Umsebenzi Wokucula Oletha Injabulo Ehlala Njalo

NGISEMNCANE, ngazinikezela emsebenzini wokucula. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngazakhela udumo njengomculi wefado eLisbon. Lolu uhlobo lomculo wasePortugal oyingqayizivele, wokulilela isikhathi esidlule. Ngokushesha ngase ngicula kwamanye amadolobha asePortugal kanye nasesiteshini somsakazo esikhulu sakulelozwe, iEmissora Nacional.

Khona-ke umphathi wami wangihlelela uhambo oluya eSpain, olwaluhlanganisa amadolobha anjengeMadrid, iBarcelona, iZaragoza, neBilbao. Ngemva kokucula eFrance, ngachitha iminyaka engaphezu kwemibili eAngola, eAfrica. Lapho ngacula emadolobheni amaningi, futhi ngo-1972 ngakhethwa ngaba “iNdlovukazi YeFado.”

Nokho, njengoba ngangicula isoprano, ngempela umculo weclassic wawuyisithakazelo sami esiyinhloko. Ngakho lapho sengibuyele eLisbon, ngaqalisa izifundo zomculo kuloluhlobo lomculo. Nokho, nakuba ngangigxile kakhulu emsebenzini wami wokucula, ngangingajabulile ngempela. Phakathi kimi ngangintula ngokomoya. Ngangifuna ukuzizwa ngiseduze noNkulunkulu, kodwa ngangingazi ukuthi ngingasondela kanjani kuye.

Ngo-1973 ngangiseBrazil ohambweni lokucula. Ngolunye usuku kusihlwa, ngemva kombukiso weTV, thina esasicula samenyelwa edilini. Ngokushesha umkamphathi wami waseBrazil wasicela ukuba siveze imiqondo yethu ngezimo zezenhlalo ezicindezelayo nezenzakalo zezwe. Kwangihlaba umxhwele ukungesabi kwakhe ukusikisela ngesibindi ukuthi uNkulunkulu angase abe nempendulo okufanele siyicabangele. Ngakwenza kwaziwa ukuthi ngangikholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Ngaphambi kokuba lowomcimbi wakusihlwa uphele, ngomusa wanginikeza incwadi enesihloko esithi IQiniso eliholela ekuPhileni okuPhakade. Ngaqaphela kamuva ukuthi wayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.

Irekhodi Lami Lokugcina

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngabuyela ePortugal ngiyokwenza irekhodi lami lesithathu, ngizimisele ngokugcwele ukubuyela eBrazil ukuze ngiqhubeke nohambo lwami. Ngangingazi ukuthi leli kwakuyoba irekhodi lami lokugcina.

Lapho ngiseseLisbon, owesifazane osemusha wafika ekhaya lami futhi waqala ukukhuluma ngezibusiso ukubusa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu okuyoziletha kulomhlaba. Ngalalelisisa njengoba ayefunda eBhayibhelini izinguquko ezithakazelisayo nezinhle kakhulu uNkulunkulu azithembisé labo abalangazelela ukulunga.

Lokho engangikuzwa kwaba nethonya elikhulu kimi. Ngangilangazelela zona kanye izimo ayezichaza ngeBhayibheli. Kwakududuza kakhulu kimi ngoba nakuba ngangisemncane, ngase ngidivosile kakade, njengoba umyeni wami ayebaleke nomunye owesifazane.

Ungacabanga nje ukumangala engaba nakho lapho ngokulandelayo lona wesifazane enginikeza incwadi efanayo naleyo engangiyithole eBrazil! Izingxoxo ezalandela zangenza ngaqaphela ngokushesha ukuthi kwakukhona okuthile ekuphileni okuyigugu kakhulu kunodumo noma ingcebo. Ngangizimisele ukufunda okwengeziwe ngezithembiso ezimangalisayo ezitholakala eBhayibhelini.

Isinqumo Esikhulu

Isifundo sami seBhayibheli samasonto onke sasingokuhlangenwe nakho okujabulisa kakhulu. Ngokushesha ngaqala ukuba nobuhlobo obuseduze bomuntu siqu noMdali wami, uJehova uNkulunkulu.

