Ibali Lobomi
Ukukhanya Kokomoya Kuyakhanya Kumbindi Mpuma
NGOKUBALISWA NGUNAJIB SALEM
Ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ukukhanya kweLizwi likaThixo kwakhanya kuvela kuMbindi Mpuma kwaza kwafikelela kwiimbombo zone zomhlaba. Ngenkulungwane yama-20, oko kukhanya kwabuya ukuze kwakhona kukhanyise loo nxalenye yehlabathi. Mandikuxelele indlela okwenzeka ngayo oko.
NDAZALWA ngowe-1913 kwidolophu yaseAmioun kumntla weLebhanon. Lowo yayingunyaka wokugqibela wenzolo noxolo ehlabathini, kuba kunyaka olandela lowo kwaqhambuka IMfazwe Yehlabathi I. Xa le mfazwe yaphelayo ngowe-1918, iLebhanon, eyayisaziwa njengeqhayiya loMbindi Mpuma, yayiqhwalela kakhulu kwezoqoqosho nakwezobupolitika.
Ngowe-1920, xa inkqubo yeposi yaqalisa ukusebenza eLebhanon, kwafunyanwa imbalelwano evela kubantu baseLebhanon abakwamanye amazwe. Phakathi kwabo kwakukho oomalume bam uAbdullah kunye noGeorge Ghantous. Babhalela uyise, uHabib Ghantous, utatomkhulu, bemxelela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. (Mateyu 24:14) Ukuthetha nabantu besixeko ngento eyayiqulethwe zezo leta zivela koonyana bakhe kwakumenza intlekisa utatomkhulu. Abantu besixeko basasaza ulwimi besithi oonyana bakaHabib bakhuthaza uyise ukuba athengise umhlaba, athenge oondlebende, aze aye kushumayela.
Ukuqala Kokwanda Kokukhanya
Kunyaka olandela lowo, ngowe-1921, uMichel Aboud, owayekade ehlala eBrooklyn, eNew York, eUnited States, wabuyela eTripoli, eLebhanon. Waba nguMfundi weBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayebizwa ngolo hlobo ngelo xesha. Nangona inkoliso yabahlobo nezalamane zikaMzalwan’ uAboud zingazange zisabele kwisigidimi seBhayibhile, abantu ababini abadumileyo basabela, unjingalwazi uIbrahim Atiyeh, kunye nogqirha wamazinyo uHanna Shammas. Enyanisweni, uGqr. Shammas, walivula ikhaya lakhe nekliniki ukuze kuqhutyelwe kuzo iintlanganiso zamaKristu.
Ndandiseyinkwenkwana xa uMzalwan’ uAboud noMzalwan’ uShammas babetyelele eAmioun, indawo endandihlala kuyo. Ukutyelela kwabo kwandichukumisa kakhulu, ndaza ndaqalisa ukuhamba noMzalwan’ uAboud kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Kangangeminyaka engama-40 thina sobabini sasisoloko sikunye kubulungiseleli, de uMzalwan’ uAboud wafa ngowe-1963.
Phakathi kowe-1922 nowe-1925, ukukhanya kwenyaniso yeBhayibhile kwasasazeka kwiidolophana ezininzi ezikumantla eLebhanon. Abantu abanokuba ngama-20 ukusa kwabangama-30 babehlanganisana ukuze baxubushe iBhayibhile kumakhaya abo, njengoko nathi sasisenza kwikhaya lethu eAmioun. Abefundisi babedla ngokuthumela abantwana ukuba babethe iinkonkxa baze bakhwaze bangxole ngenjongo yokuphazamisa iintlanganiso zethu, ngoko ngamathub’ athile sasihlanganisana kwihlathi lompayini.
Xa ndandiselula, inzondelelo endandinayo ngobulungiseleli—nangeentlanganiso zamaKristu—yabangela ukuba ndithiywe igama lesiqhulo elithi Timoti. Inqununu yesikolo yandiyalela ukuba ndiyeke ukuya koko yayikubiza ngokuthi “zezo ntlanganiso.” Xa ndingazange ndivume, ndagxothwa esikolweni.
Ukunikel’ Ubungqina Kumazwe EBhayibhile
Kungekudala emva kokuba ndibhaptiziwe ngowe-1933, ndaqalisa inkonzo yobuvulindlela, njengoko abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bebizwa ngolo hlobo ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Nangona ngoko sasiliqaqobana nje elincinane, asizange sishumayele nje kwiidolophana ezikumntla weLebhanon kuphela kodwa sashumayela saya kufika naseBeirut nakumahlomela-dolophu ayo, ukuya kutsho kumzantsi weLebhanon. Kuloo minyaka yamandulo, sasidla ngokuhamba ngeenyawo okanye sihambe ngoondlebende, njengoko uYesu Kristu nabalandeli bakhe benkulungwane yokuqala babesenjenjalo.
Ngowe-1936, uYousef Rahhal, iNgqina laseLebhanon elahlala eUnited States kangangeminyaka emininzi, latyelela eLebhanon. Laza nesandisi-lizwi kunye neegramafoni ezimbini. Safaka isandisi-lizwi kwiFord yowe-1931 saza sayityhutyha yonke iLebhanon neSiriya, sisasaza isigidimi soBukumkani kwimimandla esemaphandleni. Isandisi-lizwi wawunokusiva ukwiikholomitha ezilishumi kude. Abantu bakhwela kumaphahla ezindlu ukuze beve oko babekubiza ngokuba ngamazwi avela ezulwini. Abo basemasimini babewushiya umsebenzi wabo baze basondele ukuze baphulaphule bekufuphi.
Olunye uhambo lwam lokugqibela noYousef Rahhal lwalusiya eAleppo, eSiriya, ebusika ngowe-1937. Ngaphambi kokuba abuyele eUnited States, saya nasePalestina. Kulapho satyelela khona isixeko iHaifa neYerusalem, kunye needolophana zelo lizwe. Omnye wabantu esanxibelelana nabo yayinguIbrahim Shehadi, endandisazana naye ngembalelwano. UIbrahim wayehambele phambili kakhulu kulwazi lweBhayibhile kangangokuba xa sasityelele apho, wasithelela kumsebenzi wokushumayela kwindlu ngendlu.—IZenzo 20:20.
Kwakhona ndandikhangele phambili ekudibaneni noNjingalwazi uKhalil Kobrossi, umKatolika owayengaziva owayefunda iBhayibhile ngembalelwano namaNgqina kaYehova. Wayifumana njani idilesi yamaNgqina aseLebhanon? Kaloku, kwenye ivenkile eHaifa, umnini-venkile wasongela ezinye izinto ezazithengwe nguKhalil ngephepha alikrazule kwenye yeempapasho zamaNgqina kaYehova. Elo phepha lalinedilesi yethu. Saba nexesha elimnandi kakhulu kunye naye, yaye kamva, ngowe-1939, waza eTripoli ukuze abhaptizwe.
Ngowe-1937, uPetros Lagakos nomfazi wakhe bafika eTripoli. Kwiminyaka embalwa eyalandelayo, sobathathu sayigubungela inxalenye enkulu yeLebhanon neSiriya, sisiya ebantwini kumakhaya abo sibaphathela isigidimi seBhayibhile. Ngethuba lokufa kukaMzalwan’ uLagakos ngowe-1943, amaNgqina ayesele ese ukukhanya kokomoya kwinkoliso yezixeko needolophu zaseLebhanon, eSiriya nasePalestina. Maxa wambi, abamalunga nama-30 kuthi babevuka ngeye-3:00 kusasa bahambe ngenqwelo-mafutha okanye uduladula besinge kwiindawo ezisemaphandleni.
Kwiminyaka yee-1940, uIbrahim Atiyeh wayeguqulela IMboniselo kulwimi lwesiArabhu. Emva koko ndandibhala imibhalo emine yelo phephancwadi ngesandla ndize ndiyithumele kumaNgqina asePalestina, eSiriya nase-Egypt. Ngezo mini ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II, wawuchaswa kakhulu umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela, kodwa saqhubeka siqhagamshelana nabathandi benyaniso yeBhayibhile kuMbindi Mpuma. Ndandisenza iimaphu zezixeko needolophana ezisingqongileyo yaye sasiqinisekisa ukuba zonke siyazifikelela ngeendaba ezilungileyo.
Ngowe-1944, ngoxa IMfazwe Yehlabathi II yayisaqhubeka, ndatshata noEvelyn, intombi yogxa wam endandinguvulindlela kunye naye, uMichel Aboud. Ekugqibeleni saba nabantwana abathathu, intombi noonyana ababini.
