“Uthando Aluze Lutshitshe”

NGOKUBALISWA NGUSAMUEL D. LADESUYI

Ndiyakhwankqiswa xa ndikhangela emva ukutyhubela iminyaka ndize ndibone konke okuye kwafezwa. UYehova ebesenza izinto ezingummangaliso emhlabeni wonke. EIlesha, eNigeria, abambalwa kuthi abaqalisa umsebenzi wokushumayela ngowe-1931 baye baba ngamabandla angama-36. Abamalunga nama-4 000 ababengabavakalisi eNigeria ngexesha lokufika kwabokuqala ababephumelele kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi ngowe-1947 baye banda bangaphezu kwe- 180 000. Ngaphambili, sasingalindelanga, kwaye singenawo nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wolwando olwaluya kubakho. Hayi indlela endinombulelo ngayo ngenxa yokuba ndiye ndanesabelo kulo msebenzi umangalisayo! Makhe ndinibalisele ngawo.

UTATA wayengumrhwebi wemipu nerhuluwa esuka kwenye idolophu aye kwenye; wayesoloko engekho ekhaya. Wayenabafazi abasixhenxe endibaziyo, kodwa babengahlali naye bonke. Utata wamzuza njengelifa umama kumkhuluwa wakhe owafayo. Waba ngumfazi wakhe wesibini, kwaye ndahlala naye.

Ngenye imini uTata wabuyela ekhaya emva kokutyelela umfazi wakhe wokuqala, owayehlala kwidolophana eselumelwaneni. Ngoxa wayelapho, weva ukuba umntakwethu ngotata wayehamba isikolo. Lo mntakwethu wayeneminyaka elishumi ubudala, sasintanganye. Ngoko uTata wagqiba kwelokuba nam ndiye esikolweni. Wandinika iipeni ezisithoba—ezintathu ukuze ndithenge incwadi yokufunda yaye iipeni ezintandathu ukuze ndithenge isileyiti. Ngelo xesha kwakungowe-1924.

Ukusekwa Kweqela Lesifundo SeBhayibhile

Ukususela kwiminyaka yam yobutsha, ndandilithanda iLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile. Ndandizinandipha izifundo zeBhayibhile kwaye ndandisoloko ndinconywa ngootitshala bam besikolo seCawa. Ngoko ngowe-1930, ndafumana ithuba lokubakho kwintetho eyayinikelwa nguMfundi weBhayibhile owayetyelele, omnye wabokuqala ukushumayela eIlesha. Emva kwaloo ntetho, wandinika umbhalo wencwadi ethi UHadi LukaThixo ngolwimi lwesiYoruba.

Ndandisiya rhoqo kwisikolo seCawa. Ngoku ndaqalisa ukuphatha UHadi LukaThixo ukuze ndilusebenzise ekuphikiseni ezinye zeemfundiso ezazifundiswa apho. Oko kwabangela iingxoxo, kwaye ndalunyukiswa ngokufuthi ziinkokeli zecawa nxamnye nokulandela le ‘mfundiso intsha.’

Kunyaka olandelayo, xa ndandihambahamba ndisihla ngendlela, ndadibana neqela labantu liphulaphule indoda eyayibafundisa. Lo wayefundisa yayinguJ. I. Owenpa, uMfundi weBhayibhile. Wayethunyelwe apho nguWilliam R. Brown (ngokufuthi owayebizwa ngokuba nguBible Brown), owayevelela umsebenzi wokushunyayelwa koBukumkani eLagos.a Ndeva ukuba kuye kwasekwa iqela elincinane lesifundo seBhayibhile eIlesha ukuze lifunde UHadi LukaThixo, ngoko ndanxulumana kunye nalo.

Ndandingoyena umncinane kweli qela—ndiyinkwenkwe nje yesikolo, emalunga neminyaka eli-16 ubudala. Ngokuqhelekileyo ngendandibe neentloni, kwanoloyiko, lokunxulumana ngokusondele ngolo hlobo namadoda aneminyaka engama-30 ubudala nangaphezulu. Kodwa ayekuvuyela kakhulu ukuba ndibe kunye nawo, kwaye andikhuthaza. Ayefana noobawo kum.

