Ibali Lobomi
UYehova Utsalela Enyanisweni Abo Bathobekileyo
KUBALISA UASANO KOSHINO
Ngowe-1949, kwiminyaka nje embalwa emva kokuphela kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II, intsapho endandiyisebenzela kwisiXeko saseKobe yatyelelwa lundwendwe olude nolunobuhlobo. Lo yayingumvangeli wasemazweni wokuqala wamaNgqina kaYehova ukufika eJapan. Utyelelo lwalo lwandenza ndafumana ithuba lokuva inyaniso yeBhayibhile. Kodwa makhe ndiqale ndikuxelele ngemvelaphi yam.
NDAZALWA ngowe-1926 kwidolophana encinane ekumantla eSithili saseOkayama. Ndandingowesihlanu kubantwana abasibhozo. Utata wayekholelwa gqitha kuthixo wamaShinto. Ngoko ke thina njengabantwana sasiyithanda imisitho yonqulo nokuba ndawonye njengentsapho kuyo ukutyhubela unyaka.
Njengoko ndandikhula, ndandinemibuzo emininzi ngobomi, kodwa eyona nto yayindikhathaza kakhulu yayikukufa. Ngokwesiko kwakufuneka abantu bafele ekhaya baze abantwana babe kufuphi namalungu entsapho ngoxa esifa. Ndaba buhlungu kakhulu kukufa kukamakhulu nomntakwethu yena owafa ngaphambi kokuba abe nonyaka ubudala. Kwakundothusa kakhulu ukucinga ngokufa kwabazali bam. ‘Ngaba le kuphela kwenjongo yobomi? Ngaba ikho enye into umntu ayiphilelayo?’ Ndandifuna ngokwenene ukwazi.
Ngowe-1937, xa ndandikwibanga (grade) lesithandathu kwisikolo samabanga aphantsi, kwaqalisa iMfazwe yamaTshayina namaJapan. Amadoda athunyelwa emfazweni eTshayina njengamajoni. Abantwana besikolo babebona ooyise okanye abantakwabo behamba, besithi “banzai!” (phila ngonaphakade) kumlawuli. Abantu babeqinisekile ukuba iJapan iza koyisa, kuba babesithi luhlanga olulawulwa nguthixo, yaye umlawuli walo, nguthixo ophilayo.
Kungekudala, iintsapho zaqalisa ukuva imiphanga yokufa kwabantu bazo emfazweni. Iintsapho ezafelwayo zazingathuthuzeleki. Zazinentiyo, yaye zazivuya xa iintshaba zazo zibulawa. Kodwa kwangaxeshanye, ndandicinga, ‘Abantu abaziintshaba nabo bamele ukuba bayabandezeleka ngendlela efanayo xa befelwa ngabo babathandayo.’ Ukugqiba kwam kwisikolo samabanga aphantsi, imfazwe yayisele inwenwele eTshayina.
Ukudibana Nondwendwe Ndingalindelanga
Njengabalimi, intsapho yethu yayingamahlwempu, kodwa utata wandivumela ukuba ndifunde logama nje kungahlawulwa. Ngoko ke, ngowe-1941 ndaya kwisikolo samantombazana kwisiXeko saseOkayama, malunga neekhilomitha ezili-100 mgama. Esi sikolo sasenzelwe ukufundisa amantombazana ukuba abe ngabafazi noomama abanobuchule, yaye sasithumela abafundi ukuba bahlale neentsapho ezizizityebi edolophini ukuze bafunde umsebenzi wasekhaya. Ekuseni aba bafundi babefunda ngokusebenza kula makhaya, yaye emva kwemini babesiya esikolweni.
