Ukushumayela Ngokukhuthazela Ezweni Leqhwa Nomlilo

I-ICELAND iseNyakatho ye-Atlantic maphakathi neNyakatho Melika neYurophu. Nakuba ingezansi nje kwe-Arctic Circle, isimo sayo sezulu sifudumele kunalokho okungase kulindeleke, ngenxa yokufudunyezwa yiGulf Stream. I-Iceland iye yabizwa ngokuthi izwe leqhwa nomlilo ngoba inendawo eneqhwa enkulu kunazo zonke eYurophu futhi ingenye yezindawo ezinezintaba-mlilo eziqhuma kakhulu ukuzidlula zonke emhlabeni. Okwaziwa kakhulu imithombo yayo eminingi eshisayo nama-solfatara, izindawo zezintaba-mlilo ezikhipha intuthu eshisayo nesisi esinesibabule.

Abantu abangu-260 000 abahlala kulesiqhingi esingesesibili kwezinkulu kunazo zonke eYurophu bayizizukulwane zamaViking, eza azohlala lapha eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-1 100 edlule. Isi-Icelandic ngokuyisisekelo siyafana nesiNorse Esidala, ulimi lwaseScandinavia lwenkathi yamaViking. Cishe aluzange lushintshe ngoba abantu base-Iceland babekuthanda ukufunda imilando yabo emidala yamaqhawe, ingxenye enkulu yawo eyabhalwa cishe ekhulwini le-13.

Ngekhulu le-16, iBhayibheli laqala ukuhunyushelwa olimini lwesi-Icelandic. “ITestamente Elisha” laba khona ngo-1540 kwathi iBhayibheli eliphelele laba khona ngo-1584. Amaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-90 abantu asonta e-Evangelical Lutheran Church, inkolo yoMbuso esemthethweni. Nakuba iBhayibheli litholakala cishe kuyo yonke imizi, bambalwa abakholelwa ukuthi liyiZwi likaNkulunkulu. Abantu abaningi base-Iceland banemibono evulekile ngenkolo, futhi ngokuvamile, abathandi ukubuswa imicabango yabanye.

Izindaba Ezinhle Zifinyelela E-Iceland

Abantu bokuqala base-Iceland abezwa izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngalesosikhathi babehlala eCanada. Omunye wabo kwakunguGeorg Fjölnir Lindal. Abazali bakhe babengabase-Iceland, futhi wayekhuluma isi-Icelandic. Ngemva nje kokunikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova uNkulunkulu, waba umshumayeli wezindaba ezinhle wesikhathi esigcwele. Ngo-1929, lapho eneminyaka engu-40 ubudala, wayisa izindaba ezinhle kubantu bakulelozwe leqhwa nomlilo.

Yeka ukuthi kwakuwumsebenzi omkhulu kanjani ngomuntu oyedwa! I-Iceland ingamakhilomitha acishe abe ngu-320  ukusuka enyakatho kuya eningizimu ibe ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-500 ukusuka empumalanga kuya entshonalanga. Indawo esogwini, kuhlanganise nemifula ephahlwe amawa neziziba, inobude obungamakhilomitha acishe abe ngu-6 400. Ngalesosikhathi, yayingekho imigwaqo yangempela futhi cishe zingekho nezimoto noma nanoma iziphi ezinye izindlela zokuhamba zanamuhla. Kodwa, uMfoweth’ uLindal wahlanganisa sonke lesiqhingi ngeminyaka eyishumi futhi wasakaza izinkulungwane zezincwadi. Wahamba egudla ugu ngezikebhe, futhi lapho ehambela amapulazi maphakathi nezwe, wayesebenzisa amahhashi amabili, elinye elalizomthwala elinye lithwale izincwadi zakhe nezimpahla zakhe.

Iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-18, uMfoweth’ uLindal kwakunguye yedwa uFakazi e-Iceland. Naphezu kokusebenza kwakhe kanzima, akazange abone muntu emelela uMbuso phakathi nalesosikhathi. Isikhathi eside, sokuhlala yedwa saphela ngo-March 25, 1947, lapho kufika abokuqala ababethweswe iziqu e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. Ungacabanga ukuthi wayejabule kanjani lapho ekugcineni uJehova ephendula imithandazo yakhe yokucela izisebenzi ezengeziwe zokuvuna. (Mathewu 9:37, 38) UMfoweth’ uLindal waqhubeka nenkonzo yakhe e-Iceland kwaze kwaba yilapho ephindela eCanada ngo-1953.

Izisebenzi Ezengeziwe Zokuvuna

Izithunywa zevangeli ezafika ngo-1947 zazingabazalwane ababili baseDenmark. Ezinye izithunywa zevangeli zafika eminyakeni emibili kamuva. Njengoba zaziqhubeka nomsebenzi wokushumayela kanye nabazalwane nodade abambalwa ababethuthele e-Iceland, kwasakazwa izinkulungwane zezincwadi. Iningi labantu base-Iceland lingabantu abakuthanda kakhulu ukufunda, kodwa ababaningi abazamukela izindaba ezinhle. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-27 yokutshala nokunisela, abazalwane ababekezela baqala ukubona izithelo zomsebenzi wabo. Ngo-1956 abayisikhombisa ababesanda kuthakazela bamelela uMbuso futhi banikezela ukuphila kwabo kuJehova.

Phakathi neminyaka eyishumi edlule, inani labamemezeli boMbuso laba elingaphezu kweliphindwe kabili. Manje, kunamabandla ayisikhombisa neqembu elilodwa elingalodwa, ingqikithi yabamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle abangu-280. Ake sizungeze lesiqhingi sihambele lamabandla.

Enhloko-dolobha

Abazalwane nodade abaye bakhuthazela kuyo yonke leyominyaka baye babusiswa ngokucebile. Manje kunamabandla amabili achumayo eReykjavík, eyinhloko-dolobha. Bahlangana eHholo LoMbuso elihle elisesakhiweni esisodwa nehhovisi legatsha, elanikezelwa ngo-1975.

UFriðrik no-Ada babephakathi kwabayisikhombisa ababhapathizwa emuva ngo-1956. “Ngikhumbula ukuthi sasivame ukuba nemihlangano egumbini elisesitezi esiphezulu ngaphansi kophahla lapho kwakuhlala khona izithunywa zevangeli,” kusho uFriðrik. “Kwakunendawo yezihlalo ezingu-12, kodwa ngezinye izikhathi, lapho kuba nenani elingaphezu kwelivamile, sasivula umnyango  ongena kwelinye igumbi elincane elilandelayo. Yeka umehluko oba khona namuhla lapho amabandla amabili egcwalisa iHholo LoMbuso!”

UFriðrik wayenakekela uMnyango Wenkonzo Yezokudla lapho kuqhutshwa imihlangano yokuqala. “Ngangenza ingxenye enkulu yomsebenzi, futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo, kwakungekhona okungavamile ukuba ngibe nezingxenye ezintathu noma ezine esimisweni usuku ngalunye. Njengoba ngangisebenza ekhishini, ngangigqoka iphinifo. Lapho sekuyisikhathi sokuba ngibeke inkulumo, ngangigqoka ibhantshi lami ngiphuthume ehholweni. Izikhathi eziningana abazalwane kwakudingeka bangikhumbuze ukuba ngikhumule iphinifo. Manje kunabasukela ku-400 kuya ku-500 ababa khona emihlanganweni, kuhlanganise nabadala abakahle abahlanganyela ekusingatheni izingxenye ezithile esimisweni. Futhi kunabaningi abazimisele ukusiza eMnyangweni Wenkonzo Yezokudla.”

