UJehova Wabusisa Izinqumo Zami
Njengoba ilandiswa nguSamuel B. Friend
EMUVA ngoJuly 1952 ngangicula njalo ngoMgqibelo ebusuku embukisweni edumile wasemaphandleni eLittle Rock, eArkansas. Umbukiso wamahora amathathu wawungathandwa nje kuphela izibukeli ezingokoqobo kodwa nayizinkulungwane ezaziwulalela eziteshini zewatt zomsakazo we-KLRA eziyizi-50 000. Lokhu kwakusesikhathini eside ngaphambi kokuba ithelevishini ifike kuleyongxenye eseningizimu yeUnited States.
Ngobunye ubusuku, njengoba ngangiqeda ukucula, ivulandlela elinekhono lenkampane erekhodayo iMGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) leza kimi. Lathi: “Ngingathanda ukuba usiculele.” Futhi khona lapho langinika isivumelwano sokurekhoda esinemali eningi. Lathi selinamasonto amaningi libukela umbukiso futhi lalicabanga ukuthi ikusasa lami lalisemsebenzini wokurekhoda.
Lapho ngilitshela ukuthi ngangingenaso isithakazelo, lashaqeka. Ngachaza ukuthi ngangisembukisweni kuphela ukuba ngizisekele mina nomkami enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele nokuthi ngangingafuni ukuhileleka ngokwengeziwe kwezomculo.
Kamuva ngalowonyaka, ithelevishini yafika eArkansas—khona lapho eLittle Rock. Umqondisi wohlelo wangicela ukuba ngibe umphathi wezinhlelo ohlelweni lokuqala, umbukiso wemiculo ehlukahlukene. Ngajabula futhi ngasemukela ngenjabulo isicelo, ngachaza ukuthi ngangingakwazisa ukuthola umsebenzi oyitoho kulesositeshi. Wathi wayeyongitshela ngemva kohlelo lokuqala.
Lolohlelo lokuqala lwaba yimpumelelo yangempela. Ngethula ompetha abanekhono futhi nami ngokwami ngacula amaculo amaningi. Ngemva kwalokho ngabuza ukuthi ngingawuthola yini lowomsebenzi oyitoho. Wathi: “Cha, angifuni ukuba usebenze umsebenzi oyitoho, ngifuna usebenze umsebenzi wesikhathi esigcwele.” Njengoba ayengazimisele ukuhlehla endabeni yokusebenza isikhathi esigcwele, kwakumelwe ngenze isinqumo. Ukusebenza esitezi esiphansi sesiteshi sokuqala seTV eArkansas kwakungokuthile okulingayo. Kodwa, eqinisweni, kwakungenakufaniswa nokukhonza uBaba wethu wasezulwini, uJehova uNkulunkulu, enkonzweni yamaphayona esikhathi esigcwele! Ngakho ngalenqaba lelothuba.
Lapho ngixoxa nomkami uJean ngemva kombukiso, wavumelana nami ngokugcwele. Ngalolosuku lapho sibuyela ekhaya, uyazi ukuthi kwakukhonani eposini? Kwakukhona isimemo sokukhonza njengombonisi wesifunda, sivakashela amabandla abantu bakaJehova sibaqinisa ngokomoya. Ngempela ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi uJehova wayesibusisile isinqumo sami.
Esinye Isikhathi Sesinqumo
Leso kwakungesona isinqumo sokuqala esinjalo okwakumelwe ngisenze. Lapho ngiqeda esikoleni esiphakeme eMount Ida, eArkansas, mina nomfowethu uFred sahlanganyela neqembu lomculo lasentshonalanga okuthiwa yiTexas Rangers. Cishe iminyaka emithathu ngasekupheleni kwawo-1930, ngangihamba naleliqembu emazweni amaningi aseningizimu. Iqembu lethu lathola inzuzo enkulu kubasekeli ababevela ezindaweni ezikude njengeChicago. Sazuza umklomelo wokuqala emincintiswaneni yombuso eMississipi naseArkansas, futhi emncintiswaneni wombuso waseArkansas ngazuza umklomelo wokuqala njengomculi wesilisa ophambili. Ngakho nganginekusasa elithembisayo.
