Intokozo Engiyilethelwe Ukukhonza UJehova
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UGEORGE BRUMLEY
Ngangisanda kuqeda ukufundisa izifundo zomsakazo emaphoyiseni asemasha asaqeqeshwa oMbusi uHaile Selassie lapho elinye lawo lingitshela ngasese ukuthi lalazi ukuthi ngiyisithunywa sevangeli soFakazi BakaJehova. “Ingabe ungatadisha nami iBhayibheli?” libuza ngentshiseko.
NJENGOBA umsebenzi wethu wawuvinjelwe ngalesosikhathi eTopiya, ngangiyoxoshwa kulelizwe, njengoba abanye oFakazi babexoshiwe, ukuba iziphathi-mandla zazikwazi lokho ngami. Ngangizibuza ukuthi lomfundi uqotho yini noma uyinxusa likahulumeni elithunyelwe ukuba lingifake ogibeni. Njengenhloko yomkhaya enezingane ezintathu ezincane ezazisadinga ukukhuliswa, umcabango wokulahlekelwa umsebenzi wami nokuphoqwa ukuba ngilishiye lelizwe nabangane engase ngibathanda kakhulu wawungethusa.
‘Kodwa,’ ungase ubuze, ‘kwenzeka kanjani ukuba umMelika onomkhaya okudingeka awondle akhethe ukuhlala eAfrika esenyakatho-mpumalanga, kude nekhaya nezihlobo?’ Ngivumele ngichaze.
Ukukhula EUnited States
Ngawo-1920, lapho ngisesesikoleni sabaqalayo, ubaba wenza isikhokhelo sikamagazini INqabayokulinda futhi wathola iqoqo lencwadi ethi Studies in the Scriptures. Ubaba wayekujabulela ukuzifunda, futhi wazifunda ngentshiseko lezincwadi. Wayenobuntu obuhlekisayo futhi egangile, njengoba kufakazelwa indlela ayedlala ngayo ngezivakashi ayezimema ngamaSonto. Wayenencwadi enhle enesembozo sesikhumba ebhalwe ukuthi “IBhayibheli Elingcwele” ngamagama ayigolide ngaphambili nasemqolo. Wayeqalisa ingxoxo ngokuthi, “Nokho, yiSonto. Ungasifundela amavesi ambalwa?”
Ngaso sonke isikhathi isivakashi sasivuma, kodwa lapho sivula incwadi, kwakungekho nelilodwa ikhasi elalibhalwe okuthile! Njengokulindelekile, umuntu wayemangala. Ngemva kwalokho ubaba wayethi ‘abashumayeli abazi lutho ngeBhayibheli,’ futhi wayethatha ikhophi afunde uGenesise 2:7. Lapho, lichaza ukudalwa komuntu wokuqala, iBhayibheli lithi: “Umuntu waba umphefumulo ophilayo.”—Genesise 2:7, King James Version.
Ubaba wayechaza ukuthi umuntu akanawo umphefumulo kodwa uyiwo, ukuthi inkokhelo yesono ingukufa, nokuthi lapho umuntu efa, ufile ngempela, akazi lutho. (UmShumayeli 9:5, 10; Hezekeli 18:4; Roma 6:23) Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba ngikwazi ukufunda kahle, ngase ngimazi ngekhanda uGenesise 2:7. Lezi izinkumbulo zokuqala enginazo zentokozo okuyiyo ngempela ukwazi amaqiniso eBhayibheli futhi ngiwahlanganyele nabanye.
Njengoba ngalesosikhathi sasithola INqabayokulinda ekhaya lethu, wonke umkhaya waqala ukujabulela lokhu kondliwa okungokomoya. Ugogo wami ngomama wayehlala nathi, futhi waba ummemezeli wokuqala wezindaba ezinhle emkhayeni wakithi. Lalingekho ibandla eCarbondale, eIllinois, lapho sasihlala khona, kodwa imihlangano engahleliwe yayiba khona. Umama wayesithatha thina zingane ezinhlanu asiyise kwenye ingxenye yedolobha lapho izintokazi ezigugile zaziqhuba khona isifundo seNqabayokulinda. Saqalisa nathi ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yasensimini.
