Bendisoloko Ndikholose NgoYehova Ukususela Ebutsheni

NGOKUBALISWA NGUBASIL TSATOS

Unyaka yayingowe-1920; indawo, kwiinduli zaseArcadia kwiPeloponnisos ebukekayo, eGreece. Ndandisebhedini ndigula ngokungaginyis’ imathe sisifo esoyikekayo soMbathalala esasingubhubhani ehlabathini.

SIHLANDLO ngasinye kukhala intsimbi yecawa, ndandiqonda ukuba yayisazisa ngokufa kwelinye ixhoba. Ngaba ndandiza kulandela? Ngethamsanqa, ndachacha, kodwa izigidi azizange zichache. Nangona ndandineminyaka esibhozo kuphela ubudala ngoko, la mava oyikekayo ndisawakhumbula kakuhle.

Umdla Wokuqala Wezinto Zokomoya

Kungabanga thuba lide, uTatomkhulu wafa. Emva komngcwabo, ndikhumbula uMama esiza kum nodade wethu kwiveranda yekhaya lethu. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo ezama ukuthomalalisa intlungu yethu, ngelizwi eliphantsi wathi: “Niyabona bantwana bam, sonke simele saluphale size sife.”

Nakubeni oku wakuthetha ngobubele, amazwi akhe andikhathaza. Ndacinga oku: “Hayi indlela abuhlungu ngayo! Okunjani kona ukungalungi!’ Kodwa sathuthuzeleka sobabini xa uMama wongezelela wathi: “Noko ke, xa iNkosi isiza kwakhona, iya kubavusa abafileyo, ibe asisayi kufa kwakhona!” Kwowu, oko kwakuthuthuzela!

Ukususela ngoko ndaba nomdla wokuphanda ukuba laliza kufika nini elo xesha livuyisayo. Ndabuza abantu abaninzi, kodwa akukho namnye owakwaziyo ukundixelela, yaye, kungekho namnye owabonakala enomdla wokuxubusha ngalo mbandela.

Ngenye imini xa ndandineminyaka emalunga ne-12, utata wafumana incwadi kumkhuluwa wakhe owayehlala eUnited States. Yayinomxholo othi UHadi LukaThixo, yayipapashwe yiWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Ndaphos’ iliso kwimixholo ekwiziqulatho, yaye ndinemincili ndancuma xa ndabona isahluko esithi “Ukubuya kweNkosi Yethu.” Ndasifunda ngolangazelelo olukhulu, kodwa ndadana kuba wawungachazwanga unyaka wokubuya. Noko ke, le ncwadi yabonisa ukuba kwakungentsuku zatywala ibuye.

Kungekudala ndaqalisa kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo ndaza ndazibhokoxa kwizifundo zam. Noko ke, ngamaxesha athile ubawokazi owayeseMerika wayethumela iinkupho zeMboniselo, endandikunandipha ukuzifunda. Kwakhona, suku ngalunye lwangeCawa, ndandisiya kwisikolo seCawa, apho ubhishophu ngokufuthi wayesiza athethe nathi.

Ngolunye usuku lwangeCawa, ubhishophu wayecaphuke kakhulu waza wathi: “Iindwendwe zizalisa isixeko sethu ngeempapasho ezichasene nokholo.” Wandula ke waphakamisa inkupho yeMboniselo waza wakhwaza esithi: “Ukuba kukho ofumana iimpapasho ezifana nale ekhayeni lakhe, makeze nazo ecaweni, ndiza kuzitshisa.”

Imvakalo yelizwi lakhe yandiphazamisa, kodwa umoya wakhe wempindezelo wandiphazamisa ngakumbi. Ngenxa yoko, andizange ndisithobele isicelo sakhe. Phofu ke, ndabhalela ubawokazi ndimcela ukuba angaphindi athumele ezinye iimpapasho zeWatch Tower. Sekunjalo, ndaqhubeka ndicingisisa nzulu ngombandela wokubuya kukaKristu.

Umdla Wezinto Zokomoya Uyakhula

Xa kwafika ixesha leeholide zasehlotyeni, ndakhupha isutikheyisi yam ukuze ndipakishe iimpahla zam. Ezantsi kwakukho iincwadana ezintathu ezazishicilelwe yiWatch Tower Society. Ngandlel’ ithile ndandingazange khe ndiziphawule ngaphambili. Enye yazo yayisithi Baphi Na Abafileyo?

