Ukukhonza UYehova Ngamathuba Alungileyo Naxakileyo
Ngokubaliswa nguHal Bentley
AYESELE enziwe amalungiselelo endibano yesiphaluka yamaNgqina kaYehova kwilali encinane yaseNyasaland (ngoku eyiMalawi). Umveleli wesiphaluka nowesithili babesahlolisisa okokugqibela iqonga elalenziwe ngengca noqalo nezindlu zengca ezaziziindawo zokulala. Ngequbuliso, bazibona sele bejikelezwe lihlokondiba elalizimele kumatyholo awayekufutshane. Eli hlokondiba lalumek’ umlilo kwezo zindlu nelo qonga laza lanyanzela abazalwana ababini ukuba baye kwizindlu ababehlala kuzo.
Umfazi womveleli wesithili, uJoyce Bentley, weza esombel’ isinqe ukuza kubona oko kwakusenzeka. Naye wabuyiselwa umva. Inkokeli yeli hlokondiba yakhwaza isithi umzungu (umlungu) makahambe ngoko nangoko. Eli hlokondiba alizange lisivumele ukuba sithabathe izinto zethu yaye lasinyanzela ukuba singene kwinqwelo-mafutha yethu eyiLand-Rover. Isihlwele sasijikeleza isithuthi sethu—amadoda, abafazi nabantwana—sikhwaza sisithi “Pitani mzungu” (Umlungu, makahambe) sikwathi “Kwacha” (Inkululeko). Sasilindele ukuba sasiza kuyibhukuqa iLand-Rover yethu, ngoko sathandaza ngaphakathi kuYehova. Kodwa esi sihlwele saye sincipha ngokuncipha, ibe sahamba saya kwisikhululo sabakwantsasana esasisesona sikufuphi, eMzimba, malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-50 ukusuka apho.
Kamva sabuyela apho, siphelekwa ligosa elinye labakwantsasana. Ngenxa yenkathazo eyayikwezinye iindawo, lilo kuphela elalinokufumaneka. Sakuba sifikile kuloo ndawo sasihlaselwe kuyo lihlokondiba, sabona indwe yeQela Elilawulayo laseMalawi ixhonywe ngaphandle yaye kudonga olwenziwe ngodaka kubhalwe oonobumba abathi M.C.P. Noko ke, emva kokuba eli polisa lithethile naba bantu basekuhlaleni, basivumela ukuba singenise izinto zethu kwiLandRover.
Sakwafumana nomveleli wesiphaluka, uRightwell Moses, kunye nomfazi wakhe. Umkakhe wayebabelekil’ abasicatyana ukuya ematyholweni ebudeni bokuhlasela kweli hlokondiba. Kodwa uRightwell wayephantse warhaxiswa kumlambo okufutshane. Ihlokondiba lalikwathabathe konke ukutya kwendibano. Landula ke layalela ukuba abazalwana bamatshe baye kwelinye icala baze oodade nabantwana bamatshe baye kwelinye kangangeekhilomitha eziliqela de eli hlokondiba ladinwa laza labashiya.
Esi sesinye seziganeko ezininzi ezathi zaphumela ekuvalweni komsebenzi eMalawi, okwakhokelela kwintshutshiso ekrakra yamaNgqina kaYehova, kuquka ukubulawa, ukubethwa ngenkohlakalo, ukudlwengulwa kwabafazi nokuvalelwa kwawo ezintolongweni.
Yintoni Eyabangela Ukuba Sibe SeMalawi?
Ndazalelwa kwisixeko saseLeeds, eYorkshire, eNgilani, ngoJuni 28, 1916, ndingoyena mncinane kwintsapho yakowethu enabantwana abahlanu. Sasingengobantu balunqulo ibe sasingazange siwuthi cakatha owethu ecaweni.
Ngowe-1939, xa kwathi kwaqhambuka iMfazwe Yehlabathi II, abazali bam bafa. NgoJuni 1940, xa ndandineminyaka nje engama-24 ubudala, ndandinxibe iyunifomu, ibe kangangeminyaka emihlanu eyalandelayo, ndandisebenza kumaqela awahlukahlukeneyo awayexhotyiswe ngezixhobo ezikhulu. Ebudeni baloo minyaka, njengoko ndandihlala kwindawo yokulinda ekwakubekwa kuyo oombayimbayi kwicala lonxweme olungakumntla-mpuma weNgilani ndize ndikhangele phezulu kwisibhakabhaka esineenkwenkwezi, ngokufuthi ndandiba nethuba lokucinga ngoThixo ndize ndizibuze isizathu sokuba uMenzi wezi zinto zintle kangaka avumele ugonyamelo, ukuphalazwa kwegazi nokubandezeleka okunjalo kuluntu. Andizange ndifumane mpendulo kwimibuzo emininzi eyayindidida kangangethuba elide de ndarhoxa ngokupheleleyo emkhosini.
