Ukufunda IBhayibheli—Umthombo Wamandla Wokuphila Kwami Konke

Njengoba ilandiswa uMarceau Leroy

“EKUQALENI uNkulunkulu wadala amazulu nomhlaba,” kusho umusho wokuqala wencwadi engangiyifunda ngisekusithekeni kwekamelo lami. Kungani kwakudingeka ngifunde ekusithekeni? Phela ubaba, okwakwaziwa ukuthi akakholelwa kuNkulunkulu, wayengeke ayithande incwadi engangiyiphethe—iBhayibheli.

Ngangingakaze ngilifunde iBhayibheli, futhi kwaba njengokungathi ngishaywe umbani lapho ngifunda lawo mazwi okuqala encwadi kaGenesise. Ngacabanga, ‘Nansi incazelo yokusebenza ngokuvumelana kwemithetho yemvelo obekulokhu kungimangaza!’ Ngithathekile, ngafunda kusukela ngehora lesi-8 ebusuku kuya kwelesine ekuseni. Waqala kanjalo umkhuba wokuphila kwami konke wokufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ake nginichazele ukuthi ukufunda iBhayibheli kuye kwaba kanjani umthombo wamandla kimi ukuphila kwami konke.

“Kuzodingeka Ulifunde Nsuku Zonke”

Ngazalwa ngo-1926, eVermelles, idolobhana elinemayini yamalahle enyakatho yeFrance. Phakathi nempi yezwe yesibili, amalahle ayewumnotho obaluleke kakhulu ezweni. Ngenxa yokuthi ngangisebenza emayini, ngakhululwa enkonzweni yezempi. Noma kunjalo, ukuze ngizithuthukise, ngaqala izifundo eziphathelene nomsakazo nogesi, ezagcizelela kimi ukusebenza ngokuvumelana kwemithetho yemvelo. Lapho ngineminyaka engu-21, omunye walabo engangifunda nabo esikoleni wanginika iBhayibheli lami lokuqala, wathi, “Yincwadi ekufanelekelayo ukufundwa.” Lapho ngiqeda ukulifunda, ngase ngiqiniseka ukuthi iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu, isambulo asinikeze umuntu.

Ngathenga amaBhayibheli angu-8, ngicabanga ukuthi omakhelwane bami babezokujabulela ukufunda iBhayibheli. Ngamangala lapho bengihleka usulu futhi bengiphikisa. Izihlobo zami ezazikholelwa ezeni, zangixwayisa, “Uma uqala ukufunda le ncwadi, kuzodingeka uyifunde nsuku zonke!” Nembala ngalifunda, futhi angikaze ngizisole ngokwenza kanjalo. Kwaba umkhuba wokuphila kwami konke.

Lapho bebona isithakazelo enganginaso eBhayibhelini, abanye omakhelwane banginikeza izincwadi zoFakazi BakaJehova ababezitholile. Izincwajana ezinjengethi, One World, One Governmenta (eboniswe ngesiFulentshi) zangichazela ukuthi kungani iBhayibheli lithi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uwukuphela kwethemba lesintu. (Math. 6:10) Ngazimisela kunanini ngaphambili ukulihlanganyela nabanye leli themba.

Omunye wabokuqala engabanika amaBhayibheli kwakunguNoël, owayengumngane wami kwasebuntwaneni. Njengoba ayengumKatolika okhuthele, wahlela kuba sihlangane nothile owayefundela ubufundisi. Ngangethukile, kodwa ngangifundile kumaHubo 115:4-8 nakuMathewu 23:9, 10 ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengakwamukeli ukusetshenziswa kwezithombe ekukhulekeleni nokubizwa kwabefundisi ngeziqu ezingokwenkolo. Lokhu kwanginikeza isibindi sokuvikela ukholo lwami olwaluselusha. Ngenxa yalokho, uNoël walamukela iqiniso futhi usenguFakazi othembekile kuze kube manje.