Ndacinga oku: ‘Oku kubonakala kubangel’ umdla.’ Nangona ndandikhumbula isilumkiso sikabhishophu, ndagqiba ekubeni ndizifunde ezi ncwadana ngocoselelo ukuze ndifumane iimpazamo endandicinga ukuba zinazo. Ndathabatha ipensile ndaza ngobulumko ndaqalisa uphando lwam. Okwandimangalisayo kukuba, yonke into eyayikwezo ncwadi yayibonakala isengqiqweni, yaye kwinkcazelo nganye kwakukho izibhalo ezicatshuliweyo ukuze umfundi ahlolisise iBhayibhile.

Ekubeni sasingenayo iBhayibhile, ndazibuza enoba izibhalo ezicatshuliweyo zazingasetyenziswanga kakubi na ukuze zingqinelane neenjongo zababhali. Ngoko ndabhalela ubawokazi ndimcela ukuba andithumelele iBhayibhile epheleleyo. Wandithumelela ngokukhawuleza. Ndayifunda yonke kabini, yaye nangona kwakukuninzi endandingakuqondi kuyo, ndaba nomdla gqitha kwincwadi kaDaniyeli neyeSityhilelo. Ndandifuna ukuqonda izinto ababezixele kwangaphambili, kodwa kwakungekho namnye owayenokundinceda.

Ngowe-1929 ndasiyeka isikolo, yaye ngokukhawuleza emva koko ubawokazi oseMerika kwakhona wandithumelela iinkupho zeMboniselo. Ndaqalisa ukuzinandipha ngakumbi nangakumbi yaye ndamcela ukuba andithumelele zona rhoqo. Kwakhona ndaqalisa ukuthetha nabanye ngethemba lekamva endandifunda ngalo kuloo maphephancwadi. Bandula ke ubomi bam baguquka ngokuphawulekayo.

Inkqubela Yokomoya EBurma

Oomalume bam babefudukele eBurma (ngoku eyiMyanmar), yaye intsapho yakowethu yagqiba ekubeni xa ndandinokubathelela, oko kwakuya kwandisa amava am kuze mhlawumbi kundivulele namathuba ezoshishino. Ndandisoloko ndinomdla kumazwe aseMpuma, ngoko ndavuya xa ndathenjiswa ukuba ndiza kuya apho. EBurma, ndaqhubeka ndifumana IMboniselo ivela kubawokazi, kodwa andizange ndidibane naBafundi beBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ngoko ayebizwa njalo.

Ndavuya gqitha xa ngenye imini ndabona isibhengezo kwiMboniselo seencwadi ezithi Light, imiqulu emibini eyayichaza incwadi yeBhayibhile yeSityhilelo. Ukongezelela, ndafumanisa ukuba umsebenzi waBafundi beBhayibhile eBurma wawunyanyekelwa eIndiya lisebe leWatch Tower Society, elaliseBombay. Kwangoko ndabhala ndicela iincwadi ezithi Light, ndaza kwakhona ndacela ukuba aBafundi beBhayibhile baseIndiya bathunyelwe eBurma ukuze bashumayele.

Iincwadi zafika ngokukhawuleza ngeposi, yaye malunga neveki kamva, aBafundi beBhayibhile basekuhlaleni baseBurma bandityelela. Ndavuya xa ndafumanisa ukuba kwakukho iqela elincinane labo kwindawo endandihlala kuyo eRangoon (ngoku eyiYangon), idolophu elikomkhulu laseBurma. Bandimemela ukuya kwiklasi yabo yeBhayibhile eyayibakho rhoqo yaye kwakhona nokwabelana nabo ekushumayeleni kwindlu ngendlu. Ekuqaleni ndandimadolw’ anzima kodwa kungekudala ndaqalisa ukukunandipha ukwabelana ngolwazi lweBhayibhile namaBhuda, amaHindu, amaSilamsi kunye nabo bazibiza ngokuba ngamaKristu.

Landula ke isebe laseIndiya lathumela abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo ababini (ababizwa ngokuba ngoovulindlela) eRangoon, uEwart Francis noRandall Hopley. Bobabini babesuka eNgilani kodwa babekhonze eIndiya iminyaka emininzi. Bandikhuthaza gqitha, ibe ngowe-1934, ndabhaptizwa ukufuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova.

