Ukugcina Amehlo Nenhliziyo Kugxile Emklomelweni
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGU-EDITH MICHAEL
Ekuqaleni kwawo-1930, sasihlala ngaseSt. Louis, eMissouri, e-U.S.A., lapho kufika omunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngawo lowo mzuzu ucingo lokuneka izingubo lwagqashuka, izingubo zikamama ezimhlophe qwá zawela odakeni. Wazamukela izincwadi ezazihanjiswa, ukuze nje lona wesifazane ahambe, wabe esezifaka ekhabetheni, wakhohlwa yizo.
ISIMO sezomnotho sasisibi ngaleyo minyaka, futhi ubaba wayediliziwe emsebenzini. Ngolunye usuku wabuza ukuthi ikhona yini into ayengayifunda endlini. Umama wamtshela ngalezi zincwadi. Waqala ukuzifunda, kwathi ngemva kwesikhashana wamemeza: “Mama, leli iqiniso!”
“Oh, inkolo ethile nje efuna imali njengazo zonke,” ephendula. Nokho, ubaba wamnxusa ukuba ahlale phansi aphenye imibhalo kanye naye. Lapho enza kanjalo, naye wagculiseka. Ngemva kwalokho baqala ukufuna oFakazi futhi bathola ukuthi babehlangana ehholo eliqashwayo elicishe libe maphakathi neSt. Louis, ihholo elalisetshenziselwa nemidanso neminye imisebenzi.
Ubaba nomama bahamba nami—ngangineminyaka engaba mithathu—futhi balithola leli hholo, kodwa kwakunomdanso owawuqhubeka. Ubaba wathola isikhathi imihlangano eyayiqhutshwa ngaso, sase siphinde sibuya. Saqala nokuya esifundweni seBhayibheli samasonto onke eduze nalapho sasihlala khona. Sasiqhutshelwa emzini wowesifazane owafika ekhaya okokuqala. “Kungani ningezi nabafana benu?” ebuza. Umama wayenamahloni okumtshela ukuthi babengenazicathulo. Lapho ekugcineni esho, banikezwa izicathulo, futhi abafowethu baqala ukuya emihlanganweni kanye nathi.
Umama wanikezwa insimu ayengashumayela kuyo eduze nasekhaya, futhi waqala ukuya enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu. Ngangihamba naye, ngicasha ngemva kwakhe. Ngaphambi kokuba afunde ukushayela, sasihamba ibanga elingaphezu kwekhilomitha siyogibela ibhasi elalisiyisa emihlanganweni eSt. Louis. Ngisho nalapho kuneqhwa futhi likhithika, sasingaphuthelwa imihlangano.
Ngo-1934, umama nobaba babhapathizwa. Nami ngangifuna ukubhapathizwa, futhi ngangilokhu ngibelesela kwaze kwaba yilapho umama ecela uFakazi osekhulile ukuba akhulume nami ngakho. Wabuza imibuzo eminingi ngendlela engangingayiqonda. Ngemva kwalokho watshela abazali bami ukuthi akufanele ngivinjelwe ukuba ngibhapathizwe; kungase kulimaze ukukhula kwami ngokomoya. Ngakho ngabhapathizwa ngehlobo elalandela, lapho ngiseneminyaka eyisithupha.
Ngangiyithanda incwajana ethi Home and Happiness, engangihlala ngiyiphethe ngaso sonke isikhathi, ngize ngiyifake ngaphansi komcamelo wami lapho ngilala. Ngangicela umama ukuba angifundele yona ngokuphindaphindiwe, kwaze kwaba yilapho ngiyazi ngekhanda. Ngemuva yayinesithombe sentombazanyana isePharadesi nengonyama. Ngangizibiza ngaleyo ntombazanyana. Leso sithombe siye sangisiza ukuba ngigcine amehlo ami esemklomelweni wokuphila ezweni likaNkulunkulu elisha.
Nganginamahloni kakhulu, kodwa ngisho noma ngangingase ngiqhaqhazele, ngangihlale ngiphendula imibuzo eSifundweni Se-Nqabayokulinda sebandla.
Ngokudabukisayo, ubaba wayesaba ukuthi uzolahlekelwa umsebenzi wakhe, ngakho wayeka ukuhlanganyela noFakazi. Nabafowethu bayeka.
Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele
Umama wahlela ukuba amaphayona, noma izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele, abeke umahamba-nendlwana wawo ngemuva egcekeni lakithi, futhi ngemva kwesikole ngangihamba nalawo maphayona enkonzweni. Ngokushesha ngase ngifuna ukuphayona, kodwa ubaba akazange avume, ekholelwa ukuthi kufanele ngiqhubeke nemfundo yezwe. Umama wabonisana naye waze wagcina evumile ukuba ngiphayone. Ngakho ngo-June 1943, lapho ngineminyaka engu-14, ngangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ukuze ngihlanganyele ezindlekweni zasekhaya, ngabamba itoho, futhi ngezinye izikhathi ngangisebenza isikhathi esigcwele. Kodwa ngangiwufinyelela umgomo wanyanga zonke wamahora angu-150 emsebenzini wokushumayela.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngathola umuntu engangizophayona naye, uDorothy Craden, owayeqale ukuphayona ngo-January 1943, lapho eneminyaka engu-17. Wayekade engumKatolika ozinikele, kodwa ngemva kokutadisha iBhayibheli izinyanga eziyisithupha, wabhapathizwa. Iminyaka eminingi wayengumthombo wesikhuthazo kimi futhi wayengiqinisa, nami nganginjalo kuye. Sasondelana kakhulu kunezelamani.
Kusukela ngo-1945, saphayona ndawonye emadolobhaneni aseMissouri lapho kwakungenamabandla khona. EBowling Green salungisa ihholo lemihlangano; umama weza ezosisiza. Ngemva kwalokho saya kuwo wonke amakhaya akulelo dolobha isonto ngalinye simemela abantu enkulumweni yeningi esasihlele ukuba abazalwane baseSt. Louis bazoyinikeza. Inani lababeba khona masonto onke laliphakathi kuka-40 no-50. Kamuva senza okufanayo eLouisiana, lapho saqasha khona ithempeli lamaFreemason. Ukuze sikhokhe izindleko zokuqasha amahholo, sasimisa amabhokisi omnikelo, futhi sasikwazi ukukhokha zonke izindleko isonto ngalinye.
Ngokulandelayo, saya eMexico, eMissouri, lapho saqasha khona isakhiwo sesitolo. Sasilungisa ukuze sisetshenziswe ibandla lakhona elincane. Lesi sakhiwo sasinamakamelo axhumene naso esasihlala kuwo. NaseMexico sasiza ngokuhlela izinkulumo zeningi. Ngemva kwalokho saya enhloko-dolobha yezwe, eJefferson City, lapho usuku ngalunye lwesonto sasikhuluma khona nezikhulu zomphakathi emahhovisi azo. Sasihlala ekamelweni elalingaphezu kweHholo LoMbuso noStella Willie, owayenjengomama wethu.
Sisobathathu sasuka lapho saya emadolobheni aseFestus naseCrystal City, ayakhelene. Sahlala ekamelweni elalikade liyihhoko lezinkukhu ngemva komuzi womkhaya othile othakazelayo. Njengoba babengekho abesilisa ababhapathiziwe, sasiqhuba yonke imihlangano. Sasibamba itoho ngokuthengisa izimonyo. Sasingenazo izinto eziningi. Eqinisweni, sasingenayo imali yokuvala izimbobo ezicathulweni zethu, ngakho njalo ekuseni sasifaka amakhadibhodi amasha ngaphakathi, kuthi ebusuku siwashe izingubo zethu ezaziwukuphela kwazo.
Ekuqaleni kuka-1948, lapho ngineminyaka engu-19, mina noDorothy samenyelwa ekilasini le-12 le-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead lezithunywa zevangeli. Ngemva kwezifundo ezathatha izinyanga ezinhlanu, abafundi abayikhulu bathweswa iziqu ngo-February 6, 1949. Kwakuyisikhathi esijabulisa kakhulu. Abazali bami babethuthele eCalifornia, futhi umama wasuka lapho ukuze abe khona.
Siya Esabelweni Sethu
Abathweswe iziqu abangu-28 babelwa e-Italy—abayisithupha, kuhlanganise nami noDorothy, babelwa edolobheni laseMilan. Ngo-March 4, 1949, sasuka eNew York ngomkhumbi wase-Italy i-Vulcania. Lolu hambo lwathatha izinsuku ezingu-11, futhi ulwandle olugubhayo lwenza abaningi bethu baba nesicanucanu. Umfoweth’ uBenanti weza esikhumulweni semikhumbi saseGenoa ezosihlangabeza sabe sesihamba naye ngesitimela siya eMilan.
