Ukusuka Ekubeni Isikhulu Samaphoyisa Kuya Ekubeni Isikhonzi EsingumKristu

NGO-FEBRUARY 1942, ngangisejele e-Adelaide, eNingizimu Australia, ngenxa yokwenqaba ukuphatha izikhali phakathi neMpi Yezwe II. Umgundi, owayesezongigunda, wayengazi kusukela lapho ngivela ezinkantolo njengephoyisa lombutho wamaphoyisa aseNingizimu Australia. “Ubekwa yini lapha?” ebuza ngokumangala. Wayazi ukuthi esikhathini esidlule ngangiye ngasebenza kaningana ezinkantolo njengofakazi omelene nezigebengu. Ngakho ngamchazela izinkolelo zami zobuKristu.

Imantshi, eyayizwe icala lami ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngaphambili, nayo yayingazi kahle kamhlophe. Nayo futhi yalalela ngokucophelela njengoba ngangichaza isizathu esasenza ukuba unembeza wami wobuKristu ungangivumeli ukuba ngiphathe isikhali. Ngemva kokungibonga ngalokho eyayikubheka njengencazelo ecacile, yangigweba inyanga ejele.

Manje, engangiboshwe nabo kwakungabantu esikhathini esingeside ngaphambili engangibathwebule izithombe futhi nganyathelisa iminwe yabo. Nokho, ngakwazi ukunikeza ubufakazi ngezinkolelo zami konogada abaningi neziboshwa ababebuza ngokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu.

Ngonyaka olandelayo ngaphinde ngalethwa phambi kwenkantolo, futhi kulokhu ngagwetshwa izinyanga eziyisithupha ngisebenza kanzima. Ngathunyelwa eYatala, lapho engangiboshwe nabo babedonsa izigwebo zokudilikelwa ijele ngenxa yamacala okubulala. Kodwa nalapha futhi ngaba namathuba amaningi okukhuluma nabanye ngethemba loMbuso kaNkulunkulu nangokuthula okuhlala njalo oyokuletha kulelizwe elikhungethwe yimpi.

Esikhathini ngasinye ngaphambi kokuba ngivele enkantolo, ngangiyiswa ekamu lamasosha. Ngesikhathi ngilapho okokuqala, ngahlekwa usulu futhi ngaxhashazwa uSigaxamabhande Laphorn ngenxa yokwenqaba kwami ukwenza isifungo sokwethembeka embuthweni. Kodwa lapho ngivela phambi kwakhe okwesithathu, wathi: “Uyazi, bengicabanga ukuthi uyigwala. Kodwa ngiye ngayibona indlela obekezelela ngayo ukujeziswa okunzima. Washiya umsebenzi omuhle futhi uye walubonakalisa ukholo lwakho ngokuvuma ukujeziswa ngokuphindaphindiwe.”

Lapho kwakumelwe ngigwetshelwe ukuba sejele okwesithathu, kwathunyelwa izicelo zokuba ngiquliswe icala njengomuntu onqaba ukungenela impi ngenxa kanembeza. Imantshi yaphoqeleka ukuba yamukele isicelo sami, njengoba ngangiyekile embuthweni wamaphoyisa ngo-1940 ngenxa yendaba kanembeza. Nokho, ibonisa ubandlululo, yathi: “Ngifuna ukuba kwaziwe ukuthi ngikholelwa ukuthi kuyingozi ukuba uhlanya olunjengawe lungabekelwa mingcele emphakathini.”

Isizinda Sangaphambili

Ngazalwa ngo-1908 eGawler, engekude ne-Adelaide, eNingizimu Australia. Lapho ngineminyaka engaba yisithupha, uSarah Marchant, umngane omkhulu kamama, wangifundisa ukuthi isihogo siyithuna lomuntu elivamile futhi asiyona indawo yokuhlushwa ngomlilo. WayengumFundi WeBhayibheli Wezizwe Zonke, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngalesosikhathi.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, njengoba ngangikhula, ngabuza umfundisi wethu ongumBaptist ukuthi uJesu Kristu wayehluke kanjani kuNkulunkulu, futhi wehluleka ukunginika impendulo eyanelisayo. Ngakho ngaphelelwa isithakazelo emasontweni, nakuba ngangikujabulela ukulalela uSarah Marchant lapho kwenzekile sahlangana.

Ngo-1924, ngaqala ukusebenza e-Adelaide njengomabhalane kakhomishana wamaphoyisa aseNingizimu Australia, uMphathi-jikelele Wamabutho uSir Raymond Leane. Khona-ke, ngo-1927, uMnu. Leane wangenzela isicelo ephalamende sokuba ngimiswe njengesazi sokunyathelisa iminwe esisesikhundleni esiphansi nomthwebuli wezithombe zamacala wombutho wamaphoyisa esizwe.

