Ibali Lobomi
UYehova Wawusikelela Umnqweno Wam Wokuba Ngumvangeli Wasemazweni
Kubalisa uSheila Winfield da Conceição
Omnye umvangeli wasemazweni owayetyelele evela eAfrika wasixelela ukuba kwisabelo akuso wonke umntu umngenisa endlwini aze aphulaphule iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo ngomdla. Ndathi kum ngaphakathi, ‘Ndingakuvuyela gqitha ukusebenza kwintsimi enjalo!’ Loo ncoko yandenza ndanomnqweno wokuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni yaye ngelo xesha ndandineminyaka eli-13 ubudala.
NOKO KE, kwakusele kulithuba singabakhonzi bakaYehova ekhaya. Ngenye intsasa yowe-1939, kwankqonkqoza amadoda amabini awayenxibe kakuhle ekhaya eHemel Hempstead, ummandla okufuphi neLondon, eNgilani. La madoda ayengamaNgqina kaYehova. Ngelo xesha ndandinonyaka ndizelwe, ngoko olo tyelelo lwawo ndiluva ngembali. Ezama ukuwagxotha, uMama wawaxelela ukuba uTata usenokuba nomdla wokuva isigidimi, kodwa uya kubuya emva kwentsimbi ye-9:00 ebusuku. Hayi indlela awothuka ngayo xa la madoda ebuya ngobo busuku! Emva kokuqinisekisa ukuba akathabathi cala kwimicimbi yobupolitika neyobuzwe, uTata, uHenry Winfield, wawangenisa waza wavuma ukuqhutyelwa isifundo seBhayibhile. Wenza inkqubela ngokukhawuleza waza wabhaptizwa. Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, noMama uKathleen waqalisa ukufunda. Wabhaptizwa ngowe-1946.
Ngowe-1948, ndaqalisa ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Ndabona kufanelekile ukuba ndibe newotshi ukuze ndikwazi ukufaka ingxelo echanileyo yexesha endilichitha kubulungiseleli. Xa singakhange sone, mntwana ngamnye ekhaya wayedla ngokuphiwa isikspeni rhoqo ngoMgqibelo. Eyam imali ndayigcina kangangeminyaka emibini ukuze ndizithengele eyona wotshi yexabiso eliphantsi. Kodwa uRay, oyena mncinane kubantakwethu ababini wayedla ngokucela uTata ukuba amphe iitiki ezimbini ezahlukeneyo, isikspeni edibeneyo wayengayifuni. Ngenye imini wayeyawafuna ezi tiki zimbini de uTata wanomsindo. URay waqalisa ukukhala esithi into ebangela ukuba afune ezi tiki zimbini yimfihlelo ephakathi kwakhe noYehova. Ekugqibeleni, uRay wathi: “Enye itiki ndiyifaka kwibhokisi yomnikelo ize enye ibe yeyam.” UMama walila ngenxa yovuyo, uTata wazama ukufumana ezo tiki zimbini ngokukhawuleza yaye ndafunda ukubaluleka kokuxhasa umsebenzi woBukumkani ngeminikelo yemali.
Malunga neli xesha, uTata wenza amalungiselelo okufudukela kwindawo apho babefuneka ngamandla abavakalisi boBukumkani. Ngowe-1949, wathengisa ifama yakhe nomgodi awayesikha kuwo isanti awayeyithengisa waza waqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela, ekhonza njengomlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo oliNgqina likaYehova. Ndabhaptizwa ngoSeptemba 24, 1950, ndifuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova. Ukususela ngoko, ngeeholide zasehlotyeni ndandibhalisa njengovulindlela ongumncedani, ndichitha iiyure ezili-100 ngenyanga kubulungiseleli. Kodwa eso yayisisiqalo nje. Kungekudala emva koko, ndaqalisa ukuba nomnqweno onzulu wokwenza okungakumbi ukuze ndihambisele phambili unqulo olunyulu.
