Ibali Lobomi

Ukusikelelwa Ngenxa Yokuhlala Ndinomoya Wobuvangeli Basemazweni

KUBALISA UTOM COOKE

Izithonga zompu zayiphelisa inzolo eyayikho ngaloo mvakwemini. Iimbumbulu zazidlula kwisitiya sethu. Kwakuqhubeka ntoni? Kungabanga thuba lide emva koko safumanisa ukuba urhulumente walapho ubhukuqiwe yaye ngoku iUganda yayilawulwa nguNjengele Idi Amin. Le nto yenzeka ngowe-1971.

KWAKUTHENI ukuze mna nomfazi wam, uAnn sifuduke kwindawo eyayiseluxoweni iNgilani siye kule ndawo iyingozi eAfrika? Ngokwemvelo ndingumntu olidelangozi, kodwa ngenxa yomzekelo wabazali bam wokuba nenzondelelo kwinkonzo yoBukumkani ndaba nomoya wobuvangeli basemazweni.

Ndikhumbula ngosuku olushushu ngoAgasti 1946 xa abazali bam badibana okwesihlandlo sokuqala namaNgqina kaYehova. Babemi emnyango bethetha neendwendwe ezimbini kangangexesha elide. Ezi ndwendwe, uFraser Bradbury noMamie Shreve, baquqa bebuyelela ekhaya izihlandlo eziliqela, yaye kwiinyanga ezalandelayo, ubomi ekhaya baguquka ngeyona ndlela.

Umzekelo Wenkalipho Wabazali Bam

Abazali bam babenenxaxheba kwizinto ezininzi ezazisenziwa ekuhlaleni. Ngokomzekelo, kungekudala emva kokuqalisa kwabo ukufundisisa iBhayibhile, ekhaya kwakuzele imifanekiso kaWinston Churchill. Ebudeni bonyulo emva kwemfazwe, ikhaya lethu lalisetyenziswa njengendawo ekuqhutyelwa kuyo iintlanganiso zeKomiti yeConservative Party yasekuhlaleni. Kwakhona intsapho yethu yayisazi abantu abakwizikhundla eziphakamileyo ecaweni nasekuhlaleni. Nangona ndandineminyaka esithoba ubudala ngelo xesha, ndayibona indlela izalamane zethu ezothuka ngayo xa zafumanisa ukuba siza kuba ngamaNgqina kaYehova.

Umzekelo wamaNgqina esasinxulumana nawo wokwenza izinto ngentliziyo yonke nangokungoyiki washukumisela abazali bam ukuba bawukhuthalele umsebenzi wokushumayela. Kungekudala utata wayeshumayela esidlangalaleni ngaphandle kweevenkile zaseSpondon, kwidolophana yethu, esebenzisa isandisi-lizwi, ngoxa thina bantwana sasimi kwiindawo ezisekuhleni siphethe IMboniselo noVukani! Ndimele ndivume ukuba xa kuthi gqi abantwana endandifunda nabo esikolweni, kwakungathi ndingazifihla.

Umzekelo wabazali bam wakhuthaza udadewethu omdala, uDaphne, ukuba aqalise ubuvulindlela. Ngowe-1955, waya kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi waza wathunyelwa eJapan njengomvangeli wasemazweni.a Noko ke, udadewethu omncinane, uZoe, wayeka ukukhonza uYehova.

Ebudeni belo xesha, ndandigqibezela ukufundela ubugcisa bokuzoba. Ngezo mini, eyona nto kwakuthethwa ngayo kakhulu ngabantwana endandifunda nabo yayikukuya emkhosini. Xa ndabaxelela ukuba andinakuya emkhosini ngenxa yesazela sam, babecinga ukuba ndiyaqhula. Lo mbandela wandipha ithuba lokuba neengxubusho ezininzi zeBhayibhile kunye nabanye abafundi. Kungekudala, ndagwetywa iinyanga ezili-12 entolongweni kuba ndingafuni ukuya emkhosini. Omnye wabafundi kwikholeji yobugcisa owabonakalisa umdla kwisigidimi seBhayibhile kamva waba ngumfazi wam. Kodwa ndiza kukhe ndiphe uAnn ithuba lokubalisa indlela awayifumana ngayo inyaniso.

