Ngibonile Ukuthi UJehova Muhle

Njengoba ilandiswa nguLennart Johnson

NGESONTO, ngoJuly 26, 1931, umongameli wesibili weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society, uJ. F. Rutherford, wanikeza inkulumo ethi “UMbuso, Ithemba Lomhlaba” enkundleni yezemidlalo yaseColumbus, eOhio. Umkhaya wakithi eRockford, eIllinois, wayilalela emsakazweni. Ngangineminyaka eyi-14 kuphela ubudala, kodwa, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, loluhlelo lwasusa ulwebu olukhulu emehlweni ami.

Nakuba ubaba ayenesithakazelo esigijimini soMbuso, futhi kamuva nomfowethu, umama wayelokhu engenandaba nje. Ubaba washona ngonyaka olandelayo, ngo-1932. Kodwa ezinye izinhlelo zomsakazo zeWatch Tower zaqhubeka zingondla ngokomoya, kodwa kwaze kwaba ngoApril 1933 lapho ngathola khona lapho babehlanganela khona oFakazi BakaJehova, amakhilomitha amaningi ngaphesheya komfula.

Yeka indlela iqembu elincane elamangala ngayo ngenjabulo lapho libona umfana osemusha omncane ngomzimba oze ngebhayisekili emhlanganweni walo wesifundo sencwadi iVindication Book Two! Emhlanganweni ngamunye, ngangiqhubeka ngifunda okwengeziwe futhi ezinyangeni ezimbili kamuva ngajabula ngokuqalisa ukuya endlini ngendlu nesigijimi soMbuso. Ngabhapathizwa emhlanganweni wesifunda ngawo lowonyaka.

Ngemva kwesikole usuku ngalunye ngangisebenzisa ihora noma ngaphezulu ngihambela omakhelwane endaweni eseduze nasekhaya nesigijimi soMbuso. Futhi ngangiba nethuba lokufakaza esikoleni. Ngokwesibonelo, olunye uchungechunge lwezifundo lwaphindaphinda inkolelo yesihogo somlilo nokuhlushwa. Lokhu kwangishukumisela ukuba nginikeze ubufakazi obungokomBhalo bokuthi abafileyo abahlushwa kodwa, kunalokho, abazi lutho futhi basemathuneni abo ngethemba lovuko. Uthisha wangivumela ukuba ngifunde indaba yami elungiselelwe kahle phambi kwalo lonke ikilasi.

Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele

NgoMay 1935, ngaba khona emhlanganweni waseWashington, D.C., lapho kwagcizelelwa khona ubuphayona (inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele). Lapho ngibuyela ekhaya, ngabhalela iWatch Tower Society, futhi abangithumelelanga nje kuphela uhlu lwamasimu atholakalayo kodwa futhi, okwangimangalisa, bahlanganisa namapulani ahlukahlukene okwakha ikharavani eyindlu. Ngalezozinsuku ezikhathini eziningi ukuphayona kwakusho ukuya ezindaweni ezintsha, futhi ikharavani eyindlu yayilungiselela umuntu indawo yokuhlala. Ngakho nganquma ukusebenzela ukuthola imoto nekharavani ukuze ngiphishekele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele.

Okwangalesosikhathi, ngahileleka ekusebenziseni imoto enombhobho ibandla lethu elaliyisebenzisa ukuze limemezele isigijimi soMbuso. Lapho mina nomunye umzalwane simenyelwe eMonroe, eWisconsin, ukuba siyisebenzise, ngahlangana futhi kamuva ngashada noVirginia Ellis. Manje sasingasebenza ndawonye ukuze sithole leyomoto nekharavani ukuze siyisebenzise emsebenzini wamaphayona!

Ekwindla ka-1938 umama washona, futhi cishe ngalesosikhathi uHarold Woodworth wasibhalela eseNew Mexico: “Wozani lapha; kunesidingo esikhulu.” Khona-ke saya eNew Mexico, okwakuwuhambo lwendiza cishe lwamakhilomitha ayi-1 600. Kwenye indawo esahlala kuyo ohambweni, safikelwa incwadi yocingo. “Buyelani ekhaya,” inxusa. Ngathenjiswa umsebenzi oholela kahle namathuba amahle kakhulu entuthuko. Ngayidabula leyoncwadi yocingo. Uma uJehova ayesisizile ukuba silungiselele ukuphayona, ngangingeke ngivumele noma yini ukuba iphazamise!

