“Isandla SikaJehova” Ekuphileni Kwami

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGULAWRENCE THOMPSON

NGOBUNYE ubusuku ngo-1946, mina nobaba sasihlezi emotweni sibuka ukukhanya kwasenyakatho (i-aurora borealis) kushwibashwibeka emazulwini. Sakhuluma ngobukhulu bukaJehova nangobuncane bethu. Sabukeza izenzakalo zeminyaka edlule lapho umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wawuvinjelwe khona eCanada. Ubaba wagcizelela kimi indlela uJehova aye walondoloza futhi waqondisa ngayo abantu baKhe phakathi naleyominyaka.

NAKUBA ngangineminyaka engu-13 kuphela, ngakwazi ukuqonda iqiniso lalokho ubaba ayekusho. Wabuye wagcizelela kimi umuzwa wokuphuthuma nobukhulu bomsebenzi wokushumayela okwakusamelwe wenziwe. Ubaba wacaphuna uNumeri 11:23 futhi wagcizelela kimi ukuthi, ngempela, isandla sikaJehova asifinyele neze. Ukuntula kwethu ukholo nokwethembela kuye kuphela okulinganisela lokho angasenzela khona. Kwakuyingxoxo eyigugu phakathi kukayise nendodana, engingasoze ngayikhohlwa.

Ukufunda izincwadi ze-Watch Tower, ikakhulukazi incwadi ethi Salvation, eyakhishwa ngo-1939, nakho kwakuthonya kakhulu ukuphila kwami kwangaphambili. Angisoze ngawukhohlwa umfanekiso wayo osesethulweni ovusa amadlingozi: “Isitimela esinejubane elikhulu, esasigcwele abagibeli, sasihamba ngesivinini esingamamayela ayikhulu [160 km] ngehora. Kumelwe siwele umfula ebhulohweni elalinejika elicishe libe ngamaphesenti angamashumi amahlanu, ngakho abantu ababesenqoleni esemsileni babengabona ikhanda laso . . . Amadoda amabili ayesenqoleni engemuva . . . abona ukuthi ingxenye engaphesheya yebhuloho yayisha futhi iwela emfuleni. Aqaphela ukuthi ayebhekene nengozi enkulu. Leso kwakuyisimo esiphuthuma ngempela. Ingabe lesitimela sasingamiswa kusenesikhathi ukuze kusindiswe ukuphila kwabagibeli abaningi ababesesitimeleni?”

Ibonisa ukusebenza kwalomfanekiso, lencwadi yaphetha: “Ngokufanayo namuhla, zonke izizwe nabantu bomhlaba babhekene ngqó nesimo esiphuthuma ngaphezu kwazo zonke. Bayaxwayiswa njengoba uNkulunkulu eyala, ukuthi inhlekelele ye-Armagedoni iseduze kakhulu. . . . Njengoba bexwayisiwe, khona-ke ngamunye oxwayisiwe kumelwe akhethe manje inkambo azoyithatha.”

Isitimela esigijima ngesivinini esikhulu, ibhuloho elishayo, nokuphuthuma komsebenzi wokushumayela kwagxila ngokungenakucimeka engqondweni yami.

Umsebenzi Wangaphambili Wokushumayela

Ngaqala ukuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela ngo-1938, lapho ngineminyaka emihlanu. UHenry no-Alice Tweed, amaphayona (izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele) amabili, babengithatha bahambe nami, futhi sasichitha amahora angu-10 kuya kwangu-12 ngosuku sikhuluma nabantu. Ngazijabulela kakhulu lezozinsuku ezigcwele enkonzweni kaJehova. Ngakho ngajabula kakhulu lapho ngonyaka olandelayo ubaba nomama bengivumela ukuba ngibe ummemezeli futhi ngiwubike ngokuqondile umsebenzi wami.

Kulezozinsuku zakuqala, sasihlanganyela ekumasheni okudlulisela ukwaziswa, sehla ngemigwaqo emikhulu yamadolobha sinezingqwembe ezineziqubulo ezidalula inkolo yamanga zibuye zimemezele uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Sasisebenzisa namagilamafoni aphathwayo futhi sidlale izigijimi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini khona kanye eminyango yabaninikhaya. Sasidlala izinkulumo zikaJ. F. Rutherford, umongameli we-Watch Tower Society, ezinye zazo engangizazi ngekhanda. Ngikhumbula kahle ngimuzwa ethi: “Kuye kwashiwo kaningi ukuthi, iNkolo iwugibe nesife!”

