Ukukhonza Sinomuzwa Wokuphuthuma

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUHANS VAN VUURE

Ngolunye usuku ekuseni ngo-1962, uPaul Kushnir, umbonisi wegatsha le-Watch Tower Society eNetherlands, wahlangana nami ethekwini elisesigodini saseRotterdam. Engibheka ehleli ngakolunye uhlangothi lwetafula esitolo sokudla esinezibani ezikhanyiswe kalufifi, wathi: “Uyazi yini Hans, ukuthi uma wamukela lesisabelo, wena nomkakho nizothola amathikithi okuya esabelweni kuphela, kodwa hhayi awokubuya?”

“YEBO, futhi ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi noSusie uzovumelana nalokho.”

“Xoxa noSusie ngalokhu. Ungazise isinqumo senu ngokushesha.”

Ngosuku olulandelayo ekuseni wayithola impendulo yethu: “Sizokuya.” Ngakho ngo-December 26, 1962, sanga izihlobo nabangane eSikhumulweni Sezindiza sase-Amsterdam iSchiphol esasimbozwe yiqhwa, futhi sagibela indiza saya ensimini esasiyizithunywa zevangeli zokuqala kuyo—iNetherlands New Guinea (manje okuyiWest Irian, Indonesia)—izwe labantu basePapua.

Ingabe sakungabaza ukwamukela lesisabelo esiyinselele? Lutho. Sasinikezele ukuphila kwethu ngenhliziyo yonke ekwenzeni intando kaNkulunkulu, futhi sasinethemba lokuthi uyosisekela. Uma sibheka ukuphila kwethu kwangaphambili, siyabona ukuthi ukuthembela kwethu kuJehova akukaze kube yize. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ngilandise okwenzeka e-Indonesia, ake ngikutshele ngeminyaka yethu yangaphambili.

Ukuqeqeshelwa Isikhathi Sempi

Lapho umkhaya wakithi uvakashelwa ngokokuqala ngo-1940 yilowoFakazi oshisekayo u-Arthur Winkler, ngangineminyaka eyishumi kuphela. Abazali bami bashaqeka lapho bethola lokho iBhayibheli elalikusho ngezimfundiso zamanga zeLobukholwa. Njengoba eNetherlands kwakuphethe amaJalimane obuNazi ngalesosikhathi futhi oFakazi BakaJehova bezingelwa, kwadingeka ukuba abazali bami banqume ukuthi babeyozihlanganisa yini nenhlangano evinjelwe. Banquma ukuzihlanganisa nayo.

Ngemva kwalokho, isibindi sikamama nokuzimisela kwakhe ukuzifaka engozini yokulahlekelwa inkululeko ngisho nokuphila kwangihlaba umxhwele. Ngesinye isikhathi wake wahamba ngebhayisikili amakhilomitha angu-11 futhi walinda ebumnyameni nesikhwama esigcwele amapheshana eBhayibheli. Ngesikhathi esasimisiwe sokuqalisa umkhankaso okhethekile, wayehamba ngebhayisikili ngesivinini esikhulu ngangokunokwenzeka, eqhwanda ngokuphindaphindiwe esikhwameni  sakhe, esakaza amapheshana emigwaqweni. Ekugcineni umgibeli othile webhayisikili owayemlandela ngokuphikelelayo wamedlula futhi ehefuzela, wamemeza: “Nkosikazi, nkosikazi, kunokuthile okulahlile!” Sasifa insini lapho uMama esilandisa lendaba.

Ngangisemncane kakhulu, kodwa ngangazi ukuthi yini engangifuna ukuyenza ngokuphila kwami. Phakathi nomunye wemihlangano yethu maphakathi no-1942, lapho umqhubi wesifundo ebuza, “Obani abafuna ukubhapathizwa ngokuzayo?” ngaphakamisa isandla sami. Abazali bami babhekana ngokukhathazeka, bengabaza ukuthi ngangikuqonda yini ukubaluleka kwesinqumo esinjalo. Kodwa ngisho nakuba ngangineminyaka engu-12 kuphela ubudala, ngangikuqonda okwakushiwo ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu.