Inkcaso Yabefundisi

Kungekudala saqalisa ukujamelana nenkcaso ekrakra evela kubefundisi. AmaKatolika, amaTshetshi, nabanye, ababesilwa ngaphambili, ngoku babemanyene ngokunxamnye nathi. Benza iyelenqe neenkosi zasekuhlaleni ukuba zithabathe inyathelo lokusidimaza. Bathumela amapolisa ukuba athimbe iincwadi zethu, besithi zaziyingozi ebantwini. Noko ke, igosa lesithili lalumkisa ngelokuba babengenalungelo lakuzithabatha ezo ncwadi, kwaye kwiiveki ezimbini kamva iincwadi zabuyiswa.

Emva koko sabizelwa entlanganisweni apho sadibana neoba okanye ingotya, kunye nabanye abantu ababalulekileyo baloo dolophu. Sasimalunga nama-30 ngenani ngelo xesha. Injongo yayikukusiyekisa ukufunda ezi ncwadi “ziyingozi.” Babuza enokuba sasingabantu basemzini kusini na, kodwa xa babesijongisisa, bathi: “Aba ngoonyana bethu, nangona abanye phakathi kwabo bengabasemzini.” Basixelela ukuba abafuni ukuba siqhubeke sifunda iincwadi zonqulo olwaluza kusenzakalisa.

Sagoduka singazange sithethe nelimdaka, kuba sasisele sigqibe kwelokuba singabaphulaphuli abo bantu babalulekileyo. Uninzi lwethu lwalwaneliseke gqitha koko sasikufunda kwaye sasizimisele ukuqhubeka sifunda. Ngoko nangona abambalwa boyikiswa baza barhoxa kwiqela lethu, uninzi lwethu lwaqhubeka nesifundo kwindawo yabachweli. Kwakungekho mntu uqhuba isifundo. Sasiqala ngomthandazo size sibolekisane ngokufunda iziqendu zaloo ncwadi. Emva kwexesha elimalunga neyure, sasithandaza kwakhona size sigoduke. Kodwa sasibekwe esweni, kwaye iinkosi neenkokeli zonqulo zaqhubeka zisibiza rhoqo emva kweeveki ezimbini zize zisilumkise nxamnye nokufunda uncwadi lwaBafundi beBhayibhile.

Ebudeni belo thuba, sasizama ukusebenzisa ulwazi oluncinane esasinalo ekuncedeni abantu, kwaye uninzi lwaluvumelana nathi. Abantu ngabanye baqalisa ukunxulumana nathi. Sasivuya gqitha, kodwa sasingekabi nalwazi lungako ngonqulo esasinxulumene nalo.

Ebutsheni bowe-1932 omnye umzalwana wafika esuka eLagos ukuza kunceda ekusilungelelaniseni, kwaye ngoAprili u-“Bible” Brown weza naye. Emva kokubona ukuba kwakukho iqela elimalunga nama-30, uMzalwana uBrown wafuna ukuqonda ngenkqubela esasiyenza kufundo lwethu. Samxelela konke esasikwazi. Wathi sasikulungele ukuba singabhaptizwa.

Ekubeni lalibalele ngelo xesha, kwanyanzeleka ukuba sihambe umgama oziikhilomitha ezili-14 ukusuka eIlesha ukuya emlanjeni, kwaye abanokuba ngama-30 kuthi babhaptizwa. Ukususela ngoko ukusa phambili saziva sikufanelekela ukuba ngabashumayeli boBukumkani saza saqalisa ukuya kwindlu ngendlu. Oku kwakungeyonto esasicinge ukuba singayenza, kodwa sasinolangazelelo lokwabelana nabanye ngoko sikwaziyo. Kwafuneka silungiselele kakuhle ukuze siyixhase ngeBhayibhile indlela esasiziphikisa ngayo iimfundiso zobuxoki esizifumanisayo. Ngoko kwiintlanganiso zethu, sasidla ngokuxubusha ngezi mfundiso, size sincedane ngoko sasikwazi.

Umsebenzi Wethu Wokushumayela

Sayigubungela ilokishi sishumayela. Abantu babesigculela yaye besithuka, kodwa sasingakhathazeki. Sasinovuyo olukhulu kuba sasiyifumene inyaniso, nangona kwakusafuneka sifunde okuninzi.

