“Lokhu Sinalenkonzo . . . , Asidangali”

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGURONALD TAYLOR

Ehlobo lika-1963, ngazithola ngilwela ukuphila. Lapho ngihamba emanzini ngasogwini, ngangena esigodini esiyingozi futhi ngokuphazima kweso ngashona emanzini ajulile. Njengoba ngangingakwazi ukubhukuda, kwase kuseduze ukuba ngiminze endaweni engamamitha ambalwa ukusuka ogwini. Ngase ngicwile izikhathi ezintathu kakade futhi ngigwinyé amathamo amakhulu amanzi olwandle lapho umngane wami ebona inkinga engangikuyo futhi engihudulela ogwini. Ngenxa yosizo olusheshayo lokuphefumuliswa, ngasinda.

LOKHU kwakungekhona okokuqala ukuba ngazise ukubaluleka kokungadangali—ngisho noma kubonakala kungekho themba. Kusukela ngisemncane, kuye kwadingeka ukuba ngilwele ukuphila kwami okungokomoya.

Kwakuphakathi nezinsuku zosizi zempi yezwe yesibili lapho ngiqala ukutholana neqiniso lobuKristu. Ngangingomunye wezinkulungwane zabantwana abasuswa eLondon ukuze babalekele izingozi zokuhlaselwa ngamabhomu. Njengoba ngangineminyaka engu-12 kuphela ubudala, lempi yayingasho lutho ngempela kimi; kwakuyisigigaba esivusa amadlingozi.

Nganakekelwa umbhangqwana othile osukhulile waseWeston-super-Mare, eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeNgilandi. Ngokushesha ngemva kokuba ngifike ekhaya lalombhangqwana, izikhonzi ezithile ezingamaphayona zaqala ukusivakashela. Kwakuwumkhaya wakwaHargreaves; bobane—uReg, uMabs, uPamela, noValeri—babengamaphayona akhethekile. Osingamzali bami balamukela iqiniso, futhi ngemva kokufunda incwadi ethi The Harp of God, nami nganquma ukukhonza uJehova. Emasontweni ayisithupha nje kuphela, ngamenywa ukuba ngihlanganyele emsebenzini wokushumayela.

Ngisalukhumbula lolosuku lokuqala enkonzweni yasensimini. Ngaphandle kokulungiselela, nganikezwa izincwajana ezithile kwathiwa: “Sebenza wehle naloluyahlangothi lomgwaqo.” Kwahamba kanjalo ngosuku lwami lokuqala lokushumayela. Ngalesosikhathi sasivame ukushumayela ngokusebenzisa amarekhodi egilamafoni anezintshumayelo ezinamandla. Izikhathi engangijabula kakhulu ngazo kwakuyilapho ngithwala khona igilamafoni bese ngiyidlala endlini ngendlu. Ngangikubheka njengelungelo langempela ukusetshenziswa ngaleyondlela.

Ngafakaza kakhulu impela esikoleni, futhi ngikhumbula ngihambisela uthish’ omkhulu iqoqo lezincwadi ezinezihloko zeBhayibheli. Lapho ngineminyaka engu-13, ngabhapathizwa emhlanganweni owawuseduze eBath. Omunye umhlangano wangesikhathi sempi engingasoze ngawukhohlwa ilowo owaqhutshwa ngo-1941 eDe Montfort Hall eLeicester. Ngaya endaweni yesikhulumi ngiyokwamukela ikhophi yami yencwadi ethi Children, eyayiqukethe umyalezo kaMfoweth’ uRutherford siqu, umongameli we-Watch Tower Society wangalesosikhathi. Inkulumo ethinta inhliziyo eyanikezwa bonke abasha ababekhona yaqinisa isifiso sami sokukhonza uJehova kuze kube phakade.

