Xa Uthile Ebiza, Ngaba Uyasabela?
NGOKUBALISWA NGUSHINICHI TOHARA
NGAPHAMBILI ebomini bam, andizange ndibize kuThixo, ndingazange ndifune ulwalathiso oluvela kuye. Utatomkhulu nomakhulu babefudukele eHawaii besuka eJapan, yaye abazali bam babengamaBhuda. Babengakhuthalanga kangako elukholweni lwabo, ngoko andizange ndicinge kakhulu ngoThixo njengoko ndandikhula.
Ngoko ndafunda ngendaleko ndaza ndafikelela ekucingeni indlela ekwakububudenge ngayo ukukholelwa kuThixo. Noko ke, njengokuba ndandihambela phambili kwimfundo yehlabathi, izifundo ngezenzululwazi zandenza ndanolwazi ngeenkwenkwezi, inzululwazi ngezinto zendalo nebhayoloji. Ebusuku ndandidla ngokondela esibhakabhakeni ndize ndizibuze indlela zonke ezo nkwenkwezi ezibekho ngayo apho. Ndaqalisa ukuva ilizwi elithethela phantsi ngaphakathi kum libuza: ‘Ngaba kunokwenzeka ukuba kukho uThixo olawula zonke ezi zinto?’ Ndavakalelwa kukuba kukho uThile okummandla ongabonakaliyo. Ndaqalisa ukuzibuza, ‘Ungubani lo Thixo?’
Emva kokuphumelela kwisikolo semfundo ephakamileyo, ndazifumana ndibopheleleke kumsebenzi wam wokulungisa oomatshini kumzi osila utywala baseJapan, yaye ndandingenaxesha lokucamngca ngezinto ezinokuthanani noThixo. Kungekudala ndadibana noMasako, owaba ngumfazi wam ngowe-1937, yaye ekugqibeleni sasikelelwa ngabantwana abathathu. Hayi indlela uMasako aye wazingqina eliqabane elithembekileyo ngayo nomama ozinikeleyo emsebenzini wakhe!
Ndakuba ndinentsapho, ndacinga nzulu ngekamva lethu. Kwakhona ndaqalisa ukuphumela ngaphandle ndize ndondele ezinkwenkwezini. Ndandeyisekile ukuba uThixo ukho. Ndandingazi ukuba ungubani na loo Thixo, kodwa sekunjalo ndaqalisa ukubiza kuye. Ngokuphindaphindiweyo ndabongoza ndisithi: ‘Ukuba ukho ndaweni ithile, nceda wenze intsapho yam ifumane indlela yokuphila ngolonwabo.’
Ekugqibeleni Isicelo Sam Saphendulwa
Ukususela ekutshateni kwethu besisoloko sihlala nabazali bam, kodwa ngowe-1941 saqalisa ukuzihlalela sedwa eHilo, eHawaii. Ngemva nje kokuba sizinzile kwikhaya lethu elitsha, amaJapan ahlasela iZibuko lasePearl, ngoDisemba 7, 1941. Eli yayilixesha lenkxalabo, yaye wonk’ ubani wayekhathazekile ngekamva.
Kwinyanga emva kokuhlaselwa kweZibuko lasePearl, ndandicoca inqwelo-mafutha yam xa enye indoda yasondela kum yaza yandibonisa incwadi eyayinomxholo othi Children. Yazazisa ngelokuba inguRalph Garoutte, umlungiseleli wamaNgqina kaYehova. Andizange ndikuqonde oko yayikuthetha, kodwa ndandinomdla kuThixo, ngoko ndayamkela incwadi. Kwiveki elandelayo, uRalph wabuya waza wacela ukundiqhubela isifundo seBhayibhile sekhaya. Nangona ndandikhe ndeva ngeBhayibhile, esi yayisisihlandlo sokuqala ukuyibona ngokoqobo. Ndasamkela isifundo seBhayibhile, umfazi wam nodade wabo omncinane bangenelela.
Inyaniso yokuba iBhayibhile iliLizwi likaThixo yandichukumisa ngenene. (2 Timoti 3:16, 17) Kwakumangalisa nangakumbi ukuba kanti uYehova unenjongo. WayenguMdali ebendimfuna! (Isaya 45:18) Sachwayita kukuva ukuba iParadisi yokuqala eyalahlekayo yayiza kubuyiselwa kanye apha emhlabeni, yaye sinokuba yinxalenye yayo. (ISityhilelo 21:1-4) Le yayiyimpendulo kwisicelo sam endandisenze kuThixo!
