Ibali Lobomi
Ubomi Obanelisayo Nakuba Zazikho Ezibuhlungu
NGOKUBALISWA NGUAUDREY HYDE
Xa ndikhangela emva kule minyaka ingaphezu kwama-63 ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo—engama-59 kuyo ndikwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova—ndingatsho ndiqiniseke ukuba ubomi bam bebusanelisa ngokwenene. Enyanisweni, ukubukela umyeni wam wokuqala egqitywa ngumhlaza nomyeni wam wesibini engcungcuthekiswa sisifo sika-Alzheimer kwakubuhlungu gqitha. Kodwa makhe ndikubalisele ngendlela endiye ndahlala ngayo ndivuya nakuba ndandikhe ndithwaxwe ziintlungu.
NDIKHULELE kwifama ekufutshane nedolophana yaseHaxtun kwiintili ezikumntla-mpuma weColorado, kufutshane nomda weNebraska. Ndingowesihlanu kubantwana abathandathu bakaOrille noNina Mock. URussell, uWayne, uClara, noArdis bazalwa phakathi kowe-1913 nowe-1920, ndaza mna ndazalwa ngonyaka olandela lowo. UCurtis wazalwa ngowe-1925.
Ngowe-1913, uMama waba nguMfundi WeBhayibhile, gama elo awayesaziwa ngalo amaNgqina kaYehova ngelo xesha. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, nayo yonke intsapho yalandela elo khondo.
Ukuphila Kamnandi Entilini
UTata wayeyithanda gqitha inkqubela. Zonke izakhiwo zefama yakowethu zaba nombane, nto leyo eyayinqabe gqitha ngaloo maxesha. Sasiyinandipha imveliso yasefama—njengamaqanda eenkuku esasizifuyile, ubisi, icream nebhotolo evela ezinkomeni. Sasilima ngamahashe size sityale amaqunube neetapile kwakunye nombona.
UTata wayevakalelwa kukuba sonke thina bantwana sifanele sifunde ukusebenza. Kwanangaphambi kokuba ndiye esikolweni, ndafundiswa ukusebenza emasimini. Ndikhumbula ehlotyeni, litshisa kunqanqaz’ unogqaza, ndandidla ngokusus’ ukhula kwisitiya esikhulu sakowethu. ‘Ndakuze ndigqibe?’ ndandidla ngokuzibuza. Ndandibila xhopho, ndilunywe naziinyosi. Maxa wambi, intliziyo yam yayiba buhlungu, kuba abantwana beminye imizi babengasebenzi nzima njengathi. Kodwa ke, enyanisweni xa ndikhangela emva ebuntwaneni bam, ndiyayivuyela into yokuba sawufundiswa umsebenzi.
Sonke thina bantwana sasinemisebenzi yethu. UArdis wayesenga bhetele kunam, ngenxa yoko mna ndandicoca izitali zamahashe, ndikhupha umgquba. Sekunjalo, sasinalo nexesha lokudlala. Mna noArdis sasidlala isoftball neqela lasekuhlaleni. Ndandidlala kwindawo yesithathu, uArdis yena edlala ekuqaleni.
Isibhakabhaka sobusuku obuzolileyo sasiba sihle ngokwenene kwezo ntili. Amawakawaka eenkwenkwezi ayendikhumbuza uMdali wethu, uYehova uThixo. Ndisengumntwana, ndandidla ngokukhumbula amazwi akwiNdumiso 147:4, afundeka ngolu hlobo: “[UYehova] ubala inani leenkwenkwezi; zonke uzibiza ngamagama azo.” Ebudeni bezi ngokuhlwa zizolileyo, inja yakowethu, uJudge yayidla ngokuhlala nam ilalise intloko ethangeni lam. Emva kwemini, ndandidla ngokuhlala evarandeni ndize ndibukele amasimi engqolowa engekavuthwa njengoko ebhudlwa ngumoya, ewenza abe ngathi yisilivere eselangeni.