Emva kokuphela kwetheko lokuvula unyaka, utitshalakazi wam, enxibe ikimono, wandisa kwindlu enkulu. Kodwa ngezizathu endingazaziyo umnikazimzi walapho akazange andamkele. Utitshalakazi wabuza: “Singaya kwindlu kaNkskz. Koda?” Wandisa kwindlu eyakhiwe ngendlela yasentshona waza wankqonkqoza emnyango. Ethubeni, kwathi gqi ibhinqa elide nelineenwele ezimhlophe. Ndothuka! LalingengomJapan, yaye andizange ndimbone umLungu ebomini bam. Utitshalakazi wandazisa kuNkskz. Maud Koda waza wakhawuleza wahamba. Ndirhuqa iibhegi zam, ndisoyika ndangena ngaphakathi. Kamva ndafumanisa ukuba uNkskz. Maud Koda wayengumMerika owayetshate nendoda engumJapan eyayifunde eUnited States. Wayefundisa isiNgesi kwizikolo zorhwebo.
Ngentsasa elandelayo ndaqalisa ukuxakeka. Umyeni kaNkskz. Koda wayenesifo sokuxhuzula, yaye kwafuneka ndincedise ekumnyamekeleni. Ekubeni ndandingasazi kwaphela isiNgesi, ndaqalisa ukuba nexhala. Kwathi qabu xa uNkskz. Koda wathetha nam ngesiJapan. Imihla ngemihla, ndandibeva bethetha isiNgesi, yaye ngokuthe ngcembe iindlebe zam zaluqhela olu lwimi. Ndandiyithanda indlela izinto ezazihamba ngayo kweli khaya.
Ndachukumiseka yindlela uMaud azinikele ngayo kumyeni wakhe owayegula. Umyeni wakhe wayekuthanda ukufunda iBhayibhile. Kamva ndafumanisa ukuba esi sibini sasifumene incwadi ethi The Divine Plan of the Ages ngesiJapan kwivenkile ethengisa iincwadi ezindala yaye sasirhumela IMboniselo yesiNgesi kangangeminyaka eliqela.
Ngenye imini ndaphiwa iBhayibhile. Ndavuya kuba ndandiqala ukuba neBhayibhile ebomini bam bonke. Ndandiyifunda xa ndisiya naxa ndibuya esikolweni kodwa ndandingayiqondi kangako. Ekubeni ndakhuliswa njengomJapan ongumShinto, ndandingamazi uYesu Kristu. Ndandingaqondi ukuba le yindlela endandiza kuqala ngayo ukufunda inyaniso yeBhayibhile, eyayiza kuphendula imibuzo endandinayo ngobomi nangokufa.
Iziganeko Ezithathu Ezibuhlungu
Kungekudala iminyaka yam emibini yokufunda nokusebenza apho yafikelela esiphelweni, yaye kwafuneka ndiyishiye loo ntsapho. Emva kokuba ndigqibile esikolweni, ndaba lilungu lombutho wamantombazana ndaza ngaqalisa ukuthunga iimpahla zamajoni. Iinqwelo-moya zamaMerika iB-29 zaqalisa ukuphosa iibhombu, yaye ngoAgasti 6, 1945, kwawiswa ibhombu yeathom eHiroshima. Kwiintsuku ezimbalwa kamva, ndafumana ithelegram isithi uMama ugula kakhulu. Ndakhwela uloliwe wokuqala endawufumanayo. Ukuhla kwam nje kuloliwe, ndakhawulelwa sesinye isalamane saza sandixelela ukuba uMama ufile. Wafa ngoAgasti 11. Into endandisoloko ndiyoyika kangangeminyaka emininzi ide yenzeka! Akasayi kuphinda athethe okanye andincumele kwakhona.
NgoAgasti 15, iJapan yoyiswa. Ngoko ke kwafuneka ndijamelane neziganeko ezithathu ezibuhlungu, zonke ezenzeka ngethuba nje elifutshane leminyaka elishumi: esokuqala ukudubula kwebhombu yeathom, ukufa kukaMama, nokoyiswa kweJapan. Noko ke kwakuthuthuzela ukwazi ukuba abantu abasayi kuphinda babulawe yimfazwe. Ndibuhlungu kakhulu, ndawuyeka umsebenzi wam ndaza ndabuyela kwilizwe lakowethu.