INgqina Elikhaliphileyo

Ekuhambeni kwexesha isebe laseIndiya lathumela oovulindlela abangakumbi eBurma. Ababini kubo, uClaude Goodman noRon Tippin, batyelela kwisikhululo soololiwe baza bathetha noSydney Coote, umphathi waso. Wamkela iincwadi, wazifunda wazigqiba, waza waqalisa ukubhalela udade wabo otshatileyo, uDaisy D’Souza, eMandalay. Naye wazifumanisa zibangel’ umdla waza wacela ezingakumbi.

UDaisy, owayengumKatolika okhutheleyo, wayengumntu onenkalipho engaqhelekanga. Waqalisa ukutyelela abamelwane bakhe ebaxelela ngezinto awayezifunda. Yaye xa watyelelwa ngumfundisi wesiphaluka, owambuza isizathu sokuba engasayi ecaweni, wambonisa ukuba iBhayibhile ayizixhasi izinto awayezifundisa, ezifana nesihogo esivuthayo.

Ekugqibeleni, umfundisi wambuza: “Emva kwayo yonke le minyaka ndibafundisa ngesihogo esivuthayo, ndinokubaxelela njani ngoku ukuba akukho ndawo injalo? Akukho mntu uya kufuna ukuza ecaweni.”

UDaisy waphendula: “Ukuba ungumKristu onyanisekileyo, uya kubafundisa inyaniso, ingakhathaliseki imiphumo.” Waza wongezelela wathi: “Ukuba akubafundisi, mna ndiya kubafundisa!” Ibe wabafundisa.

UDick noDaisy neentombi zabo ezinkulu ezimbini babhaptizwa eRangoon ngexesha elinye kunye nam. Iminyaka emithathu kamva, ngowe-1937, ndatshata intombi yabo yesibini, uPhyllis.

Ukusabela EIndiya

Imikhosi yaseJapan yahlasela iBurma ebudeni bemfazwe Yehlabathi II, yaye iRangoon yathinjwa ngoMatshi 8, 1942. Abemi abavela kwamanye amazwe banyanzeleka ukuba babalekele eIndiya buphuthuphuthu. Amakhulu abantu azama ukunqumla emahlathini, kodwa abaninzi bafela endleleni. Ndandilazi ngokobuqu igosa elalijongene nabantu abafudukayo, ngoko ndakwazi ukufumana amatikiti kwelinye lamaphenyane okugqibela athutha imithwalo ukuze ndiyishiye iRangoon ndiye eCalcutta. Ukushiya indlu yethu nempahla yethu eninzi buphuthuphuthu ngolo hlobo kwakungemnandi kuthi sonke. IBurma yaba phantsi kolawulo lwamaJapan ukususela ngowe-1942 ukusa kowe-1945.

Imali yethu yayincinane xa safika eIndiya, yaye ukufumana umsebenzi kwakungelula. Oku kwaphumela kuvavanyo lokholo. Ndadibana nejoni laseBritani elandithembisa umsebenzi ohlawula kakuhle nongabandakanyi ukuba nenxaxheba emfazweni, kodwa wawubandakanya ukusebenza njengenxalenye yomkhosi. Ngoncedo lukaYehova, ndakwazi ukusala eso sithembiso yaye ngaloo ndlela ndigcina isazela esicocekileyo sobuKristu. (Isaya 2:2-4) Kwakhona nangezinye iindlela, sasiva isandla esinothando sikaYehova.

Sahlala eNew Delhi, idolophu elikomkhulu laseIndiya, apho iindawo zokuhlala kwakungekho lula ukuzifumana. Sekunjalo, safumana amagumbi aqeshisayo amakhulu kanye kumbindi wesixeko. Yayinegumbi lokuhlala elikhulu elinomnyango ophumela ngaphandle, yaye eli gumbi kwiminyaka embalwa eyalandelayo lasebenza njengeHolo yoBukumkani yeBandla lamaNgqina kaYehova laseDelhi. Noko ke, ngenxa yokuvalwa kwazo zonke iimpapasho zeWatch Tower Society ngowe-1941 eIndiya, asizange sikwazi ukufumana uncwadi lweBhayibhile.

