“Uthando Alupheli Nanini”

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUSAMUEL D. LADESUYI

NNgiyamangala lapho ngibheka emuva eminyakeni edlule futhi ngibona konke okuye kwafezwa. UJehova ubenza izinto ezimangalisayo emhlabeni wonke. E-Ilesha, eNigeria, idlanzana lethu elaqala ukushumayela ngo-1931 liye laba amabandla angu-36. Abamemezeli ababecishe babe ngu-4 000 eNigeria lapho iqembu lokuqala lababethweswe iziqu e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead lifika ngo-1947 sebande baba ngaphezu kuka-180 000. Ekuqaleni impela, sasingakulindele, futhi singakaze sicabange ngisho nokucabanga ngokwanda okwakuzokuba khona. Yeka indlela engibonga ngayo ngokuthi ngiye ngahlanganyela kulomsebenzi omangalisayo! Ake ngikutshele ngawo.

UBABA wayethengisa izibhamu nomsizi wazo emadolobheni ahlukahlukene; wayengavamile ukuba sekhaya. Wayenamakhosikazi angu-7 engangiwazi, kodwa ayengahlali naye wonke. Ubaba wangena umama ngemva kokufa komfowabo. Waba umkakhe wesibili, futhi ngahlala naye.

Ngolunye usuku ubaba wafika ekhaya evela ukuyovakashela undlunkulu wakhe, owayehlala emuzaneni esasakhelene nawo. Ngesikhathi elapho, wathola ukuthi umfowethu ngomzali oyedwa wayeseya esikoleni. Lomfowethu wayeneminyaka eyishumi ubudala, elingana nami. Ngakho ubaba wanquma ukuba nami ngiye esikoleni. Wanginika izindibilishi ezingu-9—utiki kungowencwadi yokufunda futhi uzuka kungowesileti. Kwakungu-1924.

Kumiswa Iqembu Lesifundo SeBhayibheli

Kusukela ngisemncane kakhulu, ngangilithanda iZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli. Ngangiwajabulela amakilasi eBhayibheli esikoleni futhi othisha bami bakuSonto-sikole babengitusa njalo. Ngakho ngo-1930, ngabamba ithuba lokuba khona enkulumweni eyanikezwa umFundi weBhayibheli owayevakashile, omunye wabokuqala abashumayela e-Ilesha. Emva kwenkulumo, wangihambisela ikhophi yencwadi ethi The Harp of God ngesiYoruba.

Ngangiya njalo kuSonto-sikole. Manje ngaqala ukuphatha i-Harp of God futhi ngiyisebenzisa ekuphikiseni ezinye izimfundiso ezazifundiswa lapho. Kwakuba nezimpikiswano, futhi ngangixwayiswa njalo abaholi benkolo ngokulandela ‘lemfundiso entsha.’

Ngonyaka owalandela, lapho ngihamba ngehla ngomgwaqo, ngabona iqembu labantu elalilalele umuntu owayelifundisa. Lona owayefundisa kwakunguJ. I. Owenpa, umFundi weBhayibheli. Wayethunyelwe nguWilliam R. Brown (ngokuvamile owayebizwa ngokuthi uBible Brown), owayenakekela umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso eLagos. Ngathola ukuthi kwakumiswe iqembu elincane lesifundo seBhayibheli e-Ilesha ukuze kufundwe i-Harp of God, ngakho ngahlanganyela nalo.

Ngangimncane kunabo bonke eqenjini—ngingumfana nje osafunda esikoleni, ngineminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-16 ubudala. Ngokuvamile kwakufanele ngizizwe nginamahloni, ngesaba ngisho nokwesaba, ukuzihlanganisa kakhulu namadoda aseminyakeni yawo-30 nangaphezulu. Kodwa ayekujabulela kakhulu ukuba khona kwami phakathi kwawo, futhi ayengikhuthaza. Ayenjengobaba kimi.

