Qhubeka Uhlwayela Imbewu—UYehova Uya Kuyikhulisa

NGOKUBALISWA NGUFRED METCALFE

EBUTSHENI bowe-1948, xa ndandikubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu, ndatyelela ifama encinane ngasekupheleni kwesiphaluka saseCork emazantsi eIreland. Xa ndazichazayo kumlimi, ubuso bakhe bajika babomvu. Waba lugcwabevu ngumsindo, wadanduluka endibiza ngokuba ndingumKomanisi, waza wabaleka esiya kuthabatha ifolokhwe yakhe ende awayeyisebenzisela ukususa ukhula. Ngaphandle kokuzilazila, ndababeleka abasicatyana ukuphuma kuloo fama ndaza ndenza owenkawu ukukhwela kwibhayisikile endandiyishiye ecaleni kwendlela. Ithambeka lalimqengqelezi gqitha, kodwa ndanyathela kangangoko ndandinakho ukujong’ ezantsi, ndinganyeki nokunyeka ngasemva, njengokuba ndandinomfanekiso-ngqondweni womlimi endibinza ngaloo folokhwe yakhe ngokungathi ubinza umkhonto.

Ndathi ndakuqhela ukuhlangabezana neemeko ezinjalo kwiminyaka emibini ndifikile kwiRiphabliki yaseIreland ndisuka eNgilani njengovulindlela okhethekileyo ngowe-1946. Igcuntswana labashumayeli boBukumkani endafikela kulo, ababemalunga nama-24 kuphela, lalisele linawo amava enkcaso ekrakra nawokungcoliswa kwamagama abo. Kodwa ndandinentembelo yokuba umoya kaYehova ekugqibeleni wawuya kuvelisa iziqhamo.—Galati 6:8, 9.

Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba ndibalise ngendlela izinto ezahamba ngayo, makhe ndinithele gqaba-gqaba kancinane ngobomi bam bobuntwana nangengqeqesho eyandincedayo phantsi kweemeko ezilinga ngolo hlobo.

Umzekelo Omhle Wabazali Nengqeqesho

Utata wafumana inyaniso ebutsheni bowe-1914. Ngoxa wayegoduka evela kumdlalo webhola ekhatywayo eSheffield, eNgilani, wafunda iphecana leBhayibhile elalichaza imeko yabafi. Wayesele etyelele iicawa ezininzi ekwiphulo lokufuna iimpendulo zemibuzo awayenayo kodwa akafumana zimpendulo zanelisayo. Ngoku awakufundayo kwelo phecana kwamvuselela. Wathumela i-odolo yemiqulu emithandathu yencwadi ethi Studies in the Scriptures eyayibhengezwe kwelo phecana, yaye wayifunda ngolangazelelo, ngokufuthi ubusuku bonke. Ngokukhawuleza utata wayiqonda inyaniso.

Kungabanga thuba lide waqalisa ukunxulumana nebandla lasekuhlaleni lamaNgqina kaYehova, nxulumano olo olwahlala iminyaka engaphezu kwama-40, uninzi lwaloo minyaka ekhonza njengomveleli owongamelayo. Into eyamyolisayo utata kukuba, ababini kubantakwabo noodade wabo bobathathu bayamkela inyaniso. Omnye wabantakwabo wanikela ubungqina kumthengisi oselula wasevenkileni, yaye yena nodade wabo baba ngamaKristu azinikeleyo nathanjisiweyo. Utata nomntakwabo batshata nala mabhinqa mabini aselula.

Kwintsapho yakowethu ndandingomnye wamakhwenkwe amane awakhuliselwa “ekuqeqesheni nasekululekeni kweNkosi.” (Efese 6:4) Ndiyavuya kuba abazali bam benza konke okwakusemandleni abo ukubethelela inyaniso ezintliziyweni zethu. Ngelo xesha kwakungekho zimpapasho zilungiselelwe ngokukhethekileyo ukunceda abazali bafundise abantwana babo iinyaniso zeBhayibhile; kodwa sasinesifundo sentsapho seBhayibhile esithe rhoqo kabini ngeveki sisebenzisa incwadi ethi U-Hadi luka-Thixo, kwanengxubusho ethe rhoqo yetekisi yosuku.—Duteronomi 6:6, 7; 2 Timoti 3:14, 15.

