Indaba Yokuphila

Ukukhonza UJehova Kuyilungelo Elingenakuqhathaniswa

ILANDISWA UZERAH STIGERS

Umyeni wami owayengumngane wami othembekile enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele washona ngo-1938. Wangishiya nezingane ezimbili: usana kanye nendodana yethu eneminyaka eyishumi okwadingeka ngizikhulise ngingedwa. Nakuba ngangisafisa ukukhonza njengesikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele, ngangingakwenza kanjani lokho? Ake nginithi fahla fahla ngomlando wami ngaphambi kokuba nginitshele ukuthi ngakwazi kanjani.

NGEMVA nje kokuzalwa ngo-July 27, 1907, e-Alabama, e-U.S.A., ubaba nomama nami nezingane zakithi ezintathu sathuthela eGeorgia. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, saya eTennessee kamuva sathuthela eTampa, eFlorida. Ngesikhathi sihlala lapho, ngabuka i-“Photo-Drama of Creation” ngo-1916. Ezamabhayisikobho zazisafufusa ngaleso sikhathi ngakho wonke umuntu wayijabulela i-“Photo-Drama”!

Abazali bami babekukhuthalele ukufunda INqabayokulinda nezinye izincwadi zeBhayibheli. Nakuba ubaba ayekuthanda ukufunda lezi zincwadi, wayengahlanganyeli nabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Nokho, umama wayehamba nathi emihlanganweni. Empeleni, ngemva nje kokuthuthela eNiles, eMichigan, sasihamba njalo ngesitimela amakhilomitha angaphezu kwangu-16 siye emihlanganweni eyayiseSouth Bend, e-Indiana.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngabhapathizwa ngo-July 22, 1924, ngibonisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, umama walungisa izimo zakhe ukuze abe i-colporteur njengoba zazibizwa kanjalo izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ezingoFakazi BakaJehova ngaleso sikhathi. Isibonelo sakhe esihle nesamanye ama-colporteur sagxilisa kimi isifiso sokungenela lo msebenzi.

Ukuthola Umyeni

Ngo-1925, lapho ngisemhlanganweni omkhulu e-Indianapolis, e-Indiana, ngahlangana noJames Stigers waseChicago. Zisuka nje, ngaphawula ukuthi uJames uyisikhonzi sikaJehova esishisekayo. IChicago yayiqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-160 ukusuka ekhaya, ngakho kwakungelula ukuvakashelana. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakunebandla elilodwa vó kulelo dolobha elikhulu futhi imihlangano yayiqhutshelwa esitezi esiphezulu ekamelweni elaliqashiwe. UJames wayengibhalela njalo angikhuthaze ngokomoya. Sashada ngo-December 1926, futhi cishe ngemva konyaka sathola indodana yethu yokuqala, u-Eddie.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, mina noJames saqala inkonzo yokuphayona. Sakhonza ezifundeni ezingu-8—eMichigan, eLouisiana, eMississippi, eNingizimu Dakota, e-Iowa, eNebraska, eCalifornia nase-Illinois—futhi saba nesikhathi esimnandi kakhulu ekuphileni kwethu. Lezo zinsuku ezimnandi esasizijabulela njengomkhaya zaphela lapho uJames eqala ukugula.

Izindleko zokugula kukaJames zenza ukuba sibuyele eChicago ngo-1936 sayohlala nomamezala naye owayenguFakazi. Lapho uJames esezoshona ngangikhulelwe ingane yethu yesibili, futhi ngisebenza endaweni yokudla, ngithola i-dollar elilodwa ngosuku. Umamezala wami othandekayo waqinisekisa ukuthi sinokudla okwanele futhi wayengafuni nendibilishi le. Wasiphatha kahle kakhulu.

UJames wagula iminyaka engaba mibili, ekugcineni wabulawa isifo sokusha kobuchopho. Lokhu kwenzeka ngo-July 1938. Ngesikhathi egula, wayengasakwazi ukushayela noma ukuya enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu kodwa wayebamba wonke amathuba ayevela afakaze kwabanye. Ukuze ngisekele ekhaya ngezimali, ngayiyeka inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngakwazi ukuthola amatohwana nakuba ayesheshe aphele.

Indodana yethu uBobby yazalwa ngo-July 30, 1938, ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-8 uyise eshonile. Nokho, umamezala wayengafuni ngiye esibhedlela sikahulumeni. Kunalokho, wahlela ukuba ngiye esibhedlela esingcono ukuze udokotela wakhe anginakekele kahle. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wakhokhela zonke izindleko, ebonisa ngempela ukuthi unothando lobuKristu futhi ngakwazisa kakhulu lokho.

