Ukugcina Amehlo Nentliziyo Ejoliswe Emvuzweni
NGOKUBALISWA NGUEDITH MICHAEL
Ngasekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1930, sasihlala cebu kuhle neSt. Louis, eMissouri, eUnited States, xa kwafika omnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Kanye ngelo xesha lwaqhawuka ucingo lokwaneka impahla, yaye iimpahla zikaMama ezazimhlophe qhwa zawela eludakeni. Wamkela incwadi elalizihambisa, ukuze nje elo bhinqa lihambe, waza wazibeka phezu kwethala, walibala ngazo.
LEYO yayiyiminyaka yokucinezeleka kwezoqoqosho, yaye uTata wayengasebenzi. Ngenye imini wabuza enoba kwakukho nto wayenokuyifunda na apho endlwini. UMama wamxelela ngezo ncwadi. Waqalisa ukuzifunda, yaye emva kwexesha elithile wadanduluka esithi: “Nkosikazi, yinyaniso le!”
Waphendula esithi: “Hay’ suka, yenye nje icawa efuna imali njengezinye.” Noko ke, uTata wambongoza ukuba ahlale phantsi aze ahlole izibhalo kunye naye. Akuba enjenjalo, naye waneliseka. Emva koko baqalisa ukufuna amaNgqina baza bafumanisa ukuba ayehlanganisana kwiholo eqeshisayo engakumbindi weSt. Louis, iholo eyayikwasetyenziselwa imidaniso nezinye izinto.
UTata noMama bahamba nam—ndandimalunga neminyaka emithathu ubudala—baza bayifumana loo holo, kodwa kwakukho umdaniso kuyo. UTata waziswa ixesha lokungena kweentlanganiso, saza sabuyela kamva. Saqalisa nokuya kwisifundo seBhayibhile seeveki ngeeveki esasiqhutywa kufutshane nalapho sasihlala khona. Sasiqhutywa kwikhaya lelaa bhinqa lalityelele ekhaya. Labuza: “Kutheni ningezi noonyana benu nje?” UMama wayeneentloni zokuthi babengenazihlangu. Xa walixelelayo ekugqibeleni, bazifumana izihlangu, yaye abantakwethu baqalisa ukuya ezintlanganisweni nathi.
UMama wanikwa intsimi awayeza kushumayela kuyo kufutshane nasekhaya, ibe waqalisa ubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu. Ndandihamba naye, ndizifihla emva kwakhe. Ngaphambi kokuba afunde ukuqhuba, sasidla ngokuhamba umgama ongaphezu kwekhilomitha ukuze sikhwele ibhasi siye ezintlanganisweni eSt. Louis. Kwanaxa kwakukho umkhenkce nekhephu, asizange siphoswe ziintlanganiso.
Ngowe-1934, uMama noTata babhaptizwa. Nam ndandifuna ukubhaptizwa, ibe ndaqhubeka ndicela de uMama wacela iNgqina elithile elikhulileyo ukuba lithethe nam ngalo mbandela. Landibuza imibuzo emininzi ngendlela endandinokuyiqonda. Landula ke laxelela abazali bam ukuba ndandingamelwe ndithintelwe ekubeni ndibhaptizwe; oko kwakunokukuphazamisa ukukhula kwam ngokomoya. Ngoko ndabhaptizwa kwihlobo elilandelayo, xa ndandiseneminyaka emithandathu ubudala.
Ndandiyithanda incwadana ethi Home and Happiness, endandisoloko ndiyiphethe ngalo lonke ixesha, ndide ndiyigcine phantsi komqamelo wam xa ndilele. Ndandisoloko ndicela uMama ukuba andifundele yona de ndayazi ngentloko. Ngasemva yayinomfanekiso wentombazana encinane iseParadisi ihleli nengonyama. Ndandisithi ndim loo ntombazana. Loo mfanekiso uye wandinceda ndagcina amehlo am ekumvuzo wobomi kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo.
Ndandineentloni gqitha, kodwa nangona ndandisenokuba ndandingcangcazela, ndandisoloko ndiphendula kwiSifundo seMboniselo sebandla.
Okulusizi kukuba uTata woyika ukuba wayenokuphulukana nomsebenzi wakhe, ngoko wayeka ukunxulumana namaNgqina. Nabantakwethu benjenjalo.
