Ukusuka Ekubeni Yihlongandlebe Ukuya Ekubeni Isithunywa Sevangeli
KwakunguAugust 6, 1950. Ngangimi nomama eYankee Stadium, eDolobheni laseNew York. Sasisemhlanganweni wezizwe zonke woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngalesosikhathi akekho kithi owayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngaqalaza ngimangele ngezixuku zabantu, abangaphezu kwezinkulungwane eziyikhulu enkundleni naseduze kwakhona, kodwa kwakungekho ukududulana, ukuthukana noma ukulwa, kungekho ukubonakaliswa kwentukuthelo. Ngiyakhumbula ngithi kumama: “Lokhu akukholeki. Izinhlangano engiye ngaba kuzo nezindawo engiye ngaya kuzo ngokuvamile ziye zahilela izimpi. Mama, nakanjani leli yiqiniso!” Wamane wacindezela isandla sami wayesemomotheka, ngoba njengomama wami wayewazi kahle umlando wokuphila kwami. Ngivumele kengithi ukubukeza.
Ngazalelwa eMetropolis, idolobha elincane elisogwini loMfula iOhio eIllinois engaseningizimu. Kwakungonyaka ka-1930, futhi Ukuwa Kwezomnotho kwakudlange ngamandla kuwo wonke umhlaba. Ngangingowesi-9 ezinganeni eziyi-11. Ngakhuliselwa enkolweni yamaLuthela. Njalo ntambama umama wayevame ukuhlala phansi angifundele iBhayibheli, futhi ngangizijabulela ngempela lezozikhathi. Wangifundisa umbhalo kaJohane 3:16, othi: “Ngokuba uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade” futhi wangitshela ukuba ngingalokothi ngilukhohlwe uthando lukaNkulunkulu ngathi. Ngangiwukhumbula njalo lowombhalo futhi ngiwuphindaphinda lapho ngingedwa, kodwa ngangingaqondi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wasithanda ngayiphi indlela nokuthi kwakuyosho ukuthini ekuphileni kwami. Ngiyakhumbula ngibuza abantu abahlukahlukene ababethambekele enkolweni, futhi banginikeza izimpendulo ezihlukahlukene, ezinjengokuthi: “uNkulunkulu usinika izihlahla nezimbali”; “uNkulunkulu usinika ukuphila”; “uNkulunkulu usinika izilwane, izinkanyezi ezinhle, nemvula ekhulisa izinto.” Khona-ke ngangicabanga: ‘Kodwa zonke lezozinto zazikhona ngaphambi kokuba uJesu azalwe. Lombhalo uthembisa ukuphila okuphakade, kodwa umfowethu nodadewethu bashona.’ Lapho ngibuza ngalokho, ngangitshelwa ukuthi: “Oh, lokho kufika ngemva kokuba usufile.” Ngakho-ke, njengomfanyana, ngadideka futhi ngisemncane kakhulu ngaphelelwa isithakazelo enkolweni nakuSonto-s’kole.
Ngesikhathi ngineminyaka eyishumi ubudala, ngase ngiyihlongandlebe nelungu leqembu lasemgwaqweni, ngezinye izikhathi ngize ngilihole ngisho nokulihola. Ngangihlala nginamacala kuziphathi-mandla. Lapho ubaba ebona imoto yamaphoyisa emgwaqweni wakithi, wayephetha ngokuthi izobuza ngami futhi athi: “Bizani uRobert. Nanka amaphoyisa eza.” Abazali bami bakhathazeka kakhulu ngenxa yobuhlongandlebe bami, futhi ubaba wayengincenga ukuba ngiyeke ukuzihlanganisa neqembu engangehla ngenyuka nalo. Wayekhathazeka kakhulu futhi angitshele: “Inkathazo osusibangele yona yanele ukuba ingenziwa yizo zonke ezinye izingane, ngenxa nje yabangane bakho.” Nokho, ngokumangalisayo uMama wayetshela ubaba: “Uzoguquka. Wena lindela nje, uRobert uzoba umfundisi ngelinye ilanga.”
