Indaba Yokuphila

Sizimisele Ukukhonza UJehova

ILANDISWA URAIMO KUOKKANEN

Ngo-1939, kwagqashuka iMpi Yezwe II eYurophu. ISoviet Union yabe isihlasela izwe lakithi iFinland. Ubaba wajoyina ibutho laseFinland waya empini. Kungakabiphi, izindiza zempi zamaRashiya zase ziqathaza amabhomu edolobheni esasihlala kulo. Umama wangiyisa kwagogo ngoba kwakuphephe kakhudlwana khona.

NGO-1971, ngangiyisithunywa sevangeli e-Uganda, eMpumalanga Afrika. Ngolunye usuku ngishumayela endlini ngendlu, kwadlula abantu abaningi bethukile bebaleka. Ngezwa kuqhuma izibhamu, nami ngabaleka ngalibangisa ekhaya. Njengoba umsindo wezibhamu usondela, ngaziphonsa emseleni owawugudla umgwaqo. Ngagaqa ngamadolo ngaze ngayofika ekhaya, phezulu kuntwiza izinhlamvu.

Ngangingenakuyibalekela iMpi Yezwe II, kodwa kungani mina nomkami sazichaya ezibhelwini zaseMpumalanga Afrika? Impendulo ihlobene kakhulu nokuzimisela kwethu ukukhonza uJehova.

Okwangenza Ngazimisela Ukukhonza UJehova

Ngazalelwa eHelsinki, eFinland, ngo-1934. Ubaba wayengumapendane, futhi ngolunye usuku kwadingeka ayopenda isakhiwo esasiyihhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova laseFinland. OFakazi bamxoxela ngemihlangano yebandla. Lapho efika ekhaya, watshela umama ngaleyo mihlangano. Umama akazange aqale  ukuyihamba ngaleso sikhathi, kodwa kamuva waqala ukuxoxa ngeBhayibheli noFakazi othile ayesebenza naye. Ngokushesha umama wayesezenza izinto ayezifunda, kwase kuthi ngo-1940 wabhapathizwa njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.

Ngaphambi nje kwalokho, ugogo wayengithathile wangiyisa kwakhe emaphandleni phakathi neMpi Yezwe II. EseHelsinki, umama waqala ukubhalela ugogo nomamekazi omncane ngezinkolelo zoFakazi BakaJehova. Bobabili babonisa isithakazelo futhi bangixoxela izinto abazifundayo. Kwagogo kwakufika abameleli abajikelezayo boFakazi BakaJehova basikhuthaze, kodwa ngangingakazimiseli ukukhonza uNkulunkulu.

Ukuqala Kokuqeqeshelwa Ukukhonza UJehova

Lapho impi iphela ngo-1945, ngaphindela eHelsinki. Umama wabe eseqala ukuhamba nami lapho eya emihlanganweni yoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngezinye izikhathi ngangiya ebhayisikobho, ngingayi emihlanganweni. Kodwa umama wayengixoxela ngezinkulumo ayesuke ezizwe emihlanganweni, futhi njalo wayegcizelela iphuzu elilodwa kimi: I-Armagedoni iseduze kakhulu. Ngakukholelwa lokho, ngayeka ukuphutha emihlanganweni. Njengoba ngangiwaqonda ngokwengeziwe amaqiniso eBhayibheli, ngafisa nakakhulu ukuhlanganyela kuzo zonke izinto ezazenziwa ebandleni.

Ngangikujabulela ngokukhethekile ukuya emihlanganweni yesifunda neyesigodi. Ngo-1948, ngaya emhlanganweni wesigodi owawuseduze nakwagogo, lapho ngangivakashele khona ngamaholidi. Umngane wami othile wayezobhapathizwa kulowo mhlangano, wathi nami mangibhapathizwe. Ngamtshela ukuthi angisiphethe isikhindi, kodwa wathi uzongiboleka esakhe uma esebhapathiziwe. Ngavuma ngabhapathizwa ngo-June 27, 1948, ngineminyaka engu-13 ubudala.

Ngemva komhlangano, abangane bakamama bamtshela ukuthi ngibhapathiziwe. Lapho siphinda sibonana nomama, wangibuza ukuthi kungani ngithathe isinyathelo esibaluleke kangaka ngingakhulumanga naye. Ngachaza ukuthi ngiyaziqonda izimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyisisekelo nokuthi ngiyazi ukuthi ngiyolandisa kuJehova ngokuziphatha kwami.

