Indaba Yokuphila

“Akukho Nokukodwa Ebengingakushintsha!”

IXOXWA UGLADYS ALLEN

Ngezinye izikhathi ngiye ngibuzwe, “Uma ubungakwazi ukuphila kabusha ukuphila kwakho, yini obungayishintsha?” Ngingaphendula ngobuqotho ngithi, “Akukho nokukodwa ebengingakushintsha!” Ake ngichaze ukuthi kungani ngizizwa kanje.

EHLOBO ngo-1929, ngiseneminyaka emibili ubudala, kwenzeka into enhle kabi kubaba, uMatthew Allen. Wathola incwajana ethi Millions Now Living Will Never Die!, eyayinyatheliswa ama-International Bible Students, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Ngemva kokufunda amakhasi ambalwa nje ngokuzimisela, ubaba wababaza, “Lena yinto enhle kakhulu kwengake ngazifunda!”

Ngemva nje kwalokho, ubaba wathola nezinye izincwadi zabaFundi BeBhayibheli. Akapholisanga maseko, waqala ukuxoxa nabo bonke omakhelwane ngalokho ayekufunda. Nokho, kwakungekho bandla loFakazi BakaJehova endaweni yakithi eyayisemaphandleni. Eqaphela isidingo sokuzihlanganisa njalo namaKristu, ngo-1935 ubaba wathuthela umkhaya e-Orangeville e-Ontario, eseCanada, ngoba lalikhona ibandla lapho.

Ngalezo zinsuku, izingane zazingakhuthazwa njalo ukuba zibe semihlanganweni yebandla; ngokuvamile zaziba phandle zidlale baze baqede abantu abadala. Ubaba wayengakuthandi lokhu. Wayethi, “Uma imihlangano ingisiza, izozisiza nezingane zami.” Ngakho nakuba ayesanda kuqala ukuhlanganyela, ubaba watshela mina, umfowethu uBob nodadewethu u-Ella noRuby ukuba singene sibe kanye nabantu abadala emihlanganweni, senza kanjalo.  Kungakabiphi nezinye izingane zoFakazi zaqala ukuba semihlanganweni. Ukuba semihlanganweni nokuphendula kwaba yingxenye ebaluleke kakhulu yokuphila kwethu.

Ubaba wayelithanda iBhayibheli, futhi wayenendlela emnandi yokulingisa izindaba eziseBhayibhelini. Ngalezi zindaba, wagxilisa ezinhliziyweni zethu ezisencane izifundo engizikhonzile engisazikhumbula. Esinye engisikhumbulayo esokuthi uJehova uyababusisa labo abamlalelayo.

Ubaba wasifundisa nokusebenzisa iBhayibheli ukuze sivikele ukholo lwethu. Sasikwenza umdlalo. Ubaba wayesho into enjengokuthi, “Ngikholelwa ukuthi uma sengifile ngizoya ezulwini. Ngiboniseni-ke ukuthi ngeke ngiye.” Mina noRuby sasifuna kuyikhonkodensi imibhalo esasingaphikisa ngayo leyo mfundiso. Ngemva kokumfundela imibhalo esasiyitholile, ubaba wayethi, “Kuyathakazelisa lokho, kodwa angikagculiseki.” Sasiphindela kuyikhonkodensi. Lokhu kwakuvame ukuqhubeka amahora amaningi kuze kube yilapho izimpendulo esimnika zona sezimanelisile ubaba. Lokho kwenza mina noRuby sakwazi kahle ukuchaza izinkolelo zethu nokuvikela ukholo lwethu.

Ukunqoba Ukwesaba Abantu

Naphezu kokuqeqeshwa okuhle engangikuthola ekhaya nasemihlanganweni yebandla, mangisho ukuthi kunezici zokuba ngumKristu engangizithola ziyinselele. Njengentsha eningi, ngangingakujabuleli ukuhluka kwabanye, ikakhulu engangifunda nabo. Uvivinyo lokholo lwami engaluthola ngisemncane lwaluhilela lokho esasikubiza ngokuthi ukushumayela ngezingqwembe.

Umgomo kwakuwukuba iqembu labazalwane nodade lihambe kancane ngomgwaqo edolobheni liphethe izingqwembe ezinamazwi athile. Edolobheni lakithi elalinabantu abangaba ngu-3 000, bonke abantu babazana. Kwake kwathi sisashumayela kanjalo, ngaba sekugcineni komugqa ngiphethe uphawu oluthi “Inkolo Iwugibe Nebhizinisi.” Abanye engangifunda nabo bangibona, bavele bangena emgqeni ngemva kwami, bacula iculo lesizwe elithi “God Save the King.” Ngenzenjani? Ngathandaza ngobuqotho ngacela amandla okuqhubeka. Lapho ekugcineni siqeda, ngaphuthuma eHholo LoMbuso ukuze ngihambise uqwembe lwami bese ngigoduka. Nokho, lowo owayengamele wangitshela ukuthi kwase kuzoqalwa okunye ukushumayela futhi kwakudingeka omunye umuntu oyedwa ozophatha uqwembe. Ngakho ngaphinde ngaphuma, ngithandaza kakhulu kunakuqala. Kodwa kulokhu, engangifunda nabo base bekhathele, sebegodukile. Imithandazo yami yokucela amandla yaba eyokubonga!—IzAga 3:5.

Izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zazihlale zamukelekile ekhaya. Zazihlale zijabule futhi kwakumnandi ukuzibungaza. Kusukela ngisemncane kakhulu, ngikhumbula abazali bami besikhuthaza ngenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele njengomsebenzi oyidlula yonke esingayenza.

Ngisabela esikhuthazweni sabo, ngangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ngo-1945. Kamuva ngajoyina udadewethu u-Ella, owayephayona eLondon, e-Ontario. Ngafika lapho ngaqala isici senkonzo engangingacabangi ukuthi ngingakwazi ukusenza. Abazalwane babeya etafuleni ngalinye enkantini yendawo bahambisele amakhasimende INqabayokulinda ne-Consolation (esiyi-Phaphama!). Kwakukuhle ngoba lo  msebenzi wawenziwa ngoMgqibelo ntambama, ngakho ngangikwazi ukuthandaza isonto lonke ngicela isibindi sokuwenza! Cha, lo msebenzi wawungelula kimi, kodwa wawuvuza.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ngafunda nokuhambisa omagazini abakhethekile be-Consolation ababekhuluma ngokushushiswa kwabafowethu emakamu okuhlushwa amaNazi, ikakhulu ukuhambisela osomabhizinisi ababalulekile baseCanada, kuhlanganise nabengameli bezinkampani ezinkulu. Kuyo yonke le minyaka, ngiye ngathola ukuthi uJehova uyasisekela njalo uma nje sethembela kuye ukuze sithole amandla. Njengoba ubaba ayevame ukusho, uJehova uyababusisa labo abamlalelayo.

Ukusabela Obizweni Lokuyokhonza EQuebec

Ngo-July 4, 1940, umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wavinjelwa eCanada. Kamuva, lokho kuvinjelwa kwasuswa, kodwa sasisashushiswa esifundeni samaRoma Katolika iQuebec. Kwenziwa umkhankaso okhethekile kusetshenziswa ipheshana elinamazwi aqinile elithi Quebec’s Burning Hate for God and Christ and Freedom Is the Shame of All Canada ukuze kuvezwe ukuhlukunyezwa kwabafowethu lapho. UNathan H. Knorr, owayeyilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo YoFakazi BakaJehova, wahlangana namakhulu amaphayona edolobheni laseMontreal ukuze achaze okwakungase kube yimiphumela yalokho esase sizokwenza. UMfoweth’ uKnorr wasitshela ukuthi uma sivuma ukuhlanganyela kulo mkhankaso, singase siboshwe futhi sigqunywe ejele. Kwaba njalo ngempela! Ngaboshwa izikhathi ezingu-15. Lapho siya enkonzweni yasensimini, sasiqiniseka ukuthi siphatha isixubho nekama uma kungenzeka silale ejele.

Ekuqaleni sasisebenza kakhulu ebusuku ukuze singaqashelwa. Ngangivame ukuphatha amapheshana amaningana esikhwameni engangisigaxa entanyeni ngaphansi kwejazi. Lesi sikhwama esigcwele amapheshana sasisikhulu impela, singenze ngibukeke sengathi ngikhulelwe. Lokho kwakungisiza lapho ngingena enqoleni kaloliwe (tram) eminyene ngiya ensimini. Abanumzane abanomusa babevame ukusukumela lo mama “okhulelwe.”

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, saqala ukusakaza la mapheshana emini. Sasishiya amathathu noma amane emzini, bese siya kwenye insimu. Ngokuvamile, lokho kwakuphumelela. Nokho, uma umpristi wendawo ezwa ukuthi sikhona, sasilindela inkathazo. Ngesinye isikhathi, umpristi wagqugquzela isixuku sabantu abadala nezingane abangaba ngu-50 noma 60 ukuba sisijikijele ngotamatisi namaqanda. Sabalekela emzini womunye udade, lapho kwadingeka silale phansi khona.

Kwakunesidingo esikhulu samaphayona ayengashumayela kubantu abakhuluma isiFulentshi eQuebec, ngakho ngo-December 1958, mina nodadewethu uRuby saqala ukufunda ulimi lwesiFulentshi. Ngemva kwalokho sabelwa ezindaweni eziningana ezikhuluma isiFulentshi kuleso sifunda. Esabelweni ngasinye kwakuba nezenzakalo ezihlukile. Kwenye indawo, kwaphela iminyaka emibili sishumayela amahora angu-8 nsuku zonke singavulelwa muntu! Abantu babemane beze emnyango bavale amakhethini. Kodwa asiyekanga. Namuhla, kunamabandla amabili achumayo kulelo dolobhana.