Umama notata babekwangumzekelo omangalisayo ngoxabiso ababenalo ngeentlanganiso nangenzondelelo yabo ngobulungiseleli. Ukongezelela kwiimpawu zakhe ezintle zokomoya, utata wayekwanoburharha obuncomekayo, athe wabudlulisela kubantwana bakhe. Umsebenzi onzima wabazali bam wakhokelela kwimiphumo emihle. Bobane oonyana babo, ngoku abakwiminyaka yabo yama-60, basakhonza uYehova ngokonwabileyo.

Ukungenela Inkonzo Yobuvulindlela

NgoAprili 1939, xa ndandineminyaka eli-16 ubudala, ndagqiba esikolweni ndaza ndaba nguvulindlela othe ngxi. Utata wandithelela kwinkonzo yobuvulindlela waza wandinika olona qeqesho lubalaseleyo. Sihamba ngebhayisekile, sawugubungela ngokucokisekileyo wonke ummandla okumgama oziikhilomitha ezili-11 ukusuka ekhaya. Suku ngalunye sobabini sasiphatha iincwadana ezingama-50, yaye sasingabuyeli ekhaya de sibe sizihambise zonke.

Kwiminyaka emibini kamva ndaba nelungelo lokuba phakathi koovulindlela abakhethekileyo bokuqala abamiselwa eBritani. Kwakuluvuyo ukufumana le ntsikelelo, kodwa kwakubuhlungu ukushiya unqabiseko oluvuyisayo lwekhaya elilawulwa ngokobuthixo. Ngokuhamba kwexesha nangoncedo lukaYehova, ndazivisisanisa neemeko.

Inkonzo yam yobuvulindlela yaphazamiseka ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II xa ndaphoswa entolongweni, ngenxa yembambano yobundilele namanye amaNgqina aselula. KwiNtolongo yaseDurham, ndabekwa kudidi olwalusaziwa njenge-YP [Young Prisoner (Umbanjwa Oselula)]. Oku kwathetha ukuba kwakufuneka ndinxibe ibhulukhwe emfutshane—nto leyo ngokucacileyo eyayibuhlungu kwimozulu ebandayo. Khawufan’ ucinge nje ubona uWilf Gooch (ngoku ongumlungelelanisi weKomiti Yesebe eBritani), uPeter Ellis (ilungu leKomiti Yesebe eBritani), uFred Adams kunye nam—sonke simalunga neemitha ezisisi-1,8 ubude—simi kunye yaye sinxibe iibhulukhwe ezimfutshane oku kwamakhwenkwe esikolo!

Isabelo—EIreland

Emva kokukhululwa kwam entolongeni, ndaba nguvulindlela kwimimandla eyahlukeneyo yaseNgilani kangangeminyaka emithathu. Ndandula ke ndafumana isabelo esasiya kundizisela kokubini uvavanyo nolwaneliseko olukhulu—iRiphabliki yaseIreland. Ekuphela kwendandikwazi ngemimandla ekumazantsi eIreland yayikukuba phantse wonke ubani walapho wayengumRoma Katolika. Kodwa andizange ndiwathabathele ngqalelweni amagqabaza angakhuthaziyo abanye ndaza andazilazila ekusamkeleni isabelo. Eli yayilixesha lokwandiswa konqulo lokwenyaniso, yaye ndandiqinisekile ukuba uYehova, ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele, wayeya kundinceda.

