Ukuphila Ubomi Obuxabisekileyo Nakuba Ndikwanti
NDAZALWA ngoJanuwari 1927, eMálaga, eSpeyin, ndingowesithandathu kwintsapho engamahlwempu yamaKatolika enabantwana abasixhenxe. Ukususela ngowe-1936 ukuya kowe-1939, iMfazwe Yamakhaya yaseSpeyin yalidlakaza ilizwe lethu, yaye sasiphepha iibhombu yaye siphila ngomxhesho ongephi. Sekunjalo, ndandingumntwana owonwabileyo owayethanda ukucula nokuba phakathi kwabantu.
Noko ke, inye into endandiyoyika—kukutsha esihogweni somlilo. Ukuthomalalisa olo loyiko, ndaya kumzi woonongendi xa ndandine-12 leminyaka ubudala. Apho kangangeminyaka emithathu, ndadicoca izinyuko ze-marble, ndithandaze ndize ndizicoce kwakhona, kodwa ndandisoloko ndivakalelwa kukuba ndinokuthile endikuphosayo. Ngowe-1941, ndavuya kuba ndakwazi ukuyishiya le ndawo.
Emva kweminyaka ethile ndaba ngumhlobo wemvumi eyayicinga ukuba ilizwi lam lalinokwenza imali, ibe yandikhuthaza ukuba ndithabathe izifundo zomculo nezepiyano. Xa iMfazwe Yehlabathi II yaphelayo ngowe-1945, ndaya eMorocco, apho ndaqalisa ukucula kwiindawo zokuzonwabisa ebusuku eCasablanca naseTangier. Obo yayibubomi obuchwayitisayo kumntwana okwishumi elivisayo. Ngalo lonke ixesha ndigqiba ukucula, ndandisiya ecaweni ndize ndicele uMariya Onyulu ukuba andixolele, ndinethemba lokuba kwakunokwenzeka ndisinde kwisihogo esitshisayo.
Emva kokusebenza kwiindawo zokuzonwabisa ebusuku iminyaka esithoba, ndadibana nendoda engumMerika egama linguJack Abernathy. Ngelo xesha wayesebenza kwinkampani yokwakha yaseMerika eMorocco. Ndayeka ukucula saza satshata kuloo nyaka. Ngokukhawuleza emva koko safudukela eSeville, eSpeyin, apho sahlala de kwangowe-1960. Sandula ke safudukela eLodi, eKhalifoniya, eUnited States—nto leyo eyakhokelela kwenye inguqulelo kubomi bam.
Ukufunda NgoYehova
Ngowe-1961 amaNgqina kaYehova amabini atyelela ikhaya lethu aza ashiya iphephancwadi IMboniselo noVukani! Kamva acela ukufundisisa iBhayibhile kunye nam, ndaza ndavuma. Ngaloo ndlela, ndafunda ngoThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova, onguBawo wethu osemazulwini onothando. (INdumiso 83:18) Olunjani lona uxolo lwengqondo endaba nalo xa ndafunda ukuba akukho sihogo sivuthayo kunoko sinethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade kwiparadisi esemhlabeni!—INdumiso 37:9-11, 29; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4.
Udade wethu uPaquita, owayehlala kufutshane nathi, naye waqalisa ukufundisisa. Ngaphambili, ndanditshaya yaye ndithanda namatheko okuzonwabisa. Yaye onjani wona umsindo endandinawo! Kodwa ndenza iinguqulelo, ibe ngo-Oktobha 17, 1962, mna noPaquita sabhaptizwa eSacramento, eKhalifoniya, ngaloo ndlela sifuzisela ukuzinikela kwethu ekukhonzeni uYehova.
Ukuya EThailand Ngendlela Edlula ESpeyin
Kamsinya emva koko, inkampani yokwakha umyeni wam awayesebenza kuyo yamtshintshela eThailand, ibe ndahamba naye. Endleleni eya khona, ndatyelela eSpeyin ndaza ndakwazi ukwabelana namanye amalungu entsapho yakowethu ngeenkolelo zam. Indodakazi yam uPura yasabela yaza yaba liNgqina.
