Ukuxunela Usukelo Olwamiselwa Xa Ndandineminyaka Emithandathu Ubudala
NGOKUBALISWA NGUSANDRA COWAN
Abazali abaninzi bayabakhethela abantwana babo umsebenzi, onjengomculo okanye uhlobo oluthile lomdaniso, baze baqalise ukubaqeqesha besebancinane kakhulu. Oku koko kanye umama wandenzela kona. Ukususela ndiseneeveki ezimbini ubudala, ndandisisiwa kuzo zonke iintlanganiso zamaKristu ndisiya nakubulungiseleli basentsimini.
XA NDANDINEMINYAKA emine ubudala, uMama wacinga ukuba ndandisele ndikulungele ukushumayela ndedwa. Ndiwukhumbula kakuhle umzamo wam wokuqala. Sahamba ngenqwelo-mafutha saya kufika kwindlu enkulu yasezifama, yaye ngoxa uMama nabanye babendilinde kwinqwelo-mafutha, ndaphuma ndaza ndaya emnyango. Inenekazi elinobubele landiphulaphula ngoxa ndandilihambisela iincwadana ezilishumi. Lazihlawulela ngokundinika isitena esikhulu sesepha. Kwafuneka ndisibambe ngezandla zozibini. Ndandichwayitile!
Kwangaloo nyaka, wowe-1943, iSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi savula iingcango zaso ukuze siqeqeshele abalungiseleli abangoovulindlela bexesha elizeleyo umsebenzi wobuvangeli basemazweni. UMama wandikhuthaza ukuba ndenze inkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni usukelo lwam ebomini. Ngelo xesha iMfazwe Yehlabathi II yayigquba eYurophu, yaye uMama wayedla ngokundixelela ngabantwana abaselula abangamaNgqina baseYurophu ababethatyathwa kubazali babo. Wayefuna ukuba ndomelele ngokwaneleyo ukuze ndimelane naso nasiphi na isilingo.
Ngehlobo lowe-1946, ndabhaptizwa kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe eCleveland, eOhio. Nangona ndandineminyaka emithandathu kuphela ubudala, ndandizimisele ukuzalisekisa uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova. Kwelo hlobo ndakhonza njengovulindlela okwesihlandlo sokuqala. Ndikhumbula ngenye intsasa ndihambisa amaphephancwadi angama-40 kubantu ababehleli kwiBala Lentengiso eSan Diego, eKhalifoniya. Isibakala sokuba ndandinomzimba omncinane yaye ndilincoko saba negalelo elikhulu koku, ndiqinisekile.
Ngokufuthi sasishumayela kufutshane neBeth-Sarim, apho umongameli weWatch Tower Society owayengaphilanga, uMzalwana uRutherford, wayebuchithela khona ubusika ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe ngowe-1942. Sasityelela rhoqo size sitye isidlo sasemini nabakhonzi bexesha elizeleyo balapho. Amatyelelo anjalo avuyisayo andenza ndagqiba kwelokuba obu ngokwenyaniso yayibubomi endandibufuna. Ngoko ndenza iSikolo saseGiliyadi nenkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni zalusukelo lwam ebomini.
Ngonyaka olandelayo abazali bam baqhawula umtshato, kodwa ukuguquka kwemeko yentsapho akuzange kubudodobalise ubumoya bethu. UMama wayenguvulindlela yaye wayeluxhalabele gqitha uqeqesho mna nomntakwethu esasilufumana. Kwinqwelana yethu etsalwayo sasisoloko sityelelwa ngabazalwana noodade abangamaKristu. UMama wenza umgudu okhethekileyo wokuba ndidibane nabaphumelele eGiliyadi. Abanye babo ababini yayinguLloyd noMelba Barry, ababesityelele bekumsebenzi wokuhambahamba ngoxa babelindele ukuhamba baye kwisabelo sabo kwilizwe lasemzini eJapan. Bathabath’ ixesha bendikhuthaza—intombazana encinane eyayilangazelela ukuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni—yaye oko kwandichukumisa ngokwenene.
Xa ndandineminyaka elishumi ubudala, uMama watshata neNgqina elalineempawu ezintle nelalikwangumlungiseleli onguvulindlela. Alizange lityobele nje ephepheni ukuba lalisamkela mna nomnakwethu njengabantwana balo kodwa lasamkela kwanasentliziyweni yalo. Uthando lwalo ngoYehova nenzondelelo yalo ngenkonzo zazisosulela.
UMama noTata babambisana ekusikhokeleni thina bantwana ukutyhubela iminyaka enzima yeshumi elivisayo. Ikhaya lethu lalilikhusi lokomoya endicinga ngalo ngegugu. Kubo ukuba senkonzweni yobuvulindlela bexhomekeke kumvuzo omncinane ngoxa bekhulisa abantwana ababini kwakungeyondlwan’ iyanetha; kwakufuna ukuzincama. Kodwa uMama noTata babexhomekeke kuYehova yaye babebeka izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kuqala.
