Ngazimisela Ukukhonza UJehova Ngawo Wonke Amandla Ami

Njengoba kuxoxa uHenry E. Atiemoh

INDABA yami iqala ezweni engadabuka kulo, eGhana. KwakungoLwesithathu ntambama, ngoMarch 1951. AmaKristu asemasha amabili—uDaniel S. Acquah noJames K. Ameyaw—bangqongqoza kwami ngesikhathi ngisaphumule emini. Ekuseni ngalolosuku, uDan, engisebenza naye engxenyeni yokuHlola uKhokho yoMnyango wezoLimo, waba nengxoxo eshisayo nezinsizwa ezithile ngesikhathi se‘khefu’ ehhovisi lethu. Ngenkathi siphindela ekhaya ngebhasi, wangitshela kafushane ukuthi wayexoxe nazo ngesifebe esichazwe encwadini yeBhayibheli yesAmbulo isahluko 17.

Sahlukana, futhi ngaphambi nje kokudla futhi ngiphumule uDan wafika nomngane wakhe uJames. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ngikuxoxele umphumela wengxoxo yethu, ngivumele ngikwazise ngesizinda sami.

Isizinda Senkolo

Ubaba wayenomkhuba wokuthatha wonke umkhaya siye ehlathini lapho ayekhuleka khona konkulunkulu ngenxa yethu. Njengoba ngingumfana omdala ekhaya amantombazane amane nabafana abayisithupha, ubaba ngaso sonke isikhathi wayengifuna eduze kwakhe ngezikhathi ezinjena.

Lapho ngineminyaka eyisikhombisa, ngabhapathizwa eSontweni laseHabe ngaphandle kwanoma yiluphi ulwazi oluqondile lweBhayibheli. Nokho, esikoleni sasifunda futhi sisho ngekhanda amavesi athile emiBhalo futhi ngafunda nezindaba zeBhayibheli. Ngo-1946, ngineminyaka eyi-15 ngaba yilungu elingcwele lesonto, futhi ngangiqala futhi ngigcina ukuhlanganyela iSidlo. Kusosonke lesosikhathi ubaba wayevamise ukuya nathi ehlathini ukuze enzele amadlozi ukudla futhi awahlabele izinkukhu ngenxa yethu. Unembeza wami awuzange ungikhathaze nakancane, njengoba abanye abaningi ababhapathiziwe abazishaya amaKristu nabo babeqhubeka behlanganyela emikhosini enjalo.

Ngemva kokuqeda imfundo esikoleni semfundo ephakathi ngo-1947, ngaya esikoleni sokufundela umsebenzi wezentengiselwano okwesikhashana ngase ngiqala ukusebenza eKoforidua, eGhana. Ngo-1950 ngathuthela eAccra ukuze ngiyosebenza eMnyango weZolimo. Ngenkathi ngikulelodolobha, ngangingayi esontweni kodwa ngangilifunda ngezinye izikhathi iBhayibheli ngaphandle kokuliqonda kwaze kwaba yilapho lawomaKristu amabili—uDan noJames—bengivakashela ngaleyontambama ngoLwesithathu olukhumbulekayo.

Umphumela We“mpi” Esheshayo Yemfundo

Okokuqala, nga“lahlwa phansi” kalula nangokushesha ngendaba yemfundiso yomphefumulo ongafi. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakuvula amehlo ukwazi ukuthi ukona komuntu, noma isono kwaphumela ekufeni nokuthi umphefumulo uyafa. (Hezekeli 18:4, 20) Ekufeni, izilwane nabantu ngokufanayo kuphindela othulini.—UmShumayeli 3:18-20.

Okwesibili, nga“nqotshwa” ngokuphelele ngemfundiso yokubhapathizwa kwabantwana. Ngokuvela eBhayibhelini ngaboniswa ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba umuntu abhapathizwe kumelwe akhethe ukuba umfundi kaJesu Kristu. (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Futhi, yebo, ngenxa yamandla okuqonda angavuthiwe abantwana abancane abakwazi ukuhlukanisa okulungile nokubi noma ukuba abafundi.—Heberu 5:13, 14.

