‘UJehova UnguNkulunkulu Wami Engiyothembela Kuye’

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUWILLI DIEHL

“Kungani ufuna ukuya eBethel?” Lona umbuzo ubaba angibuza wona entwasahlobo yango-1931 lapho ngimtshela ngesifiso sami sokuqalisa inkonzo yaseBethel. Abazali bami, ababehlala eSaarland, base beseqinisweni iminyaka engacishe ibe yishumi, futhi babebekele thina bafana abathathu isibonelo esihle. Babephila ngeqiniso kukho konke ukuphila kwabo, futhi nami ngangifuna ukuphila ngalo.

KODWA kwenzeka kanjani ukuba abazali bami bafunde ngoJehova nangentando yakhe engcwele? Benganelisiwe yinkolo ehleliwe, base beye bafuna iqiniso isikhathi eside. Bazama izinhlobonhlobo zamasonto namahlelo, nakuwo bethola ukuthi alikho elibalungele.

Ngolunye usuku kwashiywa isimemo ekhaya esasimemezela inkulumo eyayizochazwa ngezithombe nefilimu ekhuluma ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu ebizwa ngokuthi i“Photo-Drama of Creation.” UBaba wayezokuya emsebenzini ngenkathi kuboniswa i“Photo-Drama,” kodwa wakhuthaza uMama ukuba aye. Wathi: “Mhlawumbe kungaba khona okuthile okuyinzuzo.” Ngemva kokuyibona ngalobobusuku, uMama wahlatshwa umxhwele kakhulu. Wathi: “Ngaze ngalithola ekugcineni! Woza uzozibonela kusasa kusihlwa. Yilo kanye iqiniso ebesilokhu silifuna.” Lokho kwenzeka ngo-1921.

NjengamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya, abazali bami bahlala bethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni, uBaba washona ngo-1944, ngemva kokuboshwa amaNazi izikhathi eziningana, uMama washona ngo-1970. Naye wahlala isikhathi eside ejele ngaphansi kokubusa kwamaNazi.

Intshiseko Yabazali Bami Eyisibonelo

Ngaphambi kokuba bafe, abazali bami babekhuthele kakhulu enkonzweni yasensimini. UMama wayeshisekela ikakhulukazi ukusakaza amazwi esinqumo asemihlanganweni akhishwa kusukela ngo-1922 kuya ku-1928. Isihloko esithi Ecclesiastics Indicted, esasinezwi lesinqumo elamukelwa ngo-1924 sasibagxeka ngokungagunci abefundisi. Ukulisakaza kwakudinga isibindi. Abamemezeli babevuka ngehora lesine ekuseni, beshutheka amapheshana ngaphansi kweminyango. Nakuba ngangineminyaka engu-12 kuphela ubudala, abazali bami bangivumela ukuba ngihlanganyele kukho. Sasivame ukuqala ngehora lesihlanu ekuseni, sigibela amabhayisikili amahora amathathu kuya kwamane ukuze sifinyelele ensimini ekude. Sasifihla amabhayisikili ezihlahleni, futhi ngangiwaqapha lapho abanye besebenza edolobhaneni elithile. Ntambama sasishova siye ekhaya, futhi kusihlwa sasihamba ngezinyawo isikhathi esingangehora siya emhlanganweni.

Kamuva, kwase kushiywa othile omncane kunami ukuba aqaphe amabhayisikili, bese kuthi mina ngihambisane nabamemezeli. Kodwa akekho owacabanga ngokungiqeqesha. Babemane bangitshele ukuthi ngisebenze kumuphi umgwaqo! Inhliziyo ishaya ngamandla nganyonyoba ngaya endlini yokuqala, ngithemba ukuthi kwakungekho muntu. Ngeshwa, indoda ethile yavula umnyango. Koma amathe. Ngiswele engizokusho, ngakhomba incwadi esesikhwameni sami. “Ingabe ivela kuMahluleli uRutherford?” ibuza. Ngaphendula ngokungingiza. “Ingabe ngentsha, okungenzeka ukuthi anginayo?” “Yebo, yintsha,” ngivuma. “Khona-ke kumelwe ngiyithole. Iyimalini?” Lokhu kwanginikeza isibindi sokuba ngiqhubeke.

