Umthandazo Wesiboshwa Uyaphendulwa
Njengoba Ilandiswa UIsaac V. Espeleta
NGO-1945, lapho amasosha aseMelika eseyivimbezele kakade iPhilippines, ngaboshwa nabayi-11 ngamaJaphani. Safakwa ezitokisini ezincane, ezakhiwe ngothayela ezingenkulu kakhulu kunezindlu zezinja. Emini, zazishisa ngokungenakubekezelelwa, futhi ebusuku zazibanda okweqhwa.
Bonke enganginabo bafa ngaphansi kokuphenywa okulandelanayo. Nakuba ngabuzwa kanzima izinsuku ezingama-45 futhi ngahlushwa kabuhlungu izikhathi ezintathu, angizange ngiwavume amacala engangimangalelwe ngawo. Ngangiqaphela ukuthi uma noma ubani ayevuma ngaphansi kokuhlushwa wayedutshulwa ngokushesha noma agwazwe ngensabula afe. Nokho, ngazama ukubekezelela ukuhlushwa.
Khona lapho, kulesositokisi esincane, ngathandaza kuJehova uNkulunkulu futhi ngathembisa ukuthi, uma ngingasinda, ngangiyomfuna futhi ngisebenzise konke ukuphila kwami ekumkhonzeni. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ngisho okuningi ngokufuna kwami uJehova, ake ngichaze isizathu sokuboshwa kwami nokwangibangela ukuba ngenze lesosithembiso kuJehova.
UKUPHILA KWANGAPHAMBILI NAMATHONYA
Umkhaya wakithi wawungamaKatolika uhlala edolobheni elincane laseBiñan, cishe amakhilomitha angama-30 eningizimu yeManila. Ithonya elalinamandla ekuphileni kwami kwasebuntwaneni kwakungumkhulu ozala ubaba. Wayekhululekile ekukhohliseni kweSonto lamaKatolika futhi wayenesithakazelo eBhayibhelini. Wangiqalisa umkhuba omuhle wokufunda imiBhalo, futhi ngalokho ngiyombonga njalo.
Lapho sengikhulile, ngaba umfundi okhaliphile. Lapho impi yezwe yesibili igadla ePhilippines, ukulethwa kwezincwadi zesiNgisi kwanqamuka. Khona-ke, ngolunye usuku, ngathola incwadi iRiches, enyatheliswe iWatch Tower Society. Okuthile engingakufunda ekugcineni! Yayiphethe ulwazi olushukumisa kakhulu.
Okwangithinta kakhulu kwakuyiqiniso lokuthi uNkulunkulu unegama lakhe siqu, uJehova. Ngakuhlola lokhu eBhayibhelini engangilinikwe umkhulu. Yebo, lalikhona. Igama likaNkulunkulu kwakunguJehova ngempela. (Eks. 6:3; AmaH. 83:18) Ngenxa yempi, nokho, angikwazanga ukulandelela ngokushesha ulwazi engangisanda kuluthola.
Ngangishade eminyakeni ethile ngaphambili, ngo-1936. Ngesikhathi sempi ngase nginabantwana abathathu abancane bokuba ngibondle. Njengengxenye yomsebenzi wami wokuziphilisa, ngangihamba ngiye eningizimu yaseLuzon ngiyothenga amapulangwe okwenza ifenisha nawokubasa umlilo. Laphaya ehlathini kwakucashe abantu ababephikisana ngokuphelele nomsebenzi wamaJaphani. Bangibutha ukuba ngibahambisele izincwadi, futhi ngesikhathi sempi ngangiyisithunywa sezindaba zomshoshaphansi.
Ngo-1945, amaJaphani ayisola imisebenzi yami yomshoshaphansi futhi angibopha. Ngenhlanhla, sasizifihlile izincwadi eziphikisana nohulumeni. Kodwa kulawomahora ngangingedwa kulesositokisi esincane, ingqondo yami yayilokhu icabanga ngoNkulunkulu engangifunde ngaye—uJehova.
Njengoba kwenzeka, amaJaphani ayengenabo ubufakazi obungokoqobo bokuba necala kwami. Angikhulula, futhi ngokushesha ngajoyina umzabalazo wokusekela amaMelika. Kodwa ngahlupheka kakhulu sengingaphansi kwamaMelika lapho bengidlinzekela ngokuthi ngangiyinhloli yamaJaphani! Nokho, amaJaphani aphuma ePhilippines, nami ngakuyeka ukushisekela ubuzwe. Kodwa, angisikhohlwanga isithembiso engangisenze kuNkulunkulu. Ngokushesha, ngaqala ukufuna uJehova.
