Ngiyasazisa Isisekelo Esiqinile Esiyifa LobuKristu

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UGWEN GOOCH

Esikoleni ngangihlabelela ingoma eyayinamazwi athi, ‘uJehova Omkhulu ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi enkazimulweni yakhe.’ Ngangihlale ngizibuza, ‘Ubani lo Jehova?’

UGOGO nomkhulu babemhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Ekuqaleni kwaleli khulu leminyaka, bahlanganyela nabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Ubaba wayechuma ebhizinisini kodwa ekuqaleni akazange alidlulisele ifa lobuKristu alinikwa ezinganeni zakhe ezintathu.

Lapho ubaba enika mina nomfowethu, uDouglas, nodadewethu, u-Anne, izincwajana ezinesihloko esithi His Works nesithi Who Is God? kwaba yimá ngithola ukuthi elithi Jehova igama likaNkulunkulu weqiniso. (IHubo 83:18) Ngajabula kakhulu! Kodwa yini eyavuselela isithakazelo sikababa?

Ngo-1938, lapho ebona izizwe zilungela impi, ubaba waqaphela ukuthi kwakuyodinga okungaphezu kwemizamo yomuntu ukuxazulula izinkinga zezwe. Ugogo wamnika incwadi ethi Enemies, eyanyatheliswa oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngokuyifunda, wathola ukuthi isitha sangempela sesintu uSathane uDeveli nokuthi nguMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuphela ongaletha ukuthula kwezwe.a—Daniyeli 2:44; 2 Korinte 4:4.

Njengoba kwakusondela impi, umkhaya wakithi waqala ukuya emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso LoFakazi BakaJehova eWood Green, eNyakatho yeLondon. Ngo-June 1939 saya e-Alexandra Palace eyayiseduze nathi siyolalela inkulumo yeningi eyayinesihloko esithi, “Uhulumeni Nokuthula,” eyayinikezwa uJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society ngaleso sikhathi. Inkulumo kaRutherford yaseMadison Square Garden eNew York City yasakazwa emsakazweni eLondon nakwamanye amadolobha amakhulu. Inkulumo sasiyizwa ngokucace kangangokuba lapho isixuku sezixhwanguxhwangu eNew York siphazamisa, ngaqalaza ngibheka ukuthi kwakwenzeka kuleli hholo engangikulo yini!

Intshiseko Kababa Ngeqiniso LeBhayibheli

Ubaba wagcizelela ukuba wonke umkhaya wakithi uhlanganyele njalo ngoMgqibelo ebusuku isifundo seBhayibheli. Isifundo sethu sasigxile esihlokweni seBhayibheli esikuyi-Nqabayokulinda okwakuzoxoxwa ngaso ngosuku olulandelayo. Okubonisa indlela lezi zifundo ezaba nethonya ngayo ukuthi kuze kube namuhla ngisakukhumbula kahle ukulandisa okuphathelene noJoshuwa nokuvinjezelwa komuzi wase-Ayi okuxoxwa ngakho kuyi-Nqabayokulinda (yesiNgisi) ka-May 1, 1939. Lokho kulandisa kwangihlaba umxhwele kangangokuthi ngahlola zonke izikhombo okwakubhekiselwe kuzo eBhayibhelini lami. Ngakuthola kuthakazelisa lokho kucwaninga—futhi kusenjalo namanje.

Ukuhlanganyela nabanye lokho esasikufunda kwagxilisa izimfundiso zeBhayibheli enhliziyweni yami. Ngolunye usuku ubaba wanginika igilamafomu nesigijimi seBhayibheli esiqoshiwe nencwajana esasiyisebenzisela ukuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli kanye nekheli lowesifazane othile osekhulile. Wabe esengicela ukuba ngihambele lowo wesifazane.

Ngabuza: “Ngizothini, ngenze njani?”

“Konke kulapho,” kuphendula ubaba. “Mane udlale irekhodi, ufunde imibuzo, ucele ukuba umninikhaya afunde izimpendulo bese ufunda imibhalo.”

Ngenza njengoba ayengitshelile, futhi ngaleyo ndlela ngafunda ukuqhuba isifundo seBhayibheli. Ngokusebenzisa imiBhalo kanjalo enkonzweni, ngayiqonda kangcono.

Inselele Yangeminyaka Yempi

Kwaqubuka iMpi Yezwe II ngo-1939, futhi ngonyaka olandelayo ngabhapathizwa ngibonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami ekukhonzeni uJehova. Ngangineminyaka engu-13 kuphela. Nganquma ngaleso sikhathi ukuba iphayona, njengoba izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zibizwa kanjalo. Ngayeka isikole ngo-1941 futhi emhlanganweni waseLeicester ngahlanganyela noDouglas emsebenzini wokushumayela wesikhathi esigcwele.

