“Nangu Mina; Ngithume Mina”

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUWILFRED JOHN

Abalindi bombutho wezempi abahlomile baseBurma basihlasela nhlangothi zombili zomfula. Izinsabula zilungile nezibhamu zicushiwe, bagxumela emanzini afika okhalweni futhi basizungeza ngaphansi kwebhuloho lomgwaqo omkhulu.

MINA nengangihamba naye sasithukile. Kwakwenzekani? Nakuba sasingaluzwa ulimi ababelukhuluma, ngokushesha sakuqonda ababekusho—sase siboshiwe. Sizibophe ngamathawula kuphela ezinkalweni zethu, saqhutshwa ngendlela engahloniphekile siyiswa esiteshini samaphoyisa esiseduze futhi saphenywa isiphathimandla esikhuluma isiNgisi.

Kwakungo-1941, phakathi nempi yezwe yesibili, futhi kwakusolwa ukuthi singabantu abacekela phansi. Ngemva kokuba sesichazé umsebenzi wethu wobuKristu wokushumayela kulesiphathimandla ngendlela eyenelisayo, sasitshela ukuthi sasinenhlanhla ngokuphuma kulokhu kuvinjezelwa siphila. Sathi abaningi abasolwayo babedutshulwa, kungabuzwa lutho. Sabonga uJehova futhi sathatha iseluleko salesiphathimandla sokuba singazulazuli ngasemabhulohweni esikhathini esizayo.

Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ngibe kulesimo eBurma (manje eyiMyanmar)? Ake ngichaze futhi ngininike isizinda esithile ngokuphathelene nami.

Ukukhetha Engakwenza Ngisemncane Ekuphileni

Ngazalelwa eWales ngo-1917 futhi lapho ngineminyaka eyisithupha ubudala ngathuthela eNew Zealand nabazali bami nomfowethu omncane, lapho engakhulela khona epulazini likababa lobisi. Ngolunye usuku ubaba weza nenqwaba yezincwadi ezindala ayezithenge esitolo esithengisa izinto esezisetshenzisiwe. Phakathi kwazo kwakunemiqulu emibili ye-Studies in the Scriptures, eyayinyatheliswa yi-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Lemiqulu yaba impahla kamama eyigugu, futhi njengonina kaThimothewu, u-Evnike, umama wafaka kimi isifiso sokusebenzisa ubusha bami ekukhonzeni izithakazelo zoMbuso kaJehova.—2 Thimothewu 1:5.

Ngo-1937 ngabhekana nokukhetha phakathi kwezinto ezimbili: ukuba ngithathe ipulazi likababa lobisi noma njengoba kwenza umprofethi kaNkulunkulu u-Isaya ngithi kuJehova, “Nangu mina; ngithume mina.” (Isaya 6:8) Ngangisemusha, nginempilo, futhi ngingenayo eminye imithwalo yemfanelo. Nganginambithe ukuphila kwasepulazini futhi ngakujabulela. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ngangingenakho okuhlangenwe nakho njengesikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele, noma iphayona. Yini engangiyoyikhetha—ukusebenza epulazini noma ukukhonza njengephayona?

Izikhulumi ezazivela ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova lase-Australia zaziwumthombo wesikhuthazo. Zavakashela indawo esasihlala kuyo eNew Zealand futhi zanginxusa ukuba ngisebenzise ubusha bami obuyigugu ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu. (UmShumayeli 12:1) Ngaxoxa ngalendaba nabazali bami, futhi bavumelana nokuhlakanipha kokubeka intando kaNkulunkulu endaweni yokuqala. Ngazindla futhi ngamazwi kaJesu Kristu eNtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni: “Kodwa funani kuqala umbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga [kukaNkulunkulu], khona konke lokhu kuyakwenezelwa nina.”—Mathewu 6:33.

Ngakhetha! Njengoba ngalesosikhathi lalingekho igatsha loFakazi BakaJehova eNew Zealand, ngamenyelwa ukuyokhonza egatsheni lase-Australia eSydney. Ngakho, ngo-1937,  ngaya e-Australia ngomkhumbi ukuze ngibe isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele sikaJehova uNkulunkulu.

‘Yisiphi isabelo engiyosithola?’ ngazibuza. Nokho, kwakunandabani lokho? Empeleni, ngangithe kuJehova, ‘Nangu mina. Ngisebenzise nomaphi lapho uthanda khona.’ Iminyaka emibili ngasiza ekwenzeni amagilamafoni ayesetshenziswa oFakazi BakaJehova ngalezozinsuku ukuba badlalele abaninikhaya izinkulumo zeBhayibheli eziqoshiwe. Nokho, ukuqeqeshwa kwami okuyinhloko kuleligatsha kwakungokomsebenzi wasedepho yezincwadi.