Iqiniso LikaNkulunkulu Liyangiguqula
Khona-ke kwenzeka okuthile okwakuzoba nomphumela omkhulu ekuphileni kwami. Udadewethu uEvelyn waqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova ngo-1948. Nokho, ngalesosikhathi engangikwazi nje kuphela ngoFakazi kwakuwukuma kwabo kokungathathi-hlangothi ezimpikiswaneni zezwe nezombangazwe. Ngangithambekele kakhulu ebuzweni futhi ngingafuni udadewethu azihlanganise nalabantu. Ngamphikisa kakhulu. Noma kunjalo, walibona iqiniso lalokho ayekufunda futhi wangangilalela. Kuze kube namuhla, yena nengxenye enkulu yabantwana bakhe nabazukulu bakhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka. Manje ngiyambonga yena noNkulunkulu ngokuphikelela kwakhe ngoba ngolunye usuku ngacoshela ngandlebenye bexoxa ngeBhayibheli nowayemfundisa ngisekhishini. Ngezwa ngomhlaba oyiPharadesi ozayo nokuba nokwenzeka kokuphila phakade kuwo. Ngakhumbula uJohane 3:16, futhi ngacabanga: ‘Lolu uthando lukaNkulunkulu ngathi ngoJesu Kristu.’ Ngemva kwalokho, isonto ngalinye ngangilalela ngisekhishini. Ngokushesha bangimema ukuba ngibe khona esifundweni. Ngaleyondlela ngafinyelela ekumazini uNkulunkulu weqiniso, onothando, uJehova.
Abazali bami nabo babeye baba khona esifundweni, futhi ngemva kokuthuthela eYpsilanti, eMichigan, baqhubeka betadisha iBhayibheli. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngazihlanganisa nabo lapha. Ngo-1950 ngaya emhlanganweni ngokokuqala ngqá woFakazi BakaJehova, wezizwe zonke owawuseYankee Stadium, eDolobheni laseNew York. Lokho kubonakaliswa kothando lweqiniso okwathatha isonto lonke kwangiqinisekisa ngokuthi laba babewuhlobo lwabantu engangilufuna ukuba babe ngabangane bami abaseduze kukho konke ukuphila kwami. Kulowomhlangano ngazinikezela ukuba ngikhonze uJehova, uNkulunkulu weqiniso.
Lapho sibuyela eMichigan sivela emhlanganweni, saba nenjabulo yokuvakashela iWatchtower Bible School of Gilead, isikole sokuqeqesha izikhonzi ukuba zikhonze njengezithunywa zevangeli kwamanye amazwe. Ngalesosikhathi isikole sasisemaphandleni amahle eduze neNingizimu Lansing, eNew York. Kulokho kuvakasha, ngazibekela umgomo wokuba isithunywa sevangeli.
NgoSeptember 10, 1950, ngabhapathizwa nabanye ababili emfudlaneni osepulazini. Ngalesosikhathi ngangineminyaka eyi-19 ubudala. Abantu engangijwayelana nabo babeshintsha, futhi lapho ngihlangana nabaningi ababengabangane bami, babengibuza ukuthi kwakwenzekeni. Abanye babengitshela ukuthi ngisangene. Kodwa, ngempela, ngangingakaze ngizizwe ngiphile saka kanje ekuphileni kwami! Ubaba wayemangele futhi ejabula kakhulu.
Ngo-1951, ngashada uEarline Merlau Olson. Isizinda sakhe sasihluke kakhulu kwesami, njengoba ayekhuliswe abazali ababezinikezele ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu. Wayesebenzisele amaholide akhe esikole emsebenzini wokushumayela wesikhathi esigcwele futhi wayethemba ukwandisela inkonzo yakhe esicini sezithunywa zevangeli.