Ubulungiseleli Bexesha Elizeleyo
UMama wayevumela oovulindlela, okanye abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, ukuba bafake inqwelo yabo erhuqwayo emva kwendlu yasekhaya, yaye xa ndibuya esikolweni ndandibathelela kubulungiseleli. Kungekudala ndandifuna ukuba nguvulindlela, kodwa uTata akazange avume, esithi kufuneka ndiqhubeke nesikolo. Ekugqibeleni uMama wameyisela ekubeni andivumele ndibe nguvulindlela. Ngoko ngoJuni 1943, xa ndandineminyaka eli-14 ubudala, ndaqalisa ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo. Ukuze ndifake isandla kwiindleko zasekhaya, ndandinomsebenzi wesingxungxo, yaye ngamanye amaxesha ndandisebenza ixesha elizeleyo. Kodwa ndandilufikelela usukelo lwenyanga lweeyure ezili-150 kumsebenzi wokushumayela.
Kungekudala ndafumana iqabane lobuvulindlela, uDorothy Craden, owayeqalise ubuvulindlela ngoJanuwari 1943, xa wayeneminyaka eli-17 ubudala. WayengumKatolika ozinikeleyo, kodwa emva kweenyanga ezintandathu efundelwa iBhayibhile, wabhaptizwa. Kangangeminyaka emininzi wayengumthombo wokhuthazo namandla kum, ibe nam ndandinjalo kuye. Sasondelelana ngaphezu koodade bokwenyama.
Ukususela ngowe-1945, saba ngoovulindlela kunye kwiidolophu ezincinane zaseMissouri apho kwakungekho mabandla. EBowling Green salungiselela iholo yokuqhuba iintlanganiso; uMama weza kusinceda. Sandula ke saya kuwo onke amakhaya aloo dolophu veki nganye saza samemela abantu kwintetho yesidlangalala esasilungiselele ukuba inikelwe ngabazalwana baseSt. Louis. Veki nganye kwakubakho abantu abaphakathi kwama-40 nama-50. Kamva senza okufanayo eLouisiana, apho saqesha khona itempile yamaMasons. Ukuze sihlangabezane neendleko zokuqesha iiholo, sabeka iibhokisi zeminikelo, ibe veki nganye zonke iindleko kwakuhlangatyezwana nazo.
Emva koko saya eMexico, eMissouri, apho saqesha khona igumbi elikwisakhiwo sokugcina izinto. Salilungisa sisenzela ukuba lisetyenziswe lelo bandla lalapho lincinane. Eso sakhiwo sasinamanye amagumbi esasihlala kuwo. Kwakhona senza amalungiselelo okunikelwa kweentetho zesidlangalala eMexico. Sandula ke saya kwikomkhulu lelo lizwana, iJefferson City, apho intsasa nganye yeentsuku zeveki sasithetha namagosa kawonke-wonke eziofisini zawo. Sasihlala noStella Willie, owayenjengomama kuthi, kwigumbi elingaphezu kweHolo yoBukumkani.
Ukusuka apho sobathathu saya kwidolophu yaseFestus naseCrystal City, ezazisondelelene. Sasihlala kwindlu eyayikade ihlala iinkuku eyayisemva kwendlu yentsapho ethile eyayinomdla. Ekubeni ayengekho amadoda abhaptiziweyo, sasiziqhuba zonke iintlanganiso. Ukuze sibe nomsebenzi wesingxungxo, sasithengisa izinto zokuthambisa. Sasingamahlwempu. Eneneni, sasingakwazi nokuya kulungisisa imingxuma eyayikwizihlangu zethu, ngoko ntsasa nganye sasizifaka iikhadibhodi ezintsha, yaye ngamnye wethu wayehlamba ilokhwe yakhe ekuphela kwayo ngokuhlwa.
Ebutsheni bowe-1948, xa ndandineminyaka eli-19 ubudala, mna noDorothy safumana izimemo zokuya kwiklasi ye-12 yeSikolo SeBhayibhile SeWatchtower SaseGiliyadi sabavangeli basemazweni. Emva kwezifundo ezathabatha iinyanga ezintlanu, abafundi abalikhulu baphumelela ngoFebruwari 6, 1949. Kwakumnandi gqitha. Abazali bam babefudukele eCalifornia, yaye uMama wahamba loo mgama mde ukusuka apho ukuze abekho.
Ukuya Kwisabelo Sethu
Abangama-28 ababephumelele babelwa eItali—aba-6, kuquka mna noDorothy, sabelwa kwisixeko saseMilan. NgoMatshi 4, 1949, sayishiya iNew York ngenqanawa yaseItali iVulcania. Olo hambo lwathabatha iintsuku ezili-11, yaye ulwandle olungazolanga lwasenza sagula ngenxa yokuba semanzini ixesha elide. Umzalwan’ uBenanti weza kusihlangabeza kwisikhululo seenqanawa saseGenoa ukuze asise eMilan ngololiwe.