Kodwa ngangihlukene phakathi. Lapho ngisemncane ngawo-1920, umkhaya wakithi wawuke wavakashelwa abameleli beWatch Tower Society. Eqinisweni, lapho bevakashela indawo yethu engamakhilomitha ambalwa ukuya ngasentshonalanga yeHot Springs, eArkansas, izikhonzi ezijikelezayo (okwakuthiwa amapilgrims) zazivame ukuhlala ekhaya. Umkhaya wakithi wawukujabulela ukuzilalela futhi ngokuvamile wawukwamukela lokho ezazikufundisa.
Ngakho njengoba ngangikhula nganginolwazi oluyisisekelo lweqiniso leBhayibheli. Futhi ngangikhuluma ngisho nabangane bami ngezinto lezikhonzi ezijikelezayo ezazizisho nalokho esasikufunda ekhaya kuNqabayokulinda. UFloyd Garrett wayengomunye walabangane bami ngisengumfana. Saya esikoleni ndawonye phakathi nawo-1930. UFloyd wasabela ezintweni engangimxoxela zona, futhi, ngesikhathi esifanele, wazinikezela kuNkulunkulu futhi waqala inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ngo-1940. Namuhla ukhonza njengombonisi ojikelezayo.
Nokho, phakathi nesikhathi engangihamba ngaso neqembu, ubaba wayengibhalela ngezinkulumo abazalwane abajikelezayo ababezinikeza emuva ekhaya ezweni lakithi. Khona-ke, ngasekupheleni kuka-1938, lapho siseJackson, eMississipi, ngamenyelwa ukuba ngilalele inkulumo erekhodiwe ethi “Nigcwalise Umhlaba” umongameli weWatch Tower Society, uJ. F. Rutherford, ayeyinikeze emhlanganweni waseLondon, eNgilandi. Lokho eqinisweni kwavuselela inhlansi yesithakazelo eyayisineminyaka eminingi ingasebenzi. Ngangazi ukuthi kwakumelwe ngenze isinqumo. Ngonyaka olandelayo ngaliyeka leloqembu futhi ngabuyela ekhaya eArkansas.
Intuthuko Engokomoya
Umculo, kanye nokudoba nokuzingela, manje kwakuza kamuva ekuphileni kwami. Izinto ezingokomoya zaba nenjongo ngokwengeziwe njengoba ngangiqala ukufuna uMbuso kuqala. (Mathewu 6:33) UJehova waba ngokoqobo kimi, futhi nganginesifiso esikhulu sokumkhonza. Ngazinikezela kuJehova futhi ngabhapathizwa ngoNovember 27, 1939, emfudlaneni obandayo waseArkansas. Umama wabhapathizwa ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho.
Ngathenga imoto eyayisineminyaka eyi-11 ngo-R100 futhi ngoNovember 1940, ngineminyaka engama-23, ngangenela inkonzo yamaphayona esikhathi esigcwele emaphandleni aseArkansas. Yeka ukuthi lolo kwakuwusuku olujabulisa kanjani! Inkambo yami ekuphileni yayicacile, futhi ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi uJehova wayengisekela futhi yilokho okwakubalulekile.
Ukufuna abantu abanjengezimvu emaphandleni aseHot Springs ngalezozinsuku kwakungelula. Kwakudinga ukuhamba kakhulu ngemoto emigwaqweni eyibhuqu, ukuwela imifudlana, nokuhamba ezindleleni zezinqola ezinothuli ukuze ufinyelele ezindlini ezigqagqene. Ngangihambisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngezithelo, imifino, izinkukhu, amaqanda, ukudla okusemathinini, njalonjalo. Kuseyigugu kimi lokho okuhlangenwe nakho.
