Imikhaya Ekholekile Isheshisa Ukwanda ESri Lanka

NJENGOBA yayaziwa ngokuthi iCeylon kwaze kwaba ngo-1972, iSri Lanka iyisiqhingi esihle esinezingu eziseduze kwezihlahla zesundu, izinkahlamba, nezingwadule ezincane. Enkangala, i-Adam’s Peak, ephakeme ngamamitha angu-2 243, iyindawo engcwele ezinkolweni ezine ezinkulu.a Eduze kuneWorld’s End, undi lapho iwa elinedwala lishona phansi khona ngamamitha angaphezu kuka-1 500. Lendawo ingenye yezindawo ezikhanga kakhulu eSri Lanka.

Izakhamuzi zaseSri Lanka eziyizigidi ezingu-18 zinesizinda esithakazelisayo. Kusukela ekhulwini lesihlanu B.C.E., abantu bohlu lozalo oluxube abaseNdiya nabaseYurophu abavela eNdiya esenyakatho baye bakha kulesi siqhingi. BangamaSinhalese, manje acishe abe izingxenye ezintathu kwezine zabantu abahlala lapho. Khona-ke, cishe kuze kube sekhulwini le-12, kwafika amaqulo ngamaqulo amaTamil evela eNdiya eseningizimu; amaningi awo manje ahlala enyakatho nasempumalanga yalesi siqhingi. AmaPutukezi, amaDashi, nabaseBrithani baye baba nethonya elihlala njalo kusukela ezikhathini zamakoloni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abahwebi abahweba olwandle abavela ezinhlonhlweni zase-Arabia naseMalaya baye bahlala phakathi kwabantu bendawo. Kuphinde kube namadolobhana abantu baseYurophu, abasePersia, abaseChina, nabanye.

Naphezu kokuxubana kwezinhlanga, ulimi nenkolo eSri Lanka iveza ukuba kwayo nezizinda ezihlukile. Izilimi eziyinhloko kulesi siqhingi isiSinhalese, isiTamil, nesiNgisi. Iningi labantu baseSri Lanka likhuluma okungenani izilimi ezimbili kulezi ezintathu. Izizinda ezingokohlanga nazo zinendima enkulu enkolweni yabantu. Iningi lamaSinhalese lingamaBuddha, kuyilapho iningi lamaTamil lingamaHindu. Labo abavela e-Arabia noma eMalaya ngokuvamile babambelela eNkolweni YamaSulumane, futhi labo abanesizinda saseYurophu ngokuvamile bangamalungu amasonto eLobukholwa, amaKatolika namaProthestani.

Ukubhekana Nenselele

Konke lokhu kuletha inselele enkulu koFakazi BakaJehova eSri Lanka. Laba bayazikhandla ukuze bafeze ukuthunywa okuvela kuJesu: “Lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso ziyoshunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke owakhiweyo ngenjongo yobufakazi ezizweni zonke.” (Mathewu 24:14) Naphezu kwesidingo sokusebenzisa izilimi eziningana, abamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle bangase bakhulume namaBuddha, amaHindu, amalungu amasonto eLobukholwa, kanye nabaphika ubukhona bukaNkulunkulu—phakathi namahora ambalwa okushumayela.

Ukuze baphumelele enkonzweni yabo, abamemezeli kumelwe baphathe omagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! nezinye izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngesiTamil, isiSinhalese, nesiNgisi. Labo abanamandla ngokwanele baphatha ngisho namaBhayibheli alezo zilimi. Laba bamemezeli baye bajabula kakhulu muva nje lapho kukhululwa incwajana engangomagazini ethi Ingabe UNkulunkulu Uyasikhathalela Ngempela? nethi Our Problems—Who Will Help Us Solve Them? nepheshana elithi Ingabe Lelizwe Liyosinda? ngalezi zilimi ezintathu kanyekanye. Lokhu kwasho ukuba namathuluzi engeziwe okufeza lomsebenzi.

