Ibali Lobomi

Isabelo Sobuvangeli Basemazweni Saba Likhaya Lethu

NGOKUBALISWA NGUDICK WALDRON

Kwakusemva kwemini ngeCawa ngoSeptemba 1953. Sasisandul’ ukufika eMzantsi-Ntshona Afrika (ngoku eyiNamibia). Kwakungekapheli neveki sikweli lizwe yaye sasiza kuqhuba iintlanganiso kwikomkhulu, iWindhoek. Yintoni eyayisisusa kude kangaka eOstreliya yaza yasizisa kweli lizwe laseAfrika? Mna nomfazi wam, kunye namabhinqa aselula amathathu, sasize njengabavangeli basemazweni beendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo.—Mateyu 24:14.

NDAZALELWA eOstreliya, ngonyaka obalulekileyo embalini, owe-1914. Ndandiselula ukuqala koXinezeleko Olukhulu, yaye kwakufanele nam ndifake isandla ekuncediseni intsapho yakowethu. Kwakungekho msebenzi, kodwa ndacinga ngendlela yokuzingela imivundla, yaye yayimininzi eOstreliya. Ngoko ke, into endandincedisa ngayo ekutyeni ekhaya yayikukuza nenyama yomvundla.

Xa kwaqalisa imfazwe yehlabathi yesibini ngowe-1939, ndandisele ndiwufumene umsebenzi ndisebenza ezibhasini kwisixeko saseMelbourne. Kwakukho malunga namadoda angama-700 awayesebenza kwezo bhasi ngamaxesha ahlukahlukeneyo, yaye sihlandlo ngasinye ndandiye ndidibane nomqhubi okanye umntu oqokelela imali owahlukileyo. Ndandidla ngokubabuza, “Uhamba yiphi icawa?” baze bandicacisele ngeenkolelo zabo. Ekuphela komntu owayendinika iimpendulo ezindanelisayo yayingomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Wandichazela ngesigidimi esisekelwe eBhayibhileni separadesi esemhlabeni, apho abantu aboyika uThixo baya kuphila khona ngonaphakade.—INdumiso 37:29.

Ebudeni belo xesha, umama naye waqhagamshelana namaNgqina kaYehova. Ndandidla ngokuthi xa ndivela emsebenzini ebusuku, ndifike ndilindelwe kukutya kwam nombhalo wephephancwadi iConsolation (ngoku enguVukani!). Oko ndandikufunda kwakubangel’ umdla. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndagqiba kwelokuba olu lunqulo lokwenyaniso, yaye ndanxulumana nebandla ndaza ndabhaptizwa ngoMeyi 1940.

EMelbourne kwakukho ikhaya loovulindlela, apho kwakuhlala abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bamaNgqina kaYehova abamalunga nama-25. Ndahlala nabo. Suku ngalunye ndandibaphulaphula bebalisa amava omsebenzi wokushumayela, yaye ndaqalisa ukuba nomnqweno wokusebenza nabo. Ekugqibeleni, ndafaka isicelo senkonzo yobuvulindlela. Isicelo sam samkelwa ndaza ndaya kwiofisi yesebe lamaNgqina kaYehova eOstreliya. Ngaloo ndlela ndaba lilungu lentsapho yaseBheteli.

Ukubanjwa Nokuvalwa Komsebenzi

Esinye sezabelo zam eBheteli yayikukusebenza kwindawo yokwenza amaplanga. Apho sasisarha imithi ukuze senze amalahle ekwakufumaneka kuwo ipetrol. Le petrol yayisetyenziswa kwiimoto zesebe lethu kuba yayingafumaneki ethengwayo ngenxa yemfazwe. Sasingabantu abali-12 ababesebenza kule ndawo, yaye sonke sasinokubizwa emkhosini. Kungekudala emva koko sagwetywa iinyanga ezintandathu entolongweni kuba sasingafuni ukuya emkhosini ngenxa yoko sikufunde eBhayibhile. (Isaya 2:4) Sathunyelwa kwifama yentolongo ukuba siye kusebenza khona. Bathi masenze ntoni? Okumangalisayo kukuba, kwakufuneka sicande iinkuni, umsebenzi esasiwuqeqeshelwe eBheteli!

