Ibali Lobomi
Imfundo Endisaqhubeka Ndiyisebenzisa Ebomini Bam
KUBALISA UHAROLD GLUYAS
Ndisayikhumbula into endayibona xa ndandisengumntwana kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-70 eyadlulayo. Ndandihleli ekhitshini, ndijonge into eyayibhalwe “Ceylon Tea.” Kwakhona yayinomfanekiso wamabhinqa avuna amagqabi eti kwintsimi eluhlaza nechumileyo yaseCeylon (ngoku eyiSri Lanka). Le ndawo eyayikude gqitha kwikhaya lethu eliyinkqantosi eMzantsi Ostreliya, yandenza ndaziva ndifuna ukuyibona ngokoqobo. Hayi indlela elalilihle nelibangel’ umdla ngayo eli lizwe laseCeylon! Ngelo xesha ndandingenalo nofifi lokuba ndakuze ndichithe iminyaka engama-45 yobomi bam njengomvangeli wasemazweni kweso siqithi sihle.
NDAZALWA ngoApril 1922, yaye ihlabathi lalahluke gqitha kwindlela eliyiyo namhlanje. Intsapho yakowethu yayinefama yengqolowa eyayikwanti kufuphi nedolophu esemaphandleni iKimba, emi kumbindi welizwekazi laseOstreliya ngasemazantsi entlango enkulu yalo mmandla. La yayingamaxesha anzima, awayequka ukugquba kwembalela, ukuhlaselwa zizinambuzane ezitshabalalisayo nabubushushu obugqithiseleyo. Umama wayesebenza nzima ukunyamekela uTata nathi bantwana abathandathu kwikhaya lethu elisehlathini nelalilityotyombe.
Noko ke, ukuhlala emaphandleni kwakundinika inkululeko nolonwabo. Ndikhumbula ndiselula ndimangaliswa kukubona ispani seenkabi zeenkomo zilima yaye zisusa utyani, okanye isivunguvungu sesaqhwithi esishiya ezi ndawo zisemaphandleni zigqunywe luthuli. Ngoko ke, imfundo yam yaqalisa ngaphambi kokuba ndiye kwisikolo esincinane esinotitshala omnye, esikumgama oziikhilomitha ezintlanu ukusuka ekhaya.
Abazali bam babengamakholwa, nangona babengazange balubeke ecaweni—isizathu esiyintloko kwakungenxa yomgama omde wokusuka kwifama yakowethu ukuya edolophini. Sekunjalo, ebutsheni beminyaka yee-1930, uMama waqalisa ukuphulaphula iintetho zeBhayibhile ezazinikelwa nguJaji Rutherford, ezazidlalwa veki nganye kwisikhululo sikanomathotholo eAdelaide. Ndandicinga ukuba uJaji Rutherford wayengumfundisi othile waseAdelaide, yaye ndandingenamdla ungako. Kodwa veki nganye uMama wayelindela ngolangazelelo ukudlalwa kweentetho zikaRutherford aze aphulaphule ngenyameko njengoko ilizwi lakhe lalingavakali kakuhle kunomathotholo wasekhaya omdala odlala ngebhetri.
Ngenye imvakwemini eshushu nenothuli, kwamisa iveni endala phambi kwendlu yasekhaya, yaye kwaphuma kuyo amadoda amabini anxibe kakuhle. La yayingamaNgqina kaYehova. UMama waphulaphula isigidimi sawo waza wanikela ngemali ukuze afumane iincwadi eziliqela nawaqalisa ukuzifunda ngoko nangoko. Ezi ncwadi zamchukumisa gqitha kangangokuba kungekudala wacela uTata ukuba amse ngemoto kubamelwane bakhe ukuze athethe nabo ngoko wayekufunda.
