Kholosa NgoYehova—Uya Kukunceda Ngokwenene

Kubalisa uEdmund Schmidt

Kwathi qatha eli cebiso lingasentla engqondweni yam njengoko ndandilungiselela ukuvela phambi kwenkundla yaseNew York ngo-Oktobha 1943. Xa ndandineminyaka engama-25 ubudala ndandisele ndichithe phantse iminyaka emine entolongweni ngenxa yokungathath’ icala kwezopolitiko. Njengabalandeli bakaYesu bamandulo, nam ndagqiba kwelokuba ‘ndithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.’ (IZenzo 5:29) Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ndithethe ngaloo nto makhe ndiqale ndinibalisele ngendlela endaqalisa ngayo ukuba nokholo olomeleleyo kuThixo.

NDAZALWA ngo-Aprili 23, 1922, eCleveland, eOhio, eUnited States kwigumbi lethu elalikumgangatho ophezu kwevenkile katata yokubhak’ izonka. Kwiinyanga ezine emva kokuba ndizelwe utata wam uEdmund waya kwinkonzo enkulu yaBafundi beBhayibhile (igama awayebizwa ngalo amaNgqina kaYehova ngoko) eyayiseCedar Point ngaseSandusky, ekumgama oziikhilomitha ezili-160 ukusuka ekhaya.

Abantu ababe kuloo nkonzo bakhuthazwa ukuba ‘bambhengeze, bambhengeze, bambhengeze uKumkani [kaThixo] nobukumkani bakhe.’ KwiCawa elandelayo utata waqalisa ukushumayela. Washumayela iminyaka engama-66 de wasutywa kukufa ngoJulayi 4, 1988. Yena umama wam uMary wakhonza uThixo de waya kufa ngowe-1981.

Ukukhonza Kunye Nabazali Bam

Intsapho yakowethu yayingena kwibandla lesiPolish lamaNgqina kaYehova aseCleveland. NgeMigqibelo emva kwemini thina bantwana sasidla ngokupheleka abazali bethu xa besiya kushumayela kwizindlu ngezindlu. NgeeCawa, abazali bethu babedla ngokuya enkonzweni ukuze baphulaphule intshumayelo yeBhayibhile. Kwangaxeshanye omnye umntu owayekwazi kakuhle ukufundisa iBhayibhile wayefundisa abantwana abangama-30 esebenzisa incwadi ethi Uhadi LukaThixo.a Kungekudala nam ndaqalisa ukufundisa abantu iBhayibhile kwaye ndandiphumelela.

NgoJulayi 1931, intsapho yakowethu ngelo xesha eyayiquka nomninawa wam uFrank yaya kwenye inkonzo enkulu yaBafundi beBhayibhile eyayiseColumbus, malunga neekhilomitha ezili-160 ukuya emzantsi. Kukulo nkonzo apho Abafundi beBhayibhile bamkela igama elisekelwe eBhayibhileni elithi amaNgqina kaYehova. (Isaya 43:10-12) Kulo nkonzo ndancedisa ekumemeni abantu ukuba baze kuphulaphula intshumayelo kaJ. F. Rutherford, ngelo xesha owayekhokela umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova wokushumayela. Ngoku sele kudlule iminyaka engama-79 ndikhonza uYehova uThixo nabantu bakhe.

Ukuphumelela Kumsebenzi Wokushumayela Nangamaxesha Obunzima

Ngowe-1933 imeko yezoqoqosho emhlabeni wonke yadodobala. Abantu baseUnited States abangaphezu kwezigidi ezili-15 babengasebenzi. Izixeko zawa yaye urhulumente wayengakwazi ukuhlawula abantu imali yenkamnkam. Kodwa amaNgqina kaYehova ancedana ngelo xesha lobunzima. NgeeCawa intsapho yasekhaya yayidla ngokuthatha izonka kwivenkile yayo ukuze iphise ngazo enkonzweni. Nyanga nganye utata wayehlawula iindleko zakhe aze athumele yonke imali eseleyo kwiKomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York. Wayesazi ukuba loo mali kwakuza kuhlawulwa ngayo iindleko zokushicilela uncwadi lweBhayibhile.

Ngaloo minyaka kwakusinceda kakhulu ukusasaza iintshumayelo zethu kunomathotholo. Iintshumayelo ezasisenziwa kwinkonzo yethu zasasazwa kwizikhululo ezingama-400. Ngeminyaka yee-1930 amaNgqina avelisa iigramafoni nezinye izinto ezazishicilelwa eBrooklyn. Sasizisebenzisa xa sishumayela size sibale ixesha esizidlale ngalo sihlandlo ngasinye sizidlalela abantu abangengomaNgqina yaye sibale nenani labantu abakhoyo.

