Indaba Yokuphila

Ngiyazazisa Izinkumbulo Eziyigugu Enginazo!

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUDRUSILLA CAINE

Kwakungunyaka ka-1933, ngisanda kushada nje noZanoah Caine owayeyi-colpoteur—umshumayeli wevangeli wesikhathi esigcwele njengami. Ngichichima injabulo, ngahlela ukujoyina umyeni wami esabelweni sakhe, kodwa ukuze ngenze kanjalo, ngangidinga ibhayisekili—okwakuyinto ebizayo engangingakaze ngibe namandla okuyithenga ngoba izinto zazinzima phakathi nokuwa kwezomnotho. Ngangizokwenzenjani?

LAPHO bezwa ngenkinga yami, abafowabo bomyeni wami bavundulula endaweni kadoti, befuna izinsimbi zebhayisekili ezindala ukuze bangakhele elami. Balakha futhi lasebenza! Ngathi ngingafunda ukuligibela, sangena indlela sinoZanoah, sadabula izifunda zaseNgilandi iWorcester neHereford seneme, sishumayela kubo bonke esasihlangana nabo.

Ngangingazi ukuthi lesi sinyathelo esilula sokholo sasizoholela ekuphileni okunezinkumbulo ezimnandi. Nokho, isisekelo esingokomoya sokuphila kwami sasibekwe abazali bami abathandekayo.

Iminyaka Enzima YeMpi Enkulu

Ngazalwa ngo-December 1909. Ngemva nje kwalokho umama wathola incwadi i-Divine Plan of the Ages, kwathi ngo-1914 sahamba nabazali bami siyobukela i-“Photo-Drama of Creation” e-Oldham, eLancashire. (Kokubili kwakungumkhiqizo walabo asebaziwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova.) Nakuba ngangisemncane, ngikhumbula kahle siphindela ekhaya ngigxumagxuma ngijatshuliswe yilokho engangikubonile! UFrank Heeley wabe eseqala iqembu lokutadisha iBhayibheli eRochdale, lapho sasihlala khona. Ukuya kuleli qembu kwasisiza njengomkhaya ukuba siyiqonde nakangcono imiBhalo.

 Ngawo lowo nyaka, ukuphila kwethu okunokuthula kwaphazanyiswa ukugqashuka kweMpi Enkulu—iMpi Yezwe I, njengoba sesiyibiza kanjalo manje. Ubaba wabuthelwa impi kodwa akathathanga hlangothi. Enkantolo wachazwa ngokuthi “uyindoda ehlonipheke kakhulu,” futhi kwavezwa izincwadi eziningi ezazivela “kubanumzane ababethi bakholwa ukuthi wayeqotho ekwenqabeni kwakhe ukuthatha izikhali,” kubika iphephandaba lendawo.

Nokho, kunokuba akhululwe ngokuphelele, ubaba wabhaliswa njengokhululekile “eNkonzweni Yokulwa kuphela.” Ngokushesha waba yinhlekisa, ngokufanayo nathi nomama. Ekugcineni, isimo sakhe sabukezwa kabusha, wabe esenikwa umsebenzi wokulima, kodwa abanye abalimi basizakala ngesimo bemholela ubala noma bengamholeli nhlobo. Ukuze asekele umkhaya, umama wasebenza—naye ehola ubala—efukuza elondolo yomuntu othile. Nokho, manje sengiyabona ukuthi kwangiqinisa kanjani ukuba ebusheni bami ngibhekane nalezo zimo ezinzima; kwangisiza ngazazisa izinto ezingokomoya ezibaluleke kakhulu.

Isiqalo Esiphansi

Ngokushesha saqala ukwazana noDaniel Hughes, umfundi weBhayibheli okhuthele. Wayesebenza emayini yamalahle eRuabon, idolobhana eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-20 ukusuka e-Oswestry, lapho sase sithuthele khona. UBab’ uDan, njengoba ngangimbiza kanjalo, wayelokhu exhumana nomkhaya wakithi, futhi noma nini uma ezosibona, wayehlale exoxa ngezinto ezingokomBhalo. Wayengalokothi axoxe ngezinto ezingasho lutho. Ngo-1920 kwaqalwa ikilasi lokutadisha iBhayibheli e-Oswestry, uBab’ uDan wangipha incwadi ethi The Harp of God ngo-1921. Ngangiyikhonzile ngoba yakwenza kwaba lula kakhulu kimi ukuqonda izimfundiso zeBhayibheli.