Kanjalo ngachitha iminyaka emibili ejabulisayo ngikhulela eqinisweni ngikanye nosingamzali bami. Kodwa lapho ngineminyaka engu-14, kwadingeka ukuba ngiphindele eLondon futhi ngiqale ukuzisebenzela. Nakuba ngabuye ngahlangana nomkhaya wakithi, manje kwadingeka ukuba ngizimele ngokomoya, njengoba kwakungekho muntu ekhaya owayenezinkolelo ezifana nezami. Ngokushesha uJehova walunikeza usizo engangiludinga. Ngemva kwamasonto amathathu nje kuphela ngifikile eLondon, kwafika umzalwane othile ekhaya ezocela imvume kubaba yokuba ngiye naye eHholo LoMbuso lendawo. Lowomzalwane kwakunguJohn Barr, manje oyilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo YoFakazi BakaJehova. Waba omunye ‘wobaba’ bami abangokomoya phakathi naleyominyaka ebucayi yokweva eshumini nambili.—Mathewu 19:29.

Ngaqala ukuhlanganyela neBandla LasePaddington, elalihlangana eCraven Terrace, eceleni kweKhaya LaseBethel YaseLondon. Njengoba ngangiyintandane engokomoya, umfowethu owayesekhulile ogcotshiwe, uBab’ uHumphreys, wabelwa ukuba abonise isithakazelo esikhethekile kimi. Ngokuqinisekile kwakuyisibusiso esikhulu ukukwazi ukuhlangana nabafowethu nodadewethu abaningi abagcotshiwe ababekhonza kulelobandla. Labo kithi ababenethemba lasemhlabeni—ababebizwa ngokuthi amaJonadaba—babembalwa. Eqinisweni, kwakuyimi kuphela ‘owayeyiJonadaba’ eSifundweni Sencwadi Sebandla engangiya kuso. Nakuba ngangingahlangani kakhulu nontanga yami, lobobudlelwane obuyigugu nabafowethu abavuthiwe bangifundisa izifundo eziningi eziwusizo. Mhlawumbe esibaluleke kunazo zonke yileso sokungayishiyi nanini inkonzo kaJehova.

Ngalezozinsuku sasivame ukunikela yonke impelasonto emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngangabelwe ukunakekela “imoto enombhobho,” eqinisweni eyayiyibhayisikili elinamasondo amathathu lakhiwe ngendlela yokuba likwazi ukuthwala umsakazo nebhetri yemoto. Njalo ngeMigqibelo, ngangiphuma ngalelibhayisikili elinamasondo amathathu ngiye emakhoneni ahlukahlukene emigwaqo, lapho sasidlala khona umculo kancane bese sidlala enye yezinkulumo zikaMfoweth’ uRutherford. IMigqibelo futhi yayisetshenziselwa ukwenza umsebenzi wasemgwaqweni ngezikhwama zethu zomagazini. Izinsuku zangamaSonto kwakungezokwenza umsebenzi wendlu ngendlu, sihambisa izincwajana nezincwadi ezinoqwembe oluqinile.

Ukuhlangana kwami nabafowethu asebekhulile abashisekayo kwakha kimi isifiso sokuphayona. Lesisifiso saqina lapho ngilalela izinkulumo eziphathelene nokuphayona emihlanganweni emikhulu. Umhlangano owakuthonya kakhulu ukuphila kwami ilowo owawuqhutshelwa e-Earl’s Court, eLondon, ngo-1947. Ezinyangeni ezimbili kamuva, ngabhalisela inkonzo yamaphayona, futhi ngiye ngalwela ukulondoloza umoya wobuphayona kusukela ngalesosikhathi. Injabulo engiyithole ekuqhubeni izifundo zeBhayibheli ezithuthukayo iye yaqinisekisa ukuthi lesi kwakuyisinqumo esiqondile.

