Ukukhulisa Abantwana E-Afrika Phakathi Nezikhathi Ezinzima

Njengoba Ilandiswa Ngucarmen Mcluckie

Unyaka kwakungu-1941. IMpi Yezwe II yayidlangile. Ngangingumama oneminyaka engu-23 ngivela e-Australia, kodwa ngangivalelwe ejele nosana lwami olunezinyanga ezinhlanu ubudala eGwelo, eNingizimu Rhodesia (manje eyiGweru, eZimbabwe). Umyeni wami wayesejele eSalisbury (manje eyiHarare). Ezinye izingane zethu—eneminyaka emibili nenye eneminyaka emithathu—zazinakekelwa izingane zomyeni wami ezimbili ezase zevile eshumini nambili. Ake ngichaze ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ngibe kulesi simo.

NGANGIHLALA nomama nobaba ePort Kembla, amakhilomitha angaba ngu-50 eningizimu yeSydney, e-Australia. Ngo-1924, uClare Honisett wavakashela umama futhi wavusa isithakazelo sakhe ezimfundisweni zeBhayibheli ngokumbuza ukuthi wayekuqonda yini okushiwo uMthandazo WeNkosi. UClare wachaza ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukungcwelisa igama likaNkulunkulu, walandisa nangendlela uMbuso oyofeza ngayo intando kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni. (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Umama wamangala. Nakuba ubaba ayephikisa, umama waqala ukugxila kakhudlwana kula maqiniso eBhayibheli.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, sathuthela edolobhaneni elisemaphethelweni eSydney. Mina nomama sasisuka lapho sihambe amakhilomitha angaba mahlanu siya emihlanganweni yabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba babaziwa kanjalo oFakazi BakaJehova ngaleso sikhathi. Nakuba ubaba engazange abe uFakazi, wavuma ukuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ziqhutshelwe ekhaya. Abafowabo ababili—uMax no-Oscar Seidel—baba oFakazi, kanye namanye amalungu omkhaya kaMax kanye nomfowethu omncane uTerry, nodadewethu omncane, uMylda.

Ngo-1930 i-Watch Tower Society yathenga isikebhe sikaseyili esingamamitha angu-16, kamuva esaqanjwa ngokuthi i-Lightbearer. Iminyaka emibili lesi sikebhe sasimi eduze kwakithi eMfuleni iGeorges. Salungiswa ukuze sisetshenziswe oFakazi BakaJehova emsebenzini wokushumayela eziqhingini zase-Indonesia. Ngezinye izikhathi mina nodadewethu uCoral sasihlanza ingaphakathi laso, futhi sasiboleka isibani somkhumbi ukuze sidobe ama-prawn.

Ukuya E-Afrika Nokushada

Maphakathi nawo-1930, isimo somnotho santengantenga e-Australia, futhi mina nomama saya eNingizimu Afrika siyohlola ukuthi umkhaya wakithi ungakwazi yini ukuhlala khona. Sasinencwadi echaza isimo sethu evela egatsheni lase-Australia loFakazi BakaJehova eyayiya kuGeorge Phillips, ngaleso sikhathi owayengamele umsebenzi wokushumayela eningizimu ye-Afrika. UGeorge wayesemtateni eKapa elinde umkhumbi wethu. Ngaphansi kwekhwapha, wayefake incwadi ye-Watch Tower Society ethi Riches ukuze sikwazi ukumbona ngayo. Ngalo kanye lolo suku, ngo-June 6, 1936, wasethula emalungwini amahlanu ezisebenzi zasegatsheni, kuhlanganise noRobert A. McLuckie.a Kungakapheli nonyaka, mina noBertie—njengoba sasimbiza kanjalo—sashada.

Ukhokho kaBertie uWilliam McLuckie weza e-Afrika ngo-1817 evela ePaisley, eScotland. Lapho eqala ukuhambela amazwe angaphandle, uWilliam wajwayelana noRobert Moffat, indoda eyaqala ukubhala ulimi lwesiTswana futhi yahumushela iBhayibheli kulolo limi.b Ngalezo zinsuku, uWilliam nomngane wakhe uRobert Schoon babewukuphela kwabelungu ababethenjwa uMzilikazi, iqhawe elaziwayo lebutho lenkosi edumile yakwaZulu, uShaka. Ngenxa yalokho, uWilliam noRobert kwakuyibona kuphela abelungu ababevunyelwe ukungena ekomkhulu likaMzilikazi, endaweni manje eyidolobha lasePitoli, eNingizimu Afrika. Kamuva uMzilikazi waba isikhulu sikahulumeni futhi maphakathi nekhulu le-19 leminyaka wahlanganisa izizwe eziningi zaba umbuso wabaNsundu omkhulu.

