Indaba Yokuphila

Isabelo Sethu Sokuba Izithunywa Zevangeli Saba Ikhaya Lethu

IXOXWA UDICK WALDRON

KwakuyiSonto ntambama ngo-September 1953. Sasisanda kufika eNingizimu-ntshonalanga Afrika (manje eyiNamibia). Lingakapheli isonto sifikile kuleli zwe, sase sizoqhuba umhlangano weningi enhlokodolobha, iWindhoek. Sasilethwe yini kuleli zwe lase-Afrika sisuka kude lé e-Australia? Mina nomkami, kanye nabesifazane abathathu, sasize njengezithunywa zevangeli zezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 24:14.

NGAZALELWA ezweni eliqhelile lase-Australia, ngonyaka wezimanga u-1914. Lapho ngisemusha kwaba nokuWohloka Okukhulu Kwezomnotho, futhi kwadingeka ngenze engingakwenza ukuze siqhubeke siphila ekhaya. Kwakungekho msebenzi, kodwa ngasungula indlela yokuzingela onogwaja, ababeyinala e-Australia. Ngakho, enye yezinto eziyinhloko engangizinezela ekudleni komkhaya kwakuyinyama kanogwaja eyayitholakala njalo.

Lapho kuqala impi yezwe yesibili, ngo-1939, ngase ngikwazile ukuthola umsebenzi kumathilamu nasemabhasini asedolobheni laseMelbourne. Kwakunamadoda angaba ngu-700 ayesebenza amashifu emabhasini, futhi kuyishifu ngayinye ngangihlangana nomshayeli noma ukhondaktha ohlukile. Ngangivame ukubabuza, “Ukuyiphi inkolo?” bese ngibacela bachaze izinkolelo zabo. Umuntu okungukuphela kwakhe owanginika izimpendulo ezanelisayo wayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Wangichazela umyalezo osekelwe eBhayibhelini womhlaba oyipharadesi, lapho kuyohlala khona phakade abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu.—IHubo 37:29.

 Ngaso leso sikhathi, umama naye wahlangana noFakazi BakaJehova. Ngokuvamile, lapho ngishayisa kusihlwa, ngangilindelwe ukudla kwami kanye nekhophi kamagazini i-Consolation (manje ebizwa nge-Phaphama!). Engangikufunda kwakuthakazelisa. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngaphetha ngokuthi lena yinkolo yeqiniso, ngaqala ukuhlanganyela futhi ngabhapathizwa ngo-May 1940.

EMelbourne kwakunekhaya lamaphayona, okwakuhlala kulo izikhonzi ezingu-25 zesikhathi esigcwele ezingoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngathutha ngayohlala nazo. Nsuku zonke ngangilalela okuhlangenwe nakho kwazo okuthakazelisayo emsebenzini wokushumayela, futhi kwakhula isifiso sokuba yiphayona. Ekugcineni ngafaka isicelo sokuba yiphayona. Samukelwa, futhi ngabizwa ukuba ngiyokhonza ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova e-Australia. Ngakho ngaba yingxenye yomkhaya waseBethel.

Ukuboshwa Nokuvinjelwa

Esinye sezabelo zami eBethel sasiwukusebenzisa umshini wokusaha izingodo. Lapho, sasisaha izingodo zokwenza amalahle okwenza igesi yokuhambisa injini. Yayisetshenziswa ezimotweni egatsheni ngoba uphethiloli othengwayo wawuyindlala ngenxa yempi. Sonke esingu-12 esasisebenza kulo mshini wokusaha izingodo kwakudingeka sibuthelwe empini. Akubangaphi sagwetshwa izinyanga eziyisithupha ejele ngokwenqaba kwethu inkonzo yempi ngokusekelwe eBhayibhelini. (Isaya 2:4) Sathunyelwa ukuyosebenza epulazini eliyijele. Basinika muphi umsebenzi? Phela sanikwa umsebenzi wokusaha izingodo, wona kanye lo esasiqeqeshelwe ukuwenza eBethel!

Sawenza kahle kakhulu lo msebenzi wokusaha izingodo kangangokuthi umphathi wejele wasinika iBhayibheli nezincwadi zethu zeBhayibheli, naphezu kwemithetho eqinile yokuthi singanikwa lezo zinto. Kungale nkathi lapho ngafunda khona isifundo esibalulekile ekusebenzelaneni nabantu. Ngisasebenza eBethel, kukhona umzalwane engangingezwani neze naye. Ubuntu bethu babuhlukene ngokuphelele. Ucabanga ukuthi ubani engafakwa naye esitokisini? Uye kanye lowo mzalwane. Manje saba nesikhathi sokwazana kangcono, ngenxa yalokho saba abangane abakhulu.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wavinjelwa e-Australia. Zathathwa zonke izimali, abazalwane baseBethel basala bengenamali. Ngesinye isikhathi, omunye wabo weza kimi wathi: “Dick, ngifuna ukuyoshumayela edolobheni, kodwa anginazo izicathulo, nginamabhuzu okusebenza kuphela.” Ngakujabulela ukumsiza, wayesehamba eya edolobheni egqoke izicathulo zami.

