Njengomhlolokazi, Ndafumana Intuthuzelo Yokwenyaniso
Ngokubaliswa nguLily Arthur
Umlungiseleli oselula wamaNgqina kaYehova wayetyelela kwindlu ngendlu kummandla waseOotacamund, eIndiya. Ngokwesiko amabhinqa ayengamvuleli umntu ongaziwayo onjalo. Emva kweeyure eziliqela, ediniwe yaye ebudimazeka, wajika ukubuyela ekhaya. Kodwa wema, eziva enyanzeleke ngandlel’ ithile ukuba angene kwindlu elandelayo. Khawuqwalasele oko kwenzekayo, njengoko kucaciswa libhinqa elamvulela ucango.
NDIPHETHE usana lwam oluyintombi noluneenyanga ezimbini ubudala kukho nonyana wam oneenyanga ezingama-22 ubudala ecaleni kwam, ndaluvula ngokukhawuleza ucango ndaza ndabona umntu endingamaziyo eme apho. Kubusuku nje bangaphambili ndandikhathazeke ngokugqithiseleyo. Ndifuna intuthuzelo, ndathandaza ndisithi: “Bawo osemazulwini, nceda undithuthuzele ngeLizwi lakho.” Ngoku, okwandimangalisayo kukuba, lo mntu ndingamaziyo wacacisa wathi: “Ndikuzisele isigidimi sentuthuzelo nesethemba esiphuma eLizwini likaThixo.” Ndavakalelwa kukuba umele ukuba ungumprofeti othunyelwe nguThixo. Kodwa yiyiphi imeko eyandishukumisela ukuba ndithandazele uncedo?
Ukufunda Iinyaniso ZeBhayibhile
Ndazalwa ngowe-1922 kwidolophana yaseGudalur kwiiNduli zeNilgiri ezibukekayo zasemzantsi Indiya. Umama wafa xa ndandineminyaka emithathu ubudala. Kamva, uBawo, owayengumfundisi ongumProtestanti, waphinda watshata. Sakukwazi ukuthetha, uBawo wafundisa mna nabantakwethu ukuthandaza. Kubudala beminyaka emine, ngoxa ubawo wayehlala imihla ngemihla kwidesika yakhe efunda iBhayibhile, ndandiye ndihlale phantsi ndifunde eyam.
Ndakuba ndikhulile, ndaba ngumfundisi-ntsapho. Kwandula ke, xa ndafikelela kwiminyaka engama-21 ubudala, utata walungiselela ukuba nditshate. Mna nomyeni wam sasikelelwa ngonyana, uSunder, yaye kamva ngentombi, uRathna. Noko ke, ngexesha lokuzalwa kukaRathna, umyeni wam wagula kakhulu, yaye kungekudala emva koko wafa. Kwiminyaka engama-24 ubudala, ngequbuliso ndaba ngumhlolokazi onembopheleleko yabantwana ababini abancinane.
Emva koko ndambongoza uThixo ukuba andithuthuzele ngokuphuma eLizwini lakhe, yaye umlungiseleli wamaNgqina kaYehova watyelela ngosuku olulandelayo. Ndamngenisa ndaza ndayamkela incwadi ethi “UThixo Makabe Ngonenyaniso.” Ngobo busuku ngoxa ndandiyifunda, ndandisoloko ndibona igama elithi Yehova, endandingaliqhelanga kwaphela. Kamva lo mlungiseleli waphinda wabuya waza wandibonisa eBhayibhileni ukuba eli ligama likaThixo.
Kungekudala ndafunda kwakhona ukuba iimfundiso ezinjengoBathathu Emnye neyesihogo somlilo azisekelwanga eBhayibhileni. Ndazuza intuthuzelo nethemba xa ndeva ukuba phantsi koBukumkani bukaThixo umhlaba uya kuba yiParadisi ibe abafileyo abathandekayo baya kubuya eluvukweni. Okwakubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba, ndaqalisa ukumazi nokumthanda uThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova, owawuvayo umthandazo wam waza wandinceda.
Ukwabelana Nabanye Ngolwazi Endisandul’ Ukulufumana
Ndaqalisa ukuzibuza indlela endandiphosa ngayo ukuzifunda ezo ndinyana zeBhayibhile zinegama likaThixo. Yaye kutheni ndingazange ndibone ekufundeni kwam iBhayibhile ithemba elicacileyo lobomi obungunaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadisi? Ndandifundisa kwisikolo esasonganyelwa ngabavangeli abangamaProtestanti, yaye ngoko ndabonisa umphathi wesikolo ezi ndinyana zeBhayibhile. (Eksodus 6:3; INdumiso 37:29; 83:18; Isaya 11:6-9; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4) Ndakhankanya ukuba ngandlel’ ithile siye sazityeshela. Kodwa okwandothusayo kukuba akazange abonakale enomdla.
