Ukukhonza Ngesikhathi Sokwanda Okumangalisayo

Njengoba Ilandiswa UHarley Harris

Kwakungo-September 2, 1950, eKennett, eMissouri, e-U.S.A. Sasisemhlanganweni wesifunda, sizungezwe isixuku. Umphathi-dolobha waletha amaSosha Esifundazwe ukuze azosivikela kulesi sixuku esingalawuleki. Amasosha ayehlome ngezibhamu nezinsabula ashaya ujenga emgwaqweni. Saya ezimotweni siphelezelwa izinhlamba, sasuka saya eCape Girardeau, eMissouri siyoqedela izingxenye ezisele zalowo mhlangano. Yilapho-ke engabhapathizwa khona ngineminyaka engu-14. Kodwa ake nginixoxele ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ngikhonze uJehova phakathi nalesi sikhathi seziyaluyalu.

EKUQALENI kwawo-1930, umkhulu nogogo nezingane zabo ezingu-8, bezwa ezinye zezinkulumo eziqoshiwe zikaMfoweth’ uRutherford futhi baqiniseka ukuthi babethole iqiniso. Abazali bami, uBay noMildred Harris, babhapathizwa emhlanganweni wesigodi owawuseWashington, D.C. ngo-1935. Yeka indlela abajabula ngayo ngokuba ingxenye ‘yesixuku esikhulu’ esasisanda kuchazwa kulowo mhlangano!—IsAm. 7:9, 14.

Mina ngazalwa ngonyaka owalandela. Kwathi ngonyaka olandelayo, abazali bami bathuthela endaweni engayodwa eMississippi. Ngesikhathi sihlala kule ndawo, kwakungafiki ngisho nombonisi ojikelezayo. Umkhaya wakithi wawubhalelana neBethel futhi uya emihlanganweni emikhulu, futhi okwaleso sikhathi lena kwaba ukuphela kwendlela esasijabulela ngayo ubudlelwane nabafowethu.

Ukukhuthazelela Ushushiso

Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, oFakazi BakaJehova bashushiswa kakhulu ngenxa yokungathathi hlangothi. Sasesithuthele eMountain Home, e-Arkansas. Ngelinye ilanga, mina nobaba sasifakaza emgwaqweni. Kungazelelwe kwaqhamuka umlisa mumbe waphuca ubaba omagazini wabashisela khona lapho. Wasibiza ngamagwala ngoba singayi empini. Njengoba ngangineminyaka emihlanu kuphela, ngavele ngakhala. Ubaba wamane wayibuka le ndoda wangathi vu yaze yahamba.

Babekhona nokho abantu abalungile ababenomusa kithi. Kwesinye isenzakalo lapho sisemotweni yethu, kweza isixuku sasizungeza. Khona manjalo kwaqhamuka umshushisi wendawo. Wabuza: “Kwenzekani la?” Enye indoda yaphendula, “Lab’ oFakazi BakaJehova abafuni ukulwela izwe lakubo!” Lowo mshushisi wagxumela phezu kwebhodi lemoto yethu wathi: “Ngalwa eMpini Yezwe I, futhi ngizokulwa nakulena! Yekani laba bantu bahambe. Abalimazi muntu!” Isixuku sahlakazeka buthule. Yeka indlela esasibazisa ngayo abantu abanjalo abalungile ababesibonisa umusa!—IzE. 27:3.

Imihlangano Yesigodi Iyasiqinisa

Umhlangano wesigodi wango-1941, owawuse-St. Louis, eMissouri, wawuyilokho kanye esasikudinga. Okunye ukulinganisela kuthi babengaphezu kuka-115 000 abantu ababekhona. Kwabhapathizwa isibalo esimangalisayo sabantu abangu-3 903! Ngiyikhumbula kahle inkulumo kaMfoweth’ uRutherford eyayinesihloko esithi “Abantwana BeNkosi.” Wakhuluma nathi zingane ngokuqondile futhi sonke saphiwa incwadi enhle eluhlaza ethi Children. Lo mhlangano wangiqinisa ukuba ngibhekane nalokho okwenzeka ngonyaka olandelayo engaqala ngawo esikoleni. Mina nodadewethu abazalwa umfowabo kababa saxoshwa esikoleni ngenxa yokungashayeli ifulege indesheni. Nsuku zonke sasiphindela esikoleni siyobheka ukuthi akunakwenzeka yini ukuthi othisha sebeshintshe umqondo. Njalo ekuseni sasinqamula emahlathini siya esikoleni—bese sifike sixoshwe nje. Nokho, nganginomuzwa wokuthi ngokwenza lokhu, sasibonisa ubuqotho eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu.

