‘Bayajabula Bonke Abahlala Belindele UJehova’

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UDOMENICK PICCONE

Abazali bami bathutha eItaly baya eUnited States ekuqaleni kwawo-1920 futhi ekugcineni bahlala eNingizimu Philadelphia, ngalesosikhathi eyayaziwa ngokuthi iLittle Italy. Ngo-1927 babehlanganyela nabaFundi BeBhayibheli, kamuva abaziwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova.

NGAZALWA ngo-1929 futhi ngaleyondlela ngalazi iqiniso leBhayibheli kusukela ebuntwaneni. Ngiyakhumbula ukuthi oFakazi babehlangana endlini yakithi ngaphambi kokuba bayoshumayela emadolobhaneni ayegcwele amaRoma Katolika esifundeni esinezimayini zamalahle sasePennsylvania, lapho abazalwane babeboshwa khona kaningi. Ngabhapathizwa ngo-1941 emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova eSt. Louis, eMissouri. Khona-ke izinto zaqala ukuhamba kabi.

Ngaqala ukuhlangana nohlobo olubi lwentsha yasendaweni futhi ngaqala ukubhema nokugembula emakhoneni emigwaqo. Ngenhlanhla, abazali bami babona ukuthi babengasakwazi ukungilawula futhi banquma ukuthuthela kwenye ingxenye yedolobha. Angijabulanga, ngoba ngalahlekelwa yibo bonke abangane bami basemgwaqweni. Nokho, namuhla ngibheka emuva futhi ngizizwe ngimbonga kakhulu ubaba. Wenza ukuzidela kwangempela ngokwezimali ukuze angikhiphe kuleyondawo. Nakuba ngaphambili ayehamba ngezinyawo lapho eya emsebenzini, manje kwase kumelwe ahambe uhambo olude ngesitimela. Kodwa lokhu kuthutha kwangibuyisela esimweni esingokwasezulwini.

Imbewu Yobuthunywa Bevangeli Iyahlwanyelwa

Cishe minyaka yonke, sasiya eNingizimu Lansing, eNew York, ukuze sibe semkhosini wokuthweswa iziqu weWatchtower Bible School of Gilead. Ukubona lezozithunywa zevangeli zithunyelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba kwahlwanyela isifiso senkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli enhliziyweni yami. Ngakho-ke, ngemva kokuphothula esikoleni esiphakeme, ngabhalisa njengesikhonzi esiyiphayona elivamile, ngiqala ngoMay 1947.

Elinye iphayona eliselisha ebandleni lethu kwakunguElsa Schwarz, futhi wayeshiseka kakhulu emsebenzini wokushumayela. Abazali bakhe babeye bamkhuthaza njalo ukuba abe isithunywa sevangeli, ngakho cishe ungawuqagela umphumela. Sashada ngo-1951. Lapho sikhonza ndawonye njengamaphayona ePennsylvania, senza izicelo zokuya esikoleni sezithunywa zevangeli saseGileyadi. Ngo-1953 samenyelwa ekilasini lama-23 laseGileyadi. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezinhlanu zokufunda okunamandla nokulungiselela eGileyadi, sathweswa iziqu emhlanganweni eToronto, eCanada, futhi sathola isabelo sethu—eSpain!

Izinkinga ESpain

Lapho silungiselela ukuya esabelweni sethu sezithunywa zevangeli ngo-1955, uElsa nami sasinemibuzo eminingi. ESpain! Kwakuzoba njani? Isizwe sasingaphansi kokubusa kukaJenene omkhulu wamaKatolika ongumashiqela uFrancisco Franco, futhi umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wawuvinjelwe. Sasizophumelela kanjani ngaphansi kwezimo ezinjalo?