NgoMarch 1939 saqalisa inkonzo yethu yobuphayona ngaseHobbs, eNew Mexico. Leli kwakuyizwe lezinkomo; futhi kwakunamasimu amaningi amasha kawoyela esasizowahambela kulendawo. Ibandla elincane laliba nemihlangano ngoLwesihlanu nangeSonto, ngakho-ke sasiphatha izincwadi, amanzi, ukudla, isitofu esincane, nombhede osongwayo futhi sihlale kusukela ngoMsombuluko kuya kuLwesihlanu ntambama sishumayela emaphandleni. Lapho kuhlwa, sasilala endle isibhakabhaka sinjengophahla ‘nethoshi’ lamasimu kawoyela aseduze elalixosha izinyoka. Izimpela-sonto sasizisebenzisa edolobheni sisebenza nebandla.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa zaloluhlelo, iNhlangano yasithumela eRoswell futhi kwase kuba seAlbuquerque, eNew Mexico. Lapha sasebenzisa futhi imoto enombhobho, eyayiphumelela ngokukhethekile ekufakazeni ezigodini zamaNdiya zendawo. Lapho umsebenzi omusha wokufakaza emgwaqweni ngomagazini bethu uqala ekuqaleni kuka-1940, sajabulela ukuhlanganyela kuwo nabazalwane eAlbuquerque.

Ukuphikiswa Phakathi Nosizi Lwempi

Impi yezwe yesibili yayisiqalile eYurophu ngoSeptember odlule, futhi inkathi yokuphikiswa ngonya yalandela ngenxa yokuma kwethu kokungathathi-hlangothi ngasekuhlanganyeleni empini. Ngesinye isikhathi ihembe lami lake ladatshulwa ngokoqobo emhlane lapho ngihlanganyela enkonzweni.

Ehlobo lika-1940, abazalwane babesebenza ngomagazini eduze kwaseEl Paso, eTexas, futhi iningi labo laboshwa. NgoMsombuluko olandelayo, mina noHarold Woodworth saya kobasiza phakathi necala labo. Ngokubuza abazalwane imibuzo phambi kwenkantolo, ngakwazi ukuveza amaphuzu abaluleke kakhulu ekubavikeleni. Ngemva kokuba bonke bethethwe yicala, umbiko wephephandaba wabhekisela kimi ‘njengommeli omncane othembisayo olindelekile eAlbuquerque.’ Kodwa ngempela, kwakunguJehova owanikeza izinceku zakhe ukunqoba ngalolosuku!

Ngokufanayo, abazalwane bethu bafakwa ejele ngenxa yokushumayela kwelinye idolobha. Ngemva kokuba ngibamelele phambi kwenkantolo, mina nomzalwan’ uDavid Gray sahambisa incwadi esikhulwini ngasinye sedolobha. Incwadi yayiphawula ilungelo elingokomthetho loFakazi BakaJehova ukuba benze umsebenzi wabo, futhi yayixwayisa ngokuthi uma oFakazi BakaJehova babeqhubeka behlushwa, izikhulu zaziyoba necala nganoma yimuphi umonakalo owawungenzeka.

Umphathi wedolobha wathola incwadi futhi wayifunda wangasho lutho, kodwa isikhulu samaphoyisa sasitshela: ‘Lapha eNtshonalanga, abantu bathatha uhambo baphume edolobheni, futhi . . . nokho, . . . abanye babafune kamuva, futhi bangaphinde babathole.’ Nokho, ukusongela akwenziwanga; kunalokho, kwathuleka, futhi isinyathelo senkantolo ngokumelene nabazalwane sahoxiswa.

Ngalesosikhathi iWatch Tower Society yayisingimise njengenceku yesifunda (manje ebizwa ngokuthi umbonisi wesifunda). Isabelo sami sasihlanganisa ingxenye enkulu yeNew Mexico nengxenye encane yeTexas.

IGileyadi Nesabelo Sakwamanye Amazwe

Ngo-1943 mina noVirginia sathola isimemo sokuba sibe sekilasini lesibili leWatchtower Bible School of Gilead. Ngemva kokuthola iziqu ngoJanuary 1944, sabelwa okokuqala ukuba sisebenze neBandla laseFlatbush eBrooklyn, eNew York. Sahlala ngemva kwefektri yeNhlangano esakhiweni esidala kamuva esabhidlizwa ukuze kunwetshwe izakhiwo zefektri ekuAdams Street.

Nokho, esikhathini esifanele, sathola isabelo sethu sokuya eDominican Republic, lapho uRafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ayengumashiqela woqobo. Lapho sifika ngeSonto, ngoApril 1, 1945, mina noVirginia sasiwukuphela koFakazi kulelozwe. Saya eHhotela laseVictoria futhi sathola indawo yokuhlala—sasikhokha u-$5 [R10] ngosuku thina sibabili, kuhlanganise nokudla. Ngayo kanye leyontambama saqalisa isifundo sethu sokuqala seBhayibheli sasekhaya.