Umakoti WaseSpain Nesabelo SaseSpain

Ngonyaka ka-1957, lapho ngisaphayona ngiseBandleni LasePaddington, ngahlangana nodade omuhle waseSpain ogama lakhe linguRafaela. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, sashada. Umgomo wethu wawuwukuphayona ndawonye, kodwa okokuqala saya eMadrid ukuyobona abazali bakaRafaela. Kwakuwuhambo olwashintsha ukuphila kwami. Ngesikhathi siseMadrid, uMfoweth’ uRay Dusinberre, umbonisi wegatsha laseSpain, wangibuza ukuthi singakucabangela yini ukukhonza eSpain, lapho kwakunesidingo esikhulu kakhulu sabazalwane abanokuhlangenwe nakho.

Sasingasenqaba kanjani isimemo esinjalo? Ngakho, ngo-1958 saqala inkonzo yethu yesikhathi esigcwele ndawonye eSpain. Ngalesosikhathi lelizwe lalibuswa uFranco, futhi umsebenzi wethu wawungaqashelwa ngokomthetho, okwakwenza umsebenzi wokushumayela ube nzima kakhulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, eminyakeni embalwa yokuqala nganginenkinga yolimi lweSpanishi. Nalapha futhi, kwakuyindaba yokungadangali, nakuba izikhathi ezimbalwa ngakhala izinyembezi ngenxa yokucindezeleka ngenxa yokungakwazi ukukhuluma nabafowethu ebandleni.

Isidingo sababonisi sasisikhulu kangangokuthi nakuba cishe ngangingakwazi ukukhuluma iSpanishi, esikhathini esingangenyanga ngase nginakekela iqembu elincane. Ngenxa yesimo somshoshaphansi somsebenzi wethu, sasihlelwe saba amaqembu amancane akhiwa abamemezeli abasukela ku-15 kuya ku-20, ayesebenza cishe njengamabandla amancane. Ekuqaleni, kwakucindezela ukuqhuba imihlangano, njengoba ngangingaziqondi ngaso sonke isikhathi izimpendulo zezilaleli. Nokho, umkami wayehlala emuva, futhi kuthi lapho ephawula ukuthi ngididekile, anqekuzise ikhanda ngokuqapha engiqinisekisa ukuthi impendulo iqondile.

Anginaso isiphiwo ezilimini, futhi izikhathi ezimbalwa ngangifisa ukuphindela eNgilandi, lapho ngangingakwazi khona ukwenza yonke into kalula kakhulu. Noma kunjalo, kusukela ekuqaleni, uthando nobungane babafowethu nodadewethu abathandekayo baseSpain kwakusithatha isikhundla sokucindezeleka kwami ngenxa yolimi. Futhi uJehova wangibusisa ngamalungelo akhethekile akwenza konke kwaba nomvuzo. Ngo-1958, ngamenywa ukuba ngibe khona emhlanganweni wezizwe eNew York njengesihambeli esivela eSpain. Khona-ke ngo-1962, ngathola ukuqeqeshwa okuyigugu eSikoleni Senkonzo SoMbuso esasisihlelelwe eTangier, eMorocco.

Enye inkinga engangibhekene nayo, ngaphandle kweyolimi, kwakuwukukhathazeka njalo ngokubanjwa amaphoyisa. Njengomuntu wakwelinye izwe, ngangazi ukuthi ukuboshwa kwakungasho ukudingiswa nakanjani. Ukuze sinciphise ingozi, sasisebenza ngababili. Lapho omunye efakaza, omunye wayelalela ukuze ezwe uma kusondela ingozi. Ngemva kokuhambela umnyango owodwa noma emibili, ngokuvamile esitezi esiphezulu esakhiweni, saseqa izakhiwo ezimbili noma ezintathu bese sihambela amanye amakhaya amabili noma amathathu. Sasilisebenzisa kakhulu iBhayibheli, futhi sasiphatha izincwajana ezimbalwa kuphela sizifihle emajazini ethu ukuze sizihambisele abantu abathakazelayo.

