Indaba Yokuphila

Ukukhonza Nomaphi Lapho Ngidingeka Khona

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUJAMES B. BERRY

Kwakungu-1939. UKuwa Okukhulu Kwezomnotho kwakwenza ukuphila kube nzima e-United States, futhi impi yayisongela yonke iYurophu. Mina nomfowethu omncane uBennett sasisuke ekhaya eMississippi saya eHouston, eTexas, sifuna umsebenzi.

NGOLUNYE USUKU sekuyophela ihlobo, sezwa isaziso esibalulekile sihlohloza emsakazweni: Amabutho kaHitler ayesengené ePoland. “I-Armagedoni isiqalile!” kubabaza umfowethu. Ngokushesha, sayishiya phansi imisebenzi yethu. Saya eHholo LoMbuso eliseduze, siqala ngqá ukuba semhlanganweni. Kungani sakhetha iHholo LoMbuso? Ake ngiqale ekuqaleni.

Ngazalelwa eHebron, eMississippi, ngo-1915. Sasihlala endaweni yamapulazi. AbaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi, babefika cishe kanye ngonyaka, bahlele ukuba kubekwe inkulumo emzini wothile. Ngenxa yalokho, abazali bami babenezincwadi eziningi zeBhayibheli. Mina noBennett sakukholelwa lokho okwakufundiswa yilezi zincwadi: Isihogo asishisi, umphefumulo uyafa, abalungile bazophila emhlabeni phakade. Noma kunjalo, kwakunezinto eziningi okwakusadingeka sizifunde. Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile ngiphothulile esikoleni, mina nomfowethu salibangisa eTexas siyofuna umsebenzi.

Lapho ekugcineni sitholana noFakazi eHholo LoMbuso, basibuza ukuthi singamaphayona yini. Sasingazi ukuthi iphayona yisikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele soFakazi BakaJehova. Babe sebesibuza ukuthi singathanda yini ukushumayela. “Nakanjani!” siphendula. Sacabanga ukuthi bazothumela othile ukuze asibonise ukuthi kwenziwa kanjani. Kunalokho, bavele basinika ibalazwe  bathi, “Sebenzani laphaya!” Wowu, phela mina noBennett sasingazi nhlobo ukuthi kushunyayelwa kanjani, futhi sasingafuni ukuzithela ngehlazo. Ekugcineni, savele salithumela ngeposi ikhadi lensimu saphindela eMississippi!

Ukwenza Iqiniso LeBhayibheli Libe Ngelethu

Ngemva kokubuyela ekhaya, safunda izincwadi zoFakazi nsuku zonke isikhathi esingaba unyaka. Sasingenawo ugesi ekhaya, ngakho ebusuku sasifunda ngokukhanya komlilo. Ngalezo zinsuku izinceku zezifunda, noma ababonisi abajikelezayo, babehambela amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova kanye noFakazi abangabodwa ukuze babaqinise ngokomoya. Enye yalezi zinceku, uTed Klein, yayivakashela ibandla lethu futhi ihambe nami noBennett emsebenzini wokushumayela endlini ngendlu, ivamile ukusithatha sobabili ngesikhathi esisodwa. UMfoweth’ uKlein wasichazela konke ngomsebenzi wokuphayona.

Ukuba kanye naye kwasenza sacabanga kakhulu ngokwenza okwengeziwe ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu. Ngakho ngo-April 18, 1940 mina noBennett nodadewethu uVelva sabhapathizwa uMfoweth’ uKlein. Abazali bethu babekhona lapho sibhapathizwa, futhi basijabulela isinqumo sethu. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba mibili, nabo babhapathizwa. Bobabili baqhubeka bethembekile kuNkulunkulu baze bashona—ubaba ngo-1956, umama yena ngo-1975.