Iinzuzo Zempembelelo Entle
Kungekudala emva koko ubomi basemaphandleni baba nzima nto leyo eyasinyanzela ukuba sifudukele kwisixeko saseAdelaide, esikumgama oziikhilomitha ezingama-500. Intsapho yakowethu yaqalisa ukunxulumana neBandla laseAdelaide lamaNgqina kaYehova nokwenza inkqubela ngokomoya. Kwakhona ukufuduka kwethu kwenza ukuba ndiyeke ukufunda. Ndayeka ukufunda xa ndandineminyaka eli-13 kuphela ubudala, ndigqibe ibanga (grade) lesixhenxe. Ndandingumntu ozithabatha lula izinto, nto leyo ngokulula eyayinokundenza ndingabi namdla kwizinto zokomoya ukuba ndandingancedwanga ngabazalwana abalungileyo abaliqela—oovulindlela, okanye abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo—ababonakalisa umdla kum.
Njengoko ixesha lihamba, ukhuthazo lwabo bazalwana banenzondelelo lwandenza ndanoxabiso olunzulu ngezinto zokomoya. Ndandikuthanda ukuba kunye nabo yaye ndandiwuxabisa umoya wabo wokuzibhokoxa. Ngoko ke xa kwenziwa isaziso esikhuthaza inkonzo yobuvulindlela bexesha elizeleyo kwindibano eyayiseAdelaide ngowe-1940, ndingakhange ndicinge ndabhalisa igama lam. Ndandingekabhaptizwa ngelo xesha yaye ndandingenamava angako okushumayela. Sekunjalo, kwiintsuku ezimbalwa kamva, ndacelwa ukuba ndisebenze kunye neqela elincinane loovulindlela eWarrnambool, idolophu ekumgama oziikhilomitha eziliqela ukusuka eAdelaide, ilizwana elikufuphi laseVictoria.
Nangona ndaqalisa oku ndinamathandabuzo, kungekudala ndayithanda inkonzo yasentsimini, nto leyo endivuyayo ukuthi phezu kwayo yonke le minyaka ayikathothi. Eneneni, oko kwabuguqula ubomi bam, yaye ndaqalisa ukwenza inkqubela yokwenene ngokomoya. Ndafunda ukuxabiseka kokusondela kwabo bazithandayo izinto zokomoya. Ndafumanisa indlela ukhuthazo lwabo oluhle olunokusiphembelela ngayo kungakhathaliseki ukuba sifunde kangakanani na nendlela oko sikufundileyo okunokuqhubeka kusinceda ngayo ebomini bethu.
Ukomelezwa Zizilingo
Kwakungekudala ndinguvulindlela xa umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wavalwa eOstreliya. Ekubeni ndandingaqinisekanga ngento emandiyenze, ndacela ulwalathiso kubazalwana, abandixelela ngokuphandle ukuba imilomo yethu yayingavalwanga ukuba singathethi nabantu ngeBhayibhile. Ngoko ke mna nabanye oovulindlela saqalisa ukuya kwindlu ngendlu sithetha ngesigidimi esilula seBhayibhile. Oku kwandomeleza ukuze ndikwazi ukujamelana neemvavanyo ezizayo.
Kwiinyanga ezine kamva ndaba neminyaka eli-18 ubudala yaye ndabizelwa emkhosini. Oku kwandinika ithuba lokuba ndimele ukholo lwam phambi kwamagosa asemkhosini nomantyi. Ngelo xesha, abazalwana abamalunga nama-20 babevalelwe entolongweni yaseAdelaide ngenxa yokungafuni kwabo ukuya emkhosini, yaye kungekudala nam ndavalelwa kunye nabo. Sasisetyenziswa nzima, sisomba amatye yaye silungisa neendlela. Oku kwandinceda ndaba neempawu ezinjengokunyamezela nokuzimisela. Ukuziphatha kwethu kakhuhle nokuma ngokuqinileyo ekugqibeleni kwenza ukuba abagcini-mabanjwa abaninzi basihlonele.
