“UJehova Uyizikhwepha Zami”

Ilandiswa uJoan Coville

Ngazalwa ngo-July 1925 eHuddersfield, eNgilandi. Ngiwukuphela kwengane kubazali bami futhi nginempilo ebuthakathaka. Empeleni, ubaba wayejwayele ukuthi, “Noma nini lapho ushaywa umoya, uvele ugule.” Kwakubonakala sengathi uqinisile!

LAPHO ngisemncane, abefundisi babethandazela ukuthula ngenkulu intshiseko, kodwa lapho kugqashuka impi yezwe yesibili, bashintsha bathandazela ukunqoba. Lokhu kwangidida, kwangishiya nginemibuzo eminingi. Kusenjalo, savakashelwa u-Annie Ratcliffe, owayengukuphela kukaFakazi kaJehova endaweni yakithi.

Ukufunda Iqiniso

U-Annie wasishiyela incwadi ethi Salvation futhi wamema umama ukuba eze engxoxweni yeBhayibheli eyayizoba kwakhe.a Umama wangicela ukuba ngihambe naye. Ngisayikhumbula leyo ngxoxo yokuqala. Yayiphathelene nesihlengo, futhi okwangimangaza ukuthi yayithakazelisa. Yaphendula imibuzo yami eminingi. Ngesonto elilandelayo, saya futhi. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwachazwa isiprofetho sikaJesu sesibonakaliso sezinsuku zokugcina. Lapho sicabanga ngezimo zomhlaba ezidabukisayo, savele sabona ukuthi leli iqiniso. Ngalo lolo suku, samenyelwa eHholo LoMbuso.

Ehholo, ngahlangana nedlanzana lentsha engamaphayona, phakathi kwawo kwakukhona noJoyce Barber (manje osengowakwa-Ellis), osakhonza nomyeni wakhe, uPeter, eBethel yaseLondon. Kwakubonakala sengathi wonke umuntu wayephayona. Ngakho, zisuka nje ngaqala ukushumayela amahora angu-60 njalo ngenyanga, nakuba ngangisafunda isikole.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezinhlanu, ngo-February 11, 1940, mina nomama sabhapathizwa emhlanganweni wesifunda, eBradford. Ubaba akazange aphikisane nenkolo yethu entsha, kodwa akazange abe uFakazi. Umsebenzi wokufakaza emgwaqweni wasungulwa cishe ngesikhathi engabhapathizwa ngaso. Ngahlanganyela kuwo, ngiphatha isikhwama sikamagazini nezingqwembe. Ngomunye uMgqibelo, ngabelwa ukuba ngifakaze engxenyeni yezitolo ematasa kakhulu. Ngangisabesaba abantu futhi kwakubonakala sengathi zonke izingane engangifunda nazo esikoleni zazidlula lapho ngangimi khona!

Ngo-1940 ibandla engangihlanganyela kulo kwadingeka ukuba lihlukaniswe. Lapho selihlukanisiwe, cishe bonke ontanga yami bawela kwelinye ibandla. Ngakhalaza ngalokhu encekwini yebandla (manje ebizwa ngokuthi umbonisi owengamele). Yathi, “Uma ufuna abangane abangangawe, hamba uyobafuna ensimini.” Yilokho kanye engakwenza! Kungakabiphi, ngahlangana no-Elsie Noble. Wamukela iqiniso, futhi sisalokhu singabangane.

Inkonzo Yamaphayona Nezibusiso Zayo

Lapho ngiqeda isikole, ngasebenzela umgcini wamabhuku ezimali. Nokho, njengoba ngibona injabulo izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ezazinayo, sakhula isifiso sami sokukhonza uJehova njengephayona. Ngo-May 1945, ngajabulela ukuqala ukukhonza njengephayona elikhethekile. Ngosuku engaqala ngalo ukuphayona, layidliva usuku lonke. Noma kunjalo, ngakujabulela kakhulu ukuba sensimini kangangokuthi angibanga nandaba naleyo mvula. Empeleni, ukuba sensimini nsuku zonke nokuvivinya umzimba engangikuthola njalo ngokugibela ibhayisekili lami lapho ngisenkonzweni kwayithuthukisa impilo yami. Nakuba ngingakaze ngibe nesisindo esingaphezu kwamakhilogremu angu-42, akukaze kudingeke nginqamule inkonzo yami. Phakathi nayo yonke le minyaka, ngiye ngakubona ngokoqobo ukuthi “uJehova uyizikhwepha zami.”—IHu. 28:7.

