Indaba Yokuphila

Ngiyajabula Futhi Ngiyabonga Naphezu Kokulahlekelwa Okubuhlungu

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUNANCY E. PORTER

Kwakungu-June 5, 1947, kufudumele kusihlwa eBahamas, eziqhingini ezingasogwini oluseningizimu-mpumalanga ye-United States. Mina nomyeni wami, uGeorge, safikelwa yisikhulu sezokuthuthela kwamanye amazwe singasilindele. Sasinika incwadi ethi asisavunyelwe ukuqhubeka sikulezi ziqhingi futhi kufanele ‘sihambe khona manje kuleli koloni!’

MINA noGeorge sasiyizithunywa zevangeli zokuqala ezingoFakazi BakaJehova ukufika eNassau, idolobha elikhulu kunawo wonke eBahamas. Lapho siphothula ekilasini lesishiyagalombili laseGileyadi, isikole sezithunywa zevangeli esasisenhla neNew York, sabelwa lapha. Sasenzeni kangaka size sixoshwe kanjena sinezinyanga ezintathu kuphela sifikile? Futhi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba nangemva kweminyaka engaphezu kwengu-50, ngiqhubeke ngilapha?

Ukuqeqeshelwa Inkonzo

Ubaba, uHarry Kilner, waba nethonya elinamandla endleleni engiye ngaphila ngayo ukuphila kwami. Wangibekela isibonelo esihle kakhulu, wadela izinto eziningi ukuze abe ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Nakuba impilo yakhe yayingeyinhle, wayehamba eyoshumayela cishe ngazo zonke izimpelasonto, ebeka izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala ngentshiseko. (Mathewu 6:33) Sasinobala ngokwezezimali, kodwa isitolo  sakhe sezicathulo sasiyindawo yezinto ezingokomoya eLethbridge, e-Alberta, eCanada, ngawo-1930. Ngikhumbula ngisemncane kufika izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ezingoFakazi BakaJehova, okuthiwa amaphayona, zizosivakashela ekhaya kuxoxwe ngokuhlangenwe nakho.

Ngo-1943, ngaqala inkonzo yokuphayona ngaseFort Macleod neClaresholm, e-Alberta. Ngaleso sikhathi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wawuvinjelwe eCanada ngenxa yokumelelwa kabi abaphikisi phakathi neMpi Yezwe II. Insimu yethu yayingamakhilomitha angu-60 ububanzi, kodwa njengoba sasisebasha futhi sinamandla, sasingakushayi mkhuba ukugibela amabhayisekili noma ukuhamba ngezinyawo siye emiphakathini emincane nasemapulazini ayelapho. Ngaleso sikhathi, ngaba nethuba lokuxoxa nezinye zezithunywa zevangeli zaseGileyadi, futhi okuhlangenwe nakho kwazo kwakha kimi isifiso sokuba yisithunywa sevangeli.

Ngo-1945, ngashada noGeorge Porter, owayevela eSaskatchewan, eCanada. Abazali bakhe babekade bengoFakazi abashisekayo kusukela ngo-1916, futhi naye wayekhethe inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele njengomsebenzi wokuphila kwakhe. Isabelo sethu sokuqala kwakuyiLynn Valley enhle, eseNorth Vancouver, eCanada. Akubanga sikhathi esitheni, sabizelwa eGileyadi.

Phakathi neminyaka edlule ngiye ngaxoxa nabantu abathweswe iziqu ezikoleni ezihlukahlukene zemfundiso yenkolo futhi ngabona indlela ukuqeqeshwa kwabo okuluqeda ngayo ukholo lwabo kuNkulunkulu naseZwini lakhe, iBhayibheli. Ngokuphambene, lokho thina esakufunda eGileyadi kwalola ikhono lethu lokucabanga, futhi ngaphezu kwakho konke, kwaqinisa ukholo lwethu kuJehova uNkulunkulu naseZwini lakhe. Esasinabo ekilasini bathola izabelo zaseChina, eSingapore, eNdiya, emazweni ase-Afrika, eNingizimu Melika nakwamanye amazwe. Ngisayikhumbula indlela esasijabule ngayo lapho sithola ukuthi sabelwe eziqhingini ezishisayo zaseBahamas.

