Indaba Yokuphila

Ukufuna Kwethu Amagugu Kwasicebisa Phakade

Ilandiswa UDorothea Smith Nodora Ward

Sasifuna amagugu anjani? Sasingamantombazanyana amabili anesifiso esivuthayo sokuba neqhaza ekugcwalisekeni komyalo kaJesu: “Hambani niyokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi.” (Mathewu 28:19) Ake sinichazele ukuthi ukufuna kwethu amagugu kwasicebisa kanjani phakade.

UDOROTHEA: Ngazalwa ngo-1915, ngemva nje kokuqala kweMpi Yezwe I, ngiyingane yesithathu kwethu. Sasihlala eduze kwaseHowell eMichigan, e-United States. Ubaba wayengeyena umuntu othanda inkolo, kodwa umama wayemesaba uNkulunkulu. Wazama ukusifundisa ukugcina iMiyalo Eyishumi, kodwa kwakumkhathaza ukuthi mina nomfowethu uWillis nodadewethu uViola kwakungekho sonto esasibhaliswe kulo.

Ngesikhathi ngineminyaka engu-12 ubudala, umama wanquma ukuba ngibhapathizwe njengelungu leSonto LaseHabe. Ngilukhumbula kahle usuku engabhapathizwa ngalo. Ngabhapathizwa kanye nezinsana ezimbili ezaziphethwe onina. Ukubhapathizwa kanye nezinsana kwangenza ngazizwa ngilulazekile. Umfundisi wangifafaza ngamanzi ekhanda washo okuthile engingazange ngikuzwe. Impela ngangifana nje naleziya zinsana ezimbili ngoba ngangingazi lutho ngobhapathizo!

Ngelinye ilanga ngo-1932, kwafika abantu ngemoto ekhaya, bangqongqoza futhi umama wavula umnyango. Kwakuyizinsizwa ezimbili ezazihambisa izincwadi zenkolo. Enye yazo yathi ingu-Albert Schroeder. Yabonisa umama izincwadi ezithile ezinyatheliswa oFakazi BakaJehova. Wazithatha lezo zincwadi futhi zamsiza kakhulu ukuba amukele iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu.

Ukuqala Kwethu Ukufuna Amagugu

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngathuthela eDetroit ngayohlala nodadewethu. Ngesikhathi ngilapho ngahlangana nowesifazane othile owayevame ukuvakashela udadewethu afunde naye iBhayibheli. Lezo zingxoxo zangikhumbuza uhlelo lomsakazo lwamasonto onke engangike ngalulalela ekhaya nomama. Kulolo hlelo kwakuba nenkulumo yeBhayibheli eyimizuzu engu-15 eyayibekwa uJ. F. Rutherford, owayehola oFakazi BakaJehova ngaleso sikhathi. Ngo-1937 saqala ukuhlanganyela nebandla lokuqala loFakazi BakaJehova eDetroit. Ngabhapathizwa ngonyaka owalandela.

Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1940, kwamenyezelwa ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bazovula isikole esibizwa ngokuthi iGileyadi eSouth Lansing, eNew York, esasizoqeqesha izithunywa zevangeli. Lapho ngizwa ukuthi abathile ababezothola iziqu kuleso sikole babezocelwa ukuba bayokhonza phesheya, ngacabanga ngingedwa ngathi, ‘Yimi-ke lowo!’ Ngabe sengizibekela umgomo wokuya eGileyadi. Yeka ukuthi kwakungaba ilungelo elikhulu kangakanani ukuyofuna “amagugu” kwamanye amazwe—ngamanye amazwi, sifune abantu abafuna ukuba abafundi bakaKristu Jesu!—Hagayi 2:6, 7.

Imizamo Yokufinyelela Umgomo Wami

Ngo-April 1942, ngayeka emsebenzini ngaqala ukukhonza njengephayona, noma umshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele, eFindlay, e-Ohio, kanye neqembu lodade abahlanu abathanda uNkulunkulu. Lalingekho ibandla elinesimiso semihlangano eqhutshwa njalo, kodwa sasikhuthazana ngokuthi sifunde ndawonye izihloko ezisezincwadini zethu zobuKristu. Ngenyanga engaqala ngayo ukuphayona, ngahambisela abantu abathakazelayo izincwadi ezingu-95! Ngemva konyaka nengxenye, ngathola isabelo sokuyokhonza njengephayona elikhethekile eChambersburg, ePennsylvania. Ngafika ngajoyina iqembu lamaphayona amahlanu, kuhlanganise noDora Ward, udadewethu ongumKristu odabuka e-Iowa. Mina noDora saphayona ndawonye. Sabhapathizwa ngonyaka ofanayo futhi sobabili sasinesifiso sokuya eSikoleni SaseGileyadi bese siyokhonza njengezithunywa zevangeli phesheya.

