Ibali Lobomi

Ukukhumbula UMdali Wethu Ukususela Ebutsheni

NGOKUBALISWA NGUDAVID Z. HIBSHMAN

“Ukuba ngoku ndiyafa, eneneni ndithemba ukuba bendithembekile kuYehova. Ndiyambongoza ukuba anyamekele uDavid wam. Ndiyakubulela ngaye, Yehova, nangomtshato wethu. Ubumnandi, usonwabisa!”

KHAWUBE nomfanekiso-ngqondweni ngendlela endavakalelwa ngayo xa emva kokungcwaba umfazi wam ngoMatshi 1992, ndafumana la mazwi akhe okugqibela ukuwabhala kwidayari yakhe. Kwiinyanga nje ezintlanu ngaphambilana, sasibhiyozela iminyaka engama-60 kaHelen yokuba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.

Ndisakhumbula kanye ngaloo mini ngowe-1931 xa uHelen wayehleli ecaleni kwam kwindibano eColumbus, eOhio, eUnited States. UHelen wayengekafiki kwiminyaka eli-14 ubudala, kodwa wakuxabisa ukubaluleka kweso siganeko ngaphezu kwam. Inzondelelo kaHelen ngenkonzo yabonakala kamsinya xa yena nonina ongumhlolokazi baba ngoovulindlela, njengoko abahambisi bevangeli bexesha elizeleyo abangamaNgqina kaYehova besaziwa njalo. Bancama ikhaya labo elinobutofotofo ukuze bashumayele kwiindawo ezisemaphandleni kwintshona yaseUnited States.

Ilifa Lam LobuKristu

Ngowe-1910 abazali bam bafuduka kunye nabantwana babo ababini abancinane besuka empuma Pennsylvania ukusa kwisiXeko saseGrove, kummandla osentshona welo lizwe. Apho bahlawula intlawulo yokuqala yendlu nje eqhelekileyo baza bangamalungu anenzondelelo eCawa Ehlaziyiweyo. Kungekudala emva koko batyelelwa nguWilliam Evans, uMfundi weBhayibhile, njengoko ayebizwa njalo amaNgqina kaYehova ngoko. UTata, owayekwiminyaka yama-20 ngelo xesha, yaye uMama wayengaphantsi kuye ngeminyaka emi-5, bayiphulaphula le ndoda yaseWales inobuhlobo baza bayimemela kwisidlo. Kungekudala bamkela iinyaniso zeBhayibhile ababezifunda.

Ukuze sibe kufuphi nebandla, uTata wafudusela intsapho yethu kwiikhilomitha ezingama-40 mgama kwidolophu yaseSharon. Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa kamva, ngowe-1911 okanye ngowe-1912, uTata noMama babhaptizwa. UCharles Taze Russell, umongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Society, wanikela intetho yobhaptizo. Ndazalwa ngoDisemba 4, 1916, xa abazali bam babesele benabantwana abane. Ngexesha lokuzalwa kwam, kwathiwa: “Omnye umfana ofanele athandwe.” Ngenxa yoko igama lam, uDavid, lithetha “Othandekayo.”

Xa ndandineeveki ezine ubudala, kwahanjwa nam kusiyiwa kwindibano yam yokuqala. Kuloo maxesha angaphambili, utata nabakhuluwa bam babehamba iikhilomitha eziliqela ukuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla ngoxa uMama wayehamba nam nodade wethu ngenqwelo-mafutha. Iintlanganiso zaziquka ucwangciso lwasekuseni nolwasemva kwemini. Ekhaya, sasisoloko sincokola ngamanqaku eMboniselo neThe Golden Age, igama langaphambili likaVukani!

