Ibali Lobomi
Ndancedwa Ndoyisa Ukuba Neentloni
NGOKUBALISWA NGURUTH L. ULRICH
Ndalila kumnyango wendlu yomfundisi. Wayesandul’ ukutsho uthotho lwezityholo zobuxoki nxamnye noCharles T. Russell, owayengumongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Mandikuxelele indlela endandibatyelela ngayo abantu ngoxa ndandiseyintwazana.
NDAZALELWA kwintsapho ethanda unqulo kakhulu kwifama yaseNebraska, eUnited States, ngowe-1910. Intsapho yasekhaya yayifunda iBhayibhile ndawonye ntsasa nganye nangokuhlwa emva kwesidlo. UTata wayeyintsumpa yeSikolo seCawa yaseWesile kwidolophana yaseWinside, malunga neekhilomitha ezintandathu ukusuka kwifama yethu. Sasinenqwelo eyayitsalwa ngamahashe neyayigqunyiwe ezifestileni, ukuze sikwazi ukuya ecaweni ngeCawa kusasa nokuba imozulu injani na.
Xa ndandimalunga neminyaka esibhozo, umnakwethu omncinane wagula yipoliyo yabantwana yaye uMama wamsa kwindawo yokuphilisa imilwelwe eIowa ukuze aye kunyangwa. Nakuba wayemnyamekela ngokwenene, umnakwethu wafela apho. Noko ke, ngelo xesha babelapho eIowa, uMama wadibana noMfundi weBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayebizwa njalo ngelo xesha. Baba neengxubusho ezininzi, yaye uMama wada wahamba neli nenekazi waya kwezinye iintlanganiso zaBafundi beBhayibhile.
Ekubuyeleni kukaMama ekhaya, wabuya nemiqulu eliqela yeStudies in the Scriptures, eyayipapashwe yiWatch Tower Society. Kungekudala weyiseka ukuba aBafundi beBhayibhile babefundisa inyaniso nokuba imfundiso yokungafi komphefumlo womntu neyokuthuthunjiswa kwabantu abangendawo ngonaphakade zazingeyonyaniso.—Genesis 2:7; INtshumayeli 9:5, 10; Hezekile 18:4.
Noko ke, uTata wacaphuka kakhulu yaye wayichasa imigudu kaMama yokuya kwiintlanganiso zaBafundi beBhayibhile. Waqhubeka esiya ecaweni nam nomnakwethu, uClarence. Kodwa kwakusithi xa angekhoyo uTata ekhaya, uMama afundisise nathi iBhayibhile. Ngokomphumo, thina bantwana sasinethuba elihle lokuthelekisa iimfundiso zaBafundi beBhayibhile nezo zecawa yethu.
Mna noClarence sasisiya rhoqo kwisikolo seCawa, yaye uClarence wayebuza umfundisi-ntsapho imibuzo awayengakwazi ukuyiphendula. Ekufikeni kwethu ekhaya, sasimxelela umama, yaye oku kwakukhokelela ekubeni sibe neengxubusho ezinde ngale mibandela. Ekugqibeleni, ndayeka ukuya ecaweni ndaza ndaqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zaBafundi beBhayibhile noMama, yaye kungekudala emva koko uClarence wenza okufanayo.
Ukuhlangabezana Nokuba Neentloni
NgoSeptemba 1922, mna noMama saya kwindibano engalibalekiyo yaBafundi beBhayibhile eCedar Point, eOhio. Ndisenombono wokutyhilwa kombhalo omkhulu njengoko uJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Society ngelo xesha, wayebongoza abo babezile ababengaphezulu kwe-18 000, efunda amagama awayebhalwe kuloo mbhalo esithi: “Mbhengezeni uKumkani noBukumkani bakhe.” Ndachukumiseka ngokunzulu yaye ndaqalisa ukuba nemvo yongxamiseko yokuba ndixelele abanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo.—Mateyu 6:9, 10; 24:14.
Kwiindibano ezazikho ukususela ngowe-1922 ukusa kowe-1928, kwamkelwa uthotho lwezigqibo, yaye izigidimi zabhalwa kumaphecana awayesasazwa ngaBafundi beBhayibhile ngamashumi ezigidi ebantwini ukutyhubela umhlaba wonke. Ndandinomzinjana omncinane ndimde—ndandibizwa ngokuba ndilingesi—yaye ndandisenza amatshe ukungena kwindlu ngendlu ndisasaza ezi zigidimi zibhaliweyo. Ndandiwuthanda ngokwenene lo msebenzi. Ukanti, ukuthetha nabantu kwiminyango yabo, ndibaxelela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo, yayingumbandela owahlukileyo.
