Indaba Yokuphila

Ukukhumbula UMdali Wethu Kusukela Ebusheni

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UDAVID Z. HIBSHMAN

“Uma ngifa, nginethemba eliqotho lokuthi ngiye ngathembeka kuJehova. Ngimcela ukuba anakekele uDavid wami. Ngiyabonga Jehova ngokungipha yena nangomshado wethu. Muhle kakhulu, ujabulisa ngempela!”

CABANGA ngomuzwa engaba nawo ngemva kokungcwaba umkami ngo-March 1992, lapho ngithola la mazwi akhe okugcina encwadini yakhe yezenzakalo zansuku zonke. Ezinyangeni ezinhlanu ngaphambili, sasigubha umkhosi weminyaka engu-60 kaHelen esenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele.

Ngilukhumbula kahle usuku lango-1931 lapho uHelen ehlezi eduze kwami emhlanganweni wesigodi eColumbus, e-Ohio, e-U.S.A. UHelen wayengakayihlanganisi iminyaka engu-14 ubudala, kodwa wakwazisa ukubaluleka kwalesi senzakalo ukwedlula mina. Intshiseko kaHelen ngenkonzo yabonakala ngokushesha lapho yena nonina ongumfelokazi beba amaphayona, njengoba abashumayeli bevangeli besikhathi esigcwele boFakazi BakaJehova bebizwa kanjalo. Bashiya umuzi wakubo onethezekile bayoshumayela ezindaweni ezisemaphandleni eningizimu ye-United States.

Ifa Lami LobuKristu

Ngo-1910 abazali bami nabantwana babo ababili abancane bathutha empumalanga Pennsylvania baya eGrove City, engxenyeni esentshonalanga yezwe. Lapho, bathenga indlu elingene futhi baba amalungu e-Reformed Church. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho bavakashelwa uWilliam Evans, umFundi WeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Ubaba, owayeneminyaka engaba ngu-25 ngaleso sikhathi, umama emncane ngeminyaka emihlanu, balalela le ndoda yaseWales enobungane futhi bayimemela ekudleni. Ngokushesha bamukela amaqiniso eBhayibheli ababewafunda.

Ukuze babe seduze nebandla, ubaba wathutha umkhaya waya edolobheni laseSharon eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-40 ukusuka edolobheni. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezithile, ngo-1911 noma ngo-1912, ubaba nomama babhapathizwa. UCharles Taze Russell, umongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Society, wanikeza inkulumo yobhapathizo. Ngazalwa ngo-December 4, 1916, abazali bami sebenezingane ezine kakade. Ngesikhathi ngizalwa, kwamenyezelwa: “Omunye umfowenu okumelwe athandwe.” Yingakho igama lami, kunguDavid, okusho ukuthi “Othandekayo.”

Lapho nginamasonto amane ubudala, ngaya emhlanganweni wesigodi ngokokuqala. Ngalezo zinsuku, ubaba nabafowethu abadala babehamba ngezinyawo amakhilomitha amaningana beya emihlanganweni yebandla, kanti umama wayehamba nami nodadewethu ngemoto ethutha abantu. Imihlangano yayinesimiso sasekuseni nesantambama. Ekhaya, ngokuvamile izingxoxo zazisekelwa ezihlokweni ze-Nqabayokulinda ne-Golden Age, igama okwakubizwa ngalo i-Phaphama! kuqala.

Ukuzuza Ezibonelweni Ezinhle

Ama-pilgrim amaningi, njengoba izikhulumi ezijikelezayo zazibizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi, avakashela ibandla lethu. Ayevame ukuchitha usuku noma ezimbili enathi. Esinye isikhulumi engisikhumbula kahle nguWalter J. Thorn, owayekhumbule uMdali wakhe Omkhulu ‘emihleni yobusha bakhe.’ (UmShumayeli 12:1) Lapho ngisengumfana, ngangihamba nobaba lapho eyobonisa abantu “i-Photo-Drama of Creation,” inkulumo eyizingxenye ezine yezithombe namazwi aqoshiwe eyayiphathelene nomlando wesintu.

Nakuba uMfoweth’ u-Evans nomkakhe, uMiriam, babengenabantwana, baba abazali abangokomoya nogogo nomkhulu emkhayeni wakithi. UWilliam wayevame ukubiza ubaba ngokuthi “Ndodana,” futhi yena noMiriam bafaka umoya wobuvangeli emkhayeni wakithi. Engxenyeni yokuqala yaleli khulu lama-20, uMfoweth’ u-Evans uye wathatha uhambo olubuyela eWales ukuze ayothula iqiniso leBhayibheli endaweni ezungeze iSwansea. Lapho waziwa njengomshumayeli osuka eMelika.

