Ngisho Nephaphu Lensimbi Lalingenakukuvimbela Ukushumayela Kwakhe

Ngezinye izikhathi kudinga isibindi ukuqhubeka nje uphila. Lena yindaba yothile owayenesibindi esinjalo. Igama lakhe kwakunguLaurel Nisbet.

ULAUREL owazalwa eLos Angeles ngo-1912, waba ngowesifazane oyingqabavu owayekuthanda ukuphila nomkhaya wakhe. Ukuba nendoda nabantwana ababili okwakumelwe abanakekele kwakuwumsebenzi olula kuye cishe ngaphansi kwezimo ezivamile, kodwa ngo-1948 uthando lwakhe ngokuphila lwavivinywa cishe ngaphezu kwamandla akhe. Wahlaselwa igciwane elibulalayo le-polio.

Ngemva kokuba nezimpawu ezifana nezomkhuhlane izinsuku ezithile, wagcina engakwazi ukunyakaza. Umyeni wakhe wamusa esibhedlela sendawo. Lapho wayephakathi kwabaningi ababengenwe yi-polio. Wanqotshwa ukwesaba njengoba izimo zokuminyana zazidinga ukuba alale phansi ephaseshi futhi alindele iphaphu lensimbi. Ukuphefumula ngakunye kwakuwumzukuzuku. Lapho ekugcineni leliphaphu lensimbi selitholakele, wakhululeka lapho efakwa kulo. Manje wayesengaphefumula lowomoya wokuphila acishe wahlukana nawo!

Amaphaphu ensimbi asungulwa ukuze asize abantu abazicubu zabo zesifuba zikhutshazwe yi-polio. Ekuqaleni kwakucatshangwa ukuthi lena kwakuyoba yindlela yesikhashana lapho izicubu zesiguli zisalulama, okwakuyosenza sikwazi ukuziphefumulela ngokwaso. Kodwa okwehlela uLaurel engalindele nokwathusa izwe, lemishini yokuphefumula eyenziwe ngensimbi yaba amakhaya aphakade ezisulu eziningi. ULaurel waphila ngokulala ngomhlane wakhe iminyaka engu-37 ngaphakathi kwezibopho zephaphu lensimbi elilodwa. Unerekhodi lomhlaba lesiguli se-polio esaphila isikhathi eside ephashini lensimbi.

Ingabe lesi kwakuwukuphela kwesizathu esasenza ukuba aziwe kakhulu? Lutho neze. ULaurel wayengowesifazane osemusha oseminyakeni yakhe yawo-30 lapho efakwa kuleliphaphu. Wayenezingane ezimbili okwakumelwe azikhulise nomyeni okwakumelwe amnakekele. Ekuqaleni wadumala waze waphelelwa yithemba. Khona-ke, cishe ngemva kosuku lokuzidabukela, wanquma ukwenza okungcono kakhulu ngesimo sakhe. Ekugcineni, umyeni wakhe wamletha ekhaya, futhi waqala ukuvuselela ukuphila kwakhe. Wafunda ukuphatha ikhaya lakhe, ekulo kanye iphaphu lensimbi.

