Ibali Lobomi

Ukomelezwa Bubuzalwana Behlabathi Lonke

NGOKUBALISWA NGUTHOMSON KANGALE

NgoApril 24, 1993, ndamenywa ngoxa kwakunikezelwa izakhiwo ezintsha zeofisi yesebe, ezaziquka izakhiwo ezili-13, eLusaka, eZambia. Ekubeni ndandihamba nzima, udade ongumKristu owayesikhenkethisa kwezo zakhiwo wandibuza ngobubele, “Ndingakuphathela isitulo ukuze uphumle nje kancinane?” Ndintsundu, yaye yena umhlophe, kodwa oko kwakungenzi mahluko kuye. Ndichukumiseke kakhulu, ndambulela, ekubeni ububele bakhe bandenza ndakwazi ukukhenketha zonke izakhiwo zesebe.

EKUHAMBENI kweminyaka, izinto ezinjengezi ziye zandivuyisa gqitha, zindiqinisekisa ukuba phakathi kwamaKristu angamaNgqina kaYehova, kukho uthando uKristu awathi lwaluya kubonakala kubalandeli bakhe bokwenyaniso. (Yohane 13:35; 1 Petros 2:17) Makhe ndikubalisele ukuba ndanxulumana njani nala maKristu emva phayaa ngowe-1931, unyaka awavakalisa esidlangalaleni ukuba anqwenela ukwaziwa ngegama eliseBhayibhileni elithi amaNgqina kaYehova.—Isaya 43:12.

Umsebenzi Wokushumayela Wangaphambili EAfrika

NgoNovemba 1931, ndandineminyaka engama-22 ubudala yaye ndihlala eKitwe, kummandla weCopperbelt eMntla Rhodesia (ngoku eyiZambia). Umhlobo wam endandidlala naye ibhola wandazisa kumaNgqina. Ndaya kwezinye zeentlanganiso zawo ndaza ndabhalela iofisi yesebe eKapa, eMzantsi Afrika, ndicela incwadi yokufundisisa iBhayibhile ethi U-Hadi lukaTixo.a Le ncwadi yayibhalwe ngesiNgesi, yaye ndandikufumanisa kunzima ukuyiqonda, ekubeni ndandingalwazi kakuhle olo lwimi.

Ummandla weCopperbelt, okwiikhilomitha ezingama-240 emzantsi-ntshona weLake Bangweulu, kufuphi nalapho ndakhulela khona, wawuqashe abantu abaninzi abavela kwamanye amaphondo ukuza kusebenza kwimigodi yobhedu. Amaqela amaninzi amaNgqina ayehlanganisana apho rhoqo kwizifundo zawo zeBhayibhile. Emva kwethutyana, ndafuduka eKitwe ndaza ndaya kwidolophu ekufutshane iNdola yaye kulapho ndaqalisa khona ukunxulumana neqela lamaNgqina. Ngelo xesha, ndandingumphathi weqela lebhola elalibizwa ngokuba yiPrince of Wales. Kwakhona ndandisisicaka somphathi ongumlungu weAfrican Lakes Corporation, inkampani eyayineevenkile ezininzi kumbindi Afrika.

Ndandingafundanga kuyaphi yaye ndasifunda kancinane isiNgesi kubelungu endandibasebenzela. Sekunjalo, ndandikufuna ngamandla ukuphucula imfundo yam ndize ndiye kufunda kwisikolo esisePlumtree, eMzantsi Rhodesia (ngoku eyiZimbabwe). Noko ke, ngeli xesha linye, ndabhalela iofisi yesebe eKapa okwesibini. Ndabazisa ukuba ndiye ndayifumana incwadi ethi U-Hadi lukaTixo yaye ndandifuna ukukhonza uYehova ixesha elizeleyo.

