Ukuphila Engingakaze Ngizisole Ngakho
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UPAUL OBRIST
Ngo-1912, lapho ngineminyaka eyisithupha, umama washona lapho ebeletha ingane yakhe yesihlanu. Eminyakeni engaba mibili kamuva, umnakekeli wekhaya osemusha, uBerta Weibel, waqala ukunakekela umkhaya wakithi. Lapho ubaba eshada naye ngonyaka owalandela, thina zingane sakujabulela ukuba nomama futhi.
SASIHLALA eBrugg, idolobhana elisengxenyeni yabantu abakhuluma isiJalimane eSwitzerland. UBerta wayengumKristu wangempela futhi ngangimkhonze kakhulu. Wayeqale ukufunda izincwadi zabaFundi BeBhayibheli (oFakazi BakaJehova) ngo-1908 futhi ekuhlanganyela nabanye lokho ayekufunda.
Ngo-1915, ngemva nje kokuba uBerta eshade nobaba, ngaya naye embukisweni we-“Photo-Drama of Creation.” Lenkulumo yama-slide nemifanekiso ye-International Association of Earnest Bible Students yayithinta ngokujulile ingqondo nenhliziyo yami. Nabanye bahlabeka umxhwele. Ihholo laseBrugg laligcwele kangangokuba amaphoyisa avala iminyango futhi aphindisela emuva abanye ababefika. Abaningi babe sebezama ukungena ngefasitela elalivuliwe besebenzisa isitebhisi futhi abambalwa baphumelela.
Isibonelo Esihle Sikamama
Kwakusabhidlange iMpi Yezwe I eYurophu ngaleso sikhathi futhi abantu babenovalo ngekusasa. Ngakho, ukungena endlini ngendlu nesigijimi esiduduzayo soMbuso kaNkulunkulu, njengoba kwakwenza umama, kwakuwumsebenzi ohloniphekayo. Ngezinye izikhathi wayevuma ukuba ngihambe naye futhi ngangikujabulela kakhulu lokho. Ekugcineni ngo-1918, umama wakwazi ukubonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwakhe kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngobhapathizo lwamanzi.
Ubaba wayengakaze aphazamise ukukhulekela kukamama kwaze kwaba yilapho ebhapathizwa khona, okwathi ngemva kwalokho waqala ukumphikisa. Ngolunye usuku wahlwitha izincwadi zakhe zeBhayibheli waziphonsa esitofini. Umama wakwazi ukophula iBhayibheli lakhe kuphela emlilweni. Kodwa akwenza ngemva kwalokho kwamangaza. Waya kubaba wamsingatha. Akazange nakancane ambambele amagqubu.
Enkemile, ubaba wabohla. Nokho, ngezikhathi ezithile ukuphikisa kwakhe kwakushuba futhi kwakudingeka sikhuthazelele ukuqhuma kwentukuthelo yakhe.
Umsebenzi Nentuthuko Engokomoya
Ngo-1924, ngemva kokuqeda iminyaka emithathu yokuqeqeshelwa ukuba umlungisi wezinwele, ngathutha ekhaya futhi ngathola umsebenzi engxenyeni yeSwitzerland yabakhuluma isiFulentshi. Lokhu kwanginika ithuba lokuthuthukisa ulwazi lwami lolimi lwesiFulentshi. Nakuba ukuthutha kwami kwaphazamisa intuthuko yami engokomoya ngandlela-thile, angizange ngiphelelwe uthando lweqiniso leBhayibheli. Ngakho lapho ngibuyela ekhaya eminyakeni eyisithupha kamuva, ngaqala ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla lobuKristu eBrugg.
Ngemva nje kwalokho ngathuthela eRheinfelden, idolobhana eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-40. Lapho, ngasebenza endaweni yokulungisa izinwele kadadewethu futhi ngaqhubeka ngithuthuka ngokomoya ngokuhlanganyela neqembu elincane labaFundi BeBhayibheli. Ngolunye usuku lapho siqeda isifundo sethu seBhayibheli saphakathi nesonto, uMfoweth’uSoder, umdala owengamele, wabuza: “Ubani ohlela ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yasensimini ngeSonto?” Ngasabela, ngicabanga ukuthi ngangizohamba nothile ukuze angibonise indlela yokwenza lomsebenzi.