Xa safikayo kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni laseMilan, safumana iintyatyambo emagumbini ethu ezazibekwe yintwazana eliTaliyane. Kwiminyaka kamva le ntombazana, uMaria Merafina, yaya eGiliyadi, yabuyela eItali, yaye mna nayo sakhonza kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni!
Ngentsasa elandelayo sifikile eMilan, sakroba ngefestile yegumbi lokuhlambela. Kwisitrato esingasemva kwakukho isakhiwo esinamagumbi aqeshisayo esiqhushumbisiweyo. Inqwelo-moya yemfazwe yaseMerika yawisa ngempazamo isiqhushumbisi esabulala zonke iintsapho ezingama-80 ezazihlala apho. Ngesinye isihlandlo, umzi-mveliso othile wasinda kwiziqhushumbisi ezazijoliswe kuwo zaza zaya kuqhushumbisa isikolo esithile yaye zabulala abantwana abangama-500. Ngoko abantu babengabathandi abantu baseMerika.
Abantu babekruqukile yimfazwe. Abaninzi babesithi ukuba kwakunokuqhambuka enye imfazwe, babengenakuya kwiindawo zokukhuseleka kwiziqhushumbisi kodwa babeya kuhlala emakhayeni baze bavulele igesi baze bafele apho. Sabaqinisekisa ukuba sasingezanga kumela elaseUnited States okanye nawuphi na urhulumente wabantu, kodwa sasimele uBukumkani bukaThixo, obabuya kuphelisa zonke iimfazwe nokubandezeleka okubangelwa zizo.
Kwisixeko esikhulu saseMilan, kwakukho ibandla elinye elalinabantu abamalunga nama-20 elalihlanganisana kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni. Ngelo xesha kwakungekho ntsimi yabelwe ukuba kushunyayelwe kuyo, ngoko saqalisa ukunikela ubungqina kwisakhiwo esikhulu esasinamagumbi aqeshisayo. Kwigumbi lokuqala sadibana noMnu. Giandinotti, owayefuna ukuba umfazi wakhe ashiye icawa, ngoko wamkela enye yeempapasho zethu. UNksk. Giandinotti wayelibhinqa elithembekileyo, elalinemibuzo emininzi. Wathi: “Ndovuya nakufunda isiTaliyane ukuze nindifundise iBhayibhile.”
Isilingi yegumbi labo yayiphakamile yaye isibane sasiluzizi, ngoko ebusuku wayebeka isitulo sakhe phezu kwetafile ukuze abe kufutshane nesibane efunda iBhayibhile. Wabuza: “Ukuba ndifunda iBhayibhile nani, ngaba ndisengaqhubeka ndisiya ecaweni?” Samxelela ukuba kwakuxhomekeke kuye. Wayesiya ecaweni ngeentsasa zangeCawa aze aye kwiintlanganiso zethu ngeemva kwemini. Wandula ke ngenye imini wathi, “Andinakuphinda ndilibeke ecaweni.”
“Ngoba?” sabuza.
“Ngenxa yokuba abafundisi Bhayibhile, yaye ndiyifumene inyaniso ngokufundisisa iBhayibhile nani.” Wabhaptizwa waza wafundisisa namabhinqa amaninzi awayesiya ecaweni yonke imihla. Kamva wasixelela ukuba ukuba sasithe angayi ecaweni, ngewayeyekile ukufundisisa yaye mhlawumbi ngewayengazange ayifunde inyaniso.
Izabelo Ezitsha
Ekuhambeni kwexesha mna noDorothy, kunye nabanye abavangeli basemazweni abane, sabelwa kwisixeko saseItali iTrieste, ngelo xesha esasiphantsi kolawulo lwemikhosi yaseBritani neyaseMerika. Kwakukho amaNgqina amalunga neshumi kuphela, kodwa eli nani landa. Sashumayela eTrieste iminyaka emithathu, ibe xa semkayo, kwakukho abavakalisi boBukumkani abangama-40, abali-10 kubo bengoovulindlela.
Isabelo sethu esilandelayo sasikwisixeko saseVerona, apho kwakungekho bandla khona. Kodwa xa icawa yaphembelela amagunya asekuhlaleni, sagxothwa. Mna noDorothy sabelwa eRome. Apho saqesha igumbi elinento yonke, yaye sasebenza intsimi eyayikufutshane neVatican. Kungexesha esasilapho kanye awathi uDorothy waya eLebanon ukuya kutshata noJohn Chimiklis. Sasibe kunye iminyaka eli-12, yaye ndandimkhumbula ngokwenene.
