“Ningasebenzeli Ukudla Okubhubhayo”

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUDAVID LUNSTRUM

Mina nomfowethu u-Elwood sasisendaweni ephakeme ngamamitha angaphezu kuka-9, sibhala uphawu olusha esakhiweni sefektri se-Watchtower. Eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-40 kamuva, lolo phawu lusekhona, lunxusa: “FUNDA IZWI LIKANKULUNKULU IBHAYIBHELI ELINGCWELE NSUKU ZONKE.” Isonto ngalinye, izinkulungwane zabantu zibona lolu phawu njengoba ziwela iBrooklyn Bridge yodumo.

IZINKUMBULO zami zasebuntwaneni zihlanganisa nosuku lokuwasha lomkhaya. Ngo-5:00 ekuseni, umama wayesuke esevukile, ewasha izingubo zomkhaya wakithi omkhulu, futhi ubaba elungiselela ukuya emsebenzini. Babeba nenye yezingxoxo zabo ezishubile, ubaba ephikisa ngokuthi umuntu wazivelela ngandlela-thile eminyakeni eyizigidigidi, futhi umama ecaphuna eBhayibhelini ukuze afakazele ukuthi abantu badalwa uNkulunkulu ngokuqondile.

Nakuba ngangineminyaka engu-7 kuphela ubudala, ngaqaphela ukuthi umama wayeqinisile. Nakuba ngangimthanda ubaba, ngangingabona ukuthi inkolelo yakhe yayinganikezi themba ngekusasa. Yeka indlela umama abeyojabula ngayo ukwazi ukuthi eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, amadodana akhe amabili abhala uphawu olwalukhuthaza abantu ukuba bafunde iBhayibheli, incwadi ayeyithanda kangaka!

Kodwa sengathi sengigijime kakhulu. Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ngibe nelungelo elingako lokwenza lomsebenzi? Kudingeka ngihlehlele emuva onyakeni ka-1906, eminyakeni emithathu ngaphambi kokuba ngizalwe.

Isibonelo Sikamama Sokukholeka

Ngaleso sikhathi umama nobaba babesanda kushada futhi behlala ethendeni e-Arizona. Kwafika umFundi weBhayibheli othile, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi, wahambisela umama uchungechunge lwezincwadi ezazilotshwe uCharles Taze Russell, ezinesihloko esithi Studies in the Scriptures. Akazange abuthi quthu ubuthongo ubusuku bonke ezifunda futhi ngokushesha waqaphela ukuthi leli kwakuyiqiniso ayelifuna. Wayesemlindele ngabomvu ubaba ukuba abuye njengoba ayeyofuna umsebenzi.

Ubaba naye wayengagculisekile ngalokho amasonto ayekufundisa, ngakho wawamukela lamaqiniso eBhayibheli isikhathi esithile. Nokho, kamuva wazithathela eyakhe indlela engokwenkolo futhi wenza izinto zaba nzima kumama. Nakuba kunjalo umama akazange ayeke ukunakekela izidingo zezingane zakhe ezingokwenyama nezingokomoya.

Ngeke ngimkhohlwe umama ehla ngezitebhisi ubusuku ngabunye, ngemva kokusebenza kanzima usuku lonke, ezosifundela ingxenye ethile yeBhayibheli noma ezohlanganyela nathi igugu elingokomoya. Nobaba wayeyisisebenzi esikhuthele, futhi njengoba ngangikhula, wangifundisa ikhono lokupenda. Yebo, ubaba wangifundisa ukusebenza, kodwa umama wangifundisa lokho okwakufanele ngikusebenzele, njengoba uJesu ayala, ‘ukudla okungabhubhi.’—Johane 6:27.

Ekugcineni umkhaya wakithi wazinza edolobhaneni lase-Ellensburg ezweni laseWashington, cishe elingamakhilomitha angu-180 ukusuka empumalanga yeSeattle. Lapho thina zingane siqala ukuya emihlanganweni yabaFundi BeBhayibheli nomama, sasihlangana emizini yabantu. Lapho kugcizelelwa isidingo sokuhlanganyela enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu bonke abesilisa balishiya  leli qembu lethu lokutadisha. Kodwa umama akazange antengantenge. Lokhu kwagxilisa engqondweni yami ukuthi kumelwe ngaso sonke isikhathi ngithembele esiqondisweni senhlangano kaJehova.