Ukufunda Amaqiniso EBhayibheli

Eminyakeni emithathu ngemva kokushada ngo-1928, lapho ngiseholidini nabasekhweni lami eGawler, ngathatha incwadi enesihloko esithi Creation, eyayinyatheliswe yi-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society ngo-1927. USarah Marchant wayeyishiyele abasekhweni lami. Lencwadi yayichaza ukuthi umuntu ungumphefumulo futhi akanawo umphefumulo ohlukene naye, ongabonakali. Lokhu kwaba nengqondo. Kodwa ngangifuna ukuzibonela ngokwami eBhayibhelini. Ngakho ngafuna i-King James Version yomkhaya futhi ngafunda uGenesise 2:7: “Futhi INKOSI uNkulunkulu yenza umuntu ngothuli lomhlabathi, futhi yaphefumlela emakhaleni akhe umoya wokuphila; futhi umuntu waba umphefumulo ophilayo.”

Lokhu kwangishukumisa ngokujulile, ngakho ngaqhubeka ngafunda. Kwakungavumi ngiyibeke phansi lencwadi ethi Creation. ‘Ngokuqinisekile leli iqiniso,’ ngizitshela. Manje ngafuna ukufunda izincwadi ezengeziwe ze-Watch Tower Society. Enye okuwukuphela kwayo lomkhaya owawunayo yayinesihloko esithi Life. Ngakho nayo futhi ngayifunda ngayiqeda.

Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva, saphindela e-Adelaide futhi sathuthela kwenye indlu. Ngalona lolosuku savakashelwa ngokungalindelekile uSarah Marchant. Umkhwekazi wami wayemtshelile ngesithakazelo sami, futhi wasivakashela ukuze abone ukuthi sasihlezi kanjani emzini wethu omusha nokuthola ukuthi hlobo luni losizo olungokomoya engangiludinga. Ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo umakhelwane wethu omusha waxoxa nami engalé kocingo: “Ngicabanga ukuthi unesithakazelo ezincwadini zikaJudge Rutherford [owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society ngalesosikhathi].”

“Ukwazi kanjani lokho?” ngibuza.

“Awu, phela ngizwe ngabasiki bebunda,” ephendula.

Ngokusobala, uSara wayemtshelile. Leyondoda, uJames Irvine, ngalesosikhathi kwakuyiyona kuphela eyayinguFakazi eyayihlala emaphethelweni asenyakatho ye-Adelaide. Yayiyiphayona, noma isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele soFakazi BakaJehova, futhi yaqalisa ukungiqhubela isifundo seBhayibheli sasekhaya sasikhathi sonke.

Ukuthuthuka Eqinisweni LeBhayibheli

Lapho ngibuyela ukuyosebenza emnyangweni wamaphoyisa, ngangijabula kakhulu ngezinto ezintsha engangizifundile. Ngakho noma nini lapho nje ngithola ithuba, ngangitshela engangisebenza nabo ngokholo lwami engangisanda kuluthola. Nokho, ngadumala lapho intshiseko yami ihlekwa usulu.

Ngokungalindelekile umkami siqu waqala ukuphikisa ukuba kwami nesithakazelo esinjalo eBhayibhelini. Kodwa ngosizo lukaJehova, ngakwazi ukukunqoba ukuphikisa kwakhe. Ngo-1935, nganikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova futhi ngabhapathizwa. Ngalezozinsuku kwakunebandla elilodwa kuphela e-Adelaide, futhi abantu abangaba ngu-60 kuphela ababeba khona esifundweni seBhayibheli samasonto onke besebenzisa INqabayokulinda.

Ngolunye usuku, uHarold Jones, umbonisi owengamele walelibandla, wathi kimi: “Sizokunika umsebenzi. Sidinga umuntu onganakekela amarekhodi ensimu yethu.” Lomsebenzi wawungifanele, njengoba emsebenzini wami wobuphoyisa, ngangihamba ngemoto kuyo yonke i-Adelaide. Ngangilazi kahle lelidolobha futhi ngenxa yalokho ngakwazi ukulungisa kahle amabalazwe ensimu esasiwasebenzisa ekushumayeleni kwethu.

Ngo-April 1938, uJoseph Rutherford, umongameli we-Watch Tower Society, wavakashela e-Australia futhi wanikeza inkulumo eSydney eyayithanyelwe abantu abangaphezu kuka-12 000, ngisho nakuba ngalesosikhathi kwakunoFakazi abangu-1 300 kuphela kuyo yonke i-Australia. E-Adelaide cishe abangaba ngu-20 bethu abakwazanga ukuthatha loluhambo olungamakhilomitha angu-1 800 lokuya eSydney. Ngakho saqasha iNkundla endala Yemidlalo Yasesiteji iTivoli futhi saxhunyaniswa ngezintambo zokuxhumana ukuzwe sizwe inkulumo kaRutherford eseSydney. Sahlela ukuba kumenyezelwe emsakazweni, futhi ngenxa yalokho, abantu abangaba ngu-600 beza bazolalela inkulumo e-Adelaide!