Emva koko ndabhalela inqununu eyayikwenye idolophu, ndicaphula ezi ndinyana zeBhayibhile. Ndacela ithuba lokuthetha nayo. Yaphendula ngokuthi uyise, umfundisi odumileyo waseNgilani, wayeya kuwuxubusha lo mbandela nam. Umnakwabonqununu wayeyibhishophu ehlonelwayo.
Ndalungiselela zonke iingongoma nezibhalo ndaza ndathabatha incwadi yam ethi “UThixo Makabe Ngonenyaniso” nabantwana bam ukuya kwidolophu ekufutshane neyethu. Ngehlombe ndacacisa uhlobo lomntu alulo uYehova, ukuba imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye asiyonyaniso, nezinye izinto endandizifundile. Baphulaphula okwexeshana kodwa abakhupha nelimdaka. Emva koko umfundisi ovela eNgilani wathi: “Ndiza kukuthandazela.” Ngoko wandithandazela waza wathi mandihambe.
Ukunikela Ubungqina Esitratweni
Ngenye imini umlungiseleli wamaNgqina kaYehova wandimema ukuba ndinikele ubungqina esitratweni ngamaphephancwadi IMboniselo noVukani! Ndamxelela ukuba leyo yinto endandingenakuze ndiyenze. Yabona, eIndiya abantu bebeya kucinga kakubi ngebhinqa ebeliya kuma esitratweni okanye liye kwindlu ngendlu. Bekuya kuzisa ugculelo kudumo lwebhinqa nakolwentsapho yakowalo. Ekubeni ndandimthanda yaye ndimhlonela ngokunzulu utata, andizange ndifune ukuzisa ugculelo kuye.
Kodwa lo mlungiseleli wandibonisa indinyana yeBhayibhile ethi: “Yiba nobulumko, nyana wam, uyivuyise intliziyo yam; ukuze ndimphendule ngezwi ondingcikivayo.” (IMizekeliso 27:11) Wathi: “Uyayivuyisa intliziyo kaYehova ngokubonakalisa ekuhleni ukuba uxhasa yena noBukumkani bakhe.” Ndikunqwenela ngaphezu kwayo nayiphi na enye into ukuvuyisa intliziyo kaThixo, ndathabatha ingxowa yamaphephancwadi ndaza ndahamba naye ukuya kumsebenzi wokunikela ubungqina esitratweni. Nangoku andinakuyicinga indlela endakwenza ngayo oku. Kwakungowe-1946, malunga neenyanga ezine emva kokuba kuye kwadityanwa nam.
Ukukhuthazelwa Ukoyisa Uloyiko
Ngowe-1947, ndafumana umsebenzi wokufundisa kumaphandle aseMadras, kunxweme oluseMpuma yeIndiya, yaye ndafudukela apho nabantwana. Iqela elincinane lamaNgqina kaYehova amalunga nesibhozo lalihlanganisana rhoqo edolophini. Ukuya kwezi ntlanganiso, kwakufuneka sihambe iimayile ezili-16. Ngaloo maxesha eIndiya amabhinqa ayengahambi odwa ngokuqhelekileyo. Ayexhomekeke emadodeni ukuba ahambe nawo. Ndandingayazi indlela yokungena ebhasini, yokuthenga itikiti, yokuphuma ebhasini, njalo njalo. Ndavakalelwa kukuba ndandimele ukuba ndikhonza uYehova, kodwa njani? Ngoko ndathandaza ndathi: “Yehova Thixo, andinako ukuphila ngaphandle kokukukhonza. Kodwa mna njengebhinqa elingumIndiya andikwazi kwaphela ukungena kwindlu ngendlu.”
Ndandinethemba lokuba uYehova wayeya kuvumela ukuba ndife ukundikhulula kule mbambano. Noko ke, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndifunde okuthile ngokuphuma eBhayibhileni. Ndazibona nje sele ndityhile incwadi kaYeremiya, apho ithi: “Musa ukuthi, Ndingumntwana: ke uya kuya kubo bonke endikuthuma kubo; konke endikuwisela umthetho ngako, uze ukuthethe. Uze ungaboyiki, ngokuba ndinawe ukuba ndikuhlangule.”—Yeremiya 1:7, 8.
