‘Indebe Yam Ibiphalala’
Ngokubaliswa nguTarissa P. Gott
“BEKUTHENI ize yenzeke le nto?” Mna nomyeni wam sabuza lo mbuzo njengoko sasihleli kwinqwelo etsalwa ngamahashe esasiyiqeshile sisingathe ezingalweni ibhokisi yomngcwabo encinane. Usana lwam oluyinkwenkwe lwalunehlaba esiswini lwaza lwafa kungadlulanga veki zininzi kuyaphi. Emva apho ngowe-1914, kwakungaziwa nto ingako yayinokwenziwa ngeso sifo. Kwakuyinto ebuhlungu gqitha ukuthanda usana kangangeenyanga ezintandathu, ukulubona luncuma nawe luze ke lurhiwulwe kukufa ezingalweni zakho. Intliziyo yam yayibuhlungu gqitha.
Umama wasityelela ngeli xesha losizi waza waqalisa ukusithuthuzela ngesigidimi seBhayibhile esingovuko. Sakuxabisa kakhulu oko. Okunjani ukukhululeka ngokweemvakalelo esaba nako nomyeni wam uWalter ukufunda ukuba kwakuya kwenzeka ukuba siphinde simbone uStanley omncinane.
Ngoko ndandingaqali ukudibana nenyaniso yeBhayibhile. Ngathuba lithile ngaphambili, ubawomkhulu wayefumene imiqulu yokuqala emithathu yeStudies in the Scriptures, eyayibhalwe nguCharles Taze Russell. Oko uBawomkhulu wayekufundile kuyo, ndawonye nofundisiso lweBhayibhile, kwamshukumisela ekubeni aye kushumayela. Oku kwabacaphukisa abefundisi basekuhlaleni, abathi bamgxotha kuzo zonke iicawa zaseProvidence, ekwiRhode Island. Nomama akazange aphinde aye ecaweni emva koko. Yena noBawomkhulu bathi ngoku baya kwiintlanganiso zaBafundi BeBhayibhile, kodwa andizange ndizikhathaze kangako ngenyaniso yeBhayibhile ngelo xesha.
Xa ndandine-16 leminyaka ubudala ndatshata nomnye umfana, uWalter Skillings, saza sahlala eProvidence. Sobabini sasikuxhalabele ukunxulumana nabantu abathanda iLizwi likaThixo. Nangona ngowe-1914 sasinentombi eneminyaka emithandathu ubudala, egama linguLillian, kwaba ngexesha lokufa kosana Iwethu oluyinkwenkwe esathi oko sasikuxelelwe ngumama malunga nenyaniso sakujonga nzulu. Kunyaka olandelayo, we1915, mna nomnyeni wam sabhaptizwa ngaBafundi BeBhayibhile. Sabhaptizwa ehlotyeni elunxwemini lolwandle olwalukufuphi. Ndandinxibe isambatho esiwunduwundu, esimnyama ngebala nesinentamo ejonge phezulu nemikhono emide, esahluke mpela kwimpahla yokuqubha yezi mini. Kakade ke, le yayingeyompahla yokuqubha yelo xesha kodwa yayilungiselelwe ngokukhethekileyo ukubhaptizwa.
Emva kokubhaptizwa kwethu, indlela esasiphila ngayo yaguquka. UWalter wasebenzela iNkampani yeGesi noMbane yaseLynn, yaye ngeemini zasebusika ezinengqele, wayethunyelwa kwiicawa ezahlukahlukeneyo ukuya kunyibilikisa umkhenkce kwimibhobho yazo yamanzi. Wayesithi ke alisebenzise ngokuyingenelo eli thuba ngokuthi abhale ebhodini yasecaweni izibhalo zeBhayibhile, zibhalo ezo zazibonisa oko kutshiwo yiBhayibhile ngokuziphatha okubi, ngoBathathu Emnye, ngesihogo njalo njalo.—Hezekile 18:4; Yohane 14:28; INtshumayeli 9:5, 10.
Sasiza Kuya Phi?
