Sakhulisa Abantwana Abasibhozo Ngokwengqeqesho KaYehova
NGOKUBALISWA NGUOVERLAC MENEZES
“Bafika ngebhayisikile enezihlalo ezibini.” Le yindlela iJornal de Resende eyayiqalisa ngayo ingxelo yayo eyazalisa iphepha lonke ngentsapho yakowethu ngowe-1988, ngoxa sasinduluka eResende sisiya eLages kumzantsi Brazil.
LE NGXELO yahlabela mgama isithi: “Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, abantu abakhulileyo baya kusikhumbula isibini esasingundaba-mlonyeni eResende ngenxa yendlela yaso yamandulo nengaqhelekanga yokuhamba: ibhayisekile eyayinkulu gqitha neyayinezihlalo ezibini. Phambili phayaa, kwakuhlala umqhubi, ‘isisicaka,’ uOverlac Menezes; kwisihlalo sesibini, ingumfazi wakhe, uMaria José. Unyaka: kwakungowe-1956.”
Umbhali weli nqaku yayiyindoda egama linguArisio Maciel, yaye wayekwangumphathi wesikhululo sikanomathotholo sasekuhlaleni. Wadibana nathi okokuqala emva phayaa ngowe-1956 xa mna nowakwam sasinenxaxheba kwinkqubo kanomathotholo yeeveki ngeeveki yeWatch Tower Society eyayisithi, Things People Are Thinking About (Izinto Abacinga Ngazo Abantu). Kweli nqaku, wacaphula amazwi am athi ebudeni bokuhlala kwethu apho “zonke izindlu zaseResende zatyelelwa, isitrato ngesitrato.”
Ngaba uyakuthanda ukwazi ukuba kwenzeka njani ukuba saziwe kangaka eResende? Yaye, ngoxa sasilapho, sakwazi njani ukukhulisa abantwana abasibhozo ‘ngokwengqeqesho kaYehova’ ngoxa sincedisa ukutyelela zonke izindlu zaseResende siziphathele iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani?—Efese 6:4.
Ukufunda Iindlela ZikaYehova
NgoJanuwari 1950, uMaria Minc, omnye wamaNgqina kaYehova waqalisa ukufundisisa iBhayibhile nodade wethu uAdeilde eSão Paulo. Ndandineminyaka eli-16 ubudala ngelo xesha yaye ndandibhaptizwe njengomKatolika, kodwa kangangexesha elithile ndandiyekile ukuya ecaweni. Sekunjalo, ndandisakholelwa kuThixo yaye ndandifuna ukumkhonza. Ngoko ngobunye ubusuku, ndaya emzini ka-Adeilde ukuya kufumanisa ngolu nqulo lutsha wayefundisisa ngalo. UMaria Minc wandimema ukuba ndithelele esifundweni, yaye okwesihlandlo sokuqala ebomini bam, ndabona iBhayibhile. Ebudeni bezifundo ezalandelayo ndandimangalisiwe kukufunda ngokusuka eBhayibhileni ukuba igama likaThixo nguYehova, ukuba kungekudala umhlaba uza kuba yiparadisi, ukuba isihogo somlilo nendawo yentlambululo-miphefumlo azikho nokuba umntu akanamphefumlo ungafiyo. Izalamane zam zandixelela oku: “Uza kuphambana ukuba uza kufunda iBhayibhile kangaka!”
Ndenza inkqubela entle kufundisiso lwam lweBhayibhile ndaza ndaqalisa ukuya ezintlanganisweni kwiHolo yoBukumkani yeBandla laseBelém eSão Paulo. Ndilindele ukubona abantu abakhulileyo kuphela abazileyo, ndothuka gqitha kukufumana ulutsha oluninzi olukubudala endandikubo. NgoFebruwari 5, 1950, ndaba nenxaxheba kumsebenzi wokushumayela okwesihlandlo sokuqala, yaye ngoNovemba 4 kwakuloo nyaka mnye, ndalufuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa emanzini.
