Ngangifuna Ukuba Njengendodakazi KaJefta

Ilandiswa uJoanna Soans

Ngesikhathi ngisemncane nganginesifiso esijulile sokuba njengendodakazi kaJefta. Awuthi ngichaze ukuthi ngangicabangani nokuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ngigcine sengifana nayo.

UMHLANGANO omkhulu woFakazi BakaJehova engaya kuwo okokuqala wawungo-1956 eBombay (manje iMumbai), eNdiya, futhi wakushintsha ukuphila kwami. Inkulumo engayizwa eyayikhuluma ngendodakazi kaJefta yangithinta kakhulu.

Kungenzeka wake wafunda eBhayibhelini ukuthi ngesikhathi indodakazi kaJefta isencane yavuma ukuthi ngeke ishade. Lokhu kwenza uyise wakwazi ukugcwalisa isifungo ayesenzile. Ngakho yakhonza endlini kaJehova, noma etabernakele, ingashadile ukuphila kwayo konke.—AbaHluleli 11:28-40.

Ngangingeve ngifisa ukufana nayo! Kepha ngangibhekene nenkinga enkulu—ukungashadi kwakungavumelani nesiko lethu eNdiya ngaleso sikhathi.

Umkhaya Wakithi

Ngiyingane yesihlanu kweziyisithupha zikaBenjamin noMarcelina Soans base-Udipi, idolobha elisentshonalanga yogu lwaseNdiya. Ekhaya sikhuluma isiTulu, ulimi olukhulunywa abantu abangaba izigidi ezimbili. Kodwa-ke, esikoleni safunda ngesiKannada, okuwulimi abantu abaningi abafunda ngalo e-Udipi.

Selokhu kwathi nhlo, ukushada nokuba nabantwana kuyinto esemqoka kule ndawo. Ngesikhathi ngikhula angikhumbuli nhlobo ngizwa amagama esiTulu asho “ukungashadi,” “isizungu,” noma “ukukhumbula ekhaya.” Wawungafunga ukuthi izinto ezinjalo azikho. Ngokwesibonelo, ekhaya sasihlala nawogogo nawomkhulu, omalume, obabekazi nenqwaba yabazala!

Ngokwesiko, izingane zibhekwa njengezomndeni kamama. Uhlu lozalo lwalulandelwa ngomama futhi amadodakazi ayethola ingxenye enkulu yefa. Kweminye imiphakathi yamaTulu, intombazane yayiqhubeka ihlala nonina ngisho isiganile, umyeni wayeza azohlala nabasekhweni.

Njengoba ekhaya sasingamakholwa, kunezinto esasizenza ngendlela ehlukile. Nsuku zonke kusihlwa umkhulu wayesisontisa, athandaze abese esifundela iBhayibheli lesiTulu. Njalo lapho evula iBhayibheli lakhe elase ligugile esifundela, kwakungathi uvula ibhokisi elinamatshe ayigugu. Kwakuba yisikhathi esimnandi! IHubo 23:1 lalingidida: “UJehova unguMalusi wami. Ngeke ngintule lutho.” Ngangizibuza, ‘Ubani lo Jehova, futhi kungani ebizwa ngomalusi?’

Yasuka Inkungu

Ubunzima bezomnotho obaba khona ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II babangela ukuba sithuthele eBombay eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-900. Ngo-1945, ubaba wavakashelwa oFakazi BakaJehova ababili bamnika incwajana esekelwe eBhayibhelini. Wayifunda ngelikhulu isasasa futhi waqala ukuxoxela abantu abakhuluma isiKannada ngesigijimi sayo. Ekuqaleni kwawo-1950, iqembu elincane ayefunda nalo lase likhule laba ibandla lokuqala lesiKannada eBombay.

