Ngiwubonile Ukhula ENingizimu YeAfrika

Njengoba Ilandiswa NguRobert Albert McLuckie

UMSEBENZI wokushumayela eNingizimu Afrika uqhubekela phambili kahle kakhulu. Kusukela ebantwini abayikhulu noma ngaphezulu ababeshumayela ekupheleni kwawo-1920, manje kunabangaba ngu-45 000 abashumayela izindaba ezinhle eNingizimu Afrika. Futhi abanye abangu-150 000 noma ngaphezulu bashumayela kwamanye amazwe lapho igatsha lethu laseNingizimu Afrika lalengamele khona.

Ngiye ngaba nenjabulo yokubona lokhu kukhula okumangalisayo eningizimu yeAfrika phakathi neminyaka engu-60 edlule! Ake ngikulandise kafushane ngakho nangengxenye mina nomkhaya wami esiye saba nelungelo lokuba nayo kukho.

Kwaqala Ngemva Kwenhlekelele

NgoJune 22, 1927, umkami othandekayo, uEdna, washona, eshiya indodakazi yethu, uLyall, owayeneminyaka emithathu nendodana yethu, uDonovan, owayeneminyaka emibili. Ngangineminyaka engu-26 kuphela. Ukushona kwakhe kwangishiya ngidabuke kakhulu futhi ngididekile. Wayekuphi? Ngingakholelwa ukuthi usesihogweni, ngathola induduzo ebusuku ngokumphupha esezulwini.

NgoJuly wangalowonyaka uDonovan omncane wanginika ipheshana elalinekheli lomunye umuntu kodwa ngandlela thile laxubana neposi lethu. Lalinenkulumo kaJoseph Rutherford, umongameli wesibili weWatch Tower Society. Elalikuqukethe kwangithakazelisa kangangokuthi ngazi-oda ngaso lesosikhathi izincwadi ezazibhalwe kulo. Angiqaphelanga ukuthi lokhu kwakuyoshintsha ukuphila kwami.

Phakathi kwezincwadi ezafika, ngakhangwa eyayinesihloko esithi Hell—What Is It? Who Are There? Can They Get Out? Yeka ukuthi ngajabula kanjani ukubona leyoncwajana! Ngemva kokufunda amakhasi amabili noma amathathu, ngavele ngahleka ngenxa yenjabulo.

Ngimagange ngokuhlanganyela nabanye lokho engangikufundile, ngangibhalela abazali bami namanye amalungu omkhaya noma ngikhulume nabo. Ngenxa yalokho, abafowethu abane, uJack, uPercy, uWilliam, noSydney, ngokushesha baba nesithakazelo futhi baqala ukushumayela kwabanye. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, ubaba, umama, nodadewethu ababili, uConnie noGrace, nabo balwamukela ukholo.

Angizange ngibathole abanye abaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngalesosikhathi, engxenyeni esasikuyo eNingizimu Afrika. Ngathuthela eNingizimu Rhodesia, manje eyiZimbabwe, ngasebenza nomfowethu uJack cishe unyaka epulazini lezinkomo. Ngenxa yokufunda izincwadi zeWatch Tower Society, akubanga isikhathi eside ngezwa isifiso esikhulu sokungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele.

Kuze kube ilesosikhathi ngangingakahlangani nabanye engikholwa nabo ngaphandle kwalabo engangifakaze kubo. Ngakho ngathatha uhambo ngesitimela olungamakhilomitha angu-2 300 oluya ehhovisi legatsha leNhlangano eKapa, eNingizimu Afrika. Yeka imfudumalo angamukela ngayo umzalwan’ uGeorge Phillips, owayengamele umsebenzi eningizimu yeAfrika! NgoJanuary 10, 1930, ngabhapathizwa.

Iminyaka Yokuqala Yokuphayona

Nakuba ngangikhulumé ngeBhayibheli namakhulu abantu eminyakeni emithathu edlulile, ngangingazange ngihlanganyele enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu. Noma kunjalo, ngabhalisa enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele njengephayona. Ngalezozinsuku kwakungekho simiso sokuqeqesha. Eqinisweni, abamemezeli babengavamile ukuhamba ndawonye ukuya endlini eyodwa. Njengoba sasinabamemezeli abambalwa kangaka, kwakungasizi ukwenza kanjalo.