Ngaloo mihla umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wawuvaliwe eSpeyin. Sekunjalo, saya kwintlanganiso eyayiqhutywa ngokufihlakeleyo kwigumbi elincinane, elalinetafile enye yaye lingenazihlalo. Thina sonke ababengama-20 sasimi ngeenyawo. Onjani wona umahluko kwiintlanganiso zethu zaseKhalifoniya! Ukubona abantu bakowethu bebeka esichengeni inkululeko yabo ukuze bahlanganisane kwandiqinisekisa ngokubaluleka kweentlanganiso zamaKristu, nto leyo eyaba sisifundo esafika ngexesha elifanelekileyo kanye ngaphambi kokufika eBangkok, eThailand.
“Ukuba ndinokuze ndikufumane ushumayela, ndiya kukushiya,” uJack wandixelela oko ngosuku esafika ngalo eBangkok. Kusuku olulandelayo wahamba waya kongamela umsebenzi wokwakha kummandla osemaphandleni, ngoko ke, ndandishiywe ndedwa kuloo Bangkok inyakazelayo kunye nomntu owayesincedisa endlwini endandingakwazi ukuncokola naye. Ndazigcina ndixakekile ngokufundisisa uncwadi lwam lweBhayibhile ngokuphindaphindiweyo.
Xa ndandibuyela ekhaya, ngenye imini ngoSeptemba 1963, ndaphawula izihlangu endandingaziqhelanga phambi komnyango wam. Inenekazi elalineenwele ezigwangqa lalindilindile. Ndabuza, “Ndingakwenzela ntoni?”
“Ndingummeli weWatch Tower Society,” latsho.
Ndaxhumaxhuma luvuyo, ndiliwola yaye ndilanga. UEva Hiebert wayengumvangeli wasemazweni owayevela eKhanada. Ukususela ngaloo mini, uEva wayesiza rhoqo, ekhwela ooduladula ababini okanye abathathu ngaphambi kokufikelela kum. Ndandisoyika ukukhwela abo duladula ababezala bame ngeembambo, kodwa yayingekho enye indlela endandinokuhamba ngayo. UEva wathi: “Awunakuze umkhonze uYehova xa ungakhweli kwaba duladula.” Ngoko saqhelisela indlela yokukhwela uduladula xa sisiya kwiintlanganiso.
Ndandisoyika ukushumayela, ekubeni ndandingalwazi ulwimi lwalapho. Ndandidla ngokubambelela kwisandla, kumnyazi, nakwilokhwe kaEva. “Awunakumkhonza ngale ndlela uYehova,” watsho.
“Kodwa andilwazi olu lwimi,” ndakhalaza.
UEva wandinika amaphephancwadi alishumi wahamba, endishiya ndiphakathi kwindawo yentengiso. Ndineentloni, ndaya kwinkosikazi yomTshayina, ndayibonisa amaphephancwadi, ibe yawamkela!
“Eva, ndiwahambise olishumi amaphephancwadi,” kamva ndatsho ndibobotheka. Wathi, “UYehova uthanda abantu abafana nawe. Qhubeka.” Ndaqhubeka, ndafunda ukubulisa ngolwimi lwaseThailand nokuhlala phantsi emgangathweni, ngokuvisisana nesithethe sasekuhlaleni. Ndakwafunda nokuya kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Wasabela njani umyeni wam? Ngenye imini, xa uJack, owayesele enikezele kwiinkolelo zam, wayeneendwendwe, wathi kuzo: “Khenkethani noPepita. Uyayazi le ndawo kuba uyashumayela.”
Ukuya EOstreliya
Uqeqesho lukaEva olunothando kodwa olungqongqo lwandilungiselela ukuhlala ndikhuthele kwinkonzo kaYehova ebudeni besabelo somsebenzi esilandelayo somyeni wam, kumntla-ntshona weOstreliya. Safika phakathi kowe-1965, ibe ndahlala kwinkampu yabasebenzi ephakathi entlango apho inkampani kaJack yayisenza indlela kaloliwe. Ukutya kwakuthunyelwa ngenqwelo-moya, yaye imozulu yayishushu—ngaphezu kweqondo lobushushu obungama-43 ngokukaCelsius. Kwakukho iintsapho ezingama-21 zakuMntla Merika kuloo nkampu, ngoko ndaqalisa ukuthetha nazo ngesigidimi soBukumkani. Kamva, njengoko umsebenzi wokwakhiwa kwendlela kaloliwe wawuqhubeka, saya singena ngakumbi entlango, apho ndandisiba kwanti nangakumbi.
