‘Ukuphila Nginosuku Lukajehova Engqondweni’

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA ULYLE REUSCH

NGOKWENKUMBULO yami kusukela ngisemncane, ukuphila komkhaya wakithi kwakugxile enkolelweni eqinile yezwe elisha elizayo lokulunga. Umama wami nobaba babesifundela thina bantwana eBhayibhelini ‘ngamazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha,’ ‘nangenkomo nebhere kuklaba, ingonyama idla utshani njengenkabi, nomntwana omncane ekuqhuba.’ Babekwenza kube ngokoqobo, ngangizibona ngiyilowomntwana omncane.—2 Petru 3:11-13; Isaya 11:6-9.

Ngawo-1890 umkhulu wami, uAugust Reusch, wafunda amaqiniso eBhayibheli ayisisekelo ngokubhalelana noCharles T. Russell. Washumayela kakhulu ekhayeni lakhe nasezindaweni ezilizungezile eNorthwest Territory eCanada, manje esiyiYorkton, iSaskatchewan. Ngokuphindaphindiwe wayeluleka amadodana akhe: “Bafana bami, qaphelani u-1914!” Ukuqiniseka ngokuthi usuku lukaJehova lwaluseduze kakhulu kwabangela ubaba wami waba nomuzwa wokuphuthuma owaqhubeka ukhona kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe futhi lokho bekulokhu kuyindlela yokuphila kimi.

UMama noBaba babewukwenziwa samuntu komoya wokungenisa izihambi. Iqembu lokufunda iBhayibheli iEcclesia of Bible Students laseSaskatoon, eSaskatchewan lalihlangana njalo ekhaya kithi. Izikhonzi ezijikelezayo (ezazibizwa ngokuthi amapilgrim) njalo zazihlala ekhaya kithi. Mina nomfowethu, uVerne, nodadewethu, uVera, sazuza ngokomoya. Njalo kwakuba khona umuzwa wokuba ngokoqobo kwesigijimi soMbuso nesidingo esiphuthumayo sokutshela abanye ngaso. (Mathewu 24:14) Angizange ngiqaphele ukuthi eminyakeni ezayo ngangizosebenzisa ingxenye enkulu yokuphila kwami ngiqhuba umsebenzi walamapilgrim ngokukhonza njengombonisi ojikelezayo woFakazi BakaJehova.

Ngo-1927, uBaba wathuthela wonke umkhaya eBerkeley, eCalifornia. Khona-ke, phakathi nesikhathi sokungabikho kwemali okukhulu ngo-1933, ngaphothula esikoleni esiphakeme. Mina nomfowethu, uVerne, sazibona sinenhlanhla ngokuthola umsebenzi efekthri yakwaFord Motor Company eRichmond, eCalifornia. Nokho, ngolunye usuku entwasahlobo yango-1935, ngacabanga: ‘Uma kumelwe ngisebenze kanzima, ngingakwazi futhi nokukusebenzela kanzima okuthile okunenzuzo.’ Ngalolosuku ngesula emsebenzini, futhi ngosuku olulandelayo ngabhala ngicela iphepha lesicelo senkonzo yaseBethel, endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova, eBrooklyn, eNew York. Ngemva kokuya emhlanganweni othakazelisayo owawuseWashington, D.C., ngoJune 1935, ngamukelwa ukuba ngikhonze eBethel.

Inkonzo YaseBethel

UNathan Knorr, umphathi wefekthri, wangabela ukuba ngisebenze emnyango wokulondolozwa kwesakhiwo. Ngangisebenza ngedwa. Njengebhungu elineminyaka engu-20, ngazizwa ngibaluleke kakhulu. Ngangihamba kunoma iyiphi ingxenye yefekthri ngenkululeko, futhi akekho owayengibuza ukuthi ngenzani. Umzalwan’ uKnorr wayazisa indlela engangiwenza ngayo umsebenzi wami, kodwa wabona ukuthi nginenkinga yesimo sengqondo. Waqhubeka ezama ukungithonyela ukuba ngibe nokuthobeka.

