Indaba Yokuphila

Umsebenzi Wokwenza Abafundi Uye Walolonga Ukuphila Kwami

ILANDISWA ULYNETTE PETERS

Amasosha ayezele ukuzosikhipha kuleli zwe ukuze asiphephise. Isosha elidubula lingageji lalimi ophahleni lwesakhiwo. Amasosha asolwandle ayelele ngezisu otshanini, izibhamu zawo zicushiwe. Njengoba sasigijima siqonde endizeni eyayisilindile ngalelo Sonto ekuseni, mina nezinye izithunywa zevangeli sazama ukuzigcina sizolile. Ngomzuzwana, sase sisemoyeni. Ngemva kwemizuzu eyishumi, sase sisemkhumbini wezempi owawungasogwini lolwandle siphephile.

NGAKUSASA ekuseni, sezwa imibiko yokuthi amavukela-mbuso ayelishaye ngamabhomu ihhotela esasibalekele kulo ngayizolo. Izinxushunxushu zombango zaseSierra Leone ezase zidonse iminyaka zavele zabheduka zaba impi enkulu. Sonke thina esasivela kwamanye amazwe asinikwanga thuba, saphoqeleka ukuba siphume siphele kuleli zwe. Ukuze nithole ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ngizithole ngikuleso simo, ake ngiqale indaba ekuqaleni.

Ngakhulela eBritish Guiana, eyashintshwa igama yabizwa ngokuthi iGuyana kusukela ngo-1966. Ngawo-1950 ngisakhula, ukuphila kwakungenazinkinga futhi kumnandi. Iningi labazali laliyazisa kakhulu imfundo, futhi izingane zazilindeleke ukuba ziphase kahle esikoleni. Ngikhumbula ngelinye ilanga isisebenzi sasebhange sibuza ubaba, “Kungani uzikhokhela imali engaka izingane zakho esikoleni?” Ubaba wasiphendula, “Uma zithola imfundo engcono kakhulu, nakanjani ziyophumelela.” Ngaleso sikhathi ubaba wayecabanga ukuthi imfundo engcono kakhulu itholakala ezikoleni eziphambili. Kodwa wawushintsha lowo mbono.

Ngesikhathi ngineminyaka engu-11 ubudala, umama waqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Yena nomakhelwane wakhe babeke baya eHholo LoMbuso. Izinto abazizwa ngalobo busuku zabenza bakholelwa ukuthi babethole iqiniso. Kamuva, umama waxoxela omunye umakhelwane izinto ezazikhulunywa eHholo. Kungakabiphi, bobathathu base befundelwa izithunywa zevangeli oDaphne Harry (kamuva owashadela kwaBaird) noRose Cuffie. Kungakapheli nonyaka, umama nabangane bakhe ababili babhapathizwa. Ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu bebhapathiziwe ubaba wayeka eSontweni LamaSabatha futhi naye wabhapathizwa njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.

Mina nodadewethu ababili—okuyithina esibadala ezinganeni zasekhaya eziyishumi—sasichitha isikhathi esiningi esimnandi ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli lapho kwakuhlala khona uDaphne noRose. Sasivame ukubalalela bexoxa ngokuhlangenwe nakho abakuthole enkonzweni yasensimini. Lezi zithunywa zevangeli zaziyisibusiso ngoba zazinakekela inhlalakahle engokomoya yabanye ngokungakhathali. Yisibonelo sazo esatshala kimi isifiso sokuba isithunywa sevangeli.

Nokho, yini eyangisiza ukuba nginamathele emgomweni wami wenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele naphezu kokuzungezwa yizihlobo nezingane engangifunda nazo ezaziqhubekela phambili nemfundo? Ayemaningi kakhulu amathuba ayizilingo—ngangingafunda ngigogode kwezomthetho, kwezomculo, kwezokwelapha nakunoma imuphi umkhakha. Isibonelo sabazali bami esihle saba isiqondiso engangisidinga. Babephila ngeqiniso, betadisha iBhayibheli ngenkuthalo, futhi bezinikela ekusizeni abanye ukuba bafunde ngoJehova.a Ngaphezu kwalokho, babevame ukumema izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ukuba zisivakashele ekhaya. Injabulo nokwaneliseka okwakuboniswa yilaba bazalwane nodade kwenza ngafisa nakakhulu ukwenza ukuba umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi ulolonge ukuphila kwami.

