UJehova Uye Wanginakekela Kahle

EQINISWENI, ngaqala ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela engajwayelekile. Ngakhulela endaweni enhle yasemaphandleni enyakatho impela yeNew Zealand, ehlalwa ngokuyinhloko abantu abangamaMaori njengami. Kwathi ngigibele ihhashi ngolunye usuku, umzala wami uBen wafika kimi emgwaqweni. Kwakungu-1942, ekwindla (eNingizimu neNkabazwe, kuyintwasahlobo eNyakatho neNkabazwe). Ngangineminyaka engu-27 ubudala futhi ngalesikhathi ngiyilungu elikhuthele leSonto laseSheshi.

Kwase kuyiminyaka eminingi uBen efunda izincwadi zikaJudge Rutherford, ngalesosikhathi owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society, futhi manje wayephethe incwadi evela ehhovisi elikhulu leWatch Tower Society eNew Zealand imcela ukuba amemele abantu bendawo lapho babengagubhela khona iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa ndawonye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uBen kwakufanele ahlele othile owayezoqhuba inkonzo. Engibuka, uBen wathi: “Wena uyilowomuntu.” Ngiziqhenya ngokubhekwa njengofanelekile—futhi njengoba ngangidla emthendelekweni esontweni—ngavuma.

Ngobusuku bomkhosi, abantu abangaba ngu-40 babuthana ekhaya likaBen ukuze bagubhe ukufa kweNkosi yethu, futhi akekho noyedwa kubo owayenguFakazi kaJehova. Lapho ngifika umzala wami wanginikeza uhlaka lwenkulumo. Ngakhipha ingoma eyayisikiselwe futhi ngabiza umlamu kaBen ukuba avule ngomthandazo. Khona-ke ngaqhubeka nganikeza ukwaziswa okwakusohlakeni, okwakuhlanganisa uchungechunge lwemibuzo kanye nezimpendulo ezisekelwe emiBhalweni. Umfundisi wendawo owayekhona waphazamisa ngokuphikisa, kodwa lokhu kwaphendulwa ngokufunda izikhombo zemiBhalo ezazisohlakeni.

Ngikhumbula ukuthi omunye wemibuzo eyayisohlakeni wawuhlobene nesikhathi sonyaka lapho lesenzakalo okwakumelwe sigujwe ngaso. Yeka ukuthi kwakwenelisa kanjani lapho bonke ababekhona bebuka ngaphandle ngefasitela futhi bebona inyanga egcwele. Ngokusobala, usuku kwakunguNisan 14.

Yeka ubusuku lobo obabuyibo! Umkhosi wethu wathatha amahora amane! Kwaphakanyiswa imibuzo eminingi futhi yaphendulwa ngemiBhalo eyayisohlakeni lweNhlangano. Uma ngibuka emuva, ngiyazi ukuthi ngangingeke ngiphumelele kulokhu okuhlangenwe nakho ngaphandle kokunakekela kukaJehova kothando—ngisho nakuba ngalesosikhathi ngangingeyena omunye woFakazi bakhe abazinikezele. Nakuba kunjalo, ngalobobusuku beSikhumbuzo ngo-1942, ngathola injongo yami ekuphileni.

Ukuphila Ngisemncane

Ngazalwa ngo-1914. Ubaba wayeshone ezinyangeni ezingaba zine ngaphambi kokuzalwa kwami, futhi ngiyakhumbula ngiseyingane encane nginomhawu ngezinye izingane ezazinobaba abazithandayo. Nganginesizungu esikhulu salokho. Kumama ukuphila ngaphandle komyeni kwakuwumzabalazo onzima, owawenziwa ube nzima ngokwengeziwe imiphumela efinyelela kude yeMpi Yezwe I.

Lapho ngisemusha, ngashada nentokazi esentsha egama layo linguAgnes Cope, futhi sekuyiminyaka engaphezu kwengu-58 engumngane wami ekuphileni. Ekuqaleni sazabalaza ndawonye ukuze sithole impumelelo ekuphileni. Ngahluleka njengomlimi ngenxa yesomiso esikhulu. Ngathola impumuzo kwezemidlalo, kodwa ngangingenayo injongo yangempela ekuphileni, kwaze kwaba yilokho okuhlangenwe nakho kweSikhumbuzo sango-1942.

