Ukukhonza UJehova Kube Umthombo Wenjabulo Kimi

Njengoba ilandiswa uFred Rusk

Ngakubona ngisemncane ukuba iqiniso kwamazwi kaDavide akumaHubo 27:10: “Noma kungenzeka ubaba nomama bangishiye, yebo uJehova yena ubeyo-ngamukela.” Ake nginilandise ukuthi lo mBhalo wagcwaliseka kanjani kimi.

NGAKHULELA epulazini likamkhulu likakotini esifundazweni saseGeorgia, e-U.S.A., phakathi neNkathi Yokuwohloka Okukhulu Komnotho okwaba khona ngawo-1930. Ubaba, ekhungathekiswe ukushona kukamama nomfowethu owayesanda kuzalwa, wathuthela edolobheni elikude, wayosebenza khona wangishiya nomkhulu, ugogo esashona. Kamuva, wenza imizamo yokuba ngiyohlala naye kodwa yaphelela emoyeni.

Obabekazi yibo ababenakekela umuzi kamkhulu. Nakuba yena ayengasonti, bona babengamalungu aqinile esonto lamaSouthern Baptist. Ngangiphoqeleka ukuya esontweni maSonto onke ngoba babengithembisa isibhaxu uma ngingayi. Lokho kwangenza ngakhula ngingayithandi inkolo. Nokho, ngangisithanda isikole nemidlalo.

Izivakashi Ezashintsha Ukuphila Kwami

Ngolunye usuku ntambama, ngo-1941, ngineminyaka engu-15 ubudala, kwafika umkhulu othile nomkakhe ekhaya. Ngatshelwa ukuthi wayengumalume wami uTalmadge Rusk. Ngangingakaze ngizwe ngaye kodwa ngathola ukuthi yena nomkakhe babengoFakazi BakaJehova. Lokho akuchaza ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngabantu ukuthi iwukuba bahlale emhlabeni phakade kwakuhluke kakhulu kulokho engangikuzwe esontweni. Abaningi ekhaya bakwenqaba lokho ayekusho baze bamdelela. Abaphindange bavunyelwa ukuba beze ekhaya. Nokho, bashiyela ubabekazi uMary, owayemdala kunami ngeminyaka emithathu kuphela, iBhayibheli kanye nezincwadi ezithile ezichaza iBhayibheli.

UMary washeshe waqiniseka ukuthi wayethole iqiniso leBhayibheli futhi wabhapathizwa ngo-1942 njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Wabhekana futhi nalokho uJesu ayekubikezele, okungukuthi: “Izitha zomuntu kuyoba abantu bendlu yakubo.” (Math. 10:34-36) Waphikiswa kanzima ekhaya. Ubabekazi omdala, owayenezwi ezindabeni zesifunda, wabopha uzungu nemeya yendawo ukuba umalume uTalmadge aboshwe. Wabekwa icala lokudayisa ngaphandle kwemvume. Walahlwa ngecala wagqunywa ejele.

Iphephandaba lendawo labika ukuthi imeya, eyayiphinde ibe umahluleli, yatshela inkantolo yedolobha: “Izincwadi ezisakazwa yilo muntu . . . ziyingozi njengobuthi.” Umalume walidlulisa icala futhi waliwina, kodwa ngemva kokuhlala izinsuku eziyishumi ejele.

Indlela Ubabekazi UMary Angisiza Ngayo

UMary wakhuluma nami ngezinkolelo zakhe ezintsha, wabuye waqala nokufakaza komakhelwane. Ngaya naye komunye umlisa ayeyomqhubela isifundo seBhayibheli ngencwadi ethi The New World.a Umkakhe wathi umyeni wakhe wayeyifunde ubusuku bonke. Nakuba ngangingathandi ukusheshe ngingene ngigamanxe kunoma yini ephathelene nenkolo, engangikufunda kwakungithakazelisa. Nokho, akuzona izimfundiso zeBhayibheli ngokuyinhloko ezangenza ngaqiniseka ukuthi oFakazi babengabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngaqinisekiswa yindlela ababephathwa ngayo.

Ngokwesibonelo, ngolunye usuku lapho siphindela ekhaya kade siyosebenza ensimini katamatisi, mina noMary sabona kubhayela ukuthi odadewabo babesale bashisa izincwadi zakhe kanye negilamafoni namarekhodi ayenezigijimi zeBhayibheli. Lapho ngithukuthela, omunye wobabekazi wangikhuza wathi, “Ngolunye usuku uzosibonga ngalokho esikwenzile.”

