Ukulwa Nezithiyo Ngokuzibekela Imigomo

UWILLIAM (uBill) Meiners nomkakhe, uRose, banomuzi eduze kwaseLaGuardia Airport eNew York. Lapho, uRose, umngenisi wezihambi onomusa oseminyakeni emaphakathi nawo-70 ubudala, wamukela isivakashi sakhe ngenjabulo. Le ndlu ethokomele ngaphakathi ibonisa ubuntu bakhe obujabule. Izimbali ezinhle eziphambi komnyango nemidwebo emibalabala odongeni kubonisa umuzwa wenjabulo nogqozi lokuphila.

Eduze kwegumbi lokwamukela izivakashi kunegumbi eligqamile lapho uBill, oneminyaka engu-77 ubudala, elele khona embhedeni, onomatilasi okwazi ukwehliswa futhi uphakanyiswe. Lapho ebona isivakashi sakhe, amehlo akhe anomusa avele agqame futhi amamatheke ngenkulu injabulo. Angathanda ukuphakama, axhawule futhi ange isivakashi, kodwa akakwazi. Ngaphandle kwengalo yakhe yesobunxele, uBill ukhubazeke kusuka entanyeni kwehle.

Ngenxa yokuthi uBill ubelokhu enezinkinga zempilo kusukela eneminyaka engu-26 ubudala, uyabuzwa ukuthi yini eye yamsiza ukuba abhekane nokugula kwakhe iminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi amahlanu. UBill noRose bayabukana sengathi bafuna ukuhleka. “Akukho muntu ogulayo esimaziyo!” kusho uRose, njengoba ehleka kuvele elomhlathi. Amehlo kaBill asabela ngenjabulo; uyagigitheka futhi anqekuzise ikhanda evuma. “Akukho muntu ogulayo la,” esho ngephimbo eliyisihosho. URose noBill bathi ukuncokola, futhi ngokushesha, lonke igumbi ligcwala uhleko. Ngokusobala, uthando uBill noRose ababenalo ngomunye nomunye lapho behlangana ngo-September 1945 lusavutha bhé nanamuhla. UBill uyabuzwa futhi: “Ake usho, ngempela yiziphi izithiyo oye wabhekana nazo? Futhi yini eye yakusiza ukuba ukhuthazele futhi ulondoloze umbono wenjabulo ekuphileni?” Ngemva kokuphenywa ngesineke, uBill uyavuma ukusilandisa indaba yakhe. Okulandelayo izingcaphuno zezingxoxo ezimbalwa i-Phaphama! eyaba nazo noBill nomkakhe.

Ukuqala Kwezithiyo

Ngo-October 1949—iminyaka emithathu ngemva kokushada noRose, ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu kuzelwe indodakazi yabo, uVicki—uBill watshelwa ukuthi unesimila esinomdlavuza emphinjeni, futhi leso simila sakhishwa. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, udokotela kaBill wamtshela ngesinye futhi isithiyo—umdlavuza wawusuhlasele wonke amalaka. “Ngatshelwa ukuthi uma ngingawakhiphi wonke amalaka, ngangizophila iminyaka nje emibili kuphela.”

UBill noRose batshelwa ukuthi wawuyoba yini umphumela walokhu kuhlinzwa. Amalaka aqala ngemuva kolimi aze ayofika emphinjeni. Ngaphakathi kunemisipha emibili yephimbo. Uma umoya ovela emaphashini udlula kule misipha, iyavevezela bese ikhipha umsindo wenkulumo. Uma amalaka ekhishwa, ingenhla lomphimbo lixhunywa embotsheni ehlale ivulekile eyenziwa ngaphambili entanyeni. Ngemva kokuhlinzwa, isiguli siphefumula ngale mbobo—kodwa sibe singasenalo iphimbo.

UBill uthi: “Lapho ngithola le ncazelo, ngathukuthela. Sasinendodakazi encane, ngangisebenza kahle, sasinamathemba amakhulu ekuphileni, kodwa manje konke enganginethemba lako kwakuzonyamalala.” Kodwa njengoba ukukhishwa amalaka kwakuzosindisa ukuphila kwakhe, uBill wavuma ukuhlinzwa. “Ngemva kokuhlinzwa,” kulandisa uBill, “ngangingakwazi ukugwinya. Ngangingakwazi ngisho nokukhuluma. Ngangiyisimungulu.” Lapho uRose emvakashela, uBill wayekhuluma naye ngokubhala phansi kuphela. Kwakuyisikhathi esibuhlungu. Ukuze balwe nalesi sithiyo, kwadingeka bazibekele imigomo emisha.