Ngazimisela Nakakhulu

Abazalwane ebandleni bangisiza ukuba ngizimisele nakakhulu ukukhonza uJehova. Babehamba nami enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu benginika nezabelo emihlanganweni yebandla cishe masonto onke. (IzEnzo 20:20) Lapho ngineminyaka engu-16 ubudala, ngabeka inkulumo yami yeningi yokuqala ngqa. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngamiswa njengenceku yesifundo seBhayibheli ebandleni lethu. Konke lokho kuba matasa ngezinto ezingokomoya kwangisiza ngavuthwa, kodwa kwakusadingeka nginqobe ukwesaba abantu.

Ngalezo zinsuku, inkulumo yeningi yomhlangano wesigodi sasiyimemezela ngezimpawu ezinkulu. Uphawu ngalunye lwaluba nezingqwembe ezimbili ezazilengiswa ngentambo esifubeni nasemhlane. Ngenxa yalokho abanye abantu babesibiza ngamasemishi.

Kwake kwathi ngisekhoneni lomgwaqo ongenabantu abaningi ngifake izingqwembe, ngabona izingane engifunda nazo esikoleni ziza ngakimi ziyiqembu. Indlela ezangibuka ngayo lapho zidlula yangenza ngafisa ukucasha. Ngathandaza kuJehova ngicela isibindi. Ngama nalolo phawu ngangathi nyaka. Ukunqoba ukwesaba abantu ngaleso sikhathi kwangilungiselela uvivinyo olukhulu nakakhulu lokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu.

Kamuva, uhulumeni wasibiza mina nenye intsha engoFakazi ukuba siyobuthelwa impi. Saya enkanjini njengoba sasibiziwe, kodwa senqaba ngenhlonipho ukugqoka izingubo zobusosha. Saboshwa, ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho sagwetshwa izinyanga eziyisithupha ejele. Kwanezelwa nezinye izinyanga ezingu-8 okwakufanele ngabe sizichithe empini. Ngakho, savalelwa izinyanga ezingu-14 zizonke ngenxa yokuma kwethu kokungathathi hlangothi.

Ejele, sasihlangana nsuku zonke sixoxe ngeBhayibheli. Kulezo zinyanga, abaningi bethu balifunda baliqeda iBhayibheli kabili. Lapho  isigwebo sethu sesiphelile, iningi lethu laphuma ejele lizimisele kakhulu kunanini ukukhonza uJehova. Kuze kube namuhla, abaningi kulelo qembu loFakazi ababesebasha basakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka.

Ngemva kokuphuma ejele, ngaphindela ekhaya ngayohlala nabazali bami. Kungakabiphi, ngazana noVeera, uFakazi oshisekayo owayesanda kubhapathizwa. Ngo-1957 sashada.

Ubusuku Obashintsha Ukuphila Kwethu

Ngelinye ilanga kusihlwa lapho sivakashele abazalwane abathile abanomthwalo wemfanelo basehhovisi legatsha, omunye wabo wabuza ukuthi singathanda yini ukwenza umsebenzi wesifunda. Ngemva kokuthandaza ubusuku bonke, ngashayela ucingo egatsheni ngathi yebo singathanda. Ukuze singenele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele kwakuzodingeka ngiyeke umsebenzi wami owawuholela kahle, kodwa sasizimisele ukubeka uMbuso kuqala ekuphileni kwethu. Ngangineminyaka engu-23, uVeera enengu-19, lapho siqala umsebenzi wokujikeleza ngo-December 1957. Sakujabulela ukuhambela nokukhuthaza amabandla abantu bakaJehova eFinland iminyaka emithathu.

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1960, ngathola isimemo sokuya e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead eBrooklyn, eNew York. Sasibathathu eFinland esasizoya esikoleni esikhethekile sezinyanga eziyishumi siyoqeqeshelwa ukunakekela umsebenzi wegatsha. Omkethu basala basebenza ehhovisi legatsha laseFinland.

Ngaphambi nje kokuba isikole siphele, kwathiwa mangiye ehhovisi likaNathan H. Knorr, owayengamele umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke ngaleso sikhathi. UMfoweth’ uKnorr wabuza ukuthi mina nomkami singasamukela yini isabelo sokuba yizithunywa zevangeli eMalagasy Republic, manje eyiMadagascar. Ngabhalela uVeera, ngimbuza ukuthi yena uthini ngalesi sabelo. Waphendula ngokushesha wathi angasijabulela. Lapho sengibuyele eFinland, saphuthuma sazilungiselela ukuyohlala eMadagascar.

