Ngangiyisaphula-mthetho

KWAKUNGO-MAY 1, 1947, eSicily. Abantu abangaba ngu-3000, kuhlanganise nabesifazane abanabantwana, babehlangene esikhaleni sentaba ukuze bagubhe uSuku Lwezisebenzi lwaminyaka yonke. Babengayiqapheli ingozi eyayicashe emagqumeni aseduze. Mhlawumbe uye wafunda ngayo noma wabona ngisho nezithombe zebhayisikobho zenhlekelele eyalandela. Lokhu kubulawa kwabantu kuye kwabizwa ngokuthi i-Slaughter of Portella della Ginestra, okwaphumela ekufeni kwabantu abangu-11 nasekulimaleni kwabangu-56.

Nakuba ngangingenangxenye kuleyo nhlekelele, ngangingoweqembu elishisekela ukuhlukana elalinengxenye kuyo. Umholi walo kwakunguSalvatore Giuliano, engangikhule naye edolobhaneni laseMontelepre. Wayengishiya ngonyaka owodwa kuphela. Ngo-1942, lapho ngineminyaka engu-19 ubudala, ngabuthelwa empini phakathi neMpi Yezwe II. Ekuqaleni kwalowo nyaka ngangithandane noVita Motisi futhi sashada. Ekugcineni, saba namadodana amathathu; eyizibulo yazalwa ngo-1943.

Okwangenza Ngaba Isaphula-mthetho

Ngo-1945, unyaka iMpi Yezwe II eyaphela ngawo, ngajoyina isigaba sasentshonalanga samabutho e-Volunteer Army for Sicilian Independence (EVIS). Leli kwakuyibutho leqembu lezombangazwe elishisekela ukuhlukana elaziwa ngokuthi i-Movement for the Independence of Sicily (MIS). USalvatore Giuliano, owayesengumbaleki kakade, wayemiswe ibutho eliphakeme le-EVIS ne-MIS ukuba abe umkhuzi webutho lethu.

Mina naye sasihlanganiswe ukuthanda isiqhingi sakithi saseSicily nokuthanda abantu bakithi. Futhi kwakusithukuthelisa ukungabi nabulungisa esasikubona. Ngakho ngangena eqenjini likaGiuliano, elalifuna ukuba iSicily ithathwe i-United States of America njengesifundazwe sayo sama-49. Ingabe sasikhona isizathu sokukholelwa ukuthi lokhu kwakungenzeka? Ngempela sasikhona, ngoba izikhulu ze-MIS zazisiqinisekisile ukuthi zazinobuhlobo obuseduze neWashington, D.C., nokuthi umongameli wase-United States uHarry S. Truman wayekusekela lokhu.

Umsebenzi Wokuba Isaphula-mthetho

Umsebenzi weqembu lami wawugxile ekuthumbeni nasekugcineni abantu abavelele ukuze bakhokhelwe isihlengo. Ngalendlela sasithola imali yokuthenga izinto ezidingekayo. Abekho kulabo esasibathumba, esasibabiza ngokuthi “izivakashi zethu,” esasibalimaza. Lapho sibakhulula, sasibanikeza irisidi ababeyoyisebenzisa ukuze babuyiselwe imali yesihlengo esasiyitholile. Sasibatshela ukuthi leyo risidi babengayisebenzisa ukuze babuyiselwe imali yabo ngemva kokuba sesinqobile.

Ngahlanganyela ekuthumbeni abantu abangaba ngu-20, kanye nasekuhlaseleni kuhlonyiwe ekamu leCarabinieri, ibutho lesizwe lamaphoyisa empi. Nokho, ngiyajabula ukusho ukuthi angizange ngibulale muntu. Ukuhlasela kweqembu lethu elishisekela ukuhlukana kwafinyelela umvuthwandaba ngesenzo sobuwula edolobhaneni lasePortella della Ginestra. Kwakuhlelwe amadoda angaba ngu-12 eqembu likaGiuliano futhi kwakuqondiswe eNhlanganweni YamaKhomanisi.

Nakuba ukubulawa kwabantu—kuhlanganise nomakhelwane nabalandeli—kwakungahlosiwe, abantu ababengabalandeli bethu futhi ababevikelwe yithi babecabanga ukuthi sasibakhaphele. Kusukela lapho, zazifunwa phansi naphezulu izaphula-mthetho zikaGiuliano. Ngemva kokucetshwa emaphoyiseni, abangane bami abaningi babanjwa. Ngo-March 19, 1950, ngabanjwa futhi ngaboshwa. Futhi uGiuliano wabulawa ngalelo hlobo.

