UJehova Akazishiyi Izinceku Zakhe
Njengoba ilandiswa uMatsue Ishii
NGANGIYE ngavalelwa ngedwa, cishe unyaka wonke, esitokisini sasejele esincane, esingcolile, esinamazenze eSendai, eJapane. Kuso sonke lesosikhathi, ngangingavunyelwe ukuba ngigeze. Inyama yami yayinezilonda, idliwa yizimbungulu. Ngangiphethwe ufehlane kangangokuthi ngangingakwazi ukuhlala noma ukusukuma. Ngizacile ngingangothi lokuvungula futhi nginesisindo esingaphansi kwamakhilogremu angama-30, ngase ngilengela egodini.
Kodwa kungani ngangilapho? Kungani iziphathi-mandla zaziye zashaya umnyango wami ngehora lesihlanu ekuseni, ngoJune 21, 1939, futhi zangibamba? Ngangenzeni? Lezo kwakuyizikhathi ezinzima cishe eminyakeni engama-50 edlule eJapane. Mangikulandise ngazo nangezimo ezangifaka ejele nangendlela engasinda ngayo.
Ukuphila Kwami Ngisemusha
Ngazalwa ngo-1909 eDolobheni laseKure, eJapane, engamakhilomitha nje angama-25 kusuka eHiroshima. Abazali bami babenesitolo selayisi nesezambatho. Lapho ngineminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye, indawo yethu yahlaselwa umkhuhlane waseSpain, futhi ngokushesha amabhokisi omngcwabo anezidumbu ayenqwabelaniswe lapho zishiswa khona. Mina nodadewethu sahlatshwa yilesisifo, futhi wafa esontweni elilodwa kamuva. Ekufeni kwakhe okuzumayo, ngaqala ukuzibuza: ‘Kungani abantu befa? Kwenzekani kubo ekufeni?’
UBaba wayengumBuddha oshisekayo, futhi ukuze ngithole impendulo, ngavakashela amathempeli ahlukahlukene obuBuddha. Ngangibuza izindela lapho: “Kungani abantu befa?”
Babephendula bathi: “Akumelwe ucabange ngezinto ezinjengalezo. Uma uqhubeka uncika kuBuddha futhi uhlabelela imithandazo yakhe, uyoqiniseka ukuthi uyozuza iNirvana futhi ungene epharadesi.”
Lapho ngineminyaka eyi-17, ngezwa ngencwadi okuthiwa iBhayibheli. Ngazitholela yona kodwa angiyiqondanga. Kamuva ngaqala ukuya esontweni “lobuKristu” eDolobheni laseKure. Lapho ngizwa ukuthi ukufa komuntu kwakuwumphumela wesono sika-Adamu, kwaba nengqondo kimi, futhi ngaba ilungu lesonto elishisekayo.
Ngalesosikhathi umbono owawushiwo ngokuvamile emadolobheni asemaphandleni wawuwukuthi: “Inkolo yobuYaso [yobuKristu] izolonakalisa lelizwe.” Njengoba ‘ngangiwumKristu’ wokuqala oshisekayo endaweni yakithi, abantu basedolobheni bangibeka icala lokuletha ihlazo edolobheni futhi bacishe bangiphoqa ukuba ngihambe. Abazali bami bangicasukela kakhulu.
Ukufunda Iqiniso LeBhayibheli
Ezama ukungenza ngilahle ukholo lwami, uBaba wangihlelela ukuba ngishade nomuntu engingamazi ngokuphelele, uJizo Ishii, umBuddha oshisekayo. Umfowabo omdala wayengumpristi omkhulu wethempeli lobuBuddha. Ngatshelwa ukuthi nakuba uJizo ayengeyena umKristu, wayezoba oqondayo ngokholo lwami. Ngakho-ke ngathuthela eOsaka futhi lapho ngineminyaka eyi-19 ngashada noJizo, owayengumthungi. Kodwa ngokuphambene nalokho okwakushiwo ubaba, uJizo wayengangivumeli ukuba ngiye esontweni.
Ngemva kwendlu yethu eTojo-cho, eOsaka, kwakunendlu enophawu oluthi: “IGatsha LaseOsaka Lenhlangano YabaFundi BeBhayibheli Bezizwe Zonke.” Njengoba ngangicabanga ukuthi iyiqembu lobuKristu, ngavakashela kuleyondlu.
“Ingabe uyakholelwa ekubuyeni kwesibili kweNkosi?” ngibuza insizwa eyafika emnyango.
