Indaba Yokuphila

Ukubonga UJehova—Ngenkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele!

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA USTANLEY E. REYNOLDS

Ngazalelwa eLondon, eNgilandi, ngo-1910. Ngemva kweMpi Yezwe I, abazali bami bathuthela edolobhaneni laseWiltshire elibizwa ngokuthi iWestbury Leigh. Lapho ngisengumfanyana, ngangivame ukuzibuza, ‘Ungubani uNkulunkulu?’ Akekho owake wakwazi ukungitshela. Futhi ngangingakaze ngikwazi ukuqonda ukuthi kungani umphakathi omncane njengowethu wawudinga indlu yesonto nezinye izindlu ezimbili ezihambisana nayo ukuze ukhulekele uNkulunkulu.

NGO-1935, kusasele iminyaka emine kuqale iMpi Yezwe II, mina nomfowethu omncane, uDick, saya eholidini eWeymouth ngebhayisikili, sakanisa ogwini lwaseNgilandi olungaseningizimu. Lapho sihleli etendeni silalele imvula futhi sizibuza ukuthi singenzani, savakashelwa ikhehla elithile elihloniphekile futhi langibonisa izinsiza kufunda iBhayibheli ezintathu—i-Harp of God, i-Light I ne-Light II. Ngazithatha, ngijabulele ukuba nokuthile okuhlukile kokukwenza. Kwangithakazelisa ngokushesha lokho engangikufunda, kodwa ngangingazi ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi kwakuyokushintsha ngokuphelele ukuphila kwami—kwaba ngokufanayo nangomfowethu.

Lapho ngibuyela ekhaya, umama wangitshela ukuthi uKate Parsons, owayehlala edolobhaneni lakithi, wayesakaza izincwadi ezifanayo zeBhayibheli. Wayaziwa kakhulu ngoba, nakuba ayesekhule kakhulu, wayesebenzisa isithuthuthu esincane ukuze ahambele abantu emphakathini wakithi owawusakazekile. Ngahamba ngayombona, futhi wakujabulela ukunginika incwadi ethi Creation nethi Riches kanye nezinye izincwadi ze-Watch Tower Society. Wangitshela nokuthi wayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.

Ngemva kokufunda lezo zincwadi neBhayibheli lami, ngabe sengazi ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso, futhi sengifuna ukumkhulekela.  Ngakho ngathumela incwadi yokusula esontweni lethu futhi ngaqala ukuba khona ezifundweni zeBhayibheli ekhaya likaJohn no-Alice Moody. Babehlala eWestbury, edolobheni esasakhelene nalo. Sasiba ngu-7 kuphela kuleyo mihlangano. Ngaphambi nangemva kwemihlangano, uKate Parsons wayedlala i-harmonium lapho sihlabelela ndawonye izingoma zoMbuso ngawo wonke amaphimbo ethu!

Ezikhathini Zangaphambili

Ngangibona ukuthi siphila esikhathini esibalulekile, futhi ngifisa ukuba nengxenye emsebenzini wokushumayela owaprofethwa kuMathewu 24:14. Ngakho ngayeka ukubhema, ngazithengela isikhwama, futhi ngazinikezela kuNkulunkulu Omkhulu, uJehova.

Ngo-August 1936, uJoseph F. Rutherford, umongameli we-Watch Tower Society, wayezohambela eGlasgow, eScotland, ezokhuluma ngesihloko esithi “I-Armagedoni.” Nakuba iGlasgow yayiqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-600, ngazimisela ukuba khona futhi ngibhapathizwe kulowo mhlangano. Ngangingenayo imali eyanele, ngakho ngagibela nebhayisikili lami esitimeleni esiya eCarlisle, idolobha elisemngceleni weScotland, ngabe sengihamba ngalo amakhilomitha angu-160 ukusuka lapho ukuya enyakatho. Ngaphinde ngahamba ngebhayisikili ingxenye enkulu yohambo lokubuyela ekhaya, ngibuya umzimba ukhathele kodwa ngiqinile ngokomoya.

Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ngangihamba ngebhayisikili lapho ngiya nomaphi ukuyohlanganyela ukholo lwami nabantu basemadolobhaneni angomakhelwane. Ngalezo zinsuku uFakazi ngamunye wayenekhadi lobufakazi elalinesigijimi esingokomBhalo esasenzelwe abaninikhaya. Sasisebenzisa namagilamafoni aphathekayo okudlala amarekhodi ezinkulumo zeBhayibheli zomongameli weNhlangano. Kanti sasihlale siphethe isikhwama sikamagazini, * esasibonisa ukuthi singoFakazi BakaJehova.