Ukuboshwa Nokugwetshwa

Ejele lasePalermo, lapho ngangigcinwe khona kusaqulwa icala, ngangilusizi ngenxa yokuhlukaniswa nomkami osemusha namadodana ami amathathu. Nokho, isifiso sokulwela lokho engangicabanga ukuthi kulungile sangivikela ekuphelelweni ithemba ngokuphelele. Ngaqala ukufunda ukuze ngizigcine ngimatasa. Enye incwadi yavusa isifiso sami sokufunda iBhayibheli. Kwakuwumlando womlobi wayo uSilvio Pellico, umNtaliyane owayeboshelwe ezombangazwe phakathi nekhulu le-19.

UPellico wabhala ukuthi ejele wayehlala enesichazamazwi neBhayibheli. Nakuba mina nomkhaya wakithi sasingamaRoma Katolika, ngangingakaze ngizwe lutho ngempela ngeBhayibheli. Ngakho ngacela ukulithola kuziphathimandla. Ngatshelwa ukuthi lenqatshelwe, kodwa nganikezwa ikhophi yeVangeli likaMathewu, uMarku, uLuka, noJohane. Kamuva, ngakwazi ukuthola ikhophi yalo lonke iBhayibheli, engisaligcinile njengesikhumbuzo esiyigugu.

Ekugcineni, ngo-1951 icala lami laqala ukuqulwa eViterbo, eduze naseRome. Laqhubeka izinyanga ezingu-13. Ngagwetshwa ukudilikelwa ijele kabili neminyaka engu-302! Lokho kwakusho ukuthi ngangingeke ngiphume ejele ngisaphila.

Ukufunda Amaqiniso EBhayibheli

Lapho ngibuyiselwa ejele lasePalermo, ngabelwa engxenyeni lapho kwakuboshwe khona elinye ilungu leqembu lethu elalingumzala kaGiuliano. Wayeboshwe eminyakeni emithathu ngaphambi kokuba ngiboshwe. Ngaphambili, wayehlangane nomunye woFakazi BakaJehova waseSwitzerland ejele owayekhulume naye ngezithembiso ezimangalisayo zeBhayibheli. Lendoda yayiboshwe noFakazi okanye nayo wasePalermo lapho beshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 24:14) Kamuva ngatshelwa ukuthi ukuboshwa kwayo kwakushoshozelwe amalungu esigaba sabefundisi.

Naphezu kwemisebenzi yami yokwephula umthetho, ngangikholelwa kuNkulunkulu nasezimfundisweni zesonto. Ngakho ngashaqeka lapho ngithola ukuthi ukukhulekelwa kwalabo okuthiwa bangosanta kwakungekhona okungokombhalo nokuthi omunye weMithetho Eyishumi wawukwenqabela ukusetshenziswa kwezithombe ekukhulekeleni. (Eksodusi 20:3, 4) Ngenza isikhokhelo somagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama!, ababa igugu kakhulu kimi. Ngangingakuqondi konke engangikufunda, kodwa lapho ngiqhubeka ngifunda, kulapho ngangifuna khona ukubaleka, hhayi ejele, kodwa ejele lamanga enkolo nobumpumputhe obungokomoya.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngaqaphela ukuthi ukuze ngijabulise uNkulunkulu kwakudingeka ngikhumule ubuntu bami obudala bese ngigqoka obusha—obuthobile futhi obufana nobukaKristu Jesu. (Efesu 4:20-24) Ngashintsha kancane kancane. Nokho ngokushesha ngaqala ukwenza izinto ngenzela iziboshwa engangikanye nazo, futhi ngazama ukukhuluma nazo ngezinto ezinhle engangizifunda. Ngakho, ngo-1953 ngaqala ukuba nesikhathi esijabulisayo. Kodwa kwakunezithiyo.

Ukuphikiswa Umfundisi

Ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ngemva kokwenza isikhokhelo se-Nqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama!, ukudilivwa kwazo kwaphazamiseka. Ngaya kumuntu ohlola izincwadi zeziboshwa futhi ngamazisa ngalendaba. Wangitshela ukuthi kwakungumfundisi wasejele owayemise ukudilivwa kwazo.

