Qhubeka Uhlwanyela Imbewu—UJehova Uzoyikhulisa

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UFRED METCALFE

EKUQALENI kuka-1948, enkonzweni yami yendlu ngendlu, ngahambela ipulazi elincane elisemaphethelweni eCork eningizimu yeIreland. Lapho ngizichaza kumnini-pulazi, ubuso bakhe babheja baba bomvu. Wathukuthela wagana unwabu, wamemeza ethi ngiyiKhomanisi, futhi wagijima wayolanda imfologo yakhe ende. Ngaphandle kokungabaza, ngashesha ngaphumela ngaphandle kwegceke lepulazi futhi ngagxumela ebhayisekilini lami engangilishiye eceleni komgwaqo. Igquma lapho lalehlela kakhulu, kodwa ngashova ngabheka ezansi ngokushesha ngangokunokwenzeka, ngingabheki emuva, njengoba ngangimcabanga lomnini-pulazi engiciba ngemfologo yakhe ende ngemuva njengengcula.

Ngase ngiye ngajwayelana nokusabela okunjalo kuleminyaka emibili selokhu ngafika eRepublic yaseIreland ngivela eNgilandi njengephayona elikhethekile ngo-1946. Ibandla elincane labashumayeli boMbuso engahlanganyela nalo, elinenani labacishe babe ngu-24 kuphela, kakade lase lihlangabezane nobutha nokuhlanjalazwa okuningi. Kodwa ngangiqiniseka ngokuthi ekugcineni umoya kaJehova wawuyoveza imiphumela.—Galathiya 6:8, 9.

Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba ngilandise indlela izinto ezenzeka ngayo, ake nginitshele kafushane ngokuphila kwami kusukela ebuntwaneni nokuqeqeshwa okwangenza ngaba sesimweni esihle ngaphansi kwezimo ezinjalo ezilingayo.

Isibonelo Esihle Sabazali Nokuqeqeshwa

Ubaba wathola iqiniso ekuqaleni kuka-1914. Lapho ayeya ekhaya evela emdlalweni webhola likanobhutshuzwayo eSheffield, eNgilandi, wafunda ipheshana leBhayibheli elalichaza isimo sabafile. Kakade wayesehambele amasonto amaningi efuna izimpendulo emibuzweni yakhe kodwa akaphumelelanga. Lokho manje ayekufunda kulelopheshana kwamjabulisa. Wacela ukuba athunyelelwe imiqulu eyisithupha yethi Studies in the Scriptures lelopheshana elaliyimemezela, futhi wayifunda ngentshiseko enkulu, ngokuvamile ngamahora asekuseni kakhulu. Ubaba walibona ngokushesha iqiniso.

Ngokushesha waqala ukuhlanganyela nebandla lendawo loFakazi BakaJehova, okuyinto eyathatha iminyaka engaphezu kuka-40, eminingi yayo akhonza kuyo njengomdala owengamele. Okwajabulisa ubaba ukuthi, abafowabo ababili kanye nabo bonke odadewabo abathathu balamukela iqiniso. Omunye wabafowabo wafakaza kosemusha owayesiza esitolo esithile, futhi bobabili lowomsizi nodadewabo baba amaKristu azinikezele nagcotshiwe. Ubaba nomfowabo bashada nalaba besifazane ababili abasebasha.

Emkhayeni wakithi ngangingomunye wabafana abane abakhuliswa “ngokuyala nangokuqondisa kweNkosi.” (Efesu 6:4) Ngiyajabula ngokuthi abazali bami abazange badebesele ukutshala iqiniso kithi. Ngalesosikhathi zazingekho izincwadi ezaziklanyelwe ngokukhethekile ukusiza abazali ukuba bafundise abantwana amaqiniso eBhayibheli; kodwa sasiba nesifundo seBhayibheli sasekhaya sasikhathi sonke kabili ngesonto sisebenzisa incwadi ethi The Harp of God, kanye nengxoxo yasikhathi sonke yetekisi losuku.—Duteronomi 6:6, 7; 2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15.

Umama nobaba babeyisibonelo esihle kakhulu ekwaziseni kwabo imihlangano nasekushisekeleni kwabo inkonzo. Ngaphezu kwezimfanelo zakhe ezinhle ezingokomoya, ubaba futhi wayekwazi ukuzihleka, okuyinto ayidlulisela kubantwana bakhe. Ukusebenza kanzima kwabazali bami kwaholela emiphumeleni emihle. Wonke amadodana abo amane, manje aseminyakeni yawo-60, asakhonza uJehova ngenjabulo.

