Ngaqala ‘Ukukhumbula UMdali Wami Omkhulu’ Eminyakeni Engu-90 Edlule
Ilandiswa ngu-Edwin Ridgwell
NGO-NOVEMBER 11, 1918, kuwuSuku Lwesivumelwano Sokuthula, kungalindelekile sonke esikoleni saqoqelwa ndawonye ukuze sizogubha ukuphela kweMpi Enkulu, kamuva eyabizwa ngokuthi iMpi Yezwe I. Ngangineminyaka emihlanu nje ubudala, ngingaqondi nokuthi sasibizelweni. Noma kunjalo, ngenxa yalokho abazali bami ababengifundise kona ngoNkulunkulu angithandanga ukuba yingxenye yalowo mkhosi. Ngathandaza kuNkulunkulu, kodwa ngagajwa uvalo ngabe sengiqala ukukhala. Angizange nokho ngihlanganyele kulowo mkhosi. Ngaqala lapho ‘ukukhumbula uMdali wami omkhulu.’—UmSh. 12:1.
Ezinyangeni ezithile ngaphambi kokuba kwenzeke lokhu esikoleni, umkhaya wakithi wawuthuthele eduze kwaseGlasgow, eScotland. Cishe kwakuphakathi naleso sikhathi lapho ubaba aya khona ukuyolalela inkulumo yeningi eyayinesihloko esithi “Izigidi Eziphilayo Manje Azisoze Zafa.” Yashintsha ukuphila kwakhe. Abazali bami baqala ukufunda iBhayibheli futhi babevame ukukhuluma ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu nangezibusiso ezizayo. Ngibonga uNkulunkulu ngokuthi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi abazali bami bangifundisa ukuthanda uNkulunkulu nokuthembela kuye.—IzAga 22:6.
Ngiqala Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele
Lapho ngineminyaka engu-15, ngafanelekela ukuthola imfundo ephakeme, kodwa empeleni ngangifuna ukuba isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele. Ubaba waba nomuzwa wokuthi ngangisemncane kakhulu, ngakho ngasebenza ehhovisi isikhathi esithile. Nokho, isifiso sami sokukhonza uJehova isikhathi esigcwele sasinamandla kangangokuthi ngolunye usuku ngabhalela u-J. F. Rutherford incwadi, owayengamele umsebenzi wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke ngaleso sikhathi. Ngambuza ukuthi wayecabangani ngalokho engangikucabanga. UMfoweth’ uRutherford wangiphendula: “Uma umdala ngokwanele ukuthi ungasebenza, umdala ngokwanele ukuba uhlanganyele enkonzweni yeNkosi. . . . Ngikholelwa ukuthi iNkosi izokubusisa uma uzikhandla ukuze uyikhonze ngokwethembeka.” Leyo ncwadi eyayibhalwe ngomhla ka-March 10, 1928, yawushukumisa umkhaya wakithi. Kungakabiphi, abazali bami, udadewethu omdala nami saqala ukukhonza njengezikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele.
Ngo-1931, emhlanganweni wesigodi owawuseLondon, uMfoweth’ uRutherford wathi kucelwa amavolontiya ayezosakaza izindaba ezinhle kwamanye amazwe. Ngasabela futhi mina no-Andrew Jack, sabelwa eKaunas, ngaleso sikhathi eyayiyinhloko-dolobha yaseLithuania. Ngangineminyaka engu-18.
Ukushumayela Isigijimi SoMbuso Kwamanye Amazwe
Ngaleso sikhathi, abantu baseLithuania babempofu beziphilisa ngokulima, futhi ukushumayela emaphandleni kwakunezinselele. Kwakunzima ukuthola izindawo zokulala, futhi ezinye zazo asisoze sazikhohlwa. Ngokwesibonelo, ngobunye ubusuku savuka no-Andrew silunywa. Ngemva kokukhanyisa isibani, sabona ukuthi umbhede wethu wawuqaqelwe izimbungulu. Zazisilume umzimba wonke! Kwaphela isonto lonke ngiya emfuleni oseduze njalo ekuseni, ngifike ngingene ngicwile wonke umzimba ukuze ngidambise izinhlungu. Noma kunjalo, sasizimisele ukuqhubeka nenkonzo. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, inkinga yendawo yokulala yaxazululeka lapho sihlangana nombhangqwana osemusha owawuhlanganyela. Wasingenisa emzini wawo omncane kodwa owawuhlanzekile. Sasingenankinga yokulala phansi, futhi saphumula izimbungulu!
