Ukuthembela KuJehova Kuletha Injabulo

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUJACK HALLIDAY NATHAN

Mhlawumbe wake wasizwa lesisaga, “Uphakathi komhlane nembeleko.” (EsesiNgisi sithi, “Wazalwa enokhezo lwesiliva emlonyeni.”) Empeleni, lapho ngizalwa emuva ngo-1897, lokhu kwakucishe kube yiqiniso langokoqobo endabeni yami.

KWAKUWUNYAKA wama-60 wokubusa kweNdlovukazi uVictoria, unyaka wokugujwa kokubusa kwakhe. Abantwana abazalwa ngalowonyaka eNgilandi babephiwa ukhezo lwesiliva. UMbuso wamaNgisi wawuseqophelweni eliphezulu lodumo, uvuna izinzuzo zeNguquko Yezemisebenzi ekhaya nezohwebo ezichumayo emakoloni asathuthuka phesheya kwezilwandle.

Umkhulu wami wayengumJuda, futhi ubaba waba isazi sesiHeberu, enolwazi oluhle lwemiBhalo yesiHeberu. Kodwa ugogo wayeyindodakazi yombhishobhi waseSheshi, futhi ngenxa yethonya lakhe, ubaba wamukela uJesu Kristu njengoMesiya. Izincwadi zikaCharles Taze Russell zabathonya bobabili abazali bami, ngakho asizange sikholelwe kuZiqu-zintathu noma emfundisweni yesihogo somlilo.

Ngenkathi ngiseyingane, amahhashi ayeseyiyona ndlela eyinhloko yokuthutha eNgilandi, futhi kwakusenamakalishi angadonswa-hhashi ambalwa, noma izimoto. Ngo-1913, ngenxa yothando lwami ngamahhashi, ngajoyina iqembu lezokuthutha ngamahhashi lebutho lasendaweni yakithi (ibutho elibheke izimo eziphuthumayo). Lapho kugqashuka iMpi Yezwe I, ngadluliselwa emabuthweni avamile futhi ngathunyelwa ngomkhumbi lapho ibambene khona eGrisi, lapho engathola khona isifo sikamalaleveva. Kamuva, ngathunyelwa entshonalanga lapho ibambene khona eFrance njengesosha elilwa ngesibhamu esizishintshayo futhi ekugcineni ngabanjwa ngamaJalimane njengesiboshwa ngo-1917.

Ukuthola Injongo Ekuphileni ENdiya

Ngemva kokuphela kwempi ngo-1918, umsebenzi wawungatholakali eNgilandi, ngakho ngabuyela emabuthweni futhi ngaya eNdiya njengengxenye yebutho lesikhathi sokuthula. NgoMay 1920 umalaleveva wavuka futhi, ngabe sengithunyelwa phezulu emagqumeni ukuze ngilulame. Ngilapho ngafunda zonke izincwadi engangingazithola, kuhlanganise neBhayibheli. Ukufunda imiBhalo kwakhulisa isithakazelo sami ekubuyeni kweNkosi.

Ezinyangeni ezithile kamuva, phansi eKanpur, ngaqalisa iqembu lokutadisha iBhayibheli nginethemba lokufunda okwengeziwe ngokubuya kweNkosi. Kulapho lapho ngahlangana khona noFredrick James, owayekade eyisosha eliyiNgisi manje owayesenguMfundi WeBhayibheli oshisekayo. Wangichazela ukuthi uJesu wayekhona kusukela ngo-1914, engabonakali kubantu. Lezi kwakuyizindaba ezivusa amadlingozi kakhulu kwengase ngike ngazizwa. Isifiso sami sokuqala saba ukuba ngiphume emabuthweni. Ukuchitheka kwegazi nokufa kwamasosha aseYurophu kwakunginengile. Ngangifuna ukuba yisithunywa sevangeli esinokuthula ngishumayele lezindaba ezinhle mayelana nokuba khona kukaKristu.

Nokho, abazange bavume ukungikhulula emabuthweni. Esikhundleni salokho, bangithumela entshonalanga nelaseNdiya, manje osekuyiPakistan. Ngenkathi ngilapho, ngafunda incwadi ethi Studies in the Scriptures, eyayibhalwe nguCharles Taze Russell, futhi ngaqiniseka kunanini ngaphambili ukuthi kwakumelwe ngisabele obizweni lokushumayela. Ngaqala ukuba namaphupho asabisayo ayengishiya ngicindezelekile. Ngikhathazekile ngabhalela uMzalwan’ uJames, owangimemela emzini wakhe eKanpur. Usuku engafika ngalo kwakuyiSikhumbuzo sokufa kweNkosi. Lolosuku lwakuthinta kakhulu ukuphila kwami—nganquma kokubili ukungashadi nokwenza inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ibe umgomo wami ekuphileni.

