‘Banoyolo Bonke Abo Basoloko Belindele KuYehova’

NGOKUBALISWA NGUDOMENICK PICCONE

Ebutsheni beyee-1920 abazali bam bafuduka eItali baya eUnited States baza ekugqibeleni bahlala eMzantsi Filadelfi, eyayisaziwa ngelo xesha ngokuba yiLittle Italy. Ngowe-1927 babenxulumana naBafundi BeBhayibhile, abathi kamva baziwa ngokuba ngamaNgqina kaYehova.

NDAZALWA ngowe-1929 ndaza ngaloo ndlela ndafundiswa inyaniso yeBhayibhile kwasebusaneni. Ndisakhumbula ukuba amaNgqina ayehlanganisana ekhaya ngaphambi kokuba aphume ukuya kushumayela kwiidolophu zamaRoma Katolika awayezinikele kunqulo lwawo nezazikwimimandla yasePennsylvania eyayinemigodi yamalahle, apho abazalwana babebanjwa khona izihlandlo ezininzi. Ndabhaptizwa ngowe-1941 kwindibano yamaNgqina kaYehova eSt. Louis, eMissouri. Zaqala ke izinto ukungahambi ngandlela.

Ndaqalisa ukunxulumana nolutsha lwaselumelwaneni olwaluziinjubaqa ndaza ndaqalisa ukutshaya nokungcakaza ezimbombeni zezitrato. Ngethamsanqa, abazali bam babona ukuba ndandiza kuboyisa baza bagqiba kwelokuba bafudukele komnye ummandla wedolophu. Ndandingaxolanga, ekubeni ndaphulukana nabo bonke abahlobo bam basesitratweni. Noko ke, namhlanje ndiyacinga ngako oko ndize ndivakalelwe ndimbulela kakhulu utata. Wazifaka ezindlekweni ezinkulu ukuze andikhuphe kuloo meko yayindingqongile. Ngoxa ngaphambili wayesiya ngeenyawo emsebenzini, ngoku kwakufuneka ethabathe uhambo olude ngololiwe ohamba ngaphantsi komhlaba. Kodwa oku kufuduka kwandibuyisela kwimeko-bume yobuthixo.

Imbewu Yobuvangeli Basemazweni Ihlwayelwe

Phantse nyaka ngamnye, sasisiya eMzantsi Lansing, eNew York, sisiya kubona abaphumeleleyo kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi. Ukubona abo bavangeli basemazweni bethunyelwa ehlabathini jikelele kwahlwayela entliziyweni yam umnqweno wenkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni. Ngoko ke, emva kokuba ndiphumelele kwisikolo semfundo ephakamileyo, ndabhalisa njengomlungiseleli onguvulindlela othe ngxi, ukususela ngoMeyi 1947.

Omnye uvulindlela oselula ebandleni lethu yayinguElsa Schwarz, ibe wayenenzondelelo gqitha emsebenzini wokushumayela. Abazali bakhe babesoloko bemkhuthazela ukuba abe ngumvangeli wasemazweni, ngoko usenokuwuthelekelela umphumo. Satshata ngowe-1951. Ngoxa sasikhonza kunye njengoovulindlela ePennsylvania, senza isicelo sokuya kwisikolo sabavangeli basemazweni saseGiliyadi. Ngowe-1953 samenyelwa kwiklasi yama-23 yaseGiliyadi. Emva kweenyanga ezintlanu sifundisisa yaye silungiselela ngenyameko eGiliyadi, saphumelela kwindibano yaseToronto, eKhanada, yaye safumana isabelo sethu—iSpeyin!

Iingxaki ESpeyin

Ngoxa sasilungiselela ukunduluka siye kwisabelo sethu sobuvangeli basemazweni ngowe-1955, mna noElsa sasinemibuzo emininzi. ISpeyin! Kuya kuba njani apho? Elo lizwe lalilawulwa nguzwilakhe ongumKatolika uMphathi-mkhosi uFrancisco Franco, yaye umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wawuvaliwe. Sasiya kumelana njani neemeko ezinjalo?

