Umsebenzi Omangalisayo
Iminyaka Engama-57 Yokuphila Kokuba Isithunywa Sevangeli
Njengoba ilandiswa nguEric Cooke
EKUNTWELENI kokusa, ngancika othangweni lomkhumbi onqamula izilwandle futhi ngagqolozela amafu ambozile emkhathini. Mina nomfowethu sasishiye iSouthampton, eNgilandi, ngokuhlwa kwangayizolo futhi sasilibhekise eSaint-Malo, eFrance. Ingabe sasihamba sibuka izindawo? Cha, sasihlose ukusa isigijimi soMbuso kaNkulunkulu eFrance. Ekufikeni kwethu eSaint-Malo, sathatha amabhayisekili ethu futhi satibila sibheke eningizimu.
Ngakho kwakuyilokho mina nomfowethu omncane uJohn okwasenza sathatha umsebenzi wokuba izithunywa zevangeli kwamanye amazwe eminyakeni engaphezu kwama-57 edlule. Yini eyayisiholele ekungeneleni inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele? Yini eyasishukumisela ukuba sishiye ukuphila okumnandi nokunomfonomfo ekhaya lamaNgisi?
Lokho Okwathonya Ukuphila Kwethu
Ngo-1922 umama waba khona enkulumweni yeningi eyayithi “Bakuphi Abafileyo?” Yamvusa amadlingozi futhi ngokushesha waba yisikhonzi esizinikezele sikaJehova. Kodwa ubaba akumjabulisanga lokho. Wayeyilungu leSonto laseSheshi, futhi iminyaka eminingi wayeya nathi esontweni ngeSonto ekuseni kuyilapho uMama ayesifundisa okuvela eBhayibhelini ntambama.
Ngo-1927 uJohn waba neminyaka eyi-14 futhi waqala ukuba khona emihlanganweni noMama nokuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokufakaza endlini ngendlu. Kodwa mina nganganelisekile, nginomsebenzi omuhle eBhange laseBarclay. Nokho, ngokuhlonipha uMama, ekugcineni ngaqala ukufunda iBhayibheli, kanye nezincwadi zeWatch Tower Society. Ngemva kwalokho, intuthuko engokomoya yayishesha, futhi ngo-1930 ngabhapathizwa.
Lapho eqeda isikole ngo-1931, uJohn waqalisa inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele njengephayona. Lapho esikisela ukuthi ngihlanganyele naye emsebenzini wokuphayona, ngawuyeka umsebenzi wami wasebhange futhi ngahamba naye. Ukuzimisela kwethu kwaqiniswa igama lethu elisha, oFakazi BakaJehova, esasisanda kulemukela. Isabelo sethu sokuqala kwakuyidolobha laseLa Rochelle nensimu ezungezile ogwini olusentshonalanga yeFrance.
Ukuphayona Ngebhayisekili EFrance
Njengoba sasigibele amabhayisekile sisuka eSaint-Malo sibheke eningizimu, sakujabulela ukubona izivande zama-apula aseNormandy nokuhogela iphunga elivuthiwe elivela emshinini wokugaya iziphuzo ezenziwe ngama-apula. Asizange siqaphele ukuthi izinsebe zolwandle eziseduze zaseNormandy iminyaka eyi-13 kamuva, phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, zaziyokwenziwa incithakalo ezinye zezimpi ezachitha igazi eliningi kakhulu emlandweni; futhi asizange siqaphele nokuthi inkonzo yethu yesikhathi esigcwele yayiyohlala isikhathi eside kangako. Ngokutekula ngathi kuJohn: “Ngicabanga ukuthi singakwazi ukuqhubeka iminyaka emihlanu njengamaphayona. IArmagedoni ayinakuba kude kakhulu!”
Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu zokuhamba ngebhayisekili, safika eLa Rochelle. Sobabili sasisazi kancane isiFulentshi, ngakho asibanga nabunzima bokuthola ikamelo elilungiswe kahle. Sihamba ngamabhayisekili ethu, sahlanganisa zonke izigodi eziyibanga elingaba ngamakhilomitha angama-20 ukuya kuzo, sihambisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli. Khona-ke, sadlulela kwelinye idolobha futhi senza okufanayo nakhona. Babengekho abanye oFakazi kuleyongxenye yeFrance.
