Ukujabulela Isivuno KwelaseNdiya

Njengoba ilandiswa nguF. E. Skinner

KIMINA cishe kwakungakholeleki—imihlangano engama-21 ngezilimi eziyishumi, abantu abakhona abangaphezu kwezi-15 000 abazofunda ngencazelo yokulunga kwaphezulu, nabangu-545 ababhapathizwa ukuze babonise uthando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu omkhulu wokulunga, uJehova! KoFakazi BakaJehova abayizi-9 000 eNdiya, lokhu kwakuyisenzakalo esivelele sika-1989. Kodwa kimi kwakuyimbangela ekhethekile yokujabula. Ngani? Ngoba ngangingenakuzicabanga izenzakalo ezinkulu kangaka lapho ngiqala ukubeka unyawo emhlabathini waseNdiya ngoJuly 1926. Ngalesosikhathi kwakunabamemezeli besigijimi soMbuso abangaphansi kwama-70 kulolonke lelizwe. Yeka isabelo mina nengangiphayona naye esasithola eminyakeni engaphezu kwengama-63 edlule!

Indlela Engeza Ngayo ENdiya

NgoMay 1926 ngaya emhlanganweni omkhulu eLondon, eNgilandi, kwathi emva kwawo nje ngaphindela ekhaya lami eSheffield. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, ngisanda kufika ngivela enkonzweni yasensimini, ngathola ucingo lungilindile. Lwaluthi: “UMahluleli uRutherford ufuna ukukubona.”

Umzalwan’ uRutherford, umongameli wesibili weWatch Tower Society, wayefike evela eNew York eze kulomhlangano owawusanda kuba khona, futhi wayeseseLondon. Ngakusasa ekuseni ngisesitimeleni ngiphindela eLondon, ngangizibuza, ‘Kusho ukuthini lokhu?’ Ehhovisi legatsha, ngayiswa kuMzalwan’ uRutherford, wangibuza: “Ingabe unendaba nokuthi usebenza kuyiphi ingxenye yomhlaba?”

Ngaphendula: “Cha.”

“Ungakuthanda ukuya eNdiya?”

“Ufuna ngiye nini?” Ngaphendula ngaphandle kokungabaza. Ngakho, emasontweni amathathu kamuva, mina noGeorge Wright sasisemkhunjini oya eNdiya. Ngangineminyaka engama-31 ubudala, futhi kwakungekho kungabaza engqondweni nasenhliziyweni yami ngokuthi yini engifuna ukuyenza ngokuphila kwami.

Ukunquma Ngendlela Yokuphila

Ngo-1918 impi yezwe yokuqala yayisiphelile, futhi ngangisanda kuqeda iminyaka emine ebuthweni laseBrithani. Nganginesithakazelo ekuthatheni izithombe nakwezokusakaza futhi ngangivulekelwe amathuba amahle ebhizinisi. Futhi, ngangicabanga ukushada. Kodwa, ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngangiqala ukuqonda izinto ezaziyishintsha yonke injongo yokuphila kwami.

Ubaba wayamukele iqoqo leStudies in the Scriptures, futhi iphayona elithile laqala ukufunda iBhayibheli nomkhaya wakithi. Lona wesifazane wayekade eyithishelakazi. Ngemva kwesikhathi, iqembu lezinsizwa ezingangami laliya ekhaya lakhe njalo ngeMigqibelo liyophuza inkomishi yetiye futhi libe nesifundo seBhayibheli. Njalo wayesitshela ukuthi sizenze sitholakale kuJehova, ethi: “Ningalokothi nisenqabe isabelo.” Wangikhuthaza futhi nokuthi ngihlale ngingashadile.

Okwesikhashana ngaxakeka ngingazi ukuthi yini engizoyenza. Amazwi akuMathewu 19:21 uJesu awasho kumbusi osemusha ocebile angisiza: “Uma uthanda ukuphelela, hamba uthengise ngempahla yakho, uphe abampofu, khona uzakuba-negugu ezulwini; uze ungilandele.” Ngafaka isicelo sokwesula efemini engangiyisebenzela, futhi ezinyangeni ezintathu ngase ngiyiphayona. Lokhu, kanye nesinqumo sokuhlala ngingashadile, kwangenza ngakufanelekela ukwamukela lesosabelo esiyigugu sokusebenza eNdiya eminyakeni emine kamuva.

