Ndaqalisa ‘Ukukhumbula UMdali Wam Ozukileyo’ Kwiminyaka Engama-90 Eyadlulayo
Kubalisa uEdwin Ridgwell
NGONOVEMBA 11, 1918, uSuku Lwamagorha, abantwana endandifunda nabo basuka bahlanganiswa ukuze babhiyozele ukuphela kweMfazwe Enkulu, kamva eyabizwa ngokuba yiMfazwe Yehlabathi I. Ndandiseneminyaka emihlanu kuphela ubudala ibe ndandingayazi eyona nto iqhubekayo. Kodwa ngenxa yoko ndandikufundiswe ngabazali ngoThixo, ndandisazi ukuba andimele ndibe nenxaxheba kuloo mbhiyozo. Ndathandaza kuThixo, kodwa ndasuka ndakhala. Sekunjalo, andizange ndiye kuloo mbhiyozo. Ndaqala ngelo xesha ke ‘ukukhumbula uMdali wam Ozukileyo.’—INtshu. 12:1.
Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa ngaphambi kwesi siganeko, intsapho yasekhaya yayisandul’ ukufudukela kufuphi naseGlasgow, eScotland. Malunga nelo xesha, uTata waya kwintetho yesidlangalala eyayinomxholo othi, “Izigidi Eziphilayo Ngoku Azisayi Kuze Zife.” Loo ntetho yabutshintsha ubomi bakhe. UTata noMama baqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile yaye babehlala bethetha ngoBukumkani bukaThixo nangeentsikelelo obuza kuzizisa. Ndiyambulela uThixo kuba ukususela ngoko abazali bam bandifundisa ukuthanda uThixo nokukholosa ngaye.—IMize. 22:6.
Ukuqalisa Inkonzo Yexesha Elizeleyo
Xa ndandineminyaka eli-15 ubudala ndandisele ndikulungele ukuya kwisikolo semfundo ephakamileyo, kodwa eyona nto ndandiyifuna kukuba ngumlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo. UTata wayevakalelwa kukuba ndisemncinane kakhulu, ngoko ndasebenza eofisini kangangexesha elithile. Noko ke, kangangendlela endandikunqwenela ngayo ukuba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, ngenye imini ndabhalela uJ. F. Rutherford, owayesongamela umsebenzi wokushumayela owenziwa ehlabathini lonke ngelo xesha. Ndacela olwakhe uluvo. Wandiphendula wathi: “Ukuba uyakwazi ukusebenza, loo nto ithetha ukuthi umdala ngokwaneleyo ukuba ungasebenzela iNkosi. . . . Ndiqinisekile ukuba iNkosi iya kukusikelela ukuba wenza umgudu wokuyikhonza ngokunyanisekileyo.” Loo leta eyabhalwa ngomhla kaMatshi 10, 1928, yayichukumisa gqitha intsapho yakowethu. Kungekudala, mna, uTata, uMama, nodadewethu omdala saba ngabalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo.
Kwindibano eyayiseLondon ngowe-1931, uMzalwan’ uRutherford wacela amatsha-ntliziyo anokuya kushumayela kumazwe asemzini. Ndaba phakathi kwabo bavumayo, yaye mna noAndrew Jack sathunyelwa eKaunas, eyayilikomkhulu laseLithuania ngoko. Ndandineminyaka eli-18 ubudala.
Ukushumayela Isigidimi SoBukumkani Kwamanye Amazwe
Ngelo xesha, iLithuania yayililizwe elihlwempuzekileyo nelalixhomekeke kwezolimo, yaye ukushumayela ezilalini kwakungeyondlwan’ iyanetha. Kwakunzima ukufumana iindawo zokuhlala, yaye asinakuze sizilibale ezinye iindawo esasihlala kuzo. Ngokomzekelo, ngobunye ubusuku mna noAndrew savuka singathandanga. Sathi xa sikhanyisa isibane, sabona ibhedi ibomvu krwe ziincukuthu. Zazisintsentsethe kanobom! Kwaphela iveki ndimana ndivuka ndiye kungena emlanjeni ukuze ndithomalalise iintlungu. Sekunjalo, sasizimisele ukuqhubeka nobulungiseleli bethu. Kungekudala emva koko, ingxaki yendawo yokuhlala yaphela xa sadibana nesinye isibini esiselula esayamkelayo inyaniso yeBhayibhile. Saya kuhlala emzini waso, owawumncinane kodwa ucocekile. Sasingasatyiwa ziincukuthu nakuba sasilala phantsi.
Ngelo xesha eLithuania kwakuzele abefundisi bamaRoma Katolika nabobuOthodoki baseRashiya. Yayizizinhanha kuphela ezazikwazi ukuthenga iBhayibhile. Eyona njongo yethu yayikukugubungela intsimi enkulu kangangoko size sishiyele abantu abanomdla iincwadi ezithetha ngeBhayibhile. Sasiqala ngokufuna indawo yokuhlala kwidolophu esifika kuyo. Emva koko sasishumayela kwimimandla engaphandle kwedolophu, sandule ke sikhawuleze sigubungele idolophu ngokwayo. Oko kwakusinceda sigqibe ukushumayela ngaphambi kokuba abefundisi balapho bavuse inkcaso.
