Ndibone “Omncinanana” Esiba “Luhlanga Olunamandla”

NGOKUBALISWA NGUWILLIAM DINGMAN

Unyaka Yayingowe-1936; Indawo, Isalem, Eoregon, Eunited States. Ndandikwintlanganiso Yamangqina Kayehova. Kwabuzwa Lo Mbuzo: “Iphi Indimbane Enkulu?” (ISityhilelo 7:⁠9, King James Version) Yayindim Kuphela Omtsha, Ngoko Bonke Bakhomba Besithi, “Nankuya!”

PHAKATHI kowe-1930, kumaNgqina kaYehova babembalwa gqitha ababenethemba elisuka eBhayibhileni lokuphila ngonaphakade kwiParadesi esemhlabeni. (INdumiso 37:29; Luka 23:43) Ukususela ngoko izinto ziye zatshintsha kakhulu. Kodwa mandikuxelele ngeziganeko ezandikhokelela ekubeni ndibe kula ntlanganiso eSalem, eOregon.

Ubawo wayerhumela iThe Golden Age, igama langaphambili lephephancwadi uVukani! Xa ndandiselula, ndandikunandipha ukulifunda, yaye ndeyiseka kukuba lineenyaniso ezibalulekileyo zeBhayibhile. Ngoko ngenye imini ndathumela iphetshana elalibhalwe kwiphepha elingasemva leGolden Age. Kwelo phephancwadi kwakuthenjiswa umfundi ngamnye iincwadana ezingama-20 incwadi kunye negama lebandla lamaNgqina kaYehova elikufutshane kuye. Emva kokuba ndifumene olo ncwadi, ndaya kwindlu ngendlu ndazihambisa zonke ezo ncwadana kwaneencwadi.

Ngelo xesha kwakungekho mntu wayefundisise iBhayibhile nam. Eneneni, andizange ndithethe nomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Kodwa ngoku, ngenxa yokuba ndandinedilesi yeHolo yoBukumkani ekufutshane, ndahamba iikhilomitha ezingama-40 ndisiya ezintlanganisweni eSalem, eOregon. Ndandilapho, xa ndandineminyaka eli-18 ubudala, apho ndakhonjwa phakathi kwabanye kwathiwa ‘ndiyindimbane enkulu.’

Nangona ndandingazange ndilungiselele ukuya kubulungiseleli, ndaqalisa ukushumayela neBandla laseSalem. Ndakhuthazwa ukuba ndiquke iingongoma ezintathu ezibalulekileyo ndinikela ubungqina. Eyokuqala, kukuba uYehova nguThixo; eyesibini, kukuba uYesu Kristu unguKumkani ammiseleyo; okwesithathu, kukuba uBukumkani kuphela kwethemba lehlabathi. Ndazama ukudlulisela eso sigidimi kuzo zonke izindlu.

Emva kokunxulumana namaNgqina kaYehova eSalem kangangeminyaka emibini, ndabhaptizwa ngoAprili 3, 1938. Abazalwana baseSalem bavuya xa bebona iqela lethu ‘lendimbane enkulu’ libhaptizwa. NgoFebruwari 1939, ndaba nguvulindlela, okanye umlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo. NgoDisemba waloo nyaka, ndamkela isimemo sokuya eArizona, apho kwakukho imfuneko enkulu yabavakalisi boBukumkani.

Ukuba Nguvulindlela EArizona

Umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wawumtsha eArizona, yaye abaninzi babengasiqondi, ngoko xa iUnited States yangenelela IMfazwe Yehlabathi II, satshutshiswa gqitha. Ngokomzekelo, ngoxa ndandikhonza eStafford, eArizona, ngowe-1942, kwakukho amarhe okuba singahlaselwa lihlokondiba lamaMormon. Mna nabo ndandinguvulindlela nabo sasihlala kufuphi nendlu yobhishophu wamaMormon owayesihlonela gqitha nowathi: “Ukuba abavangeli bamaMormon bebekhuthele njengamaNgqina, iCawa yamaMormon ibiya kwanda.” Ngoko wathi ecaweni: “Ndiva ingathi la makhwenkwe angamaNgqina aza kuhlaselwa lihlokondiba. Kaloku, ndihlala kufuphi nala makhwenkwe, yaye ukuba ahlaselwa lihlokondiba lindelani isithonga sompu nje ngaphaya kocingo. Loo mpu ndiza kuwusebenzisa—kodwa hayi kumaNgqina. Uza kusetyenziswa kwelo hlokondiba lihlaselayo. Ngoko ukuba nifuna ukuhlasela njengehlokondiba niyakwazi oko nimele nikulindele.” Ihlokondiba alizange lifike.

