Ibali Lobomi

‘Ukunandipha Ubomi’ Ngokupheleleyo Kanye Ngoku!

KUBALISA UTED BUCKINGHAM

Ndandisele ndingumlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo iminyaka emithandathu nditshate iinyanga ezintandathu xa ndahlaselwa sisifo sepoliyo. Kwakungowe-1950, ndandineminyaka engama-24 kuphela ubudala. Iinyanga ezisithoba endazichitha esibhedlele zandinika ixesha elaneleyo lokucamngca ngobomi bam. Ekubeni ngoku ndandinesiphene, laliza kuba njani ikamva lam nelo mfazi wam uJoyce?

NANGONA utata wayengengomntu uthanda unqulo, ngowe-1938 wafumana incwadi ethi Government.a Ekubeni kwakugquba umbhodamo kwezopolitiko nemeko yelizwe imaxongo, watsho wayamkela le ncwadi. Ukuba ndikhumbula kakuhle, akazange ayifunde, kodwa yafundwa ngumama owayeyithanda gqitha inkonzo. Wasamkela kwangoko isigidimi sayo. Wayinikel’ umva iCawa yaseTshetshi waza waba liNgqina likaYehova elithembekileyo de kwasekufeni kwakhe ngowe-1990, nakuba utata wayekhaba ngaw’ omane.

Umama waya nam okokuqala kwintlanganiso yamaKristu kwiHolo yoBukumkani e-Epsom emazantsi esixeko saseLondon. Ibandla lalihlangene kwivenkile endala, saphulaphula intetho eshicilelweyo kamzalwana uJ. F. Rutherford, owayengumveleli kumsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova ngezo mini. Loo ntetho yahlala inkenteza engqondweni.

Ukuqhushumbiswa kwesixeko saseLondon kwadala unxunguphalo. Ngowe-1940 utata wafudusela intsapho yakowethu kwidolophana ekhuselekileyo yaseMaidenhead—eyayimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-45 kwicala elingasentshona lesixeko saseLondon. Oku kwabaluncedo kakhulu, ngenxa yokuba lukhuthazo oluhle kwabazalwana abangama-30 belo bandla. UFred Smith, igqala elabhaptizwa phaya ngowe-1917, wandisondeza waze wandiqeqesha ndaba nobuchule bokushumayela. Ndisenombulelo nanamhla oku ngokundiqeqesha nangomzekelo wakhe omhle.

Ukuqalisa Inkonzo Yexesha Elizeleyo

NgoMatshi wowe-1941, ngemini eyayiqhaqhazelisa amazinyo ndabhaptizwa kumlambo waseThames, xa ndandineminyaka eli-15 ubudala. Ngelo xesha umkhuluwa wam uJim, wayesandul’ ukuqalisa inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Namhlanje, yena nenkosikazi yakhe uMadge bahlala eBirmingham, emva kokuba bechithe phantse ubomi babo bonke bekhonza uYehova esiphalukeni nasesithilini kulo lonke eli laseBritani. Udade wethu omncinane, uRobina, nomyeni wakhe, uFrank, nabo basakhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka.

Ndandingunondyebo womzi osika iimpahla. Ngaminazana ithile umphathi wethu wandibizela eofisini yakhe waza wandivava ngomsebenzi onomvuzo oncumisayo wokuthengela umzi-mveliso. Kwakusele kulixesha, ndicinga ngokulandela umzekelo womkhuluwa wam, ngendlela echubekileyo ndasala isicelo sakhe, ndamchazela nesizathu. Andizange ndikholelwe, kuba wandincoma ngokufuna ukwenza lo msebenzi. Emva kwendibano yesithili eyayiseNorthampton ngowe-1944, ndaqalisa inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.

Isabelo sam sokuqala sasikwisixeko sase-Exeter kwiphondo laseDevon. Esi sixeko sasichacha kwizivubeko zemfazwe. Ndandihlala noFrank noRuth Middleton, abandiphatha kakuhle gqitha. Ndandineminyaka eli-18 kuphela ubudala ndandingekakwazi nakakuhle ukupheka nokuhlamba impahla, kodwa ndaphucula njengoko ndandisiba nobuchule.

