Ifa Lethu Elicebile Elingokomoya
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUPHILLIP F. SMITH
“Kuye kokhelwa isibani esiyokhanyisa yonke i-Afrika emnyama bhuqe.” Yeka indlela esajabula ngayo lapho sifunda lokhu okungenhla ekhasini 75 le-Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses ka-1992! Lawo mazwi alotshwa ngo-1931 ngumkhulu, uFrank W. Smith, encwadini eyayiya kuMfoweth’ uJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society ngaleso sikhathi. Umkhulu wayebhale ngenjongo yokudlulisa umbiko wohambo lokushumayela ayeluthathe nomfowabo.
I-YEARBOOK ka-1992 yachaza: “UGray Smith nomfowabo omdala uFrank, izikhonzi ezimbili ezingamaphayona ezinesibindi zaseKapa, balibangisa eMpumalanga Afrika elawulwa iBrithani beyohlola amathuba okusakaza izindaba ezinhle. Bathatha imoto, iDe Soto ababeyiphendule yaba umahamba-nendlwana (imoto eyindlu), bayilayisha emkhunjini kanye namabhokisi ezincwadi angu-40, base behamba ngomkhumbi baya eMombasa, itheku laseKenya.”
Encwadini yakhe eyayiya kuMfoweth’ uRutherford, umkhulu wachaza uhambo olusuka eMombasa luya eNairobi, inhloko-dolobha yaseKenya: “Saqala uhambo olwesabeka kunazo zonke engake ngazihamba ngemoto. Kwasithatha izinsuku ezine, sihamba usuku lonke, ukuba sihlanganise amamayela angu-360 [amakhilomitha angu-580] . . . [Ikhilomitha emva kwelinye] kwakudingeka ukuba ngiphume nehalavu ukuze ngihlelembe izindawana eziqhubushile, ngigqibe imigodi, nginqume notshani obude obuqatha nezihlahla ngigcwalise ngakho amaxhaphozi ukuze amasondo abambelele.”
Ngemva kokufika eNairobi, uFrank noGray basebenza izinsuku ezingu-21 zilandelana besakaza izincwadi zabo zeBhayibheli. “Ngokwalokho esikuzwayo,” kubhala umkhulu, “umsebenzi wokufakaza usubangele isiyaluyalu esikhulu eNairobi ethambekele enkolweni.” Kamuva, umkhulu wayelangazelela ukuphindela ekhaya endodaneni yakhe eyayineminyaka emibili ubudala, uDonovan, nakumkakhe, uPhyllis, owayekhulelwe ingane yabo yesibili, ubaba, uFrank. Umkhulu wagibela umkhumbi wokuqala owawutholakala osuka eMombasa, kodwa wabulawa umalaleveva ngaphambi kokuba ayofika ekhaya.
Njengoba mina, udadewethu, nomfowethu sasizindla ngalokhu kulandisa kwe-Yearbook, sakhumbula ubaba othandekayo. Ngo-1991, ezinyangeni ezimbalwa nje ngaphambi kokuba sithole i-Yearbook ka-1992, wabulawa yizinkinga zokuhlinzwa inhliziyo. Nakuba ayengakaze ahlangane noyise, wayenothando olujulile ngoJehova njengaye. Yeka indlela umkhulu ayeyojabula ngayo ukwazi ukuthi eminyakeni engu-28 kamuva, ngo-1959, indodana yakhe yayiyolandela ezinyathelweni zakhe njengesikhonzi esingumKristu ibheke eMpumalanga Afrika!
Ukuphila Kukababa Kwasebuntwaneni
Ubaba wazalwa ngo-July 20, 1931, eKapa, ezinyangeni ezimbili ngemva kokushona kukayise, aqanjwa ngaye. Kusukela esemncane, ubaba wabonisa uthando lwakhe ngoJehova. Lapho eneminyaka engu-9 nje kuphela, wayema esiteshini esikhulu saseKapa eshumayela ngezingqwembe kuyilapho ayefunda nabo esikoleni bemgcona. Lapho eneminyaka engu-11 ubudala, wabonisa ukuzinikezela kwakhe kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi. Ngezinye izikhathi ubaba wayabelwa ukuba asebenze umgwaqo wonke enkonzweni eyedwa. Lapho eseneminyaka engu-18, wayeseqhuba iSifundo Se-Nqabayokulinda eqenjini lodade abangamaKristu abase bekhulile elalisemaphethelweni eKapa.
