“Nantsi Indlela. Hambani Ngayo”

Ibali likaEmilia Pederson

Libaliswa nguRuth E. Pappas

UMAMA, uEmilia Pederson wazalwa ngowe-1878. Nangona wayengutitshalakazi, eyona nto wayeyifuna kukunceda abantu basondele kuThixo. Loo nto yayiboniswa yitranki enkulu eyayisekhaya kwidolophana yaseJasper, eMinnesota, eUnited States. Wayeyifunele ukufaka impahla awayeza kuya nayo eTshayina, apho wayefuna ukuba ngumthunywa wevangeli khona. Noko ke, wathi akufa umama wakhe, kwafuneka ayincame loo nto ahlale ekhaya aze anyamekele abantwana bakowabo abeza emva kwakhe. Ngowe-1907 watshata noTheodore Holien. Mna ndazalwa ngoDisemba 2, 1925, ndingowokugqibela kubantwana abasixhenxe.

UMama wayenemibuzo ephathelele iBhayibhile ibe wazifuna ngokuzimisela iimpendulo zayo. Omnye umbuzo wawuphathelele imfundiso yokuba isihogo siyindawo enomlilo wokuthuthumbisa abangendawo. Wabuza umphathi weCawa yamaLuthere owayetyelele, ngendawo anokuzifumana kuyo iZibhalo ezixhasa le mfundiso. Yena wamxelela ukuba ayibalulekanga into ethethwa yiBhayibhile, kodwa yona imfundiso yesihogo sentuthumbo ifanele ifundiswe.

Umnqweno Wakhe Wokufuna Inyaniso Uyaneliswa

Kancinane nje emva kowe-1900, umakazi wam, uEmma, waya eNorthfield, eMinnesota, ukuya kufunda umculo. Wahlala ekhayeni likaMilius Christianson, owayengutitshala wakhe yaye umfazi wakhe wayenguMfundi weBhayibhile, gama elo awayebizwa ngalo amaNgqina kaYehova ngelo xesha. UEmma wayitsho into yokuba udadewabo ungumfundi weBhayibhile ozimiseleyo. Akuzange kube kudala, uNkoskz. Christianson wabhalela uMama, ephendula imibuzo yeBhayibhile awayenayo.

Ngeny’ imini, omnye uMfundi weBhayibhile ogama linguLora Oathout wafika ngololiwe evela eSioux Falls, kuMzantsi Dakota ukuza kushumayela eJasper. UMama wafunda uncwadi lweBhayibhile awalufumanayo, yaye ngowe-1915, waqalisa ukuxelela abanye ngenyaniso yeBhayibhile, esasaza uncwadi awayelushiyelwe nguLora.

Ngowe-1916, uMama weva ukuba uCharles Taze Russell uza kuba kwindibano eseSioux City, eIowa. Wayefuna ukuya apho. Ngelo xesha, uMama wayenabantwana abahlanu yaye uMarvin owayengoyena mncinane wayeneenyanga ezintlanu kuphela ubudala. Nakuba kunjalo, wahamba nabo bonke abantwana bakhe ngololiwe umgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezili-160 ukuya eSioux City kuloo ndibano. Waphulaphula intetho kaMzalwan’ uRussell, wabukela i“Photo-Drama of Creation,” waza wabhaptizwa. Wathi akubuyela ekhaya, wabhala inqaku ngaloo ndibano yaye lapapashwa kwiJasper Journal.

Ngowe-1922, uMama waba ngomnye wabali-18 000 ababeye kwindibano eyayiseCedar Point, eOhio. Emva kwaloo ndibano, akazange ayeke ukuvakalisa uBukumkani bukaThixo. Kunoko, waqhubeka esibongoza ukuba sithobele lo myalelo: “Nantsi indlela. Hambani ngayo.”—Isa. 30:21.

