Ndilubonile Ulwando EMazantsi EAfrika

Ngokubaliswa nguRobert Albert McLuckie

UMSEBENZI wokushumayela uBukumkani eMzantsi Afrika uqhubeka kakuhle kakhulu. Ukususela kwabamalunga nekhulu ababeshumayela ekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1920, ngoku kukho abamalunga nama-45 000 abavakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo eMzantsi Afrika. Ibe abanye abamalunga ne-150 000 bashumayela kwamanye amazwe apho isebe lethu laseMzantsi Afrika belivelela khona ngaphambili.

Ndiye ndaba novuyo lokubona olu lwando lumangalisayo kumazantsi eAfrika ebudeni beminyaka engama-60 edluleyo! Makhe ndikuxelele ngokufutshane ngalo nangesabelo endithe mna nentsapho yam ndanelungelo lokuba naso kulo.

Oku Kwaqala Ngentlekele

NgoJuni 22, 1927, umfazi wam endandimthanda, uEdna, wafa, eshiya ngasemva intombi yethu, uLyall, eyayineminyaka emithathu ubudala nonyana wethu, uDonovan, owayeneminyaka emibini ubudala. Ndandineminyaka engama-26 kuphela ubudala. Ukufa kwakhe kwandishiya ndibindekile yaye ndidideke ngokupheleleyo. Wayephi? Ndingakholelwa ukuba wayesesihogweni, ndathuthuzeleka ebusuku ngokuphupha esezulwini.

Ngaloo nyanga kaJulayi uDonovan omncinane wandinika incwadana eyayiyeyomntu othile kodwa eyathi ngandlel’ ithile yadibana neposi yethu. Yayinentetho kaJoseph Rutherford, umongameli wesibini weWatch Tower Society. Umbandela owawukuyo wandibangela umdla omkhulu kangangokuba ndathi ngokukhawuleza ndaziodolela zonke iimpapasho ezazidwelisiwe. Andizange ndiqonde ukuba oku kwakuza kubuguqula ubomi bam.

Phakathi kweencwadana ezafikayo, ndahlatyw’ umxhelo yenye eyayinomxholo othi Hell—What Is It? Who Are There? Can They Get Out? Hayi indlela endachwayita ngokupheleleyo ngayo kukubona loo ncwadana! Emva kokufunda amaphepha nje amabini okanye amathathu, ngokwenyaniso ndahleka luvuyo.

Ndinomnqweno wokwabelana nabanye ngoko ndandikufundile, ndandibhalela kungenjalo ndithetha nabazali bam namanye amalungu entsapho ngako. Umphumo waba kukuba, kungekudala abantakwethu abane, uJack, uPercy, uWilliam noSydney, baba nomdla baza baqalisa ukushumayela kwabanye. Kwiminyaka elandelayo, utata, umama noodade wethu ababini, uConnie noGrace, nabo bakholwa.

Andizange ndifumane namnye uMfundi weBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayesaziwa njalo ngoko, kummandla wethu waseMzantsi Afrika. Ndafudukela eMazantsi eRhodesia, ngoku oyiZimbabwe, ndaza ndasebenza kangangonyaka nomntakwethu uJack kwifama yeenkomo. Ngenxa yokufunda uncwadi lweWatch Tower Society, akuzange kube lithuba elide ndaziva ndinomnqweno ongxamisekileyo wokungenela ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo.

Njengoko ndandingekadibani nawo nawaphi na amakholwa angoowethu ngaphandle kwalawo ndandinikele kuwo ubungqina. Ngoko ndathabatha uhambo ngololiwe olwaba ziikhilomitha ezingama-2 300 ukuya kwisebe leofisi yoMbutho elaliseKapa, eMzantsi Afrika. Indlela endamkelwa ngayo ngezandla ezishushu nguGeorge Phillips ayithetheki, owayesongamela umsebenzi kumazantsi eAfrika! NgoJanuwari 10, 1930, ndabhaptizwa.

Iminyaka Yokuqala Yobuvulindlela

Nangona ndandithethe kubantu abangamakhulu-khulu ngeBhayibhile ebudeni beminyaka emithathu eyayidlule, ndandingazange ndibe nesabelo kubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu. Sekunjalo, ndafakwa kuludwe lwabalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo njengovulindlela. Ngezo ntsuku lwalungekho ucwangciso lokuqeqesha. Enyanisweni, abavakalisi babengafane bahambe kunye ukuya endlwini enye. Ekubeni sasinabavakalisi abambalwa kakhulu, kwakubonakala nje kungeyonto enokwenzeka oko.