Kwakukhona noPryce Hughes, * kamuva owaba yisikhonzi esengamele ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova laseLondon. Wayehlala nomkhaya wakhe eduze eBronygarth, ngasemngceleni waseWales, futhi udadewabo, uCissie, waba umngane kamama omkhulu.

Ngikhumbula injabulo eyayikhona ngo-1922 lapho kuphuma ubizo ‘lokumemezela iNkosi nombuso wayo.’ Phakathi neminyaka eyalandela, nakuba ngangisesesikoleni, ngahlanganyela ngokuzimisela ekusakazeni amapheshana akhethekile, ikakhulu elithi Ecclesiastics Indicted ngo-1924. Uma ngibheka emuva kulelo shumi leminyaka, yeka ukuthi kwakuyilungelo elihle kanjani ukuba nobudlelwane nabazalwane nodade abaningi kangaka abathembekile—phakathi kwabo kunoMaud Clark * noMary Grant * owayephayona naye, u-Edgar Clay *, uRobert Hadlington, uKaty Roberts, u-Edwin Skinner *, noPercy Chapman benoJack Nathan, * bobabili abaya eCanada beyosiza ngomsebenzi khona.

Inkulumo yeBhayibheli ethi “Izigidi Eziphilayo Manje Azisoze Zafa” yaba ubufakazi obufike ngesikhathi ensimini yethu eyayinkulu. Ngo-May 14, 1922, kwafika isihlobo sikaPryce Hughes, uStanley Rogers, evela eLiverpool ezonikeza le nkulumo eChirk, idolobhana eliseduze enyakatho yedolobhana lethu, nase-Picture Playhouse e-Oswestry kamuva ngalobo busuku. Ngisenalo elinye lamaphepha esimemo ayenzelwe leso senzakalo ngokukhethekile. Phakathi naso sonke lesi sikhathi, iqenjana lethu laqhubeka liqiniswa ukuhanjelwa ababonisi abathathu abajikelezayo—ama-pilgrim, njengoba sasibabiza kanjalo—uHerbert Senior, u-Albert Lloyd noJohn Blaney.

Isikhathi Sokwenza Isinqumo

Ngo-1929, nganquma ukubhapathizwa. Ngangineminyaka engu-19 ubudala, futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngabhekana novivinyo lwami lokuqala lwangempela. Ngahlangana nensizwa ethile uyise owayengusombusazwe. Sakhangana, yayisicela ukuba sishade. Ngonyaka owawandulele, kwakukhululwe incwadi ethi Government, ngakho ngayinika yona. Kodwa kwasheshe kwahlaluka ukuthi yayingenasithakazelo kuhulumeni wasezulwini, okwakuyisihloko sale ncwadi. Ngangazi  ngokwalokho engangikufundile ukuthi ama-Israyeli asendulo ayeyalwe ukuba angashadi nabantu abangakholwa nokuthi lesi simiso siyasebenza nakumaKristu. Ngakho-ke, nakuba kwakunzima, ngenqaba ukuba sishade.—Duteronomi 7:3; 2 Korinte 6:14.

Angiqinisa amazwi omphostoli uPawulu athi: “Masingayeki ukwenza okuhle, ngoba ngenkathi efanele siyovuna uma singakhathali.” (Galathiya 6:9) UBab’ uDan othandekayo wasiza naye lapho engibhalela ethi: “Ovivinyweni oluncane nolukhulu, sebenzisa eyabaseRoma 8, ivesi 28,” ethi: “Manje sesiyazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wenza yonke imisebenzi yakhe ibambisane ukuze kuzuze labo abathanda uNkulunkulu, labo abangababiziweyo ngokwenjongo yakhe.” Kwakungelula, kodwa ngangazi ukuthi ngangenze isinqumo esifanele. Ngalowo nyaka ngabhalisa njenge-colporteur.

