UJehova, Ithemba Lami Kusukela Ebusheni Kuqhubeke

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUBASIL TSATOS

Unyaka kwakungu-1920; indawo, kusemagqumeni ase-Arcadia ePeloponnisos enhle, eGreece. Ngangisembhedeni, ngigula ngibangwa nezibi ngiphethwe umkhuhlane waseSpain osabekayo owawuqothula izwe.

ISIKHATHI ngasinye lapho kukhala insimbi yesonto, ngangiqaphela ukuthi yayimemezela ukufa kwesinye isisulu. Ingabe ngangiyolandela? Ngenhlanhla, ngalulama, kodwa izigidi azizange. Nakuba ngangineminyaka eyisishiyagalombili kuphela ubudala ngalesosikhathi, lokhu okuhlangenwe nakho okuhlasimulisayo kusakhanya bhá engqondweni yami.

Ukukhathalela Izinto Ezingokomoya Lapho Ngisengumntwana

Esikhathini esifushane kamuva, uMkhulu washona. Ngemva komngcwabo ngikhumbula uMama eza kimi nakudadewethu kuvulandi wasekhaya. Ngokungangabazeki ezama ukunciphisa ukukhathazeka kwethu, wathi ngezwi eliphansi: “Bantabami, sonke kumelwe siguge futhi sife.”

Ngisho nakuba lokhu akusho ngendlela ezothile, amazwi akhe angihlupha. ‘Yeka indlela okudabukisa ngayo! Yeka indlela okungalungile ngayo!’ ngicabanga. Kodwa sobabili sajabula lapho uMama enezela: “Nokho, lapho iNkosi ibuya futhi, iyovusa abafile, futhi ngeke siphinde sife!” Ah, lokho kwakududuza!

Kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke ngaba nesithakazelo esiqotho sokuthola ukuthi singafika nini lesosikhathi esijabulisayo. Ngabuza abantu abaningi, kodwa akekho owakwazi ukungitshela, futhi akekho ngisho nowayebonakala enesithakazelo sokuxoxa ngalendaba.

Ngolunye usuku lapho sengineminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-12, ubaba wathola incwadi evela kumfowabo owayehlala e-United States. Yayinesihloko esithi The Harp of God, inyatheliswa yi-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Ngabheka uhlu lokuphakathi, futhi ubuso bami bagcwala injabulo lapho ngibona isahluko esithi “Our Lord’s Return” (Ukubuya KweNkosi Yethu). Ngayifunda ngesithakazelo esikhulu, kodwa ngadumala ngokuthi wawunganikeziwe unyaka walokho kubuya. Nokho, lencwadi yabonisa ukuthi kwakungekude kakhulu.

Ngokushesha ngaqala ukufunda esikoleni esiphakeme futhi ngagxila ezifundweni zami. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi ubab’ omkhulu ohlala eMelika wayengithumelela amakhophi e-Nqabayokulinda, engangikujabulela ukuwafunda. Futhi, njalo ngeSonto, ngangiya kuSonto s’kole, lapho ngokuvamile umbhishobhi ayeza khona futhi akhulume nathi.

Ngelinye iSonto, umbhishobhi wayecasuke kakhulu futhi wathi: “Izihambi zigcwalisa idolobha lethu ngezincwadi zemfundiso edukile.” Khona-ke waphakamisa ikhophi ye-Nqabayokulinda futhi  wamemeza: “Uma noma ubani phakathi kwenu ethola izincwadi ezifana nalena ekhaya, makazilethe esontweni, futhi ngiyozishisa.”

Ukuphakama kwephimbo lakhe kwangiphazamisa, kodwa umoya wakhe wokuphindisela wangiphazamisa ngisho nangokwengeziwe. Ngakho-ke, angizange ngihambisane nesicelo sakhe. Nokho, ngabhalela ubab’ omkhulu futhi ngamcela ukuba angasazithumeli izincwadi ze-Watch Tower. Nakuba kunjalo, ngaqhubeka ngizindla ngendaba yokubuya kukaKristu.

Uthando Ngezinto Ezingokomoya Luyakhula

Lapho kufika amaholide asehlobo, ngakhipha ipotimende lami ukuze ngipakishe izimpahla zami. Laphaya ngezansi kwakunezincwajana ezintathu ezazinyatheliswa yi-Watch Tower Society. Ngandlela-thile ngangingazange ngiziqaphele ngaphambili. Enye yayinesihloko esithi Where Are the Dead?

