Ndandililolo Kodwa Andizange Ndilahlwe

NGOKUBALISWA NGUADA LEWIS

Bendisoloko ndityekele ekwenzeni izinto ndedwa. Ndikwazimisela ngamandla kuyo yonke into endiyenzayo—maxa wambi abanye bathi oko kukuba neenkani. Kwakhona ndiyayazi indlela okulula ngayo ukuthetha ngokungafihlisi, kwaye olu phawu luye lwandinika iingxaki ukutyhubela iminyaka.

SEKUNJALO, ndinombulelo kuba uYehova uThixo engakhange andilahle ngenxa yeziphako ezikubuntu bam. Ngokufundisisa iLizwi lakhe, ndiye ndakwazi ukubuguqula ubuntu bam kwaye ngaloo ndlela ndiye ndahambisela phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani bakhe kangangeminyaka engama-60. Ukususela ebuntwaneni, bendisoloko ndingumthandi wamahashe, kwaye uncedo lukaThixo ekulawuleni ngandlel’ ithile ukuba neenkani kwam belusoloko lundikhumbuza indlela umkhala onokusetyenziswa ngayo ekulawuleni ihashe.

Ndazalelwa kufuphi nechibi elihle neliluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka eMount Gambier kuMzantsi Ostreliya ngowe-1908. Abazali bam babenefama yobisi, kwaye ndandingumafungwashe ezintombini kubantwana abasibhozo. Utata wafa xa sonke sasiselula gqitha. Oko kwandishiya nembopheleleko enkulu yokunyamekela ifama, ekubeni abantakwethu ababini nabakhulu kunam kwafuneka baye kusebenza kude nekhaya ukuze bazise ingeniso entsatsheni. Ubomi basefama babufuna amandla, buquka umsebenzi onzima.

Ukudibana Okokuqala Nenyaniso YeBhayibhile

Intsapho yakowethu yayingabahambi beCawa yaseRhabe, kwaye sasingamalungu athe rhoqo. Ndaba ngumfundisi-ntsapho kwisikolo seCawa kwaye ndandiyijonga njengebalulekileyo imbopheleleko yokufundisa abantwana oko ndandikukholelwa kulungile ngokomoya nangokuziphatha.

Ngowe-1931 utatomkhulu wafa, kwaye phakathi kwezinto awayenazo yayiziincwadi ezahlukahlukeneyo nezazibhalwe ngumongameli weWatch Tower Society, uJ. F. Rutherford. Ndaqalisa ukufunda incwadi ethi UHadi lukaThixo nethi Creation, yaye okukhona ndandifunda okungakumbi kwaba kokukhona ndikhwankqiswa kukufunda ukuba izinto ezininzi endandizikholelwa nendandizifundisa abantwana zazingaxhaswa yiBhayibhile.

Kwandothusa ukufunda ukuba umphefumlo womntu uyafa, ukuba abantu abaninzi abayi emazulwini xa besifa, kwanokuba akukho kubandezeleka kwanaphakade esihogweni somlilo kwabo bangendawo. Kwakhona ndaphazamiseka kukufumanisa ukuba ukugcina isabatha yangeCawa yeeveki ngeeveki akuyomfuneko kumaKristu. Ngoko kwakufuneka ndenze isigqibo esibalulekileyo: ukubambelela kwiimfundiso zeNgqobhoko zesithethe okanye ukufundisa inyaniso yeBhayibhile. Kungekudala emva koko ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiluqhawule lonke unxibelelwano lwam neCawa yaseRhabe.

Ngoku Ndililolo Ngokwenene

Intsapho yakowethu, abahlobo, nabantu endandiqhelene nabo ecaweni abazange bakholiswe kukuvakalisa kwam umnqweno wokushiya icawa kwaye ndingaphindi ndifundise kwisikolo seCawa. Kwaye xa bafumanisa ukuba ndandinento yokwenza nababebizwa ngokuba ngabantu bakaJudge Rutherford, oko nje kwanwenwisa intlebendwane. Eneneni andizange ndisikwe, kodwa abaninzi kwintsapho yakowethu nababesakuba ngabahlobo bam baphelelwa bubuhlobo ngakum, ukukhankanya nje okumbalwa.