UKUTHOLA ABANTU BAKAJEHOVA
Ngavakashela amasonto ahlukene, nginomngane wami wasebuntwaneni, uPablo Quiohilag, kodwa akukho nelilodwa elabonakala linesigijimi esiqondile. Khona-ke, ngolunye usuku ngezwa omunye eshumayela ngoJehova. Ngammemela emzini wami eBiñan futhi ngamtshela ukuba ashumayele ngokuthanda kwakhe.
Ngo-1947, omunye wethu wezwa othile kwenye indawo eshumayela ngoJehova. Kulesisikhathi kwakuyisithunywa sevangeli saseCanada, uVic White, omunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Weza ezokhuluma eqenjini lethu futhi ngakhethwa ukuba ngimhumushele. Sathola ukuthi umuntu owayeshumayela emzini wami wayengaseyena uFakazi kaJehova, kodwa wayesuswe ekuhlanganyeleni ngaphambi kwempi. Lokhu kwaziswa kwabangela ubuthaka eqenjini lakithi elincane.
Cishe ngalesisikhathi sezwa ngomhlangano wokuqala wesifunda woFakazi BakaJehova owawuzoba seManila ngemva kwempi. Ngaba-khona futhi ngethulwa uVic White kumbonisi wegatsha, uEarl K. Stewart. Kamuva, ehovisi legatsha, wachaza okwakufanele sikwenze ukuze sibe ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Lokhu, kwakuhlanganisa umthwalo wemfanelo wobuKristu wokuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela endlini ngendlu. Ngemva kokubuyela kwami eBiñan, iqembu lonke lakithi lazehlukanisa ekuhlanganyeleni nomuntu osusiwe futhi lanquma ukuqala lizihlanganise noFakazi BakaJehova.
UKUHLELEKA NJENGAMAKRISTU EQINISO
IBandla laseBiñan lase lizelwe. Kodwa kwakunemibuzo eminingi okwakumelwe iphendulwe. Ngokwesibonelo, abaningi eqenjini lakithi, elalinabayi-15 ngalesosikhathi, babebhapathizwe ngumuntu owayesuswe ekuhlanganyeleni owayeshumayela kithi. Manje sazibuza: “Ingabe kumelwe sibhapathizwe futhi?” Abanye bacabanga ukuthi qha, njengoba iBhayibheli likhuluma ngokuthi “yinye iNkosi, yinye inkolo, munye umbhapathizo,” (Efe. 4:5) Sibhapathizwe kanye, pho kungani siphinda? Kodwa ngabona ukuthi ‘ubhapathizo olulodwa’ ngokuqinisekile lumelwe luhambisane ‘nokholo olulodwa.’ Njengoba manje sase silutholile ukholo lweqiniso, kwakumelwe sibuye sibhapathizwe ekuhlanganeni nalabo abakulo. Futhi yilokho esakwenza.
Khona-ke kwakumelwe sibhekane nendaba yokushumayela endlini ngendlu. Sasizokwenza kanjani? Akekho kithi owayazi. Ngakho ngahamba noQuiohilag endlini ngendlu. Phambi kwendlu ngayinye, sasenza inkatho ngokuphonsa imali phezulu. Ohlulekile uyena owayeyoshumayela! Angiqiniseki ngesasikusho, kodwa ngokuqinisekile uJehova wayeqondisa imizamo yethu engenakho okuhlangenwe nakho ekumdumiseni phambi kwabantu.
Ekugcineni, abazalwane ababili abavuthiwe ababevela eBethel, uSalvador Liwag noVic Amares, bathunyelwa ukuzosisiza. Basikhombisa indlela yokufakaza nokuqhuba imihlangano. Ngaqala ukuya emhlanganweni womsebenzi eBandleni laseSanta Ana eManila njalo ngoLwesine, ukuze nginikeze isimiso esifanayo ngokuphumelela kakhulu eqenjini lakithi elincane njalo ngoLwesihlanu.
UKUHLALA SIMATASA ENKONZWENI KAJEHOVA
Muva nje, lapho siya emhlanganweni wesigodi, umkami ngokungalindelekile wathi: “Sakwenza kanjani?”
“Ukwenzani?” ngambuza.
“Uyakhumbula ukuthi yonke lendawo kusukela eSucat, Muntinlupa, eRizal kuya eCabuyao eLaguna [cishe amakhilomitha angama-40] yayivame ukuba insimu yethu?”