UMama Wasimisela Umzekelo Omhle
Umama wayengumfazi ozinikele gqitha. UTata wayesoloko eyintloko-ntsapho, yaye uMama wasifundisa ukuba simhlonele. Ngowe-1939 naye waba liNgqina likaYehova. Yayingasisithelanga into yokuba uTata uyasithanda nangona wayesisebenzisa nzima yaye engasifekethisi. Rhoqo ebusika, wayebophelela ispani samahashe aze asikhwelise esileyini. Hayi indlela esasikunandipha ngayo ukubukela ukubengezela kwekhephu!
Noko ke, nguMama owasifundisa ukuthanda uThixo nokuhlonela iBhayibhile. Wasifundisa ukuba igama likaThixo nguYehova yaye unguMthombo wobomi. (INdumiso 36:9; 83:18) Safunda nokuba usinike ulwalathiso, kungekhona ngenjongo yokusihlutha ulonwabo, kodwa ukuze kungenelwe thina. (Isaya 48:17) UMama wayesoloko esibethelela isibakala sokuba sinomsebenzi okhethekileyo esimele siwenze. Wasifundisa ukuba uYesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kushunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba omiweyo kube bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga; kwandule ke kufike ukuphela.”—Mateyu 24:14.
Ndisengumntwana, xa ndivela esikolweni ndize ndifike umama engekho ekhaya, ndandimkhangela. Kwakha kwathi, xa ndandiphakathi kweminyaka emithandathu nesixhenxe ubudala, ndafika eseshedini. Yana ngamandla imvula. Sasikwindawo ephezulu ehlala ukutya kweenkomo ibe ndambuza enoba uThixo wayesizisa omnye uMkhukula kusini na. Wandiqinisekisa ngesithembiso sikaThixo sokuba akasayi kuze aphinde atshabalalise umhlaba ngonogumbe. Kanti ndikhumbula izihlandlo eziliqela ndibalekela kwigumbi elingaphantsi komhlaba ngenxa yokuxhaphaka kweenkanyamba.
Ndingekazalwa uMama wayesele eshumayela. Kwakukho iqela elalihlanganisana ekhaya, bonke ababekulo babenethemba lokuphila noKristu ezulwini. Nangona kwakunzima kuMama ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu, uthando lwakhe ngoThixo lwaloyisa uloyiko awayenalo. Wathembeka de kwayimini yokufa kwakhe ngoNovemba 24, 1969, xa wayeneminyaka engama-84 ubudala. Ndamsebezela ndisithi: “Mama uya ezulwini, yaye uza kudibana nabantu obaziyo.” Hayi indlela endavuya ngayo kukuba kunye noMama ngeso sihlandlo ndize ndimxelele indlela endiqiniseke ngayo ngelo themba! Ngeliphantsi wathi: “Uyandomeleza ngokwenene.”
Saqalisa Ukushumayela
Ngowe-1939, uRussell waba nguvulindlela, njengoko abavangeli bexesha elizeleyo bamaNgqina kaYehova bebizwa njalo. Waba nguvulindlela eOklahoma naseNebraska de kwangowe-1944 xa wamenywa ukuba aye kukhonza kwikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova (elibizwa ngokuba yiBheteli), eBrooklyn, eNew York. Mna ndaqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela ngoSeptemba 20, 1941, ndaza ndasebenza kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo zaseColorado, eKansas, naseNebraska. Ndayinandipha gqitha loo minyaka yokuba nguvulindlela, kungekuphela nje ngenxa yokuba ndandikwazi ukunceda abanye bafunde ngoYehova kodwa nangenxa yokufunda kwam ukuthembela ngaye.