Sasiye satshelwa abazalwane endlunkulu yeNhlangano eBrooklyn ukuthi uFrederick Franz, ngalesosikhathi owayeyiphini likamongameli weWatch Tower Society, noAlvaro Berecochea, isithunywa sevangeli saseArgentina, babeye baboshwa, kanye nabanye abazalwane abaningi. Kwakuhlelwe umhlangano oyimfihlo ehlathini eduze kwaseBarcelona. Nokho, amaphoyisa ezwa ngalombuthano oyimfihlo futhi abopha abaningi balabo ababekhona.a

Sasitshelwe ukuthi mhlawumbe akekho owayeyokwazi ukusihlangabeza lapho sifika eBarcelona. Iziyalezo esazinikezwa kwakuyilezi: “Funani ihhotela, bese nazisa iNhlangano eNew York ikheli.” Sagcina engqondweni amazwi kaIsaya: “Bayajabula bonke abahlala belindele [uJehova]. Nezindlebe zakho ziyakuzwa izwi emva kwakho, lithi: Nansi indlela; hambani ngayo.” (Isaya 30:18, 21, qhathanisa neNW.) Kwakuzodingeka sihlale silindele uJehova futhi silandele ukuqondisa kwenhlangano yakhe.

Savalelisa kubazali bethu nabangane abeza eNew York ukuzosivalelisa, futhi ngokushesha umkhumbi wethu, iSaturnia, wewusa uMfula iHudson uphikelele eAtlantic. Ngagcina lapho ukubona ubaba. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, lapho ngingekho ekhaya, washona ngemva kokugula isikhathi eside.

Ekugcineni safika esabelweni sethu, edolobheni eliyisikhumulo semikhumbi laseBarcelona. Laliguqubele, lina, kodwa njengoba siphuma endaweni yokuhlola izimvume, sabona “ukukhanya” kobuso obumamathekayo. UAlvaro Berecochea, kanye nabanye abazalwane baseSpain, babelapho bezosihlangabeza. Sajabula ngempela ukwazi ukuthi abafowethu babekhululiwe.

Manje kwakumelwe sifunde iSpanishi. Ngalezozinsuku izithunywa zevangeli kwakumelwe zifunde izilimi ngendlela enzima—zingekho izincwadi zokufunda noma abafundisi. Zazingekho izifundo zolimi ngalesosikhathi. Kwakumelwe sifinyelele umgomo wamahora emsebenzini wokushumayela futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo sifunde ulimi—lapho senza lomsebenzi.

Ukushumayela Ngaphansi Kobushiqela BamaKatolika

Ngalesosikhathi inhlangano kaJehova yayisafufusa eSpain. Ngo-1955 kwakunenani labamemezeli abangu-366 ezweni labantu abangaba izigidi ezingu-28. Kwakunamabandla ayishumi kuphela kulo lonke izwe. Ingabe kwakuyohlala kunjalo isikhathi eside? Lapho mina nomkami sesiqalile ukushumayela endlini ngendlu, sathola ukuthi iSpain yayifana nepharadesi kulabo ababesakaza izindaba ezinhle. Yebo, abantu babelilambele iqiniso.

Kodwa wawenziwa kanjani umsebenzi wokushumayela, njengoba wawuvinjelwe? Ngokuvamile sasingahambeli zonke izindlu emgwaqweni, futhi singawahambeli wonke amakamelo esakhiweni esisodwa. IBarcelona yakhiwe izakhiwo zamafulethi eziyizitezi ezinhlanu neziyisithupha, futhi sayalwa ukuba siqale phezulu bese sisebenza siye phansi. Mhlawumbe siye efulethini elilodwa esitezi ngasinye noma ngisho seqe izitezi eziningana. Lendlela yenza kwaba nzima kakhulu ngamaphoyisa ukuba asibambe uma umnini-khaya oluhlanya azisa amaphoyisa ngathi.

Imihlangano yebandla yayiqhutshelwa emakhaya angasese, amabandla akhiwa amaqembu ezifundo zencwadi asukela kwamathathu kuya kwamane. Lokhu kwakwenza ukuba inceku yebandla ikwazi ukuhambela ngasinye salezifundo zencwadi kanye ngenyanga. Umqhubi wesifundo sencwadi wayenomthwalo wemfanelo wokuqhuba yonke imihlangano, eyayiqhutshwa ngobusuku obubili obuhlukene ngesonto emaqenjini amancane asukela kubantu abangu-10 kuya kwabangu-20.

