Into Ebaluleke Ngaphezu Kodumo

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UCHARLES SINUTKO

Ngo-1957, nganikezwa inkontileka yamasonto angu-13 yokucula eLas Vegas, eNevada, e-U.S.A., ngangizokhokhelwa ama-dollar ayinkulungwane ngesonto, kunanethuba lokunikezwa amanye amasonto angu-50 uma umculo wami uhambe kahle. Lokho kwakuyosho ukuthola amanye ama-dollar angu-50 000—okwakuyimali enkulu ngaleso sikhathi. Ake ngikuchazele ukuthi ngayithola kanjani le nkontileka nokuthi yini eyenza isinqumo sokuyamukela saba nzima kakhulu.

U BABA, ongowase-Ukraine, wazalelwa empumalanga yeYurophu ngo-1910. Ngo-1913 ugogo weza naye e-United States lapho umkhulu ayesethuthele khona. Ubaba washada ngo-1935, mina-ke ngazalwa onyakeni kamuva e-Ambridge, ePennsylvania. Cishe yingaleso sikhathi lapho ababili babafowabo abadala bakababa baba khona oFakazi BakaJehova.

Lapho mina nabafowethu abathathu sisebancane futhi umkhaya wakithi uhlala eNew Castle, ePennsylvania, umama watadisha iBhayibheli okwesikhashana noFakazi. Akekho kubazali bami owaba uFakazi ngaleso sikhathi, kodwa ubaba wayekholelwa ukuthi abafowabo banelungelo lokukholelwa kwabakuthandayo. Yize ubaba agxilisa kithi umoya wokuthanda izwe lakithi, kodwa wayelilwela ilungelo labanye lokukhulekela ngendlela abathanda ngayo.

Umsebenzi Wokucula

Abazali bami babekholelwa ukuthi nginezwi lemvelo lokucula, ngakho benza konke okusemandleni abo ukuba bangikhuthaze. Lapho ngineminyaka eyisithupha noma eyisikhombisa, ubaba wayengicela ukuba ngisukume ngicule ngidlale nesiginci sami endaweni yokuphuzela utshwala ye-nightclub. Ngangicula iculo elithi “Mother.” Amazwi alo ayeqokomisa amazwi ayenohlamvu ngalunye lwegama elithi “umama” ngesiNgisi. Igama ngalinye laligcizelelwa njengoba lalisetshenziswa ekuchazeni imfanelo kamama onothando. Le ngoma yayiphetha ngamazwi aculwa ngomfutho athi “uma uzihlanganisa lezi zinhlamvu zikunika igama elithi M-O-T-H-E-R, igama elisho okukhulu kakhulu kimi.” Amadoda ayephuza utshwala, ngokuvamile ayesuke esephuze kakhulu ayekhala futhi afake imali esigqokweni sikababa.

Uhlelo lwami lokuqala emsakazweni lwaba seNew Castle kuyi-WKST ngo-1945, ngicula i-country music. Kamuva ngashintsha ngacula amaculo ayethandwa kakhulu kuyi-Hit Parade, okwakuwuhlelo lwasemsakazweni lwamasonto onke olwaludlala izingoma eziyishumi ezidla ubhedu. Ngaqala ukuvela kuyithelevishini ngo-1950 ohlelweni lukaPaul Whiteman. Indlela anandisa ngayo ingoma kaGeorge Gershwin ethi “Rhapsody in Blue” isathandwa kakhulu namanje. Ngemva nje kwalokho ubaba wadayisa umuzi wakithi ePennsylvania, sathuthela eLos Angeles eCalifornia ngethemba lokuthuthukisa ikhono lami.

Ngenxa yokuphikelela kukababa, ngakwazi ukusheshe ngithole olwami uhlelo lwamasonto onke emsakazweni ePasadena kanye nohlelo lwamasonto onke lwethelevishini olwaluthatha isigamu sehora eHollywood. Ngaba kuyi-orchestra kaTed Dale yabantu abayikhulu eyayiqopha izingoma eCapitol Records ngaculela nesiteshi somsakazo i-CBS. Ngo-1955, ngavuma ukungena eqenjini lemidlalo yeshashalazi eLake Tahoe enyakatho yeCalifornia. Ngenkathi ngilapho, uhlu lwezinto eziza kuqala ekuphileni kwami lwashintsha ngendlela ephawulekayo.

