Basibekela Isibonelo

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUCRAIG ZANKER

Iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili mina nomkami, uGayle, besingamaphayona, izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zoFakazi BakaJehova. Phakathi neyisithupha edlule, besikhonza phakathi kwaboMdabu base-Australia ezindaweni ezingazodwa emaphandleni ase-Australia. Simane silandela isibonelo esihle esasibekelwa abazali bami kanye nogogo nomkhulu.

AKE nginixoxele ngokukhethekile ngogogo nomkhulu. Ngaso sonke isikhathi sibonisa uthando sasibabiza ngokuthi u-Opa no-Oma, okungamagama esiDashi asho umkhulu nogogo. Umkhulu, uCharles Harris, usakhonza ngentshiseko eMelbourne, lapho esehlale khona iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-50.

Ukufunda Amaqiniso EBhayibheli

U-Opa wazalelwa edolobhaneni laseTasmania, isiqhingi sase-Australia. Ngo-1924, lapho eneminyaka engu-14, uyise wathenga ibhokisi elikhulu lezinto zamatilosi endalini. Laba ibhokisi lengcebo ngempela, ngomqondo ongokomoya, ngoba lalinesethi yezincwadi ezabhalwa umongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, uCharles Taze Russell.

Kubonakala sengathi uyise ka-Opa wayengenasithakazelo esikhethekile kulezincwadi, kodwa u-Opa waqala ukuzifunda futhi ngokushesha waqaphela ukuthi zaziqukethe amaqiniso abalulekile eBhayibheli. Ngakho waqala ukufuna AbaFundi BeBhayibheli Bomhlaba Wonke, abameleli babanyathelisi balezozincwadi manje abaziwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova. Wayefuna ukukhuluma nabo ukuze athole izincazelo ezengeziwe zamaqiniso eBhayibheli ayewafunda.

Ngemva kokubuza abaningi wathola abesifazane abathathu abase bekhulile ababekhuthele ekufundiseni abanye. Baba nethonya elikhulu kuCharles osemusha. Ekugcineni, ngo-1930, wazinikezela kuJehova uNkulunkulu futhi wabhapathizwa emanzini. Wawuyeka umsebenzi wakhe wesilaha futhi waya enyakatho eSydney, lapho athola khona isabelo sokuba umvangeli wesikhathi esigcwele.

Ukuphayona E-Australia

Phakathi neminyaka embalwa eyalandela, amasimu uCharles ayeshumayela kuwo ahlanganisa indawo esemaphethelweni edolobha laseBondi elingasogwini lwaseSydney kanye nezindawo zasemaphandleni ezweni laseNew South Wales. Kamuva wabelwa ePerth, eWestern Australia, izinkulungwane zamakhilomitha ngaphesheya kwezwekazi. Izinyanga eziyisithupha wayefakaza ensimini yamabhizinisi ePerth, futhi kamuva, ekanye namanye amaphayona amabili, wabelwa ukusebenza ezindaweni ezivulekile ezingenabantu abaningi zasenyakatho-ntshonalanga ye-Australia.

Isabelo sokushumayela salaba abathathu—u-Arthur Willis, George Rollsten, noCharles—sasiyindawo ebuphinda kane ubukhulu be-Italy! Abantu babembalwa, izwe liwugwadule, futhi ukushisa kukhipha umkhov’ etsheni. Ngezinye izikhathi kwakudingeka bahambe amakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-500 phakathi kwamapulazi emfuyo, okuthiwa iziteshi zezinkomo. Imoto ababeyisebenzisa yayiwumkhehlekhehle, ngisho noma iqhathaniswa nezazikhona ngo-1930, kodwa babenokholo oluqinile nokuzimisela okukhulu.

Emigwaqweni emincane yothuli, enezigodi kwakuphambana imikhondo yamakamela, futhi lapha nalaphaya izintuli ezinamatshe amancane (ezibizwa ngokuthi i-bulldust) zazimboze iziqu zemithi eziyingozi. Akumangalisi ukuthi izipilingi zezimoto zazivame ukuqhuma. I-axle yangemuva yaphuka izikhathi ezimbili, futhi amathayi ayesikeka izikhathi eziningi. Ngokuvamile amaphayona ayebophela amathayi amadala ngamabhawodi ngaphakathi kwamathayi asekhona kakade ukuze aqhubeke nohambo lwawo.