Sasisiya kwindlu ngendlu Cawa nganye. Abantu babebuza imibuzo, yaye sasiye sizame ukubaphendula. Ngeengokuhlwa zangeCawa sasinikela intetho yesidlangalala. Sasingenayo iHolo yoBukumkani, ngoko sasiziqhubela phandle iintlanganiso. Sasibahlanganisa abantu, sinikele intetho, size sivule ithuba lokuba babuze imibuzo. Maxa wambi sasishumayela ezicaweni.

Kwakhona sasihambela kwimimandla apho abantu bengazange beve ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Amaxesha amaninzi, sasisiya ngeebhayisekile, kodwa maxa wambi sasiye siqeshe uduladula. Xa sifika kwidolophana, sasikhalisa ixilongo ngokuvakalayo. Bonke abantu abahlala apho babesiva! Abantu babekhawuleza ukuza kuqonda oko kwakuqhubeka. Emva koko sasidlulisela isigidimi sethu. Emva kokuba sigqibile, abantu babegilana befuna imibhalo yoncwadi lwethu. Sahambisa uncwadi oluninzi.

Sasikulindele ngolangazelelo ukufika koBukumkani bukaThixo. Ndikhumbula ukuba xa safumana i-1935 Yearbook, omnye wabazalwana, xa wabona ucwangciso olupheleleyo lweengxubusho zetekisi zonyaka wonke, wabuza: “Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba siza kugqiba omnye unyaka ngaphambi kokuba iArmagedon ifike?”

Ephendula umqhubi wesifundo wabuza: “Mzalwana, ngaba ucinga ukuba, ukuba iArmagedon inokufika ngomso, siza kuyeka ukufunda iYearbook?” Xa lo mzalwana wathi hayi, umqhubi wesifundo wathi: “Ke kutheni uzikhathaza nje?” Sasinolangazelelo ngemini kaYehova, kuba sisenalo nangoku.

Iminyaka Yemfazwe

Ebudeni bemfazwe yehlabathi yesibini, ukuthunyelwa kweencwadi zethu kwavalwa. Omnye umzalwana waseIlesha engaqondanga wahambisa incwadi ethi Riches epoliseni. Eli polisa labuza: “Yekabani le ncwadi?” Lo mzalwana wathi yeyakhe. Eli polisa lathi le ncwadi yayingekho mthethweni, lamsa kwisikhululo samapolisa, laza lamvalela.

Ndaya kwisikhululo samapolisa ndaza, emva kokufumana iinkcukacha, ndamkhupha ngebheyile lo mzalwana. Emva koko ndatsalela umnxeba uMzalwana uBrown eLagos ukuze ndimazise ngoko kwakwenzekile. Kwakhona ndabuza enoba wawukho kusini na umthetho owalela ukuhanjiswa kweencwadi zethu. UMzalwana uBrown wandixelela ukuba kuphela yayikukuthunyelwa, ingekuko ukuhanjiswa kweencwadi zethu okwakuvaliwe. Kwiintsuku ezintathu kamva, uMzalwana uBrown wathumela umzalwana waseLagos ukuze abone okwakuqhubeka. Lo mzalwana wagqiba kwelokuba sonke sasimele siye kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngosuku olulandelayo siphethe amaphephancwadi kunye neencwadi.

Sathi saa kumacala awahlukahlukeneyo. Emva kwethuba elimalunga neyure, ndafumana iindaba zokuba inkoliso yabazalwana bethu ibanjiwe. Ngoko mna nalo mzalwana wayetyelele saya kwisikhululo samapolisa. Amapolisa akazange avume ukumamela xa sasiwacacisela ukuba ezi ncwadi zazingalelwanga.

Abazalwana abangama-33 ababebanjiwe basiwa kwiNkundla kaMantyi oyiNtloko eIfe, kwaye ndabapheleka. Abantu bedolophu abasibonayo xa sasithatyathwa badanduluka besithi: “Kuphelile ngaba bantu namhlanje. Abasayi kuphinda babuye.”

Bamangalelwa kumantyi oyintloko, owayengowaseNigeria. Waziboniswa zonke iincwadi namaphephancwadi. Wabuza intloko yamapolisa ukuba ilinikwe ngubani igunya lokubamba aba bantu. Intloko yamapolisa yathi ikwenza oko ngemiyalelo yegosa lesithili. Umantyi oyintloko wabizela intloko yamapolisa nabane kwabo babengabameli bethu, kuquka nam, kwigumbi lakhe.