Kwenzeka kanje: Abesifazane ababili baseDominican Republic esasiye safunda nabo iBhayibheli eBrooklyn babesinikeze amagama ezihlobo nabantu abajwayelene nabo, omunye wabo kwakunguDr. Green. Lapho simhambela, sathola futhi nomakhelwane wakhe uMoses Rollins. Ngemva kokubatshela ukuthi sasiwathole kanjani amagama abo namakheli, balalela ngokucophelela isigijimi soMbuso futhi bavuma isifundo seBhayibheli. Ngokushesha uMoses waba ummemezeli woMbuso wokuqala wendawo.

Ngabo lobobusuku uDr. Green wahamba nathi esifunisa indlu ukusuka esitezi esingaphezulu sebhasi elinezitezi ezimbili. Ekugcineni saqasha indlu encane kakhonkolo enhloko-dolobha, iCiudad Trujillo (manje okuyiSanto Domingo). NgoJune ezinye izithunywa zevangeli ezine zahlanganyela nathi. Kwavulwa ikhaya lesibili lezithunywa zevangeli, futhi kwabe sekufika izithunywa zevangeli ezengeziwe. NgoAugust 1946 sase sinenani labamemezeli abangama-28. Ngokushesha izithunywa zevangeli eziningi ngokwengeziwe zafika, futhi nazo zavulelwa amakhaya. Ukwanda kwakuqhubeka!

Ukukhonza Ngaphansi Kokuvinjelwa

Ngo-1950 sase sande saba abamemezeli abangaphezu kwama-200. Nokho, ngenxa yokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bagcina isimo esiqinile sokungathathi-hlangothi, uhulumeni kaTrujillo waqala ukufaka abazalwane bethu abasebasha ejele. Khona-ke, ngaphezu kwakho konke, umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wavinjelwa ngokuphelele ngoJune 21, 1950.

Ngenxa yokungakwazi ukuhlangana emaHholo oMbuso, abazalwane baqala ukuhlangana ngokunyenya emaqenjini amancane emakhaya. Lapho sasifunda izihloko zeNqabayokulinda ezazikhiqizwa ngemimeograph. Bonke abaqotho bawazisa kakhulu amandla angokomoya uJehova ayeqhubeka ebanika wona kulamaqembu amancane ezifundo.

Usuku lwangeSonto lwaluwusuku lwethu lokuvakashela abazalwane abaningi baseDominican Republic emajele kaTrujillo. Lapho singena sasipheqululwa, njengoba sasaziwa kahle ukuthi sasingobani. Ngezinye izikhathi amasosha ayesizungeza lapho sinalabazalwane, esibhekisisa. Ngesinye isikhathi sahamba noStanley Aniol waseChicago, owayevakashele indodakazi yakhe eyisithunywa sevangeli uMary (manje onguMary Adams, okhonza eBethel yaseBrooklyn). Eshukunyiswe ubuqotho babazalwane abasebasha baseDominican Republic, uMzalwan’ uAniol wabanga bonke ngendlela yothando phambi kwamasosha ayebukela.

Ekupheleni kokuhambela, njengoba sasehla ngomgwaqo omkhulu, imoto egcwele abantu bakaTrujillo yasilandela ihamba kancane. Lena kwakungenye yezindlela zikaTrujillo eyayaziwa kakhulu yokwesabisa abantu. Lapho sitshela uMzalwan’ uAniol ukuthi babeqondeni, akazange akhathazeke nakancane. Ngempela, kwakudingekile ukuba singawunaki umzamo kaTrujillo wokwesabisa futhi sithembele ngokugcwele kuJehova.

Ngezinye izikhathi, izimpimpi zikaTrujillo, zazifika lapho sihlala khona, zithi zingabazalwane. Ngakho kwakumelwe ‘sihlakaniphe njengezinyoka kodwa sibe-mnene njengamajuba.’ (Mathewu 10:16) Sasibahlola abantu abanjalo ngemibuzo egubhayo ukuze sibone ukuthi babengabazalwane ngempela yini noma cha.

Phakathi nesikhathi sokuvinjelwa izikhulumi ezihlukahlukene ngasinye sasinikeza izinkulumo zeSikhumbuzo emaqenjini ezifundo amathathu ehlukene, zihamba ngokungabonakali ngangokunokwenzeka zisuka kwenye indawo ziya kwenye. Ngokuvamile lalina izikhukhula ngobusuku beSikhumbuzo, futhi njengoba ibutho lezimpimpi zikaTrujillo lalesaba kakhulu izihlambi njengabantu bakwezinye izindawo besaba umoya obanda njengeqhwa, kwakuyisibusiso kithi.