Ukuhlangabezana Nenselele

Ngo-1931, sathola igama lethu elisha, elithi oFakazi BakaJehova, futhi ngawo lowo nyaka, saba nomkhankaso wentshiseko sisebenzisa incwajana ethi The Kingdom, the Hope of the World. Bonke osombusazwe, abefundisi nosomabhizinisi banikwa le ncwajana. Insimu yami yayisuka e-Oswestry iyoshaya eWrexham, amakhilomitha angaba ngu-25 ukuya enyakatho. Kwakuyinselele ukuyihlanganisa yonke.

Emhlanganweni waseBirmingham ngonyaka olandelayo, kwacelwa amavolontiya angu-24. Simagange, saba ngu-24 esabhalisela isici esisha senkonzo, singazi nokuthi kwakuyoba inkonzo enjani. Cabanga indlela esamangala ngayo lapho sabelwa ngababili ukuba sihambise yona le ncwajana ethi The Kingdom, the Hope of the World, sigqoke izingqwembe ezisindayo ezimemezela uMbuso.

Lapho ngishumayela endaweni ezungeze isonto elithile, ngaba namahloni kakhulu, kodwa ngazimisa isibindi ngokuthi akekho owayengazi kulelo dolobha. Kodwa umuntu wokuqala oweza kimi kwaba umngane wami omdala wasesikoleni, owavele wangikhiphela amehlo wathi: “Maye! Ake usho, yini nje le oyenzayo ugqoke ngale ndlela?” Leso senzakalo sakuqeda konke ukwesaba abantu enganginako!

Ukuya Ensimini Ekude

Ngo-1933, ngashada noZanoah, umfelwa owayemdala kunami ngeminyaka engu-25. Umkakhe wokuqala wayengumFundi WeBhayibheli oshisekayo, futhi uZanoah wayeqhubeke ngokwethembeka esabelweni sakhe ngemva kokushona komkakhe. Ngokushesha sathutha eNgilandi saya ensimini yethu entsha eNyakatho Wales, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-150. Amakhathoni, amapotimende nezinye izimpahla eziyigugu kwakuhlezi sengathi kuzokuwa ezimpondweni zamabhayisekili ethu, kushuthekwe ezinsimbini ezihlanganisa isihlalo nezimpondo kwalengiswa nasezinhlangothini zebhayisekili, kodwa sahamba saze sayofika! Kuleso sabelo, sasingeke senze lutho ngaphandle kwamabhayisekili ethu—sasiya yonke indawo ngawo, ngisho naseduze kwesiqongo seCader Idris, intaba yaseWales engamamitha acishe abe ngu-900 ukuphakama. Kwakuvuza kakhulu ukuthola abantu abalangazelela ukuzwa “lezizindaba ezinhle zombuso.”—Mathewu 24:14.

Kwathi sisanda kufika nje lapho, abantu basitshela ukuthi kunoTom Pryce othile owayekade ebashumayeza njengathi nje. Sagcina simtholile uTom owayehlala eLong Mountain, ngaseWelshpool —futhi yeka indlela esamangala ngayo! Lapho ngisaqala ukushumayela, ngangimhambisele insiza-kufunda yeBhayibheli, i-Reconciliation. Wayitadisha eyedwa, wabhalela eLondon ecela izincwadi ezengeziwe, futhi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi wayexoxa ngentshiseko nabanye ngenkolo yakhe entsha. Sasiba nesikhathi esiningi sijabulela ubudlelwane obumnandi, sasivama nokutadisha ndawonye sobathathu ukuze sikhuthazane.

Inhlekelele Iholela Ezibusisweni

Ngo-1934 wonke ama-colporteur ayeseduze neNyakatho Wales amenywa ukuba aye edolobhaneni laseWrexham ayosiza ekusakazeni incwajana ethi Righteous Ruler. Ngosuku olungaphambi kokuba siqale lo mkhankaso okhethekile kwakube nenhlekelele kuleli zwe. Ukuqhuma emayini yamalahle yaseGresford, engamakhilomitha amathathu enyakatho yeWrexham, kwakubulale abavukuzi abangu-266. Izingane ezingaphezu kuka-200 zasala zingenabo oyise, kwathi abesifazane abangu-160 baba ngabafelokazi.