Ukufakaza Ezihlotsheni

Ngemva kwalesoSikhumbuzo, ngatadisha iBhayibheli ngobuqotho, ngixoxa nabanye babazala bami ngezincwadi zeBhayibheli ezazinyatheliswa iWatch Tower Society. NgoSeptember 1943 abanye oFakazi BakaJehova abavela endaweni ehlukile bafika bevakashele umphakathi wethu ongawodwa. Saba nengxoxo eshubile, eyathatha amahora amane. Khona-ke, lapho sizwa ukuthi babezohamba ngakusasa ekuseni, ngabuza: “Yini engivimbela ukuba ngibhapathizwe manje?” Mina nababili babazala bami sacwiliswa emanzini ligamenxe ihora lokuqala ekuseni. 

Ngemva kwalokho, ngahamba amabanga amade ukuze ngifakaze ezihlotsheni zami. Ezinye zazilalela, futhi kulezi ngangisekela ingxoxo yami kuMathewu isahluko 24. Ezinye zazingalaleli, futhi kulezo ngangisebenzisa amazwi kaJesu kubaFarisi alotshwe kuMathewu isahluko 23. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngafunda ukuba ngonamasu okungacunuli ngokwengeziwe, ngilingisa uBaba wethu wasezulwini onomusa nonothando.—Mathewu 5:43-45.

Ekuqaleni umkami wamelana nesifiso sami sokukhonza uJehova. Nokho, ngokushesha wahlanganyela nami, futhi ngoDecember 1943 waba umsizi ozinikezele, obhapathiziwe. Ababhapathizwa naye ngalolosuku olukhumbulekayo kwakungabanye abayisihlanu basedolobheni lakithi laseWaima, benza ingqikithi yabamemezeli boMbuso kuleyondawo yafinyelela kwabayisishiyagalolunye.

Izibusiso Naphezu Kokuphikiswa

Phakathi no-1944 saphinda savakashelwa abazalwane abavela kwelinye izwe, futhi kulokhu banikeza ukuqeqesha okudingekayo enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu ehleliwe. Njengoba ukuba khona kwethu emphakathini kwakuba okusobala ngokwengeziwe, ukuphikiswa okuvela kubameleli beLobukholwa kwakhula. (Johane 15:20) Kwakunokuphikisana okuphindaphindiwe nabefundisi bendawo, okwakuphumela ezingxoxweni ezinde zezimfundiso. Kodwa uJehova wanikeza ukunqoba, futhi amanye amalungu omphakathi, kuhlanganise nodadewethu, eza ngaphansi kokunakekela kukaJehova kothando.

NgoJune 1944 kwakhiwa ibandla eWaima. Ukushushiswa okungokwenkolo nenzondo kwakhula. OFakazi BakaJehova banqatshelwa ukuba bangcwabe emathuneni endawo. Ngezinye izikhathi ukuphikiswa kwakuba nobudlova. Kwakunokuhlasela okungokoqobo. Imoto yami negaraji eyayihlala kulo kwashiswa kwaba umlotha. Nakuba kunjalo, ngesibusiso sikaJehova, ezinyangeni ezingaphansi kwezintathu, sakwazi ukuthenga iloli. Futhi ngangisebenzisa inqola edonswa amahhashi ukuba ngiyise umkhaya wami okhulayo emihlanganweni.

Inani elandayo labahlanganyelayo lasho ukuthi sasinesidingo esiphuthumayo sendawo yemihlangano enkudlwana, ngakho-ke sanquma ukwakha iHholo LoMbuso eWaima. Leli kwakuyiHholo LoMbuso lokuqala elakhiwa eNew Zealand. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezine izihlahla zinqunyiwe ngoDecember 1, 1949, ehholo elisha elihlala abantu abangu-260 kwaba nesimiso esihlangene somhlangano nesokulinikezela. Kulezozinsuku lokho kwakungokuthile ngempela, okufinyelelwe ngosizo lukaJehova.

