Umsebenzi Omangalisayo

Iminyaka Engama-57 Yobomi Bokuba Ngumvangeli Wasemazweni

Ngokubaliswa NguEric Cooke

KWAKUMPONDOZANKOMO, ndandingqiyame ngomvalo wephenyane yaye ndondele elundini phayaa. Mna nomntakwethu sasisuke eSouthampton, eNgilani, ngorhatya oludluleyo ibe sasisinge eSaint-Malo, eFransi. Ngaba sasikhenketha? Akunjalo, sasinenjongo yokusa isigidimi soBukumkani bukaThixo eFransi. Sakuba sifikile eSaint-Malo, sathabatha iibhayisikile zethu saza sabhekisa imibombo emzantsi.

Ngaloo ndlela mna nomninawa wam uJohn sasiqalisa umsebenzi wobuvangeli basemazweni kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-57 edluleyo. Yintoni eyasikhokelela ukungenela inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo? Yintoni eyasikhuthazela ukubushiya ubomi obuzinzileyo kwikhaya elitofotofo lamaNgesi?

Oko Kwaphembelela Ubomi Bethu

Ngowe-1922 umama waya kwintetho yesidlangalala eyayinomxholo othi “Baphi Abafi?” Wachwayitiswa yiyo waza kungekudala waba ngumkhonzi kaYehova ozahluleleyo. Kodwa uTata wayengakholiswa koku. Wayelilungu laseTshetshi, ibe kangangeminyaka wayesiya nathi ecaweni ngentsasa yangeCawa ngoxa uMama wayesifundisa iBhayibhile ngemva kwemini.

Ngowe-1927 uJohn waba neminyaka eli-14 waza waqalisa ukuya ezintlanganisweni noMama nokuba nesabelo ekunikeleni ubungqina kwindlu ngendlu. Kodwa ndandisithi ndanelisekile, ndinomsebenzi omhle eBarclay’s Bank. Ukanti, ngenxa yokuhlonela uMama, ekugqibeleni ndaqalisa ukufundisisa iBhayibhile, kunye neempapasho zeWatch Tower Society. Emva koko, ndenza inkqubela ekhawulezileyo ngokomoya, ibe ngowe-1930 ndabhaptizwa.

Akuba esishiyile isikolo ngowe-1931, uJohn waqalisa ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo njengovulindlela. Xa wathi mandimpheleke kumsebenzi wobuvulindlela, ndawuyeka umsebenzi wam wasebhankini ndaza ndamthelela. Ukuzimisela kwethu komelezwa ligama lethu elitsha, amaNgqina kaYehova, esasisandul’ ukulifumana. Isabelo sethu sokuqala sasikwidolophu yaseLa Rochelle nakummandla oyingqongileyo kunxweme olungasentshona Fransi.

Ukuba Ngoovulindlela Abahamba Ngeebhayisikile EFransi

Ngoxa sasikhwele iibhayisikile sisuka eSaint-Malo sisinge emzantsi, sasivuyiswa kukubona amabhoma aseNormandy ama-apile sisezela ivumba elimnandi elalivela kumzi-mveliso wewayini eyenziwe ngama-apile. Sasingayicingi into yokuba unxweme olukufutshane neNormandy kwiminyaka eli-13 kamva, ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II, lwaluya konakaliswa ngamadabi anobutyadidi begazi ngohlobo olungazange lubonwe embalini; kunani khona ukwazi ukuba ubulungiseleli bethu bexesha elizeleyo babuya kuthabatha ithuba elide kangako. Ndamqhula uJohn ndisithi: “Ndicinga ukuba sinokuba ngoovulindlela kangangeminyaka emihlanu. IArmagedon ayinakuba kude kangako!”

Emva kweentsuku ezintathu sikhwele iibhayisikile, safika eLa Rochelle. Sobabini sasinofifana ngesiFrentshi, ngoko salifumana lula igumbi elincinane elinefanitshala. Sikhwele iibhayisikile zethu, sagubungela zonke iidolophana ezikummandla omalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-20, sisasaza uncwadi lweBhayibhile. Ngoko sadlulela kwesinye isixeko saza senza esezolo. Ayengekho amanye amaNgqina kuloo mmandla waseFransi.

NgoJulayi 1932, uJohn, owayefunde isiSpanish esikolweni, wathunyelwa nguMbutho ukuba asebenze umhlaba waseSpeyin. Ndaqhubeka kumzantsi Fransi ibe kangangeminyaka emibini ndisoloko ndifikelwa ngamaqabane awayevela eNgilani. Ngenxa yokuba lwalungekho olunye unxulumano namaNgqina, umthandazo nesifundo seBhayibhile esithe rhoqo yayizizinto ezibalulekileyo ukulondoloza ukomelela kwethu ebumoyeni. Kwakhona sasibuyela eNgilani kanye ngonyaka sisiyela iindibano ezazibakho minyaka le.