Ukuphayona Ngesikhathi Sempi

Umfowethu wabhapathizwa ngo-1940. Impi yezwe yesibili yayiqale ngo-1939, futhi sobabili sabona isidingo esiphuthumayo sabashumayeli besikhathi esigcwele. Ngakho, safaka izicelo zokuphayona. Sakujabulela ukwabelwa ndawonye ekhaya lamaphayona eBristol, lapho, sasizohlala khona no-Edith Poole, uBert Farmer, uTom noDorothy Bridges, uBernard Houghton namanye amaphayona alukholo lwawo kwase kunesikhathi eside silubheka ngokwazisa.

Akuthathanga sikhathi, kwafika iveni encane isizosilanda, ibhalwe ngamagama agqamile ezinhlangothini zayo ukuthi “OFAKAZI BAKAJEHOVA.” Umshayeli kwakunguStanley Jones, kamuva owaba isithunywa sevangeli eChina nowaboshwa lapho iminyaka engu-7 evalelwe yedwa ngenxa  yomsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela.

Njengoba impi yayiqhubeka, kwakuqabukela ukuba silale ubusuku bonke. Amabhomu ayewela nhlangothi zonke zekhaya lethu lamaphayona, futhi kwakudingeka sihlale sigade izinto ezazingase zishise ikhaya lethu. Ngobunye ubusuku sasuka enkabeni yeBristol ngemva komhlangano omuhle owawethanyelwe oFakazi abangu-200 futhi saze safika emakhaya ethu avikelekile ngandlela-thile silokhu sithelwa imvuthuluka eyayehla njengoba kwakudutshulwa izindiza.

Ngosuku olulandelayo ekuseni mina noDick sabuyela edolobheni siyolanda ezinye izinto esasizishiye lapho. Sashaqeka. IBristol yayiyimvithi. Lonke idolobha lalibhonjwe lasha langqongqa. IPark Street, lapho iHholo LoMbuso lalikhona, yayiyinqwaba yemfucumfucu eshunqayo. Nokho, akukho Fakazi owayebulewe noma elimele. Ngokujabulisayo, sase sizikhiphile izincwadi zethu zeBhayibheli eHholo LoMbuso, sizibeke emakhaya amalungu ebandla. Sabonga uJehova ngalokhu kokubili.

Inkululeko Eyayingalindelekile

IBandla LaseBristol engangikhonza kulo njengombonisi owengamele lalikhule lafinyelela ezikhonzini ezingu-64 ngesikhathi ngithola incwadi yokubuthelwa empini. Kwakunabanye oFakazi abaningi abase beboshiwe ngenxa yokuma kwabo kokungathathi hlangothi, futhi ngangilindele ukuba inkululeko yami yokushumayela iphele ngendlela efanayo. Icala lami lathanyelwa eNkantolo YaseBristol yendawo lapho ngangimelelwe uMfoweth’ u-Anthony Buck, owake wasebenza ejele. Wayeyindoda enesibindi, engesabi nelimelela ngokuqinile iqiniso leBhayibheli, futhi ngenxa yokungimelela kahle, ngakhululwa ngokungalindelekile enkonzweni yezempi ngombandela wokuba ngiqhubeke nenkonzo yami yesikhathi esigcwele!

Ngakujabulela kakhulu ukukhululeka futhi ngazimisela ukukusebenzisela ukushumayela ngezinga elikhulu ngangokunokwenzeka. Lapho ngithola ucingo lokuba ngiye ehhovisi legatsha laseLondon ngiyokhuluma no-Albert D. Schroeder, umbonisi wegatsha, njengokulindelekile ngazibuza ukuthi ingabe ngangilindelwe yini. Cabanga indlela engamangala ngayo lapho ngicelwa ukuba ngiyokhonza eYorkshire njengombonisi ojikelezayo, ngihambele amabandla ahlukahlukene isonto ngalinye ukusiza nokukhuthaza abafowethu. Ngazizwa ngingasifanelekeli isabelo esinjalo, kodwa ngangikhululekile empini ngakho ngangingakwazi ukuya. Ngakho ngasamukela leso siqondiso sikaJehova futhi ngahamba ngomoya ovumayo.

U-Albert Schroeder wangazisa kubafowethu emhlanganweni eHuddersfield, futhi ngo-April 1941, ngaqala esabelweni sami esisha. Yeka indlela okwakujabulisa ngayo ukwazi labo bafowethu abathandekayo! Uthando nomusa wabo kwangenza ngakuqaphela ngokwengeziwe ukuthi uJehova unabantu abazinikele ngokuphelele kuye nabathandanayo.—Johane 13:35.

