Ibali Lobomi
UYehova Wandifundisa Ukwenza Ukuthanda Kwakhe
Kubalisa uMax Lloyd
Kwakusezinzulwini zobusuku ngowe-1955. Ndandihleli nomthunywa wevangeli endandisebenza naye eParaguay, kuMzantsi Merika, xa indlu esasikuyo yayingqongwe liqela labantu elinomsindo elalikhwaza lisithi: “Uthixo wethu unxanelw’ igazi, ibe ufuna kanye elee-gringos.” Zazize njani apho iigringos (abantu basemzini)?
LE NTO mna ndiyazi kwakudala kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo eOstreliya, apho ndakhulela khona nalapho uYehova wandifundisa khona ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe. Utata wafumana incwadi ethi Enemies kwelinye iNgqina ngowe-1938. Bobabini noMama babengasabathandi abefundisi beecawa zasekuhlaleni, ababebhekisela kwezinye iinxalenye zeBhayibhile njengeentsomi. Kwisithuba esimalunga nonyaka, abazali bam babhaptizwa, befuzisela ukuzahlulela kwabo kuYehova. Ukususela ngelo xesha, ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova kwaba yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kwintsapho yakowethu. Emva koko, kwabhaptizwa udadewethu, uLesley, owayendishiya ngeminyaka emihlanu ubudala, ndaza ke nam ndalandela ngowe-1940, xa ndandineminyaka esithoba ubudala.
Kungekudala emva kokuqala kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II, ukushicilelwa nokusasazwa koncwadi lweBhayibhile lwamaNgqina kaYehova kwavalwa eOstreliya. Ngoko ndathi ndisengumntwana ndafunda ukuchaza isizathu seenkolelo zam ndisebenzisa iBhayibhile kuphela. Ndaziqhelisa ukuya neBhayibhile yam esikolweni ukuze ndichaze isizathu sokuba ndingayikhahleli iflegi nesokuba ndingakuxhasi ukulwa kwamazwe.—Eks. 20:4, 5; Mat. 4:10; Yoh. 17:16; 1 Yoh. 5:21.
Abantwana abaninzi endandifunda nabo babengahlali nam kuba babesithi “ndiyintlola yaseJamani.” Ngelo xesha, esikolweni sasiboniswa iimovie. Ngaphambi kokuba kuqale imovie, kwakufuneka wonk’ umntu aphakame aze acule umhobe wesizwe. Ndandiqhubeka ndihleli phantsi, ibe amakhwenkwe amabini okanye amathathu ayedla ngokunditsala ngeenwele endiphakamisa. Ekugqibeleni, ndagxothwa esikolweni ngenxa yokumela iinkolelo zam zeBhayibhile. Noko ke, ndafunda ngembalelwano ndisekhaya.
USUKELO ENDADA NDALUFIKELELA
Ndandizibekele usukelo lokuqalisa inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo njengovulindlela xa ndandineminyaka eli-14 ubudala. Ngoko ndakhathazeka gqitha xa abazali bam bathi mandiqale ndifune umsebenzi ndiphangele. Bathi mandihlawulele igumbi endandihlala kulo ekhaya kodwa bathembisa ukuba bangandivumela ndibe nguvulindlela xa sele ndineminyaka eli-18 ubudala. Loo nto yabangela ukuba kusoloko kuthethwa ngemali endiyifumanayo. Ndabaxelela ukuba ndifuna ukuyigcinela xa ndinguvulindlela, kodwa babeyithatha.
Lathi lakufika ixesha lokuba nguvulindlela, abazali bam bahlala nam phantsi baza bandixelela ukuba imali ebendibanika yona bebeyivalela ebhankini. Bandinika yonke ukuze ndithenge impahla nezinye izinto ezaziza kundinceda kubuvulindlela. Babendifundisa ukuzinyamekela ukuze ndingalindeli abanye abantu ukuba bandinyamekele. Sendibona ngoku ukuba, olo qeqesho lwandinceda.
Ngoxa sisakhula noLesley, oovulindlela babedla ngokuhlala ekhaya, yaye sasikuthanda gqitha ukuba kubulungiseleli kunye nabo. Ngeempelaveki sasisiya kwindlu ngendlu, sishumayela esitratweni size siqhube izifundo zeBhayibhile. Kuloo minyaka, umvakalisi webandla kwakufuneka ashumayele iiyure ezingama-60 ngenyanga. Phantse ixesha elininzi, uMama wayelufikelela olo sukelo, nto leyo eyasimisela umzekelo sinoLesley.
