Indaba Yokuphila

Ukukhanya Okungokomoya Kuyakhanya EMpumalanga Ephakathi

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUNAJIB SALEM

Ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., ukukhanya kweZwi likaNkulunkulu kwakhanya kusuka eMpumalanga Ephakathi kwayofinyelela ezingxenyeni ezikude zomhlaba. Phakathi nekhulu lama-20, lokho kukhanya kwabuya kwaphinda kwazokhanyisa kule ngxenye yomhlaba. Ake ngikuxoxele ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani lokho.

NGAZALELWA edolobhaneni lase-Amioun enyakatho yeLebanon ngo-1913. Lowo kwakuwunyaka wokugcina wokuthula nokuzola emhlabeni, ngoba ngonyaka olandelayo kwagqashuka iMpi Yezwe I. Lapho impi iphela ngo-1918, iLebanon, ngaleso sikhathi eyayaziwa ngokuthi ipharele leMpumalanga Ephakathi, yayisitubekile ngokwezomnotho nangokwezombangazwe.

Lapho iposi liphinda liqala ukusebenza eLebanon ngo-1920, kwatholakala izincwadi ezivela kubantu baseLebanon ababehlala emazweni angaphandle. Phakathi kwabo kwakunomalume bami, u-Abdullah noGeorge Ghantous. Babhalela uyise, umkhulu wami, bemtshela ngoMbuso kaNkunkululu. (Mathewu 24:14) Ukuxoxela nje amanye amadoda endawo ngalokho okwakusezincwadini zamadodana akhe kwenza umkhulu waba yinhlekisa. Abantu bendawo basakaza inzwabethi yokuthi amadodana kaHabib ayekhuthaza uyise ukuba adayise indawo yakhe, athenge imbongolo abese ehamba eshumayela.

Ukuqala Kokwanda Kokukhanya

Ngonyaka olandelayo, ngo-1921, uMichel Aboud owayekade ehlala eBrooklyn, eNew York, e-U.S.A., wabuyela eTripoli, eLebanon. WayesengumFundi weBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Nakuba iningi labangane nezihlobo zikaMfoweth’  u-Aboud lingasabelanga esigijimini seBhayibheli, abantu ababili abadumile bona basabela, uprofesa, u-Ibrahim Atiyeh, nodokotela wamazinyo, uHanna Shammas. Eqinisweni, uDkt. Shammas wavula umuzi nomthola-mpilo wakhe ukuze kuqhutshelwe kuwo imihlangano yobuKristu.

Ngangisengumfanyana lapho uMfoweth’ u-Aboud noMfoweth’ uShammas bevakashela e-Amioun, lapho ngangihlala khona. Ukuvakasha kwabo kwangithinta ngokujulile, ngase ngiqala ukuhamba noMfoweth’ u-Aboud emsebenzini wokushumayela. Sobabili sasebenza ndawonye njalo enkonzweni iminyaka engu-40, kwaze kwaba yilapho uMfoweth’ u-Aboud eshona ngo-1963.

Phakathi kuka-1922 no-1925, ukukhanya kweqiniso leBhayibheli kwasakazekela emadolobhaneni amaningi enyakatho yeLebanon. Abantu abangaba ngu-20 kuya ku-30 babehlangana ukuze baxoxe ngeBhayibheli emizini yabathile, njengasekhaya e-Amioun. Abefundisi babethuma izingane ukuba ziyoshaya amakopi futhi zimemeze ziklabalase ukuze ziphazamise imihlangano yethu, ngakho-ke, ngezinye izikhathi sasihlanganyela ehlathini.

Lapho ngisemusha, ukushisekela kwami inkonzo—nokuba khona kuyo yonke imihlangano yobuKristu—kwangenza ngabizwa ngesiteketiso esithi Thimothewu. Umqondisi wesikole wathi mangiyeke ukuya kulokho ayekubiza ngokuthi “yileyo mihlangano.” Lapho ngenqaba, ngaxoshwa esikoleni.