UMary waphoqeleka ukuba ahambe ekhaya ngo-1943 ngoba wenqaba ukulahla ukholo lwakhe olusha nokuyeka ukushumayela komakhelwane. Ngaleso sikhathi, ngangijatshuliswe ukufunda ukuthi uNkulunkulu unegama elithi, Jehova, nokuthi unguNkulunkulu onothando, onozwela, ongashisi abantu esihogweni somlilo. Ngafunda nokuthi uJehova unenhlangano enothando, nakuba ngaleso sikhathi ngangingakayi nakowodwa umhlangano.

Kamuva, ngolunye usuku ngigunda utshani, kweza imoto ihamba kancane futhi enye yamadoda amabili ayekuyo yangibuza ukuthi ngangiwuFred yini. Lapho ngithola ukuthi ayengoFakazi, ngathi, “Kungcono ngigibele siye endaweni ephephile esingaxoxa kuyo.” UMary wayehlele nawo ukuba angivakashele. Enye yala madoda, uShield Toutjian, yayingumjikelezi futhi yanginikeza isikhuthazo nesiqondiso esingokomoya engangisidinga kakhulu. Phela kwase kuphikiswa mina ekhaya njengoba ngangivikela izinkolelo zoFakazi BakaJehova.

UMary wangibhalela eseVirginia, lapho ayethuthele khona, futhi wathi uma ngangizimisele ukukhonza uJehova, ngangingeza ngizohlala naye. Nganquma ngaso leso sikhathi ukuhamba. Kusihlwa ngolunye usuku, kunguLwesihlanu ngo-October 1943, ngafaka izintwana zami ezibalulekile ebhokisini ngalibophela esihlahleni esasithe ukuqhela ekhaya. Ngalilanda ngoMgqibelo, ngaphuma ngendlela engemuva, eya kwamakhelwane, futhi ngagibela ngaya edolobheni. Lapho ngifika edolobheni laseRoanoke, ngamthola uMary emzini ka-Edna Fowlkes.

Ukuthuthuka Ngokomoya, Ukubhapathizwa NeBethel

U-Edna wayewuFakazi ogcotshiwe onozwela—uLidiya wosuku lwanamuhla—owayeqashe umuzi omkhulu futhi, ngaphezu kukababekazi uMary, wayehlalise umkamfowabo namadodakazi akhe amabili. La mantombazane—uGladys noGrace bakwaGregory—kamuva aba izithunywa zevangeli. UGladys, manje oseneminyaka evile kwengu-90, usakhonza ngokwethembeka egatsheni laseJapan.

Ngesikhathi ngihlala kwa-Edna, ngangiya njalo emihlanganweni futhi ngaqeqeshelwa inkonzo. Njengoba ngase nginenkululeko yokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu nokuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu, manje ngangikwazi ukwanelisa ukulambela kwami izinto ezingokomoya okwakulokhu kukhula. Ngo-June 14, 1944, ngabhapathizwa. UMary namantombazane akwaGregory baqala ukuphayona futhi bathola isabelo sokuyokhonza enyakatho yeVirginia. Ukuya kwabo lapho kwasiza ekwakhekeni kwebandla elisha eLeesburg. Ekuqaleni kuka-1946 ngaqala ukuphayona esifundeni esiseduze nabo. Ngalelo hlobo sahamba sonke saya emhlanganweni wezizwe engingasoze ngawukhohlwa owawuseCleveland, e-Ohio, ngo-August 4-11.

Kulowo mhlangano, uNathan Knorr, owayehola enhlanganweni, wachaza izinhlelo zokunweba iBethel eBrooklyn. Zazihlanganisa ukwakha isakhiwo esisha sokuhlala nokunweba isakhiwo sokunyathelisa. Kwakudingeka izinsizwa eziningi. Ngasho enhliziyweni yami ukuthi yilapho engingathanda ukuyokhonza uJehova khona. Ngakho, ngafaka isicelo sami futhi ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, ngo-December 1, 1946, ngaya eBethel.

Cishe ngemva konyaka, umbonisi wesakhiwo sokunyathelisa, uMax Larson, weza ehhovisi lami eMnyango Wokuthumela. Wangitshela ukuthi ngangabelwe eMnyango Wenkonzo. Ngafunda okuningi kuleso sabelo mayelana nendlela izimiso zeBhayibheli ezazisebenza ngayo nangemisebenzi yenhlangano kaNkulunkulu, ikakhulukazi ngenkathi ngisebenza noT. J. (Bud) Sullivan, owayengumbonisi womnyango.

Ubaba wangivakashela izikhathi eziningana eBethel. Lapho esemdala, waqala ukusonta. Ukugcina kwakhe ukungivakashela, ngo-1965, wathi kimi, “Ungeza uzongivakashela, kodwa mina ngeke ngiphinde ngize lapha ngizokubona.” Ngamvakashela izikhathi ezimbalwa engakashoni. Wayeqiniseka ukuthi uya ezulwini. Isifiso sami siwukuthi abe senkumbulweni kaJehova, ngoba uma kunjalo, uyovuswa, kodwa uzophila phakade ePharadesi elibuyiselwe lapha emhlabeni, hhayi lapho yena ayecabanga ukuthi uzoya khona.