Ingxoxo yethu ngaleyontambama yaba nengxenye ebalulekile ekugcineni yangishukumisela ukuba ngibonakalise uthando lwami ngoJehova uNkulunkulu ngokumkhonza ngawo wonke amandla ami. (Duteronomi 6:5) Yebo, ngalesosikhathi ngangifuna ukwazi ukuthi uDan noJames babezifunde kuphi izinto ababengitshela zona. ‘EHholo loMbuso,’ basho. Ingabe noma ubani ongesilo ilungu lebandla angaya lapho alalele? Impendulo yaba nguYebo. Ngakho-ke ngaloloLwesihlanu nganquma ukuya eHholo loMbuso ukuze ngilazi kahle iBhayibheli. UDan noJames bangibingelela ngokumomotheka okukhulu, futhi ngahlabeka umxhwele ngengxoxo yeBhayibheli yemibuzo nezimpendulo. Nganikeza impendulo eyayingaqondile, kodwa nakuba kunjalo umqhubi wangitusa, futhi lokho kwangijabulisa.

Njengoba ngase nginqume ukuqhubeka noFakazi BakaJehova ngabuza ukuthi uyoba-khona yini umhlangano ngeSonto. Abangane bami bathi Yebo, kodwa bachaza ukuthi ekuseni bayoya endlini ngendlu ukuze bamemele abantu emhlanganweni wasobala ngalokhokuhlwa. Ngenkathi ngibuza ukuthi ngangingahamba yini nabo kulowomsebenzi, uDan wathi Yebo. Ngakho ngangingumngane wakhe enkonzweni yasensimini ngalolosuku futhi ngahambisa amapheshana ezimemo amaningi. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke angiyekanga ukuhlanganyela iqiniso leBhayibheli nabanye ekhaya nasemsebenzini.

Ukuphikiswa Kuyabekezelelwa

Umama omncane wayesiphikisa kakhulu isinqumo sami esiqinile sokuhlanganyela noFakazi BakaJehova. Wathi ngisho noma ngangilitholile iqiniso, kwakufuneka ngihlale ngingumProthestani futhi ngishumayeze amalungu esonto lethu. Impendulo yami yaba wukuthi kuyofuneka bonke abangilandelayo ngibaqhubele eqenjini labafundi abathembekile bakaJesu futhi ngokuqinisekile nami ngibe-khona lapho ukuze ngamukele abasha. Akazange asithande isinqumo sami, kodwa nami angizange ngiwuthande umqondo wokusiguqula.

Ngenyanga elandelayo, ngoApril 29, 1951, ngabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngokucwiliswa emanzini emhlanganweni wesifunda eSuhum, lapho umam’ omncane wayehlala khona. Lesinyathelo ngasithatha ngaphandle koku‘buzana nenyama negazi.’ (Galathiya 1:16) Emhlanganweni wenkonzo ezinyangeni ezintathu kamuva, kwakunenkulumo exoxa ngobuphayona, futhi phakathi nesikhathi esiyisonto nganquma ukuba yiphayona (noma, ummemezeli woMbuso wesikhathi esigcwele). Inkonzo yami yobuphayona yaqala ngoNovember 1, 1951. Njengoba ngangineminyaka engama-20, ngahlela ukuba ngikhonze isikhathi esigcwele okungenani iminyaka engama-20 ukuze ngivale isikhala sesikhathi esilahlekile kusukela ebuntwaneni bami ngingamdumisi uJehova.—UmShumayeli 12:1.