Okukhona ndandifunda ndize ndiphonononge izibhalo eziboniswe kwiincwadi endandizifunda, kokukhona ndandiqalisa ukuyibona imfuneko yokushumayela ekuhleni. Ndafunda ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayesiya kwindlu ngendlu njengenxalenye yenkonzo yawo yasekuhleni. Kodwa ngelo xesha kwakungekho maNgqina kwisithili sethu. Ngoko ke, akuzange kubekho mntu undikhuthazayo okanye undibonisa indlela yokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. (Mateyu 24:14) Ndandiziva ndililolo kakhulu.

Noko ke, umyalelo weBhayibhile wokushumayela kwabanye wahlala unkenteza ezindlebeni zam, kwaye ndagqiba kwelokuba kufuneka ndiqalise ukushumayela ngandlel’ ithile. Emva kokuthandaza ngamandla, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiqale ukutyelela amakhaya abamelwane ukuze ndibaxelele oko ndandikufunde kufundisiso lwam ndize ndizame ukubabonisa ezi zinto kwezabo iiBhayibhile. Indlu yokuqala endangena kuyo yeyowayesakuba ngumphathi wesikolo sam seCawa. Ukungabonakalisi umdla kwakhe namagqabaza angakhiyo ngokushiya kwam icawa ngokuqinisekileyo ayengesosiqalo sikhuthazayo. Kodwa ndaziva ndinehlombe namandla angaqhelekanga ngaphakathi njengoko ndandishiya ikhaya lakhe kwaye ndiqhubeka ndityelela amanye amakhaya.

Eneneni kwakungekho nkcaso ikrakra, kodwa ndamangaliswa kukungabi namdla kwabo ndandihamba nabo icawa xa ndandibatyelela. Okwandimangalisayo nokwandibangela udano, kukuchaswa ngokukrakra ngumntakwethu omkhulu, okwandikhumbuza amazwi kaYesu athi: “Niya kunikelwa nangabazali, nangabazalwana, nayimizalwane, nazizihlobo, . . . nithiywe ngabantu bonke ngenxa yegama lam.”—Luka 21:16, 17.

Ndaba namava okukhwela ihashe ngoxa ndandiselula kakhulu, ngoko ndagqiba kwelokuba eyona ndlela ilungileyo yokufikelela emakhayeni abantu kukukhwela ihashe. Loo nto yandibangela ndakwazi ukuya kufikelela kwiindawo ezikude kwimimandla yamaphandle akufutshane. Noko ke, ngenye imvakwemini ihashe lam lakhubeka laza lawa kwindlela emtyibilizi, ndaza ndophuka kakubi amathambo okakayi. Okwethuba elithile, kwakukho uloyiko lokuba ndisenokungaphili. Emva kokuba ndiwile, xa iindlela zimanzi okanye zimtyibilizi, ndandikhwela isulky kunokuba ndikhwele ihashe.a

Ukunxibelelana Nentlangano

Kwithuba elithile emva kokuba ndifumene ingozi, iqela labashumayeli bexesha elizeleyo, ngoku ababizwa ngokuba ngoovulindlela, latyelela isithili saseMount Gambier. Ngaloo ndlela, okwesihlandlo sokuqala, ndakwazi ukuthetha ubuso nobuso nabo babenenkolo efanayo neyam. Ngaphambi kokuba bahambe, bandikhuthazela ukuba ndibhalele kwiofisi yesebe yeWatch Tower Society ndize ndibuze ngendlela endinokuba nesabelo ngayo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ekuhleni ngendlela ecwangciswe ngakumbi.

Emva kokubhalela kuMbutho, ndafumana iincwadi, iincwadana neqweqwe lobungqina elishicilelweyo endandiza kulisebenzisa xa ndizazisa emizini. Ndaziva ndisondele kancinane kubazalwana noodade wethu bokomoya ngenxa yembalelwano yam neofisi yesebe. Kodwa xa elo qela loovulindlela lagqithela kwidolophu elandelayo, ndaziva ndililolo ngakumbi kunangaphambili.

Ngenxa yokujikeleza kwam ndinikela ubungqina ngokuthe rhoqo suku ngalunye—ngokuyintloko ndisebenzisa isulky—ndaziwa kakhulu kweso sithili. Kwangaxeshanye, ndandikwazi ukunyamekela imisetyenzana yam yefama. Ngelo xesha intsapho yakowethu yayisele iyekile ukuwuchasa lo msebenzi wesiqhelo kwaye yayingenzi nomzamo wokuwuphazamisa. Ndakhonza ngale ndlela kangangeminyaka emininzi njengomvakalisi weendaba ezilungileyo okwanti nongabhaptizwanga.