Ngonyaka olandelayo, ubaba waboshwa ngenxa yokwenqaba ukungena ebuthweni lezempi ngenxa kanembeza. Thina zingane sasondela kumama, simsiza ekunakekeleni ikhaya phakathi naleso sikhathi esinzima sempi. Khona-ke, ngemva nje kokuba ubaba ekhululiwe ejele, uDouglas wabizelwa inkonzo yezempi. Isihloko esikhulu sephephandaba lendawo sasithi, “Okwenza Indodana Ikhethe Ijele Njengoyise.” Lokho kwaphumela ekunikezweni kobufakazi obuhle, njengoba kwavuleka ithuba lokuchaza ukuthi kungani amaKristu eqiniso engahlanganyeli ekubulaleni abanye abantu.—Johane 13:35; 1 Johane 3:10-12.

Phakathi naleyo minyaka yempi, oFakazi abaningi ababesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele babevame ukuvakashela ekhaya, futhi izingxoxo zabo ezikhuthazayo ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini zagxila kithi. Kulabo bafowethu abathembekile abangamaKristu, kwakunoJohn Barr no-Albert Schroeder, manje abangamalungu eNdikimba Ebusayo YoFakazi BakaJehova. Abazali bami babenomoya wokungenisa izihambi ngempela, futhi basifundisa ukwenza okufanayo.—Heberu 13:2.

Ukulungela Ukuphendula

Ngemva nje kokuba ngiqale ukuphayona, ngahlangana noHilda enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu. Wamemeza ngentukuthelo ethi: “Umyeni wami uyokulwa ukuze kuzuze abantu abanjengawe! Kungani ungenzi okuthile ngokuphathelene nomzamo wempi?”

“Kungakanani okwaziyo ngokuphathelene nalokho engikwenzayo?” ngibuza. “Uyazi ukuthi kungani ngize kuwe?”

“Kungangcono ungene ukuze ungitshele,” ephendula.

Ngakwazi ukuchaza ukuthi sasinikeza ithemba langempela kubantu abahlupheka ngenxa yezenzo ezimbi ezenziwayo—ngokuvamile egameni likaNkulunkulu. UHilda walalela ngokwazisa, futhi kwaba umuntu wokuqala engamqhubela isifundo seBhayibheli njalo. Manje useneminyaka engaphezu kuka-55 enguFakazi oshisekayo.

Ekupheleni kwempi, ngathola isabelo esisha sokuyophayona eDorchester, edolobheni eliseningizimu-ntshonalanga yeNgilandi. Kwaba okokuqala ukuba ngihlale kude nekhaya. Ibandla lethu elincane lalihlanganyela esitolo sokudlela, esakhiweni sangekhulu le-16 okwakuthiwa i-“Old Tea House.” Emhlanganweni wethu ngamunye kwakudingeka sihlele kabusha amatafula nezihlalo. Leyo ndawo yayihluke kakhulu kuneHholo LoMbuso engangilijwayele. Noma kunjalo, kwakunokudla okungokomoya okufanayo nobudlelwane bothando babafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu.

Phakathi naleso sikhathi abazali bami bathuthela eTunbridge Wells, eningizimu yeLondon. Ngabuyela ekhaya ukuze ngiphayone nobaba no-Anne. Ngokushesha ibandla esasikulo lakhula lisuka koFakazi abangu-12 liya kwabangu-70, ngakho umkhaya wakithi wacelwa ukuba uthuthele eBrighton eningizimu nogu, lapho kwakunesidingo esikhulu sabamemezeli boMbuso. Abaningi bahlanganyela ngentshiseko ekushumayeleni nomkhaya wakithi wamaphayona, futhi sabona uJehova ewubusisa ngokucebile umsebenzi wethu. Ibandla elilodwa ngokushesha laba ngamabandla amathathu!

Isimemo Esingalindelekile

Ehlobo lika-1950, umkhaya wakithi waba phakathi kwezihambeli ezingu-850 ezazivela eBrithani ezaba khona eMhlanganweni Wezizwe Wokwanda KoMbuso Wasezulwini eYankee Stadium eNew York City. Amaphayona amaningi akwamanye amazwe aphumelela ukuba khona kulowo mhlangano athunyelelwa ifomu lesicelo sokuya e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, eyayiseduze neSouth Lansing, eNew York. Mina noDouglas no-Anne saba phakathi kwawo! Ngiyakhumbula lapho ngifaka ifomu lesicelo eligcwalisiwe ebhokisini leposi ngicabanga, ‘Manje sengikwenzile ngempela! Ingabe ukuphila kwami kuzobhekaphi?’ Nokho ngangizimisele ngokuthi: “Nangu mina; ngithume mina.” (Isaya 6:8) Ngajabula kakhulu lapho ngithola isimemo sokuba ngisale ngemva komhlangano ukuze ngibe sekilasini le-16 laseGileyadi, kanye noDouglas no-Anne. Sonke sasazi kahle ukuthi sasingathunyelwa kunoma iyiphi ingxenye yomhlaba njengezithunywa zevangeli.

