Ukuqiniswa Ithemba Ukuze Ukhuthazelele Izilingo
Njengoba Ilandiswa Umichiko Ogawa
Ngo-April 29, 1969, ngathola ucingo luvela emaphoyiseni. Umyeni wami, uSeikichi wayelimale engozini yemoto futhi esesibhedlela. Ngashiya amadodana ami amabili amancane nomngane ngaphuthuma khona. Kusukela lapho uSeikichi wakhubazeka futhi akazange abuye aphaphame. Ake nginitshele ngomkhaya wethu nokuthi siye saphumelela kanjani.
NGAZALWA ngo-February 1940 eSanda, eduze kwase-Kobe, eJapane. Mina noSeikichi sazana kudala sisafunda enkulisa ndawonye. Sashada ngo-February 16, 1964. Umyeni wami wayeyindoda engakhulumi kakhulu, kodwa ebathanda abantwana. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, saba nabafana ababili, uRyusuke noKohei.
USeikichi wayesebenza enkampanini yokwakha eTokyo, ngakho ngemva kokuba sishadile sahlala emaphethelweni aleli dolobha. Ngo-October 1967, ngavakashelwa owesifazane osemusha owazethula njengomfundisi weBhayibheli. Ngathi kuye: “Cha ngiyabonga. Nginelami iBhayibheli.”
“Ngingalibona lelo Bhayibheli?” ebuza.
Ngalikhipha iBhayibheli eshalofwini—kwakungelikaSeikichi—ngamnikeza ukuze alibone. Wangibonisa igama elithi Jehova kulo. Ngangingazi ukuthi lelo kwakuyigama likaNkulunkulu. Lona wesifazane, ebheka abantwana bami ababili, wangifundela eBhayibhelini: “Khulisa umntwana ngendlela eyakuba ngeyakhe; kuyakuthi lapho esekhulile, angasuki kuyo.” (IzAga 22:6) Empeleni ngangizibuza ukuthi ngingabakhulisa kanjani abantwana bami ngokuphumelelayo. Ngakho ngaso leso sikhathi ngaba nesifiso sokutadisha iBhayibheli.
Ngamemela lona wesifazane endlini, futhi saqala ingxoxo ngencwadi ethi “Bheka! Ngenza Konke Kube Kusha.” Ngacabanga, ‘Yeka indlela okungaba kuhle ngayo uma njengomkhaya singaba nokuphila okujabulisayo!’ Lapho uSeikichi efika ekhaya, ngathi: “Ngifuna ukutadisha iBhayibheli.”
“S’thandwa, akudingeki ube isifundiswa kangako,” esho. “Ngizokusiza nganoma yini ofuna ukuyazi.” Noma kunjalo, ngaqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova isonto ngalinye futhi ngokushesha ngaqala ukuya emihlanganweni yabo.
Ukuqala Kwezilingo Zethu
Lapho ngifika esibhedlela ngalobo busuku buka-April 1969 obuphawulwe ngenhla, ngathuswa ukuzwa ukuthi umngane kaSeikichi, umyeni wenkosikazi engangiyishiye namadodana ami, naye wayesethekisini lapho kwenzeka ingozi. Umngane womyeni wami washona ngemva kwesonto.
Ngalobo busuku izisebenzi zasesibhedlela zangitshela ukuba ngixhumane nanoma ubani enganginomuzwa wokuthi kufanele abone uSeikichi, ngoba kwakungalindelekile ukuba aphile. Wayephuke ingxenye yogebhezi futhi enenxeba ebuchosheni. Ngakusasa izihlobo zaphuthuma esibhedlela zisuka endaweni yaseKobe.
Ngokushesha izwi lamemeza embhobhweni wasesibhedlela: “Sicela zonke izihlobo zikaSeikichi Ogawa zimbone ngokushesha.” Saphuthuma egunjini labagula kakhulu futhi sashintshana sivalelisa kuye. Nokho, isimo sakhe esibucayi saqhubeka inyanga yonke. Ukuxilonga kokugcina kwabonisa ukuthi lesi simo sasizoqhubeka isikhathi eside.
