Indlela Endaloyisa Ngayo Ibhongo Lam Elalindilawula
Ngokubaliswa nguWaikato Gray
UKUZALWA kwam ngoDisemba 2, 1928, kwakungeyombalasane engabalulekanga. Ndaqala ndavela ngeempundu ekuzalweni kwam nto leyo eyasijikisa emlonyeni wengcwaba mna nomama. Ngokomphumo, ndazalwa ndineenyawo ezijijekileyo. Ngethamsanqa, udade bobawo omkhulu weza kundinceda waza ekugqibeleni wazolula. Uncedo lwakhe lwaphethukela ekubeni lolubalulekileyo, ngenxa yobomi endandiza kubuphila njengomMaori eNew Zealand.
Utata, uClark Gray, wayengowesizwe sama-Ngati-Tuwharetoa Maori, yena umama, uHore Teree, wayengowesizwe samaNgati-Kahungunu. Ngokomnombo wokuzalwa wamaMaori amandulo, ndandinelifa elihle, ekubeni ndandivela kwisizwe seenkosi ezimbini ezazinamabhongo kakhulu. Namabhongo aba ngamandla alawulayo ebomini bam.
Ukoyisa Ubuhlwempu
Ndandingowesithathu kwintsapho eyathi ekuhambeni kwexesha yaba nabantwana abasibhozo. Yayisisihlandlo Sokucinezeleka Okukhulu Kwezoqoqosho, yaye abazali bam babehlwempuzeke kakhulu. Solishumi sasihlala kwindlu enamagumbi amabini eBay View, kufuphi naseNapier, eNorth Island, eNew Zealand. Ukuqokelela iinkuni ngaselunxwemeni nokuthutha amanzi ngenkonkxa yeparafini eziilitha ezili-15 kwiqula lommelwane yayiyimisetyenzana yemihla ngemihla endiyikhumbula kakuhle. Sasibetha ngezikaTshiwo iikhilomitha ezisi-8 ukuya esikolweni, ehlotyeni nasebusika.
Obu buhlwempu balizalisa ibhongo lam lokuqingqa ikamva elilunge ngakumbi—ukufumana imfundo esemgangathweni nokuba ngumntu phakathi kwabantu. Ndandimele ndiqale esikolweni kuqala. Ngoxa ndandiqhubele phambili nezifundo zam zobugcisa, ndakwatshatshela nakwimidlalo yeembaleki nakumbhoxo. Ndaba yimbaleki yodumo xa ndandisesekondari yaye kungekudala ndenziwa ilungu leqela lombhoxo. Kumgangatho wesikolo, ukuduma kwam ngombhoxo njengomdlali wodumo odlala ecaleni kodlala embindini kwanaba kulo lonke elaseNorth Island.
Ndakuphuma esikolweni ndaya kwikholeji yoqeqesho lwabafundisi-ntsapho eWellington ndaza kwakhona ndachitha ithuba elingangonyaka kwiYunivesithi yaseVictoria ngaphambi kokuba ndingenele umsebenzi wobufundisi-ntsapho eManutahi District High School. Ngoxa ndandilapho, ndanyulwa njengomdlali ovavanywayo kwiqela lombhoxo leMaori All Blacks. Inkoliso yeeMaori ikunqwenela kakhulu ukudlalela iqela lombhoxo wesizwe saseNew Zealand. Yayiludumo lokwenene kum ukuba nenxaxheba kule midlalo endandivavanywa kuyo.
Amabhongo am ayefezeka. Ndandingumfundisi-ntsapho ongumMaori yaye njengonjalo ndagqalwa kwezobugcisa nakwezemidlalo. Ubuhlwempu bahlehla—enjani impumelelo ukusuka kwinkwenkwe ehluphekileyo engumMaori yeminyaka yee-1930!
Ngaba Uyalazi Igama LikaThixo?
Ngoxa ndandikwanokholeji, ndandinezizathu zokuluhlolisisa nzulu unqulo. Ndandikhuliswe ndingumTshetshi. Enyanisweni, iinkonzo zecawa ngaxa lithile zaziqhutyelwa ekhaya. Uvavanyo lokwenene lwafika ekufeni kukatata. Ndandisoloko ndizibuza isizathu sokuba uThixo amthabathe utata xa wayefunwa ngamandla ngumama nabantwana bakhe abasibhozo. Oko kwakungakhangeleki kulungile.
Malunga nesi sihlandlo umama waqalisa ukuya kwizifundo zeBhayibhile ezaziqhutywa ngamaNgqina kaYehova kunye nabanye abamelwane. Oko kwandicaphukisa. Sasinecawa yethu, ke kungani wayezikhathaza ngaloo maNgqina?