Ngemva kokujabulela umhlangano ndawonye njengomkhaya, kwafika isikhathi sokuba abazali bethu babuyele eNgilandi—bebodwa. Sobathathu, izingane, sabavayizela sibavalelisa njengoba babebuyela ekhaya ngomkhumbi i-Mauritania. Yeka ukuthi lokho kuhlukana kwakuthinta inhliziyo kanjani!

Izabelo Zokuba Izithunywa Zevangeli

Ikilasi le-16 laseGileyadi lalinabafundi abangu-120 ababevela kuzo zonke izingxenye zomhlaba, kuhlanganise nabanye abáhlupheka emakamu okuhlushwa amaNazi. Njengoba ikilasi lethu lalifundiswa iSpanishi, sasilindele ukwabelwa ezweni elithile elikhuluma iSpanishi eNingizimu Melika. Cabanga indlela esamangala ngayo ngosuku lokuthweswa iziqu lapho sizwa ukuthi uDouglas wayabelwe eJapane futhi mina no-Anne sabelwe eSyria. Ngakho thina mantombazane kwakudingeka sifunde isi-Arabhu, futhi kwaqhubeka kunjalo ngisho nalapho sesishintshelwe isabelo sayiswa eLebanon. Lapho sisalinde ama-visa ethu, sasifunda isi-Arabhu kabili ngesonto, sifundiswa uGeorge Shakashiri, umhleli wezinhlamvu ze-Nqabayokulinda yesi-Arabhu we-Watch Tower Society.

Yeka ukuthi kwakuthakazelisa kanjani ukuya endaweni okukhulunywa ngayo eBhayibhelini esasifunde ngayo ekilasini! Saya lapho noKeith noJoyce Chew no-Edna Stackhouse no-Olive Turner noDoreen Warburton kanye noDoris Wood. Yeka ukuthi saba umkhaya wezithunywa zevangeli ojabula kanjani! UFakazi wendawo wayevakashela ekhaya lethu lezithunywa zevangeli ukuze asisize ngokwengeziwe ngolimi. Phakathi nesikhathi sesifundo sethu sansuku zonke, sasiprakthiza intshumayelo emfushane, ngemva kwalokho siphume siyoyisebenzisa emsebenzini wethu wokushumayela.

Saqale sahlala eTripoli iminyaka embalwa, lapho kwakunebandla elimisiwe. Mina noJoyce no-Edna no-Olive noDoreen noDoris kanye no-Anne sasiza amakhosikazi namadodakazi oFakazi bendawo ukuba bahlanganyele emihlanganweni kanye nasenkonzweni yasobala. Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, abafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu babengahlali ndawonye emihlanganweni, belandela imikhuba yendawo, futhi labo dadewethu abangamaKristu babengavamile ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu. Sasiludinga usizo lwabo lolimi ekushumayeleni kwethu kwasobala ngakho sabakhuthaza ukuba nabo bahlanganyele kulo msebenzi.

Mina no-Anne sabe sesabelwa ukuyosiza iqembu elincane loFakazi edolobheni lasendulo laseSidoni. Ngemva nje kwalokho, sacelwa ukuba sibuyele enhloko-dolobha, iBeirut. Imbewu yeqiniso leBhayibheli yayitshaliwe emphakathini walapho okhuluma isi-Armenia, ngakho safunda lolo limi ukuze siwusize.

Ukushintsha Isabelo

Ngangihlangane noWilfred Gooch ngaphambi kokusuka eNgilandi. Wayengumzalwane oshisekayo nonakekelayo owayekade ekhonza eBethel yaseLondon. UWilf wayeyilungu lekilasi le-15 laseGileyadi, elathweswa iziqu emhlanganweni wango-1950 waseYankee Stadium. Wanikwa isabelo sezithunywa zevangeli sokuyosebenza ehhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower Society laseNigeria, futhi sabhalelana isikhathi esithile. Ngo-1955 sobabili saba semhlanganweni “WoMbuso Onqobayo” eLondon, futhi ngemva nje kwalokho sathembisana. Ngonyaka olandelayo, sashada eGhana, futhi ngahlanganyela noWilf esabelweni sakhe sezithunywa zevangeli eLagos, eNigeria.

