Ibali Lobomi

Ukugcina Ubomi Bulula Ukuze Ukhonze UYehova

NGOKUBALISWA NGUCLARA GERBER MOYER

Ndineminyaka engama-92 ubudala yaye andisakwazi ukuhamba, kodwa ingqondo yam isasebenza kakuhle. Hayi indlela endinombulelo ngayo ngokuba nelungelo lokukhonza uYehova ukususela ebuntwaneni! Ukuphila ubomi obulula nobungantsonkothanga kuye kwaxabiseka kakhulu.

NDAZALWA ngoAgasti 18, 1907, eAlliance, eOhio, eUnited States, ndingomdala kubantwana abahlanu. Xa ndandineminyaka esibhozo ubudala, umlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo waBafundi beBhayibhile, njengoko ayebizwa njalo amaNgqina kaYehova, wafika ngebhayisekile kwifama yasekhaya. Wadibana nomama, uLaura Gerber, emnyango waza wambuza enoba uyasazi isizathu sokuvunyelwa kobungendawo. UMama wayesoloko ezibuza ngoko.

Emva kokubuza kuTata, owayekwindawo yokulondoloza iimpahla, uMama waodola iseti yemiqulu emithandathu yeStudies in the Scriptures. Wazinandipha kakhulu waza wachukunyiswa koko wayekufunda ngeenyaniso zeBhayibhile. Wafundisisa uMqulu 6, weThe New Creation, waza wayiqonda imfuneko yokuntywiliselwa kwamaKristu xa ebhaptizwa. Engazi ukuba uza kubafumana phi aBafundi beBhayibhile, wacela uTata ukuba ambhaptize kumlanjana okule fama, nangona yayiyinyanga ebandayo kaMatshi 1916.

Kungabanga thuba lide emva koko uMama wabona isibhengezo kwiphephandaba esazisa ngentetho kwiHolo iDaughters of Veterans eAlliance. Le ntetho yayinomxholo othi “The Divine Plan of the Ages.” Kwangoko waba nomdla, ekubeni uMqulu 1 weStudies in the Scriptures wawunomxholo ofanayo nowale ntetho. Kwalungiselelwa inqwelo yamahashe, yaye intsapho yonke yaya kwintlanganiso yayo yokuqala ihamba ngehashe nenqwelo yalo. Ukususela ngoko sasisiya kwiintlanganiso emakhayeni abazalwana ngeeCawa nangeengokuhlwa ngoLwesithathu. Kungekudala emva koko, uMama wabhaptizwa kwakhona ngummeli webandla lamaKristu. UTata, owayesoloko exakeke ngumsebenzi wasefama, ekugqibeleni waba nomdla ekufundisiseni iBhayibhile, waza wabhaptizwa kwiminyaka embalwa kamva.

Ukudibana Nabo Bakhokelayo

NgoJuni 10, 1917, uJ. F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Society, watyelela eAlliance ukuze athethe ngomxholo othi “Kutheni Iintlanga Zisilwa?” Ndandineminyaka esithoba ubudala yaye ndaya nabazali bam nabaninawa bam ababini, uWillie noCharles. Abantu abezayo babengaphezu kwekhulu. Emva kwentetho kaMzalwan’ uRutherford, inkoliso yabo babezile bafotela phambi kweColumbia Theater, apho wayinikela khona intetho yakhe. Kwiveki elandelayo, kwindawo efanayo, uA. H. Macmillan wanikela intetho enomxholo othi “UBukumkani BukaThixo Obuzayo.” Kwaba lilungelo ukuba aba bazalwana batyelele idolophu yethu encinane.

Iindibano Zokuqala Ezingasokuze Zilibaleke

Indibano yokuqala endaya kuyo yayingowe-1918 eAtwater, eOhio, iikhilomitha ezimbalwa ukusuka eAlliance. UMama wabuza ummeli woMbutho owayelapho ukuba ndandimdala ngokwaneleyo kusini na ukuba ndingabhaptizwa. Ndandivakalelwa kukuba ndizahlulele kuThixo ngokunyanisekileyo ukuze ndenze ukuthanda kwakhe, ngoko ndavunyelwa ukuba ndibhaptizwe ngolo suku kumlanjana okufuphi nesitiya esikhulu sama-apile. Ndatshintsha iimpahla zam kwintente eyayibekwe ngabazalwana ukwenzela le njongo yaye ndabhaptizwa ngempahla yokulala endala nengqingqwa.

