Ukuvuyiswa NguYehova Phezu kwazo Nje izilingo
NGOKUBALISWA NGUGEORGE SCIPIO
NgoDisemba 1945, ndandilele esibhedlele, ndife onke amalungu omzimba ngaphandle nje kwezandla neenyawo. Ndandicinga ukuba oku kuza kuphela, kodwa abanye babeyithandabuza into yokuba ndiya kuphinda ndikwazi ukuhamba. Esinjani sona isilingo kumntu owayeneminyaka eli-17 ubudala nowayedlamkile! Ndala ukuyamkela into enjalo. Ndandicebe izinto ezininzi, kuquka nokuya eNgilani nomqeshi wam kunyaka olandelayo.
NDANDINESIFO sepoliyo esasigqugqisile kwisiqithi sethu saseSt. Helena. Sabulala abantu abali-11 saza sashiya abaninzi beyimilwelwe. Ngoxa ndilele kumandlalo, ndandinexesha elininzi lokucinga ngobomi bam obufutshane nekamva lam. Ngoxa ndisenjenjalo, ndaqalisa ukuqonda ukuba, phezu kwayo nje inkxwaleko endikuyo, ndandinesizathu sokuvuya.
Isiqalo Esincinane
Ngowe-1933 xa ndandineminyaka emihlanu ubudala, ubawo uTom, ipolisa nomdikoni kwiCawa yaseBhaptizi, wafumana isixa seencwadi kumaNgqina kaYehova amabini. Yayingabahambisi bevangeli bexesha elizeleyo, okanye oovulindlela, ababetyelele esi siqithi okwexeshana.
Enye yeencwadi yayisithi UHadi LukaThixo. Ubawo wayisebenzisa ekufundisiseni iBhayibhile nentsapho yakowethu kwanabanye abantu abanomdla. Yayinzima kakhulu, yaye izinto ezininzi ndandingaziqondi. Kodwa ndisakhumbula ndiphawula isibhalo ngasinye esasixutyushwa kumbhalo wam weBhayibhile. Kungekudala ubawo waqonda ukuba oko sasikufundisisa kwakuyinyaniso yaye kwakwahlukile koko wayekushumayela kwiCawa yaseBhaptizi. Waqalisa ukuxelela abanye ngako yaye washumayela ecaweni ukuba akukho nto inguBathathu Emnye, isihogo somlilo, nokungafi komphefumlo. Oku kwaba ngumnqa ecaweni.
Ekugqibeleni, kuzanywa ukuzinziswa le mbambano, kwabakho intlanganiso yecawa. Kwabuzwa umbuzo othi, “Ngubani oxhasa amaBhaptizi?” Inkoliso yaxhasa wona. Umbuzo olandelayo yayingulo, “Ngubani oxhasa uYehova?” Malunga nabali-10 okanye abali-12 baxhasa yena. Bagxothwa ecaweni.
Esi yayisisiqalo esincinane sonqulo olutsha eSt. Helena. Ubawo waqhagamshelana nekomkhulu leWatch Tower Society eUnited States waza wacela umatshini osisidlali-macwecwe ukuze adlalele abantu iintetho zeBhayibhile. Waxelelwa ukuba lo matshini wawumkhulu kakhulu ukuba ungathunyelwa eSt. Helena. Kwathunyelwa igramafoni encinane, yaye kamva abazalwana baodola ezinye ezimbini. Basihamba esi siqithi ngeenyawo nangedonki, besisa isigidimi ebantwini.
Njengoko isigidimi sasisasazeka, kwakunjalo nangenkcaso. Esikolweni, abantwana babecula oku: “Yizani niphulaphule, yizani niphulaphule, iqela lomculo legramafoni likaTommy Scipio!” Esi yayisisilingo esikhulu kum, umfana ohamba isikolo owayefuna ukuthandwa ngoontanga bakhe. Yintoni eyandinceda ukuba ndinyamezele?
Intsapho yethu enkulu—enabantwana abathandathu—yayinesifundo seBhayibhile sentsapho esithe rhoqo. Kwakhona sasifunda kunye iBhayibhile ntsasa nganye ngaphambi kwesidlo sakusasa. Alithandabuzeki elokuba oku kuye kwanceda ukuba intsapho yethu iqhubeke ithembekile enyanisweni ukutyhubela iminyaka. Ndaba nothando ngeBhayibhile ndiselula gqitha, yaye ebudeni beminyaka, ndiye ndakwenza umkhwa ukufunda iBhayibhile rhoqo. (INdumiso 1:1-3) Xa ndashiya isikolo ndineminyaka eli-14 ubudala, ndandisele ndiqinile enyanisweni, yaye ndandimhlonela uYehova ngokusuka entliziyweni. Oku kwandenza ndavuyiswa nguYehova phezu kwazo nje ezo zilingo.