Ubunzima Phakathi Neminyaka Yempi
Lapho iUnited States ihlanganyela eMpini Yezwe II ngo-1941, kwakunokuphikiswa okusakazekile koFakazi BakaJehova ngenxa yokuma kwabo kokungathathi-hlangothi. (Isaya 2:4) Izixuku kulo lonke izwe zazimelene nabo, futhi izinkulungwane zoFakazi abasebasha zaboshwa. Nakuba ngangithole ukwahlukaniswa ngokwe-4-D njengesikhonzi, ngabhekana nokuphikiswa okunzima, kuhlanganise nokusongelwa kokuphila kwami.
Enye indoda, ingikhomba ngevolovolo layo, yathi: “Phuma endaweni yami ngaphambi kokuba ngidubule!” Yayingibonile ukuthi nginguFakazi njengoba ngangiza endlini yayo. Njengoba kulindelekile, ngahamba ngaphandle kokungabaza. Khona-ke kwakunomuntu engangifunda naye iBhayibheli owangixwayisa ngokuthi wayezwe kuthiwa othile ongasempumalanga yedolobha wayehlela ukungibulala lapho ngifika endlini yakhe.
Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa kamuva ngikuleyondawo, ngamenywa inkosikazi ethile futhi ngaqala ukuyidlalela irekhodi lenkulumo yeBhayibheli kaMzalwane uRutherford ngegilamafoni. Lapho irekhodi lisadlala, umyeni wakhe wangena futhi wama phakathi kwami nomnyango, ekhipha ummese wakhe. Wabuza ukuthi ngangenzani kodwa wangangilindela ukuba ngichaze. “Uyolikhulekela ifulegi noma ulwe empini?” ebuza, njengoba ayephenduphendula ummese wakhe kimi. Ngokushesha ngakhumbula isixwayiso somngane wami futhi ngangazi ukuthi ngangiyomphendula ngithini.
“Ubungazizwa kanjani,” ngibuza ophethe ummese, “uma othile ubekubeka icala ngokusekela ubuNazi?” Ngokucasuka, ngaqhubeka: “UHitler angimsekeli njengawe. Mina nginesithakazelo kuphela ekusizeni abantu baqonde iBhayibheli.” Leyompendulo ngandlela-thile yathobisa lendoda, futhi ngakwazi ukuphuma ngokulondeka. Njengoba ngangihamba, ngabonga uJehova ngesivikelo sakhe nangokubeka amazwi aqondile emlonyeni wami.
Kwesinye isenzakalo, ngangidlalela indoda ethile inkulumo yeBhayibheli erekhodiwe lapho ngiqaphela ukuthi okuthile kwakungalungile. Ubuso bayo bahwaqabala, futhi eqinisweni yaphaphatheka. Kodwa yaqhubeka ilalele. Lapho irekhodi liphela, ngokunganaki ngayibuza ukuthi lalinjani. Yama yayisiphendula: “Ekuqaleni bengicabanga ukuthi bekungoFakazi BakaJehova, futhi bengizokubulala.” Ngayitusa ngokulalela indaba ngaphambi kokwahlulela futhi ngayinikeza intshumayelo elotshiwe ngase ngihamba. Ngangifuna yazi ukuthi ngangingubani kodwa sengihambile.
Kwamiswa ibandla elisha eBonnerdale lapho ngakhulela khona. Ngemva kokukhonza njengenceku yenkampane, noma yebandla iminyaka emibili futhi ngibona iqembu likhula liba abamemezeli abayi-17, umbonisi ojikelezayo wangicela ukuba ngithuthele eHot Springs futhi ngikhonze khona njengombonisi webandla. Lokho ngakwenza ngo-1942. Ukuhlanganyela nabazalwane abavuthiwe, abadala lapho kwakuyinzuzo kakhulu entuthukweni yami engokomoya.
Phakathi nalezozinsuku, uJehova wanakekela izidingo zami ngezindlela eziningi kakhulu. Ngesinye isikhathi ngangingenayo imali yokukhokha u-R10 wokuvuselela ilayisense yemoto yami. Ngathandaza kuJehova ngakho ngabe sengiya enkonzweni. Ngalolosuku ekuseni ngathola umnikelo owawungacelwanga ka-R10!
