“Akwenzeki Umthengi Abe Nephutha”
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUWEI TUNG CHIN
Umyeni wami wayevame ukungitshela ukuthi ngingabagqizi qakala “abantu balenkolo abahamba bengena emizini yabantu.” Ngakho lapho oFakazi BakaJehova befika emzini wami, ngangivele ngibatshele ukuthi asinaso isithakazelo. Kodwa wangitshela nokuthi “akwenzeki umthengi abe nephutha,” ngakho lapho uFakazi efika esitolo sethu sokudla okuthiwa iRed Dragon futhi efuna ukungixoxela ngenkolo yakhe, ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi kufanele ngilalele.
UMYENI wami, uTong Y., wayenesitolo sokudla kwamaShayina esasibizwa ngokuthi iRed Dragon kuSt. Clair Avenue, eCleveland, e-Ohio. Sílapho, ngemva kokuba sesishadile, wangifundisa isiqubulo esithi, “Akwenzeki umthengi abe nephutha.”
UT.Y. wayeze eMelika ezofunda eNew York University. Ngemva kokuthola iziqu ngo-1927, wasebenza esitolo sokudla engxenyeni yeTimes Square yaseNew York. Waqaphela ukuthi abantu babedlela emakhemisi, ayengenazo izindawo ezinkulu zokuphekela. Ngakho wacabanga ngokubadayisela isilovela okuthiwa i-chow mein.
Ngokushesha, isitodlwana ayesivule eGreenwich Village sachuma. Ngo-1932 wathuthela isitolo sakhe eCleveland e-Ohio, wavula iRed Dragon, eyayinela abantu abangu-200. Ngo-September 1932 iphephandaba laseCleveland labika: “Ngemva kokuba uTong Y. Chin ethuthele ibhizinisi lakhe esifundeni saseGreat Lakes ukuze enelise iphango lezigidi zabantu kuyo yonke ingxenye esempumalanga, ulethe eCleveland isitolo sakhe sokuqala esincane sebhizinisi lokwenza isitshulu se-chow mein esenziwa nsuku zonke, eminyakeni emihlanu uye wasithuthukisa saze saba ibhizinisi elenza ama-dollar ayisigidi ngonyaka.”
Ngaphambi kokuba ngichaze ukuthi mina noT.Y. sahlangana kanjani, ake nginixoxele ngokuthi ngakhula kanjani eChina, okwaba nethonya elikhulu ekuphileni kwami.
Isizinda Sobumpofu
Ngisakhumbula ngibona umama ehamba edolobheni lakithi elincane eyofuna ukudla engxenyeni enkulu yezwekazi laseChina. Abazali bami babempofu kangangokuba kwadingeka ukuba ezinye izingane zabo bazisise. Ngolunye usuku, ngiseneminyaka emibili noma emithathu nje vó, ubaba wafika ekhaya amehlo akhe ebukeka ngendlela exakile. Ngacabanga, ‘Kumelwe ukuba ungiphathele izindaba ezingezinhle.’
Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, umama wangibamba ngesandla, sahamba ngendledlana eyayinodaka eyayiphakathi kwezingadi zelayisi, sicophelela ukuba singaweli emanzini asemaceleni. Safike sangena emzini othile lapho umama axoxa khona nentombazane eyayimamatheka, sase singena nakomunye umuzi owawunentombazanyana eyayinyukubele futhi ingamamatheki. Angikhumbuli ngiwabona lamantombazane ngaphambili. Ayengodadewethu abadala. Njengoba ayengivalelisa, ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi sasingeke siphinde sibonane.