Ukuba Nomdla Enyanisweni
Ngenye imini, ndingalindelanga ndafumana ileta evela kuMaud Koda eOkayama. Wayendicela ukuba ndize kumncedisa kumsebenzi wasekhaya, kuba wayeza kuvula isikolo sesiNgesi. Ndandingazi ukuba ndenze ntoni, kodwa ndavuma. Kwiminyaka embalwa kamva, ndafudukela eKobe kunye nentsapho yakwaKoda.
Ekuqaleni kwehlobo ngowe-1949, indoda ende nenobubele yatyelela intsapho yakwaKoda. Igama layo yayinguDonald Haslett, yaye yayivela eTokyo ize eKobe ukuza kukhangela indawo enokuba likhaya labavangeli basemazweni apho. Yayingumvangeli wasemazweni wokuqala wamaNgqina kaYehova ukufika eJapan. Indlu yafumaneka, yaye ngoNovemba 1949, kwafika iqela labavangeli basemazweni eKobe. Ngenye imini, abahlanu kubo beza kutyelela intsapho yakwaKoda. Ababini kubo, uLloyd Barry noPercy Iszlaub, banikela intetho ngesiNgesi kangangemizuzu elishumi kwabo babehlanganisene kuloo ndlu. Aba bavangeli basemazweni babembiza uMaud ngokuthi ngudade wabo ongumKristu yaye kuyabonakala ukuba wayekhuthazwa lolo nxulumano. Ndaqala apho ke ukuzimisela ukufunda isiNgesi.
Ngoncedo lwabavangeli basemazweni abanenzondelelo, ngokuthe ngcembe ndaqalisa ukuziqonda iinyaniso ezisisiseko zeBhayibhile. Ndazifumana iimpendulo kwimibuzo endandinayo ukususela ndisengumntwana. Ewe, iBhayibhile isinika ithemba lokuphila ngonaphakade kwiparadesi esemhlabeni nethemba lovuko lwabo “bonke abo bakumangcwaba enkumbulo.” (Yohane 5:28, 29; ISityhilelo 21:1, 4) Ndambulela uYehova ngokwenza ukuba sibe nethemba elinjalo ngenxa yedini lentlawulelo loNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu.
Izinto Zobuthixo Ezivuyisayo
Ukususela ngoDisemba 30, 1949, ukusa ngoJanuwari 1, 1950, kwabakho indibano yamaNgqina kaYehova yokuqala eJapan kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni eKobe. Ndahamba noMaud. Le ndlu inkulu yayikade iyeyamaNazi yaye xa ukuyo wawukwazi ukulubona kakuhle uLwandle i-Inland nesiQithi iAwaji. Ekubeni ndandingenalwazi lungako ngeBhayibhile, ndandingakuqondi oko kwakuthethwa apho. Sekunjalo, ndachukumiseka kakhulu xa ndabona abavangeli basemazweni benxulumana ngokukhululekileyo nabantu baseJapan. Kweza abantu abali-101 kwintetho yesidlangalala kule ndibano.
Kungekudala emva koko, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiqalise ukuya kwinkonzo yasentsimini. Kwafuneka ndibe nenkalipho ukuze ndiye kwindlu ngendlu, kuba ndandingumntu oneentloni. Ngenye intsasa, uMzalwan’ uLloyd Barry weza kudlula ngam ukuze siye entsimini. Waqala kanye ngendlu esecaleni kwekaDade Koda. Ndazifihla emva kwakhe ngoxa ndiphulaphule intshumayelo yakhe. Ukuya kwam okwesibini entsimini, ndasebenza nabanye abavangeli basemazweni ababini. Elinye ibhinqa elingumJapan lasingenisa ngaphakathi, laphulaphula, laza kamva lasinika ngamnye iglasi yobisi. Lasamkela isifundo seBhayibhile yaye ekugqibeleni laba ngumKristu obhaptiziweyo. Kwakukhuthaza ukulibona lisenza inkqubela.
NgoAprili 1951, uMzalwan’ uNathan H. Knorr, ovela kwikomkhulu laseBrooklyn, watyelela iJapan okwesihlandlo sokuqala. Kweza abantu abamalunga nama-700 kwintetho yesidlangalala awayinikela kwiKyoritsu Auditorium eKanda, eTokyo. Kule ntlanganiso ikhethekileyo, bonke ababezile bavuya xa kwakhululwa IMboniselo ngesiJapan. Kwinyanga elandelayo, uMzalwan’ uKnorr watyelela eKobe, yaye kuloo ntlanganiso ikhethekileyo, ndabhaptizwa ndifuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova.