Umsebenzi Wethu Uyavinjelwa ECanada

Phakathi nempi yezwe yesibili, umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wavinjelwa eCanada, njengoba kwakunjalo eJalimane lobuNazi nakwamanye amazwe. Ngakho sasebenzisa iBhayibheli kuphela kodwa saqhubeka nomsebenzi wethu ogunyazwe uNkulunkulu silalela iziyalezo zeBhayibheli. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; IzEnzo 5:29) Safunda ukubhekana nokuhlasela kwamaphoyisa emihlanganweni nasemakhaya ethu. Saba futhi nokuhlangenwe nakho ekunikezeni ubufakazi phambi kwabahluleli nokuphendula abashushisi.

Mina nomfowethu uJim saba ochwepheshe bokujikijela izincwajana eminyango nakovulandi sisezimotweni ezihambayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho sasebenza njengezithunywa, futhi ngezinye izikhathi, njengogqayinyanga balabo ababeqa umngcele ukuze babe khona emihlanganweni e-United States.

Indlu yakithi yayisemaphethelweni ePort Arthur (manje osekuyiThunder Bay), e-Ontario, kuma-hektare ambalwa azungezwe izihlahla namahlathi. Sasinenkomo eyodwa, inkonyane, izingulube, nezinkukhu—konke okwasetshenziswa njengendlela enhle yokufihla umsebenzi wethu wokusiza amaKristu asemasha esikanye nawo ayezingelwa ukuze aboshwe ngenxa yokushumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

Ebusuku, kwakungena kuphume izimoto, amaloli, nezinqodlana ezidonswayo egcekeni lakithi elalimi lodwa kuthwele amaKristu asemasha. Sasihlalisa, sifihle, futhi sondle lentsha bese iqhubeka nohambo lwayo. Ubaba nomama, kanye nalezi ezinye izisebenzi zakuqala, babeyizinceku ezizinikele ngomphefumulo wonke ezalolonga inhliziyo yami esencane ukuba ikhonze futhi ithande uJehova uNkulunkulu.

Ngo-August 1941, nganikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova futhi ngabhapathizwa echibini elincane elalisekujuleni kwehlathi. Kwakunabaningi bethu ababehlangene ngalesenzakalo ebusuku endlwaneni eyayikhanyiswe ngesibani. Ngokusobala esola okuthile, amaphoyisa aqala ukulinda indawo, ngesikhathi esifanayo ethungatha echibini ngamathoshi, kodwa awazange asibone.

Izici Eziningi Zenkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele

Ngo-1951, ngaphothula esikoleni esiphakeme futhi ngahamba amakhilomitha acishe abe ngu-1 600 ukuze ngiyoqala isabelo sokuphayona eCobourg, e-Ontario. Ibandla lalilincane, futhi ngangingenaye umuntu engangingaphayona naye. Kodwa ngikhumbula ukuthi isandla sikaJehova asifinyele, ngaqasha ikamelo, ngaziphekela, futhi ngajabula ngokukhonza uJehova. Ngonyaka olandelayo, ngamenyelwa ukuba ngiyokhonza ehhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower Society eToronto. Lapho ngafunda izifundo eziningi eziwusizo ezangilungiselela inkonzo yoMbuso yesikhathi esizayo.

Ngemva kokukhonza njengephayona isikhathi esingaphezu konyaka eToronto, mina noLucy Trudeau sashada, futhi ebusika bango-1954, sathola isabelo sokuphayona eLevis, eQuebec. Isimo sezulu sasibanda sishubisa umnkantsha, ukuhlukumeza kwezixuku namaphoyisa kwakwethusa, futhi ukufunda isiFulentshi kwakuyinselele. Phakathi nakho konke lokhu isandla sikaJehova asikaze sifinyele, ngakho nakuba kwakunezikhathi ezinzima, sasinezibusiso eziningi ngokufanayo.

Ngokwesibonelo, sacelwa ukuba sihlole imikhumbi emibili (i-Arosa Star ne-Arosa Kulm) iNhlangano eyayihlele ukuyisebenzisela ukuthwala izihambeli zomhlangano eziya emihlanganweni emikhulu yezizwe yaseYurophu ngo-1955. Benesifiso sokuba iNhlangano yenze ibhizinisi nabo, abaphathi benkampani yemikhumbi babesibonisa umusa ngezinye izikhathi, okwakuyimpumuzo ejabulisayo enkonzweni ecindezelayo yaseQuebec ngalesosikhathi.

Ekupheleni kuka-1955, ngamenywa ukuba ngikhonze njengombonisi ojikelezayo, futhi sachitha lobobusika sivakashela amabandla akude asenyakatho Ontario ebanda kakhulu. Ngonyaka olandelayo saya e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead e-United States, futhi kamuva sabelwa njengezithunywa zevangeli eBrazil, eNingizimu Melika.