Endleleni Eya ESingapore

Ngo-1939, ngathola isabelo sokuyokhonza eMpumalanga Ekude—edepho yeNhlangano eseSingapore. Ledepho yasebenza njengesikhungo sokwamukela nesokuthumela izincwadi ezivela e-Australia, eBrithani, nase-United States ziya emazweni amaningi ase-Asia.

ISingapore yayiyidolobha elinezilimi eziningi lapho amasiko aseMpumalanga naseYurophu ayexubene khona. Ulimi lwesi-Malay lwaluyindlela evamile yokukhulumisana, futhi ukuze sishumayele endlini ngendlu, thina zihambi kwakumelwe silufunde. Sasinalokho okwakubizwa ngokuthi amakhadi obufakazi ngezilimi eziningi. Lamakhadi ayebhalwe isethulo esifushane sesigijimi soMbuso.

Ekuqaleni ngangibamba ngekhanda okwakusekhadini lobufakazi lolimi lwesi-Malay bese kancane kancane ngithuthukisa ulwazi lwami lwamagama alololimi. Kodwa futhi sasiphatha nezincwadi zeBhayibheli ngezinye izilimi eziningi. Ngokwesibonelo, umphakathi wamaNdiya sasiwuphathela izincwadi zesi-Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, nesi-Urdu. Ukuhlangana nabantu bezilimi eziningi kangaka kwakungokuhlangenwe nakho okusha kimi.

Ngisikhumbula kahle isimemezelo esithusayo sango-September 1939, isimemezelo sempi eYurophu. Sazibuza, ‘Ingabe yayiyobhebhetheka futhi ihlanganise iMpumalanga Ekude?’ Kimi yabonakala iyisandulela se-Armagedoni—ngaso kanye isikhathi engangicabanga ukuthi sifanelekile! Ngazizwa nganelisekile ngokuthi ngangibusebenzisa ngokugcwele nangokufanelekile ubusha bami.

Nakuba ngangenza umsebenzi wami edepho, ngangihlanganyela ngokugcwele emihlanganweni yebandla nasenkonzweni yasensimini. Kwakuqhutshwa izifundo zeBhayibheli, futhi abanye abantu basabela futhi bavuma ukubhapathizwa ngamanzi. Bayiswa olwandle oluseduze futhi bacwiliswa emanzini afudumele etheku laseSingapore. Sanquma ngisho nokuqhuba umhlangano, sidlulisela izimemo buthule kubantu abathakazelayo. Okwasijabulisa ukuthi abacishe babe ngu-25 beza kulokho esasikholelwa ukuthi kwakuyoba umhlangano wethu wokugcina ngaphambi kwe-Armagedoni.

Impi yakuvimbela kanzima ukuxhumana phakathi kwamagatsha eNhlangano. Ngokwesibonelo, idepho yethu yokuthumela yaseSingapore yathola isaziso esifushane sokuthi amaphayona amathathu aseJalimane kwakufanele afike eSingapore ngesikhathi esithile ngomkhumbi ongashiwongo igama njengoba ayesendleleni eya esabelweni esingashiwongo. Emasontweni ambalwa kamuva afika futhi ahlala amahora ayishumi ajabulisayo nathi. Nakuba ulimi lwaluyinkinga, sakwazi ukuqonda ukuthi isabelo sawo ayeya kuso kwakuyiShanghai.

Isabelo Sami EShanghai

Onyakeni owodwa kamuva nami ngathola isabelo sokuyokhonza eShanghai. Ngangingenalo ikheli lomgwaqo, nganginenombolo yeposi kuphela. Ngemva kokuphenyisiswa ehhovisi leposi, ngakwazi ukuzichaza ngokwanele ukuba nginikezwe ikheli lendawo yeNhlangano. Nokho, umShayina owayehlala lapho wangitshela ukuthi igatsha lase lithuthile, futhi lalingekho ikheli elingiqhubekisela phambili.

‘Ngenzenjani manje?’ ngizibuza. Buthule ngathandazela ukuthola isiqondiso. Lapho ngibheka ngenhla, ngabona amadoda amathathu, ayemade kancane kunabantu ababehamba lapho futhi ebukeka ngendlela ehlukile. Ngokuqinisekile ayebukeka njengamaJalimane amathathu ayemise eSingapore amahora ambalwa aphela ngokushesha. Ngokushesha, ngalandela ezithendeni zawo.

