Ukukhonza UJehova Kukuhle Noma Kukubi
Njengoba ilandiswa uHal Bentley
AYESENZIWE amalungiselelo omhlangano wesifunda woFakazi BakaJehova edolobhaneni elincane laseNyasaland (manje eyiMalawi). Umbonisi wesifunda nowesigodi babesihlola okokugcina isiteji sotshani noqalo namaqhugwana otshani ayizindawo zokulala. Kungazelelwe, base bezungezwe isixuku esasicashe ehlathini eliseduze. Lesixuku sathungela amaqhugwane nesiteji ngomlilo futhi saphoqelela labazalwane ababili ukuba baye ezindlini ababehlala kuzo.
Inkosikazi yombonisi wesigodi, uJoyce Bentley, yeza igijima izobona ukuthi kwenzekani. Nayo futhi yaphindiswa emuva ngokushesha. Umholi wesixuku wamemeza ethi umzungu (umlungu) akahambe ngaso lesosikhathi. Isixuku asisivumelanga ukuba sithathe izimpahla zethu futhi sasiphoqa ukuba singene kuyiLand-Rover yethu. Sangunga imoto—amadoda, abesifazane, nabantwana—simemeza sithi “Pitani mzungu” (Hamba, mlungu) futhi sithi “Kwacha” (Inkululeko). Sasilindele ukuba siyigumbuqele iLand-Rover, ngakho sathandaza kuJehova buthule. Kodwa isixuku sancipha, futhi nathi sahamba saya esiteshini samaphoyisa esiseduze, eMzimba, esiqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-50.
Kamuva sabuya, sesiphelezelwa iphoyisa elilodwa. Ngenxa yothuthuva kwezinye izindawo, yilona lodwa esasinganikwa lona. Lapho sifika lapho besihlaselwe khona isixuku, sathola ifulege leMalawi Congress Party ligxunyekwe ngaphandle nombhalo othi M.C.P. ubhalwe odongeni lodaka. Nokho, ngemva kokuba iphoyisa selikhulume nabantu bendawo, basivumela ukuba silayishe izimpahla zethu kuyiLand-Rover.
Samthola futhi nombonisi wesifunda, uRightwell Moses, kanye nomkakhe. Umkakhe wayebalekele ehlathini ngesikhathi isixuku sihlasela. Kodwa uRightwell wayecishe waminza emfuleni oseduze. Isixuku futhi sasikuthathe konke ukudla komhlangano. Sabe sesihambisa abazalwane ngezinyawo ngenye indlela odade nabantwana sabahambisa ngenye indlela amakhilomitha amaningi saze sakhathala sabashiya.
Lesisenzakalo sasingesinye seziningi ezaphetha ngokuvinjelwa komsebenzi eMalawi, okwaholela ekushushisweni okunzima koFakazi BakaJehova, kuhlanganise nokubulawa, ukushaywa ngonya, ukudlwengulwa kwabesifazane, nokuboshwa.
Kungani SasiseMalawi?
Ngazalelwa edolobheni laseLeeds, eYorkshire, eNgilandi, ngoJune 28, 1916, ngingowokugcina emkhayeni onabantwana abahlanu. Sasingewona umkhaya othanda inkolo futhi sasingasonti.
Ngo-1939, lapho kugqashuka iMpi Yezwe II, bobabili abazali bami base beshonile. NgoJune 1940, lapho ngineminyaka engu-24 nje kuphela, ngangigqoke iyunifomu, futhi eminyakeni emihlanu eyalandela, ngasebenza ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene ezinemishini. Phakathi naleyominyaka, njengoba ngangihleli endaweni yokugada enezibhamu ezingontuluntulu ogwini lwaseNgilandi olusenyakatho-mpumalanga futhi ngibheka esibhakabhakeni esinezinkanyezi, ngangivame ukuba nezikhathi zokucabanga ngoNkulunkulu futhi ngizibuze ukuthi kungani uMenzi walobubuhle obumangalisayo engavumela ubudlova, ukuchitheka kwegazi, nokuhlupheka okunjena phakathi kwesintu. Izimpendulo zemibuzo eminingi eyayisingidide isikhathi eside ngaze ngazithola ngemva kokuba sengikhululiwe empini.
