Ukwenza Izinguquko Kubé Nomvuzo

Njengoba ilandiswa uJames A. Thompson

Ngesikhathi ngizalwa eningizimu ye-United States ngo-1928, kwakunomthetho wokuhlukaniswa kwabamhlophe nabansundu. Ukuwephula kwakungaholela ekuboshweni noma kokubi kakhulu kunokuboshwa.

NGALESO SIKHATHI ezingxenyeni eziningi ze-United States, oFakazi BakaJehova abamhlophe nabansundu kwakudingeka babe namabandla, izifunda nezigodi ezihlukene. Ngo-1937 ubaba waba inceku yebandla (manje esibizwa ngokuthi umxhumanisi wendikimba yabadala) ebandleni labansundu laseChattanooga, eTennessee. UHenry Nichols wayeyinceku yebandla kwelabamhlophe.

Nginezinkumbulo ezinhle zangesikhathi ngisemncane, ngihlezi kuvulandi ongemuva ebusuku ngilalele ubaba noMzalwan’ uNichols bexoxa. Nakuba kukuncane engangikucosha engxoxweni yabo, ngangikujabulela ukuhlala eceleni kukababa lapho bexoxa ngendlela abangawenza kangcono ngayo umsebenzi wokushumayela ngaphansi kwezimo zangaleso sikhathi.

Ekuqaleni kuka-1930, umkhaya wakithi wehlelwa ifu elimnyama. Kwashona umama, eneminyaka engu-20 nje kuphela. Kwadingeka ukuba ubaba asinakekele sinodadewethu uDoris, owayeneminyaka emine, mina nginemibili nje kuphela. Nakuba ubaba ayesanda kubhapathizwa, wathuthuka kahle kakhulu ngokomoya.

Izibonelo Ezalolonga Ukuphila Kwami

Ngo-1933, ubaba wahlangana nodade omuhle ogama lakhe linguLillie Mae Gwendolyn Thomas, futhi bashada ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho. Yena nobaba basibekela isibonelo esihle sinoDoris sokuba qotho ekukhonzeni uJehova.

Ngo-1938, amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova acelwa ukuba asekele izwi lesinqumo elitusa ukuba abadala bamabandla bamiswe endlunkulu eBrooklyn, eNew York, esikhundleni sokuba  bakhethwe ngevoti emabandleni. Lapho abanye eChattanooga bemanqikanqika ukwamukela lolu shintsho, ubaba washo obala ukuthi wayelusekela ngaphandle kokuthandabuza lolu shintsho oluphathelene nokuhlelwa kwenhlangano. Isibonelo sakhe sobuqotho—nokubambisana kukamama naye ngenhliziyo yonke—sangisiza kuze kube manje.

Ubhapathizo Nenkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele

Ngo-1940 ibandla lakithi laqasha ibhasi saya emhlanganweni wesigodi owawuseDetroit, eMichigan. Abambalwa esasihamba nabo babhapathizwa kuwo. Abanye bazibuza ukuthi kungani ngingazange ngibhapathizwe, njengoba ngangilokhu ngishumayela kusukela ngineminyaka emihlanu futhi ngikhuthele kakhulu enkonzweni.

Lapho bengibuza, ngaphendula, “Angikakuqondi konke okuhilelekile ekubhapathizweni.” Ubaba wangizwa futhi wamangala. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi wenza umzamo owengeziwe wokungisiza ukuba ngiqonde ukuthi ubhapathizo lusho ukuthini nokuthi lubaluleke ngani. Ngabhapathizwa ngemva kwezinyanga ezine, ngo-October 1, 1940, echibini elalingaphandle kwaseChattanooga, kubanda kakhulu.

Lapho ngineminyaka engu-14, ngaqala ukuphayona ehlobo ngezikhathi izikole zivaliwe. Ngangishumayela emadolobhaneni amancane aseTennessee nawasesifundeni saseGeorgia esingumakhelwane. Ngangivuka ekuseni, ngizenzele umphako, bese ngigibela ibhasi noma isitimela sango-6 ekuseni ngiye ensimini. Ngangibuya ngawo-6 ntambama. Ukudla engangikuphatha ngangikuqeda singakashayi nesikhathi sedina. Nakuba ngangiba nayo imali, ngangingakwazi ukungena ezitolo zendawo ngithenge okunye ukudla ngoba nganginsundu. Ngolunye usuku, ngangena esitolo ngithi ngiyothenga u-ayisikhilimu kodwa ngacelwa ukuba ngiphume. Owesifazane othile omhlophe onomusa wangithengela wangilethela wona ngaphandle.

