Ukusuka Ebumpofwini Obukhulu Kuya Engcebweni Enkulu Kunayo Yonke

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UMANUEL DE JESUS ALMEIDA

Ngazalwa ngo-October 1916, nginguthunjana ezinganeni ezingu-17. Abangu-9 babafowethu nodadewethu abadala babulawa ukugula nokungondleki kahle, ngakho angibazi. Thina esasala esingu-8 sasihlala nabazali bethu edolobhaneni eliseduze nasePorto, ePortugal.

UMUZI wasekhaya ophansi wawunegumbi elincane lokuhlala nelokulala. Amanzi okuphuza sasiwakha emthonjeni osebangeni elingaba ingxenye yekhilomitha, futhi indawo yethu yokuphekela yayenziwe ngendlela yesidala.

Lapho abafowethu abadala sebekhulile, baqala ukusebenza emasimini ommbila. Iholo labo lasiza ekondleni umkhaya. Ngosizo lwabo ngaba ukuphela kwengane eyathi ukufundafunda. Nakuba sasiphila kanzima, sasithembeke kakhulu eSontweni LamaKatolika, ngethemba lokuthi lokho kwakuyosiza ekuthuthukiseni ukuphila kwethu ngandlela-thile.

Phakathi nenyanga ka-May, isonto laliba nalokho okwakubizwa ngokuthi i-novena. Izinsuku ezingu-9 zilandelana, sasivuka ekuseni kusemnyama siye esontweni. Sasifike sithandaze, sikholelwa ukuthi lokho kwakuyosilethela isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu. Sasicabanga nokuthi umpristi wayeyindoda engcwele, ummeleli kaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umbono wethu washintsha.

Ukufuna Okuthile Okungcono

Lapho sihluleka ukukhokha intela yesonto, umpristi akazange asibonelele njengoba sasidonsa kanzima kakhulu ngokwezimali. Lokhu kwasithena amandla. Ngokushesha, umbono wami ngesonto washintsha, ngakho lapho ngiba neminyaka engu-18, nganquma ukuwushiya umkhaya wakithi ngiyobona ukuthi akukho yini okungcono ekuphileni kunokusebenza emasimini nokuphikisana nesonto. Ngo-1936, ngafika eLisbon, enhloko-dolobha yePortugal.

Lapho, ngahlangana no-Edminia. Nakuba nganginomuzwa wokuthi inkolo yayingikhohlisile, senza ngendlela engokwesiko, sashadela eSontweni LamaKatolika. Khona-ke, ngo-1939, kwaqala iMpi Yezwe II. Phakathi nempi, ngangilawula izindawo ezingu-18 zokugcina impahla, futhi sasithumela amaloli anezinto zempi afinyelela ku-125 ngosuku.

Unya lwempi kanye nokuhileleka ngokujulile kweSonto LamaKatolika empini kwangithinta kakhulu. Ngazibuza, ‘Ingabe uNkulunkulu uyasikhathalela ngempela isintu? Kufanele simkhulekele kanjani?’ Ngemva kweminyaka ethile, ngo-1954, indoda ethile ehloniphekayo esikhulile, engomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, yaxoxa nami ngemibuzo enganginayo. Le ngxoxo yashintsha konke ukuphila kwami.

Ukujatshuliswa Ithemba LeBhayibheli

Le ndoda enomusa, uJoshua, yangichazela ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uwukuphela kwekhambi lezinkinga zesintu nokuthi ukuthula nokulondeka kuyoba khona ngokubusa kwalo Mbuso kuphela. (Mathewu 6:9, 10; 24:14) Lokho akusho kwangijabulisa, kodwa ngangimadolo nzima ukwamukela izincazelo zakhe ngenxa yalokho engabhekana nakho ngokuphathelene nenkolo. Lapho esikisela ukufunda nami iBhayibheli, ngathi singafunda uma nje ayengeke angifune imali futhi uma ayengeke akhulume ngezombangazwe. Wavuma, engiqinisekisa ukuthi leso sifundo kwakungesamahhala.—IsAmbulo 22:17.

