INDABA YOKUPHILA | ILANDISWA NGU-ASTER PARKER
Ngangizimisele Ukuphilela UJehova
Ngibabonga ngingaqedi abazali bami ngokungifundisa iqiniso kusukela ngiseselusane. Indlela abangifundisa ngayo besebenzisa imifanekiso kanye lezindaba ezisebhukwini elithi From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained yanginceda ukuthi ngithande uJehova. Ngangithanda ukuxoxela abantwana ababengomakhelwane kanye lokhulu nxa wayesivatshele lokho engangikufunda eBhayibhilini. Abazali bami babesiba leqiniso lokuthi izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza sasizenza siyimuli futhi lokhu kwasinceda langesikhathi sesithuthele e-Addis Ababa, e-Ethiopia sisuka e-Asmara, e-Eritrea.
Ngangilesifiso sokuzinikela kuJehova lokubhabhathizwa ngisesemncane ngoba iqiniso ngangivele ngilithanda. Ngenelisa ukukwenza lokhu ngileminyaka engu-13. Ngathi sengilengu-14, umfowethu uHelge Linck a wangibuza ukuthi sengike ngacabanga ngokuphayona yini. Ngisalikhumbula kuhle ilanga lakhona. Lanxa ubaba lomama babeke baba ngamaphayona esikhatshana (khathesi asebizwa ngokuthi ngamaphayona asizayo), ngangingazi lutho ngokuba liphayona lesikhathi sonke. Umbuzo kamfowethu uLinck wangenza ngaba lesifiso sokwenza okunengi enkonzweni kaJehova.
Ngisanda kudlulisa iminyaka engu-13, ngilomnawami uJosiah
Ukulungela Ukuhlukuluzwa
Iziphithiphithi zezombusazwe ezazise-Ethiopia ngo-1974 zabangela ukubotshwa lokubulawa kwabantu. Ngalesosikhathi sasingasenelisi ukutshumayela endlini ngendlu njalo lemihlangano yebandla sasesiyenza singamaqembu amancane. Abazali bami bahle baqalisa ukungincedisa mina kanye labanawami ukuthi silungiselele okunye ukuhlukuluzwa okwakungabakhona. Izimiso eziseBhayibhilini zasinceda sazwisisa ukuthi kungani amaKhristu kwakungamelanga angene kwezombusazwe. Safunda lokuthi uJehova wayezasincedisa ukuthi sazi lokho okwakuzamele sikutsho nxa sibuzwa imibuzo lokuthi ngezinye izikhathi kwakuzadingeka sithule, singaphenduli imibuzo esasizabe siyibuzwa.—UMathewu 10:19; 27:12, 14.
AFP PHOTO
Ngesikhathi sempi yomvukela ngo-1974
Ngathi ngiqeda isikolo ngayasebenzela i-Ethopian Airlines. Ngelinye ilanga ngathi ngifika emsebenzini ekuseni, engangisebenza labo bangithabela ngoba ngangikhethwe ukuthi ngikhokhele umbuthano othile kahulumende. Masinyane nje, ngahle ngatshela owayekhangela izisebenzi ukuthi ngangingasoze ngenelise ukuba khona embuthanweni lowo ngenxa yokuthi ngingumKhristu futhi angingeni kwezombusazwe.
Ngelanga elalandelayo, ngathi ngisebenza egcekeni lezindizamtshina ngabona kuthutsha amadoda ayethwele imibhobho. Amadoda lawo aqonda lapho okuthengiswa khona amatikiti. Ngazitshela ukuthi engxenye azobopha umuntu othile owayezama ukubaleka elizweni kodwa ngamangala ngibona ekhombela mina. Ngazibuza ukuthi ayefunani kimi. Ilanga elaliqalise kuhle latshintsha ngokucwayiza kwelihlo.
Ukuncediswa Ngesikhathi Ngisejele
Amasotsha angisa kwenye indlu lapho afika khona angibuza imibuzo eminengi okwesikhathi eside. Bangibuza bathi: “Ngubani obhadala oFakazi bakaJehova? Usebenzela inhlanganiso ye-Eritrean Liberation Front yini? Phakathi kwakho loyihlo, ngubani osebenzela uhulumende we-United States?” Lanxa ukubuzwa imibuzo eminenginengi kwangikhathaza kakhulu, uJehova wangincedisa ukuthi ngihlaliseke.—KwabaseFiliphi 4:6, 7.
Ngemva kokuhlohlwa ngemibuzo, amasotsha la angisa kwenye indlu eyayisisetshenziswa njengejele njalo angingenisa ekamelweni elincane elalilabanye abesifazana abasakhulayo abangu-15 ababebotshelwe ezombusazwe.