Ukusuka Emsebenzini Wemisakazo Ngiya Ejele
Ngashada ngo-1937 lapho ngineminyaka engu-17 kuphela. Ngazama ukuziphilisa ngokukhanda imisakazo futhi ngifundisa abanye lelikhono. Ngemva kokuzalwa kwezingane ezimbili, uPeggy noHank, umshado wami waphela. Isehlukaniso sasingenxa yephutha lami; ngangingaphili ukuphila kobuKristu. Iqiniso lokuthi angizange ngizikhulise izingane zami ezimbili ezindala liye laba isilonda njalo kimi.
Kwafika iMpi Yezwe II futhi yangenza ngacabanga ngezinto eziningi. Amaqembu ezempi anginikeza ithuba lokuba usigaxa-mabhande futhi ngifundise izifundo zomsakazo kulabo ababebuthiwe, kodwa ukukhathazeka kwami ngalokho uJehova ayekucabanga ngempi kwangishukumisela ukuba ngiqale ukuthandaza nsuku zonke. Isikhokhelo sami seNqabayokulinda sase sinqamukile, futhi uLucille Haworth wathola ipheshana elibonisa ukuthi sesinqamukile wabe esengivakashela. UPerry Haworth, owayengubaba kaLucille, kanye nabaningi bomkhaya wakubo omkhulu babengoFakazi kusukela ngawo-1930. Mina noLucille sathandana, futhi sashada ngoDecember 1943.
Ngo-1944, ngabhapathizwa futhi ngahlanganyela nomkami enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele njengephayona. Ngokushesha ngabizwa ebuthweni lempi kodwa ngakwenqaba ukubuthwa. Ngenxa yalokho, ngagwetshwa iminyaka emithathu esikoleni sikahulumeni sokulungisa abantu e-El Reno, eOklahoma. Kwakuyintokozo ukuhlupheka ngenxa kaJehova. Usuku ngalunye lapho ngivuka futhi ngiqaphela ukuthi ngangikuphi futhi ngani, ngangiba nomuzwa wokwaneliseka okukhulu futhi ngibonge uJehova. Ngemva kwempi sonke esasineminyaka engaphezu kuka-25 ubudala saqala ukudedelwa. Ngadedelwa ngoFebruary 1946.
Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele
Lapho ngiphinda ngihlangana noLucille, wayephayona edolobheni elincane laseWagoner, eOklahoma. Sasingenayo imoto, ngakho sasihamba ngezinyawo yonke indawo, sihlanganisa lonke idolobha. Kamuva sathuthela eWewoka, eOklahoma. Ngokushesha ngathola umsebenzi esiteshini somsakazo esiseduze futhi ngaqala umsebenzi wokusakaza. Ukusebenza amahora ayisithupha ngosuku futhi ngigcwalise isikhathi sokuphayona kwakungelula, kodwa salijabulela ilungelo esasinalo lokukhonza uJehova. Sakwazi ukuthenga imoto endala ngesikhathi nje somhlangano eLos Angeles ngo-1947. Lapho saqala ukucabanga ngokubhala isicelo saseWatchtower Bible School of Gilead sokuqeqeshelwa ukuba izithunywa zevangeli.
Sasiqaphela ukuthi lesi kwakuzoba isinyathelo esikhulu, futhi sasingafuni ukuxhamazela ekwenzeni isinqumo sokushiya iUnited States. Ngangisezwa ubuhlungu bokulahlekelwa yizingane zami, ngakho-ke sazama futhi ukuthola ilungelo lokuhlala nazo. Ngenxa yendlela yami yokuphila yesikhathi esidlule nomlando wasejele, kwaba nhlanga zimuka nomoya. Ngakho-ke sanquma ukuba sizame ukuba izithunywa zevangeli. Samenyelwa ekilasini le-12 laseGileyadi.
