Ukujabulela Ukukhonza Njengoba UJehova Efuna
Njengoba ilandiswa nguEmil H. Van Daalen
IMIPHUMELA yeMpi Yezwe I yayizwakala emhlabeni wonke. Ukuwa ngokwezimali ngo-1929 kwabangela abaningi ukuba bazibulale ngenxa yokulahlekelwa izimali zabo. Lokhu kwalandelwa ukwanda kwesomiso, iziphepho zothuli ezibangela ubumpumputhe, isishayo sesikhonyane, isivuno esincane, intengo ephakeme yemfuyo nokusanhlamvu nokwanda kokungabi namsebenzi. Okwakungaphezu kwakho konke, ukusongela kwenye impi kwakusondela. Yebo, njengoba iBhayibheli labikezela, ‘abantu baphela amandla ngokwesaba nangokubheka okuvelela umhlaba.’—Luka 21:26.
Ngaleso sikhathi umkhaya wethu wawuhlala epulazini empumalanga yeNingizimu Dakota—abazali bami, amadodana abo ayisikhombisa nendodakazi eyodwa. UMama noBaba kakade base beyibonile iMpi Yezwe I, balahlekelwa ipulazi futhi babezama ukuvuselela elinye. Benamadodana amaningi kangaka ukwesaba enye impi kwababangela ukukhathazeka okukhulu.
Ukufunda Ukwenza Intando KaJehova
Ngaleso sikhathi ngangingazi ukuthi indaba ethile yomhubi weBhayibheli yayizobusa okuningi kokuphila kwami. Lawa kwakungamazwi kaDavide aphefumlelwe: “Ngiyathanda ukwenza intando yakho, Nkulunkulu wami.” (IHubo 40:8) Konke kwaqala emuva ngo-1932.
Ngalowonyaka uEdward Larson, umthengisi ohambelayo, weza ethengisa ngezinongo zakhe, insipho nokufanayo. Kodwa wayenokuthile okubalulekile—isigijimi. Wasitshela ukuthi amasonto ayengafundisi iqiniso, ukuthi uJesu Kristu wayebusa njengeNkosi yasezulwini, ukuthi izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kwakumelwe zishunyayelwe nokuthi ngemva kwempi kaNkulunkulu yeArmagedoni abalungileyo bayojabulela ukuphila phakade.—IsAmbulo 16:14, 16; 21:1-4.
Umama, ngokukhethekile, wahlatshwa umxhwele kakhulu. Umkhaya oseduze ngokufanayo wathakazela. Ngakho, ngokushesha kwakunemikhaya emithathu, kuhlanganise nabakwaLarson, “abalamukela izwi ngenhliziyo yonke, bahlolisisa imiBhalo.”—IzEnzo 17:11.
Cishe ngesikhathi esifanayo uRalph Vittum, iphayona (ummemezeli woMbuso wesikhathi esigcwele) ehamba ngemoto endala iModel-T Ford, wafika ekhaya. Abazali bami bammema ukuba ahlale nathi lapho efakaza kubantu bendawo. Sasihlala kuze kube phakathi kwamabili noma kube ihora lokuqala ebusuku echaza iqiniso ngoMbuso noma edalula izimfundiso zamasonto ngesihogo, uZiqu zintathu, ukungafi komphefumulo, nezinye izimfundiso ezingamanga. Nakuba sasingenaso isifundo seBhayibheli esivamile, sasiqala ukuziqonda izinjongo zikaNkulunkulu ngesintu nokuthi singayenza kanjani intando yaphezulu. Yeka ukukhululeka nenjabulo okwakuyiyo, ikakhulu ngabazali bami!
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi sahlangana noFakazi abengeziwe. Ngaleyondlela sangena ebandleni lezinceku zikaJehova.
Injongo Entsha Ekuphileni
Konke lokhu kwaqala lapho ngisesikoleni esiphakeme. Ngo-1934 ngaqala enkonzweni yasensimini futhi ngabhapathizwa eminyakeni emibili kamuva. Phakathi naleso sikhathi esinzima sesomiso nesiphepho sothuli, ngasebenza amasonto amabili ngifakaza ensimini engabelwe. Sasipheka ukudla kwethu silale phansi noma emotweni, noma ikuphi lapho kwenzeka sibe khona ekupheleni kosuku. Kodwa sasijabula, sazi ukuthi senza intando kaNkulunkulu.
