‘Indebe Yami Iyachichima’

Njengoba ilandiswa nguTarissa P. Gott

“KWENZEKELENI lokhu?” Mina nomyeni wami sabuza lombuzo njengoba sasihleli enqoleni yamahhashi sigoné ibhokisi elincane lomngcwabo ezandleni zethu. Umntwana wami womfana waphathwa isisu futhi washona emasontweni ambalwa. Emuva ngo-1914, kuncane okwakwaziwa ngokwelashwa kwalesosifo. Kwakuyinto ebuhlungu kakhulu ukuthanda umntwana izinyanga eziyisithupha, ukumbona ekumamathekela, bese ukufa kumhlwitha ezandleni zakho. Inhliziyo yami yayibuhlungu.

Umama wami wasivakashela ngalesikhathi sosizi futhi waqala ukusiduduza ngesigijimi seBhayibheli sovuko. Kwasho okukhulu kithina. Yeka inkululeko okwaba yiyo ngomyeni wami uWalter nangami ukwazi ukuthi kungenzeka siphinde simbone futhi uStanley omncane.

Lokho kwakungekhona ukuhlangana kwami kokuqala neqiniso leBhayibheli. Esikhathini esithile ngaphambili, umkhulu wayetholé imiqulu emithathu yokuqala yezincwadi ezithi Studies in the Scriptures, ezabhalwa nguCharles Taze Russell. Lokho uMkhulu akufunda kuzo, kanye nokutadisha kwakhe iBhayibheli, kwamshukumisela ukuba aphume ayoshumayela. Lokhu kwabathukuthelisa kakhulu abefundisi bendawo, abamxosha emasontweni aseProvidence, isiQhingi iRhode. Umama naye akaphindanga waya esontweni emva kwalokho. Yena noMkhulu manje bahlanganyela imihlangano yabaFundi BeBhayibheli, kodwa mina angenzanga lutho olungako ngeqiniso ngalesosikhathi.

Lapho ngineminyaka eyi-16 ubudala, ngashada nensizwa eseyintsha, uWalter Skillings, futhi sahlala eProvidence. Sasikushisekele ukuhlangana nabantu abalithandayo iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Nakuba ngo-1914 sasinendodakazi eneminyaka eyisithupha, uLillian, kwaze kwaba yilapho umntwana wethu womfana eshona lapho lokho umama ayesitshela khona ngeqiniso kuzinza khona. Ngonyaka olandelayo, ngo-1915, mina nomyeni wami sabhapathizwa abaFundi BeBhayibheIi. Ubhapathizo lwethu lwenzelwa ogwini oluseduze ngesikhathi sasehlobo. Ngangigqoke ingubo ende, emnyama enomqala ophakeme nemikhono emide, yehluke ngempela ezembathweni zokubhukuda ezigqokwa manje. Yebo, lena kWakungeyona indlela yangalesosikhathi yokugqokela ukubhukuda kodwa yayilungiselelwe ngokukhethekile ubhapathizo.

Emva kokubhapathizwa kwethu, ukuphila kwethu kwashintsha. UWalter wasebenzela iNkampane yakwaLynn Gas and Electric, futhi ngezinye izikhathi, ngezinsuku ezibandayo zasebusika, wayethunyelwa emasontweni ahlukahlukene ukuba ayoncibilikisa amanzi emapayipini awo. Wayevame ukusebenzisa lelithuba ukubhala imiBhalo yeBhayibheli emabhodini esonto, imibhalo ebonisa lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngokungafi komphefumulo, uZiqu-zintathu, isihogo, nokunye.—Hezekeli 18:4; Johane 14:28; UmShumayeli 9:5, 10.

“Sasizoyaphi?”

Ngo-1916, uMzalwan’ uRussell, umongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society, washona, futhi kwabonakala sengathi yonke into iyashintsha. Manje abaningi balabo ababebonakala beqinile, bezinikele ngempela eNkosini, baqala ukuhlubuka. Kwakhanya ukuthi abanye babelandela umuntu kunoJehova noKristu Jesu.

Abadala ababili ababengamele ibandla lakithi bahamba neqembu eliphikisayo futhi ngalokho baba amalungu esigaba ‘senceku embi.’ (Mathewu 24:48) Konke lokhu akubonakalanga neze kulungile, kodwa kwakwenzeka futhi kwasikhathaza. Kodwa ngazitshela lokhu: ‘Akuyona yini lenhlangano uJehova ayisebenzisa ukuba asikhulule ebugqilini benkolo yamanga? Asibunambithanga yini ubuhle bakhe? Uma siyishiya manje, sizoyaphi? Asizukugcina silandela umuntu othile?’ Sahluleka ukubona ukuthi kungani kufanele sihambe nezihlubuki, ngakho sahlala.—Johane 6:68; Heberu 6:4-6.

