Iphulo Lokufuna Iparadesi

NGOKUBALISWA NGUPASCAL STISI

Ubusuku babusebuhambile, ibe kwizitrato zedolophu yaseBéziers, emazantsi eFransi kwakuthe cwaka. Mna nomhlobo wam sabona udonga olwalusandul’ ukupeyintwa lwevenkile ethengisa iincwadi zonqulo, sabhala kulo amagama amakhulu amnyama esithandi sobulumko saseJamani uNietzsche athi: ‘Oothixo bafile. Phila ngonaphakade Superman!’ Noko ke, yintoni le yandikhokelela ukuba ndenze yonke le nto?

NDAZALELWA eFransi ngowe-1951 kwintsapho engamaKatolika engumnombo waseItali. Xa ndandisengumntwana, sasidla ngokuya kuchitha ikhefu emazantsi eItali. Apho ke, dolophana nganye yayinomfanekiso wayo weNtombi Enyulu uMariya. Ndihamba notat’ omkhulu, ndayilandela ngenzondelelo le mifanekiso mininzi nemikhulu iqingqiweyo ukuya kutsho kwezo ntaba​—⁠kodwa kungekho nto indeyisela kuyo. Ndayigqiba imfundo yam esisiseko kwisikolo sonqulo samaJesuit. Noko ke, andinanto ndiyikhumbulayo endakhe ndayiva neyakha ukholo lwam kuThixo.

Kuxa ndandikwiyunivesithi yaseMontpellier ndifundela ubugqirha apho ndaqalisa ukucingisisa ngenjongo yobomi. Utata wayengxwelerhwe emfazweni yaye wayesoloko erhangqwe ngoogqirha. Ngaba bekungayi kuba bhetele ukuphelisa imfazwe kunokuchitha ixesha elininzi kangaka kumzamo wokunyanga abantu abonzakaliswe yiyo? Sekunjalo, iMfazwe yaseVietnam yayigquba ngamandla. Ngokomzekelo, kum ekuphela kweyona ndlela isengqiqweni yokunyanga umhlaza wemiphunga yayikukuphelisa oyena nobangela wawo​—⁠icuba. Yaye kuthekani ngezifo ezibangelwa kukungondleki kumazwe asakhasayo nezo zibangelwa kukutya ngokugqithiseleyo kumazwe afumileyo? Ngaba bekungayi kuba kokona kulungileyo ukususa oonobangela kunokuzama ukunyanga imiphumo ebuhlungu? Kwakutheni ukuze kubekho ukubandezeleka okungaka emhlabeni? Ndavakalelwa kukuba kwakukho into embi gqitha koko kuzibhubhisa koluntu, yaye ityala ndandilibeka koorhulumente.

Eyona ncwadi ndandiyithanda yayibhalwe ngumvukeli, yaye ndandikhuphela izivakalisi zayo ezindongeni. Ngokuthe ngcembe, nam ndaba ngumvukeli, ongenalukholo okanye imithetho yokuziphatha, owayengafuni Thixo okanye kulawulwa. Kum uThixo nonqulo yayizizixhobo eziveliswe zizinhanha noongalo-nkulu khon’ ukuze basicinezele yaye basixhaphaze nje xa sisonke. Kwakungathi bathi: ‘Sisebenzele nzima apha emhlabeni, yaye umvuzo wakho uya kuba mkhulu kwiparadesi esezulwini.’ Kodwa ixesha loothixo lalidlulile. Abantu kwakufuneka bexelelwe. Ukubhala ezindongeni yayiyenye yeendlela zokubaxelela.

Ngenxa yoku, andizange ndinikele ngqalelo ipheleleyo kwizifundo zam. Ngelo xesha ndandifunda inzululwazi yokuma komhlaba nenzululwazi ngezidalwa nemeko-bume kwenye iyunivesithi yaseMontpellier apho kwakukho imvukelo ngokugqithiseleyo. Ngokuya ndifunda ngemeko-bume, kwaba kokukhona ndandizotheka ngakumbi kukubona ukungcoliswa kwesijikelezi-langa sethu esihle.

