Yeka Indlela Oyigugu Ngayo Umusa Wakho, Nkulunkulu!
Njengoba ilandiswa uDaniel Sydlik
UKUPHILA kimi kwaqala epulazini eduze kwaseBelleville, eMichigan, ngoFebruary 1919. Umbelethisi wasiza ekubelethweni kwami, njengoba umama wami oyisihambi wayebheka udokotela njengongadingekile. “Ngingayelani esibhedlela, ngingaguli?” wayesho kanjalo kunoma ubani owayembuza ngokuthi ingane yayizozalelwaphi.
Kwakunzima epulazini. Ufuna ukuphila okungcono umkhaya wakithi wathuthela eDetroit. Ngokushesha, ngemva kwalokho ubaba wagula futhi washona lapho ngineminyaka cishe emithathu. Wayehlanganyela ngenkuthalo nelnternational Bible Students, eyaziwa namuhla ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova.
Umama manje wayeseshiywe nabantwana abayisithupha nezikweleti ezingakhokhiwe. Wayemelene kakhulu nenkolo kababa, kodwa ngemva kokushona kwakhe waphendukela eBhayibhelini ukuze athole ukuthi kungani yena lalimhuha kangaka. Iminyaka ethile kamuva naye waba ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.
Ngemva kokushona kukababa, umama wasebenza njengoweta ebusuku futhi enakekela umkhaya phakathi nosuku. Lokhu kwaqhubeka kwaze kwaba yilapho ephinda egana futhi eminyakeni ethile kamuva. Ubaba wami omusha waphikelela futhi waphumelela ngokuthi indawo enhle yokukhulisa abantwana yayisemaphandleni hhayi esinyokothweni sasedolobheni.
Kwathengwa ipulazi elingamahektare angama-22 eduze kweCaro, eMichigan. Lapho sifika entwasahlobo ngo-1927, izingadi zemithi yezithelo zaziqhakazile. Umoya wawumnandi unamakha ezimbali zasendle, futhi imithi yayithela. Kwakunamachibi okubhukuda, imithi ongayikhwela, nezilwane ongadlala nazo. Ukuphila lapha kwakumangalisa! Kungekho okufana nokwasedolobheni. Nokho, ukuphila kwasemaphandleni kwakunzima ngomama. Kwakulukhuni impela—kungekho-manzi ahambayo, kungekho-mapayipi amanzi endlini, kungekho-gesi.
Ubusika babubude futhi kumakhaza. Thina njengabantwana sasilala esitezi ekamelweni eliphansi kophahla, lapho iqhwa lalivame ukungena emapulangweni afulele futhi livele lisibekele imibhede. Ekuseni kwakuba okubuhlungu kakhulu ukugqoka ibhulukwe elibandayo lelo ngezinye izikhathi elaliba wugodo ngenxa yeqhwa. Umsebenzi wezinqolobane kwakumelwe wenziwe ngaphambi kokudla kwasekuseni. Bese kuba ukushishiliza ngezingodo eqhweni size siyofika esikoleni, esasinendlu yokufundela eyodwa lapho izifundo eziyisishiyagalombili zazifundiswa uthisha oyedwa.
Iziqalo Ezingokomoya
Umama wayenothando lwangempela ngoNkulunkulu futhi nathi njengabantwana yilo olwasithonya kakhulu. Wayethi ngesiPolish “UNkulunkulu usiphe usuku oluhle.” Thina njengabantwana sasiphumela phandle ukuba sibone ukuthi yini ayekhuluma ngayo—simane sithole lina. Kumama zonke izinto ezazenzeka ngandlela-thile zazingenxa kaNkulunkulu. Lapho kuzelwe ithole elisha noma lapho izinkukhu zizalela amaqanda azo noma lapho kuwa iqhwa, kwakunokusho okuthile ngoNkulunkulu ngendlela ayecabanga ngayo. Lezizinto ezinhle ngandlela-thile zazingenxa kaNkulunkulu.
