Ukuzimisela Ukuba ‘Ngogxilile’ Nongaxegiyo

Njengoba ilandiswa nguPaul Smit

NGAWO-1830 abalimi abamhlophe abaningi baseKapa eNingizimu Afrika babegcwele ubudlwangudlwangu. Beyisizukulwane samaDashi, bakuthola kuyinkathazo ukubuswa amaNgisi. Izinkulungwane zathuthela enyakatho maphakathi nezwe elalingaziwa ngalesosikhathi. Ngemva kokunqoba izinkinga eziningi, abanye bazinza enyakatho noMfula iOrange kamuva eyaba iOrange Free State. Abanye bawela uMfula iVaal luthi bazinza endaweni eyaziwa manje ngokuthi iNtilasifali. Phakathi kwabo kwakunabakithi ababekezelayo abakhuluma isiBhunu abazinza eNingizimu Ntilasifali ngawo-1860. Ngazalelwa eduze kwedolobha elincane iNylstroom ngo-1898.

Indlela yokuphila yabantu abambalwa ababehlala kuleyondawo yayilula kakhulu ngalezozinsuku. Izilwane zasendle eziningi zaziwumthombo oyinhloko wokuphila, bese kuba ukudla kwasepulazini. Khona-ke, ngo-1899, kwagqashuka impi—impi yaseNingizimu Afrika, noma yamaBhunu. AmaNgisi ayenqume ukuba abuse amaRepublic amabili amaBhunu, iOrange Free State neNtilasifali. Khona-ke iminyaka emithathu amaNgisi namaBhunu (Boer, “abalimi” ngesiBhunu) balwa kanzima belwela ukubusa. Phakathi nalesikhathi, umkhaya wakithi wawugqunywe ekamu lokuhlushwa.

Ngesikhathi sekuphele izimpi, sabuyela emuva epulazini lethu salithola lonakele kakhulu futhi liphangiwe. Kwakunokuhlupheka okukhulu. Izinkulungwane zamadoda zazife zilwa, futhi izinkulungwane zabesifazane nezingane zafela emakamu okuhlushwa. Izwe labulawa ubumpofu. Nathi ngokufanayo. Nokho, uhulumeni wasipha ukolo owasisiza ukuba siphile, futhi abazali bami basebenza ngenkuthalo epulazini, bekhulisa imifino nezinye izilimo.

Iqiniso Lidala “Isikhwishikhwishi”

Kwabe sekufika unyaka ongenakukhohlakala ka-1915. Njengomfana wesikole oneminyaka eyi-16, ngathola ngeposi incwajana ethi What Say the Scriputures About Hell? eyakhishwa oFakazi BakaJehova ngalesosikhathi. Mina nomngane wami wasesikoleni, uAbraham Stroh, sayifunda ndawonye futhi savuma ukuthi yayiyiqiniso. Kwakuvusa amadlingozi ukwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu akabashisi abantu phakade; kodwa ukuthi abafileyo abezwa, balele ekufeni, futhi balindele isithembiso sikaJesu sovuko. (Umshumayeli 9:5, 10; Hezekeli 18:4; Johane 5:28, 29) Sashukunyiselwa esenzweni. INylstroom yaba indawo enesikhwishi, ngokungathi yayihlaselwe isikhwishikhwishi, njengoba thina bafana ababili besikole sakwenza kwaziwa ngomdlandla nangesibindi, ukuthi imfundiso yeSonto laseDashi yayingamanga. Yebo, abefundisi bacasuka futhi bayihlaba ‘lenkolo entsha’ emapulupiti abo.