Izilingo Ezingakumbi Novuyo
Njengoko ndandilele kuloo mandlalo ndicinga ngaloo minyaka yangaphambili nethemba lam ngekamva, ndandisazi kufundisiso lwam lweBhayibhile ukuba esi sigulo yayingelulo uvavanyo okanye isohlwayo esivela kuThixo. (Yakobi 1:12, 13) Sekunjalo, ipoliyo yayisisilingo esibuhlungu, yaye ndandiza kujamelana nemiphumo yayo ubomi bam bonke.
Njengoko ndandichacha, kwafuneka ndiphinde ndifunde ukuhamba. Kwakhona ezinye zezihlunu zengalo azizange ziphinde zisebenze. Andinakubala ukuba ndandisiwa izihlandlo ezingaphi suku ngalunye. Sekunjalo, ngokuthandaza ngokunyanisekileyo nokuqhubeka ndisenza umgudu, ngowe-1947, ndakwazi ukuhamba ngentonga.
Ebudeni belo xesha ndathandana nebhinqa eliselula, uDoris, owayeneenkolelo ezifanayo nezam. Sasisebancinane kakhulu ukuba singacinga ngomtshato, kodwa oku kwandikhuthaza ukuba ndenze inkqubela ebhekele phaya ekuhambeni. Kwakhona ndawuyeka umsebenzi wam ngenxa yokuba imali endandiyifumana apho yayinganelanga ukuba ndingatshata, yaye ndavula indawo yam yamazinyo, eyaqhubeka kangangeminyaka emibini. Satshata ngowe-1950. Ngelo xesha ndandisele ndifumene imali eyaneleyo yokuthenga inqwelo-mafutha encinane. Ngoku ndandinokukhwelisa abazalwana xa sisiya ezintlanganisweni nakwinkonzo yasentsimini.
Inkqubela Yobuthixo Kwesi Siqithi
Ngowe-1951 uMbutho wasithumelela ummeli wawo wokuqala. Lo yayinguJacobus van Staden, indoda eselula yaseMzantsi Afrika. Sasisandul’ ukufudukela kwindlu evulekileyo, ngoko sakwazi ukuhlala naye unyaka wonke. Ekubeni ndandizisebenzela, sasichitha ixesha elininzi kunye kumsebenzi wokushumayela, yaye ndafumana uqeqesho oluxabisekileyo kakhulu kuye.
UJacobus, okanye uKoos njengoko sasimbiza njalo, walungiselela iintlanganiso zebandla ezithe rhoqo, esasikuvuyela sonke ukuya kuzo. Sasinengxaki yento yokuhamba kuba kwakukho iinqwelo-mafutha nje ezimbini phakathi kwabo bonke abanomdla. Kwakunzima ukuhamba kumhlaba onamatye noneenduli, yaye zazimbalwa iindlela ezintle ngelo xesha. Ngoko, kwakungumsebenzi ukusa wonke umntu kwiintlanganiso. Abanye babeqalisa ukuhamba kwakusasa kakhulu. Ndandikhwelisa abathathu kwinqwelo-mafutha yam encinane ndize ndibashiye endleleni. Babesehla baze baqhubeke behamba. Ndandijika, ndiye kuthabatha abanye abathathu ndihambe nabo umganyana, ndibashiye apho, ndize ndiphinde ndijike. Ekugqibeleni, bonke babefikelela ezintlanganisweni ngale ndlela. Emva kweentlanganiso, sasisenza into efanayo ukugodusa wonk’ umntu.
Kwakhona uKoos wasifundisa indlela yokushumayela ngendlela ephumelelayo ezindlwini. Sasiba namava amaninzi amahle nangemahle kangako. Kodwa uvuyo esasinalo kwinkonzo yasentsimini lwazigubungela zonke izilingo ezazibangelwa ngabachasi kumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Ngenye intsasa ndandisebenza noKoos. Njengoko sasisondela komnye umzi, seva ilizwi ngaphakathi. Indoda yalapha yayifunda iBhayibhile ngokuvakalayo. Sasisiva ngokucacileyo amazwi esiwaqhelileyo kuIsaya isahluko 2. Yakufika kwindinyana ye-4, sankqonkqoza. Indoda enobubele nekhulileyo ngeminyaka yasamkela ngobubele, yaye sasebenzisa uIsaya 2:4 ukuyicacisela ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Kwaqaliswa isifundo seBhayibhile nayo nangona yayihlala kwindawo ekwakunzima kakhulu ukufikelela kuyo. Kwakufuneka sihle induli, sinqumle umsinga kwimichankcatho yamatye, sinyuke enye induli, yaye sihle ukuya endlwini yayo. Kodwa oku kwakuwufanele loo mgudu. Le ndoda ithobekileyo nekhulileyo yayamkela inyaniso yaza yabhaptizwa. Ukuze ifike kwiintlanganiso, yayisimelela ngeentonga ezimbini iye kwindawo apho ndandinokuyiphuthuma khona ngenqwelo-mafutha. Kamva yafa iliNgqina elithembekileyo.