Minyaka le ngeholide yehlobo, ndandihamba ndimisa iinqwelo-mafutha ezidlulayo ndicel’ uncedo, ndigubungela amawaka eekhilomitha kuyo yonke iYurophu. Ngoxa ndihamba yaye ndithetha nabaqhubi abaninzi gqitha, ndazibonela ngawam amehlo ubungendawo nokonakala okukhathaza uluntu. Ngesinye isihlandlo, ngoxa ndandikwiphulo lokufuna iparadesi, ndadlula kulwandle olubalaseleyo kwisiqithi esihle saseKrete yaye ndafumanisa ukuba lizele yioli. Ndahlabek’ umxhelo koko. Ngaba kwakukho mbombo ithile eneparadesi eyayisasele ndaweni ithile emhlabeni?

Ukubuyela Emhlabeni

EFransi izazinzulu ngezidalwa nemeko-bume zazicebisa ngokuhlaziywa komhlaba njengesicombululo seengxaki zoluntu. Ndandifuna ukukwenza ngezandla zam. Ngoko ndathenga indlu endala eyakhiwe ngamatye kwidolophana encinane esemazantsi eenduli kwiiNtaba zeCévennes emazantsi eFransi. Elucangweni, ndabhala “IParadesi Ngoku,” amazwi eehippy zaseMerika. Intombazana engumJamani eyayidlula apho yaba liqabane lam. Ndandingayicingi nakancinane into yokutshatiswa ngusodolophu, ummeli walo nkqubo. Kuthekani ngecawa? Libala ngayo!

Amaxesha amaninzi, sasibetha ngezikaTshiwoOK for Xhosa, yaye ndandineenwele ezinde neendevu ezidlakadlaka. Kwakundonwabisa ukulima iziqhamo nemifuno. Ehlotyeni, isibhakabhaka sasiba luhlaza kutsho intsholo yeenyenzane. Ezo ntyatyambo zazithe thande zazitsho ngevumba elimnandi, kwaneziqhamo ezikhula kwiMeditera esasizilimile​—⁠iidiliya namakhiwane​—⁠zazincamise ngencasa! Kwakungathi sele siyinandipha kade iparadesi.

Ukukholelwa KuThixo Kuyavuseleleka

Eyunivesithi, ndandifunde ngebhayoloji yeeseli, nenzululwazi ngesiqalo sezinto eziphilayo (embryology), nezifundo ngamalungu omzimba, yaye ndandichukumiseke ngokunzulu kukuntsonkotha nokuvumelana kwayo yonke le nkqubo. Ngoku ekubeni ndandikwazi ukucamngca ndize ndiqwalasele indalo ngawam amehlo yonke imihla, ubuhle namandla ayo kwandishiya ndibambe ongezantsi. Usuku nosuku oko kufundiswa yindalo kwakusoloko kuthe thaa phambi kwam. Ngenye imini ndikuhambo olude kummandla oneenduli emva kokucamngca nzulu ngobomi, ndafikelela kwisigqibo sokuba kumele ukuba ukho uMdali. Ndagqiba entliziyweni yam ukuba mandikholelwe kuThixo. Ngaphambili, ndandiziva ndilikhoba ngaphakathi, ndililolo ngendlela engathethekiyo. Ngemini endaqalisa ngayo ukukholelwa kuThixo, ndazixelela oku, ‘Pascal, akunakuze uphinde ube lilolo.’ Oku kwandichulumancisa ngokugqithiseleyo.