Malunga nexesha uRussell awaqala ngalo ukuba nguvulindlela, uWayne wayekwanokholeji kunxweme olusempuma emva kokuphangela kangangethutyana. Kamva wamenyelwa ukuza kusebenza eBheteli. Wakhonza ithuba elide eKingdom Farm, kufutshane neIthaca, eNew York. Apho kwakulinyelwa intsatshana yaloo fama ukutya kwakunye nabasebenzi abamalunga nama-200 beBheteli yaseBrooklyn. UWayne wasebenzisa ubuchule namava awayenawo kwinkonzo kaYehova de kwasekufeni kwakhe ngowe-1988.
Udadewethu uArdis watshata noJames Kern, baza baba nabantwana abahlanu. Wafa udadewethu ngowe-1997. Omnye udadewethu uClara, uye waqhubeka ethembekile kuYehova de kwangoku, yaye xa ndiseholideyini ndisamana ukumtyelela ekhayeni lakhe eliseColorado. Umntakwethu oligqibelo uCurtis, wamenyelwa kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn phakathi kwiminyaka yee-1940. Wayeqhuba ilori esuka apho isiya eKingdom Farm ethutha imveliso. Akazange atshate de kwasekufeni kwakhe ngowe-1971.
Umnqweno Wam—Ukukhonza EBheteli
Abantakwethu abakhulu kunam babesele beseBheteli, yaye nam ndandinqwenela ukuya kukhonza apho. Ndiqinisekile ukuba ndamenywa apho ngenxa yomzekelo wabo omhle. Ukuphulaphula umama esibalisela ngembali yentlangano kaThixo nokuzibonela ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zeBhayibhile ngokuphathelele imihla yokugqibela kwavuselela kum umdla wokukhonza eBheteli. Ndenza isifungo kuYehova emthandazweni sokuba, ukuba uyandivumela ndikhonze eBheteli, andisayi kuze ndiyishiye ngaphandle kokuba ndineembopheleleko zobuKristu endifuna ukuzinyamekela.
EBheteli ndafika ngoJuni 20, 1945, ndaza ndanikwa umsebenzi wokucoca. Ndandicoca amagumbi ali-13, ndisondlula iibhedi ezingama-26 imihla ngemihla, ndicoca iipaseji, izinyuko neefestile. Wawunzima lo msebenzi. Mihla le xa ndisemsebenzini, ndandiye ndizixelele ukuba, ‘Ewe kona udiniwe, kodwa ke useBheteli, indlu kaThixo!’
Kwathi kanye xa ndandisemtsha eBheteli kwenzeka into eyandishiya ndiphoxeke ndimanzi. Ekubeni ndandikhulele emaphandleni, ndandingazi ukuba idumbwaiter sisinyusi esincinane esisetyenziselwa ukuthutha izinto ukusuka komnye umgangatho ukuya komnye. Kwathi ke ngenye imini ndafumana imfonomfono emsebenzini isithi, “Unganceda usithumelele idumbwaiter leyo?” Lo mzalwana wakhawuleza wayibeka phantsi imfonomfono, ngoko andizange ndibe sazi ukuba mandenze ntoni. Kodwa ndaba sele ndikhumbula ukuba omnye wabazalwana ababehlala kumagumbi endandiwacoca wayeyiweyitala. Ngoko ndaya kunkqonkqoza egumbini lakhe ndaza ndathi, “Uyabizwa ekhitshini.”
Ukutshata NoNathan Knorr
Ukususela ngeminyaka yee-1920, amalungu entsapho yaseBheteli afuna ukutshata kwakuye kufuneke ayishiye iBheteli aye kuhambisela phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kwezinye iindawo. Kodwa ebutsheni beminyaka yee-1950, izibini ezimbalwa ezisele zikhonze eBheteli kangangeminyaka eliqela zazivunyelwa ukuba zingatshata zize zihlale. Ngoko xa uNathan H. Knorr, owayesalathisa umsebenzi woBukumkani wehlabathi lonke ngelo xesha, wabonisa umdla kum, ndaqonda ukuba ‘Lo yena uza kuhlala enoba sekutheni!’