Lwafika usuku olukhulu ngasekuqaleni kuka-1944! Sobabili sathola izimemo zokuya ekilasini lesine laseGileyadi. Sabhalisa ngawo lowo nyaka ngo-August. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ngiqhubeke nendaba yami, ake ngidedele uDora anixoxele ukuthi yena wazithola kanjani esekanye nami ekufuneni amagugu.

Ngangimagange Ukuqala Ukushumayela Isikhathi Esigcwele

UDORA: Umama wayethandazela ukuba aqonde iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ngelinye ilanga kuyiSonto, salalela inkulumo kaJ. F. Rutherford emsakazweni. Lapho inkulumo iphela, umama wathi, “Nali iqiniso!” Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho saqala ukutadisha izincwadi zoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngo-1935, ngineminyaka engu-12, ngalalela inkulumo yobhapathizo eyayinikezwa omunye woFakazi BakaJehova futhi ngazizwa nginesifiso esisuka enhliziyweni sokunikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova. Ngabhapathizwa ngemva kweminyaka emithathu. Ukuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa kwangisiza ukuba ngiqhubeke ngigxilile emigomweni yami phakathi neminyaka yokugcina yesikole. Ngangimagange ukuqeda isikole ukuze ngiqale ukukhonza njengephayona.

Ngaleso sikhathi, iqembu loFakazi esasihlanganyela nalo lalihlangana eFort Dodge, e-Iowa. Ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu kwakudinga umzamo omkhulu. Ngaleyo minyaka, izihloko ezifundwayo ze-Nqabayokulinda zazingenayo imibuzo. Sasicelwa ukuba silungiselele imibuzo bese siyinikeza umzalwane ozoqhuba iSifundo Se-Nqabayokulinda. Njalo ngoMsombuluko kusihlwa, mina nomama sasilungiselela imibuzo yazo zonke izigaba siyinikeze umqhubi ukuze akhethe azoyisebenzisa.

Ibandla lethu lalihlala lihlale livakashelwe umbonisi ojikelezayo. Omunye walabo bazalwane kwakunguJohn Booth, owangisiza ukuba ngiqale inkonzo yendlu ngendlu ngesikhathi ngineminyaka engu-12 ubudala. Lapho sengineminyaka engu-17, ngamcela ukuba angibonise indlela yokugcwalisa ifomu lesicelo sokuphayona futhi wangisiza. Ngangingazi ukuthi sasiyophinde sihlangane kamuva nokuthi wayeyohlale engumngane wami!

Njengoba ngangiphayona, ngangivame ukusebenza noDade Dorothy Aronson, umshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele owayemdala kunami ngeminyaka engu-15. Saphayona ndawonye kwaze kwaba yilapho ebizwa ukuba aye ekilasini lokuqala laseGileyadi ngo-1943. Ngemva kwalokho, ngaqhubeka ngiphayona ngedwa.

Ukuphikiswa Akusiyekisi

Iminyaka yawo-1940 yayinzima kithi ngenxa yomoya wokushisekela izwe owawubangelwe iMpi Yezwe II. Lapho sishumayela endlini ngendlu, sasivame ukujikijelwa ngamaqanda abolile nangotamatisi ovuthiwe, ngezinye izikhathi ngisho nangamatshe! Uvivinyo olunzima ngempela saluthola lapho sifakaza ekhoneni lomgwaqo sihambisa omagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Consolation (manje ebizwa ngokuthi i-Phaphama!). Kwafika amaphoyisa ethunywe abaphikisi benkolo, asitshela ukuthi azosibopha uma sike saphinde sabonakala sishumayela obala.

