Igugu Elikhulu Lokuhlanganyelwa

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUGLORIA MALASPINA

Lapho ugu lwaseSicily lunyamalala, mina nomyeni wami saqala ukugxilisa ukunakekela kwethu endaweni esasiya kuyo, isiqhingi saseMedithera iMalta. Yeka ithemba elijabulisayo! Njengoba umkhumbi wawunqamula ulwandle, sacabanga ngokuhlangenwe nakho kukamphostoli uPawulu eMelitha (Malta) ngekhulu lokuqala.—IZENZO 28:1-10.

UNYAKA kwakungu-1953, futhi iMalta ngalesosikhathi yayingawuqapheli ngokomthetho umsebenzi wokushumayela woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngonyaka owawandulele, sasiphothule e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead futhi sabelwa e-Italy. Ngemva nje kwesikhashana sokufunda isiNtaliyane, sasimagange sifuna ukubona lokho okwakusilindele eMalta.

Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba mina, ngingowesifazane osemusha, ngibe isithunywa sevangeli kwelinye izwe? Ake ngichaze.

Isibonelo Esikhuthazayo Sikamama

Ngo-1926, lapho umkhaya wakithi usahlala eFort Frances, e-Ontario, eCanada, umama wamukela incwajana ethi Millions Now Living Will Never Die komunye umFundi WeBhayibheli (njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngalesosikhathi). Wayifunda ngesithakazelo esikhulu, futhi ngalo lona lelosonto wabakhona esifundweni seBhayibheli seqembu, kusetshenziswa umagazini i-Watch Tower. Umama wayengumfundi okhuthele weBhayibheli, futhi wamukela isigijimi esiphathelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu njengegugu ayelifuna. (Mathewu 6:33; 13:44) Naphezu kokuphikisa kukababa ngobudlova, futhi nakuba ayenamantombazanyana amathathu okwakumelwe awanakekele, umama wama eqinile kulokho ayekufunda.

Ukholo oluqinile lukamama phakathi neminyaka engu-20 eyalandela lwenza ukuba mina nodadewethu ababili abadala, uThelma noViola, siliqaphele ithemba elimangalisayo lokuphila okuphakade ezweni elisha lokulunga. (2 Petru 3:13) Wabhekana novivinyo oluningi olunzima, kodwa asizange sikungabaze ukulunga kwenkambo ayeyikhethile.

Ngo-1931, lapho ngineminyaka eyishumi kuphela, sathuthela epulazini elisenyakatho Minnesota, e-U.S.A. Lapho asibange sisakwazi ukuhlangana njalo noFakazi BakaJehova, kodwa umama akazange ayeke ukusifundisa iBhayibheli. Inkonzo yakhe yokuzinikela njenge-colporteur, noma isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele, yangishukumisela ukuba ngifune ukuhlanganyela naye kulowomsebenzi. Ngo-1938 mina nodadewethu ababili sabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwethu kuJehova ngokubhapathizwa emhlanganweni eDuluth, eMinnesota.

Ngemva kokuba ngiphothule esikoleni esiphakeme ngo-1938, umama wangikhuthaza ukuba ngithathe izifundo zomsebenzi wasehhovisi ukuze ngikwazi ukuzinakekela ngokwezimali lapho ngiphayona (igama elisha lama-colporteur). Lokhu kwaba icebiso elihle, ikakhulukazi njengoba ubaba anquma ukusishiya sodwa ngakho kwadingeka ukuba sizinakekele.

Ukuhlanganyela Igugu Lethu Isikhathi Esigcwele

Ekugcineni ngathuthela eCalifornia, futhi ngo-1947, ngaqala emsebenzini wamaphayona eSan Francisco. Lapho ngisemsebenzini wokulungiselela uMhlangano “Wokwanda Kwezizwe Zonke” eLos Angeles, ngahlangana noFrancis Malaspina. Umgomo wethu ofanayo womsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli waholela ekuqaleni ukuthandana. Ngo-1949 sashada.

Ngo-September 1951, mina noFrancis samenyelwa ekilasini laseGileyadi le-18. Ngosuku lokuthweswa iziqu, ngo-February 10, 1952, ngemva kwezinyanga ezinhlanu zokuqeqeshwa okujulile, amazwe esasizothunyelwa kuwo ayebizwa ngokulandelana kwezinhlamvu zamagama umongameli wesikole, uNathan H. Knorr. Lapho ethi, “uMzalwane noDade Malaspina babelwe e-Italy,” kakade sase sikude ngemicabango!