Lapho ngihlangana noBertie, wayengumfelwa onendodakazi eneminyaka engu-12 ubudala, uLyall, nendodana eneminyaka engu-11 ubudala, uDonovan. UBertie wayefundé amaqiniso eBhayibheli ngo-1927, ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ngemva kokushona komkakhe u-Edna. Phakathi neminyaka engu-9 eyalandela, washumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu eziqhingini zaseMauritius naseMadagascar nakulo lonke elaseNyasaland (manje eyiMalawi), ePortuguese East Afrika (manje eyiMozambique) naseNingizimu Afrika.

Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ngemva kokushada noBertie, sathuthela eGoli kanye noLyall noDonovan, lapho kwaba lula khona ukuba uBertie athole umsebenzi. Isikhathi esithile ngakhonza njengephayona, njengoba zibizwa kanjalo izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zoFakazi BakaJehova. Kamuva ngakhulelwa uPeter.

Ukuthuthela Kwethu ENingizimu Rhodesia

Ekugcineni, umfowabo kaBertie, uJack, wasicela ukuba sizohlanganyela naye ebhizinisini lokumba igolide eduze kwaseFilabusi, eNingizimu Rhodesia. Mina noBertie sathatha uPeter, owayenonyaka ubudala ngaleso sikhathi, sahamba, umama wasala enakekela uLyall noDonovan okwesikhashana. Lapho sifika eMfuleni uMzingwani, wawudla izindwani, futhi kwakudingeka siwele ngebhokisi elilenga entanjeni eyayisuka ngapha komfula iye ngaphesheya. Nganginezinyanga eziyisithupha ngikhulelwe uPauline, futhi kwadingeka ngimgone ngimqinise uPeter! Kwakwethusa, ikakhulukazi lapho intambo icishe ithinta emanzini phakathi nomfula. Ngaphandle kwalokho, kwakuphakathi nobusuku, futhi lina! Ngemva kokuwela umfula, kwadingeka ukuba sihambe ibanga elingaba amakhilomitha amabili ukuya emzini wesihlobo esithile.

Kamuva saqasha indlu yasepulazini eyayisiqedwe umuhlwa. Sasinefenisha encane—enye siyenze ngamabhokisi ayethwele udalimede nezinto zikagesi. UPauline wayehlala egula ephethwe ukhohlokhohlo, futhi sasingenayo imali yokuthenga imithi. Ngangilusizi kakhulu, kodwa sasijabula ngokuthi isikhathi ngasinye uPauline wayelulama.

Mina NoBertie Saboshwa

Kanye ngenyanga sasiya edolobheni lakwaBulawayo, eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-80, siyothengisa igolide lethu ebhange. Sasiya naseGwanda, idolobhana eliseduze kwaseFilabusi, siyothenga ukudla futhi sihlanganyele nasenkonzweni. Ngo-1940, unyaka owalandela ukuqala kweMpi Yezwe II, umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wavalwa eNingizimu Rhodesia.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngaboshwa lapho ngishumayela eGwanda. Ngaleso sikhathi ngangikhulelwe umntwana wami wesithathu, u-Estrella. Lapho kusacatshangelwa isikhalo sami, uBertie waboshelwa ukushumayela futhi wavalelwa eSalisbury, amakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-300 ukusuka lapho sasihlala khona.

Isimo sethu ngaleso sikhathi sasinjena: UPeter wayesesibhedlela kwaBulawayo ephethwe yi-diphtheria, futhi lalingekho ithemba lokuthi uzosinda. Ngangisanda kuthola u-Estrella, futhi umngane othile wangithatha esibhedlela wangiyisa ejele ukuba ngiyobonisa uBertie indodakazi yakhe entsha. Kamuva, lapho isikhalo sami sichithwa, umninisitolo othile oyiNdiya owayecebile wangikhokhela ibheyili. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kwafika amaphoyisa amathathu emayini ezongibopha. Athi mangikhethe. Ukuhamba nosana lwami olunezinyanga ezinhlanu ngiye ejele noma ngilushiye lunakekelwe izingane zethu, uLyall noDonovan. Nganquma ukuhamba nalo.

