“Isandla SikaYehova” Ebomini Bam
NGOKUBALISWA NGULAWRENCE THOMPSON
NGOBUNYE ubusuku ngowe-1946, mna nobawo sasihleli kwinqwelo-mafutha sibukele izikhanyiso zasentla (northern lights) zishukushukuma esibhakabhakeni. Sasithetha ngokuzuka kukaYehova nangendlela thina esibancinane ngayo. Sabalisa ngeziganeko ezenzeka ngeminyaka yokuvalwa komsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova eKhanada. UBawo wabethelela kum indlela uYehova awabaxhasa nawabakhokela ngayo abantu Bakhe ukutyhubela le minyaka.
NAKUBENI ndandineminyaka eli-13 kuphela, ndayixabisa inyaniso yoko uBawo wayekuthetha. Kwakhona wagxininisa ukungxamiseka nobukhulu bomsebenzi wokushumayela owawuseza kwenziwa. UBawo wacaphula iNumeri 11:23 waza wagxininisa ukuba, ngokwenene, isandla sikaYehova asize sibe sifutshane. Kuphela kukuswela kwethu ukholo nentembelo kuye okusikela umda oko aya kusenzela kona. Le yayiyincoko emnandi eyayiphakathi kobawo nonyana, endingasokuze ndiyilibale.
Ukufundisisa iimpapasho zeWatch Tower, ngokukodwa incwadi ethi Usindiso, eyapapashwa ngowe-1939, nako kwabuphembelela kakhulu ubomi bobutsha bam. Andisokuze ndiwulibale umzekeliso ochukumisayo okwisiqalo sayo: “Umphokoko wepasenjala ekhawuleza kunene ingumgando ngabakhweleyo kuyo, yayisisimbembetshane ngamendu alikhulu leemayile [iikhilomitha azili-160] ngeyure. Ekuthe xa yona imele ukunqamla umlambo phezu kwebhulorho eyayiligophe, kangangokuba abantu ababesemva bevelile babe nako ukuyibona intloko . . . Amadoda amabini awayekhwele emva ekulo ikalitshi lokubonisela . . . abona ukuthi isinqam sebhulorho kwicala elingaphesheya sitsha ngumlilo saye sesisiwa kuwo umlambo. Tyhini ke aqonda ukuthi wona ajongene nenkulu ingozi. Kambe ke, leyo yayiyingxako yenene. Wabe uloliwe engamiswayo ngexeshana ukusindisa imiphefumlo yalo olo ninzi olukhwele kuye na?”
Isebenzisa lo mzekeliso, le ncwadi yaqukumbela: “Ngokufanayo namhlanje, zonke izizwe nabantu belo ihlabathi bajongene nayo ingxaki enkulu kunene. Baye ke bona bevuswa njengoko uThixo ayalelayo, okokuba intlekele yayo i-Armagedon ilapha kanye kufuphi ngaphambili. . . . Ekubeni bevusiwe, ngamnye ngamnye oyalwe okanye ovuswe ngale ndlela umelwe kalokunje ikhondo aya kulithabatha.”
Uloliwe obalekayo, ibhulorho evuthayo nokungxamiseka komsebenzi wokushumayela zizinto ezahlala zihleli engqondweni yam.
Umsebenzi Wokushumayela Ekuqaleni
Ndaqalisa ukuba nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngowe-1938, xa ndandineminyaka emihlanu. UHenry noAlice Tweed, oovulindlela ababini (abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo), babedla ngokuhamba nam, ibe sasiye sichithe iiyure ezili-10 ukuya kwezili-12 ngosuku sithetha nabantu. Ndazinandipha ngokwenene ezo ntsuku ndandizichithela enkonzweni kaYehova. Ngoko ndavuya gqitha xa kunyaka olandelayo uTata noMama bandivumela ukuba ndibe ngumvakalisi ndize nam ndingenise ingxelo yomsebenzi wam.