UNathan wayeneembopheleleko ezininzi zokunyamekela umsebenzi wehlabathi lonke wamaNgqina kaYehova. Ngoko wathetha nam ngokunyaniseka, endinika izizathu ezininzi zokuba ndicingisise ngaphambi kokwamkela isicelo sakhe somtshato. Ngezo mini, wayehamba kakhulu etyelela amasebe amaNgqina kaYehova ehlabathini lonke yaye wayehamba kangangeeveki eziliqela. Ngoko wayitsho into yokuba kuza kwenzeka ukuba sahlukane ixesha elide.
Ndiseyintwazana, ndandidla ngokuthi ndakuze nditshate entlakohlaza, kuthi ke emva komsitho womtshato ndiye kwiziqithi zePasifiki eHawaii. Kodwa ke, satshata ebusika ngoJanuwari 31, 1953, saza sachitha uMgqibelo neCawa emva komsitho womtshato eNew Jersey. KwangoMvulo sangena emsebenzini. Sathabatha iholide yeveki, kwiveki elandela leyo.
Iqabane Elizinikelayo Emsebenzini
UNathan wayeneminyaka eli-18 ukufika kwakhe eBheteli ngowe-1923. Wafumana uqeqesho olusemgangathweni kumagqala anjengoJoseph F. Rutherford, owayesalathisa umsebenzi wamaNgqina nakumalathisi kumsebenzi wokushicilela uRobert J. Martin. Uthe akufa uMzalwan’ uMartin ngoSeptemba 1932, yaba nguNathan owalathisa umsebenzi wokushicilela. Ngonyaka olandela lowo, uMzalwan’ uRutherford wahamba noNathan xa wayetyelela amasebe amaNgqina kaYehova eYurophu. NgoJanuwari 1942 ekufeni kukaMzalwan’ uRutherford, uNathan wanikwa imbopheleleko yokuvelela umsebenzi wehlabathi lonke wamaNgqina kaYehova.
UNathan wayengumntu othanda inkqubela, esoloko esenza amalungiselelo olwando oluza kubakho kwikamva. Abanye babengakuboni kufanelekile oku, ekubeni isiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto sasigqalwa njengesisemnyango. Enyanisweni, omnye umzalwana owabona indlela uNathan azicwangcisa ngayo izinto wambuza: “Yintoni le, Mzalwan’ uKnorr? Akunalukholo na kanti?” Waphendula ngelithi: “Ewe, ndinalo, kodwa ukuba isiphelo asikhawulezi ukufika njengoko besisilindele, sakuba silungele nantoni na.”
Enye into awayenomdla kuyo ngamandla uNathan kukuseka isikolo sabavangeli basemazweni. Kangangokuba ngoFebruwari 1, 1943, kwaqaliswa isikolo sabavangeli basemazweni kwifama enkulu awayesebenza kuyo umntakwethu uWayne ngelo xesha. Nangona kwesi sikolo yayifundisiswa ngamandla iBhayibhile kangangeenyanga ezintlanu, uNathan wayeqinisekisa ukuba abafundi bayazihlaziya. Ekuqaleni kwaso, wayebakho xa kudlalwa ibhola, kodwa kamva wayeka kuba esoyikela ukwenzakala okwakunokumenza angakwazi ukuya kwiindibano zesithili zehlobo. Wakhetha ukuba ngusompempe. Abafundi bayithanda gqitha into yokuba atshintshe imithetho yomdlalo ukuze ilungele abafundi basemzini ababelapho.
Ukuhamba NoNathan
Ekugqibeleni ndahamba amazwe noNathan. Ndakunandipha gqitha ukwabelana ngamava namatsha-ntliziyo asebenza kumasebe ngamasebe nabavangeli basemazweni. Ndazibonela ngokwam uthando nozinikelo ababenalo, yaye ndafunda ngobomi babo neemeko ababephila phantsi kwazo kumazwe abababelwe kuwo. Ukutyhubela iminyaka, bendisamana ukufumana iileta ezibonisa uxabiso ngotyelelo olunjalo.
