UYehova Unyanisekile
NGOKUBALISWA NGUPETER PALLISER
KwakungoDisemba 1985. Ndaba nemihlali ngakumbi njengoko sasisehlela kwisikhululo senqwelo-moya esikhulu saseNairobi, eKenya. Ekungeneni kwethu esixekweni, ndakhumbula emva, ngenxa yeendawo eziqhelekileyo nezandi.
SEZA eKenya ukuze sibekho kwiNdibano yeSithili “Yabagcini Bengqibelelo” yamaNgqina kaYehova. Kwiminyaka eli-12 ngaphambilana, mna nomfazi wam sanyanzelwa ukuba siyishiye iKenya ngenxa yokuvalwa komsebenzi wokushumayela. Apho sasihlala eBheteli, igama elisetyenziswa kuzo zonke izakhiwo zamasebe amaNgqina kaYehova. Hayi indlela okwamangalisa ngayo oko sakubonayo xa saphinda saya kutyelela!
Owayencedisa kwisidlo sasemini eBheteli yayiliNgqina eliselula esasilazi liseneminyaka emibini. Ubuncinane amalungu amathandathu entsapho yaseBheteli ayengabantu esasibazi besengabantwana. Olunjani uvuyo esaba nalo ukubabona ngoku sebekhulile, ndawonye neentsapho zakwamakwabo, bonke besakhuthele kubulungiseleli! UThixo wethu, uYehova, ebebanyamekele ngokuvisisana nedinga leBhayibhile elithi: “Konyanisekileyo nawe uya kunyaniseka.” (2 Samuweli 22:26, NW) Onjani umahluko endawufumanisayo phakathi kobomi bobutsha bam nobomi obunomvuzo obabuphilwa ngaba baselula!
Ubomi Bobutsha Obungenanjongo
Ndazalelwa eScarborough, eNgilani, ngoAgasti 14, 1918. Kwiminyaka emibini kamva umama nodade wethu ngomama baya eKhanada, ngoko ndachitha iminyaka emithathu elandelayo ndihlala notata, umakhulu, nodadobawo. Xa ndandineminyaka emihlanu ubudala, uMama wandiba wandisa eMontreal, eKhanada. Emva kweminyaka emine wandibuyisela eNgilani ukuze ndihlale noTata ndihambe nesikolo.
Umama nodadewethu ngomama babendibhalela phantse emva kweenyanga ezintandathu. Xa bequkumbela iileta zabo, babeye bathi banqwenela ukuba ndibe ngummi olungileyo, ndinyaniseke kuKumkani naselizweni. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba iimpendulo zam zazibadanisa kuba ndandibhala ndithi ndikholelwa kwelokuba ukuthand’ izwe nemfazwe kwakuphosakele. Sekunjalo, ngenxa yokungabi nalwalathiso lucacileyo, ebudeni beminyaka yokufikisa kwam, ndandiphila ubomi obabungenanjongo.
Kwandula ke ngoJulayi 1939, kwiiveki nje ezintandathu phambi kokuqalisa kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II, ndabhaliswa kumkhosi waseBritani. Ndandineminyaka engama-20 kuphela ubudala. Kungekudala loo mkhosi wathunyelwa kumantla eFransi. Xa sahlaselwa yinqwelo-moya yaseJamani, thina njengabafana sajolisa imipu yethu kuyo sayidubula. Sasiphila ubomi oboyikekayo. Sarhoxa phambi komkhosi waseJamani owawuxhobile, yaye ndandiphakathi kwabo bafuduswa eDunkirk ngeveki yokuqala ngoJuni 1940. Ndisoyika nangoku xa ndicinga ngawo wonke umkhosi owaba zizidumbu ezathi saa ngaselwandle. Ndasinda kobo butyobo yaye ndafika eHarwich kwimpuma yeNgilani ngenqwelo-moya encinane.