Uyabona, ndandineentloni kangangokuba ndandisoyika ndingcangcazele xa uMama emema iqela elininzi lezizalwana nyaka ngamnye. Ndandinyamalala ndiye kwigumbi lam lokulala ndize ndihlale apho. Ngasihlandlo sithile, uMama wayefuna ukufota intsapho yonke, yaye wandibiza. Ndingafuni ukuya apho, ndasitsho isikhalo xa wanditsala ngokoqobo endikhupha egumbini lam.
Noko ke, ngenye imini ndafaka uncwadi lweBhayibhile kwingxowa yam ngokuzimisela okukhulu. Ndandiphindaphinda amazwi athi, “Andinakukwazi,” kodwa ndasuka nje ndazixelela oku, “Ndimele ndikwenze oku.” Ekugqibeleni ndahamba ndaya kushumayela. Emva koko, ndandonwabe gqitha kukuba ndibe nenkalipho yokuhamba. Eyona nto yayindonwabisa kakhulu yayikukuba umsebenzi wenziwe, kungekhona ukuwenza ngokoqobo. Kumalunga nelo xesha ke apho ndadibana nomfundisi endimkhankanye ngaphambilana ndaza ndaphuma apho ndilila. Njengoko ixesha lihamba, ngoncedo lukaYehova ndakwazi ukuthetha nabantu kwiminyango yabo, yaye ndaba novuyo olungakumbi. Kwandula ke ngowe-1925, ndafuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa emanzini.
Ukuqalisa Ubulungiseleli Bexesha Elizeleyo
Xa ndandineminyaka eli-18, ndathenga inqwelo-mafutha ngemali endandiyifumene njengelifa kumam’ omkhulu ndaza ndaqalisa ubuvulindlela, njengoko ibizwa njalo inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Kwiminyaka emibini kamva, ngowe-1930, mna neqabane lam samkela isabelo sokushumayela. Ngelo xesha noClarence wayesele eqalisile ukuba nguvulindlela. Kungekudala emva koko wamkela isimemo sokuya kukhonza eBheteli, kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York.
Malunga nelo xesha abazali bethu bahlukana, ngoko mna kunye noMama sazenzela inqwelo erhuqwayo nekuhlalwa kuyo saza saqalisa ukuba ngoovulindlela kunye. Kwakusekuqaliseni koKudodobala Okukhulu Kwezoqoqosho eUnited States. Kwaba lucelomngeni ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi wobuvulindlela, kodwa sasizimisele ukungayeki. Sasinika abantu uncwadi lweBhayibhile ukuze sifumane iinkuku, amaqanda, imifuno kunye nezinto ezifana neebhetri ezindala nealuminum elahliweyo. Iibhetri ezindala nealuminum sasizithengisa ukuze sithenge ipetroli yenqwelo-mafutha size sihlawule nezinye iindleko. Ndafunda nokulungisa izinto ezithile kwinqwelo-mafutha nokutshintsha ioli ukuze ndonge imali. Sakubona ukunyaniseka kwezithembiso zikaYehova xa esinceda ukuba soyise imiqobo.—Mateyu 6:33.
Ukuya Kwizabelo Zobuvangeli Basemazweni
Ngowe-1946, ndamenywa ukuba ndiye kwiklasi yesixhenxe yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi esasikufuphi neSouth Lansing, eNew York. Ngelo xesha sasisele singoovulindlela isithuba esingaphezu kweminyaka eli-15 noMama, ukanti akazange afune ukuphazamisana nelungelo lam lokuya kuqeqeshelwa umsebenzi wobuvangeli basemazweni. Ngoko wandikhuthaza ukuba ndamkele elo lungelo lokuya kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi. Emva kokuphumelela, ndafumana iqabane endandiza kusebenza nalo elinguMartha Hess wasePeoria, eIllinois. Thina, kunye nabanye ababini sabelwa eCleveland, eOhio, isithuba esingangonyaka ngoxa sasilindele isabelo saphesheya.
Eso sabelo sasifumana ngowe-1947. Mna noMartha sabelwa eHawaii. Ekubeni kwakulula ukungena kwezi ziqithi, uMama weza kuhlala kufuphi nathi kwisixeko saseHonolulu. Impilo yakhe yayisiba mandundu, ngoko ngoxa ndandinyamekela umsebenzi wam wobuvangeli basemazweni, ndandinceda noMama. Ndakwazi ukumnyamekela de wafela eHawaii ngowe-1956, eneminyaka engama-77 ubudala. Ekufikeni kwethu, kwakukho amaNgqina ali-130 eHawaii, kodwa ngexesha lokufa kukaMama, kwakukho angaphezu kwewaka yaye kwakungasekho mfuneko yabavangeli basemazweni.