Entsimini ndandishumayela noVictor Gurd owayenama-50 eminyaka ubudala, igqala laseIreland elaqala ukushumayela phaya kwiminyaka yee-1920. Wandifundisa ukucwangcisa ixesha lam kakuhle, ukuba nomdla onzulu wokufundisisa iBhayibhile nokusebenzisa iinguqulelo ezahlukeneyo. Ngaloo minyaka xa ndandisemtsha enyanisweni, umzekelo omhle kaVictor nguwo kanye endandiwufuna.

Ucelomngeni Lokuba Ngundilele

Imfazwe yayisele iza kuphela, kodwa abasemagunyeni babe sawagayela emkhosini amadodana. Ndakhe ndavela enkundleni ngowe-1943 eMaidenhead, apho ndazidandalazisa elubala izizathu zokuba ndandingenakuba lijoni. Nangona singazange samkelwe isibheno sam, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiye kuqalisa kwisabelo sam e-Exeter. Kwakuse-Exeter apho ndaye ndathunyelelwa umsila wengwe. Inkundla yandigweba iinyanga ezintandathu ngapha kwezitshixo ndisebenza nzima, umantyi wandixelela ukuba yayimkhathaza into yokuba ndandingenakugwetywa qatha kunoko. Emva kokuvalelwa iinyanga ezintandathu, ndagwetywa iinyanga ezine kwakhona.

Ekubeni yayindim ndedwa iNgqina kuloo ntolongo, abagcini mabanjwa babesithi ndinguYehova. Kwakuba nzima ukusabela xa ndibizwa ngelo gama, kwelinye icala kwakuluyolo ukuva igama likaThixo libizwa yonke imihla. Elo gama lawanceda amanye amabanjwa azi ukuba ndandivalelwe ngenxa yokuba ndiliNgqina likaYehova. Kamva, kwathunyelwa uNorman Castro kwakuloo ntolongo aza amagama ethu atshintshwa. Apho sathiywa ngoMoses noAron.

Ndafuduselwa kwintolongo yaseBristol naseWinchester. Iimeko zazingasoloko zintle, kodwa kwakunceda ukuba noburharha. Saqhuba iSikhumbuzo noNorman xa sasivalelwe kwintolongo yaseWinchester. UFrancis Cooke owayesityelele apho kuloo ntolongo, wanikela intetho yeSikhumbuzo esemagqabini.

Inguqu Zasemva Kwemfazwe

Kwindibano eyayiseBristol ngowe-1946, ekwakhululwa kuyo incwadi ethi “UThixo Makabe Nenyaniso,” ndadibana noJoyce Moore, owayeyimbelukazi enguvulindlela eDevon. Ubuhlobo bethu bathabath’ unyawo, kuba saye satshata emva kweminyaka emine eTiverton, apho ndandihlala khona ukususela ngowe-1947. Saqesha igumbi esasihlawula iisheleni ezili-15 ngeveki. Kwakumnandi ngokwenene!

Kunyaka wethu wokuqala sitshatile, safudukela emazantsi eBrixham, idolophu eselunxwemeni lolwandle obaqaliswa kuyo ubuchule bokulotywa kweentlanzi. Sasingekabi naxesha elide sihlala apho xa ndahlaselwa sisifo sepoliyo, xa sasisiya endibanweni eLondon. Ndaf’ isiqaqa. Ekugqibeleni ndakhululwa esibhedlele emva kweenyanga ezisithoba njengoko kukhankanyiwe ngaphambilana. Isandla sam sasekunene nemilenze yam yachaphazeleka, njengokuba isenjalo nangoku, kwanyanzeleka ukuba ndihambe ngomsimelelo. Umfazi wam othandekayo wayesoloko endixhasa kwaye endikhuthaza, ngokukodwa ekubeni wakwazi ukuqhubeka ekwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Kodwa sasiza kwenza ntoni ngoku? Ngokukhawuleza ndafunda ukuba isandla sikaYehova asikho sifutshane.

Kunyaka olandelayo saya kwindibano eyayiseWimbledon, eLondon. Ngoku ndandingasimeleli. Kulo ndibano sadibana noPryce Hughes, owayengumveleli womsebenzi eBritani. Wandibulisa ngobubele akundibona wathi: “Siyakufuna esiphalukeni!” Hayi indlela endakhuthazeka ngayo! Ngaba impilo yayiza kundivumela? Sobabini noJoyce sasimathidala, kodwa emva kokuqeqeshwa iveki sakholosa ngoYehova ngokupheleleyo, senjenjeya ukuya kumzantsi-ntshona weNgilani, apho ndandiza kuqalisa isabelo sam sokuba ngumveleli wesiphaluka. Ndandineminyaka engama-25 ubudala, kodwa ndisabukhumbula ububele, umonde noncedo lwabazalwana.