Indlela UAnn Awayifumana Ngayo Inyaniso

“Intsapho yasekhaya yayinganquli, yaye zange ndibhaptizwe nakweyiphi na icawa. Kodwa ndandifuna ukwazi ngonqulo yaye ndandisiya nakuyiphi na icawa abahlobo bam ababesiya kuyo. Ndaba nomdla kakhulu kwiBhayibhile xa ndeva iingxubusho ezibangela umdla uTom nelinye iNgqina ababenazo nabanye abafundi ekholeji. Xa uTom nelinye iNgqina bathunyelwa entolongweni ngexa yokungavumi ukuya emkhosini, ndothuka.

“Ndaqhubeka ndibhalelana noTom ngoxa wayesentolongweni, yaye ndaba nomdla nangakumbi kwiBhayibhile. Xa ndafudukela eLondon ukuze ndifumane imfundo engakumbi, ndavuma ukuba nesifundo seBhayibhile noMuriel Albrecht. UMuriel ebekhonza njengomvangeli wasemazweni e-Estonia, yaye yena nonina bandikhuthaza gqitha. Kwiiveki nje ezimbalwa, ndandisiya kwiintlanganiso yaye ndisima ngaphandle kweVictoria Station ndihambisa IMboniselo noVukani!

“NdandikwiBandla laseSouthwark emzantsi London. Elo bandla lalinabazalwana noodade bokomoya bezizwe ngezizwe, yaye abaninzi kubo babengenazinto ezininzi eziphathekayo. Nangona ndandingumntu ongaziwayo apho, bandiphatha njengabanye abantu. Yayiluthando elalinalo elo bandla elandenza ndaqiniseka ukuba le yinyaniso, yaye ndabhaptizwa ngowe-1960.”

Iinjongo Ezifanayo—Iimeko Ezingafaniyo

Mna noAnn satshata ekupheleni kowe-1960, yaye sasinosukelo lokuba kwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni. Kodwa iimeko zethu zatshintsha xa safumanisa ukuba sasiza kufumana umntwana. Emva kokuzalwa kwentombi yethu uSara, mna noAnn sasisenawo umnqweno wokukhonza apho kufuneka abavakalisi boBukumkani abangakumbi. Ndafuna umsebenzi kumazwe aliqela, yaye ekugqibeleni, ngoMeyi 1966, kwafika ileta evela kwiSebe Lemfundo eUganda isithi ndiwufumene umsebenzi. Noko ke, ngeli xesha, uAnn wayeza kufumana umntwana wethu wesibini. Abanye babengakuboni kububulumko ukufuduka kwethu. Saya kugqirha wethu, owathi: “Ukuba niyahamba, nimele nikhwele inqwelo-moya ngaphambi kokuba umfazi kwakho abe neenyanga ezisixhenxe ekhulelwe.” Sanduluka ngoko nangoko saya eUganda. Ngenxa yoko, abazali bethu abazange bayibone intombi yethu yesibini, uRachel, de waba neminyaka emibini ubudala. Ekubeni ngoku nathi sinabazukulwana, siyawuqonda yaye sinombulelo ngomoya wokuzincama ababenawo abazali bethu abathandekayo.

Kwakumnandi ukufika kwethu eUganda ngowe-1966 kodwa zazikho neengxaki. Ukwehla nje kwethu kwinqwelo-moya, samangaliswa zizinto eziyimibalabala esazibonayo. Zaziqaqambe ngeyona ndlela. Ikhaya lethu lokuqala lalikufuphi nedolophana encinane yaseIganga, eyayikwiikhilomitha ezingama-50 ukusuka eJinja, idolophu ekufuphi noMlambo umNayile. Awona maNgqina akufuphi ekhayeni lethu yayiliqela elikwanti eJinja. Umvangeli wasemazweni uGilbert noJoan Walters noStephen noBarbara Hardy babenyamekela eli qela. Ndacela ukutshintsha umsebenzi ukuze ndisebenze eJinja ukuze ndikwazi ukunceda eli qela. Kungekudala emva kokuba uRachel ezelwe, safudukela eJinja. Apho sakhonza neqela elincinane lamaNgqina athembekileyo njengoko lakhula laba libandla lesibini eUganda.

