IMihlangano Yezigodi Neyezizwe ‘Yendlela KaNkulunkulu Yokuphila’ Ka-1998
1 IzAga 10:29 zisikhumbuza ukuthi “indlela kaJehova iyinqaba.” Yeka ukuthi umhlangano wakulo nyaka unesihloko esifaneleka kanjani—“Indlela KaNkulunkulu Yokuphila”! Sizohlaziywa kanjani lesi sihloko kulesi simiso sezinsuku ezintathu? Sonke sibheke phambili ngokulangazela okukhulu kulokho esikulungiselelwe. Futhi kuzovezwa amaphuzu abalulekile.
2 Kungenzeka ukuba emihlanganweni yenu kube nezithunywa zevangeli, izisebenzi zokwakha zakwamanye amazwe, noma abanye abakhonza ezabelweni zakwamanye amazwe. Kulindeleke ukuba emadolobheni azobe enemihlangano yezizwe kube nezinkulungwane zezihambeli ezivela kwamanye amazwe. Mhlawumbe uyozibona ezinye zalezi zivakashi. Isimiso somhlangano siyoba nemibiko emayelana nendlela uJehova abusisa ngayo umsebenzi emasimini ahlukahlukene.
3 Ukuba Khona Kuwufanele Umzamo: Abaningi babafowethu e-Afrika baye babhekana nobunzima ngenxa yezimpi neziyaluyalu ezenzeka ezingxenyeni ezithile zaleli lizwekazi. Imihlangano yabantu bakaJehova bayibheka njengesici esisekela ukuphila kwabo. Abanye kumelwe bahambe ngezinyawo amabanga amade ukuze babe semhlanganweni, kodwa abakucabangi ukuphuthelwa yiwo. Umzalwane oneminyaka engu-73 ubudala eDemocratic Republic of Congo (ngaphambili eyayiyiZaire) wahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-450 ukuze abe semhlanganweni. Wafika ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-16, izinyawo zivuvukele, kodwa ejabula ngokuthi wayekhona. Ngemva komhlangano, ejabule kakhulu futhi eqinisiwe ngokomoya, wabuyela ekhaya ngezinyawo. Lena sekuyinqubo yakhe yeminyaka eminingi!
4 EMozambique umbonisi wesigodi nomkakhe baqwala intaba ende futhi badabula ngezinyawo endaweni enkulu esalugwadule ukuze babe semhlanganweni wesifunda. Lolu hambo lwamakhilomitha angu-90 lwabathatha amahora angu-45. Bonke ababekhona sabakhuthaza kakhulu isibonelo esihle salo mbhangqwana. Imikhaya eminingi eyayikhona yayenze imizamo efanayo ukuze ibe khona. Umbonisi wesigodi wabika ukuthi abazalwane abathile, kuhlanganise nomunye oneminyaka engu-60 ubudala, bahamba amakhilomitha angu-200 ngezinyawo!
5 Ingabe usuwenzile amalungiselelo aqinisekile ukuze ube khona emhlanganweni walo nyaka? Cishe ngeke kudingeke uhambe ngezinyawo amabanga amade, kodwa kuzodingeka umzamo wokuzidela okuthile ukuze wena nomkhaya wakho nibe khona. Hlela ukuba ube khona kuso sonke isimiso kusukela ekuqaleni kuya ekuphetheni. Abafundi beBhayibheli abaningi bathuthukela ekuzinikezeleni. Ukuba khona kwabo kulo mhlangano kuzobasiza ukuba benze isinqumo esifanele. Ingabe uye wabamema ofunda nabo iBhayibheli kanye nabanye abathakazelayo ukuba babe khona kanye nawe?