Ukushintsha Izinto Eziza Kuqala

Cishe ngaleso sikhathi, ubab’ omkhulu uJohn—umfowabo kababa naye owayesethuthile ePennsylvania waya eCalifornia—wanginika incwadi ethi “UNkulunkulu Makabe Oneqiniso.”ab Ngayithatha ngaya nayo eLake Tahoe. Ngemva kohlelo lwethu lokugcina, olwaphela ngemva impela kwamabili, ngaqala ukufunda le ncwadi ngiphumuza ingqondo ngaphambi kokulala. Ngahlabeka umxhwele lapho ngithola izimpendulo zeBhayibheli zemibuzo okwase kuyisikhathi eside ngizibuza yona.

Kungakabiphi wawusungithola ngihlezi e-nightclub ngemva komsebenzi ngixoxa nesisebenza nabo, ngokuvamile kuze kube sentathakusa. Sasidingida izindaba ezinjengokuphila ngemva kokufa, kungani uNkulunkulu evumela ububi, nokuthi ingabe umuntu uyogcina ngokuzibhubhisa yini yena nomhlaba. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, ngo-July 9, 1955, emhlanganweni wesigodi woFakazi BakaJehova owawuseWrigley Field, eLos Angeles, ngabhapathizwa njengophawu lokuzinikezela kwami ukuba ngikhonze uJehova uNkulunkulu.

Ezinyangeni ezingaphansi kweziyisithupha kamuva, ekuseni ngoKhisimusi ka-1955, ngamenywa omunye uFakazi, uHenry Russell ukuba ngihambe naye siye kovakashela uJack McCoy, owayesebenza kwezokuzijabulisa. UHenry-ke wayengumqondisi womculo e-NBC. Lapho nje sifika, uJack wacela izingane zakhe ezintathu nomkakhe ukuba bahlale phansi basilalele, yize babesathi bavula izipho zabo zikaKhisimusi. Akuthathanga sikhathi esingakanani yena nomkhaya wakhe baba oFakazi.

Cishe ngalesi sikhathi ngafunda nomama, futhi walamukela iqiniso leBhayibheli walibambisisa. Ekugcineni waba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova waba futhi iphayona, umshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abafowethu abathathu nabo babhapathizwa futhi bahlanganyela enkonzweni yamaphayona isikhathi esithile. Ngo-September 1956, lapho ngineminyaka engu-20 ngaba iphayona.

Izinqumo Eziphathelene Nomsebenzi

Cishe kwakungalesi sikhathi lapho umngane womkhulumeli wami, uGeorge Murphy, aba nesithakazelo sokungithuthukisa. UGeorge wayeseke wavela ezithombeni eziningi phakathi nawo-1930 nawo-1940. Ngenxa yokuthi uMurphy wayazana nabantu abaningi, ngo-December 1956, ngavela ohlelweni lukaJackie Gleason eNew York City kuyi-CBS-TV. Lokhu kwaba negalelo elikhulu emsebenzini wami, njengoba lolu hlelo lwalubukelwa abantu abalinganiselwa ku-20 000 000. Ngesikhathi ngiseNew York, ngavakashela indlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn ngokokuqala ngqa.

Ngemva kokuvela ohlelweni lukaGleason, ngasayina inkontileka yeminyaka engu-7 nabenkampani yezithombe i-MGM. Nganikezwa ingxenye yazikhathi zonke esithombeni sama-cowboy se-TV. Nokho, ngemva kwesikhashana, unembeza wami waqala ukungihlupha, ngoba kwakudingeka ngidlale ingxenye yokuba umgembuli nenkombi yesibhamu—izingxenye ezazidumisa ukuziphatha okubi kanye neminye imikhuba engeyona eyobuKristu. Ngakho, ngayeka. Abebhizinisi lezokuzijabulisa babecabanga ukuthi ngisangene.