Njengoba kwakunomgomo wokuqala amabandla amasha, ngathunyelwa emadolobheni angenabo oFakazi ukuba ngiyokhonza njengephayona elikhethekile. Ngaqale ngakhonza iminyaka emithathu eNgilandi kamuva ngakhonza eminye emithathu e-Ireland. Ngenkathi ngiphayona e-Lisburn, e-Ireland, ngafundela indoda eyayiyigosa esontweni lobuProthestani. Njengoba yayifunda iqiniso ngezimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo, yaqala ukufundisa abantu besonto layo izinto ezintsha eyayizifunda. Abanye babo bakhononda kubaphathi besonto, futhi njengoba kulindelekile, kwadingeka ichaze ngalokhu. Yathi yayinomuzwa wokuthi kwakuwumthwalo wayo wemfanelo njengomKristu ukutshela umhlambi ukuthi yayiwufundise izinto eziningi ezingamanga. Nakuba umndeni wayo wayiphikisa kakhulu, yanikezela ukuphila kwayo kuJehova futhi yamkhonza ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba sekufeni.

Ngisesabelweni sami sesibili njengephayona, eLarne, khona belu e-Ireland, ngake ngakhonza ngedwa amasonto ayisithupha, umuntu engangiphayona naye esaye eMhlanganweni Wokwanda KoMbuso Wasezulwini eNew York, ngo-1950. Lesi kwakuyisikhathi esinzima kimi ngoba nami ngangifisa ukuba kulowo mhlangano. Nokho, kulawo masonto, ngaba nokuhlangenwe nakho okuningana okukhuthazayo enkonzweni yasensimini. Ngahlangana nekhehla elathola enye yezincwadi zethu eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-20 ngaphambili. Lase liyifunde kaningi phakathi naleyo minyaka kangangokuthi cishe lase liyazi ngekhanda. Lona kanye nendodana nendodakazi yalo, bamukela iqiniso.

Ukuqeqeshwa Esikoleni SaseGileyadi

Ngo-1951, mina namanye amaphayona ayishumi aseNgilandi, samenyelwa ukuba siye ekilasini le-17 leSikole SaseGileyadi eSouth Lansing, eNew York. Yeka indlela engayijabulela ngayo imfundo yeBhayibheli esayithola ngalezo zinyanga! Ngaleso sikhathi, odade babengakabhaliswa eSikoleni Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini emabandleni, kodwa eGileyadi thina bodade sasizithola izabelo zokunikeza izinkulumo zabafundi nemibiko. Sasingeve sithukile! Phakathi nayo yonke inkulumo yami yokuqala, isandla engangibambe ngaso uhlaka sasiqhaqhazela. Umfundisi wethu, uMfoweth’ uMaxwell Friend, wancokola wathi: “Awethukanga nje ekuqaleni njengoba kuba njalo ngazo zonke izikhulumi ezinhle, kodwa wethuke waze waqeda.” Phakathi nesikole, ikhono lethu sonke lokukhuluma phambi kwekilasi lathuthuka. Kusemnandi kusenjalo, ukuqeqeshwa kwethu kwaphela, futhi thina bafundi sabelwa ukuya kwamanye amazwe amaningana. Mina ngabelwa eThailand!

“Izwe Labantu Abahlale Bemomotheka”

Ngikubheka njengesibusiso esivela kuJehova ukuthi ngabelwa no-Astrid Anderson eThailand. Sahamba amasonto angu-7 ngomkhumbi othwala izimpahla. Lapho sifika enhloko-dolobha, iBangkok, sathola ukuthi kunezimakethe eziphithizelayo noxhaxha lwemisele emikhulu eyayisetshenziswa njengemigwaqo. Ngo-1952, kwakunabamemezeli boMbuso abangaphansi kuka-150 eThailand.

