Njengembacu, Ndafumana Okusesikweni Kokwenene
NJENGOKO kwakusaqhaqhazelisa amazinyo ibe kwakusekho ikhephu phantsi, ndanxiba idyasi efudumeleyo. Emva koko ndasela umxube wento yonke eyityhefu endandinokuyifumana kwigunjana lam lempahla, kuquka nolwelo olusetyenziswa ekucoceni (icarbon tetrachloride). Ndenjenjeya ukwehlela kuMlambo iCharles oseCambridge, eMassachusetts, ndinethemba lokuba ndiya kufela khona. Kunokuba ndife, ekuphela kwento endayifumanayo ngenxa yokuphelelwa kwam lithemba yaba kukulaliswa esibhedlele kwigumbi labagula kakhulu iintsuku ezintlanu. Yintoni eyayindikhokelele kweso senzo siyingozi ngolo hlobo? Makhe sibuyele emva apho ndisuka khona.
Ndazalelwa eJaffa, ePalestina, ngowe-1932, ndingumPalestina ongumGrike. Ndakhulela kunqulo lobuOthodoki bamaGrike, nto leyo eyayithetha ukuya ecaweni veki nganye kwanokuzila ukutya xa kufuneka. Kodwa le nkqubo yayingenantsingiselo kum.
Abazali bam babefumile ngokwezinto eziphathekayo, ekubeni intsapho yethu yayinenkampani enkulu yokuthengisa ukutya notywala. Kwiminyaka elishumi ubudala, ndathunyelwa eFriends’ Boarding School eRamallah ndaza ukusuka kwam apho ndaya eSt. George’s Anglican School eJerusalem. Ndandichukumiseke ngokwenene kwesi sikolo sesibini—kwakukho abafundi abanemvelaphi yobuKristu, yobuArabhu neyobuYuda yaye babefunda kunye ngomlinganiselo othile woxolo. Esi sikolo sasifundisa uxolelwaniso, isimilo esihle nokuba nembeko. Kodwa isikolo nokuzijonga izinto njengoko zinjalo yayizizinto ezimbini ezingadibaniyo.
Ebudeni bokuba ngumntwana kwam, ukruthakruthwano lwabemi yayikukutya kwemihla ngemihla, apho amaYuda, amaArabhu namaNgesi ayexhwithana okonoomadudwane ebhotileni. Ndisengumntwana oselula, ndabona mntu othile ebulawa ngaphandle kwekhaya lethu. Amaxesha amaninzi abazali bam babesoloko besinda ngokulambisa ekudutyulweni ngamaqela alwayo. Ngoko iMfazwe Yehlabathi II yabangela ukuba iHaifa, eyayisisixeko esikhulu esinezibuko, ibe lixhoba kuhlaselo lwamaJamani—ukufa kwabantu abangakumbi kwanomonakalo wezinto ezininzi.
Ekupheleni kolawulo lwamaNgesi ePalestina nto leyo eyenzeka ngoMeyi we-1948, ukruthakruthwano lwabemi lwathabath’ unyawo. NgoJulayi we-1946 iHotele iKing David, eyona hotele idumileyo yaseJerusalem, yatshiswa yavuthululwa ngebhombu. Le ndyikitya yokufa ayizange ikhethe—amaArabhu angama-41, amaNgesi angama-28, amaYuda ali-17 kwanabanye aba-5. Intsapho yethu yagqiba ekubeni isabe kweso siphithiphithi. Ngobusuku obunye safudukela eCyprus, apho zazihlala khona izalamane zikaMama. Utata walishiya ishishini lakhe nako konke okwakhe.
Ezi ziganeko zandenza ndanesimo sengqondo endandinaso ngaphambili. Kwiminyaka eli-16 ubudala, ndandinomdla kwezobupolitika ibe mihla le ndandifunda amaphephandaba ukuze ndibe sexesheni ngeziganeko eziqhubekayo. Inkokeli yase-Egypt, uGamal Abdel Nasser, yayisisithixo sam. Akazange ayivumele impembelelo yamazwe angaphandle kwilizwe lakhe.
Ngowe-1950 intsapho yethu yafudukela eUnited States. IMfazwe yaseKorea yayisaqhubeka, ibe ndandifuna ukuphumeza indima yam kwilizwe elalisindise intsapho yakowethu kwimeko yengcinezelo. Ndaba ngumsebenzi wokuzithandela kuMkhosi Womoya, apho ndonyuselwa ndaba yenye yeesajini ezinkulu. Noko ke, andizange ndifikelele eKorea—ndaphelela kwindawo elalikuyo iziko lomkhosi womoya eOmaha, eNebraska.