Kuzo zonke izabelo ezahlukeneyo zobuthixo, safumanisa ukuba ukutyelela amabandla kwakusisondeza ngakumbi kubazalwana noodade. Sasingenayo imoto sasihamba ngololiwe okanye ngebhasi. Nangona ndandisachacha kwesi sifo, sawanandipha amalungelo ethu kwade kwangowe-1957. Kwakumnandi ngokwenene, kodwa kwangaloo nyaka kwavela olunye ucelomngeni.

Ukuba Ngumvangeli Wasemazweni

Sasingakwazi ukuzibamba luvuyo xa samenyelwa kwiklasi yama-30 yaseGiliyadi. Ndandisele ndichachile noko ngoku, ngenxa yoko sasamkela esi simemo. Ngenxa yamava esaye sawazuza sasisazi ukuba uYehova usoloko esixhasa xa sifuna ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe. Zakhawuleza zadlula iinyanga ezintlanu zokuqeqeshwa kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi, eSouth Lansing, eNew York, eUnited States. Inkoliso yabafundi yayizizibini ezitshatileyo ezazikumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Xa kwabuzwa loo klasi yethu ukuba bakho na abanqwenela ukuya kukhonza kwintsimi yasemzini, savuma. Sasiza kuthunyelwa phi? Sathunyelwa eUganda, eMpuma Afrika.

Ekubeni wawuvaliwe umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova eUganda ngelo xesha, ndacetyiswa ukuba ndifune umsebenzi. Emva kokuhamba ngololiwe nangezikhephe ixesha elide sade safika eKampala, eUganda. Amagosa aseburhulumenteni awayengabuthandi ubukho bethu, asivumela ukuba sihlale iinyanga nje ezimbalwa. Emva koko sakhutshwa ngosomvana. Ikomkhulu lasithumela eNorthern Rhodesia (eyiZambia ngoku). Hayi indlela esavuya ngayo sakwamkelwa ngabazalwana abane esasikunye nabo eGiliyadi—uFrank noCarrie Lewis, uHayes noHarriet Hoskins. Emva koko, sathunyelwa eSouthern Rhodesia (eyiZimbabwe ngoku).

Sahamba ngololiwe sadlula kwiiNgxangxasi iiVictoria zodumo ngaphambi kokuba siye kugaleleka kwisixeko sakwaBulawayo. Safika sahlala nentsapho yakwaMcLuckie, eyayiphakathi kwamaNgqina okuqala ukuhlala apho. Sabazi kakuhle ebudeni baloo minyaka ili-16.

Iinguqu

Emva kokuqeqeshwa iiveki ezimbini ukuze ndiqhelane nentsimi yabantsundu, ndamiselwa ndaba ngumveleli wesithili. Ukushumayela kumahlathi aseAfrika kwakungeyondlwan’ iyanetha kuba kwakufuneka siziphathele amanzi, ukutya, ibhedi, impahla esiza kuyinxiba, umatshini wokubonisa imifanekiso eshukumayo, umatshini wokuphehla umbane, iscreen esikhulu nezinye izinto. Zonke ezi zinto zazipakishwa kwilori eyayinokukwazi ukuhamba kwezo ndlela zimbi.

Ndandisebenza nabaveleli beziphaluka abantsundu ngoxa uJoyce wayenceda amakhosikazi nabantwana babo. Ukuhamba kumadlelo aseAfrika kunokukushiya udinwe uyimfe, ngokukodwa emini emaqanda, kodwa ndakhawuleza ndaqhelana nemozulu yalapho.

Inkoliso yabantu balapho yayingamahlwempu. Abaninzi babesadla ngendeb’ endala beneenkolelo, betshata isithembu; kodwa beyihlonela gqitha iBhayibhile. Kweminye imimandla iintlanganiso zaziqhutyelwa ngaphantsi kwemithi emikhulu, marhatya kwakukhanyiswa ngezibane ezixhonywe emithini. Ngalo lonk’ ixesha sifundisisa iLizwi likaThixo, sasithi sakubona ubuqaqawuli bendalo yakhe emangalisayo neyoyikekayo esibhakabhakeni nasezinkwenkwezini siyiqonde indlela amele ukudunyiswa ngayo.

