Ukunamathela Ngokusondeleyo Entlanganweni KaThixo

NGOKUBALISWA NGUROY A. RYAN

ISandhill, eMissouri, yathiywa ngokufanelekileyo, ekubeni yayinkudlwana kunenduli yentlabathi esemaphandleni angenabemi namqengqelezi. Le dolophana isesiphambukeni yayimi kumgama ongangeekhilomitha ezintlanu ukusuka kwintshona yedolophu yaseRutledge yaye yayinezindlu ezisibhozo okanye ezisithoba, icawa yaseWesile kunye nevenkile encinane yomkhandi weentsimbi. Ndazalelwa apho ngo-Oktobha 25, 1900.

UTATA wam wayengumkhandi weentsimbi waloo dolophana. Nangona abazali bam babengafane baye ecaweni, uMama waqalisa ukundithumela kwisikolo seCawa kwiCawa yaseWesile. Ndandingalithandi igama elithi umWesile, ndikholelwa kwelokuba umntu ufanelwe abizwe ngokuba ngumKristu; sekunjalo ndayinxanelwa inyaniso yeBhayibhile ndaza ndanomdla kubomi obungunaphakade.

Xa ndandineminyaka eli-16 ubudala, ndaya kusebenza kwisiporo sikaloliwe saseSanta Fe. Omnye waBafundi BeBhayibhile beZizwe Ngezizwe (njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayebizwa njalo ngoko) owayenguJim ngegama weza kusebenza kwiqela lethu elisebenza esiporweni, yaye mna naye ngokufuthi sasisebenza kunye. uJim wayedla ngokuncokola, yaye ndandikuphulaphula oko wayekuthetha ngeBhayibhile. Kwavakala kulungile kum, ngoko ndambuza enoba angandiboleka enye yeencwadi zakhe.

UJim wandiboleka umqulu wokuqala weStudies in the Scriptures, owapapashwa nguC. T. Russell weInternational Bible Students Association. Xa ndayibuyisayo, ndafuna ukuba andifunele imiqulu engakumbi. Kamsinya emva koko, uJim wawuyeka umsebenzi wasesiporweni sikaloliwe, yaye xa ndandiphinda ndimbona kwakukwisitrato saseRutledge, ebhalisa iiodolo zencwadi enemifanekiso enomxholo othi Scenario of the Photo-Drama of Creation. Kamva wandimemela kwiintlanganiso zeqela ezaziqhutyelwa ekhayeni lakhe. Cawa nganye, ndandihamba umgama oziikhilomitha ezintlanu ndisiya eRutledge ezintlanganisweni.

Xa iphephancwadi iGolden Age (ngoku elinguVukani!) laveliswayo ngowe-1919, ndafuna ukuqalisa kubulungiseleli basentsimini. Mna nomnye uMfundi weBhayibhile omtsha sasizimisele ukuhambisa eli phephancwadi litsha kwindlu ngendlu. Saziva sinoloyiko ngandlel’ ithile lokutyelela abantu kwidolophu yakuthi, ngoko ke sakhwela uloliwe saza saya kwidolophu ekufutshane. Xa safikayo ngaloo ntsasa, ingulowo wazihambela eyakhe indlela sinkqonkqoza kwiminyango ngeminyango de kwaba semva kwemini, nangona sasingaqeqeshwanga kulo msebenzi. Ndafumana iiodolo zemirhumo emibini, enye iyeyenye indoda endandisebenza nayo kwisiporo sikaloliwe.

Ngo-Oktobha 10, 1920, ndabhaptizwa kwelinye ichibi kufuphi naseRutledge. Abazali bam bakuchasa ukuzibandakanya kwam naBafundi BeBhayibhile Bezizwe Ngezizwe. Oku kwakungenxa yenkcaso eyabangelwa ngabefundisi nxamnye naBafundi BeBhayibhile ebudeni beminyaka yemfazwe yowe-1914 ukuya kowe-1918. Noko ke, kamva utata waqalisa ukuya kwezinye iintlanganiso zaBafundi BeBhayibhile, yaye wakwafunda neThe Golden Age. Ngaphambi kokuba afe, umama waba ngoyithanda ngakumbi indlela esasiyiqonda ngayo inyaniso yeBhayibhile. Sekunjalo akukho namnye kwintsapho yakowethu owakha wayenza yayeyakhe le nyaniso.

Ixesha Lokuvavanywa

Ngezo mini zamandulo, kwakukho nje abathathu ngaphandle kwam ababesiya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zesifundo seBhayibhile eRutledge. Ekugqibeleni aba bathathu bayishiya intlangano. Omnye wayesisithethi esisemagqabini, owayedla ngokunikela iintetho zesidlangalala zeBhayibhile kuloo mmandla. Noko ke, wazikhukhumalisa ngobuchule bakhe yaye wavakalelwa kukuba imthoba isidima into yokuba nesabelo ekushumayeleni kwindlu ngendlu njengokuba amaKristu okuqala enza njalo.—IZenzo 5:42; 20:20.

