Thembela KuJehova Uzokusiza Ngempela

Ilandiswa U-Edmund Schmidt

Lesi seluleko ngasikhumbula ngesikhathi ngizovela enkantolo eNew York ngo-October 1943. Ngesikhathi ngihlanganisa iminyaka engu-25, ngase ngibhadle ejele cishe iminyaka emine ngenxa yokungathathi hlangothi njengomKristu. Njengabalandeli bakaJesu bekhulu lokuqala, ngangenze isinqumo ‘sokulalela uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.’ (IzEnzo 5:29) Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba nginitshele ngalokho, ake ngichaze ukuthi yini eyangenza ngaba nokholo oluqine kangaka kuNkulunkulu.

NGAZALWA ngo-April 23, 1922, eCleveland, e-Ohio, e-U.S.A. Ekhaya sasihlala esitezi esingaphezu kwesitolo sikababa sezinkwa namakhekhe. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezine, ubaba, u-Edmund, waya emhlanganweni wabaFundi BeBhayibheli (njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi) eCedar Point, eduze kwaseSandusky, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-160.

Kulowo mhlangano, abantu banxuswa ukuba ‘bamemezele, bamemezele, bamemezele iNkosi emiswe uNkulunkulu nombuso wayo.’ NgeSonto elilandelayo, ubaba waqala ukushumayela. Lokhu wakwenza iminyaka engu-66 eyalandela kwaze kwaba yilapho eshona ngo-July 4, 1988. Umama, uMary, washona ethembekile kuNkulunkulu ngo-1981.

Ukuqala Ukukhulekela UNkulunkulu Nabazali Bami

Ekhaya sasihlanganyela ebandleni lesiPolish eCleveland. Njalo ngoMgqibelo ntambama thina zingane sasihamba nabazali siyoshumayela izindaba ezinhle endlini ngendlu. NgamaSonto, abazali babelalela inkulumo yeBhayibheli ehholo elikhulu esasihlangana kulo. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, thina zingane sasifundiswa iBhayibheli ngumfundisi weBhayibheli ongumakadebona. Sasiba yinani elingaba ngu-30 futhi sasisebenzisa insiza-kufundisa iBhayibheli ethi The Harp of God.a Kungakabiphi, nami ngase ngifundisa futhi ngathola imiphumela emihle.

Ngo-July 1931, mina nabazali bami, kuhlanganise nomfowethu omncane uFrank, saya komunye umhlangano wabaFundi BeBhayibheli owawuseningizimu eColumbus eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-160. Kulowo mhlangano, abaFundi BeBhayibheli bamukela ngenjabulo igama elisha elisekelwe eBhayibhelini elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. (Isaya 43:10-12) Phakathi nalowo mhlangano, ngahlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela, simema abantu ukuba bazolalela inkulumo kaJ. F. Rutherford, owayehola umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova ngaleso sikhathi. Manje sengineminyaka engaphezu kwengu-79 ngikhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu ngikanye nabantu bakhe.

Ngabhekana Nobunzima Ngathola Nezibusiso Enkonzweni

Ngo-1933, uKuwohloka Okukhulu Komnotho kwase kuzwakala emhlabeni wonke. E-United States, abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-15, noma amaphesenti angu-25 abantu abasebenzayo, balahlekelwa imisebenzi. Umnotho emadolobheni wafadalala futhi uhulumeni akazange esabasekela abantu abampofu. Noma kunjalo, abafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya babesizana. Njalo ngeSonto, ekhaya sasithatha isinkwa esitolo sikababa sisiphathele abafowethu endaweni esasihlangana kuyo. Ngemva kokuba kukhokhelwe zonke izindleko zenyanga, ubaba wayethumela yonke imali esele endlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York. Wayazi ukuthi leyo mali yayizosetshenziselwa ukunyathelisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli.

Ngaleyo minyaka, ukushumayela ngomsakazo kwakuneqhaza elikhulu enkonzweni yethu. Iziteshi zomsakazo ezingaphezu kuka-400 zazisakaza izinkulumo zeBhayibheli ezazibekwa emihlanganweni yethu. Ngawo-1930, oFakazi benza amagilamafoni namarekhodi efektri yaseBrooklyn. Sasibe sesikusebenzisa enkonzweni yethu futhi sibike ukuthi sibadlalele kangaki abantu abangebona oFakazi izinkulumo zeBhayibheli nokuthi bangaki abazilalele.

Ngo-1933, u-Adolf Hitler neqembu lakhe lamaNazi baqala ukubusa eJalimane. Kuleli zwe, oFakazi BakaJehova bashushiswa ngonya ngenxa yokungathathi hlangothi njengamaKristu. (Johane 15:19; 17:14) Amaphesenti amaningi oFakazi eJalimane ayevalelwa emajele noma ayiswe emakamu okuhlushwa ngokwenqaba ukuhlanganyela emisebenzini ehlangene nezombangazwe noma ukushayela uHitler indesheni. Kunenqwaba yabantu ababulawa; abanye bafukuziswa baze bafa. Ngenxa yokuphathwa ngonya, iningi lalivele life ngemva kokukhululwa. Abantu abaningi abazi ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova baphathwa ngesihluku nakwamanye amazwe, kuhlanganise nase-United States.

