Indlela Endayeka Ngayo Ukuthanda Imfazwe
Kubalisa uThomas Stubenvoll
NDAZALELWA kwiSixeko saseNew York ngoNovemba 8, 1944. Ndikhulele kuMzantsi weBronx, ngelo xesha abantu ababehlala apho babahlulahlulwe ngokweentlanga. Ndiseyinkwenkwe ndandisoloko ndizula ezitratweni ibe ndakhawuleza ndafunda ukuhlonela imida yamaqela emigulukudu eentlanga ezahlukahlukeneyo. Loo maqela ayesoyikwa ngenxa yokukhohlakala kwawo nezinto awayezenza.
Ndathi xa ndisiba neminyaka eli-12 ubudala ndabe ndikwiqela lemigulukudu. Sasizibiza ngokuba siziiSkulls. Sasidla ngokuqhekeza oololiwe bemithwalo size sibe iibhokisi zepeanut butter nokunye ukutya. Amaqela ayenamakhwenkwe asele eqinile ayedla ngokuba nesibindi gqitha. Kwakuthanda ukubakho imilo emibi phakathi kwaloo maqela. Ngenye imini itshomi yam yahlatywa yafa ndijongile.
Ukuthanda Imfazwe
Kwakungekho mnandi ncam ukuba kwiqela lemigulukudu. Ekuhambeni kwexesha ndafuna ukusishiya eso sixeko. Umalume uEddie wayekwiMfazwe yaseKorea apho wayesebenza kuMkhosi waseLwandle, oyinxalenye yomkhosi waseUnited States. Ndandikuthanda ukuphulaphula umalume uEddie xa ebalisa ngezinto ezenzeka kuMkhosi waseLwandle. Wayesithi, xa ulijoni lomkhosi waselwandle uqeqeshelwa ukuba ube yinkokeli eyomeleleyo nengacingi kabini ngaphambi kokuba yenze. UMkhosi waseLwandle wawusekelwe kumagama esiLatini athi Semper fidelis athetha ukuba “thembeka ngalo lonke ixesha” yaye ayebethelela ukunyaniseka nokuzibophelela ngokungqongqo kwimithetho ebekiweyo. Emva kwethutyana nje elingephi ndandisele ndikufuna gqitha ukuba lijoni eliphum’ izandla.
NgoNovemba 8, 1961, xa ndandineminyaka eli-17 ubudala ndabhalisela ukuba lijoni loMkhosi waseLwandle. Kwakungekapheli neenyanga ezine ndabe sele ndiphumelele kwinkampu yokuqeqesha amajoni oMkhosi waseLwandle. Waqala ngelo xesha ke umsebenzi wasemkhosini endawenza iminyaka eli-11.
Ukungena kwam emkhosini, ilizwe lalisaxolile. Sekunjalo, xa ulijoni loMkhosi waseLwandle uhlalela ukuqeqeshwa. Ndaqala ndathunyelwa eOahu, eHawaii apho ndaqeqeshelwa imfazwe nokulwa ngokunqoloba kangangeminyaka emibini. Ngendlela endandichana ngayo ndandilidubula iliso lenkunzi yenkomo eliziisentimitha ezingama-25 likumgama oziimitha ezingama-460. Ndaqeqeshelwa ikarati, ukusebenzisa iziqhushumbisi, ukufunda imaphu, ukudiliza nonxibelelwano. Ndandonwabe gqitha.
Emva kokuba ndibuyile eHawaii, ndachitha iinyanga ezintandathu eJapan ndikhusela izixhobo zaphantsi kwamanzi kwiSikhululo soMkhosi woMoya, esiyiAtsugi. Emva kwethutyana kwaqhambuka imfazwe phakathi komkhosi waseUnited States nowaseVietnam yaye ndathunyelwa kunye neqela lamajoni elalikwinqanawa eneenqwelo-moya iUSS Ranger. Sathi siphuma kwiNyoba yeTonkin, inqanawa yethu yangena kwimfazwe yeziqhushumbisi eyayikuMntla weVietnam. Ndada ndayifumana le nto kuthiwa yimfazwe. Sekunjalo, ndandivakalelwa kukuba, ukuba semanzini kundenza ndiphoswe yeyona mfazwe iliwa emhlabeni.