Eqinisweni, kwaba nezikhathi ezinzima ngemva kokuba nginqume ukuyeka umsebenzi wami onenzuzo njengomculi okhokhelwayo. Ngacindezelwa kakhulu ukuba ngibuyele eBrazil. Khona-ke nganikezwa ithuba lokwenza isivumelwano sokucula ePorto enyakatho yePortugal. Babecabanga ukuthi ngokungisusa eLisbon, ngangingase ngishintshe umqondo wami futhi ngiqhubeke nomsebenzi wami wokucula.

Nokho, ngase ngisenzile isinqumo. Nganquma ukuya eFrance ngiyohlala nodadewethu oshadile ukuze ngikhululeke ngokuphelele emizamweni yokungiyengela ukuba ngibuyele ezweni lokuzijabulisa. Kodwa njengoba kwenzeka, yena nomyeni wakhe baluphikisa ngokunamandla ukholo lwami olusha. Babenginqabela ngisho nokuthi ngibe nesifundo seBhayibheli samasonto onke ekhaya labo. Ngiqunga isibindi, ngahamba amakhilomitha angu-30 ukuya nokubuya ukuze ngingalahlekelwa isifundo sami. Ekugcineni, bangicela ukuba ngihambe ekhaya labo.

Njengoba manje ngase ngizihlalela ngedwa, ngathola umsebenzi kowesifazane ocebile. Wayehlela iholide lezinyanga ezintathu esiqhingini sakhe esingaphansi kweGreece, futhi ngamenyelwa ukuba ngihambe naye. Kodwa ngabona ingozi eyayingaba khona ngokuhlukaniswa nabantu bakaJehova, ngakho nganquma ukungahambi.

Kunalokho, ngalelohlobo ngaba khona ezimisweni zesiPutukezi zomhlangano wesigodi woFakazi BakaJehova ka-1974 eToulouse, eFrance. Kwakunabangaphezu kuka-12 000. Lapho, ngabhapathizwa ngibonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Lowo kwakuwumhlangano wami wokuqala, futhi ngokuthakazelisayo, kwakuwumhlangano wokugcina oFakazi basePortugal ababezoba nawo kwelinye izwe ngoba imihlangano yabo emikhulu yayivinjelwe ePortugal. Ngemva kwalowonyaka bavunyelwa ukuba babe nemihlangano yabo ePortugal.

Umsebenzi Omusha

Umsebenzi wenyanga eyodwa wangaphambi komhlangano eToulouse waba nethonya elikhulu kimi. Yeka ilungelo eliyingqayizivele okwakuyilo ukujabulela ukuhlangana nsuku zonke nabazalwane nodade abaqotho abangamaKristu ababelondoloze ubuqotho babo iminyaka eminingi ngaphansi kobushiqela bukaSalazar ePortugal.

Umphumela wokuhlangana eduze nalabo ababesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele wakha kimi isifiso esinamandla sokuba yisikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele njengabo. Ngakho, ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ngemva kokuba ngibhapathiziwe, ngaqalisa leyonkonzo ePortugal. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngamenyelwa ukuba ngizokhonza esabelweni esikhethekile. Futhi ngangizosebenza nobani? NoMaria Eulalia da Luz, yena lowoFakazi owayenginikeze incwadi IQiniso eLisbon!

Insimu Yenguquko

Iningizimu yePortugal yayiyisabelo sethu sokuqala esikhethekile. Lena kwakuyindawo eyabuswa iQembu lobuKhomanisi ngemva kwenguquko yango-1974. Umoya wokwesaba wadlanga emadolobheni amancane esasishumayela kuwo eSifundazweni saseBaixo Alentejo. Ngokushesha saba isisulu sokuphikiswa okunamandla.

