Indaba Yokuphila

Ngasondelana Nabantu Abakhulile Abahlakaniphile

Njengoba ilandiswa ngu-Elva Gjerde

Eminyakeni engaba ngu-70 edlule, umuntu othile owayevakashele ekhaya wasikisela okuthile kubaba okwakushintsha ngokuphelele ukuphila kwami. Kusukela ngalolo suku olwaba olubaluleke kakhulu, baningi abanye abantu abaye baba nethonya ekuphileni kwami. Lokhu kungisizé ukuba ngithole ubuhlobo obuyigugu engibazisa ngaphezu kwanoma ibuphi obunye. Ake ngichaze.

NGAZALWA ngo-1932, eSydney, e-Australia. Abazali bami babekholelwa kuNkulunkulu kodwa bengasonti. Umama wangifundisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uhlale engibhekile ukuze angijezise uma ngiganga. Lokhu kwangenza ngamesaba uNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, ngangilithanda iBhayibheli. Lapho udadewabo kamama esivakashele ngezimpelasonto, wayengixoxela izindaba zeBhayibheli eziningi ezithakazelisayo. Ngangikulangazelela njalo ukufika kwakhe.

Ngase ngevile eminyakeni eyishumi nambili lapho ubaba efunda iqoqo lezincwadi umama ayezithole kugogo othile owayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Akufunda kulezo zincwadi zobuKristu kwamthakazelisa kakhulu kangangokuba wavuma ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi. Ngolunye usuku befunda iBhayibheli kusihlwa, ubaba wangibhadama ngilalele ekusithekeni. Lapho esathi uyangixosha ethi ngiyolala, umuntu owayemqhubela isifundo wathi: “Myeke ahlale.” Lokho kusikisela kwakhe kwaphawula ukuqala kwendlela entsha yokuphila nobuhlobo bami noNkulunkulu weqiniso—uJehova.

Ngemva nje kwalokho, mina nobaba saqala ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu. Akufunda kwamshukumisela ukuba enze izinguquko ekuphileni kwakhe. Waqala ngisho nokulawula intukuthelo yakhe. Lokhu kwashukumisela umama nomfowethu omdala, uFrank, ukuba baqale ukuya emihlanganweni.a Sobane sathuthuka futhi ekugcineni sabhapathizwa njengoFakazi BakaJehova. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, baningi abakhulile ababá nethonya elihle kimi ezigabeni ezihlukahlukene zokuphila kwami.

UKUKHETHA UMSEBENZI

Njengosemusha, ngangisondelene kakhulu nasebekhulile ebandleni. Omunye wabo kwakungu-Alice Place, ugogo okwafika yena kuqala ekhaya. Wafana nogogo kimi. U-Alice wangiqeqesha enkonzweni futhi wangikhuthaza ukuba ngizibekele umgomo wokubhapathizwa. Ngawufinyelela lapho ngineminyaka engu-15.

Ngasondelana futhi nombhangqwana osukhulile uPercy noMadge [Margaret] Dunham. Ubudlelwane nabo baba nomthelela omkhulu ekusaseni lami. Phela, ngangithanda izibalo, futhi ngizimisele ukufundisa zona. UPercy noMadge babeye bakhonza njengezithunywa zevangeli eLatvia ngawo-1930. Lapho kugqashuka iMpi Yezwe II eYurophu, bacelwa ukuba bayokhonza eBethel yase-Australia, ekwelinye lamadolobha asemaphethelweni aseSydney. Baba nesithakazelo sangempela kimi. Baxoxa okuhlangenwe nakho okuthakazelisayo okuningi abakujabulela beseyizithunywa zevangeli. Kwangicacela ukuthi ukufundisa iBhayibheli kwakuyojabulisa kakhulu kunokufundisa izibalo. Ngakho nganquma ukuba yisithunywa sevangeli.

AbakwaDunham bangikhuthaza ukuba ngizilungiselele inkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli ngokuphayona. Ngakho, ngo-1948, lapho ngineminyaka engu-16, ngahlanganyela nabanye abasebasha abayishumi ababejabulela inkonzo yamaphayona ebandleni lasekhaya eHurstville, eSydney.

