Indaba Yokuphila
Sisendleleni Eya Ezweni Elisha
Ilandiswa UJack Pramberg
Ngaphandle kwase-Arborga, idolobhana elihle elisenkabeni yeSweden, kunehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova elinezisebenzi zokuzithandela ezingaphezu kuka-80. Mina nomkami, uKarin, sihlala futhi sisebenza lapha. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba sibe lapha?
NGASEKUPHELENI kwekhulu le-19, intombazane yaseSweden eneminyaka engu-15 ubudala yathuthela e-United States. Yahlangana netilosi laseSweden endaweni okwakukhoseliswa kuyo abavela kwamanye amazwe eNew York City. Baqala ukuthandana, bashada, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bathola mina. Lokho kwenzeka eBronx, eNew York, e-U.S.A., ngo-1916, phakathi neMpi Yezwe I.
Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, sathuthela eBrooklyn, eyayiseduze neBrooklyn Heights. Kamuva ubaba wangitshela ukuthi sahamba sobabili ngomkhumbi ohlolwayo ngaseBhulohweni laseBrooklyn, elalisobala uma usendlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngangingazi ukuthi imisebenzi eyenziwa lapho yayizokuthinta kanjani ukuphila kwami.
IMpi Yezwe I yaphela ngo-1918, futhi okwesikhashana kwaphela ukubulawa kwabantu okungenangqondo eYurophu. Amasosha abuyela emakhaya ayobhekana nesitha esisha—ukusweleka kwemisebenzi nobumpofu. Ubaba wabona kungcono kakhulu ukubuyela eSweden, futhi sathuthela khona ngo-1923. Sahlala e-Erikstad, idolobhana elingasesiteshini sesitimela, endaweni yaseDalsland. Kuleyo ndawo ubaba wakha ishabhu lobunjiniyela, futhi ngakhulela lapho ngafunda nesikole lapho.
Kutshaleka Imbewu
Ibhizinisi likababa alizange liphumelele. Ngakho, ekuqaleni kwawo-1930 waphinde waba itilosi. Wasishiya sodwa ekhaya—umama wasala nezinkathazo eziningi futhi mina ngangisebenza eshabhu. Ngolunye usuku, umama wavakashela umlamu wakhe uJohan, ongumyeni kadadewabo. Ekhathazwe yizimo zezwe, wabuza: “Johan, ingabe kuyohlala kunje?”
Wamphendula: “Cha, Ruth.” Wabe esemtshela ngesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuqeda ububi alethe ukubusa okunokulunga emhlabeni ngoMbuso oNkosi yawo inguJesu Kristu. (Isaya 9:6, 7; Daniyeli 2:44) Wachaza ukuthi uMbuso uJesu asifundisa ukuba siwuthandazele uyilokho kubusa okunokulunga, noma uhulumeni, oyoletha ipharadesi emhlabeni.—Mathewu 6:9, 10; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.
Lezo zithembiso zeBhayibheli zanamathela enhliziyweni kamama. Walibangisa ekhaya, ebonga uNkulunkulu yonke indlela. Nokho, mina nobaba asizange sikujabulele ukuthi umama wayesethanda inkolo. Cishe ngaleso sikhathi, phakathi nawo-1930, ngathuthela eTrollhättan entshonalanga yeSweden, lapho ngathola khona umsebenzi eshabhu elikhulu. Kungakabiphi, umama kanye nobaba, owayesanda kubuya emsebenzini wakhe wasolwandle, bathuthela kuyo le ndawo. Ngakho umkhaya wakithi waphinde wahlangana.
Ukuze anelise isidingo sakhe esingokomoya, umama wafuna oFakazi BakaJehova bendawo. Ngaleso sikhathi, babehlangana emizini, njengoba nje kwakwenza amaKristu okuqala. (Filemoni 1, 2) Lafika nakumama ithuba lokuba umhlangano ube kwakhe. Ekhathazekile, wacela kubaba ukumema abangane bakhe. Ubaba waphendula, “Abangane bakho bangabangane bami.”
Ngakho abantu babamukelekile ekhaya. Kwakuthi uma bengena ngomnyango, mina ngiphume. Nokho, akubanga isikhathi eside ngabe sengihlala. Imfudumalo eyayiboniswa oFakazi, ukubheka kwabo izinto njengoba zinjalo nokuzithoba kwabo kwasusa konke ukungabathandi engqondweni yami. Enhliziyweni yami kwaqala ukukhula imbewu yethemba ngekusasa.
