Ndomelezwa Kukuthembela NgoYehova

NGOKUBALISWA NGUAGENOR DA PAIXÃO

nyana wethu eyayikuphela kwakhe, uPaul, wabulawa sisifo semiphunga xa wayeneenyanga ezili-11 kuphela ubudala. Kwiinyanga ezintathu kamva, ngoAgasti 15, 1945, umfazi wam endandimthanda wabulawa yinyumoniya. Ndandineminyaka engama-28 ubudala, yaye ezo zithonga zandishiya ndisentlungwini yaye ndikhathazekile. Sekunjalo ukuthembela ngoYehova nangamadinga akhe kwandomeleza. Makhe ndibalise indlela endayifumana ngayo le ntembelo.

UKUSUSELA ekuzalweni kwam eSalvador, kwiLizwana laseBahia, eBrazil, ngoJanuwari 5, 1917, uMama wandifundisa ukunqula “iingcwele” zeCawa yamaKatolika. Wayesivusa kwakusasa nabantakwethu ukuba sithandaze kunye. Noko ke, abazali bam babesiya nakwiintlanganiso zecandomblé, izithethe zonqulo oluyivoodoo zabemi baseAfrika nabaseBrazil. Ndandizihlonela ezi nkolelo, kodwa ndandingenantembelo koko kwakubizwa ngokuba ziingcwele zamaKatolika okanye kwicandomblé. Eyona nto yayindidanisa ngokukhethekileyo likhethe lobuhlanga elalikho kwezo nkonzo.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha abakhuluwa bam ababini bemka ekhaya besiya kufuna umsebenzi. Kamva utata wayishiya intsapho. Ngoko xa ndandineminyaka esithoba ubudala, kwafuneka ndifune umsebenzi ukuncedisa umama nodade wethu omncinane. Malunga neminyaka eli-16 kamva, incoko phakathi kwabo sasisebenza nabo kumzi-mveliso yazisa inguqulelo ebalulekileyo kubomi bam.

Ukuzuza Intembelo KuYehova

Ngowe-1942 ndadibana noFernando Teles. Ngokufuthi wayesithi kuphosakele ukunqula “iingcwele.” (1 Korinte 10:14; 1 Yohane 5:21) Ekuqaleni andizange ndimnanze. Kodwa ukunyaniseka kwakhe nomdla wakhe ebantwini, engakhethi bala labo, kwandenza ndanomdla ndaza ndamncoma ngolwazi lwakhe ngeBhayibhile, ngokukodwa oko wayekuthetha ngoBukumkani bukaThixo nangomhlaba oyiparadesi. (Isaya 9:6, 7; Daniyeli 2:44; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4) Ephawula umdla endandinawo, wandinika iBhayibhile nolunye uncwadi lweBhayibhile.

Kwiiveki ezimbalwa kamva, ndamkela isimemo sokuya kwisifundo seBhayibhile sebandla. Eli qela lalifunda incwadi ethi Religion, eyayipapashwe yiWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Ndasinandipha eso sifundo ndaza ndaqalisa ukuya kuzo zonke iintlanganiso zebandla zamaNgqina kaYehova. Into eyandichulumancisa ngokukhethekileyo yayikukungabikho kwekhethe nendlela endamkelwa ngokukhawuleza ngayo. Malunga nelo xesha ndaqalisa ukuthandana noLindaura. Xa ndathetha naye ngento endandiyifunda, waqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso kunye nam.

Enye yezinto eyandichukumisayo kwiintlanganiso yayikukugxininiswa komsebenzi wokushumayela. (Mateyu 24:14; IZenzo 20:20) Ndikhuthazwe ngoovulindlela, njengoko bebizwa njalo abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, ndaqalisa ukuthetha nabanye ngokungacwangciswanga kuloliwe njengoko ndandihamba ngaye ukuya nokubuya emsebenzini. Xa ndandifumana umntu onomdla, ndandithabatha idilesi yakhe ndize ndizame ukumtyelela ukuhlakulela loo mdla.

Ngelo thuba, intembelo yam kuYehova nentlangano ayisebenzisayo yaqhubeka ikhula. Ngaloo ndlela, emva kokuphulaphula intetho yeBhayibhile engokuzahlulela kwamaKristu, ndabhaptizwa, kuLwandlekazi lweAtlantiki, ngoAprili 19, 1943. Kwangaloo mini, ndaba nesabelo okokuqala kubulungiseleli obuthe rhoqo bendlu ngendlu.

