Ukuba Munye Enkonzweni KaNkulunkulu Ezikhathini Ezinhle Nezimbi

Njengoba ilandiswa nguMichel noBabette Muller

“NGINIPHATHELE izindaba ezimbi,” kusho udokotela. “Khohlwani ngokuphila njengezithunywa zevangeli e-Afrika.” Ebheka umkami, uBabette, wathi, “Unomdlavuza wamabele.”

Sashaqeka kwaphela nasozwaneni. Kwafika izinto eziningi ezingqondweni zethu. Sasicabange ukuthi lokhu kuhambela kwethu kudokotela kwakuyoba ukuhlolwa kokugcina nje kuphela. Amathikithi ethu okubuyela eBenin, eNtshonalanga Afrika, ayesethengiwe. Sasinethemba lokuthi sasiyobe sesilapho lingakapheli lelo sonto. Phakathi neminyaka engu-23 sishadile, sasiye saba nezikhathi ezinhle nezimbi. Sididekile futhi sesaba, sabe sesizilungiselela ukulwa nomdlavuza.

Ake siqale ekuqaleni. UMichel wazalwa ngo-September 1947, uBabette wazalwa ngo-August 1945. Sakhulela eFrance futhi sashada ngo-1967. Sahlala eParis. Ngolunye usuku ekuseni ekuqaleni kuka-1968, uBabette wephuza ukuphuma aye emsebenzini. Kwafika intokazi ethile yabe isimhambisela incwajana ekhuluma ngenkolo; wayamukela. Lentokazi yabe isithi: “Ngingabuya yini nomyeni wami sizoxoxa nawe nomyeni wakho?”

UBabette wayecabanga ngomsebenzi wakhe. Wayefuna ukuba lona wesifazane ahambe, ngakho wathi, “Kulungile, Kulungile.”

UMichel uyalandisa: “Ngangingenasithakazelo enkolweni, kodwa lencwajana yangikhanga, ngase ngiyifunda. Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva, lentokazi, uJoceline Lemoine, yabuya nomyeni wayo, uClaude. Wayenekhono elihle lokusebenzisa iBhayibheli. Wayenezimpendulo zayo yonke imibuzo yami. Ngahlabeka umxhwele.

“UBabette wayengumKatolika oqotho kodwa wayengenalo iBhayibheli, okwakungeyona into engavamile ngamaKatolika. Wakujabulela kakhulu ukubona nokufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ekutadisheni kwethu safunda ukuthi imibono eminingi engokwenkolo esasiyifundisiwe yayingamanga. Saqala ukukhuluma nezihlobo nabangane bethu ngezinto esasizifunda. Ngo-January 1969 saba oFakazi BakaJehova ababhapathiziwe. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho izihlobo nabangane bethu abangu-9 babhapathizwa.”

Ukukhonza Lapho Abashumayeli Babedingeka Khona

Ngokushesha ngemva kokubhapathizwa kwethu, sacabanga: ‘Asinazingane. Kungani singangeneli inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele?’ Ngakho ngo-1970 sayeka imisebenzi yethu, sabhalisa njengamaphayona avamile, sabe sesithuthela edolobheni elincane laseMagny-Lormes, ngaseNevers, enkabeni yeFrance.

Kwakuyisabelo esinzima. Kwakunzima ukuthola abantu ababefuna ukutadisha iBhayibheli. Sasingawutholi umsebenzi wokuziphilisa, ngakho sasinemali encane. Ngezinye izikhathi sasidla amazambane kuphela. Ebusika amazinga okushisa ayehla aze afike ku-22° C. ngaphansi kwezinga-qhwa. Isikhathi esasichitha lapho sasisibiza ngokuthi isikhathi sezithole eziyisikhombisa ezondile.—Genesise 41:3.

Kodwa uJehova wasiqinisa. Ngolunye usuku lapho sesicishe siphelelwe ukudla, umuntu weposi wadiliva ibhokisi elikhulu likashizi livela kudadewabo kaBabette. Ngolunye usuku saya ekhaya ngemva kokushumayela futhi sathola abangane ababehambe ngemoto amakhilomitha angu-500 bezosibona. Njengoba babezwile ukuthi izinto zazinzima kangakanani, laba bazalwane babegcwalise ukudla ezimotweni zabo ezimbili bezosipha kona.

