Ukukhonza UJehova Entabeni Yakhe Engcwele
Njengoba ilandiswa uFred Germann
EZINGXENYENI ezithile zomhlaba abantu ngenxa yokukholelwa ezeni badumisa izintaba. Kimina, engizalwa ngamaSwiss bengilokhu ngithatheke ngokungenakuvinjelwa ezintabeni, ikakhulukazi iAlps. Kusukela ebuntwaneni bami ngiye ngabuncoma ubuhle bazo obukhulu, ngicabangela ubukhulu obunjalo njengobufakazi obuthule obuletha udumo kuNkulunkulu. Ngisho namanje, njengoba sengineminyaka engama-86, ukubona lezoziqongo eziphakeme kungikhumbuza ngesiprofetho sikaMika 4:1, 2, esibikezela ukubuthwa kwamadoda azimisele nabesifazane ‘entabeni yendlu kaJehova,’ indawo yokukhulekelwa kwakhe okumsulwa, ephakeme kunazo zonke izinkolo zamanga. Yeka ilungelo okuye kwaba yilo kimi ukufakaza ngokugcwaliseka kwalesiprofetho! Kodwa njengoba nje kufuna ukuzimisela nomzamo ukukhwela intaba iAlps, ngokufanayo kuye kwafuneka nginqobe izithiyo eziningi ezinjengezintaba ekuqhubekeni nokukhulekela okumsulwa. (Mathewu 17:20) Nginganixoxela yini okumbalwa engikukhumbulayo?
UKUYITHI SHÁZI OKOKUQALA LE“NTABA”
Ngo-1903, ngenkathi ngihlala eSwiss Bernese Oberland, umama wayithi sházi ngokokuqala le“ntaba” yokukhulekela kweqiniso. Wafunda incwajana yeBhayibheli eyayimemezela ukubusa kweminyaka eyinkulungwane okuzayo ngaphansi kukaKristu okwakuzosusa esanamuhla isimiso esibi. Wakhuthazwa kakhulu ilesigijimi kangangokuba wayengakwazi ukuthula angasihlanganyeli nomakhelwane bakhe. Ngobunye ubusuku wavakashelwa umfundisi owayethukuthele. Kodwa, ephethe iBhayibheli, wayekulungele ukumphendula. Ngalesosikhathi ngangineminyaka eyisishiyagalombili.
Ngokushesha umama wabonisa ukuzinikezela kwakhe kuNkulunkulu ngobhapathizo lwamanzi. Esifundakazini sakithi saseSwitzerland kwakukhona elilodwa kuphela iqembu lamaKristu ‘elalinokholo olungagudluza izintaba.’ (1 Korinte 13:2) Kwakusedolobhaneni laseThun, lapho, eminyakeni engaphezu kwama-60 kamuva, igatsha laseSwitzerland leWatch Tower Society lalizokwakhiwa khona. Nakuba kuyibangana ukuya kulo kusuka ekhaya, umama wayeya emihlanganweni kaningi ngangokunokwenzeka. Emuva lapho, iBandla laseThun ngokuyinhloko lalingaphansi kokuqondiswa ngabazalwane ababili abayizihlobo, bobabili ababephiwe kakhulu ekufundiseni. Omunye wabo wayekade ese“Bible House” eAllegheny (ingxenye yamuva yePittsburgh), ePennsylvania, U.S.A., futhi wayeye wahlanganyela emsebenzini wokuhumushela umqulu wesihlanu othi Studies in the Scriptures esiJalimaneni.
Ngeshwa bobabili bayeka ukulandela umHoli uJesu Kristu, futhi baqala ‘ukuthembela ekuqondeni kwabo.’ (IzAga 3:5) Kancane kancane bathuthukisa umoya wokugxeka. Engazi ukuthi kumelwe aye kuphi, umama waqhubeka isikhashana ehlanganyela naleliqembu, kodwa ngokushesha walahlekelwa intshiseko yakhe enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu futhi ekugcineni wayeka ukuya emihlanganweni. Nokho, waqhubeka ekhuluma ngeqiniso kimi, futhi lapho iMpi Yezwe I iqhashuka, waqalisa ukubonisa isithakazelo soqobo.