Yaphendula: “Ukubuya kwesibili kukaKristu kwenzeka ngo-1914.”
Ngokumangala ngayitshela ukuthi lokho kwakungenakwenzeka, yathi: “Kumelwe ufunde lencwadi,” inginikeza incwadi ethi The Harp of God.
Ukuze umyeni wami angayiboni leyoncwadi, ngayifihla esikhwameni sotshani esinamalahle futhi ngangiyifunda noma nini lapho ngithola ithuba. Iqiniso ngalinye lalishaya njengonyazi kimi—abayizi-144 000 kuphela abaya ezulwini; uKristu akayona ingxenye kaZiqu-zintathu kodwa uyiNdodana ezelwe yodwa kaJehova, uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke; siphila esikhathini sokuphela; futhi umkhuhlane waseSpain owathatha ukuphila kukadadewethu wawuyingxenye yesiprofetho seBhayibheli. Ngakholelwa ukuthi leli yiqiniso engangilifuna.
Ekugcineni, umyeni wami wathola ukuthi ngangifunda incwadi yobuKristu. Nokho, lapho ngilumela ngokuqinile ukholo lwami, waqala ukuzibuza ukuthi ingabe kwakuhileleke okuthile okubaluleke kakhulu futhi kanjalo wazifundela incwadi iThe Harp of God ngokwakhe. Ngabhapathizwa ngonyaka owalandela, ngoMarch 23, 1929, umyeni wami wabhapathizwa ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho.
Ukukhonza Njengamaphayona
Savala isitolo sokuthunga izingubo futhi sazihambisa izisebenzi. Sigcwele injabulo, saqalisa umsebenzi wokushumayela indlu ngendlu eOsaka. NgoSeptember 1929, ngaba yicolporteur (iphayona) lesibili eJapane, njengoba izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zazibizwa kanjalo ngalesosikhathi, futhi umyeni wami wahlanganyela namacolporteur kamuva. Sisonke sahlanganisa izingxenye ezintathu kwezine zaseJapane, kuhlanganise iOsaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Tokyo, Sendai, Sapporo, iOkayama, nesiqhingi saseShikoku. Sasihlala endaweni ngayinye cishe izinyanga eziyisithupha, siqasha ikamelo futhi sigxila ekusakazeni izincwadi.
Sasisebenzisa izincwadi ezazitholakala ngesiJapane, njengezincwadi ezithi The Harp of God, Deliverance, Creation, Reconciliation, nethi Government, kanye neThe Golden Age (manje iPhaphama!) neNqabayokulinda. Njengamacolporteur, sasichitha amahora ayi-180 ngenyanga sihamba endlini ngendlu. Nakuba sasikhathala ngokomzimba, injabulo yethu yokukhonza yayinkulu.
Amacolporteur aseJapane ngalezozinsuku ayengakhokhelwa izindleko zawo kodwa ayethola ingxenye yemali yezincwadi azihambisile ngenxa yezindleko zawo zokuphila. Ukuphila kwakungelula. Icolporteur esikanye nalo labulawa isifo sokuhuda igazi. Lapho ngisanakekela lesosiguli, nami futhi ngahabula lesosifo futhi ngalaliswa esibhedlela. Lapho sikhonza eNagoya, kwathungeleka umlilo kwamakhelwane. Sabaleka sehla ngezitebisi sisuka esitezi sesibili sinezingubo esasizigqokile kuphela, sibaleka nokuphila kwethu singaphethe lutho. Esasinakho okumbalwa nezincwadi zokuhanjiswa konke kwasha, kusishiya singenamali.
Lapho sikhonza eOkayama, umyeni wami waphathwa umkhuhlane izinsuku eziningi futhi kwatholakala ukuthi unesifo sofuba. Isifo sofuba ngalesosikhathi ngokuvamile kwakuyisifo esibulalayo. Uma ukufa kwakungenakubalekelwa, sasifuna ukuya eSapporo esiqhingini esisenyakatho, iHokkaido, ukuba sifakaze lapho umsebenzi wokushumayela wawungakaze wenziwe khona.
NgoSeptember 1930, sathuthela eHokkaido, lapho ngangilindele ukuba umyeni wami afele khona. Lapha umoya wawupholile, ubisi namazambane kwakushibhile, futhi impilo yomyeni wami yathuthuka kancane kancane. UJehova akasishiyanga kodwa wasibusisa ngenjabulo enkulu enkonzweni yethu.
