‘Ekubeni Sinobu Bulungiseleli, Asinikezeli’

NGOKUBALISWA NGURONALD TAYLOR

Ngehlobo lowe-1963, ndazifumana ndisilwela ubomi bam. Ngoxa ndandihamba ngaselunxwemeni, ndanyathela kumngxuma ongaqondakaliyo ndaza ngequbuliso ndaya kuwela emanzini anzulu kakhulu. Ekubeni ndandingakwazi nokuqubha, ndaphantse ndemka namanzi kangangeemitha ezimbalwa ukusuka elunxwemeni. Ndandisele nditshone izihlandlo ezithathu yaye ndibimbilize amanzi olwandle amaninzi xa umhlobo waphawula ingxaki endandikuyo waza wanditsalela elunxwemeni. Ngenxa yenkqubo yokuncedisa ukuphefumla eyenziwa ngokukhawuleza, ndasinda.

ESI yayingesosihlandlo sokuqala ukuba ndiqonde indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukungaze ndinikezele—kwanaxa izinto zibonakala zinganiki ithemba. Ukususela ebuntwaneni, kwakufuneka ndilwele ubomi bam bokomoya.

Ndaqala ukudibana nenyaniso yamaKristu ebudeni bemihla emibi yemfazwe yehlabathi yesibini. Ndandingomnye wabantwana abangamawaka abafuduswayo eLondon ukuze basabe ingozi yokuhlaselwa ngeebhombu. Ekubeni ndandineminyaka eli-12 kuphela ubudala, imfazwe yayingenantsingiselo ingako kum; yayingamava nje abangela umdla.

Ndandinyanyekelwa sisibini esikhulileyo saseWeston-super-Mare, kumzantsi-ntshona weNgilani. Kungekudala emva kokuba ndifikile kwikhaya lesi sibini, abalungiseleli abangoovulindlela baqalisa ukusityelela. Yayiyintsapho yakwaHargreaves; bobane—uReg, uMabs, uPamela noValeri—babengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Abazali bam ababendikhulisa bayamkela inyaniso, yaye emva kokufunda incwadi ethi UHadi lukaThixo, nam ndenza isigqibo sokukhonza uYehova. Kwiiveki nje ezintandathu kamva, ndamenyelwa ukuba nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela.

Ndisalukhumbula olo suku lokuqala kubulungiseleli basentsimini. Ndingalungiselelanga kwaphela, ndanikwa iincwadana ndaza ndaxelelwa oku: “Wena uza kusebenza kwela cala lesitrato.” Yaye oko koko ndakwenzayo ngosuku lwam lokuqala lokushumayela. Ngelo xesha, sasisoloko sishumayela ngokusebenzisa amacwecwe egramafoni awayeneentshumayelo ezinamandla. Ezona zihlandlo ndandisonwaba kakhulu ngazo kuxa ndandinokuphatha igramafoni kwindlu ngendlu ndize ndidlale iintetho ezirekhodiweyo. Ndandikugqala kulilungelo lokwenene ukusetyenziswa ngaloo ndlela.

Ndandinikela ubungqina kakhulu esikolweni, yaye ndikhumbula ndihambisa kwinqununu isixa seencwadi ezazixubusha ngeBhayibhile. Xa ndandineminyaka eli-13 ubudala, ndabhaptizwa kwindibano eyayikufuphi eBath. Enye indibano endingasokuze ndiyilibale eyaqhutywa ngexesha lemfazwe yileyo yaqhutyelwa eLeicester ngowe-1941 kwiHolo iDe Montfort. Ndaya eqongeni ukuze ndifumane umbhalo wam wencwadi ethi Children, eyayinomyalezo wobuqu owawuvela kuMzalwan’ uRutherford, ngelo xesha owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Society. Intetho ehlab’ umxhelo eyayijoliswe kubo bonke abantu abaselula ababekho yawomeleza umnqweno wam wokukhonza uYehova ngonaphakade.

