Ibali Lobomi

Ndandizimisele Ukuqhubeka Ndikhonza UMdali Wam

KUBALISA UCONSTANCE BENANTI

Konke oku kwenzeka ngesiquphe! Kwiintsuku nje ezintandathu, uCamille, intombi yethu eyayineenyanga ezingama-22 ubudala, waba nefiva waza wafa. Ndaba buhlungu ngendlela engathethekiyo kangangokuba ndandifuna ukufa. Kwakutheni ukuze uThixo avumele into enjalo yenzeke? Ndandididekile.

ABAZALI bam babevela eCastellammare del Golfo, idolophu eseSicily, eItali. Beza kuhlala kwisiXeko saseNew York, apho ndazalelwa khona ngoDisemba 8, 1908. Intsapho yakowethu yayiquka utata, umama nabantwana abasibhozo, amakhwenkwe amahlanu namantombazana amathathu.a

Ngowe-1927 utata, uSanto Catanzaro, waqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zeqela elincinane laBafundi beBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayebizwa njalo. UGiovanni De Cecca, umzalwana oliTaliyane owayekhonza kwikomkhulu (elibizwa ngokuba yiBheteli) eBrooklyn, eNew York, wayeqhuba iintlanganiso apho sihlala khona, eNew Jersey. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uTata waqalisa ukushumayela waza wangenela inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, umsebenzi awaqhubeka ewenza de kwasekufeni kwakhe ngowe-1953.

Xa uMama wayeselula wayefuna ukuba ngunongendi, kodwa abazali bakhe abazange bavume. Ekuqaleni, uMama wathi mandingafundi iBhayibhile noTata. Noko ke, kungekudala emva koko, ndaphawula ukuba uTata wenze iinguqulelo ezithile. Wayengasacaphuki msinya, ezolile yaye oko kwenza kwakho uxolo olungakumbi kwintsapho yakowethu nto leyo endandiyithanda.

Kusenjalo, ndadibana noCharles, umfana owayeyintanga yam nowayezalelwe eBrooklyn. Intsapho yakowabo yayivela eSicily, kanye njengeyasekhaya. Kungekudala sagana, yaye emva kokuba uTata ebuyile kwindibano yamaNgqina kaYehova ngowe-1931, eyayiseColumbus, eOhio, satshata. Xa sasinonyaka sitshatile, kwazalwa intombi yethu uCamille. Xa wafayo, ndandibuhlungu ngendlela engathethekiyo. Ngenye imini uCharles, elila wathi: “UCamille ebeyintombi yam nam. Kutheni singaqhubeki nobomi bethu, size sithuthuzelane?”

Samkela Inyaniso YeBhayibhile

UCharles wandikhumbuza ukuba uTata wayethethe ngethemba lovuko kwintetho yakhe yomngcwabo kaCamille. Ndambuza: “Ngaba uyakholelwa ngokwenene eluvukweni?”

Waphendula wathi: “Ewe! Ibe kutheni singafumanisi okungakumbi ngoko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile ngalo?”

Ngobo busuku andizange ndilale. Ngentsimbi yesithandathu ekuseni, ngaphambi kokuba uTata aye emsebenzini, ndaya kumxelela ukuba mna noCharles sifuna ukufunda iBhayibhile. Wavuya gqitha waza wandanga. UMama, owayesebhedini, wasiva ngoxa sasithetha. Wandibuza ukuba kwenzeke ntoni. Ndathi: “Akukho nto yenzekileyo. Nto nje mna noCharles sigqibe ekubeni sifunde iBhayibhile.”

Waphendula wathi: “Sonke simele sifunde iBhayibhile.” Ngoko sonke, kuquka abanakwethu noodadewethu—soli-11—saqalisa ukufunda kunye njengentsapho.

Isifundo seBhayibhile sandithuthuzela, yaye ngokuthe ngcembe ndayeka ukudideka nokuba buhlungu gqitha, ndatsho ndaba nethemba. Emva konyaka, ngowe-1935, mna noCharles saqalisa ukushumayela kwabanye iinyaniso zeBhayibhile. NgoFebruwari 1937, emva kokuphulaphula intetho kwikomkhulu eBrooklyn eyayicacisa intsingiselo engokweZibhalo yokubhaptizwa emanzini, sabhaptizwa nabanye kwenye ihotele ekufuphi. Ndenza oku kungekhona nje kuba ndinethemba lokubona intombi yam ngenye imini kodwa kwanangenxa yokuba ndandinqwenela ukukhonza uMdali wethu, endaye ndamazi ndaza ndamthanda.