NgoSeptemba wowe-1919, mna nabazali bam sakhwela kuloliwe osinge eSandusky, eOhio, kwiLake Erie. Apho sakhwela iphenyana, yaye kungabanga thuba lide, safika eCedar Point apho kwakuqhutyelwa khona indibano engasokuze siyilibale. Ukuhla kwethu kweli phenyana, kwakukho indawo ethengisa ukutya ezibukweni. Ndazithengela ihamburger, okona kutya kwakumnandi ngezo mini. Yayimnandi ngenene! Bebonke abantu ababekho kuloo ndibano yeentsuku ezisibhozo babengama-7 000. Kwakungekho sandisi-lizwi, ngoko kwakumele ndiphulaphule ngenyameko.

Kule ndibano kwakhululwa iqabane lephephancwadi IMboniselo, elinomxholo othi The Golden Age (ngoku uVukani!). Ukuze ndiye kuloo ndibano, andizange ndiye esikolweni kwiveki yokuqala, kodwa andizange ndizisole nganto. ICedar Point yayiyindawo yeholide, yaye kwakukho abapheki kwindawo yokutyela ababelungiselela iindwendwe ukutya. Kodwa ngenxa yesizathu nje esithile, abapheki neeweyitala bagwayimba, ngoko abazalwana abangamaKristu ababenolwazi ngokulungiselela ukutya bafika bengalindelwanga baza balungiselela iindwendwe ukutya. Kangangamashumi amaninzi eminyaka kamva, abantu bakaYehova bebezilungiselela ukutya kwabo kwiindibano ezincinane nezinkulu.

Kwakhona saba nelungelo lokubuyela eCedar Point ngoSeptemba wowe-1922 kwindibano yeentsuku ezisithoba ekwaya isimbuku sabantu abangama-18 000. Kulapho uMzalwan’ uRutherford wasikhuthaza esithi “mbhengezeni, mbhengezeni, mbhengezeni uKumkani nobukumkani bakhe.” Noko ke, ubulungiseleli bam baqalisa ngokusasaza amaphecana neThe Golden Age iminyaka embalwa ngaphambilana.

Uxabiso Ngobulungiseleli

Ekuqaleni kowe-1918, ndaba nesabelo sokuhambisa iphecana elithi The Fall of Babylon kwiifama eziselumelwaneni. Ngenxa yokuba kwakubanda, sasitshisa ilitye lesepha kwisitovu seenkuni ekhaya size silifake kwinqwelana yethu ukuze sigcine iinyawo zethu zifudumele. Sasinxiba iibhatyi ezifudumeleyo neminqwazi, ekubeni inqwelana yethu yayivalwe ngamalaphu ngaphezulu nasemacaleni kodwa ingenaso isifudumezi. Kodwa lawo yayingamaxesha onwabisayo.

Ngowe-1920 kwalungiselelwa inkupho ekhethekileyo eyaba liphephancwadi ethi The Finished Mystery, ebizwa ngokuba yi-ZG.a Mna nabazali bam sahamba nale mpapasho xa sasisiya kwindlu ngendlu eAlliance. Ngezo mini wonke umntu wayehamba yedwa xa esiya kwindlu ngendlu, ngoko ndisoyika ndenyuka ndisiya kwiveranda apho kwakuhleli abantu abaliqela. Emva kokuba ndibeke isigidimi sam, elinye ibhinqa lathi: “Akasathethi kamnandi wethu,” laza layamkela impapasho. Ndahambisa iiZG ezili-13 ngaloo mini, ndandiqala ukunikela isigidimi eside nesilungiselelweyo kwindlu ngendlu.

Xa ndandikwibanga lesixhenxe, uMama wangenwa yinyumoniya yaye wayesoloko esemandlalweni ngaphezu kwenyanga. Oyena dade wethu mncinane, uHazel, wayeseyimveku, ngoko ndasishiya isikolo ukuze ndincedise kumsebenzi wasefama nokunyamekela abantwana. Sekunjalo, intsapho yakowethu yayiyithabatha nzulu inyaniso yeBhayibhile, yaye sasisiya rhoqo kuzo zonke iintlanganiso zebandla.

Ngowe-1928 kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu, bonke ababezile banikwa iphecana elithi “Where Are the Nine?” Lalixubusha ngoLuka 17:11-19, apho iBhayibhile ithi mnye kuphela kwabaneqhenqa owathi ngokuthobeka wabulela uYesu ngokumphilisa ngommangaliso. Oku kwandichukumisa entliziyweni. Ndazibuza, ‘Ngaba ndinombulelo?’

