Ngakhetha Umsebenzi Omuhle

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUSONIA ACUÑA QUEVEDO

Nganikezwa isikhundla esiphakeme emsebenzini wami wasebhange. Lo msebenzi wawuphezulu futhi ukhokhela kakhudlwana. Nokho, ngangisanda kucelwa ukuba ngiyokhonza ebandleni elikude njengephayona elivamile. Uma ngibheka eminyakeni engu-32 edlule, ngiyabona ukuthi ngakhetha ngokuhlakanipha.

UMAMA wakhuliswa abazali abangamaRoma Katolika kodwa wayenganelisekile ngezimfundiso zesonto. Wayezibuza ukuthi, Kungani kufanele izithombe—umkhiqizo wezandla zabantu—zihlonishwe? Iqiniso elingokwenkolo lalibalulekile kuye, futhi wangena ephuma emasontweni efuna izimpendulo, kodwa kwanhlanga zimuka nomoya.

Ngolunye usuku wayehleli ngaphandle ekhaya eTuxtla, eMexico, ejabulela umoya opholile lapho kufika omunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ehlatshwe umxhwele izimpendulo ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini zemibuzo yakhe, wavuma ukuba lo Fakazi aphinde abuye. Lapho ebuya, umama wayemlinde nomfundisi waseSabatha, umpristi wamaKatolika kanye nomshumayeli waseNazaretha. Wabuza umbuzo mayelana neSabatha, futhi uFakazi kuphela owamnikeza impendulo engokomBhalo emanelisayo. Empeleni, yilo Fakazi kuphela owayephethe iBhayibheli! Ngo-1956, wabhapathizwa waba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova, ngemva nje kwezinyanga eziyisithupha efundelwa iBhayibheli. Ngangineminyaka engu-8 ubudala.

Ukukhathazeka Kukababa Okuqotho

Ubaba akazange amphikise umama ekufundeni kwakhe iBhayibheli. Kodwa lapho eseqala ukufundisa thina zingane zakhe ezine—abafana ababili namantombazane amabili—nokuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu, ubaba wazidabula izincwadi zakhe. Eqiniseka ukuthi siyadukiswa, wazama ukusebenzisa iBhayibheli lamaKatolika ukuze abonise ukuthi oFakazi babefake ngobuqili igama likaNkulunkulu—elithi Jehova—enguqulweni yabo. Kodwa lapho umama embonisa lona leli gama eBhayibhelini lakhe, wamangala kakhulu, futhi isimo sakhe sengqondo ngoFakazi saqala ukushintsha.—IHubo 83:18.

EMexico, usuku lokuzalwa kwentombazane lweminyaka engu-15 luyinto ebalulekile. Njengoba ukugujwa kwezinsuku zokuzalwa kungahambisani nemiBhalo, ngangingasalugubhi usuku lwami lokuzalwa.a Kodwa ubaba wathi ufuna ukungenzela okuthile okukhethekile. Ngacabanga ngale ndaba ngabe sengithi, “Ngifuna wena ube yisipho sami ngokuthi uye nami emhlanganweni olandelayo woFakazi BakaJehova.” Wavuma, futhi isithakazelo sakhe eBhayibhelini sakhula.

Ngobunye ubusuku, ngemva kwesivunguvungu esikhulu, ubaba walimala kabi lapho ethinta intambo kagesi eyayiwile. Njengoba ayesalulama esibhedlela, oFakazi bendawo babemnakekela amahora angu-24—ukuboniswa kothando lobuKristu angazange akukhohlwe. Kamuva, waqala ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yasensimini futhi wanikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova. Ngokudabukisayo, ngo-September 30, 1975, washona kusele nje inyanga eyodwa ngaphambi kokuba abhapathizwe. Yeka ukuthi sikulangazelela kanjani ukumamukela ngovuko!—IzEnzo 24:15.

Ithonya Elihle Lomkhaya

Udadewethu omdala, uCarmen, wayelokhu eyazisa inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngokushesha ngemva kokubhapathizwa kwakhe ngo-1967, waba yiphayona elivamile, echitha amahora angaba yikhulu enkonzweni inyanga ngayinye. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, wathuthela edolobheni laseToluca, maphakathi neMexico. Ngathola umsebenzi ebhange futhi ngabhapathizwa ngo-July 18, 1970.

Inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele yayimjabulisa kakhulu uCarmen, futhi wangikhuthaza ukuba ngimjoyine eToluca. Ngangicabanga ngakho lokhu ngelinye ilanga njengoba ngilalele inkulumo eyayibonisa ukuthi abalandeli bakaJesu kufanele basebenzise ingcebo yabo engokomoya ekukhazimuliseni uNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 25:14-30) Ngazibuza, ‘Ingabe ngenza konke engingakwenza ngezipho ezingokomoya enginikwe zona?’ Imicabango enjalo yangivusela isifiso sokwenzela uJehova okwengeziwe.

Ukukhetha Emigomweni Emibili

Ngo-1974, ngafaka isicelo sokuyophayona kwenye insimu. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngathola ucingo emsebenzini oluvela komunye umdala ongumKristu eToluca. Wabuza: “Kade sikulindile. Kungani ungafiki?” Ngamangala ukuthi ngase ngabelwe ukuyokhonza eToluca njengephayona elikhethekile, kodwa incwadi yesabelo sami kungenzeka ukuthi yaduka eposini! (Amaphayona akhethekile avuma ukuyokhonza isikhathi esigcwele noma kuphi lapho inhlangano kaJehova ithi awaye khona.)

Ngalazisa ngokushesha ibhange ngesinqumo sami sokushiya. “Yima kancane, Sonia,” kusho umqashi wami, ephethe ipheshana. “Kade sitshelwa nje ukuthi ungomunye wabesifazane abayisikhombisa abaqokelwe ukuba abasizi babaphathi. Inkampani yethu ayikaze iqoke abantu besifazane ukuba bathathe lesi sihlalo. Ingabe awuzukusamukela?” Njengoba ngishilo ekuqaleni, ukukhushulwa esikhundleni kwakusho ukuvelela nomholo owengeziwe. Noma kunjalo, ngambonga umphathi wami ngamtshela ukuthi ngase nginqume ukukhonza uJehova ngokwengeziwe. Wathi: “Kulungile-ke. Kodwa ukhumbule ukuthi ibhange liyohlale linendawo yakho uma kwenzeka ufuna umsebenzi.” Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbili ngase ngiseToluca.

Ukuba Yiphayona Elikhethekile EMexico

Lapho ngifika kuCarmen, wayesekhonze njengephayona elikhethekile eToluca iminyaka emibili. Yeka indlela esajabula ngayo ngoba sase sindawonye futhi! Kodwa ukusebenza kwethu ndawonye kwasheshe kwaphela. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu, umama wavelelwa yingozi, ngenxa yalokho wayesezodinga ukunakekelwa ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ngemva kokuxhumana nehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova, mina noCarmen savumelana ngokuthi abuyele ekhaya ayonakekela umama, futhi wakwenza lokho iminyaka engu-17. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, uCarmen wakhonza njengephayona elivamile, emema izifundo zakhe zeBhayibheli ukuba zizofundela ekhaya ukuze abe seduze, akwazi ukunakekela umama.

Ngo-1976, ngabelwa ukuba ngiyokhonza eTecamachalco, idolobha elinezigaba zabantu ezingafani—abantu abahluphekayo bahlala kolunye uhlangothi lwedolobha, abacebile bahlala kolunye. Ngaqala isifundo seBhayibheli nowesifazane osekhulile owayengakaze ashade futhi owayehlala nomfowabo ocebile. Lapho emtshela ukuthi ufuna ukuba uFakazi, wamsabisa ngokumxosha. Noma kunjalo, lona wesifazane othobekile akazange esabe, futhi ngemva kokuba ebhapathiziwe, umfowabo wamxosha. Nakuba ayeneminyaka engu-86 ngaleso sikhathi, wathembela ngokugcwele kuJehova. Njengoba ayenakekelwa yibandla, waqhubeka ethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe.

Ukuya ESikoleni SaseGileyadi NaseBolivia

Ngayijabulela iminyaka emihlanu ethakazelisayo eTecamachalco. Ngemva kwalokho ngamenywa ukuba ngiye oPhikweni LweSikole SaseGileyadi eMexico. Njengoba lizisho igama laso, kwakuwukwenezelwa kwesikole esasiseNew York. Umama noCarmen banginxusa ukuba ngisamukele lesi simemo, khona-ke ngabe sengihamba ngiya ehhovisi legatsha eMexico City esikoleni esathatha amasonto ayishumi, ingqopha-mlando engokomoya ekuphileni kwami. Ikilasi lethu lathola iziqu ngo-February 1, 1981, ngabe sengabelwa eLa Paz, eBolivia, kanye no-Enriqueta Ayala (manje osengowakwaFernández).