Lokhu kusiletha ethubeni elinemali eshisiwe lokusebenza eLas Vegas, engikhulume ngalo ekuqaleni kwale ndaba. Ngangizoqala ukusebenza ngesonto lokuhanjelwa umbonisi wethu ojikelezayo. Uma ngangingeke ngikwazi ukuqala ngaleso sikhathi, kwakuyosho ukuthi iqatha lalingiphunyuke unomphela. Inhliziyo yami yayihlukene phakathi, ngoba kwase kuyisikhathi eside ubaba elangazelele ukungibona ngenza imali eshisiwe! Ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi kwakumelwe athole umthobanhliziyo ngenxa yakho konke ayekwenzile engifukula.

Ngakho ngaya kumbonisi wethu owengamele, uCarl Park, naye owayengumculi futhi owake wadlala imfijoli emsakazweni waseNew York i-WBBR ngawo-1920. Ngamchazela ukuthi uma ngiyamukela le nkontileka, ngangiyokwazi ukuphayona ukuphila kwami konke ngaphandle kokukhathazeka ngokwezimali. Wathi: “Ngeke ngikutshele ukuthi wenzeni, kodwa ngingakusiza ukuba ufinyelele isiphetho.” Wangibuza: “Ubuzohamba yini ukube ibandla lethu belivakashelwa umphostoli uPawulu kuleli sonto?” Wanezela, “Ucabanga ukuthi uJesu wayengathanda ukuba wenzenjani?”

Ngacabanga ukuthi yayicacile le ndaba. Lapho ngitshela ubaba ukuthi nganginqume ukungawuthathi umsebenzi waseLas Vegas, wathi ngangimhlinzela ezibini. Ngalobo busuku wangilinda ephethe isibhamu sakhe. Wayehlose ukungibulala, kodwa wazumeka—kubonakala sengathi wayephuze kakhulu. Wabe esezama ukuzibulala egalaji ngomusi wemoto. Ngabiza abatakuli, futhi bakwazi ukumsiza ukuba aphaphame.

Ngenxa yokwazi iziqubu zolaka lukababa, abaningi ebandleni engangikulo babemesaba, kodwa umbonisi wethu ojikelezayo, uRoy Dowell, wayengamesabi. Lapho uRoy eya ukuyombona, kwenzeka ukuba ubaba amtshele ukuthi ngesikhathi ngizalwa, ayemancane kakhulu amathuba okuba ngiphile. Ubaba wayethembise uNkulunkulu ukuthi uma ngingaphila, wayeyonginikezela ukuba ngikhonze uNkulunkulu. URoy wambuza ubaba ukuthi wayeke wakucabanga yini ukuthi kungenzeka uNkulunkulu wayesefuna ukuba agcwalise isethembiso sakhe. Lokho kwamethusa ubaba. URoy wabe esebuza, “Uma inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele yayiyilungele iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, kungani ingayilungele eyakho?” Ngemva kwalokho, ubaba kwabonakala esamukela isinqumo sami.

Phakathi naleso sikhathi, ngo-January 1957, kwafika uShirley Large evela eCanada ekanye nodade ayephayona naye bevakashele abangane babo. Sajwayelana noShirley lapho siya enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu kanye nodade ayephayona naye. Ngemva nje kwalokho, uShirley wahamba nami saya eHollywood Bowl, lapho ngacula khona noPearl Bailey.

