Izwe Lenyoni Kapelepele Lizwa “Ingoma Entsha”
EKUNTWELENI kokusa, ukuhlabelela okusho kamnandi kwenyoni kapelepele kuzwiwa kulo lonke elaseLiberia. Ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane, ukuvevezela kwephimbo layo kuye kwavusa izakhamuzi ukuze ziqalise olunye usuku lomsebenzi ngaphansi kwelanga elishisayo. Lebulbul (uhlobo lwenyoni ehlabelelayo) evamile iye yanikeza iLiberia igama layo eliqanjiwe elithi “izwe lenyoni kapelepele.”
Nokho, igama elithi Liberia lisikhumbuza enye indaba. Ngo-1822 izigqila ezazikhululwe eMelika zibuyela ezwekazini lawokhokho bazo zafika esizalweni soMfula iMesurado futhi zakha umuzi owabizwa ngokuthi iMonrovia. Kwakhiwa eminye imizi eBuchanan, eGreenville, naseHarper, futhi lezakhamuzi zenza izivumelwano namakhosi abantu bezizwe zomdabu. Labo abokuqala ababuyela emuva bafika namaculo enkolo amaNegro—izingoma ezazixuba izigqi zaseAfrika nezihloko ezingokweBhayibheli futhi babonisa ukulangazelela kwabo inkululeko. Ngokuvumelana nalokho kulangazalela, ngo-1824 umuzi wabo wabizwa ngokuthi iLeberia. Ngo-1847 waba yizwe lokuqala labantu abaNsundu ukuba lizibuse.
Nokho, eminyakeni yamuva kuye kwazwiwa ingoma entsha kulelizwe. Lena akuyona ingoma ehlatshelelwa inyoni kapelepele noma izigqila ezibuyisiwe, kodwa ehlatshelwa inani elikhulayo labaculi abasabela ekunxuseni komhubi waseBhayibhelini: “Hlabelelani kuJehova ihubo elisha, nihlabelele kuJehova, mhlaba wonke. Thanini phakathi kwabezizwe: UJehova uyiNkosi.” (IHubo 96:1, 10) Yebo, lena ingoma yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu omisiwe, ngoJesu Kristu njengeNkosi. Ihlatshelelwa izindlalifa zikahulumeni kaJehova wasezulwini. Zona nabangane bazo bamemezela ngenjabulo “izindaba ezinhle” ngalowoMbuso ezizweni zonke—kuhlanganise neLiberia—phakathi ‘nokuphela kwesimiso sezinto,’ esiphila kuso manje. (Mathewu 24:3, 14, NW) Lengoma yazwiwa nini futhi kanjani okokuqala ezweni lenyoni kapelepele? Futhi imuphi umphumela ubumnandi bayo obuthinta inhliziyo obube nawo ezilalelini ezinokwazisa? Ake silalele.
“Ingoma Entsha” Ifinyelela ELiberia
Ngo-1946 uHarry C. Behannan, umdlali wopiyano onsundu onesiphiwo owayedlale kulo lonke elaseYurophu, wayeka umsebenzi wakhe wokucula ukuze akhonze njengesithunywa sevangeli. Izinyanga eziyisithupha wakhonza yedwa njengoFakazi KaJehova oyiphayona, ehamba endlini ngendlu ukuze asakaze iqiniso loMbuso. Wahambisa izincwadi ezingaphezu kwama-500 futhi wazenzela abangane abaningi. Khona-ke, ngokudabukisayo, uMzalwan’ uBehannan wafa ebulawa umkhuhlane obangelwa ukushisa. Kodwa “ingoma entsha” ayizange iphele, ngoba ezinye izithunywa zevangeli zamlandela.
Ngo-1947 uGeorge Watkins (owayekade engumshayi-sibhakela osezingeni eliphansi) nomkakhe uWilla Mae bafika bezokhonza eMonrovia, inhloko-dolobha yaseLiberia. Babenesineke futhi bekhuthele ekufundiseni abantu baseLiberia abathobekile ‘ukuba bagcine konke [uJesu] akuyalile.’ (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Kwathi kufika uSeptember 1948 iqembu labayi-15 lase lihlanganyela enkonzweni yoMbuso kanye nabo. Kanjalo, kwakhiwa ibandla lokuqala loFakazi BakaJehova eLiberia.
