithetha isiFrentshi. Kodwa ngoNovemba 1975, ndabanjwa ngenxa yokubulisa ngale ndlela. Makhe ndikubalisele ngoko kwenzekayo ukuze ndibanjwe nasemva koko.

NDAZALWA ngoJanuwari 1, 1944, eMalété, kwidolophu yaseSavé, kumbindi Benin.a Abazali bam bandithiya igama lesiYoruba, elithi Abiola. Ngoxa ndandiselula, ndalitshintsha laba nguPierre, kuba ndandicinga ukuba ligama lezi mini yaye liyathandwa.

Abantu balapho babebapha iziteketiso abantu abaselula. Mna bandithiya igama elithi Mfundisi kuba ekuzalweni kwam ndandifana nomfundisi wasekuhlaleni. Kodwa ke, ndandinomdla kakhulu ekudlaleni ibhola kunokuba ndiye kwisikolo secawa.

Ngowe-1959, ndafudukela eSakété, isixeko esikumzantsi, ukuze ndiqhubeke nemfundo. Ndandihlala nomza uSimon, owayengutitshala, nowayesandul’ ukuqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova amabini. Ekuqaleni, ndandingenamdla wokufunda kunye nawo. Kamva ndacela omnye umza, uMichel ukuba sifunde kunye nawo. Wavuma, yaye kulapho ndaqala khona ukuva igama likaThixo, uYehova.

NgeCawa, mna noSimon noMichel sagqiba kwelokuba singayi ecaweni kodwa siye kwintlanganiso yamaNgqina. Sadana gqitha xa sabona ukuba babebahlanu kuphela abantu ababelapho—amaNgqina amabini kunye nathi. Kodwa, sabona ukuba le yinyaniso yeBhayibhile yaye saqhubeka nesifundo. UMichel wabhaptizwa kuqala efuzisela uzahlulelo lwakhe kuThixo. Namhlanje unguvulindlela, njengokuba bebizwa njalo abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bamaNgqina kaYehova.

USimon wafudukela kumntla kwisixeko saseKokoro, yaye ndahamba naye. Kwakuza kubakho indibano yamaNgqina kaYehova eOuansougon. USimon wahamba ngeteksi, kodwa mna ndakhwela ibhayisekile yam ndaza ndahamba iikhilomitha ezingama-220. Sobabini sabhaptizwa apho ngoSeptemba 15, 1961.

Iingxaki Kwinkonzo Yexesha Elizeleyo

Ndandizixhasa ngokuzoba nokuthengisa imifanekiso nezinto endizilimileyo. Xa umveleli ohambahambayo uPhilippe Zannou wayetyelele ibandla lethu, wandibuza enoba ndikhe ndacinga kusini na ngokuba nguvulindlela, umlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo. Emva kokuthetha ngalo mbandela, mna nomhlobo wam uEmmanuel Fatunbi sagqiba kwelokuba siqalise le nkonzo ngoFebruwari 1966. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndaqalisa ukuba ngumveleli ohambahambayo, ndityelela amabandla athetha isiFon, isiGun, isiYoruba nesiFrentshi.

Emva koko, ndadibana noJulienne, udade oselula ongumKristu nomhle nowayethanda ubomi obulula njengam. Satshata ngoAgasti 12, 1971 waza wandipheleka ekutyeleleni amabandla. Unyana wethu uBola wazalwa ngoAgasti 18, 1972. Xa sasityelela amabandla, ndandiqhuba ibhayisekile yaye uJulienne wayekhwela ngemva ebeleke uBola. INgqina lasekuhlaleni lalidla ngokuhambisa imithwalo yethu ngebhayisekile yalo. Sasiwatyelela ngolu hlobo amabandla kangangeminyaka emine.

Ngenye imini uJulienne wagula waza wabandezeleka ubusuku bonke. Ngentsasa elandelayo, ndahamba ngendlela ndifuna uncedo. Kwathi gqi iteksi, nto leyo engafane yenzeke kule ndawo. Yaye okwandimangalisa nakakhulu kukuba yayingenabo abantu! Ndamcacisela umqhubi ngengxaki yethu ndaza ndamcela ukuba asise ePorto Novo, kwikomkhulu eliziikhilomitha ezingama-25 ukusuka apho. Wavuma. Ukufika kwethu, wancuma waza wathi: “Ningakhathazeki ngeendleko.”

Kwafuneka ukuba uJulienne alale kwindlu yelinye iNgqina kangangeeveki ezimbini. Ugqirha wayesiza yonke imihla. Kwakhona wayesiza namayeza ayimfuneko. Xa wayehlolisisa uJulienne okwesihlandlo sokugqibela, ndisoyika ndabuza ixabiso. Ndamangaliswa xa waphendula esithi, “Ungakhathazeki.”