Ukuphikisa Kwabefundisi

Ngokushesha saqala ukubhekana nokuphikiswa okunzima okuvela kubefundisi. AmaKatolika, amaSheshi, nabanye, ngaphambili ababelwa bodwa, manje baba munye bamelana nathi. Benza uzungu namakhosi endawo ukuze kuthathwe isinyathelo sokusidumaza. Bathumela amaphoyisa ukuba athathe izincwadi zethu, bethi ziyingozi kubantu. Nokho, umphathi wamaphoyisa wesifunda waxwayisa ngokuthi babengenalo ilungelo lokuthatha izincwadi, futhi emasontweni amabili kamuva izincwadi zabuyiswa.

Ngemva kwalokhu, sabizelwa emhlanganweni esahlangana kuwo ne-oba, noma inkosi yohlanga, kanye nabanye abantu abavelele bakuleli dolobha. Sasicishe sibe ngu-30 ngenani ngaleso sikhathi. Inhloso kwakuwukusiyekisa ukufunda lezi zincwadi “eziyingozi.” Basibuza ukuthi sasingabokufika yini, kodwa lapho besibukisisa, bathi, “Abakithi laba, nakuba bekhona nabokufika phakathi kwawo.” Basitshela ukuthi babengafuni ukuba siqhubeke sifunda izincwadi zenkolo eyayizosilimaza.

Saphindela emakhaya singashongo lutho, ngoba sase sinqume ukuthi sasingeke sibanake nakancane labo bantu abavelele. Iningi lethu lalijabula kakhulu ngalokho elalikufunda futhi lalizimisele ukuqhubeka lifunda. Ngakho, nakuba abambalwa besatshiswa futhi bahoxa eqenjini lethu, iningi lethu laqhubeka nesifundo sethu endlini yokusebenzela yombazi othile. Sasingenaye umqhubi. Sasiqala ngomthandazo bese sishintshana ngokufunda izigaba zencwadi. Cishe ngemva kwehora, sasiphinde sithandaze bese siya emakhaya. Kodwa sasigadwe yizimpimpi, futhi amakhosi nabaholi benkolo babeqhubeka besibiza njalo ngemva kwamasonto amabili futhi basixwayise ngokufunda izincwadi zabaFundi BeBhayibheli.

Phakathi naleso sikhathi, sasizama ukusebenzisa ulwazi oluncane esasinalo ekusizeni abantu, futhi abaningi babevumelana nathi. Abantu babehlanganyela nathi belandelana. Sasijabula kakhulu, kodwa sasingazi lutho kangako ngenkolo esasihlanganyela nayo.

Ekuqaleni kuka-1932 kwafika umzalwane waseLagos ezosisiza ukuba sihleleke, futhi ngo-April “uBible” Brown naye wafika. Ebona ukuthi kwakuneqembu lenani elalicishe libe ngu-30, uMzalwan’ uBrown wabuza ngentuthuko esasiyenza ekufundeni kwethu. Samtshela konke esasikwazi. Wathi sasikulungele ukubhapathizwa.

Njengoba kwakuyinkathi yokomisa, kwadingeka ukuba sithathe uhambo oluya emfuleni osebangeni elingamakhilomitha angu-14 ukusuka e-Ilesha futhi abacishe babe ngu-30 bethu babhapathizwa. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, sazibheka njengabashumayeli boMbuso futhi saqala ukuya endlini ngendlu. Sasingakaze sicabange ngokwenza lokhu, kodwa manje sasimagange sifuna ukuhlanganyela nabanye lokho esasikwazi. Kwakudingeka silungiselele kahle ukuze sikusekele ngeBhayibheli esasikusho lapho siveza ukungabi yiqiniso kwezimfundiso zamanga esasihlangana nazo. Ngakho, emihlanganweni yethu, sasivame ukuxoxa ngezimfundiso, sisizana ngalokho esasikwazi.

Umsebenzi Wethu Wokushumayela

Sahlanganisa indawo esasihlala kuyo ngokushumayela kwethu. Abantu babesihleka usulu futhi besimemeza, kodwa sasingenandaba nalokho. Injabulo yethu yayiyinkulu ngoba sasineqiniso, nakuba kwakusenokuningi okwakufanele sikufunde.

