Ndifumene Into Exabiseke Ngaphezu Kwegolide

NGOKUBALISWA NGUCHARLES MYLTON

Ngenye imini uTata wathi: “Masithumele uCharlie eMerika apho imali idlala abantwana. Uza kufumana eninzi aze asithumelele nathi!”

ENENENI, abantu babecinga ukuba izitrato zaseMerika zazenziwe ngegolide. Ngezo mini ubomi kwimpuma Yurophu babunzima gqitha kubo. Abazali bam babenefama encinane yaye babefuye iinkomo neenkuku ezimbalwa. Kwakungekho mbane namanzi ngaphakathi ezindlwini. Kodwa, ngoko kwakungekho namnye umntu owayenazo kufuphi apho.

Ndazalelwa eHoszowczyk ngoJanuwari 1, 1893, phantse kwiminyaka eli-106 eyadlulayo. Idolophana yethu yayiseGalicia, ngoko eyayiliphondo lobukhosi beAustria neHungary. Ngoku iHoszowczyk ifumaneka kwimpuma yePoland kufuphi neSlovakia neUkraine. Ubusika babuqhaqhazelisa amazinyo yaye ikhephu lalilininzi. Xa ndandineminyaka esixhenxe ubudala, ndandiye ndihambe isiqingatha sekhilomitha ndiphethe izembe ndiye kumlanjana othile ndibethe umkhenkce ukuze sifumane amanzi. Ndandiwaphathela uMama ukuze akwazi ukupheka nokucoca. Wayehlamba iimpahla kulo mlanjana, esebenzisa amaqhekeza amakhulu omkhenkce njengendawo yokuhlambela.

EHoszowczyk kwakungekho zikolo, kodwa ndafunda ukuthetha isiPolish, isiRashiya, iSlovak nesiUkraine. Sakhuliselwa kwicawa yobuOthodoki bamaGrike, yaye ndandikhonza njengenkwenkwana encedisa xa kudliswa umthendeleko. Kwanaxa ndandiselula babendicaphukisa abefundisi ababesithi asimele siyitye inyama ngoLwesihlanu kodwa bona babe beyitya.

Abanye abahlobo bethu babebuya bevela eUnited States benemali yokulungisa amakhaya abo nokuthenga izinto zokulima. Oku koko kwabangela uTata athethe ngokundithumela eMerika nabanye abamelwane ababefuna ukuya apho. Oko kwenzeka ngowe-1907 xa ndandineminyaka eli-14 ubudala.

Ukulahleka EMerika

Kungekudala ndakhwela inqanawa, yaye kwiiveki nje ezimbini sasiyiwelile iAtlantiki. Ngelo xesha kwakufuneka ube needola ezingama-20, ukuba akunazo wawujikiswa ugoduke. Ndandinama-20 eedola zesilivere, yaye ngaloo ndlela ndaba phakathi kwabo bakwaziyo ukuwela iSiqithi saseEllis, eNew York, indlela yokungena eMerika. Noko ke, imali yayingadlali bantwana, yaye nezitrato zazingenziwanga ngegolide. Enyanisweni uninzi lwazo lwalungalungiswanga!

Sakhwela uloliwe xa saya eJohnstown, ePennsylvania. Amadoda endandihamba nawo ayehlala apho ngaphambili yaye ayesazi indlu eyayiqashisa apho ndandinokuhlala khona. Injongo yayikukukhangela udadewethu owayehlala eJerome, ePennsylvania, kamva endafumanisa ukuba yayikwiikhilomitha ezingama-25 nje kuphela ukusuka kwindawo endandihlala kuyo. Kodwa ndandiye ndithi Yarome, kunokuba ndithi Jerome, ngenxa yokuba u-“J” ubizwa njengo-“Y” ngolwimi lwasekhaya. Kwakungekho mntu wakha weva ngeYarome, ngoko apho ndandikwilizwe lasemzini, kwakunzima kwaukuthetha isiNgesi yaye ndandingenayo nemali engako.

Ndandiye ndichithe ntsasa nganye ndifuna umsebenzi. Kwiofisi ekwakuqashwa kuyo, kwakuye kuthathwe abantu ababini okanye abathathu kwinginginya yabantu emi ngaphandle. Ngoko ke yonke imihla ndandibuyela apho ndandiqashe khona ndize ndifunde isiNgesi ngoncedo lweencwadi zokuzifundisa. Maxa wambi ndandiye ndifumane imisebenzi yesingxungxo, kodwa kwadlula iinyanga, yaye imali yam phantse ukuba yayiphelile.

