Ibali Lobomi

UYehova Wandinceda Ukuba Ndimfumane

KUBALISA UFLORENCE CLARK

Ndandibambe isandla somyeni wam owayegulel’ ukufa. Njengelungu lecawa yaseTshetshi, ndathandaza kuThixo ndicela ukuba umyeni wam aphile, ndamthembisa nokuba xa enokuphila, ndiya kumfuna de ndimfumane. Emva koko ndiya kuzinikela kuye.

NDAZALWA ngoSeptemba 18, 1937, kwintsapho yakwaChulung, eOombulgurri, ummandla ohlala abemi bomthonyama baseOstreliya eKimberley Plateau ekwanti, eNtshona Ostreliya.

Ndineenkumbulo ezimyoli xa ndicinga ngeminyaka yobuntwana eyayizaliswe lulonwabo. Ecaweni ndafunda izinto ezithile ezisisiseko ngoThixo, neBhayibhile, kodwa ngumama owandifundisa imigaqo yobuKristu. Wayendifundela iBhayibhile rhoqo, yaye ndaqalisa ukuthanda ukufunda ngoThixo ndisemncinane. Ekubeni omnye woomakazi bam wayengumvangeli wasemazweni kwicawa yakhe, nam ndafuna ukulandela ekhondweni lakhe.

Indawo esasihlala kuyo, ngaphambili eyayisaziwa ngokuba yiForrest River Mission, yayinesikolo esiqala kwibanga lokuqala ukusa kwelesihlanu. Ndandiba sesikolweni iiyure nje ezimbini ntsasa nganye. Oku kwakuthetha ukuba ndiza kuba nemfundo elinganiselweyo, nto leyo eyayimxhalabisa utata. Wayefuna abantwana bakhe bafumane imfundo ephucukileyo, ngoko wagqiba ekubeni siyishiye iOombulgurri size sifudukele kwidolophu yaseWyndham. Ndandibuhlungu gqitha xa sasihamba, kodwa eWyndham, ndakwazi ukuba sesikolweni imini yonke kangangeminyaka emine, ukususela ngowe-1949 ukusa kowe-1952. Ndimbulela gqitha utata ngokwenza ukuba ndifumane loo mfundo.

Umama wayesebenzela ugqirha wasekuhlaleni, yaye xa ndagqiba isikolo ndineminyaka eli-15 ubudala, lo gqirha wandinika umsebenzi wokuba ngumongikazi kwisibhedlele esiseWyndham. Ndawamkela ngovuyo, kuba ngelo xesha kwakunzima ukufumana umsebenzi.

Emva kweminyaka ethile ndadibana noAlec, umfama omhlophe. Ngowe-1964 satshata kwidolophu yaseDerby, apho yayikho iCawa yaseTshetshi endandisiya rhoqo kuyo. Ngenye imini kwafika amaNgqina kaYehova emzini wam. Ndawaxelela ukuba andinamdla kwaphela ndaza ndawacela ukuba angaphinde eze. Noko ke, into awayithethayo yabangel’ umdla—uThixo unegama, uYehova.

“Akukwazi Na Wena Ukuzithandazela?”

Ngowe-1965 ubomi baqalisa ukuba nzima gqitha. Umyeni wam wafumana iingozi ezintathu ezimbi—ezimbini wenzakaliswa lihashe lakhe enye yimoto. Okuvuyisayo kukuba, waphila waza wabuyela emsebenzini. Noko ke, kungekudala emva koko, waphinda wenzakaliswa lihashe lakhe. Ngesi sihlandlo, wenzakala kakhulu entloko. Ukufika kwam esibhedlele, ugqirha wandixelela ukuba uza kufa. Ndadandatheka. Omnye umongikazi wacela umfundisi wasekuhlaleni ukuba aze kundibona, kodwa yena wathi: “Andinakuza ngoku. Ndiza kuza ngomso!”

