Siye Safuna Tanci UBukumkani

NGOKUBALISWA NGUOLIVE SPRINGATE

UMama wayesandul’ ukucima ikhandlela waza waphuma emva kokuba ephulaphule imithandazo yethu. Ngokukhawuleza umntakwethu omncinane wandibuza: “Olive, uThixo unokusibona aze asive njani ngaphaya kwezi ndonga zezitena?”

NDAMPHENDULA ndathi: “UMama uthi unokubona ngaphaya kwayo nantoni na, kwanasezintliziyweni zethu.” UMama wayengumfazi owoyika uThixo yaye engumfundi weBhayibhile onenzondelelo, yaye kuthi bantwana wamilisela intlonelo enzulu ngoThixo nangemigaqo yeBhayibhile.

Abazali bethu babengamalungu eCawa yaseTshetshi kwidolophana yaseChatham, kwiNqila yaseKent, eNgilani. Nangona uMama wayengumhambi wecawa othe rhoqo, wayekholelwa ekubeni ukuba ngumKristu kwakuthetha okungakumbi kunokubakho ecaweni kanye ngeveki. Kwakhona wayeqinisekile ukuba uThixo umele ukuba unecawa eyinyaniso enye kuphela.

Ukuxabisa Inyaniso YeBhayibhile

Ngowe-1918, xa ndandimalunga neminyaka emihlanu, uMama wafumana imiqulu ethi Studies in the Scriptures, ebhalwe nguCharles T. Russell, umongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Kwiminyaka embalwa kamva, ngoxa sasihlala kwindawo encinane ebizwa ngokuba yiWigmore, uMama wadibana nomnye waBafundi beBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayesaziwa njalo ngoko. Wamkela incwadi eluncedo ekufundeni iBhayibhile ethi UHadi LukaThixo, yaye kuyo wafumana iimpendulo kwimibuzo emininzi yeBhayibhile awayenayo. Veki nganye kwakufika ngeposi iqweqwe elipinki elalinemibuzo yesahluko ngasinye. Kwakhona eli qweqwe lalibonisa indawo ezinokufunyanwa kuyo iimpendulo kuloo ncwadi.

Ngowe-1926 mna, abazali bam, nodade wethu uBeryl sayishiya iCawa yaseTshetshi ngenxa yokuba sasikuthiyile ukubandakanyeka kwecawa kwezobupolitika, kwaneemfundiso zayo ezininzi ezingekho ngqiqweni. Imfundiso yayo ebalaseleyo yayiyeyokuba uThixo wayeya kuthuthumbisa abantu kwisihogo somlilo ngonaphakade. Umama, owayeyifuna ngokwenene inyaniso yeBhayibhile, wayeyisekile ukuba iCawa yaseTshetshi yayingeyiyo eyokwenyaniso.

Kungekudala emva koko, kuphendulwa imithandazo kaMama enyanisekileyo, satyelelwa nguNkskz. Jackson, owayenguMfundi weBhayibhile. Phantse kangangeeyure ezimbini, wayethetha nam noMama, ephendula imibuzo esasinayo ngokuphuma eBhayibhileni. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, savuyiswa kukufunda ukuba sifanele sithandaze kuYehova uThixo, uYise kaYesu Kristu, kungekhona kuBathathu Emnye oyimfihlelo. (INdumiso 83:18; Yohane 20:17) Kodwa owona mbuzo ndingasokuze ndiwulibale owabuzwa nguMama yayingulo: “Kuthetha ukuthini ukufuna tanci uBukumkani?”—Mateyu 6:33.

Impendulo esekelwe eBhayibhileni yabuchaphazela nzulu ubomi bethu. Kwangaloo veki, saqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zaBafundi beBhayibhile nokwabelana nabanye ngezinto esizifundileyo. Saseyisekile lelokuba siyifumene inyaniso. Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa kamva, ngowe-1927, uMama wabhaptizwa efuzisela uzahlulelo lwakhe lokukhonza uYehova, yaye ngowe-1930, nam ndabhaptizwa.