Ngemva konyaka siseMadrid, sabelwa eVigo, idolobha elikhulu enyakatho-ntshonalanga yeSpain, lapho kwakungekho Fakazi nhlobo khona. INhlangano yatusa ukuthi enyangeni yokuqala kube umkami ofakaza kakhulu—ukuze kube sengathi sasivakashile njengezihambi ezibuka izwe. Naphezu kwalendlela yomshoshaphansi, ukushumayela kwethu kwasidonsela amehlo. Ingakapheli inyanga abapristi bamaKatolika baqala ukusijivaza emsakazweni. Baxwayisa amalungu abo esonto ngokuthi kukhona umbhangqwana oshadile ohamba indlu ngendlu ukhuluma ngeBhayibheli—incwadi cishe eyayivinjelwe ngokomthetho ngalesosikhathi. ‘Lombhangqwana owawufuneka’ kwakungumuntu wakwelinye izwe nomkakhe waseSpain, okunguyena owayekhuluma kakhulu!

Abapristi bakhipha isimemezelo sokuthi ukukhuluma nje nalombhangqwana oyingozi kwakuyisono esasingathethelelwa kuphela uma sivunywa ngokushesha kumpristi. Nangempela, sathi uma siqeda ingxoxo ejabulisayo nenye intokazi, yasitshela ngezwi lokuxolisa ukuthi kuzodingeka ihambe iyovuma isono. Lapho sesihamba kwayo sayibona ishesha iya ngasesontweni.

Ukuxoshwa

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbili nje sifikile eVigo, amaphoyisa ayesephezu kwethu. Iphoyisa elasibopha lalinozwela futhi alisifakanga ozankosi lapho siya esiteshini samaphoyisa. Esiteshini sabona ubuso esibujwayele, umabhalane esasisanda kufakaza kuye. Ngokusobala waphoxeka ukubona siphathiswa okwezigebengu futhi waphuthuma wasiqinisekisa ukuthi akuyena osifake ecaleni. Noma kunjalo, sabekwa icala lokufaka engozini “ubunye obungokomoya bezwe laseSpain,” futhi emasontweni ayisithupha kamuva sadingiswa.

Kwakuwukubuyiselwa emuva kodwa sasingazimisele ukuvumela ukudangala. Wawusemningi umsebenzi okwakudingeka wenziwe eNhlonhlweni Yase-Iberia. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu siseTangier, sabelwa eGibraltar—enye insimu eyayingakaze ithintwe. Njengoba umphostoli uPawulu esho, uma siyazisa inkonzo yethu, siyoqhubeka njalo futhi siyovuzwa. (2 Korinte 4:1, 7, 8) Kwaba njalo kithi. Emzini wokuqala esangena kuwo eGibraltar, saqala isifundo seBhayibheli nawo wonke umkhaya. Ngokushesha, ngamunye wayeseqhuba izifundo ezingu-17. Abaningi kubantu esasifunda nabo baba oFakazi, futhi eminyakeni emibili kwase kukhona ibandla labamemezeli abangu-25.

Kodwa, njengaseVigo, abefundisi baqala ukukhankasa ngokumelene nathi. Umbhishobhi wesonto laseSheshi eGibraltar waxwayisa usigaxamabhande wamaphoyisa ukuthi sasingabantu “abangathandeki,” futhi ukukhankasa kwakhe kwaba nemiphumela. Ngo-January 1962 saxoshwa eGibraltar. Sasizoyaphi manje? Sasisesikhulu isidingo eSpain, ngakho saphindela khona, sithemba ukuthi irekhodi lethu langaphambili emaphoyiseni lase libekwe ethala.

Idolobha laseSeville elihlale libalele laba yikhaya lethu elisha. Lapho, sajabulela ukusebanzelana eduze nomunye umbhangqwana ongamaphayona, uRay noPat Kirkup. Nakuba iSeville yayiyidolobha elinabantu abayingxenye yesigidi, sasingabamemezeli abangu-21 kuphela, ngakho kwakunomsebenzi omningi okwakudingeka wenziwe. Manje kunamabandla angu-15 nabamemezeli abangu-1 500. Ngemva konyaka kwenzeka esasingakulindele okwasimangaza; samenywa ukuba sikhonze emsebenzini wokujikeleza endaweni yaseBarcelona.