Xa ndicinga ngokuhambahamba kwethu, ndikhumbula amava amaninzi. Ngokomzekelo, xa satyelela ePoland, abanye oodade ababini babesebeza xa ndikho. Ndababuza, “Kutheni nisebeza nje?” Bacela uxolo, besithi baqhela ukusebeza ngoxa umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wawuvaliwe ePoland namakhaya abo efakwe iingcingo ukuze aphulaphulwe.
UDade Adach wayengomnye wabaninzi ababekho xa kwakuvalwe umsebenzi ePoland. Wayeneenwele ezinde ezigqume ibunzi. Ngenye imini waziphakamisa ebunzi waza wandibonisa isiva esinzulu, sokubethwa ngomnye wabatshutshisi. Ndothuka gqitha ndakubona inkohlakalo eyanyanyezelwa ngabazalwana noodadewethu.
Indawo yesibini endiyithanda gqitha, emva kweBheteli, yiHawaii. Ndikhumbula indibano eyaqhutyelwa kwisixeko salapho iHilo ngowe-1957. Yayisisihlandlo esikhulu yaye ababekho apho babengaphezulu kumaNgqina alapho ewonke. Usodolophu walapho wamamkela ngezandla ezishushu uNathan. Abaninzi beza kusibulisa, besinxibisa izithsaba zeentyatyambo.
Enye indibano ebangela umdla yayiseNuremberg, eJamani, ngowe-1955, neyaqhutyelwa kwibala eyayidla ngokudibana kulo imikhosi kaHitler. Idumile into yokuba uHitler wafunga wamunc’ iintupha esithi uza kubacim’ igama abantu bakaYehova eJamani, kodwa elo bala lemidlalo lalizele limi ngeembambo ngamaNgqina kaYehova! Iinyembezi zazehlela kum. Iqonga lalilikhulu lineentsika ezinkulu ezili-144. Ndandilapho ndisibona kakuhle isihlwele sabantu abangaphezu kwe-107 000. Kwakukude gqitha ngasemva kunzima nokubona izihlalo zokugqibela.
Sayibona kakuhle ingqibelelo yabazalwana baseJamani namandla ababewafumene kuYehova ebudeni bokutshutshiswa ngamaNazi. Oko kwasomeleza ukuba sithembeke size sigcine ingqibelelo yethu kuYehova. UNathan wanikela intetho yokuqukumbela, yaye emva koko, wabulisa ababekho. Bakhawuleza basabela ngokuwangawangisa iitshefu zabo. Oko kwakungathi kusesitiyeni esihle seentyatyambo.
Esinye isiganeko esingalibalekiyo kukutyelela kwethu ePortugal ngoDisemba 1974. Sasikho kwintlanganiso yokuqala yamaNgqina eLisbon emva kokuvulwa ngokusemthethweni komsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Wawuvalwe kangangeminyaka engama-50! Nakuba kwakukho abavakalisi boBukumkani abali-14 000 kwelo lizwe ngelo xesha, kwakukho abangama-46 000 kwiintlanganiso ezimbini ezaqhutywayo. Zathi gwantyi iinyembezi ndakuva abazalwana besithi: “Akuseyomfuneko ukuba sizimele. Sikhululekile.”
Ukususela ngeemini endandihambahamba ngazo noNathan de kube namhlanje ndiyakunandipha ukushumayela ngokungacwangciswanga—kwiinqwelo-moya, kwiivenkile zokutyela—nasezitratweni. Ndisoloko ndiphethe uncwadi ukuze ndilungele ukwenjenjalo. Sakha sathi ngenye imini silinde inqwelo-moya eyayingafiki, elinye ibhinqa landibuza apho ndisebenza khona. Yaqala apho incoko yethu kunye nalo nabanye ababelapho bephulaphule. Inkonzo yaseBheteli nomsebenzi wokushumayela ziye zandigcina ndixakekile yaye ndonwabe gqitha.