Ndakuba ndikhululiwe kwiinyanga eziliqela kamva, ndakuvuyela ukuphinda nditye ukutya okumnandi ndaza kamsinya emva koko ndaqhubeka nomsebenzi wobuvulindlela. Kodwa ke ayenqabile amaqabane angoovulindlela, ngoko ke ndacelwa ukuba ndisebenze ndodwa kummandla weefama okwanti eMzantsi Ostreliya. Ndavuma ndaza ndahamba ngenqanawa ukuya kuSingasiqithi weYorke, ndiphethe kuphela izinto zokushumayela nebhayisikile. Ekufikeni kwam, intsapho enomdla yandisa kumzi wabahambi apho inenekazi elinobubele landiphatha njengonyana walo. Emini, ndandihamba ngebhayisikile yam kwezo ndlela zalapho zomhlaba, ndishumayela kwiidolophu ezincinane ezisasazeke kuloo singasiqithi. Ukuze ndikwazi ukushumayela kwiindawo ezikude, ndandidla ngokulala kwiihotele ezincinane okanye kwimizi yabahambi. Ngale ndlela, ndandikwazi ukuhamba ngebhayisikile amakhulu eekhilomitha yaye ndandifumana amava amnandi. Andizange ndizikhathaze gqitha ngento yokuba ndishumayela ndodwa, yaye njengoko ndandibona indlela uYehova andinyamekela ngayo, ndasondela ngakumbi kuye.
Ukuhlangabezana Nokuziva Ndingafaneleki
Ngowe-1946, ndafumana ileta eyayindicela ukuba ndiqalise kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba njengesicaka esikhonza abazalwana (ngoku esibizwa ngokuba ngumveleli wesiphaluka). Oku kwakuquka ukutyelela amabandla amaninzi kwisiphaluka esithile. Ndimele ndivume ukuba iimbopheleleko zesi sabelo ndazifumanisa zingumsebenzi onzima. Ngenye imini ndeva omnye umzalwana esithi, “uHarold akasiso isithethi esihle, kodwa uwenza kakuhle umsebenzi wokushumayela.” La mazwi andikhuthaza gqitha. Ndandiyiqonda into yokuba andisiso isithethi esihle yaye ndandingenabuchule bokulungelelanisa izinto, kodwa ndandikholelwa kukuba umsebenzi wokushumayela yayingowona msebenzi wamaKristu uyintloko.
Ngowe-1947 kwakuyimincili nje ngenxa yotyelelo lukaMzalwan’ uNathan Knorr noMilton Henschel ababevela kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn. Olu yayilutyelelo lokuqala ukususela oko kwakuze uMzalwan’ uRutherford ngowe-1938. Kwabakho indibano enkulu eSydney ngenxa yolu tyelelo. Njengabanye oovulindlela abaninzi abaselula, ndandinomdla kuqeqesho lobuvangeli basemazweni olwalusandul’ ukuqalisa kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi eSouth Lansing, eNew York, eUnited States. Uninzi lwethu olwalukho lwazibuza enoba ubani kufuneka abe nemfundo ethe kratya kusini na ukuze abhalise kwesi sikolo. Noko ke, uMzalwan’ uKnorr wasichazela ukuba xa sikwazi ukufunda inqaku lephephancwadi IMboniselo size sizikhumbule iingongoma eziziintloko, mhlawumbi siya kuphumelela eGiliyadi.
Ndavakalelwa kukuba imfundo yam encinane iya kundenza ndingafaneleki. Kwiinyanga eziliqela kamva, ndamangaliswa kukufumana isimemo sokuba ndifake isicelo sokuya kuqeqeshwa eGiliyadi. Kamva, ndamkelwa njengomfundi, yaye ndaya kwiklasi ye-16, eyayingowe-1950. Oku kwangqineka kungamava amnandi awandenza ndanentembelo engakumbi. Kwandenza ndabona into yokuba, ukuba nemfundo ephakamileyo kwakungeyonto eyintloko ukuze ubani aphumelele. Kunoko, ukukhuthala nokuthobela yayizezona zinto ziyintloko ezifunekayo. Abaqeqeshi bethu basikhuthaza ukuba senze konke okusemandleni ethu. Njengoko ndandiphulaphula icebiso labo, ngokuthe ngcembe ndenza inkqubela yaye ndakwazi ukukulandela kakuhle oko sasikufundiswa.