Sasithetha nabantu bonke ngezi nyaniso zintsha sisandul’ ukuzifumana. Abazali bam bacinga ukuba sishiywe ziingqondo, kodwa oko akuzange kusidimaze. Emva kweenyanga ezintathu zesifundo seBhayibhile esiqhutywa ngenyameko, mna nomfazi wam sabhaptizwa ngoAprili 19, 1942, ukufuzisela uzahlulelo lwethu kuThixo wethu, uYehova. Umsakwabo Masako omncinane uYoshi nomyeni wakhe, uJerry, ababengenelele ngoko kwisifundo sethu seBhayibhile, babhaptizwa kunye nathi. Sasinolwazi nje olulinganiselweyo lweZibhalo eziNgcwele, kodwa lalwanele ukusiqhubela ekufuneni ukukhonza uThixo.
Ngoxa imfazwe yehlabathi yesibini yayisagquba, ndacinga ukuba isiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto sisemnyango, yaye mna nomfazi wam sabona kuyimfuneko ukulumkisa abantu ngako oku. AbakwaGaroutte babengumzekelo kuthi kule nkalo. URalph nomfazi wakhe babekhonza njengoovulindlela, abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bamaNgqina kaYehova. Ndathelekisa imeko yethu naleyo kaRalph. Wayenomfazi nabantwana abane. Ndandinomfazi nabantwana abathathu kuphela. Ukuba wayenokukwenza oku, nam ngokukwanjalo ndandinokukwenza. Ngoko kwinyanga elandela leyo yokubhaptizwa kwethu, safaka isicelo senkonzo yobuvulindlela.
Kwanangaphambi kokuba ndamkelwe njengovulindlela, ndahlukana nazo zonke izinto ezingeyomfuneko, eziquka ikatala yam enezinari zesinyithi, ixilongo lomculo nevayolin. Ndandingumthandi omkhulu womculo, kodwa ndalahla yonke into ngaphandle kwefleyiti yam encinane. Ngaphezu koko, umsebenzi wam kumzimveliso wotywala baseJapan wawungasabonakali unomtsalane. (Filipi 3:8) Ndakha inqwelo yokuhlala etsalwayo ndaza ndalinda ukubona enoba uYehova wayeza kuziphendula izicelo zam zokuba isetyenziswe. Andizange ndilinde ixesha elide. Samkelwa njengoovulindlela ukususela ngoJuni 1, 1942. Sahamba ngoko nangoko ukuya kukhonza uYehova ixesha elizeleyo yaye asizange sizisole ngokwenza eso sigqibo.
Ukuba Ngoovulindlela EHawaii
Sikunye nabakwaGaroutte, sayigubungela iHawaii, neBig Island kuquka iKona, ummandla owaziwayo wekofu neKau. Ngaloo mihla sasisebenzisa igramafoni. Yayinzima ngenene, kodwa sasisebatsha yaye somelele. Ngoko ke, siphethe igramafoni ngesinye isandla nengxowa yeencwadi ngesinye, salandela nayiphi na imizila eyayinokusikhokelela kubantu ababeya kuphulaphula abakumasimi ekofu, emahlathini, nakuyiphi na indawo eyenye. Ngoko, emva kokugubungela sonke isiqithi, sanikwa isabelo sokuya eKohala eyayiphezu kweBig Island. IKohala yayilihlathi elincinane elityalwe ummoba, elalimiwe ngabemi baseCaucasus, abemi bakwiiPhilippines, amaTshayina, abemi baseHawaii, amaJapan namaPhuthukezi. Iqela ngalinye lalinezithethe zalo, izimvo zalo, izinto elizithandayo, nonqulo lwalo.
Xa ndaqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela, andizange ndiphinde ndiphangele kwakhona. Kangangethuba elithile saphila ngemali endandiyilondolozile, yaye xa kwakubakho imfuneko ndandisiya kuloba uhlobo oluthile lwentlanzi ekuthiwa sispear-fish. Okumangalisayo kukuba, ndandisoloko ndifika ekhaya ndiphethe iintlanzi. Sasisikha imifuno yasendle kunye nezityalwana ezithile ezikhula ecaleni kwendlela, yaye ezo zazikutsho kube kuhle ukutya kwethu ngexesha lesidlo sangokuhlwa. Ndenza i-onti ngenkcenkce, uMasako yena wafunda ukubhaka isonka. Yayisesona sonka simnandi endakha ndasitya.