‘Lokhu kubonakala kuthakazelisa,’ ngicabanga. Nakuba ngikhumbula isixwayiso sombhishobhi, nganquma ukuzifunda ngokucophelela lezincwajana ukuze ngithole amaphutha engangicabanga ukuthi zinawo. Ngathatha ipeni lomsizi futhi ngokuqaphelisisa ngaqala ukuhlola. Ngamangala ngokuthi konke okwakusencwadini kwakubonakala kunengqondo, futhi inkulumo ngayinye yayinemibhalo ecashuniwe ukuze umfundi akwazi ukuhlola iBhayibheli.

Njengoba sasingenalo iBhayibheli, ngazibuza noma imibhalo ecashuniwe yayisetshenziswe kabi yini ukuze ivumelane nenjongo yabalobi. Ngakho ngabhalela ubab’ omkhulu futhi ngamcela ukuba angithumelele ikhophi yeBhayibheli eliphelele. Wenza kanjalo ngokushesha. Ngalifunda lonke izikhathi ezimbili, futhi nakuba kwakunokuningi engangingakuqondi kulo, ngahlatshwa umxhwele incwadi kaDaniyeli neyesAmbulo. Ngangifuna ukuqonda izinto ezazibikezelwa yilezincwadi, kodwa kwakungekho muntu eduzane owayengangisiza.

Ngashiya isikole ngo-1929, futhi ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho ubab’ omkhulu ohlala eMelika waphinda wangithumelela amakhophi e-Nqabayokulinda. Ngaqala ukuwajabulela ngokwengeziwe futhi ngamcela ukuba angithumelele wona njalo. Futhi ngaqala ukukhuluma nabanye ngethemba lesikhathi esizayo engangifunda ngalo kulabomagazini. Kodwa ngalesosikhathi ukuphila kwami kwashintsha ngokuphawulekayo.

Intuthuko Engokomoya EBurma

Abafowabo bakamama babethuthele eBurma (manje eyiMyanmar), futhi umkhaya wakithi wanquma ukuthi uma ngingahlala nabo, okuhlangenwe nakho kwami kwakuyokhula, mhlawumbe ngivulekelwe nangamathuba omsebenzi. Indawo yaseMpumalanga yayingithakazelisa ngaso sonke isikhathi, ngakho ngangilijabulela ithemba lokuya lapho. EBurma, ngaqhubeka ngithola INqabayokulinda ivela kubab’ omkhulu, kodwa ngangingakaze ngihlangane ngokomuntu siqu nomunye wabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngalesosikhathi.

Ngolunye usuku ngajabula ukuthola ku-Nqabayokulinda isaziso sokukhishwa kwezincwadi ezithi Light, ezaziyimiqulu emibili eyayichaza incwadi yeBhayibheli yesAmbulo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngathola ukuthi umsebenzi wabaFundi BeBhayibheli eBurma wawunakekelwa yigatsha le-Watch Tower Society laseNdiya, eliseBombay. Ngalibhalela ngokushesha ukuze ngicele lezincwadi ezithi Light, futhi ngicele nokuthi kuthunyelwe abaFundi BeBhayibheli baseNdiya ukuba bazoshumayela eBurma.

Ngokushesha lezincwadi zafika ngeposi, futhi cishe esikhathini esingangesonto kamuva, abaFundi BeBhayibheli abahlala eBurma bangivakashela. Ngajabula ukuthola ukuthi kwakuneqembu elincane labo lapho ngangihlala khona eRangoon (manje eyiYangon), inhloko-dolobha yaseBurma. Bangimema ukuba ngibe khona ekilasini labo lasikhathi sonke lesifundo seBhayibheli nokuba ngihlanganyele nabo ekushumayeleni endlini ngendlu. Ekuqaleni ngangimadolonzima kodwa ngokushesha ngaqala ukujabulela ukuhlanganyela ulwazi lweBhayibheli namaBuddha, amaHindu, namaMuslim, kanye namaKristu okuzisholo.