Ngo-1915 imihlangano yamaKristu yaqaliswa edolobheni lethu laseFrutigen. Isakhamuzi esithile savula indlu yaso ukuze kudlalelwe kuyo iPhoto-Drama of Creation kaPastor Russell. Lokhu kuboniswa kwemifanekiso yama-slide neshukumayo okunezingxenye ezine, okuthatha amahora ayisishiyagalombili, kuhambisana nenkulumo echazayo nemifanekiso enemibala, kwakulandisa ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu kusukela esikhathini sendalo kuze kube semlandweni wesintu ekugcwalisekeni okuwumvuthwandaba kwaleyonjongo yaphezulu ngomhlaba nesintu ekupheleni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane. Umama nami sahlatshwa umxhwele kakhulu yilenkulumo ekuphawulekayo. Khona-ke saqala ukuthintana nabaFundi beBhayibheli, namuhla abaziwa njengoFakazi BakaJehova. Yeka indlela esajabula ngayo! Izinyawo zethu zazisaqala ukukhuphuka ‘intaba yendlu kaJehova.’
IALPS NOMA INTABA KAJEHOVA?
Ngalesosikhathi ngangiyinkweli yezintaba eshisekayo, kuze kube seqophelweni lokufaka ukuphila kwami engozini. Kodwa ezikhathini eziningi ngangizibuza: ‘Iyini injongo yoqobo yokuphila futhi kungani uMthombo wayo yonke lendalo enhle ungaphelisi ukungalungi nokuhlupheka?’ Ngokuba khona emihlanganweni nangokutadisha izincwadi zeWatch Tower, ngaqala ukuqonda nokwazisa iBhayibheli noMlobi walo, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke, entwasahlobo ka-1915, nganquma ukuthi uthando lwami ngezintaba zaseSwitzerlnd kumelwe lulandele uthando lwami nge“ntaba” yokukhulekela kweqiniso. Nganikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova futhi ngabhapathizwa nguMfowethu uEmile Lanz ekamelweni lakhe eBern. Ngalesosikhathi uDr. Lanz wayephethe umsebenzi eSwitzerland naseFrance.
Ngalesosikhathi ngangineminyaka engama-20 futhi ngangibheke phambili esikhathini esizayo esithembisayo sokusebenzela iposi lamaSwiss. Kodwa nokho ngakhetha uJesu njengomHoli wami futhi ngafuna ‘ukulandela ezinyathelweni zakhe.’ (1 Petru 2:21) Ngakho-ke ngabhalela abaFundi beBhayibheli ngicela izincwadi zeBhayibheli ukuze ngizisebenzise emsebenzini wobuvangeli. Ngathunyelelwa iphasela elikhulu namapheshana okuhanjiswa. Ngalesosikhathi-ke umsebenzi wami engangiwufundele wangiyisa edolobheni elincane laseHuttwil. ‘Manje,’ ngazikhulumela ngingedwa, ‘sebenza!’ Kwakuwumsebenzi owenyukelayo futhi ngangingedwa, kodwa ngathola amandla engiwadingayo okuwufeza ngokutadisha nsuku zonke iZwi likaNkulunkulu nezincwadi zeNhlangano. Futhi, amaHeberu 13:11-15 anginikeza ukuzimisela engangikudinga. Lapho sengiqede ukushumayela kulelidolobha, ngaya emizini eseduze, ngiphindela lapho ngithole khona abantu abathakazelayo. Angibakhohlwanga abangane engangisebenza nabo. Ngabuza omunye wabo ukuthi wayengasithanda yini isifundo seBhayibheli futhi wavuma. Umkakhe nomakhelwane nabo babehlala balalele izingxoxo zethu zeBhayibheli.
Ekuqhubekeni kwalezingxoxo, umkamngane wami nomakhelwane bangicela ukuba ngikhulume nomshumayeli wamaProtestani, futhi ngakwenza lokho. Lendoda yayisanamathele emfundisweni yesihogo somlilo. Ngachaza indlela lokho okungenangqondo ngayo, ngoba umzimba ongokwenyama wawungasha ngokushesha emlilweni. Yaphikisa: “Lokho akuyona inkinga. UNkulunkulu kunokwenzeka ulungiselela imizimba engashi.” Lapho ngivula eBhayibheli kuHezekeli 18:4 (othi ‘umphefumulo owonayo uyakufa’) yaphazamisa, yathi: “Kumelwe nje sikholelwe ukuthi umphefumulo ungongenakufa.” Yenqaba ukucabangela noma imiphi imibhalo ngalendaba.
