Ibali Lobomi

Ndayeka Ukwenza Izixhobo Ndasindisa Ubomi

NGOKUBALISWA NGU-ISIDOROS ISMAILIDIS

Ndaguqa ngamadolo ndintywizisa. Ndathandaza ndathi: “Owu, Thixo, ndidliwa sisazela ngalo msebenzi wam wokwenza izixhobo. Ndizame ngamandla ukufumana omnye umsebenzi, kodwa ndawa phantsi. Nakanjani ngomso, ndiyagqibelisa. Nceda ke Yehova, ungabayeki abantwana bethu abane bafe yindlala.” Yintoni eyandenza ndafikelela kwesi sigqibo?

SASIPHILA kamnandi eDrama, ekumantla eGrisi, apho ndazalelwa khona ngowe-1932. Utata wayedla ngokundixelela ngoko wayefuna ndikwenze. Wandikhuthaza ukuba ndiye kufunda eUnited States. Emva kokuphangwa kweGrisi ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II, kwabakho intetho eqhelekileyo phakathi kwamaGrike ethi: “Ningaziba izinto zethu, kodwa aninakukuba oko kusezingqondweni zethu.” Ndazimisela ukufumana imfundo ephakamileyo ekungekho mntu wayenokukwazi ukuyiba.

Kwasebutsheni bam, ndangenela amaqela awahlukeneyo olutsha awayexhaswa yiCawa yobuOthodoki yaseGrisi. Apho sasixelelwa ukuba siwaphephe amahlelo ayingozi. Ndikhumbula ngokukhethekileyo kukhankanywa iqela lamaNgqina kaYehova, kusithiwa limela umchasi-Kristu.

Emva kokuphumelela kwisikolo sobugcisa saseAthene ngowe-1953, ndaya kufuna umsebenzi eJamani ukuze ndikwazi ukuqhubeka ndizifundisa. Kodwa andizange ndiphumelele, ndaza ndaya kuzama kwamanye amazwe. Emva kweeveki ezimbalwa, ndazibona ndikwizibuko laseBelgium ndingenamali. Ndikhumbula ndingena ecaweni, ndahlala phantsi, ndalila ndigixa. Ndathandazela ukuthi ukuba nje uThixo angandinceda ndifike eUnited States, ndandingazukuthi phithi zizinto eziphathekayo, kodwa ndandiza kufunda ndize ndibe ngumKristu nommi olungileyo. Kwala ngowe-1957, ndaya kufika apho.

 Ubomi Obutsha EUnited States

Ubomi eUnited States babunzima koonothwal’ impahlana abanjengam lo ababengalwazi ulwimi lwalapho nabangenamali. Ndandisebenza kwiindawo ezimbini ebusuku ndize ndenze imigudu yokuya esikolweni emini. Ndafunda kwiikholeji eziliqela ndada ndafumana isidanga sabasaqalayo. Emva koko ndaya kwiYunivesithi yaseCalifornia eLos Angeles apho ndathweswa khona isidanga ekwenzeni ulingelo lwezenzululwazi. Amazwi katata angokubaluleka kwemfundo ayendikhuthaza ebudeni bale minyaka inzima.

Kweso sithuba, ndaphandlwa ligqiyazana elithile elingumGrike, uEkaterini, saza satshata ngowe-1964. Emva kweminyaka emithathu wandizalela unyana wamazibulo, waza walandelisa ngabanye ababini kunye nentombi kwithuba elingaphantsi kweminyaka emine. Ngenene kwakungeyondlwan’ iyanetha ukunyamekela intsapho ngoxa ndandifunda eyunivesithi.

Ndandisebenzela uMkhosi Weenqwelo-moya waseUnited States kumzi-mveliso wemijukujelwa waseSunnyvale, eKhalifoniya. Ndandibandakanyeke ekwenzeni iintolo-mlilo ezahlukahlukeneyo, kuquka umjukujelwa onguAgena nonguApollo. Ndada ndanikwa imbasa ngegalelo endibe nalo ekwenziweni kuka-Apollo 8 noApollo11. Emva koko, ndaqhubeka nemfundo yam ndaza ndabandakanyeka ngamandla ekwenzeni imijukujelwa eyahlukahlukeneyo. Ndathi ndakufikelela kwelo nqanaba, ndacinga ukuba ndifeze konke ebomini—kuba ndandinomfazi endimthandayo, abantwana abahle abane, umsebenzi osemagqabini, nendlu entle.