Ukushumayela endlini ngendlu sizingelwa ngamaNazi kwakubizela ukuqapha. Ukuze sigweme ukungena emakhaya alabo ababengase basothe kumaNazi, ngezinsuku abasekeli bamaNazi ababefaka ngazo izingqwembe emafasiteleni abo, ngangizungeza ngebhayisikili futhi ngibhale amakheli abo. Ngolunye usuku enye indoda yangibona futhi yamemeza: “Kuhle, mfana wami. Babhale phansi—bonke!” Ngangishiseka kodwa ngokusobala ngingahlakaniphile ngokwanele! Ekupheleni kwempi ngo-1945, sajabulela ithemba lenkululeko eyengeziwe yokushumayela.

Ukuqalisa Komsebenzi Wokuphila Kwami Konke

Ngemva kokuqeda esikoleni ngo-November 1, 1948, ngathola isabelo sami sokuqala sokushumayela isikhathi esigcwele njengephayona. Esikhathini esingangenyanga kamuva uMzalwan’ uWinkler wavakashela umkhaya engangihlala nawo. Kumelwe ukuba wayezele ukuzobona ukuthi ngangingumuntu onjani ngoba ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho ngamenyelwa ukuzosebenza ehhovisi legatsha leNhlangano e-Amsterdam.

Kamuva ngacelwa ukuba ngihambele amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova njengombonisi wesifunda. Khona-ke, ekwindla ka-1952, ngathola isimemo sokuba sekilasini lama-21 le-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead eNew York ukuze ngiqeqeshelwe ukuba isithunywa sevangeli. Ngakho, ngasekupheleni kuka-1952, abayisishiyagalombili bethu abavela eNetherlands bagibela umkhumbi i-Nieuw Amsterdam futhi baya eMelika.

Ngasekupheleni kwezifundo zasesikoleni, uMaxwell Friend, omunye wabaqeqeshi, wathi: “Eziningi zezinto enizifunde lapha niyozikhohlwa, kodwa sithemba ukuthi niyosala nalezinto ezintathu: ukholo, ithemba, nothando.” Okunye okwahlala engqondweni nasenhliziyweni yami izinkumbulo eziyigugu zenhlangano kaJehova esebenza inomuzwa wokuphuthuma.

Ngemva kwalokho ngadumazeka kakhulu. Ingxenye yeqembu lethu engamaDashi—kuhlanganise nami—yabelwa ukuba iphindele eNetherlands. Nakuba ngangidumele, ngangingathukuthele. Ngamane ngaba nethemba lokuthi ngeke kudingeke ukuba ngilinde iminyaka engu-40, njengoMose wasendulo, ngaphambi kokuba ngithole isabelo sakwelinye izwe.—IzEnzo 7:23-30.

Umsizi Oyigugu

Lapho uFritz Hartstang, umngane wami ongubaba, ezwa ngamalungiselelo ami omshado, wathulula isifuba sakhe: “Ngicabanga ukuthi wenze ukukhetha okungcono.” Ubaba kaSusie, uCasey Stoové, wayeyisilwi esiholayo eMzabalazweni weqembu elalimelene namaNazi phakathi neMpi Yezwe II. Kodwa lapho oFakazi behlangana naye ngo-1946, wawamukela kalula amaqiniso eBhayibheli. Ngokushesha yena nabantwana bakhe abathathu kwabayisithupha—uSusie, uMarian, noKenneth—babhapathizwa. Ngo-May 1, 1947, bonke labantwana baqalisa inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele njengamaphayona. Ngo-1948, uCasey wathengisa ibhizinisi lakhe, naye ngokufanayo waqalisa ukuphayona. Kamuva waphawula: “Leyominyaka yayingejabulisa kunayo yonke ekuphileni kwami!”

