Ukuphishekela Ukulingisa Izibonelo Ezinhle

NGAZALELWA eWichita, eKansas, e-U.S.A., ngo-December 10, 1936, ngiyizibulo ezinganeni ezine. Abazali bami, uWilliam noJean, babengabakhulekeli bakaJehova abazinikele. Ubaba wayeyinceku yebandla, igama umuntu oholayo ebandleni ayebizwa ngalo. Umama wayefundiswe amaqiniso eBhayibheli ngumama wakhe, u-Emma Wagner. U-Emma wafundisa abaningi la maqiniso, kuhlanganise noGertrude Steele, owakhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli iminyaka eminingi ePuerto Rico.a Ngakho, nganginezibonelo eziningi ezinhle engangingazilingisa.

UKUKHUMBULA IZIBONELO EZINHLE

Ngolunye usuku, ngoMgqibelo ntambama lapho ngineminyaka emihlanu, ngangihamba nobaba sihambisa omagazini INqabayokulinda neConsolation (manje esibizwa nge-Phaphama!) kubantu ababedlula emgwaqweni. Ngaleso sikhathi, izwe lalihileleke eMpini Yezwe II. Udokotela owayedakiwe weza kithi futhi wathuka ubaba ngenxa yokungathathi kwakhe uhlangothi kobuKristu, ethi uyigwala elibalekela impi. Udokotela wasondela eduze kukababa wabe esethi, “Kungani ungangishayi, gwala ndini!” Ngangethukile kodwa kwangihlaba umxhwele ubaba akwenza. Waqhubeka nokuhambisa omagazini esixukwini esasibuthene. Kwabe sekusondela isosha, udokotela wamemeza wathi, “Waliyeka nje leli gwala, yenza okuthile!” Isosha labona ukuthi indoda yayidakiwe, ngakho layitshela, “Hamba uye ekhaya ukuze usanguluke!” Bahamba bobabili. Uma ngicabanga ngakho, ngiyasazisa isibindi ubaba asinikwa uJehova. Wayenezindawo zokugunda ezimbili eWichita futhi udokotela wayengomunye wabantu ababegunda kuye!

Lapho ngineminyaka engu-8, abazali bami badayisa umuzi wabo nezitolo, bakha umahamba-nendlwana omncane base bethuthela eColorado ukuyokhonza lapho kunendingeko enkulu khona. Sahlala eduze kweGrand Junction, lapho abazali bami abaphayona futhi basebenza izinsuku ezithile khona epulazini. Ngesibusiso sikaJehova nokusebenza kwabo ngentshiseko, kwamiswa ibandla. Ngo-June 20, 1948, ubaba wangibhapathiza emfudlaneni osentabeni kanye nabanye abamukela amaqiniso eBhayibheli, kuhlanganise noBillie Nichols nomkakhe. Kamuva benza umsebenzi wokujikeleza, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi indodana yabo nomkayo benza umsebenzi ofanayo.

Sasisondelene futhi sinezingxoxo ezingokomoya ezakhayo nabaningi ababehlanganyela ngokugcwele emsebenzini woMbuso, ikakhulukazi umndeni wakwaSteele owathonya ukuphila kwami kakhulu​—uDon no-Earlene, uDave noJulia noSi kanye noMartha. Bangibonisa indlela ukubeka uMbuso kuqala okwenza ukuphila kube nenjongo ngayo futhi kujabulise.

UKUTHUTHA FUTHI

Lapho ngineminyaka engu-19, uBud Hasty, umngane wasekhaya, wangicela ukuba ngiphayone naye eningizimu ye-United States. Umbonisi wesigodi wasicela ukuba sithuthele eRuston, eLouisiana, indawo eyayinoFakazi abaningi ababepholile. Satshelwa ukuthi kumelwe sibe nemihlangano njalo ngesonto kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bangaki ababa khona. Sathola indawo efanelekayo esasingahlanganyela kuyo futhi sayilungisa. Sasiba nayo yonke imihlangano kodwa okwesikhathi esithile sasiba babili kuphela. Sasishintshana ngokuqhuba izingxenye zomhlangano, omunye aphendule zonke izimpendulo. Lapho kudingeka kwenziwe umboniso, sobabili sasiba sesiteji kungabi bikho olalele. Ekugcineni, udade osekhulile waqala ukuza. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abanye abafundi beBhayibheli kanye nabapholile baqala ukuza emihlanganweni, kungakabiphi sase sinebandla elichumayo.