Lapho ngisengumfanyana, ngabuza u-Opa ngalokho okwakubakhuthaza ukuba baqhubeke ngaphansi kwezimo ezinzima kanjalo. Wachaza ukuthi lapho bekude nabantu babeba seduze noJehova. Wathi: Lokho ngezinye izikhathi okwakuba ubunzima obungokwenyama, kwakuba isibusiso esingokomoya.

Engagudliseli ukuthi uphakeme noma ukuthi ulungile, u-Opa wazwakalisa ukumangala ngokuthi abantu abaningi babonakala bekhathalela kakhulu ukuqongelela izinto ezibonakalayo. Wangikhumbuza: “Kungcono ukuphila unomthwalo omncane ngangokunokwenzeka. Uma uJesu ayezimisele ukulala endle lapho kudingekile, khona-ke nathi kufanele sikujabulele ukwenza okufanayo uma isabelo sethu sidinga lokho.” (Mathewu 8:19, 20) Futhi, ngempela, yena nabangane bakhe bakwenza lokho.

Ukumenyelwa Ensimini Ekude

Ngo-1935, u-Opa wathola isabelo esisha sokuyoshumayela—ukufakaza kubantu basesiqhingini saseNingizimu Pacific. Eneqembu labanye abayisithupha, wahamba ngesikebhe sikaseyili se-Watch Tower Society esingamamitha angu-16 i-Lightbearer.

Ngesinye isikhathi, lapho sisoLwandle LwaseCoral enyakatho ye-Australia, injini esizayo ye-Lightbearer yaphuka. Kwakungekho moya, ngakho babesotakwini bekude kakhulu nezwe. Nakuba kwakunengozi yokuphukelwa umkhumbi eGreat Barrier Reef, u-Opa wahlatshwa umxhwele ukuthula okungavamile. “Ulwandle lwaluzolile,” wabhala kanjalo encwadini yakhe yezenzakalo zansuku zonke. “Angisoze ngakukhohlwa ukushona kwelanga usuku ngalunye kulololwandle olwaluzothile. Engakubona kwakukuhle kangangokuthi kuye kwagxila engqondweni yami kuze kube namuhla.”

Ngokujabulisayo, ngaphambi kokukhukhulekela emadwaleni, umoya wajika, futhi bahamba ngokuphephile ngesikebhe oseyili bevuliwe baya ePort Moresby, ePapua New Guinea, lapho kwakhandwa khona injini. Ukusuka ePort Moresby baya esiQhingini saseThursday futhi kamuva baya eJava, isiqhingi esikhulu sase-Indonesia. U-Opa walithanda kakhulu lelizwe eliye lachazwa ‘njengomgexo wamaparele abekwe anqamula inkabazwe.’ Ngalesosikhathi, i-Indonesia yayiyikoloni lamaDashi, ngakho umkhulu wafunda kokubili isiDashi nolimi lwase-Indonesia. Nokho, izincwadi ayezihambisa emsebenzini wakhe wokushumayela zazingezezilimi ezinhlanu: isiDashi, ulimi lwase-Indonesia, isiShayina, isiNgisi, nesi-Arabhu.

U-Opa wayephumelela kakhulu ekuhambiseni izincwadi zeBhayibheli. Ngesinye isikhathi uClem Deschamp, owayenakekela idepho ye-Watch Tower eBatavia (manje eyiDjakarta), wabizwa isikhulu saseDashi esasiwubeke iso umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. “Unabantu abangaki abasebenza eMpumalanga Java?” kubuza lesikhulu.

“Munye kuphela,” kuphendula uMzalwan’ uDeschamp.

“Ulindele ukuba ngikukholelwe lokho?” kubhavumula lesikhulu. “Kumelwe ukuthi unebutho lezisebenzi lapho, uma ngibuka isilinganiso sezincwadi zenu ezisakazwa yonke indawo!”

U-Opa unomuzwa wokuthi lokhu kwakungokunye kokunconywa okujabulisa kakhulu ekuphileni kwakhe. Kodwa wayekufanelekela ngempela, njengoba kwakuvamile ukuba ahambise izincwadi eziphakathi kuka-1 500 no-3 000 inyanga ngayinye.

Ukushada, Ukuvinjelwa, Nempi

Ngo-December 1938, u-Opa washada nentokazi yase-Indonesia okuthiwa uWilhelmina, owaba ugogo wami. U-Oma, noma ugogo, wayenomusa, emnene, ekhuthele, futhi enezwi elipholile. Ngiyazi, ngoba lapho ngisewumntwana wayengumngane wami oseduze kakhulu.