Ukushumayela NgoBukumkani Kwaba Neziqhamo Ezihle

Ebutsheni beminyaka yee-1920, abazali bam bafudukela kumzi owawungaphandle kweJasper. Ishishini likaTata laliqhuba kakuhle yaye wayenentsapho enkulu awayemele ayixhase. Akazange ayifunde iBhayibhile ngendlela awenza ngayo uMama, kodwa wawuxhasa ngentliziyo yakhe yonke umsebenzi wokushumayela waza wamkela abalungiseleli abahambahambayo ekhayeni lakhe, ababesaziwa njengabahambi ngezonqulo ngelo xesha. Xa omnye waba bazalwana bahambahambayo benikela intetho ekhaya kwakudla ngokubakho abantu abamalunga nekhulu, bezalisa igumbi lokuhlala, elokutyela nelokulala.

Xa ndandineminyaka emalunga nesixhenxe ubudala, umakazi wam uLettie wafowuna esithi abamelwane bakhe uEd Larson nenkosikazi yakhe, bafuna ukufunda iBhayibhile. Baba nomdla kwinyaniso yeBhayibhile yaye kamva bamema omnye ummelwane wabo uMartha Van Daalen, umama wabantwana abasibhozo, ukuba naye abekho kweso sifundo. UMartha nayo yonke intsapho yakhe baba ngaBafundi beBhayibhile.a

Malunga nelo xesha, uGordon Kammerud, umfana owayehlala kumgama oziikhilomitha ezimbalwa ukusuka ekhaya, waqalisa ukusebenza noTata. UGordon wayelunyukiswe ngelithi: “Zilumkele iintombi zomphathi wakho. Zinonqulo nje olungaqhelekanga.” Noko ke, uGordon waqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile yaye akuzange kube kudala waqiniseka ukuba ufumene inyaniso. Kwiinyanga ezintathu emva koko wabhaptizwa. Nabazali bakhe baba ngamaKristu ibe iintsapho zethu—eyakwaHolien, eyakwaKammerud, neyakwaVan Daalen—zaba ngabahlobo.

Ukukhuthazwa Ziindibano Zesithili

UMama wakhuthazwa gqitha yindibano yesithili eyayiseCedar Point kangangokuba akazange aphinde afune ukuphoswa yiyo nayiphi na enye. Ngoko ndikhumbula ndiselula sithanda ukuhamba imigama emide sisiya kwezo ndibano. Enye eyayiseColumbus, eOhio, ngowe-1931 ayilibaleki ngenxa yokuba kulapho kwamkelwa khona igama elithi amaNgqina kaYehova. (Isa. 43:10-12) Kanti ndiyikhumbula kakuhle indibano eyayiseWashington, D.C., ngowe-1935, apho kwanikelwa intetho ebalaseleyo eyayichaza “isihlwele esikhulu,” ekuthethwa ngaso kwiSityhilelo. (ISityhi. 7:9) Udadewethu uLilian noEunice baba phakathi kwabangaphezu kwama-800 ababhaptizwa apho.

Intsapho yakowethu yaya kwindibano eyayiseColumbus, eOhio, ngowe-1937; yaya kweyayiseSeattle, eWashington, ngowe-1938; yaza yaya nakweyayikwisiXeko saseNew York ngowe-1939. Sasihamba nentsapho yakwaVan Daalen neyakwaKammerud nezinye, yaye samisa iintente endleleni. UEunice watshata noLeo Van Daalen ngowe-1940 baza baba ngoovulindlela. Kwangaloo nyaka, uLilian watshata noGordon Kammerud yaye nabo baba ngoovulindlela.

Indibano eyaqhutyelwa eSt. Louis, eMissouri ngowe-1941 yayikhethekile. Kulapho amawakawaka abantwana afumana khona incwadi ethi Children. Loo ndibano yabutshintsha ubomi bam. Kungekudala emva koko, ngoSeptemba 1, 1941 mna nomntakwethu uMarvin nenkosikazi yakhe uJoyce saba ngoovulindlela. Ndandineminyaka eli-15 ubudala ngelo xesha.