Nokho, kungakabiphi, iNkantolo Ephakeme Yase-United States yamisa umthetho wokuthi ukushayela ifulege indesheni kwakungeyona impoqo. Ekugcineni, sakwazi ukuphindela esikoleni. Uthisha wethu wayenomusa ngoba wasifundisa umsebenzi esasisilele kuwo. Nesasifunda nabo basiphatha ngenhlonipho.

Ngiyawukhumbula nomhlangano wesigodi wango-1942, owawuseCleveland, e-Ohio, lapho uMfoweth’ uNathan H. Knorr anikeza khona inkulumo eyayithi “Ukuthula—Ingabe Kungaba Okuhlala Njalo?” Lokhu kuhlaziywa kwencwadi yesAmbulo isahluko 17 kwabonisa ukuthi kwakuyoba nenkathi yokuthula ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II. Ngakho, salindela ukuba kube nokwanda okwengeziwe. Ukuze kulungiselelwe lokho kwanda, kwavulwa iSikole SaseGileyadi ngo-1943. Ngangingazi ukuthi lokhu kwakuyokuthinta kanjani ukuphila kwami esikhathini esizayo. Ngempela, kwaba khona ukuthula ngemva kwempi noshushiso lwadamba. Nokho, lapho iMpi YaseKorea iqala ngo-1950, umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela waphinde waphikiswa njengoba ngichazile ekuqaleni.

Ukuhlanganyela Ngokugcwele Ekwandeni

Ngo-1954, ngaphothula esikoleni samabanga aphakeme futhi ngemva kwenyanga ngaqala ukuphayona. Ngemva kokukhonza eKennett, eMissouri, lapho isixuku sasizungeza khona ngo-1950, ngamenyelwa ukuyokhonza eBethel ngo-March 1955. Insimu yebandla engabelwa kulo yayihlanganisa i-Times Square, eyayiphakathi eNew York City. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kwahluke kanjani empilweni yasemakhaya! Ukuze ngidonse isithakazelo sabantu baseNew York abahlale bematasa, ngangihlale ngivule isihloko sikamagazini esishukumisa ingqondo bese ngithi, “Wake wazibuza yini lo mbuzo?” Abaningi babebathatha omagazini.

Esinye sezikhathi engangizithanda kakhulu eBethel, esetekisi losuku, elaliqhutshwa uMfoweth’ uKnorr. Yeka indlela ayenza amavesi eBhayibheli aphile futhi asibonise nokuthi asebenza kanjani ekuphileni kwethu! Wayekhuluma nathi bazalwane abangashadile njengobaba ekhuluma nendodana yakhe, evame ukusinikeza iseluleko esihle sokuthi kufanele sibaphathe kanjani abobulili obuhlukile. Ngo-1960, ngase nginqume ukushada.

Ngafaka isicelo sokuhamba eBethel kusasele izinsuku ezingu-30 kodwa lutho impendulo. Nakuba nganginamahloni, ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-30, ngaqunga isibindi ngabuza ukuthi babesitholile yini isicelo sami. Ucingo lwami lwabanjwa uMfoweth’ uRobert Wallen futhi weza lapho ngisebenza khona. Wangibuza ukuthi ngangicabangani ngokuba iphayona elikhethekile noma ngokujikeleza. Ngamphendula ngathi, “Kodwa Mfoweth’ uBob ngineminyaka engu-24 kuphela futhi anginakho okuhlangenwe nakho.”

Umsebenzi Wokujikeleza

Kusihlwa ngalo lolo suku ngafica imvilophi enkulu ingilindile ekamelweni lami. Kwakufakwe ifomu lamaphayona akhethekile nelinye lomsebenzi wokujikeleza. Kwaphela nasozwanini! Ngalithola ngaleyo ndlela ilungelo elingafanelwe lokukhonza abafowethu emsebenzini wokujikeleza eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeMissouri nasempumalanga yeKansas. Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba ngihambe eBethel ngaya emhlanganweni wababonisi abajikelezayo. Lapho esephetha, uMfoweth’ uKnorr wathi: “Ukuba kwenu ababonisi besifunda nabesigodi akusho ukuthi senazi kakhulu kunabazalwane bendawo. Abaningi kubo banokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi kunokwenu. Kodwa izimo azibavumeli ukuba bajabulele amalungelo eninawo. Ningafunda okuningi kubo.”

Yeka ukuthi lokho kwaba yiqiniso kanjani! UMfoweth’ uFred Molohan nomkakhe kanye nomfowabo uCharley baseParsons, eKansas, babeyizibonelo eziphawuleka ngempela. Babethole iqiniso ekuqaleni kwawo-1900. Yeka ukuthi kwakujabulisa kanjani ukuzwa okuhlangenwe nakho ababa nakho ngisho nangaphambi kokuba ngizalwe! Omunye umzalwane kwakunguJohn Wristen, umzalwane onomusa osekhulile waseJoplin, eMissouri, owayesephayone amashumi eminyaka. Laba bafowethu abathandekayo babeyihlonipha ngokujulile indlela uJehova aqondisa ngayo inhlangano yakhe. Bangenza ngazizwa ngaziswa njengombonisi wabo wesifunda nakuba ngangisemusha.

