Indaba Yokuphila

UJehova Wangisiza Ukuba Ngikwazi Ukubhekana Nezinselele Zokuphila

ILANDISWA UDALE IRWIN

“IZINGANE EZINGU-8! KUZOSINDA KWEHLELA.” Lawo kwakungamazwi esihloko esikhulu sephephandaba lendawo elalibika ngokuzalwa kwamawele amane phezu kwamadodakazi amane esasinawo. Ngiseyinsizwa ngangingafuni ukushada, ingasaphathwa-ke eyokuba nezingane. Kodwa-ke ngazithola sengingubaba wezingane ezingu-8!

NGAZALWA ngo-1934 edolobheni laseMareeba, e-Australia. Nganginguthunjana ezinganeni ezintathu. Kamuva umkhaya wakithi wathuthela eBrisbane, lapho umama ayefundisa khona kuSonto-sikole esontweni laseWeseli lalapho.

Ekuqaleni kuka-1938, amaphephandaba endawo abika ukuthi uJoseph F. Rutherford wasendlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova angase enqatshelwe ukungena e-Australia. Lapho kufika omunye uFakazi ekhaya umama wambuza: “Kungani bemenza kanje?” Lo Fakazi waphendula: “Akashongo yini uJesu ukuthi abantu babeyoshushisa abalandeli bakhe?” Umama wabe esethatha incwajana ethi Cure, eyayikhuluma ngomehluko okhona phakathi kwenkolo yeqiniso neyamanga. * Le ncwajana yamhlaba umxhwele futhi ngeSonto elilandelayo wasithatha thina zingane waya nathi emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova. Ekuqaleni, ubaba wayengezwa lutho ngale ndaba, kodwa ngezinye izikhathi wayebhala imibuzo ephathelene neBhayibheli ayinikeze umama ukuze ayinikeze omunye wabazalwane. Lowo mzalwane wayebe esebhala izimpendulo ezisekelwe emiBhalweni acele umama ukuba azinikeze ubaba.

 Ngelinye iSonto ubaba waya nathi emhlanganweni, ehlose ukuveza izinto angazithandi ngoFakazi. Nokho, ngemva kokukhuluma nombonisi ojikelezayo owayehambele ibandla lethu ngaleso sikhathi, ubaba washintsha isimo sakhe sengqondo waze wavuma nokuthi siqhutshelwe ekhaya isifundo seBhayibheli samasonto onke sabantu abathakazelayo endaweni yakithi.

Ngo-September 1938, abazali bami babhapathizwa. Mina nezingane zakwethu sabhapathizwa ngo-December 1941 emhlanganweni wezwe lonke owawuseHargreave Park eSydney, eNew South Wales. Ngangineminyaka engu-7 ngaleso sikhathi. Ngangiya njalo enkonzweni yasensimini nabazali bami. Ngalezo zinsuku oFakazi babephatha amagilamafoni badlalele abaninikhaya izinkulumo zeBhayibheli eziqoshiwe.

UFakazi engimkhumbula kahle uBert Horton. Wayenemoto enomsakazo onamandla nombhobho omkhulu oboshelwe ophahleni lwemoto. Kwakumnandi ukusebenza noBert, ikakhulukazi njengoba ngangisengumfanyana. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho sidlala izinkulumo zeBhayibheli simi phezulu egqumeni, sasivame ukubona imoto yamaphoyisa iza ngakithi. UBert wayecima imishini yakhe ngokushesha, bese sihamba ngemoto siye kwelinye igquma elithe ukuqhela sidlale izinkulumo lapho. Ngafunda okuningi kuBert nakwabanye abazalwane abaqotho nabanesibindi njengaye ngokuqondene nokuthembela kuJehova nokuba nesibindi.—Mathewu 10:16.

Ngesikhathi ngineminyaka engu-12, ngangivame ukushumayela ngedwa ngemva kwesikole. Kwenzeka-ke ngelinye ilanga ngashumayeza umkhaya wakwa-Adshead. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, bobabili abazali nezingane zabo ezingu-8 nabazukulu abaningi bafunda iqiniso. Ngibonga uJehova ngokungivumela ngingumfanyana nje ukuba ngidlulisele iqiniso leBhayibheli kulo mkhaya omuhle.—Mathewu 21:16.

