Ibali Lobomi

UYehova Ulihlathi Negwiba Lam

NGOKUBALISWA NGU MARCEL FILTEAU

“Ukuba utshata naye, uza kuya entolongweni.” Laxelelwa oku ibhinqa endandiceba ukutshata nalo. Makhe ndikucacisele ngesizathu sokuba bathethe into enje ngale.

XA NDAZALWA ngowe-1927, iphondo laseQuebec eKhanada laliyindawo yamaKatolika. Malunga neminyaka emine kamva, uCécile Dufour, umlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo wamaNgqina kaYehova, waqalisa ukutyelela ekhaya kwisixeko saseMontreal. Ngokufuthi wayetyityimbiselwa umnwe ngabamelwane bethu ngenxa yoku. Enyanisweni, wabanjwa waza waphathwa kakubi izihlandlo ezininzi ngenxa yokushumayela isigidimi seBhayibhile. Kungekudala sakuqonda ukunyanisa kwamazwi kaYesu: “Niya kuba zizinto zokuthiywa ziintlanga zonke ngenxa yegama lam.”—Mateyu 24:9.

Ngelo xesha, abaninzi babekujonga njengokungekho ngqiqweni ukuba intsapho engamaFrentshi yaseKhanada ilushiye unqulo lwayo lobuKatolika. Nangona abazali bam bengazange babe ngamaNgqina abhaptiziweyo, kungekudala bagqiba kwelokuba iimfundiso zeCawa yamaKatolika zazingavisisani neBhayibhile. Ngoko bakhuthaza abantwana babo abasibhozo ukuba bafunde uncwadi olupapashwe ngamaNgqina, baza babaxhasa abo bethu bamela inyaniso yeBhayibhile.

Ukuxhathisa Ngamaxesha Obunzima

Ngowe-1942, ngoxa ndandisesikolweni, ndaqalisa ukuba nomdla wokwenene kwisifundo seBhayibhile. Umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wawuvaliwe eKhanada ngelo xesha kuba ayelandela umzekelo wamaKristu okuqala aza akabandakanyeka kwiimfazwe zeentlanga. (Isaya 2:4; Mateyu 26:52) Umkhuluwa wam, uRoland, wasiwa kwinkampu ekwakusetyenzwa kuyo nzima kuba akazange avume ukusebenzisa izixhobo ebudeni bemfazwe yehlabathi.

Malunga neli xesha, uTata wandinika incwadi ebhalwe ngesiFrentshi eyayichaza ngokubandezeleka kwamaNgqina aseJamani ngenxa yokungavumi ukuxhasa amaphulo ezomkhosi ka-Adolph Hitler.a Oku kwandishukumisela ukuba ndifune ukuba kwicala laba bantu bayimizekelo yenkalipho ababonakalisa ingqibelelo, yaye ndaqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaNgqina kaYehova ezaziqhutyelwa kwikhaya elithile. Kungekudala ndamenywa ukuba ndibe nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Ndasamkela esi simemo ndiqonda kakuhle ukuba ndingabanjwa ndize ndifakwe entolongweni.

Emva kokuthandazela amandla, ndankqonkqoza kwindlu yam yokuqala. Kwavula ibhinqa elinobubele, yaye emva kokuzichaza, ndalifundela amazwi akweyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:16: “Sonke iSibhalo siphefumlelwe nguThixo kwaye siyingenelo.”

Ndalibuza: “Ngaba unomdla wokufunda okungakumbi ngeBhayibhile?”

Eli bhinqa laphendula lisithi: “Ewe.”

Ngoko ndalixelela ukuba ndiza kuza nomhlobo wam oyazi bhetele kunam iBhayibhile, yaye ndenjenjalo kwiveki elandelayo. Emva kwaloo mava okuqala, ndaziva ndinentembelo engakumbi, ndaza ndaqonda ukuba asibuphumezi ubulungiseleli ngamandla ethu. Njengokuba umpostile uPawulos watshoyo, senjenjalo ngoncedo lukaYehova. Eneneni, kubalulekile ukwazi ukuba “amandla angaphaya koko kuqhelekileyo abe ngakaThixo yaye ingabi ngalawo aphuma kuthi.”—2 Korinte 4:7.