Ibandla eliseduze kakhulu kwelaseReykjavík elaseKeflavík, elicishe libe ngamakhilomitha angu-50 ukuya entshonalanga. Uhambo lusiyisa emasimini amatshe ancibilikile akhishwe izintaba-mlilo. Amaphesenti ayishumi endawo yase-Iceland ambozwe amatshe ancibilikile akhishwe intaba-mlilo. Izitshalo zokuqala ezaba khona kulamasimu kwaba izitshalo ezakhiwa i-alga ne-fungus nezama-moss, kodwa emasimini asemadala alamatshe ancibilikile akhishwa izintaba-mlilo, uyothola ama-berry asendle nezihlahlana ezikhula zibe zimfushane.

Ibandla laseKeflavík linabamemezeli abangu-19 futhi lakhiwa ngo-1965. Eduze kwalo kunesikhumulo sezindiza eziya emhlabeni wonke, futhi iziko lezempi le-U.S. nalo lilapha. Nakuba oFakazi bengakaze bakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi wendlu ngendlu ezikweni ngokwalo, izifundo zeBhayibheli eziningi ziye zaqhutshwa lapho, futhi abantu abaningana baye bafunda iqiniso.

Elinye ibandla liseSelfoss, ebangeni elingamakhilomitha angu-55 empumalanga yeReykjavík. Lapha sibona izwe eliluhlaza lemfuyo elinezinkomo nezimvu, kuhlanganise nendawo ethengisa ubisi enkulu kunazo zonke e-Iceland. Endleleni, sidlula ngaseHveragerði, idolobha elincane elisesigodini esihle. Buqamamana sibona isishomo sentuthu evela emithonjeni eshisayo ekuso sonke lesigodi. Lendawo ingenye yezindawo ezinkulu kakhulu ezinemithombo eshisayo kulelizwe, futhi kuye kwakhiwa izindlwana eziningi zokukhulisa izitshalo ukuze kusetshenziswe lemithombo futhi kulungiselelwe otamatisi, ama-cucumber, nezinhlobonhlobo zezimbali konke okukhula ezindlwaneni ezishisayo zokukhulisa izitshalo.

Kulendawo kunebandla elincane kodwa elikhuthele labamemezeli boMbuso abangu-19. USigurður noGuðrún Svava bathutha besuka eReykjavík beyosekela leliqembu elincane ngesikhathi lelibandla lakhiwa ngo-1988. USigurður nguye yedwa ongumdala lapha. Ngaphambi kokuba abe omunye woFakazi BakaJehova cishe eminyakeni eyishumi edlule, wayewumculi owaziwayo, owayeshaya izigubhu emaqenjini ahlukahlukene abaculi. Namuhla, uziphilisa ngokuhlanza amafasitela, futhi ufundisa nezifundo zomculo. Indlela yakhe yokuphila njengomuntu owayejabulisa abantu yayimbangela izinkinga eziningi, njengokusebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa, ukuphuza ngokweqile, nokuwohloka komshado. Yeka indlela aneliseke ngayo manje, njengoba enenjongo ekuphileni futhi ekhonza uJehova!

Ukuqonda Engxenyeni EseMpumalanga

Njengoba sisuka eSelfoss, siqalisa uhambo lwamakhilomitha angu-680, ingxenye enkulu yalo esiyihamba emigwaqweni engavulekile nemigoxigoxi enamatshe. Siphokophele ebandleni elilandelayo, elisedolobheni laseReyðarfjörður, ogwini olusempumalanga. Kungakapheli nengxenye yehora, sibona iHekla, intaba-mlilo edume kakhulu yase-Iceland. Isiqhume kane kulelikhulu leminyaka.