Okwasenza Sakwazi Ukuhlala

Uma kuqhathaniswa nohambo lwabanye esasinabo ekilasini, olwethu uhambo lokuya eBahamas lwalulufushane. Kungakabiphi, sase sijabulela ukufudumala kwelanga, isibhakabhaka namanzi aluhlaza, izakhiwo ezinemibala ephaphathekile namabhayisekili ayinqwaba. Nokho, into yokuqala eyahlala enkumbulweni yami kwakuwukubona iqenjana loFakazi abahlanu besilindile lapho umkhumbi wethu ufika. Ngokushesha safunda ukuthi izinkambiso zalapha zihluke kakhulu kulokho esasikujwayele. Ngokwesibonelo, umyeni wami wacelwa ukuba ayeke ukungibiza ngokuthi s’thandwa phakathi kwabantu, ngoba lelo gama ngokuvamile lisetshenziswa komakhwapheni.

Ngemva kwesikhashana, abefundisi, ngokusobala ababezizwa besengozini ngenxa yokuzihlanganisa kwethu nabantu ngokukhululekile, basimangalela  ngamanga ngokuthi singamaKhomanisi. Ngenxa yalokho, sathola umyalo wokuba sihambe kuleli zwe. Kodwa ngokushesha oFakazi—ababengaphansi kuka-20 kulezi ziqhingi ngaleso sikhathi—bathola izinkulungwane zabantu abasayina isicelo sokuba sivunyelwe ukuba sihlale. Kanjalo, umyalo wokuxoshwa kwethu wahoxiswa.

Ukuya Ensimini Entsha

Iqiniso leBhayibheli lachuma ngokushesha ezinhliziyweni ezazimthanda uNkulunkulu, ngakho kwathunyelwa izithunywa zevangeli ezengeziwe eBahamas. Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1950, kwamiswa ihhovisi legatsha. Ngemva kweminyaka eyishumi, uMilton Henschel, ilungu lasendlunkulu eBrooklyn, eNew York, wavakashela eBahamas wayesebuza izithunywa zevangeli ukuthi ukhona yini ongathanda ukuyoqala umsebenzi wokushumayela kwesinye isiqhingi saseBahamas. Mina noGeorge sazinikela, kanjalo saqala ukuhlala eLong Island okwagcina kube yiminyaka engu-11.

Lesi siqhingi, esingesinye seziningi ezakha iBahamas, singamakhilomitha angu-140 ubude nangu-6 ububanzi, futhi ngaleso sikhathi sasingenamadolobha angempela. Enhloko-dolobha, iClarence Town, kwakunemizi engaba ngu-50. Kwakuphilwa isintu impela—kungekho gesi, kungekho manzi akhiwa empompini, kubaswa phansi futhi kungekho mapayipi amanzi endlini. Ngakho kwadingeka sijwayelane nalokho okuthiwa ukuphila kwasemaqaqasini. Lapha kwakukhonziwe ukuxoxa ngempilo yabantu. Safunda ukuthi uma sibingelela singabuzi ukuthi, “Ninjani namuhla?” ngoba impendulo ngokuvamile yayiba umlando omude onikeza yonke imininingwane yempilo yomuntu.

Izikhathi eziningi sasishumayela emaxhibeni ngoba abantu babevame ukutholakala kula maqhugwane afulelwe ngotshani futhi aneziko lomlilo wezinkuni. Abantu abaningi babengabalimi noma abadobi abampofu kodwa abanomusa kakhulu. Iningi labo lalingagcini nje ngokuthanda inkolo kodwa futhi lalinamathele kakhulu ezinkolelweni eziyize. Izenzakalo ezingavamile zaziye zibhekwe njengezibikezelo zokuthile.

Abefundisi babenganqeni ukuqonda emizini yabantu bengabizwanga, badabule izincwadi zeBhayibheli esasizishiye lapho. Ngalokhu babesabisa abanovalo, kodwa akuwona wonke umuntu owayebesaba. Ngokwesibonelo, owesifazane oyisigqwayigqwayi oneminyaka engu-70 ubudala wayengabesabi. Wayefuna ukuqonda iBhayibheli ngokwakhe, futhi wagcina ebe nguFakazi kanye nabanye abaningana. Lapho sithola abantu abaningana abanesithakazelo, ngamanye amaSonto uGeorge kwakudingeka ahambe amakhilomitha angu-300 ngemoto, ebasiza ukuba beze emihlanganweni yethu.