Ngo-1954 i-Watch Tower Society yamemezela ukuthi ngonyaka olandelayo kwakuzoba nemihlangano yezizwe eYurophu. Ubaba wayefisa kakhulu ukuya kuyo, kodwa wayengenayo imali eyanele yokusuka eKapa aye lapho. Ngakho wenza isivumelwano sokuba asebenze izinyanga ezintathu njengomthaki wemithi ezimayini zethusi eNyakatho yeRhodesia (manje eyiZambia). Izindawo okwakucwaningwa kuzo itshe-nsimbi elimbiwa phansi zazisehlathini lase-Afrika.
Ubaba wayazi ukuthi kwakunoFakazi abaningi abaNsundu eNyakatho yeRhodesia, ngakho lapho efika, wabafuna waze wabathola wathola nokuthi imihlangano yabo yayiqhutshelwa kuphi. Nakuba ayengakwazi ukukhuluma ulimi lwendawo, wahlanganyela nabo futhi waba khona njalo emihlanganweni yeBandla laseMayini loFakazi BakaJehova. Ezimayini abeLungu babenobandlululo lobuhlanga futhi ngokuvamile ubandlululo lwabo babelubonisa ngokubathuka abaNsundu. Nokho, ubaba wayehlala enomusa.
Ekupheleni kwalezi zinyanga ezintathu esinye isisebenzi esiNsundu esasingeyena uFakazi, seza kubaba sase sibuza: “Uyazi yini ukuthi sithi ungubani?” Lendoda yamamatheka yase ithi: “Sithi ungu-Bwana [Mnu.] Watchtower.”
Ngo-1955, ubaba wakwazi ukuya eMihlanganweni “YoMbuso Onqobayo” e-Yurophu. Lapho, wahlangana noMary Zahariou, owaba ngumkakhe ngonyaka olandelayo. Ngemva kokushada, bahlala eParma, e-Ohio, e-U.S.A.
Ukuya EMpumalanga Afrika
Phakathi nomhlangano wesigodi e-United States, ababesemhlanganweni bamenywa ukuba bayokhonza lapho indingeko yezikhonzi yayinkulu khona. Abazali bethu banquma ukuya eMpumalanga Afrika. Benza khona kanye lokho i-Watch Tower Society eyayikusikisele. Bonga imali eyanele ukuba bathenge amathikithi okuya nawokubuya uma kwakungenzeka ubaba angawutholi umsebenzi, njengoba kwakuvunyelwa kuphela abanezincwadi zokuqashwa ukuba bahlale kuleyo ndawo.
Ngemva kokuthola ama-passport, izimvume zokungena, nemijovo, ngo-July 1959, ubaba nomama bahamba ngomkhumbi besuka eNew York City baya eMombasa bedlula eKapa. Lolu hambo lwabathatha amasonto amane. Esikhumulweni semikhumbi saseMombasa abazalwane abangamaKristu ababefike ngaphambi kwabo bezokhonza lapho indingeko yayinkulu khona babamukela ngokufudumele. Lapho befika eNairobi, ubaba wathola incwadi eyayimlindile. Kwakuyimpendulo yesicelo sakhe sokuba umthaki wemithi eGeological Survey Department e-Entebbe, e-Uganda. Ubaba nomama bathatha isitimela esiya eKampala, e-Uganda, lapho okwaxoxwa khona nobaba futhi waqashwa. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakunoFakazi oyedwa kuphela endaweni yase-Entebbe-Kampala, uGeorge Kadu.
Uhulumeni owawulawula leli koloni wakhokhela ubaba ukuze afunde ulimi lwendawo, isiLuganda. Wajabula kakhulu, njengoba ayevele ehlele ukulufunda ukuze aphumelele kakhudlwana enkonzweni. Kamuva, ubaba wasiza ngisho nasekuhunyushelweni kwencwajana ethi “Lezi Zindaba Ezinhle ZoMbuso” olimini lwesiLuganda.
