Ukususela Kobona Buhlwempu Ukusa Kobona Butyebi

NGOKUBALISWA NGUMANUEL DE JESUS ALMEIDA

Ndazalwa ngo-Oktobha 1916, ndiliphelo kubantwana abali-17. Abakhuluwa noodade wethu abadala abasithoba bafa ngenxa yokugula nokungondleki, ngoko andizange ndibazi. Thina abasibhozo abasalayo sasihlala kwidolophana encinane nabazali bethu kufuphi nePorto, ePortugal.

IKHAYA lethu elincinane laliyilwe ligumbi lokuphumla elincinane negumbi lokulala elinye. Amanzi okusela sasiwakha kwiqula elimalunga nesiqingatha sekhilomitha, yaye izinto zokupheka zazizezohlobo lwakudala.

Bathi bakuthi dlundlu, abakhuluwa bam baqalisa ukusebenza kumasimi ombona. Imali ababeyifumana yanceda ukuxhasa intsapho ngokutya. Ngoncedo lwabo ndaba kuphela komntwana owafumana imfundo encinane. Nangona ubomi bethu babunzima, sasithembeke kakhulu kwiCawa yamaKatolika, sinethemba lokuba ngandlela ithile oku kuya kusinceda ebomini.

Ebudeni benyanga kaMeyi, icawa yayinento ebizwa ngokuthi yinovena. Kangangeentsuku ezisithoba ezilandelelayo, sasihamba siye ecaweni ekuseni kusemnyama. Apho sasithandaza, sikholelwa ekubeni oku kuya kusizisela iintsikelelo zikaThixo. Kwakhona sasicinga ukuba umfundisi yayingumntu ongcwele, ummeli kaThixo. Kodwa, ekuhambeni kwexesha, imbono yethu yatshintsha.

Ukufuna Okubhetele

Xa singazange sikwazi ukuhlawula irhafu yecawa, umfundisi akazange abe nolwazelelelo ngemeko yethu enzima engokwemali. Oku kwasidimaza. Indlela endandiyijonga ngayo icawa yaguquka gqitha, ngoko xa ndandineminyaka eli-18 ubudala, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiyishiye intsapho yakowethu ukuze ndifune okubhetele kunobomi nje bokusebenza emasimini nokuphikisana necawa. Ngowe-1936, ndafika eLisbon, ikomkhulu lesixeko sasePortugal.

Apho ndadibana noEdminia. Nangona ndandivakalelwa kukuba ndikhohlisiwe lunqulo, salandela isiko saza satshata kwiCawa yamaKatolika. Ngoko ngowe-1939, kwaqalisa IMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Ebudeni bemfazwe, ndandilawula iindawo zokugcina impahla ezili-18, yaye sasidla ngokuthumela iitraki ezinezixhobo zemfazwe ezili-125 ngosuku.

Izinto ezoyikekayo ezenzeka emfazweni nokubandakanyeka kakhulu kwiCawa yamaKatolika kwandichaphazela kakhulu. Ndandizibuza, ‘Ngaba ngokwenene uThixo ulukhathalele uluntu? Sifanele simnqule njani?’ Kwiminyaka eliqela kamva ngowe-1954, elinye inene eselikhulile ngeminyaka, omnye wamaNgqina kaYehova, wathetha nam ngokuphathelele imibuzo endandinayo. Le ncoko yabuguqula ubomi bam buphela.

Ukuchulumanciswa Lithemba LeBhayibhile

Le ndoda inobubele, uJoshua, yandicacisela ukuba uBukumkani bukaThixo bukuphela kwesicombululo kwiingxaki zehlabathi yaye kuya kubakho uxolo nonqabiseko kuphela ngolawulo lobu Bukumkani. (Mateyu 6:​9, 10; 24:​14) Oko wakuthethayo kwandivuyisa, kodwa ndandimadolw’ anzima ukuyamkela le nkcazelo ngenxa yamava endandinawo ngonqulo ngaphambili. Xa wacela ukufundisisa nam iBhayibhile, ndavuma kuphela nje ukuba akazukundifuna imali aze angathethi ngezobupolitika. Wavuma, endiqinisekisa ukuba konke oku uza kukwenza ngesisa.​—⁠ISityhilelo 22:⁠17.

