Ibali Lobomi

Ukukhonza Ngomoya Wokuzincama

NGOKUBALISWA NGUDON RENDELL

UMama wafa ngowe-1927 xa ndandineminyaka emihlanu kuphela ubudala. Sekunjalo, ukholo lwakhe lwabuchaphazela kanobom ubomi bam. Kwenzeka njani oko?

UMAMA wayengumTshetshi othembekileyo xa wayetshata notata, owayelijoni. Batshata ngaphambi kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I. IMfazwe Yehlabathi I yaqhambuka ngowe-1914, yaye uMama akazange avumelane nokuba umfundisi asebenzise ipulpiti ukugaya amajoni okuya emkhosini. Waphendula wathini umfundisi? “Goduka, yaye ungazikhathazi ngemibuzo enjalo!” Oko akuzange kumanelise uMama.

Ngowe-1917, xa imfazwe yayifikelele kwincopho yayo, uMama waya kubona i-“Photo-Drama of Creation.” Eqinisekile ukuba uyifumene inyaniso, ngokukhawuleza wayishiya icawa yakhe ukuze anxulumane naBafundi beBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayesaziwa njalo ngoko. Wayesiya kwiintlanganiso kwibandla eliseYeovil, eyona dolophu ikufuphi nedolophana yethu yaseWest Coker, kwinqila yamaNgesi yaseSomerset.

Kungekudala uMama wayeshumayela koodade wabo abathathu ngokholo lwakhe olutsha. Amalungu asele ekhulile ebandla laseYeovil aye andichazela ngendlela umama nodade wabo uMillie ababelusasaza ngenzondelelo ngayo uncwadi lokufunda iBhayibhile iStudies in the Scriptures kwintsimi yethu enkulu yasemaphandleni beqhuba iibhayisekile zabo. Noko ke, okubuhlungu kukuba, kwiinyanga ezili-18 zokugqibela zobomi bakhe, uMama wayelele ngandletyan’ anye ngenxa yesifo sephepha, esasingenakunyangeka ngelo xesha.

Ukuzinikela

UMakazi uMillie, owayehlala nathi ngelo xesha, wanyamekela uMama xa wayegula yaye wasigcina mna nodade wethu oneminyaka esixhenxe ubudala, uJoan. Wathi akufa uMama, ngokukhawuleza uMakazi uMillie wacela ukunyamekela thina bantwana. UTata, evuya kuba ekhululekile kule mbopheleleko, wavuma ngokulula ukuba sihlale noMakazi uMillie ngokusisigxina.

Sasimthanda uMakazi wethu yaye sasivuya kuba wayeza kuhlala nathi. Kodwa kwakutheni ukuze enze isigqibo esinjalo? Kwiminyaka emininzi kamva, uMakazi uMillie wasixelela ukuba wayesazi ukuba wayenembopheleleko yokwakha kwisiseko uMama awasibekayo—ukufundisa mna noJoan inyaniso yeBhayibhile—into awabona ukuba utata wayengasoze ayenze, njengoko wayengenamdla kunqulo.

Ngenxa yoko, nathi safumanisa ukuba uMakazi uMillie wayezenzele isigqibo. Ukuze asinyamekele kakuhle, wayengasayi kutshata. Okunjani kona ukuzinikela! Mna noJoan sinesizathu sokuba simbulele kakhulu. Zonke izinto uMakazi uMillie awasifundisa zona nomzekelo omhle awasibekela wona siye sahlala siwukhumbula.

Ixesha Lesigqibo

Mna noJoan sasifunda kwisikolo esisedolophini samaTshetshi apho uMakazi uMillie wayeyixelele ngokungqongqo inqununukazi yalapho ngokuphathelele imfundiso yonqulo lwethu. Xa abanye abantwana babesiya ecaweni, sasigoduka, yaye xa umfundisi wayesiza esikolweni ukuze asifundise ngonqulo, sasihlala ecaleni yaye sasinikwa iindinyana zeZibhalo ukuba sizicengceleze. Oku kwandinceda, njengoko le mibhalo yabetheleleka engqondweni yam.