Kummandla weefama esasihlala kuwo, kwakunzima ukuba bonke abazalwana babekho kwiindibano zesithili ngenxa yokuba zazidla ngokuqhutywa ngexesha lokuvuna. Ngoko emva kwezo ndibano, sasisiba nempinda yazo emva kwendlu yasekhaya ukuze kungenelwe abo bangakwazanga ukuya kuzo. Kwakuba mnandi ke apho.

Ukuya EGiliyadi Nakwizabelo Ezikumazwe Asemzini

NgoFebruwari 1943, kwasekwa iSikolo saseGiliyadi ukuze kuqeqeshwe oovulindlela ababeza kuba ngabathunywa bevangeli. Iklasi yokuqala yayiquka amalungu amathandathu entsapho yakwaVan Daalen—uEmil, uArthur, uHomer noLeo abazalwa kunye; umza wabo uDonald; nenkosikazi kaLeo uEunice engudadewethu. Sathi ndlela-ntle kubo, singazi enoba masivuye okanye sikhathazeke, ekubeni sasingazi enoba sakuphinda sibabone kusini na. Emva kokuba bephumelele apho, bobathandathu bathunyelwa ePuerto Rico, eyayineqaqobana lamaNgqina ngelo xesha.

Kwisithuba sonyaka emva koko, uLilian noGordon kwakunye noMarvin noJoyce baya kwiklasi yesithathu yaseGiliyadi. Nabo bathunyelwa ePuerto Rico. Emva koko, ngoSeptemba 1944, xa ndandineminyaka eli-18 ubudala ndaya kwiklasi yesine yaseGiliyadi. Emva kokuphumelela ngoFebruwari 1945, ndaya kusebenza nezizalwane zam ePuerto Rico. Ndafumana amava awahluke ngokupheleleyo apho. Nangona kwaba lucelomngeni ukufunda isiSpanish, akuzange kube kudala abanye kuthi baqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezingaphezu kwama-20. UYehova wawusikelela umsebenzi. Sithethanje kukho amaNgqina amalunga nama-25 000 ePuerto Rico!

Intsapho Yakowethu Yehlelwa Ziintlekele

ULeo noEunice baqhubeka behlala ePuerto Rico nasemva kokuzalwa konyana wabo uMark ngowe-1950. Ngowe-1952 baceba ukuthabatha iholide ukuya kutyelela izizalwane zabo ekhaya. NgoAprili 11 bakhwela inqwelo-moya. Okulusizi kukuba, emva nje kokuba isukile, loo nqwelo-moya yaya kuwela elwandle. ULeo noEunice bafela apho. UMark oneminyaka emibini ubudala wafunyanwa edada phezu kwamanzi. Waphoswa kwiphenyane ngomnye umntu owayesindile yaye wafakwa umatshini wokuphefumla—ibe waphila.b

Kwiminyaka emihlanu kamva, ngoMatshi 7, 1957, uMama noTata babehamba ngemoto besiya kwiHolo yoBukumkani xa bagqajukelwa litayara. Ngoxa wayetshintsha elo tayara ecaleni kwendlela, uTata watshayiswa yimoto edlulayo, wasweleka ngoko nangoko. Kwintetho yomngcwabo wakhe kwakukho abantu abamalunga nama-600, ibe kwanikelwa ubungqina obuhle ekuhlaleni, ibe uTata wayehlonelwa gqitha apho.

Izabelo Ezitsha

Ngaphambi nje kokusweleka kukaTata, ndandifumene isabelo sokuya kukhonza eArgentina. NgoAgasti 1957, ndafika kwisixeko saseMendoza esikumazantsi eeNtaba zeAndes. Ngowe-1958, uGeorge Pappas, owayephumelele kwiklasi yama-30 yaseGiliyadi wathunyelwa eArgentina. Mna noGeorge saba ngabahlobo, yaye satshata ngoAprili 1960. Ngowe-1961, uMama wasweleka eneminyaka engama-83 ubudala. Wayehambe ngokuthembeka kwindlela yonqulo lwenyaniso ibe wanceda intaphane yabantu ukuba benjenjalo.