Ukungenela Inkonzo Yobuvulindlela

Intsapho yethu yayikwiBandla laseGillingham, elalinabantu abamalunga nama-25. Iqaqobana labo lalingabalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, ababizwa ngokuba ngoovulindlela, yaye bonke babenethemba lasezulwini. (Filipi 3:14, 20) Inzondelelo yabo yobuKristu yayisosulela. Ebutsheni beminyaka yee-1930, ngoxa ndandisekwishumi elivisayo, okwethutyana ndaba nguvulindlela eBelgium. Oku kwawuphembelela umnqweno wam wokwandisa inkonzo yam yoBukumkani. Ngelo xesha sasinesabelo sokusasaza umbhalo wencwadana ethi The Kingdom, the Hope of the World kumfundisi ngamnye.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha utata wawuchasa kakhulu umsebenzi wethu wobuKristu, yaye ngenxa yoku, ngowe-1932 ndafudukela eLondon ukuze ndiye ekholejini. Kamva ndaba ngumfundisi-ntsapho kangangeminyaka emine yaye ebudeni belo thuba ndandikwiBandla laseBlackheath, elinye lamabandla amane kuphela awayekho eLondon ngelo xesha. Kwakungelo xesha esaqalisa ukuva iingxelo zokuvalelwa nokubandezeleka kwabazalwana noodade wethu abangamaKristu kwiJamani eyayiphantsi koHitler ngenxa yokuba babengavumi ukuxhasa imigudu kaHitler yemfazwe.

Ngowe-1938, kanye ngenyanga endagqiba ngayo ukuhlawula ityala leencwadi endandizifumene, ndawushiya umsebenzi wam ukuze ndizalisekise umnqweno endandinawo wokuba nguvulindlela. Kwangaxeshanye udade wethu uBeryl waqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela eLondon, kodwa wayehlala kwelinye ikhaya loovulindlela. Iqabane lam lokuqala kubuvulindlela yayinguMildred Willett, kamva owatshata noJohn Barr, ngoku olilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova. Sikunye nabanye kwiqela lethu, sasisiya kumhlaba esishumayela kuwo ngeebhayisekile size sihlale apho imini yonke, ngokufuthi phezu kwazo nje iimvula.

Umoya wemfazwe wawusele uvakala eYurophu. Abemi babeqheliselwa ukusebenzisa izinto zokuzikhusela kwigesi, yaye kwakusenziwa amalungiselelo okufudusela abantwana kwiindawo zaseNgilani ezingaphandle kwezixeko okanye kwiidolophana xa kwakunokubakho imfazwe. Ekuphela kwemali endandinayo yayanele ukuthenga izihlangu, yaye ndandingazi kufumana ncedo lwemali kubazali bam. Kodwa akazange atsho na uYesu ukuba, ‘Zonke ezo zinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni ukuba nifuna tanci ubukumkani’? (Mateyu 6:33) Ndandinokholo olupheleleyo lokuba uYehova wayeya kundinika zonke izinto endizifunayo, yaye kuyo yonke le minyaka ukwenze oko ngokuyintabalala. Ebudeni bexesha lemfazwe ngamathub’ athile ndandisongeza kwintwana yokutya endandinayo ngemifuno esasiyichola ecaleni kwendlela emva kokuba kudlule iilori ezaziyithwele. Yaye ngokufuthi ukutya ndandikufumana ngokutshintshisa ngoncwadi lweBhayibhile ukuze ndifumane iziqhamo nemifuno.

Udade wethu uSonia wazalwa ngowe-1928. Wayeneminyaka esixhenxe kuphela xa wathi wahlulela ubomi bakhe kuYehova. USonia uthi nangona wayeselula ngolo hlobo ubuvulindlela babulusukelo lwakhe. Ngowe-1941, ngokukhawuleza emva kokuba efuzisele uzahlulelo lwakhe ngokubhaptizwa emanzini, waluzalisekisa olo sukelo xa yena noMama babelwa njengoovulindlela eCaerphilly, kuMzantsi Wales.

Ubulungiseleli Bethu Ebudeni Beminyaka Yemfazwe

NgoSeptemba 1939, iMfazwe Yehlabathi II yaqalisa, yaye abazalwana noodade wethu abangamaKristu eBritani babevalelwa ngesizathu esifanayo neso sabantu abakhonza kunye nabo kwiJamani yamaNazi—ukuba ngoondilele kwabo ngokuphathelele ukuba nenxaxheba emfazweni. Iziqhushumbisi ezaziphoswa eNgilani zaqalisa phakathi ngowe-1940. Busuku ngabunye, izithonga zeziqhushumbisi zaziba ngathi ziza kugqabhuza iindlebe, kodwa ngenxa yoncedo lukaYehova sasikwazi ukulala size sihlaziyekele umsebenzi wokushumayela ngosuku olulandelayo.