Ebudeni beminyaka emithathu ndiseArizona, sabanjwa saza safakwa entolongweni amaxesha amaninzi. Ngesinye isihlandlo ndavalelwa kangangeentsuku ezingama-30. Ukuze soyise ukutshutshiswa ngamapolisa kubulungiseleli bethu, saseka oko kubizwa ngokuba yiflying squad. INgqina elikhokelayo lasixelela oku: “Njengokuba igama lethu lisitsho sinjalo ke nathi. Sasiqalisa ngentsimbi yesihlanu okanye yesithandathu ekuseni, size sishiye iphecana okanye incwadana kuwo onke amakhaya, size emva koko siphele emehlweni.” I-“flying squad” yethu yayigubungela inxalenye yesixeko saseArizona. Noko ke, ekugqibeleni loo nkqubo yayekwa ngenxa yokuba loo ndlela yokushumayela yayingasivumeli ukuba sinikele uncedo kwabo babenomdla.

Isikolo SaseGiliyadi Nenkonzo Ekhethekileyo

NgoDisemba 1942, ndandiphakathi koovulindlela abaliqela eArizona abafumana isimemo sokuya kwisikolo esitsha sobuvangeli basemazweni esasiqaliswe ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Ekuqaleni esi sikolo sasibizwa ngokuba yiKholeji yeBhayibhile yeWatchtower yaseGiliyadi. Kamva elo gama latshintshwa saza sabizwa ngokuba siSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi. Isakhiwo sesi sikolo sasimi malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-4800 mgama, kufuphi nesixeko saseIthaca kumantla eNew York.

Emva kotyelelo nje olufutshane eOregon, ngoJanuwari 1943, iqela lethu njengoovulindlela layishiya iNtlango yaseArizona ngenxa yobushushu sahamba ngebhasi eyiGreyhound. Emva kweentsuku eziliqela kamva safika apho besisiya khona saza safika kukho ikhephu lobusika bomntla weNew York. Isikolo savulwa ngoFebruwari 1, 1943, xa umongameli waso uNathan H. Knorr, kwintetho yakhe yokuvula wathi kubafundi abalikhulu: “Injongo yale kholeji ASIKUKO ukunixhobisela ukuba nibe ngabalungiseleli. Sele ningabalungiseleli yaye benikhuthele kubulungiseleli kangangeminyaka. . . . Injongo yolu fundisiso kule kholeji ngokukhethekileyo yeyokunixhobisela ukuba nibe ngabalungiseleli abaphumelela ngakumbi kwimimandla eniya kuyo.”

Ekubeni ndandingafundanga kuyaphi, ekuqaleni ndaziva ndingakulungelanga ukuya eGiliyadi. Kodwa abahlohli babenovelwano ngam, yaye ndazinandipha gqitha izifundo zam. Iklasi yethu yagqiba emva kweenyanga ezintlanu zokuqeqeshwa okunzulu. Emva koko, iqaqobana lethu lathunyelwa kwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York, apho safumana uqeqesho olungakumbi lokusilungiselela ukuba sikwazi ukukhonza kumsebenzi wokuhamba-hamba njengabaveleli beziphaluka. Isabelo sam sokuqala sasikuMntla nakuMzantsi weCarolina.

Ngaloo mihla yamandulo, umveleli wesiphaluka wayesoloko ehamba ngalo lonke ixesha. Sasiye sihlale usuku lube lunye nebandla elincinane okanye sihlale iintsuku ezimbini ukuba libandla elikhulu. Amabandla amaninzi ngelo xesha ayemancinane. Ngoko emva kokuchitha imini yonke, yaye ngokufuthi ndandiye ndihlale kude kube sezinzulwini zobusuku ndityelela ndiphendula nemibuzo, ndandivuka malunga nentsimbi yesihlanu ngosuku olulandelayo ukuze ndityelele elinye ibandla. Ndakhonza kumsebenzi wesiphaluka kangangonyaka, yaye emva koko ndaba nguvulindlela kangangethutyana eTennessee naseNew York.