Ukungenelwa Kwimizekelo Emihle

Abahambi bonqulo, njengoko izithethi ezihambahambayo zazibizwa njalo ngelo xesha, batyelela ibandla lethu. Ngokuqhelekileyo babechitha usuku okanye iintsuku ezimbini nathi. Esinye isithethi endisasikhumbula kakuhle nguWalter J. Thorn owakhumbula uMdali wakhe Ozukileyo ‘ngemihla yobutsha bakhe.’ (INtshumayeli 12:1) Xa ndandiseyinkwenkwana, ndapheleka uTata ukuya kubonisa i-“Photo-Drama of Creation,” umboniso onamacandelo amane nentetho erekhodiweyo ngemvelaphi yoluntu.

Nangona uMzalwan’ uEvans nomfazi wakhe, uMiriam, babengenabantwana, baba ngabazali noomawokhulu bokomoya bentsapho yethu. UWilliam wayesoloko ebiza uTata ngokuthi “Nyana,” yaye yena noMiriam bafaka umoya wokushumayela kwintsapho yethu. Kwinxalenye yokuqala yenkulungwane yama-20, uMzalwan’ uEvans wabuyela eWales ukuya kusasaza inyaniso yeBhayibhile kummandla okufuphi neSwansea. Apho wayesaziwa njengomshumayeli ovela eMerika.

Ngowe-1928, uMzalwan’ uEvans wancama umsebenzi wakhe waza waqalisa ukushumayela kwiinduli zaseWest Virginia. Abakhuluwa bam ababini, uClarence owayeneminyaka engama-21 ubudala noCarl owayeneli-19 ubudala, bampheleka. Sobane thina makhwenkwe sachitha iminyaka emininzi kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Enyanisweni, sonke sakhonza njengabaveleli abahambahambayo bamaNgqina kaYehova sisebatsha. Kutshanje udade boMama oyena mncinane, uMary, ngoku oseyikhathule iminyaka yakhe yama-90, uye wandibhalela esithi: “Hayi indlela esinombulelo ngayo ukuba uMzalwan’ uEvans wayenenzondelelo kubulungiseleli waza watyelela isiXeko saseGrove!” Umakazi uMary ngomnye owakhumbula uMdali wakhe ukususela ebutsheni bakhe.

Ukuya Kwiindibano

Kuphela nguTata noClarence abakwazi ukuya kwindibano ebalulekileyo embalini eCedar Point, eOhio, ngowe-1922. Noko ke, ngowe-1924, sasinenqwelo-mafutha, yaye intsapho yonke yethu yaya kwindibano eColumbus, eOhio. Thina bantwana kwakulindelwe ukuba sizigcinele imali ukuze sizithengele ukutya ebudeni bezo ntsuku zisibhozo zendibano. Abazali bam babenembono yokuba onke amalungu entsapho amele afunde ukuzixhasa. Ngoko sasikhulisa iinkuku nemivundla yaye sineenyosi, yaye thina makhwenkwe sasihambisa amaphephandaba.

Xa kwafika ixesha lendibano eToronto, eKhanada, ngowe-1927, sasinomninawa olusana oneenyanga ezintandathu, uPaul. Ndabelwa ukuba ndihlale ekhaya ndize ndinyamekele uPaul ndincediswa ngumakazi otshatileyo ngoxa abazali babeye eToronto nabanye abantwana. Ndaphiwa iidola ezilishumi, endazisebenzisa ekuzithengeleni isuti entsha. Sasisoloko sifundiswa ukunxiba kakuhle kwiintlanganiso size sinyamekele neempahla zethu.

Ngexesha lendibano engalibalekiyo ngowe-1931 eColumbus, eOhio, uClarence noCarl babetshatile yaye bengoovulindlela nabafazi babo. Bobabini babehlala kuzenzele wendlu enamavili. UCarl wayetshate noClaire Houston waseWheeling, eWest Virginia, yaye kungeso sizathu ke lento ndandihleli ecaleni kodade omncinane kaClaire, uHelen, kwindibano yaseColumbus.