Umsebenzi wokushumayela wasakazekela ngokushesha ogwini kuze kuyofika ethekwini laseHarper, eKakata nasezigodini ezizungezile, naphakathi kwabakhami benjoloba abakhuluma isiKisi emasimini akhiqiza injoloba yeFirestone. Ngo-1952 kwase kumiswé ihhovisi legatsha leWatch Tower Society eLiberia. Phakathi nonyaka owalandela, kwakhiwa iHholo LoMbuso lokuqala kanye nekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eMcDonald Street eMonrovia. Lezo kwakuyizikhathi ezijabulisayo. Namuhla, kunabadumisi bakaJehova abayi-1 724 kulelizwe, futhi baba nemiphumela emihle phakathi kwabantu abanobungane, abamukela izihambi, nabathobekile.
Ukusabela ‘Engomeni Entsha’ Namuhla
OFakazi BakaJehova abavela ezizweni eziyinhloko eziyi-16 zaseLiberia, kanye nezithunywa zevangeli nabantu ngabanye abaye bafika bezokhonza lapho indingeko inkulu khona, manje baye bahlanganisa amaphimbo abo ekumemezeleni isigijimi soMbuso. Muva nje, baye banezela iphimbo elibonisa ukuphuthuma ekunxuseni labo abafuna iqiniso. Ngokwesilinganiso, uFakazi ngamunye usebenzisa amahora angaphezu kwama-27 inyanga ngayinye emsebenzini wokushumayela, futhi inani lalabo abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele liye laphindeka ngaphezu kwezikhathi ezintathu eminyakeni emihlanu edlule. Imizamo enjalo iye yaletha izibusiso kokubili kubo nakwabanye. Ake sizwe ngabanye babo.
UEmmanuel wahlela izimo zakhe ukuze akwazi ukunakekela umkhaya wakhe omkhulu futhi ahlanganyele emsebenzini wobuphayona wesikhathi esigcwele eGardenersville. Wahlangana noVarney noLucinda futhi waqalisa isifundo seBhayibheli sasekhaya nabo. Nokho, babekholelwa ukuthi kwakuyisono ngomuntu ukuba ashintshe inkolo yakhe. UEmmanuel wababonisa lokho incwadi ethi Ukubonisana NgemiBhalo ekushoyo ngalendaba. Bayiboleka, bafunda nokunye ukwaziswa okukuyo, base beqalisa ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, baqalisa inkonzo yobuKristu. Kusenjalo, ababehlala kwakhe—umfundisi—waphawula ushintsho ekuziphatheni kwabo futhi wabamema ukuba basebenzise ikamelo lakhe lokuphumula ukuze baqhutshelwe khona isifundo seBhayibheli. Ngemva kokuya emhlanganweni wesigodi, ababehlala kwakhe waqiniseka ngokuthi wayelitholile iqiniso futhi wacela isifundo seBhayibheli esingesakhe.
Ukusabela ‘engomeni entsha’ kwakhulula uTamba, owayekade esebenzisa imimoya waseZweni laseLofa. Ngenxa yokukhathazeka ngokugula kwendodana yakhe, wayethintane nemimoya. Yayimqinisekise ngokuthi indodana yakhe yayizophila kodwa yathi umkakhe wayethakathaka indodana yakhe. Ngeminikelo nangemihlatshelo, uTamba wanxusa imimoya ukuba ibulale umkakhe ukuze imvimbele ekubulaleni indodana yakhe. Waba yini umphumela? Leyondodana yafa kodwa umkakhe akazange alimale. Ethukuthele futhi ekhungathekile, uTamba walahla zonke izinto zakhe zemimoya. Esosizini, wathintwa ngokujulile isigijimi ngethemba lovuko nepharadesi elizayo. Wamukela isifundo seBhayibheli, wahlanza ukuphila kwakhe, futhi wazinikezela kuJehova. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi uye wasiza umkhaya wakhe nabanye abantu abayisishiyagalolunye emphakathini wakubo ukuba bazinikezele.