Ukushiya Ilizwekazi Eliyinkqantosi Ukuya Kwisiqithi Esihle
Emva kokuphumelela kule klasi, mna nabanye abazalwana ababini baseOstreliya sathunyelwa eCeylon (ngoku eyiSri Lanka). Safika kwikomkhulu leso sixeko, iColombo, ngoSeptemba 1951. Kwakushushu yaye kukho ulophu, yaye sabona izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo, seva izandi namavumba esingawaqhelanga. Njengoko sasisihla kwinqanawa, omnye umvangeli wasemazweni owayesele ekweli lizwe wasamkela waza wandinika iphecana elichaza intetho yesidlangalala eyayiza kunikelwa ngeCawa elandelayo kwindawo kawonkewonke. Ndamangaliswa kukubona ukuba, kweli phecana kwakubhalwe igama lam—njengesithethi! Unokuyithelekelela indlela endandothuke ngayo. Kodwa iminyaka endayichitha eOstreliya njengovulindlela yandifundisa ukuba ndamkele nasiphi na isabelo endisifumanayo. Ngoko ke ngoncedo lukaYehova, ndayinikela ngempumelelo le ntetho yesidlangalala. Sikunye nabazalwana abane abangatshatanga ababesele bekwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni laseColombo ngelo xesha, thina sobathathu saqalisa ukufunda ulwimi olunzima isiSinhala nokuya entsimini. Ixesha elininzi sasisebenza sodwa, yaye kwakusivuyisa ukufumana abantu basekuhlaleni benentlonelo nobubele. Kungekudala inani labo babesiza kwiintlanganiso laqalisa ukukhula.
Njengoko ixesha lihamba, ndaqalisa ukucinga nzulu ngodade omhle onguvulindlela, uSybil, endadibana naye xa ndandihamba ngenqanawa ndisiya kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi. Wayesiya kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe eNew York. Kamva, waya kwiklasi yama-21 yaseGiliyadi yaye wathunyelwa eHong Kong ngowe-1953. Ndagqiba kwelokuba ndimbhalele, yaye saqhubeka sibhalelana de kwangowe-1955 xa uSybil weza kusebenza nam eCeylon, apho satshatela khona.
Isabelo sethu sokuqala njengesibini esingabavangeli basemazweni sasiseJaffna, isixeko esithe qelele kumntla weSri Lanka. Phakathi kwiminyaka yee-1950, ungquzulwano kwezobupolitika lwaluqalisa ukwenza kubekho ukungavisisani phakathi kwamaSinhala namaTamil, nto leyo eye yakhokelela kwimfazwe kumashumi eminyaka edluleyo. Hayi indlela ekwakuchukumisa ngayo ukubona amaNgqina angamaSinhala namaTamil ekhuselana kangangeenyanga ebudeni balo minyaka inzima! Ezo mvavanyo zalomeleza ukholo lwabazalwana.
Ukushumayela Nokufundisa eSri Lanka
Ukuqhelana nentsimi yamaHindu namaSilamsi kwakufuna umonde nenzondelelo. Sekunjalo, saqalisa ukuwaqonda amasiko awo neempawu zawo ezithandekayo. Ekubeni kwakungeyonto iqhelekileyo ukubona abantu basemzini behamba ngebhasi yasekuhlaleni, ngenxa yoko abantu babemangaliswa kukusibona. USybil wagqiba kwelokuba yena abancumele. Kwakusivuyisa ukubona abo bamangalisiweyo nabo bencuma!