Akubuzwa, senqaba ukuyeka ukushumayela, ngakho sayiswa esiteshini samaphoyisa sayohlonywa imibuzo. Ngemva kokudedelwa, sabuyela kulo lelo khona lomgwaqo sahambisa bona lab’ omagazini. Abazalwane ababehola baseluleka ukuba sisebenzise u-Isaya 61:1, 2 ukuze sichaze ukuma kwethu. Ngesinye isikhathi lapho iphoyisa eliseyinsizwa lifika kimi ngasho lowo mBhalo ngekhanda nginovalo. Ngamangala lapho livele lijika futhi lihamba! Ngikholelwa ukuthi izingelosi zazisivikele.

Usuku Engingasoze Ngalukhohlwa

Ngo-1941, ngaya emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova wezinsuku ezinhlanu eSt. Louis, eMissouri. Phakathi nalowo mhlangano, uMfoweth’ uRutherford wacela bonke abantwana abaneminyaka ephakathi kwemihlanu kuya kwengu-18 ukuba bahlangane endaweni eyinhloko yenkundla. Kwabuthana izinkulungwane zabantwana. UMfoweth’ uRutherford wasibingelela ngokuvayiza ngeduku. Nathi samvayizela. Ngemva kwenkulumo yakhe eyathatha ihora, wathi: “Nina bantwana enivumile ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu futhi eniye nathatha uhlangothi lwenu kuhulumeni wakhe ongokwasezulwini ngoKristu Jesu nenivumile ukulalela uNkulunkulu neNkosi yakhe, sizani nisukume.” Abantwana abangu-15 000 basukuma bonke ngothi lwabo futhi nami ngangingomunye wabo! Isikhulumi sabe sesinezela: “Nina nonke eniyokwenza konke okusemandleni enu ukuze nitshele abanye ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu nezibusiso zawo, ngicela nithi Elethu.” Sasho, futhi kwalandela elikhulu ihlombe.

Kwabe sekukhululwa incwadi ethi Childrena futhi abantwana bashaya ujenga olude ngasepulatifomu. UMfoweth’ uRutherford wanikeza ngamunye ikhophi yale ncwadi. Kwakungeve kumnandi! Namuhla, abaningi balabo abathola leyo ncwadi ngalolo suku basakhonza uJehova ngentshiseko emhlabeni wonke, batshela abanye ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu nangokulunga kwakhe.—IHubo 148:12, 13.

Ngemva kokuphayona ngedwa iminyaka emithathu, yeka ukuthi ngajabula kanjani ukuthola isabelo sokuyokhonza njengephayona elikhethekile eChambersburg! Sahlangana lapho noDorothea, futhi saba ngamathe nolimi. Sasigcwele amandla obusha futhi sinomdlandla omangalisayo. Sasimagange ukwandisa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Saqala ndawonye umsebenzi wokufuna amagugu esiye sawenza kuze kube manje.—IHubo 110:3.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa siqale ukukhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile, sahlangana nowayethweswe iziqu ekilasini lokuqala laseGileyadi, u-Albert Mann. Wayesezohamba aye esabelweni sakhe kwelinye izwe. Wasikhuthaza ukuba samukele noma isiphi isabelo sakwelinye izwe esingase sisinikezwe.

Sisesikoleni Ndawonye

UDORA NODOROTHEA: Ungayicabanga injabulo esaba nayo lapho siqala ukuqeqeshelwa ukuba izithunywa zevangeli! Ngosuku lokuqala ekilasini, sabhaliswa u-Albert Schroeder, umzalwane owayeshiyele unina kaDorothea incwadi ethi Studies in the Scriptures, eminyakeni engu-12 ngaphambili. UJohn Booth wayelapho naye. Ngaleso sikhathi wayeyinceku yaseKingdom Farm, lapho isikole sasikhona. Kamuva, womabili la madoda akhonza njengamalungu eNdikimba Ebusayo YoFakazi BakaJehova.

ESikoleni SaseGileyadi safunda amaqiniso eBhayibheli ajulile. Sathola ukuqeqeshwa okuhle kakhulu. Ekilasini kwakunabafundi abangu-104, kuhlanganise nomfundi waseMexico owaba ngumfundi wokuqala ovela kwelinye izwe. Yena wayezama ukuthuthukisa isiNgisi sakhe, thina sizama ukufunda iSpanishi. Yeka indlela esasijabule ngayo ngosuku uMfoweth’ uNathan H. Knorr asinikeza ngalo izabelo zethu zakwamanye amazwe! Iningi labelwa eMelika Ephakathi naseNingizimu Melika; thina sabelwa eChile.