Kulolohambo, sahlangana nowesifazane owayethole incwajana ethi Dividing the People. Lapho eyifunda, waqaphela ukuthi isigijimi sasiyiqiniso, wa-oda inani elikhulu lalezincwajana eWatch Tower Society futhi wazisakaza komakhelwane bakhe nabangane. Waba ufakazi kaJehova oshiseka kakhulu.
Ngo-October 1938 umfowethu uArthur nami saqala ukuphayona. Sasebenza kakhulu izindawo zasemaphandleni empumalanga yeNingizimu Dakota nasentshonalanga Minnesota. Kamuva sahlanganiswa nomunye umfowethu wenyama, uHomer, noMzalwane uCarrol Tompkins. Ngaleso sikhathi sasinendlu edonswayo nezimoto ezimbili. Sasebenza indawo yaseMissouri, eLouisiana naseIowa. Lapho siseDolobheni laseSioux ngo-1941, sathola izabelo zobuphayona obukhethekile eWatertown, eNingizimu Dakota.
Ukukhonza Phakathi Neminyaka Yokuqala Yempi
IMpi Yezwe II yayiqhubeka, futhi izinsizwa zazibuthelwa empini. Kodwa akekho phakathi kwethu owahamba ngenxa yesimo sethu sokukhonza njengabashumayeli boMbuso besikhathi esigcwele. Kwadumaza abalimi baseWatertown ukubona izinsizwa ezine eziseminyakeni yokuba sebusosheni ‘zichitha isikhathi sazo zihamba indlu ngendlu nezincwadi zeBhayibheli’ kuyilapho amadodana abo ehileleke empini. Ngomunye uMgqibelo ebusuku sasisemgwaqweni sihambisa izincwadi zethu zeBhayibheli lapho iziphathimandla zifika zisithatha zisiyisa esikhungweni samaphoyisa. Zasitshela ukuthi kumelwe sihambe edolobheni phakathi namasonto amabili ngaphandle kwalokho sizoboshwa. Njengoba kulindelekile, sabheka lokhu njengesabelo sethu esivela kuJehova futhi saba nomuzwa ofana nowabaphostoli lapho betshelwa ukuba bayeke ukushumayela: “Simelwe ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.”—IzEnzo 5:29.
Emasontweni amabili kamuva, njengoba sasishiya indlwana yethu siya enkonzweni yasensimini, amaphoyisa afika, asibopha futhi asifaka ejele. Ngalobo busuku ummeli wedolobha—umgqugquzeli ophambili wakho konke—wasibuza ngabanye, futhi imibuzo yaqhubeka kwaze kwaba semahoreni asekuseni. Sachitha izinsuku ezine ejele. Basibeka icala ngezinto eziningi, kodwa icala esabekwa lona naseNkantolo eNkulu kaHulumeni laliwukuthi kwakufanele sihlanganise isenti lentela yentengo ngayo yonke incwadi esiyihambisayo ebiza 25c futhi kwakumelwe siyikhokhe kuhulumeni. INkantolo eNkulu yanquma ukuthi ngenxa yesimo somsebenzi wethu intela enjalo yayiyoba engafanelekile. Kanjalo uJehova wasibusisa ngokunqoba, futhi namuhla kunebandla elichumayo loFakazi BakaJehova eWatertown.
Ukuqeqeshelwa Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esizayo
Manje kwase kungu-1942. Impi yayidlondlobala, kodwa kwakubonakala ngokukhanyayo ukuthi kwakunomsebenzi omningi okwakusamelwe wenziwe ukuze kugcwaliseke amazwi kaJesu: “Ngalokho hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi nibabhapathize . . . nibafundise.”—Mathewu 28:19, 20.
Abafowethu ababili nami sathola izicelo zokuya eklasini lokuqala leWatchtower Bible School of Gilead. Cabanga ukumangala kwethu nenjabulo! Sasiyini ukuba singabusiswa ngalelilungelo elikhulu kangaka? Satshelwa ukuthi kungenzeka singaphinde sibuyele emakhaya sisekulesimiso esingaphambi kweArmagedoni. Kwakuyisikhathi sesinqumo. Kodwa kwakunempendulo eyodwa kuphela: Ukwenza intando kaJehova kwakuyinjabulo yethu. (IHubo 40:8) Ngaphandle kwalokho, saba nenjabulo echichimayo lapho sithola ukuthi umfowethu wenyama uLeo nomkakhe uEunice nabo babezoba abafundi kanye nathi. Lokhu kwakuyokwenza abayisithupha bethu kube abomkhaya owodwa kuleloklasi lokuqala.