Wabuza ukuba wayengubani uMnu. Brown. Samxelela ukuba wayengummeli weWatch Tower Society eLagos. Wandula wasixelela ukuba ufumene ucingo oluvela kuMnu. Brown ngokuphathelele thina. Ityala walimisa ngaloo mini, waza wabakhulula ngebheyile abo bazalwana. Ngosuku olulandelayo wavakalisa aba bazalwana bengenatyala, wabakhulula, waza wayalela amapolisa ukuba abuyisele iincwadi.

Sabuyela eIlesha, sicula. Kwakhona abantu baqalisa ukuthukisa, kodwa ngesi sihlandlo babesithi, “Bayawabuyile kwakhona!”

Ukucaciswa Kwemilinganiselo KaYehova Engomtshato

Kwakungowe-1947 xa abokuqala abathathu ababephumelele eGiliyadi bafikayo eNigeria. Omnye waba bazalwana, uTony Attwood uselapha, usebenza kwiBheteli yaseNigeria. Ukususela ngelo xesha, sabona iinguqulelo ezinkulu kwintlangano kaYehova eNigeria. Enye yeenguqulelo ezinkulu yaba yimbono yethu ngokutshata isithembu.

NgoFebruwari 1941 ndatshata no-Olabisi Fashugba kwaye ndandinolwazi olwaneleyo lokuba ndandingamele ndibe nabanye abafazi. Kodwa de kwangowe-1947 xa kwafika abavangeli basemazweni, ukutshata isithembu kwakuxhaphakile emabandleni. Abazalwana ababetshate isithembu baxelelwa ukuba babetshate nomfazi ongaphezu komnye bengazi. Ngoko ukuba babenabafazi ababini okanye abathathu okanye abane okanye abahlanu, babemele babagcine, kodwa bangaphindi bathathe abanye. Leyo yayiyinkqubo esasiyisebenzisa.

Abantu abaninzi babesoloko bekufuna ngamandla ukunxulumana nathi, ingakumbi uMbutho wamaCherubim nowamaSeraphim eIlesha. Babesithi amaNgqina kaYehova ayekuphela kwabantu ababefundisa inyaniso. Babevumelana neemfundiso zethu yaye babefuna ukutshintshela iicawa zabo ekubeni ziiHolo zoBukumkani. Sasizibhokoxa ukuze siphumeze oku. Sasinawo namaziko okuqeqesha abadala babo.

Kwandula ke kwafika ulwalathiso olutsha ngokuphathelele ukutshata isithembu. Omnye wabavangeli basemazweni wanikela intetho kwindibano yesiphaluka ngowe-1947. Wathetha ngehambo nemikhwa emihle. Ngokulandelayo wacaphula eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 6:9, 10, ethi abangemalungisa abayi kubudla ilifa uBukumkani bukaThixo. Wandula ke wongezelela: “Kwanabatshata isithembu abayi kubudla ilifa uBukumkani bukaThixo!” Abantu ababephulaphule badanduluka: “Oo, abantu abatshate isithembu abayi kubudla ilifa uBukumkani bukaThixo!” Oko kwaphumela kwiyantlukwano. Yayifana nemfazwe. Uninzi lwababesandul’ ukunxulumana lwayeka, lusithi: “Siyabulela Thixo, kuba asihambanga kakhulu.”

Noko ke, abazalwana abaninzi, baqalisa ukulungisa iindlela zabo ngokukhulula abafazi babo. Babanika imali baza bathi, ‘Ukuba uselula, hamba uye kuzikhangelela enye indoda. Ndenza impazamo ngokutshata nawe. Ngoku ndimele ndibe yindoda yamfazi mnye.’

Kungekudala kwavela enye ingxaki. Emva kokuba abathile bagqiba kwelokuba bagcine umfazi abe mnye baze bakhulule abanye, baguqula iingqondo zabo baza bagqiba kwelokuba bafuna ukubuyisela omnye waba bafazi baze bakhulule lowo bebemgcinile! Ngoko kwakhona yaqal’ inkathazo.