Njengoba sihamba, umama wayekhuluma nami ngokunensa, engixoxela ngaye, ngobaba, nangabafowethu nodadewethu. Namanje ngisawabona ngeso lengqondo amehlo kamama anomusa kodwa adabukile. Lapho sifika endaweni esasibabele kuyo, kwakunokuthile okwakubonakala kushaya amanzi. Indlu yayisabisa futhi ibangela ukucindezeleka. Leli kwakuyikhaya lami elisha. Ngangingafuni ngisho nokuthatha isihlwathi, kodwa umama nabazali bami bokutholwa bangiphoqelela. Ngokushesha ngazumeka, futhi lapho ngivuka umama wayengasekho. Angiphindanga ngambona.
Ukukhula Ngosizi
Nakuba manje kwase kunokudla okwanele, uthando lwaluluncane, futhi inhliziyo yami yayilusizi. Ngangivuka njalo ekuseni ngikhale. Ngangikhumbula umama nomfowethu omdala ayesele naye. Ngangivame ukucabanga ngokuzibulala. Lapho sengimdala ngokwanele, ngaba nesifiso sokuya esikoleni, kodwa abazali bami bokutholwa bangihlalisa ekhaya ukuze ngisebenze.
Lapho sengineminyaka engu-9, sathuthela eShanghai. Ngatshelwa ukuthi: “Manje usumdala ngokwanele ukuba uthunywe ezitolo futhi upheke.” Ngakho kwanezelwa lemisebenzi kweminye engangiyenza nsuku zonke. Usuku ngalunye abazali bami bokutholwa babenginika imali yokuthenga ukudla kwalo lonke usuku. Endleleni eya emakethe, ngangidlula izinxibi bese ngizidabukela ngenxa yokuthi zazilambile. Ngangiye ngikwazi ukuzipha imadlana ethile futhi ngisale neyanele ukuthenga ukudla engikudingayo.
Yeka ukuthi ngangikulangazelela kangakanani ukuya esikoleni ngiyofunda! “Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha sizokubhalisa esikoleni,” kuthembisa abazali bami bokutholwa. Lapho leso sikhathi sesidlulile, ngatshelwa ukuthi: “Ezinyangeni eziyisithupha kusukela manje.” Kamuva, ngabona ukuthi ngangingeke ngiyiswe esikoleni. Inhliziyo yami yayibuhlungu. Ngaqala ukuzonda wonk’umuntu endlini. Ngangivame ukuzikhiyela endlini yokugezela bese ngithandaza. Nakuba sasikholelwa konkulunkulu abaningi, ngandlela-thile ngangazi ukuthi kunoNkulunkulu omkhulu, onamandla kunabo bonke abanye. Ngakho ngathandaza kuye ngathi: “Kungani kunobuhlungu nosizi olungaka?” Lona kwaba umthandazo wami weminyaka eminingi.
Umshado Ushintsha Ukuphila Kwami
Imishado ehlelwa abazali nabangane yayiyinto evamile eChina ngalezo zinsuku. Omunye wabangane bakaT.Y. waseyunivesithi owayesebuyele eChina wambhalela: “Usuze weva eminyakeni engu-30 ungashadile.” Wabe esemxoxela ngami futhi wanezela: “Uneminyaka engu-18 ubudala; muhle, kanti futhi unobuntu obuhle. . . . Ukube benginguwe bengizocabanga ngalokhu, Tong Y. Chin.” Umngane wakhe wabe esefaka isithombe encwadini.
UT.Y. wabhalela abazali bami bokutholwa: “Ngibone isithombe sendodakazi yenu eziphethe kahle. Ngizoyishada uma, ngemva kokuba sesibonene, sithola ukuthi uthando luyakheka ezinhliziyweni zethu.” UT.Y. weza eShanghai futhi sabonana. Nakuba ngangicabanga ukuthi wayemdala kakhulu kunami, ngacabanga ukuthi umshado wawuzongisiza ukuba okungenani ngiphume kulendlu. Ngakho ngo-1935 sashada futhi ngokushesha saya eMelika ngomkhumbi. Ngafika kanjalo-ke eCleveland.