Lapho ngiqala esikoleni samabanga aphakeme, umzabalazo wokulwela amalungelo abantu wawudlondlobala eNingizimu. Izinhlangano ezinjenge-NAACP (INhlangano Kazwelonke Yokuthuthukiswa Kwabebala [National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]) yayikhuthaza abafundi ukuba bangenele umzabalazo. Sasigqugquzelwa ukuba sijoyine. Izikole eziningi zabansundu, kuhlanganise nengangifunda kuso zazibekela umgomo wokuba bonke abafundi bajoyine. Ngangicindezelwa ukuba “ngisekele uhlanga lwakithi” njengoba kwakushiwo. Kodwa ngenqaba ngabachazela ukuthi uNkulunkulu akakhethi futhi alukho uhlanga aluthanda ngaphezu kolunye. Ngakho, ngithembela kuNkulunkulu ukuba alungise ukungabi nabulungisa okunjalo.—Joh. 17:14; IzE. 10:34, 35.

Ngemva nje kokuqeda esikoleni samabanga aphakeme, nganquma ukuyohlala eNew York City. Nokho, endleleni eya khona ngama ePhiladelphia, ePennsylvania, ukuze ngivakashele abangane engangibathole emhlanganweni wesigodi. Ngangiqala ukuba sebandleni elixube izinhlanga. Ngesikhathi kufike umbonisi ojikelezayo kuleli bandla, wangibizela eceleni, wangitshela ukuthi ngangabelwe inkulumo ethile emhlanganweni webandla olandelayo. Lokho kwenza kwaba lula ngami ukunquma ukuba ngisale sengihlala lapho.

Omunye wabangane engabathola ePhiladelphia, udade owayesemncane ogama lakhe linguGeraldine White, engagcina ngimbiza ngokuthi uGerri. Wayelazi kahle iBhayibheli futhi enekhono lokuxoxa nabaninindlu enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu. Okwakubaluleke ngokukhethekile  kimi ukuthi wayenomgomo ofana nowami wokuba iphayona. Sashada ngo-April 23, 1949.

Ukumenyelwa EGileyadi

Umgomo wethu kwasekuqaleni kwakuwukuya eSikoleni SaseGileyadi nokukhonza njengezithunywa zevangeli kwelinye izwe. Sakujabulela ukulungisa izimo zethu ukuze sifanelekele ukuya eGileyadi. Ngemva nje kwalokho sacelwa ukuba sithuthele eLawnside, eNew Jersey; kamuva sabelwa eChester, ePennsylvania; sagcina ngokwabelwa e-Atlantic City, eNew Jersey. Ngenkathi silapho, sakufanelekela ukufaka izicelo zokuya eGileyadi, njengoba sase sineminyaka emibili sishadile. Kodwa asisheshanga sabizwa. Kungani?

Ekuqaleni kwawo-1950, izinsizwa eziningi zazibuthelwa inkonzo yezempi ukuze ziyolwa empini eyayiqhubeka eKorea. Ibhodi elalibutha izinsizwa lalibonakala libacwasa oFakazi BakaJehova ngenxa yokungathathi hlangothi kwethu. Ekugcineni, ijaji langitshela ukuthi ama-FBI ayeye ahlola isizinda sami futhi akuqinisekisa ukungathathi hlangothi kwami. Ngakho ngo-January 11, 1952, iBhodi KaMongameli Yokudlulisa Izicelo yanginika incwadi eyayiqinisekisa ukuthi ngangibhekwa ngokuphelele njengesikhonzi esingokwenkolo.

Ngo-August wangalowo nyaka, mina noGerri sathola isimemo sokuya ekilasini lama-20 laseGileyadi, elaqala ngo-September. Phakathi nezifundo zethu, sasicabanga ukuthi sizothola isabelo sokuyokhonza kwelinye izwe. Udadewethu, uDoris, wayephothule ekilasini le-13 laseGileyadi futhi ekhonza eBrazil. Samangala lapho mina noGerri sithola isabelo sokuyojikeleza—sihambele amabandla abansundu ayesesifundeni esiseningizimu sase-Alabama! Lokho kwasidumaza ngezinga elithile ngoba izinhliziyo zethu zazilangazelela ukuyokhonza kwelinye izwe.