Kangangeminyaka elishumi mna noGeorge sasebenza nabanye abathunywa bevangeli kumakhaya awahlukahlukeneyo abathunywa bevangeli. Emva koko sachitha iminyaka esixhenxe kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Ngowe-1975 sabuyela eUnited States ukuya konga amalungu entsapho awayenempilo enkenenkene. Ngowe-1980, umyeni wam wacelwa ukuya kwenza umsebenzi wesiphaluka kwintsimi yabantu abantetho isisiSpanish. Ngelo xesha kwakukho amabandla eSpanish amalunga nama-600 eUnited States. Kangangeminyaka engama-26 satyelela uninzi lwawo yaye sabona inani lamabandla lisanda ukuya kufikelela ngaphezu kwama-3 000.

Baye Bahamba Kule “Ndlela”

UMama wavuyiswa nakukubona amalungu aselula entsapho yakhe esiba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ngokomzekelo, uCarol, intombi kadadewethu omdala, uEster, yaba nguvulindlela ngowe-1953. Yatshata noDennis Trumbore, yaye abakhange bayiyeke inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ukususela ngoko. Enye intombi kaEster, uLois yatshata noWendell Jensen. Baya kwiklasi yama-41 yaseGiliyadi baza baba ngabathunywa bevangeli eNigeria kangangeminyaka eli-15. UMark, owafelwa ngabazali kwingozi yenqwelo-moya, wakhuliswa ngudadeboLeo, uRuth La Londe nomyeni wakhe, uCurtiss. UMark nenkosikazi yakhe, uLavonne, babe ngoovulindlela kangangeminyaka baza bakhulisela abantwana babo abane kule “ndlela.”—Isa. 30:21.

UOrlen, ongokuphela komntakwethu osaphilayo, sele eyigabhule iminyaka engama-90 ubudala. Usamkhonza ngokuthembeka uYehova. Nam noGeorge sisonwabile kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.

Oko Kwashiywa NguMama

Ngoku ndinenye yezinto zikaMama ezixabisekileyo—idesika yakhe. Wayeyiphiwe ngutata xa babetshata. Kwenye yeedrowa zayo kukho incwadi yakhe endala yokubhala amanqaku, eneeleta namanqaku amaphephandaba awawabhalayo nawanikela ngawo ubungqina obuhle ngoBukumkani. Amanye kula manqaku ngawasebutsheni beminyaka yee-1900. Kwakwiidrowa zale desika, kukho iileta ezixabisekileyo ezivela kubantwana bakhe abangabathunywa bevangeli. Ndikuthanda gqitha ukuzifunda ngokuphindaphindiweyo! Kanti neeleta awayesibhalela zona zazisoloko zikhuthaza gqitha. Awuzange ufezeke umnqweno kaMama wokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli. Noko ke, ukuthanda kwakhe inkonzo yabathunywa bevangeli kwakhuthaza izizukulwana eziza emva kwakhe. Ingathi alisafiki ithuba lokuba sidibane siphelele njengentsapho kunye noMama noTata kwiparadesi esemhlabeni!—ISityhi. 21:3, 4.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

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UEmilia Pederson

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Ngowe-1916: NguMama, uTata (ephethe uMarvin); ezantsi ukusuka ekhohlo ukuya ekunene: nguOrlen, uEster, uLilian, noMildred

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NguLeo noEunice ngaphambi nje kokusweleka kwabo

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Ngowe-1950: Ukusuka ekhohlo ukuya ekunene, entla: nguEster, uMildred, uLilian, uEunice, uRuth; ezantsi: nguOrlen, uMama, uTata, noMarvin

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UGeorge noRuth Pappas kumsebenzi wesiphaluka ngowama-2001