Ubomi Endingazange Ndizisole Ngabo

NGOKUBALISWA NGUPAUL OBRIST

Ngowe-1912, xa ndandineminyaka emithandathu ubudala, uMama wafa xa wayezala umntwana wakhe wesihlanu. Malunga neminyaka enokuba mibini kamva, umqeshwa osebenza ekhaya owayeselula, uBerta Weibel, waye wanyamekela intsapho yakowethu. Xa watshata noTata kunyaka olandelayo, thina singabantwana savuya kuba safumana umama kwakhona.

SASIHLALA eBrugg, idolophu encinane kwindawo enabantu abantetho isisiJamani eSwitzerland. UBerta wayengumKristu wokwenene, yaye ndandimthanda gqitha. Wayeqalise ukufundisisa iimpapasho zaBafundi beBhayibhile (AmaNgqina kaYehova) ngowe-1908, yaye wayesabelana nabanye ngezinto azifundileyo.

Kungekudala, ngowe-1915 emva kokuba uBerta noTata betshatile, ndahamba naye ukuya kubona i-“Photo-Drama of Creation.” Le miboniso neslides yeInternational Association of Earnest Bible Students yashiya okuthile engqondweni nasentliziyweni yam. Nabanye babechukumisekile. Iholo eseBrugg yayizele kangangokuba amapolisa azivala iingcango aza abajikisa abo bafika kamva. Abaninzi bazama ukungena ngefestile ngokukhwela elelini, yaye abambalwa baphumelela.

Umzekelo Omhle KaMama

IMfazwe Yehlabathi I yayigquba eYurophu ngelo xesha, yaye nabantu babexhalabele ikamva labo. Ngaloo ndlela, ukuya kumsebenzi wendlu ngendlu nesigidimi esithuthuzelayo esingoBukumkani bukaThixo, njengoko uMama wayesenza, yayingumsebenzi obalulekileyo. Maxa wambi ndandihamba naye, yaye ndandikunandipha oku. Ngowe-1918, ekugqibeleni uMama wakwazi ukuzahlulela kuYehova uThixo ngokubhaptizwa emanzini.

UTata wayengazange aluphazamise unqulo lukaMama de wabhaptizwa, kodwa emva koko waqalisa ukuchasa. Ngenye imini wathabatha uncwadi lwakhe lweBhayibhile waza walulahla esitovini. UMama wakwazi ukukhupha iBhayibhile yakhe kuphela emlilweni. Kodwa awakwenzayo emva koko kwakumangalisa. Waya kuTata waza wamanga. Akazange amfukamele inzondo ngenxa yoku.

Emangaliswe ngokwenene, uTata wazola. Noko ke, maxa wambi wayechasa kakhulu, yaye kwakufuneka sinyamezele loo msindo wakhe.

Umsebenzi Nenkqubela Engokomoya

Ngowe-1924, emva kokugqiba iminyaka emithathu yokuqeqeshelwa ukulungisa iinwele, ndalishiya ikhaya ndaza ndafumana umsebenzi kwindawo enabantu abantetho isisiFrentshi eSwitzerland. Oku kwandivulela ithuba lokuba ndandise ulwazi lwam ngolwimi lwesiFrentshi. Nangona oko kwathintela inkqubela yam engokomoya ngandlel’ ithile, aluzange luphele uthando lwam lwenyaniso yeBhayibhile. Ngoko xa ndabuyela ekhaya emva kweminyaka emithandathu, ndaqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla lobuKristu eBrugg.

Kungekudala emva koko ndaya eRheinfelden, idolophu encinane ekumgama oziikhilomitha ezinokuba ngama-40. Ndasebenza apho kwindawo awayelungisa kuyo inwele udadewethu yaye ndaba nenkqubela ngokomoya ngenxa yokudibana neqela elincinane laBafundi beBhayibhile. Ngenye imini xa sasiqukumbela isifundo seBhayibhile sasebudeni beveki, uMzalwana uSoder, umdala owongamelayo, wabuza: “Ngubani onqwenela ukuba nesabelo kubulungiseleli basentsimini ngeCawa?” Ndavuma lula, ndicinga ukuba ndiza kuhamba nomntu yaye ndiboniswe indlela yokwenza lo msebenzi.

