NGineminyaka Eyikhulu Ubudala Futhi Ngisewumqemane

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGURALPH MITCHELL

Ubaba, indoda elingene nje ngobude, wayengumshumayeli waseWeseli. Njalo ngemva kweminyaka emibili noma emithathu wayesuswa esontweni elithile ayiswe kwelinye ikakhulukazi emadolobhaneni amancane ngokulandelana kwawo, kuhlanganise ne-Asheville, eNyakatho Carolina, e-U.S.A., lapho ngazalelwa khona ngo-February 1895. Ngakho ngakhula ngijwayelene kakhulu neLobukholwa.

NGIKHUMBULA ngisewumfanyana ngiholwa ngiyiswa “ebhentshini labalilayo” ezimvuselelweni ngiyogcwaliswa ngomoya ongcwele—ukuze “ngithole inkolo,” njengoba babekubiza kanjalo. Ngatshelwa ukuba ngivume izono zami, ngigcine iMiyalo Eyishumi, futhi ngiziphathe kahle. Kanjalo ngangizoya ezulwini lapho ngifa. ‘Nokho,’ ngikhuluma ngedwa, ‘kusho ukuthi ngizoya esihogweni ngoba anginakuziphatha kahle ngokwanele ukuba ngiye ezulwini.’ Ngangicabanga ukuthi abantu abadala kuphela—ikakhulukazi abashumayeli—abaphila ngokuvumelana nezindinganiso zeBhayibheli.

Kodwa ngisho nangaphambi kokuba ngeve eshumini nambili, ngaqala ukubona ubuzenzisi enkolweni. Ngokwesibonelo, ubaba wayengadela izidingo zezinto ezibonakalayo zomkhaya wakhe ukuze nje afake imali enkulu esikhwameni sombhishobhi emhlanganweni wabefundisi. Wayenethemba lokuthi lokhu kwakuzomenza amiswe phezu kwesonto elikhudlwana. Ngikhumbula omunye umshumayeli wendawo owayenza nomsebenzi wokulima ukotini. Wayemagange ngokuthola isikhundla esiphambili, ngakho wathengisa imishuqulu kakotini eyikhulu wabe eseya kulomhlangano egcwele imali emaphaketheni. Lapho kubonakala sengathi yase itholakele yonke imali eyayingatholakala ezilalelini—iningi lazo elalingabashumayeli—lomlimi kakotini wagxuma wabe esememeza: “Yilokhu kuphela nje enikunikeza umbhishobhi wenu? Ngomshumayeli ngamunye oletha ama-dollar amahlanu, ngizokhipha ama-dollar ayishumi!” Kwaqoqwa ama-dollar angaphezu kwayinkulungwane, umbhishobhi wabe esemisa lendoda njengomongameli kababa. Ngangingakholelwa ukuthi ukumiswa okunjalo kwakuvela kuNkulunkulu. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke ngangabaza noma yini ehilela inkolo.

Lapho i-United States ingenela empini yezwe yokuqala ngabuthwa. Ngikhumbula kahle ngizwa abefundisi empini beshumayeza thina masosha ngokulwela izwe lethu ngobuqotho, futhi lokhu kwamane kwayenza yanginenga kakhulu inkolo. Imigomo yami yayiwukuba ngisinde, ngiqede imfundo yami, bese ngishada. Inkolo yayingenandawo lapho ngihlelela ikusasa lami.

Ukushintsha Kwesimo Sengqondo

Ngo-1922, ngathandana nowesifazane osemusha okwakuthiwa uLouise. Kwahlaluka ukuthi wayengumKatolika ozinikele, futhi lapho sinquma ukushada, wayefuna umshado wobuKatolika. Nokho, ngangingafuni mcimbi ongokwenkolo wanoma iluphi uhlobo, ngakho wavuma ukuthi sishadele esakhiweni sikamasipala eNew York City.

Ekuqaleni asizange siphikisane ngenkolo. Ngamane nje ngakwenza kwacaca kuye ukuthi ngangingayethembi inkolo nokuthi sasiyozwana uma nje sasingayiphathi. Khona-ke, phakathi nonyaka ka-1924 no-1937, saba nezingane—zafika zilandelana, kwaze kwaba yilapho sesinabafana abahlanu namantombazane amahlanu! ULouise wayefuna ukuba izingane zethu zifunde esikoleni samaKatolika. Ngangingafuni zithole noma yiluphi uhlobo lokuqeqeshwa okungokwenkolo, ngakho saphikisana ngalokho.

