Ngasekelwa UNkulunkulu Ongenakuwaqamba Amanga

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUMARY WILLIS

Imiphumela yokuwa komnotho wezwe yayisifinyelele emaphethelweni eWestern Australia ngo-1932. Ngalowonyaka, lapho ngangineminyaka engu-19 kuphela, mina no-Ellen Davies sathola isabelo sokuyoshumayela esasihlanganisa indawo engamakhilomitha-skwele angu-100 000. Indawo okwakumelwe siqale kuyo yayiyidolobhana laseWiluna, elingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-950 ukuya enyakatho-mpumalanga yedolobha lakithi elincane lasePerth, inhloko-dolobha yeWestern Australia.

SASISENDLELENI siya lapho, mina no-Ellen sazithola sihlanganyela igumbi lokugcina lesitimela nonogada wakwaloliwe onobungane. Njengoba isitimela sasima esiteshaneni ngasinye esisemzileni waso, lonogada wayesitshela ngomusa ukuthi sizohlala isikhathi eside kangakanani. Lokhu kwakusinikeza ithuba lokwehla siyofakaza kubantu abahlala kulezozindawo zokuhlala zakwaloliwe ezingazodwa ezingasemzileni. Ekugcineni safika edolobheni lezimayini eWiluna ngenkathi kunomoya onezintuli.

Nokho, lesiteshana saseWiluna sasicishe siqhele ngamakhilomitha amathathu ukusuka edolobheni. Akekho kithi owayenamandla kakhulu, futhi sasinamabhokisi amathathu ezincwadi asindayo kanye namapotimende amabili. Sasizokwenzenjani? Safaka induku ebhokisi yaphumela kolunye uhlangothi, futhi ngamunye wethu wabamba uhlangothi olulodwa lwenduku. Ngalendlela sathwala amabhokisi, elilodwa ngesikhathi. Kwadingeka sehle senyuka izikhathi eziyisikhombisa ukuze siyise lamabhokisi amathathu namapotimende ethu edolobheni eliqhele ngamakhilomitha amathathu. Sasima kaningi endleleni siphumula ngoba izandla zethu zase zibuhlungu kakhulu.

Naphezu kwezintuli, izandla ezibuhlungu, nemilenze ekhathele, sajabulela ukubhekana nenselele nokwenza okuthile esasingakaze sikwenze. Sobabili saba nomuzwa wokuthi uJehova wayenathi, ukuthi wayesisekela ukuze sibhekane nalesisiqalo esidinga ukuzikhandla sokushumayela ezindaweni ezikude. Ngokushesha sabona isibusiso sakhe nasemsebenzini wethu, ngoba imizamo yethu kulolohambo yaholela ekubeni uBob Horn osemusha amukele iqiniso. Kuyasijabulisa ukuthi uBob wasebenza iminyaka ethile enkonzweni yaseBethel, nokuthi waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-50 kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-1982.

Lapho sisuka eWiluna sashumayela ezindaweni zokuhlala esasidlula kuzo ohambweni lwethu lwamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-725 ukuya eGeraldton ogwini. Ukusuka lapho saphindela emuva ePerth. Ngobunye ubusuku sasilala ezindlini zokulinda ezingavalekile zakwaloliwe futhi kanye ngesinye isikhathi saze salala naphezu kotshani obomile ngasemzileni wesitimela.

Seza nesikhwama somcamelo esigcwele amabhisikidi kakolweni enziwe ekhaya. Ngokuyinhloko sasidla wona engxenyeni yokuqala yohambo lwethu. Ngezinye izikhathi sasithola ukudla ngokugeza izitsha nangokukolobha phansi ezindlini zokuqashiswa nasemagumbini okudlelwa kuwo. Ngezinye izikhathi sasisebenza elangeni elishisayo sivuna uphizi noma ubhontshisi. Iminikelo evela kubantu abathakazelayo ababemukele izincwadi zeBhayibheli yayisisiza ukuba sihlangabezane nezindleko zethu.

Okwangenza ngaba namandla okuhlala nginokholo kuJehova futhi ngibhekane nezimo eziningi ezinzima ngenjabulo ngalezozinsuku kwaba isibonelo engasibekelwa umama nokungiqeqesha kwakhe ngiseyingane.