Ngemva konyaka nengxenye, iNhlangano yasimisa njengamaphayona akhethekile. Eminyakeni emine eyalandela, sakhonza eNevers, sase sikhonza eTroyes, futhi ekugcineni sakhonza eMontigny-lès-Metz. Ngo-1976, uMichel wamiswa ukuba akhonze njengombonisi wesifunda eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeFrance.

Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, phakathi nesikole sababonisi besifunda, sathola incwadi evela e-Watch Tower Society isimema ukuba siyokhonza njengezithunywa zevangeli kwelinye izwe; lencwadi yathi singakhetha phakathi kweChad neBurkina Faso (eyayiyi-Upper Volta ngaleso sikhathi). Sakhetha iChad. Ngokushesha sathola enye incwadi, eyayisabela ukuba sisebenze ngaphansi kwegatsha laseTahiti. Sasicele ukuya e-Afrika, izwekazi elikhulu, kodwa ngokushesha sazithola sisesiqhingini esincane!

Ukukhonza ENingizimu Pacific

ITahiti iyisiqhingi esihle esisendaweni eshisayo eNingizimu Pacific. Lapho sifika, kwakunabazalwane abangaba yikhulu ababezosihlangabeza esikhumulweni sezindiza. Basamukela ngemigexo yezimbali, futhi nakuba sasikhathele ngemva kohambo lwethu olude olusuka eFrance, sasijabule kakhulu.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezine sifikile eTahiti, sahamba ngesikebhe sikaseyili esincane esasigcwele ukhukhunathi owomile. Ezinsukwini ezinhlanu kamuva, safika esabelweni sethu esisha—esiqhingini saseNuku Hiva eMarquesas Islands. Kwakunabantu abangaba ngu-1 500 ababehlala kulesi siqhingi, kodwa babengekho abazalwane. Kwakuyithi qhwába.

Izimo zazisezingeni eliphansi ngaleso sikhathi. Sasihlala endlini encane eyayakhiwe ngokhonkolo noqalo. Wawungekho ugesi. Sasinompompi wamanzi owawusebenza ngezikhathi ezithile, kodwa amanzi ayengcolile. Ezikhathini eziningi, sasisebenzisa amanzi emvula ayengena ethangini. Yayingekho imigwaqo elungisiwe, kwakunezindledlana nje eziyisihlabathi.

Ukuze sifinyelele ezingxenyeni ezikude zesiqhingi, kwakumelwe siqashe amahhashi. Izihlalo zawo zazenziwe ngokhuni—zinganethezekile neze, ikakhulukazi kuBabette, owayengakaze agibele ihhashi ngaphambili. Sasiphatha ucelemba ukuze sigence uqalo olwaluwele phakathi kwendlela. Kwakuwukuphila okuhluke kakhulu kokwaseFrance.

Sasiqhuba imihlangano yangeSonto, nakuba kwakuyithina sobabili kuphela esasiba khona. Ekuqaleni sasingayiqhubi eminye imihlangano njengoba sasiba babili nje vó. Kunalokho sasifunda ndawonye ukwaziswa kwaleyo mihlangano.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, sanquma ukuthi kwakungekuhle ukuqhubeka senza kanjalo. UMichel uyalandisa: “Ngathi kuBabette, ‘Kumelwe sigqoke kahle. Wena uzohlala laphaya, mina ngizohlala lapha. Ngizoqala ngomthandazo, khona-ke sizoqhuba iSikole Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini noMhlangano Wenkonzo. Ngizobuza imibuzo, wena uzophendula, ngisho noma uwukuphela komuntu enginaye kuleli kamelo.’ Kwaba yinto enhle ukwenza kanjalo ngoba kulula ukuyekethisa ngokomoya lapho lingekho ibandla.”

