Ibali Lobomi
Ukuvuzwa Ngenxa Yokuphila Ngokuhlonela UThixo
NGOKUBALISWA NGUWILLIAM AIHINORIA
Ndavuswa kukuncwina kukaTata okuqhelekileyo ezinzulwini zobusuku. Wayembolamboleka phantsi ebambe isisu. Mna noMama, nodadewethu omdala sasingungelene kuye. Xa ngathi iintlungu ziyadamba, wahlala nkqo, waza enesingqala wathi: “NgamaNgqina kaYehova kuphela awonwabileyo emhlabeni.” Andidida loo mazwi, kodwa andizange ndiwalibale kuba ndandingazange ndive ngamaNgqina kaYehova ngaphambili. Ndandifuna ukwazi ukuba wayethetha ukuthini.
ESO siganeko senzeka ngowe-1953 xa ndandineminyaka emithandathu ubudala. Ndikhulele kwikhaya lesithembu e-Ewossa, kwidolophana yabalimi kumbindi-ntshona waseNigeria. Ndandingumntwana wesibini, kodwa ndandilizibulo kwintsapho eyathi ekugqibeleni yanda yaba nabafazi bakaTata aba-3 nabantwana abali-13. Sasihlala kwindlu kaTatomkhulu eyayifulelwe ngengca enamagumbi amane odaka. Sasihlala noMakhulu nabakhuluwa bakaTata ababini nomninawa wakhe, kwakunye neentsapho zabo.
Ndakhula nzima. Eyona nto yayizenza zibe nzima nangakumbi izinto yayikukugula kukaTata. Wayekhathazwa sisisu esathi ekugqibeleni sambulala kwiminyaka emininzi kamva. Esi sigulo sakhe singaziwayo sasinganyangeki ngonyango olwalunokufumaneka kwintsapho engamahlwempu yaseAfrika—ngeengcambu nangeendlela zokunyanga zesintu. Sasichitha iintsuku ezininzi ebusuku sikhala ecaleni kukaTata njengoko wayebhuqabhuqeka phantsi ephethwe ziintlungu de kukhale iinkuku kusuku olulandelayo. Ngenjongo yokufuna unyango, wayedla ngokuhamba noMama, endishiya nabantakwethu kuMakhulu.
Njengentsapho sasiphila ngokulima nokuthengisa iyam, icassava namandongomane ekola. Kwakhona sasiqokelela irabha ukuze sifumane itikana yokongezelela kwimalana esasiyifumana. Sasiphila ngokutya iyam. Sasivuka ngeyam, siyigube emva kwemini, siphinde silale ngayo. Ngamaxesha athile, sasisitya into eyahlukileyo xa sifumene ibhanana yasendle eqhotsiweyo (plantain).
Ukunqula izinyanya kwakuyinto ebalulekileyo ebomini bethu. Njengentsapho sasisenza amadini ngokunikela ngokutya okufakwe kwiimbaza ezibotshelelwe kukhuni. UTata wayekwanqula isithixo esithile ukugxotha umshologu namagqwirha.
Xa ndandineminyaka emihlanu ubudala, okwethutyana safuduka kwidolophana yethu saya kuhlala ngasemasimini akwiikhilomitha ezinokuba li-11 mgama. Silapho uTata wahlaselwa sisifo ekuthiwa yiguinea worm, nto leyo eyongezelela kwisigulo sakhe sesisu. Wayengakwazi ukusebenza emini, yaye wayeqaqanjelwa sisisu ebusuku. Mna ndahlaselwa sisifo seentwala ekuthiwa yijigger okanye isandflea. Ngenxa yoko, sasiphila ngokuphiwa zizalamane zethu. Kunokuba sifele kobu bugxwayiba, sabuyela kwidolophana yasekhaya e-Ewossa. UTata wayefuna ukuba, mna njengezibulo lakhe, ndingabi ngumlimi olima nje ukuze kutyiwe. Wayecinga ukuba imfundo enomsila yayiya kundenza ndikwazi ukuphucula imeko yasekhaya ndize ndikwazi ukukhulisa abantakwethu.
Ukunxulumana Neenkonzo Ezahlukahlukeneyo
Sakuba sibuyele kwidolophana yasekhaya, ndaqalisa ukuya esikolweni. Oku kwandinxulumanisa neenkonzo zeNgqobhoko. Ngeminyaka yee-1950, kwakunzima ukwahlula imfundo yaseNtshona neenkonzo nolawulo lwamathanga. Ekubeni ndandifunda kwisikolo samabanga aphantsi samaKatolika, oku kwakuthetha ukuba ndingumRoma Katolika.