Indibano, Nokubhaptizwa Ekugqibeleni

NgoAprili 1938, uMzalwan’ uRutherford watyelela elaseOstreliya. Inkcaso ekrakra yabefundisi yaphumela ekubeni kurhoxiswe isivumelwano sokuba kusetyenziswe iHolo yeDolophu yaseSydney. Noko ke, ekugqibeleni, kwafunyanwa imvume yokusebenzisa iBala leMidlalo. Oko kuguquka kunyanzelekileyo kwezigqibo ngokwenene kwangqineka kuyingenelo, kuba amawaka amaninzi ngakumbi akwazi ukuza kwiBala leMidlalo elikhudlwana. Kwakukho abantu abamalunga nama-12 000, yaye kwakucace mhlophe ukuba umdla wabaninzi wavuswa yinkcaso eyayiphenjelelwa ngabefundisi nxamnye nokuhlanganisana kwethu.

Ngokunxulumene notyelelo lukaMzalwan’ uRutherford, kwaqhutywa indibano yeentsuku eziliqela kwidolophana ekufutshane naseSydney. Kwakulapho endathi ekugqibeleni ndafuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova uThixo ngokubhaptizwa emanzini. Ngaba unokuluthelekelela uvuyo endaba nalo lokuba ekugqibeleni ndihlanganisane namakhulu abazalwana noodade abaphuma kulo lonke ilizwekazi laseOstreliya?

Ukubuyela EMount Gambier

Xa ndabuyela ekhaya, ndaziva ndililolo kakhulu, sekunjalo ndandizimisele ngaphezulu kunangaphambili ukwenza endinako kumsebenzi woBukumkani. Kungekudala ndaqhelana nentsapho yakwa-Agnew—uHugh, umfazi wakhe nabantwana babo abane. Babehlala kwidolophu yaseMillicent, ekwisithuba nje seekhilomitha ezingama-50 ukusuka eMount Gambier, yaye ndandihamba iikhilomitha ezingama-50 ukuya nokubuya ngesulky ukuya kubaqhubela isifundo seBhayibhile esithe rhoqo. Xa bayamkelayo inyaniso, ndafumana isiqabu kubulolo bam.

Kungekudala, sasihlanganiswe njengeqela ukulungiselela ukunikela ubungqina ngokulungelelanisiweyo. Emva koko, okwandivuyisayo kukuba umama waqalisa ukuba nomdla waza wandithelela kuhambo oluziikhilomitha ezili-100 lokuya nokubuya ukuqhuba izifundo neqela elalisandul’ ukusekwa. Ukususela ngoko, uMama wayesoloko elukhuthazo noncedo, nangona yayisele iyiminyaka embalwa phambi kokuba abhaptizwe. Ngoku ndandingaselilo ilolo kwaphela!

Iqela lethu elincinane lavelisa oovulindlela abane, iintombi ezintathu zakwa-Agnew—uCrystal, uEstelle noBetty—kunye nam. Kamva, ebutsheni beminyaka yee-1950, zontathu ezi ntombi zaya kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi. Zabelwa njengabavangeli basemazweni eIndiya naseSri Lanka, apho zisakhonza khona.

NgoJanuwari 1941 umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wavalwa eOstreliya, ngoko sakhawuleza sasebenza ngokuvumelana neemeko. Safaka yonke into esasiyisebenzisa kubulungiseleli—uncwadi, iigramafoni ezincinane, iintetho zeBhayibhile ezirekhodiweyo nezinye izinto—kwitranki enkulu. Emva koko sayibeka eshedini saza sabeka ifula elininzi kakhulu phezu kwayo ukuze siyifihle.

Phezu kwako nje ukuvalwa komsebenzi, saqhubeka sishumayela kwindlu ngendlu, kodwa sikwenza oko ngobulumko, sisebenzisa iBhayibhile kuphela xa sithetha nabaninimzi. Ndandidla ngokufihla amaphephancwadi neencwadana ngaphantsi kwesali yehashe lam ndize ndizikhuphe kuphela xa ndifumana umntu onomdla ngokwenene kwisigidimi soBukumkani. Ekugqibeleni, ngoJuni 1943, umsebenzi wavulwa, yaye sakwazi kwakhona ukunikela uncwadi ngokukhululekileyo.