Enkonzweni Yamaphayona

NgoApril 1939, lapho ngineminyaka engu-16 ubudala, ngaphothula esikoleni ngase ngiba iphayona elivamile. Ubaba wahlanganyela nami enkonzweni yamaphayona futhi wanginikeza ukuqeqeshwa okuhamba phambili. Sihamba ngebhayisekili, sayihlanganisa ngokugcwele yonke insimu eyibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-11 ukuzungeza usuka ekhaya. Usuku ngalunye sobabili sasithatha izincwajana ezingu-50, futhi sasingabuyi ekhaya kuze kube yilapho sesizihambisile.

Eminyakeni emibili kamuva ngaba nelungelo lokuba phakathi kwamaphayona akhethekile okuqala akhethwa eBrithani. Kwaba yinjabulo ukuthola lesibusiso, kodwa kwakubuhlungu ukushiya ukulondeka okujabulisayo kwekhaya eliphila ngezimiso ezingokwasezulwini. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi nangosizo lukaJehova, ngazivumelanisa nezimo.

Inkonzo yami yamaphayona yaphazamiseka phakathi neMpi Yezwe II lapho mina, kanye nabanye oFakazi abasebasha, siboshwa ngenxa yempikiswano yokungathathi-hlangothi. EJele laseDurham, ngafakwa eqenjini okuthiwa yiYP (Isiboshwa Esisesisha). Lokhu kwasho ukuthi kwakumelwe ngigqoke isikhindi—okubi kakhulu esimweni sezulu esibandayo. Ake ucabange nje uWilf Gooch (manje ongumxhumanisi weKomiti Yegatsha eBrithani), uPeter Ellis (oyilungu leKomiti Yegatsha laseBrithani), uFred Adams, kanye nami—sonke esicishe sibe ngu-1,8 mitha ubude—simi ndawonye futhi sigqoke izikhindi njengabafana besikole!

Isabelo—I-Ireland

Ngemva kokukhululwa kwami ejele, ngaphayona iminyaka emithathu ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zaseNgilandi. Ngase ngithola isabelo esasizoba uvivinyo nesasizokwanelisa kakhulu—iRepublic yaseIreland. Engangikwazi ngeningizimu Ireland kwakuwukuthi cishe wonke umuntu lapho wayengumRoma Katolika. Kodwa angizange ngizinake izinkulumo eziphambene ezazikhulunywa abanye futhi angizange nginqikaze ukwamukela lesisabelo. Lesi kwakuyisikhathi sokwanda kokukhulekela kweqiniso, futhi ngangiqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova, ngomoya wakhe ongcwele, wayeyongisiza.

Iningi loFakazi BakaJehova eRepublic yaseIreland lalisenhloko-dolobha, iDublin, kunoyedwa noma ababili nje ababesakazeke kwezinye izindawo. Ngakho, iningi labantu lalingakaze libone ngisho noyedwa woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngikanye namanye amaphayona akhethekile amathathu, ngaqala umsebenzi edolobheni laseCork. Kwakungelula ukuthola umuntu olalelayo. EMiseni labo, abefundisi babexwayisa njalo ngathi, besibiza ngokuthi “odeveli abangamaKhomanisi.” Namaphephandaba axwayisa ngemisebenzi yethu.

Ngolunye usuku umgundi wayengigunda izinwele esebenzisa insingo eqondile (icutthroat). Phakathi nengxoxo, wangibuza ukuthi ngenzani eCork. Lapho ngimtshela, wathukuthela wagana unwabu futhi wangithuka. Isandla sakhe sasivevezela ngenxa yentukuthelo, futhi ngazibona ngihamba ngiphumela ngaphandle kwalendawo yokugundela ikhanda lami lifakwe ekhwapheni lami! Yeka impumuzo okwaba yiyo ukuphumela ngaphandle kwalendawo yokugundela ngisaphelele!

Ubudlova Bezixuku

Ngezinye izikhathi kwakudingeka sibhekane nobudlova bezixuku. Ngokwesibonelo, ngolunye usuku ngoMarch 1948, sasimatasa enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu lapho isixuku sihlasela engangiphayona naye, uFred Chaffin. Ejahwa isixuku, uFred wabalekela esiteshini samabhasi futhi wacela usizo kumshayeli webhasi nakumqondisi wawo. Kunalokho, bahlanganyela ekumhlaseleni. UFred waqhubeka wabaleka wenyuka ngomgwaqo futhi wakwazi ukucasha ngemva kodonga olude olwaluzungeze indlu yomfundisi.