Hayi indlela endiyikhumbula kakuhle ngayo indibano yezizwe ngezizwe eyayikwisiXeko saseNew York ngowe-1950! UTata wafumana imali-mboleko ebhankini, yaye sahamba nabantu abathathu kwinqwelo-mafutha ukuze bancedise kwiindleko. Mna umama, utata nomnakwethu sahlala kunye kwisihlalo esingaphambili yonke loo ndlela isuka eSan Diego iya eNew York, ngoxa abanye babehleli ngasemva. Ngenxa yokuba umqeshi kaTata engazange avume ukumkhulula emsebenzini iiveki ezimbini, ukuya kuloo ndibano kwambangela ukuba aphulukane nomsebenzi wakhe. Kodwa njengokuba uTata wasiqinisekisayo, uYehova wayeya kuzilungiselela iintswelo zethu, yaye wenjenjalo. UTata wathengisa inqwelo-mafutha ukuze abuyise imali awayeyiboleke ebhankini, waza ke wafumana umsebenzi olunge ngakumbi. Oku namanye amava ayeleleneyo angqineka exabisekile kum iminyaka kamva xa mna nomyeni wam sajamelana neemeko ezinzima.
Kuhambo lwethu lokubuya eNew York, satyelela iKingdom Farm, apho ndathi ndabona khona iSikolo saseGiliyadi okwesihlandlo sokuqala. Ndikhumbula ndimi kwelinye lamagumbi okufundela ndithetha ndedwa ndisithi, ‘Andikagqibi neminyaka eli-11 ubudala. Andisokuze ndikwazi ukuza apha. IArmagedon iya kufika kuqala.’ Kodwa olo tyelelo lwandenza ndazimisela ngakumbi kunanini na ngaphambili ukuba ndenze ukuya eGiliyadi kube lusukelo lwam.
Ukusebenzela Ukufikelela Usukelo Lwam
Ebudeni beholide nganye yesikolo yasehlotyeni ukususela kwibanga lokuqala ukusa phambili, ndandisiba nguvulindlela. Ndaza ke, iiveki ezimbini emva kokuba ndiphumelele kwisikolo semfundo ephakamileyo ngoJuni 1957, ndaba nguvulindlela othe ngxi.
Intlanganiso kwindibano yesithili yabo banomdla wokuya eGiliyadi eyaqhutywa kwindibano eyayiseLos Angeles ngowe-1957 yaba yekhethekileyo kum. Njengokuba ndandingena kuloo ntente eyayiza kuba kuyo loo ntlanganiso, ndadibana noBill, umzalwana oselula endandimazi ukususela xa ndandineminyaka emithandathu ubudala. Kunyaka ophambi kwalowo, wayengekho eyokukhonza apho imfuneko yayinkulu khona eLouisiana. Savuyiswa kukufumana indlela sobabini esasinomdla ngayo kwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni. Kwiinyanga ezintandathu kamva sagqiba kwelokuba siwenze umsebenzi wethu sobabini. Sabhalela uMbutho sicela isabelo yaye inyanga ngaphambi komtshato wethu, sasifumana eRomney, kwiNtshona Virginia.
Safudukela apho ngoxa sasisendleleni eya kwindibano eyayiseNew York ngowe-1958. Ngoxa sasikuloo ndibano saya kwintlanganiso yabo banomdla wokuya eGiliyadi. Kwakukho amakhulu-khulu. Sijonge eso sihlwele, savakalelwa kukuba amathemba ethu okubizwa eGiliyadi ayemancinane ngokwenene. Sekunjalo, sasifaka isicelo sethu sokuqala, nakubeni sasineeveki ezili-11 kuphela sitshatile. Kunyaka olandelayo kwindibano yesithili ePhiladelphia, sangenisa isicelo sesibini.
Mna noBill eRomney safunda ukuxhomekeka kuYehova ukuze asincede ukutyhubela iimeko ezinzima. IRomney yayiyidolophu enabemi abanokuba ngama-2 000. Umsebenzi wawungafumaneki. Sasihlala kuzenzele wenqwelwana etsalwayo eyayiziimitha ezintlanu eyayilungiselelwe imozulu yaseKhalifoniya. Sasingenamanzi aphuma empompeni, singenanto yokwenza shushu singenaso nesikhenkcisi. Kwakubanda gqitha ngaphakathi kangangokuba kwakufuneka siqhekeze umkhenkce ose-emeleni ukuze sifumane amanzi. Abazalwana babesinceda kangangoko babenako, besabela ukutya ababekuzingele. Sasisitya ixhama, iraccoon nonomatse. Kangangezihlandlo eziliqela sasicinga ukuba sasingazukuba nanto yakutya ngolo suku, yaye xa sifika ekhaya sivela enkonzweni, sasidla ngokufumana ama-apile okanye isonka samasi sishiywe ngaphambi komnyango wethu.