Ngenye ingokuhlwa eyayibanda ngokuqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo ngexesha lasebusika laloo nyaka, uthile wankqonkqoza endlwini yam. Xa ndaluvulayo ucango ndabona inene elaliselikhulile elathi laqalisa ukuthetha ngeBhayibhile. Oku kwakhokelela kwisifundo seBhayibhile ibe kungekudala kwakhokelela ekubhaptizweni kwam ngoAprili 1946. Ngowe-1949 ndayeka emsebenzini ndaza ndaba ngumlungiseleli wamaNgqina kaYehova onguvulindlela.
Ndandula ke ndakhonza kwiBheteli yaseLondon kangangeminyaka engaphezu kwemithathu, ibe ngowe-1953 ndamenyelwa ukuya kungenela iklasi yama-23 yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi eMzantsi Lansing, eNew York, ukuze ndiqeqeshwe njengomvangeli wasemazweni. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndafumana isabelo sobuvangeli basemazweni kwindawo ngoko eyayibizwa ngokuba yiNyasaland. Kamva ndathunyelwa kumsebenzi wesithili. Kangangeminyaka emihlanu ndalityhutyha elo lizwe lihle ndilisoka eliselula. Uthando endandinalo ngabantu lwakhula, ababonwabe yaye bengababuk’ iindwendwe kangako nakubeni inkoliso yayinezinto eziphathekayo ezimbalwa ngaphandle kweziqwengana ababenazo zomhlaba ababelima kuzo umbona, iinkuku neebhokhwe okanye iihagu ezimbalwa. Bambi babengabalobi abanobuchule. Ndandihlala nabo kumanqugwala abo awenziwe ngodaka neepali akumgangatho ophantsi ndize ndihambe nabo ukuya kumsebenzi wokushumayela ukusuka kwenye ilali ukuya kwenye. Kwakhona ndandikunandipha ukunxulumana nabo kwiindibano zabo ezazisenzelwa phandle, ababedla ngokuthi kuzo bahlale neentsapho zabo benikele ingqalelo ngokupheleleyo kwizithethi, kwanakuba maxa wambi imvula yayisina ngamandla!
Ngethuba laxa ndandihlala kule lali, wonk’ ubani, omncinane nomkhulu, wayedla ngokuza kundibulisa esithi: “Moni, muli bwanji?” (Molo, uphila njani?) Kwanaxa ndandisuka kwenye ilali ndisiya kwenye, abantu babedla ngokuyeka ukuhlakula amasimi abo baze bandibulise.
Bandla ngalinye endathi ndalityelela ndihamba nomveleli wesiphaluka lalidla ngokundakhela indlu ngokukhethekileyo. Maxa wambi yayidla ngokuba yeyomeleleyo eyakhiwe ngeepali ize ifulelwe ngengca, endandisithi ndiyixabise ngeyona ndlela. Kodwa ndafumanisa ukuba kuthabath’ ixesha elithile ngaphambi kokuba amanzi angangeni kuphahla olusandul’ ukufulelwa!
Abazalwana bakha bandakhela indlu yonke eyayakhiwe ngengca eyomeleleyo yokufulela. Yayinamagumbi amathathu, igumbi lesine ileleLand-Rover yam. Le ndlu yayingakwintlambo yoMlambo iShire, ndawo leyo ekuba shushu kuyo unyaka wonke, ibe ndingatsho ukuthi iingcongconi ziyakwazi ukuzenzela emntwini, zinganiki mntu kuphumla emini okanye ebusuku! Xa ungenawo umnatha weengcongconi neyeza lokuzigxotha, kwakuphantse kube nzima ukuphila.
Undofa Naye Uyandithelela
Ngowe-1960 ndathelelwa ngumfazi wam, uJoyce Shaw, owayekhonza njengomvangeli wasemazweni e-Ecuador. Ewe, emva kokunandipha isipho sokuba lisoka kangangeminyaka ethile, ndasikelelwa ngesinye isipho—umtshato—endisawuxabisa ngokunzulu emva kweminyaka engama-30. Mna noJoyce siye sasikelelwa ngamava amaninzi achwayitisayo sikunye.