Ngobunye ubusuku obubandayo basebusika ngalowonyaka, kwangqongqoza othile emnyango wami. Lapho ngivula ngathola insizwa esikhulile eyaqala ukukhuluma ngeBhayibheli. Lokhu kwaholela esifundweni seBhayibheli futhi ngokushesha ekubhapathizweni kwami ngoApril 1946. Ngo-1949 ngawushiya umsebenzi wami ngaba isikhonzi esiyiphayona soFakazi BakaJehova.
Khona-ke ngakhonza eBethel yaseLondon iminyaka engaphezu kwemithathu, kwathi ngo-1953 ngamenyelwa ekilasini lesi-23 laseWatchtower Bible School of Gilead eNingizimu Lansing, eNew York, ukuba ngiyoqeqeshelwa ukuba isithunywa sevangeli. Ngesikhathi esifanele, ngaqala isabelo sobuthunywa bevangeli endaweni ngalesosikhathi eyayibizwa ngokuthi iNyasaland. Kamuva ngathunyelwa emsebenzini wokuhambela izigodi. Iminyaka emihlanu ngalihamba lonke lelozwe elihle ngiyinsizwa engashadile. Lwakhula uthando lwami ngabantu bakuleyondawo, ababejabule futhi benomoya wokungenisa izihambi ngisho noma abaningi babenezinto ezimbalwa ezibonakalayo ngaphandle kweziqeshana zabo zamasimu ommbila, izinkukhu ezimbalwa, nezimbuzi noma izingulube. Abanye babengabadobi abanekhono. Ngangihlala nabo ezindlini zabo eziphansi zodaka nezingodo futhi ngihambe nabo emsebenzini wokushumayela edolobhaneni ngedolobhana. Ngangikujabulela futhi ukuba nabo emihlanganweni yabo eyayiqhutshelwa endaweni engenampheme, lapho babehlala khona nemikhaya yabo bezilalelisisile izikhulumi, ngisho noma ngezinye izikhathi lalina!
Uma ngangisedolobhaneni, wonke umuntu, abadala nabancane, babeza kimi ngamunye bangibingelele, bethi: “Moni, muli bwanji?” (Sawubona, unjani?) Ngisho noma ngangisuke ngihamba ngisuka kwelinye idolobhana ngiya kwelinye, abantu babeyeka ukuhlakula amasimu abo bamemeze bengibingelela.
Ibandla ngalinye engangilihambela nombonisi wesifunda lalingakhela indlu ekhethekile. Ngezinye izikhathi kwakuba indlu eqinile eyenziwe ngezingodo yafulelwa ngotshani, okuyinto engangiyazisa kakhulu. Kodwa ngathola ukuthi kuthatha isikhathi ukuba uphahla olufulelwe kabusha ngotshani lungangenwa amanzi!
Ngesinye isikhathi abazalwane bangakhela indlu eyenziwe ngotshani obuqatha nxazonke. Yayinezinhlangothi ezintathu, uhlangothi lwesine kuyiLand-Rover yami. Yayisesigodini saseMfuleni iShire, lapho kushisa khona unyaka wonke, futhi omiyane basebenza bededelana bengakuniki ukuphumula ubusuku nemini! Njengoba sasingekho isisefo somiyane nento yokubaxosha, kwakungahlaleki.
Umsizi Wokuphila Konke Uyangijoyina
Ngo-1960 ngajoyinwa unkosikazi, uJoyce Shaw, owayekhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli e-Ecuador. Yebo, ngemva kokujabulela isipho sokungashadi iminyaka ethile, ngabusiswa ngesinye isipho—umshado—engisasazisa ngokujulile ngemva kweminyaka engu-30. Mina noJoyce siye sabusiswa ngokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi okujabulisayo sindawonye.