Ngo-1962, ngashada noCloris Knoche, iphayona elinezinwele ezibomvu elalihlale leneme. Ngaqhubeka ngijikeleza naye. Ukuhlala nabazalwane kwakusenza sibazi kangcono. Sakwazi ukukhuthaza intsha ukuba ingenele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Abasha ababili ababesesifundeni—uJay Kosinski noJoAnn Kresyman—babedinga leso sikhuthazo nje. Ukusebenza nabo enkonzweni nokubaxoxela ngezinjabulo zokuphila kokuzidela kwabashukumisela ukuba bazibekele imigomo. UJoAnn waba iphayona elikhethekile kanti uJay wakhonza eBethel. Kamuva bashada futhi manje sebeneminyaka engaba ngu-30 bejikeleza.

Inkonzo Yezithunywa Zevangeli

Ngo-1966, uMfoweth’ uKnorr wasibuza ukuthi singakujabulela yini ukuyokhonza kwelinye izwe. Saphendula: “Sijabule la sikhona, kodwa uma kunesidingo kwenye indawo, siyatholakala.” Ngemva kwesonto, samenyelwa eSikoleni SaseGileyadi. Yeka ukuthi sajabula kanjani ukuphinde sibe seBethel nabantu abaningi esasibathanda futhi sibahlonipha ngesikhathi sisesikoleni! Sakha nobungane nesasinabo ekilasini, abasakhonza ngokwethembeka kuze kube manje.

Mina noCloris sathunyelwa e-Ecuador eNingizimu Melika, kanye noDennis no-Edwina Crist, u-Ana Rodríguez noDelia Sánchez. AbakwaCrist baya enhloko-dolobha eQuito. Thina no-Ana kanye noDelia, sabelwa eCuenca, idolobha lesithathu ngobukhulu e-Ecuador. Insimu yethu yayihlanganisa izifundazwe ezimbili. Ibandla lokuqala eCuenca lalihlanganyela ekamelweni lethu lokuphumula. Kwakuba yithi sobane kanye nabanye ababili. Sasizibuza ukuthi kazi sasiyowuqeda yini umsebenzi wokushumayela kuyo yonke le ndawo.

ICuenca yayinamasonto amaningi, futhi ngezinsuku ezazibhekwa njengezingcwele, kwakugcwala izindwendwe zamasonto edolobheni. Nakuba kunjalo, abantu baseCuenca babenemibuzo eminingi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngamangala kabi lapho uMario Polo, umgibeli webhayisikili ongumpetha waseCuenca, siqala nje ukubonana, engibuza, “Singubani isifebe okukhulunywa ngaso encwadini yesAmbulo?”

Ngesinye isikhathi, uMario weza emzini wethu ebusuku ekhathazeke kakhulu. Umfundisi wesonto elithile labavangeli wayemnikeze izincwadi ezithile ezazimangalela oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngambonisa ukuthi umuntu omangalelwayo kufanele anikezwe ithuba lokuzikhulumela. Ngakho, ngakusasa, uMario wasibiza ukuze sizoxoxa ngalokho kusimangalela. Njengoba sasihlangene, ngasikisela ukuba sigxile nje emfundisweni kaZiqu-zintathu. Lapho lo mfundisi efunda uJohane 1:1, uMario wamchazela ngokwakhe umahluko phakathi kwelithi “uNkulunkulu” nelithi “unkulunkulu” ngesiGreki. Wenza okufanayo nangawo wonke amavesi eBhayibheli ayephakanyiswa. Lo mfundisi wahamba ehlulekile ukufakazela imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu. Lokhu kwenza uMario nomkakhe baqiniseka ukuthi sasineqiniso, futhi baba abavikeli abahle bezimfundiso zeBhayibheli. Yeka ukuthi sijabula kangakanani ngokubona amabandla asedolobheni laseCuenca anda esuka kwangu-33 eba ngu-63 kuleyo nsimu enkulu eyayiyisabelo sethu sokuqala—ukwanda okumangalisayo ngempela!

Ukubona Ukwanda Egatsheni

Ngo-1970, mina no-Al Schullo sacelwa ukuba siyokhonza egatsheni laseGuayaquil. Sobabili sasinakekela umsebenzi wegatsha. UJoe Sekerak wayeza ngezikhathi ezithile ezopakisha izincwadi zamabandla angu-46 akulo lonke lelo zwe. UCloris wake wakhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli lapho mina ngisebenza eBethel. Uye wakwazi ukusiza abantu abangu-55 ukuba babhapathizwe, okwakuvame ukuba kube abafundi abathathu kuya kwabahlanu emhlanganweni ngamunye.