Ezona Zinto Zenzeka Emfazweni
Ndathi ndisekwiRanger, ngentwasahlobo yowe-1966, ndakhululwa ngesihle emkhosini emva kweminyaka emine ndisebenza apho. Ukuba ayenokukhululwa njengam amajoni amaninzi ayengakuvuyela ukugoduka ukuze angabi nanto yakwenza nemfazwe eyayiza kulandela. Kodwa uMkhosi waseLwandle wawusele usegazini kum, ndilijoni elizinikeleyo neliqeqeshiweyo yaye ndandingazimiselanga kuyeka. Ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiphinde ndibuyele emkhosini.
Ndandifuna ukulwa. Yeyona nto ndandiyiqeqeshelwe leyo. Ngoko ke ndazicelela ukuya kusebenza kwicandelo lomkhosi ohamba ngeenyawo. Ndandingakhathali ukuba ndisiwe phi logama nje ndandilijoni kwisebe lalo Mkhosi waseLwandle. Ukuphuma izandla kumsebenzi wam njengejoni loMkhosi waseLwandle kwakuyeyona nto ndandizimisele ukuyenza ebomini, yaye ndandisele ndiyinqula imfazwe.
Ngo-Oktobha 1967, ndathunyelwa eVietnam. Ndisoyika kodwa ndivuya kwangaxeshanye, ndafika ndabekwa phambili kwiphondo laseQuang Tri. Kwathi kungekapheli nosuku ndabe sele ndiphakathi kwembi imfazwe. Amadoda ayesifa, amanye enzakale ndijongile. Kwakumnyama luthuli, utshaba luqhumis’ irhuluwa. Kwakungekho ndawo yakuzimela ngaphandle kwamatyholwana ambalwa. Nam ke ndadubula andaziyekela. Kwakukubi. Kangangokuba ndandisithi ndiza kufa. Yada yaphela imfazwe. Ndasinda, kodwa wona amadoda endabuya ndiwathwele akazange asinde.
Kwiinyanga ezingama-20 ezalandelayo, ndaba kwiMfazwe yaseVietnam eyayimbi gqitha. Yayikhe iphele gungqu iveki ndidubula okanye ndiphepha iimbumbulu, ndilalele amanye amajoni, nawo endilalele. Ngalo lonke elo xesha, ndandidubulana namajoni otshaba ndisemngxunyeni yaye xa kunethile, loo mingxuma yayisiba xhofu-xhofu. Ngamanye amaxesha kwakubanda kuze kunganyamezeleki ukuhlala apho. Ndandisitya ndize ndilale kule mingxuma.
Ndandiphuma ndingena kwelo hlathi lifumileyo ndikhangela umntu endinokumdubula, kwangaxeshanye nam ndisengozini yokuba ndingadutyulwa lutshaba kuloo ntshinyela yehlathi. Maxa wambi, zazikhe ziphele iiyure zibe liqela kusitsho izithonga zeziqhushumbisi, neembumbulu ecaleni kwam. Sakha sathi sisilwa kufutshane neKhe Sanh, amajoni amaninzi esasihamba nawo abulawa aza amanye enzakala—sasala sili-13 kuphela.
NgoJanuwari 30, 1968, ndandikwinkampu yomkhosi, ibe ndandiqala ukulala ententeni kwisithuba esingangonyaka. Yaphela yonke loo nto xa ndavuswa sisithonga sompu okhupha isiqhushumbisi. Ndenzakala. Iingceba eziliqela zeso siqhushumbisi zamila emagxeni nasemqolo. Lwaqala ngaloo ntsasa ke ukusihlasela utshaba.
Ndafumana imbasa iPurple Heart ngenxa yoko kwenzakala kodwa ndandingenzakalanga kangangokude ndiyeke ukulwa. Abezonyango bakhawuleza bazikhupha ezo ngceba, ibe akuzange kube kudala ndabuyela kwisixeko saseHue yaye zaziqhuma apho kusiliwa imfazwe. Andizange ndifike ndenze eny’ into ngaphandle kokubulala. Utshaba ndandilubulala ngathi ndityumz’ iimpukane. Iintsuku ezingama-32, ndandingena indlu nendlu ndigqogqa utshaba ndilubulala.