Ndothuka gqitha xa ndafumana impendulo ethi: “Siyakuvuyela ukuva umnqweno onawo wokufuna ukukhonza uYehova. Siyakukhuthaza ke ukuba ukuthandazele oko, yaye uYehova uya kukunceda ukuba uyiqonde kakuhle inyaniso, yaye uya kukwazisa indawo omele ukhonze kuyo.” Emva kokuyifundisisa le ncwadi izihlandlo eziliqela, ndabuza iqela lamaNgqina ngoko ndimele ndikwenze. Athi: “Ukuba ufuna ukumkhonza ngokwenene uYehova, yenjenjalo yaye qala ngoku.”

Iveki yonke, ndathandaza ngalo mbandela yaye ekugqibeleni ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiyeke ukufunda ndize ndiqhubeke ndifundisisa iBhayibhile namaNgqina. Kunyaka olandelayo, ngoJanuwari 1932, ndafuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova uThixo ngokubhaptizwa emanzini. Emva kokufuduka eNdola ndisiya kwisixeko esikufuphi saseLuanshya, ndadibana noJeanette, naye owayelikholwa, yaye satshata ngoSeptemba 1934. Ukutshata kwethu, uJeanette wayesele enonyana nentombi.

Ngokuthe ngcembe, ndenza inkqubela ngokomoya, ndaza ngowe-1937 ndaqalisa inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Kungekudala emva koko ndamiselwa njengomlungiseleli ohambahambayo, ngoku obizwa ngokuba ngumveleli wesiphaluka. Abaveleli abahambahambayo batyelela amabandla amaNgqina kaYehova ukuze bawomeleze ngokomoya.

Ukushumayela Kwiminyaka Yangaphambili

NgoJanuwari 1938, ndayalelwa ukuba ndiye kutyelela inkosi eNtsundu uSokontwe, owayecele ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova amtyelele. Ndahamba ngebhayisekile iintsuku ezintathu ngaphambi kokuba ndifike kuloo ndawo. Xa ndamxelela ukuba ndithunyelwe kuye ngenxa yeleta awayeyibhalele iofisi yethu eKapa, wabonakalisa umbulelo ongazenzisiyo.

Ndaya kwindlu ngendlu phakathi kwabantu bakhe ndaza ndababizela kwi-insaka (kwindawo yembizo). Emva kokuba befikile ndathetha neso sihlwele. Ngenxa yoko, kwaqaliswa izifundo zeBhayibhile ezininzi. Inkosi nephakathi layo babengabokuqala ukuba ngabaveleli kumabandla alapho. Namhlanje, kukho amabandla angaphezu kwama-50 kule ngingqi, ngoku eyaziwa ngokuba yiSamfya.

Ukususela ngowe-1942 ukusa ngowe-1947, ndandikhonza kummandla weLake Bangweulu. Ndandichitha iintsuku ezilishumi kwibandla ngalinye. Ekubeni abavuni abangokomoya babembalwa ngelo xesha, savakalelwa njengeNkosi, uYesu Kristu, xa wathi: “Ewe, isivuno sikhulu, kodwa abasebenzi bambalwa. Ngoko ke, bongozani iNkosi yesivuno ukuba ikhuphe abasebenzi baye esivunweni sayo.” (Mateyu 9:36-38) Ngaloo maxesha, kwakunzima ukuhamba, ngoko ngokufuthi uJeanette wayesala nabantwana eLuanshya ngoxa ndandityelela amabandla. Ngelo xesha, mna noJeanette sasinabanye abantwana ababini kodwa omnye wafa xa wayeneenyanga ezilishumi ubudala.

Iinqwelo-mafutha neendlela zazinqongophele ngelo xesha. Ngenye imini, ndahamba ngebhayisekile kaJeanette umgama ongaphezu kweekhilomitha ezingama-200. Maxa wambi xa kwakufuneka ndinqumle umlanjana, ndandiyithwala emagxeni ibhayisekile, ndiyibambe ngesinye isandla, ndize ndidade ngesinye. Inani lamaNgqina landa ngokuphawulekayo eLuanshya, yaye ngowe-1946, kweza abantu abali-1 850 kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu.