Ngokufanelekile, ngangiyikhathalela inhlala-kahle yabantwana bami, uLyall noDonovan, ababenakekelwa ugogo nomkhulu wabo. Njengoba babenakekelwa kahle, ngalesosikhathi ngakubona kufanelekile ukuba ngizikhandle ekudluliseleni isigijimi soMbuso kwabanye. Ngakho yilokho engakwenza.

Phakathi neminyaka emithathu eyalandela yokuphayona, ngaba nabantu abahlanu engisebenza nabo, kuhlanganise nomfowethu uSyd. Kamuva esesemsebenzini wokuphayona wangenwa isifo sokuqubuka izilonda emathunjini (typhoid fever) washona. Ukuphayona kwakungelula ngalezozinsuku. Sasisebenzisa iveni yokuthengisa enemibhede eyakhelwe ngaphakathi, eyayakhiwe ngendlela yokuba igoqwe ezinhlangothini zeveni. Lokhu kwakwenza sikwazi ukulala, sihlale, sipheke, futhi sidlele ngaphakathi.

Isehlakalo esivelele kakhulu ezinsukwini zami zokuqala zokuphayona kwakuyilapho samukela igama elisha elithi, oFakazi BakaJehova, ngo-1931, kanye nencwajana ethi UMbuso—Ithemba Lomhlaba. Ngikhumbula kahle ngizizwa ngesaba lapho ngicabanga ngokusebenzisa lelogama eliphakeme, ngizibuza ukuthi ngiyokwazi yini ukulisebenzisa ngokufanele.

Esinye isehlakalo esikhumbulekayo kuleyominyaka yokuqala yilapho ngibhaphathiza umfowethu uJack nomkakhe, uDorrell, emanzini agcwele izingwenya oMfula iNuanetsi eNingizimu yeRhodesia. Ngaphambi kokucwilisa, saphonsa amatshe amakhulu emfuleni ukuze sethuse izingwenya eziqubile. Kamuva, ngawo-1950, ngabhapathiza umama kubhavu wokugezela.

Kwamanye Amazwe

Ngo-1933 mina nowesihlanu engaphayona naye, uRobert Nisbet, sabelwa insimu entsha, engakathintwa—iziqhingi zaseMauritius neMadagascar ezimaqondana nogu oluseningizimu-mpumalanga yeAfrika. Sasebenzisa ingxenye enkulu yezinyanga ezine kulezoziqhingi ezimbili, sitshala izimbewu zeqiniso leBhayibheli. Yeka injabulo okuyiyo manje ukubona ukuthi iMauritius inabamemezeli boMbuso abangaba ngu-800 futhi iMadagascar inabangu-3 000! Lapho sibuyela eNingizimu Afrika, mina noRobert sahlukana. Kamuva waphayona nomfowethu uSyd futhi kamuva wakhonza njengombonisi wegatsha eMauritius.

Ngaphambi kokuba sibuyele eNingizimu Afrika, ngahlela ukuba ngihlangane noLyall noDonovan lapho kuhlala khona ubaba. Ngemva kokuvakasha nabo kwafika isikhathi sokwahlukana esasingenakusibalekela, esihambisana nezinyembezi. Ngaqhubeka nohambo ukuze ngibonane nombonisi wegatsha, uMzalwan’ uPhillips, ukuze ngamukele esabelo sami esilandelayo. SasiyiNyasaland, manje eyiMalawi. Ngathengelwa iChevrolet ka-1929 ukuba ngiyisebenzise lapho.