Lapho sifika ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eMilan, sathola izimbali intombazanyana engumNtaliyane eyayizibeke kuwo wonke amakamelo ethu. Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva lentombazane, uMaria Merafina, yaya eGileyadi, yabuyela e-Italy, sabe sesikhonza ndawonye nayo ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli!
Ekuseni ngemva kokuba sifike eMilan, salunguza ngefasitela lasendlini yokugezela. Emgwaqweni ongemuva kwakunesakhiwo esikhulu esasinamakamelo amaningi esasiqhunyiswe yibhomu. Indiza yamabhomu yaseMelika ngengozi yadedela ibhomu elabulala yonke imikhaya engu-80 eyayihlala lapho. Ngesinye isikhathi, kwagejwa ifektri futhi amabhomu awela esikoleni abulala izingane ezingu-500. Ngakho abantu babengawenameli amaMelika.
Abantu babekhathele yimpi. Abaningi babethi uma kungaqala enye impi, babengeke baye ezindaweni zokuzivikela ekuqhunyisweni ibhomu kodwa babezohlala emakhaya bavulele isisi bafele lapho. Sabaqinisekisa ukuthi sasingezelanga ukuzomelela i-United States noma ngabe imuphi omunye uhulumeni owenziwe abantu, kodwa sasizomelela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu, owawuzoqeda zonke izimpi nokuhlupheka okuzilethayo.
Edolobheni elikhulu laseMilan, ibandla eliwukuphela kwalo labantu abangaba ngu-20 lalihlangana ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli. Amasimu okushunyayelwa ayengakasikwa, ngakho saqala ukufakaza esakhiweni esikhulu esinamakamelo amaningi. Endlini yokuqala, sahlangana noMnu. Giandinotti, owayefuna ukuba umkakhe ayeke isonto, ngakho wamukela enye yezincwadi zethu. UNkk. Giandinotti wayengowesifazane oqotho, onemibuzo eminingi. “Ngingajabula uma ningafunda isiNtaliyane,” esho, “ukuze nikwazi ukungifundisa iBhayibheli.”
Uphahla lwendlu yabo lwaluphakeme nesibani sikhanya kalufifi, ngakho ebusuku wayebeka isihlalo sakhe phezu kwetafula ukuze abe seduze nesibani abese efunda iBhayibheli. Wabuza: “Uma ngitadisha iBhayibheli nani, ngisengaqhubeka ngiya esontweni?” Samtshela ukuthi kukuye. NgamaSonto ekuseni wayeya esontweni bese kuthi ntambama eze emihlanganweni yethu. Khona-ke ngolunye usuku wathi, “Ngeke ngisaya esontweni.”
“Kungani?” sibuza.
“Ngoba abafundisi iBhayibheli, futhi ngiye ngathola iqiniso ngokutadisha nani iBhayibheli.” Wabhapathizwa wabe esetadisha nabesifazane abaningi ababeya esontweni nsuku zonke. Kamuva wasitshela ukuthi uma ngabe sasithe makangayi esontweni, wayezoyeka ukutadisha futhi mhlawumbe wayengeke alifunde iqiniso.
Izabelo Ezintsha
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi mina noDorothy, kanye nezinye izithunywa zevangeli ezine, sabelwa edolobheni lase-Italy iTrieste, ngaleso sikhathi elalilawulwa amabutho aseBrithani nawaseMelika. KwakunoFakazi abangaba yishumi nje kuphela, kodwa leli nani lakhula. Sashumayela eTrieste iminyaka emithathu, futhi lapho sihamba, kwakunabamemezeli boMbuso abangu-40, abayishumi babo bengamaphayona.
Isabelo sethu esilandelayo kwakuyidolobha laseVerona, indawo eyayingenabandla. Kodwa lapho isonto licindezela iziphathimandla zezwe, saphoqelelwa ukuba sihambe. Mina noDorothy sabelwa eRome. Lapho saqasha ikamelo elalinezimpahla, futhi sasebenza insimu engaseVatican. Sasilapho ngenkathi uDorothy eya eLebanon eyoshada noJohn Chimiklis. Sasibe ndawonye iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-12, futhi ngangimkhumbula kakhulu.