Kwathi ke ngenye imini uRudolph Rawiri, iNgqina lasekuhlaleni, leza kundityelela. Ndagqiba kwelokuba ndandiza kulibonisa indawo elifaneleyo. Kodwa uncumo lwalo nesimilo salo esihle sandethisa amandla. Labuza umbuzo olula, “Ngaba uyalazi igama LikaThixo?” Ndaphendula ndathi, “nguYesu.” Wandicela ukuba ndivule iBhayibhile yam eyiKing James kwiNdumiso 83:18. Okunjani ukumangaliswa! Kwakukho igama likaThixo eBhayibhileni yam: “Bazi ukuba wena, ugama linguYehova, unguwe wedwa Osenyangweni phezu kwehlabathi lonke.”
Ndandichukumisekile. Kwakutheni ukuze icawa yam ingaligxininisi elo gama lingcwele? Kamva, elinye iNgqina elingumMaori, uCharles Tareha, leza ekhayeni lethu laza lasiqhubela isifundo seBhayibhile esithe rhoqo. Sasiqonda isangqa senyaniso yeBhayibhile saza saluqhawula lonke umanyano kunye neCawa yaseTshetshi. Ngowe-1955 ndaba liNgqina elibhaptiziweyo.
Isizathu Sokuba Inyaniso Ibe Nomtsalane Kum
Ekubeni ndandikhuliswe ndingumTshetshi, kwakutheni ukuze iimfundiso zamaNgqina kaYehova zibe nomtsalane kum? Njengokuba ayecacisa iLizwi likaThixo, ndachukunyiswa kukucaca kwalo okubangel’ ingqiqo. Kakade ke, kubantu abaninzi oko kucaca kungumqobo. Kodwa ndathi ndaqonda ukuba iBhayibhile inemigaqo esisiseko, imithetho nezalathiso ukwenzela nayiphi na ingxaki esenokuphakama ebomini.—Thelekisa INdumiso 119.
Oku kwakunjalo ingakumbi kubomi bomtshato. EBhayibhileni, ndafumana imigaqo yokhokelo yokuba nomtshato onempumelelo. Yandinceda ukubona apho ndandinokuphucula khona njengendoda nanjengotata ngokwamkela iimbopheleleko zam. Kakade ke, ndaba nethamsanqa lokufumana umfazi olungileyo njengoHinewaka, weSizwe samaNgati-Porou esikuNxweme oluseMpuma. Satshata ngowe-1954. Ngokukhawuleza wayamkela inyaniso yeBhayibhile, ibe siye sasebenzisana ekusebenziseni imigaqo yeLizwi likaThixo.—Bona IMizekeliso 31:10-31.
Kwakhona ndachukunyiswa kakhulu yimilinganiselo ephakamileyo yokuziphatha amaNgqina ayilandelayo. Ukuze ube nokuma okukholekileyo noYehova, umele uyeke yonke ihambo yokuziphatha okubi—uhenyuzo, ukukrexeza, ukuxoka, ukuba, ugonyamelo, ukubulala, intiyo nobuzwe zonke ziyagxekwa liLizwi likaThixo. Ndandizibona iingenelo zehambo elungileyo kum nakwabanye. Kwakungekho ziqhamo zibi umntu anokuba lusizi ngenxa yazo.—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.
Ukukhululwa Kwiinkolo
Iinkolo zamaMaori zingumtya nethunga nesithethe samaMaori. Sasiyoyika kakhulu imiphefumlo yabafi, yaye iimfundiso zaseTshetshi zomphefumlo ongafiyo zasuka nje zalukhulisa uloyiko lwam olulolwamaMaori. Kanti, xa ndaqalisa ukufundisisa iBhayibhile namaNgqina, ndafunda ukuba uYesu wathi: “Naniya kuyazi inyaniso, yaye inyaniso iya kunikhulula.” (Yohane 8:32) Ewe, ulwazi oluchanileyo lwelizwi likaThixo lwandikhulula kubukhoboka beenkolo zamaMaori.
Ndikhumbula umzekelo woku. Ubawomkhulu wafa, yaye kwiiyure ezingama-48 umakhulu naye wafa—ebulawa yintliziyo ebuhlungu. Wabekwa kumgangatho wegumbi lokuhlala, ecaleni kukabawomkhulu owayesemkhumbini. AmaMaori amaninzi akhulileyo ayemile ejikeleze isidumbu, kodwa xa umngcwabi wacela ukuncediswa amfake emkhumbini, onke emka egumbini! Kodwa ukuba ndandingenalo ulwazi lwenyaniso, nam ngendandibalekile. Ndisazi ukuba abafi balele nje ekufeni, andizange ndithingaze ekuncedeni ekuphakanyisweni komzimba kamakhulu wam othandekayo ufakwe emkhumbini.
