Indaba Yokuphila

Ngizimisele Ukuqhubeka Ngikhonza UMdali Wami

ILANDISWA UCONSTANCE BENANTI

Izinto zenzeka ngokushesha okukhulu! Ezinsukwini nje eziyisithupha, uCamille, indodakazi yethu enezinyanga ezingu-22 ubudala yaba nemfiva embi yashona. Kwakungathi ngifelwe yizwe. Nami ngangifuna ukufa. Kungani uNkulunkulu ayevumele into enje? Ngangididekile.

ABAZALI bami badabuka eCastellammare del Golfo, idolobha eliseSicily, e-Italy. Bathuthela eNew York City futhi ngazalelwa lapho ngo-December 8, 1908. Ekhaya sasiyizingane ezingu-8, abafana abahlanu namantombazane amathathu, bese kuba umama nobaba.a

Ngo-1927 ubaba, uSanto Catanzaro, waqala ukuya emihlanganweni yeqembu elincane labaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba babaziwa kanjalo oFakazi BakaJehova ngaleso sikhathi. UGiovanni De Cecca, umzalwane ongumNtaliyane owayekhonza endlunkulu (ebizwa ngokuthi iBethel) eBrooklyn, eNew York, wayeqhuba imihlangano lapho sasihlala khona, eduze kwaseNew Jersey. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ubaba waqala ukushumayela futhi wangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Waqhubeka ekule nkonzo kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-1953.

Ngesikhathi umama esemncane wayefuna ukuba yindelakazi, kodwa abazali bakhe bamenqabela. Ekuqaleni umama wangenza ukuba ngingahlanganyeli nobaba esifundweni sakhe seBhayibheli. Nokho, ngasheshe ngalubona ushintsho kubaba. Waba umuntu ophansi, onomoya omnene futhi kwaba nokuthula nakakhulu ekhaya. Ngangikuthanda lokho.

Phakathi naleso sikhathi ngahlangana noCharles owazalelwa eBrooklyn futhi sasingontanga. Nabakubo badabuka eSicily. Ngokushesha sathembisana umshado, futhi sashada ngemva kokuba ubaba ebuye emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova owawungo-1931, eColumbus, e-Ohio. Phakathi nonyaka wokuqala sishadile, indodakazi yethu uCamille yazalwa. Lapho ishona, ngangikhala ngingaduduzeki. Ngolunye usuku, uCharles, naye owayekhihla isililo, wathi kimi: “UCamille ubengumntanami nami. Kungani singathwalisani usizi lwethu, siduduzane?”

Samukela Iqiniso LeBhayibheli

UCharles wangikhumbuza ukuthi ubaba wayeke wakhuluma ngethemba lovuko enkulumweni yomngcwabo kaCamille. Ngambuza: “Uyakholelwa ngempela ovukweni?”

“Ngiyakholelwa!” ephendula. “Kunganjani sithole okwengeziwe ngalokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngale ndaba?”

Angizange ngibuthi quthu ngalobo busuku. Ngakusasa ngehora lesithupha ekuseni ngaya kubaba ngaphambi kokuba aye emsebenzini, futhi ngamtshela ukuthi mina noCharles sifuna ukutadisha iBhayibheli. Wajabula kakhulu wanganga. Umama wayesalele futhi wasizwa sikhuluma. Wangibuza ukuthi kwakwenzekeni. Ngathi: “Hhayi, akukho lutho. Ukuthi nje mina noCharles sesinqume ukutadisha iBhayibheli.”

Wathi: “Kuyadingeka ukuba sonke sitadishe iBhayibheli.” Ngakho-ke sonke ngothi lwethu—esingu-11—saqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli njengomkhaya.

Isifundo seBhayibheli sangiduduza, futhi kancane kancane ukudideka kwami nosizi engangikulo kwaphela, ngaqala ukuba nethemba. Ngemva konyaka, ngo-1935, mina noCharles saqala ukuxoxela abanye amaqiniso eBhayibheli. Ngo-February 1937, ngemva kokuzwa inkulumo eyayisendlunkulu eBrooklyn, eyayichaza ngokusuka emiBhalweni ukubaluleka kobhapathizo lwamanzi, sabhapathizwa echibini lokubhukuda ehhotela elaliseduze sikanye nabanye abaningi. Ngathatha lesi sinyathelo hhayi nje ngoba ngangethemba ukuphinde ngibone indodakazi yami ngolunye usuku, kodwa futhi ngoba ngangifisa ukukhonza uMdali wethu, engase ngimazi futhi ngimthanda.

