Indaba Yokuphila

Ukuphila Okunezimanga Enkonzweni KaJehova

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGU-ERIC NOHAZEL BEVERIDGE

“Ngikugweba izinyanga eziyisithupha ejele.” Esankeneneza ezindlebeni zami lawo mazwi, ngathathwa ngayiswa eJele LaseStrangeways eManchester, eNgilandi. Kwakungu-December 1950, ngineminyaka engu-19 ubudala. Ngangisanda kubhekana nolunye lovivinyo olunzima kakhulu ebusheni bami—ngangenqabe ukubuthelwa empini.—2 Korinte 10:3-5.

NGANGIYISIKHONZI esiyiphayona lesikhathi esigcwele esinguFakazi KaJehova, okwakufanele kungenze ngivunyelwe ukuba ngingayi empini, kodwa umthetho waseBrithani wawungakwamukeli ukuma kwethu. Ngakho ngazithola ngihlezi ngedwa esitokisini. Ngacabanga ngobaba. Ngomqondo othile, ngangisejele ngenxa yakhe.

Uyabona, ubaba, isikhulu sasejele, wayeyindoda yaseYorkshire enezinkolelo nezimiso eziqinile. Ngenxa yezinto ayezibone empini nasejele, wayebuzonda kakhulu ubuKatolika. Waqala ukuhlangana noFakazi kudala ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1930, ethi uyobaxosha bengqongqoza—wabuya esephethe ezinye zezincwadi zabo! Kamuva wabhalisela ukuthunyelelwa omagazini i-Consolation (esiyi-Phaphama!). OFakazi babefika unyaka ngamunye bezomkhuthaza ukuba avuselele isivumelwano sakhe sokuthunyelelwa omagazini. Lapho ngineminyaka engaba ngu-15 ubudala, baphinda baxoxa nobaba, nami ngangenela ohlangothini loFakazi. Ngaqala ngaleso sikhathi ukutadisha iBhayibheli.

Lapho ngineminyaka engu-17 ubudala, ngabonisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova ngokubhapathizwa ngo-March 1949. Kamuva ngalowo nyaka, ngahlangana noJohn noMichael Charuk, ababesanda kuphothula esikoleni sezithunywa zevangeli saseGileyadi, belibangise eNigeria. Wangihlaba umxhwele kakhulu umoya wabo wezithunywa  zevangeli. Mhlawumbe bengaqaphele nokuqaphela, bawufaka enhliziyweni yami lowo moya.

Lapho ngitadisha iBhayibheli, ngaphelelwa yisifiso sokuzama ukuya eyunivesithi. Ungakapheli unyaka ngihambile ekhaya ngiyosebenza ehhovisi leziNtela Zangaphandle Nezangaphakathi eLondon, ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi ngangingenakukufeza ukuzinikezela kwami kuNkulunkulu ngokuqhubeka ngisemsebenzini kahulumeni. Lapho ngiwuyeka umsebenzi wami wasehhovisi, omunye umakad’ ebona esasisebenza naye ehhovisi wangihalalisela ngokuyeka “umsebenzi owonakalisa umoya.”

Ngaphambi kwalokhu ngabhekana nolunye uvivinyo—ukuthi ngizomtshela kanjani ubaba ukuthi ngifuna ukuyeka umsebenzi wami olondekile ukuze ngibe yisikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele. Ngobunye ubusuku lapho ngiseholidini ekhaya, ngayethula le ndaba emangazayo. Ngalindela ukuba ubaba agqagqamuke. Ngamangala lapho evele ethi: “Ayikho indlovu esindwa umboko wayo. Kodwa uma izinto sezikwehlula, ungantantatheki uze lapha kimi.” Encwadini yami yezenzakalo, usuku lwango-January 1, 1950, lunamazwi athi: “Ngitshelé ubaba ngokuphayona. Singimangaze kakhulu isimo sakhe sengqondo esikahle. Umusa wakhe ungilethele izinyembezi.” Ngasula emsebenzini kahulumeni ngamukela isabelo sokuba yiphayona lesikhathi esigcwele.