Kungekudala emva koko ndamiselwa njengesithethi sasesidlangalaleni. Ngelo xesha, oku kwakuthetha ukunikela iintetho esitratweni nakwimiyezo ngokusebenzisa isandisi-lizwi esasibotshelelwe ngasemva kwinqwelo-mafutha. Omnye umsebenzi yayingowamaphephancwadi. Ngaloo mihla sasidla ngokuma ezimbombeni zezitrato neengxowa zethu zamaphephancwadi, sikhwaze sithi: “IMboniselo noVukani! Ezivakalisa UBukumkani BukaYehova!” Andizange ndihambise maphephancwadi maninzi, kodwa oku kwandikhuthazela ukuba ndikwazi ukuthetha esidlangalaleni.
Inkonzo Yexesha Elizeleyo Njengosukelo
Kungekudala ndaye ndatsalela ingqalelo yam kwimbaluleka yenkonzo yobuvulindlela, okanye umsebenzi wokushumayela wexesha elizeleyo. Inkupho yeMboniselo (yesiNgesi) ka-Aprili 1, 1950, yayinenqaku elithi “Oovulindlela Abangakumbi Nangakumbi Beendaba Ezilungileyo.” Eli nqaku lathi: “Ukufuna tanci uBukumkani kuthetha ukuba ubani uya kusoloko ecinga ngezilangazelelo zoBukumkani ngamaxesha onke. Ubani onjalo uya kusoloko ekhangela amathuba okukhonza ngenxa yabo, yaye akasayi kusoloko efuna izilangazelelo zokwenyama aze azifumbele izinto zehlabathi ukukhusela ikamva lakhe.” La mazwi abethelela umoya wobuvulindlela entliziyweni yam.
Kungekudala, inenekazi eliselula eligama linguMaria José Precerutti labuguqula ngendlela ebalaseleyo ubomi bam. Lalisenza inkqubela entle ekufundisiseni kwalo iBhayibhile nesibini esingamaNgqina, uJosé noDília Paschoal. NgoJanuwari 2, 1954, laba ngumfazi wam endimthandayo, iqabane, umhlobo nomncedi wam. Kwanaye, usukelo lwakhe lwalububuvulindlela. Ngoko, sikhuthazwe yimizekelo yabavangeli basemazweni abanjengoHarry Black, uEdmundo Moreira, noRichard Mucha, safaka isicelo sokungenela inkonzo yobuvulindlela. Unokuluthelekelela uvuyo esaba nalo—nexhala esasinalo—xa safumana impendulo ethi: “Uncomelo lwakho lokuba ngumveleli wesiphaluka luye lwamkelwa”!
Xa ndafumana isabelo sam sokuqala sesiphaluka, ndandisoyika gqitha. Isiphaluka sam esitsha sasiquka amabandla alishumi aseRio de Janeiro, ngelo xesha eyayilikomkhulu laseBrazil, kuquka athile awayekufuphi neBheteli. Ikhaya labavangeli basemazweni ababephumelele kwiSikolo SeBhayibhile SeWatchtower SaseGiliyadi sasikwibandla lokuqala endabelwa ukuba ndilityelele. Ndineminyaka engama-22 ubudala, ndandiziva ndingakulingene oku ndaza ndathi kuMzalwana uMucha, ngoko owayevelela umsebenzi eBrazil: “Yintoni endinokubafundisa yona aba bantu?” Waphendula esithi: “Mzalwana, kuphela nje sebenzisa isiluleko seBhayibhile nesentlangano.” Eneneni elo yayilicebiso elihle!