Injabulo Nendumalo

Ngo-January 1962 sangena endizeni salibangisa e-Antananarivo, inhloko-dolobha yalelo zwe, sigqoke izigqoko zoboya namajazi amakhulu, kwazise sasisuke eFinland kusebusika. Lapho sifika ezweni elishisayo laseMadagascar, sazishintsha ngokushesha izingubo zethu. Ikhaya lethu lezithunywa zevangeli lokuqala laliwumuzi omncane onekamelo lokulala elilodwa. Kulowo muzi kwase kukhona omunye umbhangqwana wezithunywa zevangeli kakade, ngakho mina noVeera sasilala kuvulandi.

Saqala ukufunda isiFulentshi, ulimi lwaseMadagascar olusemthethweni. Kwakunzima ngoba lwalungekho ulimi esilwazi sobabili olwalwaziwa nanguthisha wethu, uDade Carbonneau. Wayekhuluma isiNgisi uma esifundisa isiFulentshi, kodwa uVeera wayengasazi isiNgisi. Ngakho ngangihumushela uVeera ngesiFinishi lokho uDade Carbonneau akushoyo. Sabe sesiqaphela ukuthi uVeera uwaqonda kangcono ngesiSwidi amagama ayinkimbinkimbi, ngakho ngamchazela uhlelo lolimi lwesiFulentshi ngaso isiSwidi. Ngemva kwesikhashana, sase sithuthuka kahle esiFulentshini, sabe sesiqala ukufunda isiMalagasy, ulimi lwendawo.

Umuntu wokuqala engafunda naye iBhayibheli eMadagascar kwakungumlisa okhuluma isiMalagasy kuphela. Ngangibheka imiBhalo eBhayibhelini lami lesiFinishi,  bese siyifuna kwelakhe lesiMalagasy. Kwakukuncane kakhulu engangikwazi ukumchazela khona mayelana nemiBhalo, kodwa ngokushesha iqiniso leBhayibheli lagxila enhliziyweni yale ndoda, yathuthuka yaze yabhapathizwa.

Ngo-1963, uMilton Henschel wasendlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn wavakashela eMadagascar. Ngemva nje kwalokho, kwavulwa ihhovisi legatsha elisha eMadagascar, ngamiswa njengombonisi wegatsha, ngaphezu kokuba umbonisi wesifunda nowesigodi. Sonke leso sikhathi, uJehova wayesibusisa kakhulu. Kusukela ngo-1962 kuya ku-1970, inani labamemezeli boMbuso eMadagascar lakhuphuka lisuka ku-85 laya ku-469.

Ngolunye usuku ngo-1970, lapho sibuya enkonzweni yasensimini sathola incwajana emnyango ithi zonke izithunywa zevangeli zoFakazi BakaJehova kumelwe ziye ehhovisi likangqongqoshe wezangaphakathi. Lapho, isikhulu esithile sasitshela ukuthi uhulumeni uthe masiphume siphele ngokushesha kulelo zwe. Kwathi uma ngibuza ukuthi ngisendwa nje ngoneni, lesi sikhulu sathi: “Mnumzane Kuokkanen, awenzanga lutho olubi.”

Ngathi: “Sesineminyaka engu-8 silapha. Kusekhaya lapha. Asikwazi ukuvele sihambe nje.” Naphezu kwemizamo yethu, zonke izithunywa zevangeli kwadingeka zihambe kungakapheli isonto elilodwa. Igatsha lavalwa, umsebenzi wawusunakekelwa uFakazi othile wendawo. Singakabashiyi abafowethu abathandekayo baseMadagascar, sathola isabelo esisha, ukuya e-Uganda.

Ukuqala Kabusha

Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngemva kokuhamba eMadagascar, safika eKampala, inhloko-dolobha ye-Uganda. Ngokushesha saqala ukufunda isiLuganda, ulimi olumnandi sengathi umculo, kodwa olulukhuni satshe. Ezinye izithunywa zevangeli zasiza uVeera ukufunda isiNgisi kuqala, futhi sakwazi ukushumayela ngaso ngokuphumelelayo.

Ukushisa nomswakama waseKampala kwamgulisa uVeera. Ngakho sathola isabelo sokuya eMbarara, idolobhana lase-Uganda elipholapholile. SasingoFakazi bokuqala lapho, futhi ngosuku lokuqala sisenkonzweni, sabusiswa ngokuhlangenwe nakho okuhle. Kwathi ngisakhuluma nendoda ethile emzini wayo kwaphuma umkayo ekhishini. Igama lakhe kwakunguMargaret, futhi wayekade  elalele njengoba ngangishumayela. UVeera waqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noMargaret, wathuthuka kahle ngokomoya. Wabhapathizwa, waba ummemezeli woMbuso oshisekayo.