Ngemva kwezinyanga ezinhle kakhulu zokufunda, ngaba nelungelo lokuthola ukuqeqeshwa okukhethekile eBethel yaseBrooklyn, kuhlanganise nababili babafowethu. Ngemva kwalokho, sathunywa njengababonisi besifunda. Ngaba nelungelo lokuhambela amabandla amaningi emazweni aselowa naseNebraska. Ekugcineni, ngasithola isabelo sami njengesithunywa sevangeli. SasisePuerto Rico, nomfowethu uLeo, umkakhe uEunice nomzala wami uDonald. Yeka isibusiso! Uthando lukaJehova ngempela lwalusobala.
Ukulandelela Intando KaJehova Emasimini Amasha
Safika ePuerto Rico ngoMarch 13, 1944. Manje kwafika uvivinyo olukhulu. Sazizwa sibancane futhi sisodwa ezweni elinabantu abacishe babe izi-2 000 000. Ikhono lethu lokuzwa nokukhuluma iSipanishi lalilinganiselwe! Ingabe sasizobekezela? Ingabe ukholo lwethu lwaluqine ngokwanele? Ingabe ngempela sasikholelwa ukuba kwakuyintando kaJehova ukuba sibe lapho? Kwakuzobonakala ngokuqhubeka kwesikhathi.
Ngosuku lwesibili sifikile saphuma ngesibindi ukuba siyofakaza komakhelwane bethu ngeSipanishi sethu sokungingiza. Ngokushesha salahla uvalo lwethu njengoba abantu babebonisa umusa nokubekezela. Sahlangana nodade ababili abangamaphayona ababelapho kakade nabazalwane nodade abambalwa eSanturce naseArecibo. Bajabula kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi babezothola usizo. Ukuhanjiswa kwezincwadi kwakukuhle kakhulu. Sathola isithakazelo esikhulu kangangoba kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba sifunde nabo bonke ababefisa ukufunda iqiniso. Encwadini, engayibhala ngokushesha ngemva kokufika kwethu, ngacela iWatch Tower Society ukuba ithumele izithunywa zevangeli ezengeziwe, futhi ngokushesha kwafika abafowethu benyama uArthur noHomer. Kamuva, kwathunyelwa izithunywa zevangeli ezengeziwe.
Ngathunyelwa emadolobheni amaningana, lokho kwanginika ithuba lokusiza abaningana ukuba bafunde iqiniso nokuba bazinikezele kuJehova. Okunye okuhlangenwe nakho engikukhumbula kahle yilokho okuhilela uSusana Mangual, owayephakathi kweminyaka yakhe yama-60. Wayehlala endlini eyayakhiwe cishe amamitha ama-2,5 ukusuka phansi. Izitebhisi zaziholela endlini. Wayebhema kakhulu, kakade ekhwehlela kakhulu, futhi wayenesikhathi eside engaphumi endlini. Lapho ngifika, ngokushesha wabonisa isithakazelo, futhi ngokushesha isifundo seBhayibheli saqhubeka. Wathuthuka ngokushesha eqinisweni. Esendleleni eya emhlanganweni wobuKristu, ngakolunye uhlangothi lwesiqhingi, wanquma ukuba ayeke ukubhema futhi wabhapathizwa. Lapho ebuyela ekhaya, uSusana akabange esahlala endlini kodwa waphuma nabazalwane waya enkonzweni yasensimini. Ngemva kwesikhathi waba iphayona elivamile.
Umsebenzi waqhubeka wanda ePuerto Rico kwaze kwadingeka ukuba kube nombonisi wesifunda wesikhathi esigcwele. Kwabonakala kuyintando kaJehova ngami ukuba ngijabulele lelilungelo, futhi ngokushesha ngangihambela amabandla, amakhaya ezithunywa zevangeli namaqembu angawodwa kulo lonke elasePuerto Rico neziQhingi zaseVirgin. Kodwa ngenxa yentuthuko yomsebenzi kwakuzokwenzeka olunye ushintsho.
NgoNovember 1951 ngathola incwadi evela eNhlanganweni ingimemela ukuba ngibe umbonisi wegatsha eCuba. Lokhu kwakukukhulu ukuba ngikukholelwe. Ngangingawuphatha kanjani umsebenzi egatsheni elalinabamemezeli boMbuso abacishe babeyizi-10 000? Nakuba ngazizwa ngingawufanelekele lomthwalo wemfanelo, kwabonakala kuyintando kaJehova, ngakho ngangizozama.