Ukushumayela Emazweni AseBhayibhelini

Ngemva nje kokubhapathizwa ngo-1933, ngaqala inkonzo yokuphayona, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova beyibiza kanjalo inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Nakuba sasimbalwa ngaleso sikhathi, asigcinanga ngokushumayela emadolobheni amaningi asenyakatho yeLebanon, kodwa futhi safika naseBeirut nasemaphethelweni ayo kuze kuyofika eningizimu yeLebanon. Kuleyo minyaka yakudala, sasivame ukuhamba ngezinyawo noma sigibele imbongolo, njengoba kwakwenza uJesu nabalandeli bakhe bekhulu lokuqala.

Ngo-1936, uYousef Rahhal, uFakazi waseLebanon owayesehlale iminyaka eminingi e-United States, wabuyela eLebanon evakashile. Wafika nomshini wokukhulisa izwi kanye namagilamafoni amabili. Saxhuma lowo mshini emotweni iFord yango-1931 salihamba lonke elaseLebanon neSyria, siyisa isigijimi soMbuso ezindaweni ezikude. Lo mshini wawuzwakala nasendaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaphezu kwayishumi. Abantu babekhuphukela ophahleni lwezindlu zabo ukuze bezwe lokho ababethi ngamazwi avela ezulwini. Ababesemasimini babeshiya phansi umsebenzi basondele bezolalela.

Olunye lohambo lwami lokugcina noYousef Rahhal lwaluya e-Aleppo, eSyria, ebusika bango-1937. Ngaphambi kokuba aphindele e-United States, saya nasePalestina. Lapho, sahambela idolobha laseHaifa nelaseJerusalem namadolobhana asemaphandleni. Omunye walabo esasizothintana nabo kwakungu-Ibrahim Shehadi, engangimaze ngaphambili ngokubhalelana naye. U-Ibrahim wayesethuthukile olwazini lweBhayibheli kangangokuthi lapho sivakashile, waqala ukuhlanganyela nathi enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu.—IzEnzo 20:20.

Ngangimagange futhi ukuhlangana noProfesa Khalil Kobrossi, umKatolika oqinile owayesetadishe iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova ngeposi. Wayelithole kanjani ikheli loFakazi baseLebanon? Esitolo esithile eHaifa, umnini-sitolo wayegoqele uKhalil izimpahla ngephepha elidatshulwe kwenye yezincwadi zoFakazi BakaJehova. Lelo phepha lalinekheli lethu. Kwaba mnandi simvakashele, futhi kamuva ngo-1939, weza eTripoli ezobhapathizwa.

 Ngo-1937, kwafika uPetros Lagakos nomkakhe eTripoli. Eminyakeni embalwa eyalandela, sisobathathu sahlanganisa ingxenye enkulu yeLebanon neSyria, silethela abantu isigijimi soMbuso emizini yabo. Lapho uMfoweth’ uLagakos eshona ngo-1943, oFakazi base behambise ukukhanya okungokomoya emadolobheni nasemadolobhaneni amaningi aseLebanon, eSyria nasePalestina. Ngezinye izikhathi, sasisuka ngo-3:00 entathakusa sihambe ngezimoto noma ngebhasi singaba ngu-30 siya ezindaweni ezisemajukujukwini.

Ngawo-1940, u-Ibrahim Atiyeh wayehumushela INqabayokulinda olimini lwesi-Arabhu. Ngemva kwalokho, ngangenza amakhophi amane alo magazini ngesandla ngiwathumele koFakazi ePalestina, eSyria nase-Egypt. Ngalezo zinsuku, phakathi neMpi YeZwe II, ukushumayela kwethu kwakuphikiswa kakhulu, kodwa sasithintana njalo nabo bonke abathandi beqiniso leBhayibheli eMpumalanga Ephakathi. Ngangiwadweba ngokwami amabalazwe amadolobha namadolobhana, bese siqiniseka ukuthi siyawafinyelela ngezindaba ezinhle.

Ngo-1944, phakathi neMpi YeZwe II, ngashada no-Evelyn, indodakazi kaMichel Aboud engangiphayona naye. Sagcina sibe nezingane ezintathu, indodakazi namadodana amabili.

