‘Asisaziphileli Thina’
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUJACK JOHANSSON
Isosha eliNsundu, laseMalawi, langiyala ukuba ngime osebeni lomfula phambi kwezibani ze-Land Rover. Lapho liphakamisa isibhamu lilungela ukudubula, uLloyd Likhwide wagijimela ngasemfuleni waziphonsa phambi kwami. Wanxusa: “Dubula mina! Kungcono udubule mina! Ungamdubuli lo muntu wokufika ongenzanga lutho olubi!” Kungani umuntu oNsundu ayekulungele ukudela ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yami, ngingumLungu? Ake ngichaze ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ngibe isithunywa sevangeli e-Afrika eminyakeni engaba ngu-40 edlule.
NGO-1942, lapho ngineminyaka engu-9 ubudala, umama washona, eshiya ubaba nezingane ezinhlanu. Ngangiwuthumbu. Ezinyangeni ezine kamuva, ubaba, owayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova bokuqala eFinland, washona ngemva kokuminza emanzini. Udadewethu omdala, uMaja, wasinakekela sonke, futhi sakwazi ukulondoloza ipulazi lakithi. UMaja wayehola nasezintweni ezingokomoya, futhi phakathi nonyaka ngemva kokushona kukababa, yena kanye nomunye wabafowethu babonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwabo kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngokubhapathizwa emanzini. Ngemva konyaka ngabhapathizwa, ngineminyaka engu-11 ubudala.
Isinqumo Esibalulekile
Ngemva kokuphothula izifundo zami ekolishi lezamabhizinisi ngo-1951, ngaqala ukusebenzela i-Ford Motor Company eFinland. Ezinyangeni eziyisithupha kamuva ngathola incwadi engangingayilindele ivela esikhonzini esijikelezayo esihlakaniphile soFakazi BakaJehova. Sangicela ukuba nginikeze inkulumo emhlanganweni ngezibusiso zenkonzo yobuphayona, noma yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngazizwa ngingakhululekile, ngoba ngangenza umsebenzi wokuziphilisa isikhathi esigcwele futhi ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi ngangingeke ngikwazi ukukhuluma ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Ngayibeka kuJehova ngomthandazo le ndaba. Ngaqaphela ukuthi amaKristu kufanele ‘angabe esaziphilela wona, kodwa aphilele yena owawafela,’ ngakho nganquma ukuhlela imigomo yami kabusha ukuze ngikhonze njengephayona.—2 Korinte 5:15.
Umphathi wami wathembisa ukuliphinda kabili iholo lami uma ngingezukuyishiya inkampani. Khona-ke, lapho ebona ukuthi ngase ngisenzile isinqumo, wathi: “Wenze isinqumo esifanele. Ngichithe konke ukuphila kwami ngisebenza kuleli hhovisi, kodwa ngibasize kangakanani ngempela abantu?” Ngakho ngo-May 1952, ngaba iphayona. Ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa, ngakwazi ukuyinikeza ngesibindi inkulumo yami ephathelene nenkonzo yobuphayona.
Ngemva kokukhonza njengephayona izinyanga ezimbalwa, ngagqunywa ejele izinyanga eziyisithupha ngenxa yokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu. Lokhu kwalandelwa izinyanga ezingu-8 ngivalelwe nabanye oFakazi ababesebasha esiqhingini saseHästö-Busö, eGulf of Finland. Lesi siqhingi sasibiza ngokuthi iGileyadi Encane ngenxa yesimiso esinqala sokutadisha iBhayibheli esazihlelela sona. Nokho, umgomo wami kwakuwukuya eGileyadi yangempela, e-Watchtower School of Gilead, eyayiseduze kwaseNingizimu Lansing, eNew York.
Lapho ngisavalelwe esiqhingini, ngathola incwadi evela ehhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower Society, ingicela ukuba ngibe isikhonzi esijikelezayo soFakazi BakaJehova. Lapho ngikhululwa ngangizohambela amabandla asengxenyeni yeFinland ekhuluma ulimi lwaseSweden. Ngaleso sikhathi, ngangineminyaka engu-20 kuphela ubudala futhi ngizizwa ngingafaneleki, kodwa ngabeka ithemba lami kuJehova. (Filipi 4:13) OFakazi basemabandleni engangiwakhonza babebahle kakhulu, bengangibukeli phansi ngenxa nje yokuthi ‘ngangingumntwana.’—Jeremiya 1:7.