Ekugcineni ubaba nomama baba nezingane ezingu-9. Ngazalwa ngo-October 1, 1909, ngiyingane yabo yesithathu. Sesisonke, sasiyisithupha esalingisa isibonelo sikamama esihle saba oFakazi BakaJehova abashisekayo.

Ukuzinikezela Nobhapathizo

Lapho sengicela eminyakeni engamashumi amabili, ngazinikezela kuJehova, futhi ngabonakalisa lokhu ngobhapathizo lwamanzi ngo-1927. Ubhapathizo lwenziwa eSeattle esakhiweni esidala esasiyisonto lamaBaptist. Ngiyajabula ngokuthi babewudilizile lowo mbhoshongo omdala. Sayiswa echibini elalisegunjini elingaphansi kwalesi sakhiwo lapho sanikezwa khona izingubo ezinde ezimnyama ukuba sizigqoke. Kwakusengathi siya emngcwabeni.

Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa kamuva ngaphindela eSeattle, futhi kulokhu nganambitha ukufakaza endlini ngendlu ngokokuqala ngqá. Owayehola wathi kimi, “Wena ngena kuyo yonke lemizi, mina ngizoya kuleya.” Nakuba ngangithukile, ngahambisela owesifazane owayenesimo esihle kakhulu amasethi amabili ezincwajana. Lapho ngibuyela e-Ellensburg ngaqhubeka nenkonzo yendlu ngendlu, futhi manje, eminyakeni engaba ngu-70 kamuva, lenkonzo isangijabulisa kakhulu.

Inkonzo Yasendlunkulu Yomhlaba

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, umuntu othile owayekhonze eBethel yaseBrooklyn, indlunkulu yomhlaba ye-Watch Tower Society, wangikhuthaza ukuba ngiyokhonza lapho. Ngokushesha ngemva kwengxoxo yethu, kwavela isaziso kumagazini INqabayokulinda esasazisa ngendingeko yosizo eBethel. Ngakho ngafaka isicelo. Ngeke ngiyikhohlwe injabulo enganginayo lapho ngithola incwadi engazisa ukuthi ngiqale inkonzo yaseBethel eBrooklyn, eNew York, ngo-March 10, 1930. Waqala kanjalo-ke umsebenzi wami wesikhathi esigcwele wokusebenzela ‘ukudla okungabhubhi.’

Omunye umuntu angase acabange ukuthi njengoba nganginolwazi lokupenda, ngangizokwabelwa umsebenzi wokupenda. Kunalokho, ngaqale ngasebenza emshinini wokuhlanganisa amakhasi ezincwajana. Nakuba lomsebenzi wawusho  ukwenza into eyodwa njalo, ngakujabulela ukuwenza iminyaka engaphezu kweyisithupha. Umshini omkhulu we-rotary, esasiwuthopha ngokuthi umkhumbi wempi omdala wawukhiqiza izincwajana ezazehlela ezansi esitezi esasikuso nge-conveyer belt. Sasikujabulela ukubona ukuthi singazihlanganisa yini izincwajana ngokushesha esasizamukela ngakho zivela kulomkhumbi wempi.

Ngemva kwalokho ngasebenza eminyangweni eminingana, kuhlanganise nalowo esasenza kuwo amagilamafoni. Lemishini sasiyisebenzisela ukudlala izigijimi zeBhayibheli eziqoshiwe ezindlini zabantu. Igilamafoni emiswa ngohlangothi yaklanywa futhi yenziwa yizisebenzi zokuzithandela emnyangweni wethu. Legilamafoni yayingadlali izigijimi eziqoshwe kusengaphambili nje kuphela kodwa futhi yayinendawo ekhethekile yokufaka izincwajana mhlawumbe kanye nesemeshi. Ngaba nelungelo lokubonisa indlela lomshini omusha osebenza ngayo emhlanganweni owawuseDetroit, eMichigan, ngo-1940.