Sasiya endlini ngendlu njalo ngeSonto. Abantu babebuza imibuzo, futhi sasizama ukuyiphendula. NgamaSonto kusihlwa sasinikeza inkulumo yeningi. Sasingenalo iHholo LoMbuso, ngakho imihlangano sasiyibambela endaweni evulekile. Sasibutha abantu, sinikeze inkulumo, bese sibamema ukuba babuze imibuzo. Ngezinye izikhathi sasishumayela emasontweni.

Sasiya nasezindaweni lapho abantu babengakaze bezwe khona ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngokuvamile sasihamba ngamabhayisikili, kodwa ngezinye izikhathi sasiqasha ibhasi. Lapho sifika emuzaneni, sasikhalisa uphondo kakhulu. Umuzana wonke wawusizwa! Abantu babephuma ngokushesha ukuze babone ukuthi kwenzekani. Ngemva kwalokho sasethula isigijimi sethu. Lapho sesiqedile, abantu babebangisana ukuze bathole amakhophi ezincwadi zethu. Sasihambisa eziningi kakhulu.

Sasikulindele ngentshiseko ukufika koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngikhumbula ukuthi lapho sithola INcwadi Yonyaka yesiNgisi ka-1935, lapho omunye wabazalwane ebona isimiso sonyaka wonke sezingxoxo zetekisi, wabuza: “Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi sizoqeda omunye unyaka ogcwele ngaphambi kokuba i-Armagedoni ifike?”

Ekuphenduleni, umqhubi wabuza: “Mzalwane, ingabe ucabanga ukuthi uma i-Armagedoni ingafika kusasa, sizoyeka ukufunda INcwadi Yonyaka?” Lapho lomzalwane ethi cha, umqhubi wathi: “Pho, kungani ukhathazeka?” Sasimagange, namanje sisemagange, ngokufika kosuku lukaJehova.

Iminyaka Yempi

Phakathi nempi yezwe yesibili, ukungeniswa kwezincwadi zethu ezweni lethu kwavinjelwa. Omunye umzalwane e-Ilesha wahambisela iphoyisa incwadi ethi Riches engazi. Leli phoyisa labuza: “Ekabani lencwadi?” Lomzalwane wathi kwakungeyakhe. Leli phoyisa lathi lencwadi yayivinjelwe, lamyisa esiteshini samaphoyisa, lamvalela.

Ngaya esiteshini samaphoyisa, futhi ngemva kokubuza, ngakhipha lomzalwane ngebheyili. Ngabe sengishayela uMzalwan’ uBrown ucingo eLagos ngimazisa ngalokho okwakwenzekile. Ngambuza futhi ukuthi wawukhona yini umthetho owawuvimbela ukusakazwa kwezincwadi zethu. UMzalwan’ uBrown wangitshela ukuthi ukungeniswa kwezincwadi zethu ezweni kuphela okwakuvinjelwe, hhayi ukusakazwa kwazo. Ezinsukwini ezintathu kamuva, uMzalwan’ uBrown wathumela umzalwane waseLagos ukuba azobona okwakwenzeka. Lomzalwane wanquma ngosuku olulandelayo ukuba sonke siye emsebenzini wokushumayela ngomagazini nezincwadi.

Sasakazekela ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene. Cishe ngemva kwehora, ngezwa izindaba zokuthi iningi labazalwane laliboshiwe. Ngakho mina nalomzalwane owayevakashile saya esiteshini samaphoyisa. Amaphoyisa enqaba ukulalela incazelo yethu yokuthi izincwadi zazingavinjelwe.

Laba bazalwane abangu-33 ababeboshiwe bathunyelwa eNkantolo YeMantshi Enkulu e-Ife, futhi ngahamba nabo. Abantu bendawo abasibona sithathwa bamemeza, “Kuphelile ngalaba bantu namuhla. Ngeke baphinde babuye lapha.”