Ubulungiseleli Bexesha Elizeleyo

Ndagqiba kwisikolo samabanga aphezulu ngowe-1932 xa ndandineminyaka eli-15 ubudala, yaye kunyaka olandelayo ndasa inqwelo-mafutha eyayingentsha kumkhuluwa wam uClarence, owayenguvulindlela eSouth Carolina. Ndabhalisela inkonzo yobuvulindlela ndaza ndaqalisa ukusebenza kunye noClarence nomfazi wakhe. Ngelo xesha uHelen wayenguvulindlela eHopkinsville, eKentucky, ndaza ndambhalela okwesihlandlo sokuqala. Kwimpendulo yakhe, wabuza: “Ngaba unguvulindlela?”

Kwileta yam—uHelen awayigcina de wafa kwiminyaka engama-60 kamva—ndaphendula: “Ndinguye, yaye ndithemba ukuba ndiya kusoloko ndinguye.” Kuloo leta, ndamxelela uHelen ngokusasaza incwadana ethi The Kingdom, the Hope of the World kubefundisi nakumagosa asezikhundleni kwisabelo sam sokushumayela.

Ngowe-1933, uTata wandenzela intente enamavili—inqwelo erhuqwayo eziimitha ezisisi-2, 4 ubude, neemitha ezi-2 ububanzi enamacala enziwe ngelaphu eliqinileyo eyayitsaliwe yaza yatsobha ngasentla yanefestile ngaphambili nangasemva. Elo yaba likhaya lam eliphantsi kwiminyaka emine eyalandelayo ndinguvulindlela.

NgoMatshi 1934, uClarence noCarl, abafazi babo, uHelen nonina, nomlanyakazi kaClarence, nam—sosibhozo—sasinga ngasentshona ukuya kwindibano eLos Angeles, eKhalifoniya. Abanye babekhwele baza balala kwinqwelo yam erhuqwayo. Ndalala kwinqwelo-mafutha, ngoxa abanye babeqeshe indawo yokuhlala. Ekubeni sasineengxaki ngenqwelo-mafutha, safika eLos Angeles ngosuku lwesibini lweentsuku ezintandathu zendibano. Apho, ngoMatshi 26, mna noHelen ekugqibeleni sakwazi ukufuzisela uzahlulelo lwethu kuYehova ngobhaptizo emanzini.

Kwindibano uJoseph F. Rutherford, owayesakuba ngumongameli weWatch Tower Society, wadibana nabo bonke oovulindlela ngokobuqu. Wasikhuthaza esithi sasingabalweli abakhaliphileyo benyaniso yeBhayibhile. Ngeso sihlandlo, kwenziwa ilungiselelo lokunceda oovulindlela ngemali ukuze baqhubeke nobulungiseleli babo.

Imfundo Yokuzuza Ubomi

Ukubuya kwethu sivela kwindibano eLos Angeles, sonke sabelana ngesigidimi soBukumkani nabo bonke abantu abahlala kwilizwe laseSouth Carolina, eVirginia, eWest Virginia naseKentucky. Kwiminyaka kamva uHelen wabhala wenjenje ngelo xesha: “Kwakungekho bandla onokuthembela kulo, kungekho zihlobo zokukunceda, kuba sasingabahambi kwilizwe lasemzini. Kodwa ngoku ndiyazi ukuba ndandifumana imfundo. Ndandisiba sisityebi.”

Wabuza: “Yenza ntoni intombazana encinane ngexesha layo xa ikude nezihlobo nekhaya? Eneneni izinto zazingembi kangako. Andikhumbuli ndinesithukuthezi. Ndandifunda kakhulu. Asizange sibe semva ekufundeni uncwadi lweBhayibhile nakufundisiso. Ndandisoloko ndikufuphi nomama, ndifunda ukulondoloza imali esasinayo, ndithenga, nditshintsha amavili onakeleyo, ndipheka, ndithunga yaye ndishumayela. Andizisoli nakanye yaye ndingakuvuyela ukuphinda ndikwenze konke oku.”

UHelen nonina babonelisekile kukuhlala kwinqwelo erhuqwayo encinane kuloo minyaka, nangona unina wayenendlu entle. Emva kwendibano yaseColumbus, eOhio, ngowe-1937, impilo kamama kaHelen yabambi ngakumbi, yaye walaliswa esibhedlele. Wafela kwisabelo sakhe ePhilippi, eWest Virginia, ngoNovemba 1937.