Insimu Entsha Enhle Kakhulu

Mina noGeorge Wright sabelwa ukwengamela ukushumayela ngoMbuso hhayi eNdiya kuphela kodwa futhi naseBurma (manje eyiMyanmar) naseCeylon (manje eyiSri Lanka). Kamuva, kwanezelwa iPersia (manje eyi-Iran) ne-Afghanistan. Indawo yase-Ndiya yayithanda ukuba ncane kuneyase-United States, kodwa inani labantu lalilikhulu ngokuphindwe kaningi. Kwakuyizwe elinokudla okuhlukile, amasiko, nolimi, nabantu abanezinkolelo zenkolo ezihlukahlukene—amaHindu, amaMuslim, amaParsi, amaJain, amaSikh, namaBuddha, kanye namaKatolika namaProtestani.

ENdiya umsebenzi wokushumayela wawuqale ngo-1905, futhi wathola umfutho lapho uCharles T. Russell, umongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Society, evakashela khona ngo-1912. Ingxoxo kaRussell noA. J. Joseph, umfundi weBhayibheli osemusha oshisekayo, yaholela ekubeni kwenziwe ilungiselelo lasikhathi sonke lomsebenzi wokushumayela oqhubekayo. UJoseph wahumushela izincwadi zeBhayibheli olimini lwakubo lwesiMalayalam futhi wahamba izindawo ezikude efundisa, ikakhulukazi eningizimu-India. Namuhla, cishe ingxenye yabamemezeli baseNdiya ihlala lapha lapho kukhulunywa khona isiMalayalam, nakuba lapho kuhlala amaphesenti ama-3 kuphela abantu baseNdiya. Lendawo, ngaphambili okwakuyiTravancore neCochin, yaba yiKerala State ngo-1956.

Mina noGeorge Wright sasishintshanisa ukusebenza ehhovisi laseBombay nokuthatha uhambo lokushumayela. Sabasebenzisa ngokugcwele ojantshi baseNdiya, amahhashi, nezinqola ezidonswa izinkabi. Kamuva sasebenzisa imoto. Ngalesosikhathi sasimane sishiye izincwadi bese simema abantu ukuba beze esifundweni seqembu endaweni yomhlangano. Sasigxila kulabo ababethi bangamaKristu abakhuluma isiNgisi.

Ekuqaleni, nganikezwa amagama namakheli abo bonke ababenezikhokhelo zeNqabayokulinda. Laba kwakungabantu abasebenza kwaloliwe noma eposini. Ngavakashela ngamunye wabo ukuze ngifune isithakazelo soqobo. Iminyaka eminingi ngangiya ePunjab enyakatho-India ngoJanuary bese ngihamba ngisuka eLahore ngiye eKarachi. Njengoba abantu abaningi babengalithandi iBhayibheli, amadolobhana okwakukhona kuwo ababethi bangamaKristu ayembalwa futhi egqagqene.

Ngangihamba nomzalwane owayesebenza njengomhumushi, futhi sasihlala futhi sidle nabantu bendawo. Abantu bakulamadolobhana babehlala ezindlini ezakhiwe ngodaka olomiswe ngelanga, ezinophahla olufulelwe ngotshani noma ngezingodo. Babelala kumacharpoy, imibhede enemilenze emine eyenziwe ngezingodo nezintambo eziphiciwe. Ngokuvamile abalimi babehlala kumacharpoy abo bephethe amaBhayibheli ngezandla, bebhema izinqawe ezipholiswe ngamanzi ezinemiphini enobude obusukela engxenyeni yemitha kuya emitheni elilodwa, bephenya umbhalo ngamunye njengoba sibachazela iqiniso likaNkulunkulu. Imihlangano eyenzelwa ngaphandle yayikahle, njengoba ingxenye enkulu yonyaka yayingenamvula. Nakuba abelungu abaningi babeqhosha kakhulu ukuba babekhona emihlanganweni enjalo, amaNdiya wona ayehlangana noma kuphi.

