Indaba Yokuphila

Ukuzuza Ebuqothweni Babantu Engibathandayo

ILANDISWA UKATHLEEN COOKE

NGO-1911, ugogo uMary Ellen Thompson wavakashela izihlobo zakhe eGlasgow, eScotland. Ngesikhathi elapho, waya enkulumweni eyayinikezwa uCharles Taze Russell, ilungu elivelele labaFundi BeBhayibheli, kamuva abaziwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova. Akuzwa lapho kwamhlaba umxhwele. Esebuyele eNingizimu Afrika, wathintana nabaFundi BeBhayibheli bendawo. Ngo-April 1914, waba ngomunye wabangu-16 ababhapathizwa emhlanganweni wesigodi wokuqala ngqa wabaFundi BeBhayibheli eNingizimu Afrika. Indodakazi kagogo, u-Edith, kamuva eyaba umama wami yayineminyaka eyisithupha ngaleso sikhathi.

Ngemva kokushona kukaMfoweth’ uRussell ngo-1916, kwaba noqhekeko phakathi kwabaFundi BeBhayibheli emhlabeni wonke. Inani labathembekile eThekwini lancipha lisuka ku-60 laya cishe ku-12. Ugogo ozala ubaba, u-Ingeborg Myrdal, nendodana yakhe uHenry, eyayisanda kweva eminyakeni eyishumi nambili futhi eyayisanda kubhapathizwa, baqhubeka besohlangothini lwabathembekile. Ngo-1924, uHenry waba i-colporteur, njengoba zazibizwa kanjalo izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zoFakazi BakaJehova. Eminyakeni emihlanu eyalandela, washumayela ezindaweni eziningi eziseningizimu ne-Afrika. Ngo-1930, uHenry nomama u-Edith bashada futhi ngazalwa ngemva kweminyaka emithathu.

 Umndeni

Sake sahlala kancane eMozambique, kodwa ngo-1939 sathuthela eGoli, sayohlala nogogo nomkhulu abazala umama. Umkhulu wayengenasithakazelo nhlobo eqinisweni leBhayibheli futhi ngezinye izikhathi wayephikisa ugogo, kodwa nokho wayenomoya omuhle wokwamukela izihambi. Udadewethu, uThelma, wazalwa ngo-1940, futhi mina naye safunda ukunakekela abantu abadala. Kwakuba nzima ukuhlukana ngemva kokudla kwakusihlwa; sasidla ingevu ngokwenzeke phakathi nosuku noma sixoxe ngesezadlula.

Umndeni wakithi wawuzithanda izivakashi ezingoFakazi, ikakhulukazi ezisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Nazo zazihlanganyela kulezi zingxoxo zakusihlwa futhi zasenza salazisa nakakhulu ifa lethu elingokomoya. Lokhu kwenza mina noThelma safisa kakhulu ukuba amaphayona njengazo.

Kusukela sibancane safundiswa ukuthanda ukufunda. Umama nobaba nogogo babesifundela izincwadi ezimnandi noma basifundele iBhayibheli uqobo. Ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu nokuya enkonzweni kwakubaluleke kakhulu kithi, kwakufana nokuphefumula. Ubaba wayeyinceku yebandla (manje ebizwa ngokuthi umbonisi owengamele) eBandleni LaseGoli, ngakho sonke kwakufanele sifike emihlanganweni ngesikhathi. Lapho sinomhlangano wesigodi, ubaba wayeba matasa esiza ekuqondiseni, umama yena wayesiza abazalwane abavela kwezinye izindawo ngezindawo zokulala.

Umhlangano Wesigodi Okhethekile Kithi

Umhlangano wesigodi owawungo-1948 eGoli wawukhethekile. Kwakuqala ngqa ukuba sivakashelwe amalungu asendlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eseBrooklyn, eNew York. Ubaba wabelwa ukuba asebenzise imoto yakhe ahambise uNathan Knorr noMilton Henschel sonke isikhathi belapha. Ngabhapathizwa kuwo lowo mhlangano.

Ngemva nje kwalokho, ubaba wamangala kabi lapho uyise emtshela ukuthi uzisola kakhulu ngokuvumela ukuthonywa yilabo abahlamuka abaFundi BeBhayibheli ngemva kokushona kukaMfoweth’ uRussell. Umkhulu washona ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ezalandela. Ugogo yena wahlala eqotho kwaze kwaba yilapho eqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-1955.