Ngelo xesha, ndandizithethelela izenzo zam. Ndandisithi: ‘Kakade, ezi ntshaba zibulala amawakawaka amadoda, amabhinqa nabantwana abangenzanga nto kwisixeko saseHue. Izitrato neerhanga zalapho zazinamawakawaka ezidumbu. Kwakukho izigu kuyo yonke indawo, ezinye zibekwe ngaphantsi kwezidumbu. Sasisengozini yamajoni awayedubula ezifihlile.’ Akukho nanye kwezi zinto eyandenza ndabuya umva. Kweyam ingqondo, ndandizixelele ukuba ndimele ndilubulale utshaba.
Ndandingasaziva Kukuthanda Imfazwe
Emva kwedabi laseHue, ndawugqiba umsebenzi wam owathabatha iinyanga ezili-13. Noko ke, imfazwe yayisele ishushu yaye ndandiyifuna ngamandla. Ngoko ndazicelela ukukhe ndihlale kwelo laseVietnam. Ndandisele ndiyingqonyela yesajini yaye ndandisele ndithunywa kumaphulo akhethekileyo. La maphulo ayequka ukukhokela amajoni xa esiya kwidolophana ezisemaphandleni. Apho sasisiya kubantu basekuhlaleni, sibafundisa ukukhusela iindawo abahlala kuzo. Kwakufuneka silumke gqitha kuba utshaba lwaludla ngokuzidibanisa nabantu basekuhlaleni. Ebusuku sasichwechwa, sikhangele, sibambe size sibulale amajoni otshaba. Nakuba kwakusiba kubi, ndaya ndiyithanda ngakumbi imfazwe.
Umsebenzi wam wakhawuleza waphela eVietnam. Ndaphinda ndazicelela ukuhlala kwindawo yedabi. Ngoku abaphathi bam basala isicelo sam, mhlawumbi ke babephawula ukuba andisaziva kukuthanda imfazwe. Kodwa wawungekapheli umsebenzi wam njengejoni loMkhosi waseLwandle. Ndathunyelwa eUnited States ukuba ndiye kuqeqesha amajoni. Yaba mithathu iminyaka yanesiqingatha ndiqeqesha amajoni. Ndawafundisa izinto ezininzi la majoni, ibe ndandisenza unako nako ukuqinisekisa ukuba ngalinye kuwo liba nguphuma-silwe kanye njengam.
Ndafumana Into Ebhetele Eyenza Ubomi Bube Nenjongo
Ndaba ngumhlobo welinye ijoni elaliqeqesha. Lalisandul’ ukushiywa ngumfazi. Udadewalo, uChristine Antisdel, owayesandul’ ukuba liNgqina likaYehova waya kuhlala nalo, ukuze alincedise ekunyamekeleni abantwana balo ababini ababesebancinane kakhulu. Ndandiqala ngqa ukuva ngamaNgqina.
Ndakhuliswa ngamaKatolika ndaza ndafunda kwisikolo sawo kangangeminyaka esibhozo. Ndandiyinkwenkwana ehambisa isiqhumiso ecaweni. Sekunjalo, ndandingazi nto ngeBhayibhile. UChristine wayitshintsha loo nto. Wandifundisa inyaniso yeBhayibhile endandingazange ndiyive nasemdudweni. Ndafunda eyona nyaniso iseBhayibhileni kwakunye noko ingakufundisiyo.
Ngokomzekelo, ndafunda ukuba iBhayibhile ayitsho ukuba uThixo wohlwaya abantu esihogweni somlilo emva kokufa kwabo. (INtshumayeli 9:5, 10) Ayikho kuyo indawo ethi uThixo uyinxalenye kaBathathu Emnye. (Yohane 14:28) Noko ke, iBhayibhile ifundisa ukuba uThixo uya kubuphelisa ubungendawo, intlungu nokufa ibe abantu abathobelayo baya kuphila ngonaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadesi. (INdumiso 37:9-11; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4) Kanti ndafunda nangemilinganiselo kaThixo yokuziphatha. (1 Korinte 6:9, 10) Ndafunda ukuba igama likaThixo nguYehova. (INdumiso 83:18) Oku kwakundivuyisa gqitha!