Eminyakeni emine eyalandela, ngaphayona kwamanye amadolobha amane—wonke aseNew South Wales naseQueensland. Omunye wabantu bokuqala engabafundela iBhayibheli kwakunguBetty Law (osengowakwaRemnant). UBetty wayeyintombazane ekhathalelayo futhi emdala kunami ngeminyaka emibili. Kamuva ngaphayona naye edolobheni laseCowra, eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-230 entshonalanga yeSydney. Nakuba saphayona isikhashana nje ndawonye, mina noBetty sisengabangane namanje.

Lapho ngithola isabelo sokuba iphayona elikhethekile, ngathuthela eNarrandera—idolobha eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-220 eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeCowra. Manje ngase ngiphayona noJoy Lennox (osengowakwaHunter), owayeyiphayona elishisekayo naye emdala kunami ngeminyaka emibili. Yithina kuphela esasingoFakazi kule ndawo. Sahlala nombhangqwana owawunomoya wokungenisa izihambi, uRay no-Esther Irons. Bona nendodana yabo namadodakazi amathathu babenesithakazelo eqinisweni. Phakathi nesonto uRay nendodana yakhe babesebenza epulazini lezimvu nokolweni elalingaphandle kwedolobha, kuyilapho u-Esther namantombazane benakekela indlu yokuqashisa. Njalo ngeSonto, sasipheka ukudla okuningi okumnandi siphekela umkhaya wakwa-Irons nenqwaba yabantu ababeqashe khona—bonke abebeyizisebenzi zesilisa zakwaloliwe ezazilambile. Lo msebenzi wawuyingxenye yenkokhelo yemali yokuqasha. Ngemva kokuhlanza, sasinikeza umkhaya wakwa-Irons ukudla okumnandi okungokomoya—isifundo se-Nqabayokulinda samasonto onke. URay no-Esther nezingane zabo ezine balamukela iqiniso futhi baba amalungu okuqala ebandla laseNarrandera.

Ngo-1951, ngaya emhlanganweni wesigodi woFakazi BakaJehova eSydney. Kulowo mhlangano ngathamela umhlangano okhethekile wamaphayona ayenesithakazelo sokuba izithunywa zevangeli. Sasingaphezu kuka-300 kulowo mhlangano owaba setendeni elikhulu owaqhutshwa uNathan Knorr ovela eBethel yaseBrooklyn. Wasichazela ngesidingo esiphuthumayo sokuyisa izindaba ezinhle kuwo wonke amagumbi omhlaba. Sakulalelisisa konke ayekusho. Kamuva, amaphayona amaningi ayekulowo mhlangano aqala umsebenzi wokushumayela eNingizimu yePacific nakwezinye izindawo. Ngajabula ukuba phakathi kwabase-Australia abangu-17 abamenyelwa ekilasini le-19 leSikole SaseGileyadi ngo-1952. Iphupho lami lokuba isithunywa sevangeli lagcwaliseka ngineminyaka engu-20 nje ubudala!

KWADINGEKA UKUBA NGICWENGISISWE

Imfundo nobudlelwane engakuthola eGileyadi akugcinanga ngokwandisa ulwazi lwami lweBhayibheli nokungiqinisa okholweni kodwa kwaba nethonya elikhulu nasebuntwini bami. Ngangimncane futhi ngikholelwa emibonweni yami, ngithambekele nasekulindeleni ukuphelela kimi nakwabanye. Eminye yemibono yami yayeqisa kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngashaqeka kakhulu lapho ngibona uMfoweth’ uKnorr edlala ibhola neqembu lezinsizwa ezikhonza eBethel.

Kumelwe ukuba abafundisi baseGileyadi—bonke ababengamadoda aqaphelisisayo nayengomakad’ ebona—babona ukuthi nginenkinga. Baba nesithakazelo kimi futhi bangisiza ukuba ngilungise ukucabanga kwami. Kancane kancane, ngaqala ukubona uJehova njengoNkulunkulu onothando nonokwazisa, hhayi onesandla esiqinile ofuna izinto ngenkani. Ngasizwa nangabanye balabo esasinabo ekilasini. Ngikhumbula omunye wabo ethi: “Elva, ungacabangi ukuthi uJehova uhlale ephethe isiswebhu. Musa ukuziphatha ngesandla esiqine kangaka!” Amazwi akhe angagunci angithinta inhliziyo.

