Abazali Bethu Basifundisa Ukuthanda UNkulunkulu

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA U-ELIZABETH TRACY

Amadoda ahlomile ayekade ehola iviyo elalilwa nathi ekuqaleni kwalolo suku, aphoqa umama nobaba ukuba baphume emotweni. Mina nodadewethu, sishiywe sodwa esihlalweni esingemuva, sasizibuza ukuthi sasiyophinde sibabone yini abazali bethu. Yini eyaholela kuleso sehlakalo esesabisayo eduze neSelma, e-Alabama, e-United States ngo-1941? Futhi izimfundiso esasizithole kubazali bethu zasiza kanjani kusona?

UBABA, uDewey Fountain wakhuliswa isihlobo epulazini laseTexas ngemva kokushona kwabazali bakhe esewusana. Kamuva wahamba wayosebenza ezimayini zikawoyela. Ngo-1922, lapho eneminyaka engu-23, washada noWinnie, intombazane enhle yaseTexas, futhi waqala ukuhlela ukuzinza futhi akhulise umkhaya.

Wakha indlu endaweni yezingodo empumalanga yeTexas eduze nedolobhana laseGarrison. Lapho watshala izilimo ezihlukahlukene, kuhlanganise ukotini nommbila. Futhi wayefuye zonke izinhlobo zezilwane ezifuywayo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kwazalwa thina zingane—uDewey omncane ngo-May 1924, u-Edwena ngo-December 1925 nami ngazalwa ngo-June 1929.

Ukufunda Iqiniso LeBhayibheli

Umama nobaba babecabanga ukuthi bayaliqonda iBhayibheli, njengoba babesonta eSontweni LikaKristu. Kodwa ngo-1932, uG. W. Cook washiyela ubab’ omkhulu uMonroe Fountain incwadi ethi Deliverance nethi Government, ezinyatheliswa i-Watch Tower Society. Elangazelela ukuhlanganyela nabazali bami lokho ayekufunda, ubab’ omkhulu uMonroe wayevame ukuza ngezikhathi zokudla kwasekuseni, afunde isihloko ku-Nqabayokulinda, futhi “ngengozi” awushiye umagazini. Ngemva kwalokho, umama nobaba babewufunda.

Ngelinye iSonto ekuseni ubab’ omkhulu uMonroe wamemela ubaba esifundweni seBhayibheli esasikamakhelwane. Wamqinisekisa ukuthi uMnu.  Cook angayiphendula yonke imibuzo yakhe ngeBhayibheli. Lapho ubaba ebuya esifundweni, watshela umkhaya ngenjabulo: “Ngithole izimpendulo zayo yonke imibuzo yami nokunye okwengeziwe! Bengicabanga ukuthi ngazi konke, kodwa lapho uMnu. Cook echaza ngesihogo, umphefumulo, injongo kaNkulunkulu ngomhlaba nokuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzoyifeza kanjani, ngiqale ukuba nomuzwa wokuthi angazi lutho ngempela ngeBhayibheli!”

Umuzi wakithi wawufana nesikhungo somphakathi. Izihlobo nabangane babesivakashela, benze amaswidi obisi nama-popcorn futhi bacule kuyilapho umama edlala upiyano. Kancane kancane, isikhundla salezi zenzakalo sathathwa izingxoxo zeBhayibheli. Nakuba thina zingane sasingaziqondi zonke izinto okwakuxoxwa ngazo, uthando lwabazali bethu olunamandla ngoNkulunkulu nangeBhayibheli lwalusobala kangangokuthi nathi zingane saba nothando olufanayo ngoNkulunkulu neZwi lakhe.

Neminye imikhaya yavula imizi yayo ukuze kube nezingxoxo zeBhayibheli masonto onke, ngokuvamile ezazigxila esihlokweni se-Nqabayokulinda yamuva. Lapho imikhaya yasemadolobheni aseduze ase-Appleby naseNacogdoches eseqhuba imihlangano, sasinqwabelana emotweni yethu i-Model A Ford siye khona, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi liyana noma liyashisa.

