Ndafumana Ulwaneliseko Ngokukhonza UThixo
NGOKUBALISWA NGUJOSHUA THONGOANA
Emva phayaa ngowe-1942 ndandidideke gqitha. Ndandifundisisa uncwadi olwalupapashwa ngamaSabatha noncwadi olwalupapashwa yiWatch Tower Society. NjengamaSirayeli amandulo, ‘ndandimbaxa.’—1 Kumkani 18:21.
AMASABATHA ayendithumelela izifundo ezishicilelweyo ezazibizwa ngokuba yi-“Voice of Prophecy.” Ndandikunandipha ukuphendula imibuzo yawo yaye andithembisa ngokundinika isiqinisekiso esihle ukuba ndandiziphumelele zonke iimvavanyo zam. Kodwa ndaphawula ukuba i-“Voice of Prophecy” neempapasho zeWatch Tower Society zaziposwa eKapa isixeko saseMzantsi Afrika. Ndazibuza: ‘Ngaba le mibutho iyazana? Ngaba iimfundiso zayo ziyafana? Ukuba akunjalo, nguwuphi ochanileyo?’
Ukuphelis’ imbambano, ndathumela iileta ezifanayo kumbutho ngamnye. Ngokomzekelo, ndabhalela iWatch Tower Society ndaza ndathi: “Ngaba niyabazi abantu abanxulumene ne-‘Voice of Prophecy’ ukuba niyabazi nithini ngeemfundiso zabo?” Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndafumana iimpendulo kuwo omabini la maqela. Ileta eyayivela kwiWatch Tower Society yathi bayayazi i-“Voice of Prophecy” kodwa bacacisa ukuba iimfundiso zayo, njengoBathathu Emnye nokubuya kukaKristu emhlabeni esenyameni, asiziso ezingokwezibhalo. Ileta yabo yaquka izibhalo ukungqina ezo mfundiso zibubuxoki.—Yohane 14:19, 28.
Impendulo eyayivela kwi-“Voice of Prophecy” kuphela nje yathi bayawazi “amaWatch Tower,” kodwa abavumelani neemfundiso zawo. Abazange banikele zizathu. Ngoko ndakhetha iWatch Tower Society, engumbutho osemthethweni osetyenziswa ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Namhlanje, emva kweminyaka engama-50 ndinxulumana namaNgqina, hayi indlela endonwabe ngayo ngenxa yokuba ndenza isigqibo esifanelekileyo!
Imvelaphi Yonqulo
Ndazalwa ngowe-1912 kummandla osemaphandleni obizwa ngokuba kuseMakanye, empuma yedolophu yaseMzantsi Afrika iPietersburg. Ngelo xesha iMakanye yayiphantsi kolawulo lonqulo lweCawa yamaTshetshi, ngoko ndaba lilungu lalo cawa. Xa ndandineshumi leminyaka, intsapho yakowethu yafudukela kwilali eyayilawulwa yiLutheran Berlin Mission Church, yaye abazali bam bangena kuloo cawa. Kungekudala ndafanelekela ukuba ndiye kwinkonzo yoMthendeleko ndize ndithabathe iqhekeza lesonka ndisele nentwana yewayini, kodwa oko akuzange kuzanelise iintswelo zam zokomoya.
Emva kokugqiba iminyaka esibhozo ndisesikolweni, utata wandithumela kwiZiko Loqeqesho LaseKilnerton, yaye ngowe-1935, emva koqeqesho lweMinyaka Emithathu ndafumana iSiqinisekiso sokuba nguMfundisi-ntsapho. Omnye wootitshala endandisebenza nabo yayilibhinqa eliselula, uCaroline. Satshata, waza kamva uCaroline wazala umntwana oyintombazana esamthiya igama lokuba nguDamaris. Kwiminyaka embalwa kamva, ndaba yinqununu kwiSikolo saseSehlale kwilali esemaphandleni yaseMamatsha. Ekubeni eso sikolo sasilawulwa yiCawa yamaDatshi Ehlaziyiweyo, sangena kuloo cawa, sisiya rhoqo kwiinkonzo zayo. Oku sasikwenza ngenxa yokuba kwakusisithethe nje ukwenjanjalo, kodwa akuzange kundanelise.