Maxa wambi sasisiya kummandla esishumayela kuwo size sifike inkoliso yemizi ingamabhodlo. NgoNovemba kwaphoswa isiqhushumbisi kumgama omalunga neemitha ezimbalwa ukusuka kwikhaya iqela lethu elalihlala kulo, iifestile zasala zibubutyobo. Ucango olomeleleyo lwangaphambili lwawa ngesithongakazi, yaza itshimini yee folokohlo ngaphakathi. Emva kokuba sihleli ubusuku bonke kwindawo yokuzimela iziqhushumbisi, sahlukana saya kuhlala kumakhaya amaNgqina ahlukahlukeneyo.

Kungekudala emva koko ndafumana isabelo sokuya eCroydon, eGreater London. Iqabane lam lobuvulindlela yayinguAnn Parkin, omnakwabo uRon Parkin kamva owaba ngumlungelelanisi weKomiti yeSebe ePuerto Rico. Ndandula ke ndafudukela eBridgend, kuMzantsi Wales, apho ndaqhubeka nobuvulindlela khona, ndihlala kwinqwelwana etsalwa ngamahashe kangangeenyanga ezintandathu. Sasiye sisuke apho ngeebhayisekile umgama ongangeekhilomitha ezintandathu siye kwibandla elikhulu elikufutshane, ePort Talbot.

Ngeli thuba abantu ngokubanzi babesiya besichasa ngakumbi, besibiza ngokuba singoosazela (abantu abangakwenzi okuthile ngenxa yesazela). Oku kwabangela ukuba kube nzima ukuba sifumane indawo yokuhlala, kodwa uYehova wasinyamekela njengoko ethembisile.

Kamva, abasibhozo kuthi babelwa njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo eSwansea, idolophu esechwebeni ekuMzantsi Wales. Njengoko imfazwe yayisiya ibheka phambili, yenjenjalo nenkcaso nxamnye nathi. Kudonga lwekhaya loovulindlela esasikulo kwakubhalwe amagama athi “iimpuku” nelithi “amagwala.” Ikakhulu le nkcaso yayikhuthazwa ziingxelo ezikumaphephandaba ezazisibek’ ityala ngobundilele bethu. Ekugqibeleni, abasixhenxe basiwa entolongweni kuthatyathwa abe mnye ngexesha. Ngowe-1942 ndachitha inyanga kwintolongo yaseCardiff, yaye kamva nodade wethu uBeryl naye wachitha ixesha apho. Nangona sasiziimpula zikaLujaca ngakwizinto eziphathekayo ibe sigculelwa yaye singcikivwa, sasizizityebi ngokomoya.

Ngeli thuba, uMama noSonia babengoovulindlela eCaerphilly yaye babesehlelwa kokufanayo. USonia waqhuba isifundo sakhe sokuqala nenenekazi awathembisa ukulityelela ngorhatya lwangoLwesihlanu. USonia wayeqinisekile ukuba uMama wayeza kumkhapha, kodwa uMama wathi: “Ndinelinye idinga. Uthembisile, ngoko kuya kufuneka uhambe wedwa.” Nangona uSonia wayeneminyaka eli-13 kuphela ubudala, wahamba yedwa, yaye eli nenekazi lenza inkqubela entle ngokomoya laza kamva laba liNgqina elizahluleleyo.

Umsebenzi Wasemva Kwemfazwe—Nokuya EGiliyadi

Ekupheleni kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II ngowe-1945, ndandisebenza kumhlaba okwanti eWhaley Bridge, eDerbyshire. Ngentsasa ekwenziwa ngayo isaziso sokuphela kwemfazwe, satyelela saza someleza abantu ababesele bekruqukile yimfazwe—iinkedama, abahlolokazi nabantu abangxwelerhwe yimfazwe.

Kwiinyanga ezithile kamva, uMbutho wacela abasebenzi bokuzithandela ukuba baye kushumayela eIreland, iSiqithi se-Emerald. Ngeli xesha kwakukho amaNgqina kaYehova amalunga ne-140 kuphela kwesi siqithi, ngoko sasigqalwa njengomhlaba wabavangeli basemazweni. Kwisithuba seenyanga ezimbalwa, kwabelwa oovulindlela abakhethekileyo abangama-40 ukuba baye apho, yaye ndandingomnye wabo.

Emva kokusebenza ithuba elithile eColeraine naseCookstown esemantla, ndafumana isabelo sokuya eDrogheda ekunxweme olusempuma kunye nabanye abathathu. Nangona abemi baseIreland ngemvelo benobubele nomoya wokubuk’ iindwendwe, kodwa intiyo ebangelwa lunqulo yayinkulu. Ngaloo ndlela, ebudeni bonyaka uphela, sasasaza ebantwini ngokubanzi iincwadi eziluncedo lokufunda iBhayibhile ezimbalwa kuphela (enyanisweni incwadi enye kunye neencwadana ezithile kuphela).