Kwathatha isikhathi eside ukwenza abantu beze emihlanganweni yethu yobuKristu. Saba babili nje kuphela izinyanga ezingu-8 zokuqala. Kamuva, omunye oyedwa, ababili, noma ngezinye izikhathi abathathu babehlanganyela nathi. Ngomunye unyaka, saqala umkhosi waminyaka yonke weSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa sibabili nje vó. Ngemva kwemizuzu eyishumi, kwafika nabanye abantu, ngakho ngama ngase ngiyiqala phansi inkulumo.

Namuhla kunabamemezeli abangu-42 namabandla angu-3 eMarquesas Islands. Nakuba umsebenzi omkhulu wenziwa abeza emva kwethu, abantu abathile esathintana nabo emuva ngaleso sikhathi manje sebebhapathiziwe.

Abafowethu Bayigugu

Safunda ukubekezela eNuku Hiva. Kwakudingeka silinde yonke into ngaphandle kwezidingo eziyisisekelo impela. Ngokwesibonelo, uma wawufuna incwadi, kwakudingeka ubhale uyicele, bese ulinda izinyanga ezimbili noma ezintathu ngaphambi kokuba ifike.

Esinye isifundo esasifunda ukuthi abafowethu bayigugu. Lapho sivakashele eTahiti futhi sizwa abazalwane becula emhlanganweni esasikuwo, sakhala izinyembezi. Kungenzeka kuyiqiniso ukuthi abanye abazalwane kunzima ukusebenzelana nabo, kodwa lapho uwedwa, uyaqaphela ukuthi kuhle kangakanani ukuba nabazalwane. Ngo-1980 iNhlangano yanquma ukuthi kwakufanele sibuyele eTahiti siyokhonza emsebenzini wesifunda. Lapho, sakhuthazwa kakhulu umoya omuhle wabazalwane wokungenisa izihambi nothando lwabo ngomsebenzi wokushumayela. Saba semsebenzini wesifunda eTahiti iminyaka emithathu.

Ukusuka Esiqhingini Ukuya Kwesinye

Ngokulandelayo sabelwa ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eRaïatéa, esinye isiqhingi sasePacific, futhi sahlala lapho cishe iminyaka emibili. Ngemva kokuba seRaïatéa, sabelwa emsebenzini wesifunda eqoqweni leziqhingi laseTuamotu. Sahambela iziqhingi ezingu-25 kwezingu-80 ngesikebhe. Kwakunzima ngoBabette. Njalo lapho ehamba ngesikebhe wayegula.

UBabette uthi: “Kwakunzima! Ngangigula sonke isikhathi esasisichitha esikebheni. Uma sasisolwandle izinsuku ezinhlanu, ngangigula izinsuku ezinhlanu. Akukho muthi owawungangelapha. Nokho, naphezu kokugula kwami, ngangicabanga ukuthi ulwandle luhle. Lwalubukeka luluhle. Amahlengethwa ayencintisana nesikebhe. Ayevame ukugxumela ngaphandle kwamanzi uma ushaya izandla!”

Ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu sisemsebenzini wesifunda, sabuye sabelwa eTahiti iminyaka emibili futhi saphinde saba nesikhathi esijabulisayo emsebenzini wokushumayela. Esikhathini esingangonyaka nengxenye ibandla lethu landa ngokuphindwe kabili lisuka kubamemezeli abangu-35 liya kwabangu-70. Abangu-12 balabo esasitadisha nabo iBhayibheli babhapathizwa ngaphambi nje kokuba sihambe. Abanye babo sebengabadala ebandleni.

Sekukonke sachitha iminyaka engu-12 eNingizimu Pacific. Khona-ke sathola incwadi evela eNhlanganweni isazisa ukuthi babengasazidingi izithunywa zevangeli eziqhingini njengoba amabandla ayeseqinile. Lapho sifika eTahiti kwakunabamemezeli abangaba ngu-450 futhi lapho sihamba base bengaphezu kuka-1 000.

I-Afrika Ekugcineni!