Ngaloo ndlela ndachitha iminyaka emibini eyonwabisayo ndikhulela enyanisweni nabazali bam ababendikhulisa. Kodwa xa ndandineminyaka eli-14 ubudala, kwafuneka ndibuyele eLondon ndize ndiqalise ukusebenza ukuze ndiziphilise. Nangona ndaphinda ndamanyana nentsapho yakowethu, ngoku kwafuneka ndizimele ngokomoya, ekubeni kwakungekho namnye ekhaya owayeneenkolelo ezifana nezam. Kungekudala uYehova wanikela uncedo endandilufuna. Kwiiveki ezintathu kuphela ndifikile eLondon, omnye umzalwana waya ekhaya ukuya kucela imvume kubawo ukuze andise kwiHolo yoBukumkani yasekuhlaleni. Lo mzalwana yayinguJohn Barr, sithetha nje olilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova. Waba ngomnye ‘woobawo’ bokomoya ebudeni baloo minyaka yeshumi elivisayo inzima.—Mateyu 19:29.

Ndaqalisa ukuya kwiBandla lasePaddington, elalihlanganisana eCraven Terrace kufuphi neKhaya leBheteli yaseLondon. Ekubeni ndandiyinkedama yokomoya, omnye umzalwana okhulileyo nowayengumthanjiswa, “uPop” Humphreys, wanikwa isabelo sokunikela ingqalelo ekhethekileyo kum. Ngokuqinisekileyo kwakuyintsikelelo enkulu ukunxulumana nabazalwana noodade abaninzi abangabathanjiswa ababekhonza kwelo bandla. Abo kuthi babenethemba lokuphila emhlabeni—ababebizwa ngokuthi ngamaYonadabhi—babembalwa. Eneneni, yayindim kuphela “umYonadabhi” kwiSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla endandisiya kuso. Nangona ndandinganxulumani kakhulu noontanga bam, olo nxulumano luxabisekileyo kunye nabazalwana abaqolileyo lwandifundisa izifundo ezininzi eziluncedo. Mhlawumbi esona sibaluleke kunene yayisesokungaze ndiyishiye inkonzo kaYehova.

Ngezo mini, sasidla ngokusebenza impela-veki yonke kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Ndanikwa isabelo sokunyamekela “inqwelo-mafutha enesandisi-lizwi,” eneneni yayiyinqwelo enamavili amathathu elungiselelwe ukuthwala isixhobo sesandisi-lizwi nebhetri yenqwelo-mafutha. Yonke iMigqibelo, ndandihamba ngale nqwelo inamavili amathathu ndize ndiye kwiimbombo ezahlukahlukeneyo zezitrato, apho sasidlala umculo sandule ke sidlale ezinye zeentetho zikaMzalwan’ uRutherford. Kwakhona iMigqibelo yayisetyenziselwa ukwenza umsebenzi wasesitratweni siphethe iingxowa zethu zamaphephancwadi. IiCawa zazisetyenziselwa umsebenzi wendlu ngendlu, sihambisa iincwadana neencwadi ezinkulu.

Ukunxulumana kwam nabazalwana abakhulileyo abanenzondelelo kwavuselela kum umnqweno wokuba nguvulindlela. Lo mnqweno wawusomelezwa xa ndiphulaphule iintetho zobuvulindlela kwiindibano zesithili. Enye indibano eyabuchaphazela ngokunzulu ubomi bam yileyo yaqhutyelwa eEarl’s Court, eLondon, ngowe-1947. Kwiinyanga ezimbini kamva, ndabhalisela inkonzo yobuvulindlela, yaye ndiye ndazabalazela ukulondoloza umoya wobuvulindlela ukususela ngoko. Uvuyo endandilufumana ekuqhubeni izifundo zeBhayibhile ezinenkqubela lwaba sisiqinisekiso sokuba esi yayisisigqibo esilungileyo.

