Ibali Lobomi
Ukuba Novuyo Nombulelo Phezu Kwako Nje Ukulahlekelwa Okubuhlungu
NGOKUBALISWA NGUNANCY E. PORTER
KwakungoJuni 5, 1947, iyingokuhlwa efudumeleyo eBahamas, iziqithi ezikunxweme lwentshona mpuma yeUnited States. Elinye igosa elijongene nabaphambukeli lasityelela nomyeni wam, uGeorge, singalindelanga. Lasinika ileta eyayisithi sasingasavumelakanga ukuba sihlale kwezi ziqithi yaye sasifanele “sihambe kweli thanga ngoko nangoko!”
MNA noGeorge sasingabavangeli basemazweni bokuqala bamaNgqina kaYehova ukuza eNassau, esona sixeko sikhulu eBahamas. Emva kokuphumelela kwiklasi yesibhozo yaseGiliyadi, isikolo sabavangeli basemazweni emntla New York, sabelwa apha. Senza ntoni ukuze sigxothwe ngolo hlobo emva kokuhlala iinyanga ezintathu kuphela? Yaye kwenzeka njani ukuba emva kweminyaka engaphezu kwama-50 kamva, ndibe ndiselapha?
Ukuqeqeshelwa Ubulungiseleli
Utata, uHarry Kilner, waba nempembelelo enkulu kwindlela endibuphila ngayo ubomi bam. Waba ngumzekelo omhle kakhulu kum, encama izinto ezininzi ukuze abe ngomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Nangona wayenkenenkene empilweni, wayeshumayela phantse zonke iimpela-veki, ngenzondelelo ebeka izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kuqala. (Mateyu 6:33) Sasiqhwalela ngasezimalini, kodwa ivenkile yakhe yezihlangu yayiyindawo yomsebenzi wokomoya eLethbridge, eAlberta, eKhanada, ngeminyaka yee-1930. Ndisakhumbula ekhaya sityelelwa ngabalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bamaNgqina kaYehova ababizwa ngokuba ngoovulindlela, yaye besabelana ngamava nathi.
Ngowe-1943, ndaqalisa inkonzo yam yobuvulindlela kufuphi neFort Macleod neClaresholm, eAlberta. Ngelo xesha umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wawuvaliwe eKhanada ngenxa yengxelo engachananga eyanikelwa ngabachasi ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Intsimi yethu yayikumgama oziikhilomitha ezingama-50, kodwa ngenxa yokuba ndandiselula yaye ndidlamkile, sasingakhathazeki kukukhwela iibhayisekile okanye ukuhamba ngeenyawo ukuze sifikelele abantu abahlala kwiindawo ezincinane nakwiifama. Ebudeni beli xesha, ndafumana ithuba lokuthetha nabaphumeleleyo eGiliyadi, yaye amava abo avuselela umnqweno wokuba ndibe ngumvangeli wasemazweni.
Ngowe-1945, ndatshata noGeorge Porter, owayevela eSaskatchewan, eKhanada. Abazali bakhe babengamaNgqina anenzondelelo ukususela ngowe-1916, yaye naye wayekhethe ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo njengomsebenzi wakhe. Isabelo sethu sokuqala sasiyiLynn Valley entle kuMntla Vancouver, eKhanada. Kungekudala emva koko samenywa eGiliyadi.
Ndiye ndathetha nabaphumelele kwizikolo zakwalizwi kangangeminyaka yaye ndiye ndabona indlela imfundiso yezakwalizwi eye yaluphelisa ngayo ukholo lwabo kuThixo nakwiLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, oko sakufundayo eGiliyadi kwalola ubuchule bethu bokucinga yaye ngaphezu koko komeleza ukholo lwethu kuYehova uThixo nakwiLizwi lakhe. Esasifunda nabo babelwa eChina, eSingapore, eIndiya, kumazwe aseAfrika, eMzantsi Merika nakwezinye iindawo. Ndisakhumbula indlela esasivuya ngayo xa safumanisa ukuba isabelo sethu sasikwiziqithi ezintle ezikweleenjiko zaseBahamas.