Ngaphambilana ndandibhalele iofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova eOstreliya, yaye hayi indlela endavuya ngayo kukufumana ileta eyayisithi: “Uthando olufudumeleyo nemibuliso . . . Siya kuhlala sicinga ngawe sikukhumbula nakwimithandazo yethu kwiinyanga ezizayo”! Ebudeni beminyaka endandihamba nomyeni wam kwizabelo zomsebenzi wakhe ukuya kwiindawo ezikude zomhlaba, ndandikhuthazwa ziileta ezifana nezi ezazivela kwintlangano kaYehova. Ukuzifunda kwakundinceda ngamathuba obulolo yaye zazindikhuthaza ukuya kumsebenzi wokushumayela nakubeni ndandikude kwamanye amaNgqina.
Iofisi yesebe yaseOstreliya yalungiselela ukuba isibini esingamaNgqina size kundityelela okweveki enye enkampini. Kubulungiseleli bethu sadibana nenkosikazi eyayinomdla neyayihlala kude, ngoko kabini ngeveki ndandihamba kumhlaba owawuzaliswe ziinyoka namacikilishe ukuya kuyityelela. Endleleni ndandidla ngokucula ingoma yoBukumkani: “Mela uYehova/ Yoliswa nguye/ Angek’ akushiye/ Hamba ukhanye.” Safundisisa iinyanga ezili-11.
Kwandula ke, emva kokuhlala malunga nonyaka eMelbourne, sahamba nomyeni wam saya kwinkampu ekufuphi nedolophu enemigodi yasePort Hedland, nayo ekumntla-ntshona weOstreliya. Emva kweentsuku ezintlanu, kwafika iindwendwe. Elo sebe lalazise amaNgqina ngendawo endandikuyo. Emva kokuba zimkile ndaqhubeka, ndiziqhuba iintlanganiso ndindedwa, ndiqhuba iSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla, iSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo, iNtlanganiso yeNkonzo kunye neSifundo SeMboniselo. Ngemva kokuvuma ingoma nokwenza umthandazo wokuvula, ndandiphendula imibuzo ndize ndiqukumbele ngengoma nomthandazo. Ukubala abezileyo akuzange kube yingxaki—wayesoloko emnye. Sekunjalo, olu cwangciso lweentlanganiso lweeveki ngeeveki lwandomeleza ebudeni baloo minyaka endandikhonza uYehova ndikwanti.
Ukuya EBougainville
Ngowe-1969, emva kokusebenza nzima iminyaka emine eOstreliya, umyeni wam wabelwa ukusebenza njengomphathi kumsebenzi wokwakha indlela eya kumgodi wobhedu kwiintaba ezinolophu zesiqithi saseBougainville. Ngolunye urhatya kwankqonkqoza mntu uthile emnyango. UJack wavula. “LiNgqina nenkosikazi yalo nabantwana abane,” watsho. Babehlala ngaselunxwemeni. Ndandibatyelela kanye ngeveki ndize ndiye kwiSifundo seMboniselo esasiqhutyelwa kwisikolo sasekuhlaleni.
Ngesinye isihlandlo amaNgqina amathathu awayesuka ePapua New Guinea andityelela. Ngebhongo umyeni wam waxelela abo wayesebenza nabo: “Naphi na apho umfazi wam aya khona, abahlobo bakhe abangamaNgqina basoloko bemlindile.”
Ukuya EAfrika
Ngowe-1972 safika entlango eAlgeria, kuMntla Afrika, apho inkampani kaJack yayisakha inkqubo yokunkcenkceshela. Lo msebenzi wawuza kuthabatha iminyaka emine. Ndabhalela iofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova eFransi ngokuphathelele nomsebenzi wokushumayela, yaza yaphendula: ‘Lumka. Umsebenzi wethu uvaliwe apho.’ Umbutho wandinceda ndaqhagamshelana namaNgqina amabini awayepholile, yaye saseka isifundo seqela.