Ukunamathela Esinqumweni

Ngo-September 1957, ngathola isabelo sokuyokhonza njengephayona elikhethekile esifundazweni sase-Iowa. Lapho ngitshela ubaba ukuthi nganginqume ukusamukela lesi sabelo, waba nesibibithwane. Kwakunzima ukuba aqonde ukuthi umbono wami ngezinto ezibalulekile wawusushintshe ngempela. Ngahamba ngaya eHollywood futhi ngahoxa kuzo zonke izinkontileka engangizisayindele. Umholi wodumo we-orchestra nombhidisi wamakwaya uFred Waring wayengomunye wabantu enganginenkontileka nabo. Wangitshela ukuthi ngangingasayophinde ngisebenze njengomculi uma ngihluleka ukufeza isivumelwano sami. Ngakho ngamchazela ukuthi ngangiwuyeka umsebenzi wami wokucula ukuze ngandise ingxenye yami enkonzweni kaJehova uNkulunkulu.

UMnu. Waring walalela ngenhlonipho lapho ngichaza, wabe esengimangaza ngempendulo yakhe epholile: “Ndodana, kubuhlungu ukuthi uyeka umsebenzi omuhle kanje, kodwa sengichithe ukuphila kwami konke ngisemculweni futhi ngifundile ukuthi ekuphileni kunezinto ezibaluleke ngaphezu komculo nje. Kwangathi uNkulunkulu angayibusisa le nto oyenzayo.” Ngisakhumbula ngisemotweni ngiya ekhaya amehlo ami ehlengezela izinyembezi zenjabulo, ngiqaphela ukuthi ngase ngikhululekile ukuba ngisebenzise ukuphila kwami enkonzweni kaJehova.

“Luyephi Ukholo Lwakho?”

Ngaqala ngokukhonza eStrawberry Point, e-Iowa, idolobhana elalinabantu abangaba ngu-1 200 ngiphayona noJoe Triff. UShirley weza ezongivakashela, futhi sadingida udaba lomshado. Ngangingenamali ebhange, naye engenayo. Yonke imali engangiyisebenzele yayilawulwa ubaba. Ngakho ngamchazela: “Ngiyafuna ukukushada, kodwa siyophila kanjani? Anginalutho ngaphandle kwemali yamaphayona akhethekile engama-dollar angu-40 ngenyanga.” Ngendlela yakhe eqondile, engagwegwesi kodwa epholile njengenhlalayenza, wathi: “Kodwa, Charles, luyephi ukholo lwakho? UJesu wathi uma sifuna uMbuso kuqala nokulunga kwakhe, uyosenezelela konke esikudingayo.” (Mathewu 6:33) Kwaba kanjalo-ke. Sashada ngo-November 16, 1957.

Ngangifundela umlimi othile owayehlala ngaphandle kweStrawberry Point owayenekokosana lezingodo elingamamitha-skwele angu-3,7 ehlathini khona epulazini lakhe. Lalingenawo ugesi, lingenamanzi noma indlu yangasese. Kodwa wathi uma sithanda, sasingahlala kulo mahhala. Lalingalungisiwe, kodwa sacabanga ukuthi sasisuke sisenkonzweni imini yonke futhi sidinga nje kuphela indawo yokulala.

Amanzi ngangiwakha emthonjeni owawungekude. Sasifudumeza leli kokosana ngesitofu sezinkuni futhi sifunde ngesiphefu; uShirley wayepheka ngesitofu sikaphalafini. Sasigezela kubhavu omdala. Ebusuku sasizwa izimpisi zihhewula futhi sizizwe sibusisekile ngokuba ndawonye nokukhonza uJehova ndawonye lapho kwakunendingeko enkudlwana khona yezikhonzi ezingamaKristu. UBill Malenfant nomkakhe, uSandra, manje abakhonza endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke eBrooklyn, babengamaphayona akhethekile endaweni eyayiqhele ngamakhilomitha ayikhulu, eDecorah, e-Iowa. Njalo ngezikhathi ezithile, babeza bezochitha usuku nathi enkonzweni yasensimini. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kwaba nebandla elincane labantu abangu-25 eStrawberry Point.