Ngakho, ngo-1934, ngathatha uhambo lwamakhilomitha ayi-1 900, ikakhulukazi emigwaqweni ewubhuqu, ngisuka eGoli, eNingizimu Afrika, ngiya eZomba, inhloko-dolobha yaseNyasaland. Ekugcineni ngafika lapho engangilibangise khona, ekhaya lomzalwane onsundu, uRichard Kalinde. Waba umhumushi nomngane wami oseduze kakhulu ngesikhathi ngihlala eNyasaland. Ngemva kwesikhathi, ngathola amakamelo amabili ehhotela elidala elalingasasetshenziswa. Elinye ngalisebenzisa njengendawo yokugcina izincwadi, elinye laliyindawo yokuhlala.

Isabelo sami eNyasaland ikakhulukazi sasiwukulungisa isimo esiyisiphithiphithi esasibangelwe okwakuthiwa izinhlangano zeWatchtower. Eminyakeni ethile ngaphambili, umAfrika othile, owayejwayelene nezincwadi zikamongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Society, uCharles Taze Russell, wayebangele ukukhula kwalezinhlangano, ngisho noma yena ngokwakhe engazange abe omunye woFakazi BakaJehova.—Bheka iYearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, ka-1976 amakhasi 71-4.

Ngavakashela amabandla alabo ababesebenzisa izincwadi zeWatch Tower futhi ngafunda izwi lesinqumo eliphathelene negama lethu elisha, elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. Bonke ababehambisana nezwi lesinqumo bacelwa ukuba bakubonise lokhu ngokuphakamisa izandla. Nakuba iningi labonisa kanjalo, abaningi babengaqondi ngokugcwele ukuthi lokhu kwakuhilelani ngempela. Ngakho, phakathi neminyaka, ngesikhathi abanye behluleka ukuqhubeka bethuthuka ngokomoya, abanye bakuhoxisa ngokuphelele ukusekela kwabo lowo ababembheka njengomholi baba oFakazi BakaJehova ngempela.

Ngemva kokuba seNyasaland cishe izinyanga eziyisithupha, ngaya eMozambique, lapho isigijimi soMbuso sasingakashunyayelwa khona. Lapho ngahlangana nesikhulu somPutukezi esisesisha mina noRobert Nisbet esasikhulume naso endleleni eya eMauritius. Sangimemela ekudleni, futhi ngakwazi ukukhuluma naso ngokwengeziwe.

Ngesinye isikhathi, ngisedolobhaneni elithile enyakatho yeMozambique, kwama imoto eceleni kwami. Kwakungumbusi waleyondawo. Wabuza ukuthi angasiza yini wayesengimemela ekhaya lakhe, lapho amukela khona izincwadi eziningi zeWatch Tower. Ngisho noma umsebenzi wokushumayela uvinjelwe manje eMozambique naseNyasaland (eMalawi), kuvusa amadlingozi kimi ukwazi ukuthi odade nabazalwane abaningi bamatasa lapho.

Amalungelo AseBethel

Ngemva kokuba ngibuyele eNyasaland, yeka into emangalisayo engayithola! Ngamenywa ukuba ngijoyine izisebenzi zasehhovisi legatsha laseNingizimu Afrika eKapa, futhi umfowethu omncane uWilliam wathunyelwa ukuba ayothatha isikhundla sami eNyasaland. Ngakho ngaqala uhambo lwamakhilomitha angu-3 500 ngeChevrolet. Endleleni ngavakashela uDonovan noLyall. Base beneminyaka engu-11 nengu-12 manje, futhi ngangiyoze ngiphinde ngibabone ngonyaka olandelayo.

Ngabelwa ukuba ngengamele ehhovisi legatsha noma nini lapho uMzalwan’ uPhillips, umbonisi wegatsha, engekho. Nakuba ngangingazange ngihlanganyele njalo nanoma yiliphi ibandla loFakazi BakaJehova kusukela ngafunda iqiniso eminyakeni eyisishiyagalolunye eyedlule, ngo-1936 ngamiswa ukuba ngibe umbonisi owengamele eBandleni laseKapa, elalinabamemezeli abangaba ngu-20.

Ushintsho Esimweni

Ngangingafuni ukudela amalungelo ami enkonzo, kodwa uLyall noDonovan base bezokweva eminyakeni eyishumi nambili, futhi ngangikhathazekile ngenhlala-kahle yabo engokwenyama nengokomoya. Ngokujabulisayo, ikhambi lase lizotholakala.