Kamuva, sezwa kuthiwa uboshiwe wavalelwa ngenxa yokushumayela. Akuvumanga ngizibambe, ngamthumelela incwajana ethi: “Ngiyadabuka ngalokhu okwenzekile. Ngiyajabula ukuthi kwenzeke ezicathulweni hhayi kimi.” Kodwa ngokushesha nami ngaboshwa ngavalelwa okwesibili ngokungathathi kwami uhlangothi. Ngemva kokukhululwa, ngabelwa ukunakekela ipulazi elalikhiqiza ukudla komkhaya waseBethel. Ngaleso sikhathi sase siwine icala enkantolo, futhi umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova usuvunyelwe.

Ukushada Nomshumayeli Oshisekayo

Sengisepulazini, ngaqala ukucabangisisa ngokushada ngakhangwa omunye udade osemusha owayeyiphayona, uCoralie Clogan. Ugogo kaCoralie wayebe ngowokuqala emndenini wakhe ukubonisa isithakazelo emyalezweni weBhayibheli. Esezoshona, wayethe kumama kaCoralie, uVera: “Ufundise abantwana bakho ukuba bathande uNkulunkulu futhi bamkhonze, ngelinye ilanga siyohlangana emhlabeni oyiPharadesi.” Kamuva, lapho kufika iphayona kwaVera nencwadi ethi Millions Now Living Will Never Die, waqala ukuwaqonda amazwi kanina. Leyo ncwajana yamkholisa uVera ukuthi kwakuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba abantu bajabulele ukuphila emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (IsAmbulo 21:4) Wabhapathizwa ekuqaleni kwawo-1930, futhi njengoba unina ayemkhuthazile, wasiza amadodakazi akhe amathathu—uLucy, uJean noCoralie— ukuba akhe uthando ngoNkulunkulu. Nokho, ubaba kaCoralie wayephikisana kakhulu nenkolo yomkhaya wakhe, njengoba nje uJesu ayexwayise ukuthi kungase kwenzeke emikhayeni.—Mathewu 10:34-36.

AbakwaClogan babewuthanda umculo; ingane ngayinye yayidlala insimbi ethile yomculo. UCoralie wayedlala i-violin, futhi ngo-1939, eneminyaka engu-15, wathola i-diploma yomculo. Ukuqala kweMpi Yezwe II kwenza uCoralie wacabangisisa ngekusasa lakhe. Sase sifikile isikhathi sokuba enze isinqumo ngalokho ayezokwenza ngokuphila kwakhe. Kwakunethuba lokuba angene emkhakheni womculo. Kakade wayesethole isimemo sokudlala kuyiMelbourne Symphony Orchestra. Kodwa futhi kwakunethuba lokuba asebenzise isikhathi sakhe emsebenzini omuhle wokushumayela isigijimi soMbuso. Ngemva kokucabanga ngokujulile, uCoralie nodadewabo ababili babhapathizwa ngo-1940 base belungiselela ukungenela umsebenzi wokushumayela isikhathi esigcwele.

Ngokushesha ngemva kokuba uCoralie enqume ukungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele kweza kuye umzalwane onomthwalo wemfanelo osegatsheni lase-Australia, uLloyd Barry, kamuva owakhonza njengelungu leNdikimba Ebusayo YoFakazi BakaJehova. Wayesanda kunikeza inkulumo eMelbourne, wathi kuCoralie: “Ngiphindela eBethel. Ngeke yini uthande ukubuyela nami emuva ngesitimela uyoba yilungu lomkhaya waseBethel?” Wavumela phezulu.

UCoralie nabanye odade baseBethel babenza umsebenzi obalulekile wokukhiqizela abazalwane base-Australia izincwadi zeBhayibheli phakathi nokuvinjelwa kwangeminyaka yempi. Ingxenye enkulu yokunyathelisa yayenziwa yibo, benganyelwe uMfoweth’ uMalcom Vale. Kwanyatheliswa futhi kwahlanganiswa incwadi ethi The New World nethi Children, futhi akukho neyodwa INqabayokulinda engaphumanga kuleyo nkathi engaphezu kweminyaka emibili yokuvinjelwa.

