Ukushintsha Isabelo Ngineminyaka Engu-80 Ubudala

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UGWENDOLINE MATTHEWS

Lapho ngihlanganisa iminyaka engu-80, mina nomyeni wami sanquma ukulayisha zonke izinto zethu elolini lokuqashwa, sithuthe eNgilandi siye eSpain. Sasingakwazi ukukhuluma iSpanishi, futhi sasiya eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeSpain, kude nendawo evakashelwa ababuki bamazwe abakhuluma isiNgisi. Abangane bethu abaningi babecabanga ukuthi siphambene, kodwa ngangilokhu ngizikhumbuza ngenjabulo ukuthi u-Abrahama wayeneminyaka engu-75 ubudala lapho eshiya i-Uri.

IMINYAKA esiyichithe eSpain kusukela safika lapha ngo-April 1992 iye yaba ngeminye yeminyaka evuza kakhulu ekuphileni kwethu. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ngichaze ukuthi kungani sathutha, ake nginitshele indlela ukusebenzisa ukuphila kwethu konke enkonzweni kaJehova okwaholela ngayo ekubeni senze lesi sinqumo esikhulu kangaka.

Iqiniso LeBhayibheli Lishintsha Ukuphila Kwethu

Ngakhulela emkhayeni othanda inkolo eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeLondon, eNgilandi. Umama wayevame ukuya nami nodadewethu ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene zokukhulekela njengoba ayeqhubeka efuna ukwaneliseka okungokomoya. Ubaba, owayehlushwa isifo sofuba, wayengahambi nathi. Kodwa wayengumfundi oshisekayo weBhayibheli, futhi elidwebela njalo lapho ethola indawo emkhanyiselayo. Enye yezinto zami engizazisa kakhulu yilelo Bhayibheli eligugile elalibaluleke kakhulu kuye.

Ngo-1925, lapho ngineminyaka engu-14 ubudala, kwafakwa ipheshana ngaphansi komnyango wakithi elalisimemela enkulumweni yeningi ehholo lomphakathi eWest Ham. Umama nomakhelwane banquma ukuya kuleyo nkulumo, futhi mina nodadewethu sahamba nabo. Leyo nkulumo eyayithi, “Izigidi Eziphila Manje Azisoze Zafa,” yatshala imbewu yeqiniso leBhayibheli enhliziyweni kamama.

Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa kamuva, ubaba washona eneminyaka engu-38 ubudala. Ukushona kwakhe kwakukhungathekisa kakhulu, njengoba kwasishiya sidabukile futhi sintula. Enkonzweni yomngcwabo, eyayiseSontweni LaseSheshi lendawo, umama washaqeka lapho ezwa umpristi ethi umphefumulo kababa wawusezulwini. Wayazi ngokweBhayibheli ukuthi abafileyo balele ethuneni, futhi wayekholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi ngolunye usuku ubaba wayeyovuselwa ekuphileni okuphakade emhlabeni. (IHubo 37:9-11, 29; 146:3, 4; UmShumayeli 9:5; IzEnzo 24:15; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Eqiniseka ukuthi kwakufanele ahlanganyele nabantu abafundisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu, wazimisela ukuhlakulela ukujwayelana nama-International Bible Student, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi.

Njengoba sasingenayo imali yokugibela, isonto ngalinye sasihamba amahora amabili ukusuka ekhaya siya emihlanganweni yoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngemva kwalokho, sasizihudula sihambe amanye amahora amabili sesibuyela ekhaya. Kodwa sasiyazisa kakhulu leyo mihlangano, futhi sasingakaze siphuthe nakowodwa, ngisho nalapho inkungu enedumela elibi yaseLondon igubuzele idolobha. Ngokushesha umama wanquma ukunikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova, abhapathizwe, futhi ngo-1927, nami ngabhapathizwa.

