Indaba Yokuphila

Ilungelo Elikhethekile Lokuba Nesandla Ekwandeni Kwangemva Kwempi

IXOXWA UFILIP S. HOFFMANN

Kwakusanda kuphela iMpi Yezwe II ngo-May 1945. Ngo-December walowo nyaka, uNathan H. Knorr, owayengamele umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke, wavakashela eDenmark ehamba nonobhala wakhe oneminyaka engu-25 ubudala, uMilton G. Henschel. Elindelwe ngabomvu, kwaqashwa ihholo elikhulu. Kithina esasibasha, inkulumo kaMfoweth’ uHenschel yayimnandi ngokukhethekile, ngoba wayenguntanga yethu futhi ekhethe isihloko esithi: “Futhi Khumbula UMdali Wakho Emihleni Yobusha Bakho.”—UmShumayeli 12:1.

KULOKHO kuhanjelwa, sathola ukuthi kwakwenzeka izinto ezithakazelisayo ukuze kuthuthukiswe umsebenzi wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke, nanokuthi nathi sasingahileleka kuzo. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngokwesibonelo, e-United States kwakuvulwe isikole esisha sokuqeqeshela izinsizwa nezintokazi umsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli. UMfoweth’ uKnorr wakugcizelela ukuthi uma samukelwa, sasiyohamba singabuyi futhi sasingeke sazi ukuthi siyophelelaphi. Yize kunjalo, abanye bethu bazifaka izicelo.

Ngaphambi kokuba ngixoxe okwenzeka kimi ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II, ake ngiqale ekuzalweni kwami ngo-1919. Ziningi izenzakalo zangaphambi naphakathi nempi ezakuthonya kakhulu ukuphila kwami.

Ukuthola Iqiniso LeBhayibheli Kukhanda Limtshel’ Okwakhe

Lapho umama ezethwele mina—izibulo lakhe—wathandazela ukuthi uma ngingumfana, ngibe yisithunywa sevangeli. Umfowabo wayengumFundi WeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi  BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo, kodwa abakubo babembheka njengokhanda limtshel’ okwakhe. Sasihlala ngaseCopenhagen, futhi kwakuthi uma abaFundi BeBhayibheli benemihlangano yaminyaka yonke lapho, umama abize uMalume uThomas owayehlala kude ukuba azohlala nathi. Ngo-1930, ulwazi lwakhe olumangalisayo lweBhayibheli nokulichaza kwakhe ngendlela ehluzekile kwase kwenze umama waba umFundi WeBhayibheli.

Umama wayelithanda iBhayibheli. Elandela umyalo kaDuteronomi 6:7, wayesifundisa mina nodadewethu ‘lapho ehlezi endlini yakhe, nalapho ehamba endleleni, nalapho elala, nalapho evuka.’ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngaqala ukushumayela endlini ngendlu. Ngangikuthanda ukuxoxa nabantu ngezindaba ezinjengomphefumulo ongafi nesihogo somlilo, ezazifundiswa emasontweni. Ngangikwazi ukusebenzisa iBhayibheli ekuboniseni ngokuphumelelayo ukuthi izimfundiso ezinjalo ziyiphutha.—IHubo 146:3, 4; UmShumayeli 9:5, 10; Hezekeli 18:4.

Umkhaya Wakithi Uba Munye

Ngemva komhlangano wesigodi owawuseCopenhagen ngo-1937, kwaba khona isidingo sezisebenzi zesikhashana edepho yezincwadi yehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova laseDenmark. Ngangisanda kuqeda izifundo zami zamabhizinisi ekolishi futhi ngangingenazibopho, ngakho ngaya kosiza kuleyo depho. Lapho umsebenzi uphela edepho, ngacelwa ukuba ngiyosiza ehhovisi legatsha. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngahamba ekhaya ngathuthela egatsheni laseCopenhagen, nakuba ngangingabhapathiziwe. Ukuba kanye namaKristu avuthiwe nsuku zonke kwangisiza ngathuthuka ngokomoya. Ngonyaka olandelayo, ngo-January 1, 1938, ngabonisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova uNkulunkulu ngobhapathizo lwamanzi.