Ngo-1955 kwavulwa ikhaya elisha lezithunywa zevangeli kwenye indawo eRome emgwaqweni okuthiwa iNew Appian Way. Omunye kwabane ababekulelo khaya kwakunguMaria Merafina, intombazane eyayibeke izimbali emakamelweni ethu ngobusuku esafika ngabo eMilan. Kwamiswa ibandla elisha kulendawo yedolobha. Ngemva komhlangano wezizwe eRome ngalelo hlobo, ngaba nelungelo lokuba khona emhlanganweni owawuseNuremberg, eJalimane. Yeka indlela okwakujabulisa ngayo ukwazana nalabo ababekhuthazelele ubuhlungu obukhulu embusweni kaHitler!
Ukubuyela E-United States
Ngenxa yezinkinga zempilo, ngo-1956 ngabuyela e-United States ngiyohlaba ikhefu ngenxa yokugula. Kodwa angizange ngiwasuse amehlo ami emklomelweni wokukhonza uJehova manje naphakade ezweni lakhe elisha. Ngangihlela ukuphindela e-Italy. Nokho, ngahlangana no-Orville Michael, owayekhonza endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York. Sashada ngemva komhlangano wezizwe wango-1958 owawuseNew York City.
Ngemva nje kwalokho sathuthela eFront Royal, eVirginia, lapho sajabulela khona ukukhonza nebandla elincane. Sasihlala ekamelweni elincane ngemva kweHholo LoMbuso. Ekugcineni, ngo-March 1960 kwadingeka siphindele eBrooklyn ukuze sithole umsebenzi wokuziphilisa futhi sikwazi ukukhokha izikweletu zethu. Sasisebenza ebusuku emabhange ahlukahlukene ukuze sihlale enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele.
Ngenkathi siseBrooklyn, ubaba washona, futhi umama womyeni wami waba nokufa kohlangothi okungatheni. Ngakho sanquma ukuthuthela e-Oregon ukuze sibe seduze nomama bethu. Sobabili sathola umsebenzi wokuziphilisa oyitoho futhi saqhubeka nenkonzo yamaphayona lapho. Ekwindla ka-1964, sahamba nomama bethu ngemoto sinqamula izwe siya emhlanganweni waminyaka yonke we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society ePittsburgh, ePennsylvania.
Phakathi nokuvakasha kwethu eRhode Island, umbonisi wesifunda, u-Arlen Meier nomkakhe basikhuthaza ukuba sithuthele enhloko-dolobha yalelozwe, iProvidence, lapho kwakunesidingo esikhudlwana sabamemezeli boMbuso. Omama bethu basinxusa ukuba sisamukele lesi sabelo esisha, ngakho lapho sibuyela e-Oregon, sathengisa izinto zethu eziningi zasendlini sabe sesithutha.
Ukuphindela ESikoleni SaseGileyadi
Phakathi nehlobo lika-1965, saya emhlanganweni eYankee Stadium. Lapho, safaka isicelo sokuya eSikoleni SaseGileyadi njengombhangqwana oshadile. Ngemva kwesikhathi esingangenyanga, samangala ukuthola amafomu okufaka isicelo, okwakumelwe abuyiswe phakathi nezinsuku ezingu-30. Njengoba umama ayengenampilo enhle kwangikhathaza ukuthi ngangizoya ezweni elikude. Kodwa wangikhuthaza: “Wagcwalise lawo mafomu. Uyazi ukuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi kufanele wamukele noma yiliphi ilungelo lenkonzo uJehova akunikeza lona!”
Lokhu kwayixazulula inkinga. Sagcwalisa amafomu esicelo sabe sesiwathumela. Yeka ukuthi samangala kanjani lapho simenyelwa ekilasini lama-42, elaqala ngo-April 25, 1966! Ngaleso sikhathi iSikole SaseGileyadi sasiseBrooklyn, eNew York. Kungakapheli nezinyanga ezinhlanu ngemva kwalokho, abangu-106 kithi bathweswa iziqu ngo-September 11, 1966.
