UJehova ‘Unqophise Iindlela Zami’

IBANDULO LABABELETHI BAMI LANGIFAKA ENDLELENI EFANELEKO

Ngomnyaka wabo-1920 ngaphambi kobana ababelethi bami batjhade, bafunda iqiniso. Ngabelethwa nakuthoma umnyaka ka-1939. Lokha nangisasemsanyana, sisahlala e-England, bengikhamba nababelethi emihlanganweni yobuKrestu begodu ngithabela nesiKolo SeKonzo EsingokweZulwini. Ngisakhumbula kuhle ngesikhathi ngibeka ikulumwami kokuthoma, bekufuze ngigibele phezu kwebhoksi nangisendaweni yesikhulumi ngizokghona ukubona kuhle abantu. Bengineminyaka esithandathu, ngithukwe khulu, ngibona boke ebebakhona esifundweni.

Ubaba bekangitlolela iphetjhana engizolisebenzisa esimini. Bengineminyaka ebunane lokha nangithoma ukutjhumayela ngingedwa. Ngathaba khulu lokha umninimuzi nakamukela iphetjhana lami, alifunda amukela nencwadi ethi “Let God Be True”. Ngagijima ngayokutjela ubaba ngalokhu okwenzekileko. Isimu nemihlangano zangilethela ithabo bezangisiza ekubaseleni isifiso sami sokusebenzela uJehova isikhathi esizeleko.

Ngathoma ukuthanda uJehova khulu lokha ubaba nakangenzela amalungiselelo wokobana ngifumane isThala inyanga nenyanga. Bezithi nazifikako, ngikhwele phezu kwazo. Ithando lami ngoJehova lakhula bengazinikezela kuye.

Ngo-1950, ekhaya saya emhlanganweni ebewuseNew York. NgeLesine, ngeen-3 ku-Arhostesi bekunesihloko selanga ebesithi, “Ilanga LeenThunywa ZeVangeli.” Ngelangelo umfowethu uCarey Barber, owaba lilunga lesiHlopha esiBusako, wanikela ikulumo yokubhabhadiswa. Ngemva kwekulumwakhe, wasibuza emibuzo emibili. Ngaphendula ngathi, “Iye!” Bengineminyaka eli-11 nangenza isiqunto esiqakatheke khulwesi. Bengisaba ukungena emanzini ngoba ngesikhatheso bengingakwazi ukududa. Umalumami wakhamba nami, wangiqinisekisa bona koke kuzokukhamba kuhle. Bekaqinisile, kwaba msinya khulu kangangokuthi iinyawo zami akhange zithinte phasi emanzini. Bekunabafowethu ababili, omunye wangibhabhadisa, omunye wangisiza ukuphuma ngemanzini. Kusukela ngelangelo eliqakathekileko, uJehova waragela phambili anqophisa indlelami.

UKUTHEMBELA KUJEHOVA

Ngathi nangiqeda isikolo, bengifuna ukuphayona kodwana abotitjhere bangikhuthaza ukuthi ngiye eYunivesithi. Ngakhetha ukubalalela, ngaya eYunivesithi kodwana ekukhambeni kwesikhathi ngabona ukuthi angikghoni ukufunda ngapha ngizame ukukhulisa ubuhlobo bami noJehova, ngalokho ngaqunta ukulisa. Ngathandaza kuJehova, ngatlola incwadi yokulisa esikolweni, kwathi ekupheleni komnyaka wokuthoma, ngalisa. Ngathi nangiphuma esikolweni, ngaphayona ngoba ngangithemba uJehova.

NgoJuly 1957 ngathoma ikonzwami yesikhathi esizeleko edorobheni leWellingborough. Ngabawa abafowethu beBethel yaseLondon ukuthi bangifunise umuntu onelemuko lokuphayona, sizokuphayona sobabili. UMfowethu uBert Vaisey wangisiza khulu, ukukhuthala kwakhe kwangisiza ukuthi nami ngibe mumuntu okhutheleko. Ebandleni ebesikilo, belinabodade abakhulileko abasithandathu bese kube ngimi noMfowethu uVaisey. Ukulungiselela nokuhlanganyela emhlanganweni ngikho okwanginikela amathuba amanengi wokuthi ngithembe uJehova bengitjengise ikholo lami.

