Ibali Lobomi
Ukuqhubeka Sikwindlela KaYehova Kusinika Amandla Novuyo
NGOKUBALISWA NGULUIGGI D. VALENTINO
“Nantsi indlela. Hambani ngayo,” utsho uYehova. (Isaya 30:21) Ibisoloko ilusukelo lwam ukulandela eli cebiso ukususela ekubhaptizweni kwam kwiminyaka engama-60 eyadlulayo. Ndazibekela olu sukelo ngenxa yomzekelo wabazali bam, abaphambukeli abavela eItali, abahlala eCleveland, eOhio, eUnited States, ngowe-1921. Apho bakhulisa abantwana abathathu—mna, umkhuluwa wam, uMike, nodade wethu omncinane, uLydia.
ABAZALI bam bahlolisisa iinkonzo ezahlukahlukeneyo kodwa ekugqibeleni banikezela ngenxa yokuba bephoxekile. Kwandula ke ngolunye usuku ngowe-1932, uTata wayephulaphule inkqubo kanomathotholo ngesiTaliyane. Yayisasazwa ngamaNgqina kaYehova, yaye uTata wakuthanda oko wakuvayo. Wabhala ukuze afumane inkcazelo engakumbi, yaye satyelelwa liNgqina elingumTaliyane elivela kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York. Emva kwengxubusho ebangel’ umdla eyaqhubeka de kwasa, abazali bam beyiseka ukuba balufumene unqulo lokwenyaniso.
UTata noMama baqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu baza bamkela abaveleli abahambahambayo ekhayeni labo. Nangona ndandiyinkwenkwana, la madoda ndandihamba nawo ukuya kumsebenzi wokushumayela andenza ndacinga ngokukhonza uYehova ixesha elizeleyo. Omnye wezo ndwendwe yayinguCarey W. Barber, ngoku olilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova. Kungabanga thuba lide, ngoFebruwari 1941, ndabhaptizwa ndineminyaka eli-14 ubudala, yaye ngowe-1944, ndaqalisa ukukhonza njengovulindlela eCleveland. UMike noLydia nabo bayamkela inyaniso yeBhayibhile. UMike wakhonza uYehova de wafa, yaye uLydia wapheleka umyeni wakhe, uHarold Weidner, kangangeminyaka engama-28 kubulungiseleli bokuhambahamba. Namhlanje, bakhonza njengabalungiseleli abakhethekileyo bexesha elizeleyo.
Intolongo Iqinisa Isigqibo Sam Sokuqhubeka
Ekuqaleni kowe-1945, ndavalelwa eChillicothe Federal Prison yaseOhio ngenxa yokuba isazela sam esiqeqeshwe ngeBhayibhile sandishukumisela ukuba ndenze ngokuvisisana noIsaya 2:4, othetha ngokukhanda amakrele abe ngamakhuba. Ngaxa lithile abaphathi bentolongo bavuma ukuba amabanjwa angamaNgqina abe noncwadi lweBhayibhile oluncinane olupapashwe ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Noko ke, amaNgqina awayekwibandla elikufuphi awanceda. Maxa wambi ayedla ngokubeka iimpapasho ezimbalwa kumasimi akufuphi nentolongo. Kwintsasa elandelayo, njengoko amabanjwa ayethunyelwa kwindawo asebenza kuyo, ayezikhangela ezo mpapasho andule ke angene nazo entolongweni. Ndathi ndifika entolongweni, sabe sesivunyelwa ukuba sibe noncwadi olungakumbi. Ngelo xesha, ndafunda ukukuxabisa ukutya kokomoya okulungiselelwa nguYehova—isifundo endisasikhumbulayo xa ndifumana inkupho entsha yeMboniselo okanye uVukani!
Nangona savunyelwa ukuba neentlanganiso zebandla entolongweni, kodwa ababengengawo amaNgqina babengavumelekanga ukuba babekho. Sekunjalo, abanye abaphathi bentolongo namabanjwa babesiza ngokufihlakeleyo, yaye abaliqela bayamkela inyaniso. (IZenzo 16:30-34) Kwakukhuthaza kakhulu ukutyelelwa nguMzalwan’ uA. H. Macmillan. Wayesoloko esiqinisekisa ukuba ixesha esilichithe entolongweni lalingelolize kuba lalisiqeqeshela izabelo zexesha elizayo. Loo mzalwana ukhulileyo nothandekayo wandichukumis’ entliziyweni waza wasiqinisa isigqibo sam sokuhamba ngendlela kaYehova.