Kwesinye isenzakalo, besebenzisa izingodo notshani, abazalwane bakha ibhuloho lokuwela umfudlana othile. Lokhu kwakwenzelwe ukuba ngiwelele edolobhaneni ababefuna ngiyobukisa kulo ibhayisikobho yeNhlangano ethi “Umphakathi Wezwe Elisha Uyasebenza.” Kodwa inqodlana edonswa iLand-Rover yabhajwa ugodo ebhulohweni. Bengaphelile amandla, abazalwane bayikhulula inqola, ngakwazi ukushayela imoto ngawela ibhuloho, base betatamisa inqodlana beyiweza. Saba nombukiso ophumelelayo.
Ngezinye izikhathi imifula yayibanzi kakhulu ukuba kungakhiwa amabhuloho phezu kwayo. Khona-ke abazalwane babekhipha yonke into ekuyiLand-Rover—igenerator ephathwayo, iprojector, amafilimu, umbhede—bawele umfula ngezinyawo, ngesikhathi ngitshethwe emahlombe anamandla omunye wabazalwane. Odade ababili babethwala uJoyce bamweze. Eminye imifula yayijule kakhulu. Lena sasiyiwela ngesikebhe sesikhashana esasenziwa ngamapulangwe aqinile ayebekwa phezu kwemigqomo eyisishiyagolombili kuya kweyishumi. Abagwedli ababili babesidonsa ngendophu basiweze.
Abazalwane baseMalawi babewusizo futhi benomusa ngendlela eyedlulele futhi besiphatha ngenhlonipho ejulile. Kwenye indawo abantu bakhona babesongele ukushisa indlu esasihlala kuyo, ngakho abazalwane bahlala ubusuku bonke ukuze baqiniseke ukuthi silondekile. Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova uvinjelwe ngo-1967, kwakunezimo eziyingozi, kuhlanganise nalesi esichazwe ekuqaleni kwalendaba. Abaningi bodade nabazalwane baseMalawi babengasifela.
Ngesinye isikhathi ngangisebenza endlini ngendlu nomzalwane owayenephuphusi elikhulu esiphongweni. Wayeshaywe kabi ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngaphambili. Kwenye indlu wanikeza ubufakazi obuhle ngesizotha kumninikhaya. Sesiphumile, lomzalwane wathi: “Leyandoda yiyona engishaye kabi kanje!” Ngakhumbula amazwi kaPawulu: “Ningaphindiseli-muntu okubi ngokubi . . . Nqoba okubi ngokuhle.”—Roma 12:17-21.
Ukwandisa Inkonzo Yethu
Ngesikhathi siseMalawi, mina noJoyce sasivakashela njalo eMozambique eseduze. Ulwazi lwakhe lwesiPanishi, aluthola lapho ekhonza e-Ecuador, lwalusiza, ngoba abantu abangamaPutukezi babemuzwa. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi sobabili sase sikwazi ukukhuluma isiPutukezi. Saqhubeka sivakashela iMozambique sisuka esabelweni sethu esalandela, iZimbabwe. ISonto LamaKatolika lalimelene ngokuqinile nomsebenzi wokushumayela futhi lalibanga uthuthuva. Kodwa phakathi neminyaka eyishumi eyalandela, sasivamile ukuthola ukunakekela nokuvikela kukaJehova kothando njengoba sasifuna abanjengezimvu.
Phakathi nokunye kokuhambela kwethu eMozambique, savakashela owesifazane othakazelayo enyakatho yechweba laseBeira. Udadewabo osePortugal wayembhalele wamxoxela ngezinye zezinto ezinhle azifunde ngokutadisha noFakazi BakaJehova. Lowesifazane wayezibhekile lezizinto eBhayibhelini lakhe futhi waqala ngisho nokutshela omakhelwane bakhe ngazo. Nokho, ikheli okuwukuphela kwalo esasinalo kwakuyigama legaraji okwakusebenza kulo umyeni wakhe.