Malunga nonyaka kamva, ndakhuthazwa ukuba ndiqalise inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, ubuvulindlela. Kwakukho oovulindlela abambalwa kuphela eJapan ngelo xesha, yaye ndandizibuza ngendlela endandiza kuzixhasa ngayo. Kwakhona ndandizibuza enoba ndiya kuze nditshate kusini na. Kodwa ke ndaqonda ukuba eyona nto ifanele ize kuqala ebomini bam kukukhonza uYehova, ngoko ke ndaqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela ngowe-1952. Okuvuyisayo kukuba, ndakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi wesingxungxo kuDade Koda ngoxa ndinguvulindlela.
Malunga nelo xesha, umntakwethu, endandicinga ukuba wabulawa emfazweni, wabuyela ekhaya kunye nentsapho yakhe bevela eTaiwan. Intsapho yasekhaya ayizange ibonakalise mdla kubuKristu, kodwa ndinenzondelelo yobuvulindlela, ndaqalisa ukuyithumelela amaphephancwadi neencwadana zethu. Kamva umntakwethu wafudukela eKobe nentsapho yakhe ngenxa yomsebenzi. Ndabuza kwinkosikazi yomntakwethu: “Ukhe wawafunda la maphephancwadi?” Ndothuka xa waphendula wathi, “Abangela umdla ngokwenene loo maphephancwadi.” Waqalisa ukufundisisa iBhayibhile nomnye wabavangeli basemazweni, yaye udadewethu omncinane owayehlala nabo naye wafunda kunye naye. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, bobabini baba ngamaKristu abhaptiziweyo.
Ukuchukunyiswa Bubuzalwana Bezizwe Ngezizwe
Kungekudala emva koko, ndothuka xa ndafumana isimemo sokuya kwiklasi yama-22 yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi. Mna noMzalwan’ uTsutomu Fukase sasingabokuqala abavela eJapan ukumenyelwa kweso sikolo. Ngowe-1953, ngaphambi kokuba iqalise loo klasi, sakwazi ukuya kwiNdibano Yebutho Lehlabathi Elitsha eyayiseYankee Stadium eNew York. Ndachukunyiswa kakhulu bubuzalwana bezizwe ngezizwe phakathi kwabantu bakaYehova.
Kusuku lwesihlanu lwaloo ndibano, iindwendwe zaseJapan, inkoliso ingabavangeli basemazweni, zaziza kunxiba iikimono. Ekubeni ikimono endandiyithunyelwe ngenqanawa ingazange ifike ngexesha, ndaboleka ekaDade Knorr. Ebudeni bocwangciso kwaqalisa ukuna, yaye ndandinexhala lokuba le kimono iza kuba manzi. Kanye ngelo xesha, ngobunono mntu uthile owayesemva kwam wabeka ibhatyi yemvula phezu kwam. Omnye udade owayeme ecaleni kwam wandibuza, “Uyamazi ukuba ngubani?” Kamva ndafumanisa ukuba yayinguMzalwan’ uFrederick W. Franz, ilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo. Ngokwenene ndabubona ububele kwintlangano kaYehova!
Iklasi yama-22 yaseGiliyadi ngokwenene yayiyeyezizwe ngezizwe, inabafundi abali-120 ababevela kumazwe angama-37. Nangona kwakunzima ukuncokola ngenxa yolwimi, sabunandipha kakhulu ubuzalwana bezizwe ngezizwe. Ndathweswa isidanga ngoFebruwari 1954, usuku olwalunekhephu, ndaza ndafumana isabelo sokubuyela eJapan. UInger Brandt, udade waseSweden esasikwiklasi enye naye, sabelwa kunye kwisiXeko saseNagoya. Apho, saba kunye neqela labavangeli basemazweni abafuduswa eKorea ngenxa yemfazwe. Loo minyaka imbalwa ndayichitha kwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni yayixabiseke kakhulu kum.