Sandula ke mna noMartha safumana ileta evela kwiWatch Tower Society yesabelo saseJapan. Into yokuqala esasiyixhalabele kukuba sasinokukwazi na ukufunda ulwimi lwaseJapan sele sibadala. Ngelo xesha ndandineminyaka engama-48 ubudala, yaye uMartha wayengemva kum ngeminyaka emine kuphela. Kodwa lo mbandela sawuyekela ezandleni zikaYehova saza sasamkela isabelo.
Kanye nje emva kwendibano yezizwe ngezizwe yowe-1958 eYankee Stadium kwisiXeko saseNew York nakwiPolo Grounds, sanduluka saya eTokyo ngenqanawa. Sathwaxwa yinkanyamba njengoko sasisondela kwizibuko laseYokohama, apho sasihlangatyezwe nguDon noMabel Haslett, uLloyd noMelba Barry kunye nabanye abavangeli basemazweni. Ngelo xesha, kwakukho amaNgqina ali-1 124 kuphela eJapan.
Ngoko nangoko saqalisa ukufunda ulwimi lwaseJapan saza sabandakanyeka kubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu. Sisebenzisa oonobumba besiNgesi, sazibhalela iintshumayelo zesiJapan, esasiye sizifunde. Xa bephendula abaninimzi babesithi, “Yoroshii desu” okanye, “Kekko desu,” esafunda ukuba kuthetha ukuthi, “Kulungile” okanye, “Kuhle.” Kodwa kwakungelula ukwazi enoba umninimzi unomdla okanye akunjalo, ekubeni loo mazwi ayekwasetyenziswa naxa umntu esala. Intsingiselo ixhomekeka kwilizwi lomntu lowo okanye kwimbonakalo yobuso. Kwathabatha ixesha ukuba sifunde ukuwatolika.
Amava Afudumez’ Intliziyo Yam
Ndingekalwazi kakuhle olo lwimi, ngenye imini ndaya kwizindlu zokuhlala abasebenzi beNkampani yakwaMitsubishi ndaza ndadibana nenenekazi elineminyaka engama-20 ubudala. Lenza inkqubela kulwazi lweBhayibhile laza labhaptizwa ngowe-1966. Emva konyaka laqalisa ubuvulindlela yaye kungekudala emva koko lamiselwa njengovulindlela okhethekileyo. Lisakhonza njengaye ukususela ngoko. Bekusoloko kulukhuthazo kum ukubona indlela eliye lasebenzisa ixesha namandla alo kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo ukususela ebutsheni.
Ukumela inyaniso yeBhayibhile kulucelomngeni ingakumbi kubantu abahlala kwiindawo ezingezozamaKristu. Ukanti, amawaka amaninzi abantu aye ahlangabezana nolu celomngeni, kuquka iqela labo ndiye ndafundisisa nabo iBhayibhile. Liye lalahla izibingelelo ezixabiso liphakamileyo zamaBhuda nezibingelelo zamaShinto ngokwesithethe ezifumaneka kumakhaya abantu baseJapan. Ekubeni maxa wambi izizalwana ziye zicinge ukuba izenzo ezinjalo kukungabi nantlonelo ngezinyanya, kuye kufuneke ukuba abo basebatsha babe nenkalipho ukuze benze oko. Ezo zenzo zabo zenkalipho zisikhumbuza amaKristu okuqala awalahla izinto ezazinento yokwenza nonqulo lobuxoki.—IZenzo 19:18-20.
Ndikhumbula esinye isifundo seBhayibhile, inkosikazi engaphangeliyo, eyayiceba ukulishiya elaseTokyo kunye nentsapho yayo. Yayifuna ukufudukela kwikhaya elitsha elalingenazinto zonqulo lobuhedeni. Ngoko yaxelela umyeni wayo ngoko yayikunqwenela, yaye wavumelana nayo. Ngovuyo yandixelela ngale nto kodwa yakhumbula ukuba ipakishe nengqayi enkulu eyenziwe ngelitye lebhastile elixabisa kakhulu eyayiyithenge kuba kwakuthiwe ibangela kubekho ulonwabo ekhaya. Ekubeni yayirhanela ukuba inento yokwenza nonqulo lobuxoki, yayaphula loo ngqayi ngehamile yaza yayilahla.
Ukubona eli bhinqa kunye nabanye ngokuzithandela belahla izinto ezixabisa kakhulu ezinento yokwenza nonqulo lobuxoki baze ngenkalipho baqalise ubomi obutsha enkonzweni kaYehova kuye kwaba ngawona mava axabisekileyo nanelisayo kum. Ndiyambulela rhoqo uYehova kuba ndiye ndakwazi ukunandipha inkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-40 eJapan.