Ukungenela Ubulungiseleli Bexesha Elizeleyo

Ukuxelela abanye izinto endizifundileyo kwakundivuyisa yaye kunomvuzo, ingakumbi ekubeni abaninzi ngelo xesha babesamkela isigidimi soBukumkani baze nabo basivakalise. (Mateyu 9:37) Ngowe-1941, mna noCharles saba ngoovulindlela, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ebabiza njalo abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo. Kungekudala emva koko, sathenga ikharavani, waza uCharles washiya ishishini lethu lokwenza iibhulukhwe ezandleni zomnakwethu uFrank. Ethubeni, savuyiswa kukufumana ileta eyayisixelela ukuba simiselwe njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Ekuqaleni saba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo eNew Jersey, saza kamva sathunyelwa eNew York.

Ngowe-1946, ngoxa sasikwindibano eBaltimore, eMaryland, sacelwa ukuba siye kwintlanganiso enabameli abakhethekileyo bamaNgqina kaYehova. Apho sadibana noNathan H. Knorr noMilton G. Henschel. Basixelela ngomsebenzi wobuvangeli basemazweni, ngakumbi ngokushumayela eItali. Basicela ukuba sicinge ngokuya kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi.

Bathi: “Hambani niye kucinga ngoku, nize nisinike impendulo.” Emva kokuba siphumile kule ofisi, mna noCharles sajongana, saza sabuyela emva. Sathi: “Sicingile ngako oku. Sikulungele ukuya eGiliyadi.” Emva kweentsuku ezilishumi, saya kwiklasi yesixhenxe yaseGiliyadi.

Asisayi kuze sizilibale iinyanga esasiqeqeshwa ngazo. Eyona nto yayisichukumisa yayikukubona indlela abaqeqeshi bethu ababenomonde nothando ngayo, besilungiselela ukuba sikwazi ukujamelana nobunzima kwintsimi yasemzini. Emva kokuba siphumelele ngoJulayi 1946, sathunyelwa ukuba siye kushumayela okwexeshana kwisiXeko saseNew York, apho kwakukho amaTaliyane aliqela. Kamva kwafika imini enkulu! NgoJuni 25, 1947, saya kwisabelo sethu sobuvangeli basemazweni, eItali.

Ukuqhelana Nesabelo Sethu

Sahamba ngenqanawa eyayisetyenziswa emkhosini ngaphambili. Emva kweentsuku ezili-14 siselwandle, safika kwizibuko laseItali iGenoa. Kwesi sixeko wawunokuwubona nje umonakalo owenziwe yiMfazwe Yehlabathi II, eyayiphele kwiminyaka emibini ngaphambilana. Ngokomzekelo, izakhiwo ezikwisikhululo sikaloliwe zazingenazo iifestile ngenxa yokudlakazwa ziibhombu. Sahamba ngololiwe othutha imithwalo ukusuka eGenoa ukuya eMilan, apho kwakukho iofisi yesebe nekhaya labavangeli basemazweni.

Ekubeni kwakusemva kwemfazwe ubomi babunzima eItali. Kwakuzanywa ukuba kwakhiwe kwakhona, kodwa ubuhlwempu babugqugqisile. Kungekudala, ndagula gqitha. Omnye ugqirha, wathi intliziyo yam ikwimeko embi gqitha kwaye ucinga ukuba kungabhetele ndibuyele eUnited States. Iyandivuyisa into yokuba wayewuphosile umhlola. Emva kweminyaka engama-58, ndisekwisabelo sam eItali.

Sasikwisabelo sethu iminyaka nje embalwa xa abanakwethu abaseUnited States bafuna ukusinika imoto. Kodwa uCharles ngobubele wala, yaye ndasivuyela eso sigqibo sakhe. Kwakungekho Ngqina sakhe seva ukuba linemoto eItali ngelo xesha, yaye uCharles wayevakalelwa kukuba kwakuya kuba kuhle ukuba nathi siphile ngendlela yabazalwana bethu abangamaKristu. Asizange sibe nemoto de kwaba ngowe-1961 xa safumana nje encinane.

IHolo yethu yoBukumkani yokuqala eMilan yayikumgangatho ongaphantsi orhidwe ngodaka. Yayingekho indlu yangasese namanzi, yaye kwakubakho idama lamanzi xa kunethile. Kwakukho neempuku ezazidakasa. Kwiintlanganiso zethu sasikhanyisa ngeeglowubhu ezimbini. Nakubeni iimeko zazimaxongo ngolo hlobo, kwakukhuthaza ukubona abanyanisekileyo besiza kwiintlanganiso zethu baze emva koko babe kunye nathi kubulungiseleli.