Abazalwana kwikomkhulu loMbutho eliseBrooklyn babesixelele ukuba uFrederick Franz, owayengusekela mongameli weWatch Tower Society ngelo xesha, noAlvaro Berecochea, umvangeli wasemazweni owayevela eArgentina, babebanjiwe, kunye nabanye abazalwana abaninzi. Kwalungiselelwa indibano efihlakeleyo emahlathini kufutshane neBarcelona. Noko ke, amapolisa ayevile ngaloo ndibano ifihlakeleyo yaye abamba abantu abaninzi ababekho.a

Sasixelelwe ukuba mhlawumbi kwakungayi kubakho mntu wayenokusikhawulela xa sifika eBarcelona. Sayalelwa oku: “Funani ihotele, nize nazise uMbutho eNew York ngekhelingi yayo.” Sawagcina engqondweni amazwi kaIsaya athi: “Hayi, uyolo lwabo bonke abalindele [kuYehova]. Iindlebe zakho zive ilizwi ngasemva kwakho lisithi, Nantsi indlela; hambani ngayo.” (Isaya 30:18, 21) Kuphela sasifanele sisoloko silindele kuYehova size silandele ukhokelo lwentlangano yakhe.

Sababulisa abazali nabahlobo bethu abeza eNew York ukuza kuthi ndlela-ntle kuthi, yaye kungekudala inqanawa esasiza kuhamba ngayo, uSaturnia, yaba seyisehla ngoMlambo iHudson ijolise kwiAtlantiki. Ndagqibela ngoko ukumbona utata. Kwiminyaka emibini kamva, ngoxa ndandisemazweni, wafa emva kokugula ixesha elide.

Ekugqibeleni safika kwisabelo sethu, isixeko esikwichweba lolwandle saseBarcelona. Izulu lalimathumb’ antaka, kusina, kodwa njengoko sasiphumela kwiindawo zokuhlola iincwadi zabantu abavela kwamanye amazwe, sabona ubuso obabuzele luncumo lovuyo. UAlvaro Berecochea, ekunye nabazalwana abathile baseSpeyin, wayeze kusikhawulela. Sasivuya ngokwenene kukwazi ukuba abazalwana bethu babekhululiwe.

Ngoku kwakufuneka sifunde ulwimi lwaseSpeyin. Ngezo mini abavangeli basemazweni babezifunda nzima iilwimi—zingekho iincwadi okanye abahlohli bokubanceda. Ngelo xesha zazingekho izifundo zolwimi. Kwakufuneka sifikelele isisikelo seeyure emsebenzini wokushumayela yaye ngoxa sisemsebenzini sasifanele sifunde ulwimi.

Ukushumayela Phantsi Kolawulo Lobuzwilakhe LwamaKatolika

Ngelo xesha intlangano kaYehova yayisencinane eSpeyin. Ngowe-1955 kwakukho incopho yabavakalisi abangama-366 kwilizwe labantu abanokuba zizigidi ezingama-28. Kulo lonke elo lizwe kwakukho kuphela amabandla alishumi. Ngaba kwakuya kuhlala kunjalo ithuba elide? Mna nowakwam sathi nje sakuqalisa ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu, safumanisa ukuba iSpeyin yayifana neParadisi kwabo babesasaza iindaba ezilungileyo. Ewe, abantu babeyilambele inyaniso.

Kodwa wawusenziwa njani umsebenzi wokushumayela, ekubeni wawuvaliwe? Ngokuqhelekileyo sasingatyeleli zonke izindlu kwisitrato esinye, okanye onke amagumbi esakhiweni. IBarcelona inezakhiwo ezininzi zamagumbi engqesho ezinemigangatho emihlanu nemithandathu, yaye sasiyalelwe ukuba siqale ukusebenza kumgangatho ophezulu size sisebenze ukuhla nayo. Mhlawumbi sasiya kungena kuphela kwigumbi elinye kumgangatho ngamnye okanye sasikwanokushiya imigangatho eliqela. Le ndlela yenza kwaba nzima ngakumbi ngamapolisa ukusibamba ukuba umninimzi ongasifuniyo wayewaxelela ngathi.

Iintlanganiso zebandla zaziqhutyelwa emakhayeni, amabandla ayebunjwe ngamaqela ezifundo sencwadi asusela kwamathathu ukusa kwamane. Oku kwenza ukuba isicaka sebandla sibe nako ukutyelela ngasinye kwezi zifundo zencwadi kube kanye ngenyanga. Umqhubi wesifundo sencwadi wayenembopheleleko yokuqhuba zonke iintlanganiso, ezaziqhutyelwa amaqela amancinane anabantu abasusela kwabali-10 ukusa kwabangama-20 ngeengokuhlwa ezimbini ezahlukahlukeneyo ngeveki.