Ebudeni bethuba esalihlala eDrogheda, ndandihamba ngebhayisekile ndisuka kwenye ifama ndisiya kwenye xa ngequbuliso kwathi gqi umsebenzi oselula wasefama phakathi kwemithi eluthango wangena endleleni. Wakhangela ngentla nangasezantsi endleleni, wandula ke wabuza ngelizwi eliphantsi: “Ngaba ungomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova?” Ekuvumeni kwam ukuba ndandinguye, waqhubeka: “Phezolo ndiye ndanengxongxo eshushu nentombi endiyiganileyo ngani mantombazana, yaye siye sayiqhawula into ebisidibanisile. Ibime ngelithi nina ningamaKomanisi, njengoko abefundisi bamaKatolika kunye namaphephandaba esitsho, kodwa ndiyixelele ukuba oko akunakuba kuchanile, ekubeni nisiya kwindlu ngendlu ngokungafihlisiyo.”

Ndamnika incwadana ukuba ayifunde, awayifihla epokothweni yakhe, yaye sagqiba ekubeni sidibane size sincokole okungakumbi xa kumnyama, ekubeni wayesithi: “Ukuba ndikhe ndabonwa ndithetha nawe, ndiya kuphelelwa ngumsebenzi.” Ngobo busuku ababini bethu badibana naye saza saphendula imibuzo emininzi awayenayo. Wayebonakala eyisekile ukuba le yayiyinyaniso, waza wathembisa ukuza endlwini yethu ngobunye ubusuku ukuze afunde okungakumbi. Akazange eze, sacinga ukuba umele ukuba wabonwa ngobo busuku bokuqala ngabathile ababedlula ngeebhayisekile yaye mhlawumbi waphelelwa ngumsebenzi. Ngokufuthi siyazibuza enoba waba lilo na iNgqina.

Ekubuyeni kwethu kwindibano yesithili eBrighton ekunxweme olusemazantsi eNgilani ngowe-1949, abaliqela kuthi bafumana izimemo zokuya kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi kwiLizwana laseNew York. Kwiklasi ye-15 kwakukho isimbuku sabangama-26 ababesuka eBritani, abaphumelela ngoJulayi 30, 1950, ebudeni bendibano yezizwe ngezizwe eyayiseYankee Stadium.

Ubulungiseleli Bethu EBrazil

Kunyaka olandelayo ndafumana isabelo sokuya eSão Paulo, eBrazil, esinye sezona zixeko zanda ngokukhawuleza ehlabathini. Ngelo thuba kwakukho amabandla amaNgqina kaYehova amahlanu kuphela, kodwa ngoku phantse abe ngama-600! Onjani wona umahluko kunaxa sasisebenza eIreland! Uninzi lwezindlu ezazikumhlaba wethu eSão Paulo zazingamapomakazi, zibiyelwe ngeengcingo eziphakamileyo ezomeleleyo amasango azo entsimbi enziwe ngobuchule obumangalisayo. Umninimzi okanye umntu oqeshiweyo sasimbiza ngokuqhwaba izandla.

Njengoko iminyaka yayihamba, kwakukho izabelo ezitsha. Ndaba nelungelo lokunceda ekusekeni amabandla amatsha kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo zelizwana laseSão Paulo, kuquka elinye eliseJundiaí ngowe-1955 nelinye elisePiracicaba ngowe-1958. Kamva, ngowe-1960, udade wethu uSonia waba liqabane lam kubuvangeli basemazweni, yaye sabelwa ukuya ePôrto Alegre, ikomkhulu lelizwana laseRio Grande do Sul. Usenokubuza, waya njani eBrazil?

USonia noMama baqhubeka bengoovulindlela kunye eNgilani emva kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Kodwa ebutsheni beminyaka yee-1950, uMama wenza utyando lomhlaza olwamenza wabuthathaka kakhulu ukuba aye kwindlu ngendlu, nangona wayekwazi ukuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile nokubhala iincwadi. USonia waqhubeka nomsebenzi wobuvulindlela, yaye kwangaxeshanye wayenceda ekunyamekeleni uMama. Ngowe-1959, uSonia waba nelungelo lokuya kwiklasi yama-33 yaseGiliyadi waza wabelwa ukuya eBrazil. Ngeli thuba, uMama wayenyanyekelwa nguBeryl de wafa ngowe-1962. Ngelo xesha uBeryl wayetshatile, yaye yena nentsapho yakhe bakhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka.