Umama wayewukholelwa umthandazo. Sasiphoqelekile ukuba sithandaze ngezikhathi zokudla. Wayethi ‘Izinja zitshikizisa imisila yazo lapho ziphiwa ukudla. Ingabe sedlulwa izinja ngokwazisa?’ Wayefuna futhi ukuba sisho imikhuleko yethu ngaphambi kokuba siyolala. Njengoba akekho phakathi kwethu owayazi uMthandazo weNkosi ngesiNgisi, wayethi masiguqe futhi simlandele lapho ayesho amazwi ngesiPolish.—Mathewu 6:9-13.
Ngalezonsuku yayingakacatshangwa ithelevishini. Lapho selishonile, kwakungekuningi okwakwenziwa ngaphandle kokuba kulalwe. Umama wayesikhuthaza ukuba sifunde. Wayefunda iBhayibheli lakhe ngesibani sikaphalafini. Futhi thina njengabantwana sasifunda izincwadi ezazitholwe ezikhonzini ezijikelezayo zelnternational Bible Students, njengeThe Harp of God, Creation, neReconciliation. Khona-ke ubuhlobo noNkulunkulu baqala ukwakheka.
Ekuqaleni kwawo-1930, abafundi abathile beBhayibheli abavela eSaginaw, eMichigan, basivakashela futhi basikhuthaza ukuba sishumayele kwabanye. Kodwa njengoba kwakungekho qembu elihlelekile lesifundo seBhayibheli noma ibandla eliseduze, imizamo yethu yokushumayela yabhuntsha. Ukukhula kwethu ngokomoya kwaphola kakhulu.
Ngenxa yokwenyuka kwamanani kwango-1930 kwadingeka ukuba ngishiye ikhaya ngiyofuna umsebenzi eDetroit. Ipulazi laba sezikweletini ezinkulu, futhi kwakuyisifiso sami ukuba siphume sonke ngaphansi kwalowomthwalo. Nokho, iDetroit, ngalesosikhathi yabe ingumuzi wezinxibi. Izinkulungwane zamadoda zazishaya uhele, ngezinye izikhathi ubusuku bonke, ziququbale emlilweni wezinkuni nowamalahle, zizama ngokusemandleni azo ukuba zizigcine zifudumele kuze kube yilapho izikhulu eziqashayo zivula iminyango yazo. Ngaba nenhlanhla ngathola umsebenzi embonini yezimoto.
Ukukhula Okungokomoya
Kwaze kwaba sekupheleni kwaleloshumi leminyaka, ngesikhathi ngiseLong Beach, eCalifornia, ngaphambi kokuba isithakazelo sami esingokomoya sivuselelwe ngentshiseko. Ngamenyelwa enkulumweni yeningi. NgaleloSonto ngangiqala ukuya emhlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso. Ngahlangana no-Olive noWilliam (uBill) Perkins, abantu abalungile abanobuhlobo obuyigugu noJehova uNkulunkulu.
UDade Perkins njengoba ayebizwa kanjalo, wayengumfundisi ovelele weZwi likaNkulunkulu, esebenzisa iBhayibheli lakhe ngobuciko obunjengobukadokotela wokuhlinza esebenzisa ummese wakhe. Wayebeka iBhayibheli lakhe elikhulu iKing James Version engalweni yakhe yesobunxele, akhothe isithupha sakhe sesandla sokudla, futhi avule amakhasi ukusuka evesini kuya kwelinye. Abantu babehuhwa ikhono lakhe nangalokho ababekufunda eBhayibhelini. Waba usizo ekuletheni abantu abaningi ekuqondeni injongo kaNkulunkulu. Ukusebenza naye enkonzweni kwakuqabula. Kwangikhuthaza ukuba ngithathe inkonzo yobuphayona besikhathi esigcwele ngoSeptember 1941.
UDade Wilcox wayengomunye owangisiza. Wayeyinkosikazi ende eneminyaka engama-70, enesizotha, enezinwele ezimhlophe ezazicwalwe kahle, zibukeka. Icostume yakhe yayihambisana nesigqoko esasinembenge enkulu. Wayevunula aconse ngengubo yakhe ethungwe kahle, efika emaqakaleni, ngokungathi umuntu weminyaka yawo-1880. Sasishumayela ndawonye ezindaweni ezinamabhizinisi zaseLong Beach.