Kunyaka olandelayo, ngoMatshi 1941, ndathunyelwa eIndiya. Apho ndaqeqeshelwa ukulungisa iinqwelo-moya. Emva kwethuba ndisesibhedlele ngenxa yokwasulelwa sisifo esithile, ndathunyelwa kwicandelo lezomkhosi eDelhi, ikomkhulu laseIndiya. Ndikude nekhaya yaye ndingekaphili, ndacinga ngekamva. Ngokungakumbi ndandimangaliswa koko kwenzeka kuthi xa sisifa.
Ukuhlakulela Ukunyaniseka Ngokutsha
Ndandihlala egumbini eDelhi nenye indoda eliNgesi, uBert Gale. Ngenye imini wathi “unqulo lolukaMtyholi,” amazwi avusa umdla kum. Umfazi wakhe wayengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova, yaye rhoqo, wayeye amthumelele iimpapasho zeBhayibhile. Enye yezi, incwadana ethi Hope, yabangela umdla kum. Ingxubusho yayo engokuvuka kwabafileyo yandenza ndazola.
Ekuqaleni kowe-1943, uBert wathetha nommi oliNgesi laseIndiya, uTeddy Grubert, owayesebenza nathi kwiziko lamajoni. Okwasimangalisayo kukuva ukuba uTeddy wayeliNgqina. Nangona ngowe-1941 zazivaliwe iimpapasho zamaNgqina kaYehova, wasisa ezintlanganisweni ezaziqhutywa ngamaNgqina eDelhi. Kwelo bandla lincinane, ndafumana ubuhlobo bokwenene, obufudumeleyo okwesihlandlo sokuqala ebomini bam. UBasil Tsatos, umzalwana ongumKristu oselekhulile waseGrisi, wabonakalisa umdla omkhulu kum yaye wayiphendula nemibuzo endandinayo. Wandinika iimpendulo ezicacileyo ezisuka eBhayibhileni kwimibuzo enjengethi kutheni sisaluphala size sife, engovuko, nengehlabathi elitsha nelinobulungisa elithenjiswe nguThixo.—IZenzo 24:15; Roma 5:12; 2 Petros 3:13; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4.
Incwadana ethi Peace—Can It Last?, eyapapashwa ngowe-1942, yabangela umdla ongakumbi kum. Yachaza uManyano Lwezizwe “njengerhamcwa elimbala ungqombela.” (ISityhilelo 17:3) Icaphula incwadi yeSityhilelo isahluko 17, indinyana 11, le ncwadana yathi: “Ngoku kunokuthiwa uManyano ‘lukho kodwa alubonakali.’” Ihlabela mgama, yathi: “Umbutho weentlanga zehlabathi uya kuvela kwakhona.” Ngowe-1945, ngaphezu kweminyaka emithathu kamva, oko kwenzeka ngokoqobo xa kwasekwa umbutho weZizwe Ezimanyeneyo!
Ebudeni bokuvalwa koncwadi lwamaNgqina, ndakwazi ukunceda abahlobo bam abatsha. Xa kwakufika ikhadibhodi yeencwadana ezithi Peace—Can It Last?, ibandla laliyinika mna ukuze ndiyigcine. Ngubani owayenokuze acinge ngokukhangela uncwadi olwaluvaliwe enkampini yomkhosi? Ngalo lonke ixesha xa ndandisiya kwiintlanganiso, ndandiye ndithabathe iincwadana ezimbalwa ukuze ndinike abazalwana. Ndandiye ndifihle nolwabo uncwadi lweBhayibhile xa besoyika ukuba kuhlolwe amakhaya abo. Ekugqibeleni, ngoDisemba 11, 1944, wavulwa umsebenzi.
Ukunyaniseka kwam kwiimfundiso zobuKristu kwavavanywa ebudeni bokubhiyozelwa kweKrismesi ngowe-1943 okwakwenzelwe ukunyuselwa kwethu emkhosini. Andizange ndivume ukuba nenxaxheba, ekubeni ndandifundile ukuba uYesu akazange azalwe kwingqele yangoDisemba yaye amaKristu okuqala ayengayibhiyozeli iKrismesi.—Thelekisa uLuka 2:8-12.
