“Ndikho, Thuma Mna”

NGOKUBALISIWA NGUWILFRED JOHN

Amalungu axhobileyo omkhosi waseBurma asihlasela kumacala onke omlambo. Eneencula nemipu ijoliswe kuthi, agxampuza emanzini awayema esinqeni aza asirhangqa kwibhuloro engaphantsi kohola wendlela.

MNA neqabane endandisebenza nalo sasisoyika gqitha. Kwakusenzeka ntoni apha? Nangona sasingaluqondi ulwimi ababeluthetha, ngokukhawuleza sayifumana ingongoma—sasibanjwa. Sibhinqe iitawuli nje kuphela ezinqeni zethu, sathatyathwa ngokungenambeko ukusiwa kwisikhululo esikufutshane samapolisa saza sabuzwa imibuzo ligosa elalithetha isiNgesi.

Kwakungowe-1941, ebudeni bemfazwe yehlabathi yesibini, yaye sasirhanelwa ngokuba singababhukuqi bakarhulumente. Emva kokulanelisa igosa ngokulichazela ngomsebenzi wethu wobuKristu wokushumayela, lasixelela ukuba sasinethamsanqa kuba siye saphuma siphila emva kokujongana naloo magosa. Lathi, inkoliso yabo barhanelwayo yayidutyulwa, ingabuzwanga mibuzo. Sambulela uYehova saza salithabatha icebiso legosa elo lokuba kwixa elizayo singazulazuli nje ezibhulorhweni.

Kwenzeka njani ukuba ndibe kwimeko elolo hlobo eBurma (ngoku yiMyanmar)? Makhe ndichaze ndinikele nengxelo ethile ngemvelaphi yam.

Ukhetho Olwenziwa Kwabasebutsheni

Ndazalelwa eWales ngowe-1917 yaye ngoxa ndandineminyaka emithandathu ubudala ndikunye nabazali bam nomninawa wam safudukela eNew Zealand, apho ndakhulela kwifama kabawo yobisi. Ngenye imini wafika ekhaya ephethe umqulu weencwadi ezindala awayezithenge kwivenkile ethengisa izinto ezisetyenzisiweyo. Kwezo ncwadi kwakukho imiqulu emibini yencwadi ethi Studies in the Scriptures, eyayipapashwe yiWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Le miqulu yaba zezona zinto zixabisekileyo kumama, yaye njengomama kaTimoti, uYunike, wabethelela kum umnqweno wokusebenzisa ixesha lam lobutsha ekukhonzeni izilangazelelo zoBukumkani bukaYehova.—2 Timoti 1:5.

Ngowe-1937 ndajamelana nezinto ezimbini ekwakufuneka ndikhethe kuzo: ukuthabatha ifama kabawo yobisi okanye ukuthi kuYehova njengoko umprofeti kaThixo uIsaya watshoyo, “Ndikho, thuma mna.” (Isaya 6:8) Ndandiselula, ndisempilweni, yaye ndingenambopheleleko. Ndandibungcamlile ubomi basefama yaye ndabunandipha. Kwelinye icala, ndandingenamava okuba ngumlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo, okanye uvulindlela. Ngoko ndandiya kukhetha ntoni—ukusebenza efama okanye ukukhonza njengovulindlela?

Izithethi ezazivela kwiofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova eseOstreliya zaba ngumthombo wokhuthazo. Zazityelele ummandla wethu eNew Zealand zaza zandibongoza ukuba ubomi bam bobutsha ndibusebenzisele ekukhonzeni uThixo. (INtshumayeli 12:1) Ndawuxubusha lo mbandela nabazali bam, yaye bavumelana nobulumko bokubeka ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo kwindawo yokuqala. Kwakhona ndacamngca ngamazwi kaYesu Kristu kwiNtshumayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni athi: “Funani ke tanci ubukumkani bukaThixo nobulungisa bakhe, zaye zonke ezo zinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni.”—Mateyu 6:33.

Ndalwenza ukhetho! Ekubeni ngelo xesha kwakungekho sebe lamaNgqina kaYehova eNew Zealand, ndamenyelwa ukuya kukhonza kwisebe eliseOstreliya, eSydney. Ngenxa yoko, ngowe-1937 ndakhwela inqanawa eyayisiya eOstreliya ndisiya kukhonza njengomlungiseleli kaYehova uThixo wexesha elizeleyo.

Ndazibuza, ‘Sisiphi isabelo endiza kusifumana?’ Phofu ke, yayibaluleke ngantoni loo nto? Enyanisweni, ndandithe kuYehova, ‘Ndikho. Ndisebenzise naphi na apho uthanda khona.’ Kangangeminyaka emibini ndancedisa ekwenzeni iigramafoni ezazisetyenziswa ngaloo mihla ngamaNgqina kaYehova ukudlalela abaninimzi iintetho ezirekhodiweyo zeBhayibhile. Noko ke, eyona nto iyintloko endandiqeqeshelwe yona kweli sebe yayikukusebenza kwindawo yogcino-zincwadi.