Ngokushesha, ngamethemba ngokwengeziwe uJoshua. Ngakho ngamcela okuthile engangilokhu ngikulangazelela kusukela ngisemncane. “Ngingakwazi ukuba nekhophi yami yeBhayibheli?” Ngemva kokuyithola, yeka indlela engakujabulela ngayo ukufunda okokuqala ngqá eZwini loMdali ngokwakhe izithembiso ezinjengalezi ezithi: “UNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uyoba [nesintu]. Futhi uyosula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni aso, futhi ukufa ngeke kusaba khona, noma ukulila noma ukukhala noma ubuhlungu ngeke kusaba khona. Izinto zangaphambili zidlulile”!—IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

Izithembiso zeBhayibheli eziphathelene nokuqedwa kobumpofu nokugula zazingiduduza ngokukhethekile. Indoda ethembekile u-Elihu yathi ngoNkulunkulu: ‘Uphana kakhulu ngokudla.’ (Jobe 36:31) Futhi ngaphansi kokubusa kokulunga koMbuso kaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli lithi “abakhe khona abayikusho ukuthi: ‘Ngiyagula.’” (Isaya 33:24) Yeka indlela uJehova uNkulunkulu asikhathalela ngothando ngayo isintu! Yeka indlela esakhula ngayo isithakazelo sami ezithembisweni zakhe!

Ngo-April 17, 1954 ngaya emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova okokuqala ngqá. Kwakuwumhlangano okhethekile—umkhosi weSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, ngaba khona njalo emihlanganweni. Ngokushesha, ngaqala ukuzihlanganyela nabanye izinto ezinhle engangizifunda. Ngalezo zinsuku, ePortugal sasihamba siyophola eduze nolwandle njalo ngenyanga bese siba nobhapathizo. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezingu-7 uJoshua akhuluma nami okokuqala, ngazinikezela kuJehova uNkulunkulu futhi ngabonakalisa lokhu ngobhapathizo lwamanzi olwandle.

Ekuqaleni kuka-1954 kwakunoFakazi abangaba yikhulu nje kulo lonke elasePortugal. Ngakho, kwakunesidingo esikhulu samadoda ayengahola emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngathuthuka ngokushesha ngokomoya, futhi ngokushesha nganikwa imithwalo yemfanelo ebandleni. Ngo-1956, ebandleni lesibili loFakazi BakaJehova eLisbon, ngamiswa njengenceku yebandla, njengoba umbonisi owengamele ayebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Namuhla, kunamabandla angaphezu kwekhulu kuleli dolobha nasemadolobhaneni alo.

Sazuza Ngokubonisa Umoya Wokungenisa Izihambi

Nakuba mina no-Edminia sasintula ngokwezimali, umnyango wethu wawuhlale uvulekile ukuze samukele abafowethu abangamaKristu. Ngo-1955, iphayona elithile, njengoba abashumayeli bevangeli besikhathi esigcwele boFakazi BakaJehova bebizwa kanjalo, ladlula ePortugal lisuka kubo eBrazil liya eMhlanganweni ‘WoMbuso Onqobayo’ wezizwe zonke eJalimane. Ngenxa yezinkinga zezinto zokuhamba, lahlala nathi inyanga, futhi yeka indlela esazuza ngayo ngokomoya kulokho kuba khona kwalo!

Abanye abavakashela emzini wethu ngaleso sikhathi bahlanganisa amalungu omkhaya wasendlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eseBrooklyn, eNew York, njengoHugo Riemer nalowo ayehlala naye uCharles Eicher. Badla nathi idina futhi babekela abazalwane basePortugal izinkulumo. Njengamatshwele akhamisile asanda kuchamuselwa, sasihlale silindele ingcosana yezibiliboco ezingokomoya laba bazalwane ababesilungiselela zona.