Ukuya ECuba NasePuerto Rico

NgoMeyi 1945, mna nelinye iqela sasiwa kwisabelo sokuqala sobuvangeli basemazweni, eCuba! Ngobusuku esafika ngabo eHavana, ikomkhulu laseCuba, saya kumsebenzi wamaphephacwadi. Sahlala eHavana sade sakwazi ukufumana ikhaya eSanta Clara. Imali esasiyifumana ngenyanga yayili-R110 esasithenga kuyo zonke izinto eziyimfuneko, kuquka ukutya nerente yendlu. Senza iibhedi nefanishala ngezinto ezazikho saza sasebenzisa iibhokisi zama-apile ukuze senze iidrowa.

Ngonyaka olandelayo ndabelwa kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Ngelo xesha yonke iCuba yayisisiphaluka esinye. Ngenxa yokuba umveleli wesiphaluka owayephambi kwam wayenemilenze emide yaye ekuthanda nokuhamba, abazalwana noodade kwakufuneka babaleke ukuze bakwazi ukuhamba naye. Kubonakala ukuba babecinga ukuba nam ndiza kufana naye, ngoko bacwangcisa izinto ngaphambi kotyelelo. Abazange baye bonke kubulungiseleli ngaloo mini kodwa bazahlula baba ngamaqela ngamaqela baza babalisana ngokusebenza nam. Ngosuku lokuqala elinye iqela landisa kumhlaba omgama; ngosuku olulandelayo elinye iqela landisa komnye ummandla okude, njalo njalo. Ekupheleni kotyelelo ndandidiniwe, kodwa ndandilunandiphile. Ndineenkumbulo ezintle ngelo bandla.

Ngowe-1950 eCuba kwakukho abavakalisi boBukumkani abangaphezu kwama-7000 inani elilingana nelo iMexico yayinalo. NgoJulayi waloo nyaka, ndaya kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe Yolwando Lolawulo LobuThixo eyayiseYankee Stadium kwiSixeko saseNew York. Emva koko, ndafumana isabelo esitsha sokuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni, ePuerto Rico. Phakathi kwabavangeli basemazweni beklasi ye-12 yaseGiliyadi kwakukho uEstelle noThelma Weakley abandipheleka ngoxa ndandisiya ePuerto Rico.

Emva kweminyaka esibhozo kamva mna noEstelle satshata nje umtshato oqhelekileyo eBayamón, ePuerto Rico, owaqhutyelwa eqongeni ebudeni bekhefu lendibano yethu yesiphaluka. Ngaphambi kokuba sitshate nasemva komtshato wethu, ndandikhonza kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Ebudeni bokuchitha iminyaka engaphezu kweshumi ePuerto Rico, mna noEstelle sibone ulwando olukhulu—ukususela kubavakalisi abangaphantsi kwama-500 ukuya kutsho kwabangaphezu kwama-2000. Sakwazi ukunceda abaninzi ukuba bade bazahlulele baze babhaptizwe, yaye saba nenxaxheba ekumiseleni amabandla amatsha aliqela.

NgoDisemba 1960, uMilton Henschel owayevela kwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York, watyelela ePuerto Rico waza wathetha nabavangeli basemazweni. Wabuza ukuba ukho na onokuzenza afumanekele isabelo esitsha. Phakathi kwabo bazinikelayo kwakukho mna noEstelle.

Ikhaya Lethu EDominican Republic

Isabelo sethu esitsha sasiseDominican Republic, yaye samisela uJuni 1, 1961, njengosuku esasiza kuhamba ngalo. NgoMeyi 30 umlawuli onguzwilakhe waseDominican, uRafael Trujillo wabulawa yaye iinqwelo-moya ezazisiya kwelo lizwe zanqunyanyiswa. Nangona kunjalo, kungekudala iinqwelo-moya zahamba, yaye sakwazi ukuya eDominican Republic ngoJuni 1 njengoko sasicwangcisile.