Emuva ENgilandi

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1921, ngathunyelwa emuva eNgilandi, futhi entwasahlobo ka-1922, ngakhululwa emabuthweni. Ngalelohlobo uJ. F. Rutherford, umongameli wesibili weWatch Tower Society, weza eNgilandi, futhi ngahamba nabazali bami ukuyokuzwa inkulumo yakhe eRoyal Albert Hall, eLondon. Kamuva, ngashukunyiselwa ukuba nginikele ngenkonzo yami eBethel, njengoba amahhovisi egatsha eWatch Tower Society ebizwa kanjalo, kodwa ngakhuthazwa ngomusa ukuba ngenze umsebenzi wamacolporteur (ukushumayela isikhathi esigcwele) kuqala. Ngakho ngashiya emsebenzini wami futhi ngamukela isabelo sensimu eningizimu yeNgilandi. Ngingenakho okuhlangenwe nakho, nginecrown (u-R1,30) esikhwameni, nokwethembela kuJehova, ngaqalisa umsebenzi wami njengesikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele. Cishe ngoMarch 1924, ngamenyelwa eBethel.

Nokho, ngonyaka olandelayo, ngacelwa ukuba ngihambe eBethel, futhi ngangidumazekile, nginomuzwa wokuthi ngijeziselwa okuthile engingenacala ngakho. Kulesosikhathi esifushane, iBethel yayisibe ukuphila kwami. Kodwa ngokubeka lenkinga phambi kukaJehova ngomthandazo nokwethembela ekutheni intando yakhe yayizokwenzeka, ngakwazi ukuqhubeka ngenjabulo esabelweni sobuphayona engasinikwa. NgoMay 1926, ngaphinde ngamenyelwa eBethel, lapho ngahlala khona iminyaka engu-11 eyalandela.

UMzalwan’ uRutherford wabuye wahambela eNgilandi ngo-1936 futhi wangimema ukuba ngiye eCanada ukuze ngihlanganyele emsebenzini woMbuso lapho. Nokho, ngenxa yokungaqondi okuthile, ngazibangela ukwenqatshwa uMzalwan’ uRutherford ngokwembula ukwaziswa okuthile okuyisifuba. Ngisawakhumbula amazwi akhe aqondile: “Jack, angikwethembi. Dabula amathikithi akho!” Yeka okuhlangenwe nakho okudumazayo! Kodwa kwakuyisiyalo esasidingeke kakhulu, futhi kamuva, sinomunye umzalwane, ngabelwa njengephayona izinyanga eziyisishiyagalombili ezalandela. Lelilungelo lenkonzo langitakula ekudangaleni kwami, futhi ngafunda kulesosiyalo.

Inkonzo Eyandisiwe ECanada

Cishe ngemva konyaka kamuva phakathi nokuhambela kwakhe okulandelayo eNgilandi, uMzalwan’ uRutherford wayiphakamisa futhi indaba yaseCanada. Ngangizimisele ngalelothuba futhi ngaphandle kokuthandabuza ngamukela isabelo lapho. Ngemva kokukhonza izinyanga ezimbalwa eBethel yaseCanada, ngabelwa njengommeleli weNhlangano eningizimu-ntshonalanga Ontario. Amabandla amaningi lapho ayemancane futhi edinga isikhuthazo kakhulu. Kodwa yeka injabulo leyominyaka eyayiyiyo, naphezu kobunzima obungokwenyama ngenxa yezimo zezulu ezinzima nezinto zokuhamba ezingaqinisekile!

Ngeke ngiyikhohlwe imfudumalo nokwazisa okungokomoya kwelinye ibandla elincane lamaNdiya omdabu eduze naseBrantford. Kwakusebusika, futhi iqhwa lalijulile, lenza kube nzima ngemoto yami eyiModel T Ford ukuba ihambe. Ngangingalindelwe muntu, futhi lapho ngifika, ngathola ukuthi abazalwane babeye ehlathini beyotheza. Ngakho ngaya kobafuna, iqhwa lifika okhalweni. Ekugcineni lapho ngifika kubona, bamangala, nokho bejabule, ukungibona. Babeka phansi konke, baya ekhaya, balungiselela umhlangano ngakho lokho kuhlwa.