Ngajwayelana noSusie ngo-1949, lapho emenyelwa ukuzosebenza ehhovisi legatsha lase-Amsterdam. Nokho, ngonyaka owalandela, yena nodadewabo uMarian bahamba ukuze babe sekilasini le-16 laseGileyadi futhi bagibela umkhumbi baya esabelweni sabo sezithunywa zevangeli—e-Indonesia. Ngo-February 1957, ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu yenkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli lapho, uSusie waphindela eNetherlands ukuze sishade. Ngalesosikhathi, ngangikhonza njengombonisi wesifunda, futhi kuyo yonke  leminyaka sishadile, uye wabonisa ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuzimisela ukuzidela komuntu siqu ngenxa yenkonzo yoMbuso.

Ngemva komshado wethu, saqhubeka sihambela amabandla ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zeNetherlands. Iminyaka kaSusie yomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli ezabelweni ezinzima yamlungiselela kahle uhambo lwethu ngebhayisikili ukusuka kwelinye ibandla kuya kwelinye. Kwakungesikhathi sisemsebenzini wesifunda ngo-1962 lapho uMzalwan’ uKushnir angivakashela khona eRotterdam futhi esimema ukuba sithuthele eNtshonalanga Irian, e-Indonesia.

Inkonzo Yezithunywa Zevangeli E-Indonesia

Safika edolobheni laseManokwari—izwe elihluke ngokuphelele! Kwakunemisindo ethusayo yobusuku basezindaweni ezishisayo nokushisa nothuli. Futhi kwakunabantu basePapua ababevela maphakathi nezwe ababebhinca izindwangu zokhalo kuphela, bephatha ocelemba, futhi bethanda ukuhamba emva kwethu futhi bazame ukuthinta isikhumba sethu esimhlophe—konke okuyizinto okwakungelula ukuzijwayela.

Phakathi namasonto ambalwa sifikile, abefundisi bafunda incwadi emapulpiti asemasontweni eyayixwayisa ngoFakazi BakaJehova, futhi banikeza ngamunye owayekhona ikhophi yayo. Isiteshi somsakazo sendawo saze ngisho sasakaza leyoncwadi emoyeni. Khona-ke abefundisi abathathu basivakashela futhi basiphoqa ukuba singene maphakathi nezwe ukuze sisebenze phakathi kwalabo ababebabiza ngokuthi “amaqaba.” Isikhulu esiphakeme samaphoyisa asePapua naso sasinxusa ukuba sihambe, futhi ilungu lamaphoyisa omshoshaphansi lasitshela ukuthi kwakuhlelwa ukuba sibulawe.

Nokho, akubona bonke ababemelene nathi. Umqondisi wezombangazwe wasePapua, ongowesizwe samaDashi owayesezohamba aphindele eNetherlands, wasethula emakhosini ambalwa asePapua. Wawatshela: “OFakazi BakaJehova bazoletha uhlobo olungcono lwenkolo yobuKristu kwenake nazazi. Ngakho-ke, kufanele nibamukele.”

Kamuva, isikhulu sikahulumeni saya kuSusie emgwaqweni futhi samhlebela: “Siye sabikelwa ukuthi seniqalise umsebenzi omusha lapha, ngakho-ke, asinakunivumela ukuba nihlale lapha. Kodwa, oh, . . . ukuba nje beninesonto.” Ukusikisela okuhle! Ngokushesha sadiliza izindonga zangaphakathi zendlu yethu, sabeka uhlu lwamabhentshi, sabeka itafula lokubeka uhlaka lwesikhulumi, futhi safaka uphawu ngaphandle olubhalwe ukuthi “IHholo LoMbuso.” Khona-ke, sase simema lesikhulu ukuba sisivakashele. Sanqekuzisa ikhanda, samomotheka, futhi sashaya ikhanda laso ngomunwe, njengokungathi sithi, ‘Nihlakaniphile, nihlakaniphile.’