Ndaxelela unongendi ukuba ndifuna umfundisi aze kuthandaza nam. Wathi: “Yintoni ingxaki yakho? Akukwazi na wena ukuzithandazela?” Ngoko ndaqalisa ukuthandaza kwimifanekiso eqingqiweyo ukuba indincede kodwa oko kwaba lilize. Umyeni wam wayesonganyelwa kukufa. Ndazibuza, ‘Ndiza kuba ngokabani xa umyeni wam enokufa?’ Ndandixhalabele nabantwana bam abathathu—uChristine, uNanette noGeoffrey. Baya kuphila njani ngaphandle kukayise? Okuvuyisayo kukuba, kwiintsuku ezintathu kamva, umyeni wam wabuyela ezingqondweni waza waphuma esibhedlele ngoDisemba 6, 1966.

Nangona wachacha ngendlela ephawulekayo, wayenzakele ebuchotsheni. Waba nengxaki yokulibala waza ke wathanda ukuba nogonyamelo ecaphuka msinya. Wayengakwazi ukusebenzisana nabantwana ibe wayesiba nomsindo gqitha xa bengenzi izinto njengabantu abadala. Kwakunzima ukumnyamekela. Kwakufuneka ndimenzele phantse yonke into. Ndamfundisa ukulesa nokubhala kwakhona. Ukumnyamekela nokwenza imisebenzi yekhaya kwakundiqoba, ibe ndaphazamiseka engqondweni. Emva kweminyaka esixhenxe umyeni wam efumene ingozi, savumelana ukuba sikhe sahlukane ukuze nam ndichache.

Ndahamba nabantwana safudukela emazantsi esixeko sasePerth. Ngaphambi kokuba sifuduke, udadewethu wayefunda iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova eKununurra, idolophu encinane eNtshona Ostreliya. Wandibonisa umfanekiso obonisa ithemba eliseBhayibhileni lomhlaba oyiparadesi kwincwadi ethi Inyaniso Ekhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade.a Kwakule ncwadi waphinda wandibonisa igama likaThixo, uYehova, yaye oku kwabangel’ umdla kum. Ekubeni ndingazange ndizixelelwe ezi zinto ecaweni yam, ndagqiba ekubeni ndakuthi nje ndakuba ndizinzile ePerth ndifowunele amaNgqina kaYehova.

Kodwa, ndandimadolw’ anzima ukuwafowunela. Ngenye ingokuhlwa, kwankqonkqozwa emnyango. Unyana wam waya kuvula waza wabuya ebaleka esithi, “Mama aba bantu wawuthe uza kubafowunela balapha.” Ndimangalisiwe ndathi kuye, “Baxelele ukuba andikho!” Kodwa wandiphendula wathi, “Uyazi Mama ukuba andimele ndixoke.” Omele emqaleni, ndaya emnyango. Njengoko ndandibulisa ezi ndwendwe, ndaphawula ukuba zididekile. Zazize komnye umntu owayengasahlali apho. Ndathi mazingene ndaza ndazingxixha ngemibuzo ibe ndafumana iimpendulo ezanelisayo eziphuma eBhayibhileni.

Kwiveki elandelayo, ndaqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile rhoqo namaNgqina, sisebenzisa incwadi ethi Inyaniso Ekhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade. Eso sifundo sandivuselela ngokomoya. Emva kweeveki ezimbini ndaya kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu Yesu. Ndaqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso rhoqo ngeCawa, yaye kungekudala ndaya nakwezaphakathi evekini. Ndaqalisa nokuxelela abanye izinto endandizifunda. Ndafumanisa ukuba ukunceda abanye bafunde iinyaniso zeBhayibhile kwakundinceda engqondweni nangokweemvakalelo. Emva kweenyanga ezintandathu ndabhaptizwa kwindibano yesithili ePerth.

Njengoko ndandisenza inkqubela ngokomoya, ndaqonda indlela uYehova awujonga njengongcwele ngayo umtshato, kuquka nomgaqo weBhayibhile okweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 7:13, othi: ‘Umfazi onendoda engakholwayo, ukanti ivuma ukuhlala naye, makangayishiyi indoda yakhe.’ Esi sibhalo sandenza ndabuyela kuAlec.