Lapho uMfoweth’ uKlein engibuza ukuthi ngingaphayona yini, ngamtshela ukuthi ngingathanda, kodwa anginamali, anginazingubo zokugqoka, anginalutho nje. “Ungakhathazeki, ngizokulungisa lokho,” esho. Futhi wakulungisa ngempela. Waqale wangifakela isicelo sokuphayona. Wabe esehamba nami saya eNew Orleans, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-300, wafike wangibonisa amakamelo amahle ngaphezu kweHholo LoMbuso. Ayengawamaphayona. Ngokushesha ngathuthela lapho ngase ngiqala umsebenzi wami wokuphayona. OFakazi eNew Orleans babesiza amaphayona ngokuwanika izingubo zokugqoka, imali nokudla. Emini, abazalwane babeletha ukudla bakushiye emnyango noma basifakele kona esiqandisini imbala. Umzalwane owayenethilomu lokudla budebuduze wayethi asibofika njalo uma esezovala ukuze sithole ukudla okusekahle okwakusale emini—njengenyama, isinkwa, isitshulu nophayi.

Ukubhekana Nobudlova Bezixuku

Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, ngabelwa ukuyophayona eJackson, eMississippi. Mina nephayona eliselincane engangikanye nalo sahlukunyezwa yizixuku ezinodlame lapho, futhi kwakubonakala sengathi amanxusa endawo okugcinwa komthetho ayehambisana nezixuku! Kwaba yinto efanayo esabelweni sethu esilandelayo—eColumbus, eMississippi. Njengoba sasishumayeza abantu bazo zonke izinhlanga nobuzwe, abanye abantu abamhlophe babesizonda. Abaningi babekholelwa ukuthi sasinecala lokuhlamuka uhlanga lwethu. Wayecabanga kanjalo nomlawuli weqembu le-American Legion, okuyinhlangano ebushisekela kakhulu ubuzwe. Wasiqhatha kaningana nezixuku ezithukuthele.

Lapho sihlaselwa okokuqala eColumbus, saxoshwa yisixuku sisahambisa umagazini emgwaqweni. Sasidudulela efasiteleni lesitolo esithile. Kwabuthana esinye isixuku sizobona ukuthi kwenzekani. Ngokushesha kwafika amaphoyisa asithatha asiyisa enkantolo. Njengoba sasisilandele saze safika enkantolo, isixuku sasho phambi kwazo zonke izikhulu ezazilapho ukuthi uma singaphuma siphele kule ndawo lungakafiki  usuku oluthile, singahamba siphila. Kodwa uma sihamba ngemva kwalolo suku, liyosishonela! Sabona kungcono ukuba silishiye leli dolobhana okwesikhashana. Kodwa ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa, sabuya sase siqhubeka nokushumayela.

Akubanga yisikhathi esitheni ngemva kwalokho, sahlaselwa yiqembu lamadoda angu-8 lasithatha layosifaka ezimotweni ezimbili. Lasiyisa ehlathini, lasikhumula izingubo, lasishaya imivimbo engu-30 umuntu emunye ngebhande lami! Laliphethe izibhamu ngisho nezindophi, futhi kumelwe ngisho ukuthi sasethukile. Ngangicabanga ukuthi la madoda azosibopha asiphonse emfuleni. Adabula izincwadi zethu azisakaza, aphihliza negilamafoni lethu esiqwini sesihlahla.

Ngemva kokusibhaxabula, athi masigqoke sihambe sehle endleleni ethile kulelo hlathi singabheki emuva. Njengoba sihamba, ngangizitshela ukuthi uma sike sabheka emuva, ayezosidubula asibulale—futhi angatholi sijeziso! Kodwa ngemva kwemizuzu embalwa, sawezwa esuka ehamba ngezimoto.

Ngesinye isikhathi, saxoshwa yisixuku esithukuthele, kwaze kwadingeka sibophele izingubo entanyeni siwele umfula ukuze siphunyule. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, saboshelwa icala lokuvukela umbuso. Sahlala amasonto amathathu ejele ngaphambi kokuqulwa kwecala. Lesi senzakalo samenyezelwa kuyo yonke iColumbus. Abafundi basekolishi eliseduze baze bavunyelwa nokuba baphume emakilasini ngaphambi kwesikhathi ukuze bazothamela icala. Lapho lufika lolo suku, inkantolo yayigcwele nswí—kunendawo yokuma kuphela! Kofakazi bakahulumeni kwakukhona nabashumayeli ababili, imeya namaphoyisa.