Kuleyominyaka yokuqala sasingenamoto. Sasihamba nsuku zonke sifuna abantu abathakazelayo. Ngezinye izikhathi sasiphatha isibani sikaphalafini ukuze sisisebenzise esifundweni seNqabayokulinda nokuqhuba umhlangano weningi kusihlwa.
“Angeke ngisakwenza manje,” kwasho umkami.
Lokho ngempela kuyiqiniso, ngoba manje usephathwa isifo samathambo nemisipha. Kodwa lapho sisenobusha bethu namandla, sakusebenzisa enkonzweni kaJehova. Kuleyominyaka yangaphambili ngangivuka ngo-4 ekuseni izinsuku eziyisithupha esontweni ukuze ngifike emsebenzini eManila ngaphambi kuka-8 ekuseni. Kusihlwa ngangisuka emsebenzini ngiqonde ngqó ezifundweni zami zeBhayibheli. Lokhu ngezinye izikhathi kwakuhilela ukuhamba amakhilomitha ayi-16 ngiya endlini yomuntu othakazelayo namakhilomitha ayi-16 sengibuyela ekhaya futhi. Ngezikhathi ezinemvula, ngangivamise ukufika ekhaya sengimanzi te ngo-1 ebusuku, kodwa ngizobuye ngivuke ngemva kwamahora amathathu ngiye emsebenzini.
Ngalesosikhathi futhi, nganginelungelo lokuhumusha umagazini INqabayokulinda ngolimi lwesigodi sakithi, isiTagalog. Njengoba umkami abuza, “Sakwenza kanjani?” Kwakungaba nokwenzeka kuphela ngosizo lukaJehova. (Fil. 4:13) Kodwa kuyisibusiso ukuba ‘nokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi.’—1 Kor. 15:58.
UKUBEKA UJEHOVA KUQALA
Ngezinye izikhathi, ukubeka uJehova kuqala ekuphileni kwethu kwakuhlanganisa ukwenza ukuzinikela, kodwa asizange silahlekelwe lutho ngenxa yalokhu. Ngemva kwempi indlu yethu eBiñan yase iyifukwana ngokoqobo. Ngakho saqongelela imali ukuze sibe nendlu enhle, ekugcineni saqoqa imali engaba u-500 pesos (cishe u-R207, 50, S.A., kulezozinsuku) Kodwa kuso lesosikhathi isidingo seHolo LoMbuso elifanelekayo kwaxoxwa ngaso. Kwabonakala sengathi kwakuyimi kuphela enganginemali. Ngakho ngathi kuMzalwane Jose Nava: “Hamba ucele kumkami u-500 pesos.” Wamnika imali ngaphandle kokukhononda futhi sakha iHolo LoMbuso elihle elincane ngayo.
Ngokushesha kamuva, uJehova wenza kwaba nokwenzeka ukuba sakhe indlu yethu nakuba kunjalo, futhi sahlala kuyo ngokunethezeka kwaze kwaba u-1954, lapho yayisidliwe kakhulu umuhlwa isidinga ukuvuselelwa. Lapho amapulani okwenza lokhu esenziwe khona-ke kwaba sobala ukuthi iHolo lethu LoMbuso elidala lalilincane kakhulu ngenxa yebandla lakithi elalanda. Waphinda futhi, umkami, ngaphandle kokukhononda wakhipha yonke imali esasiyiqongelele, futhi sayinikela eholweni elisha, elakhiwa eduze nomgwaqo omkhulu. Nokho, futhi, uJehova ngokushesha wenza kwaba nokwenzeka ukuba sakhe indlu yethu futhi. Asizange silahlekelwe yilutho ngokumbeka kuqala.—Math. 6:33.
Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, lapho ngihileleke kakhulu esakhiweni seHolo LoMbuso lesithathu, umkami wathi kimi: “Uyazi ukuthini, unomsebenzi wokuzilibazisa odula kakhulu kwengake ngezwa ngayo.”
“Yini leyo?” Ngabuza.
“Ukwakha amaHolo oMbuso,” washo, emomotheka.
UKUKHULISA ABANTWANA BETHU
Ngesikhathi sithola umfana wokugcina ngo-1956, sase sinabafana abane namantombazane ayisithupha. Lapho besebancane, sasixoxa njalo nabo itekisi leBhayibheli losuku. Sasibona futhi isidingo sokuba nesifundo somkhaya njalo. Futhi, sasiphuma sonke njengomkhaya siye enkonzweni yasensimini. Senza konke esasingakwenza ekukhuliseni abantwana bethu “ngokuyala nangokuqondisa kweNkosi.”—Efe. 6:4.