Satsala nzima kangangeenyanga ezilithoba siphila ngokuboph’ ibhanti amaxesha ngamaxesha. Ekugqibeleni, sagqiba kwelokuba kwakuya kuba bubulumko ukufudukela eBaltimore, eMaryland, apho uBill wayenokufumana khona umsebenzi. Xa saxelela abazalwana ngesigqibo sethu, bacuntsula kule nto yabantwana saza nathi sabancedisa. Ngoko sagqiba kwelokuba sikhe sinyamezele nje okwethutyana.
Kanye emva koko elinye iNgqina elalingumphathi wevenkile enkulu eWesternport, eMaryland, emalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-60 ukusuka apho sasihlala khona, lanika uBill umsebenzi wesingxungxo. Kwakuloo nyanga omnye wabantu esasifundisisa nabo iBhayibhile wasinika indlu entle encinane eyayinempahla yayo nesitovu samalahle esikhulu. Ngelo xesha uMalaki 3:10 waqalisa ukuba sisibhalo sam endisithandayo. UYehova uye wasithululela intsikelelo engaphaya kolindelo lwethu.
Ekugqibeleni IGiliyadi!
Olunye lwezona ntsuku zichulumancisayo ebomini bethu lwaba mhlanazana, ngoNovemba 1959, sathi safumana isimemo sokuya eGiliyadi. Samenyelwa kwiklasi yama-35, eyokugqibela eyaqhutyelwa kwiKingdom Farm. Xa ndandimi kwelo gumbi lokufundela endandilityelele ndisengumntwana, ndaba nemvakalelo yothando neyonwabisayo amagama angenako ukuyichaza ngokufanelekileyo.
IGiliyadi yayiluhlaza lokomoya kwindawo eyinkqantosi. Kwakungathi sasiphila kwihlabathi elitsha kangangeenyanga ezintlanu. Kunqabile ebomini ukuba silinde into ethile iminyaka size siyifumane ilunge ngakumbi kunokuba besiyilindele. Kodwa iGiliyadi yayikoko kanye.
Sanikwa isabelo sokuya eIndiya, kodwa ekugqibeleni salelwa ukunikwa iimpepha-mvume zokungena kwelo lizwe. Ngoko ke, emva konyaka silinde kwisiXeko saseNew York, iWatch Tower Society yaphinda yasinika isabelo sokuya eMorocco, eMntla Afrika.
Abavangeli Basemazweni EMorocco
Sachitha iminyaka engama-24 evuyisayo eMorocco, abantu balapho sabathanda sifika. Safunda isiFrentshi nolwimi lwaseSpeyin, lwimi ezo ezasinceda ekuthetheni neentlanga ezininzi ezihlala apho. Ubukhulu becala yayingabo babesuka kwamanye amazwe ababesabela kwisigidimi soBukumkani.
Elinye ibhinqa endandifundisisa nalo iBhayibhile lalingumdanisi weflamenco yaseSpeyin elaliqeshwe kwivenkile yokutyela yaseCasablanca eyayisonwabisa abantu ngomculo okanye ngomdaniso. Emva kokufunda imigaqo yeBhayibhile, lamshiya umnikazi waloo venkile elalihlala naye laza labuyela eSpeyin. Apho lanikela ubungqina kuyo yonke intsapho yakowalo yaye abanye kuyo bazamkela iinyaniso zeBhayibhile elalisabelana ngazo nabo. Emva koko labuyela eCasablanca, apho lahlala lithembekile kuThixo kwada kwasekufeni kwalo ngowe-1990.
Kwiminyaka yethu embalwa yokuqala eMorocco kwabakho ulwando kwinani labavakalisi boBukumkani. Noko ke, xa kwaba nzima ukuba abemi bamanye amazwe bafumane imvume yokusebenza neyokuhlala kwelo lizwe, kwabakho imfuduko yamaNgqina esinge eYurophu. Abanye babo sasifundisisa nabo ngoku bahlala eNew Zealand, eKhanada, eUnited States, eBulgaria, eRashiya naseFransi yaye bambi babo banesabelo kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo.