OFakazi bebelokhu bezikhandla kusukela ngo-1912, lapho uCharles Taze Russell, owayengumongameli we-International Bible Students Association ngaleso sikhathi, evakasha eCeylon okwesikhashana. Nokho, ukwanda okukhulu kweza ngemva kokufika kwababethweswe iziqu e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead ngo-1947. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, abamemezeli eSri Lanka baye bajabulela imiphumela emihle emsebenzini wabo wokushumayela. Ngo-1994 abamemezeli boMbuso abangu-1 866 babeqhuba, ngokwesilinganiso, izifundo zeBhayibheli zasekhaya ezingu-2 551 inyanga ngayinye. Futhi inani labangu-6 930 ababekhona eSikhumbuzweni lalicishe liliphinde kane inani labamemezeli kuwo wonke amabandla. Yeka isibusiso esimangalisayo!

Uma kuqhathaniswa namanye amazwe, intuthuko yaseSri Lanka ingase ibonakale iza kancane. Esinye isici esineqhaza kulokhu kubonakala sengathi izibopho eziqinile zomkhaya. Nokho, lezi zibopho zomkhaya zingaba inzuzo. Lapho isikhulu sezempi esingumRoma uKorneliyu simelela iqiniso, umkhaya waso wahambisana naso. (IzEnzo 10:1, 2, 24, 44) Incwadi yezEnzo ikhuluma nangeminye imikhaya yamaKristu eyayiqinile, kuhlanganise nokaLidiya, okaKrispu, nomgcini wejele uPawulu noSila ababekulo.—IzEnzo 16:14, 15, 32-34; 18:8.

Ngempela, izibopho eziqinile zomkhaya zingaba inzuzo lapho kunokuhleleka khona nokuphikelela kokukholeka. Sikhumbula amazwi ka-Isaya 60:22, isithunywa sevangeli esase sinesikhathi eside uRay Matthews siyaphawula: “Kubonakala sengathi manje uJehova usheshisa izinto ngesikhathi esifanele, hhayi nje ngabantu ngabanye kodwa nangemikhaya.”

Umkhaya Ohlelekile Uletha Udumo

Ikhona ngempela imikhaya ekholeke kanjalo eSri Lanka namuhla. Ngokwesibonelo, kunomkhaya wakwaSinnappa ohleleke ngempela ohlala eKotahena, isifunda saseColombo, inhloko-dolobha yaseSri Lanka. Nakuba inhloko yomkhaya, uMarian, isanda kufa, umkayo, u-Annamma, nezingane zabo ezingu-12 kwezingu-15, ezineminyaka yobudala esukela ku-13 kuya ku-33, bayaqhubeka bekhonza uJehova njengomkhaya. Ngesikhathi kulotshwa lesi sihloko, ezingu-8 zalezi zingane zase zibhapathiziwe, futhi ezintathu zisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, zikhonza njengamaphayona avamile. Ezinye ezintathu ziye zangenela inkonzo yamaphayona asizayo ngezikhathi ezithile. Phakathi kwabancane kulomkhaya kwakunabamemezeli abane abangabhapathiziwe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abazukulu abane, nakuba besebancane kakhulu, babetadisha iBhayibheli futhi beba khona emihlanganweni yobuKristu eBandleni LoFakazi BakaJehova LaseColombo North.

Kwakungo-1978 lapho u-Annamma ezwa ngokokuqala ngqá izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso lapho emukela ikhophi ye-Nqabayokulinda. Kwaqalwa isifundo seBhayibheli, futhi ngemva kokuqeda insiza-kufundisa Iqiniso Eliholela Ekuphileni Okuphakade, u-Annamma wanikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova uNkulunkulu futhi wabhapathizwa, ngaleyo ndlela ebekela abaningi emkhayeni wakhe isibonelo sokuqala.

Njengesosha uKorneliyu, u-Annamma uhleleke ngempela emkhayeni wakhe. “Kuye kwadingeka siyihlelele imihlangano yobuKristu emincane nemikhulu—ingasaphathwa eyesikole,” kukhumbula u-Annamma. “Izingubo zokugqoka zaziyinkinga kodwa ngesibusiso sikaJehova sasikwazi ukuthunga izimpahla ezithile ezintsha zomhlangano ngamunye omkhulu. Wonke umkhaya wawufika ugqoke kahle futhi wondlekile—futhi umamatheka kakhulu.”