Ukusebenza Nabavangeli Basemazweni
Kungekudala emva kokuphela kwemfazwe, eLebhanon kwagaleleka abokuqala abaphumelele kwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi sabavangeli. Ngenxa yoko, kwasekwa ibandla lokuqala eLebhanon, yaye ndamiselwa njengesicaka sebandla. Kwandula ke, ngowe-1947, uNathan H. Knorr nonobhala wakhe, uMilton G. Henschel, batyelela iLebhanon baza babakhuthaza kakhulu abazalwana. Kungekudala kwafika abavangeli basemazweni abangakumbi, yaye basinceda kakhulu ekucwangciseni intsimi yethu nasekuqhubeni iintlanganiso zebandla.
Kolunye uhambo lwethu lokuya komnye wemimandla esemaphandleni eSiriya, sachaswa ngubhishophu wasekuhlaleni. Wasityhola ngokusasaza oko wayekubiza ngokuthi ziimpapasho zobuZiyon. Okuhlekisayo kukuba, ngaphambi kowe-1948 abefundisi babesibiza ngokuthi “singamaKomanisi.” Ngesi sihlandlo, sabanjwa saza sancinwa kangangeeyure ezimbini, ekwathi ebudeni belo xesha sanikela ubungqina obubalaseleyo.
Ekugqibeleni, ijaji eyayichophele elo tyala yathi: “Nangona ndimzonda untshebe [isifanokuthi esibhekisela kubhishophu] onimangaleleyo, ndimele ndimbulele ngokundinika eli thuba lokuba ndidibane nani ndize ndifunde ngeemfundiso zenu.” Wandula ke wacela uxolo ngokuphazamiseka kwethu.
Ngoxa ndandisendleleni eya eBeirut kwiminyaka elishumi kamva, ndaqalisa ukuncokola nendoda eyayihleli ecaleni kwam, ingcali kwezolimo. Emva kwemizuzu embalwa iphulaphule iinkolelo zethu, yathi ikhe yayiva intetho enjengale kumhlobo wayo eSiriya. Yayingubani loo mhlobo wayo? Yijaji eyayichophele ityala lethu kwiminyaka elishumi ngaphambili!
Ngeminyaka yee-1950, ndatyelela amaNgqina aseIraq ndaza ndakunye nawo kumsebenzi wokunikela ubungqina kwindlu ngendlu. Kwakhona ndiye ndaquqa eJodarn naseWest Bank. Ngowe-1951, ndandingomnye weqela lamaNgqina amane aya eBhetelehem. Sabhiyozela iSidlo seNkosi Sangokuhlwa apho. Ekuseni ngaloo mini bonke ababekho kweso sihlandlo bahamba ngoduladula baya kuMlambo iYordan, apho kwabhaptizwa khona abangama-22 befuzisela ukuzahlulela kwabo kuYehova. Nanini na sijamelana nentshutshiso kuloo mmandla, sasidla ngokuthi: “Size kunixelela ukuba omnye woonyana benu uza kuba nguKumkani emhlabeni wonke! Kutheni nikhathazekile nje? Nimele nivuye!”
Ukushumayela Phantsi Kwamanzithinzithi
Ngokuqhelekileyo abantu bakuMbindi Mpuma ngabantu abalungileyo, abathobekileyo nabanobubele. Uninzi lusiphulaphula ngomdla isigidimi soBukumkani bukaThixo. Eneneni, akukho nto ihlaziya njengokwazi ukuba kungekudala eli themba leBhayibhile liza kuzaliseka: ‘UThixo ngokwakhe uya kuba nabo [abantu bakhe]. Uya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni abo, kungabi sabakho kufa, kungabi sabakho kuzila nakukhala nantlungu kwakhona.’—ISityhilelo 21:3, 4.
Ndifumanise ukuba inkoliso yabantu abachasa umsebenzi wethu abawazi yaye abasazi nesigidimi esisiphetheyo. Abefundisi beNgqobhoko baye basibeka izityholo ngendlela emangalisayo! Ngoko, ebudeni bemfazwe yamakhaya eyaqala ngowe-1975 yaza yaqhuba kangangeminyaka eli-15 eLebhanon, amaNgqina ajamelana neengxaki ezininzi.
