UYehova Uye Waba Ligwiba Lam Nenqaba Yam

Ngokubaliswa nguMargaret West

KHAWUZITHELEKELELE uhlala kwinqaba apho uKumkanikazi uAnna Sophie waseDenmark wathweswa khona isithsaba ngonyaka we-1721. Eli khaya lokuhlala intsapho kakumkani ngethuba lasehlotyeni nelineepaki ezintle, yayilikhaya lam ndisengumntwana. Amagumbi aqheleqhele, izinyuko ezide namaphahla awayenemizobo yamagcisa amandulo aseFransi, nto ezo ngelo xesha ezazibonakala zinjengezo badla ngokuphupha ngazo abanye.

Kumgama nje ongephi ukusuka kwinqaba kwakukho esinye isakhiwo, esasisihle ngakumbi, kodwa iminyaka engama-30 ndikwesi sakhiwo yabuphucula ngakumbi ubomi bam. Esi sakhiwo sasiyiBheteli yaseDenmark, iofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova eDenmark.

Kodwa mandiqale ndikuxelele indlela endeza ngayo ukuza kuhlala kwiNqaba yaseFrederiksberg ECopenhagen. Utata wayengumphathi-mikhosi waseDenmark, ehlohla kwisikolo sasemkhosini esikomkhulu laso lalikwinqaba. Esi sikhundla samenza yena nentsapho yakhe baba nelungelo lokuhlala kulo mmandla ukhethekileyo. Kwintombazanana, obu yayibubomi bentsomi, ukuba ngaphakathi kwale mida yommandla omhle ukhuselekile kwingozi. Ndandicinga ukuba le mihla imnandi nechulumancisayo yobuntwana yayingenakuze iphele. Kodwa eli phupha laphela ngentlekele ngemini endingasokuze ndiyilibale ngowe-1921.

Thina bantwana sabizelwa egumbini lokulala likatata. Ndambona ethe tywa phaya ekhangeleka emthwebeshu kakhulu ebeke izandla zozibini phezu kweshiti. Umama wasigona. Ugqirha wethu, owayesecaleni komandlalo, wayekhangeleka elusizi. Ngelizwi lomtshakazi umama wathi: “Uyihlo uswelekile.” Ndaqala ndacinga oku: ‘Akunakwenzeka! Ubesandul’ ukugula.’ Yayingamava akhwankqisayo kumntwana oneshumi leminyaka. Ngoko ndandingenalo nofifi lokuba oku kufa kulusizi kwakuza kundikhokelela ekuqondeni injongo yobomi.

Ukufa kukatata kwathetha inguqulelo enkulu kubomi bethu. Le nqaba yayiyindawo yokuhlala esasiyinikwe ngokwaseburhulumenteni, ngoko kwakufuneka ukuba uMama afumane enye indawo yokuba sihlale. Yayilixesha elinzima, yaye ukusinceda silibale ngala mava abuhlungu, umama wenza okuthile okwakhwankqisa intsapho yakuthi nabahlobo. Wasikhupha sonke esikolweni, ibe sahamba ngenqanawa sikhenketha iYurophu unyaka wonke.

Uphando Luyavuzwa

Noko ke, xa sabuyela ekhaya eDenmark ukufa kukaTata kwakusesisisongelo kuthi, yaye uMama waqhubeka ezibuza oku izihlandlo ezininzi, Kungani? Kungani? Kungani? Ukuze afumane impendulo, waqalisa ukuphanda kwiintandabulumko zaseMpuma, kodwa azizange ziyanelise ingqondo yakhe eyayifuna okusengqiqweni. Ngoko wagqiba ekubeni aphethukele eBhayibhileni, ecinga ukuba isenokuba neempendulo ezithile. Njengoko ethabatha iBhayibhile kwithala leencwadi, wabona incwadi ebomvu ecaleni, ncwadi leyo angazange ayibone ngaphambili. Yayibizwa ngokuba yiThe Divine Plan of the Ages. Umnakwethu wayesandul’ ukuyithenga kuMfundi weBhayibhile owayesityelele.