Ukwenza Lokho Ababekufunda

Akuthathanga isikhathi eside ukuba abazali bethu babone isidingo sokuthatha isinyathelo. Uthando ngoNkulunkulu lwalufuna ukuba okufundiwe kuhlanganyelwe nabanye. (IzEnzo 20:35) Kodwa lesi sinyathelo sokumemezela obala ukholo lwakho sasiyinselele, ikakhulu njengoba abazali bethu kwakungabantu abanamahloni nabathobekile ngokwemvelo. Nokho, bashukunyiswa uthando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu futhi lokhu kwabasiza ukuba basifundise ukwethembela ngokujulile kuJehova. Ubaba wakubeka ngale ndlela: “UJehova wenza abalimi bakaphizi babe abashumayeli!” Ngo-1933, umama nobaba babonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwabo kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi esizibeni sezinhlanzi eduze kwaseHenderson, eTexas.

Ekuqaleni kuka-1935, ubaba wabhalela i-Watch Tower Society wabuza imibuzo eminingi ngokuphathelene nethemba lamaKristu lokuphila okumi phakade. (Johane 14:2; 2 Thimothewu 2:11, 12; IsAmbulo 14:1, 3; 20:6) Wathola impendulo eyayivela ngokuqondile kuJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli weNhlangano ngaleso sikhathi. Esikhundleni sokuphendula imibuzo yakhe, uMfoweth’ uRutherford wamemela ubaba emhlanganweni wesigodi woFakazi BakaJehova, eWashington, D.C. ngo-May 1935.

‘Akunakwenzeka!’ kucabanga ubaba. ‘Singabalimi abanendawo engamahektare angu-26 etshalwe imifino. Ngaleso sikhathi yonke kuyodingeka ivunwe iyiswe emakethe.’ Nokho, ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, kwafika isikhukhula sakhukhula izaba zakhe—izilimo, uthango namabhuloho. Ngakho sahlangana nabanye oFakazi ebhasini eliqashiwe elasihambisa amakhilomitha angu-1 600 siya emhlanganweni wesigodi enyakatho-mpumalanga.

Emhlanganweni wesigodi ubaba nomama bakujabulela ukulalela incazelo ecacile ‘yesixuku esikhulu’ esiyosinda “osizini olukhulu.” (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14) Kuyo yonke ingxenye eyayisasele yokuphila kwabo, ithemba lokuphila phakade epharadesi emhlabeni lashukumisa ubaba nomama, futhi bakhuthaza nathi zingane ukuba ‘sibambisise ukuphila kwangempela,’ okwakusho kithi ukuphila phakade emhlabeni okunikezwa uJehova. (1 Thimothewu 6:19; IHubo 37:29; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4) Nakuba ngangineminyaka emihlanu nje kuphela, ngakujabulela ngempela ukuba nomkhaya wakithi kulesi senzakalo esijabulisayo.

Ngemva kokubuya emhlanganweni wesigodi, umkhaya wabuye watshala izilimo, futhi kamuva saba nesivuno esihle ngendlela esasingakaze sisithole ngayo ngaphambili. Lokhu kwaqinisekisa umama nobaba ukuthi ukuthembela ngokuphelele kuJehova ngeke kungavuzwa. Bangenela uhlobo olukhethekile lomsebenzi wokushumayela lapho ngamunye wavuma khona ukuchitha amahora angu-52 enkonzweni inyanga ngayinye. Lapho kufika inkathi elandelayo yokutshala, bathengisa yonke into! Ubaba wayenomahamba-nendlwana owawungamamitha angu-6 x 2,4 owawakhelwe thina sobahlanu ukuba sihlale kuwo, futhi wathenga imoto ye-Ford entsha shá enezicabha ezimbili yokuwudonsa. Ubab’ omkhulu uMonroe wenza okufanayo, naye wathuthela kumahamba-nendlwana nomkhaya wakhe.

Ukusifundisa Iqiniso

Ngo-October 1936, ubaba nomama baqala ukuphayona, njengoba inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ibizwa kanjalo. Njengomkhaya, saqala ukushumayela ezifundeni zasempumalanga Texas ezazingakaze zisithole kahle isigijimi soMbuso. Cishe unyaka wonke, sasisuka kwenye indawo siye kwenye, kodwa sasiyijabulela ngempela leyo mpilo. Umama nobaba basifundisa ngamazwi nangesibonelo sabo ukuba sibe njengamaKristu okuqala azinikela ukudlulisela iqiniso leBhayibheli kwabanye.