Lapho sisebenza eSendai okokuqala, uMnu. Inoue, umongameli waseImperial University yaseTohoku, wanginikeza ithuba lokuxoxa naye umlomo nomlomo. Wazamukela izincwadi engangiziphethe futhi wangiphelezela kwaze kwaba sesangweni. Lapho sifakaza endlini ngendlu, ngahlangana futhi noBansui Doi, indoda yezincwadi edumile, owahumusha izincwadi zikaHomer ethi Iliad nethi Odyssey ngesiJapane. Wamukela incwadi ethi Creation.
Phakathi kwalabo abanokwazisa abamukela isigijimi sethu kwakuwumkhaya wakwaMiura waseIshinomori. UHagino, inkosikazi, wayeneminyaka eyi-17 ubudala lapho evakashela emzini wethu eSendai. Ngemva kokuba sixoxe ngeBhayibheli ngalobobusuku, wakholelwa ukuthi sasineqiniso. Ngokushesha wonke umkhaya wathuthela eTokyo, lapho uHagino nomyeni wakhe, uKatsuo, bakhonza njengamacolporteur. UKatsuo wafa ewuFakazi othembekile, futhi uHagino usakhonza ngokwethembeka. Indodana yabo, uTsutomu, ubelokhu engumhumushi egatsheni leWatch Tower Society laseJapane iminyaka eminingi.
Inkonzo YaseBethel Yesikhashana
Ngawo-1930 mina nomyeni wami sasikhonza izinyanga ezimbalwa unyaka ngamunye eBethel eOgikubo, eTokyo. Ngalesosikhathi, cishe kwakunezisebenzi ezingama-20 khona. Imishini emibili enomsindo yayinyathelisa iThe Golden Age. Mina noJizo sasisebenza eMnyango Wezambatho. Ekushintsheni kwezikhathi zonyaka, amacolporteur ayethumela izambatho ezigugile eBethel. Sasiziwasha, sizithunge, futhi sizi-ayine bese sizithumela emuva kuwo. Sasenzela amacolporteur ngisho nezambatho ezintsha. Lapho lomsebenzi usuphelile, nathi sasibuyela emsebenzini wobucolporteur.
Enye yezinkumbulo zami engizazisayo eBethel yayiphathelene nomhlangano owaqopha umlando eColumbus, eOhio, eU.S.A., ngo-1931. Omunye umzalwane wakha umsakazo weshortwave ukuba wamukele izinhlelo zakwamanye amazwe. Siphendula inkinobho yokukhetha iziteshi usuku lonke nobusuku bonke, sazama ngokungenampumelelo ukuthola isimiso salowomhlangano. Phakathi kwamabili, izwi likamongameli weWatch Tower Society, uJ. F. Rutherford, lazwakala kahle kakhulu. Ngokushesha omunye umzalwane waqala ukuhumusha. Ngaleyondlela sezwa isinqumo sokwamukela igama elisha elithi, “OFakazi BakaJehova,” nehlombe elikhulu lokunanela. Kude kakhulu eBethel yaseJapane, samemeza kanye kanye ngenjabulo nabazalwane bethu eMelika. Emizuzwini embalwa kamuva, ukwamukela komsakazo kwaba kubi ngokwengeziwe, futhi asibange sisezwa lutho. Kodwa uJehova wasivumela ukuba sihlanganyela kulesikhathi esingokomlando.
Ukufakaza Naphezu Kokuphikiswa
Phakathi nokucindezeleka komhlaba wonke ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I, isishingishane sobuzwe nezikhali sashanela iJapane. Umbusi wabhekwa njengonkulunkulu ophilayo lowo izakhamuzi okwakumelwe zibe qotho kuye. Kodwa sasibatshela abantu: “KunoNkulunkulu oyedwa kuphela.”
Babethi: “Ingabe nithi umbusi akayena uNkulunkulu?”
Sasichaza: “Kuzoba nekusasa elimangalisayo elizolethwa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.”
“Ingabe nifuna okunye ukubusa ngaphandle kwalokho kombusi wethu?” bebuza. Noma yini esasiyisho, amazwi ethu ayesontwa sibizwe ngokuthi singamambuka. Iziphathi-mandla zahlola izincwadi zethu ngokunakekela okukhulu, futhi amaphoyisa angazigqokile ezomsebenzi asilandelela ngokuphindaphindiwe.