Umnqweno Wokuba Ngumvangeli Wasemazweni
Ngowe-1951, uTata wabelwa ukuya kukhonza eBideford, kumNtla Devon. Sisandul’ ukufika nje apho, umvangeli wasemazweni owayekhonza eAfrika watyelela ibandla lethu, njengoko kuchaziwe ekuqaleni kwenqaku. Emva koko, zonke izigqibo endandizenza zaziphenjelelwa ngumnqweno endandinawo wokuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni. Ootitshala basesikolweni babesazi ngolu sukelo lwam yaye bazama ngandlela zonke ukundidimaza, benethemba lokuba ndiza kufundela ukwenza umsebenzi othile wempangelo. Noko ke, ngosuku lokugqibela esikolweni ndaya kwigumbi lootitshala ukuze ndibabulele ngomsebenzi wabo yaye omnye wabo wathi: “Sivuyisana nawe! Nguwe kuphela umfundi oyaziyo into ayifunayo ebomini. Sithemba ukuba uya kulufikelela usukelo lwakho.”
Ndafumana umsebenzi wesingxungxo ngokukhawuleza yaye ngoDisemba 1, 1955, ndaba nguvulindlela othe ngxi. Kamva, uMama nabantakwethu nabo baba ngoovulindlela. Ngoko, kangangeminyaka eliqela onke amalungu entsapho yakowethu, ayekwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.
Ukuya EIreland
Emva konyaka, ndafumana isabelo sokuya kukhonza eIreland. Eli nyathelo laliza kundinceda ndifikelele usukelo lwam lokuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni. NgoFebruwari 1957, mna kunye nabanye oovulindlela ababini abaselula, uJune Napier noBeryl Barker, saya eCork, kumazantsi eIreland.
Inkonzo yasentsimini eIreland yayithande ukuba nzima. ICawa yamaRoma Katolika yayisichasa ngeyona ndlela. Xa singena kwizakhiwo ezineendawo ezininzi zokuhlala kwakufuneka siqiniseke ukuba likho ikroba lokuphuma xa kunokwenzeka sikhutshwe ngosomvana apho. Iibhayisikile zethu sasidla ngokuzifihla mgama kodwa abantu babedla ngokuzibhaqa baze basike amavili okanye bawakhuphe umoya.
Ngenye imini, mna noBeryl sasiye kwisakhiwo esikhulu esinezindlu ezininzi yaye sathukwa ligquba labantwana, lisigibisela nangamatye. Ngoko, sangena kwenye ivenkile eyayisecaleni kwenye yezi zindlu, nekwakuthengiswa ubisi kuyo. Sasilindwe lihlokondiba ngaphandle. UBeryl wayeluthanda ubisi ngoko wasela iiglasi ezimbini okanye ezintathu ethe chu, enethemba lokuba elo hlokondiba liya kude lichithakale. Kodwa alizange lishukume kwaukushukuma. Emva koko, kwangena umfundisi oselula kule venkile. Ecinga ukuba singabakhenkethi abavela kwelinye ilizwe wathi angasijikelezisa asibonise loo mmandla. Noko ke, okokuqala wasisa kwelinye igumbi elikule ndlu yaye njengoko sasihleli sithe cwaka wasikelela enye indoda esele ikhulile eyayigulel’ ukufa. Emva koko saphuma kuloo ndlu sihamba nalo mfundisi. Elo hlokondiba lachithakala lakusibona sincokola nomfundisi.
Ukuya EGiliyadi
Ngowe-1958, kwakuza kubakho iNdibano Yezizwe Ngezizwe Yokuthanda KukaThixo eNew York. UTata wayeza kuya kuloo ndibano, nam ndandifuna ukuya kodwa ndingenamali. Kwathi kusenjalo kwafa uMakhulu ngequbuliso yaye wandishiyela ilifa leeponti ezili-100. Iyonke imali yokuya nokubuya endibanweni, yayiziiponti ezingama-96, ngoko ndahlawula itikiti lenqwelo-moya ngoko nangoko.
Kungekudala emva koko, satyelelwa ngummeli weofisi yesebe lamaNgqina kaYehova laseBritani waza wacela bonke oovulindlela abakhethekileyo ababeza kuya endibanweni ukuba bafake isicelo sokuya kuqeqeshelwa ubuvangeli basemazweni kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi. Ndakuvuyela gqitha ukuva oko! Wanika wonk’ umntu owayelapho iifomu zokufaka izicelo, ngaphandle kwam. Ndandisemncinane gqitha. Nam ndacela ifomu, ndichaza ukuba andisahlali khaya sele ndikhonza kwelinye ilizwe yaye kuyafana nokuba ndikwisabelo sobuvangeli basemazweni. Ebona indlela endandizimisele ngayo, wandinika ifomu. Ndandithandazela ukuba isicelo sam samkelwe! Impendulo yafika ngokukhawuleza yaye ndamenyelwa ukuya eGiliyadi.