Kwadingeka sifunde indlela entsha yokuphila. Ngalesosikhathi ayengekho amalungiselelo amakhaya ezithunywa zevangeli eSpain. Noma nini lapho kunokwenzeka, sasihlala nabazalwane emakhaya abo. Ukufunda ukupheka ngembawula kwakungokuhlangenwe nakho kwangempela ngoElsa! Ekugcineni sakwazi ukuthenga isitofu sikaphalafini esineziko elilodwa, okwakuyintuthuko yangempela.

Ukushushiswa Nokuxoshwa

Ngemva kwesikhashana sezwa ukuthi igagasi loshushiso laliqala eAndalusia, lapho kwakuboshwe khona iphayona elikhethekile. Ngeshwa, laliphethe incwajana eyayinamagama namakheli abazalwane abakuzo zonke izingxenye zezwe. Saqhubeka sithola imibiko yokuthi abazalwane bethu babeboshwa edolobheni ngalinye. Ukuhlasela kwakuya kusondela eBarcelona. Ekugcineni, ushushiso lwafika eBarcelona.

Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ngaphambili, ngangithathwe amaphoyisa angiyisa ekomkhulu lawo ukuze ngiyophenywa. Ngemva kwamahora amaningana ngakhululwa, futhi ngacabanga ukuthi kwase kuphelile. Khona-ke iNxusa LaseMelika laxhumana nami futhi lasikisela ukuthi ukuze ngigweme ukuphoxeka kokuba ngidingiswe, kwakufanele ngizihambele ngokwami kulelozwe. Ngemva kwesikhashana, amaphoyisa asazisa ukuthi sasisalelwe izinsuku eziyishumi. Njengoba sasingenaso isikhathi sokubhalela iWatch Tower Society, yini okwakufanele siyenze? Izimo zabonakala zibonisa ukuthi kwakufanele siye ensimini eseduze yezithunywa zevangeli, engaphandle kwaseSpain—ePortugal ngasentshonalanga.

Esinye Isabelo, Olunye Ulimi

Lapho sifika eLisbon, ePortugal, ngoJuly 1957, sabelwa njengezithunywa zevangeli ePorto, idolobha elisenyakatho impela yeLisbon. Lalibhekwa njengenhloko-dolobha yesibili yezwe futhi lalisesifundeni esasidume ngewayini laso. Ibandla elichumayo laliqhubela imihlangano yalo ekamelweni elingaphansi esakhiweni esisezansi nedolobha. Umsebenzi wokushumayela wawuvinjelwe nasePortugal, njengoba lelizwe lalingaphansi kobushiqela bukaSalazar. Nokho, izimo zazihluke ngokuphelele kulezo zaseSpain. Imihlangano yayiqhutshelwa emakhaya abazalwane, futhi kwakuba khona amaqembu asukela kwabangu-40 kuya kwabangu-60. Kwakungekho zibonakaliso zokuthi amakhaya ayeyizindawo zokuhlangana zoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngisho nakuba ngangingakwazi ukukhuluma isiPutukezi, ngamiswa njengenceku yebandla. Nalapho futhi, safunda ulimi olusha ngendlela enzima.

Cishe esikhathini esingangonyaka kamuva, sabelwa eLisbon. Lapha, ngokokuqala ngqá, saba nendawo yethu siqu, ifulethi elalengame idolobha laseLisbon. Sabelwa ukunakekela isifunda—yonke iRepublic yasePortugal. Lapho sifika ePortugal, kwakunabamemezeli abangu-305 kuphela namabandla ayisihlanu.

Isikhathi Senkathazo Siyaqala

Kwamanye amabalazwe abonisa iPortugal namakoloni ayo, kwakunesisho esithi: “Ilanga alishoni endaweni yasePortugal.” Lokhu kwakunjalo, njengoba iPortugal yayinamakoloni amaningi ezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba, amabili kwamakhulu kakhulu awo kuyiMozambique neAngola eAfrika. Ngo-1961 kwabonakala sengathi kwakunezinkinga ezazifufusa kulamakoloni, futhi iPortugal yabona isidingo sokwandisa amabutho ayo ezempi.