Emva koko, umsebenzi wokushumayela waba yinto eqhelekileyo ebomini bam ngokufanayo ke nokubanjwa ndize ndivalelwe entolongweni. Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba lowo ndandiza kutshata naye waxelelwa oku, “Ukuba utshata naye, uza kuya entolongweni”! Sekunjalo, amava anjalo ayengenzima kangako. Emva kokuchitha ubusuku entolongweni, sasikhutshwa ngomnye wabazalwana bethu oliNgqina ngebheyile.

Izigqibo Ezibalulekileyo

NgoAprili 1943, ndazahlulela kuYehova ndaza ndakufuzisela oku ngokubhaptizwa emanzini. Kwandula ke, ngoAgasti 1944, ndaya kwindibano enkulu okwesihlandlo sokuqala, eBuffalo, eNew York, eU.S.A., kufuphi nomda waseKhanada. Kwakuze abantu abangama-25 000, yaye ucwangciso lwavuselela umnqweno wam wokuba nguvulindlela, njengokuba abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bamaNgqina kaYehova bebizwa njalo. Umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova eKhanada wavulwa ngoMeyi 1945, ndaza ndaqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela kwinyanga elandelayo.

Noko ke, njengoko isabelo sam kubulungiseleli sanda, kwakunjalo nangokutyelela kwam entolongweni. Ngenye imini ndavalelwa esiseleni kunye noMike Miller, owakhonza uYehova ngokuthembekileyo ixesha elide. Sahlala kumgangatho wesamente saza sancokola. Incoko yethu yokomoya ekhuthazayo yandomeleza kakhulu. Noko ke emva koko, kwathi qatha umbuzo engqondweni yam, ‘Kuthekani ukuba besiye asaqondana saza asathethisana?’ Ukuchitha ixesha kunye nalo mzalwana othandekayo entolongweni kwandifundisa isifundo esihle ebomini bam—siyabafuna abazalwana bethu yaye ngoko ke sifanele sixolelane size sibe nenceba kwabanye. Kungenjalo, njengokuba umpostile uPawulos wabhala: “Ukuba . . . niqhubeka nigrenyana yaye niqwengana, lumkani ningabhujiswa omnye ngomnye.”—Galati 5:15.

NgoSeptemba 1945, ndamenywa ukuba ndikhonze kwiofisi yesebe leWatch Tower Society eToronto, eKhanada, esiyibiza ngokuba yiBheteli. Apho ucwangciso lokomoya lwalukhuthaza ngokwenene yaye luqinisa ukholo. Kunyaka olandelayo, ndabelwa ukuba ndisebenze kwifama yaseBheteli, ekwiikhilomitha ezingama-40 kumntla weofisi yesebe. Njengoko ndandichola amaqunube noAnne Wolynec oselula, andizange ndiphawule ubuhle bakhe bangaphandle kuphela kodwa kwanothando lwakhe nenzondelelo yakhe ngoYehova. Sathandana, saza satshata ngoJanuwari 1947.

Kangangeminyaka emibini enesiqingatha elandelayo, sasingoovulindlela eLondon, eOntario, yaye emva koko saya kwisiQithi saseCape Breton, apho sanceda ukuseka ibandla. Kwandula ke, ngowe-1949, samenywa kwiklasi ye-14 yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi, apho saqeqeshelwa ukuba ngabavangeli basemazweni.

Umsebenzi Wobuvangeli Basemazweni EQuebec

Abantu baseKhanada abaphumelelayo kwiklasi eyandulelayo yaseGiliyadi babelwa ukuba baqalise umsebenzi wokushumayela eQuebec. Ngowe-1950, thina nabanye abangama-25 beklasi ye-14 sabathelela. Umsebenzi owandileyo wobuvangeli basemazweni weza nentshutshiso eqatha nogonyamelo lwamahlokondiba, olwaluphenjelelwe ziinkokeli zeCawa yamaRoma Katolika.