Izabelo Ezitsha

Ngowe-1943, ndaba nguvulindlela, kwaye ngonyaka olandelayo ndayishiya iMount Gambier ndaya kwesinye isabelo. Okokuqala, ndamenyelwa ukukhonza okwethutyana kwiofisi yesebe yoMbutho eStrathfield. Emva koko, ndafumana izabelo kwiidolophana ezikumzantsi New South Wales nakwintshona Victoria. Noko ke, esinye sezona zabelo ezandinika iingenelo zokomoya yaba kukuba kwibandla elikhulu elikwisixeko saseMelbourne. Ekubeni ndandisuka kwidolophana yasemaphandleni, ndafunda into eninzi kakhulu xa ndandikhonza apho.

Kwisabelo sam esasikumazantsi esithili saseGippsland eVictoria, mna neqabane lam lobuvulindlela, uHelen Crawford, sasiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezininzi kwaye ngethutyana nje elingephi, sabona ukusekwa kwebandla. Eso sithili sasinommandla omkhulu osemaphandleni, yaye sasihamba ngenqwelo-mafutha endala nengathembekanga. Maxa wambi sasiyikhwela, kodwa amaxesha amaninzi kwakuye kufuneke siyityhale. Hayi indlela endandikulangazelela ngayo ukuba nehashe! Maxa wambi, ngokunyanisekileyo ndandisithi: “Ndinokunanisa nangantoni na (ngaphandle koBukumkani) ukuze ndifumane ihashe!” Kwiidolophu ezininzi zeso sithili namhlanje, kukho amabandla awomeleleyo neeHolo zoBukumkani ezintle.

Ngowe-1969, ndabelwa eCanberra, elikomkhulu laseOstreliya. Le yayiyindawo entle nekulucelomngeni ukunikela ubungqina kuyo, njengoko sasisoloko sidibana nabaqeshwa kwimizi emininzi yozakuzo. Ndisakhonza apha, kodwa kwiminyaka yakutshanje ndiye ndagxininisa ekunikeleni ubungqina kwingingqi enemizi-mveliso yesixeko.

Ngowe-1973, ndaba nelungelo lokuya kwiindibano ezinkulu eUnited States. Enye imbalasane yobomi bam kukubakho endibanweni yowe-1979 nokukhenketha elakwaSirayeli naseJordan. Ukutyelela ngokoqobo kwiindawo ezikhankaywe eBhayibhileni uze ukhumbule neziganeko ezenzeka apho ngokwenene yayingamava achukumisayo. Ndaba namava okuqubha kuLwandle Olufileyo, olunamanzi ajiyileyo namtyuba, kwaye ngoxa sasityelele ePetra eJordan, ndafumana ithuba kwakhona lokukhwela ihashe. Oku kwandikhumbuza iintsuku zakudala xa amahashe ayendenza ndifikelele imimandla egqagqeneyo nesemaphandleni ngesigidimi soBukumkani.

Inkonzo Yexesha Elizeleyo Eqhubekayo

Umnqweno wam wokuqhubeka ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo phezu kwako nje ukukhula uye wagcinwa uphila ngamalungiselelo akhethekileyo anjengeSikolo Senkonzo Yobuvulindlela neentlanganiso zoovulindlela eziqhutywa xa kukho iindibano zesiphaluka, nokhuthazo oluqhubekayo endilufumana kubaveleli abahambahambayo. Enyanisweni ndingathi uYehova uye ngobubele waqinisekisa ukuba iintsuku zam zobulolo ziba yinto yexesha elidlulileyo.

Ngoku ndineminyaka engama-87 ubudala, yaye emva kweminyaka engama-60 ndikhonza uYehova, ndinelizwi lokhuthazo kwabanye abasenokuba bathetha ngokungafihlisi kwaye ngamandla banomoya wokuzimela: Hlalani nizithoba phantsi kolwalathiso lukaYehova. Kwanga uYehova angasinceda silawule ukuthetha kwethu ngokungafihlisi, yaye kwanga angasoloko esikhumbuza ukuba nangona sisenokuziva singamalolo, akasayi kuze asilahle.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]