Umtshakazi WaseSpeyin Nesabelo SaseSpeyin

Ngonyaka we-1957, ngoxa ndandinguvulindlela kwiBandla lasePaddington, ndadibana nodade othandekayo waseSpeyin ogama linguRafaela. Emva kweenyanga ezimbalwa, satshata. Usukelo lwethu yayikukuba sibe ngoovulindlela kunye, kodwa kuqala saya eMadrid ukuze ndibe nokudibana nabazali bakaRafaela. Olo yaba lutyelelo olwaguqula ubomi bam. Ngoxa sasiseMadrid, uMzalwan’ uRay Dusinberre, umveleli wesebe laseSpeyin, wandibuza enoba sasingathanda na ukukhonza eSpeyin, apho kwakukho imfuneko enkulu yabazalwana abanamava.

Sasinokusala njani isimemo esinjalo? Ngaloo ndlela, ngowe-1958 saqalisa inkonzo yethu yexesha elizeleyo kunye eSpeyin. Ngelo xesha elo lizwe lalilawulwa nguFranco, ibe umsebenzi wethu wawungamkelwanga ngokusemthethweni, nto leyo eyenza umsebenzi wokushumayela wanzima gqitha. Ngaphezu koko, kwakufuneka ndizame ukufunda ulwimi lwaseSpeyin kwiminyaka embalwa yokuqala. Kwakhona, kwakufuneka ndinganikezeli, nangona maxa wambi ndandikhe ndilile ngenxa yodano lokungakwazi ukunxibelelana nabazalwana ebandleni.

Imfuneko yabaveleli yayinkulu gqitha kangangokuba nangona kwakunzima kum ukuthetha ulwimi lwaseSpeyin, kwisithuba esingangenyanga ndandinyamekela iqela elincinane. Ngenxa yokuba umsebenzi wethu wawusenziwa ngokufihlakeleyo, salungelelaniswa sangamaqela amancinane awayebunjwa ngabavakalisi abali-15 ukuya kwabangama-20, awayesebenza njengamabandla amancinane. Ekuqaleni, kwakunzima ukuqhuba iintlanganiso, ekubeni ndandingasoloko ndiziqonda iimpendulo zabaphulaphuli. Noko ke, umfazi wam wayehlala ngasemva, yaye xa wayephawula ukuba ndididekile, ngobuchule wayenqwala intloko ukuqinisekisa ukuba impendulo ichanile.

Andinaso isiphiwo sokwemvelo sokufunda iilwimi, ibe izihlandlo ezininzi ndandiziva ndifuna ukubuyela eNgilani, apho ndandinokuzenza izinto ngokulula ngakumbi. Noko ke, ukususela ekuqaleni, uthando nobuhlobo babazalwana noodade wethu abathandekayo baseSpeyin lwabangela ukuba ndilulibale udandatheko lwam ngenxa yolwimi. Yaye uYehova wandisikelela ngamalungelo akhethekileyo awenza konke oku kwabonakala kufanelekile. Ngowe-1958, ndamenyelwa ukuya kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe eNew York njengondwendwe oluvela eSpeyin. Kwandula ke ngowe-1962, ndafumana uqeqesho oluxabiseke kunene kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani esalungiselelwa thina eTangier, eMorocco.

Enye ingxaki endandijamelana nayo, ngaphandle kolwimi, yayikukusoloko ndisoyika ukubanjwa ngabakwantsasana. Njengommi wasemzini, ndandisazi ukuba ngokuzenzekelayo ukubanjwa kwakuya kuthetha ukugxothwa kwelo lizwe. Ukunciphisa le ngxaki, sasisebenza ngababini. Ngoxa omnye wayenikela ubungqina, omnye wayephulaphula nayiphi na imiqondiso yengozi. Emva kokutyelela indlu enye okanye ezimbini, ngokufuthi kumgangatho ophezulu kwisakhiwo esinamagumbi aqeshisayo, sasiwela izitrato ezibini okanye ezithathu size sityelele amanye amakhaya amabini okanye amathathu. Ubukhulu becala sasisebenzisa iBhayibhile, yaye sasiphatha iincwadana ezimbalwa size siziqhusheke ezidyasini zethu ukuze sizinike abantu abanomdla.