Ukudlala imifanekiso eshukumayo yeWatch Tower Society kwiindawo ezazihlala abantsundu kwakungamava angalibalekiyo. Masithi ibandla linamaNgqina angama-30, kodwa xa kudlalwa imifanekiso eshukumayo kwakusiza abantu abamalunga ne-1 000 okanye ngaphezulu!

Kwimimandla efudumeleyo, impilo enkenenkene ingayingxaki, undoqo kukuba nesimo sengqondo esikhuthazayo. Sakwazi noJoyce ukuhlangabezana nale meko—ubukhulu becala ndandidla ngokuhlaselwa sisifo seengcongconi, noJoyce kwelinye icala wayexhathisa kume ngaye xa eye wahlaselwa ziiamoeba.

Kamva sathunyelwa kwiofisi yesebe eSalisbury (eyiHarare ngoku) kwakulilungelo ukusebenza nabanye abakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaYehova endingabalula phakathi kwabo uLester Davey, uGeorge noRuby Bradley. Urhulumente wandimisela ukuba ndibe ligosa lokutshatisa, nto leyo eyandenza ndakwazi ukutshatisa abazalwana abantsundu, ngaloo ndlela ndisomeleza imitshato yamaKristu. Emva kweminyaka embalwa, ndavavwa ngelungelo. Ndandiza kutyelela onke amabandla athetha iilwimi zabamhlophe. Ngaphezu kweminyak’ elishumi sikwesi sabelo noJoyce satsho sazi abazalwana abaninzi, kwaye yayisikhuthaza kakhulu inkqubela ababeyenza. Ngaloo minyaka sasityelela abazalwana bethu eBotswana naseMozambique.

Ukufuduka Kwakhona

Emva kokuchitha iminyaka emininzi kwiAfrika esemazantsi, ngowe-1975 safumana isabelo esitsha eSierra Leone, eNtshona Afrika. Safikela kwiofisi yesebe ukuze siqalise isabelo sethu esitsha, kodwa sasingazukuthabatha xesha lide. Ndagula ndabuthathaka ngenxa yesifo seengcongconi ndaya kunyangwa eLondon, apho ndacetyiswa ukuba ndingabuyeli eAfrika. Iintliziyo zethu zaba lihlwili, kodwa samkelwa ngezandla ezishushu noJoyce yintsapho yaseBheteli yaseLondon. Amabandla aseLondon anabazalwana abantsundu ababesenza sizive sisekhaya. Ekubeni ndaye ndachacha, kwafuneka siziqhelanise nomnye umsebenzi, ndacelwa ukuba ndinyamekele iSebe Lokuthenga. Bekusivuyisa ukubona isebe lisandiswa ukutyhubela iminyaka.

Ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1990, umfazi wam othandekayo uJoyce wagula, waza wafa ngowe-1994. Uye wazingqina engumfazi onothando, onyanisekileyo, othembekileyo nosoloko ekulungele ukuzivisisanisa neemeko ezintsha esijamelana nazo. Ukuze ndihlangabezane naloo ntlungu yokufelwa, ndiye ndafumanisa ukuba kubalulekile ukugcina iliso lokomoya lingenakumbi nokukhangela phambili. Ukubambelela nkqi kucwangciso lwezinto zobuthixo, oluquka umsebenzi wokushumayela, kuye kwandinceda ndagcina ingqondo yam ixakeke zizinto ezakhayo.—IMizekeliso 3:5, 6.

Ukukhonza eBheteli lilungelo nendlela yokuphila esemagqabini. Kukho iqela lomlisela nomthinjana onokusebenza nalo nezinto ezininzi ezibangel’ imincili eninokwabelana ngazo. Enye intsikelelo ngabantu abatyelela esebeni apha eLondon. Maxa wambi ndiye ndidibane nezihlobo ezithandekayo endandikunye nazo kwizabelo zam eAfrika, zindikhumbuza imini zamandulo. Zonke ezi zinto zindenza ndibunandiphe ngokupheleleyo “obu bomi” ndize ndikhangele phambili “nakobo buzayo.”—1Timoti 4:8.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Ndikunye nomama ngowe-1946

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Mna noJoyce ngemini yomtshato wethu ngowe-1950

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Kwindibano eyayiseBristol ngowe-1953

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 27]

Xa ndandinceda iqela elikwanti (ngasentla) nebandla (ngasekhohlo) eSouthern Rhodesia, eyiZimbabwe ngoku