Ngaleso sikhathi, iLithuania yayibuswa abefundisi bamaRoma Katolika nabeSonto Lobu-Orthodox LaseRussia. Izigwili kuphela ezaziba neBhayibheli. Umgomo wethu oyinhloko wawuwukuhlanganisa insimu enkulu ngangokunokwenzeka nokuhambisa izincwadi eziningi ngangokunokwenzeka kubantu abathakazelayo. Sasiqala ngokufuna indawo yokulala edolobheni. Okwesibili, sasihlanganisa izindawo ezisemaphethelweni ngokuqapha, bese sihlanganisa masinyane idolobha ngokwalo. Ngaleyo ndlela, ngokuvamile sasikwazi ukuqeda umsebenzi wethu ngaphambi kokuba abefundisi bendawo basibangele izinkinga.
Sivusa Isiyaluyalu Esenza Saziwa Umphakathi
Ngo-1934, u-Andrew wathola isabelo sokuyokhonza ehhovisi legatsha laseKaunas, futhi ngathunyelelwa uJohn Sempey ukuze azoshumayela nami. Saba nokuhlangenwe nakho esiyohlale sikukhumbula. Ngolunye usuku ngaya ehhovisi lommeli elisedolobheni elincane. Le ndoda yathukuthela, yakhipha isibhamu ekhabetheni, yabe isingitshela ukuba ngiphume kulelo hhovisi. Ngathandaza ngenhliziyo futhi ngakhumbula lesi seluleko seBhayibheli: “Impendulo, lapho imnene, iyakunqanda ukufutheka.” (IzAga 15:1) Ngakho ngathi, “Ngize lapha njengomngane, ngikuphathele isigijimi sezindaba ezinhle futhi ngiyabonga ngokungangidubuli.” Le ndoda yathambisa umunwe wayo owawusuzodubula, futhi ngahlehla ngiqaphile ngaze ngaphuma ehhovisi layo.
Lapho ngiphinde ngihlangana noJohn, wangitshela ukuthi naye wayebe nokuhlangenwe nakho okubuhlungu. Wayeyiswe esiteshini samaphoyisa ngoba emangalelwe ngamanga ngokuthi wayentshontshe imali eyiphepha kowesifazane enenani elikhulu. Afike amkhumulisa waba nqunu cwe esiteshini. Awayitholanga vele leyo mali kuye. Kamuva labanjwa isela langempela.
Zombili lezi zenzakalo zanyakazisa lelo dolobha elincane futhi lokhu kwaphumela ekwaziweni kabanzi komsebenzi wethu!
Ukusebenza Ngomshoshaphansi
Isabelo esasiyingozi kwakuwukuhambisa izincwadi ezweni eliseduze laseLatvia, lapho umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wawuvinjelwe khona. Cishe kanye ngenyanga sasiya eLatvia ngesitimela sasebusuku. Ngezinye izikhathi ngemva kokushiya izincwadi, sasiqhubekela phambili e-Estonia siyolanda ezengeziwe, esasidlula sizishiye eLatvia lapho sigoduka.
Ngesinye isikhathi, esinye isikhulu sasemngceleni sasincinziwe ngomsebenzi wethu futhi sasiyala ukuba sehle esitimeleni futhi siyise izincwadi ehhovisi lomphathi ophakeme. Sobabili sathandaza kuJehova sicela ukuba asisize. Kwenzeka isimanga, lesi sikhulu asizange sitshele umphathi waso ukuthi siphetheni kodwa samane sathi, “La madoda aphethe okuthile okudinga ukubhalwa phansi njengokuvela kwelinye izwe.” Ngachaza ukuthi lokho kwakuyizincwadi ezaziyosiza abantu ezikoleni nasemakolishi ukuba baqonde okwakushiwo yilokho okwakwenzeka ezweni lethu eligcwele izinkinga. Lo mphathi wasivumela ukuba sidlule futhi sazidiliva ngokuphephile izincwadi.