Ngezinyanga zokuqala, bengakabi khona abanye oFakazi, mina noGeorge salondoloza ingokomoya lethu ngokuqhuba yonke imihlangano yobuKristu evamile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sasigcina isimiso senkuthalo sokutadisha isifundo esikumagazini INqabayokulinda njalo ngoMsombuluko kusihlwa sifunde neBhayibheli. Sasifunda bonke futhi omagazini be-Nqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! ngokushesha nje lapho sibathola.

Ubaba washona siseseLong Island. Ngehlobo  elilandelayo, ngo-1963, sahlela ukuba umama azohlala eduze nathi. Nakuba ayesekhulile ngeminyaka, wajwayejwayela futhi wahlala eLong Island waze washona ngo-1971. Namuhla, iLong Island inebandla elineHholo LoMbuso elisha shá.

Inselele Ebangela Usizi

Ngo-1980, uGeorge wabona ukuthi impilo yakhe yayisiqala ukuwohloka. Kwabe sekuqala enye yezinto ezibuhlungu kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwami—ukubona umyeni wami othandekayo, engangisebenza naye futhi engumngane wami, evithizwa yisifo i-Alzheimer. Ubuntu bakhe bashintsha ngokuphelele. Isigaba sokugcina nesaba buhlungu kunazo zonke sathatha iminyaka engaba mine ngaphambi kokushona kwakhe ngo-1987. Wayehamba nami enkonzweni nasemihlanganweni ngezinga ayekwazi ngalo, nakuba ezikhathini eziningi umzamo ayewenza wawungilethela izinyembezi. Ukungisingatha ngothando kwabafowethu abangamaKristu kuye kwangiduduza ngempela, kodwa ngisamkhumbula kakhulu.

Esinye sezici ezaziyigugu kakhulu emshadweni wethu noGeorge kwakuwukuxoxa kwethu njalo kamnandi. Njengoba engasekho uGeorge, ngibonga kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili ngokuthi uJehova unxusa izinceku zakhe ukuba ‘zithandaze ngokungaphezi,’ ‘ziphikelele emthandazweni’ futhi zisebenzise “zonke izinhlobo zomthandazo.” (1 Thesalonika 5:17; Roma 12:12; Efesu 6:18) Kududuza kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyayikhathalela inhlalakahle yethu. Ngizizwa njengomhubi ngempela, owahlabelela wathi: “Mayibongwe iNkosi. Iyasithwala imihla ngemihla.” (IHubo 68:19) Ukubheka izinkathazo zanamuhla kuphela, ngamukele ukulinganiselwa kwami futhi ngibonge ngezibusiso engizithola usuku ngalunye, njengoba uJesu acebisa, kuyindlela yokuphila engcono kakhulu ngempela.—Mathewu 6:34.

Imivuzo Ejabulisayo Yenkonzo

Ukuzigcina ngimatasa enkonzweni yobuKristu kuye kwangisiza ukuba ngingagxili ngokweqile ezintweni zesikhathi esidlule. Kanjalo ngiyakwazi ukunqoba imizwelo engaholela ekucindezelekeni. Ukufundisa abanye iqiniso leBhayibheli kuye kwangilethela injabulo ngokukhethekile. Kungenza ngibe nesimiso esihlelekile esingokomoya, esiye senza ukuphila kwami kwaba nesiqondiso futhi kwazinza.—Filipi 3:16.

Ngake ngathola ucingo luvela entokazini engangixoxe nayo ngesigijimi soMbuso eminyakeni engaba ngu-47 ngaphambili. Yayiyindodakazi yezinye zezifundo zeBhayibheli zokuqala esaba nazo lapho sifika eBahamas ngo-1947. Unina, uyise nabo bonke abafowabo nodadewabo baba ngoFakazi BakaJehova, ngokufanayo neningi lezingane zabo nabazukulu. Eqinisweni, amalungu angaphezu kwangu-60 omndeni  walona wesifazane angoFakazi. Kodwa yena wayengazange alamukele iqiniso leBhayibheli. Nokho, manje ekugcineni wayesekulungele ukuba yinceku kaJehova uNkulunkulu. Yeka ukuthi kuye kwajabulisa kanjani ukubona oFakazi abayidlanzana ababeseBahamas lapho mina noGeorge sifika landa liba abangaphezu kuka-1 400!