Umama waqalisa ukuyifunda le ncwadi yaye ngokukhawuleza weyiseka kukuba wayeyifumene impendulo kwimibuzo yakhe. Ngeli xesha, ndandifunda eFransi, kodwa xa ndabuyela ekhaya ndize kwiholide iinyanga ezimbalwa kamva, uMama ngemincili wandixelela ngokuthile okuxabisekileyo awayesandul’ ukukufumana. Wandixelela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo—uBukumkani obuya kulawula phezu kwawo wonke umhlaba buze buphelise zonke iimfazwe, uBukumkani obuya kuzisa iintsikelelo ezingenakubaliswa kuluntu, kuquka nokuvuswa kwabafileyo. Kwakumangalisa oko. Ekugqibeleni safumana nto ithile eligwiba nxamnye nokuthandabuza nakukungaqiniseki.

Xa ndaya kulala ngobo busuku, ndathandaza okwesihlandlo sokuqala ebomini bam. Sasingazange sibe yintsapho enqulayo kodwa esikolweni sasifundiswe uMthandazo weNkosi. Ngoko ndithandaza ndaqalisa ukucengceleza lo mthandazo. Xa ndafika kumazwi athi, “Mabufike ubukumkani bakho . . . ,” intliziyo yam yaphantse yagqabhuka luvuyo. Ekugqibeleni ndakuqonda oko ndandikucela! Sekudlule iminyaka engamashumi amathandathu, kodwa ndisalukhumbula kakuhle uvuyo olungachazekiyo endaba nalo ngobo busuku.

Emva kokugqiba esikolweni eFransi, ndaya eNgilani kangangonyaka ukuze ndiqhelisele ulwimi endandilufunda lwesiNgesi. UMama wayeye agxininise athi: “Intombazana ifanele ifunde iilwimi, inkwenkwe ifunde izibalo.” Ekugqibeleni, ndafunda iilwimi ezintlanu, ezazizezona zixabisekileyo zonke yaye kwiminyaka kamva ndandisoloko ndimbulela ngokufuthi uMama ngokundinika eli thuba.

Xa ndafika eNgilani, ndafumanisa ukuba uMama wayefake incwadi ethi U-Hadi luka-Tixo esutikheyisini yam. Ndayifundisisa ngenyameko ndaza ndaqalisa ukunikela ubungqina ngezinto endandizifunda oko ndikwenza kwintsapho yamaNgesi endandihlala nayo. Ngesinye isihlandlo omnye osisalamane kule ntsapho watyelela eli khaya, ngoko ndanikela ubungqina nakuye. (Ndandisiya ndisiba nobuchule ‘ekudlaleni imitya elishumi yolu “hadi”.) Njengokuba eli nenekazi lafuna incwadi eyeyalo, ndabhalela iofisi yesebe yeWatch Tower Society eseLondon, ibe yandalathisela kubazalwana basekuhlaleni.

Ngaloo ndlela ndaqalisa ukunxulumana neli qela lincinane eWickford, e-Essex, elaliqhuba iintlanganiso zalo kwikhaya lomnye waBafundi beBhayibhile. Kwenye yeentlanganiso, kwenziwa isaziso sokuba ngeCawa elandelayo kwakuza kubakho “uhambo lokubethwa ngumoya” yaye nam ndamenywa. Ndakhangela phambili kuhambo olwalubangel’ umdla lokuya kwiindawo zasekuhlaleni ezisemaphandleni kodwa xa ndafikayo, kwathandazwa ibe ndanikwa uncwadi ndaza ndakhutshwa nodade osele ekhulile ukuya kushumayela!

