ISIBONELO SABAZALI BAMI

Ngasekupheleni kwawo-1950, abazali bami bathutha e-Italy baya eKindersley, eSaskatchewan, eCanada. Ngokushesha nje ngemva kwalokho, bathola iqiniso futhi laba yinto ebaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwethu. Ngikhumbula ngesikhathi ngiseyingane, ngangichitha isikhathi esiningi enkonzweni nomndeni wami. Ngakho ngezinye izikhathi ngiyaye ngincokole ngithi ngaqala ukuba “yiphayona elisizayo” ngineminyaka engu-8!

Abazali bami babehlupheka; noma kunjalo, basibekela isibonelo esihle sokuzidela ngenxa kaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1963 badayisa izinto zabo eziningi ukuze baqongelele imali yokuya emhlanganweni wezizwe ePasadena, eCalifornia, e-U.S.A. Ngo-1972 sathuthela endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-1 000 ebizwa ngokuthi iTrail, eBritish Columbia, eCanada, ukuze siyosiza ensimini yabantu abakhuluma isiNtaliyane. Ubaba wayeyisisebenzi esihlanza isikole. Wayeyinqaba imisebenzi eyayizomholela imali eningi ukuze akwazi ukugxila ekukhonzeni uJehova.

Ngiyababonga abazali bami ngesibonelo abasibekela sona mina nezingane zakithi ezintathu. Saba yisisekelo esiqinile ekuqeqeshweni kwami enkonzweni kaJehova. Bangifundise into ebengilokhu ngiyikhumbula ukuphila kwami konke, ukuthi: Uma ngifuna uMbuso kuqala, uJehova uzonginakekela.—Math. 6:33.

UKUQALA INKONZO YESIKHATHI ESIGCWELE

Ngo-1980, ngashada noDebbie, udade omuhle owayenemigomo engokomoya ecacile. Sasifuna ukungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele, ngakho uDebbie waqala ukuphayona ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu sishadile. Ngemva konyaka sishadile, sathuthela ebandleni elincane elalinesidingo sabamemezeli futhi ngaqala ukuphayona kanye naye.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, sadikibala futhi sasifuna ukuthutha kuleyo ndawo. Kodwa, saqale sakhuluma  nombonisi wesigodi. Ngomusa kodwa ngokungagwegwesi wathi kithi: “Nani anisenzi sibe ngcono isimo enibhekene naso. Nigxile ezintweni ezimbi esimweni enibhekene naso. Kodwa uma ningabheka okuhle kuso nizokuthola.” Sasisidinga ngempela leso seluleko. (IHu. 141:5) Sasisebenzisa ngokushesha leso seluleko futhi ngokushesha saqaphela ukuthi ngempela zaziziningi izinto ezinhle ngesimo esasibhekene naso. Abaningana ebandleni babefuna ukumenzela okwengeziwe uJehova, kuhlanganise nabasebasha nabanye ababeshade nabantu abangebona oFakazi. Leso kwakuyisifundo esibaluleke kakhulu kithi. Safunda ukubheka okuhle nokulinda uJehova alungise isimo esingase sibonakale siyinselele kithi. (Mika 7:7) Saphinde sajabula futhi izinto zaba ngcono.

Othisha basesikoleni samaphayona sokuqala esaya kuso babekhonze kwamanye amazwe. Njengoba babesibonisa izithombe zasemazweni ababekhonza kuwo futhi bekhuluma ngezinselele ababhekana nazo nangezibusiso abazithola, basenza safuna ukuba yizithunywa zevangeli. Ngakho saphetha ngokuthi sifuna ukuba yizithunywa zevangeli.

Ukuze sifinyelele lowo mgomo, ngo-1984 sathuthela eQuebec, endaweni enabantu abakhuluma isiFulentshi, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-4 000 ukusuka eBritish Columbia. Lokho kwakusho ukuthi kwakudingeka sifunde isiko elisha nolimi olusha. Enye inselele esasibhekene nayo ukuthi sasivame ukuba nemali encane. Ngesinye isikhathi, sasiphila ngokukhothoza amazambane ayesele ensimini yomlimi. UDebbie wafunda ukuwapheka kamnandi nokuwapheka ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene amazambane! Naphezu kwalezo zinselele, sagxila ekukhuthazeleni ngenjabulo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sabona ukuthi uJehova wayesinakekela.—IHu. 64:10.