Abantu Bothuka Batsho Bawuqonda Umsebenzi Wethu
Ngowe-1934, uAndrew wathunyelwa ukuba aye kusebenza kwiofisi yesebe eseKaunas, ndaza mna ndancediswa nguJohn Sempey kwisabelo sam. Zininzi izinto ezenzekayo ezingalibalekiyo. Ngenye imini, ndatyelela iofisi yelinye igqwetha kwidolophana encinane. Eli gqwetha lavutha ngumsindo, laza lathi rhuthu umkhono wekati owawukwidesika yalo, landikhombis’ umnyango. Ndathandaza ngaphakathi ndaza ndacinga ngesi siluleko seBhayibhile: “Impendulo, xa inobulali, isusa umsindo.” (IMize. 15:1) Ngoko ndathi, “Ndize apha njengomhlobo ndikuphathele isigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo, ndiyabulela ngokuba uye wazibamba awandidubula.” Layekelela ndaza ndaphuma kuloo ofisi.
Ukudibana kwethu noJohn naye wandixelela ukuba unamava abuhlungu. Wayesiwe kwisikhululo samapolisa etyholwa ngokuba imali eninzi yelinye ibhinqa awayedibene nalo. Amapolisa amkhululisa yonke impahla awayeyinxibile, kodwa abuya nemband’ esikhova. Kamva lafunyanwa elona sela.
Zozibini ezi ziganeko zabothusa abantu bale dolophu incinane batsho bawuqonda umsebenzi wethu.
Ukusebenza Ngokufihlakeleyo
Isabelo esasiyingozi yayikukungenisa iincwadi ezithetha ngeBhayibhile eLatvia, apho umsebenzi wethu wawuvaliwe khona. Kanye ngenyanga sasisiya eLatvia ngololiwe ohamba ebusuku. Maxa wambi emva kokushiya olo ncwadi sasidlulela e-Estonia siye kulanda iincwadi ezingakumbi, size sizishiye eLatvia xa sigoduka.
Ngesinye isihlandlo, igosa elijonga impahla ephumayo nengenayo lalilunyw’ indlebe ngomsebenzi esiwenzayo laza lasikhupha ngenkani kuloliwe lifuna sise ezo ncwadi zethu kwiofisi yomphathi. Mna noJohn sacela uncedo kuYehova. Okumangalisayo kukuba eli gosa alizange limxelele lo mphathi ngomthwalo wethu, kunoko lasuka lathi, “La madoda anento ayiphetheyo.” Ndathi “ndiphethe” iincwadi ezinceda abantwana ezikolweni ukuze baqonde intsingiselo yeengxaki ezenzeka kweli hlabathi. Eli gosa lasidlulisa, yaye sakwazi ukuhambisa iincwadi zethu ngaphandle kwengxaki.
Njengoko imeko yezopolitiko yayisiba mandundu kuMazwana eBaltic, baya besiba baninzi abantu ababengafuni nokuwabona amaNgqina yaye umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wavalwa naseLithuania. UAndrew noJohn bagxothwa, yaye ekubeni kwakuqalisa iMfazwe Yehlabathi II, kwafuneka bonke abantu baseBritani bemke kwelo. Ngoko nam ndalinikel’ umva elo ndibuhlungu.
Amalungelo Neentsikelelo KuMntla WeIreland
Ngelo xesha abazali bam babefudukele kuMntla weIreland, yaye ngowe-1937, ndaya kuhlala nabo. Uncwadi lwethu lwaluvaliwe naseMntla Ireland ngenxa yendlela abantu ababevakalelwa ngayo ngemfazwe, kodwa ebudeni baloo mfazwe saqhubeka sishumayela. Emva kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II, umsebenzi wethu sawenza ngokukhululekileyo. UHarold King, uvulindlela onamava owaba ngumvangeli wasemazweni eTshayina wayesabela abantu iintetho zesidlangalala ezinikelwa phandle. Wathi: “Ngalo Mgqibelo, ndim oza kunikela intetho yokuqala yesidlangalala phandle.” Wandijonga waza wathi, “Wena uza kuyinikela ngoMgqibelo olandelayo.” Ndothuka.
Ndiyikhumbula kakuhle intetho yam yokuqala. Kwakukho amakhulu abantu. Ndayinikela ndimi phezu kwebhokisi yaye kungekho sandisi-lizwi. Ukugqiba kwam loo ntetho, kweza enye indoda, yandixhawula yaza yathi inguBill Smith. Yandixelela ukuba ibone isihlwele yaza yafuna ukuzibonela oko kwenzekayo. Ndafumanisa ukuba uBill wayekhe wadibana noTata kodwa baphinda balahlekana xa uTata noMama bafudukayo baya kuba ngoovulindlela eDublin. Ndaqalisa ukumfundela iBhayibhile. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, amalungu asithoba entsapho yakhe aba ngabakhonzi bakaYehova.