Isabelo Esihambisana “Nekotishi”

Kwabe sekufika olunye uvivinyo lokuzinikela kwami kuNkulunkulu. Nganikwa isabelo sokuphayona, ngihlale “ekotishi” eLancashire noLloyd Griffiths, omunye umKristu owayesuka eWales. Ngigcwele imibono eqhakazile namaphupho ngalelo kotishi, ngafika edolobhaneni eliphansi laseBacup, elaligxagxaza imvula. Kwaphela ukuphupha lapho ngithola ukuthi ikotishi empeleni liyikamelo elingaphansi kwesinye isakhiwo! Sasihlala namagundane namaphela ebusuku. Kwala kancane ngifulathele ngiphindele ekhaya. Kunalokho, ngathandaza buthule ngacela amandla okubhekana nalolu vivinyo. Ngingazelele, ngezwa ngifikelwa ukuthula, ngaqala ukubona isimo ngombono ohluzekile. Lesi kwakuyisabelo sami esivela enhlanganweni kaJehova. Ngangizothembela kuJehova ukuba angisize. Yeka indlela engibonga ngayo ngokuthi ngabekezela, ngoba ukuyeka ngabe kwakushintsha unomphela ukuphila kwami!—Isaya 26:3, 4.

Ngashumayela izinyanga ezingaba ngu-9 eRossendale Valley eyayiphundlekile ngokwezomnotho, ngase ngiyovalelwa ejele ngenxa yokwenqaba ukuya empini. Ngemva kwamasonto amabili ngiseJele LaseStrangeways, ngathuthelwa eJele LaseLewes ogwini oluseningizimu yeNgilandi. Sagcina sesingoFakazi abahlanu ndawonye lapho, sakwazi nokugubha iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu esitokisini.

Ubaba wafika kanye ezongibona. Kumelwe ukuba lokho kwamvivinya—isikhulu sasejele esaziwayo sivakashele indodana yaso ebhadle ejele! Ngiyohlale ngibonga njalo ngaleso senzo sakhe. Ekugcineni lwafika usuku lokuba ngidedelwe ngo-April wango-1951.

Lapho ngidedelwa eLewes, ngathatha isitimela esiya eCardiff, eWales, lapho ubaba ayeyisikhulu esiphethe khona ejele. Ngangiyizibulo ezinganeni ezine—abafana abathathu nentombazane. Kwadingeka ngithole itoho ukuze ngikwazi ukuzondla futhi ngiqhubeke ngiyiphayona. Ngasebenza esitolo sezingubo, kodwa injongo yami eyinhloko ekuphileni kwakuyinkonzo yami yobuKristu. Cishe ngalesi sikhathi umama wasishiya ekhaya. Kwaba yigalelo elinzima lelo kubaba nakithina zingane, omncane eneminyaka engu-8 nomdala eneminyaka engu-19. Ngokudabukisayo, abazali bethu bahlukanisa.

Ofumana Umfazi Omuhle . . . 

Kwakunamaphayona amaningana ebandleni. Phakathi kwawo kwakunodade owayesuka nsuku zonke eRhondda Valley enezimayini zamalahle eze emsebenzini wokuziphilisa futhi ezoshumayela. Igama lakhe kwakunguHazel Green—iphayona elikahle kakhulu. UHazel wayesenesikhathi eside kunami elazi iqiniso—abazali bakhe babehlanganyela imihlangano yabaFundi BeBhayibheli (manje abaziwa ngoFakazi BakaJehova) kudala ngawo-1920. Kodwa yithi ayixoxe yena indaba yakhe.

 “Ngangingalithathi ngokungathi sína iBhayibheli kwaze kwaba ngu-1944 lapho ngifunda incwajana ethi Religion Reaps the Whirlwind. Umama wangiphoqa ukuba ngiye emhlanganweni wesifunda eCardiff. Ngingalazi nhlobo iBhayibheli, ngazithola ngisesikhungweni esiyinhloko sezitolo ngifake uqwembe olumemezela inkulumo yeningi. Sadlula leso senzakalo, yize ngahlushwa abefundisi nabanye. Ngabhapathizwa ngo-1946, ngaqala ukuphayona ngo-December walowo nyaka. Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1951 kwafika iphayona eliselisha eCardiff, lisanda kuphuma nje ejele. Kwakungu-Eric-ke lowo.