Emva konyaka omnye, uMaria José wakhulelwa, yaye kwafuneka sirhoxile kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Noko ke, okuvuyisayo kukuba sahlala sikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ekuphenduleni isicelo seentsapho ezimbini zaseFinland, eyakwaEdviks neyakwaLeiniös, uMbutho wasabela eResende njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo, phantse intsimi engazange isetyenzwe enabantu abangama-35 000. Yintsapho yakwaLeiniös eyasinika ibhayisekile enezihlalo ezibini ekhankanywe kwinqaku elikwiJornal de Resende. Sisebenzisa yona, sakwazi ukuhlwayela imbewu eninzi yenyaniso kuloo ntsimi ityebileyo, yaye saqhubeka sisebenza apho kangangeenyanga ezithile emva kokuba intombi yethu uAlice izelwe ngowe-1956. Ukuhamba kwethu, oodade ababini, uAnita Ribeiro noMarian Weiler, beza kunkcenkceshela loo mbewu waza ‘uThixo wayikhulisa.’ Namhlanje, iResende inamabandla asithoba nabavakalisi abangaphezu kwama-700.—1 Korinte 3:7.
Omnye wabantu bokuqala endadibana nabo eResende yayinguManoel Queiroz. Ngoxa ndandilindele uduladula, ndamhambisela iincwadi ezimbini kwindawo asebenza kuyo. Yena, kamva nomfazi wakhe, uPiedade, benza inkqubela entle yaye bobabini babhaptizwa. UManoel waba ngumdala ebandleni waza waqhubeka ethembekile kwada kwasekufeni kwakhe. Kwakhona ndafundisisa noÁlvaro Soares. Kwintlanganiso yokuqala awaya kuyo, wothuka akubona abantu abathandathu kuphela ababekho, kodwa namhlanje ungumveleli wesixeko eResende apho kukho abantu abangaphezu kwewaka abaya ezintlanganisweni kumabandla awahlukahlukeneyo. Ngowe-1978, unyana ka-Álvaro uCarlos watshata nentombi yethu uAlice. Namhlanje, abantu abangaphezu kwabangama-60 kwintsapho yakwaSoares bangamaNgqina.
Ukuyishiya iResende kwakuthetha ukuba inkonzo yethu yexesha elizeleyo yayithatyathelwa indawo yenye imbopheleleko yobuKristu, ‘ukunyamekela abo bangamalungu entsapho yethu.’ (1 Timoti 5:8) Noko ke, sazabalazela ukuwulondoloza umoya wobuvulindlela, inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo siyigcina ilusukelo lwethu. Ndafumana umsebenzi kumzi-mveliso oseSão Paulo, yaye kangangonyaka ngempela-veki nganye ndandithabatha uhambo lweekhilomitha ezingama-300 ukuya eResende ukunceda iqela labavakalisi ababelapho abali-15. Sandula ke, ngowe-1960, sabuyela eResende.
Ukukhulisa Abantwana—Ilungelo Elongezelelekileyo
Eneneni asizange sicebe ukuba nabantwana abaninzi kangaka, kodwa sekunjalo babakho, omnye emva komnye. Emva koAlice yaba nguLéo, kwalandela uMárcia, uMaércio, uPlínio, uAndré, ekugqibeleni, ngowe-1976, amawele, uSônia noSofia. Ngamnye wayesamkelwa ngovuyo ‘njengelifa elivela kuYehova.’ (INdumiso 127:3) Yaye ngamnye wayekhuliselwa “ekuqeqesheni nasekululekeni kweNkosi” ngoncedo lwayo.—Efese 6:4.
Noko ke, oku kwakungengomsebenzi ulula. Maxa wambi sasilila ngenxa yeengxaki. Kodwa oku kwakusizisa umvuzo. Sabakhulisa njani? Ngesifundo sentsapho, ngokuhamba nabo xa sisiya ezintlanganisweni nakubulungiseleli basentsimini besebancinane, ngokwenza izinto kunye, ngokuqiniseka ukuba babenezinxulumani ezihle, ngokubaqeqesha ngokuqinileyo, nangokumisela umzekelo omhle thina ngokwethu.
