Indaba Yokuphila

Ngasizwa Ukunqoba Amahloni

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA URUTH L. ULRICH

Ngadazuluka ngakhala khona kanye emnyango womfundisi. Wayesanda kungithela ngethala lamazwi okumangalela okungamanga ngoCharles T. Russell, owakhonza njengomongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Ake ngichaze ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ngihambele abantu ngaleyo ndlela, njengoba ngangiseyintombazanyana nje.

NGAZALELWA emkhayeni owawuyithanda kakhulu inkolo, epulazini eliseNebraska, e-U.S.A., ngo-1910. Umkhaya wakithi wawufunda iBhayibheli ndawonye njalo ekuseni nakusihlwa ngemva kokudla. Ubaba wayengunsumpa kaSonto-sikole esontweni laseWeseli elisedolobhaneni laseWinside, eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba yisithupha ukusuka epulazini lakithi. Sasinekalishi elinamakhethini emafasiteleni, okwakwenza sikwazi ukuya esontweni ngeSonto ekuseni, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isimo sezulu sinjani.

Lapho ngineminyaka engaba ngu-8, umfowethu owayesewusana waphathwa uvendle, futhi umama wamyisa esikhungweni sokwelapha izifo ezingamahlala-khona e-Iowa. Naphezu kokumnakekela kwakhe ngokuzinikela, umfowethu washonela lapho. Nokho, ngesikhathi elapho e-Iowa, umama wahlangana nomunye wabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Baba nezingxoxo eziningi, futhi umama waze waya nakweminye yemihlangano yabaFundi BeBhayibheli nalowo wesifazane.

Lapho ebuyela ekhaya, umama wafika nemiqulu eminingana ye-Studies in the Scriptures, eyayinyatheliswa i-Watch Tower Society. Ngokushesha wakholiseka ukuthi abaFundi BeBhayibheli babefundisa iqiniso nokuthi izimfundiso zokungafi komphefumulo womuntu nokuhlushwa phakade kwababi zazingelona iqiniso.—Genesise 2:7; UmShumayeli 9:5, 10; Hezekeli 18:4.

Nokho, ubaba wathukuthela kakhulu, futhi wamelana nemizamo kamama yokuya emihlanganweni yabaFundi BeBhayibheli. Wayelokhu eya nami nomfowethu omdala, uClarence, esontweni. Kodwa lapho engekho ekhaya, umama wayetadisha iBhayibheli nathi. Ngenxa yalokho, thina zingane saba nethuba elihle lokuqhathanisa izimfundiso zabaFundi BeBhayibheli nalezo zesonto lethu.

Mina noClarence sasiya njalo kuSonto-sikole, futhi umfowethu wayebuza uthisha imibuzo ayengakwazi ukuyiphendula. Lapho sifika ekhaya, sasitshela umama futhi lokho kwakuholela ezingxoxweni ezinde zalezo zihloko. Ekugcineni ngayeka ukuya esontweni futhi ngaqala ukuya emihlanganweni yabaFundi BeBhayibheli nomama, futhi akuthathanga sikhathi noClarence wenza okufanayo.

Ukubhekana Ngokuphumelelayo Namahloni

Ngo-September 1922, mina nomama saya emhlanganweni wabaFundi BeBhayibheli ongenakulitshalwa eCedar Point, e-Ohio. Ngisayibona namanje leya ndwangu enkulu ivuleka njengoba uJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society ngaleso sikhathi, enxusa abangaphezu kuka-18 000 ababelapho ngamazwi ayekuleyo ndwangu athi: “Memezelani iNkosi Nombuso.” Ngathinteka kakhulu futhi ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi kuyaphuthuma ukutshela abanye ngezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 6:9, 10; 24:14.

Emihlanganweni eyaba khona kusukela ngo-1922 kuya ku-1928, kwamukelwa uchungechunge lwamazwi ezinqumo, futhi lezo zigijimi zahlanganiselwa ndawonye emapheshaneni abaFundi BeBhayibheli abawasakaza ngamashumi ezigidi kubantu emhlabeni wonke. Ngangizacile futhi ngimude—bengibiza ngokuthi ngiyi-greyhound—futhi ngangishesha lapho ngisakaza lesi sigijimi esinyathelisiwe endlini ngendlu. Ngangiwujabulela kakhulu lo msebenzi. Nokho, ukukhuluma endlini ngendlu, ngibatshele ngokwami abanye ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, kwakungenye indaba.