Kwathunyelwa ummeli onguFakazi okuthiwa uG. C. Clarke nowayebambisene naye ukuba bazosimelela. Bacela ukuba icala lokuvukela umbuso lichithwe ngenxa yokungabi bikho kobufakazi. Ummeli owayesebenza noMfoweth’ uClarke, nakuba ayengeyena omunye woFakazi BakaJehova, wasikhulumela ngendlela enamandla. Ngesinye isikhathi wathi kumahluleli, “Abantu bathi oFakazi BakaJehova bayahlanya. Bayahlanya? UThomas Edison kwakuthiwa uyahlanya!” Wayesekhomba isibani sikagesi wathi, “Kodwa bhekani lesiya sibani sikagesi!” Kungenzeka abathile babembheka njengohlanyayo u-Edison, owasungula isibani sikagesi, kodwa akekho owayengaphikisana nalokho akufeza.

Ngemva kokuzwa ubufakazi, umahluleli wenkantolo yesifunda owayengamele wathi kumshushisi: “Awunaso nesicucwana sobufakazi bokuvukelwa kombuso, futhi bona banelungelo lokwenza lo msebenzi. Uma ungakabi nabo ubufakazi, ungababuyisi kule nkantolo udlale ngesikhathi nemali kahulumeni nesikhathi sami!” Saphuma phambili!

Nokho, kamuva umahluleli wasibizela egunjini lakhe. Wayazi ukuthi lonke idolobha lalingahambisani nesinqumo sakhe. Ngakho wasixwayisa: “Lokhu engikushilo kuhambisana nomthetho, kodwa mina ngokwami nali icebiso lami: Phumani niphele lapha, ngale kwalokho bazonibulala!” Sasazi ukuthi wayeqinisile, ngakho sahamba kulelo dolobhana.

Ukusuka lapho ngajoyina uBennett noVelva, ababekhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile eClarksville, eTennessee. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, sabelwa eParis, eKentucky. Ngemva konyaka nengxenye, kwase kusele kancane simise  ibandla lapho mina noBennett sithola isimemo esikhetheke kakhulu.

Ukuya Enkonzweni Yezithunywa Zevangeli

Lapho sibona isimemo sokuba sekilasini lesibili le-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, sacabanga ukuthi, ‘Benzé iphutha! Bangababizelani abafanyana ababili abangelutho kulesiya sikole?’ Sasicabanga ukuthi bafuna abantu abafundile, kodwa saya noma kunjalo. Kwakunabafundi abayikhulu ekilasini, futhi izifundo zathatha izinyanga ezinhlanu. Usuku lokwethweswa iziqu lwalungo-January 31, 1944, futhi sasimagange ukuyokhonza ensimini yakwelinye izwe. Kodwa ngalezo zinsuku, ukuthola izincwadi zokungena kwelinye izwe kwakuthatha isikhathi eside, ngakho abafundi bababelwa e-United States okwesikhashana. Ngemva kokukhonza njengamaphayona isikhashana e-Alabama naseGeorgia, ekugcineni mina noBennett sasithola isabelo sethu—iBarbados, eWest Indies.

IMpi Yezwe II yayisaqhubeka, futhi umsebenzi nezincwadi zoFakazi BakaJehova kwakuvinjelwe ezindaweni eziningi, kuhlanganise naseBarbados. Endaweni yokuhlolwa kwezimpahla kulelo zwe, izikhulu zavula izikhwama zethu zazihlola, zazithola izincwadi esasizifihlile. Sacabanga ukuthi, ‘Kuphelile ngathi.’ Kunalokho, esinye isikhulu savele sathi kithina: “Siyaxolisa ngokuthi kudingeké sipetulule izimpahla zenu; ezinye zalezi zincwadi zivinjelwe eBarbados.” Noma kunjalo, sasivumela ukuba sidlule nazo zonke izincwadi esasizipakishile! Kamuva, lapho sishumayeza izikhulu zikahulumeni, zathi azazi ukuthi kungani lezi zincwadi zavinjelwa. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezithile, ukuvinjelwa kwazo kwasuswa.