Nokho, kwangithatha isikhathi ukuba ngibone ukuthi uMzalwan’ uKnorr wayezama ukungisiza ngempela. Ngakho ngaxolisa ngenxa yesimo sami sengqondo futhi ngazwakalisa ukuzimisela kwami ukusithuthukisa. Lokho kwaba ukuqala kobuhlobo obathatha isikhathi eside nobufudumele noMzalwan’ uKnorr, ngoJanuary 1942 owaba ngumongameli wesithathu weWatch Tower Society.

Ngaphezu kokwenza umsebenzi wokulondoloza, ngafunda ukusebenzisa eminingi yemishini yalapho okwakuhlanganiswa khona izincwadi noma ngisize kuyo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngenza umsebenzi wasehhovisi, ngibhala futhi ngithumela iziyalo zomsebenzi efekthri. Intwasahlobo nehlobo kwango-1943 kwakuyizikhathi ezimatasa nezithakazelisa ngokukhethekile. Izwe laliphakathi neMpi Yezwe II, futhi oFakazi BakaJehova babekhuthazelela ukuhlukunyezwa, ukuboshwa, kanye nezigwebo zasejele ngenxa yazo zonke izinhlobo zamacala okungalungi. Ngo-1940 Inkantolo Ephakeme yaseU.S. yayikhiphe umthetho wokuthi izikole zazingafuna ukuba abafundi bakhulekele ifulege. Lokhu kwaqalisa igagasi lobudlova emibusweni engu-44 kwengu-48 eyayikhona ngalesosikhathi. Abantwana boFakazi baxoshwa ezikoleni, abazali baboshwa, futhi izixuku zaxosha oFakazi edolobheni. Abantu badutshulwa, abanye bagcotshwa ngetiyela base benanyekwa izimpaphe.

Njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova nabo babelwa ezinkantolo, umsebenzi omningi obhalwayo owawuyizincwadi zesinqumo sasenkantolo, izincwadi zabameli abazikhipha ngaphambi kokuqula icala, nezincwadi ezibhalwa izisebenzi zeNhlangano zomnyango wezomthetho zaziza kimi ukuba ngizinyathelise. Sonke sasisebenza amahora amaningi isikhathi esengeziwe ukuze sihlangabezane nezikhathi ezazifuneka ngazo. Izinqumo zeNkantolo Ephakeme ezaba umphumela ngoMay nangoJune wango-1943—lapho amacala angu-12 kwangu-13 ethetha oFakazi BakaJehova—zaba yingxenye yombhalo ogciniwe womlando wezomthetho. Ngiyabonga ngokuzibonela ngawami indlela uJehova ayivula ngayo indlela ekuvikeleni nasekumiseni ngokomthetho izindaba ezinhle.—Filipi 1:7, NW.

Isikole SeNkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini

Ngezinye izindlela ngalezo zinsuku sasingakuhlomele ngokwanele ukufeza umsebenzi omkhulu owabikezelwa kuMathewu 24:14, ‘owukushumayela ivangeli lombuso ezweni lonke ngaphambi kokuba kufike ukuphela.’ UMzalwan’ uKnorr, njengomongameli weNhlangano, wabona isidingo sokuba kube nesimiso sokufundisa. Ngikanye namanye amalungu esilisa omkhaya waseBethel, ngathola isimemo sokubhalisela “Imfundo Ethuthukile Enkonzweni Engokwasezulwini.” Lokhu ekugcineni kwathuthukela ekubeni Isikole SeNkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini, ebesilokhu sisebenza emabandleni oFakazi BakaJehova kusukela ngo-1943.

Sahlangana egunjini lokuqhubela imihlangano lomkhaya waseBethel ngoMsombuluko kusihlwa, ngoFebruary 16, 1942, futhi uMzalwan’ uKnorr wabeka inkulumo yakhe yokuqala yokuyala. Isihloko sakhe sasithi “Imibhalo Yesandla YeBhayibheli.” UMzalwan’ uT. J. Sullivan wayengumbonisi wesikole futhi wasinikeza izeluleko zokusisiza ukuba sithuthuke. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi nganikezwa lesisabelo sokuba ngumbonisi wesikole saseBethel, engasibheka njengelungelo elikhulu. Kodwa kwaphinda kwaba isikhathi sokuyalwa.