Ezama ukusithena amandla, amadoda ayevame ukushaya ngamatshe indlu esasiyiqashile, okwakwenza ukuba bungehli ubuthongo ezinsukwini eziningi. Ngokulandelayo, kwaqhuma ibhomu, elalimaza ukhiye womnyango omkhulu. Ngokungakholeki, indoda eyayikade iphikisa umsebenzi wethu ngalesosikhathi yasiqashisela indlu engcono, iqaphela ukuthi kwakuyingozi ngathi ukuba sibe sodwa kangaka. Ngolunye usuku abaphikisi baphula umnyango wethu wangaphambili lapho singekho. Cabanga nje indlela esamangala ngayo lapho sibuya sithola umninindawo omusha elinde indlu! Sabonga uJehova ngesivikelo saKhe.—IHubo 145:18, 19.

Naphezu kokuphikiswa okunjalo, umsebenzi wethu lapho wathela kakhulu. Ngesikhathi sihamba kuleyondawo, sajabula ukubona sekumiswe amabandla amabili amasha oFakazi BakaJehova, ngalinye lineHholo lalo LoMbuso elihle.

Inselele Yangempela

Ngo-1977 isabelo sethu sashintshelwa eziQhingini zaseMadeira. Nakuba indawo iyinhle ngokubabazekayo kulelizwe elifudumele, sazithola sibhekene nendawo enezintaba ezazikhathaza umzimba.

Kulesisabelo manje sasihlangana nabantu ababehluke ngokuphelele kulabo basesabelweni sethu sangesikhathi esidlule. Ukuzinikela okungokwenkolo kwakugxile ko“santa.” Abaningi babengafundile, futhi inkolelo-ze yayiyithonya elinamandla ekuphileni kwabantu. Eqinisweni sasibona imiphumela ‘yemithwalo enzima’ engokomoya abaholi benkolo yamanga abayibeka emahlombe abantu. Lokhu kwakha kithi amandla amakhulu ashukumisayo okuba silethe impumuzo engokomoya, ngazo zonke izindlela, kulemiphefumulo ‘ekhatheleyo nesindwayo.’—Mathewu 11:28, 29; 23:4.

Sasivame ukuzwa abantu bethi njengoba babengamaKatolika, babengadingi lutho kithi. Ngangibuza ukuthi basawusho yini umthandazo othi “Baba Wethu.” Lapho bephendula ngoyebo, ngangibatshela indlela sonke esilangazelela ngayo ukuba intando kaNkulunkulu yenziwe emhlabeni, njengoba kungekho lutho olungako oluhle umuntu alufezayo kulezizinsuku. Lapho bevuma, ngangibuza ukuthi bake bazibuza yini ukuthi intando kaNkulunkulu iyini ngathi. Ngokuvamile, lendlela yayenza ukuba umuntu alalele, futhi ingxoxo yobungane yayiqaliswa.

Ngolunye usuku ngangikhuluma nowesifazane owabonisa isithakazelo esigijimini soMbuso lapho ngokungazelelwe ngithuswa iziciba-mlilo ezaziqhuma nhlangothi-zonke zami. Lendoda eyayingihlasela kwakuyindodana edelelayo yowesifazane owayethakazela. Ithukuthele, yangijikijela ngencwadi, eyangishaya emilenzeni. Ingisikaza ngesikela elisetshenziswa ekuvuneni ubhanana, yasongela ukungibulala, iphakamisa isikela ekhanda lami. Ngokushesha, ezihlahleni zikabhanana kwaphuma enye indoda, okwakuwukuphela komuntu eyayimhlonipha futhi imesaba. Yamemeza ngezwi elinamandla: “Wenzani?” futhi yavimbela lendoda eyisidlwangudlwangu ekungihlaseleni.

Kwezinye izenzakalo ezimbili ukuphila kwami kwasongelwa kulesisabelo, futhi isikhathi ngasinye ngangibona isandla sikaJehova esiyisivikelo siphezu kwami. (IHubo 68:19, 20) Eqinisweni, lendawo yabonakala izamukela kakhulu izindaba ezinhle ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, futhi lapho sihamba, kwase kunabaningi ngokwengeziwe ababebakhona emihlanganweni yethu.

