Indaba Yokuphila

Iminyaka Engu-70 Yokubambelela Emphethweni Wengubo YomJuda

Njengoba ilandiswa uLeonard Smith

Kunamavesi amabili angihlaba umxhwele ngisanda kweva eminyakeni eyishumi nambili. Ngisasikhumbula nanamuhla isikhathi engayiqonda ngaso incazelo kaZakariya 8:23, okhuluma ‘ngamadoda ayishumi abamba umphetho wengubo yendoda engumJuda,’ nakuba sekudlule iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-70. Athi kulo mJuda: “Sizohamba nani, ngoba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.”

Le ndoda engumJuda ifanekisela amaKristu agcotshiwe, kanti “amadoda ayishumi” amelele “ezinye izimvu,” noma “amaJonadaba,” njengoba zazaziwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. * (Joh. 10:16) Lapho ngiqonda lelo qiniso, ngaqaphela ukuthi ukusekela ngobuqotho isigaba sabagcotshiwe kwakubaluleke kangakanani ekugcwalisekeni kwethemba lami lokuphila phakade emhlabeni.

Umfanekiso kaJesu ‘wezimvu nezimbuzi’ okuMathewu 25:31-46 nawo wangihlaba umxhwele ngokujulile. “Izimvu” zifanekisela labo abathola isahlulelo esihle esikhathini sokuphela ngoba benza okuhle kubafowabo bakaKristu abagcotshiwe abasesemhlabeni. NjengomJonadaba osemncane, ngathi, ‘Len, uma ufuna uKristu akubheke njengemvu, kufanele usekele abafowabo abagcotshiwe, wamukele ukuhola kwabo ngoba uNkulunkulu unabo.’ Lokho kuqonda kuye kwangiqondisa iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-70.

‘IPHI EYAMI INDAWO?’

Umama wabhapathizwa ngo-1925 ehholo lemihlangano eBethel. Lelo hholo lalibizwa ngokuthi iTabernakele LaseLondon futhi lisetshenziswa abazalwane bendawo. Ngazalwa ngo-October 15, 1926. Ngabhapathizwa ngo-March 1940, emhlanganweni omncane owawuseDover ogwini lwaseNgilandi. Uthando lwami ngeqiniso leBhayibheli lwakhula. ‘Umphetho wengubo yomJuda’ wokuqala engabambelela kuwo, ngingathi okamama njengoba ayengumKristu ogcotshiwe. Ngaleso sikhathi, ubaba nodadewethu omdala babengamkhonzi uJehova. Sasikhonza eBandleni laseGillingham eliseningizimu-mpumalanga yeNgilandi, elalinamaKristu amaningi agcotshiwe. Umama wabeka isibonelo esihle sokushisekela umsebenzi wokushumayela.

Ngo-September 1941, emhlanganweni omkhulu owawusedolobheni laseLeicester, kwaba nenkulumo eyayinesihloko esithi “Ubuqotho” eyakhuluma ngempikiswano yokubuswa kwendawo yonke. Leyo nkulumo yangisiza ngaqonda okokuqala ngqá ukuthi sihileleke empikiswaneni ephakathi kukaJehova noSathane. Ngakho-ke, kudingeka sibe sohlangothini lukaJehova futhi sigcine ubuqotho bethu kuye njengoMbusi Wendawo Yonke.

Kulowo mhlangano, kwagcizelelwa kakhulu inkonzo yamaphayona futhi intsha yakhuthazwa ukuba iyenze ibe umgomo wayo. Inkulumo eyayinesihloko  esithi “Indawo Yamaphayona Enhlanganweni” yangenza ngazibuza, ‘Iphi eyami indawo?’ Lowo mhlangano wangiqinisekisa ukuthi njengomJonadaba nganginesibopho sokwenza konke okusemandleni ami ekusizeni isigaba sabagcotshiwe emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngasifaka khona lapho eLeicester isicelo sokuba iphayona.

UKUPHAYONA NGESIKHATHI SEMPI

Ngo-December 1, 1941, ngamiswa njengephayona elikhethekile ngineminyaka engu-15 ubudala. Umuntu wokuqala engaphayona naye umama, kodwa kwadingeka ukuba ayeke ukuphayona ngemva nje konyaka ngenxa yempilo. Ihhovisi legatsha laseLondon langinika omunye umuntu engangizophayona naye uRon Parkin, osekhonza njengelungu leKomiti Yegatsha ePuerto Rico.