 UBaba noMama basifundisa ukuba sibe abafundi beBhayibheli abakhuthele nabafundisi abahle. Nsuku zonke babakha isikhathi sokuthandaza nathi nokusifundisa. (Duteronomi 6:6, 7; 2 Thimothewu 3:14-16) Langa limbe ngizifundela iBhayibheli, kwaba njengokungathi kusuka inkungu emehlweni. Ngafunda ukuthi uJehova ufaniswa nomalusi ngoba uqondisa, ondle futhi avikele abakhulekeli bakhe.—IHubo 23:1-6; 83:18.

UJehova Uye Wangihola

Ngabhapathizwa ngemva nje kwalowo mhlangano engingasoze ngawulibala owawuseBombay ngo-1956. Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha, ngalandela isibonelo somfowethu omdala uPrabhakar ngaba umshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele. Nakuba ngangikulangazelela ukuxoxela abanye amaqiniso eBhayibheli, ngangivele ngibindwe uma sekufanele ngikhulume ngengikukholelwayo. Ngangingingiza nezwi lami livele liqhaqhazele. Ngazitshela, ‘UJehova kuphela ongangisiza ngenze lo msebenzi!’

Usizo lukaJehova ngaluthola ngezithunywa zevangeli, uHomer noRuth McKay baseCanada, ezaziye esikoleni sezithunywa zevangeli soFakazi BakaJehova eNew York, e-U.S.A., ngo-1947. Kwaba sengathi bangibamba ngesandla ngoba ngangisacathula lapho ngiqala inkonzo. URuth wayengiprakthizisa njalo izintshumayelo. Wayekwazi kahle okufanele akwenze uma sengethukile. Kwakuthi lapho sengiqhaqhazela, abese ethi: “Ungakhathazeki s’ thandwa. Asizame emzini olandelayo.” Iphimbo lakhe lalingimisa isibindi.

Ngelinye ilanga ngatshelwa ukuthi ngizosebenza no-Elizabeth Chakranarayan enkonzweni, umfundisi weBhayibheli owayesekhulile futhi engumakadebona. Ukusabela kwami kokuqala kwaba ukuthi: ‘Ngizohlala kanjani nje nalo dade? Mdala kabi kunami!’ Kepha kamuva kwacaca ukuthi uyena kanye umuntu engangimdinga.

“Sisuke Singesodwa Ngempela”

Isabelo sethu sokuqala saba sedolobheni elidumile lase-Aurangabad, eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-400 empumalanga yeBombay. Kwasheshe kwasikhanyela ukuthi yithina sobabili oFakazi kuleli dolobha elinabantu abacela esigidini. Ngaphandle kwalokho, kwakudingeka ngifunde isiMarathi, ulimi olukhulunywa abantu abaningi lapha.

Ngezinye izikhathi sasingibulala isizungu futhi ngangikhala kuhle kwengane engenabani. Kodwa izwi lika-Elizabeth elinjengelikamama lalingikhuthaza. Wayethi: “Singase sibe nesizungu ngezinye izikhathi, kepha sisuke singesodwa ngempela. Nakuba ukude nabangane bakho nomkhaya wakini, uJehova uhlal’ enawe. Menze abe umngane wakho, isizungu sizophela.” Angisikhohlwa iseluleko sakhe kuze kube manje.

Lapho singenayo imali yokugibela, sasihamba ngezinyawo amakhilomitha angu-20 obhuqwini nasodakeni nsuku zonke, kushisa noma kubanda. Ehlobo, izinga lokushisa laliye lifinyelele kuma-degree Celsius angu-40. Ngezikhathi zezimvula ezinesiphepho, insimu yethu yayixhafuka udaka izinyanga eziningi. Nokho, sasivame ukuthola ukuthi imibono yabantu esekelwe emasikweni iyona eyayiyinselele ngaphezu kwesimo sezulu.

Abesimame babengaxoxi namadoda emphakathini ngaphandle uma behlobene, futhi kwakuqabukela ubathole befundisa amadoda. Ngakho sasihlekwa futhi sihlukunyezwa. Ezinyangeni zokuqala eziyisithupha, kwakuba yithina sobabili emihlanganweni yeBhayibheli  yamasonto onke. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abantu abathakazelayo bahlanganyela nathi. Ngokushesha kwakheka iqembu elincane. Abanye babeze bahambe nathi ensimini.