Into Eyenza Ukuba Sihlale
Xa sithelekisa uhambo olwathatyathwa ngabo sasifunda nabo, uhambo lwethu lokuya eBahamas lwalulufutshane. Kungekudala sasinandipha imozulu efudumeleyo, isibhakabhaka esiluhlaza, namanzi aluhlaza, izakhiwo ezinemibala engaqaqambanga neebhayisekile ezininzi. Noko ke, eyona nto ndiyikhumbula kakhulu ngamaNgqina amahlanu awayesilindile xa iphenyane lethu lalifika. Kungekudala safunda ukuba indlela yalapha yokuphila yayahluke kakhulu kunaleyo sasiyiqhelile. Ngokomzekelo, umyeni wam wacelwa ukuba ayeke ukundibiza sithandwa phakathi kwabantu, ekubeni ibinzana elinjalo lidla ngokusetyenziswa ngabantu abakrexezayo.
Kungekudala abefundisi, ekubonakala ukuba babevakalelwa besongelwa ngokunxulumana kwethu ngokulula nabantu, basimangalela ngokuthi singamaKomanisi. Ngenxa yoko, sacelwa ukuba sihambe kweli lizwe. Kodwa ngokukhawuleza amaNgqina—ayengaphantsi kwama-20 kwezo ziqithi ngelo xesha—afumana abantu abangamawaka ukuba batyobele kwisibongozo sokuba sifumane imvume yokuhlala. Ngaloo ndlela, asizange sigxothwe.
Ukuya Kwintsimi Entsha
Iinyaniso zeBhayibhile zachuma ngokukhawuleza ezintliziyweni ezithandwa nguThixo, ngoko kwathunyelwa abavangeli basemazweni baseGiliyadi abangakumbi eBahamas. Kamva, ngowe-1950, kwasekwa iofisi yesebe. Kwiminyaka elishumi kamva, uMilton Henschel, ilungu lekomkhulu eBrooklyn, eNew York, latyelela iBahamas laza labuza abavangeli basemazweni enoba kukho nabani na ofuna ukuya kwenza umsebenzi wokushumayela kwesinye isiqithi saseBahamas. Mna noGeorge saba ngamatsha-ntliziyo, ngaloo ndlela saqalisa ukuhlala eLong Island iminyaka eli-11.
Esi siqithi, sesinye seziqithi ezininzi zaseBahamas, esiziikhilomitha ezili-140 ubude neekhilomitha ezi-6 ububanzi, yaye ngaloo maxesha, sasingenazo iidolophu. Ikomkhulu, iClarence Town, lalinamakhaya amalunga nama-50. Ubomi babuphilwa ngendlela endala—kungekho mbane, mibhobho yamanzi, okanye izinto zokupheka zangaphakathi okanye amanzi angaphakathi ezindlwini. Ngoko sasifanele siziqhelanise nobomi besiqithi. Apha impilo yabantu yayingumbandela othandwayo xa kuncokolwa. Safunda ukuba singaquki umbuzo othi, “Unjani namhlanje?” xa sibuliswa ekubeni ngokufuthi impendulo yayiba yingxelo ende yayo yonke impilo yaloo mntu.
Inkoliso yomsebenzi wokunikela ubungqina sasiwenza kwigumbi lokuphekela kuba ngokuqhelekileyo abantu babefumaneka kwiindawo zokuphekela ngaphandle ezinophahla lwengca neziko leenkuni. Abantu ababehlala apho yayingamafama okanye abalobi abangamahlwempu kodwa abanobubele. Inkoliso yabo yayingatyekelanga kwizinto zonqulo kuphela kodwa ikwaneenkolelo. Iziganeko ezingaqhelekanga ngokuqhelekileyo kwakusithiwa ziyahlola.
Abefundisi babengena nje emakhayeni abantu baze bakrazule uncwadi lweBhayibhile esasilushiye apho. Ngaloo ndlela babesoyikisa abangenasibindi, kodwa asingabo bonke ababeboyika. Ngokomzekelo, ibhinqa elisele likhulile elikhaliphileyo elineminyaka engama-70 ubudala alizange livume ukugrogriswa. Lalifuna ukuziqondela iBhayibhile, yaye ekugqibeleni laba liNgqina kunye nabanye abaliqela. Njengoko sasifumana abantu abangakumbi abanomdla, ngezinye iintsuku zangeCawa uGeorge kwakufuneka ahambe ngenqwelo-mafutha iikhilomitha ezingama-300, ukuze abancede beze kwiintlanganiso zethu.