6 Isimiso Sezinsuku Ezintathu: Kulo nyaka kuzokuba nemihlangano engu-22 ensimini yegatsha lethu. Senazisiwe ngomhlangano ibandla lenu elabelwe kuwo, futhi kufanele ukuthi seniwenzile amalungiselelo aqondile okuba khona ngazo zontathu izinsuku. Usuxoxile yini nomqashi wakho wacela isikhathi sokungayi emsebenzini? INkonzo Yethu YoMbuso ka-March 1998, ikhasi 6, inohlu lwezinsuku kanye nezindawo zale mihlangano okwakungakaqinisekiswa. (Ukuze ubone ushintsho olwenziwe kulolu luhlu, bheka INkonzo Yethu YoMbuso ka-May, ka-June neka-July 1998.) Isimiso siyoba ngesiBhunu, isiKwanyama, isiNgisi, isiPutukezi, iSipedi, isiSuthu, isiTsonga, isiTswana, isiVenda, isiXhosa nangesiZulu, futhi siyoba nangoLimi Lwezandla ezindaweni ezintathu.
7 Okumelwe Kuphawulwe Ngokukhethekile: Kubaluleke ngokukhethekile ukuba ube semhlanganweni ibandla lenu elabelwe kuwo. Siza ungahleli ukuya komunye wemihlangano yezizwe ngaphandle uma ibandla lenu labelwe kuwo. Izindawo zemihlangano okuyoqhutshelwa kuzo imihlangano yezizwe azinakuthatha ngisho nengxenye yabo bonke abangathanda ukuya lapho. Ukuhlonipha kwakho kanye nokubambisana nala malungiselelo kuyoqinisekisa ukuthi konke kwenzeka ngokufaneleyo nangohlelo.—1 Kor. 14:33, 40.
8 NgoLwesihlanu, ngoMgqibelo nangeSonto ekuseni, isimiso siyoqala ngo–9:30 ekuseni. NgoLwesihlanu nangoMgqibelo, isimiso siyophetha ngo–5:00 ntambama, bese ngeSonto siphetha ngo–4:00 ntambama.
9 Njengoba siya futhi sibuya emhlanganweni, kufanele sibheke amathuba okufakaza ngokwethukela. Izisebenzi zasemagalaji, abathengisa ezitolo, izisebenzi zasemahhotela kanye noweta bangase babe nesithakazelo esigijimini soMbuso. Kulungele lokhu ngokuphatha amapheshana, omagazini bamuva, izincwajana noma ezinye izincwadi ukuze ukwazi ukusebenzisa amathuba okufakaza kubantu okungenzeka abafinyeleleki ngezinye izindlela ngezindaba ezinhle.—2 Thim. 3:17.
10 “Naka Indlela Olalela Ngayo”: Abezé emhlanganweni benza ngokuhlakanipha ngokulalela iseluleko esitholakala kuLuka 8:18. Kukhuthazwa wonke umuntu ukuba aphathe iBhayibheli kanye neculo nencwajana yamaphuzu. Lalelisisa amaphuzu ayinhloko enkulumweni ngayinye, ubhale amaphuzu kafushane. Zibuze ukuthi ungakusebenzisa kanjani wena ngokwakho lokhu kwaziswa. Njalo ebusuku ngemva komhlangano, ngaphambi kokuba ulale, kungani ungabukezi amaphuzu akho futhi uhlaziye ukuthi unamathela ngokuseduze kangakanani endleleni kaJehova yokuphila.—IzAga 4:10-13.