Phakathi nalesosikhathi, ngangihambile ngiyolanda ibhayisekili lami. Ukuze ngibuyele enkabeni yedolobha, ngahamba ngendlela eseceleni, kodwa lapho ngiqhamukela emgwaqweni omkhulu, isixuku sasilindile. Amadoda amabili ahlwitha isikhwama sami futhi azilahla kude izinto ezaziphakathi. Khona-ke aqala ukungishaya ngezibhakela nokungikhahlela. Ngokushesha kwaqhamuka indoda. Yayiyiphoyisa elalingagqokile izimpahla zobuphoyisa, futhi yakunqanda ukuhlasela, yangithatha kanye nabahlaseli yasiyisa esiteshini samaphoyisa.

Lokhu kuhlasela kwanikeza isisekelo ‘sokuvikela nokuzimisa ngokomthetho izindaba ezinhle.’ (Filipi 1:7, qhathanisa neNW.) Lapho icala lifika enkantolo, leliphoyisa elalingisindisile, ngokwalo elingumRoma Katolika, lanikeza ubufakazi, futhi abantu abayisithupha bathweswa icala lokuhlasela. Lelicala labonisa ukuthi sasinelungelo lokungena indlu ngendlu futhi labavimbela nabanye ababengase bacabange ukuphendukela ebudloveni.

Ekuqaleni kwakucatshangelwa njengokuyingozi kakhulu ukuthumela odade abangaba amaphayona ezindaweni ezinjengeCork. Nokho, ngokuvamile kwakubonakala ukuthi kwakuyoba ngcono ngodade ukuhambela abesifazane abanesithakazelo. Ngakho, ngaphambi nje kwalokhu kuhlasela, iNhlangano yayabele odade abakahle ababili abangamaphayona eCork. Omunye, uEvelyn MacFarlane, kamuva waba isithunywa sevangeli futhi wenza umsebenzi omuhle kakhulu eChile. Omunye, uCaroline Francis, owayethengise indlu yakhe eLondon ukuze ayophayona eIreland, waba umkami.

Izimbewu Zeqiniso Ziyahluma

Kwakungaba lula ukuba sicabange ukuthi sasichitha isikhathi sethu ngokuhlwanyela izimbewu zeqiniso loMbuso ngaphansi kwezimo ezinjalo. Nokho, ukubona iqiniso lihluma lapha nalaphaya kwaqinisa ithemba lethu emandleni kaJehova okuhlumisa izinto. Ngokwesibonelo, iNhlangano yake yathumela igama nekheli lendoda eyayibhalile icela incwadi ethi UNkulunkulu Makabe Neqiniso. Lelikheli lalingelaseFermoy, idolobha elincane eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-35 ukusuka edolobheni laseCork. Ngakho ngolunye usuku lwangeSonto ekuseni ngahamba ngebhayisekili lami ngiyofuna lomuntu.

Lapho ngifika eFermoy, ngacela indoda ethile ukuba ingiyalele. Yathi: “Oh, ukuya lapho kusazokuthatha amanye [amakhilomitha angu-14] uma uqhubeka ngalomgwaqo.” Ngasuka futhi ngahamba futhi ekugcineni ngafika epulazini lapho ngehla ngomgwaqo omncane wasemaphandleni. Insizwa eyayicele ukuba ithunyelelwe incwadi yayimi esangweni lepulazi. Lapho ngizethula, yathi: “Leyoncwadi iyigugu kakhulu!” Saba nengxoxo emnandi, futhi angizange ngiwezwe amakhilomitha angu-50 engawahamba ngebhayisekili lapho sengiphindela ekhaya. Ngisho namanje, ngaphezu kweminyaka engu-40 kamuva, ngithola injabulo enkulu lapho ngihlangana ‘naleyansizwa,’ uCharles Rinn, unyaka ngamunye emihlanganweni yesigodi. Namuhla, kunamabandla ayishumi endaweni yaseCork.

Phakathi nawo-1950, mina noCaroline sasakaza izimbewu zeqiniso ezindaweni eziphakathi zaseIreland. Sathola isikhuthazo sokubekezela ngo-1951 lapho abantu abathobekile ‘njengoGog’’ uHamilton nomakoti wakwakhe besabela ngokushesha. “UGog’” uHamilton waba ummemezeli wokuqala owabhapathizwa eCounty Longford.—1 Thesalonika 2:13.