Ukugula Nokundikhuthaza Kwakhe Ngaphambi Kokundishiya
Ngowe-1976, xa uNathan wabanjwa ngumhlaza, ndamonga ndincediswa ngabasebenzi baseBheteli. Nakuba impilo yakhe yayinkenenkene, sasidla ngokumemela egumbini lethu amalungu amasebe awahlukahlukeneyo ehlabathi lonke awayeye kuqeqeshwa eBrooklyn. Ndikhumbula sityelelwa nguDon noEarlene Steele, uLloyd noMelba Barry, uDouglas noMary Guest, uMartin noGertrud Poetzinger, uPryce Hughes, nabanye abaninzi. Babedla ngokusibalisela amava amazwe abasuka kuwo. Awona mava ndandiwathanda ngawokomelela kwabazalwana bethu nangona umsebenzi uvaliwe.
Wathi uNathan akuqonda ukuba sele eza kufa, wandinika amacebiso okundinceda ndihlangabezane nokuba ngumhlolokazi. Wathi: “Besonwabe gqitha emtshatweni wethu. Abantu abaninzi abazange bayifumane loo nto.” Enye into eyasenza sonwaba emtshatweni kukuba nolwazelelelo kukaNathan. Ngokomzekelo, xa sidibana nabantu abahlukahlukeneyo njengoko sihambahamba, wayedla ngokuthi kum: “Audrey, ukuba maxa wambi aba bazalwana andibazisi kuwe, kungenxa yokuba ndiwalibele amagama abo.” Ndandikuvuyela kakhulu ukundixelela kwakhe kuselithuba.
UNathan wandikhumbuza oku: “Emva kokufa, sinethemba eliqinisekileyo yaye akuyomfuneko ukuba siphinde sibandezeleke.” Wandula ke wandibongoza ngelithi: “Khangela phambili emvuzweni. Musa ukuzikhathaza ngexesha elidluleyo—nangona uza kuqhubeka ulikhumbula. Uza kuchacha ekuhambeni kwexesha. Ungabi nengqumbo uze uzisizele. Mayikuvuyise into yokuba uye wafumana olu lonwabo neentsikelelo. Ekuhambeni kwethuba, uya kufumanisa ukuba iinkumbulo zikuzisela uvuyo. Iinkumbulo zisisipho sikaThixo kuthi.” Wongezelela ngelithi: “Zigcine uxakekile—yenzela abanye abantu izinto. Oku kuya kukunceda ufumane uyolo ebomini.” Ekugqibeleni, ngoJuni 8, 1977, uNathan waligqiba ikhondo lakhe lasemhlabeni.
Ndatshata NoGlenn Hyde
UNathan wayendixelele ukuba ndingaqhubeka ndikhumbula izinto ezenzeka kwixa elidluleyo okanye ndiqale ubomi obutsha. Ngoko ngowe-1978, emva kokutshintshelwa kwiiWatchtower Farms eWallkill, eNew York, ndatshata noGlenn Hyde, inzwana, engenamazwi maninzi nezolileyo. Ngaphambi kokuba abe liNgqina wayekuMkhosi wamanzi, ngoxa iUnited States yayisilwa neJapan.
UGlenn wayesebenza kwigumbi elinenjini lenqanawa enesiqhushumbisi. Ngenxa yengxolo yenjini, wayesele enayo indawo yokungeva. Emva kwemfazwe leyo, waba ngumcimi-mlilo. Kangangeminyaka, waba nemivandedwa ngenxa yemfazwe. Wafunda inyaniso yeBhayibhile kunobhala wakhe, owashumayela kuye ngokungacwangciswanga.
