ISikole SaseGileyadi—Sesineminyaka Engu-50 Sikhona Futhi Siyadlondlobala!

“KUNEZINDAWO eziningi lapho ubufakazi obuphathelene noMbuso bungakanikezwa khona ngezinga elikhulu,” kwasho uN. H. Knorr ekilasini lokuqala laseGileyadi ngo-February 1, 1943, okwakuwusuku lesikole esavulwa ngalo. Wanezela: “Kumelwe ukuba kunamakhulu nezinkulungwane zabantu ababengafinyelelwa ukuba bekunezisebenzi ezengeziwe ensimini. Ngomusa weNkosi, kuyoba nezengeziwe.”

Futhi ziye zaba khona lezisebenzi ezengeziwe—izigidi ezengeziwe! Izinhlu zabamemezeli boMbuso ziye zanda zisukela ku-129 070 emazweni angu-54 ngo-1943 ziya ku-4 472 787 emazweni angu-229 ngo-1992! ISikole SaseGileyadi siye saba nengxenye enkulu ebufakazini obuye baphumela kulokho kwanda. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-50 sisaqhubeka sifeza ingxenye eyinhloko ekuqeqesheni izisebenzi eziyizithunywa zevangeli ukuba zikhonze nomaphi lapho zidingeka khona ensimini yomhlaba.

Ngo-March 7, 1993, kwakunabamenyiwe namalungu omkhaya waseBethel yase-U.S. abangu-4 798 ababehlangene eHholo LoMhlangano eDolobheni laseJersey, eNew Jersey, bezothamela isimiso sokuthweswa iziqu kwekilasi lama-94. Lesenzakalo esikhetheke ngempela sanikeza futhi nethuba lokubheka emuva eminyakeni engu-50 yeSikole SaseGileyadi. Ingabe ungathanda ukuzwa amazwibela esimiso?

Ngemva kwengoma yokuvula, uGeorge D. Gangas weNdikimba Ebusayo wenza umthandazo oqotho. Khona-ke ngemva kwamazwi kasihlalo esethulo, uCarey W. Barber, abazothweswa iziqu—nabo bonke ababekhona—balalelisisa uchungechunge lwezinkulumo ezimfushane.

URobert W. Wallen wanikeza inkulumo yokuqala, enesihloko esithi “Awuwedwa Neze.” Ngephimbo elifudumele, wathi: ‘Ezinsukwini ezizayo, kuyoba khona izikhathi ekuphileni kwakho lapho uyozizwa uwedwa vó, ukude kakhulu nomkhaya nabangane.’ Khona-ke, kungashiwo kanjani ukuthi, “Awuwedwa Neze”? Wachaza: ‘Ngenxa yokuthi ngamunye wenu uyovulekelwa yithuba lokuxhumana okuzenzakalelayo noJehova uNkulunkulu.’ Wanxusa abazothweswa iziqu ukuba balazise ilungelo lomthandazo futhi balisebenzise nsuku zonke. Khona-ke, njengoJesu, bayokwazi ukuthi, “Angingedwa.” (Johane 16:32) Yeka indlela ayekhuthaza ngayo lawomazwi kwabazothweswa iziqu!

Ekhuluma ngesihloko esithi “Bambelela Ethembeni Lakho” (esisekelwe etekisini losuku lango-March 7), uLyman A. Swingle weNdikimba Ebusayo ngokulandelayo wakhuluma ngesidingo sezimfanelo ezimbili—ukukhuthazela nethemba. ‘Ukuhlanjalazwa, ukuphikiswa, ukuzondwa, ukuboshwa, ngisho nokufa, kuyizizathu zokuba amaKristu adinge ukukhuthazela,’ esho. ‘Awukho umkhawulo emandleni angaphezu kwavamile oFakazi BakaJehova abathembekile abangawathola ngezikhathi ezinzima. Lokhu kuqinisekisa ngempela, ikakhulukazi kini nina abazothweswa iziqu.’ Kuthiwani ngethemba? ‘Ithemba libalulekile,’ echaza. ‘Njengoba nje isigqoko sivikela ikhanda losigqokile, ngokunjalo ithemba lensindiso livikela amandla engqondo omKristu, limenze akwazi ukugcina ubuqotho.’—1 Thesalonika 5:8.