Indlela Engalahlekelwa Ngayo Umsebenzi Wami Wobuphoyisa

Ngo-1939, iMpi Yezwe II yaqala, futhi ukungathathi-hlangothi koFakazi BakaJehova kwahlolisiswa iziphathimandla ezihlukahlukene. Ngesinye isikhathi, izintatheli ezimbili zephephandaba elithi Truth zafika eHholo LoMbuso futhi zazama ukungena ngendlov’ iyangena. Ngamane nje ngazivimbela ukuba zenze kanjalo, njengoba zazibonakala zifuna ukususa udweshu. Ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo isihloko esikhulu kuleliphephandaba sasifundeka kanje: “Umgcini-mnyango Oyiphoyisa [LaseNingizimu Australia] EHholo LoMbuso LamaJ.W.”

Ngenxa yaleso senzakalo, engangisebenza nabo bangikhipha inyumbazane. Isikhulu sami engangisondelene naso, umKatolika oshisekayo, sanikeza ukhomishana wamaphoyisa, uRaymond Leane, ukwaziswa okungamanga ngami. Khona-ke ngokushesha, ngo-August 1940, ngalethwa phambi kukaMnu. Leane, yena lowo owayengiqashé eminyakeni engu-16 edlule. Laliyini icala? Lalingukuthi ngangingenakuzilalela zonke iziyalo zakhe.

“Ubungamdubula umuntu uma ngingakuyala ukuba wenze kanjalo?” ebuza.

“Leso isimo sokucatshangelwa,” ngiphendula. “Kodwa, cha, ngokuqinisekile anginakudubula muntu.”

Isikhathi esingamahora amabili wazama ukuba angibonise indlela engangiyisiwula ngayo ngokuba ngibe senhlanganweni eyayingavunyelwe ngokomthetho futhi eyayisizovinjelwa e-Australia. Waphetha: “Futhi ngemva kwakho konke engiye ngakwenzela khona, ngikunikeza umsebenzi omuhle kangaka.”

“Lokho ngiyakwazisa,” ngiphendula. “Futhi ngiye ngazama ukubonisa ukwazisa kwami ngokuzikhandla. Kodwa anginakubeka wena ngaphezu kokukhulekela kwami uJehova uNkulunkulu.”

“Ungamane uyeke koFakazi BakaJehova noma ushiye umsebenzi,” kuphendula ukhomishana.

Ngakho ngashiya umsebenzi ngokushesha. Ngo-August 1940 isihloko esikhulu ephephandabeni elithi Truth sasifundeka kanje: “Iphoyisa LikaRutherford Lishiya Umsebenzi.” Manje kwakumelwe ngitshele umkami futhi ngifune omunye umsebenzi. Ngokujabulisayo, ngathola umsebenzi esikhungweni sokunyathelisa esisendaweni lapho uhlelo lwase-Australia lukamagazini i-Consolation (manje okuthiwa yi-Phaphama!) lwalukhiqizwa khona.

Ukukhonza Ngaphansi Kokuvinjelwa

Ngakujabulela ukusebenza emsebenzini wami omusha kwaze kwaba ngo-January 1941, lapho ukuvinjelwa ezweni lonke kwabekwa phezu koFakazi BakaJehova. Konke ukunyatheliswa kwezincwadi zethu kulelizwe kwanqamuka, okungenani yilokho okwakucatshangwa iziphathimandla. Eqinisweni, kwamiswa izikhungo zokunyathelisa zomshoshaphansi—zonke zisendaweni yaseSydney—futhi asizange siphuthelwe ukuthola umagazini INqabayokulinda phakathi nokuvinjelwa!

Ngokushesha ngemva kokuvinjelwa komsebenzi wethu, ngadonsa izigwebo ezimbili zasejele ezichazwe ekuqaleni. Ekugcineni, ngo-June 1943, iNkantolo Ephakeme yase-Australia yanquma ukuthi ukuvinjelwa kwakungukwephulwa koMthetho-sisekelo, ngakho uhulumeni wabuyisa yonke impahla eyayithathwe kuyi-Watch Tower Society.