Ngowe-1934 sagxothwa eFransi. ICawa yamaRoma Katolika, ngoko eyayinempembelelo enamandla, yiyo eyabangela oko. Kunokuba ndibuyele eNgilani, ndathelela abanye oovulindlela ababini abangamaNgesi, ibe sasinga eSpeyin—sikhwele iibhayisikile zethu njengesiqhelo. Ngobunye ubusuku salala phantsi kwamanye amatyholo, ngobunye kwisitha sefula, ukanti ngobunye elunxwemeni lolwandle. Ekugqibeleni safika eBarcelona kumntla-mpuma Speyin saza sathelela uJohn, owasamkela ngezishushu.

Ucelomngeni LwaseSpeyin

Kwakungekho mabandla amaNgqina kaYehova eSpeyin ngelo xesha. Emva kokusebenza iinyanga ezimbalwa eBarcelona, saya eTarragona. Kulapho ke saqalisa ukusebenzisa okokuqala iphonograph ephathekayo namarekhodi eentetho ezimfutshane zeBhayibhile ngesiSpanish. Ezi ndlela zazisebenza gqitha, ngokukhethekileyo kwiikhefi nakwiindawo zikawonke wonke.

ELérida, ngakumntla-ntshona, sathelelwa liNgqina elalihlala kwanti, uSalvador Sirera. Likhuthazwe kukuhlala kwethu kuloo mmandla, lakhonza njengovulindlela okwexeshana. EHuesca, uNemesio Orus wasamkela ngezishushu ekhayeni lakhe elincinane elakhiwe phezu kwevenkile yakhe yeewotshi. Waba ngumntu wokuqala ukuba simqhubele isifundo seBhayibhile sekhaya, sisebenzisa enye yeencwadana zokuqala zoMbutho. Sasisiqhuba kangangeeyure ezimbalwa suku ngalunye, ibe kungekudala wasithelela njengovulindlela.

Kwisixeko esilandelayo esasisebenzayo, iZaragoza, saba novuyo lokunceda uAntonio Gargallo noJosé Romanos, abasebatsha ababesele beza kugqiba iminyaka yabo engamashumi amabini. Ngazo zonke iingokuhlwa babesiza kwigumbi lethu elincinane kwisifundo seBhayibhile esasisiqhuba kwincwadi ethi Government. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, bobabini basithelela kumsebenzi wobuvulindlela.

Ukutyholwa Ngokuba NgamaFasi

Ngeli thuba, kwakuqalisa inkathazo. Imfazwe yamakhaya yaseSpeyin yayiza kuqalisa, idabi apho amakhulu amawaka ayeza kuthi ekugqibeleni afe. Kwenye ilali ekufutshane neZaragoza, mna noAntonio sangena ebunzimeni. Umfazi owamkela iincwadana zethu waziphazamisa nezokusasaza ubuKatolika waza wasityhola ngokuthi singamaFasi. Sabanjwa saza sasiwa kwisikhululo samapolisa. Usajini wabuza, “Nenza ntoni kule lali? Abantu balapha bangamaKomanisi kwaye abawuthandi umbutho wamaFasi!”

Emva kokuba siwuchazile umsebenzi wethu, wayanelisekile. Ngobubele wasinika isidlo sasemini waza wasicebisa ukuba sithi nyebelele sihambe kule lali ebudeni bethuba lokuphumla langemva kwesidlo sasemini. Kodwa ekundulukeni kwethu sasilindwe lihlokondiba labantu. Lwaluthabatha lonke uncwadi lwethu. Kwakukubi. Noko ke, saba nombulelo, kuba usajini wafika waza wathetha nalo ngobuchule eli qela. Walanelisa xa wathi uza kusisa eZaragoza ukuze sibonane nabasemagunyeni. Apho wasithethelela kwigosa lesixeko, ibe sakhululwa.

NgoJulayi 1936, xa kwaqalisa imfazwe yamakhaya, uAntonio wakwala ukulwela imikhosi kaFranco ibe wagwetyelwa ukufa. Olunjani lona uvuyo ekuya kuba lulo xa mna noJohn siya kumamkela eluvukweni size kwakhona sibone olo ncumo lwakhe luhle!