Inguqulelo
Ngenye imini yangeCawa ngowe-1942, sasisecaweni siqhelisela amaculo ecawa xa kwangena umfana omhlophe oselula ephethe iincwadi ezintathu ezipapashwe yiWatch Tower Society—ethi Creation, Vindication, nethi Preparation. Ndandicinga ukuba ezi ncwadi zaziya kufaneleka gqitha kwithala lam, ngoko ndazithabatha ngeesheleni ezintathu. Kamva ndafumanisa ukuba le ndoda, uTienie Bezuidenhout, wayengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova, ekuphela kweNgqina kuloo mmandla. Kutyelelo olulandelayo lukaTienie, weza negramafoni waza wadlala ezinye zeentetho zikaJudge Rutherford. Ndayinandipha ngokwenene enye eyayisithi “Isabatha Nokwenziwa Kwemali Ngobuqhetseba,” kodwa uCaroline nodade wethu uPriscilla, owayehlala kunye nathi, abazange bayinandiphe. Kutyelelo lwesithathu lukaTienie, wandinika igramafoni ukuze ndikwazi ukudlalela abahlobo bam amacwecwe.
Ngenye imini ndandijonga nje amaphepha kwincwadi ethi Creation ndaza ndafika kwisahluko esinomxholo othi, “Baphi Abafi?” Ndaqalisa ukusifunda ndinethemba lokufunda ngovuyo olunanditshwa ezulwini yimiphefumlo engasekhoyo. Kodwa ngokwahlukileyo koko ndandikulindele, le ncwadi yachaza ukuba abafi basemangcwabeni yaye abazi nto. Ukuze kuxhaswe oko kwacatshulwa iindinyana zeBhayibhile, ezinjengeNtshumayeli 9:5, 10. Esinye isahluko sasinomxholo othi “Ukuvusa Abafi,” yaye kwacatshulwa uYohane 5:28, 29 ukuze kungqinwe ukuba abafi abazi nto yaye balindele uvuko. Oku kwakusengqiqweni. Kwakusanelisa.
Kwakungelo xesha, ngowe-1942, endathi ndawaqhawula amaqhina onxibelelwano ne-“Voice of Prophecy” ndaza ndaqalisa ukuxelela abanye ngezinto endandizifunda kwiimpapasho zeWatch Tower Society. Omnye wabokuqala abasabelayo yayingumhlobo wam, uJudah Letsoalo, esasifunda kunye naye kwiZiko Loqeqesho LaseKilnerton.
Mna noJudah sahamba ngeebhayisekile iikhilomitha ezingama-51 sisiya kwindibano yamaNgqina aNtsundu ePietersburg. Emva koko, abahlobo ababevela ePietersburg ngokufuthi babehamba wonke loo mgama besiza eMamatsha ukuze bandincede ndinikele isigidimi soBukumkani kubamelwane bam. Ekugqibeleni, kwenye indibano ePietersburg, ngoDisemba 1944, ndabhaptizwa ukufuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova.
Intsapho Yam Kunye Nabanye Bayasabela
UCaroline, uPriscilla nentombi yam uDamaris, babeqhubeka besiya kwiCawa yamaDatshi Ehlaziyiweyo. Kwandula ke kwehla intlekele. UCaroline wazala umntwana wesibini—umntwana oyinkwenkwe owabonakala ephilile nesamthiya igama lokuba nguSamuel. Kodwa ngequbuliso wagula waza wafa. Abahlobo bakaCaroline becawa abazange basithuthuzele, babesithi uThixo wayefuna ukuba unyana wethu abe kunye naye ezulwini. Edandathekile, uCaroline wayedla ngokubuza athi: “Yintoni enokubangela ukuba uThixo amthabathe unyana wethu?”