Ngolunye usuku, sathola ucingo esasingalulindele. Sasimenywa ukuba siyokhonza eBethel yaseCanada. Phambilini sasifake isicelo sokuya eSikoleni SaseGileyadi, ngakho nakuba sasijabule ngokumenywa ukuba siyokhonza eBethel ngakolunye uhlangothi sasidumele. Kodwa sasamukela leso simemo. Lapho sifika khona, sabuza uMfoweth’ uKenneth Little oyilungu leKomiti Yegatsha, “Sizokwenzenjani uma sibizwa eGileyadi?” Waphendula wathi, “Lokho sizokubona uma sekwenzeka.”

Ngemva kweviki, yilokho kanye okwenzeka, mina noDebbie samenywa ukuba siye eGileyadi. Ngakho  kwakudingeka senze isinqumo. UMfoweth’ uLittle wathi kithi: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini enizoyikhetha, ngezinye izinsuku ningase nifise sengathi ngabe nakhetha ngendlela ehlukile. Kulezo zinto ezimbili, ayikho engcono kunenye; uJehova angabusisa noma iyiphi phakathi kwazo.” Sasamukela isimemo sokuya eGileyadi futhi kule minyaka edlule sikubonile ukuba yiqiniso kweseluleko sikaMfoweth’ uLittle. Sasivame ukubatshela amazwi akhe labo okwakudingeka bakhethe ukuthi yisiphi isabelo abazosenza.

UKUBA YIZITHUNYWA ZEVANGELI

Sasijabule kakhulu ngokuba phakathi kwabafundi abangu-24 bekilasi lika-83 laseGileyadi elaliseBrooklyn, eNew York, ngo-Ephreli 1987. Othisha bethu abayinhloko kwakunguMfoweth’ u-Ulysses Glass noJack Redford. Izinyanga ezinhlanu zadlula ngokushesha futhi sathweswa iziqu ngoSepthemba 6, 1987. Sabelwa ukuyokhonza eHaiti, sikanye noJohn noMarie Goode.

Izithunywa zevangeli zaseGileyadi zazigcine ukuthunyelwa eHaiti ngo-1962 ngesikhathi izithunywa zevangeli ezazisele zixoshwa kulelo zwe. Ngemva kwamaviki amathathu sithweswe iziqu, saqala ukukhonza nebandla elincane elinabamemezeli abangu-35, endaweni enezintaba eHaiti. Sasisebasha singenaso nesipiliyoni futhi sasihlala sodwa ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli. Abantu bakuleyo ndawo babehlupheka kakhulu futhi iningi labo lalingakwazi ukufunda. Njengoba sasikuleyo ndawo futhi sisanda kuqala ukuba yizithunywa zevangeli kwaba nezimpi zombango, abantu ababezama ukuketula umbuso, kwakubekwe izinto ezivimba indlela emigwaqweni ezokhelwe ngomlilo futhi kwakubuye kube nezishingishane.

 Kuningi esakufunda kubafowethu nodadewethu baseHaiti ababenokholo oluqinile nababejabule. Abaningi babo babebhekene nobunzima, kodwa babemthanda uJehova nenkonzo. Omunye udade osekhulile wayengakwazi ukufunda; kodwa wayeyazi ngekhanda imiBhalo engaba ngu-150. Izimo esasibhekene nazo zasenza sazimisela nakakhulu ukuqhubeka sishumayeza abantu, sibatshele ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uwukuphela kwekhambi lezinkinga zesintu. Kusijabulisa kakhulu ukuthi abanye esaqala ukufunda nabo iBhayibheli kuleyo ndawo baba amaphayona avamile, amaphayona akhethekile nabadala.

Ngesikhathi siseHaiti, ngahlangana noTrevor, insizwa eyisithunywa sevangeli samaMormon futhi saba nethuba lokuxoxa ngeBhayibheli izikhathi eziningana. Kamuva ngemva kweminyaka ethile, ngathola incwadi evela kuye engangingayilindele. Wabhala: “Ngiyabhapathizwa emhlanganweni wesigodi ozayo! Ngifuna ukubuyela eHaiti ngiyokhonza njengephayona elikhethekile kule ndawo engangiyisithunywa sevangeli samaMormon kuyo.” Yilokho kanye akwenza iminyaka eminingi, ekanye nomkakhe.

