Ibali Lobomi
Ukukhonza Ngovuyo Phezu Kwako Nje Ukuba Ngumlwelwe
KUBALISA UVARNAVAS SPETSIOTIS
Ngowe-1990, xa ndandineminyaka engama-68 ubudala, ndaba ngumlwelwe. Sekunjalo, bendikhonza ngovuyo njengomlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo kwisiqithi saseCyprus kangangeminyaka eli-15. Yintoni eye yandinika amandla okuhlala ndisebenza enkonzweni kaYehova nangona ndingumlwelwe?
N DAZALWA ngo-Oktobha 11, 1922, kwintsapho enabantwana abasithoba—amakhwenkwe amane neentombi ezintlanu. Sasihlala kwidolophana yaseXylophagou, eCyprus. Nangona abazali bam babeme kakuhle ngomlinganiselo othile, ukukhulisa intsapho enkulu kangako kwakufuna ukuba basebenze nzima emasimini.
Utata, uAntonis, wayengumntu okuthandayo ukufunda nokwazi izinto. Kungekudala ndizelwe, xa utata wayetyelele utitshala wesikolo sasekuhlaleni wabona iphecana elithi Peoples Pulpit, elipapashwe ngaBafundi beBhayibhile (njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayesaziwa njalo ngelo xesha). Waqalisa ukulifunda, ibe wayengakwazi ukulibeka phantsi. Ngenxa yoko, utata nomnye wabahlobo bakhe, uAndreas Christou, baba phakathi kwabantu bokuqala ukunxulumana namaNgqina kaYehova kweso siqithi.
Ulwando Nangona Kwakukho Inkcaso
Ekuhambeni kwexesha, utata noAndreas bafumana iimpapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni ezingakumbi kumaNgqina kaYehova. Kungekudala, baqalisa ukuchazela abanye kulo dolophana yabo ngalo nyaniso yeBhayibhile babeyifunda. Umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela wavusa inkcaso ekrakra kumfundisi wobuOthodoki ongumGrike nabanye ababevakalelwa kukuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayenempembelelo eyonakalisayo.
Uninzi lwabantu basekuhlaleni lwabahlonela aba bafundisi beBhayibhile babini. Utata wayedume ngokuba nobubele nesisa. Wayedla ngokunceda iintsapho ezihlwempuzekileyo. Maxa wambi wayedla ngokuchwechwa aphume ebusuku aye kubeka ingqolowa okanye isonka kwiminyango yeentsapho ezisweleyo. Ezo zenzo zothando lobuKristu zasitsho isigidimi saba balungiseleli babini sathandwa ngakumbi.—Mateyu 5:16.
Ngenxa yoko baba liqela abantu abanomdla kwisigidimi seBhayibhile. Njengoko ulwazi lwabo ngenyaniso lwalukhula, bakubona kuyimfuneko ukuba bahlanganisane kumakhaya awahlukahlukeneyo ukuze bafunde iBhayibhile njengeqela. Malunga nowe-1934, eCyprus kwafika uNikos Matheakis, umlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo evela eGrisi, eze kubona eli qela laseXylophagou. Ngomonde nangokuzimisela, uMzalwan’ uMatheakis wanceda ekulungelelaniseni eli qela nokuze liziqonde kakuhle iZibhalo. Eli qela laba libandla lokuqala lamaNgqina kaYehova eCyprus.
Njengoko umsebenzi wamaKristu wawuhambela phambili nabantu abangakumbi besamkela inyaniso yeBhayibhile, abazalwana babona kuyimfuneko ukuba bafumane indawo esisigxina yokuqhubela iintlanganiso. Umkhuluwa wam, uGeorge nenkosikazi yakhe, uEleni, bathi kungasetyenziswa igumbi ababelisebenzisa njengeshedi. Le ndawo, eyayisecaleni komzi wabo, yalungiswa yaza yaguqulwa yaba yindawo efanelekileyo yokuqhubela iintlanganiso. Ngenxa yoko abazalwana baba neHolo yoBukumkani yokuqala kwesi siqithi. Hayi indlela ababenombulelo ngayo! Oku kwaba ngunobangela wolwando.