Manje, ungacabanga ukuthi lokhu kwakunjani. Ikhanda lakhe kuphela elalivele kulomshini wokuphefumula. Isiphika sepulasitiki nensimbi, eyayibophe yaqinisa lesiphika engqwababeni yakhe, kwasetshenziswa ukuze kuvinjelwe ukungena komoya kuyi-cylinder. Isifutho esasingaphansi kwethangi sasishintsha umfutho womoya ngaphakathi ethangini. Cishe izikhathi ezingu-15 ngomzuzu, lesifutho, esasisebenza njengento yokufaka umoya, sasikhipha umoya ethangini. Lokhu kwakubangela ukuba isifuba sesiguli siphakame njengoba umoya wawungena ngamakhala noma ngomlomo. Lapho lesifutho sifinyela futhi umoya ubuyela ethangini, isifuba sasicindezeleka, bese isiguli siyawukhipha. Ngakho ungabona ukuthi kungani isiphika kwakumelwe singangenwa umoya njengoba ukuguquka komfutho womoya kwakwenza ukuba leliphaphu lensimbi lisebenze ngokuphumelelayo. ULaurel wayekwazi ukuqalaza, kodwa yilokho kuphela ayengakwenza. Wayekhubazeke ngokuphelele kusukela entanyeni kuya kwesingezansi. Indawo akuyo wayeyibuka esibukweni esasifakwe ngaphezu komshini wakhe wokuphefumula esasibonisa esinye isibuko esasibekwe ngaphesheya ekamelweni odongeni olungakolunye uhlangothi. Lokhu kwenza ukuba akwazi ukubona umnyango wakhe wangaphambili nanoma ubani owayeza kuwo.

Kungena OFakazi BakaJehova

Ngolunye usuku wafikelwa isivakashi, uDel Kuring, omunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Wangena waqonda ngqó ekamelweni lokuphumula likaLaurel futhi waqala ukumfundisa amaqiniso amangalisayo eBhayibheli. ULaurel wayelihlonipha iZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi walalela ngomqondo nangenhliziyo evulekile. Kwaqaliswa isifundo seBhayibheli, okwaholela ekuzinikezeleni kwakhe kuNkulunkulu ngo-1965 njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Manje wayesenokuningi ayengakuphilela. Ngolunye usuku wayezohamba futhi emhlabeni futhi ajabulele iPharadesi lelo uNkulunkulu ahlose ukuba isintu sibe nalo! Yeka injabulo ayizwa, futhi, njengoba indodakazi yakhe uKay yamukela ukholo lwakhe olusha.

Ungase ubuze, ‘Kuthiwani ngobhapathizo lwakhe?’ Phela, lwalungenakubakhona. Njengoba ayengakwazi ukuziphefumulela ngokwakhe, ukucwiliswa emanzini kwakungenakwenzeka. Wayengakwazi nhlobo ukuya eHholo LoMbuso. Akakaze abe khona emhlanganweni omkhulu. Akazange ayibone indodakazi yakhe ibhapathizwa. Kodwa wafeza okuningi enkonzweni yakhe eya kuJehova kunamaKristu amaningi angakhubazekile.

Ngokusobala, uLaurel wayengumshumayeli wezindaba ezinhle. Eminyakeni yakhe engu-37 yokungakwazi ukwenza lutho, wakwazi ukusiza abantu abangu-17 ukuba babe nolwazi oluqondile lweBhayibheli. Wakwenza kanjani lokho? Yiqiniso, wayengenakuhamba indlu ngendlu njengoba oFakazi abaningi benelungelo lokwenza kanjalo. Kodwa wayekwazi ukufakaza kubantu abaningi ababemnakekela. Ngaba nelungelo lokuba ngomunye wabanjalo.

Ngangiwumfundi esikoleni sobuhlengikazi ngo-1972 futhi ngaqala ukumsebenzela njengomnakekeli wakhe. Mina noLaurel sasinesikhathi sokuxoxa nokwazana ekupheleni kwesikhathi somsebenzi. Ngolunye usuku wathi: “Manje, ngizothanda ukuba ungifundele.” Njengoba ngavuma, wangicela ukuba ngithathe incwadi encane eluhlaza eyayinesihloko esithi IQiniso eliholela ekuPhileni okuPhakade. Ngambuza ukuthi ngiqalephi, futhi wamane wathi, “Qala esahlukweni 1.” Kanjalo kwaqaliswa isifundo seBhayibheli, futhi nami ngaba uFakazi kaJehova ozinikezele.