Ngokwesibonelo, uCloris wafundela owesifazane ogama lakhe linguLucresia, umyeni wakhe owayemphikisa. Noma kunjalo, uLucresia wagcina ebhapathiziwe futhi waba iphayona elivamile. Wafundisa abantwana bakhe izindlela zikaJehova. Manje amadodana akhe amabili angabadala futhi enye iyiphayona elikhethekile; indodakazi yona iyiphayona. Umzukulu wakhe washada nomzalwane okahle, futhi nabo bakhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile. Lo mkhaya ususize abaningi ukuba bafunde iqiniso.

Ngo-1980 kwase kunabamemezeli abangaba ngu-5 000 e-Ecuador. Ihhovisi lethu lase liba lincane. Umzalwane othile wasinika indawo engamahektare angu-32 engaphandle kwaseGuayaquil. Ngo-1984 saqala ukwakha ihhovisi legatsha elisha neHholo LoMhlangano kule ndawo futhi kwanikezelwa ngo-1987.

Izisebenzi Zokuzithandela Zinezela Ekwandeni

Njengoba iminyaka iqhubeka, kuye kwathinta inhliziyo ukubona abamemezeli abaningi namaphayona abavela kwamanye amazwe beza e-Ecuador ukuzosiza lapho kwakunendingeko enkulu khona yabamemezeli boMbuso. Isibonelo esivelele engisikhumbulayo esika-Andy Kidd, uthisha waseCanada owayesethathe umhlalaphansi. Wathuthela e-Ecuador ngo-1985 eneminyaka engu-70 futhi wakhonza ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-2008 eseneminyaka engu-93. Lapho ngiqala ukumbona esabelweni sakhe, kwakuwuyena yedwa umdala ebandleni elincane. Wanikeza inkulumo yeningi wabe eseqhuba neSifundo Se-Nqabayokulinda ebhidilisha iSpanishi. Waqhuba neSikole Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini, wanikeza neziningi zezinkulumo zoMhlangano Wenkonzo! Manje, kunamabandla amabili akhulayo kuleyo ndawo, anabamemezeli abacishe babe ngu-200 nabadala abaningi bendawo.

Omunye umzalwane, u-Ernesto Diaz owathutha kanye nomkhaya wakhe besuka e-United States, washo la mazwi ngemva kwezinyanga ezingu-8 bese-Ecuador: “Izingane zethu ezintathu sezilufundile ulimi lwalapha futhi zingabafundisi abahle kakhulu. Njengobaba, ngifinyelele umgomo ongabonakala unzima kulesi simiso—ukuba iphayona elivamile, ngihlanganyele nomkhaya wami enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Sisonke, siqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingu-25. Konke lokhu kuye kwenza umkhaya wethu wasondelana nakakhulu futhi, okubaluleke nakakhulu, uye wasondela kuJehova ngendlela engingakaze ngiyibone.” Yeka indlela esibazisa ngayo laba bafowethu nodadewethu!

Ngo-1994 igatsha lethu laphinde lanwetshwa, laziphinda kabili izakhiwo ezazikhona. Ngo-2005 abamemezeli badlula ku-50 000 futhi kwase kudingeka ukuba igatsha landiswe futhi. Kulokhu kwakhuliswa iHholo LoMhlangano, kwakhiwa izakhiwo zokuhlala ezintsha namahhovisi abahumushi. Lezi zakhiwo ezintsha zanikezelwa ngo-October 31, 2009.

Lapho ngixoshwa esikoleni ngo-1942, kwakunoFakazi abangaba ngu-60 000 e-United States. Manje sebengaphezu kakhulu kwesigidi. Lapho sifika e-Ecuador ngo-1966, kwakunabamemezeli boMbuso abangaba ngu-1 400. Manje sebengaphezu kuka-68 000. Kodwa siyaqiniseka ukuthi lisazokwenyuka leli nani ngoba kuqhutshwa izifundo zeBhayibheli ezingu-120- 000 futhi bangaphezu kuka-232 000 ababekhona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu ngo-2009. Ngempela, uJehova uye wababusisa abantu bakhe ngendlela esingakaze siyicabange. Yeka ukuthi kujabulisa kangakanani ukuphila ngalesi sikhathi kule ndawo enokwanda okumangalisa kangaka!a

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 5]

Umhlangano owawusendaweni evulekile (ngo-1981) neHholo LoMhlangano lase-Guayaquil (ngo-2009) endaweni efanayo