Ngacela ukubonana nalomfundisi. Phakathi nengxoxo yethu ngambonisa okuncane engangikwazi ngeBhayibheli, kuhlanganise nemibhalo enjengo-Eksodusi 20:3, 4 no-Isaya 44:14-17 ngokuqondene nokusetshenziswa kwezithombe ekukhulekeleni. Ngamfundela namazwi kaJesu, alotshwe kuMathewu 23:8, 9, athi “ningabizi muntu emhlabeni ngokuthi uyihlo.” Ecunukile, waphendula ngokuthi ngangingenakuliqonda iBhayibheli ngoba ngingumuntu ongenalwazi.

Kwakujabulisa ukuthi ngase ngiqalile kakade ukushintsha ubuntu bami—ngaphandle kwalokho, angazi ukuthi ngangizokwenzenjani. Ngaphendula ngesizotha: “Yebo, kuyiqiniso; anginalwazi. Wena ufundile, kodwa awenzanga mzamo wokungifundisa amaqiniso eBhayibheli.” Lomfundisi waphendula ngokuthi ukuze ngithole izincwadi zoFakazi BakaJehova, kwakuyodingeka ngenze isicelo eMnyangweni Wezobulungisa ukuze ngilahle inkolo yamaKatolika. Ngenza kanjalo ngokushesha, kodwa lesi sicelo asamukelwanga. Nokho, kamuva ngakwazi ukubhaliswa njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova futhi ngakwazi ukuphinde ngithole omagazini. Kodwa kwadingeka ngiphikelele kakhulu.

IHholo LoMbuso Ejele

Kwase kuyisikhathi eside ngicela umsebenzi kumqondisi wejele ukuze ngikwazi ukuthola imali engangizoyithumela emkhayeni wami. Wayehlala ethi uma enginikeza umsebenzi, kuyodingeka anikeze nabanye, futhi lokho kwakungenakwenzeka. Kodwa ekuseni ngo-August 5, 1955, lomqondisi wangitshela izindaba ezinhle—ngangizosebenza njengomabhalane ngaphakathi ejele.

Lomsebenzi wami wangenza ngahlonishwa umqondisi wejele, futhi ngomusa wanginikeza imvume yokusebenzisa indawo yokugcina izimpahla njengendawo yokuqhuba imihlangano yesifundo seBhayibheli. Ngakho, ngo-1956, ngisebenzisa amapulangwe amakhabethe ayelahliwe, ngakha amabhentshi alokho okwakungabhekwa njengeHholo LoMbuso, njengoba zibizwa kanjalo izindawo zemihlangano zoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngangihlangana lapho nezinye iziboshwa njalo ngeSonto, futhi sasifinyelela inani eliphakeme labangu-25 ababebakhona ezingxoxweni zethu zeBhayibheli.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umfundisi wezwa ngemihlangano engangiyiqhuba, futhi wawotha ubomvu. Ngenxa yalokho, ehlobo lango-1957, ngashintshwa ePalermo ngaya endaweni yokuqondisa izigwegwe yasePorto Azzurro esiqhinganeni sase-Elba. Lendawo yayinedumela elibi.

Ukubhapathizwa Ejele

Lapho ngifika, ngavalelwa ngedwa izinsuku ezingu-18. Lapho ngangingavunyelwe ngisho nokuba neBhayibheli lami. Ngemva kwalokho, ngaphinda ngabhalela uMnyango Wezobulungisa ngicela ukuvunyelwa ukuba ngilahle inkolo yamaKatolika. Nokho, manje ngacela usizo ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova eRome. Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyishumi, kwafika impendulo engase ngiyilinde isikhathi eside. LoMnyango wakwamukela ukushintsha kwami inkolo! Lokhu kwakungasho ukuthi ngangingaba neBhayibheli, omagazini, nezinye izincwadi zeBhayibheli kuphela kodwa futhi kwasho ukuthi ngangingavakashelwa njalo isikhonzi soFakazi BakaJehova.

Ngachichima injabulo lapho ngiqala ukuvakashelwa uGiuseppe Romano, ngaleso sikhathi owayevela ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova e-Italy. Ngemvume yabaphathi bejele, kwenziwa amalungiselelo ukuze ekugcineni ngibonakalise ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi. Ngo-October 4, 1958, phambi komqondisi wejele, umphathi wabaqondiswa izigwegwe, nabanye abaphathi, uMfoweth’uRomano wangibhapathiza kanye nesinye isiboshwa kubhavu omkhulu owawusetshenziselwa ukunisela ingadi yasejele.