Ngavakashela nodadewethu. Umyeni wakhe wayenezincwadi ezaziphathelene nokusebenzelana nemimoya futhi wayehlushwa amademoni. Nakuba ekuqaleni ngazizwa ngingenamandla okumsiza, amavesi anjengamaHebheru 1:14 angiqinisekisa ukuthi izingelosi zikaJehova zaziyongivikela. Lapho umlamu wami esebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibheli futhi ehlukana nazo zonke izinto eziphathelene nokulumba, wakwazi ukukhululeka ethonyeni lamademoni. Yena nodadewethu baba oFakazi abashisekayo.

Ngo-1947 kwafika uFakazi othile waseMelika ekhaya, ogama lakhe lingu-Arthur Emiot. Ngijabule, ngambuza ukuthi oFakazi babehlanganyelaphi. Wangitshela ukuthi kwakuneqembu elalihlanganyela eLiévin, eyayiqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ishumi. Kwakungelula ukuthola ngisho nebhayisekili ngalezo zinsuku, ngakho kwaphela izinyanga eziningana ngihamba ngezinyawo ukuya nokubuya emihlanganweni. Kwase kuyiminyaka engu-8 umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova uvinjelwe eFrance. KwakunoFakazi abangu-2 380 kuphela kulo lonke elaseFrance—iningi labo kungabantu bokufika basePoland. Kodwa ngo-September 1, 1947, umsebenzi wethu eFrance waphinde waqashelwa ngokomthetho. Kwaphinde kwamiswa ihhovisi legatsha eParis eVilla Guibert. Ngenxa yokuthi kwakungekho ngisho nelilodwa iphayona eFrance, i-Informant (manje esiyaziwa ngokuthi INkonzo Yethu YoMbuso) ka-December 1947 yakhipha isicelo esasisinxusa ukuba singenele inkonzo yamaphayona avamile, ayezoshumayela amahora angu-150 ngenyanga. (Lawo mahora ancishiswa aba yikhulu ngo-1949.) Ngivumelana ngokugcwele namazwi kaJesu akuJohane 17:17 athi, “Izwi [likaNkulunkulu] liyiqiniso,” ngabhapathizwa ngo-1948, kwathi ngo-December 1949, ngaba iphayona.

Ngaphuma Ejele Ngabuyela EDunkerque

Isabelo sami sokuqala e-Agen, eningizimu yeFrance, sathatha isikhathi esifushane. Ngenxa yokuthi ngangingasasebenzi ezimayini, kwase kufanele ngibuthelwe inkonzo yezempi. Ngenqaba ukuya empini, ngakho ngagqunywa ejele. Nakuba ngangingavunyelwe ukuba neBhayibheli, ngakwazi ukuthola amakhasi ambalwa encwadi yamaHubo. Ukuwafunda kwangikhuthaza. Lapho ngidedelwa, kwadingeka ngenze isinqumo: Ingabe kufanele ngiyeke inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ukuze ngibe nendlu ngizinze? Nalapha futhi, engakufunda eBhayibhelini kwangisiza. Ngazindla ngamazwi kaPawulu akweyabaseFilipi 4:11-13: “Nginamandla azo zonke izinto ngenxa yalowo ongipha amandla.” Nganquma ukuqhubeka ngiphayona. Ngo-1950, ngathola isabelo esisha—esaseDunkerque, idolobhana engake ngashumayela kulo.

Ngafika khona ngingenalutho. Leli dolobhana lalicekeleke phansi kakhulu phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, futhi kwakungelula ukuthola indawo yokuhlala. Nganquma ukuvakashela umkhaya othile owawuyimpindelo yami, futhi inkosikazi yakhona yajabula impela lapho ingibona, yathi: “Hhawu, Mnumzane Leroy, usuphumile ejele! Umyeni wami uthi ukube ebemaningi amadoda anjengawe, ngabe ayizange ibe khona impi.” Babenendlu yezivakashi, ngakho bangivumela ukuba ngihlale khona kuze kube yilapho kuqala inkathi yokutheleka kwezivakashi. Ngalo lolo suku, u-Evans, umfowabo ka-Arthur Emiot, wanginika umsebenzi.b Wayenza umsebenzi wokutolika esikhumulweni semikhumbi futhi efuna umuntu owayezogada umkhumbi ebusuku. Wangethula kwesinye sezikhulu zokuqala zalowo mkhumbi. Ngemva kwesikhathi engasichitha ejele, ngangingangothi lokuvungula. Lapho u-Evans echaza isizathu sokuzaca kwami, isikhulu sangitshela ukuba ngidle ukudla okwakusesiqandisini ngokukhululekile. Ngalolo suku olulodwa, ngathola indawo yokuhlala, umsebenzi nokudla! Ngawethemba nakakhulu amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 6:25-33.