Sabuyela eFrance, kwathi ngemva kwenyanga nengxenye, iNhlangano yasinikeza isabelo esisha—iBenin, eNtshonalanga Afrika. Sasifune ukuya e-Afrika eminyakeni engu-13 edlule, ngakho sasijabule kakhulu.

Safika eBenin ngo-November 3, 1990, futhi sasiphakathi kwezithunywa zevangeli zokuqala ezafika ngemva kokususwa kokuvinjelwa komsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso okwathatha iminyaka engu-14. Kwakujabulisa kakhulu. Asizange sibe nenkinga yokuzinza ngoba ukuphila kuyafana nokwaseziqhingini zasePacific. Abantu banobungane kakhulu futhi banomoya wokungenisa izihambi. Ungama ukhulume nanoma ubani emgwaqweni.

Ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa nje sifikile eBenin, uBabette waphawula iqhubu ebeleni. Ngakho saya emthola-mpilo omncane eduze nehhovisi legatsha elalisanda kumiswa. Udokotela wamhlola wabe esethi udinga ukuhlinzwa ngokushesha okukhulu. Ngosuku olwalandela saya komunye umthola-mpilo lapho sabonana khona nodokotela ongumLungu, owayengudokotela wezifo zabesifazane ovela eFrance. Naye wathi kudingeka siye eFrance ngokushesha ukuze uBabette ahlinzwe. Ezinsukwini ezimbili kamuva sasisendizeni eya eFrance.

Sasidabukile ngokushiya iBenin. Njengoba inkululeko engokwenkolo yayisivuselelwe kulelizwe, abazalwane babekujabulela ukuba nezithunywa zevangeli ezintsha futhi sasikujabulela ukuba lapho. Ngakho sasidabukile ngokuthi kudingeka sihambe ngemva kokuba kulelizwe amasonto ambalwa nje kuphela.

Lapho sifika eFrance, udokotela wokuhlinza wahlola uBabette futhi waqinisekisa ukuthi kwakudingeka ahlinzwe. Odokotela bathatha isinyathelo ngokushesha, benza ukuhlinza okuncane, base bemdedela esibhedlela uBabette ngosuku olulandelayo. Sasicabanga ukuthi sekuphelile.

Ezinsukwini ezingu-8 kamuva, sabonana nodokotela wokuhlinza. Kungaleso sikhathi lapho asitshela khona ukuthi uBabette unomdlavuza wamabele.

Ecabanga ngendlela azizwa ngayo ngaleso sikhathi, uBabette uthi: “Ekuqaleni, ngangingakhathazekile kakhulu njengoMichel. Kodwa ngosuku olulandelayo ngemva kwezindaba ezimbi, ngangindikindiki. Ngangingakwazi ukukhala. Ngangingakwazi ukumamatheka. Ngangicabanga ukuthi ngizofa. Kimina, umdlavuza wawufana nokufa. Isimo sami sengqondo sasiwukuthi, Kumelwe senze okumelwe sikwenze.”

Ukulwa Nomdlavuza

Lezi zindaba ezimbi sazizwa ngoLwesihlanu, futhi kwakuhlelwe ukuba ngoLwesibili uBabette ahlinzwe okwesibili. Sasihlala nodadewabo kaBabette, kodwa naye wayegula, ngakho sasingenakuqhubeka sihlala endlini yakhe encane.

Sazibuza ukuthi singayaphi. Khona-ke sakhumbula uYves noBrigitte Merda, umbhangqwana esasike sahlala nawo ngaphambili. Lombhangqwana wawusibonise umoya omuhle wokungenisa izihambi. Ngakho sashayela uYves ucingo samtshela ukuthi uBabette kwakudingeka ahlinzwe futhi sasingazi ukuthi sizohlalaphi. Samtshela nokuthi uMichel wayedinga umsebenzi.

UYves wanikeza uMichel umsebenzi endlini yakhe. Abazalwane basisekela futhi basikhuthaza ngezenzo eziningi zomusa. Basisiza nangokwezimali. INhlangano yazikhokhela izindleko zokwelashwa kukaBabette.