Ukukhonza Njengentsapho Kwintsimi Yelinye Ilizwe

Mna noAnn sivakalelwa kukuba ayikho enye indawo esasinokukhetha ukuyikhulisela khona intsapho yethu. Sakuvuyela ukusebenza kunye nabavangeli basemazweni abavela kumazwe awahlukahlukeneyo nasekuncediseni ibandla elisandul’ ukusekwa ukuba likhule. Kwakumnandi ukuba kunye nabazalwana noodade baseUganda, ababedla ngokusityelela ekhayeni lethu. UStanley noEsinala Makumba baba lukhuthazo gqitha kuthi.

Kodwa sasingatyelelwa ngabazalwana bethu kuphela, ekubeni sasingqongwe zizilwanyana zasendle ezahlukahlukeneyo. Iimvubu zazidla ngokuphuma kuMlambo umNayile zize zisondele kwikhaya lethu. Ndisakhumbula kakuhle sibona intlwathi eziimitha ezintandathu isesitiyeni. Maxa wambi, sasiya kubukela izilwanyana kwindawo ezihlala kuyo, nalapho iingonyama nezinye izilwanyana zasendle zazizihambela ngokukhululekileyo.

Entsimini, sasibothusa abantu basekuhlaleni, abangazange bayibone inqwelana yabantwana ngaphambili. Njengoko sisiya kwindlu ngendlu, sasidla ngokulandelwa ngabantwana abancinane. Abantu babesiqwalasela baze bachukumise olu sana lumhlophe. Kwakumnandi ukushumayela kuba abantu babenentlonelo gqitha. Sasicinga ukuba wonke ubani wayeza kungena enyanisweni, kuba kwakulula ukuqalisa izifundo zeBhayibhile. Kodwa ke, abaninzi bakufumanisa kunzima ukuyeka izithethe ezingasekelwanga kwiZibhalo. Noko ke, baninzi nabalandela imigaqo yokuziphatha ephakamileyo yeBhayibhile, yaye ibandla lakhula. Indibano yethu yokuqala yesiphaluka eJinja ngowe-1968 yaba yimbalasane. Siye sichwayite xa sicinga ngokubhaptizwa kwabo sasifunda nabo iBhayibhile kuMlambo umNayile. Kodwa kungekudala uxolo lwethu lwaluza kuphela.

Ukuvalwa Komsebenzi—Ukuvavanywa Kokholo Nokusebenzisa Ubulumko

Ngowe-1971, uNjengele Idi Amin waqalisa ukulawula. Kwakukho isiphithiphithi eJinja, yaye oko kuchazwe ngasentla kwenzeka ngoxa sasiphunga iti kwisitiya sethu. Ebudeni beminyaka emibini elandelayo, kwagxothwa abantu baseAsia abaliqela kwelo lizwe. Inkoliso yabantu basemzini yakhetha ukuhamba, yaye izikolo nezibhedlele zatsala nzima. Kwandula ke kwenziwa isaziso esibuhlungu sokuba umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova uvaliwe. Kuba linexhala ngokukhuseleka kwethu, iSebe Lemfundo lasifudusela kwikomkhulu, iKampala. Kwasinceda ngeendlela ezimbini ukufudukela apho. Sasingaziwa eKampala yaye ngoko ke sasikhululeke kakhudlwana ukuhambahamba apho. Kwakhona wawumninzi umsebenzi ofuna ukwenziwa ebandleni nasentsimini.

UBrian noMarion Wallace nabantwana babo ababini babekwimeko efanayo neyethu, yaye nabo bakhetha ukuhlala eUganda. Sakuvuyela ukuba kunye nabo njengoko sasikhonza kunye kwiBandla laseKampala ebudeni beli xesha linzima. Iingxelo esazifundayo zabazalwana bethu abakhonza kumanye amazwe apho umsebenzi uvalwe khona zasikhuthaza gqitha. Sasidibana ngamaqela amancinane, yaye kanye ngenyanga, sasiba neendibano ezinkulu e-Entebbe Botanical Gardens, senze ingathi sinetheko. Iintombi zethu zazicinga ukuba eli yayilicebo elihle.

Kwakufuneka silumke kakhulu ngendlela esiwenza ngayo umsebenzi wokushumayela. Abantu abamhlophe abatyelela amakhaya aseUganda babeza kuphawuleka lula. Ngoko ke intsimi yethu yayiziivenkile, amagumbi aqeshwayo nezinye indawo ekufundelwa kuzo. Enye indlela endandiyisebenzisa ezivenkileni yayikukufuna into endaziyo ukuba ayisafumaneki, njengeswekile okanye irayisi. Ukuba umnini-venkile wayekhathazekile ngoko kwenzekayo kwelo lizwe, ndandithetha ngesigidimi soBukumkani. Oko kwakuphumelela gqitha. Maxa wambi, ndandihamba kuloo venkile ndingenabuyelo nje kuphela kodwa kwanento ebendize kuyifuna.

