Ibali Lobomi

Umsebenzi Wokwenza Abafundi Uye Waxonxa Ubomi Bam

kubalisa uLynette Peters

Amajoni ayeze kusihlangula. Inkcani yayimi phezu kwesakhiwo. Amanye amajoni ayelele ngesisu engceni, engxashe imipu. Ngoxa sasibaleka sisiya kwihelikopta ngaloo ntsasa yangeCawa, mna nabanye abavangeli basemazweni sazama ukuhlala sizolile. Kwimizuzwana engephi sabe sesibhabha emoyeni. Emva kwemizuzu elishumi sasisele sikhuselekile kwinqanawa yomkhosi, eyayikufuphi nonxweme.

NGENTSASA elandelayo, seva ukuba abavukeli baqhushumbise ihotele esasibalekele kuyo kubusuku obungaphambili. Izidubedube zeminyaka eSierra Leone zagqibela seziyimfazwe enkulu. Bonke abantu abavela kwamanye amazwe, kuquka nathi, banikwa nje ixesha elingephi ukuba baphume kwelo. Ukuchaza isizathu sokuba lapho kwam, mandikhe ndiqale entloko.

Ndakhulela eBritish Guiana, ngoku eyaziwa ngokuba yiGuyana ukususela ngowe-1966. Ngeye-1950 ngoxa ndandisemncinane kwakumnandi kungekho zingxaki. Abazali abaninzi babeyixabisa gqitha imfundo, ibe abantwana kwakulindeleke ukuba baqhube kakuhle esikolweni. Ndikhumbula omnye unobhala webhanki ebuza utata esithi, “Kutheni uhlawula imali engaka kwimfundo yabantwana bakho?” Utata wathi, “Yimfundo esemagqabini kuphela enokubenza baphumelele ebomini.” Ngelo xesha wayecinga ukuba imfundo esemagqabini ifumaneka kwizikolo ezidumileyo. Kungekudala waba nembono eyahlukileyo.

Xa ndandineminyaka eli-11 ubudala, umama waqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova. Wayeye kwiHolo yoBukumkani nomnye ummelwane. Oko bakuva ngobo busuku kwabenza baqiniseka ukuba bayifumene inyaniso. Ethubeni, umama waxelela omnye ummelwane oko bakuvileyo. Kungekudala bobathathu bafunda nabavangeli basemazweni uDaphne Harry (kamva owaba nguBaird) noRose Cuffie. Kungaphelanga nonyaka, umama nabahlobo bakhe ababini babhaptizwa. Kwiminyaka emihlanu emva koko, utata wayishiya iCawa yaseSabatha wabhaptizwa waba liNgqina likaYehova.

Sisebancinane, mna noodadewethu ababini—thina sobathathu sasingabona badala kubantwana abalishumi—sasichitha ixesha elininzi kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni apho uDaphne noRose babehlala khona. Ngezo zihlandlo sasiphulaphula amava asentsimini ababewabalisa. Aba bavangeli basemazweni babevuyiswa kukunyamekela abanye ngokomoya. Ngumzekelo wabo owandenza ndanqwenela ukuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni.

Noko ke, yintoni eyandinceda ndahlala ndinosukelo lwenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo nangona izalamane nendifunda nabo babenomdla kwimfundo ephakamileyo? Ayemaninzi amathuba andivulekeleyo ibe ebangel’ umdla—ndandinokufundela ubugqwetha, umculo, ubugqirha okanye nantoni na. Umzekelo omhle wabazali bam wandinika ulwalathiso endandilufuna. Babephila ngokuvisisana nenyaniso, befunda iBhayibhile ngenkuthalo, ibe bezinikele ekuncedeni abanye bazi uYehova.a Okungakumbi, babesoloko bemema abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo ekhaya. Ukubona indlela aba bazalwana noodade abonwabe nabaneliseke ngayo kwakusomeleza umnqweno wam wokuvumela umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi uxonxe ubomi bam.