Ngokuvamile kanye ngonyaka, kwakuba nenkulumo yeningi. Ngisho nakuba sasinoFakazi abangaba ama-20 kuphela eTokyo, cishe abangama-500 baba khona enkulumweni ethi “Ukuwohloka Kwempucuko YobuKristu” eHholo Lomphakathi iYodobashi elisedolobheni. Amaphoyisa ahaqa isikhulumi endaweni yesikhulumi, futhi uma sisho noma yini ayayeyibheka njengenengekayo, ayevungama athi, “Sikhulumi, yima!” Kulokho isikhulumi sasibhekisela ngokuhlakanipha embhalweni siwufunde. Njengoba iBhayibheli lalinganqatshelwe, sasivunyelwa ukuba siqhubeke.
Ukubanjwa Nokuvalelwa
Cishe eminyakeni eyishumi ngemva kokuba siqalile emsebenzini wobucolporteur, ukubanjwa okukhulu koFakazi BakaJehova kwenzeka eJapane. Ngalolosuku oluphawulekayo lukaJune 21, 1939 ekuseni, ngayiswa esiteshini samaphoyisa eIshinomaki ngaphonswa egumbini elimnyama lokutoka elalinomule ophahleni. Ngokushesha ngadluliselwa eSendai ngavalelwa ngedwa esitokisini. Umyeni wami naye wabanjwa, futhi angikwazanga ukuxhumana naye kwaze kwaba ngemva kwempi.
Ngahlala kulesositokisi esingcolile cishe unyaka wonke futhi ngacishe ngafa. Kamuva, ngezwa ukuthi phakathi naleyonkathi iziphathi-mandla zazisesha uJunzo Akashi, umbonisi wegatsha laseJapane. Ekugcineni, ukuphenywa kwami kwaqala. “Lahla iBhayibheli phansi ulinyathele,” kuyala umseshi ohlambalazayo. Khona-ke wangibonisa irekhodi lokuseshwa kuka-Akashi. Ekuqaleni ngacabanga ukuthi kwakuyiqhinga.
“Ingabe uyakholelwa kuAkashi?” kubuza umphenyi.
“UAkashi umane nje ungumuntu ongaphelele,” ngiphendula. “UAkashi wayesetshenziswa njengenceku kaNkulunkulu, kuphela uma uAkashi elandela izimiso zeBhayibheli. Kodwa njengoba izitatimende zakhe ziphambukile eBhayibhelini, akaseyena umfowethu.” Awu, uAkashi ngempela wayelishiyile iqiniso.
Ekugcineni, isigwebo sakhishwa, futhi ngavalelwa eJele Labesifazane eSendai. Ngavalelwa ngedwa futhi. Nganginikezwa ukudla, nakuba kwakungenamsoco. Imizuzu engama-30 usuku ngalunye ekuseni, ngangivunyelwa ukuba ngihambahambe ngigadwe unogada. Unogada wake wangitshela ukuthi: “Ukuba izikhathi bezingcono, ubungaba sesimweni sokusifundisa. Njengoba izikhathi zizimbi, siza ubekezele.” Ngakhuthazwa amazwi akhe.
Phakathi nalesosikhathi, iJapane yalwa neUnited States, futhi lokhu kwathinta umhlaba wonke. Ngasekupheleni kuka-1944, eminyakeni eyisihlanu nengxenye ngemva kokubanjwa kwami, ngakhululwa. NgoAugust 1945 amabhomu eathomu alahlelwa eHiroshima naseNagasaki, futhi iJapane yanqotshwa.
Ukusuka Ebumnyameni Kuya Ekukhanyeni
Mina nomyeni wami sabuyela eDolobheni laseKure futhi esixakaxakeni sangemva kwempi, sazondla ngokuqhuba isitolo sokuthunga izambatho. Abangane abadala babesakazekile, futhi asikwazanga ukuxhumana nabo cishe ngokuphelele. Nokho, cishe eminyakeni emine ngemva kwempi, sezwa ukuthi kwakuza izithunywa zevangeli zivela eUnited States, futhi umsebenzi woMbuso wawuzovulwa futhi eJapane.
Ethatha indodana yethu eneminyaka eyisithupha ubudala, esasizitholele yona ngemva kwempi, umyeni wami waya emhlanganweni wokuqala wangemva kwempi, owawuseTarumi, eKobe. Waqhubeka kusukela ekupheleni kukaDecember 1949 kwaze kwaba sonyakeni omusha ka-1950. Kusukela ngo-1939 umsebenzi woMbuso eJapane wawuye wabhekana ‘nenkathi yobumnyama’ kodwa ekugcineni sasidluliselwa ekukhanyeni!