Ngakho uSeikichi wathathwa ngemoto yeziguli washintshelwa eKobe esuka eTokyo, ibanga elingaba ngamakhilomitha angu-650. Ngambona ehamba futhi ngalibangisa ekhaya ngesitimela, ngithandazela ukuba asinde. Kamuva kusihlwa, lapho ngimbona esaphila esibhedlela saseKobe, ngajabula kakhulu. Ngezwi eliphansi ngathi kuye, ‘S’thandwa, usaphila!’
Ukuhlala Nabazali Bami
Ngabuyela ekhaya eSanda namadodana ami, lapho abantwana bami baqala khona inkulisa. Ngathenga ithikithi lesitimela lenyanga laseKobe, okwakucishe kube amakhilomitha angu-40, ngonyaka owalandela mina nomamezala sasishintshana ngokuya esibhedlela nsuku zonke. Ngangiye ngizibuze, ‘Ingabe uSeikichi uzophaphama namuhla? Yini into yokuqala azongitshela yona? Kufanele ngisabele kanjani?’ Ngangiye ngicabange futhi, ikakhulukazi uma kwenzekile ngabona umkhaya obonakala ujabule, ‘Ukube nje uSeikichi ubephila kahle, amadodana ethu abezoba nesikhathi esijabulisayo.’ Kwakuvele kugcwale izinyembezi emehlweni.
Kuleyo minyaka yokuqala, lapho ngifunda ephephandabeni ukuthi umuntu waphaphama ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa equlekile, ngangiye ngicabange ukuthi noSeikichi angase aphaphame. Ngakho ngake ngathi kumfowabo: “Ngifuna ukumyisa esibhedlela esisenyakatho-mpumalanga yeHonshu.” Kodwa wangitshela ukuthi lalingekho ikhambi, futhi wangeluleka ukuba ngisebenzise imali esasinayo kwamanye amalungu omkhaya.
Kunomdala ongumKristu kwelinye lamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova aseKobe owayehlala eduze kwasesibhedlela, futhi ngangidlula kwakhe ngaphambi kokuba ngivakashele uSeikichi. Kanye ngesonto umkakhe wayengiqhubela isifundo seBhayibheli. Izingane zabo ezimbili zaziza egumbini lethu lasesibhedlela zisilethele amakhasethi emihlangano yebandla. Lo mkhaya wangikhuthaza kakhulu futhi wangiduduza.
Ukuqiniswa Yithemba
Ngolunye usuku, umbonisi ojikelezayo woFakazi BakaJehova wasivakashela esibhedlela wangifundela amaRoma 8:18-25. Ngokwengxenye, ithi: “Ngicabanga ukuthi izinhlupheko zenkathi yamanje azilutho uma ziqhathaniswa nenkazimulo ezokwambulwa kithi. . . . Ngoba siyazi ukuthi yonke indalo iyaqhubeka ibubula kanyekanye futhi iba sezinhlungwini kanyekanye kuze kube manje. . . . Ngoba lapho umuntu eyibona into, ingabe uba nethemba layo? Kodwa uma sinethemba lalokho esingakuboni, siyaqhubeka sikulindela ngokukhuthazela.”
Ingxoxo ngethemba lethu lobuKristu yangikhumbuza ukuthi ukuhlupheka kwamanje kuncane uma kuqhathaniswa nenjabulo uJesu ayithembisayo—ukuphila emhlabeni oyiPharadesi ozayo. (Luka 23:43) Le ngxoxo yangisiza ukuba ngibhekane ngethemba nezinto ezingokoqobo ezazenzeka nokuba ngibheke phambili ezibusisweni ezingokoqobo zezwe elisha.—2 Korinte 4:17, 18; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.
Ngo-June 1970, uSeikichi washintshelwa esibhedlela saseSanda, lapho ngangihlala khona nabazali bami. Ngo-January olandelayo, lapho ngithola incwadi eyayibhalwe ummeli wethu eyayithi umyeni wami wayengenamandla ngenxa yengozi, ngadabuka kakhulu futhi ngahluleka ukubamba izinyembezi. Umamezala wayevame ukuthi: “Ngiyaxolisa, Michiko, ngobunzima obuthwele ngenxa yendodana yami.” Athi futhi: “Ngifisa sengathi ngingaba sesikhundleni sikaSeikichi.” Sasiye sikhale ndawonye.