Emva konyaka siseMadrid, sanikwa isabelo sokuya eVigo, isixeko esikhulu kumntla-ntshona weSpeyin, apho kwakungekho maNgqina konke konke. Kwinyanga yokuqala okanye malunga nalapho, uMbutho wacebisa ukuba umfazi wam abe ngoyena unikela ubungqina—ukuze abantu bacinge ukuba sasityelele njengabakhenkethi. Phezu kwako nje oku kuzifihla, ukushumayela kwethu kwatsala ingqalelo. Kwinyanga nje enye abefundisi bamaKatolika baqalisa ukusigxeka kunomathotholo. Balumkisa amarhamente abo besithi kukho isibini esitshatileyo esingena kwizindlu ngezindlu sithetha ngeBhayibhile—phantse incwadi eyayingekho mthethweni ngelo xesha. “Isibini esasifunwa” sasiquka ummi wasemzini kunye nomfazi wakhe waseSpeyin, owayethetha kakhulu!

Abefundisi bawisa umthetho othi ukuthetha nje nesi sibini siyingozi kwakusisono esasiya kuxolelwa kuphela xa sithe savunywa ngokukhawuleza kumfundisi. Njengoko ubani ebenokukulindela oko, ekuqukumbeleni incoko emnandi esasinayo nelinye inenekazi, libuhlungu lasixelela ukuba lalimele lihambe liye kuvuma isono salo. Xa semkayo kwindlu yalo, salibona lingxamile ukuya ecaweni.

Ukugxothwa

Emva kweenyanga ezimbini sifikile eVigo, abakwantsasana basiqubula. Lo wakwantsasana wasibambayo wayenovelwano ibe akazange asifake amatyathanga endleleni eya kwisikhululo sabakwantsasana. Esikhululweni, sabona umntu esimaziyo, umchwethezi esasisandula ukunikela ubungqina kuye. Wadana kakhulu kukusibona siphethwe njengezaphuli-mthetho yaye ngokukhawuleza wasiqinisekisa ukuba asinguye osimangaleleyo. Phofu ke, sabekwa ityala lokonakalisa “umanyano lokomoya lwaseSpeyin,” ibe kwiiveki ezintandathu kamva sagxothwa.

Oko kwasiphazamisa, kodwa asizange sicinge ngokunikezela. Kwakusekho umsebenzi omkhulu owawumele wenziwe kuSingasiqithi weIberia. Emva kweenyanga ezintathu eTangier, sanikwa isabelo sokuya eGibraltar—omnye ummandla owawungekasetyenzwa. Njengoko umpostile uPawulos esitsho, ukuba siyabuxabisa ubulungiseleli bethu, siya kuqhubeka sisebenza yaye siya kuvuzwa. (2 Korinte 4:1, 7, 8) Oku kungqineke kuyinyaniso kwimeko yethu. Kwikhaya lokuqala esalityelelayo eGibraltar, saqalisa isifundo seBhayibhile nentsapho yonke. Kungekudala, ngamnye kuthi wayeqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezili-17. Uninzi lwabantu esasifundisisa nabo lwaba ngamaNgqina, yaye kwiminyaka emibini kwabakho ibandla elinabavakalisi abangama-25.

Kodwa, njengaseVigo, abefundisi baqalisa ukusichasa. Ubhishophu waseTshetshi eGibraltar walumkisa umphathi wabakwantsasana ngelithi sasingabantu “abangamkelekanga,” yaye ekugqibeleni impembelelo yakhe yaba neziphumo. NgoJanuwari 1962 sanikwa uphum’ aphele eGibraltar. Sasiza kuya phi kwakhona? Kwakusekho imfuneko enkulu eSpeyin, ngoko sabuyela khona, ngoku sinethemba lokuba ingxelo yethu yabakwantsasana yayiphoswe kwelokulibala.

Isixeko esishushu saseSeville yayilikhaya lethu elitsha. Apho safumana uvuyo lokusebenza ngokusondeleyo nesinye isibini esasingoovulindlela, uRay noPat Kirkup. Nangona iSeville yayisisixeko esinabemi abasisiqingatha sesigidi, kwakukho abavakalisi abangama-21 kuphela, ngoko kwakukho umsebenzi omkhulu owawumele wenziwe. Sithetha nje kukho amabandla ali-15 anabavakalisi abali-1 500. Kunyaka kamva safumana okuthile esasingakulindelanga nokwasivuyisayo; samenyelwa ukukhonza kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba kummandla waseBarcelona.