Njengoba uhulumeni kaTrujillo wawuzokwenqabela ukungena ngokwesibili ezweni, izithunywa zevangeli eziningi aziyanga emihlanganweni yezizwe zonke yaseDolobheni laseNew York ngo-1950 nango-1953. Kwakumelwe saneliswe ukuhlanganiswa komhlangano iThe New York Times, eyanikeza imifanekiso emihle yemihlangano nokuchazwa kwesimiso sosuku ngalunye ngokuningiliziwe. Futhi, inkundla yamabhayisikobho yakuleyondawo yanikeza umbukiso omude wobhapathizo olukhulu lomhlangano ka-1953.

Ngo-1956 mina noRoy Brandt sabizwa izikhulu ukuba ziyosibuza imibuzo. Izikhulu zikahulumeni kaTrujillo ekuqaleni zazimeme uMzalwan’ uManuel Hierrezuelo ukuba eze azobonana nazo. Kodwa kamuva uManuel wabuyela emkhayeni wakhe eseyisidumbu. Ngakho manje, zazizosihambela kanjani thina izinto?

Ekufikeni kwethu ngamunye wabuzwa ngokwehlukile, izimpendulo ngokusobala zazirekhodwa. Akukho okunye okwenzeka ngalesosikhathi, kodwa ezinyangeni ezimbili kamuva amaphephandaba amemezela ukuthi uhulumeni kaTrujillo wawususa ukuvinjelwa koFakazi BakaJehova nokuthi sasingawuqalisa umsebenzi wethu obala. Saphinde saba namaHholo oMbuso akhiwa, futhi umsebenzi kaJehova waqhubeka uthuthuka.

Nokho, ngoJune 1957 igagasi elisha lonya loshushiso laqala, futhi zonke izithunywa zevangeli zaxoshwa ezweni. Ukuhamba kwethu ngempela kwakuwusuku olubuhlungu kithi. Mina noVirginia sase sineminyaka eyi-12 sikhonza eDominican Republic futhi sasiye sabona inani loFakazi likhula lisuka kithina nje sobabili liya kwabangaphezu kwama-600. Ngo-1960 ukuvinjelwa kwesibili kwasuswa, futhi inani labamemezeli laqhubeka landa kwaze kwaba manje lapho cishe seliyizi-10 000!

Ukukhonza EPuerto Rico

Lapho sifika ePuerto Rico ngoAugust 1957, abafowethu abangamaKristu kanye nabakhulumeli bamaphephandaba babefikile bezosamukela. Ukulandisa kwamaphephandaba okwalandela kwanikeza ubufakazi obukhulu. Ngalesosikhathi, kwakunabamemezeli boMbuso abangaphansi kuka-1 200 ePuerto Rico; manje kunabacishe babe yizi-22 000!

Ngo-1958 iNhlangano yangimemela ukuba ngibe umbonisi ojikelezayo. Ngakho, phakathi naleyominyaka sazi futhi sasebenza nabazalwane abaningi abathembekile abavela kuzo zonke izingxenye zePuerto Rico neVirgin Islands. Esikhathini esifanele, mina nomkami saba amalungu omkhaya waseBethel yakuleyondawo. Futhi kusukela kwakhiwa iKomiti Yegatsha lapha, uJehova uye wangibusisa ngokuba ngibe yilungu layo.

Ngigcwala injabulo ngokuthi ngiye ngamukela kuJehova ngokomuntu siqu ‘ngekhulu manje . . . abafowethu nodadewethu omama nabantwana.’ (Marku 10:30) Angikaze ngifune ukusebenzisa ukuphila kwami ngenye indlela kunakulenkonzo. Ngakho-ke, njengoba ngibheka emuva cishe eminyakeni engama-48 kusukela ngaqala ukuphayona, ngiyajabula ukusho ukuthi ngempela, ngiye ngabona ukuthi uJehova muhle!—IHubo 34:8.

Lapho lendaba engenhla yokuphila kukaLennart Johnson yayisemaphethelweni okulungiselelwa kwayo, uVirginia Johnson wafa ngokuthula esebuthongweni ngoJanuary 31, 1987

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 27]

KwakunguJehova owanikeza izinceku zakhe ukunqoba ngalolosuku!

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 28]

Bonke abaqotho bawazisa kakhulu amandla angokomoya uJehova aqhubeka esinika wona

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

Mina noVirginia sasebenza nabazalwane abaningi abathembekile abavela kuzo zonke izingxenye zasePuerto Rico