NgoNovemba 1972, ndathunyelwa kwenye inkampu, apho ndandiza kufundisa amajoni asandul’ ukuqala ubuchule bemfazwe. Kulapho ndaqalisa khona ukufunda iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova. Ndandisiya kwiintlanganiso zawo yaye eyona nto endandiyithanda kuwo kukuba nobuhlobo nokuthandana kwawo ngokunyanisekileyo.
Kodwa njengoko ndandifunda ngakumbi ngeBhayibhile, nesazela sam saya sindikhathaza. Indlela endandiphila ngayo yayingqubana nenyaniso eseBhayibhileni. Eyona nto ndandiyiphilela kukulwa iimfazwe zobuhlanga nokuba nogonyamelo, izinto aph’ uThixo azithiye kanobom.
Ndazixelela ukuba andinakuqhubeka ndikuMkhosi waseLwandle ndiphinde ndinqule uYehova uThixo. Ndayeka ngoko ke ukuthanda imfazwe. Ndakhetha ukuwuyeka umsebenzi wam. Emva kweenyanga zokutyikitya iimpepha zokubeka phantsi, ndisenza udliwano-ndlebe yaye kukhangelwa ukuba ndiphile kakuhle na engqondweni, ndakhululwa ngesihle—njengalowo ungasafuni kuba nanto yakwenza nomkhosi ngenxa yokungavunyelwa sisazela. Waba uyaphela ke umsebenzi wam endawenza kangangeminyaka eli-11, wokuba lijoni loMkhosi waseLwandle.
Ngoku ndandinokuwabhekisa kuYehova amazwi akuIsaya 6:8 athi: “Ndikho! Thuma mna.” Ndandizimisele ngokwenene, ukukhonza uThixo wenyaniso ngamandla am onke endaweni yokusebenzela uMkhosi waseLwandle. Ndabhaptizwa ngoJulayi 27, 1973 njengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Emva kweenyanga ezintlanu ndatshata noChristine Antisdel, iNgqina lokuqala endadibana nalo.
Le minyaka ingama-36 sikunye noChristine siyichithe sinceda abantu bafunde iBhayibhile baze basondele kuThixo. Sichithe iminyaka esibhozo singabathunywa bevangeli eDominican Republic. Kule minyaka ili-18 idluleyo bendingumlungiseleli ohambahambayo. Sinenkosikazi siye satyelela amakhulukhulu amabandla amaNgqina kaYehova antetho isiSpanish eUnited States.
Nanamhl’ oku, andikhumbuli ndiziva ndixhelwa ziimvakalelo, ndixinezelekile engqondweni, ndisothuka, ndiphupha kakubi okanye kubuya izinto ezazisenzeka emfazweni. Sekunjalo, emva kokusondela kuYehova uThixo, ndisazisola gqitha ngokubulala abantu emfazweni.
Kwafuneka nditshintshe gqitha—kodwa ndiyavuya kuba ndakwenza oko. Ngoku ndivakalelwa kukuba uThixo undixolele ngezinto endazenza kwixa elidluleyo. Kunokubabulala abantu, ngoku ndibanika ithemba lokuphila ngonaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadesi. Zonke izinto endazenza ngoxa ndandikuMkhosi waseLwandle, ndandizenziswa kukungazi nangenxa yenzondelelo egqwethekileyo. Ngoku ndiliNgqina likaYehova elikwaziyo oko kufundiswa yiBhayibhile, yonke into endiyenzayo ngoku ndiyenza ndiqinisekile ukuba kukho uThixo ophilayo, onothando yaye ekugqibeleni uya kubenzela izinto ezintle abo bamthandayo nabamthobelayo.
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 25]
Yayikhe iphele gungqu iveki ndidubula okanye ndiphepha iimbumbulu, ndilalele amanye amajoni, nawo endilalele
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 27]
Emva kokusondela kuYehova uThixo, ndisazisola gqitha ngokubulala abantu emfazweni
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 24]
Ndandiqeqesha amajoni (ngasentla) ndandisemkhosini eVietnam (ekhohlo)
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Ndafumana imbasa i-“Purple Heart” ngenxa yoko kwenzakala kodwa ndandingenzakalanga kangangokude ndiyeke ukulwa
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
Le minyaka ingama-36 sikunye noChristine siyichithe sinceda abantu bafunde iBhayibhile