Kungekudala emva koko, mna neqabane lam saba nentombazana encinane​—⁠uAmandine. Hayi indlela endandimthanda ngayo. Ngoku ekubeni ndandikholelwa kuThixo, ndaqalisa ukuyihlonela imilinganiselo yemithetho embalwa endandiyazi. Ndabuyeka ubusela nokuxoka, yaye kungekudala ndafumanisa ukuba oko kwandinceda ndakuphepha ukuba neengxaki ezininzi kunye nabo ndandihlala nabo. Ewe, sasineengxaki zethu, yaye iparadesi yam ayizange ibe yiloo nto ndandithembe ukuba yayiya kuba yiyo. Abalimi beediliya basekuhlaleni babesebenzisa izinto zokubulala izinambuzane nokhula ezonakalisa nezityalo zam. Umbuzo wam malunga nonobangela wobungendawo wawungekaphenduleki. Ukongezelela koko, nangona ndandifunde okuninzi kwintsapho yam, oku akuzange kundithintele ekuxambulisaneni okukrakra neqabane lam. Sasinabahlobo abaliqela, yaye abo sasinabo yayingabobuxoki; bambi bade bazama nokulukuhla iqabane lam ukuba lindikhohlise. Kumele ukuba kwakukho iparadesi ebhetele.

Impendulo Kwimithandazo Yam

Ngendlela yam, ndandisoloko ndiluthandazela rhoqo ukhokelo lukaThixo ebomini bam. Ngenye intsasa yangeCawa elinye ibhinqa elinobuhlobo uIrène Lopez nonyana walo bafika emzini wethu. Lalingomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Ndakuphulaphula oko lalikuthetha yaye ndavuma ukuba liphinde lisityelele. Kwafika amadoda amabini eze kundibona. Kwincoko yethu, ndagcina izinto ezimbini​—⁠iParadesi noBukumkani bukaThixo. Ndahlala ndizigcinile ezo zinto entliziyweni yam, yaye njengokuba iinyanga zazihamba, ndaqonda ukuba ngenye imini kwakuya kufuneka ndilungelelanise izinto noThixo ukuba ndandifuna ukuba nesazela esicocekileyo ndize ndifumane uvuyo lokwenene.

Ukuze ubomi bethu buvisisane neLizwi likaThixo, ekuqaleni iqabane lam lavuma ukuba sitshate. Landula ke laba nonxulumano olubi nabantu ababegculela uThixo nemithetho yakhe. Xa ndandifika ekhaya ngenye ingokuhlwa yasentwasahlobo, ndothuka gqitha. Indlu yethu yayikhal’ ibhungane. Iqabane lam lalihambile, limke nentwazana yethu eneminyaka emithathu ubudala. Zaqengqeleka iintsuku ndilinde ukuba baza kubuya​—⁠kodwa ndatsho phantsi. Kunokuba ndimbeke ityala uThixo, ndathandazela ukuba andincede.

Kungekudala emva koko, ndathabatha iBhayibhile, ndahlala phantsi komthi wam womkhiwane ndaza ndaqalisa ukuyifunda. Enyanisweni, azika loo mazwi ayo. Nangona ndandizifunde zonke iintlobo zeencwadi ezibhalwe ngoogqirha bengqondo nezazinzulu ngengqondo, andizange ndibufumane ubulumko obunjengayo. Le ncwadi imele ukuba yayiphefumlelwe nguThixo. Imfundiso kaYesu nokuluqonda kwakhe uluntu yandimangalisa gqitha. Ndathuthuzelwa ziiNdumiso yaye ndamangaliswa bubulumko bokwenene beMizekeliso. Ngokukhawuleza ndaqonda ukuba ngoxa isifundo sendalo sinamandla abalaseleyo okutsalela ubani kuThixo, yona inokutyhila “imigaqo yeendlela zakhe.”​—⁠Yobhi 26:⁠14.