Njengoba isimo sezombusazwe sasishuba emazweni agudle ulwandle iBaltic, abantu baqala ukubazonda oFakazi BakaJehova futhi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wavinjelwa naseLithuania. U-Andrew noJohn baxoshwa ezweni, futhi njengoba iMpi Yezwe II yayisinuka emakhaleni, bonke ababevela eBrithani bayalwa ukuba bahambe. Ngahamba nami—ngilusizi.
Amalungelo Nezibusiso Engazithola ENyakatho Ireland
Ngaleso sikhathi, abazali bami base bethuthele eNyakatho Ireland, futhi ngo-1937 ngahamba ngayohlala nabo. Izincwadi zethu zazingavunyelwe naseNyakatho Ireland ngenxa yokuthi abantu babesaba impi, kodwa saqhubeka nokushumayela naphakathi nayo. Ngemva kokuphela kweMpi Yezwe II, saqhubeka nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela futhi wawungasavinjelwe ngokomthetho. UHarold King, iphayona elaselimnkantsh’ ubomvu kamuva elabelwa ukuyokhonza eChina njengesithunywa sevangeli, wahola ekuhleleni nasekukhuthazeni ukubekwa kwezinkulumo zeningi endaweni evulekile. Wathi, “Ngalo Mgqibelo ngizonikeza inkulumo yeningi endaweni evulekile.” Wabe esengibheka wathi, “NgoMgqibelo ozayo izonikezwa nguwe.” Ngethuka kwaphela nasozwanini.
Ngiyikhumbula kahle inkulumo yami yokuqala. Kwakunezinkumbi zabantu futhi ngayibeka ngimi phezu kwebhokisi, singekho nesikhulisa-zwi. Lapho inkulumo yami isiphelile, kweza indoda ethile kimi, yangixhawula futhi yazethula ngokuthi inguBill Smith. Yathi yayibone lesi sixuku yabe isima ukuze ibone ukuthi kwenzekani. Kwahlaluka ukuthi uBill wayeke waxoxa ngaphambili nobaba kodwa badukelana lapho ubaba nosingamama wami bethuthela eDublin beyophayona khona. Saqala isifundo seBhayibheli. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amalungu angu-9 omkhaya kaBill aba izinceku zikaJehova.
Kamuva ngashumayela ezithabathabeni zemizi yezicebi esemaphethelweni eBelfast. Kule ndawo ngahlangana nowesifazane waseRussia owake wahlala eLithuania. Lapho ngimbonisa izincwadi ezithile, wakhomba eyodwa yazo, wathi: “Nginayo le. Ngayinikwa ubab’ omkhulu onguprofesa eyunivesithi yaseKaunas.” Wangibonisa incwadi yesiPolish ethi Creation. Amakhasi ayo ayebhaliwe emaceleni. Yeka indlela amangala ngayo lapho ezwa ukuthi empeleni yimina engahlangana nobab’ omkhulu wakhe eKaunas ngase ngimnika leyo ncwadi!—UmSh. 11:1.
Lapho uJohn Sempey ezwa ukuthi ngangiya eNyakatho Ireland, wangicela ukuba ngivakashele udadewabo omncane, uNellie, ngoba wayebonise isithakazelo eqinisweni. Mina nodadewethu uConnie samqhubela isifundo seBhayibheli. UNellie wathuthuka ngokushesha futhi wanikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi saqala ukuthandana futhi kamuva sashada.