Emasontweni ambalwa kamuva, sagibela umkhumbi eNew York esasizohamba ngawo izinsuku eziyishumi ukuya eGenoa, e-Italy. UGiovanni DeCecca noMax Larson ababeyizisebenzi zasendlunkulu yaseBrooklyn babelapho esikhumulweni bezosivalelisa. EGenoa, sahlangatshezwa izithunywa zevangeli ezase zijwayelene nezinqubo ezinemidanti zokungena ezweni.

Sijatshuliswe yizo zonke izinto ezisizungezile, sagibela isitimela esiya eBologna. Esakubona lapho sifika kwakuyidolobha elalisalokhu lonakaliswe ukuqhuma kwamabhomu eMpi Yezwe II. Kodwa kwakunezinye izinto eziningi ezithakazelisayo, ezinjengephunga elimnandi lekhofi elonyiswayo elaligcwala umoya wasekuseni, nephunga eliconsisa amathe lamasobho amnandi aphekelwa ukufakwa kuma-pasta ayizinhlobo eziningi.

Ukufeza Umgomo

Saqala enkonzweni ngesethulo esasisibambe ngekhanda, futhi sasisiphindaphinda kuze kube yilapho isigijimi samukelwa noma kuvalwa umnyango. Isifiso sokukhuluma kahle sasishukumisela ukuba sifunde ulimi ngenkuthalo. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezine, sabelwa ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli elisha eNaples.

Lelidolobha elikhulu liphawuleka ngezindawo zalo ezimangalisayo zokubukwa. Sayijabulela inkonzo yethu lapho, kodwa ngemva kwezinye izinyanga ezine, umyeni wami wabelwa emsebenzini wesifunda, noma ekujikelezeni, umsebenzi wokuvakashela amabandla kusuka eRome kuya eSicily. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, savakashela naseMalta ngisho naseLibya eNyakatho Afrika.

Uhambo ngesitimela ukusuka eNaples kuya eSicily ngaleyominyaka lwaluwavivinya amandla omzimba. Sasigibela isitimela esigcwele phama futhi sime emaphasishini agcwele swí, ngezinye izikhathi amahora ayisithupha kuya kwayisishiyagalombili. Nokho, lokho kwasinikeza ithuba elihle lokufunda abantu ababesizungezile. Izikhathi eziningi ibhodlela elikhulu lewayini elenziwe ekhaya lalisetshenziswa njengesihlalo somninilo, owayemane ephuza iwayini ukuze aqede ukoma phakathi naloluhambo olude. Ngokuvamile abagibeli abanobungane babecela ukuhlanganyela kanye nathi isinkwa sabo kanye ne-salami, izenzo zomusa, ezithokozisayo esasizazisa.

ESicily sasihlangatshezwa abazalwane ababesithwalela amapotimende ethu banyuke nawo intaba ekhushukwa kancane kancane amahora amathathu nengxenye ukuya ebandleni eliphezulu. Ukwamukelwa ngobungane abafowethu abangamaKristu kwakusenza sikhohlwe ukuthi sikhathele. Ngezinye izikhathi sasihamba ngeminyuzi okwakungelula ukuba iwe, kodwa sasingalokothi sibheke ekujuleni lapho sasingawela khona uma umnyuzi wawungase ushelele. Ukulimelela kwabafowethu ngokuqinile iqiniso leBhayibheli naphezu kobunzima ababebhekana nabo kuye kwasiqinisa, futhi uthando abaye basibonisa lona lusenze sabonga kakhulu ngokuba nabo.

IMalta NeLibya

Sigcwele inkumbulo ngabafowethu baseSicily, sabamba umkhumbi oya eMalta. Umphostoli uPawulu wayethole abantu abanomusa lapho, ngokufanayo nathi. Isivunguvungu eSt. Paul’s Bay sasenza saqaphela ingozi imikhumbi emincane eyayibhekana nayo ekhulwini lokuqala. (IzEnzo 27:39–28:10) Nokho, kwakusamelwe siye eLibya. Kwakuzoba njani ukuphila kulelizwe lase-Afrika lapho umsebenzi wethu wawuvinjelwe khona?

Saphinde saba nokuhlangenwe nakho kwemikhuba ehluke ngokuphelele. Lokho esasikubona nemisindo yakulelidolobha laseTripoli kwadonsa ukunakekela kwami njengoba sasihamba emigwaqweni enezinsika esengxenyeni esezansi yedolobha. Abantu babesebenzisa izingubo ezithungwe ngesikhumba samakamela ukuze bazivikele ekushiseni okuhangulayo kwasoGwadule lwaseSahara emini nasekubandeni kwasebusuku. Safunda ukuqonda nokuhlonipha indlela abantu ababezivumelanisa ngayo nezimo zezulu lapho behlala khona.