Ngesinye isihlandlo, samiswa ngamapolisa endlela. Emva kokuba ipolisa elalisebenza apho lisibuzile ukuba sivela phi nalapho siya khona, laqalisa ukusibuza izinto eziphathelele ubomi bethu.
“Ngubani eli bhinqa?”
Ndaphendula ndisithi: “Ngumfazi wam.”
“Ninexesha elingakanani nitshatile?”
“Sineminyaka esibhozo.”
“Ninabo abantwana?”
“Hayi.”
“Nkosi yam! Niyile kwagqirha?”
Le mibuzo yokufuna ukwazi yayisothusa ekuqaleni, kodwa ekuhambeni kwexesha sayijonga njengendlela yabantu basekuhlaleni yokubonakalisa umdla onyanisekileyo kwabanye. Eneneni, olu yayilolunye lweempawu zabo ezithandekayo. Ukuba umntu ume nje umzuzwana esidlangalaleni, kudla ngokuza omnye aze ambuze ngobubele enoba unokumnceda kusini na.
Iinguqulelo Nezinto Esihlala Sizikhumbula
Kwiminyaka edluleyo, siye sakuvuyela ukufumana izabelo ezahlukahlukeneyo ukongezelela kumsebenzi wethu wobuvangeli basemazweni eSri Lanka. Ndafumana isabelo somsebenzi wesiphaluka nowesithili nowokuba lilungu leKomiti yeSebe. Ngowe-1996, ndandisele ndiyigabhule iminyaka engama-70 ubudala. Bendingumvangeli wasemazweni eSri Lanka ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-45. Kwintlanganiso yokuqala endaya kuyo eColombo, kwakukho abantu abamalunga nama-20. Elo nani liye landa ngoku langaphezu kwama-3 500! Mna noSybil uninzi lwaba bantu sibajonga njengabantwana nabazukulwana bethu bokomoya esibathandayo. Sekunjalo, kwakusekho umsebenzi omninzi owawufanele wenziwe kwelo lizwe—umsebenzi ofuna amandla nobuchule babo baselula kunathi. Sicinga ngako oku, savuma xa iQumrhu Elilawulayo lasikhuthaza ukuba sibuyele eOstreliya. Oku kuye kwavulela ithuba lokuba kuze izibini ezitshatileyo neziselula eSri Lanka zize kuthabatha apho siyeke khona.
Ngoku ndineminyaka engama-83 ubudala, yaye mna noSybil iyasivuyisa into yokuba sisempilweni nto leyo esenza sikwazi ukuqhubeka singoovulindlela abakhethekileyo kwindawo eyayisakuba likhaya lam eAdelaide. Umsebenzi wokushumayela usenza sihlale siphaphile yaye silungele naziphi na iimeko. Kwakhona uye wasinceda sakwazi ukuqhelana nobomi beli lizwe lahluke gqitha.
UYehova uye waqhubeka enyamekela zonke iintswelo zethu zezinto eziphathekayo, yaye abazalwana noodade abasebandleni lethu babonakalisa uthando yaye bayasixhasa. Kutshanje ndiye ndafumana isabelo esitsha. Ngoku ndingunobhala webandla lethu. Ngenxa yoko, ndiye ndafumanisa ukuba njengoko ndizabalazela ukukhonza uYehova ngokunyaniseka, uqeqesho lwam lusaqhubeka. Xa ndikhangela emva kwiminyaka edluleyo, isoloko indimangalisa into yokuba inkwenkwe ezithabatha lula izinto nekhulele ehlathini inokufumana imfundo ebaluleke ngolu hlobo—endiqhubeka ndizuza kuyo kude kube ngoku.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
Ngosuku lwethu lomtshato, ngowe-1955
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]
Ndisentsimini kunye noRajan Kadirgamar, umzalwana wasekuhlaleni, ngowe-1957
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]
Ndikunye noSybil namhlanje