“Sasihamba ndawonye sishumayela. Sasizwana kakhulu. Sasinemigomo efanayo ekuphileni—ukuthuthukisa izithakazelo zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho sashada ngo-December 1952. Nakuba sobabili sasisenkonzweni yamaphayona esikhathi esigcwele futhi singaholi mali etheni, asizange nanini siswele noma yini eyisisekelo. Ngezinye izikhathi sasithola isipho kuFakazi mhlawumbe owayesuke ethenge ujamu omningi kakhulu noma insipho—lapho nje sikudinga ngempela! Izenzo zomusa ezinjengalezo sasizazisa kakhulu. Kodwa sasisalindelwe yizimanga ezinkulu nakakhulu.”

Isimanga Esashintsha Ukuphila Kwethu

Ngo-November 1954, sathola isimanga esasingasilindele—ifomu elivela ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova eLondon lokuba ngibe umbonisi ojikelezayo, ngihambele amabandla ahlukahlukene masonto onke. Sasiqiniseka ukuthi kwakuyiphutha, ngakho asitshelanga muntu ebandleni. Nokho, ngaligcwalisa lelo fomu ngaliphindisela sase sibamba umoya. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, kwabuya impendulo: “Woza eLondon uzoqeqeshwa”!

Ehhovisi laseLondon, ngangingakholwa ukuthi yimi lona, ngineminyaka engu-23 ubudala, phakathi kwabazalwane abavelele ababenjengezidlakela ezingokomoya kimi—oPryce Hughes, o-Emlyn Wynes, o-Ernie Beavor, o-Ernie Guiver, oBob Gough, oGlynn Parr, oStan noMartin Woodburn nabanye abaningi, iningi labo eselashona. Babeka isisekelo esiqinile sentshiseko nobuqotho eBrithani kudala ngawo-1940 nawo-1950.

Umsebenzi Wesifunda ENgilandi—Wawungesona Neze Isicefe

Saqala umsebenzi wokujikeleza likhithika ebusika bango-1954 no-55. Sabelwa e-East Anglia, ithafa laseNgilandi elichayeke emimoyeni ebandayo yaseNorth Sea. Ngaleso sikhathi kwakunoFakazi abangu-31 000 kuphela eBrithani. Leso sifunda sokuqala sahilela ukufunda kanzima kithina; futhi izinto zazingelula njalo nakubazalwane esasibavakashela. Njengoba ngangingakabi nokuhlangenwe nakho futhi ngikhuluma ngingagwegwesi njengomuntu waseYorkshire, ngezinye izikhathi ngangibakhuba abanye. Phakathi neminyaka edlule, kuye kwadingeka ngifunde ukuthi umusa ubaluleke ngaphezu kokwenziwa kwezinto ngendlela echwepheshile nokuthi abantu babaluleke ngaphezu kwezinqubo. Ngisazama ukulandela isibonelo sikaJesu sokuqabula abanye, kodwa angiphumeleli njalo.—Mathewu 11:28-30.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezingu-18 sise-East Anglia, sabelwa ukukhonza esifundeni esisenyakatho-mpumalanga yeNgilandi, eNewcastle upon Tyne naseNorthumberland. Ngangibathanda abantu abanomusa bakuleyo ndawo enezindawo ezinhle ezingokwemvelo. Wangisiza kakhulu umbonisi wesigodi owayevakashile, uDon Ward, waseSeattle, eWashington, e-U.S.A. Wayethweswe iziqu ekilasini lama-20 laseGileyadi. Lapho  ngibeka inkulumo, ngangikhuluma ngisheshe kakhulu. Wangifundisa ukwehlisa ijubane, ngibe namakhefu, ngifundise.