Ngowe-1966, ngaloo nyaka ndandineminyaka eli-19 ubudala, ndamkelwa kwiPilgrim Baptist Secondary School kwidolophu yase-Ewohinmi, kumgama onokuba ziikhilomitha ezisi-8 ukusuka e-Ewossa. Apho ndafika ndaqhelana neemfundiso zenye icawa. Ekubeni ngoku ndandifunda kwisikolo samaRhabe, abefundisi bamaKatolika babengandivumeli nditye kwiDini leMisa.
Ndaqala ngeli xesha ndikwesi sikolo samaBhaptizi ukufunda iBhayibhile. Nangona ndaqhubeka ndihamba icawa yamaKatolika, ndandizifundela iBhayibhile Cawa nganye emva kwenkonzo yamaKatolika. Zandichukumisa gqitha iimfundiso zikaYesu Kristu, nto leyo eyandibangela ndanomnqweno wokuphila ubomi obunenjongo bokuhlonela uThixo. Okukhona ndifunda iBhayibhile, kokukhona ndandiye ndilucekisa ngakumbi uhanahaniso lwezinye iinkokeli zonqulo nendlela yokuziphatha okubi kwamarhamente amaninzi. Into endandiyibona kwabo babesithi bangamaKristu yayahluke gqitha koko kwafundiswa kwaza kwenziwa nguYesu nabafundi bakhe.
Izinto ezithile zandothusa gqitha. Ngenye imini xa ndandiye kuthenga irosari kwivenkilana ethengisa izinto zecawa, ndabona ikhubalo lijinga emgubasini wocango. Ngenye imini, inqununu yesikolo saseBhaptizi yazama ukundixhaphaza ngokwesini. Emva koko ndeva ukuba ilifanasini yaye iye yabaxhaphaza abanye. Ndaziphonononga ezi zinto, ndizibuza, ‘Ngaba uThixo uyakholiswa ziinkonzo ezinamalungu neenkokeli ezingaphenduliswayo ngezono zazo ezinzulu?’
Ukufumana Unqulo Olutsha
Sekunjalo, ndandikuthanda oko ndandikufunda eBhayibhileni ndaza ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiza kuqhubeka ndiyifunda. Ndaqala ke ngeli xesha ukucinga ngamazwi kaTata awawathetha kwiminyaka enokuba li-15 eyadlulayo: “NgamaNgqina kaYehova kuphela awonwabileyo emhlabeni.” Kodwa ndandimathidala kuba ulutsha olungamaNgqina esikolweni lwalugculelwa yaye maxa wambi lwalusohlwaywa ngenxa yokungabi nanxaxheba kumthandazo wakusasa. Yaye ezinye zeenkolelo zawo zazingaqhelekanga. Ngokomzekelo, ndakufumanisa kunzima ukukholelwa ukuba kuphela li-144 000 eliya ezulwini. (ISityhilelo 14:3) Ekubeni ndandinqwenela ukuya ezulwini, ndandizibuza enoba eli nani lalisele liphelele kusini na ngaphambi kokuba ndizalwe.
Ngokucacileyo amaNgqina ayehlukile ngendlela aziphatha ngayo nesimo sawo sengqondo. Ayengazenzi izinto ezingcolileyo nezinogonyamelo ezenziwa ngabanye abantwana besikolo. Kum, ayehlukile ehlabathini, njengokuba ndandifundile eBhayibhileni ukuba abo bakunqulo lokwenyaniso bafanele babe njalo.—Yohane 17:14-16; Yakobi 1:27.
Ndagqiba kwelokuba ndikhe ndiwahlolisise. NgoSeptemba 1969, ndafumana incwadi ethi “INyaniso eKhokelela kuBomi obungunaPhakade.” Kwinyanga elandelayo, uvulindlela, njengoko umkhonzi wexesha elizeleyo wamaNgqina kaYehova ebizwa njalo, waqalisa ukufunda nam. Ndikhuthazwe sisifundo sam sokuqala, ndaqalisa ukuzifundela incwadi ethi INyaniso ngobusuku bangoMgqibelo ndaza ndayigqiba ngemva kwemini elandelayo. Kungekudala, ndaqalisa ukuxelela abo ndandifunda nabo iindaba ezimnandi endizifundileyo. Abafundi nabafundisi-ntsapho babecinga ukuba le nkonzo yam intsha yayindiphambanisa. Kodwa ndandizazi ukuba ndandingaphambani.—IZenzo 26:24.
Iindaba zokuba ndishumayela ngonqulo olutsha zafika nakubazali bam. Bathi mandigoduke ngokukhawuleza ukuze baqonde ukuba yinto le iqhubekayo. Kwakungekho mntu wayenokundicebisa, kuba onke amaNgqina ayeye kwenye yeendibano zawo zesithili eIlesha. Ukufika kwam ekhaya, bandixhinkxa ngemibuzo emininzi yaye umama nezinye izalamane zandigxeka. Ndazama ngazo zonke iindlela ukuthethelela oko ndandikufunda eBhayibhileni.—1 Petros 3:15.