Izindawo zokuhlala zaziyinkinga. Ngokushesha lapho abanini bezindawo becindezelwa, babesicela ukuba sihambe. Ngakho, lapho sesilahlekelwe izindawo zokuhlala ezintathu ezihlukahlukene ngokulandelana okusheshayo, sathenga itende, into yokwendlala phansi, nezingubo zokulala ezivalwayo futhi sakuthwala ngemoto eyimodel Y Ford. Sasigxumeka itende nomaphi lapho sasingaligxumeka khona ekupheleni kokufakaza kosuku ngalunye. Kamuva, sathola inqola engumahamba-nendlwana engamamitha amane ubude. Yayincane, inezinto ezimbalwa zasendlini zesimanje—kwakumelwe sihambe ingxenye yekhilomitha ukuze sithole amanzi okuphuza—futhi yayingenawo ugesi, kodwa kithina yayiyinto yokunethezeka. Umoya wami wokukwazi ukuzihleka wavivinywa ngolunye usuku lapho ngishelela empandeni emanzi yomuthi futhi ngiwela ngesiphundu emthonjeni omude, omncane, kodwa ongajulile kakhulu. Nokho, sakwazi ukuhlalisa umbonisi wesifunda nomkakhe kuleyonqola engumahamba-nendlwana lapho besivakashele.

Ngezinye izikhathi abantu abanezinhliziyo ezinhle babebonisa umusa esasingawulindele. Ngokwesibonelo, saya eSligo entshonalanga yeIreland ngo-1958, iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili ngemva kokuxoshwa komunye umbhangqwana ongamaphayona kulelidolobha. Sathandazela usizo lukaJehova ukuze sithole indawo yokumisa lenqola engumahamba-nendlwana, futhi ngemva kwamahora amaningi okufuna, sahlangana nenkwali (quarry) yamatshe enkulu, eyayingasetshenziswa. Indoda eyayelusa izinkomo yehla ngendledlana encane yathi lenkwali kwakungeyomkhaya wakubo. “Ingabe singayisebenzisa?” sibuza, siyitshela ukuthi singabameleli benhlangano yeBhayibheli. Yathi kulungile.

Ngokushesha kamuva yabuza: “Ningabayiphi iNhlangano yeBhayibheli?” Kwakuyisikhathi sokukhathazeka. Sayitshela ukuthi singoFakazi BakaJehova. Okwasenza sathola impumuzo enkulu ukuthi, yahlala inobungane. Emasontweni ambalwa kamuva, yasinikeza irisidi yenkokhelo yonyaka yaleyondawo. “Asifuni mali,” isho. “Kodwa siyakwazi ukuphikiswa enibhekana nakho, ngakho uma noma ubani enibuza ngelungelo lenu lokuba kulendawo, nabu ubufakazi benu.”

Lapho siseSligo, sezwa ngendoda, umnini-sitolo odumile nongumdlali webhola likanobhutshuzwayo, owayebonise isithakazelo esithile ngenkathi kusekhona amaphayona ayeke aba kulelodolobha. Nokho, wayeke wafunda nawo kancane eminyakeni eyisishiyagalombili edlule ngakho sazibuza ukuthi wayesenjani manje. Ukumomotheka kwenjabulo ebusweni bukaMattie Burn lapho ngizethula kwanikeza impendulo. Izimbewu zeqiniso ezazihlwanyelwe eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili zazingafile. Namanje useyilungu lebandla elincane elikhuthele eSligo.

Ukuguqula Izimo Zengqondo

Enye indawo eyabonisa isimo sengqondo esiphikisayo sabaningi ngakithi kwakuyidolobha laseAthlone. Ngenkathi ukufakaza okugxilile kuqala lapho ngawo-1950, abefundisi bahlela ukuba bonke abantu ababehlala kwenye ingxenye yedolobha basayine isicelo esasithi babengafuni ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova bahambele emakhaya abo. Bathumela lesicelo kuhulumeni, okwenza umsebenzi eAthlone waba nzima kakhulu iminyaka ethile. Ngesinye isikhathi iqembu lentsha laqaphela ukuthi nginguFakazi futhi laqala ukungijikijela ngamatshe. Lapho ngima ngaphambi kwewindi lesitolo, umnini-sitolo wathi mangingene ngaphakathi esitolo—ukuze avikele iwindi lakhe kunokuba avikele mina—futhi wangivumela ukuba ngiphume ngemuva.

Nokho, muva nje, ngoAugust 1989, lapho ngiqhuba inkonzo yomngcwabo eAthlone yomzalwane othembekile, ngangimangele ngendlela uJehova ayehlumise ngayo izinto lapho. Ngaphandle kwamalungu ebandla, abantu basendaweni abacishe babe ngu-50 balalela ngenhlonipho inkonzo yomngcwabo eHholo LoMbuso elihle abazalwane abalakhile.