“Qhubeka Ulola Amakhono Akho”

Ngemva kweminyaka ecishe ibe mibili nesigamu, saphinde sabelwa eBombay. U-Elizabeth waqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela ngesikhathi mina ngiyosiza ubaba, ngaleso sikhathi okwakunguye yedwa ohumushela izincwadi zeBhayibheli olimini lwesiKannada. Walujabulela usizo lwami kwazise wayenemithwalo yemfanelo eminingi ebandleni.

Ngo-1966 abazali bami banquma ukuphindela e-Udipi lapho esasikhulele khona. Mhla ubaba esuka eBombay wathi: “Qhubeka ulola amakhono akho, ntombi yami. Humusha ngendlela elula necacile. Ungazethembi ngokweqile kodwa qhubeka uthobekile. Thembela kuJehova.” Kwakuyiseluleko sakhe sokugcina ngoba ngemva nje kokubuyela e-Udipi, washona. Kuze kube namuhla ngiye ngazama ukwenza lokho kanye emsebenzini wami wokuhumusha.

“Awufuni Yini Ukuba Nomkhaya?”

Kuyisiko lamaNdiya ukuba abazali bahlelele amadodana namadodakazi abo ukushada esemancane futhi bawakhuthaze ukuba abe nemikhaya. Yingakho ngangivame ukubuzwa: “Awufuni yini ukuba nomkhaya? Uyonakekelwa ubani uma usugugile? Ingabe ufuna ukubulawa isizungu?”

Ngezinye izikhathi zazingikhungathekisa izinkulumo ezinjalo. Nakuba ngangenza sengathi akonakele lutho uma ngiphambi kwabantu, kwakuthi lapho sengingedwa ngikhale kuJehova. Ngangiduduzwa ukwazi ukuthi wayengangibheki njengomuntu ontula okuthile ngoba nje ngingashadile. Ukuze ngibambelele esinqumweni sami sokumkhonza ngaphandle kwesiphazamiso, ngacabanga ngendodakazi kaJefta nangoJesu—bobabili abahlala bengashadile futhi baphilela ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu.—Johane 4:34.

Isipho Esivela KuJehova

Mina no-Elizabeth saba abangane iminyaka ecela kwengu-50. Washona ngo-2005 eneminyaka engu-98. Ngesikhathi engasakwazi ukufunda iBhayibheli ngenxa yokuguga, usuku ngalunye wayethandaza kuNkulunkulu, emthululela isifuba. Ngezinye izikhathi ngangiye ngicabange ukuthi kukhona axoxa naye ngomBhalo othile endlini yakhe, kanti cha ukhuluma noJehova. Wayebheka uJehova njengoMuntu ongokoqobo kuye futhi ephila sengathi useceleni kwakhe. Ngiye ngafunda ukuthi lesi isihluthulelo sokuhlala ugxilile ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu, njengoba kwenza indodakazi kaJefta. Ngimbonga kakhulu uJehova ngokunginika udade omdala ovuthiwe oye wangiqeqesha ngesikhathi ngisemusha futhi wangiqinisa kuzo zonke izingqinamba engiye ngabhekana nazo.—UmShumayeli 4:9, 10.

Yeka izibusiso engizitholile ngokukhonza uJehova njengendodakazi kaJefta! Ukungashadi nokulalela iseluleko seBhayibheli kungenze ngaphila ukuphila okucebile nokunomvuzo, ngibe ‘ngikhonza iNkosi njalo ngaphandle kokuthikamezeka.’—1 Korinte 7:35.

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Ubaba unikeza inkulumo yeningi eBombay ngawo-1950

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Ngino-Elizabeth ngaphambi nje kokuba ashone

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Ngimemezela inkulumo yeBhayibheli eBombay ngo-1960

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Nginabanye abahumushi ehhovisi lethu labahumushi