Cishe ngalesosikhathi, ngahlangana nothisha wesikole naye owayekholelwa esihogweni somlilo. Ngambuza ukuthi wayekucabangela kunokwenzeka yini ngomuntu ukuba ajabule ezulwini, lapho ayenethemba lokuya khona, uma ecabanga ngezigidigidi zezoni ezingaphansi esihogweni ezinhlungwini zaphakade. Waphendula ngalempendulo engalindelekile ngokuphelele: “UNkulunkulu uyokwenza ukuba singacabangi nokucabanga ngabo.” Lowomcabango odukile wangiqinisekisa ngendingeko yokusiza labo ‘abakhulekela lokho abangakwaziyo.’—Johane 4:22.
Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa kamuva ngashintshelwa eWangen-sur-Aar, lapho ngajabulela ukuhlanganyela neBandla laseBiel. Kulapho ngenza khona isinqumo sokungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele, futhi ngabhalela izikhulu zaseposini laseSwitzerland ngizazisa ngokuyeka kwami. Ngokushesha lapho zonke izindaba zami sezihlelekile ngaya eZurich, lapho abaFundi beBhayibheli babethola khona izincwadi. Ngakho-ke, ngoMay 1916, ngaba iphayona. Esikhundleni sokuthola injabulo ekukhweleni izintaba, manje ngase ngikwazi ukunikezela sonke isikhathi sami emsebenzini wokumema abantu ukuba ‘beze, . . . siye entabeni kaJehova.’—Mika 4:2.
AMAFU AMNYAMA ESIBHAKABHAKENI
Noma ngubani oye wakhwela izintaba uyazi ukuthi kumelwe ahlomele noma ikuphi ukushintsha okuzumayo kwezulu. Nokho, phakathi naleyominyaka yeMpi Yezwe I, amafu amnyama ayephakama esibhakabhakeni esicwathile somsebenzi wethu wokushumayela eSwitzerland. UMfowethu uLanz, owayengibhapathize ngo-1915, waqala ukubonisa umoya wokuhlubuka kumongameli weWatch Tower Society, uCharles T. Russell. Ngokuqhosha nangokuzazisa ngenxa yokuba “uDokotela” uLanz eqiniseka ukuthi izindlela zakhe zazingcono, wavumela ukuba inhliziyo embi ikhule ngaphakathi kuye.
Ngelinye iSonto, ngesikhathi ngivakashele ibandla laseFrutigen, uLanz waphikisa ngokuqondile. Phakathi nenkulumo yakhe wathi iNhlangano yayisephutheni, futhi wasungula ‘ezinye izindaba ezinhle.’ (Galathiya 1:6) Kuze kube yilesosikhathi wayelokhu ekhomba uMfowethu uRussell njengomKristu oyisibonelo, kodwa manje wayemgxeka kanzima. Umama, ethukutheliswa yilokho ayekuzwa wathi kimi: “Kumelwe sime siqinile. Kulapha lapho sathola khona iqiniso futhi lona umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu!” Ukunamathela kwakhe ngokwethembeka kuJehova nasekukhulekeleni entabeni yakhe engcwele kuye kwaba okunganyakaziswa. Kodwa impilo yakhe engokwenyama yaba yimbi kakhulu. Ngakho-ke ngoMay 1917, ngenxa yomthwalo wemfanelo ongokomkhaya, kwakumelwe ngiyeke ubuphayona besikhathi esigcwele futhi ngiphindele ekhaya, lapho ngaqhubeka khona nomsebenzi wami wokuqala wokuziphilisa. Umama waqeda inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-1918, ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba sekupheleni.