Ukusebenza Nezithunywa Zevangeli

Ngokushesha ngemva kokuphela kwempi, eLebanon kwafika izikhonzi zokuqala zaseSikoleni SaseGileyadi sezithunywa zevangeli. Ngenxa yalokho, kwamiswa ibandla lokuqala eLebanon, ngamiswa njengenceku yebandla. Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1947, kwafika uNathan H. Knorr nonobhala wakhe uMilton G. Henschel, bevakashele eLebanon futhi babakhuthaza kakhulu abafowethu. Ngokushesha kwafika izithunywa zevangeli ezengeziwe, zasisiza kakhulu ekuhleleni inkonzo yethu nasekuqhubeni imihlangano yebandla.

Kolunye uhambo lwethu lokuya endaweni eqhelile eSyria, saphikiswa umbhishobhi wendawo. Wasigxeka ngokusakaza lokho ayekubiza ngokuthi izincwadi zeZiyoni. Kuyamangaza ukuthi ngaphambi kuka-1948, abefundisi babevame ukusibiza ‘ngamaKhomanisi.’ Kulesi senzakalo, saboshwa saphenywa ngemibuzo amahora amabili, sanikeza ubufakazi obuhle kakhulu phakathi naleso sikhathi.

 Ekugcineni, ijaji elalilalele leli cala lathi: “Yize ngiyisola le ntshebe enimangalele, kumelwe ngiyibonge ngokunginikeza leli thuba lokuhlangana nani, ngifunde ngezimfundiso zenu.” Labe selixolisa ngalokho okwakwenzekile.

Eminyakeni eyishumi kamuva lapho ngisebhasini ngiya eBeirut, ngaqala ukuxoxa nendoda eyayihlezi eduze kwami, unjiniyela wezolimo. Ngemva kokulalela imizuzu embalwa ngiyichazela ngezinkolelo zethu, yathi yayike yayizwa into enjengalena kumngane wayo eSyria. Kwakungubani lowo mngane? Kwakuyijaji elalikade lithetha icala lethu eminyakeni eyishumi ngaphambili!

Phakathi nawo-1950, ngavakashela oFakazi e-Iraq, ngahlanganyela ekushumayeleni nabo endlini ngendlu. Ngahamba kakhulu futhi ngiya eJordan naseWest Bank. Ngo-1951, ngangiseqenjini loFakazi abane abaya eBethlehem. Saqhuba iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa lapho. Ekuseni ngalolo suku, bonke ababekhona kuleso senzakalo babehambe ngebhasi baya eMfuleni iJordan, kwabhapathizwa abangu-22 bebonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwabo kuJehova. Noma nini lapho sibhekana nokuphikiswa kuleyo ndawo, sasithi: “Size ukuzokuxoxela ukuthi enye yamadodana esizwe sakini izoba yiNkosi yomhlaba wonke! Uthukutheliswa yini? Kufanele ngabe uyajabula!”

Ukushumayela Phakathi Kobunzima

Abantu baseMpumalanga Ephakathi ngokuvamile banenhliziyo enhle, bathobekile futhi bazamukela ngemfudumalo izihambi. Abaningi basilalela ngesithakazelo isigijimi soMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngempela, akukho okuqabula njengokwazi ukuthi lesi sithembiso seBhayibheli sizogcwaliseka maduze nje: “UNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uyoba [nabantu bakhe]. Futhi uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni aso, futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona.”—IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

 Ngiye ngathola ukuthi abantu abaningi abaphikisa umsebenzi wethu abawuqondi ngempela futhi abasiqondi isigijimi esisiphethe. Abefundisi beLobukholwa baye benza okuningi ukuze basenze sibhekeke kabi! Ngakho-ke, phakathi nempi yombango eyaqala ngo-1975 futhi yadonsa iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-15 eLebanon, oFakazi babhekana nobunzima obuningi.

