Ngeke Siwuthathe Umhlalaphansi!
UKUTHI “ngeke siwuthathe umhlalaphansi” kuba umuzwa owuthola lapho uvakashela ikhaya elingavamile eTokyo, eJapane. Kunomkhaya onamadoda nabesifazane abangu-22, abalinganiselwa eminyakeni engu-70 ubudala ohlala lapho. Abahlanganisiwe ubuhlobo begazi kodwa bahlanganiswe isithakazelo esifanayo—inkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli. Baye baphikelela emsebenzini wokushumayela isikhathi esigcwele ingqikithi yeminyaka engu-1 026 bebonke! Amalungu amathathu amadala kunawo wonke azalwa ngo-1910. Abangu-7 babo baqala inkonzo yabo yesikhathi esigcwele beseminyakeni yokweva eshumini nambili. Abangu-9 babo baye babona ukwanda komsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso eJapane kusukela usaqala ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II.—Isaya 60:22.
Nokho, lesisakhiwo esinezitezi eziyisithupha esake saba igatsha le-Watch Tower siyindawo yesikhuthazo, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yomoya, ukuthambekela okuyinhloko, lezizithunywa zevangeli ezihlala lapho ezinakho. Nakuba amaningi alamaqhawe angokomoya enokulinganiselwa okungokomzimba okuhlobene nobudala nempilo ebuthaka, alikho nelilodwa kuwona elizimisele ukuyeka. OFakazi baseJapane baye bawasiza bavuselela lesisakhiwo, benza neHholo LoMbuso esakhiweni esingaphansi nekheshi.
Okuzenza Zijabule
Njengoba seziye zaba sesabelweni sazo iminyaka eminingi kangaka, lezizithunywa zevangeli zinomuzwa wokuthi leli ikhaya lazo. “Lapho ngiphindele e-Australia ngiyé emhlanganweni wesigodi kulelihlobo elidlule,” kusho elinye lamalungu amadala kakhulu alomkhaya, “ngase ngifisa ukuphindela ekhaya ngemva kwamasonto amabili!” Ziyabathanda abantu ezibakhonzayo futhi ziye zahlakulela uthando lomzwelo olujulile ngabo. Zonke lezizithunywa zevangeli ziyazazisa izincwadi nezingcingo ezizikhumbuza ngemisebenzi yesikhathi esidlule.
Leyo imiphumela yenkonzo yenkuthalo. Zishukunyiswa uthando ngoJehova, lezizithunywa zevangeli ziye zashumayela iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngokuphuthumayo ngaphansi kwezimo ezihlukahlukene. (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Thimothewu 4:2.) “Siye saziqeqeshela ukuba sijabule ngenxa nje yokuthi sikhonza uJehova,” kusho uVera MacKay, osekhonze eJapane iminyaka engu-37. “Ngisho noma kungekho muntu ovula umnyango, silapho ukuze sifakaze ngoJehova.”
Ezingu-12 zalezizithunywa zevangeli azikaze zishade, kodwa ziyajabula ngokuthi ziyakwazi ukukhonza iNkosi ngaphandle kokuphazamiseka. (1 Korinte 7:35) UGladys Gregory, osekhonze iminyaka engu-43 njengesithunywa sevangeli, ungomunye wazo. Uthi: “Ukuze ngibe nenkululeko eyengeziwe enkonzweni kaJehova, ngangenela umsebenzi wamaphayona, kamuva ngaya eGileyadi [Watchtower Bible School of Gilead], futhi kamuva emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli. Nakuba ngingazange ngenze isifungo sokungashadi, ngiye ngahlala ngingashadile, futhi njengoFakazi abaningi, angikaze ngizisole ngalokho.”
Ukuzimisela Ukuvumelana Nezimo
Nakuba abanye abantu beba nenkani lapho bekhula, izithunywa zevangeli ziye zazimisela ukuvumelana nezimo. ULois Dyer, uMolly Heron, kanye noLena noMargrit Winteler babesekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli elincane eTokyo. Bahlala lapho iminyaka engaphezu kuka-20 futhi basondelana nabantu bakuleyondawo. Ensimini yazo, lezizintokazi zakwaWinteler zazinabantu abangu-40 abayimizila kamagazini, futhi uMolly noLois babenabangu-74 kweyabo. Khona-ke, iNhlangano yabacela ukuba bathuthele ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli elinezitezi eziyisithupha maphakathi neTokyo. “Ngangidangele futhi ngingajabule ekuqaleni,” kuvuma uLena. Nokho, njengokuvamile bazivumelanisa nezimo zesabelo sabo esisha. Bazizwa kanjani manje? “Sijabula kakhulu,” kuphendula uLena. “Manje lapha kunabazalwane ababili baseBethel abasiphekela futhi basihlanzele ikhaya. Sinakekelwa kahle kakhulu.” Bonke bavumelana noLois, othi: “Ukunakekela kothando inhlangano kaJehova esinika khona kusisiza ukuba siphikelele.”