Ukubuyela Enkonzweni Yesikhathi Esigcwele

Ngaqhubeka ngihlala nomamezala uBobby waze wahlanganisa iminyaka emibili, u-Eddie engu-12. Nakuba kwakudingeka ngijwayele isimo sami esisha, ngangisakufisa kakhulu ukukhonza uJehova njengesikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele. Ngo-1940, emhlanganweni owawuseDetroit, eMichigan, ngahlangana nombhangqwana ongamaphayona owangikhuthaza ukuba ngize eNingizimu Carolina ngizophayona. Ngakho ngathenga imoto yohlobo lwePontiac ka-1935 ngama-dollar angu-150 futhi ngalungiselela ukuthuthela lapho. Ngo-1941, unyaka i-United States eyahileleka ngawo eMpini Yezwe II, mina nabafana bami ababili saya eningizimu futhi ngaphinde ngangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele.

Ngesikhathi sithuthela eNingizimu Carolina, saqale saya eCamden, sabuye saya eLittle River, kamuva saya eConway. Ngesikhathi sihlala eConway, ngathenga umahamba-nendlwana omncane. Umnikazi wegalaji likaphethilomu onomusa wangivumela ukuba ngiwupake lapho umahamba-nendlwana wethu, ngithole khona igesi futhi ngisebenzise ugesi ngisho nendlu yangasese yakulelo galaji. Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, kwaba nokuntuleka kukaphethilomu ngakho ngangingasawutholi. Ngabe-ke sengithenga ibhayisikili eliyisekeni. Ngo-1943, sekubonakala kunzima ukuqhubeka nokuphayona ngoba sase siphelelwe imali, ngacelwa ukuba ngibe iphayona elikhethekile futhi lokho kwasiza ngoba kwakunemadlana esasiyithola nyanga zonke. UJehova uye wangisiza kakhulu yonke le minyaka!

Ngaleso sikhathi kwakungenaFakazi eConway futhi kwakunzima ngami nezingane ukuya enkonzweni sodwa. Ngakho ngabhala ngicela ukuba kuthunyelwe umuntu oyiphayona elikhethekile engangizosebenza naye, futhi ngo-1944 ngabusiswa ngephayona elihle kakhulu—u-Edith Walker! Sakhonza ndawonye ezabelweni eziningana iminyaka engu-16. Nokho, okudabukisayo ukuthi kwadingeka abuyele e-Ohio ngenxa yezinkinga zempilo.

Izibusiso Engingasoze Ngazikhohlwa

Kunezinto eziningi ezimnandi ezenzeka ngaleyo minyaka, kodwa engingeke ngiyikhohlwe eka-Albertha oneminyaka engu-13, owayehlala eConway futhi enakekela ugogo wakhe okhubazekile nabafowabo abancane ababili. Wawathanda amaqiniso eBhayibheli engangimxoxela wona futhi efuna ukuwaxoxela abanye. Naye wayeyazisa kakhulu inkonzo yamaphayona futhi waqala ukuphayona lapho eqeda isikole ngo-1950. Sekudlule iminyaka engu-57 futhi namanje usesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele!

Ngo-1951, mina no-Edith sabelwa ukuyokhonza isikhashana eRock Hill, eNingizimu Carolina, indawo eyayinoFakazi abambalwa kakhulu. Ngemva kwalokho saya e-Elberton, eGeorgia, futhi sahlala lapho iminyaka emithathu. Sabe sesibuyela eNingizimu Carolina, futhi ngahlala khona kusukela ngo-1954 kuya ku-1962. EWalhalla, ngahlangana noNettie, owesifazane osekhulile nongezwa kahle ezindlebeni futhi owayehlala yedwa emaphandleni. Lapho sifunda, wayefunda isigaba bese mina ngimbonisa umbuzo waleso sigaba ekugcineni kwekhasi abese yena engibonisa impendulo esigabeni.

Lapho kukhona ayengakuqondi, wayebhala umbuzo wakhe ephepheni mina ngimbhalele impendulo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uNettie walazisa kakhulu iqiniso leBhayibheli kangangokuthi waqala ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla nokuya enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu. Wayeshumayela yedwa, kodwa ngangiba seduze ngokuvamile ngaphesheya komgwaqo ukuze angithole uma kwenzeka edinga usizo oluthile.