Esinye Isimanga Esashintsha Ukuphila Kwethu

Ngo-1958 sathola incwadi eyashintsha ukuphila kwethu. Samenyelwa eSikoleni SaseGileyadi eSouth Lansing, eNew York, e-U.S.A. Sathengisa imotshwana yethu i-Austin Seven yango-1935 sathenga amathikithi omkhumbi okuya eNew York. Saqale saya emhlanganweni wezizwe woFakazi BakaJehova eNew York City. Sasuka lapho saya ePeterborough, e-Ontario, sayophayona izinyanga eziyisithupha ngaphambi kokuba sehlele eningizimu eSikoleni SaseGileyadi.

Kwababefundisa esikoleni kwakuno-Albert Schroeder, oseyilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo, noMaxwell Friend benoJack Redford, asebashona. Ubudlelwane babafundi abangu-82 ababevela emazweni angu-14 babakha kakhulu. Saqala ukuqonda izinkambiso zomunye nomunye ngezinga elithile. Ukuba nabafundi bakwamanye amazwe ababesibhidilisha nje isiNgisi kwasinika umbono wezinkinga esasiyobhekana nazo lapho sifunda olunye ulimi. Ngezinyanga ezinhlanu saphothula ukuqeqeshwa kwethu sabelwa emazweni angu-27. Kwabe sekufika isikhathi sokuthweswa iziqu, ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa sabe sesiseNew York City silindele umkhumbi, i-Queen Elizabeth, ukuba usiphindisele eYurophu.

Isabelo Sethu Sokuqala Kwelinye Izwe

Sasinikwe siphi isabelo? IPortugal! Safika eLisbon ngo-November 1959. Kwase kuqalile ukuvivinywa kwekhono lethu lokufunda ulimi nezinkambiso ezintsha. Ngo-1959 kwakunoFakazi abangu-643 abakhuthele ePortugal, ezweni elinabantu abacishe babe yizigidi ezingu-9. Kodwa umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wawungaqashelwa ngokomthetho. Nakuba sasinawo amaHholo OMbuso, ayengenazo izimpawu ngaphandle.

Ngemva kokufundiswa isiPutukezi yisithunywa sevangeli u-Elsa Piccone, mina noHazel savakashela amabandla namaqembu angaseLisbon, eFaro, e-Evora naseBeja. Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1961 izinto zaqala ukushintsha. Ngangifunda iBhayibheli nensizwa okuthiwa uJoão Gonçalves Mateus. Yanquma ukungathathi hlangothi njengomKristu kwezempi. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngabizelwa ekomkhulu lamaphoyisa ngizophenywa. Isimanga! Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, satshelwa ukuthi sinezinsuku ezingu-30 ukuba siphume siphele kuleli zwe! Kwaba okufanayo ezithunyweni zevangeli esasikanye nazo u-Eric noChristina Britten benoDomenick no-Elsa Piccone.

Ngacela ithuba lokuchaza uhlangothi lwethu, savunyelwa ukubonana nomphathi wamaphoyisa omshoshaphansi. Wasitshela emehlweni ukuthi kungani sasicelwa ukuba sihambe futhi wasitshela negama lothile—uJoão Gonçalves Mateus—isifundo sami seBhayibheli! Wathi ngokungafani neBrithani, iPortugal yayingenakubabekezelela abantu abenqaba ngenxa kanembeza. Ngakho kwadingeka sihambe ePortugal, ngalahlekelana noJoão. Yeka indlela engajabula ngayo ukumbona yena nomkakhe namadodakazi abo amathathu ngemva kweminyaka engu-26 lapho kunikezelwa iBethel entsha yasePortugal!  Inkonzo yethu ePortugal yayingabanga yize!—1 Korinte 3:6-9.

Saba yini isabelo sethu esilandelayo? Isimanga! ISpain engumakhelwane. Sigcwele izinyembezi emehlweni, ngo-February 1962 sagibela isitimela eLisbon salibangisa eMadrid.