NgoJuly 1932, uJohn, owayefunde iSipanishi esikoleni, wathunyelwa yiNhlangano ukuba ayokhonza eSpain. Ngaqhubeka eningizimu yeFrance futhi eminyakeni emibili ngaba nabasizi ababefika ngokulandelana bevela eNgilandi. Ngenxa yokuthi kwakungekho okunye ukuhlangana noFakazi, umthandazo nesifundo seBhayibheli sasikhathi sonke kwakubalulekile ukuze silondoloze ukuqina kwethu ngokomoya. Sasiphindela futhi eNgilandi kanye ngonyaka ngemihlangano yesigodi yonyaka.
Ngo-1934 saxoshwa eFrance. ISonto lamaRoma Katolika, elalinethonya elikhulu ngalesosikhathi, yilona elalikubangele lokhu. Esikhundleni sokuba ngiphindele eNgilandi, ngazihlanganisa namanye amaphayona amabili angamaNgisi, futhi salibhekisa eSpain—sigibele amabhayisekili ethu njengokuvamile. Ngobunye ubusuku salala ngaphansi kwezihlahla, ngobunye salala phezu kotshani obomile, kwathi ngobunye salala ngasosebeni lolwandle. Ekugcineni safika eBarcelona empumalanga engasenyakatho yeSpain futhi sazihlanganisa noJohn owasamukela.
Inselele YaseSpain
Ngalesosikhathi ayengekho amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova eSpain. Ngemva kokusebenza izinyanga ezimbalwa eBarcelona, saqhubekela eTarragona. Saqala lapho ukusebenzisa igilamafomu elithwalwayo namarekhodi ezinkulumo ezifushanisiwe zeBhayibheli ngeSipanishi. Zaziphumelela kakhulu, ikakhulukazi ezindaweni ezinabantu abaningi zokudayisa ukudla notshwala.
ELérida, ukuya ngasentshonalanga eseningizimu, uFakazi ongayedwa, uSalvador Sirera wazihlanganisa nathi. Ekhuthazwa ukuba khona kwethu kuleyondawo, wakhonza okwesikhashana njengephayona. EHuesca, uNemesio Orus wasemukela ngemfudumalo ekhaya lakhe elincane elaliphezu kwendlu yakhe yokukhandela amawashi. Sasinaye lapho siqhuba isifundo sethu seBhayibheli sasekhaya sokuqala, sisebenzisa enye yezincwajana zokuqala zenhlangano. Sasisiqhuba amahora amaningana usuku ngalunye, futhi ngokushesha wasijoyina njengephayona.
Edolobheni elilandelayo esalisebenza, iZaragoza, saba nenjabulo yokusiza uAntonio Gargallo noJosé Romanos, abasebasha ababili abeve eminyakeni eyishumi elinambili. Usuku ngalunye kusihlwa babefika ekamelweni lethu elincane beze esifundweni seBhayibheli esasisiqhuba ngencwadi ethi Government. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, bobabili basijoyina emsebenzini wokuphayona.
Ukubekwa Icala Lokusekela Umbuso Wobushiqela
Ngesikhathi esifanayo, inkathazo yayiya ijiya. Impi Yangaphakathi yaseSpain yayisizobheduka, impi ekugcineni okwakuyokufa kuyo amakhulu ezinkulungwane. Kwesinye isigodi esiseduze kwaseZaragoza, mina noAntonio sangena ezinkingeni. Owesifazane owamukela izincwajana zethu waba nombono ophambene ngazo wokuthi zisakaza inkulumo-ze yobuKatolika futhi wasibeka icala lokusekela uMbuso Wobushiqela. Saboshwa futhi sathunyelwa esikhungweni samaphoyisa. “Yini eniyenzayo kulomuzi?” kubuza usayitsheni. “Abantu balapha bangamakhomanisi futhi abayifuni inkulumo-ze yoMbuso Wobushiqela!”
Ngemva kokuba sichaze umsebenzi wethu,waneliseka. Ngomusa wasinika ukudla kwasemini futhi wasiyala ukuba sihambe ngokunyenya ngesikhathi santambama. Kodwa lapho sihamba, iqembu labahlaseli lalilindile. Bathatha zonke izincwadi zethu. Kwakuyisimo esibi. Nokho sabonga ukuthi usayitsheni wafika futhi wakhuluma ngokuhlakanipha neqembu labahlaseli. Wabenelisa lapho esikisela ukuba asiyise eZaragoza ukuze sibonane neziphathimandla. Wasikhulumela lapho kumphathi wedolobha, futhi sakhululwa.
NgoJuly 1936, lapho impi yangaphakathi iqala, uAntonio wenqaba ukulwa namabutho kaFranco futhi wabulawa. Yeka injabulo okuyoba yiyo ngami noJohn ukumamukela ovukweni nokuphinda sibone ukumamatheka kwakhe okuzothile!