Umsebenzi wokujikeleza ezweni lapho umsebenzi wethu wawungaqashelwa khona ngokomthetho wawuthanda ukwehluka. Isonto ngalinye sasihambela amaqembu amancane, amaningi awo enabazalwane abambalwa kakhulu abafanelekayo. Lababazalwane abasebenza kanzima babedinga konke ukuqeqeshwa nokusekelwa esasingabanika khona. Sasisithanda lesisabelo! Ngemva kokuba sisebenze iminyaka eminingana ezindaweni lapho kwakukhona oFakazi abambalwa, uma bekhona, sajabula kakhulu ngokuvakashela abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi kangaka abahlukahlukene. Ngaphezu kwalokho, umsebenzi wokushumayela eBarcelona wawulula, futhi abantu abaningi babefuna ukutadisha iBhayibheli.

Ukulwisana Nokucindezeleka

Nokho, ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha nje ukuphila kwami kwashintsha ngendlela emangalisayo. Iholide lethu lokuqala ngasolwandle lacishe laba inhlekelele lapho kwenzeka ingozi engiyichaze ekuqaleni. Emzimbeni ngashesha ukululama ekwethusweni ukucishe ngiminze, kodwa lesosenzakalo sashiya isibazi esimisweni sami semizwa.

Izinyanga ezimbalwa, ngaqhubeka kanzima emsebenzini wokuhambela izifunda, kodwa ekugcineni kwadingeka ngibuyele eNgilandi ukuze ngithole ukwelashwa odokotela. Ngemva kweminyaka emibili ngalulama ngokwanele ukuba sibuyele eSpain, lapho saphinda futhi senza khona umsebenzi wokuhambela izifunda. Nokho, kwakungokwesikhashana. Abazali bomkami bagula kakhulu, futhi sayishiya inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ukuze sibanakekele.

Ukuphila kwaba nzima ngokwengeziwe, lapho, ngo-1968, ngihlaselwa isifo sokuphazamiseka kwemizwa okungathi sína. Kukhona izikhathi lapho mina noRafaela sasicabanga ukuthi angisoze ngalulama. Kwakusengathi ngiyaminza futhi, kodwa ngendlela ehlukile! Ngaphandle kokungibangela ukuba ngibe nemizwa ephambene, ukucindezeleka kwakungiqeda wonke amandla. Ngangifikelwa izikhathi zokukhathala okwedlulele, okwakungiphoqa ukuba ngiphumule cishe ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ngalesosikhathi akubona bonke abazalwane ababeluqonda loluhlobo lwenkinga; kodwa ngangazi ukuthi uJehova wayeqonda. Kuye kwanginika ukwaneliseka okukhulu ukufunda izihloko ezinhle kakhulu komagazini be-Nqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! ezibonisa ukuqonda nezinika usizo kulabo abacindezelekile.

Kuso sonke lesisikhathi esinzima, umkami wayelokhu ewumthombo wesikhuthazo. Ukubhekana nezinkinga ndawonye ngempela kuyasiqinsa isibopho somshado. Abazali bakaRafaela bashona, futhi ngemva kweminyaka engu-12, impilo yami yathuthukela ezingeni lokuthi saba nomuzwa wokuthi singakwazi ukuphindela enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngo-1981, samangala futhi sajabula lapho simenywa ukuba siphinde sikhonze emsebenzini wokuhambela izifunda.