Lapho ngikhonza elinye ibandla ngonyaka olandelayo, ngahlangana noLinda, owayevakashele eFinland evela e-United States. Ngemva kokuphindela e-United States, wathuthuka ngokushesha ngokomoya. Ngokushesha, wabhapathizwa. Sashada ngo-June 1957. Kamuva, samenyelwa ekilasini lama-32 leSikole SaseGileyadi, ngo-September 1958. Ngemva kokuthweswa iziqu ngo-February wangonyaka olandelayo, sathunyelwa eNyasaland, manje ebizwa ngokuthi iMalawi, eningizimu-mpumalanga ye-Afrika.
Inkonzo Yethu E-Afrika
Sasikuthanda ukuba senkonzweni yasobala nabafowethu abaNsundu, ngaleso sikhathi ababengaphezu kuka-14 000 eNyasaland. Ngezinye izikhathi, sasihamba nge-Land Rover, sithwele konke esikudingayo. Sasihlala emadolobhaneni ayengakaze avakashelwe abamhlophe, futhi njalo sasemukelwa ngezandla ezimhlophe. Lapho sifika, abantu bawo wonke umuzi babeza bezosibungaza. Ngemva kokubingelela ngesizotha, babehlala phansi bathule dú, besibuka.
Ngokuvamile, abantu bakule mizana babesakhela elethu iqhugwane, ngezinye izikhathi ababelakha ngodaka kanti ngesinye isikhathi ngotshani, elalingafaka umbhede nje kuphela. Izimpisi zazidlula zigijima phambi kwaleli qhugwane ebusuku, zihewula ngendlela ethusayo ngasemakhanda ethu. Kodwa oFakazi baseNyasaland base bezobhekana namabutho ayingozi kunezilwane zasendle.
Ukuphakama Kwenkinga Yobuzwe
Kulo lonke elase-Afrika, kwakuqubuka amaqembu afuna ukuzibusa. ENyasaland wonke umuntu kwakulindeleke ukuba azibandakanye neqembu lezombangazwe elilodwa elalikhona lapho. Ngokungazelelwe, ukungathathi-hlangothi kwethu kwaba inkinga enkulu ezweni lonke. Ngaleso sikhathi nganginakekela umsebenzi wehhovisi uma engekho umbonisi wethu wegatsha, uMalcolm Vigo. Ngacela ukubonana noDkt. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, owayengundunankulu waseNyasaland ngaleso sikhathi. Mina kanye nabanye abadala ababili abangamaKristu samchazela ngokungathathi kwethu uhlangothi, futhi umhlangano waphela kusekuhle konke. Naphezu kwalokho, cishe ngemva kwenyanga, ngo-February 1964, u-Elaton Mwachande waba isisulu sokuqala salolu shushiso—wagwazwa yiqembu lezidlamlilo ngemikhonto waze wafa. Abanye oFakazi edolobhaneni lakubo baphoqeleka ukuba babaleke.
Sathumela incwadi yocingo kuDkt. Banda, simcela ukuba asebenzise igunya lakhe anqande lobu budlova. Ngokushesha ngathola ucingo oluvela ehhovisi likandunankulu, lungitshela ukuba ngivele phambi kwezikhulu. Ngahamba nesinye isithunywa sevangeli, uHarold Guy, kanye noFakazi wendawo, u-Alexander Mafambana, ngayobona uDkt. Banda. Kwakukhona nezinye izikhulu ezimbili zikahulumeni.
Ngemva nje kokuba sihlale phansi, uDkt. Banda waqala ukuphakamisa incwadi yocingo, engasho lutho. Ekugcineni, wathi: “Mnu. Johansson, usho ukuthini ngokuthumela incwadi yocingo enje?” Saphinda samchazela ngokungathathi kwethu uhlangothi kwezombangazwe, ngabe senginezela: “Manje, njengoba sekubulawe u-Elaton Mwachande, nguwena kuphela ongasisiza.” Lokho kwabonakala kumgculisa uDkt. Banda, futhi wathi ukwehlisa umoya.