Ebudeni belo xesha, kwakukho ugonyamelo kuyo yonke indawo. Ngenxa yokuba izinto zazingahambi kakuhle phakathi kweUganda neBritani, abasemagunyeni abazange bandivumele ukuba ndiphinde ndifumane umsebenzi. Ngoko ngowe-1974, emva kweminyaka esibhozo eUganda, sibuhlungu kwafuneka sibashiye abazalwana bethu. Sekunjalo, umoya wethu wobuvangeli basemazweni awuzange uphele.

Ukufudukela ENew Guinea

NgoJanuwari 1975, safumana ithuba lokusebenza ePapua New Guinea. Ngoko saqalisa iminyaka esibhozo eyonwabisayo yenkonzo kulo mmandla wePasifiki. Ubomi bethu esabuchitha kunye nabazalwana bethu nasentsimini babunenjongo yaye bunomvuzo.

Intsapho yethu ikhumbula sihlala ePapua New Guinea ngamaxesha emidlalo—oko kukuthi imidlalo yeBhayibhile. Nyaka ngamnye, sasilungiselela imidlalo yendibano yesithili, yaye kwakuba mnandi kakhulu! Sasikuvuyela ukuba kunye neentsapho ezikhulileyo ngokomoya, yaye oku kwaba nempembelelo entle kwiintombi zethu. Intombi yethu endala, uSara, watshata novulindlela okhethekileyo, uRay Smith, yaye bobabini baba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo kumda weIrian Jaya (ngoku eyiPapua, iphondo laseIndonesia). Ikhaya labo laliyindlu eyakhiwe ngengca, yaye uSara uthi wafunda lukhulu ebudeni bexesha awalichitha kweso sabelo.

Ukuziqhelanisa Neemeko Eziguquguqukayo

Ngeli xesha abazali bam babefuna ukunyanyekelwa. Kunokuba sibuyele eNgilani, abazali bam bavuma ukuza kuhlala nathi, yaye sonke safudukela eOstreliya ngowe-1983. Kwakhona bachitha ixesha kunye nodadewethu uDaphne, owayesahlala eJapan. Emva kokufa kwabazali bam, mna noAnn sagqiba kwelokuba sibe ngoovulindlela abathe ngxi, yaye oku kwandenza ndafumana amalungelo athile nto leyo eyayingelula.

Sasisandul’ ukuqalisa ukuba ngoovulindlela xa sacelwa ukuba senze umsebenzi wesiphaluka. Ukususela ebuntwaneni, ndandikugqala ukutyelelwa ngumveleli wesiphaluka njengesiganeko esikhethekileyo. Ngoku ndandingumveleli wesiphaluka. Yayisesona sabelo sinzima esasifumana ngelo xesha, kodwa ngamaxesha amaninzi uYehova wayesinceda ngeendlela esasingazange sizilindele ngaphambili.

Ebudeni botyelelo lwecandelo lukaMzalwan’ uTheodore Jaracz eOstreliya ngowe-1990, sambuza enoba wayecinga ukuba sibadala kakhulu na ukuba singakhonza ixesha elizeleyo phesheya. Wathi: “Kunganjani xa ninokuya kwiiSolomon Islands?” Ngoko ekugqibeleni, mna noAnn sikwiminyaka yethu yama-50 ubudala, saya kwisabelo sethu sokuqala njengabavangeli basemazweni.

Ukukhonza “KwiiHappy Isles”

IiSolomon Islands zaziwa njengeeHappy Isles, yaye inkonzo yethu apha yeminyaka elishumi iye yaba lixesha elimnandi ngokwenene. Abazalwana noodade bakwiiSolomon Islands babonakalisa ububele kum noAnn njengoko ndandikhonza njengomveleli wesithili. Umoya wokubuk’ iindwendwe owabonakaliswa kuthi wasichukumisa yaye wonke ubani wayesiba nomonde xa ndizama ukucacisa izinto ngesiSolomon Islands Pidgin—olunye lolwimi olunawona magama ambalwa ehlabathini.