Ngo-September 1939, kwaqala iMpi Yezwe II. Kwathi ngo-April 9, 1940, amasosha aseJalimane angena eDenmark. Njengoba abantu baseDenmark babenikwe inkululeko ethé xaxa, sasikwazi ukuqhubeka sishumayela.

Kwabe sekwenzeka isimanga sento. Ubaba waba uFakazi okhuthele nothembekile, okwasenza sajabula saqeda. Ngakho, lapho mina nabanye abane baseDenmark samukelwa ekilasini lesi-8 leSikole SaseGileyadi, umkhaya wakithi wonke wangisekela. Lezo zifundo zezinyanga  ezinhlanu, ezaqala ngo-September 1946, zaziqhutshelwa endaweni enhle engaphandle nje kweSouth Lansing esifundeni saseNew York.

Ukuqeqeshwa KwaseGileyadi Nokwakamuva

IGileyadi yanginika amathuba okuthola abangane abasha abathandekayo. Kwake kwathi ngizihambela emagcekeni kusihlwa noHarold King waseNgilandi, sakhuluma ngokuthi kazi singase sithunyelwephi ngemva kokuqeqeshwa kwethu. UHarold wathi: “Angikholwa ukuthi ngiyagcina ukubona amawa amhlophe aseDover.” Wayeqinisile, kodwa waze wawabona ngemva kweminyaka engu-17 lawo mawa, futhi emine nengxenye yaleyo minyaka wayichitha evalelwe yedwa ejele laseChina! *

Ngemva kokwethweswa kwethu iziqu, ngathunyelwa eTexas, e-U.S.A., ukuba ngiyoba umbonisi ojikelezayo, ngihambele amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova ngiwasize ngokomoya. Ngamukelwa ngezandla ezifudumele. Abazalwane baseTexas babekujabulela ukuhanjelwa yinsizwa yaseYurophu esanda kuphothula eSikoleni SaseGileyadi. Kodwa ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisikhombisa ngiseTexas, ngabizelwa endlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York. Lapho, uMfoweth’ uKnorr wanginika umsebenzi wasehhovisi, wangiyala ukuba ngifunde indlela umsebenzi owenziwa ngayo kuyo yonke iminyango yaseBethel. Kwakufanele kuthi uma sengibuyele eDenmark ngisebenzise engangikufundile ukuze ngiqiniseke ukuthi konke kwakwenziwa ngendlela efanayo neyaseBrooklyn. Injongo yayiwukufanisa indlela izinto ezenziwa ngayo emagatsheni emhlabeni wonke ukuze umsebenzi uhambe kahle. Kamuva, uMfoweth’ uKnorr wangithumela eJalimane.

Ukusebenzisa Engangikufundisiwe Emagatsheni

Lapho ngifika eWiesbaden, eJalimane, ngo-July 1949, amadolobha amaningi aseJalimane ayeseyizimvithi. Labo ababehola emsebenzini wokushumayela kwakungamadoda ayeshushiswe kusukela lapho uHitler eqala ukubusa ngo-1933. Abanye babevalelwe iminyaka engu-8 kuya kweyishumi nangaphezulu emajele nasemakamu okuhlushwa! Ngasebenza nalezi zikhonzi zikaJehova iminyaka emithathu nengxenye. Isibonelo sazo esingavamile singikhumbuza okwashiwo yisazi-mlando saseJalimane uGabriele Yonan, esabhala: “Ukube sasingekho isibonelo saleli qembu lamaKristu aba qotho ngaphansi kobushiqela [bamaNazi]—ngemva kwe-Auschwitz noKuqothulwa Kwesizwe—kwakuyodingeka sikungabaze ukuthi kungenzeka ukwenza zonke izimfundiso zikaJesu zobuKristu.”

Umsebenzi wami egatsheni wawufana nengangiwenza eDenmark: ukuqala indlela entsha nefanayo yokusingatha izinto enhlanganweni. Kwathi abafowethu baseJalimane bangaqonda ukuthi ngalolu shintsho kwakungagxekwa neze umsebenzi wabo—kodwa kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba amagatsha abambisane kakhudlwana nendlunkulu—bashiseka futhi baba nomoya omuhle wokubambisana.