Ngo-1928, uMfoweth’ u-Evans wayeka umsebenzi wakhe wokuziphilisa futhi waqala ukushumayela emagqumeni aseNtshonalanga Virginia. Abafowethu ababili abadala, uClarence owayeneminyaka engu-21 noCarl owayeneminyaka engu-19 ubudala, babehamba naye. Sonke thina bafana abane sachitha iminyaka eminingi enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Eqinisweni, sonke siye sakhonza njengababonisi abajikelezayo boFakazi BakaJehova ebusheni bethu. Muva nje umamekazi omncane uMary, osevile eminyakeni engu-90, ungibhalele: “Yeka indlela sonke esijabula ngayo ngokuthi uMfoweth’ u-Evans wayeyishisekela inkonzo futhi wavakashela eGrove City!” Umamekazi uMary ungomunye oye wakhumbula uMdali wakhe kusukela ebusheni.

Ukuya Emihlanganweni Yesigodi

Ubaba noClarence kuphela abakwazi ukuya emhlanganweni wesigodi owaba ingqopha-mlando owawuseCedar Point, e-Ohio, ngo-1922. Nokho, ngo-1924, saba nemoto, futhi wonke umkhaya wakithi waya emhlanganweni wesigodi eColumbus, e-Ohio. Thina zingane kwakulindeleke ukuba sisebenzise imali esasiziqongelelele yona ukuze sizithengele ukudla phakathi nomhlangano wesigodi wezinsuku eziyisishiyagalombili. Umbono wabazali bethu wawuwukuthi wonke amalungu omkhaya kumelwe afunde ukuzisekela. Ngakho sasifuya izinkukhu nonogwaja nezinyosi, futhi thina bafana sasihambisa amaphephandaba emizini yabantu.

Lapho isikhathi somhlangano wesigodi waseToronto, eCanada, ngo-1927 sifika, sasinomfowethu onezinyanga eziyisithupha ubudala, uPaul. Ngabelwa ukuba ngisale ekhaya nginakekele uPaul ngosizo lukamamekazi owayeshadile, kuyilapho abazali bami beya eToronto nezinye izingane. Ngavuzwa ngama-dollar ayishumi (R40), engawasebenzisela ukuzithengela insudu entsha. Njalo sasiqeqeshwa ukuba sigqoke kahle ezifundweni futhi sinakekele izingubo zethu.

Ngesikhathi somhlangano wesigodi okhumbulekayo ngo-1931 eColumbus, e-Ohio, uClarence noCarl base beshadile futhi bephayona nomkabo. Ngamunye wabo wayehlala kumahamba-nendlwana wokuzenzela. UCarl wayeshade noClaire Houston waseWheeling, eNtshonalanga Virginia, yingakho ngangihlezi eduze kukadadewabo kaClaire omncane, uHelen, emhlanganweni wesigodi waseColumbus.

Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele

Ngaphothula esikoleni esiphakeme ngo-1932 ngineminyaka engu-15, futhi ngonyaka olandelayo ngahambisela umfowethu uClarence owayephayona eNingizimu Carolina imoto eyisekeni. Ngafaka isicelo senkonzo yamaphayona futhi ngaqala ukusebenza noClarence nomkakhe. Ngaleso sikhathi uHelen wayephayona eHopkinsville, eKentucky, futhi ngambhalela okokuqala. Ephendula, wabuza: “Uyiphayona?”

Encwadini yami—uHelen ayigcina kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-60 kamuva—ngaphendula: “Ngiyilo, futhi ngethemba ukuthi ngiyohlale ngiyilo.” Kuleyo ncwadi, ngatshela uHelen ngokusakaza incwajana ethi The Kingdom, the Hope of the World kubefundisi nasemajajini esabelweni engangishumayela kuso.

Ngo-1933, ubaba wangenzela ithende elinamasondo—umahamba-nendlwana ongamamitha angu-2,4 ubude, ububanzi bungamamitha amabili, izinhlangothi zenziwe ngoseyili owawuboshelwe emapalini amancane amile, unefasitela elilodwa ngaphambili nangemuva. Leyo kwakuyindawo yami yokuhlala ephansi eminyakeni emine eyalandela ngiphayona.