Ngemva kokushiya u-Anne eLebanon, washada nomfowethu ongumKristu okahle owafunda iqiniso leBhayibheli eJerusalem. Abazali bethu bahluleka ukuba khona emishadweni yethu, ngoba mina noDouglas no-Anne sashadela ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba. Nokho, babeneliswa ukwazi ukuthi sonke sasikhonza uNkulunkulu wethu uJehova ngenjabulo.

Ukusebenza ENigeria

Ehhovisi legatsha laseLagos, ngabelwa ukuhlanza amagumbi amalungu angu-8 omkhaya wegatsha lethu kanye nokuwalungisela ukudla nokuhlanza izingubo zawo. Kimi kwabonakala sengathi ngangingatholanga umyeni kuphela kodwa nomkhaya ngesikhashana!

Mina noWilf safunda izintshumayelo ezimfushane zeBhayibheli ngolimi lwesiYoruba, futhi savuzwa ngemizamo yethu. Umuntu owayesemusha ngeminyaka esahlangana naye manje unendodana nendodakazi abakhonza emkhayeni omkhulu waseBethel yaseNigeria onamalungu angaba ngu-400.

Ngo-1963, uWilf wathola isimemo sokuba sekilasini lezifundo ezikhethekile zezinyanga eziyishumi eBrooklyn, eNew York. Ngemva kokuphothula, wabelwa ngokungalindelekile ukuba abuyele eNgilandi. Ngangisele eNigeria futhi ngaziswa sekusele izinsuku ezingu-14 kuphela ukuthi kwakumelwe ngihlangane noWilf eLondon. Ngahamba ngingaqiniseki ngendlela engangizizwa ngayo, ngoba isabelo saseNigeria sasijabulisa kakhulu. Ngemva kokukhonza iminyaka engu-14 kwamanye amazwe, kwathatha isikhathi ukuba ngiphinde ngizivumelanise nokuphila kwaseNgilandi. Nokho, sakujabulela ukuphinde sibe seduze nabazali bethu abase bekhulile nokukwazi ukusiza ekubanakekeleni.

Ukulondolozwa Yithemba Lethu

Kusukela ngo-1980, ngaba nelungelo lokuhamba noWilf njengoba ayehambela amazwe amaningi njengombonisi wamagatsha. Ngangibheke phambili ngokukhethekile ekubuyeleni kwethu eNigeria, sibahambele. Kamuva saya naseScandinavia, eWest Indies naseMpumalanga Ephakathi—kuhlanganise naseLebanon. Kwakuthakazelisa ngokukhethekile ukukhumbula izenzakalo ezijabulisayo nokubona labo engiye ngabazi besebasha bekhonza njengabadala abangamaKristu.

Ngokudabukisayo, umyeni wami othandekayo washona entwasahlobo ka-1992. Wayeneminyaka engu-69 kuphela. Kwakudabukisa kakhulu ikakhulukazi njengoba kwakwenzeke ngokuzumayo. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-35 ngishadile, kuye kwangithatha isikhathi ukuba ngizivumelanise nesimo. Kodwa ngiye ngathola usizo olukhulu lothando emkhayeni wamaKristu womhlaba wonke engiyingxenye yawo. Nginokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi okujabulisayo engingacabanga ngakho.

Bobabili abazali bami babeka isibonelo esihle sokugcina ubuqotho bobuKristu. Umama washona ngo-1981 futhi ubaba washona ngo-1986. UDouglas no-Anne bayaqhubeka bekhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. UDouglas nomkakhe uKam, babuyele eLondon, lapho beqhubeke behlala khona ngemva kokunakekela ubaba. U-Anne nomkhaya wakhe base-United States. Sonke silazisa kakhulu ithemba nefa esilinikwe uNkulunkulu. Siyaqhubeka ‘sibonisa isimo sengqondo sokulinda,’ sibheke phambili esikhathini lapho abaphilayo, kanye nabathandekayo babo abavusiwe, beyokhonza ndawonye phakade njengamalungu omkhaya kaJehova wasemhlabeni.—IsiLilo 3:24, NW.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

Kusuka ngakwesobunxele kuya ngakwesokudla phezulu:

UGwen eneminyaka engu-13 ubudala enza umboniso wesifundo esiyisibonelo eHholo LoMbuso lase-Enfield

Umkhaya wezithunywa zevangeli eTripoli, eLebanon, ngo-1951

UGwen nomyeni wakhe owashona uWilf