Ukudibana Nabantakwethu

Ngenye imini ndadlula kwihotele enebhari kufuphi nesikhululo sikaloliwe. Ukutya kwalapho kwakunuka kamnandi! Izonka, ezinye ezazifakwe inyama nezinye izinto kulo bhari wawuzifumana simahla ukuba wawuthenge ibhiya, eyayiziisenti ezintlanu iglasi enkulu. Nangona ndandimncinane umnikazi webhari wandisizela waza wandithengisela ibhiya.

Ngoxa ndandisitya amanye amadoda eza aza athi: “Khawulezisa usele! Uloliwe oya eJerome uyeza.”

Ndabuza: “Utsho oya eYarome?”

“Hayi, eJerome,” atsho la madoda. Ndafumanisa ngelo xesha apho ahlala khona udadewethu. Eneneni, apho kulo bhari, ndadibana nendoda eyayihlala kwindlu yesithathu ukusuka apho wayehlala khona! Ngoko ndathenga itikiti likaloliwe ndaza ekugqibeleni ndamfumana udadewethu.

Udadewethu nomyeni wakhe babeqeshise abo basebenza emgodini indawo yokuhlala, yaye ndahlala nabo. Bandifunela umsebenzi wokuba ngumlindi kwimpompo eyayichitha amanzi ngaphandle komgodi. Nanini na xa yayiyeka ukusebenza, kwakufuneka ndibize umkhandi wayo. Loo msebenzi wawundihlawula iisenti ezili-15 ngemini. Emva koko ndasebenza kwaloliwe, kwindawo eyenza izitena yaye ndasebenza nakwi-inshorensi. Kamva ndaya ePittsburgh apho kwakuhlala umntakwethu uSteve. Apho, sasebenza kwindawo eyayisenza iintsimbi. Andizange ndibe nemali eninzi ngokwaneleyo endandinokukwazi ukuyithumela ekhaya.

Intsapho Yam Nomngcwabo

Ngenye imini ngoxa ndandihamba ndisiya emsebenzini, ndabona intombazana eselula eyayiqeshiwe imi phambi kwekhaya eyayisebenza kulo. Ndaziva sele ndisithi, ‘Bafondini, yinzwakazi emanz’ andonga.’ Kwiiveki ezintathu kamva, ngowe-1917, ndatshata noHelen. Kwiminyaka elishumi eyalandelayo, saba nabantwana abathandathu, omnye wabo wafa eseyimveku.

Ngowe-1918 ndaqashwa yiPittsburgh Railways ukuba ndibe ngumqhubi kaloliwe ohambahamba edolophini. Kufuphi nendawo eyayigcina loo loliwe kwakukho ikhefi apho sasithenga khona ikofu. Ngaphakathi, kwakukho amadoda amabini angamaGrike awayengabanikazi baloo ndawo ayengakhathali enoba akukho nto oyithengayo, kodwa ayesoneliseka nje kuphela xa ekwazi ukukushumayeza ngeBhayibhile. Ndandiye ndithi: “Ngaba nifuna ukundixelela ukuba lonke ilizwe liyalahleka yaye nini nobabini kuphela abasendleleni echanileyo?”

Babephendula bathi: “Nceda, uzijongele ngokwakho eBhayibhileni!” Kodwa ngelo xesha, abazange bakwazi ukundoyisa.

Okubuhlungu kukuba, ngowe-1928, isithandwa sam uHelen wagula. Ukuze abantwana bakwazi ukunyamekelwa, ndabasa kudadewethu nomyeni wakhe eJerome. Ngeli xesha babethenge ifama. Ngokufuthi ndandiye ndibatyelele abantwana ukuze nyanga nganye ndibahlawule ukudla kwabo. Ndandiye ndibathumelele neempahla. Okubuhlungu kukuba, imeko kaHelen yaya isiba mbi yaye wafa ngoAgasti 27, 1930.

Ndaziva ndililolo yaye ndidandathekile. Xa ndaya kumfundisi ukuze ndenze amalungiselelo omngcwabo, wathi: “Akuselilo ilungu lale cawa. Akukhange uyihlawule imali yamatikiti kangangonyaka.”