Naphezu kobunzima esasinabo ngokomnotho, umama wayesifundisa njalo ukubaluleka kokubeka izinto ezingokomoya kuqala. UMathewu 6:33 wawungomunye wemibhalo ayeyithanda kakhulu, futhi ‘wayewufuna’ ngempela ‘umbuso kuqala.’ Lapho eshona ngaphambi kwesikhathi ebulawa umdlavuza ngo-1935, wayenza amalungiselelo okusabela obizweni lwezikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ezazingathutha ziyokhonza eFrance.

Izibonelo Ezasiqinisa

Kudala ngaleyo minyaka, abanye ababeba khona emihlanganweni eLondon babefuna ukumemezela eyabo imibono, futhi labo bantu babevusa izingxabano nokuqhuma kwentukuthelo. Nokho, umama wayehlale ethi kungaba ukungathembeki ukushiya inhlangano kaJehova ngemva kwakho konke lokho esesikufunde kuyo. Ukuhambela kukaJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society ngaleso sikhathi, kwasishukumisela ukuba siqhubeke sikhonza ngokwethembeka.

UMfoweth’uRutherford ngimkhumbula ngokuba indoda enomusa nengenekayo. Lapho ngisemusha, iBandla LaseLondon laba nohambo lokuzijabulisa ayekhona kulo. Wangibona ngiphethe ikhamera—ngingosemusha onamahlonyana—futhi wabuza ukuthi ngangingathanda yini ukumthatha isithombe. Leso sithombe saba isikhumbuzo engisazisayo.

Kamuva, isenzakalo esithile sagxilisa kimi umehluko phakathi kwalabo abaholayo ebandleni lobuKristu namadoda avelele ezwe. Ngangiwuweta emzini omkhulu waseLondon lapho uFranz von Papen, omunye wamanxusa kaHitler, ayemenyelwe khona isidlo sasemini. Wenqaba ukukhumula ingubo yakhe enenkemba lapho edla, futhi yangikhuba ngachitha isobho engangiliphethe. Washo ngokuthukuthela ukuthi eJalimane ukunganaki okunjalo kwakungaholela ekubeni ngidutshulwe. Phakathi naso sonke isidlo, ngazigcina ngikude naye!

Kwaba nomhlangano obalulekile, lapho ngezwa khona uMfoweth’uRutherford ekhuluma, e-Alexandra Palace ngo-1931. Lapho samukela ngentshiseko igama lethu elisha elithi, oFakazi BakaJehova. (Isaya 43:10, 12) Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, ngo-1933, ngangenela inkonzo yobuphayona, njengoba inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ibizwa kanjalo. Esinye isibusiso engisikhumbulayo sangaleso sikhathi kwaba ukukwazi ukujwayelana nezinsizwa ezikahle kamuva ezaba izithunywa zevangeli ezingxenyeni ezikude zezwe. Lezi zazihlanganisa uClaude Goodman, uHarold King, uJohn Cooke no-Edwin Skinner. Izibonelo ezinjalo zokwethembeka zangenza ngafuna ukukhonza ensimini yakwelinye izwe.

Ukuphayona EMpumalanga Ye-Anglia

Isabelo sami sokuphayona sasiseMpumalanga ye-Anglia (empumalanga yeNgilandi), futhi ukushumayela lapho kwakudinga intshiseko. Ukuze sihlanganise insimu yethu enkulu, sasihamba ngebhayisikili sisuka kwelinye idolobha siye kwelinye, sisuke komunye umuzana siye komunye futhi sihlala emagumbini aqashiwe. Kwakungenamabandla kuleyo ndawo, ngakho mina nodade engangiphayona naye sasixoxa ngazo zonke izingxenye zemihlangano evamile yamasonto onke. Enkonzweni yethu, sahambisa amakhulu ezincwadi nezincwajana ezazichaza izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu.

Okunye ukuhambela okukhumbulekayo kwakuyilapho sangena khona endlini yomfundisi, sakhuluma nomfundisi weSonto LaseSheshi. Ezindaweni eziningi, sasigcina ngaye umfundisi waseSheshi ngoba ngokuvamile wayesibangela ubunzima lapho ezwa ukuthi sishumayela izindaba ezinhle kuleyo ndawo. Kodwa kulo muzana wonke umuntu wakhuluma kahle ngalo mfundisi. Wayehambela abagulayo, aboleke labo abathanda ukufunda izincwadi, ahambele ngisho namalungu esonto emakhaya ukuze awachazele ngeBhayibheli.