Ngoxa sasiye kwindibano yamaKristu eyayiseHonolulu ngowe-1943, uDonald Haslett, owayengumveleli wesebe laseHawaii ngoko, wasimema ukuba sifudukele apho size sihlale kwigunjana elalakhiwe phezu kwegaraji yeWatch Tower Society. Ndabelwa ukuba ngumcoci wempahla yesebe ndaza emva koko ndanandipha iminyaka emihlanu eyalandelayo ndinguvulindlela.
Ubizo Olungalindelekanga
Ngowe-1943 seva ukuba uMbutho wawuqalise isikolo sokuqeqeshela abavangeli basemazweni inkonzo yasemzini. Hayi indlela esasingathanda ngayo ukubakho apho! Noko ke, iintsapho ezinabantwana zazingamenywanga, ngoko asizange sicinge kangako ngoku. Noko ke, ngowe-1947, uMzalwana uHaslett wasixelela ukuba uMbutho wawufuna ukwazi enoba kwakukho abathile kusini na abangabemi baseHawaii ababekulungele ukukhonza kwelasemzini eJapan. Wasibuza oko sasikucinga, yaye njengoIsaya, ndathi: “Thuma mna.” (Isaya 6:8) Umfazi wam wavakalelwa ngokufanayo. Asizange sithandabuze ekusabeleni kubizo lukaYehova.
Ngoko samenywa ukuya kwiSikolo seWatchtower saseGiliyadi ukuze siqeqeshelwe ukuba ngabavangeli basemazweni. Isimemo saquka abantwana bethu abaselula abathathu. Abanye abahlanu ababemenyiwe, nguDonald noMabel Haslett, uJerry noYoshi Toma, kunye noElsie Tanigawa, yaye sisonke sanduluka sisinge eNew York ebusika bowe-1948.
Sacanda elo lizwekazi ngoduladula. Emva kweentsuku ezintathu sikuduladula, sonke sasidiniwe, waza uMzalwan’ uHaslett wacebisa ukuba ngobo busuku sikhe siphumle size sihlale ehotele. Ngoxa sasisihla kuduladula, enye indoda yasondela kuthi yaza yamemeza isithi: “AmaJap! Ndiya ekhaya ukuya kulanda umpu wam ukuze ndiwadubule!”
“AbangomaJapan,” watsho njalo uMzalwan’ uHaslett. “Ngabemi baseHawaii. Ngaba akuwuboni umahluko?” Sasinda ngenxa yempendulo yakhe ekhawulezayo nebonisa ubukrelekrele.
Ngaba ngenene sasiyinxalenye yeklasi ye-11 yaseGiliyadi? Kwakubonakala njengephupha elingummangaliso. Noko ke, ubunyaniso bako oku baqondakala. Kwiklasi yethu, abafundi abangama-25 babekhethwe ngowayesakuba ngumongameli weWatch Tower Society, uNathan H. Knorr, ukuba baqeqeshelwe inkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni eyayinokuba yimfuneko eJapan. Njengokuba kwintsapho yakowethu sasingamaJapan yaye ndinolwazi oluthile ngolwimi lwesiJapan, ndanikwa isabelo sokufundisa olo lwimi kweli qela labafundi. Ekubeni ndandingenalwazi luphangaleleyo ngolu lwimi, oku kwakungelula, kodwa ngandlel’ ithile sonke salwazi!
Ngelo xesha unyana wethu, uLoy, wayeneminyaka elishumi ubudala, yaye iintombi zethu, uThelma noSally babeneminyaka esibhozo nemithandathu ubudala. Ngoxa sasisesikolweni, kwakusenzeka ntoni kubo? Nabo babesiya esikolweni! Babephuthunywa nguduladula kusasa aze ababuyisele ekhaya emva kwemini. Xa abantwana bebuyile esikolweni, uLoy wayesebenza nabazalwana kwifama yoMbutho, uThelma noSally babesebenza kwigumbi lokuhlambela iimpahla besonga iitshefu.
Ukwenza Ingqondo Ilungele Oko Kungaziwayo
Xa saphumelelayo eGiliyadi ngoAgasti 1, 1948, sasixhalabele ukuya kwisabelo sethu. UMzalwan’ uHaslett wahamba ngaphambili kunathi ukuya kufumanela abavangeli basemazweni indawo yokuhlala. Ekugqibeleni, wafumana umzi onemigangatho emibini eTokyo, yaye ngoAgasti 20, 1949, intsapho yethu yanduluka isiya kuloo ndawo yayiza kuba likhaya lethu.