Ndabhaptizwa xa ndandineminyaka eli-15 ubudala. Ndathi nje ndakugqiba kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo, ndaba nguvulindlela othe ngxi. UPhilomena, owayengumongikazi, ngumntu wokuqala endamnceda wenza inkqubela de wazahlulela wabhaptizwa. Uvuyo lokumbona ethanda uYehova lomeleza umnqweno wam wokuqhubeka ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Kamsinya emva koko, ndanikwa umsebenzi obhetele kwarhulumente apho ndandisebenza khona njengonobhala. Andizange ndiwamkela, ndakhetha ukuqhubeka nobuvulindlela.

Ndandisahlala ekhaya, ibe abavangeli basemazweni babeqhubeka besityelela. Ndandikuthanda gqitha ukuphulaphula amava abo. Konke oku kwakubethelela umnqweno wokuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni, nangona oku kwakubonakala kungenakwenzeka. Ngelo xesha abavangeli basemazweni babethunyelwa eGuyana njengoko kusenjalo nanamhlanje. Ngenye imini ngowe-1969, ndothuka kodwa kwangaxeshanye ndavuya ndakufumana isimemo sokuya kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi, eNew York.

Isabelo Endandingasilindelanga

Kwiklasi yama-48 yaseGiliyadi kwakukho abafundi abangama-54 abavela kumazwe angama-21. Thina boodade abangatshatanga sasili-17. Nakuba sekudlule iminyaka engama-37 ukusuka ngoko, ndisazikhumbula kakhuhle ezo nyanga zintlanu. Yayininzi into ekwakufuneka siyifundile—kungekhona kuphela inyaniso yeZibhalo kodwa namacebiso asebenzisekayo nendlela yokuphila njengabavangeli basemazweni. Ngokomzekelo, ndafunda ukulandela ulwalathiso, ukulungelelana kwifashoni, nokunyamezela kwiimeko ezinzima.

Abazali bam babesoloko bebethelela ukubaluleka kokuya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso. Nabani na othi ugula gqitha de angayi kwiintlanganiso ngeCawa wayeyazi ukuba akazi kuthi ngosuku olulandelayo uphilile aze aye kwikonsathi yomculo. Noko ke, kangangexesha elithile ngoxa ndikwiSikolo saseGiliyadi ndandingayi kuzo zonke iintlanganiso. Ngobunye ubusuku bangoLwesihlanu, ndazama ukuzithethelela kuDon noDolores Adams, isibini saseBheteli endandihamba naso ukuya kwiintlanganiso. Ndakhala ngenqwaba yomsebenzi wesikolo endifanele ndiwenze. Ndathi, ndingakwazi njani ukuya kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo nakwiNtlanganiso Yenkonzo? Emva kokuqiqa nam okwethutyana, uMzalwan’ uAdams wathi: “Phulaphula isazela sakho.” Ndalithabatha icebiso lakhe ibe ndaya kwiintlanganiso ngobo busuku ibe akukho nanye eyandiphosayo emva koko. Kuyo yonke le minyaka andivumeli nantoni na ukuba iphazamise ukuya kwam kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, ngaphandle kokuba yimeko engaphezu kwamandla am.

Ngoxa sasiqhubeka nesikolo, abafundi baqalisa ukuqashela ngezabelo esiza kuzifumana. Mna ndandisoloko ndicinga ukuba ndiza kubuyiselwa eGuyana, apho kwakusafuneka abavakalisi abaninzi kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Cinga indlela endothuka ngayo xa ndeva ukuba andibuyeli khona. Kunoko, ndathunyelwa eSierra Leone, eNtshona Afrika. Hayi indlela endaba nombulelo ngayo kuYehova xa ekugqibeleni kwazaliseka umnqweno wam wokuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni kude nekhaya!