Ukuyosebenza Olwandle
Kumelwe ukuba ngafuza ubaba ngokuthanda ulwandle, ngoba nami ngahamba ngayosebenza olwandle. Ngaya ngisiqaphela isidingo sami esingokomoya. Lapho sisethekwini elithile, njalo ngangizama ukuthintana noFakazi BakaJehova. Ngenkathi ngise-Amsterdam, eHolland (manje eyiNetherlands), ngaya eposini ngabuza ukuthi ngingabatholaphi. Ngemva kokuxoxisana nabambalwa, ngathola ikheli lomkhaya othile futhi ngaqonda khona ngokushesha. Lapho ngifika kulowo muzi ngamukelwa ngemfudumalo intombazanyana eneminyaka eyishumi. Yayingangazi, kodwa zisuka nje ngazizwa ngamukelekile futhi ngithandwa kulo mkhaya—nganambitha ubuzalwane obumangalisayo bomhlaba wonke!
Nakuba sasikhuluma izilimi ezingafani, lapho lo mkhaya ukhipha ikhalenda nesimiso sezikhathi zezitimela futhi uqala ukudweba ibalazwe, ngaqonda ukuthi kwakuzoba nomhlangano edolobheni laseHaarlem eliseduze. Ngaya kuwo futhi nakuba ngangingezwa lutho ngawujabulela kakhulu. Lapho ngibona oFakazi behambisa izimemo zenkulumo yeningi yangeSonto, ngashukumiseleka ukuba nami ngihlanganyele. Ngakho ngacosha izimemo ezazilahlwe abantu ngazinikeza abanye futhi.
Ngesinye isikhathi, umkhumbi wethu wama eBuenos Aires, e-Argentina, futhi lapho ngathola ihhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova. Ngaphakathi kwakunehhovisi nekamelo lokugcina izimpahla. Kwakukhona owesifazane owayenitha futhi kunentombazanyana eyayidlala ngonodoli, okungenzeka ukuthi kwakuyindodakazi yakhe. Kwase kusebusuku impela, futhi kwakunendoda eyayithatha izincwadi ezithile eshalofini, kuhlanganise nethi Creation ngolimi lwaseSweden. Lapho ngibona ubuso babo obujabule, ngavele ngazi ukuthi ngifuna ukuba omunye walaba bantu.
Ngenkathi sengibuyela ekhaya, umkhumbi wethu wagibelisa iqembu elalisendizeni yebutho lempi yaseCanada eyayiphahlazeke ngasogwini lwaseNewfoundland. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, sase siseduze kwaseScotland, lapho savinjwa khona umkhumbi wempi wamaNgisi futhi saboshwa. Sayiswa eKirkwall ese-Orkney Islands ukuze siyohlolwa. IMpi Yezwe II yayisiqalile, futhi amabutho kaHitler amaNazi ayedle iPoland ngo-September 1939. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, sakhululwa futhi sabuyela eSweden ngaphandle kwezigigaba.
Ngangijabule ngokuba sekhaya nangokuthi ngase ngizokwakha ubuhlobo noNkulunkulu. Ngase ngifuna ngempela ukuba omunye wabantu bakaNkulunkulu futhi ngingasafuni ukuyeka ukuhlangana nabo. (Hebheru 10:24, 25) Kuyangijabulisa ukukhumbula ukuthi njengetilosi, ngangihlale ngifakaza kwamanye amatilosi, futhi ngiyazi ukuthi elinye lawo laba uFakazi.
Uhlobo Olukhethekile Lwenkonzo
Ekuqaleni kuka-1940, ngavakashela ihhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova eStockholm. Ngamukelwa uJohan H. Eneroth, ngaleso sikhathi owayehola ekwengameleni umsebenzi wokushumayela eSweden. Lapho ngimtshela ukuthi ngifuna ukuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela isikhathi esigcwele njengesikhonzi esiyiphayona, wangibukisisa wabe esengibuza, “Uyakholelwa ukuthi lena inhlangano kaNkulunkulu?”
Ngaphendula: “Yebo.” Lokho kwaholela ekubeni ngibhapathizwe ngo-June 22, 1940, futhi ngaqala ukukhonza egatsheni kuleyo ndawo enhle enezisebenzi eziyisibonelo. Ngezimpelasonto sasiya enkonzweni. Ehlobo, sasivame ukuhamba ngamabhayisikili siye emasimini akude sishumayele yonke impelasonto, futhi ebusuku sasilala phezu kwezinqwaba zotshani obomisiwe.