AmaNgqina ayendishiyele nencwadi ethi Inyaniso Ekhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade nethi Ukwenza Ubomi Bentsapho Yakho Bonwabe.a Ndathi ndakuzifunda ezo ncwadi ndavuleka amehlo. Incwadi ethi Inyaniso yandinceda ndaqonda isizathu sokuba umntu ajamelane nokungcola okuxhaphake ngolu hlobo, iimfazwe, ukwanda kogonyamelo nesisongelo sentshabalaliso yenyukliya. Yaye njengoko ndandibona isibhakabhaka esibomvu ndikwisitiya sam nto leyo eyayichaza imozulu entle kusuku olulandelayo, ezi ziganeko zangqina into yokuba uBukumkani bukaThixo busondele. Hayi indlela endandinqwenela ngayo ukubonisa iqabane lam incwadi ethi Ubomi Bentsapho, ndize ndilixelele ukuba sasingonwaba ukuba sasinokusebenzisa icebiso leBhayibhile. Kodwa oko kwakungasenakwenzeka.

Ukwenza Inkqubela Yokomoya

Ndandifuna ukwazi okungakumbi, ngoko ndacela uRobert oliNgqina ukuba andityelele. Wothuka gqitha kuba, ndamxelela ukuba ndifuna ukubhaptizwa, ngoko saqalisa isifundo seBhayibhile. Kwangoko ndaqalisa ukuthetha nabanye ngoko ndandikufunda yaye ndaqalisa ukuhambisa iimpapasho endandizifumana kwiHolo YoBukumkani.

Ukuze ndikwazi ukuziphilisa, ndaqalisa ukufunda ukwakha. Ndikuqonda okulungileyo iLizwi likaThixo elinokumenzela kona umntu, ndasebenzisa lonke ithuba ukuze ndishumayele ngokungacwangcwiswanga kwabo ndifunda nabo nakubafundisi-ntsapho. Ngolunye urhatya, ndadibana noSerge epasejini. Wayephethe amaphephancwadi athile. Ndathi kuye: “Ndiyabona ukuba uyakuthanda ukufunda.” “Ewe, kodwa ndidikiwe ngala.” Ndambuza: “Ngaba uyafuna ukufunda into ebangela umdla ngokwenene?” Saba nengxoxo entle gqitha ngoBukumkani bukaThixo, emva koko wamkela uncwadi lweBhayibhile. Kwiveki elandelayo, ndaya naye kwiHolo YoBukumkani, yaye kwaqaliswa isifundo seBhayibhile.

Ngenye imini ndabuza uRobert enoba ndingashumayela kusini na kwindlu ngendlu. Wangena kwigumbi lakhe leempahla waza wandiphathela isuti. KwiCawa elandelayo, ndaqalisa ukuhamba naye kubulungiseleli. Ekugqibeleni, ngoMatshi 7, 1981, ndafuzisela ukuzahlulela kwam kuYehova uThixo ngokubhaptizwa esidlangalaleni.

Uncedo Ngoxa Ndinxunguphele

Ngelo xesha ndandisele ndiyazi indawo ababehlala kuyo uAmandine nonina. Ngelishwa, unina​—⁠ekhuselwa yimithetho yelo lizwe wayehlala kulo​—⁠akazange avume ukuba ndiyibone intombi yam. Ndandixheleke gqitha. Umama ka-​Amandine watshata, yaye ndaphelelwa lithemba ngakumbi xa ndafumana isaziso sasemthethweni sokuba umyeni wakhe uyithabathele kuye intombi yam ngokusemthethweni​—⁠ngaphandle kwemvume yam. Ndandingasenalo naliphi na ilungelo emntwaneni wam. Nangona ndamangalayo ngokusemthethweni, ndandingakwazi ukufumana ilungelo lokuyityelela. Intlungu endandinayo kwakungathi ndinoxanduva lomthwalo emqolo.