Ngabelwa ukuba ngithunge izingubo zokugqoka nokuhlanza. Futhi nganikezwa umnakekeli owayezongisiza ngokunakekela u-Estrella. Naye wayeyisiboshwa, igama lakhe kunguMatossi, owayegwetshwe ukudilikelwa ijele ngenxa yokubulala umyeni wakhe. UMatossi wakhala lapho ngidedelwa ejele, ngoba wayengeke esamnakekela u-Estrella. Umphathikazi wejele wangiyisa kwakhe ukuyodla ukudla kwasemini wayesengikhokhela esitimeleni ukuze ngiyovakashela uBertie ejele laseSalisbury.

Lapho mina noBertie sisejele, uLyall noDonovan babenakekela uPeter noPauline ababesebancane. Nakuba uDonovan ayeneminyaka engu-16 kuphela ubudala, waqhubeka enakekela umsebenzi wethu wokumba. Lapho uBertie ekhululwa ejele, sanquma ukuthuthela kwaBulawayo, ngoba ibhizinisi lemayini lalingaqhubi kahle. UBertie wathola umsebenzi kwaloliwe, futhi nami ngangithasisela iholo lakhe ngokusebenzisa amakhono ami amasha okuthunga.

Umsebenzi kaBertie njengomnakekeli kajantshi wawubhekwa njengobalulekile, ngakho akazange abuthelwe empini. Ngaleyo minyaka, oFakazi abamhlophe abangaphezudlwana nje kweshumi kwaBulawayo babeqhuba imihlangano endlini yethu encane enegumbi elilodwa lokulala, kanti idlanzana labafowethu nodadewethu abansundu lalihlanganyela kwenye indawo edolobheni. Kodwa manje, sekunamabandla angaphezu kuka-46 oFakazi BakaJehova anabansundu nabamhlophe kwaBulawayo!

Inkonzo Yethu Ngemva Kwempi

Ngemva kwempi uBertie wacela kwaloliwe ukuba ashintshelwe EMtali (manje eyiMutare), idolobhana elihle elisemngceleni weMozambique. Sasifuna ukukhonza lapho kunendingeko enkulu khona yabashumayeli boMbuso, ngakho Umtali wabonakala uyindawo ekahle, ngoba kuleli dolobha babengekho oFakazi. Phakathi nesikhathi esincane esasihlala lapho, umkhaya wakwaHoltshauzen, owawuhlanganisa namadodana amahlanu, waba oFakazi. Manje kunamabandla angu-13 kuleli dolobha!

Ngo-1947 umkhaya wethu wabonisana ngamathuba okuba uBertie abuyele emsebenzini wobuphayona. ULyall, owayesebuyile eNingizimu Afrika lapho ayephayona khona, wawusekela lo mqondo. Ngaleso sikhathi uDonovan wayephayona eNingizimu Afrika. Lapho ihhovisi legatsha laseKapa lizwa ngesifiso sikaBertie sokuphinde aphayone, lamcela ukuba esikhundleni sako avule idepho yezincwadi kwaBulawayo. Ngakho washiya kwaloliwe, futhi sathuthela khona. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, izithunywa zevangeli zokuqala ezathunyelwa eNingizimu Rhodesia zafika kwaBulawayo, kuhlanganise no-Eric Cooke, uGeorge noRuby Bradley, uPhyllis Kite noMyrtle Taylor.

Ngo-1948, uNathan H. Knorr, umongameli wesithathu we-Watch Tower Society, kanye nonobhala wakhe, uMilton G. Henschel, bavakashela kwaBulawayo futhi bahlela ukuba idepho ibe yigatsha, elalizonakekelwa uMfoweth’ uCooke. Ngonyaka olandelayo, kwazalwa indodakazi yethu uLindsay. Khona-ke, ngo-1950, igatsha lathuthelwa eSalisbury, inhloko-dolobha yaseNingizimu Rhodesia, futhi nathi sathuthela khona. Sathenga indlu enkulu esahlala kuyo iminyaka eminingi. Njalo sasivakashelwa amaphayona nezivakashi, ngakho umuzi wethu wagcina sewubizwa ngokuthi ihhotela lakwaMcLuckie!