Ukungenela Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele

Ukuxoxela abanye ngezinto engangizifundile kwakujabulisa futhi kuzuzisa, ikakhulukazi ngoba abaningi ngaleso sikhathi babesabela esigijimini soMbuso nabo bahlanganyele ekusimemezeleni. (Mathewu 9:37) Ngo-1941, mina noCharles saba amaphayona, njengoba zibizwa kanjalo izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zoFakazi BakaJehova. Kungakadluli isikhathi esingakanani siqale ukuphayona, sathenga umahamba-nendlwana, futhi uCharles walishiyela kumfowethu uFrank ibhizinisi lomkhaya lokwenza amabhulukwe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, sakujabulela ukuthola incwadi ethi simiswe njengamaphayona akhethekile. Saqale sakhonza eNew Jersey, kamuva sathunyelwa eNew York State.

Ngo-1946, sisemhlanganweni wesigodi eBaltimore, eMaryland, sacelwa ukuba siyohlangana nabameleli boFakazi BakaJehova abathunyelwe inhlangano. Saxoxa noNathan H. Knorr noMilton G. Henschel. Baxoxa nathi ngomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli, futhi baqinisa kakhulu endabeni yomsebenzi wokushumayela e-Italy. Basicela ukuba sicabange ukuthi singakwazi yini ukuya e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead.

Bathi: “Cabangani ngale ndaba bese nisiphendula.” Sesiphumile ehhovisi, sabhekana noCharles, saphenduka sabuyela khona ehhovisi. Safike sathi: “Sesicabangile ngakho. Sikulungele ukuya eGileyadi.” Ngemva kwezinsuku eziyishumi sase sisekilasini lesi-7 laseGileyadi.

Angeke sizikhohlwe izinyanga esazichitha siqeqeshwa. Okwasihlaba umxhwele kakhulu isineke nothando lwabafundisi, besilungiselela ukubhekana nezingqinamba zensimu yakwelinye izwe. Ngemva kokuthweswa iziqu ngo-July 1946, sabelwa ukuyoshumayela isikhashana eNew York City, indawo eyayinabantu abaningi abangamaNtaliyane. Lwafika qathatha usuku olukhulu! Ngo-June 25, 1947, saya e-Italy, esabelweni sethu sezithunywa zevangeli.

Ukuzinza Esabelweni Sethu

Sahamba ngomkhumbi owawukade uwumkhumbi wezempi ngaphambili. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-14 sisolwandle, safika echwebeni laseGenoa e-Italy. IMpi Yezwe II, okwase kuyiminyaka emibili iphelile, yayenze umonakalo omkhulu kuleli dolobha. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakuzimbobo nje emafasiteleni esiteshi sesitimela ngenxa yokuhlaselwa ngamabhomu. Ukusuka eGenoa sahamba ngesitimela esithwala impahla saya eMilan, lapho kwakunehhovisi legatsha nekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli.

Izimo zokuphila zazizimbi kakhulu e-Italy ngemva kwempi. Kwakwenziwa imizamo yokuvuselela indawo, kodwa ubumpofu babudlangile. Kungakabiphi ngaba nesifo esibi kakhulu. Ngokusho kukadokotela othile, inhliziyo yami yayisesimweni esibi kangangokuthi wabona kungaba ngcono ukuba ngibuyele e-United States. Kodwa ngiyajabula ukuthi wayenze iphutha. Phela sekudlule iminyaka engu-58, futhi ngisesesabelweni sami e-Italy.

Kwathi kusaphele iminyaka embalwa sisesabelweni, abanewethu e-United States bafuna ukusipha imoto. Kodwa uCharles wayibonga, okuyisinqumo engasisekela nami. Ngokwazi kwethu, ngaleso sikhathi akekho noyedwa uFakazi e-Italy owayenemoto, futhi uCharles waba nomuzwa wokuthi kungcono siphile ngendlela abafowethu abangamaKristu abaphila ngayo. Saze sazitholela imotshwana ngo-1961.

IHholo lethu LoMbuso lokuqala eMilan lalisekamelweni elingaphansi kwendlu elalingakhonkiwe. Yayingekho indlu yangasese, futhi ukuphela kwamanzi ayeba khona yilawo eyengena uma linile. Sasingesodwa futhi ngoba wawubona amagundane enqamula eya le nale. Sasikhanyisa ngezibani ezimbili lapho sinemihlangano. Naphezu kwalezo zinkingana, kwakukhuthaza ukubona abantu abaqotho beza emihlanganweni yethu futhi ekugcineni bahlanganyele enkonzweni.