Waza ke, omnye wabamelwane bam kwinkampu yabasebenzi uCecilia, wagula. Ndandimtyelela yonke imihla esibhedlele, ndandimphathela isuphu, ndize ndilungise ibhedi yakhe. Xa wabuyela ekhaya, ndaqhubeka ndimenzela imisetyenzana ethile, ndize ndabelane naye nangethemba loBukumkani. Oko kwakhokelela kwisifundo seBhayibhile, ibe emva kweenyanga ezisibhozo uCecilia wathi: “Ndifuna ukubhaptizwa.” Kodwa wayeza kubhaptizwa ngubani yaye phi?
Safumana ileta evela kwiofisi yesebe yaseFransi ichaza ukuba iNgqina eligama linguFrançois laliza kuza eAlgeria ekhefini ngokufutshane. Ukuba sasinokuzama ukuba afike kwilali yethu esentlango size simbuyisele kwisikhululo seenqwelo-moya kwangethuba wayenokumbhaptiza. Kodwa wayengenakuhlala ngephezu kwama-24 eeyure.
Ngokukhawuleza emva kokufika kukaFrançois, wabalekiswa ngemoto esiziswa kuloo ntlango. Ngolo rhatya, ekhayeni likaCecilia wakhupha iphetshana kwipokotho yehempe yakhe waza wanikela intetho emnandi. Ngentsasa yangoMeyi 18, 1974, wabhaptiza uCecilia kwibhafu yam waza wemka kwakhona.
Kwaqhambuka imfazwe eAlgeria ekupheleni kowe-1975, yaye mna noJack kwafuneka sihambe ngokukhawuleza. Ndatyelela izizalwana zam eSpeyin. Ngowe-1976 ndaqalisa ukulungiselela isabelo sikaJack esilandelayo—inkampu yabasebenzi kumahlathi emvula aseSuriname, eMzantsi Merika.
EMzantsi Merika
Inkampu ekumzantsi-ntshona weSuriname yayingqongwe zizityalo ezihle. Izikhwenene ezinengxolo neenkawu ezindwebileyo ezisemithini ezazijonge ezantsi iintsapho ezili-15 ezazisandula ukufika, inkoliso yazo endandiyazela kwimisebenzi yangaphambili. Kwiinyanga ezintandathu kamva, iintsapho zabasebenzi ezingakumbi zafika, kuquka uCecilia owayebhaptizwe eAlgeria—iqabane lam!
Njengoko uMatshi 23, 1978, wayesondela, sasibuza ukuba sasiza kusenza njani iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu. Ngenxa yokuswela isithuthi sokuya kwikomkhulu, iParamaribo, saceba ukusiqhubela endlwini yam. Umphathi wenkampani wasivumela ukwenza amaphetshana akhutshelweyo ephepha lokugqibela leMboniselo eyayichaza ngeSikhumbuzo, yaye sawasasaza kwizindlu ngezindlu enkampini. Kwabakho abangama-21! UCecilia wanikela intetho, yaye mna ndafunda izibhalo. Ngolo rhatya, nakubeni sikwanti, saziva simanyene nentlangano kaYehova esemhlabeni wonke.
Ngelo thuba, isebe laseSuriname lamaNgqina kaYehova, lathumela uncedo—isibini esiselula sabavangeli basemazweni esasihamba ngeLand-Rover endala. Ngaphambi kokufika kwaso, ndandiqalise ukuvakalelwa kukuba ubukho bam babungancedi nto kuloo nkampu, kodwa abavangeli basemazweni bandiqinisekisa bathi: “Pepita, ikho injongo yokubakho kwakho apha.” Ngelo xesha ndandithandabuza, kodwa ngokukhawuleza ndaqonda.
Ngenye imini ebudeni botyelelo lwabavangeli basemazweni, saphawula indlela yomhlaba eyayisandul’ ukuvulwa yaye savuya gqitha sisakufumana ilali yamaIndiya aseMerika malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-50 ukusuka kwinkampu yethu. Iintsuku ezimbalwa zokushumayela kuloo maIndiya angama-Arawak anobuhlobo zaphumela kwizifundo ezininzi zeBhayibhile. Ngoko xa abavangeli basemazweni bahambayo, mna noCecilia saqalisa ukutyelela abemi baloo lali kabini ngeveki.