Ngolunye usuku, mina noBud sahlangana nomshumayeli wase-Church of Christ, owakhuluma ngemiBhalo engangingayijwayele. Lokhu kwangiphazamisa kancane kwenza ngacabanga ngokujule kakhudlwana ngalokho engangikukholelwa. Isonto lonke ngangingalali ngifuna izimpendulo zemibuzo eyayibuzwe umshumayeli. Lokho kwangisiza kakhulu ekwenzeni iqiniso libe elami futhi ngase ngilangazelela ukuhlangana nomunye umshumayeli.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, umbonisi wesigodi wangicela ukuba ngithuthele e-El Dorado, e-Arkansas, ngiyosiza lelo bandla. Njengoba ngilapho, ngangivame ukubuyela eColorado ukuze ngiyovela phambi kwebhodi lokubuthelwa empini. Ngesinye isikhathi ngiya eColorado, mina namanye amaphayona engikanye nawo sahamba sonke ngemoto yami, saba nengozi eTexas, eyayicekela phansi imoto yami. Sathinta umzalwane owafika wasithatha, wasiyisa kwakhe wabe esesiyisa emhlanganweni webandla. Kulelo bandla, kwamenyezelwa ukuthi sasibe nengozi futhi ngomusa abazalwane basisiza ngezimali. Umzalwane waphinde wadayisa imoto yami ngamaRandi angaba ngu-350.

Sakwazi ukuthola imoto eyasibeka eWichita, lapho umngane womndeni wakithi, u-E. F.“Doc” McCartney ayephayona khona. Amadodana akhe angamawele, uFrank noFrancis, ayengabanye babangane bami abakhulu futhi baseyibo namanje. Ayenemoto endala angidayisela yona ngamaRandi angaba ngu-350, okuyimali engangiyithole lapho ngidayisa le endala. Ngangiqala ngqa ukubona ngokucacile ukuthi uJehova wayenakekela izidingo zami ngenxa yokuthi ngangibeka izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala. AbakwaMcCartney bangihlanganisa nodade ongokomoya othandekayo, uBethel Crane. Umama wakhe, uRuth, uFakazi oshiseka kakhulu eWellington, eKansas, owaqhubeka ephayona waze weva eminyakeni engu-90. Mina noBethel sashada ungakapheli nonyaka, ngo-1958 futhi waphayona kanye nami e-El Dorado.

IZIMEMO EZIVUSA AMADLINGOZI

Ngemva kokucabanga ngezibonelo esakhula sizibona, sanquma ukwenza noma yini inhlangano kaJehova esicela ukuba siyenze. Sanikezwa isabelo sokuba amaphayona akhethekile eWalnut Ridge, e-Arkansas. Kwathi ngo-1962, sajabula kakhulu lapho sithola isimemo sokuba sekilasini laseGileyadi lesi-37. Sajabula nakakhulu lapho sithola ukuthi sasisekilasini elilodwa noDon Steele. Ngemva kokuthweswa iziqu, mina noBethel sabelwa eNairobi, eKenya. Sashaywa uvalo njengoba sasiyishiya iNew York, kodwa lolo valo lwaphenduka injabulo lapho sihlangana nabafowethu esikhumulweni sezindiza eNairobi.

Sasheshe sayithanda iKenya nensimu yethu ejabulisayo. Abantu esaqala ukufunda nabo iBhayibheli abathuthuka kwakunguChris noMary Kanaiya. Basakhonza ngokwethembeka enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele eKenya. Ngonyaka olandelayo, sacelwa ukuba siye eKampala, e-Uganda, njengezithunywa zevangeli zokuqala kulelo zwe. Lezo kwakuyizikhathi ezijabulisayo ngenxa yokuthi babebaningi abantu ababenesifiso sokufunda amaqiniso eBhayibheli futhi nabo baba oFakazi. Nokho, ngemva kweminyaka emithathu nengxenye sise-Afrika, sahamba sayoqala umndeni. Sabuyela e-United States. Ngosuku esahamba ngalo e-Afrika, uvalo lwethu lwaba lukhulu kakhulu kunalolo esasinalo mhla sishiya iNew York. Sase sibathanda abantu base-Afrika futhi sithemba ukuthi siyobuyela ngelinye ilanga.

