Isinyathelo Sokuhlakanipha Ngaphambi Kwenhlekelele
NJENGOBA izingane zikaMary zase zikhulile, waba nethuba futhi wanquma ukuba athole umsebenzi wokuziphilisa wesikhashana. Nokho, lapho etshela umyeni wakhe, uEnos, wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi sasingekho isidingo ngaye sokuba enze kanjalo. Wathi: “Uma ngakwazi ukondla wena kanye nabantwana, ngokuqinisekile manje ngingakwazi ukunakekela thina sobabili.” Kunokuba avumele umkakhe ukuba asebenze emsebenzini wokuziphilisa, wasikisela ukuthi akacabangele ngomthandazo ukuba iphayona, ummemezeli woMbuso wesikhathi esigcwele.
Nakuba uMary ayekujabulela ukuhlanganyela isigijimi soMbuso nomakhelwane bakhe, wayenamahloni futhi entula ukuzethemba. Nokho, wafuna ukulandela iseluleko somyeni wakhe. Ngakho, enokungabaza, wabhalisa njengephayona elisizayo ngoApril 1981.
Ngokushesha uMary waba nothando ngomsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso ayengakaze abe nokuhlangenwe nakho kwawo ngaphambili. Ngokushesha, wayeseqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli zasekhaya ezine nabantu abathakazelayo. Phakathi nesikhathi esingangonyaka wayeseyiphayona elivamile, eqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli eziyishumi. UChristine, uFakazi kaJehova onezingane ezimbili ezisesesikoleni, wahlanganyela ngentshiseko noMary njengomngane wakhe ayezophayona naye. Abantu abasha abathakazelayo baqala ukuba khona emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso lendawo, lapho kwakukhula khona umoya omuhle wobuphayona. Futhi injabulo kaMary enkulu kakhulu yaba khona lapho indodana yakhe siqu, uChristopher, ikhetha ukulandela isibonelo sakhe futhi nayo iba yiphayona.
Khona-ke, kungazelelwe, ngo-1985 kwagadla usizi. UMary waphelelwa amandla. Ukuvuvukala kwemithambo yekhanda lakhe kwaholela ekopheni okukhulu kobuchopho, futhi phakathi nezinsuku ezintathu uMary oneminyaka engu-45 wayesefile.
Nokho, phakathi naleyominyaka emine yokuphayona, uMary wayakhe ukuma okuhle emphakathini wakubo. Inkonzo yakhe yomngcwabo yayihanjelwe ngabantu abangaphezu kuka-300, kuhlanganise nomakhelwane abaningi. Omunye walabo ababekhona wayengumngane wasesikoleni owayehlatshwe umxhwele ukholo lukaMary, wafuna ukufunda okwengeziwe ngalo, futhi wacela isifundo seBhayibheli. Inkonzo kaMary yayisathela izithelo.
“Manje mina siqu ngiyiphayona elisizayo,” kusho uEnos, “kodwa ngifisa nje ukuba ngabe ngahlanganyela noMary lapho esaphayona. Njalo wayexoxa ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe futhi wayejabule kakhulu. Eqinisweni, leyominyaka embalwa kwakuyiminyaka ejabulisa kakhulu yokuphila kwethu sindawonye, kodwa kumanje kuphela lapho ngisiqaphela khona isizathu salokho.”
Akekho ongabikezela ukuthi kunini lapho ‘isikhathi nethuba’ kungagadla khona, njengoba kwenza kanjalo ngokungalindelekile endabeni kaMary. Nokho, labo abahlala bethembekile njengabamemezeli boMbuso bazilungiselela ukuqashelwa okuhle kokubili uNkulunkulu nomuntu, ngisho nalapho bebhekene nenhlekelele.—UmShumayeli 9:11; 11:1, 2.
[Izithombe ekhasini 31]
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