Abaphathi babehlabeka umxhwele njalo ngokubukeka kukaDade Wilcox. Futhi ngentshiseko ethile babembizela emahhovisini abo. Ngangilandela. “Kunjani?” Babembuza ngenhlonipho. “Ngingakusiza?”
Ngaphandle kokungabaza uDade Wilcox, ngesiNgisi sakhe esiqondile asifundiswa nguprofesa wakhe, wayephendula: “Ngilapha ukuba ngikutshele ngesifebe esidala sesAmbulo esigibele isilo.” (IsAmbulo 17:1-5) Abaphathi babethonyeka futhi bahlale bazinze ezihlalweni zabo, bengazi ukuthi yini eyayilandela. Wayebanikeza umfanekiso othile wokuphela kwalesimiso sezinto. Babesabela njalo ngokungaphikisi. Babefuna konke ayenakho. Nsuku zonke sasihambisa ngokuqondile amakhathoni ezincwadi. Umsebenzi wami wabe uwukudlala igilamafoni nomaphi lapho ayecela ukuba idlalwe khona, futhi kwakumelwe ngingesabi ngibe nesibindi ngangokunokwenzeka lapho ekhuluma.
Isabelo Esisha
Imvilophu evela kuWatchtower Society yayingijabulisa njalo. Kwakuyimvilophu enjalo, engayithola ngo-1942, eyayinesabelo sokuba ngisebenze njengephayona elikhethekile eSan Pedro, eCalifornia. Lapho uBill noMildred Taylor bangemukela khona emzini wabo. Kwakubizela ukuzithiba okukhulu ukusebenza uwedwa enkonzweni yasensimini nsuku zonke. Kodwa kwangisondeza eduze noJehova, kanjalo ngazibonela ngempela umusa wakhe. Khona-ke iNhlangano yathumela uGeorgia noArchie Boyd, kanye nendodana nendodakazi yabo, uDonald noSusan, ukuba bazosiza ensimini. Umkhaya wakwaBoyd wawuhlala kucaravan eyayingamamitha ayi-5.5 nayo yonke impahla yawo.
Safikelwa enye imvilophu ivela eNhlanganweni! Kwakunwayisa isiphundu ukufunda ngesabelo sethu esisha—eRichmond, eCalifornia, ngasenyakatho nje yeSan Francisco. Naphezu kokungathembeki kahle kwemoto yethu endala necaravan yethu, sapakisha sahamba. Sasifana nemizulane ehamba izulazula, sikhanda injini futhi siphesha amathayi endleleni. Lapho ekugcineni sifika eRichmond, lalina kakhulu.
IMpi yeZwe II ngalesikhathi yayisemvuthwandabeni. Izindawo zikaKaiser zokwakha imikhumbi zazakha imikhumbi eminingi yenkululeko eyayibizwa ngokuthi ama“Liberty Ships.” Umsebenzi wethu wawuwukushumayela kubantu ababebutheleke lapha bezosebenza. Kusukela ekuseni kuze kube sebusuku kakhulu, sasikhuluma ngoMbuso, sasibuyela njalo ekhaya sihoshoza ngenxa yokukhuluma kakhulu. Izifundo eziningi zeBhayibheli zaqaliswa. Lezisebenzi ezakha imikhumbi kwakungabantu abanobubele nabaphanayo ababesinikeza konke esikudingayo. Eqinisweni insimu yayisisekela ngaphandle kokuthi thina sibambe amatoho okuziphilisa.