Ekubeni izinto bezihamba kakuhle ngoku ekhaya kwaye ndisempilweni yaye ndingenazimbopheleleko, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndilishiye ikhaya ndize ndingenele inkonzo yobuvulindlela, njengoko inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ibizwa njalo. Abazali bam bandikhuthaza ukuba ndenjenjalo. Ngaloo ndlela, mna neqabane lam, uAgnes Aleta, safumana isabelo sethu, yaye ngoAgasti 28, 1928, sakhwela uloliwe ngentsimbi ye-9:00 ebusuku. Ngamnye kuthi wayenesutikheyisi enye nengxowa yokuphatha uncwadi lwethu lweBhayibhile. Kwisikhululo, oodade wethu nabazali bam babelila, yaye nathi sasilila. Ndandicinga ukuba andisokuze ndibabone kwakhona, ekubeni sasikholelwa ukuba iArmagedon yayikufuphi. Ngentsasa elandelayo, safika kwisabelo sethu eBrooksville, eKentucky.

Saqesha igumbi elincinane kwindlu enamagumbi aqeshwayo saza sathenga iinkonkxa zespaghetti saza sazenzela amaqebengwana. Suku ngalunye sasihamba ngendlela eyahlukileyo, sisebenza sodwa yaye sihambisela abaninimzi iincwadi ezinoqweqwe olulukhuni ezintlanu ngomnikelo we-R1, 98. Ngokuthe ngcembe sayigubungela yonke loo dolophu, sidibana nabantu abaninzi ababenomdla eBhayibhileni.

Kwiinyanga nje ezimalunga nezintathu, sasisele sithethe naye wonke ubani naseBrooksville kwakunye naseAugusta. Ngoko ke sahamba sasebenza kwiidolophu zaseMaysville, eParis naseRichmond. Ebudeni beminyaka emithathu, sagubungela iinqila eKentucky apho kwakungekho mabandla. Ngokufuthi sasincediswa ngabahlobo namalungu entsapho aseOhio abeza ngenqwelo-mafutha baza bakunye nathi kubulungiseleli kangangeveki okanye ezingaphezulu sihlandlo ngasinye.

Ezinye Iindibano Ezingasokuze Zilibaleke

Indibano eColumbus, eOhio, ngoJulayi 24-30, 1931, ayisokuze ilibaleke. Kulapho kwenziwa isaziso sokuba siza kwaziwa ngegama elisekelwe eBhayibhileni elithi amaNgqina kaYehova. (Isaya 43:12) Ngaphambi koko, xa abantu babesibuza ngonqulo lwethu, sasisithi, “ABafundi BeBhayibhile Bezizwe Ngezizwe.” Kodwa oko kwakungasahluli kakuhle, ekubeni kwakukho abafundi beBhayibhile ababebandakanyeke kwamanye amaqela onqulo ahlukahlukeneyo.

Iqabane lam, uAgnes, latshata, yaye ndasala ndedwa; ngoko ndavuya xa kwenziwa isaziso sokuba abo bafuna amaqabane obuvulindlela bafanele baye kwindawo ethile. Apho ndadibana noBertha noElsie Garty noBessie Ensminger. Babeneenqwelo-mafutha ezimbini yaye babefuna uvulindlela wesine ukuba asebenze nabo. Sahamba kunye xa sisuka kwindibano, nangona sasingazange sidibane ngaphambili.

Ehlotyeni sasisebenza sonke isixeko sasePennsylvania. Kwandula ke, njengoko kwakufika ubusika, sacela izabelo kwiindawo zasemzantsi ezifudumeleyo zaseMntla Carolina, eVirginia naseMaryland. Ngentwasahlobo sabuyela emntla. Elo yayilisiko loovulindlela. Ngowe-1934, uJohn Booth noRudolph Abbuhl, nabo abalandela eli siko, bathabatha uRalph Moyer nomninawa wakhe uWillard besinge eHazard, eKentucky.

Ndandisele ndidibene noRalph kwizihlandlo eziliqela, yaye sazana ngakumbi ebudeni bendibano enkulu eWashington, D.C., eyayingoMeyi 30–Juni 3, 1935. Mna noRalph sasihleli kunye kwiveranda xa kwanikelwa intetho “ngendimbane enkulu,” okanye “isihlwele esikhulu.” (ISityhilelo 7:9-14) De kube lelo xesha sasikholelwa ukuba indimbane enkulu yayingamalungu odidi lwasezulwini olwalunokholo oluncinane kune-144 000. (ISityhilelo 14:1-3) Ngoko ndandingafuni ukuba ngomnye walo!