Nokho, esinye sezikhulu zikahulumeni ezazikhona sathi oFakazi kwelinye idolobhana elikude babengabambisani neziphathimandla zendawo. Isikhulu sesibili sakhuluma ngelinye futhi idolobhana elikude, sithi oFakazi bakuleyo ndawo babehlambalaze uDkt. Banda. Kodwa-ke, lezi zikhulu zehluleka ukusinikeza amagama abantu ababenze lokho. Sachaza ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bafundiswa njalo ukuba bahloniphe iziphathimandla zikahulumeni. Ngeshwa, imizamo yethu yokulungisa imibono eyiphutha kaDkt. Banda nezikhulu zakhe yahluleka.
Ukuphila Kwethu Kwakusengozini
Ngo-1964, iNyasaland yathola inkululeko futhi kamuva yaba iRepublic of Malawi. Umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela waqhubeka njengokuvamile kodwa ngaphansi kokucindezelwa okukhulu. Phakathi nalesi sikhathi oFakazi abaseningizimu yezwe bashaya ucingo, bethi kwakunokuvukelwa kombuso kuleyo ndawo. Sabona kudingekile ukuba othile aye khona ngokushesha ayobona isimo soFakazi futhi abasekele. Ngaphambili ngangike ngahamba ngedwa emahlathini, futhi uLinda wayekwamukele ngesibindi lokho. Kodwa-ke kulokhu, wanginxusa ukuba ngihambe noFakazi wendawo osemusha, uLloyd Likhwide. Ngavuma ekugcineni, ngicabanga ukuthi, ‘Uma kumjabulisa, kulungile.’
Satshelwa ukuthi kwakufanele siwele umfula othile ngesikebhe ngaphambi kwesikhathi somthetho wewashi sika-6:00 ntambama. Sazama ngokusemandleni ukubamba leso sikhathi, kodwa sabanjezelwa imigwaqo emibi. Sathola kamuva ukuthi kwakukhishwe umyalo wokuba kudutshulwe noma ubani otholakala nganeno komfula ngemva kwehora lesithupha. Njengoba sehla ngemoto siya ngasemfuleni, sabona ukuthi isikebhe sase siwelile. UMfoweth’uLikhwide wamemeza ecela ukuba sizosilanda. Sabuya, kodwa isosha elalisesikebheni lamemeza, lithi: “Kumelwe ngimdubule umlungu!”
Ekuqaleni, ngangicabanga ukuthi liyadlala, kodwa njengoba isikebhe sisondela, leli sosha langiyala ukuba ngime phambi kwezibani zemoto. Kungaleso sikhathi-ke lapho umngane wami oNsundu angilamulela khona, enxusa isosha ukuba lidubule yena kunokuba lingidubule. Kubonakala sengathi leli sosha lathinteka ngokuzimisela kwakhe ukungifela, futhi lehlisa isibhamu. Ngacabanga amazwi kaJesu: “Akekho onothando olukhulu kunalolu, ukuba umuntu anikele umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe.” (Johane 15:13) Yeka indlela engajabula ngayo ngokuthi ngangilalele iseluleko sikaLinda sokuba ngihambe nalowo mfowethu othandekayo!
Ngakusasa indlela ebuyela eBlantyre yayivalwe yizinsizwa ezazifuna ukubona ikhadi likaMfoweth’uLikhwide lokuthi ubhalisile. Kunye kuphela esasingakwenza—ukudlula kulesi sixuku ngokushesha! Ngafaka imoto egiyeni, yavele yagxuma, bethuka badeda, sabaleka. Ukube lesi sixuku sambamba uMfoweth’uLikhwide, mhlawumbe kwakuyosho ukufa kwakhe. Lapho sifika ehhovisi legatsha, sasiphelile uvalo kodwa sibonga uJehova ngokusivikela kwakhe.
Baboshelwa Ukholo Lwabo
Umsebenzi wethu wavalwa ngokusemthethweni eMalawi ngo-October 1967. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakunoFakazi abangaba ngu-18-000 kulelo lizwe. Ngemva kwamasonto amabili, sezwa ukuthi kwakuboshwe oFakazi abangu-3000 enhloko-dolobha, eLilongwe. Sanquma ukuya khona kusihlwa ngalolo suku, sihamba ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-300, ukuze nje siyosekela abafowethu. Sapakisha izincwadi ze-Watchtower kuyi-Land Rover, futhi ngesivikelo sikaJehova, sakwazi ukudlula ezindaweni eziningi ezazinemigwaqo eyayivinjiwe ngaphandle kokuseshwa. Kuyo yonke indlela, emabandleni ahlukahlukene, sashiya amabhokisi anokudla okungokomoya okwakufike ngesikhathi.