Ngesinye isihlandlo, besebenzisa iipali nengca, abazalwana bakha ibhulorho enqumla umsinga. Oku kwenzelwa ukuba ndikwazi ukuwelela kwilali ababefuna ukuba ndibonise kuyo ifilimu yombutho eyayinomxholo othi “The New World Society in Action (Umbutho Wehlabathi Elitsha Uyasebenza).” Kodwa inqwelo erhuqwayo yeLand-Rover yaminxeka epalini ebhulorhweni. Bengoyiki, abazalwana bayikhulula le nqwelo, besenzela ukuba mna ndiwelele ngaphaya kwebhulorho, bandula ke bayityhalela ngaphesheya inqwelo erhuqwayo. Yaqhubeka ngokunempumelelo loo filimu.
Maxa wambi imilambo yayiba banzi gqitha ukuba kungenziwa ibhulorho kuyo. Ngoko abazalwana babedla ngokukhupha yonke into ekwiLand-Rover—umatshini wokwenza umbane onokuphatheka, umatshini womboniso bhanyabhanya, iifilimu nomandlalo—baze baziwelise umlambo, ngoxa mna ndandithwalwa ngomnye wabazalwana onamagxa awomeleleyo. UJoyce wayedla ngokuwezwa ngoodade ababini. Eminye imilambo yayinzulu gqitha. Le yayidla ngokunqunyulwa kukhwelwe isikhitshane sokwexeshana esineqonga elomeleleyo elenziwe ngeplanga phezu kwemigqomo emikhulu esusela kwesibhozo ukusa kwelishumi. Ngoko amadoda amabini ayedla ngokusiweza esitsala ngentambo.
Abazalwana baseMalawi babeluncedo yaye benobubele ngokugqithiseleyo yaye babesihlonela ngokunzulu. Kwenye indawo abantu basekuhlaleni basongela ngelokuba babeza kutshisa indlu esasihlala kuyo, ngoko abazalwana bahlala apho ubusuku bonke ukuze baqinisekise ukuba sasikhuselekile. Kwanangaphambi kokuvalwa komsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova ngowe-1967, kwakukho iimeko eziyingozi, kuquka leyo ichazwe ekuqaleni kweli bali. Abazalwana noodade abaninzi baseMalawi babekulungele ukusincamela ubomi babo.
Ngesinye isihlandlo ndandisebenza kwindlu ngendlu nomzalwana owayenengongoma enkulu ebunzi. Wayebethwe ngokoyikekayo kwiintsuku ezimbalwa ngaphambi koko. Kwenye indlu wanikela ubungqina obuhle ngokuzolileyo kumninindlu. Emva kokuba sihambile, lo mzalwana wathi: “Laa ndoda yile indigqebhe olu duma!” Ndakhumbula amazwi kaPawulos athi: “Ningabuyekezi ububi ngobubi nakubani . . . Boyise ububi ngokulungileyo.”—Roma 12:17-21.
Ukwandisa Inkonzo Yethu
Ngoxa sasiseseMalawi, mna noJoyce sasityelela rhoqo kwiMozambiki ekufutshane. Ukwazi kwakhe iSpanish, awasifunda ngoxa wayekhonza e-Ecuador, kwakuluncedo, ekubeni abantu abangamaPhuthukezi babenako ukumva. Ekuhambeni kwexesha sobabini sakwazi ukuncokola ngesiPhuthukezi. Saqhubeka sityelela iMozambiki sisuka kwisabelo sethu samva, iZimbabwe. ICawa yamaKatolika yayiwuchasa ngokukrakra umsebenzi wokushumayela yaza yaxhokonxa inkathazo. Kodwa ebudeni beminyaka elishumi eyalandelayo, ngokufuthi sasifumana inyameko nenkuselo enothando kaYehova njengoko sasifuna ababumvu apho.
Ebudeni bolunye utyelelo lwethu eMozambiki, satyelela elinye inenekazi elalinomdla elihlala kumntla wezibuko laseBeira. Lalibhalelwe ngudade walo osePortugal waza walibalisela ngezinye zezinto ezimangalisayo awayezifundile ngokufundisisa namaNgqina kaYehova. Eli nenekazi lalizihlolile ezi zinto kwiBhayibhile yalo yaye lalikwaqalise nokuxelela abamelwane balo ngazo. Kanti ekuphela kwekhelingi esasinayo yayiligama legaraji awayesebenza kuyo umyeni walo.