Okuhlangenwe Nakho Kwethu Njengezithunywa Zevangeli

Ngelinye ilanga sashiyela indoda ethile incwajana ethi Peace—Can It Last? Njengoba siphuma kulo muzi, inkosikazi yale ndoda, uSantina, yafika ithwele isisitheka iphuma ukuyothenga. Yayicasukile, ithi yona inamadodakazi angu-8 okufanele iwanakekele, futhi ayinaso nje isikhathi. Lapho ngiphinde ngibuyela kuSantina, umyeni wakhe wayengekho ekhaya, futhi yena wayeluka ijezi. Wathi: “Anginaso isikhathi sokukulalela. Kanti-ke nje angikwazi nokufunda.”

Ngathandaza kuJehova buthule ngabe sengicela uSantina ukuba elukele umyeni wami ijezi bese ngimkhokhela. Ngemva kwamasonto amabili, wayeselilukile ijezi futhi mina noSantina saqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli njalo sisebenzisa incwadi ethi “Iqiniso Liyakunikhulula.” USantina wafunda ukufunda, futhi naphezu kokuphikisa komyeni wakhe, wathuthuka waze wabhapathizwa. Amadodakazi akhe amahlanu aba oFakazi, futhi uSantina usesize nabanye abaningi ukuba bathole iqiniso leBhayibheli.

Ngo-March 1951, thina nezinye izithunywa zevangeli ezimbili—uRuth Cannonb noLoyce Callahan, kamuva owashada noBill Wengert—sathunyelwa eBrescia, indawo eyayingenabo nhlobo oFakazi. Sathola indawo yokuhlala enazo zonke izinto ngaphakathi, kodwa ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbili umnikazi wendawo wathi masihambe, wasinika usuku olulodwa lokuqoqa. Ngenxa yokuthi babengekho abanye oFakazi endaweni, ayikho into esasingayenza ngaphandle kokuyofuna indawo ehhotela, futhi sahlala lapho izinyanga ezicishe zibe mbili.

Sasingenakho ukudla okwanele: sasiphila ngamakhekhana alula, ushizi, izithelo nekhofi. Naphezu kwalobo bunzinyana, sasibusiswe ngempela. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, sathola indlu encane yokuhlala, futhi ngo-1952, eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu, kwaba nabantu abangu-35 ekamelweni elincane esasilisebenzisa njengeHholo LoMbuso.

Ukubhekana Ngokuphumelelayo Nezinselele

Ngaleso sikhathi abefundisi babesenethonya elikhulu kubantu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi sishumayela eBrescia, abanye abafana bathunywa umpristi ukuba basijikijele ngamatshe. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abantu abangu-16 baqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli futhi ngesikhashana nje baba oFakazi. Ubani owayephakathi kwabo? Omunye wabafana owayefuna ukusijikijela ngamatshe! Manje ungumdala kwelinye lamabandla eBrescia. Ngo-1955 lapho sihamba eBrescia, kwase kunabamemezeli boMbuso abangu-40 ababehlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela.

Ngemva kwalokho, sakhonza iminyaka emithathu eLeghorn, (eLivorno), futhi oFakazi abaningi kwakungabantu besifazane. Lokhu kwasho ukuthi thina bodade kwakufanele senze imisebenzi yebandla ngokuvamile eyenziwa abazalwane. Ngemva kwalokho saya eGenoa lapho sasiqale khona eminyakeni engu-11 ngaphambili. Sathola sekunebandla. IHholo LoMbuso lalisesitezi sokuqala kanti nathi sasihlala kuso leso sakhiwo.

Sisanda kufika nje eGenoa ngaqala isifundo nentokazi eyayishade nomuntu owayekade engumshayi-sibhakela futhi owayesephethe indawo yokufundela ukushaya isibhakela. Le ntokazi yathuthuka ngokomoya futhi ngokushesha yaba udadewethu ongumKristu. Nokho, umyeni wayo wayephikisa futhi waqhubeka ephikisa isikhathi eside. Kamuva waqala ukuhamba nomkakhe lapho eya emihlanganweni. Kunokuba angene ehholo wayehlala ngaphandle alalele. Sesihambile eGenoa, sathola umbiko wokuthi usecele ukufundelwa. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wabhapathizwa futhi waba umbonisi ongumKristu onothando. Wathembeka kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe.

