Sakhulisa Abantwana Abayisishiyagalombili Ngokuyala KukaJehova
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UOVERLAC MENEZES
“Bafika ngebhayisekili eligitshelwa abantu ababili.” Lena indlela iJornal de Resende eyaqala ngayo umbiko wayo ogcwele ikhasi ngomkhaya wethu ngo-1988, lapho sisuka eResende siya eLages eningizimu yeBrazil.
LOMBIKO waqhubeka: “Ngokungangabazeki, abantu abadala bazowukhumbula umbhangqwana owadonsa ukunakekela kweResende ngendlela yawo yokuhamba yakuqala nengavamile: ibhayisekili elinohlaka olukhulu nezihlalo ezimbili. Ngaphambili, oshayelayo, ‘kwakungushofa,’ uOverlac Menezes; esihlalweni sesibili, kungumkakhe, uMaria José. Unyaka: kwakungu-1956.”
Umlobi wesihloko kwakuyindoda ebizwa ngokuthi uArisio Maciel, futhi wayengumqondisi wesiteshi somsakazo sendawo. Wahlangana nathi okokuqala emuva ngo-1956 lapho mina nomkami siba nezingxenye ohlelweni lomsakazo lwamasonto onke lweWatch Tower Society, oluthi Izinto Abantu Abacabanga Ngazo. Kulesihloko, wangicaphuna ngithi phakathi nokuhlala kwethu “zonke izindlu eResende zavakashelwa, umgwaqo ngomgwaqo.”
Ingabe ungathanda ukwazi indlela okwenzeka ngayo ukuba saziwe kangaka eResende? Nendlela esakwazi ngayo, ngenkathi silapho, ukukhulisa abantwana abayisishigayalombili ‘ngokuyala kukaJehova’ kuyilapho sisiza ngokuvakashela zonke izindlu eResende ngezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso?—Efesu 6:4.
Ukufunda Izindlela ZikaJehova
NgoJanuary 1950, uMaria Minc, omunye woFakazi BakaJehova, waqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli nodadewethu uAdeilde eSão Paulo. Ngangineminyaka engu-16 ngalesosikhathi futhi ngangibhapathizwe njengomKatolika, kodwa ngase nginesikhashana ngingasayi esontweni. Nokho, ngangisakholelwa kuNkulunkulu futhi ngangifuna ukumkhonza. Ngakho ngobunye ubusuku, ngaya ekhaya lika-Adeilde ukuze ngizwe ngalenkolo entsha ayeyifunda. UMaria Minc wangimema ukuba ngihlanganyele esifundweni, futhi ngokokuqala ekuphileni kwami, ngabona iBhayibheli. Phakathi nezifundo ezalandela ngamangala ukuthola eBhayibhelini ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu linguJehova, ukuthi ngokushesha umhlaba uzoba ipharadesi, ukuthi isihogo somlilo nesihlanzo akukho, nokuthi umuntu akanawo umphefumulo ongafi. Izihlobo zami zathi kimi: “Uzosangana uma ufunda iBhayibheli kangaka!”
Ngenza intuthuko enhle esifundweni sami seBhayibheli futhi ngaqala ukuya emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso leBandla laseBelém eSão Paulo. Njengoba ngangilindele ukubona kukhona abantu abadala kuphela, ngamangala kodwa ngijabula ukuthola intsha eningi elingana nami. NgoFebruary 5, 1950, ngahlanganyela okokuqala ngqá ekushumayeleni, futhi ngoNovember 4 walowonyaka ofanayo, ngabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi.
Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho ngamiswa njengesikhulumi sasobala. Ngalesosikhathi, lokhu kwasho ukuthi kwakumelwe ngibeke izinkulumo emigwaqweni nasemapaki ngokusebenzisa umbhobho oboshelwe ngaphambili emotweni. Omunye umsebenzi kwakungokamagazini. Ngalezozinsuku sasivame ukuma emakhoneni emigwaqo nezikhwama zethu zikamagazini, simemeza: “INqabayokulinda nePhaphama! Zimemezela uMbuso kaJehova!” Angizange ngihambise omagazini abaningi, kodwa ngasithola isibindi sokukhuluma obala.
Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele Njengomgomo
Ngokushesha ukunakekela kwami kwalethwa ekubalulekeni kwenkonzo yamaphayona, noma umsebenzi wokushumayela wesikhathi esigcwele. Umagazini weNqabayokulinda (yesiNgisi) ka-April 1, 1950, wawunesihloko esithi “Amaphayona Amaningi Ngokwengeziwe Ezindaba Ezinhle.” Sathi: “Ukufuna uMbuso kuqala kusho ukuthi ngaphezu kwakho konke umuntu ubeyocabanga ngezithakazelo zoMbuso ngazo zonke izikhathi. Onjalo ubeyofuna amathuba okuwusebenzela, futhi angafuni kuqala njalo nje izidingo zakhe zezinto ezibonakalayo futhi aqongelele izimpahla zezwe ukuze alonde ikusasa lakhe.” Lamazwi afaka umoya wobuphayona enhliziyweni yami.
Ngokushesha, intombazane esencane ekhangayo ethiwa uMaria José Precerutti yaguqula ukuphila kwami ngendlela ephawulekayo. Yayenza intuthuko enhle esifundweni sayo seBhayibheli nombhangqwana ongoFakazi, uJosé noDília Paschoal. NgoJanuary 2, 1954, yaba umkami othandekayo, umhlobo, umngane, nomsizi wami. Nayo, umgomo wayo wawuwukuba iphayone. Ngakho, sikhuthazwe izibonelo zezithunywa zevangeli ezinjengoHarry Black, Edmundo Moreira, noRichard Mucha, senza isicelo sokungenela inkonzo yamaphayona. Cabanga ngenjabulo yethu—nokulangazela—lapho sithola lempendulo: “Ukutuswa kwakho kokuba ube umbonisi wesifunda kuye kwamukelwa”!
Lapho ngithola isabelo sami sokuqala sesifunda, ngashaywa uvalo. Isifunda sami esisha sasihlanganisa amabandla ayishumi enhloko-dolobha yaseBrazil yangalesosikhathi, iRio de Janeiro, kuhlanganise namanye aseduze neBethel. Ikhaya lezithunywa zevangeli leWatchtower Bible School of Gilead lalisebandleni lokuqala engabelwa ukulihambela. Ngineminyaka engu-22, ngazizwa ngingafaneleki kakhulu futhi ngathi kuMzalwan’ uMucha, ngalesosikhathi owayengamele umsebenzi eBrazil: “Yini engingayifundisa lababantu?” Waphendula: “Mzalwane, sebenzisa nje iseluleko seBhayibheli nesenhlangano.” Iseluleko esihle ngempela!
Esikhathini esingangonyaka kamuva, uMaria José wakhulelwa, futhi kwadingeka siwuyeke umsebenzi wesifunda. Nokho, ngokujabulisayo sahlala sisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Njengempendulo yesicelo semikhaya emibili yaseFinland, abakwaEdvik nabakwaLeiniö, iNhlangano yasabela ukuba siye eResende njengamaphayona akhethekile, cishe insimu eyayingakathintwa enezakhamuzi ezingu-35 000. KwakungabakwaLeiniö abasipha ibhayisekili elihlala abantu ababili okukhulunywe ngalo esihlokweni kuyiJornal de Resende. Sisebenzisa lona, sakwazi ukutshala izimbewu eziningi zeqiniso kuleyonsimu evundile, futhi saqhubeka sisebenza lapho izinyanga ezimbalwa ngemva kokuba indodakazi yethu uAlice izelwe ngo-1956. Lapho sihamba, odade ababili, uAnita Ribeiro noMarian Weiler, beza ukuzonisela imbewu futhi ‘uNkulunkulu waqhubeka ekhulisa.’ Namuhla, iResende inamabandla ayisishiyagalolunye nabamemezeli abangaphezu kuka-700.—1 Korinte 3:7.
Omunye wabantu bokuqala engahlangana nabo eResende kwakunguManoel Queiroz. Lapho ngisalinde ibhasi, ngamshiyela izincwadi ezimbili lapho ayesebenza khona. Yena, futhi kamuva nomkakhe, uPiedade, benza intuthuko enhle futhi bobabili babhapathizwa. UManoel waba umdala ebandleni futhi waqhubeka ethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe. Futhi ngafunda noÁlvaro Soares. Emhlanganweni wokuqala aya kuwo, wamangala ukubona kukhona abantu abayisithupha kuphela, kodwa namuhla ungumbonisi wedolobha eResende lapho abangaphezu kwenkulungwane beba khona emihlanganweni emabandleni ahlukahlukene. Ngo-1978, indodana ka-Álvaro uCarlos yashada nendodakazi yethu uAlice. Namuhla, abangaphezu kuka-60 emkhayeni wakwaSoares bangoFakazi.