11 Kuye kwaphawulwa ukuthi phakathi nesimiso, abanye bayaphuma ehholo bayohlala ezimotweni zabo, kanjalo baphuthelwe izinkulumo ezisesimisweni. Abanye baye babonakala bezulazula nje endaweni yomhlangano lapho kufanele ngabe bahlezi nezilaleli balalele. Kuye kwabonakala amaqembu entsha ephuma phakathi nesimiso santambama emagcekeni omhlangano. Ezinye zezinceku zikaJehova ezikhathini ezidlule zenza amaphutha angathi sína ekuphileni kwazo ngenxa yokuthi zazingazilalelisisanga izikhumbuzo zikaJehova. Ngokuqinisekile sifuna ukugwema ukwenza iphutha elifanayo. (2 AmaKh. 17:13-15) “Isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo” siye salungiselela imfundo esiyidingayo sonke. Kubaluleke ngokukhethekile ukuba ‘sizinake ngaphezu kokujwayelekile izinto esiyozizwa’ engxenyeni ngayinye yalesi simiso somhlangano sezinsuku ezintathu. Usuku ngalunye kuyoba nokuthile okuyosithakazelisa ngokukhethekile, kuhlanganise nokwaziswa okuyoba nethonya elihle endleleni yethu yokuphila esikhathini esizayo. Khona-ke, masihlale phansi ngaphambi kokuba isimiso siqale ukuze silalele umculo oqoshiwe bese sihlala phansi kuso sonke isimiso. Sicela nibambisane nabalindi uma benikhumbuza ukuba nihlale phansi. Ngokulalelisisa kwethu nokukusebenzisa ngokugcwele lokho uJehova akulungiselelayo ngokomoya ochungechungeni lwemihlangano oluzayo, ithemba lethu lizoqiniswa ngokungaxegi, ukuze “singalokothi sikhukhuleke” endleleni kaNkulunkulu yokuphila. —Math. 24:45; Heb. 2:1.
12 Ukugqoka Okudumisa UJehova: Kulezi zikhathi ezibucayi, kudingeka sinake ngaphezu kokujwayelekile ukuze singanqotshwa umoya waleli lizwe. (1 Kor. 2:12) Ukugqoka nokuzilungisa kwethu kufanele kube okunesizotha futhi kubonise isithunzi sikaNkulunkulu esimkhulekelayo. (1 Thim. 2:9, 10) Akudingeki izingubo ezibizayo ukuze sibe phakathi kwalabo ‘abahlobisa imfundiso yoMsindisi wethu, uNkulunkulu.’ (Thithu 2:10) Phawula iseluleko esihle kakhulu esisebenzisekayo nesingokomBhalo esisemakhasini 17 no-18 e-Nqabayokulinda ka-June 15, 1997, izigaba 14-18. Ungalokothi ubuthathe kalula ubufakazi obunamandla esingabunikeza ngokugqoka ngendlela edumisa uJehova.
13 UFakazi oneminyaka engu-16 ubudala walandisa ukuthi lapho yena nomfowabo beya esitolo sokudlela kusihlwa ngolunye usuku ngemva kosuku lomhlangano, baphawula ukuthi abanye babazalwane nodade ababelapho base beshintshile begqoke izingubo ezingafanelekile. Nokho, abaningi babantu ababezokudla lapho basabela kahle lapho bebona oFakazi ababegqoke ngobunono nangokufanelekayo futhi befake amabheji abo. Lokhu kwavula indlela yokunikeza ubufakazi kwabanye babo.
14 Ukuziphatha Okudumisa UJehova: Siyazi ukuthi ukuziphatha kwethu kobuKristu kungathinta indlela abanye ababheka ngayo ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngakho-ke, ngaso sonke isikhathi sifuna ukuziphatha ngendlela efanele izindaba ezinhle neletha udumo kuJehova. —Fil. 1:27.
15 Ngonyaka odlule, kwaba nomhlangano wesigodi wokuqala ngqá enyakatho ne-Angola. Ngosuku lwesibili lomhlangano, izikhulu ezimbili zamaphoyisa zathunyelwa endaweni yomhlangano ukuze ziqiniseke ukuthi kwakunokuhleleka. Zahlala lapho usuku lonke. Ekupheleni kosuku, zathi kwakuzihlabe umxhwele ezikuzwile kanye nokuhleleka ezikubonile. Esinye sazo sathi: “Kambe sithunyelwe ukuzokwenzani lapha? Siyazi ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bahlelekile emihlanganweni yabo.”