Xa safikayo kwisango lale ndlu yokusebenzela, indoda ethile yabuza ukuba yayinokusinceda kusini na. Sacela ukubona indoda yeli nenekazi. Yasalathisa umntu owayekhanda inqwelo-mafutha yaza yasishiya ngendlela engachubekanga. Sazazisa kulo mkhandi saza sathi sasiya kuthanda ukutyelela umfazi wakhe. Wayesoyika gqitha. Ngoxa wayesipheleka ukuya ekhayeni lakhe, wasicacisela ukuba indoda esathetha nayo kuqala yayisendleleni eya kunikela ingxelo ngokufika kwethu kwinkosi yasekuhlaleni yeP.I.D.E. (udidi oluthile lwabecuphi). Sasisemgibeni! Wakwacacisa ukuba umkakhe, ngenxa yomsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela, wayebekw’ esweni ngabakwantsasana kangangethuba elithile nokuba bayibamba ileta eyayimxelela ukuba sasiza kumtyelela. Babeyithabathile iBhayibhile yakhe, kodwa ngobulumko wayeyifihlile enye! Kwakhona bezisa ubhishopu wamaKatolika ukuze azame ukumphembelela ukuba ayeke ukuthetha ngoYehova nangoBukumkani!
Xa sathi sadibana neli nenekazi linomdla, alizange likwazi ukuzibamba laza lamwola uJoyce. Layibongoza indoda yalo ukuba isivumele ukuba sihlale nabo, kodwa yala yaza yabuyela emsebenzini. Senza olona lwakha lwalufutshane utyelelo, silikhuthaza ngokusuka eBhayibhileni yaye silincoma ngenxa yokuma kwalo ngokuqine ngolo hlobo. Ukuze siphephe ukubangela iingxaki ezingakumbi kulo, sandula ke salishiya kodwa sathembisa ukubuya kamva xa imeko ingasembi kangako. Njengoko sasiyishiya indlu saza kwakhona sazalisa itanki yethu ngegesi egaraji, saphawula ukuba kwakukho abantu abasijongileyo, kodwa asizange sibanjwe. Sandula ke saya eBeira saza satyelela ibandla elincinane apho ngaphambi kokubuyela eZimbabwe. Kwiinyanga ezithile kamva sabuyela yaye sakwazi ukunandipha isidlo neli nenekazi linomdla ndawonye nendoda nentombi yalo. Ekugqibeleni labhaptizwa ngoxa lalityelele ePortugal laza laba ngumvakalisi woBukumkani onenzondelelo.
Ukubheka phambili ngasemantla sasityelela rhoqo iindawo ezinjengeQuelimane, iNampula neNacala, izibuko elincinane. ENacala sasidla ngokutyelela intsapho yakwaSoares. UMnu. Soares waqala ukuva ngenyaniso ePortugal. Kodwa xa wafudukela eMozambiki, abazalwana baseLourenço Marques (ngoku eyiMaputo), ikomkhulu laseMozambiki, bafundisisa naye nentsapho yakhe. Bayixabisa ngokunzulu into yokuba sasikulungele ukuhamba iikhilomitha ezingamakhulukhulu ukuya kutyelela le ntsapho ikwanti. Benza inkqubela entle. Kamva bafudukela eMzantsi Afrika, apho intombi yabo, uManuela, ikhonza eBheteli njengomguquleli wesiPhuthukezi.
Salityelela ibandla eliseLourenço Marques kangangezihlandlo ezininzi. Oku kwakubandakanya ukuhamba iikhilomitha ezingaphezu kwe-1 100 ukusuka eBlantyre sihamba kwiindlela ezimbi. Kangangezihlandlo ezibini saba nengxaki enkulu yesithuthi yaye kwafuneka ukuba sitsalwe ukuya eSalisbury (ngoku eyiHarare). Sekunjalo, kwakuluvuyo olukhulu ukubona iqela elincinane laseLourenço Marques elikhulele ekubeni libandla eliphilileyo phezu kwako nje ukusebenza kwalo phantsi kokuvalwa komsebenzi. Iindibano zesiphaluka ezincinane zaziqhutywa ngokuthe rhoqo. Kodwa kwakunyanzeleka ukuba ziqhutyelwe ematyholweni ngokungathi abazalwana babeliqela nje elikhulu elalinandipha ipikiniki. Kwizihlandlo eziliqela indibano yayilungiselelwa kwicala elingaphesheya komda eNelspruit eMzantsi Afrika. Oku kwanceda abazalwana abaseMaputo ukuba bayixabise intlangano kaYehova baze bakhule ngokomoya.