Icala lalethwa phambi kwemantshi enkulu, eyayingeyaseNigeria. Kwavezwa zonke izincwadi nomagazini. Yabuza ukuthi ubani owayegunyaze umphathi wamaphoyisa ukuba abophe laba bantu. Umphathi wamaphoyisa waphendula ngokuthi wayegcine iziqondiso zesikhulu sesifunda. Imantshi enkulu yabizela umphathi wamaphoyisa nabameleli bethu abane, kuhlanganise nami, ehhovisi lakhe.

Wabuza ukuthi wayengubani uMnu. Brown. Samtshela ukuthi wayengummeleli we-Watch Tower Society eLagos. Wabe esesitshela ukuthi wayethole incwadi yocingo ivela kuMnu. Brown ngokuphathelene nathi. Wahlehlisa icala ngalolo suku futhi wanikeza abazalwane ibheyili. Ngosuku olulandelayo wabakhulula laba bazalwane, futhi wayala amaphoyisa ukuba abuyise izincwadi.

Saphindela e-Ilesha sihlabelela. Abantu baqala ukumemeza futhi, kodwa ngalesi sikhathi babethi, “Babuyile!”

Indinganiso KaJehova Yomshado Iyacaciswa

Kwakungo-1947 lapho abathathu bokuqala ababethweswe iziqu eGileyadi befika eNigeria. Omunye walaba bazalwane, uTony Attwood, useselapha, ukhonza eBethel yaseNigeria. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, siye sabona izinguquko eziningi enhlanganweni kaJehova eNigeria. Enye yezinguquko ezinkulu kwakuwumbono wethu ngesithembu.

Ngashada no-Olabisi Fashugba ngo-February 1941 futhi ngangazi kahle ukuthi kwakungamelwe ngithathe abanye abafazi. Kodwa kuze kube ngo-1947, lapho kufika izithunywa zevangeli, isithembu sasivamile emabandleni. Abazalwane ababenesithembu batshelwa ukuthi babeshade nabafazi abangaphezu koyedwa ngokungazi. Ngakho, uma babenabafazi ababili noma abathathu noma abane noma abahlanu, babengahlala nabo, kodwa kwakungafanele bathathe abanye. Yileyo nqubo esasinayo.

Abantu abaningi babemagange befuna ukuzihlanganisa nathi, ikakhulukazi i-Cherubim and Seraphim Society e-Ilesha. Babethi oFakazi BakaJehova bawukuphela kwabantu ababefundisa iqiniso. Babevumelana nezimfundiso zethu futhi befuna ukushintsha amasonto abo abe amaHholo OMbuso. Sasizikhandla ukuze siphumelelise lokhu. Sasize saba ngisho nanezikhungo zokuqeqesha abadala babo.

Khona-ke kwafika isiqondiso esisha ngokuphathelene nesithembu. Esinye sezithunywa zevangeli sanikeza inkulumo emhlanganweni wesifunda ngo-1947. Sakhuluma ngokuziphatha nemikhuba emihle. Ngokulandelayo sacaphuna eyoku-1 Korinte 6:9, 10, ethi abangalungile ngeke bawuzuze njengefa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Sabe sesinezela: “Futhi abanesithembu ngeke bawuzuze njengefa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu!” Abantu ababeyizilaleli bamemeza: “Awu, abanesithembu ngeke bawuzuze njengefa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu!” Kwaba khona ukuhlukana. Kwakusengathi impi. Iningi lababesanda kuhlanganyela layeka ukuhlanganyela, lithi: “Siyabonga ukuthi besingakayi kude kakhulu.”

Nokho, abazalwane abaningi baqala ukulungisa izindlela zabo ngokukhulula omkabo. Babanikeza imali futhi bathi, ‘Uma usemusha, hamba uzitholele enye indoda. Ngenza iphutha ngokushada nawe. Manje sekumelwe ngibe indoda emfazi munye.’

Ngokushesha kwaqala enye inkinga. Abanye, ngemva kokunquma ukuhlala nomfazi oyedwa futhi bakhulule abanye, bashintsha izingqondo zabo futhi banquma ukuthi babefuna ukubuyisa omunye walaba abanye abafazi futhi bakhulule labo ababebagcinile ngaphambili! Ngakho inkinga yaqala phansi.