Kuthiwa SingamaKhomanisi EIreland
Ngaphambi nje kokuba kugqashuke impi yangaphakathi, mina noJohn saphindela eNgilandi ngesikhathi sethu sokuphumula esivamile saminyaka yonke. Khona-ke impi yenza kwaba nzima ngathi ukuphindela eSpain, ngakho saphayona amasonto amaningana eKent, eduze kwekhaya lethu eBroadstairs. Khona-ke kweza isabelo sethu esilandelayo—i-Ireland. Umongameli weNhlangano, uJoseph F. Rutherford, wahlela ukuba siye lapho futhi sisakaze ipheshana elikhethekile elithi You Have Been Warned. Ayengekho amabandla eIreland eseningizimu, kwakukhona oFakazi abambalwa abangabodwa kuphela.
Ngalesikhathi, ngothuthuva olwasuswa abefundisi bamaKatolika, sabekwa icala lokuba amakhomanisi—okuphambene kakhulu nesamangalelwa ngakho eSpain! Ngesikhathi iviyo elaliwotha ubomvu litheleka endlini esasihlala kuyo, lathatha amabhokisi ethu ezincwadi, futhi lawashisa. Sabhekana nokuhlupheka okuningi kwezigameko ezifanayo ngaphambi kokuba sibuyele eNgilandi ehlobo lika-1937.
Impi Yezwe II Nokuya EGiliyadi
Lapho iMpi Yezwe II imenyezelwa ngoSeptember 1939, uJohn wayekhonza eBordeaux, eFrance, futhi mina ngangiwumbonisi webandla eDerby, eNgilandi. Amaphayona athile, kuhlanganise noJohn, owayesengijoyinile futhi, bakhululwa emsebenzini wezempi ophoqelelwayo, kodwa abanye, njengami, senqatshelwa ukukhululwa. Ngakho ngangiboshwa ngibuye ngikhishwe ejele phakathi nempi. Ukubekezela kwakudingeka ukuze ubhekane nezimo kulawomajele angezikhathi zempi, kodwa sasazi ukuthi abafowethu eYurophu babehlupheka ngaphezu kwethu.
Ngemva kwempi umongameli omusha weWatch Tower Society, uNathan H. Knorr, wavakashela eNgilandi futhi wahlela ukuba amanye amaphayona abe khona kuWatchtower Bible School of Gilead eNew York esenyakatho, ukuze aqeqeshelwe ukuba izithunywa zevangeli. Ngakho uMay 1946 wathola mina noJohn sinqamula iAtlantic emkhunjini iLiberty owakhiwa ngesikhathi sempi.
Ikilasi lesishiyagalombili laseGiliyadi lalingelokuqala elalilikhulu ngempela. Yeka ukuthi kwakungokuhlangenwe nakho okufudumeza inhliziyo kanjani ukufunda nokuhlangana namaphayona angomakadebona phakathi nemfundo yezinyanga ezinhlanu! Ekugcineni, lwafika usuku lokuthweswa iziqu, futhi saziswa ngezabelo zethu. Ngabelwa eNingizimu Rhodesia, manje eyaziwa ngokuthi iZimbabwe, futhi uJohn wathunyelwa ePortugal naseSpain.
Inkonzo Yokuba Isithunywa Sevangeli EAfrika
Ngehla eKapa, eNingizimu Afrika, ngoNovember 1947. Omunye umkhumbi waletha engangifunda nabo ekilasini uIan Fergusson noHarry Arnott. Ngokushesha uMzalwan’ uKnorr wavakasha, futhi saba khona emhlanganweni wesigodi eGoli. Khona-ke saqhubekela enyakatho ezabelweni zethu—uIan waya eNyasaland (manje osekuyiMalawi), uHarry waya eRhodesia (manje osekuyiZambia), futhi mina ngaya eNtshonalanga Rhodesia (iZimbabwe). Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi iNhlangano yamisa igatsha, futhi ngamiswa njengombonisi wegatsha. Sasinamabandla ayi-117 anabamemezeli abalinganiselwa ezi-3 500 kulelozwe.
Ngokushesha kwafika ezinye izithunywa zevangeli ezine. Zazilindele ukuba isabelo sazo kube esezindlu ezenziwe ngodaka, amabhubesi abhodlayo ebusuku, izinyoka ngaphansi kwemibhede, nezimo ezingaphucuzekile. Kunalokho, izindlela zakwaBulawayo ezizungezwe izihlahla ezinezimbali, izakhiwo ezikhangayo zesimanje, nabantu abakulungele ukulalela isigijimi soMbuso, bayibiza ngokuthi ipharadesi lamaphayona.