Nokho, sasishumayela kakhulu endlini ngendlu eStockholm nasemaphethelweni ayo. Ngolunye usuku ngabona indoda isekamelweni elingaphansi kwendlu yayo, isebenza kubhayela futhi itatazela. Ngakho ngafingqa imikhono ngayisiza. Lapho sesiyivalile imbobo, le ndoda yangibuka ngokwazisa yabe isithi: “Ngicabanga ukuthi cishe uze ngokuthile. Ngakho masikhuphuke ukuze sigeze izandla bese siphuza ikhofi.” Sakwenza lokho, futhi ngenkathi siphuza ikhofi ngafakaza kuyo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi nayo yaba umKristu.
Nakuba izwe laseSweden lalingathathi hlangothi empini, impi yabathinta abantu bakhona. Amadoda ayelokhu ebizelwa empini, nami ngabizwa. Lapho ngenqaba ukumasha njengamasosha, ngangilokhu ngiboshwa ngidedelwa. Kamuva, ngathola isigwebo sokuyosebenza ekamu. OFakazi abasebasha babevame ukubizelwa enkantolo, futhi sakwazi ukufakaza ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwagcwalisa isiprofetho sikaJesu: “Niyohudulelwa phambi kwababusi namakhosi ngenxa yami, ngenjongo yobufakazi kubo nasezizweni.”—Mathewu 10:18.
Ukuphila Kwami Kuyashintsha
Ngo-1945 yaphela impi eYurophu. Ngasekupheleni kwalowo nyaka, uNathan H. Knorr, ngaleso sikhathi owayehola emsebenzini womhlaba wonke, basivakashela nonobhala wakhe, uMilton Henschel bevela eBrooklyn. Ukusivakashela kwabo kwaba inzuzo kakhulu ekuhleleni kabusha umsebenzi wokushumayela eSweden—nakimi uqobo. Lapho ngizwa ukuthi ngingakwazi ukuya e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, ngafaka isicelo ngokushesha.
Ngonyaka olandelayo ngaba sekilasini laleso sikole, ngaleso sikhathi esasingaphandle nje kweSouth Lansing, eNew York. Phakathi nalezo zifundo ezathatha izinyanga ezinhlanu, ngathola ukuqeqeshwa okwajulisa ukwazisa kwami ngeBhayibheli nangenhlangano kaNkulunkulu. Ngathola ukuthi labo ababehola emsebenzini wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke babengeneka futhi becabangela. Babezikhandla kanye nathi sonke. (Mathewu 24:14) Nakuba lokhu kungazange kungimangaze, ngajabula ukukubona ngawami.
Kungakabiphi, safika isikhathi—ngo-February 9, 1947—sokuba ikilasi lesi-8 leSikole SaseGileyadi lithole iziqu. UMfoweth’ uKnorr wamemezela amazwe abafundi ababezothunyelwa kuwo. Lapho isikhathi sami sifika, wathi, “UMfoweth’ uPramberg ubuyela eSweden ukuze akhonze abazalwane lapho.” Ngiyavuma ukuthi ngangingemagange kangako ukubuyela ekhaya.
Ukuhlangabezana Nenselele Enkulu
Lapho ngibuyela eSweden, ngezwa ngomsebenzi omusha owawuqala emazweni amaningi emhlabeni wonke—umsebenzi wesigodi. Ngamiswa ukuba ngikhonze njengombonisi wesigodi wokuqala eSweden, futhi isabelo sami sasihlanganisa lonke izwe laseSweden. Ngangihlela futhi ngengamela lokho namuhla okwaziwa ngokuthi imihlangano yesifunda, eyayiqhutshelwa emadolobheni amakhulu nakwamancane kulo lonke elaseSweden. Njengoba leli lungiselelo lalilisha sha, iziqondiso engazithola zazimbalwa kakhulu. Mina noMfoweth’ u-Eneroth sahlala phansi salungiselela isimiso ngendlela engcono kakhulu esasingenza ngayo. Ngangithuthumela lapho ngithola isabelo futhi ngathandaza kaningi kuJehova. Ngaba nelungelo lokukhonza njengombonisi wesigodi iminyaka engu-15.
Kwakunzima ngalezo zinsuku ukuthola izindawo ezifanelekayo zemihlangano. Kwakudingeka sisebenzise amahholo omdanso nezindawo ezifana nawo, ngokuvamile ezazibanda futhi ngezinye izikhathi zisesimweni esibi. Isibonelo salokhu umhlangano owawuseRökiö, eFinland. Ihholo lakhona laliyindawo yokuzijabulisa yomphakathi okwase kuyisikhathi lingasetshenziswa. Lalikhithika futhi izinga lokubanda lingaphansi kuka-20°C ngaphansi kwezingaqhwa. Ngakho sabasa umlilo ezitofini ezimbili ezinkulu ezenziwe ngemigqomo kawoyela. Nokho, sasingazi ukuthi izinyoni zazakhe izidleke kushimula. Kwagcwala intuthu ngaphakathi! Kodwa sonke saqhubeka sihleli, sizivale ngamabhantshi futhi sixhoshwa. Lokho kwenza lowo mhlangano wakhumbuleka ngokukhethekile.
Phakathi kweziqondiso zokuhlela le mihlangano yesifunda yezinsuku ezintathu kwakunesiqondiso sokulungiselela izihambeli zomhlangano ukudla. Ekuqaleni, sasingenazo izinto zokupheka futhi singenakho okuhlangenwe nakho kokwenza lo msebenzi. Kodwa sasinabazalwane nodade abamangalisayo abayamukela ngenjabulo le nselele. Ngosuku olwandulela umhlangano, wawungababona begobile endishini enkulu, becwecwa amazambane kuyilapho bexoxa okuhlangenwe nakho futhi benesikhathi esimnandi. Abazalwane nodade baba nabangane abaningi beminyaka ababathola ngalezo zikhathi besebenza kanzima ndawonye.
Ukuhamba siphethe izingqwembe simemezela le mihlangano yesifunda kwakungesinye isici somsebenzi wethu ngaleso sikhathi. Sasihamba sishaye udwendwe sidabula idolobha noma idolobhana, simemela izakhamuzi enkulumweni yeningi. Ngokuvamile abantu babenomusa futhi behlonipha. Ngesinye isikhathi sisedolobheni laseFinspång, umgwaqo wawunezisebenzi ezazilandelana ziphuma efektri. Kungazelelwe, esinye sazo samemeza: “Bafana, niyalibona iqembu uHitler ahluleka ukuliqeda!”
Isenzakalo Esibalulekile Ekuphileni Kwami
Ukuphila kwami njengesikhonzi esijikelezayo kwase kuzoshintsha ngemva kokuhlangana noKarin, intokazi enhle. Sobabili samenyelwa emhlanganweni wezizwe eYankee Stadium, eNew York City, ngo-July 1953. Kulowo mhlangano, ngesikhathi sekhefu ngoMsombuluko ngomhla ka-20, uMilton Henschel wasishadisa. Kwakuyisenzakalo esingavamile kule nkundla edumile ye-baseball. Sakhonza ndawonye emsebenzini wokujikeleza kwaze kwaba ngo-1962, ngemva kwalokho samenyelwa ukuyokhonza nomkhaya waseBethel eSweden. Ngaqale ngasebenza eMnyangweni Kamagazini. Ngenxa yokuthi ngangiqeqeshelwe ukulungisa imishini, ngabe sengabelwa ukunakekela imishini yokunyathelisa neminye imishini esegatsheni. UKarin wasebenza iminyaka eminingana elondolo. Sekuyiminyaka eminingi manje enza umsebenzi wokuhlola umsebenzi ohunyushiwe.
Yeka ukuthi ukuphila kube okumnandi nokunenjongo kanjani njengoba siye sachitha iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-54 enkonzweni kaJehova njengombhangqwana! Ngempela uJehova uye wayibusisa inhlangano yakhe yezinceku ezinothando nezizikhandlayo. Kudala ngawo-1940 lapho ngiqala ukukhonza ehhovisi legatsha, kwakunoFakazi abangu-1 500 kuphela eSweden. Kodwa manje sebengaphezu kuka-22 000. Ukwanda kuye kwaba kukhulu kakhulu kwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba, kangangokuthi emhlabeni wonke sekunoFakazi abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyisithupha nengxenye.
Umoya kaJehova uwusekela njalo umsebenzi wethu. Ngamehlo okholo sibheke ngalé kolwandle lwesintu oluyaluzayo, kodwa asesabi. Phambili silibona ngokucacile izwe elisha likaNkulunkulu. Mina noKarin sibonga uNkulunkulu ngabo bonke ubuhle bakhe futhi nsuku zonke sithandazela amandla okugcina ubuqotho bethu futhi ekugcineni sifinyelele umgomo wethu—ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu nokuphila phakade!—Mathewu 24:13.
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Ngigone kumama
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Lapho ngahamba khona nobaba ngomkhumbi ohlolwayo ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1920
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NginoHerman Henschel (uyise kaMilton) eGileyadi ngo-1946
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Sashada ngo-July 20, 1953, eYankee Stadium