Ndaphuma esikolweni xa ndandineminyaka eli-14 ubudala ukuze ndifunde ngoxa ndiqeshiwe kangangeminyaka emine kumzi-mveliso wasekuhlaleni wokwenza isonka samasi. Ndafunda ukudlala ipiyano, yaye umculo nomngqungqo zaba zizinto zam zokuzonwabisa. Nangona inyaniso yeBhayibhile yayisentliziyweni yam, kwakusafuneka indichukumise. Kwandula ke ngenye imini ngoMatshi 1940, iNgqina elisele likhulile landimema ukuba ndilipheleke ukuya kwindibano eSwindon, ekumgama oziikhilomitha ezili-110. UAlbert D. Schroeder, umlungiseleli owongamelayo wamaNgqina kaYehova eBritani, wanikela intetho yesidlangalala. Loo ndibano yabuguqula ubomi bam.

Ngoku yayilixesha leMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Ndandisenza ntoni ngobomi bam? Ndagqiba kwelokuba ndibuyele kwiHolo yoBukumkani yaseYeovil. Kwintlanganiso yokuqala endaya kuyo, saxelelwa ngokuqalisa ukushumayela esitratweni. Phezu kwalo nje ulwazi lwam olusikelwe umda, ndaqhutywa yintliziyo ukuba ndibe nesabelo kulo msebenzi, yaye ndothuka kakhulu xa abo babesithi ngabahlobo bam bandigculela njengoko bedlula!

NgoJuni 1940, ndabhaptizwa kwisixeko saseBristol. Emva nje kwenyanga ndabhalisa njengovulindlela othe ngxi—umvangeli wexesha elizeleyo. Hayi indlela endavuya ngayo xa, kamva, udade wethu wafuzisela uzahlulelo lwakhe ngokubhaptizwa emanzini!

Ukuba Nguvulindlela Ngexesha Lemfazwe

Kunyaka emva kokuba imfazwe iqalile, ndafumana incwadi ethi mandiye emkhosini. Ekubeni ndandibhalise njengongayi kungenelela emkhosini eYeovil, kwafuneka ndivele enkundleni eBristol. Ndandinguvulindlela noJohn Wynn eCinderford, eGloucestershire, yaye kamva eHaverfordwest naseCarmarthen, eWales.a Kamva, xa kwathethwa ityala enkundleni eCarmarthen, ndagwetywa iinyanga ezintathu kwintolongo yaseSwansea, yaye kwafuneka ndihlawule imali engangeeponti ezingama-25—imali eyayininzi ngezo mini. Ngenxa yoko, ndaphinda ndavalelwa ezinye iinyanga ezintathu entolongweni ngenxa yokungayihlawuli loo mali.

Xa lalithethwa okwesithathu eli tyala, ndabuzwa: “Ngaba awazi ukuba iBhayibhile ithi, ‘Nika uKesare izinto zikaKesare’?” Ndaphendula ndathi: “Ewe, ndiyakwazi oko, kodwa ndingathanda ukugqibezela loo ndinyana: ‘yaye kuThixo izinto zikaThixo.’ Koko kanye endikwenzayo.” (Mateyu 22:21, King James Version) Kwiiveki ezimbalwa kamva, ndafumana incwadi endixelela ukuba ndikhululekile ukuba ndingayi emkhosini.

Ekuqaleni kowe-1945, ndamenywa ukuba ndibe lilungu lentsapho yaseBheteli eLondon. Kubusika obulandelayo, uNathan H. Knorr, owayekhokela ekulungiseleleni umsebenzi wokushumayela ehlabathini lonke, nonobhala wakhe, uMilton G. Henschel, batyelela eLondon. Abazalwana abaselula abasibhozo baseBritani babhaliswa kwiklasi yesibhozo yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi ukuze baqeqeshelwe ubuvangeli basemazweni, yaye ndandiphakathi kwabo.