Amava Obuvangeli Basemazweni

Ngenye imini sashiyela enye indoda incwadana ethi Peace—Can It Last? Xa sasisele sihamba, umfazi wayo uSantina, wafika exhakazela kukutya. Wayenendawana yokukruquka, esithi unamantombazana asibhozo ekufuneka awanyamekele yaye akanaxesha. Xa ndaphinda ndaya kuSantina, umyeni wakhe wayengekho, ibe yena wayenitha. Wathi: “Andinaxesha lakuphulaphula. Enye into andikwazi noko kufunda.”

Ndathandaza kuYehova ngaphakathi ndaza ndacela uSantina ukuba enzele umyeni wam ijezi ndize ndimhlawule. Emva kweeveki ezimbini wandinika lo jezi saza saqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile rhoqo sisebenzisa incwadi ethi “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” USantina wafunda ukulesa, yaye wenza inkqubela de wabhaptizwa nangona wayechaswa ngumyeni wakhe. Iintombi zakhe ezintlanu zaba ngamaNgqina, ibe uSantina wanceda abanye abaninzi bamkela inyaniso yeBhayibhile.

NgoMatshi 1951, sathunyelwa apho kungekho maNgqina khona, eBrescia, kunye nabanye abavangeli basemazweni—uRuth Cannonb noLoyce Callahan, kamva owatshata noBill Wengert. Safumana indawo yokuhlala eyayinefenitshala, kodwa emva kweenyanga ezimbini, umnikazi wayo wathi usinika nje usuku ukuba siphume apho. Ekubeni kwakungekho maNgqina kulo ndawo, kwanyanzeleka ukuba siye ehotele, apho sahlala phantse iinyanga ezimbini.

Sasivuka size silale ngekofu, isonka, itshizi neziqhamo. Nangona kwakunjalo, sasonwabile yaye umsebenzi wethu sasiwenza ngempumelelo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, safumana indawo encinane yokuhlala, yaye kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu ngowe-1952, kweza abantu abangama-35 kwigumbi elincinane esasilisebenzisa njengeHolo yoBukumkani.

Ukuhlangabezana Neengxaki

Ngelo xesha, abefundisi babesenempembelelo enkulu ebantwini. Ngokomzekelo, ngoxa sasishumayela eBrescia, amanye amakhwenkwe akhuthazwa ngabefundisi ukuba asigibisele ngamatye. Noko ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha, abantu abali-16 baqalisa ukufunda nathi iBhayibhile, yaye kungabanga thuba lide, baba ngamaNgqina. Ngaba uyazi ukuba yayingubani omnye wabo? Yenye yalo makhwenkwe ayefuna ukusigibisela ngamatye! Ngoku ingumdala kwelinye lamabandla aseBrescia. Ngowe-1955 ukumka kwethu, sashiya iBrescia inabavakalisi boBukumkani abangama-40 abanenxaxheba kumsebenzi wokushumayela.

Emva koko, saya eLeghorn (Livorno), apho inkoliso yamaNgqina yayingoodade, saza hlala iminyaka emithathu. Oku kwathetha ukuba thina boodade sasiza kwenza eminye imisebenzi yebandla edla ngokwenziwa ngabazalwana. Emva koko safudukela eGenoa, apho sasiqale khona kwiminyaka eli-11 ngaphambilana. Noko ngoku kwakusele kukho ibandla. IHolo yoBukumkani yayikumgangatho wokuqala wesakhiwo esasihlala kuso.

Sakuba sifikile eGenoa, ndaqalisa ukufunda nenekazi elalinomyeni owayesakuba yimbethi-manqindi nomphathi wendawo yokuqeqesha iimbethi-manqindi. Eli nenekazi lenza inkqubela ngokomoya laza kamsinya laba ngudadewethu ongumKristu. Noko ke, umyeni walo, wayechasa yaye waqhubeka enjalo kangangexesha elide. Kamva waqalisa ukuhamba nenkosikazi yakhe xa isiya kwiintlanganiso. Kunokuba angene eholweni, wayehlala phandle aze aphulaphule. Kamva sakuba simkile eGenoa, seva ukuba wacela ukuqhutyelwa isifundo seBhayibhile. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, wabhaptizwa waza waba ngumveleli ongumKristu onothando. Wahlala ethembekile de wafa.