Ukwenza Inyaniso Ibe Yeyam
Ngowe-1938, xa ndandineminyaka eli-16 ubudala, ndagqiba ekubeni ndibe ngumchweli. Ngenxa yoko, utata wandithumela kwidolophu elikomkhulu laseCyprus, iNicosia. Ehlab’ ekhangele, wenza amalungiselelo okuba ndiye kuhlala noNikos Matheakis. Lo mzalwana uthembekileyo usakhunjulwa ngokuba nenzondelelo nobubele yinkoliso yabantu besi siqithi. Inzondelelo nenkalipho yakhe yayiziimpawu ezazifuneka nakuwuphi na umKristu eCyprus ngaloo minyaka.
UMzalwan’ uMatheakis wandinceda gqitha ndafumana ulwazi oluqinileyo lweBhayibhile ndaza ndenza inkqubela yokomoya. Ngoxa ndandihlala naye, ndandisiya kuzo zonke iintlanganiso ezaziqhutyelwa ekhayeni lakhe. Okwesihlandlo sokuqala, ndandivakalelwa kukuba ndiya ndimthanda uYehova. Ndazimisela ukwakha ulwalamano lokwenene noThixo. Kwiinyanga nje ezimbalwa, ndacela kuMzalwan’ uMatheakis ukuba ndiye naye entsimini. Oku kwenzeka ngowe-1939.
Emva kwexesha elithile, ndabuyela ekhaya ndiye kubabona. Ukuba kunye notata okwexeshana kwandenza ndaqiniseka ngakumbi ukuba ndiyifumene inyaniso nentsingiselo yobomi. NgoSeptemba 1939, kwaqalisa iMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Abafana abaninzi abaziintanga zam baya emkhosini, kodwa ndilandela ulwalathiso lweBhayibhile, ndagqiba ekubeni ndingathabathi cala kwezopolitiko. (Isaya 2:4; Yohane 15:19) Ngaloo nyaka, ndazahlulela kuYehova ndaza ndabhaptizwa ngowe-1940. Okwesihlandlo sokuqala, ndaziva ndingatyhwatyhwi ngumntu!
Ngowe-1948, ndatshata noEfprepia. Saba nabantwana abane. Kungekudala saqonda ukuba simele sizibhokoxe ukuze sibakhulisele “kwingqeqesho nasekweyiselweni kwengqondo kuYehova.” (Efese 6:4) Imithandazo nemigudu yethu yayikukubethelela ebantwaneni bethu ukuba bamthande ngokunzulu uYehova baze bathobele imithetho nemigaqo yakhe.
Ukugula Kuba Ngumqobo
Ngowe-1964, xa ndandineminyaka engama-42 ubudala, ndaqalisa ukuva ukubandindisholo kwesandla nomlenze wam wasekunene. Ngokuthe ngcembe, oku kwadlulela nakwicala lasekhohlo. Oogqirha bathi ndinesifo esinganyangekiyo sokushwabana kwezihlunu, esiya kundishiya ndingakwazi kuzenzela nto ekugqibeleni. Ezi ndaba zandothusa gqitha. Oku kwenzeka ngesiquphe ndingakulindelanga. Ngenxa yokudandatheka nokucaphuka, ndazibuza oku: ‘Kutheni oku kusenzeka kum? Yintoni le ingaka ndiyenzileyo sendide ndibethwe ngesinje isibetho?’ Noko ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndathomalala. Emva koko ndaxhalaba gqitha ibe ndandididekile. Ndandihlala ndizibuza imibuzo emininzi. Ngaba ndiza kuba ngumlwelwe ndize xhomekeke ngokupheleleyo ebantwini? Ndiza kuhlangabezana njani nale ngxaki? Ngaba ndiza kukwazi ukunyamekela intsapho yam—umfazi nabantwana bethu abane? Ezo ngcinga zazinditsho ndinxube.
Kobu bunzima, ndaziva ndifuna ngamandla kunanini na ngaphambili ukuthandaza kuYehova ngokunyanisekileyo ndimxelele zonke izinto ezindixhalabisayo. Ndandithandaza imini nobusuku amehlo ezaliswe ziinyembezi. Kungekudala ndaziva ndithuthuzelekile. Amazwi akweyabaseFilipi 4:6, 7 angqineka eyinyaniso ngokwenene kwimeko yam, athi: “Musani ukuxhalela nantoni na, kodwa ezintweni zonke zaziseni izibongozo zenu kuThixo ngomthandazo nesikhungo nombulelo; yaye uxolo lukaThixo olungaphaya kokuqonda luya kuzilinda iintliziyo zenu namandla enu engqondo ngoKristu Yesu.”