Umphathi wamapolisa wayewuchasile umsebenzi wethu yaye ngokuphindaphindiweyo wasigrogrisa ngokuthi uKoos uza kugxothwa. Nyanga nganye wayembiza uKoos ukuze ancinwe. Into yokuba uKoos wayesoloko emphendula ngokusuka ngqo eBhayibhileni yayimenza abe nomsindo ngakumbi. Kwisihlandlo ngasinye wayelumkisa uKoos ukuba ayeke ukushumayela, kodwa ngalo lonke ixesha wayefumana ubungqina. Waqhubeka ewuchasa umsebenzi kwanasemva kokuba uKoos eyishiyile iSt. Helena. Wandula ke lo mphathi wamapolisa, indoda eyayinesiqu, neyomeleleyo, ngequbuliso wagula waza wanqina kakhulu. Oogqirha babengamazi ukuba wayephethwe yintoni. Ngenxa yoko, wahamba kwesi siqithi.
Ubhaptizo Nolwando Oluthe Ngcembe
Emva kokuba uKoos ekwesi siqithi kangangeenyanga ezintathu, wavakalelwa kukuba kwakufanelekile ukuba kubekho inkonzo yobhaptizo. Kwakuyingxaki ukufumana ichibi elifanelekileyo. Sagqiba kwelokuba simbe umngxuma omkhulu, siwufake isamente, size sithuthe amanzi siwuzalise. Kubusuku ngaphambi kobhaptizo, kwanetha, yaye kwintsasa elandelayo savuya ukufumanisa ukuba umngxuma wawuzele wonke ngamanzi.
Ngaloo ntsasa yangeCawa uKoos wanikela intetho yobhaptizo. Xa wacela ukuba abo baza kubhaptizwa baphakame, saba ngama-26 abaphakamayo ukuba siphendule imibuzo eqhelekileyo. Kwakulilungelo ukuba sibe ngamaNgqina okuqala ukubhaptizwa kwesi siqithi. Olo lwalulolona suku luvuyisayo ebomini bam kuba ndandisoloko ndinexhala lokuba iArmagedon yayiza kufika ngaphambi kokuba ndibhaptizwe.
Ekugqibeleni kwasekwa amabandla amabini, elinye eLevelwood yaye elinye eJamestown. Veki nganye ngorhatya lwangoMgqibelo abathathu okanye abane kuthi babehamba iikhilomitha ezili-13 besiya kuqhuba iSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo neNtlanganiso Yenkonzo kwelinye ibandla. Emva kwenkonzo yasentsimini ngentsasa yangeCawa, sasibuya ukuze size kufumana iintlanganiso ezifanayo, kwaneSifundo seMboniselo kwibandla lethu emva kwemini nangorhatya. Ngoko iimpela-veki zethu zazizaliswe yimisebenzi evuyisayo yobuthixo. Ndandikunqwenela ukwenza umsebenzi wokushumayela ixesha elizeleyo, kodwa ndandinentsapho ekwakufuneka ndiyinyamekele. Ngoko ngowe-1952, ndasebenzela urhulumente njengogqirha wamazinyo ixesha elizeleyo.
Ngowe-1955 abameli abahambahambayo boMbutho, abaveleli besiphaluka, baqalisa ukutyelela esi siqithi nyaka ngamnye, yaye babehlala kwam kwinxalenye yotyelelo lwabo. Baba nempembelelo entle kakhulu kwintsapho yethu. Phantse ngexesha elinye, kwakhona ndaba nelungelo lokuba nesabelo ekuboniseni imiboniso bhanyabhanya emithathu yoMbutho kwesi siqithi.