Sasiwenza kakuhle kakhulu lo msebenzi kangangokuba umphathi wentolongo wasinika iBhayibhile neencwadi zethu zeBhayibhile, nangona kwakumiselwe imiqathango eqatha yokuba singanikwa ezi zinto. Kwakusebudeni beli xesha endathi ndafunda isifundo esibalulekileyo sendlela yokusebenzisana nabantu. Ngoxa ndandisebenza eBheteli, kwakukho omnye umzalwana endandingavani naye. Sasahluke gqitha. Kaloku, ucinga ukuba ndafakwa nabani esiseleni? Ewe, kanye naloo mzalwana. Ngoku sasinethuba lokwazana ngakumbi, yaye oko kwaphumela ekubeni sibe nobuhlobo obusenyongweni nobuhlala buhleli.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wavalwa eOstreliya. Yonke imali yathinjwa, yaye abazalwana baseBheteli babengenamali ingako. Ngesinye isihlandlo, omnye wabo waza kum waza wathi: “Dick, ndifuna ukuhamba ndiye kushumayela edolophini, kodwa andinazihlangu, ndinezokusebenza kuphela.” Ndakuvuyela ukumnceda, yaye waya edolophini enxibe izihlangu zam.

Kamva, sava ukuba wayebanjiwe waza wavalelwa ngenxa yokushumayela. Andizange ndikwazi ukuzibamba, ndamthumelela incwadi emfutshane ethi: “Ndibuhlungu ngoko kukwehleleyo. Kodwa ndiyavuya ukuba ndingekho ezihlangwini zakho.” Kodwa kungekudala nam ndabanjwa ndaza ndavalelwa okwesibini ngenxa yokuba ngundilele. Emva kokuba ndikhululiwe ndanikwa isabelo sokunyamekela ifama eyayixhasa intsapho yaseBheteli ngokutya. Ngelo xesha safunyanwa singenatyala, yaye umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wavulwa.

Ukutshata Nomvangeli Onenzondelelo

Ngoxa ndandisefama, ndaqalisa ukucingisisa ngokunzulu ngokutshata yaye ndaba nomdla kudade oselula onguvulindlela, uCoralie Clogan. Umakhulu kaCoralie wayengowokuqala kwintsapho yakhe ukubonakalisa umdla kwisigidimi seBhayibhile. Eselukhukweni lokufa, wathi kumama kaCoralie, uVera: “Khulisa abantwana bakho ukuba bathande baze bakhonze uThixo, ngenye imini siya kubonana kumhlaba oyiParadesi.” Kamva, xa kweza uvulindlela ekhayeni likaVera ephethe incwadana ethi Millions Now Living Will Never Die, loo mazwi aqalisa ukucaca. Loo ncwadana yamenza uVera waqonda ukuba yayiyinjongo kaThixo ngoluntu ukuba lunandiphe ubomi kumhlaba oyiparadesi. (ISityhilelo 21:4) Wabhaptizwa ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1930, yaye kanye njengokuba unina wamkhuthazayo, wanceda iintombi zakhe ezintathu—uLucy, uJean noCoralie—ukuba zimthande uThixo. Noko ke, utata kaCoralie wayeluchase ngeyona ndlela unqulo lwentsapho yakhe, kanye njengokuba uYesu walumkisayo ukuba oko kuya kwenzeka kwiintsapho.—Mateyu 10:34-36.