Thina zingane sasimncoma kakhulu umama ngokuzidela akwenza edela umuzi wakhe. Nokho, kunento eyodwa ayengeke ahlukane nayo, umshini wakhe wokuthunga. Kwakuyisinqumo esihle. Njengomthungikazi onekhono, wayesigqokisa kahle njalo. Emhlanganweni wesigodi ngamunye, sasigqoka izingubo ezintsha nezikhangayo.

Ngikhumbula kahle lapho uHerman G. Henschel efika nomkhaya wakhe endaweni yakithi neloli elinombhobho le-Watch Tower Society. Babemisa iloli endaweni enabantu abaningi, badlale intshumayelo emfushane eqoshiwe, bese bevakashela abantu ngabanye ukuze babanikeze ukwaziswa okwengeziwe. UDewey omncane wayejabulela ubungane nendodana kaHerman uMilton, ngaleso sikhathi owayeyibhobhodleyana. Manje uMilton ungumongameli we-Watch Tower Society.

U-Edwena wabhapathizwa emhlanganweni wesigodi ngo-1937 eColumbus, e-Ohio, futhi umama nobaba banikezwa ilungelo lokukhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile. Ngaleso sikhathi, lo msebenzi wawuhilela ukuchitha okungenani amahora angu-200 ngenyanga emsebenzini wokushumayela. Lapho ngibheka emuva, ngiyabona ukuthi isibonelo sikamama esihle siye sangisiza kangakanani ukuba ngisekele umyeni wami ezabelweni zakhe zobuKristu.

Uma ubaba eqala isifundo seBhayibheli nomkhaya othile, wayehamba nathi ukuze sibe isibonelo esihle ezinganeni zawo. Wayesifundisa imibhalo yeBhayibheli futhi siphendule imibuzo ethile eyisisekelo. Ngenxa yalokho, abaningi balabo abasha esasibafundela bakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka kuze kube namuhla. Ngempela, sabekelwa isisekelo esiqinile sokuqhubeka sithanda uNkulunkulu.

Njengoba uDewey omncane ekhula, wakuthola kunzima ukuhlala endaweni eminyene kanjalo nodadewabo ababili abancane. Ngakho ngo-1940 wakhetha ukuhamba angenele inkonzo yobuphayona nomunye uFakazi. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, washada no-Audrey Barron. No-Audrey wayefundiswe izinto eziningi abazali bethu, ngakho wayebathanda kakhulu omama nobaba. Ngemva kokuba uDewey omncane eye ejele ngo-1944 ngenxa yokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu, weza wazohlala nathi isikhashana kumahamba-nendlwana wethu ominyene.

Emhlanganweni omkhulu wesigodi eSt. Louis, eMissouri, ngo-1941, uMfoweth’ uRutherford wakhuluma ngokuqondile nezingane ezineminyaka eyisihlanu kuya kwengu-18, ezazihleli engxenyeni ekhethekile phambili. Mina no-Edwena salalela izwi lakhe elizolile nelicacile; wayenjengobaba onothando eluleka izingane zakhe ekhaya. Wakhuthaza abazali: “Namuhla uKristu Jesu uhlanganisa abantu besivumelwano phambi kwakhe, futhi ngobuqotho ubatshela ukuba bayale izingane zabo ngendlela yokulunga.” Wanezela: “Bagcineni ekhaya nibafundise iqiniso!” Ngokujabulisayo, abazali bethu benza kanjalo!

Kulowo mhlangano wesigodi, sathola incwajana entsha ethi Jehovah’s Servants Defended, eyayibukeza amacala asenkantolo oFakazi BakaJehova abanqoba kuwo, kuhlanganise nalawo aseNkantolo Ephakeme yase-United States. Ubaba wayifunda nathi njengomkhaya. Sasingazi ukuthi sasilungiselelwa okwakuzokwenzeka emasontweni ambalwa kamuva eSelma, e-Alabama.