Uvuyo Lokuba Kwinkonzo Sitshatile
NgoSeptemba 1957, ndamenywa ukuba ndikhonze kwiBheteli yaseTokyo. Iofisi yesebe laseJapan yayiyindlu eyenziwe ngamaplanga enemigangatho emibini. Kweli sebe, kwakukho amalungu amane kuphela, kuquka uMzalwan’ uBarry, umveleli wesebe. Onke amanye amalungu entsapho ayengabavangeli basemazweni. Ndabelwa ukuba ndiguqulele ndize ndihlole iimpazamo, ndicoce, ndihlambe impahla, ndipheke ndize ndenze nezinye izinto.
Wawusanda umsebenzi eJapan, yaye kwamenywa abazalwana abangakumbi eBheteli. Omnye wabo waba ngumveleli kwibandla endandinxulumana nalo. Ngowe-1966 mna naloo mzalwana, uJunji Koshino, satshata. Emva kokuba sitshatile, uJunji wabelwa kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Kwakuvuyisa ukwazi abazalwana noodade abaninzi kangaka njengoko sasityelela amabandla awahlukahlukeneyo. Ekubeni ndandabelwe ukuba ndiguqulele, ndandikwenza oku kwikhaya esasihlala kulo kuloo veki. Xa sasihambahamba, kwakufuneka siphathe izichazi-magama ezinzima, kuquka neesutikheyisi nezinye iibhegi.
Sasikuthanda ukuba kumsebenzi wesiphaluka kangangeminyaka emine yaye sasibona intlangano iqhubeka isanda. Isebe lafudukela eNumazu, yaye kwiminyaka kamva lafudukela e-Ebina, apho zikhoyo izakhiwo zesebe ngoku. Mna noJunji siye sakuvuyela ukuba kwinkonzo yaseBheteli kangangexesha elide, yaye ngoku sisebenza kunye nentsapho enamalungu angama-600. NgoMeyi 2002, abahlobo bethu eBheteli babhiyozela iminyaka engama-50 ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.
Ndavuya Ukubona Ulwando
Ukuqala kwam ukukhonza uYehova ngowe-1950, kwakukho abavakalisi abambalwa kuphela eJapan. Ngoku kukho abavakalisi boBukumkani abangaphezu kwama-210 000. Eneneni, amawaka anjengezimvu aye atsaleleka kuYehova, njengam.
Abazalwana abane nodade ababengabavangeli basemazweni abasityelela kwikhaya likaDade Koda ngowe-1949, kwakunye noDade Maud Koda, bonke baligqiba ikhondo labo lobomi bethembekile. Kunjalo nangomntakwethu, owayesisicaka solungiselelo, nomfazi wakhe, owayekwinkonzo yobuvulindlela kangangeminyaka eli-15. Kuza kwenzeka ntoni ngabazali bam, endandikoyika ukufa kwabo ndisengumntwana? Isithembiso seBhayibhile sovuko sindinika ithemba nentuthuzelo.—IZenzo 24:15.
Xa ndikhumbul’ emva, ndivakalelwa kukuba ukudibana kwam noMaud ngowe-1941 kwaba yeyona nto ibaluleke gqitha ebomini bam. Ukuba ndandingazange ndidibane naye ngelo xesha yaye ukuba ndandingazange ndivume ukumsebenzela emva kwemfazwe, kunokwenzeka ukuba ngendahlala kwifama yethu kwidolophana esemaphandleni ndize ndingadibani nokudibana nabavangeli basemazweni ngaloo minyaka. Hayi indlela endinombulelo ngayo kuYehova ngokunditsalela kwinyaniso esebenzisa uMaud nabavangeli basemazweni bezo mini!
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Ndikunye noMaud Koda nomyeni wakhe. Mna ndingaphambili ekhohlo
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Ndikunye nabavangeli basemazweni abavela eJapan eYankee Stadium ngowe-1953. Mna ndisekugqibeleni ekhohlo
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EBheteli kunye nomyeni wam, uJunji