Ifa LobuKristu

Umama wayenokholo oluqinile kuMdali, futhi kusukela emuva esikhathini engikhumbula ngaso, wayekhuluma nathi bantwana ngaye. Nokho, ukholo lwakhe lwavivinywa kanzima ukufa komfowethu owayeneminyaka eyisikhombisa ubudala engozini eyaba inhlekelele esikoleni. Kodwa kunokuba athukuthelele uNkulunkulu, umama waqala ukufunda iBhayibheli ngenkuthalo. Wayefuna ukuba, uma kungenzeka, athole isizathu sezinhlekelele ezinjalo. Ukufuna kwakhe iqiniso leBhayibheli kwavuzwa, futhi wabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwakhe kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, ngobhapathizo lwamanzi ekuqaleni kwawo-1920.

Kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke, izingxoxo zakhe nathi ngokuvamile zazigcizelela indlela izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu eziqiniseke ngayo. Wayesinxusa ukuba sikukhumbule njalo ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, ‘uNkulunkulu akanakuwaqamba amanga.’ (Thithu 1:2) Ngenxa yalokho, mina nodadewethu nabafowethu ababili, kanye nemikhaya yethu nabazukulu, singabadumisi bakaJehova uNkulunkulu. Amadodana amabili kadadewethu omncane, u-Alan noPaul Mason, bakhonza njengababonisi abajikelezayo.

Isifiso Sokuqala Sokushumayela Ivangeli

Ngangingeyena umfundi owenza kahle futhi ngayeka isikole ngo-1926, lapho ngineminyaka engu-13. Nokho, ngase nginesifiso esinamandla sokuhlanganyela nabanye lokho engangikufunde eBhayibhelini. Ubaba wacabanga ukuthi ngangingafundile ngokwanele ukuba ngikwazi ukusiza umuntu, kodwa umama wathi: “Ngisho noma angatshela abantu kuphela ngempi ye-Armagedoni esondelayo nokuthi abathobekile bayodla ifa lomhlaba, lokho kuyowumemezela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.” Ngakho ngaqala ukuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela endlini ngendlu ngisanda kweva eminyakeni eyishumi nambili, nakuba ngaze ngabhapathizwa ngo-1930. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngaqala umsebenzi wesikhathi esigcwele wobuvangeli endaweni eseduze nePerth.

Ngonyaka owalandela, ngo-1931, saqala ukusebenzisa igama lethu elisha elithi OFakazi BakaJehova. Nokho, abaninikhaya abaningi bamelana nokusebenzisa kwethu leligama elingcwele likaNkulunkulu futhi besabela ngokhahlo. Nakuba kunjalo ngaqhubeka enkonzweni naphezu kokubhekana nezimo ezingajabulisi. Ngangiqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu akawaqambi amanga lapho ethembisa ukuthi izinceku zakhe ‘zingathembela emandleni awanikezayo.’—1 Petru 4:11; Filipi 4:13.

Ukuchaza “Isixuku Esikhulu”

Ngo-1935, ngathola isabelo sokuya kolunye uhlangothi lwezwekazi elikhulu lase-Australia. Ngakho, eminyakeni eminingi ngemva kwalokho ngakhonza njengesikhonzi esiyiphayona esifundeni saseNew England esisezweni laseNew South Wales, esiqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-4 000 ukusuka ekhaya ePerth.

Kuze kube ngalesosikhathi ngangihlanganyela ezifanekiselweni zesinkwa esingavutshelwe newayini elibomvu eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaJesu saminyaka yonke. Nakuba lokhu kwakubhekwa njengento elungile ukuyenza, ikakhulukazi ngezikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ezishisekayo, ngangingakaze nganeliseke ngokuthi nginethemba lokuphila ezulwini. Khona-ke, ngo-1935, sakhanyiselwa ukuthi kunesixuku esikhulu esiqoqwayo esinethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni. Iningi lethu lakujabulela ukuqonda ukuthi laliyingxenye yalesosixuku esikhulu, futhi sayeka ukuhlanganyela ezifanekiselweni. (Johane 10:16; IsAmbulo 7:9) Iqiniso leBhayibheli laqhubeka likhanya, njengoba nje uJehova ayethembisile.—IzAga 4:18.

Izindlela Ezintsha Zokushumayela

Maphakathi nawo-1930, saqala ukusebenzisa igilamafoni enkonzweni yethu. Ngakho-ke, amabhayisikili ethu aqinile kwase kudingeka afakelwe izinto zokuthwala amagilamafoni asindayo kanye namarekhodi nezikhwama zethu zezincwadi. Kwakudingeka ngiqaphe kakhulu lapho ibhayisikili lithwele kakhulu ngoba uma lalingawa, lalisinda kakhulu ukuba ngingaphinde ngiliphakamise!

Cishe ngalesosikhathi saqala nalokho okwakubizwa ngokuthi ukumasha kokunikeza ukwaziswa. Njengoba sasihamba emigwaqweni emikhulu yamadolobha, sasifaka izingqwembe, noma amabhodi anokwaziswa, okwakubhalwe kuwo iziqubulo ezikhangayo. Lomsebenzi ngawuthola uvivinya ukholo ngokukhethekile, ikakhulukazi lapho ngiboshwa ngivalelwa esitokisini esincane ubusuku obubodwa edolobheni laseLismore. Kwakwehlisa isithunzi ukuyiswa enkantolo ngosuku olulandelayo nginqatshelwe ngisho nokukama izinwele! Kodwa uJehova waphinde wangisekela njengoba ayethembisile. Icala lesulwa ngoba okuwukuphela kwecala engalibekwa yiphoyisa elangibopha laliwukuthi uqwembe lwami lwaluhlasela inkolo yalo.

Ukuphindela ENtshonalanga

Ekuqaleni kwawo-1940, ukushumayela kwami njengephayona kwangiphindisela emadolobheni asezweni laseWestern Australia. Lapha ngaqhubeka ngijabulela okuhlangenwe nakho okukhumbulekayo nezibusiso ezingokomoya. Lapho ngisesabelweni sami eNortham, ngathola umama wekhaya omatasa, uFlo Timmins, cishe amakhilomitha angu-11 ngaphandle kwedolobha. Wamukela incwadi ethi Reconciliation, futhi ngokushesha waba uFakazi ozinikezele kaJehova uNkulunkulu. Namanje usakhuthele enkonzweni yoMbuso, futhi indodakazi yakhe, eyayineminyaka emine kuphela ngalesosikhathi, yakhula yaba yisikhonzi esiyiphayona elikhethekile.

Kodwa kwakunokunye okuhlangenwe nakho okungenakulibaleka. Ngesinye isikhathi, mina nengangiphayona naye sasinqamula ibhuloho eNortham ngekalishi lethu elinamasondo amabili elidonswa yihhashi, lapho ngokungazelele ihhashi liqala ukugabavula ngamandla, lenza amaphaphu abe phezulu njengoba sihamba ngenhla kwamanzi oMfula i-Avon ayenyakaza kude lé phansi. Cishe ngemva kwekhilomitha, lelihhashi lehlisa ijubane.

Umshado Nomkhaya

Ngo-1950, ngashada no-Arthur Willis, naye owayeyiphayona iminyaka eminingi. Sahlala edolobheni lasePingelly elisezweni eliseNtshonalanga Australia, lapho sabusiswa khona ngendodana, uBentley, nendodakazi, u-Eunice. Lapho labantwana sebezoqeda esikoleni, u-Arthur wanquma ukuphinde abhalise njengephayona. Isibonelo esihle sikayise sakhuthaza bobabili abantwana bethu ukuba baqale ukuba amaphayona avamile ngokushesha lapho befaneleka.

Ngokuvamile u-Arthur wayeyisa abantwana ezindaweni ezisemaphandleni ezikude beyoshumayela. Ngezikhathi ezithile, wayehamba nabo isonto noma ngaphezulu isikhathi ngasinye bengalali ekhaya, ubusuku ngabunye behlala ematendeni. Phakathi nalezizikhathi bengekho ekhaya, ngangihlala ekhaya nginakekele ibhizinisi lefenisha lomkhaya, ngenza ukuba bobathathu bakwazi ukuphayona.

Inkonzo Phakathi Kwabomdabu Base-Australia

Ngolunye usuku ekuseni lapho umkhaya wawusanda kubuya nje kolunye lohambo lwawo lwasemaphandleni, sathola isivakashi esingalindelekile. Lesivakashi sasingowomdabu wase-Australia, esabuza: “Kumelwe ngenze njani uma ngifuna ukubuya?” Saqale sadideka. Khona-ke u-Arthur waphawula ukuthi wayengumuntu owasuswa ekuhlanganyeleni nebandla lobuKristu eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili ngenxa yokudakwa. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi wayebe nedumela elishaqisayo lokuphuza ngokweqile nokwenza izikweleti.

U-Arthur wamchazela okwakumelwe akwenze ukuze abuyiselwe ekuhlanganyeleni nenhlangano kaJehova ehlanzekile. Wahamba ngokuthula engakhulumanga okuningi, futhi sonke sazibuza ukuthi wayezokwenzenjani. Akekho kithi owayelindele ukubona lokho okwenzeka phakathi nezinyanga ezimbalwa ezalandela. Izinguquko lendoda eyazenza zazicishe zingakholeki! Wayengalulami enkingeni yakhe yokuphuza kuphela kodwa wayevakashela abantu bakulesifunda, ebakhumbuza ngezikweleti zakhe, futhi ekhokha lokho ayebakweleta khona! Namuhla usephinde waba umzalwane ongumKristu, futhi wakhonza isikhathi esithile njengesikhonzi esiyiphayona.

Kwakunabantu abaningi abangabomdabu base-Australia abahlala ePingelly, futhi inkonzo yayijabulisa kakhulu, sisiza labantu abathobekile ukuba bafunde futhi bamukele iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu. Yeka indlela okuye kwaluqinisa ngayo ukholo lwami ukuba nengxenye ekusizeni abomdabu base-Australia ukuba bafunde iqiniso!

Kwamiswa ibandla ePingelly, futhi ekuqaleni, amalungu alo amaningi ayengabomdabu base-Australia. Kwadingeka sifundise abaningi babo ukuzifundela nokubhala. Phakathi naleyominyaka yokuqala babebandlululwa kakhulu, kodwa abantu bakulelidolobha kancane kancane baqala ukuhlonipha oFakazi abangabomdabu base-Australia ngenxa yokuphila kwabo okuhlanzekile nokuba izakhamuzi ezinokwethenjelwa.

Usizo LukaJehova Oluqinisekile

Umyeni wami othandekayo, u-Arthur, owayesekhonze uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka iminyaka engu-57, wafa ekuqaleni kuka-1986. Wayehlonishwa kakhulu yibo bonke osomabhizinisi ePingelly nangabantu besifunda. UJehova waphinde wangisekela, enginikeza amandla okubekezelela lokhu kulahlekelwa okuzumayo.

Indodana yami, uBentley, ikhonza njengomdala engxenyeni esenyakatho yeWestern Australia, lapho yona nomkayo, uLorna, bekhulisele khona umkhaya wabo eqinisweni. Enye into engijabulisa kakhulu ukuthi indodakazi yami, u-Eunice, iye yaqhubeka isenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele kuze kube namuhla. Yona nomyeni wayo, uJeff, bakhonza njengamaphayona. Ngihlala nabo manje futhi ngibusiswe ngokukwazi ukuba yiphayona elisizayo isikhathi esinganqunyiwe.

Eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-60, ngiye ngasibona sigcwaliseka isithembiso sikaJehova sothando sokuqinisa izinceku zakhe nokuzisiza zibhekane nanoma yiziphi izimo okungase kudingeke zibhekane nazo. Unakekela zonke izidingo zethu uma simethemba noma sikwazisa konke asenzela khona. Ukholo lwami luye lwaqiniswa njengoba ngiye ngakuzwa ukusebenza kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu, futhi ngabona indlela anikeza ngayo isibusiso sakhe ngisho nesingaphezu kwalokho esingakucabanga. (Malaki 3:10) Yiqiniso, uNkulunkulu akanakuwaqamba amanga!

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UMary ngo-1933

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UMary no-Arthur eminyakeni yamuva