Intshiseko ehambisana nokuqapha yalababazalwane yasifundisa okuningi ngokwethembela kuJehova okukhulu nokulalela iziyalezo zalabo abanolwazi olwengeziwe lokushumayela ngaphansi kwezimo ezinjalo. Abafowethu abangamaKristu babengabezizwe eziningi; nakuba kunjalo babesebenza ngokuzwana enkonzweni eya kuJehova.

Isabelo Esisha

Ngenxa yokuphikiswa komsebenzi wethu wokushumayela, kwadingeka ukuba sihambe e-Italy, kodwa ngenjabulo samukela isabelo esisha sokushumayela eBrazil ngo-1957. Mina noFrancis sazivumelanisa nokunye ukuphila nemikhuba, futhi ngemva kwezinyanga ezingu-8, uFrancis wamenyelwa emsebenzini wesifunda. Sasihamba ngebhasi, ngendiza, nangezinyawo. Ukuhamba kulelizwe elikhulu, elihle kwakufana nokufunda isifundo sokuma kwezwe.

Isifunda sethu sokuqala sasihlanganisa amabandla ayishumi edolobheni laseSão Paulo, kuhlanganise namadolobhana ayishumi asengxenyeni emaphakathi negudle ugu olungaseningizimu lwezwe laseSão Paulo. Ayengekho amabandla kulawomadolobha ngalesosikhathi. Sasifuna indawo yokuhlala, futhi ngemva kokuzinza, sihambe indlu ngendlu siphethe isigijimi soMbuso. Futhi sasishiyela abantu izimemo ezibamemela embukisweni wenye yamafilimu okufundisa e-Watch Tower Society.

Ukugibela ibhasi uphethe amafilimu, umshini wokudlala amafilimu, i-transformer, amafayili, izincwadi, izimemo, nezinto zokugxiviza isitembu sendawo okuzobukiswa kuyo ifilimu emaphepheni ezimemo kwakungewona umsebenzi omncane. Ipotimende lethu elincane lezimpahla zokugqoka lalingeyona into enkulu uma kuqhathaniswa. Umshini wokudlala amafilimu kwakudingeka siwugone ukuze unganyakazi futhi uphuke ngenxa yokuhamba emigwaqweni emibi.

Ngemva kokuthola indawo yokubukisa ifilimu, sasihamba singena ezindlini sishiya izimemo ezimemela abantu embukisweni wefilimu. Ngezinye izikhathi sasithola imvume yokudlala ifilimu esitolo esithengisa ukudla noma ehhotela. Ngezinye izikhathi sasibophela ishidi ezigxotsheni ezimbili endaweni evulekile ngaphandle. Izilaleli ezigcwele ukwazisa, eziningi zazo ezazingakaze zibone isithombe esinyakazayo, zazima futhi zilalelisise njengoba uFrancis efunda ukulandisa. Ngemva kwalokho sasihambisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli.

Ukuze sifinyelele emadolobhaneni athile, sasihamba ngebhasi. Eminye imifula yayingenawo amabhuloho, ngakho ibhasi laligitsheliswa esihlengeni bese liweliselwa kolunye uhlangothi. Sasitshelwa ukuba sehle ebhasini, futhi lapho sibona ibhasi lishelela liwela emfuleni, sigxumele ngakolunye uhlangothi lwesihlenge ukuze sigweme ukucwila. Singabonga ngokuthi alikho ibhasi esasihamba ngalo elake lawela emfuleni—leyo kwakuyinhlanhla, ikakhulukazi njengoba umfula wawaziwa ngokuba nezinhlanzi ezidla inyama zohlobo lwe-piranha!

Ngemva kokuya emhlanganweni wezizwe eNew York ngo-1958, saphindela eBrazil, lapho ngokushesha saphindela emsebenzini wesifunda. Umsebenzi wethu wesigodi wasiyisa emngceleni wase-Uruguay ngaseningizimu, eParaguay ngasentshonalanga, ezweni lasePernambuco enyakatho, nase-Atlantic Ocean ngasengxenyeni esempumalanga Brazil.