Ngo-1952 kwafika incwadi evela ehhovisi likaMfoweth’ uKnorr, eyathi mangithuthele egatsheni laseBern, eSwitzerland. Ngabelwa ukuba ngibe umbonisi wegatsha lakhona, kusukela ngo-January 1, 1953.

 Enye Injabulo ESwitzerland

Ngisanda kufika eSwitzerland, ngahlangana no-Esther emhlanganweni, kungakabiphi sase sithembisene umshado. Ngo-August 1954, uMfoweth’ uKnorr wathi mangize eBrooklyn lapho ngachazelwa khona umsebenzi omusha nothakazelisayo. Njengoba amagatsha emhlabeni wonke ayesande kakhulu ngamanani nangobukhulu, kwakuqalwa ilungiselelo elisha. Umhlaba wahlukaniswa ngamaqembu amagatsha, ngalinye lizokhonzwa umbonisi walo. Ngabelwa ukukhonza amabili ala maqembu: iYurophu nendawo ekuyiMediterranean Sea.

Ngemva nje kokuthi qú eBrooklyn, ngaphindela eSwitzerland ngalungiselela umsebenzi wokuhambela amagatsha. Sashada no-Esther, sase siyokhonza ehhovisi legatsha laseSwitzerland. Ohambweni lwami lokuqala ngaya emakhaya ezithunywa zevangeli nasemagatsheni ase-Italy, eGreece, eCyprus, emazweni aseMpumalanga Ephakathi nasogwini oluseNyakatho Afrika, eSpain nasePortugal—amazwe angu-13 esewonke. Ngemva kokuphindela eBern, ngadlulela kuwo wonke amanye amazwe aseYurophu asentshonalanga yeKhethini Lensimbi. Phakathi nonyaka wokuqala sishadile, kwaphela izinyanga eziyisithupha ngingekho ekhaya, ngikhonza abazalwane.

Ukushintsha Kwezimo

Ngo-1957, u-Esther wathola ukuthi ukhulelwe, futhi njengoba igatsha lingakulungele ukuhlalisa abazali nezingane, sanquma ukuya eDenmark, lapho ubaba asamukela khona ukuba sihlale naye. U-Esther wayenakekela indodakazi yethu uRakel, kanye nobaba, ngesikhathi mina ngisiza ehhovisi legatsha elalisanda kwakhiwa. Ngangifundisa eSikoleni Senkonzo SoMbuso sababonisi bamabandla futhi ngiqhubeka ngikhonza njengombonisi wamagatsha.

Lo msebenzi wokuhambela amagatsha wawungenza ngihambe ekhaya isikhathi eside, ngeshwa okwakungihlukanisa nendodakazi yethu. Lokhu kwaba nemiphumela. Ngesinye isikhathi ngahlala isikhathi esijana eParis, lapho sasihlela khona indawo encane yokunyathelisa. U-Esther noRakel beza ngesitimela bezongibona bafika eGare du Nord. Ngahamba noLéopold Jontès wasegatsheni sayobahlangabeza. URakel wama esitebhisi sesitimela, wabuka uLéopold, wabuka mina, waphinda  wabuka uLéopold, wayeseziphonsa kuLéopold!

Olunye ushintsho olukhulu lwenzeka lapho ngiyeka inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ngiyosebenza ukuze ngondle umkhaya wami, ngineminyaka engu-45. Ngolwazi enganginalo njengesikhonzi esinguFakazi kaJehova, ngakwazi ukuthola umsebenzi wokuba yimenenja yokuthunyelwa kwezimpahla kwamanye amazwe. Ngemva kokusebenzela le nkampani iminyaka engaba ngu-9, uRakel eseqedile esikoleni, sanquma ukusabela esikhuthazweni sokuthuthela lapho kwakunendingeko enkulu khona yabashumayeli boMbuso.

Lapho ngihlola izimo eNorway, ngabuza abatholelana imisebenzi ukuthi ngingawuthola yini. Impendulo yayinganiki ithemba. Ayemancane kakhulu amathuba okuba indoda eneminyaka engu-55 iwuthole. Noma kunjalo, ngathinta ihhovisi legatsha e-Oslo ngase ngiqasha indlu eduze kwedolobhana laseDrøbak, ngethemba ukuthi umsebenzi uzovela. Nangempela wavela, kwalandela isikhathi esimnandi kakhulu enkonzweni yoMbuso eNorway.