Umsebenzi wami wokushumayela ngamandla wabangela okwengeziwe ukuphikiswa okuvuthayo, njengoba kwakuthunyelwa izindaba kubaba kuthiwa sengiyahlanya, ngiwuyekile umsebenzi wokuziphilisa futhi ngangilokhu ngehla ngenyuka edolobheni laseAccra ngiphethe izincwadi namaphepha esandleni sami. Ngakho-ke, yena wathumela udadewethu omdala ukuze abone ukuthi iqinisile yini imibiko. Wathola ubufakazi obanele beBhayibheli futhi wathumela impendulo enhle kubaba, ngisho noma wayengajabuli ngokushiya kwami iSonto laseHabe.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezithile zobuphayona obuvamile, umngane wami uDan S. Acquah kanye nami safaka izicelo zenkonzo yamaphayona akhethekile. Lapho ngisalindele impendulo, ngazisa abazali ukuthi ngingase ngiye enyakatho yeGhana ukuze ngishumayele “izindaba ezinhle” lapho. Ubaba ngokwakhe weza ezongincenga futhi enenhloso yakhe enhle yokungisiza ukuze ngakhe umuzi. Wayefuna ukuba ngishumayele eAccra hhayi enyakatho. Naye futhi, wezwa ubufakazi futhi watshelwa ukuthi kakade ngangithé kuJehova: “Nangu mina; ngithume mina.” (Isaya 6:8) Futhi, ngambonisa ukuthi ngokuhlala ngithembekile kuNkulunkulu, ngolunye usuku ngiyokwakha indlu futhi ngihlale kuyo phakade. (Qhathanisa noIsaya 65:21, 22.) Lapho ebona ukuzimisela kwami, ubaba akazange esaphikelela, futhi kwakujabulisa ukuzwa ethi: “Akukho muntu ongavimbela othile ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu.”

Ukuyeka Umsebenzi Wokuziphilisa

Izicelo zethu zokuba amaphayona akhethekile zavunywa. Ngakho ngafaka isaziso sokuyeka umsebenzi kubaqashi bami. Ngokumangalisayo, inxusa eliyisikhulu enkampanini eHlola uKhokho nomabhalane omkhulu bacela ukubonana nami. Ngabuzwa ukuthi ngangifuna ukunyuselwa iholo lami yini ngoba ngiye ngayigcina ngokwethembeka indawo kahulumeni yokugcina impahla ngaphandle kokubangela isikweletu noma ukulahleka kwayo. Ngaphendula ngokuthi cha. Khona-ke isikhulu esiyinxusa sangifundisa incwadi esayibhala situsa ukuba ngithunyelwe ekuqeqeshweni okuthile ukuze ngibe yiphini lesikhulu esikhundleni sokuqhubeka ngingumsizi kamabhalane. Ngasibonga ngobuqotho ngalowomusa kodwa ngathi senginqume ngaqeda, khona-ke ngase ngiyavunyelwa ukuba ngihambe, ngathola lonke iholo lami, ingxenye yalo yathenga ibhayisikili lomsebenzi wami wobuphayona. UDan naye wayeka, futhi izisebenzi eziningi zazicabanga ukuthi ulwazi lweBhayibheli luyasihlanyisa. Kodwa lokhu akuzange kusikhathaze.

Ukujabulela Isabelo Esisha

Kusukela ngoAugust 1, 1952, saqala ukukhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile eNavrongo eGhana ngasenyakatho. Lapho sathola inkolelo yemimoya engabonakali, amaKatolika athile namaMuslem, futhi ngothando sanikeza ubufakazi kubo bonke.

Okokuqala, sashumayeza izakhamuzi ezikhuluma isiNgisi. Nokho, azizange zisazise kahlehle isigijimi soMbuso. Ngakho-ke kwafuneka sifunde isiKasem (isiGrunshi) ukuze sikwazi ukuzwakalisa iqiniso ngokucacile ezindlebeni zezakhamuzi ezinezinhliziyo eziqotho ezazikholelwa emimoyeni. Imizamo yethu yabusiswa uJehova futhi saphumelela ekufundeni lololimi.

Ngo-1954, ngemva kokuba ibandla elincane labamemezeli bakuleyondawo abashisekayo abangama-30 selimisiwe eNavrongo, uDan S. Acquah wabelwa umsebenzi wesifunda. Umngane wami omusha wobuphayona kwakunguMzalwane uOpare Adu, engamhumushela kaningi ngolimi lwesiKasem. Ngasekupheleni kuka-1956, ngenkathi nami ngingenela umsebenzi wesifunda, ibandla lalinenani elisha labamemezeli boMbuso abayi-105.

Amanye Amalungiselelo Enkonzo

Ekuqaleni kuka-1958, iNhlangano yamemela uDan kanye nami eSikoleni saseGilead seWatchTower eUnited States. Nokho, lokho akwenzekanga, ngoba ngagula emasontweni ambalwa ngaphambi kohambo lwethu olwase lulungiselelwe futhi kwafuneka ngihlinzwe ithunjana. Ukuhlinzwa kwenziwa kahle ngaphandle kokumpontshelwa igazi, futhi ngaphuma ngemva kwamasonto amabili.—IzEnzo 15:28, 29.

