Kwenta Lushintjo, Bekusolo Kungizuzisa

Njengobe ilandziswa ngu-James A. Thompson

Ngesikhatsi ngitalwa eningizimu yeMelika nga-1928, bekusasebenta umtsetfo wekwehlukaniswa kwebantfu labamhlophe kanye nalabamnyama. Nangabe uwephula lomtsetfo, bewuvalelwa ejele nobe kwentiwe lokungetulu kwaloko kuwe.

NGALESO SIKHATSI, etincenyeni letitsite taseMelika, boFakazi BaJehova labamhlophe kanye nalabamnyama bekufanele babe nemabandla, imihlangano yesifundza kanye neyesigodzi leyehlukene. Nga-1937, babe wami waba yinceku yelibandla (nyalo lebitwa ngekutsi ngumchumanisi wesigungu salabadzala), futsi bekahola ebandleni lalabamnyama lelise-Chattanooga, e-Tennessee. Henry Nichols, bekayinceku yelibandla lalabamhlophe.

Nginenkhumbulo lenhle kakhulu yangesikhatsi ngisemncane, ngihleti emuva kwendlu ebusuku, futsi ngilalele Babe kanye neMzalwane Nichols bakhuluma. Nanobe bengingakuva kahle loko labebacoca ngako, bengikujabulela kuba seceleni kwaBabe njengobe bacoca ngenjabulo letfolakala ngekushumayela ngaphansi kwetimo lematima.

Ngasekucaleni kwemnyaka wa-1930, umndeni wakitsi wehlelwa yinhlekelele. Make wami lobekaneminyaka lengu-20 budzala, washona. Babe besekufanele anakekele sisi wami Doris, lobekaneminyaka lemine budzala, kanye nami njengobe bengineminyaka lemibili nje kuphela. Nanobe Babe bekasandza kubhajatiswa, bekatfutfuka kahle ngekwakamoya.

Tibonelo Letatsintsa Kuphila Kwami

Nga-1933, Babe wahlangana nadzadze lotsite lolungile, libito lakhe bekungu-Lillie Mae Gwendolyn Thomas, futsi ngekushesha bashada. Bobabili basibekela sibonelo lesihle sekukhonta Jehova ngebucotfo.

Nga-1938, emabandla aboFakazi BaJehova acelwa kutsi asekele sincumo sekutsi labadzala  bemabandla bakhetfwe endlunkhulu lese-Brooklyn, e-New York, kunekutsi bakhetfwe libandla labakulo. Ngesikhatsi labanye bazalwane base-Chattanooga bangabata kwemukela lolushintjo, Babe waveta kusisekela kwakhe ngekukhululeka lesincumo senhlangano. Sibonelo sakhe sekwetsembeka kanye nekusekela kwaMake lomncane ngekutimisela—kungisitile kwate kwaba ngulamuhla.

Kubhajatiswa Kanye Nemsebenti Wasikhatsi Sonkhe

Nga-1940, bazalwane labatsite basebandleni letfu bacasha ibhasi kute baye emhlanganweni wesigodzi lobewubanjelwe e-Detroit, Michigan. Bantfu labambalwa lebesihamba nabo ebhasini, babhajatiswa kulowo mhlangano. Kodvwa labanye bamangala ngekutsi kungani mine ngingazange ngibhajatiswe, ngobe phela bengicale kushumayela ngineminyaka lesihlanu futsi bengikhutsele ensimini.

Nabangibuta ngaloko, ngabaphendvula ngatsi: “Loku kwentiwa kutsi angikucondzi kahle loko lokushiwo kubhajatiswa.” Babe wangiva nangisho njalo futsi wamangala. Kusukela lapho, wenta imetamo leyengetiwe kute angisite ngicondze kutsi kusho kutsini kubhajatiswa kanye nekubaluleka kwako. Ngemuva kwetinyanga letine, ngelilanga lebelibandza kakhulu langa-October 1, 1940, ngabhajatiselwa echibini lelisedvute ne-Chattanooga.

Ngesikhatsi sengineminyaka lengu-14 budzala, ngacala kuba lihlahlandlela lesikhatsi sekuvalwa kwetikolwa. Bengishumayela emadolobheni lamancane lase-Tennessee kanye nakulawo lasedvute nesifundza sase-Georgia. Bengivuka ekuseni kakhulu, ngilungise umphako wasemini, bese ngigibela ibhasi nobe sitimela sensimbi yesitfupha ekuseni kute ngiye ensimini. Bengibuya ekhaya seyishayile insimbi yesitfupha kusihlwa. Kudla lebengikuphatsa bekuvame kuphela singakashayi nesikhatsi semadina. Nanobe benginayo imali, bengingeke ngikwati kutsenga esitolo sendzawo ngobe bengingumuntfu lomnyama. Ngalelinye lilanga, ngangena esitolo kute ngitsenge i-icecream, kodvwa bangitjela kutsi ngiphume. Lomunye make longumlungu waba nemusa futsi wangitsengela yona.