Ukujwayela Ezinye Izinkambiso Ezintsha

ESpain kwadingeka sifunde ukushumayela nokuqhuba imihlangano isinyenyela. Lapho sishumayela, ngokuvamile sasingalokothi singene emizini emibili elandelanayo. Ngemva kokushumayela emzini othile, sasiya komunye umgwaqo, kwesinye isakhiwo. Lokho kwakwenza kube nzima emaphoyiseni—noma kubapristi—ukusibamba. Khumbula ukuthi sasingaphansi kobushiqela bamaFascist angamaKatolika, futhi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wawenqatshelwe. Njengezifiki, sazitholela amagama eSpanishi ukuze singabanjwa. Mina ngaba nguPablo, uHazel waba nguJuana.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa siseMadrid, sabelwa emsebenzini wesifunda eBarcelona. Sasivakashela amabandla ahlukahlukene kuleli dolobha, ngokuvamile sihlale amasonto amabili noma amathathu ebandleni ngalinye. Ukuhambela kwakuthatha isikhathi eside kangako ngoba kwakudingeka sihambele iqembu lesifundo sencwadi ngalinye njengokungathi liyibandla, futhi ngokuvamile lokho kwakusho ukuhambela amaqembu amabili ngesonto elilodwa.

Inselele Engalindelekile

Ngo-1963 samenywa ukuba senze umsebenzi wesigodi eSpain. Ukuze sikhonze oFakazi abacishe babe ngu-3 000 ababeshumayela, kwakudingeka silidabule lonke lelo zwe, sihambela izifunda ezingu-9 ezazikhona ngaleso sikhathi. Saba neminye yemihlangano yesifunda ekhumbuleka kakhulu eyayiqhutshwa isinyenyela emahlathini angaseSeville, epulazini elingaseGijon nangasemifuleni ngaseMadrid, eBarcelona naseLogroño.

Ukuze siphephe, lapho sishumayela endlini ngendlu ngangihlola ukuma kwemigwaqo eseduze ukuze sibe nentuba yokubaleka uma kwenzeka kuba khona okonakalayo. Ngelinye ilanga lapho sishumayela eMadrid, sezwa abantu bememeza ngezansi sisesitezi esiphezulu nomunye uFakazi. Lapho sifika ezansi, kwakuneqembu lamantombazane asemasha, amalungu eqembu lamaKatolika okuthiwa iHijas de María (AmaDodakazi KaMariya). Ayexwayisa omakhelwane ngathi. Asikwazanga ukubonisana nawo, futhi ngabona ukuthi kuzodingeka sinyamalale ngokushesha ngalé kwalokho sizobanjwa amaphoyisa. Ngakho sabaleka—ngokushesha okukhulu!

Kwakuthakazelisa kakhulu ukuba seSpain ngaleyo minyaka. Sasizama ukukhuthaza abazalwane nodade bakhona abakahle, kuhlanganise nezikhonzi ezingamaphayona akhethekile. Babezibeka engozini yokuboshwa futhi bevamile ukukhuthazelela ukuswela ukuze bashumayele izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi bamise amabandla, bawakhe.

Ngalesi sikhathi sathola nezindaba ezimbi. UHazel uyachaza: “Ngo-1964 umama, owayenguFakazi othembekile, washona. Kwaba buhlungu ukushona kwakhe ngingakwazanga ngisho nokuvalelisa. Leyo ngenye yezinto ezibuhlungu ngomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli eye yehlela nezinye eziningi.”

Inkululeko Ekugcineni

Ngemva kweminyaka yoshushiso, ngo-July 1970 umsebenzi wethu wagcina uqashelwe ngokomthetho uhulumeni kaFranco. Sajabula kakhulu sinoHazel lapho kuvulwa amaHholo OMbuso, elokuqala eMadrid elesibili eLesseps,  eBarcelona. Njalo ayeba nezimpawu ezinkulu, ngokuvamile ezikhanyiswa yisibani. Sasifuna abantu bazi ukuthi sase sivunyelwe ngokomthetho futhi sizinzile! Ngalesi sikhathi, ngo-1972, kwakunoFakazi abacishe babe ngu-17 000 eSpain.