Isikhulumi esilandelayo, uRalph E. Walls, sakhetha isihloko esithakazelisayo esithi, “Singabalekela Kanjani Ekulondekeni ‘Kwendawo Ebanzi’?” Iyini ‘lendawo ebanzi’? (IHubo 18:19) “Iyisimo sokukhululwa esiletha ukuthula kwengqondo nokulondeka kwenhliziyo,” lesikhulumi sichaza. Yini esidinga ukukhululwa kuyo? ‘Udinga ukukhululwa kuwe ngokwakho—ekushiyekeni kwakho siqu.’ Sanezela: ‘Udinga futhi ukukhululwa ezimweni zangaphandle ezibangelwa uSathane.’ (IHubo 118:5) Singabalekela kanjani ekulondekeni kwendawo ebanzi? ‘Ngokufuna imiyalo kaJehova kukho konke esikwenzayo kanye nokunxusa uJehova ngokholo ngakho konke okusikhathazayo.’

UDon A. Adams wakhetha isihloko esithi “Yini Enilindele?” Futhi yini ngempela eyayilindele lezithunywa zevangeli ezintsha? Wachaza ukuthi yinkathi yokulungiswa. “Futhi kunezibusiso eziningi phambi kwenu.” Enza isibonelo, wakhuluma ngezithunywa zevangeli ezimbili ezintsha okwathi ngemva kokuzinza esabelweni sazo zabhala: “Cabanga ngosuku oluhle kunazo zonke owake waba nalo ensimini, futhi usuku ngalunye lunjalo. Sidinga izincwadi ezingaphezu kwalezi esikwazi ukuziphatha, futhi abantu balokhu becela ukuba sibaqhubele izifundo.” Lesikhulumi saqondisa amanye amazwi aso emkhayeni nakubangane balabo ababezothweswa iziqu: ‘Asikho isidingo sokuba nikhathazeke ngalaba abathweswa iziqu. Ningabasiza ngokubabhalela amazwi esikhuthazo.’—IzAga 25:25.

Ngokulandelayo kwakhuluma abaqeqeshi besikole. UJack D. Redford wakhetha isihloko esithi “Ungalindeli Lutho Kunoma Ubani.” Wachaza ukuthi, enye yezinselele abazothweswa iziqu ababeyobhekana nayo ukuphilisana kahle nabantu. Yini engasiza? “Wathalalise amaphutha abo. Ungalindeli okukhulu kwabanye abantu. Ungalindeli ngaso sonke isikhathi isilinganiso esigcwele salokho okucabangela njengokukufanele. Kwamukele ukungapheleli okukwabanye abantu, futhi lomusa uyokusiza ukuba niphilisane kahle. Ikhono lakho lokukwazi ukuphilisana kahle nabanye abantu liyoba isilinganiso sokuvuthwa kwakho.” (IzAga 17:9) Ngokuqinisekile, ukusebenzisa leseluleko esihlakaniphile kwakuyosiza ababezothweswa iziqu ukuba benze ukulungisa okuphumelelayo ekubeni babe izithunywa zevangeli kwelinye izwe!

“Lengcebo sinayo ezitsheni zebumba,” kusho eyesi-2 Korinte 4:7. U-Ulysses V. Glass, umbhalisi eSikoleni SaseGileyadi, wakhuluma ngalombhalo njengoba ayekhulumela isihloko esithi “Themba Abafowenu Ababonakalé Bethembekile.” Ziyini ‘izitsha zebumba’? “Lezi kumelwe zibhekisele kithina njengabantu abangaphelele,” ephawula. Iyini ‘ingcebo’? “Iyinkonzo yethu yobuKristu,” echaza. (2 Korinte 4:1) Futhi yini okumelwe yenziwe ngalengcebo? “Lengcebo uJehova asiphathise yona akumelwe ifihlwe. Ngakho, nina enithandekayo enizoba yizithunywa zevangeli, yisakazeni leyongcebo nomaphi lapho niya khona, futhi nifundise nabanye abaningi indlela yokuyisakaza.”

Kwakuyisikhathi esikwenza ukhumbule kudala lapho u-Albert D. Schroeder eqala ukukhuluma, ngoba wayewumbhalisi eSikoleni SaseGileyadi lapho siqala. Isihloko sakhe sasithi “Ingxenye Yekhulu Leminyaka Yokuqeqeshwa Okungokwasezulwini.” Wathi: “UJehova uyayazi indlela yokunikeza ukuqeqesha okuphumelelayo, futhi uye wakwenza” lokhu. Kanjani? UMzalwan’ uSchroeder wabhekisela ekuqeqesheni okwatholakala ngezikole ezimbili ezamiswa eminyakeni engu-50 edlule—iSikole Senkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini neSikole SaseGileyadi. Wabonisa ukuthi ithuluzi elibalulekile ekunikezeni ulwazi oluqondile kuye kwaba i-New World Translation. Waqinisekisa ababezothweswa iziqu: “Ningahamba niye ezabelweni zenu zakwamanye amazwe ninokuqiniseka okukhulu kokuthi iNhlangano iyohlala ininikeza ulwazi oluqondile ngezinjongo zikaJehova.”