Ngesinye isikhathi, ngangiqhuba isifundo seBhayibheli nomkhaya owawukade ulishisekela kakhulu isonto. Ukuthuthuka kwawo kahle ekufundeni amaqiniso eBhayibheli kwabacasula abefundisi. Ngenxa yalokho, ngobunye ubusuku iqembu lenkolo lendawo lagqugquzela amalungu alo ukuba ahlasele isitolo salowo mkhaya, ashisa izimpahla ezibiza ngaphezu kuka-R77 000. Ngabo lobo busuku, eza kimi afike angithatha. Nokho, ngakwazi ukuxoxisana nomholi wawo, ngamchazela ukuthi uma engamaKristu ngempela, ayengeke aziphathise okwamaqaba. Lapho ngisho njalo, wathi mayimiswe imoto, wathi angiphume.

Kwesinye isenzakalo, ngathunjwa amasosha amane. Ngemva kwezinsongo eziningi, umholi wawo owayethe uzongidubula, wavele washintsha umqondo, ngadedelwa. Amabili ala madoda asejele manje ngamacala okubulala nokuphanga, kanti lawa amanye amabili alengiswa.

Amanye Amathuba Okushumayela

Ngiye ngaba namathuba amaningi okuhamba ngendiza emazweni ngamazwe. Kwake kwathi ngisendizeni ngisuka eBeirut ngiya e-United States, ngahlala eduze kukaCharles Malek, owayengungqongqoshe wezangaphandle eLebanon. Wangilalelisisa, ejabulela ivesi ngalinye engangimfundela lona eBhayibhelini. Ekugcineni, wathi lapho esesesikoleni eTripoli uthisha wakhe kwakungu-Ibrahim Atiyeh, indoda umukhwe wami ayeyifundise amaqiniso eBhayibheli! UMnu. Malek wathi u-Ibrahim wayemfundise ukulihlonipha iBhayibheli.

Kolunye uhambo lwendiza, ngahlala eceleni kwenxusa lePalestina eZizweni Ezihlangene. Ngaba nethuba lokulixoxela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Lagcina lingazise umkhaya womfowabo eNew York, futhi ngangivame ukubavakashela lapho. Nganginesihlobo futhi esasisebenza esakhiweni seZizwe Ezihlangene eNew York. Ngelinye ilanga ngasivakashela ehhovisi laso, ngahlala amahora amathathu, phakathi naleso sikhathi ngakwazi ukusishumayeza ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

Manje sengineminyaka engu-88 ubudala, futhi ngisakwazi ukuhlanganyela ngenkuthalo ekunakekeleni imithwalo yebandla. Umkami, u-Evelyn, usakhonza uJehova kanye nami. Indodakazi yethu yashada nombonisi ojikelezayo woFakazi BakaJehova, osekhonza njengomdala manje ebandleni eliseBeirut. Indodakazi yabo nayo inguFakazi. Indodana yethu enguthunjana nomkayo bangoFakazi, kanti nendodakazi yabo futhi iseqinisweni. Indodana yethu endala yona, ukholo lobuKristu lwagxiliswa enhliziyweni yayo, futhi ngethemba ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi iyolamukela.

Ngo-1933, ngamiswa ukuba ngikhonze njengephayona—ngaba elokuqala ngqá eMpumalanga Ephakathi. Ayikho enye into engcono engabe ngayenza ngokuphila kwami kunokukhonza uJehova njengephayona yonke le minyaka engu-68 edlule. Futhi ngizimisele ukuqhubeka ngihamba ekukhanyeni okungokomoya akunikezayo.

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UNajib ngo-1935

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Siseceleni kwemoto enombhobho eziNtabeni ZaseLebanon ngo-1940

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Ngenhla ukusuka emuva kwesokunxele kuya kwesokudla: uNajib, u-Evelyn, indodakazi yabo, uMfoweth’ u-Aboud nendodana kaNajib endala ngo-1952

Ezansi (abangaphambili): Abazalwane uShammas, uKnorr, u-Aboud noHenschel emzini kaNajib eTripoli, ngo-1952

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UNajib nomkakhe u-Evelyn