Ngemva kokushada kwabo u-Opa no-Oma baqhubeka bobabili nenkonzo yabo yamaphayona. Ngalesosikhathi amanye amalungu eqembu le-Lightbearer ayesakazekele kwezinye izingxenye zezwe noma aphindela emakhaya. Kodwa u-Opa wayenze i-Indonesia yaba ikhaya lakhe, futhi wayezimisele ukuhlala.

Njengoba iMpi Yezwe II yayisondela, uhulumeni wamaDashi owawubusa i-Indonesia, ngenxa yokucindezela kwabefundisi, waqala ukubekela umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova imingcele, ekugcineni wawuvimbela umsebenzi wethu. Ngakho kwakushunyayelwa kanzima, kusetshenziswa iBhayibheli kuphela. Cishe kuwo wonke amadolobha u-Opa no-Oma ababeya kuwo, babelethwa phambi kwezikhulu futhi baphenywe. Babephathiswa okwezigebengu. Ngokushesha ngemva kokuvinjelwa, umlamu ka-Oma waboshelwa ukuma kwakhe kokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu. Wafela ejele elilawulwa amaDashi.

U-Opa no-Oma babehlala elolini elingumahamba nendlwana. Besebenzisa lelikhaya elihambayo, bashumayela kulo lonke elaseJava. Ngo-1940, njengoba usongo lokuhlasela kwamabutho aseJapane lwalwanda, babusiswa ngendodakazi, eyaba umama wami. Baqamba lomntwana ngokuthi uVictory, bemetha ngesihloko senkulumo eyayinikezwe eminyakeni emibili ngaphambili yilowo owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, uJ. F. Rutherford. Baqhubeka bephayona kwaze kwaba isikhathi sokuzalwa komntwana.

Ekuqaleni kuka-1942, u-Opa, u-Oma, noVictory babesemkhunjini wamaDashi othwala izimpahla bevela eBorneo lapho kuzwakala ukuqhuma kwenganono kuvela emkhunjini wempi waseJapane. Kwacisha zonke izibani, futhi abantu bamemeza. Ngalendlela impi yathinta ukuphila komkhaya wakithi. Nakuba bafika bephephile ogwini, amaJapane ahlasela iJava ezinsukwini ezimbalwa nje kamuva, futhi isikhulu esingumDashi satshela amasosha aseJapane ukuthi wayekuphi u-Opa no-Oma.

Lapho amaJapane ebathola, abathathela yonke impahla yabo, kuhlanganise nezinto zokudlala zikaVictory, futhi bayiswa emakamu okuhlushwa amabili ahlukene. UVictory wavunyelwa ukuba ahlale no-Oma, futhi u-Opa akazange ababone iminyaka emithathu nengxenye eyalandela.

Ukuphila Emakamu Okuhlushwa

Phakathi nesikhathi sokuboshwa kwakhe, u-Opa wathunyelwa emadolobheni ahlukahlukene—wasuka eSurabaja waya eNgawi, waya eBandung, futhi ekugcineni waya eTjimahi. Lokhu kuhanjiswa kwasikhathi sonke kwakwenzelwa ukubhuntshisa noma yimuphi umzamo wokuhlela ukweqa. Iziboshwa eziningi kwakungamaDashi, nezimbalwa zaseBrithani nezinye zase-Australia. Lapho esemakamu, u-Opa wafunda umsebenzi wokuphuca amakhanda, okungumsebenzi asawenza ngezikhathi ezithile. Okuwukuphela kwencwadi yenkolo ayevunyelwe ukuba nayo iBhayibheli—i-King James Version yakhe.

Ngalesosikhathi, u-Oma noVictory nabo babehanjiswa besuswa kwelinye ikamu beyiswa kwelinye. Kulamakamu abesifazane babetshelwa umphathi wekamu ukuba bayokwenza “imisebenzi yokuthuthukisa ezenhlalo” ngaphandle kwekamu. Nokho, ngesizathu esithile u-Oma akazange akhethwe. Kamuva wezwa ukuthi laba besifazane babekhishelwa ukuyoba izifebe zamasosha amaJapane.

Njengoba amasosha amaJapane ayengabanambithisisi abantwana bamantombazane, u-Oma wayegqokisa uVictory njengomfana ngaso sonke isikhathi futhi egcina izinwele zakhe zizimfushane. Leligama elithi Victory (Ukunqoba) ladala inkinga enkulu lapho umphathi wekamu efuna ukwazi ukuthi lalisho ukuthini—Ukunqoba kweButho Lasebukhosini LaseJapane noma Ukunqoba KwamaMelika?