Umzisi Weenguqulelo Kwisikolo Sobufundisi
Emva kokuphuma kwam kuMkhosi Womoya, ndaya kwiYunivesithi yaseTexas ukusuka kwam apho ndaya kwiYunivesithi yaseOhio, apho ndathweswa khona isidanga kwezoqoqosho. Ndandithetha ngokuphandle kakhulu ngokungabikho kokusesikweni kuMbindi Mpuma kangangokuba ndade ndacelwa ukuba ndifundise ngaloo mbandela. Unjingalwazi wamaEpiscopal, uGqr. David Anderson, owandiva ndithetha, wacebisa ukuba ndamkele imali yokufunda ngesisa kwiSikolo Sobufundisi samaEpiscopal eBoston ukuze ndifundele isidanga sesibini. Ekubeni ndandingavumelani kwaphela nenkqubo yokuhlawulwa kwabefundisi, ndandingafuni ukuba ngumfundisi. Sekunjalo, ngowe-1958, ndamkelwa kwesi sikolo.
Le mfundiso yayiquka ukusebenza nabefundisi kwisibhedlele sabagula ngengqondo. Icala lemfundo lalibangel’ umdla kakhulu kwesi sikolo, kodwa ndandisafuna ukubona inkqubela kwanokusesikweni okungakumbi ehlabathini. Ngoko ndaseka iqela elalizimisele ukuzisa inguqulelo elalibizwa ngokuthi, “Igama Lakhe Laziswe Kuzo Zonke Iintlanga.” Ndandifuna ukuba sonke isikolo sizimisele ekwenzeni okuthile. Ndandifuna ukulandela uYesu, kungekhona kwigumbi leencwadi, kodwa ehlabathini.
Noko ke, kungekudala ndafumanisa ukuba iindlela endizicebileyo zokuzisa iinguqulelo zazingayi kuphunyezwa. Ekugqibeleni, ndacelwa ukuba ndihambe kwesi sikolo. Malunga neli thuba ndathandana nebhinqa eliselula elalingulo mntu kanye wamaphupha am nendandinokwabelana naye ngekamva lam. Ndaba nemvakalelo yokuba sasifanelana. Ngoko ndafumanisa ukuba yena wayengenazo ezo ngcinga ndandinazo ngaye. Umothuko owawungalindelekanga owabangelwa kukwaliwa wandongamela. Leyo yaba yeyona meko yandikhokelela ekubeni ndizame ukuzicim’ igama.
Umsebenzi Wokuba Ngumfundisi-ntsapho
Emva kokubuyela empilweni kwakhona, ndaya kwiYunivesithi yaseColumbia eNew York ukuze ndifundele ukuba yingcaphephe yokufundisa ngezelizwe nezembali. Ebudeni balo lonke eli thuba, ndandisafuna oko ndandikubiza ngokuba bubuKristu bokwenene obunemisebenzi. Ndaya kufundisa eSouth Glens Falls, eNew York. Apho kwenzeka inguqulelo enkulu ebomini bam. Ngowe-1964 ndadibana nomfundisi-ntsapho ogama linguGeorgia owaba ngumfazi kwaneqabane lam.
Ndandisazithanda kakhulu ezobupolitika ibe ndandisalandela iintetho zikaSenator James Fulbright, owathetha ngokuphandle nxamnye nemfazwe yaseVietnam. Ibe nam ndandinxamnye naloo mfazwe. Ukufa kukaMongameli uJohn F. Kennedy ngoNovemba we-1963 kwandothusa kakhulu. Ndandikhathazeke ngokwenene kangangokuba ndaya kumngcwabo wakhe owawuseWashington.
Iphulo Lam Lokufuna UbuKristu
Ngowe-1966 safudukela eLong Island, eNew York, apho ndafumana umsebenzi wokuya kufundisa kwiSikolo Semfundo Ephakamileyo iNorthport. Ndandinenkxalabo enzulu ngeziganeko zehlabathi—yayisisihlandlo sokuqalisa kokusetyenziswa kweziyobisi, ubunjubaqa kunye nabalandeli bakaYesu bempambano. Ndaya kwiqela elizibanga linesiphiwo samandla omoya ibe ndabona ukuba nalo lalingazifikeleli ngokupheleleyo iimfaneleko zamaKristu okwenyaniso, kuphela laligxininisa ngakumbi kwiimvakalelo kunakwisenzo. Ngesinye isihlandlo ndade ndeva umfundisi wamaEpiscopal exhasa imfazwe yaseVietnam. Ndaqala ndakholelwa kwelokuba bambi kubantu abangabukholelwayo ubukho bukaThixo banovelwano ngakumbi kunabantu becawa.
Ndaphelelwa lukholo kuThixo kodwa andizange ndilulahle uxabiso endandinalo ngeNtshumayelo kaYesu yaseNtabeni. Kum wawuphelisa unobangela oqhubekayo wentiyo ngemfundiso yakhe, yaye ndayibona njengesicombululo kwingxaki ekuMbindi-Mpuma. Ndazama iinkonzo ezininzi—eyamaKatolika, eyoMkhosi Wosindiso, eyamaBaptizi, eyamaPentekoste—kodwa ndandisoloko ndibuya nemband’ esikhova ndinemvakalelo yokuba zazingahambi emanyathelweni obuKristu bamaKristu okuqala. Ngoko, ngowe-1974, ndadibana nomthengisi womhlaba nezindlu owabuguqula ngokupheleleyo ubomi bam.