Mina noNellie siye sachitha iminyaka engu-56 enkonzweni kaJehova futhi saba nelungelo lokusiza abantu abangaphezu kwekhulu ukuba babe nolwazi lweqiniso leBhayibheli. Sasinethemba lokuthi siyohlala ndawonye kuze kudlule i-Armagedoni singene ezweni elisha likaJehova, kodwa isitha esinonya esiwukufa sangephuca yena ngo-1998. Lokho kwaba buhlungu kakhulu kimi—kwaba olunye uvivinyo olukhulu kunalo lonke ekuphileni kwami.
Ukubuyela EmaZweni AseBaltic
Cishe ngemva konyaka uNellie eshonile, ngathola isibusiso esimangalisayo. Ngamenywa ukuba ngivakashele ihhovisi legatsha laseTallinn, e-Estonia. Incwadi eyayivela kubazalwane e-Estonia yayithi: “Kubazalwane abayishumi ababelwa ukuba bazokhonza emaZweni aseBaltic ngasekupheleni kwawo-1920 nasekuqaleni kwawo-1930, nguwe kuphela osaphila.” Yabuye yathi igatsha lalilungiselela ukubhala umlando womsebenzi wethu e-Estonia, eLatvia naseLithuania, yabe isibuza: “Ungakwazi yini ukuza?”
Yeka ukuthi kwaba ilungelo kanjani ukulandisa okuhlangenwe nakho kwami nabangane bami ngaleyo minyaka! ELatvia ngakwazi ukubonisa abafowethu isakhiwo sokuqala esasisetshenziswa njengehhovisi legatsha nendawo esophahleni esasifihla kuyo izincwadi zethu, futhi amaphoyisa angazange akwazi ukuyithola. ELithuania ngayiswa edolobheni elincane elibizwa ngokuthi iŠiauliai, lapho ngake ngaphayona khona. Emhlanganweni owawulapho, omunye umzalwane wathi kimi: “Kudala mina nomama sathenga indlu edolobheni. Ngesikhathi sisusa imfucumfucu ekamelweni eliphezulu, ngathola incwadi ethi The Divine Plan of the Ages nethi The Harp of God. Lapho ngizifunda, ngabona ukuthi zazineqiniso. Kumelwe ukuba nguwe owashiya lezo zincwadi kuleyo ndlu eminyakeni eminingi edlule!”
Ngakwazi ukuya emhlanganweni wesifunda owaba sedolobheni engake ngaphayona kulo. Ngangikhona nasemhlanganweni owawulapho eminyakeni engu-65 edlule. Ngaleso sikhathi, sasingu-35 kuphela kulowo mhlangano. Kodwa yeka ukuthi ngajabula kanjani ukubona abantu abangaphezu kuka-1 500 ababekhona! Yeka indlela uJehova aye wawubusisa ngayo umsebenzi!
‘UJehova Akazange Angishiye’
Muva nje ngiye ngathola isibusiso ebengingasilindele ngempela lapho isimomondiya esigama laso linguBee sivuma ukuba sibe ngumkami. Sishade ngo-November 2006.
Ngingaqinisekisa noma imuphi umuntu osemusha ozibuzayo ukuthi kufanele enzeni ngokuphila kwakhe ukuthi kuhlakaniphe kakhulu ukulalela la mazwi aphefumulelwe: ‘Khumbula uMdali wakho Omkhulu ezinsukwini zobusha bakho.’ Manje ngingasho ngenjabulo njengoba kwasho umhubi: “Nkulunkulu, ungifundisile kusukela ebusheni bami kuqhubeke, kuze kube manje ngiyaqhubeka ngilandisa ngemisebenzi yakho emangalisayo. O Nkulunkulu, ungangishiyi, kuze kube ngisho nasekugugeni nasebumpungeni, ngize ngilandise ngengalo yakho esizukulwaneni, ngamandla akho kubo bonke abasazofika.”—IHu. 71:17, 18.
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(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
Isabelo esasiyingozi kwakungesokuyisa izincwadi eLatvia
ESTONIA
TALLINN
Gulf of Riga
LATVIA
RIGA
LITHUANIA
VILNIUS
Kaunas
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Ngaqala ukukhonza njenge-“colporteur” (iphayona) ngineminyaka engu-15 eScotland
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NginoNellie lapho sishada ngo-1942