Ngemva kwesikhatjhana ngisejele ngebanga lokuthi ngale ukungenela zepi, ngahlangana nodade oliphayona elikhethekileko, uBarbara. Satjhada ngo-1959, sazimisela ukuthi sizokuya nanyana kukuphi lapha esabelwa khona. Isabelo sethu sokuthoma besiseLancashire etlhagwini-tjingalanga ye-England. Kwathi ngoJanabari 1961, ngamenyelwa esiKolweni seKonzo somBuso eBethel yeLondon esithatha inyanga eyodwa. Okwangirara khulu kukuthi ngemva kwesifundo-bandulo, ngafumana isabelo sokujikeleza. Ngafumana ibandulo iimveke ezimbili komunye umfowethu weBirmingham obesele kukade ajikeleza begodu esabelweneso ngakghona ukukhamba noBarbara. Sabuyela la ebesabelwe khona eemfundeni zeLancanshire neCheshire.

UKUTHEMBELA KUJEHOVA ANGEKHE KWAKULAHLA

Lokha nasiseholideyini ngo-Arhostesi 1962, safumana incwadi evela e-ofisini legatja. Bekumaforomo weSikolo seGiliyadi. Ngemva kokuthandazela indaba le, mina noBarbara sazalisa amaforomo la besawabuyisela msinyana e-ofisini legatja njengombana bebasibawile. Ngemva kweenyanga ezihlanu, saya eBrooklyn, eNew York, saya esikolweni sama-38 seGiliyadi, esithatha iinyanga ezilitjhumi.

EGiliyadi akhange sifunde ngeLizwi lakaZimu nangehlanganwakhe kwaphela kodwana safunda nangobunye babafowethu ephasini mazombe. Njengombana besibatjha, kunengi khulu esakufundako ebafundini ebesinabo. Bekulilungelo elikhulu khulu kimi ukusebenza noMfowethu uFred Rusk, obekamfundisethu. Elinye iphuzu alivezako kukuthi lokha nawelulekako, kuqakathekile ukusebenzisa imitlolo. Safundiswa babantu abanelemuko abafaka hlangana umfowethu uNathan Knorr, uFrederick Franz noKarl Klein. Kunengi khulu esakufundako esibonelweni esihle soMfowethu othobekileko u-A. H. Macmillan, obekasifundisa ngendlela uJehova asiza ngayo abantu bakhe ngeenkathi ezibudisi zabo-1914 kufikela ekuthomeni kwaka-1919.

UKUTJHUGULUKA KWESABELO

Nasele kuzokuphela isifundo-bandulo sethu, uMfowethu uKnorr watjela mina noBarbara ukuthi sizokuya eBurundi, e-Africa. Sagijimela elaybhrari yeBethel ukuyokuqala Incwadi Yonyaka ukuthi sibone inani labatjhumayeli ebebakhona enarheni yeBurundi. Kwasirara khulu nasingafumani iimbalobalo. Besiya endaweni ekungakhange kutjhumayelwe kiyo begodu kuncani ebesikwazi ngendawo leyo. Sathukwa khulu. Umthandazo wasiza ukwehlisa umoya.

Esabelweni sethu esitjha, yoke into beyihlukile kunale esiyijayeleko, ubujamo bezulu, amasiko nelimi. Bekufuze sazi isiFrench. Saqalana nesinye isitjhijilo sokuthi siyokuhlala kuphi. Ngemva kwamalanga amabili siqeda ukufika, omunye umfundi obekanathi eGiliyadi, uHarry Arnott, wadlula kithi nakaya esabelweni sakhe eZambia. Wasisiza safumana indawo yokuhlala. Kungasikade, sathoma ukuphikiswa ziimphathimandla zendaweni leyo ebezingazi litho ngaboFakazi bakaJehova. Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, sisathabela isabelo sethu iimphathimandla zasitjela ukuthi angeze sakghona ukuhlala singanamaphepha wokuhlala. Okudanisako kukuthi kwafuze sikhambe siyokuthoma isabelo sethu esitjha e-Uganda.