Khona-ke igatsha laseNdiya lathumela izikhonzi ezimbili zesikhathi esigcwele eRangoon (ezibizwa ngokuthi amaphayona), u-Ewart Francis noRandall Hopley. Bobabili babedabuka eNgilandi  kodwa base bekhonze eNdiya iminyaka eminingi. Bangikhuthaza kakhulu, futhi ngo-1934, ngabhapathizwa ngibonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova.

Ufakazi Onesibindi

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi igatsha laseNdiya lathumela amaphayona engeziwe eBurma. Amabili awo, uClaude Goodman noRon Tippin, aya esiteshini sesitimela futhi akhuluma noSydney Coote, umphathi wesiteshi. Wamukela izincwadi, wazifunda zonke waziqeda, futhi waqala ukubhalela udadewabo oshadile, uDaisy D’Souza, owayeseMandalay. Naye wazithola zithakazelisa lezincwadi futhi wacela ezengeziwe.

UDaisy, owayengumKatolika oshisekayo, wayengumuntu onesibindi esingavamile. Waqala ukuvakashela omakhelwane bakhe futhi ebatshela ngezinto ayezifunda. Futhi lapho evakashelwa umpristi wendawo, owabuza ukuthi kungani engasayi esontweni, wambonisa ukuthi iBhayibheli lalingazisekeli izinto ayezifundisa, ezinjengesihogo esivuthayo.

Ekugcineni, lompristi wambuza: “Ngemva kwayo yonke leminyaka ngibatshela ngesihogo esivuthayo, ngingabatshela kanjani manje ukuthi ayikho indawo enjalo? Akekho umuntu oyofuna ukuza esontweni.”

“Uma ungumKristu oqotho,” kuphendula uDaisy, “uyobafundisa iqiniso, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iyoba yini imiphumela.” Khona-ke wanezela: “Uma ungakwenzi lokho, mina ngizokwenza!” Futhi wakwenza.

UDick noDaisy namadodakazi abo amabili amadala babhapathizwa eRangoon ngesikhathi esifanayo naleso engabhapathizwa ngaso. Eminyakeni emithathu kamuva, ngo-1937, ngashada nendodakazi yabo yesibili, uPhyllis.

Ukubalekela ENdiya

Amabutho aseJapane ahlasela iBurma phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, futhi iRangoon yawa ngo-March 8, 1942. Izakhamuzi eziyizihambi zaphoqwa ukuba ziphume ngokushesha ziye eNdiya. Amakhulu azama ukuchusha phakathi kwamahlathi, kodwa abaningi bafa endleleni. Kwenzeka ukuba ngazi ngokomuntu siqu isikhulu esasiqondisa lokhu kuthutha, ngakho ngakwazi ukuzitholela amathikithi kwesinye sezikebhe zokugcina ezithwala izimpahla esasizosuka eRangoon siye eCalcutta. Ukushiya indlu yethu nempahla yethu eningi ngokushesha okungaka kwakuyisikhathi esidabukisayo ngathi sonke. IBurma yahlala amaJapane kusukela ngo-1942 kuya ku-1945.

Sasinemali encane lapho sifika eNdiya, futhi ukuthola umsebenzi kwakungelula. Lokhu kwaphumela ekuvivinyweni kokholo. Ngahlangana nesikhulu sezempi saseBrithani esathembisa ukunginika umsebenzi oholela kahle owawungahileli ukulwa ngokoqobo, kodwa wawuhilela ukukhonza njengengxenye yombutho wezempi. Ngosizo lukaJehova, ngakwazi ukuwenqaba lomsebenzi futhi ngaleyondlela ngilondoloza unembeza wobuKristu omsulwa. (Isaya 2:2-4) Nangezinye futhi izindlela, sasizwa isandla sikaJehova sothando.

Sahlala eNew Delhi, inhloko-dolobha yaseNdiya, lapho kwakunzima ukuthola izindawo zokuhlala. Nakuba kunjalo, sathola indlu enkulu esakhiweni sokuhlala esisenkabeni yalelidolobha. Yayinendawo yokuphumula enkulu enomnyango wayo wokungena, futhi eminyakeni embalwa eyalandela lelikamelo lasebenza njengeHholo LoMbuso leBandla LoFakazi BakaJehova laseDelhi. Nokho, ngenxa yokuvinjelwa kwazo zonke izincwadi ze-Watch Tower Society eNdiya okwenziwa ngo-1941, sasingakwazi ukuthola izincwadi zeBhayibheli.