Ukubuyela EDerby

NgoJuni 21, 1979, ndabuyela eDerby emva kokuba ndahlukene nomyeni wam kangangeminyaka engaphezu kwemihlanu. Kakade ke, ndandizibuza enoba uza kundamkela kusini na. Ndamangaliswa kukuba wavuyiswa gqitha kukubuya kwam, nangona wathi wayedaniswe yinto yokuba ndiliNgqina likaYehova. Ngokukhawuleza wacebisa ukuba ndiye kwicawa yakhe, leyo ndandisiya kuyo ngaphambi kokuba ndihambe ePerth. Ndamcacisela ukuba andinakukwenza oko. Ndandisenza konke okusemandleni am ukuthobela igunya lakhe lokuba yintloko nokuba ngumzekelo njengomfazi ongumKristu. Ndazama ukuthetha naye ngezithembiso zikaYehova ezihle zekamva, kodwa akazange abonise mdla.

Noko ke, ekugqibeleni, uAlec wayamkela indlela yam entsha yokuphila waza waqalisa nokundinika imali yokuya kwiindibano ezinkulu nezincinane nakwiintlanganiso zeveki nganye. Ndambulela gqitha xa wathenga imoto—eyona nto iligugu kulo mmandla waseOstreliya ukwanti—ukuze ndiyisebenzise kubulungiseleli bamaKristu. Abazalwana noodade, kuquka umveleli wesiphaluka, babedla ngokulala ekhayeni lethu kangangeentsuku eziliqela. Oku kwenza uAlec wazi amaNgqina awahlukahlukeneyo, yaye wayebonakala ekuthanda ukuba kunye nawo.

Ndavakalelwa NjengoHezekile

Ndandikuvuyela ukutyelelwa ngabazalwana noodade, kodwa ndandinengxaki. Yayindim kuphela iNgqina kwidolophu yaseDerby. Ibandla elikufuphi laliseBroome, umgama oziikhilomitha ezingama-220. Ngoko ndagqiba ekubeni ndenze umgudu wokusasaza iindaba ezilungileyo. UYehova wandinceda ndakulungela ukuqalisa ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu. Oko kwakungelula, kodwa ndandisoloko ndizikhumbuza amazwi kampostile uPawulos athi: “Ezintweni zonke ndinamandla ngenxa yalowo undomelezayo.”—Filipi 4:13.

Abefundisi basekuhlaleni babengawuthandi umsebenzi wam, ingakumbi ukushumayela kwabanye abemi baseOstreliya bomthonyama. Babezama ukundoyikisa nokundiyekisa ukushumayela. Inkcaso yabo yandenza ndazimisela ngakumbi ukuqhubeka nawo, yaye ndandithandaza rhoqo kuYehova ndicela ukuba andincede. Ndindidla ngokukhumbula amazwi alukhuthazo awathethwa kuHezekile athi: “Khangela! Ndibenze ubuso bakho balukhuni kanye njengobuso babo nebunzi lakho lalukhuni kanye njengamabunzi abo. Njengedayimani, ndilenze laba lukhuni ngaphezu kwelitye leqhwitha ibunzi lakho. Uze ungaboyiki, yaye uze ungankwantyiswa bubuso babo.”—Hezekile 3:8, 9.

Kangangezihlandlo eziliqela, amadoda amabini ecawa ethile eza kum ngoxa ndiye kuthenga. Andigculela esenza ingxolo ezama ukuba abanye abaze kuthenga banikel’ ingqalelo. Andizange ndiwahoye. Ngenye imini xa ndandibuyela kumntu onomdla, umfundisi wecawa yasekuhlaleni weza kum waza wandityhola ngokungakholelwa kuYesu. Wahlutha iBhayibhile endandiyiphethe, waza wayivuthululela kum waphinda wandinika. Ndimjonge ntsho emehlweni, ngokuzola kodwa kungekho noluncinane uvalo ndacaphula uYohane 3:16 ndaza ndamqinisekisa ukuba ndinokholo kuYesu. Ukumphendula kwam ngokuqiniseka kwamtsho wayinkuku esikw’ umlo waza wahamba.

Ndandikuthanda ukushumayela kubemi bomthonyama baseOstreliya abahlala eDerby. Omnye mfundisi wasekuhlaleni wazama ukundithintela ekushumayeleni komnye ummandla, kodwa wathunyelwa kwenye indawo. Oko kwandivulela ithuba lokushumayela kwabo bantu. Ndandisoloko ndifuna ukuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni njengomakazi wam, ngoku ndandisenza loo msebenzi, ndinceda abanye bafunde ngeLizwi likaThixo. Abemi abaninzi bomthonyama basabela koko kushumayela, yaye ndaqalisa izifundo zeBhayibhile eziliqela.