Emva kokubuyela eDenmark, ndaqhubeka ndinxulumana naBafundi beBhayibhile, ndaza ndabhaptizwa ngowe-1929. Amava endingasokuze ndiwalibale ngawendibano eyayiseCopenhagen ngowe-1931. Kukule ndibano apho sathi safumana igama elithi amaNgqina kaYehova. Ukuze kwaziswe abalawuli ngeli gama, intetho kaMzalwan’ uRutherford nesigqibo esalandela emva koko nesamkelwa endibanweni zapapashwa kwincwadana ethi The Kingdom, the Hope of the World. Sasiza kuyisasaza ngokobuqu kubo bonke abantu abazizityebi ekuhlaleni kuquka abagwebi, amagosa karhulumente, oosomashishini abaziwayo nabo bonke abefundisi.

Inenekazi Eliselula Nobhishophu

Ukumkani waseDenmark wafumana owakhe umbhalo kubaphulaphuli awayethetha nabo umveleli wesebe. Ndanikwa intaphane yeencwadana ndawonye neemvulophu ezinamagama neekhelingi zabantu endandiza kubatyelela kweli phulo. Igama lokuqala kuludwe landothusa kunene. Yayingubhishophu omi kakuhle waseLuthere owayesaziwa kakhulu ngokuchasa amaNgqina kaYehova.

Lo bhishophu wayehlala kwindawo ekhethekileyo yaseCopenhagen, yaye xa ndankqonkqozayo, ndimele ndivume ukuba ndaziva ndimncinane nangobude bam obuyimitha enye enesiqingatha. Umqeshwa waluvula ucango, wandiqal’ entloko waya kuphum’ ezantsi emangalisiwe, waza wabuza oku: “Uxolo, ufuna ntoni?” Ndaphendula ngokuqinileyo ndathi, “Ndiyabulela, ndifuna ukuthetha nobhishophu.” Umama wayendiboleke idyasi entle eyenziwe ngesikhumba setakane legusha ukwenzela esi sihlandlo, yaye mhlawumbi oku kwamqinisekisa umqeshwa ukuba isicelo sam sifanele sivunywe kuba emva kokuma ixesha elide elabonakala ngathi ngunyaka onesiqhuma, wathi: “Khawume nje kancinane.” Ngokukhawuleza wabuya waza wandipheleka sihamba kwipaseji ende, wavula ucango, ibe emva kwedesika enkulu kwakuhleli ubhishophu. Yayingumfo omde, osisigantsontso. Wandijonga waza wandincumela ngobubele.

Ndazikhumbuza ukuba Lowo usemva kwam mkhulu kunalowo wayephambi kwam, ndamchazela injongo yotyelelo lwam ndaza ndamnika imvulophu. Wayithabatha waza emva koko wayijula phezu kwedesika ngokungathi kusemlilweni. Waxhuma, wandibamba ngesandla waza wandindlandlathekisa ngomva ngaloo paseji inde ukuya kumnyango wangaphambili. Wambakraza ucango, kodwa ndahlekela ngaphakathi. Incwadana yayiphezu kwedesika yakhe; umsebenzi wam ndandiwenzile.

Ngowe-1933 ndaqalisa ubuvulindlela, njengoko ndandivakalelwa kukuba leyo yindlela efanelekileyo yokukhonza uYehova ngokuzele ngakumbi. Unyaka kamva ndatshatwa nguMzalwan’ uAlbert West, umzalwana oliNgesi owayabelwe ukusebenza eDenmark iminyaka eliqela ngaphambili. Sakhonza kunye kwiBheteli yaseDenmark kangangeminyaka engama-30.

Ukuhlaselwa NgamaNazi

UAprili 9, 1940, lusuku endingasokuze ndilulibale. Ndavuswa sisandi senqwelo-moya engangxamanga ngentsimbi yesithandathu eyayibonakala ngathi ibhabha kanye phezu kwentloko. Kwakusenzeka ntoni? IDenmark yayililizwe elingundilele. Ngaphandle, abantu babehlanganisene ezitratweni, bexokozela, imeko yayixhalabisa. Emva koko unomathotholo wavakalisa oku: “IDenmark iye yathinjwa yimikhosi yamaJamani.”