Ngo-1940, saya emhlanganweni owawuseDetroit, eMichigan. Kulowo mhlangano, ngomhla ka-July 28, ngabhapathizwa ngibonakalisa ukuzinikezela kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Inyanga eyodwa ngaphambi kwalowo mhlangano, iNkantolo Ephakeme yase-United States yakhipha umthetho othi ukwenqaba ukushayela ifulege indesheni kuyicala, futhi izingane zesikole ezenqabayo ukwenza lokhu kufanele zixoshwe ezikoleni. OFakazi basisingatha kanjani lesi simo? Abaningi bavula izikole zabo ukuze kufunde izingane zoFakazi. Lezo zikole zazibizwa ngokuthi iZikole ZoMbuso.

IMpi Yezwe II yaqala ngo-September 1939 eYurophu futhi umoya wayo wawuzwakala nakuyo yonke i-United States. OFakazi abasha bahlukunyezwa futhi bashaywa enye intsha nabantu abadala ababengaqondi ukuthi kungani bengayisekeli impi. Kubikwa ukuthi kusukela ngo-1940 kuya ku-1944, oFakazi BakaJehova e-United States bahlukunyezwa izikhathi ezingaphezu kuka-2 500 yizixuku ezaziwotha ubomvu. Lolo shushiso lwaqina kakhulu ngemva kokuhlasela kweJapan iPearl Harbor ngo-December 7, 1941. Emasontweni ambalwa ngaphambi kwalokhu, ngangiqale ukukhonza njengephayona, igama elisho izikhonzi zoFakazi BakaJehova ezishumayela isikhathi esigcwele. Ngabeka imali ngathenga umahamba-nendlwana ongamamitha angu-7 futhi siyiqenjana sathuthela eLouisiana ukuze siyokhonza khona.

Ukushushiswa Ezindaweni EziseNingizimu

Izakhamuzi zasivumela ukuba simise umahamba-nendlwana wethu ensimini yamantongomane eduze kwedolobha laseJeanerette. Ngolunye usuku kunguMgqibelo sanquma ukuyoshumayela emgwaqweni kodwa isikhulu samaphoyisa sathumela amaphoyisa futhi asibopha asiyisa ehholo ledolobha. Isixuku sabantu abangaba ngu-200 saqoqana ngaphandle kwehholo ledolobha futhi amaphoyisa asidedela ngaphandle kokusivikela kulesi sixuku. Sajabula lapho sisivulela indlela yokuba sidlule. Ngosuku olulandelayo saya eBaton Rouge, idolobha elikhulu eliseduze, satshela abanye oFakazi ngalokho okwakwenzekile.

Lapho sibuyela eJeanerette, sathola kunanyathiselwe ipheshana emnyango kamahamba-nendlwana libhalwe ukuthi: “Ngicela sihlangane enkomponi kawoyela.” Lalibhalwe igama elithi “E M. Vaughn.” Saya kuMnumzane Vaughn, wasimemela kwakhe futhi sajabulela isidlo esimnandi yena nomkakhe ababesilungiselele sona. Wasitshela ukuthi naye wayephakathi kwalesiya sixuku ngoMgqibelo, futhi wathi wayezimisele ukusivikela uma kwakwenzeka kusuka uthuthuva. Sasijabulela isikhuthazo nokusekela kwakhe.

Ngosuku olulandelayo, amaphoyisa ahlomile asibopha futhi athatha izincwadi zethu. Athatha nezihluthulelo zikamahamba-nendlwana, angivalela ngedwa ejele izinsuku ezingu-17 ngingatholi kudla. UMnu. Vaughn wazama ukusisiza, kodwa akaphumelelanga. Ngesikhathi sivalelwe, satshontshelwa izinto zethu, kwashiswa yonke into esasinayo, kuhlanganise nomahamba-nendlwana. Ngaleso sikhathi, ngangingaboni ukuthi uJehova ungiqeqeshela okukhulu engangisazobhekana nakho.

Ukuboshwa ENyakatho

Ngemva kwenyanga ngibuye eLouisiana, ngamiswa njengephayona elikhethekile futhi ngabelwa ukuyokhonza e-Olean, eNew York kanye nabanye oFakazi. Ngesikhathi ngilapho, uhulumeni wathi mangibhalisele ukubuthelwa empini. Ngafakwa ohlwini lwabantu abenqaba ukuya empini ngenxa kanembeza. Ngemva kokuhlolwa impilo nengqondo, amaphepha ami agxivizwa ngesigxivizo esithi “Angaqeqeshelwa Ukuya Empini.”

Ngakwazi ukuqhubeka nokuphayona omunye unyaka. Ngenxa yokwenqaba ukuyeka inkonzo yami nokuyoqeqeshelwa ezempi, ngo-1943 i-FBI (The Federal Bureau of Investigation) yangibopha, yathi kufanele ngivele enkantolo eSyracuse, eNew York, ngesonto elilandelayo. Ngathweswa icala futhi ngavela phambi kwenkantolo ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbili ukuze ngithole isigwebo.