Ngo-June 26, 1964, esikhathini esingangonyaka nengxenye sifikile, abafundi bethu bokuqala beBhayibheli abangu-12 basePapua babhapathizwa. Ngokushesha, kwalandela abanye abayishumi, futhi inani lababa khona emihlanganweni yethu lalilinganiselwa kubantu abangu-40. Kwathunyelwa amaphayona amabili ase-Indonesia ukuba azosisiza. Lapho ibandla selinesisekelo esiqinile eManokwari, igatsha leNhlangano lase-Indonesia lasinika esinye isabelo sokushumayela, ngo-December 1964.

Ngaphambi kokuba sihambe, isikhulu soMnyango kahulumeni we-Public Relations sakhuluma nathi ngasese sathi: “Ngiyadabuka ngokuthi niyahamba. Isonto ngalinye abefundisi babenginxusa ukuba nginixoshe ngoba bathi benikha izithelo zabo. Kodwa ngangibatshela: ‘Cha, kunalokho, bavundisa izihlahla zenu.’” Sanezela: “Nomaphi lapho niya khona, qhubekani nilwa. Niyophumelela!”

Phakathi Nokuketulwa Ngobudlova Kukahulumeni

Ngobunye ubusuku ngo-September 1965, lapho sikhonza enhloko-dolobha, iDjakarta, amaphekula angamaKhomanisi abulala abaholi abaningi bombutho wezempi, ashisa iDjakarta, futhi aqalisa impi yezwe lonke leyo ekugcineni eyaketula umongameli wesizwe, uSukarno. Abantu abangaba ngu-400 000 bafa!

Ngesinye isikhathi sasishumayela kuyilapho emgwaqweni olandelayo kwakudutshulwa futhi kushiswa. Ngosuku olulandelayo, sezwa ukuthi umbutho wezempi wawuzobhubhisa indawo eseduze esetshenziswa amaKhomanisi. Abaninikhaya babebonakala bethukile lapho sisondela kubo, kodwa lapho bezwa isigijimi sethu seBhayibheli, babekhululeka futhi basingenise. Babezizwa belondekile  uma benathi. Leyonkathi yasifundisa sonke ukuba sincike kuJehova futhi silondoloze ukulinganisela ngaphansi kwezimo ezimbi.

Okunye Ukuphikiswa Kuyanqotshwa

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1966 sathuthela edolobheni lase-Ambon eziqhingini zaseMoluccas ezinobuhle bemvelo obungaseningizimu. Lapho, phakathi kwabantu abanobungane, abangenekayo, sathola isithakazelo esikhulu esingokomoya. Ibandla lethu elincane lakhula ngokushesha, futhi inani lababeba khona emihlanganweni lasondela ekhulwini. Ngakho izikhulu zamasonto eLobukholwa zavakashela iHhovisi le-Religious Affairs ukuze zicindezele umphathi walo ukuba asixoshe e-Ambon. Kodwa phezu kwedeski lomphathi, zabona izincwadi ze-Watch Tower Society zibekwe obala! Lapho zihluleka ukushintsha ukucabanga komphathi, zathintana nezikhulu ze-Ministry of Religion eDjakarta, zifuna ukuba sixoshwe hhayi e-Ambon nje kuphela kodwa nakulo lonke elase-Indonesia.

Kulesisikhathi babonakala bephumelela, ngoba u-February 1, 1968, wabekwa njengosuku lokuxoshwa kwethu. Nokho, abazalwane bethu abangamaKristu eDjakarta bathintana nesikhulu esiphakeme esingumMuslim kuyi-Ministry of Religion, futhi wasiza ekuguquleni lesinqumo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, inkambiso yangaphambili yashintshwa, futhi kwavunyelwa nezinye izithunywa zevangeli ukuba zingene kulelizwe.