Inkonzo YaseBethel
Ngo-1944 ngabelwa njengephayona elikhethekile eJoliet, eIllinois. Ngesikhathi ngilapho, kwavela isihloko kuInformant (manje eyiNkonzo Yethu YoMbuso) ngenkonzo yaseBethel eBrooklyn, eNew York. Nganquma ukufaka isicelo futhi ngamukelwa.
Lapho ngifika eBethel ngoMarch 1945, cishe kwakunabangama-230 kuphela emkhayeni wendlunkulu yomhlaba uma kuqhathaniswa nabangaphezu kwezi-2 500 namuhla! Ngajabulela ukusebenza ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene iminyaka eyisihlanu, kuhlanganise noMnyango Wenkonzo. Khona-ke ngolunye usuku uMzalwane uKnorr, umongameli weNhlangano, wangibizela ehhovisi lakhe.
Wathi, “Uye wakhethwa ukuba uqondise isiteshi somsakazo weNhlangano iWBBR.” Angizange ngikukholelwe.
Ngathi, “Angazi lutho ngokuqondisa isiteshi somsakazo.”
“Wake wadlala kuso, akunjalo?” ebuza.
Ngaphendula, “Kodwa lokho akufani nokusiqondisa.”
UMzalwane uKnorr wangikhuthaza ukuba ngisamukele lesabelo, futhi ngavuma ukuthi ngizozama ngokusemandleni. Kwakuyinselele yangempela kodwa futhi kwakuyinjabulo nelungelo. Amalungu angaphezu kwama-90 omkhaya waseBethel ayezoba sezinhlelweni ezihlukahlukene isonto ngalinye. Uhlelo olusha lwaluyoba cishe nomculo orekhodiwe ongamaphesenti angama-65, kuhlanganise nohlelo lwemizuzu eyi-15 yokucula kwami isonto ngalinye. Sonke esinye isikhathi sasinikelwa ezinkulumweni zeBhayibheli, ezifundweni zeBhayibheli, ekuphenduleni imibuzo yeBhayibheli nakwezinye izindlela zokunikela ukwaziswa kweBhayibheli, kanye nosakazwa kwezindaba nokwaziswa ngokulondeka komphakathi.
Ukubhapathiza Ubaba
Lapho ngithathe iholide eBethel ehlobo lika-1950, ngaba nenjabulo evelele yokubhapathiza ubaba wami! Wayesefunde izincwadi zeNhlangano iminyaka engama-27. Kodwa kwamthatha iminyaka eminingi ukuba akwamukele ngokugcwele ukuthi uJehova usebenzisa inhlangano akhipha ngayo amaqiniso aKhe. (Mathewu 24:45-47) Ngesinye isikhathi, eqinisweni ubaba wake waba umuntu ongakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Kungani?
Nokho, lapho umfowethu uJim owayeneminyaka eyi-13 efa, umfundisi washumayela ukuthi wayeya esihogweni esivuthayo ngoba umfana wayengelona ilungu lesonto. Lokhu kwamshaqisa uBaba. Wacabanga wathi: ‘Kungani kumelwe ngikhulekele unkulunkulu oyisigebengu, ongumhluphi?’ Wayecabanga ukuthi lokho umshumayeli ayekusho kwakuseBhayibhelini. Ngakho waba umuntu ongakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa ukholo lwakhe kuNkulunkulu lwabuyiselwa lapho, ngesikhathi exoxa okokuqala nomFundi WeBhayibheli (uFakazi KaJehova), emqinisekisa ngokusuka eBhayibhelini ukuthi isihogo asiyona indawo yokuhlushwa kodwa siyithuna elivamile lesintu.
Umshado
Ngo-1952 ngabhekana nesinye isinqumo. Mina noJean Mylton, iphayona elishisekayo, sanquma ukushada. Othile wabuza uJean ukuthi wayehlose ukwenzani esikhathini esizayo, futhi wachaza ukuthi kusukela ngalesosikhathi lalingekho ilungiselelo lokuletha amakhosikazi eBethel, sasizoya ukuyophayona eLittle Rock, eArkansas. Lowomuntu wabuza, “Ningaya kanjani lapho ningenalutho lwezinto ezibonakalayo?”