Indibano Echulumancisayo Yokuthanda KukaThixo
Ngowe-1958, ukuze ndiye kwiNdibano Yezizwe Ngezizwe Yokuthanda KukaThixo eNew York, kwakhona ndayeka ukusebenzela urhulumente. Loo ndibano yayibaluleke kakhulu ebomini bam—ithuba elandenza ndanesizathu esingakumbi sokuvuyiswa nguYehova. Ngenxa yokungabikho kwezinto zokuhamba ngokuthe rhoqo kwesi siqithi, sahamba iinyanga ezintlanu ezinesiqingatha. Le ndibano yaqhutywa iintsuku ezisibhozo, yaye ucwangciso lwaluqala ngentsimbi yesithoba kusasa de kube yintsimbi yesithoba ebusuku. Kodwa andizange ndidinwe, yaye ndandikhangele phambili kusuku ngalunye. Ndandinelungelo lokumela iSt. Helena imizuzu emibini kucwangciso. Ukuma phambi kwezihlwele ezikhulu eYankee Stadium nasePolo Grounds kwakusoyikisa kunene.
Le ndibano yasiqinisa isigqibo sam sokuba nguvulindlela. Intetho yesidlangalala ethi, “UBukumkani BukaThixo Buyalawula—Ngaba Isiphelo Sehlabathi Sisondele?,” yayikhuthaza ngokukhethekileyo. Emva kwendibano, satyelela ikomkhulu loMbutho eBrooklyn saza sakhenketha umzi-mveliso. Ndathetha noMzalwan’ uKnorr, owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Society ngokuphathelele inkqubela yomsebenzi eSt. Helena. Wathi angathanda ukutyelela esi siqithi ngenye imini. Sabuya neekhasethi zeentetho zonke kwaneminye imifanekiso eshukumayo yendibano ukuze sabelane ngayo nentsapho nabahlobo.
Ukufikelela Usukelo Lwenkonzo Yexesha Elizeleyo
Xa ndabuyayo, ndanikwa ithuba lokwenza umsebenzi wam wokuqala kwakhona, njengoko kwakungekho gqirha wamazinyo kwesi siqithi. Noko ke, ndabacacisela ukuba ndandinomnqweno wokungenelela inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Emva kothethathethwano kwavunywa ukuba ndingasebenza iintsuku ezintathu ngeveki, kodwa ndifumane umvuzo ophezulu kunokuba ndisebenza iintsuku ezintandathu ngeveki. Amazwi kaYesu angqineka eyinyaniso: “Qhubekani, ke ngoko, nifuna kuqala ubukumkani nobulungisa bakhe, yaye zonke ezinye izinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni.” (Mateyu 6:33) Ukuhamba kumhlaba wesi siqithi oneenduli ngeenyawo zam ezingomelelanga kwakungasoloko kulula. Nakuba kunjalo, ndaba nguvulindlela kangangeminyaka eli-14 yaye ndakwazi ukunceda abantu abaninzi endihlala nabo kwesi siqithi bafunde inyaniso—nto leyo ngokuqinisekileyo eyabangela uvuyo.
Ngowe-1961 urhulumente wafuna ukundithumela kwiFiji Islands ukuze ndifumane uqeqesho lwesisa lweminyaka emibini ukuze ndibe ngugqirha wamazinyo ofaneleka ngokuzeleyo. Wade wathembisa ukundithumela nentsapho yam. Ngokwenene le yona into yayisisihendo, kodwa emva kokuwuqwalasela ngokunzulu lo mbandela andizange ndivume. Ndandingafuni ukushiya abazalwana kangangexesha elingako ndize ndinikezele ngelungelo endandinalo lokukhonza kunye nabo. Umphathi wezonyango owalungiselela olu hambo wayecaphuke gqitha. Wathi: “Ukuba ucinga ukuba isiphelo sele sikufuphi, usenokuyisebenzisa imali oza kuyifumana ngoku.” Kodwa andizange ndigungqe.
Kunyaka olandelayo ndamenyelwa eMzantsi Afrika ukuze ndiye kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani, izifundo zenyanga enye zabaveleli bebandla. Safumana uqeqesho oluxabisekileyo olwasinceda ukuba sizinyamekele ngokuphumelela ngakumbi izabelo zethu zebandla. Emva kwesikolo, ndafumana uqeqesho olungakumbi ngokusebenza nomveleli ohambahambayo. Ngoko ndakhonza amabandla amabini eSt. Helena ngaphezu kweminyaka elishumi njengebambela lomveleli wesiphaluka. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, kwafumaneka abanye abazalwana abafanelekayo, yaye lo msebenzi wenziwa ngabantu abahlukahlukeneyo.