Xa aba bathathu bayekayo ukunxulumana naBafundi BeBhayibhile Bezizwe Ngezizwe, ndikhumbula ndisiba nemvakalelo awaba nayo umpostile uPetros ngexesha uYesu wayethetha nabantu ‘ngokudla inyama kaYesu nangokusela igazi lakhe.’ Bekhutyekiswe yimfundiso yakhe, abaninzi bamshiya ngeso sihlandlo. Ngako oko, uYesu wabuza abapostile oku: “Nani nifuna ukumka, yini na?” UPetros waphendula wathi: “Nkosi, sosuka siye kubani na? Nguwe onamazwi obomi obungunaphakade.”—Yohane 6:67, 68.

Nangona uPetros wayengakuqondi ngokupheleleyo oko kwakuthethwa nguYesu ‘ngokudla inyama kaYesu nangokusela igazi lakhe,’ waqonda ukuba uYesu wayenamazwi obomi. Leyo yaba yindlela endavakalelwa ngayo ngentlangano. Yayinenyaniso nangona ndandingasoloko ndiyiqonda ngokupheleleyo yonke into endandiyifunda kwiimpapasho. Sekunjalo, nanini na xa kwakuthethwa into endandingayiqondi, andizange ndiyiphikise. Kamva umbandela onjalo wawucaciswa, okanye ngamaxesha athile iimbono zazilungelelaniswa. Ndandisoloko ndivuya kuba ndandiye ndizilinde ngomonde iingcaciso ezinjalo.—IMizekeliso 4:18.

Ukuzilungelelanisela Ukuba Nguvulindlela

NgoJulayi 1924, ndaya kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe eColumbus, eOhio. IThe Golden Age yayichaza “njengeyona ndibano inkulu yaBafundi BeBhayibhile eyakha yakho ebudeni baloo minyaka.” Apho kwamkelwa isigqibo esichukumisayo esithi “Isimangalo.” Inkcazelo eyafunyanwayo nomoya owabonakaliswa kuloo ndibano wandikhuthaza ukuze ndibe ngumlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo, okanye uvulindlela.

Ekubuyeni kwam kuloo ndibano, ndawuyeka umsebenzi wam wasesiporweni sikaloliwe, yaye mna nomnye uMfundi WeBhayibhile endandikhonza kunye naye saqalisa ukukhonza njengoovulindlela kunye. Noko ke, emva kwesithuba sonyaka, imeko yempilo yabazali bam yaba maxongo ngokokude bafune uncedo lwam. Ndabuyeka ubuvulindlela ndaza ndafumana umsebenzi kwinkampani esebenza ngemibhobho, kodwa ekubeni abantu ababesebenza apho babengenampembelelo ilungileyo, ndawushiya loo msebenzi ndaza ndaqalisa ishishini lokukhulisa iinyosi ndize ndithengise ubusi.

Kukwindla lowe-1933, abazali bam bobabini bafa, bendishiya ndingenazimbopheleleko. Ngoko ngentwasahlobo yowe-1934, ndanikela iinyosi zam ezandleni zomnye umntu, ndakha inqwelana erhuqwayo ukuze ndihlale kuyo, ndaza ndaphinda ndaqalisa ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo njengovulindlela. Okokuqala ndasebenza neNgqina elikhulileyo kwingingqi yaseQuincy, eIllinois. Kamva ndabuyela eMissouri, apho ndathelela iqela loovulindlela.

Ngowe-1935 kwakukho imbalela enkulu kuMbindi-Ntshona, yaye ekubeni sasisebenza kummandla wezolimo kuphela, kwaba ngumsebenzi onzima. Akukho bani wayenemali, abantu babenombulelo kangangokuba babedla ngokusinika ukutya okanye ezinye izinto xa sibashiyela uncwadi.

Ukuvulindlela EMzantsi

Ngobo busika safudukela eArkansas sibaleka loo mozulu ibandayo. Sakwazi ukuhambisa uncwadi olungakumbi kuloo mmandla saza safumana izinto ezininzi ezinkonkxiweyo esasinokuzisebenzisa. Ngokufuthi sasizamkela nezinye izinto esasinokuzithengisa size sifumane imali, kuquka izinto ezindala ezenziwe ngesinyithi esimhlophe (aluminumware), izinto ezindala zexina okanye zobhedu, iiradiator zemoto kwakunye neebhetri ezindala. Oku kwasenza safumana imali yepetroli ukwenzela inqwelo-mafutha yam iModel A Ford, esasiyisebenzisa kubulungiseleli.