Ngaphambi kokufika eJapan, ngokufuthi ndandicinga ngeli lizwe laseMpuma. Ndacingisisa nzulu ngokunyaniseka kwabantu baseJapan kwiinkosi zabo ezingabantu nakukumkani wabo. AmaJapan amaninzi anikela ngobomi bawo ngenxa yaba balawuli bangabantu. Ebudeni bemfazwe yehlabathi yesibini, abaqhubi beenqwelo-moya zekamikaze bafela umlawuli wabo ngokuthi bajolise inqwelo-moya yabo kwimibhobho ekhupha umsi yeenqanawa zokulwa zotshaba. Ndikhumbula ndicinga ukuba xa abantu baseJapan bethembeke kangako kwiinkosi ezingabantu, babeya kwenza ntoni ukuba babefumene iNkosi yokwenyaniso, uYehova?
Ukufika kwethu eJapan, kwakukho abavangeli basemazweni abasixhenxe kuphela neqaqobana labavakalisi kulo lonke elo lizwe. Sonke salungela ukusebenza, yaye ndazama ukuphucula ulwazi lwam ngolwimi lwalapho ndaza ndanako ukuqalisa izifundo zeBhayibhile nabaninzi ababebiza uThixo ezintliziyweni zabo. Uninzi lwabo bafundi beBhayibhile bokuqala luqhubeke luthembekile ukuza kuthi ga kulo mhla.
Inkonzo Yobuvangeli Basemazweni Sikunye Nabantwana Bethu
Sasinokukwazi njani ukuqhubeka nenkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni nabantwana abancinane abathathu ekwakufanele sibanyamekele? Noko ke, uYehova wayesinika amandla okwenza konke oku. Safumana imali encinane yokuhlangabezana neendleko evela kuMbutho, yaye uMasako wancedisa ngokuthungela abantwana iimpahla. Ukongezelela koku sasifumana uncedo oluvela kubazali bam.
Emva kokuphumelela kwisikolo semfundo yamabanga aphakamileyo, uLoy wakhonza okwexeshana kwisebe leWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society laseJapan. Noko ke, ngenxa yeengxaki zempilo, wagqiba kwelokuba abuyele eHawaii ukuze afumane unyango. Yena nomfazi wakhe ngoku bakhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka eKhalifoniya. Umtshato wakhe waphumela ekubeni sisikelelwe ngabazukulwana abane abathembekileyo. Bonke babhaptiziwe, omnye, kunye nomfazi wakhe, ukhonza kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn, ikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova.
Iintombi zam uThelma noSally, zafakwa kuluhlu lokuba ngabavangeli basemazweni zakuba zikhulile. UThelma ngoku ukhonza njengomvangeli wasemazweni kwisixeko saseToyama. USally utshate umzalwana ongumvangeli wasemazweni, uRon Trost, yaye bebekhonza eJapan njengabavangeli basemazweni kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-25.
Ukusuka EMantla Ukuya EMazantsi
Emva kokuchitha iminyaka emibini eTokyo, sathunyelwa eOsaka kangangeminyaka emibini. Isabelo sethu esilandelayo senza ukuba sinyuke ngakumntla eSendai, apho sakhonza iminyaka enokuba mithandathu. Loo minyaka mithandathu sikhonza eSendai yasenza salungela izabelo esasiza kuya kuzo ezisemantla esiqithi saseJapan, iHokkaido. KwakuseHokkaido apho iintombi zethu zafakwa khona kuluhlu lokuba ngabavangeli basemazweni. Kwakulapho ekwafuneka siqhelane namaqondo obushushu asebusika maxa wambi awayesiba phantsi kakhulu. Emva kokuba sihleli kweleenjiko laseHawaii oku kwaba yinguqulelo yokwenene!
Ngoko, ngenye imini ndafumana ubizo olutsha kwileta evela kuMbutho. Yandicela ukuba ndivule iofisi yesebe eOkinawa, eyayisephantsi kolawulo lweUnited States. Ukufuduka usuka kwincam ebandayo esemantla eJapan usiya kwesona sithili sisemazantsi eJapan kwakuya kubangela ucelomngeni olukhulu. Yintoni endandiya kuyenza? Nangona ndandiziva ndingakufanelekelanga ukuya apho, ndafika eOkinawa ngoNovemba 1965, ndiphelekwa njengesiqhelo ngumfazi wam othembekileyo. Ngaba ubomi baseOkinawa babuza kufana nobomi baseJapan? Kuthekani ngempucuko yalapho? Ngaba abantu babeya kusabela kwisigidimi sikaYehova sosindiso?