“Ukunqoba koMbuso kaNkulunkulu bonke ohulumeni basemhlabeni!” kuphendula ugogo ngokuziqhenya.

Bejeziselwa ukwenqaba ukuthi, “Ukunqoba kweButho Lasebukhosini LaseJapane,” u-Oma nendodakazi yakhe eneminyaka emihlanu ubudala baphoqelelwa ukuba bame baqonde bangathi nyaka amahora ayisishiyagalombili elangeni elikhipha umkhov’ etsheni lasezindaweni ezishisayo. Kwakungekho mthunzi, kungekho manzi, kungekho kuhlala phansi, kungekho kukhothama. Kodwa ngosizo lukaJehova basinda kulokhu okuhlangenwe nakho okubuhlungu.

Esikhathini esingangonyaka ngemva kokuboshwa kuka-Oma, umphathi wekamu wamtshela ukuthi umyeni wakhe wayefile! Ngokudabuka wabeka isithombe sika-Opa ngaphansi epotimendeni lakhe eseligugile futhi waqhubekela phambili, naphezu kosizi.

Ukuphila kwasekamu eliyijele kwakunzima. Izabelo zokudla zansuku zonke zomuntu ngamunye zazihlanganisa inkomishi eyodwa ye-tapioca njengewukudla kwasekuseni, amagremu angu-190 esinkwa esenziwe nge-sago awukudla kwasemini, futhi ukudla kwakusihlwa, kwakuba inkomishi eyodwa yerayisi eliphekiwe elihlanganiswe nesobho elingashubile. Ngenxa yezabelo ezincane kangako zokudla, ukungondleki kahle kwakuvamile, futhi izisulu zesifo sohudo zazifa usuku ngalunye.

Phakathi nesikhathi sokuboshwa kuka-Opa, waphathwa i-pellagra ne-nutritional edema (isifo sendlala). U-Oma naye wacishe wafa, njengoba ngokuvamile ayenikeza uVictory ukudla kwakhe ukuze avikele intombazane yakhe encane ukuba ingabulawa indlala. Unya nendlala kwaba ngamahlalakhona. Bakwazi ukuqhubeka bephila ngokuzigcina beseduze noNkulunkulu wabo, uJehova.

Ngisikhumbula kahle esinye sezisho u-Opa ayezithanda kakhulu: “Inkululeko iwukuba nobudlelwane noMuntu Waphezulu, uJehova.” Ngakho, u-Opa wayezibheka njengokhululeke ngempela ngisho nalapho ayekhuthazelela ukuboshwa okunzima. Uthando yena no-Oma ababenalo ngoJehova ngokuqinisekile lwabasiza ukuba ‘babekezelele izinto zonke.’ (1 Korinte 13:7) Lobobuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu buyilokho mina noGayle esifuna ukukulondoloza manje.

Inkululeko Nokuhlangana Okujabulisayo

Ekugcineni, iMpi Yezwe II yaphela ngo-1945. Ngokushesha ngemva kokucela umaluju kweJapane, u-Opa wahanjiswa ngesitimela. Njengoba isitimela sasisendleleni sivela eDjakarta siya eBandung, samiswa amasosha ase-Indonesia khona. Nakuba ubutha phakathi kwawo namaJapane base buphelile, abantu base-Indonesia babefuna ukukhululeka kumaDashi. U-Opa wamangala lapho ngokushesha ehliswa esitimeleni waze wakhohlwa nokukhuluma isiNgisi kodwa esikhundleni salokho waqala ukukhuluma ngesiDashi. Kubantu base-Indonesia, isiDashi sasiwulimi lwesitha, futhi isitha kwakumelwe sibulawe.

Ngenhlanhla, lapho amasosha esesha u-Opa, athola incwadi yakhe yokushayela yase-Australia, ayeseyikhohlwe ngokuphelele. Ngokujabulisayo, abantu base-Indonesia babengalwi nabase-Australia. Kuze kube namuhla, u-Opa ubheka ukutholwa kwalencwadi yokushayela eyaqinisekisa ukuba kwakhe isakhamuzi sase-Australia njengokungenela kwaphezulu, ngoba kuso kanye lesositeshi ngemva kwamahora ambalwa, wona lawomabutho abulala amaDashi angu-12 ayedlula ngesitimela.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalesisenzakalo, u-Oma noVictory babelindele izinto zokuhamba ezisuka ezindaweni ezinephuzwe yimpi. Njengoba behlezi eduze komgwaqo, kwakudlula uhide lwamaloli ethwele amasosha nezakhamuzi. Ngokungazelele, ngaphandle kwesizathu, loluhide lwamaloli lwama. U-Oma wabheka endaweni evulekile ngemuva elolini elaliseduze kakhulu, into eyammangaza ukuthi lapho, kwakuhlezi indoda ezacile ayifanisa ngokushesha. Kwakungumyeni wakhe! Awekho amazwi angachaza indlela abazizwa ngayo lapho behlangana.