Ngo-1973 kwenzeka ukuqhuma okukhulu kwentaba-mlilo eVestmannaeyjar (eWestmann Islands). Bonke abantu ababakhe lapha abangaba ngu-5 300 bathuthelwa ngokuphepha ezwekazini elithile emahoreni ambalwa nje. Ngemva kokuvuselelwa kwedolobha, abaningi babantu balapha babuya kancane kancane. OFakazi ababili manje bahlala lapho futhi bashumayela izindaba ezinhle kubantu kulomphakathi omncane. Njengoba sihamba amanye amahora amabili, sijabulela ukubona ubuhle beVatnajökull enkulu, ngokuyinhloko eyindawo eneqhwa enkulu kunazo zonke e-Iceland engamakhilomitha-skwele angu-8 300. Endleleni, sidlula nezimpophoma eziningi ezinhle nemifula.

Njengoba sesihambe amahora acishe abe yishumi  emgwaqweni, siyafika lapho siya khona. EReyðarfjörður sithola abamemezeli abangu-12 ebandleni elisha kunawo wonke e-Iceland. Kwakungakaze kube noFakazi abahlala kulendawo kwaze kwaba yilapho kwakhiwa ikhaya lezithunywa zevangeli engxenyeni yokugcina ka-1988. UKjell no-Iiris, umbhangqwana oyizithunywa zevangeli waseSweden osukhonze e-Iceland kusukela ngo-1963, babelwe ukuba basebenze phakathi kwabantu abangu-15 000 kulendawo esemaphandleni. Abaningi bahlala emadolobhaneni amancane okudoba angasogwini, angamakhilomitha acishe abe ngu-500.

UKjell uyalandisa: “Akungabazeki ukuthi uJehova uye wawubusisa ngokucebile umsebenzi woMbuso kulengxenye ye-Iceland. Ngo-January 1, 1993, kwamiswa ibandla, futhi siqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli eziningi nabantu abathuthuka kahle kakhulu. Nakuba izindlela zokuhamba ziye zashintsha kusukela uMfoweth’ uLindal ehambé ngehhashi, akulula ngaso sonke isikhathi ukushayela ugudle izintaba ezingaphakeme emigwaqweni eneqhwa phakathi nezinyanga zasebusika okusheshe kuhlwe ngazo, ngisho noma uhamba ngeveni edonsa ngamasondo amane. Ngesinye isikhathi, yake yapheshulwa umoya emgwaqweni oneqhwa futhi yaphenduka kabili noma kathathu yehla ummango. Yeka ukuthi sajabula kanjani lapho siphuma singenamyocu!”

Ngemva kweminyaka engu-30 ese-Iceland, u-Iiris uthi: “Eminyakeni edlule abaningi baye bafika bevela kwamanye amazwe bezosiza. Nakuba kuye kwadingeka ukuba abaningi bahambe ngenxa yezizathu ezihlukahlukene, ngokuqinisekile baye baba nengxenye enkulu emsebenzini wokutshala nokunisela. Siyajabula ngokuthi siyakwazi ukuhlala, njengoba manje sinelungelo lokubona ukungena kwesivuno. UJehova uyawusheshisa umsebenzi wakhe nalapha.”

Ukwanda okukhulu kuye kwabangelwa ukuba abasanda kuhlanganyela bafakaze kwabasebenza nabo. U-Atli wathola iqiniso kulezithunywa zevangeli futhi waqala ukukhuluma nabanye enkampanini yokwakha ayesebenza kuyo. Ababili balabo asebenza nabo manje bayahlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela, omunye wabhapathizwa nomkakhe ngo-November 1992. Owesithathu asebenza naye ubefunda iBhayibheli noFakazi.

Ukuthatha Indlela Eqonde ENyakatho

Njengoba sisuka eReyðarfjörður, siqonda entshonalanga. Ibandla elilandelayo liqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-300, edolobheni lase-Akureyri. Abashumayeli abasenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele ekhethekile babelwa ukuba basebenze lapho ekuqaleni kwawo-1950. Zisuka nje, umsebenzi waphikiswa kanzima abefundisi abathile. Kwakhishwa izihloko ephephandabeni lendawo elalixwayisa abantu ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Abaningi babantu bakulelidolobha babehileleke nasekusebenziseni imimoya. Kodwa ngenxa yokukhuthazela nokubekezela kwamaphayona ahlukahlukene nezithunywa zevangeli, namuhla kunebandla elikhuthele nelinothando labashumayeli boMbuso abangu-35.