Ukwabelwa E-Argentina
Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbili sithweswe iziqu, sabhekisa amabombo e-Argentina ngePeruvian Airlines. Lapho sifika eBuenos Aires, umbonisi wegatsha, uCharles Eisenhower, wasihlangabeza esikhumulweni sezindiza. Wasisiza ukuba senze izinto ezazidingeka wabe esesiyisa egatsheni. Sathola usuku olulodwa lokulungisa izimpahla zethu nokuzinza; ngemva kwalokho saqala izifundo zeSpanishi. Ngenyanga yokuqala safunda iSpanishi amahora angu-11 ngosuku. Ngenyanga yesibili, safunda lolu limi amahora amane ngosuku sabe sesiqala ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yasensimini.
Sahlala eBuenos Aires izinyanga ezinhlanu kwathi ngemva kwalokho sabelwa eRosario, idolobha elikhulu elingasenyakatho okungathatha cishe amahora amane ukuya kulo ngesitimela. Ngemva kokukhonza lapho izinyanga ezingu-15, sathunyelwa enyakatho ekude eSantiago del Estero, idolobha elisesifundazweni esishisayo esiwugwadule. Ngenkathi silapho, umama washona, ngo-January 1973. Kwase kuyiminyaka emine ngingamboni. Okwangisekela osizini lwami kwakuyithemba eliqinisekile lovuko kanye nokwazi ukuthi ngangikhonza lapho umama ayefuna ngibe khona.—Johane 5:28, 29; IzEnzo 24:15.
Abantu baseSantiago del Estero babenobungane, futhi kwakulula ukuqala izifundo zeBhayibheli. Lapho sifika ngo-1968, kwakunabantu abangu-20 noma abangu-30 ababeba khona emihlanganweni, kodwa eminyakeni engu-8 kamuva kwakunabangaphezu kwekhulu ebandleni lethu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakunamabandla amabili amasha ayenabamemezeli abaphakathi kuka-25 no-50 emadolobhaneni aseduze.
Ukuphindela E-United States Futhi
Ngenxa yezinkinga zempilo, ngo-1976 saphinde sabelwa e-United States njengamaphayona akhethekile—sabelwa eFayetteville, eNyakatho Carolina. Lapho, kwakunabantu abaningi abakhuluma iSpanishi abavela eMelika Emaphakathi neseNingizimu, eDominican Republic, ePuerto Rico, ngisho naseSpain. Saba nezifundo zeBhayibheli eziningi, futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwamiswa ibandla leSpanishi. Sahlala iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-8 kuleso sabelo.
Nokho, kwakudingeka sibe seduze nomamezala wami, owayesekhulile impela futhi ekhubazekile. Wayehlala ePortland, e-Oregon, ngakho sathola isabelo esisha ebandleni leSpanishi eVancouver, eWashington, engekude nePortland. Leli bandla lalilincane lapho sifika ngo-December 1983, kodwa sibona abaningi abasanda kuhlanganyela.
Ngo-June 1996, ngihlanganisé iminyaka engu-53 ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, kanti umyeni wami wahlanganisa iminyaka engu-55 ngo-January 1, 1996. Kuyo yonke leminyaka eminingi, ngiye ngaba nelungelo lokusiza amakhulu ukuba azi iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi anikezele ukuphila kwawo kuJehova. Abaningi balaba manje bakhonza njengabadala nezikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele.
Ngezinye izikhathi ngiye ngibuzwe ukuthi ngiyazisola yini ngokuthi angizange ngibe nezingane. Iqiniso liwukuthi uJehova uye wangibusisa ngezingane nabazukulu abangokomoya abaningi. Yebo, ukuphila kwami kuye kwaba okucebile nokunomvuzo enkonzweni kaJehova. Ngingazifanisa nendodakazi kaJefta, eyasebenzisa ukuphila kwayo enkonzweni yasethempelini futhi engazange ibe nezingane ngenxa yelungelo layo lenkonzo elikhulu.—AbAhluleli 11:38-40.
Ngisakhumbula ngizinikezela kuJehova lapho ngiseyintombazanyana nje. Isithombe sePharadesi sisagqamile engqondweni yami njengoba sasinjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Amehlo nenhliziyo yami kusagxile emklomelweni wokuphila okungapheli ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu. Yebo, isifiso sami siwukukhonza uJehova, hhayi iminyaka engaba ngu-50 nje kuphela, kodwa kuze kube phakade—ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso wakhe.
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
UDorothy Craden, ebambelele emahlombe ami, nesasiphayona nabo ngo-1943
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
ERome, e-Italy, nginalabo engangiyisithunywa sevangeli kanye nabo ngo-1953
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Nginomyeni wami