Ukufika kwethu kwakusisiphithiphithi kwelo lizwe, yaye kwakukho nokuthile okwakusenziwa kwezasemkhosini. Kwakusoyikwa intlaselo, yaye amajoni ayehlola wonke umntu koohola bendlela. Sasisima kwiindawo eziliqela ekwakugqogqwa kuzo, yaye kuzo zonke kwakuhlolisiswa imithwalo yethu. Yonke into yayikhutshwa ezityesini zethu, kwanezinto ezincinane. Leyo yindlela esamkelwa ngayo kwiDominican Republic.

Sahlala kwikomkhulu lalapho, iSanto Domingo, kangangeeveki eziliqela ngaphambi kokuba siye kwisabelo sethu sokuqala eLa Romana. Ebudeni bolawulo lomlawuli onguzwilakhe uTrujillo, bonke abantu babexelelwe ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayengamaKomanisi yaye ayengabona bantu bangalunganga. Ngenxa yoko, amaNgqina atshutshiswa gqitha. Nangona kunjalo, ngokuthe ngcembe sakwazi ukuphelisa olo calucalulo.

Emva kokusebenza eLa Romana ithutyana, kwakhona saqalisa ukukhonza kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Emva koko, ngowe-1964, sathunyela njengabavangeli basemazweni kwisixeko saseSantiago. Kunyaka olandelayo kwaphinda kwabakho intlaselo eDominican Republic yaye kwakhona ilizwe lalizaliswe ziziphithiphithi. Ebudeni beso siphithiphithi sathunyelwa eSan Francisco de Macorís idolophu eyayisaziwa kakhulu ngenxa yokuba sisigqubu sezobupolitika. Sekunjalo, sashumayela ngokukhululekileyo ngaphandle kwesiphazamiso. Phezu kwaso nje isiphithiphithi kwezobupolitika sakwazi ukuseka ibandla elitsha. Ebudeni beminyaka eyalandelayo, safumana iinguqulelo ezingakumbi esabelweni sethu ngaphambi kokuba sithunyelwe kwikhaya lethu langoku eSantiago.

Ngokuqinisekileyo siye sayibona intsikelelo kaYehova kumsebenzi olapha eDominican Republic. Xa safika ngowe-1961, kwakukho amaNgqina angama-600 namabandla angama-20. Ngoku kukho abavakalisi abaphantse babengama-20 000 abashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo kumabandla angaphezu kwama-300. Amathuba olwando olungakumbi ayamangalisa, njengoko engqinwa ngababekho eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu sowe-1996 abangama-69 908. Eli linani eliliphindaphinda ngesithathu esinesiqingatha inani labavakalisi!

Ngoku Uhlanga Olunamandla

Nangona imeko yeli hlabathi iqhubeka itshintsha, isigidimi seBhayibhile asishumayelayo amaNgqina kaYehova asiguqukanga. (1 Korinte 7:31) UYehova usenguThixo, uKristu usenguKumkani, yaye uBukumkani bulelona themba liqinisekileyo lehlabathi ngakumbi kunangaphambili.

Kwangaxeshanye, kuye kwabakho inguqulelo enkulu phakathi kwabantu bakaYehova ukususela kwixesha endandiye ngalo kwintlanganiso eSalem, eOregon, kwiminyaka enokuba ngama-60 eyadlulayo. Indimbane enkulu, okanye isihlwele esikhulu, ngokuqinisekileyo siye sasikhulu, safikelela kwinani elingaphezu kwezigidi ezihlanu. Kunjengokuba uYehova wayebaxelele kwangaphambili abantu bakhe: “Omncinanana uya kuba liwaka, noweyeleyo abe luhlanga olunamandla. Mna, Yehova, ndiya kukukhawulezisa oko ngexesha lako oko.”—Isaya 60:22.

Phantse emva kweminyaka engama-60 ndikubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, ndivuyiswa kukuba novuyo lokuqhubeka ndishumayela kwisabelo sam sobuvangeli basemazweni. Elinjani ukuzuka ilungelo lokuba nesabelo kuloo msebenzi nokuba ndibone “omncinanana” esiba “luhlanga olunamandla”!

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]

Ndikunye nomfazi wam, eDominican Republic