16 Ilungu leqembu lezombangazwe ezweni elithile lase-Afrika labalekela eYurophu lapho wonke amanye amalungu eqembu lalo ebulawa. Laba nezinkinga eziningi zomuntu siqu futhi ladangala kakhulu. Ekugcineni lamukela isifundo seBhayibheli. Lapho lisemhlanganweni wesigodi ngokokuqala ngqá, kwalihlaba umxhwele ukuthi abantu abanezizinda ezihlukahlukene babehlangene ndawonye ngokuthula nokuzwana. Lagculiseka ngokuthi lase lilitholile iqiniso, futhi phakathi nalowo mhlangano lanquma ukunqamula bonke ubuhlobo balo nabezombangazwe. Kamuva labhapathizwa, futhi manje lona nezingane zalo bakhonza uJehova.
17 Ukuziphatha kwethu emihlanganweni kulo nyaka kuzobathinta kanjani labo okungenzeka bayaqala ukuba khona kuyo? Ingabe bayowuqaphela umoya wokubambisana obonakala lapho sisebenza ndawonye njengezisebenzi zokuzithandela? Ingabe kuyobahlaba umxhwele ukuhlanzeka kwendawo esikuyo nokubona ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba sihambe endaweni yomhlangano, thina nezingane zethu sicosha noma yimuphi udoti okungenzeka uye wanqwabelana eduze kwezihlalo zethu? Ingabe bayokubona ukuziphatha kwethu okuhle lapho siya noma sibuya ezindaweni zethu zokulala nasendaweni yomhlangano? Ingabe bayoqaphela ukuthi thina njengabazali sibeka iso elibukhali ngazo zonke izikhathi ezinganeni zethu? Masiqiniseke ukuthi bonke abasibukayo sibanikeza umbono omuhle ngangokunokwenzeka.
18 Ukuhlangabezana Nezindleko Zomhlangano: Ithikithi lokungena ukuze uthole isihlalo emdlalweni othile noma kwesinye isenzakalo enkundleni yezemidlalo noma ehholo kungamba eqolo ezweni namuhla. Ngokwengxenye lokhu kungenxa yemali ephakeme yokuqasha izindawo emadolobheni amakhulu. Selokhu kwathi nhló iNhlangano isebenzisa isimiso sokuthi “kungenwa mahhala, akunankongozelo” emihlanganweni. Khona-ke, kuzohlangatshezwana kanjani nezindleko zokuqasha indawo nezinye izindleko zomhlangano? Ngeminikelo yomusa yalabo abazobe bekhona. Siyaqiniseka ukuthi nizobonisa umoya wokupha ofana nalowo owaboniswa izinceku zikaNkulunkulu esikhathini esidlule ngokulingisa uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu. (2 Kor. 8:7) Kuqikelelwa kakhulu ukuba yonke iminikelo ilondeke, ibhalwe phansi futhi isetshenziselwe injongo ehloselwe yona. Noma yimiphi iminikelo eyenziwa ngesheke kufanele kubhalwe ukuthi eye-“Watch Tower Convention.”
19 Izindawo Zokuhlala: Iziqondiso esezineminyaka eminingi zinikezwa zisaqhubeka zisebenza, eziwukuthi, IZIHLALO ZINGASE ZIGCINELWE KUPHELA AMALUNGU OMKHAYA WAKHO ASEDUZE KANYE NANOMA UBANI OKUNGENZEKA UHAMBA NANI EMOTWENI YENU. Kuye kwajabulisa ukubona intuthuko enhle kule ndaba, futhi lokhu kuye kwanezela emoyeni wothando oboniswa emihlanganweni. Ezindaweni eziningi, izihlalo ezithile zifinyeleleka kalula kunezinye. Sizani nibonise ukucabangela abanye, ngokuthi izihlalo ezifinyeleleka kalula kakhudlwana nizishiyele asebekhulile nabanye abazimo zabo zenza badinge zona. Khumbulani ukuthi ‘uthando aluzifuneli izinzuzo zazo siqu.’—1 Kor. 13:4, 5; Fil. 2:4.