Ukuphishekela Imigomo Naphezu Kobunzima
Ngenxa yokuma kwami kokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu, ngaphinde ngahileleka neziphathi-mandla, futhi ngokokuqala ngqá ekuphileni kwami, ngaya ejele—ngenxa yokuba umKristu! Phakathi nosuku nobusuku engangisejele ngabo, ngaboniswa ngokucacile ukuqaphela kokunakekela kothando kukaNkulunkulu. Esinye seziboshwa, ngokunokwenzeka esiyingqongqo yasesitokisini, satshela abanye ukuthi sasifuna ukuba nomhlangano wokwephula imithetho yasejele futhi singenze isisulu. Yini okwakufanele ngiyenze? Ngibuyele ekwenzeni njengoba ngangiye ngenza iminyaka eminingi kangaka njengehlongandlebe eliselisha noma ngithembele kuNkulunkulu? Nganxusa uJehova ukuba angisize ngiqhubeke ngithembekile futhi anginike ukuhlakanipha namandla. Ngokushesha esinye isiboshwa sangisiza. Satshela ezinye ukuba zisebenzise sona ukuba sibe isisulu sazo futhi, singimisa ngokoqobo ngemva kwaso, sathi: “Kuzomelwe nidlule kimi ukuze nimthole.” Kwakunezikhathi eziningana ezishubile. Khona-ke ingqongqo yasesitokisini yathi: “Yekani. Akubalulekile kangako.” Ngambonga uNkulunkulu! Ummeli wami waqinisekisa ukukhululwa kwami ngosuku olulandelayo, kodwa ukuqulwa kwecala kwaqhubeka iminyaka emithathu kwaze kwaba yilapho ekugcineni ngikhululwa enkonzweni yezempi njengomshumayeli.
NgoMay 1, 1955, mina nomkami sangenela umsebenzi wethu wokuba abashumayeli besikhathi esigcwele, noma amaphayona. Saphayona iminyaka emibili nebandla laseYpsilanti, eMichigan. Khona-ke samenyelwa ukuba sikhonze njengezikhonzi ezingamaphayona akhethekile kusukela ngoMay 1, 1957, eBurlington, eVermont, sinikela isikhathi esengeziwe ekushumayeleni. Phakathi neminyaka yethu emibili silapho, sahlanganyela ekumisweni kabusha kwebandla. IHholo lethu loMbuso lokuqala lalikuyo kanye inkaba yedolobha! NgeSonto inkulumo yeningi yayinesihloko esithi “Ubukhomanisi Noma UbuKristu—Kuyoba Yikuphi?” Njengoba kwase kwenziwe izinsongo ezithile ukuze kuvinjelwe umhlangano wethu, ngaya emaphoyiseni ngiyobuza ukuthi singathembela yini esivikelweni sawo uma kudingeka. Angiqinisekisa ngokuthi ayezosisingatha lesosimo. Cishe emizuzwini engama-20 ngaphambi kokuba umhlangano uqale, imoto egcwele amadoda yama ngaphambi kweHholo LoMbuso. Kungakadluli mizuzu emingaki amaphoyisa afika futhi akhuluma nawo, futhi ahamba. Saba nomhlangano onokuthula, owawunabantu abaningi.
Siyizithunywa Zevangeli Ekugcineni!
Samenywa iWatchtower Society ukuba sibe ingxenye yezisebenzi zayo endlunkulu eDolobheni laseNew York, kusukela ngoMay 1, 1959. Njengoba sasilungisa izinto ukuze sihambe, kwafika enye incwadi isimemela ukuba siye eSikoleni saseGileyadi ukuze siqeqeshwe njengezithunywa zevangeli, kusukela ngoSeptember 1959. Izibusiso ezimbili ezinhle ngonyaka owodwa! Ekugcineni, sase siwubona umgomo wethu wokuba izithunywa zevangeli. Inkonzo yethu engcwele yaqhubeka yanda!
NgoFebruary 1960, ngemva cishe kwezinyanga eziyisithupha sifundiswa futhi siqeqeshwa, sathweswa iziqu ekilasini lama-34 laseGileyadi. Sabelwa eBogotá, eColombia, esafika khona ngoMarch 1, 1960.
Inselele yethu yokuqala yayiwukufunda iSpanish. Ukusebenzisa kwami amagama ngokungeyikho kwakungeve kuhlekisa. Ngikhumbula ngisebenza eMnyango Wezindawo Zokulala phakathi nomhlangano wethu wesigodi wokuqala futhi ngicela abazalwane ukuba basiboleke omatilasi (colchones, ngeSpanish), kodwa ngasebenzisa igama elithi cochinos (izingulube). Bangibuza ngomusa: “Ufuna ukwenzani ngazo?” Ngathi: “Ukuze abazalwane balale kuzo.” Ngemva kokuhleka, sabathola omatilasi.