Sasebenza eNewton, kwisiphaluka saseSearcy naseCarroll kwiOzark Plateau eneentaba. Ndingatshonelwa lilanga ndibalisa amava esaba nawo xa sasishumayela phakathi kwabantu basezintabeni eArkansas. Ekubeni iindlela zazingekaphuculwa okanye zingekho kwaukubakho ngezo mini, umsebenzi wethu omninzi sasiwenza sihamba ngeenyawo. Abanye oovulindlela kwiqela lethu babedla ngokukhwela amahashe ukuze bafikelele abantu abakwimimandla ephezulu yasezintabeni.

Sakha seva ngenye indoda enomdla egama linguSam, esathi ekugqibeleni sayifumana indawo ehlala kuyo enkcochoyini yentaba. Yasamkela ngezandla ezishushu yaye yakuvuyela ukuba silale apho kunye nabo ngobo busuku. Nangona inkosikazi kaSam yayingenamdla kwisigidimi sethu, unyana wakhe one-16 leminyaka ubudala, uRex, wayenawo. Xa semkayo, uSam wasimemela ukuba sibuye kwakhona. Ngoko emva kweeveki ezimbini kamva, sahlala kunye nabo kwakhona.

Xa sasibashiya okwesihlandlo sesibini, yaba yinkosikazi kaSam eyasimema ukuba sibuye. Wathi saba nempembelelo entle kuRex. Wacacisa esithi: “Yinkwenkwana engenasimilo gqitha ethukayo, yaye andiqondi ukuba uye wathuka kakhulu emva kokuba nina benilapha.” Kwiminyaka kamva ndadibana noRex kwakhona xa wayeye kwisikolo sabavangeli basemazweni saseGiliyadi kuMzantsi Lansing, eNew York. Amava afana nala aye andibangela ndanolwaneliseko olukhulu kuyo yonke le minyaka.

Inkonzo YaseBheteli

Ngoxa ndandisenza isicelo sokuba nguvulindlela, ndakwacela nokukhonza kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eNew York, elibizwa ngokuba yiBheteli. Ngentwasahlobo yowe-1935, ndaziswa ukuba isicelo sam sasamkelwe nokuba kwakufuneka ndiye kwiFama YoBukumkani YeWatchtower Society eMzantsi Lansing, eNew York, ukuya kuqalisa inkonzo yam yaseBheteli. Ngokukhawuleza ndenza amalungiselelo okuba iNgqina endandikhonza kunye nalo lithabathe inqwelo yam yobuvulindlela erhuqwayo.

Ndaqhuba inqwelo-mafutha yam iModel A Ford ndisiya eNew York, yaye malunga necala emva kwentsimbi yeshumi ngentsasa yangoMeyi 3, 1935, ndafika. Ngesithuba sentsimbi yokuqala ngaloo mva kwemini, ndasiwa kumsebenzi wokucanda iinkuni. Ngosuku olulandelayo ndaxelelwa ukuba ndiye ederi ndize ndincede ekusengeni iinkomo. Ndasebenza ederi kangangeminyaka eliqela, maxa wambi ndisenga kusasa nangokuhlwa yaye emini ndisebenza namaqela asesitiyeni nawasemasimini. Ndakwanyamekela iinyosi ndize ndiphakule ubusi ukwenzela intsapho yaseBheteli. Ngowe-1953, ndatshintshelwa kwisebe lokwenza isonka samasi.

Omnye wabo baba nempembelelo kubomi bam ngenxa yomzekelo wakhe olunge gqitha wokuthobeka, ukunyaniseka nentobelo kuYehova yayinguWalter John “Pappy” Thorn. Wayengomnye waBafundi Bebhayibhile abangama-21 abamiselwa ngowe-1894 ukuba babengabahambi bokuqala ngezinto zonqulo—amadoda awayesenza umsebenzi ofana nalowo wabaveleli abahambahambayo namhlanje—betyelela amabandla aliqela ukuze bawakhuthaze. Emva kweminyaka emininzi ekumsebenzi wokuhambahamba, uMzalwana uThorn weza kwiFama YoBukumkani waza wasebenza ehokweni yeenkuku. Kwizihlandlo ezininzi ndandiye ndimve esithi: “Nanini na xa ndisuka ndizicingele gqitha ngesiqu sam ndisuka ndizifake ekoneni, ngokungathi kunjalo, ndize ndithi: ‘Ntondini ingento. Yintoni onayo ongazingca ngayo?’”

Enye indoda eyayithobekile eyaba ngumzekelo omhle kum yayinguJohn Booth, ngoku olilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova. Ubecatshulwa kule minyaka idluleyo njengothi: “Akubalulekanga kangako ukuba ukhonza phi na kodwa okubalulekileyo ngokwenene kukuba ukhonza bani na.” Ngamazwi acacileyo kodwa hayi indlela ayinyaniso ngayo! Ukukhonza uYehova kulelona lungelo likhulu kunawo onke!