UKUTHOLA ISABELO ESISHA

Sahlala emthambekeni osentshonalanga yeColorado, lapho abazali bami babehlala khona. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, indodakazi yethu yokuqala, uKimberly, yazalwa futhi ngemva kwezinyanga ezingu-17, kwazalwa uStephany. Isabelo sethu esisha njengabazali sasithatha njengesibalulekile futhi sazimisela ukugxilisa iqiniso emantombazaneni ethu amahle. Sasifuna ukulingisa izibonelo esasibekelwe zona. Kwakuthusa ukucabanga ukuthi nakuba izibonelo ezinhle zingaba nethonya elinamandla ekubumbeni izingane, asikho isiqinisekiso sokuthi zizokhula zikhonze uJehova. Umfowethu omncane nodadewethu balishiya iqiniso. Ngithemba ukuthi bayophinde bazilingise izibonelo ezinhle ababekelwa zona.

Sakujabulela kakhulu ukukhulisa izingane zethu futhi sasihlale sizama ukwenza izinto ndawonye. Njengoba sasihlala eduze kwase-Aspen, eColorado, sonke safunda ukutshuza ukuze ngezikhathi ezithile sitshuze sonke njengomndeni. Lezi zikhathi zokuzijabulisa zasinika isikhathi sokuxoxa namantombazane ethu njengoba sasigibele imishini esikhuphulela phezulu entabeni. Sasiphinde sihambe siye kokhempa nabo futhi sasiba nezingxoxo ezimnandi lapho sothe umlilo. Nakuba ayemancane, ayebuza imibuzo enjengokuthi “Ngizokwenzani uma sengikhulile?” nokuthi “Ngifuna ukushada nomuntu onjani?” Sazama ukugxilisa izimiso zaphezulu ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zamadodakazi ethu. Sawakhuthaza ukuba aphishekele umgomo wokuba senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele futhi ashade kuphela nomuntu onemigomo efana neyawo. Sazama ukuwasiza abone ukuthi kuhle kakhulu ukungashadi usemncane. Sakha lesi sisho, “Hlala ukhululekile kuze kube yilapho usuneminyaka engu-23 okungenani.”

Njengoba abazali bethu benza kithi, sasebenza kanzima ukuze sihlanganyele imihlangano futhi sibe khona njalo enkonzweni yasensimini njengomndeni. Sahlela ukuba abathile ababesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele bahlale emzini wethu. Sasivame nokukhuluma ngenjabulo ngesikhathi esaba naso njengezithunywa zevangeli. Sawatshela ukuthi ngelinye ilanga, sifisa ukuthi sonke sobane sivakashele e-Afrika. Amadodakazi ethu ayefuna ngempela ukwenza kanjalo.

Sasihlale sinesifundo somkhaya, kuso, sasenza imiboniso yezimo ezingenzeka esikoleni. Amantombazane ayedlala indima yokuba uFakazi ophendula imibuzo. Ayekujabulela ukufunda ngale ndlela futhi yawenza azethemba. Njengoba ekhula, ngezinye izikhathi ayebubula ngokuba nesifundo somkhaya. Ngesinye isikhathi, ngikhathele, ngathi kuwo awaye emagumbini awo okulala, ngeke sibe nesifundo somkhaya. Ayeshaqekile futhi aqala ukukhala athi afuna ukutadisha. Saqala ukuqaphela ukuthi sasikugxilisa ngempela ukwazisa ngezinto ezingokomoya ezinhliziyweni zawo ezincane. Akuthanda kakhulu ukutadisha futhi sawavumela ukuba aveze imibono yawo ngokukhululekile. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi kwakunzima ukuwezwa ethi awavumelani nezici ezithile zeqiniso. Noma kunjalo, safunda lokho okwakusezinhliziyweni zawo ngempela. Ngemva kokubonisana nawo, ayeneliseka ngendlela uJehova abheka ngayo izinto.

UKUVUMELANA NEZINGUQUKO EZENGEZIWE

Umsebenzi wokukhulisa izingane zethu washesha kakhulu kunalokho esasikucabanga. Ngosizo nangesiqondiso senhlangano kaNkulunkulu, senza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuba akhule ethanda uJehova. Sajabula kakhulu lapho womabili amadodakazi ethu eqala ukuphayona ngemva kokuphothula imfundo ephakeme futhi efunda amakhono okuzisekela ngokwezimali. Athuthela eCleveland, eTennessee nabanye odade ababili ukuze akhonze lapho kunendingeko enkulu khona. Sasiwakhumbula kakhulu kodwa sasijabula ngokuthi ayesebenzisa ukuphila kwawo enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Mina noBethel saphinde saqala ukuphayona, okwasivulela umnyango wamanye amalungelo ajabulisayo. Senza umsebenzi wokubambela umbonisi wesigodi nomsebenzi wokusiza emihlanganweni emikhulu.