Izingane zikhumbula ukuhleleka kwasekhaya zinothando lomzwelo. Ukuze kusizwe wonke umkhaya ukuba ube khona emihlanganweni yobuKristu, laba asebekhulile ngokuvamile babenikezwa imithwalo yemfanelo ekhethekile. Ngokwesibonelo, uMangala wayewasha izimpahla, uWinnifreda azi-ayine. UWinnifreda, owayebuye asize abasebancane ukuba bagqoke, uthi: “Wonke umuntu wayebukeka kahle ngempela njengoba ephuma ekhaya.”

Amalungiselelo angokomoya ayehlelwa kahle ngendlela efanayo. Indodakazi uPushpam, manje eyiphayona elivamile, iyakhumbula: “Usuku ngalunye, umkhaya wakithi wawukujabulela ukufunda iBhayibheli futhi ubukeze itekisi leBhayibheli lansuku zonke ndawonye.” U-Annamma uyanezela: “Zonke izingane zinamakhophi azo siqu amaBhayibheli, INqabayokulinda, nezinye izincwadi. Ngizilalela ngokucophelela zonke izimpendulo zazo emihlanganweni. Uma kudingeka, ngiyalandelela lapho sifika ekhaya ngesikhuthazo nokulungisa. Kusihlwa siyahlangana ukuze siphethe usuku ngomthandazo womkhaya.”

Izingane ezikhulile ziyigugu ekusizeni u-Annamma ukuba alungiselele imfundo enhle yobuKristu kubo bonke emkhayeni. Nokho, isimiso esimatasa asisivimbeli isifiso sabo sokuhlanganyela izindaba ezinhle ngaphandle kwasekhaya. Sekukonke, amalungu ahlukahlukene omkhaya aqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli zasekhaya ezingu-57 nabantu abangomakhelwane. Umkhwenyana uRajan uyaphawula: “Lomkhaya uqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ezithuthukayo. Umkami, uPushpam, kakade useye waba nelungelo lokubona omunye wabafundi bakhe enikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova.”

Kwaba nesiyaluyalu esikhulu eKotahena lapho umkhaya omkhulu kanjalo ushiya iSonto LamaRoma Katolika. Nakuba umpristi engazange awuvakashele ngokwakhe lomkhaya ukuze athole isizathu, wacela abantu abavamile abangamalungu esonto ukuba bahlole. Kwaba nezingxoxo eziningana, eziningi zazo zaziphathelene nemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu. U-Annamma wayethembela kuJehova naseBhayibhelini ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuze avikele ukholo lwakhe. Umbhalo ayewuthanda kakhulu kulezi zingxoxo kwakunguJohane 17:3.

Umkhaya wakwaSinnappa ukubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi ukuhleleka okuhle nomzamo wasikhathi sonke ungaletha imiphumela eyanelisayo. Ngemizamo yentshiseko, isizukulwane esisha sabamemezeli boMbuso siyakhula, kube udumo kuJehova.

Ukuphikiswa Kuhlanganisa Umkhaya Ekukhulekeleni Kweqiniso

Umkhaya wakwaRatnam uhlala ebangeni elingamakhilomitha ambalwa ukusuka kwaSinnappa, eNarhenpitya, esinye isifunda saseColombo. Nawo wawungamaRoma Katolika. Ngo-1982, oFakazi ababehlanganyela enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu bathola uBalendran, umyeni wenkosazana yalowo mkhaya, uFatima. Kwaqalwa isifundo seBhayibheli nawo wonke umkhaya. Ngokushesha izingane zabo ezintathu zazibuza ugogo u-Ignasiamal ngegama likaNkulunkulu. Lapho izingane zinikeza impendulo ethi “uJehova,” zavusa isithakazelo sikagogo, futhi kwaqalwa isifundo seBhayibheli naye. Kamuva, amadodakazi akhe amabili, uJeevakala noStella, bahlanganyela esifundweni, futhi ngo-1988 bobathathu babhapathizwa.