Kwiiveki ezimbini kamva, ngoMeyi 5, satshata noLindaura. Emva koko, ngoAgasti 1943, wabhaptizwa ebudeni bendibano yokuqala yamaNgqina kaYehova eyayikwisixeko saseSalvador. I1973 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses yathi ngaloo ndibano: “Isenzo sabefundisi sakwazi ukunqumamisa intetho yesidlangalala eSalvador, kodwa asikwenzanga oko ngaphambi kweso sibhengezo sibalulekileyo . . . esasisele senziwe.” Ubungqina bokukhokela kukaYehova ngoxa sasijamelene nentshutshiso ekrakra kwayomeleza intembelo yam kuye.

Njengoko sele ndibalisile ekuqaleni, emva nje kweminyaka emibini uLindaura ebhaptiziwe—yaye emva kweenyanga ezimbini zokufa konyana wethu—umfazi wam endandimthanda wafa. Wayeneminyaka engama-22 kuphela ubudala. Kodwa intembelo endandinayo ngoYehova yandomeleza ebudeni bezo nyanga zobunzima.

Ukomelezwa Ngumsebenzi Wokomoya

Ngowe-1946, unyaka emva kokulahlekelwa ngumfazi nonyana wam, ndamiselwa njengesicaka sesifundo seBhayibhile kwibandla elinye elalikho eSalvador ngoko. Kwangaloo nyaka iSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo saqalisa kumabandla aseBrazil, yaye ndaba ngumqhubi wesikolo wokuqala kwilizwe laseBahia. Emva koko ngo-Oktobha 1946, kwabakho iNdibano Yolawulo Lobuthixo eyayisithi “Iintlanga Ezivuyayo” eyaqhutyelwa kwisixeko saseSão Paulo. Umqeshi wam endandimsebenzele iminyaka elishumi wathi wayendifuna waza wandinyanzela ukuba ndingaphumeleli. Noko ke, emva kokuba ndimcacisele ngoko kwakuya kuthethwa kukuya kwam endibanweni, wandinika isipho esikhulu waza wandinqwenelela uhambo oluhle.

Ucwangciso lwendibano eSão Paulo’s Municipal Theater lwaluqhutywa ngesiPhuthukezi—ulwimi oluthethwayo eBrazil—nangesiHungary, isiJamani, isiNgesi, isiPolish nesiRashiya. Kuloo ndibano iphephancwadi uVukani! lakhululwa ngesiPhuthukezi. Ndachukumiseka kakhulu yiloo ndibano—babeli-1700 ababekho kwintetho yesidlangalala—ngoko ndazalisa isicelo sokuqalisa ubuvulindlela ngoNovemba 1, 1946.

Ngelo xesha sasisebenzisa igramafoni kakhulu kumsebenzi wethu wobuvulindlela. Intetho eyayisithi “Ukhuselo” yenye esasiyidlalela abaninimzi ngokufuthi. Emva koko, sasisithi: “Ukuze sizikhusele kutshaba olungabonakaliyo, simele sinamathele kumhlobo naye ongabonakaliyo. UYehova ungumhlobo wethu omkhulu yaye unamandla ngakumbi kunotshaba lwethu, uSathana. Ngoko simele sinamathele ngokusondeleyo kuYehova ukuze sizikhusele kuye.” Emva koko sasinikela incwadana ethi Protection, eyanikela inkcazelo engakumbi.

Kungaphelanga nonyaka ndinguvulindlela ndafumana isimemo sokuya kukhonza njengovulindlela okhethekileyo kwiBandla laseCarioca eRio de Janeiro. Maxa wambi apho sasijamelana nenkcaso ekrakra. Iqabane endandisebenza nalo, uIvan Brenner, ngenye imini wahlaselwa ngomnye umninimzi. Abamelwane babiza abakwantsasana, saza sonke sasiwa kwisikhululo samapolisa.

Ebudeni bokuncwinwa, umninimzi owayenomsindo wasimangalela ngokuphazamisa uxolo. Umphathi wamapolisa wamyalela ukuba athi tu. Emva koko umphathi wamapolisa wajonga kuthi waza ngelizwi elipholileyo wathi masihambe. Wambamba ummangaleli wethu waza wamohlwaya ngenxa yokuhlasela. Iimeko ezinjalo zayomeleza intembelo yam kuYehova.