Lapho kufika iSonto futhi sifinyelela ensimini yethu, uMfoweth’uSoder wathi, “UMnu. Obrist uzosebenza laphaya.” Nakuba inhliziyo yami yayibhakuza ngendlela engakaze yenze ngayo ngaphambili, ngaqala ukungena emizini yabantu, ngikhuluma nabo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 20:20) Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, angizange ngiyekethise ekwenzeni umsebenzi wokushumayela uJesu athi kumelwe ufezwe ngaphambi kokuba kufike isiphelo salesi simiso sezinto. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngo-March 4, 1934, lapho ngineminyaka engu-28, ngabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngobhapathizo lwamanzi.
Eminyakeni emibili kamuva ngathola umsebenzi wokuba umlungisi wezinwele eLugano, idolobha elisengxenyeni yeSwitzerland yabakhuluma isiNtaliyane. Ngokushesha ngaqala ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle lapho, nakuba ngangingasazi kahle isiNtaliyane. Noma kunjalo, ngeSonto lokuqala ngqá engaya ngalo enkonzweni, ngahambisa izincwajana ezingu-20 engangiziphethe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngakwazi ukuqoqa abantu abambalwa abathakazelayo ukuze sifunde INqabayokulinda njengeqembu. Ekugcineni abaningana balaba babhapathizwa futhi ngo-February 1937 samisa ibandla loFakazi BakaJehova eLugano.
Ezinyangeni ezimbili kamuva, ngo-April 1937, ngathola incwadi eyakushintsha ngokuphawulekayo ukuphila kwami. Kwakuyisimemo sokuyokhonza eBethel, njengoba izakhiwo zegatsha zoFakazi BakaJehova ezweni ngalinye zibizwa kanjalo. Ngasamukela ngokushesha leso simemo—isinqumo engingakaze ngizisole ngaso. Ngaleyo ndlela ngaqala lokho okuye kwaba umsebenzi weminyaka engu-60 enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele.
Inkonzo YaseBethel Ngezikhathi Ezinzima
Ngaleso sikhathi iBethel yaseSwitzerland yayisedolobheni laseBern, inhloko-dolobha yeSwitzerland. Lapho, sasinyathelisa izincwadi, izincwajana nomagazini ngezilimi ezingu-14 futhi lokhu kwakuthunyelwa kulo lonke elaseYurophu ngomkhumbi. Ngezinye izikhathi, izincwadi ezinyathelisiwe ngangiziyisa ngebhala esiteshini sesitimela, ngoba ngalezo zinsuku sasingayitholi ngaso sonke isikhathi iveni esasingayisebenzisa. Isabelo sami sokuqala eBethel saba seMnyango Wokuhlela Amagama, lapho sasihlanganisa khona izinhlamvu okwakunyatheliswa ngazo. Kungakabiphi ngaqala ukusebenza endaweni yokwamukela izihambi, futhi njengokulindelekile, ngasebenza nanjengomgundi wezinwele womkhaya waseBethel.
Ngo-September 1939, kwagqashuka iMpi Yezwe II futhi ukuhlasela ngonya kwamaNazi kwabangela ukwesaba kulo lonke elaseYurophu. ISwitzerland yayiyizwe elingathathi hlangothi eliphakathi kwezizwe ezilwayo. Ekuqaleni, umsebenzi wethu wobuKristu sawuqhuba ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa. Kwabe sekuthi, ngo-July 5, 1940, ngehora lesibili ntambama, lapho ngisetafuleni lami egumbini lokwamukela izihambi, kwaqhamuka isakhamuzi esasingabuthiwe, sihamba nesosha elaliphethe isibhamu esinensimbi ecijile ngaphambili.