Emva kokuzama ngokungenampumelelo ukundibonisa ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova angabafundisi bobuxoki, umalume waxoza mphini wumbi. Wandicela esithi: “Khumbula ukuba uye esikolweni ukuze ufumane imfundo. Ukuba uyayeka izifundo zakho uze uye kushumayela, akusoze ugqibe ukufunda. Kuya kufuneka ugqibe isikolo ngaphambi kokuba ungene kule nkonzo intsha.” Ngelo xesha oko kwabonakala kunengqondo, ngoko ndayeka ukufunda namaNgqina.
NgoDisemba 1970, emva kokuba ndithweswe isidanga, ndaya ngqo kwiHolo yoBukumkani, yaye ukususela ngoko bendisiya kwiintlanganiso zamaNgqina kaYehova. NgoAgasti 30, 1971, ndabhaptizwa ndifuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuThixo. Oku akuzange kuphazamise nje kuphela abazali bam kodwa nabo bonke abantu basekuhlaleni. Bathi ndibaphoxile ekubeni ndandingowokuqala e-Ewossa nakwimimandla eyingqongileyo ukufumana imali yemfundo evela kurhulumente. Abaninzi babelindele lukhulu kum. Babenethemba lokuba ndandiya kusebenzisa imfundo yam ukuphucula imeko yasekuhlaleni.
Imiphumo Yokuba Kunqulo Olutsha
Intsapho yakowethu namanye amadoda amakhulu asekuhlaleni bathumela igqiza ukuza kuzama ukundicenga ukuba ndiyeke unqulo lwam. Kwilinge lalo lokundicenga lade landishwabulela. Lathi: “Ukuba akuphumi kule nkonzo, akunakamva. Akusayi kufumana umsebenzi. Akusoze ube nendlu yakho. Akusoze ufumane nomfazi uze ube nentsapho.”
Ngokwahlukileyo koko bakuthethayo, kwiinyanga ezilishumi emva kokuba ndigqibile esikolweni, ndafumana umsebenzi wokuba ngumfundisi-ntsapho. Ngo-Oktobha 1972, ndatshata nesithandwa sam, uVeronica. Kamva, urhulumente wandiqeqesha ukuze ndibe ngummeli wabalimi. Ndathenga inqwelo-mafutha yam yokuqala, ndaza ndakha nendlu yethu. NgoNovemba 5, 1973, kwazalwa intombi yethu yokuqala, uVictory, yaye kwiminyaka eyalandelayo kwazalwa uLydia, uWilfred noJoan. Ngowe-1986 kwazalwa ithunjana lethu, uMicah. Bonke baye bazingqina bengabantwana abavuyisayo, ilifa elivela kuYehova.—INdumiso 127:3.
Xa ndikhangela emva, ndicinga ukuba izishwabulo zasekuhlaleni zaba ziintsikelelo. Kungeso sizathu lento ndathiya intombi yethu yokuqala ngokuthi nguVictory. Kutshanje, abantu basekuhlaleni baye bandibhalela baza bathi: “Buyel’ ekhaya mfondini, uze kuncedisa ekuphuculeni le ndawo yethu ekubeni ngoku uThixo ekusikelela.”
Ukukhulisa Abantwana Ngeendlela ZikaThixo
Mna nomfazi wam sasisazi ukuba asinakuzibamba zombini, sikhulise abantwana ngeendlela zikaThixo size kwangaxeshanye sizixakekise ngezinto eziphathekayo. Ngenxa yoko, siye safunda ukwanela bubomi nje obuqhelekileyo. Sikhetha ukuphila ngale ndlela kunokujamelana nento enokwenzeka ukuba sikhetha ukuphila ngenye indlela.
Kuyinto eqhelekileyo kwilizwe lethu ukuhlala nezinye iintsapho, kusetyenziswa igumbi lokuhlamba elinye, nekhitshi nezinye izinto. Kuye kwasivuyisa ukukwazi ukuqesha indawo yokuhlala efanelekileyo kuyo yonke idolophu endifuduselwa kuyo njengomntu oqeshwe ngurhulumente. Liyinyaniso elokuba, iindawo ezinjalo zazibiza imali eninzi, kodwa ukuhlala kuzo kwanceda ukuze abantwana bangachanabeki kangako kwimpembelelo embi. Ndiyambulela uYehova kuba ekuhambeni kweminyaka, siye sakwazi ukukhulisela abantwana bethu kwimeko entle ngokomoya.
Ngaphezu koko, umfazi wam ebesoloko esekhaya ukuze akhulise abantwana bethu. Ukubuya kwam emsebenzini, sizama ukwenza izinto kunye njengentsapho. Nantoni na esiyenzayo, siyenza njengeqela. Oku kuquka isifundo seBhayibhile sentsapho, ukulungiselela nokuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla, ukuya entsimini njengamaKristu, nokuzihlaziya.