Ngelo xesha, sasifudukile eJamestown saya eLevelwood, apho kwakukho imfuneko enkulu khona, yaye sahlala apho iminyaka elishumi. Ebudeni beli xesha, ndandisebenza nzima kakhulu—ndinguvulindlela, ndisebenzela urhulumente iintsuku ezintathu ngeveki, yaye ndiqhuba ishishini levenkile encinane yokutya. Ukongezelela, ndandisingatha imicimbi yebandla, yaye mna nomfazi wam sasinyamekela abantwana abane abakhulayo. Ukuze ndihlangabezane noku, ndawuyeka umsebenzi wam wokusebenza iintsuku ezintathu, ndathengisa ivenkile, ndaza ndahamba nayo yonke intsapho yam saya eKapa, eMzantsi Afrika, kwikhefu leenyanga ezintathu. Sandula ke safudukela kwisiQithi saseAscension saza sahlala apho kangangonyaka. Ebudeni belo xesha, sakwazi ukunceda abaninzi ukuba bafumane ulwazi oluchanileyo ngenyaniso yeBhayibhile.
Ekubuyeleni kwethu eSt. Helena, sabuyela kwakhona eJamestown. Salungisa indlu enxuse iHolo YoBukumkani. Ukuze sizixhase ngokwenyama, mna nonyana wam uJohn senza iveni yeice-cream ngelori yeFord, saza sathengisa i-ice cream kangangeminyaka emihlanu elandelayo. Kungekudala emva kokuqalisa eli shishini, ndafumana ingozi ngale veni. Yawa yaza yandenzakalisa emilenzeni. Ngenxa yoko, izihlunu ezi ngezantsi kwamadolo zaba ndindisholo, yaye kwathabatha iinyanga ezintathu ukuba ndichache kwakhona.
Iintsikelelo Ezidluleyo Nezizayo
Ukutyhubela iminyaka, siye safumana iintsikelelo ezininzi—izizathu ezingakumbi zokuvuya. Enye yezi yayiluhambo lwethu olusinge eMzantsi Afrika ukuya kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe ngowe-1985 nokutyelela ikhaya elitsha laseBheteli, elalisakhiwa. Enye yayikukuba nenxaxheba encinane, ndawonye nonyana wam uJohn, ekwakheni iHolo YeNdibano entle kufuphi neJamestown. Yaye sikwavuyiswa kukuba oonyana bethu abathathu bakhonza njengabadala, yaye omnye umzukulwana wethu ukhonza kwiBheteli yaseMzantsi Afrika. Yaye ngokuqinisekileyo siye safumana uvuyo olukhulu nolwaneliseko ekuncedeni abaninzi ukufumana ulwazi oluchanileyo lweBhayibhile.
Intsimi yethu yobulungiseleli incinane gqitha, inabantu abamalunga nama-5 000 kuphela. Sekunjalo, ukusebenza umhlaba omnye ngokuphindaphindiweyo kwakhona kuye kwavelisa imiphumo emihle. Bambalwa kakhulu abantu abakrwada kuthi. ISt. Helena yaziwa ngobubele bayo, yaye uya kubuliswa naphi na apho uhamba khona—uhamba endleleni okanye uqhuba inqwelo-mafutha yakho. Into nje endiyibonileyo kukuba okukhona ubazi abantu, kokukhona kuya kuba lula ukunikela ubungqina kubo. Ngoku sinabavakalisi abali-150, nangona abaninzi befudukele phesheya.
Ekubeni bonke abantwana bethu sele bekhulile yaye belishiyile ikhaya, mna nomfazi wam sisedwa kwakhona, emva kweminyaka engama-48 sitshatile. Uthando lwakhe olunyanisekileyo nenkxaso yakhe ukutyhubela iminyaka iye yandinceda ndaqhubeka ndikhonza uYehova ngovuyo phezu kwazo nje izilingo. Amandla ethu enyameni ayaphela, kodwa amandla ethu okomoya ayavuseleleka suku ngalunye. (2 Korinte 4:16) Mna, kunye nentsapho nabahlobo bam, sikhangele phambili kwikamva eliqaqambileyo xa ndiza kuphiliswa emzimbeni ndibuyele kwimeko ebhetele ngakumbi kunaxa ndandineminyaka eli-17 ubudala. Owona mnqweno wam kukunandipha imfezeko ngandlela zonke yaye, ngapha koko, ndikhonze uThixo wethu onothando nonenkathalo, uYehova, noKumkani wakhe olawulayo, uYesu Kristu, ngonaphakade.—Nehemiya 8:10.
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UGeorge Scipio noonyana bakhe abathathu, abakhonza njengabadala
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UGeorge Scipio nomfazi wakhe, uDoris