Lapho sijabulela indalo kaNkulunkulu ebuhleni bemvelo bezintaba ezinkulu ezimbethe iqhwa zaseAndes, izindawo zasemahlathini, namathafa, saba nokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi okungenakukhohlakala. Okunye kwakungesikhathi sivakashela amaphayona akhethekile eVillavicencio, lapho kuqala khona amallanos (amathafa). Edolobheni laseSan Martín, sahlangana neqembu loFakazi abavela eGranada. Lesi kwakuzoba isikhathi sokuqala ukuba abantu baseSan Martín bezwe isigijimi soMbuso. Lapho umkami esakhuluma nenye intokazi ekhaya layo, omunye umfana weza kumkami futhi wambuza ukuthi wayenzani. Lapho emtshela ayekwenza, wahamba kodwa wayesebuya emtshela ukuthi umthengi osekhemisi ngaphesheya komgwaqo ufuna ukukhuluma naye. Leyondoda yalalela ngenjabulo isigijimi soMbuso futhi yacela zonke izincwadi zeBhayibheli ayeziphethe. Lapho umkami esikisela ukuba ithole omagazini beNqabayokulinda nePhaphama! bethunyelwa kuyo ngeposi, yamtshela: “Ngihlala kude kakhulu emathafeni kangangokuthi azikho izinkonzo zeposi. Kuyodingeka ngililande lapha eSan Martín iposi, futhi ngiza lapha kanye ngonyaka ukuze ngizothenga.” Ngelungiselelo laphezulu, ngalowonyaka wayefike phakathi nokuhambela kwethu.
Sakujabulela kakhulu ukuhlanganyela iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu nabantu baseColombia iminyaka eyi-16, sihamba ngazo zonke izinto zokuhamba ezazitholakala: ipiragua (isikejana esenziwe ngokhuni olugujiwe), indiza, ibhasi, imoto, ihhashi, nembongolo. Nomaphi lapho sasiya khona, sasithola abantu abanobungane ababekujabulela ukuxoxa ngeqiniso leBhayibheli futhi bafinyelele ekwazini nasekuqondeni ngempela uthando lukaJehova neNdodana yakhe ethandekayo.
Inkonzo Engcwele Ngokwesibili EUnited States
Ngo-1976, ngenxa yemithwalo yethu yemfanelo, kwadingeka sibuyele eUnited States, lapho sakwazi khona ukuqhubeka nenkonzo yethu engcwele njengamaphayona. Khona-ke, ngo-1980, ngaba sesimweni sokuhambela amabandla amaningi asesifundeni njengombonisi ojikelezayo. Ngakho-ke, ngabelwa ukukhonza ensimini yabakhuluma iSpanish. Siye sakujabulela ukusebenza nabafowethu nodade abangokomoya abafudumele, nabanothando, ezifundeni ezisezindaweni ezihlukahlukene eUnited States.
Lapho ngisengumntwana umama wangitshela ukuthi: “Ungalokothi ukhohlwe uthando lukaNkulunkulu!” Ngiyambonga uJehova ngokungisiza, ngenhlangano yakhe yasemhlabeni, ukuba ngiqonde uthando lwakhe nalokho olukushoyo ngesintu, kanye nokungisiza ngeZwi nomoya wakhe, ukuba ngiguquke, ekubeni yihlongandlebe eliselincane ngiguqukele ekubeni umuntu owamukelekayo kuye ukuba enze inkonzo engcwele. Uye wathulula izibusiso zakhe, ekwenza kube nokwenzeka ukuba ngifinyelele imigomo ebengilokhu ngiyibeka. Ngamalungelo ethu amaningi enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu engcwele kanye nempilo echichima injabulo, mina nomkami siyambonga uJehova, iNdodana yakhe nenhlangano yakhe ethembekile.—Njengoba ilandiswa uRobert D. Reed.
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URobert noEarline Reed
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Usuku uEarline umkami ahlanza ngalo izingubo eColombia