Uninzi lwamaNgqina kwiRiphabliki yaseIreland lwaluhlala kwikomkhulu lalapho, iDublin, iyimbinana nje kuphela ehlala kwezinye iindawo. Kungoko, abantu abaninzi bengazange bawabone nokuwabona amaNgqina kaYehova. Ndikunye nabanye oovulindlela abakhethekileyo abathathu, ndaqalisa ukusebenza kwisixeko iCork. Kwakungelula ukufumana abandlebe ziphulaphulayo. Kwidini labo leMisa, abefundisi babesoloko belumkisa abantu ngathi, besibiza ngokuthi “AmaKomanisi angamabhedengu.” Namaphephandaba abalumkisa abantu ngemisebenzi yethu.

Ngenye imini umchebi weenwele wayendicheba iinwele esebenzisa incakuba yokucheba (enokubulala umntu). Ebudeni bencoko, wandibuza oko ndandikwenza eCork. Ndathi ndakumxelela, waba lugcwabevu ngumsindo waza wandityabeka ngezithuko. Isandla sakhe sasingcangcazela ngumsindo, yaye ndaba nombono wam ndiphuma kuloo venkile intloko yam ndiyithe qhushe ekhwapheni! Esinjani sona isiqabu ekwaba siso ukuphuma kuloo venkile ndisenjengoko ndandinjalo ukungena kwam!

Ubondlobongela Bamahlokondiba

Maxa wambi kwakufuneka sijamelene nobundlobongela bamahlokondiba. Ngokomzekelo, ngenye imini ngoMatshi 1948, sasixakekile kubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu xa ihlokondiba lahlasela iqabane lam, uFred Chaffin. Esukelwa sisihlwele, uFred wabalekela kwisikhululo sooduladula waza wacela uncedo kumqhubi kaduladula nakumnqomfi-matikiti. Kunokuba bamncede, nabo bathelela kuhlaselo. UFred wabaleka enyusa umgaqo waza wakwazi ukuzimela emva kodonga oluphakamileyo olwalubiyele indlu yomfundisi.

Ebudeni belo thuba, ndandimkile ndisiya kuthabatha ibhayisekile yam. Ukubuyela embindini wedolophu, ndathabatha indlela ebetha ecaleni, kodwa xa ndavela kwindlela enkulu yedolophu, ihlokondiba lalilinde apho. Amadoda amabini athi hlasi ingxowa yam yeencwadi aza akuphosela emoyeni konke okwakukuyo. Athi ke aqalisa ukundibetha ngamanqindi nokundikhaba. Ngequbuliso kwathi gqi enye indoda. Yayilipolisa elalinxibe ngendlela eqhelekileyo, yaye yalunqumamisa uhlaselo, yaza yahamba nam kunye nabahlaseli isisa kwisikhululo samapolisa.

Olu hlaselo lwavelisa isiseko ‘sokuzikhusela nokuzimisela ngokwasemthethweni iindaba ezilungileyo.’ (Efese 1:7 NW) Xa ityala laziswa enkundleni, ipolisa elandihlangulayo, lona ngokwalo elalingumRoma Katolika, lanikela ubungqina, baza abantu abathandathu bafunyanwa benetyala lokuhlasela. Ityala elo labonisa ukuba sasinelungelo lokuya kwiminyango ngeminyango yaye lasebenza njengesoyikiso kwabanye ababenokucinga ngokusebenzisa ubundlobongela.

Ekuqaleni kwakugqalwa kuyingozi kakhulu ukuthumela oodade njengoovulindlela kwiindawo ezinjengeCork. Noko ke, ngokufuthi kwakubonakala ukuba kwakuya kuba kuhle ngoodade ukuya kubafazi abanomdla. Ngoko, ngaphambi nje kolu hlaselo, uMbutho waye wabela oodade ababini abangoovulindlela abafanelekileyo eCork. Omnye wabo, uEvelyn MacFarlane, kamva waba ngumvangeli wasemazweni waza wenza umsebenzi omhle gqitha eChile. Owesibini, uCaroline Francis, owathengisa indlu yakhe eLondon khon’ ukuze abe nguvulindlela eIreland, waba ngumfazi wam.