Lapho kuqala inkathi yokutheleka kwezivakashi, kwadingeka ukuba mina nomngane wami engangiphayona naye, uSimon Apolinarski, sithole enye indawo esasizohlala kuyo, kodwa sasizimisele ukuqhubeka sikuleso sabelo sethu. Sathola indawo yokuhlala esitebeleni esidala, lapho sasilala ezinyandeni zotshani. Sasihlale sisenkonzweni nsuku zonke. Safakaza kumnikazi wesitebela futhi waba phakathi kwabaningi abalamukela iqiniso. Kungakabiphi kwavela isihloko ephephandabeni lendawo esasixwayisa izakhamuzi zaseDunkerque “ngokudlondlobala komsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova endaweni.” Kushiwo lokho nje kwakuyimi noSimon nedlanzana labamemezeli kuphela ababengoFakazi kuleyo ndawo! Lapho sibhekene nobunzima, kwakusikhuthaza ukuzindla ngethemba lethu njengamaKristu nokucabanga ngendlela uJehova ayesinakekele ngayo. Lapho isabelo sami sishintsha ngo-1952, kwase kunabamemezeli abangu-30 ababika njalo eDunkerque.

Ukuqiniselwa Imithwalo Yemfanelo Emisha

Ngemva kokuhlala isikhathi esifushane edolobheni lase-Amiens, ngamiswa njengephayona elikhethekile eBoulogne-Billancourt, esemaphethelweni eParis. Ngangifundela abantu abaningi, futhi abanye babo bangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele nomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli. Insizwa ethile, uGuy Mabilat, yamukela iqiniso futhi yathuthuka yaba umbonisi wesifunda, yaze yaba umbonisi wesigodi. Kamuva yengamela ukwakhiwa kwesakhiwo sokunyathelisa eBethel manje eseLouviers, ethe ukuqhela eParis. Ukuba nezingxoxo zeBhayibheli njalo enkonzweni kwaligcizelela ngokwengeziwe iZwi likaNkulunkulu engqondweni yami, kwanginika injabulo futhi kwangenza ngakwazi ukuthuthukisa ikhono lami lokufundisa.

Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1953, ngingazelele, ngamiswa njengombonisi wesifunda e-Alsace-Lorraine, isifunda esaba ngaphansi kweJalimane kabili phakathi kuka-1871 no-1945. Ngakho, kwadingeka ngifunde isiJalimane. Lapho ngiqala emsebenzini wokujikeleza, zazimbalwa izimoto, amathelevishini noma imishini yokubhala kuleyo ndawo futhi yayingekho imisakazo noma ama-computer. Kodwa ukuphila kwami kwakungadabukisi futhi kungesona isicefe. Empeleni, kwaba isikhathi esijabulisa kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwami. Ukulandela iseluleko seBhayibheli sokugcina ‘iso lami lilihle’ kwenza kwaba nezithikamezo ezimbalwa kakhulu ekukhonzeni uJehova kunalezo esezikhona namuhla.—Math. 6:19-22.

Ngiyohlale ngiwukhumbula uMhlangano ‘Wokunqoba KoMbuso’ owaba seParis ngo-1955. Ngambona lapho owagcina ebe ngumkami, u-Irène Kolanski, owayengidlula ngonyaka owodwa enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Abazali bakhe babedabuka ePoland futhi kwase kuyiminyaka bengoFakazi abashisekayo. Bavakashelwa u-Adolf Weber eFrance. Wayeke waba isisebenzi sasengadini sikaMfoweth’ uRussell futhi wayeze eYurophu ezoshumayela izindaba ezinhle. Sashada ngo-1956 futhi u-Irène wahlanganyela nami emsebenzini wokujikeleza. Akeve angisekela kuyo yonke le minyaka!