Indlela Ukuvinjelwa Okwaqedwa Ngayo

Ngelinye iSonto ngo-1943, labo ababa khona ezinkonzweni emasontweni aseDelhi bathola ipheshana elisayinwe abefundisi abangu-13 bamasonto ahlukahlukene. Lalixwayisa: “ZAKHAMUZI ZASEDELHI QAPHELANI OFAKAZI BAKAJEHOVA.” Icala laliwukuthi sasivinjelwe eNdiya ngenxa yezizathu zezombangazwe.

Ngokugunyaza kwehhovisi legatsha laseBombay, ngokushesha sanyathelisa futhi sasakaza ipheshana elalidalula abefundisi. Njengoba ngangingumbonisi owengamele, igama lami nekheli kwanyatheliswa ekugcineni kwalelipheshana elalinamagama aqinile. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, lapho amaphoyisa engithola noMargrit Hoffman sisakaza amakhophi alelipheshana,  saboshwa futhi savalelwa ejele. Nokho, ngokushesha sakhululwa ngebheyili.

Kamuva, phakathi nenkonzo yakhe, uMargrit wangena ekhaya likaMnumzan’ uSrivastava, ungqongqoshe owaziwayo emkhandlwini wenxusa laseNdiya. UMnumzan’ uSrivastava wamamukela ngomusa, futhi phakathi nengxoxo, uMargrit wamtshela ukuthi izincwadi zethu zazivinjelwe ngokungemthetho eNdiya. Ngalolosuku uMargrit wahlangana futhi nelungu lephalamende elalivela ezweni laseMadras. Lalikulelidolobha ukuze libe semhlanganweni wephalamende. Lodade waphawula kulo indlela ukuvinjelwa kwezincwadi zethu okwakungalungile ngayo, futhi lathembisa ukuyiphakamisa lendaba emhlanganweni olandelayo.

Ngalesosikhathi, ngangisebenza njengodokotela wamathambo esibhedlela sendawo. Nokho, kwenzeka ukuba uMnumzan’ uSrivastava athole ingozi, futhi isibhedlela sangithumela ukuba ngiyobona ukuthi ukwelapha ngokuvivinya izicubu zomzimba kwakungamsiza yini. Ngathola uMnumzan’ uSrivastava engumuntu onobungane, futhi njengoba sasixoxa, ngaphawula ngokunganaki ukuthi mina noNkosazane Hoffman sikhululwe ejele ngebheyili. Ngachaza ukuthi izincwadi zethu zeBhayibheli zivinjelwe ngezizathu zezombangazwe ngenxa yokucindezela kwabefundisi kodwa sasingeyona ingxenye yezombangazwe ngokuphelele. Ummeleli wegatsha lethu, u-Edwin Skinner, ngiqhubeka, uye wenza isicelo sokuba kuxoxwe naye ukuze achaze ukuma kwethu, kodwa uye wenqatshelwa.

Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva, uMnumzan’ uSrivastava wangitshela: “UMnu. Jenkins [isikhulu sikahulumeni esasingawuthandi umsebenzi wethu] uzothatha umhlala-phansi ezinsukwini ezimbalwa, futhi indawo yakhe izothathwa uMnumzan’ uFrancis Mudie. Tshela uMnu. Skinner ukuba eze lapha, ngizomethula kuMnumzan’ uFrancis.”

UMnumzan’ uSrivastava wahlela umhlangano njengoba ayethembisile. Phakathi nawo, uMnumzan’ uFrancis Mudie watshela uMzalwan’ uSkinner: “Akukho engingakuthembisa khona, kodwa ngizoyihlola lendaba.” Njengoba iphalamende lalizovulwa ezinsukwini ezimbalwa, uMzalwan’ uSkinner walinda ukuze abone umphumela. Njengoba lalishilo, ilungu lephalamende elalivela eMadras lasukuma futhi labuza: “Ingabe kuyiqiniso ukuthi izincwadi ze-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society zivinjelwe ngenxa yezizathu zezombangazwe?”

“Cha, lokhu kuvinjelwa kwenziwa ngenxa yezizathu zokuphepha,” kuphendula uMnumzan’  uFrancis Mudie, “kodwa manje uhulumeni usenqume ukukuphelisa lokhu kuvinjelwa.”