Amalungelo Okuqala Enkonzo

Lapho ngineminyaka engu-18 ubudala ngaba iphayona lesikhathi esigcwele futhi ngabelwa eMaitland, eNew South Wales. Ngo-1956, ngamenywa ukuba ngiyokhonza ehhovisi legatsha e-Australia, eSydney. Kwakunezisebenzi ezingu-20, futhi cishe ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu yayigcotshiwe, inethemba lokubusa noKristu eMbusweni wakhe wasezulwini. Yeka indlela okwakuyilungelo ngayo ukusebenza kanye nabo!—Luka 12:32; IsAmbulo 1:6; 5:10.

Amaphupho ami okuhlala ngingashadile avele aphela lapho ngibona uJudy Helberg, intombi enhle eyiphayona eyayicelwe ukuba izokhonza isikhashana ehhovisi legatsha izongisiza emsebenzini othile omkhulu. Kokheleka uthando phakathi kwami noJudy futhi ngemva kweminyaka emibili sashada. Ngemva kwalokho, saqala umsebenzi wesifunda, owawuhlanganisa ukuhambela amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova isonto ngalinye ukuze sikhuthaze abazalwane.

Ngo-1960, uJudy wathola indodakazi yethu yokuqala, uKim. Namuhla, uma uba nengane kusho ukuyeka umsebenzi wesifunda uzinze. Kodwa samangala lapho sicelwa ukuba siqhubeke sihambela amabandla. Ngemva kokuthandaza kakhulu, sasamukela leso sicelo, futhi phakathi nezinyanga ezingu-7 ezalandela sahamba noKim amakhilomitha angu-13 000 ngebhasi, ngendiza nangesitimela siyokhonza amabandla aqhelile eQueensland naseNorthern Territory. Ngaleso sikhathi sasingenamoto.

Njalo sasihlala emakhaya abazalwane nodade. Ngenxa yesimo sezulu esishisayo, ngalezo zinsuku amakamelo okulala ayeba namakhethini esikhundleni seminyango, okuyinto eyayikhathaza  kakhulu uma uKim ekhala ebusuku. Ekugcineni kwaba sobala ukuthi kunzima ukunakekela ingane nokufeza isabelo sethu. Ngakho sazinza eBrisbane, futhi ngaqala umsebenzi wokudweba izikhangiso, okuwuhlobo lokudweba olusebenza kwezentengiselwano. Ngemva kweminyaka emibili uKim welanywa uPetina.

Ukubhekana Nosizi

Ngo-1972, ngesikhathi uKim eneminyaka engu-12, uPetina eneyishumi, uJudy washona ebulawa isifo iHodgkin’s, uhlobo lomdlavuza ohlasela isimiso sokuzivikela esithwala amanzi emzimbeni. Kwakungeve kunzima ukubhekana nalolu sizi. Noma kunjalo, ngesikhathi uJudy esagula nangemva kokushona kwakhe, uJehova wasiduduza ngeZwi lakhe, ngomoya wakhe ongcwele nangabazalwane. Saqiniswa nayi-Nqabayokulinda eyaphuma ngemva nje kwesifo. Yayinesihloko esikhuluma ngokulingwa umuntu ngamunye abhekana nakho, okuhlanganisa ukufelwa, futhi yabonisa indlela ukulingwa okungasisiza ngayo sibe nezimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu ezinjengokukhuthazela, ukholo nobuqotho. *—Jakobe 1:2-4.

Ngemva kokushona kukaJudy ngasondelana kakhulu namadodakazi ami. Kodwa kumelwe ngivume ukuthi kwakunzima ukuba ubaba nokuba umama. Nokho, la madodakazi ami amabili amahle kakhulu enza lowo msebenzi waba lula.

Ukushada Okwesibili Nokuba Nomkhaya Omkhulu

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngaphinde ngashada. Mina nomkami omusha, uMary, sasifana ngezinto eziningi. Umyeni wakhe wokuqala naye wabulawa yisifo i-Hodgkin’s. Naye wayenamadodakazi amabili—uColleen noJennifer. UPetina wayeshiya uColleen ngeminyaka emithathu. Manje sase sinamantombazane amane, enye ineminyaka engu-14, enye engu-12, enye engu-9 enye engu-7.

Ekuqaleni, mina noMary sanquma ukuthi umuntu nomuntu uzoyala ezakhe izingane kuze kube yilapho ziba sesimweni sokwamukela isiqondiso kusingamzali. Njengendoda nomfazi, mina noMary sazibekela imithetho emibili ebalulekile. Owokuqala, sasingaphikisani phambi kwezingane, owesibili, ngokuvumelana nesimiso seBhayibheli esikweyabase-Efesu 4:26, uma kunenkinga sikhuluma ngayo ize ilunge—ngisho noma lokho kungathatha amahora ngamahora!

