Izwe Elingatheli Liba Elivundile

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGU-ARTHUR MELIN

Kwakuwusuku olucwathile lwasentwasahlobo ka-1930, futhi ngangimi esikhumulweni semikhumbi sasePrince Rupert, eBritish Columbia. Uma ngibheka phansi esikebheni esasihlezi esihlabathini solwandle, ngazibuza, ‘Ashonephi wonke lamanzi?’ Ngangiqala ukubona ukwehla nokuphakama kwamanzi olwandle lwasoGwini oluseNtshonalanga Pacific lapho amanzi olwandle engehla khona ngamamitha angaba ngu-7 emahoreni ayisithupha. Kodwa lomfanyana wasemapulazini ayinkangala wayefike kanjani ogwini lwasePacific Ocean?

NGANGIMENYWE ukuba ngandise ilungelo lami lenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele eya kuJehova ngokujoyina iqembu elalihamba ngesikebhe i-Charmian. Isabelo sethu kwakuwukuqala umsebenzi wokushumayela ezindaweni ezikude ezigudle ugu olusentshonalanga ukusuka eVancouver kuya e-Alaska. Lendawo yayihlanganisa amakhilomitha amaningi ogu lwaseBritish Columbia, olwalungenabo abakhulekeli bakaJehova abakhuthele. Kwakukhona iqembu elincane nje labamemezeli boMbuso edolobheni lasePrince Rupert.

Ngangimagange ngifuna ukuqala, ngakho ngathi uma ngehla nje esitimeleni, ngaqonda ngqó esikhumulweni semikhumbi ngiyofuna isikebhe i-Charmian ngiyobona nabahamba ngaso u-Arne noChristina Barstad. Kwakungekho muntu phakathi, ngakho ngahamba. Uma ngibuya ntambama, kwaphela nasozwaneni. Kwakusengathi ulwandle lushile!

Kodwa-ke yini eyayiholele kulesisabelo esithakazelisayo?

Ifa Elingokomoya

Ukwazisa kwami izinto ezingokomoya kwaqala ekhaya emathafeni ase-Alberta, eCanada. Ubaba wayethole ipheshana elalibhalwe uCharles Taze Russell le-Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society elakuguqula ngokuphelele ukuphila kwakhe. Ubaba waqala ukushumayela komakhelwane bakhe, naphezu komsebenzi wakhe odla isikhathi wokuba umlimi eCalmar, e-Alberta. Kwakuseminyakeni eyikhulu edlule, ngawo-1890.

Ngazalelwa kulomkhaya owesaba uNkulunkulu ngo-February 20, 1905, ngingowesishiyagalombili kubafowethu nodadewethu abagcina sebeyishumi bebonke. Ubaba, kuhlanganise nabanye kulomphakathi wamaSwidi, bazihlanganisa ne-International Bible Students. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, bakha indawo yokuhlanganyela, kamuva eyabizwa ngokuthi iHholo LoMbuso. Lalingelinye kwawokuqala eCanada.

Umsebenzi wasepulazini wawungasivimbeli neze ukuba siye emihlanganweni yobuKristu, kweminye yayo kwakunezinkulumo ezazinikezwa izikhulumi ezazithunyelwe i-Watch Tower Society. Lezizinkulumo zasenza saba nesifiso esiqotho sokuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngenxa yalokho, cishe sonke emkhayeni wakithi sahamba ngobuqotho ekukhanyeni kweqiniso leBhayibheli.

Ukuhlanganyela Emsebenzini Wokushumayela

Ekuqaleni kwawo-1920, nganikezwa isabelo sami sokuqala sokufakaza. Kwakumelwe ngisakaze izimemo zenkulumo yeningi endlini ngendlu edolobheni lase-Edmonton. Njengoba ngangimi lapho ngedwa ngalolosuku, ngafunda isifundo esibalulekile: Thembela kuJehova. (IzAga 3:5, 6) Yeka indlela engajabula ngayo ngokufeza lesosabelo sokuqala ngosizo lukaJehova!

Ukuthembela kwami enhlanganweni kaJehova ebonakalayo nasesigabeni sakhe senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo kwaqhubeka kukhula njengoba ukuqonda okwengeziwe kwakukhanyiswa eZwini lakhe leqiniso. Imikhuba eminingi yeLobukholwa, njengokugujwa kukaKhisimusi nezinsuku zokuzalwa, yalahlwa. Ukusinda komuntu siqu akubange kusaba into ekhathalelwa kakhulu; kunalokho, ukushumayela ngoMbuso kwaqala ukuba nesilinganiso esifanele sokubaluleka. Konke lokhu kwaba nethonya elikhulu ekuphileni kwami. Ngakho-ke ngokushesha ngemva kokunikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova ngo-April 23, 1923, ngenza inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele yaba umgomo wami.

Ngezikhathi zasebusika basenkangala obushubisa umnkantsha, sasifakaza ezindaweni zasemaphandleni ngamahhashi nezihlibhi. Ngake ngachitha amasonto amabili nelinye iqembu kulokho okwakwaziwa ngokuthi umsebenzi womahamba nendlwana. Lezizimoto ezikhethekile zaziwuziso ekufakazeni ezinkangala zaseCanada. Naphezu kwezinkinga zezimali, isimo sezulu esibi, namabanga amade okwakumelwe ahanjwe, ngakwazi ukubekezela enkonzweni yamaphayona e-Alberta ngiyenza izikhawu iminyaka emithathu kwaze kwaba yilolosuku olungenakulibaleka ngo-1930 lapho ngimenyelwa ukuyokhonza oGwini Olusentshonalanga Pacific. Njengoba ngangingazi nolunci ngolwandle nangezikebhe, lesosimemo sangidida.

Nokho-ke, akuphelanga sikhathi ngifikile ePrince Rupert ngazizwa ngikhululekile ngokuba nalabo engangizosebenza nabo kulesosikebhe. UMfoweth’ uBarstad wayeyitilosi elinokuhlangenwe nakho, kwazise wayeke wenza umsebenzi wokudoba iminyaka eminingi. Iminyaka eyisithupha eyalandela yaba inkathi yokushumayela ngomfutho, sehla senyuka nogu lwaseBritish Columbia ukusuka eVancouver kuya e-Alaska. Esinye isifundo engasifunda: Samukele njalo isabelo esivela kuJehova, futhi ungalokothi uzindele.

Ukuhlwanyela Imbewu Ngasolwandle

Indawo esaqala saya kuyo ngaleyontwasahlobo yango-1930 kwakuyiKetchikan, e-Alaska, lapho salayisha khona amabhokisi ezincwadi zeBhayibheli angu-60. Amasonto amaningana, saya kuyo yonke imizi yaseKetchikan, eWrangell, ePetersburg, eJuneau, eSkagway, eHaines, eSitka, nakwezinye izindawo ezikude. Ngokulandelayo sahlanganisa lonke ugu lwaseBritish Columbia, esaluqeda ngaphambi kokuphela kwehlobo. Sahambela amakamu abagawuli bezingodo, amakamu ezisebenzi zasezimbonini zezinhlanzi, imizana yamaNdiya, amadolobha, kuhlanganise nemizi engayodwa nabazingeli. Ngezinye izikhathi kwakuba nzima ukugwema labo ababengabagcini bezindlu zezibani zasolwandle abanesizungu ababemjabulela umuntu abangaxoxa naye.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, iNhlangano yasihlomisa ngamagilamafoni aphathekayo nezinkulumo zeBhayibheli eziqoshiwe. Sasiphatha lokhu, kanye nezincwadi, amaBhayibheli, nomagazini. Ngokuvamile kwakudingeka sikuthwale njengoba sizabalaza ematsheni asogwini. Uma ulwandle lusabohlile, kwakudingeka sikwenyuse ngezitebhisi ezitebezelayo sikukhuphulele phezulu esikhumulweni semikhumbi. Ngajabula ngokuthi ngangithole ukuqeqesheka ngokomzimba ngisemusha ngokusebenza epulazini lasenkangala.

Umbhobho owawusesikebheni sethu wawuyithuluzi elinamandla ekusakazeni izindaba zoMbuso. Njengoba umsindo wawuthathwa amanzi, izinkulumo eziqoshiwe zazizwakala endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha amaningi. Ngolunye usuku lapho sisamise isikebhe esikhumulweni esingasodwa esikude eVancouver Island, sadlala enye yalezizinkulumo zeBhayibheli. Ngakusasa abantu abahlala maphakathi nezwe bejabule bathi kithi: “Izolo sizwe intshumayelo ivela ezulwini!”

Ngesinye isikhathi omunye umbhangqwana okhulile wathi wezwa umculo wehla ngoshimula, kodwa lapho uphumela phandle, awuzwanga lutho. Uma ubuyela endlini, wezwa izwi. Kwakwenziwa yini lokho? Ukuthi nje ngesikhathi uphandle sasisashintsha irekhodi. Sasiqala ngokudlala umculo ukuze sidonse ukunaka kwabantu, bese sidlala inkulumo yeBhayibheli.

Kwesinye futhi isehlakalo, lapho sasimise isikebhe ngasesiqhingini esinemizi yamaNdiya, kweza abafanyana ababili bomdabu begwedla isikejana bezobheka ukuthi lamazwi avelaphi. Abanye kulesisiqhingi babecabanga ukuthi amazwi abakubo abafileyo abase bevukile!

Kwakungeyona into engavamile ukuhambisa izincwadi eziyikhulu ngosuku kulabo abasebenza ezimbonini ezingazodwa ezifaka inhlanzi emathinini. Njengoba babengaphazamiseki, babenaso isikhathi sokucabanga ngezinto ezingokomoya. Abaningi balabo abasezindaweni ezingazodwa bagcina bengoFakazi. Ohambweni olulandelayo, sasibheka phambili ekubavakasheleni ukuze ‘sikhuthazane.’—Roma 1:12.

Ukuqhubeka Enkonzweni Nomlingane Womshado

Ngo-1931, ngashada nodadewabo kaChristina Barstad, u-Anna. Kamuva saqhubeka siphayona ndawonye ngesikebhe futhi sajabulela okuhlangenwe nakho okuningi okunomvuzo eminyakeni eyalandela. Abangane bethu kwakuyimikhomo, izimvu zamanzi, amahlengethwa, imikhomo emnyama, izinyamazane, amabhere, nezinkozi kuhlanganise nezintaba ezimangelengele, imifula esithekile, amatheku acwathile, azungezwe amahlathi emisedari, uphayini, nemidondoshiya yezihlahla ze-Douglas fir. Izikhathi eziningana sasisiza izinyamazane ezikhathele nezixhumo zazo zizama ukuwela imifula edla izindwani zibalekela lezo ezizizingelayo.

Ngolunye usuku ntambama sabona ukhozi lundizela phansi phezu kwamanzi, luphethe i-chinook salmon ngamazipho. Lenhlanzi yayiyinkulu kakhulu ukuba iphume ngokuphelele emanzini, ngakho lolukhozi lwalulibangise ogwini ludonsa le-salmon. U-Frank Franske, ilungu leqembu lesikebhe, wathatha lelothuba wagijima egudla ugu ehlangabeza lolukhozi olwase lukhathala futhi walwenza lwayishiya phansi inyamazane yalo. Iqembu lethu lamaphayona ladla ukudla kwakusihlwa okumnandi kwe-salmon, nokhozi lolo lwafunda ukuthi phela kwehla ngamphimbo munye, nakuba lwalungazimesele nje.

Kwesinye isiqhingana engxenyeni engasenyakatho yeVancouver Island, umbhangqwana wakwaThuot wamukela iqiniso leBhayibheli. Indoda yayingafundile, inenkani, ingukhanda limtshel’ okwakhe, iseminyakeni yawo-90, kanti unkosikazi wayeko-80. Nokho, iqiniso layihlaba umxhwele kangangokuthi yazithoba futhi yavumela umkayo ayifundise ukufunda. Ngokushesha yayisikwazi ukuzitadishela iBhayibheli nezincwadi zeNhlangano. Esikhathini esingaphansi kweminyaka emithathu kamuva, ngajabulela ukubabhapathiza bobabili emzini wabo oqhelile osesiqhingini, sisebenzisa isikebhe sethu esigwedlwayo njengethange lokubhapathizela!

Saphinde sajabulela ukubona umkhaya wakwaSallis wasePowell River usabela esigijimini soMbuso. UWalter wafunda incwajana ethi War or Peace—Which? futhi wayibona masinyane inhlansi yeqiniso. Ngesikhashana nje umkhaya wonke wahlanganyela noWalter ezinhlwini zamaphayona eVancouver, lapho sasimisa khona i-Charmian ebusika. Wayeshiseka kakhulu, futhi kuyo yonke leminyaka wazenza wathandeka kuyo yonke inhlangano yabazalwane endaweni yaseVancouver. Waqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-1976, eshiya umkhaya omkhulu woFakazi.

Ukunqoba Ukuphikiswa

Abefundisi basemizaneni yamaNdiya babevame ukungawuthandisisi umsebenzi wethu, besibheka njengamasela endaweni yabo engokomoya. EPort Simpson umfundisi wendawo wafuna ukuba induna yendawo ingasivumeli ukuba siye emizini yabantu. Sathintana nenduna futhi sayibuza ukuthi yayicabanga ukuthi umfundisi wayenze kahle yini uma ethi abantu bayo abanalwazi kangangokuba abakwazi ukuzicabangela. Sasikisela ukuba abantu bayo banikwe ithuba lokuzwa ingxoxo yeZwi likaNkulunkulu bese bezinqumela ukuthi yini ababefuna ukuyikholelwa. Umphumela: Yathi masiqhubeke sishumayela emizini.

Enye induna yendawo yalwisana amashumi amaningi eminyaka nayo yonke imizamo yamalungu omkhandlu neyamaqembu enkolo yokuvimbela oFakazi ukuba bathintane nabantu bayo. “Uma nje ngiseyinduna,” isho, “oFakazi BakaJehova bamukelekile lapha.” Yiqiniso, sasingamukelwa njalo kuzo zonke izindawo, kodwa naphezu kokuphikiswa asizange siphoqeleke ukuba sihambe kuleyondawo. Ngakho sakwazi ukufeza inkonzo yethu isikhathi ngasinye uma sima esikhumulweni semikhumbi.

Ukukhuthazelela Izinkinga Olwandle

Kuyo yonke leminyaka, sabhekana nobunzima ngenxa yeziphepho, ukwehla nokwenyuka kwamanzi olwandle, amadwala angabonisiwe ebalazweni, futhi ngezinye izikhathi inkinga yenjini. Sake sadlula eduze kakhulu naseLasqueti Island, cishe esebangeni lamakhilomitha angu-160 enyakatho yeVancouver. Sagaxela emadwaleni, ngenxa yokwehla kwamanzi olwandle, sase sihlala silindela ukubona ukuthi isimo sezulu sizoba njani. Ukube isimo sezulu saguquka saba sibi, isikebhe sasizophahlazeka emadwaleni sibe izicucu. Sonke sanombela emadwaleni sabekezelela leso simo esibi. Sadla ukudla kwasemini, sathi ukutadisha, salindela ukuba amanzi abuye akhuphuke.

Naphezu kwezingozi eziningi nokungaphatheki kahle, kwakuwukuphila okumnandi, okujabulisayo. Nokho, ukuzalwa kwamadodana ethu amabili, kwabangela ushintsho olukhulu. Saqhubeka sihlala esikebheni, kodwa noma nini lapho siya kude enyakatho njengase-Oona River, u-Anna wayesala nabafana kubazali bakhe bese thina abanye siqhubekela enyakatho e-Alaska. Kwakuthi-ke uma sesibuyela eningizimu, u-Anna nabantwana basijoyine.

Angikhumbuli izingane zikhononda noma zigula. Zazihlala zibophe amabhande okuphepha, futhi ngezinye izikhathi sasizibopha ngendophi. Yebo, zaziba khona izimo ezishubile.

Olunye Ushintsho Olwengeziwe

Ngo-1936 kwadingeka siyishiye i-Charmian, ngabe sengithola umsebenzi wokuziphilisa. Kamuva sathola indodana yesithathu. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngathenga isikebhe sokudoba, esasingasebenzeli ukuziphilisa kuphela kodwa futhi esasisenza sikwazi ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela ngasogwini.

Sakha umuzi eDigby Island, ngaphesheya kwetheku uma usuka ePrince Rupert, futhi ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho kwakhiwa ibandla elincane. Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, ngesikhathi umsebenzi wokushumayela woFakazi BakaJehova uvinjelwe eCanada, sasithatha isikebhe siwelele ePrince Rupert kwesikabhadakazi “sokhele” yonke leyonsimu, sishiya izincwadi kuwo wonke amakhaya. Akekho owake wasola ukuthi ukuwela kwethu phakathi kwamabili kuhlobene nokuhanjiswa kwezincwadi ezivinjelwe!

Izwe Seliyathela

Kancane kancane abantu abengeziwe baqala ukuhlanganyela noFakazi BakaJehova, futhi ngo-1948 isidingo seHholo LoMbuso saba sobala ePrince Rupert. Ngemva kokuthenga isakhiwo samasosha ngaphesheya kwetheku, sasiqhaqha, sasiweza ngaphesheya ngesihlenga samapulangwe, sasiyisa esizeni ngamaloli. UJehova wakubusisa ukuzikhandla kwethu, futhi saba neHholo LoMbuso elithi thina.

Ngo-1956, ngaphindela ezinhlwini zamaphayona, futhi u-Anna wangijoyina ngo-1964. Saphinde sasebenza ngesikebhe sigudla uGu lwasePacific. Isikhathi esithile sahlanganyela nasemsebenzini wokujikeleza, sihambela amabandla ukusuka eQueen Charlotte Islands kuya ngasempumalanga kunqamule izintaba kuyofika eFraser Lake, futhi kamuva saze sayofika ePrince George naseMackenzie. Kuyo yonke leminyaka, sahamba kuyo yonke iNyakatho-ntshonalanga YePacific izinkulungwane zamakhilomitha ngemoto, isikebhe, nangendiza.

EPrince Rupert siye saqhubeka sijabulela okuhlangenwe nakho okuhle enkonzweni. Sobabili mina no-Anna siye safunda nabantu okwathi kamuva baya e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead base bekhonza njengezithunywa zevangeli kwamanye amazwe. Yeka indlela okujabulisa ngayo ukubona abantwana bethu abangokomoya beyisa isigijimi soMbuso emazweni akude!

Sobabili sesineminyaka engaphezu kuka-80 futhi sibhekene nempilo engeyinhle, kodwa sisajabula enkonzweni kaJehova. Ubuhle bemvelo esiye sabubona e-Alaska naseBritish Columbia bubuyisa izinkumbulo eziyigugu. Kodwa kusijabulisa nangokwengeziwe ukubona ihlane elingokomoya elake laba elingenalutho lalendawo eyinkangala manje seliqhakaze laba namabandla amaningi abadumisi bakaJehova.

Okuye kwasijabulisa ngokukhethekile ukubona ezethu izingane, kuhlanganise nezingane zethu ezingokomoya, zikhula zidumisa uJehova. Siyajabula ngokuthi siye saba nengxenye encane ekukhuleni okungokomoya kulengxenye yomhlaba. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Alaska, manje isinelayo ihhovisi legatsha eliqondisa umsebenzi wamabandla angaphezu kuka-25.

Lapha ePrince Rupert ngo-1988 saba nelungelo lokunikezela iHholo LoMbuso elihle elisha, khona kanye enkabeni yedolobha. Yebo, siyajabula, njengoba kwenza u-Isaya, ngokuthi: “Wandisa isizwe, Jehova, . . . wadunyiswa, wanula yonke imikhawulo yezwe.”—Isaya 26:15.

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Ukukhonza emsebenzini wokujikeleza 1964-67

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Uhlobo lwesikebhe esasisetshenziswa ekufakazeni ezindaweni ezigudle ugu