Ngo-March 1934, uClarence noCarl, nomkabo, uHelen nomama wakhe, udadewabo kamkaClarence kanye nami—siyisishiyagalombili—sabheka entshonalanga saya emhlanganweni wesigodi eLos Angeles, eCalifornia. Abanye begibele futhi belala kumahamba-nendlwana wami. Ngalala emotweni, kuyilapho abanye belala ezindaweni eziqashwayo. Njengoba imoto yayinezinkinga, safika eLos Angeles ngosuku lwesibili lomhlangano wesigodi wezinsuku eziyisithupha. Lapho, ngo-March 26, ekugcineni mina noHelen sakwazi ukubonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwethu kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi.

Kulowo mhlangano wesigodi uJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society ngaleso sikhathi, wahlangana nawo wonke amaphayona. Wasikhuthaza, ethi singamaqhawe anesibindi alwela iqiniso leBhayibheli. Kuleso senzakalo, kwenziwa ilungiselelo lokusiza amaphayona ngokwezimali ukuze akwazi ukuqhubeka nenkonzo yawo.

Imfundo Yokuphila Konke

Lapho sibuya emhlanganweni wesigodi eLos Angeles, sonke sahlanganyela isigijimi soMbuso nabantu bazo zonke izifunda zaseNingizimu Carolina, eVirginia, eNtshonalanga Virginia naseKentucky. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva uHelen wabhala ngokuphathelene naleso sikhathi: “Lalingekho ibandla esasingancika kulo, bengekho nabangane abangasisiza, ngoba sasiyizihambi ezweni esingalazi. Kodwa manje sengiyazi ukuthi ngangifundiswa. Ngangiceba.”

Wabuza: “Yini intombazane esencane eyenzayo ngesikhathi sayo lapho ikude nabangane nasekhaya? Nokho kwakungekubi kangako. Angikhumbuli nginesizungu. Ngangifunda kakhulu. Asikaze sehluleke ukufunda izincwadi zethu zeBhayibheli nokutadisha. Ngangiseduze nomama, ngifunda ukuphila ngemali esasinayo, ngithenga, ngishintsha amasondo aphantshile, ngipheka, ngithunga futhi ngishumayela. Angizisoli futhi ngingaphinde ngikwenze futhi ngenjabulo.”

UHelen nonina babanelisekile ngokuhlala kumahamba-nendlwana omncane ngaleyo minyaka, nakuba unina ayenomuzi omuhle. Ngemva komhlangano wesigodi waseColumbus, e-Ohio, ngo-1937, impilo kamama kaHelen yaba yimbi kakhulu futhi walaliswa esibhedlela. Washonela esabelweni sakhe ePhilippi, eNtshonalanga Virginia, ngo-November 1937.

Ukushada Nokuqhubeka Nenkonzo

Ngo-June 10, 1938, mina noHelen sashada saba nomcimbi omcane ekhaya lapho ayezalelwe khona e-Elm Grove, eduze kwaseWheeling, eNtshonalanga Virginia. UMfoweth’ u-Evans othandekayo, owafundisa umkhaya wakithi iqiniso eminyakeni embalwa ngaphambi kokuba ngizalwe, wanikeza inkulumo yomshado. Ngemva komshado, mina noHelen sahlela ukubuyela emsebenzini wokuphayona empumalanga Kentucky, kodwa samangala lapho simenyelwa emsebenzini wesifunda. Lo msebenzi wawuhilela ukuvakashela amaqembu oFakazi BakaJehova entshonalanga Kentucky nezingxenye zeTennessee ukuze siwasize enkonzweni. Ngaleso sikhathi kwakunabamemezeli boMbuso abacishe babe ngu-75 kuphela kuzo zonke izindawo esasizivakashela.

Ngaleso sikhathi, ubuzwe babusonte ukucabanga kwabaningi futhi ngangilindele ukuboshwa ngokushesha ngenxa yokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu. (Isaya 2:4) Nokho, ngenxa yomlando womsebenzi wami wokushumayela, umnyango obutha amasosha wangibeka esigabeni esangivumela ukuba ngiqhubeke nenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele.

Lapho siqala inkonzo yokujikeleza, cishe wonke umuntu wayephawula ngobusha bethu. EHopkinsville, eKentucky, udade ongumKristu wabingelela uHelen ngokumanga futhi wabuza: “Usangikhumbula?” Ngo-1933, uHelen wayefakaze kuye esitolo somyeni wakhe. Wayengumfundisi kaSonto-sikole, kodwa ngemva kokufunda incwadi ayeyishiyelwe uHelen, wama phambi kwekilasi lakhe waxolisa ngokubafundisa izimfundiso ezingezona ezeBhayibheli. Ngemva kokwesula esontweni, waqala ukumemezela amaqiniso eBhayibheli emphakathini wakubo. Mina noHelen sakhonza entshonalanga Kentucky iminyaka emithathu, futhi lowo dade nomyeni wakhe benza umuzi wabo waba ngowethu.