Nokho, sasenza okungaphezu kwemishini yobuciko. Senza nezinguquko ezingokomoya ezibalulekile. Ngokwesibonelo, oFakazi BakaJehova babevame ukufaka isigqebhezana esinesiphambano nomqhele. Kodwa saqonda ukuthi uJesu wabulawelwa esigxotsheni esiqondile, hhayi esiphambanweni. (IzEnzo 5:30) Ngakho ukufaka lezi zigqebhezana kwayekwa. Ngaba nelungelo lokukhipha izipeletu kulezi zigqebhezana. Kamuva igolide elalikuzo lancibilikiswa lase lithengiswa.

Nakuba sasinesimiso esimatasa sisebenza izinsuku ezinhlanu nengxenye isonto ngalinye, sasiba nengxenye egcwele enkonzweni yobuKristu ngezimpelasonto. Ngolunye usuku, saboshwa futhi sagqunywa ejele laseBrooklyn singu-16. Ngani? Ngalezo zinsuku konke okuyinkolo sasikubheka njengenkolo yamanga. Ngakho sasiphatha izingqwembe ezazithi kolunye uhlangothi “Inkolo Iwugibe Nebhizinisi” ngakolunye zithi “Khonza UNkulunkulu Kanye NoKristu INkosi.” Sagqunywa ejele ngenxa yokuphatha lezi zingqwembe, kodwa uHayden Covington, ummeli we-Watch Tower Society, wasikhipha ngebheyili. Ngaleso sikhathi kwakunamacala amaningi ahilela inkululeko yokukhulekela ayequlwa eNkantolo Ephakeme yase-United States, futhi kwakujabulisa ukuba seBethel uzizwele mathupha imibiko mayelana nokunqoba kwethu.

Ekugcineni ngabelwa imisebenzi engangingasebenzisa kuyo ulwazi lwami lokupenda. EStaten Island, enye yezindawo ezinhlanu zikamasipala waseNew York City, sasinesiteshi somsakazo i-WBBR. Izigxobo zalesi siteshi somsakazo zazingamamitha angaphezu kuka-60 ukuphakama, futhi zinamasethi amathathu ezintambo eziboshelwe. Ngahlala epulangweni elalingamasentimitha angu-90 ubude namasentimitha angu-20 ububanzi ngesikhathi engangisebenza naye engiphakamisile. Ngihlezi phezulu kuleso sihlalo esincane, ngapenda lezi zintambo ezaziboshelwe nezigxobo. Abanye baye bangibuza ukuthi asizange sithandaze kakhulu yini lapho senza lowo msebenzi!

Umsebenzi wasehlobo engingeke ngiwukhohlwe kwakuwukuhlanza amafasitela nokupenda unqenqema lwamafasitela esakhiwo sasefektri. Sasiwubiza ngokuthi iholide lethu lasehlobo. Sasakha uhlaka lwamapulangwe bese sisebenzisa izintambo ukuze sikhuphuke futhi sehle kuleso sakhiwo esinezitezi ezingu-8.

Umkhaya Osekelayo

Ngo-1932 ubaba washona, ngabe sengizibuza ukuthi kufanele yini ngiye ekhaya ngiyosiza ekunakekeleni umama. Ngakho ngaphambi kokudla kwasemini ngolunye usuku, ngabhala ipheshana  ngalibeka enhla netafula lapho uMfoweth’ uRutherford, umongameli weNhlangano ayehlala khona. Kulo ngacela ukukhuluma naye. Lapho ezwa ngokukhathazeka kwami futhi ethola ukuthi nganginabafowethu nodadewethu ababesahlala ekhaya, wabuza, “Uyafuna yini ukuhlala eBethel wenze umsebenzi weNkosi?”

“Yebo ngiyafuna,” ngiphendula.

Ngakho wasikisela ukuba ngibhalele umama ngizwe ukuthi uyavumelana yini nesinqumo sami sokuhlala. Ngakwenza lokho, futhi wangiphendula ebonisa ukuvumelana okugcwele nesinqumo sami. Ngawazisa ngempela umusa neseluleko sikaMfoweth’ uRutherford.