Ngazikhulumela mina ngaphandle kommeli. Emihlanganweni yobuKristu, thina basha sasifundiswe indlela yokuzimela lapho sisenkantolo nokuvikela amalungelo ethu kanye nokuziphatha ngendlela efanele. Ngisikhumbula kahle iseluleko esishiwo ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko esasithola kuleyo mihlangano. Abanye abashushisi basenkantolo babeze bakhale ngokuthi oFakazi bazi kakhulu ngomthetho kunabo! Noma kunjalo, ngatholakala nginecala. Lapho umahluleli engibuza ukuthi kukhona yini okunye engifuna ukukusho, ngaphendula, “Namuhla izwe livele phambi kukaNkulunkulu futhi uzolahlulela ngendlela eliphatha ngayo abantu abamkhonzayo.”

Ngathola isigwebo seminyaka emine ejele laseChillicothe, e-Ohio. Lapho, ngasebenza njengomabhalane wesikhulu somnyango wezenkonzo ejele. Ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa, umseshi othile waseWashington D.C. wafika emahhovisi asejele wathi baphenya udaba lukaHayden Covington. Wayengummeli woFakazi BakaJehova futhi edume ngokuba uqweqwe lommeli eMelika.

Lo mseshi wathi ufuna amafayela eziboshwa ezimbili—uDanny Hurtado no-Edmund Schmidt. Umphathi wami wathi: “Kwaze kwaqondana bo, nguye uMnu. Schmidt lona.” Lo mseshi wayenza uphenyo lomshoshaphansi, kodwa wavele wabona ukuthi sase sazi ngalo. Ngemva nje kwalokho ngashintshwa ngayosebenza ekhishini.

Ukuphayona, Ukukhonza EBethel Nokushada

Ngo-September 26, 1946, ngadedelwa ngingakasiqedi isigwebo futhi ngaqhubeka nokuphayona. Kulokhu ngakhonza neBandla LaseHighland Park eCalifornia. Kamuva, ngo-September 1948, ngakwazi ukufinyelela umgomo okwase kuyiminyaka ngifisa ukuwufinyelela. Ngacelwa ukuba ngiyokhonza njengombhaki endlunkulu (eBethel) eBrooklyn, lapho kunyatheliswa khona izincwadi esizisebenzisa emsebenzini wethu wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke. Ngokushesha ngayeka umsebenzi wami njengomenzi wenhlama esitolo sokudla eGlendale ngaya eBethel.

Ngo-1955, ngemva kweminyaka engu-7, kwaba nemihlangano yezizwe eminingana eYurophu. Abasekhaya bangisiza ngemali ngakwazi ukuya. Ngawujabulela umhlangano waseLondon, eParis, eRome kodwa ngajabulela kakhulu owawuseNuremberg, eJalimane, lapho kwakubuthene khona abantu abangaphezu kuka-107- 000 enkundleni enkulu uHitler ayeke wamashisa kuyo amasosha akhe ngokukhulu ukuqhosha. Kulowo mhlangano kwakukhona noFakazi ayefunge ukuthi uzobabulala bonke. Yeka indlela okwakujabulisa ngayo ukuba nabo!

Kulowo mhlangano waseNuremberg, ngabona uBrigitte Gerwien, intokazi yomJalimane enguFakazi futhi ngayithanda. Sathandana isikhathi esingaphansana konyaka sabe sesishada futhi sahlala eGlendale eduze kwabazali bami. Indodana yethu yokuqala, uTom, yazalwa ngo-1957, eyesibili, uDon, yazalwa ngo-1958, futhi sathola indodakazi, uSabena, ngo-1960.

Ngikujabulele Ngokugcwele Ukuphila

Abanye baye bangibuza ukuthi angizisoli yini ngokuthi ngahlukunyezwa futhi ngaboshwa ngenxa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Empeleni akunjalo; ngibonga uJehova ngokuthi ngibe nelungelo lokumkhonza kanye nabantu bakhe abaningi abathembekile. Ngethemba ukuthi indaba yami izokhuthaza abanye ukuba basondele kuNkulunkulu bangalokothi bamshiye.

Ziningi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu eziye zahlukunyezwa ngenxa yokumkhonza. Ingani yilokho kanye esatshelwa ukuba sikulindele. IBhayibheli lithi: “Bonke labo abafisa ukuphila ngokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kanye noKristu Jesu nabo futhi bayoshushiswa.” (2 Thimothewu 3:12) Noma kunjalo, yeka indlela aye aba yiqiniso ngayo amazwi eHubo 34:19: “Ziningi izinhlekelele zolungileyo, kodwa uJehova uyamkhulula kuzo zonke”!

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Ngishumayela eLouisiana ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1940

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Ngesikhathi ngikhonza njengombhaki endlunkulu

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Nginomkami uBrigitte