Kwakufanele sibhale uhlu lwabashonelwe, sibavakashele bese sibashiyela incwajana. Elinye lamagama enganikwa wona kwakungelikaNkk. Chadwick owayeshonelwe yindodana eneminyaka engu-19 ubudala. Lapho ngifika kwakhe, indodana endala, uJack, yayivakashile izoduduza unina. Le nsizwa yangibona ukuthi ngingubani kodwa yangasho. Ngemva kwalokho, yafunda leyo ncwajana yabe isifuna i-Final War, okungenye incwajana engangiyinike yona le nsizwa eminyakeni ethile ngaphambili.

UJack nomkakhe, uMay, bathola ukuthi ngihlalaphi base befika bezothola izincwadi ezengeziwe. Ngo-1936 bavuma ukuba kuqhutshelwe imihlangano emzini wabo eWrexham. Ngemva kokuhambela kuka-Albert Lloyd ezinyangeni eziyisithupha kamuva, kwamiswa ibandla, uJack Chadwick waba ngumbonisi owengamele. Manje kunamabandla amathathu eWrexham.

Ukuphila Kumahamba-nendlwana IGypsy

Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, sasisebenzisa noma iyiphi indawo yokuhlala esasiyithola njengoba sihambela izindawo ngezindawo, kodwa uZanoah wanquma ukuthi kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba sibe nekhaya lethu, esasizokwazi ukulidonsa sisuka kwenye indawo siya kwenye. Umyeni wami wayengumbazi onekhono wamaGypsy, ngakho wasakhela umahamba-nendlwana iGypsy. Sasiwubiza ngokuthi u-Elizabeth, igama laseBhayibhelini elisho ukuthi “uNkulunkulu Wenala.”

Ngiyikhumbula ngokukhethekile enye indawo esahlala kuyo—kwakuyisivande sezithelo esingasemfudlaneni. Kimi sasifana nsé nePharadesi! Akukho lutho olwaphazamisa injabulo yeminyaka esayiphila ndawonye kulowo mahamba-nendlwana, yize wawuntula izinto ezithile. Lapho kubanda, izingubo zokulala zaziba amaqeqeba eqhwa zinamathele ezindongeni zikamahamba-nendlwana, futhi ukujuluka ngenxa yomhwamuko kwakuyinkinga njalo. Kwakudingeka siyokukha amanzi, ngezinye izikhathi sihambe ibanga elide, kodwa sazinqoba ngokubambisana lezi zinkinga.

Ngobunye ubusika ngagula, futhi sasingenakudla okutheni singenayo nemali. UZanoah wahlala  embhedeni, wangibamba ngesandla, wayesengifundela iHubo 37:25: “Kade ngimusha, manje sengimdala; angizange ngibone olungileyo eshiyiwe nenzalo yakhe iphanza ukudla.” Wangibuka wayesethi: “Uma kungenzeki lutho ngokushesha, sizoba yizinxibi, angiboni ukuthi uNkulunkulu angakuvumela lokho kwenzeke!” Wabe esephuma eyoshumayela komakhelwane bethu.

Lapho uZanoah ebuya emini ezongenzela okuphuzwayo, wayeselindelwe yimvilophu. Yayino-£50 (u-R500) ovela kuyise. Eminyakeni ethile ngaphambili, uZanoah wayemangalelwe ngokungeyikho ngokukhwabanisa, kodwa kwakusanda kuvela ukuthi wayengenacala. Lesi sipho sasiyisinxephezelo. Yeka ukuthi safika ngesikhathi esifanele kanjani!

Isifundo Esizuzisayo

Ngezinye izikhathi sifunda izifundo sekudlule iminyaka. Ngokwesibonelo: Ngaphambi kokuba ngiyeke isikole ngo-1927, ngashumayela kubo bonke engangifunda nabo kanye nakothisha—ngaphandle koyedwa, uLavinia Fairclough. Njengoba kwakungekho muntu owayenesithakazelo kulokho engangihlela ukukwenza ekuphileni kwami, futhi ngingezwani vele noNksz. Fairclough, nganquma ukungamtsheli. Cabanga indlela engamangala ngayo—nengajabula ngayo—ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-20, lapho umama engitshela ukuthi lo thisha ubuyile ezovakashela abangane nabafundi bakhe abadala ukuze abatshele ukuthi manje wayesengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova!