Umsebenzi wesiphaluka kwilizwe apho umsebenzi wethu wawungamkelwanga ngokusemthethweni wawahlukile noko. Veki nganye sasityelela amaqela amancinane, uninzi lwawo lwalunabazalwana abafanelekayo abambalwa gqitha. Aba bazalwana bazibhokoxayo babelufuna lonke uqeqesho nenkxaso esasinokubanika yona. Sasisithanda esi sabelo! Emva kokuchitha iminyaka eliqela kwimimandla apho kwakukho amaNgqina ambalwa ukuba ayekho kwaukubakho, sasivuyiswa kukutyelela abazalwana noodade abaninzi abahlukahlukeneyo. Ngaphezu koko, umsebenzi wokushumayela eBarcelona wawulula ngakumbi, ibe abantu abaninzi babefuna ukufundisisa iBhayibhile.

Ukulwa Nodandatheko

Noko ke, kwiinyanga ezintandathu kamva, ubomi bam baguquka ngokuphawulekayo. Iholide yethu yokuqala ngaselwandle yaphantse yaba yintlekele xa ndafumana ingozi echazwe ekuqaleni. Emzimbeni ndachacha ngokukhawuleza kakhulu kumothuko wokuphantse ndimke namanzi, ukanti esi siganeko sashiyeka sibetheleleke ngokungacimekiyo kwinkqubo yam yemithambo-luvo.

Kangangeenyanga ezimbalwa, kwakunzima ukuba ndiqhubeke kumsebenzi wesiphaluka, kodwa ekugqibeleni kwafuneka ndibuyele eNgilani ukuze ndifumane unyango lwezamayeza. Emva kweminyaka emibini ndachacha ngokwaneleyo nto leyo eyenza sakwazi ukubuyela eSpeyin, apho sathi sabuyela kwakumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Noko ke, oko kwaba kokwexesha elifutshane. Abazali bomfazi wam bagula kakhulu, yaye sayishiya inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ukuze sibanyamekele.

Ubomi baba nzima ngakumbi, xa ngowe-1968, ndaphazamiseka ngokunzulu engqondweni. Kwakukho amaxesha xa mna noRafaela sasicinga ukuba andinakuze ndichache. Kwakungathi ndandisimka namanzi kwakhona, kodwa ngendlela eyahlukileyo! Ngaphandle kokundibangela ndigutyungelwe ziimvakalelo ezingathandekiyo, udandatheko lwawaphelisa onke amandla am. Ndandihlaselwa kukudinwa ngendlela engathethekiyo, okwakundinyanzela ukuba ndiphumle phantse ngalo lonke ixesha. Ngelo xesha asingabo bonke abazalwana ababeyiqonda ingxaki enje; eneneni ndandisazi ukuba uYehova uyayiqonda. Kuye kwandivuyisa kakhulu ukufunda amanqaku amahle kwiphephancwadi IMboniselo noVukani! awayebonisa ukuqonda yaye eluncedo gqitha kwabo badandathekileyo.

Ngalo lonke eli xesha linzima, umfazi wam wayesoloko engumthombo wokhuthazo. Ukuhlangabezana neengxaki kunye kuyawomeleza ngokwenene amaqhina omtshato. Abazali bakaRafaela bafa, yaye emva kweminyaka eli-12, impilo yam yaba bhetele kangangokuba saziva sifuna ukubuyela kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ngowe-1981, okwasimangalisayo nokwasivuyisayo kukuba samenyelwa ukukhonza kumsebenzi wesiphaluka kwakhona.