Ngaphambi kokuthuthela eTennessee, amadodakazi ethu avakashela eLondon, eNgilandi, futhi avakashela ihhovisi legatsha. Lapho, uStephany owayeneminyaka engu-19 ngaleso sikhathi, wahlangana noPaul Norton, isikhonzi saseBethel. Ngemva kolunye uhambo uKimberly wahlangana nomunye walabo ayesebenza nabo, uBrian Llewellyn. UPaul noStephany bashada​—kodwa lapho eseneminyaka engu-23. UBrian noKimberly bashada ngonyaka owalandela​—lapho eseneminyaka engu-25. Ngakho bahlala bekhululekile kwaze kwaba yilapho okungenani sebeneminyaka engu-23. Sazamukela ngenhliziyo emhlophe izinqumo zabo ezinhle ngabantu abashade nabo.

Amadodakazi ethu asitshela ukuthi izibonelo thina nabazali bethu esawabekela zona ziwasize ukuba alalele umyalo kaJesu wokufuna kuqala umbuso, ngisho nangaphansi kwezimo ezinzima ngokwezimali. (Math. 6:33) Ngo-April 1998, uPaul noStephany bamenywa ekilasini lesi-105 laseGileyadi ngemva kwalokho babelwa ukuyokhonza eMalawi, e-Afrika. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, uBrian noKimberly bacelwa ukuba bayokhonza eBethel yaseLondon futhi kamuva babelwa ukuba baye eBethel yaseMalawi. Sasijabule kakhulu, njengoba lena kuyindlela engcono kakhulu osemusha angasebenzisa ngayo ukuphila kwakhe.

ESINYE ISIMEMO ESIJABULISAYO

Ngo-January 2001, ngathola ucingo njengoba kuveziwe ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko. Umzalwane uMarais, umbonisi woMnyango Wezinkonzo Zokuhumusha, wachaza ukuthi abazalwane babehlela ikilasi lesiNgisi lokuthuthukisa ukuqonda kwabahumushi emhlabeni wonke futhi ngineminyaka engu-64, babecabangela ukungiqeqesha ukuze ngibe omunye wabaqeqeshi. Mina noBethel sathandaza ngakho futhi saxoxa nabazali bethu asebekhulile ukuze sithole iseluleko sabo. Bobabili abazali babefuna ukuba sihambe, ngisho noma sasingeke sikwazi ukubasiza. Ngaphendula ngasho ukuthi singakujabulela kakhulu ukwenza lowo msebenzi oyilungelo elimangalisayo.

Umama wabe esephathwa isifo somdlavuza. Ngamtshela ukuthi sizohlala futhi sisize udadewethu uLinda owayemnakekela. Umama waphendula wathi: “Ungalokothi uyenze leyonto, ngingezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu kunalobu uma ungahambi.” ULinda naye wayezizwa ngendlela efanayo. Yeka indlela esiwazisa ngayo umoya wabo wokuzidela kanye nosizo lwabazalwane basendaweni! Ngemva kosuku sihambile saya eWatchtower Educational Center ePatterson, uLinda wasithinta wasitshela ukuthi umama useshonile. Njengoba ayengasikhuthaza, sazinikela emsebenzini wethu omusha.

Sajabula kakhulu lapho sithola ukuthi isabelo sethu sokuqala sasisegatsheni laseMalawi, lapho amadodakazi ethu nabayeni bawo babekhonza khona. Yeka indlela esajabula ngayo ngokuhlangana ndawonye! Ngemva kwalokho, safundisa eZimbabwe sabe sesiya eZambia. Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu nesigamu yokufundisa, sacelwa ukuba sibuyele eMalawi siyobhala ngokuhlangenwe nakho koFakazi abashushiswa ngenxa yokulondoloza ukungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu.b

Sishaywa uvalo, ngo-2005, saphindela ekhaya eBasalt, eColorado futhi mina noBethel siqhubeka nokuphayona khona. Ngo-2006, uBrian noKimberly bathuthela endlini eyakhelene neyethu ukuze bakhulise amadodakazi abo amabili, uMackenzie no-Elizabeth. UPaul noStephany baseseMalawi, futhi uPaul ukhonza eKomitini Yegatsha. Manje njengoba sengiphikelele eminyakeni engu-80, kungijabulisa kakhulu ukubona izinsizwa engangisebenza nazo eminyakeni edlule zenza imisebenzi eyayenziwa yimi. Injabulo esinayo, ngokuyinhloko ibangelwa yizibonelo ezinhle esabekelwa zona futhi esiye saphishekela ukuzilingisa ukuze kuzuze izingane zethu kanye nabazukulu.