Ukuqeqeshwa Okukhethekile ESikoleni SaseGileyadi

Ngo-1961, ngamenyelwa izifundo ezazizothatha izinyanga eziyishumi eWatchtower Bible School of Gilead. Lezifundo ezikhethekile kwakungezabazalwane kuphela, ngakho mina noCaroline kwadingeka sisicabangele ngomthandazo lesimemo. Sasingakaze sehlukane phakathi neminyaka engu-12. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba nomkami ayenesifiso esiqotho sokuya eSikoleni saseGileyadi futhi abe isithunywa sevangeli, wadumala kakhulu ngokungamenywa. Kodwa, enomqondo omuhle, wabeka izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala futhi wavuma ukuthi kufanele ngihambe. Lemfundo yayiyilungelo elimangalisayo. Kodwa kwaba yinjabulo ukuphindela ekhaya futhi ngihileleke emsebenzini ehhovisi legatsha leNhlangano, nginikeza isikhuthazo koFakazi abangu-200 noma ngaphezulu ababetshala futhi benisela eIreland ekuqaleni kwawo-1960.

Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, ngo-1979, uCaroline wakwazi ukuya endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eNew York lapho ngimenyelwa emfundweni ekhethekile yaseGileyadi yamalungu eKomiti Yegatsha. Kwakungokuvelele kwalokho okwaba ingxenye yokugcina yokuphila kwakhe. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva washona. Kuyo yonke iminyaka engu-32 esakhonza ngayo sindawonye enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, uCaroline akazange alahlekelwe intshiseko yakhe ngenkonzo kaJehova noma ukuqiniseka kwakhe ngokuthi uJehova wayeyokwenza izinto zihlume.

Ngangimkhumbula kakhulu. Enye into eyangisiza ukuba ngibhekane nakho kwakuyisihloko sikamagazini wePhaphama! wangalesosikhathi, esasithi “Ukufunda Ukuphila Ngaphandle Kwalowo Enimthandayo.” (August 8, 1981) Ngangihlengezela izinyembezi noma nini lapho ngicabanga ngomngane wami owayengishiyile, kodwa ngenza lokho lesosihloko esakusikisela futhi ngazigcina ngimatasa enkonzweni kaJehova.

Isibusiso SikaJehova Siyaqhubeka

Esikhathini esingangonyaka ngaphambi kwalokhu, ngoApril 1980, ngangikhona lapho uMzalwan’ uLyman Swingle weNdikimba Ebusayo enikezela isakhiwo segatsha elisha eDublin. Yeka injabulo okwakuyiyo ukubona abamemezeli abangu-1 854 ensimini, ngalesosikhathi eyayisahlanganisa neNyakatho Ireland! Futhi manje, eminyakeni eyishumi kamuva, iYearbook ibika inani eliphakeme lika-1990 labangu-3 451!

Ngesikhathi esifanayo ngiye ngathola isibusiso esengeziwe. Lapho ngikhonza njengomfundisi eSikoleni SeNkonzo YoMbuso, ngahlangana noEvelyn Halford, udade omuhle noshisekayo owayethuthele eIreland ukuze akhonze lapho indingeko inkulu khona. Sashada ngoMay 1986, futhi uye waba umsizi wangempela kimi kuwo wonke umsebenzi wami ongokwasezulwini.

Eminyakeni yami engu-51 yenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele selokhu ngaphuma esikoleni, engu-44 iye yasetshenziselwa eIreland. Kuyajabulisa ukubona abaningi engabasiza abasakhonza uJehova, abanye njengabadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo. Ngingasho ngaphandle kokunqikaza ukuthi enye yezinjabulo ezinkulu kunazo zonke noma ubani angaba nayo iwukusiza othile ukuba ahambe endleleni yokuphila.

Bekuqinisa ukholo ukubona ukukhulekela kweqiniso kuchuma izindawo ngezindawo eIreland, naphezu kokuphikisa okunonya. Manje, abamemezeli abacishe babe ngu-3 500 bahlanganyela emabandleni angaphezu kuka-90 kulo lonke lelozwe. Ngempela, akukho mingcele kulokho uJehova angakwenza. Uzozihlumisa izinto uma sitshala futhi sinisela ngenkuthalo. (1 Korinte 3:6, 7) Lokhu ngiyazi ukuthi kuyiqiniso. Ngikubonile kwenzeka eIreland.