Xa amaNgqina asePietersburg evayo ngentlekele esehleleyo, afika aza asithuthuzela ngokwenene ngokusekelwe kwiLizwi likaThixo. Kamva uCaroline wathi: “Oko kwakuthethwa yiBhayibhile ngonobangela wokufa, ngemeko yabafi nangethemba lovuko kwakusengqiqweni, yaye ndandithuthuzeleke ngokwenene. Ndandifuna ukuba kwihlabathi elitsha ndize ndamkele unyana wam xa ephuma engcwabeni.”
UCaroline wayeka ukuhamba icawa, yaye ngowe-1946 yena, noPriscilla noJudah babhaptizwa. Kungekudala emva kokubhaptizwa kwakhe, uJudah wahamba waya kuqalisa umsebenzi wokushumayela kummandla osemaphandleni owaziwa ngokuba kuseMamahlola yaye wahlala ethembekile de kwasekufeni kwakhe ngowe-1991.
Akuba ehambile uJudah, ndandikuphela kwendoda eyayishiyekile ukuze ndinyamekele ibandla lethu, elalibizwa ngokuba yiBoyne. Wandula ke uGracely Mahlatji weza kummandla esasihlala kuwo yaye ekuhambeni kwexesha watshata noPriscilla. Veki nganye, mna noGracely sasidla ngokunikana amathuba ngokunikela iintetho zesidlangalala ngesiPedi, ulwimi lwasekuhlaleni lwabantu abaNtsundu. Ukuze abantu bafumane uncwadi lweBhayibhile, uMbutho wandicela ukuba ndiguqulele uncwadi ngesiPedi. Kwandanelisa ngokwenene ukubona abantu bengenelwa kolu ncwadi.
Ukuze sixhase iphulo lethu lentlanganiso yasesidlangalaleni, sathenga igramafoni eyayinesandisi-lizwi esikhulu ukuze sidlale iintetho zeBhayibhile kuwo wonke ummandla esasihlala kuwo. Saboleka inqwelo etsalwa ziidonki ukuze sithwale esi sixhobo sinzima kwiindawo ngeendawo. Ngenxa yoko, abamelwane bethu basithiya igama lokuba ‘Singabantu BeCawa Yeedonki.’
Ngeli thuba ibandla lethu elincinane laliqhubeka lisanda. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, oodade wethu ababini abadala kunye nabayeni babo baba ngamaNgqina yaye bonke bahlala bethembekile kwada kwasekufeni kwabo. Kwakhona, abaninzi kwibandla laseBoyne (ngoku elibizwa ngokuba yiMphogodiba) bangenela umsebenzi wexesha elizeleyo wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo yaye abaninzi base kuyo loo nkonzo. Ngoku kukho amabandla amabini kulo mmandla mkhulu weelali ezisemaphandleni ezigqagqeneyo yaye xa bebonke ngabavakalisi abangama-70 abakhutheleyo kumsebenzi wokushumayela.
Umsebenzi Omtsha
Ngowe-1949, ndayeka ukuba ngumfundisi-ntsapho ndaza ndaba ngumlungiseleli onguvulindlela othe ngxi. Isabelo sam sokuqala yayikukutyelela abasebenzi abantsundu ababesebenza kwiifama nababehlala kwiifama zabamhlophe kufuphi naseVaalwater eTransvaal. Abaninizifama abathile bayixhasa inkqubo yocalucalulo lweentlanga eyayisandul’ ukumiselwa yaye babeyisekile kwelokuba abantu abantsundu babefanele bavume ukuba bangaphantsi kwabamhlophe yaye babefanele basebenzele iinkosi zabo ezimhlophe. Ngoko xa ndandishumayela kubasebenzi abantsundu, abanye abantu abamhlophe babecinga ukuba ndifundisa ukungabi nantobelo. Bambi bade bandityhola ngelokuba ndandingumKomanisi yaye bandigrogrisa ngokundidubula.