Sathunyelwa emadolobheni angasogwini iBroadstairs neRamsgate asesifundazweni saseKent, lapho safike saqasha khona ikamelo. Nyanga zonke iphayona elikhethekile lalibonelelwa ngemali engangamaRandi angu-63 namuhla. Ngakho kwakuthi lapho sesikhokhe imali yokuqasha sisale nencane futhi sasihlale singaqiniseki ukuthi sasiyokutholaphi ukudla okulandelayo. Kodwa ngandlela-thile, uJehova wayezinakekela njalo izidingo zethu.

Sasivame ukuhamba ngamabhayisekili ayethwele ephuphuma siphambana nemimoya enamandla evela oLwandle Olusenyakatho. Kwakudingeka futhi sibhekane nokuhlasela kwezindiza zempi namabhomu acitshwayo ama-V-1 aseJalimane ezazindizela phansi impela eKent ukuze kuqhunyiswe iLondon. Ngolunye usuku kwadingeka ngehle ebhayisikilini ngiziphonse emseleni lapho kudlula ibhomu phezu kwekhanda lami lase liqhuma esigangeni esiseduze. Noma kunjalo, iminyaka esayichitha siphayona eKent yayingejabulisayo.

NGIBA “UMFANA WASEBETHEL”

Umama wayehlale ekhuluma ngokwazisa ngeBethel. Wayevame ukuthi: “Ayikho into engiyifisa ngaphezu kokuba ube umfana waseBethel.” Ungazicabangela-ke ukuthi ingakanani injabulo nokumangala engaba nakho ngo-January 1946, lapho ngimenyelwa eBethel yaseLondon ukuze ngiyosiza khona amasonto amathathu. Ekupheleni kwalawo masonto, uPryce Hughes, inceku yegatsha, wangicela ukuba ngihlale. Ukuqeqeshwa engakuthola lapho kwangilolongela ukuphila kwami konke.

Ngaleso sikhathi, umkhaya waseBethel yaseLondon wawunamalungu angaba ngu-30, iningi lawo kungabazalwane abasebasha abangashadile kodwa kukhona nabazalwane abambalwa abagcotshiwe, ababehlanganisa uPryce Hughes, u-Edgar Clay noJack Barr, kamuva owaba ilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo. Yeka ukuthi kwakuyilungelo elingakanani ukusekela abafowabo bakaKristu ngokuthi ngisebenze ngisemusha ngaphansi kokuqondisa okungokomoya kwalezi “zinsika”!—Gal. 2:9.

Ngolunye usuku umzalwane othile wangitshela ukuthi kwakunodade emnyango ongaphambili owayefuna ukungibona. Ngamangala ukuthola ukuthi kwakungumama egodle iphasela ekhwapheni. Wathi ngeke angene ngoba akafuni ukungiphazamisa emsebenzini, kodwa wanginika iphasela wabe esehamba. Wayengiphathele ijazi lasebusika. Isenzo sakhe sothando sangikhumbuza uHana owalethela indodana yakhe eyayisencane, uSamuweli, ijazi ngenkathi ikhonza etabernakele.—1 Sam. 2:18, 19.

IGILEYADI YABA OKUHLANGENWE NAKHO ENGINGASOZE NGAKULIBALA

Ngo-1947, mina nabanye abane esasikhonza nabo eBethel samenyelwa eSikoleni saseGileyadi e-United States, futhi saya ngonyaka olandelayo saba sekilasini le-11.  Lapho sifika, lalishubisa umnkatsha emaphandleni aseNew York, lapho isikole sasikhona. Yeka ukuthi ngambonga kanjani umama ngalelo jazi!