Iimbewu Zenyaniso Ziyahluma

Kwakunokuba lula ukucinga ukuba sasichitha ixesha lethu ukuhlwayela iimbewu zenyaniso yoBukumkani phantsi kweemeko ezinjalo. Noko ke, ukubona inyaniso ihluma apha naphaya, kwayiqinisa intembelo yethu kumandla kaYehova okukhulisa izinto. Ngokomzekelo, uMbutho wakhe wathumela igama nekhelingi yendoda eyayibhalile icela umbhalo wencwadi ethi UThixo Makabe Nenyaniso. Le yayiyikhelingi yaseFermoy, idolophana emalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-35 ukusuka kwisixeko iCork. Ngoko ndanduluka ngenye intsasa yangeCawa ndisiya kufuna lo mntu.

Xa ndafikayo eFermoy, ndacela ndoda ithile ukuba indalathise indlela. Yathi, “Kusafuneka uhambe ngendlela ezinye [iikhilomitha ezili-14] ukuze ufike kule ndawo.” Ndabekeka endleleni kwakhona ndaza ekugqibeleni ndafika kwifama engasekupheleni kwendledlana yasemaphandleni. Umfana owayefuna incwadi wayemi ngakwisango lokungena efama. Xa ndazazisayo, wathi: “Loo ncwadi ilifanele ixabiso layo!” Saba nengxubusho emnandi, yaye andizange ndiluthabathele ngqalelo kakhulu uhambo olungama-50 eekhilomitha ngebhayisekile olusingise ekhaya. Kwanangoku, ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-40 kamva, ndiba novuyo olukhulu xa ndidibana naloo “mfana,” uCharles Rinn, nyaka ngamnye kwiindibano. Namhlanje kukho amabandla alishumi kummandla waseCork.

Ebudeni beminyaka yee-1950, mna noCaroline sasasaza iimbewu zenyaniso kwimimandla esembindini we-Ireland. Ngowe-1951 ukhuthazo lokuba sizingise lwavela xa abantu abalulamileyo ‘njengoMakhulu’ Hamilton nomolokazana wakhe basabela ngokukhawuleza. “UMakhulu” Hamilton waba ngumvakalisi wokuqala obhaptiziweyo kwiNqila yaseLongford.—1 Tesalonika 2:13.

Iindawo zokuhlala zaziyingxaki. Yakuba nje ingcinezelo ibekwe phezu kwabanini-mizi, babesicela ukuba sihambe. Ngoko, njengoko saphulukana ngephanyazo neendawo ezintathu zengqesho ngokulandelelanayo, sathenga intente, ishiti lokwandlala phantsi neengxowa ekulalwa kuzo (sleeping bags) saza sajikeleza nazo ngesithuthi esiyiModel-Y Ford. Intente sasiyigxumeka naphi na apho sasinakho emva kokunikela ubungqina bosuku ngalunye. Kamva, safumana inqwelo erhuqwayo ebude buziimitha ezine. Yayincinane kakhulu, inezinto ezimbalwa eziluncedo zezi mini—kwakufuneka sihambe isiqingatha sekhilomitha ukuze sifumane amanzi okusela—yayingenasikhuseli-langa, kodwa kuthi yayitofotofo. Uburharha bam bavavanywa ngenye imini xa ndatyibilika kwingcambu yomthi emanzi ndaza ndawa ngomqolo nditshona kwiqula elide, elicutheneyo kodwa elalingekho nzulu kakhulu. Sekunjalo, sasisamkela umveleli wesiphaluka nowakwakhe kwinqwelana yethu erhuqwayo xa babesityelela.