Ngaphezu kokuthola usizo lukaJehova, abafowethu abane ehhovisi basebenza nami ngokubekezela. Ngachitha iminyaka emibili ejabulisayo lapho futhi ngajwayelana namakhulu abazalwane nodade abangokomoya. Abaningi basondelene kakhulu nenhliziyo yami, futhi ngicabanga ngabo njalo.
Nokho kwakuzokwenzeka olunye ushintsho. Ngenxa yezizathu ezingokomBhalo ngacela ukuba ngibuyiselwe emuva ePuerto Rico, futhi isicelo samukelwa. Lapho ngibuyela emuva, ngacelwa iNhlangano ukuba nginakekele umsebenzi wegatsha lapho, okwakuzosho amahora amade okusebenza. Kodwa, futhi, uma lokho kwakuyintando kaNkulunkulu, kwakuyisizathu esanele ngami ukuba ngikwamukele. Kwakukuhle ukuba ngibe phakathi kwezithunywa zevangeli nabazalwane nodade basePuerto Rico futhi. Kungakabi isikhathi eside omunye wodade abayizithunywa zevangeli nami sanquma ukuba sikhonze uJehova njengombhangqwana oshadile. Ngakho ngoMarch 1959 uBettyjane Rapp waba uBettyjane Van Daalen. Siye saba abajabulile emshadweni kusukela ngaleso sikhathi.
Umsebenzi wokushumayela nokufundisa wawukhula futhi nesibusiso sikaJehova sasisobala. Noma kunjalo, olunye ushintsho lwaluqala ukwenzeka.
Ukuqhubeka Ngenjabulo Ekwenzeni Intando Yaphezulu
Ekuqaleni kuka-1963 ngamenywa ukuba ngibe khona esifundweni sezinyanga eziyi-10 sesikole saseGilead sababonisi bamagatsha nabasizi babo. URonald Parkin, owayeseklasini elingaphambili, wayezonakekela igatsha ngesikhathi ngingekho. Ekupheleni kwesifundo, uJehova wayenomunye umthwalo wemfanelo ngami, wokunakekela umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso eziQhingini zaseBahama.
Ukukhonza eBahama kwabonakala kungokuhlangenwe nakho okujabulisa kakhulu. Sinomkami sathola ukuthi abantu lapho babenobungane, bethambekele kwezenkolo futhi bebekezela. Bazimisele ukuchitha isikhathi bexoxa ngeBhayibheli. Okuhlangenwe nakho kwencwadi ethi INcwadi Yami Yezindaba ZeBhayibheli kuzolifakazela leliphuzu.
Lapho oFakazi BakaJehova behambisa lencwadi emsebenzini wabo wendlu ngendlu, udade oneminyaka engama-76, owayeyiphayona elisizayo, wahambisa izincwadi ezingaphezu kwe-100. Omunye udade, ohlala yedwa esiqhingini esingaphandle wathola ezingama-60 futhi wazihambisa ngaphambi kokuba inyanga iphele. Yebo, abantu baseBahama bayalazisa iBhayibheli.
Phakathi neminyaka eyi-18 mina nomkami esasiseBahama ngayo, umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso wathuthuka ngenxa yesibusiso sikaBaba wethu wasezulwini. OFakazi BakaJehova baziwa kahle eziqhingini, nabaningi abazalwane nodade abahle bazimisele ukuba bafune abantu abathobekile abafana nezimvu isikhathi sisekhona.
Manje njengoba sikhonza eFlorida emsebenzini wokushumayela wesikhathi esigcwele, singabheka emuva eminyakeni eminingi ejabulisayo yokudumisa uNkulunkulu eziqhingini zaseCaribbean. Siye sathola ukuthi isibusiso esicebile ngaso sonke isikhathi siwumphumela wokuqondiswa umoya kaNkulunkulu. Ngempela, injabulo enkulukazi—ukuthokoza kweqiniso—kutholakala ngokukhonza uJehova njengoba efuna.
[Ibalazwe elisekhasini 11]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi kumi kanjani, bheka encwadini)
IFlorida
ULWANDLEKAZI I-ATLANTIC
IziQhingi zaseBahama
IPuerto Rico
IziQhingi zaseVirgin
ULWANDLE ICARIBBEAN
ICuba