Ilizwe Eliyinkqantosi Liyachuma

NGOKUBALiswa NGUARTHUR MELIN

Yayiyimini eyayizolile yentlakohlaza yowe-1930, yaye ndandimi ezibukweni ePrince Rupert, kwiBritish Columbia. Ndikhangele ezantsi kwisikhephe esasimi entseleni yolwandle, ndazibuza, ‘Ayephi onke la manzi?’ La yayingamava am okuqala ukubona ukuzala nokuwutha kolwandle kuNxweme lweNtshona Pasifiki apho umphakamo wolwandle unokuhla kangangeemitha ezisixhenxe kwiiyure nje ezintandathu. Kodwa inkwenkwe ekhulele kwiifama ezisemaphandleni yeza njani kunxweme loLwandlekazi iPasifiki?

NDANDIMENYELWE ukwandisa ilungelo lam lenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo kuYehova ngokuthelela abo basebenza kwisikhephe iCharmian. Isabelo sethu sasikukuqalisa umsebenzi wokushumayela kwanti kunxweme olusentshona ukusuka eVancouver ukuya eAlaska. Lo mmandla wawuquka iikhilomitha ezininzi kunxweme lweBritish Columbia, olwalungenabo abadumisi abakhutheleyo bakaYehova. Kuphela kwakukho iqela elincinane labavakalisi boBukumkani kwidolophu yasePrince Rupert.

Ndandingxamele ukuqalisa, ngoko ndathi ndakuhla kuloliwe, ngoko nangoko ndaya kwizibuko ukuya kubona isikhephe iCharmian ndize ndidibane nabo basebenza kuso, uArne noChristina Barstad. Kwakukhal’ ibhungane ngaphakathi, ngoko ndemka. Ekubuyeni kwam emva kwemini, ndabamb’ ongezantsi. Kwakubonakala ngathi ulwandlekazi lwalomile!

Kodwa yintoni eyakhokelela kwesi sabelo sibangel’ umdla?

Ilifa Lokomoya

Uxabiso lwam ngezinto zokomoya lwaqala ekhaya kumathafa aseAlberta, eKhanada. Ubawo wayefumene iphecana elalibhalwe nguCharles Taze Russell weZion’s Watch Tower Tract Society elabuguqula ngokunzulu ubomi bakhe. Ubawo waqalisa ukushumayela kubamelwane bakhe, phezu kwawo nje umsebenzi wakhe odla ixesha wokuba ngumfama eCalmar, eAlberta. Sele kudlule iminyaka elikhulu ukususela ngoko, ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1890.

Ndazalelwa kweli khaya loyika uThixo ngoFebruwari 20, 1905, ndingowesibhozo kubanakwethu noodade wethu ekugqibeleni esathi saba lishumi. Ubawo, nabanye kule ndawo eyayihlala abantu baseSweden, banxulumana naBafundi beBhayibhile beZizwe Ngezizwe. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, bakha indawo yokuhlanganisana, kamva eyabizwa ngokuba yiHolo yoBukumkani. Yayiyenye yeeholo zokuqala eKhanada.

Umsebenzi wasefama awuzange usithintele ekuyeni kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, zimbi zazo zazibalaselisa iintetho ezazinikelwa zizithethi ezazithunyelwe yiWatch Tower Society. Ezi ntetho zakha kuthi umnqweno onyanisekileyo wokuba nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Ngenxa yoko, phantse sonke kwintsapho yakowethu asizange siphambuke ekukhanyeni kwenyaniso yeBhayibhile.

Ukuba Nesabelo Kumsebenzi Wokushumayela

Ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1920, ndanikwa isabelo sam sokuqala sokunikela ubungqina. Ndandiza kusasaza izimemo zentetho yesidlangalala kwindlu ngendlu kwisixeko sase-Edmonton. Njengoko ndandimi apho ndedwa ngaloo mini, ndafunda isifundo esixabisekileyo: Kholosa ngoYehova. (IMizekeliso 3:5, 6) Hayi indlela endonwaba ngayo ngokuphumeza eso sabelo sokuqala ngoncedo lukaYehova!