Sazama ukusakaza izincwadi ngezilimi eziningi ngangokunokwenzeka. Incwajana ethi World Distress ngesiKanarese yaphumelela ngokuphawulekayo. Yashukumisela umhleli wephephandaba lenkolo lesiKanarese ukuba acele ukuba simnikeze izihloko azozifaka ephepheni lakhe, futhi isikhathi esithile sasakaza incwadi iDeliverance njengochungechunge oluphuma njalo ngemva kwamasonto amabili.

Eminyakeni esukela ku-1926 kuya ku-1938 amaphayona ashisekayo ashumayela ngentshiseko enkulu. Sasihamba izinkulungwane zamakhilomitha, futhi kwahanjiswa amanani amakhulu ezincwadi, kodwa ukwanda kwakuhamba kancane. Ngo-1938 kwakunamaphayona ayi-18 kuphela, nabamemezeli abangama-273 kuphela emabandleni angama-24 ayekulolonke elaseNdiya.

Ngesikhathi SeMpi Yezwe II

IMpi Yezwe II yagqashuka ngo-1939, kodwa saqhubeka nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Eqinisweni, ngo-1940 kwaqaliswa umsebenzi wokufakaza. Ngisho nodadewethu bamaNdiya bahlanganyela, okuyinto ephawulekayo uma kubhekwa amasiko endawo. Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva umfundi othile weBhayibheli wathi kuFakazi owamcela ukuba ahlanganyele emsebenzini onjalo: “Ngingowesifazane womNdiya, akumelwe ngibonakale ngikhuluma nomuntu wesilisa emgwaqweni ngoba ngizohlazeka emphakathini wonke. Anginakukhuluma nomuntu wesilisa emgwaqweni ngisho noma eyisihlobo.” Noma kunjalo, odadewethu abangamaKristu eNdiya sebeyizikhonzi zasobala ezishisekayo.

Kuleyominyaka yokuqala, kwalungiselelwa nemihlangano emikhulu. Sonke isikhathi sasekuseni kwakuba ngesenkonzo yasensimini, eyayihlanganisa ikakhulukazi ukuhamba ngezinyawo amakhilomitha amaningi sitshela izakhamizi nabadlulayo ngemihlangano yasobala. Komunye walemihlangano kwaba khona abangama-300, isimiso siqhutshelwa ngaphansi komthunzi wesakhiwo soqalo namahlamvu esundu. Kodwa kwakungasizi kakhulu ukumisa isikhathi sokuqalisa, njengoba babembalwa abantu ababenamawashi. Babeza ngesikhathi abasithandayo, futhi imihlangano yayiqala lapho sekuhlangene inani elanele labantu. Abantu abadlulayo babelokhu bephambukela emhlanganweni njengoba umhlangano uqhubeka.

Ngokuvamile isimiso sasiqhubeka kuze kube ihora leshumi ebusuku, bese kuthi abaningi kudingeke ukuba bahambe amakhilomitha amaningi beya emakhaya. Uma kunonyezi, kwakungcono; kwakusuke kupholile futhi kujabulisa. Uma ungekho unyezi, abantu babethatha amahlamvu esundu bawasonte bawenze izihlonti. Lapho zikhanya, lezihlonti zazikhanya ngokubomvu okulufifi. Uma kudingeka ukukhanya okwengeziwe, babezishwiba emoyeni lezihlonti zize zigqamuke ilangabi. Lokhu kwakunika ukukhanya okwanele ukuze indlela ibonakale endaweni emagedugedu.

Cishe ngalesikhathi uhulumeni wakwenqabela ukuthunyelwa kwezincwadi zeNhlangano eNdiya naseCeylon. Umshini wethu omncane wokunyathelisa owawuseTravancore wathathwa, futhi uhulumeni wakhipha umthetho owenqabela ukunyatheliswa kwezincwadi. Kamuva, ngo-1944, omunye wabafowethu owayengudokotela wamathambo wayelapha uSir Srivastava, ungqongqoshe eMkhandlwini Wenxusa, futhi indaba yokuvinjelwa kwezincwadi zethu yethulwa kuye.