Ndavuya gqitha kukuba kwiklasi yama-33 yaseGiliyadi kunye nabanye oovulindlela abangama-81 ababevela kumazwe ali-14. Iinyanga ezintlanu zesikolo zaphela ngokukhawuleza. Ngasekupheleni kwesikolo, uMzalwan’ uNathan H. Knorr wanikela intetho ekhuthazayo eyathabatha iiyure ezine. Wakhuthaza abo banako ukuhlala bengatshatanga ukuba benjenjalo. (1 Korinte 7:37, 38) Kodwa kwabo banomnqweno wokutshata ngenye imini, wacebisa ukuba sibhale uludwe lweempawu esizifunayo kwiqabane elifanelekileyo. Xa kukho umntu obonakalisa umdla, sasinokukwazi ukuhlola iimpawu zaloo mntu ukuba ziyangqinelana na nezo zikuludwe lwethu.
Phakathi kwezinto ezazikuludwe endandilubhalile kwakukho ezi zilandelayo: Kwakufuneka naye abe ngumvangeli wasemazweni yaye amthande uYehova, abe nolwazi lwenyaniso yeBhayibhile olungaphezu kolwam, akulungele ukuncama ukuba nabantwana ngaphambi kweArmagedon ukuze akwazi ukuhlala kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, akwazi ukuthetha isiNgesi ngokutyibilikayo yaye abe mdala kunam ngeminyaka. Lwandinceda kakhulu olu ludwe kuba ngelo xesha ndandineminyaka engama-20 ubudala yaye ndandiza kuphuma ndiye kwilizwe elikude.
Ukuya EBrazil
NgeCawa, ngoAgasti 2, 1959, salugqiba uqeqesho lwethu saza saxelelwa namazwe esasiza kuthunyelwa kuwo. Mna, noVehanouch Yazedjian, uSarah Greco, uRay noInger Hatfield, uSonia Springate, noDoreen Hines, sathunyelwa eBrazil. Savuya gqitha. Ndandinombono wendawo enamahlathi, iinyoka, imithi ekwenziwa ngayo irabha namaIndiya omthonyama. Noko ke, ekufikeni kwam ndothuka! Endaweni yehlathi elishinyeneyo laseAmazon, ndafumanisa ukuba isixeko saseRio de Janeiro esasilikomkhulu lalapho ngelo xesha, sasisisixeko esihle nesasithanda ukuba nelanga eliqaqambileyo.
Eyona ngxaki sasijamelene nayo yayikukufunda isiPhuthukezi. Kwinyanga yokuqala, sasifunda iiyure ezili-11 yonke imihla. Emva kokushumayela eRio nokuhlala kwiofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova okwexeshana, ndathunyelwa kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni ePiracicaba, eSão Paulo, yaye kamva ndathunyelwa kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni elalisePorto Alegre, eRio Grande do Sul.
Ekuqaleni kowe-1963, ndamenyelwa ukuya kusebenza kwiSebe Lokuguqulela kwiofisi yesebe. UFloriano Ignez da Conceição owayesifundise isiPhuthukezi ukufika kwethu, wayongamele elo sebe. Wafunda inyaniso ngowe-1944, xa amaNgqina aseBrazil ayemalunga nama-300 kuphela yaye wayekwiklasi yama-22 yaseGiliyadi. Emva kweenyanga eziliqela, ngenye imini uMzalwan’ uConceição wandicela ukuba ndisale xa kusiyiwa kwisidlo sasemini kuba ufuna ukuthetha nam. Ndaba nexhala. Ngaba kukho nto iphosakeleyo ndiyenzileyo? Xa kukhala intsimbi yokuya kwisidlo sasemini, ndambuza ukuba ubeza kuthini. Ekuphenduleni wathi, “Ndicela sitshate.” Ndasuka ndema nematha. Ndamcela ukuba akhe andinike ithuba lokucinga, emva koko ndathi ngqee ukuya kwisidlo sasemini.