Siye sazama ukulandela isiluleko esikwiDuteronomi 6:6, 7, esikhuthaza abazali ukuba bafundise abantwana babo kungekhona nje ekhaya kodwa nanini na ithuba livela. Oku kuye kwenza abantwana bafune abahlobo ngaphakathi kunokubafuna ngaphandle. Baye bafunda ngomzekelo wethu ukubakhetha abahlobo kuba mna noVeronica asichithi ixesha elininzi ngokungeyomfuneko sikunye nabantu abangazikholelwayo iinkolelo zethu.—IMizekeliso 13:20; 1 Korinte 15:33.
Kakade ke, asilolwalathiso nemfundiso yethu nje kuphela eye yanempembelelo entle kubomi babantwana bethu. Ikhaya lethu belisoloko livulekile kumaKristu anenzondelelo yaye kusenjalo nangoku, yaye uninzi lwawo ngabalungiseleli abahambahambayo bamaNgqina kaYehova. Ixesha eliye lachithwa ngala maKristu aqolileyo kunye nentsapho yethu liye lavulela abantwana bethu ithuba lokujonga nokufunda kubomi bawo bokuzincama. Oku kuye kwayomeleza imfundiso yethu, yaye abantwana baye babonakalisa uxabiso olunzulu ngenyaniso yeBhayibhile.
Ukuvuzwa Ngenxa Yokuphila Ngokuhlonela UThixo
Namhlanje mna nomfazi wam, kunye nabantwana bethu abane, sikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ndaqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela ngowe-1973. Ekuhambeni kweminyaka, kuye kwafuneka ndirhoxe kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ngamaxesha athile ngenxa yeemeko yezoqoqosho. Kwakhona, ngamaxesha athile ndiye ndanelungelo lokufundisa kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobukumkani, esiqeqesha abaveleli abangamaKristu abangamaNgqina kaYehova. Ngoku ndivuyela ilungelo lokuba kwiKomiti Yokunxibelelana Nezibhedlele, kunye nokuba ngumveleli wesixeko saseUhonmora.
Iintombi zam zokuqala ezimbini, uVictory noLydia, zitshate nabadala abangamaKristu yaye zonwabile. Zona nabayeni bazo zingamalungu eofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova eIgieduma, eNigeria. Izibulo lethu, uWilfred, usisicaka solungiselelo, yaye ithunjana lethu, uMicah, uba nguvulindlela ongumncedani ngamaxesha athile. Ngowe-1997, uJoan wagqiba kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo waza waqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela othe ngxi.
Phakathi kwezinto eziye zandivuyisa ebomini kukunceda abanye bakhonze uYehova uThixo. Aba bantu baquka ezinye zezalamane zam. Utata wazama ukukhonza uYehova, kodwa ukuba nesithembu kwambambezela. Ukususela ndiselula, bendibathanda abantu. Xa ndibona abanye bebandezeleka, kuba ngathi ezam iingxaki azibalulekanga kangako. Ndicinga ukuba bayabona ukuba ndinomdla onyanisekileyo wokubanceda, oko kwenza ukuba kube lula ngabo ukuthetha nam.
Omnye wabo endiye ndabanceda ukuba bafumane ulwazi ngeenjongo zikaThixo ngumfana ongumlwelwe. Wayesebenza kwinkampani yombane waza wonzakaliswa ngumbane emsebenzini nto leyo eyambulala amalungu omzimba ukususela esifubeni ukuhla. Wasamkela isifundo seBhayibhile yaye ngokuthe ngcembe wakusebenzisa oko wayekufunda. Ukubhaptizwa kwakhe ngo-Oktobha 14, 1995, kumfula okufuphi nekhaya lethu, yayisisihlandlo sokuqala kwiminyaka eli-15 ukuba asukume ebhedini. Wathi leyo yeyona mini yakhe yamnandi ebomini bakhe. Ngoku usisicaka solungiselelo ebandleni.
Andizisoli ngokuba ndiye ndakhetha ukukhonza uYehova kunye nabantu bakhe abamanyeneyo nabazahluleleyo kwiminyaka engama-30 eyadlulayo. Ndiye ndalubona uthando lokwenyaniso oluphakathi kwabo. Enoba uYehova ebengabathembisanga abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo ubomi obungunaphakade, sekunjalo bendiza kukhetha ubomi bokuhlonela uThixo. (1 Timoti 6:6; Hebhere 11:6) Le ndlela iye yandikhokela ebomini, yandizisela uvuyo, ukwaneliseka nolonwabo kum nakwintsapho yam.
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Mna nomfazi nabantwana bam ngowe-1990
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Mna nomfazi nabantwana bam nabakhwenyana ababini