Njengoba ngalulama futhi ngaba namandla ngokushesha, ngabakhona eMhlanganweni weZizwe Zonke weNtando Yaphezulu edolobheni laseNew York ngo-1958, ngenkathi uDan ethola iziqu eklasini lama-31 leSikole saseGilead. Ngokushesha wathunyelwa eSierra Leone. Ngemva kokuthola kwami iziqu njengomfundi weklasi lama-32, ngokuFebruary 1959, ngathunyelwa futhi eGhana ukuze ngiqhubeke nomsebenzi wesifunda.

Ngo-1960 nganikezwa isabelo sesikhashana sokusebenza eBethel ehhovisi legatsha leWatch Tower Society eGhana, lapho ngakhonza khona iminyaka eyi-10, eyi-7 kuyona ngisemnyangweni wokuhumusha isi-Twi. Injabulo yami yaba nkulu ngenkathi abanewethu uNicholas noEdward bamukela iqiniso. UNicholas sewashona, kodwa lokhu kwenzeka ngenkathi esakhonza ngokwethembeka njengombonisi owengamele kwelinye lamabandla aseAccra. UEdward usakhonza njengomisiwe umdala ongumKristu. Usingatha kahle kakhulu umthwalo wakhe wemfanelo njengobaba wabantwana abathathu nakuba eqhubeka nomsebenzi wobuphayona obukhethekile.

Isabelo Sakwelinye Izwe Eliseduze

Njengoba ngaphindela emsebenzini wesifunda ngo-1970, isidingo samaphayona akhethekile eIvory Coast saba sikhulu. Ngaphandle kokuchitha isikhathi, ngafaka isicelo. Ngakho-ke, ngoDecember 2, 1972, umzalwane uDaniel Anim kanye nami safika esikhumulweni sezindiza eAbidjan. Ezinsukwini ezimbili kamuva saqala imfundo yethu yolimi lwesiFulentshi futhi sa“thola iziqu” ngokuphumelelayo ekupheleni kwenyanga.

Ekuqaleni kukaJanuary 1973, mina noMzalwane Anim samukela isabelo sokuya eAgboville, engamakhilomitha angama-90 ukusuka eAbidjan. Sathandaza ngaso sonke isikhathi kuJehova ukuze abusise imizamo yokukhuluma kangcono isiFulentshi ukuze sikwazi ukushumayela “izindaba ezinhle” ngokuphumelelayo kubantu abanomoya wokwamukela izihambi baseIvory Coast. Yebo, imithandazo yethu iye yaphendulwa futhi sijabulela umsebenzi wokushumayela kulelizwe.

Kubonakala kufanelekile ukuba ngidlulisele ukwazisa kwami ngothando lobuzalwane nangokusekelwa ngezinto ezibonakalayo engenzelwa khona ngabafowethu abathandekayo kokubili eGhana naseIvory Coast. Kanjalo ngiye ngasizwa ukuba ngihlale enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Yebo, ngokuyinhloko, ukubonga kwami kuya kuJehova ngazo zonke izenzo zomusa, njengoba kunguye umthombo ‘wazo zonke izipho ezinhle neziphiwo ezipheleleyo.’—Jakobe 1:17.

Kusukela ngoJanuary 1977, ngilokhu ngisemsebenzini wesifunda kulelizwe. Elinye ilungelo engaba nalo elokukhonza njengelungu leKomiti yeGatsha eIvory Coast. Ngiyambonga futhi ngidumisa uJehova uNkulunkulu ngayo yonke inhliziyo yami ngokunginika amandla okumkhonza isikhathi esigcwele iminyaka engaba ama-30. Njengoba ngineminyaka engama-50 ngizizwa nginamandla njengokhozi futhi yisinqumo sami ukuqhubeka enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. (Isaya 40:31) Kodwa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ikusasa liphetheni, ngizimisele ukukhonza ngawo wonke amandla ami kube udumo kuJehova nokubonga.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 26]

‘Udadewethu wathumela impendulo enhle kubaba, ngisho noma wayengajabuli ngokushiya kwami isonto’