UFloriano wayengengomzalwana wokuqala ukucela umtshato kum. Noko ke, kwakungekabikho mntu wayenazo iimpawu endandizifuna kwiqabane lomtshato. Ndicinga ukuba oluya ludwe ndandilubhalile lwandinceda ukuba ndingenzi isigqibo esiphosakeleyo. Noko ke, izinto zazahlukile ngoku. UFloriano wayenazo zonke iimpawu endandizifuna kwiqabane! Ngoko satshata ngoMeyi 15, 1965.
Ukuhlangabezana Neengxaki Zempilo
Siye sabunandipha ubomi bethu bomtshato noFloriano nangona siye sahlangabezana neengxaki ezithile. Enye yezi ngxaki ibe kukukhathazwa kukaFloriano yimpilo okwaqalisa ngaphambi nje kokuba sitshate. Kwiminyaka engaphambi koko, umphunga wakhe wangasekhohlo wayeka ukusebenza yaye emva koko waba nempilo enkenenkene. Ngenxa yoko, semka eBheteli saza saba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo kwisixeko saseTeresópolis, kummandla oneentaba waseRio de Janeiro. Sasinethemba lokuba imozulu yalapho iza kumphatha kakuhle aze achache.
Ngaphezu koko, ngoDisemba 1965, ndafumana udaba lokuba uMama ulele ngandletyananye ngenxa yomhlaza. Sasibhalelana rhoqo kodwa kwakusele kudlule iminyaka esixhenxe ndingasamboni uMama. Ngoko wasihlawulela amatikiti okuya eNgilani siye kumbona. UMama wenziwa utyando kodwa oogqirha abazange bakwazi ukuwususa umhlaza. Nangona wayegula kakhulu engasakwazi nokuphakama ebhedini, waqhubeka eshumayela. Wayenomatshini wokuchwetheza egumbini lakhe lokulala yaye wawumnceda xa efuna ukubhalelwa iileta. Wayenikela nobungqina ngokufutshane kubantu abamtyeleleyo. Wafa ngoNovemba 27, 1966. Wayenze iiyure ezilishumi kwinkonzo yasentsimini ngaloo nyanga! UTata waqhubeka nenkonzo yobuvulindlela ngokuthembeka de kwasekufeni kwakhe ngowe-1979.
Emva kokufa kukaMama, mna noFloriano sabuyela eBrazil yaye ukususela ngelo xesha besikhonza eRio de Janeiro. Saqala sabelwa kumsebenzi wesiphaluka kwidolophu elikomkhulu kodwa asizange sihlale xesha lide kweso sabelo kuba uFloriano waphinda wagula kakhulu. Emva koko saphindela eTeresópolis saya kuba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo.
Ngowe-1974, emva kokuzama iintlobo ngeentlobo zonyango olubuhlungu, oogqirha bagqibela ngokuwukhupha umphunga kaFloriano okwicala lasekhohlo. Ngelo xesha, wayengakwazi ukuba ngumveleli owongamelayo okanye ukuba nguvulindlela okhethekileyo kodwa wayekwazi ukuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ngeeyure zotyelelo esibhedlele—esinye sezo zifundo, wayesiqhuba ngesiNgesi nendoda yaseMerika egama linguBob, eyayisidla umhlala-phantsi. UBob wayamkela inyaniso waza kamva wabhaptizwa. UFloriano wachacha ngokuthe ngcembe yaye ukususela ngelo xesha ebekhonza njengovulindlela othe ngxi.
UYehova Uye Wabusikelela Ubulungiseleli Bam
Kule minyaka idluleyo ndiye ndaqhubeka ndikhonza njengovulindlela okhethekileyo yaye uYehova uye wabusikelela ubulungiseleli bam. ETeresópolis ndiye ndanelungelo lokunceda abantu abangaphezu kwama-60 ukuba bazahlulele kuYehova. Omnye wabo libhinqa elibizwa ngokuba nguJupira, endalifundisa nokulesa. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndafunda nabasibhozo kubantwana balo. Ngenxa yoko uJupira, amalungu entsapho yakhe nezalamane ezingaphezu kwama-20 bakhonza uYehova ngenkuthalo. Omnye wabo ngumdala, abathathu zizicaka zolungiselelo yaye ababini ngoovulindlela.