Sathola iziqu esikoleni ngo-1949, kodwa ekuqaleni sabelwa ukuba sivakashele amabandla aseTennessee. Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu sisemsebenzini wokujikeleza eUnited States, sathola incwadi evela ehhovisi likamongameli weWatch Tower Society ebuza ukuthi singathanda yini ukufundisa esikoleni eTopiya kuhlanganise nokwenza umsebenzi wokushumayela. Enye yezimfuneko zalowohulumeni yayiwukuba izithunywa zevangeli zifundise. Savuma, futhi ehlobo lango-1952, sahamba saya eTopiya.
Lapho sifika eTopiya, ekuseni sasifundisa amakilasi esikoleni sabaqalayo futhi ntambama sasiqhuba amakilasi eBhayibheli amahhala. Ngokushesha abaningi baqala ukuza ezifundweni zeBhayibheli kangangokuthi ngokuvamile sasifundisa iBhayibheli amahora amathathu noma amane usuku ngalunye. Abanye babafundi kwakungamaphoyisa; abanye kungothisha noma amadiyakoni ezikoleni zabavangeli nasezikoleni zaseTopiya zobuOrthodox. Ngezinye izikhathi kwakuba khona abangu-20 nangaphezulu ekilasini ngalinye lesifundo seBhayibheli! Abaningi babafundi bayishiya inkolo yamanga futhi baqala ukukhonza uJehova. Sasijabulile. Lapho ngivuka futhi usuku ngalunye ekuseni, ngangimbonga uJehova.
Ukuba Umzali Nokushumayela Ngaphansi Kokuvinjelwa
Ngo-1954 sathola ukuthi sasizoba abazali, ngakho-ke kwakufanele sinqume ukuthi sasizophindela emuva eUnited States noma sihlale eTopiya. Yebo, ukuhlala kwakuyoxhomeka ekutholeni kwami umsebenzi wokuziphilisa. Ngathola umsebenzi njengonjiniyela wezokusakaza, ngisebenza ngesiteshi somsakazo soMbusi uHaile Selassie. Ngakho-ke sahlala.
NgoSeptember 8, 1954, kwazalwa indodakazi yethu uJudith. Ngangicabanga ukuthi umsebenzi wawulondekile ngoba ngangisebenzela umbusi, kodwa ngemva kweminyaka emibili ngalahlekelwa yilowomsebenzi. Nokho, ngesikhathi esingaphansi kwenyanga, ngaqashwa uMnyango Wamaphoyisa—ngeholo eliphakeme—ukuba ngifundise ikilasi lezinsizwa ukuba lilungise imisakazo ethumela futhi yamukele imibiko. Phakathi neminyaka emithathu eyalandela, kwazalwa amadodana ethu uPhilip noLeslie.
Ngalesosikhathi inkululeko yethu yokuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela yayishintsha. ISonto laseTopiya lobuOrthodox lanxusa uhulumeni ukuba axoshe zonke izithunywa zevangeli zoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngeseluleko seNhlangano, ngashintsha imvume yami ekubeni eyomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli yaba eyomsebenzi wokuziphilisa. Umsebenzi wethu wezithunywa zevangeli wavinjelwa, futhi kwadingeka sibe ngabahlakaniphile nabaqaphile. Yonke imihlangano yebandla yayiqhubeka, kodwa sasihlangana ngamaqembu amancane esifundo.
Amaphoyisa ayephenya amakhaya ahlukahlukene alabo ababesolwa ukuthi bangoFakazi. Nokho, engazi wona, usigaxa-mabhande wamaphoyisa owayengumkhulekeli kaJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi wayesixwayisa lapho kuhlelwe ukubhudukeza. Ngenxa yalokho, azikho izincwadi ezathathwa kuleyominyaka. Sasiba neZifundo zethu zeNqabayokulinda ngamaSonto ngokuthi siye ezindaweni zokudlela emaphethelweni edolobha lapho kwakutholakala khona amatafula asepaki okudlela ngaphandle.