Ukufunda Izinto Ezininzi

“Ithi ndijonge,” lawo ngawona mazwi endinokuyichaza ngayo iSierra Leone ukuqala kwam ukuyibona, ezo nduli neentaba zayo zininzi, amatheku namanxweme. Sekunjalo, eyona nto intle kweli lizwe liseNtshona Afrika ngabantu balo abanothando nobubele, abenza abantu basemzini bazive besekhaya. Oku kubanceda gqitha abavangeli basemazweni bangahlali bekhumbula ekhaya. Abantu baseSierra Leone bayakuthanda ukuthetha ngamasiko nezithethe zabo yaye ngokukhethekileyo nokunceda abo bafikayo apho bazi ingxubevange yolwimi olusetyenziswa kwelo lizwe isiKrio.

Abantu abathetha olu lwimi banemizekeliso emininzi ecacileyo. Ngokomzekelo njengokuthi, Iinkawu ziyasebenza, iimfene ziyatya, oku kuthetha ukuba ayisoloko iba ngumlimi ovunayo. Oku kukuchaza kakuhle ukungabikho kokusesikweni okugqugqise ihlabathi.—Isaya 65:22.

Umsebenzi wokushumayela nokwenza abafundi wawumnandi gqitha. Kwakunqabile ukufumana umntu ongenamdla eBhayibhileni. Kangangeminyaka, abavangeli basemazweni nabakhonzi bakaYehova abasele bekhonze ixesha elide baye banceda abantu—abaselula nabadala—abaneemvelaphi ezahlukeneyo nabeentlanga ngeentlanga bamkela inyaniso.

UErla St. Hill, owayeliqabane lam lokuqala kubavangeli basemazweni, wayengumsebenzi ozibhokoxayo. Indlela awayekhuthele ngayo ukuphumeza izabelo zakhe kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni yayiphantse ifane nenzondelelo yakhe kubulungiseleli. Wandinceda ndaqonda izinto ezininzi ezibalulekileyo, njengokuqhelana nabamelwane, ukutyelela amaNgqina agulayo nabanomdla, nokuxhasa amalungiselelo omngcwabo xa ndinokukwazi. Wabethelela nento yokuba ndingaze ndingayi kuya kubulisa abazalwana abahlala kwintsimi endiyisebenzayo emva kokuba ndigqibile entsimini. Ngokwenza ezi zinto, ndakhawuleza ndafumana oomama, abantakwethu, oodadewethu nabahlobo, ibe isabelo sam saba likhaya lam.—Marko 10:29, 30.

Ndakha nobuhlobo obuluqilima nabanye abavangeli basemazweni esasikhonza kunye. Phakathi kwabo ngulowo ndandihlala naye uAdna Byrd, owakhonza eSierra Leone phakathi kowe-1978 nowe-1981, noCheryl Ferguson, oye wahlala nam le minyaka ingama-24 edluleyo.

Imfazwe Yamakhaya Izisa Uvavanyo

Ngowe-1997, malunga nenyanga isebe elitsha laseSierra Leone linekezelwe, imfazwe yasinyanzela ukuba silishiye elo lizwe, njengoko kuchaziwe ekuqaleni. Kwiminyaka emithandathu ngaphambi koko, sachukunyiswa lukholo lwamaNgqina aseLiberia awayebalekele eSierra Leone ebaleka imfazwe apho. Amanye afika ephaca. Nangona kwakunzima, ayesiya rhoqo entsimini. Kwakuchukumisa gqitha ukubona indlela amthanda ngayo uYehova nabantu.

Ekubeni nathi ngoku sasiziimbacu kwilizwe laseGuinea, salandela loo mzekelo wabazalwana baseLiberia saza saqhubeka sikholose ngoYehova nokubeka izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kwindawo yokuqala. Emva konyaka, sabuyela eSierra Leone, kodwa kwiinyanga nje ezisixhenxe, kwavuka imfazwe kwafuneka siphinde sibalekele eGuinea.

