“UYehova Ungamandla Am”

Kubalisa uJoan Coville

Ndalibona ilanga ngoJulayi 1925 eHuddersfield, eNgilani. Ndizalwa ndedwa ekhaya, ndinempilo enkenenkene. Kaloku, utata wayethanda ukuthi kum, “Ubethwa nje ngumoya wena, ugule.” Kwakuphantse kube njalo enyanisweni!

NDISAKHULA, abefundisi babesoloko bethandazela uxolo, kodwa kwathi kwakuqhambuka imfazwe yehlabathi yesibini, bathandazela uloyiso. Yathand’ ukundidida le nto nengqondo yam yaqalisa ukubethabethana. Kwathi kanye ngelo xesha, satyelelwa nguAnnie Ratcliffe, owayekuphela kweNgqina likaYehova kummandla esasihlala kuwo.

Ndafunda Inyaniso

UAnnie wasinika incwadi ethi Salvation waza wamemela uMama kwingxubusho yeBhayibhile eyayiza kuba semzini wakhe.a Umama wathi mandimkhaphe. Ndisayikhumbula nangoku loo ngxubusho. Yayimalunga nentlawulelo, yaye okwandimangalisayo kukuba yayingakruquli. Yaphendula imibuzo yam emininzi. Saphinda saya apho nakwiveki elandelayo. Ngaloo mini kwacaciswa isiprofeto sikaYesu somqondiso wemihla yokugqibela. Sathi mna noMama sakujonga iimeko ezinzima zehlabathi, sakhawuleza sabona ukuba ngokwenene yinyaniso le siyifundiswayo. Kanye ngaloo mini, samenyelwa kwiHolo yoBukumkani.

Eholweni, ndadibana noovulindlela abaselula, yaye phakathi kwabo kwakukho uJoyce Barber (ngoku onguEllis), okhonza kunye nomyeni wakhe uPeter, kwiBheteli yaseLondon. Ndavakalelwa kukuba ubuvulindlela yinto eyenziwa ngumntu wonke. Ngenxa yoko zisuka nje ndaqalisa ukushumayela iiyure ezingama-60 nyanga nganye, nangona ndandisesesikolweni.

Kwiinyanga ezintlanu kamva, ngoFebruwari 11, 1940, sabhaptizwa noMama kwindibano yecandelo (ngoku ebizwa ngokuba yindibano yesiphaluka) eBradford. UTata akazange aluchase unqulo lwethu, kodwa yena akazange abe liNgqina. Kanye malunga nexesha lokubhaptizwa kwam, kwaqaliswa ukushunyayelwa ezitratweni. Nam ndaba lapho, ndiphethe ibhegi enamaphephancwadi kwakunye neeplakhadi. Ngomnye uMgqibelo, ndabelwa ukuma kwindawo eneevenkile nenyakazela abantu. Ndandisaboyika abantu, kwakungathi bonke abantwana endifunda nabo baxelelene kuba babedlula kuloo ndawo ndandimi kuyo!

Ngowe-1940, ibandla esasikulo kwafuneka lahlulwe. Emva koko kwahlulwa, phantse bonke abahlobo bam baba kwelinye ibandla. Ndayikhalazela le nto kwisicaka sebandla (ngoku esibizwa ngokuba ngumveleli owongamelayo). Sathi, “Ukuba ufuna abahlobo abaselula, hamba uye kubafuna entsimini.” Ndenza loo nto kanye! Akuzange kube kudala ndadibana noElsie Noble. Wavuma ukufunda inyaniso waza waba ngumhlobo wam kangangeminyaka.

Ubuvulindlela Neentsikelelo Zabo

Ndathi ndakugqiba isikolo, ndaqeshwa ngumntu osebenza ngemali (accountant). Noko ke, njengoko ndandibonile ukuba abantu abakwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo bonwabile, ndanqwenela kakhulu ukukhonza uYehova njengovulindlela. NgoMeyi 1945, kwandivuyisa gqitha ukumiselwa njengovulindlela okhethekileyo. Ngosuku endaqala ngalo ukuba nguvulindlela, imvula yagalela imini yonke. Sekunjalo, kwandivuyisa gqitha ukuba sentsimini kangangokuba imvula ayizange indithintele. Enyanisweni, ukunyova ibhayisikile yam ndisiya entsimini imihla ngemihla kwayiphucula kakhulu impilo yam. Nangona ndingazange khe ndibe ngaphezu kobunzima obuziikhilogram ezingama-42, zange khe kufuneke ndiyeke ukuba nguvulindlela. Ukutyhubela iminyaka ndiye ndayibona into yokuba “uYehova ungamandla am.”—INdu. 28:7.