Njengoko kukokwemvelo oko, ndandiyixhalabele intlalo-ntle yabantwana bam, uLyall noDonovan, ababenyanyekelwa nguyisemkhulu noninakhulu. Ekubeni babenyanyekelwa kakuhle, ngelo thuba ndacinga ukuba kuyinto efanelekileyo ukuchithela ixesha lam ekusasazeni isigidimi soBukumkani kwabanye. Oko koko ndakwenzayo.

Ebudeni beminyaka emithathu yobuvulindlela eyalandelayo , ndandinamaqabane amahlanu, kuquka nomntakwethu uSyd. Kamva waba necesina ngoxa wayekumsebenzi wobuvulindlela waza wafa. Ubuvulindlela babungeyondlwan’ iyanetha ngaloo mihla yangaphambili. Sasisebenzisa isithuthi esiyiveni esasinomandlalo owawakhelwe kuyo ngasemva, owawenziwe ngendlela yokuba ukwazi ukusongwa. Oku kwakusenza sikwazi ukulala, ukuhlala, ukupheka, nokutyela kuyo ngaphakathi.

Esona siganeko sibalaseleyo kwiintsuku zam zokuqala zobuvulindlela seso saxa sasifumana igama lethu elitsha elithi, amaNgqina kaYehova, ngowe-1931, ndawonye nencwadana ethi The Kingdom—The Hope of the World. Ndisayikhumbula kakuhle indlela endandisoyika ngayo xa ndandicinga ngokusebenzisa elo gama libaluleke kangako, ndizibuza enoba ndandinokukwazi ukulisebenzisa ngokunoxabiso kusini na.

Esinye isiganeko endisikhumbulayo kuloo minyaka yangaphambili sesokubhaptiza umntakwethu uJack nomkakhe, uDorrell, kumanzi oMlambo iNuanetsi owawunookrebe abaninzi kuMazantsi eRhodesia. Ngaphambi kokuba ndibantywilisele, saphosa amatye ambalwa emlanjeni ukoyikisa nabaphi na ookrebe ababelapho belindele amaxhoba abo. Kamva, kwiminyaka yee-1950, ndabhaptiza umama ebhafini.

Kwamanye Amazwe

Ngowe-1933 mna neqabane lam lesihlanu, uRobert Nisbet, sabelwa kummandla wentsimi omtsha nowawungazange usetyenzwe—isiqithi saseMauritius nesaseMadagascar ngaphaya konxweme lwangasemzantsi-mpuma Afrika. Sachitha inxalenye enkulu yeenyanga ezine kwezo ziqithi zibini, sityala imbewu yenyaniso yeBhayibhile. Olunjani lona uvuyo okululo ngoku ukubona ukuba iMauritius inabavakalisi boBukumkani abamalunga nama-800 ibe iMadagascar inabamalunga nama-3 000! Xa sabuyela eMzantsi Afrika, mna noRobert sahlukana. Kamva waba nguvulindlela nomntakwethu uSyd ibe kamva wakhonza njengomveleli wesebe eMauritius.

Ngaphambi kokubuyela kwethu eMzantsi Afrika, ndenza ilungiselelo lokudibana noLyall noDonovan ekhaya. Emva kokuba ndiye ndatyelela kunye nabo, kwafika elo thuba lingenakuphepheka lokwahlukana, elaliphelekwa ziinyembezi. Ndahambela phambili ukuya kudibana nomveleli wesebe, uMzalwana uPhillips, ukuze ndifumane isabelo sam esilandelayo. Saba seNyasaland, ngoku eyiMalawi. Ndathengelwa inqwelo-mafutha eyiChevrolet yowe-1929 ukuze ndiyisebenzise apho.

Ngoko, ngowe-1934, ndathabatha uhambo lweekhilomitha ezili-1 900, ngokuyintloko ndihamba kwiindlela zomhlaba, ndisuka eRhawutini, eMzantsi Afrika, ndisiya eZomba, ikomkhulu laseNyasaland. Ekugqibeleni ndafika apho ndandisinge khona, kwikhaya lomzalwana oNtsundu, uRichard Kalinde. Waba liqabane lam elisenyogweni netoliki yam ebudeni bokuhlala kwam eNyasaland. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndafumana amagumbi amabini kwihotele endala eyayingasasetyenziswa. Elinye ndalisebenzisa njengeofisi yokugcina impahla, elinye ndalisebenzisa njengelokuhlala.