Angisoze ngazikhohlwa izinyanga eziyisithupha engazichitha eGileyadi. Ukuba phakathi kwabafundi ababevela emazweni angu-16 kwangenza ngaba nomqondo ovulekile. Ngaphezu kokucetshiswa ngokomoya esakuthola esikoleni, ngazuza nasebudlelwaneni namaKristu avuthiwe. Omunye wabantu esasinabo ekilasini kwakunguLloyd Barry; omunye wababefundisa kungu-Albert Schroeder futhi uJohn Booth wayeqondisa eKingdom Farm (lapho iSikole SaseGileyadi sasikhona) bonke baba amalungu eNdikimba Ebusayo kamuva. Ngiyasazisa iseluleko sothando laba bazalwane abanginika sona nesibonelo sabo esihle sokuba qotho kuJehova nasenhlanganweni yakhe.

UKUJIKELEZA NOKUBUYELA EBETHEL

Lapho sengiphothulile eGileyadi, ngabelwa ukuyojikeleza e-Ohio, e-U.S.A. Ngangineminyaka engu-21 ubudala, kodwa abazalwane bayamukela ngomoya omuhle intshiseko yami yobusha. Kuleso sifunda, ngafunda okuningi emadodeni amadala anokuhlangenwe nakho.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, ngacelwa ukuba ngibuyele eBethel yaseBrooklyn ukuze ngiyoqeqeshwa ngokwengeziwe. Leso sikhathi sanginika ithuba lokwazi izinsika ezinjengoMilton Henschel, uKarl Klein, uNathan Knorr, T. J. (Bud) Sullivan noLyman Swingle, bonke abake bakhonza njengamalungu eNdikimba Ebusayo. Kwakungokuhlangenwe nakho okucebisayo ukubabona besebenza futhi besebenzisa izimiso zobuKristu ekuphileni kwabo. Ukuyethemba kwami inhlangano kaJehova kwakhula kakhulu. Ngabe sengithunyelwa emuva eYurophu ukuze ngiyoqhubeka nenkonzo yami.

Umama washona ngo-February 1950. Ngemva komngcwabo, ngaba nengxoxo engagunci nobaba kanye nodadewethu, uDora. Ngababuza ukuthi babehlela ukwenzani ngeqiniso njengoba umama engasekho nami sengahamba ekhaya. Babazi umzalwane ogcotshiwe osekhulile, uHarry Browning futhi bemhlonipha ngakho bavuma ukuba abafundele. Ungakapheli nonyaka, ubaba noDora babhapathizwa. Kamuva, ubaba wamiswa njengenceku eBandleni laseGillingham. Ngemva kokushona kukababa, uDora washada noRoy Moreton, umdala othembekile, futhi wakhonza uJehova ngobuqotho kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-2010.

UKUSIZA EFRANCE

Esikoleni ngangifunde isiFulentshi, isiJalimane nesiLatin, futhi kulezi zilimi ezintathu, isiFulentshi sasingishikilisa. Ngakho, lapho ngicelwa ukuba ngiyosiza eBethel yaseParis, eFrance, ngangingazi ukuthi kufanele ngijabule yini noma cha. Lapho, ngaba nelungelo lokusebenza nenceku yegatsha uHenri Geiger, umzalwane ogcotshiwe owayesekhulile. Lesi sabelo sasingelula ngaso sonke isikhathi futhi cishe maningi amaphutha engawenza, kodwa ngafunda okuningi mayelana nendlela yokusebenzelana nabantu.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, umhlangano wezizwe wokuqala wangemva kwempi wahlelwa ukuba ube seParis ngo-1951, futhi ngangihilelekile ekuwuhleleni. Umbonisi ojikelezayo osemncane, uLéopold Jontès weza eBethel ezongisiza. Kamuva wamiswa njengombonisi wegatsha. Lo mhlangano waba sePalais des sports, eduze kwe-Eiffel Tower. Kwakunezihambeli ezazivela emazweni angu-28. Ngosuku lokugcina, oFakazi baseFrance abangu-6 000 bachichima injabulo ukubona abantu abangu-10 456 kulo mhlangano!

Lapho ngifika okokuqala eFrance, ngangisibhidilisha impela isiFulentshi. Okwenza izinto zaba zimbi  nakakhulu, ngangenza iphutha elikhulu lokukhuluma kuphela lapho ngiqiniseka ngalokho engizokusho ngesiFulentshi. Kodwa uma ungawenzi amaphutha, ngeke ulungiswe futhi ngeke uthuthuke.