Intembelo yam kwintlangano kaYehova ebonakalayo nakudidi lwakhe lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo yaqhubeka ikhula njengoko kwakunikelwa ukuqonda okungakumbi kwiLizwi lakhe lenyaniso. Amasiko amaninzi eNgqobhoko, njengemibhiyozo yeKrismesi neyemihla yokuzalwa, alahlwa. Usindiso lobuqu lwalungaseyonto ixhalatyelwe kakhulu; kunoko, ukushumayela ngoBukumkani kwaqalisa ukugqalwa njengeyona nto ibalulekileyo. Konke oku kwabuchaphazela ngokunzulu ubomi bam. Ngoko kungekudala emva kokwahlulela ubomi bam kuYehova ngoAprili 23, 1923, ndazibekela usukelo lobulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo.

Ebudeni bobusika basemaphandleni apho amaqondo obushushu esiba ngaphantsi kweqondo lomkhenkce, sasinikela ubungqina ezilalini sikhwele ihashe elitsala isileyi. Ndakha ndachitha iiveki ezimbini kunye neqela elalisebenza ngenqwelo-mafutha ekwayindlu. Ezi nqwelo-mafutha zikhethekileyo zangqineka zisebenziseka ekunikeleni ubungqina kwiindawo ezisithabazi zasemaphandleni eKhanada. Phezu kwazo nje iingxaki zemali, iimeko ezimaxongo zemozulu, nokuhamba imigama emide, ndakwazi ukuzingisa kubulungiseleli bobuvulindlela eAlberta nangona ndandimana ndibuyeka maxa wambi kangangeminyaka emithathu de kwayiloo mini ndingasokuze ndiyilibale ngowe-1930 xa ndamenyelwa ukuya kukhonza kuNxweme olukwiNtshona Pasifiki. Ekubeni ndandingazi nto kwaphela ngolwandle okanye izikhephe, eso simemo sandothusa.

Phofu ke, kungekudala emva kokufika kwam ePrince Rupert ndaziva ndisekhaya kunye nabo ndandisebenza nabo kwisikhephe. Umzalwan’ uBarstad wayengumatiloshe onamava, ekubeni wayekwishishini lokuloba kangangeminyaka emininzi. Iminyaka emithandathu eyalandelayo yayilixesha lokunikela ubungqina ngamandla, sasisihla sinyuka kunxweme lweBritish Columbia ukusuka eVancouver ukuya eAlaska. Nasi esinye isifundo endasifundayo: Samkele isabelo esivela kuYehova ngamaxesha onke, yaye ungaze uthandabuze ukusamkela.

Ukuhlwayela Imbewu Ngaselwandle

Izibuko lokuqala esema kulo ngaloo ntlakohlaza yowe-1930 laliyiKetchikan, eAlaska, apho salayisha khona iibhokisi zoncwadi lweBhayibhile ezingama-60. Kangangeeveki eziliqela, satyelela onke amakhaya eKetchikan, eWrangell, ePetersburg, eJuneau, eSkagway, eHaines, eSitka, nezinye iilali ezigqagqeneyo. Ngokulandelayo sagubungela lonke unxweme lweBritish Columbia, salugqiba ngaphambi kokuphela kwehlobo. Iinkampu ezikwanti zabo bagawula imithi, neenkampu zabalobi, iilali zamaIndiya, iidolophana, ndawonye nabemi basemzini nabagcayiseli bezilwanyana abakwanti babetyelelwa. Maxa wambi kwakunzima ukumka kwabo bangamalolo bagcina indlu enesibane esibonisa iinqanawa indlela ababemamkela umntu oncokola nabo.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uMbutho wasixhobisa ngeegramafoni eziphathwayo neentetho zeBhayibhile ezirekhodiweyo. Sasiziphatha ezi zinto, kunye neencwadi, iiBhayibhile, namaphephancwadi. Ngokufuthi sasimele siziphathe njengoko sasinyuka amawa onxweme. Ebudeni bokuwutha kolwandle, maxa wambi sasimele sizirhuqe kwiileli ezixengaxengayo ukuya kwibhulorho ephakamileyo. Ndavuya ngenxa yokuba ndandifumene uqeqesho lokomzimba ebutsheni bam ngokusebenza kwiifama zasemaphandleni.