Izinkinga Ezingathi Sína Naphezu Kwengcebo
Zisuka nje, sasinezinkinga zokukhulumisana nomyeni wami. Wayekhuluma olunye ulimi oluwumxhantela lwaseChina, isiCanton, nami ngikhuluma olunye, isiShanghai. Kwakunjengokungathi sikhuluma izilimi ezimbili ezingefani. Kwadingeka ngifunde nolimi lwesiNgisi kanye namasiko amasha. Futhi kuthiwani ngomsebenzi wami omusha? Kwakudingeka ngibe umnakekeli wezivakashi okhangayo nobukekayo, njalo ngijabulise abathengi. Yebo, kwakufanele ngikhumbule ukuthi “Akwenzeki umthengi abe nephutha.”
Mina nomyeni wami sasifukuza amahora angu-16 noma ngaphezulu ngosuku, futhi isikhathi esiningi ngangikhulelwe. Indodakazi yethu yokuqala, uGloria, yazalwa ngo-1936. Ngemva kwalokho ngazala izingane eziyisithupha eminyakeni eyisishiyagalolunye—abafana abathathu namanye amantombazane amathathu, enye yawo yashona nje lapho inonyaka.
Ngalesi sikhathi uT.Y. wayesenezindawo zokudlela eziningi kanye nezindawo zikaqed’isizungu. Abanye abajabulisa izibukeli abaqala umsebenzi wabo kulezi zindawo, njengoKeye Luke, uJack Soo noKaye Ballard, kamuva baba abantu abadumile. Ukudla kwethu kwesiShayina nakho kwakuthengwa kakhulu futhi kuthandwa.
Maphakathi nawo-1930, uT.Y. wayaziwa ngokuthi uyinkosi ye-chow mein. Wayengumongameli futhi we-Chinese Merchants Association futhi efundisa isiShayina. Ngahileleka ezinhlelweni eziningi zokusiza abasweleyo, zezenhlalo nezomphakathi. Ukubonakala ezindaweni zomphakathi nokumasha ezigcawini kwaba ingxenye yokuphila kwami. Izithombe kanye namagama ethu kwakubonakala njalo emaphephandabeni aseCleveland; kwakubonakala sengathi yonke into esasiyenza noma siyisho yayibikwa—kusukela ezindabeni zamabhizinisi kuye emaholidini esiwathathayo ngisho nosayizi wezicathulo zami!
Ngo-1941, lapho ibutho lezindiza zempi laseJapane liqhumisa i-Pearl Harbor ngebhomu, i-United States yalwa neJapane. Ngenxa yokuthi sasivela emazweni aseMpumalanga, sabandlululwa. Ngisho nangaphambi kwempi, lapho sakha indlu yethu enkulu endaweni enhle sasithola izinsongo zokubulawa. Kodwa yaphela, futhi izingane zethu sazikhulisela kuyo.
Khona-ke, nganginendlu kanokusho, enkulu, nginomyeni nomkhaya ohlonishwayo futhi yebo, ngisho nezingubo ezinhle nezinto zokuhloba eziyigugu. Nakuba kunjalo, ngaqhubeka ngingenanjabulo. Ngani? Phakathi kokunye, sasinesikhathi esincane sokuba ndawonye njengomkhaya. Nakuba ngangikwazi ukuvuka njalo ekuseni ukuze ngibone izingane lapho seziya esikoleni, ngokuvamile zazize ziyolala singakabuyi emsebenzini. Kwakunesisebenzi esasinakekela zonke izidingo zazo.
SasingamaBuddha, kodwa onkulunkulu benkolo yethu babenganginiki nduduzo. UT.Y., ehamba nendodana yethu endala, babezungeza yonke indlu bekhanyisa amakhandlela futhi babeke ukudla phambi kwezithixo, ukuze labonkulunkulu badle. Kodwa babengakudli ukudla, ngakho kamuva izingane zazizidlela kona.