Umfo Onenzondelelo

Ebutsheni bowe-1967, emsebenzini ndadibana nendoda eyayithobekile yaye inobubele kakhulu enguJim. UJim wayesoloko encumile, yaye akazange nanini na ale xa ndimcela ukuba sihlale phantsi sifumane into esiwa ethunjini. Wayesebenzisa la mathuba ukwabelana nam ngenkcazelo yeBhayibhile. UJim wandixelela ukuba wayefundisisa namaNgqina kaYehova.

Kwandothusa ukuva ukuba uJim wayezibandakanye neli qela lonqulo. Yayinokwenzeka njani into yokuba umntu olunge ngolo hlobo awele kwihlelo labachasi-Kristu? Noko ke, into eyayindigqiba ngumdla wakhe wobuqu kum kunye nobubele bakhe. Phantse suku ngalunye wayendinika into eyahlukileyo yokufunda. Ngokomzekelo, ngenye imini weza eofisini yam waza wathi: “Isidoros, eli nqaku leMboniselo lithetha ngokomeleza ubomi bentsapho. Goduka nalo, uze ulifunde kunye nomfazi wakho.” Ndathi kuye ndiza kulifunda, kodwa kamva ndangena kwindlu yangasese ndaza ndalikrazula elo phephancwadi laba ziziqwenga, ndalilahla emgqomeni.

Kangangeminyaka emithathu, ndandizilahla zonke iincwadi namaphephancwadi awayendinika wona uJim. Nakuba ndandiwachasile amaNgqina kaYehova, kodwa ngenxa yokufuna ukugcina ubuhlobo phakathi kwam noJim, ndakubona kukokona kulungileyo ukukuphulaphula oko akuthethayo ndize ndiphinde ndikukhuphe ngokukhawuleza engqondweni yam.

Noko ke, ezo ngxoxo zandenza ndabona ukuba inkoliso yezinto endandizikholelwa nendandiziqhelisela zazingasekelwanga eBhayibhileni. Ndaqonda ukuba imfundiso kaBathathu Emnye, eyesihogo somlilo, neyokungafi komphefumlo zazingasekelwanga eZibhalweni.  (INtshumayeli 9:10; Hezekile 18:4; Yohane 20:17) Njengoko ndandizidla ngonqulo lwam lobuGrike bobuOthodoki, andizange ndifune ukuvuma ngokuphandle ukuba uJim wayenyanisile. Kodwa ekubeni wayesoloko esebenzisa iBhayibhile yaye engazange anikele imbono yakhe yobuqu, ekugqibeleni ndaqonda ukuba le ndoda yayindiphathele isigidimi esixabisekileyo esiseBhayibhileni.

Umfazi wam wabona ukuba ikho into eyayisenzeka, waza wandibuza ukuba ndikhe ndathetha na nomhlobo wam owayenxulumana namaNgqina. Ndakuba ndithe ewe, wathi: “Masiye nakweyiphi na icawa, ngaphandle kweyamaNgqina kaYehova.” Phofu ke, akubanga thuba lide, mna nomfazi wam, nabantwana bethu, saqalisa ukuya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zamaNgqina.

Isigqibo Esinzima

Njengoko ndandifundisisa iBhayibhile, ndabona amazwi omprofeti uIsaya athi: “Ziwakhande amakrele azo abe ngamakhuba nemikhonto yazo ibe zizikere zokuthena imithi. Uhlanga aluyi kuphakamisela uhlanga ikrele, zingayi kuphinda zifunde nemfazwe kwakhona.” (Isaya 2:4) Ndazibuza ukuba, ‘Ingenzeka njani into yokuba umkhonzi kaThixo othanda uxolo aqeshelwe ukwenza izixhobo ezitshabalalisayo?’ (INdumiso 46:9) Kungabanga thuba lide ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiwutshintshe umsebenzi wam.