Xa kwakukho iNdibano eyayinomxholo othi “Abavakalisi Abamanyeneyo” eJubbulpore (Jabalpur) ngoDisemba 27 ukuya kutsho kumhla wama-31, 1944, ndandiphakathi kwabali-150 ababelapho. Iindwendwe ezininzi ezazilapho zeza ngololiwe zivela eDelhi, uhambo olwathabatha ngaphezu kweekhilomitha ezingama-600. Andisokuze ndiyilibale imeko-bume eyayintle ngolo hlobo sihleli phandle, apho ndabona intlangano kaYehova isebenza.
Ababekho kuloo ndibano babehlala kumagumbi esikolo okulala, apho sasicula iingoma zoBukumkani yaye sinandipha ubuzalwana bobuKristu obonwabisayo. Ebudeni baloo ndibano ndaqalisa ukuba nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela wasesidlangalaleni, umsebenzi endaye ndawuthanda ukususela ngoko.
Ubulungiseleli Bexesha Elizeleyo ENgilani
Ndabuyela eNgilani ngowe-1946 yaye kungekudala ndanxulumana neBandla laseWolverton. Nangona sasinabavakalisi boBukumkani abalishumi kuphela, abandenza ndaziva ndisekhaya, yaye ndandanelisekile njengoko kwakunjalo nangabazalwana bam baseIndiya. Ebandleni uVera Clifton wayebalasele ngovelwano, nobubele. Xa ndeva ukuba wayenomnqweno ofana nowam wokuba nguvulindlela, njengoko abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bebizwa njalo, satshata, ngoMeyi 24, 1947. Ndalungisa ikharavani, okanye ikhaya elikwayinqwelo-mafutha, yaye kunyaka olandelayo, safumana isabelo sokuqala sobuvulindlela, idolophu enkulu yaseHuntingdon.
Ngezo mini sasiqalisa uhambo lwethu ekuseni ngebhayisekile sisiya kumhlaba wasezilalini. Usuku lwethu lokushumayela lwaluye lunqunyanyiswe lixesha nje elifutshane lokutya. Kungakhathaliseki indlela owawumkhulu ngayo umoya okanye indlela ekwakusina ngayo xa sigoduka, sasivuya yaye sanelisekile emsebenzini weNkosi.
Ekuhambeni kwexesha salangazelela ukwandisa ubulungiseleli bethu nokuba nesabelo ekwabelaneni nabantu bamanye amazwe ‘ngeendaba ezilungileyo.’ (Mateyu 24:14) Ngoko safaka isicelo sokuya kwisikolo sobuvangeli basemazweni saseGiliyadi kuMzantsi weLansing, eNew York, eUnited States. Ekugqibeleni, samkelwa kwiklasi yama-26 yaseGiliyadi eyaphumelela ngoFebruwari 1956.
Ubulungiseleli Obandisiweyo EAfrika
Isabelo sethu sobuvangeli basemazweni saba kuMantla eRhodesia (ngoku eyiZambia) eAfrika. Kungekudala emva kokuba sifikile, samenyelwa ukuya kusebenza eBheteli kwelo lizwe. Njengenxalenye yomsebenzi wam, waseBheteli, ndandinyamekela imbalelwano neMpuma Afrika. Ngowe-1956 iKenya—elinye lala mazwe aseMpuma Afrika—yayinamaNgqina amane kuphela, ekubeni kwakukho angaphezu kwama-24000 kuMantla eRhodesia. Mna noVera sacinga ngendlela ekunokuba kuhle ngayo ukukhonza apho kukho imfuneko enkulu.
Emva koko, ndingalindelanga, ndafumana esinye isimemo sokuya kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi, ngeli xesha yayizizifundo zabaveleli kuphela ezithabatha iinyanga ezilishumi. Ndishiya uVera ngasemva kuMantla eRhodesia, ndaya kwisiXeko saseNew York, ngelo xesha iSikolo saseGiliyadi sasilapho. Emva kokuba ndigqibile ngoNovemba 1962, ndabelwa eKenya ukuze ndimisele iofisi yesebe apho. Ngeli xesha iKenya yayinamaNgqina angaphezu kwekhulu.