“Imimangaliso” Yanamhlanje
Xa ndikhangela emva kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-70 ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, ndiyamangaliswa kukubona oko ndikugqala njengemimangaliso yanamhlanje. Njengoko ndandingumntu oneentloni ebutsheni bam, andizange ndiyicinge nakancinane into yokuba ndingachitha ubomi bam bonke ndithetha nabantu ngoBukumkani obo inkoliso yabantu ingafuni nokuva ngabo. Ukanti, andikhange ndanele nje kukwenza oko kodwa ndiye ndabona namakhulu, ukuba asingomawaka abanye besenza okufanayo. Yaye baye bakwenza ngempumelelo kangangokuba amaNgqina angaphezulwana kancinane kwiwaka awayekho eJapan ekufikeni kwam ngowe-1958 aye akhula aya kutsho kwangaphezu kwama-222 000 namhlanje!
Ekufikeni kwam noMartha okokuqala eJapan, sabelwa ukuba siye kuhlala kwiofisi yesebe yaseTokyo. Ngowe-1963, kwakhiwa isakhiwo esitsha esinemigangatho emithandathu kweso siza, yaye besihlala apho ukususela ngelo xesha. NgoNovemba 1963 sasiphakathi kwabali-163 ababekho kwintetho yonikezelo eyayinikelwa ngumveleli wethu wesebe, uLloyd Barry. Ngelo xesha sasifikelele kuma-3 000 amaNgqina eJapan.
Kuye kwaluvuyo ukubona umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani usanda ngendlela ephawulekayo, ufikelela abantu abangaphezu kwama-14-000 ngowe-1972, xa kwagqitywa isebe elitsha elandisiweyo kwisixeko saseNumazu. Kodwa ngowe-1982 kwakukho abavakalisi boBukumkani abangaphezu kwama-68 000 eJapan, yaye kwakhiwa isakhiwo sesebe esikhudlwana kwisixeko sase-Ebina, malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-80 ukusuka eTokyo.
Ngelo xesha, isakhiwo esasifudula isesesebe phakathi eTokyo sahlaziywa. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, sasebenza njengekhaya labavangeli basemazweni abangaphezu kwama-20 ebebekhonza eJapan kangangeminyaka engama-40, ama-50 nangaphezulu, kuquka mna neqabane lam lakudala uMartha Hess. Kwakweli khaya lethu kuhlala ugqirha nenkosikazi yakhe, engumongikazi. Banyamekela impilo yethu ngothando. Kutshanje, kuye kongezelelwa omnye umongikazi, yaye oodade abangamaKristu bayeza ukuza kuncedisa kumsebenzi wokonga ebudeni bemini. Amalungu amabini entsapho yaseBheteli ese-Ebina ayatshintshana ukuza kusilungiselela izidlo aze acoce nekhaya lethu. Eneneni, uYehova ebelungile kuthi.—INdumiso 34:8, 10.
Imbalasane yobomi bam bobuvangeli basemazweni iye yenzeka kuNovemba odluleyo, kwiminyaka engama-36 emva kokunikezelwa kwesakhiwo uninzi lwethu thina kudala singabavangeli basemazweni esihlala kuso. NgoNovemba 13, 1999, ndandiphakathi kwabangama-4 486 kuquka amakhulu abo kudala bengamaNgqina abavela kumazwe angama-37, ababekho ekunikezelweni kwesakhiwo sesebe laseJapan leWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society e-Ebina. Sithethanje, kukho malunga nama-650 kwintsapho yelo sebe.
Ukutyhubela iminyaka emalunga nama-80 ukususela ekuqaliseni kwam ukusa isigidimi seBhayibhile kwindlu ngendlu ndineentloni, uYehova ubendomeleza. Uye wandinceda ndoyisa ukuba neentloni. Ndiyakholelwa ngokwenene ukuba uYehova unokusebenzisa nabani na okholose ngaye, nabo baneentloni ngokugqithiseleyo njengam. Yaye obunjani ukwanelisa ubomi endiye ndanabo ekuthetheni nabantu endingabaziyo ngoThixo wethu, uYehova!
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Ndikunye noMama noClarence, owayesityelele evela eBheteli.
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Amalungu eklasi yethu efundisisa ehleli engceni kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi kufuphi neSouth Lansing, eNew York
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Ngasekhohlo: Ndim, nguMartha Hess, nomama, eHawaii
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Ngasekunene: Amalungu ekhaya lethu labavangeli basemazweni laseTokyo
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Ngasezantsi: Ndikunye neqabane lam lakudala, uMartha Hess
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Isakhiwo esandisiweyo sesebe lethu lase-Ebina sanikezelwa kuNovemba odluleyo