Ngokwenene, oku kwakulucelomngeni olukhulu. Ndandinomsebenzi oncumisayo. Ndiwe ndivuka kangangeminyaka, ndifunda nzima, ndancama nokuninzi ukuze ndibe kule ndawo ndikuyo. Ndanyuselwa kwizikhundla eziphezulu emsebenzini, kodwa ngoku ndandimele ndilahle konke. Noko ke, uthando lwam olunzulu ngoYehova nomnqweno wam onyanisekileyo wokwenza ukuthanda kwakhe wandenza ndaqina kwisigqibo sam.—Mateyu 7:21.

Ndagqiba ekubeni ndisebenzele inkampani ethile yaseSeattle, eWashington. Kodwa ndadana kukufumanisa ukuba ndandibandakanyeke ngakumbi ekwenzeni umsebenzi owawungavisisani noIsaya 2:4. Ndenza imigudu yokubacela ukuba banditshintshele komnye umsebenzi kodwa abazange bavume, saza sandikhathaza kwakhona isazela sam. Ndabona ngokucacileyo ukuba ndandingenakuqhubeka nomsebenzi wam ndize kwangaxeshanye ndibe nesazela esicocekileyo.—1 Petros 3:21.

Yayizicacele into yokuba kwakuza kufuneka senze utshintsho olubalulekileyo. Kwisithuba esingaphantsi kweenyanga ezintandathu, sayitshintsha indlela esasiphila ngayo saza sazinciphisa ngesiqingatha iindleko zentsapho yethu. Sandula ke sayithengisa indlu yethu enobunewunewu saza sathenga indlu encinane eDenver, eColorado. Ngoku ndandilungele ukuthabatha inyathelo lokugqibela—ukuyeka emsebenzini. Ndachwetheza ileta yokurhoxa kwam, ndichaza ukungavumelani kwalo msebenzi nesazela sam. Ngobo busuku, bakuba abantwana belele, ndaguqa nomfazi wam saza sathandaza kuYehova, njengoko kuchazwe ekuqaleni kweli nqaku.

Kwathi kungaphelanga nenyanga, safudukela eDenver, saza emva kweeveki ezimbini, ngoJulayi 1975, mna nomfazi wam sabhaptizwa. Zaphela gungqu iinyanga ezintandathu ndingafumani msebenzi, yabe nemali iphela kwelinye icala. Ngenyanga yesixhenxe, imali yethu esebhankini yayisele  ingaphantsi kunentlawulo yenyanga nenyanga yendlu. Ndaqalisa ukufuna nawuphi na umsebenzi wesingxungxo onokuvela, kodwa ngokukhawuleza emva koko ndafumana umsebenzi wobunjineli. Umvuzo wam wawusisiqingatha kuphela salowo ndandiwufumana ngaphambili; sekunjalo, wawungaphezulu lee kunoko ndandikucelile kuYehova. Hayi indlela endavuya ngayo kuba ndabeka izilangazelelo zokomoya kuqala!—Mateyu 6:33.

Ukukhulisela Abantwana Bethu Ekuthandeni UYehova

Ebudeni belo xesha mna noEkaterini sasixakeke ngumsebenzi olucelomngeni wokukhulisa abantwana bethu abane ngokuvumelana nemigaqo yobuthixo. Ngoncedo lukaYehova, kuye kwasivuyisa ukubabona bonke besiba ngamaKristu aqolileyo, benikela ubomi babo ngokupheleleyo emsebenzini obalulekileyo wokushumayela ngoBukumkani. Oonyana bethu abathathu, uChristos, uLakes noGregory baye bonke baphumelela kwiSikolo Sokuqeqeshelwa Ubulungiseleli yaye ngoku bakhonza kwizabelo ezahlukahlukeneyo, betyelela yaye besomeleza amabandla. Yona intombi yethu uToula, isebenza kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eNew York. Saziva sinelunda ngabo kukubabona bencama imisebenzi eneemali ezinamagama ukuze bakhonze uYehova.