Ukuhlaselwa Isixuku ESelma

Ekuseni ngalolo suku lwesenzakalo esisabisayo, ubaba wayenikeze iphoyisa eliphethe isifunda, umphathi-dolobha nesikhulu esiphethe amaphoyisa eSelma incwadi eyayichaza ngamalungelo ethu angokomthetho okuqhubeka nenkonzo yethu ngaphansi kwesivikelo somthetho. Noma kunjalo banquma ukusixosha edolobheni.

Ntambama, kwafika amadoda amahlanu ahlomile kumahamba-nendlwana wethu bathumba mina, umama, nodadewethu. Baqala ukupequlula yonke into ngaphakathi, befuna okuthile okungafanele. Ubaba wayengaphandle, futhi bamyala ukuba axhume umahamba-nendlwana emotweni belokhu bemkhombe ngezibhamu. Ngaleso sikhathi, ngangingakathuki. Kwabonakala kuhlekisa ukuthi la madoda ayecabanga ukuthi sasiyingozi kangangokuthi mina nodadewethu sagigitheka. Nokho, lapho ubaba esihlaba ngeso, saziqoqa.

Lapho sesilungele ukuhamba, la madoda afuna ukuba mina no-Edwena sigibele nawo emotweni yawo. Ubaba wakhuluma ngesibindi. “Kuyokwenzeka ngifile lokho!” egomela. Ngemva kokuxoxisana okuthile umkhaya wakithi wavunyelwa ukuba uhambe ndawonye, ulandelwa yila madoda ahlomile ngemoto yawo. Sesihambe ibanga elingaba amakhilomitha angu-25 ukusuka edolobheni, basibonisa ukuba sime eceleni komgwaqo omkhulu futhi ahamba nomama nobaba. La madoda ayeshintshana ezama ukubanxenxa: “Yekani le nkolo. Buyelani epulazini, nikhulise amadodakazi enu kahle!” Ubaba wazama ukubonisana nawo kodwa kwaba nhlanga zimuka nomoya.

Ekugcineni, enye yala madoda yathi: “Hambani, uma nike nabuya la eDallas County, siyonibulala nonke!”

Sesikhululekile futhi sesindawonye, sahamba amahora ambalwa sabe sesima ukuze silale. Sasizibhalile izinombolo zemoto yawo. Ngokushesha ubaba wabikela i-Watch Tower Society yonke into, futhi ngemva kwezinyanga ezithile la madoda atholakala futhi aboshwa.

Ukuya Esikoleni SaseGileyadi Sezithunywa Zevangeli

U-Edwena wathola isimemo sokuya ekilasini lesikhombisa le-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead eNingizimu Lansing, eNew York, ngo-1946. U-Albert Schroeder, omunye wabafundisi, waphawula izimfanelo zakhe ezinhle kulowo ayephayona naye ngaphambili uBill Elrod, ngaleso sikhathi owayekhonza eBethel, indlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York.a Kwethulwa u-Edwena kuBill, okwathi cishe ngemva konyaka u-Edwena ethole iziqu zaseGileyadi, bashada. Iminyaka eminingi babesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, kuhlanganise nokukhonza ndawonye eBethel iminyaka emihlanu. Kwabe sekuthi ngolunye usuku ngo-1959, uMfoweth’ uSchroeder wamemezela ekilasini laseGileyadi lama-34 ukuthi umngane wakhe othandekayo wayesenguyise wamawele, umfana nentombazane.

Ngesikhathi ngikhonza nabazali bami eMeridian, eMississippi, ekupheleni kuka-1947, sobathathu samenyelwa ukuba sekilasini le-11 laseGileyadi. Sathuka ngoba ngokwezimfuneko, ngangisemncane kakhulu, kanti umama nobaba base bekhule kakhulu. Kodwa saboniswa leso sihe, sanikezwa ilungelo elalingasifanele lemfundo yeBhayibheli ephambili.