Ukuphaphela Intswelo Yam Yokomoya

Yayindim kuphela iNgqina likaYehova eDerby kangangeminyaka emihlanu. Ndandikufumanisa kunzima ukuhlala ndomelele ngokomoya ngaphandle kokufumana ukhuthazo ngokuhlanganisana rhoqo nabanye abazalwana. Ngenye imini, ndandiziva ndidimazekile ndaza ndahamba ngemoto ukuze ndibethwe ngumoya. Ekubuyeni kwam endlwini ngalo mvakwemini, ndafika ndilindelwe ngomnye udade nabantwana bakhe abasixhenxe. Babendiphathele isixa seencwadi esivela kwibandla eliseBroome, ekumgama weekhilomitha. Ukususela ngoko, lo dade, uBetty Butterfield, wenza ilungiselelo lokuza eDerby kanye ngenyanga aze ahlale nam impelaveki yonke. Sasishumayela kunye size sifunde IMboniselo kunye ekhayeni lam. Nam ndandisiya eBroome kanye ngenyanga.

Abazalwana baseBroome babendinceda gqitha yaye ngamanye amaxesha babehamba umgama omde besiza eDerby ukuza kundincedisa entsimini. Babebongoza nabaphi na abazalwana okanye oodade abasuka kwezinye iidolophu abaza kudlula eDerby ukuba bandityelele baze baye nam entsimini. Aba bazalwana babendiphathela neekhasethi zeentetho zesidlangalala. Abanye babefunda nam IMboniselo. La matyelelo mafutshane ayeba lukhuthazo gqitha.

Ukufumana Uncedo Olungakumbi

Kangangeminyaka ethile, ndandifumana ukhuthazo olungakumbi xa uArthur noMary Willis, isibini esidla umhlala-phantsi nesasihlala kummandla osemazantsi eNtshona Ostreliya, size kundinceda kangangeenyanga ezintathu ngexesha elipholileyo lonyaka. UMzalwan’ uWillis wayeqhuba phantse zonke iintlanganiso aze akhokele kubulungiseleli basentsimini. Sasisiya kwezona ndawo zikwanti zaseKimberley Plateau, sityelela neefama ezikule ndawo. Ngalo lonke ixesha uMzalwana noDade Willis bendishiya, ndandisala ndililolo.

Ekugqibeleni, ngasekupheleni kowe-1983, ndafumana iindaba ezivuyisayo zokuba kukho intsapho eza kuhlala apha eDerby—uDanny noDenise Sturgeon noonyana babo abane. Emva kokuba befikile, sakwazi ukuba neentlanganiso veki nganye size sishumayele kunye entsimini. Ngowama-2001 kwamiselwa ibandla. Namhlanje eDerby kukho ibandla elomeleleyo elinabavakalisi boBukumkani abangama-24, elinabadala ababini nesicaka solungiselelo esinye abasinyamekela kakuhle ngokomoya. Maxa wambi, kubakho abantu abangama-30 kwiintlanganiso zethu.

Xa ndijonga emva kwiminyaka edluleyo, kundichukumisa gqitha ukubona indlela uYehova andincede ngayo ukuze ndimkhonze. Nangona umyeni wam engekandilandeli, uqhubeka endixhasa ngezinye iindlela. Amalungu amahlanu entsapho yam aye aba ngamaNgqina abhaptiziweyo—iintombi zam ezimbini, abazukulwana ababini nomtshana wam. Ukongezelela, izalamane zam ezininzi zifunda iBhayibhile nabantu bakaYehova.

Ndimbulela gqitha uYehova ngokundinceda ndimfumane. Ndizimisele ukuba ngowakhe ngonaphakade.—INdumiso 65:2.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Imaphu/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 15]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

AUSTRALIA

Wyndham

Kimberley Plateau

Derby

Broome

Perth

[Inkcazelo]

Kangaroo and lyrebird: Lydekker; koala: Meyers

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14]

Xa ndandingumongikazi kwisibhedlele saseWyndham, ngowe-1953

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

IBandla laseDerby, ngowama-2005