Ukuba Yisimungulu Esingasebenzi

Ukukhishwa kwamalaka akumshiyanga nje uBill eyisimungulu kuphela kodwa walahlekelwa nawumsebenzi. Wayesebenza eshabhu lokwenza imishini, kodwa manje ngenxa yokuthi wayephefumula ngembobo esentanyeni kuphela, uthuli nomusi kwakungamlimaza amaphaphu. Kwakufanele athole omunye umsebenzi. Engakakwazi ukukhuluma, wabhalisa esikoleni sokufundela ukulungisa amawashi. “Kwakufana nomsebenzi engangiwenza,” kusho uBill. “Ngangikwazi ukuhlanganisa izingxenye zemishini, futhi uma ulungisa amawashi, uhlanganisa izingxenye ezithile. Umehluko nje ukuthi lezo zingxenye zazingenaso isisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-23!” Ngemva nje kokuphothula esikoleni sokulungisa amawashi, wathola umsebenzi njengomkhandi wamawashi. Wayesefinyelele umgomo owodwa.

Phakathi naleso sikhathi, uBill wayeseqale nokufunda ekilasini lokufunda ukukhuluma ngomphimbo. Kule nqubo, umsindo awuphumi ngamalaka kodwa ngokunyakaza komphimbo. Okokuqala, umuntu ufunda ukugwinya umoya wehlele emphinjeni. Khona-ke, ube esekhipha lowo moya kancane kancane ngokubhodla. Njengoba lowo moya uphuma, uvevezelisa imisipha yomphimbo. Lokhu kukhipha umsindo ohoshozelayo, ongase uphinyiselwe ngomlomo nezindebe ukuze uzwakale.

“Ngaphambili, ngangibhodla uma ngidle kakhulu kuphela,” kusho uBill emamatheka, “kodwa manje kwadingeka ngifunde ukubhodla njalo. Ekuqaleni, ngangikwazi ukusho igama elilodwa ngesikhathi, njengokuthi: ‘[Edonsa umoya, awugwinye, abese ebhodla] Kunjani?’ Kwakungelula. Khona-ke, uthisha wami wangitshela ukuba ngiphuze i-ginger ale eningi ngoba igwebu layo lalizongisiza ngikwazi ukubhodla. Ngakho njalo lapho uRose noVicki bephuma beshaywa umoya, ngangiphuza isiphuzo ngibhodle kaningi. Ngangizikhandla!”

Nakuba amaphesenti angaba ngu-60 abo bonke abantu abakhishwe amalaka ehluleka ukukhuluma ngomphimbo, uBill wathuthuka. UVicki, ngaleso sikhathi owayeneminyaka emibili, wayemfaka ugqozi engazi. UBill uyachaza: “UVicki wayekhuluma nami abese ethula engibheka, elindele impendulo. Kodwa ngangingakwazi ukuphendula. Wayeqhubeka ekhuluma, kodwa nalapho ngangingaphenduli. Ngokucasuka, uVicki wayeya kumkami, athi: ‘Tshela ubaba akhulume nami!’ Amazwi akhe angihlaba kabuhlungu futhi angenza ngazimisela ukukhuluma futhi.” UBill waphumelela, futhi lokho kwaba yinjabulo kuVicki, uRose nakwabanye. Wayefinyelele omunye futhi umgomo.

Ukuhlangabezana Nesinye Futhi Isithiyo

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1951, uBill noRose babhekana nobunye ubunzima. Benovalo lokuthi umdlavuza wawuzobuya, odokotela beluleka uBill ukuba avume ukwelashwa ngemisebe. UBill wavuma. Lapho ukwelashwa sekudlulile, wayemagange efuna ukuqhubeka nokuphila. Wayengazi ukuthi kwakunesinye isithiyo esasisondela!