Sasiphumelela kakhulu enkonzweni eBarbados. Ngamunye wethu wayeqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli okungenani ezingu-15, futhi iningi labafundi lalithuthuka ngokomoya. Kwakusijabulisa ukubona abanye beza emihlanganweni yebandla. Nokho, ngenxa yokuthi kwase kunesikhathi esithile zivinjelwe izincwadi, abazalwane babengenakho ukuqonda kwangaleso sikhathi mayelana nendlela yokuqhuba imihlangano. Nokho, ngokushesha sakwazi ukuqeqesha inani elithile labazalwane abanekhono. Sakujabulela ukusiza izifundo zethu eziningi ukuba ziqale ukuphuma enkonzweni yobuKristu nokubona ibandla likhula.

Ukukhulisa Umkhaya

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezingaba ngu-18 ngiseBarbados, kwadingeka ngihlinzwe, ngakho kwafuneka ngiphindele e-United States. Ngenkathi ngilapho, ngashada noFakazi okuthiwa uDorothy esasibhalelana naye. Mina nomkami sabe sesiphayona eTallahassee, eFlorida, kodwa ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha sathuthela eLouisville, eKentucky, lapho uFakazi othile angitholela khona umsebenzi. Umfowethu uBennett waqhubeka nenkonzo yakhe iminyaka eminingi eBarbados. Kamuva washada nesinye isithunywa sevangeli base bekhonza emsebenzini wokujikeleza kulezo ziqhingi. Ekugcineni, kwadingeka baphindele e-United States  ngenxa yezizathu zempilo. Baqhubeka bekhonza amabandla eSpanishi emsebenzini wokujikeleza waze washona uBennett ngo-1990 eseneminyaka engu-73 ubudala.

Ngo-1950, uDorothy wabeletha umntwana wethu wokuqala, intombazanyana esayiqamba ngokuthi uDaryl. Sagcina sinezingane ezinhlanu. Eyesibili, uDerrick, yashona iseneminyaka emibili nengxenye kuphela ngenxa ye-meningitis yomgogodla. Kodwa kwabe sekuzalwa uLeslie ngo-1956 no-Everett ngo-1958. Mina noDorothy sasizama ukukhulisa izingane zethu ngendlela yeqiniso leBhayibheli. Sasizama njalo ukuba sibe nesimiso sesifundo somkhaya samasonto onke futhi sisenze sithakazelise kuzo zonke izingane. Lapho uDaryl, uLeslie no-Everett besebancane, isonto ngalinye sasibanika imibuzo yokucwaningwa ukuze bayiphendule ngesonto elilandelayo. Babedlala nokushumayela endlini ngendlu. Omunye wayengena ekhabetheni lezingubo abe umninindlu. Omunye wayema ngaphandle angqongqoze. Babedumazana ngamazwana ahlekisayo, kodwa lokhu kwabasiza ukuba bawuthande umsebenzi wokushumayela. Sasishumayela njalo nabo.

Lapho kuzalwa indodana yami ewuthunjana, u-Elton, ngo-1973, uDorothy wayesecishe ahlanganise iminyaka engu-50, mina sengicela ku-60. Ebandleni, basibiza ngo-Abrahama noSara! (Genesise 17:15-17) Abafana abadala babevamile ukuphuma no-Elton lapho beya enkonzweni. Sasinomuzwa wokuthi kuwubufakazi obunamandla kubantu ukubona imikhaya—abazalwane nodade, abazali nezingane—besebenza ndawonye, betshela abanye ngamaqiniso eBhayibheli. Abafowabo baka-Elton abadala babeshintshana ngokumgqogqosha bese bemphathisa ipheshana leBhayibheli. Cishe njalo abantu babelalela lapho bevula umnyango babone lo mfanyana omuhle ogqogqoshwe umfowabo omdala. Abafana bafundisa u-Elton ukuhambisela umuntu ipheshana lapho ingxoxo isiphelile abese esho namagama ambalwa. Waqala kanjalo ukushumayela.

Phakathi neminyaka edlule, siye sakwazi ukusiza abanye bazi uJehova. Ekupheleni kwawo-1970, sathutha sisuka eLouisville saya eShelbyville, eKentucky, siyokhonza ebandleni elalinendingeko. Ngenkathi silapho, asigcinanga ngokubona ukwanda kulelo bandla kodwa futhi sasiza ekutholeni isiza nasekwakheni iHholo LoMbuso. Kamuva sacelwa ukuyokhonza kwelinye ibandla elalingaqhelile kakhulu.