Ukusinga eSingapore

Ngowe-1939, ndafumana isabelo sokuya kwiMpuma Ekude—ukuya kukhonza kwindawo yoMbutho yogcino-zincwadi eSingapore. Le ndawo yayisetyenziswa njengendawo esembindini yokwamkela nokuthumela uncwadi olusuka eOstreliya, eBritani, naseUnited States lusiya kumazwe amaninzi aseAsia.

ISingapore yayisisixeko ekwakuthethwa kuso iilwimi ezahlukahlukeneyo apho kwakuxubene ibutho labantu baseMpuma nabaseYurophu. IsiMalay yayilulwimi oluqhelekileyo ekwakunxityelelwana ngalo yaye ukuze sikwazi ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu, thina bavela kwamanye amazwe kwakufuneka silufunde. Sasinoko kwakubizwa ngokuthi ngamaqweqwe obungqina, ngeelwimi ezininzi. Kula maqweqwe kwakubhalwe isigidimi esifutshane esingoBukumkani.

Ndaqala ukucengceleza oko kwakubhalwe ngesiMalay kwiqweqwe lobungqina ndaza emva koko ngokuthe ngcembe ndandisa isigama sam kolo lwimi. Kodwa kwakhona sasiphatha uncwadi lweBhayibhile ngezinye iilwimi ezininzi. Ngokomzekelo, kubemi abangamaIndiya sasineempapasho ngesiBengali, isiGujarati, isiHindi, isiMalayalam, isiTamil, nesiUrdu. Kwakuyinto entsha kum ukudibana nabantu abathetha iilwimi ezininzi ngolo hlobo.

Ndisasikhumbula kakuhle isaziso esothusayo esenziwa ngoSeptemba 1939, ukubhengezwa kwemfazwe eYurophu. Sazibuza, ‘Ngaba iza kunwenwa ide ibandakanye neMpuma Ekude?’ Kum yabonakala njengeyayitshayelela iArmagedon—efike kanye ngexesha elililo, ndacinga njalo! Ndaziva ndanelisekile kuba ixesha lam lobutsha ndandilisebenzisa ngokupheleleyo nangokufanelekileyo.

Ndawonye nomsebenzi endandiwenza kule ndawo yogcino-zincwadi, ndandinesabelo ngokuzeleyo kwiintlanganiso zebandla nakubulungiseleli basentsimini. Sasiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile, yaye abanye abantu babesabela baze bazinikezele ngokubhaptizwa emanzini. Babethatyathelwa kunxweme olukufutshane baze bantywiliselwe kumanzi afudumeleyo ezibuko laseSingapore. Sade sagqiba ekubeni sibe nendibano, sisasaza ngokufihlakeleyo izimemo kwabo babonakalise umdla. Okwasivuyisayo kukuba, abantu abamalunga nama-25 beza kulo ndibano yethu esasikholelwa ukuba yayiya kuba yeyokugqibela ngaphambi kweArmagedon.

Imfazwe yabangela kwanzima gqitha ukunxibelelana phakathi kwamasebe oMbutho. Ngokomzekelo, kwindawo yethu yogcino-zincwadi eSingapore, kwafunyanwa isaziso esifutshane sokuba kukho oovulindlela abathathu baseJamani, ababeza kufika kungekudala eSingapore behamba ngenqanawa engenagama nengaziwayo apho ivela khona besiya kwisabelo esingachazwanga. Bafika kwiveki ezimbalwa kamva baza bachitha iiyure ezilishumi eziyolisayo kunye nathi. Nangona ulwimi lwaluyingxaki, sakwazi ukuqonda ukuba indawo abababelwe kuyo yayiseShanghai.

Isabelo Sam EShanghai

Kwakhona kunyaka kamva ndafumana isabelo sokukhonza eShanghai. Ndandinganikwanga dilesi yesitalato, kuphela nje ndandinenombolo yaseposini. Emva kokubuzwa imibuzo emininzi eposini, ndakwazi ukuzazisa ngokwaneleyo ukuze ndinikwe idilesi yasekuhlaleni yoMbutho. Noko ke, ummi walapho ongumTshayina wandazisa ukuba isebe lifudukile, yaye kwakungekho dilesi yalathayo apho likhoyo.

Ndazibuza, ‘Ndiza kuthini ngoku?’ Ndathandaza ngokuthe cwaka ndifuna ukhokelo. Xa ndaphakamisa intloko, ndabona amadoda amathathu, amade kancinane kunenkoliso yabantu balapha yaye ngandlel’ ithile ahlukile ngembonakalo. Ngokuqinisekileyo ayefana namadoda amathathu angamaJamani awema eSingapore ngezo yure zimbalwa ezimfutshane. Ngokukhawuleza, ndathi gqada kanye kwindawo awayeza kuhamba kuyo.

Ngochulumanco ndapitiliza ndisithi, “Uxolo kancinane.” Bema baza benoloyiko bandithi ntsho ngamehlo afunisayo. “ESingapore. AmaNgqina kaYehova. Nisandikhumbula?” ndabuza.

Emva kwemizuzwana embalwa, aphendula ngolwimi lwawo esithi: “Ja! Ja! Ja!” Sasuka sawolana, kwaza kwee waxa iinyembezi zovuyo zisihla ebusweni bam. Kwizigidi zabantu ezidlula apha, kwenzeka njani ukuba loo madoda mathathu abe adlula kuloo ndawo kanye ngelo xesha? Ndathi, “Enkosi Yehova.” Iintsapho ezintathu ezingamaTshayina, amaJamani amathathu, kunye nam yayikuphela kwamaNgqina awayekho eShanghai ngelo xesha.

EHong Kong NaseBurma

Emva kokukhonza eShanghai iinyanga ezimbalwa, ndabelwa eHong Kong. Xa iqabane lam elinguvulindlela endandililindele lisuka eOstreliya lingazange lifike, ndazifumanisa ndindedwa, ndingokuphela kweNgqina elikhoyo kwelo thanga. Kwakhona, kwafuneka ndizikhumbuze ukuba ndandithe kuYehova, “Ndikho, thuma mna.”

Ngokuyintloko umsebenzi wam wawawujoliswe kubemi abangamaTshayina abathetha isiNgesi, kodwa ndafumana ubunzima ekungeneni kwiindawo abantu abahlala kuzo, ekubeni abasebenzi ababehlala emasangweni apho babethetha isiTshayina kuphela. Ngoko ndafunda kancinane isiTshayina ngokusebenzisa iilwimi zezizwana ezibini zelo lizwe ezazisetyenziswa rhoqo. Ngenene oko kwasebenza! Ndandinokukwazi ukuthetha nabalindi abasebenza emasangweni, ndivelise iqweqwe lomsebenzi endandiwenza, ndithethe amazwi ambalwa endiwaziyo ngesiTshayina, ndize ndingeniswe ngaphakathi.

Ngaxa lithile xa ndandityelele esikolweni, ndasebenzisa le nkqubo xa ndandizama ukuthetha nenqununu. Omnye umfundisi-ntsapho wadibana nam kwigumbi lokulinda. Ndamlandela njengoko wayedlula kumagumbi athile okufundela, ndandinqwala xa abantwana babebonisa intlonelo, ndaza ndalindela ukwaziswa kwinqununu. Lo mfundisi-ntsapho wankqonkqoza, wavula ucango, wabuy’ umva waza wandalathisa ukuba ndingene. Ndimangalisiwe yaye ndicaphukile, kwathi kanti ngaloo mbekokazi wayendisa kwindlu yangasese! Kwabonakala ukuba intetho yam yesiTshayina yaqondwa phosakeleyo nokuba, njengoko inqununu yandixelelayo kamva, ngempazamo kwakucingwa ukuba ndingumntu ohlola imibhobho yamanzi nemijelo ehambisa amanzi amdaka.

Emva kokusebenza iinyanga ezine, amapolisa aseHong Kong andazisa ukuba umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wawuvaliwe nokuba kwakufuneka ndikhethe enoba ndiyayeka ukushumayela okanye ndigxothwe kwelo lizwe. Ndakhetha ukugxothwa njengoko umnyango wokuqhubeka nokushumayela wawusavulekile kwenye indawo. Ngoxa ndandiseHong Kong, ndandihambise iincwadi ezingama-462 yaye ndincede abanye ababini ukuba babe nesabelo kubulungiseleli.

Ukusuka eHong Kong, ndabelwa eBurma. Apho ndaba nguvulindlela ndaza ndancedisa kumsebenzi owawusenziwa kwindawo yogcino-zincwadi eRangoon (ngoku eyiYangon). Amanye awona mava abangel’ umdla yaba ngalawo okushumayela kwiidolophu nakwiidolophana ezisasazeke ngakwindlela enkulu ukusuka eRangoon ukuya eMandalay nangaphesheya kwedolophu yaseLashio ekumda waseTshayina. Mna neqabane endandishumayela nalo sasinikel’ ingqalelo kwibutho labantu abantetho isisiNgesi, sifumana amakhulu aliqela emirhumo yephephancwadi iConsolation (ngoku eliphephancwadi uVukani!). Ngokungalindelekanga, le ndlela inkulu isuka eRangoon isiya eMandalay yayiza kwaziwa njengeBurma Road, indlela ekwakuza kuthunyelwa ngayo izixhobo zemfazwe zaseMerika zisiya eTshayina.

Ukuhamba eluthulini olufikelela emaqatheni ngokufuthi kwakusenza sifune ukuhlamba imizimba ngokucokisekileyo. Oku kwakhokelela kwisiganeko ekubaliswe ngaso ekuqaleni, eso sokubanjwa ngoxa sasihlamba imizimba kumlambo ongaphantsi kwebhulorho. Kungekudala emva koko izinto ezazinokuthanani nemfazwe kunye nokugula kwasinyanzelela ukuba sibuyele eRangoon. Ndakwazi ukuhlala eBurma de kwangowe-1943, xa imfazwe enwenwayo yandinyanzelela ukuba ndibuyele eOstreliya.

Emva EOstreliya

Ngeli thuba, umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wawuvaliwe eOstreliya. Noko ke, kungekudala umsebenzi wavulwa, yaye ekugqibeleni kwakhona ndamenyelwa ukuya kusebenza kwiofisi yesebe. Kamva, ngowe-1947, ndatshata noBetty Moss, owayesebenza kwisebe loMbutho eOstreliya. Uyise nonina kaBetty babengoovulindlela, yaye bamkhuthaza yena nomkhuluwa wakhe uBill ukuba bazenzele usukelo lokusebenza njengoovulindlela. UBetty waqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela xa wayeneminyaka eli-14, ukuyeka kwakhe esikolweni. Ndaqonda ukuba sasiya kuqhuba kakuhle sobabini, njengoko naye wayethe kuYehova, “Ndikho, thuma mna.”

Emva konyaka sitshatile, ndamenyelwa kumsebenzi wesiphaluka, ndityelela amabandla amaNgqina kaYehova. Ukusebenza imimandla eqeleleneyo nesemaphandleni yaseOstreliya kwakulucelomngeni lokwenene. Umsinga omkhulu wezikhukula ngokufuthi wawubangela iingxaki ekuhambeni, ngokukodwa kwiindlela ezinodongwe olumtyibilizi. Ehlotyeni amaqondo obushushu ayefikelela kuma-43 ngokukaCelsius emthunzini. Sihlala kwiintente zeseyile, sabufumanisa ubushushu obugqatsayo behlobo phantse bunganyamezeleki nobusika bakhona babuqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo.

Kwakuvuyisa ukukhonza njengomveleli wesithili xa kwakukho izithili ezibini kuphela eOstreliya. UDonald MacLean wayekhonza esinye isithili, yaye mna ndandikhonza esinye. Ngoko sasinokutshintshana ngezithili. Kuchulumancisa gqitha ukubona amabandla akhoyo ngoku apho sasikhonza khona ngaphambili. Ngokuqinisekileyo imbewu yenyaniso yeBhayibhile iye yantshula yaza yavelisa isiqhamo!

Emva Apho Konke Kwaqala Khona

Ngowe-1961, ndaba nelungelo lokubakho kwiklasi yokuqala yesikolo sabavangeli basemazweni saseGiliyadi emva kokufudukela kwaso eBrooklyn, eNew York. Ngaphambili ndandimenyiwe kweso sikolo kodwa andizange ndikwazi ukuya ngenxa yempilo. Ekugqibeni kwam izifundo ezithabatha iinyanga ezilishumi, ndabelwa eNew Zealand.

Ngoko ukususela ngoJanuwari 1962, mna noBetty besilapha eNew Zealand kweli lizwe lisezantsi. Ngokufuthi kuthiwa sesinye sezona ziqithi zihle ngokukhethekileyo zePasifiki. Ngokobuthixo, bekuluvuyo ukukhonza kumsebenzi wesiphaluka nowesithili. Kwiminyaka eli-14 edluleyo, ukususela kuAprili 1979, besisebenza kwiofisi yesebe eseNew Zealand.

Ngoku mna noBetty siphakathi kwiminyaka yethu yama-70 ubudala, yaye sobabini sineminyaka eli-116 singazange siyeke kwinkonzo yoBukumkani yexesha elizeleyo. UBetty waqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela ngoJanuwari 1933, mna ngoAprili 1937. Uvuyo lwethu luyaphuphuma njengoko siye sabukela abantwana nabazukulwana bethu bokomoya besenza oko sasikwenza xa sasiselula, ukuthobela isiluleko esikwiNtshumayeli 12:1 esithi: “Uze umkhumbule ke uMdali wakho ngemihla yobutsha bakho.”

Elinjani lona ilungelo ekube lilo ukuchithela phantse bonke ubomi bethu ekushumayeleni iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo nasekwenzeni abafundi, njengoko iNkosi uYesu Kristu yayalelayo! (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20) Sonwabe gqitha kuba sasabela kwisimemo sikaThixo njengoko wenzayo umprofeti uIsaya mandulo sathi, “Ndikho, thuma mna.”