Enye yeembalasane kwinkonzo yam yaseBheteli yayikukuvulwa kwesikolo sabavangeli basemazweni saseGiliyadi kwiFama YoBukumkani ngowe-1943. Ukunxulumana noovulindlela abavela kumazwe ngamazwe ngokwenene kwakuchulumancisa. Ngezo mini kwakubakho abafundi abanokuba likhulu kwiklasi nganye, ngoko rhoqo emva kweenyanga ezintandathu kwakufika abatsha abalikhulu kwiFama yoBukumkani. Ukuphumelela kwabo kwakudla ngokutsalela abantu abangamawaka kweli ziko lemfundo kwiifama ezisemaphandleni aseNew York.

Ukutshintshwa Komsebenzi

Xa isikolo saseGiliyadi safuduselwa eBrooklyn yaza indawo enkulu yokuhlala abantu nesakhiwo samagumbi okufundela esiseMzantsi Lansing zathengiswa, ideri yafuduselwa kwiiFama zeWatchtower eWallkill, eNew York. Ngoko kukwindla lowe-1969, ndatshintshelwa kwifama eseWallkill ndaza ndaqhubeka ndisenza isonka samasi kwada kwangowe-1983. Ngoko ndanikwa omnye umsebenzi, yaye ndaqalisa ukusebenza ekulungiseni umhlaba nasekunyamekeleni uhlaza.

Ngoxa kwakudliwanw’ indlebe nam kwixeshana nje elidluleyo, ndabuzwa ngento endandiyicinga ngokunikwa omnye umsebenzi emva kweminyaka engama-30 yokwenza isonka samasi. Ndathi ngokuphandle: “Akuzange kundikhathaze kuba kakade ndandingakuthandi ukwenza isonka samasi.” Ingongoma yayiyeyokuba singonwaba ekukhonzeni uYehova nakwesiphi na isabelo ukuba sigcina imbono elungileyo yaye silwamkela ngokuthobeka ulwalathiso olungokobuthixo. Ngoko nangona ndandingakuthandi ngokwenene ukwenza isonka samasi, ndasinandipha isabelo sam kuba sasinceda intsapho yaseBheteli. Ukuba sikhonza uYehova uThixo wethu ozukileyo, ngokuthembeka yaye singakhalazi, singonwaba nokuba sinasiphi na isabelo.

Kule minyaka yam yokugqibela, andiqondi ukuba ndingakwimeko elunge ngakumbi ngaphezu kokukhonza eBheteli. Ndinyanyekelwa kakuhle yaye ndikwazile ukuqhubeka ndifeza imisebenzi yam endiyabelweyo nangona ndineminyaka engama-90 ubudala. Kangangeminyaka emininzi ngoku, ndiye ndanelungelo lokumana ndisiba nesabelo ekongameleni kucwangciso lonqulo lwakusasa lwentsapho yaseBheteli apha kwiFama yeWatchtower. Njengokuba ndithi ndibe nethuba, ndikhuthaza abasebatsha eBheteli ukuba bawasebenzise ngokunengenelo onke amalungelo enkonzo abawanikwayo yaye bazifundise ukwaneliseka ngawo nokuwavuyela.

Kule minyaka idluleyo, ndiye ndakwazi ukutyelela ezinye iindawo kangangezihlandlo eziliqela—eIndiya, eNepal, kwiMpuma Ekude naseYurophu. Eli cebiso lilandelayo lisenokuba luncedo kwabo basemabandleni abantu bakaYehova ehlabathini lonke: Yonwaba uze waneliseke kwiimeko zakho zangoku uze ube nenkqubela yokomoya kuloo ndawo ukuyo.

Ndikhethe ukuhlala ndingatshatanga, ekubeni oko kuye kwandenza ndakwazi ukuqhubeka ndingaphazanyiswa nto enkonzweni yam kuThixo. Njengomvuzo wokuthembeka, uThixo wethu omkhulu usinika ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade. Kwabaninzi, oko kuya kuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade kwikhaya eliyiparadisi apha emhlabeni. Abanye bethu bakhangele phambili kubomi obungunaphakade emazulwini, sinyamekela nasiphi na isabelo esisinikwayo.

Abanye basenokucinga ukuba iminyaka yam engama-90 iye yaba bubomi obude nobutyebileyo. Ubomi bam bebutyebile kodwa bebungebude ngokwaneleyo. Ngokuhlala ngokusondeleyo nentlangano kaThixo nakumazwi akhe ayinyaniso, sinokubandisa ubomi bethu ngonaphakade.a

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Picture of Roy A. Ryan on page 24]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

UMzalwan’ uRyan kwiminyaka yobutsha bakhe emi ngakwiModel T Ford