Ababonisi abajikelezayo boFakazi BakaJehova nabo babehlala nathi phakathi nokuhambela kwabo. Isihambeli esikhumbuleka kakhulu ngo-1957 kwakungu-Álvaro Berecochea, umbonisi wegatsha laseMorocco, owayabelwe ukuhambela iPortugal ukuze akhuthaze abazalwane. Wahlanganyela isifundo sencwadi emzini wethu, futhi samncenga ukuba ahlale nathi phakathi naso sonke isikhathi sokuhambela kwakhe ePortugal. Sabusiswa futhi sacetshiswa kakhulu ngokomoya phakathi nayo yonke leyo nyanga ayevakashe ngayo, kuyilapho u-Álvaro ayeya ekhuluphala ngenxa yokupheka kamnandi kuka-Edminia wami othandekayo.

Ubumpofu obukhulu, obunjengalobo engabhekana nabo ngisemncane, bungamthinta kakhulu umuntu. Nokho, ngaqaphela ukuthi lapho sipha uJehova nezinceku zakhe ezithembekile ngokwengeziwe, usibusisa ngokwengeziwe. Leli qiniso lalilokhu ligcizeleleka kimi njengoba sasiqhubeka singenisa zonke izihambi esasikwazi ukuzingenisa.

Emhlanganweni wethu wasePorto ngo-1955, kwamenyezelwa ukuthi kwakuzoba nomhlangano wezizwe woFakazi BakaJehova eYankee Stadium eNew York City ngo-1958. Kwabekwa ibhokisi lomnikelo eHholo LoMbuso ngalinye elikulelo zwe—lawo ngaleso sikhathi ayembalwa kakhulu—ukuze kusizwe ekuthumeleni izihambeli zasePortugal emhlanganweni. Cabanga injabulo esaba nayo lapho mina nomkami sikhethwa ukuba phakathi kwalezo zihambeli. Yeka indlela okwakujabulisa ngayo ukuvakashela indlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn njengoba sasise-United States emhlanganweni!

Ukukhuthazelela Ushushiso

Ngo-1962 umsebenzi wokushumayela woFakazi BakaJehova ePortugal wavinjelwa, kwaxoshwa nezithunywa zevangeli—ezihlanganisa u-Eric Britten, uDomenick Piccone, u-Eric Beveridge nawomkabo. Ngemva kwalokho, asibange sisavunyelwa ukuqhubela imihlangano yethu emaHholo OMbuso, ngakho sayiqhuba ngasese emakhaya abazalwane; futhi asibange sisakwazi ukuba nemihlangano emikhulu ePortugal. Ngakho ngaba nomthwalo wemfanelo wokuhlelela abafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu izinto zokuya emihlanganweni kwamanye amazwe.

Kwakungelula ukuhlelela oFakazi abaningi kangaka ukuba baye kwamanye amazwe. Nokho, kwakuwufanele umzamo, uma kucatshangelwa izinzuzo ezingokomoya ezazitholwa abazalwane basePortugal. Yeka ukuthi kwakuba izenzakalo ezakha kanjani ngabo ukuba semihlanganweni yaseSwitzerland, eNgilandi, e-Italy naseFrance! Imihlangano enjalo yayibanika nethuba lokuphinde bangenise izincwadi kuleli zwe. Ngaleyo minyaka, senza izicelo eziningi zokubhaliswa njengenhlangano yenkolo ePortugal, kodwa zonke lezo zicelo zenqatshwa.

Ngemva kokuba izithunywa zevangeli zixoshiwe ekuqaleni kuka-1962, amaphoyisa angasese aqala ukudlondlobalisa umkhankaso wawo wokuqeda umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Kwaboshwa abazalwane nodade abaningi futhi bayiswa enkantolo. Imibiko elotshiwe yeziningi zalezi zehlakalo yanyatheliswa kulo magazini nakulowo ohambisana nawo, i-Phaphama!a

Phakathi kwababoshelwa ukushumayela kwakunephayona engalazisa izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Njengoba amaphoyisa athola ikheli lami ezintweni zalo, ngabizelwa emaphoyiseni futhi ngaphenywa.

Kamuva, kwafika amadoda amabili kwami ayethunyelwe amaphoyisa. Athatha izinsiza-kufunda zeBhayibheli zami kanye namakhophi angu-13 amaBhayibheli. Aqhubeka esikhathaza futhi sekukonke abuya izikhathi ezingu-7 ezosesha emzini wethu. Isikhathi ngasinye, ayesithela ngethala lemibuzo.