Ngalezo zinsuku sasiba nemihlangano emincane yendawo, futhi u-A. H. Macmillan wakhonza omunye wayo. Wayeke wahlala emzini wabazali bakaHelen lapho uHelen esengumntwana, ngakho phakathi nomhlangano wesigodi, wakhetha ukuhlala nathi kumahamba-nendlwana wethu ongamamitha amahlanu, lapho sasinomunye umbhede. Naye futhi wayekhumbule uMdali wakhe Omkhulu emihleni yobusha bakhe, wayenikezele ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova ngo-1900, eneminyaka engu-23 ubudala.

Ngo-November 1941 umsebenzi wabazalwane abajikelezayo wamiswa okwesikhashana, futhi ngabelwa njengephayona eHazard, eKentucky. Saphinda sasebenza nomfowethu uCarl nomkakhe, uClaire. Lapha uJoseph Houston, umshana kaHelen, wahlanganyela nathi waqala ukuphayona. Waqhubeka esenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele cishe iminyaka engu-50, wabulawa isifo senhliziyo ngo-1992 ngesikhathi ekhonza ngokwethembeka endlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York.

Ngo-1943 sabelwa eRockville, eConnecticut. Leli, kwakuyizwe elihlukile kimi nakuHelen ngoba sasijwayele ukushumayela eningizimu. ERockville, uHelen wayevame ukuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingaphezu kuka-20 ngesonto. Ekugcineni, saqasha ikamelo elilingene salenza iHholo LoMbuso, futhi kwahlelwa isiqalo esincane sebandla.

Ngesikhathi sikhonza eRockville, samenywa ukuba sibe sekilasini lesihlanu leWatchtower Bible School of Gilead eSouth Lansing, eNew York. Ngokujabulisayo, sathola ukuthi sasizoba sekilasini no-Aubrey noBertha Bivens, abangane bethu esasiphayona nabo eKentucky.

Isikole Nesabelo Sethu Esisha

Nakuba sasisebasha impela, abaningi esasinabo ekilasini babebasha nakakhulu. Yebo, babekhumbula uMdali wabo Omkhulu ebusheni babo. Sathweswa iziqu ngo-July 1945, lapho nje iMpi Yezwe II iphela. Ngesikhathi sisalindele izabelo zethu zezithunywa zevangeli, sasisebenza neBandla LaseFlatbush eBrooklyn, eNew York. Ekugcineni, ngo-October 21, 1946, sinabanye abayisithupha esasifunda nabo, kuhlanganise nabakwaBivens, sagibela indiza saya emzini wethu omusha eGuatemala City, eGuatemala. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakunoFakazi BakaJehova abangaphansi kuka-50 kulelo zwe laseMelika Ephakathi.

Ngo-April 1949 abambalwa kithi zithunywa zevangeli bayiswa eQuetzaltenango, idolobha elingelesibili ngobukhulu nangokubaluleka ezweni. Leli dolobha lisendaweni engaphezu kwamamitha angu-2 300 ngaphezu kogu lolwandle, futhi umoya wasentabeni uhlanzekile futhi ucwebile. UHelen wabukeza umsebenzi wethu lapha, wabhala: “Kwakuyilungelo lethu ukushumayela emadolobheni nasemadolobhaneni amaningi. Sasivuka cishe ngehora lesine ekuseni sihambe ngebhasi siye edolobheni elikude. Lapho sasishumayela cishe amahora ayisishiyagalombili ngaphambi kokuba sibuyele emuva kusihlwa.” Namuhla kunamabandla kweziningi zalezi zindawo, kuhlanganise nayisithupha eQuetzaltenango.

Ngokushesha kwaba nobizo lwezithunywa zevangeli ukuba ziyokhonza ePuerto Barrios eCaribbean Coast, idolobha elingelesithathu ngobukhulu eGuatemala. Abangane bethu abathandekayo, abakwaBivens, esakhonza nabo iminyaka emihlanu eGuatemala, babephakathi kwalabo abathuthela kulesi sabelo esisha. Ukuhlukana kwakubuhlungu futhi kwashiya isikhala ekuphileni kwethu. Kwasala mina noHelen ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli, sathuthela endlini encane. Ngo-1955, mina noHelen samukela isabelo esisha edolobheni elishisa kakhudlwana laseMazatenango. Umfowethu omncane, uPaul, nomkakhe, uDolores, abathweswa iziqu eGileyadi ngo-1953, babekhonze khona ngaphambi nje kokuba sifike.