Kwase kwenzeke izinguquko ezinkulu ezingokwasezulwini eSpain kusukela sasilapho okokugcina sisenkonzweni yokujikeleza. Ukushumayela kwase kwenziwa ngokukhululekile, ngakho kwadingeka ngizithuthukise. Noma kunjalo, ukuphinde ngikhonze njengombonisi wesifunda kwakuyilungelo elikhulu. Ukuphayona naphezu kwezimo ezinzima kwasenza sakwazi ukukhuthaza amaphayona ayenezinkinga. Futhi kaningi sakwazi ukusiza abanye ukuba bangene ezinhlwini zamaphayona.

Ngemva kweminyaka engu-11 yomsebenzi wokujikeleza eMadrid naseBarcelona, impilo yethu ebuthaka yaphinda futhi yakwenza kwadingeka ukuba sishintshe isabelo. Sabelwa ukuba sibe amaphayona akhethekile edolobheni laseSalamanca, lapho ngangingase ngisetshenziswe khona njengomdala. Abafowethu eSalamanca basenza sazizwa sikhululekile zisuka nje. Ngemva konyaka esinye isimo esibucayi savivinya ukukhuthazela kwethu.

URafaela wancishelwa kakhulu igazi ngokungaqondakali, futhi ukuhlola kwembula ukuthi wayenomdlavuza kapopopo. Manje kwase kuyimi okufanele ngiqine ngisekele umkami ngezinga engingakwazi ukwenza ngalo. Ukusabela kwethu kokuqala kwaba ukungakholwa, kwalandela ukwesaba. Ingabe uRafaela wayezosinda kulesisifo? Ezikhathini ezinjengalesi, ukuthembela kuJehova ngokuphelele yikho okusisiza ukuba siqhubeke. Ngiyajabula ukusho ukuthi ukuhlinzwa kukaRafaela kwaba yimpumelelo, futhi sithemba ukuthi lomdlavuza ngeke uphinde ubuye.

Nakuba siye saba nezikhathi zokujabula nezokudumala phakathi neminyaka engu-36 esiyichithe eSpain, kuye kwaba okujabulisayo ukuba khona mathupha phakathi nalesisikhathi sokukhula ngokomoya. Siye sabona iviyo elincane labamemezeli abangaba ngu-800 ngo-1958 likhula liba ibutho labamemezeli abangaphezu kuka-100 000 namuhla. Ubunzima bethu buye bedlulwa izinjabulo eziningi—ukusiza abanye ukuba bamukele iqiniso futhi bavuthwe ngokomoya, ukusebenza ndawonye njengendoda nomfazi, nokuba nomuzwa wokuthi siye sasebenzisa ukuphila kwethu ngendlela engcono kakhulu.

Encwadini yakhe yesibili eya kwabaseKorinte uPawulu uthi: “Ngakho lokhu sinalenkonzo‚ njengokuba sahawukelwa‚ asidangali.” (2 Korinte 4:1) Uma ngibheka emuva, ngikholelwa ukuthi kunezici eziningana ekuphileni kwami ezangivimbela ukuba ngidangale. Isibonelo sabafowethu abagcotshiwe ababanesithakazelo kimi ngisakhula sabeka isisekelo esihle. Ukuba nomngane onemigomo engokomoya efana neyami kuwusizo olumangalisayo; lapho ngizizwa ngicindezelekile, uRafaela wayengikhuthaza, nami ngiye ngenza okufanayo kuye. Ukukwazi ukubona uhlangothi oluhlekisayo lwendaba nakho kuwusizo olukhulu. Ukukwazi ukuhleka nabafowethu—nokuzihleka ngokwethu—ngandlelathile kwenza izinkinga zingabi nkulu kakhulu.

Kodwa ngaphezu kwakho konke, ukukhuthazela naphezu kovivinyo kudinga amandla kaJehova. Ngiwakhumbula njalo amazwi kaPawulu: “Nginamandla ukwenza konke ngaye ongiqinisayo.” UJehova engakithi, asikho isidingo sokuba sidangale nanini.—Filipi 4:13.

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

URonald noRafaela Taylor ngo-1958

[Izithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

Ukuhlangana ngesikhathi sokuvinjelwa eSpain (1969)