20 Amakhamera, ama-camcorder Nezidlalimakhasethi Zokuqopha: Kuvunyelwe ukusebenzisa amakhamera nemishini yokuqopha emihlanganweni. Nokho, lapho ukusebenzisa akumelwe uphazamise abanye. Ukuhamba uthatha izithombe phakathi nesimiso kuyophazamisa abanye abazama ukugxilisa ingqondo esimisweni. Akukho mishini yokuqopha yanoma iluphi uhlobo okufanele ixhunywe ezimisweni zikagesi noma ze-sound, futhi le mishini akufanele ivimbe emaphaseji, ezindaweni okuhanjwa kuzo, noma isithe abanye.
21 Usizo Lokuqala: UMnyango Wosizo Lokuqala ungowezimo eziphuthumayo kuphela. Siza uphathe awakho amaphilisi ezinhlungu, izinto zokukusiza lapho uqunjelwe, amabhandeshi, izipeletu nezinto ezinjalo, ngoba lezo zinto ngeke zinikezwe emhlanganweni. Noma yibaphi abaziwayo ukuthi banezifo ezibavukayo, bahlushwa yi-insulin (“isifo sikashukela”), banesifo senhliziyo, njalonjalo, kufanele baphathe imithi edingekayo. Kufanele babe nelungu lomkhaya wabo noma lebandla elisiqondayo isimo sabo futhi elingasiza uma kwenzeka kuvela isimo esiphuthumayo. Kuye kwaba nezinkinga emihlanganweni lapho abantu abanezifo ezingamahlalakhona beshiywe bodwa base begula. Uma abathile abadinga ukunakekelwa okukhethekile kwempilo bengenawo amalungu omkhaya angabasiza, kuyodingeka abadala baziswe ngesimo bese benza amalungiselelo adingekayo okubasiza. Akunakwenzeka emhlanganweni ukwenza amalungiselelo ezindawo ezikhethekile zokuhlalisa labo abangezwani nezindawo ezithile noma nezinto ezithile (allergies).
22 Ukudla Emihlanganweni: Umuntu ngamunye kufanele aziphathele ukudla kwakhe kunokuba aphume enkundleni yomhlangano ngesikhathi sekhefu lasemini ukuze ayothenga okuthile ngaphandle. Ukudla okulula okunomsoco nokuphatheka kalula kuyokwanela. Isenezelo se-Nkonzo Yethu YoMbuso ka-October 1995, isigaba 26, sinikeza ukusikisela kwezinto ezingase ziphathwe. Akufanele kuziwe nezitsha zengilazi neziphuzo ezidakayo endaweni yomhlangano. Ama-cooler bag kumelwe abe mancane ukuze akwazi ukungena ngaphansi kwesihlalo sakho. Abanye ezilalelini baye babonakala bedla futhi bephuza phakathi nesimiso emhlanganweni. Ukwenza lokhu kuwukungahloniphi.
23 Yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuthi uMhlangano ‘Wendlela KaNkulunkulu Yokuphila’ Ka-1998 uzoqala maduze nje! Ingabe usuwaqedile amalungiselelo okuba khona? Kwangathi ungaba nohambo oluphephile futhi ubuyele ekhaya uqabulekile, uzimisele ukuphokophela phambili enkonzweni kaJehova eyigugu futhi uqhubeke uphishekela indlela kaNkulunkulu yokuphila ukuze ubusiswe phakade.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 6]
Esikukhunjuzwa NgoMhlangano
▪ Ubhapathizo: Abayobhapathizwa kufanele babe sezihlalweni zabo engxenyeni ebonisiwe ngaphambi kokuqala kwesimiso ngoMgqibelo ekuseni. Ngamunye ohlela ukubhapathizwa kufanele eze nengubo yokungena emanzini enesizotha nethawula. Esikhathini esidlule abanye baye bagqoka izingubo ezingafanele futhi ezingasifanelekeli lesi senzakalo. Abadala ababukeza nalabo abazobhapathizwa imibuzo esencwadini ethi Ukuhlelelwa kufanele baqikelele ukuthi bonke bayawaqonda la maphuzu. Ubhapathizo oluyisibonakaliso sokuzinikezela komuntu luyindaba engathi sína neyomuntu siqu phakathi kwakhe noJehova. Ngakho akufanele ukuba abazobhapathizwa bagaxane noma babambane ngezandla lapho bebhapathizwa.