Ukushiya iResende kwasho ukuthi inkonzo yethu yesikhathi esigcwele yayishintshana nesinye isibopho sobuKristu, ‘ukondla abakwethu.’ (1 Thimothewu 5:8) Nokho, sazama ukulondoloza umoya wamaphayona, sigcina inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ingumgomo wethu. Ngathola umsebenzi efemini yaseSão Paulo, futhi ngonyaka owodwa impela-sonto ngayinye ngangihamba amakhilomitha angu-300 ngiya eResende ukuze ngisize iqembu elinabamemezeli abangu-15 lapho. Khona-ke, ngo-1960, sabuyela eResende.
Ukukhulisa Abantwana—Ilungelo Elengeziwe
Empeleni sasingakuhlelanga ukuba nabantwana abaningi kangaka, kodwa nakuba kunjalo baba khona, omunye ngemva komunye. Ngemva kuka-Alice kwaba uLéo, kwase kuba uMárcia, uMaércio, uPlínio, uAndré, futhi ekugcineni, ngo-1976, amawele, uSônia noSofia. Ngamunye wamukelwa ngenjabulo ‘njengefa elivela kuJehova.’ (IHubo 127:3) Futhi ngamunye wakhuliswa ‘ngokuqondisa kukaJehova’ ngosizo lwakhe.—Efesu 6:4, qhathanisa neNW.
Nokho, lona kwakungewona umsebenzi olula. Ngezinye izikhathi sasikhala izinyembezi ngenxa yezinkinga. Kodwa kwaba nomvuzo. Senza kanjani ukuba sibakhulise? Ngesifundo somkhaya, ngokuhamba nabo siye emihlanganweni nasenkonzweni yasensimini kusukela ebuntwaneni babo, ngokwenza izinto ndawonye, ngokuqiniseka ukuthi babenabangane abahle, ngokubayala ngokuqinile, kanye nangokubeka isibonelo esihle ngokwethu.
Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, esimisweni somhlangano eCruzeiro, eSão Paulo, sabuzwa imibuzo umbonisi wesifunda. Ngemva kokuxoxa ngesifundo somkhaya wethu, umbonisi wesifunda wangibuza: “Iyiphi indima umkakho abanayo kulokhu?” Ngikhumbula ukuthi kwafika izinyembezi emehlweni ami, futhi ngaba nomuzwa wosizi kangangokuba angikwazanga ukuphendula. Kungani? Ngoba ngangiyazisa ngempela indima yokuzimisela uMaria José aba nayo ekulondolozeni umkhaya wethu ongokwasezulwini. Ngaphandle kokusekela kwakhe kokwethembeka, kwakuyoba nzima kakhulu ngempela!
Kusukela khona kanye ekuthembisaneni kwethu, mina noMaria José sasitadisha iBhayibheli ndawonye. Lapho kufika abantwana, kwaba inselele yangempela ukugcina isifundo siqhubeka ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ukuze ngisize kulokhu, isonto ngalinye ngangiphawula emnyango wesiqandisi isikhathi sesifundo sesonto elilandelayo nendaba ezocatshangelwa. Futhi ngenza nezabelo ezikhethekile ngokwesidingo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngelinye ilanga uMárcia noPlínio babelwa etafuleni. Ngakho ngosuku olulandelayo, esiqandisini bathola isabelo esithi “Indlela yokuhlalisana kahle nabafowenu.” Esifundweni esilandelayo, bobabili basho okuthile futhi baxazulula ukungezwani kwabo.
Enye inkinga yayiba ngamaSonto ekuseni lapho abafana ngokuvamile babethi bazizwa begula kakhulu ukuba baye enkonzweni yasensimini. ULéo noPlínio babeyizingcweti ekuqambeni izinhlungu zesisu nokunye ukugula ukuze bagweme ukuhamba nathi emsebenzini wokushumayela. Njalo uma ngangiba nokungabaza ngokuthi babegula ngempela, ngangisho into enjengalena: ‘Uma ugula kakhulu ukuba uye enkonzweni, khona-ke ngokuqinisekile uyobe ungaphilile kahle ukuba ungadlala ibhola ntambama.’ Ngokuvamile, babelulama ngokushesha okuphawulekayo.