Kwakulwiwa Emigwaqweni

Ngo-1971 impi yombango yasiphuca ukuthula e-Uganda. Ngelinye ilanga kwalwelwa ngasekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eMbarara. Senzeka ngaleso sikhathi isenzakalo engisixoxe ekuqaleni kwale ndaba.

UVeera wayesefikile kakade ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli lapho ngifika ngemva kokugaqa ngamadolo ibanga elide emseleni, ngicashela amasosha. Ekhoneni endlini, sakha “inqaba” ngawomatilasi nempahla yasendlini. Sahlala endlini isonto lonke, silalele izindaba emsakazweni. Ngezinye izikhathi izinhlamvu zazishaya ngapha nangapha ezindongeni siqubé enqabeni yethu. Ebusuku sasingakhanyisi, ukuze kungabonakali ukuthi sikhona. Ngelinye ilanga, kwafika amasosha amemeza emnyango. Sathula sathi cwaka, sithandaza ngezinhliziyo kuJehova. Ngemva kokuphela kwempi, omakhelwane bethu bafika bazosibonga ngokuthi baphephile. Babekholelwa ukuthi sonke sivikelwe nguJehova, nathi savumelana nabo.

Isimo sazola kwaze kwaba yilapho ekuseni ngolunye usuku sizwa emsakazweni ukuthi uhulumeni wase-Uganda usebavimbele oFakazi BakaJehova. Umsakazi wathi bonke oFakazi BakaJehova kufanele baphindele ezinkolweni abasuka kuzo. Ngazama ukubonisana nezikhulu zikahulumeni kodwa kwanhlanga zimuka nomoya. Ngabe sengiya ehhovisi likaMongameli u-Idi Amin, ngacela ukuba nginikwe ithuba lokubonana naye. Umamukeli wezivakashi wangitshela ukuthi umongameli umatasa. Ngaphindela kaningi, kodwa angizange ngikwazi ukubonana nomongameli. Ekugcineni, ngo-July 1973 kwadingeka sihambe e-Uganda.

Unyaka Owodwa Wagcina Ube Eyishumi

Ukudabuka esasikuzwe lapho sixoshwa eMadagascar kwasiphinda lapho sishiya abafowethu abathandekayo base-Uganda. Ngaphambi kokuba siye esabelweni sethu esisha saseSenegal, saya eFinland. Siselapho, isabelo sethu saseSenegal sahoxiswa, kwathiwa masihlale eFinland. Kwakubonakala sengathi sigcinile ukuba yizithunywa zevangeli. EFinland, saba amaphayona akhethekile kamuva saphindela emsebenzini wesifunda.

Ngo-1990 ukuphikiswa komsebenzi eMadagascar kwase kunciphile. Sabe sesimangazwa indlunkulu yaseBrooklyn lapho isibuza ukuthi singaya yini khona unyaka owodwa. Sasifuna ukuya kodwa sasibhekene nezinselele ezimbili ezinkulu. Ubaba owayesekhulile wayedinga ukunakekelwa, kanti noVeera wayesalokhu enempilo engeyinhle. Kwaba buhlungu lapho ubaba eshona ngo-November 1990, kodwa ukusimama kwempilo kaVeera kwasinika ithemba lokuthi siyophinde sibuyele emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli. Ngo-September 1991 saphindela eMadagascar.

EMadagascar sasabelwe ukukhonza unyaka owodwa, kodwa sagcina sihlale eyishumi. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, inani labamemezeli landa lisuka kwabangu-4 000 laya kwabangu-11 600. Ngangikujabulela kakhulu ukuba yisithunywa sevangeli. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi ngangidumala, ngizibuze ukuthi angikudebeseleli yini ukunakekela izidingo ezingokwenyama nezingokomzwelo zomkami othandekayo. Sobabili uJehova wasinika amandla okuqhubeka. Ekugcineni, ngo-2001 saphindela eFinland futhi sisasebenza ehhovisi legatsha lakhona. Intshiseko yethu ngoMbuso isavutha futhi sisabukhumbula ubumnandi be-Afrika. Sizimisele ukwenza intando kaJehova nomaphi lapho esabela khona.—Isaya 6:8.

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 12]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

IFINLAND

IYUROPHU

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 14]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

I-AFRIKA

IMADAGASCAR

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 15]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

I-AFRIKA

I-UGANDA

[Isithombe ekhasini 14]

Mhla sishada

[Izithombe ekhasini 14, 15]

Lapho sisemsebenzini wesifunda eFinland ngo-1960 . . . 

. . . nalapho siyizithunywa zevangeli eMadagascar, ngo-1962

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

NginoVeera namuhla