Umtshato Nokuqhubeka Nenkonzo

NgoJuni 10, 1938, mna noHelen satshata ngomsitho nje omncinane kwikhaya awazalelwa kulo e-Elm Grove, kufuphi neWheeling, eWest Virginia. UMzalwana wethu othandekayo uEvans, owazisa inyaniso kwiminyaka eliqela ngaphambi kokuba ndizalwe kwintsapho yasekhaya, wanikela intetho yomtshato. Emva komtshato, mna noHelen saceba ukuya kumsebenzi wobuvulindlela kwimpuma yeKentucky, kodwa singalindelanga, sacelwa ukuba senze umsebenzi wamacandelo. Lo msebenzi wawuquka ukutyelela amaqela amaNgqina kaYehova entshona Kentucky nakwiinxalenye zeTennessee ukuwanceda kubulungiseleli. Ngelo xesha kwakukho abavakalisi boBukumkani abanokuba ngama-75 kuzo zonke iindawo esazityelelayo.

Ngelo xesha, abaninzi babenobuzwe, yaye ndandilindele ukufakwa entolongweni kungekudala ngenxa yobundilele bam bobuKristu. (Isaya 2:4) Noko ke, ngenxa yengxelo yam yomsebenzi wokushumayela, ibhunga elinyanzelisa abantu ukuba baye emkhosini landivumela ukuba ndiqhubeke nobulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo.

Xa saqalisa kubulungiseleli bokuhambahamba, phantse wonke ubani wayethetha ngokuba lula kwethu. EHopkinsville, eKentucky udade othile ongumKristu wabulisa uHelen ngokumanga waza wathi: “Usandikhumbula?” Ngowe-1933, uHelen wayemshumayezile ekwivenkile esemaphandleni yomyeni wakhe. Wayengumfundisi-ntsapho wesikolo seCawa, kodwa emva kokufunda incwadi uHelen awamshiyela yona, wema phambi kweklasi waza wacela uxolo ngokuyifundisa iimfundiso ezingekho eBhayibhileni. Emva kokurhoxa ecaweni, waqalisa ukushumayela iinyaniso zeBhayibhile ekuhlaleni. Mna noHelen sakhonza kwintshona Kentucky iminyaka emithathu, yaye loo dade nomyeni wakhe balenza ikhaya labo lalelethu.

Kuloo mihla sasineendibano ezincinane, yaye uA. H. Macmillan wakhonza enye yezi. Wayehlala kuloHelen ngoxa uHelen wayesengumntwana, ngoko ebudeni bendibano, wakhetha ukuhlala nathi kwikhaya lethu elinamavili eliziimitha ezintlanu, apho sasinomandlalo ongasebenziyo. Naye wamkhumbula uMdali wakhe Ozukileyo ngemihla yobutsha bakhe, wahlulela ubomi bakhe kuYehova ngowe-1900, xa wayeneminyaka engama-23 ubudala.

NgoNovemba 1941 umsebenzi wabazalwana abahambahambayo wanqunyanyiswa okwexeshana, yaye ndabelwa njengovulindlela eHazard, eKentucky. Kwakhona sasebenza kunye nomkhuluwa wam uCarl nomfazi wakhe, uClaire. Apha uJoseph Houston, umtshana kaHelen, waqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela kunye nathi. Waqhubeka nenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo kangangeminyaka ephantse ibe ngama-50, de wafa ngesiquphe ngenxa yesifo sentliziyo ngowe-1992 ngoxa wayekhonza ngokunyanisekileyo kwiqumrhu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York.

Ngowe-1943 sabelwa eRockville, eConnecticut. Le ndawo, ngokungathi kunjalo, yayiyindawo eyahlukileyo kum noHelen kuba sasisesiqhele ukushumayela emzantsi. ERockville, ngokuthe rhoqo uHelen wayeqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile zasekhaya ezingaphezu kwama-20 ngeveki. Ekugqibeleni, saqesha igumbi elingelikhulu kangako ukuze libe yiHolo yoBukumkani, yaye kwasekwa ibandla elincinane.