Ngowe-1955 kwavulwa ikhaya labavangeli basemazweni elitsha kwenye indawo eRome kwisitrato esibizwa ngokuba yiNew Appian Way. Omnye wabane ababekwelo khaya yayinguMaria Merafina, intwazana eyayibeke iintyatyambo emagumbini ethu ngobusuku esafika ngabo eMilan. Kwasekwa ibandla elitsha kulo mmandla wesixeko. Emva kwendibano yezizwe ngezizwe eyayiseRome ngelo hlobo, ndafumana ilungelo lokuya kwindibano eyayiseNuremberg, eJamani. Hayi indlela ekwakuchulumancisa ngayo ukudibana nabo babenyamezele intshutshiso phantsi kolawulo lukaHitler!
Ukubuyela EStates
Ngowe-1956, ndathabatha ikhefu labagulayo ndaza ndabuyela eUnited States ngenxa yeengxaki zempilo. Kodwa andizange ndiwasuse amehlo am kumvuzo wokukhonza uYehova ngoku nangokungenasiphelo kwihlabathi lakhe elitsha. Ndandiceba ukubuyela eItali. Noko ke, ndadibana no-Orville Michael, owayekhonza kwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York. Satshata emva kwendibano yezizwe ngezizwe yowe-1958 eyayikwisiXeko saseNew York.
Kamsinya emva koko safudukela eFront Royal, eVirginia, apho sasikhonza kwibandla elincinane. Sasihlala kwigunjana elalisemva kweHolo yoBukumkani. Ekugqibeleni, ngoMatshi 1960 kwafuneka sibuyele eBrooklyn ukuze sifumane umsebenzi wokuziphilisa ukuze sihlawule iindleko zethu. Sasisebenza ebusuku kwiibhanki ezahlukeneyo ukuze sikwazi ukuqhubeka nenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.
Ngoxa sasiseBrooklyn, utata wafa, ibe umazala wam waba nesifo sokushwabana kwamalungu omzimba. Ngoko sagqiba kwelokuba sifudukele eOregon ukuze sibe kufutshane noomama bethu. Safumana imisebenzi yesingxungxo sobabini saza saqhubeka nobulungiseleli bobuvulindlela apho. Ngokwindla lowe-1964, thina noomama bethu sathabatha uhambo olunqumla ilizwe sisiya kwintlanganiso yonyaka yeWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society ePittsburgh, ePennsylvania.
Ebudeni botyelele lwethu kwiRhode Island, sakhuthazwa ngumveleli ohambahambayo, uArlen Meier, nomfazi wakhe ukuba sifudukele kwikomkhulu lelo lizwana, iProvidence, apho kwakukho imfuneko enkulu yabavakalisi boBukumkani. Oomama bethu basibongoza ukuba sisamkele eso sabelo sitsha, ngoko emva kokubuyela eOregon, sathengisa inkoliso yeempahla zendlu saza safuduka.
Ukubuyela KwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi Kwakhona
Ebudeni behlobo lowe-1965, saya kwindibano eyayikwiYankee Stadium. Apho safaka isicelo sokuya kwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi njengesibini esitshatileyo. Malunga nenyanga emva koko, samangaliswa kukufumana iifomu zesicelo, esasimele sizibuyisele kwisithuba seentsuku ezingama-30. Ndandinexhala lokuya kwilizwe elikude ekubeni uMama wayekhathazwa yimpilo. Kodwa wandikhuthaza: “Zalisa ezo fomu. Uyazi ukuba ufanele wamkele naliphi na ilungelo lenkonzo akunika lona uYehova!”
Kwaba njalo ke. Sazizalisa iifomu saza sazithumela. Hayi indlela esothuka ngayo sakufumana izimemo zokuya kwiklasi yama-42, eyaqalisa ngoAprili 25, 1966! Ngoko iSikolo SaseGiliyadi sasiseBrooklyn, eNew York. Kwisithuba esingaphantsi kweenyanga ezintlanu emva koko, abali-106 kuthi baphumelela ngoSeptemba 11, 1966.
Ukwabelwa EArgentina
Emva kweentsuku ezimbini siphumelele, sasisendleleni esinge eArgentina ngePeruvian Airlines. Xa safika eBuenos Aires, umveleli wesebe, uCharles Eisenhower, wasihlangabeza kwisikhululo seenqwelo-moya. Wasinceda sadlula kwindawo ekuhlolwa kuyo izinto zabantu abavela kwamanye amazwe waza wasisa kwisebe lalapho. Safumana usuku olunye lokuba silungise iimpahla zethu; emva koko saqalisa ukufunda ulwimi lweSpanish. Kwinyanga yokuqala sasifunda ulwimi lweSpanish kangangeeyure ezili-11 ngosuku. Kwinyanga elandelayo, olu lwimi sasilufunda kangangeeyure ezine ngosuku saza saqalisa ukuba nesabelo kubulungiseleli basentsimini.