Nakuba cishe ngangikwazi ngaso sonke isikhathi ukufunda INqabayokulinda nezinye iziboshwa, kwakudingeka ngisigubhe ngingedwa esitokisini iSikhumbuzo saminyaka yonke sokufa kukaKristu ngoba lomkhosi wenziwa ngemva kokushona kwelanga. Ngangicimeza ngithandaze, ngamehlo engqondo kube sengathi ngihlangene noFakazi engikanye nabo.

Ukwenza Abafundi Ejele

Ngo-1968, ngashintshelwa ejele laseFossombrone, esifundazweni sasePesaro. Lapho ngajabulela imiphumela emihle yokukhuluma nabanye ngamaqiniso eBhayibheli. Ngangisebenza emthola-mpilo, lapho kwakulula khona ukuthola amathuba okufakaza. Kwakujabulisa kakhulu ukubona intuthuko yesinye isiboshwa, u-Emanuele Altavilla. Ngemva kokufunda izinyanga ezimbili, saqaphela ukuthi kwakumelwe sisebenzise iseluleko esikuzEnzo 19:19 futhi siklebhule incwadi yaso yobuciko bokwenza imilingo. Kamuva, u-Emanuele waba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova.

Ngonyaka olandelayo ngashintshelwa ejele elisesiqhingini saseProcida, ngaphesheya nje kwechweba laseNaples. Ngenxa yokuziphatha okuhle, ngaphinda ngabelwa emthola-mpilo. Lapho, ngahlangana noMario Moreno, isiboshwa esasingumKatolika oqinisiwe. Naye wayenesikhundla esiphakeme, esebenza emnyangweni wamabhuku ezimali.

Ngolunye usuku kusihlwa uMario wacela ukuba ngimnikeze okuthile ayengakufunda, futhi ngamnikeza incwadi ethi IQiniso Eliholela Ekuphileni Okuphakade.a Wakuqonda zisuka nje ukubaluleka kwalokho ayekufunda, futhi saqala isifundo seBhayibheli. UMario wayeka ukubhema amaphakethe amathathu kagwayi ngosuku. Ngaphezu kwalokho, waqaphela ukuthi kwakumelwe aziphathe ngokwethembeka ngisho nasemsebenzini wakhe wamabhuku ezimali ayewenza ejele. Waqala ukushumayeza ingoduso yakhe, futhi nayo yazamukela izimfundiso zeBhayibheli. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, bashadela lapho ejele. Emhlanganweni eNaples ngo-1975, umkaMario wabhapathizwa. Wachichima injabulo lapho ezwa ukuthi umyeni wakhe wayebhapathizwe ngosuku olufanayo ejele!

Ngangivunyelwa ukuba nezingxoxo zamasonto onke noFakazi ababengivakashela eProcida. Ngangivunyelwa nokubalungiselela ukudla ehholo lezivakashi. Kwakuba nabangaba yishumi ngesikhathi. Lapho kuvakashe ababonisi abajikelezayo boFakazi BakaJehova, ngathola imvume yokubonisa izinkulumo zabo zama-slide. Ngesinye isikhathi ngajabulela ukuqhuba isifundo se-Nqabayokulinda lapho kuvakashe oFakazi abangu-14. Kwakubonakala zingethemba ngokugcwele izikhulu. Ngezinsuku esabelwe ngazo, lapho sekuhwalala, ngangishumayela ezitokisini ejele.

Ngo-1974, ngemva kokuchitha iminyaka engu-24 emajele ahlukahlukene, ngavakashelwa ijaji elangikhuthaza ukuba ngifake isicelo sokuxolelwa. Angizange ngikubheke njengokufanele ukwenza kanjalo ngoba kwakuyosho ukuvuma ukuhileleka ekubulaweni kwabantu ePortella della Ginestra, engangingazange ngibe nengxenye kukho.

Izikhathi Zenjabulo Enkulu

Ngo-1975 umthetho omusha wawunikeza imvume yokuphuma ejele ngezikhathi ezithile. Ngakho, ngaba nethuba lokuqala ngqá lokuya emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova edolobheni laseNaples. Ngajabulela izinsuku ezinhlanu engingasoze ngizilibale, lapho ngahlangana khona nabafowethu nodadewethu abaningi abangamaKristu engangingakaze ngibabone ngaphambili.