Ekugcineni, ngenxa yokukhathala nokungaboni khambi lalokhu, ngacabanga ukuthi umkhaya wami ungaphila kangcono ngaphandle kwami. Umzimba wavele wahluleka ngokuphelele futhi ngazama ukuzibulala. Ngokujabulisayo, ngaphuthunyiswa esibhedlela futhi ngalulama.
Impendulo Yemithandazo Yami
Esikhathini esithile kamuva, ngo-1950, intokazi ethile enezinwele ezinhle ezimhlophe yangena esitolo sokudlela ihamba nomyeni wayo. Njengoba ngibamukela futhi ngiqikelela ukuthi banethezekile, yakhuluma nami ngoNkulunkulu. Ngangingenaso isithakazelo. OFakazi BakaJehova babeke basivakashela emzini wethu futhi bazama ukuxoxa nami, kodwa ngangivele nje ngibakhakhabise. Nokho, esitolo sokudlela, isimo sasehlukile—“Umthengi akwenzeki abe nephutha!”
Lentokazi, uHelen Winters, yangibuza ukuthi ngiyakholelwa yini eBhayibhelini. “Liphi iBhayibheli?” ngibuza. “Maningi kabi!” Njalo uma ebuya, ngaphakathi ngangithi, ‘Naso-ke leso sicefe!’ Kodwa wayenomusa futhi ephikelela. Futhi lokho akusho ngomhlaba oyipharadesi lapho kungeke kuphinde kube nobuhlungu noma ukuhlupheka, kwezwakala kukuhle.—2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.
Kokunye ukuhambela kwakhe, wangishiyela isimemo sokuya emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso futhi wangibonisa isigijimi esifushane esasingemva kwesimemo esasichaza izibusiso zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngiyakhumbula kamuva ngisibuka futhi ngicabanga, ‘Ukube nje lokhu bekuyiqiniso!’ Wasikisela ukuba afunde nami iBhayibheli ekhaya, futhi ekugcineni ngavuma.
Isonto ngalinye sasihlala etafuleni sifunde—mina noHelen kanye nezingane zami eziyisithupha, ngaleso sikhathi ezaziphakathi kweminyaka eyisihlanu kuya kweyishumi nane. Ngangivame ukumdabukela ngoba ngezinye izikhathi izingane zazibonakala zingenasithakazelo. Ngo-1951 saqala ukuya emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso. Ngokushesha ngaqaphela ukuthi lokho engangikufunda kwakuyimpendulo yemithandazo yami. Ngakho ngabona ukuthi kwakudingeka ngempela ngifunde kahle isiNgisi, okwakuwushintsho olunzima kimi.
Ukuthola Injabulo Yangempela
Ngathuthuka ngokushesha olwazini futhi nganikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, ngo-October 13, 1951, emhlanganweni omkhulu eWashington, D.C., ngabhapathizwa kanye nezingane zami ezimbili ezindala, uGloria noTom. Ngokokuqala ngqá, ukuphila kwami kwaba nenjongo. Kwakuwukuqala kweminyaka ejabulisa kunayo yonke.
Ngangilokhu ngikhonza abanye abantu kukho konke ukuphila kwami, kodwa manje ngangizimisele ukuba ngikhonze uMdali wethu kuqala! Ngaqala ukuhlanganyela isigijimi soMbuso nabo bonke ababelalela. Ngazama nokugcizelela ezinganeni zami isidingo sokuba khona emihlanganweni yobuKristu nokubaluleka kokuxoxa nabanye ngezinto ezimangalisayo eziseZwini likaNkulunkulu.
Ngo-1953 saqala ukuba neSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla emzini wethu. Cishe sekuphele iminyaka engu-45 isifundo siqhutshelwa lapha. Kuyo yonke leminyaka siye saba usizo olukhulu emkhayeni wethu.