Usizi Luyagadla Futhi

Umyeni wami wahlaselwa umkhuhlane waseSpain, futhi ngomhla ka-9 January, 1919, washona lapho nami ngangisembhedeni ngiphethwe yilowomkhuhlane. Ngalulama ekuguleni kwami, kodwa ngamkhumbula kakhulu uWalter.

Njengoba uWalter ayengasekho, kwadingeka ukuba ngisebenze, ngakho ngawudiliza umuzi wami futhi ngahlala nodadewethu ongokomoya. Impahla yami yasendlini ngayibeka ekhaya lomunye udade eSaugus, eMassachusetts. Indodana yakhe, uFred A. Gott, kamuva yaba umyeni wami wesibili. Sashada ngo-1921, futhi phakathi neminyaka emithathu eyalandela, saba ngabazali bakaFred noShirley.

Impikiswano Yokukhulekela Ifulegi

Kamuva, lapho uFred noShirley sebefunda esikoleni somphakathi, kwaphakama impikiswano yokukhulekela ifulegi. Impikiswano yagxila ezimfundisweni zeBhayibheli ‘zokubalekela ukukhulekela izithombe.’ (1 Korinte 10:14) Umzalwane osemusha eBandleni laseLynn wayenqabe ukukhulekela ifulegi nokwenza isithembiso sokwethembeka kulo. Ngenyanga eyodwa abantwana abayisikhombisa ebandleni baxoshwa esikoleni, uFred noShirley bephakathi kwabo.

Kumelwe ngivume ukuthi kwathanda ukusimangalisa ukuthi abantwana bethu bema beqinile esikoleni njengoba benza. Yebo, sasibafundisile ukuhlonipha izwe nefulegi, futhi sasibafundisile nemithetho kaNkulunkulu ngokungakhulekeli izithombe. Njengabazali, sasingafuni ukuba abantwana bethu baxoshwe esikoleni. Kodwa manje njengoba impikiswano yayiqina, kwabonakala kufanelekile ukuba bathathe uhlangothi loMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho lapho sihlola izinto, sabona ukuthi abantwana bethu babenza into elungile nokuthi uma sithembela kuJehova konke kwakuyofakazela igama lakhe.

Ukuhlelwa KweSikole SoMbuso

Manje umbuzo wawuwukuthi, Abantwana babezoyithola kanjani imfundo? Okwesikhashana sazama ukubafundisa ekhaya nganoma iziphi izincwadi esasingazithola. Kodwa mina nomyeni wami saba nobunzima ngalowonyaka wokuqala wesikole njengoba sasizama ukufundisa abantwana bethu ababili. Umyeni wami wayesebenza isikhathi esigcwele, futhi mina ngangenza umsebenzi wokuwasha noku-ayina ukuze ngisekele iholo lakhe lamasonto onke. Ngaphezu kwalokho, nganginendodana eneminyaka emihlanu, uRobert, okwakufanele ngiyinakekele.

Cishe ngaso lesosikhathi, entwasahlobo ka-1936, uCora Foster, udade ebandleni owayesefundise iminyaka engama-40 ezikoleni zomphakathi zaseLynn, waxoshwa emsebenzini wakhe ngenxa yokungakhulekeli ifulegi nokungenzi isifungo sothisha esasenziwa ngalesosikhathi. Ngakho kwalungiselelwa ukuba uCora afundise abantwana ababexoshwe esikoleni nokuthi ikhaya lethu lalizosetshenziswa njengeSikole SoMbuso. Upiyano lukaCora lwathuthelwa ekhaya lethu kanye nezinye izincwadi zokusetshenziswa abantwana, futhi abanye babafana abadala bakha amadeski ngamakesi amawolitshi nangamapulangwe ayizicaba. Saqala isikole ngekwindla elandelayo kunabantwana abayishumi.

Indodana yami encane, uRobert, yaqalisa imfundo yayo ngokufunda ibanga lokuqala eSikoleni SoMbuso. “Ngaphambi kokuqala umsebenzi wethu ovamile wekilasi,” kukhumbula uRobert, “iSikole SoMbuso sasivula ngengoma yoMbuso zonke izinsuku, bese kuthi ngengxenye yehora sitadishe isifundo seNqabayokulinda sesonto elilandelayo.” Ngalesosikhathi iNhlangano yayingayibhali imibuzo yezigaba zesihloko esifundwayo, ngakho kwaba umthwalo wemfanelo wabantwana ukwakha imibuzo yezigaba ezosetshenziswa emhlanganweni webandla.

