Ibhizinisi Lezokungcebeleka Lalingunkulunkulu Wami
IHLOMBE elikhulu, elikhala isikhathi eside lalingithokozisa kakhulu. Lalingijabulisa, lenza wonke amahora okuprakthiza angenakubalwa abonakale efanelekile. Ngangidlala umdlalo wokushwibeka emoyeni ngezintambo, futhi ngangihlanyiswa impumelelo.
Futhi ingxenye yomdlalo wami kwakuwukushaya ungqimphothwe emihlane yezindlovu, ukuma ngekhanda phezu kodondolo olubekwe bucayi phezu kwamahlombe omunye umuntu, ukuze ngenze imigilingwane eyinkimbinkimbi, nokuhlekisa izibukeli lapho ngiwumenzi wamahlaya.
Lokho kwenzeka eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-45 edlule, lapho ngineminyaka engu-17 kuphela. Manje ngiyamangala ngezenzo zobuciko umzimba olula womuntu omusha ongazenza uma eprakthiza ngokuzimisela futhi elandela isimiso esiqinile sokuphila ngokucophelela. Empeleni, ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka laba ukuphila kwami konke, unkulunkulu wami, futhi kwahlala kunjalo iminyaka engaphezu kuka-20.
Ukuqala Kokuphila Kwasesekisini
Ngazalelwa eKempsey, eNew South Wales, e-Australia. Sasimpofu—izindonga zendlu yakithi zazenziwe ngamasaka ommbila acakiwe futhi uphahla lwakhiwe ngezingcezu zamathini amadala. Eminyakeni embalwa kamuva, sathuthela phambidlana eningizimu, eTaree. Umkhaya wakithi wawungayishisekeli inkolo, nakuba ngegama sasingamalungu eBandla LikaKristu.
Ngo-1939 ubaba wajoyina umbutho wezempi. Khona-ke umama wapakisha izinto okuwukuphela kwazo esasinazo, izingubo zethu, futhi enami kanye nodadewethu abathathu sathuthela eSydney. Lapho ngaya esikoleni sokuzivocavoca futhi ngabonisa ikhono elimangalisayo elingokwemvelo. Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa nje, ngaba uchwepheshe kwezokuzivocavoca. Khona-ke, ngo-1946, nganikezwa umsebenzi esekisini wokuba ngifunde ukudlala umdlalo wokushwibeka emoyeni ngezintambo.
Isekisi lalidlala edolobheni elihlukile cishe ubusuku ngabunye. Izixuku zaziza zizobona lelisekisi elikhangayo elinedumela, kodwa, eqinisweni, zazingakuboni ukulwa nokuxokozela kokudakwa okwakwenzeka ngasesithe. Futhi zazingazi ngokuziphatha okuxekethile kwabadlali abaningi ezazibathanda kakhulu.
Ngokuqhubekayo ngangiba semibuthanweni yokuzijabulisa futhi ngaso sonke isikhathi ngangihileleka ezimpini. Ngiyabonga ngokuthi ukudakwa akuzange kungikhange. Futhi ngawugwema umkhuba wokusebenzisa inkulumo engcolile futhi ngangingakubekezeleli ukuzwa noma ubani ethuka kukhona owesifazane. Lokhu kwakuyimbangela yezimpi zami eziningi.
Kunoma yiliphi idolobha elikhudlwana esasidlala kulo, othile wayethunywa kumpristi wakuleyondawo ongumKatolika ukuba amnikeze amathikithi akhe okungena esekisini mahhala nomnikelo wesonto. Lokhu kwakuthiwa kuzoletha inhlanhla futhi kuqinisekise ukuthi kuza abantu abaningi esekisini.
Ukuguqukela Kuyi-vaudeville
Ngo-1952, ngatshelwa abanye abadlali be-vaudeville (imidlalo yasesiteji eyingxubevange) ukuthi indlela yokwenza imali eningi nokufinyelela impumelelo enkulu kakhulu kwakuwukudlala i-vaudeville. Ngakho ngaqala ukwenza amakhonsathi amaningi e-vaudeville ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene. Khona-ke ngenza uchungechunge lwamakhonsathi kuma-nightclub ahlukahlukene futhi ekugcineni ngadlala ezinkundleni eziningi zemidlalo yasesiteji eziphambili e-Australia naseNew Zealand. Ngangidlala nabadlali abadumile, kuyilapho, ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngizenzela udumo njengomdlali we-jugglery (ukuphonsa izinto eziningi phezulu ubuye uzinqake ngayinye) nanjengomdlali wezokuzivocavoca.
Ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi ngangikhethe kahle ngokuguqukela kuyi-vaudeville, kodwa ngadunyazwa ukuthi imibuthano yokuzijabulisa, ukuziphatha okubi, nokudakwa kwakukubi ngisho nakakhulu kuyi-vaudeville kunasesekisini. Manje ngahlangana nongqingili besilisa nabesifazane. Futhi ngaqala ukuba phakathi kwabantu abasebenzisa izidakamizwa, kodwa ngiyajabula ngokuthi angizange ngihileleke kuzo.
Engangicabanga ngakho nje kwakuwukuzenzela udumo nokuthuthukisa umsebenzi wami. Ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka nokubatshazwa engangikuthola kwakuyilokho engangikufuna. Kwanginikeza yonke injabulo engangiyidinga. Ngaze ngisho nganquma nokuthi ngangingeke ngishade. Ngangingawufuni umthwalo wemfanelo—ngangizijabulisa kuphela. Ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka lalingunkulunkulu wami. Kodwa namacebo ahlelwe kahle angaguquka.
Ukushada
Ngolunye usuku, lapho ngifuna abadansi be-ballet abanekhono ukuba bajoyine ikhonsathi le-vaudeville elihamba izindawo ezihlukahlukene, ngahlangana nentombazane enhle kunawo wonke engake ngawabona. Igama layo kwakunguRobyn. Yayingeyena nje umdansi we-ballet ofanelekayo kuphela kodwa futhi yayiwumdlali onekhono we-contortion. Okwangijabulisa ukuthi yawemukela kalula lomsebenzi futhi ngangidansa nayo esigabeni sabadlala ngababili esasiphumelela. Ezinyangeni ezinhlanu kamuva, ngo-June 1957, sashada. Eminyakeni emithathu eyalandela, sadlala kuma-nightclub, sajikeleza senza amakhonsathi, futhi savela kuthelevishini.
Ngemva kokuba sesishadile, sazehlukanisa nabanye ngangokunokwenzeka, sigwema ngangokunokwenzeka ukuba mdibi munye nabanye abadansi ekuzijabuliseni. Ngisho nalapho sidlala kuma-nightclub, ngangiqikelela ukuthi uRobyn wayehlala egunjini lokushintshela kuze kube yilapho kufanele siye esiteji. Abenzi bamahlaya babexoxa amahlaya angcolile, futhi abanye babaculi babesebenzisa izidakamizwa. Iningi labo laliphuza ngokuqhubekayo futhi lisebenzisa inkulumo engcolile.
Ukudlala Kwamanye Amazwe
Ngo-1960 sathola ithuba lokusayina isivumelwano sokuyodlala phesheya. ‘Yithuba lethu elihle kunawo wonke leli,’ ngicabanga. Nokho, manje sase sinendodakazi encane, uJulie, okwakumelwe sicabange ngayo. Nakuba kunjalo, umkhaya wami ngawuthuthela ngaseMpumalanga Ekude, konke esasinakho kusemapotimendeni, ngezinye izikhathi senza amakhonsathi angaba mahlanu ngobusuku obubodwa. Lokhu kwaqhubeka isikhathi esingaphezu konyaka, sase siphindela e-Australia.
Manje njengoba sase sidume umhlaba wonke, akukho lapho amakhonsathi ethu ayengafunwa khona. Kodwa kwakunamathuba ayingcosana e-Australia ngenxa yenani layo labantu elincane ngokuqhathaniswa. Ngakho ngo-1965 saphindela phesheya. Ngalesikhathi sasingenaye uJulie kuphela kodwa futhi nenye indodakazi encane u-Amanda. Phakathi neminyaka emihlanu eyalandela, sadlala emazweni ahlukahlukene angu-18.
Ubunzima engafaka umkhaya wami kubo ngenxa yesisusa sokufuna ukuba umdlali ongcono kakhulu babesabeka. Ngesinye isikhathi ngaqasha indoda ethile enesibhamu ukuba igade abantwana bethu, ababesendaweni eyibanga elingamamitha angu-60 kuphela ukusuka lapho sasidlalela khona. Ngangivame ukuphikisana nabanikazi bama-nightclub ababefuna ukuba uRobyn ahlale nabathengi abakhuthaze ukuba baphuze, kodwa labobantu abaxokozelayo babelindele okwengeziwe kuye. Sasidlala kuma-nightclub nabadlali abazikhumula izingubo, izifebe, nongqingili, abanye babo ababeshela mina noma umkami ngezindlela ezingcolile. Futhi iqembu labaculi be-rock ngokuvamile lalidakwa izidakamizwa.
Phakathi nohambo lwethu, emini ngangiba nesikhathi esiningi sokubona izindawo. Njalo ngangivakashela ema-zoo, emasontweni amaMuslim, emathempelini, emasontweni, noma emikhosini engokwenkolo. Lezizindawo ngangizivakashela ngenxa yokuba nelukuluku lokufuna ukwazi, njengoba ngangingathambekele ngempela enkolweni. Kwangimangaza ukuthi izinto eziningi kangaka ezihlukahlukene zazikhulekelwa. Kwakunemifanekiso eqoshiwe yamadoda eyayinamakhanda ezilwane, nezilwane ezazinamakhanda amadoda nawabesifazane. Kwelinye izwe, abantu babekhulekela ngisho nezitho zangasese zabesilisa nezabesifazane, ngokusobala kukholelwa ukuthi lokhu kwakuzokhulisa amandla obulili nawokuzala abakhulekeli.
Kwelinye izwe, abafana namadoda babezishaya emihlane ngemimese esika ezinhlangothini ezintathu kuze kuphume igazi. Ngosuku engangilapho ngalo, amadoda amathathu afa ngenxa yokulahlekelwa igazi eliningi kakhulu. Kwelinye isonto elidumile elihlala umbhishobhi, ngacasuka lapho ngibona loluphawu emabhokisini okuvuma izono: “Ukuvuma isono esisodwa, [yirandi]; ezimbili, [u-R2]; ezintathu, [u-R2,50].” Ngacabanga: ‘Uma inkolo injena, angiyifuni!’
Ukuphindela E-Australia
Ngo-1968 sathumela uJulie ekhaya, kodwa kwasithatha ezinye izinyanga ezingu-18 ukuba siqongelele imali yokukhokha izindleko zethu sonke zokuphindela emuva. Ngo-1970 safika ekhaya sinemali encane kakhulu noma udumo esiluzuze ngokuzikhandla kwethu. Imali yethu eningi yayiphelele ezingubeni zomculo, emculweni, ekuhambahambeni, ezindaweni zokuhlala, nakubantu ababesihlelela umsebenzi. Esasinakho nje kwakuyizinto zethu ezithuthekayo zasesiteji nalokho esasingakuthwala emapotimendeni ethu.
Ngemva kokuphindela e-Australia, ngandisa umsebenzi wami futhi ngaba umdlali wasesiteji. Ngathola isivumelwano sokuba umenzi wamahlaya emdlalweni wethelevishini odlala isikhathi eside obizwa ngokuthi i-Yellow House. Ngabhala futhi ngaqamba imidlalo yabantwana yokulingisa nemidlalo yabenzi bamahlaya ezodlalwa kuma-nightclub ahlukahlukene, kuyilapho ngiqhubeka ekudlaleni kwethu noRobyn. Ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka lalisengunkulunkulu wami. URobyn nabantwana baqala ukuhlupheka; kwaba sengathi ngangingeyena umyeni noma ubaba.
Inselele Yenkolo
Ngolunye usuku umkhwekazi wami, owayehlala nathi, wabonisa uRobyn incwadi ethi IQiniso eliholela ekuPhileni okuPhakade. “Funda lencwadi,” esho. “Imayelana nenkolo, kodwa ihlukile.” URobyn wenqaba, ethi ngemva kokubona lokho esakubona phesheya wayengenasithakazelo enkolweni. Nokho, unina akazange aphele amandla. Walandelela uRobyn isonto lonke, ephikelela ngokuthi afunde lencwadi. Ekugcineni uRobyn wavuma, ngokuyinhloko ukuze ajabulise unina.
Kwaba sengathi amehlo kaRobyn ayevulwe ngokungazelele, echaza kamuva. Wayehlabeke umxhwele ngezimpendulo zemibuzo yakhe eminingi kangangokuba wafuna ukwazi okwengeziwe. Emasontweni amabili kamuva unina wahlela ukuba ababili boFakazi BakaJehova basivakashele ekhaya. Ngemva kokusivakashela kaningana, basimemela komunye wemihlangano yabo owawuqhutshwa endaweni engekude. Ngaya ngimadolonzima. Eqinisweni, ngahlabeka umxhwele kangangokuba saqala ukuya emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso.
Nokho, ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka lalisengunkulunkulu wami, ngakho ngokushesha ngaqaphela ukuthi ngangingenalo ikusasa koFakazi. Nokho, uRobyn wafuna ukuqhubeka efunda amaqiniso eBhayibheli, ngisho noma ngangingafuni. Ngathukuthela. ‘Yiliphi ilungelo,’ ngicabanga, ‘labantu abanalo lokungena phakathi kwami nomkami, bagcwalise umqondo wakhe ngodoti wenkolo?’
Ngisho nezinsongo zami zokuphelisa umshado wethu zaba nhlanga zimuka nomoya. URobyn wama eqinile futhi waqhubeka etadisha. Waze ngisho waqala ukuphuma ayokhuluma nabanye endlini ngendlu ngezinkolelo zakhe. Okwangiqeda dú kwaba yilapho engitshela ukuthi ufuna ukubhapathizwa abe uFakazi ozinikezele. Nokho, welulekwa ukuba alinde kuze kube ngemva kokuba eseyekile ukudlala kwezokungcebeleka.
‘Hha!’ ngicabanga. ‘Sengiphumelele. Ngeke bamthole. Akasoze awuyeke umdlalo wakhe.’ Kodwa ngangishaye phansi. URobyn wanginikeza unyaka owodwa, okwathi ngemva kwawo, wathi wayezoyeka. Ngahleka, ngikholelwa ukuthi wayengasoze awushiye umdlalo ayewuthanda kangaka. Kodwa futhi ngangishaye phansi. Onyakeni owodwa kamuva walishiya ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka futhi wabhapathizwa. Kwaba kanjalo nangendodakazi yethu uJulie nonina kaRobyn.
Ukulwa Kwami Neqiniso
Ngemva kwalokho ngamthuka uRobyn, ngimtshela ukuthi wayengidumazile, nokuthi wayengangikhathaleli. “Ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka liwukuphila kwami konke. Akukho okunye engangingakwenza,” ngibubula. “Izinkathazo zami zonke zingenxa yephutha lakho.” Ngaze ngasongela ngisho nangokushaya oFakazi, engangibasola ngokuphelisa umsebenzi wethu nangokubangela zonke izinkinga zethu.
URobyn waqala ukushiya nje omagazini beBhayibheli nomaphi endlini, enethemba lokuthi ngangizobafunda. Lokhu akuzange kusebenze, ngakho ekugcineni wayeka. Kodwa akazange ayeke ukuthandaza kuJehova ukuthi ngandlela-thile ngifunde iqiniso nokuba sibe ndawonye sonke njengomkhaya ezweni elisha.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngaqala ukubabekezelela oFakazi lapho bevakashele ekhaya, futhi ngezikhathi ezithile ngangivumela ukunxusa kwabantwana ukuba ngiye nabo emhlanganweni. Kodwa ngangigxeka konke engangikuzwa lapho. Nokho, ngavuma kimi ngokwami ukuthi abantu ababeseHholo LoMbuso, ababehlanganisa izizwe eziningi—ama-Arabhu, amaGreki, amaNtaliyane, amaNgisi, kanye nabase-Australia—bonke babephilisana kahle ndawonye. Ngaso sonke isikhathi babenobungane, futhi akekho owayesebenzisa inkulumo embi noma owayehlanganyela enkulumweni engcolile.
Ukusizwa UmKristu Weqiniso
Ekugcineni ngasamukela isifundo seBhayibheli sasikhathi sonke esasiqhutshwa uTed Wieland, indoda enomusa ngokuvelele, ethobekile. Wayekhonza eBethel, ihhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova. Ngesinye isikhathi lapho ngangiphathe kabi kakhulu uRobyn, uTed wangibizela emotweni yakhe, wakhipha ibhokisi likamango ebhuthini wase enginikeza lona. Umango kwakuyisithelo engangisithanda kakhulu, kodwa angicabangi ukuthi uTed wayekwazi lokho. Lokhu kwaqhubeka amasonto amaningi: ibhokisi likamango njalo lapho uTed engivakashele. Ngolunye usuku wakhipha ebhuthini lokho engangicabanga ukuthi kwakuyibhokisi elivamile lezithelo, khona-ke ngokuthobeka waphenduka futhi wathi: “Ucabanga ukuthi ungakulengisa lokhu odongeni?” Kwakuyitekisi lonyaka leBhayibheli, oFakazi abalilengisa emakhaya abo. Ngangingathini? Ngalilengisa odongeni.
Njengoba isifundo seBhayibheli sami noTed sasiqhubeka, wangibonisa ngokweBhayibheli ukuthi ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka lalinganikezi ikusasa eliyiqiniso. Wachaza ukuthi okuwukuphela kwethemba eliqinisekile lekusasa elijabulisayo, lalisekugcwalisekeni kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli ngokuphathelene noMbuso uKristu asifundisa ukuba siwuthandazele. (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Nakuba ngangisenezivumelwano zebhizinisi lezokungcebeleka okwakufanele ngizifeze, ngaqala ukuya njalo emihlanganweni yebandla. Ngabhalisa eSikoleni SeNkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini futhi ngaqala ngisho nokuhlanganyela enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu.
Ngaqala ukubona ukuthi ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka lalingenamvuzo. Ngangingazuzanga lutho ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo kuyo yonke leminyaka engangiyinikele kulokho okwakuwunkulunkulu wami. Umkhaya wami wawuye wahlupheka—uthuthwa ujikeleza ezweni lonke futhi uhamba uthwele amapotimende. Ngempela, ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka lacishe lawuhlukanisa umshado wami. Kodwa manje uMuntu Ophakeme wendawo yonke wayenginikeza ithuba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso wakhe.
Ngakho ngenza isinqumo esibaluleke kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwami. Lapho ngase ngiziqedile izivumelwano zami zebhizinisi lezokungcebeleka, ngazehlukanisa ngokuphelele nomkhakha wezokuzijabulisa. Angiphindanga ngaya ku-nightclub futhi angiphindanga ngazihlanganisa nalabo ababenza lowomsebenzi indlela yabo yokuphila. UTed wabukeza nami imibuzo ecatshangelwa abazobhapathizwa. Nokho, uTed wafa, futhi ngokushesha nje ngemva kwalokho ngabhapathizwa, ngo-July 26, 1975. Ngibheke phambili ekuhlanganeni naleyondoda ethandekayo lapho ivuswa ezweni elisha.—Johane 5:28, 29.
Asizange Sizintule Izibusiso
UJehova uye wasinikeza okungaphezu kwalokho esasikuthole kuyo yonke iminyaka yethu sisebhizinisini lezokungcebeleka. Uye wangikhulula emkhakheni wezokuzijabulisa owonakele, onokuziphatha okubi. Uye wavuza imithandazo yomkami othembekile, oye wanamathela kimi futhi ongazange aphele amandla. Uye wasibusisa ngokuthi umkhwekazi wami namadodakazi ethu amabili nabayeni bawo bonke babe abashisekayo enkonzweni yobuKristu. Indodakazi yethu encane, uLetitia, nomunye omdala kubazukulu bethu abathathu, uMicah, bobabili bangabamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle abangabhapathiziwe. Futhi uJehova uye wangibusisa ngelungelo lokukhonza njengomdala ebandleni lobuKristu.
Mina noRobyn asisoze samkhokhela uJehova ngalokho aye wasenzela khona. Nokho, singabaxwayisa abanye—ikakhulukazi intsha—ngezingozi zomkhakha webhizinisi lezokungcebeleka nangohlobo olungalungile lokuzijabulisa. Singabaxwayisa, ngokwalokho esakubona ngokomuntu siqu, ngosizi olulandela ukuziphatha okubi, izidakamizwa, ukudakwa, uhlobo olungalungile lomculo, izingoma ezigcizelela ubulili obungemthetho, nezingozi ezihilelekile lapho umuntu eya njalo kuma-nightclub noma emakhonsathini e-rock. Zonke lezizinto ziyingxenye yezwe elilawulwa ngokuphelele uSathane uDeveli.—2 Korinte 4:4.
Kulula ukubanjwa ogibeni lokukhulekela uSathane ungazi, njengoba kwangenza lapho ngenza ibhizinisi lezokungcebeleka libe unkulunkulu wami. Nokho, manje, mina nomkami siyakujabulela ukukhuthaza abantu abasha ukuba bakhulekele uJehova, uNkulunkulu onganelisa zonke izifiso zenhliziyo—uNkulunkulu osikhathalela ngempela ngayo yonke indlela.—Njengoba ilandiswa nguVivian A. Weekes.
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
Intombazane engashada nayo yayingumdlali we-“contortion”
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Mina noRobyn namuhla