Ngowe-1916 uMzalwan’ uRussell, owayengumongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society wafa, yaye kwabonakala ngathi kwakuchithakele yonke into. Ngoku inkoliso yabo babebonakala bomelele elukholweni, bezinikele ngako konke eNkosini, yaqalisa ukumka. Kwacaca mhlophe ukuba abanye babelandela umntu kunokuba balandele uYehova noYesu Kristu.
Abadala ababini ababesongamela ibandla lethu bathelela iqela labachasi baza ngaloo ndlela baba ngamalungu odidi ‘lomkhonzi okhohlakeleyo.’ (Mateyu 24:48) Konke oku kwabonakala nje kungalunganga, kanti ke kwakuqhubeka yaye kwakusikhathaza kakhulu. Kodwa ndazibuza oku: ‘Ngaba ibingeyiyo le ntlangano athe uYehova wayisebenzisa ukuze sikhululeke kubukhoboka bonqulo lobuxoki? Asikungcamlanga kusini na ukulunga kwakhe? Ukuba singayishiya ngoku, singaya phi? Ngaba asingepheleli ekulandeleni abanye abantu?’ Sasingasiboni isizathu sokuba sasimele sihambe nabo bawexuki, ngoko sahlala.—Yohane 6:68; Hebhere 6:4-6.
Intlekele Iyehla Kwakhona
Umyeni wam wahlaselwa ngumkhuhlane waseSpeyin, waza ngomhla wesi-9 kuJanuwari we-1919 wafa, ngoxa nam ndandilaliswe phantsi kwaseso sifo. Ndachacha koko kugula kodwa uWalter ndandimkhumbula gqitha.
Ekubeni uWalter wayengasekho, kwafuneka ndiye kusebenza, ngoko ndawuthengisa umzi wam ndaza ndahlala nodade wokomoya. Impahla yendlu ndayigcinisa kwikhaya lomnye udade eSaugus, eMassachusetts. Unyana wakhe, onguFred A. Gott, wathi kamva waba ngumyeni wam wesibini. Ngowe-1921 satshata, yaye kwithuba leminyaka emithathu eyalandelayo, saba ngabazali bakaFred noShirley.
Imbambano Yokukhahlelwa Kwendwe
Kamva, xa uFred noShirley babefunda kwisikolo sikawonke wonke, kwabakho imbambano yokukhahlelwa kwendwe. Le mbambano yayibangelwa ziimfundiso zeBhayibhile ‘ezingokubaleka ukubusa izithixo.’ (1 Korinte 10:14) UMzalwana oselula weBandla laseLynn akazange avume ukukhahlela indwe nokuthetha amazwi esifungo sokuzithoba kuyo. Ingaphelanga inyanga abantwana abasixhenxe bebandla lethu bagxothwa esikolweni, phakathi kwabo kwakukho uFred noShirley.
Ndimele ndivume ukuba samangaliswa noko kukuba abantwana bethu bathi bema ngokuqinileyo ngolo hlobo esikolweni. Kakade ke, sasibafundisile ukuba balihlonele ilizwe nendwe, yaye sasikwabafundise nemithetho kaThixo emalunga nokungaqubudi kwimifanekiso eqingqiweyo nakwizithixo. Njengabazali, sasingakuthandi ukugxothwa kwabantwana bethu esikolweni. Kanti ngenxa yokuba le mbambano yayinyanzelisiwe, kwabonakala kukokona kufanelekileyo ukuba baxhase uBukumkani bukaThixo. Ngoko ekuthelekiseni izinto, saqonda ukuba abantwana bethu babesenza okulungileyo nokuba ukuba sasithembele ngoYehova yonke into eyenzekayo yayiya kwenza ukuba kungqinelwe igama lakhe.