▪ Amabheji: Siza ulifake njalo ibheji lika-1998 lapho usedolobheni umhlangano okulo nalapho uya noma ubuya kulo. Lokhu kuvame ukusivulela amathuba okunikeza ubufakazi obuhle. Amabheji nezembozo zawo kufanele ukuthole ngebandla lenu, ngoba ngeke kutholakale emhlanganweni. Ungalindi kuze kube yilapho sekusele izinsuku ezimbalwa umhlangano uqale ungakaziceleli wena nomkhaya wakho amabheji. Khumbula ukuphatha ikhadi lakho lamuva i-Advance Medical Directive/Release.
▪ Izindawo Zokulala: Sicela ukuba wonke umuntu abambisane noMnyango Wezindawo Zokulala. Onobhala bamabandla kufanele baqikelele ukuthi amafomu eSicelo Sezindawo Zokulala athunyelwa ngokushesha ekhelini lomhlangano elifanele. Uma ungasayidingi indawo yokulala elungiselelwe uMnyango Wezindawo Zokulala, kufanele umazise ngokushesha umnikazi wendawo noma umphathi wehhotela kanye noMnyango Wezindawo Zokulala womhlangano ukuze leyo ndawo inikezwe abanye.
▪ Izinqola Zabantwana: UMnyango Wezomlilo uyakwenqabela ukuba zibekwe emaphaseji noma phakathi kwezihlalo. Njengoba izixuku zabantu zingase zibangele ukuminyana, izinqola zabantwana ngeke zibe yingozi kumntwana kuphela kodwa nakunoma ubani ezingase zimkhube. Ngakho sicela ukuba ningezi nazo endaweni yomhlangano. Izihlalo zabantwana noma zasemotweni zivunyelwe, ngoba zingaboshelwa ezihlalweni eziseduze kwezabazali. Ukubambisana kwenu kubalulekile futhi kuyokwaziswa.
▪ Inkonzo Yokuzithandela: Ingabe ungakwazi ukubekela eceleni isikhathi esithile emhlanganweni sokuba usize komunye weminyango? Ukukhonza abafowenu, noma ngabe amahora ambalwa nje, kungaba usizo olukhulu futhi kukulethele ukwaneliseka okukhulu. Uma ungase ukwazi ukusiza, siza uye eMnyangweni Wenkonzo Yezisebenzi Zokuzithandela emhlanganweni. Izingane ezingaphansi kweminyaka engu-16 ubudala nazo zingenza umnikelo omuhle ngokusebenza nomzali noma omunye umuntu omdala othembekile.
▪ Izixwayiso: Qikelela ukuthi imoto yakho ikhiyiwe ngazo zonke izikhathi, futhi ungalokothi ushiye noma yini isobala ngaphakathi engayenga othile ukuba ayigqekeze. Amasela nabakhuthuzi bagxila emibuthanweni emikhulu. Akukhona ukuhlakanipha ukushiya izinto ezibalulekile esihlalweni. Ngeke uqiniseke ngokuthi wonke umuntu okhona ungumKristu. Kungani-ke ubafaka esilingweni? Kuye kwatholakala imibiko yabantu bangaphandle abazama ukunxenxa izingane ukuba zihambe nabo. NGAZO ZONKE IZIKHATHI IZINGANE ZAKHO MAZIBE LAPHO UNGAZIBONA KHONA.