Ukuzigcina siphila ngokomoya futhi siqhubeke sinakekela ibhizinisi lethu lesitolo sokudla kwakuyinselele ngempela. Nakuba kunjalo, ngakwazi ukufunda iBhayibheli nabantu abaningi. Abanye balaba bantu balamukela iqiniso leBhayibheli futhi kamuva baba amaphayona, njengoba izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zibizwa kanjalo. Ngawo-1950, izingane zethu ezine ezincane zanikezela ukuphila kwazo kuJehova futhi zabhapathizwa. UT.Y. wayengenaso isithakazelo eBhayibhelini, kodwa wayesiyisa ngemoto emihlanganweni futhi asilande. Sanquma ukuba singamshumayezi kodwa ukuba lapho sisendleleni siphindela ekhaya simane nje sizixoxele sodwa ngephuzu elilodwa noma amabili esiwajabulele emhlanganweni.
Ngaleso sikhathi, uT.Y. wayelokhu ethatha uhambo lwezebhizinisi eya emadolobheni ahlukahlukene e-United States. Ngashayela indlunkulu ye-Watch Tower Society eBrooklyn, eNew York ucingo, futhi ngachaza isimo sethu. UGrant Suiter, owayengunobhala ongumgcini-zimali weNhlangano ngaleso sikhathi, lapho siseNew York wasimema ukuba sizobuka izakhiwo. UT.Y. wahlabeka umxhwele kakhulu, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yokuhlanzeka kwekhishi, ngaleso sikhathi elalenzelwe ukunakekela abantu abangaba ngu-500.
Phakathi nokuvakasha kwethu sahlangana noRussell Kurzen, kamuva owaposela uT.Y. iBhayibheli ayelifunda njalo ebusuku kwaze kwaba yilapho eliqeda. Kamuva, emhlanganweni wezizwe woFakazi BakaJehova eNew York ngo-1958, umyeni wami wabhapathizwa! Okwasimangalisa ukuthi indodana yethu endala, ngaleso sikhathi eyase ikhonza njengelungu lomkhaya wasendlunkulu, yanikeza inkulumo emfushane emhlanganweni.
Wathembeka Kwaze Kwaba Sekufeni
Mina noT.Y. sasivame ukusebenza ndawonye enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu. Lapho amehlo akhe eqala ukuqundeka, sasihlanganyela njalo ekufakazeni emgwaqweni. I-Cleveland Press yayinesihloko esithi, “Ukuguqulwa Kwabantu ERed Dragon” kanye nesithombe sethu sihambisa omagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! kubantu abadlulayo. Lendaba yalandisa ngendlela esasibe ngayo oFakazi. Igama leRed Dragon lashintshwa laba iChin’s Restaurant.
Eminyakeni eminingi, mina nomyeni wami siye sanakekela abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi abangamaKristu abavela kuwo wonke umhlaba esitolo sethu sokudla. Sisikhumbula kahle iseluleko sikaMfoweth’uFred Franz, owakhonza njengomongameli we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Lapho evakashile, wasikhuthaza: “Thembekani, futhi ninamathele ngokuseduze enhlanganweni kaJehova.”
UT.Y. wahlaselwa isifo sohlangothi izikhathi eziningana ekuqaleni kweminyaka yawo-1970 futhi washona ngo-August 20, 1975. Iphephandaba lendawo lashicilela umlando omude wokufa kwakhe, lakhipha nesithombe sakhe ehambisa INqabayokulinda enkonzweni. Iminyaka yokugcina esayiphila ndawonye yayingengcono kunayo yonke. Ngemva kokusebenza iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-60, iChin’s Restaurant yavalwa unomphela ngo-April 1995. Kwabanye, kwaba njengokungathi bafelwe yizwe.
Ukulondoloza Imigomo Engokomoya
Kwake kwaba isifiso sethu ukuba amadodana ethu athathe ibhizinisi lomkhaya. Nokho, leso sifiso sashintsha; sasifuna ukuba alandele ezinyathelweni zikaJesu futhi abe izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele. Sabuza ingane yethu ngayinye ukuthi ingathanda yini ukuphayona eHong Kong futhi isize abanye abantu baseChina bafunde lokho esasikufundile. Sazitshela ukuthi sasizozisekela ngokwezimali ukuze zikwazi ukukwenza lokho. Nakuba ingekho kuzo eyayifunde ukusikhuluma ngokushelela isiShayina, uWinifred, uVictoria noRichard bakhetha ukuthuthela eHong Kong.