Ukuthembela kuJehova kwasusa ivalo lokufika e-Uganda singakaphathi ivisa. Umfowethu weCanada, obekasiza la bekunetlhogeko yabatjhumayeli khona e-Uganda, wakghona ukuhlathululela umnyango wezabafiki ngobujamo bethu begodu basinikela iinyangana ukuthi sikghone ukulungisa amaphepha wokuthi sihlale ngokomthetho enarheni le. Indlela izinto ebezenzeka ngayo, yatjengisa ukuthi nguJehova ebekasisiza.

Ubujamo besabelo sethu esitjha bebuhluke khulu kunobaseBurundi. Umsebenzi womBuso besele uthomile, nanyana bekunaboFakazi abama-28 enarheni yoke. Esimini le, bekunabantu abanengi abakhuluma isiNgisi. Nanyana kunjalo, sabona ukuthi kuhle sifunde ilimi linye lalapho sizokghona ukucoca nabantu balapho. Sathoma ukutjhumayela eKampala, la ilimi lesiLuganda belikhulunywa khulu khona, saqunta ukufunda ilimelo. Kwasithatha iminyaka eminengi ukulazi kuhle ilimeli kodwana lokho kwenza umehluko omkhulu emsebenzinethu. Sathoma ukuzwisisa kuhle ukuthi khuyini abantu esibafundelako abayitlhogako. Bebatjhaphuluka basitjele ngamazizwabo ngalokho abakufundako.

AMAKHAMBO AHLUKAHLUKENEKO

Besikuthokozela ukusiza abantu bafunde iqiniso begodu sathaba khulu lokha nabasibawa ukuthi sijikeleze enarheni leyo. Ngaphasi kwesinqophiso segatja leKenya, sathoma “ijima” lokufumana iindawo la amaphayona akhethekileko angatjhumayela khona. Eenkhathini ezinengi, besamukelwa kamnandi babantu abangakhenge bahlangane naboFakazi bakaJehova ngaphambilini. Basenza sazizwa samukelekile bebasilungiselela nokudla.

Kwalandela elinye ikhambo elihlukileko. Ukusuka eKampala, bengikhamba amalanga amabili ngesitimela ngiya edoyoleni leMombasa, nangifika lapho, ngikhwele umkhumbi ngiye eSeychelles, esihlengeleni esise-Indian Ocean. Kwathi ngo-1965 kuya ku-1972, uBarbara wakhamba nami eSeychelles. Ngesikhatheso abatjhumayeli ababili bahlangana babasiqhema, benza ibandla elisakhulako. Kamanye amakhambo bengivakatjhela abafowethu e-Eritrea, e-Ethopia neSudan.

E-Uganda ubujamo bezepolotiki batjhuguluka ngemva kobana amasotja aketule umbuso. Kwalandela iinkhathi ezibudisi khulu, ezangikhumbuza ukuthi kuqakatheke kangangani ukulalela iBhayibhelini nalithi “buyiselani izinto zakaKhesari kuKhesari.” (Mar. 12:17) Ngesikhatheso, boke abantu abangisi ngebe-Uganda ngokwendabuko bekufuze bayokutlolisa esitetjhini samapholisa esiseduze nala bahlala khona. Salalela. Ngemva kwamalanga athileko, sikhamba eKampala, amapholisa ajamisa mina nezinye iinthunywa zevangeli. Iinhliziyo zethu bezibethela phezulu. Bathi sizimpimpi, basithatha basisa esitetjhini samapholisa, nasifikako sahlathulula ukuthi asikezi ngepi, siziinthunywa zevangeli. Akhenge bazitshwenye ngokusilalela. Ngaphasi kwelihlo elibukhali, basisa esitetjhini samapholisa eduze nendlu yeenthunywa zevangeli. Kwasithabisa khulu lokha ipholisa elitlolisa abantu lisibona godu likhumbula ukuthi besi la, yeke lalayela ukuthi sitjhatjhululwe.