Ngesikhatsi ngicala kufundza esikolweni semabanga laphakeme, inhlangano yekulwelwa kwemalungelo esive beseyitfutfuke kakhulu eNingizimu. Tinhlangano letinjenge-NAACP (i-National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) takhutsata bafundzi kutsi bahlanganyele ekushuceni. Bafundzi bacelwa kutsi babe ngemalunga alenhlangano. Tikolwa letinyenti tebantfu labamnyama, lokuhlanganisa nesetfu, tatibekela umgomo wekutsi wonkhe umuntfu abe lilunga. Ngacindzetelwa kutsi ngisekele luhlanga lwakitsi. Kodvwa angizange ngivume, ngabachazela kutsi Nkulunkulu akakhetsi, futsi akatsatsi lesinye sive njengalesincono kunalesinye. Ngako-ke, bengetsembele kuNkulunkulu kutsi kube nguye locedza lolubandlululo.—Joh. 17:14; Imis. 10:34, 35.

Ngekushesha ngemuva kwekucedza sikolwa, ngancuma kutfutsela edolobheni lase-New York. Ngesikhatsi ngisendleleni leya khona, ngafike ngehla e-Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, kute ngivakashele bangani bami lengahlangana nabo emhlanganweni wesigodzi. Kuleyo ndzawo, bengicala kubona libandla lelinetinhlanga letehlukehlukene. Ngesikhatsi umbonisi lojikeletako avakashe kulelo bandla, wangibitela eceleni futsi wangitjela kutsi ngabelwe kuba nencenye emhlanganweni welibandla lolandzelako. Loko kwenta kwaba melula ngami kutsi ngincume kuhlala e-Philadelphia.

Emkhatsini webangani lengaba nabo e-Philadelphia, bekunadzadze losemusha libito lakhe lokungu-Geraldine White, lengagcine sengimbita ngekutsi ngu-Gerri. Bekalati kahle liBhayibheli futsi  bekanelikhono lekucoca nebantfu ensimini. Intfo lebeyibaluleke kakhulu kimi, kutsi naye bekanemgomo lofanana newami wekuba lihlahlandlela. Sashada nga-April 23, 1949.

Kumenyelwa EGileyadi

Kusukela ekucaleni, umgomo lebesinawo bekukuya eSikolweni saseGileyadi kanye nekuba titfunywa teliVangeli kulelinye live. Sakujabulela kushintja timo tetfu kute sifanelekele kuya eGileyadi. Ngekushesha, sacelwa kutsi sitfutsele e-Lawnside, New Jersey; ngemuva kwaloko, saya e-Chester, Pennsylvania; ekugcineni satfutsela e-Atlantic City, e-New Jersey. Ngesikhatsi sise-Atlantic City, sakufanelekela kufaka sicelo sekuya eGileyadi, ngobe bese sineminyaka lemibili sishadile. Kodvwa sicelo setfu samiswa. Kungani samiswa?

Ngasekucaleni kweminyaka yabo-1950, emajaha lamanyenti bekakhetfwa kutsi abe ngemasotja kute akwati kulwa emphini lebeyise-Korea. Ibhodi yekukhetfwa kwemasotja yase-Philadelphia beyibatondza boFakazi BaJehova ngesizatfu sekutsi bebangalutsatsi luhlangotsi etimphini. Ekugcineni, lijaji langitjela kutsi emaphoyisa (ema-FBI) ente luhlolo lwangansense ngami, atfola kutsi bengingalutsatsi luhlangotsi. Ngako-ke, nga-January 11, 1952, iBhodi Yekwendlulisa Tikhalo yanginiketa timphepha lebetichaza kutsi ngisikhonti saJehova.

Nga-August wangalowo mnyaka, mine naGerri satfola simemo sekuya ekilasini lesi-20 lesikolwa saseGileyadi, lelacala nga-September. Ngesikhatsi sisesikolweni, besinesifiso lesikhulu sekutfola sabelo sekuyewukhonta kulelinye live. Sizatfu saloko kutsi sisi wami Doris bekaye ekilasini lesi-13, futsi besekakhonta e-Brazil. Samangala kakhulu nasitfola sabelo sekwenta umsebenti wekujikeleta—sikhonte emabandla ebazalwane labamnyama laseningizimu ye-Alabama. Loko kwasidvumata, ngobe besinesifiso lesikhulu sekukhonta kulelinye live.