Ngemva kokuvivinywa okunjalo kubonakala sengathi ibandla eFrutigen liye lahlungwa ‘njengokolweni,’ ngoba kwasala abane kuphela bethu abaqhubeka bememela abantu ekukhulekeleni entabeni yakhe engcwele. (Luka 22:31) Phakathi kwalaba kwakunguDade Emmy Schneider, kamuva owangenela umsebenzi wokushumayela isikhathi esigcwele futhi osathembekile namanje enkonzweni kaJehova. UMfowethu uRussell wathumela uConrad Binkele evela eBrooklyn ukuba azosingatha isimo esinzima esasilethwe uLanz ukuba aqinise abazalwane. Abaningi bayishiya intaba kaJehova yokukhanya ngalesosikhathi futhi ngokushesha bazithola ‘besebumnyameni ngaphandle.’—Mathewu 25:30.
Ngo-1919 indlela yangivulekela ukuba ngibuyele emuva enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngakho-ke ngabuye ngawuyeka umsebenzi wami waseposini. Ngakwazi ukuyosiza eBandleni laseBern. Ngalesosikhathi uAlexandre Freytag, ummeleli weNhlangano ehhovisini laseFulansi eGeneva, waba isihlubuki, futhi ngokushesha wayekhipha amanxusa ayesebenzela ukuphumelelisa imiqondo yakhe yobuKristu phakathi nangaphandle kwaseBern. Ngokuhambela komuntu siqu, iningi lethu lakwazi ukusiza abazalwane ukuba baqhubeke behamba ngokuqinile ‘entabeni’ yokukhulekelwa okumsulwa kukaJehova.—Roma 16:17, 18, 25-27.
AMATHULUZI AMASHA
Impi yezwe yokuqala yaziphazamisa kakhulu izindlela zokukhulumisana zezwe lonke. Ngakho-ke sasingasakwazi ukwamukela izincwadi zeBhayibheli ezivela eBrooklyn. Ukuze sikwazi ukusiza abantu bathole “intaba kaJehova,” kwadingeka sinyathelise izincwadi zeBhayibheli efemini yasendaweni. Kodwa lokhu kwabonakala kudula kakhulu. Ngakho-ke sacabangela ukuba sizinyathelisele ngokwethu.
Amalungu ambalwa eBandla laseBern ayenokuhlangenwe nakho okuthile ekunyatheliseni. Ngakho-ke ngemva ‘kokubala izindleko,’ nangokuvumelana nomongameli omusha weNhlangano, uMfowethu uJ. F. Rutherford iNhlangano ebambisanayo ebizwa ngokuthi “The Watch Tower Printery” yamiswa. (Luka 14:28) Izincwadi ezivuma isikweletu zemali ethile eyayizobuyiswa uma isifunwa ngaphandle kwenzuzo, zakhishwa ukuze kube nemali eyanele, futhi kwathengwa indlu enkulu eBern, e-36 Allmendstrasse.
Umzalwane onekhono wanikezwa umthwalo wokuthenga imishini. Azi ukuthi sasimi kanjani ngokwezimali, waya eJalimane wayothenga imishini yokunyathelisa esisetshenzisiwe nowodwa omusha oyirotary. Ngeshwa yafakwa emotweni ethwalayo yakwaloliwe evuzayo phezulu. Lokho kwakungemva nje kwempi, futhi izimo zazisenzima eYurophu. Yeka ukudumazeka lapho yonke impahla ifika. Yayingenwe imvula futhi yagqwala!
Kwakungasizi ukuhlala phansi sikhale. Amalungu ebandla laseBern, kuhlanganise nodade, baqala ukuyishukula ngophalafini no-sand paper. Ngemva kwamasonto athile okusebenza kanzima, kwase kungekho nokuncane ukugqwala, futhi ngosizo lowayengumxhumanisi oyingcweti, abazalwane bakwazi ukumisa umshini wokunyathelisa futhi ngokushesha wawusuhamba kahle. Lesisakhiwo sendawo yokunyathelisa kamuva sasebenza njengohhovisi legatsha nefektri laseSwitzerland nelamazwe akhuluma isiFulentshi iminyaka eminingi. Ekugcineni, iBethel yaseSwitzerland yenziwa isakhiwo esikhulu esakhiwa ngaphesheya komgwaqo, ku-39 Allmendstrasse. Kamuva yathuthelwa eThun.