Le meko ndayixela kwiofisi yesebe yeWatch Tower Society yaye kungekudala ndatshintshelwa kwesinye isabelo kummandla wasemaphandleni obizwa ngokuba yiDuiwelskloof. Ngeli thuba nomfazi wam wawuyeka umsebenzi wakhe wokuba ngumfundisi-ntsapho waza wandithelela kwinkonzo yobuvulindlela. Ngenye imva-kwemini ngowe-1950, xa sasivela kwinkonzo yasentsimini safumana imvulophu enkulu evela kuMbutho. Okwasimangalisayo kukuba yayinesimemo sokuba ndiye kuqeqeshelwa ukuba ngumveleli ohambahambayo. Kangangeminyaka emithathu satyelela amabandla aseMzantsi Afrika saza ngowe-1953 sabelwa eLesotho, ilizwe elineentaba kumbindi woMzantsi Afrika.
Ubulungiseleli ELesotho NaseBotswana
Xa saqalisa ukukhonza eLesotho, kwakukho amarhe amaninzi okuba abantu abangaziwayo ngokufuthi babebulawa. Mna nomfazi wam sasixhalabile, kodwa uthando lwabazalwana bethu baseLesotho nokubuk’ iindwendwe kwabo kwasinceda ukuba silulibale ngokukhawuleza uloyiko olunjalo.
Ukuze ndikhonze amabandla akwiiNtaba zaseMaluti eziseLesotho, ndandidla ngokuhamba ngenqwelo-moya, umfazi wam ndandimshiya kwimimandla esemazantsi apho wayeqhubeka nenkonzo yobuvulindlela ndide ndibuye. Abahlobo babendipheleka ngobubele ukusuka kwelinye ibandla ukuya kwelinye ukuze bandincede ndingalahleki ezintabeni.
Ngesinye isihlandlo ndaxelelwa ukuba ukuze siye kufika kwibandla elilandelayo, kwakufuneka siwele uMlambo iGqili sikhwele amahashe. Ndaqinisekiswa ukuba ihashe lam lalizolile kodwa ndalunyukiswa ngelithi xa amanzi esiza ngamandla, amahashe adla ngokuzama ukuyiwisa into ayithweleyo. Ndandikhathazekile kuba ndandingeyiyo inkweli enobuchule kwaye ndandingakwazi nokudada kakuhle. Kungekudala safika emlanjeni yaye amanzi ayefikelela kwiisali. Ndandisoyika gqitha kangangokuba ndayeka ukubamba umkhala ndaza ndabambelela kwisingci. Esinjani sona isiqabu ekwaba siso xa sathi safika ngokukhuselekileyo ngaphesheya!
Ngobo busuku ndandingakwazi ukulala kuba umzimba wam wawubuhlungu ngenxa yokukhwela ihashe. Kodwa oko kuphatheka kakubi akuzange kube lilize, kuba abahlobo bethu babonakalisa uxabiso olubalaseleyo ngotyelelo. Xa ndaqalisa kumsebenzi wesiphaluka eLesotho, kwakukho incopho yabavakalisi abali-113. Namhlanje, elo nani liye landa laya kutsho kwi-1 649.
Ngowe-1956 isabelo sethu sokushumayela satshitshwa saba kwiSithili saseBechuanaland, ngoku esibizwa ngokuba yiBotswana. IBotswana lilizwe elikhudlwana yaye kwakufuneka kuhanjwe imigama emide ukuze kufikelelwe kubo bonke abavakalisi. Sasihamba ngololiwe okanye ngelori. Kwakungekho zihlalo, ngoko kwakufuneka sihlale phantsi nomthwalo wethu. Sasidla ngokufika apho sasisiya khona sixwebile yaye sidinwe gqitha. Abazalwana bethu abangamaKristu babesoloko besamkela yaye kwakusihlaziya ukubona ubuso babo obabuzaliswe lulonwabo.