Sasifanele sifunde indlela entsha yokuphila. Ngelo xesha kwakungekho malungiselelo amakhaya abavangeli basemazweni eSpeyin. Nanini na kunokwenzeka, sasihlala nabazalwana emakhayeni abo. Ukufunda ukupheka kwisitovu samalahle kwakungamava okwenene kuElsa! Ekugqibeleni saba nako ukuthenga isitovu esincinane separafini, nto leyo yayibonakalisa ukuba iimeko zaziya ziphucuka ngokuphucuka.

Ukutshutshiswa Nokugxothwa

Kungekudala seva ukuba iliza lentshutshiso laliqalisa eAndalusia, apho kwakubanjwe khona uvulindlela okhethekileyo. Ngelishwa, wayephethe incwadana eyayinamagama neekhelingi zabazalwana ababekuzo zonke iindawo zelo lizwe. Saqhubeka sifumana iingxelo zokuba abazalwana bethu babebanjwa kwiidolophu ngeedolophu. Ukugqogqa kwakusondela ngokusondela eBarcelona. Ekugqibeleni, intshutshiso yayigquba eBarcelona.

Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa ngaphambilana, amapolisa andisa kwiiofisi zawo ukuze andincine. Emva kweeyure eziliqela ndakhululwa, yaye ndandicinga ukuba ndandingayi kubuye ndikhathazwe. Ngoko iNdlu Yoonozakuzaku baseMerika yaqhagamshelana nam yaza yandicebisa ukuba ukuze ndiphephe ihlazo lokugxothwa kwelo lizwe, ndandifanele ndilishiye elo lizwe ndingaqhutywa mntu. Ngokukhawuleza emva koko, amapolisa asixelela ukuba sasifanele silishiye elo lizwe kwiintsuku ezilishumi. Ekubeni sasingenalo ixesha lokubhalela iWatch Tower Society, sasifanele senze ntoni? Kwabonakala ukuba iimeko zazibonisa kuba sasifanele siye kwintsimi ekufutshane yabavangeli basemazweni engaphandle kweSpeyin—iPortugal, ngasentshona.

Esinye Isabelo, Olunye Ulwimi

Sathi sakufika eLisbon, ePortugal, ngoJulayi 1957, sabelwa njengabavangeli basemazweni ePorto, idolophu ethe qelele ngasentla kweLisbon. Yayigqalwa ilikomkhulu lesibini lelo lizwe yaye yayikummandla odume ngewayini yawo ebomvu. Ibandla elinenkqubela laliziqhubela iintlanganiso zalo kwigumbi elingaphantsi kwesakhiwo esisembindini wedolophu. NasePortugal umsebenzi wokushumayela wawuvaliwe, njengoko elo lizwe lalilawulwa nguzwilakhe onguSalazar. Noko ke, iimeko zazahluke ngokupheleleyo kwezo zaseSpeyin. Iintlanganiso zaziqhutyelwa emakhayeni abazalwana, yaye amaqela ayesiba nabantu abasusela kuma-40 ukuya kwabangama-60. Kwakungekho nto ibonisa ukuba loo makhaya ayeziindawo zeentlanganiso zamaNgqina kaYehova. Nakubeni ndandingasithethi isiPhuthukezi, ndamiselwa njengesicaka sebandla. Kwakhona, salufunda nzima ulwimi olutsha.

Malunga nonyaka kamva, sabelwa ukuya kukhonza eLisbon. Apha, okwesihlandlo sokuqala, safumana indawo yethu yokuhlala, igumbi lengqesho elaliphezu kwesakhiwo kwidolophu yaseLisbon. Sabelwa ukuba sinyamekele isiphaluka—yonke iRiphabliki yasePortugal. Ekufikeni kwethu ePortugal, kwakukho abavakalisi abangama-305 namabandla amahlanu kuphela.

Ukuqala Kwexesha Lenkathazo

Kwezinye iimaphu ezibonisa iPortugal namathánga ayo, kwakukho umbhalo othi: “Ilanga alize litshone kummandla wamaPhuthukezi.” Oku kwakunjalo, ekubeni iPortugal yayinamathánga kwiindawo ezininzi zehlabathi, amabini kwawona makhulu yiMozambiki neAngola eAfrika. Ngowe-1961 kwabonakala ukuba kwakuvela iingxaki kula mazwe angamathánga, yaye iPortugal yakubona kuyimfuneko ukwandisa umkhosi wayo.