Ngo-1951 sezwa ukuthi uNathan H. Knorr, umongameli weWatch Tower Society ngalesosikhathi, kwakuhlelwe ukuba avakashele eJapane, kodwa sasingalwazi usuku. NgoApril 27, 1951, njengoba sasithunga izambatho kuze kube phakathi kwamabili, sezwa izindaba zomsakazo zokugcina zosuku. Umsakazi wathi: “UMnu. N. H. Knorr, umongameli weWatch Tower, uzovakashela eJapane anikeze inkulumo eHholo laseKyoritsu.” Ngosuku olulandelayo ngathatha isitimela ngahamba amakhilomitha angama-900 ngiya eTokyo phakathi nobumpofu bangemva kwempi. NgoApril 29, ngangihlezi phansi ngilalele uMzalwan’ uKnorr.
Kwangivusa amadlingozi ukuzwa isimemezelo sokukhishwa kweNqabayokulinda ngesiJapane okokuqala ngqá ngemva kwempi. Ngabuyela ekhaya nomagazini owawusanda kukhishwa kaMay 1, 1951. Angisikhumbuli isikhathi ekuphileni kwami konke engazizwa ngijabule ngaso ngaphezu kwalesi. “Manje umsebenzi eJapane uvulwe ngokomthetho futhi” ngizicabangela, “futhi njengoba ngempela kwaprofethwa, umsebenzi kaJehova uzokwanda, oyedwa uzokuba inkulungwane.”
Kusukela lapho siye sajabulela ukuxhumana ngokugcwele nenhlangano kaJehova. NgoAugust 1951 uMzalwan’ uAdrian Thompson wasivakashela okokuqala ngqá njengombonisi wesifunda. Kwaqaliswa imihlangano, futhi abazalwane ababili abangamaphayona akhethekile okuqala eJapane babelwa eDolobheni laseKure. Ibandla lakhula kancane kancane, futhi umyeni wami wakhonza njengenceku yebandla.
Yini eyenzeka koFakazi abangaba yi-130 eJapane ngaphambi kwempi? Isibonelo esibi sikaJunzo Akashi, umbonisi wegatsha, saba nomphumela obuhlungu kwabaningi. Abambalwa baba abalandeli bakhe, abanye bahlakazeka, futhi ngokusobala abanye bafa ngokushushiswa. Cishe abayishumi nambili bahlala bekhuthele enkonzweni kaJehova, futhi abanye basabusiswé ngesilinganiso esithile sempilo futhi bakhonza ngentshiseko.
Njengoba impilo yami yayithuthuka, ngakhonza njengephayona elivamile iminyaka embalwa. Lapho umyeni wami eneminyaka engama-71 ubudala, wahlanza igazi eliningi futhi waphuthunyiswa esibhedlela. Ngenhlanhla, odokotela bakuhlonipha ukwenqaba kwakhe ukumpontshelwa igazi. Nakuba alulama ngokuphawulekayo, wafa ezinyangeni eziyisithupha kamuva. Indodana yethu yokutholwa, uKozo, yayiyiphayona elikhethekile iminyaka eminingi futhi manje ingumdala ebandleni lobuKristu.
Lapho ngicabanga ngezenzakalo ezidlule, kimi kubonakala sengathi abaningi balabo ababephumelela ngamakhono nangokuhlakanipha ngaphambi kwempi bayishiya inhlangano kaNkulunkulu lapho bengaphansi kokucindezelwa okukhulu. Mhlawumbe babencike emakhonweni abo. Labo abahlala bethembekile babengenawo amakhono akhethekile futhi babengaqhamile. Ngokuqinisekile sonke ngaso sonke isikhathi kumelwe sithembele kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu.—IzAga 3:5.
Ekugcineni “usizi olukhulu” ngokuqinisekile luzofika. (Mathewu 24:21) Singase sibhekane nezilingo ezingaphezu kwezidlule. Ukuzibekezelela kungase kungabi lula njengoba sicabanga. Kodwa uma sincika ngempela kuJehova, simthanda ngempela futhi sicela ngokuphuma enhliziyweni yethu usizo lwakhe, njengoba nje engangishiyanga, ngeke azishiye izinceku zakhe ezilwela ukumkhonza ngokwethembeka.—IHubo 37:25.
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Ngashada noJizo Ishii, engangingamazi ngokuphelele
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Lapho uMzalwan’ uKnorr evakashela eJapane ngo-1951, wakhonza izithunywa zevangeli nemihlangano eTokyo, eNagoya, naseKobe (ngenhla)