Ukuphila kwabaningi abanhliziyo ziqotho kwathintwa “ingoma entsha.” UHerbert wathola umfundaze wokufunda eyunivesithi eMonrovia nomsebenzi emahhovisi kahulumeni ngenxa yekhono lakhe eliyingqayizivele njengomdlali webhola likanobhutshuzwayo. Nokho, lapho efunda lokho okushiwo iBhayibheli ngomoya wokuncintisana, washukunyiselwa ukuba ayeke umsebenzi wakhe wezemidlalo. (Galathiya 5:26) Manje uyajabula emsebenzini wakhe omusha njengesikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele.
UJames wabuza uFakazi owayemfundela ukuthi angakunqoba kanjani ukuba umlutha wensangu. Ekhuthazwe ukuba athandaze ngalendaba, uJames wacela uJehova ukuba amsize ayiyeke. Emasontweni ambalwa kamuva, akakwazanga ukumelana nalesosifiso wayesebhema futhi. Esendleleni eya ekhaya, wazigqubuza ensimbini futhi wopha kakhulu ngasesweni. Ekhumbula umthandazo wakhe, akaphindanga wabuyela emkhubeni wakhe. Namuhla, ukhonza njengephayona elivamile nanjengenceku ekhonzayo ebandleni.
Ukunxusa ‘kwengoma entsha’ kuye kwafinyelela nendoda esikhulile, uSamuel wesizwe samaKrahn, owayekade engumphathi weZwe laseMontserrado. Yini eyamshukumisela ukuba ayeke umsebenzi wakhe omholela kakhulu futhi aphishekele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele? “Okwangihlaba umxhwele iqiniso lokuthi konke oFakazi BakaJehova ababekusho, bekufundisa, nababekwenza, ngangithola isisekelo sakho eBhayibhelini lami,” kusho uSamuel. Wanezela ngokuthi phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova uthole uthando olwachazwa uJesu kuJohane 13:34, 35. USamuel waphawula ukuthi amalungu esonto ayekulo, ngokuphambene, “ayephikisana ngaso sonke isikhathi futhi elwa ngezindaba zemali khona kanye esontweni.” USamuel manje ukhonza njengephayona elivamile.
“Ingoma Entsha” Ifinyelela Umvuthwandaba
Uma kuziwa ekuhlabeleleni izindumiso kuNkulunkulu, azikho izikhathi ezijabulisa kakhulu kubantu bakaJehova kunezikhathi zemihlangano yabo yesigodi yaminyaka yonke. Nokho, eminyakeni yamuva, lapha eLiberia inselele beyilokhu iwukuthola izindawo ezinkulu ngokwanele ukuba kuhlale bonke oFakazi nabantu abathakazelayo ababezoba khona. Ngo-1986 kwaqhutshwa imihlangano emibili ehholweni leningi eliwukuphela kwalo elifanelekayo, kodwa ingqikithi yababekhona yabangaphezu kwezi-4 000 yasigcwalisa phama lesakhiwo. Yini okwakumelwe yenziwe kulungiselelwa u-1987? Nokho, iSakhiwo Sezemidlalo iSamuel K. Doe saqedwa ngesikhathi esifanele ngosizo lukahulumeni waseChina. Kodwa ingabe sasingakwazi ukusiqasha lesakhiwo?