Ukwabelwa kwam eNyasaland ngokukhethekileyo yayikukuze ndilungelelanise iimeko zesiphithiphithi ezazibangelwa koko kwakufane kubizwe ngokuba ngamabutho eWatchtower. Kwiminyaka yangaphambili, umntu oNtsundu, owayeqhelene neencwadi zikamongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Society, uCharles Taze Russell, nguye owaphembelela ukuveliswa kwala mabutho, nakubeni yena ngokunokwakhe engazange abe ngomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova.—Bona i-1976 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, iphepha 71-4.

Ndatyelela amabandla abo babesebenzisa uncwadi lweWatch Tower ndaza ndawafundela isigqibo esasiphathelele igama lethu elitsha elithi, amaNgqina kaYehova. Bonke ababesixhasa esi sigqibo bacelwa ukuba bakubonakalise oko ngokuphakamisa izandla. Nangona uninzi lwaziphakamisayo izandla, abaninzi abazange bakuqonde ngokupheleleyo oko ngokwenene kwakubandakanyekile koku. Ngenxa yoku, ekuhambeni kweminyaka, ngoxa abanye babesilela ukuqhubela phambili ngokomoya, abanye barhoxa ngokupheleleyo ekumxhaseni lowo babekade bemgqala njengenkokeli baza ngokwenyaniso baba ngamaNgqina kaYehova.

Emva kweenyanga ezimalunga nezintandathu ndiseNyasaland ndawelela eMozambique, apho isigidimi soBukumkani sasingekavakaliswa khona. Apho ndadibana negosa eliselula elalingumPhuthukezi elo mna noRobert Nisbet sasidibene nalo kuhambo lwesikhephe ngoxa sasisiya eMauritius. Landimemela esidlweni, ibe ndakwazi ukuthetha ngokubhekele phaya kunye nalo.

Ngesinye isihlandlo, ngoxa ndandikwidolophana ekumntla Mozambique, kwema inqwelo-mafutha kufutshane nam. Yayingumlawuli waloo mmandla. Wabuza ukuba akukho nto ebengasinceda ngayo kusini na waza wandimemela ekhayeni lakhe, apho wamkela khona iimpapasho ezininzi zeWatch Tower. Kwanakuba umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoku uvaliwe eMozambique naseNyasaland (eMalawi), kuya ndichwayitisa ukwazi ukuba abazalwana nodade abaninzi abathembekileyo bakhuthele apho.

Amalungelo AseBheteli

Emva kokuba ndibuyele eNyasaland, enjani yona into emangalisayo endayifumanayo! Ndamenyelwa ukuba ndibe ngomnye wabasebenzi kwiiofisi zesebe laseMzantsi Afrika elaliseKapa, yaye umntakwethu oselula uWilliam wathunyelwa ukuba angene ezihlangwini zam eNyasaland. Ngoko ndathabatha uhambo lweekhilomitha ezingama-3 500 ngeChevrolet. Ndisendleleni ndatyelela uDonovan noLyall. Omnye wayeneminyaka eli-11 ubudala omnye eneminyaka eli-12 ubudala, ibe kwakuza kudlula omnye unyaka ngaphambi kokuba ndibabone kwakhona.

Ndabelwa ukuba ndongamele iofisi yesebe ngalo naliphi na ixesha uMzalwan’ uPhillips, umveleli wesebe, engekho. Nangona ndandingazange ndinxulumane ngokuthe rhoqo nalo naliphi na ibandla lamaNgqina kaYehova ukususela ekufundeni ngenyaniso kwiminyaka esithoba ngaphambili, ngowe-1936 ndanyulwa ukuba ngumveleli owongamelayo kwiBandla eliseKapa, elalinabavakalisi ababemalunga nama-20.

Ukuguquka Kweemeko

Andizange ndifune ukuwancama amalungelo am enkonzo, kodwa uLyall noDonovan babesele bezakungenela iminyaka yabo yeshumi elivisayo, ibe ndandiyixhalabele intlalo-ntle yabo, kuquka nempilontle yabo yokomoya. Ndavuyiswa kukuba, isicombululo kulo mcimbi sasikufutshane.