Ibandla lokuqala esalihambela kwakungelaseHuntsville. Lapho sifika, saya emzini kadade othile esasizohlala kwakhe. Njengoba sehlisa izimpahla zethu emotweni samuzwa ekhuluma ocingweni ethi, “Abantwana sebefikile.” Sasineminyaka engu-24 kuphela futhi sibukeka sibancane ngisho kunalokho. Leli gama elithi abaNtwana lasinamathela njengoba sikhonza kuleso sifunda.

Ingxenye eseNingizimu yayivame ukubizwa ngokuthi iKhaya LeBhayibheli ngoba iningi labantu kuleyo ndawo lalilazisa iBhayibheli. Ngakho sasivame ukuqala izingxoxo ngokusebenzisa intshumayelo enamaphuzu amathathu:

(1) Ukuphawula kafushane ngezimo zezwe.

(2) Ikhambi iBhayibheli elilinikezayo.

(3) Lokho iBhayibheli elithi kumelwe sikwenze.

Sasibe sesinikeza umuntu incwadi eyinsizakufunda yeBhayibheli. Ngenxa yokuphumelela kwale ndlela, ngabelwa inkulumo eMhlanganweni Womphakathi Wezwe Elisha wango-1953 eNew York. Ngabonisa lapho indlela yokusebenzisa intshumayelo eqokomisa amaphuzu amathathu.

Kungakabiphi, ehlobo lika-1953, ngabelwa ukuyokhonza izifunda zabansundu eziseNingizimu  njengombonisi wesigodi. Insimu yethu yayihlanganisa yonke indawo kusukela eVirginia kuye eFlorida kuze kufike entshonalanga e-Alabama naseTennessee. Yebo, ababonisi abajikelezayo kwakudingeka bazivumelanise nezimo. Ngokwesibonelo, sasike sihlale emizini engenawo amanzi endlini futhi kudingeka sigeze endishini kathayela eyayibekwa ngemva kwesitofu. Siyabonga nokho ngoba leyo kwakuyindawo efudumele kakhudlwana endlini!

Inselele Yokuhlukana Ngokwezinhlanga

Ukukhonza eNingizimu kwakudinga ukuba umuntu acabangisise futhi abe nobuhlakani bokwenza izinto. Abansundu babengavunyelwe ukusebenzisa amaLondolo. Ngakho uGerri wayethi uma eye khona afike abatshele ukuthi wayelethe izingubo “zikaNkk. Thompson.” Abaningi babenomuzwa wokuthi wayesebenza emzini “kaNkk. Thompson.” Lapho ababonisi besigodi bebonisa ifilimu ethi The New World Society in Action, ngangishayela isitolo ngicele ukubekisa isihenqo esikhulu esidingwa uMnu. Thompson. Kamuva ngangiya esitolo, ngifike ngisithathe. Sasihlale njalo sibonisa imikhuba emihle futhi sivame ukufeza inkonzo yethu ngaphandle kwezinkathazo.

Kwakukhona nolunye uhlobo lobandlululo, olwezifunda, kubandlululwa abezifunda eziseNyakatho. Iphephandaba lendawo lake labika ukuthi uJames A. Thompson, Jr., omelele i-Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York wayezonikeza inkulumo emhlanganweni. Abanye bacabanga ukuthi lokhu kwakusho ukuthi ngivela eNew York, ngakho isivumelwano esasisenzile sokusebenzisa ihholo lesikole sahoxiswa. Kwadingeka ngiyobonana nebhodi yesikole ngiyichazele ukuthi ngangifunde isikole eChattanooga. Sabe sesivunyelwa ukuba siqhube umhlangano wethu wesifunda.