Okuhlangenwe Nakho Kwasejele
Izinsizwa zazithunyelwa empini. Abafowethu abangokwenyama, ababengebona oFakazi, bazinikela ngokuzithandela futhi babesebenza ebuthweni lamaparachute nelonjiniyela. Ngafaka isicelo sokukhululwa njengomfundisi omelene nempi ngokukanembeza. Isigungu sempi senqaba ukuqaphela isikhundla sami sokufundisa. Ngaboshwa, lathethwa icala, kwathi ngoJuly 17, 1944, ngagwetshwa iminyaka emithathu yokusebenza kanzima eMcNeil Island Federal Penitentiary eWashington. Ejele ngafunda ukuthi umusa kaJehova umi phakade.—IHubo 138:8, The Bible in Living English.
Inyanga yonke ngagcinwa ejele elisendaweni yaseLos Angeles, ngilindele ukudluliselwa esiqhingini saseMcNeil. Izinto esahlangabezana nazo okokuqala ekuphileni kwasejele zinzima ukuzikhohlwa, indlela iziboshwa ezazisichapha ngayo ngenhlamba kanye nabalindi ngesikhathi singeniswa. Noma indlela abalindi ababesitshela ngayo: “Qaphelani amasango!” Umsindo omkhulu wamasango kagesi ngesikhathi evaleka wawufana nomsindo wezulu elidumela kude. Njengoba amasango ayevaleka ngalinye, umsindo wawusondela kancane kancane kuze kube yilapho nelakho isango livalwa ngokungqangqazelisayo! Kwakuba nalowomuzwa wokuthonyeka nokwesaba okukhulu. Ngathandaza masinyane kuNkulunkulu ukuba angisize, futhi cishe ngokushesha ngafikelwa imfudumalo yokuthula, okuhlangenwe nakho engingasoze ngakukhohlwa.
NgoAugust 16, ngikanye neqembu lezinye iziboshwa, ngafakwa ozankosi futhi ngaboshwa ngamaketanga. Khona-ke, siqashelwe ngokuphelele ngamaphoyisa empi, saqhutshwa sadluliswa ezihlweleni zabantu baseLos Angeles sayiswa ebhasini futhi sabe sesiyiswa esitimeleni esiyijele esiya esiqhingini saseMcNeil. Lawomaketango asejele angigcwalisa injabulo, ngoba angihlanganisa nabanye ababengabaphostoli bakaKristu nabo ababeboshelwe ukugcina ubuqotho babo.—IzEnzo 12:6, 7; 21:33; Efesu 6:20.
Lapho ngibhalwa emabhukwini asejele laseMcNeil, isikhulu esasisedeskini sangibuza: “Ingabe uyiJ.W.?” Lokho kwangimangalisa, ngoba ngangiqala ukuzwa igama elithi “J.W.” Kodwa kwasheshe kwafika kimina ukuthi wayekhuluma ngani, ngakho ngathi, “Yebo!”
Wathi, “woza lapha.” Ngamangala lapho ngisizwa sibuza umbuzo ofanayo kowayesemva kwami: “Ingabe uyiJ.W.?” Indoda yaphendula ngokushesha, “Yebo!”
“Ungumqambimanga omkhulu!” kwasho isikhulu sihleka. “Awazi ngisho nokuthi uJ.W. usho ukuthini.” Ngabe sengithola kamuva ukuthi leyondoda yabe iyisigelekeqe esidala esase sinamarekhodi alingana nengalo yaso. Eqinisweni, “uJ.W.”, wayemelele ukuthi “oFakazi BakaJehova” (Jehovah’s Witness), futhi yayingeyena.
Kwase kuhlwile, futhi umlindi wangichushisa ebumnyameni engiyisa embhedeni wami. Kwakunzima ukukholelwa ukuthi ngangisejele lenhlangano yamazwe elalikude ngamamayela ayikhulu ukusuka ekhaya noma kunoma ubani engimaziyo. Emva kwalokho ngabona othile eza kimi ebumnyameni. “Shhh!” washo kanjalo njengoba ayehlala eduze kwami embhedeni. “Ngingumzalwane. Umvini uzwile ukuthi uFakazi uyeza.” Wazethula futhi wanginikeza amazwi esikhuthazo, engitshela ngesifundo seqembu seNqabayokulinda esasivunyelwe ngaphakathi kwejele ngamaSonto ntambama. Kwakuphambene nomthetho ukusuka embhedeni wakho lapho izibani sezicinyiwe, ngakho wahlala nje isikhashana. Kodwa kuleyomizuzu embalwa ngawubona umusa oyigugu kaNkulunkulu uzibonakalisa ngokwawo ezincekwini zakhe ezizinikezele.