Ekufikeni kwethu eOkinawa, kwakukho abavakalisi abangaphantsi kwama-200. Ngoku kukho abangaphezu kwama-2 000. Kwimihla yangaphambili, ndandingumveleli wesiphaluka wokwexeshana nomveleli wesebe wokwexeshana. Ukuhambahamba ndityhubela iziqithi kwandinceda ukuba ndakhe ulwalamano olusondeleyo nabazalwana apho, yaye ndikuthabatha njengelungelo ukuba ndibe ndabakhonza.
Ngaba Kwakungekho Zingxaki?
Umsebenzi wethu wokuba ngabavangeli basemazweni wawungathethi ukuba kwakungekho zingxaki. Ngoxa sasikwikhefu eUnited States ngowe-1968, uMasako wagula kwaza kwafuneka enziwe utyando. Wasuswa ilifa elalisemathunjini akhe waza ke wachacha kamsinyane kakhulu. Sasingenayo i-inshorensi yezamayeza, yaye sasikhathazwe kukuba mhlawumbi sasingenakukwazi ukubuyela kwisabelo sethu. Noko ke, okwasimangalisa gqitha, izihlobo zethu elukholweni zasinyamekela ngayo yonke into.
Kwimeko yam, ndineengxaki zempilo ezibangelwa sisifo seswekile. Nangona ndingeyomfama, amehlo am anorhatyazo gqitha. Kodwa ngoncedo lobubele obunothando bukaYehova, ndiyazondla rhoqo ngokutya kokomoya ngokuphulaphula iikhasethi zeMboniselo noVukani! Kwakhona abazalwana noodade elukholweni bayandinceda ngokundifundela imibandela eyahlukahlukeneyo.
Ndandinokuqhubeka njani ndinikela iintetho zesidlangalala ndinamehlo anorhatyazo? Ekuqaleni ndandizikhuphela kwikhasethi iintetho zam ndize ndiziphulaphule zidlalwa kwisandisi-lizwi ngoxa mna ndandisenza izimbo zomzimba. Noko ke, ngenxa yokucetyiswa yintombi yam, ndaphucula koku. Ngoku ndikhuphela intetho zam kumatshini omncinane wokurekhoda ndize ndizinikele ngoxa ndiphulaphule ngee-earphones kwintetho yam ekhutshelwe kusengaphambili.
Nanini na sijamelana neengxaki ezinzima, asizange sisilele ukubiza kuYehova. Ekugqibeleni, iintsikelelo ezazivela ekucombululeni kukaYehova iingxaki zazisoloko zibonakala zininzi kunendlela iingxaki ezazivela ziyiyo. Ukuqhubeka sisenkonzweni yakhe kuphela kwendlela esingabonisa ngayo umbulelo wethu.
Emva kweminyaka engama-23 siseOkinawa, sabelwa kwakhona kummandla owawumile ngokufanayo nalowo sasikhonza kuwo xa sabeka umcondo wethu okokuqala eJapan. Iofisi eyintloko yoMbutho nelona khaya likhulu labavangeli basemazweni zisekwisiza sokuqala seso sakhiwo simigangatho mibini saseTokyo, esathengwa nguMzalwan’ uHaslett kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo.
Ngaphandle kwam noMasako, izalamane zethu ezili-11 ngoku zikhonza njengabavangeli basemazweni eJapan. Bonke bakujonga njengelungelo elikhulu ukubona ulwando uYehova aluzise kweli lizwe elonganyelwe yimpucuko yobuBhuda nobuShinto. Umsebenzi eJapan waqala nje kancinane, kodwa amandla kaYehova aye alukhawulezisa ulwando ‘lohlanga’ lwabavakalisi beendaba ezilungileyo abangaphezu kwe-167 000.—Isaya 60:22.
Xa ndabizayo kuThixo, wasabela. Xa wandimemayo, ndaphendula ngokuvumayo. Mna nomfazi wam siziva senze oko besimelwe kukukwenza. Kuthekani ngawe? Xa uMdali wakho ebiza, ngaba uyasabela?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]
AbakwaTohara nabathile beqela ababengoovulindlela nalo eHawaii, ngowe-1942
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]
Abantwana bakwaTohara eGiliyadi ngowe-1948
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Bevuyile kuba balusabelayo ubizo, uShinichi noMasako Tohara bagqibe iminyaka engama-43 bekumsebenzi wobuvangeli basemazweni