Lapho sihlangana, ngamchazela ukuthi kungani ngingamtshelanga ngaphambili ngenkolo yami nangalokho engangihlela ukukwenza ekuphileni. Wathula walalela, wayesethi: “Selokhu kwathi nhló bengilokhu ngifuna iqiniso. Kwakuyiyona nto engangiyifuna kakhulu ekuphileni!” Lesi senzakalo saba yisifundo esibuhlungu kimi—sokuba ngingalokothi ngigweme ukushumayela kuwo wonke umuntu engihlangana naye futhi ngingahluleli muntu kusengaphambili.

Enye Impi—Nangemva Kwayo

Njengoba iminyaka yawo-1930 iphela, kwabonakala sekufufusa impi. UDennis, umnawami engimshiya ngeminyaka eyishumi, wakhululwa ebusosheni inqobo nje uma ayezoqhubeka esemsebenzini wakhe wokuziphilisa. Wayengakaze abonise sithakazelo esitheni eqinisweni, ngakho mina nomyeni wami sacela amaphayona endawo uRupert Bradbury nomfowabo uDavid ukuba bamvakashele. Bamvakashela futhi bamfundela iBhayibheli. UDennis wabhapathizwa ngo-1942, kamuva wangenela inkonzo yokuphayona, kwathi ngo-1957 wamiswa njengombonisi ojikelezayo.

Ngo-1938, sathola indodakazi, u-Elizabeth, futhi uZanoah wanweba umahamba-nendlwana wethu ukuze uhlangabezane nezidingo zomkhaya. Lapho kuzalwa indodakazi yethu yesibili, u-Eunice, ngo-1942, kwabonakala kuwukuhlakanipha ukufuna umuzi ozinzile. Ngenxa yalokhu uZanoah wayeka ukuphayona iminyaka embalwa, sathuthela emzini omncane ngaseWrexham. Kamuva, sahlala eMiddlewich esifundeni esingumakhelwane saseCheshire. Umyeni wami othandekayo washonela lapho ngo-1956.

Amadodakazi ethu amabili aba ngabashumayeli bevangeli besikhathi esigcwele, futhi bobabili bajabule emishadweni yabo. U-Eunice nomyeni wakhe ongumdala, basakhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile eLondon. Umyeni ka-Elizabeth naye ungumdala webandla, futhi kuyangijabulisa ukuthi bona, nezingane zabo kanye nezingane zabazukulu bami ezine, bahlala eduze nami ePreston, eLancashire.

Ngiyabonga ngokuthi ngisakwazi ukuphuma emzini wami ngiye eHholo LoMbuso ngaphesheya komgwaqo. Kule minyaka yamuva ngihlanganyela neqembu lesiGujarati, nalo elisebenzisa lelo hholo. Ukufunda ulimi akubanga lula ngoba angisezwa kahle manje. Kunzima ngezinye izikhathi ukuzwa ukuhlukahluka okucashile kwezwi, njengabantu abasebasha. Kodwa kuyinselele ethakazelisayo.

Ngisakwazi ukushumayela endlini ngendlu nokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli emzini wami. Lapho ngivakashelwa abangane, ngiyakujabulela njalo ukuxoxa ngokunye kokuhlangenwe nakho kwami kwakudala. Ngizazisa kakhulu izinkumbulo eziyigugu enginazo zezibusiso engiye ngazithola lapho ngihlanganyela nabantu bakaJehova phakathi neminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-90.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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Iphepha lesimemo elalimemezela inkulumo yeBhayibheli ethi “Izigidi Eziphilayo Manje Azisoze Zafa,” engayilalela ngo-May 14, 1922

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NginoZanoah ngemva nje kokuba sishadile ngo-1933

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Ngimi eceleni kuka-“Elizabeth,” umahamba-nendlwana wethu owakhiwa ngumyeni wami