Isabelo Sobuvangeli Basemazweni

NgoMeyi 23, 1946, sahamba ngenqanawa eyayakhiwe ngexesha lemfazwe sisuka kwizibuko elincinane laseCornwall eFowey. Umphathi wezibuko, uMphathi uCollins, wayengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova, yaye njengoko sasishiya indawo ezothulela kuyo iinqanawa, wakhalisa impempe. Ngokuzenzekelayo, kwakungemnandi njengoko sasilushiya unxweme lwaseNgilani. Kwakunzima ukunqumla iAtlantiki, kodwa kwiintsuku ezili-13 kamva safika sikhuselekile eUnited States.

Sakunandipha ukuya kwiNdibano Yolawulo Lobuthixo eyayisithi Iintlanga Ezivuyayo engasoze ilibaleke yeentsuku ezisibhozo eCleveland, eOhio, ukususela ngoAgasti 4 ukusa kowe-11, 1946. Kwakukho abantu abangama-80 000, kuquka nabangama-302 ababesuka kumanye amazwe angama-32. Kuloo ndibano kwakhululwa kwisihlwele esinehlombe iphephancwadi uVukani!,b nencwadi yokufundisisa iBhayibhile ethi “UThixo Makabe Nenyaniso.”

Saphumelela eGiliyadi ngowe-1947, yaye mna noBill Copson sabelwa e-Egypt. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba sihambe, ndafumana ilungelo lokuqeqeshelwa umsebenzi waseofisini nguRichard Abrahamson kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn. Sahlala eAlexandria, yaye kungekudala ndaziqhelanisa nendlela yokuphila yakuMbindi Mpuma. Noko ke, kwakulucelomngeni ukufunda isiArabhu, yaye ndandifanele ndisebenzise amaqweqwe okunikela ubungqina ngeelwimi ezine.

UBill Copson wahlala iminyaka esixhenxe, kodwa ndandingakwazi ukuhlaziya iphepha-mvume lam lokuhlala emva konyaka omnye, ngoko ndandifanele ndilishiye elo lizwe. Loo nyaka wenkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni ndiwujonga njengowona wakhe wanemveliso. Ndaba nelungelo lokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile zamakhaya ezingama-20 veki nganye, yaye abanye babo bafunda inyaniso ngelo xesha basaqhubeka bedumisa uYehova. Ukusuka e-Egypt, ndabelwa eCyprus.

ECyprus NakwaSirayeli

Ndaqalisa ukufunda ulwimi olutsha, isiGrike, ndaza ndaziqhelanisa nolwimi lwasekuhlaleni. Kamva, xa uAnthony Sideris wacelwa ukuba afudukele eGrisi, ndabelwa ukuba ndongamele umsebenzi eCyprus. Ngelo xesha iofisi yesebe yaseCyprus yayinyamekela elakwaSirayeli, yaye ndaba nelungelo lokutyelela amaNgqina aliqela ngamathuba athile.

Kuhambo lwam lokuqala ndisinge kwaSirayeli, saba nendibano encinane kwivenkile yokutyela eHaifa, ekwakukho kuyo abantu abangama-50 okanye abangama-60. Ngenxa yamaqela eentlanga ezahlukahlukeneyo, ucwangciso lwendibano lwaqhutywa ngeelwimi ezintandathu ezahlukahlukeneyo! Ngesinye isihlandlo ndakwazi ukubonisa umboniso wamaNgqina kaYehova eJerusalem, ndaza ndanikela intetho yesidlangalala ekwathethwa kakuhle ngayo kwiphephandaba lesiNgesi.