Ngo-1924 abantu abadala babevame ukukhuluma ngo-1925. Sake sahambela umkhaya wabaFundi BeBhayibheli, futhi ngezwa omunye umzalwane ebuza: “Uma iNkosi isithatha, kuzokwenzekani ngabantwana bethu?” UMama, kwazise wayehlala enesimo sengqondo esiqondile, waphendula: “INkosi iyazi ukuthi iyobanakekela kanjani.” Lendaba yangihlaba umxhwele. Kwakusho ukuthini konke lokhu? Unyaka ka-1925 wafika wadlula, akwenzekanga lutho. Nokho, intshiseko yabazali bami ayizange iphele.

Isiyalo SikaBaba Esihlakaniphile

Ekugcineni, ngo-1931, ngatshela ubaba ukuthi ngangifuna ukwenzani ngokuphila kwami. “Kungani ufuna ukuya eBethel?” kubuza ubaba. “Ngoba ngifuna ukukhonza uJehova,” ngiphendula. “Ake sithi uyemukelwa eBethel,” eqhubeka. “Uyaqaphela yini ukuthi abazalwane lapho abazona izingelosi? Abaphelele futhi bayawenza amaphutha. Nginovalo lokuthi lokhu kungakwenza ubaleke futhi ulahle ngisho nokholo. Qiniseka ngokuthi ucabangisise kahle ngakho.”

Ngethuka lapho ngizwa into enjalo, kodwa ngemva kokukucabangisisa kahle izinsuku ezithile, ngasiphinda isifiso sami sokufaka isicelo senkonzo yaseBethel. Wathi: “Ake uphinde ungitshele ukuthi kungani ufuna ukuya khona.” Ngaphinda: “Ngoba ngifuna ukukhonza uJehova.” “Mfana wami, ungalokothi ukukhohlwe lokho. Uma ubizwa, khumbula ukuthi kungani uya lapho. Uma ubona okuthile okungalungile, ungakhathazeki ngokweqile. Ngisho nalapho uphathwa ngendlela engafanele, ungabaleki. Ungalokothi ukhohlwe isizathu sokuya kwakho eBethel—ngoba ufuna ukukhonza uJehova! Unake umsebenzi wakho futhi uthembele kuye.”

Ngakho kwakuntambama ngoNovember 17, 1931, lapho ngifika eBethel eBern, eSwitzerland. Ngahlala ekamelweni nabanye abathathu futhi ngasebenza emshinini wokunyathelisa, ngifunda ukusebenzisa umshini wokunyathelisa omncane ofakwa iphepha ngesandla. Enye yezinto zokuqala engazabelwa ukuba ngizinyathelise kwakuyiNqabayokulinda ngesiRomania.

Isigijimi Esivela Ezulwini!

Ngo-1933 iNhlangano yanyathelisa incwajana ethi The Crisis, eyayiqukethe izinkulumo ezintathu zasemsakazweni uMfoweth’ uRutherford ayezibeke eUnited States. UMfoweth’ uHarbeck, inceku yegatsha, wazisa umkhaya waseBethel lapho kudliwa ekuseni ngolunye usuku ukuthi lencwajana yayizosakazwa ngendlela ekhethekile. Amapheshana ayizimemezelo ayezosakazwa ngendiza encane eyayiqashiwe eyayizondiza phezu kweBern, kuyilapho abamemezeli babezobe bemi emigwaqweni behambisela umphakathi lencwajana. Wabuza: “Ubani phakathi kwenu nina bazalwane abasebasha ozimisele ukuhamba ngendiza? Sinikezeni amagama enu ngokushesha.” Ngakwenza, futhi uMfoweth’ uHarbeck kamuva wamemezela ukuthi ngangikhethiwe.