EBrazil, mna noSonia sanceda abantu abaliqela ukuba bazahlulele baze babhaptizwe. Noko ke, enye yeengxaki zabemi baseBrazil yayikukubhalisa umtshato ngokusemthethweni. Ngenxa yobunzima boqhawulo-mtshato eBrazil, kwakuyinto eqhelekileyo ngezibini ukuba zihlalisane ngaphandle kwengenelo yomtshato. Oku kwakuba njalo ngokukodwa ukuba elinye iqabane lalahlukene neqabane lalo langaphambili elalitshate nalo ngokusemthethweni.

Elinye inenekazi, elinguEva, lalikuloo meko ekudibaneni kwam nalo. Iqabane lalo elingokwasemthethweni lalinyamalele, ngoko ukuze silifumane, senza isibhengezo kunomathotholo. Ekufumanekeni komyeni walo, ndalipheleka saya kwesinye isixeko ukuze umyeni walo atyobele uxwebhu olwaluza kulikhulula ukuze libhalise ngokusemthethweni umanyano lwalo nendoda elalihlalisana nayo bengatshatanga. Kuchotshelwe ityala phambi komgwebi, wacela mna noEva ukuba sichaze isizathu sokuba wayefuna ukulungisa imeko yakhe yomtshato. Xa samcacisela oku umgwebi wabonakalisa ukumangaliswa nokwaneliseka.

Ngesinye isihlandlo, ndahamba nesinye sezifundo zam zeBhayibhile ukuya kuthetha negqwetha elithile ukuba lisingathe umcimbi waso. Kwakhona sanikela ubungqina obuhle ngokuphathelele umtshato nemilinganiselo kaThixo yokuziphatha. Kule meko iindleko zoqhawulo-mtshato zaziphakame kakhulu kangangokuba kwafuneka omabini la maqabane asebenze ukuze ahlawule ityala. Kodwa kwaba bafundi beBhayibhile batsha, lo mgudu wawufanelekile. Mna noSonia saba nelungelo lokuba ngamangqina kumtshato wabo, yaye emva koko, sikunye nabantwana babo abathathu abakwishumi elivisayo, saphulaphula intetho emfutshane yeBhayibhile ekhayeni labo.

Ubomi Obutyebileyo, Obunomvuzo

Xa mna noSonia sahlulela ubomi bethu kuYehova saza sangoovulindlela, sasinenjongo yokuba, ukuba kunokwenzeka, ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bube ngumsebenzi wobomi bethu. Asizange sicinge kangako ngoko kwakuya kwenzeka kwiminyaka yethu yokwaluphala okanye xa sigula okanye sineengxaki zemali. Sekunjalo, kanye njengokuba uYehova wathembisayo, akazange asishiye.—Hebhere 13:6.

Ewe, ngamathub’ athile ukungabi namali kuye kwaba yingxaki. Ngesinye isihlandlo, unyaka wonke mna neqabane lam sasisitya isonka esineparsley ngesidlo sasemini, kodwa asikaze silambe, yaye singekaze singabi nazo ezona zinto ziyimfuneko.

Njengoko iminyaka ibihamba, amandla ethu nawo ebengemanga. Ebudeni beminyaka yee-1980, sobabini senza utyando olukhulu olwaba luvavanyo kuthi, ekubeni umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela waphazamiseka gqitha. NgoJanuwari 1987, sacelwa ukuba siye kuba ngamalungu abasebenzi bekomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrazil.

Intsapho yethu enkulu yabalungiseleli abangaphezu kwewaka ihlala malunga nomgama oziikhilomitha ezili-140 ngaphandle kweSão Paulo kwisakhiwo esihle esinezindlu ezininzi, apho sishicilela uncwadi lweBhayibhile ukwenzela iBrazil nezinye iinxalenye zoMzantsi Merika. Apha sinyanyekelwa ngothando ngabakhonzi bakaThixo abazinikeleyo. Xa ndafika eBrazil okokuqala ngowe-1951, kwakukho abavakalisi besigidimi soBukumkani abamalunga nama-4 000, kodwa ngoku bangaphezu kwama-366 000! Ngokwenene uBawo wethu wasezulwini onemfesane usongezelele ‘zonke izinto’ kuba siye safuna tanci uBukumkani bakhe.—Mateyu 6:33.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 22]

UOlive ekunye noMildred Willett ecaleni kwenqwelo enenkcazelo, ngowe-1939

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

UOlive noSonia Springate