Ndavakalelwa kukuba uYehova wayethetha nam ngokwenene. Ngoko ndakhuthazeka yaye kwangoko ndaya kumatshini wam wokuthunga ndaza ndathunga ingxowa endiza kuyisebenzisa ekuphatheni amaphephancwadi. Emva kokuthandaza ngentliziyo yam yonke, ndahamba ndedwa kwindlu ngendlu, ndazihambisa zonke iincwadi endandinazo, ndaza ndaqalisa nesifundo seBhayibhile ngaloo mini. Ndazimisela ukumbeka uYehova kwindawo yokuqala ebomini bam, yaye ndakholosa ndaza ndathembela ngokupheleleyo kuye. Umsebenzi wokushumayela ekuhleni waba yinxalenye ethe rhoqo yobomi bam phezu kwako nje ukugculelwa ngamazwi. Phezu kwayo nje inkcaso, umsebenzi wam wabachukumisa ngamandla abanye.
Oku kwabonakaliswa xa mna nentombi yam saya kwindlu ngendlu eMadras kwiminyaka emininzi kamva. Inene elingumHindu, umgwebi weNkundla Ephakamileyo, lisenza impazamo ngobudala bam, lathi: “Ndawazi la maphephancwadi ngaphambi kokuba uzalwe! Kwiminyaka engamashumi amathathu eyadlulayo elinye inenekazi lalidla ngokuma rhoqo eMount Road lize liwanikele.” Lalifuna umrhumo.
Kwenye indlu umHindu ongumBrahman, igosa laseburhulumenteni elidla umhlala-phantsi, wasimemela ngaphakathi waza wathi: “Kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo elinye inenekazi lalidla ngokunikela IMboniselo eMount Road. Ndiza kukuthabatha oko undinika kona ngenxa yokulihlonela.” Ndandiye ndincume kuba ndandisazi ukuba ndandilinenekazi bobabini ababethetha ngalo.
Ukomelezwa Nokusikelelwa
Ngo-Oktobha 1947 ndafuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova ngobhaptizo lwasemanzini. Ngelo xesha ndandikuphela kwebhinqa eliliNgqina elalithetha isiTamil kulo lonke elo lizwe, kodwa ngoku amakhulu amabhinqa angamaTamil angamaNgqina kaYehova athembekileyo nakhutheleyo.
Emva kokuba ndibhaptiziwe, kwavela inkcaso macala onke. Umnakwethu wabhala oku: “Utsibe ilitye likaPhungela.” Ndakwafumana inkcaso kwisikolo endandisebenza kuso naselumelwaneni. Kodwa ndanamathela ngakumbi kuYehova ngokuthandaza ngokuzingisileyo nangentliziyo yam yonke. Ukuba ndiye ndavuka ezinzulwini zobusuku, ndandiye ngelo xesha ndikhanyise isibane separafini ndize ndifundisise.
Njengoko ndandomelezekile, ndandikwimeko entle kakhulu yokuthuthuzela neyokunceda abanye. Elinye inenekazi elikhulileyo elingumHindu endandifundisisa nalo lalumela ngokuqinileyo unqulo lukaYehova. Xa lafayo, elinye ibhinqa elisisalamane salo lathi: “Okwasivuyisa kakhulu kukunyaniseka kwakhe kuThixo anyule ukumnqula kude kube sekupheleni.”
Elinye inenekazi endandifundisisa nalo lalingaze lincume. Ubuso balo babusoloko bubonakalisa inkxalabo nosizi. Kodwa emva kokulifundisa ngoYehova, ndalikhuthazela ukuthandaza kuye, ekubeni ezazi zonke iingxaki zethu yaye esinyamekela. Kwiveki elandelayo ubuso balo babuqaqambile. Ndandiqala ukukha ndilibone lincumile. Lacacisa lathi: “Bendithandaza kuYehova, yaye ndinoxolo lwengqondo nolwentliziyo.” Labahlulela ubomi balo kuYehova yaye lihleli lithembekile phezu kwazo nje iinzima.
Ukulungelelanisa Iimbopheleleko
Ekubeni kwakufuneka ndinyamekele abantwana ababini abancinane, ndavakalelwa kukuba ukuphumeza umnqweno wam wokukhonza uYehova ixesha elizeleyo njengovulindlela kwakungenakwenzeka. Kodwa ngoko kwavela indlela entsha yenkonzo xa kwakufuneka umntu wokuguqulela uncwadi lweBhayibhile kulwimi lwesiTamil. Ngoncedo lukaYehova ndakwazi ukunyamekela eso sabelo yaye, kwangaxeshanye, ndiphangele njengomfundisi-ntsapho, ndinyamekele abantwana, ndenze umsebenzi wam wendlu, ndiye kuzo zonke iintlanganiso, ndize ndibandakanyeke kwinkonzo yasentsimini. Ekugqibeleni, xa abantwana bekhulile, ndaba nguvulindlela okhethekileyo, ilungelo endiye ndalinandipha iminyaka engama-33 edluleyo.