Emsebenzini Wokujikeleza

Ngo-May 1960 samenyelwa emsebenzini wesifunda, inkonzo yabajikelezi. Isifunda sethu sokuqala sasiseNyakatho Carolina, futhi sasihlanganisa amadolobha anjengeRaleigh, iGreensboro, neDurham, kanye namadolobhana amaningi asemaphandleni. Impilo yakhona yayingconywana, ngoba sasihlala nemikhaya enogesi ngisho nezindlu zangasese ezingaphakathi. Nokho-ke sasidlela ogageni yizixwayiso zalabo ababenezindlu zangasese ezingaphandle. Babesixwayisa ukuba sivule amehlo ngoba kwakunezinyoka zohlobo lwama-copperhead nama-rattlesnake endleleni!

Unyaka ka-1963 wawusanda kuqala lapho sishintshelwa esifundeni saseFlorida, lapho ngafike ngaphathwa khona isishiso esibi solwambesi lwenhliziyo futhi ngacishe ngafa. Futhi ngangizokufa impela ukube uBob noGinny Mackey baseTampa babengangisizanga.c Bangiyisa kudokotela wabo baze bakhokhela nezindleko zethu zonke.

Ukusebenzisa Ukuqeqeshwa Kwami Engakuthola Ngisemncane

Ehlobo lika-1963, ngamenyelwa eNew York emsebenzini wokulungiselela umhlangano omkhulu woFakazi BakaJehova owawuzobanjelwa lapho. Ngaphelezela uMilton Henschel, owayengusomlomo woFakazi BakaJehova, lapho eya ohlelweni lwezingxoxo lomsakazo olwaluphathwa uLarry King. UMnu. King namanje usaphatha uhlelo oludumile lwezingxoxo zethelevishini. Wasihlonipha kakhulu futhi kwaphela cishe ihora ngemva kohlelo ebuza imibuzo eminingi ngomsebenzi wethu.

Ngalo lelo hlobo uHarold King, isithunywa sevangeli esasisanda kudedelwa ejele eChina yobuKhomanisi, wavakashela endlunkulu yoFakazi yomhlaba wonke. Langalimbe kusihlwa wakhuluma nabantu abangu-700, elandisa okuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe futhi echaza ukuthi iminyaka engaphezu kwemine ayichitha evalelwe yedwa yayiluqinise kanjani ukholo lwakhe. Ngesikhathi esejele wayebhale izingoma ngezihloko ezihlobene neBhayibheli nenkonzo yobuKristu.

Ngalobo busuku engingasoze ngabulibala ngahlanganyela no-Audrey Knorr, uKarl Klein, noFred Franz—uFakazi ongumakadebona owayenezwi elihle eliqeqeshelwe ukucula indlela yesithathu—ekuculeni ingoma ethi “Endlini Ngendlu,” kamuva eyafakwa eculweni elisetshenziswa oFakazi BakaJehova. UNathan Knorr, owayehola umsebenzi woFakazi ngaleso sikhathi, wangicela ukuba ngilicule eMhlanganweni “Wezindaba Ezinhle Zaphakade” owawuzoba ngesonto elilandelayo eYankee Stadium, okuyinto engayenza.

Okuhlangenwe Nakho Emsebenzini Wokujikeleza

Ngesikhathi sikhonza eChicago, e-Illinois, kwenzeka izinto ezimbili engiyolokhu ngizikhumbula njalo. Okokuqala, emhlanganweni wesifunda, uShirley wabona uVera Stewart, owayefakaze kuye nonina eCanada maphakathi nawo-1940. UShirley, ngaleso sikhathi owayeneminyaka engu-11 ubudala, wajatshuliswa ukuzwa izethembiso zikaNkulunkulu eziseBhayibhelini. Wabuza kuVera, “Ucabanga ukuthi nami ngingaphila kulelo zwe elisha?” UVera wamphendula, “Angiboni ukuthi kungani kungenakuba njalo, Shirley.” Bobabili babesawakhumbula nse lawo mazwi. Ukusukela kuleyo ngxoxo noVera, uShirley wayazi ukuthi into ayefuna ukuyenza kwakuwukukhonza uJehova.

