Ukwazi UNkulunkulu Onothando
Abamemezeli BoMbuso Bayabika
Ukwazi UNkulunkulu Onothando
LAPHO ineminyaka engu-16 ubudala, insizwa yaseBrazil okuthiwa u-Antônio yayingasenathemba ngokuphila. Imizwa yokuba yize kokuphila yayiholela ekusebenziseni kabi izidakamizwa nokuluthwa utshwala. Kwaba kaningi icabanga ukuzibulala. Yingalezi zikhathi lapho yayikhumbula khona lokho unina ayeyitshele kona: “UNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) Kodwa wayekuphi lo Nkulunkulu onothando?
Njengoba ayezama ukuyeka izidakamizwa, u-Antônio wafuna usizo kumpristi wendawo. Nakuba u-Antônio aqala ukukhuthala eSontweni LamaKatolika, wayesenemibuzo eminingi. Ngokwesibonelo, wayexakwa amazwi kaJesu athi: “Niyolazi iqiniso, futhi iqiniso liyonikhulula.” (Johane 8:32) Iyiphi le nkululeko uJesu ayeyithembisa? Isonto lalihluleka ukumnika izimpendulo ezanelisayo zemibuzo yakhe. Ekugcineni, u-Antônio wabuyela emikhutsheni yakhe emidala. Eqinisweni, walutheka kakhulu kunakuqala.
Cishe ngaso lesi sikhathi, umka-Antônio, uMaria, waqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Nakuba ayengaphikisani nokutadisha komkakhe, u-Antônio wayethi oFakazi bamane “bayinkolo yaseMelika esekela ukubusa kweMelika amanye amazwe.”
Engadikibele, uMaria wayeshiya amakhophi kamagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! anezihloko ayecabanga ukuthi zingamkhanga u-Antônio ezindaweni ezithile endlini. Njengoba u-Antônio ayekuthanda ukufunda, ngezinye izikhathi wayebabhekabheka lab’ omagazini lapho umkakhe engekho. Ngokokuqala ngqá ekuphileni kwakhe, wathola izimpendulo zemibuzo ayenayo mayelana neBhayibheli. “Ngaqala nokuphawula uthando nomusa umkami noFakazi BakaJehova ababengibonisa wona,” ekhumbula.
Phakathi no-1992, u-Antônio wanquma ukuthi naye angathanda ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Nokho, waqhubeka esebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa futhi ephuza kakhulu. Kwathi lapho yena nomngane wakhe bebuya emijondolo ngobunye ubusuku bamiswa amaphoyisa. Lapho amaphoyisa ethola i-cocaine ku-Antônio, aqala ukumshaya. Elinye iphoyisa lamgingqa phansi odakeni lamkhomba ngesibhamu ebusweni. Lawa amanye amaphoyisa amemeza ethi, “Mqedele!”
Njengoba u-Antônio ayelele odakeni, wacabanga ngokuphila kwakhe. Okuwukuphela kwezinto ezinhle ayezikhumbula kwakuwumkhaya wakhe noJehova. Wenza umthandazo omfushane, encenga uJehova ukuba amsize. Ngesizathu esingaqondakali, amaphoyisa avele amyeka. Waya ekhaya eqiniseka ukuthi wayevikelwe nguJehova.
U-Antônio waqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli ngentshiseko entsha. Kancane kancane, wenza izinguquko ukuze ajabulise uJehova. (Efesu 4:22-24) Ngokuhlakulela ukuzithiba, waqala ukusingatha izinkinga zakhe zokusebenzisa izidakamizwa. Noma kunjalo, wayedinga usizo lwabezokwelapha. Izinyanga ezimbili azichitha emthola-mpilo wokusiza imilutha zamnika ithuba lokufunda izincwadi zeBhayibheli eziningana, kuhlanganise nencwadi Ulwazi Oluholela Ekuphileni Okumi Phakade. U-Antônio wabe esekuhlanganyela nezinye iziguli lokho ayekufunde kulezi zincwadi.
Ngemva kokuba u-Antônio ephumile emthola-mpilo, waqhubeka nokutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi. Namuhla, u-Antônio, uMaria, amadodakazi abo amabili nonina ka-Antônio bakhonza uJehova ndawonye njengomkhaya ojabulayo nonobunye. U-Antônio uthi: “Manje sengiyazi ukuthi asho ukuthini ngempela amazwi athi ‘uNkulunkulu uluthando.’”
[Isithombe ekhasini 8]
Ukushumayela eRio de Janeiro