Inkcaso Emsebenzini

Ngesinye isihlandlo ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II, usodolophu waseKawambwa wandibiza waza wathi: “Yeka ukusebenzisa iincwadi zeWatch Tower Society ngokuba zivaliwe. Kodwa ndingakunika ezinye iincwadi eziza kukunceda ubhale ezinye iincwadi.”

Ndaphendula ndathi: “Ndanelisekile ziincwadi zethu. Andizifuni ezinye.”

Wathi: “Wena akuwazi amaMerika,” (iincwadi zethu zazishicilelwa eUnited States ngelo xesha). “Aya kukulahlekisa.”

Ndaphendula ndathi: “Unotshe! La ndisebenza nawo, ngekhe.”

Wandula ke wabuza: “Ngaba ungakhuthaza amabandla enu ukuba anikele ngemali ukuze iye kuncedisa emfazweni njengokuba ezinye iinkonzo zisenza?”

Ndaphendula ndathi: “Lowo ngumsebenzi wamagosa karhulumente.”

Wathi: “Kutheni ungagoduki uze uye kucinga ngale nto?”

Ndaphendula ndathi: “KwiEksodus 20:13 nakweyesi-2 kuTimoti 2:24, iBhayibhile isiyalela ukuba singabulali yaye singalwi.”

Nangona ndakhululwa, ndaphinda ndabizelwa kusodolophu waseFort Rosebery, idolophu ngoku ebizwa ngokuba yiMansa. Wathi: “Ndikubizile ukuze ndikuxelele ukuba urhulumente uzivalile iincwadi zenu.”

Ndathi: “Ewe, ndiyivile loo nto.”

“Ngoko ke hamba uye kuwo onke amabandla enu uze uxelele abantu benkonzo yakho ukuba bazizise apha zonke iincwadi zabo. Uyandiva?”

Ndaphendula ndathi: “Asingomsebenzi wam lowo. Ngumsebenzi wamagosa karhulumente.”

Isiganeko Sivelisa Iziqhamo

Emva kwemfazwe, saqhubeka sishumayela. Ngowe-1947, ndandigqiba nje ukutyelela ibandla laseMwanza xa ndabuza indawo endingathenga kuyo iti. Ndalathiswa indlu kaMnu. Nkonde, apho kwakuthengiswa izimuncumuncu. UMnu. Nkonde nomfazi wakhe bandamkela ngobubele. Ndacela uMnu. Nkonde ukuba, ngoxa ndiphunga, afunde isahluko esithi “Isihogo, Indawo Yokuphumla Unethemba” kwincwadi ethi “UThixo Makabe Nenyaniso.”

Emva kokuba ndigqibile ukuphunga ndambuza: “Usiqonda njani ngoku isihogo?” Emangaliswe koko wayekufundile, waqalisa ukufundisisa iBhayibhile namaNgqina yaye emva koko wabhaptizwa kunye nomfazi wakhe. Nangona engazange ahlale eliNgqina, umfazi wakhe kunye neqela kubantwana bakhe bahlala bengawo. Enyanisweni, omnye wabantwana bakhe uPilney, usekwiofisi yesebe lamaNgqina kaYehova eZambia. Nangona umama kaPilney sele ekhulile, useliNgqina elithembekileyo.

Ithutyana NdiseMpuma Afrika

Iofisi yesebe lethu kuMntla Rhodesia, eyakhiwa ebutsheni bowe-1948 eLusaka, yandithumela eTanganyika (ngoku eyiTanzania). Elinye iNgqina lahamba nam nomfazi wam ngoxa sasihamba ngeenyawo kuloo mmandla uneentaba. Olu hambo lwathabatha iintsuku ezintathu yaye sasidiniwe siyimfe. Ngoxa ndandithwele umgodlo weencwadi, umfazi wam wayethwele iimpahla zethu, yaye elinye iNgqina lalithwele iingubo.