Ndifumana Iqabane
IMfazwe Yehlabathi II yaphela, iingcango zentolongo zavuleka, yaye ndaqhubeka kwakhona nobuvulindlela, ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo. Kodwa ngowe-1947 utata wafa. Ukuze ndixhase intsapho, ndaqalisa ukusebenza ndaza ndakufanelekela nokunyanga abantu ngokubaphulula—ubugcisa obabuza kundinceda ebudeni bamaxesha anzima esajamelana nawo nomfazi wam kwiminyaka engama-30 kamva. Kodwa andizilandelelanisi ezi zinto. Okokuqala, makhe ndikuxelele ngomfazi wam.
Ngenye imva kwemini ngowe-1949 ngoxa ndandikwiHolo yoBukumkani, kwakhala umnxeba. Ndawuphakamisa ndaza ndeva ilizwi elitsho kamnandi lisithi: “Igama lam nguChristine Genchur. Ndingomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Ndifudukele eCleveland ukuza kufuna umsebenzi, yaye ndikhangela ibandla.” IHolo yethu yoBukumkani yayikude kwindawo awayehlala kuyo, kodwa ndalithanda ilizwi lakhe, ngoko ndamxelela indlela anokuza ngayo kwiholo yethu ndaza ndamkhuthaza ukuba aze ngaloo Cawa—usuku endandiza kunikela ngalo intetho yesidlangalala. NgeCawa, ndandingumntu wokuqala kwiHolo yoBukumkani, sekunjalo andizange ndibone dade ndingamaziyo. Kuyo yonke intetho, ndandiqhubeka ndiphos’ amehlo emnyango, kodwa akuzange kubekho mntu ungenayo. Ngosuku olulandelayo ndamtsalela umnxeba, waza wathi wayengekaqhelani neebhasi zalapho. Ngoko ndacela ukudibana naye ukuze ndimcacisele bhetele.
Ndafumanisa ukuba abazali bakhe, abaphambukeli abavela eCzechoslovakia, baqalisa ukunxulumana naBafundi BeBhayibhile emva kokufunda incwadana ethi Bapina Abafileyo? Abazali bakhe babhaptizwa ngowe-1935. Ngowe-1938, uyise kaChristine waba sisicaka sebandla (ngoku esibizwa ngokuba ngumveleli owongamelayo) kwibandla lamaNgqina kaYehova eClymer, ePennsylvania, eUnited States, yaye ngowe-1947, uChristine wabhaptizwa eneminyaka eli-16 ubudala. Andizange ndithabathe thuba lide ukuba ndithandane nalo dade mhle nothanda izinto zokomoya. Satshata ngoJuni 24, 1950, yaye ukususela ngoko uChristine ebesoloko eliqabane lam elithembekileyo, esoloko enomnqweno wokubeka izilangazelelo zoBukumkani bukaThixo kuqala. Ndiyambulela uYehova ngenxa yokuba eli qabane lifanelekileyo lavuma ukuba sichithe ubomi bethu ndawonye.—IMizekeliso 31:10.
Ukufumana Into Esingayilindelanga
NgoNovemba 1, 1951, saqalisa ubuvulindlela kunye. Kwiminyaka emibini kamva, kwindibano eyayiseToledo, eOhio, uMzalwan’ uHugo Riemer noMzalwan’ uAlbert Schroeder bathetha neqela loovulindlela elinomdla kwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni. Sasiphakathi kwalo. Sakhuthazwa ukuba siqhubeke nobuvulindlela eCleveland, kodwa kwinyanga elandelayo, safumana into esingayilindelanga—isimemo sokuya kwiklasi yama-23 yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi, esasiqalisa ngoFebruwari 1954!
Njengoko sasihamba ngenqwelo-mafutha sisiya kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi, eSouth Lansing, eNew York, uChristine wayesoyika kangangokuba wayesoloko esithi, “Hamba kancinane!” Ndathi, “Christine, ukuba ndiqhuba kancinane kunoku, asoze siye ndawo.” Noko ke, sathi sakufika esikolweni, kungekudala saziva sikhululekile. UMzalwan’ uNathan Knorr walamkela eli qela labafundi waza wasibonisa yonke indawo. Kwakhona wacacisa indlela esinokuwalondoloza ngayo amanzi nombane, egxininisa ukuba uqoqosho lubalulekile xa unezilangazelelo zoBukumkani. Elo cebiso labetheleleka ezingqondweni zethu. Sisaphila ngalo.