 “Uxolo,” ngisho ngenjabulo ngingingiza. Ama futhi angigqolozela ngokwesaba ngamehlo ahlolayo. “Singapore. OFakazi BakaJehova. Niyangikhumbula?” ngibuza.

Ngemva kwesikhashana, aphendula: “Ja! Ja! Ja!” Ngokuzenzakalelayo sangana, futhi izinyembezi zenjabulo zageleza ebusweni bami. Phakathi kwezigidi zabantu, kwenzeka kanjani ukuba lawomadoda amathathu adlule kuleyondawo ngalesosikhathi? Ngamane nje ngathi, “Ngiyabonga, Jehova.” Mina, imikhaya emithathu engamaShayina, namaJalimane amathathu sasiwukuphela koFakazi eShanghai.

EHong Kong Futhi Kamuva EBurma

Ngemva kokukhonza eShanghai izinyanga ezimbalwa, ngabelwa eHong Kong. Lapho iphayona engangililindele engangizosebenza nalo elivela e-Australia lingafiki, ngazithola ngingedwa, ngiwukuphela kukaFakazi kulelikoloni. Kwadingeka ukuba ngiphinde ngizikhumbuze ukuthi ngangithe kuJehova, “Nangu mina; ngithume mina.”

Umsebenzi wami ngokuyinhloko wawuqondiswe kubantu abakhuluma isiNgisi namaShayina, nakuba kunjalo ngangithola ubunzima bokudlula emasangweni ezindawo zokuhlala, njengoba izisebenzi ezazilapho zazikhuluma isiShayina kuphela. Ngakho ngafunda isiShayina kancane ngezinhlobo ezimbili zezilimi zaso ezazisetshenziswa kakhulu. Kwasebenza! Ngangisondela kubalindi abayizisebenzi, ngiveze ikhadi lami lomsebenzi, ngikhulume amagama ambalwa esiShayina, bese ngokuvamile ngingeniswa ngaphakathi.

Ngesinye isikhathi lapho ngivakashele esikoleni, ngalandela lenqubo emzamweni wokukhuluma nomphathi-sikole. Uthisha osemusha wangihlangabeza kuvulandi. Ngamlandela sidlula emakilasini athile, ngiphawula ukwenza kwabantwana kokubonisa inhlonipho, futhi ngilungele ukwethulwa kumphathi-sikole. Lothisha wangqongqoza, wavula umnyango, wahlehlela emuva, wayesengikhombisa ngaphakathi. Okwangimangaza futhi kwangithukuthelisa ukuthi, ngenhlonipho wayengiyise endlini yangasese! Kwabonakala ukuthi isiShayina sami sasiqondwe kabi, nokuthi njengoba umphathi-sikole angitshela kamuva, kwathathwa ngokuthi ngingumhloli wamapayipi amanzi nesimiso sokuhambisa indle.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezine zomsebenzi, amaphoyisa aseHong Kong angitshela ukuthi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wase uvinjelwe nokuthi kwakufanele ngiyeke ukushumayela noma ngixoshwe. Ngakhetha ukuxoshwa njengoba ithuba lokuqhubeka nokushumayela lalisavulekile kwezinye izindawo. Lapho ngiseHong Kong, ngangihambise izincwadi ezingu-462 futhi ngisize abanye ababili ukuba bahlanganyele enkonzweni.

Ukusuka eHong Kong, ngabelwa eBurma. Lapho ngaphayona futhi ngasiza emsebenzini wasedepho eRangoon (manje eyiYangon). Okunye kokuhlangenwe nakho okuthakazelisa kakhulu kwakungokokushumayela emadolobheni nasemadolobhaneni asakazekile angasendleleni enkulu esuka eRangoon eya eMandalay nangaphesheya edolobheni eliwumngcele weShayina iLashio. Mina nengangiphayona naye sagxila emphakathini okhuluma isiNgisi, sithola amakhulu amaningana ezikhokhelo ze-Consolation (manje ewumagazini i-Phaphama!). Ngeshwa, lomgwaqo omkhulu osuka eRangoon oya eMandalay wawuzokwaziwa ngokuthi iBurma Road, umzila izinto zempi zaseMelika eziya eShayina ezaziyothunyelwa ngawo.

