Ibali Lobomi

Ukukhonza UYehova—Ilungelo Elingenakuthelekiswa Nanto

Kubalisa uZerah Stigers

Umyeni wam, owayeliqabane elithembekileyo kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, wafa ngowe-1938. Ndasala ndinyamekela usana kunye nonyana oneminyaka elishumi. Ekubeni ndandisafuna ukuqhubeka nobulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, ndandiza kukwenza njani oko? Makhe ndikuthele thsuphe ngobomi bam ngaphambi kokuba ndinabe ngendlela endakwazi ngayo uqhubeka nabo.

KUNGEKUDALA emva kokuzalwa kwam ngoJulayi 27, 1907, eAlabama, eUnited States, abazali bam bafuduka nam nabanye abantwana basekhaya abathathu baya eGeorgia. Kungekudala emva koko saya eTennessee emva koko saya kufuphi naseTampa, eFlorida. Ngoxa sasilapho, ngowe-1916, ndabona umboniso wemifanekiso othi “Photo-Drama of Creation.” Ngelo xesha ishishini lemifanekiso bhanyabhanya lalisakhasa, ibe wonk’ umntu wayeyithanda le “Photo-Drama.”

Abazali bam babengabafundi abaphambili beMboniselo nezinye iimpapasho zeBhayibhile. Nakuba utata wayekuthanda ukufunda iincwadi, ngelo xesha wayengazibandakanyi naBafundi beBhayibhile, igama awayebizwa ngalo amaNgqina kaYehova. Kodwa yena umama wayehamba nathi aye kwiintlanganiso. Kungekudala emva kokuba sifudukele kwiiNiles, eMichigan, sasihamba rhoqo ngololiwe iikhilomitha ezingaphezu kwe-16 sisiya eSouth Bend, eIndiana kwiintlanganiso.

 Ekugqibeleni, ngoJulayi 22, 1924, ndabhaptizwa ndifuzisela ukuzahlulela kwam kuYehova. Kamsinya nje, umama walungisa iimeko zakhe waza waba ngumlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo. Umzekelo wakhe omhle nowabanye abalungiseleli wenza ndanomnqweno wokwenza loo msebenzi nam.

Ukufumana Iqabane

Ngoxa ndandiye kwenye indibano eIndianapolis, eIndiana, ngowe-1925, ndadibana noJames Stigers, owayevela eChicago. Ndathabatheka ngoko nangoko nguJames kuba wayengumkhonzi kaYehova onenzondelelo. Ndandihlala kumgama weekhilomitha ezili-160 ukusuka eChicago, ngoko kwakungelula ukuba sityelelane. Ngelo xesha kwakukho ibandla elinye kuphela kweso sixeko sikhulu, ibe iintlanganiso zaziqhutyelwa kwigumbi eliqeshiweyo elikumgangatho wesibini. UJames wayedla ngokundibhalela endikhuthaza ngokomoya. Satshata ngoDisemba 1926, ibe emva konyaka ndazala unyana wethu wokuqala, uEddie.

Zange kube xesha lide, saba ngoovulindlela. Sakhonza kumaphondo asibhozo—eMichigan, eLouisiana, eMississippi, eMzantsi Dakota, eIowa, eNebraska, eKhalifoniya, naseIllinois—sonwabe gqitha kuloo minyaka. Ezo ntsuku zimnandi zaphazanyiswa kukugula kukaJames.

Ukugula kukaJames kwenza saphelelwa yimali saza ke sabuyela eChicago ngowe-1936 saya kuhlala nomama wakhe, naye owayeliNgqina. Kwintsuku zakhe zokugqibela egula uJames, ngoxa ndandikhulelwe umntwana wethu wesibini ndandisebenzela idola ngosuku kwivenkile yokutyela. Umazala wam wayeqinisekisa ukuba sihlala sinokutya okwaneleyo, ibe wayengafuni nesenti ngezinto awayesenzela zona. Akukho ndlela yokuphatha umntu ingaphezu kwaleyo wayesiphethe ngayo.

UJames wagula malunga neminyaka emibini ngaphambi kokuba abulawe yiencephalitis, ukuqaqanjelwa bubuchopho. Wafa ngoJulayi 1938. Ngoxa wayesagula wayengasakwazi ukuqhuba imoto okanye ukuya kushumayela kwindlu ngendlu, kodwa wayesebenzisa lonke ithuba alifumanayo ukuze anikele ubungqina kwabanye. Ndisenzela ukuncedisa ngemali entsatsheni, ndayeka ukuba nguvulindlela. Ndandifumana imisebenzi kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo, kuyo nganye ndiqeshwa ixesha nje elifutshane.