Ndiye ndafunda ukuhlala ndinesimo sengqondo esifanelekileyo ngokuphathelele ukufunda kwabantu inyaniso. Ngesinye isihlandlo, ndathi ndiqhuba isifundo seBhayibhile nelinye ibhinqa eliselula eligama linguAlzemira, indoda yalo uAntônio, yathi manditsib’ umgubasi kungenjalo iza kundifunza ngezinja ezinkulu ezimbini. Emva koko, ndandimbona manqaphanqapha uAlzemira de kwadlula iminyaka esixhenxe ndaza ndaphinda ndacela kuAntônio imvume yokufunda nenkosikazi yakhe kwakhona. Sekunjalo, uAntônio akazange avume ukuba ndimbandakanye yena kwiingxubusho zeBhayibhile. Noko ke ngenye imini ekwakusina imvula, ndacela uAntônio ukuba abe nenxaxheba esifundweni. Ndafumanisa ukuba ingxaki yakhe kukungakwazi ukufunda. UFloriano kunye nabanye baqalisa ukufunda naye, bamfundisa nokulesa. Namhlanje uAlzemira noAntônio babhaptiziwe. Uluncedo kakhulu ebandleni yaye abaninzi abaselula bahamba kunye naye kubulungiseleli.
La ngamanye amava esaba nawo kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-20 sikhonza eTeresópolis. Ekuqaleni kowe-1988, safumana isabelo esitsha—kwisixeko saseNiterói, apho sakhonza khona kangangeminyaka emihlanu ngaphambi kokuba sifudukele eSanto Aleixo. Emva koko, safudukela kwiBandla laseJapuíba elalikumbindi wesixeko yaye saba nelungelo lokuseka iBandla laseRibeira.
Ubomi Obulula Kodwa Obunomvuzo
Ukutyhubela iminyaka, mna noFloriano siye sanelungelo lokunceda abantu abangaphezu kwama-300 ukuba bazahlulele kuYehova. Kungokunje, abanye babo bakhonza kwiofisi yesebe, abanye ngoovulindlela, abadala nezicaka zolungiselelo. Hayi indlela endinombulelo ngayo kuThixo kuba ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele uye wasisebenzisa ukuba sincede abantu abaninzi kangaka!—Marko 10:29, 30.
Liyinyaniso elokuba uFloriano uye waneengxaki zempilo. Nakuba kunjalo, uye wahlala ethembekile, evuya yaye ekholose ngoYehova. Udla ngokuthi: “Ulonwabo alufumaneki ngokungabi nazingxaki. Lufumaneka ngokufumana uncedo kuYehova lokuhlangabezana nezo ngxaki sinazo.”—INdumiso 34:19.
Ngowe-2003, kwafunyaniswa ukuba ndinomhlaza kwiliso lam lasekhohlo. Ndatyandwa ndaza ndafakelwa uzenzele weliso ekufuneka licocwe izihlandlo ezininzi ebudeni bemini. Sekunjalo, uYehova uye wandisikelela ngokundinika amandla okuqhubeka ndimkhonza njengovulindlela okhethekileyo.
Ngokuphathelele izinto eziphathekayo, ndiye ndaphila ubomi obulula. Sekunjalo, uYehova uye wandisikelela kwisabelo sam yaye uye wandenza ndatyeba ngokomoya. Amava ethu kwisabelo sethu saseBrazil, afana nqwa nawalaa dade wayengumvangeli wasemazweni eAfrika. Eneneni, uYehova uye wawusikelela umnqweno wam wokuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni!
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
Ndikunye nentsapho yasekhaya ngowe-1953
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
Ukunikela ubungqina eIreland, ngowe-1957
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
EBrazil, ngowe-1959 kunye nabanye abavangeli basemazweni. Ukusuka ekhohlo ukuya ekunene: Ndim, nguInger Hatfield, uDoreen Hines, noSonia Springate
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
Ndim nomyeni wam