Abaninzi baye basibuza ukuba iyintoni na imfihlelo yethu yokukhulisa abantwana ngokuphumelelayo ngaloo ndlela. Kambe ke, akukho mgaqo utheni wokukhulisa abantwana, kodwa siye nje sazama ngenkuthalo ukugxininisa ezintliziyweni zabo uthando ngoYehova nangommelwane. (Duteronomi 6:6, 7; Mateyu 22:37-39) Abantwana bethu baye bafunda ukuba asinakuxelela uYehova ukuba siyamthanda ngaphandle kokuba sikubonisa ngezenzo zethu oko.

Kanye ngeveki, ngokuqhelekileyo ngeMigqibelo, besiphuma kunye njengentsapho ukuya entsimini. Besiqhuba isifundo seBhayibhile sentsapho rhoqo ngeMivulo emva kwesidlo sangokuhlwa, kanti besikwaqhubela mntwana ngamnye isifundo sakhe seBhayibhile sobuqu. Ngoxa abantwana babeselula, sasifundisisa nomntwana ngamnye kaliqela ngeveki ixeshana nje elifutshane, kwaza njengoko besiba badadlana, safundisisa ixesha elidana nabo kanye ngeveki. Ebudeni bezo zihlando zokufundisisa, abantwana bethu babesichazela ngokukhululekileyo ngeengxaki zabo.

Kwakhona sasikunandipha ukuzihlaziya okwakhayo njengentsapho. Sasithanda ukudlala izixhobo zomculo kunye, yaye mntwana ngamnye wayethanda ukudlala iingoma azithandayo. Ngezinye iimpela-veki, sasimema ezinye iintsapho size sibe neembutho ezakhayo. Maxa wambi besikhe siphume njengentsapho siye ekhefini. Ngesinye sezo zihlandlo, sachitha iiveki ezimbini sikhenketha kwiintaba zaseColorado yaye sisiya entsimini kunye namabandla asekuhlaleni. Abantwana bethu bazaliswa yimincili xa bekhumbula  ukusebenza kwabo kumasebe ahlukahlukeneyo kwiindibano zesithili nokuncedisa kwabo ekwakhiweni kweeHolo zoBukumkani kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo. Xa sabasa eGrisi abantwana bethu ukuze babone izalamane zabo, badibana namaNgqina amaninzi athembekileyo awayevalelwe entolongweni ngenxa yokholo lwawo. Oku kwakubetheleleka ezingqondweni zabo, kwabanceda bakubona ukubaluleka kokuzimisela ukuhlala beqinile yaye bekhaliphile enyanisweni.

Kakade ke, ebebakho amaxesha okuba abanye abantwana baphum’ endleleni okanye bakhethe abahlobo abangafanelekanga. Maxa wambi, besiyibangela ngokwethu ingxaki ngokuthi sibe ngqongqo ngokugqithiseleyo kwezinye iinkalo. Kodwa ukuzama kwethu ‘ukweyisela iingqondo zabo kuYehova’ ngoncedo lweBhayibhile, kwasinceda sonke sahlala sisekhondweni elililo.—Efese 6:4; 2 Timoti 3:16, 17.

Elona Xesha Livuyisayo Ebomini Bam

Bakuba abantwana bethu bengenele ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, mna noEkaterini sacingisisa nzulu ngendlela esasinokuyandisa ngayo inxaxheba yethu emsebenzini wokusindis’ ubomi. Ngoko ke, ndakuba ndiqalise ukudla umhlalaphantsi ngowe-1994, sobabini sangenela inkonzo yobuvulindlela obuthe ngxi. Sishumayela nakubafundi abakwiikholeji neeyunivesithi zasekuhlaleni, yaye abanye babo sibaqhubela izifundo zeBhayibhile. Ekubeni ndivelana nabo—ngenxa yokubazi kwam ubunzima abajamelene nabo—ndiye ndaphumelela kakhulu ekubancedeni bafunde ngoYehova. Olunjani lona uvuyo endibe nalo lokufundisisa nabafundi baseBolivia, eBrazil, eChile, e-Egypt, e-Ethiopia, eMexico, eThailand, eTshayina naseTurkey! Ndiyakunandipha nokunikela ubungqina ngemfonomfono, ingakumbi kubantu abathetha ulwimi lwam lomthonyama.