Ukulungisa Okubili Komuntu Siqu
Lapho ngibhapathizwa ngo-1930, kwakukhona ukuqonda okuncane ngokuphathelene nalabo ababezoba nokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni. Ngakho sobabili mina noJohn sahlanganyela izifanekiselo ngesikhathi seSikhumbuzo, njengoba wonke umuntu ayehlanganyela ngalesosikhathi. Ngisho nango-1935, lapho “isixuku esikhulu” sesAmbulo isahluko 7 siphawulwa njengeqembu lasemhlabeni ‘lezimvu,’ ukucabanga kwethu akuzange kushintshwe. (IsAmbulo 7:9; Johane 10:16) Khonake ngo-1952, iThe Watchtower ekhasini 63 yanyathelisa incazelo yomehluko phakathi kwethemba lasemhlabeni nethemba lasezulwini. Saqala ukuqaphela ukuthi sasingenalo ithemba lokuphila kwasezulwini, kodwa ukuthi ithemba lethu kwakungelokuphila emhlabeni oyipharadesi.—Isaya 11:6-9; Mathewu 5:5; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.
Okunye ukulungisa? Ngangiba nesithakazelo esengeziwe kuMyrtle Taylor, owayesesebenze nathi iminyaka emithathu. Njengoba kwaba sobala ukuthi wayezizwa ngokufanayo ngami nokuthi sobabili sasiyazisa ngokujulile inkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli, senza isithembiso somshado futhi sashada ngoJuly 1955. UMyrtle uye wazibonakalisa ewunkosikazi ongisekela kakhulu.
Inkonzo ENingizimu Afrika
Ngo-1959 uMzalwan’ uKnorr wavakashela iNingizimu Rhodesia, mina noMyrtle sabelwa futhi eNingizimu Afrika. Ngokushesha saqala ukuya esabelweni sami emsebenzini wesifunda. Lezo kwabe kuyizinsuku zenjabulo enkulu. Kodwa ngangiya ngiba mdala, futhi impilo kaMyrtle yayisibangele ukukhathazeka okuthile. Ngemva kwesikhathi sasingasenakukwazi ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi wesifunda, ngakho samisa ikhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eKapa futhi sakhonza lapho iminyaka ethile. Kamuva, sabelwa futhi eThekwini, eNatali.
Isabelo sethu lapho saba iChatsworth, umphakathi omkhulu wamaNdiya. Lesi kwakuyisabelo sasemazweni ngaphakathi kwesabelo sasemazweni—inselele yangempela kithi thina zithunywa zevangeli esezikhulile. Lapho sifika ngoFebruary 1978, kwakunebandla loFakazi abangama-96, iningi kungamaNdiya. Kwakumelwe sifunde ukucabanga okungokwenkolo kwabantu abangamaHindu futhi siqonde amasiko abo. Indlela eyayisetshenziswa umphostoli uPawulu ekufakazeni eAthene yasebenza njengesibonelo esiwusizo kithi.—IzEnzo 17:16-34.
Izibusiso Zenkonzo Yokuba Isithunywa Sevangeli
Manje ngineminyaka engama-78 ubudala,neminyaka engama-57 yenkonzo yokuba isithunywa sevangeli ngemva kwami. Yeka ukuthi kukhuthaza kanjani ukubona ukwanda okumangalisayo emazweni engakhonza kuwo! IFrance iye yafinyelela abamemezeli boMbuso abayizi-100 000, iSpain inabangaphezu kwezi-70 000, futhi iNingizimu Afrika iye yanda kusukela kwabayizi-15 000 lapho sifika kuya kwabangaphezu kwezi-43 000.
Basha, ingabe izimo zenu ziyanivumela ukuba ningenele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele? Uma kunjalo, nginganiqinisekisa ukuthi iwumsebenzi oyedlula yonke. Ayisona nje kuphela isivikelo ezinkingeni nasezilingweni ezizungeze abantu abasha namuhla kodwa ingalolonga ubuntu bakho buvumelane nezimiso zokulunga zikaJehova. Yeka inzuzo nelungelo okuyilo kokubili ngabasha nabadala ukukhonza uJehova manje!
[Isithombe ekhasini 29]
Isivakashi siza ekhishini eliyitende likaMyrtle Cooke