NgeCawa xa safika kummandla esiza kusebenza kuwo, uMzalwana uSoder wathi, “UMnu. Obrist uzakusebenza phaya.” Nangona ndandinovalo endingazange ndibe nalo ngaphambili, ndaqalisa ukuya ebantwini ezindlwini zabo ndathetha nabo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. (IZenzo 20:20) Ukususela ngelo xesha, andizange ndiyekelele emsebenzini wokushumayela awayethe uYesu umele uphunyezwe phambi kokuba kufike isiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto. (Mateyu 24:14) NgoMatshi 4, 1934, xa ndandineminyaka engama-28 ubudala, ndazahlulela kuYehova uThixo ngokubhaptizwa emanzini.

Kwiminyaka emibini kamva ndafumana umsebenzi wokulungisa iinwele eLugano, isixeko esikwindawo enabantu abantetho isisiTaliyane eSwitzerland. Kwangoko ndaqalisa ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo apho, nangona ndandisazi kancinane isiTaliyane. Sekunjalo, ebudeni beCawa yokuqala kubulungiseleli bam, ndahambisa iincwadana ezingama-20 endandihambe nazo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndakwazi ukuhlanganisa abantu abambalwa abanomdla ukuze sifundisise IMboniselo. Ekugqibeleni uninzi lwaba lwabhaptizwa, yaye ngoFebruwari 1937 saseka ibandla lamaNgqina kaYehova eLugano.

Kwiinyanga ezimbini kamva, ngoAprili 1937, ndafumana incwadi eyaguqula ubomi bam ngokuphawulekayo. Yayisisimemo sokuya kukhonza eBheteli, njengoko izakhiwo zamasebe amaNgqina kaYehova zibizwa njalo kulo lonke ilizwe. Ngokukhawuleza ndasamkela eso simemo—isigqibo endingazanga ndizisole ngaso. Ngaloo ndlela ndaqalisa oko kuye kwaba ngumsebenzi othathe iminyaka engama-60 kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo.

Inkonzo YaseBheteli Ngamaxesha Eengxaki

Ngelo xesha iBheteli yaseSwitzerland yayiseBern, ikomkhulu lalapho. Apho sasishicilela iincwadi, iincwadana namaphephancwadi ngeelwimi ezili-14, yaye ezi zazithunyelwa kulo lonke elaseYurophu. Ngesinye isihlandlo ndasa uncwadi kwisikhululo sikaloliwe ngekiliva, ekubeni ngezo ntsuku sasingenayo inqwelo-mafutha. Isabelo sam sokuqala eBheteli sasikwiSebe Lokulungiselela Ukushicilela, apho sasidibanisa ilothe ekwakushicilelwa ngayo. Kungekudala ndasebenza kwindawo yokwamkela iindwendwe, yaye, kwakhona, ndandicheba neenwele zentsapho yaseBheteli.

NgoSeptemba 1939, kwaqhambuka iMfazwe Yehlabathi II, yaye ukuhlasela kwamaNazi kwabangela uloyiko kulo lonke elaseYurophu. ISwitzerland yayililizwe elingundilele ngokuphathelele iimfazwe zeentlanga ezazikho. Ekuqaleni, saqhubeka nomsebenzi wethu wobuKristu ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa. Emva koko, ngoJulayi 5, 1940, ngentsimbi yesibini emva kwemini, ngoxa ndandihleli edesikeni yam emsebenzini, kwangena nje umntu oqhelekileyo ehamba nejoni elaliphethe umpu onencula.

Lo mntu wabuza rhabaxa, “Uphi uZürcher?” Ngelo xesha uFranz Zürcher wayengumveleli wesebe lomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela eSwitzerland.