Ngabhapathizwa ngineminyaka engu-15. Ngemva nje kokuqeda isikole ngangenela inkonzo yamaphayona yesikhathi esigcwele. Umuntu wokuqala engamsiza ukuba athuthuke aze azinikezele futhi abhapathizwe kwakunguPhilomena, isisebenzi sasesibhedlela. Injabulo engayithola lapho ngimbona eqala ukuthanda uJehova yasiqinisa nakakhulu isifiso sami sokuqhubeka ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngemva nje kwalokho, nganikwa ithuba lokuthola umsebenzi ongcono kwahulumeni lapho ngangisebenza khona njengonobhala. Ngawubonga, ngakhetha ukuqhubeka nokuphayona.

Ngaleso sikhathi ngangisahlala ekhaya futhi izithunywa zevangeli zazisalokhu zisivakashela. Yeka indlela engangikujabulela ngayo ukulalela okuhlangenwe nakho kwazo! Konke lokhu kwasenza saba namandla isifiso sami sokuba isithunywa sevangeli, nakuba amathuba okuba ngibe yiso ayebonakala emancane kakhulu. Ngaleso sikhathi, izithunywa zevangeli zazithunyelwa eGuyana futhi namanje kusenjalo. Ngolunye usuku ngo-1969, ngamangala kodwa ngajabula ukuthola isimemo sokuya e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead eBrooklyn, eNew York.

Isabelo Engangingasilindele

Kwakunabafundi abangu-54 abavela emazweni angu-21 ekilasini laseGileyadi lama-48. Abangu-17 kithi babengodade abangashadile. Nakuba sekudlule iminyaka engu-37, ngisazikhumbula kahle lezo zinyanga ezinhlanu. Kwakukuningi okwakumelwe sikufunde—hhayi nje amaqiniso angokomBhalo, kodwa sasizothola nokusikisela nezeluleko ezisebenzayo ezaziyosisiza ekuphileni njengezithunywa zevangeli zakusasa. Ngokwesibonelo, ngafunda ukulandela isiqondiso, ukulinganisela endabeni yemfashini nokukhuthazela naphezu kwezimo ezingemnandi.

Abazali bami babengaphezi ukugcizelela ukubaluleka kokuya emihlanganweni njalo. Uma sasithi sigula kakhulu ukuba singaya emhlanganweni ngeSonto, sasingeke silulame ngokushesha ngoba sesifuna ukuyothamela ukudlalwa kopiyano noma ukuya ekhonsathini ngakusasa. Nokho, ngesikhathi ngiseSikoleni SaseGileyadi, ngaba nenkinga yokuphutha emihlanganweni isikhathi esithile. Ngobunye ubusuku ngoLwesihlanu, ngazama ukubeka izaba zokungayi kwami emihlanganweni kuDon noDolores Adams, umbhangqwana waseBethel engangihamba nawo ngemoto yawo ukuya emihlanganweni. Ngakhala ngomsebenzi nangemibiko eminingi okufanele siyenze! Ngenxa yalokho nganginomuzwa wokuthi ngangingeke ngikwazi ukuya eSikoleni Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini naseMhlanganweni Wenkonzo. Ngemva kokubonisana nami isikhashana, uMfoweth’ u-Adams wathi: “Vumela unembeza wakho kube yiwona okuqondisayo.” Ngasithatha iseluleko sakhe ngaya emhlanganweni ngalobo busuku nangemva kwalokho. Phakathi nayo yonke iminyaka eyalandela, angizange ngivumele lutho ukuba lungiphazamise ngingakwazi ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu, ngaphandle kwalapho kunezimo eziphoqayo ngempela.

Cishe maphakathi nalezi zinyanga zesikole, saqala ukuqagela izabelo zethu. Ngangilokhu ngicabanga ukuthi ngizokwabelwa eGuyana, njengoba kwakunesidingo esikhulu kakhulu somsebenzi wokushumayela. Ungacabanga-ke ukuthi ngamangala kanjani lapho ngithola ukuthi ngangingezukubuyela khona. Kunalokho, ngabelwa eSierra Leone, eNtshonalanga Afrika. Yeka indlela engambonga ngayo uJehova ngokuthi sase sigcwalisekile ekugcineni isifiso sami sokuba isithunywa sevangeli kude nasekhaya!