Inkqubo yokwandisa isandi kwisikhephe sethu yasebenza njengesixhobo esinamandla ekusasazeni iindaba zoBukumkani. Ngenxa yentlokoma eyayisenziwa ngamanzi, iintetho ezirekhodiweyo zazisoloko ziviwa kumgama oziikhilomitha ezininzi. Ngamhla uthile xa sasimise kwitheku elincinane nelikwanti kwiSiqithi saseVancouver, sadlala enye yezi ntetho zeBhayibhile. Ngemini elandelayo abantu abahlala apha ngokuchwayita basixelela oku: “Izolo sive intshumayelo iphuma ngqo ezulwini!”

Ngesinye isihlandlo isibini esalupheleyo sathi seva umculo usihla ngetshimini yaso, kodwa xa saphuma phandle, asizange sive nto. Xa sabuyela ngaphakathi, seva ilizwi. Kwakutheni? Kaloku, ngoxa sasingaphandle, thina sasiguqula icwecwe. Sasidlala umculo kuqala ukuze sitsale ingqalelo yabantu, sandule ke sidlale intetho yeBhayibhile.

Ukanti ngesinye isihlandlo, xa sasimise kufuphi nesiqithi esinelali yamaIndiya, kweza amakhwenkwe amabini omthonyama ngesikhephe ukuza kubona indawo avela kuyo la mazwi. Bambi esiqithini babecinga ukuba yayingamazwi abantu babo abafayo ababebuyela ebomini!

Kwakungeyonto ingaqhelekanga ukuhambisa ikhulu leencwadi ngosuku kwabo basebenza kwiindawo ezikwanti apho kunkonkxwa khona iintlanzi. Ekubeni kwakungekho ziphazamiso zininzi, babenexesha lokucinga ngezinto zokomoya. Ekugqibeleni abaninzi kwaba bantu bahlala kwezi ndawo zikwanti baba ngamaNgqina. Kukhenketho olulandelayo, sasikhangela phambili ekubatyeleleni ukuze ‘bona kunye nathi sivuseleleke.’—Roma 1:12, TE.

Ukuqhubeka Nenkonzo Kunye Neqabane

Ngowe-1931, ndatshata nodade boChristina Barstad, uAnna. Emva koko saqhubeka singoovulindlela kunye kwisikhephe saza sanandipha amava anomvuzo kangangeminyaka emininzi. Iminenga, iintini, amahlengezi, amaxhama, iibhere neenkozi zazingabahlobo bethu nangona ngokwemvelaphi sasiqhelene neentaba ezinkulu, amatheku akwanti, namatheku anamanzi azolileyo, ajikelezwe yimithi yemisedare, imipayini, nemithi emikhulu eyiDouglas firs. Izihlandlo eziliqela sasinceda amaxhama adiniweyo namathole awo njengoko ayezama ukudada enqumla umsinga owawunamanzi aqukuqela ngamandla ezisindisa kumarhamncwa.

Ngenye injikalanga sabona ukhozi lubhabhela ezantsi lunqumla amanzi, luthe ntshi ngeenzipho zalo intlanzi enkulu eyichinook salmon. Le ntlanzi yayinkulu kakhulu ukuba lungayinyusa luyikhuphe ngokupheleleyo emanzini, ngoko olu khozi lwaya ngaselunxwemeni lubambe isalmon ngeenzipho. UFrank Franske, ilungu labasebenzi, walibona eli xhoba waza wabaleka egugutha unxweme ukuze ahlangabeze ukhozi olwaludiniwe waza walucenga ukuba lunikezele ngexhoba lalo. Ngolo rhatya abasebenzi abangoovulindlela baba nesidlo sangokuhlwa esiluncuthu mazangwa sesalmon, yaye ukhozi lwafunda ukwabelana, nangona lwaluthandabuza.

Kwesinye isiqithana esikumntla weSiqithi seVancouver, isibini sakwaThuot samkela inyaniso yeBhayibhile. Indoda yayiphakathi kwiminyaka yayo yama-90 ingafundanga, ineenkani gqitha, ingumntu ongacengi solalaphi, yaye umfazi wayo ephakathi kwiminyaka yakhe yama-80. Phofu ke, yayinomdla gqitha kwinyaniso kangangokuba yazithoba yaza yavumela umfazi wayo ukuba ayifundise ukulesa. Kungekudala yakwazi ukuzifundela iBhayibhile kunye neempapasho zoMbutho. Kwithuba elingaphantsi kweminyaka emithathu kamva, ndavuyiswa kukubabhaptiza bobabini kwikhaya labo elikwanti esiqithini, ndisebenzisa isikhephe sethu esibhexwayo njengetanki lobhaptizo!