Inkonzo Yezithunywa Zevangeli Nabazali Bami

Isabelo sethu sezithunywa zevangeli sasiseColombia, eNingizimu Melika. Ngo-December 1949, ngemva konyaka sithweswe iziqu, safika eBogotá ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli lapho ezinye ezintathu zase zihlala khona kakade. Ekuqaleni, ubaba wacishe waphetha ngokuthi kungaba lula ukufundisa abantu isiNgisi kunokuba yena afunde iSipanishi! Yebo, zazikhona izimo ezivivinyayo, kodwa yeka izibusiso! KwakunoFakazi abangaphansi kwekhulu eColombia ngo-1949, kodwa manje sebengaphezu kuka-100 000!

Ngemva kokukhonza iminyaka emihlanu eBogotá, umama nobaba bathunyelwa edolobheni laseCali. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, ngo-1952, ngashada noRobert Tracy, isithunywa sevangeli esasikanye naso eColombia.b Sahlala eColombia kwaze kwaba u-1982, okuyisikhathi esabelwa ngaso eMexico, besilokhu sikhonza khona kuze kube manje. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngo-1968, abazali bami kwadingeka babuyele e-United States ukuze belashwe. Ngemva kokusimama ngokwempilo, baqhubeka njengamaphayona akhethekile eduze kwaseMobile, e-Alabama.

Ukunakekela Abazali Bethu

Njengoba iminyaka idlula, umama nobaba baqala ukuphelelwa amandla futhi base bedinga ukusekelwa nokunakekelwa okwengeziwe. Ngenxa yesicelo sabo, babelwa ukuba bayokhonza eduze kuka-Edwena noBill e-Athens, e-Alabama. Kamuva, umfowethu uDewey omncane, wabona ukuthi kungaba ukuhlakanipha ukuba umkhaya usondelane ube seNingizimu Carolina. Ngakho uBill wathuthela umkhaya wakhe eGreenwood, nomama nobaba. Lokhu kulungisa kothando kwenza ukuba mina noRobert sikwazi ukuqhubeka nenkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli eColombia, sazi ukuthi abazali bami banakekelwa kahle.

Ngo-1985, ubaba wafa uhlangothi okwamshiya engakwazi ukukhuluma futhi ehlala embhedeni. Sahlangana njengomkhaya ukuze sicabangele indlela yokunakekela abazali bethu kangcono. Kwanqunywa ukuba u-Audrey abe umnakekeli kababa oyinhloko nokuthi mina noRobert singasiza kangcono ngokuthumela incwadi isonto ngalinye nokuhlangenwe nakho okukhuthazayo nangokuvakasha kaningi ngangokunokwenzeka.

Ukumvakashela okokugcina ubaba kusakhanya bhá engqondweni yami. Ngokuvamile wayengakwazi ukukhuluma, kodwa ngemva kokumtshela ukuthi sibuyela eMexico, ngomzamo omkhulu nangomzwelo, waphimisa igama elilodwa, “Halala!” Ngalokhu sabona ukuthi enhliziyweni yakhe, wayesisekela isinqumo sethu sokuqhubeka nesabelo sethu sezithunywa zevangeli. Washona ngo-July 1987, umama yena washona ezinyangeni ezingu 9 kamuva.

Incwadi engayithola ivela kudadewethu ongumfelokazi yachaza ngamafuphi ukwazisa esinakho ngabazali bethu. “Ngiyalazisa ifa lami elicebile lobuKristu futhi anginawo nakancane umuzwa wokuthi ngangizojabula kakhulu ukube abazali bethu babesikhulise ngenye indlela ehlukile. Isibonelo sabo sokholo oluqinile, ukuzidela nokuthembela ngokugcwele kuJehova kuye kwangisiza ngikhuthazele phakathi nezikhathi ezicindezelayo ekuphileni kwami.” U-Edwena waphetha: “Ngibonga uJehova ngabazali abasibonisa ngezwi nangesibonelo ukuthi singaba nenjabulo uma sakhela ukuphila kwethu ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu wethu onothando, uJehova.”

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 22, 23]

Umkhaya wakwaFountain: (kusukela kwesobunxele kuya kwesokudla) uDewey, u-Edwena, uWinnie, u-Elizabeth, uDewey omncane; kwesokudla: U-Elizabeth noDewey omncane bephambi kweloli likaHenschel elinombhobho (ngo-1937); ngezansi kwesokudla: u-Elizabeth oneminyaka engu-16 ushumayela ngezingqwembe