Ngempela, lapho simvakashela, wayenobungane kakhulu, futhi wamukela izincwadi eziningana. Wasiqinisekisa nokuthi uma othile kulo muzana efuna ezinye zezincwadi zethu kodwa engenamali yokuzithenga, wayezomkhokhela. Sezwa ukuthi izinto ezesabisayo abhekana nazo eMpini Yezwe I zamenza wazimisela ukukhuthaza ukuthula nomoya omuhle endaweni eyayinesonto lakhe. Ngaphambi kokuba sihambe wasibusisa futhi wasikhuthaza ukuba siqhubeke nomsebenzi wethu omuhle. Amazwi akhe okugcina kwakuyilawo akuNumeri 6:24: “INkosi mayikubusise, futhi ikulondoloze.”—King James Version.

Umama washona ngemva kweminyaka emibili ngiqalé ukuphayona, futhi ngabuyela eLondon ngingenamali futhi ngingenamkhaya. UFakazi othandekayo waseScotland wangihlalisa kwakhe, wangisiza ukuba ngibhekane nokushona kukamama, futhi wangikhuthaza ukuba ngiqhubeke ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngakho ngaphindela eMpumalanga ye-Anglia noJulia Fairfax, umuntu omusha engangizophayona naye. Salungisa umahamba-nendlwana omdala (odonswayo) ukuze abe indlu yethu ehambayo; sasisebenzisa ugandaganda noma iloli ukuze siwususe kwenye indawo siwuyise kwenye. Saqhubeka sishumayela nombhangqwana osukhulile, u-Albert no-Ethel Abbott, nawo owawunomahamba-nendlwana omncane. U-Albert no-Ethel baba njengabazali kimi.

Lapho ngiphayona eCambridgeshire, ngahlangana noJohn Matthews, umzalwane ongumKristu okahle owayesebonakalise ubuqotho bakhe kuJehova ngaphansi kwezimo ezinzima. Sashada ngo-1940, ngemva nje kokuqala kwempi yezwe yesibili.

Isikhathi Sempi Nomkhaya

Lapho sisewumbhangqwana osanda kushada, ikhaya lethu kwakungumahamba-nendlwana omncane ongalingana nekhishi elincane, futhi enkonzweni yethu sasihamba ngesithuthuthu esinokwethenjelwa. Ngemva konyaka sishadile, uJohn wagwetshwa ukuba asebenze epulazini lapho enqaba ukwenza inkonzo yezempi ngenxa yezinkolelo zakhe ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. (Isaya 2:4) Nakuba lokho kwasho ukuyeka ukuphayona, ukugwetshwa kukaJohn kwabonakala kuyilungiselelo laphezulu njengoba ngangikhulelwe futhi wayezokwazi ukusondla.

Phakathi neminyaka yempi, sajabulela imihlangano ekhethekile eyayiqhutshwa naphezu kobunzima. Ngo-1941 isithuthuthu sethu sathwala uJohn nami, ngikhulelwe umntwana wethu wokuqala, siya eManchester, esebangeni elingamakhilomitha angu-300. Endleleni, sasidlula amadolobha amaningi abhonjiwe, futhi sasizibuza ukuthi kazi umhlangano wawuyoqhutshwa yini ngaphansi kwezimo ezinjalo. I-Free Trade Hall esenkabeni yeManchester yayigcwele oFakazi abavela ezingxenyeni eziningi zeNgilandi, futhi kwanikezwa sonke isimiso.

Esiphethweni senkulumo yaso, isikhulumi sokugcina satshela izilaleli ukuthi kwakufanele ziphume ngokushesha emagcekeni, ngoba kwakulindeleke ukuba kube nokuhlasela kwezindiza. Leso sixwayiso sasifike ngesikhathi. Sasingekude nehholo lapho sizwa imishini enkenenezayo nezibhamu ezidubula izindiza. Lapho sibheka emuva, sabona izindiza eziningi ziqathaza amabhomu enkabeni yedolobha. Sikude, phakathi komlilo nentuthu salibona ihholo esasikade sihlezi kulo esikhathini esingengakanani; lalonakaliswe ngokuphelele! Okubongekayo ukuthi akufanga muntu kubafowethu noma odadewethu abangamaKristu.