EBeamsville eseduze, ngikanye nabazalwane abathembekile salwisana izinyanga eziningi nabadala ababemiswe ngokuvotelwa kanye nezihlubuki. Yeka ilungelo okwakuyilo ukubona indlela umoya kaJehova owasebenza ngayo ekulungiseni lesosimo! Ukuthembela kuJehova nokwethembeka enhlanganweni yakhe kwaphumela ezibusisweni eziningi ngamabandla kuleyominyaka yokuqala. Abantwana abaningi bakhula bangenela izinhlu zamaphayona, baya eBethel, bajabulela izabelo zezithunywa zevangeli, futhi baba ababonisi abajikelezayo. Angikayikhohlwa injabulo yokuhlala nemikhaya yamaKristu ethembekile eyaveza intsha enhle kangaka. Lemikhaya yaba umkhaya wami, nabantwana bayo baba abantwana bami.

Iminyaka Yangaphansi Kokuvinjelwa

Phakathi nokudideka kwangesikhathi sempi ngo-1940, umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wavinjelwa. Yeka ukushaqeka! Izimemezelo zomsakazo ezixhaswe nguhulumeni zasiyala ukuba siyise izincwadi zethu, imibhalo egciniwe yebandla, nezihluthulelo zamaHholo oMbuso emaphoyiseni. Ngibona ukuphuthuma kwesimo, ngaya kuwo wonke amabandla ngiwanxusa ukuba afihle izincwadi zawo kanye nemibhalo egciniwe. Abazalwane bakhuthazwa ukuba bahlangane emakhaya angasese, ekhaya elihlukile isonto ngalinye. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi amabandla ayivuselela inkonzo yendlu ngendlu, kusetshenziswa iBhayibheli kuphela. Lokhu kwabonakala kuyisibusiso, njengoba sonke safunda ukusebenzisa amaBhayibheli ethu kangcono.

Kamuva kulowonyaka sathola izindodla zencwajana ethi End of Nazism zivela eUnited States. Ukungenisa lezincwajana ezivinjelwe eCanada kwakudinga ubuhlakani obukhulu. Abanye abazalwane babegibelisa amasosha ayecela ukukhwezwa, ayefike ahlale phezu kwamabhokisi, ngokungaqaphile evikela lezincwajana ezivinjelwe. Ngakho ngokunye ukusa ngoNovember, phakathi kwehora lesithathu nelesithupha, izwe lonke lalihlaselwe oFakazi ababeshiya ikhophi yalencwadi eminyango yamakhaya amaningi eCanada.

Phakathi naleyominyaka yokuvinjelwa, ngaqhubeka nenkonzo yamaphayona esifundeni saseCanada esisentshonalanga seBritish Columbia. Ngaphambi kokuvinjelwa, abazalwane babesebenzisa isikebhe lapho behambela abantu ababesemizaneni engasemifudlaneni engayodwa ukusuka eVancouver kuze kuyofika eAlaska. Ngenkathi ukuvinjelwa kuqala, kwakunendathane yezincwadi ezazisesikebheni, ngakho laboFakazi bazishiya kubantu abanobungane endleleni eya echwebeni lapho isikebhe sasizofika sithathwe khona ngabomthetho. Kamuva, ngathatha isikebhe sokudoba ukuze ngithole lapho lezincwadi zikhona, ngakho, ngenkathi yokudoba izinhlanzi okuthiwa amasalmon, ngahlela ukuba abazalwane bazithathe kulabantu abathakazelayo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lezincwadi zayiswa eVancouver ukuze zisakazwe yonke indawo, zifihlwé endaweni yezimpahla yezikebhe zokudoba.

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1943, sathola izindaba ezithi ukuvinjelwa koFakazi BakaJehova kwakususiwe. Nokho, kwakungasusiwe kuyiWatch Tower Society. Ngakho saqhubeka njengakuqala, sisebenzisa iBhayibheli lodwa enkonzweni yethu yendlu ngendlu. Kodwa manje sase sikwazi ukuziveza obala njengoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngenkathi ukuvinjelwa kuqala, sasinoFakazi abacishe babe ngu-6 700; lapho kususwa sasingu-11 000!

Ukuphila Njengombonisi Ojikelezayo

Njengommeleli ojikelezayo weNhlangano, ngahamba amakhilomitha angenakubalwa phakathi neminyaka embalwa eyalandela, ngisebenza namabandla futhi ngiwakhuthaza. Ebusika ngangihambisana nabazalwane ngenqola engajwayelekile okuthiwa yicaboose. Kwakuyisihlibhi esinompheme, esidonswa amahhashi, sinesitofu sezinkuni esingangenwa moya sinoshimula. Ngokuvamile, sasisuka ilanga lingakaphumi kunabagibeli abangaba yisithupha, sasihamba amakhilomitha angu-35 noma ngaphezulu eqhweni elijulile, sihambela amapulazi aseduze nendlela. Umshayeli kwakumelwe aqaphe ngoba izinqwaba zeqhwa zazingaketula lecaboose, kuchitheke abagibele kanye nomlotha oshisayo ophuma esitofini sezinkuni.