Iyamangaza indlela sonke esashesha ngayo ukujwayela ukuphila njengomkhaya, kodwa ubuhlungu bokufelwa abuphelanga ngokushesha. Ngokwesibonelo, uMary wayekhala njalo ngoMsombuluko ebusuku ngemva kwesifundo somkhaya lapho amantombazane eseye kolala ngoba imizwelo ayesuke eyicindezele yayivele iphume yonke.

UMary wayefuna nathi sibe nengane yethu sobabili. Ngokudabukisayo, okokuqala wachithekelwa isisu. UMary waphinde wakhulelwa kodwa sasingabuzanga elangeni. Umshini we-ultrasound wabonisa ukuthi wayengakhulelwe umntwana oyedwa, kodwa abane! Angizange ngikholwe! Phela ngangineminyaka engu-47, sengizoba ubaba wezingane ezingu-8! UMary wahlinzwa lapho eteta ngo-February 14, 1982, ngemva  kokukhulelwa amasonto angu-32. La mawele alandelana kanje: UClint wavela kuqala enesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-1,6; kwalandela uCindy, engamakhilogremu angu-1,9; kwaba uJeremy, engamakhilogremu angu-1,4; kwagcina uDanette yena enesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-1,7. Wonke ayengafani.

Ngemva nje kokuzalwa kwawo, udokotela kaMary weza wahlala eduze kwami.

Wangibuza: “Ukhathazekile yini ngokukhulisa lezi zingane?”

Ngaphendula: “Ngiyaqala ukubhekana nalesi simo.”

Amazwi akhe angethusa kodwa futhi angikhuthaza.

Wathi: “Ibandla okulo ngeke likudumaze. Uzothi nje usacabanga, lube selulapha usizo!”

Ngenxa yomsebenzi omkhulu owenziwa yilo dokotela obelethisayo nethimba lakhe, abantwana bethu ababenempilo esezingeni elikahle badedelwa zingakapheli nezinyanga ezimbili.

Izinselele Zokukhulisa Amawele Amane

Ukuze kube nokuhleleka, mina noMary senza isimiso esasizosilandela nsuku zonke. Amantombazane ethu amadala amane asiza kakhulu ekunakekeleni abantwana. Amazwi aloya dokotela aba yiqiniso—kwakuthi nje ‘ngisacabanga’ ibandla lisisize. Ngaphambidlana, umngane wami weminyaka, uJohn MacArthur, wayehlele oFakazi abanamakhono ahlukahlukene ukuba bandise indlu yethu. Lapho kufika abantwana iqembu lodade lasiza ngokubanakekela. Zonke lezi zenzo zomusa zazibonisa uthando lobuKristu.—1 Johane 3:18.

Ngandlela-thile, la mawele “ayengabantwana bebandla.” Ngisho nanamuhla abheka abazalwane nodade abaningi abasisiza njengamalungu omkhaya. UMary yena uye waba inkosikazi nomama omuhle kakhulu oye wazidela ngenxa yabantwana bakhe. Uye wakusebenzisa ngempela akufunde eZwini likaNkulunkulu nasenhlanganweni. Ayikho vele enye indawo ongathola kuyo izeluleko ezingcono!—IHubo 1:2, 3; Mathewu 24:45.

Imihlangano yobuKristu nomsebenzi wokushumayela waqhubeka uyinto ebaluleke kakhulu esimisweni sethu samasonto onke, nakuba kwakuba nzima njengoba sasinezinsana ezine. Imibhangqwana emibili esasiyifundela yaba isibusiso phakathi naleso sikhathi, ngoba yayiza ekhaya sifundele khona. Nakuba lokho kwakwenza izinto zibe lula, kwakuthi uma ingane ilele njengoba uMary eyigonile aye ngobuthongo phakathi nesifundo ngenxa yokukhathala. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi le mibhangqwana emibili yaba oFakazi.