Ngesiquphe, ngoAprili 1973 umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wavalwa eMorocco. Hayi indlela okwasothusa ngayo oko! Ngokuhlwa kwangoLwesine, sasiliqela elonwabileyo kwiHolo yoBukumkani, sincokola de izibane zacinywa ukuze sazi ukuba yayilixesha lokugoduka. Sasingazi ukuba sasingasayi kuphinda sibone ezo zibane zikhanyisa kumanyano olunjalo lwamaKristu lwasesidlangalaleni. Sivalw’ umlomo sinjalo, iintlanganiso zethu neendibano zesiphaluka zazipheleliselwa kumaqela amancinane emakhayeni abantu. Ukuze afumane iindibano zesithili, amaNgqina ayesiya eFransi okanye eSpeyin.
Njengokuba sasisiya sincipha, amaNgqina ambalwa awayeshiyeke eMorocco asondelelana gqitha. Ngoko xa iWatch Tower Society ekugqibeleni yagqiba kwelokuba ilivale isebe ize isinike isabelo kwenye indawo, sonke sagixa iinyembezi.
Ukuya KuMbindi Afrika
Isabelo sethu esitsha sasiyiRiphabliki ekuMbindi Afrika. Olunjani ukuba lukhulu utshintsho ukuvela kuMntla Afrika! Ngoxa iMorocco yayinemozulu ephantse ifane neyasemazantsi eKhalifoniya, ngoku sazifumana sikweleenjiko elishushu gqitha nelifumileyo.
Kwakukho iingxaki ezintsha esasiza kujamelana nazo. Ngokomzekelo, ngoku kwakufuneka ndilawule ukoyika kwam izidalwa ezirhubuluzayo. Izihlandlo ezithathu icikilishe lawela phezu kwentloko yam xa ndandiphuma emnyango. Maxa wambi, ngoxa ndiqhuba isifundo seBhayibhile, ibuzi lalidla ngokugqiba kwelokuba lisithelele! Nangona ndandifuna ukutsiba ndize ndibaleke, ndafunda ukuzeyisa, iliso lam lingasuku kuMhle. Buzi ndize ndiphakamise ingxowa yam yeencwadi neenyawo zam de agqibe kwelokuba ahambe. Ndafumanisa ukuba ungaqhelana nayo nayiphi na ukuba uyazingisa.
Xa sasineenyanga ezintandathu silapho, kwenziwa isaziso kunomathotholo sokuba umsebenzi wethu wawuvaliwe. Ngoko iiHolo zethu zoBukumkani zavalwa yaye abavangeli basemazweni bacelwa ukuba bahambe. Yaba sithi nesinye isibini kuphela abakwaziyo ukuhlala kwisebe eminye iminyaka emithathu. Kwandula ngenye intsasa yangeCawa ebudeni beSifundo sethu seMboniselo, abakwantsasana abaxhobileyo bafika baza basisa kwikomkhulu labakwantsasana. Bawakhulula amabhinqa nabantwana, kodwa bavalela abazalwana abangama-23, kuquka nomyeni wam, uBill. Emva kweentsuku ezintandathu bamkhulula ukuba abuyele ekhaya aze apakishe; kwiintsuku ezintathu kamva, ngoMeyi 1989, ngomyalelo karhulumente, salishiya elo lizwe. Kwakhona kwakuziinyembezi nje xa sasinduluka kwisikhululo seenqwelo-moya, apho abazalwana bethu abaninzi abanothando babezokuthi ndlela-ntle kuthi.
Ekugqibeleni, ESierra Leone
Isabelo esikuso ngoku siseSierra Leone, eNtshona Afrika, ilizwe elihle elineelwandle ezintle ezinentlabathi emhlophe. Abantu balapha banobuhlobo gqitha yaye nobulungiseleli basentsimini buyonwabisa. Kwindlu nganye simenyelwa ukuba sihlale phantsi, ngokufuthi emthunzini womthi wemango okanye wesundu lekhokhonathi. Abantu balapha bayathanda ukuthetha ngoThixo baze bazifumanele owabo umbhalo weBhayibhile ukuze balandele xa ufunda.
Mna noBill sisebenza kwiKhaya laseBheteli eFreetown. Ndisebenza njengomamkeli-zindwendwe ndikwasebenza nangemirhumo neengxelo zamatyala amabandla. Emva kweminyaka eli-16 yokukhonza kumazwe umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela obuvaliwe kuwo, kumnandi ukuba kwilizwe apho umsebenzi ukhululekileyo yaye uphumelelayo khona.
NgoJuni 1991 ndigqibe iminyaka engama-30 yenkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni. Enyanisweni, uMama wandimisela olona sukelo luxabisekileyo! Ukuba ebesaphila, bendingathanda ukumxelela oku kwakhona, “Ndibamba ngazibini, mama!” Okuvuyisayo kukuba ndisakwazi ukuthi: “Enkosi Tata!”
[Picture of Sandra Cowan on page 26]
[Picture of Sandra Cowan as child on page 27]
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Indibano yaseNew York, ngowe-1958
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35th class—July, 1960
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UBill noSandra Cowan, ngowe-1991