Indlela Ukuvalwa Komsebenzi Okwarhoxiswa Ngayo

Ngenye iCawa ngowe-1943, abo babekho kwiinkonzo zecawa zaseDelhi bafumana iphecana elalityobelwe ngabefundisi abali-13 beecawa ezahlukeneyo. Lalilumkisa lisithi: “BEMI BASEDELHI LUMKELANI AMANGQINA KAYEHOVA.” Isityholo yayisesokuba sasivaliwe eIndiya ngenxa yezizathu zobupolitika.

Ngemvume yeofisi yesebe eBombay, ngokukhawuleza sashicilela saza sasasaza iphecana elibhenca abefundisi. Ekubeni ndandingumveleli owongamelayo, igama lam nedilesi zabhalwa ezantsi kweli phecana lalithetha ngokuphandle. Kungekudala emva koko, xa amapolisa asifumana noMargrit Hoffman sisasaza la maphecana, sabanjwa saza savalelwa. Noko ke, sakhululwa ngokukhawuleza ngebheyile.

Kamva, ebudeni bobulungiseleli bakhe, uMargrit watyelela kwikhaya likaMhlekazi Srivastava, umphathiswa waseburhulumenteni owaziwayo webhunga laseIndiya. UMhlekazi Srivastava wamamkela ngobubele, yaye ebudeni bencoko yabo, wamxelela ukuba uncwadi lwethu lwaluvalwe ngokungafanelekanga eIndiya. Kwangaloo mini uMargrit kwakhona wadibana nelungu lasepalamente lorhulumente welizwana laseMadras. Lalilapho ukuze liye kwintlanganiso yepalamente. Lo dade walichazela ngokuvalwa ngokungafanelekanga koncwadi lwethu, ibe lathembisa ukuwuphakamisa lo mbandela kwintlanganiso elandelayo.

Ngelo xesha, ndandisebenza njengephysiotherapist kwisibhedlele sasekuhlaleni. Ngoko uMhlekazi Srivastava kwenzeka wenzakala, saza isibhedlele sandithumela ukuya kubona ukuba unyango lwephysiotherapy lungamnceda na. Ndafumanisa uMhlekazi Srivastava engumntu onobubele, yaye njengoko sasincokola, ngokuzenzekelayo ndakhankanya encokweni ukuba mna noNkosazana Hoffman sakhululwa entolongweni ngebheyile. Ndamchazela ukuba yingcinezelo yabefundisi eyayibangele ukuba kuvalwe uncwadi lweBhayibhile ngenxa yezizathu zobupolitika kodwa thina sasingabandakanyeki kwaphela kwezobupolitika. Ndaqhubeka ndachaza ukuba ummeli wethu wesebe, uEdwin Skinner, wayenze izicelo zodliwano-ndlebe ukuze acacise ukuma kwethu, kodwa azizange zamkelwe.

Iintsuku ezimbalwa kamva, uMhlekazi Srivastava wandixelela oku: “UMnumzana Jenkins [igosa laseburhulumenteni elalingawuthandi umsebenzi wethu] uza kudla umhlala-phantsi kwiintsuku ezimbalwa, yaye indawo yakhe iza kuthatyathwa nguMhlekazi Francis Mudie. Xelela uMnumzana Skinner eze, yaye ndiza kumazisa kuMhlekazi Francis.”

UMhlekazi Srivastava wayilungiselela le ntlanganiso njengoko wayethembisile. Ebudeni bayo, uMhlekazi Francis Mudie waxelela uMzalwan’ uSkinner oku: “Andinakukuthembisa nganto, kodwa ndiza kuwuqwalasela lo mcimbi.” Ekubeni ipalamente yayiza kuvulwa kwiintsuku ezimbalwa, uMzalwan’ uSkinner wahlala ukuze abone umphumo. Libambelela kwilizwi lalo, ilungu lepalamente elisuka eMadras lema laza labuza: “Ngaba kuyinyaniso ukuba iimpapasho zeWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society zivaliwe ngenxa yezizathu zobupolitika?”

UMhlekazi Francis Mudie waphendula: “Akunjalo, zavalwa ngenxa yezizathu zokhuseleko, kodwa ngoku urhulumente ugqibe ekubeni akurhoxise ukuvalwa oko.”