Kwafika ulwalathiso olubhekele phaya oluvela kwikomkhulu eBrooklyn, olusekelwe kuMalaki 2:14, obhekisela “kumfazi wobutsha bakho.” Olu lwalathiso lwalusithi amadoda ayemele agcine umfazi wokuqala awayetshate naye. Leyo yindlela eyaconjululwa ngayo le ntsumantsumane.

Amalungelo Enkonzo

Ngowe-1947 uMbutho waqalisa ukomeleza amabandla waza wawalungelelanisa njengeziphaluka. Wawufuna ukumisela abazalwana abaqolileyo nababesele behambele phambili ngolwazi ‘njengezicaka ezikhonza abazalwana,’ ngoku ekuthiwa ngabaveleli besiphaluka. UMzalwana uBrown wandibuza enoba ndandinokusamkela kusini na esi sabelo. Ndamxelela ukuba isizathu sokuba ndibhaptizwe kukuba ndenze ukuthanda kukaYehova, ndisongezelela ndathi: “Ndabhaptizwa kwanguwe. Xa ngoku kukho ithuba lokuba ndikhonze uYehova ngokuzeleyo, ucinga ukuba ndingala?”

Ngo-Oktobha waloo nyaka, abasixhenxe kuthi babizelwa eLagos baza baqeqeshwa ngaphambi kokuba bathunyelwe kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Ngaloo mihla iziphaluka zazizikhulu. Elo lizwe lonke lalahlulwe laba ziziphaluka nje ezisixhenxe. Amabandla ayembalwa.

Umsebenzi wethu njengezicaka ezikhonza abazalwana wawunzima. Sasihamba iikhilomitha ezininzi suku ngalunye, ngokufuthi ukutyhubela amahlathi akweleenjiko ashushu nanomoya ofumileyo. Veki nganye kwakufuneka sisuke kwenye idolophana ukuya kwenye. Maxa wambi ndandiye ndiyive imilenze yam ukuba ayivumi. Maxa wambi kwakuba ngathi ndiyafa! Kodwa zazikho nezinto ezivuyisa gqitha, ingakumbi xa sibona inani elandayo labantu lisamkela inyaniso. Kaloku, kwiminyaka nje esixhenxe, inani labavakalisi belo lizwe laphindaphindeka kane!

Ndaba nesabelo kumsebenzi wesiphaluka de kwangowe-1955 xa impilo enkenenkene yandinyanzelela ekubeni ndibuyele eIlesha, apho ndamiselwa njengomveleli wesixeko. Ukuba sekhaya kwandinceda ndakwazi ukunikela ingqalelo engakumbi ekuncedeni intsapho yam ngokomoya. Namhlanje bobathandathu abantwana bam bakhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka.

Uthando Lokwenyaniso Aluze Lutshitshe

Xa ndikhangel’ emva ukutyhubela iminyaka, kuninzi endinombulelo ngako. Zazikho izinto ezibangela udano, amaxhala, nokugula, kodwa zazikho nezinto ezininzi ezibangel’ uvuyo. Nangona ulwazi nokuqonda kwethu kuye kwakhula ukutyhubel’ iminyaka, ndiye ndayifunda ngamava intsingiselo yeyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 13:8, ethi: “Uthando aluze lutshitshe.” Ukuba uthanda uYehova uze ubambelele ngokuqinileyo enkonzweni yakhe, uya kukunceda kwiinzima ohlangabezana nazo kwaye uya kukusikelela ngokutyebileyo.

Ukukhanya kwenyaniso kuya kukhanya ngakumbi. Kwimihla esaqalisa ngayo, sasicinga ukuba iArmagedon yayiza kufika ngokukhawuleza; kungenxa yoko le nto sasikhawuleza ukwenza konke esasinokukwenza. Kodwa konke oku kwakuyingenelo yethu. Kungenxa yoko le nto ndivumelana nala mazwi omdumisi: “Ndiya kumdumisa uYehova lo gama ndidla ubomi; ndiya kumbethela uhadi uThixo wam ekubeni ndingosekhoyo.”—INdumiso 146:2.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

USamuel ekunye noMilton Henschel ngowe-1955

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

USamuel ekunye nomfazi wakhe, uOlabisi