Ukufika kwethu eMbeya ngoMatshi 1948, yayininzi into efanele yenziwe ukunceda abazalwana ukuze bahlengahlengise izinto ukuze bavisisane ngokuzele ngakumbi neemfundiso zeBhayibhile. Enye into, sasisaziwa njengamaWatchtower kuloo ndawo. Nangona abazalwana babelamkele igama elithi amaNgqina kaYehova, lalingaziwa ngokubanzi. Ukongezelela, kwakufuneka amanye amaNgqina ayeke amasiko athile awayenxulumene nokuhlonela abafileyo. Kodwa eyona nto yayinzima kwabaninzi kukubhalisa umtshato wabo ngokwasemthethweni, ukuze ube ngozukileyo kubo bonke.—Hebhere 13:4.

Kamva, ndafumana ilungelo lokutyelela eminye imimandla eMpuma Afrika, kuquka iUganda. Ndachitha iiveki ezinokuba ntandathu e-Entebbe naseKampala, apho abaninzi bancedwa ukuba babe nolwazi ngenyaniso yeBhayibhile.

Isimemo Sokuya KwisiXeko SaseNew York

Emva kokutyelela eUganda kangangexesha elithile, ndafika eDar es Salaam ekuqaleni kowe-1956 , ikomkhulu laseTanganyika. Apho ndandilindelwe yileta evela kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova. Yayindiyalela ukuba ndiqalise ukwenza amalungiselelo okuya eNew York kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe eyayiza kuba ngoJulayi 27 ukusa ngoAgasti 3, 1958. Hayi indlela endandichulumance ngayo xa ndandicinga ngeso simemo.

Lakuba lifikile ixesha, mna nomnye umveleli ohambahambayo, uLuka Mwango, sahamba ngenqwelo-moya sisuka eNdola sisiya eSalisbury (ngoku eyiHarare), eMzantsi Rhodesia, sandula ke saya eNairobi, eKenya. Ukusuka apho saya eLondon, eNgilani, apho samkelwa khona ngezandla ezishushu. Xa sasiya kulala ngosuku esafika ngalo eNgilani, sasinemincili yaye sasithetha ngendlela thina bantu abaNtsundu esiye saphathwa kakuhle ngayo ngabelungu. Kwasikhuthaza gqitha oku.

Ekugqibeleni, safika eNew York, apho yayiqhutyelwa khona indibano. Ngolunye usuku ebudeni bendibano, ndanikela ingxelo ngomsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova eMntla Rhodesia. Ngaloo mini kwakukho abantu abaphantse babe ngama-200 000 ababehlanganisene kwiiPolo Grounds nakwiYankee Stadium zesiXeko saseNew York. Andizange ndikwazi ukulala ngaloo mini ndicinga ngelungelo elihle endiye ndalifumana.

Kungekudala yaphela indibano yaye kwakufuneka sigoduke. Endleleni egodukayo, saphinda samkelwa ngezandla ezishushu ngabazalwana noodade bethu baseNgilani. Umanyano lwabantu bakaYehova, kungakhathaliseki enoba baluluphi na uhlanga, lwabonakala kolo hambo!

Ukuqhubeka Nenkonzo Nokujamelana Nezilingo

Ngowe-1967, ndamiselwa njengesicaka sesithili—umntu otyelela iziphaluka. Ngelo xesha amaNgqina aseZambia anda angaphezu kwama-35 000. Kamva, ngenxa yempilo enkenenkene, ndaphinda ndamiselwa njengomveleli wesiphaluka kummandla weCopperbelt. Ekugqibeleni, uJeanette wagula waza wafa ethembekile kuYehova ngoDisemba 1984.