Ngowe-1933 uAdolf Hitler weqela lamaNazi waqalisa ukuxhuzul’ imkhala eJamani. AmaNgqina kaYehova atshutshiswa kakhulu ngenxa yokungathathi kwawo icala. (Yohane 15:19; 17:14) AmaNgqina amaninzi aseJamani avalelwa aze amanye asiwa kwiinkampu zoxinaniso ngenxa yokungavumi ukungena kwezopolitiko okanye ukukhahlela uHitler. Amanye abulawa aze amanye asetyenziswa ngebhaxa de afa. Ngenxa yokuphathwa ngokungenalusini amaNgqina amaninzi afa nasemva kokukhululwa kwawo entolongweni. Abantu abaninzi abazi ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova aphatheka kakubi nakwamanye amazwe kuquka naseUnited States.

Ngowe-1940 saya kwinkonzo enkulu eyayiseDetroit, eMichigan. Xa ndandilapho ngoJulayi 28 ndabonisa ukuzinikela kwam kuYehova uThixo ngokubhaptizwa. Kwinyanga ngaphambi kwaloo nkonzo, iNkundla Ephakamileyo yaseUnited States yayikhuphe isigwebo sokuba umntwana ongafuniyo ukukhahlela iflegi ufanele agxothwe esikolweni. Enza ntoni amaNgqina kaYehova ngesi sigwebo? Amaninzi avul’ izikolo zawo ukuze afundise abantwana bawo. Ezo zikolo zazibizwa ngokuba ziziKolo zoBukumkani.

NgoSeptemba 1939 kwaqhambuka imfazwe Yehlabathi II eYurophu ibe ifuthe layo lanwenwela naseUnited States. AmaNgqina aselula ayexhatshazwa lolunye ulutsha nangabantu abadala ababengaziqondi kakuhle izizathu zawo zokungathath’ icala. Kuthiwa phakathi kowe-1940 nowe-1944 amaNgqina kaYehova aseUnited States ahlaselwa ngamahlokondiba izihlandlo ezingaphezu kwama-2 500. Intshutshiso yaqina nangakumbi emva kokuba umkhosi waseJapan uhlasele iPearl Harbor ngoDisemba 7, 1941. Kwiiveki ezimbalwa ngaphambi koko ndandiqalise ukuba nguvulindlela othe ngxi, igama abizwa ngalo amaNgqina kaYehova enza umsebenzi wokushumayela ngokusisigxina. Ndabeka imali ndaza ndathenga ikharavani ibe abaliqela kuthi bafudukela eLouisiana.

Ukutshutshiswa Kumazantsi Elizwe

Abahlali baseLouisiana basivumela sagxumeka ikharavani yethu kumyezo ongakwasixeko saseJeanerette. Ngomnye uMgqibelo saya kushumayela esitratweni kodwa umphathi wamapolisa wathuma abakwantsasana ukuba basibambe baze basivalele kwiholo yesixeko. Ngaphandle kweholo kwakuhlanganisene ihlokondiba labantu abangaphezu kwama-200 yaye amapolisa asiyeka sahamba phakathi kweso sihlwele singakhuselwanga. Kodwa ke elo hlokondiba alizange lisenze nto. Ngemini elandelayo saya kwisixeko esikhulu ekuthiwa yiBaton Rouge ukuze siye kubalisela amaNgqina alapho ngento eyayenzekile.

Ukubuyela kwethu eJeanerette safumana umyalezo owawuncanyathiselwe kwikharavani yethu usithi: “Ndicela nindibone ngokukhawuleza.” Yayisayinwe kwathiwa “E. M. Vaughn.” Samfumana uMnu. Vaughn ibe wasimema ukuba sikhe siye kwakhe ukuze sifumane into esiwa phantsi kwempumlo. Wasixelela ukuba naye wayekho kwela hlokondiba langoMgqibelo kodwa wayeza kusikhusela kulo. Sayixabisa kakhulu indlela awasikhuthaza nawasixhasa ngayo.

Ngosuku olulandelayo amapolisa awayexhobe ngemipu asibopha aza ohlutha noncwadi lwethu. Ohlutha izitshixo zekharavani aza andivalela ndedwa iintsuku ezili-17 ndingafumani kutya kwaneleyo. UMnu. Vaughn wazama ukusinceda kodwa ke watsho phantsi. Ngexesha endandiseluvalelweni izinto zethu zebiwa kwaza kwatshiswa zonke izinto esasinazo kuquka nekharavani leyo. Ngelo xesha ndandingaqondi ukuba uYehova wayendiqeqeshela umhl’ ozayo.

Ukuvalelwa Entolongweni Kumantla Elizwe

Emva kwenyanga ndibuyele emntla ndamiselwa njengovulindlela okhethekileyo eOlean, eNew York, namanye amaNgqina. Ngoxa ndandilapho urhulumente wafuna ukundifaka emkhosini kodwa ke andizange ndinyanzelwe ngenxa yesazela sam. Emva kokuba ndixilongiwe, kwiphepha lam kwagximfizwa kwathiwa “Uza Kuqeqeshwa Emkhosini.”