Ngasekupheleni kowe-1968, uGlenn wamenyelwa eBheteli ukuze abe ngumcimi-mlilo eBrooklyn. Kwathi kwakuthengwa inqwelo-mafutha yokucima umlilo eWatchtower Farms watshintshelwa apho ngowe-1975. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, wafunyanwa sisifo sika-Alzheimer. Emva kokuba sitshate iminyaka elishumi, uGlenn wafa.
Ndandiza kuthini ke ngoku? Ndaphinda ndancedwa ngalaa macebiso kaNathan angaphambi kokufa kwakhe. Ndamana ndifunda amazwi awandibhalela wona aphathelele ukuhlangabezana nokuba ngumhlolokazi. Ndisabelana ngala mazwi nabo bafelwa ngamaqabane abo, nabo baye bathuthuzelwa ngala macebiso kaNathan. Ewe, kuyingenelo ukukhangela phambili njengoko wandikhuthazayo.
Ubuzalwana Obuxabisekileyo
Eyona nto iye yanegalelo kulonwabo endinalo ngabahlobo abathandekayo abakwintsapho yaseBheteli. Oyena ndimkhumbulayo kwaba bahlobo nguEsther Lopez, owaphumelela ngowe-1944 kwiklasi yesithathu yeSikolo SeBhayibhile SeWatchtower SaseGiliyadi. Wabuyela eBrooklyn ngoFebruwari 1950 ukuze aguqulele uncwadi lweBhayibhile ngesiSpanish. Kwakudla ngokuthi xa uNathan eseluhambeni, ndihlale noEsther. Naye ukwiiWatchtower Farms. Ngoku uphakathi kwiminyaka engama-90 ubudala, ukhathazwa yimpilo yaye unyanyekelwa sisibhedlele salapha esincinane.
Kwintsapho yakowethu, nguRussell noClara abasaphilayo. URussell uneminyaka engaphezu kwama-90 ubudala yaye ukhonza ngokuthembeka kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn. Waba phakathi kwabokuqala abavunyelwayo ukuba bahlale eBheteli emva kokutshata. Ngowe-1952, watshata nodade owayeseBheteli, uJean Larson. Umntakwabo Jean, uMax wafika eBheteli ngowe-1939 waza wangena ezihlangwini zikaNathan njengomalathisi womsebenzi wokushicilela ngowe-1942. UMax usenomsebenzi omninzi eBheteli, oquka ukunyamekela umfazi wakhe othandekayo uHelen, onemultiple sclerosis.
Xa ndikhangela emva kwiminyaka engama-63 ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo kaYehova, ndingathi ubomi bam bebusanelisa ngokwenene. IBheteli iye yalikhaya lam, yaye ndisakhonza kuyo ngentliziyo enovuyo. Ndiyababulela abazali bam ngokubethelela ukubaluleka kokusebenza nokufuna ukukhonza uYehova. Kodwa eyona nto yenza ubomi banelise bubuzalwana bethu obumangalisayo nethemba lokuphila nabazalwana noodadewethu kumhlaba oyiparadesi, sikhonza uMdali wethu Ozukileyo, uThixo okuphela koyinyaniso, uYehova ngonaphakade kanaphakade.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Abazali bam ngomhla abatshata ngawo ngoJuni 1912
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Ukusuka ekhohlo ukuya ekunene: URussell, uWayne, uClara, uArdis, nam, noCurtis ngowe-1927
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Ndimi phakathi kukaFrances noBarbara McNaught ndisenguvulindlela ngowe-1944
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EBheteli ngowe-1951. Ukusuka ekhohlo ukuya ekunene: Ndim, nguEsther Lopez, noJean ongumfazi womntakwethu
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Ndikunye noNathan nabazali bakhe
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Ndikunye noNathan ngowe-1955
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Ndikunye noNathan eHawaii
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Ndikunye nomyeni wam wesibini, uGlenn