Ukufuna Amagugu EChile

Ukuze singene eChile kwadingeka sithole ama-visa, futhi lokho kwathatha isikhathi eside impela. Ngakho, ngemva kokuthweswa iziqu ngo-January 1945, sakhonza njengamaphayona eWashington, D.C., unyaka nengxenye. Lapho siwathola ama-visa ethu, sahamba siyiqembu lezithunywa zevangeli ezingu-9 saya eChile. Abangu-7 babethole iziqu emakilasini okuqala.

Sahlangatshezwa abafowethu abangamaKristu abaningana enhloko-dolobha eSantiago. Omunye wabo kwakungu-Albert Mann, naye owayethweswe iziqu zaseGileyadi futhi owayesikhuthazile eminyakeni embalwa eyayandulele. Wayefike eChile ngonyaka owandulele ehamba noJoseph Ferrari owathola iziqu ekilasini lesibili laseGileyadi. Ngesikhathi sifika kwakunabamemezeli abangaphansi kwekhulu kulo lonke elaseChile. Sasimagange ukucinga nokuthola amagugu engeziwe—abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho—esabelweni sethu esisha.

Sabelwa ukuyokhonza ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli eSantiago. Kwaba yinto entsha kithi ukuhlala nomkhaya omkhulu wezithunywa zevangeli. Ngaphandle nje kokusebenza amahora adingekayo emsebenzini wokushumayela, zonke izithunywa zevangeli zazabelwe ukupheka kanye ngesonto. Zikhona impela izenzakalo ezibangela amahloni ezenzeka. Ngelinye ilanga sabhakela umkhaya wethu olambile amakhekhe ukuze uwadle eshisa ekuseni, kodwa lapho siwakhipha kuhhavini, ayenganuki neze kamnandi. Phela sasisebenzise i-bicarbonate of soda esikhundleni se-baking powder! Othile wayefake i-bicarb ethinini le-baking powder.

Nokho, okwakubangela amahloni nakakhulu kwakungamaphutha esasiwenza njengoba sasisafunda ukukhuluma iSpanishi. Kunomkhaya omkhulu esasifunda nawo owacishe wayeka ukufunda ngoba wawungasizwa nje ukuthi sithini. Kodwa ngokuzifundela imiBhalo emaBhayibhelini awo, wakwazi ukufunda iqiniso, futhi abahlanu kuwo baba oFakazi. Ngaleyo minyaka, izithunywa zevangeli ezifikayo zazingenawo amakilasi ahleliwe okufunda ulimi. Sasivele sishone ensimini futhi sizame ukufunda ulimi kubantu esasibashumayeza.

Saqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli eziningi futhi abanye abafundi bathuthuka ngokushesha. Abanye babedinga sibabekezelele. Intokazi ethile egama layo nguTeresa Tello, yalalela umyalezo weqiniso yabe seyithi, “Ngicela nibuye nizongixoxela okwengeziwe.” Sabuyela izikhathi ezingu-12 singayitholi. Kwaze kwaphela iminyaka emithathu singayitholi. Kwenzeka ngesinye isikhathi siseSantiago emhlanganweni owawusenkundleni yemidlalo yaseshashalazini, sesihamba ngeSonto, othile wamemeza, “Dora, Dora!” Lapho siphenduka asizange sikholwe. Phela kwakunguTeresa. Wayevakashele udadewabo owayehlala ngale komgwaqo futhi wayeze ukuzobona ukuthi kwakwenzekani enkundleni. Sajabula kakhulu ukuphinde simbone! Samenzela amalungiselelo esifundo seBhayibheli, futhi ngokushesha nje wabhapathizwa. Kamuva, waba iphayona elikhethekile. Sekudlule iminyaka engu-45 manje futhi uTeresa usesenkonzweni ekhethekile yesikhathi esigcwele.—UmShumayeli 11:1.

Ukuthola Amagugu “Esihlabathini”

Ngo-1959 sabelwa ePunta Arenas—okusho ukuthi “Sands Point”—endaweni elena phansi eChile ogwini olungamakhilomitha angu-4 300. IPunta Arenas iyindawo engavamile. Ehlobo, usuku luba lude—ilanga lize lishone ngo-11:30 ebusuku. Sasikwazi ukuba senkonzweni izinsuku eziningi kodwa sasihlangabezana nezingqinamba ezithile ngoba ehlobo kuba nomoya omkhulu kakhulu wase-Antarctic. Ebusika kuyabanda futhi usuku lufushane.