Emva kokufa kwakhe, ndandixheleke ngeyona ndlela xa izalamane zakhe zandityhola ngokufa kwakhe zisithi ndimthakathile. Kodwa abanye babesazi ukuba uJeanette wayegula yaye ababethethile nogqirha wakhe bazixelela inyaniso ezi zalamane. Emva koko ndajamelana nesinye isilingo. Ezinye zezi zalamane zazifuna ndenze isiko elibizwa ngokuthi ukupyanika. Kummandla endivela kuwo, eli siko linyanzelisa ukuba xa iqabane likabani lomtshato lisifa, eliseleyo lifanele libe neentlobano zesini nesalamane selo lifileyo. Phofu ke, andizange ndivume.

Ekugqibeleni, izalamane zandiyeka. Ndambulela uYehova kuba endincede ndakwazi ukuhlala ndiqinile. Emva kwenyanga umfazi wam engcwatyiwe, omnye umzalwana weza kum waza wathi: “Mzalwan’ uKangale, usikhuthaze ngokwenene xa ubufelwe ngumfazi kuba akukhange kubekho nesiko elinye elingavumelaniyo nemithetho kaThixo oye walenza. Sikubulela gqitha.”

Isivuno Esihle

Ngoku sele kuyiminyaka engama-65 ndaqalisa ukuba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo njengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Hayi indlela ekuye kwandivuyisa ngayo ekuhambeni kweminyaka ukubona kusekwa amabandla yaye kusakhiwa iiHolo zoBukumkani ezininzi kwiindawo endandijikeleza kuzo njengomveleli ohambahambayo! Ngoku siye sanda saba ngabavakalisi boBukumkani abangaphezu kwama-122 000 eZambia sisuka kumaNgqina anokuba ngama-2 800 ngowe-1943. Kunyaka ophelileyo kuye kweza abantu abangaphezu kwama-514 000 eSikhumbuzweni kweli lizwe, elinabantu abangaphantsi kwezigidi ezili-11.

Okwangoku, uYehova usandinyamekela. Xa ndifuna ukunyangwa, umzalwana ongumKristu undisa esibhedlele. Amabandla asandimema ukuba ndinikele intetho yesidlangalala, yaye oku kundinika amathuba amaninzi amnandi nawakhayo. Kwibandla endikulo kwenziwe ilungiselelo lokuba oodade abangamaKristu batshintshisane ngokuza kucoca ikhaya lam, yaye ngokuzithandela abazalwana bayandiphuthuma ukuze ndiye kwiintlanganiso zeveki ngeeveki. Ndiyazi ukuba bendingasayi kuyifumana inyameko enje ukuba bendingakhonzi uYehova. Ndiyambulela kuba eye waqhubeka endisebenzisa kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo nangeembopheleleko ezininzi endiye ndakwazi ukuzisingatha de kube ngoku.

Amehlo am anorhatyazo, yaye xa ndisiya kwiHolo yoBukumkani, kufuneka ndiphumle endleleni ngokuphindaphindiweyo. Ngoku ndiyasindwa yingxowa yam yeencwadi, ngoko ndiye ndayenza lula ngokukhupha ezinye iincwadi endingazukuzisebenzisa kwiintlanganiso. Entsimini, ndichitha ixesha elininzi ndiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile nabo beza ekhayeni lam. Sekunjalo, hayi indlela ekumnandi ngayo ukukhangel’ emva ndize ndikwazi ukubona indlela ulwando oluhle oluye lwakho! Ndiye ndakwintsimi apho azaliseka khona amazwi kaYehova akuIsaya 60:22. Loo mazwi athi: “Omncinane uya kuba liwaka, nophantsi abe luhlanga olunamandla. Mna, Yehova, ndiya kukukhawulezisa oko ngexesha lako.” Enyanisweni, ndiye ndaphila ukuze ndibone oko kuzaliseka kungekuphela nje eZambia kodwa ehlabathini lonke.b

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UThomson ephambi kwesebe laseZambia

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Isebe laseZambia namhlanje