Ngangibe ngogxeka kakhulu futhi ngantula inhlonipho efanele ekwelulekeni umzalwane osekhulile, ngakho uMzalwan’ uKnorr wangitshela ngokungagunci: “Akekho umuntu ojabulayo lapho usebenzisa igunya lakho ngendlela ecasulayo.” Lapho eseyikhanyise kahle indaba futhi nezindlebe sezibomvu yindumalo, amehlo kaMzalwan’ uKnorr amakhulu ansundu aqala ukuba nomusa. Ngezwi elinomusa, wafunda IHubo 141:5: “Olungile makangishaye; kuzoba ngumusa: futhi makangisole; kuzoba ngamafutha amahle kakhulu, angasoze aliphihliza ikhanda lami.” (King James Version) Ngiye ngawusebenzisa izikhathi eziningi lowombhalo lapho kuye kwaba umthwalo wami wemfanelo khona ukuba nginikeze abanye iseluleko sokuba balungise.

Ngaphambi kokuba kuqale Isikole SeNkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini, bambalwa kithi ababenethuba lokukhuluma obala. Lapho uMzalwan’ uRutherford efa, uMzalwan’ uKnorr wasebenza kanzima ukuze athuthukise ikhono lakhe lokukhuluma. Ikamelo lami laseBethel lalingezansi kwelakhe, futhi ngangimuzwa lapho eprakthiza inkulumo yakhe. Izikhathi eziningi nje impela, wayeyifundela phezulu inkulumo yakhe yeningi eyayithi “Peace—Can It Last?” (Ukuthula—Ingabe Kungaba Okuhlala Njalo?) ngaphambi kokuba ayinikeze emhlanganweni owawuseCleveland ngo-1942.

Endleleni

Ngemva kokukhonza iminyaka engu-13 eBethel, uMzalwan’ uKnorr wangabela ukuba ngikhonze ensimini njengombonisi wesigodi. Lapho engithi fahla ngesabelo sami esisha, wathi: “Lyle, manje usunethuba lokuzibonela ngokwakho indlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo nabantu bakhe.” Ngicabanga ngalokhu futhi ngiphethe amapotimende amabili, ngaqalisa umsebenzi wami njengombonisi ojikelezayo ngoMay 15, 1948. Ngaphambi kokuqalisa umsebenzi wesigodi, ngakhonza njengombonisi wesifunda izinyanga ezimbalwa.

Inkampane yokuqala, noma ibandla, engayikhonza kwakuyinkampane encane yasemaphandleni eWaseca, eMinnesota. Ngangibhalele uDick Cain kusengaphambili, inceku yenkampane (njengoba umbonisi owengamele ayebizwa kanjalo ngalesosikhathi) ukuba angihlangabeze esitimeleni. Wayeyiphayona elikhethekile, futhi ukuze anciphise izindleko, wayesanda kuthutha ekamelweni lakhe ayeliqashile, ayehlala kulo ebusika, waya endaweni yakhe yokuhlala yasehlobo, etendeni. Nokho, eMinnesota ngoMay akusona ngempela isikhathi sasehlobo! Ngalobobusuku, ngiqhaqhazela etendeni, ngazibuza ukuthi ngangiyifanelekela yini ngokwemvelo lendlela yokuphila. Ngaba nomkhuhlane omubi kakhulu owathatha amasonto amaningi, kodwa ngalulama.