Lapho sisakhulisa izingane zethu, sasingakwazi ukuphayona, kodwa sasemukela ababonisi abajikelezayo namaphayona angenayo indawo yokuhlala. Ngesinye isikhathi, amaphayona ayisithupha ahlala emzini wethu izinyanga ezimbalwa. Akungabazeki ukuthi ukuhlangana nabantu abanjalo kwakungesinye isizathu esenza indodakazi yethu u-Eunice ikhethe ukuqala ukuphayona ngo-1961 lapho ineminyaka engu-15 kuphela ubudala. Kuyadabukisa ukusho ukuthi indodana yethu, uDavid, ayizange iqhubeke ikhonza uJehova lapho ikhula, futhi enye indodakazi yethu, uLinda, yashona ngaphansi kwezimo ezidabukisayo phakathi nempi.

Isinqumo Sethu Sokuthuthela ESpain

Isibonelo nesikhuthazo sikamama kwangenza ngaba nesifiso sokuba isithunywa sevangeli, futhi angizange ngiwukhohlwe ngokuphelele lowo mgomo. Ngakho, sajabula lapho, ngo-1973, u-Eunice esuka eNgilandi eya eSpain lapho isidingo sabamemezeli boMbuso sasisikhulu khona. Yiqiniso, kwasidabukisa ukumbona ehamba, kodwa futhi sasiziqhenya ngokuthi wayethande ukuyokhonza kwelinye izwe.

Samvakashela u-Eunice phakathi naleyo minyaka, futhi sayazi kahle iSpain. Empeleni, mina noJohn samvakashela kwezine zezabelo zakhe ezihlukahlukene. Khona-ke, njengoba iminyaka ihamba, saqala ukuba buthaka. UJohn wawa futhi lokho kwayiphazamisa kakhulu impilo yakhe, futhi mina ngaba nezinkinga zenhliziyo nendlala yegilo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sobabili saphathwa isifo samathambo. Nakuba sasiludinga ngempela usizo luka-Eunice, sasingafuni ukuba ashiye isabelo sakhe ngenxa yethu.

Saxoxa no-Eunice ngalokho esasingahle sikwenze, futhi sathandazela isiqondiso. Wayezimisele ukubuyela ekhaya azosisiza, kodwa sanquma ukuthi kwakungcono kakhulu ukuba mina noJohn siyohlala naye eSpain. Uma ngingenakuba isithunywa sevangeli, okungenani ngangingasekela indodakazi yami namaphayona amabili eyayisebenza nawo enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngaleso sikhathi, mina noJohn sabe sesithatha uNuria no-Ana, amaphayona ayesebenze no-Eunice iminyaka engaba ngu-15, njengamadodakazi ethu. Futhi babekujabulela ukuba sizohlala nabo noma kuphi lapho babengase babelwe khona.

Sekudlule iminyaka eyisithupha selokhu senza leso sinqumo. Impilo yethu ayizange ibe buthaka ngokwengeziwe, futhi ngokuqinisekile ukuphila kwethu kuye kwathakazelisa ngokwengeziwe. Angikakwazi ukukhuluma iSpanishi kangako, kodwa lokho akungivimbeli ukuba ngishumayele. Mina noJohn sizizwa sikhululekile ebandleni elincane esikulo e-Extremadura, eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeSpain.

Ukuhlala eSpain kuye kwangifundisa okuningi ngesimo somhlaba wonke somsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ngoMbuso, futhi ngikuqonda kangcono kakhulu manje ukuthi kukanjani ‘insimu iyizwe,’ njengoba kwasho uJesu Kristu.—Mathewu 13:38.

[Izithombe ekhasini 28]

Ukuphayona ngawo-1930