Ndamcacisela ukuba umfazi wam wayegula ixesha elide yaye nayiphi na imali esalayo ndandiyinika abantwana bam ukuze banikele ngayo kwicawa eseJerome. Sekunjalo, ngaphambi kokuba umfundisi avume ukuwuqhuba umngcwabo, kwanyanzeleka ukuba ndiboleke iidola ezingama-50 ukuze ndihlawule elo tyala lamatikiti. Kwakhona umfundisi wayefuna iidola ezili-15 ezingakumbi ukuze aqhube idini leMisa apho wayehlala khona udadeboHelen nalapho abahlobo nentsapho babelungiselele ukuhlanganisana khona ukuze banikele imbeko yokugqibela kuHelen. Andizange ndikwazi ukumhlawula ezo dola zili-15, kodwa umfundisi wavuma ukuliqhuba idini leMisa kuphela ukuba ndandiza kumnika imali ngemini endamkela ngayo.

Xa lwafikayo usuku lokwamkela kwakufuneka ndisebenzise imali ukuze ndithengele abantwana izihlangu neempahla zesikolo. Phofu ke, kwiiveki nje ezimbini kamva, umfundisi wakhwela kuloliwe endandimqhuba. Wathi: “Usandityala iidola ezili-15.” Wandula ke, ukuhla kwakhe wandityityimbisela umnwe esithi, “Ndiza kuya kumqeshi wakho ukuze atsale le mali emvuzweni wakho.”

Emva komsebenzi, ndaya kumqeshi wam ndamxelela konke okwenzekileyo. Nangona wayengumKatolika, wathi, “Ukuba la mfundisi angeza apha, ndiya kumgqogqa iindlebe ezi!” Oko kwandenza ndacinga, ‘Abefundisi bafuna imali yethu kuphela, kodwa akukho nto basifundisa yona ngeBhayibhile.’

Ukufunda Inyaniso

Ngesihlandlo esilandelayo ndikula khefi yamadoda amabini angamaGrike, ndawaxelela ngamava am nomfundisi. Ngenxa yoko, ndaqalisa ukufundisisa naBafundi beBhayibhile, njengokuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayebizwa njalo. Ndandiye ndichithe ubusuku bonke ndifunda iBhayibhile noncwadi lweBhayibhile. Ndafumanisa kuba uHelen wayengathuthumbi kwindawo yentlambululo-miphefumlo, njengokuba umfundisi wayetshilo, kodwa wayelele ekufeni. (Yobhi 14:13, 14; Yohane 11:11-14) Enyanisweni, ndandifumene into exabiseke ngaphezu kwegolide—inyaniso!

Kwiveki ezimbalwa kamva, kwintlanganiso yam yokuqala naBafundi beBhayibhile eGarden Theatre ePittsburgh, ndaphakamisa isandla ndaza ndathi, “Ndiye ndafunda okuninzi ngeBhayibhile ngobu busuku kunokuba ndiye ndenjenjalo kuyo yonke iminyaka yam ndisecaweni.” Kamva, xa babuza ukuba ngubani owayefuna ukuba nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngosuku olulandelayo, kwakhona ndaphakamisa isandla.

Emva koko, ngo-Oktobha 4, 1931, ndabonakalisa uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa emanzini. Ngelo xesha ndakwazi ukuqesha indlu nokubuyisa abantwana ndize ndihlale nabo, ndaqesha nomntu owayeza kuhlala nabo. Phezu kwazo nje iimbopheleleko zentsapho, ukususela ngoJanuwari 1932 ukusa kuJuni 1933, ndaba nesabelo kwinkonzo ekhethekileyo eyayibizwa ngokuba yeyobuncedani, endandichitha iiyure ezingama-50 ukusa kwezingama-60 nyanga nganye ndithetha nabanye ngeBhayibhile.

Malunga neli xesha ndaphawula inzwakazi eyayisoloko ikhwela kulo loliwe ndimqhubayo xa isiya naxa ibuya emsebenzini. Sasiye sijongane esipilini esingaphambili kuloliwe. Le yindlela endadibana ngayo noMary. Sathandana saza satshata ngoAgasti 1936.

Ngowe-1949 umqeshi wam wandivumela ukuba ndizikhethele ixesha lokusebenza elaliza kwenza ndikwazi ukuba nguvulindlela, njengokuba ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bubizwa njalo. Intombi yam yamagqibelo, uJean, yayiqalise ukuba nguvulindlela ngowe-1945, yaye saba ngoovulindlela sobabini. Kamva, uJean wadibana noSam Friend, owayekhonza eBheteli, ikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York.a Batshata ngowe-1952. Ndaqhubeka ndinguvulindlela ePittsburgh yaye ndandiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile eziliqela, ngesinye isihlandlo ndandiqhubela iintsapho ezili-14 veki nganye. Ngowe-1958, ndafumana umhlala-phantsi kumsebenzi wokuthutha abantu. Emva koko, ubuvulindlela baba lula ekubeni kwakungafuneki ndiphangele iiyure ezisibhozo ngemini.