Ingxaki eyabakho zisuka nje yaba kukuba kwakuza kwenziwa ntoni ngoncwadi esasilugcine esakhiweni. Abazalwana baseCopenhagen benza izinto ngokuphapha nangobulumko obumangalisayo. Ngokukhawuleza iincwadi zasasazwa kubazalwana basekuhlaleni, ibe iingxelo zesebe zagciniswa kudade ophaphileyo osele ekhulile, owazigcina phantsi kwebhedi ngoxa kwakusagquba imfazwe.

Enye ingxaki yayikukuba kwakuza kwenziwa ntoni ngeencwadana ezingama-350 000 ezazisandul’ ukufika. Kwagqitywa ekubeni zisasazwe ngoko nangoko. Ndandingenakuze ndikholelwe ukuba umntu unokwenza umsebenzi omninzi kangako ngeentsuku nje ezimbini. Konke oku kwenziwa ngendlela yokungawakrokrisi amajoni amaJamani awayehambahamba ezitratweni. Xa ayedlula, sasizama ukuwenza acinge ukuba sasibuka nje impahla kwiivenkile ezazilapho. Bonke abazalwana, abaselula nabakhulu, babenesabelo kolu sasazo lumaxhaphetshu, yaye emva kolo hlaselo lwephanyazo olwathabatha iiyure ezingama-48, zonke iincwadana zazisezandleni zabantu.

Ebudeni bomsebenzi wokuhlasela, lwaqhawulwa lonke unxibelelwano nekomkhulu laseBrooklyn, kodwa umthombo wokudla kokomoya awuzange utshe. Kwakukho umzalwana omnye okanye ababini ababesebenza kumsebenzi ophathelele imicimbi yamazwe yaye umthwalo wabo wawungahlolwa. Njengokuba babethabatha uhambo oluthe rhoqo lokuya eSweden, babekwazi ukusizisela IMboniselo ngolwimi lwaseSweden. Ndandinofifana ngolwimi lwaseSweden, ngoko ndabelwa umsebenzi wokuguqulela nkupho nganye kulwimi lwaseDenmark. Kwakulucelomngeni olutyhafisayo, kodwa ndazigcina ndixakekile ndifunda kangangoko ndandinako. Ngale ndlela, sasiyifumana rhoqo IMboniselo ngalo lonke eli thuba lemfazwe.

Enyanisweni, saside sikwazi nokuthumela imibhalo yolwimi lwaseDenmark kubazalwana abaseNorway. Iibhokisi zamaqanda ezazithunyelwa ngokuthe rhoqo ukwenzela abaseburhulumenteni bamaNazi zazithunyelwa zivela eDenmark zisiya eNorway. Sasinako ukusongela amaqanda ngamaphepha eMboniselo yolwimi lwaseDenmark, ekwakuthi ke abazalwana baseNorway bawasuse ngobunono ngaphambi kokuba amaqanda anikwe amaJamani.

Ukuhlangana Okungaqhelekanga

Ebudeni bemfazwe, uMzalwan’ uEneroth, owayesisicaka sesebe eSweden, wafumana imvume yokutyelela eDenmark, yaye uAlbert waya kumkhawulela esikhitshaneni. Xa uMzalwan’ uEneroth wehlayo kumgangatho wokungena enqanaweni, kwavela amagosa amabini aseburhulumenteni aza acela ukupheleka uAlbert noMzalwan’ uEneroth.

Basiwa kwiHotele eyiCosmopolite, enye yamakomkhulu asemkhosini omkhosi wamaJamani baza baqhutywa besisiwa kwiofisi ekumgangatho wesibini apho bahlangatyezwa ngumJamani owayenxibe nje iimpahla eziqhelekileyo. Ethetha nabo ngesiNgesi esicacileyo, wathi: “Njengokuba nisazi kakuhle, kukho imfazwe eqhubekayo. Ndingusomashishini osuka eHamburg yaye ndiye ndabelwa apha njengomhloli wemibandela ebhalwayo. Ndihlola lonke unxibelelwano lweWatchtower Bible Society [oluphakathi kweDenmark neSweden]. Lo msebenzi awundikholisi, kodwa andinalukhetho. Mandiyincome imbalelwano yenu, enyanisekileyo nekuhlaziyayo ukuyifunda. Aninakubuthelekelela ubuxoki endibufumana kwiincwadi zezinye iinkampani.”