ISIBINDI ‘ENTABENI’ KAJEHOVA
Umhlangano wezinsuku eziyisishiyagalombili owaqhutshelwa eCedar Point, Ohio, kusukela ngoSeptember 1 kuya ku-8, 1918, owawugcizelela isihloko esithi “Babusisiwe Abanesibindi,” wawuwumthombo omkhulu wesikhuthazo kithina baFundi beBhayibheli. Thina eYurophu sasizwa kakhulu lapho uMfowethu uRutherford esivakashela entwasahlobo ka-1920. Isibonelo sakhe namazwi esikhuthazo kwasenza sazimisela ukuzinikela ngokusemandleni ethu enkonzweni yoMbuso.
Ngaphandle kwePhoto-Drama, inkulumo ethi “Izigidi Eziphila Manje Azisoze Zafa” yaba ubufakazi obuhle. Kwakukhona izilaleli eziningi, futhi incwadi enesihloko esifanayo yahamba “njengomlilo wequbula.” Ngezinye izikhathi izinceku zezincwadi zazi-oda lezincwadi ngamatelegram zithi: “Sithumeleleni izigidi ezingama-200,” noma “Ngokushesha.” Izigidi eziyi-150, kwakubamangalisa kakhulu abasebenza ngamatelegram!
Ngaba nelungelo lokukhonza eBethel yaseBern kusukela ekuqaleni, ngo-October 1920, futhi nginezinkumbulo ezimangalisayo zothando olufudumele lobuzalwane olwalubusa emkhayeni. Ngolunye usuku ekuseni, ngoJuly 1921, umbonisi wegatsha wangazisa ukuthi ngiye ngamiswa ukuba ngiphathe umsebenzi eAlsace-Lorraine naseSaar. Nakuba umsebenzi omkhulu wase wenziwe kulezingxenye, amabandla akhona ayedinga ukuqiniswa futhi amabandla amasha ayedinga ukuhlelwa. Nalapha futhi “intaba yendlu kaJehova” kwakumelwe “iphakame kunamagquma,” ukuze “abantu” eLorraine naseSaar ‘bagobhozele kuyo futhi bakhonze uJehova.’—Mika 4:1.
Njengomuntu wakwenye indawo, futhi nangosizo lwabadala basendaweni, ngakwazi ukulungiselela imikhankaso yezinkulumo zeningi. Njengoba iSonto lamaKatolika lalinamandla ngokukhethekile kulezozindawo ngalesosikhathi, lomsebenzi wawudinga isibindi, futhi ezikhathini eziningi isihloko saseCedar Point esithi “Babusisiwe Abanesibindi” sasisikhumbula.
UKUSIZA “IZIMVU”
Ngomprofethi wakhe uHezekeli, uJehova wathi: “Bhekani, mina ngiyakuzifuna izimvu zami, ngizicinge. Ngiyakuzikhipha kubantu . . . ngizaluse ezintabeni zakwaIsrayeli, ngasemfuleni, nasezindaweni zonke ezakhiweyo zezwe.” (Hezekeli 34:11, 13, 14) Emuva lapho kuleyonkathi engaphambi kwempi, amaKristu ashisekayo ayefuna “izimvu” yonke indawo futhi aziholela ‘entabeni’ kaJehova yokukhulekela kweqiniso lapho zafumana khona ukondliwa ngokudla okungokomoya.—Bheka uMathewu 24:31-46.
Ngokukhishwa kukamagazini iThe Golden Age (manje iPhaphama!), amaKristu asemasha eStrasbourg naseSaarbrücken ama isibindi. Ahambisa lomagazini omningi emakhefi nasezinkantini, anikeza ubufakazi obuhle kakhulu.
Ngo-1922 nango-1923 iPhoto-Drama yaboniswa eAlsace, okokuqala uMfowethu uCharles Eicher futhi kamuva yaboniswa yimi, lapho umzalwane uEicher ebizelwa ukuyokhonza eBethel yaseBrooklyn. Kwakungekho zimiso zezinkulumo zeningi ngalesosikhathi. Ngakho kwakuyinto enhle ukuthi iPalais des Fêtes eStrasbourg yayenza izwi lizwakale kahle, ngoba kwakuba khona izilaleli ezicishe zibe yi-1 800 njalo ebusuku. Umshayi wethu wevayolini uCharles Rohner, wanikela kakhulu empumelelweni yokunikezwa kwalezi. Naye futhi wabizelwa eBethel yaseBrooklyn, lapho amathalenta akhe kwezomculo asetshenziswa kahle ekwandiseni ukusakaza ngesiteshi somsakazo seWatch Tower iWBBR.