Phakathi naleyominyaka yokuqala lapho ngihambela amabandla ahlukene nezifunda, ngangihlala emakhaya abazalwane futhi enganginakho kwakuyipotimende kuphela. Ngabhekana nazo zonke izinhlobo zezindawo zokuhlala, kuhlanganise nokulala phansi ekhishini, kosofa basemagunjini okuphumula, emakamelweni angaphansi kophahla ashisayo angenazo izimbobo zokungenisa umoya. Ngezinye izikhathi ngangihlala emakhaya lapho ilungu lomkhaya laliphikisana khona nezinkolelo zethu. EWisconsin indoda engakholwa yayingijamela isonto lonke uma ngifika futhi ngihamba. Lapho ifika ekhaya iphuzile ngobunye ubusuku, ngayizwa isongela ngokuthi “izomdubula lowo siban’bani,” ngaphetha ngokuthi kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba ngihambe. Kodwa okuhlangenwe nakho okungekuhle kwakungavamile ngokuqhathaniswa futhi kwakumane nje kwenezele ubumnandi besabelo sami. Kwakungokuthile ongakuhleka kamuva.

Ngithola Umngane

Ngikhumbula kahle. Emhlanganweni wesifunda eTiffin, eOhio, ngahlangana nentokazi enhle, enamehlo ansundu, uLeona Ehrman, yaseFort Wayne, eIndiana. Nayo yayikhulele okholweni lobuKristu futhi yayisiye yaba yiphayona elithembekile iminyaka ethile. Ngenxa yokuthi ngangijikeleza njalo akuzange kube nokuqomisana kwangempela, kodwa sasixhumana ngokubhalelana. Khona-ke, ngo-1952, ngayibuza, “Singashada yini?” yona yathi, “Yebo kulungile!” ngakho kwaba njalo. Ngokuvamile siye sabuzwa ukuthi kungani singazange sizinze sibe nekhaya nomkhaya, kodwa siye sathi sinawo umkhaya—abafowethu, odadewethu, obaba nomama emazweni engu-44 lapho esiye sakhonza khona.—Marku 10:29, 30.

Abanye baye babuza, ‘Akuzange kwenzeke nikhathale nizizwe nifuna ukuyeka?’ Yebo, izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa. Kodwa phakathi kwethu sobabili, lapho omunye ezizwa ephansi, omunye uyaqhubeka. Ngesinye isikhathi ngaze ngabhalela ngisho nomfowethu, uVerne, ngimbuza ukuthi kungenzeka yini ngisebenze naye ebhizinisini lakhe lokupenda. Waphendula ngokuthi njalo wayelokhu ebheke phambili kulokho ngoba sasizwana kakhulu lapho sisakhula. Nokho, wangeluleka ukuba ngisicabangele kahle isinqumo sami. Khona-ke ngakhumbula amazwi uMzalwan’ uKnorr ayevame ukuwaphindaphinda kumalungu omkhaya waseBethel: “Akudingi umzamo omkhulu ukuyeka; kudinga isibindi nobuqotho ukubambelela esabelweni sakho.” Leso kwakuseyiseluleko esihle.

Akekho umbonisi ojikelezayo ongabambelela isikhathi eside esabelweni sakhe ngaphandle kokuba umkakhe ethembekile futhi emsekela, njengoba uLeona eye waba njalo kimi. Ubuntu bakhe bokuba nobungane nothando nesimo sengqondo sokuhlala njalo ejabule kuye kwamenza wathandwa abaningi emabandleni. Angilokothi ngikhathale ukumtshela indlela engimthanda ngayo. Ngiyaqiniseka ngokuthi, lokho kuyamsiza ukuba naye abambelele emsebenzini.

Ukubona Isibusiso SikaJehova

Umsebenzi oyinhloko wombonisi wesigodi ugxile emhlanganweni wesifunda, lapho ekhonza khona isonto ngalinye njengosihlalo, isikhulumi sasobala nokuba umbonisi wesikole. Isibusiso sikaJehova kulelilungiselelo sibonakala eqinisweni lokuthi kulawomakhulu emihlangano yesifunda engangiyinakekela, akukho nowodwa ongazange uqhutshwe. Yiqiniso, eminye yayiphazanyiswa, kodwa akukho nowodwa okwathiwa ngeke usaba khona.