Njengovulindlela okhethekileyo ndathunyelwa kwiidolophu ezazingenamaNgqina, ukuze ndiqalise amabandla amatsha. Ndaqala ndakhonza iminyaka emithathu eNgilani ndaza ndakhonza eminye emithathu eIreland. Ngoxa ndandinguvulindlela eLisburn, eIreland, ndafunda iBhayibhile nenye indoda eyayiligosa lomfundisi kwicawa yamaProtestanti. Yathi yakufunda inyaniso ngeemfundiso ezisisiseko zeBhayibhile, yafundisa namarhamente ayo ngazo. Amanye kuwo akhalaza kumagunya ecawa ngale nto, yaye yacelwa ukuba khe iyichophise. Yathi yayicinga ukuba yimbopheleleko yayo njengomKristu ukuxelela umhlambi ukuba kudala iwufundisa ubuxoki. Nangona yachaswayo yintsapho yayo, yahlulela ubomi bayo kuYehova yaza yamkhonza ngokuthembeka de yafa.

ELarne, eyindawo yesibini endabelwa kuyo njengovulindlela eIreland, ndasebenza ndedwa kangangeeveki ezintandathu, ngenxa yokuba uvulindlela endandisebenza naye wayekwiNdibano Yolwando Lolawulo Lobuthixo eNew York, ngowe-1950. Elo yayilixesha elinzima kakhulu kum. Ndandikubawela ngokwenene ukuya kuloo ndibano. Kodwa, ngezo veki ndafumana amava amaninzi akhuthazayo entsimini. Ndadibana nenye indoda esele ikhulile neyayikhe yafumana enye yeencwadi zethu ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-20 eyadlulayo. Yayiyifunde yayiphindaphinda le ncwadi kangangeminyaka, ibe ngoku yayisele iyazi ngentloko. Yona nonyana nentombi yayo bavuma ukufunda inyaniso.

Ukuqeqeshwa KwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi

Ngowe-1951, mna nabanye oovulindlela abalishumi baseNgilani, samenyelwa kwiklasi ye-17 yeSikolo saseGiliyadi eSouth Lansing, eNew York. Ndangenelwa ngokwenene kwimfundo yeBhayibhile esayifumana apho ngezo nyanga! Ngelo xesha oodade babengekanikeli zintetho kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo emabandleni, kodwa thina bodade ababeseGiliyadi sasifumana izabelo zeentetho sisenza neengxelo. Sasisoyika gqitha! Xa ndandinikela intetho yam yokuqala, isandla endandibambe ngaso ulwandlalo sasingcangcazela. UMzalwan’ uMaxwell Friend, owayesifundisa wathi buqhula: “Akoyikanga nje xa ubuqala, njengoko kudla ngokuba njalo kwizithethi ezingamaciko, kodwa wena woyike yada yaya kuphela intetho yakho.” Ebudeni baloo klasi, sonke sabuphucula ubuchule bethu bokuthetha phambi kweklasi. Ngokukhawuleza kunokuba sasicinga, sakhawuleza saphela eso sikolo, yaye njengoko sasiphumelele apho sathunyelwa kumazwe asemzini aliqela. Mna ndathunyelwa eThailand!

“ILizwe Loncumo”

Ndicinga ukuba yaba yintsikelelo evela kuYehova ukwabelwa kuka-Astrid Anderson eThailand ukuze asebenze nam njengomthunywa wevangeli. Sahamba iiveki ezisixhenxe ngenqanawa yemithwalo sisiya kwelo. Sathi sakufika kwidolophu elikomkhulu lalapho iBangkok, safika izele ziimarike ezinyakazela abantu, kwakunye nemijelo emininzi eyayifana nezona ndlela zisetyenziswayo kweso sixeko. Ngowe-1952, abavakalisi boBukumkani baseThailand babengaphantsi kwe-150.

Ukuqala kwethu ukubona IMboniselo ngesiThai, sazibuza ukuba, ‘Sakuze sikwazi nini ukuthetha olu lwimi?’ Kwakunzima gqitha ukubiza amagama olo lwimi ngethoni eyiyo. Ngokomzekelo, igama elithi khaù xa uliqala ngethoni ephezulu libhekisela “kwirayisi,” kodwa kwaelo gama linye xa ulicinezela libhekisela “kwiindaba.” Ngoko ukuqala kwethu ukuya entsimini, sasidla ngokuthi ebantwini, “Siniphathele irayisi elungileyo” endaweni yokuthi “iindaba ezilungileyo”! Kodwa ekuhambeni kwexesha—nasemva kokuhlekwa gqitha—sada sakwazi ukuluthetha olo lwimi.

Abantu baseThailand banobuhlobo gqitha. Kungeso sizathu iThailand ibizwa ngokuba liLizwe Loncumo. Apho saqala sabelwa kwisixeko saseKhorat (ngoku ekuthiwa yiNakhon Ratchasima), apho sasebenza khona iminyaka emibini. Kamva sathunyelwa kwisixeko saseChiang Mai. Uninzi lwabantu baseThailand bangamaBhuda yaye abaqhelananga neBhayibhile. EKhorat, ndafunda iBhayibhile nomphathi weposi yalapho. Sathetha ngosolusapho uAbraham. Njengoko le ndoda yayikhe yeva ngoAbraham ngaphambili, yanqwala ngomdla. Ndakhawuleza ndayifumanisa into yokuba asithethi ngomntu omnye. Yona le ndoda yayicinga ngoAbraham Lincoln, owayesakuba ngumongameli waseUnited States!

Kwakumnandi ukufundisa abantu baseThailand iBhayibhile, kodwa nabo basifundisa indlela yokuphila ubomi obulula size sonwabe. Basifundisa into ebalulekileyo kuba kwikhaya lokuqala labathunywa bevangeli eKhorat sasingenawo umbane namanzi acocekileyo. Kwezo zabelo safunda “imfihlelo yokuba . . . kunjani ukuba nentabalala nokuswela.” Kanye njengompostile uPawulos sakubona oko kuthethwa kukuba ‘namandla ngenxa yalowo usomelezayo.’—Fil. 4:12, 13.

Ukusebenza Nomntu Omtsha Kwisabelo Esitsha

Emva phayaa ngowe-1945, ndandityelele eLondon. Ngoxa ndandilapho, mna nabanye oovulindlela nabasebenzi baseBheteli saya kwiMyuziyam yaseBritani. Omnye wababelapho yayinguAllan Coville, owathi kancinane emva koko waya kwiklasi ye-11 yaseGiliyadi. Wathunyelwa eFransi waza emva koko wathunyelwa eBelgium.b Kamva ngoxa ndandisengumthunywa wevangeli eThailand, wacela ukuba sitshate, ibe ndavuma.

Satshatela eBrussels, eBelgium, ngoJulayi 9, 1955. Yayingumnqweno wam ukuba ndiye eParis emva kokuba nditshatile, ngoko uAllan walungiselela ukuba siye kwindibano eyayiza kuba lapho kwiveki elandelayo. Noko ke, sifika nje apho, uAllan wacelwa ukuba ancedise ekuguquleleni iintetho zayo yonke loo ndibano. Suku ngalunye, wayesimka ekuseni kakhulu, size sibuyele ebusuku kakhulu kwindawo esasihlala kuyo. Ewe kona ndaya eParis, kodwa uAllan ndandimbonela kude—eqongeni! Nakuba kunjalo, kwakundivuyisa ukubukela umyeni endisandul’ ukutshata naye esetyenziselwa ukunceda abazalwana noodade, yaye ndandingayithandabuzi into yokuba, ukuba uYehova uphambili emtshatweni wethu siza konwaba.

Kanti umtshato wandisa kwintsimi entsha—iBelgium. Ekuphela kwento endandiyazi ngeBelgium kukuba zininzi iimfazwe ezalwelwa apho, kodwa akuzange kube kudala ndafumanisa ukuba abantu balapho baluthanda ngokwenene uxolo. Eso sabelo sanyanzelisa ukuba ndifunde isiFrentshi, lwimi olo lwaluthethwa emazantsi elo lizwe.