Kwanaxa uSunder noRathna babesebancinane, ndazama ukubethelela kubo uthando ngoYehova nomnqweno wokusoloko bebeka kuqala izilangazelelo zakhe kwinkalo nganye yobomi babo. Babesazi ukuba umntu wokuqala ababefanele bathethe naye xa bevuka nguYehova nokuba wayengowokugqibela ababefanele bathethe naye ngaphambi kokulala. Yaye babesazi ukuba ukulungiselela iintlanganiso zamaKristu nenkonzo yasentsimini akufanele kutyeshelwe ngenxa yomsebenzi wesikolo owenziwa ekhaya. Ngoxa ndandibakhuthaza ukuba benze okona kusemandleni abo kumsebenzi wabo wesikolo, andizange ndigxininise ukuba bafumane amanqaku aphezulu, ngokoyikela ukuba babeya kukwenza oko eyona nto ibalulekileyo ebomini babo.
Emva kokuba bebhaptiziwe, basebenzisa iiholide zesikolo ekubeni ngoovulindlela. Ndamkhuthaza uRathna ukuba akhaliphe, angabi loyebeyebe abe neentloni njengoko ndandinjalo. Emva kokuba egqibe uqeqesho lwakhe kwisikolo semfundo ephakamileyo nolwezifundo zoqoqosho, waqalisa ubuvulindlela, yaye kamva waba nguvulindlela okhethekileyo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, watshata nomveleli ohambahambayo, uRichard Gabriel, ngoku okhonza njengomlungelelanisi weKomiti yeSebe leWatch Tower Society eIndiya. Bona nentombi yabo, uAbigail, basebenza ixesha elizeleyo kwisebe laseIndiya, yaye unyana wabo omncinane, uAndrew, ungumvakalisi weendaba ezilungileyo.
Noko ke, xa wayeneminyaka eli-18 ubudala, uSunder, wandibangela intliziyo ebuhlungu xa wayekayo ukunxulumana namaNgqina kaYehova. Iminyaka eyalandelayo yayiyeyentlungu kum. Ndandimbongoza ngokuphindaphindiweyo uYehova ukuba axolele nabuphi na ubuthathaka endisenokuba ndaba nabo ekumkhuliseni nokuba abuyisele uSunder ezingqondweni ukuze akwazi ukuguquka. Kodwa, ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndaphelelwa lithemba. Kwandula ke ngenye imini kwiminyaka eli-13 kamva weza waza wandixelela oku: “Mama, musa ukuzikhathaza, ndiza kulunga.”
Ngokukhawuleza emva koko, uSunder wenza imigudu ekhethekileyo yokukhula ngokomoya. Waqhubela phambili ukusa kwinqanaba lokuba aphathiswe ukuvelela ibandla lamaNgqina kaYehova. Kamva wawuyeka umsebenzi wakhe onomvuzo oncumisayo ukuze abe nguvulindlela. Ngoku yena nomfazi wakhe, uEsther, bakhonza kunye kulo msebenzi eBangalore kummandla osemazantsi weIndiya.
Intuthuzelo Yobomi Bonke
Ndisoloko ndimbulela uYehova ngokuba eye wandivumela ukuba ndithubeleze phantsi kweentlungu neenzima ukutyhubela iminyaka. Ukuba bendingenawo amava anjalo ngendingazange ndilifumane ilungelo elixabisekileyo lokungcamla ukusa kumlinganiselo onjalo ukulunga kukaYehova, inceba yakhe, nokubonakalisa kwakhe uthando olunyamekileyo nemfesane. (Yakobi 5:11) Kufudumez’ intliziyo ukufunda eBhayibhileni ngenyameko nangenkxalabo kaYehova ‘ngenkedama nomhlolokazi.’ (Duteronomi 24:19-21) Kodwa akunakuthelekiswa nentuthuzelo nolonwabo lokuba namava okwenene enyameko nenkxalabo yakhe.
Ndiye ndafunda ukukholosa nokuthembela ngokupheleleyo kuYehova, ndingayami kokwam ukuqonda, kodwa kuzo zonke iindlela zam ndimazi. (INdumiso 43:5; IMizekeliso 3:5, 6) Njengomhlolokazi oselula, ndathandazela kuThixo ukufumana intuthuzelo ephuma eLizwini lakhe. Ngoku, ndineminyaka engama-68 ubudala, ngokwenyaniso ndinokutsho ukuba ekuqondeni iBhayibhile nasekusebenziseni isiluleko sayo, ndiye ndafumana intuthuzelo engenakulinganiswa nanto.
[Picture of Lily Arthur on page 25]
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
ULily Arthur enamalungu entsapho yakhe