Ukuhamba Ngenqwelo-moya Sisinge ERio
Kungekudala saphumelela, yaye ngoDisemba 10, 1954, sakhwela inqwelo-moya kwisiXeko saseNew York esibandayo, sivuyiswa kukuya kwisabelo sethu esitsha kwiRio de Janeiro efudumeleyo, eBrazil. UPeter noBillie Carrbello, abavangeli basemazweni esasikunye nabo, bahamba nathi. Le nqwelo-moya yayiza kuthabatha iiyure ezingama-24, isima ePuerto Rico, eVenezuela naseBelém kumntla Brazil. Noko ke, ngenxa yeengxaki zenjini, emva kweeyure ezingama-36 sabona iRio de Janeiro ezantsi kwethu. Kodwa hayi indlela ekwakukuhle ngayo! Ukukhanya kwesi sixeko kwakufana needayimani ezivuthayo kwikhaphethi emnyama, yaye nokukhanya kwenyanga okunjengesilivere kwakumenyezela kumanzi eGuanabara Bay.
Amalungu aliqela entsapho yaseBheteli ayesilindele kwisikhululo seenqwelo-moya. Emva kokusamkela ngokufudumeleyo, asisa ngenqwelo-mafutha kwiofisi yesebe, saza salala malunga nentsimbi yesithathu ekuseni. Kwiiyure ezimbalwa kwamva, intsimbi evusa abantu yasikhumbuza ukuba usuku lwethu lokuqala njengabavangeli basemazweni seluqalile!
Isifundo Sokuqala
Kungekudala safunda isifundo esibalulekileyo. Sachitha ubusuku ekhayeni lentsapho engamaNgqina. Xa sasifuna ukuhamba sibuyele kwisebe, umamkeli-zindwendwe wala, “Hayi, aninako ukuhamba; kuyana,” yaye wazama ukusicenga ukuba silale apho. “Kuyana nalapho sivela khona,” ndatsho ndihleka. Saza sahamba.
Ngenxa yeentaba eziseRio, amanzi aqokeleleka ngokukhawuleza aze azalise isixeko, ngokufuthi abangela izikhukula. Kungekudala sasihamba kumanzi afika emadolweni. Kufuphi nesebe, izitrato zaba yimilambo, amanzi ayefika ezifubeni zethu. Sasimanzi tixi ukufika kwethu eBheteli. Ngosuku olulandelayo, uChristine wayelusizi yaye waba necesina, eyamshiya engenamandla kangangexesha elide. Kambe ke, njengabavangeli basemazweni abatsha, sasifanele siliphulaphule icebiso lamaNgqina asekuhlaleni anamava.
Amanyathelo Okuqala Kumsebenzi Wobuvangeli Basemazweni Nowokuhambahamba
Emva kwesiqalo esingesihle, saqalisa ubulungiseleli bethu basentsimini ngehlombe. Sasifunda intshumayelo ngesiPhuthukezi nakubani na esasidibana naye, yaye kwakubonakala sisenza inkqubela efanayo. Omnye umninimzi wayesithi kuChristine, “Ndiyakuva wena, kodwa andimva yena,” esitsho esalatha kum. Omnye umninimzi wayeye athi kum, “Ndiyakuva wena kodwa yena andimva.” Sekunjalo, sachulumanca ukufumana imirhumo yeMboniselo engaphezu kwe-100 ebudeni beeveki ezimbalwa zokuqala. Enyanisweni, izifundo zethu zeBhayibhile ezahlukahlukeneyo zabhaptizwa ebudeni bonyaka wethu wokuqala eBrazil, oku kwasibonisa indlela esiza kuba nesiqhamo ngayo esi sabelo sobuvangeli basemazweni.
Phakathi kwiminyaka yee-1950, amabandla amaninzi eBrazil ayengatyelelwa ngokuthe rhoqo ngabaveleli besiphaluka ngenxa yokungabikho kwabazalwana abafanelekayo. Ngoko nangona ndandisafunda ulwimi yaye ndingekanikeli ntetho ngesiPhuthukezi, ndabelwa kumsebenzi wesiphaluka kwilizwe laseSão Paulo ngowe-1956.