Ngesinye isikhathi, kwakudingeka sisingathe izimo ngokucophelela. Lapho uLéo eneminyaka engu-11, waya edilini noFakazi esikanye nabo, futhi ngaphandle kwemvume wathenga ikhilogremu lenyama yengulube azoyidla. Kamuva, lapho sithola ipheshana lesikweleti, uMaria José wabuza uLéo: “Wakhohlwa yini ukuthi wathenga inyama yengulube?” “Cha,” ephendula ngokumsulwa. “Angizange ngiyithenge.” “Kulungile,” esho, “masihambe siyoxoxa nomnini-sitolo.” Besendleleni eya lapho, uLéo wakhumbula: “Manje ngiyakhumbula,” evuma, “ngangingenayo imali eyanele, ngase ngiyithenga ngesikweleti ngase ngiyakhohlwa ukuyikhokhela.” Ngasikhokha mina lesikweleti ngase ngicela umnikazi ukuba aqashe uLéo, amnike umsebenzi kuze kube yilapho esethole imali eyanele ukuba angikhokhele. Leso kwakuyisijeziso sakhe. Njalo ekuseni ngehora lesine, uLéo wayeba ngowokuqala ukufika emsebenzini, futhi ngenyanga eyodwa wayesengikhokhele ngokugcwele lemali.
Njalo indlu yethu yayigcwala amaphayona, ababonisi abajikelezayo, izithunywa zevangeli, nabazalwane baseBethel. Isikhathi eside sasingenayo ithelevishini endlini, futhi lokhu kwasisiza ukuba sakhe imikhuba emihle yokutadisha kanye nesimo sengqondo sobuKristu. Abantwana bethu sabakhulisela kulesisimo. Ezinye zezincwadi abasithumelela zona ngemva kokuba sebekhulile ziqinisekisa ukuthi sasebenza kahle.—Bheka ibhokisi elisekhasini 30.
Inkonzo Yamaphayona Futhi!
Lapho iningi labantwana bethu selikhulile, ngakhumbula isihloko kumagazini INqabayokulinda (yesiNgisi) kaMarch 1, 1955, esasithi “Ingabe Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele Ingeyakho?” Ngokwengxenye sathi: “Abanye bangase bathambekele ekubhekeni inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele njengekhethekile. Kodwa kulokhu benza iphutha, ngoba ngesifungo sokuzinikezela kwakhe umKristu ngamunye ubophekile ukuba akhonze isikhathi esigcwele ngaphandle kokuba izimo angenakukwazi ukuzilawula zenza lokho kungenzeki.”
Ngobunye ubusuku ngathandaza kuJehova ukuba aphinde angivulele ithuba lokungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Umkhaya wami wabambisana nami, futhi abangane bangikhuthaza. Okwangimangalisa kakhulu, umqondisi wefemu engase ngisebenze kuyo iminyaka engu-26 wavuma ukuba ngisebenze ngezikhathi ezithile ukuze ngikwazi ukukhonza njengephayona elivamile. Ngakho-ke ngawuqala ngenjabulo umsebenzi okwakudingeke ukuba ngiwushiye eminyakeni eminingi kakhulu ngaphambili. Futhi abathathu ezinganeni balandela isibonelo sami.
Sakhonza iminyaka emibili eItatiaia, lapho engase ngingumdala khona iminyaka engu-15, sase sinquma ukuthutha siyokhonza lapho indingeko yayinkulu khona. Lokhu kwasho ukuphila ngemali yempesheni, ecishe ilingane nengxenye yesine yeholo elifanele. Nokho, sethembele esithembisweni sikaJesu kuMathewu 6:33, sabhalela iNhlangano ngalokho esasikuhlelile. Esikhathini esingangesonto kamuva, kwathi asigxume ngenjabulo lapho samukela impendulo yayo: “Kubonakala kufanelekile kithi ukuba sisikisele ukuthi nithuthele edolobheni laseLages. Naphezu kwezakhamuzi zalo ezingaphezu kwangu-200 000, kunabamemezeli abangu-100 kuphela lapho emabandleni amathathu amancane. Uyoba usizo kakhulu kuleyonsimu.”