Ukudavuza obhuqwini olufika emaqakaleni ngokuvamile kwakusenza sizizwe sidinga ukugeza. Lokhu kwaholela esenzakalweni esilandiswe ekuqaleni, sokuboshwa lapho sigeza emfuleni ngaphansi kwebhuloho. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho impi nokugula kwasiphoqelela ukuba siphindele eRangoon. Ngakwazi ukuhlala eBurma kwaze kwaba u-1943, lapho ukudlanga kwempi kungiphoqelela ukuba ngiphindele e-Australia.

Emuva E-Australia

Ngalesosikhathi, imisebenzi yoFakazi BakaJehova yayivinjelwe e-Australia. Nokho, ngokushesha ukuvinjelwa kwasuswa, futhi ngokuhamba  kwesikhathi ngaphinde ngamenywa ukuba ngizosebenza ehhovisi legatsha. Kamuva, ngo-1947, ngashada noBetty Moss, owayesebenza egatsheni leNhlangano e-Australia. Abazali bakaBetty babengamaphayona, futhi bakhuthaza yena nomfowabo uBill ukuba benze ubuphayona bube umsebenzi wabo. UBetty waqala ukuphayona ngosuku ayeka ngalo isikole, eneminyaka engu-14 ubudala. Ngacabanga ukuthi sasingaqhuba kahle sobabili, njengoba naye empeleni, wayethe kuJehova, “Nangu mina; ngithume mina.”

Ngemva kokuba sesinonyaka sishadile, ngamenyelwa emsebenzini wesifunda, ngivakashela amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova. Ukusebenza emaphandleni ase-Australia kwakuyinselele yangempela. Izikhukhula ezinamandla ngokuvamile zaziletha izinkinga zokuhamba, ikakhulukazi emigwaqweni eshelelayo enodaka. Amazinga okushisa asehlobo ayenyuka aze afinyelele kuma-degree Celsius angu-43 ethunzini. Njengoba sasihlala emathendeni kaseyili, sathola ukushisa okwedlulele kwasehlobo cishe kungabekezeleleki nokubanda kwasebusika kushubisa umnkantsha.

Kwakuyinjabulo ukukhonza njengombonisi wesigodi lapho kwakusenezigodi ezimbili kuphela e-Australia. UDonald MacLean wayekhonza isigodi esisodwa, futhi mina ngikhonze esinye. Khona-ke sasibe sesishintshana ngezigodi. Kuyinjabulo ukufunda ngamabandla akhona manje endaweni esake sakhonza kuyo. Ngempela izimbewu zeqiniso leBhayibheli ziye zasakazeka futhi zathela!

Emuva Lapho Konke Kwaqala Khona

Ngo-1961, ngaba nelungelo lokuba khona ekilasini lokuqala lesikole saseGileyadi sezithunywa zevangeli ngemva kokuthuthela kwaso eBrooklyn eNew York. Ngangike ngamenyelwa kulesikole ngaphambili kodwa ngangakwazi ukwamukela izimemo ngenxa yezizathu zempilo. Ekuphetheni kwemfundo yezinyanga eziyishumi, ngamenywa ukuba ngamukele iNew Zealand njengesabelo sami.

Ngakho kusukela ngo-January 1962, mina noBetty besilokhu silapha eNew Zealand, kwelinye lamazwe akhona. Ngokuvamile kubhekiselwa kulo njengesinye seziqhingi ezinhle kakhulu zePacific. Ngomqondo ongokwasezulwini, kuye kwaba yinjabulo ukukhonza kokubili emsebenzini wesifunda nowesigodi. Eminyakeni engu-14 edlule, kusukela ngo-April 1979, besilokhu sisebenza ehhovisi legatsha lase-New Zealand.

Mina noBetty manje sesiphakathi kweminyaka yawo-70, futhi sobabili sineminyaka engu-116 yenkonzo yoMbuso yesikhathi esigcwele engazange inqamuke. UBetty waqala ukuphayona ngo-January 1933, futhi mina ngo-April 1937. Kuningi esiye sakujabulela njengoba siye sabona abantwana nabazukulu bethu abangokomoya benza lokho esiye sakwenza lapho sisebasha, okungukuthi, belalela iseluleko somShumayeli 12:1: “Futhi khumbula uMdali wakho emihleni yobusha bakho.”

Yeka ilungelo okuye kwaba yilo ukuchitha cishe konke ukuphila kwethu sishumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi senza abafundi, njengoba iNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu yayala! (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20) Sijabula kakhulu ngokuthi siye sasabela esimemweni sikaNkulunkulu njengoba kwenza umprofethi u-Isaya esikhathini eside esidlule, “Nangu mina; ngithume mina.”