Ngesikhathi ngisebenzela ikhampani yendizamtshina
Mhlalokho ebusuku ngalala phansi ngilokhu ngigqoke iyunifomu yomsebenzi. Ngangikhathazeke kakhulu ngicabanga ngendlela abazali bami kanye labanawami ababezizwa ngayo. Babekwazi ukuthi ngangibotshiwe kodwa babengakwazi ukuthi ngangivalelwe ngaphi. Ngacela uJehova ukuthi ancedise abangakithi bazwe ukuthi ngangivalelwe ngaphi.
Kusasa ekuseni ngabona omunye ugadijele engangimazi. Wangikhangela emangele wathi, “Aster, wenzani lapha?” Ngamncenga ukuthi aye ngakithi ayebatshela ukuthi ngangivalelwe ngaphi. Mbayimbayi ngaphiwa ukudla lempahla zokutshintsha okwakuphathiswe ngabangakithi. Ugadijele wayebatshelile ukuthi ngangivalelwe ngaphi. UJehova wayewuphendulile umthandazo wami. Isenzakalo lesi sangiqinisekisa ukuthi uJehova wayengangilahlanga.
Ngangingavunyelwa ukuba leBhayibhili kumbe amanye amabhuku enhlanganiso njalo izihlobo labangane bami babengavunyelwa ukungivakatshela. Lanxa kunjalo, uJehova wayengikhuthaza esebenzisa abanye engangibotshwe labo. Ngangibatshumayeza nsuku zonke njalo kwabamangalisa ukuzwa iqiniso elimayelana loMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Babehlala besithi: “Thina silwela uhulumende wabantu kodwa wena ulwela okaNkulunkulu. Ungalulahli ukholo lwakho bangaze bakwethusele ngokuthi bazakubulala.”
Ngezinye izikhathi ogadijele babebuza izibotshwa imibuzo eminengi futhi bezitshaya. Ngelinye ilanga ngabo-11 ebusuku babuya belande mina. Sathi sifika ekamelweni esasibuzelwa khona imibuzo, baqalisa ukungethesa amacala amanengi. Bathi angisekeli uhulumende njalo ngathi sengale ukukhuluma i-slogan sezombusazwe, amadoda amabili angogadijele angitshaya. Lokhu bakwenza okwezikhathi ezinengi ezalandelayo. Zikhathi zonke ngangikhuleka kuJehova njalo wayehlala engisekela.
Ngemva kwenyanga ezintathu, omunye ugadijele wangitshela ukuthi ngasengikhululiwe ejele. Lanxa ngathaba ngenxa yokuthi ngangikufuna sibili ukuphuma, ngadana ngoba ngasengikukholisa ukutshumayeza abesifazana abasakhulayo engangilabo ejele.
Ngemva kwenyanga ezimbalwa ngiphume ejele, kwafika amasotsha ngakithi ezobopha bonke abasakhulayo kodwa mina ngangingekho endlini ngalesosikhathi. Babopha abanawami ababili abangamankazana longumfana oyedwa. Ngahle ngabona ukuthi kwakungcono ukuthi mina ngiphume elizweni ngibaleke. Lanxa kwakungizwisa ubuhlungu ukuthi ngasengizatshiya imuli yangakithi, umama wangikhuthaza ukuthi ngibe lesibindi, ngithembe uJehova. Ngemva kwesikhatshana, ngagada indizamtshina ngaya e-United States. Mhlalokho ntambama kwafika amasotsha ngakithi ezongibopha. Athi ebona ukuthi ngangingekho, agijima aya egcekeni lendizamtshina kodwa athi efika athola indizamtshina engangiyigadile isisukile.
Ngathi ngifika eMaryland ngemukelwa ngumfowethu uHaywood Ward lomkakhe uJoan. Yibo abafundisa abazali bami iBhayibhili besesengabanali. Ngemva kwenyanga ezinhlanu ngifikile, ngaqalisa ukuphayona. Ngaphayona lendodakazi yabo uCyndi njalo sasikukholisa kakhulu ukutshumayela.
Ngesikhathi ngiphayona loCyndi Ward
Ukusebenza Ngenhliziyo Yonke EBhetheli
Ngesikhathi mina lomkami siseBhetheli yeWallkill, eNew York
Ngo-1979 ngavakatshela eBhetheli yeNew York lapho engahlangana khona lomfowethu uWesley Parker. Ngabuthanda ubuntu bakhe obuhle kanye lokuthi wayefisa ukwenza okunengi enkonzweni. Satshada ngo-1981 njalo ngahle ngathuthela eWallkill eNew York ukuze ngiyesebenza loWesley eBhetheli. Ngasebenza kuhlangothi lokuklina lokuwatsha njalo ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngasebenza leqembu elalikhangela i-MEPS kuhlangothi lwamakhompiyutha. Ukusebenza eBhetheli kunginike ithuba lokukhonza uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke kanye lokwazana labafowethu labodadewethu abanengi abalokhu bengabangane bami lakhathesi.
Imuli yangakithi e-Ethiopia yayilokhu ihlukuluzwa futhi ithwaliswe nzima. Abanawami abathathu ababebotshiwe babelokhu besejele. b Nsuku zonke umama wayepheka ukudla abaphathele ngoba izibotshwa zazingaphiwa ukudla.
UJehova wangiqinisa ngesikhathi leso esasinzima njalo labazalwane engangisebenza labo eBhetheli babengikhuthaza futhi bengiduduza. (UMakho 10:29, 30) Ngelinye ilanga umfowethu uJohn Booth wathi kimi: “Siyathokoza ngokuthi usebenza lapha eBhetheli. Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyakubusisa sibili.” c Amazwi la akhuthazayo angenza ngangathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova wayesibusisile isinqumo sami sokusuka e-Ethiopia lokuthi wayezayinakekela imuli yangakithi.
Ukukhonza UJehova Siyimuli
Ngo-January 1989 samangala sinanzelela ukuthi ngasengizithwele. Lokhu kwasikhathaza kakhulu kodwa ngemva kwamalanga ambalwa saqalisa ukujabula. Lanxa kunjalo, sasizibuza ukuthi sasizakuba ngabazali abanjani lokuthi sasizakuyahlala ngaphi kanye lokuthi sasizayinakekela njani imuli yethu nxa sesiphumile eBhetheli.
Mhlaka 15 April, ngo-1989 sapakitsha izinto zethu emoteni saya e-Oregon lapho esasihlele ukuyahlala khona siphayona. Kodwa sathi silesikhatshana nje sifikile, abanye abangane bethu ababesithanda bathi sasingeke senelise ukuqhubeka siphayona. Phela sasilemali encane futhi sasesizakuba lomntwana. Pho sasizakwenzani? Sisazibuza, savakatshelwa ngumbonisi wesiqinti uGuy Pierce lomkakhe uPenny. d Basikhuthaza ukuthi siqhubekele phambili ngalokho esasikuhlelile siphuma eBhetheli. Yikho sahle saqalisa ukuphayona njalo sathemba ukuthi uJehova wayezasinakekela. (UMalakhi 3:10) Saqhubeka siphayona ngesikhathi sesilendodana yethu yokuqala uLemuel langesikhathi sesileyesibili uJadon.
Sasikukholisa kakhulu ukuphayona ngapha sikhulisa abantwabethu. Ukuphayona kwasinika ithuba lokufundisa abantwabethu kanye labomakhelwane bethu iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini. (UDutheronomi 11:19) Kodwa ngemva kokuzalwa kwendodana yethu yesithathu uJapheth, kwadingeka ukuthi sime ukuphayona okwesikhathi esithile.—UMikha 6:8.
Safundisa Abantwabethu Ukuthi Bakhonze UJehova
Sananzelela ukuthi umsebenzi omkhulu esasilawo njengabazali wawungowokuncedisa abantwabethu ukuthi babone ukuthi uJehova ukhona sibili lokuthi babe ngabangane bakhe. Yikho sazama ukwenza ukuthi ukukhonza kwethu kwemuli kube mnandi njalo bahlale bekulindele ngabomvu. Besasebancane sasijayele ukubala labo ibhuku elithi Listening to the Great Teacher lelithi My Book of Bible Stories. Sasike senze lemidlalo esekelwe endabeni esasizibala. Njengoba kwakuyimi ngedwa umuntu wesifazana endlini, sathi sisenza umdlalo omayelana lendaba kaJezebheli, yimi engangisiba nguJezebheli. Abafana babekuthanda ukwenza angathi bayangifuqa bengiwisela phansi besebephinda benze njengezinja ezidla uJezebheli. Umkami uWesley wayephinda abe lohlelo lokufunda iBhayibhili labantwabethu. Wayebafundisa omunye lomunye ngesikhathi esitshiyeneyo.
Sasibathanda kakhulu abantwabethu njalo sibanakekela kuhle. Sasihlala sikhuleka sicela ukuthi imuli yethu ihlale ithandana futhi izwanana. Bathi sebekhulakhulile, saqalisa ukubafundisa ukwenza imisebenzi yendlini enjengokugezisa imiganu, ukuklina emakamelweni abo, ukuwatsha lokupheka.
Ngesikhathi sifundisa abantwabethu kukhona lathi esasikufunda. Kulezikhathi lapho esasike sivuke ngolaka loba sikhulume amazwi azwisa abantwabethu ubuhlungu loba siwatshelane thina. Sasisithi nxa singenza njalo, sizithobe sixolise.