Kwenye indawo eziQhingini zaseMadeira, ngaqalisa ukutadisha iBhayibheli nowesifazane omyeni wakhe wayengasithandi. Kodwa wayelihlonipha kakhulu iBhayibheli. Wayewumbhaki osebenza ebusuku, futhi thina singazi, ngemva kokuba evukile, wayelalela sinyenyela isifundo sethu samasonto onke. Isithakazelo sakhe sasikhula ngesifundo ngasinye, kodwa wayekhungathekiswe ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu uJehova.

Wanquma ukuzihlolela yena lendaba eBhayibhelini lakhe siqu kodwa wangalithola iBhayibheli. Wafuna ukuthola iqiniso ngegama likaNkulunkulu futhi wafuna ngentshiseko ukuthola elakhe “iBhayibheli elidala, langempela” elizoxazulula lendaba. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, phakathi nokuhlanzisiswa kwendawo yokubhaka, iBhayibheli lakhe eliyigugu latholakala. Ngentshiseko wabheka izikhombo eziningana, futhi lalikhona. Ngokungenaphutha, igama likaNkulunkulu siqu ngempela kwakunguJehova! (IHubo 83:18) Ngesikhathi esifushane, wenza intuthuko ephawulekayo futhi wabhapathizwa. Namuhla ukhonza ngokwethembeka ebandleni.

Isabelo Samuva

Njengamanje, ngikhonza enyakatho yePortugal edolobheni laseBraga. Leli selineminyaka eminingi liyisikhungo esingokwenkolo esinendawo evelele yamaKatolika yokukhulekela neyunivesithi. Kodwa ubani owayengacabanga ukuthi kwakuyofika usuku lapho amasonto amaningi ayeyothola isibalo samalungu awo sehla? Nokho, lokhu kuyenzeka manje.

Sihlangana nabantu abaningi abakholelwa ekuziphendukeleni kwemvelo nabavuma ngokushesha ukuthi bakholelwa ekutheni uNkulunkulu akaziwa. Incwadi ethi Life—How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? namaqiniso ayo asekela indalo iyithuluzi elinamandla ‘ekuchitheni izizindlo, nakho konke okudephileyo okuziphakamisela ukuthiyana nokumazi uNkulunkulu.’—2 Korinte 10:4(c), 5.

Umsebenzi Ongcono Kakhulu

Lapho ngibheka emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-15 edlule, angingabazi ukuthi ngakhetha umsebenzi ongcono kakhulu, ukusebenzisa izwi lami hhayi ekujabuliseni kodwa ekukhulumeni nabanye ngezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ezimangalisayo. Isimemo esifudumele sokuba umuntu asebenzise izwi lakhe ukumemezela “izindaba ezinhle” sivela kuJehova ngokwakhe futhi sivulekele bonke abazosamukela.—Mathewu 24:14, NW; Roma 10:13-15.

Yeka ithuba elihle esilinikeziwe lokuba sizame ukufinyelela izinhliziyo zalabo abakhathele nabasindwayo, sibakhuthaze ukuba ‘beze futhi bathabathe amanzi okuphila ngesihle’! (IsAmbulo 22:17) Isigijimi ngokwaso esivela eZwini likaNkulunkulu esishukumisa izinhliziyo zabantu abathobekile. Mina nomngane wami enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele sizizwa sinelungelo lokuqhubeka sisebenzisa amazwi ethu, hhayi ngenxa yodumo noma ingcebo, kodwa ngenxa yokudumisa uNkulunkulu nokuletha izibusiso zaphakade kwabanye.

Nginomuzwa wokuthi umsebenzi “wokucula” enginawo manje usezingeni eliphakeme kakhulu kunomsebenzi wami wokucula wesikhathi esidlule, ngoba ngenza njengoba umhubi asho: “Hlabelelani kuJehova, nibonge igama lakhe, nimemeze insindiso yakhe imihla ngemihla.” (IHubo 96:2)—Njengoba ilandiswa uMadalena Ferraz Martins.

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

UMadalena Ferraz Martins nomngane wakhe enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, uMaria Eulalia da Luz