Ukususela ngoko, njengomlungiseleli wamaNgqina kaYehova, ndiye ndaqhuba iinkonzo ezininzi zomngcwabo ndaza ndakwazi ukuthuthuzela abaninzi ngeemfundiso ezicacileyo zeBhayibhile ezingabafi. Ndicinga ukuba ukucaca kwengxelo ekuYohane 11:11-44 kuyikhanyisa ngokwenene imbambano. UYesu wathelekisa ukufa nokulala. Akukho ntlungu, kukulindela nje uvuko, ngokungathi ulele.
Uvavanyo Lokuthembeka
Ulwazi olunzulu ngakumbi lweBhayibhile nolomzekelo kaKristu lwaqalisa ukundibeka eluvavanyweni. Ibhongo lalisengamandla alawula ubomi bam. Umsebenzi wokufundisa nemidlalo yayimnika konke oko akufunayo umntu. Kodwa ngoku kwakumele kwenziwe ukhetho lokuphila ubomi obuphantsi nobungenanto zininzi bomKristu olingqina likaYehova okanye ndizame ukuvumelanisa amabhongo am nokholo endandisandul’ ukulufumana.
Ngowe-1957 ndajamelana nesigqibo esinzima, uvavanyo lokwenene lokunyaniseka kwam kuThixo. Ndanikwa isabelo sokunikela intetho yeBhayibhile kwindibano yesithili yamaNgqina kaYehova eyayiza kuba seLower Hutt. Kodwa njengomfundisi-ntsapho, kwafuneka ukuba ndicele ikhefu elikhethekileyo ukuze ndiye kule ndibano. IBhodi Yemfundo yaseHawke’s Bay yala.
Ingqondo yayibethabethana—ngaba ndandiza kuhlala esikolweni ndize ndisale isabelo sendibano? Okanye ngaba ndandingazifaka engozini yokulahlekelwa ngumsebenzi wam ndize ndiye endibanweni ngaphandle kwemvume? Kwakunzima ukwenza isigqibo. Ndandikuthanda ukufundisa, yaye abantwana nabazali babexhomekeke kum. Inqununu yandibongoza ukuba ndihlale esikolweni. Kodwa ndakhumbula amazwi kaYesu athi: “Nongawuthabathiyo umnqamlezo wakhe, alandele emva kwam, akandifanele mna.” (Mateyu 10:38) Ngaba ndandikulungele ukuncama izinto eziphathekayo ukuze ndifumane intsikelelo yokomoya? Okanye ngaba ibhongo lam elibalaseleyo laliya kuxaba endleleni?
Ndalilahla ibhongo lam lobomi nomsebenzi endakhula ndiwuthanda, lowo wokufundisa abantwana. Ndaya kwindibano yamaKristu ndaza ndaphulukana nomsebenzi wam wokufundisa. Kanti, xa ndikhangela emva ndiyazi ukuba yayisisigqibo esifanelekileyo. Ndayeka ukufundisa abantwana, kodwa ekugqibeleni kwandikhokelela ekufundiseni abantu abakhulileyo kummandla obanzi ngakumbi. Ukuze ndiyixhase intsapho yam, ndenza umsebenzi wokucoca nowokulungisa izitiya. Ekugqibeleni ndenza umsebenzi wesingxungxo weofisi nowevenkile, owandenza ndakwazi ukuchitha ixesha elingakumbi kubulungiseleli.
Uvavanyo Oluqatha Lwempilo
Kwelinye inqanaba, ndathotywa ngokwenyani. Njengenjuze, ndandisoloko ndiwunyamekela umzimba wam. Ngoko, ngequbuliso, ndawiswa ngubhubhane omhlophe—isifo sephepha. Ndabekwa kumzi wokuphilisa imilweIwe iWaipukurau ngenzame yokunyanga isifo sam. Umphunga wam awuzange ukwazi ukunyangeka. Isigqibo sikagqirha yaba sesokuba kwakuza kufuneka ndityandwe kususwe icandelo elingasentla lomphunga wasekhohlo. Ugqirha otyandayo wayengayi kulwenza utyando ngaphandle kotofelo-gazi. Imigaqo yeBhayibhile yayingayi kundivumela ukuba ndamkele igazi lomnye umntu kum ngaphakathi emzimbeni. (IZenzo 15:28, 29) Ndacebisa ugqirha ukuba afake ezinye izinto ezisebenza endaweni yegazi endandikulungele ukuzamkela. Wakwala oko. Lo mcimbi ndawubhekisa kuYehova ngomthandazo.