Xa uMzalwan’ uRutherford wacacisa ukuba abo bendimbane enkulu babeludidi lwasemhlabeni lwabantu abathembekileyo nabasinde kwiArmagedon, abaninzi bothuka. Wandula ke wacela bonke abo bendimbane enkulu ukuba baphakame. Noko ke, andizange ndiphakame, kodwa uRalph waphakama. Kamva, kwaqala ukusa engqondweni yam, ngoko ngowe-1935 yayingunyaka wam wokugqibela ndithabatha kwimifuziselo yesonka newayini kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu. Noko ke, umama waqhubeka ethabatha de wafa ngoNovemba 1957.

Iqabane Elihlala Lihleli

Mna noRalph saqhubeka sibhalelana. Ndandikhonza eLake Placid, eNew York, yaye yena wayesePennsylvania. Ngowe-1936 wakha inqwelo erhuqwayo eyayinokutsalwa yinqwelo-mafutha yakhe. Wayisusa ePottstown, ePennsylvania, wayisa eNewark, eNew Jersey, kwindibano eyaqhutyelwa apho ngo-Oktobha 16-18. Emva kocwangciso ngenye ingokuhlwa, abambalwa kuthi boovulindlela baya kubona inqwelo erhuqwayo kaRalph. Mna naye sasimi phakathi kuloo nqwelo ecaleni kwesinki encinane eyayakhelwe apho xa wandibuza, “Uyayithanda le nqwelo irhuqwayo?”

Xa ndanqwala intloko, wabuza, “Ngaba uyafuna ukuhlala kuyo?”

Ndaphendula ndisithi, “Ewe,” waza wandincamisa kamnandi ngendlela endingasokuze ndiyilibale. Kwiintsuku ezimbalwa kamva, safumana iphepha-mvume lomtshato. Ngo-Oktobha 19, usuku emva kwendibano, saya eBrooklyn saza sakhenketha izakhiwo zokushicilela zeWatch Tower Society. Kamva sacela isabelo sentsimi. UGrant Suiter wayesingatha intsimi, waza wabuza ukuba ngubani oza kuyisebenza. URalph wathi, “Siza kusebenza kuyo ukuba singatshata.”

UMzalwan’ uSuiter waphendula esithi: “Ukuba ningabuya ngentsimbi yesi-5:00 emva kwemini, singanilungiselela.” Ngoko ngobo busuku satshata ekhayeni leNgqina elithile eBrooklyn Heights. Satya isidlo nabahlobo abathile kwindawo yokutyela yasekuhlaleni saza sakhwela izithuthi zikawonke-wonke ukuya kwinqwelo erhuqwayo kaRalph eNewark, eNew Jersey.

Kungekudala emva koko, sasinga eHeathsville, eVirginia, isabelo sethu sokuqala singoovulindlela kunye. Sasebenza eNorthumberland County saza safudukela kwinqila yaseFulton neyaseFranklin ePennsylvania. Ngowe-1939, uRalph wacelwa ukuba enze umsebenzi wecandelo, umsebenzi esasiya kutyelela amabandla aliqela sijikeleza. Sasikhonza amabandla kwilizwe laseTennessee. Kunyaka olandelayo kwazalwa unyana wethu, uAllen, yaye ngowe-1941 umsebenzi wecandelo wapheliswa. Ngoko sabelwa eMarion, eVirginia njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Ngezo mini, oko kwakuthetha ukuchitha iiyure ezingama-200 ngenyanga kubulungiseleli.

Ukwenza Uhlengahlengiso

Ngowe-1943, ndakubona kuyimfuneko ukuba ndibuyeke ubulungiseleli bobuvulindlela obukhethekileyo. Ukuhlala kwinqwelo encinane erhuqwayo, ukunyamekela umntwana omncinane, nokulungiselela izidlo, ukugcina impahla yethu yonke icocekile nokuchitha iiyure ezingama-60 nyanga nganye kubulungiseleli kwakukuphela kwento endandinokuyenza. Kodwa uRalph waqhubeka enguvulindlela okhethekileyo.

Sabuyela eAlliance, eOhio, ngowe-1945, sayithengisa inqwelo erhuqwayo ebilikhaya lethu iminyaka esithoba, saza safudukela kwindlu esefama nabazali bam. Intombi yethu, uRebekah yazalelwa kanye apho kwindlu engaphambili. URalph waqalisa umsebenzi wesingxungxo edolophini waza waqhubeka enguvulindlela othe ngxi. Ndandisebenza efama yaye ndandisenza oko ndinokukwenza ukuze ndimncedise aqhubeke enguvulindlela. Nangona intsapho yethu yasipha umhlaba nendlu, uRalph wakwala oko. Wayefuna ukuhlala kungekho nto imxinileyo ukuze sikwazi ukusukela izilangazelelo zoBukumkani ngokuzeleyo.