Ngenxa yalokho, mina noAbraham sasingasamukelwa emakhaya abangane bethu. Ngisho nobaba wasongela ukungixosha ekhaya. Kodwa umama, umuntu oyimvu yangempela, akazange akhulume okudumazayo. Ngalesosikhathi ubaba wami omdala, owayenenhlonipho ejulile ngeBhayibheli wajwayelana ‘nalenkolo entsha,’ futhi oFakazi babamukelwa ngenjabulo ekhaya. Ngalezozinsuku zakuqala, sasingazi lutho ngeNhlangano futhi sasithembele ngokuphelele kuJehova. Kamuva, amacolporteurs (manje abizwa ngokuthi amaphayona) asivakashela futhi asenza sayazi iNhlangano nehhovisi layo eliseKapa eliqhele ngamakhilomitha ayi-1 600. Lokhu kwaholela ekubhapathizweni kwami ngo-1918.

Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, ngaya emhlanganweni ePitoli. Kwakukhona abazalwane nodade abangama-23, kunoMzalwane uAncketill, ummeleli weNhlangano, engamele. Yeka indlela okwakujabulisa ngayo ukuba nesikholwa nabo nakuba sasiyingcosana kakhulu! Isimiso sasigxile kakhulukazi ezindabeni ezingokwemfundiso ‘nasebufakazini,’ noma kokuhlangenwe nakho, kodwa kwakukhuthaza ngokwanele kimi ukuba ngihlale ngiqinile. Ngangikudinga.

Ukudumazeka—Bese Kuba Izibusiso

Ukukhungatheka okukhulu ekuphileni kwami kwenzeka lapho umngane wami emkhulu, uAbraham, ngemva kokuqeda esikoleni nokuqashwa kwakhe uMkhandlu Wesikole endaweni yakithi, kamuva esongelwa ngokuxoshwa uma engayiyeki inkolo yakhe. Ngempela walishiya iqiniso futhi wahlanganyela eSontweni laseDashi. Lokho kwangishiya ngingedwa qhwaba eNyakatho Ntilasifali, ngiyingane futhi ngimusha eqinisweni. Ngakhala kakhulu ngenxa yekulahlekelwa umngane wami, kodwa ngakhuleka ngokunganqamukiyo kuJehova futhi ngaqiniswa ukuba ngibe ‘ngogxilile, ongaxegiyo, ovamé njalo emsebenzini weNkosi’—1 Korinte 15:58.

Kwaze kwaba sekuqaleni kwawo-1920. UJehova wabusisa imizamo yami ephikelelayo yokuphila ngeqiniso ngokusemandleni ami. Ngaqala ukuthola “izimvu” komakhelwane bami. Indodana encane yomlimi oseduze yamukela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso, kanjalo yaba sesikhundleni somngane wami owangilahlekela. Lomzalwane, uHannes Grobler, wahlala ethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe muva nje. Ngaqala futhi isifundo nomkhaya wabayisikhombisa, abakwaVorster, ngisebenzisa incwadi ethi The Harp of God.a

Njalo ngoMgqibelo ngangihamba ngenjabulo amakhilomitha ayi-6,4 nginqamula ehlane, noma emaphandleni, ngiyoqhuba isifundo. Abazali baba ngoFakazi abazinikezele futhi bahlala bethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni.

Ngo-1924, uMzalwane uGeorge Phillips, owayesanda kufika eNingizimu Afrika ezokhonza egatsheni eKapa, wavakashela eNylstroom—isigameko esangivusa amadlingozi. Kwaqalisa ubuhlobo obukhulu nesikhathi sokubambisana okungokwasezulwini okwaqhubeka kwaze kwaba yilapho eqeda inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-1982.

Isithakazelo endaweni yakithi saqhubeka, futhi ngokushesha saba neqembu elihle kakhulu labazalwane nodade abayi-13—iqembu lokuqala loFakazi enyakatho Pitoli. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi isigijimi soMbuso saqhubeka endaweni ebanzi eseNyakatho Ntilasifali.