Eminye Imihlangano Ekhumbulekayo Nemisebenzi Yokwakha

Imihlangano yesigodi njalo yayiba izikhathi zokukhula okungokomoya engiyohlale ngizikhumbula. Engiyikhumbula ngokukhethekile yimihlangano yezizwe eyaba seYankee Stadium, eNew York, phakathi nawo-1950. Kwesinye isimiso somhlangano wango-1958, iYankee Stadium nePolo Grounds zaphuphuma abantu abangu-253 922 abavela emazweni angu-123. Kunesenzakalo engingasoze ngasilibala esenzeka kulowo mhlangano. Ngangisiza ehhovisi lomhlangano ngenkathi kuza uMfoweth’ uKnorr eshesha. Wathi kimi: “Fred, kubonakala ngikhohliwe ukwabela umzalwane ozokhuluma namaphayona asehlangene manje ehholweni lemicimbi esiliqashile eliseduze kwale nkundla. Ungakwazi yini ukuphuthuma khona uyonikeza inkulumo eyakhayo nganoma yini ongase uyicabange endleleni?” Ngathandaza kaningi ngenkathi ngiya khona, futhi ngafika ngikhefuzela.

Njengoba isibalo samabandla sasanda ngokumangalisayo eNew York City ngawo-1950 nangawo-1960, izindawo ezaziqashwa ukuze zisetshenziswe njengamaHholo OMbuso, zazingaseneli. Ngakho, kusukela ngo-1970 kuya ku-1990, kwathengwa izakhiwo ezintathu eManhattan futhi zalungiswa ukuze zibe izindawo ezifanelekayo zemihlangano. Ngangiwusihlalo wamakomiti okwakha ngenkathi kwakhiwa lezi zakhiwo, futhi nginezinkumbulo eziningi ezimnandi zendlela uJehova awabusisa ngayo ngokucebile amabandla ayehilelekile, asebenza ngobunye ekusekeleni ngokwezimali nasekuzakheni zaze zaphela lezi zakhiwo ezisaqhubeka zisetshenziswa njengezikhungo zokukhulekela kweqiniso.

Izinguquko Ezenzeka Ekuphileni Kwami

Ngolunye usuku ngo-1957, ngangiya emsebenzini ngihamba ngendlela enqamula epaki eliphakathi kwesakhiwo sokuhlala saseBethel nesokunyathelisa, lapho izulu liqala ukuna. Phambi kwami kwakuhamba intokazi enhle eyayisanda kufika eBethel, esho ngezinwele ezimhloshana. Yayingasiphethe isambulela, ngakho ngacela ukuyikhoselisa kwesami. Sahlangana ngaleyo ndlela noMarjorie, futhi kusukela sashada ngo-1960, besilokhu sihamba ndawonye sijabule enkonzweni kaJehova, lina noma libalele. Ngo-September 2010 sagubha unyaka wethu wama-50 sishadile.

Lapho sibuya eholidini langemva komshado, sisakhipha izinto zethu ezikhwameni, uMfoweth’ uKnorr wangitshela ukuthi ngangabelwe ukuba omunye wabafundisi eSikoleni SaseGileyadi. Yeka ukuthi kwaba ilungelo elikhetheke kangakanani! Kusukela ngo-1961 kuya ku-1965, kwaba namakilasi amahlanu athatha isikhathi eside ngokuyinhloko ayenzelwe izisebenzi zasemagatsheni ezazinikezwa ukuqeqeshwa okukhethekile kwendlela yokuphatha amagatsha. Ekwindla ka-1965, amakilasi aphinde athatha izinyanga ezinhlanu, futhi kwabuye kwagxilwa ekuqeqesheni izithunywa zevangeli.

Ngo-1972, ngashintshwa eSikoleni SaseGileyadi ngayiswa eMnyangweni Wokubhala Ophendula Imibuzo, lapho ngafike ngakhonza khona njengombonisi. Ukucwaninga ukuze sisingathe imibuzo nezinkinga ezihlukahlukene kuye kwangisiza ukuba ngiziqonde kangcono izimfundiso zeZwi likaNkulunkulu nokusebenza kwezimiso eziphakeme zikaNkulunkulu wethu lapho ngisiza abanye.

Kwathi ngo-1987, ngabelwa emnyangweni omusha obizwa ngokuthi uMnyango Wokwaziswa Ngezezibhedlela. Kwahlelwa izithangami zokufundisa abadala abasemaKomitini Okubonisana Nezibhedlela indlela yokuxoxa nodokotela, amajaji nezisebenzi zezenhlalakahle ngokuma kwethu okungokomBhalo mayelana negazi. Inkinga enkulu yayiwukuthi odokotela babevele bampompele izingane zethu igazi, ngokuvamile bethola umyalo wenkantolo ukuze benze kanjalo.