Lapho siqala ukubona INqabayokulinda yolimi lwesiThai, sazibuza, ‘Kazi siyoke sikwazi ukulukhuluma lolu limi?’ Into eyayiyinselele kakhulu kwakuwukubiza amagama ngephimbo elifanele. Ngokwesibonelo, igama elithi khaù, uma ulisho ngephimbo eliphakeme ekuqaleni wehle ekugcineni lisho “ilayisi,” kodwa lona leli gama lapho ulisho ngephimbo eliphansi lisho “izindaba.” Ngakho, lapho sisenkonzweni yasensimini, ekuqaleni sasilokhu sitshela abantu ukuthi, “Siniphathele ilayisi elihle,” esikhundleni sokuthi “izindaba ezinhle”! Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi—nangemva kokuhlekwa kaningi—saphumelela.

Abantu baseThailand banobungane kakhulu. IThailand ibizwa kufanele ngokuthi iZwe Labantu Abahlale Bemomotheka. Isabelo sethu sokuqala saba sedolobheni laseKhorat (manje elibizwa ngokuthi iNakhon Ratchasima), futhi sakhonza khona iminyaka emibili. Kamuva, sabelwa edolobheni laseChiang Mai. Abantu abaningi baseThailand bangamaBuddha futhi abalijwayele iBhayibheli. EKhorat, ngafundela umphathi wehhovisi leposi. Saxoxa ngenzalamizi u-Abrahama. Njengoba le ndoda yayike yalizwa leli gama elithi Abrahama, yayilokhu inqekuzisa ikhanda ngokujabula. Nokho, ngasheshe ngathola ukuthi sasingakhulumi ngo-Abrahama ofanayo. Le ndoda yayicabanga ngo-Abraham Lincoln, owayengumongameli wase-United States!

Sasikujabulela ukufundisa abantu baseThailand abanhliziyo ziqotho iBhayibheli, bona basifundisa ukuthola injabulo ngokuphila ukuphila okulula. Leso sifundo sasibalulekile, ngoba ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli lokuqala eKhorat, wawungekho ugesi noma ompompi. Ezabelweni ezinjalo, ‘safunda imfihlo yakho kokubili ukuba nensada nokuswela.’ Njengomphostoli uPawulu, sathola ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuba “namandla azo zonke izinto ngenxa yalowo ongipha amandla.”—Fil. 4:12, 13.

Umngane Omusha Nesabelo Esisha

Emuva ngo-1945, ngavakashela eLondon. Ngenkathi ngilapho, ngahamba namanye amaphayona nezikhonzi zaseBethel saya eMnyuziyamu WaseBrithani. Omunye wabo kwakungu-Allan Coville, okwathi ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho waya ekilasini le-11 laseGileyadi. Wabelwa eFrance kamuva wabelwa eBelgium.b Kamuva, ngenkathi ngikhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli eThailand, wangicela umshado, futhi ngavuma.

Sashadela eBrussels, eBelgium, ngo-July 9, 1955. Selokhu kwathi nhló nganginesifiso sokuba iholidi lami langemva komshado libe seParis, ngakho u-Allan wahlela ukuba siye emhlanganweni owawuzoqhutshelwa khona ngesonto elilandelayo. Nokho, kwathi nje lapho sifika, u-Allan wacelwa ukuba asize njengomhumushi phakathi nawo wonke umhlangano. Nsuku zonke, kwakudingeka ahambe ekuseni kakhulu futhi sasibuyela lapho sasihlala khona ebusuku kakhulu. Ngakho, ngalichitha eParis iholidi lami langemva komshado, kodwa ezikhathini eziningi u-Allan ngangimbukela kude—lé epulatifomu! Noma kunjalo, ngajabula ukubona umyeni wami omusha esetshenziswa ukuba akhonze abafowabo nodadewabo, futhi ngangingangabazi ukuthi uma uJehova ehlala eyingxenye enkulu emshadweni wethu, sasiyojabula ngempela.

Ukushada kwangiyisa kwesinye isabelo sensimu—eBelgium. Cishe ukuphela kwento engangiyazi ngeBelgium ukuthi kwakulwelwe khona izimpi eziningana, kodwa ngasheshe ngathola ukuthi empeleni iningi labantu baseBelgium lithanda ukuthula. Kulesi sabelo sami kwadingeka nokuba ngifunde isiFulentshi, esikhulunywa engxenyeni eseningizimu.