Ngalolosuku olukhulu, sahamba namabhokisi amaningi anamapheshana saya esikhumulweni sezindiza. Ngahlala ngemva komshayeli wendiza ngase nginqwabelanisa lamapheshana esihlalweni esiseceleni kwami. Iziyalezo okwakumelwe ngizilandele zazithi: Songa amapheshana abe yikhulu ndawonye, bese ukhipha umqulu ngamunye ngewindi ohlangothini olulodwa ngawo onke amandla onawo. Ukunganaki kungabangela ukuba lamapheshana abambeke emsileni wendiza, kudale izinkinga. Kodwa konke kwahamba kahle. Kamuva abazalwane bathi kwakuvusa amadlingozi ukubona ‘lesigijimi esivela ezulwini.’ Umphumela waba njengoba kwakufiswa, futhi kwahanjiswa izincwajana eziningi, nakuba abanye abantu bashaya izingcingo bekhononda ngokuthi izingadi zabo zezimbali zazimbozwe amapheshana.

Ukubonga Ngawo Onke Amalungelo Enkonzo

Nsuku zonke ngangibonga uJehova ngenjabulo nokwaneliseka inkonzo yaseBethel eyangenza ngaba nakho. Ebandleni, ngabelwa ukuba ngivule iminyango yeHholo LoMbuso, ngihlele kahle izihlalo, futhi ngibeke ingilazi yamanzi amasha etafuleni lesikhulumi. Lokhu ngangikubheka njengelungelo elikhulu.

EBethel, ekugcineni ngasebenza emshinini omkhulu oyisicaba wokunyathelisa oyiflatbed owawusetshenziselwa ukunyathelisa iGolden Age (manje esiyiPhaphama!) ngesiPolishi. Ngo-1934 saqala ukusebenzisa amagilamafoni, futhi ngasiza ekuwakheni. Ngakujabulela kakhulu ukuhamba indlu ngendlu nezinkulumo zeBhayibheli eziqoshiwe. Abanini-khaya abaningi babenelukuluku lokwazi ngalelithuluzi elincane, futhi ngokuvamile wonke amalungu omkhaya ayebuthana ndawonye ezolalela, bese enyamalala kancane kancane. Lapho sekuhambe wonke umkhaya, ngangivele ngidlulele endlini elandelayo.

Ukuhlala Ngikhuthele Phakathi Nesikhathi Sempi

Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I, izwe lakithi iSaarland lahlukaniswa neJalimane futhi lalawulwa ngaphansi kokuphatha kweNhlangano Yezizwe. Ngakho, iSaarland yazenzela abayo omazisi. Ngo-1935 kwaba khona ukhetho ngesihlongozo sikahulumeni okwakuzonqunywa ngalo ukuthi izakhamuzi ziyafuna yini ukubuye zihlanganiswe neJalimane. Ngasebenzisa lelithuba ukuba ngivakashele umkhaya wakithi, ngazi ukuthi ngangingeke ngikwazi ukukwenza lokho uma iSaarland ingaba ngaphansi kokulawula kwamaNazi. Nangempela, eminyakeni eminingi ngemva kwalokho, angibange ngisakwazi ukuxhumana nabazali bami nabafowethu.

Nakuba ingazange ihilelelwe ngokuqondile eMpini Yezwe II, iSwitzerland yashiywa iyodwa ngokuphelele lapho iJalimane ithatha amazwe angomakhelwane ngokulandelana. Sasilokhu sinyathelisa izincwadi eziya kulo lonke elaseYurophu ngaphandle kweJalimane, kodwa manje kwakungasekho ma-oda ayengathunyelwa. UMfoweth’ uZürcher, owayekade eyinceku yegatsha, wasitshela ukuthi sasingasenamali kwanhlobo, futhi wasicela ukuba sifune imisebenzi ngaphandle kwaseBethel kuze kube yilapho izimo zilunga. Nokho, ngavunyelwa ukuba ngihlale njengoba kwakunezinto ezimbalwa okwakudingeka zinyatheliswe ezaziya kubamemezeli bendawo abacishe babe yinkulungwane.

