Umuntu Owayethanda Ukuphila Ethanda Nabantu
UDANIEL SYDLIK, owayesenesikhathi eside eyilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo YoFakazi BakaJehova, waqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngoLwesibili, ngo-April 18, 2006. Wayeneminyaka engu-87 ubudala futhi esezohlanganisa iminyaka engu-60 ekhonza njengelungu lomkhaya waseBethel eBrooklyn, eNew York.
UMfoweth’ uDan, njengoba babembiza kanjalo ababesondelene naye kakhulu, wafika eBethel ngo-1946. Ngaphambi kwalokho, wakhonza njengephayona elikhethekile eCalifornia futhi wachitha isikhathi esithile ejele phakathi neMpi Yezwe II eboshelwe ukungathathi hlangothi njengomKristu. Okuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe kwangaleso sikhathi kuchazwe kahle endabeni yokuphila kwakhe eyaphuma kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-June 1, 1985, esihlokweni esithi “Yeka Indlela Oyigugu Ngayo Umusa Wakho, Nkulunkulu!”
UMfoweth’ uSydlik wayaziwa njengomuntu ophansi, ongenekayo. Lapho eqhuba itekisi ekuseni eBethel, wawuzwa ngamazwi akhe lapho ebingelela umkhaya ukuthi uyakuthanda ukuphila futhi unombono omuhle ngakho. Wayevame ukuthi: “Siyajabula ngokuthi siyaphila ukuze sikhonze uNkulunkulu weqiniso ophilayo.” Lapho ebeka izinkulumo zeningi, wayesikhuthaza lesi simo sengqondo nakwabanye, enikeza izinkulumo ezinezihloko ezinjengalezi: “Bayajabula Abantu AbaNkulunkulu Wabo NguJehova,” “Ukubonakalisa Injabulo KaJehova,” “Wugcineni Uvutha Umlilo Womoya KaNkulunkulu” nesithi “Sisalindelwe Okuhle Kodwa.”
Ngo-1970, uMfoweth’ uSydlik washada noMarina Hodson waseNgilandi amchaza ngokuthi “umsizi ovela kuNkulunkulu.” Baye bakhonza uJehova ndawonye iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-35.
Ngesikhathi eseBethel, uMfoweth’ uSydlik wakhonza eminyangweni ehlukahlukene, kuhlanganise nendawo yokunyathelisa noMnyango Wokubhala. Wasebenza nasesiteshini somsakazo i-WBBR. Ngo-November 1974, wamiswa njengelungu leNdikimba Ebusayo futhi ekugcineni wasebenza neKomiti Yezisebenzi neKomiti Yokubhala.
Iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-30 uMfoweth’ uSydlik ayichitha esebenza neKomiti Yezisebenzi wayaziwa ngokubathanda kakhulu abantu. Ngezwi lakhe elinamandla, wakhuthaza abaningi, njalo ebenza baqaphele ilungelo eliyigugu esinalo lokukhonza uJehova. Wayekugcizelela njalo ukuthi injabulo yangempela ayixhomekile ezintweni ezingaphandle, kodwa ebuhlotsheni bethu noJehova nasendleleni esibheka ngayo ukuphila.
Nakuba umkhaya waseBethel umkhumbula kakhulu uMfoweth’ uSydlik, isibonelo sakhe sokukuthanda ngempela ukuphila nesokuthanda abantu ngeke silitshalwe. Siyaqiniseka ukuthi uphakathi kwalabo okukhulunywa ngabo kusAmbulo 14:13: “Bayajabula abafileyo, abafa bemunye neNkosi kusukela kulesi sikhathi kuqhubeke. Yebo, kusho umoya, mabaphumule emishikashikeni yabo, ngoba izinto abazenza ziyabalandela.”