Ngokukhawuleza ndamthemba uJoshua. Ngoko ndamcela into ethile endandiyinqwenela ndisekwangumntu oselula. “Ngaba kunokwenzeka ukuba nombhalo ongowam weBhayibhile?” Emva kokuyifumana, hayi indlela endavuya ngayo ukufunda okwesihlandlo sokuqala kwiLizwi loMdali wethu ngezithembiso ezifana nezi: “NoThixo ngokwakhe uya kuba nalo [uluntu]. Kwaye uya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni alo, yaye ukufa akusayi kubakho, kungayi kubakho nakukhedama nasikhalo nantlungu kwakhona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlule”!​—⁠ISityhilelo 21:​3, 4.

Ngokukhethekileyo, izithembiso zeBhayibhile ngokupheliswa kobuhlwempu nokugula zazindithuthuzela. Indoda ethembekileyo uElihu yathi ngoThixo: “Unika ukudla ngento eninzi.” (Yobhi 36:​31) Yaye phantsi kolawulo loBukumkani bukaThixo, iBhayibhile ithi, “akayi kuthi ummi wakhona, Ndiyafa.” (Isaya 33:​24) Hayi indlela uYehova uThixo onothando anomdla ngayo kuluntu! Hayi indlela owakhula ngayo umdla endandinawo kwizithembiso zakhe!

Ndaya kwintlanganiso yam yokuqala yamaNgqina kaYehova ngoAprili 17, 1954. Yayiyintlanganiso ekhethekileyo​—⁠iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu. Ukususela ngelo xesha, ndandisiya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso. Kungekudala ndaqalisa ukwabelana nabanye ngezinto ezilungileyo endandizifunda. Ngezo mini ePortugal, sasiba nepikiniki nyanga nganye kufuphi nonxweme, yaye kamva sibe nobhaptizo. Kwiinyanga ezisixhenxe emva kokuba uJoshua ethethe nam okokuqala, ndenza uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova uThixo ndaza ndalufuzisela ngobhaptizo lwasemanzini kolo lwandlekazi.

Ekuqaleni kowe-1954 kwakukho malunga namaNgqina alikhulu kuphela kuyo yonke iPortugal. Ngoko, kwakukho intswelo enkulu yamadoda anokukhokela kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Ngokukhawulezileyo ndenza inkqubela yokomoya, yaye kungekudala ndanikwa iimbopheleleko ebandleni. Ngowe-1956, ndamiselwa njengesicaka sebandla, njengoko umveleli owongamelayo wayebizwa njalo ngelo xesha, kwibandla lesibini lamaNgqina kaYehova eLisbon. Namhlanje, kukho amabandla angaphezu kwekhulu kule dolophu nakumahlomela ayo.

Ukungenelwa Ngokubonakalisa Umoya Wokubuk’ Iindwendwe

Nangona mna noEdminia sasingenamali ingako, sasisoloko sibamkela ngokufudumeleyo abazalwana abangamaKristu ekhayeni lethu. Ngowe-1955 omnye uvulindlela, njengoko bebizwa njalo abahambisi bevangeli bexesha elizeleyo bamaNgqina kaYehova, wadlula ePortugal ngoxa wayesinge ekhayeni lakhe eBrazil esiya kwiNdibano yezizwe ngezizwe ‘YoBukumkani Obeyisayo’ eJamani. Ngenxa yeengxaki zento yokuhamba, wahlala kwikhaya lethu kangangenyanga, yaye hayi indlela esangenelwa ngayo ngokomoya kutyelelo lwakhe!

Ezinye iindwendwe ezafika kwikhaya lethu zaziquka amalungu entsapho yekomkhulu yamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York, njengoHugo Riemer nowayehlala naye uCharles Eicher. Badla isidlo sangokuhlwa nathi baza banikela iintetho kubazalwana abathetha isiPhuthukezi. Njengamantshontsho esikhukukazi asanda kuqanduselwa evule imilomo, salindela ukutya kokomoya okunentswane okwakunikelwa ngabo.

Abaveleli abahambahambayo bamaNgqina kaYehova nabo babehlala ekhayeni lethu xa betyelele. Undwendwe endilukhumbula kakhulu ngowe-1957 nguÁlvaro Berecochea, umveleli wesebe laseMorocco, owabelwa ukuba atyelele ePortugal ukukhuthaza abazalwana. Weza kwisifundo sencwadi ekhayeni lethu, yaye samcela ukuba ahlale nathi kwinxalenye yonke yexesha lakhe eliseleyo ePortugal. Sasikelelwa yaye satyetyiswa kakhulu ngokomoya ebudeni botyelelo lwakhe lwenyanga yonke, ngoxa uÁlvaro yena etyeba emzimbeni ngenxa yokupheka kamnandi kwesithandwa sam uEdminia.

Ubuhlwempu obukhulu, njengokuba kwakunjalo ebuntwaneni bam, kungashiya okukhulu emntwini. Sekunjalo, ndaqonda ukuba okukhona sinikela kuYehova nakubakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo, okukhona esisikelela. Ngokuthe rhoqo, oku kwabetheleleka kum njengoko sasibonisa umoya wokubuk’ iindwendwe kubo bonke esasinako.

Kwindibano yethu ePorto ngowe-1955, kwenziwa isaziso ngendibano yezizwe ngezizwe yamaNgqina kaYehova eyayiza kuqhutyelwa eYankee Stadium kwisiXeko saseNew York ngowe-1958. Ngoko kwakubekwa ibhokisi yomnikelo kwiHolo yoBukumkani nganye kwelo lizwe​—⁠nangona zazimbalwa gqitha ngelo xesha⁠—​ukunceda ukuhlawulela iindwendwe zasePortugal ukuya kule ndibano. Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wendlela esasivuya ngayo xa mna nomfazi wam sakhethwa ukuba sibe phakathi kwezo ndwendwe? Hayi indlela esavuya ngayo ukutyelela ikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn ngoxa sasiye kwindibano eUnited States!

Ukunyamezela Intshutshiso

Ngowe-1962 umsebenzi wokushumayela wamaNgqina kaYehova wavalwa ePortugal, yaye abavangeli basemazweni​—⁠kuquka uEric Britten, uDomenick Piccone, uEric Beveridge nabafazi babo​—⁠bagxothwa. Emva koko, asizange sivunyelwe ukuqhuba iintlanganiso kwiiHolo zoBukumkani, ngoko sasiziqhuba ngokufihlakeleyo kumakhaya abantu; kwaye kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba neendibano ezinkulu ngoku ePortugal. Ngoko yaba yimbopheleleko yam ukulungiselela into yokuhamba yabazalwana noodade bethu abangamaKristu ukuze baye kwiindibano ezinjengezi kwamanye amazwe.

Ukwenza amalungiselelo okuba amaNgqina amaninzi aye kwamanye amazwe kwakungeyondlwan’ iyanetha. Sekunjalo, oku kwakuwufanele umgudu, xa sicinga ngeengenelo ezintle zokomoya ezafunyanwa ngabazalwana abathetha isiPhuthukezi. Hayi indlela ekwakumnandi ngayo kwabo babezile kwiindibano eSwitzerland, eNgilani, eItali naseFransi! Kwakhona iindibano ezinjalo zanikela ithuba lokuba babuyele noncwadi xa bebuyela kweli lizwe. Ebudeni baloo minyaka, senza izicelo eziliqela ukuba sibhaliswe njengombutho wonqulo ePortugal, kodwa zonke ezi zicelo azizange zamkelwe.

Emva kokuba abavangeli basemazweni begxothiwe ekuqaleni kowe-1962, abecuphi baqalisa ukwandisa uhlaselo lwabo lokuphelisa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Abazalwana noodade bethu abaninzi babanjwa baza basiwa enkundleni. Iingxelo ezigciniweyo ezingeziganeko eziliqela zapapashwa kulo lindixesha nakwiphephancwadi eliliqabane lalo, uVukani!a

Phakathi kwabo babanjwayo ngenxa yokushumayela yayingomnye uvulindlela owaziva ngam iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Ekubeni amapolisa afumana idilesi yam phakathi kwezinto zakhe, ndabizwa ndaza ndagocwagocwa.

Kamva, amapolisa amabini andityelela ekhaya. Athimba iincwadi zam zokufundisisa iBhayibhile kwanemibhalo eli-13 yeBhayibhile. Aqhubeka enditsalisa nzima, ebuya kangangezihlandlo ezisixhenxe ukuza kugqogqa apho sasihlala khona. Sihlandlo ngasinye, ayebuza imibuzo.