Umfowethu watshelwa ukuthi, “ungakhathazeki.” USir Srivastava wamchazela ukuthi uMnz. Jenkins (ungqongqoshe owayengawuthandi umsebenzi wethu) wayesezothatha umhlalaphansi ngokushesha, kuthi umngane omkhulu kaSir Srivastava athathe isikhundla sakhe. “Tshela uMnu. Skinner ukuba eze lapha,” kukhuthaza uSir Srivastava, “ngizomethula kuSir Francis Mudie,” owayezothatha isikhundla sikaJenkins. Ekugcineni, ngabizwa; ngakhuluma noMnz. Mudie, futhi ukwenqatshelwa kwezincwadi zethu kwesulwa ngokomthetho ngoDecember 9, 1944.

Izizathu Zokujabula

Imbangela enkulu yokujabula yaba khona ngo-1947 lapho izithunywa zevangeli zokuqala eziqeqeshwe eGileyadi zifika eNdiya. Ukufika kwazo kwenzeka ngesikhathi esifanayo nesikhathi esibucayi emladweni welaseNdiya, njengoba ngawo lowonyaka, ngoAugust 15, kwatholakala inkululeko ekubusweni yiBrithani. Lapho isizwe sihlukana siba yi-India yobuHindu nePakistan yobuMuslim, kwachitheka igazi eliningi. Naphezu kwalokhu, ababili abathola iziqu eGileyadi bathunyelwa ePakistan, eyayibe isizwe esizimele ngoAugust 14. Ngokushesha izithunywa zevangeli ezengeziwe zase zisebenza eNdiya ngokwayo, futhi eziningi ezengeziwe zafika ukuzosiza eminyakeni eyalandela.

Kwangithokozisa ngokwengeziwe lapho kuqaliswa izinqubo zokuhlela. Umsebenzi wesifunda waqala ngo-1955 lapho uDick Cotterill, owathweswa iziqu eGileyadi, emiswa njengombonisi wesifunda wokuqala. Wakhonza ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-1988. Khona-ke, ngo-1960, saba nelungiselelo lasikhathi sonke lababonisi besigodi, elazisiza kakhulu izifunda. Ngemva kuka-1966 azibange zisavunyelwa izithunywa zevangeli ezengeziwe ukuba zingene kulelizwe. Kodwa ngokushesha kwavulwa umsebenzi wamaphayona akhethekile, futhi amaphayona amaNdiya afanelekayo athunyelwa ezingxenyeni eziningi zelaseNdiya. Namuhla, kunangama-300 kulomsebenzi.

Inani labamemezeli boMbuso abayi-1 000 saze salifinyelela ngo-1958. Kodwa ngalesosikhathi ijubane lakhula, futhi manje sinabangaphezu kwezi-9 000. Ngaphezu kwalokho, inani eliyizi-24 144 lababekhona eSikhumbuzweni sethu sika-1989 libonisa ukuthi abaningi abengeziwe bafuna usizo. Manje iSri Lanka isiyigatsha elizimele. Yeka injabulo okuyiyo ukubona ukuthi manje bandile basuka kubamemezeli ababili ngo-1944 baya kwabangaphezulu kakhulu kwe-1 000 namuhla, naphezu kokulwa okuqhubekayo ezweni lakubo.

Ukwanda kwabamemezeli kuye kwasho ukwanda nasegatsheni lethu. Ngemva kokuba seBombay ephithizayo iminyaka engama-52, ihhovisi lethu lathuthela edolobheni eliseduze laseLonavla ngo-1978. Angikaze ngicabange ukuthi siyoba nemishini eyisimanje njengamacomputer eMEPS nomshini omkhulu wokunyathelisa onemibala emibili onyathelisa izincwadi ngezilimi eziningi zaseNdiya. Namuhla, sinyathelisa INqabayokulinda ngezilimi eziyi-9 nezinye izincwadi ngezilimi ezihlukahlukene ezingama-20.

Akudingekile nokuthi ngisho, kade zadlula izinsuku zehhovisi legatsha elinabantu ababili. Manje sinomkhaya waseBethel onamalungu angaphezu kwama-60! Njengoba ngineminyaka engama-95 ubudala, ngiyajabula ukuthi ngisesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele ehhovisi legatsha futhi ngikhonza njengelungu leKomiti Yegatsha LaseNdiya. Futhi ngijabula ngokukhethekile ngokuzibonela umsebenzi wokuvuna kulezinsuku zokugcina. Ngempela, yindaba ejabulisayo.