Kusukela Ngo-1945 Kuya Ku-1990 ‘Ukuletha Abaningi Ekulungeni’​—Dan.12:3. (Ingxenye 1)

Kufika Izithunywa Zevangeli

Ngo-June 1947 kwafika izithunywa zevangeli ezintathu eFreetown eziphothule eWatchtower Bible School of Gilead​—uCharles Fitzpatrick, uGeorge Richardson noHubert Gresham. Ezinye eziningi zafika kamuva.

Lezi zithunywa zevangeli zabona ukuthi abamemezeli bendawo bazimisele ukushumayela, kodwa kwakudingeka babe abafundisi abaphumelelayo. (Math. 28:20) Ngakho zaqala ukubafundisa ukulandelela isithakazelo nokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli. Zabachazela nesiqondiso esiphathelene nendlela yokuqhuba imihlangano yebandla nenqubo engokwasezulwini. Kwaba nomhlangano weningi eWilberforce Memorial Hall. Kwafika abangu-450, zajabula zafa izithunywa zevangeli! Kamuva, zachaza ukuthi kumelwe kube noSuku Lukamagazini masonto onke. Lokhu kuqeqeshwa kwalenza laba nomdlandla ibandla, kwakha nesisekelo sokwanda okwakusazoba khona.

Phakathi naleso sikhathi izithunywa zevangeli zazikuthola kunzima ukujwayela isimo sezulu. Umbiko wegatsha wango-1948 uthi: “Isimo sezulu eSierra Leone siyavivinya kakhulu. Inkathi yezimvula idonsa izinyanga eziyisithupha ngonyaka, kanti uma selina, liyayidliva, line umvimbi kube nezikhukhula. Ngezinye izikhathi lina amasonto amabili linganqamuki. Ehlobo, lishisa likhiphe umkhovu etsheni kubhoke nomswakama.” Abelungu ababefike kuqala eSierra Leone babebize leli zwe ngokuthi yithuna labelungu. Kwakubhoke umalaleveva, i-yellow fever nezinye izifo zasezindaweni ezishisayo. Izithunywa zevangeli zagula, kwadingeka zihambe kuleli zwe.

Kuyaqondakala ukuthi abamemezeli bendawo badumala uma bebona lesi simo. Kodwa abadikibalanga. Phakathi kuka-1947 no-1952, inani labamemezeli landa lisuka kwabangu-38 laya ku-73. EWaterloo, idolobha eliseduze kwaseFreetown, amaphayona azikhandlayo asiza ekumiseni ibandla elisha. Kwavumbuka amaqembu amasha eKissy naseWellington, womabili esemaphethelweni eFreetown. Kwabonakala sengathi umsebenzi uzokwanda manje eSierra Leone. Yini eyayizosiza ekwandeni?

Ukuvakasha Okwaqinisa Abazalwane

Ngo-November 1952, eFreetown kwafika umMelika omude omncane ngomzimba owayesanda kuhlanganisa iminyaka engu-30, wafike wangena naye emsebenzini owawenziwa kuleli dolobha. Lesi sivakashi kwakunguMilton G. Henschel evela endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke. Siyakhumbula: “Kwangimangaza ukubona idolobha lesimanje elihlanzeke ngaphezu kwamaningi emhlabeni. . . . Imigwaqo ekhonkiwe, izitolo eziphithizelayo, izimoto ezintsha nezindimbane zabantu.”

UMfoweth’ uHenschel waya ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eFreetown elalibude buduze neCotton Tree yodumo. Wafike watshela abazalwane ababelapho ukuthi iSierra Leone izothola usizo olwengeziwe. NgeSonto elilandelayo kwatheleka abantu abangu-253 eWilberforce Memorial Hall bezomlalela ethula izaziso ezimnandi: ISierra Leone yayizoba nelayo ihhovisi legatsha, umbonisi wesifunda nemihlangano yesifunda; kwakuzomiswa ibandla elisha eKissy; umsebenzi wokushumayela emaphandleni wawuzokwandiswa kakhulu. Izilaleli zajabula kakhulu!

UMfoweth’ uHenschel wathi: “Babelokhu bethi kusheh, igama elisho ukuthi ‘kuhle!’ Abafowethu babethokozile. Bahamba ehholo sekuhlwile, . . . abanye behambe behlabelela.”

Isithunywa sevangeli esasisanda kufika, uWilliam Nushy, samiswa ukuba siqondise ihhovisi legatsha elisha. UWilliam wayekade esebenza ema-casino kulo lonke elase-United States, eshova amaphepha abele abantu amadayisi. Ngemva kokuthola iqiniso, wawushiya lowo msebenzi wasekela izimiso ezilungile​—isici esamenza wathandwa futhi wahlonishwa abamemezeli baseSierra Leone.