UMilton G. Henschel, umongameli we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, wakhuluma ngesihloko esithi “Okungaphezu Kokuba Abanqobi.” UMzalwan’ uHenschel wasusela lesihloko sakhe etekisini lonyaka lango-1943: “Singaphezu kokuba abanqobi ngaye owasithandayo.” (Roma 8:37, King James Version) Wachaza ukuthi kwakuyitekisi lonyaka elifanelekayo, ngenxa yokuthi phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, abafowethu emazweni amaningi babebhekene nokushushiswa okukhulu. UMzalwan’ uHenschel wafunda izingcaphuno ezithile ezivela ku-Nqabayokulinda eyayikhuluma ngalelotekisi lonyaka wabe esechaza: “Lesihloko se-Nqabayokulinda [January 15, 1943, yesiNgisi] yafundwa ngenyanga ka-February yikilasi lokuqala laseGileyadi, futhi yabalungiselela lokho okwakubalindele.” Wachaza ukuthi abaningi abathweswa iziqu eminyakeni engu-50 edlule kakade sebeye bazibonakalisa bengabanqobi. Kuthiwani ngekilasi lama-94? “Hlalani niseduze noJehova, hlalani niseduze nothando lwakhe, futhi ukunqoba kwenu kuyoqinisekiswa.”

Ngemva kwezinkulumo zasekuseni, usihlalo wadlulisela imikhonzo evela emazweni ahlukahlukene. Khona-ke kwase kufike isikhathi imibhangqwana eshadile engu-24 eyayisilindele ngabomvu—ukudluliselwa kwama-diploma. Phela, abafundi baseGileyadi manje base bengabafundi abathweswe iziqu baseGileyadi abasemthethweni! Babevela emazweni amahlanu, kodwa izabelo zabo zazibayisa emazweni angu-17, kuhlanganise neHong Kong, iTaiwan, iMozambique, nezingxenye zaseMpumalanga Yurophu.

Ngemva kwekhefu, kwaqaliswa isimiso santambama ngeSifundo Se-Nqabayokulinda esifushanisiwe, esaqhutshwa uRobert L. Butler. Khona-ke abathweswe iziqu badlala imidlalo yokuhlangenwe nakho okuvelele ababekujabulele lapho befakaza eduze kwase-Wallkill, eNew York. Lemidlalo yabonisa enye yezinto ngokungangabazeki eyayibalethé eGileyadi—uthando lwabo olujulile ngenkonzo yasensimini.

Ngemva kwalengxenye yabafundi, abaningi ezilalelini babezibuza ukuthi kazi isimiso siyoba nokuthile okukhethekile yini ukuze kukhunjulwe iminyaka engu-50 yeSikole SaseGileyadi. Abazange badumazeke!—Bheka ibhokisi elihambisana nalesihloko elithi, “Ukubukeza Iminyaka Engu-50 YeSikole SaseGileyadi.”

Eminyakeni engu-50 edlule, uMzalwan’ uKnorr wabonisa ukuthi wayeyindoda yokholo neqondayo. Ukuqiniseka kwakhe ngokuthi iSikole SaseGileyadi sasiyophumelela kwaboniswa emazwini akhe okuvula ekilasini lokuqala lapho ethi: “Sikholelwa ukuthi, ngokuvumelana negama layo, ‘inqwaba yobufakazi’ iyosuka kulendawo iye kuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba nokuthi ubufakazi obunjalo buyohlala buyisikhumbuzo kube udumo kuNkulunkulu olungasoze lwaqedwa. Nina njengezikhonzi ezimisiwe niyobeka ithemba lenu eligcwele koPhezukonke, nazi ukuthi uyoniqondisa noma nini lapho nisebunzimeni futhi niyokwazi nanokuthi unguNkulunkulu wesibusiso.”a

Eminyakeni engu-50 kamuva, iSikole SaseGileyadi sisadlondlobala! Abathweswe iziqu bekilasi lama-94 manje banelungelo lokulandela abathweswa iziqu abangaphezu kuka-6 500 abaye babandulela. Kwangathi bangabeka ithemba labo eligcwele koPhezukonke lapho benza ingxenye yabo ekunqwabelaniseni “inqwaba yobufakazi” obuyohlala buyisikhumbuzo kube udumo kuJehova uNkulunkulu.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 25]

Imininingwane Yekilasi

Ingqikithi yenani labafundi: 48

Inani lamazwe abawamelele: 5

Inani lamazwe ababelwe kuwo: 17

Isilinganiso seminyaka yobudala: 32

Isilinganiso seminyaka yabo beseqinisweni: 15,3

Isilinganiso seminyaka yabo besenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele: 9,6

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 26, 27]

UKUBUKEZA IMINYAKA ENGU-50 YESIKOLE SASEGILEYADI

Iyiphi indlela engcono yokubheka emuva emlandweni weGileyadi kunokubheka okuhlangenwe nakho kwalabo ababekuyo—abokuqala ukuthweswa iziqu, abaqeqeshi, nabanye abasiza ekuyihleleni? Izilaleli zajabula lapho zilalela ingxenye ethi “Ukubukeza Iminyaka Engu-50 YeSikole SaseGileyadi,” eyayisingethwe uTheodore Jaracz.

Zaziyini izimo ezaholela ekumisweni kwalesikole? UMzalwan’ uSchroeder wachaza ukuthi yena nabanye abaqeqeshi ababili banikezwa nje izinyanga ezine ukuba bahlele lesikole. “Kodwa ngoMsombuluko, ngo-February 1, 1943, sase sikulungele ukuba sinikezelwe.”

Kwakunjani ngezithunywa zevangeli zokuqala ezathunywa? UMzalwan’ uHenschel uyakhumbula: “Umnyango weNhlangano wezokuthutha wapakisha zonke izinto ababefuna ukuhamba nazo emabhokisini okhuni. Lapho lamabhokisi efika ezindaweni ababeya kuzo, bawavula ngokucophelela bakhipha izinto zabo. Kodwa babe sebesebenzisa lamabhokisi ukuze benze impahla yasendlini.” Ekugcineni, waphawula ukuthi iNhlangano yalungiselela amakhaya ezithunywa zevangeli anempahla ekahle.

Ngokulandelayo esimisweni, abanye abathweswa iziqu ababesemakilasini okuqala aseGileyadi manje asebengamalungu omkhaya waseBethel e-U.S. baveza izinkumbulo zabo, imizwa yabo, nokuhlangenwe nakho kwabo. Ukukhulumela kwabo kwazithinta ngempela izinhliziyo zabo bonke ababekhona.

“Ngemva kokuthola isimemo sokuba ngibe khona ekilasini lokuqala, ngathola ukuthi umama wayenomdlavuza. Kodwa njengoba ayephayone kusukela eneminyaka engu-16 ubudala kuqhubeke, wangeluleka ngokuqinile ukuba ngisamukele lesimemo. Ngakho ngimanqikanqika futhi ngithembele kuJehova, ngaya eSouth Lansing. Ngakujabulela ngokuphelele futhi ngakwazisa ngokujulile ukuqeqesha kwaseGileyadi. Umama waqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni esikhathini esithile ngemva kokuthweswa kwami iziqu.”—UCharlotte Schroeder, owakhonza eMexico nase-El Salvador.

“Njengoba uJehova kakade ayeseye wanginakekela engxenyeni yomhlaba engangikuyo, ngacabanga ukuthi nomaphi lapho ngiya khona kwakusewumhlaba wakhe, futhi wayeyonginakekela. Ngakho-ke ngakujabulela kakhulu ukwamukela isimemo sokuba ngibe khona ekilasini lokuqala.”—UJulia Wildman, owakhonza eMexico nase-El Salvador.

“Umsebenzi wobuthunywa bevangeli wawumangalisa! Sasikhuluma kuzo zonke izindlu. Ngenyanga yokuqala, ngahambisa izincwadi ezingu-107 futhi ngaqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingu-19. Ngenyanga yesibili nganginezifundo zeBhayibheli ezingu-28. Yiqiniso, kwakunezinto ezithile okwakumelwe sizijwayele—ukushisa, ukuswakama, izimbungulu. Kodwa kwakuyilungelo elimangalisayo ukuba lapho. Kungokuthile engiyohlala ngikwazisa.”—UMary Adams, owayesekilasini lesibili, ephawula ngokuqondene nesabelo sakhe eCuba.

“Isimo sezulu kwakungesinye sezithiyo ezinkulu okwadingeka sizibekezelele e-Alaska. Enyakatho kwakumakhaza kakhulu, amazinga okushisa ayehla abe ama-degree [Celsius angu-50 ngaphansi kwezingaqhwa] nangaphansi. Imizi yamaNdiya nezinye izindawo ezincane ezingazodwa eningizimu-mpumalanga Alaska zazifinyelelwa ngesikebhe noma ngendiza.”—UJohn Errichetti, owayesekilasini lesithathu.

“Kimina iGileyadi yayiyisimemo esivela kuJehova ngenhlangano yakhe yasemhlabeni ukuze asiqinise ngokomoya futhi asibonise indlela emangalisayo yokuphila.”—UMildred Barr, owayesekilasini le-11, owakhonza e-Ireland.

Kwalandela izingxoxo ezijabulisayo ezengeziwe—uLucille Henschel (owayesekilasini le-14, owakhonza eVenezuela), uMargareta Klein (owayesekilasini lama-20, owakhonza eBolivia), uLucille Coultrup (owayesekilasini lama-24, owakhonza ePeru), uLorraine Wallen (owayesekilasini lama-27, owakhonza eBrazil), uWilliam noSandra Malenfant (ababesekilasini lama-34, abakhonza eMorocco), uGerrit Lösch (owayesekilasini lama-41 owakhonza e-Austria), noDavid Splane (owayesekilasini lama-42, owakhonza eSenegal).

Kuthiwani ngabazalwane abakhonza njengabaqeqeshi? Iningi labo kwaxoxwa nalo futhi—uRussell Kurzen, uKarl Adams, uHarold Jackson, uFred Rusk, uHarry Peloyan, uJack Redford no-Ulysses Glass. Baphawula ngelungelo labo, bechaza indlela eliye labathinta ngayo kuze kube yilolusuku.

Ubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bempumelelo yezithunywa zevangeli eziqeqeshwe eGileyadi banikezwa uLloyd Barry, owakhonza eJapane. Ngo-1949, lapho izithunywa zevangeli ezingu-15 zithunyelwa lapho, kwakunabamemezeli abangaphansi kweshumi kuyo yonke iJapane. Kodwa eminyakeni engu-44 kamuva, kunabamemezeli boMbuso abangaphezu kuka-175 000 kulelozwe! Khona-ke uRobert Wallen waxoxa ngempumelelo ephawulekayo ezinye izithunywa zevangeli ezaba nayo ekusizeni abantu ukuba beze eqinisweni, kuhlanganise nomunye udade oyisithunywa sevangeli owayesePanama iminyaka engaphezu kuka-45 futhi owayesesize abantu abangu-125 baze bafinyelela ezingeni lokuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa.

Umvuthwandaba waso sonke isimiso wafinyelelwa lapho bonke labo ababethweswe iziqu eGileyadi ababesezilalelini bemenywa ukuba baye endaweni yesikhulumi. Kwakuyisikhathi esishukumisayo ngempela. Uhele lwabazalwane nodade—abangu-89 emkhayeni waseBethel ngaphezu kwenani labathweswe iziqu ababevakashile—lwehla ngamaphasishi futhi lwakhuphukela endaweni yesikhulumi. Kweza nabazalwane ababekhonzé njengabaqeqeshi kuyo yonke iminyaka, kwase kuba ikilasi lama-94—babengu-160 sebebonke!

“Ingabe umsebenzi weSikole SaseGileyadi wokuqeqesha izithunywa zevangeli eziya kwamanye amazwe uye waba nempumelelo ethile?” kubuza uMzalwan’ uJaracz. “Ubufakazi beminyaka engu-50 edlule bunguyebo ohlokomayo!”

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Ikilasi Lama-94 Elithweswa Iziqu Le-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead

In the list below, rows are numbered from front to back, and names are listed from left to right in each row.

(1) De La Garza, C.; Borg, E.; Arriaga, E.; Chooh, E.; Purves, D.; Fosberry, A.; Delgado, A.; Drescher, L. (2) Scott, V.; Fridlund, L.; Kettula, S.; Copeland, D.; Arriaga, J.; Thidé, J.; Olsson, E.; Widegren, S. (3) Delgado, F.; Keegan, S.; Leinonen, A.; Finnigan, E.; Fosberry, F.; Halbrook, J.; Berglund, A.; Jones, P. (4) Watson, B.; Frias, C.; Chooh, B.; Halbrook, J.; Purves, J.; Finnigan, S.; Jones, A.; Cuccia, M. (5) Scott, G.; Copeland, D.; Drescher, B.; De La Garza, R.; Leinonen, I.; Keegan, D.; Watson, T.; Kettula, M. (6) Widegren, J.; Borg, S.; Cuccia, L.; Berglund, A.; Olsson, B.; Frias, J.; Fridlund, T.; Thidé, P.