Ubulungiseleli Bexesha Elizeleyo Obandisiweyo

NgoJulayi 1, 1949, ndachulumanca gqitha kukumenyelwa kwinkonzo yaseBheteli, njengoko iofisi yesebe lamaNgqina kaYehova elizweni ibizwa njalo. IBheteli eBrazil ngoko yayimi e-330 Licínio Cardoso Street eRio de Janeiro. Ngelo xesha, amalungu entsapho yaseBheteli ayeli-17 kuphela xa ewonke. Okwexeshana ndaya kwiBandla lasekuhlaleni elalise-Engenho de Dentro, kodwa kamva ndabelwa kwibandla elalikuphela kwalo eBelford Roxo njengomveleli owongamelayo, kwisixeko esasimi malunga neekhilomitha nje ezimbalwa ukusuka eRio de Janeiro.

Iimpela-veki zazixakeke ngeyona ndlela. NgeMigqibelo ndandihamba ngololiwe ukuya eBelford Roxo, ndize ndibe nesabelo kubulungiseleli basentsimini emva kwemini, emva koko ndiye kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo neNtlanganiso yeNkonzo ngengokuhlwa. Ndandichitha ubusuku nabazalwana ndize ndibe nenxaxheba kubulungiseleli basentsimini ngentsasa elandelayo. Ngaloo mva kwemini ndandisiya kwintetho yeBhayibhile yesidlangalala neSifundo seMboniselo ndize ndibuyele eBheteli malunga necala emva kwentsimbi yesithoba ebusuku. Namhlanje kukho amabandla ali-18 eBelford Roxo.

Ngowe-1954, emva kweminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha yolo cwangciso, ndabelwa kwakhona eRio de Janeiro njengomveleli owongamelayo kwiBandla laseSão Cristóvão. Kwiminyaka elishumi eyalandelayo, ndakhonza kwelo bandla.

Umsebenzi Wam WaseBheteli

Umsebenzi wam wokuqala eBheteli yayikukwakha igaraji yenqwelo-mafutha yoMbutho eyayikuphela kwayo, iveni eyiDodge yowe-1949 eyayibizwa ngokuba nguChocolate ngenxa yebala layo elimdaka. Xa yagqitywayo igaraji, ndabelwa ukusebenza ekhitshini, apho ndasebenza iminyaka emithathu. Emva koko ndatshintshelwa kwiSebe Lokushicilela, ngoku endineminyaka engaphezu kwengama-40 ndisebenza kulo.

Izixhobo ezininzi zokushicilela esasinazo zazingoonoxesha. Ngokomzekelo, kangangeminyaka emininzi sasinomatshini omdala oyiplaten press esasiwuteketisa ngokuthi nguSara xa siwubiza, igama lomfazi ka-Abraham. Wawusele usetyenziswe iminyaka emininzi kumzi-mveliso okwikomkhulu leWatch Tower Society eBrooklyn, eNew York. Emva koko ngeminyaka yee-1950, wathunyelwa eBrazil. Apha, njengomfazi ka-Abraham, kwiminyaka yawo yobudala wavelisa isiqhamo—esikwimo yamaphephancwadi IMboniselo noVukani!

Ndisoloko ndimangaliswa ngamanani awandayo eempapasho ezishicilelwa kumzi-mveliso wokushicilela eBrazil. Kunyaka wonke wowe-1953, sashicilela amaphephancwadi angama-324 400, kodwa ngoku imveliso ingaphezu kwezigidi ezintathu nyanga nganye!

Izakhiwo Zethu ZaseBheteli

Bekuchulumancisa kangangeminyaka ukubukela ukwandiswa kwezakhiwo zethu zaseBheteli eBrazil. Ngowe-1952 sakha umzi-mveliso onemigangatho emibini emva kwendawo yokuhlala eRio de Janeiro. Emva koko ngowe-1968, iBheteli yafuduselwa kwisakhiwo esitsha kwisixeko saseSão Paulo. Xa saqalisa ukuhlala khona, kwabonakala ngathi yonk’ into yayinkulu yaye iphangalele kumalungu awayengama-42 entsapho yaseBheteli. Eneneni sasicinga ukuba esi sakhiwo sasiya kunyamekela lonke ulwando lwethu kwixesha elizayo. Noko ke, ngowe-1971 kwakhiwa ezinye izakhiwo ezibini ezinemigangatho emihlanu kwaza kwathengwa umzi-mveliso okufuphi, walungiswa ngokutsha waza wadityaniswa kwesi sakhiwo. Kodwa kwiminyaka nje embalwa, ulwando oluqhubekayo lwabavakalisi boBukumkani—lwadlula incopho ye-100000 ngowe-1975—kwafuneka amagumbi angakumbi.