UKUBA NGUVULINDLELA ETASMANIA
Isabelo sam sokuqala sobuvulindlela sasikwisiqithi saseOstreliya, iTasmania, apho ndandisebenza nodadewethu nomyeni wakhe. Noko ke, abazange bahlale thuba lide, bemka besiya kwiklasi ye-15 yeSikolo saseGiliyadi. Ndandingabaqhelanga abantu yaye ndandingazange ndibe kude nekhaya ngaphambili. Abanye babesithi ndiza kuhlala iinyanga nje ezintathu. Kodwa, kwisithuba sonyaka, ngowe-1950, ndamiselwa njengesicaka sebandla, namhlanje esibizwa ngokuba ngumnxibelelanisi wequmrhu labadala. Kamva, ndamiselwa njengovulindlela okhethekileyo, yaye ndasebenza nomnye umzalwana oselula.
Sabelwa kwidolophu ekwanti eyayinemigodi yobhedu, eyayingenawo amaNgqina. Safika kuyo ngenye imva-kwemini sihamba ngebhasi. Kubusuku bokuqala salala kwihotele endala. Ngosuku olulandelayo, njengoko sasishumayela kwindlu ngendlu, sabuza abaninimzi enoba akukho gumbi balaziyo lingenamntu kusini na. Kwathi kanye xa lisithi ndithenge, kwakho umntu osixelela ukuba indlu yomfundisi ekufutshane necawa yaseRhabe ayinamntu yaye sinokuyicela kumdikoni. Yayingaqhelekanga into yokuphuma endlini yomfundisi suku ngalunye sisiya kushumayela.
Intsimi yalapho yayinentsabelo entle. Sasincokola kamnandi nabantu yaye saqalisa izifundo zeBhayibhile ezininzi. Abefundisi abakwikomkhulu bathi bakuva ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova ahlala kwindlu yomfundisi, bayalela umdikoni ukuba asigxothe ngokukhawuleza. Saphinda saphelelwa yindawo!
Ngosuku olulandelayo, sashumayela de kwasemin’ emaqanda saza sakhangela indawo yokulala. Eyona ndawo ibhetele esayifumanayo, kuphezulu kwibala lemidlalo. Sazifihla apho iisutkheyisi zethu saza saphinda saya kushumayela. Kwaya kurhatyela, kodwa sagqiba kwelokuba siye kumakhaya ambalwa ukuze sigqibezele ukushumayela kweso sitrato. Kwenye indlu, umninimzi wavuma ukuba silale kwindlu encinane enamagumbi amabini ngasemva kwendlu yakhe!
NDABA NGUMVELELI WESIPHALUKA NDAZA NDAYA EGILIYADI
Emva kwesithuba esimalunga neenyanga ezisibhozo ndikwesi sabelo sokushumayela, ndafumana isabelo kwiofisi yesebe yaseOstreliya sokuba ndibe ngumveleli wesiphaluka. Yandothusa le nto, kuba ndandineminyaka engama-20 kuphela ubudala. Emva kokuqeqeshwa kangangeeveki eziliqela, ndaqalisa ukutyelela amabandla ngokuqhubekayo, ngenjongo yokuwakhuthaza. Nangona phantse bonke endandibatyelela babebadala kunam ngeminyaka, abazange babujongele phantsi ubuncinane bam kodwa bawuxabisa umsebenzi endandiwenza.
Njengoko ndandityelela amabandla ndandihlangabezana neemeko ezahlukahlukeneyo! Ngenye iveki ndandikhwela ibhasi, ngenye ndikhwele ibhasi ehamba esiporweni, ngenye ndikhwele imoto okanye ndikhwele isithuthuthu, ndithwele isuthkheyisi nebhegi yam yokushumayela. Kwakumnandi gqitha ukuhlala namaNgqina. Esinye isicaka sebandla sasikulangazelela gqitha ukuba ndihlale naso nangona umzi waso wawungekagqitywa ukwakhiwa. Ngaloo veki ndandisandlalelwa ebhafini, kodwa sobabini savakalelwa kukuba leyo yayiyiveki ekhuthaza ngokwenene!