Ekubuyeleni kwam kuMantla eRhodesia ukuze ndidibane noVera, ndandimele ndidlule eNairobi, eKenya. Kodwa ekufikeni kwam, uBill Nisbet, owayephumelele eGiliyadi kwiklasi yama-25, wandixelela ukuba kwakukho indlela yokufumana iphepha-mvume lokungena eKenya ngoko nangoko. Saya kwabasemagunyeni abaphethe imicimbi yokufudukela kwelinye ilizwe, yaye ngemizuzu nje embalwa, ndafumana iphepha-mvume lokusebenza leminyaka emihlanu. Ngoko andizange ndiye kuMantla eRhodesia; kunoko, uVera weza kum eNairobi.
Emva kokuba sifundiswe isiSwahili, sancedisa ibandla elalilincinane laseNairobi kubulungiseleli. Maxa wambi emva kokuba sifunde intshumayelo yethu ngesiSwahili, umninimzi wayeye athi, “Andisiva isiNgesi!” Phezu kwako nje oku, sanyamezela yaye ngokuthe ngcembe sawoyisa umqobo wolwimi.
Intsimi yethu yayiquka imimandla enezindlu ezininzi ezinamagama eBhayibhile njengeYerusalem neYeriko. Ngokukhawuleza abantu abaninzi baba nomdla, yaye kwezi ndawo kwabakho abavakalisi boBukumkani abaninzi abatsha. Onjani umphumo eyaba nayo inyaniso yeBhayibhile kwabo bantu! Iimvakalelo zokongama kwezizwe zaphela njengokuba ukunyaniseka eBukumkanini kwabangela umanyano kubantu bakaYehova. Kwanemitshato yaqalisa phakathi kweentlanga, into engaqhelekanga kubantu abangengomaNgqina.
Abavakalisi boBukumkani abatsha bayamkela ngenzondelelo inyaniso. Ngokomzekelo, uSamson, wayelangazelela ukuba inyaniso yeBhayibhileni ifikelele nasekhayeni lakhe kangangokuba waqhubeka ecela ukuba kuthunyelwe oovulindlela apho. Enyanisweni, wade wandisa nendlu yakhe ekummandla waseUkambani ebenzela indawo yokuhlala. Kungekudala kwasekwa ibandla elitsha labavakalisi boBukumkani apho.
Kwizihlandlo ezininzi ndandityelela abazalwana bethu kwilizwe elikwiMpuma Afrika iEthiopia. Babechitha malunga neeyure ezingama-20 ngenyanga kubulungiseleli phezu kwako nje ukuvalelwa entolongweni, ukubethwa, nokusoloko silandelwa. Ngesinye isihlandlo oodula-dula ababini ababekhwelise abazalwana noodade base-Ethiopia bahamba iiveki, bewela iintaba eziyingozi, besiya kwindibano yesithili eKenya. Amacebo ababewenza ukuze kubekho uncwadi loBukumkani emhlabeni wabo ayemangalisa. Thina baseKenya sakuvuyela ukubanceda balufumane.
Ngowe-1973 umsebenzi wethu eKenya wavalwa ngokusemthethweni, yaye abavangeli basemazweni kwanyanzeleka ukuba bahambe. Ngelo xesha sasinamaNgqina angaphezu kwe-1200 eKenya, yaye uninzi lwawo lwalusesikhululweni seenqwelo-moya lusinqwenelela uhambo oluhle ngendlela esingasokuze siyilibale. Ukubakho kwawo kwashukumisela omnye umhambi ukuba abuze enoba kwakukho into eyayibhiyozelwa kusini na. Mna noVera sabuyela eNgilani yaye safumana esinye isabelo apho, kodwa sasikulangazelela ngakumbi ukubuyela eAfrika.