Indawo yokunyathelisa kwadingeka ishintshwe izikhathi ezingaba ngu-15 kubalekelwa amaphoyisa. Ngesinye isikhathi, izincwadi zeBhayibheli zazinyatheliselwa ngaphansi kwesakhiwo okwakunyatheliswa kuso izinto ezihlukile ukuze kudukiswe umkhondo. Udade owayesendaweni yokwamukela izivakashi wayenenkinobho ayicindezelayo lapho kusondela ingozi kukhale insimbi ezansi, bese odade befihla izincwadi engakafiki umuntu ozosesha.

Ngolunye usuku kuzoseshwa, abanye odade bethuka kwaphela nasozwaneni lapho bebona ukuthi kune-Nqabayokulinda eyayihlezi obala phezu kwetafula. Iphoyisa langena, labeka isikhwama salo phezu kwayo le Nqabayokulinda, laqala ukusesha. Lapho lingatholi lutho, lathatha isikhwama salo laphuma!

Ngemva kokuba umsebenzi usuvunyelwe nesakhiwo segatsha sabuyiselwa kubazalwane, abaningi babo banikwa ithuba lokuya ensimini njengamaphayona akhethekile. Kungaleso sikhathi lapho uCoralie avolontiya ukuya eGlen Innes. Ngamlandela lapho sishada ngo-January 1, 1948. Sathi sisishiya leso sabelo, kwase kumiswe ibandla elichumayo.

Isabelo sethu esilandelayo sasiseRockhampton, kodwa asiyitholanga indawo yokuhlala khona. Ngakho samisa itende endaweni evulekile esepulazini lomuntu owayenesithakazelo. Lelo tende laba ikhaya lethu izinyanga ezingu-9 ezalandela. Kwakungaba isikhathi eside kunalokho ukube akufikanga isikhathi sezimvula, isivunguvungu  esikhulu salidabula laba manikiniki, imvula enkulu yalikhukhula. *

Ukuya Kwethu Esabelweni Esikwelinye Izwe

SiseRockhampton, sathola isimemo sokuya ekilasini le-19 lase-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead siyoqeqeshelwa ukuba izithunywa zevangeli. Sathunywa kanjalo-ke, ngemva kokuthola iziqu ngo-1952, ezweni elalaziwa ngokuthi iNingizimu-ntshonalanga Afrika.

Abefundisi beLobukholwa abapholisanga maseko ukubonisa ukuthi babezizwa kanjani ngomsebenzi wethu wezithunywa zevangeli. Amasonto ayisithupha elandelana, njalo ngeSonto babexwayisa amabandla abo ngathi emasontweni. Babetshela abantu ukuthi bangasingenisi emizini yabo futhi bangasivumeli sifunde iBhayibheli ngoba lizobadida. Kwenye indawo, sahambisa izincwadi eziningana, kodwa umfundisi wasilandela engena indlu ngendlu ezithatha. Ngolunye usuku saxoxa naye lo mfundisi ekamelweni lakhe lokufundela futhi sabona ukuthi wayenezincwadi eziningi zethu.

Akubanga isikhathi eside neziphathimandla zendawo zaqala ukukhathazeka ngomsebenzi wethu. Njengoba kwakusobala ukuthi zigqugquzelwa abefundisi, zazisinuka ukuthi sasihlangene namaKhomanisi. Ngakho sagingqiswa izithupha, nabanye babantu esasibahambele baphenywa. Naphezu kwakho konke lokhu kuphikiswa, lalilokhu likhula inani labantu ababeza emihlanganweni yethu.

Kusukela siqala ukufika, saba nesifiso esikhulu sokusakaza umyalezo weBhayibheli kwabomdabu abangama-Ovambo, amaHerero namaNama. Kodwa kwakungelula. Ngalezo zikhathi, iNingizimu-ntshonalanga Afrika yayingaphansi kukahulumeni wobandlululo waseNingizimu Afrika. Thina belungu sasingavunyelwe ukushumayela ezindaweni zabamnyama singenayo imvume kahulumeni. Sasilokhu sisifaka isicelo semvume, kodwa iziphathimandla zazivele zenqabe.

Ngemva kweminyaka emibili sisesabelweni sethu kuleli zwe, kwenzeka esasingakulindele. UCoralie wayekhulelwe. Ngo-October 1955, sathola indodakazi, uCharlotte. Nakuba sasingasenakuqhubeka njengezithunywa zevangeli, ngathola itoho ngaqhubeka ngiphayona okwesikhashana.