UNorrine Thompson ngokufanayo wazivumelanisa nezimo ezintsha. “Iminyaka engu-15,” esho, “ngiye ngaba nelungelo lokuhamba nomyeni wami [odabuka eNew Zealand] emsebenzini wokujikeleza lapho yonke iJapane yayiseyisigodi esisodwa.” Nokho, impilo yomyeni wakhe yawohloka, futhi kwadingeka anqobe uvivinyo olukhulu kunalo lonke ekuphileni kwakhe—ukufa komyeni wakhe eminyakeni engu-18 edlule. “Ngalesosikhathi,” esho, “okwangisiza ukuba ngiqhubeke nomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli uthando olwaluboniswa abazalwane kulo lonke elaseJapane, kanye nomthandazo nokuzigcina ngimatasa enkonzweni.”
Ukubekezela Naphezu Kwezinkinga Zempilo
“Abaningi banenkinga yempilo yohlobo oluthile, kodwa beneme, futhi isifiso sabo sokukhonza siyimfanelo evelele,” kusho u-Albert Pastor, umbonisi wekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli. Ukuze kunakekelwe izithunywa zevangeli, udokotela nomkakhe, ongumhlengikazi, baye babelwa kulelikhaya.
Ngolunye usuku cishe eminyakeni emithathu edlule, u-Elsie Tanigawa, owathweswa iziqu ekilasini le-11 leSikole SaseGileyadi, kungazelelwe iso lakhe langakwesobunxele laqala ukungaboni. Ezinyangeni ezine kamuva, iso lakhe langakwesokudla nalo lathinteka. “Ngezinye izikhathi ngiyadangala kancane ngokuthi angisakwazi ukukhonza ngendlela engake ngakhonza ngayo. Kodwa ngenxa yawo wonke amalungiselelo omusa eNhlangano nosizo lothando lwesisebenzi engikanye naso nabanye, ngiyaqhubeka ngithola injabulo enkonzweni kaJehova,” kusho u-Elsie.
UShinichi Tohara nomkakhe, uMasako, ababesekilasini laseGileyadi elilodwa no-Elsie, baye babhekana nezinhlobo eziningi zovivinyo ngokuphathelene nempilo yabo phakathi neminyaka embalwa edlule. KuShinichi, isikhulumi esinekhono, kuyinselele enkulu ukungakwazi ukubona akubhalile ngenxa yokungaboni kahle. Nakuba eseye wadlula ekuhlinzweni okukhulu nokuncane eminyakeni yamuva, amehlo akhe ayakhazimula lapho ekhuluma ngomfundi weBhayibheli oneminyaka engu-90 ubudala manje amsizayo.
Naphezu kokuba ‘neva enyameni,’ lezizithunywa zevangeli zibheka ubuthakathaka bazo ngendlela umphostoli uPawulu abubheka ngayo, owathi: “Lapho ngibuthakathaka, kulapho-ke nginamandla.” (2 Korinte 12:7-10) Zinamandla ngempela! Zisuke sezivukile zisekukhulekeleni kwasekuseni usuku ngalunye ngehora lesi-7. Ngemva kokudla kwasekuseni, lezo imizimba yazo ezivumelayo ukwenza kanjalo ziyaphuma ziye enkonzweni yasensimini yasekuseni kakhulu.
URichard noMyrtle Shiroma baphakathi kwalabo abaphuma njalo ukuya enkonzweni. UMyrtle useke wahlaselwa ukufa kohlangothi okwabangelwa ukuhlasela kwe-arteriosclerosis ebuchosheni ngo-1978, kodwa wahamba nomyeni wakhe emsebenzini wokujikeleza kwaze kwaba u-November 1987. Manje uRichard, oseneminyaka engu-70 ubudala, usiza uMyrtle ukwenza zonke izinto. Uvuka ngehora lesihlanu ekuseni, amvuse, amgeze, amgqokise, amfake izimonyo, abese emfunza. Khona-ke umkhiphela ngaphandle ngesihlalo sakhe esinamasondo ukuze baye enkonzweni yasensimini njalo ekuseni, bangena indlu ngendlu cishe ihora futhi ngemva kwalokho bafakaze kubantu ezitobhini zebhasi. UMyrtle akasakwazi ukukhuluma, kodwa amazwi okugcina awasho ayethi Dendo, dendo, amazwi esiJapane asho ukuthi “Ukushumayela, ukushumayela.”
Indodakazi yabo, uSandra Sumida, uthuthele ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli ukuze abasize. USandra naye usanda kulahlekelwa umyeni wakhe othandekayo ebulawa ukumelwa inhliziyo. Uyalazisa ilungiselelo lomusa le-Watch Tower Society lokuphinde limabele eJapane njengoba evela eGuam, lapho ayekhonza khona nomyeni wakhe njengesithunywa sevangeli. “Ngaso sonke isikhathi nganginomuzwa wokuthi angizange ngihlanganyele ngokugcwele ekusizeni abazali bami ngenxa yokuthi ngangiseGuam,” esho. “Udadewethu, uJoanne, wayebanakekela kulelikhaya. Ngakho lapho lelithuba livuleka, ngalijabulela kakhulu. Ukuba nomuzwa wokuthi ngiyadingeka lapha kuye kwangenza ngalulama kusukela ngafelwa ngokungazelele umyeni wami.”