Ndabuza, “Ndithi ufunwa ngubani?” Ngokukhawuleza bandixhakamfula baza bandirhuqela kwizinyuko, bendinyanzela ukuba ndibase kwiofisi kaZürcher.

Intsapho yaseBheteli iyonke—ngelo xesha eyayinokuba ngama-40—yayalelwa ukuba idibane kwigumbi lokutyela. Bajolisa oombayimbayi abane ngaphandle kwesakhiwo bethintela nabani na ukuba azame ukubaleka. Amajoni anokuba ngama-50 agqogqa isakhiwo ngaphakathi. Ngokuchasene noko kwakulindelekile, abukho ubungqina obafumanekayo bokuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayebandakanyeke ekukhuthazeni nasekuchaseni umkhosi. Sekunjalo, uncwadi oluninzi lwathinjwa lwaza lwathatyathwa ngeelori ezintlanu zomkhosi.

Xa singazange sivume ukuba IMboniselo ihlalutywe ngamagosa aseburhulumenteni, akuzange kuvunywe ukuba ipapashwe eSwitzerland. Oku kwathetha ukuba kwakufuneka abasebenzi abambalwa eBheteli, yaye amalungu entsapho aselula akhuthazwa ukuba ahambe aze abe ngoovulindlela, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova anesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela ixesha elizeleyo ebizwa njalo.

Ukuba Nguvulindlela Ngexesha Lemfazwe

NgoJulayi 1940, ndabuyela kummandla onabantu abantetho isisiTaliyane eSwitzerland kufuphi naseLugano, apho ndandihlala khona ngaphambi kokuba ndize eBheteli. Lo mmandla wamaKatolika anenzondelelo, owawuphantsi kwempembelelo enkulu yobuFasi ngoko, yaba sisabelo sam njengovulindlela.

Lwalungafane ludlule usuku ndingakhange ndimiswe ngamapolisa endinyanzela ukuba ndiyeke umsebenzi wam wokushumayela. Ngenye imini xa ndandithetha nebhinqa elithile kwisango lesitiya, indoda eyayinxibe iimpahla zasemkhosini yandixhakamfula ngasemva, yandingenisa kwinqwelo-mafutha yamapolisa, yaza yandisa eLugano. Apho yandinikezela emapoliseni. Xa ndancinwayo, ndachaza ukuba uYehova uThixo usiyalele ukuba sishumayele.

Elinye ijoni laphendula ngekratshi lisithi: “Apha emhlabeni, sithi abayalelayo. UThixo unokuyalela ezulwini!”

Ebudeni bemfazwe, kwakubaluleke ngakumbi ukuba siphulaphule isiluleko sikaYesu ‘sokulumka njengeenyoka nokuba msulwa njengamahobe.’ (Mateyu 10:16) Ngaloo ndlela, inkoliso yoncwadi ndandilufihla ezipokothweni zehempe yam. Yaye ukuze ndiqiniseke ukuba akukho nto ilahlekayo, ndandixiba iiknickerbocker ezazifakwe ielastiki ngezantsi kwamadolo.

Ekuhameni kwexesha, ndafumana umyalelo othi mandihambe ndiye kwintlambo yase-Engadine, apho ndaqhubeka ndizimela amapolisa. Le yintlambo entle ekwimpuma yeSwiss Alps, ebusika igutyungelwa likhephu, ngoko ndathunyelelwa izihlangu zokuhamba ekhephini ezazindinceda kuloo mmandla.

Iiglavu ezifudumeleyo zibalulekile xa uhamba ngezihlangu zasekhephini kubusika obubanda gqitha. Ngenxa yokuba ndandizisebenzisa rhoqo, kungekudala ezam zaguga. Hayi indlela endavuya ngayo xa ndafumana ipasile endingayilindelanga ithunyelwe ngeposi inejezi kwaneeglavu ezifudumeleyo! Zazenziwe ngudade ongumKristu webandla lam lokuqala eBern. Kwanangoku xa ndicinga ngayo, ndiba nombulelo kakhulu.