Unyana wethu uBobby wazalwa ngoJulayi 30, 1938, kwiintsuku nje ezisibhozo emva kokufa kukayise. Umazala wala ukundisa kwisibhedlele sasemaphandleni nesasingayi kufuna ntlawulo. Kunokuba ndiye apho, wandithumela kwisibhedlele esiphambili ndaza ndanyanyekelwa ngugqirha wakhe. Wazihlawula ngokwakhe zonke iindleko zam, ebonisa uthando lobuKristu endaluxabisa gqitha.

Ukubuyela Kwinkonzo Yexesha Elizeleyo

Saqhubeka sihlala nomazala de uBobby wangaphezu kweminyaka emi-2 ubudala, ngoxa yena uEddie wayeneli-12 ubudala. Nakuba kwakufuneka ndenze uhlengahlengiso kwezi meko zam zintsha, umnqweno wokukhonza uYehova ixesha elizeleyo wawusavutha entliziyweni. Kwindibano eyayiseDetroit, eMichigan ngowe-1940, ndadibana nesinye isibini esingoovulindlela esandikhuthaza ukuba ndiye kuba nguvulindlela kuMzantsi Carolina. Ndathenga imoto yohlobo lwePontiac yowe-1935 nge-$150 ndaza ndalungiselela ukuya apho. Ngowe-1941, unyaka iUnited States eyangena ngawo kwiMfazwe Yehlabathi II, mna noonyana bam safudukela kumazantsi elo, ndabuyela kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.

Ukufika kwethu eMzantsi Carolina, saqala saya eCamden, emva koko sadlulela eLittle River, saza sadlulela eConway. Apho eConway  ndafumana indlu encinane erhuqwayo. Umnikazi wenye igaraji yokutha ipetroli wavuma ukuba ndiyigxumeke kwipaki ekufuphi nalo ndawo yakhe yepetroli, ndisebenzise igesi nombane wakhe kuquka indlu yangasese yaloo garaji. Ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II, abantu babefumana umlinganiselo othile wepetroli ngoko kwakunzima ukuba ndiyifumane. Ndathenga ibhayisekile endala. Kwala ke ngowe-1943, xa kwakubonakala kunzima ukuqhubeka nobuvulindlela ngenxa yokuphelelwa yimali, ndenziwa uvulindlela okhethekileyo; ndaza ke ndafumana umxhesho othile weendleko. Ukutyhubela iminyaka, uYehova uye wandinceda gqitha.

Ayengekho amanye amaNgqina ahlala apho eConway ngelo xesha, ibe kwakunzima kum nabantwana bam ukuziyela kubulungiseleli. Ndabhala ndicela omnye uvulindlela okhethekileyo, ibe ngowe-1944, ndasikelelwa ngokuthunyelelwa uEdith Walker. Sakhonza kunye kwiindawo eziliqela kangangeminyaka eli-16. Okubuhlungu kukuba emva koko kwanyanzeleka ukuba abuyele eOhio ngenxa yempilo enkenenkene.

Iintsikelelo Ezingalibalekiyo

Phakathi kwezinto endizikhumbulayo ngaloo minyaka, nguAlbertha owayeneminyaka eli-13 ubudala, owayehlala eConway enyamekela uninakhulu owayegula nabantakwabo abancinane ababini. Wayithanda inyaniso yeBhayibhile endandimfundela yona waza wafuna ukuxelela nabanye ngayo. Wayithanda gqitha inkonzo yobuvulindlela waza wangena kuyo emva kokuphumelela kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo ngowe-1950. Ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-57 kamva, usaqhubeka ekule nkonzo.

Ngowe-1951, mna noEdith sathunyelwa ixesha elifutshane eRock Hill, eMzantsi Carolina, indawo ekwakukho amaNgqina ambalwa gqitha kuyo. Sadluliselwa e-Elberton, eGeorgia iminyaka emithathu. Emva koko sabuyela eMzantsi Carolina, apho ndahlala khona ukususela ngowe-1954 ukusa kowe-1962. EWalhalla, ndadibana nexhegwazana elalingeva kakuhle uNettie owayezihlalela yedwa emaphandleni. Ukuze siqhubeke nesifundo sethu seBhayibhile, wayefunda isiqendu kwimpapasho, ndalathe umbuzo weso siqendu emazantsi ephepha aze yena alathe impendulo apho kweso siqendu.

Xa kukho into angayiqondiyo, wayebhala phantsi umbuzo wakhe ephepheni, ndize mna ndibhale impendulo ecaleni kwawo. Ethubeni, wayiqonda inyaniso yeBhayibhile kangangokuba waqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla nasekushumayeleni kwindlu ngendlu. Wayeshumayela yedwa, kodwa mna ndandisoloko ndikufuphi kwakweso sitrato ndisenzela ukumnceda xa efuna uncedo.