Intsapho yakwaClogan yayingabantu abathanda umculo; yaye mntwana ngamnye wayedlala isixhobo esithile somculo. UCoralie wayedlala ivayolin, yaye ngowe-1939, xa wayeneminyaka eli-15 ubudala, wafumana idiploma yomculo. Ukuqhambuka kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II kwenza uCoralie acinge nzulu ngekamva lakhe. Lalisele lifikile ixesha lokuba enze isigqibo ngoko aza kukwenza ngobomi bakhe. Kwelinye icala, wayenethuba lokuba ngumdlali womculo. Wayesele emenywe ukuba adlale kwiMelbourne Symphony Orchestra. Kwelinye icala, wayenethuba lokuchitha ixesha lakhe kumsebenzi omkhulu wokushumayela isigidimi soBukumkani. Emva kokucingisisa nzulu, uCoralie noodadewabo ababini babhaptizwa ngowe-1940 yaye balungiselela ukuqalisa umsebenzi wokushumayela wexesha elizeleyo.

Kungekudala emva kokuba uCoralie enze isigqibo sokuba kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo kweza kuye umzalwana owayeneembopheleleko ezininzi kwisebe laseOstreliya, uLloyd Barry, owathi kamva waba lilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova. Wayesandul’ ukunikela intetho eMelbourne waza wathi kuCoralie: “Ndibuyela eBheteli. Kutheni ungahambi nam ngololiwe uze ube yinxalenye yentsapho yaseBheteli?” Wasamkela ngovuyo eso simemo.

UCoralie nabanye oodade kwintsapho yaseBheteli baba nendima enkulu ekulungiseleleni iimpapasho zeBhayibhile ukunceda abazalwana baseOstreliya ebudeni bokuvalwa komsebenzi ngeminyaka yemfazwe. Babesenza inkoliso yomsebenzi wokushicilela, besalathiswa nguMzalwan’ uMalcom Vale. Incwadi ethi The New World nethi Children zazishicilelwa zize zidityaniswe, yaye akukho nalinye iphephancwadi leMboniselo elingazange lishicilelwe kuloo minyaka ingaphezu kwemibini umsebenzi uvaliwe.

Kwafuneka ukuba umatshini wokushicilela ufuduswe izihlandlo ezili-15 ukuze amapolisa angawuboni. Ngesinye isihlandlo, iincwadi zeBhayibhile zazishicilelwa kumgangatho ongaphantsi kwesakhiwo apho kwakushicilelwa ezinye iincwadi ngenjongo yokulahla umkhondo. Udade osebenza kwindawo yokwamkela abantu wayenokucofa iqhosha elalikhalisa intsimbi kumgangatho ongaphantsi xa kwakusenokubakho ingozi, ukuze oodade bafihle iincwadi ngaphambi kokuba kugqogqwe.

Ngoxa kwakugqogqwa ngenye imini, abanye oodade bothuka xa babona ukuba inkupho yeMboniselo yayihleli phezu kwetafile ibonakala kumntu wonke. Kwangena ipolisa, laza labeka ingxowa yalo kanye phezu kweMboniselo, laza laqhubeka likhangela. Lingafumananga nto, laphakamisa ingxowa yalo laza lahamba!

Emva kokuvulwa komsebenzi yaye isakhiwo sesebe sibuyiselwe kubazalwana, uninzi lwabo lwanikwa ithuba lokuya entsimini njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Kungelo xesha uCoralie wakhetha ukuya eGlen Innes. Emva kokuba sitshatile ngoJanuwari 1, 1948, nam ndaya apho. Ukuhamba kwethu kweso sabelo, kwakusekwe ibandla elalisanda.

Isabelo sethu esilandelayo sasiseRockhampton, kodwa sasingakwazi ukufumana indawo yokuhlala. Ngoko sabeka intente kumhlaba wefama yomntu owayenomdla. Loo ntente yayiza kuba likhaya lethu kangangeenyanga ezisithoba ezilandelayo. Sasiza kuhlala ixesha elidana, kodwa kwafika iinyanga zemvula, isitshingitshane selo lizwe sayikrazula loo ntente, yaye izantyalantyala zemvula zayikhukulisa.a

Ukuya Kwisabelo Esikwelinye Ilizwe

Ngoxa sasiseRockhampton, samenyelwa kwiklasi ye-19 yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi ukuze siqeqeshelwe ubuvangeli basemazweni. Yaye ukuphumelela kwethu ngowe-1952, sathunyelwa kwindawo eyayibizwa ngokuba nguMzantsi-Ntshona Afrika ngelo xesha.