Ngasekuqaleni kuka-1939 kwenzeka okuthile okwakuzowushintsha ngokuphelele umbono wami ngenkolo. Kwafika uHenry Webber noHarry Piatt, oFakazi BakaJehova ababili, emzini wami eRoselle, eNew Jersey. Kwasheshe kwaba sobala ukuthi babefuna ukukhuluma ngalendaba engangingenasithakazelo sokuxoxa ngayo—inkolo. Ukholo lwami lwalusonakaliswe iqiniso lokuthi empini abefundisi babethi, ‘Lilwele izwe lakini,’ kuyilapho emuva ekhaya babethi, ‘Ungabulali.’ Yeka ubuzenzisi! Ngazitshela ukuthi ngizobalungisa laboFakazi ababili. “Ake nginitshele,” ngisho kubo. “Uma inkolo yenu ingeyeqiniso, khona-ke zonke ezinye zingezamanga. Futhi ngisho noma eyodwa kuphela kulezi ezinye ingeyeqiniso, khona-ke zonke ezinye, kuhlanganise neyenu, zingezamanga. Kungaba nenkolo yeqiniso eyodwa kuphela.” Kwangimangaza kakhulu ukuthi bavumelana nami!

Ngemva kwalokho, bangicela ukuba ngithathe iBhayibheli lami ngivule kweyoku-1 Korinte 1:10. Lapho, ngafunda: “Kepha ngiyanincenga‚ bazalwane‚ ngegama leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ukuba nikhulume-zwilinye nonke‚ kungabikho ukwahlukana phakathi kwenu‚ kodwa nipheleliswe emqondweni munye nasekuboneni kunye.” (King James Version) Lombhalo wavusa isithakazelo kimi. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngangisaba ukuthi labalisa ababili babezama ukungifaka ohlotsheni oluthile lwehlelo. Kodwa ngase ngifunde okuthile—ukuthi akufanele kube nokuhlukana phakathi kwamaKristu. Ngangineminye imibuzo eminingi engqondweni yami. Ngokwesibonelo, Kwenzekani emphefumulweni lapho umuntu efa? Yeka indlela engangingakujabulela ngayo ukuxoxa nabo ngalowo mbuzo! Kodwa ngacabanga ukuthi lokho kwakuyobangela impikiswano enkulu engokwenkolo lapha ekhaya.

Khona-ke omunye walabalisa ababili wathi: “Singathanda ukuba sibuye sizoxoxa nawe futhi ngesonto elilandelayo.” Ngazama ukubachitha ngobuhlakani, kodwa umkami wakhulumela phezulu. “Ralph,” esho, “bafuna ukwazi ukuthi bangabuya nini.” Lokhu kwangimangaza, njengoba ayengumKatolika oshisekayo! Ngaqhubeka ngicabanga, ‘Mhlawumbe nje singathola amaphuzu athile esivumelana ngawo endabeni yenkolo.’ Ngakho ngavuma ukuba uHenry Webber noHarry Piatt baphinde bangivakashele ngoLwesihlanu olulandelayo.

Ngaqala kanjalo-ke ukufunda iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Kungakapholi maseko, ngamenywa ukuba ngibe khona emhlanganweni eMadison Square Garden eNew York City. Ngiyikhumbula ngokucacile inkulumo kaJoseph F. Rutherford ethi “Uhulumeni Nokuthula,” ayinikeza ngo-June 25, 1939. Ngangingomunye wabantu abangu-18 000 ababekhona. Empeleni, lenkulumo yezwiwa abangu-75 000, uma uhlanganisa nalabo ababexhunywe esiteshini somhlaba wonke kusetshenziswa umsakazo nezintambo zocingo.

Nokho izinto azihambanga ngokushelela. Abalandeli bompristi wamaKatolika uCharles Coughlin babeye basongela ngokuthi bazowuhlakaza lomhlangano, futhi nangempela, cishe maphakathi nenkulumo kaMfoweth’ uRutherford, amakhulu abantu abathukuthele aqala ukukloloda nokukhuza iziqubulo ezinjengokuthi, “Heil Hitler!” nokuthi “Viva Franco!” Kwakunesiphithiphithi esikhulu kangangokuthi sasizwakala emsakazweni! Kwathatha imizuzu engaba ngu-15 ukuba abalindi bathulise lesi sixuku. Phakathi naso sonke lesi sikhathi, uMfoweth’ uRutherford waqhubeka ekhuluma ngesibindi njengoba ihlombe eliphindelelayo lezethameli lalimsekela.

