Umlando Wokuphila

Ngadoseleka Ebantwini Abadala Abanelemuko

Ilandiswa ngu-Elva Gjerde

Eemnyakeni engaba ma-70 edlulileko, umuntu othileko owasivakatjhela ekhaya wenza isiphakamiso kubaba esakutjhugulula ngokupheleleko ukuphila kwami. Kusukela ngelanga eliqakathekilekwelo, abanye abanengi baba nomthelela ekuphileni kwami. Hlangana nesikhatheso, ngazuza ubungani obuligugu engibuqala njengobuqakatheke ukudlula nanyana yini. Khengihlathulule.

NGABELETHELWA eSydney, e-Australia, ngo-1932, ebabelethini abakholelwako kuZimu kodwana abangayi esondweni. Umma wangifundisa bona uZimu uqalile ngaso soke isikhathi, ukulungele ukungijezisa nengigangako. Lokho kwangenza ngamsaba uZimu. Nokho, belingikara iBhayibhili. Umani nekasivakatjhelako ngeempelaveke, bekangicocela iindaba zeBhayibhili ezinengi ezimnandi. Bengihlala ngiqale phambili ekuvakatjheni kwakhe.

Nengisesemutjha, ubaba wafunda isethi yeencwadi umma azifumana komunye ugogo onguFakazi KaJehova. Wakarwa khulu ngilokho egade akufunda eencwadini zobuKrestwezo kangangobana wavuma ukufunda iBhayibhili naboFakazi. Ngenye intambama nekafundelwa iBhayibhili, ubaba wangibamba ngisalalele emsithelweni. Besele azongibuyisela embhedeni isivakatjhi nesithi, “Kubayini ungamvumeli u-Elva abe khona nesifundako.” Isiphakamiswesi saba kuthoma kwendlela etja yokuphila neyobungani noZimu weqiniso—uJehova.

Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, mina nobaba sathoma ukuya eemhlanganweni yobuKrestu. Akufunda kwamtjhukumisela bona enze amatjhuguluko ekuphileni kwakhe. Wathoma ngitjho nokulawula ukusilingeka kwakhe. Lokho kwatjhukumisa umma nomnakwethu omdala, uFrank, bona bathome ukuya emihlanganweni. * Sobane sathuthuka begodu emaswapheleni sabhabhadiswa njengaboFakazi BakaJehova. Kusukela mhlokho, abakhulileko abanengi baba nomthelela omuhle kimi hlangana neenkhathi ezihlukahlukeneko zokuphila kwami.

NENGIKHETHA IBIZELO

Nengisesemutjha, bengitjhidelene nabakhulileko ebandleni lethu. Omunye wabo bekungu-Alice Place, udade okhulileko okunguye owasivakatjhela kokuthoma ekhaya. Waba njengogogo kimi. U-Alice wangibandula ekonzweni yatjhatjhalazi begodu wangikhuthaza bona ngifanelekele ukubhabhadiswa. Nengineemnyaka eli-15, ngawufikelela umnqopho loyo.

Godu ngatjhidelana nesibili esikhulileko uPercy noMadge [Margaret] Dunham. Ukuzihlanganisa nabo kwaba nomthelela omkhulu engomusweni lami. Phela, bengizithanda iimbalo, begodu ngabeka ihliziywami ekubeni ngutitjhere weembalo. UPercy noMadge bakhonza njengeenthunywa zevangeli eLatvia ngabo-1930. Nekuthoma iPi Yephasi II eYorubhu  bamenywa bona bazokukhonza eBethel ye-Australia, esedorobheni eliphakathi neSydney. UPercy noMadge baba nekareko yamambala kimi. Balandisa okuhlangabezanwe nakho okunengi okuthabisako ababa nakho ekonzweni yeenthunywa zevangeli. Ngabona ngokukhanyako bona ukufundisa iBhayibhili bekuzokwanelisa khulu kunokufundisa iimbalo. Ngalokho ngaqunta ukuba sithunywa sevangeli.

BakwaDunham bangikhuthaza bona ngilungiselele ikonzo yeenthunywa zevangeli ngokuphayona. Ngalokho ngo-1948, nengineemnyaka eli-16, ngaba hlangana nabanye abatjha abalitjhumi ebebaphayona ngethabo ebandleni lekhaya eHurstville, eSydney.