Njengoba sasisondela emnyango weshede, sabuzwa indoda ethile ukuthi ingasisiza ngani. Sacela ukubona indoda yalowesifazane. Yakhomba umakhenikha owayesebenza kwenye imoto yase isishiya ngokushesha. Sazethula kulomakhenikha sase sithi singathanda ukuvakashela umkakhe. Wayethuke kakhulu. Ngesikhathi esiyisa ekhaya lakhe, wasichazela ukuthi lendoda esasikhulume nayo kuqala yayihambile yayobika esikhulwini seP.I.D.E. (amaphoyisa omshoshaphansi) ukuthi sifikile. Sasingené ogibeni! Yachaza futhi ukuthi ngenxa yokushumayela kwakhe, umkakhe wayebhekwe amaphoyisa isikhathi esithile nokuthi ayebambe incwadi emtshela ukuthi siyeza ukuzomvakashela. Ayethathe iBhayibheli lakhe, kodwa ngokuhlakanipha wayefihle elinye! Ayelethé nombhishobhi wamaKatolika ukuba azozama ukumenza ayeke ukukhuluma ngoJehova nangoMbuso!
Lapho sihlangana naye lona wesifazane othakazelayo, weqiwa yinjabulo wazitshinga kuJoyce wamgona. Wancenga umyeni wakhe ukuba asivumele sihlale nabo, kodwa wenqaba waphindela emsebenzini. Sakusebenzisa ngokugcwele lokhu kuhambela okufushane, simnikeza isikhuthazo esivela eBhayibhelini futhi simtusa ngokuthatha kwakhe ukuma okuqine kanje. Ukuze sigweme ukumbangela izinkinga ezengeziwe, sabe sesihamba kodwa sathembisa ukubuya kamuva lapho isimo sesingcono. Njengoba sisuka kuleyondlu nalapho sigcwalisa uphethiloli egalaji, saphawula ukuthi sasibhekiwe, kodwa asizange siboshwe. Sabe sesiqhubekela eBeira savakashela ibandla elincane elilapho ngaphambi kokubuyela eZimbabwe. Ezinyangeni ezithile kamuva sabuyela futhi sakwazi ukujabulela ukudla kanye nalona wesifazane nomyeni wakhe kanye nendodakazi. Ekugcineni wabhapathizwa lapho evakashele ePortugal futhi waba ummemezeli woMbuso oshisekayo.
Kude enyakatho sasizivakashela njalo izindawo ezinjengeQuelimane, iNampula, neNacala, itheku elincane. ENacala sasivame ukuvakashela umkhaya wakwaSoares. UMnu. Soares wayezwe ngeqiniso okokuqala ePortugal. Kodwa lapho ethuthela eMozambique, abazalwane baseLourenço Marques (manje eyiMaputo), inhloko-dolobha yaseMozambique, bamfundela yena nomkhaya wakhe. Babekwazisa ngokujulile ukuthi sasihamba amakhulukhulu amamayela ukuze sivakashele umkhaya ongawodwa. Bathuthuka kahle. Kamuva bathuthela eNingizimu Afrika, lapho indodakazi, uManuela, ikhonza khona eBethel njengomhumushi wesiPutukezi.
Salivakashela kaningi ibandla elaliseLourenço Marques. Lokhu kwakusho uhambo lwamakhilomitha angu-1 100 ukusuka eBlantyre ngemigwaqo emibi. Kabili saba nezinkinga zemoto ezinkulu futhi kwadingeka ukuba sidonswe siyiswe eSalisbury (manje eyiHarare). Noma kunjalo, kwakuyinjabulo enkulu ukubona leloqembu elincane eliseLourenço Marques likhula liba ibandla elihle naphezu kokusebenza ngaphansi kokuvinjelwa. Yayiqhutshwa njalo imihlangano yesifunda emincane. Kodwa kwakumelwe iqhutshelwe ehlathini sengathi abazalwane babemane nje bejabulela ipikiniki njengeqembu elikhulu. Kaningi kwakuhlelwa umhlangano ngaphesheya komngcele eNelspruit eNingizimu Afrika. Lokhu kwabasiza abazalwane baseMaputo ukuba bayazise inhlangano kaJehova futhi bakhule ngokomoya.