Kwakuba mnandi kakhulu lapho abaningi ebandleni beya enyakatho ensimini engabelwe. Sasihlala ezindlini eziqashisayo, nsuku zonke sihambele amapulazi ayethe chíthi sáka ezintabeni ezinhle. Kwakungeve kumnandi ukutshela laba bantu ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Sasihambisa izincwadi eziningi, kodwa izimpindelo zazize zenziwe ngonyaka olandelayo. Kodwa abantu babengasikhohlwa! U-Esther noRakel basakhumbula isikhathi lapho sibuyela futhi samukelwa njengezihlobo ezagcinwa kudala. Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu siseNorway sabuyela eDenmark.

Ukujabulela Ukuphila Komkhaya

Kungakabiphi uRakel wathembisana noNiels Højer, isikhonzi esishisekayo esiyiphayona lesikhathi esigcwele. Ngemva kokushada, uNiels noRakel baqhubeka bengamaphayona baze baba nabantwana. UNiels ungumyeni nobaba okahle, onesithakazelo sangempela emkhayeni wakhe. Ngelinye ilanga ekuseni wagibela ibhayisekili nendodana yakhe baya ogwini beyobuka ukuphuma kwelanga. Umakhelwane wabuza umfana ukuthi bafike benzani. Waphendula wathi: “Sifike sathandaza kuJehova.”

Ngemva kweminyaka embalwa, sino-Esther sabona abazukulu bethu ababili bokuqala, uBenjamin noNadja, bebhapathizwa. Omunye owayekhona kwakunguNiels, owaphenduka wangibheka. Wathi kimi, “Indoda ayikhali.” Kodwa, khona lapho sase sikhala sobabili sibambene. Akuve kujabulisa ukuba nomkhwenyana okwazi ukuhleka futhi ukhale naye!

Namanje Sisazama Ukuvumelana Nezimo

Sathola esinye isibusiso lapho sicelwa ukuba sibuyele kokhonza ehhovisi legatsha eDenmark sino-Esther. Nokho, ngaleso sikhathi kwase kuqalwe amalungiselelo okwakha isakhiwo segatsha esikhulu eHolbæk. Ngaba nelungelo lokuba nengxenye ekwengameleni umsebenzi wokwakha, wonke owawenziwa yizisebenzi zokuzithandela ezingakhokhelwa. Nakuba amakhaza ayeshubisa umnkantsha ngalobo busika, kwathi kuphela u-1982, ngokuyinhloko umsebenzi wawusuphelile, futhi sakujabulela sonke ukuthuthela endaweni enkulu nengcono!

Ngokushesha ngase ngisebenza ehhovisi, engangikujabulela kakhulu, u-Esther yena umsebenzi wakhe kuwukuphendula izingcingo. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwadingeka ahlinzwe inqulu, ngonyaka olandelayo wahlinzwa ingqalathi yenyongo. Nakuba izisebenzi zasegatsheni zazinomusa kithi, sanquma ukuthi kungcono sihambe. Saya ebandleni indodakazi yethu nomkhaya wethu ababekulo.

Impilo ka-Esther ayiyinhle manje. Nokho, ngingasho ngobuqotho ukuthi kuyo yonke le minyaka sikhonza ndawonye, izimo zilokhu zishintshashintsha, ube ngumngane omuhle nongisekelayo. Naphezu kwempilo ewohlokayo, sobabili sisahlanganyela ngezinga elithile emsebenzini wokushumayela. Uma ngibheka ukuphila kwami, ngikhumbula amazwi omhubi nginokubonga: “Nkulunkulu, ungifundisile kwasebusheni bami.”—IHubo 71:17.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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Sithulula izincwadi egatsheni laseJalimane lapho lisakhiwa ngo-1949

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Abanye engangisebenza nabo kwakungoFakazi abavela emakamu okuhlushwa njengalaba

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Ngino-Esther namuhla, namhla sishada eBethel yaseBern, ngo-October 1955