Ndaphinda ndothuka ngowe-1953, xa ndamenyelwa kwiklasi yama-22, yeSikolo saseGiliyadi. Kodwa ndandivuya, ndixhalabile kwangaxeshanye. Kaloku, ukuphumelela kukadadewethu nomyeni wakhe eGiliyadi ngoJulayi 30, 1950, babelwa ePakistan. Akuzange kuphele nonyaka emva koko, uLesley wagula waza wasweleka belapho. Ndandizibuza ukuba, Kazi abazali bam baza kuyivuma na into yokuba ndiye kwenye indawo ngokukhawuleza emva kweso sihelegu? Kodwa bathi: “Hamba uye kukhonza uYehova naphi na apho ayalela ukuba uye khona.” Andizange ndiphinde ndimbone uTata. Wasweleka ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1950.
Akuzange kube kudala, ndathabatha uhambo lwenqanawa lweeveki ezintandathu olusinge kwisiXeko saseNew York, nabanye abantu abahlanu baseOstreliya. Endleleni, sasifunda iBhayibhile size sinikele ubungqina kwabo sasikhwele nabo. Ngaphambi kokuba siye emantla, apho sasiza kuqhutyelwa khona isikolo kuMzantsi Lansing, eNew York, saya kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe eyayingoJulayi 1953, eYankee Stadium. Incopho yababekho yayili-165 829!
Abafundi abali-120 ababekwiklasi yethu yaseGiliyadi babesuka mbombo zone zomhlaba. Kwathi ngosuku esaphumelela ngalo sachazelwa apho sabelwe khona. Sakhawuleza saya kwithala leencwadi laseGiliyadi ukuya kufunda ngamazwe esabelwe kuwo. Ndafumanisa ukuba ilizwe endandabelwe kulo, iParaguay, linembali yeenguqu zobupolitika. Akuzange kube kudala ndifikile apho, ngeny’ intsasa ndabuza abathunywa bevangeli ababelapho “ngemibhiyozo” eyayiqhubeka ngobusuku obungaphambili. Bancuma baza bathi: “Ufikile ke apho ubusiya. Phum’ apha phandle ukrobe.” Kwakunyakazela amajoni!
AMAVA ABALULEKILEYO
Ngeny’ imini, ndahamba nomveleli wesiphaluka ukuya kutyelela elinye ibandla elikwanti ukuze silibonise ifilimu ethi The New World Society in Action. Sahamba malunga neeyure ezisibhozo nezisithoba, saqala sakhwela uloliwe, sahamba ngenqwelo yamahashe saza sagqibela ngenqwelo yeenkomo. Sasiphethe ijenereyitha nomatshini wokubonisa imovie. Sathi sakufika apho sasisiya khona, sachitha imini elandelayo sityelela iifama, simema wonke umntu ukuze aze kubukela ifilimu ngalo ngokuhlwa. Kweza abantu abamalunga ne-15.
Sisabukele loo filimu kangangemizuzu emalunga nama-20, kwathiwa masikhawuleze singene endlini. Sathi hlasi umatshini wefilimu saza sabaleka ukungena endlini. Kungelo xesha amadoda aqalisa ukudubula, ekhwaza esithi: “Uthixo wethu unxanelw’ igazi, ibe ufuna kanye elee-gringos.” Zazimbini kuphela apho iigringos, ibe yayindim enye yazo! Abo babebukele le filimu bazama ukuthintela imigudu yelo qela yokungena kuloo ndlu. Kodwa abo bachasi babuya malunga nentsimbi yesithathu ekuseni, bedubula ngemipu, bethembisa nokuba liya kuthi litshona elaloo mini babe sele besikhuphile kuloo ndawo.
Abazalwana ababini bathetha nomphathi wamapolisa waza wabuya namahashe amabini esasiza kuhamba ngawo ukuya edolophini. Njengoko sasihamba naye, nanini na sidibana namatyholo okanye imithi, wayekhupha umpu aze ahambe phambili ukuze ahlole loo ndawo. Ndabona ukuba, ukuba nehashe asikokulahla mali, ngoko ndagqibela ndizifunele elam.
KUFIKA ABATHUNYWA BEVANGELI ABANGAKUMBI
Umsebenzi wokushumayela waqhubeka ngempumelelo nangona abefundisi baqhubeka besichasa. Ngowe-1955, kwafika abathunywa bevangeli abatsha abahlanu, omnye wabo ingudade oselula waseKhanada ogama linguElsie Swanson, owayephumelele kwiklasi yama-25 yaseGiliyadi. Ndakha ndasebenza naye kangangethuba elithile kwiofisi yesebe ngaphambi kokuba abelwe kwenye idolophu. Wayezinikele kwinkonzo kaYehova, engancediswa kangako ngabazali bakhe abangazange bayamkele inyaniso. NgoDisemba 31, 1957, ndatshata noElsie saza sahlala sobabini kuphela kwikhaya labathunywa bevangeli kumazantsi eParaguay.