Ngaloo mihla yangaphambili, sasisiba nenxaxheba kwimingcelele yokunikela inkcazelo, sisehla ngesitrato esikhulu sedolophu sinxibe iiplacards ezinamazwi awayebhenca unqulo lobuxoki nezazibhengeza ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Kwakhona sasisebenzisa iigramafoni eziphathwayo size sidlale izigidimi ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni kanye kwiminyango yabaninimzi. Sasiye sidlale iintetho zikaJ. F. Rutherford, umongameli weWatch Tower Society, ezinye zazo endandizazi ngentloko. Ndisawakhumbula amazwi akhe athi: “Ngokufuthi kuye kwathiwa, Unqulo lusisirhintyelo yaye lwenza imali ngobuqhetseba!”
Ukuvalwa Komsebenzi Wethu EKhanada
Ebudeni bemfazwe yehlabathi yesibini, umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wavalwa eKhanada, njengoko kwakunjalo kwiJamani yamaNazi nakwamanye amazwe. Ngoko sasisebenzisa iBhayibhile kuphela kodwa saqhubeka nomsebenzi wethu ogunyaziswe nguThixo sithobela imiyalelo yeBhayibhile. (Mateyu 28:19, 20; IZenzo 5:29) Safunda iindlela zokuhlangabezana nokugqogqa okwakusenziwa ngamapolisa kwiintlanganiso zethu nakumakhaya ethu. Kwakhona saba ziincutshe ekunikeleni ubungqina phambi kweejaji nasekuziphenduleleni ezinkundleni kwabo babesigocagoca ngemibuzo.
Mna nomkhuluwa wam uJim sasiziincutshe ekuphoseni iincwadana sikwiinqwelo-mafutha ezihambayo ziye kuwa phambi kweminyango nakwiiveranda. Ukongezelela sasisebenza njengabathunywa yaye, maxa wambi, njengabalindi ukunceda abo babenqumla umda ukuya kwiindibano eUnited States.
Indlu yasekhaya yayingaphandle kwePort Arthur (ngoku eyiThunder Bay), eOntario, kumhlaba oziihektare eziliqela ongqongwe yimithi namatyholo. Sasinemazi yenkomo, ithole, iihagu namantshontsho—zinto ezo ezaziwufihla kakuhle umsebenzi wethu wokunceda amaKristu aselula esasikhonza kunye nawo awayezingelwa ukuze avalelwe entolongweni ngenxa yokushumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo.
Ebusuku, iinqwelo-mafutha, iilori neenqwelwana ezirhuqwayo zikhwele amaKristu aselula zazidla ngokungena ziphuma kwiyadi yakowethu ekwanti. Sasilunika indawo yokuhlala, silufihle size silondle olu lutsha sandule ke siluyeke lugqithele phambili. Umama notata, kunye nabo basebenzi bokuqala, babengabakhonzi abazinikele ngomphefumlo uphela abaphembelela intliziyo yam eselula ukukhonza nokuthanda uYehova uThixo.
NgoAgasti 1941, ndahlulela ubomi bam kuYehova ndaza ndabhaptizwa kwichibi elincinane elaliphakathi ehlathini. Ebusuku iqela lethu lalihlanganisene kwindlwana eyayikhanyiswe ngesibane ukwenzela esi sihlandlo. Kuyabonakala ukuba amapolisa asikrokrela, aza aqalisa ukulinda, ngalo lonke elo xesha ekhangela echibini ngezibane, kodwa akazange asifumane.
Iinkalo Ezininzi Zenkonzo Yexesha Elizeleyo
Ngowe-1951, ndaphumelela kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo ndaza ndahamba umgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezili-1 600 ukuya kwisabelo sokuba nguvulindlela eCobourg, eOntario. Eli bandla lalilincinane, yaye ndandingenalo iqabane lobuvulindlela. Kodwa ndikhumbula ukuba isandla sikaYehova asisifutshane, ndaqesha igumbi, ndiziphekela, yaye ndandivuyiswa kukukhonza uYehova. Kunyaka olandelayo ndamenyelwa ukukhonza kwiofisi yesebe yeWatch Tower Society eToronto. Apho ndafunda izifundo ezininzi ezixabisekileyo ezandixhobisela inkonzo yoBukumkani yexesha elizayo.