NgoJune 6, 1936, uMzalwan’ uPhillips wangethula kwababesanda kufika bevela eAustralia, uDade Seidel nendodakazi yakhe ekhangayo eyayineminyaka engu-18 ubudala, uCarmen. Kungakapheli unyaka mina noCarmen sashada. Ngakho ngathola umsebenzi wokuziphilisa ngasungula ikhaya.

Ngasebenza unyaka eNingizimu Afrika, kodwa mina noCarmen nendodana yethu elusana, uPeter, sathuthela eNingizimu yeRhodesia, lapho umfowethu uJack ayengimemele khona ukuba ngizomlekelela emsebenzini wokumba igolide. Lapho sesizinzile, uLyall noDonovan, ababesale ngemuva nomama kaCarmen, beza bazohlala nathi.

Ukubhekana Noshushiso Lwangesikhathi Sempi

NgoSeptember 1939, kwagqashuka iMpi Yezwe II, kwathi ngonyaka olandelayo izincwadi zethu zeBhayibheli zavinjelwa. Sazimisela ukuvivinya ukuba semthethweni kwalomthetho ngokuhambisa izincwadi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani. Kwalandela ukuboshwa nokuvalelwa, saphucwa izincwadi namaBhayibheli ethu futhi kwashiswa.

Ngelinye ilanga ekuseni ngemva komsebenzi wethu wokushumayela, sabizwa omunye umseshi ukuba silande izingane zethu esiteshini samaphoyisa lapho zaziyiswe khona. Senqaba, sithi njengoba izingane ngokusobala zaziboshiwe, kwakuwumsebenzi wamaphoyisa ukuzinakekela. Ngaleyontambama, sibuya ensimini, sathola abantwana besekhaya bephephile kodwa kungekho phoyisa!

Kwesinye isenzakalo, ngo-1941, uCarmen wagwetshwa izinyanga ezintathu nakuba ayekhulelwe. Nokho, uEstrella wazalwa ngaphambi kokuba uCarmen adonse isigwebo sakhe. Kunokuba ashiye ingane nami ekhaya, uCarmen wakhetha ukuba aye nayo ejele. Kanjalo, uEstrella waba nomzanyana wenkosikazi engumAfrika eyayibulale umyeni wayo. Lapho uCarmen ededelwa, lombulalikazi wavele wasangana wakhala kamunyu. Ngenhlanhla, uEstrella waqala ukuphayona ngo-1956 eneminyaka engu-15. Kamuva washada noJack Jones futhi manje usekhonze nomyeni wakhe iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-20 eNingizimu Afrika futhi manje sebekhonza endlunkulu yeWatch Tower Society eBrooklyn, eNew York.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho nami ngachitha izinyanga eziningi ejele ngenxa yokushumayela. Ngesikhathi ngilapho, ngoJanuary 1942, uJoseph Rutherford washona. Angikwazanga ukuhlala ngingakhali ngalobobusuku ngingedwa esitokisini sami. Nganginamathuba okufakaza, futhi ngelinye ilanga ekuseni ngeSonto, ngesikhathi wonke umuntu wayesegcekeni elingaphandle ezelula umzimba, ngabhapathiza esinye isiboshwa esasamukele isigijimi soMbuso.

Ihhovisi Elisha Legatsha

Ngemva kokudedelwa kwami ejele, ngathola umsebenzi kwaloliwe kwaBulawayo. UCarmen wayefunde ukuthunga ejele futhi wasebenzisa lelokhono ukuze asize ekondleni umkhaya. ULyall wabuya eNingizimu Afrika, lapho ayephayona khona, naye wasiza ngezindleko. Ngenxa yalokho, ngokushesha saba nemali eningi kunesasiyidinga ngempela, ngakho saxoxa ngalokho, futhi savumelana ngokuthi ngingaphinda ngingenele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele.