Ubufakazi Obengeziwe Bokunakekela KukaJehova

Njengoba inani labamemezeli boMbuso enyakatho impela yeNew Zealand laliqhubeka landa, ababonisi abajikelezayo ababevakashile banikeza isikhuthazo sokukhonza lapho indingeko yayinkulu khona. Ngisabela kulokho, ngo-1956, ngathuthela umkhaya wami ePukekohe, eningizimu nje yeAuckland. Sakhonza lapho iminyaka engu-13.—Qhathanisa nezEnzo 16:9.

Izibonelo ezimbili zokunakekela kukaJehova phakathi nalesikhathi zingezivelele enkumbulweni yami. Ngesikhathi ngiqashwe umkhandlu wesifunda njengomshayeli weloli nomqondisi womshini, ngamenyelwa eSikoleni SeNkonzo SoMbuso esathatha amasonto amane ehhovisi legatsha leWatch Tower Society eAuckland. Ngacela iholide lamasonto amane ngaleyonjongo, futhi unjiniyela ophethe wathi: “Ungalithola. Ngifisa sengathi abantu abengeziwe bebenjengawe. Lapho ubuya, kumelwe uzongibona ehhovisi lami.” Lapho ekugcineni ngivakashela ehhovisi lakhe, ngathola iholo lamasonto amane engangingekho ngawo. Ngaleyondlela, izidingo zomkhaya wami zanakekelwa.—Mathewu 6:33.

Lokho kwakuyisibonelo sokuqala. Esesibili senzeka ngemva kokuba mina nomkami singenele inkonzo yamaphayona avamile ngo-1968. Nakulokhu, sancika kuJehova ukuze asisekele, futhi wasivuza. Ngolunye usuku ngemva kokudla kwasekuseni, umkami wavula umnyango wesiqandisi futhi wangathola lutho phakathi ngaphandle kwebhotela elingamagremu angu-250. “Sarn,” esho, “asisenalutho esizoludla. Sisazoya enkonzweni namhlanje?” Yaba yini impendulo yami? “Yebo!”

Endlini yokuqala, umnini-khaya wayemukela incwadi esasiyihambisa futhi ngomusa wasinikeza amaqanda amaningana njengomnikelo. Umuntu wesibili esamvakashela wasinikeza isipho semifino—amakumara (obhatata), icauliflower, nezaqatha. Okunye ukudla esabuya nakho ekhaya ngalolosuku kwakuyinyama nebhotela. Yeka ukuthi aba yiqiniso kanjani endabeni yethu amazwi kaJesu: “Bukani izinyoni zezulu ukuthi azihlwanyeli, azivuni, azibekeleli ezinqolobaneni; nokho uYihlo wasezulwini uyazondla. Nina kanizidluli kakhulu na?”—Mathewu 6:26.

Isabelo Saphesheya

ERarotonga eziQhingini zaseCook! Lesi kwakuyisabelo sethu sobuphayona obukhethekile ngo-1970. Kwakuzoba ikhaya lethu iminyaka emine eyayizolandela. Inselele yokuqala lapha kwakuwukufunda ulimi olusha. Nokho, ngenxa yokufana phakathi kwesiMaori saseNew Zealand nesasesiQhingini saseCook, ngakwazi ukunikeza inkulumo yami yokuqala yeningi ngemva kwamasonto amahlanu ngifikile.

EziQhingini zaseCook, kwakunabamemezeli boMbuso abambalwa, futhi sasingenandawo yokuhlanganyela. Nalapha, ephendula umthandazo, uJehova wasinikeza izidingo zethu. Ukuzixoxela nje nomnini-sitolo kwaphumela ekuqasheni kwethu indawo efanele, futhi esikhathini esingangonyaka sasesinekhaya elincane neHholo LoMbuso elingahlalisa abantu abangu-140. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke sathola izibusiso eziningi, kwaba udumo kuJehova.