NgoJuni 6, 1936, uMzalwan’ uPhillips wandazisa kubavakalisi ababefika bevela eOstreliya, uDade Seidel nentombi yakhe enomtsalane eyayineminyaka eli-18 ubudala, uCarmen. Kwisithuba esingangonyaka mna noCarmen satshata. Ngoko ndafumana umsebenzi wokuziphilisa ndaza ndakha umzi.

Kangangonyaka ndandisebenza eMzantsi Afrika, sandula ke mna noCarmen nonyana wethu owayeselusana, uPeter, safudukela kuMzantsi Rhodesia, apho umntakwethu uJack wayendicelile ukuba ndisebenze kunye naye kumsebenzi owawulucelomngeni womgodi wegolide. Emva kokuba sizinzile, uLyall noDonovan, ababesele emva nomama kaCarmen, beza kuhlala nathi.

Ukujamelana Nentshutshiso Yexesha Lemfazwe

NgoSeptemba 1939, kwaqhambuka iMfazwe Yehlabathi II, ibe ngonyaka owalandelayo uncwadi lwethu lweBhayibhile lwavalwa. Sazimisela ukuvavanya ukunyaniseka komthetho ngokusasaza iincwadi phantsi kwazo naziphi na iimeko. Kwalandela ukubanjwa nezigwebo, ibe iincwadi neeBhayibhile zethu zathinjwa zaza zatshiswa.

Ngenye intsasa ngemva komsebenzi wethu wokushumayela, sacelwa ngumcuphi ukuba size kuthabatha abantwana bethu esikhululweni sabakwantsasana ababesiwe kuso. Sala, sisithi ekubeni abo baselula kubonakala ukuba babebanjiwe, kwakuyimbopheleleko yamapolisa ukubanyamekela. Ngaloo mva-kwemini, emva kokuba sibuyile kubulungiseleli basentsimini, sabafumana abantwana bekhuselekile ekhaya kodwa kungabonakali nalinye ipolisa!

Ngesinye isihlandlo, ngowe-1941, uCarmen wagwetywa iinyanga ezintathu ngaphaya kwezitshixo kwanakuba wayenzima. Noko ke, uEstrella, wazalwa ngaphambi kokuba uCarmen angenele isigwebo sakhe. Kunokulushiya ekhaya kunye nam usana, uCarmen wakhetha ukuya nalo entolongweni. Ngaloo ndlela, uEstrella waba nomondli ongumfazi oNtsundu owayebulele indoda yakhe. Xa uCarmen wakhululwayo, loo mbulalikazi wakhathazeka kakhulu kangangokuba walila ezimantshiyane. Ngokungalindelekanga, uEstrella waqalisa ubuvulindlela ngowe-1956 eneminyaka eli-15 ubudala. Kamva, watshata noJack Jones ibe kangangeminyaka ngoku engaphezu kwama-20 uye wakhonza nomyeni wakhe eMzantsi Afrika ibe ngoku ukhonza kwikomkhulu leWatch Tower Society eliseBrooklyn, eNew York.

Kungekudala emva koko ndakwachithela iinyanga ezininzi ngaphaya kwezitshixo ngenxa yokushumayela. Ngoxa ndandilapho, ngoJanuwari 1942, uJoseph Rutherford wafa. Andizange ndibe nakuzibamba ndacela kule nto yabantwana ngobo busuku ngasese esiseleni endandikuso. Ndandinamathuba okunikela ubungqina, ibe ngenye intsasa yangeCawa, ngoxa wonk’ ubani wayengaphandle ebaleni ukuya kwenza umthambo, ndabhaptiza ibanjwa elinguwethu elalisabele kwisigidimi soBukumkani.

Iofisi Entsha Yesebe

Emva kokuba ndikhululwe entolongweni, ndafumana umsebenzi esiporweni kwaBulawayo. UCarmen wayefundele ukuthunga impahla entolongweni ibe wasebenzisa ubuchule awayenabo ekuxhaseni intsapho. ULyall wabuya evela eMzantsi Afrika, apho wayenguvulindlela khona, ibe naye wancedisa kwiindleko. Umphumo waba kukuba, kungekudala saba nengeniso engaphezu koko ngokwenene sasikufuna, ngoko sathethathethana, ibe kwavunyelwana ekubeni ndandinokungenela ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo kwakhona.