Saqala ukusebenza ngentshiseko esabelweni sethu esisha futhi ngokushesha sase sikwazi ukushumayela nokufundisa ngolimi lwesiPutukezi. Ekuqaleni kuka-1957, ngaphinde ngabelwa ukuba ngisebenze njengombonisi ojikelezayo. Manje, esikhundleni sokubanda okukhulu kwaseNyakatho, kwadingeka ukuba sibhekane nokushisa okunzima. Izikhathi eziningi kwakumelwe sime futhi sikhiphe isihlabathi esishisayo ezicathulweni zethu noma sikhe umoba ukuze siwuhlafune sivuselele amandla ethu. Kodwa kwakunezibusiso.

Edolobheni laseRegente Feijo, ngakhuluma nomphathi wamaphoyisa, futhi wayala ukuba kuvalwe zonke izitolo futhi watshela wonke umuntu ukuba aye esikhungweni sedolobha okuhlanganwa kuso. Ngaphansi komthunzi wesihlahla esiqhakazile esinamahlamvu amakhulu, nganikeza inkulumo yeBhayibheli kubo bonke abantu bakulelidolobha. Namuhla kunebandla loFakazi lapho.

Ukukhulisa Abantwana Bethu EBrazil

Lapho uLucy ekhulelwa ngo-1958, sahlala eJuiz de Fora futhi sakhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile. Phakathi neminyaka emibili eyalandela, amadodakazi ethu, uSusan noKim, azalwa. Aba yisibusiso sangempela enkonzweni, eba undab’ uzekwayo edolobheni. Njengoba sasiqhuba izinqodlana zawo emigwaqweni egandaywe ngamatshe, abantu babephuma bezowabona. Njengoba kwakunesidingo esikhulu sabamemezeli boMbuso eRecife, engaseningizimu yenkabazwe, sathuthela kuleyondawo eshisa kakhulu.

Ngo-1961, angikwazanga nje ukusiza ekulungiseleleni indiza yokuthwala oFakazi ababeya emhlanganweni eSão Paulo kuphela kodwa ngakwazi nokuba khona ngokwami kulowomhlangano ongenakulibaleka. Nokho, cishe emizuzwini engu-20 sisendizeni, indiza yabheka phansi kungazelelwe, isakaza abagibeli yonke indawo ngaphakathi. Ingaphakathi lendiza laliyimvithi; izihlalo zazinyomukile ezindaweni ezaziboshelwe kuzo, nabagibeli babehuzukile futhi bopha. Ngokujabulisayo, umshayeli wendiza wakwazi ukuyilawula ukuba ingawi, futhi safika phansi siphephile. Akekho kithi owayelimele kakhulu kangangokuthi sasingenakuqhubeka siye eSão Paulo ngenye indiza. Sajabulela umhlangano omuhle ngokumangalisayo, kodwa ngathi ngangingeke ngiphinde ngihambe ngendiza!

Nokho, lapho ngifika ekhaya ngivela emhlanganweni, ngangilindelwe esinye isabelo. Kwakumelwe nginakekele umhlangano owawuyoqhutshelwa ekujuleni kwehlathi laseTeresina, eZweni lasePiauí. Kwakumelwe ngihambe ngendiza ukuya lapho. Nakuba ngangesaba, ngasamukela lesabelo, ngithembela esandleni sikaJehova.

Ngo-1962 indodana yethu, uGreg, yazalwa eRecife. Nakuba ngangingasakwazi ukuphayona ngoba manje ngase nginomkhaya okhulayo, ngakwazi ukuba yithonya elihle ebandleni elincane. Abantwana ngaso sonke isikhathi babemagange befuna ukuhlanganyela nathi enkonzweni, ngenxa yokuthi sasiyenza ithakazelise kubo. Ngamunye wabo, kusukela eminyakeni emithathu yobudala, wayesekwazi ukunikeza intshumayelo ezindlini. Sakwenza umkhuba ukuba singalokothi siphuthelwe imihlangano noma inkonzo yasensimini. Ngisho nalapho omunye emkhayeni egula futhi omunye engase asale ekhaya nalowo ogulayo, abanye babeya emhlanganweni noma bahlanganyele enkonzweni yasensimini.

Phakathi neminyaka, sasixoxa njalo njengomkhaya ngezifundo zabantwana zasesikoleni nemigomo yabo ekuphileni, sibalungiselela umsebenzi enhlanganweni kaJehova. Sasiqikelela ukuba singabenzi bavulekele emathonyeni onakalisayo, njengethelevishini. Asizange sibe nayo i-TV emzini wethu kwaze kwaba yilapho abantwana sebeve eminyakeni eyishumi nambili. Futhi nakuba sasingantuli lutho, asizange sibone ngezinto ezibonakalayo. Ngokwesibonelo, sathenga ibhayisikili elilodwa kuphela, ukuba balihlanganyele bobathathu.