Ngaphinde ngatadisha iBhayibheli nowesifazane owayezoshada nephoyisa. Ekuqaleni, leli phoyisa labonisa isithakazelo, kodwa lashintsha ngemva komshado. Laphikisa umkalo futhi wayeka ukufunda. Kamuva lapho ephinda eqala isifundo seBhayibheli, umyeni wakhe wamesabisa ngokuthi uma eke wasithola sifunda wayezosidubula sobabili. Nokho lona wesifazane wathuthuka ngokomoya waba uFakazi obhapathiziwe. Kusobala ukuthi akazange asidubule. Ngolunye usuku ngisemhlanganweni eGenoa futhi sekwadlula iminyaka kwenzeka lokhu, kweza umuntu othile ngemva kwami wangivala amehlo ngezandla zakhe wathi mangiqagele ukuthi ungubani. Angikwazanga ukuzibamba lapho ngibona ukuthi umyeni waloya wesifazane. Ngemva kokwangana, wangitshela ukuthi ngalo lolo suku wayebonise ukuzinikezela kwakhe kuJehova ngokuba abhapathizwe!

Kusukela ngo-1964 kuya ku-1972, ngaba nelungelo lokuhamba noCharles lapho evakashela amabandla ukuze awaqinise ngokomoya. Cishe sayikhonza yonke inyakatho ye-Italy—iPiedmont, iLombardy neLiguria. Sabuye saqala inkonzo yokuphayona eduze kwaseFlorence kamuva saya eVercelli. Ngo-1977, kwakunebandla elilodwa vó eVercelli, kodwa kwase kunamathathu lapho sihamba ngo-1999. Ngalowo nyaka ngahlanganisa iminyaka engu-91 ubudala futhi sakhuthazwa ukuba siye ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eRoma, isakhiwo esincanyana esihle endaweni ethe ukuthula.

Ezibuhlungu Azipheli

Ngo-March 2002, uCharles, owayengakaze ahlushwe impilo, wangenwa isifo isigubhukane. Impilo yakhe yawohloka kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-May 11, 2002. Iminyaka engu-71 yonke sasikhala ndawonye lapho sibhekene nezikhathi ezinzima futhi sasijabula ndawonye lapho sithola izibusiso. Ngalahlekelwa futhi ngadabuka kakhulu ngokufa kwakhe.

Ngiye ngimcabange uCharles, egqoke isudi yakhe eyi-double breast nesigqoko sakhe esasisemfashinini ngawo-1930. Ngiye ngimbone emoyizela noma ngizwe uhleko lwakhe. Ngosizo lukaJehova nangenxa yothando lwabafowethu nodadewethu abaningi abangamaKristu, ngiye ngakwazi ukukhuthazela phakathi nalesi sikhathi esibuhlungu. Ngisibheke ngabomvu isikhathi engiyophinde ngimbone ngaso uCharles.

Ukuqhubeka Nenkonzo Yami

Ukukhonza uMdali wami kube yinto emnandi kakhulu ekuphileni kwami. Kukho konke ukuphila kwami ‘nginambithile ngabona ukuthi uJehova muhle.’ (IHubo 34:8) Ngiluzwile uthando lwakhe ngakubona nokunakekela kwakhe. Nakuba umntanami ashona, uJehova uye wangipha inqwaba yamadodana namadodakazi angokomoya—kuyo yonke i-Italy—aye angijabulisa kakhulu ajabulisa noJehova.

Ukuxoxa nabanye ngoMdali wami yinto engayithanda kakhulu kusukela kudala. Yingakho namanje ngisashumayela futhi ngiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli. Ngezinye izikhathi ngiba buhlungu ngokuthi angisakwazi ukwenza okwengeziwe ngenxa yempilo. Kodwa ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova uyazi ukuthi amandla ami agcinaphi. Ngiyazi ukuthi uyangithanda futhi uyakwazisa lokho engikwazi ukukwenza. (Marku 12:42) Ngiyazama ukuphila ngamazwi eHubo 146:2: “Ngizomdumisa uJehova ngesikhathi sokuphila kwami. Ngizomhubela uNkulunkulu wami uma nje ngisekhona.”c

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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UCamille

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Ngosuku lwethu lomshado, ngo-1931

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Nakuba ekuqaleni ayengathandi, kamuva umama wavuma ukuthi sonke kudingeka sitadishe iBhayibheli

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SinoMfoweth’ uKnorr ngesikhathi sokuthweswa iziqu eGileyadi ngo-1946

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NginoCharles ngaphambi kokuba ashone