Ngo-1958 kwakunoFakazi abangaphezu kuka-700, amabandla angu-20 nezifunda ezintathu eGuatemala. Mina noHelen sahlanganyela futhi emsebenzini wokujikeleza, sihambela amaqembu amancane oFakazi namabandla amaningana, kuhlanganise nelaseQuetzaltenango. Khona-ke, ngo-August 1959, samenyelwa ukuba sibuyele eGuatemala City, lapho sahlala khona ehhovisi legatsha. Ngabelwa ukuba ngisebenze egatsheni, kanti uHelen waqhubeka nenkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli eminye iminyaka engu-16. Naye waqala ukusebenza ehhovisi legatsha.

Izibusiso Ezengeziwe

Eminyakeni eminingi edlule kwakubonakala ngimncane kunabo bonke ababekhonza uJehova. Manje kuvame ukuba kube yimi omdala kunabo bonke, njengoba kwakunjalo lapho ngiya esikoleni samalungu amakomiti amagatsha ePatterson, eNew York, ngo-1996. Njengoba ngangithola usizo olukhulu ebusheni bami kubantu abadala, kuye kwaba yilungelo kimi kula mashumi eminyaka amuva ukuba ngisize abasha abaningi abanesifiso sokukhumbula uMdali wabo ebusheni.

UJehova uyaqhubeka ethululela izibusiso phezu kwabantu bakhe lapha eGuatemala. Ngo-1999 kwakunamabandla angaphezu kuka-60 eGuatemala City. Futhi enyakatho, eningizimu, empumalanga nasentshonalanga, kunamabandla amaningi nezinkulungwane zabamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Abamemezeli boMbuso ababengaphansi kuka-50 lapho sifika eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-53 edlule baye banda baba ngaphezu kuka-19 000!

Okuningi Engikujabulelayo

Akekho oqhubeka ephila ngaphandle kwezinkinga, kodwa njalo singaphonsa ‘phezu kukaJehova umthwalo wethu.’ (IHubo 55:22) Uhlale esiqinisa ngokusekela kwabangane abanothando. Ngokwesibonelo, eminyakeni embalwa ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uHelen wangipha uqwembe oluncane olufulenyiwe olwalulotshwe umbhalo weBhayibheli okumaHeberu 6:10: “UNkulunkulu akayena ongalungile ukuba akhohlwe umsebenzi wenu nothando eniye nalubonakalisa kuYe ngokukhonza abantu baKhe futhi enisabakhonza.”—Weymouth.

Ingxenyana yencwadi yakhe eyayihambisana nalolo qwembe yayifundeka kanje: “Gugu lami, kuncane kakhulu engingakunika khona, ngaphandle kwalo LONKE UTHANDO LWAMI . . . Lo mbhalo ukufanelekela kakhulu, futhi ngicela uwubeke phezu kwedeski lakho, hhayi ngenxa yokuthi uwunikwe yimi, kodwa ngoba usebenza kuwe enkonzweni yakho yeminyaka eminingi.” Kuze kube namuhla lolu qwembe lusalokhu lusedeskini, ehhovisi lami egatsheni laseGuatemala.

Ngiye ngakhonza uJehova kusukela ebusheni bami, futhi njengoba manje sengikhulile, ngibonga uJehova ngempilo enhle engivumela ukuba ngisingathe imisebenzi engiyabelwe. Lapho ngifunda iBhayibheli njalo, ngivame ukuhlangana nemibhalo engicabanga ukuthi uHelen wami othandekayo ubengayidwebela eBhayibhelini lakhe. Lokhu kwenzeka uma ngiphinda ngifunda iHubo 48:14: “Lo Nkulunkulu unguNkulunkulu wethu phakade naphakade; uzakusihola kuze kube sekufeni.”

Kuyinjabulo ukuhlanganyela nabanye umbono wosuku lovuko lapho abantu bazo zonke izizwe zasendulo beyokwamukela ezweni elisha abathandekayo babo bebuya kwabafileyo. Yeka ithemba okuyilo! Yeka izinyembezi zenjabulo eziyogeleza ngaleso sikhathi lapho sikhumbula ukuthi ngempela uJehova unguNkulunkulu “oduduza labo abadangele”!—2 Korinte 7:6.

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Ukusuka ngakwesobunxele phezulu kuya ngakwesokudla: umama, ubaba, nobabekazi u-Eva nabafowethu uCarl noClarence, ngo-1910

[Izithombe ekhasini 26]

NginoHelen ngo-1947 nango-1992