Umshini kaLaurel wokuphefumula wawubonakala ngefasitela elikhulu elisendaweni engaphambili yendlu yakhe. Wayehlala emgwaqeni ophithizelayo, ngakho noma ubani edolobhaneni laseLa Crescenta owayezidlulela wayengawubona lomshini wokuphefumula. Lokhu kwadala uzwela olukhulu nosikisiki lokufuna ukwazi kwabadlula ngendlela, futhi izihambi zazifika kaningi zizombona. Wayekujabulela ngaso sonke isikhathi ukwazana nabantu futhi wakha ubungane obukhulu ngalendlela, futhi wayefakaza kulabantu. Ukufakaza kwakhe ngesibindi ngoJehova nangethemba lakhe ngesikhathi esizayo kwahlaba abantu umxhwele futhi kwanikeza ubufakazi obuhle ngegama likaJehova.

ULaurel wayelala kancane kakhulu. Kwakungelula ukukhathala njengeningi lethu, njengoba ayengakwazi ukunyakaza. Umsindo kanye nokunyakaza okungapheli kwesifutho ngaphansi komshini wokuphefumula kwakumgcina ephapheme. Wayenzani ngalamahora? Wayekhuluma noYise wasezulwini, ekhulumisana naye ngokugcwele emthandazweni osuka enhliziyweni. Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi wayethandazela amandla nokukhuthazela, kodwa ezikhathini eziningi, wayethandazela abafowabo nodadewabo abangamaKristu. Wayenesihawu esikhulu ngabanye futhi wayembonga nsuku zonke uJehova ngezibusiso zakhe.

Lapho ummeleli ojikelezayo woFakazi BakaJehova efika endaweni yakubo, wayemvakashela njalo uLaurel. Iningi lalamadoda lalithi ngemva kokuba libe noLaurel, kwakuba yilona elalakheka! Leyo yindlela ayenza ngayo. Wayenombono oqondile futhi ejabula ngaso sonke isikhathi futhi wayefuna wonke amathuba okufakazela iqiniso.

Waba nokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi okuzwisa ubuhlungu, okungaphezu kwalokho ayengakuxoxa. Ngesinye isikhathi kwadingeka ukuba ayohlinzwa i-appendix ngokuphuthumayo, futhi kwafika i-ambulensi ivela esibhedlela sendawo izomlanda. Ngenxa yokuthi i-appendix yakhe yayiqhumile, wafakwa ngokushesha emotweni futhi waphuthunyiswa esibhedlela, lapho kwadingeka khona ukuba udokotela amhlinze ngaphandle kokubulala izinzwa. Phela ngawo-1950, babengayazi indlela evamile yokubulala izinzwa zesiguli sephaphu lensimbi.

Ukuhlinza Kaningi Kodwa Ngaphandle Kwegazi

Wakhuthazelela umdlavuza, ukuhlinzwa okukhulu, kanye nezifo zesikhumba ezingamahlala khona. Kwakumkhungathekisa kakhulu lapho efuna ukuzinwaya kodwa engakwazi futhi kudingeka ukuba umnakekeli wakhe amnwaye. Ngisho nakuba izicubu zakhe zazikhubazekile, izinzwa zomzimba wakhe wonke zazisebenza. Lokhu kwamsiza kakhulu, njengoba kwakumvikela ekutholeni izilonda ezibangelwa ukulala kakhulu. Wayekuphaphamele kakhulu ukunakekelwa kwesikhumba sakhe. Kwakudingeka abantu abane ukuba bamphendule futhi bamgeze wonke umzimba kanye ngesonto. Lolusizi lwalumvivinya uLaurel, kodwa wakwazi ukubhekana nalo njenganoma yini enye ekuphileni kwakhe.

Lezikhathi sinaye zazimnandi futhi zijabulisa naphezu kobunzima balomsebenzi. Njengoba sasiphakamisa isiphika entanyeni yakhe ukuze simqhube elinye isonto, senza lomshini ukuba ungangeni umoya ngangokunokwenzeka, wayeziqinisa futhi athi: “Oh, icebo likaDeveli!” Yebo, uLaurel wayazi ukuthi ubani okumelwe amsole ngesimo esinjalo esisabekayo. Kwaqala ngoSathane, owayenga abantu bokuqala ukuba bafulathele uJehova, eletha isono, ukugula, nokufa esintwini.