Ekuseni salibangisa ejele. Yeka isimo esasibona! Imvula yayine ubusuku bonke, futhi abafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu babegcinwe ngaphandle endaweni ebiyelwe. Babemanzi té, futhi abanye babezama ukuneka izingubo zabo ocingweni. Sakwazi ukukhuluma nabambalwa kubo ngalé kocingo.
Icala labo laqulwa emini, futhi ebhokisini lasenkantolo kwabizelwa abantu ababezisholo ukuthi bangoFakazi. Sazama ukubabheka emehlweni, kodwa bangasibheka. Kwasidumaza kakhulu ukubabona bonke bephika ukholo lwabo! Nokho, ngezwa ukuthi oFakazi bendawo babengabazi neze laba bantu ababephike ukuthi bangoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngokusobala kwakuyiqhinga lokuzama ukudumaza oFakazi abaqotho.
Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakhishwa umyalo wokuba sixoshwe ezweni. Ihhovisi lethu legatsha eBlantyre lathathwa, futhi izithunywa zevangeli zanikwa amahora angu-24 ukuba ziphume ziphele ezweni. Lapho sibuyela ekhaya, sakuthola kuxaka ukuvulelwa isango yiphoyisa! Ngakusasa ntambama kwafika iphoyisa, lidumele, lasibopha lase lisiyisa esikhumulweni sezindiza ngemoto.
Sasuka eMalawi ngo-November 8, 1967, sazi ukuthi abafowethu abangamaKristu lapha babezobhekana novivinyo olunzima. Sasibadabukela. Abaningi babulawa; abangamakhulu bahlukunyezwa ngonya; kanti abayizinkulungwane balahlekelwa imisebenzi, amakhaya nempahla yabo. Noma kunjalo, cishe bonke babugcina ubuqotho babo.
Ukuya Ezabelweni Ezintsha
Naphezu kwalobu bunzima, asikucabanganga ukuyeka inkonzo yobuthunywa bevangeli. Kunalokho, samukela isabelo esisha—sokuba siye eKenya, izwe elinendawo nabantu abahlukahlukene. ULinda kwamhlaba umxhwele ukubona amaMasai. Ngaleso sikhathi, ayengekho amaMasai angoFakazi BakaJehova. Kodwa-ke uLinda wahlangana noDorcas, owesifazane ongumMasai, futhi waqala ukumfundela iBhayibheli.
UDorcas wayazi ukuthi ukuze athokozise uNkulunkulu, kwakumelwe abhalise umshado wakhe ngokomthetho. Uyise wezingane zakhe ezimbili wenqaba, ngakho uDorcas wazama ukondla izingane zakhe eyedwa. Le ndoda yayibathukuthelele oFakazi, kodwa yayingajabule ngenxa yokuhlukana nomkhaya wayo. Ekugcineni, ngesikhuthazo sikaDorcas, nayo yaqala ukufunda iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Yalungisa ukuphila kwayo, yaba uFakazi, futhi yashada noDorcas. UDorcas waba yiphayona, kanti umyeni wakhe nendodana yabo eyizibulo manje bangabadala bebandla.
Ngokungazelelwe, ngo-1973, umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wavinjelwa eKenya, futhi kwadingeka sihambe. Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa nje kamuva, ukuvinjelwa kwaqedwa. Kodwa ngaleso sikhathi sase sithole isabelo sethu sesithathu—sokuba siye eCongo (eBrazzaville). Safika khona ngo-April 1974. Eminyakeni engaba mithathu kamuva, thina zithunywa zevangeli saqanjelwa amanga kwathiwa siyizinhloli, futhi umsebenzi wethu wavalwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwaqubuka impi eBrazzaville ngemva kokubulawa kukamongameli wezwe. Zonke ezinye izithunywa zevangeli zathunyelwa emazweni ahlukahlukene, kodwa thina sacelwa ukuba sihlale isikhathi eside ngangokunokwenzeka. Kwaphela amasonto amaningi silala singazi noma sasiyolibona yini elangakusasa. Kodwa sasilala kahle, sithembele ekutheni uJehova uzosinakekela. Lezo zinyanga ezimbalwa, sisodwa ehhovisi legatsha, cishe zaziyisikhathi esinzima nesiqinisa ukholo kunazo zonke esake sabhekana nazo enkonzweni yethu yobuthunywa bevangeli.