Manje, yini abazalwane bethu abasha ababezoyenza lapho bebuthelwa inkonzo yezempi? Abanye bakwazi ukukhululwa ngenxa yokugula ngokwempilo kodwa abaningi bathatha ukuma okuqinile kokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu. Ngokushesha igagasi elinamandla loshushiso laqala. Igatsha lathola imibiko yokuthi amaphayona akhethekile ayeboshwa futhi ashaywe kabi amaphoyisa omshoshaphansi, ayenedumela elibi ama-P.I.D.E. (Polícia Internacional e Defesa do Estado). Abanye bethu thina zithunywa zevangeli babebizelwa ekomkhulu lamaphoyisa ukuze bayophenywa. Khona-ke, imibhangqwana emithathu yanikwa izinsuku ezingu-30 ukuba iphume ezweni. Sonke sazikhalela.

Umbhangqwana ngamunye wezithunywa zevangeli wabizelwa ekomkhulu lamaphoyisa ukuze uyoxoxa nomqondisi wama-P.I.D.E. Okokuqala, inceku yegatsha, uEric Britten, nomkayo, uChristina, baphenywa. Kwase kuba uEric Beveridge nomkakhe, uHazel, futhi ekugcineni uElsa nami saphenywa. Umphathi wamaphoyisa wasimangalela ngamanga ngokuthi sasisetshenziswa amaKhomanisi ukuba sichithe amazwe aseNtshonalanga ngemfundiso yethu yokungathathi-hlangothi. Izikhalo zethu azizange ziphumelele.

Yeka indlela okwakubuhlungu ngayo ukushiya abazalwane nodade abangu-1 200 ababebhekene nezikhathi ezinzima zokubusa okunonya kukamashiqela ongacabangeli! Lapho abakwaBeveridge beya eSpain nabakwaBritten bephindela eNgilandi, sasizoba kuphi isabelo sethu esilandelayo? EMorocco yamaMuslim!

Ukushumayela EMorocco YobuIslam

Nalapha futhi, sahlala silindele uJehova. Isabelo esisha, amasiko amasha, nezilimi ezintsha! IsiArabhu, isiFulentshi, neSpanish kwakuyizilimi ezingokomthetho eMbusweni waseMorocco, lapho kwakunoFakazi abangu-234 emabandleni ayisishiyagalombili. Inkolo engokomthetho yalelozwe kwakungeyobuIslam, futhi ukuguqulela amaMuslim kwenye inkolo kwakungavunyelwe ngokomthetho. Ngakho sasingashumayela kuphela kubantu baseYurophu abangewona amaMuslim.

Lapho izithunywa zevangeli ziqala ukufika ekupheleni kwawo-1950, ukwanda kwakubonakala. Kodwa uhulumeni waseMorocco waqala ukucindezela abantu baseYurophu, futhi kwaba khona ukufuduka okukhulu kwababengebona abokudabuka, kuhlanganise nabazalwane abaningi.

Njengoba abantu bethu abangewona amaMuslim bencipha, sazithola sibophekile ukuba sithole izindlela zobuhlakani zokukhuluma namaMuslim, futhi lokhu kwabangela ukukhononda emaphoyiseni. Njengoba ukukhononda kwakwenzeka njalo eTangier nakwamanye amadolobha, ekugcineni satshelwa ukuthi sasisalelwe izinsuku ezingu-30 kuphela zokuba siphume ezweni. NgoMay 1969, uElsa nami saxoshwa futhi kwesinye isabelo.

Isabelo Sesikhashana?