Izinto Eziningi Okwadingeka Ngizifunde

Mhla ngiqala ukubona iSierra Leone bangithatha ubuhle bale ndawo ngoba phela ayive inothile ngamagquma nezintaba, amatheku namabhishi. Nokho, into enhle kakhulu ngaleli zwe eliseNtshonalanga Afrika abantu bakhona ngoba uthando nomusa wabo kwenza ngisho nabantu bokufika bazizwe besekhaya. Lokhu akuve kuzisiza izithunywa zevangeli ezintsha ukuba zingabulawa ukukhumbula emakhaya. Abantu baseSierra Leone bayathanda ukukhuluma ngamasiko nangezinkambiso zabo, futhi bakuthanda ngokukhethekile ukusiza abasanda kufika ukuba balukhulume kahle ulimi lwabo oluyingxube lwesiKrio.

Abantu abakhuluma isiKrio banezaga eziningi ezixoxa indaba. Ngokwesibonelo, isaga esithi, Kusebenza inkawu kudle imfene, sisho ukuthi umuntu otshalayo akuyena ngaso sonke isikhathi ovunayo. Yeka ukuthi lesi saga sikuchaza kahle kanjani ukuntuleka okukhulu kobulungisa ezweni!—Isaya 65:22.

Umsebenzi wokushumayela nokwenza abafundi wawujabulisa. Kwakungavamile ukuthola umuntu ongalithakaseli iBhayibheli. Phakathi nayo yonke iminyaka, izithunywa zevangeli kanye nezinceku zikaJehova esezikhonze isikhathi eside ziye zasiza abantu—abancane nabadala—abavela kuzo zonke izizinda zokuphila nezizwe ukuba bamukele iqiniso.

U-Erla St. Hill, udade wokuqala engakhonza naye njengesithunywa sevangeli, wayeyisisebenzi esingakhathali. Nakuba ayeyenza ngenkuthalo imisebenzi yakhe yasekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli, intshiseko yakhe ngenkonzo yayivelele. Wangisiza ukuba ngiqonde ukubaluleka kwezinto eziningi, njengokujwayelana nomakhelwane, ukuvakashela oFakazi abagulayo nabantu abathakazelayo, nokusekela amalungiselelo emingcwabo uma kungenzeka. Wakufaka kwagxila kimi ukubaluleka kokungabuyeli ekhaya ngemva kwenkonzo yasensimini ngingadlulanga nje koFakazi abasensimini yethu ngiyobabingelela. Ngokwenza lezi zinto, ngokushesha ngazitholela omama, abafowethu, odadewethu nabangane, futhi isabelo sami saba yikhaya lami.—Marku 10:29, 30.

Ngabuye ngakha ubungane obuqinile nezinye izithunywa zevangeli engangikhonza nazo. Phakathi kwazo kwakunengangihlala naye ekamelweni, u-Adna Byrd, owakhonza eSierra Leone phakathi kuka-1978 no-1981, kanye noCheryl Ferguson, engihlala naye futhi sesihlale ndawonye iminyaka engu-24.

Impi Yombango Iletha Uvivinyo

Ngo-1997, cishe ngemva kwenyanga eyodwa kunikezelwe izakhiwo ezintsha zegatsha laseSierra Leone, impi yasiphoqa ukuba siphume kule ndawo, njengoba ngichazile ekuqaleni. Eminyakeni eyisithupha ngaphambi kwalokhu, lwalusihlabe umxhwele ukholo loFakazi baseLiberia ababebalekele impi eLiberia beza eSierra Leone. Abanye bafika belambatha. Naphezu kwesimo esinzima, babeba khona enkonzweni nsuku zonke. Kwakungeve kuthinta inhliziyo ukubona indlela abamthanda ngayo uJehova nabantu.

Njengoba nathi sase singababaleki ezweni laseGuinea, salandela isibonelo sabafowethu baseLiberia futhi saqhubeka nokuthembela kuJehova nokubeka izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala. Ngemva konyaka, sakwazi ukubuyela eSierra Leone, kodwa kwathi zingakapheli nezinyanga ezingu-7, yaqala impi futhi kwadingeka sibalekele eGuinea futhi.