Ngaxa lithile, ndandiqhuba isifundo seBhayibhile nentsapho nabantu ababeyithanda gqitha icawa. Inkqubela yayo entle ekufundeni iBhayibhile yabacaphukisa abefundisi. Ngenxa yoko, ngobunye ubusuku iqela lecawa yasekuhlaleni layalela amalungu alo ukuba atshabalalise ivenkile yaloo ntsapho, yaye atshisa izinto zevenkile ezixabisa malunga nee-R77 000. Kwangobo busuku bunye, aza kundiqweqwedisa. Noko ke, ndakwazi ukuqiqa nenkokeli yalo, ndayicacisela ukuba xa ngokwenene babengamaKristu, babengenakwenza izinto ngendlela engenasidima ngolo hlobo. Ndathi ndakuyixelela oko, yayalela ukuba kumiswe inqwelo-mafutha yaza yandiyalela ukuba ndiphume.
Ngesinye isihlandlo, ndaqweqwediswa ngamadoda amane omkhosi. Emva kwezisongelo eziliqela, inkokeli yawo eyayithe iza kundidubula, yatshintsha ingqondo ndaza ndakhululwa. Amadoda amabini kulawo asentolongweni ngenxa yokubulala nokuphanga, yaye amabini abulawa.
Amanye Amathuba Okunikela Ubungqina
Ngokufuthi ndibe namathuba okuhamba ngenqwelo-moya ukusuka kwelinye ilizwe ukuya kwelinye. Ngaxa lithile ngoxa ndandihamba ngenqwelo-moya ndisuka eBeirut ndisiya eUnited States, ndahlala ecaleni kukaCharles Malek, owayesakuba ngumphathiswa wezangaphandle eLebhanon. Waphulaphula ngenyameko, ezixabisa zonke iindinyana zeBhayibhile endandimfundela zona. Ekugqibeleni, wathi wayefunde kwisikolo saseTripoli efundiswa nguIbrahim Atiyeh, indoda eyafundiswa inyaniso yeBhayibhile ngubawozala. UMnu. Malek wathi uIbrahim wamfundisa ukuba ayihlonele iBhayibhile.
Ngesinye isihlandlo xa ndandihamba ngenqwelo-moya, ndahlala ecaleni kommeli wasePalestina kwiZizwe Ezimanyeneyo. Ndafumana ithuba lokumxelela ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Ekugqibeleni wandazisa kwintsapho yomntakwabo eseNew York yaye ndandiyityelela ngokufuthi apho. Ndandinaso nesalamane esasisebenza kwisakhiwo seZizwe Ezimanyeneyo eNew York. Ngenye imini xa ndandisityelele ndahlala iiyure ezintathu, yaye ngelo xesha ndakwazi ukunikela ubungqina kuso ngoBukumkani bukaThixo.
Ngoku ndineminyaka engama-88 ubudala, yaye ndisakwazi ukunyamekela iimbopheleleko zebandla ngokuzeleyo. Umfazi wam, uEvelyn usakhonza uYehova kunye nam. Intombi yethu yatshata nomveleli ohambahambayo wamaNgqina kaYehova, ngoku okhonza njengomdala kwibandla laseBeirut. Nentombi yabo liNgqina. Unyana wethu omncinane kunye nomfazi wakhe ngamaNgqina, yaye nentombi yabo isenyanisweni. Ngokuphathelele unyana wethu olizibulo, wayifundiswa inyaniso yobuKristu, yaye ndinethemba lokuba ngenye imini, uya kuyamkela.
Ngowe-1933, ndamiselwa ukuba ndikhonze njengovulindlela—owokuqala kuMbindi Mpuma. Ayikho enye into ebhetele engendiyenzile ngobomi bam kunokukhonza uYehova njengovulindlela kuyo yonke le minyaka ingama-68 idluleyo. Yaye ndizimisele ukuqhubeka ndihamba ekukhanyeni kokomoya asinika kona.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
UNajib ngowe-1935
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Ndikunye nenqwelo-mafutha enesandisi-lizwi kwiiNtaba zaseLebhanon, ngowe-1940
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 25]
Ngasentla ukusuka ngasekhohlo ukusa ekunene: uNajib, uEvelyn, intombi yabo, uMzalwan’ uAboud kunye nonyana olizibulo kaNajib ngowe-1952
Ngezantsi (ngaphambili) uMzalwan’ uShammas, uKnorr, uAboud noHenschel kwikhaya likaNajib, eTripoli, ngowe-1952
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
UNajib nomfazi wakhe, uEvelyn