Ngelo xesha kwakukho malunga namaNgqina ali-100 eCyprus, yaye ayefanele alulwele ngamandla ukholo lwawo. Amahlokondiba akhokelwa ngabefundisi beCawa yobuOthodoki bamaGrike ayeziphazamisa iindibano zethu, yayisisihlandlo sokuqala ndigityiselwa ngamatye xa ndishumayela kwimimandla yasemaphandleni. Kwafuneka ndifunde iindlela zokuzisindisa ngokukhawuleza! Ekubeni sasichaswa ngokuqatha, kwakusomeleza ukholo ukuba nabavangeli basemazweni abangakumbi ababelwe kwesi siqithi. UDennis noMavis Matthews kwakunye noJoan Hulley noBeryl Heywood bandithelela eFamagusta, ngoxa uTom noMary Goulden noNina Constanti, ummi waseCyprus ozalelwe eLondon, waya eLimassol. Kwangaxeshanye, uBill Copson wathunyelwa eCyprus, owathi kamva wathelelwa nguBert noBeryl Vaisey.

Ukwamkela Iimeko Eziguquguqukayo

Ngasekupheleni kowe-1957, ndagula yaye ndandingakwazi ukuqhubeka nesabelo sam sobuvangeli basemazweni. Ndibuhlungu ndagqiba kwelokuba ukuze ndichache kufuneka ndibuyele eNgilani, apho ndaqhubeka ndinguvulindlela de kwangowe-1960. Ngobubele udade wethu nomyeni wakhe bandinika indawo yokuhlala, kodwa iimeko zaziguqukile. Iimeko zazisiya zisiba nzima ngakumbi kuJoan. Ngaphandle kokunyamekela umyeni wakhe nentombi yakhe encinane, ngoxa ndandingekho iminyaka eli-17, ngothando wayenyamekela utata noMakazi uMillie, ababeluphele yaye bengekho mpilweni ngelo xesha. Kwacaca ukuba ndandifanele ndilandele umzekelo kamakazi wokuzincama, ngoko ndahlala nodade wethu de umakazi notata bafa.

Ngekwakulula ukuhlala eNgilani, kodwa emva kokuphumla kancinane, ndaziva ndinembopheleleko yokubuyela kwisabelo sam. Ngapha koko, ngaba intlangano kaYehova ayichithanga imali eninzi indiqeqesha? Ngoko ngowe-1972, ndazihlawulela imali yokuya eCyprus ukuze ndiphinde ndibe nguvulindlela apho.

Kwafika uNathan H. Knorr eze kulungiselela indibano eyayiza kubakho ngonyaka olandelayo. Xa efumanisa ukuba sele ndibuyile, wandincomela ukuba ndibe ngumveleli ohambahambayo kuso sonke eso siqithi, ilungelo endaba nalo iminyaka emine. Noko ke, yayisisabelo esoyikisayo, ekubeni ixesha elininzi ndandifanele ndithethe isiGrike.

Ixesha Lenkathazo

Ndandihlala noPaul Andreou, iNgqina laseCyprus elithetha isiGrike, kwidolophana yaseKarakoumi, kwimpuma yeKyrenia, kunxweme lwasemntla. Iofisi yesebe yaseCyprus yayiseNicosia, ngezantsi kweeNtaba zeKyrenia. Ekuqaleni kukaJulayi 1974, ndandiseNicosia xa kwabhukuqwa uMongameli uMakarios, yaye ndabona ibhotwe lakhe litshiswa. Xa kwakungaseyongozi ukuhamba, ndakhawuleza ndabuyela eKyrenia, apho sasilungiselela khona indibano yesiphaluka. Kwiintsuku ezimbini kamva ndeva ibhombu yokuqala idubula kwizibuko, yaye ndabona isibhakabhaka sizele ziinqwelo-moya zizise amajoni awayevela eTurkey.

Ngenxa yokuba ndingummi waseBritani, amajoni aseTurkey andisa kwimimandla yaseNicosia, apho ndagocwagocwa ngamagosa eZizwe Ezimanyeneyo awaqhagamshelana neofisi yesebe. Kamva ndajamelana nento eyoyikisayo yokuhamba phakathi kweengcingo ezixineneyo zefowuni nezombane ndisinge kumakhaya angenabantu akwelinye icala apho kungahlali bantu khona. Hayi indlela endavuya ngayo kuba unxibelelwano lwam noYehova uThixo lwalungenakuphazanyiswa! Imithandazo yam yandomeleza xa ndandihlangabezana nokona kunxunguphalisayo ebomini bam.