Kwiintsuku ezimbini emva kokufika kwisabelo sethu sobuvangeli basemazweni kwisixeko saseRouyn, uAnne wabanjwa waza wafakwa emva kwinqwelo-mafutha yamapolisa. Oku kwakuqala ukumehlela, ekubeni wayesuka kwidolophana encinane kwiphondo laseManitoba, eKhanada, apho wayengafane abone ipolisa. Ngokwemvelo, watyhwatyhwa waza wakhumbula amazwi athi, “Ukuba utshata naye, uza kuya entolongweni.” Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba ahambe, amapolisa andifumana nam aza andifaka kule nqwelo-mafutha kunye noAnne. Wathi: “Ndiyavuya ukukubona!” Sekunjalo, wayezole ngeyona ndlela imangalisayo, esithi, “Phofu, kwenzeka into efanayo nakubapostile ngenxa yokushumayela ngoYesu.” (IZenzo 4:1-3; 5:17, 18) Ekuhambeni kwethuba ngaloo mini sakhululwa ngebheyile.

Malunga nonyaka emva kweso siganeko, ngoxa sikubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu kwisabelo sethu esitsha eMontreal, ndeva udushe esitratweni ndaza ndabona ihlokondiba elinomsindo ligibisela amatye. Njengoko ndandisiya kunceda uAnne nowayehamba naye, kwafika amapolisa kuloo ndawo. Kunokuba abambe amalungu eli hlokondiba, la mapolisa abamba uAnne nalo wayehamba naye! Ngoxa esentolongweni, uAnne wakhumbuza eli Ngqina litsha ukuba babekubona ukunyanisa kwamazwi kaYesu athi: “Niya kuba zizinto zokuthiywa ngabantu bonke ngenxa yegama lam.”—Mateyu 10:22.

Ngesinye isihlandlo, kwakukho amatyala alindileyo ali-1 700 ngokuchasene namaNgqina kaYehova eQuebec. Ngokuqhelekileyo, sasimangalelwa ngokusasaza uncwadi oluvukela urhulumente ngaphandle kwephepha-mvume. Ngenxa yoko, iSebe Lemicimbi Engokwasemthethweni leWatch Tower Society lathabath’ inyathelo ngokunxamnye norhulumente waseQuebec. Emva kweminyaka emininzi sisilwa idabi elingokomthetho, uYehova wasinika amandla okweyisa kweYona Nkundla Iphakamileyo yaseKhanada. NgoDisemba 1950, sasuswa isityholo esasibekwa sona soncwadi lwethu oluvukela urhulumente, yaye ngo-Oktobha 1953, sanikwa imvume yokuhambisa uncwadi lwethu lweBhayibhile ngaphandle kwephepha-mvume. Ngoko sabona ngokuthe gca ukuba uYehova “ulihlathi, uligwiba kuthi; ezimbandezelweni ufumaneke eluncedo kunene.”—INdumiso 46:1.

Okuphawulekayo kukuba, inani lamaNgqina eQuebec liye landa lisuka kuma-356 ngowe-1945, xa ndandiqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela ukusa kwabangama-24 000 namhlanje! Kuye kwenzeka kanye njengokuba isiprofeto seBhayibhile saxela kwangaphambili: “Zonke izixhobo ezikhandelwa ukulwa nawe aziyi kuba nampumelelo; zonke iilwimi ezimelene nawe ematyaleni uya kuzigweba.”—Isaya 54:17.

Umsebenzi Wethu EFransi

NgoSeptemba 1959, mna noAnne samenywa ukuba sikhonze eBheteli eParis, eFransi, apho ndabelwa ukuba ndongamele kwisebe lokushicilela. De kube lixesha esafika ngalo ngoJanuwari 1960, kwakushicilelwa kwinkampani yezorhwebo. Ekubeni IMboniselo yayingavunyelwa eFransi, sasishicilela iphephancwadi kanye ngenyanga iyincwadana enamaphepha angama-64. Le ncwadana yayibizwa ngokuba yi-The Interior Bulletin of Jehovah’s Witnesses, yaye yayinamanqaku ayefundisiswa ebandleni kuloo nyanga. Ukususela ngowe-1960 ukusa kowe-1967, inani labo babenesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela eFransi landa ukususela kuma-15 439 ukusa kuma-26 250.