Ngelo xesha, iimpapasho zoMbutho zazivaliwe eBotswana, ngoko ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu kwakusenziwa ngobulumko, ngaphandle kokusetyenziswa koncwadi loMbutho. Ngesinye isihlandlo sabanjwa sisebenza kufuphi nelali yaseMaphashalala saza savalelwa. Sazikhusela ngokufunda iBhayibhile, sibhekisela kuthumo lwethu njengoko lubhalwe kuMateyu 28:19, 20. Nangona amanye amagqwetha ayethabathekile, inkosi yayalela ukuba amaNgqina asekuhlaleni abethwe. Kwandula ke kwenzeka into eyasimangalisayo, omnye umfundisi wayibongoza inkosi ukuba ibe nemfesane ize isixolele. Inkosi yavuma yaye sakhululwa.
Phezu kwayo nje intshutshiso nokuvalwa koncwadi lwethu, umsebenzi woBukumkani wawuqhubeka uhambela phambili. Ukufika kwam eBotswana, kwakukho incopho yabavakalisi abali-154. Kwiminyaka emithathu kamva xa ukuvalwa komsebenzi kwarhoxiswayo, elo nani lalande laya kutsho kwi-192. Namhlanje, kukho amaNgqina kaYehova angama-777 ashumayela kwelo lizwe.
Ukufundisa Nokuguqulela
Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndasetyenziswa njengomhlohli kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani sabadala abangamaKristu. Kamva ndanandipha ilungelo lokuba ngumhlohli kwiSikolo Senkonzo Yobuvulindlela. Kwakhona mna nomfazi wam ngamaxesha athile sasikhonza kwisebe laseMzantsi Afrika. Kwezo zihlandlo ndandinceda ekuguquleleni, yaye uCaroline wayesebenza kwigumbi lokupheka.
Ngenye imini ngowe-1969, umveleli wesebe, uFrans Muller, weza kum waza wathi: “Mzalwana uThongoana, ndinqwenela ukunibona nomfazi wakho eofisini yam.” Apho wasicacisela ukuba sasiphakathi kwabo banyuliweyo njengeendwendwe kwiNdibano “Yoxolo Emhlabeni” yowe-1969 eLondon. Sakunandipha ukubuk’ iindwendwe okunothando kwabazalwana bethu baseNgilani nabaseSkotlani, yaye kwalwandisa ngokubalaseleyo uxabiso lwethu ngobuzalwana basehlabathini lonke.
Kwiminyaka engamashumi amane edluleyo, uCaroline ebeliqabane elinyanisekileyo kumsebenzi wethu njengabahambisi bevangeli bexesha elizelayo. Siye safumana uvuyo olukhulu nezinto ezibuhlungu. Nangona siye safelwa ngabantwana bethu ababini, intombi yethu, uDamaris, iye yakhula yaliNgqina elifanelekileyo yaye iye yanesebelo kumsebenzi wokuguqulela kwisebe laseMzantsi Afrika.
Impilo yethu ayisasivumeli ukuba sibe nesabelo kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba, ngoko kwiminyaka embalwa edluleyo, besingoovulindlela abakhethekileyo kwibandla laseSeshego, ilokishi yabantu abaNtsundu kufuphi nasePietersburg. Ndikhonza njengomveleli owongamelayo. IBhayibhile ithi “ebusweni [bukaYehova] yinzaliseko yemivuyo,” yaye ngokwenene ndafumana uvuyo nolwaneliseko ngokukhonza uThixo kumazantsi eAfrika.—INdumiso 16:11.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
Ukunikela ubungqina kwilokishi yaseSeshego, eMzantsi Afrika