Phakathi naleso sikhathi, uBalendran noFatima bahlanganyela iqiniso nomunye wawodadewabo bakaFatima, uMallika, nomyeni wakhe, uYoganathan. Ngo-1987 lombhangqwana wabhapathizwa, futhi uye wagxilisa uthando olukhulayo ngoJehova ezinganeni zawo ezimbili. UPushpa, omunye wawodadewabo bakaFatima, walandela. Wazinikezela futhi wabhapathizwa ngo-1990. Lapho eseTokyo, umyeni wakhe, u-Eka, wayekhonza nebandla lesiNgisi, futhi uPushpa wasiza indodana yabo encane, u-Alfred, ukuba ikhuliswe ngendlela kaJehova.

Kuze kube manje, izingane ezine kweziyishumi emkhayeni wakwaRatnam ziye zamelela ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngokujabulisayo, ezinye ezintathu zithuthuka kahle kakhulu ezifundweni za-zo zeBhayibheli eziqondene nazo. Phakathi kwabazukulu abangu-11, intombazane eyodwa, uPradeepa, usebhapathiziwe kakade. Abanye abangu-7 abancane baqeqeshwa njalo ngezifundo zeBhayibheli zomkhaya. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuqhutshwa ingqikithi yezifundo zeBhayibheli zasemakhaya ezingu-24 nabantu abathakazelayo endaweni abahlala kuyo.

Konke lokhu akuzange kwenzeke kalula. Ekuqaleni, kwakunokuphikisa emkhayeni. Ubaba, uMuthupillai, nabafowabo abadala babephikisana kakhulu nanoma ubani emkhayeni wabo owayeya emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso noma owayehlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela kwasobala. Nakuba okunye kwalokhu kwakuhlanganisa ukukhathazeka ngokulondeka komuntu siqu, uMuthupillai uyanezela: “Ngangizinikele ngokuphelele ‘kosanta’ futhi ngangingavumelani nokuba umkhaya wami ushiye iSonto LamaKatolika.” Nokho, manje uyakholelwa ukuthi umkhaya wakhe ukhulekela uNkulunkulu weqiniso ngoba uyazibona izinzuzo ukholo lwawo oluwulethele zona.

Ngokwesibonelo, umnikazi wendawo ababehlala kuyo ongumBuddha wake wazama ukubaxosha endaweni yakhe ngokubaphonsa. Ngobunye ubusuku weza futhi wabeka izithelo ze-lime “ezithakathiwe” kulo lonke igceke. Omakhelwane abakholelwa ezeni bashaywa uvalo, bonke babelindele ukubona isenzakalo esingajabulisi sehlela umkhaya wakwaRatnam. Nokho, lapho u-Ignasiamal ekuthola lokhu, yena kanye nezingane bamane basusa lezi zithelo ngaphandle kwanoma yikuphi ukwesaba noma itwetwe—futhi akukho lutho olubi olwabehlela. Isinyathelo sabo sokungesabi saba ubufakazi obukhulu kulendawo, sabangela abantu ukuba babahloniphe kakhulu. UStella wakwazi ukuqala izifundo zeBhayibheli ezimbili zasekhaya emizini eseduze. Ekhuthazwe yilokhu, umalokazana uNazeera naye wamukela isifundo seBhayibheli.

Lapho ecabanga ngezibusiso eziye zatholwa umkhaya wakhe, u-Ignasiamal uyaphawula: “Ngijabula kakhulu ngokubona ukukhula ngokomoya emkhayeni. UJehova uye wasibusisa ngoba ukuphikiswa kunciphile, futhi ubunye bomkhaya wethu buye bakhula.”

Yeka isibusiso lemikhaya emikhulu eye yaba yiso. Iye yanezela amaphimbo ayo kwawemikhaya emincane, imikhaya enomzali oyedwa, namaKristu angashadile azikhandlayo ekusheshiseni ukumenyezelwa kwezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso “kulelizwe lobukhazikhazi,” njengoba kusho incazelo yegama elithi Sri Lanka. Kanye namaKristu abanawo emhlabeni wonke, oFakazi baseSri Lanka babheke phambili ekubuyiselweni kwePharadesi, esingase sicabange ngalo ngisho kwamanje njengoba sibona izingu nezintaba zaseSri Lanka enhle.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

Abaningi eSri Lanka bayasabela ekushumayeleni nasekufundiseni kwamaKristu