Ngo-April 1977 kwadingeka sihambe eBrazzaville. Khona-ke sathola okwasimangaza ngempela—sathunyelwa e-Iran ukuyomisa ihhovisi legatsha elisha. Inselele yokuqala esabhekana nayo kwakuwukuzama ukufunda isiFarsi, ulimi lwasePheresiya. Ukufunda ulimi olusha kwasenza sanikeza izimpendulo ezimfushane kuphela emihlanganweni yebandla, njengabantwana! Ngo-1978, kwaqala izinguquko e-Iran. Sahlala khona phakathi nesikhathi sempi esibi kakhulu, kodwa ngo-July 1980, sonke thina zithunywa zevangeli saxoshwa ezweni.
Isabelo sethu sesihlanu sasibuyisela enkabeni ye-Afrika, eZaire, manje eyiDemocratic Republic of Congo. Sakhonza eZaire iminyaka engu-15, kuhlanganise nesikhashana esasikhonza ngaphansi kokuvinjelwa. Lapho sifika, kwakunoFakazi abangaba ngu-22 000 ababeshiseka kulelo lizwe—manje sebengaphezu kuka-100000!
Ukuphindela Ekhaya!
Ngo-August 12, 1993, ukuvinjelwa koFakazi BakaJehova eMalawi kwaqedwa. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva mina noLinda sabelwa khona futhi lapho sasiqale khona—eMalawi, izwe elihle nelinobungane elaziwa ngokuthi Inkaba Efudumele Yase-Afrika. Kusukela ngo-January 1996, siye sajabulela ukusebenza phakathi kwabantu baseMalawi abajabulayo nabanokuthula. Siyakwazisa ukuphinde sikhonze nabafowethu baseMalawi abathembekile, abaningi babo ababekezelela ukushushiswa iminyaka engamashumi amathathu. Abafowethu abaNsundu baye baba isikhuthazo, futhi siyabathanda. Ngokuqinisekile baye baphila ngokuvumelana namazwi kaPawulu: “Kumelwe singene embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinsizi eziningi.” (IzEnzo 14:22) OFakazi baseMalawi abangaba ngu-41 000 sebekhululekile ukuba bashumayele obala futhi babe nemihlangano emikhulu.
Siye sazijabulela kakhulu zonke izabelo zethu. Mina noLinda siye safunda ukuthi noma isiphi isimo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sivivinya kangakanani, singasenza abantu abangcono, uma silondoloza “injabulo kaJehova.” (Nehemiya 8:10) Kuye kwaba nzima ukuba ngizivumelanise nezimo lapho sishintsha izabelo. Kodwa ikhono likaLinda lokuzivumelanisa nezimo ezihlukahlukene—futhi ikakhulukazi ukholo lwakhe oluqinile kuJehova—kuye kwangisiza, kwangenza ngasazisa isibusiso sokuba ‘nomfazi omuhle.’—IzAga 18:22.
Yeka ukuthi siye saphila ukuphila okujabulisa kangakanani! Siye sambonga ngokuphindaphindiwe uJehova ngesandla sakhe esivikelayo. (Roma 8:31) Sekudlule iminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi amane nganikeza leya nkulumo ekhuluma ngezibusiso zenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Siyajabula ngokuthi siye ‘savivinya uJehova futhi sezwa ubuhle bakhe.’ (IHubo 34:8; Malaki 3:10) Siyaqiniseka ukuthi ‘ukungaziphileli thina’ kuyindlela yokuphila ephambili.
[Ibalazwe/Isithombe ekhasini 24]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
Amazwe esakhonza kuwo
Iran
Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo
Kenya
Malawi
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
Lapho silibangise eMalawi, singena ngaseKapa, eNingizimu Afrika
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Lapho siboshwa futhi sixoshwa eMalawi
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
UDorcas ongumMasai, nomyeni wakhe