Amalungelo Amaninzi Avuyisayo

Ngowe-1943, iimeko eSwitzerland zazinza, yaye ndabizwa kwakhona ukuze ndikhonze eBheteli. Ngenxa yeengxaki ezithile kwibandla elinabantu abantetho isisiFrentshi eLausanne, kumgama onokuba ziikhilomitha ezili-100 ukusuka apho, ndabelwa ukuba ndityelele eso sixeko rhoqo ukuze ndikwazi ukunceda abavakalisi babe nembono efanelekileyo ngentlangano kaThixo.

Kamva ndakhonza njengomveleli wesiphaluka kuwo onke amabandla anabantu abantetho isisiFrentshi eSwitzerland. Ebutsheni beveki, ndandisebenza eBheteli, kodwa ndandichitha uLwesihlanu, uMgqibelo neCawa ndityelela amabandla awahlukahlukeneyo zonke iiveki ukuze ndikwazi ukuwanceda ngokomoya. Ukongezelela, xa ibandla elinabantu abantetho isisiFrentshi lasekwayo eBern ngowe-1960, ndaba ngumveleli owongamelayo. Ndasebenza kwesi sigxina de kwangowe-1970, xa iBheteli yafuduswa eBern yasiwa kule ndawo intle imi kuyo ngoku idolophu yaseThun.

Ndavuya xa ndafumana iqela elincinane lamaNgqina athetha isiTaliyane eThun, yaye ndasebenza nalo. Kungekudala kwasekwa ibandla, yaye ndakhonza njengomveleli owongamelayo kulo iminyaka emininzi de abazalwana abaselula bakufanelekela ukuthwala loo mbopheleleko.

Okona ndikugqala njengelungelo elikhethekileyo kukuya kwiindibano zezizwe ngezizwe zabantu bakaYehova. Ngokomzekelo, ngowe-1950 kwabakho iNdibano engasokuze ilibaleke Yolwando Lobuthixo eYankee Stadium, eNew York. Ukutyelela ikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York, kwandishiya ndichukumiseke gqitha. Kwakhona andisokuze ndiyilibale intetho eyanikelwa nguMzalwana uMilton G. Henschel kwiNdibano eyaba ngonyaka olandelayo yoNqulo Olucocekileyo eLondon, eNgilani, eyabalaselisa amazwi kaYesu athi, “Ndiyanixelela ukuba, Ukuba aba bangahlala bethe cwaka, amatye ebeya kudanduluka ngamandla.” (Luka 19:40) UMzalwana uHenschel wabuza, “Ngaba nicinga ukuba kuya kufuneka la matye adanduluke?” Nangoku ndisayiva intsholo eyayivela kumazwi alishumi lamawaka esithi, “Hayi!”

Xa ndabuyela eBheteli ngowe-1937, utata, ekubeni weva ukuba sasifumana imali nje encinane, exhalabile wabuza, “Nyana, uya kutya ntoni xa sele ukhulile?” Ndaphendula ndicaphula amazwi omdumisi uDavide athi: “Andizanga ndilibone ilungisa lishiywa, nembewu yalo ivukela ukutya.” (INdumiso 37:25) Ngokuqinisekileyo la mazwi azalisekile kwimeko yam.

Hayi indlela endivuya ngayo ngokuba ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-80 eyadlulayo, uBerta Weibel watshata noTata yaye ngenxa yomzekelo wakhe nokhokelo lwakhe ndamazi uYehova neempawu zakhe! Nangona amanye amalungu entsapho ayemgculela, wakhonza uYehova de kwaba lixesha lokufa kwakhe ngowe-1983. Akazange azisole ngokukhonza uThixo wakhe, uYehova; ndingazange nam ndizisole ngokuhlala ndingatshatanga yaye ndizinikele enkonzweni kaYehova ubomi bam bonke.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Emsebenzini eBheteli