Kwakhona savuyiswa kukubona intsapho yakwaSallis ePowell River isabela kwisigidimi soBukumkani. UWalter wafunda incwadana ethi War or Peace—Which? yaye kwangoko wayiqonda ukuba yinyaniso. Kungekudala intsapho yonke yathelela uWalter kwizintlu zoovulindlela eVancouver, apho sasimisa khona iCharmian ebusika. Wangqineka enenzondelelo gqitha, yaye kangangeminyaka wayethandwa ngabazalwana bonke awayenxulumana nabo kuloo mmandla waseVancouver. Waligqiba ikhondo lakhe lasemhlabeni ngowe-1976, eshiya ngasemva intsapho enkulu yamaNgqina.

Ukoyisa Inkcaso

Abefundisi kwiilali zamaIndiya babesoloko bewuthiy’ egazini umsebenzi wethu, besijonga njengabazingela ngaphandle kwemvume kummandla wabo wokomoya. EPort Simpson umfundisi wasekuhlaleni wayalela inkosi yale lali ukuba isivale singatyeleli amakhaya. Sadibana nenkosi saza sabuza enoba yayicinga ukuba lo mfundisi uchanile na ngokubajonga abantu bayo njengabangakwaziyo tu ukuzicingela. Sacebisa ukuba abantu bayo banikwe ithuba lokuva ingxubusho yeLizwi likaThixo baze bazigqibele ngoko bafuna ukukukholelwa. Umphumo: Yasinika imvume yokuqhubeka nokushumayela kule lali.

Kwenye ilali kangangamashumi eminyaka inkosi yathintela yonke imigudu eyayisenziwa ngamalungu ebhunga namaqela onqulo ukuze athintele amaNgqina ekunxibelelaneni nabantu bayo. Yathi: “Logama nje ndiseyinkosi, amaNgqina kaYehova amkelekile apha.” Kuyinyaniso ukuba sasingasoloko sisamkelwa kuyo yonke indawo, kodwa phezu kwayo nje inkcaso asizange sinyanzelelwe ukuwushiya ummandla othile. Ngaloo ndlela sakwazi ukubuphumeza ubulungiseleli bethu sihlandlo ngasinye sisima elunxwemeni.

Ukunyamezela Iinkathazo Elwandle

Ukutyhubela iminyaka, sajamelana neenzima zeenkqwithela, ukuzala nokuwutha kolwandle, namatye angaboniswanga ezimaphini, yaye maxa wambi nokukhathazwa yinjini. Ngenye imini sakha sakhukuliselwa kufuphi gqitha neSiqithi iLasqueti, malunga neekhilomitha ezili-160 kumntla weVancouver. Saxinga kuqaqa lwamatye angaphantsi kwamanzi ngenxa yokuwutha kolwandle, yaye inkuselo yethu yayixhomekeke kwimozulu. Ukuba imozulu yayimbi, isikhephe sethu ngesasibetheke ematyeni saziingceba. Sonke sanyuka ematyeni saza senza konke okusemandleni ethu kule meko imaxongo. Safumana isidlo sasemini, sachitha ixesha sisenza ufundisiso, saza salinda ulwandle ukuba luzale kwakhona.

Phezu kwazo nje iingozi neengxaki ezininzi, yayibubomi obunempilo nobonwabisayo. Noko ke, ukuzalwa koonyana bethu ababini, kwazisa inguqulelo enkulu. Saqhubeka sihlala kwisikhephe, kodwa nanini na sisiya kude emantla njengaseOona River, uAnna namakhwenkwe babesala nabazali bakhe ngoxa thina sasiqhubeka sisiya kude kumntla weAlaska. Kwandule ke, xa sibuyela emazantsi, uAnna nabantwana basithelele kwakhona.

Andikhumbuli ukuba abantwana bakha bakhalaza okanye bagula. Ngamaxesha onke babenxiba amabhanti okubakhusela xa betshona, yaye maxa wambi saside sibabhijele ngentambo. Ewe, kwakubakho amaxesha anzima.