Kwakuphakathi nalesikhathi, ngesikhathi ngisafundisa amaphoyisa izifundo zomsakazo, lapho umfundi engikhulume ngaye ekuqaleni angicela isifundo seBhayibheli. Ngacabanga ukuthi wayeqotho, ngakho saqala. Ngemva kwezifundo ezimbili nje kuphela, kwafika nomfundi wesibili nowesithathu. Ngabaxwayisa ngokuthi bangatsheli muntu ukuthi babefunda nami, futhi abazange balokothe.
Ngo-1958 kwaba noMhlangano Wezizwe Zonke Wentando Yaphezulu eYankee Stadium yaseNew York nasePolo Grounds. Ngalesosikhathi uPeggy noHank, kanye namanye amalungu amaningi omkhaya wakithi omkhulu, babeye baba oFakazi abakhuthele. Yeka indlela engangijabule ngayo ngokuthi ngakwazi ukuba khona! Angijabulelanga kuphela ukuhlangana nezingane zami ezimbili ezindala namanye amalungu omkhaya kodwa futhi ngahlatshwa umxhwele ukubona isixuku esikhulu sabangaphezu kwengxenye eyodwa kwezine yesigidi sabantu ababehlangene ngosuku lokugcina lomhlangano!
Ngonyaka olandelayo umongameli weNhlangano, uNathan H. Knorr, wasivakashela eTopiya. Wayenokusikisela okuhle kokuqhuba umsebenzi ngaphansi kokuvinjelwa futhi wayenesithakazelo emkhayeni wethu nokuthi sasiqhuba kanjani ngokomoya. Ngamchazela ukuthi sasifundisa izingane ukuthandaza. Ngambuza ukuthi angathanda yini ukuzwa uJudith ethandaza. Wathi kulungile, futhi kamuva wamtshela: “Wenze kahle kakhulu, Judith.” Khona-ke ngesikhathi sokudla ngacela uMzalwan’ uKnorr ukuba asithandazele, futhi lapho eqeda, uJudith wathi: “Wenze kahle kakhulu, Mfoweth’ uKnorr!”
Ukukhulisa Izingane Zethu EUnited States
Imvume yami yomsebenzi noMnyango Wamaphoyisa yaphela ngo-1959. Sasifuna ukuhlala, kodwa uhulumeni akabange esamukela noma yiziphi izicelo zami zemvume entsha yomsebenzi. Ngakho-ke sasingayaphi? Ngazama ukuya kwamanye amazwe lapho kwakunendingeko enkulu khona yabazalwane kodwa ngahluleka. Sidumazekile ngezinga elithile, saphindela eUnited States. Lapho sifika, sajabulela ukuhlangana okujabulisayo komkhaya; zonke izingane zami ezinhlanu zajwayelana futhi zathandana ngokushesha. Bezilokhu zisondelene kusukela ngalesosikhathi.
Sahlala eWichita, eKansas, lapho ngathola khona umsebenzi njengonjiniyela womsakazo nomsakazi wohlelo oludumile lomculo. ULucille wazijwayelanisa nemisebenzi yasekhaya, futhi izingane zazifunda esikoleni esiseduze nasekhaya. Ngangiqhuba isifundo somkhaya seNqabayokulinda njalo ngoMsombuluko ebusuku, ngaso sonke isikhathi ngizama ukusenza siphile futhi sithakazelise. Nsuku zonke sasihlola ukuthi azikho yini izinkinga esikoleni.
Njengoba ingane ngayinye yayingena eSikoleni SeNkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini, lokhu kuqeqeshwa kwazisiza esikoleni. Saziqeqesha enkonzweni yasensimini kusukela zisencane kakhulu. Zafunda ukuhambisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli eminyango, futhi zazihamba nathi ezifundweni zeBhayibheli zasemakhaya.
Sazama futhi ukufundisa izingane izinto eziyisisekelo ngokuphila, sichaza ukuthi ngamunye wazo wayengenakukwazi ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuba nalokho abanye ababenakho. Ngokwesibonelo, zazingatholi isipho esifanayo ngaso sonke isikhathi. “Uma kwenzeka umfowenu noma udadewenu athole ithoyizi,” sasibonisana nazo, “futhi lingekho elakho, ingabe kufanele ukuba ukhononde?” Yebo, ngezinye izikhathi nezinye izingane zazithola okuthile, ngakho akekho owayenganakiwe. Ngaso sonke isikhathi sasizithanda zonke, singakhethi eyodwa ngaphezu kwezinye ezimbili.
Ngesinye isikhathi ezinye izingane zazivunyelwa ukuba zenze izinto izingane zethu ezazingavunyelwe ukuzenza. Ngangivame ukuzwa lokhu, “Us’banibani uyakwenza, kungani thina singenakukwenza?” Ngangizama ukuchaza, kodwa ngezinye izikhathi impendulo yayimane ithi, “Wena awukho kulowomkhaya; ungowakwaBrumley. Sinemithetho ehlukile.”
Ukukhonza EPeru
Kusukela sibuyile eTopiya, mina noLucille sasilangazelela ukuhlanganyela emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli futhi. Ekugcineni, ngo-1972, kwafika ithuba lokuba siye ePeru, eNingizimu Melika. Ayikho indawo engcono esasingayikhetha yokukhulisa izingane zethu phakathi neminyaka yazo yokweva eshumini nambili. Ubungane ezazibujabulela nezithunywa zevangeli, amaphayona akhethekile, nabanye ababezokhonza ePeru bazisiza ukuba zizibonele ngokwazo ukuthi bajabula kanjani labo abafuna ngeqiniso izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala. UPhilip wayebiza ubungane bakhe ngokuthi ukucindezela kontanga okuhle.
Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile abangane abathile bakudala baseKansas bezwa ukuthi sasinempumelelo engakanani enkonzweni yoMbuso, futhi beza kithina ePeru. Ngahlela ikhaya lethu laba njengekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli. Ngamunye wayenomsebenzi awabelwe ukuze sonke sibe nesikhathi sokujabulela inkonzo yasensimini. Sasiba nengxoxo yetekisi leBhayibheli etafuleni usuku ngalunye ekuseni. Kwakuyisikhathi esijabulisa kakhulu ngathi sonke. Njengoba ngangivuka usuku ngalunye futhi ngiqaphela lapho ngikhona nokuthi kungani, ngangidlulisela buthule ukubonga okujulile kuJehova.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJudith washada futhi wabuyela eStates, lapho aqhubeka khona nenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu yenkonzo yamaphayona akhethekile, uPhilip wenza isicelo futhi wamukelwa ukuba akhonze eBethel, eBrooklyn, eNew York. Ekugcineni, uLeslie naye wabuyela eUnited States. Bahamba bengathandisisi futhi ngokuvamile babesitshela ukuthi ukubayisa ePeru kwakuyinto engcono kakhulu esake sabenzela yona.
Njengoba isimo sezomnotho sasePeru sasiba sibi, saqaphela ukuthi nathi kwakuzodingeka sihambe. Lapho sibuyela eWichita ngo-1978, sathola iqembu loFakazi abakhuluma iSpanishi. Basicela ukuba sihlale futhi sibasize, futhi sakwenza ngentokozo. Kwakhiwa ibandla, futhi ngokushesha salithanda njengamanye esasiwakhonze esikhathini esingaphambili.
IEcuador Iyamema
Naphezu kwesifo sokufa uhlangothi esangishiya ngikhubazekile kancane, ngangithemba ukuthi mina noLucille sasingakhonza futhi kwelinye izwe. Ngo-1984 umbonisi ojikelezayo wasitshela ngokwanda e-Ecuador nesidingo sabadala abangamaKristu lapho. Ngamtshela ukuthi ngangingenza okuncane enkonzweni yasensimini ngenxa yokuba unyonga, kodwa wangiqinisekisa ngokuthi ngisho nomdala oneminyaka engu-65, okhubazekile kancane angaba wusizo.
Ngemva kokuba ehambile asikwazanga ukulala ubusuku bonke, sikhuluma ngethuba elingenzeka lokuya e-Ecuador. ULucille wayenesifiso esivuthayo esifanayo nesami sokuhamba. Ngakho samemezela ibhizinisi lethu elincane lokulawula izinambuzane futhi salidayisa esikhathini esingamasonto amabili. Sadayisa indlu yethu esikhathini esiyizinsuku eziyishumi kuphela. Ngaleyondlela, lapho sesibadala, saphinda sabuyela entokozweni yethu enkulu kakhulu, yenkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli yakwamanye amazwe.
Sahlala eQuito, futhi inkonzo yasensimini yayijabulisa, usuku ngalunye luletha okuhlangenwe nakho okusha. Kodwa-ke, ngo-1987, ngahlolwa kwatholakala ukuthi nginomdlavuza kapopopo; ngangidinga ukuhlinzwa okusheshayo. Saphindela eWichita ukuze ngihlinzwe, okwaba yimpumelelo. Kwase kuphele iminyaka emibili kuphela siphindele eQuito lapho kutholakala ukuthi ngase ngibuye ngaba nomdlavuza, futhi kwadingeka siphindele eStates unomphelo. Sahlala eNyakatho Carolina, lapho sihlala khona namanje.
Ukuphila Okucebile, Okuvuzayo
Ikusasa lami elingokwenyama aliqinisekile. Ngo-1989 kwadingeka ngihlinzwe kuxhunyelelwe indunu. Ngisho nakuba kunjalo, ngisakwazi ukukhonza njengomdala nokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli eziningana nalabo abeza ekhaya lami. Kuleminyaka edlule, siye sasiza amakhulu abantu ngokutshala, ukunisela, noma ngokuhlakulela imbewu yeqiniso. Leyo intokozo engapheli, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iphindaphindwa izikhathi ezingaki.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, nginentokozo enkulu yokubona zonke izingane zami zikhonza uJehova. UPeggy uye wahamba iminyanga engu-30 nomyeni wakhe, uPaul Moske, emsebenzini wokujikeleza eUnited States. UPhilip nomkakhe, uElizabeth, kanye noJudith, bayaqhubeka enkonzweni ekhethekile yesikhathi esigcwele eNew York. UHank noLeslie nabangane babo bomshado bangoFakazi abakhuthele, futhi abafowethu nodadewethu abane nemikhaya yabo, kuhlanganise nezihlobo zegazi ezingaphezu kuka-80, bonke bakhonza uJehova. Futhi uLucille ubelokhu eyinkosikazi engumKristu eyisibonelo iminyaka esondela kwengu-50 sishadile. Eminyakeni yamuva uye ngokungakhonondi wenza imisebenzi eminingi engajabulisi engisiza ukuba nginakekele umzimba wami owohlokayo.
Ngempela, ukuphila kwami bekugcwele intokozo. Kuye kwajabulisa ngaphezu kwendlela amagama angasho ngayo. Ukukhonza uJehova kuthokozisa kangangokuthi kuyisifiso sami esisenhliziyweni ukumkhonza phakade kulomhlaba. Ngaso sonke isikhathi ngikhumbula iHubo 59:16, elithi: “Kepha mina ngizakuhlabelela ngamandla akho, ngethabele umusa wakho ekuseni, ngokuba uyinqaba yami, nesiphephelo ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwami.”
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
UGeorge Brumley nombusi waseTopiya uHaile Selassie
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
UGeorge Brumley nomkakhe, uLucille