Cishe ngaso lesi sikhathi, ngathola izindaba ezikhuthaza kakhulu ezivela eNgilandi. Ngo-1969 ubaba wayesivakashele eSpain. Yamhlaba umxhwele kakhulu indlela oFakazi baseSpain abamphatha ngayo kangangokuthi lapho esephindele eNgilandi, waqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli. Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1971, ngatshelwa ukuthi ubaba ubhapathiziwe! Kwakuthinta imizwelo lapho sivakashele ekhaya, ubaba, njengomfowethu ongumKristu, ethandaza ebonga ukudla. Ngase ngineminyaka engaphezu kwengu-20 ngilulindile lolo suku. Umfowethu uBob nomkakhe, u-Iris, babebe ngoFakazi ngo-1958. Indodana yabo, uPhillip, ikhonza njengombonisi wesifunda manje eSpain nomkayo, uJean. Asive sijabula ukubabona bekhonza kulelo zwe elihle.

Isimanga Esisehlele Muva Nje

Ngo-February 1980, savakashelwa yilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo eSpain njengombonisi wamagatsha. Ngamangala lapho lifuna ukuhamba nami enkonzweni. Ngangingazi ukuthi liyangihlola! Kwabe sekuthi ngo-September samenywa ukuba sithuthele endlunkulu yomhlaba eseBrooklyn, eNew York! Kwaphela amagama kithi. Sasamukela isimemo, yize kwakubuhlungu ukushiya abafowethu baseSpain. Ngaleso sikhathi, kwase kunoFakazi abangu-48 000!

Lapho sihamba, umzalwane othile wangipha iwashi. Wayeliqophe imibhalo emibili—“Lucas 16:10; Lucas 17:10.” Wathi yimibhalo yami ebalulekile. ULuka 16:10 ugcizelela ukuthi kufanele sithembeke ezintweni ezincane, uLuka 17:10 athi “siyizigqila ezingelusizo lwalutho” ngakho-ke asinasizathu sokuqhosha. Selokhu kwathi nhló, ngiyaqaphela ukuthi noma yini esiyenzayo enkonzweni kaJehova imane iyisibopho sethu njengamaKristu azinikezele.

Isimanga Esiphathelene Nempilo

Ngo-1990, ngaqala ukuhlushwa yinhliziyo. Ekugcineni, kwadingeka ngifakwe ipayipana emthanjeni omkhulu wegazi ukuze uvuleke. Ngale nkathi enzima yokuba buthakathaka ngokomzimba, uHazel uye wangisekela ngezindlela eziningi, ethwala kaningi izikhwama namapotimende engangingenawo amandla okuwathwala. Kwabe sekuthi ngo-May 2000, ngafakelwa umshini wokulawula ukushaya kwenhliziyo. Awuve umkhulu umehluko oye wawenza!

Phakathi neminyaka engu-50 edlule, mina noHazel siye sabona ukuthi isandla sikaJehova asisifushane nokuthi izinjongo zakhe zigcwaliseka ngesikhathi sakhe esifanele, hhayi esethu. (Isaya 59:1; Habakuki 2:3) Siye sehlelwa yizimanga eziningi ezijabulisayo ekuphileni kwethu nezimbalwa ezibuhlungu, kodwa kukho konke uJehova uye wasisekela. Lapha endlunkulu yomhlaba yabantu bakaJehova, usuku ngalunye sibusisekile ngokuba kanye namalungu eNdikimba Ebusayo. Ngezinye izikhathi ngiyazibuza, ‘Uthi silapha ngempela?’ Kuwumusa ongasifanele. (2 Korinte 12:9) Siyethemba ukuthi uJehova uyoqhubeka esivikele emaqhingeni kaSathane futhi asilondoloze ukuze sikwazi ukujabulela usuku lokubusa kwakhe umhlaba ngokulunga.—Efesu 6:11-18; IsAmbulo 21:1-4.

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

IJele LaseStrangeways, eManchester, lapho ngaqala khona isigwebo sami

[Isithombe ekhasini 27]

Siseceleni kwe-Austin Seven yethu emsebenzini wesifunda eNgilandi

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

Umhlangano oqhutshwa isinyenyela eCercedilla, eMadrid, eSpain, ngo-1962

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

Sisetafuleni lethu lokushumayela eBrooklyn