Okwangijabulisa ngokukhethekile kwakuwukuthi ekugcineni, ngemva kweminyaka eminingi kangaka, ngiphinde ngihlangane nomkhaya wami. Umkami, uVita, wayehlale ethembekile kimi, futhi amadodana ami manje ayeseyizinsizwa ezineminyaka eyevile kwengu-20 nengu-30.

Ngonyaka olandelayo—engajabulela ukuba seholidini izikhathi eziningana phakathi nawo—kwasikiselwa ukuba ngifake isicelo sokukhululwa ejele. Embikweni wemantshi wokuhlaziya isimo sami, yatusa ukuba isicelo sami samukelwe. Yabhala: “Kungashiwo ngokuqinisekile—namuhla uMannino, uma eqhathaniswa nesikhathi ayesemusha echitha igazi elandela iziqondiso zikaGiuliano, usengomunye umuntu; ushintshe ngokuphelele.”

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, izikhulu zasejele laseProcida zacela ukuba ngixolelwe. Ekugcineni, ngaxolelwa, futhi ngo-December 28, 1978, ngakhululwa ejele. Yeka injabulo engaba nayo ngokuba umuntu okhululekile, ngemva kweminyaka engaphezu kwengu-28 ngisejele!

Okuwukuphela Kwethemba Lobulungisa

Njengomthumbi owayengaphansi kukaSalvatore Giuliano, ngangiye ngalwela engangikholelwa ukuthi kwakuyoletha inkululeko yangempela emkhayeni wami nakubantu bakithi. Nokho, ngafunda eBhayibhelini ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abantu bangase babe qotho kangakanani, abanakubuletha ubulungisa engangibufisa ngobuqotho kangaka ngesikhathi ngisemusha. Ngokujabulisayo, ulwazi lweBhayibheli lwangisiza ukuba ngibone ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuphela ngeNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, ongaletha ukukhululeka ekungabini nabulungisa okudingeka kakhulu kangaka.—Isaya 9:6, 7; Daniyeli 2:44; Mathewu 6:9, 10; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

Amaphephandaba amaningi abhala ngokushintsha kobuntu bami, okwabangelwa yilolo lwazi lweBhayibheli. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Paese Sera yacaphuna umgcini-jele waseProcida ethi: “Ukuba zonke iziboshwa bezinjengoFranck, amajele abezophela; ukuziphatha kwakhe kuye kwaba okungasoleki, ubengakaze alwe, futhi ubengakaze athethiswe ngisho nakancane.” Elinye iphepha, i-Avvenire, lathi: “Uyisiboshwa esiyisibonelo, ngendlela emangalisayo. Ukuguquka kwesimilo sakhe kungaphezu kwalokho obekulindelekile. Uyazihlonipha izikhungo nabaphathi bejele futhi unengokomoya elingaphezu kwelivamile.”

Ukuphila Okunomvuzo

Kusukela ngo-1984, ngiye ngakhonza ebandleni loFakazi BakaJehova njengomdala nanjengephayona, njengoba zibizwa kanjalo izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele. Ngo-1990 unogada wasejele engangihlanganyele naye ulwazi lweBhayibheli eminyakeni engu-15 ngaphambili wangishayela ucingo engitshela ukuthi yena nawo wonke umkhaya wakhe base bengoFakazi BakaJehova.

Kodwa okuhlangenwe nakho kwami okujabulisayo kwenzeka ngo-July 1995. Ngalowo nyaka ngajabula kakhulu ngokuba khona lapho kubhapathizwa umkami othandekayo, uVita. Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi kangaka, wayesenze izimfundiso zeBhayibheli zaba ngezakhe. Mhlawumbe ngolunye usuku amadodana ami amathathu, okwamanje angakaluhlanganyeli ukholo lwami, nawo ayokwamukela engikufunde eZwini likaNkulunkulu.

Okuhlangenwe nakho kwami ekusizeni abanye bafunde amaqiniso eBhayibheli kuye kwanginikeza injabulo engenakuqhathaniswa. Yeka ukuthi kuye kwavuza kanjani ukuba nolwazi oluholela ekuphileni okumi phakade nokukwazi ukuluhlanganyela nabanhliziyo ziqotho!—Johane 17:3.—Njengoba ilandiswa uFranck Mannino.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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Isikhala sentaba eSicily lapho kwabulawa khona abantu

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Lapho sishada, ngo-1942

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Ngangivame ukuhlanganyela amaqiniso eBhayibheli nonogada basejele

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Nginomkami