Ekubeni ibandla lokuqala esalityelelayo lingazange lityelelwe ngumveleli wesiphaluka kangangeminyaka emibini, wonk’ ubani wayeyilindele ngolangezelelo intetho yesidlangalala. Ukuze ndilungiselele le ntetho, ndasika iziqendu kumanqaku eMboniselo yesiPhuthukezi ndaza ndawancamathisela kulo maphepha. Ngalo Cawa, iHolo yoBukumkani yayizele ithe qhu. Abantu babehleli naseqongeni, bonke belindele isiganeko esikhulu. Intetho, okanye mandithi ufundo, lwaqalisa. Kanye emva kwethuba elide ndilaqaza ndamangaliswa ndakubona ukuba wonke umntu wayenikele ingqalelo, nditsho nabantwana. Bonke babekhuphe amehlo bendijongile. Ndacinga: ‘Tyhini, Valentino, hayi indlela osiphucule ngayo isiPhuthukezi sakho! Aba bantu banikele ingqalelo.’ Kwiminyaka kamva, xa ndatyelela elo bandla kwakhona, umzalwana owayekho kutyelelo lokuqala wathi: “Uyayikhumbula la ntetho yesidlangalala wayinikelayo? Asizange sive nelinye igama kuyo.” Ndavuma ukuba nam andizange ndiyive.
Kuloo nyaka wokuqala kumsebenzi wesiphaluka, ngokufuthi ndandifunda uZekariya 4:6. Amazwi athi, ‘Akungamandla kodwa kungomoya wam,’ andikhumbuza ukuba ngumoya kaYehova kuphela owawuwenza umsebenzi woBukumkani uqhubele phambili. Yaye waqhubeka nangona sasineentsilelo ezazicace nakuthathatha.
Iingxaki Neentsikelelo Esazifumanayo
Umsebenzi wesiphaluka wawuthetha ukunqumla eli lizwe ngoxa siphethe umatshini wokuchwetheza, iibhokisi zoncwadi, isutikheyisi neengxowa zokufaka iincwadi. Ngobulumko uChristine wayeyibhala inombolo imithwalo yethu ukuze singashiyi nto xa sisuka kwenye ibhasi sisiya kwelandelayo. Kwakungeyonto ingaqhelekanga ukuhamba ngebhasi kangangeeyure ezili-15 kwiindlela ezingcolileyo ukuze sifike apho sisinge khona. Maxa wambi, kwakusoyikeka, ingakumbi xa iibhasi ezimbini zisiya kumacala ahlukeneyo zinqumla ibhulorho exengaxengayo ngexesha elinye, zidlulana ngokusondeleyo kangangokuba kwakungekho nento le yayinokudlula phakathi kwazo. Sasihamba nangololiwe, ngenqanawa nangamahashe.
Ngowe-1961 saqalisa ukukhonza kumsebenzi wesithili, sihamba sisuka kwisithili sisiya kwesinye kunokuba sisuke kwibandla siye kwelinye. Izihlandlo eziliqela ngeengokuhlwa ezahlukahlukeneyo ngeveki, sasibonisa imiboniso eyenziwa yintlangano kaYehova—sihlandlo ngasinye kwindawo eyahlukileyo. Ngokufuthi kwakufuneka senze okuthile ngokukhawuleza ukuze soyise umfundisi wasekuhlaleni owayezama ukusithintela kule miboniso. Kwenye idolophu, umfundisi wanyanzela umphathi weholo ukuba arhoxise isivumelwano awayesenze nathi. Emva kweentsuku siphanda, safumana enye indawo, kodwa asizange sixelele mntu saza saqhubeka simemela bonke abantu kwindawo yokuqala. Ngaphambi kokuba ucwangciso luqale, uChristine wayesiya kwela holo aze alathise abo babefuna ukubona umboniso kwindawo entsha. Ngobo busuku, lo mboniso wabonwa ngabantu abali-150, owawunomxholo ofanelekileyo othi The New World Society in Action.
Nangona umsebenzi wokuhambahamba kwindawo ekwanti wawufuna amandla maxa wambi, abazalwana abathobekileyo abahlala apho babeluxabisa kakhulu utyelelo lwethu yaye babenomoya wokubuk’ iindwendwe ngokuhlala nathi kumakhaya abo aphantsi kangangokuba sasisoloko sibulela uYehova kuba sakwazi ukuba nabo. Ukuba nobuhlobo kubo kwakhokelela kwiintsikelelo ezifudumez’ intliziyo. (IMizekeliso 19:17; Hagayi 2:7) Ngoko ke, hayi indlela esaba lusizi ngayo xa kwaphela iintsuku zethu zokuba ngabavangeli basemazweni emva kokukhonza ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-21 eBrazil!