Ndakwazi ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela kangangonyaka. Ekubeni ndingazange ndivume ukuya emkhosini, ngowe-1943 amapolisa andibamba aza andiyalela ukuba ndivele phambi kwenkundla yaseSyracuse eNew York, kwiveki elandelayo. Ndamangalelwa ngokusemthethweni laza ityala lam laqala emva kweentsuku ezimbini.

Andizange ndifune gqwetha kodwa ndazimela ngenkqay’ elangeni. Enkonzweni yethu thina maNgqina aselula sasifundiswe ukukwazi ukumela amalungelo ethu enkundleni nendlela yokuzithethelela kakuhle. Ndandisalikhumbula kakuhle icebiso endithethe ngalo ekuqaleni kweli bali. Abanye abatshutshisi bade bakhalaza besithi amaNgqina ayewazi ngaphezu kwabo umthetho. Nakuba kunjalo inkundla yandifumana ndinetyala. Xa ijaji yandibuza ukuba andinanto ndifuna ukuyithetha, ndaphendula ndathi, “Namhlanje eli lizwe linetyala phambi koThixo ngenxa yendlela elibaphatha ngayo abakhonzi bakhe.”

Ndagwetywa iminyaka emine kwintolongo yaseChillicothe, eOhio. Apho ndasebenza njengomabhalana welinye lamagosa entolongo. Emva kweeveki ezimbalwa, kwafika umcuphi ovela eWashington, D.C. esithi wayephanda ngoHayden Covington. UCovington lo wayeligqwetha lamaNgqina kaYehova yaye wayehlonelwa njengelinye lamagqwetha awayewazi umthetho waseMerika.

Lo mcuphi wathi wayefuna iinkcukacha ngamabanjwa amabini, uDanny Hurtado noEdmund Schmidt. Umphathi wam wathi “Uhambe kakuhle kuba nanku lo Schmidt omfunayo.” Lo mcuphi wayehambele inyewe yakwamkhozi kodwa wabona ukuba sasimkrobele. Kungekudala ndatshintshelwa ekhitshini.

Ubuvulindlela, IBheteli Nokutshata

NgoSeptemba 26, 1946, ndakhululwa entolongweni ndaza ndaqalisa ukushumayela neBandla laseHighland Park eKhalifoniya. NgoSeptemba 1948 ndada ndayifumana into ekwakukudala ndiyifuna. Kaloku ngaloo nyanga ndabizwa ukuba ndiye kubhaka kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eliseBrooklyn, apho kwenziwa uncwadi lweBhayibhile ekushunyayelwa ngalo emhlabeni wonke. Ndawushiya ngoko nangoko umsebenzi wokupheka endandiwenza eGlendale ndaza ndaya eBheteli (ikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova).

Ngowe-1955 eYurophu kwabakho iinkonzo ezinkulu ekwaya kuzo amaNgqina kaYehova avela kumazwe ngamazwe. Ekhaya bandipha imali yokuya apho. Ndonwabana kakhulu kwiinkonzo ezaziseLondon, eParis, eRome, ingakumbi kule yayeseNuremberg eJamani, ekwakukho kuyo abantu abangaphezu kwe-107 000 kwibala elikhulu apho uHitler wayedla ngokubukela umkhosi wakhe xa umatsha. Kuloo nkonzo kwakukho namanye amaNgqina awayewasongele ngokuwacim’ igama. Kwakuvuyisa ngokwenene ukuba kunye nawo.

Kulo nkonzo yaseNuremburg ndaphandlwa yintwazana yeJamani, uBrigitte Gerwien. Satshata kungekapheli nonyaka emva koko saza sabuyela eGlendale ukuze sihlale kufutshane nabazali bam. Izibulo lethu uTom lazalwa ngowe-1957 waza umninawa wakhe uDon wazalwa ngowe-1958 kwaza kwalandela intombi yethu uSabena ngowe-1960.

Ubomi Obanelisayo

Abantu bakhe bandibuze ukuba andizisoli na ngokubethwa zizihlwele nokuvalelwa ezintolongweni ngenxa yokukhonz’ uThixo. Andizisoli nakancinane, kunoko ndiyambulela uYehova ngokundijizeka kwakhe ilungelo lokumkhonza kunye nabantu bakhe abathembekileyo. Ndinethemba lokuba amava am aza kukhuthaza nabanye ukuba basondele kuThixo yaye bangaze bamshiye.

Abakhonzi bakaThixo abaninzi baye batshutshiswa kodwa ke sifanele siyilindele loo nto. Kaloku iBhayibhile ithi: “Bonke abo banqwenela ukuphila ngozinikelo lobuthixo ngokunxulumene noKristu Yesu, nabo baya kutshutshiswa.” (2 Timoti 3:12) Nakuba kunjalo INdumiso 34:19 inyanisile xa isithi: “Zininzi iintlekele ezihlela olilungisa, kodwa uYehova ulihlangula kuzo zonke”!

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

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Ndishumayela eLouisiana ngeminyaka yee-1940

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Ndibhaka kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova

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Ndikunye nomfazi wam uBrigitte