Into eyayivelele ngesikhathi ngisejele kwabe kuwukuvakasha njalo kuka-A. H. Macmillan owayevela eNdlunkulu yeNhlangano eBrooklyn. ‘WayenguBarnabas,’ umkhuthazi, uma kwakukhona onjalo. Lapho efika sasivunyelwa ukusebenzisa ihholo lokudlela; futhi sonke thina esingoFakazi nezinye iziboshwa eziningi sasigcwala ukuze simlalele. Wayeyisikhulumi esivelele, futhi ngisho nezikhulu zejele zazikujabulela ukumlalela.
Sahlela izitokisi namakamelo okulala aba yindawo yethu yokushumayela. Sasishumayela izindaba ezilungileyo zoMbuso kulezindawo ngokuhleleka esasishumayela ngakho ezindlini zasedolobheni ngaphambi kokuba siboshwe. Wawemukelwa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene futhi kwakunzima ukukubona kusengaphambili. Kodwa kwakunezindlebe ezizwayo. Abagqekezi bamabhange nabanye, kuhlanganise nabalindi bejele, baphendukela kuJehova futhi babhapathizwa. Ngisajabula uma ngikhumbula okuhlangenwe nakho okunjalo.
Izenzo Ezabumba Ukuphila Kwami
Ekuqaleni kuka-1946, isiphelile impi, ngakhululwa ejele. Imvilophu evela eNhlanganweni yayingilindele! Isabelo sami esilandelayo sobuphayona obukhethekile sasizoba seHollywood, eCalifornia! Idolobha elikwenza ukholelwe izinto ezingeyizo. Elikhuluma ngezinselele! Kwakunezikhathi lapho kwakungase kube lula ukudayisela amaEskimos amafriji kunokwenza labantu bafunde iBhayibheli. Nokho, kancane kodwa ngokuqiniseka, “izimvu” zeNkosi zatholakala.
Lapho ngisemhlanganweni wezizwe “WeZizwe Ezithokozayo” eCleveland, eOhio, ngo-August 1946, uMilton Henschel, unobhala kaNathan Knorr, umongameli wangaleso sikhathi weWatchtower Society, wangimisa futhi wangibuza: “Uza nini eBethel, Dan?” Ngamtshela ukuthi ngangijabulela ukuphayona. Wathi, “Kodwa siyakudinga eBethel.” Ngemva kwamazwi ambalwa, ngayeka ukubeka izaba. Ngangiyithanda iCalifornia futhi ngangingakuthandi ukuphila eNew York. Kodwa ngikhumbula ngizitshela ukuthi, ‘Dan, uma uJehova ekufuna eBrooklyn, khona-ke yiya eBrooklyn.’ Ngakho ngoAugust 20, 1946, ngaqala inkonzo yami eBethel, endlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn.
Ngasebenza iminyaka eminingi efektri yaseBrooklyn yokuhlanganisa izincwadi ngenza imisebenzi ehlukahlukene eyayibizela amandla. Ekugcineni ngathunyelwa eMnyango Wezikhokhelo, owawehlukile. Khona-ke ngahlangabezana nenselele yokusebenzisa ingqondo, njengokubhala izintshumayelo zomsakazo nokusakazela isiteshi somsakazo weNhlangano iWBBR. Futhi ngasebenza emnyango wokubhala iminyaka engama-20, ngizama ukuhlangabezana nezindinganiso zawo eziphakeme. Ngezinye izikhathi, kwakuba nezinsuku zokuya ePennsylvania nasezinhlanganweni zeWatchtower Society eziseNew York, sirekhoda izingxenye zamadrama, izabelo ezirekhodwayo zomhlangano wesigodi nowezizwe, namanye amalungelo amaningi enkonzo ongeke wawabala.