Ndinetikiti lokusebenzisa uloliwe ngesisa, ngowe-1947 ndahamba ngololiwe ukuya eKapa ukuze ndibone uMzalwan’ uPhillips. Into eyandimangalisa ngokugqithiseleyo kukuba, ndabelwa ukuba ndivule iziko lokugcina uncwadi loMbutho kwaBulawayo. Kwandula ke, ngonyaka olandelayo, uNathan H. Knorr, umongameli wesithathu weWatch Tower Society, watyelela waza walungiselela ukuba eli ziko lenziwe iofisi yesebe ngoSeptemba 1, 1948, uEric Cooke engumveleli wesebe laseMazantsi eRhodesia. Kangangeminyaka eli-14 eyalandelayo, ndaba nelungelo lokusebenza kweli sebe ngoxa, kakade ke, ndandihlala ekhaya nentsapho yethu eyayisanda. Ndinombulelo omkhulu ngenkxaso yezinto eziphathekayo uCarmen nabantwana bethu abadadlana abayinikelayo, besenza ukuba ndibe nako ukuqhubeka ndisebenza kwiofisi yesebe.

Esinye Isabelo Sokushumayela

Ngowe-1962 mna noCarmen saba nomnqweno wokuhambela phambili size sisebenze apho kwakukho intswelo enkulu khona. Ngoko salithengisa ikhaya lethu saza sathabatha uLindsay noJeremy, abantwana bethu ababengabona baselula—abanye abahlanu babesebekhulile belishiyile nekhaya—saza sajongisa imibombo kwiZiqithi zeSeychelle.

Okokuqala, sahamba ngenqwelo-mafutha ubukhulu becala kwiindlela zomhlaba, kangangeekhilomitha ezingama-2 900, saza safika eMombasa, eKenya. Sayishiya inqwelo-mafutha komnye umzalwana saza sahamba ngesikhephe ukuya kwiiSeychelles. Umntu owayenomdla wasazisa kwabanye, ibe kungekudala saba neentlanganiso ezaziqhubeka kufutshane nendlu yebhishopu. Ezinye iintlanganiso sasiziqhubela kwisiqithi esikufutshane kwindlu esisikhephe esasisesommtu othile eyayingqongwe yimithi emide yesundu namaza awayefikelela elunxwemeni.

Kungekudala umsebenzi wethu waziwa, yaye ekugqibeleni abasemagunyeni basiyalela ukuba siyeke ukushumayela, nto leyo esasingenakuvumelana nayo nje kwaphela. (IZenzo 4:19, 20) Ngoko, ngokungathi kunjalo, sagxothwa, kodwa okwelo thuba sasesibhaptize abantu abahlanu. Ebudeni bokuhlala kwethu iinyanga ezintlanu kwiiSeychelles, uCarmen waba nzima uAndrew, untondo wethu. Xa sasibuyela kumzantsi Rhodesia, intombi yethu uPauline yasimema ukuba sihlale nayo nomyeni wayo ngoxa kwakusekusondele ixesha lokuzalwa kuka-Andrew.

Iintsikelelo Nokwaneliseka

Ndiyavuyiswa kukuthi bonke abantwana bethu abasibhozo, kuquka uLyall noDonovan, baye babandakanyeka kubuvulindlela ngamathub’ athile. Enyanisweni, abane koonyana nabakhwenyana bethu ngoku bangabadala, ibe ababini bazizicaka zolungiselelo. Ukongezelela, hayi indlela esivuya ngayo kukuba abaninzi kubazukulwana bethu nabantwana babazukulwana bethu bekunye nabazali babo bavakalisa iindaba zovuyo kumazwe angaphezu kwesine ibe oku kuquka amanye amalungu entsapho yakwaMcLuckie nawo akhonza uYehova. Ndeyisekile kukuba, imiphumo enjalo, ibakho ngokuthi intsapho iye rhoqo ezintlanganisweni ize ibandakanyeke ngokuthe rhoqo kumsebenzi wokushumayela.

Ngoku ndineminyaka engama-89 ubudala, ndisenelungelo lokuba ngumdala kwibandla lethu eliseMgungundlovu, eMzantsi Afrika. Ndaneliseka ngokwenyaniso xa ndikhangela emva kwiminyaka engaphezu kwengama-60 ndikwinkonzo kaYehova esikelelekileyo. Kuyintsikelelo ngokukhethekileyo ukubona izizukulwana ezihlanu zentsapho yethu, kuquka nabazali bam, besizisa indumiso kuYehova, uThixo omkhulu wendalo iphela.

[Picture of Robert Albert and Carmen McLuckie on page 26]

[Picture of Robert Albert McLuckie on page 27]