Ngesikhathi ngiseWalhalla, imoto yami yafa. Ngezwa ukuthi kunemoto eyayithengisa ibiza ama-dollar ayikhulu kodwa ngangingenamali. Ngathinta uFakazi othile owayenebhizinisi futhi wangiboleka lawo ma-dollar ayikhulu. Kwathi kusenjalo ngathola incwadi engangingayilindele ivela kudadewethu ithi babethole ukuthi kunemali ubaba ayeyifake ebhange ngaphambi kokuba ashone. Baxoxa ukuthi ingenziwani futhi bonke bavumelana ngokuthi mayithunyelwe kimi. Leyo mali yayingamadollar ayikhulu!

Ukuphayona Namadodana Ami

Ngesikhathi u-Eddie noBobby besebancane ngangihamba nabo njalo emsebenzini wokushumayela endlini ngendlu. Ngalezo zinsuku, abantu babengavamile ukuba nezinkinga zezidakamizwa futhi amathonya okuziphatha okubi ayengemabi kangako. Ukugcina ukuphila kwethu kulula nokugxila emsebenzini wokushumayela kwangisiza ngagwema izinkinga eziningi abazali ababhekana nazo namuhla lapho bekhulisa izingane zabo ukuba zikhonze uJehova.

U-Eddie wafunda eCamden waze waqeda ibanga lesithupha, ngemva kwalokho wafuna ukuphayona nami. Sakujabulela ukuphayona ndawonye iminyaka ethile. Wabe eseba nesifiso sokuyokhonza endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York, futhi wakhonza lapho kusukela ngo-1947 kwaze kwaba ngo-1957. Ngo-1958 washada no-Albertha, ongomunye wabantu engabafundela, futhi baphayona ndawonye. Yeka ukuthi kwajabulisa kanjani ukuba sobathathu sibe ndawonye ngo-2004 eSikoleni Senkonzo Samaphayona!

Ngikhumbula kudala uBobby esemncane ethandaza ecela uJehova ukuba ngithole uphethilomu owanele ukuze sikwazi ukuya kubantu esasifunda nabo iBhayibheli. UBobby uye wabonisa uthando lwenkonzo ukuphila kwakhe konke, futhi uye waphayona iminyaka eminingana. Ngokudabukisayo, kwagadla usizi nasemkhayeni kaBobby. Ngo-1970 umkakhe washona namawele abo ngesikhathi ebeletha besashade izinyanga ezingu-22 kuphela. Mina noBobby besilokhu sihlala ngandawonye futhi siyezwana kakhulu.

Namanje Ngisaphayona!

Ngo-1962, ngabelwa ebandleni engikulo manje eLumberton, eNyakatho Carolina, futhi sengihlale lapha iminyaka engu-45. Ngashayela ngaze ngeva eminyakeni engu-80. Manje ngithathwa umkhaya woFakazi ohlala ngakwami ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla nasemsebenzini wokushumayela.

Nginodondolo nesihlalo sabakhubazekile, kodwa angikudingi ngoba ngiyakwazi ukuzihambela. Ngimbonga kakhulu uJehova ngokunginikeza impilo enhle. Ngisanda nje kuqala ukuba nenkinga yamehlo. Akwenzeki ngingayi emihlanganweni yabandla, ngaphandle kwalapho ngigula kakhulu khona, futhi ngisakhonza njengephayona elivamile elibuthaka.

Njengoba ngiye ngakhonza ngenjabulo enkonzweni yamaphayona iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-70, ngingasho kugcwale umlomo ukuthi uJehova uye wangisiza ukuphila kwami konke.a Ngiyazi ukuthi angiyena umuntu ohlakaniphe kakhulu noma osheshayo lapho esebenza, kodwa uJehova uyakwazi engingakwenza nengingeke ngikwazi ukukwenza. Angive ngijabula ngokwazi ukuthi uyazi ukuthi ngiyazama nangokuthi uye wangisebenzisa.

Ngicabanga ukuthi kubalulekile ukwenza konke okusemandleni ekukhonzeni uJehova ngoba konke esinakho kuvela kuye. Ngithanda ukuzibona ngiyiphayona uma nje ngisakwazi. Yeka ukuthi kuye kwaba ilungelo elimangalisa kanjani lokhu! Ngithandazela ukuba uJehova angisebenzise kuze kube phakade.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Mina nomyeni wami sasisebenzisa le moto emsebenzini wethu wama-“colporteur”

[Isithombe ekhasini 14]

Nginamadodana ami ngo-1941

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Ngino-Eddie noBobby muva nje