Ngaleyondlela, phakathi neminyaka eyishumi eyalandela, endaweni enezintaba ezinhle, amahlathi, namachibi enyakatho Sumatra, sasebenza nezithunywa zevangeli ezivela e-Australia, Austria, eJalimane, Philippines, Sweden, nase-United States. Umsebenzi wokushumayela wachuma, ikakhulukazi eqenjini lohlanga eliyinhloko lalendawo, amaBatak.

Nokho, ekugcineni abakhi bozungu abangokwenkolo baphumelela ekwenzeni ukuba umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela uvinjelwe ngo-December 1976, futhi ngonyaka owalandela izithunywa zevangeli eziningi zahamba zaya ezabelweni zakwamanye amazwe. Ekugcineni, ngo-1979, kwadingeka ukuba nathi sihambe.

Ukuya ENingizimu Melika

Manje sase sineminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-50 ubudala, futhi sazibuza ukuthi sasingakwazi yini ukwenza izinguquko zokuya kwelinye izwe. “Ingabe sizosamukela isabelo esisha noma kunalokho sizozinza endaweni ethile?” Kubuza uSusie.

“Nokho, Susie,” ngaphendula, “nomaphi lapho uJehova ayesimemela khona, wayesinakekela. Ubani owaziyo ukuthi yiziphi izibusiso ezengeziwe esiziphathelwe ikusasa?” Ngakho, safika esabelweni sethu esisha, izwe eliseNingizimu Melika laseSuriname. Phakathi nezinyanga ezimbili sase siphindele emsebenzini wokujikeleza futhi ngokushesha sazizwa sikhululekile.

Lapho sibukeza iminyaka yethu engaphezu kuka-45 enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, mina noSusie siqaphela indlela ukusekela kwabazali bethu okuye kwaba okubaluleke ngayo ekusisizeni ukuba siqhubeke nomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli. Ngo-1969, lapho ngiphinda ngibona abazali bami emva kweminyaka eyisithupha, ubaba wangibizela eceleni wathi: “Uma kwenzeka uMama efa kuqala, akuyikudingeka ukuba nibuyele ekhaya.  Hlalani esabelweni senu. Kuzolunga. Kodwa uma kwenzeka okuphambene nalokhu, kuyomelwe nibuze uMama ngakho.” UMama washo okufanayo.

Abazali bakaSusie babenesimo sengqondo esifanayo esingenabugovu. Ngesinye isikhathi uSusie wake waba kude nabo iminyaka engu-17, nakuba kunjalo abazange bambhalele ngisho nelilodwa izwi elidumazayo. Yiqiniso, uma lwalungekho olunye usizo olwalutholakalela abazali bethu, sasiyophindela ekhaya. Iphuzu liwukuthi, abazali bethu babenesimo esifanayo sokwazisa ngomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli, futhi kuze kube sekufeni kwabo, babeye bakhonza uJehova benomuzwa ofanayo wokuphuthuma ababewufake ezinhliziyweni zethu.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Samuweli 1:26-28.

Siye sakhuthazwa futhi abantu abathembekile abebesibhalela izincwadi njalo. Kunabambalwa abangakaze beqiwe yinyanga bengasibhalelanga eminyakeni yethu engaphezu kuka-30 yenkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli! Kodwa ngaphezu kwakho konke, sikhumbula uBaba wethu wasezulwini onothando, uJehova, oyaziyo indlela yokulondoloza izinceku zakhe emhlabeni. Ngakho-ke, njengoba manje sisondela emvuthwandaba wezenzakalo ebesilokhu sibheke phambili kuwo, mina noSusie sifisa ukuqhubeka ‘silangazelela ukufika kosuku lukaNkulunkulu’ ngokuqhubeka sikhonza uJehova sinomuzwa wokuphuthuma.—2 Petru 3:12.

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Sashada ngo-1957

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Yeka injabulo—abasha abayisithupha abangamaphayona!