Emva kokukhonza njengovulindlela eToronto ngaphezu konyaka, ndatshata noLucy Trudeau, ibe kubusika bowe-1954, safumana isabelo sokuya kuba ngoovulindlela eLevis, eQuebec. Imozulu yayiqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo, ukutshutshiswa ngamahlokondiba nangamapolisa kwakusoyikisa, ibe nokufunda ulwimi lwesiFrentshi kwakulucelomngeni. Kuko konke oko isandla sikaYehova sasingesifutshane, ngoko nangona kwakukho amaxesha anzima, safumana iintsikelelo ezininzi ngokufanayo.
Ngokomzekelo, sacelwa ukuba sibe liliso kwiinqanawa ezimbini (iArosa Star neArosa Kulm) uMbutho owawucebe ukuzisebenzisa ukuthutha iindwendwe ukuya kwiindibano ezinkulu zezizwe ngezizwe zaseYurophu ngowe-1955. Benqwenela ukuxhaswa nguMbutho, abaphathi benkampani yeenqanawa maxa wambi babebonakalisa ububele, nto leyo eyayibangela isiqabu esiluyolo kubulungiseleli obabunzima eQuebec ngelo xesha.
Ngokwindla lowe-1955, ndamenyelwa ukukhonza njengomveleli ohambahambayo, ibe sachitha obo busika sityelela amabandla akwanti akumntla weOntario obandayo. Kunyaka olandelayo saya kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi eUnited States, saza emva koko sathunyelwa eBrazil, kuMzantsi Merika, njengabavangeli basemazweni.
Sazibhokoxa kwisabelo sethu esitsha ibe kungekudala sakwazi ukushumayela nokufundisa ngolwimi lwesiPhuthukezi. Ekuqaleni kowe-1957, kwakhona ndabelwa ukusebenza njengomveleli ohambahambayo. Ngoku, endaweni yengqele eqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo yaseMntla, kwafuneka simelane nobushushu obugqithiseleyo. Amaxesha amaninzi kwakufuneka sime size sisuse intlabathi etshisayo kwizihlangu zethu okanye sikhe ummoba siwuntlantlathe ukuze sihlaziye amandla ethu. Kodwa zazikho iintsikelelo.
Kwidolophu yaseRegente Feijo, ndancokola nomphathi wamapolisa, ibe wayalela ukuba zonke iivenkile zivalwe waza waxelela wonke ubani ukuba aye kwibala lentengiso. Phantsi komthunzi womthi onamagqabi amakhulu nowawutyatyamba, ndanikela intetho yeBhayibhile kubo bonke abantu baloo dolophu. Namhlanje kukho ibandla lamaNgqina apho.
Ukukhulisa Abantwana Bethu EBrazil
Xa uLucy wakhulelwayo ngowe-1958, sahlala eJuiz de Fora saza sakhonza njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Ebudeni beminyaka emibini elandelayo, iintombi zethu, uSusan noKim, zazalwa. Zangqineka ziyintsikelelo yokwenene kubulungiseleli bethu, yaye zazithandwa gqitha kuloo dolophu. Njengoko sasiqhuba iinqwelana zazo kwezo zitrato zenziwe ngamatye ecobble, abantu babedla ngokuphuma ukuze bazibuke. Ekubeni kwakukho imfuneko enkulu yabavakalisi boBukumkani eRecife, ngezantsi nje kweikhweyita, safudukela kuloo ndawo ishushu ngokugqithiseleyo.