Ndandilahlekelwe yiyo yonke into, kodwa ndandivuya kuba ndandikhuselekile kwiofisi yesebe. Noko ke, andizange ndikhuseleke ixesha elide. Kwiintsuku nje ezimbalwa, imikhosi yayisele ilawula ummandla omkhulu okumantla wesiqithi. Kwafuneka ukuba siyishiye iBheteli, saza safudukela eLimassol. Ndavuya kuba ndakwazi ukusebenza apho nekomiti eyasekwa ukuba inyamekele abazalwana abangama-300 abachatshazelwa sesi sidubedube, abaninzi babo ababengasenamakhaya.

Izabelo Ezingakumbi

NgoJanuwari 1981, iQumrhu Elilawulayo landicela ukuba ndifudukele eGrisi ukuze ndibe lilungu lentsapho yaseBheteli eAthens, kodwa ekupheleni konyaka, ndabuyela eCyprus ndaza ndamiselwa njengomlungelelanisi weKomiti yeSebe. UAndreas Kontoyiorgis nomfazi wakhe, uMaro, abemi baseCyprus abathunyelwa besuka eLondon, ‘bandomeleza.’—Kolose 4:11.

Ekupheleni kotyelelo lwecandelo lukaTheodore Jaracz ngowe-1984, ndafumana ileta evela kwiQumrhu Elilawulayo eyayisithi: “Ukugqiba kwakhe, singathanda ukuba uhambe noMzalwan’ uJaracz uye eGrisi.” Andizange ndixelelwe sizathu, kodwa ukufika kwethu eGrisi, enye ileta evela kwiQumrhu Elilawulayo yafundwa kwiKomiti yeSebe, indimisela njengomlungelelanisi weKomiti yeSebe kwelo lizwe.

Ngeli xesha, kwakuqalisa uwexuko. Sasimangalelwa ngokuguqula abantu ngokungekho mthethweni. Imihla ngemihla, abantu bakaYehova babebanjwa baze basiwe ezinkundleni. Hayi ilungelo endaba nalo lokwazi abazalwana noodade abaye banyamezela baza bagcina ingqibelelo yabo phantsi kovavanyo! Amanye amatyala abo asiwa kwiNkundla Yamalungelo Abantu YaseYurophu, nto leyo eyaba nemiphumo emihle yaza yanegalelo elihle kumsebenzi wokushumayela eGrisi.c

Ngoxa ndikhonza eGrisi, ndakwazi ukuya kwiindibano endingasoze ndizilibale eAthens, eThessalonica nakwiziqithi zaseRhodes naseCrete. Yayiyiminyaka emine emnandi, nenemveliso, kodwa kwakuza kubakho enye inguqulelo—ukubuyela eCyprus ngowe-1988.

ECyprus Nokubuyela EGrisi

Ngoxa ndandingekho eCyprus, abazalwana bafumana indawo yesebe elitsha eNissou, ekwiikhilomitha ezimbalwa ukusuka eNicosia, yaye uCarey Barber, osuka kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eliseBrooklyn, wanikela intetho yokunikezelwa. Izinto zazizinzile kwesi siqithi ngoku, yaye ndavuya ukuba ndibuyele kwakhona—kodwa izinto azizange zizinze ixesha elide.

IQumrhu Elilawulayo lazamkela iiplani zokwakha ikhaya elitsha laseBheteli eGrisi, kwiikhilomitha ezimbalwa kumntla weAthens. Njengoko ndandikwazi ukuthetha isiNgesi nesiGrike, ndamenywa ukuba ndibuye ukuze ndisebenze kwisiza sesakhiwo esitsha ngowe-1990 njengetoliki yentsapho yabakhonzi bokwakha bamazwe ngamazwe ababesebenza apho. Ndisakhumbula uvuyo endandiba nalo lokubakho kwisiza ngentsimbi yesithandathu ngeentsasa zangehlobo, ndisamkela amakhulu abazalwana noodade abangamaGrike abangamatsha-ntliziyo ukuze basebenze kunye nentsapho eyakhayo! Ndiya kuhlala ndilukhumbula ulonwabo nenzondelelo yabo.