Libandla lekucala lesalivakashela belise-Huntsville. Nasifika lapho, saya emtini walomunye dzadze lebesitawuhlala kakhe. Njengobe besesitfulula timphahla tetfu, samuva akhuluma elucingweni atsi: “Sebafikile bantfwana.” Ngaleso sikhatsi, besineminyaka lengu-24 budzala, futsi besibukeka sibancane kunaloko. Leligama lelitsi Bantfwana, bebahlale basibita ngalo, njengobe besikhonta kulesifundza.

Indzawo leseNingizimu beyivame kubitwa ngekutsi yi-Bible Belt, ngesizatfu sekutsi bantfu bakhona bebalihlonipha kakhulu liBhayibheli. Ngako-ke, nasicoca nebantfu ensimini, besisebentisa singeniso lesinemaphuzu lamatsatfu:

(1) Besikhuluma kafishane ngetimo talelive.

(2) Siveta sicatululo lesiniketwa sona liBhayibheli.

(3) Bese sisho loko liBhayibheli lelitsi sikwente.

Ngemuva kwaloko, besibaniketa incwadzi lefanelekako lesekelwe eBhayibhelini. Ngesizatfu sekutsi lendlela beyiphumelela, ngaba nencenye emhlanganweni we-New World Society wa-1953, lobewuse-New York. Kulowo mhlangano, ngaveta indlela lebesingentiwa ngayo lesingeniso semaphuzu lamatsatfu.

Ngemuva kwaloko, ehlobo langa-1953,  ngabelwa kutsi ngikhonte njengembonisi wesigodzi esifundzeni sebazalwane labamnyama, lesiseNingizimu. Insimi yetfu beyihlanganisa yonkhe indzawo yase-Virginia kuya e-Florida, futsi beyihamba ite ifike e-Alabama kanye nase-Tennessee. Babonisi labajikeletako bekufanele batetayele timo labebahlangabetana nato. Sibonelo saloko kutsi ngaletinye tikhatsi besihlala emitini lete emanti endlini, futsi sigezela endishini ngemuva kwesitofu. Lokujabulisako kutsi leyo bekuyindzawo lefutfumele kutendlula tonkhe endlini.

Insayeya Yekwehlukaniswa Ngekweluhlanga

Kukhonta tindzawo taseNingizimu bekudzinga kutsi sicabange kusengembili futsi sihlakaniphe kute sikwati kwenta imisebenti letsite. Bantfu labamnyama bebangavunyelwa kutsi basebentise Tindzawo tekuwashela timphahla. Ngesizatfu saloko, Gerri bekafike atsi utfunywe ngu-“Mrs. Thompson.” Bantfu labanyenti bebacabanga kutsi usisebenti sa-“Mrs. Thompson.”. Ngesikhatsi babonisi betigodzi batjengisa bantfu lifilimu lelitsi “The New World Society in Action,” bengifonela esitolo kute ngiboleke i-TV lenkhulu, kodvwa ngitsi ifunwa ngu-“Mr. Thompson.” Ngemuva kwaloko, bengibese ngiya khona kute ngiyoyilandza. Ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi, besiba nemusa futsi besivame kuwufeza kahle umsebenti wetfu ngaphandle kwetiphatamiso.

Kwaphindze kwaba nalolunye luhlobo lwelubandlululo: Bantfu balesinye sifundza bebatondza bantfu baseNyakatfo. Liphephandzaba lendzawo labika kutsi James A. Thompson, Jr., we-Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, abetawetfula inkhulumo kulomunye umhlangano. Labanye bantfu labafundza leliphephandzaba bacabanga kutsi ngivela edolobheni lase-New York, futsi ngesizatfu saloko semukwa imvume yekusebentisa lihholwa lesikolwa. Ngako-ke, ngakhuluma nebhodi yesikolwa, ngayichazela kutsi bengike ngafundza esikolweni sase-Chattanooga. Ngemuva kwaloko, sanikwa imvume yekusebentisa lelihholwa kute sibe nemhlangano wetfu wesifundza.

Emkhatsini wabo-1950, lubandlululo ngekweluhlanga lwashuba kakhulu, futsi ngaletinye tikhatsi bekuba nebudlova. Emihlanganweni yesigodzi leminyenti leyaba nga-1954, labanye boFakazi baphatseka kabi ngekungabi khona kwebazalwane labamnyama labetfula tinkhulumo eluhlelweni. Nanobe kunjalo, sabakhutsata kutsi babeketele. Emhlanganweni lolandzelako, ngabelwa inkhulumo. Ngemuva kwaloko, bazalwane labanyenti labamnyama, labavela eNingizimu betfula tinkhulumo.

Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, budlova lobuhlobene neluhlanga bancipha eNingizimu, futsi kancane kancane emabandla acala kuhlanganiswa ngekweluhlanga. Loku kwadzinga kutsi bamemeteli babelwe emabandleni lehlukehlukene, futsi kuhlelwe kabusha emasimi elibandla kanye nemitfwalo yebazalwane labaholako kuwo. Labanye bazalwane, labamhlophe kanye nalabamnyama, abazange balutsandze lolushintjo. Nanobe kunjalo, linyenti lebazalwane lalingisa Babe wetfu wasezulwini ngekungakhetsi libala lemuntfu. Linyenti labo belibangani labakhulu ngisho nobe belehlukile ngelibala. Umndeni wakitsi bewuhlangabetane nesimo lesifananako eminyakeni yabo-1930 kanye neyabo-1940, ngesikhatsi ngisakhula.

Sabelo Lesisha

Nga-January 1969, mine na-Gerri satfola simemo sekuya e-Guyana, leseNingizimu neMelika, futsi sasemukela ngenjabulo. Sacale saya e-Brooklyn, e-New York, lapho ngafike ngaceceshelwa kwengamela umsebenti wekushumayela e-Guyana. Safika e-Guyana nga-July 1969. Njengobe besesente umsebenti wekujikeleta iminyaka lengu-16, kwaba yinsayeya kuhlala endzaweni leyodvwa.  Gerri bekavame kuba sensimini sikhatsi lesinyenti njengesitfunywa seliVangeli, kantsi mine bengisebenta ehhovisini leligatja.

Umsebenti wami bewufaka ekhatsi kugundza tjani kanye nekunakekela ema-oda etincwadzi temabandla langu-28, labekachumana nendlunkhulu lese-Brooklyn. Bengisebenta ema-awa langu-14 kuya kulangu-15 lilanga ngalinye. Lona bekungumsebenti lomatima kakhulu kitsi, kodvwa besiwujabulela. Ngesikhatsi sifika lapha e-Guyana, bekunebamemeteli labangu-950, kodvwa nyalo sekunebamemeteli labangetulu kwa-2 500.

Nanobe besijabulela simo selitulu lesihle, titselo letimnandzi kanye netibhidvo, injabulo lenkhulu lesaba nayo bekukubona bantfu labatfobekile labebafisa kufundza liciniso leliBhayibheli, sebafundza ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu. Gerri bekavame kuchuba tifundvo teliBhayibheli letingu-20 liviki ngalinye, futsi bantfu labanyenti lesafundza nabo batfutfuka kahle bate babhajatiswa. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, labanye baba ngemahlahlandlela, ngulabadzala belibandla, kantsi labanye baya eGileyadi futsi nabo baba titfunywa teliVangeli.

Tinsayeya, Ikakhulukati Temphilo

Nga-1983, batali bami labebahlala e-Melika bese badzinga lusito. Doris, Gerri kanye nami saba nemhlangano wemndeni. Doris, lobesekakhonte iminyaka lengu-35 njengesitfunywa seliVangeli e-Brazil, wancuma kubuyela ekhaya kute ayobanakekela. Watsi: Kuncono kuyekele sitfunywa seliVangeli lesisodvwa kunekutsi kuyekele letimbili. Kusukela kwashona batali betfu, Doris wachubeka ahlala e-Chattanooga futsi akhonta njengelihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile.

Nga-1995, ngangenwa yikhensa yesinye (i-prostate cancer), futsi kwadzingeka kutsi sibuyele eMelika. Safike sahlala e-Goldsboro, eNyakatfo ye-Carolina, ngobe leyo ndzawo beyisemkhatsini wemndeni wakitsi lose-Tennessee, newa-Gerri lose-Pennsylvania. Sifo sami sekhensa sesinconywana, futsi sesikhonta ebandleni lase-Goldsboro njengemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile lanemphilo lebutsakatsaka.

Njengobe ngibuka emuva eminyakeni lengetulu kwalengu-65 senta umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe, ngijabula kakhulu ngekutsi Jehova usibusisile sina-Gerri ngekwenta lushintjo kute simkhonte. Aliciniso emavi aDavide, latsi: ‘Kulotsembekile [Jehova] utibonakalisa etsembekile’!—2 Sam. 22:26.

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Babe kanye neMzalwane Nichols bangibekela sibonelo lesihle

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Ngina-Gerri, nga-1952, silungela kuya eGileyadi

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Ngemuva kwekuya esikolweni sase-Gileyadi, sabelwa kutsi sente umsebenti wekujikeleta endzaweni leseNingizimu

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Babonisi labajikeletako kanye nebafati babo balungela kuya emhlanganweni wesigodzi lonato tonkhe tinhlanga, nga-1966

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Kuba titfunywa teliVangeli e-Guyana bekujabulisa kakhulu