Ukumiselwa KweSikolo SoBukumkani
Ngoku umbuzo yayingulo, Babeza kuyifumana njani imfundo abantwana bethu? Kangangexesha elithile salinga ukubafundisa ekhaya ngazo naziphi na iincwadi zesikhokelo esasinokuzifumana. Kodwa mna nomyeni wam safumana ubunzima ngaloo nyaka wokuqala wesikolo njengoko sasizama ukufundisa abantwana bethu ababini. Umyeni wam wayephangela ngalo lonke ixesha, yaye mna ndandihlamba impahla ndize ndiyolule ukuze ndifumane imali yokongeza kumvuzo weveki ngeveki. Ukongezelela koko, ndandimele ndinyamekele unyana oneminyaka emihlanu ubudala, uRobert.
Kanye kweso sithuba, ngentlakohlaza yowe-1936, uCora Foster, omnye udade wasebandleni owayeyititshalakazi kangangeminyaka engama-40 kwizikolo zikawonke wonke zaseLynn, wathi wagxothwa emsebenzini wakhe ngenxa yokungavumi ukukhahlela indwe nokufunga okwakusenziwa ngabafundisi-ntsapho nokwakuthandwa gqitha ngelo xesha. Ngoko kwenziwa amalungiselelo okuba uCora afundise abantwana ababegxothiwe esikolweni nokuba ikhaya lethu lisetyenziswe njengendawo yeSikolo SoBukumkani. UCora wenza ukuba ipiyano yakhe ithunyelwe ngenqanawa kwikhaya lethu ndawonye neencwadi zesikhokelo ezaziza kusetyenziswa ngabantwana, yaye wambi amakhwenkwe aqinileyo enza iidesika ngamaplanga ebhokisi zeeorenji nangamanye angamacwecwe ancanyathiselweyo. Saqalisa ukufundisa ekwindla lonyaka olandelayo kukho abantwana abalishumi.
Unyana wam omncinane, uRobert, waqalisa imfundo yakhe ngokufunda ibanga labaqalayo kwiSikolo SoBukumkani. URobert ukhumbula oku, “Phambi kokuqalisa izifundo zethu zemihla ngemihla, iSikolo SoBukumkani sasivulwa ngengoma yoBukumkani yonke imihla, size ke sibe nesifundo seMboniselo seveki elandelayo kangangesiqingatha seyure.” Ngelo xesha uMbutho wawungayibhali imibuzo yeziqendu zenqaku elifundwayo, ngoko kwaba yimbopheleleko yabantwana ukuphakamisa imibuzo yeziqendu eyayiza kusetyenziswa kwintlanganiso yebandla.
UCora wayengumfundisi-ntsapho ozinikeleyo. URobert ukhumbula oku, “Xa ndandinonkonkonko,” yaye isikolo savalwa de kwadamba eso sifo sosulelayo, “udade Foster wayetyelela ikhaya lomfundi ngamnye aze amnike umsebenzi wasekhaya.” Phezu kwako nje ukuzinikela kwakhe, maxa wambi kumele ukuba wayeziva ekruqukile, kuba kwakuye kunyanzeleke ukuba afundise bonke abafundi bamabanga ali-12 kwigumbi elinye. Kwathi kuphela unyaka wesihlanu sivuliwe iSikolo SoBukumkani kwikhaya lethu, kwabe sekukho abafundi abangama-22 abasihambayo.
Umkhethe Nokwenzelwa Ububele
Imbambano yokukhahlel’ indwe ayizange izise izilingo nengcinezelo kuphela, kodwa yakwabangela ukubhengezwa kwethu okugqithiseleyo kwiphephandaba nakunomathotholo. Kwakuyinto eqheleke kakhulu ukubona abantu abathabath’ imifanekiso yabantwana phambi kwekhaya lethu njengoko babevela kwiSikolo SoBukumkani. Inkoliso yabamelwane bethu, ababenobuhlobo kakhulu ngaphambili, ngoku yaba nobutshaba. Yayikholelwa ukuba abantwana bethu babenze into embi kakhulu ngokwala ukukhahlela indwe yaseMerika. Babesithi, ‘Ngaba eli lizwe asililo na elininika isonka nebhotolo?’ Babengasixabisi isibakala sokuba ngaphandle kwenyameko kaYehova, kwakungayi kubakho sonka nabhotolo.