Ngasekelwa UJehova Ngazo Zonke Izindlela

Ngo-1965, sathola ithuba lokuba amaphayona akhethekile. Kwesinye isabelo samaphayona akhethekile, sakuqonda ngokugcwele lokho okushiwo amazwi kaPawulu akweyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:8: “Uma sinokokuzisekela nokokuzimboza, siyokwaneliswa yilezizinto.” Kwakudingeka sizibophe ukuze sikwazi ukuhlangabezana nezindleko zethu. Ngakho sabekela eceleni imali yamafutha e-heater, yerenti, kagesi neyokudla. Lapho sesikwenzile lokho, sasala namasenti angu-25 ayezosiqhuba inyanga yonke senze esikuthandayo ngawo.

Njengoba imali yayingekho, sasikwazi ukubasa i-heater amahora ambalwa kuphela ebusuku. Ngakho izinga lokushisa ekamelweni lethu lokulala lalingadluli kuma-degree Celsius angu-15 futhi kwakuvame ukubanda kakhulu kunalokho. Ngolunye usuku savakashelwa yindodana yesinye sezifundo zikaRuby. Kumelwe ukuba yafika ekhaya yatshela unina ukuthi  sasiqhuqha amakhaza, ngoba ngemva kwalokho wasithumelela amadola ayishumi nyanga zonke ukuze sithenge amafutha, sikwazi ukushiya i-heater ibasiwe ngaso sonke isikhathi. Sasingazizwa neze sintula. Sasingacebile, kodwa sasihlale sinazo izinto eziyisidingo. Sasinomuzwa wokuthi noma yini esalayo yayiyisibusiso. Yeka ukuthi ayiqiniso kanjani amazwi eHubo 37:25: “Kade ngimusha, manje sengimdala; angizange ngibone olungileyo eshiyiwe nenzalo yakhe iphanza ukudla”!

Naphezu kokuphikiswa esabhekana nakho, ngajabula lapho ngibona abaningana babantu engangibafundela iBhayibheli befinyelela olwazini lweqiniso. Abanye bangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele, okwangilethela injabulo ngokukhethekile.

Ukubhekana Ngokuphumelelayo Nezinselele Ezintsha

Ngo-1970 sabelwa eCornwall, e-Ontario. Cishe ngemva konyaka sifikile eCornwall, umama wagula. Ubaba wayeshone ngo-1957, futhi mina nodadewethu bobabili sashintshana ngokunakekela umama waze washona ngo-1972. Esasingamaphayona akhethekile nabo, u-Ella Lisitza no-Ann Kowalenko babengamathonya asenza sazinza futhi basisekela ngothando kulesi sikhathi. Banakekela izifundo zethu zeBhayibheli neminye imithwalo lapho singekho. Yeka ukuthi ayiqiniso kanjani amazwi ezAga 18:24, athi: “Kukhona abangane ababambelela kuneselamani”!

Ukuphila kugcwele izinselele ngempela. Ngesandla sikaJehova sothando esisekelayo, ngiye ngakwazi ukubhekana nazo. Ngisaqhubeka ngenjabulo enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. UBob, owashona ngo-1993, waqhubeka iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-20 emsebenzini wokuphayona, eyahlanganisa iminyaka eyishumi eyigugu ephayona nomkakhe, uDoll. Udadewethu omdala, u-Ella, owashona ngo-October 1998, waphayona iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-30 futhi walondoloza umoya wokuphayona. Ngo-1991, lona omunye udadewethu, uRuby, kwatholakala ukuthi unomdlavuza. Nokho, wasebenzisa amandla akhe angatheni eshumayela izindaba ezinhle. Waqhubeka futhi engumuntu wamancoko kwaze kwaba usuku ashona ngalo, ngo-September 26, 1999. Nakuba ngingasenabo odadewethu, ngisenawo umkhaya ongokomoya wabafowethu nodadewethu  abangisiza ngiqhubeke ngingumuntu ontelayo.

Lapho ngibheka emuva ekuphileni kwami, yini ebengingayishintsha? Angikaze ngishade, kodwa ngiye ngabusiswa ngabazali abanothando, umfowethu, nodadewethu ababeka iqiniso kuqala ekuphileni kwabo. Ngibheke phambili ukubabona bonke maduze ovukweni. Sengathi ngiyamuzwa ubaba enganga manje, futhi ngiyazibona izinyembezi zikamama njengoba sangana ngokufudumele. U-Ella, uRuby noBob bayobe begxumagxuma yinjabulo.

Okwamanje, ngizimisele ukuqhubeka ngisebenzisa impilo namandla angatheni engisenawo ukuze ngidumise uJehova. Inkonzo yokuphayona yesikhathi esigcwele iwukuphila okumnandi ngokumangalisayo nokwanelisayo. Kunjengoba kwasho umhubi ngalabo abahamba ezindleleni zikaJehova: “Uyojabula futhi kuyokuhambela kahle.”—IHubo 128:1, 2, NW.

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Ubaba wayelithanda iBhayibheli. Wasifundisa ukuba silisebenzise ukuze sivikele ukholo lwethu

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Kusukela kwesokunxele kuya kwesokudla: uRuby, yimina, uBob, u-Ella, umama nobaba ngo-1947

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Emgqeni ongaphambili, kusukela kwesokunxele kuya kwesokudla: Yimina, uRuby no-Ella, siseMhlanganweni Wesigodi, ngo-1998