Naphezu kwalezi zinselele, iPunta Arenas iyathandeka. Ehlobo, kuhlale kunamafu emvula esibhakabhakeni esingasentshonalanga. Ngezinye izikhathi, la mafu aletha iziwolokohlo zemvula ube manzi té, kodwa kube sekufika umoya ukomise. Kuba nothingo oluhle lapho kuvela ilanga phakathi kwamafu. Ngezinye izikhathi, uthingo lubonakala amahora amaningi, lulokhu lucasha lubuye luvele njengoba ilanga likhanya phakathi kwamafu emvula.—Jobe 37:14.

Ngaleso sikhathi, babembalwa abamemezeli ePunta Arenas. Kwakudingeka siqhube imihlangano ebandleni lendawo elincane singodade. UJehova wayibusisa imizamo yethu. Savakashela le ndawo ngemva kweminyaka engu-37 sahamba. Safike satholani? Sathola ukuthi sekunamabandla ayisithupha athuthukayo namaHholo OMbuso amathathu amahle. Yeka ukuthi kujabulisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova wasivumela ukuba sithole amagugu angokomoya kuleyo ndawo eyisihlabathi eseningizimu!—Zakariya 4:10.

Amanye Amagugu ‘Ogwini Olubanzi’

Ngemva kokukhonza iminyaka emithathu nengxenye ePunta Arenas, sabelwa ukuyokhonza edolobheni eliyitheku eValparaiso. Leli dolobha linamagquma angu-41 akake itheku elibheke uLwandle iPacific. Sagxila kakhulu kwelinye lala magquma, iPlaya Ancha, okusho ukuthi “Ugu Olubanzi.” Phakathi neminyaka engu-16 esayihlala lapho, sabona iqembu lezinsizwa ezingamaKristu lithuthuka ngokomoya kangangokuthi manje likhonza njengababonisi abajikelezayo nanjengabadala abangamaKristu emabandleni eChile yonkana.

Isabelo sethu esalandela kwaba yiViña del Mar. Sakhonza lapho iminyaka emithathu nengxenye kwaze kwaba yilapho ikhaya lethu lezithunywa zevangeli libhidlika ngenxa yokuzamazama komhlaba. Saphindela eSantiago, lapho sasiqale khona inkonzo yethu njengezithunywa zevangeli eminyakeni engu-40 ngaphambili. Izinto zase zishintshile lapha. Kwase kwakhiwe igatsha elisha futhi isakhiwo esasiyigatsha sashintshwa saba ikhaya lazo zonke izithunywa zevangeli ezazisekuleli zwe. Kamuva, lelo khaya lasetshenziswa njengendawo yeSikole Sokuqeqeshela Inkonzo. Ngaleso sikhathi, saphinde sawubona umusa wothando kaJehova. Thina esasiyizithunywa zevangeli ezinhlanu esezikhulile sacelwa ukuba siyohlala eBethel. Phakathi nesikhathi esisikhonze eChile, sibe sezabelweni ezihlukahlukene ezingu-15. Siye sabona ukwanda, abamemezeli besukela ngaphansi kwekhulu beya ku-70 000! Yeka ukuthi kube yinjabulo kanjani ukufuna amagugu eChile iminyaka engu-57!

Sizizwa sibusiswe ngempela ngokuthi uJehova uye wasivumela ukuba sithole abantu abaningi kangaka—amagugu ngempela—nabo abaye baqhubeka besetshenziswa uJehova enhlanganweni yakhe. Phakathi neminyaka engaphezu kwengu-60 sikhonza uJehova ndawonye, sivumelana ngenhliziyo yonke namazwi eNkosi uDavide, athi: “Yeka ukuthi buchichima kangakanani ubuhle bakho obulondele labo abakwesabayo!”—IHubo 31:19.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 9]

UDorothea ngo-2002 nalapho eshumayela ngo-1943

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Sisemsebenzini kamagazini eFort Dodge, e-Iowa, ngo-1942

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

UDora, ngo-2002

[Isithombe ekhasini 12]

UDorothea noDora bemi ngaphandle kwekhaya labo lokuqala lezithunywa zevangeli eChile, ngo-1946