Kangangezihlandlo eziliqela ndabizelwa enkundleni ukuze ndinikele ubungqina kumatyala amanye amaNgqina. Nangona ndandingafundanga kangako, uYehova wandinika ‘ubulumko abachasi abangazange bakwazi ukubuchasa okanye ukubuphikisa.’ (Luka 21:​15) Ngesinye isihlandlo umgwebi wothuswa bubungqina endabunikelayo kangangokuba wabuza ukuba ndifunde kangakanani na. Bonke kwinkundla yamatyala bahleka xa ndathi ndiphele nje kwibanga lesibini.

Njengoko intshutshiso yayikhula, ngokunjalo lalisanda nenani labo basabelayo kwisigidimi soBukumkani. Ngaloo ndlela, amaNgqina angaphantsi kwali-1 300 ePortugal ngowe-1962 anda angaphezu kwali-13 000 ngowe-1974! Ngelo xesha, ngoMeyi 1967, ndamenywa ukuba ndikhonze njengomveleli ohambahambayo. Kulo msebenzi ndandityelela amabandla amaNgqina kaYehova ukuwaqinisa ngokomoya.

Ukunandipha Obona Butyebi

NgoDisemba 1974, ndaba nelungelo lokuba nenxaxheba ekubhalisweni ngokusemthethweni komsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova ePortugal. Kunyaka olandelayo mna nomfazi wam saba yinxalenye yentsapho yaseBheteli yamaNgqina kaYehova e-Estoril. Kwakhona ndamiselwa ukuba ndikhonze njengelungu leKomiti yeSebe lasePortugal.

Hayi indlela ekuye kwavuyisa ngayo ukubona umsebenzi wokushumayela uphumelela ePortugal nakwintsimi ephantsi kwesebe lethu! Oku kuquka iAngola, iAzores, iCape Verde, iMadeira neSão Tomé and Príncipe. Kwiminyaka edluleyo kuye kwavuyisa ukubona abavangeli basemazweni basePortugal bethunyelwa ukuya kukhonza kula mazwe, apho kuye kwaboniswa umdla omangalisayo kwisigidimi soBukumkani. Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wendlela esivuya ngayo xa kukho abavakalisi boBukumkani abangaphezu kwama-88 000 kwezi ndawo, kuquka abangaphezu kwama-47 000 ePortugal! Ababezile kwiSikhumbuzo kula mazwe ngowe-1998 bangaphezu kwama-245 000, xa kuthelekiswa nabangaphantsi kwama-200 ukuqalisa kwam ukuba liNgqina ngowe-1954.

Mna noEdminia sivumelana ngokusuka entliziyweni nomdumisi weBhayibhile owathi “imini enye ezintendelezweni zakho [Yehova] ilungile kunewaka [“kwenye indawo,” NW].” (INdumiso 84:​10) Xa ndicinga emva ngesiqalo sam esincinane ndize ndisithelekise nobutyebi bokomoya endibunandiphileyo ukususela ngoko, ndivakalelwa njengomprofeti uIsaya owathi: “Yehova, unguThixo wam; ndiya kukuphakamisa, ndiya kubulela kwigama lakho; ngokuba wenze imisebenzi ebalulekileyo . . . Ngokuba waba ligwiba kwisisweli, igwiba kwihlwempu ekubandezelweni kwalo.”​—⁠Isaya 25:​1, 4.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 24]

Ngasentla: UMzalwan’ uAlmeida eLisbon esenza isaziso samalungiselelo okuthumela iindwendwe endibanweni ngowe-1958 eNew York

Phakathi: Ndisenza umboniso ngokuqhutywa kwentlanganiso yezicaka kwiNdibano yeZizwe ngeZizwe ‘Yoxolo Emhlabeni’ eParis

Ngezantsi: Ooduladula abaqashiweyo belungiselela indibano yesithili eFransi

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Ndiqhuba inkonzo yonqulo lwakusasa kwisebe lasePortugal

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Isebe lasePortugal, lanikezelwa ngowe-1988

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Iintetho zikaMzalwan’ uHugo Riemer zasikhuthaza xa wayetyelele evela kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Ndinomfazi wam