Izinkinga Nentuthuko EPitoli

Nokho, ngalowonyaka ofanayo abaqashi bami basebhange bangishintshela ePitoli, lapho kwakuneqembu elincane labaFundi BeBhayibheli (oFakazi BakaJehova) abayisishiyagalombili. Kodwa munye kuphela owayenokwazisa kwangempela ngezindaba ezingokwasezulwini, futhi wafa ngokushesha ngemva kokufika kwami. Abanye—kwakukhona nababengamadoda afundile—behluleka ukwazisa ilungiselelo leNhlangano lokuhlelela amabandla inkonzo, futhi ababili babo bashiya phansi.

Ngalesosikhathi, “umdala” weqembu, naphezu kokusolwa iNhlangano, wayebhala incwadi echaza imiBhalo ngendlela yakhe. Ngaya komsola mathupha ukuba ayeke lowomqondo. Umvuthwandaba waba ngeSonto ekuseni. Incwadi yakhe yayisinyathelisiwe kakade, futhi wafika namakhophi ayo wacela iqembu ukuba liwasakaze. Ngashaqeka. Ngasukuma ngamelana nesicelo sakhe. Ngenxa yalokho, “umdala” nabanye abane noma abayisihlanu bayishiya inhlangano. Lokhu kwashiya kuphela udade othandekayo omdala ongasenamandla, kanye nami nomkami. Kodwa sasizimisele ukuba ‘ngabagxilile nabangaxegiyo’ futhi ngobuqotho sisekela iNhlangano. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi, kancane kancane kodwa ngokuqinisekile, uJehova waletha ukwanda.—1 Korinte 3:6; 15:58.

Ngesikhathi esifanele uJehova wanezela izisebenzi ezengeziwe eBandleni lasePitoli. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1931 abazalwane abansundu ababili beza endaweni esiqhubela kuyo isifundo futhi bazethula. Ngemva kwalokho, eminyakeni eminingi kwakuwumthwalo wami wemfanelo ukukhonza kokubili abelungu (abamhlophe) nabaNsundu (abamnyama)—ilungelo elingavamile eNingizimu Afrika. Ukuze ngisize abazalwane abaNsundu, ngaqhuba isifundo seqembu emalokishini abo, noma emaphandleni. Futhi ngasebenzisa izinkulumo zikamzalwane uRutherford ezirekhodiwe elokishini. Ngaphezu kwalokhu, umzalwane oNsundu, uHamilton Kaphwitti Maseko, wayevame ukungisiza njalo ngeSonto ebusuku ukurekhoda lezinkulumo ngokusebenzisa umshini onamandla wokudlulisa amazwi eChurch Square, maphakathi impela nePitoli.

Ngokuletha kukaJehova ukwanda, ibandla labaNsundu lamiswa. Iminyaka eminingi, njengombonisi wedolobha, ngangihlela imihlangano yabo ekhethekile. Kusukela eziqalweni ezincane, umsebenzi phakathi kwabaNsundu ePitoli wanda kwaba namabandla ayi-16 kulendawo ngo-1984.

Ukuvinjelwa Ngesikhathi Sempi

Ukugqashuka kweMpi Yezwe II ngoSeptember 1939 kwaletha ukuhlupheka okukhulu emazweni amaningi. Kodwa, iNingizimu Afrika, ayizange ithinteke. Nokho, ngenxa yezigigaba ezikhungathekisa umhlaba, abantu abaningi baseNingizimu Afrika bavuka ekunganakini kwabo futhi baqondisa izingqondo zabo ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho seBhayibheli. Ngenxa yalokho, kwaba nokukhula okukhulu emsebenzini woMbuso kwaba nokwanda kwamaphesenti angama-50 kubamemezeli onyakeni wenkonzo ka-1941. Lokhu kwavusa ulaka lwamasonto, ikakhulukazi iSonto lamaKatolika, elabeka iNhlangano icala lokuthi iyingozi embusweni. Khona-ke uHulumeni wavimbela izincwadi eziningi zeNhlangano.