Kwafika esinye isiqondiso esivela endlunkulu eBrooklyn, esasisekelwe kuMalaki 2:14, obhekisela ‘emfazini wobusha bakho.’ Isiqondiso sasiwukuthi amadoda kwakufanele agcine abafazi bokuqala ababeshade nabo. Ilendlela lenkinga eyaxazululwa ngayo ekugcineni.

Amalungelo Enkonzo

Ngo-1947 iNhlangano yaqala ukuqinisa amabandla futhi iwahlela ukuba abe izifunda. Yayifuna ukumisa abazalwane abavuthiwe, ababenolwazi olunzulu ‘njengezikhonzi zabazalwane,’ manje okuthiwa ababonisi bezifunda. UMzalwan’ uBrown wangibuza ukuthi ngangingakwamukela yini ukumiswa okunjalo. Ngathi isizathu sokuba ngibhapathizwe kwakuwukwenza intando kaJehova, nginezela: “Nguwena futhi owangibhapathiza. Lapho ithuba lokukhonza uJehova ngokugcwele ngokwengeziwe likhona manje, ucabanga ukuthi ngingenqaba?”

Ngo-October walowo nyaka, abangu-7 bethu babizelwa eLagos futhi baqeqeshwa ngaphambi kokuba bathunyelwe emsebenzini wesifunda. Ngalezo zinsuku izifunda zazizinkulu. Izwe lonke lalihlukaniswe laba izifunda ezingu-7 kuphela. Amabandla ayembalwa.

Umsebenzi wethu njengezikhonzi zabazalwane wawunzima. Sasihamba amakhilomitha amaningi usuku ngalunye, ngokuvamile phakathi kwamahlathi asezindaweni ezishisayo ezinomswakama. Isonto ngalinye kwakudingeka sihambele imizana ehlukahlukene. Ngezinye izikhathi ngangizwa ukuthi imilenze yami iphelile. Ngezinye izikhathi ngangizizwa sengathi ngiyafa! Kodwa kwakunenjabulo enkulu futhi, ikakhulukazi lapho sibona amanani andayo abantu ababemukela iqiniso. Phela, eminyakeni engu-7 nje kuphela, inani labamemezeli bakulelizwe laphindeka kane!

Ngahlanganyela emsebenzini wesifunda kwaze kwaba ngo-1955 lapho impilo ebuthaka ingiphoqa ukuba ngiphindele ekhaya e-Ilesha, lapho ngamiswa khona njengombonisi wedolobha. Ukuba sekhaya kwangenza ngakwazi ukunikeza ukunakekela kwami okukhudlwana ekusizeni umkhaya wami ngokomoya. Namuhla zonke izingane zami eziyisithupha zikhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka.

Uthando Lweqiniso Alupheli Nanini

Lapho ngibheka emuva eminyakeni edlule, nginokuningi engingabonga ngakho. Kwakunokudumazeka, ukukhathazeka, nokugula, kodwa futhi kwakunenjabulo enkulu. Nakuba ulwazi nokuqonda kwethu kuye kwakhula phakathi neminyaka, ngiye ngafunda kokuhlangenwe nakho lokho okushiwo eyoku-1 Korinte 13:8, ethi: “Uthando alupheli nanini.” Uma umthanda uJehova futhi ubambelela ngokuqinile enkonzweni yakhe, uyokusiza ebunzimeni bakho futhi akubusise ngokucebile.

Ukukhanya kweqiniso kuya kukhanya ngokwengeziwe. Ezinsukwini esaqala ngazo, sasicabanga ukuthi i-Armagedoni yayizofika ngokushesha; kungakho sasiphuthuma ukwenza konke esasingakwenza. Kodwa konke kwakungokwenzuzo yethu. Yingakho ngivumelana namazwi omhubi: “Ngisaphila ngiyakumdumisa uJehova, ngihube kuNkulunkulu wami ngisekhona.”—IHubo 146:2.

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USamuel noMilton Henschel ngo-1955

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USamuel nomkakhe, u-Olabisi