Abefundisi bobuOthodoki abangamaGrike nabaxhasi babo bazama ukungena kwisiza ukuze baphazamise umsebenzi wethu, kodwa uYehova wayiva imithandazo yethu, yaye wasikhusela. Ndahlala kweso siza ukuze ndilibone ikhaya elitsha laseBheteli xa lalinikezelwa ngoAprili 13, 1991.

Ukuxhasa Udade Wethu Othandekayo

Kunyaka olandelayo, ndathabatha ikhefu ndabuyela eNgilani, ndihlala nodade wethu nomyeni wakhe. Okubuhlungu kukuba, ngoxa ndandilapho, usibali wahlaselwa yintliziyo izihlandlo ezibini waza wafa. UJoan wandixhasa kakhulu ebudeni benkonzo yam yobuvangeli basemazweni. Kwakungapheli veki engandibhalelanga incwadi ekhuthazayo. Hayi indlela oluyintsikelelo ngayo uqhagamshelwano olunjalo nakuwuphi na umvangeli wasemazweni! Ngoku wayengumhlolokazi, enempilo enkenenkene yaye efuna inkxaso. Yintoni endandimele ndiyenze?

Intombi kaJoan, uThelma, nomyeni wakhe babenyamekela umhlolokazi othile othembekileyo kwibandla labo, omnye wabaza bethu owayenesigulo esingapheliyo. Ngoko emva kokuthandaza izihlandlo ezininzi, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndihlale ndincede ekunyamekeleni uJoan. Olu hlengahlengiso lwalungelula, kodwa ndinelungelo lokukhonza njengomdala ePen Mill, elinye lamabandla amabini aseYeovil.

Abazalwana endandikhonza nabo kwamanye amazwe baqhubeka beqhagamshelana nam ngefowuni nangeleta, yaye ndinombulelo ngoko. Ukuba bendingafuna ukubuyela eGrisi okanye eCyprus, ndiyazi ukuba bendiya kuwafumana ngokukhawuleza amatikiti. Kodwa ngoku ndineminyaka engama-80 ubudala, yaye andisaboni yaye impilo yam ayisafani nakuqala. Kuyadimaza ukungabi nalo udlamko ubani awayenalo ngaphambili, kodwa iminyaka yam kwinkonzo yaseBheteli iye yandinceda ndahlakulela imikhwa emininzi eluncedo kungokunje. Ngokomzekelo, ndihlala ndifunda itekisi yosuku ngaphambi kwesidlo sakusasa. Ndafunda ukusebenzisana nokubathanda abantu—undoqo ekuphumeleleni kwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni.

Xa ndikhangela emva kwiminyaka engama-60 eyadlulayo endayichitha ndidumisa uYehova, ndiyazi ukuba inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo yeyona ikukhusela kakhulu yaye inikela eyona mfundo iphambili. Ndingawaphinda ngentliziyo yam yonke amazwi kaDavide xa wayethetha noYehova esithi: “Ungqineke uyindawo ephakamileyo enqabisekileyo kum.”—INdumiso 59:16.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Iimaphu ezikwiphepha 24]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

GREECE

Athens

CYPRUS

Nicosia

Kyrenia

Famagusta

Limassol

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]

UMama ngowe-1915

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 22]

Ngowe-1946 kuphahla lwaseBheteli eBrooklyn, mna (ndingowesine ukusuka ekhohlo)nabanye abazalwana ababekwiklasi yesibhozo yaseGiliyadi

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

NdinoMakazi uMillie emva kokuba ndibuyele eNgilani okwesihlandlo sokuqala