Endaweni Yabanochoko

Maphakathi nawo-1960, samukela isimemo sokuba siyodlala elinye lamafilimu eNhlangano endaweni yabanochoko. Kumelwe ngivume ukuthi ngangikhathazekile ngandlela-thile. Sasingazi lutho ngochoko, ngaphandle kwalokho esasifunde ngakho eBhayibhelini. Lapho singena kulesisakhiwo, esasipendwe ngombala omhlophe, saqondiswa ehholo elikhulu. Ingxenye ethile phakathi nendawo yayihlukaniswe ngentambo ihlukaniselwe thina nempahla yethu.

Umuntu osebenza ngogesi owayesisiza wayeyisakhamuzi kulendawo iminyaka engu-40. Wayengenazo nhlobo izandla nezinye izitho zomzimba, okwamenza wakhubazeka kabi. Ngangethukile ekuqaleni, kodwa isimo sakhe sokujabula nekhono lakhe lokusingatha umsebenzi wakhe kwangenza ngakhululeka. Ngokushesha sase sixoxa ngezinto eziningi njengoba siqedela amalungiselelo adingekile. Phakathi kwabantu abayinkulungwane abagulayo abahlala kulesisakhiwo, abangaphezu kwamakhulu amabili babakhona. Njengoba babelokhu bengena beqhuga, sabona amazinga amaningi alesisifo esasibaphethe. Yeka okuhlangenwe nakho okuthinta inhliziyo, nomzwelo esaba nakho!

Sacabanga ngalokho uJesu akusho kowayenochoko owanxusa, “Nkosi, uma uthanda, ungangihlambulula.” Ethinta lendoda, uJesu wayiqinisekisa, “Ngiyathanda; hlambuluka.” (Mathewu 8:2, 3) Lapho isimiso sesiphelile, abaningi beza kithi bezosibonga ngokuza, imizimba yabo elimele iwubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuhlupheka okukhulu kwesintu. Kamuva, oFakazi bendawo baqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli nalabo ababenesifiso sokufunda okwengeziwe.

Ngo-1967 saphindela e-United States ukuze siyonakekela izinkinga zempilo ezingathi sína. Njengoba sasiqhubeka sibhekene nalokhu, saphinde saba nelungelo lokukhonza emsebenzini wesifunda. Eminyakeni engu-20 eyalandela, ngahlanganyela noFrancis emsebenzini wokujikeleza e-United States. Phakathi nalesisikhathi wabuye wafundisa eSikoleni Senkonzo SoMbuso.

Yeka isikhuthazo okwaba yiso kimina ukuba nomyeni onothando nomngane othembekile owayenakekela noma isiphi isabelo ayesinikwa! Sobabili siye saba nelungelo lokuhlanganyela igugu leqiniso leBhayibheli ezingxenyeni zamazwekazi.

Ukusekelwa Igugu

Emuva ngo-1950, umama washada noDavid Easter, umzalwane othembekile owayebhapathizwe ngo-1924. Bakhonza ndawonye iminyaka eminingi enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Nokho, phakathi nengxenye yokugcina yokuphila kukamama, waqala ukuphathwa isifo sika-Alzheimer. Wayedinga ukunakekelwa okukhulu njengoba lesisifo sasinciphisa ikhono lakhe lokucabanga. Odadewethu abanomoya wokubambisana noDavid bawuthwala lomthwalo wemfanelo onzima wokumnakekela, njengoba babengafuni ukuba sishiye amalungelo ethu akhethekile enkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Isibonelo sikamama sokwethembeka kuze kube sekufeni kwakhe ngo-1987 sasisiza kakhulu ukuba sihlele lokho thina esasiyokuphishekela ekuphileni, futhi ithemba ayenalo lomvuzo wasezulwini liye lasiduduza.

Ngo-1989, ngaqaphela ukuthi uFrancis wayengasenamandla njengoba ayenjalo ngaphambili. Sasingaqapheli ukuthi i-snail fever, isifo esaziwa kakhulu ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba, sasiba nethonya elibi kuye. Ngo-1990, lesisitha esinonya samnqoba, futhi ngalahlekelwa umngane wami othandekayo engase ngihlanganyele naye iminyaka engaphezu kuka-40 enkonzweni kaJehova.

Izinguquko ziyingxenye yokuphila. Ezinye kulula ukuzenza, futhi ezinye kunzima. Kodwa uJehova, uMniki wegugu elikhulu leqiniso leBhayibheli, uye wangisekela ngenhlangano yakhe nothando nesikhuthazo somkhaya wakithi. Namanje ngisathola ukwaneliseka njengoba ngibheke phambili ekugcwalisekeni kwazo zonke izithembiso zikaJehova ezingashayi phansi.

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Lapho mina nomyeni wami siyizithunywa zevangeli e-Italy