Ubaba wayengesabi lapho efakaza kwabanye. Wayekhuluma nabo bonke abeLungu ababesemnyangweni ayesebenza kuwo, futhi wayehlanganyela njalo ekushumayezeni abantu base-Uganda. Wafakaza ngisho nakummeli-jikelele oNsundu wase-Uganda. Lendoda ayilalelanga isigijimi soMbuso nje kuphela kodwa yaze yamemela ubaba nomama ekudleni.
Udadewethu, u-Anthe, wazalwa ngo-1960, futhi mina ngazalwa ngo-1965. Umkhaya wakithi wasondelana kakhulu nabafowethu nodadewethu bebandla elincane kodwa elalanda lasenhloko-dolobha, eKampala. Njengoba kwakuyithina kuphela oFakazi abamhlophe e-Entebbe eyayiseduze, saba nokunye kokuhlangenwe nakho okuhlekisayo. Ngokungalindelekile ngolunye usuku omunye umngane kababa wadlula e-Entebbe wabe esezama ukuxhumana nobaba. Wahluleka kwaze kwaba yilapho ebuza: “Niyawazi yini umbhangqwana wabeLungu ongoFakazi BakaJehova lapha?” Ngokushesha lomuntu wamqondisa ngqo ekhaya.
Saba nakho nokuhlangenwe nakho okunzima, kuhlanganise nokuphila phakathi nokuvukela kwabantu abahlomile izikhathi ezimbili. Ngesinye isikhathi amabutho kahulumeni ayedubula noma ubani owayengowohlanga oluthile. Imini yonke nobusuku bonke, kwakunokudubula okunganqamuki. Njengoba kwakumiswe umthetho wewashi kusukela ngo–6:00 ntambama kuya ku–6:00 ekuseni, imihlangano yayiba ntambama ekhaya e-Entebbe.
Kamuva, lapho lomthetho wewashi usususiwe, ubaba wasiyisa ngemoto eKampala eSifundweni Se-Nqabayokulinda. Isosha elithile lasikhomba ngesibhamu, lamisa imoto yethu, futhi lafuna ukwazi ukuthi siyaphi. Ngaleso sikhathi ngangisewusana nje, futhi u-Anthe wayeneminyaka emihlanu. Lapho ubaba echaza ngomoya ophansi, ebonisa leli sosha amaBhayibheli nezincwadi zethu, lasidedela sahamba.
Ngo-1967, sekuphele cishe iminyaka engu-8 sise-Uganda, abazali bethu banquma ukubuyela e-United States ngenxa yezinkinga zempilo nemithwalo yemfanelo yomkhaya. Sahlanganyela neBandla laseCanfield, e-Ohio, lapho ubaba akhonza khona njengomdala. Lapho, abazali bami babathanda kakhulu abafowethu njengoba nje babethanda ibandla elincane eKampala.
Ukukhuliswa NgokobuKristu Ngothando
Ngo-1971 kwazalwa umfowethu uDavid. Njengoba sasikhula, sanakekelwa phakathi kwekhaya elinomoya ogcwele uthando nemfudumalo. Ngokungangabazeki lokhu kwavela ebuhlotsheni obunothando abazali bethu ababenabo.
Lapho sisebancane, ubaba wayehlala esifundela indaba yeBhayibheli ngesikhathi sokulala, athandaze, abese esinika ushokoledi osongwé ngephepha elisagolide, umama engazi. Ngaso sonke isikhathi sasitadisha INqabayokulinda yethu ndawonye njengomkhaya, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sikuphi. Lapho sivakashé njengomkhaya, sake sayitadishela entabeni futhi ngesinye isikhathi sayitadisha singenhla kolwandle. Ubaba wayevame ukuthi lezo ezinye zezikhathi ezijabulisa kakhulu ayezikhumbula. Wayethi uyabadabukela labo abaphuthelwa injabulo isifundo somkhaya esingase siyinikeze.
Lapho kuziwa ekuboniseni uthando ngoJehova, ubaba wayefundisa ngesibonelo. Noma nini lapho kufika ikhophi entsha kamagazini INqabayokulinda noma i-Phaphama! noma lapho sithola enye incwadi ye-Watchtower, ubaba wayeyifunda yonke ngokushesha. Safunda kuye ukuthi iqiniso leBhayibheli akufanele lithathwe kalula kodwa kufanele laziswe njengengcebo eyigugu. Enye yezinto zethu eziyigugu kakhulu yi-Reference Bible kababa. Cishe wonke amakhasi agcwele amaphuzu ayeqoqwe ekutadisheni kwakhe. Manje lapho sifunda ayekubhale eceleni, kuba sengathi sisamuzwa esifundisa futhi eseluleka.