UFriðrik, ongomunye wabadala lapha, wayengumdobi. Ngemva kokuba khona emhlanganweni wesigodi ngo-1982, wayeqiniseka ukuthi wayefunda iqiniso. Waphindela e-Akureyri ezimisele ukufakaza emkhayeni wakubo, abangane, nakwasebenza nabo. UFriðrik wenza amalungiselelo okuyeka umsebenzi wakhe wokuba umdobi ukuze akwazi ukuba nesikhathi esengeziwe nebandla. Watshela intombi yakhe, uHelga, ukuthi ngeke besahlalisana baze bashade, njengoba ayesezoba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Futhi uFriðrik wayefuna ukuba naye afunde iBhayibheli ngoba wayengeke ‘ashade nongakholwa.’ (1 Korinte 7:39) Wamangala lapho uHelga eqala ukufunda. Bashada ngo-February 1983 futhi babhapathizwa ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi unina kaFriðrik nodadewabo bamukela iqiniso.

Indawo yokugcina esima kuyo yi-Akranes, esebangeni lamakhilomitha angu-350 ukusuka e-Akureyri, ezinkahlambeni ezintathu nasezigodini eziningi ezinhle. Lapha umgwaqo ugandayiwe, okukwenza kujabulise ukushayela lapha uma uqhathanisa nemigwaqo emigoxigoxi nengavulekile enamatshe esiye sahamba kuyo endleleni. E-Akranes sinebandla elincane kunawo wonke e-Iceland—elinabamemezeli abahlanu, ababili babo bakhonza njengabadala. Akhiwa imikhaya emibili eye yasabela obizweni lwaseMakedoniya, yashiya elinye lamabandla amakhulu eReykjavík, futhi yahlala kulelidolobhana ukuze ikhonze lapho indingeko inkulu khona. (IzEnzo 16:9, 10) Iminyaka engaphezu kwemibili manje, ngokubekezela iye yashumayela  izindaba ezinhle kulensimu, iqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyokhulisa izinto.—1 Korinte 3:6.

Amathuba Amahle Okwanda

Njengoba benezindlwana zokukhulisa izitshalo ezifudunyezwa ngamandla okushisisa angaphansi komhlaba nokukhanya okungekhona okwemvelo, abalimi base-Iceland baye bakwazi ukukhulisa izinhlobo eziningi zezithelo, imifino, nezinye izitshalo. Ngokufanayo, oFakazi, njengoba behlonyiswe ngeqiniso elingokomoya, ukunxusa kothando, nesibusiso somoya ongcwele kaJehova, baye baba nemiphumela emangalisayo ensimini yase-Iceland.

Kulonyaka abantu abangu-542 baye baba khona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu, futhi manje kuqhutshwa izifundo zeBhayibheli ezicishe zibe ngu-200. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukusabela okuhle esikhuthazweni sokukhonza emasimini angabiwe kusiqinisekisa ukuthi bonke abantu abanjengezimvu kulesiqhingi esikhulu bayolizwa izwi likaMalusi Omuhle, uJesu Kristu. (Johane 10:14-16) Yeka umphumela ojabulisayo oye watholwa yilabo bamemezeli boMbuso abathembekile abaye babonisa ukubekezela nokukhuthazela okukhulu kangaka ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle kulelizwe leqhwa nomlilo phakathi neminyaka engu-64 edlule!

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 24]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Akureyri

Akranes

Keflavík

Selfoss

Vestmannaeyjar

Reyðarfjörður

Hekla

Geysir

VATNAJÖKULL

REYKJAVÍK

[Umthombo]

Based on map by Jean-Pierre Biard