Ngowe-1955 babemalunga nama-4 500 abavakalisi eBelgium. Malunga neminyaka engama-50, sinoAllan sakhonza eBheteli nakumsebenzi wokuhambahamba. Kwiminyaka emibini enesiqingatha yokuqala, sasihamba ngeebhayisikile, sinyusa sisehlisa iinduli, kushushu kubanda. Kuyo yonke loo minyaka, sahlala kumakhaya angaphezu kwama-2 000 amaNgqina awahlukahlukeneyo! Ndandidla ngokudibana nabazalwana noodade ababekhathazwa yimpilo kodwa bekhonza uYehova ngawo onke amandla ababenawo. Umzekelo wabo wandenza andafuna ukuyekelela kwinkonzo yam. Veki nganye emva kokutyelela ibandla, sasiziva sikhuthazekile. (Roma 1:11, 12) UAllan waba liqabane lokwenene. Ndiye ndakubona ukuba yinyaniso kwamazwi akwiNtshumayeli 4:9, 10 athi: “Ababini balunge ngakumbi kunomnye, . . . ngokuba xa omnye wabo esiwa, omnye unokuliphakamisa iqabane lakhe”!

Iingenelo Zokuncedwa ‘Ngamandla KaYehova’

Kuyo yonke le minyaka, sinoAllan siye sakuvuyela ukunceda abanye bakhonze uYehova. Ngokomzekelo, ngowe-1983 saya kwelinye ibandla elintetho isisiFrentshi eAntwerp, apho sahlala khona kwelinye ikhaya ekwakufikele kulo uBenjamin Bandiwila, umzalwana oselula waseZaire (ngoku eyiDemocratic Republic of Congo). UBenjamin lo wayefudukele eBelgium ukuze aqhubeke nemfundo ephakamileyo. Wathi kuthi, “Ndikubawela ngokwenene ukuphila njengani, kuba nizinikele ngokupheleleyo kwinkonzo kaYehova.” UAllan wathi: “Uthi ubawela ukuphila njengathi; kodwa uqhubeka nemfundo yehlabathi. Akucingi ukuba utheth’ uziphikisa?” Oko kungqala kwenza uBenjamin wacingisisa ngosukelo lwakhe. Kamva wathi akubuyela eZaire, waba nguvulindlela, yaye sithethanje ulilungu leKomiti yeSebe.

Ngowe-1999 ndenziwa utyando, kususwa isilonda kummizo wam. Ukususela ngoko, bendinobunzima obuziikhilogram ezingama-30. Ngokwenene ‘ndisisitya sodongwe’ esibuthathaka. Sekunjalo, ndiyambulela uYehova ngokundinika “amandla angaphaya koko kuqhelekileyo.” Emva kolo tyando, uYehova wandinceda ndaphinda ndakwazi ukuhamba noAllan kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba. (2 Kor. 4:7) Kwathi ke, ngoMatshi 2004, uAllan wafa elele. Ndimkhumbula gqitha, kodwa ukuqonda ukuba ukwinkumbulo kaYehova kundithuthuzela ngokwenene.

Namhlanje, njengoko ndineminyaka engama-83 ubudala sele ndineminyaka engaphezu kwama-63 ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ndisashumayela, yaye ndiqhuba isifundo seBhayibhile ndisekhaya ibe umhla nezolo ndisebenzisa onke amathuba avelayo okuthetha ngenjongo emangalisayo kaYehova. Maxa wambi ndikhe ndizibuze, ‘Ngebunjani ubomi bam ukuba ndandingazange ndiqalise ubuvulindlela ngowe-1945?’ Ngelo xesha, impilo yam enkenenkene yayibonakala ingowona mqobo ekwenzeni loo nto. Noko ke, ndivuya ngokwenene kuba ndaba nguvulindlela ndiselula! Ndibe nelungelo lokuzibonela ngawam amehlo ukuba xa sibeka uYehova kuqala ebomini bethu, uya kuba ngamandla ethu.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Ndim nomthunywa wevangeli endandisebenza naye, uAstrid Anderson (ungasekunene)

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Sikumsebenzi wokuhambahamba nomyeni wam, ngowe-1956

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

Ndim noAllan ngowama-2000