UCora wayenguthisha ozinikele. “Lapho ngiphethwe ukukhwehlela kwezingane,” kukhumbula uRobert, futhi isikole sivaliwe kuze kube yilapho lesifo esithathelwanayo sesidlule, “uDade Foster wayevakashela ikhaya lomfundi ngamunye futhi amnike umsebenzi wasekhaya.” Naphezu kokuzinikela kwakhe, kufanele ukuba wayezizwa ekhungathekile ngezinye izikhathi, ngoba kwakufanele afundise abafundi bawo wonke amabanga ayi-12 endlini eyodwa. Ekupheleni kweminyaka emihlanu iSikole Sombuso sisekhaya lethu, kwakunabantwana abangama-22 abeza esikoleni.

Inzondo Nomusa

Impikiswano yokukhulekela ifulegi ayilethanga kuphela isikhathi sovivinyo nokucindezeleka kodwa futhi nokusakazwa okukhulu ngamaphephandaba nangemisakazo. Kwakuyinto evamile ukubona abathwebuli bezithombe phambi kwekhaya lethu bethatha izithobe zabantwana njengoba befika eSikoleni SoMbuso. Abaningi omakhelwane bethu, ababenobungane ngaphambili, manje base benobutha. Bacabanga ukuthi kwakuyinto embi kakhulu ukuba abantwana bethu benqabe ukukhulekela ifulegi laseMelika. Babethi, ‘Noma kunjalo, akulona yini lelizwe elininika isinkwa senu nebhotela?’ Babengaqondi ukuthi ngaphandle kokunakekela kukaJehova, kwakungeke kube khona sinkwa nabhotela.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kwakukhona abanye ababeziqonda izimpikiswano ezazihilelekile futhi basisekele. Lapho abantu bendawo beduba isitolo sokudla umbonisi owengamele webandla lethu ayesebenza kuso njengomphathi, umuntu owayemi kahle ngokwezimali nowayenesithakazelo enkululekweni yomphakathi wathenga cishe konke ukudla esitolo futhi wakwaba mahhala kubazalwane ebandleni.

Kwaze kwaba unyaka ka-1943 lapho iNkantolo ePhakeme yaseUnited States iguqula isinqumo sayo ngempikiswano yokukhulekelwa kwefulegi, lapho indodana yami uRobert yavunyelwa khona ukufunda esikoleni somphakathi.

“Indebe Yami Iyachichima”

Yeka ukuthi ngajabula kanjani ukubona uRobert enikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova futhi ebhapathizwa emhlanganweni eSt. Louis ngo-1941. Kwakukulowo mhlangano futhi, lapho bobathathu abantwana bami baba nelungelo lokuba phakathi kwabantwana abaningi abathola incwadi yamahhala yomuntu siqu ethi Children kuMzalwan’ uRutherford, umongameli wangalesosikhathi weWatch Tower Society.

Ngo-1943 indodana yami endala, uFred, yathatha inkonzo yobuphayona besikhathi esigcwele. Nokho, waphayona izinyanga ezimbalwa, ngoba kwakulwiwa iMpi Yezwe II, futhi wayeseminyakeni yokubuthelwa impi. Lapho ibhodi lendawo lokubutha amasosha lenqaba ukuqaphela amalungelo akhe okukhululeka ngenxa yenkonzo, wagcina egwetshelwe iminyaka emithathu ejele laseDanbury, eConnecticut. Wakhululwa ngo-1946, futhi ekupheleni kwalowonyaka, wayeseyisisebenzi sesikhathi esigcwele endlu nkulu yomhlaba wonke yeWatch Tower Society eBrooklyn, New York, lapho ajabulela iminyaka eminingana yenkonzo. Manje ungumbonisi, okhonza nomkhaya wakhe eProvidence, isiQhingi saseRhode.

Ngo-1951 uRobert naye wamenyelwa eBethel, futhi usalokhu elapho kuze kube namuhla nomkakhe uAlice. Naye futhi ungumbonisi ebandleni laseNew York City.

Bese kuba khona uShirley, indodakazi yami ethandekayo ebilokhu ihlala ekhaya. Iye yanakekela mina nomyeni wami kwaze kwaba yilapho umyeni wami eshona ngo-1972, kusukela ngalesosikhathi ibiyinduduzo enkulu kimi. Angazi ngempela ukuthi izinto zaziyohamba kanjani ngaphandle kwayo. Kodwa ngiyambonga uJehova ngothando lwayo nokuzinikela.

Manje sengineminyaka engama-95, nokho ithemba lesimiso esisha sikaJehova likhanya kakhulu kunanini. Ngezinye izikhathi ngizizwa ngithi, “Ukube bengisenamandla enganginawo eminyakeni edlule.” Angisakwazi ukuhamba indlu ngendlu, kodwa uma ngisenalo ulimi, ngiyoqhubeka ngidumisa uJehova. Namuhla ngilazisa kakhulu lelilungelo kunanoma yini engake ngayenza ekuphileni kwami konke. Yebo, “indebe yami iyachichima.”—IHubo 23:5.

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

Kuqhutshwa iSikole SoMbuso ekhaya lethu ngawo-1930

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

UTarissa Gott noRobert, noShirley noFred