Izakhamuzi zaseGrand Duchy eLuxembourg nazo zazidinga ukumenyelwa ekukhulekeleni ‘entabeni’ kaJehova engcwele. Ngakwazi ukubonisa iPhoto-Drama emadolobheni aseLuxembourg, e-Esch naseDifferdange, nokunikeza izinkulumo kwezinye izindawo eziyisihlanu. Kodwa iLuxembourg yayikude kakhulu kimi engangisuka eStrasbourg ukuba ngiye njalo khona. Ekugcineni, kwenziwa amalungiselelo okuba abazalwane abakhuluma isiJalimane abaseTrier eseduze, eJalimane, banakekele umsebenzi lapho.
NgoAugust 1925, futhi entwasahlobo ka-1926, ngabelwa njengomjikelezi ukuba ngihambele amabandla empumalanga Switzerland. Cishe kwakungalesosikhathi lapho ngahlangana khona nowayezoba ngumkami, uAntoinette. Kodwa ngangingafuni ukuba umshado wami uphazamise inkonzo yami engcwele. Ikhambi lavela ngesikhathi. NgoMay 1926 othile kwakudingeka anakekele ihhovisi nendawo yokugcina izincwadi iNhlangano eyayiyimise eLens, enyakatho France. Ngathunyelwa lapho, okokuqala ngingedwa, futhi ngo-1927 ngashada noAntoinette. Wahlanganyela nami eLens futhi wayenakekela ikhaya futhi epheka, enza nomunye umsebenzi wasehhovisi, kanye noMfowethu uFrançois Jankowski, owanakekela ukubhalelana nabafowethu basePoland enyakatho France.
“UKULONDEKA EZINTABENI” ZOKUKHULEKELA UJEHOVA
Ngo-1928 umntwana wethu wokuqala, uDaniel, wazalwa, futhi ngemva konyaka uFrédy wazalwa. Ngakho-ke kwakumelwe ngibuye ngihlele ukuphila kwami. Kwakumelwe ngifune umsebenzi wokuziphilisa ukuze ngondle umkhaya wami. (1 Thimothewu 5:8) Umbuzo omkhulu wawuthi “kuphi?” Ingabe kwakumelwe sibuyele ekhaya eSwitzerland eAlps engangiyithanda kakhulu, noma sihlale eFrance, lapho kwakubonakala kunendingeko kakhulu?
Ekugcineni sanquma ukwakha ikhaya lethu endaweni yaseParis, lapho ngalesosikhathi, kwakukhona abamemezeli boMbuso abambalwa. Futhi siselapha ngemva kweminyaka engama-50. Nakuba singasenzi okungako ngenxa yobudala bethu, sobabili uAntoinette (uMimi) nami sisakulwela kanzima ukukhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka ‘entabeni yakhe engcwele,’ futhi sijabulela ukubona abanye babantwana bethu nabazukulu benza okufanayo.
Yeka ukukhwela kusukela ngo-1915 kuya ku-1981! Kodwa ngiye ngasizwa kuyo yonke indlela uJehova neNhlangano yakhe, ngaphansi kweNdodana yakhe uKristu Jesu. Njengoba ngisondela esiphelweni senkonzo yami yasemhlabeni, kumelwe ngifise ukuveza ukwazisa kwami okujulile ‘encekwini ethembekileyo neqondayo’ ngamalungiselelo amangalisayo angokomoya enzelwa ukungisiza kanye nawo wonke amaKristu engikanye nawo kuwo wonke umhlaba ukuba sibe namandla angokomoya esiwadingayo ngomsebenzi onyukelayo nezithiyo okumelwe zinqotshwe. (Mathewu 24:45-47) NjengoHabakuki wasendulo, ngingathi: “UJehova iNkosi yami, ungamandla ami, wenza izinyawo zami zibe-njengezezindluzelekazi, futhi ungigcina ngilondekile ezintabeni.”—Habakuki 3:19, Today’s English Version.