Kuyiqiniso, sasingenayo imali eningi, njengoba ngase ngineminyaka eyi-12 ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele futhi uJean wayeseneyi-7. Lowomuntu wasikisela ukuthi sobabili sisebenze isikhathi esigcwele izinyanga eziyisithupha ukuze “sithenge imoto futhi silondoloze cishe [u-R1 200.]” Lapho uJean engibuza ngakho, ngathi: “Sazi kanjani ukuthi ngeke siphumelele—asikakuzami. Uma kunesidingo, singaphuma kamuva siyosebenza isikhathi esigcwele, kodwa ake sizame kuqala.”
Okwasimangalisa, sathola imoto kanye naye kanye u-R1 200 njengezipho zomshado. UJehova wayazi ukuthi siyakudinga, futhi wasilungiselela khona ngoba senza isinqumo sokuhlala emsebenzini wesikhathi esigcwele. (Malaki 3:10) Saphayona izinyanga ezimbalwa, ngemva kwalokho ngamenyelwa ukuba ngingenele umsebenzi wesifunda ngo-1953, futhi ngonyaka olandelayo samenyelwa eSikoleni seBhayibheli saseGileyadi seWatchtower. Ngemva kokuthola iziqu uJean wahamba nami emsebenzini wesigodi iminyaka emibili.
Inkonzo Yakwamanye Amazwe Nokubuyela EBethel
Ngo-1957 sasikhonza ePasco, eWashington, lapho indoda yeposi iletha iposi elikhethekile elivela eHhovisi LikaMongameli. Ngacela uxolo emhlanganweni wenkonzo nabazalwane, futhi mina noJean saya kwelinye ikamelo futhi savula incwadi. Sasimenyelwa ukuya eMexico, futhi ngangicelwa ukuba ngikhonze njengombonisi wegatsha. Ngashaqeka! Sasingalwazi ulimi lweSipanishi, futhi ngangingazi lutho ngomsebenzi wegatsha. Kodwa ithemba lethu lalikuJehova, futhi ngokuqinisekile sasilidinga. Insimu yayinkulu futhi kwakudingeka ukuhlela okuningi, kodwa abazalwane bendawo babezimisele, futhi uJehova wabusisa umsebenzi.
Ngemva kokukhonza iminyaka ethile eMexico, ngaphinde nganikezwa ilungelo lokuya eSikoleni saseGileyadi eNew York. Lapho ngathola iziqu, mina noJean sanikezwa isabelo esisha, emsebenzini wesifunda eGuatemala. UJean wayenezinkinga ezithile zempilo, ngakho kamuva saphindela eUnited States lapho ngaqhubeka ngikhonza emsebenzini wokujikeleza. Iminyaka ethile ngafundisa futhi amakilasi angama-70 athatha amasonto amabili eSikole SeNkonzo SoMbuso sabadala. Ekugcineni, sabuyela enkonzweni yaseBethel eBrooklyn, futhi kusukela lapho besikulendawo ebusiswe kakhulu.
Nakhu manje sengineminyaka engama-69, ngijabulele amalungelo amaningi angangifanele enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele eminyakeni engama-45 edlule. Ngingasho ukuthi uJehova muhle futhi izibusiso zakhe zicebile. UJean, umkami othembekile phakathi neminyaka engama-34 edlule, uye waba isibusiso esicebe ngokukhethekile kimi. Ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova angabusisa abancane nabakhulu, futhi ngiye ngaqaphela izibusiso zami njengomncane. (IHubo 115:13) Kuyisinqumo nesifiso sami ukuqhubeka ngikhonza uNkulunkulu wethu omkhulu nonothando uJehova nganoma iyiphi indlela ayifunayo, kube udumo kuye.
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 25]
“Ubungazizwa kanjani,” ngibuza ophethe ummese, “uma othile ubekubeka icala ngokusekela ubuNazi?”
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
USam Friend ngakwesokudla, esanda kuqala umculo
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Ngihambisa INqabayokulinda emgwaqweni, eHot Springs, eArkansas, ngo-1942
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
USam Friend nomkakhe uJean namuhla