Izenzakalo Ezalolonga Ukuphila Kwami

Ngo-February 1, 1949, ngaba yiphayona elivamile. Kwaba nenjabulo enkulu lapho kumenyezelwa ukuthi kuzoba nomhlangano wezizwe eNew York City ngonyaka olandelayo. Sasingeve sifisa ukuya kodwa sasingenayo imali. Ngo-February 1950, umkhulu ozala umama washona futhi ugogo wasebenzisa imali yefa wakhokha izindleko zokuhamba zethu sobahlanu.

Emasontweni ambalwa ngaphambi kokuba sihambe, kwafika incwadi evela endlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York.  Yayingimema ukuba ngibe sekilasini le-16 lesikole saseGileyadi sezithunywa zevangeli. Kwangijabulisa futhi kwangimangaza kakhulu lokho ngoba ngangingakayihlanganisi neminyaka engu-17! Lapho isikole siqala, nami ngangingomunye wabafundi abayishumi abavela eNingizimu Afrika, ngijabulela lelo lungelo elikhulu.

Ngemva kokuthweswa iziqu ngo-February 1951, kwaphindela abangu-8 bethu eNingizimu Afrika ukuyokhonza njengezithunywa zevangeli. Eminyakeni embalwa eyalandela, mina nengangiphayona naye sashumayela kakhulu emadolobheni amancane anabantu abakhuluma isiBhunu. Ekuqaleni lwalungehlula lolu limi futhi ngikhumbula ngelinye ilanga ngigibele ibhayisikili lami ngiqonde ekhaya ngihamba ngikhala ngoba ngangingaphumeleli enkonzweni. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngathuthuka futhi uJehova wayibusisa imizamo yami.

Umshado Nomsebenzi Wokujikeleza

Ngo-1955, ngajwayelana noJohn Cooke. Wayebe nesandla ekuqaleni umsebenzi wokushumayela eFrance, ePortugal naseSpain ngaphambi nangemva kweMpi Yezwe II, futhi ngonyaka esahlangana ngawo wayeseyisithunywa sevangeli e-Afrika. Naku akubhala kamuva: “Ngehlelwé izimanga ezintathu ngesonto elilodwa vó . . . Umzalwane othile onomusa ungiphe imoto; ngamiswa njengenceku yesigodi; futhi ngathola isithandwa.” * Sashada ngo-December 1957.

Ngesikhathi sisathandana, uJohn wangithembisa ukuthi ukuphila naye kwakuyothakazelisa kakhulu, futhi wayeqinisile. Sahambela amabandla eNingizimu Afrika yonkana, ikakhulu ezindaweni zabansundu. Masonto onke, sasibhekana nenselele yokuthola imvume yokungena nje kulezi zindawo, ingasaphathwa eyokulala khona. Izikhathi ezimbalwa, sasilala phansi esitolo esasingasasebenzi eduze kwendawo yabamhlophe, bese sizama ukungabonwa muntu odlulayo. Ngokuvamile kwakudingeka sihlale noFakazi abamhlophe abaseduze, okwakuvame ukuba baqhele kakhulu.

 Enye inselele esasibhekana nayo ukuqhubela imihlangano esigangeni. Sasibukisa abantu amafilimu enziwe oFakazi BakaJehova ayebasiza ukuba bazise ubuzalwane bethu bomhlaba wonke. Sasiziphathela owethu umshini wokuphehla ugesi (i-generator) ngoba ngokuvamile wawungekho ugesi kulezo zindawo. Sasiba nanezinkinga ezindaweni ezaziphethwe iBrithani njengoba izincwadi zethu zazivinjelwe kulezo zindawo ngaleso sikhathi kanti nokufunda isiZulu kwakuwumqansa. Nokho, sasikujabulela ukukhonza abafowethu.

Ngo-August 1961, uJohn waba umfundisi wokuqala weSikole Senkonzo SoMbuso eNingizimu Afrika esasithatha amasonto amane futhi esasiklanyelwe ukusiza ababonisi bamabandla. Wayenekhono lokufundisa futhi ekwazi ukufinyelela izinhliziyo ngemifanekiso efanelekayo necacile. Cishe unyaka nengxenye sahambela izindawo ezihlukahlukene siyoqhuba lesi sikole emabandleni abafowethu abakhuluma isiNgisi. Uma uJohn esekilasini efundisa, mina ngangiya enkonzweni yasensimini noFakazi bendawo. Kwathi kusenjalo samangala sesithola incwadi ethi siyokhonza ehhovisi legatsha laseNingizimu Afrika eduze kwaseGoli ngo-July 1, 1964.