Ngenxa yokuba kwesimiso sethu ngesifundisayo, abaphathi bavuma ukuba sisebenzise lenkundla ngemali ephansi kakhulu. Kodwa emasontweni ambalwa nje ngaphambi kwesikhathi somhlangano, abaphathi bafuna ukukhuphula izindleko. Ngani? Ngoba umvangeli weTV ovelele eUnited States wayesanda kuba nomhlangano kuleyonkundla, futhi isixuku sasiyishiye isesimweni esingesihle, kugcwele izibi kuyo yonke indawo. Abaphathi baqinisekiswa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bahlukile. Ngosuku lwangaphambi komhlangano, abazalwane nodade abangaphezu kwama-500 bayikhuculula lenkundla. Ngemva komhlangano, ilungu leqembu labaphathi elingumChina lazwiwa lithi umzamo wethu ekugcineni inkundla icocekile wawedlula imali esasiyikhokhile ukuze siyisebenzise.
Umhlangano ngokwawo waba yimpumelelo. Inani elisha labayizi-5 852 laba khona enkulumweni yeningi ethi “Kulezikhathi Ezisabekayo, Ubani Ongamethemba?” Yeka injabulo okwaba yiyo ukubona abasha abayi-101 bebonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwabo kuNkulunkulu ngokubhapathizwa emanzini! Ubhapathizo lwenzelwa emachibini amabili athuthwayo khona kanye endaweni yomhlangano—into yokuqala eLiberia!
Njengoba inani labantu elisabela ‘engomeni entsha’ landa, ihhovisi legatsha lakuqala eMcDonald Street eMonrovia laliye labonakala lilincane kakhulu. Ngisho nesakhiwo esalandela eSinkor sasingesikhulu ngokwanele ukuba kugcinwe kuso zonke izincwadi zeBhayibheli ezidingekayo ukuze kunakekelwe izidingo ezingokomoya zabantu baseLiberia. Ngakho-ke, kwathengwa futhi kwavuselelwa isakhiwo sokuhlala esikhulu eduze neHholo LoMbuso lasePaynesville, futhi ihhovisi elisha legatsha lanikezelwa ngoMarch 28, 1987. Njengoba zinalesakhiwo esikhulu esisendaweni ekahle, izinceku zikaJehova eLiberia zihlonyiswe kahle ukuze zinakekele isithakazelo esikhulayo.
Ongakanani umsebenzi osele okusamelwe wenziwe eLiberia? Inani lababekhona eSikhumbuzweni ngo-1988 labayizi-8 600—inani eliphinda elabamemezeli boMbuso kahlanu—libonisa ukuthi kunethuba elikhulu labafundi abengeziwe. Futhi oFakazi baseLiberia abazikhandlayo bayasabela kulenselele. Baqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli zasekhaya ezingaphezu kwezi-3 000 inyanga ngayinye. Sithandazela ukuba abaningi ngokwengeziwe lapha bahlanganyele ‘nesixuku esikhulu’ esikhula njalo esidumisa uJehova ekusabeleni ‘engomeni entsha.’—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 28]
Endlini Ngendlu ELiberia
Njengoba sifika endlini eyakhiwe ngezintingo nodaka, kunokuba singqongqoze, siyakhuleka sithi: “Kpaw, kpaw, kpaw!”
Uma singatholi-mpendulo, siya ngemuva kwendlu futhi sithole umkhaya uhlezi “ekhishini”—idokodo elincane egcekeni elingemuva. Imbiza yebhotela elibomvu lesundu iyabila eziko. Umama, ophaka irayisi, uthumela abantwana bakhe beshesha endlini ukuba bayosilandela izihlalo.
Amalungu omkhaya manje ahlala phansi. Ehlezi ebhentshini, alalela ngokunakekela njengoba sinikeza isigijimi soMbuso. Ayemukela ngenjabulo ikhophi yencwajana ethi Jabulela Ukuphila Emhlabeni Phakade! futhi senza amalungiselelo okuphindela. Njengoba sisukuma sihamba, bathi: “Masidleni!”
[Amabalazwe/Izithombe ekhasini 26]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
SIERRA LEONE
LIBERIA
LOFA COUNTY
MONTSERRADO COUNTY
Monrovia
Kakata
Buchanan
Greenville
Harper
GUINEA
IVORY COAST
ATLANTIC OCEAN
Km 0 100 200 300
mi 0 100 200
[Ibalazwe]
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