Ngowe-1950 sabuyela ePottstown, ePennsylvania, saza saqesha indlu ngee-R25 ngenyanga. Kwiminyaka engama-30 elandelayo, irente yanyuka yaya kwii-R75 kuphela. Sasivakalelwa kukuba uYehova wayesinceda sigcine ubomi bethu bulula. (Mateyu 6:31-33) URalph wayesebenza iintsuku ezintathu ngeveki njengomchebi weenwele. Sasifundisisa iBhayibhile veki nganye nabantwana bethu ababini, sisiya kwiintlanganiso zebandla, yaye sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani njengentsapho. URalph ebekhonza njengomveleli owongamelayo kwibandla lasekuhlaleni. Ngokugcina ubomi bethu bulula, siye sakwazi ukwenza okuninzi enkonzweni kaYehova.

Ukulahlekelwa Liqabane Lam Elithandekayo

NgoMeyi 17, 1981, sasihleli kwiHolo yoBukumkani, siphulaphule intetho yesidlangalala. URalph waziva engaphilanga, waya emva kweholo, waza umlindi wandiphathela iphepha elithi uya ekhaya. Oku kwakungafani noRalph kangangokuba ndacela uthile andigoduse ngenqwelo-mafutha kwangoko. Kungaphelanga neyure uRalph wabulawa sistroke. Ekupheleni kwesifundo seMboniselo ngaloo ntsasa, kwenziwa isaziso ebandleni sokuba uswelekile.

Kuloo nyanga uRalph wayesele echithe ngaphezu kweeyure ezingama-50 kubulungiseleli. Wachitha iminyaka engaphezu kwama-46 kumsebenzi wexesha elizeleyo njengovulindlela. Waqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile nabantu abangaphezu kwekhulu abathi ekugqibeleni baba ngamaNgqina kaYehova abhaptiziweyo. Iintsikelelo zokomoya esazifumanayo zaba lulutho kunoko sakuncamayo ukutyhubela iminyaka.

Ndinombulelo Ngamalungelo Endiye Ndanawo

Kwiminyaka eli-18 edluleyo, bendiphila ndedwa, ndisiya kwiintlanganiso, ndishumayela kwabanye ngokwamandla am, yaye ndifundisisa iLizwi likaThixo. Ngoku ndihlala kwindlu yabantu abathabathe umhlala-phantsi. Ndinefanishala nje encinane yaye ndikhetha ukuba ndingabi naye umabonwakude. Kodwa ubomi bam buyonwabisa yaye ndityebile ngokomoya. Abazali bam nabakhuluwa bam bathembeka bada bafa, yaye oodade wethu ababini bayaqhubeka bethembekile kwindlela yenyaniso.

Ndiyavuya kuba unyana wam, uAllen, ukhonza njengomdala ongumKristu. Kangangeminyaka emininzi ebefakela izandisi-lizwi kwiiHolo zoBukumkani neeHolo zeNdibano yaye ebesebenza ngezandisi-lizwi kwiindibano zangehlobo. Umfazi wakhe ungumkhonzi othembekileyo kaThixo, yaye oonyana babo ababini ngabadala. Intombi yam, uRebekah Karres, uye wachitha iminyaka engama-35 kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, kuquka iminyaka emine kwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn. Yena nomyeni wakhe baye bachitha iminyaka engama-25 kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo eUnited States.

UYesu wathi uBukumkani bunjengobuncwane obufihliweyo obungafumaneka. (Mateyu 13:44) Ndinombulelo kuba intsapho yam yafumana ubuncwane kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo. Hayi indlela ekulilungelo ngayo ukukhangela emva kwiminyaka engama-80 ndizahlulele kwinkonzo kaThixo—ngaphandle kokuzisola! Ukuba ndinokuphinda ndiphile ubomi bam kwakhona, ndinokuphila ngendlela efanayo kuba, eneneni, ‘ububele bukaThixo bulungile ngakumbi kunobomi.’—INdumiso 63:3.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

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Siphulaphule intetho kaMzalwan’ uRutherford ngowe-1917 eAlliance, eOhio

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NdinoRalph phambi kwenqwelo erhuqwayo awayenzayo

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Ndinabantwana bam ababini namhlanje