Sasihlala sinxusa abafowethu labodawethu esasikhonza labo emzini wethu njalo ngezinye izikhathi sasinxusa abazalwane abakhonza eBhetheli, labanali, labahambeli kanye lalabo ababekhonza ezindaweni ezilabamemezeli abalutshwana. (KwabaseRoma 12:13) Nxa kwakulabantu bemzini, sasingaxotshi abantwana sithi bayedlala kwelinye ikamelo kodwa babehlala ndawonye lathi bazwe ingxoxo ezikhuthazayo ezazisiba khona. Izikhathi ezinengi abantwana babesala bebambe izinto ezinengi ezaziyabe zixoxiwe ukwedlula lezo thina esasisala sizikhumbula.
Mina loWesley sasebenza nzima ukuze sikukholise ukukhonza uJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, sasihlela kusaselesikhathi njalo sigcine imali kanye lamalanga okuphumula ukuze sivakatshele kwamanye amazwe. Kuwo wonke amazwe esasiwavakatshela, sasihle siyebona lewofisi yegatsha yalelolizwe. Sasiphuma ekutshumayeleni njalo singena lemihlangano yebandla elizweni esilivakatsheleyo. Lokhu kwasenza sayithanda kakhulu indlela inhlanganiso kaJehova emanyene ngayo futhi kwasinceda ukuthi lathi sithandane kakhulu njengemuli.
Ngesikhathi imuli yethu ivakatshele emawofisini amakhulu eBrooklyn, eNew York ngo-2013
Saqhubeka Sikhuthele Enkonzweni
Sananzelela ukuthi kwakulabantu abanengi endaweni yakithi ababekhuluma isiSpanish kodwa babengatshunyayezwa kangako. Yikho ngesikhathi abantwabethu besasebancane, sabuza umfowethu uPierce ukuthi kwakungenza yini ukuthi imuli yethu ithuthele ebandleni lesiSpanish. Waphendula ebobotheka wathi: “Nxa ungumgoli wenhlanzi, uya loba ngaphi okulenhlanzi khona.” Amazwi la asikhuthaza sibili yikho sahle sathuthela ebandleni lesiSpanish elaliseWoodburn, e-Oregon. Sasikukholisa kakhulu ukufundisa abantu iBhayibhili. Abanengi babo bathuthuka baze babhabhathizwa. Kanti njalo kwasithokozisa ukubona iqembu elincane lesiSpanish likhula lisiba libandla.
UWesley wake waphelelwa ngumsebenzi njalo kwadingeka ukuthi sithuthe siyehlala eCalifornia lapho ayesethole khona omunye. Ngemva kweminyaka emibili, mina loLemuel kanye loJadon saqalisa ukuphayona. Ngo-2007 ngajabula kakhulu ngingena labo iSikolo Senkonzo Samaphayona. Ngemva kokungena isikolo leso, sananzelela ukuthi kwakulabantu abanengi abakhuluma isi-Arabic endaweni esasihlala kuyo. Yikho ngemva kweminyaka engu-13 imuli yethu ingena lebandla lesiSpanish, sathuthela kwelesi-Arabic. Siyakukholisa ukuxoxa labantu abavela kwamanye amazwe abakhuluma isi-Arabic njalo siyake siye emikhankasweni yokutshumayeza abantu abakhuluma ulimi lolu eyenziwa kwamanye amazwe. Lokhe singamaphayona ensimini yesi-Arabic eSan Diego, eCalifornia.
UWesley yindoda elothando sibili njalo uyikhokhela kuhle imuli yethu. Uyayihlonipha kakhulu inhlanganiso kaJehova. Kazake akhulume kubi ngeBhetheli kumbe ngendlela izinto ezenziwa ngayo ebandleni. Uhlala elokuhle angakutsho. Uyakhuleka endawonye lami njalo uyangikhulekela. Nxa singahlangana lobunzima, imithandazo yakhe iyangiduduza njalo iyanginceda ukuthi ngihlaliseke.
Okweminyaka eminengi besikukholisa ukuba senkonzweni yesikhathi sonke, lokukhulisa imuli kanye lokuncedisa emabandleni alabamemezeli abalutshwana. Sikubonile sibili ukuthi uJehova uyababusisa labo abaqakathekisa ukumkhonza ngoba ubelokhu esinakekela ngalokho esikudingayo empilweni. (IHubo 37:25) Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi ukuzimisela ukuphilela uJehova yisinqumo esihle kulazo zonke engasenzayo.—IHubo 84:10.
Abame lami kusukela esandleni senxele: uJapheth, uLemuel, uJadon, loWesley
a Umfowethu uLinck wayekhonza ewofisini yegatsha yeKenya eyiyo eyayikhangela umsebenzi owawusenziwa e-Ethiopia.
b Abanawami bakhululwa ejele ngemva kweminyaka emine.
c Umfowethu uBooth wayelilunga leQula Elikhokhelayo waze waqeda inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-1996.
d Ngemva kwesikhathi umfowethu uPierce waba lilunga leQula Elikhokhelayo waze waqeda inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-2014.