Eemnyakeni emine eyalandelako, ngaphayona kwamanye amadorobha amane—woke aseNew South Wales neQueensland. Omunye weemfundo zami zeBhayibhili zokuthoma bekunguBetty Law (nje Remnant). UBetty umntazana onetjhejo, bekamdala kimi ngeemnyaka eembili. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi waba mkhambisanami wokuphayona edorobheni leCowra, amakhilomithara angaba ma-230 etjhingalanga yeSydney. Ngitjho nanyana mina noBetty saphayona sobabili isikhathi esincani, saragela phambili sibangani bekube nje.

Nengifumana isabelo sokuba liphayona elikhethekileko, ngathuthela eNarrandera—idorobha elimakhilomithara ama-220 esewula tjhingalanga yeCowra. Umkhambisanami omutjha bekunguJoy Lennox (nje Hunter), iphayona elitjhisekako naye obekangidlula ngeemnyaka eembili. Bekungithi kwaphela aboFakazi edorobhenelo. Mina noJoy sahlala nesibili esinomoya wokungenisa abayeni uRay no-Esther Irons. Bona nendodanabo namadodakazabo amathathu bebanekareko eqinisweni. URay nendodanakhe bebasebenza eplasini lezimvu nekoroyi ngaphandle kwedorobho hlangana neveke, kukulapho u-Esther nabentazana banqophisa umsebenzi endlini enamakamura aqatjhwako. Qobe ngaboSondo, mina noJoy besiphekela umndeni wakwa-Irons namadoda aqatjhileko angaba li-12—woke aziinsebenzi zesiporweni ezilambileko—ukudla kwantambama okunengi. Ikonzo le beyihlanganisa ingcenye yerente yethu. Ngemva kokuhlwengisa, besiphakululela umndeni wakwa-Irons ukudla okumnandi okungokomoya—isifundo se-Sithalasokulinda saqobe veke. URay no-Esther, nabantwana babo abane bangena eqinisweni begodu baba malunga wokuthoma weBandla leNarrandera.

Ngo-1951, ngaya emhlanganweni wesigodi waboFakazi BakaJehova eSydney. Lapho ngaya emhlanganweni okhethekileko wamaphayona anekareko emsebenzini weenthunywa zevangeli. Kwaba nabama-300 emhlanganweni ebewubanjelwe etendeni elikhulu. UNathan Knorr ovela eBethel yeBrooklyn wakhuluma nesiqubuthweso waveza netlhogeko erhabako yokusa iindaba ezimnandi ephasini mazombe. Samlalelisisa kuhle. Amanengi wamaphayona egade alapho athomisa umsebenzi woMbuso eSouth Pacific nakezinye iindawo. Ngathaba khulu ukuba ngomunye wabali-17 abavela e-Australia abamenyelwa eklasini le-19 leSikolo SeGiliyadi ngo-1952. Ngineemnyaka ema-20 kwaphela, ibhudango lami lokuba sithunywa sevangeli belizaliseka!

NEKUTLHOGEKA ITJHUGULUKO

Ifundo nobudlelwano engabufumana eGiliyadi zange kwandise ilwazi lami ngeBhayibhili kwaqinisa nekholo lami kwaphela kodwana kwaba nomthelela omkhulu ebuntwini bami. Bengimncani begodu nginombono ongasingowamambala ngezinto, ngilindele ukuphelela kimi nakwabanye. Eminye yeembono yami beyiqine ngokudluleleko. Ngokwesibonelo, ngathukwa nengibona uMzalwan’ uKnorr adlala umdlalo webholo wobungani nesiqhema selutjha eBethel.

Abafundisi beGiliyadi—boke abamadoda anelemuko nokuhlangabezanwe nakho kweemnyaka eemnengi—kungenzeka babona bonyana nginobudisi. Baba nekareko kimi begodu bangisiza bona ngilungise ukucabanga kwami. Kancanikancani, ngathoma  ukubona uJehova njengoZimu onethando nothokozako, ingasi njengoneemthetho eqinileko nonelunya. Nabanye egade ngifunda nabo bangisiza. Ngikhumbula omunye wabo athi: “Elva, uJehova akasi le phezulu asebenzisa isibebhe. Ungazibekeli iimthetho eqine kangaka!” Amezwakhe anqophileko athinta ihliziywami.

Ngemva kweGiliyadi, mina negade ngifunda nabo abane sabelwa eNamibia, e-Africa. Msinyana besesiraga iimfundo zeBhayibhili ezi-80. Bengiyithanda iNamibia nepilo yeenthunywa zevangeli, kodwana ngathandana nogade ngifunda naye eGiliyadi obekabelwe eSwitzerland. Ngemva kokuhlala umnyaka eNamibia, ngayokuhlala eSwitzerland lapho bekunaloyo ebengizokutjhada naye. Ngemva kokutjhada ngakhambisana nendodakwami emsebenzinayo njengombonisi wesifunda.

NENGIQALANA NEHLEKELELE

Ngemva kokuthabela iimnyaka emhlanu emsebenzini wokubhoda, samenywa bona sizokukhonza eBethel yeSwitzerland. Emndenini weBethel, ngathabela ukuba hlangana kwabazalwana nabodade abanengi abakhulileko nabavuthiweko ngokomoya.

Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, ngafumana iindaba ezithusako. Ngafumana bona indodakwami zange ithembeke kimi nakuJehova. Ngemva kwalokho yangitjhiya. Ngezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu! Angazi bona bengingaqalana njani nobujamobu ngaphandle kwethando nesekelo labangani bami abathandekako abakhulileko emndenini weBethel. Bangilalela nengifuna ukukhuluma begodu bangivumela ngaphumula nengitlhoga ukuphumula. Amezwabo aduduzako nezenzo zabo zomusa zangisekela ngesikhathi sobuhlungu engeze ngakwazi ukubuhlathulula begodu bangisiza ngatjhidela ngokungeziweko kuJehova.

Godu ngakhumbula amezwi atjhiwo eemnyakeni eemnengi egadungileko ngabakhulileko abanelemuko abaqalana neenlingo. Lokho kwahlanganisa namezwi atjhiwo nguMadge Dunham. Wakhe wathi: “Elva, epilwenakho yokukhonza uJehova, uzokuqalana neenlingo ezinengi, kodwana iinlingo ezibudisi khulu zizokuvela kilabo abaseduze nawe. Newuqalana neenlingwezo, tjhidela eduze noJehova. Khumbula bona ukhonza yena, ingasi abantu abangakapheleli!” Isiluleko sakaMadge sangisiza eenkhathini ezibudisi ezinengi. Ngaqunta bona ngeze ngivumele iimphoso zendodami zingenze ngihlukane noJehova.

Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngaqunta ukubuyela e-Australia ngiyophayona eduze nomndenami. Hlangana nekhambo lomkhumbi lokuya ekhaya, ngaba neengcoco ezithabisako zeBhayibhili nesiqhema ebengikhamba naso. Esiqhemeneso bekunendoda ethulileko evela eNorway ekuthiwa ngu-Arne Gjerde. Yakuthanda ekuzwako. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi u-Arne wavakatjhela mina nomndenami eSydney. Wathuthuka msinyana begodu wangena eqinisweni. Ngo-1963, mina no-Arne satjhada, begodu ngemva kweemnyaka embili, ngabeletha indodanethu uGary.

NENGIQALENE NOKHUNYE UKULAHLEKELWA

Mina no-Arne, noGary, sathabela ukuphila komndeni okwanelisako. Msinyana u-Arne wakhulisa indlwethu bona sizokuhlala nababelethi bami abakhulileko. Nokho, ngemva kweemnyaka esithandathu sitjhadile, saqalana nobudisi belinye ihlobo. Kwafumaneka bona u-Arne unekankere yobuchopho. Bengimvakatjhela qobe langa esibhedlela nekasesengaphasi kokulatjhwa ngemisebe okwathatha isikhathi eside. Waba ngcono isikhatjhana; ngemva kwalokho ubujamo bakhe baba bumbi begodu wafa ihlangothi. Ngatjelwa bona uzokuphila iimveke ezimbalwa  kwaphela. Nokho, u-Arne waphuluka. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wabuyela ekhaya, lapho kancanikancani ngamtlhogomela bewaba ngcono. Ekugcineni, wakghona ukukhamba begodu waragela phambili nomsebenzakhe njengomdala webandla. Umoyakhe wethabo nokuthanda amahlaya kwaba nengcenye ekululameni kwakhe begodu kwenza kwaba lula ngami ukuragela phambili ngimtlhogomela.