Ngemva kweminyaka emibili sishadile, ngathola esinye isibusiso ngingalindele—ngamiswa njengombonisi wesigodi. Nokho, ngenxa yokuntuleka kwabazalwane abafanelekayo, ngangiqhubeka ngihambela amanye amabandla njengombonisi wesifunda. Yeka ukuthi leso sikhathi saba esimatasa kangakanani! Ngaphezu kokushumayela amahora ayikhulu ngenyanga, isonto ngalinye kwakudingeka nginikeze izinkulumo, ngihambele izifundo zencwadi ezintathu, ngibheke amarekhodi ebandla futhi ngibhale imibiko. Ngangiyokwazi kanjani ukuthengisisa isikhathi sokufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu? Linye kuphela ikhambi engalicabanga—ngasika amakhasi eBhayibhelini lami elidala futhi ngangihlale nginambalwa. Noma nini lapho ngisalinde othile, ngangiwakhipha ngifunde. Lezi zikhathi ezimfushane zokuqabuleka ngokomoya zaqinisa ukuzimisela kwami ukuqhubeka ngisesabelweni sami.

Ngo-1967, mina no-Irène samenyelwa ukuyokhonza emkhayeni waseBethel ukuphila kwethu konke, eBoulogne-Billancourt. Ngaqala ukusebenza eMnyangweni Wenkonzo, futhi sekuyiminyaka engu-40 ngijabulela leli lungelo. Isici esilokhu singilethela injabulo emsebenzini wami ukuphendula izincwadi ezinemibuzo yeBhayibheli. Yeka indlela engijabula ngayo lapho ngimba eZwini likaNkulunkulu futhi ‘ngivikela izindaba ezinhle’! (Fil. 1:7) Kuyangijabulisa nokuqhuba izingxoxo zeBhayibheli ekukhulekeleni kwasekuseni ngaphambi kokudla kwasekuseni. Ngo-1976, ngamiswa njengelungu leKomiti Yegatsha eFrance.

Indlela Engcono Kakhulu Yokuphila

Nakuba ngahlangabezana nezikhathi ezinzima, isikhathi esiyinselele kakhulu ekuphileni kwami simanje, njengoba ukuguga nezinkinga zempilo zikulinganisela lokho mina no-Irène esingakwenza. Noma kunjalo, ukufunda nokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu ndawonye kugcina ithemba lethu liphila. Siyakujabulela ukugibela ibhasi siye ensimini yebandla lethu siyoxoxa nabanye ngaleli themba. Okuhlangenwe nakho kwethu sobabili kweminyaka engaphezu kuka-120 enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele kusishukumisela ukuba siyituse ngaphandle kokuthandabuza le nkambo kubo bonke abafuna ukuphishekela ukuphila okuthakazelisayo, okujabulisayo nokuzuzisayo. Lapho iNkosi uDavide ibhala iHubo 37:25, ‘yayisikhulile’ nayo, futhi njengayo, ngingasho ukuthi “angizange ngimbone olungileyo eshiywe ngokuphelele.”

Kukho konke ukuphila kwami, uJehova uye wangiqinisa ngeZwi lakhe. Izihlobo zami zakubikezela eminyakeni engu-60 edlule ukuthi ukufunda iBhayibheli kwakuyoba umkhuba wokuphila kwami konke. Zaziqinisile. Kuye kwaba yilokho kanye—umkhuba wansuku zonke engingakaze ngizisole ngawo!

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Mina noSimon

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Ngesikhathi ngingumbonisi wesigodi

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

IBhayibheli elifana nelokuqala engalithola

[Isithombe ekhasini 6]

Ngosuku lwethu lomshado

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Mina no-Irène sijabulela ukufunda nokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu