Isinqumo Sami Sokuthuthukela Ekuvuthweni
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUCARL DOCHOW
Isihloko esasiku-Nqabayokulinda yesiNgisi ka-June 15, 1948, sasithi, “Ukuthuthukela Ekuvuthweni Noma Ukuwela Esonweni, Yikuphi?” Lesosihloko sangikhipha engozini engokomoya emapulazini ase-United States sangiyisa emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli eNingizimu Melika oye wathatha iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-43.
NGAZALWA ngo-March 31, 1914, endlwaneni eyakhiwe ngezingodo, eVergas, eMinnesota, ngingowesithathu kubafana abane. Iminyaka yami yobusha yayijabulisa. Ngikhumbula ngidoba nobaba. Nokho, umama wayehlale egula, futhi kwadingeka ngishiye isikole ngisesebangeni lesihlanu ukuze ngimsize ngomsebenzi wasekhaya. Lapho ngineminyaka engu-13, kwatholakala ukuthi uguliswa umdlavuza wamaphaphu.
Umama wayazi ukuthi ngeke aphile isikhathi eside, ngakho waqala ukungilungiselela ukuba ngithathe indawo yakhe. Wayehlala ekhishini bese engibonisa indlela yokupheka nokubhaka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wangifundisa ukuwasha izimpahla, ukunakekela ingadi, nokunakekela izinkukhu eziyikhulu. Futhi wayengikhuthaza ukuba ngifunde isahluko seBhayibheli esisodwa nsuku zonke, engangikwenza nakuba ngangingakwazi ukufunda kahle. Ngemva kokungiqeqesha izinyanga eziyishumi, umama wabe eseshona ngo-January 27, 1928.
Impi Iguqula Ukuphila Kwethu
Ngemva kokuba iMpi Yezwe II isiqalile ngo-September 1939, kwakuthandazelwa amabutho njalo ngeSonto esontweni lakithi laseLuthela. Umfowethu omdala uFrank wayengazimisele ukubulala, ngakho lapho enqaba ukulwa njengengxenye yebutho lempi, waboshwa. Lapho kuqulwa icala lakhe wathi: “Ngaphambi kokuba ngibulale abantu abangenacala, ngidubuleni!” Wagwetshwa ukuba adonse unyaka ejele eliseMcNeil Island buqamama nogu lwaseWashington State.
Lapho, uFrank wathola oFakazi BakaJehova abangaphezu kuka-300 ababeboshiwe ngoba bengathathi-hlangothi ngokuqinile phakathi nempi. (Isaya 2:4; Johane 17:16) Ngokushesha waqala ukuzihlanganisa nabo futhi wabhapathizelwa khona lapho ejele. Ngenxa yokuziphatha kwakhe okuhle, isigwebo sakhe sehliswa saba izinyanga eziyisishiyagalolunye. Ngo-November 1942 sezwa ukuthi uFrank wayededelwe, futhi ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho wasitshela ngezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngemva kokuhlolisisa lesisigijimi emaBhayibhelini ethu, sonke sabona ukuthi lokho uFrank ayesifundisa khona kuyiqiniso.
Izithiyo Zokuthuthuka Ngokomoya
Ngo-1944, ngathuthela endaweni yaseMalta, eMontana, ukuze ngihlale nobab’ omncane. Sasinokuthile esifana ngakho—sasishiywe amakhosikazi ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha sishade nawo. Wayekujabulela ukuba ngimsize ngomsebenzi wasepulazini nangokupheka, futhi sasihlukaniselana ngokulingana izinzuzo zethu. Ubab’ omncane wathi ngangizoba indlalifa yepulazi lakhe elingamahektare angu-260 uma ngihlala naye. Ngaleyominyaka umsebenzi wasepulazini wawuchuma, futhi ngangingeve ngiwuthanda! Sasiba nenala yesivuno minyaka yonke, futhi ukolweni sasiwudayisa ngo-$3.16 ingxenye ngayinye.
Nokho, ubab’ omncane wayengalithandi iqiniso lokuthi ngangiya emihlanganweni yebandla elincane loFakazi eMalta. Ngo-June 7, 1947, ubab’ omncane engazi, ngabhapathizwa emhlanganweni wesifunda woFakazi BakaJehova eWolf Point. Lapho, umzalwane ongumKristu wangimema ukuba ngibe iphayona, noma isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele. Nakuba nganginesifiso esijulile sokusebenzisa ukuphila kwami ngaleyondlela, ngamchazela ukuthi ubab’ omncane wayengeke angivumele ukuba nginikele isikhathi esiningi kangako enkonzweni.
Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ubab’ omncane wavula futhi wafunda incwadi engangiyibhalelwe umngane wami enginxusa ukuba ngibe isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele. Ethukuthele ethelwa ngamanzi, wanginqumela ugwayi katiki—yeka ukushumayela noma uphume uphele. Kwaba into enhle ukuba anginqumele ugwayi katiki ngoba ngangiwuthanda kakhulu umsebenzi wasepulazini kangangokuba ngiyangabaza ukuthi ngangingazihambela. Ngakho ngabuyela emkhayeni wakithi eMinnesota, wonke owase ubhapathiziwe futhi uhlanganyela neBandla LaseDetroit Lakes.
Ekuqaleni umkhaya wakithi wawungikhuthaza ukuba ngiphayone, kodwa ngo-1948 wawusuphola ngokomoya. Kwakungalesosikhathi lapho isihloko esithi “Ukuthuthukela Ekuvuthweni Noma Ukuwela Esonweni, Yikuphi?” sanginikeza khona ukusekela okungokomoya engangikudinga. Saxwayisa ngokuthi “nakanjani kwakuyoba nemiphumela emibi kakhulu uma ngamabomu senqaba ukuhambisana nolwazi oluthuthukayo.” Lesisihloko sathi: “Asikwazi ukuma ndawonye futhi sihlehlele emuva, kodwa kumelwe sithuthuke ekulungeni. Ukuthuthuka, singayeki, kungamandla amakhulu avimbela ukuwa.”
Nakuba umkhaya wakithi wawubeka ezinye izaba, ngicabanga ukuthi inkinga yangempela kwakuyisifiso sawo sokuceba. Wawubona izinzuzo ezingokomnotho ekusebenziseni isikhathi esiningi emsebenzini wasepulazini futhi usebenzise esincane ekushumayeleni. Kunokuba ngibanjwe ugibe lwesifiso sokuceba, ngahlela ukuba ngiphayone. Ngangazi ukuthi kwakungeke kube lula, ngaze ngacabanga nokuthi ngeke ngiphumelele. Ngakho ngo-1948, ngazivivinya ngokuthi ngamabomu ngifake isicelo sokuqala ukuphayona ngesikhathi esibi sonyaka—u-December.
Ukungenela Inkonzo Yobuphayona
UJehova wayibusisa imizamo yami. Ngokwesibonelo, ngolunye usuku izinga lokubanda lalingu-27°C. ngaphansi kwezinga-qhwa, ngaphandle komoya obandayo owawuheleza. Ngangifakaza emgwaqweni njengokuvamile, ngilokhu ngihlikihla izandla—ngifaka esibandayo ekhukhwini kuyilapho ngibambe omagazini ngesinye kuze kube yilapho naso sesibanda qá bese kudingeka ngisifake ekhukhwini. Kweza indoda ethile. Iphawula ukuthi sekuyisikhathi esithile iqaphele umsebenzi wami, yabuza: “Yini ebaluleke kangako ekulabomagazini? Nginikeze labo ababili ukuze ngibafunde.”
Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngangiqaphela ukuthi ukuba seduze nomkhaya wakithi kwakufaka ingokomoya lami engozini, ngakho ngemva kokufaka isicelo e-Watch Tower Society, nganikezwa isabelo esisha, eMiles City, eMontana. Lapho ngakhonza njengenceku yebandla, manje okuthiwa umbonisi owengamele. Njengoba ngangihlala enqoleni engamamitha amabili ububanzi namamitha amathathu ubude, ngangizondla ngokusebenza isikhathi esithile ebhizinisini lelondolo. Ngezinye izikhathi ngangiqashwa ukuba ngenze umsebenzi engangiwuthanda kakhulu—ukuvuna.
Phakathi nalesisikhathi, ngangilokhu ngizwa ngesimo esingokomoya somkhaya wakithi esasiqhubeka siba sibi. Ekugcineni, wona, nabanye eBandleni LaseDetroit Lakes, bavukela inhlangano kaJehova. Kubamemezeli boMbuso abangu-17 ebandleni, abangu-7 kuphela abahlala bethembekile. Umkhaya wakithi wawuzimisele ukuba nami ungikhiphe enhlanganweni kaJehova, ngakho ngaqaphela ukuthi lalilinye kuphela ikhambi, ukuba ngithuthuke ngokwengeziwe. Kodwa kanjani?
Ukuphishekela Inkonzo Yezithunywa Zevangeli
Phakathi nomhlangano wezizwe eNew York City ngo-1950, ngabona ukuthweswa kweziqu kwabafundi abayizithunywa zevangeli bekilasi le-15 le-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. Ngacabanga: ‘Uma nje bengingaba phakathi kwalabo abayokhonza uJehova esabelweni sakwelinye izwe.’
Ngafaka isicelo futhi ngamukelwa njengelungu lekilasi le-17 laseGileyadi, elaqala ngo-February 1951. Indawo lesisikole esasikuyo epulazini elingasenyakatho neNew York yayiyinhle. Yeka indlela engangifuna ngayo ukusebenza epulazini ngemva kwesikhathi sesikole, mhlawumbe engobeni nezinkomo, noma ngaphandle ezivunweni! Kodwa uJohn Booth, owayengumbonisi weKingdom Farm ngalesosikhathi, wachaza ukuthi kwakuyimina kuphela onokuhlangenwe nakho kokwenza umsebenzi waselondolo. Ngakho ngabelwa ukwenza lowomsebenzi.
IGileyadi yayingelula ngomuntu ogcine ebangeni lesihlanu. Nakuba izibani kwakumelwe zicinywe ngo-10:30 ebusuku, ngokuvamile ngangitadisha kuze kube kwelamabili. Ngolunye usuku omunye wabafundisayo wangibizela ehhovisi lakhe. Wathi: “Carl, ngiyabona ukuthi amamaki akho awamahle kahle.”
‘Nakho-ke,’ ngicabanga, ‘bazongicela ukuba ngihambe.’
Nokho, lona ofundisayo ngothando wanginikeza iseluleko ngendlela engangingasebenzisa ngayo kangcono isikhathi sami ngaphandle kokutadisha kuze kwephuze kakhulu. Ngokwesaba ngabuza: “Ingabe ngiyafaneleka ukuhlala lapha eGileyadi?”
“Ngokuqinisekile,” ephendula. “Kodwa angazi noma uzofaneleka ukuthola i-diploma.”
Ngaduduzwa amazwi kamongameli wesikole, uNathan H. Knorr. Ekuqaleni wayetshele abafundi ukuthi amamaki ayengamhlabi umxhwele ngaphezu “kokunamathela ngokwethembeka” kwezithunywa zevangeli ezahlala ezabelweni zazo.
Isifundo esasinzima kakhulu kimi kwakuyiSpanishi, kodwa nganginethemba lokwabelwa e-Alaska, lapho ukubanda kwakhona kwase kuyinto engiyejwayele emuva ekhaya. Ngaphandle kwalokho, ngangizokwazi ukushumayela ngesiNgisi. Ngakho ungacabanga ukuthi ngamangala kanjani lapho phakathi nesikole, ngithola isabelo sase-Ecuador, eNingizimu Melika. Yebo, kwakuyodingeka ngikhulume iSpanishi, phakathi enkabazwe ekhipha umkhovu etsheni!
Ngolunye usuku inxusa le-FBI langivakashela eSikoleni SaseGileyadi. Langibuza ngendodana yenceku yebandla eyayishiye inhlangano yethu eDetroit Lakes. IMpi YaseKorea yayibambene ngezihluthu, futhi lensizwa yazibiza ngokuthi iyisikhonzi soFakazi BakaJehova futhi ngenxa yalokho yakhululwa enkonzweni yempi. Ngachaza ukuthi yayingaseyena omunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Njengoba lelinxusa lalingivalelisa, lathi: “Kwangathi uNkulunkulu wakho angakubusisa emsebenzini wakho.”
Kamuva ngezwa ukuthi leyonsizwa yayibulewe kwenye yezimpi zokuqala eyazilwa eKorea. Yeka umphumela odabukisayo kowayesethubeni lokuthuthukela ekuvuthweni enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu!
Ekugcineni, lwafika usuku lwethu olujabulisayo lokuthweswa iziqu ngo-July 22, 1951. Yiqiniso, kwakungekho noyedwa emkhayeni wakithi, kodwa ngachichima injabulo lapho ngamukela i-diploma ngenxa yentuthuko engangiyenzile.
Ukuzivumelanisa Nezimo Zensimu Yakwelinye Izwe
Lapho sengisesabelweni sami, ngathola ukuthi ukuqeqesha kukamama kwakuwusizo ngempela. Ukupheka, ukuwasha izimpahla ngesandla, nokuntuleka kwamanzi kwakungekusha kimi. Kodwa ukushumayela ngeSpanishi kwakukusha! Ngasebenzisa intshumayelo yeSpanishi enyathelisiwe isikhathi eside. Kwangithatha iminyaka emithathu ngaphambi kokuba nginikeze inkulumo yeningi ngeSpanishi nalapho ngangisasebenzisa uhlaka olude.
Lapho ngifika e-Ecuador ngo-1951, kwakunabamemezeli boMbuso abangaphansi kuka-200. Umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi wabonakala uhamba kancane eminyakeni yokuqala engaba ngu-25. Izimfundiso zethu zeBhayibheli zazihluke ngokuphelele emasikweni obuKatolika angasekelwe emibhalweni, futhi ukunamathela kwethu eziyalweni zeBhayibheli ngokuqondene nokwethembeka komuntu kumngane wakhe womshado kwakungathandwa ngokukhethekile.—Heberu 13:4.
Nakuba kunjalo, sasikwazi ukuhambisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli eziningi. Inkonzo yethu eMachala, ephakathi kwamapulazi kabhanana, iyakubonisa lokhu. Mina noNicholas Wesley sasiwukuphela koFakazi lapho ngenkathi sifika ngo-1956. Sasihamba entathakusa ngamaloli athutha imfucumfucu ayesetshenziswa emigwaqweni emikhulu eyayakhiwa ngalezozinsuku. Ngemva kokuba sesihambe ibanga elijana, sasehla bese sifakaza kubantu yonke indlela siphindela emuva lapho sasihlala khona.
Ngolunye usuku, mina noNick sagcina umbhalo ukuze sibone ukuthi ubani phakathi kwethu owayezohambisa omagazini abaningi. Ngiyakhumbula ukuthi ngangimedlula uNick emini, kodwa ntambama sase sihambise omagazini abalinganayo abangu-114. Inyanga ngayinye sasishiya amakhulu omagazini kubantu emzileni wethu kamagazini. Izikhathi eziyisithupha ngahambisa omagazini abangaphezu kwenkulungwane phakathi nenyanga eyodwa. Cabanga ukuthi bangaki ababengafunda amaqiniso eBhayibheli kulabomagazini!
EMachala sabuye saba nelungelo lokwakha iHholo LoMbuso lokuqala lebandla e-Ecuador. Lokhu kwenzeka eminyakeni engu-35 edlule, ngo-1960. Ngalezozinsuku zokuqala kwakuba khona abantu abangaba ngu-15 kuphela emihlanganweni yethu. Namuhla iMachala inamabandla angu-11 athuthukayo!
Ukuvakashela E-United States
Ngasekupheleni kwawo-1970, ngathatha iholide ngaya e-United States futhi ngachitha amahora ambalwa nomfowethu uFrank. Wangithatha ngemoto yakhe sakhuphukela egqumeni esasingabona kulo ububanzi beRed River Valley. Kwakukuhle, izinhlamvu zikakolweni ovuthiwe ziphephezela emoyeni, kudedangendlale wensimu. Buqamama sasingabona iSheyenne River enezihlahla ezishaye uklele. Ukujabulela lobobuhle obuzolile kwaphazamiseka lapho umfowethu eqala ingxoxo yakhe evamile.
“Ukube ubungesona isiphukuphuku esihambe sizulazula eNingizimu Melika, lokhu bekungaba okwakho nawe!”
“Frank,” ngimnquma ulimi ngokushesha. “Ungabe usaqhubeka.”
Akabange esaqhubeka. Eminyakeni embalwa kamuva wafa ngokuzumayo ehlaselwe ukufa kohlangothi, washiya amapulazi amathathu amahle eNyakatho Dakota angamahektare angaphezu kuka-400, kanye nepulazi likabab’ omncane eliseMontana elingamahektare angu-260 ayebe indlalifa yalo.
Manje bonke emkhayeni wakithi sebeshonile. Kodwa ngiyajabula ngokuthi eDetroit Lakes, lapho sonke saqala khona ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova eminyakeni eminingi edlule, nginomkhaya ongokomoya wabafowethu nodadewethu abangaphezu kuka-90.
Ukuqhubeka Ngithuthuka Ngokomoya
Iminyaka engu-15 edlule iye yaveza inala esivunweni esingokomoya lapha e-Ecuador. Kusukela kubamemezeli boMbuso abangu-5 000 ngo-1980, manje sesinabangaphezu kuka-26 000. Ngiye ngavuna isibusiso sokusiza abadlula ngalé kwekhulu kulaba baze bafinyelela ezingeni lokubhapathizwa.
Manje, njengoba sengineminyaka engu-80 ubudala, ngiyazikhandla ukuze ngenze amahora angu-30 ngenyanga enkonzweni ngaphezu kokuba ngangenza ukuze ngihlanganise isilinganiso sami samahora angu-150 ngo-1951. Kusukela ngo-1989, lapho ngithola ukuthi nginomdlavuza endlaleni engasesinyeni, ngiye ngasebenzisa isikhathi sami sokululama ngifunda. Kusukela ngalowonyaka, ngiye ngafunda lonke iBhayibheli izikhathi ezingu-19 nencwadi ethi OFakazi BakaJehova—Abamemezeli BoMbuso KaNkulunkulu izikhathi eziyisithupha. Ngalendlela ngiyaqhubeka ngithuthuka ngokomoya.
Yebo, ngiye ngawathola amathuba ami okuvuna izinzuzo ezibonakalayo emapulazini ase-United States. Kodwa izinzuzo zengcebo ebonakalayo azilutho uma kuqhathaniswa nenjabulo engiye ngaba nayo esivunweni esingokomoya. Igatsha lalapha e-Ecuador lingazisa ukuthi emsebenzini wami wezithunywa zevangeli ngihambise omagazini abangaphezu kuka-147 000 nezincwadi ezingu-18 000. Lokhu ngikubheka njengezimbewu ezingokomoya, eziningi zazo esezihlumile kakade; ezinye kungenzeka zisazohluma ezinhliziyweni zabantu njengoba befunda ngalamaqiniso oMbuso.
Ayikho into engcono engingacabanga ngayo kunokuqhubeka ngithuthukela emhlabeni kaNkulunkulu omusha kanye nabo bonke abantwana bami abangokomoya nezigidi zabanye abaye bakhetha ukukhonza uNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova. Imali ngeke imsindise umuntu ekupheleni kwalelizwe elibi. (IzAga 11:4; Hezekeli 7:19) Nokho, izithelo zomsebenzi wethu ongokomoya ziyoqhubeka—uma ngamunye wethu eqhubeka ethuthukela ekuvuthweni.
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Ngilungele ukuphayona eMiles City, eMontana, ngo-1949
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Ngithenga amanzi okusetshenziswa ekhaya lethu lezithunywa zevangeli, 1952
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Ngishumayela eMachala, 1957
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Selokhu ngagula ngo-1989, ngiye ngafunda lonke iBhayibheli izikhathi ezingu-19