Umkhaya waseBethel ngeke ulukhohlwe usuku lwangoJuly 5, 1940. Ngemva nje kokudla kwasemini kwafika iloli lezempi. Amasosha ehla ngokushesha futhi angena egulukudela eBethel. Sayalwa ukuba sime singanyakazi, futhi ngamunye wethu wayeqashwe yisosha elihlomile. Saqhutshwa sayiswa ehholo lokudlela kuyilapho kuseshwa sonke isakhiwo. Iziphathimandla zazisola ukuthi sasitshela abanye ukuba benqabe inkonzo yezempi, kodwa azitholanga ngisho nobuncane ubufakazi.

Phakathi neminyaka yempi, ngangiyinceku yebandla eThun naseFrutigen. Lokho kwakusho ukuthi isimiso sami sangempela-sonto sasigcwele. NgoMgqibelo ngamunye, ngokushesha ngemva kokudla kwasemini, ngangigibela ibhayisikili lami ngihambe ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-50 ngiya eFrutigen, lapho ngangiqhuba khona iSifundo seNqabayokulinda kusihlwa. NgeSonto ekuseni ngangihamba nabamemezeli enkonzweni yasensimini. Khona-ke, ngemva nje kwasemini, ngangiya eInterlaken ngiyoqhuba iSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla futhi kamuva ngaleyontambama ngangiqhubela umkhaya othile eSpiez isifundo seBhayibheli. Ekuphetheni usuku, ngangiqhuba iSifundo seNqabayokulinda eThun.

Ebusuku kakhulu, lapho sengiyiqede yonke imisebenzi yami, ngangihlabelela futhi ngishaye ikhwela sengiphindela eBern, nganeliseke ngokujulile. Kwakuthukela ngihlangene nezimoto. Izwe elinamagquma, elalimbozwe ubumnyama ngenxa yokungakhanyi kwezibani ngenxa yempi, lalinokuthula futhi lingaphazamisekile, ngezikhathi ezithile likhanyiswa yinyanga. Yeka indlela lezozimpela-sonto ezakucebisa ngayo ukuphila kwami futhi zavuselela amandla ami!

Ukuhambela Okwaba Nemiphumela Engalindelekile

Ekwindla yango-1945, sahanjelwa uMfoweth’ uKnorr. Ngolunye usuku wangena efekthri njengoba ngangimi phezu komshini wokunyathelisa. “Yehla lapho!” ememeza. “Ngeke uthande yini ukuya eSikoleni saseGileyadi?” Ngamangala. “Uma ucabanga ukuthi ngiyafaneleka, ngingakujabulela,” ngiphendula. Izimemo zethu noMfoweth’ uFred Borys, noDad’ uAlice Berner, zafika entwasahlobo yango-1946. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi ngazalelwa eSaarland, ngangingaqashelwa njengesakhamuzi saseMelika futhi ngenxa yalokho kwadingeka ngithumele isicelo eWashington, D.C., eU.S.A., ukuze ngithole imvume ekhethekile yokungena kulelozwe.

Lapho abanye behamba ngesikhathi esifanele, mina kwadingeka ngilindele impendulo yesicelo sami. Lapho isikole siqala ngoSeptember 4, ngangiseseSwitzerland, ngilahlekelwa yithemba kancane kancane. Khona-ke eHhovisi LeNxusa LaseU.S. bashaya ucingo, bengazisa ukuthi imvume yami yayifikile. Ngokushesha ngazama ukwenza amalungiselelo okuhamba futhi ekugcineni ngathola indawo emkhunjini wamasosha owawusuka eMarseilles uya eNew York. Yeka okuhlangenwe nakho okwaba yikho! Umkhumbi iAthos II wawugcwele swí. Nganikezwa umbhede ekamelweni elivulekile. Ngosuku lwesibili sisolwandle, ukuqhuma okwenzeka egunjini lenjini kwabangela ukuba umkhumbi ume. Abagibeli nabasebenza emkhunjini babengakhululekile, besaba ukuthi sasingase siminze. Lokhu kwanginikeza ithuba elihle kakhulu lokuba ngifakaze ngethemba lovuko.