Inkinga yayiwukuthi nganginamahloni kangangokuthi ngangithuka ngisho nalapho umama emema amaqembu amakhulu ezihlobo unyaka ngamunye. Ngangiya ekamelweni lami, ngihlale khona. Ngesinye isikhathi, umama wayefuna ukuthatha isithombe sawo wonke umkhaya ngakho wathi ngiphume. Ngenxa yokuthi ngangingafuni ukuyohlangana nabo, ngamemeza  ngikhala njengoba ayengihudula engikhipha ekamelweni lami.

Nokho, lwafika usuku lapho ngafaka khona izincwadi ezithile zeBhayibheli esikhwameni ngokuzimisela. Ngasho ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuthi: “Ngeke ngikwazi ukukwenza,” kodwa ngabuye ngathi, “Kumelwe ngikwenze.” Ekugcineni, ngahamba ngayoshumayela. Ngemva kwalokho, ngajabula kakhulu ngokuthi ngangiqunge isibindi ngahamba. Okwakungijabulisa kakhulu kwakuwukuthi ngangiwenzile lowo msebenzi, hhayi ukuwenza ngokwako. Cishe kwakungaleso sikhathi lapho ngahlangana khona nomfundisi engikhulume ngaye ngaphambili futhi ngahamba ngikhala. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngosizo lukaJehova ngakwazi ukukhuluma nabantu emakhaya abo, futhi injabulo yami yanda. Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1925, ngabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi.

Ukuqala Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele

Lapho ngineminyaka engu-18 ubudala, ngathenga imoto ngemali yefa engangilithole kudadewabo kamama omdala, futhi ngaqala ukuphayona, njengoba inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ibizwa kanjalo. Ngemva kweminyaka emibili, ngo-1930, mina nalowo engangiphayona naye samukela isabelo. Ngaleso sikhathi uClarence naye wayeseqalile ukuphayona. Ngemva nje kwalokho wamukela isimemo sokuyokhonza eBethel, endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke yoFakazi BakaJehova eseBrooklyn, eNew York.

Cishe ngaleso sikhathi abazali bethu bahlala ngokwehlukana, ngakho mina nomama sahlela ukuba sakhelwe umahamba-nendlwana futhi saqala ukuphayona ndawonye. Leso kwakuyisikhathi okwaqala ngaso ukuWohloka Okukhulu Kwezomnotho e-United States. Ukuqhubeka nokuphayona kwaba inselele yangempela, kodwa sasizimisele ukungayeki. Lapho sihambisa izincwadi, sasamukela izinkukhu, amaqanda, imikhiqizo yasengadini kanye nezinto ezinjengamabhetri amadala nezinsimbi ezilahliwe. Lawo ma-bhetri nezinsimbi sasikuthengisa ukuze sithole imali yokuthenga uphethiloli wemoto nokukhokhela ezinye izindleko. Ngafunda nokufaka amafutha emotweni nokushintsha uwoyela ukuze songe imali. Ngokuvumelana nesithembiso sakhe, sambona uJehova evula indlela yokusisiza ukuba sinqobe izithiyo.—Mathewu 6:33.

Ukuya Esabelweni Sezithunywa Zevangeli

Ngo-1946, ngamenyelwa ekilasini lesi-7 le-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, eyayiseduze neNingizimu Lansing, eNew York. Ngaleso sikhathi mina nomama sase siphayone ndawonye iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-15, kodwa akazange athande ukungiphazamisa kuleli thuba lokuqeqeshelwa umsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli. Ngakho wangikhuthaza ukuba ngilamukele leli lungelo lokuba seSikoleni SaseGileyadi. Ngemva kokuthweswa iziqu, mina noMartha Hess wasePeoria, e-Illinois, saphayona ndawonye. Thina nabanye ababili sabelwa eCleveland, e-Ohio, unyaka owodwa sisalinde izabelo zakwamanye amazwe.

Leso sabelo safika ngo-1947. Mina noMartha sabelwa eHawaii. Njengoba kwakulula ukungena kulezi ziqhingi, umama weza wazohlala eduze nathi edolobheni laseHonolulu. Impilo yakhe yayiwohloka, ngakho ngaphezu kokunakekela imisebenzi yami yezithunywa zevangeli, ngangisiza naye. Ngakwazi ukumnakekela waze washonela khona eHawaii ngo-1956, eneminyaka engu-77 ubudala. Lapho sifika, kwakunoFakazi abangaba ngu-130 eHawaii, kodwa ngesikhathi umama eshona, kwase kunabangaphezu kwenkulungwane, ngakho izithunywa zevangeli zazingasadingeki.