EYUROPHU—KAMUVA E-AFRIKA

Sabelwa ukuyokhonza kwelinye lamazwe aseYurophu lapho umsebenzi wokushumayela wawusuvunyelwe khona. Ngo-1992 safika eLjubljana, eSlovenia, eduze kwalapho abazali bami abakhulela khona ngaphambi kokuba bathuthele e-Italy. Impi yayisaqhubeka ezindaweni ezazaziwa ngokuthi iYugoslavia. Igatsha laseVienna, e-Austria kanye namahhovisi aseZagreb, eCroatia nawaseBelgrade, eSerbia, ayenakekela umsebenzi wokushumayela kuleyo ndawo. Manje ngayinye yaleyo ndawo eyi-republic ezimele yayisizoba neBethel yayo.

Lokho kwakusho ukuthi kwase kudingeka sifunde olunye ulimi, sijwayele nesiko elisha. Abantu bendawo babethi, “Jezik je težek,” okusho ukuthi “Lolu limi lunzima.” Kwakuyiqiniso ngempela lokho! Sasikwazisa ukuba qotho kwabafowethu nodadewethu ababehlale bezimisele ukwamukela ushintsho olwenziwa yinhlangano, sayibona nendlela uJehova ayebabusisa ngayo. Saphinde sayibona indlela uJehova ahlale ezilungisa ngayo ngothando izinto ngesikhathi esifanele. Iminyaka esayichitha eSlovenia yasenza sasebenzisa izifundo esasizifundile ngaphambili futhi safunda izifundo ezintsha kuleyo ndawo.

 Kodwa luningi ushintsho olwaluseza. Ngo-2000 sabelwa ukuba siyokhonza eCôte d’Ivoire, eNtshonalanga Afrika. Kwathi ngoNovemba 2002, sayiswa eSierra Leone ngenxa yempi yombango. Kuleyo ndawo kwakusanda kuphela impi yombango eyayisidonse iminyaka engu-11. Kwakunzima ukuhamba isibhudukane eCôte d’Ivoire. Nokho, izifundo esasizifundile zasisiza ukuba singaphelelwa yinjabulo.

Sagxila kubantu bakuleyo ndawo abaningi ababethanda ukufunda iqiniso nakubafowethu nodadewethu abanothando ababekhuthazelele impi iminyaka eminingi. Babehlupheka kodwa babefuna ukupha abanye lokho abanakho. Omunye udade wapha uDebbie izingubo zokugqoka. Ekuqaleni uDebbie wayenqikaza ukuzithatha, kodwa lo dade waphikelela wathi: “Ngesikhathi kunempi, abafowethu bakwamanye amazwe babesisekela. Manje sekuyithuba lethu lokusiza abanye.” Sakwenza umgomo wethu ukulingisa isibonelo sabo.

Ekugcineni saphindela eCôte d’Ivoire, kodwa kwaphinde kwaba nodlame ngenxa yezinkinga zepolitiki endaweni. Ngakho, ngoNovemba 2004 sabalekiswa ngebhanoyi, umuntu ngamunye ephethe isikhwama esingamakhilogremu angu-10. Ngalolo suku salala phansi endaweni yamasosha aseFrance, sabe sesiyiswa eSwitzerland ngebhanoyi ngosuku olulandelayo. Lapho sifika egatsheni phakathi kwamabili, iKomiti Yegatsha nothisha baseSikoleni Sokuqeqeshela Inkonzo kanye nomkabo basamukela ngezandla ezifudumele, basihaga, basinika ukudla okumnandi noshokoledi omningi waseSwitzerland. Sathinteka ngempela.

Sabelwa ukuyokhonza eGhana okwesikhashana, sabe sesibuyela eCôte d’Ivoire ngemva kokuba impi yombango seyingcono. Umusa esawuboniswa abazalwane wasisiza sakwazi ukukhuthazelela izimo ezicindezelayo zokukhishwa emakhaya ethu singalindele, sakwazi nokwenza izabelo zesikhashana. Mina noDebbie savumelana ngokuthi nakuba kuyinto evamile ukuba abazalwane babonisane uthando enhlanganweni kaJehova, asisoze saluthatha kalula. Empeleni, ngisho nalezo zikhathi ezinzima zadlala indima ebalulekile ekuqeqeshweni kwethu.

ISABELO SOKUYA EMPUMALANGA EPHAKATHI

Ngo-2006 sathola incwadi evela endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke eyayisitshela ngesabelo sokuyokhonza eMpumalanga Ephakathi. Nalapha futhi sabhekana nezimo ezintsha, izinselele ezintsha, kwadingeka sifunde nezilimi ezintsha namasiko amasha. Kuningi okwakudingeka sikufunde kule ndawo eyayinabantu abagxile kakhulu kwezepolitiki nabathanda kakhulu inkolo. Sasizithanda izilimi ezihlukahlukene ezazikhulunywa emabandleni, sabubona nobunye obuba khona lapho kulandelwa isiqondiso senhlangano. Sasibazisa ngempela abafowethu ngoba iningi labo lalikukhuthazelela ngesibindi ukuphikiswa amalungu emindeni, abantu abafunda nabo esikoleni, abasebenza nabo nomakhelwane.

Saya emhlanganweni okhethekile wango-2012 owawuseTel Aviv, kwa-Israel. Lona kwakuwumhlangano woqala ngqa wabantu bakaJehova kuleyo ndawo selokhu kwaba nomhlangano ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. Kwakuyisenzakalo esiyingqopha-mlando ngempela!

Phakathi naleyo minyaka, sathunyelwa ukuba siyovakashela izwe umsebenzi wethu owawuvinjelwe kulo. Sasiphethe izincwadi zenhlangano, saya enkonzweni yasensimini saya nasemihlanganweni emincane.  Kwakunamasosha ayehlome eyizingovolo nezindawo zokusesha, kodwa sasizizwa siphephile njengoba sasihamba ngokuqapha nabamemezeli abambalwa.

SIBUYELA E-AFRIKA

Ngo-2013 sathola isabelo esihluke kakhulu—sabelwa ukuba siyokhonza egatsheni eliseKinshasa, eCongo, izwe elihle kakhulu, kodwa elalinendlala enkulu nelalivame ukuba nezimpi eziningi. Ekuqaleni sathi, “Siyayazi i-Afrika, sikulungele ukukhonza kule ndawo.” Kodwa kwakusekuningi okwakudingeka sikufunde, ikakhulukazi uma kuziwa endabeni yokuhamba ezindaweni ezingenayo imigwaqo namabhuloho. Sathola izinto eziningi ezinhle esingagxila kuzo, ezihlanganisa ukukhuthazela nenjabulo yabafowethu naphezu kwezimo zomnotho ezinzima, indlela abathanda ngayo inkonzo nemizamo abayenzayo ukuze baye emihlanganweni yebandla nasemihlanganweni emincane. Sazibonela mathupha indlela umsebenzi woMbuso owawuqhubekela ngayo phambili ngenxa nje yokusekelwa uJehova nesibusiso sakhe. Iminyaka esayichitha enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele eCongo, yasifundisa izifundo ezibaluleke kakhulu futhi yasenza saba nabangani abaningi asebefana nomndeni kithi.

Ngasekupheleni kuka-2017, saya kwesinye isabelo—eNingizimu Afrika. Leli yigatsha elikhulu kunawo wonke esake sakhonza kuwo futhi ngisho nezabelo esabelwa ukuba sizenze eBethel zazizintsha kithi. Nalapha futhi kuningi okwakusadingeka sikufunde, kodwa izifundo esazithola esikhathini esidlule zisisizile. Siyabathanda abafowethu nodadewethu asebenamashumi eminyaka bekhuthazela. Kuyamangalisa ngempela ukubona umndeni waseBethel usebenza ngobunye nakuba unabantu bezinhlanga ezingefani namasiko angefani. Kulula ukubona ukuthi uJehova ubusisa abantu bakhe ngokubanika ukuthula, njengoba begqoka ubuntu obusha futhi besebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibheli.

Kule minyaka edlule, mina noDebbie sithole izabelo ezijabulisayo, safunda ukuphila nabantu abanamasiko angefani, safunda nezilimi ezintsha. Bekungelula ngaso sonke isikhathi, kodwa besihlale siluzwa uthando lukaJehova oluqotho esebenzisa inhlangano yakhe nabafowethu. (IHu. 144:2) Sikholelwa ukuthi ukuqeqeshwa esikuthole enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele kusenze saba yizinceku zikaJehova ezingcono.

Ngiyazisa kakhulu indlela abazali bami abangikhulise ngayo, indlela umkami othandekayo uDebbie angisekela ngayo nezibonelo ezinhle zabafowethu nodadewethu emhlabeni wonke. Njengoba sibheke phambili esikhathini esizayo, sizimisele ukuqhubeka sifunda ezifundweni esizifundiswa uMfundisi wethu Omkhulu.