Ukukholeka Kuze Kube Sekugcineni
Ngo-May 16, 1991, lapho esenkonzweni yasensimini, ubaba wahlaselwa isifo senhliziyo. Emasontweni ambalwa kamuva, wahlinzwa inhliziyo futhi kwabonakala sengathi kuphumelele. Nokho, ngobusuku obalandela ukuhlinzwa, sathola ucingo oluvela esibhedlela. Ubaba wayopha, futhi odokotela babekhathazeke kakhulu. Waphindiselwa kabili egunjini lokuhlinza ngalobo busuku ukuze kuzanywe ukunqamula ukopha kodwa kwanhlanga zimuka nomoya. Igazi likababa lalingashubi.
Ngosuku olulandelayo, njengoba isimo sikababa sasiwohloka ngokushesha, odokotela baqale bakhuluma nomama ngasese futhi kamuva nomfowethu omncane ukuze babacindezele ukuba bavume ukuba ubaba ampontshelwe igazi. Nokho, ngaphambili ubaba wayebatshelile odokotela ukuthi wayengeke avume ukumpontshelwa igazi ngaphansi kwanoma iziphi izimo. Wabachazela izizathu zakhe ezingokomBhalo zokunqaba ukumpontshelwa igazi kodwa wathi wayeyozamukela ezinye izindlela zokwelapha ezingalisebenzisi igazi.—Levitikusi 17:13, 14; IzEnzo 15:28, 29.
Ukumelana nalesi senzo okufihlekile kwezisebenzi zasesibhedlela eziningana kwabangela isimo esishubile e-ICU (intensive care unit [igumbi lababangwa nezibi]). Lokhu, kanye nesimo sikababa esasiwohloka ngokwengeziwe, ngezinye izikhathi kwakubonakala kungaphezu kwamandla ethu. Sanxusa usizo kuJehova futhi sazama nokusebenzisa ukusikisela okuwusizo esasikutholile. Ngakho lapho siya e-ICU, ngaso sonke isikhathi sasigqoka kahle futhi sibonise inhlonipho ezisebenzini zasesibhedlela. Sasiba nesithakazelo sangempela esimweni sikababa ngokubuza imibuzo enengqondo, futhi sasibonga zonke izisebenzi zasesibhedlela ezazihilelekile ekunakekelweni kukababa.
Izisebenzi zasesibhedlela zayiphawula imizamo yethu. Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa, lesi simo esasishubile sashintsha saba esinomusa. Abahlengikazi ababenakekela ubaba babeqhubeka behlola indlela aqhubeka ngayo ngisho noma bengasabelwe ukumnakekela. Omunye udokotela owayekade eluhlaza kakhulu kithi wehla waze wabuza ngisho nomama ukuthi wayebhekana kanjani nesimo. Ibandla lethu nezihlobo zethu nabo basisekela ngothando. Bathumela ukudla namakhadi amaningi aduduzayo, futhi basithandazela.
Ngokudabukisayo, ubaba akazange alulame lapho elashwa. Washona ezinsukwini eziyishumi ngemva kokuhlinzwa kwakhe kokuqala. Silusizi kakhulu ngobaba. Ngezinye izikhathi, imizwa yokulahlekelwa iyakhungathekisa. Ngenhlanhla, uNkulunkulu wethu uthembisa ukuthi ‘uyosithwala imihla ngemihla,’ futhi siye safunda ukuncika kuye kunanini ngaphambili.—IHubo 68:19.
Sonke sizimisele ukuthi nathi siyoqhubeka sikhonza uJehova ngokukholeka ukuze sijabulele ukumbona ubaba ezweni elisha.—Marku 5:41, 42; Johane 5:28; IzEnzo 24:15.
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UFrank Smith nonina, uPhyllis, eKapa
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Ubaba nomama lapho beshada
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Ukuze kwenziwe ubhapathizo lokuqala ngqá e-Entebbe, abazalwane baqasha ichibi lenduna ethile eNsundu
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Ukubingelela ngendlela evamile
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Ubaba nomama ngaphambi nje kokushona kukababa