Sasivuka ngentsimbi yesine ekuseni, ibe ngentsimbi yesixhenxe sasiqalisa isifundo seBhayibhile sokuqala. Malunga nentsimbi yesihlanu emva kwemini, sasiba sele sibuyele emakhaya kwakhona. Kangangeminyaka emibini sasiqhuba izifundo ezingama-30 veki nganye. Ngokukhawuleza abantwana baloo lali babendibiza ngokuthi Auntie Bible! Abaninzi ekugqibeleni babhaptizwa, yaye emva kweminyaka ethile i-182 laya kwindibano yesiphaluka kuloo lali. Enyanisweni, kanye njengokuba abahlobo bam abathandekayo abangabavangeli basemazweni babetshilo, sasikwelo hlathi ngenjongo ethile!
Ukuya EPapua New Guinea
Sayishiya iSuriname ngowe-1980 ibe kunyaka olandelayo sathunyelwa ePapua New Guinea. Emva kweenyanga ezivuyisayo ezintandathu ndikunye namaNgqina kwidolophu elikomkhulu, iPort Moresby, inqwelo-ntaka yandihlisa kwikhaya lam elilandelayo—kwinkampu eyayiphezulu ezintabeni apho inkampani kaJack yayisemba umgodi wegolide. Kwakungekho zindlela. Abantu, izixhobo, nokutya zazifika ngenqwelo-moya. Le yayiyeyona ndawo ikwanti kwendakha ndahlala kuzo. Kwakhona ndazibuza, Ndinokubafumana phi abantu endinokuthetha nabo?
Abantu kwinkampu yethu babendazi kwangaphambili, yaye kwakungekho owayefuna ukuphulaphula. Noko ke, kanye ngelo xesha, inkampani yavula ivenkile yokutya. Abafazi abasuka kwiindawo ezikude babethenga apho. Kungekudala ndaba ngomnye wabathengi abathenga rhoqo. Ngaba ukuya kwam rhoqo kwaba nomphumo?
Ngenye imini ndaqalisa incoko nenkosikazi yasePapua. Yandixelela ukuba yayifundisa. “Inene, nam ndiyafundisa,” ndatsho.
“Uyafundisa?” yabuza.
“Ewe, ndifundisa iBhayibhile.” Kwangoko yasamkela isicelo sam sokufundisisa iBhayibhile nayo. Kamva, abathengi abangakumbi bavuma ukwenza okufanayo. Kuloo ndawo eyayinemizi kufutshane nomgodi wegolide kwaphuma izifundo zeBhayibhile ezisixhenxe—ngokwenene yayingumgodi wegolide yokomoya!
Emva kokuchitha iminyaka emithathu kwesi siqithi sikwiPasifiki, umsebenzi omtsha wasithumela kwisiqithi esikwiCaribbean esiyiGrenada. Kodwa emva konyaka onesiqingatha umyeni wam kwafuneka abuyele eUnited States ngenxa yempilo, ngoko ngowe-1986 sahlala ngokusisigxina eBoise, eIdaho.
Ukusebenza Nebandla
Emva kokuhlala yonke loo minyaka ngaphandle kwabazalwana noodade wethu abangamaKristu, ngoku kwafuneka ndifunde ukusebenza nabanye. Noko ke, abadala abangamaKristu nabanye baye bandinceda ngomonde. Namhlanje, ndinandipha ukuya kwiintlanganiso nokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile kule nxalenye yomhlaba.
Noko ke, maxa wambi, xa ndijonga emva ndizibone kwakhona ndibaleka emva koEva kwiBangkok enyakazelayo okanye ndicula ingoma yoBukumkani ngoxa ndihamba kuloo ndlela yaseOstreliya okanye ndishumayela phakathi kwamaIndiya aseMerika athobekileyo kumahlathi emvula aseSuriname, ndiyancuma, yaye amehlo am azaliswa ziinyembezi zovuyo ngenkuselo endayifumanayo ebudeni beminyaka emininzi ndikhonza uYehova ndikwanti.—Ngokubaliswa nguJosefa ‘Pepita’ Abernathy.
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 22]
Ndanceda abaninzi ukuba bamazi uYehova ePapua New Guinea
Ukufundisa iLizwi likaThixo eSuriname
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
Ndicula kunye nabo ndandifundisisa iBhayibhile kunye nabo abathetha iSpanish eMelbourne
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Ngoku ndikhonza nebandla laseIdaho