Manje ngase nginelukuluku lokwazi ngempela. Umpristi wamaKatolika wayengayiphembelani inzondo engaka ngoFakazi BakaJehova? Ngabona ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kunokuthile okuyiqiniso kulokhu uRutherford ayekushumayela—okuthile abefundisi ababengafuni abantu abafana nami bakuzwe. Ngakho ngaqhubeka ngitadisha iBhayibheli futhi ngithuthuka. Ekugcineni, ngo-October ka-1939, ngabonisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi. Ezinye zezingane zami zabhapathizwa ngonyaka owalandela, futhi umkami, uLouise, wabhapathizwa ngo-1941.

Ukubhekana Nokulingwa

Ngokushesha ngemva kokuba ngamukele iqiniso, umama washona, kwase kudingeka ngibuyele eNyakatho Carolina ukuze ngibe semngcwabeni wakhe. Ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi ngangingeke ngonembeza omuhle ngibe senkonzweni eyayiyoqhutshelwa phakathi esontweni laseWeseli. Ngakho ngaphambi kokuba ngihambe ngashayela ubaba ucingo ngamcela ukuba agcine ibhokisi endlini okugcinwa kuyo izidumbu. Wavuma, kodwa lapho ngifika, base besendleleni ebheke esontweni, becabanga ukuthi nakanjani ngangiyohamba nabo.

Nokho, angizange, futhi lokhu kwabangela isiyaluyalu esikhulu emkhayeni wakithi. Nakuba ngaso sonke isikhathi mina nodadewethu u-Edna sasisondelene, ngemva komngcwabo kamama wayengasangikhulumisi. Ngabhala izincwadi, kodwa akaziphendulanga. Njalo ehlobo lapho u-Edna ezé eNew York ezifundweni zothisha eCity College, ngangizama ukumbona. Kodwa wayengiphindisela emuva, ethi umatasa. Ekugcineni ngahlanza ngedela, ngoba kwakubonakala sengathi ngiyamhlupha nje kuphela. Kwadlula iminyaka eminingi ngaphambi kokuba ngiphinde ngizwe ezivela kuye.

Ngenxa yokwenqaba kwazo ukushayela ifulegi indesheni, eziyisithupha ezinganeni zami zaxoshwa esikoleni ngo-1941, njengoba kwaba njalo nangezinye izingane eziningi e-United States naseCanada. Ukuze kuhlangatshezwane nemfuneko engokomthetho yemfundo, oFakazi bahlela izikole zabo siqu ezazibizwa ngokuthi iZikole ZoMbuso. Isikole izingane zami ezazifunda kuso sasisesakhiweni esasikade siyihhotela eLakewood, eNew Jersey. Esitezi sokuqala kwakuneHholo LoMbuso, kanye nekilasi lesikole, ikhishi, nendawo yokudlela. Izindawo zokulala zamantombazane zazisesitezi sesibili, futhi izindlu zabafana zokulala zisesitezi sesithathu. Kwakuyisikole esikahle. Izingane eziningi ezazihlala lapho zaziya emakhaya ngezimpelasonto kuphela. Ezazihlala kude zaziya emakhaya njalo ngempelasonto yesibili.

Kusukela eminyakeni yami yokuqala ngiseqinisweni, nganginesifiso esivuthayo sokuba iphayona, njengoba abashumayeli bevangeli besikhathi esigcwele boFakazi BakaJehova bebizwa kanjalo. Emhlanganweni wango-1941 eSt. Louis, eMissouri, umzalwane othile esimisweni washo indlela ayekwazi ngayo ukuphayona ebe ekhulisa izingane ezingu-12. Ngacabanga, ‘Uma ekwazi ukuphayona enezingu-12, ngingakwazi ukuphayona nginezingu-10.’ Nokho, izimo zami azizange zingivumele ukuba ngiqale ukuphayona kwaze kwaba seminyakeni engu-19 kamuva. Ekugcineni, ngo-October 1, 1960, ngakwazi ukuqala ukukhonza uJehova njengephayona elivamile.