Ngo-1955 kwakunabamemezeli abangaba ngu-4 500 eBelgium. Mina no-Allan sakhonza eBethel sabuye sajikeleza iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-49. Iminyaka yokuqala emibili nengxenye sasilidabula ngamabhayisekili, sehla senyusa amagquma, lina noma libalele. Phakathi naleyo minyaka, salala emakhaya oFakazi angaphezu kuka-2 000! Ngangivame ukuhlangana nabafowethu nodadewethu ababebuthaka emzimbeni kodwa ababekhonza uJehova ngawo wonke amandla abo. Isibonelo sabo sangikhuthaza ukuba ngingayiyeki inkonzo. Ekupheleni kwesonto ngalinye esilichithe nebandla, njalo sasizizwa sikhuthazekile. (Roma 1:11, 12) U-Allan waba umngane weqiniso wangempela. Yeka ukuthi ayiqiniso kanjani amazwi omShumayeli 4:9, 10: “Ababili bangcono kunoyedwa, . . . ngoba uma kungenzeka omunye wabo awe, lo omunye angamvusa umngane wakhe”!

Izibusiso Zokuphila Kokukhonza ‘Ngezikhwepha ZikaJehova’

Phakathi neminyaka, mina no-Allan siye saba nokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi okujabulisayo kokusiza abanye bakhonze uJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1983 sahambela ibandla lesiFulentshi e-Antwerp, lapho sahlala khona nomkhaya owawuhlalise noBenjamin Bandiwila, umzalwane osemusha waseZaire (manje ebizwa ngokuthi iDemocratic Republic of Congo). UBenjamin wayezele imfundo ephakeme eBelgium. Wasitshela, “Ngiyakuhalela ukuphila kwenu, nizinikele ngokuphelele enkonzweni kaJehova.” UAllan waphendula: “Uthi uyakuhalela ukuphila kwethu; kodwa uphishekela izinto zezwe. Awucabangi ukuthi le nto oyishoyo iyaziphikisa?” La mazwi angagunci enza uBenjamin wacabanga ngokuphila kwakhe. Kamuva esebuyele eZaire, waqala ukuphayona, futhi sikhuluma nje ukhonza njengelungu leKomiti Yegatsha.

Ngo-1999, ngahlinzwa ukuze kususwe isilonda emminzweni. Ngemva kokuhlinzwa, isisindo sami sahlale singamakhilogremu angu-30. ‘Ngiyisitsha sobumba’ esibuthakathaka ngempela. Kodwa ngiyabonga ngokuthi uJehova uye wanginika “amandla angaphezu kwavamile.” Ngemva kokuhlinzwa, wenza ngakwazi ukuphinde ngihambe no-Allan emsebenzini wokujikeleza. (2 Kor. 4:7) Kwathi ngo-March 2004, u-Allan washona elele. Angive ngimkhumbula, kodwa kuyangiduduza ukwazi ukuthi usenkumbulweni kaJehova.

Namuhla, ngineminyaka engu-83, futhi sengineminyaka engu-63 ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngisakwazi ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni. Nginesifundo seBhayibheli engisiqhubela ekhaya futhi nsuku zonke ngibamba amathuba okukhuluma ngenjongo kaJehova emangalisayo. Ngezinye izikhathi ngiyazibuza, ‘Kazi ukuphila kwami ngabe kwaba njani ukube angizange ngiqale ukuphayona ngo-1945?’ Ngaleso sikhathi, impilo yami ebuthaka yayibonakala iyisizathu esizwakalayo sokungaphayoni. Nokho, yeka indlela engibonga ngayo ngokuthi ngiye ngangenela inkonzo yamaphayona ngisemusha! Ngiye ngaba nelungelo lokuzibonela mathupha ukuthi uma sibeka uJehova kuqala, uyoba izikhwepha zethu.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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Ngino-Astrid Anderson (kwesokudla), isithunywa sevangeli engangabelwe naso

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Emsebenzini wokujikeleza nomyeni wami, ngo-1956

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Ngino-Allan ngo-2000