Kuye kwenzeka iinguqulelo ezinkulu zobuthixo eSpeyin ukususela ekubeni sathi saba nesabelo kwixa elidluleyo kubulungiseleli bokuhambahamba. Ngoku ukushumayela kwakukhululekile, ngoko kwafuneka ndiziqhelanise neemeko ezintsha. Noko ke, ukukhonza njengomveleli wesiphaluka kwakhona kwakulilungelo elikhulu. Ukuba namava okuba ngoovulindlela phezu kwazo nje iimeko ezinzima kwasenza sakwazi ukukhuthaza oovulindlela ababeneengxaki. Ibe ngokufuthi sakwazi ukunceda abanye ukuba bathelele izintlu zoovulindlela.

Emva kweminyaka eli-11 sikumsebenzi wokuhambahamba eMadrid naseBarcelona, kwakhona impilo yethu enkenenkene yenza kwafuneka sitshintshe izabelo. Sanikwa isabelo sokuba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo kwisixeko saseSalamanca, apho ndandinokuba luncedo njengomdala. Zisuka nje abazalwana baseSalamanca basenza saziva sisekhaya. Kunyaka kamva enye ingxaki yayiza kuluvavanya unyamezelo lwethu.

URafaela wafunyanwa sisifo seanemia ngendlela engathethekiyo, yaye uvavanyo lwatyhila ukuba wayenomhlaza emathunjini. Ngoku kwakufuneka ndomelele ndize ndixhase umfazi wam kangangoko ndandinako. Ekuqaleni asizange sikukholelwe oko, kwandula ke kwalandela uloyiko. Ngaba uRafaela wayenokusinda? Kwizihlandlo ezifana nezi, ukukholosa ngokupheleleyo ngoYehova koko kanye kusinceda siqhubeke. Kuyandivuyisa ukuthi uRafaela watyandwa ngempumelelo, yaye sinethemba lokuba lo mhlaza awunakuphinda uvele kwakhona.

Nangona siye sadibana namahlandinyuka ebudeni beminyaka engama-36 esiyichithe eSpeyin, bekufudumez’ intliziyo ukuphila ukutyhubela eli xesha lolwando lokomoya. Siye sabona imbinana yabavakalisi ababengama-800 ngowe-1958 isanda ukuya kutsho kumkhosi wabavakalisi abangaphezu kwe-100 000 namhlanje. Ubunzima esithubeleze kubo buye basithwa luvuyo lwethu olukhulu—ukunceda abanye bamkele inyaniso baze bakhule ngokomoya, ukusebenza kunye njengendoda nomfazi, nemvakalelo yokuba siye sabusebenzisa ngeyona ndlela ilungileyo ubomi bethu.

UPawulos uthi kwincwadi yakhe yesibini eya kwabaseKorinte: “Ekubeni sinobu bulungiseleli ngokwenceba eyaboniswa kuthi, asinikezeli.” (2 Korinte 4:1, NW) Xa ndikhangela emva, ndikholelwa kwelokuba kwakukho oothunywashe abaliqela ebomini bam abandithintelayo ndanganikezeli. Umzekelo wabazalwana abathembekileyo abangabathanjiswa ababonakalisa umdla kum ebudeni beminyaka yeshumi elivisayo wanikela isiseko esihle. Ukuba neqabane elinosukelo lokomoya olufanayo luncedo olungummangaliso; xa ndandidandatheka, uRafaela wayendikhuthaza, yaye nam ndiye ndamenzela okufanayo. Uburharha nabo buyeyona nto ibaluleke kakhulu. Ukukwazi ukuhleka nabazalwana—size sizihleke—ngandlel’ ithile kuzenza iingxaki zibonakale zingenkulu kangako.

Kodwa ngaphezu kwako konke, ukunyamezela xa kuvela izilingo kufuna amandla avela kuYehova. Ndisoloko ndikhumbula amazwi kaPawulos athi: “Ndinokuzenza izinto zonke, ndikulowo undomelezayo.” Ekubeni uYehova ekwicala lethu, akuyomfuneko ukuba sinikezele nanini na.—Filipi 4:13.

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]

URonald noRafaela Taylor ngowe-1958

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 24, 25]

Ukuhlanganisana ngoxa umsebenzi wawuvaliwe eSpeyin (1969)