Indaba Yokuphila

‘Ukuphila Kwamanje’—Ukukujabulela Ngokugcwele!

ILANDISWA UTED BUCKINGHAM

Ngase ngibe isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele iminyaka eyisithupha futhi nganginezinyanga eziyisithupha ngishadile ngesikhathi ngiphathwa uvendle kungazelelwe. Lokhu kwenzeka ngo-1950 ngineminyaka engu-24 kuphela ubudala. Izinyanga ezingu-9 engazihlala esibhedlela zanginikeza isikhathi esanele sokucabanga ngokuphila kwami. Njengoba ngase ngikhubazekile nginesifo sovendle, lalisiphatheleni ikusasa mina nomkami uJoyce?

NGO-1938, ubaba owayengakaze abe umuntu wesonto, wathola incwadi ethi Government.a Cishe isiyaluyalu sezombusazwe esasikhona nempi eyayibonakala isemnyango kwamenza wayifuna le ncwadi. Ngokwazi kwami akazange ayifunde, kodwa umama wami owayeyithanda inkolo wayifunda. Lokho akuthola kuyo kwamenza wathatha isinyathelo. Washiya eSontweni LaseSheshi futhi waba uFakazi kaJehova othembekile naphezu kokuphikisa kukababa, futhi wahlala ethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-1990.

Umama wahamba nami ngokokuqala ngqá saya emhlanganweni wobuKristu eHholo LoMbuso, e-Epsom, eseningizimu yeLondon. Ibandla lalihlanganyela esakhiweni esasiyisitolo, futhi salalela inkulumo eqoshiwe kaJ. F. Rutherford owayengamele umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova ngaleso sikhathi. Leyo nkulumo yangithinta ngokujulile.

Ukuhlaselwa kweLondon ngamabhomu kwabeka ukuphila kwethu engozini. Ngakho-ke, ngo-1940, ubaba wanquma ukuba sithuthele endaweni ethé ukuphepha—eMaidenhead, idolobha elincane elingamakhilomitha angu-45 ukuya entshonalanga yeLondon. Kwazuzisa lokhu, ngoba amalungu angu-30 ebandla lakuleyo ndawo asikhuthaza kakhulu. UFred Smith owayebhapathizwe ngo-1917 wayeyindoda eqinile ngokomoya futhi wabonisa isithakazelo somuntu siqu kimi, wangiqeqeshela ukuba umshumayeli ophumelelayo. Ngiyohlale ngimkweleta ngesibonelo angibekela sona nangokungisiza ngothando.

Ukungenela Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele

Ngo-March 1941, ngosuku olwalubanda, ngabhapathizwa eMfuleni iThames ngineminyaka engu-15 ubudala. Umfowethu omdala, uJim, wayeseyingenele kakade inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Namuhla, yena nomkakhe, uMadge, bahlala eBirmingham futhi baye bakhonza uJehova ukuphila kwabo konke esabelweni, umfowethu ekhonza njengombonisi wesifunda nowesigodi kuyo yonke iBrithani. Udadewethu omncane, uRobina, nomyeni wakhe, uFrank, nabo baseyizinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile.

Ngangiwumgcini wamabhuku ezimali efektri yezingubo zokugqoka. Ngelinye ilanga, umphathi wenkampani wangibizela ehhovisi lakhe wathi ufuna ukunginika umsebenzi omuhle kakhulu wokuthengela inkampani. Nokho, kwase kuyisikhashana ngicabanga ukuthatha isibonelo somfowethu, ngakho ngokuthobeka ngawenqaba lowo msebenzi, ngamchazela izizathu. Ngamangala lapho engitusa ngokufudumele ngokufuna ukuphishekela umsebenzi wobuKristu onenjongo. Ngakho, ngemva komhlangano wesigodi eNorthampton ngo-1944, ngaba umvangeli wesikhathi esigcwele.

Isabelo sami sokuqala sangikhomba e-Exeter esifundazweni saseDevon. Ngaleso sikhathi, leli dolobha lalisazithintitha ngemva kokuhlaselwa ngamabhomu ngesikhathi sempi. Ngahlala namanye amaphayona ayesenendlu kakade, uFrank noRuth Middleton, ayengeve enomusa kimi. Ngangineminyaka engu-18 kuphela ubudala futhi ngangingakwazi kahle ukuhlanza noku-ayina izingubo ngingenalo nolwazi olutheni lokupheka, kodwa ngafunda.

Ngangishumayela noVictor Gurd owayeneminyaka engu-50, umIrish owaqala ukushumayela ngawo-1920. Wangifundisa ukusihlela kahle isikhathi sami, ukuba nesithakazelo esijulile ekufundeni iBhayibheli, nokubona ukuthi zisiza kangakanani izinguqulo zeBhayibheli ezihlukahlukene. Phakathi naleyo minyaka yokucotshelelwa ulwazi, ngangisidinga impela isibonelo sikaVictor sokuba umuntu ogxilile.