Ngezinye iinkhathi bekuba budisi, khulu-khulu nasijanyiswa masotja arhamulileko endleleni. Ngaso soke isikhathi besithandaza begodu sizizwe sinokuthula kwangaphakathi lokha nasivunyelwa bona sidlule. Kwaba buhlungu khulu lokha ngo-1973 nakuthiwa zoke iinthunywa zevangeli ezingasi ngeze-Uganda kufuze zikhambe.

Sabuye sathola esinye isabelo sokuya eCôte d’Ivoire, etjingalanga ye-Africa. Lokho bekutjho ukuthi kufuze senze amatjhuguluko athileko njengokufunda isiko elitjha lendawo, isiFrench ebekufuze sisikhulume ngaso soke isikhathi nokujayelana nepilo yeenthunywa zevangeli ebezilapho ezivela eendaweni ezihlukahlukeneko. Sasibona godu isinqophiso sakaJehova njengombana abantu abathobekileko nabaneenhliziyo ezilungileko bathabela umlayezo omuhle weBhayibheli. Sobabili sabona ukuthi ukuthembela kuJehova kwanqophisa iindlela zethu.

Safumana ukuthi uBarbara unekankere. Nangaphezu kokuthi sikhambe iindawo ezinengi sifuna isizo lokulatjhwa, ngo-1983 kwasikhanyela bona angeze sisakghona ukuraga nesabelo sethu e-Africa. Lokho kwasidanisa khulu.

UKUTJHUGULUKA KOBUJAMO

SisaseBethel yeLondon, ikankere kaBarbara yarhagala, kwathi ekukhambeni kwesikhathi, wahlongakala. Umndeni weBethel wangisekela khulu. Abanye abatjhadikazi bangisiza bona ngiqalane nobujamo bengiragele phambili ngithembele kuJehova. Ekukhambeni kwesikhathi, ngahlangana nodade obekasiza eBethel obekanelemuko lokuba liphayona lesikhathi esizeleko begodu ithando ebekanalo ngoJehova belitjengisa bona umumuntu othanda uJehova kwamambala. Mina no-Ann satjhada ngo-1989 begodu nanje sisalotjha eBethel yaseLondon

Kusukela ngo-1995 ukufikela ku-2018, ngathabela ukuba mjameli wegatja, ngivakatjhela pheze iinarha ezihlukahlukeneko ezima-60. Kikho koke, ngabona ukuthi uJehova uyazibusisa iinkhonzi zakhe ngeendlela ezihlukahlukeneko.

Ngo-2017 ngabuyela e-Africa. Bekulithabo ukwazisa u-Ann iBurundi begodu sobabili sathabela ukubona ituthuko ebeyikhona. IBethel etja, ehle, ehlala abatjhumayeli abazii-15 500 yakhelwe endleleni la bengitjhumayela khona umuzi nomuzi ngo-1964.

Ngathaba khulu nangifumana irhelo lami lamakhambo lango-2018. Erhelweneli bekuneCôte d’Ivoire. Nasifika e-Abidjan, emzimkhulu, kimi kwaba ngathi ngifike ekhaya. Ngathi nangiqala bona ngubani obekahlala ekamerweni eliseduze kwami, ngafumana ukuthi nguSossou, ebekuligama engilijwayeleko. Ngakhumbula ukuthi bekajikeleza edorobheni e-Abidjan. Bengenze umtjhapho. Bekungomunye uSossou, indodanakhe.

UJehova akhenge angilahle. Hlangana neentjhijilo ezinengi ekhe ngaqalana nazo, ngibonile ukuthi nasithembeka kuJehova, uzokuhlala asivikela, anqophisa iindlela zethu. Nje sizimisele ukulandela umzila womkhanyo, ozokukhanya khulu ephasini elitjha.—IzA. 4:18.