Ngemva kokuphothula eGileyadi, mina nabane kwesasinabo ekilasini sabelwa eNamibia, e-Afrika. Kungakabiphi, sasesiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingu-80. Ngangiyithanda iNamibia nokuphila kwezithunywa zevangeli, kodwa ngase ngithandana nomunye esasinaye eGileyadi owayabelwe eSwitzerland. Ngahlala unyaka eNamibia ngabe sengiya eSwitzerland lapho sesithembisene umshado. Ngemva komshado, ngajikeleza naye lapho ekhonza njengombonisi wesifunda.

UKUBHEKANA NESIMO ESIBUCAYI

Ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu ejabulisayo emsebenzini wokujikeleza, sacelwa ukuba siyokhonza eBethel yaseSwitzerland. Ngakujabulela ukuba phakathi kwabafowethu nodadewethu abaningi abavuthiwe ngokomoya ababebadala kunami emkhayeni waseBethel.

Ngemva nje kwalokho, ngethuka kwaphela nasozwanini lapho ngithola ukuthi umyeni wami wayengathembekile kimi nakuJehova. Wabe esengishiya. Ngashaqeka! Angazi ukuthi ngangiyobhekana kanjani naleso simo ukube kwakungengenxa yothando nokusekelwa abangane bami asebekhulile abasemkhayeni waseBethel. Babengilalela lapho ngidinga ukukhuluma futhi bengivumela ngiphumule lapho ngikudinga. Amazwi abo aduduzayo nezenzo zabo zomusa kwangiqinisa phakathi naleso sikhathi esibuhlungu ngendlela engachazeki futhi bangisiza ukuba ngisondele nakakhulu kuJehova.

Ngakhumbula namazwi ashiwo eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili abathile asebekhulile abahlakaniphile ababeye baqiniswa izinsizi. Ahlanganisa namazwi ashiwo uMadge Dunham owake wathi: “Elva, ekukhonzeni kwakho uJehova, uzobhekana nezimo eziningi ezivivinyayo, kodwa uvivinyo olunzima kunalo lonke lungase luvele kulabo osondelene nabo. Uma lufika lolo vivinyo, wonamathela kuJehova. Khumbula ukuthi ukhonza yena, hhayi abantu abangaphelele!” Iseluleko sikaMadge sangichushisa ezinsizini eziningi. Nganquma ukuthi angisoze ngavumela amaphutha omyeni wami ukuba angihlukanise noJehova.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, nganquma ukubuyela e-Australia ukuze ngiyophayona ngasekhaya. Lapho ngisemkhunjini oya ekhaya, njalo ngangiba nezingxoxo zeBhayibheli ezithakazelisayo nabagibeli esasihamba nabo. Phakathi kwabo kwakunomlisa waseNorway owayethule ogama lakhe kwakungu-Arne Gjerde. Wakuthanda ayekuzwa. Kamuva u-Arne wasivakashela ekhaya eSydney. Wathuthuka ngokushesha ngokomoya futhi waba uFakazi. Ngo-1963, mina no-Arne sashada, ngemva kweminyaka emibili sathola indodana, uGary.

UKUBHEKANA NOKUNYE UKULAHLEKELWA

Mina no-Arne noGary, sasiwumkhaya owanelisekile nojabulayo. Kungakabiphi, u-Arne wanweba umuzi wethu ukuze sikwazi ukuhlalisa abazali bami abasebekhulile. Nokho, ngemva kweminyaka engu-6 sishadile, sabhekana nolunye usizi. Kwatholakala ukuthi u-Arne unomdlavuza wobuchopho. Ngangimvakashela nsuku zonke esibhedlela ngenkathi elashwa ngemisebe okwathatha isikhathi eside. Waba ngcono okwesikhashana; ngemva kwalokho isimo sakhe sawohloka waze washaywa unhlangothi. Ngatshelwa ukuthi wayezophila amasonto ambalwa kuphela. Nokho, wasinda. Ekugcineni wabuyela ekhaya, lapho ngamnakekela khona waze walulama. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wakwazi ukuphinde ahambe nokwenza imisebenzi yebandla njengomdala. Ukuhlala ejabule nokuba namahlaya kwaba nomthelela ekululameni kwakhe futhi kwenza kwaba lula kimi ukuqhubeka ngimnakekela.