Sasinezinkinga ezinzima kulokhu. Kodwa zazikhona izibusiso—eziningi! Ngezikhathi ezihlukene bonke abantwana bethu baphayona, bekhonza njengabamemezeli boMbuso isikhathi esigcwele. Indodakazi yami endala yakhonza eBethel iminyaka ethile ngaphambi kokuba ishade futhi ikhulise abantwana. Amantombazane ethu amathathu okuqala ayephakathi kwamaphayona akhethekile okuqala ePhilippines, futhi omunye uye wakhonza ngokwethembeka iminyaka eminingi njengesithunywa eThailand. Cishe bonke abantwana bethu ngaphandle koyedwa baqinile okholweni.
Indodakazi yami yesibili yathola isabelo sayo sokuqala sobuphayona obukhethekile lapho ineminyaka eyi-17 ubudala. Ngemva kokuhamba ekhaya iyobuqalisa, yasibhalela incwadi engingenakuyikhumbula ngaphandle kokuhlengezela izinyembezi. Yathi lapho isencane yayicabanga ukuthi ngangingubaba ononya kunabo bonke. Manje iyaqaphela ukuthi ukuba kwakungengenxa yokuyala kwethu okuqinile njengabazali, ngabe ayizange ilijabulele lelilungelo elimangalisayo lokukhonza enkonzweni yobuphayona obukhethekile (kamuva obayiholela esabelweni sokuba isithunywa emazweni angaphandle). Nokho, njengabazali abangamaKristu, akumelwe sincishe abantwana bethu iseluleko. (IzAga 22:6) Bayasidinga, futhi eminyakeni yamuva bayosazisa.
UKUJABULELA AMALUNGELO ENKONZO
Ngiye ngajabulela amalungelo amaningi enkonzo ekuhlanganyeleni nabantu bakaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, ngaba nelungelo lokulungiselela ezokudla emhlanganweni wokuqala ePhilippines. Eminyakeni eminingi, ngiye ngaba nelungelo elihle lokuhumusha INqabayokulinda ngolimi lwakithi. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, siye sabona iqembu elincane labantu abayi-15 likhula liba amabandla ayi-11 amakhulu naphumelelayo.
Elinye ilungelo langiyisa eTilongweni Lesizwe eliseduze kwekhaya lami. Ezikhathini eziningi, iziboshwa zibhalela iWatch Tower Society, zifuna usizo olungokomoya. Ngokuvamile lezizincwadi zilethwa kimi, futhi kusukela ngo-1947 ngiye ngaqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli njalo nabantu abathakazelayo ejele. Kanjalo, eminyakeni edlule, cishe abantu abangama-50 baye bathatha ukuma kwabo ngakuJehova futhi babhapathizwa besesejele. Komunye umhlangano wesigodi, ngahlangana nabangama-23 babo. Ngemva kokukhululwa kwabo, abanye babo baba ngamaphayona, ababonisi abajikelezayo, futhi abaningi manje bakhonza njengabadala.
Omunye engangingalindele ukumbona ejele kwakuwumuntu owayesuswe ekuhlanganyeleni owayengowokuqala ukushumayela kimi ngoJehova. Lendoda yayiboshelwe ukubambisana namaJaphani. (Kamuva, yaxolelwa futhi yadedelwa.) Isesejele, yayiza ngokuzithoba emihlanganweni engangiyiqhuba. Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, ngo-1975, ngangisekomitini yokwahlulela eyayicabangela isicelo sayo sokubuyiselwa. Ngakho-ke, cishe ngemva kweminyaka engama-40 isuswe ekuhlanganyeleni, yabuye yakwazi ukuhlanganyela ngokukhululekile nabantu bakaNkulunkulu.
Phakathi nayo yonke leminyaka, umkami ngokuqinisekile ubewusizo olukhulu—umsekeli othembekile enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Manje sobabili singabheka emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwamashumi amathathu sisenkonzweni kaJehova. Njengoba ngiye ngamfuna futhi ngamfumana, ngigcwalisa lesosithembiso engasenza eminyakeni eminingi edlule ngisekamu lejele lamaJaphani. Yeka injabulo enginayo ngokuthola uJehova uNkulunkulu phakathi neminyaka ethelayo yokuphila kwami nokuba ngikwazi ukuyisebenzisa enkonzweni yakhe!