Kwiminyaka embalwa edluleyo, kucwangciso lwendibano eCruzeiro, eSão Paulo, umveleli wesiphaluka wadlan’ indlebe nathi. Emva kokuthetha ngesifundo sentsapho, umveleli wesiphaluka wandibuza: “Yiyiphi indima awaba nayo umfazi wakho koku?” Ndikhumbula ukuba amehlo am athi gwantyi iinyembezi, yaye ndandinesigaqa esikhulu esixabe emqaleni wam kangangokuba andizange ndikwazi ukuphendula. Kwakutheni? Kuba enyanisweni ndandiyixabisa indima ebalulekileyo awayenayo uMaria José ekugcineni intsapho yethu ngokobuthixo. Ngaphandle kwenkxaso yakhe yokuthembeka, enyanisweni ngekwaba nzima gqitha!
Ukususela kwixesha lokuganana kwethu, mna noMaria José sasifundisisa iBhayibhile kunye. Xa saqalisa ukuba nabantwana, kwaba lucelomngeni lokwenene ukugcina isifundo sethu siqhubeka ngokuthe rhoqo. Okwakuluncedo koku, veki nganye kucango lwesikhenkcisi ndandidla ngokubhala amaxesha esifundo esilandelayo nombandela oya kuqwalaselwa. Kwakhona ndandisenza izabelo ezikhethekileyo njengoko kwakuyimfuneko. Ngokomzekelo, ngaminazana ithile uMárcia noPlínio balwa ngoxa yayilixesha lesidlo. Ngoko ngosuku olulandelayo, bafumana kwisikhenkcisi kukho isabelo esithi “Indlela yokuhlalisana kakuhle nabantakwenu.” Kwisifundo esilandelayo, bobabini bagqabaza yaye bakucombulula ukungavisisani kwabo.
Enye ingxaki yayiba ngeentsasa zangeCawa xa amakhwenkwe ngokufuthi ayedla ngokuthi aziva engaphilanga gqitha ukuba aye kwinkonzo yasentsimini. ULéo noPlínio babengamachule ekwenzeni ngathi balunywa sisisu yaye banezinye izigulo ukuphepha ukuhamba nathi kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Nanini na ndithandabuza ubunyaniso bokugula oko, ndandidla ngokuthetha okuthile okufana noku: ‘Ukuba nigula gqitha ukuba niye enkozweni, ngokuqinisekileyo niya kube ningaphilanga ngokwaneleyo ukuba nidlale ibhola kamva.’ Ngokuqhelekileyo, babedla ngokuphila kamsinya ngendlela emangalisayo.
Ngamaxesha athile, kwakufuneka ezinye iimeko sizisingathe ngobuchule. Xa uLéo wayeneminyaka eli-11 ubudala, waya epikinikini namanye amaNgqina, yaye ngaphandle kwemvume wathenga ikhilogram yohlobo oluthile lwenyama yehagu iham ukuze ayitye apho. Kamva, xa safumana ingxelo yetyala layo, uMaria José wabuza uLéo esithi: “Ngaba ulibele ukuba wathenga inyama yehagu?” “Akunjalo,” waphendula ngelimsulwa. “Andizange ndiyithenge.” Wathi, “kulungile ke, masiye kuthetha nomnini-venkile.” Ngoxa babesendleleni eya apho, uLéo wakhumbula waza wavuma esithi: “Ngoku ndiyakhumbula, ndandingenamali yaneleyo, ngoko ke ndayithenga ngetyala ndaza ndalibala ukuyihlawulela.” Ndayihlawula ngokwam loo mali ndaza ndamcela umnini-venkile ukuba amqeshe uLéo de afumane imali eyaneleyo yokuba andihlawule yonke loo mali. Esi yayisisohlwayo awasifumanayo. Ntsasa nganye ngentsimbi yesine, uLéo wayengowokuqala ukufika emsebenzini, yaye ngenyanga enye wayesendihlawule yonke loo mali.