Bengaphozisanga maseko, abefundisi beNgqobhoko bazibonakalisa indlela ababevakalelwa ngayo ngomsebenzi wethu wobuvangeli basemazweni. Cawa nganye kangangeeveki ezintandathu ezilandelelanayo, balumkisa amabandla abo ngathi kwiintshumayelo zabo. Baxelela abantu ukuba bangasamkeli yaye bangasivumeli ukuba sibafundele iBhayibhile, kuba oko kwakuya kubadida. Komnye ummandla, sahambisa iincwadi eziliqela, kodwa omnye umfundisi wasilandela engena kwindlu ngendlu waza waziqokelela. Ngenye imini saba nengxubusho kwigumbi lokufundela lalo mfundisi saza sabona ukuba uneencwadi zethu ezininzi.

Kungekudala amagosa asekuhlaleni nawo aqalisa ukubonakalisa inkxalabo ngomsebenzi wethu. Alithandabuzeki elokuba ephenjelelwa ngabefundisi, arhanela ukuba sisenokuba sinento yokwenza namaKomanisi. Ngoko asigximfiza ubhontsi, yaye abanye abantu esasikhe sabatyelela bancinwa. Phezu kwayo nje yonke le nkcaso, inani labaza kwiintlanganiso laye lisanda.

Ukufika kwethu apho, sasikufuna ngamandla ukusasaza isigidimi seBhayibhile kubantu bomthonyama abangamaOvambo, amaHerero namaNama. Noko ke, oko kwakungelula. Ngaloo mihla, uMzantsi-Ntshona Afrika wawulawulwa ngurhulumente waseMzantsi Afrika wocalucalulo. Njengabantu abamhlophe, sasingavumelekanga ukuba sinikele ubungqina kwiindawo zabantu abantsundu ngaphandle kwephepha-mvume likarhulumente. Emva kwexesha elithile, sasiphinda siye kucela imvume, kodwa amagosa alapho ayengavumi.

Emva kweminyaka emibini sikwesi sabelo sethu, sothuka gqitha. UCoralie wayekhulelwe. Ngo-Oktobha 1955, kwazalwa intombi yethu, uCharlotte. Nangona sasingenakuqhubeka njengabavangeli basemazweni, ndakwazi ukufumana umsebenzi wesingxungxo ndaza ndaqhubeka kangangexesha elithile njengovulindlela.

Imithandazo Yethu Iyaphendulwa

Ngowe-1960 savelelwa yenye ingxaki. UCoralie wafumana ileta eyayisithi unina ugula kakhulu kangangokuba ukuba akagoduki, kusenokwenzeka ukuba angaphinde ambone. Ngoko saceba ukunduluka eMzantsi-Ntshona Afrika size sibuyele eOstreliya. Kwenzeka okuthile—ngeveki kanye esasifanele sihambe ngayo, ndafumana iphepha-mvume elalivela kumagosa asekuhlaleni elalindivumela ukuba ndingene kwilokishi yabantsundu, iKatutura. Sasiza kwenza ntoni ngoku? Ngaba sasiza kulibuyisela eli phepha-mvume emva kokuba siye sawa sivuka iminyaka esixhenxe ukuze silifumane? Kwakulula ukucinga ukuba abanye basenokuthabatha apho siyeke khona. Kodwa ngaba le yayingeyontsikelelo kaYehova, impendulo kwimithandazo yethu?

Ngokukhawuleza ndenza isigqibo. Ndandiza kusala, kuba ndandinoloyiko lokuba sisenokuphulukana nelungelo lethu lokuba ngabemi balapho ukuba siya eOstreliya. Ngosuku olulandelayo, ndarhoxa kuhambo lwam lwenqanawa ndaza ndathumela uCoralie noCharlotte eOstreliya kwikhefu lexesha elide.