Phakathi neminyaka eminingi ngiseBethel, ngangiwubhalela njalo umkhaya wakithi futhi ngiwukhuthaze ukuba ukhonze uJehova, njengoba nje nomama ayengikhuthazile. Umama washona ngo-July 1937. Yeka isikhuthazo ayebe yiso emkhayeni wakithi! Umfowethu nodadewethu abadala, uPaul no-Esther, nodadewethu omncane uLois kuphela abangazange babe oFakazi. Nokho, uPaul wayewuthanda umsebenzi wethu futhi wasipha isiza esakha kuso iHholo lethu LoMbuso lokuqala.

Ngo-1936 udadewethu u-Eva waba iphayona, noma umshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele. Ngawo lowo nyaka washada noRalph Thomas, kwathi ngo-1939 babelwa emsebenzini wokujikeleza bekhonza amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova. Kamuva bathuthela eMexico, lapho bachitha khona iminyaka engu-25 besiza emsebenzini woMbuso.

Ngo-1939 odadewethu u-Alice noFrances nabo bangenela inkonzo yamaphayona. Yeka ukuthi kwakujabulisa kanjani ukubona u-Alice engalé kwetafula emhlanganweni waseSt. Louis ngo-1941 ebonisa indlela yokusebenzisa igilamafoni engangibe nesandla ekuyenzeni! Nakuba u-Alice kwakudingeka akunqamule ukuphayona ngezikhathi ezithile ngenxa yemithwalo yemfanelo yomkhaya, sekukonke uye waba senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele iminyaka engaphezu kuka-40. UFrances waya e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead ngo-1944 wabe esekhonza isikhathi esithile njengesithunywa sevangeli ePuerto Rico.

UJoel no-Elwood, ababili abancane kunathi sonke emkhayeni, baba amaphayona eMontana ekuqaleni kuka-1940. UJoel uye wahlala enguFakazi othembekile futhi manje ukhonza njengenceku ekhonzayo. U-Elwood waba nami eBethel ngo-1944, okwangijabulisa kakhulu. Wayengaphansi kweminyaka eyisihlanu ubudala lapho ngihamba ekhaya. Njengoba ngishilo ekuqaleni, sasebenza naye sibhala loluya phawu esakhiweni sasefektri, “Funda IZwi LikaNkulunkulu IBhayibheli Elingcwele Nsuku Zonke.” Ngiye ngazibuza kaningi ukuthi bangaki abantu abaye babona lolo phawu kuyo yonke leminyaka abaye bathola isikhuthazo sokufunda amaBhayibheli abo.

 U-Elwood wakhonza eBethel kwaze kwaba u-1956 lapho eshada no-Emma Flyte. U-Elwood no-Emma basebenza ndawonye enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele iminyaka eminingi, bakhonza isikhashana eKenya, e-Afrika, naseSpain. U-Elwood wahlaselwa umdlavuza futhi ngo-1978 washonela eSpain. U-Emma uyaqhubeka ephayona eSpain kuze kube manje.

Umshado Nomkhaya

Ngo-September 1953, ngaphuma eBethel ukuze ngiyoshada no-Alice Rivera, iphayona eBandleni LaseBrooklyn Center engangihlanganyela kulo. Ngazisa u-Alice ukuthi nganginethemba lasezulwini, kodwa wayesalokhu enesithakazelo sokushada nami.—Filipi 3:14.

Ngemva kweminyaka engu-23 ngihlala eBethel, kwakuwushintsho olukhulu ukuqala ukwenza umsebenzi wokuziphilisa wokupenda ukuze ngizondle mina no-Alice kuyilapho siphayona. U-Alice wayengisekela njalo, nakuba kwadingeka ayeke ukuphayona ngenxa yempilo. Ngo-1954 sasilindele ingane yethu yokuqala. Ukubeletha akuzange kuhambe ngokushelela, nakuba indodana yethu, uJohn, yayiphile kahle. U-Alice wopha kakhulu phakathi nokuhlinzwa kangangokuthi odokotela babengacabangi ukuthi uzophila. Ngesinye isikhathi babengakwazi ngisho nokuzwa ukushaya kwenhliziyo. Nokho, kwasa esaphila futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi walulama ngokugcwele.