Kungenzeka ukuthi uLaurel wayekhubazekile ngokomzimba kodwa ngokusobala hhayi ngokomoya. Wayesebenzisa ithuba ngalinye ukuba afundise abantu ngethemba lakhe lePharadesi. Ngisho nangasekupheleni kokuphila kwakhe, lapho ayebhekene nokuhlinzwa okuphuthumayo, wakwazi ukumelela ukulunga. Kwakungo-1985, futhi uLaurel wayeneminyaka engu-72 ubudala. Njengoba ukuhlinzwa kwakhe kwakusondela, udokotela wakhe wangena ukuze amtshele ukuthi babengenakumhlinza ngaphandle kwegazi. Indodakazi yakhe uKay yachaza izifiso zikanina zokuyeka igazi ngoba ngalesikhathi uLaurel wayebuthaka kakhulu kangangokuba wayengakwazi nokukhuluma. Wayefakwe amapayipi emphinjeni wakhe futhi wayengakwazi ngisho nokuhlebeza. Umzimba wakhe wonke wawuthole ushevu ngenxa yokuvaleka kwesimiso sokuzikhulula, futhi wayebonakala sengathi ufile.

Kodwa udokotela wathi wayefuna ukuzwa ngoLaurel ngalesinqumo endabeni yegazi. Sahlebeza endlebeni yakhe: “Laurel, kudingeka umtshele wena ngokwakho udokotela ngokuphathelene negazi.” Okwangimangaza, singazelele, amehlo akhe avuleka kakhulu, izwi lakhe lezwakala kakhulu, futhi wakhuluma nodokotela ngesinqumo sakhe endabeni yegazi. Wakhomba emibhalweni, echaza ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova banomuzwa wokuthi ukwamukela ukumpontshelwa igazi kuyisono kuNkulunkulu. Angisoze ngakukhohlwa akusho ngokulandelayo. “Dokotela, uma usindisa ukuphila kwami futhi ngiphaphame ngithole ukuthi wone umzimba wami, ngiyofisa sengathi ngabe ngifile, futhi uyobe usebenzele ize.” Kulokhu, udokotela wayengaqiniseki nje kuphela ngesinqumo sakhe kodwa wayemangaliswe isibindi sakhe futhi wavuma ukwenza ngokuvumelana nezifiso zakhe.

ULaurel wenziwa ukuhlinzwa okwathatha amahora amane okwaba nempumelelo ethile. Ngemva kokuhlinzwa, odokotela bamsusa ephashini okokuqala ngqá eminyakeni engu-37 futhi bambeka embhedeni wasesibhedlela. Bamxhuma ngepayipi elalingena kuqhoqhoqho emshinini wokuphefumula wesimanje. Lokhu yikho ayekwesaba ukwedlula yonke into. Manje, ngoba umshini wokuphefumula wesimanje wawuxhunywe eshubhini lepayipi likaqhoqhoqho emphinjeni wakhe, wayengakwazi ukukhuluma. Wesaba njengoba ayenomuzwa wokuthi wayengatholi umoya owanele. Washona ezinsukwini ezintathu kamuva, ngoAugust 17, 1985, ngenxa yezinkinga ezihlobene nokuhlinzwa.

Ngikhumbula amazwi akhe okugcina awasho kimi, cishe amazwi okugcina awakhuluma, ngaphambi nje kokuba abulawe izinzwa. Wathi: “Chris, ungalokothi ungishiye.” Manje njengoba ngibheke phambili ekupheleni kwalesimiso sezinto esidala nasovukweni olusondelayo, ngicabanga ngosuku lapho ngiyokwanga khona umngane wami uLaurel Nisbet futhi ngithi: “Ngilapha. Angizange ngikushiye.”—Njengoba ilandiswa uChristine Tabery.