Inselele Yokungathathi Hlangothi

Impi yayisizophela, kodwa iziphathimandla zazisagqugquzela izinsizwa ukuba zingenele inkonzo yezempi. Ngangike ngavela enkantolo yaseMaidenhead ngo-1943, lapho ngachaza khona ngokucacile ukuthi njengesikhonzi seVangeli ngangingeke ngihlanganyele empini. Nakuba inkantolo yasenqaba isicelo sami sokungayi empini, nganquma ukuthuthela e-Exeter ngiqale inkonzo esabelweni sami. Ngakho ngangise-Exeter lapho ekugcineni ngibizwa ukuba ngiyovela enkantolo yendawo. Imantshi yangigweba ukuyosebenza kanzima ejele izinyanga eziyisithupha, yathi ibuhlungu ukuthi yayingenakungigweba isikhathi eside kunalesi. Ngemva kokudonsa lezo zinyanga eziyisithupha, ngafakwa ejele futhi ukuba ngiyodonsa ezinye izinyanga ezine.

Njengoba kwakuyimi kuphela uFakazi ejele, onogada bejele babengibiza ngoJehova. Lapho kubizwa amagama ukuze kubonakale ukuthi ubani okhona nongekho, kwakuba nzima kimi ukusabela, kodwa yeka indlela okwakumnandi ngayo ukuzwa igama likaNkulunkulu limenyezwa nsuku zonke! Lokhu kwenza ezinye iziboshwa zazi ukuthi ngangiboshwe nazo nje ngenxa yokuma kwami njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova okusekelwe kunembeza. Kamuva, uNorman Castro naye waboshwa kulo leli jele, futhi leli gama lashintsha. Sabe sesibizwa ngoMose no-Aroni.

Ngasuswa e-Exeter ngayiswa eBristol futhi ekugcineni ngayiswa ejele laseWinchester. Izimo zazingezinhle ngaso sonke isikhathi, kodwa ukukwazi ukubona izinto ezihlekisayo kwasiza. Mina noNorman sasikujabulela ukugubha iSikhumbuzo ndawonye ngesikhathi siseWinchester. UFrancis Cooke, owasivakashela ejele, wasinikeza inkulumo enhle kakhulu.

Izinguquko Eminyakeni Yangemva Kwempi

Emhlanganweni waseBristol owawungo-1946, okwakhululwa kuwo insiza-kutadisha yeBhayibheli ethi “UNkulunkulu Makabe Oneqiniso,” ngabona intokazi enhle, uJoyce Moore, eyayiphayona eDevon. Ubungane bethu bakhula futhi sashada ngemva kweminyaka emine, eTiverton, endaweni engase ngihlale kuyo kusukela ngo-1947. Saqasha ikamelo esalenza ikhaya lethu futhi sasikhokha osheleni abangu-15 ngesonto. Ukuphila kwakumnandi!

Onyakeni wokuqala sishadile, sathuthela eningizimu eBrixham, idolobha elihle elingasechwebeni lapho ukudoba ngenetha eliyi-trawl kwaqala khona. Nokho, kwakungekudala sifikile lapho ngesikhathi ngiphathwa uvendle sisendleleni silibangise emhlanganweni wesigodi eLondon. Ngaquleka. Njengoba ngishilo ekuqaleni, ngaphuma esibhedlela ngemva kwezinyanga ezingu-9. Isandla sami sokudla nemilenze yami kwakukhubazekile, namanje akukalungi, futhi kwadingeka ngihambe ngodondolo. Umkami othandekayo wahlala engumngane ongijabulisayo futhi engumthombo wesikhuthazo, ikakhulu njengoba akwazi ukuqhubeka esenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Kodwa manje sase sizokwenze njani? Maduze ngangizobona ukuthi akwenzeki isandla sikaJehova sibe sifushane.

Ngonyaka owalandela, saya emhlanganweni eWimbledon, eLondon. Ngalesi sikhathi, ngangingasahambi ngodondolo. Lapho, sahlangana noPryce Hughes owayengamele umsebenzi eBrithani. Ngokushesha, wangibingelela: “Mfo! Siyakufuna emsebenzini wesifunda!” Ayikho into eyake yangikhuthaza njengaleyo! Kodwa ngangiphile ngokwanele yini? Mina noJoyce sazibuza lokho, kodwa ngemva kokuqeqeshwa isonto nokuthembela ngokuphelele kuJehova, sabuyela eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeNgilandi, lapho ngangabelwe ukukhonza njengombonisi wesifunda khona. Ngaleso sikhathi, ngangineminyaka engu-25 kuphela ubudala, kodwa ngisayikhumbula indlela oFakazi balapho abangiphatha ngomusa ngayo, bengibekezelela futhi bengisiza kakhulu.