Indlu yethu yayisoloko izele ngoovulindlela, abaveleli abahambahambayo, abavangeli basemazweni namalungu entsapho yaseBheteli. Kangangethuba elide sasingenaye umabonwakude endlwini, yaye oku kwasinceda ukuba sihlakulele imikhwa emihle yokufundisisa nesimo sengqondo sobuKristu. Le yimekobume esabakhulisela kuyo abantwana bethu. Ezinye zeencwadi abasibhalela zona emva kokuba bekhulile ziyakungqina oku ukuba kwasebenza kakuhle.—Bona ibhokisi kwiphepha 30.
Ukuba Ngoovulindlela Kwakhona!
Xa inkoliso yabantwana bethu yayisel’ ikhulile, ndakhumbula inqaku elikwinkupho yeMboniselo (yesiNgesi) kaMatshi 1, 1955 elinomxholo othi “Ngaba Inkonzo Yexesha Elizeleyo Ikulungele?” Eli nqaku lathi ngokuyinxenye: “Bambi basenokutyekela ekubeni ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo babugqale njengento engabalulekanga. Kodwa bayaphazama, kuba ngokwenza isifungo sokuzahlulela umKristu ngamnye ubophelelekile ukuba akhonze ixesha elizeleyo ngaphandle kokuba iimeko ezingalawulekiyo zikwenza kungabi nakwenzeka oko.”
Ngobunye ubusuku ndathandazela ukuba uYehova aphinde alivule ithuba lokuba ndingenele inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Intsapho yam yasebenzisana nam, yaye abahlobo bandikhuthaza. Okwandothusa gqitha kukuba umphathi womzi-mveliso endandisebenze kuwo kangangeminyaka engama-26 wavuma ukuba ndisebenze kumsebenzi wesingxungxo ukuze ndikwazi ukukhonza njengovulindlela othe ngxi. Ngoko ke ngovuyo ndaphinda ndawuqalisa umsebenzi endawushiya kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo. Yaye abantwana abathathu bawulandela umzekelo wam.
Siye sakhonza iminyaka emibini eItatiaia, apho ndandingumdala kangangeminyaka eli-15, yaye emva koko sagqiba kwelokuba sifuduke siye apho kukho imfuneko enkulu khona. Oku kwakuthetha ukuphila ngemali encinane yomhlala-phantsi, ephantse ilingane nekota yomvuzo oncumisayo. Sekunjalo, sikholose ngedinga likaYesu elikuMateyu 6:33, sawubhalela uMbutho siwuxelela ngoko sikucebayo. Kwiveki kamva, saphantse saxhuma luvuyo kukufumana impendulo yawo eyayisithi: “Kubonakala kusengqiqweni ukuba sinicebise ukuba nifudukele kwisixeko saseLages. Phezu kwaso nje isibakala sokuba kukho abantu abangaphezu kwama-200 000 apho, kukho abavakalisi abali-100 kuphela kumabandla amancinane amathathu. Niya kuba luncedo olukhulu kuloo ntsimi.”
Safudukela apho ngoFebruwari 1988. Yaye siselapho nangoku, iikhilomitha ezingaphezu kwezili-1 000 kude nabantwana nezihlobo zethu. Sisandul’ ukudlula kobona busika buqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo ukususela kwiminyaka engama-20 edluleyo. Ndikuphela komdala okhoyo kwibandla esikulo, ngoko ndinomsebenzi omninzi. Ukanti, sisikelelwe ngokugqithiseleyo. Eyona nto ivuyisayo yintsimi. Xa sinkqonkqoza emnyango, abantu bathi: “Ncedani ningene!” Kulula ukuqalisa izifundo zeBhayibhile. Xa imali inqabile sitshintshisa uncwadi ngezinto ezahlukahlukeneyo njengeminikelo, siye sigoduke sinesepha, iziqholo zomzimba, iincakuba, iimpahla zabantwana (zomzukulwana wethu) ukutya okuziinkozo, imifuno, iziqhamo, iyogurt, iwayini, kwaneice cream. Ngesinye isihlandlo safumana izihlalo zeplanga!