Sathutha ngoFebruary 1988. Futhi siselapha namanje, endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaphezu kwangu-1 000 kubantwana bethu nakubangane. Sisanda kubhekana nobusika esingakaze sibubone eminyakeni engu-20. Yimina kuphela umdala ebandleni lethu, ngakho kunokuningi okumelwe kwenziwe. Nokho, sibusisiwe kakhulu ngempela. Okujabulisa ngokukhethekile insimu. Lapho singqongqoza eminyango yabo, abantu bathi: “Sicela ningene!” Kulula ukuqalisa izifundo zeBhayibheli. Samukela izinto ezihlukahlukene njengomnikelo lapho imali ingekho, futhi sibuyela ekhaya nensipho, isiqeda-phunga, izinsingo, izimpahla zomntwana (zomzukulu wethu), ukudla okusanhlamvu, imifino, izithelo, iyogurt, iwayini, futhi ngisho noice cream. Ngelinye ilanga samukela izihlalo zokhuni!
Isithelo Esiletha Imivuzo Ecebile
Namuhla, eminyakeni engu-56 yobudala, ngivukwa amadlingozi noma nini lapho ngicabanga ngomkhaya wethu. Abantwana “abazalelwanga eqinisweni.” Bazalelwe ekhaya lobuKristu, futhi iqiniso kwadingeka lifakwe ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zabo ezincane. Labo abashada bashadela “eNkosini.” (1 Korinte 7:39; Duteronomi 6:6, 7) Yiqiniso, sawenza amaphutha nezimpazamo ekwahluleleni. Ngezinye izikhathi sasahlulela ngokungalungi. Ngesinye isikhathi, ngangihluleka ukubeka isibonelo esihle kakhulu noma ngangingawunaki umthwalo wami wemfanelo njengobaba nendoda. Lapho ngiqaphela lokho engangikwenzile, ngangicela intethelelo kaJehova neyomkami noma eyabantwana bami, futhi ngazama ukulungisa okwakungalungile.
Naphezu kokungapheleli kwethu, umkhaya—manje owandiswe abakhwenyana, omakoti, nabazukulu—unabayisithupha abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, abadala abane, nenceku ekhonzayo eyodwa. Bonke babhapathiziwe ngaphandle kwabazukulu. Abantwana abathathu abancane abasekanye nathi bahlelela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele njengomsebenzi wabo. Yimuphi umvuzo omkhulu umuntu ayengaba nethemba lawo? Ngiyabonga kuJehova ngokuba eye wasiqondisa ekukhuliseni abantwana bethu ekuyaleni kwakhe. Sivukwa amadlingozi ngokubabona besalandela izimfundiso zakhe. Futhi ngithandazela ukuba thina, kanye nabo, singaphambuki endleleni yokuphila.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 30]
Ngemva kokuba sebekhulile, ngezinye izikhathi abantwana bethu ezincwa-dini ababezibhala babezwakalisa ukwazisa ngendlela esabakhulisa ngayo. Nakhu okumbalwa kwalokho abakuphawulayo:
“Baba, qiniseka ngokuthi wena noMama nasenzela okuhle kakhulu, ngisho nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi nenza amaphutha—into eyenzeka kakhulu manje kimi noCarlos ekunakekeleni indodana yethu uFabrício.”
Indodakazi uAlice, 33, umama wabafana ababili.
“Kumelwe sivume ukuthi nenza umzamo ohlangene ukuze nisikhulise ngokuqondisa kukaJehova. Futhi yeka indlela esizuza kakhulu ngayo kukho manje!”
Indodakazi uMárcia, 27, nomyeni wayo, osemsebenzini wesifunda.
“Ngiyabona ukuthi ilungelo enginalo manje lalingeke lenzeke ngaphandle kosizo enanginika lona nobabili lokumisa isisekelo esiqinile esingokomoya nothando ngoJehova nenkonzo yakhe.”
Indodana uMaércio, 23 iphayona elikhethekile.
“André, lisebenzise ngokugcwele ithuba lokuba kanye noBaba nokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe. Ungalokothi ungasinaki iseluleko sakhe. Niyokwazi ukusizana omunye nomunye. Manje ngijabula kakhulu kunanoma yinini.”
Indodana uPlínio, 20, eseBethel.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 26]
Foto: MOURA