Nganquma ukulungisa lesi simo ngokubhalisa esikoleni esasifundisa abavela kwamanye amazwe isiFulentshi. Ngangiya kuso kusihlwa ngezinsuku okungezona ezemihlangano. Ngaqala ukusithanda isiFulentshi, futhi lolo thando luye lwakhula njengoba isikhathi sihamba. Lokhu kuye kwaba usizo ngoba ngiye ngakwazi ukusiza igatsha laseFrance ngomsebenzi wokuhumusha. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, nami ngaba umhumushi, ngisusela esiNgisini ngihumushele esiFulentshini. Kwakuyilungelo ukusiza ekudluliseleni ukudla okucebile ngokomoya okulungiselelwa isigaba senceku kubazalwane abakhuluma isiFulentshi emhlabeni wonke.—Math. 24:45-47.

UMSHADO NAMALUNGELO ENGEZIWE

Ngo-1956, ngashada no-Esther, iphayona leseSwitzerland engangihlangane nalo eminyakeni embalwa ngaphambili. Sashadela eHholo LoMbuso eliseduze kweBethel yaseLondon (iTabernakele LaseLondon elidala, lapho umama abhapathizelwa khona). UMfoweth’ uHughes wanikeza inkulumo yethu yomshado. Umkhwekazi wami wayekhona, naye wayenethemba lasezulwini. Umshado wami awugcinanga nje ngokunginika umngane othandekayo noqotho kodwa wanginika namahora amaningi obudlelwane obuyigugu nomkhwekazi omuhle othanda izinto ezingokomoya, kwaze kwaba yilapho eqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-2000.

Ngemva komshado wethu, sahlala ngaphandle kweBethel. U-Esther wakhonza njengephayona elikhethekile emadolobheni asemaphethelweni eParis kuyilapho mina ngiqhubeka ngihumushela iBethel. Wakwazi ukusiza abantu abaningi ukuba babe izinceku zikaJehova. Ngo-1964, samenywa ukuba siyohlala eBethel. Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1976, ngamiswa njengelungu leKomiti Yegatsha lapho kuqala leli lungiselelo. Kuyo yonke le minyaka, u-Esther ubengisekela njalo ngothando.

“NGEKE NIBE NAMI NGASO SONKE ISIKHATHI”

Ngiye ngajabulela ilungelo lokubuyela endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke eNew York ngezikhathi ezithile. Phakathi nalezo zikhathi, ngangithola iseluleko esihle emalungwini eNdikimba Ebusayo ahlukahlukene. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesinye isikhathi lapho ngiveza ukukhathazeka kwami ngokuqeda umsebenzi ngesikhathi, uMfoweth’ uKnorr wamomotheka wabe esethi: “Ungakhathazeki. Sebenza nje!” Ezikhathini eziningi kusukela lapho, uma izabelo zinqwabelana, kunokuba ngitatazele, ngimane ngiqale ngomsebenzi owodwa ngesikhathi ngilandelise ngomunye uze uphele, ngokuvamile ngiwuqeda ngesikhathi.

Ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe, uJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Ngeke nibe nami ngaso sonke isikhathi.” (Math. 26:11) Thina abezinye izimvu nathi siyazi ukuthi ngeke sihlale sinabafowabo bakaKristu abagcotshiwe emhlabeni. Ngakho-ke, ngikubheka njengelungelo elingenakuqhathaniswa ukuthi ngiye ngaba nobudlelwane obuseduze nabaningi babagcotshiwe iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-70—ngibambelele ngokwazisa emphethweni wengubo yomJuda.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 21]

UMfoweth’ uKnorr wamomotheka wabe esethi: “Ungakhathazeki. Sebenza nje!”

[Izithombe ekhasini 19]

(Kwesobunxele) Umama nobaba

(Kwesokudla) SiseGileyadi ngo-1948, ngigqoke ijazi lasebusika engalinikwa umama

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

Ngihumushela uMfoweth’ uLloyd Barry ngenkathi kunikezelwa igatsha laseFrance, ngo-1997

[Izithombe ekhasini 21]

(Kwesobunxele) Ngino-Esther ngosuku lwethu lomshado

(Kwesokudla) Sifakaza ndawonye