Ubaba wayengincenga ukuba ngithole umsebenzi wesikhathi esigcwele, kodwa ngangizimisele ukunakekela uSeikichi. Nakuba ayebonakala equlekile, wayekuzwa ukushisa nokubanda futhi imthinta indlela ayenakekelwa ngayo. Ubaba wayefuna ukuba ngiphinde ngishade, kodwa ngaqaphela ukuthi ukwenza kanjalo kwakungafanele, ngoba umyeni wami wayesaphila. (Roma 7:2) Ngemva kwalokho, lapho ubaba edakiwe wayethi: “Uma ngifa, ngiyofa noSeikichi.”
Ngajabula kakhulu, lapho kuba nebandla eSanda ngo-1971. Ngakho, ngo-July 28, 1973, ngabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi. Lokhu kwenzeka emhlanganweni wezizwe woFakazi BakaJehova e-Osaka Expo Grounds.
Kamuva ngo-1973, indodana yami uKohei yaba nesifo sezinso futhi yalaliswa esibhedlela izinyanga ezinhlanu. Nobaba wayesesibhedlela ngenxa yesifo sofuba. Ngakho ngo-January 1, 1974, ngavakashela ubaba, umyeni wami, nendodana yami ezibhedlela ezintathu ezihlukene. NgamaSonto uma ngiyobona uKohei nendodana yami endala, uRyusuke, ngangifunda nabo incwadi ethi Ukulalela UMfundisi Omkhulu. Ngemva kwalokho, mina noRyusuke sasiya emhlanganweni webandla eKobe bese sibuyela ekhaya sinezinhliziyo ezijabulile.
Ngibabonga njalo labo abangisiza ukuba nginakekele uSeikichi. Ngazimisela ukuhlanganyela ulwazi lweBhayibheli nabo. Ngemva kokuba omunye wabanakekeli eshonelwe udadewabo ngokusha, wasabela lapho ngimbonisa ngethemba elihle lovuko elithenjiswe eBhayibhelini. (Jobe 14:13-15; Johane 5:28, 29) Kwaqalwa isifundo seBhayibheli naye esibhedlela, futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wabhapathizwa emhlanganweni wesigodi ngo-1978.
Abantwana Bami, Umthombo Wenjabulo
Ukukhulisa abantwana ngaphandle kosizo lomyeni wami kuye kwaba yinselele, kodwa yeka indlela okube umvuzo ngayo! Ngabafundisa inhlonipho efanele nokucabangela imizwa yabanye. Lapho uRyusuke eneminyaka emithathu kuphela, wayexolisa lapho engaziphathanga kahle, athi: “Ngiyaxolisa, Mama.” UKohei wayevukela kancane, ngezinye izikhathi acasuke uma ngizama ukumqondisa. Ngesinye isikhathi wake wazibhuquza phansi ekhala phambi kwesitolo ngoba efuna okuthile. Kodwa ngangibonisana naye, ngibonisa uthando nokubekezela. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi waba umfana olalelayo, omuhle. Lokhu kwangiqinisekisa ukuthi ngempela iBhayibheli liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu.—2 Thimothewu 3:15-17.
Lapho uRyusuke engena esikoleni esiphakeme, wachazela othisha ukuthi kungani ayengenakukwamukela ukuqeqeshelwa ubuciko bokulwa. (Isaya 2:4) Ngolunye usuku, wabuya esikoleni echichima injabulo ngoba emhlanganweni othile nothisha abaningana, wakwazi ukuphendula imibuzo yabo.
Ubudlelwano obakhayo ebandleni babulusizo olukhulu emadodaneni ami. Abadala abangamaKristu babevame ukubamemela ukudla futhi babahlanganise esifundweni sabo seBhayibheli somkhaya nakwezinye izici zokuzijabulisa. Kwakuba namathuba futhi obudlelwano obujabulisayo, kuhlanganise nokuhlanganyela emidlalweni ehlukahlukene. URyusuke wabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwakhe kuJehova ngokucwiliswa emanzini ngo-1979, kanti uKohei wabhapathizwa ngonyaka owalandela.