Kwadlula cishe unyaka. Kwathi ngolunye usuku iminwe kaBill yaba ndikindiki. Ngokulandelayo, wayengasakwazi ukukhuphuka izitebhisi. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, wawa ehamba futhi wahluleka ukusukuma. Ukuhlola kwembula ukuthi ukwelashwa ngemisebe uBill ayekutholile (ngaleso sikhathi okwakunganembile njengoba kunjalo namuhla) kwakulimaze umgogodla. Watshelwa ukuthi isimo sakhe sasizoba sibi nakakhulu. Omunye udokotela waze wamtshela nokuthi “ayengekho” amathuba okuba asinde. UBill noRose bakhungatheka.

Noma kunjalo, ezama ukulwa nalesi sithiyo, uBill waya esibhedlela izinyanga eziyisithupha ukuze athole ukwelashwa komzimba. Nakuba lokhu kwelashwa kungazange kusishintshe isimo sakhe esingokomzimba, ukuhlala esibhedlela kwashintsha ukuphila kwakhe—kwaletha ushintsho ekugcineni olwamholela ekwazini uJehova. Kwenzeka kanjani lokho?

Ukuqiniswa Ngukuqonda Imbangela Yezithiyo

Kulezo zinyanga eziyithupha, uBill wayesegumbini lesibhedlela samaJuda namanye amadoda angu-19 akhubazekile—wonke ayengamaJuda enkolo yobu-Orthodox. Njalo ntambama la madoda ayexoxa ngeBhayibheli. UBill, owayengumBaptist, wayelalela nje. Kodwa lapho ephuma esibhedlela, wayesezwe okwanele ukuba aphethe ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke ungumuntu oyedwa nokuthi imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu iphikisana neBhayibheli. Ngenxa yalokho, uBill akabuyelanga esontweni lakhe. Nokho, wayesiqaphela isidingo sesiqondiso esingokomoya sokubhekana nezithiyo zakhe. UBill uthi: “Ngangiqhubeka ngicela usizo kuNkulunkulu, futhi imithandazo yami yaphendulwa.”

Ngomunye uMgqibelo ngo-1953, uRoy Douglas, ikhehla elalikade lingumakhelwane, wezwa ngokugula kukaBill futhi wamvakashela. URoy, owayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, wacela uBill ukuba afunde naye iBhayibheli, futhi uBill wavuma. Lokho uBill akufunda eBhayibhelini nasencwadini ethi “UNkulunkulu Makabe Oneqiniso”a kwamvula amehlo. Wahlanganyela ayekufunda noRose, futhi naye wahlanganyela esifundweni. URose uyakhumbula: “Esontweni sasitshelwe ukuthi ukugula kuyisijeziso sikaNkulunkulu, kodwa ukutadisha kwethu iBhayibheli kwabonisa ukuthi lokho akulona iqiniso. Sazizwa sijabula.” UBill uyanezela: “Ukufunda eBhayibhelini ukuthi yini ebangela zonke izinkathazo, kuhlanganise nokugula kwami, nokuthola ukuthi ikusasa elingcono lisendleleni kwasisiza ukuba sisamukele isimo sami.” Ngo-1954, uBill noRose bafinyelela omunye umgomo. Bobabili babhapathizwa njengoFakazi BakaJehova.

Ukwenza Ushintsho Olwengeziwe

Phakathi naleso sikhathi, ukukhubazeka kukaBill kwase kukubi kangangokuba wayengasakwazi ukusebenza. Ukuze baziphilise, uBill noRose bashintshana ngezindima zabo: UBill wahlala ekhaya noVicki, uRose waqala ukusebenza enkampanini eyenza amawashi—umsebenzi awenza iminyaka engu-35!

UBill uyalandisa: “Ukunakekela indodakazi yethu kwakungijabulisa kakhulu. UVicki naye wayekujabulela. Ngenjabulo, wayetshela bonke abantu ahlangana nabo ukuthi: ‘Nginakekela ubaba!’ Kamuva lapho esefunda esikoleni, ngangimsiza ngomsebenzi wesikole, futhi sasivame nokudlala imidlalo ethile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngathola ithuba elihle lokumfundisa iBhayibheli.”

Ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu eHholo LoMbuso kwakungomunye umthombo wenjabulo kuBill nomkhaya wakhe. Kwakumthatha ihora lonke ukudondolozela esuka kwakhe eya eHholo LoMbuso, kodwa wayengaphuthi emihlanganweni. Kamuva, ngemva kokuthuthela kwenye ingxenye yedolobha, uBill noRose bathenga imoto encane, futhi uRose wayeshayela lapho umkhaya uya ehholo. Nakuba uBill ayekhuluma isikhathi esifushane, wabhalisa njengomfundi eSikoleni Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini. UBill uyachaza: “Ngangiyibhala phansi inkulumo yami, bese omunye umzalwane eyinikeza. Ngemva kwenkulumo, umbonisi wesikole wayengiluleka ngokwalokho ekuqukethe.”

Abantu abahlukene ebandleni nabo babesiza uBill ukuba ahlanganyele njalo emsebenzini wokushumayela. Futhi kamuva uBill watuswa njengenceku ekhonzayo ebandleni, okungazange kubamangaze ababebona ukuzinikela kwakhe. Khona-ke, lapho imilenze yakhe ingasakwazi ukunyakaza futhi ekhubazeka ngokuphelele, wayehlala esendlini futhi ekugcineni wayengasakwazi ukuvuka embhedeni. Ingabe wayezolwa nalesi sithiyo?

Indlela Yokuzilibazisa Eyanelisayo

“Njengoba ngangisekhaya usuku lonke, ngafuna indlela yokuzilibazisa,” kusho uBill. “Ngaphambi kokuba ngikhubazeke, ngangijabulela ukuthwebula izithombe. Ngakho ngacabanga ukuzama ukudweba imifanekiso, nakuba ngangingakaze ngidwebe ekuphileni kwami. Futhi, ngisebenzisa isandla sokudla, kodwa sonke isandla sokudla neminwe emibili kwesobunxele yayikhubazekile. Noma kunjalo, uRose wathenga izincwadi eziningi ezikhuluma ngamasu okudweba. Ngazitadisha futhi ngaqala ukudweba ngesandla sami sobunxele. Imifanekiso yami eminingi yayidliwa umlilo, kodwa ekugcineni ngakwazi ukudweba.”

Iqoqo elihle lemifanekiso edwetshiwe ehlobise indlu kaBill noRose libonisa ukuthi uBill waphumelela ngaphezu kwalokho ayekulindele. UBill uyanezela: “Cishe eminyakeni emihlanu edlule, isandla sami sobunxele saqala ukuba nedumbe kakhulu kangangokuba kwadingeka ngikuyeke ngokuphelele ukudweba, kodwa lo msebenzi wawunganelisa kakhulu iminyaka eminingi.”

Umgomo Osasele

UBill uyalandisa: “Sekudlule iminyaka engaphezu kuka-50 kusukela izinkinga zami zempilo zaqala. Ukufunda iBhayibheli kusangiduduza, ikakhulukazi uma ngifunda amaHubo nencwadi kaJobe. Futhi ngiyazijabulela izincwadi ze-Watch Tower Society. Ngithola nesikhuthazo esikhulu lapho amalungu ebandla lakithi nababonisi abajikelezayo besivakashela futhi basitshele okuhlangenwe nakho okwakhayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuxhumana neHholo LoMbuso ngesimiso socingo kunginika ithuba lokulalela imihlangano, futhi ngithola namakhasethi e-video ezimiso zemihlangano emikhulu.

“Ngiyabonga ngokuthi ngibusiswe ngenkosikazi enothando. Phakathi nayo yonke le minyaka, iye yaba umngane wami omkhulu. Futhi, indodakazi yethu, manje ekhonza uJehova nomkhaya wayo, isewumthombo wenjabulo enkulu. Ngibonga uJehova ngokukhethekile ngokungisiza ukuba ngihlale ngiseduze naye. Namuhla, njengoba umzimba wami nephimbo lami kuqhubeka kuwohloka, ngivame ukucabanga ngamazwi omphostoli uPawulu: ‘Asiyeki, kodwa ngisho noma umuntu esinguye ngaphandle ewohloka, ngokuqinisekile umuntu esinguye ngaphakathi wenziwa musha usuku nosuku.’ (2 Korinte 4:16) Yebo, ukuhlala ngiphapheme ngokomoya uma nje ngisaphila—yiwona mgomo wami.”

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 12]

“Ngemva kokuhlinzwa, ngangingakwazi ukugwinya. Ngangingakwazi ngisho nokukhuluma. Ngangiyisimungulu”

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

UBill noRose namuhla