Ngabizwa kaningi ukuzofakazela oFakazi engikanye nabo emacaleni asenkantolo. Nakuba ngangingafundile kangako, uJehova wayenginika ‘ukuhlakanipha, bonke abaphikisi behlangene abangakwazanga ukumelana nakho noma bakuphikise.’ (Luka 21:15) Ngesinye isikhathi ijaji lamangazwa ubufakazi engabunikeza kangangokuthi labuza ukuthi ngangifunde kangakanani. Bonke enkantolo bafa insini lapho ngithi ngangigcine ebangeni lesibili.

Njengoba ushushiso lwalwanda, babanda nababesabela esigijimini soMbuso. Ngakho, oFakazi abangaphansi kuka-1 300 ePortugal ngo-1962 banda baba ngaphezu kuka-13 000 ngo-1974! Phakathi naleso sikhathi, ngo-May 1967, ngamenyelwa ukukhonza njengombonisi ojikelezayo. Kulo msebenzi ngahambela amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova ukuze ngiwaqinise ngokomoya.

Ukujabulela Ingcebo Enkulu Kunazo Zonke

Ngo-December 1974, ngaba nelungelo lokuba nengxenye ekubhaliseni okwenza umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova ePortugal waqashelwa ngokomthetho. Ngonyaka owalandela mina nomkami saba amalungu omkhaya waseBethel woFakazi BakaJehova e-Estoril. Ngamiswa nanjengelungu leKomiti Yegatsha YasePortugal.

Yeka indlela okuye kwajabulisa ngayo ukubona umsebenzi wokushumayela uchuma ePortugal nasezindaweni eziqondiswa igatsha lethu! Lezi zindawo zihlanganisa i-Angola, i-Azores, iCape Verde, iMadeira, iSão Tomé nePríncipe. Phakathi kwayo yonke le minyaka kuye kwajabulisa ukubona izithunywa zevangeli zasePortugal zithunyelwa ukuyokhonza kulawa mazwe, lapho kuye kwaboniswa isithakazelo esikhulu esigijimini soMbuso. Cabanga indlela esijabula ngayo manje ukuba nabamemezeli boMbuso abangaphezu kuka-88 000 kulezi zindawo, kuhlanganise nabasePortugal abangaphezu kuka-47 000! Inani lababa khona eSikhumbuzweni kulawa mazwe ngo-1998 laphakama lafinyelela ku-245 000, uma liqhathaniswa nababengaphansi kuka-200 lapho ngiba uFakazi ngo-1954.

Mina no-Edminia sivumelana ngenhliziyo yonke nomhubi waseBhayibhelini owathi “usuku lunye emagcekeni [kaJehova] luhle kunezinye eziyizinkulungwane.” (IHubo 84:10) Lapho ngibheka emuva esiqalweni sami esiphansi bese ngisiqhathanisa nengcebo engokomoya engiye ngayijabulela kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ngizizwa njengomprofethi u-Isaya owathi: “Jehova, unguNkulunkulu wami; ngiyakukuphakamisa, ngidumise igama lakho, ngokuba wenzile izimangaliso . . . Ngokuba ubuyinqaba kwabampofu, inqaba kwabaswelayo.”—Isaya 25:1, 4.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 24]

Ngenhla: UMfoweth’ u-Almeida eLisbon umemezela ilungiselelo lokuthumela izihambeli emhlanganweni waseNew York wango-1958

Phakathi: Ngiqhuba umhlangano wezinceku eziyizibonelo eMhlanganweni Wezizwe ‘Wokuthula Emhlabeni’ eParis

Ngezansi: Amabhasi aqashiwe alungela ukuya emhlanganweni wesigodi eFrance

[Izithombe ekhasini 25]

Ngiqhuba ukukhulekela kwasekuseni egatsheni lasePortugal

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Igatsha lasePortugal, elanikezelwa ngo-1988

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Izinkulumo zoMfoweth’ uHugo Riemer zasikhuthaza, lapho ayesihambele evela eBethel yaseBrooklyn

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Nginomkami