Ukuhlangabezana Nokuba Ngumlwelwe
Impilo yam yaya isiba mandundu. Ndaqonda ukuba ndimele ndiziqhelanise msinya nale meko yam intsha. Ekubeni ndandingasenakuqhubeka nomsebenzi wobuchweli, ndagqiba ekubeni ndifune umsebenzi ongaqobiyo olungele impilo yam kodwa kwangaxeshanye oza kundenza ndikwazi ukuxhasa intsapho yam. Ekuqaleni, ndandithengisa i-ice cream ngekhumbi encinane. Oku ndakwenza iminyaka emithandathu de esi sigulo sandenza ndahamba ngesitulo esinamavili. Emva koko ndenza imisebenzi ekwakuza kuba lula ukuba ndiyenze.
Ukususela ngowe-1990 impilo yam iye yaba mandundu kangangokuba andisakwazi kwaphela ukusebenza. Ngoku, ndixhomekeke ngokupheleleyo kwabanye, nkqu nakwizinto umntu ophilileyo azenza nje ngokulula. Kufuneka ndilaliswe, ndihlanjwe ndize ndinxityiswe. Ukuze ndiye kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, kufuneka ndityhalwe ngesitulo esinamavili ndize ndifunqulwe ndingeniswe emotweni. Xa ndifika eHolweni yoBukumkani, kufuneka ndifunqulwe ndikhutshwe emotweni ndikhweliswe kwisitulo esinamavili ndize ndityhalwe ndingene ngaphakathi. Ebudeni beentlanganiso, ndiye ndibekelwe isifudumezi ecaleni kwam ukuze sindifudumeze iinyawo.
Ndiya kuzo zonke iintlanganiso rhoqo nangona ndingumlwelwe. Ndiyaqonda ukuba kulapho uYehova asifundisa khona, ibe ukuba kunye nabazalwana noodadewethu bokomoya kulikhusi lokwenene ibe bayandixhasa baze bandikhuthaze. (Hebhere 10:24, 25) Ukutyelelwa rhoqo ngabanye abazalwana abaqolileyo bekusoloko kuluncedo kum. Ndivakalelwa kanye ngendlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uDavide xa wathi: “Indebe yam iyaphuphuma.”—INdumiso 23:5.
Umfazi wam endimthandayo ebesoloko endinceda yonke le minyaka. Abantwana bam nabo babendinceda gqitha. Ngoku sele kuyiminyaka eliqela bendinceda umhla nezolo. Oko bakwenzayo akulula ibe njengoko iminyaka ihamba, kuya kuba nzima ngakumbi ukundinyamekela. Bangumzekelo omhle ekuhlakuleleni umonde nasekuzibhokoxeni ibe ndithandazela ukuba uYehova aqhubeke ebasikelela.
Umthandazo yenye indlela emangalisayo uYehova abomeleza ngayo abakhonzi bakhe. (INdumiso 65:2) Ephendula imithandazo yam esuk’ entliziyweni, uYehova uye wandinika amandla okuqhubeka ndinokholo yonke le minyaka. Umthandazo uye undinike isiqabu uze undincede ndihlale ndivuya ingakumbi xa ndidandathekile. Ukusoloko ndithetha noYehova kuyandihlaziya kuze kundishiye ndizimisele ukunganikezeli. Ndiqinisekile ukuba uYehova uyayiva imithandazo yabakhonzi bakhe ibe ubanika uxolo lwengqondo abalufunayo.—INdumiso 51:17; 1 Petros 5:7.
Ngaphezu kwako konke, ndiye ndizive ndinamandla kwakhona ngalo lonke ixesha ndikhumbula ukuba ekugqibeleni uThixo uya kubaphilisa bonke abo baya kuphila eParadesi phantsi koBukumkani obuya kulawulwa nguNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu. Ngalo lonke ixesha ndicinga ngeli themba lichulumancisayo ziye zehle iinyembezi.—INdumiso 37:11, 29; Luka 23:43; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4.