Ngo-1947, nginemvume yakwaloliwe, ngahamba ngesitimela ngaya eKapa ukuyobona uMzalwan’ uPhillips. Okwangimangalisa kakhulu ukuthi, ngabelwa ukuba ngivule indawo yokubeka izincwadi zeNhlangano kwaBulawayo. Khona-ke, ngonyaka olandelayo, uNathan H. Knorr, umongameli wesithathu weWatch Tower Society, wavakasha wayesehlela ukuba indawo yokubeka izincwadi ibe yihhovisi legatsha ngoSeptember 1, 1948, nokuba uEric Cooke abe umbonisi wegatsha waseNingizimu yeRhodesia. Eminyakeni engu-14 eyalandela, ngaba nelungelo lokusebenza egatsheni kuyilapho ngihlala ekhaya nomkhaya wethu okhulayo. Ngiyabonga kakhulu ngokusekela ngezinto ezibonakalayo uCarmen nabantwana bethu abadala abakunikeza bangenza ngakwazi ukuqhubeka ngisebenza ehhovisi legatsha.

Esinye Isabelo Sokushumayela

Ngo-1962 mina noCarmen safisa ukuya emasimini akude sisebenze lapho indingeko inkulu khona. Ngakho sathengisa umuzi wethu sathatha uLindsay noJeremy, abantwana bethu ababili abancane—laba abanye abahlanu base bekhululile balishiya ikhaya—salibangisa eziQhingini zaseSeychelle.

Okokuqala, sahamba ngemoto, ikakhulukazi emigwaqweni ewubhuqu, amakhilomitha angaba ngu-2 900, safika eMombasa, eKenya. Sashiya imoto kumzalwane sagibela umkhumbi oya eSeychelles. Umuntu othakazelayo wasethula kwabanye, futhi ngokushesha sase siqhuba imihlangano cishe ngasemthunzini wendlu yombhishobhi. Eminye imihlangano sasiyiqhubela esiqhingini esiseduze esikebheni esiyindlu somuntu othile esizungezwe izihlahla ezinde zesundu futhi amagagasi eshaya ogwini.

Ngokushesha imisebenzi yethu yaziwa, ekugcineni iziphathimandla zasiyala ukuba siyeke ukushumayela, okuyinto esasingeke nje sivume ukuyenza. (IzEnzo 4:19, 20) Ngakho ngamanye amazwi saxoshwa, kodwa phakathi nalesikhathi sasesibhapathize abantu abahlanu. Phakathi nezinyanga ezinhlanu esazihlala eSeychelles, uCarmen wakhulelwa uAndrew, umntwana wethu wokugcina. Lapho sibuyela eNingizimu yeRhodesia, indodakazi yethu uPauline yasimema ukuba sizohlala nayo nomyeni wayo lapho sekusondele ukuzalwa kuka-Andrew.

Izibusiso Nokwaneliseka

Ngiyajabula ukusho ukuthi bosishiyagalombili abantwana bethu, kuhlanganise noLyall noDonovan, baye bahlanganyela ekuphayoneni ezikhathini ezithile. Eqinisweni, abane bamadodana nabakhwenyana bethu manje bangabadala, futhi ababili bayizinceku ezikhonzayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, yeka ukuthi sijabula kanjani ngokuthi abaningi babazukulu bethu nabantwana babo kanye nabazali babo bamemezela izindaba ezijabulisayo emazweni angengaphansi kwamane nokuthi iningi lamanye amalungu omkhaya wakwaMcLuckie nalo likhonza uJehova. Ngiqinisekile ukuthi imiphumela enjalo ingenxa yokuba khona njalo komkhaya emihlanganweni nokuhlanganyela njalo emsebenzini wokushumayela.

Manje ngineminyaka engu-89 ubudala, ngisenelungelo lokukhonza njengomdala ebandleni lakithi eMgungundlovu, eNingizimu Afrika. Kungilethela ukwaneliseka kwangempela ukubheka emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-60 enkonzweni kaJehova ebusisekile. Kuyisibusiso ikakhulukazi ukubona izizukulwane ezinhlanu zomkhaya wakithi, kuhlanganise nabazali bami, zidumisa uJehova, uNkulunkulu omkhulu wendawo yonke.