Indodakazi yethu uWinifred isiphayone lapho iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-34! UVictoria washada noMarcus Gum, futhi kamuva babuyela e-United States. Baye bakhulisa izingane ezintathu—uStephanie noSeraiah, abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele eCleveland, noSymeon, okhonza eWatchtower Farms, eWallkill, eNew York, nomkakhe uMorfydd. UVictoria noMarcus sebehlala eduze kwakwami, ukuze bakwazi ukunginakekela. UMarcus ungumbonisi owengamele weBandla LaseCoventry eCleveland.
Indodakazi yethu endala, uGloria, ulokhu ahlala esihlalweni sabakhubazekile kusukela angenwa uvendle ngo-1955. Yena nomyeni wakhe, uBen, bahlala e-Escondido, eCalifornia, lapho eqhubeka ehlanganyela khona njalo emsebenzini wokushumayela. UTom useqede iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-22 eyisikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele. Yena nomkakhe, u-Esther, manje basebenza eSikhungweni Semfundo SeWatchtower, ePatterson, eNew York. URichard nomkakhe, u-Amy, babuya eHong Kong ukuze bazosiza ekunakekeleni uT.Y. ngaphambi kokuba ashone. Manje nabo bakhonza ePatterson. Uthunjana wethu, uWalden, uye wachitha iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-30 enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Eminyakeni engu-22 edlule, yena nomkakhe, uMary Lou, baye bakhonza amabandla e-United States emsebenzini wesifunda nowesigodi.
Akukhona ukuthi izingane zethu azizange zisikhathaze. Kwathi nje lapho enye isanda kweva eshumini nambili, yeqa ekhaya, kwaphela izinyanga ezintathu ingaziwa nokuthi ikuphi. Kanti enye kwaphela isikhathi esithile ithanda imidlalo ngaphezu kwezinto ezingokomoya, ilokhu ingabibikho esifundweni seBhayibheli somkhaya ngenxa yokuya emincintiswaneni. Yaze yanikezwa nomfundaze wezemidlalo. Kwathi lapho inquma ukungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele kunokwamukela omunye walemifundaze yaseyunivesithi, kwakunjengokungathi kususwe omkhulu umthwalo lona emahlombe ami!
Ngiyajabula Ngokuthi Ngalalela
Nakuba izingane zami zisakazeke kuwo wonke umhlaba, kuyangijabulisa ukwazi ukuthi zikhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. Manje ngineminyaka engu-81, futhi isifo samathambo nezinye izifo kuye kwangigoba, kodwa intshiseko yami ngoJehova ayidambanga neze. Ngiyazama ukuba ngizinakekele ukuze kungabibikho zingane zami okuzodingeka zishiye inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ukuze zinginakekele.
Ngibheke phambili ngokulangazela esikhathini esizayo lapho izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu ziyofezeka ngokugcwele futhi ngiphinde ngibone abathandekayo abafile, kuhlanganise nomyeni wami, abazali bami bangempela, noHelen Winters owasifundela. (Johane 5:28, 29; IzEnzo 24:15) Yeka indlela engijabula ngayo ngokuthi ngayilalela leya ntokazi enhle enezinwele ezimhlophe eminyakeni engu-46 edlule! Ngempela, loya mthengi wayengena phutha!
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Lapho sesishadile
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Umkhaya wethu ngo-1961. Kusukela kwesobunxele kuya kwesokudla: uVictoria, uWei, uRichard, uWalden, uTom, uT.Y., uWinifred noGloria phambili
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UWei Chin namuhla