Nangona ndinobunzima obuthile ekuthetheni ngenxa yemvelaphi yam yobuGrike yaye ndikwabanjwe nabubudala, kodwa bendisoloko ndizenza ndifumaneke yaye ndinomoya kaIsaya, owathi: “Ndikho! Thuma mna.” (Isaya 6:8) Sibe novuyo lokunceda abantu abaliqela ukuba bahlulele ubomi babo kuYehova. Ngokuqinisekileyo eli ibe lelona xesha livuyisayo ebomini bethu.

Ngaphambili, ubomi bam bonke ndandibuchithela ekwenzeni izixhobo eziyingozi zokubulala abanye abantu. Kodwa ke, ngobubele bakhe obungasifanelanga, uYehova uye wavula indlela yokuba mna nentsapho yam sibe ngabakhonzi bakhe abazinikeleyo nabachithela ubomi babo ekuziseleni abantu iindaba ezilungileyo zobomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni oyiparadesi. Njengoko ndicingisisa ngezigqibo ezilucelomngeni ekwaye kwafuneka ndizenzile, kuthi qatha kum engqondweni amazwi kaMalaki 3:10 athi: “‘Khanincede, nindivavanye, kule nkalo,’ utsho uYehova wemikhosi, ‘enoba andiyi kunivulela kusini na amasango ezikhukula emazulwini ndize okunene ndiqongqothele phezu kwenu intsikelelo kude kungasweleki nto.’” Ngokwenene ukwenzile oko—zada zaneliseka iintliziyo zethu!

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

ULakes: Utata wayeluthiy’ egazini uhanahaniso. Wenza konke okusemandleni ukuba angahanahanisi, ingakumbi ekumiseleni umzekelo omhle entsatsheni yakhe. Wayedla ngokusixelela athi: “Ukuba ninikela ubomi benu kuYehova, nakuba nenze into enkulu. Nifanele nikulungele ukuncama okuthile ngenxa kaYehova. Koko kanye okuthethwa kukuba ngumKristu.” La mazwi ahlala enkenteza engqondweni yam aza andinceda ndakwazi ukulandela umzekelo wakhe wokuncama izinto ezithile ngenxa kaYehova.

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

UChristos: Ndikuxabisa kakhulu ukunyaniseka ngokupheleleyo kwabazali bam kuYehova nokuzimisela kwabo ngamandla ukuphumeza imbopheleleko yabo njengabazali. Njengentsapho, besisenza yonke into kunye—sihamba kunye ukuya entsimini nasekhefini. Nangona babenokubandakanyeka kwezinye izinto ezininzi, kodwa abazali bam bahlala bephila ngendlela elula baza banikel’ ingqalelo kubulungiseleli. Ngoku ndiyazi ukuba olona lonwabo lokwenene lufumaneka ngokuzinikela ngokupheleleyo enkonzweni kaYehova.

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

UGregory: Ndiyalubona lona ukhuthazo lwabazali bam lokuba ndandise ubulungiseleli bam, kodwa ngumzekelo wabo novuyo lwabo enkonzweni kaYehova olwandishukumisela ukuba ndihlole iimeko zam, ndisuse ukuxhalaba endandinako ngokuqalisa inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, ndize ndizinikele ngokuphelele ngakumbi emsebenzini kaYehova. Ndiyababulela abazali bam ngokundinceda ndifumane uvuyo olubangelwa kukuzibhokoxa kwam.

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

UToula: Abazali bam bebesoloko beyigxininisa into yokuba ulwalamano lwethu noYehova luyeyona nto ixabisekileyo sinokuze sibe nayo yaye ekuphela kwendlela esinokufumana ngayo ulonwabo lokwenene kukumkhonza uYehova ngako konke okusemandleni ethu. Bamenza waba ngowokwenene kuthi uYehova. Utata wayedla ngokusixelela ukuba akukho nto ivuyisa njengokulala ebusuku unesazela esicocekileyo, usazi ukuba uzame ngako konke okusemandleni akho ukuvuyisa uYehova.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Xa ndandilijoni eGrisi ngowe-1951

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Ndikunye noEkaterini ngowe-1966

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Intsapho yam ngowe-1996: (ukusuka ekhohlo ukuya ekunene, emva) nguGregory, uChristos, uToula; (phambili) nguLakes, uEkaterini, nam