Kwathi kusenjalo satshelwa ukuthi amalungu elinye iqembu elilwayo asehlala ekhaya lethu lezithunywa zevangeli eKissy, nokuthi kuphangwe zonke izinto zethu. Kunokudunyazwa yilokho, sabonga nje ukuthi siyaphila. Sasala nezinto ezimbalwa, kodwa sakwazi ukubhekana nesimo.

Ngemva kokubaleka okwesibili, mina nengangihlala naye, uCheryl, saqhubeka siseGuinea. Lokho kwasho ukuthi kumelwe sifunde isiFulentshi. Ezinye izithunywa zevangeli zasheshe zazama ukukhuluma isiFulentshi ezazisifunda, zingenandaba kangako namaphutha ezaziwenza. Kodwa mina ngangingakufuni nhlobo ukuphula ulimi, ngakho isiFulentshi ngangisikhuluma uma ngiphoqelekile ngempela. Yayingizwisa ubuhlungu le nto. Kwakudingeka ngizikhumbuze nsuku zonke ukuthi isizathu sokuba seGuinea kwakuwukuzosiza abanye abantu bazi ngoJehova.

Kancane kancane ngathuthuka ngokutadisha, ngokulalela labo ababelukhuluma kahle ulimi nangokuthola usizo lwezingane zasebandleni ezikhuluma ngendlela engokwemvelo. Singalindele, kwafika usizo luvela enhlanganweni kaJehova. Kusukela ngo-September 2001, INkonzo Yethu YoMbuso iye yaba nokusikisela kokuhambisa omagazini, kuhlanganise nezindlela zokuhambisela abantu bezinkolo ezingefani izincwadi nezincwajana. Manje sengiba nokuzethemba uma ngisenkonzweni, nakuba ngingakwazi ukukhuluma kahle isiFulentshi ngendlela engikhuluma ngayo olwami ulimi.

Ukukhulela emkhayeni omkhulu kwangisiza impela ukuba ngikwazi ukuphila nabantu abaningi, ngoba ngesinye isikhathi sake saba ngu-17 ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli. Phakathi neminyaka engu-37 engiyichithe enkonzweni yezithunywa zevangeli, sengihlale nezithunywa zevangeli ezingaphezu kwekhulu. Yeka indlela okube yilungelo ngayo ukwazi abantu abaningi kangaka, bonke benobuntu obuhlukahlukene kodwa benomgomo ofanayo! Yeka indlela okujabulisa ngayo ukuba isisebenzi esikanye noNkulunkulu nokuba negalelo ekusizeni abantu bamukele iqiniso leBhayibheli!—1 Korinte 3:9.

Phakathi nayo yonke le minyaka ngisenkonzweni yezithunywa zevangeli ngiye ngaphuthelwa izenzakalo eziningi zamalungu omndeni wakithi, njengemishado eminingi yezingane ezingelamayo. Futhi angikwazi ukubona abashana bami ngendlela engingafisa ukubabona ngayo. Lokhu kuye kwaba ukuzidela ngami nangomkhaya wakithi oye wangikhuthaza ngaphandle kobugovu ukuba ngiqhubeke ngisemsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli.

Nokho, izinto eziye zangiphuthela ekhaya, ngiye ngazithola kaningana enkonzweni yezithunywa zevangeli. Nakuba ngakhetha ukuhlala ngingashadile, nginezingane eziningi ezingokomoya, hhayi nje lezi engazifundela kuphela, kodwa nalezo engiye ngasondelana kakhulu nazo. Okumnandi nakakhulu ukuthi ngiye ngabona izingane zabo zikhula, zishada, futhi zikhulisa ezazo izingane ukuba zihambe endleleni yeqiniso. Ezinye zazo ziye zangilingisa, zavumela umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi ukuba ulolonge ukuphila kwazo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Amabalazwe ekhasini 15]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Ngabelwa eSierra Leone, eNtshonalanga Afrika

IGUINEA

ISIERRA LEONE

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Odadewethu ababili, engajabulela nabo izikhathi ezimnandi kanye nezithunywa zevangeli ngawo-1950

[Isithombe ekhasini 14]

Nginabanye abafundi bekilasi laseGileyadi lama-48

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Lapho kunikezelwa izakhiwo zegatsha eSierra Leone