Ekugqibeleni, inkoliso yabavangeli basemazweni yabelwa kwezinye iindawo, abanye kumazwe athetha isiFrentshi eAfrika yaye abanye babuyiselwa eQuebec. Ekubeni uAnne wayengaphilanga kakuhle yaye wayefuna utyando, nathi sabuyela eQuebec. Emva kokunyangwa iminyaka emithathu, uAnne waphila. Emva koko ndabelwa kumsebenzi wesiphaluka, ndityelela ibandla elahlukileyo veki nganye ukuze ndinikele ukhuthazo lokomoya.

Umsebenzi Wobuvangeli Basemazweni EAfrika

Kwiminyaka embalwa kamva, ngowe-1981, savuya xa safumana isabelo esitsha njengabavangeli basemazweni eZaire, ngoku eyiDemocratic Republic of Congo. Aba bantu babengamahlwempu yaye babetsala nzima. Ukufika kwethu, kwakukho amaNgqina angama-25 753, kodwa namhlanje elo nani liye lanyuka langaphezu kwe-113 000, yaye ngabantu abangama-446 362 abaya kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu ngowe-1999!

Ngowe-1984 safumana umhlaba wokwakha iofisi yesebe entsha oziihektare ezingama-200 kurhulumente. Kwandula ke, ngoDisemba 1985, kwaqhutywa indibano yezizwe ngezizwe kwisixeko esilikomkhulu, iKinshasa, yaye kwakukho iindwendwe ezingama-32 000 ezivela kwiindawo ngeendawo zehlabathi. Emva koko, umsebenzi wethu eZaire waphazanyiswa yinkcaso eyayiphenjelelwa ngabefundisi. NgoMatshi 12, 1986, abazalwana abanembopheleleko banikwa ileta ethi umbutho wamaNgqina kaYehova waseZaire awuvumelekanga. Ukuvalwa kwawo wonke umsebenzi wethu kwatyobelwa ngowayesakuba ngumongameli welizwe, uMobutu Sese Seko ongasekhoyo.

Ngenxa yoko kwenzeka ngequbuliso, sasifanele sisebenzise isiluleko seBhayibhile: “Onobuqili ubona into embi, azifihle.” (IMizekeliso 22:3) Safumana iindlela zokufumana iphepha, i-inki, ifilimu, amacwecwe okushicilela, nemichiza evela kwamanye amazwe ukwenzela iimpapasho zethu eKinshasa. Sazenzela namajelo ethu okusasaza. Emva kokucwangcisa izinto, inkqubo yethu yayisebenza bhetele kunenkonzo karhulumente yeposi!

Amawaka amaNgqina abanjwa, yaye amaninzi athuthunjiswa ngenkohlakalo. Sekunjalo, ngaphandle nje kwambalwa, ayinyamezela le mpatho aza ahlala ethembekile. Nam ndabanjwa ndaza ndabona iimeko ezimbi abazalwana ababephila kuzo ezintolongweni. Kumaxesha amaninzi sasixinwa ngandlela zonke ngabecuphi nabasemagunyeni, kodwa uYehova wayesoloko esenzela indlela yokuphuma.—2 Korinte 4:8.

Sasifihle iibhokisi ezimalunga nama-3 000 zoncwadi kwindawo ekugcinwa kuyo iimpahla zikasomashishini othile. Noko ke, ekugqibeleni omnye wabasebenzi bakhe waxelela abecuphi, baza bambamba loo somashishini. Endleleni yabo esinge entolongweni, kwenzeka nje ukuba badibane nam ndikwinqwelo-mafutha yam. Lo somashishini wabazisa ukuba ndim ogcinise olu ncwadi kuye. La mapolisa emisa, aza andibuza ngako oku, endibek’ ityala lokubeka uncwadi olungekho mthethweni kwindawo ekugcinwa kuyo impahla yalo mfo.

Ndabuza: “Ninayo enye yezo ncwadi?”

Aphendula: “Ewe, sinayo.”