Ukubizwa NjengamaKomanisi EIreland

Kungekudala nje phambi kokuba imfazwe yamakhaya iqhambuke, mna noJohn sabuyela eNgilani ukuya kwikhefu lethu eliqhelekileyo esasilifumana minyaka le. Imfazwe eyayikho ngoko yasenza asakwazi ukubuyela eSpeyin, ngoko saba ngoovulindlela kangangeeveki eziliqela eKent, kufutshane nekhaya lethu eliseBroadstairs. Kwandula ke kwafika isabelo sethu esilandelayo—eIreland. Umongameli woMbutho, uJoseph F. Rutherford, walungiselela ukuba siye apho size sisasaze iphecana elikhethekileyo elalinomxholo othi You Have Been Warned. Kwakungekho mabandla kumzantsi Ireland, kuphela yayingamaNgqina ambalwa akumhlaba okwanti.

Ngeli thuba, ngenxa yempembelelo yabefundisi bamaKatolika, satyholwa ngelokuba singamakomanisi—iintshaba zequmrhu ebesityholwa ngalo eSpeyin! Kwathi ngenye imini iqela lamaKatolika elalinomsindo lambonzeleka endlwini esasihlala kuyo, lathabatha iibhokisi zoncwadi lwethu, laza lazitshisa. Satsala nzima kwiziganeko ezininzi ezifanayo ngaphambi kokuba sibuyele eNgilani ngehlobo lowe-1937.

IMfazwe Yehlabathi II Nokuya EGiliyadi

Xa kwabakho amarhe ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi II ngoSeptemba 1939, uJohn wayekhonza eBordeaux, eFransi, ibe ndandingumveleli webandla eDerby, eNgilani. Bambi oovulindlela, kuquka uJohn, owathi wandithelela, babekhululwe enkonzweni yesinyanzeliso yasemkhosini, kodwa abanye, njengam, abazange bakhululwe. Ngoko ebudeni bemfazwe ndandiquqa ndibuyelela entolongweni. Kwakufuneka unyamezelo ukuze sixhathise iimeko ngaloo mathuba eemfazwe nokuvalelwa, kodwa sasisazi ukuba abazalwana bethu eYurophu babekwimeko enzima ngokungakumbi gqitha.

Emva kwemfazwe umongameli omtsha weWatch Tower Society, uNathan H. Knorr, watyelela eNgilani waza walungiselela oovulindlela abathile ukuba baye kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi kumntla New York, ukuze baqeqeshelwe ubuvangeli basemazweni. Ngoko ngoMeyi 1946 mna noJohn sasinqumla iAtlantiki sikwinqanawa iLiberty eyayakhiwe ngethuba lemfazwe.

Iklasi yesibhozo yaseGiliyadi yayiyeyokuqala eyathi ngokuyinyaniso yaba yeyezizwe ngezizwe. Anjani wona ukufudumez’ intliziyo amava okufundisisa nokunxulumana namagqala oovulindlela ebudeni beenyanga ezintlanu! Ekugqibeleni, kwafika umhla wokuthweswa kwethu izidanga, ibe ekugqibeleni saxelelwa iindawo zezabelo zethu. Ndabelwa eMzantsi Rhodesia, ngoku eyaziwa njengeZimbabwe, ibe uJohn wathunyelwa ePortugal naseSpeyin.

Inkonzo Yobuvangeli Basemazweni EAfrika

Ndafikela eKapa, eMzantsi Afrika, ngoNovemba 1947. Elinye iphenyane lalithwele abo ndandinabo eklasini uIan Fergusson noHarry Arnott. Kungekudala uMzalwan’ uKnorr wafika eze kutyelela eli lizwe, ibe saya kwindibano eyayiseRhawutini. Ngoko saya emntla kwizabelo zethu—uIan waya eNyasaland (ngoku eyiMalawi), uHarry waya eMntla Rhodesia (ngoku eyiZambia), mna ndaya eMzantsi Rhodesia (eZimbabwe). Ngexesha elifanelekileyo uMbutho waseka isebe, ibe ndanyulwa njengomveleli wesebe. Sasinamabandla ali-117 awayenabavakalisi abamalunga nama-3 500 kwelo lizwe.

Kungekudala kwafika abavangeli basemazweni abane abatsha. Babelindele ukuba isabelo sabo sasikwindawo enezindlu zodaka, iingonyama ezigqumayo ebusuku, iinyoka eziphantsi koomandlalo neemeko zokuba semva ngokwezempucuko. Kunoko, bafikela kwindawo ekukho kuyo izitrato ezinemithi esemacaleni eneentyatyambo yakwaBulawayo, izinto zanamhla ezenza ukuphila kube mnandi, nalapho kukho abantu abalungele ukuphulaphula isigidimi soBukumkani, nto leyo abayibiza ngokuthi yiparadisi yoovulindlela.