IBandla laseBeira nalo laba lelomeleleyo. Ngenxa yenguqu enkulu engokobupolitika eMozambiki, abazalwana abavela kwelo lizwe ngoku basasazeke ePortugal, eMzantsi Afrika, eKhanada, eBrazil, eUnited States nakwezinye iindawo. Lonke uzuko lolukaYehova, yena ‘wahlumisayo.’ (1 Korinte 3:6, 7) Ewe, kangangeminyaka elishumi saye saba nelungelo lokunceda abazalwana baseMozambiki phantsi kwenkqubo yolawulo lwamaPhuthukezi. Xa sikhangela emva, sibamb’ ongezantsi ngendlela uYehova awasivulela ngayo amathuba okwenza oku.
Ngesinye isihlandlo, ngoxa sasityelele iNampula kwicala langasemntla, sabanjwa lilungu leP.I.D.E. Lonke uncwadi lwethu, kuquka iiBhayibhile, lwathatyathwa, ibe saxelelwa ukuba sasingayi kuze sivunyelwe ukuba siluthi cakatha kwakhona olwethu eMozambiki. Phezu kwako nje oko, ngoncedo lukaYehova sakwazi ukuya kangangezihlandlo ezininzi kweli lizwe. Ngawo onke amaxesha sifika emdeni, sasidla ngokucela uncedo nokhokelo lwakhe ukuze sikwazi ukuphumeza ukuthanda kwakhe size sinikele ukhuthazo noqeqesho olukhulu olufunekayo kubazalwana bethu abakwelo lizwe.
Ngowe-1979 satshintshelwa eBotswana. Ililizwe elingummandla omkhulu, ophantse ulingane nesiqingatha soMzantsi Afrika. Ekubeni ummandla omkhulu uyintlango, iKalahari, kukho abemi abangaphantsi kwesigidi. Apha siye saba namalungelo anjengokuncedisa ekwakhiweni kweHolo yoBukumkani nekhaya labavangeli basemazweni eliseGaborone, elikomkhulu. Elinye ilungelo ibe kukunceda iimbacu ezithetha isiPhuthukezi ezasaba zivela eAngola nokufundisisa iBhayibhile kunye nazo.
Kwakhona sakwazi ukunceda isibini esiselula esasivela eZimbabwe. Kuyabonakala ukuba kweli lizwe liselumelwaneni, amaNgqina kaYehova, ngelungiselelo elikhethekileyo, ayevunyelwa ukufundisa eZingcwele kwezinye izikolo. Oku kwavuselela umdla kwaba bantu basebatsha. Xa bathi kamva bafudukela eBotswana, sanxibelelana nabo, yaye bacela ukufundelwa iBhayibhile. Noko ke, abazali babo babechasa, ngoko kwafuneka beze kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni ukuze bafundisise. Benza inkqubela entle baza baba ngamaNgqina abhaptiziweyo.
Njengoko ndikhangela emva kwiminyaka engama-41 ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo kumazwe asibhozo, ndiziva ndimbulela ngokunzulu uYehova ngenxa yeentsikelelo ezininzi endizinandiphileyo. Bekungeyondlwan’ iyanetha, kodwa kube luvuyo olukhulu ngam noJoyce ukunceda abaninzi ukubumela ngokuqinileyo uBukumkani nokubona inkqubela entle phezu kwazo nje iingxaki ezininzi neentshutshiso ezinzima. Eneneni oku kube ‘kukulivakalisa ilizwi, ukuzingisa ukwenjenjalo ngamathuba alungileyo naxakileyo.’ Ewe, inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ingamava atyebileyo nelungelo elikhulu esinokulincomela ngokusuk’ entliziyweni kwabo banokuhlengahlengisa ubomi babo ukuze balinandiphe.—2 Timoti 4:2.
[Iimaphu ezikwiphepha 21]
(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)
EANGOLA
EZAMBIA
EMALAWI
EMzimba
EBlantyre
EMOZAMBIKI
ENacala
EBeira
EMaputo
EZIMBABWE
EHarare
ENAMIBIA
EBOTSWANA
EGaborone
EMZANTSI AFRIKA
ULWANDLEKAZI LWEINDIYA
600 km
400 mi
[Picture of Hal and Joyce Bentley on page 23]
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24, 25]
Ngamathuba axa imilambo yayinzulu gqitha, amadoda amabini ayedla ngokusiweza esitsala ngentambo