Okwesibili, uFakazi othile wangibuza ukuthi ngisakhumbula yini ngithola isaka lamazambane elalingamakhilogremu angu-22 kuvulandi ebusika buka-1958. Impela ngangisakhumbula. Salithola ngolunye usuku kusihlwa ngemva kokuzabalaza kanzima siya ekhaya likhithika impela! Yize sasingazi ukuthi lalivelaphi, sabonga uJehova ngaleli lungiselelo. Savaleleka endlini likhithika izinsuku ezinhlanu kodwa sijabule sidla amaqebelengwane enziwe ngamazambane, amazambane abhakiwe, amazambane athosiwe, amazambane abondiwe, nesobho lamazambane! Sasingenakho okunye ukudla. Lo Fakazi wayengasazi futhi engazi nalapho sihlala khona, kodwa wayezwile ukuthi kukhona amaphayona budebuduze okwakusinda kwehlela kuwo. Wathi kukhona okwamshukumisa ukuba aqale ukubuza ukuthi lo mbhangqwana osemusha wawuhlalaphi. Abalimi babazi konke ngomakhelwane babo, ngakho basheshe bamyalela lapho ikokosana lethu lalikhona weza ethwele amazambane edavuza eqhweni.

Ngiyabonga Ngokukhetha Engakwenza

Ngo-1993, ngemva kweminyaka engu-33 ngisemsebenzini wokujikeleza, impilo yami yayisiwohloke kangangokuthi kwadingeka ngiliyeke leli lungelo lenkonzo. Mina noShirley saba amaphayona akhethekile axhwalile, futhi sisakhonza kanjalo kuze kube namuhla. Yize kungizwisa ubuhlungu ukuthi angisenawo amandla okujikeleza, ngiyajabula ngokuthi ngasebenzisa amandla ami ngendlela engenza ngayo.

Abafowethu abathathu bakhetha ezinye izindlela. Ngamunye wagcina enqume ukuphishekela ingcebo ebonakalayo, futhi akekho noyedwa kubo okhonza uJehova ngikhuluma nje. Ubaba wabhapathizwa ngo-1958. Yena nomama básiza inqwaba yabantu ukuba yazi uJehova, inikezele ukuphila kwayo kuye futhi ibhapathizwe. Bobabili bashona ngo-1999. Ngakho, isinqumo sami sokulaxaza udumo lwezwe nengcebo cishe sasho ukuphila kubaba nakwabanye abaningi yena nomama abaye babafundisa iqiniso leBhayibheli. Ngiye ngizibuze, ‘Kazi ngabe ngaqhubeka yini nokukhonza uJehova ukube ngangingazenzanga izinqumo engazenza?’

Iminyaka engaba mihlanu ngiwuyekile umsebenzi wesifunda, impilo yami yathuthuka, futhi ngakwazi ukwandisa inkonzo yami. Manje ngikhonza njengombonisi owengamele ebandleni laseDesert Hot Springs, eCalifornia. Nginanelungelo lokubambela umjikelezi esifundeni, ukukhonza emakomitini akhethekile, nokufundisa eSikoleni Senkonzo Samaphayona ngezikhathi ezithile.

Kuze kuba namuhla, uShirley usalokhu engumngane wami omkhulu. Akekho omunye engikhetha ukuba naye. Njalo siba nezingxoxo ezingokomoya ezakhayo, sobabili sivukwa amadlingozi lapho sixoxa ngamaqiniso eBhayibheli. Ngisawukhumbula ngokukhulu ukwazisa umbuzo angibuza wona ngezwi elipholile eminyakeni engu-47 edlule, “Kodwa, Charles, luyephi ukholo lwakho?” Ukube imibhangqwana emisha yamaKristu ibingazibuza lowo mbuzo, ngiyazibuza ukuthi mingaki kuyo ebiyothola injabulo nezibusiso esiye sazithola enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele.

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Ubab’ omkhulu uJohn ngo-1935, unyaka abhapathizwa ngawo

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Ikokosana lethu lezingodo

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Isithombe sango-1975 sabazali bami, abahlala bethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni

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NginoShirley namuhla