“Uphi uZürcher?” kubhavumula lesi sakhamuzi. Ngaleso sikhathi uFranz Zürcher wayengumbonisi wegatsha elalinakekela umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela eSwitzerland.
“Ngingathi ubani ocela ukumbona?” ngibuza. Bangigxavula ngokushesha bangidonsa bakhuphuka nami ngezitebhisi, bengiphoqelela ukuba ngibayise ehhovisi likaZürcher.
Wonke umkhaya waseBethel—sasingaba ngu-40 ngaleso sikhathi—watshelwa ukuba uhlangane egumbini lokudlela. Ngaphandle kwesakhiwo kwakubekwe ombayimbayi abane ukuze kuvinjelwe noma ubani owayezama ukubaleka. Ngaphakathi, amasosha angaba ngu-50 aqala ukuguduza esakhiweni. Ngokuphambene nalokho ayekulindele, awazange athole bufakazi bokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova babehileleke ekukhuthazeni ukwenqaba inkonzo yezempi. Yize kunjalo, kwathathwa inani elikhulu lezincwadi ngenkani futhi zathwalwa ngamaloli empi amahlanu.
Lapho senqaba ukuba INqabayokulinda ihlolwe iziphathimandla zikahulumeni, ukusakazwa kwayo kwamiswa eSwitzerland. Lokho kwasho ukuthi kwase kudingeka izisebenzi ezimbalwa ukuba zenze umsebenzi waseBethel futhi amalungu omkhaya asemasha akhuthazwa ukuba ahambe ayokuba amaphayona, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova abahlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela wesikhathi esigcwele bebizwa kanjalo.
Ukuphayona Phakathi Nesikhathi Sempi
Ngo-July 1940, ngabuyela endaweni yabakhuluma isiNtaliyane eSwitzerland eseduze neLugano, lapho ngangihlala khona ngaphambi kokuya eBethel. Lensimu yamaKatolika alukhuni, ngaleso sikhathi eyayingaphansi kwethonya elinamandla lobuFascist, yaba isabelo sami sobuphayona.
Cishe lalingashoni ngingazange ngimiswe amaphoyisa engiphoqa ngenkani ukuba ngiyeke umsebenzi wami wokushumayela. Ngolunye usuku lapho ngikhuluma nowesifazane othile esangweni lengadi, ngagxavulwa ngemuva indoda eyayigqoke ngendlela evamile, yangiqhuba yangifaka emotweni yonogada yangiyisa eLugano. Lapho, yanginikela emaphoyiseni. Lapho ngiphenywa, ngachaza ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wasiyala ukuba sishumayele.
“Lapha emhlabeni, yithi esikhipha imiyalo,” kuphendula leli phoyisa ngokugabadela. “UNkulunkulu angayikhipha ezulwini imiyalo!”
Phakathi nempi, kwakubaluleke ngokukhethekile ukulalela iseluleko sikaJesu sokuba ‘abaqaphe njengezinyoka kodwa nokho abamsulwa njengamajuba.’ (Mathewu 10:16) Ngakho, ngangifihla eziningi zezincwadi zami emaphaketheni angaphakathi kweyembe lami. Futhi ukuze ngiqiniseke ukuthi akukho okungilahlekelayo, ngangigqoka izimbilijisi.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngathola iziyalezo zokuba ngithuthele esigodini sase-Engadine, lapho ngaqhubeka khona ngidlala umacashelana namaphoyisa. Lesi isigodi esihle esisempumalanga ye-Alps yaseSwitzerland, esigutshuzelwa inqwaba yeqhwa ebusika, ngakho ngacela ukuba ngithunyelelwe izinto zami zokushibilika eqhweni ukuze ngikwazi ukusebenza ensimini.
Kubalulekile ukuba namagilavu afudumele lapho uhamba ngezinto zokushibilika eqhweni ebusika obumakhaza. Awami, ngenxa yokuwasebenzisa njalo, ngokushesha aqala ukuguga. Yeka ukuthi ngajabula kanjani ngolunye usuku lapho ngithola iphasela elingalindelekile nhlobo eposini linejezi elilukwe ngesandla kanye namagilavu afudumalayo! Ngangikwenzelwe udadewethu ongumKristu wasebandleni engangikulo ngaphambili eBern. Ngisho namanje lapho ngicabanga ngalokhu, ngigcwala ukubonga.