Ukushuba kwesimo phakathi kwezinhlanga kwakukhula maphakathi nawo-1950 futhi ngezinye izikhathi kwakuhambisana nobudlova. Emihlanganweni eminingana yesigodi ngo-1954, abanye oFakazi bacasuka lapho kungekho sikhulumi esinsundu esimisweni. Sabakhuthaza abafowethu abansundu ukuba babekezele. Ngehlobo elilandelayo, ngabelwa inkulumo. Ngemva kwalokho, abazalwane abengeziwe abansundu baseNingizimu babelwa izinkulumo.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ubudlova obugqugquzelwa ubuhlanga baphela eNingizimu, futhi kancane kancane amabandla aqala ukuba nezinhlanga ezihlukahlukene. Kwadingeka ukuba abamemezeli babelwe kabusha emabandleni ahlukahlukene nokuba kushintshwe imingcele yensimu kanye nemithwalo yemfanelo yabazalwane abengamele. Abanye, kokubili abansundu nabamhlophe, abalenamelanga leli lungiselelo elisha. Nokho, iningi lalingakhethi bala njengoBaba wethu osezulwini. Eqinisweni abaningi babengabangane abakhulu naphezu kokungafani ngebala. Umkhaya wakithi wawusukujabulele lokhu ngawo-1930 nangawo-1940 ngesikhathi ngisakhula.

Isabelo Esisha

Ngo-January 1969, mina noGerri sathola isimemo sokuya eGuyana, eNingizimu Melika, futhi sasamukela ngenjabulo. Saqale saya eBrooklyn, eNew York, lapho ngafike ngaqeqeshelwa khona ukwengamela umsebenzi wokushumayela eGuyana. Safika khona ngo-July 1969. Kwaba umzukuzuku ukujwayela ukuhlala endaweni eyodwa ngemva kokujikeleza iminyaka engu-16. UGerri wachitha izinsuku zakhe eziningi enkonzweni yasensimini njengesithunywa sevangeli, mina ngasebenza ehhovisi legatsha.

 Umsebenzi wami wawuhlanganisa yonke into, kusukela ekugundeni utshani, ukunakekela ama-oda ezincwadi amabandla angu-28 nokubhalelana nendlunkulu eBrooklyn. Ngangisebenza amahora angu-14 kuya kwangu-15 usuku ngalunye. Kwakuwumsebenzi onzima kithina sobabili, kodwa sasisijabulela isabelo sethu. Lapho sifika eGuyana kwakunabamemezeli abangu-950; namuhla sebengaphezu kuka-2 500.

Nakuba sasisijabulela isimo esihle sezulu nezithelo nemifino emibalabala, injabulo yethu yangempela yayiwukubona abantu bakhona abathobekile abalangazelela iqiniso leBhayibheli befunda ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngokuvamile, uGerri wayeqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingu-20 masonto onke, futhi abaningi kulabo esabafundela bathuthuka baze babhapathizwa. Abanye ngokuhamba kwesikhathi baba amaphayona, abadala bamabandla, abanye baze baya naseGileyadi futhi baba izithunywa zevangeli nabo.

Izinselele, Ikakhulu Ezempilo

Ngo-1983 abazali bami e-United States badinga usizo. UDoris, uGerri nami senza umhlangano womndeni. UDoris, owayesekhonze iminyaka engu-35 njengesithunywa sevangeli eBrazil, wakhetha ukubuyela ekhaya ayobanakekela. Wathi, asikho isidingo sokuba izithunywa zevangeli ezimbili zishiye insimu uma esisodwa singakwazi ukubanakekela. Ngemva kokushona kwabo, uDoris uye waqhubeka ehlala eChattanooga futhi ukhonza khona njengephayona elikhethekile.

Ngo-1995 kwatholakala ukuthi nginomdlavuza wesitho sobulili futhi kwadingeka ngiye e-United States. Safike sahlala eGoldsboro, eNyakatho Carolina, ngoba kuyindawo emaphakathi ukusuka khona uye ekhaya eTennessee noma uye ekhweni lami ePennsylvania. Umdlavuza wami usaqubile, futhi sikhonza ebandleni laseGoldsboro njengamaphayona akhethekile anempilo ebuthaka.

Lapho ngibheka emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-65 ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, ngimbonga ngempela uJehova ngokuthi uye wasibusisa sinoGerri ngokwenza izinguquko ezazidingeka ukuze simkhonze. Yeka ukuthi ayiqiniso kanjani amazwi kaDavide: “Koqotho wena [Jehova] uyokwenza ngobuqotho”!—2 Sam. 22:26.

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Ubaba noMzalwan’ uNichols bangibekela isibonelo esihle

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NginoGerri, silungele ukuya eGileyadi, ngo-1952

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Ngemva kokuya eGileyadi, sabelwa ukuyojikeleza eNingizimu

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Ababonisi abajikelezayo nomkabo belungiselela umhlangano wesigodi oxube izinhlanga, ngo-1966

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Kwakuyinjabulo ukukhonza njengezithunywa zevangeli eGuyana