Ngoxa sikhonza eRockville, samenywa ukuba siye kwiklasi yesihlanu yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi eSouth Lansing, eNew York. Okuvuyisayo kukuba, safumanisa ukuba uAubrey noBertha Bivens, abahlobo kumaxesha ethu okuba ngoovulindlela eKentucky, babeza kuba kwiklasi yethu.

Isikolo Nesabelo Sethu Esitsha

Nangona sasiselula gqitha, inkoliso kwesasifunda nabo yayiselula nangakumbi. Ewe, yayikhumbula uMdali Ozukileyo wayo ebutsheni bayo. Sathweswa izidanga ngoJulayi 1945, kanye ekupheleni kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Ngoxa sasilindele izabelo zethu zobuvangeli basemazweni, sasebenza neBandla laseFlatbush eBrooklyn, eNew York. Ekugqibeleni, ngo-Oktobha 21, 1946, ndikunye nabanye abathandathu endandifunda nabo kuquka nabakwaBivens, sahamba ngenqwelo-moya sisinge kwikhaya lethu elitsha kwisiXeko saseGuatemala, eGuatemala. Ngelo xesha, kwakukho amaNgqina kaYehova angaphantsi kwama-50 kwilizwe lonke lakuMbindi Merika.

NgoAprili 1949 abambalwa kuthi bavangeli basemazweni bafudukela eQuetzaltenango, idolophu yesibini ngobukhulu nokubaluleka kweli lizwe. Le dolophu ikwiimitha ezingama-2 300 ukuphakama ukusuka elwandle, yaye umoya wasentabeni upholile yaye ucocekile. UHelen wawushwankathela apha umsebenzi wethu, ngokubhala esithi: “Kwakulilungelo lethu ukuba sishumayele kwiidolophu needolophana ezininzi. Sasidla ngokuvuka malunga nentsimi yesine ekuseni size sikhwele ibhasi (ngokufuthi eyayinelaphu eliqinileyo elisongiweyo endaweni yeefestile) sisinge kwidolophu emganyana. Apho sasishumayela kangangeeyure ezisibhozo ngaphambi kokuba sibuye ngokuhlwa.” Namhlanje kukho amabandla kwiindawo ezininzi kwezi, kuquka namathandathu eQuetzaltenango.

Kungekudala kwakufuneka abavangeli basemazweni ukuba baye kukhonza ePuerto Barrios eCaribbean Coast, idolophu yesithathu ukuba nkulu eGuatemala. Amaqabane ethu athandekayo abakwaBivens, esakhonza nabo iminyaka emihlanu eGuatemala, ayephakathi kwabo bafudukela kwesi sabelo sitsha. Kwakubuhlungu ukwahlukana kwethu kwaza kwashiya isiva esikhulu kubomi bethu. Ekubeni indim noHelen ababesele kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni, safudukela kwindlu encinane. Ngowe-1955, mna noHelen samkela isabelo esitsha kwidolophu ekweleenjiko iMazatenango. Umninawa wam, uPaul, nomfazi wakhe, uDolores, owaphumelela eGiliyadi ngowe-1953, wayekhonza apho kungekudala ngaphambi kokuba sifike.

Ngowe-1958 sasinamaNgqina angaphezu kwama-700, amabandla angama-20, neziphaluka ezintathu eGuatemala. Kwakhona mna noHelen saba nesabelo kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba, sityelela amaqela amancinane amaNgqina namabandla aliqela, kuquka neli laseQuetzaltenango. Kwandula ke, ngoAgasti wowe-1959, samenywa ukuba sibuyele kwisiXeko saseGuatemala, apho sasihlala kwiofisi yesebe. Ndabelwa ukuba ndisebenze kwisebe, ngoxa uHelen wayeqhubeka kwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni kwiminyaka eli-16 elandelayo. Kamva naye waqalisa ukusebenza kwiofisi yesebe.