Uhlengahlengiso Lobuqu Kwiinkalo Ezimbini

Xa ndabhaptizwayo ngowe-1930, ndandinolwazi oluncinane ngokubhekisele kwabo babeza kuphila ubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni. Ngoko mna noJohn saba nenxaxheba ekudleni ngethuba leSikhumbuzo njengoko wonk’ ubani wenzayo ngoko. Kwanangowe-1935, xa “isihlwele esikhulu” seSityhilelo isahluko 7 sachazwa njengodidi lwasemhlabeni ‘lwezimvu,’ asizange siyiguqule indlela esasicinga ngayo. (ISityhilelo 7:9; Yohane 10:16) Kwandula ke ngowe-1952, IMboniselo kwiphepha 63 yapapasha inkcazelo yomahluko phakathi kwabo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni nabo banethemba lokuphila ezulwini. Saqonda sasingenalo ithemba lokuphila ezulwini, kodwa ukuba sasinethemba lokuphila kumhlaba oyiparadisi.—Isaya 11:6-9; Mateyu 5:5; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4.

Yiyiphi enye into ekwakufuneka uhlengahlengiso kuyo? Ndandiya ndisiba nomdla ongakumbi kuMyrtle Taylor, owayesebenza nathi kangangeminyaka emithathu. Njengoko kwakucacile ukuba wayevakalelwa ngendlela efanayo neyam nokuba sobabini sasiyixabisa ngokunzulu inkonzo yobuvulindlela basemazweni, ndamgana saza satshata ngoJulayi 1955. UMyrtle uye wangqineka engumfazi onenkxaso.

Ubulungiseleli EMzantsi Afrika

Ngowe-1959 uMzalwan’ uKnorr watyelela uMzantsi Rhodesia, ibe mna noMyrtle saphinda sabelwa eMzantsi Afrika. Kungekudala saqalisa uhambo lokuya kwisabelo sam somsebenzi wesiphaluka. Ezo yayiziintsuku ezimnandi. Kodwa ndandiya ndisiba mdala, yaye impilo kaMyrtle yayisiya isibangela inkxalabo ethile. Emva kwethuba elithile sasingenako ukumelana nesantya somsebenzi wesiphaluka, ngoko saseka ikhaya labavangeli basemazweni eKapa saza sakhonza khona kangangeminyaka ethile. Kamva, saphinda sabelwa eThekwini, eNatala.

Isabelo sethu apho saba seChatsworth, uhlanga olukhulu lwamaIndiya. Esi yayisisabelo esitsha phakathi kwisabelo sasemzini—ucelomngeni lokwenene kuthi njengabavangeli basemazweni abakhulileyo. Xa safikayo ngoFebruwari 1978, kwakukho ibandla lamaNgqina angama-96, inkoliso ingama-Indiya. Kwanyanzeleka ukuba sifunde indlela abacinga ngayo ngonqulo abantu abangamaHindu size siqonde amasiko abo. Indlela yokungena eyasetyenziswa ngumpostile uPawulos ekunikeleni ubungqina eAtene yasebenza njengomzekelo oluncedo kuthi—IZenzo 17:16-34.

Iintsikelelo Zokuba Kwinkonzo Yobuvangeli Basemazweni

Ngoku ndineminyaka engama-78 ubudala, ndineminyaka engama-57 ndikwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni. Hayi indlela ekukhuthaza ngayo ukubona ulwando olumangalisayo kumazwe endandikhonza kuwo! IFransi iye yafikelela i-100 000 labavakalisi boBukumkani, iSpeyin inabangaphezu kwama-70 000, yaye uMzantsi Afrika uye wanolwando olususela kwi-15 000 ekufikeni kwethu ukuya kwabangaphezu kwama-43 000.

Lutsha, ngaba iimeko zenu ziyanivumela ukuba ningenele ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo? Ukuba kunjalo, ndinokuniqinisekisa ukuba bungowona msebenzi mhle. Kungekuba kuphela buyinkuselo kwiingxaki nezilingo ezehlela abantu abaselula namhlanje kodwa bunokuxonxa ubuntu benu ukuze nihambisane nemigaqo kaYehova yobulungisa. Elinjani lona ilungelo abanalo abaselula nabakhulu lokukhonza uYehova ngoku!

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Umhambi ufikela kwigumbi lokuphekela eliyintente likaMyrtle Cooke