Ngoxa ndandiselapho eWalhalla, yonakala loo moto yam indala. Kwavela enye endandinokuyithenga nge-$100, kodwa ndabe ndingenamali. Ndathetha nelinye iNgqina elalineshishini, ndaza ndaboleka loo mali. Kungekudala emva koko, ndafumana ileta endandingayilindelanga ivela kudade wethu omncinane endixelela ukuba abantakwethu basandul’ ukufumanisa ukuba ukufa kwakhe utata wayeshiye imali ethile ebhankini. Baxubusha ngayo, baza bavumelana ikuba ithunyelwe kum. Yayili-$100 kanye!

Ukuba Nguvulindlela Noonyana Bam

Kwiminyaka yokuqala, uEddie noBobby babesoloko behamba nam kumsebenzi wokushumayela kwindlu ngendlu. Ngokuqhelekileyo kuloo minyaka, abantu babengenazo iingxaki zeziyobisi nempembelelo yokuziphath’ okubi ingafani nanamhlanje. Ukuphila ubomi obulula nokunikela ingqalelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela kwandinceda andabi nazo iingxaki ezininzi abajamelana nazo abazali namhlanje ekukhuliseni abantwana babo ukuze bakhonze uYehova.

 UEddie waya esikolweni eCamden de wagqiba ibanga lesibhozo, emva koko wafuna ukuba nguvulindlela kunye nam. Saba ngoovulindlela kunye kangangeminyaka ethile. Ethubeni wafuna ukuya kusebenza kwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York, apho wakhonza khona ukususela ngowe-1947 ukusa kowe-1957. Ngowe-1958 watshata noAlbertha, endandikade ndifunda naye iBhayibhile, baza ke baba ngoovulindlela kunye. Zange ndikwazi ukuzibamba luvuyo ngowe-2004, xa sasikunye sobathathu kwiSikolo Senkonzo Yobuvulindlela.

Ndikhumbula kudala ngenye imini, ndisiva uBobby owayeselula ecela uYehova ukuba andincede ndifumane ipetroli yokuya kuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile zam. Kubo bonke ubomi bakhe, uBobby ebebonakala ebuthanda ubulungiseleli yaye ekunandipha ukuba nguvulindlela kangangeminyaka. Okubuhlungu kukuba, naye wafumana intlekele ebuhlungu kwintsapho yakhe. Ngowe-1970 wafelwa ngumfazi wakhe owayeneenyanga ezingama-22 kuphela betshatile esifa kunye namawele awayewabeleka. Mna noBobby oko koko sahlala kufuphi omnye komnye ibe oko kuye kwenza sasondelelana gqitha.

Ndisenguvulindlela Nangoku!

Ngowe-1962, ndathunyelwa kwibandla endikulo ngoku eLumberton, kuMntla Carolina ibe ndiselapho nangoku emva kweminyaka engama-45. Ndaziqhubela imoto yam de ndadlula kwiminyaka engama-80 ubudala. Ngoku ndincedwa yenye yeentsapho zamaNgqina ezikufuphi nam ukundisa kwiintlanganiso zebandla nakumsebenzi wokushumayela.

Ndinentonga yokuhamba nesitulo esinamavili, kodwa andisebenzisi nanye kuzo kuba ndisakwazi ukuhamba ngaphandle kwazo. Ndimbulela gqitha uYehova ngokundigcina ndisempilweni ngale ndlela, de kwaba kamva nje apho ndifumana iingxaki zamehlo. Andizange khe ndiphoswe yintlanganiso yebandla ngaphandle kokuba ndigula gqitha, ibe ndisaqhubeka ndikhonza njengovulindlela othe ngxi ogulayo.

Ekubeni ndiye ndakhonza ngovuyo ndinguvulindlela ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-70, ndinokutsho ngokunyanisekileyo ukuba uYehova uye wandinceda kubo bonke ubomi bam. a Ndiyaqonda ukuba ndandingekho krelekrele kangako ndingenguye nomsebenzi ophum’ izandla, kodwa uYehova uyakwazi oko ndinokukwenza noko ndingenakukwenza. Ndinombulelo gqitha ngento yokuba esazi ukuba ndiyazama nokuba eye wandisebenzisa.

Ndivakalelwa kukuba ukukhonza uYehova ngokupheleleyo kangangoko kusemandleni kubaluleke gqitha kuba yonke into esinayo yeyakhe. Logama nje ndisakwazi ukuqhubeka, ayikho enye into endinokuyenza ngaphandle kokuba nguvulindlela. Le nkonzo ibililungelo elingathethekiyo kum! Ndithandazela ukuba uYehova aqhubeke endisebenzisa de kube ngunaphakade.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]

Sasisebenzisa le moto xa sasingoovulindlela nomyeni wam

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14]

Ndikunye noonyana bam ngowe-1941

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Ndikunye noEddie noBobby mvanje