Uhlengahlengiso Olubhekele Phaya

Ngowe-1936 kwafuneka siyishiye iCharmian, yaye ndafumana umsebenzi wempangelo. Kamva safumana unyana wesithathu. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndathenga isikhephe sokuloba, esingazange sisebenze ngenjongo yokuziphilisa kuphela kodwa kwakhona sasivulela ithuba lokuqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela elunxwemeni.

Sakha umzi kwiSiqithi iDigby, ngaphesheya kwezibuko lasePrince Rupert, ibe kungekudala kwasekwa ibandla elincinane. Ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II, ngoxa umsebenzi wokushumayela wamaNgqina kaYehova wawuvaliwe eKhanada, sasithabatha isikhephe siye ePrince Rupert emva kweenzulu zobusuku size “siwuhlasele” loo mhlaba, sishiya uncwadi kuwo onke amakhaya. Akukho namnye owakha wakudiza ukuwela kwethu ezinzulwini zobusuku sisiya kusasaza uncwadi oluvaliweyo!

Ilizwe Lichumile

Ngokuthe ngcembe abantu abaninzi baqalisa ukunxulumana namaNgqina kaYehova, yaye ngowe-1948 kwabonakala imfuneko yeHolo yoBukumkani ePrince Rupert. Emva kokuthenga isakhiwo somkhosi esasimi phesheya kwezibuko, sasiqhaqha, sasiwelisa, sandula ke sasilayisha elorini ukuya kwisiza sesakhiwo. UYehova wawusikelela umsebenzi wethu onzima, yaye saba neHolo yethu yoBukumkani.

Ngowe-1956, ndangenela izintlu zoovulindlela kwakhona, yaye uAnna wandithelela ngowe-1964. Kwakhona sasebenza ngesikhephe sigugutha uNxweme lwePasifiki. Kwakhona kangangexesha elithile saba nesabelo kumsebenzi wesiphaluka, sityelela amabandla ukusuka kwiZiqithi zeQueen Charlotte ngasempuma phesheya kweentaba ukuya kwiChibi iFraser, yaye kamva sasisiya kude njengasePrince George naseMackenzie. Ukutyhubela iminyaka, sasihambahamba amawaka eekhilomitha kuMntla ntshona wePasifiki ngenqwelo-mafutha, isikhephe, nangenqwelo-moya.

EPrince Rupert siye saqhubeka sinandipha amava amahle kubulungiseleli. Mna noAnna siye safundisisa nabantu kamva abaye baya kwiSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi baza kamva bakhonza njengabavangeli basemazweni kumazwe asemzini. Olunjani lona uvuyo ukubona abantwana bethu bokomoya bethwala isigidimi soBukumkani esixabisekileyo besisa kumazwe akude!

Sithetha nje sobabini sele siwadlule kuhle ama-80 yaye sijamelana nempilo eya isiba nkenenkene, kodwa sisonwabile enkonzweni kaYehova. Ubuhle bendalo esiye sabubona eAlaska naseBritish Columbia buvuselela iinkumbulo ezixabisekileyo. Ukanti kubangela uvuyo olukhulu ngakumbi ukubona intlango yokomoya eyakha yayinkqantosi yalo mmandla mkhulu ngoku ityatyamba ngamabandla amaninzi abadumisi bakaYehova.

Kuzivuyise ngokukhethekileyo iintliziyo zethu ukubona abantwana bethu, ndawonye nabantwana bethu bokomoya, bekhula baze badumise uYehova. Iyasivuyisa into yokuba siye sanenxalenye encinane kulwando lokomoya kule nxalenye yomhlaba. Ngokomzekelo, sithetha nje iAlaska ineofisi yayo yesebe elungelelanisa umsebenzi wamabandla angaphezu kwama-25.

Apha ePrince Rupert ngowe-1988 siye sanelungelo lokunikezela iHolo yoBukumkani entsha nentle, kanye embindini wesixeko. Ewe, sinemihlali, njengoIsaya, xa wathi: “Ulwandisile uhlanga, Yehova . . . uzizukisile; uzikhwelelisele kude iziphelo zelizwe.”—Isaya 26:15.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]

Ukukhonza kumsebenzi wesiphaluka ngowe-1964-67

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

Uhlobo lwesikhephe olwalusetyenziswa ekunikeleni ubungqina ngaselunxwemeni