IBandla laseBeira nalo laqina. Ngenxa yeziyaluyalu ezingokombangazwe eMozambique, abazalwane abasuka kulelozwe manje bahlakazekele ePortugal, eNingizimu Afrika, eCanada, eBrazil, eUnited States, nakwezinye izindawo. Lonke udumo luya kuJehova, “okhulisayo.” (1 Korinte 3:6, 7) Yebo, iminyaka eyishumi saba nelungelo lokusiza abazalwane baseMozambique ngaphansi kombuso wamaPutukezi. Uma sibheka emuva, iyasimangalisa indlela uJehova asivulela ngayo umnyango ukuba senze lokhu.
Ngesinye isikhathi, lapho sivakashele eNampula enyakatho, saboshwa ilungu leP.I.D.E. Zonke izincwadi zethu, kuhlanganise namaBhayibheli, zathathwa, futhi satshelwa ukuthi ngeke siphinde sivunyelwe ukungena eMozambique. Naphezu kwalokho, ngosizo lukaJehova sakwazi ukulihambela kaningi ngokwengeziwe lelozwe. Sonke isikhathi lapho sifika emngceleni, sasicela usizo nesiqondiso sakhe ukuze sifeze injongo yakhe futhi sinikeze isikhuthazo nokuqeqesha okwakudingeka kakhulu kubafowethu kulelozwe.
Ngo-1979 sashintshelwa eBotswana. Inendawo enkulu eyizwe, icishe ibe ngangengxenye yeNingizimu Afrika. Njengoba indawo enkulu iwugwadule, iKalahari, kunabantu abangaphansi kwesigidi. Lapha siye saba namalungelo anjengokwakha iHholo LoMbuso nekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eGaborone, inhloko-dolobha. Elinye ilungelo libe ukusiza ababaleki abavela eAngola abakhuluma isiPutukezi futhi sitadishe iBhayibheli nabo.
Sakwazi futhi nokusiza intsha embalwa evela eZimbabwe. Kubonakala sengathi kulelizwe elingumakhelwane, oFakazi BakaJehova, ngelungiselelo elithile elikhethekile, babevunyelwa ukufundisa imiBhalo kwezinye izikole. Lokhu kwavusa isithakazelo kulentsha. Kamuva lapho ithuthela eBotswana, sathintana nayo, futhi yacela isifundo seBhayibheli. Nokho, abazali bayo babephikisa, ngakho kwakudingeka ize ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli ukuze ifunde. Yathuthuka kahle futhi yaba oFakazi ababhaphathiziwe.
Njengoba ngibheka emuva eminyakeni engu-41 yenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele emazweni ayisishiyagalombili, ngizizwa ngimbonga kakhulu uJehova ngezibusiso eziningi engizijabulele. Bekungelula, kodwa kube injabulo enkulu ngami noJoyce ukusiza abaningi bawumelele ngokuqinile uMbuso nokubona intuthuko enhle naphezu kwezinkinga eziningi nokuphikiswa okunzima. Ngempela kuye kwaba indaba ‘yokushumayela izwi, uqinise, noma kukuhle noma kukubi.’ Yebo, inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ingokuhlangenwe nakho okucebile nelungelo elikhulu esingalitusela labo abangahlela ukuphila kwabo ukuze balijabulele.—2 Thimothewu 4:2, NW.
[Ibalazwe ekhasini 21]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
ANGOLA
ZAMBIA
MALAWI
Mzimba
Blantyre
MOZAMBIQUE
Nacala
Beira
Maputo
ZIMBABWE
Harare
NAMIBIA
BOTSWANA
Gaborone
SOUTH AFRICA
INDIAN OCEAN
600km
400m
[Isithombe ekhasini 24, 25]
Lapho imifula ijule kakhulu, abagwedli ababili babesidonsa ngentambo