Ngoxa babehambile, ndaqalisa ukushumayela kwilokishi yabantu abantsundu. Babebonakalisa umdla ongathethekiyo. Ekubuyeni kukaCoralie noCharlotte, kwiintlanganiso zethu kwakusiza iqela labantu abavela kwilokishi yabantsundu.

Ngeli xesha, ndandinenqwelo-mafutha endala eyayikwazi ukukhwelisa bonke abantu abanomdla abaza kwiintlanganiso. Ndandithutha abantu kane okanye kahlanu ukubasa kwiintlanganiso, ndikhwelisa abantu abasixhenxe, abasibhozo okanye abasithoba ngexesha. Emva kokuphuma komntu wokugqibela, uCoralie wayedla ngokuqhula esithi: “Bangaphi abangaphantsi kwesitulo?”

Ukuze siphumelele ngakumbi kumsebenzi wokushumayela, kwakufuneka sibe neempapasho ngolwimi lwabantu balapho. Ngoko ndaba nelungelo lokulungiselela ukuguqulelwa kwephecana elithi Life in a New World ngeelwimi ezine zasekuhlaleni: isiHerero, isiNama, isiNdonga nesiKwanyama. Abaguquleli yayingabantu abafundileyo esasifunda nabo iBhayibhile, kodwa kwakufanele ndihlale nabo ukuze ndiqiniseke ukuba baguqulela isivakalisi ngasinye ngokuchanileyo. Ulwimi lwesiNama alunasigama sininzi. Ngokomzekelo, ndandizama ukucacisa ingongoma ethi: “Ekuqaleni uAdam wayeyindoda efezekileyo.” Umguquleli wonway’ intloko esithi akalikhumbuli igama lesiNama elithetha “ukufezeka.” Ekugqibeleni wathi: “Ndilifumene. Ekuqaleni uAdam wayenjengepesika evuthiweyo.”

Ukwaneliseka Likhaya Esabelwe Kulo

Sekudlule iminyaka engama-49 sifikile kweli lizwe, ngoku elibizwa ngokuba yiNamibia. Akuseyomfuneko ukuba sifumane iphepha-mvume lokungena kwiilokishi zabantsundu. INamibia ilawulwa ngurhulumente omtsha ongenalucalucalulo. Namhlanje, eWindhoek kukho amabandla amane amakhulu ahlanganisana kwiiHolo zoBukumkani ezintle.

Besisoloko sicinga ngamazwi esaweva eGiliyadi athi: “Yenza isabelo sakho esikwelinye ilizwe sibe likhaya lakho.” Indlela uYehova aye wacwangcisa ngayo izinto, isenza siqiniseke ukuba yayikukuthanda kwakhe ukuba eli lizwe lasemzini libe likhaya lethu. Siye sabathanda abazalwana, kuquka neendlela zabo ezahlukahlukeneyo zokuphila. Siye savuyisana nabo xa bevuya saza salila nabo xa besentlungwini. Abanye kwabo babesebatsha esasibaxinanisa kwimoto yethu sibasa kwiintlanganiso, ngoku baziintsika kumabandla abo. Ukufika kwethu kweli lizwe likhulu ngowe-1953, kwakukho abavakalisi abangaphantsi kweshumi abashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Ukususela kwelo nani lincinane, siye sanda sangaphezu kwe-1 200. Ezalisekisa isithembiso sakhe, uYehova uye wabangela ulwando kwindawo thina nabanye esiye ‘satyala saza sankcenkceshela kuyo.’—1 Korinte 3:6.

Njengoko sikhangela emva kwiminyaka emininzi sikule nkonzo, okokuqala eOstreliya yaye ngoku eNamibia, mna noCoralie saneliseke ngokwenene. Sinethemba yaye sithandazela ukuba uYehova aqhubeke esinika amandla ukuze senze ukuthanda kwakhe ngoku nangonaphakade.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

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Ukuya kwisabelo sethu eRockhampton, eOstreliya

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Sisezibukweni yaye sisendleleni esinge kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi

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Kuvuyisa gqitha ukushumayela eNamibia