Iintsikelelo Ezingakumbi

Kwiminyaka edluleyo ndandibonakala ndisoloko ndingoyena mncinane kwabo bakhonza uYehova. Ngoku ngokufuthi ndingoyena mdala, njengoko kwakunjalo xa ndaya kwisikolo sesebe ePatterson, eNew York, ngowe-1996. Ekubeni bandinceda gqitha abantu abadala ngoxa ndandiselula, kula mashumi eminyaka yakutshanje ndiye ndaba nelungelo lokunceda abaninzi abaselula abanomnqweno wokukhumbula uMdali wabo ebutsheni babo.

UYehova uyaqhubeka ebasikelela abantu bakhe apha eGuatemala. Ngowe-1999 bekukho amabandla angaphezu kwama-60 kwisiXeko saseGuatemala. Yaye emntla, emzantsi, empuma nasentshona, kukho amabandla angakumbi namawaka abavakalisi beendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Abavakalisi boBukumkani ababengaphantsi kwama-50 ukufika kwethu kwiminyaka engama-53 eyadlulayo baye banda bangaphezu kwama-19 000!

Kuninzi Esifanele Sibe Nombulelo Ngako

Akakho umntu ongenazingxaki ebomini, kodwa singasoloko ‘siwulahlela kuYehova umthwalo wethu.’ (INdumiso 55:22) Ngokufuthi usomeleza ngenkxaso yamaqabane anothando. Ngokomzekelo, kwiminyaka embalwa ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uHelen wandipha umbhalo ofakwe kwifreyim enombhalo weBhayibhile wamaHebhere 6:10 othi: “Akanantswela-bulungisa uThixo ukude awulibale umsebenzi wenu nothando enilubonakalisileyo kuYe ngokukhonza abantu Bakhe nokuqhubeka nibakhonza.”—Weymouth.

Incwadana eyayihambisana noko yayifundeka ngolu hlobo: “Sithandwa sam, kuncinane gqitha endinokukupha kona, ngaphandle KWALO LONKE UTHANDO LWAM . . . Lo mbhalo ukufanele, yaye ndiyakucela ukuba uwubeke kwidesika yakho, kungengenxa yokuba uwunikwa ndim, kodwa ngenxa yokuba uyasebenza kuwe kwiminyaka emininzi yakho yenkonzo.” De kube namhlanje, lo mbhalo usahleli kwidesika yam yeofisi kwisebe laseGuatemala.

Ndiye ndamkhonza uYehova ukususela ebutsheni, yaye ngoku ebudaleni, ndiyambulela uYehova ngempilo yam entle endenza ukuba ndikwazi ukusingatha imisebenzi yam endiyabelweyo. Njengoko ndiyifunda rhoqo iBhayibhile, ngokufuthi ndifumana imibhalo endicinga ukuba isithandwa sam uHelen ngewayeyikrwelile kwiBhayibhile yakhe. Oku kwenzeka kum xa ndandifunda kwakhona INdumiso 48:14 ethi: “Lo Thixo nguThixo wethu ngonaphakade kanaphakade, yena uya kusikhapha kude kuse ekufeni.”

Kuluvuyo kum ukwabelana nabanye ngombono wosuku lovuko xa abantu bezizwe zonke beya kuba besamkela abantu babo ababathandayo ekufeni kwihlabathi elitsha. Elinjani lona ithemba! Hayi iinyembezi zovuyo eziya kuphalala ngelo xesha njengoko sikhumbula ukuba uYehova ngokwenene nguThixo “obathuthuzelayo abo bathe loxe”!—2 Korinte 7:6.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Ukususela ngasentla ekhohlo ukusa ekunene: UMama, uTata, uDadobawo uEva, nabakhuluwa uCarl noClarence, ngowe-1910

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26]

Mna noHelen, ngowe-1947 nangowe-1992