Ukubuyela EAfrika
Ngaloo ndlela, kwiinyanga ezimbalwa kamva, safumana isabelo sethu sokuya kwiBheteli yaseAccra, ikomkhulu ledolophu yelizwe elisentshona Afrika iGhana. Apha esinye sezabelo zam sandenza ndazibonela ubunzima abazalwana bethu ababejamelane nabo apho. Njengokuba ndandinyamekela icandelo lokuthenga ukutya nezinye izinto zentsapho yaseBheteli, ndamangaliswa ngamaxabiso axhome ngokugqithiseleyo ezinto zokutya. Ngokufuthi ubani wayengakwazi ukuthenga izinto ezifunekayo. Ukunqaba kwepetroli nezinto zokulungisa iinqwelo-mafutha kwazisa iingxaki ezingakumbi.
Ndafunda ukubaluleka kokuba nomonde, into ababesele beyihlakulele abazalwana bethu baseGhana. Kwakukhuthaza ukubona indlela ababechwayite ngayo njengoko babephepha isihendo sokufumana izinto eziyimfuneko ebomini ngokunyoba. Ngenxa yoko, abantu bakaYehova eGhana baye baziwa ngokunyaniseka kwabo yaye banegama elihle kwabasemthethweni abaninzi.
Noko ke, phezu kwako nje ukunqongophala kwezinto eziphathekayo, kwakukho ulwando ngokomoya. Kulo lonke elo lizwe, iimpapasho zethu zeBhayibhile zazikho phantse kuwo onke amakhaya. Yaye sabona inani labavakalisi boBukumkani lisanda eGhana ukususela kwi-17 156 lababekho ekufikeni kwethu ngowe-1973 ukuya kutsho kwabangaphezu kwama-23 000 ngowe-1981. Ngaloo nyaka ukuba nomhlaza wesikhumba, nto leyo ngokungathandabuzekiyo eyabangelwa kukutshisa kwelanga eIndiya naseAfrika, kwasinyanzela ukuba siyishiye iGhana sibuyele eNgilani ukuze ndifumane unyango rhoqo.
Iimeko Ezintsha ENgilani
Ukubuyela kwethu kwakuthetha uhlengahlengiso olukhulu kum kubulungiseleli. Ndandikuqhele gqitha ukuthetha ngokukhululekileyo nabantu ababemhlonela uThixo neBhayibhile. Kodwa eLondon, andifane ndisifumane isimo sengqondo esinjalo. Kuyandimangalisa ukuzingisa kwabazalwana bethu eBritani. Oku kundenze ndayibona imfuneko yokubonisa uvelwano kubantu ‘abahlinzekileyo nabalahliweyo’ ngokomoya.—Mateyu 9:36.
Emva kokubuya kwethu eAfrika, mna noVera siye sakhonza kunye kwiBheteli yaseLondon kwade kwalithuba lokufa kwakhe ngoSeptemba 1991 eneminyaka engama-73 ubudala. Akukhange kube lula ukulahlekana neqabane elithembeke kangaka ebendisebenza ngokusondeleleneyo nalo kubulungiseleli kangangexesha elide kangaka. Ndimkhumbula ngokwenene. Kodwa luyandivuyisa ukhuthazo endilufumana kwintsapho yethu yaseBheteli enamalungu angama-250.
Ndikubona njengelungelo ukubona intlangano kaYehova ihambela phambili nokubona abaninzi besenza inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo indlela yabo yokuphila. Ndingakuqinisekisa, ayikho enye indlela ebhetele yobomi ngaphezu kwale, kuba ‘uYehova . . . akayi kubashiya abakhe abathembekileyo.’—INdumiso 37:28.
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]
Sasingoovulindlela eNgilani ukususela ngowe-1947 ukusa kowe-1955
Usuku lokuqala kubulungiseleli ebudeni bendibano eIndiya
Ngoxa sasingabavangeli basemazweni kuMantla eRhodesia
Ngowe-1985, sikunye nabahlobo esingazange sibabone kangangeminyaka eli-12