Ngoku, abazalwana abasebatsha babeza kwenza ntoni xa bebizelwa emkhosini? Bambi bayekwa ngenxa yokukhathazwa yimpilo, kodwa abaninzi babumela ngokomeleleyo ubundilele bobuKristu. Ngokukhawuleza kwaqalisa iliza elinamandla lentshutshiso. Isebe lafumana iingxelo zokuba oovulindlela abakhethekileyo babebanjwa yaye bebethwa kakubi ngamapolisa asebenza ngokufihlakeleyo, iP.I.D.E. (Polícia Internacional e Defesa do Estado) eyayikhohlakele. Abanye bethu abangabavangeli basemazweni babizelwa kwiiofisi zamapolisa ukuze bancinwe. Ngoko, izibini ezithathu zanikwa iintsuku ezingama-30 ukuze ziphume ziphele kwelo lizwe. Sonke sabhena.

Isibini ngasinye sabavangeli basemazweni sabizelwa kwiiofisi zamapolisa ukuze umlawuli weP.I.D.E. adlan’ indlebe kunye naso. Okokuqala, isicaka sesebe, uEric Britten nomfazi waso, uChristina, bancinwa. Kwandula ke kwalandela uEric Beveridge nowakwakhe, uHazel, yaye ekugqibeleni mna noElsa saphekwa sisophulwa ngemibuzo. Umphathi wamapolisa wasityhola ngokuba sasisetyenziswa ngamaKomanisi ukuze silisingele phantsi ihlabathi laseNtshona ngemfundiso yethu engobundilele. Ukubhena kwethu kwakulilize.

Hayi indlela ekwakubuhlungu ngayo ukushiya ngemva abazalwana noodade abali-1 200 bethubeleza phantsi kwamaxesha anzima ngenxa yolawulo olurhabaxa lozwilakhe ongenalwazelelelo! Ngoxa abakwaBeveridge baya eSpeyin baza abakwaBritten babuyela eNgilani, sasiya kuba phi isabelo sethu esilandelayo? KwiMorocco yamaSilamsi!

Ukushumayela KwiMorocco YamaSilamsi

Kwakhona, sasisoloko silindele kuYehova. Isabelo esitsha, amasiko angaqhelekanga nolwimi olutsha! IsiArabhu, isiFrentshi nolwimi lwaseSpeyin yayiziilwimi ezisemthethweni zoBukumkani baseMorocco, apho kwakukho khona amaNgqina angama-234 kumabandla asibhozo. Unqulo olwalusemthethweni kwelo lizwe yayilolwamaSilamsi, yaye ukulujongela phantsi ukholo lwamaSilamsi kwakungekho mthethweni. Ngoko sasinokushumayela ngokuyintloko kuphela kubemi abaMhlophe ababengengomaSilamsi.

Kwathi nje kwakufika abavangeli basemazweni ekupheleni kweyee-1950, ulwando lwabonakala. Kodwa urhulumente waseMorocco waqalisa ukubacinezela abantu abavela eYurophu, kwaza kwabakho ukufuduka okukhulu kwabemi basemzini, kuquka abazalwana abaninzi.

Njengokuba abemi bethu abangengomaSilamsi babencipha, safumanisa kunyanzelekile ngathi ukuba sifune iindlela zobuchule zokuthetha namaSilamsi, yaye oku kwakhokelela ekukhalazeni kwawo emapoliseni. Njengokuba izikhalazo zazivela ngokuvela eTangier nakwezinye izixeko, ekugqibeleni saxelelwa ukuba sasineentsuku ezingama-30 kuphela zokuba siphume siphele kwelo lizwe. NgoMeyi 1969, mna noElsa sagxothwa nakweso sabelo.

Ngaba Yayisisabelo Sexesha Elifutshane?