Ngowe-1961, andizange ndiququzelele iinqwelo-moya zokuhambisa amaNgqina aya endibanweni eSão Paulo nje kuphela kodwa nam ndabakho kuloo ndibano ingalibalekiyo. Noko ke, malunga nama-20 emizuzu isukile inqwelo-moya ngequbuliso yehlela emhlabeni, nto leyo eyabangela ukuba ababekhwele bawele macal’ onke. Ngaphakathi inqwelo-moya yayibubutyobo; izihlalo zazijijekile kwiindawo ezibotshelelwa kuzo, ibe abakhweli babegruzukile yaye besopha. Okonwabisayo kukuba, umqhubi wenqwelo-moya wakwazi ukuyilawula, ibe safika emhlabeni siphilile. Akukho namnye kuthi owayenzakele kakhulu ngokokude singakwazi ukuqhubeka nohambo lwethu lokuya eSão Paulo ngenye inqwelo-moya. Sanandipha indibano emnandi, kodwa ndazixelela ukuba andisokuze ndihambe ngenqwelo-moya kwakhona!
Noko ke, ekufikeni kwam ekhaya ndivela endibanweni, ndandilindwe sesinye isabelo. Ndandiza kunyamekela indibano eyayiza kuba phakathi kumahlathi aseTeresina, kwiLizwana lasePiauí. Ndandifanele ndikhwele inqwelo-moya ukuya apho. Ndisoyika ndinjalo, ndasamkela eso sabelo, ndithembele kwisandla sikaYehova.
Ngowe-1962 unyana wethu, uGreg, wazalwa eRecife. Nangona ndandingasenako ukuba nguvulindlela kuba ngoku intsapho yam yayisanda, ndafaka impembelelo entle kwelo bandla lincinane. Abantwana babesoloko bekulangazelela ukusithelela kubulungiseleli, ekubeni sasibenza bubangel’ umdla kubo. Ngamnye kubo, ukususela kubudala beminyaka emithathu, wayekwazi ukunikela ubungqina ezindlwini. Sakwenza umkhwa ukungaze siphoswe ziintlanganiso okanye ukubandakanyeka kwinkonzo yasentsimini. Kwanaxa omnye entsatsheni wayegula kuze kufuneke ukuba omnye ashiyeke nomguli lowo, abanye babesiya kwiintlanganiso okanye baye kwinkonzo yasentsimini.
Ukutyhubela iminyaka, besizixubusha rhoqo njengentsapho izifundo zesikolo zabantwana nosukelo lwabo ebomini, sibaxhobisela umsebenzi entlanganweni kaYehova. Besikulumkele ukuba singabachanabi kwizinto ezazinokubenza buthathaka, ezifana nomabonwakude. Asizange sibe naye umabonwakude ekhayeni lethu de abantwana bakwishumi elivisayo. Ibe nangona sasimi kakuhle, asizange sibafekethise ngezinto eziphathekayo. Ngokomzekelo, sathenga ibhayisekile enye kuphela, ababeza kuyisebenzisa bobathathu.
Besisenza izinto kunye kangangoko kunokwenzeka, njengokudlala ibhola yomnyazi, ukudada nokuthabatha uhambo njengentsapho. Uhambo lwethu belunxulumene nokuya kwiindibano zamaKristu okanye xa sityelela amakhaya aseBheteli kumazwe awahlukahlukeneyo. Olu hambo lwalusinika ixesha lokuncokola kunye ngokukhululekileyo ukuze mna noLucy siqonde oko kusezintliziyweni zabantwana bethu. Sinombulelo gqitha kuYehova ngaloo minyaka imyoli!
Ekugqibeleni, iminyaka elishumi yokuhlala kwethu kweleeNjiko kufuphi ne-ikhweyita yayenzakalisa impilo kaLucy. Ngoko sakuvuyela ukutshintshwa kwesabelo sisisiwa kwimozulu epholileyo yasemazantsi, eCuritiba, kwiLizwana laseParaná.