EWooster, eOhio, entwasahlobo ka-1950, njengoba ngangimemezela ingoma yokuphetha yesimiso sangoMgqibelo ebusuku, kwabuthana isixuku sabaphikisi abangaphezu kwenkulungwane ngaphandle kwenkundla okwakuqhutshelwa kuyo umhlangano. Lesixuku sasiphethe amakesi amaqanda abolile esasizosijikijela ngawo uma sesihamba. Ngakho sahlola isimo futhi sagcina isimiso siqhubeka ngezingoma, okuhlangenwe nakho, nangezinkulumo zeBhayibheli ezilungiselelwe ngalesosikhathi. OFakazi abangu-800 bahlala ngesizotha nangokubekezela.

Ngo-2:00 ekuseni, isimo sezulu sasibanda kakhulu. Njengokungathi balungiselela ukuba siphume, abalindi bakhipha amapayipi amanzi okucisha umlilo futhi baqala ukuhlanza amaqanda ayewele phansi onqenqemeni lomgwaqo olungaphambili. Isixuku saphinde sabuthana futhi, sishiya ukuthokomala kwesikhungo samabhasi esiseduze. Kodwa isenzo sabalindi sasimane nje singesokudukisa umkhondo, futhi thina sakhipha izilaleli ngokuthula ngesango elingasemuva. Zonke zahamba ngokuphepha zaya ezimotweni zazo. Ukuphazamisa kwezixuku kwenzeka kweminye imihlangano eyayiseOhio, eCanton, eDefiance naseChillicothe. Kodwa ubudlova bezixuku babuya ngokuya buncipha, njengoba ekugcineni izinqumo zeNkantolo Ephakeme yaseU.S. ezazisivuna zase ziqala ukuba nomphumela kwabangenamthetho.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi izinkinga zempilo zenza kwadingeka ukuba kube noshintsho. Ngakho phakathi nawo-1970, iNhlangano ngomusa yangabela ukuba ngikhonze njengombonisi wesifunda endaweni eseningizimu California lapho amabandla ayakhelene khona nalapho izindawo zokunakekela impilo zitholakala kalula khona. Njengoba imisebenzi yombonisi wesigodi ihilela ukuhamba okwengeziwe nokunakekela izifunda eziningi, imisebenzi yombonisi wesifunda ihilela ukuhlela imihlangano yesifunda kanye nokwaba nokuprakthizisa izingxenye zesimiso. Ngaphezu kwalokho, Izikole Zenkonzo Zamaphayona zidinga ukuhlelwa nokukhonzwa. Ngakho umsebenzi wababonisi abajikelezayo, kungaba abesigodi noma abesifunda, uyindlela yokuphila yesikhathi esigcwele nenomvuzo.

Ngisalindele Usuku LukaJehova

Ngokwenkumbulo yami kusukela ngisemncane eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-70 edlule, njalo ngiye ngaba nomuzwa ojulile wokuphuthuma. Emcabangweni wami, njalo iArmagedoni iye yaba yinto ezokwenzeka ngomhlomunye. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Njengobaba wami, nanjengoyise ngaphambi kwakhe, ngiye ngaphila ukuphila kwami njengoba umphostoli anxusa, ‘ngigcina ukuba khona kosuku lukaJehova kusengqondweni.’ Njalo ngiye ngabheka izwe elisha elithenjisiwe ‘njengento engokoqobo nakuba ingakabonakali.’—2 Petru 3:11, 12, NW; Heberu 11:1, NW.

Lelithemba elagxiliswa kimi kusukela ebuntwaneni ngokushesha lizogcwaliseka. “Inkomo nebhere kuyakuklaba,” “ingonyama idle utshani njengenkabi,” futhi ‘umntwana omncane uyakukuqhuba.’ (Isaya 11:6-9) Izithembiso ezinjalo ezijabulisayo ziqinisekiswa amazwi kaJesu awatshela uJohane encwadini yesAmbulo 21:5: “Wayesethi ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi: Bheka, ngenza konke kube-kusha. Wathi: Loba, ngokuba lawamazwi athembekile, aqinisile.”