Ngo-1947, ngakhethwa ukuba ngengamele isigodi sokuqala sezwe, esahlanganisa lonke izwe. Ngangiba nomhlangano wesifunda okumelwe ngiwukhonze cishe masonto onke. Imihlangano yayiqhutshelwa ezinkundleni zeqhwa, ezinkundleni zebhola likanobhutshuzwayo, ezinkundleni zemijaho, emahholo ezinhlangano, nasemahholo omphakathi. Amalungiselelo alemibuthano ayedinga ukunakekela okukhulu ngaphambi kokuba isimiso siqale. Ngo-1950, uFrank Franske wakhethwa ukuba abe umbonisi wesigodi wesibili eCanada, futhi kamuva kwengezwa abahlanu balababonisi abajikelezayo.

Phakathi neminyaka, ngiye ngahamba ngezindiza ezincane, izikebhe zokudoba, ngezimoto zaseqhweni ezihamba kujantshi okuthiwa amabombardier, nezimoto zeqhwa ezinenjini enjengeyendiza (izinto zokuhamba ezinophephela ngemuva nezinto zokushibilika eqhweni ngaphambili njengeziqondiso), nangezindlela ezijwayeleke kakhudlwana—isitimela, ibhasi, nangemoto. Ngezinye izikhathi, sasidabula ngendiza phezu kweziqongo zeRocky Mountains, bese sehla ngokuthé ngqo siye ezigodini ezicashile ukuze sifinyelele amaqembu abazalwane angawodwa.

Ngiye ngadabula elaseCanada izikhathi eziningi. Ngiye ngahlala ezindlwaneni ezakhiwe ngezingodo ezazibanda kangangokuba sasingabona umhwamuko wokuphefumula kwethu ekuseni nasezindlini zasemapulazini ezingenazo izinto zesimanje. Nokho, kukho konke, ngaba nomuzwa omkhulu wokwaneliseka, ngazi ukuthi ngangenza umsebenzi kaJehova, ngikhuthaza abantu bakaJehova.

Amalungelo Enkonzo Engeziwe

Kuleminyaka engu-33 edlule, ngiye ngaba nelungelo lokuba yilungu lomkhaya waseBethel yaseCanada, kanye nokukhonza njengesikhulumi sasemihlanganweni emikhulu eNgilandi, eYurophu, eAfrika, eAustralia, eNew Zealand, naseMpumalanga Ekude. EAustralia, ngabona indodakazi kaMzalwan’ uJames, owayebe yisikhuthazo esikhulu kimi eNdiya. UMzalwan’ uJames akazange abe isithunywa sevangeli, kodwa wadlulisela ifa elihle elingokomoya emkhayeni wakhe.

Namuhla ngizungezwe amakhulu ezinsizwa nabesifazane abasebasha eBethel yaseCanada. Indlela abasebenzisa ngayo amandla abo obusha iyakhuthaza futhi ivuselela amandla. Amehlo ami afiphele kodwa labantu abasebasha bayangifundela. Imilenze yami isibuthaka, kodwa bayangithatha siye nabo enkonzweni yasensimini. Abanye baye babuze ukuthi ngiye ngibhekane kanjani nezinkinga zempilo ezihlobene nokukhula. Nokho, phakathi kokunye, ngitadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu zonke izinsuku. Lokhu kugcina ingqondo yami nenhliziyo kusezintweni ezingokomoya.

Ngempela, kuye kwaba ilungelo elikhulu ukuhamba nokukhuluma noBaba osezulwini, uJehova, iminyaka engu-69 yokuphila kokuzinikezela, engu-67 yayo ngiyichithe enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. UJehova ngimthole ngaso sonke isikhathi enguNkulunkulu onothando, onozwela, othethelela ubuthakathaka bobuntu futhi anikeze amandla nokuqina kulabo abamethembayo. Ithemba lami liwukugcina ubuqotho bami nokwethembeka kuJehova nasenhlanganweni yakhe kuze kube sekugcineni, ngithembela esithembisweni sokuthi ngesikhathi esifanele ngizohlangana neNkosi yami ethandekayo, uJesu Kristu, kanye nabaningi babafowethu nodade abathembekile enkazimulweni yasezulwini.—IHubo 84:12.

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Izimoto zeqhwa zazidabula izwe ngejubane lamakhilomitha angu-80 ngehora

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Ebusika, i“caboose” edonswa ngamahhashi yayisetshenziswa ekufakazeni ezinkangala zaseCanada