Uma kucatshangelwa izenzakalo ezidlule, kunzima ukukholelwa ukuthi phakathi naleyominyaka, amakhaya (kuhlanganise nelami) ahlaselwa ngamaphoyisa. Nokho, naphezu kokuphikiswa, saqhubeka nokushumayela kwethu endlini ngendlu sisebenzisa amaBhayibheli ethu kuphela. Izikhathi eziningi amaphoyisa ayesilandela. Amaphoyisa angayifakile iyunifomu ayeza ngisho nasemihlanganweni yethu eyayiqhutshelwa emakhaya. Ngesinye isikhathi, lapho ngangethula ummeleli wehhovisi legatsha laseSydney, ngaphawula: “Phakathi kwethu kunamalungu amabili ombutho wamaphoyisa waseNingizimu Australia. Sicela niwamukele!” Amangala futhi aba namahloni kodwa ahlala futhi ajabulela umhlangano, ngemva kwawo athi ayothumela umbiko omuhle kuphela.

Ukungabekezeleli Ezinye Izinkolo

Ngo-April 1945 sahlela umhlangano ehholo ledolobha emaphethelweni e-Adelaide. NgeSonto, ngo-April 29, kwalungiselelwa inkulumo yeningi eyamenyezelwa kabanzi eyayinesihloko esithi “Abathobekileyo Bazodla Ifa Lomhlaba.” Kodwa inkathazo yaqala ukufufusa kuseluvivi. Njengombonisi womhlangano, ngaya esiteshini samaphoyisa endawo ukuyohlaba umkhosi ngosongo olwalufufusa. Nokho, ukuhambela kwami nesikhalazo kwamane nje kwashaywa indiva.

Lapho kufika isikhathi sokuqala kwenkulumo yeningi, isixuku sahlangana. Abanye balesixuku bangena ngaphakathi ngokushesha lapho inkulumo iqala. Amalungu amaningana esixuku ayeyizidlakela aqonda phambili, azama ukuphihliza imishini yokukhulisa izwi. Khona-ke amatshe aqala ukungena ngamafasitela. Iziteshi zokusakaza zabikelwa ngalenkathazo, futhi zasakaza ngokushesha ukuthi kwakunesiphithiphithi. Izinkulungwane zabantu abangamathatha zabuthana ngaphandle.

Ngokudabukisayo, saphoqeleka ukuba singaqhubeki nomhlangano. Kodwa lapho kufika isikhathi sokuphuma ehholo, amaphoyisa asivulela indlela, futhi sonke isixuku sathula dú. Bonke babona ubuwula balabo ababesiphikisa ngoba ehholo kwaphuma abantu abavamile, kuhlanganisa amaxhegu nezalukazi kanye nabantwana. Ezinsukwini ezalandela lenzondo engokwenkolo yalahlwa engosini ethi “Izincwadi Eziya KuMhleli.”

Nokho, eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, oFakazi BakaJehova babengavunyelwe ukusebenzisa amahholo edolobha eNingizimu Australia. Ngesinye isikhathi, phakathi nawo-1950, ngakhuluma nomnakekeli wehholo ledolobha laseNorwood emaphethelweni e-Adelaide ngokusebenzisa ihholo labo ngomhlangano wethu wesigodi.

“Ninqatshelwe unomphela ukusebenzisa amahholo edolobha,” esho.

“Usesemuva,” ngiphendula.

Khona-ke ngakhipha esikhwameni sami incwajana engangomagazini eyayikhuluma ngomhlangano wezizwe zonke owawuseNew York Yankee Stadium ngo-1953. “Bheka ukuthi kwenzekani ngoFakazi BakaJehova kwezinye izindawo—abantu abangaphezu kuka-165 000 emhlanganweni owodwa!” ngiphawula.

Wayithatha lencwajana, wayitadisha ngokucophelela, futhi ngemva kwesikhashana wathi: “Yebo, kubukeka sengathi izinto sezishintshile.” Kusukela ngalesosikhathi savunyelwa ukusebenzisa izindawo ezinjalo kuyo yonke iNingizimu Australia.

Ngemva kokugula isikhathi eside, umkami wafa ngo-1984. Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba afe waqala ukubonisa uthando ngamaqiniso eBhayibheli nangoJehova uNkulunkulu. Lokhu ikakhulukazi kwakungenxa yomusa awuboniswa oFakazi abanothando kuyo yonke leyominyaka. Khona-ke, ngo-December 1985, ngashada noThea, osekhonzé uJehova iminyaka eminingi.

Manje eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-60, bengilokhu ngikhonza uJehova ngokwaneliseka. Ngenxa yokuthembela kuJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi, ukunamathela enhlanganweni yakhe, nokungalokothi ngihlehle ngaphansi kokucindezelwa, ngingabheka emuva ekuphileni okunamalungelo amaningi nezibusiso. Futhi ngiyaqhubeka ngizama ukugcina amehlo ami egxile emklomelweni wobizo lwaphezulu. (Filipi 3:14)—Njengoba ilandiswa uHubert E. Clift.

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

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