Ukuhlinzwa kwakukukhulu. Odokotela kwakudingeka basuse amangqamuzana athwala amanzi emzimbeni nebele. Ngokushesha baqala ukwelapha ngokusebenzisa amakhemikhali. Ngemva kwesonto, uBabette wakwazi ukuphuma esibhedlela, kodwa kwakudingeka aphindele njalo ngemva kwamasonto amathathu ukuze elashwe ngokuqhubekayo.

Ngesikhathi uBabette esalashwa, abazalwane ebandleni babewusizo kakhulu. Omunye udade naye owayeke waba nomdlavuza wamabele wayeyisikhuthazo esikhulu. Watshela uBabette lokho okwakufanele akulindele futhi wamduduza kakhulu.

Nakuba kunjalo, sasikhathazekile ngekusasa lethu. Bekuqaphela lokhu, uMichel noJeanette Cellerier baya nathi esitolo sokudlela.

Sabatshela ukuthi kudingeka siyiyeke inkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli nokuthi sasingeke siphinde sibuyele e-Afrika. Nokho, uMfoweth’ uCellerier wathi: “Ini? Ubani othi kumelwe niyeke? INdikimba Ebusayo? Abazalwane eFrance? Ubani oshilo?”

“Akekho oshilo,” ngiphendula, “Yimina engishoyo.”

“Cha, cha!” kusho uMfoweth’ uCellerier. “Nizophindela!”

Ukwelashwa ngokusebenzisa amakhemikhali kwalandelwa ukwelashwa ngemisebe, okwaphela ngasekupheleni kuka-August 1991. Odokotela bathi babengaboni nkinga ngokubuyela kwethu e-Afrika, uma nje uBabette ayengaphindela njalo eFrance ukuze ahlolwe.

Ukuphindela EBenin

Ngakho sabhalela indlunkulu eBrooklyn, sicela imvume yokuphindela enkonzweni yezithunywa zevangeli. Sasilangazelela ukuzwa impendulo yabo. Izinsuku zahamba kancane. Ekugcineni, uMichel wayengasenakulinda, ngakho washayela iBrooklyn ucingo futhi wabuza ukuthi babeyitholile yini incwadi yethu. Bathi babeyicabangele—sasingaphindela eBenin! Yeka indlela esabonga ngayo kuJehova!

Umkhaya wakwaMerda wenza umcimbi omkhulu ukuze ubonise injabulo ngalezi zindaba. Ngo-November 1991 saphindela eBenin, futhi abazalwane basamukela ngokusenzela idili!

UBabette ubonakala ephilile manje. Siye sabuyela eFrance ngezikhathi ezithile ukuze kuhlolisiswe impilo yakhe, futhi odokotela abatholi mkhondo womdlavuza. Siyajabula ngokubuyela esabelweni sethu sezithunywa zevangeli. Sizizwa sidingeka eBenin, futhi uJehova uye wawubusisa umsebenzi wethu. Selokhu sibuyile siye sasiza abantu abangu-14 ukuba babhapathizwe. Abahlanu babo manje bangamaphayona avamile, futhi oyedwa uye wamiswa ukuba abe inceku ekhonzayo. Futhi siye sabona ibandla lethu elincane likhula futhi lihlukana liba amabandla amabili.

Kuyo yonke leminyaka, siye sakhonza uJehova njengendoda nomfazi futhi siye sajabulela izibusiso eziningi sazi nabantu abaningi abahle kakhulu. Kodwa futhi siye saqeqeshwa futhi saqiniswa uJehova ukuba sikhuthazelele ubunzima ngokuphumelelayo. NjengoJobe, asizange siqonde ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuthi kungani izinto zazenzeka ngendlela ezazenzeka ngayo, kodwa sasazi ukuthi uJehova wayelokhu ekhona ukuze asisize. Kunjengoba nje iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisho: “Bheka, isandla sikaJehova asifinyeziwe ukuba singasindisi, nendlebe ayinzima ukuba ingezwa.”—Isaya 59:1.

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

UMichel noBabette Muller bevunule ngezendabuko eBenin

[Izithombe ekhasini 25]

Umsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli kubantu basePolynesia endaweni eshisayo yaseTahiti