Kodwa iLizwi likaYehova landomeleza ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ngenye imini ngoxa ndandisanxunguphele ngeyona ndlela, ndaphindaphinda amazwi eMizekeliso 24:​10 athi: “Ngaba uzibonakalise udimazekile ngomhla wokubandezeleka? Uya kuphelelwa ngamandla.” (NW) Le ndinyana yandinceda ukuba ndingaphelelwa ngamandla. Ngesinye isihlandlo, emva kokuba ndoyisakele kwimizamo yokubona intombi yam, ndaya kubulungiseleli ndiwuqinise nkqi umqheba webhegi yeencwadi zam kangangoko ndandinako. Kuloo maxesha anzima, ndakwazi ukunandipha ubunyaniso bamazwi eNdumiso 126:⁠6, athi: “Ohamba ahambe elila, ephethe intlwayelelo, uyabuya eze ememelela, ethwele izithungu zakhe.” Esona sifundo sibalulekileyo ndasifundayo kukuba xa ujamelene nezilingo ezinzulu, xa sele ukwenze konke onako ukuzicombulula, umele uzilibale uze utyhalele phambili ngokuzimisela kwinkonzo kaYehova. Le ke kuphela kwendlela yokuzigcina unovuyo.

Ukufumana Eyona Nto Ibhetele

Bebona utshintsho endandilwenzile, abazali bam endibathandayo bathembisa ngokundinceda ndiqhubele phambili nezifundo zam eyunivesithi. Ndababulela gqitha, kodwa ngoku ndandinolunye usukelo. Inyaniso yayindikhulule kwintanda-bulumko yabantu, ekukhafuleni nasekuvumiseni ngeenkwenkwezi. Ngoku ndandisele ndinabahlobo bokwenene ababengasokuze babulale omnye umntu emfazweni. Yaye ekugqibeleni ndandisele ndizifumene iimpendulo kwimibuzo yam ngokubandezeleka okungaka emhlabeni. Ngenxa yombulelo ndandifuna ukumkhonza uThixo ngamandla am onke. UYesu wayezinikele ngokupheleleyo kubulungiseleli bakhe, ibe ndandifuna ukulandela umzekelo wakhe.

Ngowe-1983, ndaliyeka ishishini lam lokwakha ndaba ngumlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo. Ndiphendulwa kwimithandazo yam, ndafumana umsebenzi wesingxungxo kwenye ipaki ukuze ndikwazi ukuzixhasa. Hayi uvuyo endaba nalo ngokuya kwisikolo soovulindlela kunye noSerge, igatyana lomfana endanikela ubungqina kulo kwisikolo sabakhi! Emva kweminyaka emithathu ndinguvulindlela othe ngxi, ndaba nomnqweno wokwenza okungakumbi enkonzweni kaYehova. Ngenxa yoko, ngowe-1986, ndamiselwa njengovulindlela okhethekileyo kwidolophu entle yaseProvins, engekude eParis. Xa ndigoduka ngokuhlwa, ndandisoloko ndiguqa ndithandaze ndibulela uYehova ngosuku olumnandi endiluchithe ndithetha nabanye ngaye. Enyanisweni, ezona zinto zimbini zindiyolisa kakhulu ebomini kukuthetha noThixo nokuthetha ngoThixo.

Okunye okwandivuyisa kakhulu kukubhaptizwa kukamama oneminyaka engama-68 ubudala nowayehlala eCébazan, idolophana encinane emazantsi eFransi. Xa umama waqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile, ndamthumelela umrhumo weMboniselo noVukani! Wayengumntu oqiqayo, yaye kungekudala wabufumanisa ubunyaniso koko wayekufunda.

IBheteli​—⁠IParadesi Yokomoya Ebalaseleyo

Xa iWatch Tower Society yenza isigqibo sokunciphisa inani loovulindlela abakhethekileyo, ndenza isicelo sokuya kwiSikolo Sokuqeqesha Abalungiseleli nesokuya eBheteli, iofisi yesebe lamaNgqina kaYehova eFransi. Ndandifuna ukuyekela kuYehova andenzele isigqibo ngeyona ndlela ndandinokumkhonza ngayo. Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa kamva, ngoDisemba 1989, ndamenyelwa eBheteli eLouviers, emantla-ntshona eFransi. Le yangqineka iyeyona miphumo ibalaseleyo, njengoko le ndawo yayindenza ndikwazi ukunceda umninawa wam nenkosikazi yakhe ukuze bakwazi ukunceda abazali bam xa begula kakhulu. Ndandingenakukwazi ukwenjenjalo ukuba ndandikwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni kumawaka eekhilomitha mgama.