Wabuza umbuzo kubazalwana. “Yintoni ibuyelo?” UAlbert wenza umboniso omfutshane ngendlela elenziwa ngayo ibuyelo, esebenzisa uMzalwan’ uEneroth njengomninindlu. Ngoko owaseburhulumenteni waluqukumbela udliwanondlebe ngokuthi: “Ndiyabulela manene, bendifuna nje loo nto.” Mhlawumbi le yayiyindlela awayeyala ngayo abazalwana ukuba balumke ngoko bakubhala ezincwadini zabo.

Isimemo Sokuya EGiliyadi

Ekupheleni kowe-1945, safumana isimemo esifudumeleyo sokutyelela esivela kuMzalwan’ uKnorr noHenschel. Ebudeni bolu tyelelo, mna noAlbert samenyelwa eGiliyadi kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower yaye saya kwiklasi ye-11 yesi sikolo sabavangeli basemazweni ngowe-1948. Emva koqeqesho lwethu lwaseGiliyadi, ndasebenza nomyeni wam owabelwa kumsebenzi wesiphaluka kangangeenyanga ezintandathu eMaryland, eVirginia naseWashington, D.C., ngaphambi kokubuyela eDenmark.

Iminyaka embalwa kamva, uAlbert wagula yaye ekugqibeleni eso sifo sachazwa njengomhlaza. Ndamonga kangangeminyaka elishumi ngoxa ndandisenza oko ndandinokukwenza njengomguquleli, de wafa ngowe-1963. Kunyaka olandelayo, ndajamelana nenye imbopheleleko efuna ukuqwalaselwa. Ngeli xesha umama wayeneminyaka engama-88 ubudala yaye efuna ubani oza kumjonga. Ngaloo ndlela, ndilusizi, kwafuneka ndiyishiye inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Umama waphila iminyaka eli-101 ibe waqhubeka ethembekile kwada kwasekufeni.

Ukudla Umhlalaphantsi Kodwa Ube Ngoxakekileyo

Ebudeni beminyaka yokugqibela kamama, sachithela iinyanga zasebusika eSpeyin. Ngoko xa wafayo, ndagqiba ekubeni ndihlale apho. Ndandifunde ulwimi lwaseSpeyin yaye ndavakalelwa kukuba ngale ndlela ndiya kuba ndikhonza intsimi yasemzini. Nangona ndandingenakwenza oko ndandinokuthanda ukukwenza, ngenxa yeminyaka yam nezinye iimbopheleleko, ndisakwazi ukukhonza rhoqo njengovulindlela.

Iminyaka engaphezu kwama-20 yokuphila kwam ndayichithela ekunyamekeleni umyeni wam owayegula nomama owayesel’ ekhulile. Noko ke oku andizange ndikujonge njengomthwalo. Ndandisoloko ndivakalelwa kukuba bobabini bafanele inkathalo enjalo nenyameko yaye ndakujonga njengenxalenye yenkonzo yam kuYehova, osoloko endinceda ukujamelana nosizi nezilingo ekwakufanele ndizinyamezele phantsi kweemeko ezinjalo.

Ngoku ndihlala kwigunjana elincinane, elahluke kwaphela kwinqaba echukumisayo endazalelwa kuyo. Kodwa izakhiwo azinakuze zizise unqabiseko njengokuba ndakufumanisayo oko ekukhuleni kwam. Kwelinye icala, ndiye ndafumana igwiba elikhulu nenqaba, engazange indidanise. Ngokwenyaniso ndinokuthi, njengokuba watshoyo umdumisi: “Hlathi [gwiba, NW] lam Mboniselo yam, Thixo wam, endikholose ngaye.”—INdumiso 91:2.