Kodwa ngalesi sikhathi impilo kaJohn yayisithanda ukusixaka. Ngo-1948 waphathwa isifo sofuba (i-TB) futhi ngemva kwalokho wahlushwa ukuphelelwa amandla. Kwakuba sengathi uphethwe umkhuhlane futhi wayelala izinsuku eziningi—angakwazi nokwenzani futhi angakwazi nokuxoxa nomuntu. Udokotela esasimbone ngaphambi kokuya egatsheni wathola ukuthi uJohn unenkinga yokucindezeleka.

Kwakunzima ngathi ukushintsha indlela yethu yokuphila njengoba udokotela ayesikisele. Egatsheni, uJohn wabelwa ukusebenza eMnyangweni Wenkonzo futhi mina ngangisebenza emnyangweni wokuhumusha ngenza umsebenzi wokuhlola nokulungisa izincwadi ngaphambi kokuba zinyatheliswe [proofreading]. Yeka indlela okwakumnandi ngayo ukuba nekamelo lethu! Ngaphambi kokuba sishade, uJohn wayeke wakhonza ensimini yesiPutukezi, ngakho ngo-1967 sacelwa ukuba sisize ukuphela komkhaya woFakazi ongamaPutukezi emsebenzini wokushumayela emphakathini omkhulu wamaPutukezi eGoli nasezindaweni ezingomakhelwane. Ngasho ngathi kwangiphinda-ke lokho ngoba phela kwadingeka ngifunde olunye ulimi.

Njengoba umphakathi wamaPutukezi wawusakazeke kakhulu, sasihamba impela—ngezinye izikhathi sasihamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-300 siya kwabafanelekayo. OFakazi baseMozambique abakhuluma isiPutukezi baqala ukusivakashela ngezikhathi zemihlangano, futhi lokho kwabasiza kakhulu ababesanda kuba oFakazi. Phakathi neminyaka engu-11 sikhonza ensimini yesiPutukezi, iqembu lethu elincane labantu abangu-30 lakhula laba amabandla amane.

Kushintsha Izimo Ekhaya

Phakathi naso sonke leso sikhathi, kwakwenzeka izinto ezithile ekhaya. Ngo-1960 udadewethu, uThelma, washada noJohn Urban, iphayona lase-United States. Ngo-1965 baba sekilasini laseGileyadi lama-40 futhi bakhonza ngokwethembeka njengezithunywa zevangeli iminyaka engu-25 eBrazil. Ngo-1990 babuyela e-Ohio ukuze banakekele abazali bakaJohn abase behlushwa impilo. Naphezu kwezinkinga zokunakekela abazali abagulayo, baye baqhubeka besenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele kuze kube namuhla.

Ugogo ozala umama waqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-1965, eneminyaka engu-98 futhi ethembekile kuNkulunkulu. Ubaba wathatha umhlalaphansi ngawo lowo nyaka. Ngakho lapho mina noJohn sicelwa ukuba siyosiza ensimini yendawo yesiPutukezi, umama nobaba bacela ukuhamba nathi. Baba nethonya elihle kakhulu kuleli qembu futhi ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, kwamiswa ibandla lokuqala. Ngokushesha nje ngemva kwalokho, umama waphathwa umdlavuza futhi washona ngo-1971. Ubaba washona eminyakeni engu-7 kamuva.

Ukubhekana Nempilo KaJohn Ebuthaka

Ngawo-1970 kwase kusobala ukuthi uJohn ngeke alulame. Kwadingeka ukuba kancane kancane ahlukane namalungelo enkonzo  ayewazisa kakhulu, kuhlanganise nokuqhuba iSifundo Se-Nqabayokulinda somkhaya samasonto onke egatsheni nezingxoxo zetekisi losuku. Washintshwa eMnyangweni Wenkonzo wayiswa eMnyangweni Wokuthunyelwa Kwezincwadi, kamuva wasebenza engadini.

Intshiseko kaJohn yenza kwaba nzima ngaye ukwenza ushintsho. Lapho ngibelesela ngicela ukuba angazikhandli kakhulu, wayethi ngifuna ukumdonsa ngekhala–kodwa esho ezidlalela abese enganga. Ekugcineni saba nomuzwa wokuthi kungaba ukuhlakanipha ukushiya insimu yesiPutukezi sihlanganyele nebandla elalihlanganyela eHholo LoMbuso lasegatsheni.