Oogqirha bagqiba kwelokuba baluyeke naluphi na unyango lwezamayeza. Endaweni yoko, ndanikwa unyango lomzimba ngoqheliselo lokuhamba olwaqhuba kangangeeveki ezimbini. Emva koko ndafakwa kwiX-reyi ndaza ndabizelwa kwiofisi kagqirha ophetheyo ukuze ndive isigqibo. Okunjani ukuxhalaba! “Umphunga wakho uphilile. Ungagoduka,” watsho. Umthandazo wam waphendulwa, ndaza ndabuyela ekhaya kumfazi wam nomntwana wam.
Ulwaneliseko Enkonzweni, Kungekhona Kwibhongo
Njengokuba ndandiqhubela phambili njengeNgqina, ndaneliswa zizinto eziyimfuneko zobomi kunokuba namabhongo emiqondiso yangaphandle yempumelelo yehlabathi. Kangangeminyaka engama-28 ndandikhonza njengomdala kwiBandla laseWairoa lamaNgqina kaYehova. IWairoa yidolophu enabemi abangama-5 000 kuphela, enabemi basemaphandleni abangakumbi abangama-7 000. Ngokuphambili bangamaMaori, yaye njengabo bonke abantu basePolynesia, banobuhlobo, abanankathalo yaye banobubele. Lo moya wabonakaliswa ebandleni lethu, elakhulayo laba nabavakalisi abakhutheleyo beendaba ezilungileyo abangaphezu kwama-90.
Inxalenye ekhethekileyo yobulungiseleli bam yayiyeyokunceda amadoda angakholwayo. Omnye onjalo yayinguJohn McAndrew, ingedle yecuba nendla-manzi, owayesaziwa njengoyena ukhohlakeleyo noyena womeleleyo edolophini. Kanti inyaniso yeBhayibhile yamguqula, yaye ngoku ukhonza njengomveleli owongamelayo kwiBandla laseWairoa.
Enye indoda eyayingakholwa yayinguJohn Salmon, usomashishini, owafudukela eWairoa ukuze ahlukanise umfazi wakhe namaNgqina. Xa ndahlangana naye, wayekulungele ukuthetha ukuba nje ndandisebenzisa iBhayibhile eyiKing James kuphela. Eneneni oko kwakungeyongxaki. Ngapha koko, yayiyinguqulelo eyintloko amaNgqina kaYehova awayeyisebenzisa ngaphambi kowe-1950, ngaphambi kokuba iNew World Translation ipapashwe okokuqala. Ngaloo ndlela, ngeBhayibhile yakhe, wancedwa ukuba aqonde aze amkele inyaniso.
UTutura Waihape wayengumntu obalaseleyo, umMaori oselula otshatileyo nowayenekamva eliqaqambileyo kumbhoxo. Xa ndaqalisa ukufundisisa iBhayibhile naye, wayenezona nwele zinde endakha ndazibona endodeni. Njengokuba wayekhula ekumazini uYehova noKristu Yesu, isimo sakhe sengqondo saguquka. Ukuyithanda kwakhe inyaniso kwakubaluleke ngakumbi kunokubalasela ngenxa yeenwele zakhe ezinde, yaye wathi mazichetywe. Namhlanje, ukhonza njengesicaka solungiselelo ebandleni.
Umsebenzi Wokufundisa Ixesha Elizeleyo
Kangangeminyaka elishumi edlulileyo, bendikhonza njengomlungiseleli onguvulindlela othe ngxi, ndinikela umlinganiselo weeyure ezingama-90 ngenyanga kubulungiseleli. Umfazi wam ebenguvulindlela kangangeminyaka eli-15, nabantwana bam abathathu babuxhamla ubuvulindlela ekuyekeni kwabo esikolweni.
Njengencopho yenkonzo yethu kuYehova, mna nomfazi wam ngoku sikhonza apho imfuneko inkulu khona kwisiQithi saseNiue. Esi sithe qelele ngakumntla weNew Zealand, ngaphandle kwiPasifiki. Sifumanise ukuba abemi abambalwa balapha abamalunga nama-2 800 batyekele kunqulo, yaye abaninzi bayakuthanda ukuncokola ngeBhayibhile. Ngoxa silapha, sikwancede ibandla elincinane ukuba lilungelelaniswe kakuhle.
Ibhongo lam elalindilawula lokuhambela phambili ngokobuqu nozuko lithe shwaka. Ndiye ndaqonda ukuba uzuko abantu abamele balunikele kuYehova uThixo lubaluleke ngakumbi. Kunjengokuba uKumkani uDavide wavakalisayo: “Mnikeni uYehova, nina mizalwane yezizwe, mnikeni uYehova uzuko namandla. Mnikeni uYehova uzuko lwegama lakhe.” Oko koko sizama ukukwenza, apha kwesi siqithi sethu sincinane saseNiue.—1 Kronike 16:28, 29.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
Ekwisinxibo sesithethe samaMaori