Esasikwazisa ngokukhethekile kwakuwumoya wokungenisa izihambi esasiwuboniswa kulesosiqhingi. Njalo, lapho sisenkonzweni, sasinikezwa iziphuzo eziqabulayo—ezazamukeleka kakhulu esimweni sezulu esishisayo, esinomswakama. Ngokuvamile sasifika ekhaya sithole obhanana, ophopho, omango namawolintshi kushiywe emnyango umuntu ongaziwa.

Ngo-1971 mina nomkami, siphelezelwa abanye abamemezeli abathathu baseRarotonga, saya esiqhingini saseAitutaki, esiphawuleka ngechweba laso elihle. Sathola abathandi beZwi likaNkulunkulu phakathi kwezakhamuzi ezinomoya wokungenisa izihambi futhi saqalisa izifundo zeBhayibheli zasekhaya ezine, esaziqhuba ngokubhalelana ngemva kokubuyela kwethu eRarotonga. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi labobafundi eAitutaki babhapathizwa, futhi kwaqaliswa ibandla. Ngo-1978 iHholo LoMbuso lesibili eziQhingini zaseCook lakhiwa lapho. UJehova waqhubeka ekhulisa izinto esabela ekutshaleni nasekuniseleni kwethu.—1 Korinte 3:6, 7.

Ngaba nelungelo lokuvakashela eziqhingini eziyishumi eqenjini lesiQhingi saseCook, ngokuvamile ngaphansi kwezimo ezivivinyayo. Olunye uhambo ngesikebhe lokuya eAtiu, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-180, lwaludinga izinsuku ezingaphezu kweziyisithupha ngenxa yomoya omkhulu nolwandle olugubhayo. (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Korinte 11:26.) Ngisho nakuba ukudla kwakulinganiselwe futhi abaningi ababengizungezile babecanuzeliswa ulwandle, ngangibonga ngokunakekela kukaJehova, okwaphumela ekufikeni kwami ngiphephile lapho ngangiya khona.

Ngo-1974 sanqatshelwa ukuthola imvume yokuhlala eziQhingini zaseCook ngakho kwakufanele siphindele eNew Zealand. Ngalesosikhathi kwakunamabandla amathathu kuleziqhingi.

Amalungelo Enkonzo Engeziwe—Novivinyo

Emuva eNew Zealand, iminyango emisha yamathuba yavuleka. (1 Korinte 16:9) INhlangano yayidinga othile owayengase ahumushe INqabayokulinda nezincwadi zeBhayibheli ngesiMaori sasesiQhingini saseCook. Nganikezwa lelolungelo, ngisalijabulela kuze kube namuhla. Khona-ke ngaba nelungelo lokwenza izimpindelo njalo kubazalwane bami eziQhingini zaseCook, okokuqala njengombonisi wesifunda, kamuva njengombambeli wombonisi wesigodi.

Kokunye kwalokho kuhambela, uMzalwan’ uAlex Napa, iphayona elikhethekile laseRarotonga, wahamba nami ohambweni lwasolwandle lwezinsuku ezingu-23 olwasiyisa eManahiki, eRakahanga, nasePenrhyn—iziqhingi ezisenyakatho zaseCook. Esiqhingini ngasinye, uJehova washukumisa izinhliziyo zabantu bendawo abanomoya wokungenisa izihambi ukuba basinikeze indawo yokuhlala futhi bamukele izincwadi zeBhayibheli eziningi. (Qhathanisa nezEnzo 16:15.) Kuleziqhingi, amaoyster amaparele maningi, futhi ezikhathini eziningi abantu babesinikeza amaparele njengomnikelo wezindleko zomsebenzi wokushumayela womhlaba wonke. Ngakho-ke, njengoba sasinikeza amaparele angokomoya, sasithola angokoqobo.—Qhathanisa noMathewu 13:45, 46.

Yeka ukuthi yinhle kanjani leyongxenye yezwe engayodwa! Cabanga oshaka abakhulu bebhukuda ndawonye ngokuthula nezingane echwebeni! Yeka ubuhle obumangalisayo obabunikezwa isibhakabhaka sasebusuku! Yeka ukuthi ayiqiniso kanjani amazwi omhubi: “Usuku luyalandisa usuku inkulumo, nobusuku bushumayeza ubusuku ukwazi.”—IHubo 19:2.

Khona-ke, eminyakeni eyisishiyagalolunye edlule, kwafika uvivinyo lwangempela lobuqotho. Umkami walaliswa esibhedlela ngenxa yokopha ebuchosheni. Ukuhlinza kwakudingeka, kodwa udokotela wayengafuni ukuvuma ukuba akwenze ngaphandle kokusebenzisa igazi. Mina nomkami ngenxa kanembeza sasingeke sivume ukuba kwenziwe inqubo eyayizokwephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa unembeza kadokotela ohlinzayo wamtshela ukuthi kumelwe kusetshenziswe zonke izindlela ezingenzeka, kuhlanganise negazi, ukuze kusindiswe ukuphila.

Impilo yomkami yaba yimbi, futhi wafakwa egunjini labagulela ukufa, futhi kwabekwa nemingcele yokumvakashela. Akabange esakwazi ukuzwa ngenxa yokucindezeleka kwama-eardrum. Kwaba isimo esibucayi. Ngemva kokunye ukuvakasha udokotela wangilandela saya emotweni yami, ephikelela ngokuthi ithuba lokuphila komkami laliwukuba ahlinzwe afakwe igazi futhi engincenga ukuba ngikuvumele lokho. Nakuba kunjalo, mina nomkami sasithembela kuJehova—ngisho noma ukulalela umthetho wakhe kungaphumela ekulahlekelweni iminyaka embalwa kulokhu kuphila kwamanje.

Ngokushesha, kwaba nobungcono obuphawulekayo esimweni somkami. Ngolunye usuku ngafika ngamthola ehlezi embhedeni efunda. Ngezinsuku ezilandelayo waqala ukufakaza ezigulini nakubahlengikazi. Khona-ke ngabizwa ukuba ngiye ehhovisi likadokotela ohlinzayo. “Mnumzane Wharerau,” esho, “uyindoda enenhlanhla ngempela! Sikholelwa ukuthi inkinga yomkakho isiphelile.” Ngokungalindelekile, umfutho wegazi lakhe wawusubuyele esimweni sawo. Sobabili, mina nomkami sabonga uJehova futhi sazimisela kabusha ukwenza okungcono kakhulu enkonzweni yakhe.

Manje sengiphinde ngabelwa eziQhingini zaseCook sengikhonza eRarotonga futhi. Yeka ilungelo elibusisekile! Lapho ngibuka emuva mina nomkami siyabonga ngokunakekela kukaJehova esikhathini esicishe sibe ngaphezu kwamashumi amahlanu eminyaka enkonzweni yakhe. Ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, asikaze singabi nazo izidingo zokuphila. Ngomqondo ongokomoya, izibusiso ziye zaba ziningi kakhulu ukuthi singazibala. Esiphawulekayo esenani lezihlobo zami ezingokwenyama eziye zamukela iqiniso. Ngingabala ezingaphezu kuka-200 manje esezingoFakazi BakaJehova ababhapathiziwe, kuhlanganise nezenzalo yami ezingu-65. Omunye umzukulu uyilungu lomkhaya waseBethel yaseNew Zealand, kuyilapho enye indodakazi kanye nomyeni wayo namadodana amabili benza umsebenzi wokwakha emagatsheni.—3 Johane 4.

Lapho ngibheka phambili, ngiyalazisa ithemba lokuphila epharadesi lapho, emhlabeni kabanzi, ubuhle buyokwedlula ngisho nalobo bedolobha elihle eliluhlaza lapho ngazalelwa khona. Yeka ilungelo okuyoba yilo ukwamukela umama nobaba ovukweni futhi ngibazise ngesihlengo, uMbuso, nabo bonke obunye ubufakazi bokunakekela kukaJehova.

Ukuzimisela kwami, kusekelwa ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyanginakekela, kunjengoba umhubi akubeka kumaHubo 104:33: “Ngiyakumhubela uJehova kukho konke ukuphila kwami; ngiyakuhlabelela kuNkulunkulu wami ngisekhona.”—Njengoba ilandiswa uSarn Wharerau.

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

IHholo LoMbuso lokuqala elakhiwa eNew Zealand, ngo-1950