Kuyo yonke imikhakha yemisebenzi engokwasezulwini, mina noJoyce sathola ukuthi ukuhambela amabandla kwasisondeza kakhulu kubafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu. Sasingenamoto, ngakho sasihamba ngesitimela noma ngebhasi. Nakuba ngangisajwayela ukugula kwami nezinkinga zako, sawajabulela la malungelo kwaze kwaba ngu-1957. Ukuphila kwakwanelisa, kodwa ngalowo nyaka kwaba nenye inselele.

Ukungenela Inkonzo Yezithunywa Zevangeli

Ukumenyelwa ukuba sekilasini lama-30 laseGileyadi kwasishiya sikhexile. Ngangiphila kahle nokukhubazeka kwami, ngakho mina noJoyce sasamukela ngenjabulo leso simemo. Ngokwalokho esase sibhekane nakho, sasazi ukuthi njalo uJehova unikeza amandla uma sifuna ukwenza intando yakhe. Zasheshe zadlula izinyanga ezinhlanu siqeqeshwa ngempela e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, eyayisendaweni enhle eSouth Lansing, eNew York, e-U.S.A. Abafundi ababelapho ngokuyinhloko kwakuyimibhangqwana eshadile eyayijikeleza. Lapho kubuzwa ikilasi ukuthi bakhona yini abangavolontiya ukuya ensimini yakwamanye amazwe, saba phakathi kwalabo abavuma. Sayaphi? E-Uganda eNtshonalanga Afrika!

Ngenxa yokuthi umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wawuvinjelwe e-Uganda ngaleso sikhathi, ngatshelwa ukuthi kungakuhle ngihlale kulelo zwe futhi ngifune umsebenzi. Ngemva kohambo olude ngesitimela nangomkhumbi, sagcina sifikile eKampala, e-Uganda. Izikhulu zezokufuduka azijabulanga neze lapho zisibona futhi zathi zizosivumela sihlale izinyanga ezimbalwa kuphela. Ngemva kwalezo zinyanga, satshelwa ukuba siphume siphele. Siqondiswa indlunkulu, saya eNyakatho Rhodesia (manje eyiZambia). Lapho, sajabula kakhulu ukuphinde sibone abafundi abane esasinabo esikoleni saseGileyadi—oFrank noCarrie Lewis noHayes kanye noHarriet Hoskins. Ukusuka lapho, sabelwa eNingizimu Rhodesia (manje eyiZimbabwe).

Sahamba ngesitimela futhi sayibona kancane ngokokuqala ngqá iVictoria Falls ekhexisayo ngaphambi kokufika kwaBulawayo. Sahlala isikhashana nomkhaya wakwaMcLuckie owawuphakathi koFakazi bokuqala ukuhlala kuleyo ndawo. Kwaba yilungelo ukwazana kahle nalo mkhaya eminyakeni engu-16 eyalandela.

Ukujwayelana Noshintsho

Ngemva kwamasonto amabili siqeqeshelwa ukujwayela insimu yase-Afrika, ngamiswa njengombonisi wesigodi. Ukushumayela emaphandleni ase-Afrika kwakusho ukuthi kufanele siziphathele amanzi, ukudla, okokulala, izingubo zokugqoka, umshini wokudlala amafilimu nowokuphehla ugesi, isihenqo esikhulu, nezinye izinto eziyizidingo. Konke lokhu sakufaka evenini eyayingahamba endaweni emangelengele.

Ngasebenza nababonisi besifunda abansundu kanti uJoyce yena wasiza omkabo nezingane zabo ezaziba khona ensimini. Ukuhamba ezinkalweni zase-Afrika kungakhathaza, ikakhulukazi ekushiseni kwasemini, kodwa ngasheshe ngaphawula ukuthi kulula kakhulu ngami ukubhekana nokugula kulesi simo sezulu, futhi ngangingeve ngikwazisa lokho.

Abantu babehlupheka. Abaningi babengene shí ezinkolelweni eziyize nasemasikweni namadoda eqhuba isithembu; kodwa babelihlonipha ngokujulile iBhayibheli. Kwezinye izindawo, imihlangano yebandla sasiyiqhubela ngaphansi kwemithunzi yezihlahla ezinkulu, futhi kusihlwa kwakukhanyiswa ngezibani zikawoyela ezilengiswe emagatsheni. Kwakuhlale kusikhexisa umlomo ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngaphansi kwesibhakabhaka esigcwele izinkanyezi, eziyindalo kaJehova emangalisayo.