Njengoba impilo kaJohn yayilokhu iwohloka, kwakungithinta inhliziyo ukubona indlela ayesondelene ngayo noJehova. Kwakuthi uma evuka phakathi nobusuku ehlaselwe ukucindezeleka okukhulu, sixoxe kuze kube yilapho ezizwa esengakwazi ukuthandaza acele usizo lukaJehova. Ekugcineni, wakwazi ukubhekana nalezo ziwombe eyedwa ngokuziphoqa ukuba asho ngokunensa amazwi eyabaseFilipi 4:6, 7: “Ningakhathazeki ngalutho . . . ” Ngemva kwalokho wayezola akwazi ukuthandaza. Izikhathi eziningi ngangiphaphama futhi ngibuke izindebe zakhe zinyakaza njengoba ayenxusa uJehova ngobuqotho.

Izakhiwo zegatsha lethu zaba zincane, ngakho kwaqalwa umsebenzi wokwakha ezinkudlwana ngaphandle nje kwaseGoli. Mina noJohn sasivamile impela ukuya kule ndawo ethulile, sisuke emsindweni nasekungcoleni kwasedolobheni. Kwaba usizo kakhulu kuJohn ukuvunyelwa ukuba siyohlala khona okwesikhashana kuze kube yilapho kuphela igatsha elisha.

Izinselele Ezintsha

Kwahamba kwahamba ingqondo kaJohn ayangabe isasebenza ngokugcwele, esehluleka ukucabanga kahle, ngakho kwaba nzima ngaye ukufeza izabelo zakhe. Yayingithinta kakhulu indlela abanye ababeyisekela ngayo imizamo kaJohn. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakuthi uma umzalwane othile eye emtatsheni womphakathi eyokwenza ukucwaninga okuthile, ahambe noJohn. UJohn wayegcwalisa amakhukhu akhe ngamapheshana nangomagazini ayezobahambisa ngalolo suku. Lokhu kwakumsiza azizwe esengumuntu okwazi ukufeza okuthile.

Ekugcineni, isifo i-Alzheimer’s saphuca uJohn ikhono lokufunda. Sasiwazisa kakhulu amakhasethi ezincwadi zeBhayibheli nezingoma zoMbuso. Sasiwalalela siwalalelile. UJohn wayevame ukucasuka uma ngingahlali naye siwalalele ndawonye. Ngakho ngangihlala naye ngisebenzise sonke leso sikhathi ngeluka. Ngenxa yalokho sasihlala sinamajezi nezingubo zokulala!

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, isimo sikaJohn saphoqa ukuba ngimnakekele nakakhulu. Nakuba ngangivame ukuhlala ngikhathele ngingakwazi nokufunda noma ukutadisha, kwaba yilungelo ukumnakelela kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe. UJohn washona ngokuthula ngimgonile ngo-1998 esanda kuhlanganisa iminyaka engu-85—elokhu eqotho kwaze kwaba sekugcineni. Ngibheke phambili ekumboneni ovukweni, engumqemane nengqondo yakhe iphila kahle!

Ukuqabuleka

Ngemva kokushona kukaJohn kwaba nzima ngami ukuphila ngedwa. Ngakho ngo-1999, ngavakashela udadewethu, uThelma, nomyeni wakhe e-United States. Yeka indlela okwangijabulisa ngayo ukubona inqwaba yabangane abaqotho nabathandekayo, ikakhulukazi ngesikhathi ngivakashele endlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eNew York! Kwangivuselela ngempela lokho, futhi kwakuyinto engangiyidinga.

Ukucabanga ngokuphila kwabantu engibathandayo abaqotho kungikhumbuza izinto eziningi eziye zangizuzisa. Ngokwesibonelo, ngenxa yemfundiso nosizo lwabo, ngafunda ukwanuleka ngithande abantu bazo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga. Ngafunda ukuba nesineke, ukukhuthazela nokuvumelana nezimo. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, ngiye ngawubona umusa kaJehova, uMuzwi womthandazo. Ngizizwa ngendlela umhubi ayezizwa ngayo: “Uyajabula umuntu omkhethayo wenze ukuba asondele, ukuze ahlale emagcekeni akho. Ngokuqinisekile siyokwaneliswa ubuhle bendlu yakho.”—IHubo 65:4.

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Ugogo enamado-dakazi akhe

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Nginabazali bami mhla ngibhapathizwa ngo-1948

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Nginabafundi abangu-9 abavela eNingizimu Afrika kanye no-Albert Schroeder, obhalisa abafundi eGileyadi

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NginoJohn ngo-1984