Maxa wambi abantu abantliziyo zilungileyo babebonakalisa ububele obungalindelekanga. Ngokomzekelo, ngowe-1958, saya eSligo entshona yaseIreland iminyaka esibhozo emva kokuba esinye isibini esasingoovulindlela sagxothwayo kuloo dolophu. Sathandazela ukuba uYehova asincede sifumane isiza sokumisa inqwelo yethu erhuqwayo, yaye emva kweeyure ezininzi sisihla sinyuka sabona ikwari enkulu nengasetyenziswayo yamatye. Indoda eyayaluse iinkomo ngasekupheleni kwendledlana yeenyawo yasixelela ukuba le kwari ikumhlaba wakowayo. Sayibuza oku, “Ngaba sinokuyisebenzisa?” saza sayixelela ukuba sasingabameli bombutho weBhayibhile. Yathi kungakuhle oko.

Ngokukhawuleza emva koko yabuza oku: “Nguwuphi lo Mbutho weBhayibhile niwumelayo?” Kanye ngelo thuba laqala ukungongoza uvalo. Sayixelela ukuba sasingamaNgqina kaYehova. Okwasenza sakhululeka kakhulu kukuba yahlala inobuhlobo. Iiveki ezimbalwa kamva yasinika irisithi yentlawulo yonyaka yesiza. Yathi, “Asifuni mali. Kodwa siyayazi inkcaso enijamelene nayo, ngoko ukuba nabani na unibuza ngelungelo lenu lokuba kwesi siza, nabo ubungqina benu.”

Ngoxa sasiseSligo, seva ngendoda eyayingunovenkile odumileyo nongumdlali webhola ekhatywayo, neyayibonakalise umdla othile ngoxa oovulindlela ababekule dolophu ngaphambili babeselapho. Noko ke, yayinoqhagamshelwano nje olungephi namaNgqina kule minyaka isibhozo, ngoko sasizibuza ngohlobo lomntu elulo ngoku. Uncumo oluqaqambileyo ebusweni bukaMattie Burn xa ndazazisayo kuye lwasinika impendulo. Iimbewu zenyaniso ezahlwayelwa kwiminyaka ngaphambili azizange zife. Uselilungu lebandla elincinane nelikhutheleyo eSligo.

Izimo Zengqondo Eziguqukayo

Indawo eyaba ngumzekelo wokubonakalisa isimo sengqondo sobutshaba abantu abaninzi ababenaso ngakuthi yayiyidolophu yaseAthlone. Xa kwaqaliswa ukunikelwa kobungqina obucokisekileyo apho kwiminyaka yee-1950, abefundisi balungiselela ukuba bonke ababehlala kummandla othile wedolophu batyobele isibongozo esithi abafuni ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova atyelele emakhayeni abo. Basithumela esi sibongozo kurhulumente nto leyo eyabangela ukuba umsebenzi ube nzima kakhulu e-Athlone kangangeminyaka ethile. Ngasihlandlo sithile igquba lolutsha landiphawula ukuba ndandiliNgqina laza laqalisa ukundixuluba ngamatye. Xa ndema phambi kwefestile yevenkile, umnini-venkile wandicela ukuba ndingene ngaphakathi evenkileni yakhe—exhalabele ukukhusela ifestile yakhe kunokukhusela mna—waza wandikhupha ngomnyango wangasemva.

Noko ke, kutshanje, ngoAgasti 1989, xa ndandiqhuba inkonzo yomngcwabo womzalwana othembekileyo eAthlone, ndasuka nje ndamangaliswa yindlela uYehova awazikhulisa ngayo izinto apho. Ngaphandle kwamalungu ebandla, abantu basekuhlaleni abanokuba ngama-50 bayiphulaphula ngentlonelo inkonzo yomgcwabo kwiHolo yoBukumkani entle abazalwana abayakhayo.