Ukuba Ngumlungiseleli Wexesha Elizeleyo
Malunga nowe-1991, emva kokuhlolisisa imeko yam ndaqonda ukuba eyona ndlela ifanelekileyo yokuphepha ukuhlala ndizisizela kukuba ndixakeke ekuxeleleni abanye iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Ngaloo nyaka ndaqalisa ukuba ngumlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo.
Ekubeni ndingumlwelwe, ubukhulu becala ndishumayela ngokubhala iileta. Noko ke, asinto elula kum ukubhala; kufuna umgudu. Kunzima ukubamba usiba lokubhala, ngenxa yale ngxaki yokushwabana kwezihlunu. Sekunjalo, ngokuzingisa nangokuthandaza, ngoku sele kungaphezu kweminyaka eli-15 ndishumayela ngokubhala iileta. Ndiye ndishumayele nangefowuni. Ndisebenzisa naliphi na ithuba endilifumanayo ukuxelela izalamane, abahlobo nabamelwane abandityelelayo ngethemba lam lomhlaba omtsha noyiParadesi.
Ngenxa yoko, ndiye ndafumana amava amaninzi akhuthazayo. Ndavuya gqitha xa ndibona omnye wabazukulwana bam, endafunda naye iBhayibhile kwiminyaka eli-12 edluleyo, esenza inkqubela ngokomoya yaye ebonisa ukuyixabisa inyaniso yeBhayibhile. Eqhutywa sisazela sakhe esiqeqeshwe yiBhayibhile, uye wahlala enyanisekile yaye eqinile kumbandela wokungathabathi cala kwezopolitiko njengomKristu.
Ndiye ndivuye gqitha xa abantu endiye ndababhalela beqhagamshelana nam ukuze bafumane inkcazelo engakumbi ngeBhayibhile. Maxa wambi, abanye baye bacele uncwadi olungakumbi lweBhayibhile. Ngokomzekelo, elinye ibhinqa landifowunela libulela ngeleta ekhuthazayo endandiyibhalele umyeni walo. Lawafumanisa ebangel’ umdla gqitha amazwi alo leta. Oku kwakhokelela ekubeni ndixubushe ngakumbi ngeBhayibhile nalo nomyeni walo emzini wam.
Ndinethemba Eliqaqambileyo
Kwiminyaka edluleyo, ndiye ndabona inani labavakalisi boBukumkani lisanda kulo mmandla wethu. IHolo yoBukumkani encinane esecaleni komzi womkhuluwa wam uGeorge iye yandiswa yaza yahlaziywa izihlandlo ezininzi. Iyindawo yonqulo entle, ibe isetyenziswa ngamabandla amabini amaNgqina kaYehova.
Utata wafa ngowe-1943, xa wayeneminyaka engama-52 ubudala. Wasishiyela ilifa lokomoya elingathethekiyo! Abantwana bakhe abasibhozo bamkela inyaniso ibe basaqhubeka bekhonza uYehova. Kwidolophana yaseXylophagou, apho utata wazalelwa khona, nakwezinye iidolophana ezikufuphi, ngoku kukho amabandla amathathu, anabavakalisi boBukumkani abangama-230!
Le miphumo mihle iye yandivuyisa gqitha. Ngoku ndineminyaka engama-83 ubudala, ibe ndivumelana ngokupheleleyo namazwi omdumisi athi: “Iingonyama ezintsha ezinesingci zinokuncinane yaye zilambile; kodwa abo bafuna uYehova, abayi kuswela nantoni na elungileyo.” (INdumiso 34:10) Ndilinde ngolangazelelo ixesha xa kuzaliseka isiprofeto esikuIsaya 35:6, esithi: “Isiqhwala siya kutsiba njengexhama.” Nakuba ndingumlwelwe okwangoku, ndizimisele ukuqhubeka ndikhonza uYehova ngovuyo de kufike elo xesha.
[Imaphu ekwiphepha 17]
(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)
TURKEY
SIRIYA
LEBHANON
CYPRUS
Nicosia
Xylophagou
Ulwandle LweMeditera
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
IHolo yoBukumkani yokuqala eXylophagou, isasetyenziswa nanamhlanje
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 18]
Ndikunye noEfprepia ngowe-1946 nanamhlanje
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]
Kuyandivuyisa ukushumayela ngefowuni nangokubhala iileta