Ngowe-1983, uMary wagula. Ndazama ukumnyamekela njengokuba naye wayendinyamekele kangangeminyaka ephantse ibe ngama-50. Ekugqibeleni, wafa ngoSeptemba 14, 1986.

Ukubuyela Apho Ndazalelwa Khona

Ngowe-1989, uJean noSam bahamba nam ukuya kwiindibano zasePoland. Satyelela nendawo endakhulela kuyo. Xa amaRashiya awuthabathela kuwo loo mmandla welizwe, awatshintsha amagama eedolophu aza abantu abagxothela kwamanye amazwe. Omnye wabantakwethu wagxothelwa eIstanbul yena udadewethu wasiwa eRashiya. Yaye igama ledolophana endandihlala kuyo lalingaqhelekanga kwabo sababuzayo.

Ndandula ke ndabona iintaba mgama ezabonakala ziqhelekile. Njengokuba sasisondela, ndakwazi ukuphawula iindawo ezithile—iinduli, isiphambuka endleleni, icawa, ibhulorho eyayisemlanjeni. Ngesiquphe, singalindelanga, sabona isalathiso esasisithi “Hoszowczyk”! Kwithuba nje elifutshane ngaphambi koko, amaKomanisi aphuncukwa ligunya, yaye amagama amandulo ezi dolophana ayebuyiselwe.

Indlu yakowethu yayingasekho, kodwa kwakukho ionti eyayisetyenziselwa ukupheka phandle igqunyelwe kancinane ngumhlaba. Emva koko ndabona umthi ndaza ndathi: “Uyawubona la mthi. Ndawutyala ngaphambi kokuba ndiye eMerika. Khangela indlela okhule ngayo!” Emva koko, satyelela amangcwaba, sakhangela amagama amalungu entsapho yethu, kodwa asizange siwafumane.

Ukubeka Inyaniso Phambili

Xa umyeni kaJean wafayo ngowe-1993, wandibuza enoba ndandifuna ahambe eBheteli ukuze aze kundinyamekela. Ndamxelela ukuba iya kuba yeyona nto imbi anokuyenza leyo, yaye ndisavakalelwa ngolo hlobo nangoku. Ndiye ndahlala ndedwa ndada ndaneminyaka eli-102 ubudala, kodwa kuye kwafuneka ukuba ndiye kwikhaya lokunyamekela abagulayo. Ndisengumdala kwiBandla laseBellevue ePittsburgh, yaye abazalwana bayandiphuthuma size siye kwiintlanganiso kwiHolo yoBukumkani ngeeCawa. Nangona umsebenzi wam wokushumayela usikelwe umda, ndisekho phakathi koluhlu loovulindlela abagulayo.

Kuyo yonke le minyaka, ndiye ndanandipha ukubakho kwizikolo zokuqeqesha abaveleli zeWatch Tower Society. KuDisemba odluleyo, ndaya kwesinye ISikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani sabadala bebandla. Yaye ngoAprili 11, kunyaka ophelileyo uJean wandisa kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu, umbhiyozo endandisoloko ndixabisa ukuba nesabelo kuwo nyaka ngamnye ukususela ngowe-1931.

Abanye babo ndandifunda nabo iBhayibhile ngoku bakhonza njengabadala, abanye njengabavangeli basemazweni kuMzantsi Merika, abanye banabazukulwana, bekhonza uThixo nabantwana babo. Abathathu kubantwana—bam uMary Jane, uJohn, noJean—kuquka abantwana nabazukulwana babo abaliqela bekhonza uYehova uThixo ngokuthembeka. Umthandazo wam ngowokuba ngenye imini enye intombi yam nabanye abazukulwana bam bonke benjenjalo.

Ngoku ndineminyaka eli-105 ubudala, ndisakhuthaza bonke abantu ukuba bafunde iBhayibhile baze bathethe nabanye ngoko bakufundileyo. Ewe, ndiye ndeyiseka kwelokuba ukuba uzisondeza kuYehova, akanakuze akudanise. Yaye nawe unokuzuza into exabiseke ngaphezu kwegolide etshabalalayo—inyaniso esibangela sikwazi ukuba nolwalamano oluxabisekileyo noMniki-Bomi wethu, uYehova uThixo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Xa ndandiqhuba uloliwe ohambahamba edolophini

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Ndikwikhaya lokunyamekela abagulayo apho ndihlala khona ngoku

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Isalathisi sendlela esasifumana ngowe-1989