Eminyakeni embalwa kamuva, lapho uyise ka-Alice eshona, sathuthela eLong Island eqhelile ukuze sihlale nonina. Njengoba sasingenamoto, ngangihamba ngezinyawo noma ngebhasi nangemigwaqo ehamba ngaphansi komhlaba. Ngaleyo ndlela ngakwazi ukuqhubeka ngiphayona futhi ngondla umkhaya wami. Injabulo etholakala enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele ikudlula kude noma yikuphi ongakudela. Ukusiza abantu—njengoJoe Natale, owayeka umsebenzi othembisayo wokuba umdlali we-baseball ukuze abe uFakazi—kuye kwaba nje esinye sezibusiso zami eziningi.

Ngo-1967, njengoba izinto zaziba zimbi endaweni yaseNew York, nganquma ukuthatha u-Alice noJohn sibuyele emuva siyohlala edolobheni lakithi e-Ellensburg. Manje ngikuthola kwanelisa kakhulu ukubona abazukulu bakamama abaningi kangaka nezingane zabo behlanganyela enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Abanye bakhonza ngisho naseBethel. UJohn nomkakhe nezingane zabo nabo bakhonza uJehova ngokukholeka.

Ngokudabukisayo, ngo-1989 ngashonelwa umkami othandekayo, u-Alice. Ukuzigcina ngimatasa enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele kuye kwangisiza ukuba ngikhuthazelele ukulahlekelwa. Mina nodadewethu u-Alice manje sijabulela ukuphayona ndawonye. Yeka ukuthi kujabulisa kanjani ukuphinde sihlale ngaphansi kophahla olulodwa nokuzithola simatasa kulomsebenzi obaluleke kakhulu!

Entwasahlobo ka-1994, ngavakashela iBethel okokuqala ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-25. Yeka injabulo okwaba yiyo ukubona iningi lalabo engangisebenza nabo eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-40 edlule! Lapho ngiya eBethel ngo-1930, kwakunabantu abangu-250 kuphela emkhayeni, kodwa namuhla umkhaya waseBethel eBrooklyn unabantu abangaphezu kuka-3 500!

Ukuqiniswa Ukudla Okungokomoya

Ngezinye izinsuku entathakusa ngiye ngihambahambe eduze koMfula iYakima ongasekhaya. Uma ngilapho ngibona iNtaba iRainier enhle embozwe yiqhwa engamamitha angu-4 300 ukuphakama. Kunezilwane eziningi. Ngezinye izikhathi ngibona i-deer, futhi ngake ngabona ngisho ne-elk.

Lezi zikhathi ezithule ngingedwa, zinginikeza ithuba lokuzindla ngamalungiselelo kaJehova amangalisayo. Ngithandazela amandla okuqhubeka ngikhonza uNkulunkulu wethu uJehova, ngokukholeka. Ngithanda nokuhlabelela njengoba ngihambahamba, ikakhulukazi ingoma ethi “Ukwenza Inhliziyo KaJehova Ithokoze,” enamazwi athi: “Nkulunkulu sifungile; sizinikezele kuwe. Siyazi-ke sinengxenye yokukwenza uthokoze.”

Ngiyajabula ngokuthi ngakhetha ukwenza umsebenzi owenza inhliziyo kaJehova ithokoze. Ngithandazela ukuba ngiqhubeke ngenza lomsebenzi kuze kube yilapho ngamukela umvuzo wasezulwini othenjisiwe. Isifiso sami siwukuba lendaba ishukumisele nabanye ukuba nabo ‘basebenzele ukudla okungabhubhi’ ekuphileni kwabo.—Johane 6:27.

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

U-Elwood ebhala uphawu oluthi “FUNDA IZWI LIKANKULUNKULU IBHAYIBHELI ELINGCWELE NSUKU ZONKE”

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

NginoGrant Suiter noJohn Kurzen, sibonisa indlela yokusebenzisa igilamafoni entsha emhlanganweni ngo-1940

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Ngo-1944 labo phakathi kwethu ababeseqinisweni babesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele: uDavid, u-Alice, uJoel, u-Eva, u-Elwood, noFrances

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Izingane zakithi ezisaphila kusukela kwesobunxele: u-Alice, u-Eva, u-Joel, u-David, noFrances