Ebudeni beenyanga zokuqala ngoxa ayengekabikho amanye amaNgqina, mna noGeorge sasizigcina siphilile ngokomoya ngokuqhuba iintlanganiso zamaKristu rhoqo. Ngapha koko, qho ngengokuhlwa yangoMvulo sasinocwangciso lokufundisisa ngenkuthalo iphephancwadi iMboniselo size senze nofundo lweBhayibhile. Kwakhona sasifunda zonke iinkupho zeMboniselo noVukani! ngokukhawuleza emva kokuba sizifumene.
Utata wafa ngoxa sasiseLong Island. Kwihlobo elilandelayo, ngowe-1963, senza amalungiselelo okuba uMama ahlale kufuphi nathi. Nangona wayesele ekhulile ngeminyaka, waziqhelanisa kakuhle neLong Island waza wahlala de wafa ngowe-1971. Namhlanje, iLong Island inebandla elineHolo yoBukumkani entsha kraca.
Ucelomngeni Olubuhlungu
Ngowe-1980, uGeorge waqonda ukuba impilo yakhe yayisiba nkenenkene. Ngaloo ndlela kwaqalisa eyona nto ibuhlungu ebomini bam—ukubukela umyeni wam, umntu endisebenza naye, neqabane lam endilithandayo libulawa sisifo sika-Alzheimer. Ubuntu bakhe bonke batshintsha. Inxalenye yokugqibela neyona yayinxunguphalisa yathabatha iminyaka emine ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe ngowe-1987. Sasisiya kunye kubulungiseleli nakwiintlanganiso xa ekwazi ukwenjenjalo, nangona amaxesha amaninzi ndandiye ndikhale xa ndibukele loo migudu wayeyenza. Uthando lwabazalwana abangamaKristu belundithuthuzela ngokwenene, kodwa ndisamkhumbula kakhulu.
Ezinye iinkalo ezixabisekileyo zokutshata kwam noGeorge yayilunxibelelwano oluthe rhoqo nolumyoli. Ekubeni ngoku uGeorge engasekho, ndimbulela kakhulu uYehova ngokukhuthaza abakhonzi bakhe ukuba ‘bathandaze ngokungapheziyo,’ ‘bazingise emthandazweni,’ yaye ‘ngazo zonke izihlandlo baqhubeke bethandaza.’ (1 Tesalonika 5:17; Roma 12:12; Efese 6:18) Kuyakhuthaza kakhulu ukwazi ukuba uYehova uyixhalabele kakhulu intlalo-ntle yethu. Ngokwenene ndivakalelwa njengomdumisi owacula esithi: “Makabongwe uYehova osithwalela umthwalo mihla le.” (INdumiso 68:19) Ukujongana nosuku olunye ngexesha, ndikwamkele ukuba neentsilelo, nokuba nombulelo ngeentsikelelo endizifumana suku ngalunye, njengokuba uYesu wacebisayo, eneneni yeyona ndlela iphambili yokuphila.—Mateyu 6:34.
Imivuzo Evuyisayo Kubulungiseleli
Ukuzigcina ndixakekile kubulungiseleli bamaKristu kuye kwandinceda ukuba ndingacingi kakhulu ngexesha elidlulileyo. Ngaloo ndlela ndingakwazi ukweyisa iimvakalelo ezinokukhokelela ekudandathekeni. Ukufundisa abanye iinyaniso zeBhayibhile kuye kwangumthombo okhethekileyo wovuyo. Kundenza ndibe nocwangciso lwezinto zokomoya oluye lwandenza ndalungelelana yaye ndazinza ebomini.—Filipi 3:16.
Ngenye imini, ndafumana umnxeba owawuvela kwibhinqa endabelana nalo ngesigidimi soBukumkani kwiminyaka engama-47 eyadlulayo. Laliyintombi yomnye wabafundi beBhayibhile bokuqala esasinabo xa sasifika eBahamas ngowe-1947. Unina, uyise nabo bonke abaninawa noodade balo baba ngamaNgqina kaYehova njengenkoliso yabantwana nabazukulwana babo. Enyanisweni, ngaphezu kwamalungu angama-60 ale ntsapho yeli bhinqa ngamaNgqina. Kodwa lona alizange liyamkele inyaniso yeBhayibhile. Noko ke, ngoku ekugqibeleni sele ekulungele ukuba ngumkhonzi kaYehova uThixo. Hayi indlela endiye ndavuya ngayo ukubona imbinana yamaNgqina eyayiseBahamas ukufika kwam noGeorge isanda iba ngaphezu kwe-1 400!