Yeka isikhathi esijabulisayo okwaba yiso ngathi lapho sizwa lezozindaba! Esikhathini esingangesonto kamuva ihhovisi legatsha eBombay lamukela incwadi eyayiqinisekisa ukuphela kokuvinjelwa.

Ukuphindela EBurma Eyonakaliswe Yimpi

Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II, iBurma yaphinde yabuswa yiBrithani, futhi ezinyangeni ezimbalwa kamuva, abayishumi bethu esingoFakazi baphindela eRangoon. Sajabula ukuphinde sibone oFakazi abambalwa bendawo ababesele. Izwe lalisesimweni esidabukisayo. Izinkonzo zokusiza umphakathi, ezihlanganisa ugesi nezinto zokuhamba zomphakathi, zazingatholakali. Ngakho sathenga imoto okuthiwa i-jeep kwabombutho wezempi futhi sayisebenzisa ngokunenzuzo ekuthwaleni abantu abeza emihlanganweni esasiyihlele ngokushesha ngemva kokubuya kwethu.

Omunye umuntu othakazelayo wasipha indawo, futhi ngosizo lwabantu abanomusa kulendawo, sakha iHholo LoMbuso elilingene. Lakhiwa ngezingodo ezinkulu zoqalo, izindonga zoqalo olusongiwe, futhi lafulelwa ngotshani. Lapha, ngo-April 1947, uNathan H. Knorr, umongameli we-Watch Tower Society wangalesosikhathi, nonobhala wakhe, uMilton G. Henschel, banikeza izinkulumo phakathi nokuvakashela kwabo eRangoon. Ngalesosikhathi, sasinoFakazi abangu-19 kulo lonke elaseBurma. Kodwa ababekhona enkulumweni yeningi kaMzalwan’ uKnorr, eyaqhutshelwa eNew Excelsior Theatre, babengu-287!

Lapho Sihlala E-Australia

Ngo-January 4, 1948, iBurma yaphuma ngaphansi kokubuswa yiGreat Britain, futhi abantu abaningi baseYurophu bacabanga ukuthi kungcono kakhulu ukulishiya lelizwe. Ngemva kokukucabangela ngomthandazo, mina noPhyllis sanquma ukuthatha indodakazi yethu futhi sithuthele e-Australia. Sahlala ePerth, inhloko-dolobha yaseNtshonalanga Australia.

Ukuhamba eBurma futhi, kulokhu sihamba unomphela, kwakuyisikhathi esidabukisayo ngathi. Ngezinye izikhathi, sasizwa ezivela kwabathandekayo bethu lapho, futhi sasijabulela ukwazi ukuthi umsebenzi woMbuso wawuqhubekela phambili ngokungahlehli kulelozwe.

Kusukela ngo-1978, siye saba nenjabulo yokukhonza wonke amabandla akhuluma isiGreki emadolobheni amakhulu ase-Australia iminyaka emine. Lokhu kwakusho ukuhamba ibanga elide, njengoba kungamakhilomitha angu-4 200 ukusuka ogwini lwasentshonalanga ukuya ogwini lwasempumalanga lwalelizwe elikhulu. Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, isimo sezulu, esihluka ngokuphawulekayo ezweni ngalinye, siye saba nengxenye ekuwohlokeni kwempilo yethu. Ngakho saphinde sayohlala ePerth, lapho ngiqhubeka ngikhonza khona njengomdala kwelinye lamabandla angu-44 akulelidolobha.

Njengoba iminyaka isihambile, amehlo ami asefiphele, futhi ukufunda sekuye kwaba nzima. Nokho, naphezu kwezinkinga zempilo, izinhliziyo zethu zisezintsha. Sobabili silindele ngethemba usuku olujabulisayo lapho bonke abesaba uJehova beyobona ukukhanya komusa wakhe ‘kuphuma, kunokuphilisa emaphikweni ako; siyakuphuma sitshekule njengamathole esibaya.’—Malaki 4:2. *

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Umkhaya wami unoMzalwan’ uHenschel noKnorr eBurma (eMyanmar) ngo-1947

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

UBasil Tsatos nomkakhe, uPhyllis, e-Australia