Kwathatha izinsuku ezimbili ukuba kulungiswe umkhumbi, okwathi ngemva kwakho saqhubeka sihamba ngejubane elehlisiwe. Safika eNew York ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-18 kamuva, saphoqeleka ukuba singehli emkhunjini ngenxa yokubhikisha kwabasebenza esikhumulweni semikhumbi. Ngemva kwezingxoxo ezaba khona, ekugcineni sakwazi ukwehla emkhunjini. Ngangithumele itelegram eNhlanganweni ngiyichazela ngesimo, futhi njengoba ngangisuka emahhovisi ababeka imithetho ngezinto ezingena ezweni nababhalisa abantu abathuthela kulo, indoda ethile yabuza: “Ingabe uwena uMnu. Diehl?” Yayingomunye wabasizi bakaMfoweth’ uKnorr, yabe isingigibeza isitimela sakusihlwa esiya eIthaca, eduze neSikole saseGileyadi, lapho engafika khona ngokushesha ngemva kwehora lesishiyagalombili ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo. Yeka indlela engangijabule ngayo ngokuba lapho ekugcineni futhi ngikwazi ukuba khona ekilasini lokuqala laseGileyadi lezizwe zonke!

Ukukhuthazela Naphezu Kobunzima

Ukuthweswa iziqu kwekilasi lesishiyagalombili laseGileyadi kwaba ngoFebruary 9, 1947, futhi sonke sasihlalele ovalweni. Sasizothunyelwa kuphi? Kimina, ‘isabelo’ kwaba ukuya endaweni yeNhlangano yokunyathelisa eyayisanda kuvulwa eWiesbaden, eJalimane. (IHubo 16:6) Ngaphindela eBern ngiyokwenza izicelo zezimvume ezidingekayo, kodwa iqembu elibusayo laseU.S. elalithathe iJalimane lalivumela ukuba kungene kuphela abantu abake bahlala khona ngaphambi kwempi. Njengoba ngangingakaze, kwadingeka nginikwe isabelo esisha esivela endlunkulu eBrooklyn. Kwaba umsebenzi wokujikeleza eSwitzerland, engawamukela ngithembela ngokugcwele kuJehova. Kodwa lapho ngisalindele lesisabelo, ngolunye usuku ngacelwa ukuba ngibonise odade abathathu ababevakashile indawo yaseBethel. Omunye wabo wayeyiphayona okwakuthiwa uMarthe Mehl.

NgoMay 1949, ngazisa igatsha laseBern ukuthi ngangihlela ukushada noMarthe nokuthi sasifisa ukuhlala sisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Yathini impendulo? Awekho amalungelo esasizowathola ngaphandle kobuphayona obuvamile. Saqala ukuphayona eBiel, ngemva kokushada ngoJune 1949. Ngangingavunyelwe ukuba ngibeke izinkulumo, noma sifunele izihambeli zomhlangano ezazizokuza emhlanganweni owawuzoba khona izindawo zokulala, ngisho nakuba umbonisi wethu wesifunda ayesitusele lelilungelo. Abaningi babengasasibingeleli, besiphatha njengabantu abasusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni, ngisho nakuba sasingamaphayona.

Nokho, sasazi ukuthi ukushada kwakungeyona into engekho ngokombhalo, ngakho senza umthandazo waba isiphephelo sethu futhi sathembela kuJehova. Eqinisweni, lempatho yayingabonisi indlela iNhlangano eyayibheka ngayo izinto. Yayimane nje iwumphumela wokusetshenziswa ngokungafanele kweziqondiso zenhlangano.

UMfoweth’ uKnorr Uyabuya

Ngo-1951, uMfoweth’ uKnorr waphinda wahambela eSwitzerland. Ngemva kokubeka inkulumo, ngatshelwa ukuthi wayefuna ukukhuluma nami. Nakuba ngangesaba, ngajabula ngokuthi wakujabulela ukungibona. Wabuza ukuthi sasingathanda yini ukwamukela isabelo ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli elalihlongozwa eGeneva. Njengokulindelekile sajabula, nakuba ukuhamba eBiel kwakungeke kube lula. Ngosuku olulandelayo sathola esinye isicelo sikaMfoweth’ uKnorr. Sasiwukuthi sasingathanda yini ukuphinde siqalise umsebenzi wokujikeleza, kwazise lomsebenzi wawudinga ukunakekela okwengeziwe eSwitzerland? Savuma ngokushesha. Ngangihlala nginesimo sengqondo sokwamukela noma yisiphi isabelo engangisinikezwa.

Umsebenzi wethu esifundeni empumalanga Switzerland wabusiswa kakhulu. Sasihamba ngesitimela sisuka kwamanye amabandla siya kwamanye, siphatha konke esasinakho ngamapotimende amabili. Abazalwane ngokuvamile babesihlangabeza esiteshini ngamabhayisikili, ngoba babembalwa kubo ababenezimoto ngalezozinsuku. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva umzalwane othile wasinikeza imoto ukuba siyisebenzise, okwenza inkonzo yethu yathi ukuba lula.

Okunye Okusha Okungalindelekile

Yeka indlela okwakujabulisa ngayo lapho ngo-1964 mina nomkami simenyelwa ekilasini lama-40 laseGileyadi, ikilasi lokugcina lezifundo eziningiliziwe, ezazithatha izinyanga eziyishumi, manje ezase zifinyeziwe ukuba zithathe izinyanga eziyisishiyagalombili. UMarthe kwadingeka ukuba afunde isiNgisi ngokushesha, kodwa waphumelela ngokumangalisayo kulokhu. Indaba eyayisematheni yayiwukuthi singase sithunyelwe kuphi. Nganginesimo sengqondo sokuthi: ‘Anginandaba nokuthi ngithunyelwa kuphi, uma nje kungeke kube umsebenzi wasehhovisi!’

Kodwa yilokho kanye okwenzeka! Ngosuku lokuthweswa iziqu, ngoSeptember 13, 1965, ngamiswa njengenceku yegatsha eSwitzerland. IBethel yayizoba okuhlangenwe nakho okusha kuMarthe. Kimina, yayisho ukuphindela “Endlini kaNkulunkulu,” ehhovisi, hhayi endaweni yokunyathelisa lapho engangisebenze khona kusukela ngo-1931 kuya ku-1946. Kwadingeka ngifunde izinto eziningi, kodwa ngosizo lukaJehova ngakwazi ukukwenza.

Ukubheka Emuva

Phakathi neminyaka engu-60 yenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele, ngiye ngathembela ngokuphelele kuJehova, ngendlela ubaba angitshela ukuba ngenze ngayo. Futhi uJehova uye wathulula izibusiso eziningi. UMarthe uye waba umthombo wesikhuthazo omkhulu ngezikhathi zokudumazeka noma lapho izabelo zibonakala zingaphezu kwamandla ami, ngempela uye waba umngane othembekile othembela ngokuphelele kuJehova.

Makadunyiswe uJehova ngamalungelo amaningi enkonzo engiye ngawajabulela! Ngisakhonza njengomqondisi weKomiti Yegatsha eThun, futhi izikhathi eziningana ngiye ngajikeleza njengombonisi wamagatsha. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngiye ngacelwa ukuba ngenzeni, ngiye ngabheka kuJehova njalo ukuze ngithole isiqondiso. Naphezu kwamaphutha ami amaningi nokushiyeka, ngikholelwa ngobuqotho ukuthi uJehova uye wangithethelela ngoKristu. Ngifisa sengathi ngingaqhubeka ngimjabulisa. Futhi kwangathi angaqhubeka eqondisa izinyathelo zami, njengoba ngibheka kuye njalo ‘njengoNkulunkulu wami engiyothembela kuye.’—IHubo 91:2.

[Isithombe ekhasini 27]

UMfoweth’ uDiehl ekuqaleni komsebenzi wakhe waseBethel