Lapho kusikiselwa izindlela zokwelapha ezihlukile kunokumpompela igazi, odokotela babevame ukuphendula ngokuthi izindlela ezinjalo zazingatholakali noma bathi zibiza kakhulu. Uma udokotela ohlinzayo ephendula kanjalo, ngangisabela ngokumcela ukuba aphakamise isandla sakhe. Lapho esiphakamisa, ngangithi kuye, “Uyazi, isandla sakho singenye yezindlela ezingcono kakhulu ongayisebenzisa esikhundleni segazi.” Lokhu kumncoma kwakumkhumbuza lokho ayekwazi kahle—ukuthi ukusebenzisa ngokucophelela insingo yokuhlinza kwenza isiguli singophi kakhulu.

Kula mashumi amabili eminyaka adlule, uJehova uye wayibusisa ngokucebile le mizamo yokucobelela odokotela namajaji ulwazi. Isimo sabo sengqondo siye sashintsha ngokuphawulekayo lapho beqala ukusiqonda kangcono isimo sethu. Baye bafunda ukuthi ucwaningo lwezokwelapha lubonisa ukuthi izindlela zokwelapha ezihlukile kunegazi ziyasebenza nokuthi kunodokotela abaningi ababambisana nathi kanye nezibhedlela isiguli esingase sishintshelwe kuzo.

Kusukela ngo-1996, mina noMarjorie besilokhu sikhonza e-Watchtower Educational Center ePatterson, eNew York, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-110 enyakatho yeBrooklyn. Lapha ngisebenza isikhashana eMnyango Wenkonzo, bese ngisebenza esinye isikhathi ekufundiseni izisebenzi zasemagatsheni nababonisi abajikelezayo. Kule minyaka engu-12 edlule, ngiye ngaphinde ngasebenza njengombonisi eMnyangweni Wokubhala Ophendula Imibuzo, osususiwe eBrooklyn wayiswa ePatterson.

Izinselele Zokuguga

Ukunakekela amalungelo ami enkonzo eBethel sekuthanda ukuba nzima njengoba sengineminyaka ecela kwengu-90. Sekuphele iminyaka engaphezu kweyishumi ngilwa nomdlavuza. Ngizizwa njengoHezekiya uJehova amelulela isikhathi sokuphila kwakhe. (Isaya 38:5) Impilo yomkami nayo isibuthaka, futhi ngibambisene naye ekubhekaneni nesifo sakhe i-Alzheimer’s. UMarjorie ubeyisikhonzi sikaJehova esikhuthele, ewumama entsheni, ewumsizi oqotho nomngane othembekile kimi. Ubelokhu ewumfundi omuhle weBhayibheli nomfundisi walo omuhle, futhi sinabantwana abangokomoya abaningi abathintana nathi njalo.

Ubabekazi uMary washona ngo-March 2010 eneminyaka engu-87. Wayenekhono elihle kakhulu ekufundiseni iZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi wasiza abanye ukuba bamelele ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Wachitha iminyaka eminingi esenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Angive ngimbonga ngeqhaza aba nalo ekungisizeni ukuba ngifunde iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi ngibe njengaye, isikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu onothando, uJehova. UMary ungcwatshwe eceleni komyeni wakhe, eminyakeni engaphambili owakhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli e-Israel. Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi basenkumbulweni kaJehova futhi balindele uvuko.

Njengoba ngibheka emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-67 ngikhonza uJehova, ngiyambonga ngezibusiso ezicebile engiye ngazithola. Ukwenza intando kaJehova bekulokhu kuwumthombo wenjabulo kimi! Njengoba ngiye ngathembela emseni wakhe ongafanelwe, ngethemba ngobuqotho ukuhlanganyela esithembisweni seNdodana yakhe: “Wonke umuntu oshiye izindlu noma abafowabo noma odadewabo noma uyise noma unina noma abantwana noma amasimu ngenxa yegama lami uyokwamukela okuphindwe kaningi futhi azuze ngefa ukuphila okuphakade.”—Math. 19:29.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 19]

Ngisepulazini likamkhulu likakotini eGeorgia, e-U.S.A., ngo-1928

[Isithombe ekhasini 19]

Ubabekazi uMary nomalume uTalmadge

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

UMary, uGladys noGrace

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

Mhla ngibhapathizwa ngo-June 14, 1944

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

NgiseMnyangweni Wenkonzo eBethel

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

NginoMary emhlanganweni wezizwe wango-1958 eYankee Stadium

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

NginoMarjorie ngosuku lwethu lomshado

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

Sisobabili ngo-2008