Iinguqu Ezinkulu

Ngowe-1975, iDahomey yaba phantsi korhulumente wamaMarx. Igama leli lizwe latshintsha laba yiRiphabliki Yabantu YaseBenin. Ubomi bemihla ngemihla nabo batshintsha. Abantu banyanzelwa ukuba babulise ngendlela entsha eyayisithi: “Pour la révolution?” (Ngaba sele ukulungele ukuvukela?) Abantu babefanele baphendule ngelithi: “Prêt!” (Ndikulungele!) Izazela zethu eziqeqeshwe ngeBhayibhile zazingasivumeli ukuba sibulise ngamazwi ezopolitika. Ngenxa yoko sathiywa gqitha.

Ngenye iCawa ngasekupheleni kowe-1975, ndandikubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu kufuphi neSt. Michel, ndaza ndabanjwa. Njengoko bendichazile ngaphambilana, ndasabela ngokuthi “Bonjour!” xa enye indoda yayibulisa ngokuthi “Pour la révolution?” Ndasiwa kwisikhululo samapolisa, ndaza ndabethwa. Kodwa kamva ngolo suku amaNgqina amathathu asekuhlaleni andikhulula.

NdandiliNgqina likaYehova lokuqala ukubanjwa. Kungekudala emva koko namanye amaNgqina abanjwa kwelo lizwe. Urhulumente wathimba iiHolo zoBukumkani, yaye abavangeli basemazweni bagxothwa. Iofisi yesebe yavalwa, yaye kwafuneka ukuba amaNgqina amaninzi aphume kwelo, aze aye entshona eTogo okanye empuma eNigeria.

Intsapho Yethu Iyanda ENigeria

Unyana wethu wesibini, uKola, wazalwa ngoAprili 25, 1976. Kwiintsuku ezimbini kamva, umthetho karhulumente we-111 wawuvala umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova. Saya eNigeria, yaye safikela kwiHolo yoBukumkani ezele ziimbacu. Ngosuku olulandelayo sabelwa ukuba siye kumabandla aselumelwaneni. Kwakusithi kuphuma elinye iqela leembacu, kube sele kungena elinye. Kwakusetyenziswa iilori ukuhambisa iimbacu ezisandul’ ukufika kumabandla akude.

Iofisi yesebe lamaNgqina kaYehova eNigeria yandicela ukuba ndityelele onke amaNgqina avela eBenin. Emva koko ndaba ngumveleli ohambahambayo kumabandla athetha isiYoruba eNigeria, yaye kamva nakumabandla athetha isiGun. Sasihamba ngesithuthuthu. UBola wayehlala ngaphambili kunye nam yaye uKola wayehlala phakathi kwam noJulienne.

Ngowe-1979 safumanisa ukuba siza kuba nentombi, esayithiya igama elinguJemima, yaye ngenxa yoko kwafuneka siwuyeke umsebenzi wokuhambahamba. UdadeboJulienne omncinane, uPépé wafuduka eBenin weza kuhlala nathi. Intsapho yethu yaqhubeka isanda. Kwazalwa oonyana ababini: uCaleb ngowe-1983 kwaza kwalandela uSilas ngowe-1987. Ngoko saba yintsapho enabantu abasibhozo. Mna noJulienne sasifuna ukuba ngabazali abanenyameko, kodwa sasikwafuna nokuqhubeka nenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ukuba kwakunokwenzeka. Sasinokukwenza njani oku? Saqesha umhlaba saza salima imanioc, umbona necocoyam. Sandula sakha indlu encinane kwidolophu yaseIlogbo-Eremi.

Emva kokusa abantwana esikolweni, mna noJulienne sasishumayela ekuseni. Sasibuya kwangethuba ukuze intsapho itye kunye. Yaye emva kokucambalala sasilima. UJulienne noPépé babethengisa ezo zinto sizilimileyo emarikeni. Sonke sasizibhokoxa emsebenzini. Okusivuyisayo kukuba, sasingafane sigule ngaloo minyaka.

Baphumelela Nangona Babengafundanga Kuyaphi

Asizange sibakhuthaze abantwana ukuba basukele imfundo ephakamileyo. Sasisazi ukuba ezona zinto zenza umntu aphumelele ebomini kukubeka kuqala uBukumkani, ukuhlakulela iimpawu zamaKristu nokuzibhokoxa emsebenzini. Sazama ukubethelela oku kwiintliziyo zabantwana bethu. Ndandibafundela, yaye ndavuya gqitha xa ndibona indlela ababemthanda ngayo uYehova, ngokuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa!