Kamva ndaya kushumayela kumapomakazi ezindlu ezisekuphumeni kweBelfast, apho ndadibana nebhinqa elingumRashiya elalihlala eLithuania. Xa ndalibonisa iincwadi zethu, lalatha kwenye yazo lathi: “Ndinayo le. Ndayiphiwa ngumalume ongunjingalwazi kwiyunivesithi eseKaunas.” Le yincwadi eyayibhalwe ngesiPolish ethi Creation. Yayibhalwe izinto ezininzi kudini lwayo. Lothuka gqitha lakufumanisa ukuba ndim owayenike umalume walo loo ncwadi eKaunas!—INtshu. 11:1.
Wathi uJohn Sempey akuva ukuba ndiya kuMntla Ireland, wacela ukuba ndiye kutyelela udade wabo oselula, uNellie, kuba wayenomdla eBhayibhileni. Mna nodadewethu uConnie, samqhubela isifundo. Wenza inkqubela ngokukhawuleza waza wazahlulela kuYehova. Ethubeni, sathandana saza satshata.
Mna noNellie, sachitha iminyaka engama-56 kunye sikhonza uYehova yaye saba nelungelo lokunceda abantu abangaphezu kwekhulu bazi inyaniso yeBhayibhile. Sasinethemba lokuhlala kunye ukutyhubela iArmagedon siye kungena kwihlabathi elitsha, kodwa ngowe-1998 sahlukaniswa lutshaba ukufa. Leyo yaba yintlungu engathethekiyo kwendakha ndazifumana.
Ukubuyela KuMazwana EBaltic
Emva konyaka efile uNellie, ndafumana intsikelelo engathethekiyo. Ndamenywa kwiofisi yesebe eseTallinn, e-Estonia. Incwadi eyayivela kubazalwana balapho yathi: “Kubazalwana abalishumi ababethunyelwe ukuya kusebenza kuMazwana eBaltic ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1920 nasebutsheni beyee-1930, nguwe kuphela osadl’ amazimba.” Yahlabela mgama ichaza ukuba, isebe lalapho lilungiselela ukubhala imbali yomsebenzi wokushumayela e-Estonia, eLatvia, naseLithuania, yaza yandibuza: “Ngaba ungeza?”
Kwaba lilungelo elikhulu ukubalisa amava am nawabo ndandisebenza nabo kuloo minyaka! ELatvia ndabonisa abazalwana igumbi elalisetyenziswa njengeofisi yesebe nendawo eseluphahleni esasifihla kuyo iincwadi, engazange yabonwa ngamapolisa. ELuthuania ndasiwa kwidolophu encinane ekuthiwa yiŠiauliai, apho ndandinguvulindlela khona. Ngoxa sasihlanganisene apho, omnye umzalwana wathi: “Kwiminyaka emininzi edlulileyo mna nomama sathenga umzi edolophini. Sathi xa sicoca uphahla safumana incwadi ethi The Divine Plan of the Ages nethi UHadi LukaThixo. Ndathi ndakuzifunda, ndaqonda ukuba ndiyifumene inyaniso. Zimele ukuba zashiywa nguwe kuloo minyaka mininzi yadlulayo!”
Ndaya nakwindibano yesiphaluka kwidolophu endakha ndaba nguvulindlela kuyo. Ndandikhe ndaya kwindibano eyayilapho kwiminyaka engama-65 eyadlulayo, ekwakukho abantu abangama-35 kuyo. Kodwa ndavuya gqitha ndakubona abantu abali-1 500! UYehova wawusikelela lo msebenzi!
‘UYehova Akazange Andishiye’
Kutshanje ndisandul’ ukufumana intsikelelo ebendingayilindelanga xa udade ogama linguBee wavuma ukuba ngumfazi wam. Satshata ngoNovemba 2006.
Nabani na oselula ongayaziyo into amakayenze ngobomi bakhe ndiyamqinisekisa ukuba kububulumko ukuthobela la mazwi aphefumlelweyo: ‘Khumbula uMdali wakho Ozukileyo ngemihla yobufana bakho.’ Njengomdumisi weBhayibhile ndinokuba nemihlali ndithi: “Thixo, undifundise ukususela ebutsheni bam, yaye kude kube ngoku ndiqhubeka ndixela imisebenzi yakho emangalisayo. Owu Thixo, musa ukundishiya ndide ndibe mdala ndibe nezimvi, de ndixelele izizukulwana ngengalo yakho, kubo bonke abo baza kuza, ngamandla akho.”—INdu. 71:17, 18.
[Imaphu ekwiphepha 25]
(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)
Isabelo esasiyingozi yayikukungenisa iincwadi eLatvia
ESTONIA
TALLINN
Gulf of Riga
LATVIA
RIGA
LITHUANIA
VILNIUS
Kaunas
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
Ndaqalisa ukuba yi-“colporteur” (uvulindlela) ndineminyaka eli-15 ubudala eScotland
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
Ndim noNellie ngemini yomtshato wethu, ngowe-1942