Kungekudala emva kokufika kwethu kwiiSolomon Islands, abachasi baqalisa ukuphazamisa ukusebenzisa kwethu iHolo yeNdibano. Icawa yaseTshetshi yamangalela amaNgqina kaYehova, isithi iHolo yethu entsha yeNdibano eHoniara yakhiwe kwinxalenye yomhlaba wayo. Urhulumente wavumelana nayo, ngoko ke sabhenela kwiNkundla Ephakamileyo. Isigqibo esasiza kwenziwa apho sasiza kuthetha enoba kwakuza kufuneka sidilize iHolo yeNdibano yethu entsha ehlala abantu abali-1 200.

Eli tyala lachotshelwa enkundleni iveki yonke. Iqela elalisichasile lalizigwagwisa njengoko kwakuchotshelwa eli tyala. Emva koko, lisebenzisa izizathu ezibambekayo, igqwetha lethu, uMzalwan’ uWarren Cathcart osuka eNew Zealand, wabhenca konke ebekuthethwa ngabachasi. NgoLwesihlanu, iindaba zoko kwenzeka enkundleni zazisasazeke kwindawo yonke, yaye inkundla yayizele ziindwalutho zecawa, abasemagunyeni nabazalwana bethu abangamaKristu. Ndikhumbula impazamo eyenziwa kwisaziso socwangciso lwenkundla. Esi saziso sasisithi: “URhulumente weeSolomon Islands neCawa yaseMelanesia nxamnye noYehova.” Saphumelela kwelo tyala.

Noko ke, ukuzola okwakukho kwiiHappy Isles akuzange kuhlale ithuba elide. Kwakhona, mna noAnn sazifumanisa phakathi kwaloo ngxwabangxwaba nomlo wokubhukuqwa kukarhulumente. Ukungavisisani kweentlanga kwakhokelela kwimfazwe yamakhaya. NgoJuni 5, 2000, urhulumente wabhukuqwa yaye ikomkhulu laba phantsi kwamajoni axhobileyo. Kangangeeveki iHolo yethu yeNdibano yaba yindawo ehlala abantu abangenamakhaya. Abasemagunyeni bamangaliswa kukuba abazalwana bethu abangamaKristu abalolunye uhlanga babehlelisene ngoxolo kwiHolo yeNdibano. Oku kwanikela ubungqina obuhle ngokwenene!

Kwanamajoni ayekuhlonela ukuba ngoondilele kwamaNgqina kaYehova. Oko kwenza ukuba sithethe nomnye wamagosa ukuba avumele ilori eneencwadi nezinye izinto iye kwiqela elincinane labazalwana esasingakwazi ukunxulumana nabo kuba babekwicala lomnye umkhosi. Xa safumana iintsapho esasingakwazi ukunxibelelana nazo kangangeenyanga, wonke umntu wayelila.

Zininzi Izinto Esinombulelo Ngazo

Xa sicinga ngobomi bethu kwinkonzo kaYehova, zininzi izinto esinombulelo ngazo. Njengabazali, siye savuyiswa kukubona abantwana bethu ababini nabayeni babo, uRay noJohn, bekhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka. Baye basixhasa ngokwenene kwisabelo sethu sobuvangeli basemazweni.

Kangangeminyaka eli-12, mna noAnn besinelungelo lokukhonza kwiofisi yesebe kwiiSolomon Islands, yaye ebudeni belo xesha, siye sabona iqela labavakalisi boBukumkani kwiiSolomon Islands liphindeka kabini, lifikelela kwabangaphezu kwe-1 800. Kutshanje, ndiye ndanelungelo elingakumbi lokuya kwiSikolo Samalungu eKomiti eSebe ePatterson, eNew York. Enyanisweni, siye sakuvuyela ukuchitha ubomi obunenjongo nobuneentsikelelo ezininzi ngenxa yokuhlala ndinomoya wobuvangeli basemazweni.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

Imini esatshata ngayo, ngowe-1960

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EUganda, uStanley noEsinala Makumba bayikhuthaza gqitha intsapho yethu

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

USara esiya kwindlu yommelwane eyakhiwe ngengca

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Ndandizoba imifanekiso eyayindinceda ukuze ndifundise abantu abakwiiSolomon Islands

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Ukudibana nebandla elikwanti kwiiSolomon Islands

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Intsapho yethu namhlanje