UPépé wayemdala kubantwana bethu yaye waba ngowokuqala ukushiya ikhaya. Ngaphambilana, ukufika kwakhe ukuza kuhlala nathi, ndamfundisa ukulesa. Nangona wayengafundanga kuyaphi, wanikela ingqalelo kwisifundo seBhayibhile nakwizinto zokomoya. Emva kokukhonza njengovulindlela kangangethuba, watshata noMonday Akinra, umveleli ohambahambayo, waza wampheleka kumsebenzi wakhe. Ngoku banonyana, uTimoti. UPépé noMonday basaqhubeka nobulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, yaye uMonday uneembopheleleko ezininzi kwiindibano.

UBola waqeshwa ngumpheki ngoxa wayesafunda kwinkampani enkulu. Kungekudala omnye wabaphathi waphawula ukuba uyazibhokoxa emsebenzini, unokuthenjwa yaye uneempawu ezintle njengomKristu. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, wanikwa isikhundla kuloo nkampani. Okubaluleke nangakumbi, ungumyeni omnyamekela kakuhle umfazi wakhe othandekayo, uJane, nabantwana bakhe abathathu, kwaye ungumdala kwibandla lamaNgqina kaYehova eLagos, eNigeria.

UKola waqeshwa ngumthungi waza waba nguvulindlela. Ekubeni wayefunde isiNgesi ngoxa eseNigeria, ngowe-1995 wamenywa ukuba asebenze kwiSebe Lokuguqulela kwiofisi yesebe lamaNgqina kaYehova eBenin. Ebekhonza apho kangangeminyaka eli-13.

Ukushumayela EBenin Kwakhona

NgoJanuwari 23, 1990, savuya xa umthetho karhulumente waseBenin waphelisa umthetho wangaphambili wokuvalwa komsebenzi wethu. Iimbacu ezininzi zagoduka. Kwakhona, kwafika abavangeli basemazweni abatsha eBenin, yaye iofisi yesebe yaphinda yavulwa. Ngowe-1994 intsapho yethu yabuyela eBenin, kodwa uPépé, uBola, neentsapho zabo bashiyeka eNigeria.

Ndafumana umsebenzi wesingxungxo. Ngemali esasiqeshisa ngayo indlu yethu eseNigeria nangoncedo lukaBola, sakwazi ukwakha indlu elingene thina sobahlanu kufuphi neofisi yesebe. UJemima ebekhonza njengovulindlela kangangeminyaka emithandathu, ezixhasa ngomsebenzi wokuthunga. Emva koko watshata noKokou Ahoumenou, yaye ngoku basebenza kwiofisi yesebe ekufuphi. UCaleb noSilas basagqibezela isikolo. Ngoncedo lukaThixo nokuba nentsapho esebenzisanayo, mna noJulienne sikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo—yaye sele sichithe iminyaka engama-40 kuyo.

UThixo uye wawusikelela ngokwenene umsebenzi wokushumayela eBenin. Xa ndandibhaptizwa ngowe-1961, kwakukho amaNgqina kaYehova angama-871 ashumayela isigidimi soBukumkani kweli lizwe. Kunyaka endabanjwa ngawo, elo nani laliye kuma-2 381. Ukubuyela kwethu eBenin ngowe-1994, eli nali lafikelela kuma-3 858, phezu kwako nje ukuvalwa komsebenzi wethu iminyaka eli-14. Namhlanje elo nani liphindwe kabini—ngaphezu kwama-9 000—yaye abantu ababekho kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu ngowama-2008 babengama-35 752.

Ngamanye amaxesha ndikhe ndiye kwindawo endabanjelwa kuyo kwiminyaka engama-30 eyadlulayo. Ndiye ndicinge ngako konke okwenzekayo. Ndiyambulela uThixo ngokundisikelela mna nentsapho yam. Asizange siswele nto. Yaye xa ndibulisa abantu ndisathi “Bonjour!”

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 13]

Wancuma waza wathi: “Ningakhathazeki ngeendleko.”

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 14]

Asizange sibakhuthaze abantwana ukuba basukele imfundo ephakamileyo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Ndingumveleli ohambahambayo, ngowe-1970

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Sinoonyana bethu bokuqala ababini, uBola noKola, ngowe-1976

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Namhlanje, ndingqongwe yintsapho yam—umfazi wam, abantwana bam abahlanu, abazukulwana bam abathathu, nentsapho kaPépé