Uma sifika eLa Paz abazalwane okwakufanele basihlangabeze babengakafiki. “Kungani sichitha isikhathi?” sabuzana. Ngakho-ke saqala ukushumayela kubantu esikhumulweni sezindiza. Ngemva kwamahora amathathu ajabulisayo, sahlangana nabazalwane abavela egatsheni. Ngemva kokuxolisa, bathi imigwaqo yayiminyene ngenxa yomkhosi othile.

Ukushumayela Ngaphezu Kwamafu

ILa Paz cishe ingamamitha angu-3 625 ngaphezu kogu lolwandle, ngakho ezinsukwini eziningi sasiba ngaphezu kwamafu. Umoya-mpilo omncane wawukwenza kube nzima ukuphefumula, futhi ngangisheshe ngikhathale ensimini. Nakuba kwangithatha unyaka ukuba ngijwayele indawo ephakeme kangaka, izibusiso zikaJehova zazizidlula kakhulu izinselele ezingokwenyama. Ngokwesibonelo, ngelinye ilanga ekuseni ngo-1984, ngaqombola intaba enamatshe ngaya emzini othile osesiqongweni. Ngikhathele, ngangqongqoza emnyango, kwavula owesifazane. Saxoxa kamnandi, ngabe sengithi ngizobuya ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa.

“Angikholwa,” ephendula. Nokho, ngabuyela futhi lona wesifazane wangicela ukuba ngifunde iBhayibheli nendodakazi yakhe. Ngathi, “Umsebenzi wabazali lowo. Kodwa ngizokusiza uma uludinga usizo.” Wavuma futhi naye wamukela isifundo seBhayibheli. Ngenxa yokuthi wayengafundile, saqala ngencwajana ethi Funda Ukufunda Nokubhala, oFakazi BakaJehova abayihlelele izimo ezinjalo.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lo mkhaya wakhula waba nabantwana abangu-8. Lapho ngivakashile ezinye zezingane zazibambana ngezandla zakhe iketanga ukuze zingidonse ngikhuphuke intaba. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, wonke umkhaya wakhonza uJehova—ubaba, umama, nabantwana abangu-8. Amantombazane amathathu angamaphayona, futhi omunye wabafana ungumdala ebandleni. Lapho eshona ngo-2000, uyise wayeyinceku ekhonzayo ebandleni. Yeka ukuthi inhliziyo yami ijabula kanjani uma ngicabanga ngalo mkhaya omangalisayo nobuqotho bawo! Ngiyambonga uJehova ngokungivumela ukuba ngiwusize.

Sindawonye Futhi NoCarmen

Ngemva kokushona kukamama ngo-1997, uCarmen waphinde wacelwa ukuba akhonze njengephayona elikhethekile. Ngo-1998 wabelwa ukuba ayokhonza lapho ngangikhonza khona eCochabamba, eBolivia. Yebo, saba ndawonye futhi ngemva kweminyaka engu-18, uCarmen wanikwa ilungelo lokuba yisithunywa sevangeli. Saba nesikhathi esijabulisayo eCochabamba, lapho isimo sezulu sasisihle khona kangangokuba kuthiwa izinkonjane azihambi kule ndawo! Njengamanje, siseSucre, eBolivia, idolobha elihle elinabantu abangu-220 000 esigodini esiphakeme. Leli dolobha elake labizwa ngokuthi iVatican Encane ngenxa yokuthi lalinamasonto amaningi kakhulu amaKatolika, manje linamabandla ayisihlanu oFakazi BakaJehova.

Phakathi kwami noCarmen, sesiphayone iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-60, futhi siye sajabulela ilungelo elingeqhathaniswe lokusiza abantu abangaphezu kwekhulu ukuba babhapathizwe. Yebo, akungabazeki ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova ngomphefumulo wonke kuye kwaba yindlela yokuphila ezuzisa kakhulu!—Marku 12:30.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Ngangiqombola intaba enamatshe ukuze ngiyofunda nalo mkhaya

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Ngisenkonzweni nodadewethu, uCarmen (ongakwesokudla)