Maxa wambi abantu bayandibuza enoba andikhathazeki kusini na ngokungabi nabantwana. Kakade, ukuba nabantwana kuyintsikelelo. Sekunjalo, uthando endiluboniswa ngabantwana, abazukulwana nabantwana babazukulwana bam bokomoya kunokwenzeka ukuba yinto abazali bokwenene abangayifumaniyo. Enyanisweni, abo ‘benza okulungileyo nabatyebileyo emisebenzini emihle’ ngabona bantu bonwabileyo. (1 Timoti 6:18) Kungeso sizathu ndizigcina ndixakekile kubulungiseleli kangangoko impilo yam indivumela.
Ngenye imini kwiofisi kagqirha wamazinyo, ibhinqa eliselula leza kum laza lathi, “Awundazi, kodwa mna ndiyakwazi, yaye ndifuna wazi ukuba ndiyakuthanda.” Laza ke lachaza ukuba layazi njani inyaniso eseBhayibhileni nendlela elinombulelo ngayo kuba abavangeli basemazweni beza eBahamas.
Ngesinye isihlandlo xa ndandibuya ekhefini, ndafumana irose kumnyango wendlu endihlala kuyo ngoku kwiofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova eNassau. Yayinamagama athi, “Siyavuya kuba ubuyile.” Ndinombulelo kakhulu ngokusuk’ entliziyweni, yaye oko kundenza ndimthande kakhulu uYehova xa ndibona uhlobo lwabantu oluvezwa liLizwi, intlangano nomoya wakhe! Enyanisweni, isandla sikaYehova esixhasayo ngokufuthi sibonakala kwabo basingqongileyo.
Ukuba Nombulelo Omkhulu
Bekungasoloko kulula ebomini, yaye nangoku akulula. Kodwa kuninzi endimele ndibe nombulelo ngako—ulonwabo endinalo kubulungiseleli, uthando lwabazalwana noodade abaninzi abangamaKristu, inyameko yothando yentlangano kaYehova, iinyaniso ezintle eziseBhayibhileni, ithemba lokuba nabo bathandekayo xa bevuswa, nokukhumbula iminyaka engama-42 yokutshata nomkhonzi kaYehova othembekileyo. Ngaphambi kokuba sitshate, ndathandazela ukuba ndisoloko ndikwazi ukumnceda umyeni wam ahlale kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, nto leyo awayeyithanda kakhulu. UYehova, ngenceba yakhe, wawuphendula loo mthandazo. Ngoko ndifuna ukumbulela uYehova ngokuba ndihlale ndithembekile kuye.
IBahamas yindawo edumileyo kubakhenkethi, abachitha amawaka eerandi ukuze banandiphe uyolo kweleenjiko. Emva kokuba ndenze isigqibo sokukhonza uYehova naphi na apho intlangano yakhe yalatha khona, ndiye ndanandipha ukuhamba kwiziqithi ngeziqithi, ndivakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Kodwa okubaluleke nangakumbi, ndiye ndalwazi yaye ndaluxabisa uthando lwabantu abahle nabanobubele baseBahamas.
Ndinombulelo kwabo bazisa inyaniso kubazali bam, abathi bona bamilisela engqondweni nasentliziyweni yam ndiselula umnqweno onzulu wokufuna kuqala uBukumkani bukaThixo. Abakhonzi bakaYehova abaselula namhlanje ngokufanayo banokufumana iintsikelelo ezininzi ukuba bangena ‘kumnyango omkhulu’ okhokelela kumathuba amaninzi obulungiseleli obandisiweyo. (1 Korinte 16:9) Nawe unokuba nombulelo omkhulu ukuba usebenzisa ubomi bakho ekuzukiseni “uThixo woothixo,” uYehova.—Duteronomi 10:17; Daniyeli 2:47.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Kumsebenzi wasesitratweni eVictoria, B.C., ngowe-1944
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Mna noGeorge saya kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi ngowe-1946
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Ndikunye noGeorge phambi kwekhaya labavangeli basemazweni eNassau, eBahamas, ngowe-1955
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Ikhaya labavangeli basemazweni eDeadman’s Cay, apho sakhonza ukususela ngowe-1961 ukusa ngowe-1972