Inkonzo Yethu Yesikhathi Esigcwele
Ngesinye isikhathi sivakashelwe umbonisi ojikelezayo, ngamtshela ukuthi ngangifuna ukuba yiphayona, njengoba zibizwa kanjalo izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngenxa yokuthi ngaleso sikhathi izimo zami zaziyokwenza isinyathelo esinjalo singabi ukuhlakanipha, ngomusa wangikhumbuza ngesidingo sokukhulisa amadodana ami agxile eqinisweni leBhayibheli. “Into ebalulekile,” esho “ukuba nomoya wokuphayona.” Ngakho ngangenela inkonzo yamaphayona asizayo, ngihlanganyela kulo msebenzi namadodana ami ngamaholide esikole. Lo msebenzi wangisiza kakhulu ukuba ngilondoloze injabulo nokuthula kwengqondo ngesikhathi nginakekela uSeikichi.
Ekugcineni, ngo-September 1979, ngakwazi ukungena ezinhlwini zamaphayona avamile. Ngo-May 1984, cishe ngemva konyaka eqede esikoleni esiphakeme, uRyusuke naye wabhalisa njengephayona. UKohei wahlanganyela naye emsebenzini wobuphayona ngo-September 1984. Ngakho, sobathathu siye sajabulela lolu hlobo lwenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Njengoba ngibheka emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-20 yokuphayona, okuyisikhathi engiye ngaba nelungelo lokusiza abantu abaningi ngaso ukuba bakhonze uJehova, nginomuzwa wokuthi lo msebenzi uye wangiqinisa phakathi nokuvivinywa kwami.
URyusuke wazikhethela ukuyosebenza esakhiweni sehholo lemfundo eliseduze neHholo Lomhlangano laseKansai. Kamuva wakhonza iminyaka eyisikhombisa njengomqaphi weHholo Lomhlangano eHyogo. Manje, njengomdala ongumKristu ebandleni eliseduze eKobe, uyanginakekela. Kusukela ngo-1985, uKohei ubekhonza njengesisebenzi sokuzithandela ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova e-Ebina.
Ukuqiniswa Izibusiso Eziningi
Eminyakeni eminingi ngangiya esibhedlela izikhathi ezithile ngesonto ukuze ngivakashele uSeikichi nokuba ngimgeze. Ukumnakekela kwami kwakunezela kulokho komnakekeli wakhe ovamile. Ngo-September 1996, ngemva kweminyaka engu-27 elaliswa ezibhedlela ezihlukene, uSeikichi wabuya ezohlala ekhaya, esizwa umnakekeli. Uyakwazi ukudla ukudla okuwuketshezi ngepayipi elingena emakhaleni. Nakuba amehlo akhe ehlale evalekile, uyasabela kancane uma sisho okuthile kuye. Kungizwisa ubuhlungu ukubona uSeikichi ekulesi simo, kodwa ngiqiniswa ithemba elihle ngekusasa.
Ngaphambi nje kokubuya kukaSeikichi, ngangamukele umbonisi ojikelezayo nomkakhe, ngakho kwase kuphele unyaka sobahlanu sihlala ndawonye endlini yethu encane. Angikaze ngicabange ukuthi ngiyophinde ngihlale noSeikichi futhi, ngibonga uJehova ngalokhu. Sekuyiminyaka eminingi nginesifiso esiqinile sokuba uSeikichi avule amehlo, kodwa manje isifiso sami siwukuba intando kaJehova yenzeke.
Ngingasho ngiqinisile ukuthi: “Isibusiso sikaJehova—siyacebisa; akenezeli usizi kuso.” (IzAga 10:22) Nakuba ukuphila okujabulisayo noSeikichi esengumqemane kwaba isikhathi esifushane, ngiye ngabusiswa ngamadodana amabili aye ‘akhumbula uMdali wethu Omkhulu.’ Ngalokhu ngibonga kakhulu!—UmShumayeli 12:1.
Okwamanje, ngingathanda ukuqhubeka ngiphayona—kanjalo ngisize abanye bathole “ukuphila kwangempela”—futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo, nginakekele uSeikichi ngothando. (1 Thimothewu 6:19) Okuhlangenwe nakho kwami kuye kwangifundisa ubuqiniso bamazwi omhubi: “Phonsa phezu kukaJehova umthwalo wakho, uzakukuphasa; akayikuvuma naphakade ukuba olungileyo azanyazanyiswe.”—IHubo 55:22.
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Mina nomyeni wami kanye noRyusuke
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
USeikichi namadodana ethu amabili, ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ngaphambi kwengozi
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Sabusiswa ngamadodana amabili, uRyusuke noKohei (ngenhla), aye ‘akhumbula uMdali wethu Omkhulu’