Ukungaqiniseki Ngokuphila Komkhaya

Ngifisa sengathi ngabe zonke izingane zethu zahlala endleleni kaJehova, kodwa akubanga njalo. Ngemva kokuba zikhulile futhi zahamba ekhaya, izingane zethu ezintathu kwezine ezazisaphila zayishiya indlela yeqiniso. Nokho, indodana yethu u-Everett yalandela isibonelo sami ngokungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Kamuva yakhonza endlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eNew York futhi ngo-1984 yabizelwa ekilasini lama-77 laseGileyadi. Ngemva kokuthweswa iziqu, yaya esabelweni sayo eSierra Leone, eNtshonalanga Afrika. Ngo-1988 yashada noMarianne, iphayona laseBelgium. Baye bakhonza ndawonye njengezithunywa zevangeli kusukela ngaleso sikhathi.

Njengoba noma yimuphi umzali engacabanga, kwasidumaza ukubona izingane zethu ezintathu zishiya indlela yokuphila eyanelisayo manje futhi enethemba elihle lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi esikhathini esizayo. Ngezinye izikhathi ngangizisola mina. Kodwa kwakungiduduza ukwazi ukuthi ngisho namanye amadodana kaJehova uqobo awumoya, noma izingelosi, ayeka ukumkhonza—nakuba uJehova eyala ngothando nangomusa futhi engalokothi enze iphutha. (Duteronomi 32:4; Johane 8:44; IsAmbulo 12:4, 9) Lokhu kuye kwagcizelela kimi ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi abazali bangase bazame kanzima kangakanani ukukhulisa izingane zabo ngendlela kaJehova, abanye bangase benqabe yize kunjalo ukulamukela iqiniso.

Njengesihlahla esipheshulwa yimimoya enamandla, kudingeka sigobe kanye nobunzima nezinkinga ezihlukahlukene ezisifikelayo. Phakathi neminyaka edlule, ngiye ngathola ukuthi ukutadisha iBhayibheli nokuba khona njalo emihlanganweni kunginika amandla okugoba futhi ngiqhubeke ngiphila ngokomoya. Njengoba ngiguga  futhi ngibona amaphutha engawenza esikhathini esidlule, ngizama ukubheka izici ezinhle. Kakade, uma nje sihlala sithembekile, izenzakalo ezinjalo ziyanezela ekukhuleni kwethu ngokomoya. Uma sifunda kuzo, izici ezingezinhle zokuphila zingaba nezici ezithile ezinhle.—Jakobe 1:2, 3.

Mina noDorothy asisenayo manje impilo enhle namandla okwenza esingathanda ukukwenza enkonzweni kaJehova. Kodwa siyabonga ngokusekela kwabafowethu nodadewethu abathandekayo abangamaKristu. Cishe kuyo yonke imihlangano, abafowethu basitshela indlela abakwazisa ngayo ukuba khona kwethu. Futhi bayazinikela ukuze basisize nganoma iyiphi indlela abangasisiza ngayo—ngisho nangokulungisa indlu nemoto.

Ngesinye isikhathi siyakwazi ukuthatha ubuphayona obusizayo, futhi siqhubela abathakazelayo izifundo. Into ekhethekile esiyijabulelayo njalo ukuthola izindaba ezivela endodaneni yethu ekhonza e-Afrika. Sisaba naso isifundo sethu somkhaya, yize sekungesethu sobabili kuphela manje. Siyajabula ngokuthi siye sanikela ngeminyaka eminingi kangaka enkonzweni kaJehova. Uyasiqinisekisa ukuthi ngeke ‘akhohlwe umsebenzi wethu nothando esalubonisa kulo igama lakhe.’—Heberu 6:10.

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Mina noVelva noBennett sibhapathizwa nguTed Klein ngo-April 18, 1940

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Nginomkami, uDorothy, ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1947 nango-1997

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Kukhangiswa inkulumo yeningi ethi, “INkosi Yokuthula” ebhasini lasedolobheni eBarbados

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Umfowethu uBennett phambi kwekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli