Indaba Yokuphila

Ukukhonza Ngomoya Wokuzidela

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGU-DON RENDELL

Umama washona ngo-1927 ngineminyaka emihlanu vó. Noma kunjalo, ukholo lwakhe lwalukuthonye ngempela ukuphila kwami. Kwenzeka kanjani?

UMAMA wayeyilungu elikhuthele leSonto LaseNgilandi ngenkathi eshada nobaba, owayeyisosha eliqeqeshiwe. Bashada ngaphambi kweMpi Yezwe I. IMpi Yezwe I yagqashuka ngo-1914, kanti umama waxabana nomfundisi wakhe ngoba wayesebenzisa ipulpiti ukuze akhuthaze abantu ukuba baye empini. Waphendula ngokuthini umfundisi? “Goduka wena, ungazikhathazi ngemibuzo enjalo!” Le mpendulo ayimanelisanga umama.

Ngo-1917, isabambene ngezihluthu impi, umama wahamba wayobukela “i-Photo-Drama of Creation.” Eqiniseka ukuthi wayelitholile iqiniso, washiya isonto lakhe ngokushesha wayohlanganyela nabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Waya emihlanganweni yebandla elaliseYeovil, idolobha eliseduze kwedolobhana langakithi laseWest Coker, elisesifundazweni samaNgisi iSomerset.

Ngokushesha umama watshela odadewabo abathathu ngokholo lwakhe olusha. Amalungu asekhulile ebandla laseYeovil angixoxela ngentshiseko kamama nodadewabo uMillie njengoba babeshova amabhayisikili bezungeza udedangendlale wendawo yakithi, besakaza izinsiza-kufunda zeBhayibheli i-Studies in the Scriptures. Nokho, ngokudabukisayo, umama wachitha izinyanga zokugcina ezingu-18 zokuphila kwakhe elele embhedeni enesifo sofuba, esasingelapheki ngaleso sikhathi.

Isenzo Sokuzidela

Umamncane uMillie, owayehlala nathi ngaleso sikhathi, wayenakekela umama lapho eqala ukugula, kanti futhi wayenakekela mina nodadewethu  owayeneminyaka engu-7, uJoan. Lapho nje umama eshona, umamncane uMillie wathi uzosinakekela thina zingane. Ubaba, ejabulile ngokwethulwa umthwalo wakhe wemfanelo, wavumela phezulu ukuba umamncane uMillie ahlale nathi unomphela.

Sasimthanda umamncane futhi kwasijabulisa ukuthi wayezohlala nathi. Kodwa kungani ayethathe lesi sinqumo? Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi, umamncane uMillie wasitshela ukuthi wayeqaphela ukuthi wayenesibopho sokwakhela esisekelweni esasibekwe umama—ukufundisa mina noJoan iqiniso leBhayibheli—into aqaphela ukuthi ubaba wayengeke ayenze, njengoba ayengenaso isithakazelo enkolweni.

Ngemva kwalokho, sezwa nokuthi umamncane uMillie wayenze esinye isinqumo somuntu siqu. Ukuze asinakekele kahle, wayengeke ashade. Yeka ukuzidela! Mina noJoan sinezizathu eziningi zokumbonga singaqedi. Silokhu sikukhumbula konke umamncane uMillie asifundisa kona nesibonelo sakhe esihle.

Isikhathi Sesinqumo

Mina noJoan sasifunda esikoleni seSonto LaseNgilandi esisedolobheni elincane, lapho umamncane uMillie enqaba khona ukuba sifundiswe ezenkolo. Lapho ezinye izingane zifolile ziqonde endlini yesonto, sasiya ekhaya, nalapho umfundisi eza esikoleni ezofundisa ngezenkolo, sasihlalela engxenye sinikwe izindinyana zomBhalo ukuze sizibambe ngekhanda. Lokhu kwangisiza, ikakhulu kamuva, njengoba nje le mibhalo isagxilile engqondweni yami.

Ngaphuma esikoleni ngineminyaka engu-14 ngayoqeqeshelwa umsebenzi embonini yangakithi ekhiqiza ushizi. Ngabuye ngafunda ukudlala upiyano, kanti ngangizilibazisa ngomculo nomdanso we-ballroom. Nakuba iqiniso leBhayibheli laligxilile enhliziyweni yami, lalingakangithinti. Kwathi ngolunye usuku ngo-March 1940, uFakazi osekhulile wangimema ukuba ngihambe naye siye emhlanganweni owawuseSwendon, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-110. U-Albert D. Schroeder, isikhonzi esasengamele oFakazi BakaJehova eBrithani, sanikeza inkulumo yeningi. Lowo mhlangano wenza ushintsho kimi.

Impi Yezwe II yayisabambene. Ngangenzani nje ngokuphila kwami? Nganquma ukubuyela eHholo LoMbuso laseYeovil. Emhlanganweni wokuqala engaya kuwo kwethulwa indlela yokufakaza emgwaqweni. Nakuba ulwazi lwami lwalulinganiselwe, ngahlanganyela kulo msebenzi, kwaba isimanga esikhulu kulabo ababethi bangabangane, nababengigcona lapho bedlula!

Ngo-June 1940, ngabhapathizwa edolobheni laseBristol. Phakathi naleyo nyanga ngabhalisa njengephayona elivamile—umvangeli wesikhathi esigcwele. Yeka ukuthi ngajabula kanjani lapho, ngemva nje kwesikhashana, udadewethu naye ebonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwakhe ngobhapathizo!

Ukuphayona Ngesikhathi Sempi

Ngemva konyaka impi iqalile, ngathola amaphepha ayengazisa ukuthi ngibuthelwe ebuthweni lezempi. Njengoba ngangibhalise eYeovil ukuthi anginakuya empini ngenxa kanembeza, kwadingeka ngivele phambi kwenkantolo eBristol. Ngangiphayona noJohn Wynn eCinderford, eGloucestershire, ekugcineni eHaverfordwest naseCarmarthen, eWales. * Kamuva, esigcawini senkantolo eCarmarthen, ngagwetshwa izinyanga  ezintathu ejele laseSwansea, ngabuye ngahlawuliswa opondo abangu-25—okwakuyimali eningi impela ngalezo zinsuku. Kamuva ngagwetshwa ezinye izinyanga ezintathu ngokwehluleka ukukhokha leyo nhlawulo.

Ekulalelweni kwesithathu kwecala ngabuzwa: “Awazi yini ukuthi iBhayibheli lithi, ‘Buyiselani izinto zikaKesari kuKesari’?” Ngaphendula: “Yebo, ngiyakwazi lokho, kodwa ngingathanda ukuqedela lelo vesi: ‘Kodwa izinto zikaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.’ Yilokho nami engikwenzayo.” (Mathewu 22:21) Ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa, ngathola incwadi engitshela ukuthi ngase ngikhululiwe esibophweni sokungenela ezempi.

Ekuqaleni kuka-1945, ngamenywa ukuba ngiyohlala emkhayeni waseBethel eLondon. Ngobusika obulandelayo, uNathan H. Knorr, owayehola ekuhleleni umsebenzi wokushumayela womhlaba wonke, nonobhala wakhe, uMilton G. Henschel, bavakashela eLondon. Abazalwane abangu-8 abavela eBrithani babhaliswa ekilasini lesi-8 le-Watchtower School of Gilead ukuze baqeqeshwe njengezithunywa zevangeli, nami ngangiphakathi kwabo.

Izabelo Njengesithunywa Sevangeli

Ngo-May 23, 1946, saqala uhambo lwasolwandle echwebeni elincane laseFowey eCornwall emkhunjini iLiberty owakhiwa ngesikhathi sempi. Umphathi wetheku, uKaputeni uCollins, wayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, futhi njengoba sisishiya isikhumulo, washaya inhlabamkhosi. Njengoba kulindelekile, sonke sasijabule futhi sinexhala lapho sibona umngcele wolwandle lwaseNgilandi usithela. Lokho kunqamula kwethu i-Atlantic kwakuyingozi, nokho ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-13 safika siphephile e-United States.

Ukuba semhlanganweni wezizwe “Wezizwe Ezijabulayo” izinsuku ezingu-8 eCleveland, e-Ohio, kusukela ngo-August 4 kuya ku-11 ngo-1946, kwaba okuhlangenwe nakho okungenakulibaleka. Kwakunezihambeli ezingu-80 000, kuhlanganise nabangu-302 ababevela emazweni angu-32. Kulowo mhlangano umagazini i-Phaphama!, * nensiza-kufunda yeBhayibheli ethi “UNkulunkulu Makabe Oneqiniso” zakhululwa ezindimbaneni ezishisekayo.

Sathweswa iziqu zaseGilead ngo-1947, ngemva kwalokho mina noBill Copson sabelwa eGibithe. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba sihambe, uRichard Abrahamson wangiqeqeshela umsebenzi wasehhovisi eBethel yaseBrooklyn. Sehla e-Alexandria, futhi ngasheshe ngazivumelanisa nendlela yokuphila yaseMpumalanga Ephakathi. Nokho, ukufunda isi-Arabhu kwakuyinselele, kwadingeka ngisebenzise amakhadi okufakaza abhalwe ngezilimi ezine.

UBill Copson wahlala iminyaka engu-7, kodwa eyami imvume yokuhlala ayizange ivuselelwe ngemva konyaka wokuqala, ngakho kwadingeka ngigoduke. Lowo nyaka ngisenkonzweni njengesithunywa sevangeli ngiwubheka njengowawunezithelo ukuyedlula yonke ekuphileni kwami. Ngaba nelungelo lokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli zasekhaya ezingaphezu kuka-20 isonto ngalinye, futhi abanye balabo abafunda  iqiniso ngaleso sikhathi basadumisa uJehova ngenkuthalo. Ukusuka e-Egypt ngabelwa eCyprus.

ECyprus Nakwa-Israel

Ngaqalisa ukufunda ulimi olusha, isiGreki, nokuzijwayelanisa nendlela ababesikhuluma ngayo endaweni engangihlala kuyo. Ngemva kwesikhashana, lapho u-Anthony Sideris ecelwa ukuba aye eGreece, ngamiswa ukuba ngengamele umsebenzi eCyprus. Ngaleso sikhathi ihhovisi legatsha laseCyprus lalinakekela nezwe lakwa-Israeli, futhi ngikanye nabanye abazalwane, ngezinye izikhathi ngaba nelungelo lokuvakashela oFakazi abambalwa ababelapho.

Ohambweni lwami lokuqala lokuya kwa-Israel, saba nomhlangano omncane endlini yokudlela eHaifa, kunabantu ababengu-50 noma 60. Ngokuhlukanisa amaqembu ezizwe, sanikeza isimiso somhlangano ngezilimi eziyisithupha ezihlukene! Ngesinye isikhathi eJerusalema ngadlala ifilimu eyayikhishwe oFakazi BakaJehova, nganikeza nenkulumo yeningi eyakhulunyelwa kahle iphephandaba lesiNgisi.

KwakunoFakazi abangaba yikhulu eCyprus ngaleso sikhathi, futhi kwakudingeka balulwele kanzima ukholo lwabo. Izixuku eziholwa abefundisi beSonto LamaGreki Obu-Orthodox zaziphazamisa imihlangano yethu, futhi ngangikuqabuka ukujikijelwa ngamatshe lapho ngifakaza emaphandleni. Kwadingeka ngifunde ukuhoxa ngokushesha! Naphezu kwalokhu kuphikiswa okunobudlova, kwakuqinisa ukholo ukuthunyelwa kwezithunywa zevangeli ezengeziwe kulesi siqhingi. UDennis noMavis Matthews bekanye noJoan Hulley noBeryl Heywood beza kimi eFamagusta, kuyilapho uTom noMary Goulden noNina Constanti, umuntu waseCyprus owayezalelwe eLondon, baya eLimassol. Kanti uBill Copson yena wathunyelwa eCyprus, kamuva wajoyinwa uBert noBeryl Vaisey.

Ukuzivumelanisa Nokushintsha Kwezimo

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1957, ngagula ngangabe ngisakwazi ukuqhubeka nesabelo sami njengesithunywa sevangeli. Ngenhliziyo ebuhlungu nganquma ukuthi kwakuyongisiza ukuphindela eNgilandi ukuze ngelulame, nalapho ngaqhubeka khona ngiphayona kwaze kwaba u-1960. Udadewethu nomyeni wakhe bangikhoselisa ngomusa emzini wabo, kodwa izimo zase zishintshile. Kwakusinda kwehlela kuJoan. Ngaphezu kokunakekela umyeni wakhe nendodakazi encane, phakathi neminyaka engu-17 ngingekho, wayenakekele ubaba nomamncane uMillie, manje abase bekhulile futhi bengemnandi empilweni. Saba sobala isidingo sokuba ngilandele isibonelo sikamamncane sokuzidela, ngakho ngahlala nodadewethu kwaze kwaba yilapho bobabili umamncane nobaba sebeshonile.

Kwakuyoba lula ukuba ngizinze eNgilandi, kodwa ngemva kokuphumula isikhashana, ngazizwa nginesibopho sokubuyela esabelweni sami. Kakade, yayingachithanga yini izimali ezishisiwe inhlangano kaJehova ingiqeqesha? Ngakho ngo-1972, ngazihambela ngemali yami ngaphindela eCyprus ukuze ngiyophayona khona futhi.

UNathan H. Knorr wafika ezokwenza amalungiselelo omhlangano owawuzoba ngonyaka olandelayo. Lapho ethola ukuthi ngase ngibuyile, watusa ukuba ngimiswe njengombonisi wesifunda waso sonke isiqhingi, okuyilungelo engaba nalo iminyaka emine. Kwakuwumsebenzi  onzima, njengoba kwakusho ukukhuluma isiGreki njalo.

Isikhathi Senkathazo

Ngangihlala noPaul Andreou, uFakazi ongumGreki waseCyprus, edolobhaneni laseKarakoumi, empumalanga yeKyrenia ogwini olusenyakatho. Ihhovisi legatsha laseCyprus laliseNicosia, eningizimu yeziNtaba zaseKyrenia. Ekuqaleni kuka-July 1974, ngangiseNicosia ngenkathi umbuso kaMongameli uMakarios ugumbuqelwa, ngabona isigodlo sakhe sivutha ubuhanguhangu. Lapho sekuphephile sekungahambeka, ngaphuthuma eKyrenia, lapho sasilungiselela khona umhlangano wesifunda. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbili ngezwa ibhomu lokuqala lijikijelwa ethekwini, ngaphinde ngabona isibhakabhaka sigcwele izindiza ezinophephela emhlane zilethe amasosha ayevela eTurkey ezohlasela.

Njengoba ngangiyisakhamuzi saseBrithani, amasosha aseTurkey angithatha angiyisa emaphethelweni aseNicosia, lapho ngaphenywa khona ngemibuzo yizisebenzi zeNhlangano Yezizwe ezase zithinte ihhovisi legatsha. Ngabe sengibhekana nobunzima bokuhamba phakathi kwenxakanxaka yezintambo zocingo nezikagesi ezazichayeke emakhaya ayeshiywe dengwane engxenyeni okwakungayi lubuyayo kuyo. Ngangingeve ngijabula ngokuthi umzila wami wokukhulumisana noNkulunkulu wawungaphazamiseki! Imithandazo yami yangiqinisa phakathi nesigameko esicindezela ukuzedlula zonke ekuphileni kwami.

Ngangilahlekelwe yikho konke okungokwami, nakuba ngangijabula ngokukwazi ukukhosela ehhovisi legatsha. Nokho, lesi simo sathatha isikhashana. Ngezinsukwana nje, amasosha ahlaselayo ayesedle ingxenye yesithathu yesiqhingi. IBethel kwadingeka ishiywe, futhi sathuthela eLimassol. Ngiyajabula ukuthi ngasebenza lapho nekomiti elasungulelwa ukunakekela abazalwane abangu-300 ababehlukunyezwe izinxushunxushu, abaningi babo balahlekelwa imizi.

Olunye Ushintsho Lwesabelo

Ngo-January 1981, iNdikimba Ebusayo yangicela ukuba ngishintshele eGreece ngiyojoyina umkhaya waseBethel e-Athens, kodwa kwathi nje lapho unyaka uphela, ngabe sengibuyele eCyprus ngamiswa njengomqondisi weKomiti Legatsha. U-Andreas Kontoyiorgis nomkakhe, uMaro, abomdabu baseCyprus ababesuka eLondon, ‘baba usizo oluqinisayo’ kimi.—Kolose 4:11.

Ngemva kokuba uTheodore Jaracz evakashele igatsha ngo-1984, ngathola incwadi evela eNdikimbeni Ebusayo eyayithi nje: “Lapho umzalwane [uJaracz] ephothula ukuhambela kwakhe, singathanda ukuthi uhambe naye uye eGreece.” Asizange sishiwo isizathu, kodwa lapho sifika eGreece, iKomiti Legatsha lafundelwa enye incwadi eyayivela eNdikimbeni Ebusayo eyayingimisa njengomqondisi weKomiti Legatsha kulelo zwe.

Ngaleso sikhathi ukuhlubuka kwakwanda. Kwakunanezinsolo zokuthi siguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo ngokungemthetho. Usuku nosuku abantu bakaJehova babeboshwa bayiswe ezinkantolo. Yeka ukuthi kwakuyilungelo kanjani  ukwazi abazalwane nodade abaye bamelana novivinyo ngobuqotho! Amanye amacala abo aye alalelwa yi-European Court of Human Rights kwaba nemiphumela emihle emsebenzini wokushumayela eGreece. *

Ngesikhathi ngikhonza eGreece, ngakwazi ukuya emihlanganweni edumile e-Athens, eThesalonika, naseziqhingini zaseRhodes nezaseCrete. Kwakuyiminyaka emine ejabulisayo nenezithelo, nokho olunye ushintsho lwalusendleleni—ukubuyela eCyprus ngo-1988.

ECyprus Nokubuyela eGreece

Ngesikhathi ngingekho eCyprus, abazalwane base bethole indawo entsha yegatsha eNissou, engamakhilomitha ambalwa ukusuka eNicosia, futhi uCarey Barber, owayevela endlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, wanikeza inkulumo yokuyinikezela. Izinto zase zizinzile esiqhingini manje, futhi ngajabula ngokuthi ngase ngibuyile—kodwa kwakungeke kuthule isikhathi eside.

INdikimba Ebusayo yayigunyaze ukuba kwenziwe amalungiselelo okwakha ikhaya elisha laseBethel eGreece, entshonalanga ye-Athens. Njengoba ngangikwazi ukukhuluma isiNgisi nesiGreki, ngacelwa ukuba ngibuyele endaweni yokwakha entsha ngo-1990 ngihumushele izisebenzi ezivela kwamanye amazwe ezazisebenza lapho. Ngisayikhumbula injabulo yokuba sesakhiweni ngehora lesithupha ekuseni ehlobo, ngamukela amakhulu abazalwane nodade abangamaGreki ababezosebenza ngokuzithandela kanye nomkhaya owakhayo! Ngiyohlala ngiyikhumbula injabulo nentshiseko yabo.

Abapristi beSonto LamaGreki Obu-Orthodox nabasekeli babo bazama ukungena esakhiweni baphazamise umsebenzi wethu, kodwa uJehova wayizwa imithandazo yethu, ngakho savikeleka. Ngahlala endaweni yesakhiwo kwaze kwanikezelwa ikhaya elisha laseBethel ngo-April 13, 1991.

Ukusekela Udadewethu Othandekayo

Ngonyaka olandelayo ngabuyela eNgilandi ngiye eholidini, ngahlala nodadewethu nomyeni wakhe. Ngokudabukisayo, njengoba ngangilapho, umlamu wami wahlaselwa inhliziyo kabili futhi washona. UJoan wayengisekele ngokungazigodli phakathi nenkonzo yami njengesithunywa sevangeli. Kwakungadluli ngisho isonto engazange angibhalele incwadi yokungikhuthaza. Yeka ukuthi ukuxhumana okunjalo kuyisibusiso kanjani kunoma ubani oyisithunywa sevangeli! Manje wayesengumfelokazi nempilo yakhe ingaseyinhle, edinga nokusekelwa. Ngenzenjani?

Indodakazi kaJoan, uThelma, benomyeni wakhe kakade base benakekela omunye umfelokazi othembekile ebandleni lakubo, omunye wabazala bethu owayegulela ukufa. Ngakho ngemva kokuthandaza kaningi, nganquma ukuhlala ukuze ngibe usizo ekunakekeleni uJoan. Kwakungelula ukuzivumelanisa nesimo, kodwa nginelungelo lokukhonza njengomdala ePen Mill, elinye lamabandla amabili aseYeovil.

Abazalwane engiye ngakhonza nabo phesheya bangithinta njalo ngocingo nangezincwadi, futhi ngiyakwazisa lokho. Uma ngingathi ngifisa ukubuyela eGreece noma eCyprus, ngiyazi ukuthi amathikithi okuya khona angafika ngokuphazima kweso. Kepha manje ngineminyaka engu-80, amehlo nempilo yami akusafani nakuqala. Kuyangikhungathekisa ukungakhuthali njengangaphambili, nokho iminyaka engayichitha enkonzweni yaseBethel iye yangisiza ngahlakulela imikhuba engibeka esimweni esihle namuhla. Ngokwesibonelo, njalo ngifunda itekisi losuku ngaphambi kokudla kwasekuseni. Ngiye ngafunda nokusebenzelana nabantu nokubathanda—okuyisihluthulelo sempumelelo enkonzweni yezithunywa zevangeli.

Lapho ngibheka emuva eminyakeni engaba ngu-60 engiyichithe ngidumisa uJehova, ngiyazi ukuthi inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele iyisivikelo esikhulu futhi inikeza imfundo engcono. Ngenanela ngenhliziyo yami yonke amazwi kaDavide kuJehova: “Ngokuba uyinqaba yami, nesiphephelo ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwami.”—IHubo 59:16.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amabalazwe ekhasini 24]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

GREECE

Athens

CYPRUS

Nicosia

Kyrenia

Famagusta

Limassol

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

Umama ngo-1915

[Isithombe ekhasini 22]

Ophahleni lwaseBethel yaseBrooklyn ngo-1946, mina (ngingowesine ukusuka ngakwesokunxele) nabanye abazalwane bekilasi lesi-8 laseGileyadi

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Nginomamncane uMillie ngemva kokubuyela kwami kokuqala eNgilandi