Ukuphindela E-Australia

Lapho umkhulu ephindela e-Australia nomkhaya wakhe ngo-1946, ngemva kokuhlala iminyaka engu-11 e-Indonesia, ukuphila akubanga lula. Baphindela emuva njengababebalekela impi—bentula, bengondlekile kahle, futhi abantu abaningi bendawo bengabethembi. U-Oma noVictory kwadingeka babhekane nokubandlululwa ngokohlanga bebandlululwa abafuduki base-Asia. U-Opa kwadingeka ukuba asebenze kanzima amahora amaningi ukuze anakekele umkhaya wakhe futhi awakhele umuzi. Naphezu kwalobubunzima, bakhuthazela futhi baqhubeka bephila nengokomoya labo liqinile.

Manje, ngemva kweminyaka engaphezu kuka-48, u-Opa uhlala eMelbourne, lapho esahlanganyela khona enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu. Uye wabona uVictory nabantwana bakhe bemukela iqiniso, benikezela ukuphila kwabo kuJehova, futhi ekugcineni, ngamunye engenela inkonzo yamaphayona yesikhathi esigcwele.

UDes Zanker, owaba ubaba wami, noVictory babhapathizwa ekuqaleni kwawo-1950, futhi uDes waba ilungu lomkhaya waseBethel e-Australia ngo-1958. Ngemva kokushada uVictory, owayekhonza njengephayona elikhethekile, baphayona isikhashana base bemenyelwa enkonzweni yokujikeleza. Ngase ngiyazalwa, futhi kwadingeka bashiye umsebenzi wokujikeleza ukuze bangikhulise. Nakuba kunjalo, ngemva kweminyaka engu-27, ubaba usaphayona.

Ekuqaleni kuka-1990, u-Oma wafa ngokuthula ekhaya, kuyo leyondlu umama akhulela kuyo. Nami ngokufanayo ngakhulela kuyo leyondlu yaseMelbourne, ngokufanayo nangomfowethu omncane nodadewethu. Kuye kwaba isibusiso ngempela ukuba umkhaya wakithi uhlanganyele indlu. Ngezinye izikhathi sasicinana, kodwa angikhumbuli nangelilodwa ilanga ngikhathazeka ngakho. Ngisho naphakathi kweminyaka emine yokuqala sishadile, umkami, uGayle, wazimpintsha khona lapho futhi wakujabulela. Lapho ekugcineni sihamba ukuze siye esabelweni sethu esisha, ngakhala. Leyondlu yanginikeza uthando futhi yangisekela kakhulu.

Nokho, manje mina noGayle sinesizathu sokujabula kakhulu, ngoba sikwazi ukwenza lokho abazali bami abakwenza nokwenziwa abazali babo ngaphambi kwabo. Lapho sihamba ekhaya, saduduzwa isizathu sokuhamba kwethu, ukuyokwenza intando kaJehova enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Silwa kanzima ukuze silandele isibonelo esihle sokhokho bethu ababethembekile, nabo abathola yona leyonduduzo lapho besebenza ezabelweni ezinzima, lapho bebhekene nobumpofu obunzima, nalapho bevalelwe iminyaka eminingi emakamu okuhlushwa amaJapane.—2 Korinte 1:3, 4.

Ngaso sonke isikhathi u-Opa uye waduduzwa amazwi aphefumlelwe eNkosi uDavide eyawasho kuJehova: “Umusa wakho umnandi kunokuphila.” (IHubo 63:3) Isifiso esijulile sikamkhulu ngaso sonke isikhathi besiwukujabulela lowomusa wothando kuze kube phakade. Kuyisifiso sawo wonke umkhaya wakhe ukuwuhlanganyela naye.

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U-Oma no-Opa Harris

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UCraig Zanker (ngemuva), nomkakhe, abazali, nomfowabo omncane nodadewabo