Sahlala eBuenos Aires kangangeenyanga ezintlanu saza sabelwa eRosario, isixeko esikhulu esikumgama weeyure ezine xa uhamba ngololiwe ukusinga emntla. Emva kokukhonza apho kangangeenyanga ezili-15, sathunyelwa emantla eSantiago del Estero, isixeko esikwiphondo eliyintlango etshisa gqitha. Ngoxa sasilapho, ngoJanuwari 1973, umama wafa. Ndandineminyaka emine ndingasamboni. Okwandenza ndakwazi ukunyamezela loo ntlungu lithemba eliqinisekileyo lovuko kunye nokwazi ukuba ndandikhonza apho uMama wayefuna ndikhonze khona.—Yohane 5:28, 29; IZenzo 24:15.
Abantu baseSantiago del Estero babenobuhlobo, yaye kwakulula ukuqalisa izifundo zeBhayibhile. Xa safikayo ngowe-1968, kwakukho abantu abamalunga nama-20 okanye ama-30 ababesiza ezintlanganisweni, kodwa kwiminyaka esibhozo kamva kwakukho abangaphezu kwekhulu ebandleni lethu. Ukongezelela koko, kwakukho amabandla amabini amatsha awayenabavakalisi abaphakathi kwama-25 nama-50 kwiidolophu ezikufutshane.
Ukubuyela EStates Kwakhona
Ngenxa yeengxaki zempilo, ngowe-1976 saphinda sabelwa eUnited States njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo—eFayetteville, eMntla Carolina. Babebaninzi abantu abathetha iSpanish ababevela kuMbindi noMzantsi Merika, kwiDominican Republic, ePuerto Rico, kwanaseSpeyin. Sasinezifundo ezininzi zeBhayibhile, yaye ethubeni kwayilwa ibandla labathetha iSpanish. Sachitha iminyaka ephantse ibe sibhozo kweso sabelo.
Noko ke, sasifuna ukuba kufutshane nomazala wam, owayaluphele gqitha yaye enesiphene. Wayehlala ePortland, eOregon, ngoko safumana isabelo esitsha sokuya kwibandla labathetha iSpanish eVancouver, eWashington, engekude kakhulu ePortland. Ekufikeni kwethu ngoDisemba wowe-1983, eli bandla lalilincinane, kodwa sibona abaninzi abasebatsha.
NgoJuni wowe-1996, ndigqibe iminyaka engama-53 ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, yaye umyeni wam ugqibe iminyaka engama-55 ngoJanuwari 1, 1996. Ebudeni bale minyaka mininzi, ndiye ndafumana ilungelo lokunceda abantu abangamakhulu ukuze bayazi inyaniso yeLizwi likaThixo baze bahlulele ubomi babo kuYehova. Uninzi lwaba ngoku lukhonza njengabadala nabalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo.
Maxa wambi ndiye ndibuzwe ukuba andikhathazeki na ekubeni ndingenabantwana. Isibakala sikukuba, uYehova uye wandisikelela ngabantwana nabazukulwana abaninzi bokomoya. Ewe, ubomi bam buye batyeba yaye baphelela enkonzweni kaYehova. Ndinokuzifanisa nentombi kaYifeta, eyachitha ubomi bayo kwinkonzo yasetempileni nengazange ibe nabantwana ngenxa yelungelo layo elikhulu lenkonzo.—ABagwebi 11:38-40.
Ndisakhumbula ndizahlulela kuYehova xa ndandiseyintombazana encinane. Umfanekiso weParadisi usaqaqambe ngendlela owawuqaqambe ngayo engqondweni yam ngelo xesha. Amehlo nentliziyo yam asatsoliswe emvuzweni wobomi obungenasiphelo kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo. Ewe, umnqweno wam kukunqula uYehova, kungekhona iminyaka engama-50, kodwa ngonaphakade—phantsi kolawulo lwakhe loBukumkani.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
UDorothy Craden, obeke izandla emagxeni am, nabanye ababengoovulindlela kunye nathi ngowe-1943
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
ERome, eItali, nabanye ababengabavangeli basemazweni kunye nathi ngowe-1953
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Ndikunye nomyeni wam