Ngezinye izikhathi abantu bangibuza ukuthi angifisi yini sengathi ngangibe nezingane zami. Yiqiniso ukuthi ukuba nezingane kungaba yisibusiso. Nokho, uthando izingane zami ezingokomoya, abazukulu nezingane zabazukulu ezihlale zingibonisa lona luyinto cishe okungebona bonke abazali bangempela abayitholayo. Ngempela, labo ‘abasebenzela kokuhle,’ futhi ‘abacebile emisebenzini emihle’ bangabantu abajabule kunabo bonke. (1 Thimothewu 6:18) Yingakho ngihlala ngimatasa enkonzweni ngezinga elivunyelwa yimpilo yami.

Ngolunye usuku lapho ngisehhovisi likadokotela wamazinyo, kweza kimi owesifazane osemusha wathi, “Awungazi, kodwa mina ngiyakwazi, futhi mangikwazise ukuthi ngiyakuthanda.” Wabe esexoxa ukuthi wayelithole kanjani iqiniso leBhayibheli nokuthi wayebonga kangakanani ngokuthi thina zithunywa zevangeli sasiye safika eBahamas.

Ngesinye isikhathi lapho ngivela eholidini, ngathola imbali eyodwa ye-rose esicabheni lapho ngihlala khona ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova eNassau. Yayihambisana nencwadi ethi, “Siyajabula ngokuthi usubuyile ekhaya.” Inhliziyo yami ichichima ukubonga, futhi lapho ngibona uhlobo lwabantu iZwi lakhe, inhlangano yakhe nomoya wakhe oye wabakha kungenza ngimthande kakhulu uJehova! Ngempela, ngokuvamile isandla sikaJehova esisekelayo sisebenzisa labo abasizungezile.

Ukuchichima Ukubonga

Ukuphila kwami akuzange kushelele njalo, futhi namanje kunezici ezithile ezingelula. Kodwa nginokuningi engibongayo ngako—izinjabulo zenkonzo, uthando lwabafowethu nodadewethu abaningi kakhulu abangamaKristu, ukukhathalela kothando kwenhlangano kaJehova, amaqiniso amahle aseBhayibhelini, ithemba lokuba nabathandekayo lapho bevuswa, nezinkumbulo zeminyaka engu-42 ngishade nenceku kaJehova ethembekile. Ngaphambi kokuba sishade, ngangithandazele ukuba ngaso sonke isikhathi ngisize umyeni wami ukuba ahlale enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, ayeyikhonzile. UJehova wawuphendula ngomusa lowo mthandazo. Ngakho ngifuna ukumbonga uJehova ngokuhlala ngithembekile njalo kuye.

IBahamas ithandwa kakhulu yizivakashi ezibuka amazwe, ezichitha izinkulungwane zamaRandi ukuze zize lapha zizojabulela izinto ezinhle zakule ndawo eshisayo. Njengoba ngakhetha ukukhonza uJehova noma kuphi lapho inhlangano yakhe ingiqondisa khona, ngiye ngajabulela ukuzihamba zonke lezi ziqhingi, ngimemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa okubaluleke nakakhulu, ngiye ngazi futhi ngajabulela abantu abakahle kakhulu nabanothando kubantu baseBahamas.

Ngiyabonga kakhulu kulabo abalethela abazali bami iqiniso, nabo base betshala engqondweni nasenhliziyweni yami eyayisencane isifiso esijulile sokufuna kuqala uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Intsha eyizinceku zikaJehova namuhla nayo ingathola izibusiso eziningi uma ingena ‘ngomnyango omkhulu’ oholela emathubeni amahle enkonzo eyandisiwe. (1 Korinte 16:9) Nawe uyochichima ukubonga uma usebenzisa ukuphila kwakho ukuze udumise “uNkulunkulu wawonkulunkulu,” uJehova.—Duteronomi 10:17; Daniyeli 2:47.

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Ngisemsebenzini wasemgwaqweni eVictoria, B.C., ngo-1944

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Mina noGeorge saya eSikoleni SaseGileyadi ngo-1946

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SinoGeorge phambi kwekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eNassau, eBahamas, ngo-1955

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Ikhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eDeadman’s Cay, lapho sakhonza khona kusukela ngo-1961 kuya ku-1972