Kwakhona ndaye ndafunda nebhinqa elaliganene nepolisa. Ekuqaleni, eli polisa labonisa umdla, kodwa emva kokuba betshatile, latshintsha. Lachasa yaza inkosikazi yalo yayeka ukufunda. Xa kamva yaphinda yaqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile, layisongela, laza lathi ukuba lingaphinda lisibone sifunda, liza kusidubula. Sekunjalo, yenza inkqubela ngokomoya yaza yaba liNgqina elibhaptiziweyo. Kambe ke, alizange lisidubule. Emva kweminyaka, xa ndandikwindibano yesiphaluka eGenoa, kweza umntu emva kwam, wandivala amehlo, waza wandibuza enoba ndingaqashela ukuba ungubani. Andizange ndikwazi ukuzibamba iinyembezi xa ndabona ukuba ngumyeni welaa bhinqa. Emva kokundanga, wandixelela ukuba ufuzisele ukuzahlulela kwakhe kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa kanye ngaloo mini!

Ukususela ngowe-1964 ukusa kowe-1972, ndaba nelungelo lokuhamba noCharles xa wayetyelela amabandla ukuze awomeleze ngokomoya. Satyelela phantse wonke umntla Itali—ePiedmont, eLombardy naseLiguria. Sandula ke saphinda sangoovulindlela eFlorence yaye kamva eVercelli. Ngowe-1977, kwakukho ibandla elinye kuphela eVercelli, kodwa xa sasihamba ngowe-1999, ayesele emathathu. Ngalo nyaka, ndaba neminyaka engama-91 ubudala, yaye sakhuthazwa ukuba sifudukele kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni eRoma, ikhaya elihle elincinane, elikummandla onenzolo.

Esinye Isiganeko Esibuhlungu

NgoMatshi 2002, uCharles, owayesoloko engumqabaqaba, wagula ngesiquphe. Impilo yakhe yaba mandundu de wafa ngoMeyi 11, 2002. Kangangeminyaka engama-71 sitshatile, besisoloko sikunye ebubini nasebumnandini. Xa wafayo ndalahlekelwa yaye ndaba buhlungu gqitha.

Ndidla ngokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaCharles enxibe isuti nomnqwazi wakhe owawusefashonini ngeminyaka ye-1930. Ndibe nombono wakhe encumile, okanye ibe ngathi ndiyamva ehleka. Ngenxa yoncedo lukaYehova nothando lwabazalwana noodade abathandekayo abaninzi abangamaKristu, ndiye ndakwazi ukunyamezela eli xesha losizi. Ndilindele ngolangazelelo ixesha xa ndiya kuphinda ndimbone uCharles.

Ukuqhubeka Nenkonzo Yam

Ukukhonza uMdali wam kuye kwaba yeyona nto imnandi ebomini bam. Ukutyhubela iminyaka ndiye, ‘ndangcamla ndabona ukuba uYehova ulungile.’ (INdumiso 34:8) Ndiye ndayibona indlela andithanda nandinyamekela ngayo. Nangona ndaye ndafelwa lusana lwam, uYehova undinike oonyana neentombi ezininzi zokomoya—kulo lonke elaseItali—abaye bavuyisa intliziyo yam neyakhe.

Ukuxelela abanye ngoMdali wam yeyona nto bendisoloko ndithanda ukuyenza. Yiyo lo nto ndisaqhubeka ndishumayela ndiqhuba nezifundo zeBhayibhile. Maxa wambi indenza buhlungu into yokuba ndingakwazi ukwenza okungakumbi ngenxa yempilo. Kodwa ndiyazi ukuba uYehova uyakwazi oko ndingenakukwenza yaye uyandithanda ekuxabisa oko ndikwaziyo ukukwenza. (Marko 12:42) Ndizabalazela ukuphila ngokuvisisana namazwi akwiNdumiso 146:2 athi: “Ndiza kumdumisa uYehova ebudeni bexesha lokudla kwam ubomi. Ndiza kumculela uncuthu lwengoma uThixo wam lo gama ndisekho.”c

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]

UCamille

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14]

Ngemini yethu yomtshato, ngowe-1931

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14]

Nangona wayengenamdla ekuqaleni, uMama wavuma ukuba sonke simele sifunde iBhayibhile

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Sikunye noMzalwan’ uKnorr kwiklasi yabaphumeleleyo eGiliyadi, ngowe-1946

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Ndikunye noCharles ngaphambi kokuba afe