Umama wandityelela izihlandlo ezininzi eBheteli. Nakubeni yayikukuzincama kuye ukuba ahlale kude nam, wayesoloko endixelela esithi: “Nyana, uhlale eBheteli. Kuyandivuyisa ukuba ukhonza uYehova ngale ndlela.” Okubuhlungu kukuba, bobabini abazali bam sele bafa. Hayi indlela endikhangele phambili ngayo ukubabona kwihlabathi eliguqulwe laba yiparadesi!

Ndikholelwa ekubeni ukuba kukho nayiphi na indlu efanelwe kukuchazwa kuthiwe “IParadesi Ngoku,” leyo yiBheteli​—⁠“iNdlu kaThixo”⁠—​ngaphezu kwako konke, kwiparadesi yokwenene ziza kuqala izinto zokomoya, yaye kunjalo kanye eBheteli ngezinto ezingokomoya. Sinelungelo lokuhlakulela isiqhamo somoya. (Galati 5:​22, 23) Ukudla okutyebileyo kokomoya esikufumana kwingxubusho yendinyana yeBhayibhile imihla ngemihla nesifundo sentsapho seMboniselo sindinceda ndomelele kwinkonzo yaseBheteli. Ukongezelela koko, ukunxulumana nabazalwana noodade abazixabisayo izinto zokomoya abakhonze uYehova ngokuthembeka kangangamashumi eminyaka kuyenza iBheteli ibe yindawo ekhethekileyo yokukhula ngokomoya. Nangona ndaye ndohlukaniswa nentombi yam kangangeminyaka eli-17 ngoku, ndiye ndafumana ulutsha oluninzi olunenzondelelo eBheteli, endilugqala njengabantwana bam, nendiyoliswayo yinkqubela yalo yokomoya. Ebudeni beminyaka esibhozo edluleyo, ndiye ndafumana izabelo ezisixhenxe ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ngoxa olu tshintsho belungasoloko lulula, uqeqesho olunjalo luyingenelo ekuhambeni kwexesha.

Ndandidla ngokulima uhlobo lweembotyi oluvelisa ngokuphindwe kalikhulu. Ngokufanayo, ndiye ndafunda ukuba xa utyale okubi, uvuna okubi ngakumbi ngokuphindwe kalikhulu​—⁠yaye oko akwenzeki kwisivuno esinye. Ukufunda ngamava kubuhlungu. Akwaba ndandingafundanga ngaloo ndlela kodwa, kunoko ndikhuliswe ngeendlela zikaYehova. Hayi ilungelo abanalo abo baselula abakhuliswe ngabazali abangamaKristu! Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, kulungile ukutyala okulungileyo enkonzweni kaYehova uze uvune ngokuphindwe kalikhulu uxolo olungakumbi nolwaneliseko.​—⁠Galati 6:​7, 8.

Maxa wambi, xa ndandinguvulindlela, ndandidla ngokudlula ngakula venkile ithengisa iincwadi zonqulo esasibhale kwiindonga zayo amazwi emvukelo. Ndikhe ndaya nokuya kuyo ndathetha nomniniyo ngoThixo ophilayo neenjongo zakhe. Ewe, uThixo uyaphila! Ukongezelela, uYehova kuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, unguBawo othembekileyo, ongasokuze abashiye abantwana bakhe. (ISityhilelo 15:⁠4) Kwanga inkitha engakumbi ephuma kuzo zonke iintlanga ingafumana iparadesi yokomoya ngoku​—⁠kwaneParadesi ebuyiselweyo ezayo​—⁠ngokukhonza yaye idumise uThixo ophilayo, uYehova!

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26]

Ndichukunyiswe yimimangaliso yendalo, ndagqiba entliziyweni yam ukuba mandikholelwe kuThixo. (Ekunene) Ndikwinkonzo yaseBheteli namhlanje