Cishe ngalesosikhathi, mina nomkami uAnna nabantwana bethu ababili, uPaul noAnelise, savakashela eNylstroom, lapho ngangiyonikeza khona inkulumo. Ngasebenzisa lelothuba ukubonisa abazalwane bendawo indlela elula yokuhambisa umagazini emgwaqweni. Ngakhetha indawo eseduze nje kwaseNkantolo. Ngokushesha uSayitsheni wangitshela ukuthi ngangenza umsebenzi ongavunyelwe ngokomthetho futhi kwakumelwe ngifike eShantshi ngokushesha. Nokho, njengoba sasinqume ukusebenza ihora, ngamane ngaqhubeka. Khona-ke iphoyisa lafika lizongitshela ukuthi iNkosi yeNkantolo yayingilindele. Kodwa anginyakazanga. Elinye iphoyisa lafika nombiko ofanayo futhi lathola ukusabela okufanayo. Saqeda ihora sinemiphumela emihle, khona-ke mina nomkhaya wami saya ethilomu ukuba sithole inkomishi yetiye.

Lapho ekugcineni ngiya eShantshi, ngabuzwa ukuthi zazikuphi izincwadi. Ngachaza ukuthi zazihanjiselwe umphakathi. Kamuva, iphoyisa lafika epulazini labazali bami lapho sasihlala khona futhi lathatha bonke omagazini elalingabathola.

Ngemva kokuxoxa ngendaba nabazalwane bendawo, sanquma ukungazitheli ngabandayo ngalendaba. Ngakho-ke ngesonto elilandelayo abangama-30 bethu bagcwala ngezinkani emigwaqweni yaseNylstroom, futhi ngesonto elilandelayo eWarmbad, engamakhilomitha angama-29 ukuya ngaseningizimu. Ngokuphambene nalokho esasikulindele, akekho owasimisa. Kamuva, ngemva kobunzima obukhulu, zonke izincwadi ezazingavinjelwe zabuyiswa.

‘Ukugxila Nokungaxegi’ Naphezu Kokuguga

Umkami uAnna wangisekela ngobuqotho kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-1949. Kusukela ngo-1954, lapho ngiphinda futhi ngishada, ngathola ukusekelwa okuhle ngumkami othandekayo uMaud. Kusukela besebancane, abantwana ababili, uPaul noAnelise babehamba nami kuzo zonke izici zenkonzo. Bobabili baba ngamaphayona lapho behamba ekhaya. UAnelise nomyeni wakhe, uJannie Muller, basekuleyonkonzo. Kamuva, uPaul walishiya iqiniso waya eyunivesithi, kodwa eminyakeni yamuva uphinde wabuyela futhi. Abazukulu bami abayisihlanu bangoFakazi BakaJehova; ababili babo, kuhlanganise nabangane babo bomshado, basenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngingakhuthaza ngokuqinile ukuthi abazali bahlale njalo beseduze nabantwana babo, ngokubayala nangesibonelo, babaqeqeshe ukuthanda uJehova nokumsebenzela ngomphefumulo wonke.—Duteronomi 6:6, 7.

Phakathi neminyaka engama-69 yenkonzo engokwasezulwini, ngiye ngabona ukwanda okuthakazelisa kakhulu. Emuva ngo-1931 kwakunabamemezeli abayisihlanu endaweni yasePitoli. Manje kunabangaphezu kwe-1 500 abahlanganyela emabandleni angama-26. Konke ukubonga nodumo ngalokhu kuya kuJehova! Manje, eminyakeni engama-86 ubudala, njengoba impilo ingivumela, ngisayijabulala inselele yokufakaza endlini ngendlu nokuhambisa omagazini INqabayokulinda nePhaphama! emgwaqweni. Mina noMaud sizimisele ukuba ‘ngabagxilile nabangaxegiyo,’ sithembekile kuJehova, sibusisa igama lakhe phakade naphakade.

[Umbhalo waphansi]