Igama lakhe yayinguFrank Born. Ndandidlan’ iindlebe naye ngomhlaba othile. Ebudeni baloo ncoko, wathi rhuthu iBhayibhile. Ngoko nangoko zange ndivume ukuba sithethe ngayo, ndisithi: “Awunakufumana namnye umntu ophila ngaloo migaqo.” Waphendula wathi: “Masihambe, uye kuzibonela ngokwakho kwiHolo yoBukumkani yamaNgqina kaYehova.” Kodwa ndandifuna ukuba kuqala aphendule imibuzo esisiseko endandinayo ngaphambi kokuba ndityelele loo Holo yoBukumkani wayethetha ngayo.
Okokuqala ndambuza oku: “Ngaba ninabo abefundisi abahlawulwayo?” Impendulo yakhe yathi: “Hayi. Bonke abadala esinabo bangabasebenzi bokuzithandela abazixhasayo bona neentsapho zabo ngomsebenzi wabo wengqesho.” Ngokulandelayo ndambuza oku: “Ngaba niyahlanganisana kumakhaya abantu njengoko amaKristu okuqala ayesenza ukuze nifundisise iBhayibhile?” Impendulo: “Ewe. Sinentlanganiso esiyiqhubayo veki nganye kumakhaya abantu kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo ezikuloo mmandla.” Umbuzo wam wesithathu umele ukuba wawungaqhelekanga kuye. “Ngaba icawa yenu iyamthumela umfundisi kumatheko okumiselwa komongameli ukuze aye kumthandazela?” UFrank wathi: “Thina singoondilele kuyo yonke imicimbi yezobupolitika yaye asinanxaxheba kuyo. Sixhasa uBukumkani bukaThixo njengobukuphela kwesicombululo kwiingxaki ezicinezela uluntu namhlanje.”
Ndandingazikholelwa iindlebe zam. Andizange ndikubekel’ amangomso ukuya kubona apho ahlanganisana khona la maKristu. Yintoni endayifumanisayo? Ayizange ibe yintshumayelo evus’ ihlombe kunoko ndafumana iinyaniso ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni. Iintlanganiso zawo zazifundisa, zinabantu abafanelekayo abalucacisayo nabalukhuselayo ukholo lwabo lobuKristu. Yayiliqela elalikholelwa ekwenzeni, eliphuma liye ebantwini ukuze lifumane abo balulangazelela ngokwenene ulawulo lukaThixo. Le yayiyimpendulo endandiyifuna kwingxaki ekuMbindi-Mpuma—abantu bazo zonke iintlanga, iilwimi nezizwe behlanganisene kunqulo oluzaliswe luxolo lweNkosi enguMongami wendalo iphela, uYehova uThixo. Yaye konke oku kwakuvisisana nomzekelo kunye nemfundiso kaKristu. Apha kwakungekho ntiyo nalukruthakruthwano. Kuphela kwakukho uxolo nomanyano.
Ngowe-1975 ndaba liNgqina elibhaptiziweyo, yaye kwiminyaka emihlanu kamva uGeorgia wathabatha elo khondo naye. Sinoonyana ababini, uRobert noJohn, abakhutheleyo ekuvakaliseni iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo.
Isimo Sengqondo Esaguqukayo
Kangangeminyaka iindlela zam zokucinga bezibuthathaka. Ndandifudula ndingumntu othanda ukulwa nongahambisani kangako neembono zabanye. Njengabanye abazizigidi, indlela yam yokucinga ibikhohliswe lunqulo lobuxoki nezobupolitika. Ngoku ndiyaqonda ukuba uThixo akamkhethi wabuso bamntu nokuba abantu abaneentliziyo ezinyanisekileyo bazo zonke iintlanga banokumkhonza ngoxolo nangomanyano.
Kwizintlu zamaNgqina kaYehova, ndiye ndafumanisa ukuba kukho abantu bazo zonke iimvelaphi onokuzicinga, abantu ababefudula bebathiyile abanye. Ngoku, njengam, bayaqonda ukuba ngokwenene uThixo uluthando yaye leyo yenye yezinto awayeze kusifundisa zona uYesu. Wathi: “Ndiniwisela umthetho omtsha, wokuba nithandane, njengoko ndinithandileyo nina, ukuze nani nithandane. Ngayo le nto baya kwazi bonke, ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba nithe nathandana.” (Yohane 13:34, 35)—Ngokubaliswa nguConstantine Louisidis.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]
UConstantine Louisidis oneminyaka elishumi ubudala eFriends’ Boys School
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Ukufa kukaMongameli uJohn F. Kennedy kwandothusa kakhulu