Esinjani sona isihlandlo ukuvuyisa xa sazivayo ezo ndaba! Emva kweveki iofisi yesebe eBombay yafumana ileta eqinisekisa ukurhoxiswa kokuvalwa komsebenzi.

Ukubuyela KwiBurma Edlakazwe Yimfazwe

IBurma yabuyela phantsi kolawulo lwaseBritani emva kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II, yaye kwiinyanga ezimbalwa kamva abalishumi kuthi maNgqina babuyela eRangoon. Savuyiswa kukubona amaNgqina ambalwa aseleyo asekuhlaleni kwakhona. Ilizwe lalikwimo elusizi. Iinkonzo zasekuhlaleni ezenzelwa uluntu, kuquka umbane nezothutho, zazingafumaneki. Ngoko sathenga ijeep emkhosini saza sayisebenzisa kakuhle ukuthutha abantu ukuya kwiintlanganiso esasizilungiselele ngokukhawuleza emva kokubuya kwethu.

Umntu owayenomdla wasinika umhlaba, yaye ngoncedo lwabantu abanobubele kuloo mmandla, sakha iHolo yoBukumkani enkulu ngokwaneleyo. Yayakhiwe ngezibonda zoqalo ezomeleleyo, iindonga ezigqunywe ngoqalo nophahla olufulelweyo. Kule holo, ngoAprili 1947, uNathan H. Knorr, ngoko owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Society, nonobhala wakhe, uMilton G. Henschel, banikela iintetho ebudeni botyelelo lwabo eRangoon. Ngelo xesha, kwakukho amaNgqina ali-19 kulo lonke elaseBurma. Kodwa kwintetho yesidlangalala kaMzalwan’ uKnorr, eyaqhutyelwa eNew Excelsior Theatre, kwakuze abantu abangama-287!

Sihleli Ngokusisigxina EOstreliya

NgoJanuwari 4, 1948, iBurma yafumana inkululeko kwiGreat Britain, yaye uninzi lwabantu baseYurophu bakugqala kuyinto efanelekileyo ukulishiya elo lizwe. Emva kokuwuqwalasela ngomthandazo lo mbandela, mna noPhyllis sagqiba ekubeni sithabathe intombi yethu size sifudukele eOstreliya. Sahlala ePerth, idolophu elikomkhulu leNtshona Ostreliya.

Ukushiya iBurma kwakhona, yaye ngesi sihlandlo ngokusisigxina, kwakulixesha elibuhlungu kuthi. Ngamaxesha athile, sasiqhagamshelana nabo bathandekayo apho, yaye kwakusivuyisa ukwazi ukuba umsebenzi woBukumkani wawuqhubela phambili ngokuthe ngcembe kwelo lizwe.

Ukususela ngowe-1978, kangangeminyaka emine savuyiswa kukukhonza onke amabandla abantu abathetha isiGrike kwizixeko ezikhulu zaseOstreliya. Oku kwathetha ukuhamba kakhulu, ekubeni ingumgama ongaphezu kweekhilomitha ezingama-4 200 ukusuka kunxweme olusentshona ukuya kunxweme olusempuma lweli lizwekazi. Emva kwethuba elithile, imozulu, eyahlukileyo kwilizwana ngalinye, yafak’ isandla ekuwohlokeni kwempilo yethu. Ngoko kwakhona sahlala ePerth, apho ndaqhubeka ndikhonza njengomdala kwelinye lamabandla angama-44 kweso sixeko.

Njengoko iminyaka ihamba, amehlo am aya esiba buthathaka, yaye ndifunda nzima. Sekunjalo, phezu kwazo nje iingxaki zempilo, iintliziyo zethu zisenomnqweno. Ngentembelo sobabini silindele loo mini yolonwabo xa bonke abo boyika uYehova beya kukubona ukukhanya kwelanga lobulungisa ‘kuphuma kunophiliso emaphikweni alo. [Thina] siya kuphuma sidlobe, njengamankonyana asesitalini, sibaxovule abangendawo.’—Malaki 4:2.a

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

Intsapho yam ikunye noMzalwana uHenschel noKnorr eBurma (Myanmar) ngowe 1947

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

UBasil Tsatos nomfazi wakhe, uPhyllis, eOstreliya