Kungekudala saxelelwa ukuba elinye iqela elilwayo lihlala kwikhaya lethu labavangeli basemazweni eKissy yaye zonke izinto ziphangiwe okanye zitshatyalalisiwe. Kunokuba sibe buhlungu, sabulela nje ukuba sisaphila. Sasisele nezinto ezimbalwa, kodwa sakwazi ukumelana nobo bunzima.

Emva kokuba sisabe isihlandlo sesibini, mna noCheryl sahlala eGuinea. Oku kwathetha ukuba kufuneka sifunde isiFrentshi. Abanye abavangeli basemazweni endandikunye nabo babekhawuleza basebenzise isiFrentshi abasifundileyo, bengazikhathazi ngokwenza iimpazamo. Kodwa mna, ndandiyithiyile into yokuthetha ngendlela engachananga, ngoko ndandithetha isiFrentshi xa ndinyanzelekile. Konke oku kwakudimaza. Kwakufuneka ndizikhumbuze mihla le ukuba isizathu sokuba seGuinea kwam—kukunceda abanye bazi uYehova.

Ngokuthe ngcembe ndenza inkqubela ngokufunda, ukuphulaphula kwabo baluthetha kakuhle olu lwimi, nangokufuna uncedo kubantwana abasebandleni, bona baza kuthetha nje phandle. Kwathi singalindelanga safumana uncedo oluvela kwintlangano kaYehova ngexesha elifanelekileyo. Ukususela ngoSeptemba 2001, UBulungiseleli Bethu BoBukumkani, buye banikela amacebiso ngendlela yokuhambisa amaphephancwadi ukongezelela kumacebiso okuhambisa iincwadi nencwadana ezinemifanekiso kubantu abaneenkolelo zonqulo ezahlukeneyo. Ngoku ndizithemba ngakumbi xa ndisentsimini, nangona ndingathethi ngendlela ebendiya kuthetha ngayo ukuba bendisebenzisa ulwimi lwam.

Ukukhulela kwintsapho enkulu kuye kwandinceda ndakwazi ukuhlala nabantu abaninzi, ngesinye isihlandlo sakhe sahlala sili-17. Kwiminyaka yam engama-37 ndikwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni, ndiye ndahlala nabavangeli basemazweni abangaphezu kwe-100. Kuye kwalilungelo gqitha ukwazi abantu abaninzi kangako, abanobuntu obahlukileyo kodwa benenjongo enye. Kuvuyisa gqitha ukusebenza noThixo nokubona abantu besamkela inyaniso yeBhayibhile!—1 Korinte 3:9.

Kule minyaka ndingumvangeli wasemazweni, ndiye ndaphoswa zizinto ezininzi ezibalulekileyo eziye zenzeka kwintsapho yakowethu, njengemitshato yabantwana basekhaya. Andikhange ndikwazi ukusoloko ndibona abatshana bam ngendlela endifuna ngayo. Oku kuye kwafuna ukuba mna nentsapho yakowethu sizincame, ibe iye yandikhuthaza ukuba ndihlale kumsebenzi wobuvangeli basemazweni.

Sekunjalo, izinto endizikhumbulayo ekhaya, ndiye ndazifumana ngezinye izihlandlo kwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni. Nangona ndiye ndakhetha ukungatshati, ndinabantwana bokomoya abaninzi, kungekhona kuphela abo ndiye ndafunda nabo iBhayibhile kodwa nabanye abaye baba ngabahlobo. Okungakumbi, ndiye ndabona abantwana babo bekhula, betshata, yaye nabo bekhulisa abantwana babo ngendlela yenyaniso. Abanye babo, njengam, baye bavumela umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi waxonxa ubomi babo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Iimaphu ezikwiphepha 15]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

Ndathunyelwa eSierra Leone, eNtshona Afrika

GUINEA

SIERRA LEONE

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]

Oodadewethu ababini, esasichitha kunye ixesha elininzi sonwabile nabavangeli basemazweni ngeminyaka ye-1950

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14]

Ndikunye nabanye abafundi kwiklasi yama-48 yaseGiliyadi

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]

Ukunikezelwa kwesebe laseSierra Leone