Mina noMartha sabe sesithola incwadi evela e-Watch Tower Society eyayisabela eJapane. Into yokuqala esakhathazeka ngayo kwakuwukuthi sasingakwazi yini ukufunda isiJapane sesibadala kangako. Ngaleso sikhathi ngangineminyaka engu-48 ubudala, futhi uMartha emncane ngeminyaka emine nje kuphela kimi. Kodwa le ndaba sayishiyela kuJehova, sasamukela leso sabelo.

Ngemva nje komhlangano wezizwe ka-1958 owawuseYankee Stadium nasePolo Grounds, eNew York  City, amabombo sawabhekisa eTokyo ngomkhumbi. Sashaywa isikhwishikhwishi somoya njengoba sisondela echwebeni laseYokohama, lapho sasihlangatshezwe khona uDon noMabel Haslett, uLloyd noMelba Barry, nezinye izithunywa zevangeli. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwakunoFakazi abangu-1 124 kuphela eJapane.

Saqala ukufunda isiJapane ngokushesha futhi sahlanganyela enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu. Sisebenzisa izinhlamvu zamagama zesiNgisi, sasibhala izigijimi zethu zesiJapane esasizifunda. Umninikhaya wayephendula ngokuthi, “Yoroshii desu” noma, “Kekko desu,” lokho esathola ukuthi kwakusho ukuthi, “Kuhle.” Kodwa kwakungesona sonke isikhathi lapho sasazi khona ukuthi umninikhaya wayenesithakazelo yini noma cha, njengoba lawo mazwi asetshenziselwa nokwenqaba. Incazelo yawo ixhomeke ephimbweni lezwi elisetshenzisiwe noma esimweni sobuso bomuntu. Kwathatha isikhathi ukuba sikwazi ukubona incazelo yalokhu.

Isenzakalo Esangijabulisa

Kusenzima ngasolimini, ngolunye usuku ngahambela indawo yokuhlala ye-Mitsubishi Company futhi ngahlangana nowesifazane oneminyaka engu-20. Waqhubeka kahle olwazini lweBhayibheli futhi wabhapathizwa ngo-1966. Ngemva konyaka waqala ukuphayona futhi ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho wamiswa njengephayona elikhethekile. Uye waqhubeka ekhonza kanjalo kusukela lapho. Kuye kwangikhuthaza njalo ukubona indlela aye wasebenzisa ngayo isikhathi namandla akhe enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele kusukela ebusheni.

Ukumelela iqiniso leBhayibheli kuyinselele enkulu ngokukhethekile kubantu abahlala emphakathini ongewona owamaKristu. Nokho, kunezinkulungwane eziningi eziye zabhekana nale nselele, kuhlanganise nabathile balabo engiye ngatadisha nabo iBhayibheli. Baye balahla ama-altare abo abizayo obuBuddha namashalofu obuShinto avame ukutholakala emakhaya abantu baseJapane. Njengoba  ngezinye izikhathi izihlobo zithatha lezo zenzo ngombono ophambene njengokungabonisi nhlonipho ngokhokho abafile, kudingeka isibindi ukuze abasebasha bakwazi ukukwenza lokhu. Izenzo zabo zesibindi zisikhumbuza ezamaKristu okuqala alahla izinto ezazihlobene nokukhulekela kwamanga.—IzEnzo 19:18-20.

Ngikhumbula omunye umfundi weBhayibheli, oyinkosikazi enakekela ikhaya, owayehlela ukuthutha eTokyo nomkhaya wakhe. Wayefuna ukuthuthela emzini omusha ongenazo izinto ezihlobene nokukhulekela kobuqaba. Ngakho watshela umyeni wakhe ngesifiso sakhe, futhi umyeni wakhe wabambisana naye ngokukhululekile. Wangitshela ngenjabulo ngalokhu, kodwa wabe esekhumbula ukuthi wayepakishe isitsha esikhulu esibizayo sezimbali ayesithenge ngoba kuthiwa siqinisekisa injabulo emkhayeni. Njengoba ayesola ukuthi kwakungenzeka sihlobene nokukhulekela kwamanga, wasiphahlaza ngesando, wasilahla.

Ukubona lona wesifazane nabanye belahla ngokunganqikazi izinto ezibizayo ezihlobene nokukhulekela kwamanga futhi beqala ngesibindi ukuphila okusha kokukhonza uJehova kuye kwaba isenzakalo esivuzayo nesanelisayo kimi. Ngimbonga njalo uJehova ngokuthi ngiye ngakwazi ukujabulela iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-40 enkonzweni yezithunywa zevangeli eJapane.