Sasenza izinto ndawonye kaningi ngangokunokwenzeka, sidlala ibhola lomnqakiswano, sibhukude, futhi sithathe uhambo njengomkhaya. Uhambo lwethu lwaluhlobene nokuba khona emihlanganweni yobuKristu noma ukuvakashela amakhaya aseBethel emazweni ahlukahlukene. Loluhambo lwalusinika isikhathi sokuxoxa ngokukhululekile ukuze mina noLucy sikwazi ukuthola okwakusezinhliziyweni zabantwana bethu. Simbonga kakhulu uJehova ngaleyominyaka ejabulisayo!

Ekugcineni, iminyaka yethu eyishumi siseziNdaweni Ezishisayo eduze nenkabazwe yakuthonya kabi ukuphila kukaLucy. Ngakho sakujabulela ukushintsha isabelo siya endaweni enesimo sezulu esingcono kakhulu yaseningizimu, eCuritiba, eZweni laseParaná.

Ukuphindela ECanada

Ngo-1977, ngemva kweminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-20 siseBrazil, mina noLucy saphindela eCanada nabantwana bethu ukuze sisize ekunakekeleni ubaba owayesegula. Yeka ushintsho lwendawo ezungezile enempucuko ehlukile okwaba yilo ngomkhaya wethu! Kodwa akuzange kube nomehluko ngokomoya, njengoba salondoloza inqubo yethu efanayo nabazalwane bethu abangamaKristu abanothando.

Inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele eCanada yaba yindaba ehilela umkhaya wonke njengoba abantwana bethu bamantombazane ngokulandelana bangenela inkonzo yamaphayona esikhathi esigcwele. Sonke siye saba neqhaza emsebenzini wokuziphilisa womkhaya wethu. Noma yiliphi iholo elitholwe ematohweni lalifakwa esikhwameni sezindleko ukuze lilondoloze umuzi wethu nezimoto ezintathu ezazidingeka ukuze sihlanganise insimu yethu esakazekile. Isonto ngalinye, ngemva kwesifundo seBhayibheli somkhaya wethu, sasixoxa ngalokho esifuna ukukwenza njengomkhaya. Lezizingxoxo zasisiza ekuchazeleni umuntu ngamunye ukuthi sizobe sikuphi nokuthi yini esasiyenza ngokuphila kwethu.

Indodana yethu, uGreg, njengodadewabo abadala, naye wayenomgomo wokuba senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Kusukela lapho eneminyaka emihlanu, wazwakalisa isifiso sokusebenza ehhovisi legatsha leNhlangano, okuthiwa yiBethel. Akazange alahlekelwe umbono walowomgomo, futhi ngemva kokuphothula esikoleni esiphakeme, wasibuza sinonina: “Ingabe nicabanga ukuthi kufanele ngifake isicelo sokuya eBethel?”

Nakuba izinhliziyo zethu zazibuhlungu ngokuvumela indodana yethu ukuba ihambe, saphendula ngaphandle kokuthandabuza: “Ngeke usizwe isandla sikaJehova ngezinga elikhulu ngendlela ongasizwa ngayo lapho useBethel—sona kanye isikhungo senhlangano kaJehova.” Phakathi nezinyanga ezimbili wahamba waya eBethel yaseCanada. Lokho kwakungo-1980, futhi ubekhonza lapho kusukela ngalesosikhathi.

Iminyaka yawo-1980 iye yasilethela izinselele ezintsha noLucy. Sase siphindele lapho sasiqale khona—sibabili nje kuphela. Ngalesosikhathi uSusan wayeseshadile futhi ephayona nomyeni wakhe, futhi uKim noGreg babekhonza eBethel bobabili. Yini esasizoyenza? Lowombuzo waphendulwa ngokushesha ngo-1981 lapho simenyelwa ukuba siyokhonza isifunda sesiPutukezi, esasithatha indawo engamakhilomitha angaba ngu-2 000 eCanada. Sisawujabulela umsebenzi wokujikeleza.

UKim useshadile waya naseGileyadi, futhi manje ukhonza nomyeni wakhe emsebenzini wesifunda eBrazil. USusan nomyeni wakhe baseseCanada, bakhulisa abantwana babo ababili, futhi umyeni kaSusan uyaphayona. Ngisho nakuba umkhaya wethu uye wahlukana ngokwenyama eminyakeni yamuva ngenxa yezabelo zethu enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, sisalokhu sisondelene ngokomoya nangokomzwelo.

Mina noLucy sibheke phambili ekuboneni ikusasa elikhazimulayo nomkhaya wethu emhlabeni ohlanziwe. (2 Petru 3:13) NjengoMose wasendulo, siye sabubona ngawethu ubuqiniso bempendulo embuzweni ongadingi-mpendulo okuNumeri 11:23: “Isandla sikaJehova sifinyele na? Usuyakubona uma izwi lami liyakwenzeka kuwe noma qha.” Ngempela, akukho okungavimbela uJehova ukuba abusise izinceku zakhe ngenxa yenkonzo yazo yenhliziyo yonke.

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Nginomkami, uLucy