Khona-ke ngoNovember 1974, kwafika enye imvilophu. Yona yayinesabelo esingakholeki, nesingacabangeki. Ngamenywa ukuba ngikhonze njengelungu leNdikimba Ebusayo yoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngazizwa ngingafanelekile ngokuphelele futhi ngokuzithoba ngaba nokwazisa okukhulu. Sekuphele iminyaka eyishumi ngimisiwe, futhi ngilokhu ngisazizwa ngokufanayo.
Iminyaka edlule iye yacetshiswa ubuhlobo babantu ngamadoda azinikezele nakhuthele athanda uJehova ngaphezu kokuphila kwawo—amadoda anjalo afana noJudge Rutherford, engaba nelungelo lokuhlangana naye ekhaya lakhe eSan Diego, eCalifornia. Futhi kwakuyilungelo lami ukusebenzelana eduze namanye amadoda anjalo, kuhlanganise uHugo Riemer, uNathan Knorr, uKlaus Jensen, uJohn Perry, uBert Cumming, namaningi amanye ayeyiziqhwaga ezingokomoya, “imithi yokulunga.”—Isaya 61:3.
Futhi ukuba nelungelo lokubona iNhlangano kaJehova ikhula isuka edlanzaneni labamemezeli abayizi-50 000 emhlabeni kabanzi iya cishe ezigidini ezintathu kuwudumo olukhulu. Kuvusa amadlingozi ukuzibonela ukukhula komsebenzi wokushumayela kusukela ezakhiweni ezimbalwa zokunyathelisa izincwadi kuye emashumini ngamashumi amafektri asekelwe ngamagatsha angama-95 eshumayela izindaba ezinhle emazweni omhlaba angama-203. Ushintsho nentuthuko olwazini lwezemisebenzi namacomputer kuye kwaba okumangalisa kakhulu. Ngokuzibonela konke lokhu, nakanjani umuntu uyophinda amazwi akuMathewu 21:42, NW: “Lokhu kuvela kuJehova, futhi kuyamangalisa emehlweni ethu.”
Kuye kwaba yithuba elihle nelizuzisayo, ukuphawula okumbalwa. Kwaba nesikhathi engathola ngaso ithuba lokuganwa intombazane enhle yaseHebburn, eNgilandi. Umkami, uMarina, ungumsizi ovela kuNkulunkulu. Yeka ukuthi ayiqiniso kanjani amazwi akuzAga 19:14: “Indlu nemfuyo kuyifa elivela koyise, kepha umfazi ohlakaniphileyo uvela kuJehova.”
Kukho konke okuhlangenwe nakho kokuphila, kuye kwaba namandla aqinisa ngaso sonke isikhathi omusa kaNkulunkulu, anjengesivikelo esizungezile. Ukuzindla ngeZwi likaJehova, ukucabanga ngalokho elikushoyo, nokufuna ukuqondisisa nolwazi, kuye kwagcwalisa amahora ami okulinda ngomcebo ongokomoya nokwaneliseka. Ngisho namanje, injabulo yami iyachichima uma ngifunda amazwi omhubi athi: “Sibusisiwe isizwe esiNkulunkulu waso nguJehova, isizwe asikhethileyo sibe yifa lakhe. Umphefumulo wethu ulindela uJehova; ungukusiza kwethu nesihlangu sethu. Ngalokho inhliziyo yethu ithokoza ngaye, ngokuba sithemba igama lakhe elingcwele. Umusa wakho, Jehova, mawube phezu kwethu, njengalokhu sithemba wena.”—IHubo 33:12, 20-22, By.
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
UOlive Perkins wayeyisikhuthazo kimi
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Umkhaya wakwaBoyd wangisiza ekusebenzeni insimu eSan Pedro, eCalifornia
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Emhlanganweni wezizwe ka-1946 “WeZizwe Ezithokozayo” nginabanye oFakazi abasanda kukhululwa ejele esiQhingini saseMcNeil
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
Ukusakaza ekuseni ngeSonto ngeWBBR