Ukubukisa abantu basezabelweni zase-Afrika amafilimu aqoshwa i-Watch Tower Society nako kwaba okuhlangenwe nakho esingasoze sakulibala. Ibandla lalingaba noFakazi abangu-30, kodwa lapho sizobukisa la mafilimu, sasazi ukuthi sasingalindela abantu abayinkulungwane noma ngaphezulu!

Yiqiniso, umuntu angagula kalula ezindaweni ezishisa kakhulu, kodwa kubalulekile ukuba ngazo zonke izikhathi umuntu abe nombono oqondile. Mina noJoyce safunda ukubhekana kahle nesimo—ngakwazi ukusebenzelana nokuhlushwa njalo umalaleveva, noJoyce wakwazi ukubhekana nokugula okubangelwa ama-amoeba.

Kamuva sabelwa ukuyokhonza ehhovisi legatsha eSalisbury (manje eyiHarare), futhi kwaba ilungelo ukusebenza nezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile. Phakathi kwazo kwakunoLester Davey, uGeorge noRuby Bradley. Uhulumeni wangimisa ukuba ngibe umshadisi, okwenza ngakwazi ukushadisa abafowethu base-Afrika, ngaleyo ndlela kwaqiniswa isibopho somshado wobuKristu emabandleni. Eminyakeni embalwa kamuva, ngathola elinye ilungelo. Ngabelwa ukuhambela amabandla angakhulumi izilimi zabomdabu. Sajabulela ukuchitha iminyaka engaphezu kweyishumi sazi abafowethu njengoba sasibahambela, futhi sajabula lapho sibona bethuthuka ngokomoya. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, sahambela nabafowethu eBotswana naseMozambique.

Ukuqala Enye Inkonzo

Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi ejabulisayo siseningizimu ye-Afrika, ngo-1975 sabelwa eSierra Leone, eNtshonalanga Afrika. Sasheshe sazinza ehhovisi legatsha sijabulela umkhakha omusha wenkonzo, kodwa asiwujabulelanga isikhathi eside. Ngagula futhi ngaba buthaka ngenxa yokuhlaselwa kanzima umalaleveva, futhi ekugcineni kwadingeka ngiyolashwa eLondon lapho ngalulekwa khona ukuba ngingabe ngisabuyela e-Afrika. Kwasiphatha kabi lokhu, kodwa umkhaya waseBethel yaseLondon wasamukela ngezandla ezifudumele. Abazalwane abaningi base-Afrika abasemabandleni amaningi aseLondon basenza sazizwa sisekhaya. Njengoba ngangilulama, sajwayela isimiso esisha sokuphila, futhi ngacelwa ukuba nginakekele uMnyango Wezokuthenga (Purchasing Department). Njengoba kuye kwanwetshwa izakhiwo, lo msebenzi uye wangithakazelisa kakhulu.

Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1990, uJoyce wami othandekayo wagula kakhulu ephethwe isifo se-motor neuron, futhi ngo-1994 washona. Wayengumfazi onothando, oqotho, nothembekile, ezimisele njalo ukuvumelana nezimo ezihlukahlukene esadlula kuzo ndawonye. Ngiye ngathola ukuthi ukuze ngikwazi ukubhekana nalokhu kushonelwa, kubalulekile ukugcina umbono ongokomoya ucacile nokuhlala ngibheke phambili emvuzweni. Ukuthandaza kuJehova ukuba angisize nginamathele esimisweni esihle esingokwasezulwini, esihlanganisa ukushumayela, kuyangisiza ngigcine ingqondo yami imatasa.—IzAga 3:5, 6.

Akuve kuyilungelo ukukhonza eBethel futhi kuyindlela enhle yokuphila. Kunentsha eningi lapha esisebenza nayo futhi kuningi okujabulisayo okungajatshulelwa nayo. Esinye isibusiso ukubona izivakashi eziningi ezifika lapha eLondon. Ngezinye izikhathi ngibona abangane abathandekayo abavela ezindaweni engangabelwe kuzo e-Afrika, futhi zivele zibuye zonke izinkumbulo ezimnandi. Konke lokhu kuyangisiza ukuba ngiqhubeke ngikujabulela ngokugcwele ‘ukuphila kwamanje’ futhi ngihlale ngizindla ngokuphila “okuzayo” ngokuqiniseka nangethemba.—1 Thimothewu 4:8.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Nginomama ngo-1946

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

NginoJoyce ngosuku lwethu lomshado, ngo-1950

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Emhlanganweni wesigodi eBristol ngo-1953

[Izithombe ekhasini 27]

Ukukhonza iqembu elingalodwa (ngenhla) nebandla laseNingizimu Rhodesia, manje eyiZimbabwe (ngakwesokunxele)