Ukukhathazeka Kusaqhubeka
Ngisho noma lezizithunywa zevangeli zilizwa ithonya lokuguga, ziyenqaba ukuwulahla umoya wobuthunywa bevangeli. (IHubo 90:10; Roma 5:12) UJerry noYoshi Toma, ababephakathi kwabokuqala abathweswa iziqu eGileyadi abeza eJapane, basaphuma baye ensimini yamabhizinisi ezansi nedolobha eShibuya. “Lapho sifika esakhiweni esiyizitezi ezimbili esasilapha ngo-1949, sasisuka komunye umgodi wokukhosela siye komunye. Manje iTokyo isishintshe yaba idolobha elikhulu. Sesigugile futhi asisenakukwazi ukwenza okuningi njengoba sasenza ngaphambili. Kodwa lapho sibuya ukuyoshumayela, sizizwa siqabuleke kakhulu,” kusho uYoshi.
ULillian Samson usebe yisithunywa sevangeli eJapane iminyaka engu-40 futhi uyijabulela kakhulu inkonzo yakhe. “Manje ngisiza owesifazane oneminyaka engu-80 owayefunda nengangisebenza naye, u-Adeline Nako, osephindele eHawaii ukuze anakekele unina ogulayo. Lona wesifazane usanda kuqala ukuba ummemezeli woMbuso ngemva kokunqoba inkinga yokukhulekela abaphansi. Waya ethempelini futhi watshela umkampristi, ‘Sengiphendukele ebuKristwini!’” Ngenxa yezinjabulo ezinjalo ekuphileni kwakhe, uLillian akakaze alukhalele usuku ayeka ngalo umsebenzi wakhe wokuziphilisa futhi waqala ukuphayona lapho eneminyaka engu-19 ubudala.
URuth Ulrich noMartha Hess, asebesebenze ndawonye njengezithunywa zevangeli iminyaka engu-45, baye basebenza behlala kulelikhaya lezithunywa zevangeli iminyaka engu-35. Baye bazinza kulensimu. Umbonisi wesifunda wake wabuza uMartha: “Ungangiboleka yini ubuso bakho ukuze ngiye endlini ngendlu?” Abantu babebazi ubuso bukaMartha futhi bethatha omagazini kuyilapho umbonisi wesifunda ayekuthola kunzima ukuqala ingxoxo.
URuth unowesifazane ongumzila wakhe kamagazini ongakwazi ukufunda ngenxa yezinkinga zempilo. Nakuba kunjalo, lona wesifazane uyaqhubeka ethatha omagazini futhi wamukele nencwadi enoqwembe oluqinile ethi Ukufuna Kwesintu UNkulunkulu. URuth wazibuza ukuthi kufanele aqhubeke yini eletha omagazini njengoba kwakubonakala sengathi akukho muntu ofunda lezizincwadi. Khona-ke ngolunye usuku umyeni walowesifazane weza kuRuth ephethe lencwadi ethi Ukufuna, ethi: “Lencwadi yinhle kakhulu! Sengiyifunde yonke izikhathi ezimbili.” URuth waqala isifundo seBhayibheli naye nomkakhe.
Lelikhaya lezithunywa zevangeli ngokwalo lidonsa ukunakekela kwabantu abathakazelayo. Ngenye intambama, insizwa ethile yeza kulelikhaya yathi: “Ngizwé kuthiwa uma ngingeza lapha, ngizoluthola usizo ekufundeni iBhayibheli.” Kwaqalwa isifundo seBhayibheli nayo. Njengompheki esitolo esithengisa ukudla samaShayina, lensizwa yayisebenza nowesifazane okwase kuyiminyaka eminingi asuswa ekuhlanganyeleni. Omagazini ababehanjiswé lapho ummemezeli efike kulesisitolo esithengisa ukudla baze bafika nasekhishini. Lompheki osemusha wabathanda futhi waqala ukubuza lona owayenguFakazi imibuzo. Lapho ehluleka ukuyiphendula, wamtshela ukuba aye ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli. Manje usekhonza njengenceku ekhonzayo nanjengephayona. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lona wesifazane wabuyiselwa ekuhlanganyeleni, futhi ekugcineni naye waba iphayona elivamile.
Zonke izithunywa zevangeli kulelikhaya ziyakwazisa lokho uJehova azenzele khona. Ziye zafika zivela e-Australia, eCanada, eHawaii, eSwitzerland, nase-United States, futhi ezingu-11 zazisekilasini le-11 noma emakilasini okuqala esikole saseGileyadi. Ziye zabona intuthuko yomsebenzi woMbuso eJapane futhi zizizwa ngendlela iNkosi uDavide eyazizwa ngayo, eyathi: “Kade ngimusha, manje sengimdala; angizange ngibone olungileyo eshiyiwe nenzalo yakhe iphanza ukudla.” (IHubo 37:25) Ngenxa yokwazisa ukunakekela kothando kukaNkulunkulu, lezizithunywa zevangeli azizimisele ukuthatha umhlalaphansi kodwa zizimisele ukuqhubeka zikhonza uJehova.