Ngexesha Lobunzima, UYehova Wasibonisa Indlela
Ngowe-1975, uChristine wenziwa utyando. Saqhubeka kwakhona nomsebenzi wokuhambahamba, kodwa impilo kaChristine yayinkenenkene. Kwabonakala kubhetele ukubuyela eUnited States ukuze afumane unyango. NgoAprili 1976, safika eLong Beach, eKhalifoniya, saza sahlala nomama. Emva kokuba sasihleli kwilizwe lasemzini kangangamashumi amabini eminyaka, sasingazi ukuba siza kuyisingatha njani le meko. Ndaqalisa ukunyanga abantu ngokubaphulula, yaye lo mvuzo endandiwufumana kulo msebenzi wasixhasa. Isixeko saseKhalifoniya samlungiselela indawo esibhedlele uChristine, kodwa apho wayeziva engenamandla mihla le kuba oogqirha bakwala ukumnyanga ngaphandle kwegazi. Singenaluncedo, sacela ukhokelo kuYehova.
Ngenye imva kwemini xa ndandikwinkonzo yasentsimini, ndabona iofisi kagqirha, yaye ngesiquphe, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndingene. Nangona ugqirha wayesele eza kugoduka, wandivumela ukuba ndingene kwiofisi yakhe, saza sathetha kangangeeyure ezimbini. Kamva wathi: “Ndiyawuxabisa umsebenzi wenu njengabavangeli basemazweni, yaye ndiza kumnyanga umfazi wakho ngaphandle kokunihlawulisa nangaphandle kotofelo-gazi.” Ndandingakukholelwa oko ndandikuva.
Lo gqirha unobubele, owayeyingcali ehlonelwayo, wafudusela uChristine kwisibhedlele awayesebenza kuso, yaye ekubeni wayemnyamekela ngendlela efanelekileyo, kungekudala imeko yakhe yaba bhetele. Hayi indlela esimbulela ngayo uYehova ngokuba esibonise indlela ngexesha elinzima!
Izabelo Ezitsha
Njengoko uChristine wayesiba namandla, sakhonza njengoovulindlela yaye sakuvuyela ukunceda abantu abaliqela eLong Beach ukuba babe ngabanquli bakaYehova. Ngowe-1982 sacelwa ukuba senze umsebenzi wesiphaluka eUnited States. Sambulela uYehova imihla ngemihla ngokusisebenzisa kwakhona kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba—uhlobo lobulungiseleli esasiluthanda. Sakhonza eKhalifoniya kamva eNew England, apho isiphaluka sasiquka amabandla athetha isiPhuthukezi. Kamva saquka neBermuda.
Emva kweminyaka emine ehlaziyayo, safumana esinye isabelo. Sacelwa ukuba sikhonze njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo naphi na apho sifuna khona. Nangona sasibuhlungu ngokushiya umsebenzi wokuhambahamba, sazimisela ukudlulela kwisabelo sethu esitsha. Kodwa phi? Ngoxa sasikumsebenzi wokuhambahamba, ndaphawula ukuba ibandla lesiPhuthukezi eNew Bedford, eMassachusetts, lalifuna uncedo—ngoko sasinga eNew Bedford.
Ukufika kwethu, ibandla lasamkela ngetheko elikhulu. Hayi indlela okwasenza saziva sixabiseke ngayo oko! Salila. Isibini esiselula esineentsana ezimbini ngobubele sasisa kwikhaya laso de safumana indawo yethu yokuhlala. Enyanisweni uYehova wasisikelela esi sabelo sobuvulindlela obukhethekileyo ngaphezu kokuba sasilindele. Ukususela ngowe-1986 siye sanceda abantu abahlukahlukeneyo abangama-40 kule dolophu ukuba babe ngamaNgqina. Bayintsapho yethu yokomoya. Ngapha koko, ndiye ndakuvuyela ukubona abazalwana abahlanu basekuhlaleni bekhula babe ngabalusi abanenyameko bomhlambi. Bekunjengokukhonza kwisabelo sobuvangeli basemazweni esinesiqhamo.
Njengoko sikhangela emva, siyavuya kuba siye sakhonza uYehova ukususela ebutsheni saza senza inyaniso indlela yethu yobomi. Liyinyaniso elokuba, ukwaluphala nokugula kuyasichaphazela ngoku, kodwa ukuqhubeka sikwindlela kaYehova kusinika amandla novuyo.
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Sisandul’ ukufika eRio de Janeiro
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Intsapho yethu yokomoya eNew Bedford, eMassachusetts