Ndabuza: “Ndingayibona.”

Andiphathela umbhalo wamnye, ndaza ndawabonisa iphepha elingaphakathi, elithi: “Ishicilelwe eUnited States of America yiWatch Tower Bible & Tract Society.”

Ndawakhumbuza ndisithi: “Le nto isezandleni zenu yimpahla yaseMerika yaye asiyiyo eyaseZaire. Urhulumente wenu uvale umlomo intlangano yamaNgqina kaYehova eZaire kungekhona iWatch Tower Bible & Tract Society yaseUnited States. Ngoko ke nifanele niyilumkele into eniyenzayo ngezi mpapasho.”

Ndavunyelwa ukuba ndihambe kuba ayengenawo umyalelo ovela enkundleni ukuba andibambe. Ngobo busuku, sathabatha iilori ezimbini saya kwindawo yokugcina impahla saza saluthabatha lonke uncwadi. Xa abasemagunyeni bafikayo ngosuku olulandelayo, bacaphuka kakhulu xa bafika kukhal’ ibhungane kuloo ndawo. Ngelo xesha babendifuna apho bendikho, ekubeni ngoku benomyalelo wasenkundleni wokuba bandibambe. Bandifumana, yaye ngenxa yokuba bengenayo inqwelo-mafutha, ndaziqhubela ngokwam ndisiya entolongweni! Elinye iNgqina landipheleka ukuze lihambe nenqwelo-mafutha yam ngaphambi kokuba ayithimbe.

Emva kokundigocagoca ngemibuzo iiyure ezisibhozo, bagqiba kwelokuba bandigxothe kwelo lizwe. Kodwa ndababonisa iphepha elikhutshelweyo leleta evela kurhulumente eqinisekisa ukunyulwa ukuze ndithengise impahla yentlangano yamaNgqina kaYehova yaseZaire evalwe umlomo. Ngenxa yoko ndavunyelwa ukuba ndiqhubeke nomsebenzi wam eBheteli.

Emva kweminyaka emine ndikhonza phantsi kwengcinezelo yokuvalwa komsebenzi eZaire, ndaphuma izilonda ezophayo esuswini nto leyo eyayisongela ubomi. Kwagqitywa kwelokuba ndihambe ndiye kufumana unyango eMzantsi Afrika, apho ndanyanyekelwa kakuhle lisebe, ndaza ndachacha. Emva kokukhonza iminyaka esibhozo eZaire, nto leyo eneneni eyayingamava endingasokuze ndiwalibale nawonwabisayo, safudukela kwisebe laseMzantsi Afrika ngowe-1989. Ngowe-1998 sabuyela kwilizwe lethu lokuzalwa yaye ukususela ngoko sisakhonza kwakhona eBheteli yaseKhanada.

Ukuba Nombulelo Ngokukhonza

Xa ndikhangela emva kwiminyaka engama-54 kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, ndinombulelo gqitha ngokuba ndasebenzisa amandla am obutsha kwinkonzo exabisekileyo kaYehova. Nangona uAnne wayemele anyamezele iimeko ezininzi ezilingayo, akazange akhalaze kodwa ebendixhasa kakhulu kuyo yonke imisebenzi yethu. Sisobabini, siye saba nelungelo lokunceda abaninzi bamazi uYehova, abaninzi kubo ngoku bakwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Kuyavuyisa kakhulu ukubona abantwana babo kwanabazukulwana babo bekhonza uThixo wabo omkhulu uYehova!

Ndiqinisekile ukuba akukho nanye into eli hlabathi linokusinika yona inokuthelekiswa namalungelo neentsikelelo uYehova asinike zona. Liyinyaniso elokuba, siye sanyamezela izilingo ezininzi, kodwa zonke ziye zasinceda sakwazi ukuba nokholo size sithembele kuYehova. Eneneni uye wangumthombo wamandla ethu, ihlathi, yaye ezimbandezelweni ufumaneke eluncedo kunene.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26]

Singoovulindlela kunye ngowe-1947; ndinoAnne namhlanje

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Abantu esadibana nabo eZaire babeyithanda inyaniso yeBhayibhile