Isiqhamo Esizisa Imivuzo Etyebileyo
Namhlanje, kwiminyaka engama-56 ubudala, ngalo lonke ixesha ndicinga ngentsapho yam ndiziva ndinochulumanco. Abantwana abazange “bazalelwe enyanisweni.” Bazalelwa kwikhaya lamaKristu, yaye inyaniso kwafuneka ibethelelwe kwiingqondo nakwiintliziyo zabo ezincinane. Abo batshatileyo batshate “ngokwaseNkosini.” (1 Korinte 7:39; Duteronomi 6:6, 7) Enyanisweni, senza iimpazamo neemposiso ekugwebeni. Maxa wambi saye senza okungekho sikweni. Ngamaxesha athile, ndandisilela ukumisela umzekelo omhle okanye ndiyityeshela imbopheleleko yam njengotata nomyeni. Ndandisithi ndakuqonda oko ndikwenzileyo, ndicele uxolo kuYehova nakumfazi wam nakubantwana bam, ndize ndizabalazele ukulungisa loo mpazamo.
Phezu kwako nje ukungafezeki kwethu, intsapho—ngoku eyandileyo ngenxa yabayeni beentombi, oomolokazana nabazukulwana—inabantu abathandathu abakwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, abadala abane nesicaka solungiselelo esinye. Bonke ngaphandle kwabazukulwana babhaptiziwe. Abantwana abancinane abathathu abasahlala nathi baceba ukuba umsebenzi wabo ebomini ube yinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Nguwuphi umvuzo ongaphezu kwalo ubani anokuba nethemba lawo? Ndiyambulela uYehova ngokuba esikhokele ekukhuliseni abantwana bethu ngokwengqeqesho yakhe. Sivuyiswa gqitha kukubabona besalandela iimfundiso zakhe. Yaye ndithandazela ukuba thina, ndawonye nabo, singaze siyityeshele indlela yobomi.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 30]
Emva kokuba bekhulile, abantwana bethu baye maxa wambi bavakalisa uxabiso ngendlela esibakhulise ngayo ngeeleta abasibhalela zona. Nanga amagqabaza ambalwa avela kuzo:
“Tata, qiniseka ukuba wena noMama nasenzela konke okwakuyimfuneko, nangona nanisenokuba nazenza iimpazamo—nto leyo eyenzeka amaxesha amaninzi ngoku kum nakuCarlos ekukhuliseni unyana wethu uFabrício.”
Intombi uAlice, oneminyaka engama-33 ubudala, umama wamakhwenkwe amabini.
“Simele sivume ukuba nenza umgudu omanyeneyo ukusikhulisela ekusilulekeni kukaYehova. Yaye enjani yona indlela ngoku esingenelwa ngayo koku!”
Intombi uMárcia, oneminyaka engama-27 ubudala, nomyeni wakhe, okumsebenzi wesiphaluka.
“Ndiyaqonda ukuba ilungelo endinalo ngoku ndandingasayi kulifumana ngaphandle koncedo lwenu nobabini lokumisela isiseko esiqinileyo esingokomoya nothando ngoYehova nangenkonzo yakhe.”
Unyana uMaércio, oneminyaka engama-23 ubudala, uvulindlela okhethekileyo.
“André, sebenzisa onke amathuba owafumanayo okuba kunye noTata ukuze uzuze kumava akhe. Ungaze usityeshele isiluleko sakhe. Niya kukwazi ukuncedana. Ndonwabe ngaphezu kunanini na ngoku.”
Unyana uPlínio, oneminyaka engama-20 ubudala, oseBheteli.
[Picture of Overlac Menezes’ family on page 26]
[Inkcazelo]
Foto: MOURA
[Picture of Overlac and Maria José Menezes on page 27]