Impendulo Yemithandazo Yethu

Ngo-1960 sabhekana nenye inselele. UCoralie wathola incwadi ethi unina wayegula kangangokuthi uma uCoralie engezi ekhaya, wayengase angaphinde ambone. Ngakho sahlela ukuba sishiye eNingizimu-ntshonalanga Afrika sibuyele e-Australia. Nakho-ke sekuthi ngalo lelo sonto esasizohamba ngalo, sengithola  imvume evela kuziphathimandla yokungena elokishini labamnyama, eKatutura. Sasizokwenzenjani manje? Siyiphindisele emuva le mvume ngemva kokushikashikeka iminyaka engu-7 siyifuna? Kwakulula ukuzitshela ukuthi sekuyoqhubeka abanye lapho sigcine khona. Kodwa kwakungesona yini lesi isibusiso sikaJehova, impendulo yemithandazo yethu?

Ngasheshe nganquma. Ngizosala, funa umshikashika wethu wokuthola imvume yokuhlala unomphela kuleli zwe uphelele ezeni uma sihamba sonke siya e-Australia. Ngakusasa, ngahoxisa emkhunjini ngahambisa uCoralie noCharlotte baya e-Australia bethatha iholide elide.

Besahambile, ngaqala ukushumayela kubantu abahlala elokishini labamnyama. Sikhulu isithakazelo abasibonisa. Lapho uCoralie noCharlotte bebuya, kwase kunabantu abaningana baselokishini ababeza emihlanganweni yethu.

Ngalesi sikhathi, nganginemoto endala engangikwazi ukuletha ngayo abantu abanesithakazelo emihlanganweni. Umhlangano ngamunye ngangibathutha kane noma kahlanu , ngithwele abangu-7, 8, noma abangu-9 isikhathi ngasinye. Kwakuthi lapho sekwehla owokugcina, uCoralie abuze encokola: “Bangaki abasasele ngaphansi kwesihlalo?”

Ukuze siphumelele ngokwengeziwe ensimini, sasidinga izincwadi ngolimi lwabantu bomdabu. Ngakho ngaba nelungelo lokuhlela ukuba ipheshana elithi Life in a New World lihunyushelwe ezilimini ezine zendawo: isiHerero, isiNama, isiNdonga nesiKwanyama. Abahumushi kwakungabantu abafundile esasibafundela iBhayibheli, kodwa kwakudingeka ngihlale nabo ukuze ngiqiniseke ukuthi umusho ngamunye uhunyushwe kahle. IsiNama ulimi olungenawo amagama amaningi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngangizama ukuveza leli phuzu: “Ekuqaleni u-Adamu wayengumuntu ophelele.” Umhumushi wazinwaya ikhanda wayesethi alikho igama lesiNama alikhumbulayo elisho ukuthi “ophelele.” Ekugcineni wathi: “Ngilitholile. Ekuqaleni u-Adamu wayefana nepentshisi elivuthiwe.”

Saneliswa Yikhaya Eliyisabelo Sethu

Sekudlule iminyaka engaba ngu-49 safika kuleli zwe, manje eselibizwa ngokuthi iNamibia. Akusadingekile ukuthola imvume yokungena ezindaweni zabamnyama. INamibia ibuswa uhulumeni omusha onomthetho-sisekelo ongabandlululi. Namuhla, eWindhoek sinamabandla amakhulu amane ahlangana emaHholo OMbuso athokomele.

Sekukaningi sicabanga ngala mazwi esawezwa eGileyadi: “Yenzani isabelo senu sakwelinye izwe sibe ikhaya lenu.” Uma sibona indlela uJehova aye waqondisa ngayo izinto, siyaqiniseka ukuthi kwakuyintando yakhe ukuba leli zwe libe ikhaya lethu. Siyabathanda abazalwane, namasiko abo ahlukahlukene athakazelisayo. Siye sahleka nabo lapho bejabula, sakhala nabo lapho besosizini. Abanye balabo bantu ababesanda kuhlanganyela esasibahlohla emotweni yethu sibayise esifundweni manje sebeyizinsika emabandleni abo. Lapho sifika kuleli zwe elingudedangendlale ngo-1953, kwakunabamemezeli abangafikile eshumini ababeshumayela izindaba ezinhle. Kusukela kuleso siqalo esincane, sesanda saba ngaphezu kuka-1 200. Egcina isithembiso sakhe, uJehova uye wakhulisa lapho thina nabanye siye ‘satshala futhi sanisela’ khona.—1 Korinte 3:6.

Uma sibheka emuva eminyakeni eminingi yenkonzo, kusukela e-Australia kuze kube manje eNamibia, mina noCoralie sizizwa saneliseke kakhulu. Sithemba futhi sithandazela ukuthi uJehova aqhubeke esinika amandla okwenza intando yakhe manje naphakade.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 26, 27]

Lapho siya esabelweni sethu eRockhampton, e-Australia

[Isithombe ekhasini 27]

Esikhumulweni semikhumbi sisendleleni eya eSikoleni SaseGileyadi

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

Ukushumayela eNamibia kusilethela injabulo enkulu