“Izimangaliso” Zosuku Lwanamuhla

Lapho ngibheka emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-70 ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, kuyangikhexisa lokhu okubonakala kuyizimangaliso zosuku lwanamuhla kimi. Njengosemusha onamahloni, ngangingeke ngicabange ukuthi ngangingasebenzisa konke ukuphila kwami ngiya kubantu ngiyokhuluma nabo ngoMbuso, abaningi abangafuni kuzwa lutho ngawo. Nokho, akumina ngedwa engiye ngakwazi ukwenza lokho, kodwa ngiye ngabona amakhulu, uma kungezona izinkulungwane, zabanye zenza okufanayo. Ziye zakwenza ngempumelelo enkulu kangangokuthi oFakazi abangaphezudlwana kwenkulungwane ababeseJapane lapho ngifika ngo-1958 baye banda baba ngaphezu kuka-222 000 namuhla!

Lapho mina noMartha sifika okokuqala eJapane,  sabelwa ukuhlala ehhovisi legatsha eTokyo. Ngo-1963 kwakhiwa isakhiwo esisha segatsha esinezitezi eziyisithupha kuleyo ndawo, futhi besilokhu sihlala lapho kusukela ngaleso sikhathi. Ngo-November 1963 sasiphakathi kwabangu-163 ababekhona enkulumweni yokunikezela eyayibekwa umbonisi wegatsha lethu, uLloyd Barry. Ngaleso sikhathi sase sifinyelele inani loFakazi abangu-3 000 eJapane.

Kuye kwajabulisa ukubona umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso wanda ngokumangalisayo, ufinyelela kwabangaphezu kuka-14 000 ngo-1972 lapho kuqedwa igatsha elisha elandisiwe edolobheni laseNumazu. Kodwa ngo-1982 kwase kunabamemezeli boMbuso abangaphezu kuka-68 000 eJapane, futhi kwakhiwa isakhiwo esikhulu kunaleso edolobheni lase-Ebina, ebangeni elingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-80 ukusuka eTokyo.

Phakathi naleso sikhathi, isakhiwo segatsha sakuqala esisenkabeni yeTokyo salungiswa. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, saba ikhaya lezithunywa zevangeli ezingaphezu kuka-20 eziye zakhonza eJapane iminyaka engu-40 noma engu-50 noma ngaphezulu, kuhlanganise nami nalowo engase ngiphayone naye isikhathi eside, uMartha Hess. Udokotela nomkakhe ongumhlengikazi, nabo bahlala kulelo khaya lethu. Bazinakekela ngothando izidingo zethu zempilo. Muva nje, kuye kwanezelwa omunye umhlengikazi ezisebenzini, futhi kufika odade abangamaKristu bezosiza abahlengikazi phakathi nosuku. Amalungu amabili omkhaya waseBethel wase-Ebina ayashintshana ngokuza azosilungisela ukudla nokuhlanza ikhaya lethu. Ngempela, uJehova uye wasinakekela.—IHubo 34:8, 10.

Isenzakalo esiyingqopha-mlando ekuphileni kwami kokuba isithunywa sevangeli senzeke ngo-November wangonyaka odlule, sekudlule iminyaka engu-36 kwanikezelwa lesi sakhiwo osekuhlala kuso abaningi kangaka bethu thina esiyizithunywa zevangeli ezingomakad’ebona. Ngo-November 13, 1999, ngaba phakathi kwabangu-4 486, abahlanganisa amakhulu oFakazi abangomakad’ebona abavela emazweni angu-37, ababa khona ekunikezelweni kwezakhiwo ezandisiwe zegatsha laseJapane le-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society e-Ebina. Manje, kunabangaba ngu-650 kulowo mkhaya wasegatsheni.

Phakathi neminyaka ethi ayibe ngu-80 kusukela ngaqala ukuya endlini ngendlu nginamahloni okunikeza isigijimi seBhayibheli, uJehova uye wangiqinisa. Uye wangisiza ukuba nginqobe amahloni. Ngikholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi uJehova angasebenzisa noma ubani othembela kuye, ngisho nalabo abanamahloni kakhulu njengami. Futhi yeka ukuphila okwanelisayo engiye ngaba nakho ngokukhuluma nabantu engingabazi ngoNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova!

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Nginomama noClarence, owayesivakashele evela eBethel

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Amalungu ekilasi lethu atadishela otshanini eSikoleni SaseGileyadi eduze naseSouth Lansing, eNew York

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Ngakwesobunxele: Yimi, uMartha Hess nomama eHawaii

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Ngakwesokudla: Amalungu ekhaya lethu lezithunywa zevangeli eTokyo

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Ngezansi: NginoMartha Hess, engiphayone naye isikhathi eside

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Izakhiwo zegatsha lethu ezandisiwe e-Ebina zanikezelwa ngo-November odlule