Ikhaya esasihlala kulo lalingenamanzi aphuma etephini; kodwa sasinequla emva kwendlu. Ngoko sasingenayo ishawa okanye indlu yangasese esendlini, singenamatshini wokuhlamba impahla, nkqu nefriji. Sasithenga ukutya esiza kukutya ngemini enye. Kodwa ukuphila ubomi obulula nokuthandwa ngabazalwana noodadewethu ebandleni kwenza esi yaba sisihlandlo esimnandi gqitha kubomi bethu bomtshato.
Ngowe-1963, kwithutyana nje emva kokubuyela eOstreliya ukuya kubona umama, wahlaselwa sisifo sentliziyo, ekucaca ukuba sasibangelwa yimincili yokubona unyana wakhe emva kweminyaka elishumi. Njengoko lalisondela ixesha lokuba sibuyele esabelweni sethu eParaguay, kwafuneka senze esinye sezona zigqibo zinzima kubomi bethu. Kwafuneka senze isigqibo enoba siza kushiya uMama esibhedlele, ngethemba lokuba uza kunyanyekelwa ngomnye umntu, size sibuyele kwisabelo sethu eParaguay. Emva kokuthandaza ngokuzingisileyo, sinoElsie sagqiba kwelokuba sihlale apho size sinyamekele uMama. Samnyamekela saza saqhubeka nenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo de wasweleka ngowe-1966.
Kwaba lilungelo kum ukuba ngumveleli wesiphaluka nowesithili eOstreliya kangangeminyaka emininzi kwanokufundisa abadala kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani. Kwabakho nolunye utshintsho ekwafuneka silwenze. Ndamiselwa njengelungu leKomiti yeSebe yokuqala eOstreliya. Emva koko, xa sasiza kwakha iofisi entsha yesebe, ndamiselwa njengosihlalo wekomiti yokwakha. Kwakhiwa iofisi yesebe entle ngenxa yokuba sasisebenza nabantu abaninzi abanamava nabanentsebenziswano.
Kanti ndabelwa kwiSebe Lenkonzo, elijongene nokuvelela umsebenzi wokushumayela elizweni. Ndafumana nelungelo lokutyelela amanye amasebe ehlabathini lonke, ndingumveleli otyelela amasebe, ndiwanceda ndize ndiwakhuthaze. Kwalomeleza kanobom ukholo lwam ukuya kwamanye amazwe, ukuze ndityelele abo bachithe iminyaka, nkqu namashumi eminyaka, besezintolongweni nakwiinkampu zoxinaniso ngenxa yokuthembeka kwabo kuYehova.
ISABELO SETHU NGOKU
Ndathi ndibuya kuhambo oludinayo lokutyelela elinye isebe ngowama-2001, ndafumana ileta eyayisithi mandiye kukhonza eBrooklyn, eNew York kwiKomiti yeSebe yaseUnited States eyayisandul’ ukusekwa. SinoElsie sathandaza, sacingisisa ngesi sabelo saza sasamkela ngovuyo. Sele sineminyaka engaphezu kweli-11 siseBrooklyn.
Kundivuyisa gqitha ukuba nomfazi okuvuyelayo ukwenza nantoni na ecelwa nguYehova. Sobabini noElsie sisandul’ ukudibanisa iminyaka engama-80 ubudala yaye sisesempilweni. Sikhangele phambili ekunandipheni iimfundiso zikaYehova ngonaphakade nazo zonke iintsikelelo ezingathethekiyo eziza kufunyanwa ngabo baqhubeka besenza ukuthanda kwakhe.
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 19]
Ngenye iveki ndandikhwela ibhasi, ngenye ndikhwele ibhasi ehamba esiporweni, ngenye ndikhwele imoto okanye ndikhwele isithuthuthu, ndithwele isuthkheyisi nebhegi yam yokushumayela
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 21]
Sikhangele phambili ekunandipheni iimfundiso zikaYehova ngonaphakade
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 18]
Ekhohlo: Xa ndandingumveleli wesiphaluka eOstreliya
Ekunene: Ndim nabazali bam
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]
Mhla sasitshata, ngoDisemba 31, 1957