Ngo-1986, sekudlule iminyaka eminingi, impilo ka-Arne yaqala ukuwohloka futhi. Ngaleso sikhathi abazali bami base beshonile, ngakho sathuthela eBlue Mountains indawo enhle engaphandle kwaseSydney, okwasisondeza kubangane bethu. Kamuva, uGary washada nodade omuhle ongokomoya, uKarin, futhi basikisela ukuba sobane sihlale ndawonye. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa nje, sathuthela endlini eyayiqhele ngemigwaqo embalwa ukusuka lapho sasihlala khona no-Arne.

Phakathi nezinyanga zokugcina zokuphila kwakhe ezingu-18, u-Arne wayengasakwazi ukwehla embhedeni futhi esedinga ukunakekelwa okuqhubekayo. Ngenxa yokuthi ngangihlale ngisekhaya, ngangichitha amahora amabili ngosuku ngitadisha iBhayibheli nezincwadi ezisekelwe kulo. Lapho ngitadisha, ngathola izeluleko eziningi ezihlakaniphile zokubhekana nesimo sami. Abamemezeli asebekhulile ebandleni nabo bangibonisa uthando bangivakashela—abanye babo babeye bakhuthazelela uvivinyo olucishe lufane nolwami. Ukungivakashela kwabo kwakungivuselela ngempela! U-Arne washona ngo-April 2003 enethemba eliqinile lovuko.

UKUSEKELWA OKUKHULU KUNAKHO KONKE

Ngisemncane, ngangingaguquki emibonweni yami. Kodwa ngathola ukuthi kuyaqabukela ukuphila kuhambe ngendlela esiyilindele. Ngiye ngajabulela izibusiso eziningi futhi ngakhuthazelela izenzakalo ezimbili ezaba buhlungu kakhulu—ukushiywa umyeni ngenxa yokungathembeki nomunye ngokugula. Njengoba iminyaka ihamba, ngiye ngathola isiqondiso nenduduzo emithonjeni eminingi. Ukusekelwa okukhulu kunakho konke kuseyilokho ‘koMdala Wezinsuku’—uJehova uNkulunkulu. (Dan. 7:9) Iseluleko sakhe siye salolonga ubuntu bami futhi sangiholela kokuhlangenwe nakho okunezibusiso emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli. Lapho kuphakama izinkinga, ‘umusa kaJehova wothando wawulokhu ungisekela futhi induduzo yakhe yayiwotawota umphefumulo wami.’ (IHu. 94:18, 19) Ngiye ngajabulela nothando nokusekelwa umkhaya wami ‘nabangane beqiniso abazalelwe isikhathi sosizi.’ (IzAga 17:17) Abaningi balaba kwakungasebekhulile abahlakaniphile.

Inzalamizi uJobe yabuza: “Akukho yini ukuhlakanipha kulabo asebebadala nokuqonda ebudeni bezinsuku?” (Jobe 12:12) Uma ngicabanga ngokuphila kwami, ngingathi yebo kukhona. Iseluleko sasebekhulile abahlakaniphile siye sangisiza, induduzo yabo yangisekela futhi ubungane babo bacebisa ukuphila kwami. Ngiyabonga ngokuthi ngasondelana nabo.

Njengoba sengineminyaka engu-80, nami sengingomunye wasebekhulile. Engiye ngabhekana nakho kwenzé ukuba ngizwelane ngokukhethekile nasebekhulile lapho bedinga usizo. Ngisakuthanda ukubavakashela nokubasiza. Kodwa ngiyakujabulela nokuba phakathi kwentsha. Ubungqabavu bayo buyangivuselela nentshiseko yayo iyathelelana. Lapho ngiqaphela intsha edinga isiqondiso noma ukusekela kwami, ngiyakujabulela ukuyisiza.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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Ngiphayona noJoy Lennox eNarrandera

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U-Elva namalungu omkhaya waseBethel yaseSwitzerland ngo-1960

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Nginakekela u-Arne ngesikhathi egula