Uqeqesho Olukhethekileyo KwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi

Ngowe-1961, ndamenywa kuqeqesho lweenyanga ezilishumi kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi. Olu qeqesho lukhethekileyo lwalulungiselelwe abazalwana kuphela, ngoko mna noCaroline kwafuneka sisiqwalasele ngomthandazo esi simemo. Kangangeminyaka eli-12 sasingazange sahlukane. Ngaphezu koko, ekubeni umfazi wam naye wayenomnqweno onzulu wokuya kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi aze abe ngumvangeli wasemazweni, wayedane kakhulu akungamenywa. Kodwa, ngenxa yeempawu ezintle awayenazo, wabeka izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kuqala waza wavuma ukuba ndingahamba. Olu qeqesho lwaba lilungelo elimangalisayo. Kodwa kwakuluvuyo ukubuyela ekhaya ndize ndibandakanyeke emsebenzini kwi-ofisi yesebe yoMbutho, ndidlulisela ukhuthazo kumaNgqina angama-200 nangaphezulu awayetyala yaye enkcenkceshela eIreland ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1960.

Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, ngowe-1979, uCaroline wakwazi ukuya kwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eNew York xa mna ndandimenyelwe kuqeqesho olukhethekileyo eGiliyadi olwalulungiselelwe amalungu eKomiti yeSebe. Oku kwakuyimbalasane eyathi kanti iza kuba yinxalenye yokugqibela yobomi bakhe. Kwiminyaka emibini kamva wafa. Kuyo yonke iminyaka engama-32 esasikhonza kunye kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, uCaroline akazanga aphelelwe yinzondelelo awayenayo ngenkonzo kaYehova okanye intembelo yakhe yokuba uYehova wayeya kuzikhulisa izinto.

Ndamkhumbula kakhulu. Into eyandincedayo ukuba ndimelane noku yayilinqaku elalikwiphephancwadi lelo xesha uVukani!, elalinomxholo othi “Ukufunda Ukuphila Ngaphandle Komthandayo.” (Agasti 8, 1981) Nanini na xa ndandicinga ngeqabane lam endaphulukana nalo, iinyembezi zaziye zinqumleze umbombo, kodwa ndenza oko inqaku lakucebisayo ndaza ndaqhubeka ndixakekile kwinkonzo kaYehova.

Intsikelelo KaYehova Iyaqhubeka

Kumnyaka owandulela oku, ngo-Aprili 1980, ndandikho xa uMzalwana uLyman Swingle weQumrhu Elilawulayo wanikezela isakhiwo esitsha sesebe eDublin. Enjani yona imincili ukubona abavakalisi abali-1 854 entsimini, ngelo xesha ababequka nabaseMntla Ireland! Yaye ngoku, kwiminyaka elishumi kamva, iYearbook inikela ingxelo yencopho yabangama-3 451 kowe-1990!

Okweli thuba ndiye ndaba nentsikelelo eyongezelelekileyo. Ngoxa ndikhonza njengomyaleli kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani, ndadibana noEvelyn Halford, udade onomtsalane nonenzondelelo owafudukela eIreland ukuze akhonze apho imfuneko yayinkulu khona. Satshata ngoMeyi 1986, yaye uzingqine engumxhasi wokwenene kum kuyo yonke imisebenzi yobuthixo.

Kule minyaka ingama-51 ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ukususela oko ndaphumayo esikolweni, engama-44 ndayichithela eIreland. Kuyachukumisa ukubona abaninzi endabancedayo abasakhonza uYehova, abanye njengabadala nezicaka zolungiselelo. Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo ndingathi olunye lolona vuyo lukhulu nabani na anokuba nalo kukunceda umntu othile ukuba ahambe kwindlela esa ebomini.

Kuye komeleza ukholo ukubona unqulo lokwenyaniso luqaqamba kwiindawo ngeendawo eIreland, phezu kwayo nje inkcaso ekrakra. Ngoku, abavakalisi abanokuba ngama-3 500 banxulumana namabandla angaphezu kwama-90 kulo lonke elo lizwe. Enyanisweni, oko uYehova anokukwenza akusikelwanga mda. Uya kuzikhulisa izinto ukuba ngokukhutheleyo siyatyala size sinkcenkceshele. (1 Korinte 3:6, 7) Oku ndiyakwazi ukuba kuyinyaniso. Ndikubonile kusenzeka eIreland.

[Picture of Fred and Evelyn Metcalfe on page 25]

[Picture of Fred Metcalfe on page 28]