Amalungelo Amaningi Ajabulisayo
Ngo-1943, izimo zaqala ukuzinza eSwitzerland futhi ngaphinde ngabizwa ukuba ngiyokhonza eBethel. Ngenxa yezinkinga ezithile ebandleni labakhuluma isiFulentshi eLausanne, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba yikhulu, ngabelwa ukuba ngihambele lelo dolobha njalo ukuze ngisize abamemezeli ukuba babe nombono ofanele ngenhlangano kaNkulunkulu.
Kamuva ngakhonza isikhathi esithile njengombonisi wesifunda wawo wonke amabandla esiFulentshi aseSwitzerland. Ekuqaleni kwesonto, ngangisebenza eBethel, kodwa ngoLwesihlanu, uMgqibelo nangeSonto ngangihambela ibandla elihlukile isonto ngalinye ngizama ukulisiza ngokomoya. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho kumiswa ibandla elikhuluma isiFulentshi eBern ngo-1960, ngaba umbonisi walo owengamele. Ngakhonza kanjalo kwaze kwaba ngu-1970, lapho iBethel isuka eBern iya endaweni enhle ekuyo manje edolobheni laseThun.
Ngajabula ukuthola iqembu elincane loFakazi elikhuluma isiNtaliyane eThun futhi ngaqala ukusebenza nalo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwamiswa ibandla futhi ngakhonza njengombonisi walo owengamele iminyaka eminingana kwaze kwaba yilapho abafowethu abasebasha bekufanelekela ukuthwala lowo mthwalo wemfanelo.
Lokho engiye ngakubheka njengelungelo elijabulisa ngokukhethekile ukuya emihlanganweni yezizwe yabantu bakaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1950 kwaba noMhlangano Wokwanda KoMbuso Ongokwasezulwini okhumbulekayo eYankee Stadium, eNew York. Ukuvakashela indlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York, kwaba nethonya elihlala njalo kimi. Futhi ngeke ngiyikhohlwe inkulumo kaMfoweth’uMilton G. Henschel ngonyaka owalandela eMhlanganweni Wokukhulekela Okuhlanzekile eLondon, eNgilandi, eyaqokomisa amazwi kaJesu athi, “Ngiyanitshela, Uma laba bebengahlala bethule, amatshe abeyokhamuluka.” (Luka 19:40) UMfoweth’uHenschel wabuza, “Nicabanga ukuthi kungaze kudingeke ukuba kukhamuluke amatshe?” Ngisayizwa ezindlebeni zami leya nhlokomo ethi, “Cha!” eyayivela emashumini ezinkulungwane zamaphimbo.
Lapho ngibuyela eBethel ngo-1937, ubaba owezwa ukuthi sasithola imadlana encane nje, wabuza ekhathazekile, “Ndodana, uyophila kanjani lapho usumdala?” Ngaphendula ngokucaphuna amazwi omhubi uDavide: “Angizange ngibone olungileyo eshiyiwe nenzalo yakhe iphanza ukudla.” (IHubo 37:25) Lamazwi aye agcwaliseka ngempela kimi.
Yeka indlela engijabula ngayo ukuthi eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-80 edlule, uBerta Weibel washada nobaba nokuthi ngenxa yesibonelo nesiqondiso sakhe ngamazi uJehova nezimfanelo zakhe! Nakuba amanye amalungu omkhaya ayemklolodela, wakhonza uJehova ngokukholeka kwaze kwaba sekushoneni kwakhe ngo-1983. Akakaze azwakalise ukuzisola ngokukhonza uNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova; futhi nami angikaze ngizisole ngokuhlala ngingashadile nokunikela konke ukuphila kwami enkonzweni kaJehova.
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Ngisebenza eBethel