Amalungelo Engeziwe Enkonzo

Ngo-1941 kwaba nomhlangano ongenakulibaleka wezinsuku ezinhlanu eMontfort Hall yaseLeicester.  Naphezu kokulinganiselwa kokudla nezinto zokuhamba zomphakathi, ababa khona banda baze bafinyelela inani eliphakeme labangu-12 000 ngeSonto; kanti ngaleso sikhathi kwakunoFakazi abangaphezudlwana nje kuka-11 000 ezweni. Kwadlalwa izinkulumo eziqoshiwe zikamongameli weNhlangano, futhi kwakhululwa incwadi ethi Children. Lowo mhlangano, owaqhutshwa iMpi Yezwe II ibambene phezulu, waba yingqopha-mlando ngempela emlandweni ongokwasezulwini wabantu bakaJehova eBrithani.

Ngemva nje kwalo mhlangano, ngathola isimemo sokuyokhonza emkhayeni waseBethel eLondon. Lapho, ngasebenza emnyangweni wokupakisha nokuthumela izincwadi futhi kamuva ehhovisi, lapho ngangisingatha khona izindaba eziphathelene namabandla.

Umkhaya waseBethel kwakudingeka ukhuthazelele ukuhlasela kwebutho lezomoya eLondon ubusuku nemini, kanye nokuphenywa yiziphathimandla kwabazalwane abanemithwalo yemfanelo. UPryce Hughes, u-Ewart Chitty noFrank Platt baboshwa ngenxa yokungathathi kwabo uhlangothi, futhi ekugcineni u-Albert Schroeder wadingiselwa e-United States. Naphezu kwalezi zingcindezi, amabandla nezithakazelo zoMbuso kwaqhubeka kunakekelwa kahle.

Ukuya EGileyadi!

Lapho kuphela impi ngo-1945, ngafaka isicelo sokuyoqeqeshelwa ukuba isithunywa sevangeli e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead futhi ngamukelwa ekilasini lesi-8 ngo-1946. INhlangano yahlela ukuba idlanzana lethu, elihlanganisa uTony Attwood, uStanley Jones, uHarold King, uDon Rendell noStanley Woodburn, lihambe ngomkhumbi lisuka echwebeni lokudoba laseCornish iFowey. UFakazi wendawo wayesitholele indawo emkhunjini omncane othwala i-china clay. Amagumbi esasikuwo ayeminyene kakhulu futhi emphemeni kwakuvame ukungena amanzi. Yeka indlela esakhululeka ngayo lapho ekugcineni sisondela esikhumulweni esasizongena ngaso, iPhiladelphia!

Isakhiwo saseGileyadi sasisendaweni enhle eNingizimu yeLansing enkabeni yeNew York, futhi ukuqeqeshwa engakuthola lapho kwasho lukhulu kimi. Abafundi bekilasi lethu babevela ezizweni ezingu-18—okwakungokokuqala ukuba iNhlangano ibhalise izikhonzi eziningi kangako ezivela kwamanye amazwe, futhi—sonke saba abangane abasondelene. Ngabujabulela kakhulu ubudlelwane engaba nabo nalowo engangihlala naye egumbini, uKalle Salavaara, owayevela eFinland.

Isikhathi sahamba ngokushesha, futhi ekupheleni kwezinyanga ezinhlanu, umongameli weNhlangano, uNathan H. Knorr, wafika evela endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke eseBrooklyn ukuzosinika iziqu nokusitshela ukuthi sabelwephi. Ngalezo zinsuku, abafundi babengazazi izabelo zabo kuze kube yilapho kumenyezelwa emkhosini wokuthweswa iziqu. Ngabelwa ukubuyela eBethel yaseLondon ngiyoqhubeka nomsebenzi wami lapho.

Ukubuyela ELondon

Iminyaka yangemva kwempi yayinzima kakhulu eBrithani. Ukudla nezinye izidingo eziningi, kuhlanganise nephepha, kwaqhubeka kukhishwa ngokulinganiselwa. Kodwa saqhubeka, futhi izithakazelo zoMbuso kaJehova zachuma. Ngaphezu kokusebenza eBethel, ngakhonza imihlangano yesigodi neyesifunda futhi ngahambela amabandla, kuhlanganise namanye ase-Ireland. Kwaba yilungelo nokuhlangana no-Erich Frost nabanye abazalwane nodade baseYurophu nokuzwa kubo ngobuqotho boFakazi esikanye nabo abaye babhekana nonya olunyantisayo lwasemakamu okuhlushwa amaNazi. Inkonzo yaseBethel yaba ilungelo eliyisibusiso ngempela.