Ngoko ke, kwakhiwa izakhiwo ezitsha malunga ne-140 leekhilomitha ukusuka eSão Paulo kufuphi nedolophu encinane yaseCesário Lange. Ngowe-1980 amalungu entsapho yethu yaseBheteli ali-170 afuduselwa kwizakhiwo ezitsha. Ukususela ngoko umsebenzi woBukumkani uye wanda ngokuphawulekayo. Ngoku bangaphezu kwama-410 000 ababa nesabelo rhoqo kumsebenzi wokushumayela eBrazil! Ukunyamekela iimfuno zokomoya zabo bonke aba bavakalisi boBukumkani, kuye kwafuneka siqhubeke sisakha imizi-mveliso emitsha yokushicilela uncwadi lweBhayibhile neendawo ezintsha zokuhlala zabasebenzi baseBheteli bokuzithandela. Ngoku sinamalungu amalunga ne-1100 entsapho yaseBheteli!

Ukuxabisa Amalungelo

Inkonzo yaseBheteli ndiyithabatha njengelungelo elixabisekileyo. Ngaloo ndlela, nangona kwiminyaka yangaphambili ndandicinga ngokuphinda nditshate, ndakhetha ukunikela ingqalelo epheleleyo kumalungelo am aseBheteli nakumsebenzi wokushumayela. Apha ndiye ndanandipha ukusebenza kunye nenkungu nelanga yabantu abaselula ekushicileleni nasekubaqeqesheni kwizabelo zabo. Ndiye ndazama ukuqhubana nabo njengoonyana bam. Inzondelelo yabo nokungazingci ziye zandikhuthaza kakhulu.

Elinye ilungelo ebendilinandipha kukuhlala nabantu abalungileyo egumbini lam kangangeminyaka emininzi. Enyanisweni, maxa wambi iimpawu zobuntu ezahlukeneyo ziye zalucelomngeni. Sekunjalo ndafunda ukungalindeli ukuba abanye bafezeke. Ndandikuphepha ukuzenza nkulu izinto ezingenamsebenzi okanye ukuzicingela ngokugqithiseleyo. Ukuzihleka iimpazamo zam kuye kwandinceda ndakwazi ukuzamkela iimpazamo zabanye.

Elinye ilungelo elixabisekileyo endiye ndalinandipha lelokuya kwiindibano ezinkulu zezizwe ngezizwe eUnited States. Enye yezo Ndibano yayisithi, “Iindaba Ezilungileyo Ezingunaphakade” eyaqhutyelwa eYankee Stadium, eNew York, ngowe-1963, yaye enye yiNdibano yeZizwe ngeZizwe eyayisithi, “Uxolo Emhlabeni” eyaqhutyelwa kwalapho ngowe-1969. Ngoxa ndandilapho, ndavuyiswa kukutyelela ikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova elikufuphi eBrooklyn, eNew York!

Kwakhona ndaba nelungelo lokuba nesabelo iminyaka emininzi—sokutshintshana nabanye—ekuqhubeni unqulo lwakusasa lwentsapho yaseBheteli. Sekunjalo, elona lungelo lizukileyo, elandiyolisa kakhulu laza landikhuthaza, yayikukusa isigidimi soBukumkani kwabo baneentliziyo ezinyanisekileyo, kanye njengoko iNkosi yethu, uYesu Kristu, yenzayo.

Kwiminyaka yakutshanje ndiye ndajamelana nocelomngeni lokuhlaselwa sisifo sikaParkinson. Uthando olunenyameko lwabazalwana noodade abakwisibhedlele esincinane saseBheteli lusoloko lundinceda yaye lundithuthuzela. Ngentembelo epheleleyo, ndithandazela ukuba uYehova andinike amandla okuqhubeka ndisenza konke okusemandleni am kunqulo lwakhe lokwenyaniso.

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Ndikunye nomfazi wam, owafa ngowe-1945

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Isebe laseBrazil, indawo endihlala kuyo ngoku