Kwelinye icala, kwakukho abanye ababeziqonda izizathu ezenza ukuba senjenjalo baza basixhasa. Xa abantu abaselumelwaneni bathi bagwayimbela ukuthenga kwivenkile ethengisa ukutya neyayiphethwe ngumveleli owongamelayo webandla lethu, umntu othile owayesisityebi nowayenomdla kwinkululeko yoluntu wathenga ukutya okuninzi kule venkile waza wabela ngesisa bonke abazalwana abasebandleni lethu.
Unyana wam uRobert akazange avunyelwe ukuya kwisikolo sikawonke wonke de kwaba ngowe-1943, xa iNkundla ePhakamileyo yelaseUnited States yathi yaguqula imbono yayo ngokuphathelele imbambano yokukhahlelwa kwendwe.
‘Indebe Yam Ibiphalala’
Hayi indlela endathi ndonwaba ngayo xa ndathi ndabona uRobert ezahlulela kuYehova waza wabhaptizwa kwindibano eyayiseSt. Louis ngowe-1941. Kwakukuloo ndibano inye, abathi bonke abantwana bam abathathu baba nelungelo lokuba phakathi kwabantwana abaninzi abathi bafumana ngesisa umbhalo wobuqu wencwadi ethi Children kuMzalwan’ uRutherford, owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Society ngoko.
Ngowe-1943 unyana wam omkhulu uFred wangenela ubulungiseleli bobuvulindlela bexesha elizeleyo. Noko ke, oku kwaqhubeka iinyanga ezimbalwa, kuba kwakusiliwa iMfazwe Yehlabathi II, yaye uFred wayekubudala bokubizelwa emkhosini. Xa inkundla yamatyala yasekuhlaleni eyayibizela abantu emkhosini yathi yasigatya isicelo sakhe sokuba angayi emkhosini ngenxa yobulungiseleli, wathi kamva wagwetywa iminyaka emithathu kwintolongo yaseDanbury, eConnecticut. Ngowe-1946 wakhululwa, yaye waphela loo nyaka engumsebenzi wexesha elizeleyo kwikomkhulu lehlabathi leWatch Tower Society eBrooklyn, eNew York, apho wanandipha iqela leminyaka esenkonzweni. Ngoku ungumveleli, ukhonza nentsapho yakhe eProvidence, kwiSiqithi iRhode.
Ngowe-1951 uRobert, naye, wamenyelwa eBheteli, yaye usahleli khona unanamhla nowakwakhe uAlice. Naye, ukwangumveleli kwibandla elikwisiXeko saseNew York.
Kwakhona kukho intombi yam ethandekayo uShirley, osele ekhaya. Wasinyamekela sobabini nomyeni wam de umyeni wam wafa ngowe-1972; ukususela ngoko ebesoloko eyintuthuzelo enkulu kum. Ngokwenene andazi ukuba bekuya kuba yini na ukuba ebengekho, kodwa ndiyambulela uYehova ngenxa yothando nokuzinikela kukaShirley.
Ngoku ndineminyaka engama-95 ubudala, yaye ithemba lenkqubo entsha kaYehova liqaqambe ngaphezulu kunanini na ngaphambili. Maxa wambi ndiye ndizive sele ndisithi, “Akwaba bendinamandla endandinawo kwiminyaka edluleyo.” Andisakwazi ukuya kwindlu ngendlu, kodwa lo gama ndisakwazi ukuthetha, ndiya kuqhubeka ndimdumisa uYehova. Namhlanje ndilixabisa ngakumbi eli lungelo kunokuba ndakha ndalixabisa ebomini bam bonke. Ewe, ‘indebe yam ibiphalala.’—INdumiso 23:5.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]
ISikolo SoBukumkani siqhutyelwa kwikhaya lethu ebudeni beminyaka yee-1930
[Umfanekiso okwiphephe 23]
UTarissa Gott ekunye noRobert, uShirley noFred