Ngo-1953, mina noBertie saya emhlanganweni wezizwe woFakazi BakaJehova eYankee Stadium eNew York City. Yeka ukuthi leso kwakuyisenzakalo esikhumbuleka kanjani! Eminyakeni emihlanu kamuva, uLyall, u-Estrella, uLindsay noJeremy owayenezinyanga ezingu-16 ubudala babenathi zonke izinsuku ezingu-8 zomhlangano wezizwe omkhulu ka-1958 owawuseYankee Stadium nasePolo Grounds engumakhelwane. Inani eliyingqopha-mlando labangaphezu kwengxenye yesine yesigidi lalikhona enkulumweni yeningi ngosuku lokugcina!

Isabelo Esisha Sokushumayela

UBertie wakhonza njengesisebenzi esivukela egatsheni nsuku zonke eSalisbury iminyaka engaba ngu-14, kodwa-ke sanquma ukuyokhonza lapho kunendingeko enkulu khona eSeychelles. Sathengisa umuzi wethu nefenisha futhi sathatha okusele sakulayisha emotweni yethu i-Opel. Sithatha uLindsay, owayeneminyaka engu-12 noJeremy owayeneminyaka emihlanu, sahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-3 000 emigwaqweni eyibhuqu sinqamula iNyakatho Rhodesia (manje eyiZambia), iTanganyika (manje eyingxenye yeTanzania) neKenya, futhi ekugcineni safika edolobheni eliyitheku laseMombasa.

Lalikhipha umkhovu etsheni eMombasa, kodwa ugu lwakhona lwaluluhle. Sashiya imoto yethu kuFakazi wendawo futhi sathatha uhambo lwezinsuku ezintathu ngomkhumbi saya eSeychelles. Lapho sifika, sahlangabezwa uNorman Gardner, indoda eyayinambithé iqiniso leBhayibheli kuFakazi othile eDar es Salaam, eTanganyika. Wasitholela indlu eqashiswayo eSans Souci Pass eyayakhelwe amaphoyisa ayegade uMbhishobhi Omkhulu wama-Orthodox angamaGreki uMakarios, owayedingisiwe esuka eCyprus ngo-1956.

Ngenxa yokuthi umuzi wethu wawuqhelile, ngemva kwenyanga sathuthela endlini esogwini eBeau Vallon. Lapho, samemela abantu ezinkulumweni uBertie ayezinikeza kuvulandi wendlu. Saqala isifundo seBhayibheli nabakwaBindschedlers, futhi ezinyangeni ezimbalwa kamuva, uBertie wababhapathiza nendodakazi yabo yokutholwa kanye noNorman Gardner nomkakhe. Sabuye sahamba noNorman ngesikebhe sakhe saya eCerf Island, lapho uBertie anikeza khona izinkulumo zeBhayibheli endlini eyisikebhe.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezingaba zine siseSeychelles, umphathi wamaphoyisa wasitshela ukuthi siyeke ukushumayela noma uma kungenjalo, sizoxoshwa ezweni. Sasingenamali, futhi ngangikhulelwe. Sanquma ukuqhubeka nokushumayela kwethu obala. Phela, sasazi ukuthi sasizoxoshwa maduzane. Kwathi lapho kufika umkhumbi ovela eNdiya cishe ngemva kwenyanga, saxoshwa.

Ukuphindela Esimweni Esiyingozi

Lapho sifika eMombasa, sathatha imoto yethu futhi salibangisa eningizimu ngomgwaqo onesihlabathi ogudla ugu. Lapho sifika eTanga, injini yemoto yethu yaphuka. Sasingenawo ngisho nopeni, kodwa isihlobo nomunye uFakazi basisiza. Lapho siseMombasa, umzalwane othile wathi wayezosixhasa ngemali uma sizimisele ukuya enyakatho eSomalia siyoshumayela. Nokho, ngangigula, ngakho sasifuna ukubuyela ekhaya eNingizimu Rhodesia.