Saxelelwa ukuba sibuyele eBrooklyn, yaye ndamenyelwa ukuya kwintlanganiso yezicaka zesebe eyaqhutywa ngelo xesha lasehlotyeni. Ngoxa ndandilapho, ndaziswa ukuba isabelo sethu esitsha sasiya kuba yiEl Salvador, eMbindi Merika, yaye ndandiza kukhonza apho njengesicaka sesebe. Ndaxelelwa ukuba kwakusenokwenzeka ukuba oko kwakuya kuba kokwethuba elalinokuba yiminyaka emihlanu, elona xesha lide abavangeli basemazweni ababelivunyelwe ukuhlala kwelo lizwe, ekubeni umsebenzi wethu wawungamiselwanga ngokusemthethweni apho.

IEl Salvador—esinjani sona isabelo! Kwakukho abavakalisi abali-1 290, kuquka noovulindlela abali-114 ababenikela ingxelo epheleleyo nyanga nganye. Abantu balapho babemoyika uThixo, babeyithanda iBhayibhile yaye babenomoya wokubuk’ iindwendwe. Phantse kumnyango ngamnye, babesimema ukuba singene ngaphakathi ukuze sincokole nabo. Ngexesha nje elifutshane, saba nezifundo zeBhayibhile kangangoko sasinokuzinyamekela.

Njengoko sasibona ulwando nentswelo enkulu apho, savakalelwa kabuhlungu kukuba kwakuya kufuneka sisishiye esi sabelo emva nje kweminyaka emihlanu. Ngoko kwagqitywa ekubeni sifanele sizame ukuwubhalisa ngokusemthethweni umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova. NgoDisemba 1971 sabhalela urhulumente walapho, yaye ngoAprili 26, 1972, sachulumanciswa kukufunda kwiphephandaba laseburhulumenteni, iDiario Oficial, ukuba isicelo sethu sasamkelwe. Abavangeli basemazweni babengasayi kuhlala nje iminyaka emihlanu baze ke bahambe kodwa babenokuhlala ngokungasikelwanga mda kwelo lizwe.

Iimvavanyo Neentsikelelo

Ukutyhubela iminyaka sikwizabelo zethu ezahlukahlukeneyo, siye sazenzela abahlobo abaninzi abalungileyo saza sabona iziqhamo kubulungiseleli bethu. ESan Salvador uElsa waba namava amnandi angomfundisi-ntsapho nomyeni wakhe owayelijoni. Omnye umhlobo walo mfundisi-ntsapho naye waba nomdla enyanisweni. Ekuqaleni indoda ayizange ibonakalise umdla eBhayibhileni; kodwa, sayityelela ngoxa yayisesibhedlele, yaye yabonakalisa ubuhlobo. Ekugqibeleni yafundisisa iBhayibhile, yawuyeka umsebenzi wayo wasemkhosini, yaza yaqalisa ukushumayela kunye nathi.

Okwelo thuba, elinye inenekazi lafika kwiHolo yoBukumkani laza labuza uElsa enoba wayefundisisa nendoda eyayilijoni ngaphambili kusini na. Kwathi kanti lalithandana nayo! Nalo lalifundisisa iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova. Indoda eyayilijoni ngaphambili, umfazi wayo, umhlobo womfazi wayo nowayethandana nayo ngaphambili babhaptizwa bonke kwindibano yesithili!

Ulwando E-El Salvador

Ngenxa yolwando olukhulu, kuye kwakhiwa iiHolo zoBukumkani ezininzi, yaye ngoku elo lizwe linamaNgqina akhutheleyo angaphezu kwe-18 000. Noko ke, le nkqubela ayivelanga nje ngaphandle kweemvavanyo nezilingo. Kangangeminyaka elishumi, abazalwana babefanele benze ukuthanda kukaYehova phezu kwayo nje imfazwe yamakhaya. Kodwa babugcina ubundilele babo baza bahlala benyanisekile kuBukumkani bukaYehova.

Mna noElsa siye sakwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo kangangeminyaka engama-85 xa siyidibanisa. Siye safumanisa ukuba xa siqhubeka sindele kuYehova size silibazele iindlebe ‘ilizwi ngasemva kwakhe elithi, “Natsi indlela; hambani ngayo, nina bantu,”’ asisayi kudana. Ngokwenene siye sanandipha ubomi obubangela ulwaneliseko nobunik’ umvuzo njengabakhonzi bakaYehova bexesha elizeleyo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Picture of Domenick and Elsa Piccone on page 23]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

Indibano emahlathini eSpeyin, ngowe-1956

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Sasidla ngokushumayela kubantu ababengengomaSilamsi eMorocco

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

ISebe lase-El Salvador, isabelo esikuso ngoku