Kwase kuyiminyaka eyishumi ngazi uJoan Webb, iphayona elikhethekile elikhonza eWatford, edolobheni elingasenyakatho yeLondon. Ngo-1952 sashada. Sobabili sasifuna ukuqhubeka enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, ngakho sajabula kakhulu lapho ngemva kokuhamba eBethel, ngimiswa njengombonisi ojikelezayo. Isabelo sethu sokuqala sasisogwini oluseningizimu yeNgilandi, eSussex naseHampshire. Umsebenzi wokujikeleza wawungelula ngalezo zinsuku. Ngokuyinhloko sasihamba ngebhasi, ngebhayisikili nangezinyawo. Amabandla amaningi ayenensimu enkulu esemaphandleni, ngokuvamile okwakunzima ukufinyelela kuyo, kodwa inani loFakazi laqhubeka likhula.

ENew York City Ngo-1958

Ngo-1957, ngaphinde ngathola esinye isimemo esivela eBethel sithi: “Ungathanda yini ukuza ehhovisi uzosiza ngamalungiselelo ezokuhamba omhlangano wezizwe ozayo ozoba seYankee Stadium nasePolo Grounds eNew York City ngo-1958?”  Akubangaphi, mina noJoan sabe sesimatasa sisingatha izicelo zabafowethu zezindiza nemikhumbi okuqashwe yiNhlangano. Lona kwaba uMhlangano Wezizwe Wentando Yaphezulu odumile, owathanyelwa izihlwele ezingu-253 922. Kulo mhlangano, abangu-7 136 babonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwabo kuJehova ngokucwiliswa emanzini—inani elingalé kokuphindwe kabili lalabo ababhapathizwa esenzakalweni esiyingqopha-mlando sangePhentekoste lika-33 C.E., njengoba silandiswa eBhayibhelini.—IzEnzo 2:41.

Mina noJoan asisoze sawukhohlwa umusa woMfoweth’ uKnorr lapho esimema ngokwakhe ukuba sibe khona emhlanganweni ukuze sisize ekunakekeleni izihambeli ezifika eNew York City zivela emazweni angu-123. Leso kwaba isenzakalo esijabulisayo nesanelisayo kithi sobabili.

Izibusiso Zenkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele

Lapho sibuya, saqhubeka nomsebenzi wokujikeleza kwaze kwaba yilapho siba nezinkinga zempilo. UJoan walaliswa esibhedlela, nami ngaba nesifo sohlangothi esingesibi kakhulu. Sabe sesishintsha siba amaphayona akhethekile kodwa kamuva saphinde saba nelungelo lokusebenza isikhashana emsebenzini wokujikeleza. Ekugcineni, sabuyela eBristol lapho siye saqhubeka khona nenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Umfowethu, uDick, uhlala eduze nathi nomkhaya wakhe, futhi sivame ukukhumbula izenzakalo ezithile.

Amehlo ami onakala ngokungenakwelapheka ngokuxebuka kwama-retina ngo-1971. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuye kwaba nzima ukufunda, ngakho ngithola amakhasethi aqoshiwe ezincwadi zeBhayibheli eyilungiselelo elihle kakhulu elivela kuJehova. Mina noJoan sisakwazi ukuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli zasekhaya, futhi phakathi nayo yonke le minyaka, siye saba nelungelo lokusiza abantu abangaba ngu-40 ukuba bazi iqiniso, kuhlanganise nomkhaya wamalungu angu-7.

Lapho sinikezela ukuphila kwethu kuJehova eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-60 edlule, isifiso sethu sasiwukungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele futhi sihlale kuyo. Yeka indlela esibonga ngayo ukuthi sisenawo amandla okuqhubeka sikhonza uJehova Omkhulu—ukuphela kwendlela esingambonga ngayo ngobuhle asibonise bona nangeminyaka ejabulisayo esiyichithe sindawonye!

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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Nginomfowethu uDick (ekugcineni ngakwesobunxele; uDick umile) namanye amaphayona phambi kwekhaya lamaphayona laseBristol

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Ikhaya lamaphayona eBristol ngo-1940

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UStanley noJoan Reynolds ngosuku lwabo lomshado, ngo-January 12, 1952, nanamuhla