Nekukhamba iimnyaka, ngo-1986, ubujamo bepilo baka-Arne baba bumbi godu. Ngesikhatheso ababelethi bami besele bahlongakele, ngalokho sathuthela eBlue Mountains ehle engaphandle kweSydney, okwasitjhideza eduze nabangani bethu. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uGary watjhada nodade ongokomoya omuhle, uKarin, begodu balinganisa bona sobane sihlale endlini yinye. Ngeenyangana, soke sathuthela endlini ebeyiseduze nalapho mina no-Arne ebesihlala khona.

Hlangana neenyanga zamaswaphela ezi-18 zokuphila kwakhe, u-Arne bekahlala asembhedeni begodu bekutlhogeka atlhogonyelwe qobe. Njengombana bengihlala ngingekhaya isikhathi esinengi, bengisebenzisa ama-awara amabili qobe langa ngifunda iBhayibhili neencwadi ezisekelwe kilo. Hlangana neenkhathezo zokufunda, ngafumana iinluleko ezihle ezinengi ngendlela engingaqalana ngayo nobujamo bami. Godu abakhulileko ebandleni bebangivakatjhela ngethando—abanye babo abakhe bakghodlhelelela iinlingo ezifanako. Ukuvatjhelwa ngibo kwangiqinisa kwamambala emoyeni! U-Arne wahlongakala ngo-Apreli 2003, anethemba levuko eliqinisekileko.

ISEKELO LAMI ELIKHULU KINAWO WOKE

Nengisesemncani, benginombono ongasingowamambala ngezinto. Kodwana ngafumana bona ngokujayelekileko izinto ekuphileni azenzeki ngendlela esilindele bona zenzeke ngayo. Ngithabele iimbusiso ezinengi begodu ngakghodlhelelela iinhlekelele eembili ezikulu—ukulahlekelwa ngomunye umlingani ngebanga lokungathembeki begodu omunye ngebanga lokugula. Ngifumene isinqophiso nenduduzo emthonjeni eemnengi. UMsekeli wami omkhulu kusese ‘ngoMdala Wamalanga’—uJehova uZimu. (Dan. 7:9) Isiluleko sakhe sakha ubuntu bami, begodu sangirhorhela ekuhlangabezanweni nakho okunomvuzo emsebenzini weenthunywa zevangeli. Nekuba neemraro, ‘umusa wethando kaJehova nenduduzo yakhe yawusororha umphefumulwami.’ (Rha. 94:18, 19) Godu ngithabele ithando nesekelo lomndenami ‘nelabangani beqiniso ababelethelwe iinkhathi zokugandeleleka.’ (Iziy. 17:17) Abanengi balaba bekungabakhulileko abanelemuko.

Ihloko yembeleko uJobhi yabuza, “Kukhona ukuhlakanipha hlangana nabakhulileko nelemuko ebudeni bamalanga?” (Job. 12:12) Nengiqala emva ekuphileni kwami, ngingathi ipendulo ngu-iye. Isiluleko sabakhulileko abanelemuko sangisiza, induduzo yabo yangisekela, begodu ubungani babo banothisa ukuphila kwami. Ngiyathokoza ngokobana ngadoseleka kibo.

Njengombana ngineemnyaka ema-80, nami ngingokhulileko. Okuhlangabezanwe nakho kwami kungenze ngazitjheja ngokukhethekileko iintlhogo zabanye abakhulileko. Ngisakuthanda ukubavakatjhela ngibasize. Kodwana ngiyabuthabela nobudlelwana nelutjha. Amandlalo ayakhuthaza, netjisekwalo iyathelelana. Nengibona bonyana ilutjha liza kimi ukufumana isiluleko nesekelo, ngikufumana kuzuzisa ukuzenza ngifumaneke.

[Umtlolo waphasi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 14]

Ngiphayona noJoy Lennox eNarrandera

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U-Elva namalunga womndeni weBethel eSwitzerland ngo-1960

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Ngitlhogomela u-Arne nekagulako