Sawelela eNyasaland sisuka eTanganyika futhi sagudla ngasentshonalanga yeLake Nyasa, manje okuthiwa iLake Malawi. Ngagula kakhulu kangangokuba ngacela uBertie ukuba angehlise eceleni komgwaqo angiyeke ngife! Sase sizongena edolobheni laseLilongwe, ngakho wangiyisa esibhedlela sakhona. Imijovo ye-morphine engayithola yathi ukudambisa ukugula. Njengoba ngangingenakukwazi ukuqhubeka nohambo ngemoto, uBertie nezingane baqhubeka amakhilomitha angu-400 baya eBlantyre. Isihlobo sahlela ukuba ngihambe ngendiza ukuya khona ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa ukuze ngibe nabo. Lapho ngisuka eBlantyre ngaphindela eSalisbury ngendiza, kwathi uBertie nezingane baqedela lonke uhambo ngemoto.

Yeka indlela sonke esajabula ngayo lapho sifika eSalisbury emzini wendodakazi yethu uPauline nomyeni wayo! Ngo-1963, kwazalwa uthumbu wethu, u-Andrew. Elinye iphaphu lalingasebenzi futhi kwakungalindelwe ukuba aphile, kodwa ngenhlanhla waphila. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, sathuthela eNingizimu Afrika futhi ekugcineni sakha eMgungundlovu.

Sabusiswa Ngomkhaya Onothando

UBertie washona ngokuthula eneminyaka engu-94 ngo-1995, futhi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi bengihlala ngedwa lapha ekhaya. Kodwa angingedwa neze! ULyall noPauline bakhonza uJehova nemikhaya yabo lapha eNingizimu Afrika, futhi abanye bahlala khona lapha eMgungundlovu. ULindsay nomkhaya wakhe bahlala eCalifornia, e-U.S.A., lapho bonke bekhonza khona njengoFakazi abashisekayo. Izingane zethu zokugcina, uJeremy no-Andrew, bathuthela e-Australia, futhi bobabili banemishado ejabulayo futhi bakhonza njengabadala emabandleni abakuwo.

Zonke izingane zethu ezingu-8 ziye zahlanganyela enkonzweni yobuphayona ngesikhathi esithile, futhi eziyisithupha ziye zakhonza emahhovisi egatsha e-Watch Tower Society. UDonovan wathweswa iziqu ekilasini le-16 leWatchtower Bible School of Gilead ngo-February 1951 futhi wakhonza njengombonisi ojikelezayo e-United States ngaphambi kokuba ayosebenza ehhovisi legatsha eNingizimu Afrika. Manje usengumdala ongumKristu eKlerksdorp, amakhilomitha angaba ngu-700 ukusuka eMgungundlovu. U-Estrella nomyeni wakhe, uJack Jones, bahlala endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York.

UPeter, izibulo lami, waba senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele iminyaka ethile, emsebenzini wokuphayona nasehhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower eRhodesia. Nokho, eminyakeni ethile edlule, ngadumala lapho ezihlukanisa nebandla lobuKristu.

Uma ngibheka emuva ekuphileni kwami, ngingasho ngithi ngiyajabula ngokuthi lapho ngisakhula ngeza e-Afrika nomama. Yiqiniso, ukuphila bekungelula ngaso sonke isikhathi, kodwa ngiye ngaba nelungelo lokusekela umyeni wami nokukhulisa umkhaya oye wasiza ekuholeni ekushunyayelweni kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu eningizimu ye-Afrika.—Mathewu 24:14.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 22, 23]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town

Pietermaritzburg

Klerksdorp

Johannesburg

Pretoria

ZIMBABWE

Gwanda

Bulawayo

Filabusi

Gweru

Mutare

Harare

ZAMBIA

MOZAMBIQUE

MALAWI

Blantyre

Lilongwe

TANZANIA

Dar es Salaam

Tanga

KENYA

Mombasa

SOMALIA

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

NginoPeter, uPauline no-Estrella, ngaphambi kokuba ngiye ejele no-Estrella

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

ULyall noDonovan phambi kwendlu yethu yasepulazini eduze kwaseFilabusi

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

UBertie, uLyall, uPauline, uPeter, uDonovan kanye nami ngo-1940

[Izithombe ekhasini 24]

UCarmen nezingane zakhe ezinhlanu (kusuka kwesokunxele kuya kwesokudla): uDonovan, lapho eseGileyadi ngo-1951, noJeremy, uLindsay, u-Estrella no-Andrew namuhla