Satshelwa ukuba sibuyele eBrooklyn, futhi ngamenywa ukuba ngibe khona emhlanganweni wezinceku zamagatsha owawungalelohlobo. Ngesikhathi ngilapho, ngaziswa ukuthi isabelo sethu esisha sasizoba se-El Salvador, eMelika ePhakathi, nokuthi futhi ngangizokhonza khona njengenceku yegatsha. Ngezwa ukuthi lokhu cishe kwakuzoba iminyaka eyisihlanu, isilinganiso izithunywa zevangeli ezazivunyelwe ukusihlala ezweni, njengoba umsebenzi wethu wawungaqashelwa ngokomthetho khona.

IEl Salvador—yeka isabelo! Kwakunabamemezeli abangu-1 290, kuhlanganise namaphayona angu-114 ayebika ngokwesilinganiso inyanga ngayinye. Abantu babesaba uNkulunkulu, bethanda iBhayibheli, futhi bengenisa izihambi. Cishe emzini ngamunye, babesingenisa ukuze sikhulume nabo. Ngemva kwesikhashana, sase sinezifundo zeBhayibheli eziningi ngokusemandleni.

Njengoba sibona ukwanda nesidingo esikhulu khona, saphatheka kabi ngokuthi kwakumelwe sisishiye lesisabelo ngemva nje kweminyaka eyisihlanu. Ngakho kwanqunywa ukuthi kwakufanele sizame ukuba senze umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova uqashelwe ngokomthetho. Sahambisa amafomu ezicelo kuhulumeni ngoDecember 1971, futhi ngoApril 26, 1972, sajabula ukufunda ephepheni likahulumeni, iDiario Oficial, ukuthi isicelo sethu sasamukelwe. Izithunywa zevangeli kwakungasenasidingo sokuba zihambe ngemva kweminyaka eyisihlanu kodwa zazingathola imvume yokuhlala unomphela ezweni.

Uvivinyo Nezibusiso

Eminyakeni eminingi ezabelweni zethu ezihlukahlukene, siye sazakhela abangane abaningi abahle futhi sabona izithelo enkonzweni yethu. UElsa waba nokuhlangenwe nakho okuhle eSan Salvador nethishelakazi nomyeni walo oyisosha. Omunye wabangane balelithishelakazi naye waba nesithakazelo eqinisweni. Ekuqaleni umyeni walo akabonisanga sithakazelo eBhayibhelini; nokho, samvakashela lapho esesibhedlela, futhi wayenobungane. Ekugcineni watadisha iBhayibheli, wayeka umsebenzi wakhe wezempi, futhi waqala ukushumayela nathi.

Phakathi nalesosikhathi, intokazi ethile yafika eHholo LoMbuso futhi yabuza uElsa ukuthi wayefunda nalomuntu owayekade eyisosha yini. Kwezwakala ukuthi yayikade iyishende lakhe ngaphambili! Nayo futhi yayitadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Emhlanganweni wesigodi, indoda eyayikwezempi ngaphambili, umkayo, umngane womkayo, nowayekade eyishende layo bonke babhapathizwa!

Ukwanda E-El Salvador

Ngenxa yokwanda okukhulu, kuye kwakhiwa amaHholo oMbuso amaningi, futhi manje lelizwe linoFakazi abakhuthele abangaphezu kuka-18 000. Nokho, lentuthuko ayenzekanga ngaphandle kovivinyo nezilingo. Iminyaka eyishumi, abazalwane kuye kwadingeka benze intando kaJehova ngesikhathi sempi yombango. Kodwa baye bagcina ukungathathi-hlangothi kwabo futhi bahlala bethembekile eMbusweni kaJehova.

Sisobabili, uElsa nami siye saba senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele iminyaka engu-85. Siye sathola ukuthi lapho sihlala silindele uJehova futhi silalela ‘izwi emva kwethu lithi, “Nansi indlela; hambani ngayo,”’ asidumali. Ngempela siye sajabulela ukuphila okwanelisayo nokunomvuzo ngokuba izikhonzi zikaJehova zesikhathi esigcwele.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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Umhlangano ehlathini eSpain, ngo-1956

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Sasivame ukushumayela kwabangewona amaMuslim eMorocco

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Igatsha lase-El Salvador, isabelo sethu samanje