Ukuvakashelwa Okungalindelekile

Ngo-1975, ngathola ucingo oluvela kudadewethu u-Edna. Manje ngase ngineminyaka engu-80 ubudala, futhi kwase kuyiminyaka engaba ngu-20 ngingamboni futhi ngingezwa nezwi lakhe. Wayeshaya ucingo esesikhumulweni sezindiza, futhi wangicela ukuba ngize ngizobalanda nomyeni wakhe. Kwakukuhle ukuphinde ngibone u-Edna, kodwa kwakuseza okungalindelekile nakakhulu. Endleleni eya ekhaya, umyeni wakhe wathi, “Kukhona osekanye nani.” Angazanga ukuthi wayesho ukuthini. Lapho sifika ekhaya, waphinda wathi, “Kukhona osekanye nani lapha.” Umkami waqonda zisuka nje. Ephendukela kudadewethu, wabuza, “Edna, unguFakazi?” “Ngokuqinisekile,” kuphendula u-Edna.

Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba u-Edna amukele iqiniso? Phela, ngo-1972, ngizama ukulungisa ubuhlobo bethu obulimele, ngangimthumelele isipho sesikhokhelo se-Nqabayokulinda. Cishe ngemva konyaka, u-Edna wagula futhi wangakwazi ukuphuma kwakhe. Labomagazini babesesedeskini lakhe besongiwe. Ngenxa yelukuluku lokwazi, u-Edna wavula omunye waqala ukuwufunda. Lapho ewuqeda lomagazini, wacabanga eyedwa, ‘Leli yiqiniso!’ Ngesikhathi oFakazi BakaJehova bevakashela kwakhe, wayesefunde inqwaba yomagazini INqabayokulinda. Wamukela isifundo seBhayibheli, futhi ngesikhathi esifanele waba ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.

Ukubhekana Nokulahlekelwa

Ekugcineni umkami, uLouise, wangenwa isifo sikashukela, futhi isimo sakhe saba sibi waze washona ngo-1979, eneminyaka engu-82. Lapho uLouise efa, kwafa nengxenye ethile yami. Ngafika kwangqingetshe. Angikwazanga okwakufanele ngikwenze. Ngangingalihlelele ikusasa, futhi ngangisidinga kakhulu isikhuthazo. Umbonisi ojikelezayo, uRichard Smith, wangikhuthaza ukuba ngiqhubeke nenkambo yami yokuphayona. Ngathola ukuthi okwakungiduduza kakhulu kwakuwukududuza abanye ababelahlekelwe abathandekayo ngokufa.

Ngo-1979 i-Watch Tower Society yayihlela uhambo lokuvakashela kwa-Israel, ngakho ngabhalisa. Lolu hambo lwangivuselela kakhulu, futhi lapho ngibuyela ekhaya, ngaphindela ngayosebenza enkonzweni yamaphayona. Unyaka ngamunye kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ngiye ngakwenza umsebenzi wami ukusiza ensimini engabelwe noma engasetshenzwa njalo kwenye ingxenye yezwe. Nakuba sengikhulile, ngisakwazi ukuzenza ngitholakalele leli lungelo.

Phakathi nayo yonke leminyaka, ngiye ngasiza abantu engingabalinganisela kwabangu-50 ukuba bangene emgwaqweni oya ekuphileni. Eziningi zezingane zami ziseqinisweni. Amabili emadodakazini ami akhonza njengamaphayona avamile. Enye indodakazi, uLouise Blanton, ikhonza endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York, nomyeni wayo, uGeorge, futhi enye yamadodana ami iye yakhonza njengomdala iminyaka eminingi.

Yebo, ngenxa yokungapheleli esakuzuza njengefa kubazali bethu bokuqala abangabantu, sonke siyagula futhi siyafa. (Roma 5:12) Ngokuqinisekile ukuphila kwami kunazo izinhlungu ezingamahlalakhona. Njengamanje umlenze wami wesobunxele unenkinga yokuqaqamba. Ngezinye izikhathi ungihlupha kakhulu, kodwa awuzange ungivimbele ukuba ngihambahambe. Futhi ngithandazela ukuba ungangivimbeli. Ngifuna ukuhlala ngiphilile. Isifiso sami esikhulu siwukuba ngiqhubeke enkonzweni yamaphayona kuze kube sekupheleni, ngenza konke engingakwenza ukuze ngenze igama nezinjongo zikaJehova kwaziwe.

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

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