Ukubuyela EKhanada
Ngowe-1977, emva kweminyaka emalunga nama-20 eBrazil, mna noLucy sabuyela eKhanada kunye nabantwana bethu ukuya kunceda utata wam owayegula. Onjani wona umahluko kwimeko-bume yasekuhlaleni eyawufumanayo intsapho yethu! Kodwa akuzange kubekho mahluko kwicala lokomoya, ekubeni sasibambelele kwinkqubo ekwanye nabazalwana bethu abangamaKristu abanothando.
EKhanada ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo baba ngumcimbi obandakanya intsapho iphela njengoko iintombi zethu zangenela ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo. Sonke sasifaka isandla kwimigudu yentsapho yethu. Nawuphi na umvuzo ofumaneka kumsebenzi wesingxungxo wawusetyenziselwa iindleko zentsapho kunye neenqwelo-mafutha ezintathu ezazifuneka ukuze sigubungele intsimi yethu esasazekileyo. Veki nganye, emva kwesifundo sethu seBhayibhile sentsapho, sasixubusha ngezinto esasiceba ukuzenza njengentsapho. Ezi ngxubusho zazinceda wonk’ ubani aqonde apho siya khona nokuba yintoni esasiyenza ngobomi bethu.
Unyana wethu, uGreg, njengoodade wabo abakhulu, naye wayenosukelo lwenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Kususela xa wayeneminyaka emihlanu, wayevakalisa umnqweno wokusebenza kwiofisi yesebe yoMbutho, ebizwa ngokuba yiBheteli. Akazange alulibale olo sukelo, ibe emva kokuphumelela kwimfundo yamabanga aphakamileyo, wabuza mna nonina: “Ngaba nicinga ukuba ndingasifaka isicelo sokuya eBheteli?”
Nangona kwakubuhlungu kuthi ukuvumela unyana wethu ahambe, saphendula singathandabuzi: “Akunakuze usive isandla sikaYehova njengaxa useBheteli—esona sazulu sentlangano kaYehova.” Emva kweenyanga nje ezimbini wenjenjeya ukuya kwiBheteli yaseKhanada. Ngoko kwakungowe-1980, ibe ebekhonza apho ukususela ngoko.
Iminyaka yee-1980 yezisa ucelomngeni olutsha kum noLucy. Sabuyela apho sasiqale khona—sasishiyeke sobabini kuphela. Ngelo xesha uSusan wayetshatile yaye bengoovulindlela nomyeni wakhe, ibe uKim noGreg bobabini babekhonza eBheteli. Sasiza kwenza ntoni? Loo mbuzo waphendulwa ngokukhawuleza ngowe-1981 xa samenyelwa ukuya kukhonza kwisiphaluka sesiPhuthukezi, esasisasazeke kummandla waseKhanada oziikhilomitha ezingama-2 000. Nangoku sisanandipha umsebenzi wokuhambahamba.
UKim watshata waza waya kwisikolo saseGiliyadi, yaye ngoku yena nomyeni wakhe bakumsebenzi wokuvelela iziphaluka eBrazil. USusan nomyeni wakhe baseseKhanada, bakhulisa abantwana babo ababini, yaye umyeni kaSusan unguvulindlela. Nakubeni intsapho yethu kwiminyaka yakutshanje iye yahlukana ngokwenyama ngenxa yezabelo zethu ezahlukeneyo kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, sisamanyene ngokomoya nangokweemvakalelo.
Mna noLucy sijonge phambili kwikamva eliqaqambileyo sikunye nentsapho yethu kwihlabathi elicociweyo. (2 Petros 3:13) NjengoMoses wakudala, siye sazibonela ubunyaniso bempendulo kumbuzo-buciko okwiNumeri 11:23: “Isandla sikaYehova sifutshane na? Ngoku uya kubona ukuba ilizwi lam liya kwenzeka, aliyi kwenzeka, kusini na.” Eneneni, akukho nto inokuthintela uYehova ekusikeleleni abakhonzi bakhe ngenxa yenkonzo yabo yentliziyo iphela.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Ndikunye nomfazi wam, uLucy