Ukuqeqesha Abantwana Ngokomoya Besebancane

Engakaqali nokuhamba amawele, mina, uMary nodadewabo abadala sasihamba nawo enkonzweni yasensimini. Ngesikhathi esecathula, ngangiphatha amabili noMary aphathe amabili futhi kwakungasikhathazi. Empeleni yiyona nto esasiqala ngayo ingxoxo nabaninikhaya abanobungane. Ngelinye ilanga ngahlangana nendoda eyayithi uma wazalwa ngosuku oluthile lwenyanga emelelwa inkanyezi ethile, uba nobuntu obuthile obunqunyiwe. Angizange ngiyiphikise, kodwa ngacela ukuphinde ngibuye sekuzoba semini. Yavuma, ngakho ngabuya sengibuya namawele ami. Njengoba yayingibhekile imangele, ngawamisa ngokulandelana kwawo. Sabe sesixoxaxoxa, hhayi nje ngokuthi awafani ebusweni, kodwa nangokungafani kobuntu bawo okwakusobala, futhi lokho kwenza yabona ukuthi inkolelo yayo ayilona iqiniso. Yathi: “Cishe kuwubuwula ukutshela wena ngale nkolelo, kuzomelwe ngiphinde ngiyihlolisise.”

 Ngesikhathi esacathula, ayengafuni ukukhuzwa kukhona namanye, ngakho kwakuthi uma eganga siwakhuze ngalinye ngalinye. Noma kunjalo, afunda ukuthi kwakusebenza umthetho owodwa kuwo wonke. Lapho kudingeka ame aqine ezindabeni eziphathelene nonembeza esikoleni, ayenamathela ezimisweni zeBhayibheli asekelane futhi ayekhulunyelwa uCindy. Kwasheshe kwabacacela abantu ukuthi akuwona umdlalo ukuzama ukuphikisana namawele amane!

Mina noMary sabhekana nezinselele ezivamile zokuzama ukusiza izingane ukuba zihlale ziqotho kuJehova phakathi neminyaka yazo yokuthomba. Kumelwe sisho ukuthi lo msebenzi wawuyoba nzima kakhulu ukube sasingasekelwa ibandla elinothando kuhlanganise nenala yokudla okungokomoya esikuthola ngengxenye ebonakalayo yenhlangano kaJehova. Sasizama ukuba nesifundo seBhayibheli somkhaya esiqhutshwa njalo futhi sixoxe njalo ngokukhululekile, nakuba kwakungelula ngazo zonke izikhathi. Nokho, leyo mizamo yaba nemiphumela emihle ngoba zonke izingane zethu ezingu-8 ziye zakhetha ukukhonza uJehova.

Ukubhekana Ngokuphumelelayo Nokukhula Ngeminyaka

Njengoba iminyaka ihamba ngiye ngajabulela amalungelo angokomoya amaningi: ukuba umdala webandla, umbonisi wedolobha nokubambela umbonisi wesifunda. Ngiye ngakhonza nanjengelungu leKomiti Yokubonisana Nezibhedlela esiza odokotela babambisane neziguli ezingoFakazi lapho kuphakama inkinga yegazi. Iminyaka engu-34 ngiye ngaba nelungelo lokuba umshadisi. Ngiye ngabhalisa imishado engaba ngu-350, kuhlanganise neyamadodakazi ami ayisithupha.

Ngimbonga njalo uJehova ngokusekelwa engiye ngakuthola, kuqala kuJudy, futhi manje kuMary. (IzAga 31:10, 30) Baye baba isibonelo esihle kakhulu enkonzweni, bebe bengisekela emsebenzini wami njengomdala webandla, futhi basiza ekwenzeni izingane zethu zibe nezimfanelo ezingokomoya.

Ngo-1996, kwatholakala ukuthi nginenkinga ebuchosheni eyenza ngibe nedumbe futhi ngingakwazi ukuma ngizimelele. Ngakho-ke angibange ngisakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi wokudweba izikhangiso. Nokho, ngisayijabulela kakhulu inkonzo kaJehova, nakuba kuye kwadingeka nginciphise kwezinye izinto. Okuhle ukuthi ngiye ngafunda ukuba nozwela kakhudlwana ngabantu asebekhulile.

Uma ngicabanga ngokuphila kwami, ngiyambonga uJehova ngokungangishiyi, ngokungisiza mina nomkhaya wami sikwazi ukubhekana ngenjabulo nezinselele zokuphila eziningi. (Isaya 41:10) Mina noMary nezingane zethu ezingu-8 siwubonga kakhulu nomkhaya wethu ongokomoya wabafowethu nodadewethu abamangalisayo nabasekelayo. Bonke baye basibonisa ngezindlela eziningi esingenakuzibala ukuthi bayasithanda.—Johane 13:34, 35.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

Nginomama, umfowethu omdala uGarth nodadewethu uDawn, silungele ukuya emhlanganweni eSydney ngo-1941

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

NginoJudy noKim esemncane ngesikhathi ngisemsebenzini wesifunda eQueensland

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Amadodakazi ethu amadala amane nebandla basisiza kakhulu ngemva kokuzalwa kwamawele